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D’Arcy Short made the highest score in BBL history and took 1 for 20 from four overs, yet it was only just enough for Hobart Hurricanes to squeeze past the Brisbane Heat by three runs

The Report by Alex Malcolm10-Jan-2018
D’Arcy Short made the highest score in BBL history and took 1 for 20 from four overs, yet it was only just enough for Hobart Hurricanes to squeeze past the Brisbane Heat by three runs.Short was magnificent. His 122 not out from just 69 balls featured eight sixes and eight fours. It accounted for 68% of the Hurricanes’ total, with no other player reaching 20.Sam Heazlett and Brendon McCullum lit up the Powerplay in the run chase before Short and Cameron Boyce changed the game with eight overs of quality wristspin. Alex Ross began to dig his team out but was given out obstructing the field in bizarre circumstances trying to avoid being run-out.It left Jimmy Peirson, Mark Steketee and Brendon Doggett to get 48 from 18 balls and they nearly did it. Doggett needed four off the last ball but Daniel Christian held his nerve to finish a well-executed final over.The Hurricanes won their four game in a row to match the Heat on four wins overall.Spin works, pace doesn’tFor as well as Short has played during the tournament, opposition teams know they can contain him with spin, particularly in the Powerplay. The Heat did that in three of the six overs. Joe Burns and Yasir Shah delivered 18 balls for just 17 runs and conceded only one boundary. The problem came in the other three. Short struck four fours and two sixes from the 13 balls he faced from Steketee and Doggett to get the Hurricanes off to a flyer at 1 for 56 after six.Getty ImagesOne man showShort’s still head is the key to his pure ball-striking. This was his third 90-plus score but this time he had no help from the other end. Alex Doolan, Matthew Wade, Ben McDermott and George Bailey scored just 48 runs from 51 balls between them. Short did give one chance on 60. A towering top edge to midwicket burst through the hands of Joe Burns. The Heat paid a mighty price. Short hit Doggett into the stands to bring up his maiden T20 century in the 19th over. In the 20th, he hit Steketee for three consecutive sixes to set a new record in the BBL, surpassing Luke Wright’s 117 in the first edition of BBL.Mills’ nightmareTymal Mills has been one of the most expensive bowlers in the tournament to date and his opening two overs in the Powerplay did nothing to help those figures. Heazlett and McCullum had already made a rapid start, after Bailey gambled again with Simon Milenko in the opening over at a cost of 16.Mills’ nightmare began without ball in hand. He dropped McCullum at short fine leg off the last ball of the third over. He was immediately introduced to the bowling crease, and McCullum thumped him twice to the boundary. He gave up two more boundaries in the last over of the Powerplay. Heazlett’s striking was audacious in the absence of Chris Lynn. He and McCullum took 62 from the first six overs to get ahead of the required rate.Spin twinsBoyce and Short changed the game. They took 3 for 34 in six straight overs of wristspin. Boyce induced a false stroke from McCullum in the seventh over, with Bailey holding a similar chance to the one Burns put down. Short dropped an easy caught and bowled chance off Burns. But he did not concede a boundary in his first two overs and Burns holed out to Boyce as a result. Short was rewarded with the wicket of Heazlett, who also became frustrated by a lack of boundaries.When Short completed his fourth over, the Heat needed 74 from 36 balls. Ben Cutting and Alex Ross were still at the crease. Jofra Archer then took the air out of the stadium with a stunning one-handed return catch. A slower ball reached the middle of Cutting’s bat at 120kph, and rocketed back at Archer quicker than that. Archer calmly stuck his right hand up above his head and, like a magic trick, the ball disappeared in the blink of an eye.Obstructing the fieldThe moment of magic gave way to a moment of madness. Ross kept pushing. He struck two boundaries off Mills to get the equation to 49 from 19 balls. Then he hit a ball to deep midwicket and pushed for two. The fielder fired wide of the stumps at the strikers end and hit Ross as he was sliding to make his ground. The ball actually ricocheted off Ross onto the stumps. The Hurricanes appealed thinking he might have been short. He made it, but replays showed he had veered off his line. If anything, he appeared to veer away from the ball to avoid being hit rather than intentionally into the line of the ball to block the throw.The third umpire adjudicated differently and Ross was given out. Post-match, the two captains held a long and terse discussion regarding the dismissal. Bailey said he simply asked the question and the umpires made the call. The Heat still needed 48 off 18. Steketee and Peirson gave it an almighty shake. Three sixes and three fours in 12 balls meant the Heat needed 13 from the last over. Christian had not batted or bowled in the match but was called upon to ice the game. Despite a wide first ball, he achieved the task with a mix of quicker and slower ball yorkers that neither Peirson or Doggett could middle.

Sri Lanka fought desperately despite a spectacular collapse lit up by a Faheem Ashraf hat-trick, and held the ascendancy right until Shadab Khan smashed a six with Pakistan needing eight from three balls

The Report by Danyal Rasool27-Oct-2017AFP

There was a hat-trick from Faheem Ashraf, and a Sri Lankan collapse that saw them lose eight wickets for 14 runs. That might suggest another rout of the hapless visitors, but nothing could be further from reality. In the game of the entire tour, Pakistan edged home with one ball to spare, with only two wickets in hand when the winning runs were struck. They were struck by none other than golden boy Shadab Khan, who smashed a six off the game’s penultimate ball to wrench victory from Sri Lanka’s desperate, clawing hands.This was a complete T20 game, beginning with intelligent batting by Sri Lanka, put in after Pakistan won the toss. That was followed by a remarkable collapse from 106 for 1 to 120 for 9. Pakistan looked like they were cruising early on, before an excellent spell by captain Thisara Perera dragged Sri Lanka back. From there, they held the ascendancy right until the last three balls. Pakistan needed eight off them. Shadab hit a straight six and a couple off the next delivery denied Sri Lanka’s valiant young side victory in an astonishing contest.It was Sri Lanka’s best game of the limited-overs tour. The batsmen early on deprived Pakistan of wickets while keeping the score ticking. A 63-run second-wicket partnership between Gunathilaka and Sadeera Samarawickrama set Thisara’s men up for a score above par, with fast bowlers Hasan Ali and Usman Khan expensive in the early overs.Shadab was the only bowler in the middle overs able to rein in Sri Lanka. At one point, they might have been eyeing 150, but a superb spell from the teenager prevented them from cutting loose. He has added another variation, a quicker one that can reach 120kph, and it removed Sri Lanka’s top scorer Gunathilaka amidst their late collapse. Shadab might not have taken heaps of wickets, but his figures of 4-0-14-1 were to prove crucial.In the madness of Sri Lanka’s final overs, Faheem Ashraf emerged as the hero with a sensational hat-trick, removing Dasun Shanaka, Isuru Udana and Mahela Udawatte off the last three balls of the 19th over. It was Pakistan’s first T20I hat-trick and, in truth, couldn’t have come from an unlikelier source.Poor running and brilliant fielding hurt Sri Lanka’s innings: there were three run outs, The wickets that crumpled in a heap towards the end crushed their hopes of a late charge, and while it was still an improvement on yesterday, they still finished with a below-par 124.Pakistan were tentative in their approach to the chase, almost as if they had forgotten what to do when a match become mildly competitive. Fakhar Zaman was run out after miscommunication with Ahmed Shehzad, before Babar Azam fell victim to an incorrect lbw decision. But skipper Perera rose to the occasion, giving his side a real chance of victory, accounting for both Shehzad and Shoaib Malik in his first two overs.For a while, Mohammad Hafeez and Sarfraz Ahmed looked in control, never letting the asking rate get out of sight. But once Hafeez holed out to long on with Pakistan still requiring 31, panic set in. Perera returned for his final over and got rid of Imad Wasim, and terrific fielding in the deep saw Pakistan’s captain run out three balls later. Twenty-one were still required off 14, and with three wickets remaining, Sri Lanka were firm favourites.Udana conceded only four in a brilliant penultimate over, but the drama all lay in the last over. Faheem was caught at long-on off the first ball of Vikum Sanjaya’s over, and with 11 needed off four, Pakistan were up against it. It looked even graver for them when Hasan sliced one straight to long-off, but was reprieved by a crucial dropped catch, allowing Pakistan to scramble three. That brought on strike Shadab, a young man whose honeymoon with cricket simply refuses to end. Two balls and eight runs later, the contest was suddenly over, and Shadab’s joy, as well as Abu Dhabi’s, was unconfined.

Glasgow Rangers remain in the hunt for another striker as Michael Beale looks to offset the departures of Antonio Colak and Alfredo Morelos.

Cyriel Dessers, Sam Lammers and Abdallah Sima have all arrived at the Ibrox side, yet it appears as though there is a concrete move being made to lure Feyenoord striker Danilo to the club this summer.

Have Rangers made a bid for Danilo?

At the end of June, the Gers made a bid for the Brazilian, yet this was rejected and rather than move onto other targets, Beale has since gone back in with another bid for the player.

According to Dutch outlet The Algemeen Dagblad, Rangers have now submitted a second bid for the 24-year-old which is set to be worth around €6m (£5.2m) and should he join, it would represent their biggest transfer outlay this summer following the £3m spent on Lammers and £4.5m on Dessers.

With Colak departing for Parma in a £2.5m deal and Glen Kamara attracting interest from Leeds amid a reported £4m move, Beale has the funds to complete his summer overhaul by luring Danilo to Scotland, and it will be a tense few days as they await a response.

Is Danilo better than Fashion Sakala?

The attacking department has undergone a total revamp since the end of last season. Kemar Roofe and Fashion Sakala remain the only forward options still at the club, although the Zambian could well be leaving the Gers sooner rather than later.

According to The 4th Official, an unnamed team in Saudi Arabia are prepared to spend £4m on Sakala this summer and considering Rangers brought him to Glasgow for nothing, it would be an excellent piece of business moving him on, especially if Danilo is set to arrive at Ibrox.

The 26-year-old frontman did enjoy playing under Beale.

Across 28 matches under the Englishman, he registered 11 goals and seven assists, ending up as their joint-second highest scorer throughout the campaign.

For all of his enthusiasm, however, there comes a lack of ruthlessness, which Danilo has in abundance. The former Ajax starlet scored 14 goals last season for the Eredivisie outfit, two more than Sakala.

He also had a better conversion rate than the Rangers forward in the league last term (16% to 13%) and also missed fewer big chances (seven to 11), clearly suggesting that he would be a more clinical option for Beale.

The "amazing instinctive finisher" – as once lauded by Eredivisie expert Melvin Dupper – did score more often last season too, netting every 134 minutes compared to the 151 minutes it took Sakala and despite his lack of positional versatility, he could certainly be a big upgrade in terms of being more effective in the final third than the current Gers player.

Danilo was hailed by current Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag when he was in charge of Ajax, saying: “Danilo is the best finisher we have in the squad” and if he can bring the form he has shown in the Dutch top-flight over the previous 12 months to Rangers, then he could be an ideal person to complete Beale’s attacking options ahead of what is set to be a crucial Premiership campaign in 2023/24.

In the lead up to the players’ draft for the inaugural T20 Global League, Cricket South Africa is in a tricky situation involving a few overseas players who have committed to play in the Bangladesh Premier League. With both tournaments set to run simultaneously in November-December, the CSA has stated that players who sign contracts will not be allowed to participate in any other tournament, and that the contracts will be binding.Chris Gayle (Rangpur), Fakhar Zaman (Comilla), Cameron Delport and Shahid Afridi (Dhaka), Darren Sammy (Rajshahi), Carlos Brathwaite, Junaid Khan and Dawid Malan (Khulna) are among several overseas players who are also in the T20 Global League draft. Some of these players have already signed contracts with their BPL franchises. ESPNcricinfo understands Afridi signed his contract with Dhaka in March this year while Delport signed his in July.In what could concern the BCB, a few players like Gayle have made their position clear: he is committed to the T20 Global League, where he is one of the icon players and will only play for Rangpur if the scheduling allows him, although the chances of that happening remain remote. Sammy, Gayle’s West Indies team-mate, has “agreed to play for the Rajshahi Kings”, according to the franchise.In a letter this week, Corrie van Zyl, the CSA general manager, has reminded players that they were entering into a “valid and binding” contract. “Kindly note that the agreement to enter the draft is a valid and binding contract entered into between you and Cricket South Africa, in terms of which you have agreed as follows,” van Zyl wrote on August 21. “[Players should not], directly or indirectly, enter into another agreement and/or arrangement subsequent to entering this agreement which would adversely affect his ability to perform his obligations under this Agreement or the Cricketer’s Playing Contract… [Players must] be available, subject to the provisions of any NOC, to participate in the full league edition period and will report to the team, unless otherwise agreed to in writing, on the commencement date of the league edition period.”Nizamuddin Chowdhury, the BCB CEO, said that the BPL franchises have every right to feel concerned. “We were aware that such an issue may come up since both tournaments are scheduled around the same time,” he said. “We will get in touch with Cricket South Africa soon. We have asked the BPL franchises for the list of cricketers. If the players say that they don’t know how their names went up in that [T20 Global draft] list, I think that’s a valid ground for the BPL franchises who have already signed them. But we will first contact CSA and then, depending on the response, think about the next course of action.”Kazi Inam Ahmed, the managing director of Khulna Titans, confirmed Malan and Junaid Khan’s signing was completed in March. Dhaka Dynamites CEO Obeid Nizam said that their players – Afridi and Delport – signed contracts a while back, and ideally there should not be any confusion. “We are concerned but we also have the legal agreement. They have told us that they have no problem to play for Dhaka in the BPL. I don’t know why this has suddenly come up since we signed them five-six months ago.”Haroon Lorgat, CSA’s chief executive, in a statement reiterated the commitment made by the players through having their names in the T20 Global League’s draft. “We have received signed confirmations from all the players who have availed themselves to participate in the draft and in the tournament later this year. These are binding commitments and therefore we do not wish to speculate on potential conflicts.”It is understood that the BCB is also concerned by the poor regulations in practice currently, with home boards openly directing players to play particular leagues or refusing them NOC for other tournaments. The board is also worried by the layers of agents that franchises have to deal with when signing a player these days.

Everton are believed to be interested in an eye-catching £34m move for Almeria attacker El Bilal Toure this summer, according to a fresh update.

Who is El Bilal Toure?

The Blues just managed to retain their Premier League status back in May, following a nerve-shredding 1-0 victory at home to Bournemouth on the final day of the campaign. It is imperative that Sean Dyche is now given the funds to bring in quality signings, however, in order to ensure Everton start next season in a far stronger position.

The Merseysiders struggled in an attacking sense throughout 2022/23, scoring just 34 goals in 38 league matches, and Dwight McNeil topped the scoring charts with only seven strikes. That highlights why a new attacking signing is of the utmost important for Everton this summer and Toure looks like a contender to come in.

The 21-year-old Almeria star scored seven times in only 15 La Liga starts last term, as well as being a 13-cap Mali international, and a new update suggests that they are eyeing up an exciting piece of business.

Could Everton seal Toure signing?

According to journalist Sacha Tavolieri on Twitter [via Sport Witness], talked up the Blues' interest in Toure, admitting that others clubs are also keen on snapping him up:

"EvertonFC put €40m (£34m) on the table for El Bilal Toure! The Toffees offered a 5-year deal for €4.3M gross amount per year. Wolverhampton, NottinghamForest & FulhamFC keen to join the fight. Serie A clubs interest exists but no offer has been done yet. It's moving."

Toure could be just what Everton are looking for ahead of the 2023/24 Premier League season, considering he has been compared to Chelsea legend Didier Drogba in the past, so clearly has the physicality required to be Dyche's true target man.

He could be a great focal point in the Blues' attack, linking with others around him and also providing a steady flow of end product. Toure is also only 21, so could develop into a more formidable attacking hero at Goodison Park over time, too, and Dyche could feel he could get the best out of his 6-foot frame.

The striker's current Almeria deal doesn't expire until the summer of 2028, which could admittedly make him an expensive acquisition, but the mooted £34m is far from over the odds in the modern game – just shy of the Blues' record fee – and he could be an upgrade on Neal Maupay if the latter departs Everton, following a poor spell that has seen him net just once in 29 appearances.

Yolani Fourie, Lara Goodall and Marcia Letsoalo were the three players dropped from the squad that travelled to Sri Lanka for the World Cup qualifiers in February

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Apr-2017Allrounders Raisibe Ntozakhe and Nadine de Klerk have been rewarded for their consistent performances by earning their maiden call-ups to South Africa’s 15-member ODI squad for the Quadrangular tournament from May 7 to 21. The tournament, also featuring India, Zimbabwe and Ireland, will be the last set of international matches for the teams before the Women’s World Cup in England starting in July.The captain Dane van Niekerk said she was excited by the new additions to South Africa’s squad. “It’s good to see youngsters putting their hands up and getting recognized for consistently good work,” she said. “We can’t wait to welcome Raisibe and Nadine into the fold.”South Africa squad

Dane van Niekerk (capt), Andrie Steyn, Trisha Chetty, Lizelle Lee, Suné Luus, Laura Wolvaardt, Shabnim Ismail, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Mignon du Preez, Marizanne Kapp, Chloe Tryon, Moseline Daniels, Raisibe Ntozakhe, Nadine de Klerk

Yolani Fourie, Lara Goodall and Marcia Letsoalo were the three players dropped from the squad that travelled to Sri Lanka for the World Cup qualifiers in February.Opener Andrie Steyn and right-arm pacer Masabata Klaas returned to the ODI squad. Steyn last played an ODI against Bangladesh in January while Klaas’ last international match was in November 2016.Coach Hilton Moreeng said the tournament offered every player a chance to make a mark before the squad for the World Cup was announced and that playing good teams would allow the team to fix its little problems.”We’re really looking forward to the next few weeks in Potchefstroom against good opposition. We’ll be using this series as our last chance at ironing out any last-minute creases that we might spot ahead of the World Cup,” Moreeng said. “We’ve yet to announce the squad that will go to England so the players have this one last chance to impress the selectors and secure their places.The squad will gather for a pre-tournament camp in Potchefstroom on May 1, where the tournament begins six days later.

A period out of international cricket has given Alex Hales time to ‘realise what he has been missing’ according to England’s assistant coach, Paul Farbrace

George Dobell in Barbados07-Mar-2017A period out of international cricket has given Alex Hales time to “realise what he has been missing” according to England’s assistant coach, Paul Farbrace.Hales, who has now been added to the England squad for the final ODI against West Indies, has endured a frustrating winter. Dropped from the Test side, he opted out of the limited-overs tour of Bangladesh due to security concerns and then sustained a hand injury while fielding in India that limited him to only two ODIs and originally ruled him out of selection for the squad for this Caribbean tour. It means he has had just two international innings (and scored just 23 international runs) since October.But now, with his hand recovered, he is on the brink of a return. While Sam Billings has shown glimpses of what he can do Hales, the holder of England’s highest ODI score of 171 made against Pakistan last year, clearly remains the team management’s first choice opening partner for Jason Roy and looks set to return to the team for the final ODI of the series against West Indies in Barbados on Friday.”We see him as our opening batsman, with Jason Roy, in the Champions Trophy,” Farbrace said. “I don’t think that will be a surprise to anybody. Having got him back into the squad it would suggest that he has a very good chance of playing on Thursday.”As a bloke, not going to Bangladesh has given him a lot of time to think where he wants to be. I don’t want to use the word mature necessarily, but I think he has learned a lot from not going to Bangladesh. I think we saw a very different Alex Hales in India and again here we see him every morning in the gym at 6am, working extremely hard, practising well and trying to get himself into the best place he can be.”I don’t think it was ever a case of doubting his professionalism. I just think that sometimes when you are out of the team you realise what you are missing and want it even more. That is something he is showing in abundance.”Hales has not given up on a return to the Test team, either. But, as far as Farbrace is concerned, he has accepted that it won’t be as opening batsman.”He’s said he’s going to bat four for Notts in the Championship this year,” Farbrace said. “And he sees himself getting back into the Test side in the middle order, rather than the top order. Once you go to No. 4 in county cricket you’re pretty much saying you’re not expecting to be playing in the top three for England in Test cricket.”Fifty-over cricket suits Alex’s game. He isn’t the hard-hitting trailblazer that maybe Jason Roy is. He is someone who knocks it around. He can score quickly but generally he is an accumulator.”Hales’ return is likely to be bad news for Billings, though there may be some consolation. While Farbrace suggested Billings is not in England’s first choice XI – though it does have to be said that Farbrace is not, officially, a selector – his personal view is that he has become England’s second-choice ODI keeper.”It is tough for Billings and Jonny Bairstow,” Farbrace agreed. “Trevor Bayliss spoke to them in India and they both feel they should be playing. But Trevor’s point was that some people are not even in the squad, such as Ben Duckett, and it’s much better to be in that situation where you are leaving out good players.”There’s not a lot we can do. There’s not a lot you can say. There’s no point keep going up to them and saying, ‘Bad luck.’ All you can say is: there’s your chance, now go out and take it.”That’s why Sam will have been really disappointed have got 50 and got out in the first ODI in Antigua. It was a bit like Jonny Bairstow in the warm-up game in St Kitts: he scored 80, but was out needing 50 or 60 to win. If he’d made 120 or 130 not out and won the game, then he would have been making a real statement. If you get out and you leave the job half done, no matter how well you’ve played, there’s always a feeling of frustration as a player.”Billings could bat anywhere from one to seven, but with Joe Root, Eoin Morgan, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler… where are you getting in there?”The Ireland games at the start of May will be opportunities for one or two who aren’t regulars to get a go. Personally, I would like to see Sam Billings getting the opportunity to keep wicket in those two games. But I’m not a selector and whether or not that decision has been taken I don’t know.”With England having taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, there might have been a temptation to change the team in order to take a look at other players before the 15-man ICC Champions Trophy squad is named. However, Farbrace reasons that, with six ODIs to go before the tournament, now is not the time to be experimenting or risking denting the confidence of a player who might not be in the best of form.The clear message from that is Buttler and Adil Rashid – whose job, Farbrace said, was to take wickets and not worry about runs (“4 for 80 is fine,” he said) – can relax and be assured they are in the first choice side for the Champions Trophy.”I don’t see that there will be too many changes,” Farbrace, who said he was communicating with head coach Bayliss every day by email or text, said. “Over the past two years in ODI cricket, once we’ve picked a team at the start of the series we’ve pretty much stuck with it. The lads have known that if you haven’t got in in the first game, it’s going to be pretty hard to get in as the series unfolds. You don’t want to give away international caps.”Jake Ball is pretty much back to full fitness and will play a full part in practice on Wednesday. But the longer the series has gone, the better Steven Finn has bowled and I can’t see many of them wanting to give up their spot to give somebody else a go. I reckon we’ve got 21 players who could easily be in the Champions Trophy squad.”Among them is Mark Wood. But while Farbrace, who said he had a first choice 12 in his mind ahead of the tournament, said he would “have to bowl well to get himself back in” he also admitted that his “extra pace” rendered him someone England “definitely want” in their squad.”Chris Woakes was on the fringe 12 months ago,” Farbrace said. “But he’s made himself into an automatic selection. David Willey brings variety and Liam Plunkett, has been really impressive.”Wood needs to get overs under his belt and get his confidence back. He has been bowling in Potchefstroom and was a bit sore afterwards, but he has been bowling in the tent at The Oval recently. He’s someone who gives you that extra pace and is someone you definitely want in your 15-man squad. But any big decisions will be up to Morgan and Bayliss.”

Newcastle United are plotting a raid to bring Leeds United star Tyler Adams back to the Premier League, according to reports.

Is Tyler Adams leaving Leeds?

The Whites’ defensive midfielder only made 26 appearances during his debut season at Elland Road after joining from RB Leipzig due to spending a large spell on the sidelines through injury, but despite not being able to prevent relegation, he was the real standout player when available.

The United States international was Sam Allardyce’s best-performer with a WhoScored match rating of 6.73, so whilst he still has another three years to run on his contract, his remarkable displays have grabbed the attention of top flight sides, notably Eddie Howe and PIF.

The Telegraph recently reported that St. James’ Park officials were hugely impressed with the 24-year-old’s character and combative nature when he visited the northeast, and it sounds like they are now weighing up a more concrete approach that would see him switch the opposition for the home outfit.

Are Newcastle signing Adams?

According to Football League World, Newcastle "have their eyes" on Adams, alongside his Leeds teammate Brenden Aaronson ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. The Magpies have placed the duo firmly "on their list" of targets, but it's believed that the former is the "more likelier" to join because he would be able to give more freedom to Bruno Guimaraes.

Newcastle will be aware that Adams is stronger in the natural defensive midfield aspect of his game having recorded zero goals or assists at Leeds, but with the protection that he would bring to the backline as well as his personal qualities, PIF should certainly test the waters.

The World Cup participant, who’s sponsored by Nike, ranked in the 99th percentile for midfielder tackles and the 97th percentile for blocks last season, via FBRef, with his physical presence and desire to commit to challenges seeing him described as a player with a “nasty streak” by journalist Josh Bunting.

The YMU Group client, who has the versatility to operate in seven various positions across the pitch, would also bring wonderful leadership qualities to the centre being the USA’s captain, which will no doubt be yet another attractive attribute to Howe.

The Athletic have reported that Leeds are demanding £40m to part ways with Adams which is a lot considering that they now find themselves in the second-tier, but when thinking about the positive impact he could have on the side, that would be a fee worth paying.

A European champion at club and international level and the most-expensive women's player of all time, Walsh is set to be key for the Lionesses again

It was less than two weeks after England’s triumph at Euro 2022 when the Ballon d’Or nominees were announced, and Lucy Bronze was not happy. The full-back was included on the list, alongside fellow Lionesses Millie Bright and Beth Mead, but she could not help but point out a particularly shocking omission.

"Thanks but I don't deserve this," Bronze wrote on Instagram. "The best Lionesses player during the Euros was Keira Walsh. Should be the first English name in the list!"

It was typical of Walsh’s role that she was overlooked, with her contributions as a deep-lying playmaker so often going unnoticed. But in the last year, it feels like that recognition has really started to be heaped onto a player who certainly deserves it.

A couple of months after the Euros ended, the 26-year-old became the most-expensive player in the history of women’s football as Barcelona, the 2021 European champions, saw it fit to pay a record-breaking fee for her talents.

Walsh has since lifted that Women’s Champions League trophy for the first time, as well as a couple of domestic honours, and is mixing it with some of the best midfielders in the world – all while still winning big praise for her own qualities. Indeed, Caroline Graham Hansen, one of her team-mates in Catalunya, said recently that Barca are “very lucky to have her”.

Off the back of a wonderful first season abroad, Walsh is now looking to deliver more success for England, and if the Lionesses do go on to back that European title up with a first ever Women’s World Cup triumph, there is no doubt that their talented midfield conductor will be key.

GettyQuietly impressive

A tidy player with excellent technical ability, Walsh became a fixture at Manchester City during her eight years there, with her vision and ability to execute a pass making her a deadly playmaker in a deeper role.

So often, though, it was the players in front of her that got the plaudits. Jill Scott, Izzy Christiansen, Caroline Weir and Sam Mewis all played in front of her in City’s midfield and were named to the PFA Team of the Year. Walsh never featured in the XI.

But it’s the work she does in that holding role that allows the rest of the midfield the freedom to thrive, for club and for country. There's a reason why she became basically indispensable for City, subbed off just twice in the league from the start of the 2017-18 season all the way through to the end of the 2020-21 campaign.

Sadly, she was just thriving in a position that so often doesn’t get the plaudits.

AdvertisementGettyAdding strings to her bow

That recognition started to come after the Euros. Walsh won the big trophy, was named Player of the Match in the final, made the Team of the Tournament and was named to the FIFPRO World XI, too. Oh, and she signed for Barcelona for a world-record fee.

It was a move that took her completely out of her comfort zone. The midfielder was born and raised just outside of Manchester and had always played for teams in the area. Now she was moving to a new country and joining a club with a unique style of play, one that demands the most from those in the middle of the park.

Walsh spoke a lot during the past season about it being difficult to adapt to the different things that were wanted of her at Barca, but that she’s got to grips with it all has made her a better player, one with even more to her game.

“As a player at City, I was told to stand still a lot more and to wait for the ball to come to me,” she said recently, explaining the differences. “Whereas at Barca it’s about moving all the time and most of the play goes through the middle so I always have to be an option.

“I think I’m probably fitter and sharper than I was in terms of trying to look for the ball and defensively they’re a lot more streetwise, in terms of tactical fouls and trying to slow the game down. That’s something I’ve added to my game.”

"Playing with Keira, it makes football easier,” team-mate Patri Guijarro said after the Champions League final. That’s quite a glowing review.

Getty ImagesAdapting to those around her

Part of Walsh’s growth has been about adapting to playing with different players, too. It’s something she’s done a lot over her career, of course, with her partner at the base of England’s midfield changing extremely close to the start of the Euros just last year. However, she has never had to do it on the scale that she has at Barca.

As one of Europe’s biggest clubs, the Catalans have incredible depth and, in order to compete on four fronts, they rotate a lot. In fact, Walsh was a part of nine different midfield trios when named to Barca’s starting XI this past season, sometimes playing as a lone holding midfielder, sometimes as one of two and very often alongside players with unique skillsets.

It's an important quality to have when it comes to tournament football, where so much can change so quickly, but also when you look at the new players in this England team.

Walsh might have new wingers or a new centre-forward to find with her defence-splitting passes, or even a new face in that No.10 role to link up with. It’s certainly a strength that she’s become used to learning to play with so many new faces in such a short space of time.

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GettyGaining big experiences

All of that quality that Walsh was able to bring to the Barca team helped them to achieve what was top of their list in pre-season and win the Champions League again. It was the England star’s first time lifting the prestigious trophy and Bronze, who also joined Barca last summer, believes the whole experience has had an impact on both herself and her team-mate – and, in turn, the Lionesses.

“It’s given me a different outlook on how to play football,” she said of moving to Catalunya. “I think Keira is the same. I think the pair of us drive a different kind of standard now at England training that has never been there before.

“I think we’ve been able to add that when we’ve come back into camps, not the style of play necessarily but the expectation and the kind of the quality you expect from a team that wins trophies like Champions Leagues and playing with the best players in the world.”

A round-up of the first day’s play from the second round of Group B matches in Ranji Trophy 2016-17

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Oct-2016Rajasthan captain Pankaj Singh took 5 for 39 off 21.3 overs to bowl Assam out for 195 on the first day of the second round of Group B matches in Visakhapatnam. Only three Assam batsmen scored in double-figures and the side were propped up by No. 3 batsman Rishav Das’ unbeaten 93, after they had been put in to bat.Assam had made a recovery of sorts, reaching 82 for 1 in the 40th over from a position of 19 for 1 in the 16th before the slide began. The batsmen failed to stitch together partnerships, with nos 4-7 contributing only eight runs between them. Nathu Singh picked up 2 for 40, while left-arm spinner K Ajay Singh and left-arm seamer Aniket Choudhary took one each.R Samarth’s fifth first-class hundred and Karun Nair’s 74 helped Karnataka recover from 32 for 2 in the 13th over to a promising 248 for 3 at stumps against Jharkhand in Greater Noida.Jharkhand seamer Ashish Kumar picked up all three wickets to fall on the day, and struck in successive overs to get rid of Mayank Agarwal and Robin Uthappa soon after Karnataka had opted to bat. Samarth and Nair rallied through a 155-run partnership for the third wicket and Samarth then shared an unbroken 61-run stand with debutant Kaunain Abbas. Samarth was unbeaten at stumps on 118 off 276 balls with 10 fours.Maharashtra dominated proceedings against Delhi in Mumbai as captain Swapnil Gugale and Ankit Bawne struck centuries to lead the side to a formidable 290 for 2 at stumps. The pair added 249 runs in nearly 82 overs, denying Delhi a breakthrough after the bowling side had taken a couple of early wickets.Navdeep Saini had given Delhi both wickets after Maharashtra chose to bat, but that was about as much advantage as Delhi could muster. Gugale, who opened the batting, finished the day on 152 not out, his third first-class century, while Bawne was unbeaten on 120 off 260 balls.Left-arm spinner Dharmendrasinh Jadeja took 4 for 67 to help Saurashtra bowl Odisha out for 228 in Hyderabad. The only substantial effort in Odisha’s innings came from 18-year-old opening batsman Sandeep Pattnaik, who struck his maiden first-class century, a 213-ball 123 in his second match.Odisha paid heavily for a middle-order slump which saw them stumble from 122 for 1 to 147 for 5 in 10 overs. Medium-pacer Shaurya Sanandia then added to their troubles, striking off successive deliveries in the 70th over to reduce Odisha to 181 for 8. Odisha were eventually dismissed for 228 in the 81st over. Apart from Jadeja and Sanandia, Chirag Jani and Deepak Punia took two wickets each. Saurashtra then batted out seven overs and reached 4 for 0 at stumps.