Stats highlight from Sri Lanka’s win against New Zealand in Chittagong

Shiva Jayaraman31-Mar-2014 Rangana Herath’s magnificent figures of 5 for 3 are the third best in T20 internationals. The top two also belong to Sri Lanka – Ajantha Mendis took 6 for 8 against Zimbabwe in the last World T20 and 6 for 16 against Australia in 2011. Before this game, Herath had played only six T20Is and taken six wickets at an average of 20.16 and an economy of 6.72. Herath’s five wickets cost him only three runs, an average of 0.60 apiece – the fourth best average for a five-wicket haul in international cricket and the best in T20 internationals. Across formats, the best average for a five-wicket haul belongs to Courtney Walsh who gave away just one run against Sri Lanka. Kane Williamson was the lone New Zealand batsman standing amid the mayhem, scoring 42 out the total of 60 – his 70% was the highest percentage contribution to a team’s total in a T20I. The record was previously held by David Warner, who scored 90 out of Australia’s 137 – 65.70% – also against Sri Lanka at the SCG in 2013. Charles Bannerman and Viv Richards hold the record for the highest percentage of runs in a completed innings in Tests and ODIs. New Zealand’s 60 is their lowest total in T20Is. Their previous lowest was 80 against Pakistan in 2010. New Zealand’s 59-run defeat is their third worst by margin of runs. For Sri Lanka, it is their fourth highest margin of victory. They hold the record for the biggest win in terms of runs – 172 against Kenya in the first World T20. The 59-run win is the highest margin for a team that set a target of 120 or less. The previous highest margin was Scotland’s 35 runs over Kenya in Aberdeen last year. Scotland had scored 113 and dismissed Kenya for 78 runs. Three of New Zealand’s top five batsmen – Brendon McCullum, Ross Taylor and Jimmy Neesham – were dismissed for ducks. It was only the eighth time that three or more batsmen in the top five fell without scoring. Sri Lanka’s 119 is their third lowest total batting first in T20 internationals. It was also only the fifth time that they were dismissed in the first innings of a T20I. Trent Boult’s 3 for 20 are his best bowling figures in T20Is. He was playing only his fifth match. He had taken three wickets for 125 runs at an average of 41.66 in his previous-four matches. Lasith Malinga – Sri Lanka’s stand-in captain – and Brendon McCullum were dismissed for a duck, the second time both captains had fallen without scoring in a T20I. The first instance involved Michael Vaughan and Ricky Ponting in the in 2005. New Zealand were 23 for 4 at the end of six overs – their third-worst Powerplay score in a T20 international. Their worst was also against Sri Lanka, in Lauderhill in 2010, when they were 17 for 5. New Zealand were on a similar score – 17 for 5 – against Pakistan too, in Christchurch in 2010.

da roleta： Following Harry Kane’s exit and Ange Postecoglou’s arrival last summer, Tottenham Hotspur have been undergoing something of a squad rebuild.

da dobrowin： The Australian has seen the likes of Giovani Lo Celso, Emerson Royal and Harry Winks leave the club, while talented stars like James Maddison, Archie Gray and Micky Van de Ven have come in.

However, while the squad is full of talented players who could help the Lilywhites end their extended trophy-drought, some are still not good enough.

In fact, one of those who should be moved on as soon as possible is earning more than Van de ven and Dejan Kulusevski combined.

Kulusevski and Van de Ven's salaries

Kulusevski officially joined Spurs from Juventus on a permanent deal for around £25m last summer after spending the previous 18 months on loan with the club, and while he can be inconsistent at times, he’s easily one of the most technically gifted players in the squad.

The Swedish international has made 101 appearances for the North Londoners since January 2022, in which he’s scored 15 goals and provided 11 assists, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 2.80 games, and in the last couple of matches, he’s been one of the few bright spots in the team.

So, it’s not all that surprising then that the 24-year-old is currently the club’s fifth-highest earner, making £110k-per-week, or a whopping £8.5m-per-year, which is a lot more than star defender Van de Ven.

The Dutchman joined the club last summer for a fee of around £34m from German side Wolfsburg, and to say he’s been a success in the year since would be an understatement.

The 23-year-old has become an integral part of Postecoglou’s ultra-attacking style of football, as, thanks to his lightning-quick pace, he’s capable of maintaining a high line and sprinting back to cover off danger.

However, for as indisputably crucial as he is to the North Londoners, he’s on a comparatively low wage – for a footballer, that is – of just £50k-per-week, which is around £2.6m.

That number is sure to increase over the coming seasons, but it will have to do so substantially to even match the wage of another Tottenham player who is far less important to the team.

Timo Werner's salary

Yes, the player in question is German forward Timo Werner, who first joined the club on a six-month loan spell in January, which, according to Sky Sports, cost the club around £4.3m in fees and wages.

Now, he wasn’t dreadful in those six months, but he wasn’t particularly impressive either, so when it was announced that the club had extended his loan for this season, it was a surprise, especially when it was revealed that they would be paying all of his wages and there was an £8.5m option to buy included.

However, based on the frankly enormous £165k-per-week he is earning, Postecoglou should not take that option, especially after a performance like the one against Coventry City on Wednesday night, in which he failed to register a single shot and was awarded a 2/10 from Spurs writer Alasdair Gold.

So far, when accounting for his wages and the initial fee, the former Chelsea flop has cost the Lilywhites a whopping £7.1m, which, when broken down by his 18 appearances, two goals and three assists, does not make for pretty reading.

For example, he’s cost Daniel Levy and Co £394k-per-appearance, £3.56m-per-goal, £2.36m-per-assist and £1.42m-per-goal-involvement – talk about value for money.

The finances of Timo Werner’s Tottenham Deal

Wages & Fee (Total)

£165k (£7.1m)

Appearances

18

Cost per Appearance

£394k

Goals

2

Cost per Goal

£3.56m

Assists

3

Cost per Assist

£2.36m

Goal Involvements

5

Cost per Goal Involvement

£1.42m

All Stats via Transfermarkt & All Wages via Football FanCast

Ultimately, while the club have signed worse players in the past, it’s impossible to ignore how much Werner has cost in relation to his output, especially as he is on more than Van de Ven and Kulusevski combined. Therefore, Postecoglou should axe him from his starting lineup, and the club should not activate the option to buy.

Related Ange must instantly drop 6/10 Spurs gem who lost the ball 13x vs Coventry

The talented youngster has a bright future ahead of him, but he’s not ready to start in the Premier League.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 19, 2024

أعرب الدولي المصري محمد صلاح لاعب فريق كرة القدم الأول بنادي ليفربول، عن سعادته بتحقيق لقب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وفاز ليفربول ببطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، متفوقًا على آرسنال في فارق النقاط، بعدما فاز بخماسية مقابل هدف على توتنهام بالجولة 34.

وقال محمد صلاح في تصريحات لشبكة “BBC” البريطانية، عقب المباراة: “كان الجميع ينتظر أن يُنهي كريستال بالاس الأمر بالفوز على آرسنال، لكنني تمنيت أن نحقق اللقب هنا، وهذا ما حدث”.

طالع أيضًا.. محمد صلاح يتغنى بـ سلوت في ليلة تتويج ليفربول: لم أعد مضطرًا للدفاع.. وهذا اللقب أفضل من 2020

وأضاف: ” لا يهم إن كنت قد سجلت هدفًا أم لا، ولكن التتويج باللقب في ملعب أنفيلد أمر لا يُصدق، الشعور رائع للغاية، لقد كانت المرة الأولى خلال فترة جائحة فيروس كورونا، والآن احتفلنا سويًا”.

وفسر محمد صلاح احتفاله بـ”السيلفي” مع جماهير أنفيلد: “في بداية الموسم كنت ألتقط صورًا بطريقة الـ”سيلفي” مع اللاعبين دائمًا، وفكرت قليلًا في الفكرة وكانت رائعة بأن ألتقط صورة مثل هذه مع الجماهير”.

وعن موسمه الرائع حتى الآن مع ليفربول، قال صلاح: “الفوز بالدوري الإنجليزي والأرقام التي حققتها أمرًا مُذهلاً بالنسبة لي، هذا اللقب يمنحني شعورًا خاصًا”.

وأوضح: “يورجن كلوب ليس هنا، ولاعبون آخرون أحترمهم كثيرًا ليسوا هنا أيضًا، ولكن تحقيق ذلك مع مدرب جديد وفريق جديد يُظهر قدراتي”.

واختتم: “سعيد للغاية بتجديد عقدي، وأعتقد أن الموسم المقبل والعام الذي يليه سيكونان رائعين بالتأكيد، علينا مواصلة العمل”.

Ravi Bishnoi overcame a nervy start on debut and then let rip his wrong’uns to give India a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series. He bowled four overs full of wrong’uns, according to ESPNcricinfo’s logs, to help India restrict West Indies to 157 for 7, despite Nicholas Pooran’s half-century.What could’ve been a challenging chase was initially made to look like small fry by Rohit Sharma who hit 40 of the 63 runs India had scored in the powerplay. However, the target looked a whole lot bigger once Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant all fell in quick succession. India were 114 for 4 in the 15th over at that point; they were also sweating over the fitness of Deepak Chahar, who had suffered a blow on his bowling hand while fielding. He didn’t return to bowl his final over.As it turned out, India didn’t need his batting either in the slog overs, with Suryakumar Yadav and Venkatesh Iyer absorbing the pressure and sealing victory.Spotlight on Bishnoi
Bhuvneshwar Kumar found swing in the early exchanges and had Brandon King spooning a catch to backward point for 4. Kyle Mayers, the other opener, however, regularly jumped out of his crease or across his stumps to give West Indies some early impetus. He backed away and laced Bhuvneshwar through the covers before swatting Harshal Patel over backward square leg.Yuzvendra Chahal cut short Mayers’ innings at 31 when he trapped him lbw in the seventh over. Chahal could have struck first ball had Bishnoi not misjudged a skier at the long-off boundary. Bishnoi stepped back on the skirting and ended up conceding a six.Bishnoi was introduced into the attack in the very next over and missed his lines, darting three wides. He hit his rhythm soon after, dismissing both Roston Chase and Rovman Powell in the next over.Chase missed a fizzing wrong’un and was pinned lbw while Powell holed out to long-on. Bishnoi, too, troubled Pooran, keeping him to eight off nine balls against his legbreaks googlies.Ravi Bishnoi earned the Player-of-the-match award on international debut•BCCI

Pooran revives West Indies
Like Bishnoi, Pooran, too, had a scrappy start and was on 17 off 19 balls at one stage. He finally broke free when he clattered a pull over the square-leg boundary off Chahal. Pooran was particularly severe on the legspinner, taking him for 26 off a mere 12 balls, including three sixes. He reached his fifty off 38 balls when he carved Chahal through backward point for four.Kieron Pollard, who had recovered sufficiently from the knee niggle that had forced him out of the last two ODIs, also did his bit, scoring an unbeaten 24 off 19 balls. He had slid down the order to deny India’s wristspinners a favourable match-up. Instead, Akeal Hosein was bumped up to No.6, but he could manage just 10 off 12 balls. Nevertheless, Pooran and Pollard hauled West Indies closer to 160.The storm and the calm
Rohit went on a boundary-hitting spree in the powerplay, using the hardness of the new ball and quickness of the outfield to his advantage. After whipping Romario Shepherd for six and pulling Sheldon Cottrell for four, he cranked up the tempo against Odean Smith, going 4,6,4,6.It was Chase’s offspin that delivered West Indies the breakthrough and slowed down India. He first had Rohit caught at the midwicket boundary before getting Kishan too. Kishan had been the tortoise to Rohit’s hare, labouring to 35 off 42 balls.Kishan’s wicket triggered a mini-collapse as India lost 3 for 21. Chase bowled into the pitch and despite the onset of dew later in the evening, he extracted some turn and bounce to unsettle India. However, the left-arm spinners Hosein and Fabian Allen released all the pressure at the other end.Suryakumar and Venkatesh cashed in, putting on an unbroken 48 off 26 balls and leaving West Indies still searching for their first win on this tour.

MatériaMais Notícias

da dobrowin： O CRB volta a campo no meio da semana pela Segunda Divisão e o adversário será o Novorizontino, fora de casa.

– VEJA A TABELA DA SÉRIE B

Para sair de campo com os três pontos, o Galo aposta no atacante Vico, que prevê um jogo equilibrado na casa do Tigre.

‘A gente terá uma missão difícil pela frente contra o Novorizontino. É um jogo complicado, diante de uma equipe forte em casa. Precisamos ter ritmo forte e muita eficiência durante os noventa minutos para sairmos com a vitória. Nossa ideia é buscar os três pontos nesta partida, que é muito importante para todos aqui’.

Segundo Vico, o grupo tem um objetivo para as próximas rodadas: iniciar uma série de vitórias na segundona.

‘O que a gente tem buscado é essa sequência positiva na competição. O grupo sabe que tem potencial para isso e vai lutar muito para vencer essas próximas partidas’.

RelacionadasPonte PretaFabricio que vitória da Ponte Preta em cima do GuaraniPonte Preta03/05/2022Futebol NacionalMarco Túlio projeta sequência positiva do CSA na Série BFutebol Nacional03/05/2022ChapecoensePerotti fala sobre trabalho de Gilson Kleina e projeta encontro com BrusqueChapecoense03/05/2022

England captain and vice-captain will instead play the County Championship in preparation for a Test series against New Zealand

Matt Roller17-Jan-2022Ben Stokes has joined Joe Root in deciding not to enter the auction for the 2022 edition of the IPL, with England’s Test captain and vice-captain instead set to prepare for the first Test of their home summer against New Zealand by playing in the County Championship.Root said last week that he was weighing up whether or not to put his name forward for the auction for only the second time, after going unsold in 2018, and confirmed after the Hobart Test that he had opted against it.”There’s a lot that we need to do for this [Test] team, which deserves all of my energy,” Root said. “I’ll keep sacrificing as much as I can because I care so much about Test cricket in our country and trying to get us to where we want to be.”While Root, who has not played a T20 international since May 2019, was by no means guaranteed to win a contract at the auction, Stokes was significantly more likely to do so. He was the IPL’s MVP in 2017 playing for Rising Pune Supergiant, and was the most expensive player at the 2018 mega auction, signing an INR 12.5 crore (£1.4 million approx.) deal with Rajasthan Royals.ESPNcricinfo understands that franchises are not expecting Stokes to enter the auction before the deadline, which has been pushed back to January 20. Chris Silverwood, England’s under-fire head coach, said he was “not 100 percent sure yet,” whether Stokes would enter: “I’ve got an inclination but I’ll let him tell you [the media],” he added.Stokes broke a finger while dropping a catch in the deep in his only appearance in the 2021 IPL, an injury which limited his availability for the rest of the year and prompted a break from the game on mental-health grounds after he had attempted to make a comeback ahead of schedule.He declared himself available for the 2021-22 Ashes series, but made 236 runs in 10 innings and took four wickets at 71.50, playing as a specialist batter in the final Test after injuring his side at the SCG. He is expected to be part of the squad for the three-match series against West Indies in the Caribbean in March, and England’s schedule for the 2022 summer and 2022-23 is relentless for multi-format players.Moeen Ali (Chennai Super Kings) and Jos Buttler (Rajasthan Royals) were the only Englishmen retained by their franchises before next month’s mega auction in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13, with the Royals opting to retain Buttler – along with Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal – ahead of Stokes.Dates for the 2022 IPL are yet to be confirmed but any England players selected for the first Test against New Zealand on June 2 are expected to be withdrawn before the knockout stages in order to prepare for the three-match series.The ECB came in for widespread criticism last year after resting players who had recently returned from India for the two-Test series against New Zealand, though the series – which was not part of the World Test Championship – had been a late addition to the schedule, when players had already made guarantees about their availability for the IPL.Mark Wood has entered the auction but said before the Hobart Test that he was weighing up whether or not to withdraw as he did in 2021, while Jonny Bairstow and Ollie Pope are both expected to put their names forward. Leading white-ball players like Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone and Eoin Morgan are among the names expected to be up for sale.Jofra Archer, the 2020 MVP while playing for Royals, is unlikely to be part of the auction as he continues his rehab from a long-term elbow injury. A full list of players will be circulated to franchises at the end of this week.

There will be an urge to point fingers but it is more important to help other young players who face the same temptations as those that caused Tom Maynard’s death

George Dobell28-Feb-2013Spike Milligan used to tell a story about his experience of mental illness. The comedian suffered bouts of depression and told a tale of lying in bed alone and crying uncontrollably. On one occasion, as he did so, he noticed his young daughter slowly walking towards him with her arms outstretched and offering a glass of water. She knew it wouldn’t help, but she wanted to try and couldn’t think of anything else to offer.For some reason it was the story that came to mind when reflecting on cricket’s reaction to the death of Tom Maynard. As the game in England and Wales reels from the loss and the subsequent revelations, it is looking for answers and solutions and, some at least, are keen to find someone to blame.There isn’t a neat solution, though. There are no easy answers and, while this episode might remind some of the dangers of drink and drugs, few could claim they have never heard these lessons before. It would be simplistic to state that cricket has a problem with drink and drugs. It is a society-wide problem that is bound to be reflected in a game which draws its participants from that society. To think that cricket can provide the answers is naive.Looking for someone to blame is fruitless, too. While some indirectly involved may torture themselves with hindsight and retrospection, they may conclude that this was, in essence, just a terrible accident. It has already claimed several victims: Tom Maynard, his family and friends, the train driver and the police officers involved among them. It doesn’t need any more.
Nothing and no-one can ensure there will be no repeat. For all the good work and good intentions of the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) – the players’ union – the ECB and the counties, there is no way of protecting all players from all the dangers of society. Perhaps more pertinently, there is no way of protecting them from themselves.And that’s they key issue here. While some claim a young Surrey squad was given too long a leash and an unhealthy culture of drinking was allowed to develop, the truth is young men have always pushed the boundaries in search of fun. Rarely does it come back and bite quite as hard. Now, with players paid more at a younger age – in some cases, before they are ready for it – perhaps the temptations are greater than ever.Ultimately, there is no getting away from the sad conclusion that Maynard made a series of judgement errors – the sort of errors many of us make at some stage or another – and paid the harshest penalty. He knew he should not take illegal drugs; he knew he should not drive after drinking; he knew he should not run from the police. It is not Surrey’s fault that he ignored those truisms. He was young, certainly, but old enough to take responsibility for his actions. Neither his club nor his friends could be expected to provide round the clock care.Those who suggest the Tom Maynard Trust – the Trust set up in his name to offer opportunities to disadvantaged young sportspeople – will suffer for the revelations about his drink and drug use are missing the point. The fact that Maynard succumbed to such temptation simply underlines the need for more education, for greater awareness and for more opportunities for those at risk. If the Trust can prevent others from making the same mistake – and it surely can – it will have performed a highly valuable function. The next generation of sportsmen need to be aware of the mistakes the likes of Maynard and the footballer Paul Gascoigne have made with a view to avoiding them. Perhaps just a little good might yet come from this awful case.There are some signs that the game now takes a more enlightened view towards drink and drugs. When Paul Smith, suffering from seizures and blackouts, was revealed to have a drug problem in 1997, the ECB responded by banning him from all levels of cricket. From standing on the Lord’s balcony celebrating a Man of the Match award and Warwickshire’s sixth trophy within three seasons, he lost everything. He lost his employment, his home, his family and spent time sleeping rough. At one stage he went for more than a week without food.”I needed help and they gave me a punishment,” Smith, now very much back on his feet, told ESPNcricinfo. “I wanted a doctor and they gave me Gerard Elias,” the QC who for years fronted the ECB’s disciplinary panels and took a notoriously tough approach to drug-related transgressions. To be fair to him and the ECB, Smith was offered a little help alongside the ban, but it was hardly adequate for a man who confesses he was “never more than 30 minutes” from drugs for several years.

“Surrey are a much altered club. Recognising a need for greater maturity in the dressing room, they have signed a coterie of experienced professionals in order to provide stability, leadership and an example to their young players”

The current approach is not only kinder, it is more realistic. County players found to have taken recreational drugs in out-of-competition testing no longer face an automatic ban. Instead they will receive counselling. The emphasis is very much on helping rather than punishing and encourages those affected – or their friends and team-mates – to seek help without the fear that it could result in a career-defining ban. A game that once tried to look the other way at least now acknowledges it has a problem.The message needs reinforcing, though. It was revealing that Jade Dernbach was under the mistaken impression at the inquest that anyone found to have taken recreational drugs would suffer an immediate ban. The players have to be made aware that there is non-judgemental help available. Perhaps, if Maynard had known that, things may have been different.Things are changing for the better. Even as this article is being written, a batch of new county professionals are receiving advice from the PCA on the dangers of drink, drugs and gambling at an Edgbaston seminar. Angus Porter, the chief executive of the PCA, remarked during a lull in the Maynard inquest that gambling unrelated to cricket was quickly emerging as the greatest concern to his association.Meanwhile the PCA is urging the ECB to extend the incentive scheme – whereby clubs are rewarded for fielding younger, England-qualified players – by two years, to benefit those attending MCCUs (the six universities affiliated to the MCC which allow young people to continue their education while benefiting from excellent cricket facilities and coaching). The current system, it is argued, disincentives young players from gaining a university education as, by the time they leave, they are approaching the threshold where the counties receive no funding for their selection. One of the downsides of 12-month contracts in the county game is the fact that players have less opportunity to learn transferable skills for their life after cricket. Anything that eases that transition has to be sensible.The PCA and ECB are keen to see greater drug testing, too. The evidence of the Maynard incident would suggest that testing is not the deterrent it might be and, while there has been a recent emphasis on combating depression, the game may have as much of an issue with decadence. It is worth noting, too, that when Warwickshire – unsettled by a succession of drug problems – attempted to bring in their own testing system in 2005, it was the PCA that blocked them. The world and the PCA have changed a great deal since those days.Surrey, in particular, are a much altered club. A year ago Surrey, recently promoted and crowned CB40 champions, had recovered a bit of the strut that had once characterised their style. They were a vibrant club with a golden future, stuffed with brilliant young cricketers enjoying life on and off the pitch. It all seems rather innocent in retrospect.They have a different feel now. Wiser, perhaps; sadder, certainly. Recognising a need for greater maturity in the dressing room, Surrey have signed a coterie of highly experienced professionals – including Graeme Smith as captain – in order to provide stability, leadership and an example to the young players who remain. A different culture will be instilled. Plan A, which included the appointment of a 22-year-old captain, was not a complete failure, but there is no getting away from the fact that it ended in disaster.Surrey have felt the effects most profoundly but Maynard’s case is unlikely to be isolated•Getty ImagesChris Adams, Surrey’s director of cricket, has admitted he has asked himself over and over whether he could have done anything differently. Perhaps, in retrospect, there were warning signs: Maynard had been hit by a car while out drinking in Brighton about 10 days prior to his death but, while the club disciplined him, there was no suggestion of a drug issue or a habitual drinking problem. Maynard’s form was good and it was his first disciplinary setback at the club.”I have looked at what I did and asked myself many times could I have managed the player differently and could we have known,” Adams told the . “But there is absolutely no way on earth I think we could spot the signs of social drugs use to this level.”I can 100 percent guarantee that there was no partying culture at Surrey. We have 23 professionals on our staff and the majority of those players are outstanding individuals who live good lives. We are aware we had a small minority group last year that away from cricket were getting entrapped into the pitfalls of London life and it is our responsibility now to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”Whether they have embraced the extent of the problem remains unclear. Surrey’s chief executive, Richard Gould, said he was satisfied that Maynard’s drug use was a “one-off” at The Oval, though it is hard to share his optimism. Certainly it was notable that none of the witnesses at the inquest claimed to be aware that Maynard had ever taken illegal substances. Cocaine and ecstasy are social drugs. The fear remains that others are wrestling with similar lifestyles issues that require help.

Plays of the Day from the third ODI between Zimbabwe and India in Harare

Liam Brickhill at the Harare Sports Club28-Jul-2013The catchIn the second match, Virat Kohli stood his ground after chipping a low catch to Malcolm Waller at mid-on. Though Waller claimed the catch, it took a second look from the television umpire to send Kohli on his way. Today, Kohli’s opposite number Brendan Taylor was the one to stand his ground. Taylor had attempted to clear mid-off with a lofted drive, but toe-ended the shot to present Mohammad Shami with a tough chance. The fielder managed to get a couple of fingers underneath the ball above the turf, but Taylor stayed at the wicket until several replays, from multiple angles, confirmed his dismissal.The shotZimbabwe’s No. 9 Tendai Chatara had batted twice in ODIs before this match, without ever scoring a run. Today, he was off the mark with four of them, thanks to an overthrow, and played the shot of the innings in the 40th over when he hooked an attempted bouncer from Vinay Kumar over deep square leg for six to give the home side’s supporters something to cheer about.The googlyAmit Mishra has taken nine wickets in three matches so far, and six of them have come via the googly. Brendan Taylor has suggested that his team-mates can pick the variation, though some apparently pick it better than others. Waller has fallen twice to the delivery, and today he was nipped out first ball by one that spun back in past his poking bat to strike his pads in front of middle stump. His dismissal left Mishra on a hat-trick, but for the second time in two matches an Indian bowler was denied that milestone.The debutantZimbabwe never had much chance of defending 183 on a benign surface, but debutant Michael Chinouya didn’t look like he was going to let a heavy defeat completely ruin his first day of international cricket. Chinouya was given some consolation with the wicket of Rohit Sharma, caught behind, as his first and after the edge was pouched, he set off on a John Cena-inspired celebratory run, waving four fingers in front of his face as he was mobbed by his team-mates.The white flagThe match ended in a flurry of boundaries, particularly off the bat of Virat Kohli, but it was Suresh Raina who hit the winning runs for India. Kohli had levelled the scores with a single to square leg off Tendai Chatara, who then offered Raina the friendliest of leg-stump half-volleys. If anything, Brian Vitori’s fielding effort at fine leg was even friendlier. He raised the white flag by trotting half-heartedly after the ball and escorting it to the boundary without a thought of a dive. The ball trickled over the rope, and with that the series was India’s.

Wolverhampton Wanderers face yet another difficult task in the Premier League this weekend as they seek their first three points of the season.

Gary O’Neil’s men have been given a poor draw when it comes to fixtures, taking on Arsenal, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and now Liverpool in the opening six games.

If they can somehow come away from the clash against the Anfield side with a point or better, then the Old Gold can start to look forward in a more positive way.

O’Neil could make a few changes for the clash, with Jorgen Strand Larsen potentially dropping to the bench this weekend.

Jorgen Strand Larsen’s game in numbers vs Villa

The on-loan striker has scored just once for the Molineux side but was given the task of leading the line against Villa last weekend.

Despite taking the lead, Wolves suffered a 3-1 loss, but Larsen didn’t play too badly. During the match, he attempted two shots, won four of his six aerial duels and lost possession just twice – albeit while touching the ball on just 12 occasions.

All he needs now is to turn these performances into goals, then his confidence will soon begin to soar.

For the Liverpool clash, however, could O’Neil mix things up slightly and choose someone who has already found the back of the net for the club this term?

Goncalo Guedes has already netted three times since returning from a loan spell at Villarreal, although they have come in the EFL Cup.

Why Goncalo Guedes should be unleashed by O’Neil

The manager has unleashed the Portuguese gem in both cup games so far. Along with his three goals, he has also created a big chance, averaged 1.5 key passes per game and has taken four shots per match, underlining how impressive he has been in front of goal.

The £27m signing from Valencia in 2022 hasn’t exactly enjoyed the best of times in the Midlands, yet it looks as though O’Neil is set to give him a chance to showcase his talents this term.

Journalist Andy Brassell lavished praise on the player when he was signed, saying: “For Wolves I think Guedes will be absolutely fantastic, they need that little bit of extra bang up front, maybe they could be in a bit of trouble if they’re not scoring goals.

“He’s someone who can play as a striker or as a winger, lightning quick, on his day as good as it gets.”

The key for Guedes now is to ensure he delivers decent performances in the Premier League when called upon.

His display against Brighton in the cup could well see him secure a start against Liverpool, but he will need to back this up.

Goals

1

Assists

0

Key passes

2

Total shots

4

Touches

32

Possession lost

12

Wolves aren’t quite in trouble, yet. But they will need to pick up points soon, otherwise O’Neil could come under some pressure.

Their fixtures have been tough, no doubt about it, but this is a team that beat Chelsea twice and Manchester City last term. The next few weeks could be interesting indeed.

Wolves wanted to sign "unplayable" star for £21m, now he's worth £103m

Wolves wanted “super” striker, who’s now worth five times the amount

ByConnor Holden Sep 27, 2024

Australia’s chairman of selectors George Bailey doesn’t subscribe to the theory that a small group of players and staff were key to Justin Langer’s departure as head coach while Usman Khawaja believes Test captain Pat Cummins or limited-overs captain Aaron Finch needs to answer some questions to end the speculation.The current Australian players and staff have been conspicuous in their collective silence in the days following Langer’s resignation on Saturday morning.Related

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Alex Carey and Khawaja were the first players to do any media appearances, with both men speaking in the lead-up to the restart of the Sheffield Shield season on Friday, while Bailey spoke following the announcement of Australia’s 18-man Test squad to tour Pakistan.Bailey said he was consulted by Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley and head of national teams Ben Oliver about Langer’s position but he did not believe the accusations that a “faceless few” individuals had been key to the coach not getting a long-term contract were accurate.”I was consulted,” Bailey said. “I’m led to believe that it was a very, very broad consultation. It went wide. Again, I’ve been consulted back since the middle of last year,” Bailey said.”I don’t subscribe to the fact that there was individuals that were key to making the decision.”Bailey also thought Langer’s apology in his letter of resignation was unnecessary.”In JL’s letter that he apologised for being too intense, I mean, I don’t think that’s something he had to apologise for,” Bailey said. “One if he felt that way, but two, I don’t think he was too intense.”A number of ex-Australia players, many of them Langer’s former teammates, have rebuked the current playing group in the media following the coach’s resignation. Bailey encouraged many of them to reach out if they had any concerns about the inner workings of the Australian team.”It’s hard as a past player to keep your finger completely on the pulse of what’s going on within the team,” Bailey said. “A lot of their opinions can be based on hearsay and second and third-hand information. So I would always encourage those players to reach out and get a good understanding of what’s happening.”Khawaja said he wasn’t consulted on the coach’s contract and noted he had not been around the team during the India Test series last summer and the West Indies and Bangladesh limited-overs tours last winter where issues between Langer and the players had bubbled to the surface. But he urged Cummins and Finch to address the issue.”I think at some stage one of the captains, probably Finchy or Patty will probably have to stand up and answer some questions just to get rid of all the speculation that’s going around and to just put an end to it all,” Khawaja said.Both Khawaja and Bailey said they had contacted Langer since his resignation. Both praised the departed coach for bringing humility back to Australia’s men’s cricket team.”One thing that I do love JL for, what I feel he bought back into Australia was humility,” Khawaja said. “I felt like he brought humility back in the Australian cricket team. You talk about legacy, for me, that’s one thing that he’s left behind. Because I know what we were playing like before he was coach, and I know what we were playing like after he became coach. So I haven’t said that to him yet. So I’m saying it to you guys.”Bailey added a similar sentiment recalling Langer’s first day on the job.”Funnily enough through a bit of a quirk of fate, and I can’t remember why it was, but I was actually present in Brisbane the day that JL first spoke to the Australian group when he took on the role,” Bailey said.”I sort of feel like I was there for day one of the journey despite coming on in this role halfway through. But I vividly remember his two points that day. He wanted the team to earn respect with Australians and he wanted to develop great cricketers and great people. And I think he has absolutely done that. I think the team have done that. JL has done that. The staff around the team have done that.”