Fernandes won’t be Man United captain next season - Pundit

Ex-Premier League footballer Darren Ambrose believes questions must be asked of Bruno Fernandes’ role as Manchester United captain – but not until the end of the season.

The Lowdown: Man United bounced back emphatically

Fernandes – much like many other Man United players – was caught up in the aftermath of the Red Devils’ 7-0 humbling at the hands of Liverpool over the last few days.

However, the Portugal international seemingly came in for the brunt of the criticism, mainly as he was seen sulking and accused of not putting in the effort during the game, which is hardly the best look for the club captain on the day.

The midfielder wasted no time in responding to his critics by starring on Thursday night against Real Betis, as BT Sport pundit Owen Hargreaves labelled him ‘unplayable’ after getting his name on the scoresheet.

The Latest: Fernandes may not be captain material

The temperament and attitude that Fernandes showcased at Anfield has certainly raised questions about him and where he stands at Man United, and Ambrose believes he and Erik ten Hag need to have words come the end of the season.

He said: “I think this year, yes [Fernandes should still be captain]. If Harry Maguire’s not playing, yes. I believe you’ve got to keep the player onside, he’s a fantastic football player. [He] had a poor time against Liverpool, we know that.

“In the summer, that’s when questions need to be asked and I can almost certainly say we’ll be seeing a new captain at Manchester United at the start of next season.”

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The Verdict: Ten Hag has a big decision to make

It won’t be the first time that Ten Hag has had to sit down with one of his senior players and have a difficult conversation as he did so with Maguire at the beginning of the year, with the defender dropped from the majority of first-team games this campaign.

Therefore, the Dutchman won’t likely be fazed by having a talk with Fernandes if he was to take the captain’s armband off him, especially if there is a ready-made replacement waiting in the wings, which there appears to be.

Man United certainly have a few leaders in their team, including Casemiro – who’s been widely praised for his impact this season – so he could likely slip on the armband and not feel the pressure of it, especially given the level at which he’s played during his career.

Manchester United transfers: Ten Hag eyeing highly rated gem

Manchester United and Chelsea are in the race to sign Independiente del Valle teenager Kendry Paez, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Paez profiled

Paez is just 15 years of age and is a left-footed central midfielder who can also turn out in an attacking midfield role, as per Transfermarkt.

He is already an Ecuador U17 international, scoring three times in five games. Romano has described Paez as ‘highly rated’ and a ‘talent’, and it looks as of Old Trafford chiefs are keen on his services.

The Latest: United interest

Taking to Twitter, Romano said that United, along with Premier League rivals Chelsea and Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen are ‘in the race’ for the Independiente del Valle gem.

The transfer expert said that a decision on his future is set to be made soon.

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The Verdict: After Biancheri?

The Red Devils appear to be busy when it comes to adding to their Carrington academy ranks, with a move for Cardiff City youngster Gabriele Biancheri just waiting for FIFA’s approval.

Forward Biancheri looks set to sign a four-year professional deal with United, so Paez could follow suit with a move to Manchester.

Both players could well prove to be stars in the making, so hopefully, United can pip Chelsea and Bayer Leverkusen to the South American teenager, where he could look to force his way into Erik ten Hag’s first-team plans in years to come.

Scarborough spectator cited for racist abuse

Yorkshire and Surrey are awaiting the response of the ECB after a Surrey player reported that he had been racially abused by a spectator on the first day of the County Championship match against Yorkshire in Scarborough.Ryan Patel, the 20-year-old Surrey all-rounder, is understood to be the player named when the incident was reported to the umpires, Peter Hartley and Paul Pollard, who informed the cricket liaison officer, Wayne Noon. Yorkshire have advised they will make no comment on the alleged incident until they hear officially from the ECB about the matter.Surrey’s director of dricket Alec Stewart said: “We’re fully aware of this unsavoury incident and have every confidence that the ECB and Yorkshire will deal with it in the appropriate manner.”It is not thought that the spectator involved was approached by stewards or by members of the Scarborough or Yorkshire club.Ryan Patel in action•Getty Images

Bill Mustoe, a Yorkshire vice-president and former Scarborough chairman, said that the club had responded once the complaint had passed through the system and the umpires had informed both counties.”Plain clothes spotters were put in the area to monitor the situation,” he said. “Nothing more was established and we’ll see what happens as a result. It was just disappointing. We’re not sure of exactly what was said, so we’ll just have to wait.”Yorkshire will also privately point out that the overall mood of the crowd was not hostile – quite the opposite. On the first day at North Marine Road spectators in the packed stand at the Peasholm Park End gave the Surrey offspinner Amar Virdi a huge round of applause at the end of the over in which he dismissed both Cheteshwar Pujara and Harry Brook.Scarborough attracts one of the biggest and most vociferous Championship crowds in the country and the intimate nature of the ground, which has often been described as a natural amphitheatre, means that any cries or barracking from the crowd can often be clearly heard.Patel, born in Sutton, is a Surrey Academy graduate who has been in the system since the age of eight. He shot to prominence with an extraordinary spell of six wickets for five runs in 23 balls against Somerset in Guildford last week.

Tottenham: BBC pundit suggests "fantastic" £45m star may join Ange at Spurs

Former Tottenham defender Alan Hutton has had his say on Ange Postecoglou potentially bringing a £45 million star to Spurs in January.

Who have Tottenham signed 2023?

The north Londoners did very well to seal seven major signings over the 2023 summer transfer window; including deals for goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, young centre-back Ashley Phillips, defender Micky van de Ven, midfielder James Maddison, winger Manor Solomon, striker Alejo Veliz and forward Brennan Johnson.

Postecoglou's side didn't quite fulfill all of their ambitions, though; failing to seal late moves for another defender after van de Ven and a classic number nine of Harry Kane's ilk.

Reports in leading up to deadline day claimed that Tottenham were eyeing a move for Gent striker Gift Orban, and Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly.

Recent rumours also suggest they could well go back in for the likes of Kelly when we hit the January transfer window.

However they proceed, Spurs supporters will be absolutely overjoyed with their side's start to the new campaign. The Lilywhites remain unbeaten over their opening four matches, winning three of them and scoring 11 goals.

james-maddison-tottenham-hotpsur-ange-postecoglou-sarr-rodrigo-bentancur-injury

Postecoglou's electric, attacking brand of football has been on full display for all to see in that time – a far cry from Antonio Conte's final season in charge.

Players like Yves Bissouma, Pape Matar Sarr and James Maddison have dazzled as part of Tottenham's new-look midfield, and it will be interesting to see if Spurs do decide to bring in more bodies when the window reopens.

What's the latest Spurs transfer news?

There are a few other players they missed out in the weeks leading up to September 1; a list including Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher.

The Englishman was reported to be a target for Postecoglou around that time, especially given the uncertain future of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg who attracted late window interest.

Gallagher was heavily linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge throughout the summer but has gone on to become a mainstay under Mauricio Pochettino so far.

The 23-year-old has started all four of Chelsea's opening Premier League games so far; even ranking among their two top best-performing players per 90 according to WhoScored.

It's little surprise Postecoglou was keen on a move for the £45 million Gallagher, and BBC pundit Hutton has suggested that he could well make a move to Tottenham this winter.

Chelsea's Conor Gallagher

Speaking to Football Insider, he made the claim when asked about a potential switch to north London for the "fantastic" player.

We will have to wait and see what his playing time is like at Chelsea," said Hutton.

We are looking at, when all fit, a very healthy and large squad so it depends how Pochettino sees him and uses him.

Does he see him as a regular starter? Or is he more of a squad player? If that is the case then come January he may be looking to get out and play football.

I think whoever gets him is getting a fantastic footballer at a very good age. He will cost a few quid but I think if Tottenham could get him he makes their squad better.

Pietersen smacks match-winning 46 in last BBL game

A Kevin Pietersen cameo in his last appearance for the Melbourne Stars left the Hobart Hurricanes’ semi-final hopes in the hands of other teams

The Report by Alex Malcolm27-Jan-2018Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsThe Hobart Hurricanes had a semi-final berth in their own hands.But a Kevin Pietersen cameo, in his last appearance for the Melbourne Stars, combined with a multitude of tactical and execution errors by the Hurricanes, saw the game slip through their fingers. Their semi-final fate now rests on the result of the match between the Melbourne Renegades and the Brisbane Heat.The Hurricanes did everything right with the bat, posting a formidable total without a single run contributed by star opener D’Arcy Short. Daniel Christian, George Bailey and Nathan Reardon, in his first T20 match in over 12 months, all played superb hands as the Stars’ bowling and fielding dropped to a new low.The Stars needed 115 runs from 64 balls in the chase with six wickets in hand. Pietersen, John Hastings and Evan Gulbis produced some stunning power-hitting as the Hurricanes lost the plot with the ball. The Stars got home with five balls to spare.Getty ImagesShort changedD’Arcy Short has been the most dominant player in the BBL and few bowlers, if any, have been able to contain him. So the Stars turned to their opening batsman Ben Dunk to bowl the first over the innings and his first of the tournament. Dunk, who is a wicketkeeper first and foremost, had only bowled four overs in his T20 career and had one wicket. But his part-time off spin removed Short first ball, sliding on with the arm from around the wicket and trapping him lbw. Bailey picked up the slack and struck the ball exquisitely for 32 from just 20 balls before he picked out backward point. The Hurricanes careered along at 8.5 per over for 12 overs but had lost four wickets by then, which threatened their ability to accelerate in the last eight overs.Reardon’s rearguardBefore his game against the Strikers on January 17 – in which he didn’t get to bat – Reardon’s last T20 match was for the Brisbane Heat against the Melbourne Stars in January 2017. With the exception of the Hong Kong Sixes last October he had not played any other professional cricket in that period. While he and Christian got settled the run-rate dropped below eight an over for the first time in the innings. But Reardon changed that. He cracked two sixes and two fours in seven consecutive balls faced from Daniel Worrell and Hastings. Christian accelerated to 50 from just 34 balls after a crisp strike through cover. Both fell in the last over but Hastings also conceded 16 runs to see the total rise to 7 for 185.Faulkner the Finisher bats threeJames Faulkner has had an unusual tournament with the bat. He has been known as a finisher in previous seasons but his strike-rate this year has barely hovered above 100 and despite often not losing his wicket at the end of innings he has really struggled to find the boundary. The Stars opted to bat him at first drop after Peter Handscomb’s early dismissal. He struck a four and a six in his first 10 balls, benefitting from the field being up. Dunk looked in good touch early as well. But the wheels fell off when both men holed out in the first two overs post the Powerplay. The Stars chase appeared to go from bad to worse when Rob Quiney was run out, despite significant doubt over whether Matthew Wade’s gloves or the ball broke the bails.Mills’ and Bailey’s nightmareHastings won the captaincy battle, promoting himself to pinch-hit at number six and it was a masterstroke. He launched two sixes and a four in his first four balls to bring the equation to 99 from 60 balls. Then Bailey turned to Tymal Mills who continued his nightmare tournament. He delivered lengths that were routinely dispatched before a bouncer accounted for Hastings. Mills had given up 29 in his first two overs. Pietersen and Seb Gotch were well held for the next four overs, leaving the Stars needing 53 from 30 balls. Bailey had the option not to bowl Mills again as Christian, Clive Rose and Jofra Archer had five overs left between them. But Bailey backed his overseas pro and paid a price. Pietersen launched three fours and a six in four balls. Mills claimed his wicket with a superb reflex return catch but the damage was done. The equation dropped to 34 from 24 balls. Rose gave up just five singles and picked up Gotch in the 17th. But Archer uncharacteristically lost the plot in the 18th. He delivered an above-waist-high full toss that was carved for four by Gulbis, plus the added run for the no-ball. Later in the over he was hit for six off a ball for which only three men were inside the circle. The equation dropped to 12 off 12. Mills bowled the 19th and Gulbis bombed him straight for six. Mills final figures were a calamitous 2 for 56 from four overs. Christian had three runs to play with in the last over and conceded them all off the first ball.

Newcastle Eyeing Move For Chelsea Flop Cucurella

Newcastle United are now eyeing up Marc Cucurella this summer, and a new report has revealed they have two targets on their shortlist in the left-back position.

Will Newcastle sign a left-back?

The Magpies couldn't have asked for a more pleasing start to the 2023/24 Premier League season, following their stunning 5-1 victory at home to Aston Villa on Saturday.

Once again, they look like a formidable football team who may potentially have gone up another gear from last year, although this weekend's trip to treble-winners Manchester City will be a far bigger test of how far they have come.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

While Eddie Howe has built an excellent squad since coming in – arguably their best of the Premier League era – a few more additions are needed to finish off a perfect summer.

Left-back is certainly one position that requires a little more depth, with Dan Burn an outstanding option there, but a lack of quality behind him in the pecking order and the flank still not really his perfect position.

Marc Cucurella of Chelsea has been linked with a move to St James' Park this summer and it looks as though Newcastle's interest in him hasn't gone away.

marc-cucurella-newcastle-transfer-premier-league

Will Newcastle sign Tierney or Cucurella?

Providing an update on Newcastle's left-back search, The Telegraph's Luke Edwards claimed that Cucurella is being looked at as a loan signing, as well as Arsenal's Kieran Tierney:

"Newcastle United are looking to sign a left back on loan before the close of the transfer window with both Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney and Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella of interest to them.

"Only one will arrive on Tyneside, but Newcastle have been given reason to believe that both would like to make the move and are looking to progress talks.

"Both deals would include either an option or an obligation to buy the player next summer and there is some confidence a breakthrough can be reached with at least one of their Premier League rivals."

It is great to hear that Newcastle are still pushing hard in their pursuit of a new left-back, with that area of the pitch a key one to strengthen in, as well as centre-back.

Burn has been so impressive there, even though he doesn't fit the bill as a natural in the role, but signing Cucurella or Tierney would provide Howe with a more typical left-back option, giving them more natural width and balance, particularly on the ball.

The former would be a strong choice, as he looks to bounce back from an underwhelming spell in a Chelsea shirt, having shone greatly for Brighton in a more settled side to the mess that he walked into at Stamford Bridge last season.

He still averaged 2.8 tackles per game in the league for the Blues, though, showing that he contributed positively at times, and his consistent tackling numbers and constant yellow cards throughout his career paint the picture of a feisty and passionate player St James' Park would adore.

The Scot would be a good option, but he has lost his place for Arsenal, so we think Cucurella, dubbed "fantastic" by a UEFA panel for his displays in Europe with Chelsea last season, deserves a chance away from the chaos that is Stamford Bridge's revolving door.

SL to host India, Bangladesh for T20I tri-series in March

The series will comprise seven matches in Colombo, with each team to play each other twice before the final on March 20

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Nov-2017Sri Lanka will host India and Bangladesh for a T20 tri-series in March 2018 to celebrate their 70th year of independence. A Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) release confirmed seven T20Is to be played from March 8 to 20 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Each team will play each other twice before the final on March 20.Called the Nidahas Trophy, the tri-series will also mark the 70th year for SLC. Board president Thilanga Sumathipala was the visionary behind the Nidahas Trophy in 1998 too, which marked the 50th year of the country’s independence and involved India and New Zealand as the visiting teams. India had won the trophy then which was played as an ODI tri-series.”We are privileged to be a part of Sri Lanka’s 70th year celebrations, there is no closer friend to the BCCI than Sri Lanka [and Bangladesh] and when Mr. Sumathipala first floated this invitation, there was almost instant agreement that the Indian Team would participate for this reason,” BCCI CEO Rahul Johri said.Sumathipala, too, expressed his optimism on the relevance of the series: “70 years is a long journey, and one that needs to be commemorated and celebrated. We are happy that our closest neighbours, who share more or less the same journey of independence, are joining us in this celebration, which we believe will be a milestone and an augur of the great things to come in the annals of cricket.”

Spinners, Bumrah give India their No. 1 ranking back

India took back their No. 1 ODI ranking by shacking Australia after yet another good start and then chasing down the possibly tricky 243 with apparent ease

The Report by Sidharth Monga01-Oct-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
1:29

Muzumdar: Haven’t seen India this intense in a dead rubber

India took back their No. 1 ODI ranking by shackling Australia after yet another good start and then chasing down the possibly tricky 243 with apparent ease. India won the series 4-1 – a reversal of the scoreline in the ODIs in Australia early last year – with just one century from their batsmen, that too in the last innings by Rohit Sharma, but a third successive hundred-run opening partnership between Rohit and Ajinkya Rahane.India won the final match on the dry and slow Nagpur track through spin. India’s spinners pulled back a bolted horse, conceding 134 for 4 in 30 overs between them; Australia’s Adam Zampa released all the pressure exerted by the quicks with the new ball, conceding 48 in six insipid overs before getting Rohit out with a long hop when the match was over for all practical purposes.For a change, Marcus Stoinis and Travis Head staged half a recovery from the strikes of the spinners, but the returning Jasprit Bumrah put in a stellar spell of death bowling, removing Stoinis, bowling a maiden in the 45th over, not conceding a single boundary in his last six overs.Australia went from 100 for 1 to 118 for 4 to 205 for 4 to their eventual total, which was not straightforward on this pitch. However, Rohit and Rahane absorbed the good spells from Nathan Coulter-Nile and Pat Cummins at the top, before cashing in on the absence of the unwell Kane Richardson and the error-prone spin.India, too, had to contend with the illness of Yuzvendra Chahal, but Kuldeep Yadav proved to be a more than fitting replacement, Axar Patel returned another impressive set of figures of 3 for 38, and for the first time in his career, Kedar Jadhav bowled his full allotment of 10 overs. He also kickstarted the first collapse by adding Steven Smith to the illustrious list of batsmen he has dismissed, which includes Kane Williamson, David Warner, Angelo Mathews and Tamim Iqbal among others.This had come after yet another rapid start by Aaron Finch and David Warner, who seemed mindful that batting was going to get difficult once spin came on. In striving for quick runs before the inevitable slowdown, Finch took one risk too many and fell to Hardik Pandya in the 12th over. Smith and Warner added 34, but Smith, who seems to have allowed the frustrations of leading a flattering side creep into his batting, played a frustrated sweep after Jadhav had gone for 11 in his first three overs. The almost underarm delivery came slowly and bounced little. Smith didn’t even wait to check with Warner if he should review the lbw decision.There would have been lots the two could have discussed in the dressing room when Warner soon miscued an intended chip over midwicket to give Axar his first wicket. The frustration that singles weren’t coming easily enough showed in the aerial shots attempted. Warner had attempted it after reaching his fifty, but Peter Handscomb did so even before getting his eye in. The big sweep dragged from wide outside off only produced a fatal top edge.Watching in the balcony, Smith couldn’t hide his exasperation. You couldn’t blame him. You know how ugly these Australian collapses can get. With more than half the innings to go, you wondered if they would even play the whole 50 overs out. Stoinis and Head, though, staged a recovery. They played Jadhav only down the ground, with Stoinis taking the odd risk every now and then. Stoinis did enjoy some good fortune, as he edged Axar three times without getting caught. Two of these went between MS Dhoni and Rahane, who stood a touch too wide at slip, with his left foot outside the return crease.Stoinis began to look dangerous as the last 10 overs approached. He hit Jadhav for a four and a six in his last over, and then went after Kuldeep in the 40th. Before signing off, though, Axar sent back Head with a fast yorker, which Head had already premeditated to sweep. Then it was all down to Bumrah, who first produced just enough movement to trap Stoinis and then handcuffed the rest. Only two boundaries came in the last 10 overs, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar playing an able supporting role to Bumrah.The value of these last few overs cannot be overstated. That even 242 was tricky showed in how Rohit struggled to get his timing for a long time. He didn’t score a run off the first 14 balls he faced. He tried an ungainly heave off the 14th. Had the asking rate been higher, would he have been able to take his time and pick his targets?How well Rohit picked his targets, though. Not one of the first 14 balls was pitched up to him. He was clearly looking uncomfortable, but when the 15th one was in his driving arc, he caressed it to the right of mid-off. The next full ball went sailing over mid-off. Coulter-Nile, the highest wicket-taker of the series, and Pat Cummins tested the openers, but ran out of support.As the bowling errors piled on, the India openers delighted the capacity crowd in the outskirts of Nagpur. If Rahane drove on the up through covers, Rohit managed to somehow find enough timing on this low pitch to punch a short ball for a six over long-on. Twice. Despite a slow start to the series, Rohit now topped the runs chart. If there was one blemish on the victory, it was that despite his fourth straight half-century, Rahane once again perished the moment he tried to look for a higher gear.

Walton, Ronchi ensure Amazon Warriors all but qualify

Chadwick Walton and Luke Ronchi struck quickfire fifties to chase their target of 150 with 57 balls to spare against Jamaica Tallawahs

The Report by Peter Della Penna02-Sep-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsChadwick Walton became the tournament’s highest-run scorer with 84 off 40 balls•Randy Brooks – CPL T20 / Getty

Guyana Amazon Warriors’ surge toward the final CPL playoff berth continued on Friday night at Sabina Park as they walloped the Jamaica Tallawahs by nine wickets. Chadwick Walton rocked to the top of the CPL scoring charts after his unbeaten 84 off 40 balls helped clinch victory with 57 balls to spare.Warriors started the week with a +0.061 net run rate advantage on Barbados Tridents. But their second heavy win of the week, following on from their 99-run demolition of Barbados Tridents on Tuesday, has swelled their lead in the tiebreaker to +1.409. It means the Tridents will need to beat St Kitts & Nevis Patriots and first-place Trinbago Knight Riders in their final two matches this weekend by sizable margins to overtake them.Sangakkara’s fifty streak endsTallawahs had made an assured start after a 79-run stand between captain Kumar Sangakkara and Andre McCarthy. When McCarthy fell in the 14th over for 44 off 35 balls, it was up to Sangakkara to carry on for a big score.However, he fell a dozen short of the milestone for 38 when his attempted paddle flick over short fine leg off Rayad Emrit failed to clear Jason Mohammed on the circle on the last ball of the 16th over. With both set batsmen now gone, Tallawahs limped through to the end of the innings, adding just 29 off the final four overs.Free-flowing WaltonOshane Thomas began his first match on Wednesday night with three dots including the wicket of Chris Gayle. On Friday night, his first two deliveries were a pair of massive oversteps. Walton pulverized both free hits over square leg for six – the second one a deep strike into a parking lot. Walton punished Krishmar Santokie’s opening over from the opposite end for three boundaries, driving him twice through mid-off and a third time over point.The free-hits for Walton returned in the fourth over courtesy of Kesrick Williams. After a boundary through midwicket to start the over, Walton carved a Williams no-ball over point for another. Walton then made it a hat-trick of sixes off free-hits with a slash over third man. Walton mocked Williams’ notebook wicket celebration after each shot, plucking out his own quill to mark notches in his bat.Powerplay markThere was no respite at the other end as Luke Ronchi – who entered at the end of the first over after the fall of Sohail Tanvir – smashed Thomas for two sixes and a four in the third over. Ronchi then signed off on Williams’ disastrous 26-run fourth over with a six clubbed back over the bowler’s head.Even when change bowlers stemmed the flow of runs, the Tallawahs fielders did them in. Williams’ wayward throw from short fine leg to the bowler’s end off Mahmudullah resulted in four overthrows in the fifth over. Ronchi and Walton were then dropped off consecutive balls bowled by Mohammad Sami in the sixth over. By the time the Powerplay was done, Warriors were on 88 for 1, the joint-highest Powerplay in CPL history, equaling Trinbago Knight Riders’ electric chase earlier this year.Partnership markThe runs and no-balls – Williams overstepped another three times on consecutive deliveries in the 10th over – continued unabated for the rest of the chase as Walton and Ronchi finished with an unbeaten 135-run stand, the highest partnership for any wicket in CPL 2017. Both had opportunities to eclipse the individual fastest half-century of the season – jointly held by Darren Sammy and Colin Munro, in 23 balls – but Walton eventually reached his half-century in 26 balls while Ronchi took one delivery longer.

No result after Dhawan-Rahane show

Heavy rain cut short the first ODI of the series between West Indies and India

The Report by Sidharth Monga23-Jun-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Shikhar Dhawan made his fourth 50-plus score in six ODI innings•AFP

The way India bat to the template of 300 in ODI cricket nowadays, it sometimes feel only some external factors can stop them. They were on their way in the first ODI of the series when the rain in Trinidad had its say.India followed a slow start with steady acceleration, but rain cut their innings short at 39.2 overs, in which they managed 199 for 3. The rain did let up for a bit, and the water and the covers were cleared too, West Indies were then set 194 in 26 overs, but more rain arrived before they could begin their chase.During the play possible, India almost sleepwalked towards 300 on a slow pitch. Ajinkya Rahane replaced the rested Rohit Sharma, but it was as if nothing had changed for Shikhar Dhawan. The two added 47 in the first overs, which in about two off India’s average 10-over score since the 2015 World Cup, and then they both began to impose themselves, putting together their fourth century stand in 14 attempts at the top of the order.Rahane will be frustrated he didn’t convert this into a big hundred: he is yet to seal himself a slot in the XI, and once KL Rahul is fit he is expected to be the third opener in the squad, not least because he can effective in the middle order too. In the end, his 62 off 78, ended by a Miguel Cummins slower ball when Rahane had started to take the odd risk, did set India up.Dhawan continued as if this too was a Champions Trophy match, falling for 87 off 92. Devendra Bishoo, the extra spinner West Indies played, kept India tied down through a spell of 10-0-39-1. India were looking to Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni for a big finishing kick when the rain arrived.

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