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A low-grade hamstring strain limited Yasir Shah’s bowling on the second day of the SCG Test

Osman Samiuddin in Sydney04-Jan-20174:51

Samiuddin: The management don’t seem to be convinced of Yasir’s injury

Yasir Shah’s difficult tour of Australia continued on the second day of the final Test in Sydney when he picked up a low-grade hamstring strain in his left leg.Yasir struggled through the warm-ups in the morning. He did come out to field, though his movements were limited and he seemed restricted in his ability to throw the ball back in from the outfield.But within the first hour, he came on to bowl a ten-over spell that took him through to lunch, after which he did not appear. Pakistan appeared to be confused about the problem, thinking him well enough to go on the field and bowl in that session before allowing him to stay back post-lunch. Only later in the day was it confirmed that he is suffering from a hamstring strain.”He is telling us he has got some pain in his hamstring which he did when he chased the ball towards the boundary yesterday,” Mickey Arthur, the Pakistan coach, said. “Our physios have worked probably a whole day with him.”We tried to get through the morning session with him and he did it, and he did admirably and he carried on and he got through the session. Had a lot of treatment again during lunchtime and then just could not get through. So instead of having him on the field at 50% we left him off and Azhar [Ali] again stood up and did a great job.”Arthur said Yasir would be able to bowl again if required at some stage of the match. Yasir has bowled 134.1 overs in the series so far, a heavy workload on a bowler who is among the most overworked bowlers in the world since his debut two years ago.Pakistan’s other bowlers have also looked tired in this Test – not least Mohammad Amir – a result of what has been an unusually busy Test year for them.”The guys are pretty tired, they really are,” Arthur said. “Amir… he keeps going you know. Over the last six months or so we have played massive amount of cricket and he just keeps going and keeps going, even though he has taken a lot of niggles, and he hasn’t shirked his responsibilities and he keeps running for us. They are not in good shape but they have kept going.”

CSA has objected to ICC chief David Richardson’s comment, in which he said the Big-Three takeover of the ICC was partly due to CSA’s inability to stand up to the BCCI, ECB and CA

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Dec-2016

Cricket South Africa has taken “strong exception” to a comment made by ICC chief executive David Richardson during his recent visit to Sri Lanka, where he said the Big-Three takeover of the ICC in 2014 was partly due to the inability of CSA – among other boards – to stand up to India, England and Australia.”If he is indeed correctly quoted, his remarks come as a complete shock to us,” CSA chief executive, Haroon Lorgat said in a statement. “For someone who was actually party to the 2014 resolutions to now make such a disparaging remark to CSA is frankly nonsense and insulting to us.”The CSA Board had from the very outset realised how damaging the original proposals would have been to the global growth of the game and together with Pakistan and Sri Lanka had strongly opposed it. This included CSA making a significant written submission to the ICC Board which had resulted in a number of the original proposals being amended. That’s in fact the reason why we are where we are now. The CSA Board will always stand up for what it believes to be right for the game.”While in Sri Lanka, Richardson had said during a press conference: “The international game has gone through a period of turbulence, where the governance, the financial model, the playing [of the game] was in turmoil by the resolutions passed by the ICC in 2014 […] what happened in 2014 took place really because unfortunately countries like South Africa, Sri Lanka and New Zealand were not able to stand up to the big boys. I don’t think that will happen again.”CSA said its president would take up the matter with the ICC chairman Shashank Manohar.In 2014, the ICC had radically restructured its governance and revenue distribution system following a campaign by CA, BCCI and ECB, which led to greater executive and financial clout in the hands of these three boards. The proposals initially caught the other Full Members off-guard and four boards opposed the amendments. CSA was one objector but eventually came on board. The constitutional amendments required to put the new structure in place were eventually approved of during the ICC’s 2014 Annual Conference.However, after Manohar succeeded N Srinivasan as ICC chairman, and then got elected as the governing body’s first independent chairman who wasn’t affiliated to a Full Member board, he spoke of ending the Big Three’s “bullying” of the other boards and a return to a more equitable distribution of power and revenue in the ICC.

أعلن محمود عبد الرازق شيكابالا لاعب فريق الكرة الأول بنادي الزمالك عن تجديد تعاقده مع القلعة البيضاء.

ونشر شيكابالا بيانًا رسميًا عبر صفحاته الرسمية على مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي، أكد خلاله شكره لمجلسه إدارة الزمالك برئاسة حسين لبيب.

موعد والقناة الناقلة لمباراة الزمالك والداخلية اليوم في الدوري المصري

وقال شيكابالا في بيانه: “جمهور الزمالك العظيم، إدارة النادي الموقرة، استكمالا لمسيرة عمرها أكثر من ثلاثين عاما بدأتها منذ طفولتي في هذا الكيان العظيم”.

وأضاف: “أتشرف بالتجديد  لبيتي الأول والأخير نادي الزمالك أكبر  قلعة رياضية في مصر والوطن العربي، والذي لا يربطني به أي عقود مكتوبة”.

وتابع: “لكن العقد والعهد بيننا هو عقدٌ أزلي  بين ابنٍ تربى وانتمى لهذا الصرح العظيم وبين كيان أعشقه منذ الصغر”.

واستكمل: “أقدم الشكر لجمهور الزمالك الداعم لي منذ بداية مسيرتي وإلى الآن، والشكر موصول لمجلس إدارة نادي الزمالك على تجديد الثقة”.

وأتم: “وأتمنى لهم التوفيق في إعادة  نادينا الحبيب إلى منصات التتويج، كما عاهدناه على مر تاريخنا العريق، عاش الزمالك وجمهوره”.

Newcastle United 'will be looking' at Leicester City winger Harvey Barnes this summer as Eddie Howe seeks to strengthen his squad in the summer at St James' Park, according to journalist Keith Downie.

What's the latest transfer news involving Harvey Barnes?

As per Football Insider, Leicester City are set to demand over £50 million for Barnes this summer, regardless of whether they stay in the Premier League or suffer relegation to the Sky Bet Championship.

The outlet report that Newcastle United are keen on the 25-year-old, who is also attracting attention from Tottenham Hotspur and a number of clubs in the English top flight.

90min claimed last month that the Magpies were tracking Barnes ahead of the off-season as they plan to 'invest heavily' in squad additions in order for Howe to beef up depth on Tyneside ahead of 2023/24.

Barnes is open to a new challenge and is willing to leave the King Power Stadium and could be joined by teammate James Maddison, who has also attracted interest in his services, namely from Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Downie thinks that Newcastle should be targeting players like Barnes and Maddison as they prepare for next term: “For any of these players, Newcastle must be an appealing place to come right now, with everything you see on matchdays.

“They could be playing Champions League football next season, and the club is on the rise. Without a doubt, those are the sort of players Newcastle will be looking to bring in.

“The biggest challenge is whether they can fit into the wage structure.”

How has Harvey Barnes faired for Leicester City this season?

Barnes, who has been described as almost being a "superstar", has been a rare bright spark for Leicester City this season, though he may not be able to dig them out of their relegation trouble.

In 2022/23, the England international has made 38 appearances in all competitions, registering 12 goals and three assists, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored shows that Barnes has been a constant offensive threat for the Foxes this term, managing to take an average of 2.2 shots per match in the Premier League.

Unsurprisingly, his high goal tally means that Barnes, compared to his positional peers, ranks favourably in the metric of non-penalty goals across Europe's top five divisions, as he has achieved 0.40 per 90 minutes over the last 365 days, placing the £35k-a-week ace in the tenth percentile for this statistical curation, as per FBRef.

Newcastle United may need to enter the market for a winger this summer as uncertainty over the future of Allan Saint-Maximin continues and Barnes could fit the bill as a capable replacement.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are now officially safe from relegation and will be competing in the Premier League again in the 2023/24 campaign.

Julen Lopetegui's side are nine points clear of 18th-placed Everton with two matches left to play and can use these last couple of outings to offer minutes to younger players in the squad to see if they have what it takes to step up next term.

This season, one of the club's top performers has been one of their most experienced gems in the form of Portuguese central midfielder Joao Moutinho.

The ex-Monaco man has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.90, which ranks only behind Ruben Neves out of all the outfield players, across 31 appearances in the top flight.

At the age of 36, Moutinho is still going strong and averaged 2.2 tackles and interceptions and 1.2 key passes per game whilst completing 84% of his attempted passes – as per Sofascore.

The veteran has proven himself to be an ultra-reliable option in the middle of the park and a maestro who can open up defences, to create chances for his teammates, whilst also being strong enough to win possession back for his team on a regular basis off the ball.

However, he is out of contract this summer and it remains to be seen if the magician will remain at the club beyond the end of the current campaign.

Wolves could alleviate any concerns about Moutinho's possible departure, though, by swooping to sign one of their reported transfer targets – Enzo Le Fee.

Who is Enzo Le Fee?

The 23-year-old French central midfielder currently plays for Lorient in Ligue 1 and has caught the eye with his impressive performances this term.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig once likened him to Joao Moutinho, by naming the French gem as a "similar" player, while listing the Frenchman's strengths as "passing, vision, and technique"; sound familiar?

Le Fee has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.24 in the league for Lorient in 2022/23 and made 2.1 key passes and 4.2 tackles and interceptions per match, which shows that the prospect can open up opposing defences and win the ball back for his team – similarly to the way the current Wolves star does.

The £9m-rated youngster, who Kulig once hailed as one of his club's "golden" trio of stars, has created nine 'big chances' for his teammates and ranks in the top 4% of players in his position in Europe's top five leagues over the last 365 days for tackles per 90.

These statistics show that the talented maestro has the quality and stylistic profile to be Lopetegui's perfect Moutinho heir with the midfielder having the ability to impact games at both ends of the pitch with his combative and creative play.

Newcastle United's comprehensive 4-1 rout over Brighton & Hove Albion at St James' Park on Thursday night reaffirmed to the Premier League the Tyneside squad's Champions League credentials after ceding territory in successive games amid the fight for top four.

Defeat against Arsenal preceded a battling away draw against relegation-threatened Leeds United had provided fifth-placed Liverpool – who were on a seven-match winning streak in the top-flight before this weekend – with a chance of leapfrogging the Magpies and Manchester United into Champions League contention.

While Liverpool's hopes are now pretty distant, Newcastle's victory over Albion means that a point against imperilled Leicester City on home turf on Monday night would confirm a return to Champions League nights after a two-decade absence.

With that coveted goal now within touching distance, focus is understandably shifting to the forthcoming summer transfer window, and RB Leipzig's Dominik Szoboszlai has been identified as an optimum name to bolster the ranks.

Manager Eddie Howe is in the market for a new midfielder, and the Hungarian ace, who Caught Offside is stating is open to departure from the Bundesliga this year, could be the perfect signing for the ambitious Toon.

Should Newcastle sign Dominik Szoboszlai?

Szoboszlai has a €70m (£61m​)​​​​​​ release clause in his contract, and while this is by no means a paltry fee, the affluence of Newcastle since the £300m PIF takeover in 2021 ensures that the club can compete financially against the cream of the crop on the European stage.

This season, the 22-year-old has scored nine goals and provided 13 assists from 43 matches for Marco Rose's outfit, and would bring a cutting edge to a thriving outfit searching for a top talent to transcend fortunes into something greater, laden with silver.

The 30-cap Hungary captain, who has been hailed as a "complete player" by journalist Bence Bocsak, registered 19 direct contributions last term and is displaying an exciting level of growth and continuation as he progresses, nurturing his innate skills into something refined and effective.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 16% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 8% for shot-creating actions, the top 6% for passes attempted and the top 13% for progressive passes per 90, while he is likened to first-rate aces such as Bruno Fernandes and Federico Valverde.

Should Howe and co succeed in their pursuit of the £71k-per-week star, they could ditch their plans to sign Leicester's James Maddison, who is facing the prospect of top-flight relegation this summer.

Maddison was of a vested interest to Newcastle last summer, with the Magpies failing in their £50m bid for the mercurial maestro, the Foxes demanding £60m – a valuation that remains, the Foxes recruitment team unperturbed by the implications of relegation.

The 26-year-old has been in fine form on an individual basis despite his side's woes, ranking among the top 15% of positional confrères for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 8% for rate of assists, the top 10% for shot-creating actions and the top 15% for progressive passes per 90.

Impressive metrics, but with similar valuations, Howe might just be inclined to take a punt on this burgeoning Hungarian; Szoboszlai is a prodigious talent and could shape St James' Park's fortunes for years to come.

Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur produced a seven-goal thriller at Anfield on Sunday in which Jurgen Klopp’s men scored a last-gasp winner and further boosted their hopes of securing a European spot for next season.

The Reds raced into a three-goal lead and while a Harry Kane strike just before the break reduced the deficit, they still looked in control. By injury time at the end of the second half, however, Spurs were level, and it was looking like a result that summed up Liverpool’s season.

Step forward Diogo Jota. The Portuguese forward scored a dramatic winner which sparked boisterous scenes from the stands and the bench, with Klopp even injuring his hamstring celebrating the winner.

The German persisted with his new tactical system which sees Trent Alexander-Arnold take up a role in midfield, yet this leaves the team fragile defensively, and it’s fair to say a few players struggled with this yesterday, none more so than Andrew Robertson, who looked all at sea during the first half performance.

How did Andrew Robertson against Tottenham?

Robertson’s attacking abilities have seen him shine under Klopp previously, registering a whopping 11 assists this season alone. However, with this new system, more defensive maturity will be required going forward as he and Virgil van Dijk have to work out how best to cover the space vacated by Alexander-Arnold.

With the Englishman moving into midfield as an inverted full-back, it means that Robertson has to fill in to form a make-shift back three. Unfortunately, he’s not exactly thriving in this role.

Indeed, the Scot received a Sofascore rating of just 6.4/10 for his troubles, which ranked him as statistically the joint-worst player for the Anfield side during the tie alongside Harvey Elliott.

With 132 touches and an 89% pass success rate, there was nothing wrong with his desire or passing ability, yet he made two errors which led to Spurs taking shots and only made two tackles throughout the match, allowing them a way back into the match while also losing possession a staggering 19 times.

Usually so reliable in an attacking sense, he disappointed on this occasion, proving successful with just two crosses from six attempts and succeeding with only one dribble attempt, far below the standards expected from him.

It may take time for the 29-year-old to get up to speed with the new tactical tweak, yet against Spurs that looks like it could take longer than anticipated, with writer Dave Hendrick describing him as “horrific” for a ten-minute period during the first half.

His display was perhaps best summarised by The Tactical Times, who Tweeted: “If Klopp is going to run with this rough shape long term, I think he might do well to think about a third centre back. Robertson is much better than he was today, but this back 3 doesn’t suit him. He is the definition of a full back.”

The last few games of the season will be crucial in terms of which European competition Liverpool will compete in next season, but the team will need to defend better ahead of much tougher tasks and Robertson is the key protagonist in this regard.

Since the departure of record goalscorer, Alan Shearer, Newcastle United have seemingly been longing for a quality centre-forward to lead the line, with it looking as if summer signing Alexander Isak – who now has eight goals in just 13 Premier League games – could be an ideal candidate to fill that long-running void.

Prior to the Swede's arrival, there had likely been continued frustration among supporters with regard to the strikers that former owner Mike Ashley had allowed to depart, with current Fulham star Aleksandar Mitrovic one such talent who has gone on to shine elsewhere.

The Serbia international – who arrived on Tyneside from Anderlecht back in 2015 – scored just 17 goals in 71 games for the Magpies in all competitions during his three-year spell at the club, before ultimately joining the west London outfit on a £22m deal.

Since then, the 28-year-old has proven remarkably prolific for the Cottagers after scoring 108 times in just 202 games across all fronts, leaving the northeast side to potentially rue their decision to move him on just under five years ago.

That being said, however, the formidable marksman hardly pulled up any trees during his time at St James' Park – as his underwhelming goal record points to – while Ashley and co were at least able to recoup a sizeable fee with the 6 foot 2 man's sale.

The same can not be said, however, with the exit of another former Newcastle man, Ivan Toney, with the Englishman having hardly been handed a chance to impress at the club, before being moved on to Peterborough for just £650k in 2018 – potentially representing a far bigger error for the club than that of Mitrovic's departure.

Why did Newcastle sell Toney?

The Magpies had initially snapped up the young striker from Northampton Town for a fee of just £500k back in 2015, albeit with the 6 foot 1 ace going on to spend much of the next three years out on loan, after making just four first-team appearances at the club.

That lack of action ultimately led to a move to Posh, where the dynamic marksman scored 49 goals in just 94 games to earn a £5m switch to current side Brentford in 2020, quickly establishing himself as a leading man for the Bees.

A player with the "mindset of a lion", according to manager Thomas Frank, Toney netted a standout haul of 33 goals during the 2020/21 campaign in the second tier, having since gone on to net 30 goals and provide nine assists in the Premier League over the past two seasons.

The current campaign, in particular, has proven rather remarkable as the 27-year-old has 18 league goals to his name to date – more than that of Mitrovic (11) – having even been linked with a return to Tyneside last summer.

Such has been the £20k-per-week man's rise of late he was even said to be valued at around £50m amid that interest prior to the start of the season, with it undoubtedly set to sting that Ashley sold him on the cheap – more so than with regard to Mitrovic.

Mikel Arteta has led Arsenal to an incredible campaign so far, with the Gunners so close to claiming their first Premier League crown since 2003/04.

The next few weeks will arguably be the most important in the club’s recent history and the decision to remain patient with the Spaniard could be the wisest decision this Arsenal board ever do, with the fruits of his labour beginning to pay off.

His record in the transfer market has been incredibly good during his spell as boss, managing to lure the likes of Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko to the club, and with them, he has formed a potential title-winning team.

There have been a few players he has perhaps sold too soon however, with Joe Willock and Matteo Guendouzi starring for their current clubs across the continent.

Yet it was the decision to move on goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez that the 41-year-old may well be regretting, particularly with his value now soaring.

How much is Emiliano Martinez worth now?

The Argentine 'keeper spent ten years in north London, yet he made only 38 appearances for the first team, having to rely on a succession of loan moves to lower-league clubs to gain vital playing time.

Arteta decided it was best for him to move on in 2020, selling him for £20m to Aston Villa and the move couldn’t have gone better for the 30-year-old.

He has played over 100 matches for Villa since joining, keeping 35 clean sheets, and he has even developed into an international star such is his form since leaving Arsenal.

Indeed, Martinez was a key proponent for Argentina at the 2021 Copa America, saving three penalties against Colombia in their semi-final shootout win, and who could forget his World Cup antics just last year?

He managed to save two of the Netherlands' efforts in their quarter-final shootout, before denying Kingsley Coman in the final to secure Argentina’s third World Cup triumph. In the process, he also secured himself the Golden Glove award, not bad going for someone who made his debut for his country in 2021.

Former Argentina defender Pablo Zabaleta dubbed the 6 foot 5 stopper “crazy” following his exploits against the Dutch in Qatar and his value has risen astronomically since departing the Gunners in 2020.

Martinez is now estimated to be worth as much as £60m, according to transfer insider Dean Jones, proving that despite the form of Aaron Ramsdale, perhaps it was a big mistake to cash in on the Argentine titan when they did.

Indeed, he has developed into one of the best goalkeepers in the world recently.

Brighton star Alexis Mac Allister is ‘ready to leave’ as Tottenham become one of the sides interested in signing him.

The Lowdown: Spurs missing playmaker?

Since the departure of former hero Christian Eriksen, it is arguable that Spurs have seriously missed a central creative midfield presence – potentially motivating their January interest in Nicolo Zaniolo.

The Lilywhites and manager Antonio Conte ultimately settled for attacker Arnaut Danjuma on loan from Villarreal but the Dutchman has found game time difficult to come by.

Conte even questioned the former Bournemouth star’s positional sense as a number ten recently, stating:

“Yeah about Arnaut, for sure I am sorry. I am sorry for him because he arrived in the transfer market in January and the club wanted to sign on loan this player.

“For sure, he has good characteristics, good quality and maybe he has not specific characteristics to be a number ten. Maybe he is more a second striker or a winger, but for sure I am appreciating a lot his desire, his will in every training (session).”

As such, reports now suggest Spurs will be targeting an attacking midfielder in the summer.

The Latest: Spurs eye Mac Allister…

According to 90min, Mac Allister is ‘ready to leave’ Brighton as Tottenham become one of the sides taking a real ‘interest’.

It is believed the Premier League top-four chasers are now keeping tabs on his situation at the Amex, but they aren’t the only ones, with Newcastle, Liverpool and Chelsea also in the mix.

Brighton are ‘braced’ for another window of clubs attempting to poach their most crucial stars, and while the World Cup winner is enjoying life in England, there are also suitors from overseas.

Indeed, Atletico Madrid, Inter, Juventus and RB Leipzig are all keen on signing the 24-year-old.

The Verdict: Wonderful player…

Mac Allister has attracted real plaudits for his form at club and international level this season.

Hailed as ‘world class’ by members of the media, ex-Man City star Sergio Aguero has called the player ‘very intelligent’ whilst highlighting his brilliant positional awareness.

As per WhoScored, the South American ace ranks as one of Brighton’s best-performing players by average match rating, as well as being the club’s joint-top goal scorer.

If Spurs wish to add more threat from behind Harry Kane, Mac Allister could well stand out as a brilliant transfer target, but chairman Daniel Levy will have to push the boat out given his £70 million price tag.