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Not to forget the big question: will this be MS Dhoni’s IPL farewell if CSK fall short?

Sruthi Ravindranath17-May-20242:35

Aaron: Santner gives CSK a lot of options

Match details

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) (7th; 6W, 7L) vs Chennai Super Kings (CSK) (4th; 7W, 6L)
Bengaluru, 7.30pm IST (2pm GMT)

Big picture – RCB vs CSK, the match of the season?

Is the hype around this encounter justified?The results over the years have been rather one-sided in favour of CSK. RCB have won only once in their last five meetings and only 31% of the all the matches in the IPL against them.So maybe not.But this time, there is a lot at stake – it’s a virtual quarter-final. RCB are in roaring form, with five wins in a row; CSK have been up and down. Scenarios-wise, it’s easier for CSK to get through. Just win, or hope the game is rained out – not unlikely, considering the weather in Bengaluru. RCB, however, have to win and win by a certain margin – assuming a score of 200, they need to win by 18 runs or chase the target down with about 11 balls to spare – to get into the top four.There are sentimental reasons for the hype too. Is this the last we’ll see an MS Dhoni vs Virat Kohli encounter on the field? Will it be Dhoni’s last game for CSK? (Nobody knows, not even CSK’s batting coach Mike Hussey.)Dhoni and Kohli may grab all the headlines, but some subplots mean much more. The two most powerful spin-hitters this season will come up against each other: Shivam Dube, who rocked it for CSK in the first half, and Rajat Patidar, who turned the fortunes around for RCB in the second. It will also be the battle of the Indian quicks, who have played key roles in their sides’ wins in the last few games. M Chinnaswamy Stadium might be a batter-friendly surface, but it may all come down to which pace unit performs better on the day.In terms of the venue, RCB have won both their recent matches at the Chinnaswamy after being relentlessly bashed by oppositions earlier in the season. CSK, however, have won only two of their six away matches. For CSK to gain an advantage at the Chinnaswamy, their batters must come together.Does all of that make this the match of the season? It could very well be. Unless rain plays spoilsport.Related

• Gaikwad the captain faces his sternest test yet

• Patidar: 'I should know that I am the best, nothing else matters'

• Rain threat looms over RCB-CSK clash in Bengaluru

Form guide

RCB WWWWW
CSK WLWLW

Previous meeting

It was the season opener, at Chepauk. Mustafizur Rahman ran through the RCB top order but a late lift from Anuj Rawat and Dinesh Karthik took them to 173 for 6. In reply, CSK chased down the target with eight balls remaining, with Dube and Ravindra Jadeja posting an unbeaten 66-run stand. In many ways, that result set the tone for the first half of the season for the two sides. But it all changed since then.One last time?•AFP/Getty Images

Team news and Impact Player strategy

Royal Challengers Bengaluru
RCB are likely to bring back Glenn Maxwell for the game in place of Will Jacks, who has left for England duty. Patidar for Yash Dayal or Swapnil Singh will likely be the impact swap again.RCB probable XII: 1 Virat Kohli, 2 Faf du Plessis (capt), 3 Glenn Maxwell, 4 Rajat Patidar, 5 Mahipal Lomror, 6 Cameron Green, 7 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 8 Yash Dayal, 9 Karn Sharma, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Lockie Ferguson 12 Swapnil SinghChennai Super Kings
Moeen Ali has left, so Mitchell Santner is likely to get a place in the XI. Ruturaj Gaikwad is also back to opening with Rachin Ravindra. In the last game, Daryl Mitchell was subbed out during the chase to get Sameer Rizvi in at No. 7. Considering Rahane’s poor form, and with Moeen out, will they consider starting with Rizvi and have Mitchell at No. 3?CSK probable XII: 1 Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), 2 Rachin Ravindra, 3 Daryl Mitchell, 4 Shivam Dube, 5 Ravindra Jadeja, 6 Sameer Rizvi, 7 MS Dhoni (wk), 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Shardul Thakur, 10 Maheesh Theekshana, 11 Tushar Deshpande, 12 Simarjeet Singh4:26

How do RCB make best use of Maxwell?

In the spotlight – Faf du Plessis and Shivam Dube

Faf du Plessis is yet to make a big impact with the bat. He has three fifties, but has struggled for consistency overall, having scored just 367 runs at 28.23 in 13 games. He averages just 27 in the powerplay this year compared to 120 last year, when he had a great time. While he’s not got the big scores, he’s been striking at 205 in RCB’s last seven games compared to 140 in the first six games. RCB will be hoping for a big score from their captain in the crucial game to go with another big hand from orange cap-holder Virat Kohli.Shivam Dube‘s superb run in the first half of the season earned him a spot in India’s T20 World Cup squad. However, since then, his form has dipped. Following ducks in back-to-back games against Punjab Kings, he scored 21 and 18 in the next two matches. He was taking spinners apart when the going was good. In three out of the last four games, he’s gotten out trying to go after spinners.

Pitch and conditions

It was cloudy all day in Bengaluru on Friday, and there’s a 78% chance of rain on Saturday, with the forecast saying there could be thunderstorms accompanied by showers in the evening. The average first-innings score at the venue this season is 193. The day before the game, there was no grass on the centre pitch, which will be used for this match, so expect it to be a belter.

Stats that matter

• Kohli has upped his powerplay game, from striking at 131 at an average of 62 in the first six matches to 193 at 98.50 in the last seven
• RCB are Dhoni’s favourite opposition – he has scored 413 runs at an average of 82.6 against them at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, the most against any team for him in the IPL
• Ruturaj Gaikwad averages 71 this season, which is the best for an opener in IPL 2024

Quotes

“He’s a bowler that basically bowled the fastest in our group. Every team will like a bowler like Simar because he bowls with a lot of pace and he’s very aggressive by nature. Even against our own batsmen in the nets, sometimes I get scared with the way he bowls. Very happy to see that the work that he’s put in to finally get an opportunity to play and he’s performing well.”

Bayern Munich are considering a move to gazump Chelsea in the hunt for Jamie Gittens' signature.

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Bayern chasing GittensDortmund winger had been expected to move to ChelseaBayern chasing new left-wingerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The German club's sporting director Max Eberl left the Club World Cup surprisingly early to reportedly work on transfers, and it could be at Chelsea's expense. The Bundesliga champions have identified Jamie Gittens as a potential new signing and reports that the club are in talks with the player. It would be a blow for the Blues who had seen an initial offer knocked back by Dortmund as they look to bolster their front line.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Should Bayern prove too strong competition for Chelsea in the hunt for Gittens, then the west London club will have to explore other options. Lyon's Malick Fofana and Brighton's Joao Pedro have emerged as possible alternative options in attack, but little progress has been made on a move for either player so far. Chelsea have already added Liam Delap to their forward options, but a wide player to replace the outgoing Jadon Sancho is still wanted.

DID YOU KNOW?

Bayern are having their own problems with recruitment. Needing to replace the outgoing Leroy Sane, the Bavarian giants had been after Athletic Club's Nico Williams, but the young Spanish winger looks set to move to Barcelona. A move for AC Milan's Rafael Leao is also only at early stages and nothing substantial has materialised as of yet.

AFPWHAT NEXT FOR GITTENS?

Gittens is currently in the United States with the Dortmund squad taking part in the Club World Cup. He made an appearance off of the bench against Fluminense in the opening group stage game, a 0-0 draw, but was an unused substitute in the 4-3 thriller against Mamelodi Sundowns. Their final game of the group stage is against Korean side Ulsan.

“It would be crazy not to look at the players who are in form,” Mitchell McClenaghan said on ESPNcricinfo’s T20 Time Out Live

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Apr-20243:03

Should Mayank be fast-tracked into India’s T20 WC squad?

Mayank Yadav has played only two IPL games but the conversation has already started if he should be part of India’s squad for the T20 World Cup in June.On his IPL debut on Saturday, Mayank picked up 3 for 27 against Punjab Kings and was named the Player of the Match. During his spell, he clocked 155.8kph, the fastest delivery of IPL 2024.Three days later, against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, he bettered it. He clocked 156.7kph and picked up 3 for 14 to claim his second consecutive Player-of-the-Match award.Related

• LSG target first win over Titans as Mayank takes the spotlight again

• Maxwell on Mayank: You don't often see someone of his pace

• Mustafizur a doubt for CSK's game against Sunrisers on Friday

• When Mayank hushed the Chinnaswamy

• 'This is just the start' – Mayank Yadav's thunderbolts now rattle RCB

Talking on ESPNcricinfo’s show T20 Time Out Live, Tom Moody said: “He is definitely in the conversation. Whether you take that risk punting on him or not is another conversation because you also need to consider what skillset you need in that reserve fast bowler – is it someone who is a powerplay bowler, or someone who has the ability to bowl at the death, all those subtle skillsets are important when you are talking about a T20 World Cup.”Mitchell McClenaghan, Moody’s co-panellist, said if Mayank continues in the same manner, he would be “right in the mix” to join the T20 World Cup squad.”If his form continues throughout this tournament, the World Cup starts six days after the IPL, I think it would be crazy not to look at the players who are in form going into that tournament,” McClenaghan said.”He may not have the caps behind him, but if he continues this vein of form and can keep his pace up throughout the whole tournament and keep winning games – he has won two games in a row, his first two games – then you are right in the mix. Long shot but you wouldn’t say never.”3:15

Moody: Mayank has great control and a mature head to go with his pace

Fast bowler Varun Aaron also had the same view. “I think no matter what the chatter is, he should focus on one game at a time,” he said. “Because that is going to automatically help him make his case. With the kind of work he has put in in the last two games, that does bring a lot of eyeballs but it has to be repeated over a period of time. The T20 World Cup, I am sure, he is going to be a contender if he backs it up with a few more performances because he is bowling absolute gas.”Apart from the searing pace, what has stood out is Mayank’s accuracy. On Tuesday, he bowled 17 dots in his spell, and not a single wide or no-ball.”What’s so impressive is it’s not only just the pace – it’s like everyone likes seeing a Nicholas Pooran hit the ball out of the ground, it is exhilarating to watch – but it’s his control,” Moody said. “Not only he has got the control, but he looks like he has got quite a mature head on his shoulders with regards to how he is bowling, and what lines he is bowling and lengths he is bowling. He is a real find.”Aaron was equally impressed with Mayank’s control.”Going into the game, we said that lines are going to be important,” he said. “Not just lines, even lengths he adapted. He bowled a few yorkers, it’s not just bowling back of length and being one-dimensional. The ball to Cameron Green was beautiful. He had hit him for a really convincing pull the previous ball.”I think he was a second late on that [wicket] ball. It just ricocheted off the stumps, I think it went one-bounce four. It is great signs. He has got really good control. And he has got a really, really repeatable clean action that enables him to bowl those lines time and again. Not a single cut, not a single ball down the leg side. Unbelievable.”

Over the last six years, Rangana Herath and R Ashwin have racked up astounding – and astoundingly similar – numbers while reviving the art of fingerspin. On Wednesday, they will cross paths again at a venue that holds a special place in both their hearts

Sidharth Monga in Galle24-Jul-20172:06

Rangana Herath: Sri Lanka’s trump card

On July 2, 2009, Rangana Herath was about to go to his gym in Stoke-on-Trent in northern England. He was 31, a veteran of 94 first-class matches, but only 14 of them were Tests. He wasn’t really expecting to add to that tally any time soon.Not yet an international cricketer, having made his IPL debut two months previously, R Ashwin was perhaps going through the previews to gear up to watch India play an ODI in the West Indies on July 3 and then the Test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan in Galle from July 4.Herath’s phone rang. They wanted him in Galle. Muttiah Muralitharan had been injured, they needed a support bowler for the man supposed to take over from him, Ajantha Mendis. It was a matter of minutes. A little later, and that call could have gone unanswered for an hour at least. Perhaps Herath wasn’t the most punctual to go to the gym, which you can imagine he didn’t quite look forward to. The crucial fact is, the phone was in his pocket and not in his bag as it would have been a few minutes later. He was able to answer that call, drive five hours to London and make the flight, which he might not have been able to do an hour later. He flew economy, and made it to Galle on the morning of the Test. Had Sri Lanka lost the toss, Herath might have had to shake off his jet lag on the field.Six years later, their paths crossed in Galle. Ashwin was going through a strange patch in his career. He had excellent numbers but had also missed seven out of India’s last 13 Tests, played in South Africa, New Zealand, England and Australia. He was not happy about being left out. Inside he raged. He wondered why he had to sit out if the fast bowlers couldn’t finish a Test in South Africa. Or why the batsmen’s failures in England resulted in his being dropped in Australia.Herath had already gone through all of that twice over. Even after coming back and becoming Sri Lanka’s rescuer at the age of 31, he would find himself left out of sides inexplicably. The finals of the 2011 World Cup and the 2012 World T20, despite good performances. If Ashwin was despondent or nervous coming into Galle in 2015, he could do well to learn from the quiet perseverance of Herath.In this match, Ashwin took 10 wickets, including six on the first day, but he and India were outdone by Herath and Sri Lanka. Watching Herath, Ashwin learned an important lesson: to not give up the stumps, to sometimes strive to turn the ball less. The difference perhaps was the hours and hours of bowling experience Herath had gained by bowling in first-class cricket before he finally got his chance. Ashwin didn’t have to wait so long for success; when he was denied it, he would become restless and try to turn the ball harder. Ashwin was now learning to wait for his time.R Ashwin took ten wickets in his last Galle Test, in 2015, but ended up on the losing side thanks to Rangana Herath’s wiles•AFPSince then, between them, aided by changing techniques because of DRS and in part by changing pitches, Ashwin and Herath have made fingerspin great again. It can be argued that Ravindra Jadeja is more than just support cast – he is in fact No. 1 on ICC charts right now – but the two outstanding bowlers over the last six years have been Ashwin and Herath. Since Ashwin’s debut, they have played 49 Tests each and have near-identical numbers in those Tests: 275 wickets for Ashwin and 274 for Herath, 25 five-fors each, seven and eight 10-wicket match hauls. Herath is slightly more miserly, but Ashwin has taken fewer deliveries for each strike. Herath has set up Test wins in South Africa and England, Ashwin has been Man of the Series in Sri Lanka and the West Indies.Before the two, the pre-eminent spinners in the world were either wristspinners or fingerspinners with a bit of mystery about them. Fingerspinners without mystery were there just to tie one end up until the pitch started doing things for them. The most mystery these two have ever carried in their kitbags is the carrom ball, whose oldest known practitioner, without going as far back as Jack Iverson, is Herath and whose best proponent today, arguably, is Ashwin. Yet, in Test matches, in these days of close video analysis, there is hardly any mystery to the carrom ball.A lot of their mystery now is in trying to control the amount of turn they impart on the ball. It is not an exact science, but they are adept at giving the ball the best chance to turn less should they need that variation. They change their seam angles and points of release subtly. As a few batsmen have acknowledged, you can exhaust yourself countering one mode of their attack, and then suddenly, just like that, they unleash another.They use different arms. One is pudgy, the other is tall. One is likely to share a laugh about his pudginess, the other remains on the edge. One is trying to maximise whatever little Test cricket is left in his 39-year-old body, the other is at his prime, physically and mentally. Yet they are more similar in their styles and their stories than you would think. Back now in Galle, a landmark venue for both of them, they resume the contest to find out who the best bowler of this decade is. Herath will be at a disadvantage because his support is not as robust as Ashwin’s, because his body is less likely to stand the strain of three Tests in three weeks, and because his side nearly lost to Zimbabwe last week, but then again he was at a similar disadvantage the day he answered Kumar Sangakkara’s call in Stoke-on-Trent.

Glasgow Rangers and the transfer market have not exactly been the best of friends over the previous few years.

Since securing promotion back to the Premiership ahead of the 20161/7 campaign, the Ibrox side have made plenty of dismal signings. Where to start?

Pedro Caixinha spent money on the likes of Carlos Pena and Eduardo Herrera, who both failed to live up to expectations, while even Steven Gerrard made a few howlers, especially during his early transfer windows.

The former Liverpool captain signed flops such as Umar Sadiq and Eros Grezda in 2018, a few years before spending money on Juninho Bacuna and Cedric Itten.

Sam Lammers, Ben Davies and Jose Cifuentes are just a few of the players who have been signed by managers since Gerrard left, with all three struggling to perform in Scotland.

While these types of signings typically outweigh the positive ones, when the club do sign a player who has excellent potential, it usually ends up rather well.

Joe Aribo was sold for around £10m in the summer of 2020, having cost the Gers just £300k three years previously. Of the current squad, Hamza Igamane looks certain to make the Light Blues a significant profit due to his performances this season.

One of the club’s finest signings – from a financial point of view anyway – was Calvin Bassey. The defender is now playing in the Premier League for Fulham, but Rangers gave him his big break.

Why Calvin Bassey was sold for a club-record fee

In the summer of 2020, Gerrard added a few players to his squad in a bid to challenge Celtic for the Premiership trophy during 2020/21.

Ianis Hagi signed permanently, while Cedric Itten, Kemar Roofe and Leon Balogun also arrived at Ibrox. It was the deal to bring Bassey to Scotland which looked the most promising, however.

Due to cross-border rules, the left-back cost just £200k in a compensation fee from Leicester City, and he was one for the future.

Indeed, Gerrard utilised his talents on just 15 occasions throughout the 2020/21 season, but things were about to get better.

With a defensive injury crisis hitting the squad hard during the early stages of the following campaign, Bassey was deployed as a centre-back alongside Connor Goldson and it soon progressed into a solid partnership.

Metric

Premiership

Europa League

Accurate passes

52.3

37.4

Tackles

1.5

1.6

Total duels won

5.2

4.1

Interceptions

0.7

1.4

Balls recovered

0.4

0.1

Once he got his chance in the starting XI, Bassey never left, making 50 appearances in all competitions as the Gers reached the Europa League final while winning the Scottish Cup for the first time in 13 years.

These performances would ultimately lead to the Nigerian international departing the club, with plenty of European sides showing interest that summer.

In the end, Ajax secured his services on a permanent deal for a fee of just under £23m, which was a club-record transfer.

It’s fair to say that he has been one of the finest signings of modern times, but is there a player in the current squad who has surpassed him recently?

Rangers' best signing since Bassey

Losing Scott Wright last summer meant Philippe Clement had a single right-winger in the squad – Ross McCausland – which meant this area needed a swift upgrade.

There were several players linked with a move to Ibrox, but due to limited funds being available, the Belgian manager had to rely on a loan signing, which saw Vaclav Cerny join the Light Blues on a temporary deal until the end of the current season.

Having scored five goals for Bundesliga side Wolfsburg during the 2023/24 campaign, Cerny looked like an exciting wide option for Rangers. He also scored against Celtic for Ajax, which would certainly help endear him to the supporters during his early weeks.

These first couple of weeks were mixed. The Czech star delivered a few decent displays, but he was poor against Lyon in a 4-1 Europa League defeat. He missed a big chance during that game and lost possession 11 times.

Two goals against St Johnstone just a few days later proved that his woeful European display was just a one-off and he has kicked on since then.

Overall, the loanee has netted an impressive tally of 17 goals across 44 matches, chipping in with seven assists too. The 27-year-old has saved his best football – minus the Lyon clash – for the Europa League, netting six goals in Europe’s secondary competition.

Furthermore, the winger has created two big chances, averages 1.3 key passes per game and succeeds with 2.3 dribbles each match, showcasing his skills against superior opposition.

Rangers won the recent Old Firm derby against Celtic 3-2 courtesy of a late winner by Igamane, who lashed in an effort when it appeared as though the match was going to finish as a draw.

The real hero of that game was Cerny, however, who ended up soaking Celtic supporters with a bottle of water while celebrating the goal.

Journalist Matthew Lindsay praised the winger, describing him as a “cult hero” following that “moment of madness”

According to Transfermarkt, Cerny is now valued at €9m (£7.5m) and, given his displays for the Gers recently, he will be a man in demand this summer.

Whoever becomes the new permanent manager of Rangers will have to decide whether spending money on Cerny is worth it, especially as there are other areas of the squad requiring some investment.

Cerny has endeared himself to the Ibrox faithful with his goals and antics during the latest derby win. If he did join the club this summer, could he be one of their best signings in recent memory?

The next few months will be interesting indeed.

Rangers loan star is now worth £27m more than Cerny after leaving in 2023

While Václav Černý continues to star in a Rangers jersey, a former loanee, who left in 2023, is starring elsewhere, seeing his value skyrocket.

ByBen Gray Mar 21, 2025

Teenage legspinner impressed in Antigua defeat and hopes to continue learning from England’s past master

Cameron Ponsonby04-Dec-20231:50

Miller: Judge Buttler and Mott on T20Is, not ODIs

For more than a decade, the of England’s white-ball set-up has been Adil’s wristspin.Filling the shoes of any world-class performer is almost always a doomed task. And those anointed to do so rarely appreciate the burden of expectation that is lumped on their growing shoulders. But nevertheless, step forward Rehan Ahmed.Rehan was the pick of England’s bowlers during defeat to West Indies in the first ODI, claiming 2 for 40 from his ten overs, spinning the ball sharply in both directions. His googly, which is arguably more of a stock delivery for him than his legbreak, is sensational. A modern-day legspinner in the shape of Rashid Khan as opposed to Shane Warne. And he can launch the ball out of the ground with the bat too.Related

• Sad Jos Buttler, Sad England

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At a time when England are heading into the final years of Rashid’s career, the fact a readymade replacement is developing in front of our eyes is a blessing. Whether Rehan contributes the same quantity of wickets that Rashid has done across his career, it’s impossible to tell. What you can be sure of, however, is that he will provide a quality of entertainment that few across the rest of the game can.Rehan was picked for Pakistan last winter on the basis that Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum just liked it. What they liked exactly, no one was really sure. A batter who bowls? A bowler who bats? No one knew. They just felt that whatever mysterious concoction they’d been served up by the Leicestershire academy was delicious and they wanted lots more of it.”I don’t mind being hit for runs,” Rehan said the day after England’s defeat. “I just want to take wickets. The runs aren’t really part of it. I know there’s going to be a couple days where I get it wrong and I get hit around, which I’m fine with, it’s just more when I’m on top and I’m bowling well to [try to ] impact the game as much as I can.”On Sunday in Antigua, Rehan gave West Indies No. 3 Keacy Carty a living nightmare. In 17 deliveries to Carty, who has been struggling for domestic form, Rehan conceded just seven runs as he consistently turned the ball past both edges. Yes, the pitch assisted spin – but if it’s turning, you want your spinner to bowl well. And he did.”I think there was a couple of overs in there I could have maybe attacked a bit more,” Rehan said a spell that looked certain to have won England the match. “[I could have] played around with the field a little bit more. But again I’m not seeking perfection and I felt like I bowled very well. I think I challenged the stumps quite a bit. But there’s always ways to improve.”Rehan Ahmed was the pick of England’s attack in the first ODI•Getty Images

This isn’t to retire Rashid prematurely, with the sweet spot for England potentially lying in the idea of playing both of them. For just £40, you can go to a Trent Bridge ODI and watch Qui-Gon Jinn train his Padawan one over at a time. After all, in the same way that Rehan was picked for the tour of Pakistan on the basis that if you’re good enough, you’re old enough – a 39-year-old Rashid in 2027 may rock up to another World Cup on the basis that if you’re good enough, you’re young enough.”I think so,” Rehan replied when asked if he reckoned England could play with two leggies in one side. Which, admittedly, is a question it is in his interest to answer affirmatively. “You see more than one seamer in a team, so there can always be more than one legspinner.””Rash is probably the best legspinner in the world right now and whenever I’m with him I try to take as much information as I can, especially on his legspinner – he’s got about 12 so I just try to pick one of them for now. But it has offered me a lot and I’m getting a bit more sidespin than I used to.”I played a couple of T20s in the summer and the Bangladesh game [in March] as well so I think it was a nice feeling for all of us together. I feel like I can speak to Rash about bowling and it felt like a practice game even though it was an international game so it kept me very relaxed.”What’s more, if the idea of more than one legspinner in a team is cause for excitement, a team with more than one Ahmed is doubly so, with Rehan’s brother, Farhan, a 15-year-old offspinner, set to be named in England men’s Under-19 World Cup squad.”He bowls a lot of dot balls so he’ll be quite boring,” Rehan joked. “But no, I’m very happy for him. He’s very young and he’s been picked for such a big thing as well. It’s an unbelievable achievement. He’s actually at school right now doing his physics test.”Rehan is one of three brothers, and the family have a strong cricketing bond with his elder brother playing regularly for Nottinghamshire 2nd XI. The trio also regularly turn out together for their club side Cavaliers and Carrington – previously described by Rehan as the “Manchester United of cricket, the best club in England”.So invested is Rehan, he returned to play for Cavaliers the weekend before the Ireland ODI series in September began. “I play with my older brother and younger brother and dad in club cricket and it’s the best feeling ever. As many of us that can play together, it’s always going to be good. Whether it’s for England, for county, for school, for a club, anything. I think playing alongside family is always a great feeling.”

Liverpool are now plotting a transfer swoop for a “fantastic” 19 year-old forward who could be a long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah, according to a new report.

Liverpool extend Premier League lead to 13 points

It was another routine win for Arne Slot’s side on Wednesday night, as goals, surprisingly not from Salah, but from Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister saw Liverpool run out 2–0 winners and extend their lead to 13 points with 10 games left to play. That means they can now conceivably win the Premier League against Tottenham Hotspur on the 26th of April, with four games left to play.

Forget Salah: Slot has made 9/10 Liverpool star a truly "unstoppable" force

Liverpool beat Newcastle at Anfield to stretch their title lead to 13 points.

ByAngus Sinclair Feb 27, 2025

Despite the healthy lead and the short number of games left to play, Slot believes there is still a long way to go and is taking it game by game): “It is still a long way to go, ten games. In March, we only play one Premier League game; then we have the cup final, of course, and an international break, and then two big games against Paris Saint-Germain – so we are not focused on the long term.

“I know, and the players know how difficult the Champions League game is going to be – they are in the same form as us, hardly lose. It is going to be a difficult task for both teams. Now the players have some days off, and then we focus on PSG more than we do on the table in the Premier League.”

Liverpool eye move for "fantastic" Salah successor

But as the Reds get closer to securing that Premier League title, focus may start switching to the summer, and according to Caught Offside, Liverpool are keeping a close eye on teenager Assane Diao after his recent performances in Italy.

The report states that Liverpool’s interest in Diao comes as the future of Salah at Anfield is still very uncertain. There is a likelihood that the Egyptian leaves in the summer when his contract expires, and that would leave Liverpool very light in that area of the team. Therefore, the club are actively looking at possible short and long-term replacements, and Diao has emerged as a possible target.

The 19-year-old, who has been described as “fantastic” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig in the past, plays for Italian side Como, joining Cesc Fabregas’ side January and kicking on another gear under the Spaniard.

Apps

8

Starts

7

Goals

5

xG

1.74

Shots per game

2.0

Chance conversion

31%

Key passes per game

0.4

Succ. Dribbles per game

1.0 (35%)

Duels won per game

6.8 (42%)

The Spanish under-19 international decided to join Como in the New Year, and it is a move that has paid off, scoring five goals in eight Serie A games. Diao has started all but one game, operating as a right and left-winger. The forward has scored three goals in the last three consecutive games against Juventus, Fiorentina, and Napoli, and those performances have now put him on the radar of Liverpool.

It’s unclear how much he could cost the Reds, but Como paid a record fee of €12 million, so they are expected to want more than that in any departure.

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da brdice： Pela segunda rodada do Grupo 12 da Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior, o Corinthians encara o Fast Clube-AM nesta sexta-feira (6), às 21h45, em Araraquara, na Fonte Luminosa. A partida terá transmissão daRede Vida e SporTV.

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da dobrowin： + Confira quem sai, quem fica e as movimentações do Timão no mercado

Na rodada inaugural, o Timãozinho goleou o Zumbi-AL por 4 a 0, com gols de Matheus Araújo, Pedro, Ryan e Jean Marques (contra). Já a equipe do Amazonas foi derrotada pela Ferroviária por 2 a 1.

+ Veja todas as movimentações do futebol brasileiro na nova ferramenta de mercado do LANCE!

Com 10 títulos, o Corinthians é o maior campeão da Copinha, porém o clube alvinegro vive um jejum de seis anos na competição, tendo em vista que o último título veio em 2017, contra o Batatais-SP.

VEJA OS JOGADORES INSCRITOS PELO CORINTHIANS NA COPINHA
Goleiros: Kauê, Igor Eduardo, Felipe Longo e Cadu.
Laterais: Abimael, Vitor Meer, Léo Mana e Caipira.
Zagueiros: Murillo, João Pedro, Renato, Alemão e Vinicius Cressi.
Meio-campistas: Zé Vitor, Matheus Araújo, Riquelme, Ryan, Thomás, Guilherme Biro (*), Pedrinho, Breno Bidon e Gabriel Moscardo.
Atacantes:Arthur Sousa, Kayke, Felipe Augusto, Higor, Wesley, Pedro (*), Juninho e Guilherme Henrique.

* Jogadores convocados para disputar o Sul-Americano Sub-20 pela Seleção Brasileira irão desfalcar a equipe na Copinha

+ Veja tabela e simule os jogos do Paulistão 2023

Da lista, o lateral Léo Mana, o meia Guilherme Biro e os atacantes Wesley, Felipe Augusto e Arthur Sousa já estrearam pela equipe profissional do Timão.

continua após a publicidade

New Zealander anchors reply after Surrey post first-innings total of 355

ECB Reporters Network11-Jul-2023

Will Young scored a century on debut for Notts•Getty Images

Will Young marked his Nottinghamshire debut with an undefeated hundred to anchor the visitors’ response on day two of their LV= Insurance County Championship match against Surrey at the Kia Oval.The New Zealand international, who is on a three-match contract with the county, provided immediate value with a fluent knock of 106 not out that guided them to 248 for 5 at the close, trailing Surrey by 107. Young shared a second-wicket partnership of 134 with Haseeb Hameed, who hit 67, while Surrey’s Jamie Overton took two wickets on his return to bowling action for the first time this summer after recovering from a back injury.The home side had earlier posted 355 all out in their first innings, with Nottinghamshire allrounder Lyndon James picking up the last two wickets to register career-best figures of 6 for 74.Resuming at 339 for 8 in the morning, Surrey increased their total by another 16 – all of those scored by Overton, who bludgeoned a six and two fours off Dane Paterson to finish on 30 not out. Overton’s efforts were enough to secure a third batting bonus point before James quickly wrapped up the innings by claiming the scalps of Tom Lawes and Dan Worrall in successive deliveries.Nottinghamshire’s openers dug in at the start of their reply, with Worrall and Sean Abbott bowling a consistent line and the latter also found some movement to dislodge Ben Slater, snapped up by Tom Latham at second slip.Having survived an early scare when he slashed Abbott just over the slip cordon, Hameed settled down to some crisp strokeplay as he dispatched Jordan Clark twice to the boundary in quick succession. Meanwhile, Young looked unruffled alongside Hameed, consistently punishing any stray deliveries on the leg side and had almost caught up with his partner when Nottinghamshire went to lunch.The New Zealander was first to his half-century with a straight drive for four off Overton and Hameed followed suit, drilling the seamer to the midwicket fence in his next over but, with leaden skies giving way to rain shortly before 3pm, the visitors’ progress was held up at 139 for 1.After a false start, the players eventually returned an hour and a half later, with Worrall looking most likely to unlock the partnership as he repeatedly beat the bat and unleashed a skidding delivery that Young only just dug out.It was Hameed who eventually fell, pouched at first slip after prodding at Worrall outside off stump and there was a close call for Young on 68 when he defended a ball from Abbott that bounced back up off the turf and missed his stumps by a fraction. But the 30-year-old – who registered a Championship century and four fifties during his stint with Northamptonshire last year – went on to reach three figures from 192 balls, crashing Lawes off the back foot for four.Easing his way into a decent rhythm, Overton gained reward for his endeavours, squaring Joe Clarke up for a leading edge that sailed into the hands of Latham at gully before having Tom Moores caught in the slips.Those successes sandwiched another wicket as Surrey deviated from their all-seam tactic by deploying the offbreaks of Will Jacks, a move that paid off as his fifth ball clipped Matthew Montgomery’s bails.

Liverpool find themselves in the hunt for reinforcements and could look to swoop under the nose of rivals Everton to land an attacking target, according to a report.

Liverpool set to trigger more business after Kerkez announcement

After Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz were confirmed by the Reds, Milos Kerkez is also now set to join in a £40 million move from Bournemouth. The Hungary international joins Arne Slot’s revolution and signs on after weeks of negotiations by all parties to find agreement, as confirmed by Fabrizio Romano.

Moving on, Liverpool have turned their attention to Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi and an agreement over personal terms is said to be close as he enters the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park.

Talking up a potential deal, Keith Wyness believes Guehi moving to the red half of Merseyside would suit all parties as Oliver Glasner will be keen to cash in before losing the England international on a free becomes a distinct possibility.

He stated: “It would be a no-brainer for them (Liverpool) if they can get hold of him, and all the noises coming out of the Marc Guehi camp are that he’s keen to go.

“I think it’s a fantastic deal. I think Palace also recognise that I think he’s got just another year left on his contract. So they’d like to cash in as well. All parties could be very happy.”

While Liverpool’s summer business is bubbling away, they could now bid for a midfielder who has already been firmly on the radar of their closest rivals.

Liverpool could hijack Everton to sign Merlin Rohl

According to reports in Germany via Sport Witness, Liverpool could move for SC Freiburg midfielder Merlin Rohl this summer despite Everton having already made two bids to sign the Germany Under-21 international in January.

Newcastle United and Crystal Palace are also in the frame to sign the Berlin-born star, who registered a solitary assist in 20 appearances over the course of last season.

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Liverpool are moving at breakneck pace in the summer transfer market.

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Labelled “very dangerous” by Antonio Di Salvo, Rohl managed to create nine chances in action for Freiburg on Bundesliga duty and also completed 12 dribbles despite suffering a ligament tear that limited his scope to make a lasting impact.

Nevertheless, he is now back fit and firing and has even scored at the UEFA Under-21 European Championships in a 3-2 win for Germany against Italy.

Admittedly, Liverpool have strong competition for places currently in the middle of the park, though it would be intriguing to see who could make way if Rohl were to arrive at Anfield, potentially at the expense of arch-rivals Everton.