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James Rew advances breakthrough season as Somerset dominate

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Somerset 412 (Kohler-Cadmore 130, Rew 89, White 5-103) lead Northamptonshire 255 and 66 for 1 by 91 runsJames Rew gave another demonstration of his immense potential as Somerset built a strong position on the third day of the LV= Insurance County Championship match with Northamptonshire at Taunton.The 19-year-old wicketkeeper contributed 89 to help the home side extend their first innings total from 199 for four to 412 all out, a lead of 157. Tom Kohler-Cadmore, unbeaten on 95 overnight, fell for 130, his first Somerset century, and the pair shared a fifth-wicket stand of 164. Jack White finished with five for 103.Northants faced a tricky 20 overs before the close to start their second innings. They closed on 66 for one, still 91 runs behind, having lost Ricardo Vasconcelos and seen fellow opener Hassan Azad forced to retire hurt.The start had been delayed until 2pm by heavy morning rain. But after that there were no interruptions and spectators saw a lot more cricket than a bleak Coronation Day weather forecast had suggested.Rew, on 22 when play began, might have been dismissed in the first over as he called for a suicidal single to mid-wicket off White and was relieved to see Rob Keogh’s throw miss the stumps at the bowler’s end.The run brought up Somerset’s 200 and put Kohler-Cadmore on strike. If the former Yorkshire player lost any sleep over being five short of a hundred overnight, it didn’t show as he took a pace down the pitch and despatched White back over his head for six.A cavalier century had occupied just 72 balls and featured 16 fours and 2 sixes. Rew cover drove Jordan Buckingham for four and two to bring up the hundred partnership before the second ball change of the innings almost paid instant dividends for Northamptonshire.With his score on 43, Rew was dropped at second slip by Azad off White, a routine chance at waist height. The England Under-19 starlet went on to a 94-ball fifty and brought up the 250 with a slog-swept four off Keogh for his seventh boundary.Kohler-Cadmore’s thumping back-foot four through the off-side off Buckingham put Somerset into the lead before Rew hit Keogh for a straight six to take the stand to 150.Having reined himself in, Kohler-Cadmore repeated the shot off the same bowler. But Keogh took revenge when Somerset’s centurion clipped a sharp catch to Vasconcelos at mid-wicket, having faced 102 balls and extended his boundary count to 18 fours and 3 sixes.Lewis Gregory played positively for 23, helping Rew add 45 before being bowled advancing down the pitch to Tom Taylor.Rew’s typically patient contribution ended with the total on 346 when he was bowled looking to reverse sweep the left-arm spin of Saif Zaib. The youngster had proved the perfect foil for Kohler-Cadmore, eventually facing 171 deliveries and striking 9 fours and a six.Tea was taken at 354 for seven, with Somerset 99 ahead. Northants took the second new ball immediately after the interval, but 25 more runs were added before Kasey Aldridge, on 24, played inside the line and was bowled off stump by White.Craig Overton had produced some lusty blows and Jack Leach brought up 400 with a two off Buckingham, celebrating the fourth batting point by hitting 3 fours in the same over.Overton fell for 26 to a fine catch above his head by Sam Whiteman at long-on off White, who completed his five-for next ball as Peter Siddle was bowled having a swing.With Northants’ second innings total on 16, Azad had to leave the field following treatment on a hand. Overton’s first three overs went for 20 and he was quickly replaced by Siddle with the score 30 without loss.The pitch had lost much of its early greenness and was offering little in the way of seam movement. It was no surprise when Leach was introduced to try and extract some spin as early as the tenth over.Overton may not have been at his best with the ball, but he produced a stunning left-handed catch at backward short leg off Leach to dismiss Vasconcelos, who had looked untroubled in moving to 26, with the total on 63.

Smith sets his sights on 2028 Olympics amid T20 ambitions

by h79snht.top Uncategorized

He returned to the BBL with a stunning century at the SCG having lost his Australia T20I spot last year

AAP12-Jan-20250:46

Smith: Missing the 10k-run mark ‘hurt a little bit’

Steven Smith has set his sights on the 2028 Olympics, declaring he wants to prolong his short-form career and return to Australia’s T20 team for the Los Angeles Games.Smith produced one of the finest T20 innings of his career on Saturday, smashing an unbeaten 121 from 64 balls for Sydney Sixers against Perth Scorchers to set up a BBL victory.Australia’s former T20 captain hit seven sixes in his knock, manipulating Scorchers’ bowling and getting inventive in his efforts to target the short boundary.Related

Hundred's 'transition' year is relying on Test star Steven Smith as headline act

Smith flays 121* to send a reminder of his T20 worth

Matthew Short's 109 off 54 too hot for Brisbane Heat

Stats – Smith, Short shatter BBL batting records on Super Saturday

Smith has become something of a forgotten force in T20 cricket in recent years, and even missed selection in Australia’s squad for last year’s T20 World Cup. He has also been overlooked in the past four IPL auctions, the only franchise cricket he played last year being for Washington in the USA’s Major League Cricket.But Smith’s BBL form has regularly shown he is among the best T20 openers in the country, hitting three centuries in his last seven matches in the competition. The trio of tons brought him level with Ben McDermott for the most in tournament history, with Smith having played just 32 games to McDermott’s 100.His average of 45.88 is the highest of any local, while he holds the sixth best strike-rate of any player with 146.3.But Smith says he does not want to be a domestic-player only in the shortest format, eying off a return to Australian colours.”I’d like to play the Olympics, I reckon that would be cool,” Smith said. “We’ll see how far I go in terms of long-form cricket. But I am going to play short-form cricket for a while I think when I do finish. You never know. There are a lot of good young kids who are smacking the ball out of the park.”Steven Smith was spectacular at the SCG•Getty Images

Smith will be 39 by the time cricket returns to the Olympics in 2028, with the sport featuring for the first time since 1900 when only Great Britain and France featured.He has not yet outlined his retirement plans for red-ball cricket, but has made no secret of his desire to play T20s longer into the future.Smith entered Saturday’s game with virtually no T20 preparation, with a 15-minute net before the BBL game his only hit against the white ball following the India Test series.He has played solely as an opener in T20, with his record generally improving the longer a tournament goes on. And with the likely chance to focus solely on the 20-over format in years to come, Smith believes his game could improve further.”I find the more I play back-to-back games you get in sync with the game,” Smith said. “Even [Saturday] I don’t think I played my first 10 balls really well. I was probably going a bit too hard for how the wicket was playing.”But if I am playing T20s regularly, I probably come out with a slightly different mindset at the start, give myself a bit more time. It’s just the gears and going up and down in the gears throughout the innings [that change for T20s]. And just playing the percentages.”

Nerveless Neesham finally gets his moment

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Allrounder carries New Zealand to victory after years of near-misses and heartbreak

Andrew Fidel Fernando11-Nov-20213:40

Jayawardene: Daryl Mitchell drank the magic potion

Jimmy Neesham’s first six is a mishit over the deep midwicket boundary. He’d come to the crease with his team needing 59 runs off 29 balls. He’d faced a wide first up; Liam Livingstone firing one down leg side. The next ball Neesham had tried to bash across the line, but managed only to get it as far as midwicket. A single. Even the wide and the single put together wasn’t much help. The required rate was over 14.

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The six at the start of the next over, though, provides some small squirt of hope. It isn’t a giant Livingstonesque hit. It isn’t a lusty Asif Ali blow. Chris Jordan misses his length a touch, and because Neesham swings at this with every molecule of his being in the direction he seems most comfortable swinging in, he hits it well enough to clear the midwicket boundary by five metres, even off the inside half of the bat.Relax, though. New Zealand still need 51 off 23.It wasn’t quite enough.

****

Lance Cairns hit one over the ropes one-handed. Brendon McCullum occasionally rolled towards point as he scooped balls over fine leg. But arguably the most iconic six in New Zealand’s modern history came in semi-final in 2015. Dale Steyn, one of the greatest cricketers ever to play, needed to defend five runs off two balls, and conceded a six against Grant Elliott, whose selection for that World Cup might fairly be described as one of New Zealand’s most unexpected payoffs.Perhaps Neesham should have been picked ahead of Elliott. But when Elliott hit that six, Neesham was ecstatic. “Holy f***** shitballs,” he had tweeted. “This is the best day of my life.” An allrounder who had taken his place, clinching a tight semi-final.Neesham himself, though, hadn’t been required in a World Cup campaign that players described as “the time of their life”.Related

  • Neesham: 'You don't come halfway across the world just to win a semi-final'

  • New Zealand always believed – Daryl Mitchell

  • England's imbalance comes back to bite them at the death

  • Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham pull off heist as New Zealand storm into final

He was a talented allrounder, having done well in Tests, plus having been impressive in limited-overs cricket.Much as Neesham promised at the time, though, he hadn’t done anything like Corey Anderson’s record-breaking ODI hundred.And for that reason, it seemed as if what Neesham offered – it wasn’t enough.

****

Neesham’s second big shot went in that arc between long-on and deep midwicket.Ben Stokes had once hit that boundary at Lord’s – remember? He’d hit a ball over wide long-on, and although the fielder Trent Boult had taken the catch, he’d touched the boundary with his boot.Pretty much the same thing here. Neesham had launched one over wide long-on, but although Bairstow took the catch, he touched the boundary before he flicked it back infield. When the replays are consulted, it’s clear it’s six.Jonny Bairstow’s knee touches the rope before he can flick it back in•Getty ImagesBut then, England are masters at the death.It wasn’t quite enough.

****

For followers of Neesham, these sixes over midwicket are not unfamiliar shots.In the climax of probably the best limited-overs game in history, he had swung in the same direction. On that occasion, it had been Jofra Archer, in the second (legitimate) ball of the Super Over, who missed his yorker slightly, Neesham stepping across the stumps, whipped it waaay over deep midwicket, deep into the stands. He brought his team’s required runs down to seven runs from four balls.He hit the next two balls for twos and then managed a single. But with two required off the last delivery, his partner Martin Guptill couldn’t quite get back for the second, and Jos Buttler took the bails off in one of modern cricket’s iconic plays.Neesham had claimed his team’s best figures of 3 for 43. He had been trusted to hit big in the Super Over, and had struck 13 off 5.But even though New Zealand didn’t clinch that World Cup. Neesham did plenty.Still, it wasn’t quite enough.

****

The third of Neesham’s sixes is the ugliest. He’s a leftie, and as such, has the match-up against Adil Rashid. He gets down on one knee and throws his entire life into a slog over midwicket. He connects and gets six. Nobody thinks this is a pretty shot. But also nobody cares.This is the last of Neesham’s big shots, though. He gets a single. And when he gets the strike later in this over, tries to hit an offside four, and gets out. By this stage, New Zealand need 20 off 12 balls.Ideally, Neesham would have hung around, hit another one of his big leg-side shots, and even perhaps scored the winning run. But then, for a player who had been through this much, this was asking a lot. When he’d arrived at the crease a New Zealand victory was barely conceivable. Through the course of his 11 balls at the crease, he’d swung the match definitively in New Zealand’s direction.There are two photographs doing the rounds on social media. One in which the entire New Zealand team are ecstatic, celebrating the win (Daryl Mitchell hit the winning runs) while Neesham is sat expressionless in his plastic chair, in front of the dugout.

The second is a photograph of Neesham still in that chair, looking out over the field long after his team-mates have gone back into the dressing room, and most of the stadium has emptied.What he is thinking. What he is feeling. That is all for only Neesham. If we’re lucky, he’ll let us know.But, for a change, we know what he did – 27 off 11, with three sixes and a four.Holy f***** shitballs, was it enough.

Extra ODI added to Australia's tour of Sri Lanka

by h79snht.top Uncategorized

The two matches will provide Australia’s preparation for the Champions Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Jan-2025

Australia previously visited in Sri Lanka in 2022•AFP/Getty Images

An extra ODI has been added to Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka which will provide the visitors additional preparation for the Champions Trophy.The two matches will now take place on February 12 and 14 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo and will be day games.The first of the games begins just two days after the scheduled fifth day of the second Test in Galle so it remains to be seen how many players featuring in that match can turnaround for the one-dayer if the Test goes the distance.However, Australia have nine players in their preliminary Champions Trophy squad who aren’t part of the Test series, including captain Pat Cummins and fellow quick Josh Hazlewood.But Cummins’ participation remains uncertain as he is carrying an ankle injury which he played with during the India Test series.Australia’s ODI players are expected to arrive in Sri Lanka around the start of the second Test. Their first match in the Champions Trophy is against England on February 22 followed by South Africa on February 25 and Afghanistan on February 28.The first semi-final will take place in Dubai on March 4 with the second in Lahore on March 5 following confirmation of the hybrid model due to India not traveling to Pakistan. The final will be on March 9, in either Dubai or Lahore depending on whether India qualify.

Liverpool target Alexander Isak slammed over 'bizarre' decision to leave Newcastle for an extra '£50,000 a week' as ex-Magpies star urges striker to stay

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Liverpool-linked Alexander Isak has been slammed over his “bizarre” decision to leave Newcastle and chase an extra “50,000 a week”.

  • Transfer request tabled on Tyneside
  • Swedish striker pushing for a move
  • Liverpool reportedly preparing bid
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    The Sweden international striker is seemingly pushing for a way out of St James’ Park, with a transfer request being tabled. He has been left out of Newcastle’s pre-season plans and has seemingly entered into talks with interested parties.

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    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    It is being reported that personal terms have been agreed with Liverpool, as the reigning Premier League champions prepare to table a formal offer for a player that apparently comes with a £150 million ($200m) price tag.

  • DID YOU KNOW?

    The Magpies have Isak tied to a contract through to 2028, meaning that they can dictate any discussions, and there is no guarantee that a big-money sale will be sanctioned – with Eddie Howe readying his squad for more Champions League action in 2025-26.

  • Getty

    WHAT PEARCE SAID

    Ex-Newcastle defender Stuart Pearce, speaking in association with , told GOAL when asked why an ambitious project on Tyneside – which has wealthy owners on board – is struggling to retain players of Isak’s ilk: “Only the players can answer that. Looking at it from a player's point of view and my history as a player, sometimes down the line you have got to stay and play football where you are happy. Isak looks to me as though he is happy at Newcastle.

    “They are in European competition, the club have won their first trophy for a long time, why wouldn’t you stay would be the question. I’m sure financially they can offer as good as anyone and he can get paid 150, 250, 300,000 pounds a week. To me there is very little in that if he is going to get paid another 50,000 pounds on top of that. It seems bizarre to me.

    “I think it will resolve itself. I don’t think Newcastle will part company with Isak – certainly not this season. The trouble is, if you are not Liverpool and not Manchester City, you have got a fight on to keep players. That is just the nature of the game.”

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.

Corinthians mira guinada no Brasileirão após eliminação na Copa do Brasil

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MatériaMais Notícias

da apostaganha： O Corinthians tenta juntar os cacos após a dolorosa eliminação diante do São Paulo na semifinal da Copa do Brasil, e a partida deste sábado (19), contra o Cruzeiro, pode representar uma guinada na temporada do Timão no Brasileirão.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCruzeiroCruzeiro x Corinthians: onde assistir ao vivo, horário e escalações do jogo pelo BrasileirãoCruzeiro19/08/2023CorinthiansCorinthians inicia venda de ingressos para amistoso de lendas contra o Real Madrid; veja preçosCorinthians18/08/2023CorinthiansLuxemburgo preserva titulares, e Corinthians terá mudanças contra o Cruzeiro; veja provável escalaçãoCorinthians18/08/2023

da casino： + Renove o seu estoque de camisas do Timão com o cupom LANCEFUT 10% OFF

Durante todo o primeiro turno do Brasileirão, o Corinthians flertou contra o rebaixamento, inclusive ficando algumas rodadas no Z4. Uma vitória diante da Raposa não vai colocar o Alvinegro na parte de cima da tabela, mas deixará a equipe mais perto do G6 do que a “zona da confusão”. Há a possibilidade do Timão abrir oito pontos do Z4 e ficar cinco do G6.

Vanderlei Luxemburgo vem batendo na tecla que o foco do clube é buscar uma vaga na Libertadores através do Campeonato Brasileiro, e o discurso foi repetido pelo presidente Duílio Monteiro Alves após a derrota no Majestoso.

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Contudo, Luxa decidiu poupar seis titulares para o duelo contra o Cruzeiro: Gil, Murillo, Fábio Santos, Maycon, Renato Augusto e Yuri Alberto.

+ Veja tabela e simule os jogos do Timão no Brasileirão

TABU

Além da oportunidade de se aproximar do “pelotão de cima” no Brasileirão, uma vitória contra o Cruzeiro representaria o fim de um longo tabu diante dos mineiros.

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O Timão não vence um jogo oficial como visitante diante da Raposa desde 2015. A vitória veio no Brasileirão daquele ano, com gol de Romero.

Desde então, foram quatro derrotas e dois empates quando o Corinthians enfrentou o Cruzeiro como visitante.

Raul Jimenez, Chris Richards, Rubio Rubin and the top 10 performances at the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup – ranked

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

GOAL looks at the best players from the Gold Cup, which culminated in Mexico's 10th trophy after beating USMNT in final

The 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup was one for the books. Mexico were crowned champions for the second straight edition, defeating the U.S. men's national team 2-1 in the final and capping the final competitive tournament for the region ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Edson Alvarez, Raul Jimenez, and Luis Malagon were all terrific for s their trio of reliable veterans helped Mexico lift the trophy for the 10th time. They weren't the only top performers, though. For the U.S., defender Chris Richards had a fantastic tournament and was arguably the best center-back throughout the Gold Cup.

Panama's Ismael Diaz was named the top scorer of the competition, earning the Golden Boot and making a name for himself among CONCACAF's attackers. Who else stood out in this year's tournament?

GOAL US looks at the top 10 performers, including a few new breakout stars.

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  • Getty Images Sport

    10Olger Escobar: Guatemala

    Named Young Player of the competition, Escobar, who plays his club soccer with CF Montreal in Canada, had a breakout tournament for Guatemala. The midfielder scored twice, including the lone goal for against the USMNT in the semifinals.

    In his first real taste of competitive CONCACAF soccer, the 18-year-old performed brilliantly. Upon his return to CF MTL, it will be of no surprise if he pushes for a regular spot in the XI – and potentially be looked at by some of the heavy-hitters within the league for a transfer.

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    9Malik Tillman: USMNT

    Tillman had a real breakout tournament, his best performance to date for the national team. The PSV midfielder, who is reportedly on the verge of signing for Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen, scored three goals for the USMNT, adding two assists. His performance was among the most promising takeaways for coach Mauricio Pochettino.

  • Getty Images Sport

    8Ismael Diaz: Panama

    The top scorer of the competition, Diaz put on a thrilling performance for Panama, even though they were eliminated in the quarterfinals. The 28-year-old striker, who plays his club soccer for C.D. Universidad Católica del Ecuador, had six goals in four matches to secure the Golden Boot award.

    Diaz scored a hat-trick against Jamaica in a 4-1 victory in the group stage, and scored again in their 1-1 quarterfinal draw against Honduras – they were eliminated in a penalty shootout.

    In the shootout, Diaz found the back of the net on his attempt. A true breakout performance for the forward.

  • Getty Images Sport

    7Keylor Navas: Costa Rica

    Navas, 38, likely played in his final Gold Cup, but the Real Madrid legend put on a show. The goalkeeper was heroic throughout the group stage, coming up big in a scoreless draw against Mexico, making four saves. In the knockout round, Navas and Costa Rica took on the USMNT, and he had the best goalkeeping performance of the competition in an eventual 2-2 draw that went to a penalty shootout.

    Navas made two saves in regulation and thwarted a regulation PK attempt from Tillman, sending the match to spot kicks. In the shootout, he came up with a clutch save against a John Tolkin attempt.

    Costa Rica and Navas can hold their heads high knowing they were the only team in the Gold Cup to not lose to either finalist, the USMNT and Mexico.

Sai Sudharsan ton in vain as India A seal Duleep Trophy title

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Prasidh Krishna beat India C’s defiance with three quick wickets to secure the win

Shashank Kishore22-Sep-2024With 4.1 overs left and the light fading slowly, Prasidh Krishna beat India C’s defiance with three quick wickets to seal India A’s title triumph at the season-opening 2024-25 Duleep Trophy in Anantapur. Prasidh, playing his second straight first-class game after a long injury layoff, dismissed centurion B Sai Sudharsan, Baba Indrajith and Anshul Kamboj to secure victory.Sai Sudharsan, who had battled hard and defied the bowlers to make his fifth first-class century, fell for 111 when he was out attempting a scoop. In Prasidh’s next over, the 80th, he had the injured B Indrajith, who came out to bat only because a draw had seemed a possibility.But in trying to defend a short ball aimed at the ribs, Prasidh had Indrajith caught at leg slip, who had been specifically brought in for the short ball. And then, with a brand new ball taken at the first available opportunity in the 81st over, Prasidh bowled full and straight to dismiss Kamboj lbw to close out the game.Related

  • Arshdeep Singh's career-best of 6 for 40 gives India D consolation win

While Prasidh did the late demolition job, it was young Uttar Pradesh seamer Aaqib Khan who did the early damage, nicking off Ruturaj Gaikwad with a superb outswinger, and then having Rajat Patidar bowled.Once those breakthroughs were achieved, Agarwal summoned his spinners on a final-day surface, which had begun to take turn, but not to the extent that made stroke-making impossible. Offspinner Tanush Kotian removed Ishan Kishan and first innings top-scorer Abhishek Porel, while his Mumbai team-mate Shams Mulani dismissed Manav Suthar to open up the possibility of victory.Until that point, it didn’t seem like India B would have the services of Indrajith, who had retired hurt on 34 in the first innings because of a hamstring injury. But with the possibility of a draw looming, he walked out to a packed close-in ring, but only lasted two deliveries. That strike turned a hopeful bunch boisterous as Prasidh and India A then picked up the final wicket after a tense few deliveries of playing and missing to seal the match.That India A were in a position to win outright was largely down to a superb back-to-the-wall century from Baroda’s Shashwat Rawat, who made 124 in the first innings to set up the game on the face of a batting collapse. Then in the second, he struck a half-century along with Riyan Parag to set up a declaration, which eventually helped them build scoreboard pressure on the final day.

Arsenal in talks to sign £145m winger who's more exciting than Rodrygo

by rastrear-estafeta.com Uncategorized

And with that, the Premier League is done and dusted for another year. Arsenal, the division’s second place side, ended things with a win but the real work starts now for new sporting director Andrea Berta.

Mikel Arteta declared post-game on Sunday that work for the new season would commence quickly.

Where do they need to strengthen?

It’s pretty obvious unless you have been living under a rock.

For the first time since the 1923/24 season, yes, over 100 years ago, Arsenal failed to find a player who scored double figures in a league season.

Injuries have no doubt led to this but so has the club’s poor recruitment over the last 18 months.

A new striker and potentially also a winger simply has to be sourced this summer.

Arsenal’s transfer plans post-season

It’s set to be out with the old and in with the new this summer for the Gunners.

Kieran Tierney scored on his final outing for the Gunners at Southampton but it may not have been just his final outing.

Indeed, Raheem Sterling will head back to his parent club while Thomas Partey and Jorginho see their contracts expire in a few weeks time.

Leandro Trossard – linked with Saudi last January – could sign a new deal at the Emirates Stadium this summer, but that is unlikely to have an impact on whether or not they sign a new forward.

For that central berth, the likes of Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko seem the most likely of candidates but there’s also the potential for a new winger to arrive in the shape of Real Madrid star, Rodrygo.

The Brazilian isn’t the only wide player on their shortlist with reports in recent weeks suggesting that Arsenal have been working on a deal for Rafael Leao.

The Milan star is also wanted by Bayern Munich this summer but there’s has been a new development in Arsenal’s chase.

Transfer Focus

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

That’s according to French publication, Foot Mercato, who suggested over the weekend that while the Portuguese winger is on the club’s ‘shortlist’, Berta actually had a phone call with the player in the last two weeks.

The purpose of that call was to tell Leao that there is definite interest in him from the Gunners.

Arsenal don’t have an endless supply of cash this summer, and with other areas needing to be improved, they will have to spend wisely. Thus, a reported £145m release clause is unlikely to be met too well by the club’s recruitment team.

How Rafael Leao compares to Rodrygo

Speaking last week ahead of the game with Southampton, Arteta was actually asked about the prospect of signing Rodrygo from Real Madrid.

While he didn’t explicitly reveal that Arsenal were interested, he was slightly more open to the prospect of discussing transfers than he was a week or two ago, stating: “If you want to win titles, you have to be the best in the market. The teams that win have the best players.”

Well, speaking of the best players, who would be the better option here?

AC Milan's RafaelLeaoreacts

Rodrygo is an electrifying talent and there is a belief that if he moved away from the Bernabeu and was the main man, he’d be a genuinely scary proposition. After all, this is a player who has scored 50 goals since the beginning of the 2022/23 season.

In comparison, Leao – who’s actually been compared to a young Thierry Henry for his play style on the left flank – has scored 43 times in the same time frame.

So, with fewer goals, why is the Portuguese more exciting?

Goals

0.40

0.34

Assists

0.31

0.24

Shot on target %

36.0%

36.3%

Key passes

2.06

1.91

Progressive passes

4.12

3.76

Shot-creating actions

4.60

4.71

Successful take-ons

2.64

2.56

Progressive carries

5.20

5.63

A genuine speedster, the Milan forward has notably been described by the Athletic’s Alex Barker as “one of the best dribblers in the world”, the numbers certainly showcase that.

He ranks within the top 5% of wingers in Europe’s top five leagues this season for successful take ons per 90 minutes with 2.84. In contrast, Rodrygo only ranks among the best 23% with 2.08 per 90 mins in 2024/25.

Evidently both very capable dribblers, over the last three seasons it’s the Milan superstar who comes out on top in most areas, most importantly producing more end product (goals and assists) every 90 minutes.

Leao isn’t just a dribbler and a goalscorer, but he’s also capable of providing assists, delivering more key passes and progressive passes than Madrid’s wing sensation.

AC Milan's RafaelLeaocelebrates scoring their first goal

It’s likely the latter would be a cheaper acquisition but based on the numbers it’s the Portugal international who looks like the more exciting talent.

Combine that with comparisons to Henry and you have a genuine world beater here capable of getting Arsenal fans off their seats again.

It’s safe to say they’ve lacked that star quality and X factor on too many occasions this season.

Arsenal struck gold on "unplayable" star worth way more than Nico Williams

The incredible talent is going to be a superstar for Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 22, 2025