All posts by h716a5.icu

A round-up of the opening day of Group C matches in the fourth round of the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Oct-2016Chhattisgarh, led by Abhimanyu Chauhan in Mohammad Kaif’s absence due to a neck injury, reduced Kerala to 194 for 8 before bad light forced early stumps at the Keenan Stadium in Jamshedpur. Pankaj Rao, the right-arm medium pacer, and Sumit Ruikar, the left-arm spinner, picked up three wickets apiece in the 65 overs that were possible to lead Chhattisgarh’s fightback after a third-wicket stand of 73 between Rohan Prem (62) and Sanju Samson (41) had briefly kept them at bay.Rahul Singh’s maiden first-class century studded Services’ dominance against Jammu & Kashmir in Jaipur. Services, who chose to bat, ended the day on 287 for 3, with Rahul and Shamsher Yadav having added 199 for the fourth wicket. Parvez Rasool, the offspinner, picked up two wickets in the first session in what was to be a small passage which went J&K’s way at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium.Goa’s bowlers justified Sagun Kamat’s decision to field first by dismissing Tripura for 283 in Bhubaneswar. Rajat Dey (87) and Abhijit Dey (58) led Tripura’s revival after they were reduced to 82 for 5. Their 81-run seventh-wicket stand helped drive the innings forward after Saurabh Bandekar and Shadab Jakati had triggered the slide. Jakati, the left-arm spinner, finished with 4 for 67. Five other batsmen got into double figures, with Yashpal Singh’s 35 being the highest.Prasanth Kumar and Hanuma Vihari, the captain, struck half-centuries for Andhra, but legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal, leading Haryana’s spin attack in the abence of Amit Mishra and Jayant Yadav, picked up three wickets to wrest the initiative at the Wankhede Stadium. Andhra, comfortably placed at 107 for 1 after being sent in to bat by Mohit Sharma, ended the day on 217 for 6. Ravi Teja, the middle-order batsman, also couldn’t capitalise on a start and fell for 38 to give Chahal his third wicket. Ashish Hooda, Mohit and Sanjay Pahal were the other wicket-takers for Haryana.Hyderabad made early inroads in the 4.1 overs that were possible before rain and a wet outfield washed out the rest of the day in Guwahati. Himachal Pradesh, who were sent in to bat, lost openers Ankush Bains and Prashant Chopra and were reduced to 8 for 2. Seamers Ravi Kiram and CV Milind had one wicket apiece.

Journalist Paul Brown has been left thrilled by reports that Arsenal are targeting Man City captain and treble-chasing midfielder Ilkay Gundogan on a free transfer.

Who are Arsenal looking to sign this summer?

The Premier League giants narrowly missed out on their first title in nearly 20 years last season, with Mikel Arteta being beaten to the punch by his mentor Pep Guardiola.

Despite Arsenal's position at the front of the queue for much of 2022/2023, they fell short at the final hurdle, and it's now the task of Arteta to shore up key positions of his squad for a fresh challenge next campaign.

The north Londoners are looking to sign central midfielders above all with reports suggesting they could make two key signings in that area of the pitch. West Ham's Declan Rice and Brighton star Moises Caicedo, among others, are apparently on their radar.

Sporting director Edu has also apparently earmarked the signing of a central defender to back up stars like William Saliba, with the Frenchman succumbing to injury at the back end of last season.

Going back to midfield, Man City star Gundogan is another target for Arsenal, according to reports, with the German really coming into a hot streak of form lately.

His latest heroics, a brace in the FA Cup final against Man United on Saturday, saw City clinch a domestic double with the Blues still well and truly on for an historic treble.

Journalist Paul Brown, speaking to GiveMeSport, says he could be a game-changing signing for Arsenal if they get it done.

"If Arsenal were to get Gundogan, I think that would be a great signing for them," said Brown in response to the links.

"He’s a really versatile player who can play in a number of different roles. He switches systems very easily in game and could be a game-changer for them really. And one that is quite fascinating to see.”

Who is Ilkay Gundogan?

The 32-year-old was Guardiola's first ever signing as City manager and hasn't looked back since – having played a key role over his seven-year stint.

This season, Gundogan has contributed with a number of important goals in sky blue, and he etched himself into club folklore with final day title-winning heroics against Aston Villa in 21/22.

However, City are in danger of losing him on a free at the end of this month, putting Arsenal and Arteta on serious alert.

His experience and quality could prove to be a major asset for the Gunners, especially at zero cost, and we believe he couild be an exceptional signing for them.

From elections and terms of office bearers to ‘one state one vote’, here are the Lodha Committee recommendations the BCCI and state associations remain opposed to

Nagraj Gollapudi07-Nov-2016During its ongoing tussle with the Lodha Committee, the BCCI’s position has been that it cannot adopt all the recommendations approved by the Supreme Court order on July 18 because its state associations were opposed to some of them. The board said that it could not force the recommendations on its 30 members and a majority vote was required.In an interim order on October 21, the Supreme Court had given the BCCI until December 5 to “secure compliance” from its member associations, but that deadline appears unlikely to be met.Other amendments to the recommendations sought by BCCI

Members voted in favour of retaining five-member selection panels for men’s, women’s and junior cricket teams

Accepted the players’ association but on an honorary basis. The committee had recommended the board should pay the members of the players’ association.

Voted that junior teams should be kept at Under-23 level and not Under-22 as recommended by the Lodha Committee.

Rejected the recommendation that IPL should be time bound to seven weeks.

One individual should fulfill roles of Ethics Officer and Ombudsman. Also eligibility criteria for Ethics Officer should include former officers of the Indian Administrative Service and the Indian Police Service. The committee had recommended only a former High Court judge as eligible for the role.

On November 5, the BCCI president Anurag Thakur submitted a report to the Lodha Committee saying that its members had voted not to adopt the recommendations in totality at a special general meeting on October 1. Thakur also submitted the minutes of that meeting to the committee. The following are some of the main recommendations that the BCCI’s 30 members voted against.Apex Council
The Lodha Committee had recommended that a nine-member Apex Council be the main decision-making body of the BCCI, replacing the existing working committee. At the SGM, two prominent members – Tamil Nadu Cricket Association and Mumbai Cricket Association – raised objections.TNCA secretary Kasi Viswanathan argued that while the BCCI could only pick one other person for a seat on the Apex Council, the proposed players’ association would have two nominees. “The House discussed that as per the ICC model, the representatives from players association are only consulted for cricketing matters and are not on the apex body,” the draft minutes of the meeting said.MCA president Sharad Pawar said the existing working committee “functioned efficiently”. After a vote, it was decided that the working committee would be part of the Apex Council, along with the board president, secretary, joint secretary, treasurer and vice-president.The Lodha Committee had also said a nominee of the Comptroller & Auditor General’s office would sit on the Apex Council. The BCCI’s members voted against it. They were for including the CAG official in the finance committee, which was not recommended by the Lodha panel. The board also said the official could sit on the IPL governing council.Election and term of office bearer
The Lodha Committee had said that no office bearer or official could serve more than three consecutive years on the Apex Council as well as at state level. A maximum tenure of nine years would be allowed for office bearers and officials on the Apex Council and they would not be allowed to serve consecutive terms. This is a recommendation the board and states have consistently opposed and that stance did not change.At the SGM, the BCCI members also voted against adopting the Lodha Committee’s recommendations that sought to impose an age cap of 70 on office bearers; bar ministers, government servants, and past or present officials from other sporting bodies, from becoming BCCI office bearers; prevent office bearers who have already completed nine years in the BCCI from contesting again.The minutes stated the recommendation was discussed in detail but no reasons for the rejection were listed. It only said the members felt that these recommendations would “in no way help to better the game of cricket”.Duties of the CEO
The Lodha Committee had recommended that the daily affairs of the board be managed by a CEO, who would be appointed by the Apex Council. However, once the BCCI’s members were appraised of the CEO’s role as recommended, they voted against it because he could become the “chairman” and supersede the BCCI secretary, the second most powerful person in the board at present.”The members discuss the CEO, his function and the Secretary’s functions and decide that the Secretary’s functions as provided in the present constitution of the Board should be continued. The CEO is accepted, however his function to be modified accordingly. Also CEO should be made reportable to the Hon. Secretary,” the minutes said.One state one vote
The Lodha Committee had said that each state would be a full member and have a vote at BCCI elections, but no state could have more than one vote.It also said that for states with multiple members – Maharashtra and Gujarat – the BCCI would “recognise” one of them to represent the state, while others would become associate members.At the SGM, Pawar said Maharashtra, Mumbai, Vidarbha, Cricket Club of India, Gujarat, Baroda and Saurashtra – the associations that would be affected – “have supported BCCI and game of cricket since the good old days and their special status and rights should continue.”BCCI treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry said giving full membership to all states would leave “no incentive” for associations to develop cricket in their territories.Brijesh Patel, secretary of the Karnataka State Cricket Association, suggested that associate members should be given “weighted” membership. The members voted in favour of following the ICC model when granting full membership to associates. “All existing members of the Board to continue with a vote and new members to be made Associate Members and given a weighted vote, based on the ICC model, where one nominee is elected from all associate member to represent them on the Board and guideline for movement from Associate Member to Full Member.”

Liverpool are in for a much-needed rebuild this summer after failing to maintain their high standards this season and now a new update has emerged on one the club's top targets.

What's the latest on Liverpool's interest in Khephren Thuram?

According to Football Transfers, Liverpool are in advanced talks to sign OGC Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram this summer.

As per the report, Anfield is the preferred destination for the French star with his World Cup-winning father Lilian leading the negotiations to secure a deal for his son, but Liverpool are claimed to have competitors with Newcastle United and Paris Saint-Germain also named as potential suitors for Thuram.

Who would Thuram replace at Liverpool?

There is no doubt that a midfield rebuild is desperately overdue on the red side of Merseyside, especially after the confirmed departures of James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita next month.

This leaves Jurgen Klopp with an incredibly thin and ageing set of midfielders left behind with both Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara well into their 30s, whilst Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, Stefan Bajcetic and Fabinho make up for the remaining players left at the manager's disposal with the majority lacking experience.

As a result, the opportunity to sign Thuram could not have come at a better time for the Merseysiders and the France international could be the perfect upgrade for the departing Keita.

It is no secret that the Guinean's time at Anfield was negatively impacted by a terrible injury record that has left him unable to consistently showcase his talent on the pitch, something that Thuram could improve massively should he make a move to Anfield.

Over 35 Ligue 1 appearances, the 22-year-old – dubbed "perfect" by journalist Alex Jaquin – has scored two goals, registered four assists and created nine big chances, as well as averaging 1.1 key passes and 1.3 successful dribbles as a marker of the impact he can make in the final third.

Thuram well and truly looks like the complete package, proving to be a well-oiled defensive machine too, making 1.1 interceptions, 1.5 tackles, and winning 3.8 duels per game.

Thuram's outstanding campaign hasn't gone unnoticed with teammate and former Arsenal star Aaron Ramsey hailing him for his impact in the centre of the pitch:

"Khéphren is another talented player here. I think he's definitely got a big future ahead of him if he carries on the way he's going at the minute.

"He's very dangerous, very powerful, a very strong dribbler of the ball. Hopefully, he can keep progressing. He's another player that can go all the way to the top I feel. I enjoy playing alongside him in the middle of the park; I think we have a good balance in there."

The young talent – who will cost a reported €60m (£52m) to sign – has shown glimpses of his strong capabilities to be a reliable and consistent box-to-box midfielder with no major injury concerns of note over his short career so far, making him the ideal candidate to replace Keita and should be able to comfortably improve upon the Liverpool midfielder's minimal impact.

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Liverpool to snap up the services of Thuram this summer as he could continue to develop and mould his skills under Klopp's guidance and become a key component in reinstating success at the club for years to come.

West Ham United are debating whether to make a move for Manchester City’s Kalvin Phillips.

What’s the latest on Kalvin Phillips to West Ham United?

According to the Evening Standard, the Irons are “monitoring” the 27-year-old outcast, who is viewed as a possible replacement for Declan Rice, should he expectedly leave this summer.

This outlet has revealed that the Hammers are hoping to recoup around £100m for the club captain and that money could be immediately reinvested in Phillips.

David Moyes has reportedly outlined that he wishes to target players with 'proven Premier League experience' and this is an attribute that the £150k-per-week man possesses in abundance.

Would Kalvin Phillips be a good signing for West Ham United?

The Englishman’s £45m move to the Etihad Stadium has thus far unravelled into a disappointment.

In a campaign ravaged by injury and inconsistency, the 5 foot 10 anchorman has only racked up 290 minutes of Premier League football, with just four starts in all competitions.

Surprisingly, Phillips was still called up for the 2022 World Cup, but Pep Guardiola complained that he was “overweight” and that he “didn’t arrive in the condition to do training sessions and to play” when he returned.

However, one troubled year doesn’t detract from the sublime form that he displayed during a phenomenal eight-year stint with Leeds United.

After gaining promotion in 2020, the regista was an indispensable component of a Marcelo Bielsa outfit that secured a wondrous ninth-place finish in its first season back in the top flight.

He was central to the defensive effort, as he ranked within the top 12% in Europe’s top five leagues within his positional peers for tackles, interceptions, blocks, and clearances per 90, according to FBref.

The Yorkshireman was also a key figure in England’s Euro 2020 campaign, as he appeared in every game as Gareth Southgate’s side heartbreakingly lost the final to Italy.

His string of impressive performances at the tournament led Barcelona legend Xavi to describe the 26-cap international as “superb” and he was named as England’s 2021 Player of the Year.

Phillips has been lauded as an “idol” by Bielsa and despite an anonymous season in the north-west, he still has plenty to offer any Premier League outfit.

The Leeds-born titan has developed a formidable reputation for his ball-carrying, athleticism, pinpoint passing and stamina, so he could that energetic injection that Moyes is craving.

He can emulate Rice’s role in the squad as a ball-winning, ball-spraying protector that acts as the link between the defence and the attack.

With the east Londoners potentially playing Europa League football next term and Phillips being seemingly unable to displace the impenetrable Rodri, this transfer makes complete sense for both parties.

Rice’s exit is a daunting prospect for everyone at West Ham, but the signing of a player who already has demonstrated his quality at the top level with 61 Premier League appearances to his name would be an excellent way to soften the blow.

Mark Cosgrove’s courageous century and a defiant rearguard action from Rob Sayer and Richard Jones earned Leicestershire a draw and denied Derbyshire a first Championship win of the season

ECB Reporters Network15-Sep-2016
ScorecardMark Cosgrove made a century despite an injured hand (file photo)•Getty ImagesMark Cosgrove’s courageous century and a defiant rearguard action from Rob Sayer and Richard Jones earned Leicestershire a draw and denied Derbyshire a first Championship win of the season in the Division Two match at Derby.The Leicestershire skipper defied the pain of a damaged left hand to score 110 but looked destined to finish on the losing side when his team slipped to 242 for 8, chasing 347, with 23 overs left. But Sayer and Jones, who batted with a runner, denied Derbyshire, who used seven bowlers, to steer Leicestershire to 301 for 8.Any prospect of a Leicestershire victory looked remote when Palladino struck twice in the first three overs of a day which began with the ground shrouded in mist with the floodlights on.Angus Robson’s dismal run continued when he was caught behind down the leg side without scoring for the second time in the game which was his third consecutive duck and his fifth in 11 innings. Harry Dearden was promoted to No. 3 but scored only 2 before he edged low to first slip where Wayne Madsen took an excellent catch but that was Derbyshire’s last success until eight overs after lunch.Although Cosgrove was in considerable discomfort and took his left hand off the bat handle almost every ball, he was playing not only with great courage but also authority to put Leicestershire back in the contest.With Paul Horton also looking secure, Derbyshire were in danger of seeing the game slip away from them but Palladino made the breakthrough when he beat the opener’s forward defensive push to have him lbw. Horton was clearly unhappy with the decision but Neil Dexter joined Cosgrove to bat through the rest of the afternoon and at tea, another 149 were needed from 38 overs.It was Palladino who revived Derbyshire again when he angled one back into Dexter, who was lbw for 26, but the key wicket was Cosgrove who completed a memorable hundred, his fifth of the season, when he forced Callum Parkinson through the covers for his 15th four.He survived a rapid chance to Madsen at slip on 105 but made only five more before he drilled a drive to mid-off and showed his dismay by staying slumped over at the crease for several seconds before departing with an angry swish of his bat.Eckersley’s reaction after he was given out caught behind down the legside crossed from disappointment to dissent and, following the departures of Mark Pettini and Clint McKay, left Leicestershire with only survival to play for. They achieved that thanks to Sayer and Jones, who was dropped off his own bowling by Parkinson with eight overs left and which proved to be Derbyshire’s last chance.

Newcastle United supporters might be expecting prominent arrivals this summer, but manager Eddie Howe will be looking to ensure prodigious talents are secured to ensure the newfound success is not fugacious.

What's the latest on Azeem Abdulai to Newcastle?

One such rising starlet who could fit into this strategy is Swansea City's Azeem Abdulai, with the 20-year-old midfielder on the Magpies' radar, according to the Daily Mail, with Aston Villa also interested.

The Scotland U21 international is still within the academy ranks at Swansea, but is impressing with his exploits on the pitch and has been viewed as a perfect project for the aforementioned Premier League outfits, who could nurture him into the limelight.

While a transfer fee is presently unknown, Abdulai could be a shrewd acquisition for Newcastle and one that could prove worthwhile as the ace continues his progress over the next few years.

Who is Azeem Abdulai?

Something of a late bloomer, Abdulai is yet to make his Championship debut with Swansea and has only featured once this term, coming off the bench in the Carabao Cup against Oxford United.

Development in football is not linear, however, and Abdulai is earning plaudits for his robust presence on the pitch and tactical flexibility, capable both in a pivoting midfield role and as a more defensive cog, at the foot of the midfield or in central defence.

Signing a contract extension last year until 2025 is an indication that the Swans wish for him to continue his development in Wales – with the club's senior professional development phase coach, Jon Grey, saying: “Azeem has been a fantastic addition for us since he has come into the club.

“He came in as a defender but has played more in midfield and adapted to it really well. He has done well for us and had time with the first team and made his debut. That is fantastic, it’s just that next step for him now.”

The aforementioned report from the Daily Mail likens his qualities to that of Jude Bellingham, highlighting his 'stature, playing style and ability' is akin to the Borussia Dortmund phenom reportedly closing in on a move to Real Madrid this summer.

Bellingham is one win away from ending Bayern Munich's decade-long dominance in the German Bundesliga, with the Yellow Wall leading the table entering the final day of the campaign.

And the 19-year-old prodigy has unequivocally been a centrepiece to the feats, recording an average divisional Sofascore rating of 7.4, scoring eight goals and providing four assists, completing 83% of his passes, averaging 2.5 tackles and completing 67% of his attempted dribbles.

The all-encompassing gem is listed as a comparable player to Joelinton on FBref, who is thriving at the heart of Howe's Newcastle system, which will bode well for the Magpies when assessing the feasibility of signing Abdulai, who could be a deadly partner alongside Bruno Guimaraes.

Guimaraes signed for Newcastle for £40m in January 2022 and has since made 56 appearances for the Toon, hailed as "world-class" for his impact by teammate Dan Burn.

Abdulai has a long way to go, but by following the template Bellingham exhibits, he could grow into one of English football's more pleasing success stories on Tyneside with a transfer.

Bangladesh and Afghanistan will play their first-ever bilateral ODI series in September, the Afghanistan Cricket Board and BCB confirmed on Sunday

Mohammad Isam28-Aug-2016Bangladesh and Afghanistan will play their first-ever bilateral ODI series in September, the Afghanistan Cricket Board and BCB confirmed on Sunday. The two sides will play the three-match series on September 25, 28 and October 1 at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.Afghanistan’s only other experience playing against a Full Member side in bilateral ODI series is against Zimbabwe, with whom they have played three series so far.In two previous 50-over encounters with Bangladesh, Afghanistan have won one and lost one; they beat Bangladesh in the Asia Cup 2014 but lost in the 2015 World Cup.ACB chairman Nasimullah Danish said that Afghanistan are trying to get more games with Full Members, and Bangladesh is just the start. “We are looking forward [to] entertaining cricket,” he said. “We are in close discussion with ICC Full Members. It’s always good for our team development to test ourselves in different conditions, and there’s no better place than Bangladesh to do that.”

Journalist Alan Galindo has slammed Celtic winger Jota for his "quiet afternoon" as the Bhoys failed to win in their most recent game.

What's the latest on Celtc vs St Mirren?

Ange Postecoglou and co required a late equaliser to ensure they kept their unbeaten domestic home run alive, extending it to 51 games in a row with a draw against St Mirren on Saturday.

Indeed, Celtic fell behind after only four minutes as Curtis Main opened the scoring before Kyogo Furuhashi slammed the ball home to make it 1-1 ten minutes later.

Main, however, put the away team a goal ahead before half time and it took until the 81st minute before Callum McGregor rescued a point with a late equaliser.

As you can see from the result, the Bhoys clearly weren't at their best on the day and it sounds as though one man in particular failed to make much of a positive impact.

Indeed, as noted by Galindo in the player ratings for Glasgow Live, Jota delivered an underwhelming 6/10 display and had a: "Quiet afternoon by his standards."

What award has Jota won for Celtic?

While there have certainly been more damning criticisms fired at Celtic players in the past, this sub-par display of Jota's catches the eye because he is usually so good.

Against St Mirren, the SofaScore stats show just how poor he was as he gave the ball away with real regularity, losing possession 26 times – which was more than any other player on the pitch.

He also failed to have a single shot on target, with three attempted; was successful with just two of nine attempted crosses; and was dribbled past as well.

This is hardly what we've come to expect from the £17k-p/w Celtic winger who was recently awarded the PFA Scotland goal of the season award for his superb chip against Rangers in that 4-0 Old Firm victory last September.

After the game, manager Postecoglou certainly didn't seem to happy with the overall standards shown by his side on the day.

Indeed, he told the press (via BBC Sport): "It was a tough game. St Mirren worked hard as they have all year and that's why they are what they are.

"We've gone off it a little bit the last couple of weeks, particularly the defensive side of the game, and when you do that, it's very hard then for us to play the football we want to.

Pakistan A swept to a remarkable eight-wicket win over Sri Lanka A in Worcester, riding on the back of belligerent half-centuries from captain Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel to mow down a target of 148 in 19.1 overs

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jul-2016
ScorecardPakistan A captain Babar Azam led his side’s final-day victory charge•Getty ImagesPakistan A swept to a remarkable eight-wicket win over Sri Lanka A in Worcester, riding on the back of belligerent half-centuries from captain Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel to mow down a target of 148 in 19.1 overs, with time running out on the final day.With a maximum of 23 overs to chase down the target, Pakistan went for the win right from the outset. They were reduced to 37 for 2 in the fifth over as Sharjeel Khan and Mohammad Nawaz both fell to new-ball bowler Vishwa Fernando in the quest for quick runs. But Azam (66 not out) and Shakeel (51 not out) then combined for an unbeaten partnership of 111 off 86 balls, hitting eight fours and three sixes between them to complete a thrilling chase.Pakistan’s task could have been easier but for Sri Lanka’s stubborn tenth-wicket partnership in the second innings. Half-centuries from opener Dhananjaya de Silva (88) and captain Ashan Priyanjan (66) had taken them to 309 for 9, before Minod Bhanuka, who scored an unbeaten 54, and Asitha Fernando combined for a 49-run stand that kept Pakistan’s bowlers at bay for 7.3 overs. When Fernando, who contributed just 2, finally perished to give right-arm medium pacer Hasan Ali his fourth wicket of the innings and seventh of the match, Sri Lanka were all out for 358 to set up the pulsating climax.Pakistan’s stranglehold of the match, however, had been established in the first innings. After Sri Lanka opted to bat, Mir Hamza (4 for 62) and Hasan (3 for 70) inflicted the bulk of the damage to bowl the side out for 250, with only Roshen Silva (57) and Udara Jayasundera (53) registering fifties. Pakistan responded by piling on 461 for 8 before declaring. Most of their batsman made solid contributions, with Shakeel top-scoring with 86.Battling a first-innings deficit of 211, Sri Lanka never really managed to claw back. Coming into the final day two down for 83 and still 128 behind, any hopes Sri Lanka may have had of saving the match came crashing down, thanks to a spirited effort from Pakistan.