Dilshan's Holder-seeking missile

Plays of the day from the second T20I between Sri Lanka and West Indies in Colombo

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Colombo11-Nov-2015The pop up catch
Jason Holder did not play the second T20, but made an impact nonetheless, using every centimetre in his two-metre frame to dismiss Sri Lanka’s best batsman of the evening. Tillakaratne Dilshan got on his knees to switch-hit Ravi Rampaul in the air, but though the shot had enough power to carry over the deep point boundary, Holder zipped along the outfield, leapt up and held onto a tough chance above his head, his feet less than six inches from the rope.The slinking low catch
When Jayasuriya hit a full delivery sweetly in the 13th over, it seemed destined to beat the man at long-on and go for four. Only, the fielder there was perhaps had the quickest wheels on the field. Andre Russell covered the eight or so metres to his left in a flash, read the ball’s trajectory perfectly, went to ground to intercept it at knee-height, and ended up performing a barrel roll with ball in hand.The redemption
Shehan Jayasuriya dropped a high catch off Andre Fletcher, running back from point in the sixth over, but he made amends by creating a dismissal in the next over. Chasing a ball to the fine leg fence, Jayasuriya managed to reel it in just inside the line. The batsmen, taking a third run, had begun to coast when Jayasuriya fired in a surprisingly fast, flat throw, hit the stumps directly, and to the amazement even of the wicketkeeper, found Marlon Samuels short by a few inches.The explosive sequence
West Indies had begun a little slowly, having hit 17 off the first 4.2 overs, until Johnson Charles brought the innings to life with three big blows. He ran at Sachithra Senanayake’s third ball of the match and walloped him over long-on first, stayed in his crease to sweep the next one over deep midwicket next, then advanced again to send Senanayake way into the stands behind cow corner. The final ball of the over – a shorter one in anticipation of another trip down the pitch from Charles- was swept as well, this time for four. Twenty-two runs came from those four balls.

Liverpool player ratings vs West Ham: Virgil van Dijk goes from zero to hero! Reds captain recovers from rare horror show while Mohamed Salah shows he's worth every penny as Premier League title edges ever closer

The Reds endured a nervy afternoon at Anfield, but their captain rose highest in the closing stages to secure victory over the Irons

Liverpool got back to winning ways and moved to within six points of securing the Premier League title as Virgil van Dijk scored late to secure a 2-1 win over West Ham on Sunday.

Arne Slot's side started the game on top, and took a deserved lead when Mohamed Salah, who was playing for the first time since signing a new two-year deal, left Ollie Scarles for dead before providing an inch-perfect ball across the penalty area for Diaz to tap home. That seemed to spark West Ham into life, however, as Alisson Becker had to be alert to shut down Carlos Soler before racing back to tip Mohamed Kudus' curling effort onto the crossbar.

Liverpool hit the woodwork themselves early in the second half as Alexis Mac Allister hit the bar with a free-kick, before he again went close when Alphonse Areola tipped his shot from wide of the penalty area over the top. However, nerves began to set in among the home crowd, and Alisson had to be at his best to keep out Jarrod Bowen and Kudus before a mix up between Van Dijk and Andrew Robertson led to the latter putting through his own goal with four minutes left on the clock.

The scores weren't level for long, however, as Van Dijk rose highest from a corner to send the Kop into raptures, and while there was still time for Niclas Fullkrug to hit the bar with a late header, Liverpool held on.

GOAL rates Liverpool's players from Anfield…

AFPGoalkeeper & Defence

Alisson Becker (8/10):

Reacted well to deny Soler and Kudus in quick succession midway through the first half, and then again when keeping out Bowen after the break. Brilliant stop low to his left kept Kudus from equalising, too.

Conor Bradley (7/10):

Returned from injury and combined well with Salah at times down the right. Solid defensively, as always.

Ibrahima Konate (6/10):

Got Salah in behind on a couple of occasions with balls over the top and did well in possession. Solid enough after a sloppy few weeks at the back, too.

Virgil van Dijk (6/10):

Was well short of his best at the back. Guilty of some poor touches and lack of concentration, which eventually led to his role in the own goal. Redeemed himself moments later with the winner, however.

Kostas Tsimikas (6/10):

Worked hard down the left during his hour on the pitch. Put in some testing set-pieces before making way for Robertson.

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Ryan Gravenberch (8/10):

His best game for some time as he worked his way out of tight areas to launch Liverpool attacks and performed his defensive duties well. Encouraging after a rough month or so.

Alexis Mac Allister (7/10):

Industrious at the heart of the Reds' midfield while showing glimpses of his quality. Unlucky not to score twice early in the second half.

Curtis Jones (6/10):

Knitted things together effectively back in a more familiar midfield role, but couldn't create anything of note before going off midway through the second period.

AFPAttack

Mohamed Salah (7/10):

Celebrated his new contract with a superb assist as he toyed with the inexperienced Scarles during the first half. Not everything he tried paid off while he faded a little after the break, but he still produced the game-breaking moment.

Diogo Jota (5/10):

Linked up play at times, but struggled to make much of an impact in the final third before being replaced by Gakpo on the hour mark.

Luis Diaz (8/10):

Electric from the very first minute and deserved his goal after previously testing Areola. Never stopped running even after being moved centrally as he caused West Ham numerous headaches.

Getty Images SportSubs & Manager

Cody Gakpo (6/10):

Caused some problems with his direct dribbling down the left.

Andy Robertson (5/10):

Continues to struggle with the pace of these games, though was a little unlucky with the own goal.

Jarell Quansah (5/10):

Lost Wan-Bissaka for the West Ham goal after coming on for Bradley.

Dominik Szoboszlai (5/10):

Couldn't offer much of note in his 20 minutes on the pitch.

Wataru Endo (N/A):

On for Salah late on.

Arne Slot (5/10):

His team still look far from their best, but the job is now almost done. Direct style did pay dividends in the first half, but he needs to fire his players up again to get over the line without further alarm.

Markram arrives as Sunrisers look to bounce back from opening defeat

Quinton de Kock has also linked up with Super Giants but who will make way for him?

Hemant Brar06-Apr-20234:47

Moody: Stick with Mayers and bat him at No. 3

Big picture

Kyle Mayers was part of Lucknow Super Giants’ squad in IPL 2022 but didn’t get a game. Had Quinton de Kock not been on national duty, Mayers wouldn’t have started this season either. But now he has two swashbuckling half-centuries in two games to give Super Giants a happy headache.With de Kock available and having smashed a 44-ball 100 against West Indies recently, do Super Giants drop Mayers? That will be sacrilegious. If they play both, who sacrifices the opening slot? Plus, who misses out in that case – Nicholas Pooran or Marcus Stoinis? Pooran made useful contributions in both games, while Stoinis gives them an extra bowling option, even though he is yet to bowl this IPL.After starting their campaign with a win at home, Super Giants went down to Chennai Super Kings in their next match. Now that they are back in Lucknow, can they return to winning ways?Sunrisers Hyderabad too are coming off a defeat; they were thrashed by Rajasthan Royals in their opening game. But there are plenty of reasons for Sunrisers to put that hammering behind them, the biggest being the availability of their South African players.Related

  • Kyle Mayers had one shot, and he didn't let it slip

For the Royals game, they were without their captain Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen and Marco Jansen. Now that the trio has joined the squad, they have all eight overseas players to pick from. And like de Kock, all three carry excellent form with them.

Team news

Both teams get reinforcements with their South African players who were part of the Netherlands series available now. Apart from Super Giants’ Mohsin Khan, there are no known injury concerns.

Toss and Impact Player strategy

Lucknow Super Giants
With de Kock a shoo-in, Stoinis may have to miss out. When it comes to Impact Player, Super Giants could start with Ayush Badoni if they are batting first. Jaydev Unadkat or Yash Thakur could replace him in the second innings. Vice versa if they are bowling first.Probable bat-first XI: 1 KL Rahul (capt), 2 Kyle Mayers, 3 Deepak Hooda, 4 Quinton de Kock (wk), 5 Nicholas Pooran, 6 Ayush Badoni, 7 Krunal Pandya, 8 K Gowtham, 9 Avesh Khan, 10 Ravi Bishnoi, 11 Mark WoodProbable bowl-first XI: 1 KL Rahul (capt), 2 Kyle Mayers, 3 Deepak Hooda, 4 Quinton de Kock (wk), 5 Nicholas Pooran, 6 Krunal Pandya, 7 K Gowtham, 8 Avesh Khan, 9 Jaydev Unadkat/Yash Thakur, 10 Ravi Bishnoi, 11 Mark WoodAiden Markram will take over the captaincy from Bhuvneshwar Kumar•BCCI

Sunrisers Hyderabad
Given Klaasen’s recent form, and that he is a regular wicketkeeper, he could replace Glenn Phillips in the starting XI. Jansen may have to wait for his turn, though.Abdul Samad and Kartik Tyagi could be Sunrisers’ Impact Player pair.Probable bat-first XI: 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Mayank Agarwal, 3 Rahul Tripathi, 4 Aiden Markram (capt), 5 Harry Brook, 6 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 6 Abdul Samad, 7 Washington Sundar, 8 Adil Rashid, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Umran Malik, 11 T NatarajanProbable bowl-first XI: 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Mayank Agarwal, 3 Rahul Tripathi, 4 Aiden Markram (capt), 5 Harry Brook, 6 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 6 Washington Sundar, 7 Adil Rashid, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Umran Malik, 10 T Natarajan, 11 Kartik Tyagi

Stats that matter

  • Since the start of the last IPL, Super Giants have won eight out of nine games when batting first. But when it comes to chasing, they have won only two out of eight.
  • Mayers’ strike rate against pace is 149.54. But against spin, it drops down to 103.15.
  • Pooran has a great strike rate against both pace and spin, but Adil Rashid has been able to keep him quiet. In 36 balls to Pooran, he has conceded just 31 runs while getting him out twice.
  • Since the start of 2022, Mark Wood has picked up a wicket every eighth ball.

Pitch and conditions

Teams batting first have fared slightly better at this venue, with 17 wins and 14 defeats from 31 T20s. When it comes to bowling, spinners (6.49) have been more frugal than fast bowlers (7.87).

Treinador português que trabalhou com Vítor Pereira e Abel detalha personalidade da dupla

MatériaMais Notícias

da cassino: Basta um treinador português abrir a boca de forma mais contundenteno Brasil que as discussões sobre a postura desses profissionais em solo tupiniquim se iniciam. Nada como ir atrás de quem tem profundo conhecimento desses técnicos para falar do assunto, como Rui Quinta, experiente comandante de Portugal.

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Nas últimas semanas, Abel Ferreira e Vítor Pereira, treinadores de Palmeiras e Corinthians, respectivamente, estiveram no centro do noticiário após falas que geraram reações específicas de um grupo. Do lado palmeirense, o incômodo foi de técnicos rivais, enquanto o corintiano gerou insatisfação principalmente na sua torcida.

E tudo isso aconteceu quando um velho conhecido da dupla Abel e VP estava no Brasil. Rui Quinta é patrício dos treinadores de Verdão e Timão e está em solo brasileiro em uma espécie de intercâmbio nas categorias de base da Portuguesa Santista.

Aos 62 anos, o profissional tem uma vasta carreira como técnico, que iniciou em 1992 nas categorias de formação de atletas em Portugal, quando conheceu o menino Abel no Penafiel e depois, mais tarde, foi auxiliar de Vítor no comando do Porto, no início desta década.

Em conversa com o LANCE!, Rui detalhou um pouco de seu envolvimento com a dupla de treinadores e da personalidade de cada um deles, o que se reflete até hoje nos trabalhos que fazem por aqui.

ABEL FERREIRA – UM AMIGO DA VIDA

Quando Rui Quinta decidiu parar de jogar futebol de campo, ele foi logo trabalhar na base do Penafiel, onde se deparou com um garoto de 14 anos, chamado Abel Ferreira, que jogava de meio-campista, mas pensou em deixar o futebol no momento em que foi desafiado a jogar na lateral direita. Ali já se viu o quando sua convicção pesava

-O Abel era jogador do Penafiel quando eu cheguei lá, era sub-15, tinha 14 anos. Ele jogava meio-campo central, depois as pessoas desafiaram ele a jogar de lateral, num primeiro momento ele não aceitou muito, pensou em deixar o futebol, mas depois se firmou como lateral e foi onde fez sua carreira em alto nível.

-Aos 15 anos, o Abel já tinha um traço de personalidade bem marcante, aquela reação que ele teve naquela altura de se afastar, depois voltar, aquilo era uma indicação das convicções que o marcavam. Ele foi sempre aquela pessoa que vocês veem nas coletivas, altamente competitiva, não há duas formas de ser, quando estamos competindo, não podemos estar de duas maneiras, temos que estar focados nas nossas – contou Rui Quinta.

O treinador português lembrou da trajetória de Abel como jogador, de como ele foi subindo gradativamente na carreira até chegar em um clube top como Sporting. Para Quinta, isso não depende apenas de habilidade, mas também da mentalidade e do caráter, algo que o atual técnico do Verdão já mostrava naquela época e segue assim.

-Ele acabou por se impor no time profissional do Penafiel na segunda divisão portuguesa. Esse foi o primeiro passo, depois foi contratado pelo Vitória de Guimarães, do top 5 de Portugal, depois foi para o Braga e para o Sporting, ou seja, sempre em um processo de crescimento, isso não tem a ver com a qualidade futebolística, tem a ver com a mentalidade, além da habilidade, você tem que ter mentalidade, caráter, é claramente uma imagem de líder que ele transmite hoje, da sua pessoa.

Rui Quinta bateu muito na tecla da personalidade de Abel e de sua postura firme com suas convicções, algo que ele se orgulha de ver seu amigo dando importância. O treinador, inclusive, lembrou de um episódio em Portugal que deu início à trajetória do palmeirense na elite do futebol.

-Ele teve incompatibilidade com o presidente do Sporting, porque o Abel é um homem de princípios, um homem de caráter, e que tem um orgulho muito grande de entender a importância que ele dá a isso. Com isso ele mudou para o Braga, e a equipe do Abel jogava com qualidade, depois da equipe B, ele foi para a equipe A, que continuou jogando com a característica dele.

Ainda sobre Abel Ferreira, Rui Quinta acredita que ele ainda tem muito espaço para crescer e que só está nesse nível do futebol quem tem capacidade para isso, que é o caso do comandante do Verdão, principalmente pelo alinhamento conquistado com o elenco.

– O que eu eu não tenho dúvida, é que o Abel há dez anos era um treinador, hoje é outro, e daqui dez anos será outro muito mais competente e muito melhor preparado. A vida vai nos permitindo isso. O mérito dele e a capacidade que ele tem tido de fazer isso na dimensão top. E somente está lá quem domina esses pressupostos do jogar e do caráter, porque quando você é líder e você vê isso no Palmeiras, porque os jogadores estão alinhados com ele até morrer, e isso é uma vantagem – disse Rui antes de completar:

– Ele está há três anos no clube, tive o privilégio de fazer uma visita e eu senti o alinhamento de todos, todos preocupados em servir o clube. Quando se consegue isso, o grau de excelência é top.

VÍTOR PEREIRA – UM “IRMÃO”

Diferentemente de sua relação com Abel Ferreira, quem conheceu quando o palmeirense ainda era um garoto, Rui Quinta conheceu Vítor Pereira já mais velho, buscando a graduação com treinador. A proximidade foi tão grande que eles se tornaram “irmãos”.

– Conheci o Vítor em um curso de treinadores de segundo grau, em Ponte de Lima. O Vítor estava tirando o segundo grau de treinador, em Portugal são quatro. Nós fomos dar aulas, e ele estava lá. Foi aí que o conheci. Destacava-se a quilômetros de todos os outros, pela forma como argumentava, como propunha os exercícios que defendi. Percebemos que era alguém diferente, e ficamos com essa relação de proximidade – declarou Rui antes de completar:

-O Vítor é um irmão meu. Nos juntamos no Porto por dois anos. Nesses dois anos, compartilhamos nossa vida, dia a dia. Tenho com ele uma gratidão eterna pela oportunidade, e tenho com ele uma amizade diferente, porque vivemos juntos dentro do mesmo clube, as mesmas felicidades. Isso nos ligou muito.

Como Rui disse acima, eles dividiram o comando do Porto, quando VP era o treinador principal e o convidou para fazer parte da comissão técnica. Antes disso, porém, eles chegaram a duelar.

-Fomos adversários algumas vezes, temos uma curiosidade, empatamos todos os jogos que nos enfrentamos. No ano em que ele foi auxiliar do Villas-Boas no Porto, nós, por meio de um amigo em comum, fomos almoçar e falamos por horas. No ano seguinte, ele foi convidado para treinar a equipe principal do Porto, e eu ia treinar um clube da segunda divisão, e ele disse: “Não vá, porque se eu for o treinador do Porto, quero que venha me ajudar”.Eu disse que iria para ser campeão, e fomos dois anos seguidos.

Ao LANCE!, Rui Quinta detalhou um pouco de sua convivência com Vítor Pereira para explicar como o técnico do Corinthians trabalha e como ele chegou até o ponto que se estabeleceu na carreira, atingindo o topo, trabalhando em vários lugares do mundo.

-Não vivo o dia a dia com o Vítor no futebol há 10 anos. O Vítor já esteve em diferentes países, na Ásia, Europa, e está agora na América. O que eu sei, ele é um treinador extremamente ligado, obcecado com tudo que faz, os detalhes, para que tudo esteja da maneira que ele pretende. Tem uma capacidade de evidenciar aos jogadores aquilo que é o melhor para cada um.

– A forma de jogo dele é apelativa porque gosta de ter a bola, mandar no jogo. É uma equipe que joga para ganhar. Às vezes até exagera como gasta o tempo preocupado com as coisas relacionadas a equipe e jogadores. Disse isso para ele algumas vezes, é importante sairmos um pouco, fazer um refresh, para voltar com energia no topo. É um treinador que não se dá por vencido.

– O Vítor se fez a ele próprio, veio lá de baixo, de um meio social complicado, onde colegas dele descambaram na vida, e ele foi estudar, formou-se, treinou na base, no principal, e está agora no topo. É uma pessoa de um coração extraordinário, se preocupa muito com o bem-estar das pessoas, fazer o bem, ajudar. Pessoalmente, é tímido, reservado, não gosta de muita exposição.

SEMELHANÇAS ENTRE ABEL E VÍTOR

São duas pessoas que se fizeram no futebol, que ninguém deu nada, foi tudo conquistado por eles, pela forma de trabalhar, ideias, maneira como lidaram com as dificuldades da vida. Isso os marcou. Estão trabalhando em alto nível por alguma razão. As características dos treinadores do topo, têm muito a ver um com o outro. São altamente competitivos, defendem com unhas e dentes seus jogadores, e exigem deles os limites. Não há outra forma de ganhar.

Liverpool pushing to sign new £25m star and could have advantage over PSG

Liverpool are continuing to push to complete the signing of an “unbelievable” £25m-rated attacking player and could have an advantage over Paris Saint-Germain.

Liverpool transfer news

The Reds are being linked with plenty of potential new signings, with Ademola Lookman mentioned as a possible addition in recent times. The former Everton winger is currently thriving at Atalanta, famously scoring a hat-trick in last season’s Europa League final win over Bayer Leverkusen.

Real Valladolid winger Raul Moro is also seen as a rumoured option for Liverpool, with Manchester City mentioned as suitors, too. The 22-year-old has scored three goals in La Liga this season and could be considered a long-term attacking wide addition, proving capable of thriving on either flank.

Andy Robertson’s hit-and-miss form so far this season has been well-documented, with his red card against Fulham in the Premier League last weekend a damaging moment for the Reds, and Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez continues to be mentioned as a long-term solution in that position.

Away from the incoming transfer news at Liverpool, the futures of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah continues to be a major talking point. The club are said to have offered the former a new contract, as they look to ensure that his head isn’t turned by a move to Real Madrid next summer.

Liverpool pushing to sign "unbelievable" £25m ace

According to a fresh claim from Foot Mercato [via Sport Witness], Liverpool are pushing to sign Lyon star Rayan Cherki in the January transfer window, looking to snap him up in a potential £25m deal.

The Reds are believed to be ahead of Paris Saint-Germain in the race to acquire the attacking midfielder’s signature, due to Lyon’s “frosty” relationship with their fellow Ligue 1 club.

Cherki has been seen as a target for Liverpool for some time and the idea of him in a Reds shirt is certainly exciting, given the talent and long-term potential that he possesses.

Granted, the 21-year-old is still a raw footballer who is learning his trade, but he has already bagged 22 goals and 32 assists for Lyon, despite his tender years, with journalist Dean Jones describing him as “unbelievable”.

To be able to sign Cherki for just £25m feels like a bargain, considering how high his ceiling is, so Liverpool could see it as an important piece of business to get done in January.

He plays like Saka: Liverpool want to sign "monster" £57m Nunez upgrade

Liverpool might need to strengthen their frontline in 2025.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 19, 2024

Granted, Arne Slot isn’t exactly short of attacking options at the moment, but he could add extra quality in attacking midfield, putting pressure on the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai and Harvey Elliott, having scored and assisted three times apiece in just seven Ligue 1 starts so far this season.

Alyssa Healy injures her calf in the fourth T20I against India

The Australian captain won’t take any further part in the game, with a word on her availability for Tuesday’s T20I still expected

S Sudarshanan17-Dec-2022

Alyssa Healy walked off after injuring herself in Mumbai•BCCI

Australia captain Alyssa Healy suffered a calf strain while batting in the fourth women’s T20I against India and was ruled out of the contest. A word on her availability for the final game of the tour was awaited.Healy, leading for the first time in place of Meg Lanning, who is on an indefinite break, helped Australia get off to a quick start after they were asked to bat. She raced to 30 off 21 balls, hitting six fours in the process. On the penultimate ball of the powerplay, she moved well across to the off side and pulled Deepti Sharma to the square leg fence. That is when she appeared to have tweaked her calf.Healy was seen hobbling and, after some attention from the physio, decided to carry on. However, a ball later, she was unable to pinch a quick run, which is when she decided to walk off. Not long after that, she was ruled out from further participation in the game.After the series against India, Healy was due to play the Women’s National Cricket League, the domestic 50-overs competition in Australia. From January 16, Australia are scheduled to take on Pakistan at home for a six-match white-ball series starting with the three ODIs, which are part of the ICC Women’s Championship cycle.In Healy’s absence, Tahlia McGrath, the designated vice-captain in Mumbai, will take over the side. Beth Mooney is the back-up wicketkeeper. She has donned the gloves regularly in the Women’s Big Bash League – first for Brisbane Heat and then for Perth Scorchers.Should Healy be ruled out of the fifth T20I, Phoebe Litchfield could be an option to open the batting, having done so for Sydney Thunder in the WBBL. Healy is the second Australian player to suffer an injury on the tour, after Jess Jonassen was ruled out with hamstring problems last Sunday.

Mushfiqur's prophecy

Plays of the day from the fourth ODI between Zimbabwe and Bangladesh in Mirpur

Mohammad Isam in Mirpur28-Nov-2014The prophecy
In 34th over, Mushfiqur Rahim said, “Come on boys, one will bring two.” Two balls later, Solomon Mire gave a simple catch to cover and became the fourth Zimbabwe wicket as drinks came on the field. After the break, Brendan Taylor, with whom Mire had added 106 runs, edged to Mushfiqur himself and the Bangladesh wicketkeeper’s prophecy indeed came to pass.The precision strikeTamim Iqbal wasn’t finding the gaps but had largely been patient during a 34-ball 16. Pressure was building and it told when he ran out of the crease to Mire and tried to carve him over the off-side field. He did, but was caught by Hamilton Masakadza at deep cover. The only fielder deep on the off side, and he didn’t have to move.The pluckTaylor was stationed at midwicket in the 12th over, but he had walked in a considerable distance with Imrul Kayes struggling to clear the infield. The batsman tried to lift Neville Madziva over the top, but Taylor jumped and plucked out a superb one-handed catch, which seemed to please the bowler to no end as Madziva celebrated quite heartily.The pullMire has been a revelation in the ODI series for Zimbabwe. He has scored fast and bowled with pace and both traits were on display today as he picked up three wickets and later scored a fifty. The highlight of his innings was a superb pull over midwicket off Rubel Hossain in the 33rd over. It soared over the boundary to bring up up his own fifty and the partnership’s century.The first impressionJubair Hossain had to wait only five balls for his maiden ODI wicket. He foxed Timycen Maruma with a googly that came out of the side of the hand. The batsman was stuck in the crease with his off-stump slightly exposed and Jubair got the ball to turn just enough to sneak between bat and pad to hit the target.

Lisandro Martinez begins road to recovery after undergoing surgery for torn ACL which could keep Man Utd defender sidelined for up to a year

Lisandro Martinez has reportedly undergone surgery on his torn anterior cruciate ligament – with the Argentine potentially sidelined for up to a year.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

  • Martinez out for season
  • Has surgery on ACL injury
  • Could be out for up to a year
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    According to the Daily Mail, Martinez had surgery in London on his ACL on Thursday and initial signs are that the operation was successful. The report adds recovery periods can range from six months to a year but if he responds well he may have the chance to return to fitness for the start of next season.

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    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Martinez, 27, suffered the serious injury at home to Crystal Palace earlier this month as his United woes continued. The former Ajax star has missed dozens of games for the Red Devils with metatarsal, foot, knee, and calf injuries and now this latest blow is a huge setback.

  • DID YOU KNOW?

    According to transfermarkt, Argentine international Martinez has been sidelined for a whopping 280 days due to the injuries he has had since moving to United in 2022.

  • Getty/GOAL

    WHAT NEXT?

    While Martinez will start his rehab soon, his United side are away to Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday.

Imagine him & Engels: Celtic have interest in "exceptional" big-money star

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers will surely be delighted with his team’s start to the 2024/25 campaign after they went into the last international break of the year in first place in the Scottish Premiership.

A 2-0 win over Kilmarnock on Sunday ensured that the Hoops are top of the division on goal difference, after Aberdeen’s 4-1 win over Dundee on Saturday had put them in first initially.

Goals from Callum McGregor and Nicolas Kuhn extended the club’s record to ten wins and one draw, which came against the Dons, in 11 league matches this season.

The Scottish giants have also caught the eye with their performances in Europe, beating RB Leipzig and Slovan, and drawing with Atalanta, although they were beaten 7-1 by Borussia Dortmund.

Despite the club’s fantastic start to the season, the recruitment team and Rodgers will constantly be looking at players who could come in to improve the group.

The squad is constantly evolving and there will be players who move on in the January transfer window, or next summer, and that will open the door for fresh recruits to bolster the side.

In fact, Celtic are already reportedly looking at a star who could come in to give the squad and potentially Arne Engels a boost ahead of the second half of the 2024/25 campaign.

Arne Engels' form for Celtic this season

The Belgium international joined for a club-record fee from Bundesliga side Augsburg during the summer transfer window and has had mixed success so far.

He has racked up three goals and six assists in 14 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants so far, which is a more than respectable return for a 21-year-old adapting to life in a new country.

His most recent showing against Kilmarnock on Sunday was disappointing, though, as Football FanCast published an article outlining his struggles on the artificial pitch, with one ground duel won and 16 losses of possession without creating any chances.

Appearances

8

Goals

2

Big chances created

3

Assists

0

Tackles + interceptions per game

0.7

As you can see in the table above, Engels is unlucky to have not registered a single assist in the Premiership this season, with three ‘big chances’ created.

However, he has struggled to make an impact out of possession, as was the case against Kilmarnock, with less than one tackle and interception combined per match, and that is where this potential new signing could take some of the pressure off him.

Celtic interested in Premier League midfielder

According to CaughtOffside, Celtic are keen on Liverpool’s Wataru Endo and are far from the only team interested in signing the central midfielder.

The report claims that the Hoops are one of a number of sides eyeing up the former Stuttgart dynamo, with AC Milan, Fulham, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Ipswich Town also said to be lining up a move for the Reds outcast.

It states that all of those clubs, including Celtic, have ‘shown’ an interest in the Japan international and could swoop for him when the January transfer window opens for business.

Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo

CaughtOffside adds that Endo is open to completing a move away from Anfield after the turn of the year because of his lack of minutes on the pitch under Arne Slot, with zero starts and five substitute appearances – totalling 25 minutes of action – in the Premier League this season.

The outlet claims that Liverpool could accept a fee of up to €18m (£15m) for the former Bundesliga battler, but does not outright state that Slot wants to cash in on the rarely-seen midfielder.

A fee of £15m for a player who turns 32 this season, in February, does not seem like a viable move for Celtic, when you consider that their club-record is the £11m that they paid for Arne Engels this summer.

Transfer Focus

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However, the Hoops could possibly attempt to convince Liverpool to sanction a loan in the second half of the season, which could bolster Rodgers’ squad and provide Endo with a chance to shine and increase his value and number of suitors with strong performances.

The Japanese midfielder, if he can recapture his best form, could be a signing that would allow Engels to shine even brighter in the middle of the park.

Why Celtic should sign Endo

If the Hoops can secure a loan deal for the second half of the season, the Liverpool midfielder could provide a combative presence in the middle of the park to make up for Engels’ struggles in that department.

The Japanese gem has rarely got on the pitch this term but did play 29 times under Jurgen Klopp in the Premier League last season and averaged 2.4 tackles and interceptions per game, along with 2.9 ground duels won per game.

He also ranked within the top 33% of midfielders in the league for progressive passes per 90 (5.28), which shows that he can cut out opposition attacks and build forward moves for his own team when in possession by progressing the ball forward.

Endo, who was hailed as “exceptional” and a “machine” by Klopp, also showcased his quality out of possession during his time with Stuttgart in the Bundesliga, prior to his move to Liverpool in the summer of 2023.

Appearances

33

Goals

5

Assists

4

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.9

Duel success rate

52%

As you can see in the table above, the 31-year-old star provided quality on the ball, with nine goal contributions, but was also strong at winning the ball back for his side, cutting out opposition attacks with vital interventions.

His 2.9 tackles and interceptions per game are impressive when you consider that no Celtic midfielder has managed more than 2.6 per outing, and Paulo Bernardo (2.6) is the only midfielder with more than 1.7 per match.

Liverpool's Wataru Endo chases Julio Enciso

Endo has the defensive quality to be a stopper in the middle of the park and that could free up Engles, as well as the likes of Reo Hatate, Bernardo, and Luke McCowan to push on and not exert as much energy defensively.

Therefore, signing the Japanese whiz to compete with the captain for a spot at the base of the midfield could help the club’s record-signing, who has struggled off the ball.

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Insouciant Hampshire complete Tom Prest's groundwork

Hampshire now assured of home tie in knockout phases

ECB Reporters Network21-Aug-2022

Tom Prest led Hampshire’s chase•Getty Images

Hampshire 260 for 7 (Prest 76, Snater 3-46) beat Essex 257 for 8 (Snater 64) by three wickets.Hampshire once again showed their insouciance as they chased down 257 to set up a home knockout fixture while knocking Essex Eagles out of the Royal London Cup.Hampshire had found themselves behind the rate despite Tom Prest’s 76 and required 78 from the last 10 overs, on a pitch difficult to score on.But Toby Albert – who had match-winning 84 and 65 not outs against Derbyshire and Lancashire – continued his clutch form with 34 in 26 balls before Felix Organ, Ian Holland and Scott Currie took their side to a three-wicket victory.Hampshire, who were already through despite losing for the first time against Glamorgan last time, will play a home semi-final if they beat Yorkshire at Scarborough on Tuesday, or a home play-off if they don’t and Lancashire defeat Kent.Related

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Hampshire found timing the ball a chore almost from the off of their chase, as Nick Gubbins was brilliantly caught at slip by Khushi in the fourth over before Ben Brown was bowled.Aneurin Donald added some impetus with a slog-swept and on-driven sixes and Prest looked at his most fluent during their 54-run partnership, the required run rate had gradually inclined though.Donald was run out attempting a push and run and Fletcha Middleton’s attempt to wrestle back the rate saw him sky straight up.Prest reached his third fifty of the competition in 73 balls before he hoisted to long off, having twice been dropped during his innings of 76. Victory seemed a distance off.But Albert’s flair in a vital 60-run partnership with Organ took Hampshire to 31 needed from 28. That was dragged down to 12 needed when Organ was caught at midwicket for 30.That dozen was knocked off by Ian Holland and Scott Currie with ten balls to spare, and took Hampshire back to the top of Group B.Essex had chosen to bat and began with unbridled run-scoring with Feroze Khushi and Robin Das rushing to 44 inside six overs but a bowling change to Jack Campbell reversed the momentum.The fast left-hander struck with his fifth delivery when he found extra bounce to have Khushi caught behind before getting Tom Westley to loop to midwicket – both wickets sandwiched by Das flicking Ian Holland to deep square to leave Essex 48 for three.Grant Roelofson, the Eagles’ leading run-getter in the competition, lived a charmed life as he was dropped on five, eight and 29 before Toby Albert finally clung on under a steepler at deep square.Nick Browne and Luc Benkenstein had also departed by this point, with Essex 112 for six, with Aron Nijjar following when leg before to Nick Gubbins’ leg spin.But Shane Snater and Richards recovered things and took their side towards a par score. Netherlands international Snater caught the eye with a huge slog sweep but it was his intelligent gap finding that accumulated runs quickly.His maiden format fifty came in 51 balls during a 96-run stand with Richards – who only scored one boundary in his unbeaten 31. Snater was eventually caught at cover for 64 but Ben Allison thwacked two sixes to take Essex to 257 for eight.

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