MatériaMais Notícias

da betway： Ao longo da convocação da Seleção Brasileira para partida diante do Marrocos, Ednaldo Pereira foi questionado sobre as polêmicas de arbitragem no jogo entre Sergipe x Botafogo pela Copa do Brasil. O presidente da CBF revelou que não assistiu ao duelo, mas afirmou que se reunirá com Seneme para analisar os acontecimentos. Assista ao vídeo acima.

– O Seneme e sua comissão técnica têm procurado fazer sempre um trabalho de excelência. Eu tenho certeza que é um ponto isolado em relação a aquilo que a arbitragem vem apresentando. Eu particularmente não vi o jogo, mas soube de todos os acontecimentos. Estou aqui na convocação e, durante o dia, vou ter uma reunião com o Seneme afirmou Ednaldo.

RelacionadasFora de CampoRizek detona arbitragem de partida entre Botafogo e Sergipe: ‘Um vexame absurdo’Fora de Campo03/03/2023Fora de CampoPC Oliveira minimiza polêmica dos acréscimos na partida entre Sergipe e BotafogoFora de Campo03/03/2023Fora de Campo‘Difícil justificar tanto acréscimo’, diz Mauro Cezar após Sergipe x BotafogoFora de Campo02/03/2023

da esoccer bet： +Após início positivo, sistema defensivo do Botafogo apresenta fragilidades

– Eu respeito o posicionamento dos atletas e dirigentes. No momento eloquente de uma partida, eu procuro respeitar. Depois, avaliar aquilo que possa ser uma situação de resposta para CBF. O atleta está de cabeça quente. Eu prefiro dar pelo menos 48 horas para que a pessoa possa refletir. Não se combate violência com violência – completou.

Os oito minutos de acréscimos aplicados por Braulio da Silva Machado no segundo tempo geraram muita repercussão. Depois do jogo, dirigentes e torcedores colorados agrediram o árbitroe precisaram ser contidos por policiais. Durante uma entrevista na beira do gramado, Dida, goleiro do Sergipe, chamou a CBF de “vergonha”.

Com gol de Adryelson aos 54 minutos do segundo tempo, Botafogo empatou com Sergipe e se classificou para segunda fase da Copa do Brasil. O time de Luís Castro entra em campo no próximo domingo, diante do Resende, às 16h, no Espirito Santo, pelo Campeonato Carioca.

The 15-year-old became the second-youngest player in Premier League history this past season, putting some of Europe's big hitters on notice

England's prolific conveyor belt of attacking talent is showing no signs of slowing down production, with Leicester City prodigy Jeremy Monga the latest youngster primed to shine on the biggest stage – either on home soil or abroad. Just , the winger has seemingly nailed down a place in the Foxes' first-team squad, and now the sky is the limit.

A fearless, mesmeric and technical dribbler with the end product to match, Monga's exploits across his budding career to date belie his young years – and some of Europe's big hitters are already sitting up and taking notice as his contract ticks down, including Chelsea, Manchester City and Real Madrid.

Leicester have a fight on their hands to keep hold of one of the gems of their academy, but it's one they might just win in the short-term. Here's everything you need to know about England's latest wonderkid…

GettyWhere it all began

Still only 15 years old, suffice to say Monga's rise has been rapid. Born in Coventry in July 2009, he began his football journey at his hometown club before being poached by local rivals Leicester City aged just eight.

Clearly earmarked for his elite potential from a very young age, at 14 Monga was already getting minutes with the Foxes' Under-18s in the 2023-24 season and was part of the team that triumphed in the U16 Premier League Cup at Man City's expense.

Running his peers ragged, a fast start to 2024-25 – including four goal involvements in three games – propelled the teenager into the U21s and subsequently consideration for the first team. His strike against Aston Villa's development squad in early November 2024 saw him become the youngest goal-scorer in the history of the Premier League 2.

AdvertisementAFPThe big break

Ruud van Nistelrooy's appointment later the same month set Monga on course for a first-team debut. "The first thing I did [when I arrived] here was look at the Under-21s, at the Under-18s, getting them into first-team training and seeing them," the Dutchman said previously. "When players are good enough the age doesn't matter to me, and they can help the team."

Although the teenager had only been able to train once or twice a week as he continued to attend school in preparation for his GCSEs, he was included in Leicester's squad for the FA Cup fourth-round defeat to Manchester United in February before being handed his Premier League debut two months later – emerging off the bench against Newcastle aged 15 years and 271 days to become the second-youngest player in the competition's history after Arsenal's Ethan Nwaneri.

Such is his youth, he wasn't even allowed to wear the club's gambling sponsor on his shirt per league rules. Despite his side already being 3-0 down, Monga was greeted by a huge roar – a reflection of the excitement his emergence at the East Midlands club has generated.

"Today, we felt it was the moment to bring him on, to let him have his debut," Van Nistelrooy said afterwards. "You could see glimpses of his great qualities. He's a great winger and has speed. He's a fantastic talent, a great boy."

Reflecting on that moment in a club interview, Monga said: "It was crazy. It was a crazy experience. At first, obviously I was nervous and then when I got onto the pitch all the nerves went away. I just had to switch on. I feel like I done alright, could have done better. Obviously, always room for improvement."

Getty Images SportHow it's going

True to his word, Van Nistelrooy continued to afford the young winger minutes in the remainder of the season, with Monga's thrilling cameos a thin silver lining after Leicester's relegation was confirmed by a defeat to Liverpool later in April.

The 15-year-old featured in each of the Foxes' final six games of their doomed Premier League campaign, suggesting he will be a firm part of the first-team picture going forward despite the uncertainty surrounding the current head coach's future, after the former Manchester United striker failed to arrest a long slide towards the Championship trapdoor.

Monga almost bagged a dream first senior goal in the form of a late winner in the 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest in May, but his curling long-range strike was just about palmed away by Matz Sels.

With the season now over, though, Monga's mind will now be on the classroom rather than the football pitch as he attempts to focus on his GCSEs against he backdrop of his career really taking off. At international level, the teen is actually still playing in his age grade, but with seven goal contributions in nine games since his England U16 debut in August, it feels like a matter of time before he is bumped up.

Getty Images SportBiggest strengths

Monga's most significant attribute is undoubtedly his dribbling ability. The winger combines lightning-quick feet and intelligent decision-making with upper-body strength that belies his tender age to leave defenders in his wake.

At just 15, YouTube is already littered with clips of the precocious youngster breezing past his marker and turning full-backs inside-out with footwork and body feints. Monga is also two-footed, meaning he's versatile enough to play on either flank or as a No.10 behind the striker if required.

But he isn't just an elite ball-carrier – he boasts end product, too. The teenager has already demonstrated in his budding career that he can produce in the final third, ending 2024-25 with 10 goal involvements in 28 appearances at club level, not counting the seven he racked up for his country.

Beyond that, he is clearly grounded. After his Premier League bow, his deputy head teacher at Ratcliffe College in Leicester, James Rainer, said: "Jeremy’s debut is an incredibly proud moment for all of us at Ratcliffe. Jeremy’s humility makes this achievement all the more deserved."

da jogodeouro： Believe it or not, Liverpool are set to make some signings in the transfer market this summer, strengthening Arne Slot’s side ahead of his second season.

da luck： The hope is that, in three months time, Liverpool will be gearing up to defend their Premier League title, 12 points clear at the summit as they are. However, dropped levels in recent fixtures have made a firm comment on the need for reinforcements, especially up front.

Liverpool’s Frontline in 2025 (all comps)

#

Apps (starts)

Goals

Assists

Mohamed Salah

17 (17)

12

5

Cody Gakpo

13 (9)

5

1

Luis Diaz

18 (15)

1

2

Diogo Jota

14 (9)

2

1

Darwin Nunez

16 (4)

3

4

Federico Chiesa

5 (2)

2

1

Data via Transfermarkt

The frontline just hasn’t been firing as expected since the turn of the calendar year, but it’s not just forwards on FSG’s mind. Indeed, Liverpool have learned the conditions for one of their top summer targets and talks are being held.

Liverpool learn conditions for top target

As per The Times, Liverpool have been informed that it will take a fee worth £45m to convince Bournemouth to part ways with left-back Milos Kerkez this summer.

Kerkez, 21, has been one of the standout full-backs in the Premier League this season and is looking to move on at the end of the season, with Liverpool among the frontrunners for his signature.

Caught Offside have also chipped in to reveal that Liverpool have opened talks with the Hungarian’s representatives ahead of the summer market, looking to get ahead as a swarm of European clubs – including Arsenal and the dreaded Real Madrid – also register interest.

Why Liverpool must sign Kerkez

Liverpool need to freshen up their left-back zone this summer, one of the weaker points of Slot’s squad. Kerkez is young and hungry and fearsome in his approach, and while he would shore up the backline, he’d also add plenty to the attacking fluency.

Just imagine, for example, if Liverpool succeed in their pursuit of Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, interest confirmed by The Athletic.

Isak would certainly mark an upgrade on Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota, both flagging, bringing an incredible multi-facetedness that has led pundit Ally McCoist to hail him as “the best all-round centre-forward” in the Premier League.

Criticism around Andy Robertson has maybe been a little harsh this term, but there’s little question that the 31-year-old is on the decline, having failed to register a single goal involvement, also averaging just 0.1 dribbles per game, as per Sofascore.

Meanwhile, Kerkez is thriving for Andoni Iraola’s Cherries, posting two goals and five assists in the Premier League while charging up and down the wing with tireless energy.

As per FBref, Kerkez’s creativity has led him to rank among the top 10% of full-backs in the Premier League this term for assists per 90.

He’s a “machine” – according to pundit Izzy Christiansen – and would be a dream for Isak, adding energy and impetus that has sadly passed the aging Robertson by, supercharging the left flank.

By driving into the danger area with frightening regularity, whipping in delicious crosses and bypassing hapless opponents, the Hungary international could be the perfect creative muse for Isak – especially if Trent Alexander-Arnold leaves for Real Madrid this summer.

Isak is an incredibly prolific striker, but his movement and intelligence make for an all-embracing wheelhouse that would feed directly into Kerkez’s strengths.

If both players sign for the Reds this summer, fans should get very excited indeed.

Related Nunez 2.0: Liverpool plot bid for Isak alternative who's "the next Mbappe"

Liverpool are getting ready to sign a new top-level striker in the transfer market this summer.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Mar 31, 2025

كسر البرازيلي نيمار دا سيلفا، صمته بشأن استبعاده من قائمة منتخب بلاده المستدعاة من المدير الفني كارلو أنشيلوتي، لفترة التوقف الدولي بشهر سبتمبر الجاري.

ويخوض منتخب البرازيل مباراتين في إطار تصفيات أمريكا الجنوبية المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026 ، حيث يلاقي تشيلي وبوليفيا.

واستبعد أنشيلوتي عدة لاعبين من القائمة، مثل نيمار ورباعي ريال مدريد، فينيسيوس جونيور، رودريجو جوس، إندريك، وإيدير ميليتاو.

وأوضح أنشيلوتي أن قرار استبعاد نيمار بسبب الحالة البدنية للاعب بعد الإصابة التي تعرض لها مؤخرًا، وهو ما قام اللاعب بنفيه لاحقًا.

وأدلى نيمار بتصريحات عقب المشاركة في مباراة فريقه سانتوس أمام فلومينينسي التي انتهت بتعادل سلبي.

اقرأ أيضًا | أنشيلوتي بعد استبعاد مهاجم ريال مدريد من قائمة البرازيل: يمكنه الاتصال بي لمعرفة السبب

وقال نيمار في تصريحات لوسائل الإعلام عقب اللقاء، نشرتها شبكة “سي إن إن برازيل”، بشأن إصابته: “كان تورمًا في العضلة المقربة، كان انزعاجًا بسيطًا في الواقع، لكنه لم يكن أمرًا خطيرًا”.

وأضاف: “لقد لعبت اليوم، لم أكن أنوي اللعب ضد باهيا على أي حال، لذلك قرروا إبعادي عن التدريبات لأتمكن من التعافي”.

وتابع بشأن استبعاده من قائمة البرازيل: “أعتقد أنني كنت غائبًا لأسباب فنية، لا علاقة للأمر بحالتي البدنية، إنه رأي المدرب، وأنا أحترمه، بما أنني غائب، عليّ فقط تشجيع منتخبنا الوطني وآمل أن يلعبوا بشكل جيد”.

The Daniel Levy era at Tottenham Hotspur has been a total rollercoaster, one that’s not just been encapsulated by years of mediocrity on the pitch, but their dealings off the pitch too.

While their recruitment is getting better, notably preparing for the future by bringing the likes of Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and highly-rated defender Luka Vuskovic to the club, they have still wasted several hundreds of millions on players who simply haven’t cut it.

In recent years we’re talking about the likes of £60m Richarlison, £25m Yves Bissouma, £25m Emerson Royal and £55m Giovani Lo Celso.

One of the worst, however, was the ill-fated Tanguy Ndombele move.

Why Ndombele's Spurs move was such a disaster

The year was 2019 and the month was July. It was the summer window and Levy knew he needed to spend to take Spurs to the next level.

Spend he did, splashing out a club-record fee at the time of £55m on Ndombele. The Frenchman arrived from Lyon with some suggesting he was the dream replacement for the much-loved Mousa Dembele.

You could see why such a comparison was being made. Ndombele was a powerful carrier, his technical ability was first-class and he could affect games in both boxes.

He moved from Ligue 1 having scored three goals and supplied eight assists in the 2018/19 campaign. The Frenchman – capped seven times – never replicated those numbers in the white of Spurs, however.

In fact, across 91 outings for the club, he only amassed nine assists and netted ten goals. He wasn’t explicitly signed for his ability to contribute in the final third but for the price tag and the hype, you’d expect better.

So, why did it not work out? Well, not only did he suffer from injuries, missing several games through a groin problem, but he didn’t particularly work hard enough. That was the view of many people, chiefly Jose Mourinho.

“We had to start with him as a No 10,” the former Spurs boss explained. “He didn’t have the discipline, the strength or the stamina to be a midfield player.”

2019/20

29

2

4

2020/21

46

6

4

2021/22

16

2

1

One training ground source encapsulated it perfectly. Speaking to the Athletic, they said at the time: “Tanguy is the maverick of the team, he can do stuff that nobody else can do. Incredibly talented, incredible ability, just sometimes you just want to be like, ‘Tanguy you’re so good, just do the basics’.”

Well, after never really making the grade in north London, he finally left England behind in June 2024 when his contract was cancelled.

Chalkboard

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

Spurs haven’t exactly done great things in the market since then, and that’s typified by Timo Werner’s move.

Spurs' worst signing since Ndombele

While the likes of Richarlison, Lo Celso and Bissouma – all signing since Ndombele – haven’t exactly set the world alight, they have at least made positive contributions.

The Brazilian scored 12 goals in all competitions last term, while Lo Celso had some memorable moments, netting against Manchester City in 2023/24 and playing an important role in the team through the middle stages of Ange Postecoglou’s debut year at the helm.

However, for Werner, he hasn’t had many memorable moments at all. While Ndombele is certainly the worst of the bunch, the German has flopped in a similar way.

Of course, being a loan move, there hasn’t been a whole wad of cash wasted here but if anything has been wasted, it’s time and effort to get a deal over the line.

The former Chelsea attacker initially signed in January of 2024 on loan and did make an impact in the back end of that season, scoring twice and supplying three assists in 13 outings.

As a consequence, his loan move in England was extended over the summer, keeping him at the club until the end of the current campaign. Sadly, it just hasn’t been worthwhile.

The £165k-per-week earner has only scored once all campaign – a goal in the Carabao Cup – and has three assists in the Premier League.

The nadir of his time at the club was definitely against Tamworth in the FA Cup back in January. Spurs nearly lost the game and Werner notably underperformed with podcaster and content creator Will Reyner suggesting “he looks comfortably the worst player on the pitch against a non-league side.” Damning words indeed.

He’s not just frustrated supporters but he’s also annoyed Postecoglou who notably laid into the Germany international back in December after a performance against Rangers, suggesting his performance was “not acceptable”. Tell us how you really feel, Ange.

Also described as a “weird” signing by ESPN pundit Don Hutchinson, is it really a surprise that Spurs are set to pass on their option to buy the 29-year-old at the end of his loan this summer?

It was reported that Levy could exercise a £8.5m buy option but it’s suggested that he will head back to RB Leipzig in the summer.

That is certainly the right decision for a player who has flopped just as hard as Ndombele did in Spurs colours.

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Multan Sultans believed to be considering Olly Stone as replacement

Danyal Rasool12-Feb-2024

Multan Sultans have been dealt a dual blow, with injuries to fast bowlers Reece Topley and Ihsanullah ruling them out of the upcoming edition of the Pakistan Super League. While Ihsanullah has a long-standing elbow injury and his unavailability was expected, Topley’s absence was announced on Sunday by Sultans owner Ali Tareen.”[Topley] hasn’t received his NOC [no-objection certificate from England] and is out of the PSL,” Tareen tweeted.Topley hasn’t played in the PSL before, but had a full T20 workload through the winter, playing 12 games in the SA20 with Durban Super Giants, finishing ninth on the tournament wickets chart. He is also scheduled to play the IPL with Royal Challengers Bangalore.ESPNcricinfo understands his injury is not serious enough to imperil his participation in the IPL, and pulling him out of the PSL was a decision taken out of an abundance of caution with a T20 World Cup in the USA and the Caribbean in June.It is understood Sultans wanted to replace Topley with South African quick Nandre Burger – who also had a stellar season in the SA20 – but was told by Cricket South Africa he wouldn’t be granted an NOC. They are believed to be considering Olly Stone, who played in the SA20 and the ILT20 recently, as well as Sri Lankan seamer Dushmantha Chameera. Chameera, however, injured his left quadriceps on Sunday and will be missing the rest of the white-ball series against Afghanistan. The extent of his injury is currently unknown.The PSL starts on Sunday, February 17. The Sultans have reached the final in each of the last two seasons, falling short at the hands of Lahore Qalandars each time.

A Manchester United regular under Ruben Amorim is unsettled at Old Trafford and is set to be sold by INEOS.

Man Utd regret signing player who could now leave

It looks set to be a busy summer in the transfer window ahead of Amorim’s first full season in charge, with the manager, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co ready to move on 10 Man Utd players this summer.

Talking earlier this month, Ratcliffe didn’t hold back on some signings in the past who the Red Devils are still paying for today.

“If you look at the players we are buying this summer, that we didn’t buy, we’re buying Antony, we’re buying Casemiro, we’re buying Onana, we’re buying Hojlund, we’re buying Sancho. These are all things from the past, whether we like it or not, we’ve inherited those things and have to sort that out.”

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One of those who Ratcliffe named, goalkeeper Andre Onana, has been heavily linked with an exit in recent weeks. In fact, there have been claims in 2025 that Man Utd regret signing Onana, who is on £120,000 per week, which works out at more than £6m per year.

He has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia with Man Utd set to sell the shot-stopper, and now, another update has emerged on Onana and Amorim’s thoughts on an exit.

Andre Onana unsettled at Man Utd and set to be sold

According to talkSPORT, Onana is ‘unsettled’ at Man Utd and has been for some time. Therefore, he is open to a move away from Old Trafford and the club are willing to let him go.

The report adds that the Man Utd boss ‘is not against selling Onana to bring in his own man between the sticks’ and there is serious interest in the Cameroon international from the Saudi Pro League.

The 28-year-old has been a regular under Amorim, starting every Premier League fixture this season, however, he has come in for criticism in the media for a number of errors he has made.

Former Man Utd forward Louis Saha didn’t hold back earlier this season when talking about Onana, saying: “If you don’t have a confident goalkeeper he has to be challenged. Those performances are unacceptable, it’s not normal!

“There is a need for every player at Manchester United – apart from Bruno Fernandes – to feel threatened with competition. No one has shown that they deserve anything in the next game. The manager can challenge and criticise them because it’s not good enough.

Games

91

Goals conceded

136

Clean sheets

22

“Unless you can guarantee that you’re not going to make mistakes, you should not be considered as a guaranteed starter in any position. None of those players should be guaranteed anything.”

Now, it looks as if his days are numbered in Manchester, and it seems as if all parties involved are happy to part ways.

The reason for Amad Diallo giving fans the middle finger during Manchester United’s post-season trip to Malaysia has been revealed.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Red Devils playing friendlies in the Far East
• Suffered shock defeat in the first of those
• Players subjected to abuse by those in crowd

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Red Devils, on the back of a forgettable Premier League campaign that delivered a 15th-place finish, endured more misery when suffering a shock 1-0 defeat to the ASEAN All-Star team after arriving in the Far East.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Frustrated players and coaches were not in the mood to deal with supporters – some of whom had jeered them from the stands – when making their way back to the team bus. Amad cut a seriously frustrated figure.

• WHAT A SOURCE SAID

  He was caught on camera aiming a middle-fingered salute towards a person in the crowd, with the claiming that the Ivorian winger was responding to “serious personal abuse”.

• Instagram
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  The Mail say that while “the exact nature of the exchange has not come to light”, Red Devils star Amad “was left very upset”. He did not have a smile on his face when fans captured a photo of United players in an elevator, with Alejandro Garnacho delivering the same gesture as Amad – although his actions were slightly more jovial.

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.

Caleb Jewell made 227 and Beau Webster made 100 while Aaron Hardie bowled just four overs due to a tight calf and Cameron Green concede seven per over

AAP and ESPNCricinfo18-Feb-2024Tasmanian opener Caleb Jewell’s maiden double century, sealed with a slice of luck, has effectively batted Western Australia out of their Sheffield Shield clash at Bellerive Oval.Beau Webster also posted his 10th first-class century and his second of the season as the Tigers lead Western Australia by 449 runs with two wickets remaining ahead of the final day.Jewell, dropped without scoring on Saturday, began the day on 98 and enjoyed two more slices of luck on the way to a career-best 227. Wicketkeeper Josh Philippe dropped a chance when the left-hander was on 165. He was then caught with his weight on the wrong foot as an edge flew between him and first slip to bring up Jewell’s 200.Jewell and Webster kept coming at a tiring WA attack who couldn’t find much life in the Blundstone Arena wicket. They put on 183 before Bradley Hope’s unbeaten 56 rubbed salt into the WA’s wounds.Joel Paris was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets while Cameron Green went for more than seven an over as Jewell scored the sixth-highest first-class score by a Tasmanian.’It probably hasn’t really sunk in yet, what’s happened,” Jewell said.”I just woke up at the start of the day pretty nervous about getting those first two runs, but [I’m] very happy.”Hopefully I can make the most of it and get another [big score] soon.”He was cagey when asked what the plan would be on Monday. A victory would go some way to securing the table-topping Tigers’ position with two rounds until the final.”I’m sure we’ll have a bowl at some stage tomorrow. We’re still trying to win this game,” he said.”With fresh bowlers and a new ball, we can do some damage.”WA coach Adam Voges said Aaron Hardie (calf) was sent from the field and unable to bowl as a precaution but would bat on Monday if required.