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Chances are it may have taken Australia longer to load their kits from the baggage carousel to the team bus than it took to see off Ireland’s small target at Providence Stadium. The enforcer was Alyssa Healy, who walloped a 21-ball half-century – the fastest in the tournament’s history and the second fastest in women’s T20Is – to raze down 94 in just 9.1 overs.The beauty lay in Healy’s brutality. Full tosses and long hops were gleefully accepted. But amid the muscle, there was also grace and elegance which she displayed in equal measure, while lofting the ball inside-out over extra cover. In the end, Ireland’s only takeaway was the experience of playing Australia only for the second time in four years.The result was another reminder of why teams like Ireland need more exposure and not just one qualifying tournament amid the jostle with Full Members for game time.International Cricket Council

Ireland’s best chance of competing was to bat first and put runs up against the three-time champions. Laura Delany called correctly and they finished the Powerplay 27 without loss. Then the big-match nerves failed Ireland as they lost 5 for 16, resulting in a breakdown they didn’t recover from.Ireland didn’t run well, and weren’t helped by poor umpiring calls either – like the controversial call by Langton Rusere to dock them five runs because Delany seemingly ran onto the ‘danger zone’. All this coupled with some tight, relentless Australian lines, resulting in no leeway. Ireland limped to 93 for 6 on the back of Kim Garth’s 24 at No. 7. It left open the prospect of a bruising chase.The struggle wasn’t just restricted to their batting, though. Lucy O’Reilly failed to control her late inswing to deliver as many as five wides in her opening over – the second of the innings. Then Ciara Metcalfe delivered a 12-run over with a mixture of short balls and full tosses, Isobel Joyce went for four boundaries in her first, and suddenly, Ireland were short of ideas as Australia wiped out 60 in just five overs en route a second win that gave their net run rate a massive fillip.The story of the match – as it was on the first of Sunday’s double-header – was the awarding of penalty runs for running on the pitch. In the 13th over of Ireland’s innings, Gaby Lewis was first warned for stepping onto the danger area, when she seemingly steered clear after taking a couple of steps to meet the ball.Off the next ball, Ireland were docked five points when umpire Rusere felt Delany had run mid-pitch. This seemed to have played on Lewis’ mind as she was out in the same over trying to run wide, in the process losing the extra yard to a direct hit to the bowler’s end from mid-off.Umpiring aside, Ireland weren’t also helped by injudicious shot selection. Twice in two overs, they had batters out attempting to scoop Ellyse Perry, only to not just play down the wrong lint but also get beaten by the skid off the pitch. Clare Shillington was the first to perish in this fashion after stroking 19 while Eimear Richardson followed suit in the next over, the 10th of the innings.Then Australia employed the spin choke with rookie legspinner Georgia Wareham clocking in three right overs, with Sophie Molineux – the left-arm spinner – at the other end to stifle the life out of Ireland. The result wasn’t really in doubt at any stage. It was only a matter of when.

Poor running between the wickets, and a particular propensity to run his partners out is among the main reasons Angelo Mathews has been left out of Sri Lanka’s ODI squad. Sri Lanka chief selector Graeme Labrooy told ESPNcricinfo that Mathews had been “sluggish” between the wickets during the Asia Cup, but coach Chandika Hathurusingha went further, detailing the number of times he felt Mathews had been involved in run-out dismissals. He also said that Mathews had a tendency not just to participate in run-outs, but to particularly run the opposite batsman out.While both Labrooy and Hathurusingha have suggested that Mathews lacks the match fitness to field for 50 overs and then perform as a batsman, that Hathurusingha used the phrase “team dynamics” in describing Mathews’ shortcomings is especially telling. Essentially, the team management is suggesting that Mathews’ teammates have begun viewing him as a liability when it comes to running between the wickets.”Running between the wickets is a very big concern for us at the moment – for the whole team, not only for [Mathews],” Hathurusingha said. “We want him to get fitter. His average since 2017 is 59 – I know that. And he scored 97 runs against South Africa three matches ago. But there are certain concerns. If you look at his record, he has been involved in about 64 run outs, and 49 times the opposite guy got run out. That’s a world record. Those are the things that we’ve been looking at. But I want him back as fresh as possible, and clear as possible, to serve the Sri Lankan team.”Mathews had reminded SLC in a letter to the CEO that he had in fact been the highest scorer in the recent five-match one-day series against South Africa, but Labrooy suggested those performance were not necessarily meaningful, given they had come in a series defeat. That he made other batsmen in the team uncomfortable, is also something Labrooy suggested.”Unfortunately, we lost to South Africa – although [Mathews is] the highest scorer, we ended up on the losing side,” Labrooy said. “We would have expected someone who scored the highest runs to be on the winning team. With Angelo, we knew that he had a hamstring injury right throughout and he’s been nursing and treating it. We saw that he had slowed down in the game, and his cricket fitness was not up to the mark. He had the challenge of him taking quick singles and running twos. Also he transferred pressure on to the rest of the batters.”One of the selectors’ key problems with Mathews was that in their view, he was especially slow between the wickets when his team was batting second, as they did in both matches at the Asia Cup. “We weren’t convinced that Mathews was able to field for 50 overs and then come and bat for 30 overs, and do both those things well, based on his fitness,” Labrooy told ESPNcricinfo. “So we decided to ask him to step down and focus on his fitness, without the added pressure of captaincy.”Upon hearing that the selectors wished to drop him, Mathews is also understood to have demanded a test to prove his fitness. But the outcome of such a test would be besides the point, Labrooy suggested.”The issue isn’t that he has failed a yo-yo or a skinfold test,” he said. “Our concerns were about the players’ ability to perform their jobs on the field. In the Asia Cup, we thought he was sluggish between the wickets.”Labrooy also said that Mathews had not undertaken a yo-yo test before the Asia Cup because he had had a note from a doctor that stated a fitness test could put him at risk of further injury. According to Labrooy, Mathews had travelled to Australia for treatment on his hamstring, as well as some injections, four days prior to the Asia Cup. This recent treatment made it inadvisable for him to undergo a yo-yo test, even though the selectors would have preferred him to take one at the time. Aside from Mathews, Lasith Malinga, Thisara Perera and Suranga Lakmal were also exempted from a pre-Asia Cup yo-yo test, in order to minimise the risk of injury to those players.The ODI series against England begins on October 10, in Dambulla.

West Ham United will be out for swift revenge in the Europa League against Olympiacos tonight.

While David Moyes has transformed the Hammers into a seasoned outfit on the continental stage, last month's 2-1 defeat in Greece ended their 17-match unbeaten run in Europe.

As a result, the Irons still have a stranglehold on first position in Group A, but are now level on points with German side Freiburg in second.

If the Greek giants take all three points back to their homeland tonight, they will leapfrog the Hammers into first position, outlining the importance of fielding a strong team.

West Ham team news vs Olympiacos

West Ham's defensive stalwart Kurt Zouma missed the 3-2 defeat against Brentford on Saturday after failing a late fitness test and Moyes confirmed in his pre-match press conference that he was absent from the main training session at Rush Green on Wednesday, but did train separately.

He said: "We’re still waiting on Kurt. He didn’t train [with the main group] this morning. He’s done a bit inside and we'll have a look tomorrow and see how he is."

Whilst the Frenchman is touch and go this evening, the Scotsman does have Lucas Paqueta and Edson Alvarez back in contention after the pair missed the defeat against the Bees through suspension.

That said, while Moyes could persist with Tomas Soucek – who was subpar against Thomas Frank's men – there is a case to be made to unleash Alvarez back into the starting XI instead.

The Czech Republic brute won none of his ten duels, had zero tackles, completed zero dribbles and lost possession nine times last time out, as per Sofascore, hence the need for a possible midfield tweak.

Tomas Soucek vs Edson Alvarez this season

Hailed as "unbelievable" by former midfield partner Declan Rice, Soucek has had a monumental impact since arriving at the London stadium in 2020.

A box-to-box midfielder, whose high energetic work rate and physical prowess have been vital for the Hammers in both boxes, the 28-year-old has risen to cult hero status in claret and blue.

This season, however, the 64-cap international has let his performance levels drop and new signing Alvarez has outperformed him in a double pivot alongside James Ward-Prowse.

Indeed, when comparing the fundamentals associated with any deep-lying midfielder, including tackles won, successful dribbles and passes completed, the Mexican's metrics come out on top against his Czech counterpart.

Stat

Tomas Soucek

Edson Alvarez

Minutes per game

72

76

Tackles won

1.2

2.0

Balls recovered

2.7

4.7

Total duels won %

4.1 (50%)

4.4 (48%)

Successful dribbles

0%

78%

Pass completion

75%

85%

Interceptions

0.9

0.6

All stats via Sofascore

As the table above delineates, Soucek isn't comfortable at carrying the ball from deep – as demonstrated by his 0% dribble success rate – and is unable to eclipse Alvarez across the majority of the other defensive and technical metrics.

By contrast, the former Ajax star has the speed to recover more balls in central areas, can manoeuvre out of tight spaces with his precise ball control, is a tackling machine out of possession and has an exceptional pass range.

Taking all of the above into account, Moyes should drop Soucek for his "invaluable" 6 foot 2 ace – as previously dubbed by Rio Ferdinand – against Olympiacos.

بدأ نادي برشلونة الإسباني فترته التحضيرية استعدادًا للموسم الجديد تحت قيادة المدير الفني هانز فليك.

ويغيب عدد من لاعبي الفريق لتواجدهم في ألمانيا للمشاركة مع منتخبات بلادهم في كأس أمم أوروبا “يورو 2024”.

ويقام نهائي كأس الأمم الأوروبية يوم الأحد القادم بين إسبانيا وإنجلترا، بعدما نجحا في إقصاء فرنسا وهولندا على الترتيب من الدور نصف النهائي.

وسلطت صحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية، الضوء على حالة فرينكي دي يونج لاعب برشلونة الذي يعاني من إصابة على مستوى الكاحل الأيمن، أبعدته عن خوض مباريات يورو 2024 مع هولندا.

وخضع دي يونج، مثل بقية زملائه في برشلونة، للفحص الطبي الإلزامي المعتاد قبل نزوله إلى الملعب ضمن استعدادات الموسم الجديد.

وبعيدًا عن التورم الواضح في الكاحل الأيمن، فإن ما يثير قلق الطاقم الطبي والتدريبي لبرشلونة، هو حالة الرباط الجانبي الخارجي لذلك الكاحل.

ويتم اقتراح سيناريوهين مع دي يونج، الأول هو الضغط بحذر على الكاحل الأيمن لمعرفة ما إذا كان يستجيب بشكل مناسب ويمكنه الاستمرار في عملية التعافي الحالية، على أمل أن يكون جاهزًا للمرحلة الأخيرة من الموسم التحضيري. 

اقرأ أيضًا | بعد إصابة بيدري ودي يونج.. فليك يباغت برشلونة بمطلب غريب

والاقتراح الثاني إذا أظهر الكاحل الأيمن علامات عدم الاستقرار، فسيخضع دي يونج لجراحة، ويجب أن يؤخذ في الاعتبار أن التدخل بالمنظار سيبعده عن الملاعب لمدة شهرين تقريبًا. 

وتعرض دي يونج لإصابات على مستوى الكاحل خلال الموسم الماضي، ووقع الحادث الأخير في 21 أبريل خلال الكلاسيكو أمام ريال مدريد.

وأشار التشخيص حينها إلى التواء من الدرجة الثانية ومر ما يقرب من ثلاثة أشهر وغاب الهولندي عن بطولة أوروبا ولا يزال يعاني من التهاب كبير في الكاحل.

Manchester City are set for a transfer battle with clubs around Europe to sign a 15-year-old star who could cost as much as £15 million, according to a recent report.

Man City exit the Champions League

The Blues were unable to overturn the 3-2 deficit from the first leg against Real Madrid to extend their stay in the Champions League on Wednesday night, as a Kylian Mbappé hat-trick ensured Madrid eased into the next round.

Forget Dias: Pep must axe 5/10 Man City star after "hall of shame" display

Manchester City exited the Champions League with a 3-1 defeat against Real Madrid last night.

2

By
Ethan Lamb

Feb 20, 2025

After the game at the Bernabeu Stadium, Pep Guardiola said it is the first time his City side haven’t had a good year in the Champions League.

“After we conceded the goal in the first action we didn’t defend well, it was more and more difficult. We have to accept it, the best team won, so congratulations to Real Madrid. Now we focus on the Premier League.

“It’s a fantastic team, they deserve to go through. We didn’t deserve it, it’s the first year we didn’t make a good Champions League season. We have to accept it and fight for next season to be here again. Of course, Real Madrid are contenders to win the Champions League now, but there are other good teams around.”

Man City’s next five fixtures
Liverpool	H
Tottenham	A
Plymouth	H
Nottingham Forest	A
Brighton	H

Defeat against Real Madrid means City’s hopes of lifting silverware this season now rest on the FA Cup, as any chance of winning the Premier League looks all but over.

Man City set for transfer battle to sign “strong” teenager

As attention slowly turns towards how they can improve for next season, the Blues already have their eyes on a potential signing for the summer. According to Mail Online, Man City are among the clubs keeping a close eye on Leicester City’s Jeremy Monga.

Monga is only 15 years old but is training with the first team at Leicester under manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, and it’s already been reported that he could cost as much as £15 million to sign.

Despite not featuring in the first team yet, City, along with Chelsea, are among the teams who are keen on signing him. But both clubs face serious competition from Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, who have made enquiries about Monga.

Monga cannot sign a professional contract until he turns 17, which will be in July 2026. That puts the Foxes in a vulnerable position, as several top European clubs circle to scoop him up without the complications of being under a lengthy contract.

The left-winger was recently named in the Leicester first team squad in the match against Manchester United in the FA Cup, as van Nistelrooy believed the player was “ready” and “physically strong”.

“We feel Jeremy is ready for this and, of course, there’s still a long way to go. We have evaluated his progress and, from last week onwards, he will be part of regular first-team training until the end of the season. Physically, he is very strong and mature already at this age. He deserved this opportunity and we need wingers.

“It’s clear he is a big talent, but we cannot go too quickly with a young boy like that,” van Nistelrooy told ITV Sport.

Liverpool are in a ruthless mood this summer and after welcoming Florian Wirtz for a British-record fee, Richard Hughes is reportedly set for talks to sell one of Arne Slot’s star and has already contacted his potential replacement.

Liverpool not done after record Wirtz deal

Unlike in the past, Liverpool are not just sitting back and admiring their silverware. They’re gunning for more. Jeremie Frimpong arrived first to replace Trent Alexander-Anrold, but the biggest headlines were still to come as Wirtz followed his former Bayer Leverkusen teammate to Anfield in a British-record £116m deal.

The German is ready to take the Premier League by storm too, telling Liverpool’s official media channels: “I’m really excited to have a new adventure in front of me. This was also a big point of my thoughts: that I want to have something completely new, to go out of the Bundesliga and to join the Premier League.

“I will see how I can perform there. I hope I can do my best. I spoke also with some players who played there and they told me that it’s perfect for me and every pitch is perfect, you can enjoy every game. I’m really looking forward to playing my first game.”

Even after Wirtz, however, Liverpool are not done there. It has been a summer full of business for Richard Hughes, who is making up for lost time following a quiet debut year in Merseyside. Up next looks set to be Milos Kerkez, whilst reported talks to sell one star man could lead to another big-money incoming.

Liverpool set to hold talks to sell Nunez

According to Fabrizio Romano, reporting on Saturday afternoon, Liverpool are set to hold talks with Napoli next week over the sale of Darwin Nunez. The Italian club reportedly see the forward as their dream target and are now looking to learn more about the details of a potential move.

The sale of the struggling forward could be good news for those in Merseyside, who have reportedly already contacted Hugo Ekitike over a deal to replace Nunez this summer.

Related Liverpool hold talks to sign "fantastic" star loved by Jordan Henderson

The Reds are making more moves on the market.

Posts 2 BySean Markus Clifford Jun 21, 2025

When speaking about the Frenchman, Romano recently told the Market Madness Podcast: “Well, I think for Ekitike this could be a possibility to go to Liverpool, because there were calls from Chelsea two weeks ago. Man United, in recent days, also made contact with the agents to understand the situation.

“But for Liverpool, this is also a possibility. Liverpool also spoke to the agents. Also, Liverpool considered Ekitike an interesting opportunity. And so that’s the name I would keep in their shortlist.”

League stats 24/25 (via FBref)

Hugo Ekitike

Darwin Nunez

Minutes

2,563

1,133

Goals

15

5

Assists

8

2

Expected Goals

21.6

5.8

As the numbers show, Liverpool would once again be landing an instant upgrade this summer to continue what is likely to go down as their best-ever transfer window, even if the Frenchman could cost £85m.

West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite has signed to play in Kent Spitfires’ opening four matches of the Vitality Blast.The World T20 champion, who made his name hitting four successive sixes in the final over of the 2016 final against England, will join the Spitfires squad before the opening group match agaist Surrey on July 6.Brathwaite can at least be confident of getting on the field at Kent. He has yet to figure for Surisers Hyderabad in this season’s IPL, a continuation of his inactivity when he played only twice for Delhi Daredevils in 2017.It will be the first experience of county cricket for Brathwaite, who has played three Tests, 28 ODIs and 25 T20s for West Indies, and who said Sam Billings had been instrumental in persuading him to sign during conversation at IPL and BBL when they have been team-mates.”I have a good relationship with Sam, having played in the same team at the IPL and BBL,” he said. “Sam chatted to me about the opportunity to join and has told me a lot about the great support and atmosphere on T20 nights.Brathwaite has also played for both Sydney Sixers and Thunder in the Big Bash League as well as Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League.Kent director of cricket Paul Downton said: “Carlos is a proven match winner. He is an explosive ball striker and a skilful white-ball bowler with good variations and extensive experience in the 20-over format. I’m sure he’ll make an impact in his brief spell with the Spitfires.”Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis will succeed Brathwaite as the squad’s second overseas player ahead of a likely debut against Sussex Sharks at The Spitfire Ground on July 27.

Liverpool have justifiably been focussing on the rebuild of their midfield this summer after a lacklustre campaign, but there is still a requirement for defensive reinforcement.

What's the latest on Piero Hincapie to Liverpool?

German outlet Sport Bild has claimed that while Liverpool are interested in Bayer Leverkusen centre-half Piero Hincapie, the Bundesliga outfit would only listen to exorbitant offers and have set a ballpark price tag of £60m.

According to Spanish sources, Jurgen Klopp views the talented Ecuadorian defender as perfect to complement the established pairing of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

It now remains to be seen whether the Anfield side would acquiesce to such demands, but undeniably, the club would immensely benefit from a fresh face to bolster the backline.

How good is Piero Hincapie?

Last season, the Reds failed to qualify for the Champions League after seven successive years and shipped 47 goals – having finished second on 92 points the season prior, conceding just 26 strikes.

While Hincapie would not arrive and revolutionise the defence, the 21-year-old would provide cover for the aforementioned central defenders and grow into his skin under Klopp's stewardship, edging closer to a starring role at Anfield over the next few years.

He already boasts the skills requisite for success at a top-class outfit, ranking among the top 16% of positional peers for passes attempted, the top 19% for shot-creating actions, the top 2% for progressive carries, the top 15% for successful take-ons and the top 11% for tackles per 90, as per FBref.

Hailed as a "prodigy" by editor Jose de Jesus Ortiz, the £34k-per-week talent could serve as the perfect heir to Joel Matip's position in the Liverpool defence, with the veteran Cameroonian ace now in the final year of his contract with the Premier League outfit.

Matip, aged 32, also plied his trade in the German top-flight before moving to Liverpool, joining the side from Schalke on a free transfer in 2016, since making 187 appearances and winning the whole gamut of silverware under Klopp.

Like Hincapie, Matip offers much to his team's offensive efforts, ranking among the top 4% of centre-backs for goals, the top 12% for passes attempted and the top 1% for progressive carries per 90.

Because of this, the Leverkusen gem looks to be a tailor-made replacement for his distinguished confrere, and given that he is also left-footed, he would slot right into the desired transfer plans of the Anfield side.

Matip favours the right side, but by replacing him with a naturally efficient left-footer, the domino effect could pay dividends for the squad's cohesion and fluidity, allowing Van Dijk to shift onto his right and perhaps finally restore the equilibrium.

Matip also fell further and further into obscurity last season, starting just three of the final 15 league matches of the season as the Reds enjoyed a late-season purple patch, and was criticised for his "awful" displays by CBS reporter Nico Cantor.

The time for change is now on Merseyside, and given Hincapie's age and profile as a centre-back, he would surely be the perfect option to strengthen Liverpool's defence.

It now just remains to be seen whether Klopp and co will discuss terms with Bayer Leverkusen when the German side are demanding such an exorbitant fee.

تحدث طارق ذياب لاعب منتخب تونس الأسبق والمحلل الرياضي الحالي، عن مواجهة الأهلي والترجي، في نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

الأهلي يستضيف الترجي، على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي في إياب نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا، لحسم الفريق الفائز باللقب القاري للعام الحالي 2024.

وقال طارق ذياب في تصريحات عبر قناة “بي إن سبورتس”: “الأفضل في إفريقيا، الأهلي والترجي والفرق المغربية، الترجي في آخر 10 سنوات فاز باللقب 3 مرات، إن شاء الله نشاهد مباراة أفضل من الذهاب”.

طالع أيضاً.. تشكيل الأهلي أمام الترجي في نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا.. من بديل علي معلول؟

وأضاف: “الفريقان يمتلكان حارسان جيدان، وبطبيعة الحال مباراة الذهاب كان هناك خوف من الهزيمة، ولم نشاهد فرص خطيرة إلا هجمة واحدة للترجي، لكن مباراة اليوم أعتقد أنها ستكون مختلفة”.

وواصل: “ما ينقص الترجي أنه فريق بدون خبرة عكس الأهلي، لكني متفائل، لأن الأحمر مستواه متذبذب، وهناك لاعبين تراجع مستواهم، ولم نشاهدهم في مباراة الذهاب، مباراة ليست سهلة على الأهلي حتى على أرضه وأمام جمهوره، الترجي يلعب أفضل خارج ملعبه، والأحمر سيكون مهاجمًا، يبقى فريقًا كبيرًا يستغل الأخطاء الدفاعية”.

وأتم: “تقريبًا 90 دولة تشاهد مباراة اليوم، لم نر مباراة جيدة في الذهاب، لكن اليوم ستكون جيدة”.

Australia captain Steven Smith is closer than ever before to matching Don Bradman as the top-rated batsman of all time, according to the ICC rankings for Test batsmen

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Dec-20170:47

Steven Smith, the run machine

Australia captain Steven Smith is closer than ever before to matching Don Bradman as the top-rated batsman of all time, according to the ICC rankings for Test batsmen.Smith, who scored 239 to lead Australia to regaining the Ashes in Perth, increased his ratings points tally from 938 to 945 at No. 1, surpassing his previous best of 941 after the first Ashes Test in Brisbane.He is second on the all-time list along with former England batsman Len Hutton, and no one else apart from Bradman – who has 961 points – has ever achieved a higher tally.Smith earned seven points after his performance at the WACA led Australia to victory by an innings and 41 runs, overtaking the highest career tallies of Peter May, Ricky Ponting and Jack Hobbs. His Test batting average of 62.32 is only behind Bradman’s 99.94 on the list of best averages for batsmen who have played at least 20 innings. And he’s number one currently ahead of India captain Virat Kohli by 52 ratings points. By the time the Boxing Day Ashes Test begins, Smith would have been at the No. 1 ranking for two years.Reflecting on his double century, Smith said he had never felt better at the crease than the first part of his innings on the second day. “I think that first night I was on, as you say,” he told . “I was in the zone, and everything hit the middle of the bat. I felt incredibly good…that first night was probably as good as I’ve felt.”Smith currently has 426 runs at 142.00 in the Ashes which also included his unbeaten 141 which set up Australia’s opening victory in Brisbane. Darren Lehmann, Australia’s coach, said Smith has taken his game to new level.”He’s running pretty hot isn’t he? I’ve been lucky enough to see all of his Test hundreds. So for me, seeing him evolve from that first Test hundred at the Oval to now – he just changes his own plans to what the bowlers are doing and what the wicket’s doing, and what the game needs. He’s gone to another level, which is pleasing.”