Asalanka: 'If you perform in the LPL, you should get a chance in the national team'

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

“What I really want is to get 100% out of my players, and to create a positive environment for them”

Andrew Fidel Fernando26-Jul-2024Kusal Mendis is in outstanding form, Pathum Nissanka has had fantastic outings, Avishka Fernando has been spectacular, and Kusal Perera has made a strong comeback. On top of which, Kamindu Mendis seems in good touch too.This is all on based on Lanka Premier League (LPL) performances, that new Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka regards as the gold standard in T20 cricket on the island.The LPL concluded only on Sunday, with Asalanka’s Jaffna Kings side taking home the trophy. Top order batters flourished in that competition. Asalanka has suggested that Kamindu – who also bowled with both arms during the LPL – has sewn up the No. 4 spot, having hit 287 runs at a strike rate of 157 through the tournament.Related

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But then there are still four batters vying for the top three spots. As Asalanka said: “There are four openers in the squad, and the way I’m thinking three of them will make up the top three. One of them will have to miss out.”Those four: Kusal Mendis, who hit 329 runs at a strike rate of 150, and can keep wicket. Pathum Nissanka, who hit 333 at strike rate of 153. Avishka Fernando, who smoked 374 at a strike rate of 163. Kusal Perera, who had the best strike rate of the four – 169. He made 296 runs, but in fewer innings than the others.These are stats worth thinking on before the two back-to-back matches on Saturday and Sunday, because Sri Lanka’s new captain is keen on using the LPL as a marker of T20 ability.”If you look at the LPL, it’s the No. 1 tournament we have to make decisions like this,” Asalanka said. “More than domestic T20s, the LPL is at a much higher level. As a captain, I think if you perform at the LPL you should get a good chance at playing in the national team.”Asalanka has been a captain since age-group level, whether for his school Richmond College, or Sri Lanka Under 19, and most recently the winning LPL franchise. He suggested his style of leadership is based around man-management.”From under 15 level I’ve captained teams, and there’ s been a lot of change since then. That’s what I tell my team members too – we can’t be at the same place we’ve always been at. From day to day you have to improve and that’s how you become a good player or a good captain. I’ve played under many captains, and I’ve tried to absorb as many of their good traits into my captaincy and into my life as possible.”What I really want is to get 100% out of my players, and to create a positive environment for them. We have a lot of talented cricketers, but what’s important is to get the most out of them and have them win matches. I’ve told them to play freely and when we’ve given them plans, to go out there and execute them without fear. That’s what you can expect from me as a captain.”

Do right-left pairs at the crease work? It's complicated

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

In theory it’s good strategy, especially when spinners are on, but a look at the recent Australia-New Zealand game says there’s more to it than meets the eye

Jarrod Kimber02-Jul-2019Steven Smith bowled offspin because he had a short boundary and two left-handers on strike. This is what ODI cricket is now.The Australia-New Zealand clash resembled a simulated cricket game. Both teams seemed so determined to follow modern cricket thinking that their decisions could have been chosen by an algorithm.This World Cup has been the most analytically driven in history, as players, coaches and analysts from T20, or even inspired by it, are with the national teams.Take Australia. Their head coach is Justin Langer, who used advanced analytics in his time with Perth Scorchers. His assistant is Ricky Ponting, who has talked about match-ups many times as a commentator in the Big Bash League, and also as a coach in the IPL. Aaron Finch is their captain, who led Melbourne Renegades’ data-driven game to a title win in the BBL this year.This game between two of the probable World Cup semi-finalists showed just how much influence these T20 methods and Moneyball-inspired ways now have, and also some of their flaws.One of the most popular trends in T20 is the left-right combination.In this tournament Australia have been pushing right-hand-left-hand partnerships at first drop, although they didn’t do it in the easy win over Afghanistan, nor against Bangladesh. When early wickets fall, Usman Khawaja comes in, as part of his role is to be back-up opener. But in the middle overs when a wicket falls, Smith comes in when Finch goes, and Khawaja comes in for David Warner. That has happened two times each.There are two reasons batting teams like this kind of partnership. The first is about the spinners in the middle overs. A left-right combo means that at least one batsman has the ball spinning in to him, which is seen as favourable.The problem here is, the effect of right-left is nowhere near as strong as teams believe it is.Let us start with accuracy. We’re constantly told that a left-right pair plays with bowlers’ radars. Compared with two right-handers at the crease, it does. But bowlers are at their least accurate with two left-handers facing, and it’s not even close.

One left-hander means you get a wide every 6.4 balls more often. Add another and wides happen 5.2 balls more often again.This is rather incredible, because left-hand batsmen are not rare. They face 34% of all balls in ODIs. Yet they are still the great disrupters.The real advantage, theoretically, in splitting up a same-handed partnership is when spin is on. But even there, other than a slight boost of strike rate (about three points), there isn’t much difference at all. When two right-handers are at the wicket, they bat at a slightly better average than when it is left-right. The only time a partnership deviates from the norm is when two right-handers face seam; the average dips to under 30. For spin, it doesn’t have that kind of effect.

With all that in mind, is it worth upsetting your batting order, unless the other team possesses two spinners who turn it the same way, and all your batsmen are better against the ball spinning in than away?The interesting thing in this particular game is that because Australia lost so many wickets, they ended up with a left-left partnership of Khawaja and Alex Carey. New Zealand had two specialist spinners, who turn the ball in to left-handers, and that caused them match-up concerns.When Kane Williamson bowled his last, and seventh, over, Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi had bowled the same number between them. Sodhi came back on to bowl some unlucky death overs, but Santner bowled just the three overs in the match, which for the front-line spinner is bad. And this was on a pitch that helped spin and for which New Zealand brought in the extra spinner.Santner’s three overs went for 23 runs, which seems poor. But five runs came from a wide down the leg side, and only 17 runs came off the 16 legal balls he delivered to left-handers. Santner would not have a career in professional cricket if he couldn’t bowl to left-handers.
And in fact, perhaps he is better against left-handers than right-handers. But let’s look at the other two spinners first.Sodhi’s first five overs went for 26, and he was hibernated while Carey and Khawaja batted together. This although his run rate in the game was identical when he was bowling to right- or left-handers. And Khawaja did not pick his wrong’un.You could argue that Williamson bowled the best of the three spinners. At the press conference he was clear on why he bowled himself: “The match-ups kind of didn’t really fall our way, with both our spinners turning the ball in to two left-hand batters. Hence, why I bowled a few more overs again.”So let’s look at all three bowlers against left- and right-handers.

The worst bowler against left-hand batsmen here is Williamson. And not even by a little – though he is nearly half a run an over more economical than Sodhi, he averages about 15 runs more. Santner averages eight fewer against left-handers than right-handers, so even allowing for the fact that he is about half a run an over more expensive, he is far better against lefties than righties. Sodhi is the only one who is better against the kind of batsmen you would expect him to be.This is the problem with very basic match-up information. Everyone who has ever played the game knows that the ball spinning away is generally harder to play than the ball spinning in. But that doesn’t hold true for every batsman, nor for every bowler.Carey does struggle when the ball spins away. But Khawaja doesn’t; he is pretty much as good when it spins in as when it spins away.

The other interesting wrinkle is that in this tournament Khawaja has struggled against pace bowling. New Zealand dropped him twice against seam. And Carey shows a marked preference for spin over seam.

So the correct match-up was probably seam from both ends. New Zealand tried that for five overs, and when it didn’t work, Williamson brought himself on. Which worked, but over 20 overs after the partnership worked and Australia already had a decent total on the board. And the two front-line spinners just disappeared.No one in world cricket seems to keep data on how far players hit their sixes. And while there is much that cricket should have metrics for – where are the fielders standing? – how far batsmen hit the ball is not next on the list. When it does come in, it could make an interesting coaching tool.Players have always attacked short boundaries, and T20 has exaggerated this. Even before grounds began to be measured, this was a big deal. Now players seem to be trained to try the shot based on the boundary, not their strengths. Commentators are wise to this and feed fans information on the dimensions of the ground, which it is impossible to see on TV without a graphic.There is a lot to gain from this information for players. But there is also a psychological effect, where teams play for that short boundary and change their game.Ross Taylor is probably one of the best slog-sweepers to ever play. Facing Glenn Maxwell, an offspinner who turns the ball in, you would expect Taylor to play the shot, or even his normal sweep. Maxwell was delivering the seventh over by Australia’s multi-headed fifth bowler. Williamson had just been dismissed, Tom Latham was scratching around, and the asking rate was creeping towards 6.8 an over. On this pitch they couldn’t let it rise above 7.Left-right batting combinations can disrupt a spinner’s rhythm, but you can’t afford to be dogmatic about it•AFP/Getty ImagesMaxwell was around the wicket, trying to bowl fairly straight at off stump, and Taylor had four balls. Not once did he try the shot he hits the most sixes with. Instead he tried to dab the ball, work it, and even played a reverse sweep. In the last five years, of the 2086 balls ESPNcricinfo has logged of Taylor playing spin, he had played three reverse sweeps before this one. But we have him down as playing well over 100 sweeps or slog sweeps. When playing the sweep, he scores at 10 runs an over, averaging 87.But he didn’t play this shot on any of those four balls from Maxwell. There may have been more than one reason. One of them had to be that longer-looking leg-side boundary – 68 metres away. On at least two occasions that over, he looked towards the shorter boundary to the off, although Maxwell was bowling for him to hit to leg.The next over Taylor was facing Pat Cummins. Now the far shorter 58-metre boundary was on his leg side. Cummins went short and Taylor pulled one – not entirely middling it, but still finding the gap between the two fielders. That highlighted how important the short side is. Then he tried his stand-up slog-sweep across the line, skied the ball as high as any building in North London, and was caught.From a psychological standpoint, those ten metres of difference are huge. Knowing you just need to mishit a ball to get it over is a delicious prospect. But it’s also quite clear that even with an extra ten metres on the boundary, the chances of hitting Maxwell for six with the spin were far higher than those of hitting Cummins across the line on a pitch that by that point had a touch of variable bounce.We don’t measure sixes, so we can’t tell you what length an average Ross Taylor leg-side six travels. So maybe he knows his range better than us. And while he may be in career-best form, he’s not the hockey-swatting god of a few years ago. But here he is in 2011, hitting sixes well over 70 and 80 metres, and here he is in the IPL in 2015, effortless carrying 72 metres with a sweep .For whatever reason, Taylor didn’t target the handy part-time offspin of Maxwell, but he did the searing pace of Cummins.Part-time spinner Steven Smith averages 29.6 against left-handers and 34.4 against right-handers in ODIs•Getty ImagesReplacing Taylor was Colin de Grandhomme. With him at the crease, Smith came on to bowl his legspin. It would usually have been a bizarre choice, but de Grandhomme’s reputation against legspin is known. In ODIs he averages 18 against it, while hitting at less than a run a ball; overall he averages 30 at a strike rate of 110.It is hard to tell how much of that mattered when Smith delivered a half-volley first ball that de Grandhomme hit straight to long-off. Either Australia’s plan had worked, or New Zealand had sent in de Grandhomme to dent the run rate straight away and it backfired.What followed was more interesting. Smith bowled offspin (he has been trying it in the nets) to finish the over. There would seem to be a few reasons for this. One is that Latham (who was struggling) and Jimmy Neesham are both left-handed. Then there is the short boundary again – it was now on the left handers’ leg side.The first ball was to Latham, who has a slightly better record against offspin than legspin. Neesham does not.From the Champions Trophy until the start of this World Cup, left-handers have been 0.7 runs an over slower when facing offspin than when facing legspin.

But they get dismissed far more often, averaging 7.25 less against legspin than against offspin. Meaning legspin has been better against left-handers than offspin in that time. And none of this is factoring in the bowler. Smith is far better against left-handers in ODI cricket than he has been against right-handers.

Smith is a very part-time bowler (he delivered three full tosses in his first over against New Zealand) and he is now trying an even more part-time skill, offspin; he looked horrendous trying to get to the crease.This is modern cricket: a part-timer with a casual skill exploiting a match-up that doesn’t quite work, while everyone has one eye on the short boundary. Welcome to the 2019 World Cup, T20 data edition.

Arsenal title winner Anders Limpar defends Noni Madueke after England international faces fan backlash for proposed transfer from Chelsea

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Former Arsenal star Anders Limpar has come to the defence of Noni Madueke after his proposed transfer from Chelsea led to fan scrutiny.

  • Madueke has received backlash
  • £52m transfer from Chelsea set to go through
  • Limpar defends Madueke
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Former title-winning Gunners winger Limpar has defended 23-year-old Madueke after the young England winger faced considerable backlash from sections of the Arsenal fanbase once reports of a £52 million (€60m/$69.7m) move from Chelsea being close to completion surfaced.

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    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Criticism towards Madueke and Arsenal for the move was so strong that #NoToMadueke went viral on X, while a petition for the Gunners not to sign the former PSV Eindhoven man was signed over 4,000 times. While it is true that these were largely 'online fans' and not necessarily a true representation of the club, the idea that the Gunners are offering such a large sum of money to a London rival, for a player who may be largely used as back-up, has led to criticism.

  • WHAT LIMPAR SAID

    Limpar said: "It’s never fun when a club signs a player and the fans are not happy with it. I think Noni Madueke is a good player. I think he can fit in Arsenal’s system. It’s just unfortunate to hear that some fans are against him and making his life difficult in a way. I don’t know the background about all the fuss from the fans. It can’t just be that he’s from Chelsea and going to Arsenal. I’m pretty sure of that. It’s sad when fans are making a player’s life difficult."

    He added: "If you look at the big clubs: Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City and so on. They want a mega-squad. They want a squad where they can put on 22 players and everybody can play. That’s modern football. To hear about £50 million here, £60 million there, £70 million here, for some players who can’t even play, in my opinion. It’s ridiculous money. But that’s the way it is, in 2025.

    "You always have to have backup for your big stars. It is up to Madueke if he can handle the pressure. He’s used to playing and he has to compete for a starting spot with Saka, who is one of the best players in the world. That’s not easy. Madueke has to be patient and take the chances he gets. Playing on the left side, we have Martinelli there, we have Trossard there, even Reiss Nelson. It’s hard for a player to come to a big club with big stars but when pre-season starts, you have to prove yourself to be a starter. It’s always been like that. It’s not set that he’ll be on the bench. He can work his way up to becoming a starter."

  • Getty Images

    WHAT NEXT FOR MADUEKE?

    Limpar went on to cite Kai Havertz, a player who signed for Arsenal from Chelsea to considerable backlash and won fans over after a slow start, as an example for Madueke to follow. Madueke is no doubt a young man who believes in his ability and one would hope that this criticism will only light a fire within him to perform even better for his new club. The deal is set to be officially announced in the coming days.

2023 MLB American League MVP Future Odds: Tough to Bet Against Shohei Ohtani

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Shohei Ohtani (+200) is the favorite to win AL MVP at SI Sportsbook.

Ohtani is the rightful favorite to take home his second MVP award in 2023. The league’s only two-way player pitched to a 2.33 ERA (sixth in MLB) with 15 wins (T-4th) while also smashing 34 home runs (T-8th) and batting .270 in 2022. That’s awfully hard to top. It took Aaron Judge (+500) 62 home runs and putting the Yankees on his back to make it to the postseason to edge out Ohtani in 2022. That scenario seems unlikely to repeat itself, and Ohtani looks like a good bet even at 2-to-1 odds. Quite simply: No one can do what he can do.

Mark J. Rebilas/USA Today Sports

Ohtani’s teammate, Mike Trout, comes in with the third-best odds at +650. Trout still has the power, but he has a chronic back injury that will potentially cost him playing time. It would take the Angels making it to the postseason for Trout to have a real shot, but the three-time AL MVP should never be discounted.

Julio Rodriguez at +800 has the chance to take a step forward in 2023. Now on a long-term deal with the Mariners, the young outfielder who hit 25 home runs and stole 28 bases in 2023 will be looking to lead the Mariners to another postseason berth. Rodriguez set a record last season when he hit the most home runs by a rookie (32) in the Home Run Derby, and he’s only 22 years old.

Yordan Alvarez (+1100) is good value for a player that has all the skills of Aaron Judge – and he plays in a better lineup, so he should be more protected. He also could benefit this year from the ban on the shift alongside lefty teammate Kyle Tucker (+2000), who is in a contract year. Both young outfielders for Houston could be worth a flier.

Should the Texas Rangers make it to the postseason, Corey Seager (+3000) will likely be a big part of that. The team has certainly invested in success, adding starting pitcher Jacob deGrom this offseason season, and Seager is another player that could benefit greatly from the new bans on the shift.

There are plenty of fantastic players including Jose Ramirez (+1100), Jose Altuve (+5000) and Jose Abreu (+6600) that offer nice payouts, but the trick will be getting in front of the modern-day Babe Ruth, Shohei Ohtani.

Here are the current AL MVP odds at SI Sportsbook:

Shohei Ohtani +200
Aaron Judge +500
MIke Trout +650
Julio Rodriguez +800
Yordan Alvarez +1100
Jose Ramirez +1600
Kyle Tucker +2000
Byron Buxton +3000
Rafael Devers +3000
Corey Seager +3000
Adley Rutschman +3500
Carlos Correa +3500
Wander Franco +3500
Bo Bichette +4000
Alex Bregman +4000
Luis Robert +4000
Giancarlo Stanton +5000
Jose Altuve +5000
George Springer +5000
Marcus Semien +6600
Jose Abreu +6600

£30m flop closing in on Arsenal exit; it'll free up the space to sign Hato

by h79snht.top Uncategorized

da pinup bet： Arsenal love signing a defender. Even this summer, with the Gunners’ need for more quality and depth in attack abundantly clear, it’s not stopped them from looking at more defensive options.

da luck： Dean Huijsen was regularly linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium after a fabulous debut campaign at Bournemouth, one that even saw him score against Mikel Arteta’s side.

Yet, he ended up heading back to his native country where the Spanish centre-back signed for Real Madrid in time for the Club World Cup.

Also on their radar is Ajax’s young superstar defender, Jorrel Hato.

Why Arsenal want to sign Jorrel Hato

Last summer, there was interest from Arsenal in signing the Dutch starlet from Ajax, but he ultimately stayed put in Amsterdam.

The Gunners turned their attention to another hybrid defender instead, signing Italian star Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna.

Well, a year on, the interest remains in the 19-year-old sensation. That’s according to Fabrizio Romano who reported last week that Arsenal have been in contact with the Dutch side about potentially signing him.

So, why do they want him? Well, in the words of scout Jacek Kulig, Hato is “one of the most talented centre-backs of his generation in Europe”, rubberstamping the teenager’s simply frightening potential.

Despite being a centre-back by trade, it was actually at left-back where the youngster thrived for Ajax in 2024/25, playing 46 games in that role.

From that position, he put in some seriously impressive performances. Indeed, compared to full-backs in Europe’s top five leagues and the continent’s premier competitions, he ranks among the best 9% of players for pass accuracy per 90 minutes, the top 14% for aerial duels won and the best 14% for interceptions.

As data analyst Ben Mattinson also outlined, he’s a bit of a “Jurrien Timber 2.0”. That’s not just because he can play competently in the middle and on the sides, but he’s also incredibly hard to beat.

Timber was very rarely beaten by a defender in 2024/25, only losing 0.34 challenges per 90 minutes, enough to rank him among the best 5% of full-backs in the Premier League. Hato is even better in this regard, ranking in the finest 1% of players in the top five leagues for his metric, losing just 0.10 challenges per 90.

So, he’s really one of the best in his position, even before he’s reached his 20th birthday. There wouldn’t be many better Huijsen alternatives out there, that’s for sure.

Ajax Amsterdam's JorrelHatocelebrates after the match

But, what would his arrival mean for those already at the club?

What Hato's arrival would mean for Arsenal

Well, it’s safe to say that Arsenal don’t have a bottomless pit of money this summer and if they are going to spend big, it surely has to be on strengthening the forward ranks.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres continue to be linked with a move to bolster the striking ranks at Arteta’s disposal. Thus, how can they free up room for Hato, both in terms of game time and financially?

Well, with Kieran Tierney already out the exit door, heading for Celtic, there’s one less competitor for a place at left-back. Myles Lewis-Skelly could also be moved into midfield, his more natural position.

But, as far as sales go, we’re looking at Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko. Kiwior looked certain to leave a few months ago but after Gabriel’s hamstring injury, the Pole came in and deputised to an exceptional level.

He notably kept a clean sheet in the win over Real Madrid at the Emirates and looked the more assured of the two between him and William Saliba at the Bernabeu, where it was the Frenchman’s error that led to a Madrid consolation goal. He even scored in the 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

Game time of Arsenal’s left-sided defenders in 2024/25

Player

Games

Minutes played

Gabriel

42

3,500

Jakub Kiwior

30

2,155

Riccardo Calafiori

29

1,497

Myles Lewis-Skelly

39

2,306

Oleksandr Zinchenko

23

789

Kieran Tierney

20

447

Data via Transfermarkt.

So, with Kiwior now more likely to stay, it will surely be Zinchenko to depart. According to new reports, he could now be ‘closing in’ on an exit.

Back in January, the £30m signing from Manchester City attracted the interest of Borussia Dortmund but a move ultimately didn’t happen.

Six months down the line and a deal could finally materialise with Dortmund once again monitoring the situation, according to Caught Offside. The same report notes that Zinchenko has a fellow suitor in the form of AC Milan who view him as a possible reinforcement.

Arsenal would now be happy to sell the Ukrainian, but only if they receive a fee in the region of £10m-£15m.

A departure this summer would be unsurprising, particularly given his waning minutes over the season that’s just concluded.

Indeed, the 28-year-old has gone from one of the first names on the teamsheet back in his debut year in London to someone who can barely get a game.

He revolutionised the style Arteta’s side played with, inverting from his left-back position but the manager has now found fresher blood capable of doing that, chiefly Lewis-Skelly.

Zinchenko only played 23 games in all competitions in 2024/25 and only started five league games all season long. It’s safe to say it wasn’t the finest year of his career, even if he did score a Champions League goal against PSV Eindhoven.

So, if the former City title-winner does move on, not only will it free up funds for more transfer business but it would also free up a space in the squad for Hato to fill.

For Andrea Berta, this is surely a no-brainer if the stars align.

He's a dream for Rice: Arsenal are about to submit bid for £84m "magician"

The outrageously talented international would be game-changing for Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 12, 2025

Bancroft battles to ton but WA denied by rain, SA lower order

by h79snht.top Uncategorized

The visitors sensed victory before rain wiped out 17 overs and they ran out of time

AAP26-Nov-2024

Cameron Bancroft fought his way to a century•Getty Images

Cameron Bancroft produced a breakthrough Sheffield Shield century but rain and a stubborn knock from Liam Scott ended Western Australia’s bid to secure victory against South Australia.Bancroft struck an unbeaten 105 off 255 balls as WA set South Australia a victory target of 364 off 90 overs. They were precariously placed at 170 for 5 after 60.1 overs – with debutant Keaton Critchell taking three wickets – when a rain break wiped out 17 overs.Related

Wickets, injury, wicket: Jhye Richardson's dramatic Shield return

'Risk losing to try and win' – Ward's second fifty sets up Tasmania

Kellaway's maiden hundred and Short's stunner leaves Victoria favourites

The loss of Harry Nielsen in the first over after the rain break meant WA needed just four more wickets with 12.2 overs remaining. But Scott (33 not out off 106 balls) and Ben Manenti survived before the game was deemed a draw with three balls remaining.There was unexpected drama late in the match when Hilton Cartwright was forced off the field after being accidentally struck in the head by the ball. Cartwright wasn’t looking when Bancroft tossed the ball to him from five metres away, but luckily the impact was only minor.Bancroft started the season as a genuine chance to win the vacant opener’s spot in the Test side following two mammoth years with the bat. But his form turned to mush so quickly over the past two months that critics even started questioning whether he deserved to keep his spot in the WA side.Bancroft opened the Shield campaign with scores of 0, 0, 8 and 2. In his two matches for Australia A, which effectively doubled as a bat-off for the vacant top-order spot in the Test team, Bancroft scored 0, 16, 3 and 0.Nathan McSweeney ended up winning the Test call-up, and Bancroft went on to make 12 and 11 in his next Shield match against Victoria, before opening the current Shield clash with a first-ball duck, despite not appearing to have edged the ball.It continued a rotten run of luck for Bancroft, with a number of his dismissals this season appearing to be umpiring errors. But his luck finally changed.Bancroft made it to stumps on Monday unbeaten on 71, and he had one edge fall short and another edge fly too high for the fielder on Tuesday on the way to reaching his 30th first-class century.The 32-year-old raised his bat and helmet to the sky upon reaching triple figures, with the knock an important step in his bid to get back in the conversation for a Test call-up.WA young gun Jayden Goodwin was named player of the match for his scores of 139 and 69.

Wayne Rooney explains why he's taking a 'stand off approach' with son Kai as 15-year-old prospect aims to follow in Man Utd legend's footsteps

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney admits he's taking a back seat when it comes to his son Kai's budding career as a footballer.

Kai Rooney playing for Man Utd's Under-16sIn the goals during summer tournamentFamous dad taking refreshing approachFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Kai Rooney is on Manchester United's books and has been catching the eye with the Red Devils. The 15-year-old has been on target for Manchester United's Under-16 team at the SuperCupNI as he continues to make his way through the youth ranks.

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Dad Wayne has been in Northern Ireland to support his son but is well aware of the pressure and spotlight the famous Rooney surname brings. Indeed the former Manchester United and England star says he does his best to take a step back in a bid to ensure that Kai can simply enjoy the sport he loves without having any added pressure on his young shoulders.

WHAT ROONEY SAID

He told BBC Sport: "I just let him play. I think they started the competition well, they won 3-0, he scored the penalty and got an assist. So I think he started OK. He just plays and that's all he's done during his time playing.

"I think it's very unfair for anyone to expect him to go and do all kinds. He's just playing, he's a 15-year-old boy playing his football, enjoying it. Of course he gets different attention to a lot of his team-mates but I think he handles that really well.

"He has great coaches at Manchester United, so I take a stand off approach. I speak to him, but for me it's all about his mentality and his mindset, to make sure he keeps enjoying it – that's the main thing for me."

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR ROONEY?

Rooney will no doubt be watching on again when Kai and his Manchester United team-mates play their next fixture against Co Tyrone on Wednesday.

Imrul Kayes announces red-ball retirement

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

The batter, whose career was most notable for his opening partnership with Tamim Iqbal, played the last of his 39 Tests in 2019

Mohammad Isam13-Nov-2024Imrul Kayes has announced his retirement from Test and first-class cricket. He said in a video message on his Facebook page that his last red-ball match will be Khulna Division’s National Cricket League (NCL) match against Dhaka Division at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka next week. He will, however, continue to play white-ball cricket.”On November 16, I will retire from Test and first-class cricket. It is the most difficult and emotional decision of my life,” he said.Imrul played the last of his 39 Tests at Eden Gardens in 2019, in the first day-night Test match in India. Batting mostly at the top of the order and occasionally at No. 3, he made 1797 runs at an average of 24.28, with three centuries and four fifties.Imrul’s Test career was however more about his opening partnership with Tamim Iqbal. They remain Bangladesh’s most prolific opening pair by far, having added 2336 runs in 53 innings. The next-highest aggregate for a Bangladesh opening pair currently is 665 runs between Javed Omar and Nafees Iqbal. Imrul and Tamim’s average first-wicket partnership of 45.80 is also the best of any Bangladesh opening pair.They put on four century stands, the first of them a 185-run partnership at Lord’s in 2010, and the last a world-record 312 against Pakistan in Khulna in 2015. It helped Bangladesh save the Test match after conceding a 296-run first-innings lead, and remains the only 300-plus opening stand in the third or fourth innings of a Test match. The last time they opened together was in the 2018 home Test series against Sri Lanka.Imrul is now 70 runs short of the 8000-run mark in first-class cricket. He will have a chance to complete the feat in Mirpur, where his farewell game begins on November 16.

Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana put Bangladesh in sight of historic sweep

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Chasing 185, Bangladesh need another 143 with all ten wickets intact

Ashish Pant02-Sep-2024Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana combined to pick up nine wickets as Bangladesh took a big stride in their quest towards a 2-0 series sweep over Pakistan on the fourth day of the second Test in Rawalpindi.Mahmud, who picked two wickets at the fag end of the third day, added three more to his tally on the fourth afternoon to claim his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket, finishing with 5 for 43 in 10.4 overs in his third Test. Rana also registered his best Test figures – 4 for 44 – as Pakistan were bowled out for 172 in their second innings, setting up a target of 185. With Taskin Ahmed taking the other wicket, this was the first time in Bangladesh’s Test history that all ten wickets were picked up by fast bowlers.Zakir Hasan then came out with a positive intent and scored 31 not out off 23 balls with two fours and two sixes as Bangladesh wiped 42 runs off the target in just seven overs. He had Shadman Islam for company on 9 when bad light and then rain forced an early finish to the day shortly after tea. Bangladesh require another 143 runs on the final day to secure just their third overseas Test series victory and first since their 1-0 win in Zimbabwe in 2021.Related

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Resuming on 9 for 2 with a lead of 21, it was shaping up to be a good morning for Pakistan, with Shan Masood and Saim Ayub looking positive. Masood began by punching Taskin down the ground before Ayub clipped the pace bowler off his pads. There were a few plays and misses, and tight leaves, but the duo largely looked untroubled as they collected 34 runs in the first 6.2 overs of the day.But soon after that came a loose drive from Ayub and Bangladesh came galloping back. Taskin bowled one full outside off stump and Ayub went for a drive on the up only to find Najmul Hossain Shanto at mid-off. Babar Azam started with a cracking a square cut off Taskin but was far from his usual self. He missed a straight ball from Mehidy Hasan Miraz and was hit on the pad. Bangladesh reviewed the on-field decision of not out, but replays suggested the ball was missing the leg stump.Nahid was brought into the attack in the 17th over, and it took him all of three balls to strike. He sent back Masood, whose half-hearted attempt at a drive only found the outside edge for a simple catch to the wicketkeeper. Nahid then had Babar edging to first slip with a good-length ball that bounced a touch more than what the batter expected. He should have dismissed Mohammad Rizwan first ball but Shadman, who had taken a catch the previous delivery, spilled an almost identical chance.Zakir Hasan stared briskly in a chase of 185•AFP/Getty ImagesEven when he was not taking wickets, Nahid caused plenty of trouble. He consistently bowled over 140kph and generated awkward bounce with his high-arm action. He threatened both edges and even hit Rizwan on the helmet with a nasty bouncer. Rizwan, visibly shaken, called the physio a few times but carried on.Nahid picked up his third wicket when Saud Shakeel hung his bat out, offering a simple catch to Litton Das as Pakistan slipped from 47 for 2 to 81 for 6. Rizwan and Salman Agha, though, made sure Pakistan did not lose another wicket till lunch while extending the lead to 129.With Rizwan still feeling fuzzy and looking for quick runs, Bangladesh stuck to their plan, making sure there were no easy runs. Mahmud, who wasn’t as incisive in the first session, stuck to the channel outside off stump. That brought about a false shot from Rizwan, playing away from his body and getting a thin edge to the wicketkeeper. The very next ball, Mahmud had Mohammad Ali edging to first slip.While the hat-trick was averted, Abrar Ahmed lasted only 12 balls and became Rana’s fourth victim with the scoreboard reading 145 for 9. But a swift end to the innings was delayed by Agha, who added vital runs with the lower order for the second time in the match. He stitched a 27-run stand with Mir Hamza before Mahmud claimed his fifth wicket. It came via an inside edge onto the pad with the ball lobbing to Mehidy at second slip. Mahmud bowed to the turf before leading the team off the field with the ball raised high.Pakistan needed early wickets but their hopes were quashed by Zakir, who was on the move early. He was aggressive with his footwork, often charging at the bowlers early. He clipped Khurram Shahzad for a six over long leg before pulling him for another six, this time over deep-backward square leg as Bangladesh moved 37 for no loss in six overs at tea.Only one over was possible after the break before it got too dark for play to continue.

Martin could land dream 1st Rangers signing who's like a "mini Vinicius"

by z3u9t.icu Uncategorized

Glasgow Rangers appear to be closing in on their next head coach as Russell Martin is being heavily touted with a move to Ibrox ahead of next season.

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano claims that the Scottish manager has accepted the project in Glasgow and is ready to join the Light Blues this summer.

Martin, who had a loan spell at Ibrox in the second half of the 2017/18 campaign, has been out of work since he was relieved of his duties by Premier League side Southampton at the end of 2024.

Whilst supporters may be concerned by his sacking in the top-flight in England, the ex-Norwich City centre-back also did a lot of good work in the Championship with the Saints, and has been backed to be a success by a former teammate.

As you can see in the clip above, Steven Naismith believes that Martin would bring a clear style of play to Ibrox that has been lacking with recent managerial appointments.

The style of play Russell Martin could bring to Rangers

If you look at the way his Southampton team played in the Championship, as a team expected to challenge at the top of the table, you can get an idea of how his Rangers team could look in the Scottish Premiership.

He coached a ball-dominant team that constantly wanted to control the game whilst also being progressive and creative in possession, rather than just having possession for the sake of having possession.

Martin wants his side to play with a purpose – to create chances and score goals – and his Southampton team did that effectively in the Championship in the 2023/24 campaign.

Pass accuracy

87.7%

1st

Passes into the penalty area

594

1st

Progressive passes

2556

1st

Shot-creating actions

1255

1st

xG

79.8

2nd

Points per game

1.89

4th

As you can see in the table above, the Saints ranked first in the league for progressive passes and passes into the penalty area, which shows how forward-thinking and incisive they were with the ball.

Southampton typically started matches in a 4-3-3 formation in that campaign, often with one winger who can drift infield to form a front two with the striker and one more traditional wide man on the other side.

This means that Rangers, should they go through with appointing Martin, should look to recruit players who would suit his ball-dominant and positionally flexible system in the summer transfer window.

With this in mind, the 49ers could land the Scottish head coach a dream first signing at Ibrox by swooping for a Leeds United star who has been linked with a move to Glasgow.

The Leeds star Rangers have been linked with

Earlier this month, TEAMtalk reported that Rangers have emerged as a potential suitor for Leeds forward Largie Ramazani ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

The outlet claimed that the Premiership giants are ‘monitoring’ his situation at Elland Road, a year on from his £10m move from Almeria to England.

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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

It stated that Ramazani aligns with how the club want to recruit talent in the transfer market, as they are looking for young and dynamic players who can thrive in the Premiership and European competitions.

However, it remains to be seen whether or not the £10m-rated forward will be available for a move this summer because Daniel Farke is yet to make a final decision on his future in West Yorkshire.

Largie Ramazani

The 49ers and sporting director Kevin Thelwell should, though, push hard to agree a deal for the Belgian forward because he would be a dream first signing for Martin at Ibrox, should he be appointed in the coming days or weeks.

Why Largie Ramazani would be a dream signing for Russell Martin

As aforementioned, the Scottish coach’s Southampton team typically had a traditional, direct, winger on the left and more of a central player on the right in the Championship.

Ramazani would be a perfect fit for Rangers on the left in Martin’s system as a natural wide player who likes to take players on and make things happen in the final third, using his dribbling and pace to cause opposition teams problems.

In fact, talent scout Jacek Kulig once described him as a “mini Vinicius”, referring to Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr, because of his “electric” and “explosive” play style, and the fact that they are both nimble and dynamic right-footed left wingers.

Whilst he may not have racked up 21 goals and 15 assists like Vinicius Jr did for Real in the 2024/25 campaign, Ramazani’s form in limited minutes for Leeds suggests that the potential is there for him to be an exciting addition for the Gers.

Non-penalty xG

0.53

Top 1%

Non-penalty goals

0.68

Top 1%

Assists

0.23

Top 18%

Non-penalty xG + Expected Assisted Goals

0.69

Top 1%

Progressive passes

4.29

Top 18%

Progressive carries

4.63

Top 8%

As you can see in the table above, the 24-year-old attacker ranked highly among his positional peers in the league for scoring and creating goals, whilst also progressing the ball consistently through carries and passes.

This suggests that he would be an ideal fit for Martin’s system, which requires players to constantly progress the play, whilst also having the quality in the final third to be a difference-maker in matches.

Ramazani ended the season with six goals and two assists in the division, despite starting just seven of his 29 appearances, which shows that he can be productive in front of goal.

Now, imagine the Belgian winger in a Rangers team managed by Martin that could consistently create chances for him to score, whilst starting week-in-week-out.

As bad as selling Raskin: Six English clubs want to sign Rangers star

Rangers selling this star would be as bad as cashing in on Nicolas Raskin this summer.

ByDan Emery Jun 3, 2025

Ramazani would be a dream first signing for both Martin and the 49ers because of the potential he has to be a game-changing addition on the wing, whilst also suiting the potential new manager’s style of play perfectly.

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