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South Africa’s greatest strengths on their triumphant tour of Australia were unity and dignity. Those two qualities are disappearing fast

Brydon Coverdale in Cape Town12-Mar-2009South Africa’s greatest strengths on their triumphant tour of Australia were unity and dignity. Those two qualities are disappearing faster than the shine off a new ball. Their unity started to go when the selectors cut Neil McKenzie and Morne Morkel, which clearly displeased the captain Graeme Smith. Their dignity took a hit when those same selectors gave Ashwell Prince the leadership and took it off him less than a day later.The coach Mickey Arthur has always been a fan of the “the innocent climb”. It’s a concept put forward by the NBA coach Pat Riley, who believes that when a team comes together unselfishly and feels itself growing stronger, turf wars and power struggles are put aside. It described perfectly the South Africans in Australia. That’s no longer the case.A team that had been run quietly, calmly and successfully by Arthur and Smith for the past few years has started to whiff of internal tension. The new convenor of selectors Mike Procter has already annoyed Arthur by plumping for JP Duminy over Prince for this home series. After the Durban loss, which confirmed South Africa’s first series defeat since mid-2006, Procter and Smith sat next to each other to talk about the decisions, but it was about as united as they would get.Smith spoke first and voiced his disappointment that the same XI that he had taken into all five Tests against Australia this season was about to be ripped apart. It was natural that Smith was despondent – he had a broken hand and his team had just lost the series – but his body language took an even more negative turn when Procter began to speak.As Procter explained his rationale for leaving out McKenzie and Morkel, Smith slumped back in his chair, turned his head away and looked off into the distance. It was like he didn’t want to listen. Procter’s opening statement, which he directed to Smith and Arthur, who wasn’t present, gave a strong hint that his panel’s choices had been unpopular with the team.”Neil Mac has done a wonderful job,” Procter said. “He came in as a makeshift opening batsman and had a fantastic year last year, so it wasn’t an easy decision to come to leave him out. But there does come a time when decisions have to be made. Sometimes it’s very tough. At this stage, the selectors obviously feel for Graeme and Mickey because those guys that have been left out have obviously been together for a long time.”Smith’s choice of words was equally revealing. After noting that it was naturally disappointing for a group to be split up after achieving so much together, Smith said: “Unfortunately the way of life or the way of sport is that if the selectors feel you haven’t played well enough then it’s a natural progression that things are going to change.”If the selectors feel you haven’t played well enough. It was impossible not to derive that Smith was thinking specifically about McKenzie when he said those words. As McKenzie’s opening partner over the past year, Smith knows how hard it is to face the new ball against world-class attacks in a wide range of conditions and consistently give the team strong starts.A permanent part of the Test top order since the start of 2008, McKenzie had a strong calendar year and finished it with 1073 runs at 53.65. He was a key man on the tours of India and England but his form tailed away and he managed only one half-century against Australia.Losing McKenzie will be a major change in the South African structure.
Hugely popular in the dressing room for his humour and affability, McKenzie also has a sharp cricketing brain and was the acting captain on the field when Smith had a broken hand during the Sydney Test. That he was not given the same responsibility in Durban was telling. At 33, it will be difficult for him to come back.He and Smith will be replaced at the top of the order by Prince, who is not a regular opener, and the debutant Imraan Khan. It’s a risky strategy to play two unfamiliar openers but Procter was adamant that the middle order could not be altered. Hashim Amla, he said, didn’t like opening.But how does the preference of Amla, a supremely talented batsman who has failed to fulfil his promise in the five Tests against Australia, earn more weight than that of Prince, the man who was supposed to lead? Amla opened in Smith’s absence at Kingsmead and showed no discomfort with the new ball as he scored 43.It’s just another example of confused logic, as was the decision to make Jacques Kallis captain for Cape Town after initially handing the job to Prince. They’re the kind of moves that do little to inspire confidence.How must McKenzie feel to have his Test career all but ended by a panel that reverses its decisions so quickly? What must the supporters be thinking about the rapid promotion and demotion of Prince? And how nervous will the to-ing and fro-ing make the rest of the squad?South Africa must rediscover their unity and their dignity. The players and fans deserve better than to lose the innocence of the innocent climb.

Babar, who hasn’t accepted the offer yet, has asked the PCB to be appointed captain across all three formats if he is to consider a return

Danyal Rasool29-Mar-2024Shaheen Shah Afridi’s one-series stint as Pakistan T20I captain is set to come to an end, with Babar Azam offered the white-ball captaincy once more. The PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi met Babar earlier this week to make the offer.Babar, for his part, has not yet accepted the offer. The decision to strip him of the armband in all three formats following Pakistan’s poor 2023 ODI World Cup campaign rankled him, and he has asked the PCB to be appointed captain across all three formats if he is to consider a return. While no ODI captain was ever officially appointed when Babar reluctantly stepped down, Shan Masood is the current Test captain, having led the side in a three-match series in Australia.Related

PCB chief hints Pakistan could get a new T20I captain

The writing was on the wall for Afridi since Naqvi refused to back him at a press conference in Lahore on Sunday, saying at the time a final decision would be made after Pakistan’s training camp with the military ended. But it appears there has been a rapid loss of faith in Afridi’s leadership abilities when he led Pakistan in one series and his PSL franchise Lahore Qalandars. Pakistan lost the T20I series against New Zealand 4-1, and Qalandars won just one game out of ten and finished bottom of the PSL table.However, Afridi will feel hard done by, given Naqvi’s comments that Pakistan wanted a long-term captain they could back, rather than knee-jerk appointments after a handful of games, given that is effectively precisely what has happened to him. Part of the appeal of appointing Afridi, still only 23, as captain was he could learn on the job and continue in the role for an extended period of time, and he was considered the favourite to take on the ODI leadership as well.And while Babar’s demand to be anointed Test captain is not understood to be a deal-breaker for the former captain, it does place significant pressure on Masood’s position as red-ball skipper. He, too, has led the side for just one series, with Pakistan losing all three games in Australia. However, a more aggressive approach as captain was widely seen as a contributing factor to Pakistan running the hosts close in two of the three Tests despite injuries rendering the bowling attack weakened.Shan Masood has led Pakistan in only one Test series, in Australia in December-January•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesThe flip-flopping surrounding the captaincy question strikes at the heart of the PCB’s state of proceedings over the past 18 months. They have been through multiple chief selectors, as well as selection committees with varying degrees of power, since the start of 2023. Zaka Ashraf’s decision to sack Mickey Arthur and Grant Bradburn, and twist Babar’s arm into resigning just before a key tour of Australia was the highest profile one, but in truth, the chaos has been bubbling for longer than that.The current selection committee’s arrangement is also fairly distinct. There are four selectors – Wahab Riaz, Asad Shafiq, Abdul Razzaq and Mohammad Yousuf – with no chief selector. They will be joined by the Pakistan captain and coach – both yet to be appointed – and a data analyst. Selection decisions will be made by vote, with 4-3 majorities carrying the day.As things stand, Pakistan have been through negotiations with several candidates for the role of head coach without being able to reach a deal. Shane Watson, Mike Hesson and Adam Voges are among those who eventually turned them down, while initially promising discussions with Luke Ronchi have also meted away. The PCB is currently understood to be in talks with Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten, with no sign of a breakthrough yet.Pakistan’s next series, which Babar is expected to lead his side out for once more, comes against New Zealand in April, with the two sides playing five T20Is.

Mikel Arteta is yet to mastermind a victory away at a team directly competing with his side for top spot

We haven't left the month of August, the transfer window hasn't even closed yet, and already it feels like every point matters in the Premier League title race. Pre-season favourites Liverpool and Arsenal are two of the only three teams left – the other being Thomas Frank's Tottenham – with a 100 per cent record still in tact.

Manchester City looked pretty vulnerable in last weekend's defeat at home to Spurs, while dark horses Chelsea have also faltered through the opening few weeks. There's a real chance, then, for one of the Reds or the Gunners to pull away with some early momentum.

That's what makes Sunday's showdown so interesting. Arsenal and Liverpool will do battle as Europe's two biggest spenders this summer. The pressure is on both to deliver on the promise of their respective re-toolings, even more so for Mikel Arteta's men, who are still without a major trophy since the first coronavirus lockdown.

Defeat at Anfield would set a pretty bleak tone heading into the season's first international break, but victory for the north Londoners could define their season, even at this early stage.

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  Never won at title rival

  Arsenal's big-six record in the recent past is the stuff of envy. No longer are they the whipping boys of the Premier League's elite, rather they have all of their numbers. The Gunners don't have the silverware to show for that record, but it's not the worst thing in the world getting one over your rivals on the pitch again and again.

  Indeed, Arsenal's 1-0 win at Manchester United on the opening weekend of the season extended their unbeaten run against the big six to 844 days. Their last defeat came in a 4-1 thrashing away at Manchester City which effectively decided the destination of the 2022-23 title, back during a time where Rob Holding was having to start games. In their subsequent 21 games against their closest foes, Arsenal have won 12 and drawn nine, losing none.

  However, Arteta is yet to oversee a victory away at a direct rival for the title in that given season. As mentioned, the Gunners were beaten at City in 2022-23, while the world remembers their infamous reaction to clinging on for a 0-0 draw at the Etihad Stadium one year later. Over the Christmas period of 2023-24, they drew 1-1 at Anfield, and 2024-25 was a similar story, with the 10 men of Arsenal cruelly denied a win at City in the dying seconds of an eventual 2-2 draw, while that same scoreline was repeated at Liverpool when the title had already been decided.

  If Arsenal can now go to the home of the champions and win, it would do a lot, even at this stage of the campaign, to quell any doubts about them getting over that last hurdle and finishing in first. Not many believed they could go to Real Madrid in the Champions League and see them off, but they made Santiago Bernabeu their playground. Defeat to an all-conquering Paris Saint-Germain followed, but that's nothing to be ashamed of, and ultimately that experience will serve Arteta's side well, including on Sunday at Anfield.

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  Early wobbles

  That recent record of Arsenal's is only just about alive after surviving an onslaught from United in their meeting earlier this month. Sure, we can classify the Red Devils as a big-six side, but they ultimately finished 15th last season and still managed to drag a team hoping to win the title down to their level.

  Most of an Arsenal persuasion will simply be happy that their annual trip to Old Trafford is in the rear-view mirror and they managed to get out of the Theatre of Dreams with the three points. Arteta spun this into a positive in his post-match press conference, insisting he has turned this team into one that is now criticised for winning ugly at intimidating grounds rather than getting pummelled repeatedly. In private and with his coaching staff, he'll no doubt have had concerns over several aspects of a performance that shined a light on their remaining weaknesses.

  That said, Liverpool's own return of two wins from two comes with some hefty asterisks as well. They have already let a two-goal lead slip twice and left it as late as possible to mask their blushes. Bournemouth, fresh from another summer of having almost their entire squad pillaged, sliced right through them under the Anfield lights, while 10-man Newcastle ran rings around Arne Slot's side until 16-year-old boy wonder Rio Ngumoha saved the day.

  Both Arsenal and Liverpool will come into this meeting believing this a huge opportunity to lay down a marker. These are imperfect teams in spite of the cash they've spent to improve themselves.

• AFP
  

  Cut the race short

  Last season's title race was a damp squib from a neutral's perspective. Liverpool went top on November 2 and didn't give that spot up again for the rest of the campaign. By the time winter blossomed into spring, they were regularly posting double-figure points leads over Arsenal and the rest of the chasing pack. Their declining form down the final few months was largely put down to not having to play under significant pressure, and they wrapped up the Premier League with several weeks of 2024-25 remaining.

  The warts of these Liverpool, City and Chelsea sides presents Arsenal with an opening, even if they too have issues of their own, not least a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka and the threat of further such problems later down the line. If they build a head of steam, there might not even be a title race to contend with at all. That was the Gunners' improvised blueprint in 2022-23 when they unexpectedly made the leap into contention, only to fall away and set several unwanted records – including longest time spent atop the Premier League table without finishing in first – in the process.

  This Arsenal, however, are different. Back then, one injury meant Holding, someone who hasn't played a single minute of top-flight football since and is now in MLS before he even turns 30, had to come in. Nowadays, Arteta's back-up defensive line consists of Ben White, Cristhian Mosquera, Jakub Kiwior (perhaps soon to be replaced by Piero Hincapie) and Myles Lewis-Skelly. This squad is deep enough to withstand absences, with a lot of noise being made over Noni Madueke and Ethan Nwaneri's capabilities of stepping in for Saka on Sunday.

  You can't understate the importance of the scars from that season either, where they were chased down by a City team that would go on to win the treble and their first Champions League. If Arsenal are 10 or so points clear in February 2026, you'd expect them to get the job done this time as a team that has now matured considerably. Stopping Liverpool in their tracks and have them second-guessing over their own summer activity would set the Gunners up nicely in that regard.

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  Battle of the strikers

  There are a number of different narratives on the pitch. The usual one that crops up in meetings between these two is the past vs present, with Saka compared to Mohamed Salah and William Saliba hailed as the Premier League's heir to Virgil van Dijk.

  On this occasion, most eyes will be fixated on the two new centre-forwards on display. Arsenal's long search for a No.9 took them to Viktor Gyokeres, with Hugo Ekitike choosing Liverpool as his next destination, all the while Alexander Isak is still trying to force a move to Anfield.

  Gyokeres got off the mark with an impressive brace in a 5-0 hammering of Leeds United on Saturday, silencing the critics of 135 minutes of Premier League football to that point. His debut away at United, during which he duelled with the Gunners' alternative target in Benjamin Sesko, came under fire, and the first half against Leeds a week later was similarly disappointing. However, two goals after the break was enough to keep the haters at bay.

  As far as strikers go, Gyokeres feels distinctly un-Arsenal. He is not about grace and beauty, more so brawn and brutishness. His scoring record at Sporting CP, 97 goals in 102 matches, jumped off the page, though how he got them and the level he was playing at is still under the microscope. So too is Gyokeres' style, with the hefty Swede possessing a Diego Costa-like quality of bundling his way into chances and finishes. And, let's face it, Costa is far from the Arsenal archetype.

  Ekitike, meanwhile, is more what you would expect from a Gunner, silky in his fluidity and devastating when pulling the trigger. Yet he goes into this title race as Liverpool's starting striker (for the time being). Like Gyokeres, the Frenchman has two goals to his name so far this Premier League season, coming up with two exquisite strikes during their victories against Bournemouth and Newcastle. For whatever reason, Ekitike was barely linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium prior to joining the Reds, though that narrative could flip on its head if he outperforms Gyokeres and puts Arsenal to the sword.

أصبح برشلونة يعرف بالفعل المنافسين الثمانية الذين ينتظر مواجهتهم في دور المجموعات بدوري أبطال أوروبا ولم يعلن بعد عن جدول المباريات وترتيبها.

وسيواجه فريق برشلونة بقيادة هانز فليك كل من باريس سان جيرمان وآينتراخت فرانكفورت وأولمبياكوس وكوبنهاجن على ملعبه وخارج ملعبه يلتقي كل من تشيلسي وكلوب بروج وسلافيا براج ونيوكاسل.

وأوضح رافا يوستي نائب رئيس برشلونة ردة فعله على مباريات فريقه في دوري أبطال أوروبا في تصريحات لصحيفة “سبورت”: “أولاً وقبل كل شيء إنه لشرف لي أن أكون حاضراً في هذا الحدث في أكبر مسابقة عالمية”.

وأضاف: “أنظر لهذه المباريات أنه لا توجد فرق سهلة، سيتعين علينا العمل بتواضع كبير لتحقيق ما نطمح له جميعاً، نحن مشجعو برشلونة نطمح للفوز بدوري أبطال أوروبا”.

اقرأ أيضاً.. مواجهات خاصة وثنائية.. نظرة على مباريات برشلونة في دوري أبطال أوروبا

وأعرب نائب رئيس برشلونة عن ثقته في قدرة الفريق على منافسة باريس سان جيرمان وتشيلسي: “لدي الكثير من الاحترام لأبطال أوروبا وكأس العالم ولكن سنبذل قصارى جهدنا للمحاولة، كما يقول هانز فليك سنتخذ الأمور خطوة بخطوة”.

وحول الملعب الذي سيخوض فيه برشلونة مبارياته في دوري أبطال أوروبا رد يوستي:” أؤكد لكم أن النادي سيعلن قريباً عن ملعب مبارياتنا، وسنصدر بياناً بهذا الشأن، سنفعل ذلك عندما يكون مناسباً”.

وعند سؤاله عن مستقبل لاعب خط الوسط الشاب فيرمين لوبيز، أكد رافا يوستي بأن فيرمين في برشلونة ليؤكد ثقته في استمرار وجود اللاعب رغم شائعات رحيله لتشيلسي وقال: “فيرمين مرتبط بعقد معنا وسعداء به لذلك هو لاعب في برشلونة”.

Arsenal supporters have emphatically welcomed Viktor Gyokeres to North London — and the numbers prove it. The Swedish striker's No.14 shirt has already smashed previous club sales records for a new signing, with early figures showing unprecedented levels of demand across both physical and online retail platforms.

• Gyokeres has taken the No.14 shirt at Emirates
• Shirt sales have hit the roof
• A special offer has further pushed up the numbers

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Gunners completed the high-profile capture of Gyokeres on July 26, paying an initial €63.5 million (£54.8 million or $74.2 million) to secure his services from Sporting CP. Ahead of the friendly clash against Newcastle United at Singapore’s National Stadium, Gyokeres was formally introduced to the crowd and was met with thunderous applause. The excitement among the fans was palpable, with many seeing him as the solution to the club’s long-standing search for a clinical centre-forward.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The No.14 kit holds a revered place in Arsenal folklore, having previously belonged to Thierry Henry, the club’s all-time leading scorer. Although Gyokeres reportedly would have preferred the No.9, his willingness to wear 14 has only further endeared him to fans who view the number as symbolic of Arsenal’s attacking legacy.

• TELL ME MORE

  To celebrate his signing, the club rolled out a promotional offer allowing fans to have “Gyokeres 14” printed on any new-season Arsenal jersey at no extra cost. This service, typically priced at £16, was made available both at official club stores and via the team’s online shop. The promotion was met with such overwhelming enthusiasm that Arsenal’s online store briefly crashed due to the sheer volume of traffic.

  The giveaway is set to continue through Thursday, and analysts expect the total sales to climb even higher as more fans take advantage of the free name-and-number offer. Importantly, the final tally will also include data from third-party retailers who are not participating in the promotional campaign, meaning the final numbers could be even more staggering.

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Before Gyokeres’ arrival, jerseys bearing the names of Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, and Martin Odegaard were consistently among the top sellers. Yet Gyokeres has quickly eclipsed all of them, suggesting not only immense popularity but also massive expectations for what he might achieve in an Arsenal shirt.

India’s bowling coach says the fast bowlers have broadened their skillsets and developed a feel for when to use their variations

S Sudarshanan19-Dec-2023

Renuka Singh has 38 wickets in women’s T20Is, at an average of 21.13. Since her debut in October 2021, only Ireland’s Arlene Kelly has taken more among fast bowlers from Full-Member teams. Also among the top ten is Pooja Vastrakar, who has picked up 21 wickets in this period, at 24.80.Renuka and Vastrakar were India’s fast bowlers in the one-off Test against England last week and picked up a combined six wickets in the match. Bowling coach Troy Cooley has praised their work ethic and lauded them for broadening their skillsets.Related

Vastrakar banks on adaptability to step up as India's pace-bowling mainstay

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Finger fracture puts Shubha Satheesh out of action

How Vastrakar killed the game on a turning track

“[Renuka] is definitely improving every time I see her,” Cooley said after India’s training session at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday. “She is coming from a couple of injuries and she has worked extremely hard to not only develop fitness but also to develop her skills. You are starting to see rewards now of all that hard work. Not only does she swing the ball back in naturally. She has now got the ball that straightens and leaves the right-handers.”Renuka had been sidelined with a stress injury since the end of WPL 2023. The T20Is against England earlier this month were her first international outings on her return, and she impressed with her new-ball spells. She dismissed England opener Sophia Dunkley all three times in the T20Is and also in the first innings of the Test, and used the bowling crease well to create angles that tested the batters.”It is great to see her using the angles,” Cooley said. “I really like the way she is putting together the sequence of deliveries and the number of deliveries she has got in option. Her toolbox is quite big now and [she] is definitely using those tools in a strategic and tactical way.”Vastrakar, who made her international debut in 2018, was riddled with injuries at the start of her career. But for the last couple of years, she has been a vital cog in India’s white-ball squads. She was named as a non-travelling reserve for the Asian Games this year, but made it to the squad after Anjali Sarvani pulled up on the eve of departure, and starred in the final with a four-for to help India to a gold medal.In the Test match, Vastrakar used the wobble seam and hard lengths to dismantle England’s top order, including bowling Nat Sciver-Brunt through the gate for a first-ball duck in the second dig. Cooley attributed her success to a balanced run-up and attacking lines.”She had a little bit of a sore knee and she came back through that nicely,” Cooley said. “Through rehab she dedicated herself to improve her run-up and get the most out of it. She has done a marvellous job there. Now she is more balanced at the crease.”You can see the natural tendency now to get into the stumps and challenge those batters. She has got her run-up sorted which is great from a bowling coach [persepective] here. She has got enough pace and variations to be a good red-ball bowler.”In their return to Test cricket after two years – and at home after nine years – India bowled out England for 136 and 131 at the DY Patil Stadium with offspinner Deepti Sharma picking up nine wickets in the match. The fast bowlers held their own even when they didn’t make inroads, adding to the pressure on England’s batters. Cooley said the bowlers have not only added more variations to their armoury but also know when to use them.Along with the inswinger she naturally bowls, Renuka Singh has now developed a ball that straightens and leaves the right-hand batter•BCCI

“I know behind the scenes what work they are putting in and the growth has been in line with the work they have done,” he said. “The biggest improvement is they have added some skills and variations. Not only that, but the control and when to use them, that’s come into it quite nicely.”The strategy behind what ball they are going to use – whether to attack or defend – we talk about talking to the ball now and they are getting some good answers back. They are improving very well, there is still more room to go but they are up for it, and they have got the work ethic to be able to do that.”They have got the support of the captain [Harmanpreet Kaur] and the new head coach [Amol Muzumdar] – he is hell bent that everybody who comes into training or in games is about improving themselves. There are a couple of World Cups coming up and he wants to see improvements all the way and we have got a good environment for that under his leadership.”The fast bowlers put in hard yards behind the scenes even during the domestic T20s, Cooley said, and he felt this would hold them in good stead during India’s upcoming home series against Australia.”These girls have been doing extra work in the last two-three months,” he said. “Their work ethic is through the roof. They may be playing the domestic T20s but in the back they’ll be topping up their work to make sure their resilience and capacity to go into Test-match cricket and to survive international cricket is building up all the way. Full credit to the medical team, the coaching staff and S&C [strength and conditioning] staff who got together and made these plans and worked towards them.”Punia called up as back-up for Shubha
Priya Punia was seen batting for a long time in India’s first training session ahead of the one-off Test against Australia. She batted against a healthy dose of fast bowling and spin after starting with throwdowns for about 20 minutes. Shubha Satheesh, who top-scored with 69 on debut against England, was not to be seen.Shubha was ruled out of the rest of the game after taking a blow to her left ring finger while training before the start of the second day’s play. She was seen with a splint on her left hand and Harmanpreet confirmed after the match that she had suffered a broken finger and a dislocation.Cooley confirmed that Punia had been called up in case a replacement was needed.”No update on Shubha, the medical team would have got hold of that,” he said. “It is very sad for us to see after she batted so well to get a knock on that finger. We are hoping it will heal quickly. The replacement player is coming in just in case. [Punia is a] very good player, the squad balance and strength is still there. We’ll miss [Shubha] if she is not available.”

India’s captain made 43 not out in a decisive partnership with Webb and took two wickets to dismantle the defending champions for 86

Alex Malcolm23-Oct-2023

Harmanpreet Kaur and Courtney Webb shared an unbeaten 93-run stand•Getty Images

A decisive 93-run stand between Courtney Webb and Harmanpreet Kaur followed by a crafty bowling display led by Ella Hayward and Hayley Matthews helped Melbourne Renegades to a thumping upset win over defending WBBL champions Adelaide Strikers at the Junction Oval.Webb made 49 not out and Harmanpreet remained unbeaten on 43 as the pair controlled the second half of Renegades’ innings against an impressive Strikers bowling unit to post a competitive 167 for 3 after being sent into bat.Related

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Renegades spinners, led by Hayward and Matthews in the powerplay, as well as Sarah Coyte strangled Strikers in the chase. The trio picked up two wickets each and Coyte produced a stunning direct-hit run out off her own bowling to dismiss Bridget Patterson as Strikers’ chase never gained any momentum against the disciplined bowling performance.Renegades’ batting display was steady without being spectacular. They were aided by some shoddy Strikers fielding with Jemma Barsby spilling two catches.Strikers started well with Georgia Adams removing Matthews for 12, but she strangely only bowled one over for the innings. Tammy Beaumont and Josie Dooley both made starts and threatened to break free at times during a 51-run stand but neither were able to kick on. Both fell within an over of each other to leave Renegades precariously placed at 74 for 3 in the 10th over.Harmanpreet and Webb assessed the situation and did not panic despite both scoring at less than a run-a-ball through the first 40 runs of their partnership, including only taking 14 runs off the power surge. But they scored 39 runs off the last 14 balls of the innings finding the boundary eight times against Amanda-Jade Wellington, Danielle Gibson and Megan Schutt. Webb struck five of them and Harmanpreet three.The chase never got going as Hayward bowled four of the first nine overs of the innings and picked up the key wickets of Laura Wolvaardt and Katie Mack. Hayward’s lengths and lines were superb as she rarely gave the stumps away. Wolvaardt was stumped trying to launch over long-off but was completely deceived in flight. Mack was also beaten in flight as she miscued to mid-off.Coyte dropped an easy catch in the deep off Tahlia McGrath that threatened to be costly but she more than made up for it with a stunning run out. Patterson drove a ball towards long-on and took off for a single, Coyte dived full length to her right, gathered in the right hand and threw in the one motion while laying on her stomach and produced a direct hit as Patterson tried to scramble back at the striker’s end.McGrath holed out off Matthews and the chase fell apart from there. Strikers lost their last seven wickets for just 21 runs. Harmanpreet and Georgia Wareham chimed in with two wickets each as India’s captain was named player of the match.

Harry Kane had to "calm down" Jude Bellingham when the midfielder lost his temper after England lost 3-1 to Senegal.

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• Kane forced to "calm down" Bellingham
• Midfielder "roars at linesman"
• Tempers flare after England lose to Senegal

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Bellingham reacted angrily on full-time at the City Ground, with Dom Smith of the reporting that he kicked a drinks cooler and let his displeasure known to a linesman following the final whistle.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Bellingham was frustrated after seeing an equalising goal ruled out by VAR for handball. The ball did strike Levi Colwill's arm in the build-up but the Three Lions complained that the action was not deliberate.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Kane himself was angry with the decision, claiming that "if you know the rules it's not handball". The defeat was manager Thomas Tuchel's first since taking over as England boss earlier this year.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR KANE AND BELLINGHAM?

  Both Kane and Bellingham will now head to the Club World Cup, where they are set to compete with Bayern Munich and Real Madrid respectively.

قرر مجلس إدارة نادي الزمالك، برئاسة حسين لبيب، تعيين عصام عبد الحميد مديراً فنياً لفريق كرة السلة للرجال، وذلك بعد رحيل الإسبانى كورو سيجورا.

وكان الزمالك قد وجه الشكر إلى الإسبانى كورو سيجورا، المدير الفني السابق للفريق، وذلك بعدما فشل الطرفان في التوصل إلى اتفاق لاستمراره.

ومن المقرر أن تُعقد جلسة التوقيع اليوم ومن المرجح إعلان الزمالك اليوم أو غداً عن التعاقد مع المدير الفني الجديد للفريق.

طالع أيضاً.. مدحت عبد الهادي: الأهلي أضاع فرصة العمر في أسهل مجموعة.. والهلال هو من شرّف العرب

يُذكر أن الزمالك قد نجح في تحقيق الفوز على سبورتنج بنتيجة 79/71، في اللقاء الذي جمع بينهما ببطولة دوري السوبر لكرة السلة وحصد الميدالية البرونزية.  

CSK seem to have run out of gas after being the pace-setters early on, but are still in the top four on the table

Deivarayan Muthu05-May-20235:48

Can Mumbai’s in-form batters overcome resurgent Jadeja and Co?

Big picture – MI have the wood on CSK at ChepaukThe last time Chennai Super Kings lost two home games in the league stage of an IPL season was way back in 2013. After they suffered a last-ball defeat to Punjab Kings last weekend, CSK’s head coach Stephen Fleming suggested that the Impact Player rule has allowed teams to go harder at oppositions this IPL – both Adam Zampa and Prabhsimran Singh, who had been brought in as Impact Players for the two games, messed with CSK’s plans and set them up for rare home defeats.But even before the introduction of the Impact Player, Mumbai Indians had breached CSK’s fortress multiple times. In fact, MI have a dominant 6-2 win-loss record against CSK at Chepauk, and are on a six-match winning streak against CSK at the venue.Related

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MI’s recent form is also encouraging: they’ve won five of their last seven games, with their middle order, in particular, dripping with explosive power and class. Suryakumar Yadav, Tim David and Tilak Varma have all contributed handsomely to MI becoming the first IPL team to hunt down 200-plus totals in back-to-back games. MI also have depth in their spin attack, which will be handy if Chepauk rolls out a black-soil turner.As for CSK, they seem to have run out of gas after having been the pace-setters in the first half of the season. Ravindra Jadeja, Ambati Rayudu and Moeen Ali are yet to properly fire with the bat while Tushar Deshpande has leaked runs at the death although he has the knack of taking wickets in clusters. Deepak Chahar, who had pulled up injured when CSK and MI last met at the Wankhede, is fit again and could lend some experience and powerplay bite to their attack.A win for CSK on Saturday could potentially take them back to the top two, while a win for MI could see them break away from the mid-table logjam and enter the top half of the standings.The big questionTeam news – Hrithik Shokeen could return for MIMI are usually big on match-ups, so they might bring back offspinner Hrithik Shokeen against a left-hander-heavy CSK line-up. There is no official news from CSK’s camp on whether Ben Stokes is available for selection – he has been batting and bowling in the nets over the past week. Sisanda Magala has also resumed both batting and bowling in the nets, but with Matheesha Pathirana establishing himself as CSK’s go-to death bowler, there is no room for him.Form guideChennai Super Kings: NRLLWW
Mumbai Indians: WWLLWImpact Player strategyAs far as the Impact Player is concerned, CSK have followed a fairly consistent pattern, with Rayudu replacing one of the bowlers when they chase. They could start with Deshpande if they bowl first and replace him with Rayudu in the second innings, or vice versa.CSK Probable XII: 1 Devon Conway, 2 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 3 Ajinkya Rahane, 4 Shivam Dube, 5 , 6 Moeen Ali, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 MS Dhoni (capt, wk), 9 Deepak Chahar, 10 Maheesh Theekshana, 11 Matheesha Pathirana, 12 If the Chepauk pitch plays true to its nature, MI could consider using left-arm-all-sorts spinner Kumar Kartikeya as an Impact Player and strengthen their spin attack even further. Suryakumar might make way for Kartikeya if MI go down this route.MI Probable XII: 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Ishan Kishan (wk), 3 Cameron Green, 4 , 5 Tilak Varma, 6 Tim David, 7 Nehal Wadhera, 8 Piyush Chawla, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Hrithik Shokeen, 11 Akash Madhwal/Arshad Khan, 12 Matheesha Pathirana has been a revelation for CSK at the death•AFP/Getty Images

Stats and Trivia David has a strike rate of 199 between overs 16 and 20 this season – the highest among batters who have faced at least 60 balls in this phase. Jadeja, in comparison, has struck at only 146 in this phase. MI have the worst death-overs economy rate (13.36) in the IPL. CSK have fared much better in this phase, conceding 10.47 an over. Piyush Chawla has a good head-to-head record against Rayudu in the IPL, having dismissed him six times in 13 innings while giving up only nine boundaries in 53 balls against him. Rohit Sharma holds the unwanted record of having bagged the joint-most ducks in the IPL. Dinesh Karthik, Mandeep Singh and Sunil Narine have also collected 15 ducks each in the tournament.Pitch and conditionsWhile the Chepauk pitches in this IPL have offered some purchase for spinners, the true bounce has allowed batters to hit through the line. The overhead conditions were overcast when MI and CSK started training on the eve of the game and there’s also some rain forecast for Saturday evening.Quotes”We’ve played [Lasith] Malinga in the nets when I came here in Mumbai Indians and that gives us a lot of confidence. He was a legend and we did practice well when he was bowling, so we will just look to watch the ball and play our own game.”