An away win in Kolkata marks Sourav Ganguly's perfect homecoming

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He emerged from the away dressing room at Eden Gardens, addressed the media clad in Delhi Capitals’ red and blue, and later headed for his office as the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal

Sreshth Shah in Kolkata13-Apr-20192:52

Shikhar Dhawan is a class act – Ganguly

On the eve of the match against Kolkata Knight Riders, Sourav Ganguly – clad in Delhi Capitals’ red-and-blue – walked out of the away dressing room at Eden Gardens, took the old, grilled lift up to the first floor and entered his chamber that read “President – Cricket Association of Bengal”. It’s a sight that’s unlikely to be witnessed at any other cricket ground in the world, where a member of the away team has the biggest room in the building.When Capitals completed a comfortable win on Friday night, Ganguly was back again in the spotlight, at least in the eyes of the local fans. There was curiosity about what Ganguly’s reaction would be after the win. Would he soak it all in in a humble manner? Or would he rub the win in the face of a team that discarded him all those years ago?It was neither. Ganguly turned around, looked at the fans sitting in the stand that bears his name at Eden Gardens, raised his right hand in a fist and acknowledged the crowd in a very unassertive manner. He then walked up to the opposition, shook their hands, and made his way up to the media centre for the post-match press conference.

I know many stories are written, but you deal with it. There’s nothing you can do. KKR play here every day. We don’tGANGULY ON WHETHER HE HAD A SAY ON THE PITCH

Press conferences for away teams can be intimidating in Kolkata after the home side has lost. But not for Ganguly. He trod in, sat in the chair and acknowledged the presence of his “friends” in the media before taking the first question.”Was this win special because it came against Knight Riders?” a journalist asked.”KKR was also my team, you know,” Ganguly said. “And Delhi Capitals is also my team.”It brought a wry smile to those in attendance, but the serious question followed next. Someone asked whether Ganguly – despite being in the away side – had a role to play with the pitch. After all, he’s been calling the shots at this ground for the past few years, and there was the question of conflict of interest in being a state board president and an IPL team advisor. Ganguly, though, dismissed that line of questioning right away, now in a more serious mood than when he first walked in.Sourav Ganguly and Ricky Ponting have a tough task ahead of them as team advisor and coach•BCCI”,” he interjected, “I’ve played so much cricket and watched so much cricket that I don’t need to do stuff like that. A good team will play well on all pitches, and we are a good side.”I know many stories are written, but you deal with it. There’s nothing you can do. KKR play here every day. We don’t.”With the questions on out of the way, the focus shifted to the game. For the last five minutes, many had even forgotten that there was a performance to dissect.Someone probed on the win, set up by two left-handed batsmen, Shikhar Dhawan and Rishabh Pant, finding form right before the India World Cup squad is announced on April 15. Pant’s 31-ball 46 was fairly uncharacteristic, almost playing second fiddle to an unbeaten 97 from Dhawan. Ganguly said Pant followed the mandate he was given by the side, and backed Dhawan to fire at the World Cup irrespective of his form at the IPL, but saved his greatest praise for Ishant Sharma, who set the tone of the win with a wicket-maiden in the opening over of the match and followed it up with three more tight overs to end with figures of 4-1-21-1.

He’s a great talent, a terrific player and he’s only going to get better. We wanted him to stay till the end, and he nearly finished the game for usGANGULY ON RISHABH PANT

“Rishabh played according to the situation,” Ganguly said. “We pushed him up at No. 4 to give him more opportunity to bat. He’s a great talent, a terrific player and he’s only going to get better. We wanted him to stay till the end, and he nearly finished the game for us.”As for Shikhar, he’s one of the best opening batsmen in the world. When he sets he takes the game away. When he plays for India, he bats this way once he gets set. He’s a class act, actually. [He] makes run consistently in the international format. We were desperate for Shikhar once we heard he wanted to leave [Sunrisers] Hyderabad. And now this is the most important phase of the tournament, so good to see him get a big score.”Dhawan will always play well in the World Cup. He’s excellent in England, has been Man of the Series twice at the Champions Trophy, and he’s just a wonderful one-day cricketer.”But the best thing was how our bowlers did. Ishant Sharma, when we picked him, people said he’s a Test bowler. And he’s been our best bowler for the last six-seven matches, that’s the way.”Ganguly even went on to credit Capitals’ resurgence this season to the coach Ricky Ponting. He stated sharing the same hunger to win worked well for the side.”We are both determined people to turn this team around,” Ganguly said. “Both of us have played in teams which have won all around the world, be it World Cups or Test matches, any format. So there’s a lot of self-pride in turning things around. That’s all we’re trying to do.”With Capitals entering the top four before the weekend, the side will now hope for a better campaign this season after finishing last in 2018.”I thought we bowled exceptionally well to restrict them,” Ganguly said. “[It’s] always great winning here. But every win is important. You need to qualify for the top four. Doesn’t matter if this was my home. We haven’t reached the final four, but still a bit of time to go for the series.”After the press conference, as Ganguly started to walk out, a few young journalists ran behind him for a selfie and he obliged. He then walked down two flights of stairs, turned right and entered the president’s chamber on the first floor, before gently closing the door behind him. There couldn’t have been a more perfect homecoming for the prince of Kolkata.

Virat Kohli puts Deepak Chahar's new-ball skills on par with Bhuvneshwar Kumar's

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Set up by an incisive opening over from senior colleague Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar swung his way to match-winning figures

Hemant Brar07-Aug-20192:37

Deepak Chahar was outstanding with the new ball – Kohli

Not many young India bowlers are spoken of in the same breath as Bhuvneshwar Kumar only after their second T20I. But Deepak Chahar’s performance against West Indies in the third and final T20I prompted India captain Virat Kohli to put the fast bowler’s new-ball skills on par with those of the senior pro’s.”He was really lethal with the new ball,” Kohli said at the post-match presentation of Chahar’s incisive opening spell that fetched him match-winning figures of 3-1-4-3. “The way he swings it and the areas he bowls in, he puts the batsman in a lot of trouble.”With the new ball, his skills are right up there [with Bhuvneshwar’s], swinging it both ways and getting a lot with the new ball in any conditions, and that has been his USP in the IPL as well.”Having burst on to the scene in 2010 with first-innings figures of 8 for 10 on his Ranji Trophy debut for Rajasthan, Chahar lost his way somewhat after that.Starting out as someone who mainly relied on swing and bowled at about 125kph, he ended up injuring himself while trying to increase his pace. Fighting through bad form and a spate of injuries, he eventually got his career back on track at the 2019 IPL. Playing for Chennai Super Kings, Chahar finished the tournament as the third-highest wicket-taker with 22 scalps – 15 of those coming in the Powerplay. Not only was he swinging the new ball, but his pace was also up, consistently hovering around the 135kph mark.Both these qualities were on view again on an overcast morning in Guyana as Chahar ran through the West Indies top order. Consistently pitching the ball up, he swung his way to the Player of the Match award on the eve of his 27th birthday as India clinched the series 3-0.Aside from the conditions, Chahar was also helped by Bhuvneshwar’s experience at the other end. In the opening over of the match, Bhuvneshwar beat the outside edges of both Evin Lewis and Sunil Narine with outswingers, and conceded just one run. Chahar cashed in in the next over as Narine tried to pull a length ball from outside off, only to mistime it towards mid-on where Navdeep Saini took a low catch tumbling forward.Lewis became Chahar’s second victim, dismissed lbw to an inswinger on the first ball of the fourth over. Lewis, who had been pushed on the back foot by Bhuvneshwar till then, was now tested with a pitched-up delivery. But instead of coming forward, he went back and across, tried to play the line with a straight bat, but the ball swung in sharply to trap him in front of the middle stump.Two balls later, Kieron Pollard got lucky as he looked to drive a fuller delivery but the ball did a touch too much to induce an outside edge. Shimron Hetmyer, however, wasn’t that lucky. Unlike Lewis, Hetmyer came forward but ended up cramping himself and had to play across. The ball nipped back in once again to beat the bat and pinged Hetmyer on the pads. The double-wicket over from Chahar meant West Indies were 14 for 3 at the end of four overs, failing to get off to a decent start for the third time in as many games.Speaking to the host broadcaster after the match, Chahar explained his ploy: “The plan was to bowl outside off to the left-handers because they want to play towards midwicket. I tried to first assess how much swing there was. First, I tried a couple of outswingers and noticed the ball was swinging. And when I went for the inswinger, it swung even more, so I focused mainly on the inswingers.”If the ball comes in, then it’s more difficult for batsmen because there are more wicket-taking options like leg before, bowled, or even caught behind, if it goes with the angle.”Of late, it has been observed the white ball doesn’t swing as much as it used to earlier. Therefore, it becomes important for bowlers, especially in T20Is, to find out quickly whether or not it’s going to swing. And, if it does, for how long.”It usually takes me the first two balls to judge whether there is swing or not,” Chahar said. “If my first couple of balls don’t swing, then it means it’s not going to swing; I need to shorten my length and use my variations more. If it’s swinging, I use fewer variations. Since there was moisture in the surface, and the ball was seaming and swinging both, I decided to go fuller.”Generally, the white ball swings only for first the two or three overs but conditions were good today, so it was swinging more. You have to assess on the first ball of each over you bowl if it’s still swinging or not. It’s very rare if it’s swinging in your third over, but today it was doing a bit even then.”Chahar’s exploits in the last IPL had fetched him a spot among India’s nets bowlers for the 2019 ODI World Cup. Given he can contribute with the bat as well, with Tuesday’s match-winning performance, Chahar might have made an early case for a place in the squad for the 2020 T20 World Cup.

Deepti, Rodrigues take the lead as Indians sparkle at KSL 2019

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ESPNcricinfo reviews Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur’s tournament

Annesha Ghosh03-Sep-20192:51

‘KSL one of my best experiences yet’ – Jemimah Rodrigues

Deepti Sharma
A key all-round cog in Western Storm’s title-winning wheel, debutant Deepti’s match-winning 32 and 3 for 18 against defending champions Surrey Stars was her most dominant performance in the group stage. Summoned to bowl in all 11 games for her side, her offspin routinely created chances, some gone a-begging, while others helped make inroads in crunch phases.Deepti Sharma hits out•Getty ImagesIn the final, she broke through a 69-run second-wicket stand, taking out half-centurion Danielle Wyatt, the highest run-scorer in the tournament, when she was at her most destructive. The following ball, a run-out by Fran Wilson, swung the momentum Storm’s way.Limited though the opportunities with the bat were – seven innings, mostly in the lower-middle order – Deepti’s batting smarts, under-utilised across India’s limited-overs sides, pulled Storm through two nail-biting chases.In the league stage, against Lancashire Thunder, she sealed the win with a four off the penultimate ball in a humdinger of a finish, remaining unbeaten on a 14-ball 23. A more emphatic statement of intent came in the final, where, coming in at No. 6 with 70 needed off 45, Deepti hit top gear first ball, carting wristspinner Amanda-Jade Wellington for a four. In a masterful support act to captain Heather Knight’s match-winning fifty, Deepti traded caution for measured aggression, pinching singles square of the wicket on the higher end of the Hove slope to go with her disdainful laps, lofted off-drives and slog-sweeps that saw her finish unbeaten on a 22-ball 39.If Deepti’s new-found abandon while batting is anything to go by, India may have found a T20 finisher they might not have known they had in their ranks.Jemimah Rodrigues
The youngest in the Indian touring party, and only 19 months into her international career, 18-year-old batsman Rodrigues set the KSL 2019 group stage alight with her run spree. A run of form reminiscent of Mandhana’s in KSL 2018, the highlight of Rodrigues’ maiden stint in an overseas league came in a 58-ball 112 not out – her first century in the format and the fastest in tournament history – against 2016 champions Southern Vipers.Jemimah Rodrigues smashes one onto the leg side•Getty ImagesA No. 3 mainstay in the Indian T20I batting order, Rodrigues plied her trade for Yorkshire Diamonds at No. 4 for the first eight of the ten matches, the century coming at the first instance of a promotion to No. 3. Bookended by scores of 4 and 60 – the latter snapping the unbeaten streak of Storm and consigning them their only defeat in this edition – Rodrigues’ season was characterised by fearless strokeplay, squarely eclipsing the more established – and feted – overseas recruit Alyssa Healy on the Diamonds scoresheet.Rodrigues’ on-side dominance, whether lofting pacers over midwicket or shuffling deep and wide towards the off stump to open up the square-leg region against spin, shone through the season, and so did her steel in seeing the team through in tense finishes.Against Thunder and Stars, she rounded out the chases with fours in unbeaten knocks, a task she fell marginally short at in the loss against Vipers. Her dismissal in that game, off the second ball of a superb final over from Suzie Bates, saw Diamonds lose the match by three runs, eventually costing them a knockouts berth.Even then, Rodrigues finished with a rich tally of runs, and the most catches, nine, this season, the pick of those a diving catch just outside the inner circle to dismiss Vipers’ Paige Scholfield.Lots to think about – Smriti Mandhana didn’t have a good time of it in KSL 2019•Getty ImagesSmriti Mandhana
The leading run-scorer and Player of the Tournament last edition, Mandhana blew hot and blew cold in her second season at the KSL. The 23-year-old opener, who finished with the eighth-highest run tally in tournament history, put together four 30-plus scores – including consecutive half-centuries – but fell twice in the 20s, and had five single-digit scores, four of those – 0, 2, 7, 0 – coming in her last four outings.After kicking off her campaign with a 24-ball 32, Mandhana almost chronically sent her lofted shots down the throat of fielders on the leg-side, a trait not seen in her batting since the latter half of the 2017 World Cup during which her form fell off.The miscue – off Vipers pacer Tash Farant – in the final struck a low chord in particular as did the failure to connect with wristspinner Dane van Niekerk’s away-going delivery on the fifth stump, against Surrey Stars, that culminated in a Sarah Taylor stumping.For dismissals of such nature to have occurred after two flamboyant, successive 70-plus knocks, a potential concern with the grip – an issue not alien to her – might be at the heart of her up-and-down run rather than any graver technical or mental troubles.Harmanpreet Kaur had five 30-plus scores on the trot at one stage•Getty ImagesHarmanpreet Kaur
Much like Mandhana, India’s T20I captain had mixed success in her second season at KSL with Lancashire Thunder. Having topped the run-charts midway into the edition, Harmanpreet closed out her tournament with a slew of single-digit returns.Her two half-centuries were among six 30-plus scores in ten innings – all at No. 4 or No. 5; five of them came on the trot: 58 not out, 30, 37, 34 and 50. The sequence also marked a phase where Thunder came closest to victory in what ended as a winless campaign.In a line-up with Harmanpreet as the most established batsman, also their top run-getter this season, whether Thunder could have tried her at No. 3 – a position she batted in only in the nine-overs-a-side game – remains debatable.Harmanpreet also rolled her arm over for six wicketless overs across three games that went for 43 runs, and was part of the Indian trio that routinely holed out to another in the field. Mandhana, Rodrigues and Harmanpreet caught each other four times in six combined innings, an oddity Rodrigues put down to the camaraderie between the players. “I have no explanation, really,” she told ESPNcricinfo, “except it was all because of the love between us Indians.”

MSL 2019: Dale Steyn, Chris Morris & Co. give South Africa hope of redemption

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Junior Dala and Sisanda Magala have outbowled Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada comfortably, raising happy selection dilemmas

Firdose Moonda12-Dec-2019The T20 World Cup is ten months away, but South Africa have already conducted successful auditions for their bowling attack thanks to the ongoing second edition of the Mzansi Super League (MSL). Despite the tournament incurring losses of over Rand 100 million (US$ 6.7 million approx.), it gave us the return to form of Dale Steyn and Chris Morris, demonstrated the ageless talent of Imran Tahir, confirmed Tabraiz Shamsi as a white-ball weapon and put Junior Dala and Sisanda Magala forward as candidates for the national squads, after they outbowled Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada in the pool stage.That there is competition in the domestic set-up will come as a relief for whoever the new national selectors are, more so after the year South Africa have had; 2019 has been forgettable, with five successive Test defeats and a whimpering performance at the World Cup. However, with there being a chance to challenge for an ICC trophy just about every year these days, here are the bowlers that seem capable of delivering redemption for South Africa.Dale SteynSteyn’s red-ball retirement in August to focus exclusively on shorter formats appeared to signal the end of his international career, especially as he hasn’t played much white-ball cricket for South Africa in recent years. Since the start of 2018, Steyn has played nine ODIs and two T20Is, and six T20s and was left out of South Africa’s squad to play India in October. At the time, Steyn’s absence was explained as a fitness concern but the man himself denied that he was injured. Whatever the truth is, Steyn has used the MSL to show that he has skills beyond speed and his experience would be invaluable at next year’s T20 World Cup.2019: Dale Steyn’s best year in T20s since 2012•ESPNcricinfo LtdSteyn was the tournament’s top wicket-taker until the last weekend, when he was overtaken by Tahir. He started with a stunning 3 for 25 in the opener against Jozi Stars, where he dismissed Chris Gayle with a slower ball and took 2 for 10 at the death. Hauls of 2 for 23 and 2 for 25 against Durban Heat included the early dismissals of Alex Hales in both matches but it was Steyn’s finish, of 3 for 10 against Tshwane Spartans that marked his best performance in the competition. Steyn took 2 for 4 in his opening spell, which included deceiving Dean Elgar with a slower ball and then claimed the big fish, AB de Villiers, who top-edged in the dying stages of the Spartans innings.The 15 wickets Steyn took at 15.13 contributed to him now having his best T20 average since 2012. His ability to strike up front and operate at the death could serve a dual purpose for South Africa at the T20 World Cup. The only concern is that Steyn missed the Blitz’s penultimate pool match with a side strain, but was expected to play in the final game before it was washed out.Chris MorrisHaving lost his national contract in April and made himself unavailable for the India tour, Morris appeared to have taken his career into his own hands, and what a decision that has turned out to be. Morris had strong returns at the IPL (13 wickets in nine matches at 23.53) and the Vitality Blast (12 wickets in 11 matches at 24.75 for Hampshire) and his 10 in the MSL means that he taken more T20 wickets in 2019 than in any other calendar year in his career. But it’s not just the wickets that matter in Morris’ case, it’s the timing of them.Chris Morris the bowler’s T20 numbers•ESPNcricinfo LtdHe has been particularly effective at the death for Nelson Mandela Bay Giants. Morris’ 1 for 12 in two overs at the end of the match against Jozi Stars ensured the Giants’ 167 was enough for victory, so too was his 1 for 5 in the 19th over against Cape Town Blitz, when the Giants had posted 173 and won by 11 runs. Morris enjoyed success against the Blitz twice, taking 2 for 8 in the 17th and 19th overs of the match against them earlier on in the tournament when Blitz batted first and scored 187. For good measure, Morris scored 19 off nine balls in the successful chase.Morris has displayed greater maturity and willingness to play under pressure, whether batting or bowling, something South Africa always need. He is also a genuine lower-middle-order batsman, something South Africa have been searching for since the days of Lance Klusener.Junior DalaDala’s figures do not always flatter him and his economy rate of 10.59 at the tournament belies his effectiveness at the end of innings. Dala has the joint-highest number of wickets at the death in the MSL, where seven of his 12 sticks have come at an average of 11.85.In the Giants’ opening game in Port Elizabeth, he conceded only six runs in the final over against Jozi Stars, when they needed 31 to win, and also claimed the wicket of Rassie van der Dussen and showed he can keep things tight throughout the innings with 3 for 19 against the Stars in Johannesburg. His efforts against Cape Town Blitz on his home ground saw him concede just 14 runs and take two wickets at the death to keep the batting team below 200, and he was similarly miserly in the dying stages of the Paarl Rocks innings in Port Elizabeth, where he only gave away two runs and took a wicket in the 18th over.Dala sustained a meniscus injury in the latter stages of the tournament, which forced him out of the Giants’ last two matches, and he will not feature in the playoff but should be back later in the summer. He has plenty of time to get himself ready to challenge for a T20 World Cup spot, and with the variation and skill he displayed, he should be a serious contender.ESPNcricinfo LtdSisanda MagalaDala’s biggest competition will come from Magala, who boasts the best economy rate at the death in the MSL – 8.28. Magala has controlled the death overs with aplomb and, given the importance of a strangler in T20 cricket, he should come into consideration when the T20 World Cup squad is being debated.Magala’s first squeeze came when he helped defend 27 runs off the final two overs in the tournament opener, then conceded just four runs and took a wicket in the 19th over in Cape Town Blitz’s defeat to Paarl Rocks, effectively keeping the Rocks to 170. Magala then took 2 for 9 against Jozi Stars to help the Blitz successfully defend 183 and then claimed 1 for 27 in four overs in the Blitz’s victory over Tshwane Spartans, which included defending 21 off the final over. His best returns were 2 for 26 against the Giants, in what was the Blitz’s final pool match, where his last two overs yielded 2 for 13.At the heart of what Magala can do is take pace off the ball, maintain a full length, and attack the stumps. It’s simple but effective and he has used the MSL to put his hand up for higher honours.Imran TahirThe 40-year old legspinner’s talent for turning a game around on his own is well known and Tahir has had a prolific year in T20s. He is the leading wicket-taker in T20 cricket in 2019, after topping the charts at the IPL, coming second in the CPL and sixth in the Vitality Blast. His six scalps at the MSL so far takes his 2019 total to 78 wickets at 16.02. That’s the most for him in a T20 calendar year and at his best average.Imran Tahir has had a blockbuster 2019 in T20 cricket•ESPNcricinfo LtdAs impressive as Tahir’s strike rate has been – in 2019, he took a wicket every two-and-a-half overs (14.4) – his economy rate is also worth writing about. In the MSL, Tahir had the lowest economy rate of anyone who bowled more than six overs and conceded runs at a rate of under six an over – 5.68. He also bowled more overs than anyone else – 38.He only went wicketless once, in the Giants’ match that was abandoned after 7.1 overs against Tshanwe Spartans, while his best was 3 for 19 against Jozi Stars. His performance in the final pool match, 2 for 14 against Paarl Rocks, kept the Giants in the hunt for a home final but he was unable to secure it on his own and his team will instead need a playoff to see if they can get there.Tabraiz ShamsiIt’s tough for Shamsi at the international level because South Africa tend to prefer a solitary spinner in the XI and he is always looking over his shoulder to find Tahir. But he has made a case for a rethink there.Shamsi started the MSL with a stunning performance against Cape Town Blitz, taking 3 for 16 as they were bowled out for 84 and then helped keep Jozi Stars to a middling 129 for 3 by taking 1 for 20 in his four overs against them. His 2 for 26 against the Blitz in the return fixture resulted in reducing them to 69 for 5 in search of 164 [the Blitz didn’t get there]. Shamsi was also instrumental in the Rocks leapfrogging the Giants into top spot – first with his 2 for 24 in Port Elizabeth, which included the wickets of the big-hitting Heino Kuhn and Marco Marais, while his 2 for 25 in Paarl had him dismissing Ben Dunk and Ryan ten Doeschate.Shamsi also adds an entertainment value like no-one else, rivaling Tahir for over-the-top on-field exuberance. Instead of running laps like Tahir, Shamsi has trademarked the phone celebration, which involved using a boot as a mock-phone and calling someone when he takes a wicket, and the new magic trick.Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso RabadaThe golden boys of the South African cricket finished joint-sixth and eighth on the wicket charts respectively and may be disappointed that they did not dominate as much as the other bowlers on this list. This assessment is probably harsh on Ngidi, whose team, Tshwane Spartans, were involved in five rained-out fixtures. He also took more than 80% of his wickets with slower balls and showed an ability to bring variation into his game. His nine wickets came at 18.22, while Rabada’s eight came at 27.25, and this has raised what could become a concern for South Africa this summer.Rabada has not looked himself this year in any format as is well off the pace when it comes to the main wicket-takers of 2019. There are some arguments to be made: that he was overbowled early on his career and that too much expectation was heaped on him too soon. Now, he faces another challenge: competition from mates, who are pushing for his place. It may just bring out the best in him.

Without Moeen Ali, where is England's spin depth?

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Dom Bess, Liam Dawson and Adil Rashid are among the contenders to be the back-up spinner

Matt Roller12-Dec-2019Dom Bess prepares for his Test debut•Getty Images Dom BessBess has endured a strange 18 months since his Test debut; as the second-choice spinner behind Leach at Somerset, he found himself playing Second XI cricket within six weeks of his England bow against Pakistan last summer, and had to go out on loan to get Championship gametime with Yorkshire in 2019.But he is highly rated by the England set-up, and he enjoyed a decent first-class season with 26 wickets at 26.19. He was part of the ECB’s recent spin camp in Mumbai, learning from one of the best in the business in the form of Rangana Herath, and his more-than-useful batting (including a fifty on Test debut) also nudges him ahead of some other possible candidates.Verdict: The favourite – assuming Moeen remains unavailableAdil Rashid is congratulated by his team-mates•Associated PressAdil RashidRashid was a crucial part of England’s win in Sri Lanka last winter, taking 12 wickets at 28.16 in an attacking role, and has more international pedigree than any other contender for the third spin-bowling spot.But his form in the 2019 summer suffered after his shoulder injury, and he has struggled to regain the “snap” he complained was missing during the World Cup. Throw in the fact that he has not played a Championship game since 2017, and selecting him for a Test tour seems like an unhelpful choice.There is a further complication too, in that England have recently introduced a selection policy which now means that players are only eligible to play in the formats of the game in which they hold a domestic contract: Rashid has had discussions with Yorkshire regarding his contract for next season, and it is quite possible that he will only sign a white-ball deal.Verdict: Benefits unlikely to outweigh risks for either partyLiam Dawson turns the ball into the on side•Getty ImagesLiam DawsonDawson only took 10 Championship wickets this season, and has a first-class bowling average the wrong side of 35 across his career, but his ability to hold up an end while sending down long, parsimonious spells makes him a realistic candidate to be England’s third spinner.His economy rate in the Championship this season was just 2.55, and he is sufficiently competent with the bat that he could come in as high as No. 7 if England decide they need an all-round option to complement Leach and Parkinson’s lack of batting ability. He has never let England down in his international career to date, and would be the safest option out of the possibles.Verdict: The safe, conservative optionMason Crane in action in an England nets session•Getty ImagesMason CraneCrane has endured a torrid time since his Test debut in January 2018, with a serious back injury keeping him out for most of last season, and he failed to find any kind of form or rhythm in first-class cricket this year: his five wickets cost over 100 each, and he leaked more than five runs per over.But England clearly think highly of him, having taken him on their spin camp earlier this month, and if a recall is improbable, it is not completely out of the question.Verdict: A real wildcard for the time beingAmar Virdi sets off in another celebration•Getty ImagesAmar VirdiVirdi, a tall 21-year-old offspinner, had his 2019 season interrupted by a stress-related back injury, but continued to be left out of the Surrey side on account of his general lack of fitness. He took 14 wickets in his first game back in the first team, and ended the season with 23 first-class scalps at 19.65 apiece from his five Championship games. A former Under-19 international, Virdi has been on England’s radar for some time, though they will be wary of throwing him in at the deep end, not least given his age. As a genuine No.11, he’d add little by way of batting balance either.Verdict: Give it a couple of yearsSimon Harmer celebrates a wicket•Getty ImagesSimon HarmerThe outstanding Championship bowler over the last three years, Harmer is undoubtedly the best spinner on the circuit, but is not currently England-qualified having failed to spend the required ten months in the country for any of his three years as an Essex player, let alone all of them.ALSO READ: ‘It’s about opportunity and security for Kolpaks, not money’ – HarmerHarmer himself says that he knows in himself “that I’m the best offspinner in the world”, and hopes that the ECB would consider backdating his visa or pleading extenuating circumstances to the ICC in order to help him qualify almost immediately.But realistically, it is something of a stretch to suggest that touring Sri Lanka with England is even a remote possibility: Harmer will have to bide his time before there’s any chance of him pulling on a Test cap again.Verdict: They couldn’t, could they?

Monchi sends fresh scouts as Aston Villa race to sign "special" 11-goal ace

by rastrear-estafeta.com Uncategorized

Already preparing for the summer transfer window, Aston Villa sporting director Monchi reportedly sent scouts to watch one of his attacking targets in action last weekend.

Aston Villa's Turkish recruitment mission revealed

The Villans rarely seem to get things wrong in the transfer market these days, for the large part, they’ve got Monchi to thank for that. Their sporting director particularly excelled in the January window, welcoming both Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford online whilst also signing Donyell Malen on a permanent deal from Borussia Dortmund.

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Unai Emery’s side have only benefitted from that recruitment ever since too. As things stand, they’ve still got both the Champions League and FA Cup to play for and are set to battle until the very last to secure qualification for Europe’s elite competition next season. But Monchi isn’t resting there.

The likes of Dusan Vlahovic have already made the headlines regarding a potential summer switch to Villa Park and those in the Midlands certainly have the ambition to make such a move happen. Given that the Juventus star is also worth just £33m this summer, it wouldn’t be absurd to suggest that Monchi could land a bargain deal, either.

Dusan Vlahovic in action with Genoa'sKoniDeWinter

Away from the Serie A star, meanwhile, the Villans have reportedly set their sights on another attacking target. According to The Boot Room, Monchi sent fresh scouts to watch Baris Alper Yilmaz last weekend as his Galatasaray side squared off against Besiktas in one of the biggest games that Turkish football has to offer.

Ultimately, Yilmaz ended the day on the losing side as Besiktas handed Galatasaray their first league defeat of the season, but that may not be enough to dissuade Villa from making their move this summer.

Despite a game to forget, the 24-year-old has still managed 11 goals in all competitions this season to attract the interest of Villa, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United.

"Special" Yilmaz could replace Rashford

Whilst Rashford’s loan spell has so far been a great success, it still remains just that and it remains to be seen whether Villa will trigger their option to secure his signature on a permanent basis this summer. Instead, they could turn their attention towards the younger Yilmaz, who could prove to be just as successful under Emery.

Praised throughout his time in Turkey’s top flight, former coach Ilker Puren told reporters when asked about Yilmaz: “I think Baris Alper Yılmaz can play very comfortably for many teams in the Premier League at the moment. He’s a very special player.

Galatasaray'sBarisAlperYilmazand Ismail Jakobs celebrate after Victor Osimhen scores their third goal

“We worked a lot together. If Barıs Alper improves himself with his final ball, he can easily play for the best clubs in the world such as Barcelona, Real Madrid, Liverpool and Arsenal.”

In the last eight of the Champions League, Villa have been among those top clubs this season and could now make a statement by signing Yilmaz when the summer arrives.

He wasn’t at his best as Galatasaray lost last weekend – recording just 0.10 expected goals and 0.06 expected assists – but Yilmaz is undoubtedly a player to watch in the coming months as Villa prepare their move.

Aston Villa make contact to sign fast African attacker who loves an assist

by rastrear-estafeta.com Uncategorized

Aston Villa have expressed their interest in signing an African attacker who prefers an assist to scoring a goal.

Rashford and Asensio starring for Aston Villa as NSWE eye permanent moves

Into the quarter-finals of the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain and pushing for another top-four finish in the Premier League, it has been a positive start to 2025 for Unai Emery’s side.

The Spaniard was backed by NSWE in January with loan deals for Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio from Manchester United and PSG respectively. Both have starred in recent weeks for Villa, and there have already been claims that Villa are plotting a permanent move for Asensio that could be worth £25m.

Marco Asensio & Marcus Rashford for Aston Villa

With Rashford, it is believed that Villa are best placed to sign the forward on a full-time basis. Those in the Midlands have a £40m option to buy, and ex-scout Mick Brown thinks Villa are in pole position to sign Rashford.

“Marcus going out on loan has been a win-win. There was no way his situation at Man United was going to improve, so from that point of view he’s gone away and improved his position. There’s never been any doubt about Marcus’ talent, and now he’s found a platform to display that.

“Aston Villa have gained from it because they were brave enough to take him on loan. Now, I think they’ll be in the best position to keep him on a permanent deal even though there’s going to be interest from elsewhere.”

Games

11

Goals

3

Assists

4

Games

10

Goals

8

Assists

1

Ahead of the summer, NSWE and Villa have been identifying new targets, and they may have found a star in the making who is catching the eye across Europe.

Aston Villa make approach for 18 y/o attacker Rodolfo Aloko

According to reports from Spain, relayed by Sport Witness, Aston Villa are one of the clubs circling to sign Rodolfo Aloko, who is currently plying his trade in Croatia with NK Kustosija.

The 18-year-old is primarily an attacking midfielder but has been described as a very fast and powerful striker who is difficult to stop when at full speed.

Villa have seemingly made an approach by expressing their interest in Aloko, however, they are not alone, with RB Salzburg and PSV Eindhoven doing the same. Sevilla have also scouted Aloko in action for Benin and are thought to be ahead in the race, with the attacker in and out of Kustosija’s first team and reserves.

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It is added that Aloko actually enjoys assisting more than scoring goals and that Kustosija will want a ‘decent fee’ to part ways with their talented African over the coming months.

By the looks of things, a move to Villa for Aloko could be one to keep an eye on, where he may join the likes of Rory Wilson in the club’s academy looking to eventually progress into the first team.

Ange must now axe Bissouma to start "generational" Spurs star

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

The international break has finally come to an end, and Tottenham Hotspur are back in action this evening.

Unfortunately, given how poorly Ange Postecoglou’s side have fared in the Premier League this season, that might not be such a good thing for the fans.

However, with some time away, there is every chance the North Londoners could get back on track away to fierce rivals Chelsea, although the manager should drop Yves Bissouma from the starting lineup.

Tottenham Hotspur's YvesBissoumaarrives before the match

Against Fulham, the Mali international received a paltry 3/10 match rating from Alasdair Gold, who criticised him for his ‘dreadful’ use of the ball and ‘panicked’ passes, enough for him to be hooked at half-time.

Fortunately, the perfect player to replace the former Brighton & Hove Albion ace was just declared fit to play by Postecoglou in his pre-match press conference yesterday afternoon.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Spurs team news

Postecoglou sat down and spoke to the media yesterday and revealed the state of the squad heading into today’s game.

Starting with the bad news, it should come as no surprise that Radu Dragusin is still ruled out for the rest of the season following surgery, although Dejan Kulusevski and Kevin Danso have also been confirmed to be out of contention.

According to the Australian, the pair are “working hard” and “progressing well” but remain “a couple of weeks away” from being in contention again.

Moving from those who are 100% ruled out to those who are very unlikely to feature, and there is just one player in this category: Richarlison.

The Brazilian forward came off in the League Cup semi-final at Anfield in February and hasn’t featured since, but according to the boss, “he’s training with the main training group,” and while it’s very unlikely he features tonight, he could be involved on the weekend.

Finally, the only player confirmed to be back in contention is Lucas Bergvall. He returned from international duty early with an illness, and he should replace Bissouma in the middle of the park tonight.

Why Bergvall should start

So, based on his diabolical performance last time out, it’s not particularly hard to argue for Bissouma to be dropped, but why should Bergvall be the one to come in for him?

Well, despite still being just 19 years old, he has proven time and time again this season that he is more than capable of starting top-flight games for Spurs, and not just that, but thriving in them.

Total Carrying Distance

273.66

Top 3%

Switches

0.77

Top 4%

GCA (Shot)

0.10

Top 5%

Successful Take-Ons

1.83

Top 5%

Shots Blocked

0.67

Top 7%

Interceptions

1.64

Top 9%

Passes Completed

52.52

Top 10%

For example, FBref places the young Swede in the top 3% of midfielders in the Premier League for total carrying distance, the top 4% for switches, the top 5% for goal-creating actions from shots and successful take-ons, the top 7% for shots blocked, the top 9% for interceptions and more, all per 90.

These statistics show that the “generational” talent, as journalist Mitch Fretton dubbed him, could be the complete midfielder one day. Not only is he contributing in the attacking phase, but he’s also more than helping out with the defensive side of the game, which will be important at Stamford Bridge.

Moreover, he’s also contributed five goal involvements across all competitions, which, again, is seriously impressive for a teenager in his first season with a ‘big six’ side.

Finally, starting him over the Bissouma just makes sense from a future planning perspective. If reports suggesting the latter will be moved on in the summer are true, what is the point in playing him over a youngster who could be the future of the team’s midfield?

Ultimately, Bergvall may still be young and relatively inexperienced, but he’s already proven himself to be immensely talented this season and, therefore, has to start tonight.

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Newcastle now eyeing move for £25m Leeds target who Howe knows really well

by h79snht.top Uncategorized

Newcastle United are in the race to sign a “magnificent” Premier League player this summer, with it emerging he is now set to leave his club, according to a report.

Newcastle's summer transfer plans

The main transfer saga Newcastle are involved in at the moment centers around the future of talisman Alexander Isak, who is attracting widespread interest from some of England’s biggest clubs, with Liverpool and Arsenal set to make summer proposals.

The Magpies are determined to keep hold of Isak, but should they be forced to sanction a departure, there are some fantastic potential replacements in mind, having recently made an approach for Lille striker Jonathan David.

Striker is not the only position in which Eddie Howe may strengthen this summer, however, with a move for Chelsea winger Noni Madueke being plotted, and there is a feeling the Blues may be willing to cash-in on the England international this summer.

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There have also been suggestions Newcastle could pursue a new goalkeeper to provide competition for Nick Pope between the sticks, with Royal Antwerp’s Senne Lammens on the shortlist, alongside a Premier League shot-stopper.

According to a report from TEAMtalk, the EFL Cup winners have Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale on the radar for a potential summer transfer swoop, with the Englishman set to leave in the summer, given his side’s impending relegation.

Southampton's AaronRamsdalelooks dejected after the match

Ramsdale has no desire to play in the Championship, meaning he is set to depart at the end of the season, and there is a relegation release clause in his contract, which could make him an attractive option for a number of Premier League clubs.

AFC Bournemouth and Championship promotion-hopefuls Leeds United are also interested in the goalkeeper, who cost the Saints £25m last summer.

"Magnificent" Ramsdale has experience playing under Howe

The report makes it clear that James Trafford remains Newcastle’s top target, but the Southampton goalkeeper may also be a solid choice, particularly considering his experience playing under Howe.

During his time with Bournemouth, the 6 foot 2 colossus was lauded as “magnificent” by the Newcastle manager, and he has been one of the only bright sparks in a Saints side which has vastly disappointed this season.

SofaScore ranks the five-time England international as Southampton’s best-performing player in the Premier League, and he also impressed at times during his spell with Arsenal, before ultimately being replaced by David Raya.

Ramsdale could be a solid signing for Newcastle this summer, but it is clear to see why Trafford remains the priority target, with the Burnley goalkeeper shipping just 11 goals all season in the Championship, playing a major role in the Clarets’ promotion push.

Not just De Bruyne: Pep's 5/10 star could now be finished at Man City

by h79snht.top Uncategorized

Manchester City have moved three points closer to Champions League qualification.

On Saturday afternoon, late goals from youngster Nico O’Reilly and then substitute Mateo Kovačić saw the Sky Blues snatch a 2-0 victory over Everton, as they visited Goodison Park for the 100th and final time.

This maintains the Citizens’ place in the Champions League positions, above Nottingham Forest, with a key clash against in-form Aston Villa to come on Tuesday.

Despite the victory, two Man City stalwarts did not impress, suggesting they could both be victims of the impending summer rebuild.

Kevin De Bruyne's final matches for Manchester City

Last week, Kevin De Bruyne confirmed that he will be leaving Manchester City when his contract expires at the end of this season, having made over 400 appearances for the club, winning six Premier League titles and the Champions League, amongst many other honours.

In his first appearance since this announcement, Jamie Jackson of the Guardian reported that everyone inside the Etihad got the opportunity to ‘revel in the sublime talent’ that De Bruyne is, with the Belgian putting in a talisman performance as his team fought back from 2-0 down to beat Crystal Palace 5-2 a week ago.

However, this Saturday, the 33-year-old did not impress quite as much, with Simon Bajkowski of the Manchester Evening News reporting that the Belgian ‘got worse as the game went on’ having failed ‘to make the decisive breakthrough’ before being replaced by Manuel Akanji with two minutes remaining.

De Bruyne

However, De Bruyne may not be the only Man City veteran heading for the exit door come the summer, with another multi-Premier League champion in his thirties suggesting he is also not the player he once was.

After De Bruyne: Man City's next star on his way out

In that previously sighted Simon Bajkowski player rating piece for the MEN, he described Bernardo Silva’s 5/10 display at Goodison as ‘too slow’, adding that he ‘couldn’t make anything happen’.

The Portuguese midfielder’s statistics don’t make for good reading either.

Bernardo Silva vs Everton in numbers

Statistics

Silva

Match rank

Minutes played

90

=1st

Touches

67

7th

Passing accuracy

89%

12th

Shots

Zero

=10th

Dribbles attempted

1

=10th

% of ground duels won

20%

23rd

Possession lost

9

=11th

All statistics courtesy of SofaScore

As the table outlines, Silva did not impress against Everton, losing possession nine times as well as four of his five ground duels, mustering no shots and attempting just a solitary dribble, which isn’t what Pep Guardiola would want from his winger.

Bernardo

This though, is not a one-off, given that Silva’s powers have certainly started to wane this season, scoring just three goals and registering only four assists across all competitions, having accumulated 11 of both last time round, a big drop-off.

Zak Garner-Purkis of Forbes believes that the 30-year-old ‘has been one of the main malfunctioning components’ as Manchester City have fallen below their own lofty expectations this season, also stating that his ‘aging legs’ have been a key factor behind the team’s ‘sudden decline’.

Meantime, James Holland of TEAMtalk claims that Silva will depart Man City this summer, with Barcelona ‘eyeing’ a move for his services.

Thus, with Manchester City set for a summer rebuild, Kyle Walker and De Bruyne are already on the way out, and Silva could be poised to follow them out the exit door.

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