All posts by h716a5.icu

Rain wrecked Surrey’s Championship match against Middlesex for the second successive day

ECB Reporters Network12-Jul-2016
ScorecardKia Oval was a bird bath again•Getty ImagesMore heavy rain in south London meant a second successive day of little cricket and left Surrey’s Specsavers County Championship Division One match against Yorkshire at the Kia Oval looking destined to be a draw.Surrey have reached 164 for 5 in their first innings, from 49.4 overs, with Steven Davies and Ben Foakes the not out batsmen on 29 and 14 respectively.A total of 142 overs have been lost so far in the game, and just 16.4 overs were possible on day two before the first rain showers arrived at 12.19pm. Repeated downpours then made the Oval groundstaff’s attempts to mop up a futile exercise and play for the day was eventually called off soon after 4.30pm.The 79 minutes of play at the start of the day were action-packed, however, with David Willey and Steven Patterson taking three wickets for no runs in nine balls as Yorkshire put Surrey’s top order under severe pressure and, initially, reduced them to 121 for 5 after they had resumed on 95 for 2.Davies hit Adil Rashid for two fours in the leg spinner’s only over shortly before the weather interruption, while Foakes has also done his bit to steady the Surrey first innings after Willey removed Zafar Ansari and Jason Roy and Patterson grabbed the prized wicket of Aaron Finch.Finch and Ansari, who had rallied Surrey from 36 for 2 on the opening morning of the game, took their third wicket stand to 85 before Willey fired a yorker through left-hander Ansari’s defences to bowl him for 40 and detonate two stumps out of the ground in spectacular fashion.Two balls later, in the next over from Patterson, a checked push-drive brought Australian batsman Finch’s downfall for an aggressive 57-ball 52, with the bowler jubilant as the catch was taken at short extra cover.Then, in Willey’s next over, Roy pushed at a ball angled across him by the left-arm seamer and keeper Andrew Hodd took the thin edge at the third attempt to send back the England one-day batsman for a duck.Willey said: “It’s a pretty flat pitch, so for us to get three for 70 this morning was a good session for us. Finch is a dangerous player, and we talked about a few different options to him. We knew we’d get a chance at some stage, so it was important we took it. I think we bowled quite nicely today and got our rewards. We deserved the wickets we got.”Aaron was hitting the ball very nicely down the ground, and we thought we might get a chance in that area. Thankfully, we did.” On bowling Ansari, he added: “I missed my length by about seven foot and bowled a yorker. Anti-skill! I was meant to bowl a length ball that held its line into off-stump. It was a fluke.”

Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka is set to depart the club, and a move to Bayer Leverkusen is nearly complete, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed.

What's the latest on Xhaka and Arsenal?

The Switzerland international has had his most productive season in an Arsenal shirt, notching up seven goals and seven assists in all competitions, but with one year left on his deal, all parties have decided to part ways.

He is closing in on a return to the Bundesliga, with Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen set to complete a deal for the 30-year-old.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano confirmed that the deal was nearing completion, with Arsenal set to receive around £13m for the midfielder.

"I can confirm now that talks are very advanced between Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen for Granit Xhaka, so Xhaka will leave Arsenal at the end of the season, and 90% he will become a Bayer Leverkusen player," he stated.

"They're just waiting to complete some of the final details. It's a €15m deal, so Arsenal will get €15m and also the player will get a four-year contract at Bayer Leverkusen. Everything is almost ready."

How much will Arsenal miss Xhaka?

Although he has been a divisive figure at times during his seven-year spell in north London, his performances this season have made him a popular figure among the media, and he has become a crucial part of the midfield three.

He was only omitted from the starting XI twice in the league this season, and Arsenal struggled in both games. They found themselves 2-0 down at home to Bournemouth before he was substituted on, and they fell to a damaging draw against Southampton when he was absent with illness.

The £120k-per-week star was described as "brilliant" earlier on this season, as his strong performances helped Arsenal sustain an unexpected title challenge throughout the campaign, and the club will need to replace him well.

There have been strong links with Declan Rice as well as Moises Caicedo, as two younger, robust midfielders who can replace both Xhaka's physical contributions and his leadership in the middle of the park.

Xhaka's leadership skills were praised earlier this season as he helped lead Arsenal to a derby victory away at rivals Tottenham Hotspur, and he may prove a tough figure to replace both on and off the pitch as one of the more vocal players in the squad.

R Ashwin’s returns of 7 for 83 in the second innings of the Antigua Test against West Indies lifted him back to No. 1 in the ICC Test bowlers’ rankings, displacing Yasir Shah

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jul-20162:47

Batting at No.6 was a complete surprise – Ashwin

R Ashwin’s returns of 7 for 83 in the second innings of the Antigua Test against West Indies lifted him back to No. 1 in the ICC Test bowlers’ rankings, displacing Pakistan legspinner Yasir Shah. Yasir, who had assumed top spot after his ten-wicket match haul in Pakistan’s victorious first Test against England at Lord’s, dropped four places to No. 5 after disappointing match figures of 1 for 266 in the second Test at Old Trafford.Top five Test bowlers

R Ashwin (India)

James Anderson (England)

Stuart Broad (England)

Dale Steyn (South Africa)

Yasir Shah (Pakistan)

Other notable movers included Chris Woakes, who surged up ten places to No. 23 after his match figures of 7 for 108 at Old Trafford contributed to England’s 330-run win. Umesh Yadav, who took five wickets in India’s innings victory in Antigua, jumped up six places to No. 24.In the Test batsmen’s rankings, England’s batting heroes at Old Trafford, Joe Root and Alastair Cook, both moved up. Root scored 254 in the first innings and 71 not out in the second to move up two places to No. 2, behind Steven Smith. Cook’s first-innings century and second-innings 76 not out were enough to propel him four places up, to No. 9.Virat Kohli, who scored his maiden first-class double-century in the Antigua Test, also moved up the rankings, by two spots to No. 12. Ashwin’s century in the same match helped him move three places up to No. 45 and, in conjunction with his bowling feats, also consolidated his position as the top-ranked Test allrounder.

A day after Ravi Shastri said he felt disrespected by the absence of Sourav Ganguly at his interview for the post of India’s head coach, Ganguly has responded by saying he was “very saddened” by Shastri’s “personal attack.”

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jun-20163:45

‘Being in such committees for 10 years, he should be aware of how it operates’

A day after Ravi Shastri said he felt disrespected by the absence of Sourav Ganguly at his interview for the post of India’s head coach, Ganguly has responded by saying he was “very saddened” by Shastri’s “personal attack.”Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and former BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale were part of the cricket advisory panel to find a successor for Shastri, who had been in charge of the Indian team for 18 months until the World T20 in March 2016. The panel had met the final contenders, including Shastri, last Tuesday before Anil Kumble was given the job.Controversy arose when Shastri told the media that a member of the panel had not been present at his meeting and that “that person was disrespectful of the candidate who was going to the interviewed and disrespectful to the job he was entrusted to do.”Ganguly was the one who had to miss Shastri’s presentation because he had to attend the working committee meeting of the Cricket Association of Bengal, where he is president. He said he left for the CAB knowing the rest of the cricket advisory committee had the experience to make the right call.”I just feel that the comments are very personal and if Ravi Shastri feels that I am responsible for him not being the coach of India, he’s living in a fool’s world,” Ganguly told TV reporters in Kolkata. “It’s a committee and there are people in the committee who are of more repute than I am and there are other people involved also who were consulted and spoken about. So that’s disappointing.”I am extremely saddened when he went on air, expressing his views, especially from someone who has been in every BCCI committee for the last 20 years. He has been in my position, you know, the position to select the coach. I don’t think he’s aware of everything.”Ganguly said Shastri’s meeting was scheduled at 4.15 pm, but assessing the other candidates had taken a little more time than expected. Ganguly was expected at the CAB at 5 pm, and had already gained the BCCI’s consent to temporarily leave the panel for this purpose.”I had informed the BCCI on the 19th [of June] in an official mail that I will have to leave at 5 o’ clock because the CAB working committee meeting was supposed to happen that day and being the president of the association, I’m supposed to chair the meeting.”The working committee meetings get decided 14 days before the meeting and to cancel it is impossible. And this meeting was decided in two days. Ravi’s meeting was at 4.15 pm in the afternoon and doing interviews with everyone it went past [that time] and we reached 5 o’clock.”I requested the committee if I could come back at six o’clock and do it again, which they agreed. Once I came here to this meeting, I got a message from Mr [Ajay] Shirke [the BCCI secretary] that the other two members are requesting if they could continue with Ravi, which I was fine with. I said ‘Fine, I know I have been stuck with this and you please go ahead and do it.’ That happens everywhere in the world and that’s the exact story.”Ganguly said he was also saddened that Shastri, a man who has worked with the BCCI for a long time and knew the hurdles administrative matters could throw up, had commented about him in such bad light.”It’s disappointing, being in such committees for 10 years, he should be aware of how it operates. I’m personally hurt because of what he said, of disrespecting, which was not the case. If that was the case, Ravi’s interview would not have been slotted at 4.15 pm and I’ve got the mails.”Answering a question from on what advice he would give Ganguly, Shastri had said “next time be at a meeting when someone is being interviewed for a position as important as that.”In response, Ganguly took offence to Shastri making his presentation via Skype instead of appearing before the panel in person.”Since he’s spoken about disrespect, and honestly I say this with anger, that he gave me a suggestion that in the future that I should be available for such meetings. I’ve been part of the BCCI for a while now and I make sure I’m available for such meetings.”I have an advice for him also, when the coach of India is selected and it’s one of the most important jobs in cricket, he should be in front of the committee giving his presentation and not sit in Bangkok on holiday and make a presentation on camera especially when someone who is one of the greatest cricketers of India all time spoke for two hours nearly, Anil Kumble.”

Manchester City are readying an unexpected swoop for West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice, according to a recent report from Football Insider.

What's the latest Declan Rice transfer news?

According to one report, Arsenal have now dropped out of the race for Rice, despite the fact the player himself is keen on a move to north London, as they believe the £120m price tag West Ham are demanding is too high and unreasonable.

At one stage, the Gunners were said to be leading the race for the Englishman, but he may now have to move elsewhere, with Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United all registering their interest, as per a report from Sky Sports.

Although Pep Guardiola is adamant about keeping Ilkay Gundogan, with talks ongoing about a new deal, the German's future remains up in the air, and the West Ham captain could now be targeted as a replacement.

According to a report from Football Insider, the Sky Blues are readying an unexpected swoop for the 24-year-old, laying the groundwork for a deal, with it now looking likely they will miss out on Jude Bellingham, who is close to joining Real Madrid.

City are monitoring the situation of the central midfielder, despite interest from Arsenal, as they are one of the only clubs that would be able to commit to spending over £100m.

With the summer window approaching, Guardiola could formalise his long-term interest in the England international, who has spoken about his desire to play in the Champions League on several occasions.

Should Man City sign Declan Rice?

With Man City set to miss out on Bellingham, signing the West Ham midfielder would be the next best thing, given that he has proven himself at Premier League level over a number of seasons.

Hailed as "world class" by former Huddersfield boss Danny Cowley, the maestro has made 201 appearances in the English top flight, making his name as a box-to-box midfielder, with a keen eye for cutting out opposition attacks.

That is demonstrated by the fact he ranks in the 86th percentile for progressive carries, and in the 97th for interceptions per 90 in the past year, displaying both his attacking and defensive qualities.

One minor criticism that could be made is that Rice does not score enough goals, however he has played in a deep role for the vast majority of his career, and he more than makes up for his lack of threat going forward with his defensive capability.

Liverpool have a 'very genuine' interest in Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount heading into this summer, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest transfer news involving Mason Mount?

As per Football Insider, Liverpool and Arsenal are set to go toe-to-toe in an attempt to try and entice Mount away from Stamford Bridge in the forthcoming transfer window.

The report states that Mount wants to be among the highest earners at Chelsea, which has proved to be a roadblock in contract negotiations, sparking both Liverpool and Arsenal into life as they look to strengthen their respective midfield departments. Bayern Munich are also said to be keen to offer the 24-year-old a new challenge.

Mount is believed to be interested in moving to Bayern Munich in the off-season and the German giants may hold a significant card in their pursuit as they are managed by former Blues manager Thomas Tuchel, as per The Guardian.

With his £80k-a-week deal in west London set to expire in 2024, Chelsea are fearful that they may have to cash in on Mount sooner rather than later unless progress can be made regarding potential fresh terms.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs thinks that Liverpool hold a 'strong' level of interest in Mount and will be at the front of the queue to try and sign him this summer.

Jacobs said: "From Liverpool's perspective, they see a real window of opportunity; the interest is very genuine and relatively strong and they also have to understand what Chelsea are going to counter with and whether or not Mount truly wants to leave the football club.

"Then you've got to factor in a new manager into all of this and also consider other outgoings because Mount will want to understand, by the time the first game of next season comes around, who else is going to be there in his position? How much competition will [there be] and what role does the new manager think that he has to play at the football club."

Would Mason Mount be a good signing for Liverpool?

Mount is a player who could be set to enter his prime in the not-too-distant future and would add another dimension to Liverpool's midfield if Jurgen Klopp could sanction a deal for him this summer.

In 2022/23, the 24-year-old – hailed a "superstar" previously by journalist Rob Guest – has made 35 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea, registering three goals and assists, as per Transfermarkt.

Despite Chelsea's poor form this term, Mount has still provided a regular supply of chances, successfully performing 83 shot-creating actions in his time on the pitch, as shown on FBRef.

With Liverpool known to want to add midfield reinforcements in the off-season, Mount could definitely freshen up the Reds' engine room heading into 2023/24.

Leeds United find themselves in yet another desperate battle for survival, and thus cannot afford to give any opposition even a slight advantage at a time every marginal gain counts.

That therefore made Patrick Bamford’s miss against Leicester City in midweek even more damning, as the game finished 1-1 when it so easily could have been 2-1.

With the final minutes of this relegation six-pointer playing out, the Whites floated a late corner in that was glanced on at the near post. Falling kindly to the 29-year-old at the back stick, it seemed harder to miss. But miss he did.

The former Chelsea marksman boasts a strong reputation in West Yorkshire, yet with each passing season where his numbers dwindle and injury woes increase, that reverence diminishes.

If Javi Gracia is truly keen on retaining this infamous club’s status in the Premier League, just as Jesse Marsch did by the skin of his teeth last year, perhaps dropping the forward could be a necessary evil to allow some fresh and energetic legs to take his place.

Of those around the club, we think few are more deserving of this potential promotion than Sonny Perkins, who continues to shine at youth level.

Who is Sonny Perkins?

Having moved to Elland Road from West Ham United, the 19-year-old starlet has been proving with each passing week that he knows exactly where the back of the net is.

In fact, the teenage sensation has scored ten goals in just 17 Premier League 2 games this season, assisting a further three. This even culminated in his first senior goal in their FA Cup draw with Cardiff City.

This has been far from a fluke campaign either, as the former Hammers star would notch four in four U18s Premier League games last season, and a further 12 for the U23s too.

Such imperious form in front of goal even led his boss Michael Skubala to claim: “He's a goal machine, he loves scoring goals.”

To compare this kind of proficiency with their current English forward – who has just two league goals in his last 13 games – Bamford has proved something of a nightmare for Gracia in front of goal.

Perhaps employing an academy graduate, who will be keen to take his big chance with both hands, could either spark Bamford back into life or allow Perkins to truly make a name for himself on the biggest stage.

Either way, something has to change as this struggling side are staring down the barrel of the gun with a despicable run-in looming.

Aston Villa would be a good fit for Manchester City right-back Kyle Walker this summer, according to talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook.

Will Walker leave Man City?

The 32-year-old has enjoyed a stellar career at club level, winning four Premier League titles during his time at City and arguably becoming one of the best players in his position in the competition's history. This season has been a harder one for him, however, and it has become increasingly apparent that he is no longer a key starter.

Only 15 league starts have come Walkers's way in 2022/23 to date, but a lot of those were earlier in the campaign and he has not often featured in recent weeks, even though he played all 90 minutes against Sheffield United in the FA Cup semi-final last weekend.

With the £160,000-a-week Englishman's current deal expiring in 2024, this summer could be the last opportunity for City to get good money for him, or risk losing him on a free transfer next year. He has been linked with a move to Villa, as Unai Emery eyes up strong summer signings.

Are Villa the ideal club for Walker?

Reacting to the rumours in a chat with Give Me Sport, Crooks talked up the idea of Walker moving to Villa Park at the end of the season, saying it would be a good fit:

"Sheffield United might be an interesting one for him. He started there, didn't he? And if they come into the Premier League, I wonder if they might try and have a go.

"But Villa would be a good move because I think they're going to back (Unai) Emery in the summer. They might well manage to sneak into a European place, too."

Walker could be a brilliant signing by Villa in the summer transfer window, possessing a winning mentality that is outlined by his aforementioned Premier League trophy tally, not to mention having a wealth of experience at this point in his career, racking up 75 caps for England.

There is an argument to say that the defender's best days may just be behind him, hence him losing his place in City's team, but he remains a top-level footballer – one who has been lauded as "frighteningly quick" by Troy Deeney in the past. Emery will want experience and nous in his squad this summer and Walker could be the man to provide it, lifting players around him and putting his combination of pace and power to good use.

Southampton striker Che Adams will be “available” for the Premier League game against Bournemouth tonight, according to Ruben Selles.

What's the latest injury news on Adams?

The St Mary’s outfit secured a 3-3 draw against Arsenal during their last game so will be heading into this evening’s home fixture full of confidence that they can gain a result following a much-improved performance at the Emirates Stadium.

Scotland international Adams, however, hasn’t featured in the top flight since the draw against Tottenham Hotspur on 18th March, having sustained a calf injury during international duty last month, where he was forced off the pitch after 58 minutes against Cyprus. The Saints boss had revealed that he was expecting the 26-year-old to be targeting a return at the end of April, and it sounds like his timeframe was spot on.

Speaking during his Wednesday pre-match press conference, Selles confirmed that Adams is firmly in contention to face the Cherries after returning to training, whilst also providing an update on four other players.

As quoted by Southampton’s official website, he said: “We have Juan Larios, Mohammed Salisu and Tino Livramento who are not selectable. Che Adams is selectable and available for the game tomorrow. We have Jan Bednarek who has followed concussion protocol and that will end tonight at midnight, tomorrow we’ll re-evaluate him.”

Will Adams returning be a positive for Southampton?

Southampton have had an extremely disappointing season, but Adams has been one of the standout stars, ranking as Selles’ second-best-performing offensive player, so it will be a huge boost for the boss to have him at his disposal once again.

The Unique Sports Group client has posted 13 goal contributions (ten goals and three assists) in 32 appearances across all competitions this season, with a similar vein of prolific form having seen him previously lauded a “phenomenon” by ex-manager Ralph Hasenhuttl.

The £30k-per-week forward has also recorded 42 shots since the start of the term which is higher than any other member of the squad, and 54 shot-creating actions, placing him second behind captain James Ward-Prowse, as per FBref.

Finally, Adams provides Selles with wonderful versatility with his ability to operate out wide on both flanks, as a second striker and in attacking midfield alongside his natural centre-forward role so the chances of the Saints picking up all three points against the Cherries will only increase with the striker leading the line.

Journalist Charles Watts has slammed the media “pile-on” after Arsenal players were criticised for their lack of interaction with a young fan.

What happened between Arsenal players and the young fan?

The Gunners found themselves in the middle of an unexpected social media storm this week after behind scenes footage emerged from their recent trip to West Ham United.

The Premier League encounter did not end well for Mikel Arteta’s team as they went 2-0 up but then conceded twice to draw the game, losing two vital points in their push for the title.

Even so, for one young fan, it was a great opportunity to meet the whole squad and get a shirt signed – as shown in this clip shared by the club’s official Twitter account.

While it seemed like a fairly innocuous video, some people online were disappointed that the Arsenal players didn’t engage with the supporters enough.

For instance, TV presenter Nick Knowles wrote: “I suggest Arsenal you get her and her family back and give your players another go at being decent human beings – admittedly they’d have to be coached into it but it might be something that sticks with some of them if it’s pointed out.”

It developed into a major story – as outlined in the Daily Mail – but journalist Charles Watts has slammed it all as “utterly bonkers”.

Indeed, he took to Twitter to say: “This is so utterly bonkers. A totally unnecessary social media pile-on about a situation no-one had a clue about has created this sh*t show. Such a shame.”

How did this Arsenal social media fiasco end?

Backing up Watts’ point, the father of the young girl has since had to issue a response, saying that his daughter actually really enjoyed the experience.

To make things worse, he later explained that reporters had actually turned up at his house, which has now left him worried about his daughters’ enjoyment of football.

He said: “Thanks everyone for their kind messages today. We’ve tried to explain to my daughter what all the noise is about. Was mostly fine until we had reporters knock on the door. Hoping this doesn’t ruin her interest in Arsenal.”

The damage done by those reporters door-stepping the family home of this young child is no doubt far worse than what was initially causing concern.

It seems as though this has all been a bit of a storm in a teacup and the people online who opted to get offended on behalf of somebody else have actually caused more damage to this unfortunate young supporter than anything the Arsenal players actually did.