Tag Futebol

da bet vitoria： Everton secured a 1-0 victory over West Ham United on Sunday afternoon in a tightly contested Premier League affair at the London Stadium.

da wazamba： The Toffees defended admirably throughout, restricting the Hammers to an xG total of 0.59 by nullifying the Hammers attacking quartet of Jarrod Bowen, Mohammed Kudus, Lucas Paqueta, and Michail Antonio.

Using their solid defensive work as a platform to counter-attack in devastating style, Everton opened the scoring through Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the 51st minute and held on from there to secure their third three points of the season.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin set the tone against West Ham

Dominic Calvert-Lewin was once one of the brightest English strikers to grace the Premier League but an injury-ravaged spell had prevented him from becoming a consistent goalscorer for Everton.

This season, however, the Englishman is beginning to rediscover the form that saw him score 21 goals in the 2020/21 campaign having netted in the crucial victory over Brentford and disappointing defeat against Luton Town.

Previously described by former manager Carlo Ancelotti as a "top striker", Calvert-Lewin showcased the qualities that earned him that praise by how he led the line against the Hammers.

He was imperious as a physical presence, bullying the host's defensive duo of Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd, evidenced by how he won six of his nine aerial duels as well as three of his five ground duels, as per Sofascore.

The 26-year-old titan was also exceptional in possession, holding up the ball admirably and bringing his teammates into play, creating one big chance, successfully completing two of his three dribbles and making one key pass.

Calvert-Lewin's performance was, quite simply, a sign that he is returning to his magnificent best with Dyche lavishing on him for how he led the line, saying: "He's getting fitter and sharper".

While Calvert-Lewin was commended after scoring his 50th Premier League goal, Jarrad Branthwaite was praised for his magnificent display, with the youngster continuing to go from strength to strength for Everton.

Jarrad Branthwaite was dominant for Everton

Branthwaite was absolutely phenomenal against West Ham and was showered with praise after helping his side keep a crucial clean sheet.

The youngster played a pivotal role in the goal of the game, stepping out of defence to muscle off Antonio and win possession back. He then had the presence of mind to slide the ball through to Jack Harrison, who assisted Calvert-Lewin.

While the left-footed defender showcased his ball-playing abilities by making 64 touches and completing 72% of his passes, many of which were long passes forward to relieve pressure, as per Sofascore, he demonstrated his dominance out of possession, putting in a similarly imperious performance to Calvert-Lewin physically.

The 21-year-old, who was lauded as a monster by one Everton podcaster, won three of his four aerials, two of his four ground duels and made 10 clearances.

He was near impossible to beat in every physical battle posed to him, making two interceptions, two tackles, and blocking one shot as he provided his side with the platform defensively to go and grab an important victory.

This performance from Branthwaite was just the latest in a string of several that have alerted some top clubs to his signature.

However, Everton should not think about what may lie ahead in his future and, instead, enjoy his performances in the here and now as he is a talented young defender who is contributing to positive results on the pitch.

Ian Botham has been a tireless crusader for cancer research for near on three decades. His 14th charity walk for the cause ends today

Alan Gardner21-Apr-2012Walking may not seem like the most challenging of activities for a champion sportsman. As a player, Ian Botham batted and bowled like a man in a hurry to get the job done quickly (and he often did). Off the field his antics were the antithesis of sedate. But it was for his charity fund-raising, as much as his cricketing feats, that he was elevated to Sir Ian in 2007, and these days walking is as much a part of the “Beefy” brand as Headingley ’81 and his commentary role with Sky.Botham, however, is no stroller. It quickly became apparent when I joined him in Norwich for the eighth leg of Beefy’s Great British Walk, that the drive and determination that characterised his playing career are still present. Early on, as the party set out through the city centre, someone mentioned that the pace (a brisk 4.5mph, on average) was quite testing. “We’re not even warmed up yet,” Botham growled, eyes shielded behind sunglasses, back hunched against the elements.It is 27 years since Botham first marched from John O’Groats to Lands End in aid of Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, an undertaking inspired by an encounter as a 22-year-old playing for Somerset with children suffering from terminal blood cancer in a Taunton hospital. In that time he has completed 14 charity walks, covering almost 10,000 miles and raising more than £13 million. Correspondingly, the survival rate for children suffering from the most common form of leukaemia has risen from 20% to almost 93%. But he won’t be stopping yet.”The walks are ultimately about one thing and only one thing, and that’s to raise money to go into leukaemia and lymphoma research,” he says. “I’m a competitive person, so if I set out to do something there’s no point in falling short of that mark. I can’t get to 100% survival rate, but I know I can get close to it. We still have major problems with the adult forms of the disease but as we’ve made that many inroads into this form of blood cancer, we believe that somewhere along the line it’s going to open doors to other forms. So there’s a massive incentive for us to keep going, and that’s what we’ll do.”The walks are a family operation, with four generations present on this one. Botham’s daughter Sarah is the coordinator, having taken over from wife Kath. A hardcore of friends and neighbours trudged through the April showers for Beefy’s cause – such as “Big Gaz”, who tagged along to walk with Botham “for ten minutes” when he was a teenager in 1992 and is still a regular participant. A motley selection of celebs, such as Olympic decathlete Daley Thompson, former Norwich footballer Jeremy Goss, and Spandau Ballet drummer John Keeble, also swelled the numbers.

Early on, as the party set out through the city centre, someone mentioned that the pace (a brisk 4.5mph, on average) was quite testing. “We’re not even warmed up yet,” Botham growled

The lead-out car played regimental band music and there was a certain amount of pomp and circumstance to the procession, so much so that in Cardiff a bystander asked if they were doing a practice run for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Even in suburban and then rural Norfolk, plenty of people came to their front doors or wound down the car window in order to donate, while labourers at a burger van nodded in recognition. As we passed by the waterways of Wroxham, boat builders left their workshops and ladies both young and old stopped to smile and wave – but then Botham always did know how to charm the broads.A few miles from the end, the team were joined by a collection of local walkers and fundraisers who wanted to meet the man himself, although the effect was more of them being sucked into Botham’s wake as he barrelled through, his speed slackening only to exchange a few handshakes and pats on the back.It is his cricketing celebrity that fuels the pavement-pounding charity drive, and Botham acknowledges the latter could not exist without the former. At the walk’s conclusion he sat with his feet up on a stool, an ice pack on his knee, signing autographs and posing for photographs in avuncular fashion. A local brewery had provided the ale – named Give It Some Humpty, after Botham’s typically no-nonsense remark to Graham Dilley – and a band playing in the background gave the afternoon an almost festival feel, rain and mud included. You could call it Beefstock.”Cricket is the springboard,” Botham said. “I think a lot of people enjoyed the way I played the game and that’s reflected a little bit in the amount of people we’re seeing turning out.”He is, of course, still a vocal commentator on the fortunes of the England team – and to say Botham has trenchant opinions is a bit like observing that tractors have big wheels. He was not perturbed by members of the South Africa side, such as Vernon Philander and Alviro Petersen, gaining experience of English conditions while playing county cricket but described the length of the series between what is likely to be the two best Test teams in the world (England host South Africa for three Tests this summer) as “ridiculous”.Botham was also confident the 4-1 reverse over the winter, in Test series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, was merely a blip and that England’s current leader is the right man for the job, describing criticism of Andrew Strauss as “a load of baloney”.”I don’t have any problems with Strauss, I think he should be England captain,” he says. “He hasn’t scored a hundred for a while, so he has to answer some questions; it goes with the territory. But Strauss and Andy Flower have got England to No. 1, we’re still No. 1. We didn’t have a very good winter by our standards, let’s put that behind us and move on.”This latest expedition will be behind Botham too, with their final leg due in London on Saturday. Then he will go fishing, the competitive flames doubtless stoked once again. He is already making plans for a fundraiser to coincide with his 60th birthday – which will also mark the 30 years since his first walk – though he will not be drawn on them yet. Call it a shortened run-up if you like, but Botham is still charging in.

After missing out on a place in the Premier League's top four last time out, Liverpool have returned to their best in the current campaign to sit top of the tree ahead of the new year. The Reds battled past Burnley on Boxing Day to move ahead of Arsenal, but could yet lose their place if the Gunners win their game in hand. Given how tight things are at the top, the January transfer window could make all the difference for the Reds if they are to seal their second Premier League title under Jurgen Klopp.

With that said, and with the transfer window opening in a matter of days, reports suggest that the Reds are eyeing a move to sign one particular Premier League star.

Liverpool transfer news

Liverpool did well to stay unbeaten in December, given that it was a month that saw his injury problems grow. Klopp lost Alexis Mac Allister, Joel Matip and Kostas Tsimikas to injury recently and has been forced to shoehorn Joe Gomez into the left-back role as a result, with Andy Robertson still out. The injuries have at least shown Klopp where he must improve his side next month, which could see one particular left-back arrive.

According to Graeme Bailey, Liverpool are eyeing a move to sign Fulham left-back Antonee Robinson in the January transfer window. The USA star has been on top form throughout the season and could now arrive to solve the ongoing left-back problems at Anfield in the winter window.

It does remain to be seen whether Fulham will sanction the sale of Robinson, however, given his importance to Marco Silva's side. If the Reds do pursue a deal, meanwhile, then they will have to convince an Everton academy graduate to make a move to his boyhood rivals.

"Brilliant" Robinson has already had fine Anfield audition

Whilst some players would need time to win over the Liverpool fans, Robinson already impressed at Anfield earlier this season, starring despite Fulham's dramatic 4-3 defeat. Earning praise as a result of his performance, Jermaine Jenas said on Match of the Day 2: "Robinson was brilliant throughout the game I thought, along with Alex Iwobi. When Salah was quiet it was down to a lot of what Robinson did on the ball. It’s going to be one of those games where Fulham and Marco Silva look back and think ‘how has this happened.'"

The pundit continued, saying: "Robinson was very unlucky to be on the losing team, down that left hand side the drive that he had, the determination to try and get behind Liverpool’s defence and the link ups with Iwobi were great. They just didn’t quite make the right decisions at the right times when they got into spaces. The energy that Robinson has got, still making runs late to get shots on target, he stood out like a sore thumb."

Antonee Robinson's stats vs Liverpool (Whoscored)

4 Tackles

13 Interceptions

4 Clearances

1 assist (for Harry Wilson's equaliser, 24th minute)

2 Shots

1 Dribble

40 Passes

Keeping Mohamed Salah quiet is no easy task, but Robinson did just that to prove that he is more than capable of making such a move to Anfield.

Everton couldn't quite muster up another draw or win against Manchester United to keep up a sequence of positive results, Sean Dyche's Toffees unbeaten in their last four matches in all competitions before the visit of the Red Devils to Goodison Park.

Erik ten Hag's patchy Red Devils convincingly beat Dyche's side on their travels to nearby Merseyside, an incredible Alejandro Garnacho overhead kick breaking the deadlock in the evening kick-off before Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial traded goals to help their team convincingly win 3-0.

Everton would have a far superior 24 shots on goal to Man United's nine overall, but the visitors were far more clinical when an opportunity fell their way with the home team wasteful throughout on the contrary.

A number of players didn't cover themselves in glory from the game, including usually reliable centre-back presence James Tarkowski, who only won half of his 14 duels as per Sofascore.

But, it was Ukrainian full-back Vitaliy Mykolenko who was notably off the pace compared to his recent displays in a Toffees strip up against the Red Devils – losing possession 14 times during the game, the Man United attackers exploiting weaknesses in the Everton lax backline all match.

Mykolenko's performance vs Man United in numbers

Everton's number 19 had scored in his last two games for Dyche's men before this poor individual display, Mykolenko scoring the opening goal against Crystal Palace in his side's last away game with barely one minute on the clock – the full-back powering a header home from close range after being found in the box by Leeds United loanee Jack Harrison.

Mykolenko would have an opportunity to score up against Ten Hag's Red Devils, but the woodwork would intervene to the dismay of the 24-year-old and the Everton masses watching on from all corners of Goodison Park.

The 24-year-old was also weak when it came to asserting himself in the contest coming up against Man United's plethora of attackers, only winning 50% of his duels in the game.

Moreover, the ex-FC Dynamo Kyiv defender shied away from getting involved going forward in terms of setting up Dominic Calvert-Lewin eager for a ball into the box – not attempting a single cross all game, instead hitting four shots off target in a frustrating afternoon for the left-back.

It led to Liverpool Echo journalist Chris Beesley giving the Ukrainian defender a 5/10 rating for his efforts, stating that he "produced some encouraging flashes" but had nothing to show for it come full-time.

Mykolenko will hope he can get back to his best in Everton's league encounter versus Nottingham Forest next weekend, a one-off blip in an otherwise sterling season for the Toffees' number 19.

Vitaliy Mykolenko's season in numbers

Mykolenko had been a shining star amongst all the mess at Everton recently, another source of goals even from defence with top performances commonplace for the new Toffees fan favourite in the new Premier League season.

The left-back's tireless energy on the ball has seen him average 5.7 ball recoveries per game this campaign, alongside successfully winning 3.8 tackles per match too.

The die-hard Toffees fanbase will hope that Mykolenko and the rest of the disheartened group fielded by Dyche for this 3-0 loss can shrug off this defeat quickly, Everton needing unity at this point in time with the recent ten-point deduction hurting everyone involved with the club and plunging them into a relegation battle.

Mykolenko will be eager to get back to his best in the Forest away game next up, Dyche's men needing to get back on track with more points on the board sooner rather than later to begin mounting an escape out of the dreaded drop-zone.

Manchester United are enduring a torrid start to the campaign, and thus Erik ten Hag is seemingly already looking ahead to January in an effort to fix their ever-increasing issues…

Who could Manchester United sign in January?

Wallowing in tenth and in very serious danger of a group-stage Champions League exit, things have hardly gone to plan for the former Ajax head coach, who is seeing some of his key stars wilt where they previously shone last year.

The likes of Casemiro and Marcus Rashford are both underperforming, with the latter in particular finding the net just once in all competitions so far this season.

Should his age truly be catching up with him, perhaps it is time to start investing in a successor, with there arguably being no better value option on the market than Royal Antwerp's Arthur Vermeeren, available for just £15m and of interest to the Red Devils among many other of Europe's elite.

Having shone in Belgium for the last 18 months, there is scope for him to move to England and instantly dominate, given he boasts all the physical and technical qualities needed for success.

Who is Arthur Vermeeren?

Starting 23 times in the Pro League last term, it is actually his start to the new campaign that is now catching the eye, with the 18-year-old a key creative presence in the engine room despite operating as a steadfast and solid number six.

Across just ten appearances this term he already boasts three assists, whilst also averaging an 88% pass accuracy alongside 1.6 key passes, 1.8 tackles and 8.3 ball recoveries per game, via Sofascore.

Given the ease with which he has taken to senior football, it should come as no surprise that Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig has rushed to praise him on a number of occasions. He would first write: "He plays like a 30-year-old with plenty of games at the pro level. High-quality midfield controller," before then branding him: "One of the most complete young midfielders in Europe."

To further emphasise his outstanding quality across almost every facet of the game, the teenage enforcer also stars when compared against those in the next 14 divisions similar to the Pro League, as he sits in the top 18% for progressive passes per 90, the top 17% for tackles per 90 and the top 16% for interceptions per 90 amongst a sea of other green figures, via FBref.

Such consistency in someone so young could arguably have seen Vermeeren even surpass Alejandro Garnacho, who may be Ten Hag's best young protégée now, but could quickly be usurped.

After all, whilst the Argentine boasts blistering speed and does have an eye for a goal, his record of just six goals in 45 senior appearances is hardly mesmerising, with his boss even suggesting his form had been "not good enough" to start the new season.

Although he too is just 19 years old, Vermeeren is not only one year his junior, but actually has four more senior appearances for Royal Antwerp than the former Atletico Madrid flyer, needing no time to acclimatise to the increase in level, but simply starring from the start. Starring in midfield too, is arguably an area where greater maturity is needed.

With the engine room being a particular area in need of desperate revamp too, perhaps Ten Hag could solve all of his issues with a January swoop for a talent who could easily surpass his current outstanding youngster.

Derby County are set to discover the extent of an injury to one of their first-team players this week, according to reports.

What's the latest injury news at Derby?

Paul Warne currently has Conor Hourihane, Tyreece John-Jules, Joe Ward, Liam Thompson and Jake Rooney out of action on the sidelines, but whilst the boss is missing five of his senior stars, he has recently been handed a boost over another ace set to return.

Max Bird has been absent from the last five games in League One with an ankle injury, but reports have claimed that he is expected to return to training on Monday as he prepares to stage his comeback, but unfortunately, someone else is ready to take his place in the treatment room.

Since joining the club on a season-long loan from Sunderland over the summer, Elliot Embleton has so far made two appearances for the Rams, though it seems like he won’t be making his third anytime soon having sustained a concerning injury at Moor Farm.

On Friday, the attacking midfielder pulled his quad in training which meant he was ruled out of the 2-0 third-tier victory over Carlisle United on Saturday afternoon, and the manager has now delivered an update on the fitness of the 24-year-old.

How long is Elliot Embleton out for?

Speaking to the media over the weekend, Warne confirmed that Embleton will travel for a scan to find out how serious his injury is. As quoted by the Derby Telegraph, he said:

"It is disappointing. We've built Elliot up really slowly, he's done his rehab and we've built his minutes up. He played on Tuesday night, had a recovery day Wednesday, had a light session Thursday, and a light session Friday. He took a set-piece, the fourth corner he had taken, and felt something in his quad so it's hugely disappointing.

"In my career, I've never seen anybody pull anything taking a corner and it was right at the end of the session. You feel for Elliot first and foremost. He's worked really hard to get himself into a position to play and then that happens. He was heartbroken. He will have a scan on Monday and see where we go from there."

How good is Elliot Embleton?

Whilst Embleton has only made two outings for Derby, Warne will know that he is an “aggressive” player, as described by journalist Josh Bunting, therefore, it will be a huge blow for the manager to not have him available for however long he is set to be on the sidelines for.

The Durham-born talent, who earns £5.3k-per-week, has posted 46 contributions (24 goals and 22 assists) in 194 appearances since the start of his career, whilst ranking in the 94th percentile for shots and number of attacking touches in the opposition’s penalty area.

Alongside his ability to pose a threat in the final third, Embleton is also a versatile operator having been deployed in seven different positions since first bursting onto the scene, including everywhere across the midfield and even as a second striker and at centre-forward, so the boss will be hoping that he can return to action as soon as possible.

Liverpool secured progress to the quarter finals of the EFL Cup in midweek and Jurgen Klopp will be aiming to win some sort of silverware this term to make up for what can only be described as a transitional campaign during 2022/23.

With four successive wins, the Anfield side travel to Kenilworth Road to face Luton Town in wonderful form, and they will be hoping to make it eight wins from 11 Premier League matches to start the current campaign.

Liverpool team news vs Luton Town

Having lost just once all season, Klopp has managed to get the Reds firing again, and he has been able to call on the majority of his squad, making a change from last season.

There are a few players who will miss out against Luton however, as Thiago and Stefan Bajcetic still remain sidelined for the foreseeable future, while Andy Robertson is another player who has recently had surgery on a shoulder injury.

The German will face a selection headache with regard to who he will deploy in the three attacking positions, as Mohamed Salah, Darwin Núñez, Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo have scored 27 goals between them and the fight for places is fierce.

One who most start is Núñez, as the Uruguayan looks like he has finally settled in at Anfield and has become one of Klopp’s most important players this term.

Darwin Núñez’s season in numbers

The former Benfica forward struggled to assert himself last season as Liverpool went through a rare blip, managing to score only 15 goals across all competitions, yet he has finally begun to showcase his talents this term.

The £140k-per-week gem has already netted seven times and grabbed five assists across just 14 matches for the Merseyside outfit and the signs are looking positive he can break through the 20-goal barrier.

Indeed, he ranks second across the squad for goals and assists (seven) in the Premier League while topping the pile for scoring frequency (a goal every 107 minutes) and ranking second for shots on target per game (1.1), signifying how vital he is to Liverpool’s cause this season.

Hailed as an “agent of chaos” by journalist Theo Squires prior to their Champions League clash against Real Madrid in February, the 24-year-old could run riot against Luton this afternoon.

Luton have conceded 20 goals across just ten matches this season, the fourth-worst defensive record in the division and Klopp will surely have that in mind when choosing his starting XI.

There are goals to be had at Kenilworth Road and unleashing Núñez could ensure Liverpool score three or four, giving them yet another three points.

The Uruguayan is finally living up to the £85m fee that the Reds signed him for last summer and if he continues his current form, he could play an integral part in any success the club go on to have in the future.

Three points is all that matters against the Hatters today and by putting his faith in Núñez, Klopp could ensure Liverpool notch another win which further bolsters their hopes of an unlikely title challenge.

There’s still a lack of clarity on his exact role in the team right now, but he has what it takes to be an elite allrounder

Sidharth Monga29-Jul-20252:34

Has Washington nailed his spot in India’s Test XI?

Before Washington Sundar scored his maiden Test hundred to help India save the Old Trafford Test, he had had innings of 27 off 90, 0 off 4, 23 off 76, 12* off 7 and 42 off 103 in this series. To go with figures of 2 for 107, 4 for 22, 0 for 21, 1 for 28 and 0 for 73.Nothing extraordinary apart from the Lord’s four-for, but if you sit down and remember the shots of the series and the balls of the series for a highlight reel, Washington will feature prominently.Even before the massively drifting offbreak to trap Ben Stokes lbw at Edgbaston, Washington had reprised his Gabba pull, only more emphatically, off Josh Tongue. He had also been at the receiving end of a stunning offbreak from Joe Root that bowled him. Then there was the lovely inside-out six off Root into the biggest pocket at Lord’s. Nothing more than a chip, but it just kept going.In having lofty standards for his son, even Washington’s father has managed to draw comparisons with the father of another batter who was immensely pleasing on the eye, Kumar Sangakkara. Like any father would, Washington’s father might feel he has been hard done by the selectors and the team management, but the decision-makers in Indian cricket have actually gone out of their way to play Washington as much as they can. It is not charity; they want to exploit the high ceiling of Washington’s talent.Related

• Gill, Washington, Jadeja tons script India's great escape

• Gill on the dramatic end: Jadeja and Washington 'deserved a century there'

• India's grit outlasts England's endurance to make 2-2 a possibility

The Impact Player rule in the IPL has been a stumbling block for Washington because the playing condition gives teams no incentive to develop allrounders. After having become a regular, Washington has played only 15 matches in the three years of the Impact Player era; he played 30 in the previous three.Being out of sight can hurt a player’s perception, but thankfully not in the eyes of the selectors. It has perhaps also helped Washington develop his bowling. In this series, for example, no spinner has managed to drift the ball as much as he has: 2.543 degrees on an average, with Liam Dawson, Ravindra Jadeja and Shoaib Bashir hovering around 1.5 degrees. He has also attacked the stumps more often than other spinners bar Dawson. On pitches with little help for spinners, drift and line have created most of his seven wickets, including Stokes’ at Edgbaston, which went bewitchingly late and against the prevailing wind.This is also an improvement on his own numbers of 2.233 degrees against England at home in 2021. He has also bowled quicker than he did at home – average pace of 91.71kph as against 87.61 – perhaps because there isn’t much to be gained on these pitches by going slower. While Washington has been doing more in the air laterally, it would appear he is not as accurate as Jadeja or perhaps not getting as much dip.Washington Sundar celebrates his maiden Test century•AFP/Getty ImagesIf batters can play the ball within two metres of its pitching or go back and give themselves more than three metres to intercept it, the chances of a spinner getting them in trouble reduce drastically. Spinners endeavour to catch them in between. Washington has done so only 19.7% of the time in this series; a measure of how good Jadeja is that he has done so every third ball. This is why Jadeja is in the contest almost everywhere. These numbers are consistent with Washington at home as well.Add Washington’s batting to the package, and you know why the decision-makers have been so keen on him. Throughout his effort to draw the fourth Test, it never looked like he would give England even a chance. As early as in his first Test, the historic Gabba win, Washington showed he was capable of batting in various gears: slow and composed when in trouble in the first innings, counterattacking in a chase.Washington is at a stage of his career where the team hasn’t quite figured out what his best role is. He could be a specialist batter who bowls a little outside Asia. He could be a frontline spinner who bats in the lower middle order in Asia. Even in this phase, he has elite allrounder’s numbers: average of 44.86 with the bat and 27.87 with the ball.Of course, at this stage, Washington gets to play only in conditions that suit him: as a third spinner until now, he came in only in extreme conditions in India. Now, though, he is the heir apparent to the now-retired R Ashwin as the spinner who also bats. Jadeja is no spring chicken. Whenever he retires, Washington is in pole position to become India’s No. 1 all-conditions allrounder.In scoring his first hundred to draw the Test from the No. 5 slot vacated by the injured Rishabh Pant, Washington has shown enough to earn that trust. Now the expectations are lofty, and not just his dad’s.

At the end of a year he this week described as the toughest of his career, Ricky Ponting’s outstandingly fluent 101 on Boxing Day was an excellent sign

Brydon Coverdale at the MCG26-Dec-2008

Controversy has followed Ricky Ponting over the past 12 months but generally not when he has made runs. At the end of a year he this week described as the toughest of his career, Ponting’s outstandingly fluent 101 on Boxing Day was an excellent sign. He is the kind of captain who needs to lead by example and appears happier and sharper in the field when he has been successful at the crease. His hundred will therefore be a great relief not only for him but for the entire team.By his own high standards Ponting’s figures are slightly leaner than normal in 2008 but only by similar criteria to Warren Buffett, who might have been left a few billion short due to the financial crisis. Ponting has still made four centuries, 1,000 runs and averaged 45. However, it is when he has failed to perform with the bat that Australia have faced their greatest challenges.From the controversial Sydney Test in January to the over-rate fiasco in Nagpur to the criticism of his poor body language as the Perth Test slipped away last week, Ponting’s captaincy has pleased few people outside the squad this year. In each of those matches he was condemned
for his leadership, particularly in the field on the final day.In none of those games was Ponting happy with how he had batted. His best score across the six innings was 55 and he averaged 20. It was the same story during the 2005 Ashes, when his captaincy was queried after he handed back the urn for the first time since the 1980s. Ponting’s own form on that tour was well down – he averaged less than 40.Ponting is not a tactical guru or first-rate man-manager like predecessors such as Mark Taylor. That rarely mattered while he was surrounded by champions whose roles were so clearly defined they could have been in a dictionary. Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Adam
Gilchrist never had to be told how to do their jobs.But in an evolving side that features a mix of new men finding their feet at Test level and older mainstays trying to justify their spots, Ponting must bring something concrete to the captaincy table. The best thing for him to do is lead by example. When Ponting scores runs, the
controversy, criticism and danger from other sides tends to die away. If he wants a less thorny 2009 as leader then piling on a stack of centuries would be the best thing he could do.When he is in the sort of form he showed today, it’s easy to imagine him having such a year. Ponting at his best makes batting look about as hard as tying shoelaces and he was close to his peak in this innings. There were some nerves before lunch, particularly when Dale Steyn bypassed the outside edge with a cracking outswinger and then found the bat only to see Neil McKenzie drop a sitter at third slip when Ponting had 24.”You always try to capitalise on those sort of chances that come your way,” Ponting said. “I think that summed up what my mindset was a little bit before the lunch break. It was just a half-hearted ‘Do I play or do I not?’ and tried to drag the bat out of the way and it caught the bottom on the way through.”Ponting came out after the interval in a more attacking frame of mind and his first shot of the session was a classic straight drive that raced away for four off Makhaya Ntini. He timed his drives down the ground perfectly and especially enjoyed Ntini, who he dispatched for
three consecutive boundaries, including a superb pair of back-foot drives just forward of point.”After the lunch break I came back and decided to be a bit more positive,” he said. “The lunch break just happened at the right time for me. I started to feel like I was moving a bit better, started to see the ball a bit better and I just had a lot clearer mind. I decided to be a bit more aggressive and put it back on their bowlers a little bit.”Ponting was frustrated to get an inside edge to short leg just before tea, shortly after reaching triple figures for the first time since the opening Test against India in October. He felt he was the only batsman to accurately pick the pace of the wicket and had a huge hundred in him. But after stumps he was cheerful and pleased with the wash-up. It is a positive frame of mind that Australia will hope rubs off on the rest of the squad

واصل جناح الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ليفربول، محمد صلاح، المنافسة على جوائز الأفضل في الشهر ببطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز للمرة الثانية على التوالي.

وكان محمد صلاح هو الفائز بالجائزة عن شهر نوفمبر 2024، وظهر اسمه أيضًا بعد تألقه مع ليفربول في قائمة المرشحين في ديسمبر 2024 حيث يحتل صدارة الهدافين في البطولة.

وسجل محمد صلاح 7 أهداف في شهر ديسمبر وصنع 7 في مباريات ليفربول في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي مما يجعله ينافس للمحافظة على الجائزة للشهر الثاني على التوالي.

اقرأ أيضًا.. تقارير: اسم جديد على رادار ليفربول حال رحيل محمد صلاح

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المرشحين لجائزة أفضل لاعب في الدوري الإنجليزي عن شهر ديسمبر 2024

1- محمد صلاح (ليفربول).

2- ترينت ألكسندر أرنولد (ليفربول).

3- ألكسندر إيزاك (نيوكاسل).

4- كول بالمر (تشيلسي).

5- أنطوان روبنسون (فولهام).

6- مورجان جيبس وايت (نوتينجهام).

7- ديان هويسن (بورنموث).

8- جاكوب ميرفي (نيوكاسل).

ويمكنكم التصويت من أجل محمد صلاح للفوز بالجائزة من هذا الرابط