Category Uncategorized

Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan have economy rates of less than 3.50 in the Asia Cup so far

The Preview by Mohammad Isam22-Sep-20182:10

Dasgupta: Wouldn’t mind seeing Soumya Sarkar and Imrul Kayes in Bangladesh’s XI

Big pictureBoth Bangladesh and Afghanistan come into this crucial Super Four match having lost their previous contests. But it is anyone’s guess which side would be more confident. Bangladesh have had it rough in their last two games, particularly their batsmen who have performed poorly as a collective.Afghanistan have played impressive cricket in the Asia Cup so far, although the loss to Pakistan will take time to heal. They will hope for a better start from Mohammad Shahzad and Ihsanullah in the first Powerplay. Their middle order has mostly done the job of steadying the ship and setting a platform for the last 10 overs, in which Afghanistan have now scored 97 and 87 runs in their last two matches, against Bangladesh and Pakistan.Hashmatullah Shahidi has been their batting ace, scoring 192 runs in three innings, but none of the others have been as consistent. Rahmat Shah made 72 against Sri Lanka while Asghar Afghan struck 67 against Pakistan.Their three main spinners, however, have been outstanding, none of them conceding more than 3.50 runs per over. Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s accuracy and variation with the new ball is backed up by the experienced Mohammad Nabi before their star bowler, the legspinner Rashid Khan, rips into the middle orders. Perhaps at times captain Afghan can bring Rashid into the attack slightly earlier, especially if teams get off to good starts.Bangladesh haven’t had it so easy. Tamim Iqbal’s injury-enforced absence has unsettled the top order. The lack of form of the younger batsmen such as Liton Das, Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Mosaddek Hossain has led the selectors to add Soumya Sarkar and Imrul Kayes to the squad. Whether this will relieve the pressure on the three main batsmen – Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah – remains to be seen.Both teams are in the same situation, effectively, as far as the tournament goes, but at the moment Afghanistan look clear favourites, their spinners itching to go at an under-pressure batting line-up that has failed to cross 200 in successive games.Form guideAfghanistan: LWWWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Bangladesh: LLWWLIn the spotlightIt is important for Bangladesh that Mashrafe Mortaza get back into the groove. He hasn’t been his usual self in their last two games, conceding 7.46 per over and only taking one wicket.Mohammad Nabi has been miserly with the ball but a little off-colour with the bat in this Asia Cup, only scoring 32 runs in three innings.Associated PressTeam newsAfghanistan are unlikely to tinker with their top six but they may want to ponder the make-up of their pace attack.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Mohammad Shahzad (wk), 2 Ihsanullah, 3 Rahmat Shah, 4 Asghar Afghan (capt), 5 Hashmatullah Shahidi, 6 Mohammad Nabi, 7 Najibullah Zadran, 8 Gulbadin Naib, 9 Rashid Khan, 10 Aftab Alam, 11 Mujeeb Ur RahmanHaving failed to cross 200 in successive innings, Bangladesh could make changes to their top order, with Soumya Sarkar and Imrul Kayes now also in the mix.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Liton Das, 2 Nazmul Hossain Shanto, 3 Shakib Al Hasan, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Mohammad Mithun, 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Mosaddek Hossain, 8 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 9 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 10 Rubel Hossain, 11 Mustafizur RahmanPitch and conditionsAbu Dhabi remains a “bat first, score 250-plus” ground, although Pakistan did chase down Afghanistan’s 257 in the last game here. The weather remains hot and dry, with a low of 32 degrees.Stats and trivia Bangladesh have lost the last 11 ODIs they have played without Tamim Iqbal. Hashmatullah Shahidi, while making 97* against Pakistan, became the second Afghanistan batsman to be unbeaten in the nineties in ODIs.Quotes”We have had collapses in two successive matches. It does make the dressing-room worried when we lose two early wickets. We managed to recover in the first game but we faced world-class bowlers against Afghanistan and India. We have to ensure more partnerships so that we don’t go out of the contest before the first 30 overs.”

Daryl Mitchell has warned the ECB that “there’s no competition without any players” and insisted the future of The Hundred is “not set in stone” as England’s professional cricketers press for more information about the controversial tournament.Mitchell, the chairman of the Professional Cricketers Association, was among a delegation of players who met ECB representatives at Edgbaston on Tuesday to discuss plans for The Hundred – the ECB’s new-team 100-ball a side competition proposal.Among the 27 professional players in attendance were Paul Collingwood, Jonny Bairstow and Tammy Beaumont, while the ECB were represented by their chief executive, Tom Harrison, and the managing director of the new competition, Sanjay Patel.And while Mitchell described the meeting as “a good starting point” and stressed the union’s desire to “work with the ECB” to find consensus, he also confirmed there were “an enormous amount of unanswered questions” over the new competition and described the lack of plans for a domestic women’s T20 league as “a huge negative.”As a result, he has warned the ECB the cooperation of the players cannot be taken for granted and requested more clarity over their plans as a matter of urgency.Part of the players’ frustration would appear to be a lack of consultation – only three players (Mitchell and England captains Eoin Morgan and Heather Knight) were alerted to the idea ahead of its announcement a couple of weeks ago.But there is also a concern over moving away from the T20 format that is now accepted worldwide as cricket’s biggest revenue raiser and changes to playing regulations that could see a 10-ball over each innings. The prospect of losing the KSL – the women’s domestic T20 competition – has also caused dismay.”What would it take for this competition not to happen?” Mitchell asked rhetorically. “Probably the players saying they don’t want it. We have the power to do that but whether it does happen or not, I’m not sure. It’s important we work with the ECB and try and shape how it looks for the benefit of our members and the game as a whole.”One of our huge concerns is time frames. Here we are, two years out and there are many, many unanswered questions. The ECB don’t officially have a format that is set in stone. The drafts, general managers, the pay bands… there’s an enormous amount of unanswered questions and the worry for me is that we don’t even have a timeframe as to when we’re going to get those answers.”Why we are moving away from the T20 format, which has been successful around the world? That was a big concern.”And there might not be a domestic T20 for the ladies, which is a huge negative. There’s no getting away from that: they need to be playing T20 cricket if there’s world competitions in that format.”There is no competition without any players, is there? As a union, we would have to feel very, very strongly to go completely against it. Whether that is likely to happen, I don’t know. We need to canvas opinions when we have more details of what it looks like.”The ECB are very keen to stress that the idea is still a concept. It’s an idea that all stakeholders will be consulted on and we’re a huge part of that. So it is not set in stone. It is a concept, but one they are very keen on.”While few more details were provided how the competition would work, there was a little more detail over the payment structures. As things stand, it seems each of the eight new teams would have a salary cap of GBP £1m with the top pay-band likely to be somewhere between GBP £110,000-130,000. As the competition is likely to clash with the CPL, however, that figure may need to rise.There is also no change in the expectation that England cricket’s biggest stars – the likes of Joe Root and Ben Stokes – would not be available for the new competition as they would be involved in a Test series.”That’s another concern,” Mitchell said. “The likes of Root and Stokes will be allocated to a team for marketing purposes, but they won’t be playing. The ECB made the point that this new audience won’t necessarily know who Stokes and Root are anyway.”Mitchell also confirmed that, as far the 27 representatives at the meeting were concerned, it would wrong to play Championship cricket at the same time as the new competition.”We’re still very keen that the pinnacle of the domestic game is the Championship and the pinnacle of the international game is Test cricket,” Mitchell said. “The ECB also said their No.1 priority was red ball, Test cricket which was reassuring to hear.Championship cricket is very marginalised at present. We’ll have to have a bit more red-ball cricket – and more changes of format – in the summer months rather than April and September. We’re probably going to have to move away from the blocks we have now to a degree.”The next step in the negotiations is for those PCA members who were present at the meeting to go back to their county dressing rooms to discuss the issues raised. “The ECB have promised we’ll meet more often and be kept in the loop more,” Mitchell said.The ECB also released a statement following the meeting. Repeating the word “concept”, they sought to reassure the players that no firm decision had been taken over the format of the new competition at this stage.”Today’s meeting with the PCA’s Player Representatives gave us constructive and valuable feedback on the 100-ball concept,” they said. “It was invaluable to talk through the concept after sharing it with the ECB Board, first-class county chief executives and chairmen and PCA management.”Players are the core of the game and we look forward to further discussions with them as we continue to develop the new competition.”

A look at what prompted Virender Sehwag’s allegations against the DDCA

Sidharth Monga24-Aug-2009It needed a player of Virender Sehwag’s stature to take on the Delhi & Districts Cricket Association (DDCA), even though all he did by threatening to leave Delhi last week was to reveal the tip of the iceberg. It needed Sehwag because everybody else is too small a fry to even raise allegations of maladministration of cricket – especially in matters of selection at various levels – in a city that runs on connections and clout.This isn’t the first time such allegations have been levelled but it is the first time they’ve had any resonance; most often no official comes out to deny those stories, no newspaper is sued. It almost seems the DDCA is not bothered about its image. This time, junior players found a voice and threatened to follow him out of Delhi. Meanwhile, Sehwag faced a barrage of counter-charges: he’d been bought over by Haryana for a plot of land, he wanted his cousin in the Delhi team. And so on.Yet Sehwag held firm and his stand, right or wrong, is important because it involves Delhi, a nursery for leading Indian cricketers over the last 10-odd years. That’s a fact the DDCA uses in its defence, but which its detractors feel has happened not because of the system but despite it. The detractors point to Delhi’s sole Ranji Trophy win in the past 18 seasons and fear the player supply, like the silverware, will dry up. “There will still be a few talented players who will be at the right place and at the right time,” says one. “Even a few of the players supported by the sports committee could be good, but that’s not how you want them to come up.”Eventually, the matter boils down to the sports committee and its alleged transgressions. Unlike other state associations, Delhi cricket is run by its sports committee, which was created in 1994 to handle the conduct of the local DDCA league and the welfare of its 112 clubs. But the sports committee has become stronger and stronger because of the indifference of the more powerful body, the executive committee, made up largely of mid-level industrialists and small-time businessmen.The executive committee’s peculiarity is that it can’t be voted out. “There is no check on them,” says a current Delhi player. “There is no opposition. You can’t stop them from doing what they want. They get voted in again and again by proxy system.” That’s another peculiarity of the DDCA – it allows members to pass on their voting rights to others, and it’s anyone’s guess what is received in exchange.The sports committee’s power lies in the fact that it proposes selectors for every single age-group team. It’s possible that the names may not be accepted, but it doesn’t usually happen. These teams are the most sought-after, given the avenues they open up, and consequently the selection process is susceptible to fraud. Sehwag was less ambiguous when he first levelled the charge of corruption. “There is too much interference and manipulation from the sports committee in selection committees,” he said. “The sports committee has got too much power. There is more interference at the under-16 and under-19 levels than the Ranji Trophy. In a squad of 15, for instance, the sports committee tries to influence the selectors and slip in one or two of ‘their own’ boys.”His message is clear: if a new Virender Sehwag is to emerge, he’d better come with connections – or be prepared to move out.As did Rahul Dewan, or Murali Kartik, Amit Mishra, Yashpal Singh and a long list of others. It’s anyone’s guess what the future holds for Dron Chhabra, a 15-year-old left-arm bowler whom Wasim Akram loved during a fast-bowlers’ camp last year and whom John Buchanan wanted in the Kolkata Knight Riders set-up – but who hasn’t made Delhi’s Under-16 side.

[Only] if people come and vote can you convince them of the need to change things. Everybody adds to the corruption. I hate to say this, but there are people sitting there, who get these proxies by pleasing clubs, by giving somebody a local manager’s job, a coach’s job, by playing somebody’s son or nephewManinder Singh, former India left-arm spinner

Two years ago, when the 2006-07 season ended, Delhi faced a rebellion similar to the one at hand. Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Mithun Manhas, Aakash Chopra and Ashish Nehra were all gravitating away from the state, fed up with the political interference and selectorial conspiracies. They stayed on, though, and the team played with unity and flair and were a treat to watch. They went on to win the Ranji Trophy. Vijay Dahiya, the coach, said the crucial – and the most challenging – part of his job then was to take all that stuff off the players’ minds and make sure that when they walked out on the field, they were in a mental state conducive to them giving their best.That championship didn’t change things off the field, however. Officials still took the players for granted – [all you’ll play is Ranji Trophy], they were told – and till date Delhi still doesn’t have a single indoor training facility nor have other financial issues been sorted out. The limit on outstation players in Ranji cricket inhibited players’ movement and left them feeling shackled.Former players feel badly about the situation but say it is too big a cultural shock to try and make a change. “I feel so sad that I have played for Delhi and can’t do anything about it,” says Maninder Singh, the former India left-arm spinner. “You just can’t go there and mix with people who are playing politics all the time. Bishan [Bishan Bedi] has been trying for a number of years, but you can’t beat them because it is a proxy system. [Only] if people come and vote can you convince them of the need to change things. Everybody adds to the corruption. I hate to say this, but there are people sitting there, who get these proxies by pleasing clubs, by giving somebody a local manager’s job, a coach’s job, by playing somebody’s son or nephew. As far as I am concerned, I can’t join them.”It’s not as if no other player has protested before but they have made little difference. There is reason to feel that Sehwag might succeed. He meets Arun Jaitley, the DDCA president, on Tuesday to try and end the impasse. There are reports that a compromise has already been worked out. But if Delhi cricket is to turn for the better, Sehwag will have to go the whole hog. Else his protest will just be a reference point for the next time another top player raises his voice.

A stats analysis of Dennis Lillee’s Ashes career

S Rajesh18-Jul-2009Australia have had a tradition of producing some outstanding fast bowlers, but few will rank higher than Dennis Lillee, who has turned 60 today. For many, he is the perfect definition of the ultimate fast bowler: he was fast, aggressive, and possessed the complete armoury, with the ability to swing and seam the ball both ways, and bowl long spells.He also saved his best for Australia’s oldest rivals, taking 167 wickets in only 29 Ashes Tests, an average of 5.76 wickets per match, which was better than his overall stats of 5.07 wickets per match. Lillee is second in the wicket-takers’ list, next only to Shane Warne, who, in seven more Tests, took 28 extra wickets. Both took five wickets in an innings 11 times and ten in a match four times; the latter is a record, with Fred Spofforth and Tom Richardson the only other bowlers to achieve it.The top three are all Australians, with Glenn McGrath in third place. The most wickets taken by an Englishman in Ashes is Ian Botham’s 148, but he needed 36 Tests for that tally, an average of 4.11 wickets per match. (Click here for the complete list.)

Most wickets in Ashes Tests

Bowler	Tests	Wickets	Average	Strike rate	5WI/ 10WM
Shane Warne	36	195	23.25	55.1	11/ 4
Dennis Lillee	29	167	21.00	50.9	11/ 4
Glenn McGrath	30	157	20.92	46.3	10/ 0
Ian Botham	36	148	27.65	57.2	9/ 2
Hugh Trumble	31	141	20.88	55.9	9/ 3
Bob Willis	35	128	26.14	56.9	7/ 0
Monty Noble	39	115	24.86	59.9	9/ 2
Ray Lindwall	29	114	22.44	59.0	6/ 0
Wilfred Rhodes	41	109	24.00	53.1	6/ 1
Sydney Barnes	20	106	21.58	54.2	12/ 1
Clarrie Grimmett	22	106	32.44	86.4	11/ 2

Overall, too, Lillee was one of the most feared bowlers for England’s batsmen, though a fair number of West Indian bowlers also make the list of most successful bowlers against them. Curtly Ambrose and Malcolm Marshall both averaged around 19 against them, which is slightly lesser than Lillee’s 21.Almost half his 355 wickets came against traditional rivals England, a team which brought out the best in Lillee. In only 29 Tests against them he took 167 wickets – that’s an average 5.76 per Test – at an excellent average of 21. Only Warne has taken more wickets against them, while both have taken exactly the same number of five- and ten-wicket hauls.The list is dominated by Australian and West Indians, the two teams who have played England most often. Eighty-three of Lillee’s wickets against England came in the 12 Tests that Australia won against them, at an outstanding average of 17.68. The only bowler in the top ten not from Australia or West Indies is Muttiah Muralitharan, who, in only 16 matches, has racked up 112 wickets against England.

Highest wicket-takers against England

Bowler	Tests	Wickets	Average	Strike rate	5WI/ 10WM
Shane Warne	36	195	23.25	55.1	11/ 4
Dennis Lillee	29	167	21.00	50.9	11/ 4
Curtly Ambrose	34	164	18.79	50.5	8/ 2
Glenn McGrath	30	157	20.92	46.3	10/ 0
Courtney Walsh	36	145	25.40	60.8	5/ 1
Hugh Trumble	31	141	20.88	55.9	9/ 3
Malcolm Marshall	26	127	19.18	45.5	6/ 1
Monty Noble	39	115	24.86	59.9	9/ 2
Ray Lindwall	29	114	22.44	59.0	6/ 0
Muttiah Muralitharan	16	112	20.06	59.0	8/ 4

Overall, Lillee was one of Australia’s most effective matchwinners. In the 31 Tests that Australia won with Lillee in the team, he took 203 wickets at a fantastic average of 18.27, with 17 five-wicket hauls. Among Australian bowlers with at least 100 wickets in wins, only Clarrie Grimmett, the legspinner who played in the 1920s and 30s, had a better average. Clearly, Lillee’s performances went a long way in determining his team’s fortunes – in Tests that Australia lost he averaged 29.49, and in draws he averaged 32.73 per wicket.In Ashes Tests too, he was one of the biggest matchwinners, with 83 wickets in a mere 12 Tests at an outstanding average of 17.68. Lillee ranks fourth in terms of wickets taken in Ashes wins, and among bowlers who took at least 50 wickets in such games, his average is sixth best, but the greatest since 1940. He also took a whopping 6.92 wickets per Test in these games, a stat bettered only by two bowlers in this list – Fred Spofforth and Bill O’Reilly.

Biggest matchwinners in Ashes Tests (Qual: 50 wickets in wins)

Bowler	Tests	Wickets	Average	Strike rate	5WI/ 10WM	Wkts per Test
George Lohmann (Eng)	12	59	11.96	37.2	4/ 2	4.92
Fred Spofforth (Aus)	6	51	13.11	30.4	6/ 3	8.50
Robert Peel (Eng)	12	77	14.85	46.7	5/ 1	6.42
Bill O’Reilly (Aus)	7	54	15.53	47.4	6/ 3	7.71
John Briggs (Eng)	17	63	15.74	39.1	7/ 3	3.71
Dennis Lillee (Aus)	12	83	17.68	41.6	8/ 3	6.92
Keith Miller (Aus)	13	50	17.74	52.1	3/ 1	3.85
Monty Noble (Aus)	19	84	17.78	44.8	8/ 2	4.42
Hugh Trumble (Aus)	14	77	18.00	52.0	4/ 1	5.50
Terry Alderman (Aus)	8	53	19.28	41.9	7/ 1	6.63

Overall, Lillee was involved in seven Test series against England, plus two centenary Tests, one each in Australia and England. Australia won four of those series (though Lillee didn’t have much of a role to play in 1982-83, playing just one Test), lost two and drew one. His most successful series, in terms of averages, were in 1972, in England, and in 1979-80 at home, when Australia won 3-0. In terms of wickets, though, Lillee’s best was in the historic 1981 series in England, when he took 39 in six Tests and yet couldn’t prevent an Australian defeat.

Lilllee’s stats in each Ashes series

Year	Tests	Wickets	Average	Strike rate	5WI/ 10WM	Winner
1970-71 (Home)	2	8	24.87	62.3	1/ 0	England
1972 (Away)	5	31	17.67	48.3	3/ 1	Drawn
1974-75 (Home)	6	25	23.84	58.4	0/ 0	Australia
1975 (Away)	4	21	21.90	59.1	1/ 0	Australia
1976-77 (Home)	1	11	15.00	34.8	2/ 1	Australia
1979-80 (Home)	3	23	16.86	40.4	2/ 1	Australia
1980 (Away)	1	5	19.20	40.8	0/ 0	Drawn
1981 (Away)	6	39	22.30	47.9	2/ 1	England
1982-83 (Home)	1	4	46.25	106.5	0/ 0	Australia

There has been a sense of unfulfilled promise about Suresh Raina for more than two years now, and his last two innings are perhaps signs of a coming of age

Sidharth Monga in Karachi26-Jun-2008
Suresh Raina has begun to convert the starts into bigger scores © AFP
Suresh Raina wouldn’t have been very pleased by the comments made by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, his captain, after India’s recent Kitply Cup loss to Pakistan. Although that remark – Dhoni said he should have batted ahead of Raina – pertained to that game, it would have hurt a youngster trying to recover from being written off as the most-hyped player in recent years. Two matches later, when Dhoni promoted Raina to No. 3, the latter ensured the decision wouldn’t be regretted.Dhoni was at the other end when Raina went on the rampage against Hong Kong on Wednesday, and that perhaps would have prompted the promotion against Pakistan. Raina’s maiden century had come against a weak team, and although he looked in prime touch, he needed to prove himself against stronger opposition.On Wednesday, Raina walked in against a Pakistan attack sans Umar Gul. Gautam Gambhir had fallen cheaply, and Virender Sehwag hadn’t yet got into his groove as India chased 300. Not many can outscore Sehwag, as Gambhir will testify, but Raina had raced to 21 off 14 balls while Sehwag was still stuck on 1 off nine. Two shots early in his innings indicated what Greg Chappell, India’s former coach, would have seen in Raina. The first one, a cover drive on the up off Iftikhar Anjum, did not require any foot movement either before or after playing the stroke. The second one, off Sohail Tanvir, ended up at the same place, but this time he went down on his knee, got in line with the wide ball, and then crashed it through the field.There was nothing new: Raina has got off to starts before and has one of the best cover drives in present-day cricket. What he also had was 11 dismissals between scores of 20 and 40, out of his 33 ODI innings. His last fifty before the Hong Kong match had been 20 innings ago.A similar trait had haunted him in the Ranji Trophy last season: he would get off to some of the most promising starts, and then throw his wicket away. Out of the 683 runs that he scored in 14 innings, 411 came in three innings alone. And he got starts in almost every match.The way he played suggested this wouldn’t be just a start. Pakistan were out of sorts – one of their strike bowlers was off, their captain had not taken the field, and the National Stadium pitch was inert, but that alone didn’t provide the sense of inevitability around Raina’s knock. The only blemish for Raina today was that he got out to a soft dismissal on 84.Dhoni would be the man most pleased by Raina’s performances. “Of course it was good to see that,” Dhoni said. “Especially for someone batting at No. 3, you have to carry on with good starts. More so when you are chasing more than 270.” The only batsmen scoring big in the middle order have been Yuvraj Singh and himself. If Raina can take off from these two innings, Dhoni, overworked already, can afford to come further down the order.There has been a sense of unfulfilled promise about Raina for more than two years now, which would have troubled him more than it has done his followers. But he is still 21, still evolving, still understanding his own game and his role in the team. For him to have made the comeback to the side as soon as he has, he must have more to him than just the cover drive.

The Liverpool and Manchester City duopoly in the Premier League continues. Arne Slot has taken the title from Pep Guardiola, ending four years of dominance and doing so in his first season at the helm.

As all of a Liverpool persuasion will be aware, it’s gearing up to be a significant summer for the Anfield side, with sporting director Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards, FSG’s chief executive of football operations, planning for a wave of first-team investment.

Last year, City enjoyed their record-breaking fourth Premier League title in succession, and most thought that they would retain their throne once more. Or, otherwise, fall against an Arsenal side that has been on the rise for several years now.

But it wasn’t to be. Liverpool, still bruised from Jurgen Klopp’s decision to step down from his long-held seat in the Anfield dugout, have been head-and-shoulders above their rivals since the early knockings.

Candidly, clinching the title has almost looked a formality since January, with the Darwin Nunez-inspired victory at Brentford lifting the Reds six points clear of second-place Arsenal, and with a game in hand at that.

But there’s been something missing. Nunez isn’t good enough and will be sold this summer, while various concerns relating to defence will call for change there too. However, Liverpool will jump on a new centre-midfielder if an opportunity presents itself.

The missing piece in Liverpool's midfield

In fairness, Liverpool’s midfield doesn’t need to undergo major surgery. Klopp’s dramatic rebuild of 2023 has proved a bona fide success, with Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch starting the lion’s share of Liverpool’s Premier League fixtures and Wataru Endo earning cult status for his combative cameos.

Curtis Jones, 24, has also enjoyed the outstanding season of his career thus far, starting 17 league games and earning praise from his manager for his “complete” take on the midfield game.

It’s remarkable that these players have stepped up and delivered England’s prized trophy after FSG failed to convince Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi to leave the Basque Country and join this new project.

Liverpool opted against signing a different deep-lying midfielder and were met with frustration from supporters, derision from rivals. Gravenberch’s incredible rise from a previously middling role has been the core of Liverpool’s successful season.

Matches (starts)

26 (12)

34 (34)

Goals

1

0

Assists

0

4

Touches*

28.8

67.3

Pass completion

83%

89%

Key passes*

0.6

0.7

Dribbles*

0.9

1.0

Ball recoveries*

2.8

5.3

Tackles + interceptions*

1.5

3.6

Duels (won)*

2.8 (47%)

5.0 (58%)

Indeed, the owners’ decision has been vindicated now that Slot has sealed the club’s record-equalling 20th top-flight trophy.

There have been times when the engine room has looked a little tired of late, namely during costly defeats against Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final.

If the right player comes along, Liverpool will pounce, with one of the Premier League’s finest very much on Hughes’ radar.

Liverpool learn conditions for PL star

According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool have learned that it will take a mammoth fee of £80m to convince Crystal Palace to part with Adam Wharton this summer.

Liverpool are keen admirers of the deep-lying playmaker, who has been a revelation since joining the Eagles from Blackburn Rovers in the Championship last year for a £18m fee.

The 21-year-old is also on Man United’s radar, but given that he fits the profile to jockey with Gravenberch for that number six spot, it might be the perfect move for Slot’s fluid system.

Why Adam Wharton is perfect for Slot

Liverpool’s current midfielders have cemented their legacies and then some, joining the illustrious names of old: Fabinho, Gini Wijnaldum, Jordan Henderson, Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso.

Wharton has the talent to add his name too, hailed as an “unbelievable talent” by BBC analyst Raj Chohan after his incredible start to life in Oliver Glasner’s Palace team last season.

This term, despite injuries, he has played a big part for his London-based side, actually earning praise from respected journalist Henry Winter for being a “passing machine” as Aston Villa were comprehensively defeated in the FA Cup semi-final, also hailing him as “the best player on the pitch.” Big-game quality, confirmed.

As per FBref, he actually ranks among the top 8% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for both progressive passes and ball recoveries, the top 12% for shot-creating actions and the top 15% for assists per 90, perfectly illustrating his passing prowess and an athleticism that Slot seems to desire so greatly.

Wharton still has much to learn, but with such exciting ball-playing skills, he could take the shape of a former Liverpool star like Alonso, slotting into a similar role for the Reds’ flourishing coach.

Alonso might be one of the most esteemed managers at present, leading Bayer Leverkusen to an invincible domestic double last year and now the firm favourite to succeed Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid, but he was once a superstar of a midfielder.

A Spanish maestro, Alonso starred across, winning the Champions League and FA Cup across five campaigns before walking that well-trodden path from Anfield to the Spanish capital, sold to Madrid in a £30m package back in 2009.

Gerrard once claimed that Alonso was his “favourite partner for club and country,” with the 43-year-old’s silky and cerebral approach to the midfield game something that opened up new lanes from which the robust Three Lions star could travel.

Wharton boasts a similarly high footballing IQ and could take the likes of Mac Allister and Gravenberch to the next level.

Transfer Focus

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

Adding Wharton to the fold would certainly serve to elevate Slot’s existing midfield options, with the young playmaker operating in a deep-set role to influence and advance fluency in a similar vein to a former Liverpool hero named Alonso.

Liverpool could sign their best forward since Salah in £87m "superstar"

This talented player is open to leaving his club this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair May 2, 2025

Leeds United are looking to return to winning ways this evening as they play host to Swansea City in the Championship at Elland Road.

The Whites went into the gameweek seven points behind Ipswich Town in second place and will be hoping to gain ground on them if the Tractor Boys fail to pick up all three points against Millwall.

Daniel Farke's side head into this clash with the Swans off the back of a frustrating 1-1 draw away at relegation-threatened Rotherham United last Friday.

Crysencio Summerville opened the scoring with a fine finish for the Whites in the all-Yorkshire clash but a strike before half time from Hakeem Odofin secured a point for the hosts.

The German tactician could make some changes to his side after that draw and one that he could make is to finally unleash Ian Poveda, whose last start came against Birmingham in August, ahead of Daniel James on the right flank.

Dan James' performance against Rotherham in numbers

The Wales international has enjoyed a solid season so far, with four goals and four assists, but he produced a sloppy display against the Millers.

James struggled in possession as he only found a teammate with 59% of his attempted passes (16/27) and failed with all four of his attempted dribbles, to go along with zero goals and zero assists, in 70 minutes on the field.

Appearances

15

Sofascore rating

7.35

Goals

Four

Assists

Four

Big chances created

Eight

The former Swansea forward also lost all seven of his duels, including his three aerial battles, and did not make a single tackle, interception, block, or clearance to help the team out from a defensive perspective.

It was a disappointing performance from James on and off the ball and, with three games in a week, this clash with the Swans is an opportunity for Farke to rest him and unleash Poveda in his place.

Why Poveda could start against Swansea

The former Manchester City starlet caught the eye in his cameo off the bench against Rotherham and Farke revealed that he trusted the gem due to his "good" performance levels in training.

Leeds' head coach claimed that Poveda has the ability to provide a "touch of magic" with his "crazy" movements to make something happen on the ball.

The former Norwich boss said that he was pleased with the young talent's display as the winger completed 100% (8/8) of his attempted passes and completed one dribble in 20 minutes.

The 23-year-old whiz has, however, yet to translate his youth team form with Manchester City to senior level and is still waiting for his breakthrough moment.

Poveda racked up 15 goals and 13 assists in 69 appearances for the Cityzens at U23 and U18 level combined but has zero goals and one assist in 27 first-team matches for Leeds.

This suggests that the 5 foot 6 winger, who predominantly plays on the right and cuts inside onto his favoured left foot, has more to offer than he has shown so far.

Whilst there is no guarantee that the English maestro can carry his academy form over to the senior game, Farke could unearth a productive and exciting forward if he can get Poveda to hit his stride in the first-team – starting with an inclusion in the XI tonight.

Rangers could be looking for new signings to aid their Scottish Premiership title push, and one player has hinted at a move to Ibrox when 2024 arrives.

Rangers-Celtic title race

The Gers have already made improvements since Philippe Clement replaced Michael Beale in the Ibrox hot seat, with results and performances already better than they were previously. It is still clear that Clement's side have a huge amount of work to do in order to chase down rivals Celtic in the Scottish Premiership title race, even though the Hoops' 0-0 draw away to Hibernian on Saturday has given them more hope of wrestling the trophy away from them next year.

For that to happen, it could be that new faces are required when the January transfer window rolls around, in order to give the manager more options all over the pitch. It looks as though one intriguing move could potentially happen in 2024, following a key update regarding one player who is well-known to Gers supporters.

Helander's Rangers return

Speaking to The Daily Record, Filip Helander hinted that he could return to Rangers on a free transfer in 2024, having previously represented the club for four years:

"I’m not aware of the injury I had at all, which is great. And I think I can still achieve a lot in the game. That’s something I have in my mind. I try to set goals in terms of what I want to do.

"I’m only 30 so hopefully I have a good few years left in me. Because I was out for a long time it’s almost like I feel MORE healthy now. It’s about making up for lost time. That’s how I’m trying to look at it. I hope to have a good season here in Denmark and see what happens after that.

“I’ve only signed a one-year deal at Odense. They weren’t certain whether I’d be fit or not. So it was a good place to hopefully get game time. Could I come back to Rangers for free next summer? You never know."

Helander was an impressive performer for Rangers between 2019 and earlier this year, when he departed to join Danish side OB, proving to be a consistent performer at centre-back. A dominant figure, Helander's stats in a Gers shirt highlight the influence that he enjoyed for the Scottish giants, racking up 60 appearances in that time and also winning 21 caps for Sweden at international level, with injuries arguably preventing him from having higher tallies.

Former Rangers manager Steven Gerrard is someone who always appreciated the 30-year-old, once hailing the "great leadership" that he possesses in his game, and the fact that he would be available on a free transfer at the end of the season would make it less of a risk – Helander's contract expires next summer – in terms of the Gers bringing him back to the club.

At 30, he still has plenty to offer, as Helander himself alludes to in his comments, and having another good option at the heart of the defence can only increase Clement's side going from strength to strength, possibly making this one to watch.

Aston Villa could be rocked by a surprise twist regarding one of their summer signings following a shock update regarding his situation at Villa Park.

Aston Villa updates: Watkins for England, Tielemans in trouble

In conversation with TEAMtalk, pundit Robbie Savage has lavished praise on Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins following his excellent start to the 2023/24 campaign.

The former Wales international stated: "Ollie Watkins for Aston Villa – seven goals in all competitions – and Unai Emery’s side are flying and doing exceptionally well. Emery has got them playing some fantastic football, scoring lots of goals and Watkins is right at the heart of that. He’s got a deserved call-up to the England squad off the back of that; it’s really well deserved."

Enjoying a productive week or so at Villa Park, Watkins has signed a new long-term contract at Aston Villa and also received a call-up to the England squad for their upcoming double-header against Australia and Italy.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Dean Jones has claimed that Unai Emery has taken Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz to a new dimension at Villa Park, as he said: "Luiz is probably one of the best players in that Aston Villa team generally, but under Emery, he just seems to have gone to another level again. It’s a player that Champions League clubs have had an eye on, and you can understand why when you see the levels he's now managing to reach under Emery."

He then added: "It'll be interesting if he continues to play the way he's been playing across the course of an entire season how Villa manage to hold on to a player like this because he's so impressive and composed. It's not like it's a one-off season. He’s a player that's had this in his locker for years, and Aston Villa are making the most of how good he is. They're thriving as a result of his success"

Looking ahead, Aston Villa return to action against West Ham United on October 22nd, where they will hope to break into the top four of the Premier League table if results go their way.

Aston Villa transfer news – Youri Tielemans

According to an Aston Villa transfer update from Football Insider reporter Wayne Veysey, Belgium international Youri Tielemans is believed to be keen to leave the club in January following a major fall-out with boss Emery over a lack of first-team minutes since joining the club.

The reporter claims he's heard relations are tense between both parties and Tielemans has now told people close to him that he would like to leave in search of a new challenge at the earliest possible juncture.

Tielemans, who has previously been labelled "top class" by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, has made 13 appearances across all competitions for Aston Villa so far; however, most of these have come from the substitutes' bench (Tielemans statistics).

Nevertheless, he looks to have a challenge on his hands before being able to unseat the likes of Boubacar Kamara, John McGinn and the in-form Luiz for a first-team berth in the engine room at Villa Park.

England surged to a seven-wicket victory with 17.2 overs to spare to secure their sixth one-day series win a row

The Report by Andrew McGlashan in Christchurch09-Mar-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAfter the drama in Dunedin this was a canter in Christchurch. England surged to a seven-wicket victory with 17.2 overs to spare to secure their sixth one-day series win a row. Jonny Bairstow made mincemeat of the chase with a 58-ball century, England’s third-fastest and his second in consecutive innings, adding 155 in 20.2 overs for the first wicket alongside the recalled Alex Hales.The absence of Ross Taylor, who was ruled out on the morning of the game with the quad injury he sustained during his unbeaten 181, was too much for New Zealand to compensate for, especially with their captain Kane Williamson failing.England’s new ball pair, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood, set a superb tone and it was backed up by the spin duo of Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali. At 93 for 6 it looked as though New Zealand could fold completely, but Mitchell Santner’s outstanding series with the bat continued and a stand of 84 with Henry Nicholls at least took them over 200. Although the mood England’s top-order are in, 400 may not have been enough.There was barely an alarm for England as they knocked off the runs in the sunshine. They have been tested more in this series than many of late, and have slipped occasionally, but such a comprehensive win in a decider is a feather in their cap.Bairstow and Hales, who was handed a late opportunity in the series when Jason Roy went down with a back spasm, were level-pegging for the first eight overs of the chase, then Bairstow pulled away at top speed. He took 16 off Colin de Grandhomme’s third over, went to fifty from 38 balls and then really cut loose. He hammered five sixes in eight balls against Ish Sodhi with crisp, clean striking – although none of them were taken in the crowd to win a fan 50,000 dollars.Bairstow moved to 99 with a pull behind square then dabbed a single to third man to sit behind Jos Buttler (46 balls) and Moeen Ali (53 balls) in England’s quickest centuries before smashing his own stumps trying to manufacture some width against Trent Boult. He has now made four in 16 innings as an opener and has the spot nailed down, although who his long-term partner will be is perhaps more of a debate.Roy’s injury gave Hales his first outing since announcing he would become a white-ball specialist. Although the pressure was never on in the chase, it was a good effort to play so confidently having not batted for three weeks. He went to his fifty from 67 balls but was then cut off by a fine catch from Williamson at midwicket. By then, however, the result was a formality. There was just time for Ben Stokes to finish the chase in style in the city of his birth.It is the third time in a year that New Zealand have lost a deciding ODI following reversals against South Africa at home and India away. As against South Africa at Eden Park a year ago, this was a very poor performance with everything to play for.England were able to take their preferred route when Eoin Morgan won the toss. There was a little early movement and his decision was backed up by fine opening spells from Woakes and Wood.Colin Munro had announced in the build-up that he would no longer play first-class cricket and his first day as an official white-ball specialist did not start well when he got a big a top edge against Woakes while trying to work into the leg side. Other than his 49 in Wellington, it has been a single-digit series for Munro with scores of 6, 1, 0 and 0.Mitchell Santner steps out to hit down the ground•Getty Images

Woakes has produced outstanding first spells throughout: 5-0-14-2, 5-1-18-2, 5-1-13-1, 5-2-14-1 and 6-1-13-1, Morgan giving him the extra over here after Williamson departed in the 10th. It was a smart piece of bowling from Wood to dismiss the New Zealand captain, delivered from wider on the crease and cramping him for room, taking a bottom edge into leg stump.Then, not for the first time, New Zealand stumbled against England’s spinners. Tom Latham, promoted to No. 4 ahead of Taylor’s replacement, Mark Chapman, fell to a soft shot, chipping Rashid to midwicket although it was a nicely flighted delivery which brought the error. Chapman’s stay was very brief. He played back to a delivery from Moeen Ali which straightened a touch but Chapman missed it by an alarming amount to be bowled.When Stokes held a stinging, low catch at cover to remove Martin Guptill and de Grandhomme wastefully lofted to long-on, New Zealand were in a hole. Morgan’s tactics were interesting. Having bowled both Rashid and Moeen straight through their 10 overs, the innings was deep with very little of the fifth bowler used. Joe Root was then introduced for two overs and Tom Curran did not get his first bowl until the 40th over and was used for six consecutive overs at the death.Nicholls’ fifty came from 73 balls before he skied a Curran slower ball into the off side. Santner was by far the more fluent, bringing up a 60-ball half-century and setting a new career-best for the second time in four matches before Woakes became the first England bowler to dismiss him in the series when Hales made excellent ground at deep midwicket. But if that was good, Bairstow’s grab, running around the leg-side boundary two balls later, taking it one-handed moving at full pace to remove Tim Southee, was something special. Bairstow, though, wasn’t finished there.