Category Uncategorized

Julian Nagelsmann was unhappy with Chelsea's recruitment process before deciding not to become their new manager, according to reliable journalist Mike Keegan.

How close was Nagelsmann to the job?

The Blues have gone through a tumultuous time of things this season, sitting in the bottom half of the Premier League as the campaign gradually reaches its conclusion. Both Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter have been sacked since August, with neither impressing in charge, and Frank Lampard is in the Stamford Bridge hot seat until the end of the campaign.

Since Potter's dismissal, the search has been on to find his long-term successor, and for a long time, it looked as though Nagelsmann was the clear front-runner to become the new Chelsea boss. He has since backed of the race, however, deciding against taking the job and looking elsewhere after his surprise sacking at Bayern Munich.

The news came a shock to many, but now the reasoning behind the 35-year-old declining the job has emerged.

Why didn't German take charge of Blues?

Writing for The Daily Mail, Keegan claimed that Nagelsmann wasn't enamoured by the entire process, growing frustrated when Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali turned their attentions towards Mauricio Pochettino and Vincent Kompany:

"Julian Nagelsmann pulled out of the running to become the next Chelsea manager after harbouring serious concerns over the recruitment process, sources have disclosed.

"The German is understood to have been under the impression that the job was his and that talks were a formality. However, unease grew following a succession of meetings, and reports that managers such as Mauricio Pochettino and Vincent Kompany were also being considered."

This update has to lead to question marks over the manner in which Chelsea handled this situation – essentially, they have blown the chance to land one of Europe's brightest manager because of their scattergun approach. Boehly and his right-hand man Egbali clearly have a way of going about things, and while they are within the right to do things exactly the way they want to, it feels like it has backfired in regard to Nagelsmann.

This is such a crucial period in Chelsea's recent history, in terms of getting the right man in and making sure the Blues keep in touch with their Premier League rivals, and having missed out on Nagelsmann, it is essential that the next-best option is hired, whether it be Pochettino, Kompany of somebody else.

At the moment, too many poor decisions are being made at the club, both on and off the pitch, and it is no surprise that the team are struggling because of it.

On a dead Lord’s track, the Championship leaders have got themselves into a position where they almost certainly cannot lose

Vithushan Ehantharajah at Lord's27-Jun-2016
ScorecardAlviro Petersen racked up 191•Getty Images

What ingredients there were for a high-quality encounter at Lord’s look already to be heading for a bland conclusion. That may seem melodramatic – should Middlesex collapse tomorrow, it may enter into “misguided” or “facetious” – but there were few other conclusions to draw from a day in which eight wickets fell yet only one was taken.Lancashire’s seven were shed in the pursuit of quick runs to hammer a tiring Middlesex attack further into the dust. Even Tim Murtagh’s shoulders, constantly in a slumped relaxed state, plummeted to knee height. Even Murtagh, a bowler who can make the ball talk for fun could barely muster a whimper from a pitch that does the long-form more harm than good.What should have been a compelling day’s cricket, in near-perfect conditions, asked spectators to find their own source of amusement. The evening session hosted a low sun and with it the chance for them to shed some clothing, get some colour and indulge in the sorts of conversations with opposing fans that only beer and minor heatstroke encourages.”So you see, it’s those bastards across the way – they’re the tight ones,” concluded one such tête-à-tête. It’s those across the way that Lancashire are looking to build a lead over: level on points with Yorkshire going into this match but leading Division One by virtue of number of games won.Middlesex, with their six draws from seven, sat 16 points off the Northern rivals. This fixture between first and fourth felt like it could set the tone for the next half of the season, when captains roll the dice and each session weighs heavier on the nerves.The opening exchanges were very much in Lancashire’s favour as they amassed their highest innings score of the season. Alviro Petersen was thoroughly unflustered, picking up where he left off to add 86 to an overnight 105: perhaps the only surprise was his failure to bring up his double hundred. Looking to move the game on, he was caught and bowled by Toby Roland-Jones, whose 31-over toil was made relatively worthwhile by four wickets.Flanking Petersen were the offerings from the middle order cavalry of Steven Croft, Karl Brown and Liam Livingstone. It was with Livingstone in particular that the most damage was done: 103 runs put on together at six an over – 67 coming in 11 overs after lunch, as Livingstone brought up a 54-ball half-century filled with reverse sweeps and the odd wristy thwack through the leg side. To nitpick, 500 perhaps should have come up easier than it did: a scampered single between Lancashire’s 10 and 11 that nearly resulted in a run out.But even with scoreboard pressure and a 12-over session before tea bowled by Kyle Jarvis and Neil Wagner – perhaps the best opening duo in the domestic game at present – Lancashire were unable to land a telling blow on the hosts. Even the one wicket they managed looked a tad lucky, though that is simply going by Sam Robson’s forlorn expression after he had been adjudged caught at first slip off the leg spin of Matt Parkinson. The disappointment was understandable: he had looked on the cusp of one of those Lord’s vigils he embarks upon when he basically invokes squatter’s rights.If anything, Robson’s wicket sharpened Nick Gubbins’ focus, who gave up driving for a while and worked his way to 71 at the close. He will recommence tomorrow with Stevie Eskinasi, who goes to bed on a new first class best of 43.Lancashire will be hoping that when they wake up tomorrow the pitch might too. Unfortunately this is yet another Lord’s track that needs a defibrillator rather than a roller. The new ball brings something out of it but not for long. From then on, whatever movement there is comes once the ball had passed the stumps. Steven Croft found that out the hard way as he scrabbled around to contend with the late dips and swerves. The skip in his step at the start of the final session had slowed to a trudge when stumps was called.If anything, perhaps the Lancashire bowlers might leave the match with a bit of sympathy for their Middlesex counterparts, whose charge has consistently been hampered by these sorts of pitches. Still, the Championship leaders have got themselves into a position where they almost certainly cannot lose. If they are not still bowling by this time tomorrow then they should consider that a victory.

Kent all-rounder Matt Coles has been suspended for two Championship matches by an ECB disciplinary commission

ESPNcricinfo staff06-May-2016Matt Coles has received an automatic suspension from the ECB’s cricket discipline commission and will miss Kent’s next two Championship games. Kent’s cricket chairman, Graham Johnson, has condemned the decision as “disproportionate”.Coles’ absence is a big blow to Kent who escaped a weather-affected start to the season by beating Glamorgan at Canterbury to move into the top half of Division Two of the Specsavers Championship but who remain relatively light on seam bowling resources.He was reported by umpires Nick Cook and Rob Bailey during Kent’s match against Glamorgan for a Level Two breach of the code – throwing the ball at or near a player, umpire or official in an inappropriate and dangerous manner.He had previously received a reprimand following three penalty points following a Level 1 breach in August 2014 and six penalty points following a Level 2 breach in September 2014. The penalty for a subsequent breach at Level 2 within 24 months is six penalty points.The ECB statement read: “Coles has therefore received a total of twelve penalty points, triggering an automatic suspension. He is suspended from all cricket under the jurisdiction of the ECB until and including Wednesday 18th May 2016 – a period which covers Kent’s next two First XI fixtures.”Coles took 67 wickets at 23.49 for Kent last summer after returning to his home county following a brief spel at Hampshire where he never settled.Johnson expressed frustration at the decision. “In the light of the steps taken by the ECB cricket discipline commission I feel it only right to defend the position of Matt Coles,” he said. “Since his return to Kent, at the start of last season, Matt has demonstrated that he has learnt from things in the past. He has applied himself to his role on the field and represented Kent Cricket, to good effect, in off field activities.”Players carry points over a 24 month period and the two previously reported incidents are from August 2014 whilst Matt was at Hampshire. Kent made representations to the CDC regarding the breach. However, the CDC Chairman’s nominee, Mr Chris Tickle, did not consider that the consequences of this penalty might produce a result that was manifestly unfair. Under the process relating to cricket discipline there is no opportunity to appeal the outcome or the CDC’s decision.”The outcome in this set of circumstances I believe is disproportionate, it does not reflect the seriousness of the recent incident and does nothing to help a cricketer who has made such big strides since returning to Kent.”Glamorgan’s Chris Cooke was reported by the umpires during the same match for a Level One breach of the code (abuse of cricket ground, equipment and/or fixtures and fittings). He was reprimanded.Stuart Broad also picked up a reprimand after he was reported by umpires Richard Kettleborough, Michael Gough and Richard Illingworth during Nottinghamshire’s Championship match against Yorkshire for a Level One breach of the code – showing dissent at an umpire’s decision by word or action).ic suspension.

When West Ham United signed Gianluca Scamacca last summer for a £35.5m transfer fee, it looked as though David Moyes had the final piece of his puzzle – a striker who could score 25 goals a season.

Unfortunately, it hasn’t quite worked out like that for the Italian hitman as he has largely struggled to get to grips with the English game. Across 18 domestic matches, the 24-year-old has scored just three times however he appears to have found his feet in Europe, scoring five goals and registering an assist in nine matches.

His poor form along with many other of his teammates has led to West Ham fighting a Premier League relegation battle and having scored just 24 league goals, the third-lowest total in the division, it’s clear Moyes’ goal-scoring woes could play a major part in whether they survive this term.

They could use the help of a world-class striker now and former player Carlos Tevez would be the ideal candidate to alleviate the club’s current woes.

How did Carlos Tevez perform at West Ham?

Considering how poor the Irons’ attackers have been this season, a prime Tevez would surely run riot in the Premier League under Moyes, instantly acting as an improvement on Scamacca and Antonio.

The diminutive Argentinian signed for the club way back in 2006 alongside Javier Mascherano in what was an astounding move, with Alan Pardew and the club somehow securing their services from Brazilian side Corinthians on permanent deals following their World Cup displays for Argentina.

This was a major coup for the Hammers and although Tevez didn’t score in the league until March, his performances during the final few months of the season were integral to the club retaining their league status.

Tevez played all of the club's final ten Premier League matches that term, scoring seven goals – including the winner against Manchester United on the final day – while grabbing three assists and this was just a taste of what was to come for the forward in England.

He moved to United not long after, before joining cross-city rivals Manchester City, scoring 117 goals combined for the two clubs. Overall, he has scored 257 club goals, notably being dubbed a "monster" along the way by journalist Sam Tighe.

West Ham would be nowhere near the relegation zone if Moyes had the opportunity to utilise the forward in the present day. Indeed, he would terrorise opposition defences to shreds.

Wolverhampton Wanderers ‘missed a trick’ by not signing Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha last summer, according to journalist Ryan Taylor.

The Lowdown: Palhinha turned down

Sporting CP’s former player made the move to the Premier League and Craven Cottage in July 2022, but prior to his transfer, he could have easily been on his way to Molineux.

The Express and Star report that the 27-year-old did hold talks and was offered to the Midlands outfit thanks to being a client of Jorge Mendes, who the club have a strong connection with, but the hierarchy declined the chance to recruit him.

The Portuguese international also later claimed that he never considered joining any other club than Fulham, with Bruno Lage being in charge at the time as opposed to Julen Lopetegui.

The Latest: Taylor’s comments

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Taylor suggested that Wolves made a mistake by not accepting the opportunity to land Palhinha. He said:

“It was interesting because Wolves tried to do that deal, but they then went ahead with Nunes.

“Ultimately, everyone was saying ‘Matheus Nunes, what a signing’. But I feel like Wolves maybe missed a trick with Palhinha and Wolves fans have certainly made that known now.”

The Verdict: Worth another attempt

Palhinha is Fulham’s top-performing defensive player and so it would definitely be worth Wolves attempting another deal should the opportunity arise.

The Lisbon native currently ranks in the 99th percentile for most tackles made by midfielders in Europe and is averaging 2.1 aerial wins per top-flight 90 minutes.

Standing at 6 foot 3, he would also add a different dimension to the midfield with his height and physical presence in the air.

Palhinha has even been dubbed a ‘Casemiro-esque’ player by journalist Zach Lowy and he would be the ideal successor for Ruben Neves should the captain depart at the end of the season.

Newcastle United are now planning a January clear out, with multiple players now in line to leave, in order to raise funds for Eddie Howe.

What's the latest Newcastle transfer news?

Newcastle are making progress towards agreeing new contracts with two key first-team players, as transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has reported that Bruno Guimaraes has agreed to extend his stay at St. James' Park until 2028, despite interest from Liverpool.

The Magpies are also set to open talks over a new deal with Joelinton, with the 27-year-old "very happy" at the club, and now "ready to commit" to a new contract, so Howe is set to secure the long-term futures of two of his midfielders.

However, potential new arrivals are still being considered, with it recently being reported that Bayer Leverkusen's Piero Hincapie could be brought in, as CBS reporter Ben Jacobs believes they will be in the market for a new centre-back at some point in 2024.

Hincapie is expected to cost around £35m, so Newcastle would need to be willing to spend a sizeable amount to secure his signature in January, at a time when they have to be careful due to Financial Fair Play.

Speaking to CaughtOffside, Jacobs said: "It’s important to understand that Newcastle can’t break the bank because of Financial Fair Play. Just because they got into Europe once they can’t necessarily just change their model.

“Now that they have Champions League football, players will want higher wages, but Newcastle have done well to ensure they don’t have one stand-out earner. They have to be conservative, and that’s why I also sense they’ll be in for a quieter January.”

As such, the Magpies may need to make a few sales to raise funds for the January window, and Football Insider report they are now ready to sell multiple fringe players. With Howe's side aiming to adapt to the addition of European games to the calendar, they are considering adding multiple players in the January transfer window, but abiding by Financial Fair Play rules is a real concern at St. James' Park.

Who could Newcastle sell in January?

The report names Martin Dubravka, Mark Gillespie, Emil Krafth, Javi Manquillo, Loris Karius and Paul Dummett as the players who could potentially be sold this winter, having failed to play a single minute this season.

It makes sense to allow the majority of those players to leave, besides the back-up goalkeeper options, who could be called upon in the cup competitions. It is clear that Newcastle are having a hard time abiding by FFP, as they were unable to bring in Kieran Tierney or Marc Cucurella on permanent deals in the summer transfer window, instead being forced to consider signing them on loan.

The deal to sign Lewis Hall from Chelsea was structured to defer the payment, with Howe confirming they had to be "creative" to get the move over the line.

As such, the Magpies should undoubtedly look to move on a number of their fringe players in January, particularly considering they are eyeing some exciting new signings, including Hincapie, who could cost £35m.

Barcelona are reportedly exploring a potential free transfer for former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea ahead of the summer window.

• De Gea still without a club
• Barcelona considering free transfer signing
• Want stopper as back-up to Marc-Andre ter Stegen

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  De Gea remains a free agent following his summer exit from Manchester United. The goalkeeper has spent a frustrating season on the sidelines after failing to find a new club over the last nine months, but has now attracted interest from Barcelona, according to Mundo Deportivo. The cash-strapped Catalans are exploring a potential "strategic" free transfer in a bid to boost their goalkeeping options.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Marc-Andre ter Stegen is Barcelona's current first choice goalkeeper and any move for De Gea would see the goalkeeper arrive as a back-up option to the German. De Gea is thought to be keen to return to Spain but whether he would be willing to accept a secondary role remains to be seen. La Masia graduate Inaki Pena has deputised for Ter Stegen this summer but struggled at times while the Germany international was out earlier this season with a back injury. Pena be tempted to move on in the summer in search of more regular game time.

• Getty Images
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Ter Stegen matched the record for clean sheets in La Liga last season. The goalkeeper notched 26 clean sheets in 38 games to help Barcelona win the title.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR DE GEA

  De Gea has offered few clues on his future, which is looking increasingly uncertain the longer he spends out of the game. The Spaniard is an experienced stopper who has been linked with several clubs, including Nottingham Forest and Saudi side Al-Shabab, since his Old Trafford exit but it's still impossible to know where, or even if, he will play top-level football again next season.

Jurgen Klopp revealed that he had a "nice conversation" with Brentford striker Ivan Toney after Liverpool beat his team 4-1 on Saturday.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Klopp had a hearty chat with Toney
• The manager spilled the beans to the press
• Hailed the striker's skills in front of goal

• (C)GettyImages
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Toney, who has been in impressive form since his return from an eight-month ban for betting breaches, showcased his scoring prowess with his fourth goal in five games against the Reds on Saturday afternoon. However, his strike proved to be a mere consolation as Liverpool bagged a comfortable win with Darwin Nunez, Alexis Mac Allister, Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo getting on the scoresheet.

Advertisement

• WHAT KLOPP SAID

  After the match, Klopp was seen engaging in a conversation with Toney and later spoke about it in brief to the press.

  "It was more like smiling at him, he's a handful and really tricky – I used a different word but it's really tricky to play against him obviously," Klopp said.

  "Am I right that he's a Liverpool supporter? He's not shy to say that?" he asked.

  "Then I can admit it as well. We spoke a little bit about that and he wished me good luck for my time after these things here. A lot of players said it. It was a nice conversation. I had one with [Vitaly] Janelt as well."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Despite intense speculation about Toney's future, with strong links to clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham, the 27-year-old opted to remain with Brentford until the end of the season. However, his impressive performances after his return will continue to attract suitors and Thomas Frank will face an uphill task to hold onto him in the summer.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR TONEY?

  Toney's blend of skill, determination, and goal-scoring prowess makes him a coveted asset for any team, and his recent performances have only enhanced his reputation in English football. His stock will only rise if he manages to score against Manchester City as well in their next Premier League encounter on Tuesday.

The two fast bowlers recovered from injuries, but wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella was omitted in favour of Dhananjaya de Silva

Andrew Fidel Fernando28-Feb-2018Fast bowlers Nuwan Pradeep and Suranga Lakmal have returned to the Sri Lanka T20 squad after recovering from injuries, but wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella has been omitted in favour of Dhananjaya de Silva for the upcoming tri-series at home.Legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay, who was with the T20 team in Bangladesh, was also left out, with Sri Lanka naming just two specialist spinners – Akila Dananjaya and Amila Aponso – in addition to Jeevan Mendis, the legspinning allrounder.Apart from Dickwella’s omission, Sri Lanka retained the bulk of their batsmen from the Bangladesh series, which they had won 2-0. Kusal Mendis is likely to open the batting again. Now that Kusal Perera is back, however, there is competition for the top spots, with Upul Tharanga and Danushka Gunathilaka also vying for places in the top three.The senior fast bowlers’ return to fitness meant that Sri Lanka also have a strong attack. Where in Bangladesh the quicks were inexperienced, Lakmal and Pradeep will be expected to provide control and reliability, while Dushmantha Chameera – if he plays – is a faster, more attacking option. Left-armer Isuru Udana was also in the squad.De Silva’s selection was something of a surprise, given his mixed performances in past T20 internationals. He was in good touch in the Tests against Bangladesh, however, and hit 55, 0 and 42 in Sri Lanka’s club-based T20 tournament over the past few days.Angelo Mathews, Asela Gunaratne and Shehan Madushanka were all unavailable through injury.The Nidahas Trophy begins on March 6 and will be played exclusively in Colombo.T20 squad: Dinesh Chandimal (capt), Upul Tharanga, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Kusal Perera, Thisara Perera, Jeevan Mendis, Suranga Lakmal, Isuru Udana, Akila Dananjaya, Amila Aponso, Nuwan Pradeep, Dushmantha Chameera, Dananjaya de Silva

Following Division Five in Jersey, teams have had to navigate through Division Four in Los Angeles and Division Three in Uganda. Now, another hurdle in Namibia in their bid for a World-Cup spot

Peter Della Penna in Windhoek07-Feb-2018The Kenya players enjoy a celebratory jig after their 42-run win•ICC/Donald MacLeod

Kenya

Some of the east African side’s results in the WCL Championship – wins over Hong Kong and tournament champion Netherlands – show they are more than capable of being a strong competitor should they advance to Zimbabwe. However, they are playing in Division Two because of their wild inconsistency.The biggest positive for Kenya is that they swept both matches in Namibia during the WCL Championship, giving them a leg up with their experience in local conditions. Captain Rakep Patel, Collins Obuya and Irfan Karim all scored more than 300 runs in the WCL Championship and are expected to have strong tournaments on the traditionally high-scoring pitches of Windhoek.

UAE

The only side with ODI status in this event, UAE are under heavy pressure to make it to Zimbabwe, failing which they lose their ODI status until 2022 at the earliest. UAE struggled early in the WCL Championship trying to recover from the retirement of Khurram Khan, but found their feet midway through the competition and finished by winning four of their final six matches, including a series split in Namibia, a win over Papua New Guinea and a sweep of Nepal in Abu Dhabi. Most recently, they knocked off a target of 300 against Scotland to pull off their highest successful ODI chase.Shaiman Anwar did the bulk of UAE’s scoring for much of the WCL Championship, finishing sixth overall with 431 runs. Adnan Mufti and Ghulam Shabber lightened the burden by coming through with big scores in the most-recent series against Nepal while Rameez Shahzad propelled the record chase against Scotland with his maiden ODI ton. A balanced bowling unit, featuring the opening pace pair of Mohammad Naveed and Zahoor Khan, makes up for the absence of Amjad Javed. The spin combo of legspinner Imran Haider, left-arm spinner Ahmed Raza and captain Rohan Mustafa completes the tournament’s most balanced attack.Sharad Vesawkar and Gyanendra Malla get together•Kaushal Adhikari

Nepal

After scoring two wins at the 2014 World T20 against Afghanistan and Hong Kong, Nepal has struggled to stay afloat in the top tier of Associate cricket. Of their opponents in this event, they can take consolation from the fact that they swept Namibia for half of their four wins in the WCL Championship, though that series win was achieved in Kathmandu. They also have positive memories of the last time they were in Namibia at WCL Division Two in 2015, when they secured a spot in the WCL Championship despite a last-day stumble.While the captain and vice-captain duo of Paras Khadka and Gyanendra Malla often get most of the plaudits for their batting acumen, middle-order finisher Sharad Vesawkar actually led the team in runs during the WCL Championship, with 415 runs at an average of 51.87. On the bowling side, spin has been Nepal’s strength over the years with the left-arm tandem of Basant Regmi and Shakti Gauchan. However, most of the attention at Division Two will be on teenage legspinner Sandeep Lamichhane, who garnered global attention last month after being taken by Delhi Daredevils at the IPL auction.

Namibia

The tournament hosts only managed to win three out of 14 games in the WCL Championship, but two of those – over Hong Kong and Scotland – had a significant impact on the final standings at the top of the table. In particular, the win in Edinburgh showcased what Namibia are capable of when operating at full strength. A rare appearance from Otago allrounder Christi Viljoen severely dented Scotland’s hopes of chasing Netherlands down for the title.Viljoen is back again for this tournament in an effort boost Namibia’s seam bowling and middle-order batting. Stephan Baard offers an explosive weapon at the top of the order while Gerhard Erasmus’ coming-of-age against Netherlands in the final round of the WCL Championship – a fluent 52 and 81 in both innings against the champion Dutch side – shows Namibia’s batting nucleus may be hitting form at just the right time.Oman celebrate after being crowned tournament champions•Peter Della Penna

Oman

Oman is attempting to follow in the footsteps of Afghanistan’s rapid ascent up the Associate ladder that began in Jersey at the 2008 WCL Division Five, by taking an identical journey to the World Cup Qualifiers. Oman secured three consecutive promotions beginning in Jersey in 2015 with a myriad of contributors along the way.In Jersey, it was Zeeshan Maqsood’s explosive batting paired with the swing bowling duo of Rajeshkumar Ranpura and Munis Ansari that took them forward. In Los Angeles, legspinning allrounder Khawar Ali’s Player-of-the-Tournament performance, including 74 and a five-wicket haul in a do-or-die showdown with Denmark, secured another promotion. At Division Three in Uganda, Khawar continued his impact with the ball but it was a host of characters led by Aqib Ilyas with the bat and left-arm swing bowler Bilal Khan who rallied them to the title.Entering Division Two, Ranpura and Ansari have faded out of the squad, but the ICC’s revised eligibility guidelines – which allow players to represent a country after just three years of residency – have opened the doors to two key allrounders: former Sialkot player Ahmed Fayyaz and former Saurashtra player Jayesh Odedra. The lifting of the ICC’s other stipulation, a maximum of two four-year residents in a starting XI, has also allowed for the recall of tall medium pacer Kaleemullah, who troubled batsman with his height and bounce last year at the Desert T20 Challenge. The trio may provide Oman with yet more difference-makers in an attempt to vault into the World Cup qualifiers.

Canada

Much like Netherlands and Kenya, Canada is an Associate that may have once taken a place in the World Cup for granted, having qualified four times including thrice from 2003 to 2011. But Canada not only failed to qualify for the 2015 event but lost ODI status through a poor performance at the 2014 World Cup Qualifier in New Zealand. However, unlike Kenya and the Dutch, who rebounded at 2015 WCL Division Two to earn a place in the WCL Championship, Canada’s bottom-two finish three years ago dropped them back to Division Three.It took Canada more than two years for the opportunity to climb back up, but they’ve produced a triumphant display in Uganda, propelled by the electric batting and canny medium pace of Rizwan Cheema, who was also named the Player of the Tournament. Teenage opening batsman Bhavindu Adhihetty played a strong support role, finishing as the tournament’s leading scorer with 222 runs. Adhihetty’s value to the senior side is such that he stayed away from the Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand – having previously captained Canada Under-19 to victory in the Americas Regional Qualifier – so that he could be with the seniors on their Division Three warm-up tour in South Africa.Like Oman, Canada have – for the moment – moved on from someone who helped get them to this point with Cheema not included in the Namibian touring squad. Yet like Oman, they are bolstered by reinforcements that give them an excellent chance of advancing. The recalled top-order duo of Ruvindu Gunasekera, who has spent most of the last two Canadian winters playing first-class cricket in Sri Lanka, and Srimantha Wijeratne provide a fire-and-ice combo that bridges the gap up to captain Nitish Kumar’s class in the middle order.