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Angelo Mathews’ career is in transition, and he is steadily coming to terms with his new role with both Sri Lanka and Pune Warriors

Nagraj Gollapudi07-Apr-2013He smiled at the question. After a moment’s consideration, he spoke about Sri Lankan players not being allowed to play in Chennai during the IPL. “There is a bit of a situation in Chennai and we have to refrain from going there. Politics and sport don’t mix. We need to concentrate on our cricket and not worry too much about things happening around. If this was an issue between the two countries we wouldn’t have been playing in the IPL,” the Pune Warriors captain Angelo Mathews said.Mathews’ response wasn’t as thoughtful as what his Sri Lanka team-mate Kumar Sangakkara expressed. But neither was it a casual response to what was a serious question. Had he been just a player, he may have shrugged off the question. But since he is captain, Mathews spoke responsibly.For Mathews, 2013 has been a year of transition as a cricketer. After Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara decided to pass the baton to a younger cricketer, Mathews was picked as the man to replace them as leader. He was a long-term choice, who could provide stability. These were the key factors the selectors had in mind while appointing him ahead of Tillakaratne Dilshan, who had led Sri Lanka briefly a couple of years ago.Mathews led Sri Lanka in the Test and ODI formats during the home series against Bangladesh. He did not disappoint, despite Sri Lanka losing their first-ever game to Bangladesh on home soil in the drawn ODI series.Mathews blamed his bowlers for the defeat, but signs of his inexperience were evident when he showed impatience with bowling changes during the preceding Test series. But Mathews is willing to accept his and his team’s shortcomings, and that’s a good sign. On Friday, after the dispiriting defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mathews admitted his batsmen had played “too cautiously” and “choked” chasing a small target. So how does he rectify the error? How does he tell the senior trio of Yuvraj Singh, Marlon Samuels, and Ross Taylor that they need to play more responsibly?”You’ve got to stay calm as far as possible. You need to gel with the boys because they are the ones who will make you a good leader. You have to listen to the boys because it is important to get all things on board. And then you take the positive stuff out of what they have said,” Mathews said.Desperate to rise from the bottom of the IPL table, where they finished over the previous two seasons since they became part of the tournament, the management appointed a new coach in Allan Donald, the former South African fast bowler. For Donald, aggression is the . At the same time, he believes in the player understanding his role clearly. In that regard Mathews could be the ideal man to communicate the coach’s message to get the job done.Reading situations correctly, identifying the right go-to men, and keeping back-up plans ready, are what Mathews believes make a good leader. For him, Sangakkara ticks all those parameters, as witnessed on Friday evening, when Sunrisers won by 22 runs despite scoring just 126. His rival captain’s strategy on the field, Mathews agreed, was good homework for him. “He has been a successful captain in the past for Sri Lanka and Deccan and Sunrisers now. He stays calm all the time and the way he handles the guys is amazing. There is a lot to learn from him. The way he carried out the bowling changes, the way he thought through the game, the way he read the situations was really learning stuff for me,” Mathews said.In January this year, Mathews led Sri Lanka successfully to a 2-0 victory in a two-match T20 series in Australia. Sangakkara had returned home due to injury, but Mathews displayed the right temperament to make sure he did not look out of place as a captain.An impact player himself, Mathews recognised the primary priority for a player in Twenty20 was to retain focus at all times. “We need to have the focus right through the 20 overs. We can’t just give in to the situations because we need to play some really good cricket to win against quality teams.”Mathews shows an aggressive spirit, especially evident at times in his batting, and is steadily coming to terms with captaincy. There is a long way to go, but just like Sri Lanka, the Warriors, too, might have chosen the right man to lead the team.

Chelsea star Cole Palmer is trying to trademark his iconic celebration – but he might not be able to stop other players copying it.

Article continues below

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• Palmer trying to trademark iconic celebration
• Might not be able to stop others from mimicking him
• Chelsea take on Everton on Sunday

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The England international might not be able to stop other players from copying the celebration on a football pitch, but he can protect it from being used in the commercial sphere outside of the ground through his attempts to trademark the shivering move.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Palmer performed the celebration for the first time in December 2023 in Chelsea's 3-2 win at Luton Town in the Premier League. He reportedly got the idea from former Manchester City academy team-mate Morgan Rogers, who performed it after scoring for Middlesbrough. Indeed, Rogers performed the celebration after scoring for Aston Villa in their 2-1 win against Manchester City on Saturday.

• WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

  Speaking on talkSPORT, intellectual property, data and contract lawyer Ben Milloy said: "We're probably used to sports stars protecting their names and their logos and that kind of thing. But it is possible to protect what's called a non-traditional trademark. And that's what Cole Palmer has done. He's sought to protect a gesture or a technical emotion mark.

  "But instead of filing a name or a logo, he's uploaded a short video of him performing the shiver celebration. And he has sought to protect it for a range of goods and services. And they are the typical merchandise that you'd expect. But as you say, it is quite wide-ranging. You've actually got baking powder in there as one of them. And underwater vehicles. So it's an indication of what Cole Palmer might have in store."

  He added: "I mean, I don't really see it as a complication. I had to think about this. I suppose it's possible because we're just talking about intellectual property rights and there are various intellectual property rights and they all have quite a sort of confined scope.

  "So I suppose it's possible for Morgan Rogers to say that he has some kind of copyright. If he treats his goal celebration as a form of performance art as a sort of dramatic work then it may qualify for copyright protection. And that might give him some theoretical claim. But it seems there would be lots and lots of hurdles and it seems basically it would not be successful."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  When asked if Palmer can stop other players from mimicking the celebration on the pitch, Milloy added: "What we're focused on really is Cole Palmer being able to stop people from using it off the football pitch in the commercial sphere, as it were.

  "So he wouldn't be able to stop another player on the football pitch from mimicking the celebration or paying homage to it, whatever because that's not in the commercial sphere. So trademarks are designed to protect their kind of outside interests, their merchandising, their licensing deals and that kind of thing."

In the end, whether Howard does or doesn’t get the job–the fact is that there are many, many people better suited to the job

Cricinfo25-Feb-2013

The nomination of John Howard is an act of severe short-sightedness
© Getty Images
Gideon Haigh has made himself a name for writing spanking pieces taking apart moral and economic flaws in the cricket fraternity. Unfortunately, his case for John Howard wasn’t one of them. It’s a fine piece in its own right, filled with Haigh’s typical bafflement at the hypocrisies and short-sightedness of some of the world’s most vocal bodies–yet it fails, I’m afraid, to make a case for the much-maligned Howard.First of all, let’s get the prerequisites out. What Howard was as prime minister of Australia really doesn’t matter; the way and pattern he went about his work does, as that is what will be transferred to the ICC should he become vice-president or president. What he said or didn’t say about Murali doesn’t matter, either; it’s his personal view, and though it may be mind-numbingly frustrating for some fans (myself included) to have to continually beat a dead horse every time Murali grabs a seven-for, Howard is entitled to his opinion.Nor is the fact that he can’t bowl to save his life of any consequence–mere knowledge and awareness of his responsibilities as an ICC official should suffice, and he is at least academically aware of cricket norms.Indeed, it can be argued that his outsider rank is a strength and not a weakness, seeing as it removes a significant chip from his shoulder. But the fact remains that he is in no way qualified whatsoever for the job either. Those who attacked him as a racist or politician were indulging in ad hominem, trying to break their opponent’s case by attacking his character instead of the issues at hand.The temptation to expose their hypocrisy must have taken over, but instead of presenting a case for Howard’s candidature Mr Haigh only attacked the double standards of the opponents; the subtitle to his piece, saying that Howard’s opponents “are not exactly shining examples of rectitude themselves”, signifies as much.The fact is that there is a broadly divided view on Howard, and most of it is, unfortunately, not positive. To overcome that Howard would have to be a shining example of level-headed diplomacy, firmness and cool–yet his chuntering, in-your-face manner while leading his country suggests otherwise. His regular forays into the world of cricket went beyond endearing–that was a John Major, or a Robert Menzies–to simply tasteless. He is, unfortunately, seen in some parts of the cricket world as a divisive influence.The fact is that from all the wonderfully capable administrators who surely must exist in the Anzac realm–that capable former NZC administrator, Sir John Anderson, springs immediately to mind–choosing Howard, whatever the hypocrisy of the nay-sayers, was almost mind-blowingly short-sighted. You may as well have appointed George W Bush head of FIFA–he may be a hell of a nice guy personally and his politics may have nothing to do with his views on the sport, but the fact is that people don’t like him.To overcome that he would have to be a genius at management–and that, unfortunately, is not evident either. Howard would have to change his public image dramatically–and serenading India, unfortunately, won’t be enough. Indeed it is a sign that instead of standing up for the Anzac divide, Howard may just end up pandering to the hulking Indian board. In the end, whether Howard does or doesn’t get the job–the fact is that there are many, many people better suited to the job, and the nomination is an act of severe short-sightedness.

Abdul Samad and Shahrukh Khan also score tons for their respective teams; Pujara out for a four-ball duck as Saurashtra struggle

Saurabh Somani19-Feb-2022Hanuma Vihari followed up a first-innings half-century with a second-innings 106, as Hyderabad put themselves in a strong position to gain an outright victory over Chandigarh on the third day of the first round of matches in the Ranji Trophy 2021-22.The day also saw aggressive centuries from two men who have made headlines for their short-form batting more, with Abdul Samad hitting 103 off 78 balls for Jammu and Kashmir against Pondicherry, and M Shahrukh Khan smashing 194 off 148 balls for Tamil Nadu against Delhi.Vihari, who was selected in India’s Test squad for the series against Sri Lanka, had been Hyderabad’s top-scorer in the first innings too, with 59 runs even though every single batter made it to double figures to drive the total to 347 all out. In contrast, Chandigarh had Manan Vohra playing a lone hand with 110 in a total of 216 in an Elite Group B match at the Vikas Cricket Ground in Cuttack.In Hyderabad’s second innings, Vihari hit his 22nd first-class century, as Hyderabad declared on 269 for 8, setting Chandigarh an unlikely 401 for victory. Tilak Varma shared in a 130-run stand for the third with Vihari, before he was out for 63. Chandigarh had already lost two wickets in the eight overs and were 21 for 2 at stumps.In the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, Tamil Nadu held the advantage against Delhi in an Elite Group H match, thanks to Shahrukh’s swashbuckling innings, the standout century in a game that had Yash Dhull hitting a hundred on debut to rescue Delhi from 7 for 2, then Lalit Yadav’s maiden first-class century that swelled to 177 as he took Delhi from 253 for 7 to 452 all out. B Indrajith also hit 117, but it was Shahrukh’s 194 that stole the show. With only a day left, a draw seems most likely but Shahrukh has ensured Tamil Nadu will get first-innings lead points, a prospect that seemed unlikely when they were 162 for 5.In an Elite Group C match in Chennai’s SSN College of Engineering ground, Jammu and Kashmir were on the brink of victory against Pondicherry.Qamran Iqbal fell on his overnight score of 96, but Samad’s whirlwind century drove J&K to a first-innings lead as they were bowled out for 426 in reply to Pondicherry’s 343. Parvez Rasool’s spin then had Pondicherry tumbling to 113 for 9 at stumps, a lead of only 30 runs.File photo: Cheteshwar Pujara walks back•Shailesh Bhatnagar

In Ahmedabad, Cheteshwar Pujara was out for a four-ball duck as defending champions Saurashtra were made to follow on against Mumbai in an Elite Group D match.Overnight 18 without loss, Saurashtra were bowled out for 220 after Mumbai had piled on 544 for 7 declared. Pujara came in at No.4, and was lbw to Mohit Avasthi shortly after. Sheldon Jackson’s 61 was Saurashtra’s highest score in the first innings, but they put up a better show when following on, with openers Harvik Desai and Snell Patel having shared a 105-run stand that is still unbroken. Even so, given their massive deficit in the first innings, Saurashtra are trailing by a sizeable 219 runs.Three games finished on the third day, with Kerala beating Meghalaya by an innings and 166 runs in an Elite Group A match, Chattisgarh defeating Jharkhand by eight wickets in an Elite Group H match, and Manipur victorious by an innings and 25 runs against Arunachal Pradesh in a Plate Group match.Playing his first first-class match since his ban in 2013 for spot-fixing, S Sreesanth didn’t have a good outing for Kerala, although his team overwhelmed Meghalaya.In the first innings, Meghalaya were bowled out for just 148, with Eden Apple Tom taking 4 for 41 on debut. Sreesanth took the wickets of the No.9 and No.11 batters, returning 2 for 40 in 11.5 overs. Centuries by P Rahul, Rohan Kunnumal and Vatshal Govind then propelled Kerala to 505 for 9 declared, before they bowled out Meghalaya for 191. Sreesanth went wicket-less, giving up 57 runs in nine overs.

Malick Thiaw is a defender who has been constantly linked with a move to Newcastle United during the summer transfer window.

The AC Milan centre-back could be on the move after the recent arrival of Serbian, Strahinja Pavlović, who arrived at the San Siro from RB Salzburg over the last couple of days.

The Magpies have limited options at the back, with Eddie Howe looking to recruit more depth to cover for the likes of Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles who are both expected to be out until 2025 after suffering ACL injuries last season.

Lloyd Kelly has already arrived at St James’ Park this summer, but it’s looked for large spells as though Milan’s Thiaw would be the man to join the Englishman on Tyneside.

However, a new update has emerged that could see the Magpies shift away from the idea of securing a deal for Thiaw and prioritise a move for a Premier League star.

Newcastle could sign Premier League star this summer

On Friday afternoon, journalist David Ornstein confirmed that Newcastle had opened negotiations with Crystal Palace over a potential deal to sign centre-back Marc Guehi.

The 24-year-old, who has two years left on his current contract, starred for England at Euro 2024, featuring in all but one fixture – even registering the assist for Jude Bellingham’s stoppage-time bicycle kick against Slovakia.

His rise to the England national team is hardly a surprise given his form at club level in 2023/24, starting 25 matches and becoming a key player in Oliver Glasner’s revolution at Selhurst Park.

As to be expected following his excellent form, he’s caught the eye of numerous Premier League clubs, including the Magpies, with Guehi undoubtedly improving the defensive unit whilst also potentially forming an excellent partnership with another star linked with a move to Tyneside.

Why Tomori would be a dream alongside Guehi

After previously being linked with a £40m move to join Howe’s side, Englishman Fikayo Tomori could form a partnership with Guehi once more should the pair both move to Tyneside.

The pair both came through the Chelsea academy, before moving away from Stamford Bridge in a bid to gain regular game time and further their professional careers.

The “sensational” talent, as described by scout Antonio Mango, enjoyed another successful campaign in Serie A during the 2023/24 campaign, winning an average of two tackles per 90, whilst making 1.6 blocks – helping Howe combat the poor defensive record from last season.

He also excelled in possession, making an average of 2.9 progressive passes per 90, whilst achieving a pass completion rate of 91% – fitting perfectly into the Magpies’ philosophy of being comfortable on the ball all over the pitch.

With the bonus of their Chelsea connection, their respective transfers could allow the pair to form an exciting new partnership at St James' and catapult the Magpies back towards the Champions League places.

They would both be costly additions to the squad, but would both vastly improve the options currently at Howe’s disposal and would showcase the Saudi PIF's ambitions of taking the club to the next level.

Newcastle have struck gold on "sensational" ace who's worth more than Thiaw

The Magpies have conducted some shrewd business in recent times, including the signing of one star.

By
Ethan Lamb

Aug 1, 2024

City effectively turned their youth system into a money-printing machine but they could sure do with some of the talented players they sold

"Only when the last tree has been cut down, the last fish been caught, and the last stream poisoned, will we realize we cannot eat money." So goes an old Native American proverb. In a footballing context, Johan Cruyff struck a similar note when he said: "I've never seen a bag of money score a goal."

The two analogies apply perfectly to Manchester City right now. City’s considerable wealth, coupled with having the best coach in the world for almost a decade, industry-leading recruitment and shrewd moves off the pitch, has undoubtedly made them one of the best teams in the world. But right now their wealth is not exactly showing, as they contemplate a run of seven defeats and just one victory in their last 10 matches following their latest defeat by Juventus.

City have the highest wage bill and revenue in England, and the third highest in Europe, but their financial might cannot help them out of their current mess, at least not until the January transfer window opens. Indeed, the club seem to be paying a heavy price for not spending more in the last transfer window, when they brought in just Savinho and Ilkay Gundogan despite making a fortune from selling Julian Alvarez.

Just a few months after winning a historic fourth consecutive Premier League title, Pep Guardiola's serial-winning squad appears to have gone stale. Five of the 11 players who started against Juventus have been at the club since 2017, while five are over the age of 30, with Kevin De Bruyne 33 and Kyle Walker and Gundogan both 34.

City are crying out for some squad renewal. And the most frustrating thing for the club must be the sense that they had a homegrown group of players in the club's academy who were deemed not good enough to push into the first team but who have thrived elsewhere. While the likes of Phil Foden, Rico Lewis and Oscar Bobb have made successful transitions from the youth system into Guardiola's side, City have tended to view their academy more as a money-earner than a breeding ground for future first-team stars. And that is now looking like a huge mistake.

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  Palmer killing it amid City slump

  City have made an astonishing £176m in the last three years ($223m) on selling academy players, contributing to the club making record revenues for consecutive years and continuing to make handsome profits. The majority of those players had never even made it into Guardiola's matchday squad. Some of them had never even spent any significant time in Manchester, such as Yan Couto and Pedro Porro, who were loaned to Girona before being sold on, while others had practically grown up at the club.

  It has long been the case at most Premier League clubs that the majority of academy players will not develop into first-team regulars, with Foden and Lewis being the two rare exceptions to that trend at City. But it really should have been three.

  With every attacking player, aside from Erling Haaland, being starved of goals, it has been particularly frustrating from a City point of view to see how Cole Palmer has blossomed into one of the best players in the world at Chelsea. While Foden is still waiting to score his first Premier League goal this season, Palmer has scored five times in his last three games.

  The forward has 11 league goals for this campaign – two behind leaders Haaland and Mohamed Salah – while also boasting six assists. It follows an astonishing debut campaign with the Blues in which he scored 22 league goals and set up a further 11. As a result, it's left Guardiola and sporting director Txiki Begiristain looking extremely short-sighted for sanctioning his sale.

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  Chelsea's gain

  Palmer was first called into a matchday squad by Guardiola to face Chelsea in June 2020 but within the next three years he was only given 12 competitive starts. The England forward had bags of confidence to go with his talent and after scoring in an FA Cup tie against Swindon, in a typically hilarious demeanour which has become a staple of his post-match interviews, he promised 'Prem come soon'. It never did.

  He made only three Premier League starts for the club, never scoring. Given his scant experience, accepting a £42.5m ($54m) offer from Chelsea seemed like a no-brainer at the time, both the latest example of City's shrewd negotiating and Chelsea's hubris. How wrong that assessment would prove to be.

  Palmer is now the Premier League's poster boy and looks set to dominate the next decade unless he is ever tempted to follow the path of Jude Bellingham and move to one of the top clubs on the continent. He would certainly fit right in at Real Madrid, Barcelona or Bayern Munich. And he really should have fit into City.

  Guardiola knew he was a great player and has said he would have liked to have kept him for another year, but Palmer pushed to leave as he was determined to get more playing opportunities. Ultimately, Palmer had more belief in himself than Guardiola did. Chelsea's gain has been City's loss.

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  Better than Doku & Nunes

  Palmer looked like a ready-made replacement for Riyad Mahrez when the Algerian left City just after the treble triumph in 2023, especially when he cut in from the right wing to score in the Community Shield against Arsenal and the UEFA Super Cup against Sevilla.

  But City agreed to let him leave, only to sign Jeremy Doku for £55 million ($69m), £12m more than they had taken from Chelsea to part with their homegrown forward. That move was even harder to understand as Doku predominantly plays off the left wing. The Belgian can be a terrifying winger on his day but his end product – four goals and 12 assists in all competitions – pales in comparison to Palmer's.

  City also signed Matheus Nunes after selling Palmer, splashing out £53m ($67m) on the player who Guardiola had once hailed as among the best midfielders in the world. The Portugal international has contributed very little in his time at the club, in which he has only started 12 Premier League games and has failed to score in the league. Nunes is more of a defensive midfielder but has been increasingly used on the wing by Guardiola. And he is a shadow of the player Palmer has proved to be, despite costing £10m more.

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  Should have taken over from De Bruyne

  Palmer has proven to be much more than just a winger at Chelsea, though. He is the leader of their attack, able to play across the front three and as a No.10. And looking how he has developed, it is tempting to conclude that he would have been the perfect successor at City to Kevin De Bruyne.

  The Belgian has played very little this campaign as he battles a sports hernia injury but in the last two games he has looked like City's best creative hope. Given his age, and the fact he tore his hamstring twice last year, it is remarkable that a club of City's resources is still looking to De Bruyne to inspire them.

  The former Chelsea midfielder is expected to depart at the end of the season when his contract runs out and it will cost a lot to find a suitable replacement, with Florian Wirtz of Bayer Leverkusen looking like the best candidate out there and likely to be priced at £100m ($126m). It's a crying shame that Guardiola couldn't find a bigger role for Palmer in the team and have him learn from De Bruyne before eventually taking the baton from him.

Solid fifties from both openers, and Siddle’s four-for, paved the way for Hurricanes’ exit as they fell well short of a 189 chase

Tristan Lavalette21-Jan-2022Alex Carey starred with a half-century in his BBL return as in-form Adelaide Strikers ended Hobart Hurricanes’ season to start the finals with a 22-run victory at a barren MCG.In the Eliminator, a must-win match between the fourth- and fifth-ranked teams, Carey smashed 67 off 45 balls in his comeback from Ashes duties and combined brilliantly with opening partner Matthew Short, who made 89 of Strikers’ 6 for 188.Their strong attack then nullified Hurricanes, whose inconsistent season finished on a sour note.Strikers have stormed into unlikely title contention after their fifth straight win to book a clash with third-placed Sydney Thunder in the Knockout on Sunday.Carey and Short destroy HurricanesAshes heroes Carey and Travis Head returned for their first BBL matches of the season to significantly bolster Strikers’ batting order. Carey stole the show early with a calculated assault on the smaller boundaries down the ground.He showed his intent with a powerful straight blow off Test team-mate Scott Boland and stormed to 20 runs off his first 10 balls in an impressive switching of gears after playing in the long format.Carey’s fast start eased the pressure on Short, who, for most of a breakout season, had provided the fireworks during the four-over powerplay. He had a back seat to Carey before notching his half-century with a huge six off speedster Riley Meredith in the 12th over during the Power Surge.He then put his foot down just as a bogged-down Carey holed out in the 15th over to end the 145-run partnership. Short smashed spinner Wil Parker for consecutive sixes in the next over but his dismissal snuffed Strikers’ momentum at the death.Boland returns but Hurricanes struggleBoland was back in the BBL after playing his sole game this season in mid-December just before he became an Ashes cult hero. But this MCG deck was nothing like the green top he decimated England on during the Boxing-Day Test, with Boland suffering against a red-hot Carey.Hurricanes mostly struggled and badly missed frontline spinner Sandeep Lamichhane, who has left the BBL due to national commitments with Nepal. Parker, his replacement, was on a hiding to nothing and promptly smashed for 42 runs off four overs although picked up Short with his final ball.Hurricanes weren’t helped by ragged fielding marked by several dropped catches, with Tom Rogers’ sitter to reprieve Short on 15 particularly costly. Their sloppiness seemed to suggest the wheels were falling off but Hurricanes fought back late to give them some hope.Peter Siddle celebrates after sending back Tim David•Cricket Australia via Getty Images

Strikers impress with ball and in the fieldShort’s terrific game continued with the key wicket of Ben McDermott as he bowled four overs of his handy offspin on the trot. Peter Siddle, who took the most wickets in the BBL’s regular season, then claimed opposite number Matthew Wade to tighten Strikers’ stranglehold and he finished with four wickets to lead from the front.Strikers have not missed a beat since losing talisman Rashid Khan late in the season with veteran spinner Fawad Ahmed proving a more than useful replacement.They’ve also been rejuvenated by the inclusion of quicks Harry Conway and Henry Thornton, whose fast and straight bowling has been a revelation after playing just one BBL game before this season for Sydney Sixers five years ago.The duo claimed four wickets between them with Thornton holding his nerve against a rampaging D’Arcy Short, who briefly rattled Strikers.In a major contrast to Hurricanes, Strikers were sharp in the field to underline their remarkable resurrection, having spent most of the season in the bottom two.Short fires in vainHurricanes’ batting oozes with firepower on paper but hasn’t quite clicked all season. They’ve been reliant on McDermott, whose terrific tournament ended when he fell in the first over. A failure from Wade made their chase particularly grim and they needed Short to recapture his belligerent best from his heyday.He responded with his best knock of a sluggish season to give Hurricanes a flicker of hope. He smashed 22 runs in the Power Surge but his wicket in the 15th over triggered a collapse.Big-hitter Tim David, who has been their designated finisher all season, showed off his prowess but it was too late. Perhaps Hurricanes’ brains trust will rue once again not allowing the Singapore national player more time at the crease.There was much hype over Hurricanes heading into the season but their early finals demise should be considered a disappointment.

Dale Steyn at the top of a run up is like staring into the eyes of a man with a knife in his pocket and a snarl in his voice in a dark alley late at night; it’s just not pleasant and Steyn knows it, and he knows when to use that attitude

Firdose Moonda at the Wanderers02-Feb-2013Dale Steyn woke up far earlier than usual this morning. His girlfriend is pursuing her acting career in Los Angeles and he needed to Skype call her before she went to sleep.After they chatted, he prepared for a day’s Test cricket. When he got to the Wanderers, he “dominated” the warm-up football match, which left him feeling pretty good about the day ahead. Not 6 for 8 good, not 49 all out good, just good. But, that’s how good it turned out to be.With a high-quality, sustained assault of swing bowling, Steyn led the South Africa attack in one of their most skillful displays yet. His performance was that of an alpha-male, commanding a pack of hounds that came at the opposition like it had not eaten for months.Dale Steyn’s intent has been described in many ways in recent months. Most commonly it is said to be reflected in his “angry eyes” but in reality it is on show in everything from the spring in his stride to the vein-popping in his arms. Steyn at the top of a run up is like staring into the eyes of a man with a knife in his pocket and a snarl in his voice in a dark alley late at night. It’s just not pleasant and Steyn knows it and he knows when to use that attitude.Apart from having the ability to crank it up when the team needs him to, like he did at The Oval against England and in Perth against Australia, it seems Steyn can also sense weakness and it spurs him on. An example of that was seen as recently as last month. With New Zealand standing on one leg at 47 for 6 in Port Elizabeth, Steyn returned on the third morning to take three wickets in three overs and completely cripple them.With Pakistan it was different. “It’s not like they were jumping and darting around like lower-order New Zealand players,” Steyn said. And it was not only their tail that Steyn trimmed. “It was the first time in a long time that I got wickets upfront. Getting the tail out is what is expected of the strike bowlers but I was pretty chuffed with being able to get wickets at the top as well.”Because conditions suited him from the get-go, Steyn could charge in at Pakistan right away. With humidity in the air, swing was going to be a factor and he found it easily. Swing at pace is difficult for the best batsmen and when dealing with it in foreign conditions, it is only more challenging.Dav Whatmore acknowledged that his team was simply undone by bowlers with greater ability than their batsmen could match up to. “I have never seen two hours of relentless pace bowling like I did today,” Whatmore said. “They just never took the pressure off. It was a combination of a difficult pitch and incredible bowling.Faf du Plessis at the end of play one day one said the South Africa batsmen could not identify which of the Pakistan bowlers to target. The same can be said of opposition line-ups every time they come up against South Africa; Steyn does not go about his work alone. While he was impossible to take a run off today and bowled 46 dot balls out of 49, Philander was equally difficult to get away. Morne Morkel has been the same; his economy rate has shrunk from 3.66 runs per over in 2006 to 3.18 in 2012. That may sound marginal but it means that if he bowls 20 overs in an innings he would concede 64 runs instead of 73.Then, when Jacques Kallis comes on, it’s not to offer relief. He still bowls quickly, often touching 140, and finds swing. The same caution needs to be applied when facing him as compared to anyone else in the attack. Today, that was evident. That leaves the spinner as the one to score runs off and in this innings, Robin Peterson didn’t even bowl.The level of competition within is so high that it can sometimes seem as though they are not taking on the batsmen but each other and Steyn alluded to it. “King Kallis bowled very well; Morne, even though he did not take any wickets was hitting the gloves all the time,” he said. “Everybody wants to do well.”One minute you’re out there and then you’re back in the changeroom watching the batters bat again. The moment goes by pretty quickly and that’s why we really want to enjoy our cricket now, enjoy the moments.”Maybe that sense has been developed because they know tough moments will also spring up, as they did yesterday. Apparently subsequently, this morning was the first time in the past few months that Graeme Smith addressed his team them before play.”There is maturity in the group and we don’t need to be told when someone has done the wrong thing, but today Graeme asked to talk to us for two minutes,” Steyn said. “He told us that he wants a 100% day from all of us and that if we do that, we could dominate the day.”We saw that if we give 100%, we can take the game away from the opposition. When this team puts its forces together, we are tough to beat.” And today, Pakistan learnt that.

This summer, Everton have been extremely active in the transfer market as they look to build on the 15th-placed Premier League finish achieved by the club last season.

Sean Dyche’s side were constantly plagued with injuries and off-the-field issues, restricting them to pushing on towards a mid-table finish in England’s top-flight.

They were hit with a combined eight-point deduction for multiple breaches of PSR rules but managed to finish 14 points clear of the drop come the end of the campaign.

They’ve already dipped into the transfer market this summer, signing Jesper Lindstrom, Iliman Ndiaye and Tim Iroegbunam whilst re-signing Jack Harrison on loan from Leeds United.

However, they’ve had to sell midfielder Amadou Onana to Aston Villa for £50m to avoid another PSR punishment, leaving a huge hole in the middle of Dyche’s side.

They may not be done there, potentially selling numerous other first-team members during the window, including one talent after a disappointing opening campaign at Goodison Park.

Everton's £25m signing could depart Goodison Park

After joining the Toffees for £25m from Udinese last summer, there were high expectations on the shoulders of Beto to produce the goods to try and solve their goalscoring issues.

However, in a disappointing campaign for the Portuguese forward, he only scored three times in his 30 appearances, which only included nine starts – often being used as a backup under Dyche.

Despite his poor form, he’s attracting attention from multiple Serie A sides having been told he can leave, with Italian side Bologna interested in signing the 26-year-old as a replacement for Joshua Zirkzee, who recently joined Manchester United.

The club would probably lose money on the £25m they forked out for his signature, but it may be the right decision before his value falls further should he replicate his lowly numbers from the 2023/24 season.

A potential decision to sell Beto may be a solid option given the other strikers at Dyche’s disposal on Merseyside, with one of his forwards undoubtedly a better fit for his system and the Premier League.

Why Calvert-Lewin is an upgrade on Beto

After years of injury issues, striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin registered his highest appearance tally for Everton since the 2020/21 season, making 38 appearances in all competitions last campaign.

He ended up being the club’s joint top scorer in the Premier League, matching Abdoulaye Doucoure’s tally of seven goals, prompting interest from Newcastle United and Manchester United for his signature this summer.

When looking at his stats on FBref, it’s no surprise to see the interest and why Dyche decided to utilise the 27-year-old as his main centre-forward.

Whilst registering more goals and assists, Calvert-Lewin has also won more aerial battles, whilst averaging a 10% better shot-on-target accuracy rate – providing more of a cutting edge in front of goal for the Toffees.

Despite often being the target man for Everton, he’s also completed more progressive carries and progressive passes for Dyche’s side, looking like the complete package for a centre-forward in the boss’ system.

Whilst his injury record will always be a cause for concern, his form in 2023/24 is evidence that when fully fit, Calvert-Lewin is a great option and one that can continue to thrive with consistent first-team minutes.

On the other hand, it’s been a tricky job for Beto, who has been criticised for looking "lost" by journalist Paul Brown, to make an impact given Calvert-Lewin’s excellent form, restricting him to limited minutes from the substitutes bench.

The £50k-per-week asset hasn’t yet shown any value for his £25m transfer fee, with the club wise to accept a bid for his services should they receive an offer in and around the region they paid for his signature just 12 months ago.

Everton set to make U-turn and could be forced to sell “outstanding” player

There could be another big name about to leave Goodison Park.

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By
Tom Coates

Jul 23, 2024

The Blaugrana moved nine points clear the week after winning El Clasico, but their lead is now down to one having played a game more than Los Blancos

On October 26, Lamine Yamal admitted that he and his Barcelona team-mates believed themselves to be "the best team in the world". One could easily understand why. At the time of his revelation, Yamal was standing inside Santiago Bernabeu, where Barca had just routed Real Madrid 4-0 – only three days after battering Bayern Munich 4-1 at Montjuic.

There was a swagger about Hansi Flick's side; no side in Europe was playing with such self-confidence. "We've proven that we can beat anyone," Yamal proudly declared.

That still remains the case but, right now, Barca also look capable of losing to anyone. After going nine points clear of Madrid by beating city rivals Espanyol the week after the Clasico, the Blaugrana's lead is down to one after a rotten run of results against mid-table teams.

So, has Barca's bubble burst? Is Hansi's honeymoon in Catalunya over? Or is this just a blip for the Blaugrana?

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  Risk versus reward

  Flick's Barcelona play a dangerous game. An incredibly high line allows them to put opponents under serious pressure, but it also leaves them vulnerable to the well-timed counter-attacks on account of the acres of space they leave in behind their backline. As far as Flick is concerned, though, the risk is very much worth the reward. The Clasico was a case in point.

  Carlo Ancelotti acknowledged beforehand that Barca's high line was a problem that he needed to solve. He said he had a plan in mind but, whatever it was, it clearly didn't work, as Madrid simply couldn't cope with the Catalans and Flick's forwards ran riot as a result, with the revitalised Robert Lewandowski, Yamal and Raphinha all on target.

  Flick had successfully squeezed the life out of the reigning European and Spanish champions, and it was even reported afterwards that he had told his players during the interval, "Anyone who drops back a metre, I'll substitute them!"

  However, while his tactics definitely worked a treat, the final scoreline unquestionably flattered the visitors. Their performance was impressive and their victory fully deserved but, lest anyone forget, Madrid created plenty of chances (their xG was 1.48 to Barca's 2.58) and it would have been a very different game had Kylian Mbappe been capable of timing a run.

  And what we're starting to see in recent weeks is what happens when Barca's pressing and high line malfunction.

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  'Everyone can play better'

  Barca were only beaten 1-0 by Real Sociedad on November 10 and they were undeniably robbed of a legitimate goal by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) – but even the controversy surrounding an erroneous offside call on Lewandowski couldn't disguise the abject nature of the Blaugrana's performance at the Anoeta.

  It was a similar story in their following Liga outing, against Celta Vigo. Barca were held to a 2-2 draw after conceding twice in the final six minutes following the dismissal of Marc Casado, but Flick was the first to admit that they'd been awful all evening.

  "It wasn't just the last 10 minutes," the German told reporters. "It was the whole match. We played a really bad game. We have to be honest. We made a lot of mistakes, also in the first half, and we weren't confident with the ball. We didn't play the football we're used to. We were lucky with some situations and in the end we got a point and we have to react because it can't be repeated.

  "These are things that can happen but we have to look forward. The least bad thing is that it's only one match and we got a point, but we're not happy and neither are the players. Everyone can play better than today."

  The problem is that very few have in the past couple of games and Barca have seen a massive lead in La Liga almost completely wiped out.

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  'Many things we're doing wrong'

  In fairness to Barca, they really should have beaten Las Palmas on Saturday. As Flick pointed out, they created more than enough chances to do so: "We had 70 percent possession and 27 shots." On another day, they could have won handily – instead of losing 2-1 at home to a team that hadn't beaten Barca away from home for 53 years.

  However, the Las Palmas loss isn't being dismissed as nothing more than a freak result, given it's hardly happened in a vacuum. Barca have now dropped eight points in their last three games and tough questions are now being asked of a team that is experiencing its first poor run of form under Flick.

  "We’re lowering the level of what we were doing," captain Raphinha confessed to after seeing his equaliser on Saturday fail to prove the catalyst for a much-needed come-from-behind win. "There are many things we are doing wrong.

  "I’m angry. I don’t care much about my goal, I only cared about the victory and we didn't win, so I'm not satisfied."

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  'Have to reconnect'

  Flick is in no doubt that Barca can turn things around, though, starting with Tuesday's tricky trip to Mallorca. "I believe in the players," he said. "I have faith in them."

  The former Bayern Munich boss also denied that the squad is suddenly suffering from some sort of collective crisis of confidence. However, Flick did not dispute allegations that his team is no longer exhibiting anything like the same intensity and cohesion as before. At a time when Barca should be improving as a number of key men return from injury, they're actually looking increasingly disjointed.

  "When I started here I already told them that there would be no excuses," the German said. "It is normal that some players when they return from injury are not at their highest level, but if we play as a team we should be able to beat anyone. But if some players are disconnected, it will not go well.

  "The defence is not just about the four players at the back. Players alone cannot win games. It’s always about the team. We need to have good connections in defence and attack. We have to change, we have to defend better. We have to go back and reconnect." And sooner rather than the later.