“For him to show he’s more than one type of bowler does us the world of good,” says England captain
Vithushan Ehantharajah03-Jun-2023
Josh Tongue hatches a plan with Ben Stokes during his Test debut•PA Photos/Getty Images
Ben Stokes met Josh Tongue for the first time when the England squad gathered in London on Monday ahead of this one-off Test against Ireland. Less than a week on, Tongue has imprinted himself as permanently on his skipper’s heart as on the Lord’s honours board.With five for 66 in the second innings to confirm a victory that required far more of day three than anticipated, the 25-year-old Tongue has seemingly settled a developing headache for England. Jofra Archer has been ruled out of any involvement in the Ashes, Olly Stone is unlikely to feature either, and Mark Wood certainly can’t fulfil the fire-breathing role for all five Tests on his own. Just when it looked like England were a speedster light, another came to the fore.Mayday calls to county cricket for emergency fast bowlers rarely get answered as quickly or effectively. Yet the Worcestershire seamer was not only a point of difference on his England debut, but seamlessly slipped into the various roles his captain requested.Related
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“He must think I’m a pretty good bloke giving him his Test debut,” Stokes joked, speaking after he had led the team to an 11th win in 13 Tests. The sentiment is clearly reciprocated because of Tongue’s expertise and enthusiasm.”I told him the role that I saw him playing in this team as our third seamer, and used him in a way to get different types of spells out of one bowler,” Stokes added.”His first spell, he came on and bowled really well pitching the ball up. Then we looked to use his pace to use him as the aggressor when we needed to and the wicket got a bit flat. For him to show he’s more than one type of bowler does us the world of good as a team going forward, knowing we’ve found someone else who can fulfil the role of the guys with the extra pace.”There was durability, too – a characteristic Stokes admires in others, even if his own is under the spotlight because of chronic issues with his left knee. That Tongue maintained his speeds not just over two innings but also long spells surprised the captain.Over the final 24 hours of this match, there were eight overs straight (taking 3 for 27) on Friday evening, before seven- (1 for 29) and six-over stints (1 for 10) across Saturday, and that is a testament to Tongue’s journey to this call-up. This time last year, he was contemplating retirement after 15 months on the sidelines because of thoracic outlet syndrome in his right shoulder.”Bowling the long spell yesterday and two long spells today, I wasn’t quite sure of how to manage him so early on,” said Stokes. “But I was very, very impressed with the way he just said yes to the plans I wanted him to operate under.”Having toured with the England Lions at the start of the year – taking five on debut no less, against Sri Lanka A – Tongue returned knowing Test cricket was within reach. It helped, too, that Rob Key was watching that performance in Galle, having presented Tongue with his Lions cap.The managing director was no doubt pivotal in stating Tongue’s case around the selection table, particularly when it became apparent that England needed to cover the absences of Anderson, Wood and Ollie Robinson. Key’s opinion, along with that of ECB performance director Mo Bobat who coached the Lions, would have ensured the seamer was not judged solely on a rather unspectacular haul of 11 Division Two wickets at an average of 41.45 in the County Championship this season.During those four Championship appearances, there was a sense from some at Worcestershire that Tongue was trying a bit too hard to push on to the next level, delivering a few more boundary balls than he ordinarily have done. Nevertheless, there were sound spells in that period too, including trapping Steven Smith lbw in the Australian’s first match of his Sussex stint. Of course, that’s not the sole reason he was included for the Ashes squad for the first two Tests. But it does back up what many who have seen Tongue develop into this strapping, 6’4″ quick – he has a knack of getting out good players.You could perhaps put Harry Tector in that bracket, though the Irishman’s demise was squarely his own fault. A fourth half-century had been bagged before Tector slapped a long-hop to backward point, where Harry Brook took the catch. Similarly, Fionn Hand was culpable for his demise – Tongue’s fifth – with exactly the kind of flash to second slip you would expect from a No.10 batter.But Tongue’s opening burst on Friday evening for his first three wickets was proper, and in many ways the perfect distillation of what he offers. As were the 13 overs, 0 for 40, on day one, which was the prologue to him raising the ball to all sides of the ground on Saturday.”He was very unlucky not to get a wicket in the first innings but he definitely reaped the rewards [in the second],” Stokes said. “The way he bowled contributed to the five wickets he got in that innings because they were already on the back foot against him, knowing he’s got that extra bit of pace. He can bowl 90mph full and short, so he was sort of one step ahead in the second innings already because of how he bowled in the first innings.”Ahead of that maiden spell, Stokes had taken it upon himself to strip away as much of the occasion as possible, once James Anderson had presented Tongue his cap. It was only when Tongue came onto bowl after 10 overs on day one that there was anything akin to a pep talk.”I kept it simple,” Stokes said. “I told him to just run in and do what you do – and then I’ll worry about the rest of the stuff. Let the lad go out and bowl in the way that’s got him here in the first place.”By all accounts, he did not seem daunted by coming into a side on such a high. Vice-captain Ollie Pope remarked on Friday that it had not looked like Tongue was around the squad for the first time. On personality as well as skill, he has fitted into the dressing-room.”Everyone is real easy to get on with and I guess it helps someone like that, who no doubt would have been quite nervous and anxious about being in his first dressing-room as an England player for the first time,” Pope said.And now it’s official. It won’t be the last time he sets foot in that dressing-room, certainly not this summer. Having grasped an unlikely opportunity on and off the field, it seems Tongue has banked at least two Ashes Tests.
Manchester City have already agreed personal terms to sign a £60m player this summer who is also being eyed by Liverpool.
Man City transfer rumours as Guardiola eyes 3rd FA Cup crown
The Citizens may not be lifting a fifth successive Premier League title this season, however, they can still end a disappointing campaign with silverware in the FA Cup. A win at Bournemouth on Sunday afternoon will ensure another trip to Wembley for the FA Cup semi-finals and leave Pep Guardiola on course to lift a third FA Cup crown.
Pep Guardiola’s honours at Man City
Premier League
6
FA Cup
2
EFL Cup
4
Champions League
1
Super Cup
1
Community Shield
3
Club World Cup
1
However, away from the pitch, those behind the scenes at the Etihad Stadium appear to be working on summer signings after what was a busy winter window that saw five players arrive. Deals for Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis and Juma Bah were sealed in January, and talks have already been held over a move for Real Madrid forward Rodrygo.
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Elsewhere, Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg has claimed in recent days that Man City want to sign Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz, whereas they are also showing an interest in Southampton gem Tyler Dibling.
One player who City didn’t sign at the beginning of 2025 despite trying was Juventus full-back Andrea Cambiaso. Valued at £60m, Cambiaso remained in Turin, but it looks as if a move to Manchester could be on the cards this summer.
Man City agree personal terms with Andrea Cambiaso
According to reports in Italy, relayed by Sport Witness, Juventus are likely to sell Cambiaso at the end of the season, and Man City are once again keen. In fact, Man City have already reached a personal term agreement with Cambiaso, however, Liverpool could threaten a move with the Reds on the search for a new full-back to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Atalanta's Berat Djimsiti and Marco Brescianini in action with Juventus'AndreaCambiaso
The 25-year-old is a two-footed full-back who can play on either flank and has a career-high €40m Transfermarkt valuation. Therefore, it’s no surprise that commentator Leonardo Bertozzi has labelled Cambiaso as “versatile”, whereas Milan legend Mauro Tassotti also hailed the defender at the end of 2023.
“I was immediately struck by Andrea’s ability to play both left and right. And above all his ability to kick with both feet.
“I haven’t yet understood whether he is right or left-footed. In this sense, he is similar to Paolo Maldini who however was much more powerful from a physical standpoint, had incredible charisma and was also very strong defensively, so much so that he ended his career as a centre-back.
“But Cambiaso has now made a rapid jump. In Bologna, he did very well. And at Juventus, when given the chance to play, he made the most of it.”
It looks as if City have already got an agreement in place with Cambiaso, however, a fee will still need to be agreed with Juventus, who are ideally hoping more clubs will join the race to start a bidding war.
Durante a partida contra o Corinthians, o zagueiro Ceballos, do Fortaleza, sofreu um choque de cabeça com Yuri Alberto e caiu desacordado no campo. Os times se enfrentaram no domingo (21), terminando com a vitória do Tricolor, por 1 a 0.
Logo após cair desacordado, os médicos prestaram atendimento no local e Ceballos deixou o campo na ambulância. Segundo a repórter Raisa Martins, no Premiere, o zagueiro estava acordando antes mesmo de deixar a Arena Castelão rumo ao hospital.
De acordo com o clube, Ceballos passou por exames. A tomografia não apontou nenhuma alteração. O zagueiro está bem, consciente e aguarda, em observação, o resultado de outros exames.
حسمت إدارة نادي الهلال موقفها تجاه عبد الرزاق حمد الله، والذي تمت استعارته من فريق الشباب، وذلك قبل أقل من شهر على انطلاق بطولة كأس السوبر السعودي المقررة في هونج كونج.
وبحسب ما أفادت به مصادر خاصة لصحيفة “الرياضية” السعودية، فإن عبد الرزاق حمد الله، الذي انتقل إلى الهلال على سبيل الإعارة من نادي الشباب، يوم الأربعاء الماضي، تم الاتفاق على فسخ العقد المبرم بين الطرفين، والذي كان يسمح بإنهائه في أي وقت بالتراضي.
وكان الدولي المغربي عبد الرزاق حمد الله، انضم إلى صفوف الهلال في صفقة إعارة قصيرة الأجل لمدة 6 أشهر، لكن الإدارة قررت بالتوافق معه إسقاط اسمه من الكشوفات، ليغيب بذلك عن الاستحقاقات المقبلة، وفي مقدمتها بطولة السوبر.
طالع أيضًا | لاعب الهلال على أعتاب الرحيل بعد توديع كأس العالم للأندية
وجاء القرار بعد مناقشات بين الطرفين انتهت باتفاق على إنهاء الإعارة دون التزامات مالية على النادي، حفاظًا على العلاقة الطيبة بين الجانبين.
وأوضحت المصادر أن المدرب الإيطالي سيموني إنزاجي لم يبدِ رغبة في استمرار اللاعب ضمن معسكر الإعداد الخاص بالسوبر، رغم استعانته به في مواجهة الهلال أمام فلومينينسي البرازيلي في كأس العالم للأندية، والتي خسرها الفريق بنتيجة 2-1. وقد شارك اللاعب في الدقيقة 75، دون أن يترك بصمة واضحة، حيث لم يسدد على المرمى، وقدم مراوغة واحدة ناجحة، إلى جانب 4 تمريرات بينها 3 مكتملة، وصناعة فرصة وحيدة للتسجيل.
ومن المقرر أن يعود حمد الله إلى تدريبات الشباب استعدادًا لانطلاقة الموسم الجديد، بينما يواصل الهلال تحضيراته للموسم المقبل دون اسمه في قائمة الفريق.
After losing the first Test to Pakistan, Sri Lanka are determined to “come out harder” in the second, says coach Chris Silverwood
Andrew Fidel Fernando23-Jul-2023
“There’s no hiding from it – we need to improve our fielding,” Chris Silverwood said•AFP/Getty Images
In the days since their loss in Galle, Sri Lanka have been through an honest appraisal through their many flaws in the first Test.This is according to their coach Chris Silverwood, who highlighted fielding and bowling as particular areas for improvement.But they need to improve in “all three departments”, he said. After the loss in Galle, captain Dimuth Karunaratne had also highlighted the twin failures of Sri Lanka’s top order, after they had been 54 for 4 in the first innings, and 99 for 4 in the second.Related
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“There are certain areas that we need to improve on, fielding being one of them,” Silverwood said one day before the second Test, in Colombo (SSC). Sri Lanka missed at least three clear-cut chances in the first Test. “There’s no hiding from it – we need to improve our fielding. There’s progression in that department. We analysed the last Test match, and if we’re honest, I think we fell short in all three departments.”I think it’s part of learning as a group, we have to be honest with ourselves and reflect inwards. Without pointing fingers out we have to be honest with ourselves.”Sri Lanka have serious ambitions of playing the next final of the World Test Championship (WTC), and a loss in Galle is about as poor a start to the new WTC cycle as could have been hoped for. Despite that rough start, the desire to make a mark on the WTC remains, Silverwood said.”The motivation is there. The players know how important it is to be picking up WTC points. And they know how important it is to be winning at home as well. The pride is there to do that. The motivation’s there. We have to continually do that all the time.1:24
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“The determination is there that this game they’ll come out harder. I want to see them come out of their shells and express themselves and have the confidence to show how good they are.”On the batting front, Sri Lanka will have to contend with Pakistan’s seamers – Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah – again. In the first Test, they were outstanding in the first session of the match, and returned frequently with the old ball to deliver testing spells of reverse-swing.”First of all, we have to accept that the two fast bowlers Pakistan have are very good,” Silverwood said. “They are very good at their craft and have good pace. And they don’t give many runs away. The one thing they can do is hammer a length hard, skilfully, time and time again. And their bouncers are accurate. We have to give them a lot of credit for the way they operate. I think they make life difficult for any batting line-up anywhere in the world.””We have to be ultra-positive. I’m not saying we go out to slog or anything like that. We have to make sure our footwork is positive and our decision-making is strong. And that we find a way of combating these guys.”
Australia’s pace pack kept South Africa under control for most of the innings, while the hosts’ inconsistent attack was exposed for the second successive match
Firdose Moonda01-Sep-2023
Sean Abbott celebrates with his team-mates•Gallo Images/Getty Images
Australia 165 for 2 (Marsh 76, Shamsi 1-40) beat South Africa 164 for 8 (Markram 49, Abbott 3-22) by eight wickets The southern hemisphere’s equinox is still three weeks away but September 1 is celebrated as the day the seasons change in this part of the world, and it was Australia who left with the spring in their step after they wrapped up the T20I series in Durban. After defending 226 in the first T20I, they chased down 165 with more than five overs to spare in the second to suggest their depth is far stronger than that of their hosts.The standout player in both fixtures was Australia’s new captain Mitchell Marsh, who is yet to be dismissed in this series. He followed up his unbeaten 92 with 76 not out in the chase and shared a century stand with Matthew Short to leave the inconsistency in the South African attack exposed for the second successive match.South Africa’s most experienced bowler, Lungi Ngidi, has conceded the most runs in the series so far and his variations have not threatened enough, while the back-up seam options do not have the discipline to hold their own. In contrast, Australia’s pace pack was impressive and incisive and kept South Africa under control for most of the innings.Sean Abbott conceded at 5.50 runs an over and Nathan Ellis and Jason Behrendorff at 6.25 as Australia made run-scoring difficult for South Africa upfront. A 51-run fifth-wicket stand between Tristan Stubbs and Aiden Markram steadied them through the middle-overs before 41-runs between Markram and Gerald Coetzee gave the innings some late impetus but after the way Australia batted on Wednesday, it was never going to be enough.Australia’s edge ahead in the powerplayTemba Bavuma moved on from duck in the first match with an aggressive 17-ball 35 in the first three overs before he skied Abbott to Josh Inglis. It opened the door for Australia to take the early honours. Abbott could have had Rassie van der Dussen in the same over when he beat him on the flick and struck the pad but Marsh decided it was too high to review.Temba Bavuma scored 35•Gallo Images/Getty Images
Australia did not have to wait too long to see the back of the South African No.3. In the next over, van der Dussen was out lbw to Behrendorff and reviewed the decision but replays confirmed the ball would have gone on to his middle and off.Then it was over to Ellis who closed out the powerplay with a double-wicket maiden. He tested Reeza Hendricks with a full and then shorter delivery before the length ball hit him under the knee roll, for which he was given out lbw. He then had Dewald Brevis reaching for a full ball that shaped away and was caught behind. His hat-trick delivery almost found Stubbs’ edge but the batter pulled out of the shot in time and South Africa went from 36 without loss to 46 for 4 in 18 balls.Markram: the finisher and the starter At 115 for 6 at the start of the 15th over, South Africa needed a strong finish to get to a competitive total and it was up to the captain to get them there. Markram started the last five overs with an 80-metre helicopter shot over long-on. He went on to flick Adam Zampa through mid-wicket and then drive him aerially over the covers for six and turned a run-a-ball 25 into a 38-ball 49. He was looking for a half-century when he hit a low full toss from Abbott to mid-wicket but South Africa scored 49 runs off the last five overs to finish with a decent total to defend. And the captain decided he would be the one to begin the defence.After not bowling himself at all in the opening match, Markram took the new ball this time. He got away with a short ball down leg upfront and gave away just a single in the first over to put the pressure on Australia’s openers. But he kept himself on for an over too many and Travis Head took three fours off his second to put Australia back on track.No fortune for Fortuin Known for his ability to deliver a tight first over, Bjorn Fortuin had to wait until the eighth over and it turned out to be too late. By the time Fortuin was brought on Marsh was well set and left no margin for error and took 18 runs off him to take the game away from South Africa. When Fortuin went wide, Marsh first fetched him from outside off to hit him over midwicket then cut him through point; when Fortuin overpitched, Marsh drove through the covers and when Fortuin followed Marsh as he made room for himself outside off, the Australian captain saved the best for last and smashed him over mid-on for six. At 79 for 1, Australia were scoring at almost 10 runs an over after eight overs and had broken the back of the target.Go Short(y), it’s your day In just his second T20I, Short scored a match-winning first half-century in the format, at a strike rate of 220. After a fairly quiet start, he showed his intent as the powerplay came to an end and took 20 runs off Ngidi, whose slower ball only encouraged Short’s quick reactions. But it was later in the innings, when Gerald Coetzee was brought on to bowl a second that Short really showed off his touch. Although Coetzee’s inconsistency helped, Short timed the ball well through backward point, reached fifty with a powerful pull, helped a low full toss to fine leg for four, drove through the covers, and pulled over mid-wicket. The over cost 24 runs and the game was all but done.
يستعد أحد لاعبي فريق مانشستر سيتي الإنجليزي للرحيل عن النادي خلال الفترة المقبلة، وفقًا لتقارير صحفية، وبدأ باتخاذ خطوات تجاه الأمر.
وتشهد الأندية تغييرات عديدة في صفوفها خلال انتقالات الصيف، وقبل بداية الموسم الجديد، ما بين تعزيز الصفوف بتعاقدات جديدة أو فتح باب الرحيل أمام اللاعبين.
وودع مانشستر سيتي منافسات بطولة كأس العالم للأندية من دور الـ 16 أمام الهلال السعودي بعد هزيمة بنتيجة 4-3، ويأمل في استعادة توازنه من أجل الموسم الجديد خاصة بعد موسم سلبي مر به.
وبحسب ما ذكر الصحفي فلوريان بليتنبيرج، بـ “سكاي ألمانيا”، من المقرر أن يزور لاعب مانشستر سيتي، جيمس ماكاتي، نادي آينتراخت فرانكفورت الأسبوع المقبل للتعرف على النادي وإجراء محادثات.
اقرأ أيضًا | جريليش يكسر صمته ويلمح بشأن مستقبله لأحد مشجعي مانشستر سيتي
وأوضح بليتنبيرج أن مكاتي لم يخضع للفحص الطبي، ولم يتم التوصل إلى اتفاق بعد مع فرانكفورت، حتى الآن، مشيرًا إلى أن بوروسيا دورتموند، بالإضافة إلى أندية أخرى في الدوري الألماني، مهتمون أيضًا بلاعب مانشستر سيتي.
ويرغب آينتراخت فرانكفورت في التحقق من إمكانية إتمام الصفقة مع مكاتي، لكن لديه عدة خيارات لهذا المركز لتعزيزه.
ويملك مكاتي عقدًا مع مانشستر سيتي يمتد حتى 30 يونيو 2026، أي ينتهي بنهاية الموسم الجديد.
جدير بالذكر أن مانشستر سيتي سبق وتعاقد مع النجم المصري عمر مرموش من صفوف فرانكفورت خلال انتقالات الشتاء بيناير الماضي.
Autor do segundo gol na vitória do Botafogo em cima do Coritiba por 2 a 0, Tiquinho Soares vem recebendo muitos elogios de alvinegros nas redes sociais. Após vitória importante no Nilton Santos, o atacante concedeu entrevista para “Botafogo TV” e ressaltou a felicidade de balançar as redes pela primeira vez no Glorioso.
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-A gente vinha buscando esses três pontos em casa. Jogo passado, a gente deixou escapulir uma vitória. Eu acho que o grupo está de parabéns. Estou muito feliz com meu gol e mais feliz ainda pela vitória. Agora é seguir – declarou o jogador.
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O atacante chegou ao clube em agosto deste ano para suprir a saída de Erison e reforçar o setor ofensivo.Nos três jogos que Tiquinho atuou, o Glorioso venceu dois, empatou um e dobrou o número de chances criadas.
O Botafogo entra em campo na próxima quarta-feira, (28/09), contra o Goiás, às 21h45, na Serrinha, em partida válida pelo Campeonato Brasileiro. Fora de casa, o time de Luís Castro vai em busca da segunda vitória consecutiva na competição.
Andile Phehlukwayo and Lizaad Williams have been included as replacements in South Africa’s 15-man squad
ESPNcricinfo staff21-Sep-2023
Anrich Nortje played only one of the five ODIs against Australia•Getty Images
Fast bowlers Anrich Nortje and Sisanda Magala have been ruled out of the 2023 ODI World Cup with injuries. They have been replaced by Andile Phehlukwayo and Lizaad Williams in South Africa’s 15-man squad for the tournament that begins in India on October 5.Nortje has a suspected stress fracture of the back after experiencing spasms during the second ODI against Australia earlier this month. Magala, who played only the third ODI against Australia and went for 1 for 46 in four overs, has a left-knee injury.”It’s hugely disappointing for Anrich and Sisanda to be missing out on the 50-over World Cup,” South Africa’s coach Rob Walter said. “We sympathize in their omission and will continue to provide all the necessary support as they work towards their return to competitive action.”This provides an opportunity for Andile and Lizaad on the global stage. Both players have been part of our winter programs as well as having represented South Africa in the recent white-ball tour against Australia. They offer great skill sets and we’re excited to have them complete the 15-player squad for this year’s World Cup.”Phehlukwayo played in the second and fifth ODIs against Australia. While he did not make much of an impression in the first game, he scored 38 off 19 balls to finish the innings strongly in the series finale and then took 1 for 44. Williams played three of the five matches, taking 3 for 44, 1 for 17 and 0 for 24.Nortje’s absence is a major blow for South Africa as he is their quickest bowler with substantial experience in India, where he plays for Delhi Capitals in the IPL. He played in the Major League Cricket tournament in the USA over the South African winter and was rested for the T20Is against Australia. He was then ruled out of the first ODI but played the second, bowling only five overs before leaving the field. He missed the third game after he was sent for scans and was then ruled out of the series.Magala had not played any cricket since splitting the webbing in his hand at the IPL in early April and was subsequently ruled out of the T20Is against Australia with infrapatellar tendinopathy – pain in the tendon that connects the kneecap to the shin bone. He experienced discomfort in the knee again after playing one ODI against Australia.South Africa leave for India on September 23, and play their warm-up games against Afghanistan on September 29 and New Zealand on October 2. Their first game of the tournament is against Sri Lanka on October 7.South Africa’s ODI World Cup squadTemba Bavuma (capt), Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen, Lizaad Williams