Leeds United made big changes over the summer as there was a change in ownership, a removal of the sporting director, and a new manager came through the door.

Victor Orta ran the footballing operations prior to May of this year, when former owner Andrea Radrizzani and the Spaniard agreed to a mutual termination of his contract.

The 44-year-old chief, who is now with Sevilla in his home country, played his part in the club's relegation to the Championship last season as his signings and managerial appointments did not come together to avoid the drop.

However, the Spanish sporting director was not without his highlights during his spell with the Whites as he did produce a number of impressive pieces of business.

One player Orta did play a masterclass with was central midfielder Kalvin Phillips as he raked in a huge transfer fee for the England international, who has struggled since moving on from Elland Road.

How many appearances did Kalvin Phillips make for Leeds?

The 27-year-old ace came up through the academy system at Leeds, having been born in the city, and ended up playing 234 times for the first-team in total before his move to Manchester City in 2022.

Phillips made his senior debut for the Whites during the 2014/15 campaign as he featured in two Championship matches and scored one goal. He then played ten league games and failed to contribute with a goal or an assist for the club throughout the following season.

His first year of regular first-team football came in the 2016/16 campaign as the defensive anchor played 40 times in all competitions and scored once from the middle of the park.

Phillips, who was once lauded as a "monster" by former Crystal Palace star Yannick Bolasie, became a fixture in the Leeds midfield over the subsequent years and eventually played a crucial role in their promotion back to the Premier League under Marcelo Bielsa in 2020.

The talented ace averaged a superb Sofascore rating of 7.28 across 37 Championship matches as the Whites went on to win the title and finished ten points clear of second-placed West Bromwich Albion in the 2019/20 season.

His performances in midfield were consistently impressive as only Pablo Hernandez (7.35) averaged a higher Sofascore rating for the Whites throughout the term, which shows that he was one of Bielsa's standout performers on the way to promotion.

Phillips provided a constant defensive presence for Leeds as he made an eye-catching four tackles and interceptions per game, alongside a duel success rate of 54%, which was more than any other midfielder at the club that season.

He was then able to carry over his form to the Premier League as the England international averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.21 across 29 top-flight outings for the Whites. No player averaged a higher Sofascore rating than the academy graduate as he stood out for Bielsa at the top level.

The outstanding titan, who made 4.2 tackles and interceptions per game in the league that term, earned himself a call-up for his country for the European Championships in the summer of 2021 after his debut Premier League campaign.

Phillips started seven matches for England as they made it all the way to the final against Italy at Wembley, only to lose on penalties to Roberto Mancini's side despite taking the lead through Luke Shaw in the first half.

His 2021/22 campaign, however, was then disrupted by a hamstring injury that kept him out of action for 16 competitive matches and the central midfielder only played 20 Premier League games for Leeds.

How much did Leeds sell Kalvin Phillips for?

Despite his lack of football that season, Orta was able to sell the homegrown talent for a reported fee of £45m to Pep Guardiola's Manchester City in the summer of 2022.

This was a significant amount of money for a player who came through the academy system at Elland Road and did not cost a penny for the club to sign. It represented an outstanding piece of business as they were able to develop a local player and turn him into a £45m asset whilst benefitting from his performances on the pitch for a number of years.

The move has also turned out to be a blinder from Orta as Phillips has gone on to struggle with the Cityzens over the last 12 months or so and has seen his value plummet.

At the time of writing (19/09/2023), FootballTransfers has his Expected Transfers value at €22.5m (£19m) and this is a staggering drop of £26m from the £45m deal that City agreed with Leeds to secure his services little more than a year ago.

Phillips only started two Premier League games for the Manchester-based outfit last season and played 12 matches in total in the division. He also only made three appearances, all of which came off the bench, in the Champions League as City went on to win the competition.

In December of last year, Guardiola claimed that the central midfielder came back from the break for the Qatar World Cup "overweight" and not in the right condition to train and play matches for his side.

The former Leeds star, who has been an unused substitute in six of City's seven games this season, has been unable to break into the team on an even semi-regular basis as the likes of Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Kevin de Bruyne, and now Mateo Kovacic, have dominated the midfield spots.

This has resulted in his value plummeting over the last 12 months and that has, in turn, made the £45m deal that Orta struck for him look like a masterstroke from the Spaniard.

He appears to have struck gold with that piece of business as Phillips has not been able to prove his worth at The Etihad as of yet. Although, there is still plenty of time for him to turn things around as his contract does not expire until the end of the 2027/28 campaign.

There will be questions over how Orta used the money that the club received for the England international, as Leeds were ultimately relegated from the Premier League last term, but this transfer in isolation was a terrific deal for the Whites based on his career at City to date.

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has now hailed one of his Gunners teammates for "always" working hard behind-the-scenes.

Latest Arsenal news

Mikel Arteta's men have enjoyed a solid start to the new Premier League season and remain unbeaten following their latest triumph – a 1-0 win away to struggling Everton on Sunday.

Leandro Trossard's strike with just 20 minutes remaining ensures that Arteta and co keep pace with Pep Guardiola's imperious Man City at the top of the table.

Arsenal have tasted victory in four out of their opening five top flight matches, with Fulham being the only side to get a result against them so far. The north Londoners had to dig deep on Merseyside but yet again displayed real grit to come away with all three points.

Arteta, commenting after Arsenal ended their hoodoo of six years without an away win at Everton, praised his side's display.

“Six years without a win here is a long time, so we had to learn some lessons, we had to be better." said Arteta.

"I am delighted for the win but especially the way we won it, the way we played, how dominant we were, the presence that we showed on the pitch. We fully deserved to win the game.

“I think we had many other openings to put the ball in the last line and to put somebody in the box and finalise. Credit to Everton, they defended the box extremely well, and they had some big, big blocks when we opened them up. It’s great to have other ways to score goals, it gives you different resources and be more unpredictable."

In and around the contest, there were question marks as to why goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale was dropped in favour of summer signing David Raya.

The 25-year-old hadn't set a foot wrong before their trip up north, with Arteta even having to defend his decision to the media.

It appears the contest for Arsenal's number one spot is now hotting up, but club captain Odegaard has moved to defend Ramsdale.

Indeed, the Norway international insists he is a player of real quality and is "always" working behind-the-scenes.

"I think he will just keep working hard, like he is always doing," Odegaard said on Ramsdale (via The Standard).

"Today he was there supporting us, cheering for us, helping us. He is a great character and he showed a very good response today by backing the team. It was excellent from him.

"We have two good goalkeepers and big competition. They have different qualities. They are both so good on the ball and in goal as well. So, we are lucky to have two such good goalkeepers and we will see who plays."

How good is Aaron Ramsdale?

Arsenal signed Ramsdale on a long-term deal from Sheffield United in the summer of 2021, for a fee which could rise to £30m including add-ons.

The Englishman has gone on to make 83 appearances in all competitions, all while performing at a high enough level to earn multiple England caps.

The presence of Raya could motivate him to play even better as he attempts to keep his spot as Arsenal's go-to shot-stopper.

An update has emerged on Celtic and their plans to make further additions to the playing squad before the summer transfer window officially slams shut tonight.

What's the latest Celtic transfer news?

According to the Daily Record, the Hoops are considering a late move to sign free-agent left-back Ryan Bertrand to bolster their defensive options.

The report claims that the Scottish giants have been offered the chance to snap up the former England international as Brendan Rodgers, who worked with him at Leicester City, is keen to bring in another player in that position to compete with Alexandro Bernabei and Greg Taylor.

He has been without a club since the end of the 2022/23 campaign as his contract at the King Power expired over the summer and this means that the Bhoys could complete a move after deadline day as they do not have to register him from another team.

How good is Ryan Bertrand?

The 34-year-old veteran has endured a rough few years and Rodgers appears to be heading for a first howler of his second stint in charge of the Scottish side by considering a move for him.

Bertrand has not made any competitive appearances for a club since the 2021/22 campaign and has only featured in 11 matches since the end of the 2020/21 season.

This means that he would arrive at Parkhead with a startling lack of match fitness and may not even be available as a viable option for a number of weeks due to his lack of action over the last two years.

He had knee surgery in February 2022 and is yet to play a game since that operation, which also suggests that there could be an injury concern with the English defender as there is no telling how the experienced defender's body will react to playing competitive football again after such a long absence.

This is without taking into account that Bertrand's performances were less than impressive prior to that blow. He averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.45 and lost 64% of his duels across four Premier League outings during the 2021/22 campaign.

Bertrand also averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.66 over 29 starts and lost 59% of his aerial contests in the English top flight for Southampton during the previous term.

During the 2022/23 campaign, 26 Celtic players achieved Sofascore ratings of 6.73 or higher and this suggests that the free-agent could be one of the worst options within Rodgers' squad if they decide to bring him in.

The 5 foot 10 dud, who was once criticised for his "poor" defending by pundit Robbie Savage, would also be a disappointing alternative to reported transfer target Quentin Merlin, who plays in the same position at left-back for Nantes.

Last season, the France U21 international averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.92 across 24 Ligue 1 appearances as he won 54% of his duels and created seven 'big chances' for his teammates from full-back, suggesting he is a better all round package.

Instead of bringing in a frontline option who could compete with Taylor and Bernabei, which is what Merlin could have been, Rodgers would be signing a dud whose statistics and fitness record in recent years suggests that it would not be a worthwhile investment.

An update has emerged on Celtic and their plans to make further additions to the playing squad before the summer transfer window officially slams shut tonight.

What's the latest Celtic transfer news?

According to the Daily Record, the Hoops are considering a late move to sign free-agent left-back Ryan Bertrand to bolster their defensive options.

The report claims that the Scottish giants have been offered the chance to snap up the former England international as Brendan Rodgers, who worked with him at Leicester City, is keen to bring in another player in that position to compete with Alexandro Bernabei and Greg Taylor.

He has been without a club since the end of the 2022/23 campaign as his contract at the King Power expired over the summer and this means that the Bhoys could complete a move after deadline day as they do not have to register him from another team.

How good is Ryan Bertrand?

The 34-year-old veteran has endured a rough few years and Rodgers appears to be heading for a first howler of his second stint in charge of the Scottish side by considering a move for him.

Bertrand has not made any competitive appearances for a club since the 2021/22 campaign and has only featured in 11 matches since the end of the 2020/21 season.

This means that he would arrive at Parkhead with a startling lack of match fitness and may not even be available as a viable option for a number of weeks due to his lack of action over the last two years.

He had knee surgery in February 2022 and is yet to play a game since that operation, which also suggests that there could be an injury concern with the English defender as there is no telling how the experienced defender's body will react to playing competitive football again after such a long absence.

This is without taking into account that Bertrand's performances were less than impressive prior to that blow. He averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.45 and lost 64% of his duels across four Premier League outings during the 2021/22 campaign.

Bertrand also averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.66 over 29 starts and lost 59% of his aerial contests in the English top flight for Southampton during the previous term.

During the 2022/23 campaign, 26 Celtic players achieved Sofascore ratings of 6.73 or higher and this suggests that the free-agent could be one of the worst options within Rodgers' squad if they decide to bring him in.

The 5 foot 10 dud, who was once criticised for his "poor" defending by pundit Robbie Savage, would also be a disappointing alternative to reported transfer target Quentin Merlin, who plays in the same position at left-back for Nantes.

Last season, the France U21 international averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.92 across 24 Ligue 1 appearances as he won 54% of his duels and created seven 'big chances' for his teammates from full-back, suggesting he is a better all round package.

Instead of bringing in a frontline option who could compete with Taylor and Bernabei, which is what Merlin could have been, Rodgers would be signing a dud whose statistics and fitness record in recent years suggests that it would not be a worthwhile investment.

Arsenal have seen an abundance of talent come and go through the years, with a host of stars gracing the pitch at both Highbury and the Emirates.

From the stars of Arsene Wenger’s Invincibles to the heroes in the making under Mikel Arteta, the Gunners have always maintained a high level of talent and glamour, despite form not always following suit in recent times.

Last season, it looked for a while that Arteta would be the first manager since Wenger’s unbeaten side of 2003/04 to lift the Premier League title, however, the north Londoners missed out by a narrow scale of five points by May.

Such progression turned attention back to the Emirates in a positive light after a number of seasons of mediocrity separated Arsenal from Europe’s elite as they were segregated from the top four.

With the youthful spark noticeable in north London, Arteta is attempting to uncover the next generation of icons, with the club’s latest answers to legends such as Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp pushing to reach the heights of those before them.

While Wenger delivered the Gunners some blockbuster signings during his 22-year tenure as manager, there were a few names that the Frenchman has revealed he missed out on signing, with one name being a pillar of world football; Cristiano Ronaldo.

Did Arsenal nearly sign Cristiano Ronaldo?

Rewind to 20 years ago, and Arsenal were just days away from signing 18-year-old Ronaldo from Sporting CP.

Speaking to Ian Wright via SPORTbible, Wenger revealed that he wished he signed Ronaldo before he joined Manchester United, with the Frenchman explaining that if the Gunners had been a “fraction quicker” the Portuguese starlet would’ve relocated to north London.

Ronaldo supported the claims during his interview with Piers Morgan in 2019, stating that he was “one step” from joining Arsenal as opposed to United as an unknown teen.

Why didn’t Arsenal sign Cristiano Ronaldo?

Manchester United beat everyone to swiping up the teen’s signature, with Sir Alex Ferguson’s side paying a fee of £12.24m for the youngster after eyeing him for months.

As relayed by the BBC back in 2003, Ferguson revealed that negotiations with Sporting over the youngster “accelerated” due to other clubs wanting to make a move for him, with it later coming to light that Arsenal were one of those interested.

At the time, the 13-time Premier League-winning manager dubbed his new arrival as “one of the most exciting young players” he’d ever seen, which in hindsight was a viable description of the player he unearthed.

How many goals has Cristiano Ronaldo scored?

20 years down the line and the world now knows Ronaldo as one of the greatest players to ever grace the game, being a five-time Ballon d’Or and Champions League winner during his illustrious career.

Along with his many accolades, the Portuguese marvel has a domestic goal-scoring tally of 722, as well as scoring 123 international goals so far for his country.

You won't be surprised to hear that such a record surpasses the great Thierry Henry's domestic tally of 360 and even Lionel Messi's, albeit he is only one behind on 721 after moving to Inter Miami.

It’s taken the 38-year-old years of hard work and stellar maintenance to remain one of the best, with his continuous scoring streaks proving that he truly is one of the most luxurious talents to play the game.

Sporting CP

31

5

6

Manchester United

346

145

64

Real Madrid

438

450

131

Juventus

134

101

22

Al-Nassr TBC

25

21

7

For Manchester United, the winger scored a total of 145 goals over his two spells in England, hitting his peak at Old Trafford between 2006 and 2009, before returning in 2021 on the other side of his career.

In the 2007/08 season, Ronaldo hit top form, scoring 31 Premier League goals in 34 appearances, as well as netting eight in the Champions League and three in the FA Cup, as it became crystal clear just how far his talents would go.

Branded as a “total genius” by FIFA member Sunday Oliseh, the Madeira-born forward made a £80m move to Real Madrid in 2009 as his journey took him down a path away from the scenes he had conquered in England.

It was in Madrid that the phenomenon cemented himself as one of the greats, scoring 450 goals in 438 appearances for Los Blancos, and forming a rivalry for the ages with former Barcelona sensation Lionel Messi.

After nine years in Spain, the Portugal international relocated to Italy, signing for Juventus in a mammoth €112m (£99m) deal, where he went on to score a further 101 goals in just 134 appearances in Turin.

The narrative of Ronaldo’s career is goals, with the insanely prolific forward needing barely a chance to put the ball in the net in every season of his journey, telling of what Arsenal could have had by getting to him before Ferguson.

What could Cristiano Ronaldo have offered Arsenal?

At the time of his arrival in England in 2003, it was a Premier League dynamic of Arsenal vs Manchester United, and Wenger vs Ferguson as the two managers went head-to-head year after year to challenge for the crown.

From 1996 to 2004, it was either the Red Devils or the Gunners that claimed the title, communicating just how fine the margins were between the two squads that the two legendary managers were conducting.

Arsenal went unbeaten in the 2003/04 campaign, which happened to be Ronaldo’s first season in England.

The method that Wenger’s side won the title made it almost irrelevant that the Frenchman had missed out on signing the youngster, however, it would prove to be costly in the years to come.

To this day, the Gunners haven’t touched the Premier League title since that formidable season, however, United went on to win it another five times, as well as winning the Champions League in 2008.

As touched upon, Ronaldo contributed to 50 goals in that season alone, scoring 42 and assisting eight in all competitions, suggesting the importance of his ability in Ferguson’s XI at that time.

At times, it was considered that if Ronaldo was on form, United were on form, with the Portuguese legend being the poster boy of Manchester at the time, giving Wenger a taste of what he could have had if he'd captured his signature.

What is Ronaldo doing now?

At the age of 38, the forward is sticking to what he knows best by scoring in Saudi Arabia, representing Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.

The former United whiz called time on his career in Europe in January 2023 as he signed for the Middle Eastern outfit, where he has since scored 21 goals in 25 appearances.

Dwelling on the ‘what ifs’ that life entails is a negative way to stance your purpose, however, with reference to what Arsenal could have had in Ronaldo, the question will forever be a sore subject for Wenger.

MatériaMais Notícias

Por ironia do destino (ou não), Sampaio Corrêa e Figueirense cumpriram o jogo atrasado da 4ª Rodada na Série B do Brasileirão (na época adiado pelos casos de coronavírus no Sampaio) em meio aos 11 nomes fora de combate na equipe catarinense estando justamente infectados pela Covid-19.

Dentro de campo, melhor para os maranhenses que venceram por 3 a 0 e subiram na classificação e, agora, estão em nono com 20 unidades. Já o Figueira, com o reves, deixa o time ainda na incômoda 18ª colocação tendo 14 pontos conquistados.

CONSTRUÇÃO SEM CONCLUSÃO
​
Enquanto o Sampaio buscava ser o elemento dominante na partida e fazer o trabalho de rodar a bola no sistema ofensivo buscando o melhor momento de fazer as incursões na grande área do Figueirense, o time catarinense notoriamente via no acionamento de Bruno Michel como sua “válvula de escape” para escapar nas costas da zaga maranhense e, principalmente, dar oportunidades de finalização ao estreante Alecsandro.

Porém, tanto de um lado como de outro, faltava maior capacidade de clarear a jogada para que as finalizações dessem real trabalho aos goleiros Gustavo e Sidão. Quem chegou a bater e inclusive balançar as redes foi a Bolívia Querida com Roney, mas o árbitro já havia marcado falta anterior de ataque na disputa pelo alto.

MARCOU, MAS PODIA MAIS!

Aos 25 minutos, logo depois de uma grande jogada individual pelo lado esquerdo de Roney recebendo passe em cobrança curta de escanteio, o camisa 7 bateu para boa defesa de Sidão. A bola espirrou pro meio da área e o zagueiro Flávio Boaventura não pegou com força, mas contou com o desvio em Elyeser para deixar o arqueiro do Figueira totalmente “vendido” no lance ao ver a pelota ir no seu contra-pé. Placar aberto para os donos da casa na cidade de São Luis.

O marcador que já estava interessante poderia ter sido ainda mais favorável diante da superioridade técnica que se estabeleceu, principalmente, após a apertura da contagem. Porém, tanto através da boa defesa de Sidão no chute de Marlon como a trave em duas oportunidades evitaram um prejuízo ainda maior para o Figueirense antes do intervalo.

DO (QUASE) INFERNO AO CÉU

Na volta do intervalo, o Tubarão seguia cheio de confiança para aumentar o volume ofensivo e buscar a ampliação da dianteira, mas viu Bruno Michel chegar com extremo perigo e, no corte da marcação, fazer a bola bater muito perto da mão de Boaventura, mas a arbitragem viu toque no peito do defensor.

Curiosamente, logo na sequência foi o Sampaio quem chegou no ataque com Caio Dantas sendo derrubado na grande área e o árbitro carioca Pathrice Wallace Corrêa Maia apontou para a marca da cal. Na batida, o próprio camisa 9 assumiu a responsabilidade e deslocou Sidão, 2 a 0 para os maranhenses no sétimo tento de Caio pela segunda divisão.

Já nos acréscimos da partida, em contra-ataque com o adversário “entregue”, Jackson recebeu passe à beira da grande área e bateu na saída de Sidão para fechar a contagem.

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Ireland kept their World Cup hopes alive with a 25-run victory over Scotland at Harare Sports Club. They still have an outside chance of making the final if they win their final match against Afghanistan. Should Scotland and Zimbabwe both win their next games, however, the efforts of Andy Balbirnie, in particular, may have been in vain.Put in by Scotland under grey, leaden skies, Ireland were carried to 271 for 9 by Balbirnie, who shared in a 138-run partnership with Niall O’Brien and went on to register his second one-day international century.On a pitch that offered decent pace and bounce and played true throughout the day, Scotland had every chance of chasing down the runs, especially during Kyle Coetzer’s early assault. Coetzer was particularly severe on Boyd Rankin, but the Irish seamer overcame a difficult start to take 4 for 63, securing the victory as the clouds parted and the ground was bathed in afternoon sunshine.Ireland’s day had begun in rather more overcast conditions, and in the knowledge that they had to win this game to keep their qualifying campaign alive. Balbirnie has opened the batting for Ireland before, and was virtually an opener today as Paul Stirling fell to Brad Wheal’s pace, through a bat-pad caught and bowled, in the very first over.He started nervously, playing and missing at a Safyaan Sharif outswinger, but also enjoyed the good fortune of a reprieve from Umpire Paul Wilson when it appeared Wheal had trapped him plumb in front with one that hooped in.Overcoming the early wobble, Balbirnie began to find increasingly fluency through the off side, moving into the 30s with silken boundaries past point in consecutive overs. With Porterfield chopping Wheal on to give the Scotland quick his second scalp in his opening spell, Balbirnie forged an association with O’Brien, their contrasting styles complementing each other. O’Brien was quick to turn the strike over, while Balbirnie soaked up pressure and brought up a 78-ball fifty in the 22nd over.While the pitch generally played true, there were spells during which it was very difficult to get Scotland’s spinners away. Here, O’Brien’s contribution was especially vital, and he collected swept boundaries off Michael Leask and Calum MacLeod’s offspin to keep Ireland’s run rate above four. He brought up his own fifty in the 32nd over, belting his sixth boundary down the ground to reach the mark at close to a run a ball.The pair collected nine boundaries between the 30th and 37th overs, stretching their partnership to 138 (equalling the Irish record for the third wicket), before a confused, stop-start attempt at a single allowed Craig Wallace to run O’Brien out for 70.One O’Brien then replaced another, and Kevin was quickly into his stride, lifting massive legside sixes off Wheal and Leask. Balbirnie reached his hundred – the second of his ODI career, and his second this year after his ton against UAE in January – in the 43rd over. The innings was an important one for the team, and for the man: his previous scores in the tournament were 7, 9, 7 and 2.With two set batsmen at the crease, Ireland might have had eyes on a total close to 300, but Scotland’s quicks returned to stall their charge. Balbirnie and O’Brien fell in consecutive overs, and after they were gone the lower order struggled to reach the boundary. In the last 10 overs, Ireland managed just 68, losing six wickets for 30 in the last five.That finish seemed to shift the momentum Scotland’s way, and it stayed with them even after Tim Murtagh’s three maidens in his opening spell, and his early dismissal of Matthew Cross, thanks mainly to Coetzer’s efforts. The Scotland captain has had a consistent tournament with the bat, registering scores of 2, 41*, 88*, 39 and 43 before today, and once again he got the innings off to a quick start.Coetzer was particularly severe on Rankin, swiping three fours off his first over, and then three in a row in his second, striking the ball with ferocious power through – or over – the off side. To make matters worse, Rankin then dropped Coetzer at third man, an extremely difficult chance as the ball dipped well in front of him.Coetzer ran to a 49-ball fifty in the 18th over, and though wickets had fallen at the other end, while he remained, Scotland seemed to have the chase under control. But in the 24th over, Rankin returned to devastating effect, quickly derailing Scotland with pace and bounce as he took three wickets in 11 balls.First to go was Coetzer, bowled by one that nipped back. A flat-footed George Munsey then presented a regulation catch to the wicketkeeper, and Craig Wallace tapped back a simple caught and bowled chance to a short one that followed him. Richie Berrington and Sharif briefly rallied to put on 55 for the seventh wicket, but when Berrington was bowled swinging across the line at Murtagh for 44, Ireland took control.They never lost it, even as Wheal and Mark Watt refused to surrender with a daring tenth wicket partnership that included five fours and two sixes. Fittingly, it was Rankin who snared the final scalp, Niall O’Brien flying to his right to hold a thick edge off Wheal’s bat.

The two openers smashed fifties in a revised chase of 125 off 13 overs to crush Kolkata Knight Riders

The Report by Deivarayan Muthu21-Apr-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsIt is quite rare that T20 matches are decided in the Powerplay. Saturday was one such day when Kings XI Punjab’s openers KL Rahul and Chris Gayle outmuscled Kolkata Knight Riders’ Chris Lynn and Robin Uthappa to put them on top of the points table after a rain-hit clash. While KKR struck eight boundaries in their first six overs, Kings XI smashed 14 and were 73 for 0 by the end of the Powerplay in a chase of 192.Rain then forced a delay of about 90 minutes, after which the target was revised to 125 off 13 overs. Rahul holed out for a barnstorming 60 off 27 balls, with his team nine away from victory, but Gayle continued to do his thing and finished the chase with a straight six. Gayle stayed unbeaten on 62 off 38 balls – his third fifty-plus score in three games this season.If Narine doesn’t get you, Lynn will
Sunil Narine ran down the track against Mujeeb Zadran’s spin and holed out to deep midwicket in the second over for 1 off four balls. It wasn’t a particularly bad thing for KKR, considering Narine had tried to hit every ball, but it just did not come off today. Mujeeb then ventured wide of the crease and bowled offbreaks as well as the googly to keep Lynn guessing. Uthappa, however, cleared the path for Lynn by dumping the Afghanistan mystery spinner out of the attack. He upset the lengths with three fours behind square, including a reverse sweep, in a 15-run over.Uthappa kept the scorecard ticking and moved to 24 off 16 balls; by then KKR were 50 for 1 in six overs. Lynn then got stuck into the left-arm pace of Barinder Sran and cracked three boundaries in four balls. The pick of the shots was a front-foot pull – still head and a terrific bat-swing and all that jazz – into the stands beyond midwicket. Just like that things were dandy for Lynn.Lynn’s strength is to hit the ball in the ‘V’. In an interview with , Lynn said: “My risk versus reward is so much better hitting the ball straight. Even though it’s a bigger boundary, I’d rather do that”. Kings XI’s seamers, though, did not feed him the lengths and angles to go down the ground. So, Lynn cleared his front leg and muscled the ball in the arc between long leg and long-on. No less than 42 of his 74 runs came on the leg side.Respite for Kings XI
It was Ashwin himself who provided the breakthrough for Kings XI when he removed Uthappa for the fifth time in 10 IPL matches. The in-form Nitish Rana then fell for 3 in the next over after a mix-up with Lynn. After conceding 20 runs in his first two overs in the Powerplay, Mujeeb gave away only 12 in his next two overs.Ashwin also kept Lynn quiet, but his Tamil Nadu team-mate Dinesh Karthik was more fluent against him, whipping him for back-to-back fours through midwicket in the 11th over.Ankit Rajpoot’s hard lengths – neither driveable nor pullable – and Andrew Tye’s knuckle balls also contributed to KKR’s slowdown. One such ball had Lynn feathering behind in the 16th over. Sran then nipped out Andre Russell and Karthik in the 17th and the 19th overs to set KKR back further. KKR managed only 45 off the last five overs, but Lynn’s assault at the top meant they still posted 191 for 7.Gayle and Rahul at it again
But that score looked smaller when Rahul and Gayle raised their third successive fifty-plus opening stand. There is a method behind their madness: Rahul’s job is to go after every bowler, while Gayle bides his time and picks his target. The first two balls of Shivam Mavi and Andre Russell were sent to the boundary by Rahul. Gayle, at the other end, was bothered by the early swing and bounce of the 19-year old quick, but won the bout against his West Indies team-mate Russell, again.Before this match, Gayle had hit 50 runs off 30 balls from Russell in the IPL. He stretched that tally to 71 off 37 balls, before Russell clutched his leg and hobbled off the field, five balls into his second over. Narine then bowled two cheap overs but the wristspinners – Kuldeep Yadav and Piyush Chawla – leaked runs at the other end. Rain handed KKR a reprieve in the ninth over, but by then Kings XI were 96 for 0.The tempo did not change after the break. Kings XI now needed 29 off 28 balls, and Gayle bludgeoned a six first ball upon return to bring up a fifty off 28 balls. In the next over, Rahul brought up a fifty of his own with a six, off 24 balls. He, ultimately, picked out deep midwicket, attempting another six, the only blip in an otherwise immaculate chase.

Morne Morkel has waited 12 years for a day like this, a day when he could stand out and revel in the highest high of his career

Firdose Moonda in Cape Town25-Mar-2018

Morne Morkel finished the game with his five-wicket haul•AFP

Morne Morkel has waited 12 years for a day like this, a day when he could stand out and revel in the highest high of his career.”Today was very, very special. I tried to enjoy it as much as possible. The crowd is always amazing here at Newlands. For me, it is the best venue to play Test cricket. Today is the highlight of my life. If I get asked the question again, what is your most memorable or special moment, the answer will definitely be today,” a beaming, emotional Morkel said afterwards.His first nine-for has come in bittersweet circumstances, not only because it could be his last with his retirement now only a week away. It also came on a day when what was happening off the field cast a Table Mountain-sized shadow over what was happening on it, when the opposition were so suitably distracted that they might as well have forfeited their second innings after the first wicket fell and the crowd was more concerned with booing the Australians than celebrating the South Africans.That started to change when the Newlands faithful realised a result could come on Sunday and they could be witness to it, when Steven Smith, public enemy No.1 after the ball-tampering transgression, threw his hands at the third ball of Morkel’s second spell and steered a catch to Dean Elgar at gully. The jeers – and there were jeers aplenty for the deposed Australian captain – turned to cheers. Morkel pulled on Australia’s loosest thread and then it all unraveled.In 32 balls, Morkel took 5 for 14 and put South Africa in a position from which they cannot lose the series. At one stage he was on a hat-trick, after two fierce, fast deliveries to dismiss Mitchell Marsh and Pat Cummins and he was the one to end the innings. As he did, Morkel provided one of his most animated celebrations with enthusiastic waving to a crowd he will not see again. He even shed a tear and then quickly pulled himself so he could soak up the moment.”I am just very happy sitting here right now. Everything happened so quickly out there,” he said. “At one stage I thought it was going to be a grind. Keshav got the ball rolling and from there, there was just a buzz in the field, an edge in the field. I’m just happy we could wrap it up.”Morkel has never been one to take the credit, most of the time because it hasn’t been his to take. He spent a career in the shadows of Dale Steyn early on, Vernon Philander through the middle and Kagiso Rabada at the end. He has spent his career being under-rated and maybe even a little insecure because if a conversation had to be had about who needed to be dropped, it often involved him.Now, as it all comes to an end, Morkel is finally getting some recognition and it has come in the finest fashion, from a captain who has known him throughout his career.”Morne has almost been, for the first six, seven or eight years of his career, the guy that has gone unnoticed. He was the work horse. He got his two or three-fors and I think only captains really appreciate the work Morne does,” Faf du Plessis said. “He is not the guy that gets five-fors. Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada of late, they get the five-fors on regular occasions. Morne does the donkey work. He works hard. He runs in all day. He never says, ‘I have bowled enough.’ You tell him it is enough and then still he wants to bowl more and more. That’s a captain’s dream. As a performer, he is going to be missed.”More so, now that he has found such fine form and that there is a crop of youngsters to nurture. “He has been a mother figure in the team, with a big heart. We are going to miss that,” du Plessis said. “Obviously, his bowling we are going to miss. It is size 13 boots that need to be filled. It’s big shoes. We understand his decision. It’s a decision for his future and his family. He knows that the team backs him up 100%. It’s great to see the fans are so behind him. And I reckon he is going to miss days like these a lot.”Is he? Yes, but it will not cause him to reconsider.”It is tough. Especially leaving a quality group of men in the change room. It is going to be sad but I suppose all good things come to an end,” Morkel said.Even one as good as this.

Newcastle United could be set to complete a controversial transfer in the near future, according to a key update from journalist Ben Jacobs.

Will Newcastle make January signings?

The Magpies are enjoying an exciting era with Eddie Howe at the helm currently, qualifying for the Champions League last season after finishing fourth in the Premier League. While the current campaign has got off to a disappointing start, it shouldn't hide the fact that the club are still in a great position moving forward, with some top players on show at St Jamnes' Park.

New signings are vital when it comes to ensuring that Newcastle keep going from strength to strength as a team, and in the summer transfer window, they brought in the likes of Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes and Tino Livramento to bolster their respective positions.

The Magpies will potentially be looking to sign more new players once the January transfer window rolls around and a new update suggests that they have an eye on one exciting individual.

Will Newcastle sign Chris Rigg?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jacobs claimed that Newcastle are still interested in signing Sunderland youngster Chris Rigg in January, in what would be a controversial capture given the rivalry between the two clubs, while Manchester United are also in the mix.

"It's one to watch, for sure. Even though he is at Sunderland, a vast proportion of his family are all Newcastle fans as well. I think that one could be one to watch in January. Newcastle are concurrently planning for their future as well as the present. Garang Kuol is a good example and so is Harrison Ashby, who West Ham simply didn't want to lose.

"Newcastle have made a few moves for young players in the market and beaten rivals to them. Rigg is seen as one of the top midfield prospects in the country and he is also only 16 years of age at the moment. He scored against Southampton last weekend. When he got that goal, he also became Sunderland's youngest ever league scorer.

"But he needs minutes and time to develop as well, so the player side won't want to rush into anything. However, there's absolutely no doubt that Newcastle are keeping tabs, and I would say that is exactly the same for Manchester United as well."

This would an incredibly notable piece of business by Newcastle, considering how strong the dislike is between themselves and Sunderland, and it would likely go down terribly at the Stadium of Light – and perhaps at Old Trafford too.

Rigg is a hugely exciting young talent who has already scored twice in five appearances for the Black Cats, despite still only being 16 years of age, making him their youngest-ever goalscorer in the EFL Cup. He is also a twp-cap England Under-17 international, and has been hailed as "wonderful" by Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray, who added that he "is doing really well and is a real positive for our football club".

Acquiring young homegrown talent is always vital for Newcastle, ensuring they have a nucleus of English hopefuls within the squad, and if they manager to prise Rigg away from their biggest adversaries, it would feel sweet for so many reasons.