Australia’s batting coach Graeme Hick spoke about their disappointing day as they were bowled out for 137 to come close to losing the series on Tuesday

Melinda Farrell in Dharamsala27-Mar-2017The Australian players may have enough time to reflect on the missed opportunities that – barring a miraculous performance on Tuesday morning- will likely cost them a series victory.The game seemed finely balanced when Australia began their second innings, trailing India by 32 runs, but the batting line-up crumbled under a sustained assault of both short-pitched bowling and spin. Steven Smith’s dismissal – he misjudged the length of a Bhuvneshwar Kumar delivery and was bowled – was the catalyst for a collapse that gave Australia a meagre lead of 105 to defend.There was hope when Glenn Maxwell counter-attacked to score 45, but Australia lost five for 31, including his dismissal, with Matthew Wade running out of partners. By stumps, India had all 10 wickets in hand and now require a mere 87 runs to clinch the series and regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.”Just stating the obvious, you could hear a pin drop in the dressing room,” Australia batting coach Graeme Hick said. “A very disappointing day. There is always a chance until the final ball is bowled. But yeah, a hard day today. The boys are pretty down but they will give it a good crack in the morning and you never know. But it is a tough ask.”You know when you come here, there is the danger of losing wickets in clumps. The hardest part is getting yourself in, getting that first half hour out of the way and then making sure you do the job. I think if I look back over this game and one or two others in the series, I will say we missed an opportunity and left some runs there in the first innings.”From a 130 for 1 on the first day to only put 300 on the board… if we had another 100 runs, 150 runs in that first innings, then we are in the game tomorrow. So while today was very disappointing, it’s not the only reason why we find ourselves in this position.”Australia stuttered right at the start in their second innings when David Warner, after being dropped for the second time in the match by Karun Nair at third slip, drove hard at Umesh Yadav in the fourth over and edged to Wriddhiman Saha. It capped off a disappointing tour for the opener – he has averaged 24.12 for the series, compared to his overall average of 47.42. He did little to change a growing perception that he struggles away from home.”Obviously David will be very disappointed with his aggregate on tour,” Hick said. “He is a very aggressive player, that’s the way he likes to play and the way we like to him play. He was desperate to have a very big tour and to have a very big influence here.”Whether he put himself under a bit too much pressure to do so, only he can answer that. He will reflect on it, as champions do, and feel and assess it himself. But without a doubt, he is one of our major players and you would have hoped for a little bit more from him but he was challenged.”It is tough up front, [Ravindra] Jadeja into the rough, [R] Ashwin bowls really well at him. [They] certainly questioned him. That’s the beauty of the game, it puts these challenges up between great players and makes it very interesting to watch. David will obviously be very disappointed with the way things have gone.”But the critical blow was the loss of Smith’s wicket. The Australian captain has accumulated 499 runs in the series – more than anyone else – and his outstanding form has arguably papered over any weaknesses in Australia’s relatively new-look top six. He had just dispatched consecutive Bhuvneshwar deliveries to the boundary before his dismissal and there was no middle-order stand to provide a Ranchi-style rearguard action.”You’ll look back, and in hindsight in this series, and say that we have been a bit reliant on him, but there again, you’ve had some great contributions and performances,” Hick said. “Saving the game in the last Test, with [Peter] Handscomb and [Shaun] Marsh was as good as any hundred that Steve Smith scored, in those conditions and that pressure. Yeah, the scorecards will show that Steve Smith has had an amazing series and it has looked that way.”He’s just playing wonderful cricket at the moment. He asked me in the dressing room and I just said I think you’re just playing too well. You’re seeing the ball like a football and hitting it to all parts of the grounds. He’s just playing beautifully.”Steve Smith is a huge wicket for us, especially in the form he’s in. Yeah, he’ll be disappointed, as would anyone else. But yeah, very unfortunate for us because he’s had a very good series. He’s got seven hundreds in the last eight Tests against India. He’s got a lot of runs against them. In some respect, you think they haven’t worked out how to bowl to him yet. So that was a bit unfortunate.”

Sunderland must go again. The heartbreak of painfully losing the play-off semi-final will still be etched upon the conscience of the players and the hurting fans.

Meanwhile, their fierce high-flying northern rivals Newcastle have unbelievably reached the pinnacle of Champions League football leaving the Black Cats itching to create some success of their own.

Therefore, another hectic and gruelling season of Championship football beckons, as it now starts in just less than a month and the club still has much work to do in the transfer window to make sure that it's ready.

Last year, much of the goal-scoring firepower was bestowed upon on-loan Manchester United sensation Amad Diallo, who scored 14 league goals.

The Ivorian has already returned to his parent club, whilst Ross Stewart, who netted ten goals in 13 outings, had the best minutes per goal ratio (104) in the division, but his time was blighted by injury and he has been linked with a possible exit from the Stadium of Light.

Kristijaan Speakman, Sunderland’s sporting director, has spoken on Stewart’s uncertain future and said: “The situation is no different to where we have been: we are really keen to retain Ross and everything from his camp is that he’d like to stay. But we haven’t got to an agreement that both parties would like to sign off.

Whether Stewart stays or goes, there's still a gaping hole in the frontline that needs to be filled and there are still rumours circulating around a potential return for Ellis Simms.

What’s the latest on Ellis Simms to Sunderland?

According to the Northern Echo, Sunderland will “keep an eye” on Simms, but have no intention to enter a bidding war for his signature.

The striker only has one year left on his deal at Goodison Park, and the Toffees are open to letting him leave for a fee of around £10m.

The 22-year-old impressed on loan for Sunderland at the beginning of last campaign and was recalled by his parent for the second half of the season as Sean Dyche’s men battled against relegation.

The Wearside giants added teenage forward Luis Semedo last month, who Tony Mowbray revealed is the “only senior striker” in the ranks as Stewart is unlikely to be fit for the start of the season.

Therefore, Simms would be a pivotal addition to the club.

Why would Ellis Simms be a good signing for Sunderland?

The Englishman has already shown he has the capability to perform for Sunderland, having registered nine goal contributions in 14 second-tier starts.

Described as “brilliant” by Dion Dublin, Simms only scored once in the top flight and began just two encounters, as Dyche often preferred Dominic Calvert-Lewin or opted for a false nine approach.

It arguably showed that the youngster isn’t quite ready for consistent Premier League football and a move back to his former club could be the perfect antidote to resurrect his stuttering career.

If the attacker returned to the Stadium of Light, it would see him rekindle a partnership with the effervescent and deliciously talented Jack Clarke.

The former Leeds star notched a league-high 12 assists last year and created 66 chances in total, at a rate of 1.40 per 90.

Such numbers would no doubt benefit Simms, who although didn't receive any assists from Clarke last term, did find the net on seven occasions in 17 outings for the Mackems. Should the two finally combine, therefore, it could be a promotion-winning combo.

Indeed, these two are more than capable of being the spearheads to catapult this historic club back into Premier League prominence.

With West Brom currently the subject of a takeover bid, expert Dr Daniel Plumley has weighed in with his verdict on the current proceedings to West Brom News and reports that there are no legal issues for the club's supporters to be worried about.

What is the latest on a potential West Brom takeover?

The Baggies are currently led by Lai Guochuan, although his tenure in charge has become the subject of anger from large sections of the club's fanbase. After a recent incident that involved the Championship side not speaking out about the club's finances, it has led to further annoyance from the Hawthorns faithful. They are rightfully unhappy with the leadership of the club and that has led to Action 4 Albion – a fan group – holding meetings over the future of the side.

That future may lie away from Lai. A recent meeting between the group and Mark Miles, one of the board's executives, led to the revelation that they could be open to a potential sale of West Brom. It means that new owners could soon be found, and that could come in the form of Chris Farnell and Mohamed El-Kashashy. The two have joined forces to try and buy a stake in the Baggies, with talks underway, and that initial purchase could eventually see them completely take over the reins at the Hawthorns.

What has Daniel Plumley said about the West Brom takeover?

No official takeover has been completed yet though and the group are yet to buy the stake they want in the Championship side. However, it doesn't appear to be a fault of either Farnell or El-Kashashy, with Daniel Plumley revealing that there is nothing to be worried about in terms of the legal side of proceedings with the new bidders.

Speaking via West Brom News, he stated that whilst there is bound to be a worry over fresh parties coming into the club amongst the fans, there are no "legal issues" to worry about when it comes to the prospective buyers.

Speaking about the potential deal, he said: "It’s almost well is that better than what they have currently? Because what they have currently is an absolute nightmare of a situation with the outstanding loan and the owner, the toxic relationship it has been at times.

"When somebody else steps in, there are perhaps some questions around their history as well, and there will be things there, (but) there are no kind of legal issues behind that."

His comments imply that West Brom supporters have every right to be concerned over potential interest in the side considering the trials and tribulations they've been through. However, it appears that things are looking up when it comes to these new buyers – although for now, no deal has been completed.

يلتقي منتخب العراق مع نظيره الفلبين، اليوم الثلاثاء، في المباراة التي تجمع بينهما ضمن منافسات تصفيات آسيا المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026.

منتخب العراق يواجه الفلبين، في إطار لقاءات الجولة الرابعة من مرحلة المجموعات بالدور الثاني بالتصفيات القارية.

ويتواجد منتخب العراق في المجموعة السادسة من تصفيات كأس العالم بجانب منتخبات الفلبين وإندونيسيا وفيتنام.

ويتصدر أسود الرافدين ترتيب المجموعة برصيد 9 نقاط من الفوز في الجولات الثلاثة الأولى، بينما يأتي منتخب الفلبين في المركز الأخير بنقطة واحدة. موعد مباراة العراق والفلبين اليوم في تصفيات كأس العالم

تقام مباراة العراق والفلبين، اليوم الثلاثاء 26 مارس 2024، في تمام الساعة 1 ظهرًا بتوقيت القاهرة، 2 ظهراً بتوقيت السعودية والعراق. القناة الناقلة لمباراة العراق والفلبين اليوم في تصفيات كأس العالم

تنقل مباراة العراق والفلبين على قناة الكأس الأولى.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا

Jamie Shackleton has been slammed for being ‘overrun and outgunned’ in Leeds United’s midfield when the Peacocks came up against Manchester United in a preseason clash earlier this week.

So, what has happened so far during Leeds United’s preseason?

It wasn’t the start to preseason preparations that Leeds would’ve been hoping for, and a loss to fierce rivals United is certainly not the way new boss Daniel Farke would’ve wanted to get his tenure at the Yorkshire club underway either.

The teams played the game in Oslo’s Ullevaal Stadium to a sold out crowd, and despite Leeds now competing in the Championship, the game itself was a fairly competitive one.

By halftime, the game was still level, and it took until the 67th minute for United youngster Noam Emeran to finally make the incisive move and open the scoring for the Red Devils.

It took just another 14 minutes for 19-year-old Joe Hugill to double the score, but by then, the game was already out of sight for the Whites.

While a few Leeds players, notably captain Liam Cooper and Ian Poveda, shone during the game, some looked more than a little rusty after a few weeks off, specifically Jamie Shackleton.

According to Leeds Live journalist Beren Cross, the 23-year-old, who was given a 5/10, ‘looked overrun and outgunned in the middle. Guilty of one notably sloppy pass which was picked off inside the Leeds box.’

Is Jamie Shackleton good enough?

His poor showing against United might be just a single game in the eyes of new boss Farke, but it might be time for the club to cut their losses on the Hemsworth-born midfielder.

The Leeds youth product spent last season on loan with Championship side Millwall but started just 17 games for the side, and, according to WhoScored, he averaged a pretty poor rating of 6.25 across the season.

His underlying numbers don’t look great either, with FBref, who compare players in a similar position across what they define as the next best eight competitions, placing him in just the top 37% for successful take-ons and clearances, the top 46% for blocks, the top 51% for touches in the opposition’s penalty area and the top 52% for progressive carries, all per 90.

Those are his standout attributes from the last 12 months as well, so there isn’t a single attribute for which he is above average, which should be ringing alarm bells in the minds of Leeds staff.

To top it all off, he was named in The Second Tier’s ‘Worst XI’ of the season in January.

Who are Leeds United playing in preseason?

Unfortunately for Farke, things don’t get much easier in their next preseason game, as Leeds take on French giants AS Monaco in York’s LNER Community Stadium on Saturday, July 22nd.

The Principality club finished in a somewhat underwhelming sixth place in the league last year, but with players like Wissam Ben Yedder and Breel Embolo, they should be a good challenge for Leeds.

Things look a little easier for the Whites in their final two games before the season starts as they take on Premier League side Nottingham Forest in Burton’s Pirelli Stadium on Thursday, July 27th.

Leeds should feel confident enough going into this game as the home side came out on top in both fixtures last season, with The Garibaldi only beating Leeds 1-0 in February.

The final preseason game sees Farke’s men travel to Tynecastle Park in Edinburgh to take on Scottish Premiership side Heart of Midlothian on Sunday, July 30th.

The Jambos finished in fourth spot last season and could prove a challenge for Leeds, despite the Yorkshire club’s 50% win rate against the club.

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Manchester United could look to secure Brentford goalkeeper David Raya this summer if veteran stopper David De Gea is to leave Old Trafford this summer, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Manchester United's goalkeeping situation?

As per The Athletic, Manchester United reportedly offered De Gea a new contract at Old Trafford before eventually changing their mind on the decision at the last minute.

The 32-year-old has since received a new proposal from the Red Devils ahead of this term; however, he is now out of contract at Manchester United as he mulls over his future and is a target for Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr, according to The Sun.

Despite the fact De Gea's 12-year stay at Manchester United looks to be in a perilous position, he would still ideally like to be kept on at the Premier League giants if both parties can come to a compromise in negotiations.

Sky Sports have revealed that Manchester United are considering several goalkeeping options as Erik Ten Hag looks to strengthen his last line of defence, including the likes of Raya, Inter Milan's Andre Onana and Porto stopper Diogo Costa.

De Gea was named on the Red Devils' official released list and any push for another goalkeeping addition is believed to be a separate case to the future of the Spaniard.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones has stated that Raya, who earns around £25k-a-week at the Gtech Community Stadium, is indeed on the radar at Old Trafford and may be a potential replacement for De Gea.

Jones stated: "Raya is a pretty simple deal waiting to happen, if United want to go down that path. And if de Gea is going to leave, we've heard for some time that Raya is on their radar as somebody that could replace him."

Would David Raya be a good signing for Manchester United?

Raya, who has been hailed as an "incredible" player, has earned a reputation as an accomplished goalkeeper in the English top flight due to his shot-stopping abilities and composure with the ball at his feet, a trait that Manchester United boss Ten Hag has traditionally demanded from his man between the sticks.

Last season, the 27-year-old made 39 appearances in all competitions for Brentford, managing to amass 12 clean sheets, as per Transfermarkt.

FBRef show that Raya was a key part of why Brentford secured a top-ten finish in the Premier League, recording a save percentage rate of 77.7%.

As per WhoScored, the Spanish stopper also ranked in Brentford's top five performers across the term, behind Ben Mee, Bryan Mbuemo, Ethan Pinnock and Ivan Toney, earning an average match rating of 6.97/10 for his exploits on the field.

Manchester United will be looking to build on an impressive 2022/23 campaign under Ten Hag and bringing in someone like Raya could help to take the Red Devils to the next level at Old Trafford.

Moving house is something that we all dread. It arguably sits right next to running late for a flight on the list of things that can result in things that human beings haven't quite figured out how to deal with in a calm manner yet.

If anyone knows how to move house in an orderly fashion, however, it should be footballers. Such is the frantic nature of the transfer window, players can find themselves on the move within a moment's notice, forced to settle into a new town or, as is often the case, a new country.

With that said, a bit of advice must never go amiss. And that's exactly what Manchester City star Erling Haaland has given new Liverpool man Dominik Szoboszlai.

The duo played for Red Bull Salzburg together, and have clearly remained friends since.

What's the latest on Dominik Szoboszlai and Liverpool

Szoboszlai is Liverpool's biggest signing of the summer so far, arriving for a reported £60m, as the Reds look to rebuild what was a struggling midfield last season.

The 22-year-old joins Alexis Mac Allister on the list of arrivals at Anfield, with Southampton's Romeo Lavia also linked with making the move to Merseyside this summer.

By the end of the window, if Jurgen Klopp has signed three new midfielders, he may consider it a successful transfer window and one which could see his side competing for the league title, or at least finishing in the Premier League top four once again.

Last season, Liverpool finished outside the Champions League places for the first time in a full season under Klopp, and that clearly sent alarm bells, as the German has not messed about this summer, already spending close to £100m.

What did Haaland say to Szoboszlai?

Speaking about his Liverpool move, Szoboszlai revealed the advice that Haaland gave him, telling Nemzeti Sport, via Goal: "We've talked. So much so that Erling Haaland has also advised on finding real estate, and it could very well be that we become neighbours.

"I learned from him that several players live halfway between Manchester and Liverpool in a quiet area where privacy can be preserved, and on Monday I will see what he was talking about, I am very curious. And of course, putting our friendship aside during the Liverpool-Manchester City matches, it will surely be a fantastic experience to play against each other.

"I'll do some training on Monday, I have some paperwork to do, and then look at some potential properties where I'd like to live. Then I have to go to Leipzig, pack up my stuff, say goodbye to my former club, thank everyone for their support, love and encouragement and then to Budapest. But on the 10th at the latest I will be back in Liverpool because on the 11th I will be training for my new team."

Liverpool's first pre-season game takes place against Karsruher in Germany on July 17, in an upcoming fixture which could see Szoboszlai and Mac Allister make their debuts for the Reds.

Bertie Wijesinghe, the former Ceylon-representative cricketer and coach, died on Saturday aged 96. Wijesinghe, an allrounder who bowled offspin and medium pace, represented S Thomas’ College Mt Lavinia from 1936 to 1939. He then moved to SSC, and played for Ceylon in the pre-Test era.Wijesinghe’s greatest contribution, though, was as a coach. The Wettimuny brothers – Sunil, Mithra and Sidath – who all played for the Sri Lanka were coached by Wijesinghe.”Whatever skills we learnt from cricket we owe it to him,” Sidath Wettimuny said. “He was a fabulous coach, the best in the business. His knowledge and the way he transferred that knowledge to us was fantastic. Bertie lived a full life and was one of the greatest cricketers produced by SSC and one of the best coaches the country has produced.”Former Sri Lanka and SSC captain Anura Tennekoon also paid tribute to Wijesinghe: “He helped me to brush up my technique from school to club level. He was very good at putting the basics right of a cricketer whether it be batting or bowling, that was his main strength.”Wijesinghe had also worked as the sports editor of the from 1953 to 1972 and, alongside another SSC stalwart Lucien de Zoysa, provided ball-by-ball commentary on radio.

Tottenham Hotspur are now ready to make their first offer for Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, who is also being targeted by Premier League rivals Manchester United and Chelsea, according to a recent report from Italy.

Is Harry Kane leaving Tottenham?

Tottenham have now offered striker Harry Kane a massive new contract, with chairman Daniel Levy looking to bring the transfer saga involving the 29-year-old to an end, however he has made no immediate decision on his future.

Bayern Munich remain in the hunt for the England captain, having recently submitted an offer of £70m plus add-ons, but Levy is expected to stand firm unless a £100m package is tabled, meaning the German side are still some way off in their valuation.

While no Spurs fan will want to see Kane leave this summer, the club have started to identify some potential options to replace him, with Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins previously being named as one of the targets.

Celtic star Kyogo Furuhashi was also linked with a move to north London, however he has now put pen to paper on a new four-year contract at Parkhead, which indicates he will not be reuniting with former manager Ange Postecoglou.

Vlahovic is also a target for the Lilywhites, with a report from Sport Mediaset (via Sport Witness) detailing that they are now ready to make an initial bid of at least €65m (£56m) for the striker, a figure that would make Juventus consider selling him.

However, there will be fierce competition for the Serbian's signature, with Chelsea and Man United also "at the window", ready to make an offer of their own this summer.

Sport Witness also relay a report from Il Giornale, which suggests Juventus are set to hold out for a fee of €80m (£68m), so Spurs may be some way below the asking price at present.

It is clear that the Italian club would be willing to sanction the 23-year-old's departure for the right price, with 90min reporting manager Max Allegri has given his blessing to sell him this summer, after he handed in a transfer request in June.

How many goals has Dusan Vlahovic scored?

The former Fiorentina man has an impressive goal record at both club and international level, scoring 75 goals in 198 games across spells with Partizan Belgrade, Fiorentina and Juventus, while also picking up 12 in 21 for national side Serbia.

Sports journalist Siavoush Fallahi hailed the 6 foot 3 striker in September last season, however he also indicated he is not being used correctly at the Allianz Stadium, saying: "Vlahovic is a beast. Half chance, wrong foot, against two and scores. Offside but insane how little allegri-ball is serving a world class striker. He’s like an animal in a cage."

It is no wonder the Juventus marksman wants to leave, but there are doubts about whether he is a necessary signing for Tottenham, if Kane remains at the club this summer.

Vlahovic is unlikely to want to play second fiddle, and he will not come cheap, with Juventus holding out for £68m, so Tottenham should only target the forward if Kane departs.

Harbhajan Singh and Jasprit Bumrah bowled accurate and misery spells on a typically high-scoring ground to condemn Sunrisers Hyderabad to their first defeat in six matches

The Report by Deivarayan Muthu12-Apr-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details3:20

Hogg: Rana has done enough to keep Rayudu out

Harbhajan Singh and Jasprit Bumrah bowled accurate and miserly spells on a typically high-scoring ground to condemn Sunrisers Hyderabad to their first defeat in six matches. Harbhajan did not find much turn, but maintained a constricting line, while Bumrah showcased his variations to limit Sunrisers to a modest 158 for 8.Sunrisers, having Mustafizur Rahman and Rashid Khan in their ranks, might have still felt they were in with a chance, but the lack of grip and turn off a dew-slicked pitch doused it. That Mustafizur conceded 34 runs in 2.4 overs summed up the impact of the dew. Parthiv Patel had made early headway in the chase with a slap-happy 39 off 24 balls. By the time he fell, Mumbai Indians needed 74 off 60 balls. Nitish Rana then worked his way through the middle overs with Krunal Pandya, but it was Harbhajan who fittingly sewed up the win. The chasing team has now won each of the last six IPL games at the Wankhede Stadium.The strangle I
Harbhajan and Lasith Malinga got the ball to skid into Shikhar Dhawan and cramped him for room. The only real loose ball to Dhawan in the Powerplay was a waist-high full toss, which he punched straight to cover point. He eked out only seven runs at strike rate of 46.66 – his second lowest in the first six overs in the IPL, when he has played at least 10 balls.Dhawan and Warner break free
Mitchell McClenaghan, introduced after the Powerplay, let Dhawan off the hook with a brace of length balls. Dhawan opened up his hips and powerfully swatted one over the midwicket boundary. He then manufactured his own length by jumping down the track, taking a half-volley and belting it to the cover boundary.Warner had looked fidgety against the new ball as well, but found fluency against the old one with four boundaries off five balls in the middle overs.The strangle II
At 81 for 0 in 10.1 overs, Sunrisers might have set their sights on a rousing finish, but they were in for a rude shock: they lost 7 for 72, including four in the last three overs. It was Harbhajan who set the collapse in motion, dismissing Warner for 49 and Deepak Hooda for nine in successive overs. He finished with 2 for 23 and ceded the stage to Bumrah who throttled Sunrisers further with his yorkers and slower dippers. Bumrah capped the innings with better figures of 3 for 24 but much of the strangle was down to Harbhajan’s accuracy.Parthiv and Rana go bang
In stark contrast to Sunrisers, Mumbai Indians held nothing back in the Powerplay. Despite the early loss of Jos Buttler and Rohit Sharma, Parthiv scythed full balls through the covers and pulled shorter ones over midwicket. His blows at the top perhaps freed up Rana, who began with an shovelled six off Mustafizur over fine leg. Rana also smartly saw off Rashid, who conceded just 19 despite the dew. The match was all but over when Rashid was done in the 15th; Krunal made sure of things with a flurry of boundaries over the next couple of overs.