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Arsenal are set to complete the signing of 17-year-old Salford City starlet Will Wright after Liverpool dropped out of the race for the young forward.

Arsenal set to sign Salford teenager WrightAcademy manager Per Mertesacker at the centre of itLiverpool beaten in raceFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Arsenal have reportedly offered £250,000 plus add-ons for striker Wright report , blowing Liverpool's bid of £100,000 plus add-ons out of the water. Wright only made his first-team debut against Manchester City in January, making two League Two appearances at the back end of last season. His form in pre-season, where he has found the net for Salford four times, has seen the teenager hit the headlines.

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report that the signing of Wright is an example of Arsenal's new youth strategy under academy manager Per Mertesacker, who has been given a 'dedicated budget' to purchase the best youth talent. Wright comes right under that bracket and will be expected to play for Arsenal's Under-18 and Under-21 sides if he arrives in north London, with previously rumoured suitors Liverpool believed to be out of the race.

DID YOU KNOW?

Wright scored over 50 goals across age groups for Salford last season and is in the second year of a scholarship at the club, having been spotted playing for non-league sides Euxton Villa and Fylde. A move to the Emirates would therefore represent a massive step up for the young man.

AFPWHAT NEXT FOR WRIGHT AND ARSENAL?

Wright is likely to feature for Arsenal's youth sides next season and it may be a couple of years before his name is mentioned around Mikel Arteta's first-team squad. But the Gunners have offered opportunities to other youth players in recent seasons and so the teenager will hope to get his chance if he impresses at his new club.

MatériaMais Notícias

da lvbet： O Botafogo teve dias agitados nesta última semana de Data Fifa. Além do interesse do Al Nassr em contratar Luís Castro, jogadores importantes do elenco alvinegro se lesionaram e serão desfalques no próximo compromisso da temporada.

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da pinnacle： O futuro do treinador vem sendo muito repercutido nos últimos dias e uma saída neste momento seria prejudicial para a sequência da temporada. O técnico ganhou muito prestígio internamente depois do Glorioso embalar uma sequência de resultados positivos e chegar na liderança do Brasileirão.

+ Veja 30 jogadores que ainda não completaram sete jogos no Brasileirão e podem trocar de clube

A Data Fifa vinha sendo utilizada para calibrar as energias e recuperar os atletas que estavam lesionados e desgastados. No entanto, Luís Castro acabou contando com novos desfalques durante este período. Lucas Fernandes, Gabriel Pires e Matías Segovia se contundiram nos últimos dias e serão ausências no jogo diante do Cuiabá. Marçal, com um problema no joelho, só retornará aos gramados em julho.

Além dos lesionados, vale lembrar que Eduardo está suspenso do próximo do jogo por ter sido advertido com terceiro cartão amarelo. Rafael e Luís Castro também podem ser punidos pelo STJD em virtude das expulsões na partida diante do Flamengo. A expectativa é que a equipe alvinegra saiba lidar com estes imprevistos e se mantenha competitiva dentro de campo.

O Botafogo entra em campo na próxima quinta-feira, diante do Cuiabá, às 20h, na Arena Pantanal, em partida válida pelo Brasileirão. Apesar dos desfalques e do assédio em Luís Castro, os jogadores alvinegros vão com tudo em busca de uma vitória para se manterem na liderança isolada da competição.

The apparent imbalance of the T20 World Cup semi-finals has caused disquiet. Is it all that it seems?

Sidharth Monga26-Jun-2024

The semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2024 are due to take place on Wednesday evening in Trinidad and Thursday morning in Guyana, which could mean an awkward turnaround ahead of Saturday’s final … especially if it rains. The ICC have allocated a reserve day for the first game but not for the latter, which has caused an outcry in the media, but is the situation quite as ill-conceived as it seems? ESPNcricinfo is here to address your pressing tournament needs.Why does the second semi-final not have a reserve day?There is only one day’s gap between the second semi-final in Guyana and the final in Barbados, unlike the first semi-final in Trinidad. To give the second finalists enough time to rest between matches, it has been decided to not have a reserve day.Isn’t that kinda unfair?Funnily enough, the extra time available for both matches is actually the same: 250 minutes. An ICC spokesperson said: “For performance reasons, to ensure teams do not have to ‘play-travel-play’ on consecutive days, the decision was taken to allocate the additional time for the second semi-final immediately post the game because the game is a 10.30am start, whilst the first semi-final is an evening start, which means it is not feasible to play all additional time on the same day.”So the playing conditions regarding the reserve time for both the semi-finals are identical?Not quite.How so?All attempts will be made to complete the first semi-final on the scheduled day, which has been allocated regulation time plus 60 minutes, which means the first semi-final will start losing overs if the 8.30pm start-time is delayed for more than an hour. If it still goes into the reserve day, a further 190 minutes have been allocated from 2pm onwards, but the match will continue from where it was left off. For example, if two hours are lost to rain on Wednesday evening, the match will start as 13 overs a side from 10.30pm. If further rain on the night doesn’t allow for the completion of a 10-over game, the match will resume on the reserve day from where it was interrupted.Related

South African team delayed in Trinidad because of runway closure in Barbados

Manjrekar: India had a 'clear advantage' in knowing their semi-final venue in advance

Dwayne Bravo: Afghanistan have everything a T20 team needs

England up against a changed India from Adelaide 2022

'We'd have bitten your hand off to get to this spot' – Mott embraces semi-final opportunity

In the case of the second semi-final, an ICC spokesperson said that the overs will start being reduced only at approximately 2.40pm: 250 minutes after the scheduled start time of 10.30am.This gives rise to a scenario in which the match could start as a 20-over affair at 2.40pm, only for the the side batting first to be midway through their overs when the rain returns, thereby causing the match to be washed out as a no-result. That possibility is reduced by the early move towards reduced overs in the first semi-final, but not the second.If the ICC had made every effort to complete the second semi-final by 2.40pm and only gone into extra time if a 10-over game was not possible until such time, we would have had nearly identical playing conditions for both matches.What constitutes a completed game?Unlike in the league matches, where five overs in the second innings was enough for a result to be declared, both sides will have had an opportunity to bat 10 overs to constitute a match.What if we can’t get 10 overs each in?The team that finished at the top of their Super Eight group advances. That means South Africa from the first semi-final, and India from the second.What if the match is a tie?We play super overs until time permits. If still unresolved, the team winning their group advances.What is the forecast like?The first semi-final in Trinidad is under no threat of rain going into the reserve day. There is constant threat of rain during the second semi-final in Guyana.So, if we don’t need to worry about weather and extra time in the first semi-final, what is the latest the second semi-final can start for us to have a 10-over game?According to an ICC spokesperson, it needs to start by approximately 4.14pm for a 10-over match.Is it true that India knew before the other teams where they would be playing their semi-final?Yes. India were scheduled to play their semi-final in Guyana no matter where they finished in their group because that semi-final starts at 10.30am, which is 8pm back in India. Even though South Africa and England knew they had qualified several hours earlier, they had to wait for India’s status as winners of Group 1 to be resolved before they could travel to their venues.However, these playing conditions were signed off by every participating board well before the World Cup started.Does this give India any advantage?Any advantage India gain vis-à-vis a no-result finish, they did so by virtue of having finished at the top of their group.It could be argued they selected their squad knowing they would be in Guyana for the knockouts, but it is probably far-fetched to think the process could be skewed by advance knowledge of their eighth match of the tournament, when they also knew the venues for their previous seven matches. Also, it is a risk to base one’s selection on the historical nature of a venue, as has been observed elsewhere during this World Cup.

da leao： Tottenham Hotspur are keen on signing an “outstanding” Premier League defender, and there is now a possibility he could join on a free transfer in 2026, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Spurs eyeing new centre-back

da wazamba： Tottenham have conceded 51 goals in the Premier League this season, and while the poor defensive record can partly be attributed to Ange Postecoglou’s attacking philosophy, the numbers are concerning.

With Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero regularly being linked with moves elsewhere, the need to bring in a new centre-back this summer has been exacerbated, and a number of potential targets have been identified.

AFC Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen is one of the options, having held talks over a deal for the Spain international earlier this month, while they have also expressed an interest in Barcelona defender Eric Garcia, who could be sold for just £17m this summer.

Related Tottenham now in position to seal "bargain signing" of "interesting" striker

They’re “well-placed” to do a deal.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Apr 27, 2025

Huijsen is not the only Premier League defender Tottenham admire, however, as they are well-known to have made a £70m bid for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi in the January transfer window, and there has now been an update on the 24-year-old’s future.

Taking to X, Romano has now stated that Spurs “remain keen” on signing Guehi this summer, having been on their shortlist “for months”, but there could be competition for his signature from Premier League rivals Newcastle United and Chelsea.

This summer could be Palace’s last chance to cash-in for a sizeable fee, with the defender’s contract set to expire in 2026, but there is also a possibility he could leave Selhurst Park on a free transfer next year, if a suitable offer is not received.

Having knocked back the Lilywhites’ £70m bid in the winter window, it is clear Palace value their captain very highly, although reports from elsewhere have stated his price tag could now stand at between £50m – £60m.

Tottenham Hotspur’s upcoming fixtures

Date

Bodo/Glimt (h)

May 1st

West Ham United (a)

May 4th

Bodo/Glimt (a)

May 8th

Crystal Palace (h)

May 11th

Aston Villa (a)

May 18th

"Outstanding" Guehi could be ideal Romero replacement

Romero has been pushing for a summer exit, with Daniel Levy cancelling talks over a new contract, so it is clear a replacement may be required this summer, and the Palace centre-back has proven he could be up to the task.

The England international was particularly impressive en-route to the Euro 2024 final, with his performances being lauded as “outstanding” by members of the media, while he has also caught the eye in a Palace shirt.

The former Chelsea man has averaged a 7.07 SofaScore rating in the Premier League this season, ranking him as the third-most consistent performer in the Palace squad, and he has been a key component of the side, making 32 appearances.

Having also been lauded as a “leader” by members of the media, there are clear signs Guehi could be capable of organising Tottenham’s shaky backline, so it is promising news that the north Londoners remain keen on a deal this summer.

Albert Trott is best remembered for his six that cleared the Lord’s pavilion, but there was a lot more to him, as a new biography reveals

Alan Gardner27-Jan-2018There are two things that are most likely to come to mind when you hear mention of the name “Albert Trott”. One is that he is supposedly a distant relation of Jonathan Trott. The other, that he was the first – and so far only – man to hit the ball over the pavilion at Lord’s.The latter feat is rightly responsible for his enduring fame, more than a century after it took place. But while clearing the iconic old terracotta building at cricket’s most famous venue goes some way to sketching the outline of Trott’s appeal as a charismatic showman of the late-Victorian era – cricket’s original one-hit wonder – it does not come close to telling the full story of his life and career; which is where by Steve Neal, winner of the 2017 Cricket Writers’ Club Book of the Year award, comes in.Neal has painstakingly researched the first biography of this “neglected cricket hero”, going right back to Trott’s Antiguan ancestry, his upbringing in Collingwood, Melbourne, amid the threat of “typhoid, diphtheria and measles”, through to an untimely death from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the age of 41 and burial without ceremony in Willesden, north London – a sadly ignominious end for a man who played Test cricket for both Australia and England. It was not until the 1970s that Middlesex, the club he served as a professional for 12 years, arranged a headstone for his grave.There ought to have been no shortage of positive reasons to remember him. “Albatrott” was a high-flying bird: (still) holder of the record for best innings figures by a Test debutant; the first man to score 1000 runs and take 200 wickets in a county season (which he did twice in a row); the first man to take two hat-tricks in the same innings; one of a select few to play Tests for two countries.Albert Trott’s grave in Willesden Cemetery in London•Getty ImagesPerhaps the root of Trott’s tragic demise lay in his early rejection by Australia. Having made scores of 38 not out and 72 not out, batting at No. 10, he claimed 8 for 43 on debut against England in Adelaide in 1895, a match that sparked Australia’s comeback from 2-0 down in the series (although they ultimately lost 3-2). After three Tests, Trott averaged 102.50 with the bat and 21.33 with the ball; however, he was subsequently overlooked for the tour of England in 1896. Tom Horan, the former Test batsman and chronicler known as “Felix”, summed up the mood:

“His fame is trumpet tongued to the world not only as a batsman but as a bowler and field, and now the famous selection committee… give him the cold shoulder and proclaim him unfit to represent Australia on the cricket fields of England. I have seen some queer things done by selection committees in my time, but this caps all.”

No matter, Trott would make the trip regardless. Having already received offers to ply his trade in England, he secured a contract with MCC, which would allow him to serve a two-year qualifying period to represent Middlesex. He quickly made an impression, his changes of pace and ability to curve the ball – learned from playing baseball – making him a particularly canny operator in English conditions. “He became known as one of the best all-round men in England,” Neal writes, “but it was his bowling that was dominant at this point.”Pitch PublishingA couple of summers later, in 1899, now a Middlesex player, Trott scored 1175 runs and took 239 first-class wickets; but it was to be one big hit, against the country of his birth, that secured his legacy. The ball rose until it was “a pea in the sky”, before landing in the garden of the Lord’s dressing-room attendant, who lived behind the pavilion (meaning the shot was only worth four, since sixes had to be hit clean out of the ground). No one has yet managed to emulate Trott, though Kieron Pollard came close for Somerset in 2010, and in recent years Middlesex players have lined up to have a crack in laboratory conditions to publicise the T20 competition.Trott had by then abandoned his allegiance to Australia completely, having made two Test appearances for England under Lord Hawke on the 1898-99 tour of South Africa. He was 26 and should have been at the peak of his powers, but after scoring 1337 runs and taking 211 wickets (including all ten in an innings against Somerset) during the 1900 season, his decline was steady.A teetotaller in his younger days, Trott had acquired a taste for beer (often bought for him by a well-wisher). After a brief return to the spotlight with his unprecedented feat of taking two hat-tricks in an innings during his benefit match in 1907, he was quoted by a newspaper as recommending “dry ginger ale” when bowling. “This was a little rich from a man who enjoyed nothing more than ‘a cooler’ during and after a game,” writes Neal. After being effectively sacked by Middlesex in 1910, Trott’s health worsened and he suffered badly from the build-up of fluid caused by oedema – or dropsy, as it was known.Financial issues also weighed heavily and another blow was to come when Trott’s wife and two children left to return to Australia without him. When he took his own life, during the summer of 1914, he had £4 to his name and left a will written on the back of a laundry ticket. An inquest recorded the verdict: “Suicide during temporary insanity.”But let that not be the final word on “Dear Old Trottie”. Over once more to Neal, author of this meticulous and sympathetic portrait:

“His life was shaped by his character and temperament, the man within, as much as his skills with the bat and ball. Over the years, he was someone who struggled to come to terms with his own cricketing talent. In the process, he brought about his own downfall, suffered a reverse of fortune, losing everything – a last desperate act, the life of an Edwardian cricketer tinged with shades of the Shakespearean tragic hero.”

Over and Out – Albert Trott: The Man Who Cleared the Lord’s Pavilion
By Steve Neal
Pitch Publishing, 2017
£12.99, 224 pages

Luka Modric is reportedly ready to agree to a move to Serie A giants AC Milan after his legendary chapter with Real Madrid came to an end.

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• Milan confident of Modric deal
• Croatian left Real Madrid as free agent
• Ballon d'Or winner verbally agrees transfer

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  AC Milan are confident of signing Ballon d'Or winner Modric after the two parties came to a verbal agreement over the transfer, according to Gianluca Di Marzio. The 39-year-old has left Real Madrid as a free agent after a legendary stint at the club came to an end but now looks set to extend his career with another season in the professional game, this time at San Siro.

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  Modric has been linked with Major League Soccer clubs like Inter Miami and Scottish side Rangers, while Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr were also touted as a potential landing spot. However, Milan are thought to be confident of finalising a deal as soon as Wednesday as they look to improve a squad which could only finish eighth in the 2024-25 Serie A table.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Real Madrid had a disappointing season, failing to add to their early successes in the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Intercontinental Cup. Those ended up being Modric's last pieces of silverware with Los Blancos as he contributed four goals and nine assists in all competitions over the campaign.

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR MODRIC?

  Modric remains present on the international stage and will captain Croatia in their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Gibraltar and Czechia this month.

Gavi has made it clear he wants to spend his entire career at Barcelona amid rumours linking him to Paris Saint-Germain.

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Gavi shuts down fresh PSG linksVows lifelong commitment to BarcaMidfielder "very close" to Hansi FlickFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The 20-year-old midfielder quashed the rumours about a move to PSG and said he remains fully committed to succeeding at Barca under new coach Hansi Flick.

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Gavi was sidelined with a serious knee injury in the 2023-24 campaign, which saw him miss the three months of the latest campaign. Despite regaining full fitness, the midfielder failed to regain a regular place in the starting XI in Flick's debut season. Since his return from injury, he has played in 42 matches but started just 14 in La Liga and three in the Champions League. It had been reported that PSG manager Luis Enrique is keen on bringing Gavi to the French capital. However, he says there is no chance of that happening.

WHAT GAVI SAID

Gavi told : "People believe what they read in any media. I understand people who might believe it. But it's not going to happen. I'm very calm. My dream and my mentality is to spend my entire career at Barca. It's the club of my life and where I want to succeed. I don't want any other, and I'll give everything I have to make it happen."

When asked about his relationship with Flick, Gavid said: "Very close, I think you can see it. But not just with me, but with the whole team as well. He's a man who's always there for you when you need him, and that's very important. I think it's part of what we've won this season."

AFPWHAT NEXT FOR GAVI?

Gavi has returned to Spain squad for the first time since suffering the knee injury on international duty in 2023. The reigning Nations League champions will face France in the semi-finals of the tournament at MHPArena in Stuttgart on Thursday night.

تحدث إنزو ماريسكا المدير الفني لفريق تشيلسي، عقب المباراة أمام فولهام في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز اليوم السبت.

والتقى تشيلسي وفولهام ضمن مباريات الجولة الثالثة للدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “البريميرليج”، وحقق فريق ماريسكا فوزًا بهدفين دون مقابل.

وفي مؤتمره الصحفي عقب المباراة، سُئل ماريسكا عن حالة لاعبه ليام ديلاب وإصابته وإذا كان بحاجة للتعاقد مع مهاجم آخر قبل انتهاء انتقالات الصيف.

وأجاب: “لا تبدو إصابة ليام جيدة، فقد كان سريعًا جدًا، وتعرض لإصابة في أوتار الركبة، لذا تطلبت كالعادة أسابيع، أما بالنسبة لمهاجم آخر، بصراحة، فقد انتهينا المباراة وجئنا إلى هنا للمؤتمر الصحفي، لذا بعد انتهاء المباراة، سنجلس ونرى إن كنا سنتخذ أي قرار، هذا كل شيء”.

وإذا كان بالإمكان الإبقاء على نيكولاس جاكسون المقرر إعارته لبايرن ميونخ، أصر ماريسكا: “قلتُ للتو أنهينا المباراة، وجئت للمؤتمر، لا أعرف، سنجلس الآن ونرى، جدّيًا، بصراحة، ليس لديّ أي فكرة”.

وعما إذا كان لديه خيارات كافية في مركز المهاجم، رد: “عندما يكون لديك مهاجمان، فهذا يكفي، عندما يُصاب أحدهما لأسابيع، فغالبًا لا يكون ذلك كافيًا، نحاول استخدام حلول مختلفة، إذا كنت تتذكر العام الماضي، فقد استخدمنا بيدرو نيتو في بعض المباريات كلاعب رقم 9، هذا لأننا نبحث دائمًا عن حلول، ولكن بالتأكيد عندما يكون لديك لاعبان رقم 9 جيدان، فهذا يكفي”.

اقرأ أيضًا | موعد مباراة برشلونة وتشيلسي في دوري أبطال أوروبا 2025/26

وإذا كانت لكأس العالم للأندية وفترة الإعداد القصيرة تأثير مباشر على كثرة الإصابات، علّق: “قلتُ قبل بداية الموسم إنه للأسف ليس لدي إجابة، لأنها المرة الأولى التي تُقام فيها بطولة خلال الصيف، لذا لا أحد يعلم، لا أعلم، لا أنا، ولا أي متخصص في علوم الرياضة، ولا أي طبيب يستطيع مساعدتنا في التنبؤ بمدى احتمالية حدوث هذه المشكلة”.

واستكمل: “لا نعلم، إنه أمر جديد، وللأسف حدث بالفعل، قلتُ في المؤتمر الصحفي بالأمس أعتقد أن  كولويل، كايسيدو، وكول بالمر، واليوم ليام ليس صدفة”.

وانتقل للحديث عن المباراة أمام فولهام، والجدل حول قرارات حكم الفار، وشعوره لو كانت ضد فريقه، وأوضح: “قلتُ للتو، إنني أراجع كلا القرارين، من وجهة نظري، من الواضح تمامًا أن القرار الأول هو ركل أحد لاعبيهم لتريف، والثاني واضح تمامًا أنها لمسة يد، الآن أستطيع أن أفهم أنه من وجهة نظرهم، لا يمكن احتساب خطأ، لكنني أعتقد أنه من الواضح تمامًا أنه خطأ، ومن ثم ركلة جزاء”.

وحول سبب غضب إنزو فرنانديز في الشوط الأول، أفاد: “الجواب هو أنه فائز بكأس العالم للأندية، فائز بكأس العالم، وأعتقد أنه ربما اللاعب الوحيد في العالم الذي فاز باللقبين، وعندما لا يكون جيدًا بما يكفي، يستطيع أن يُدرك ذلك، وربما كان منزعجًا بسبب ذلك، لأنه في الشوط الأول، أعتقد أنه لم يكن جيدًا بما يكفي”.

وواصل: “ثم في الشوط الثاني، كان مثل البقية مُتألقًا، لذا ربما يكون سبب عدم سعادته هو أنه أدرك أنه لم يكن جيدًا بما يكفي، وفي الشوط الثاني، أعتقد أنه كان مُتألقًا، ولكن في نهاية المباراة كان الجميع يرقصون أو يحتفلون بالفوز، لذا كان إنزو حاضرًا وكان سعيدًا”.

وعما إذا  كان يشير إلى ماركوس ألفاريز، رد: “لا أعرف، على الأرجح، عندما سجلنا هدفًا مع جواو، غادرتُ مقاعد البدلاء فورًا لأنني كنتُ أكثر قلقًا بشأن تحسين أدائي في الشوط الثاني، لذا عدتُ إلى غرفة الملابس لأُعدّ لوحة التكتيكات وكل شيء، لذلك لم أرَ شيئًا”.

Sixers overcame an all-round challenge from Will Sutherland to notch up their eighth straight win over Renegades

Tristan Lavalette08-Dec-2023

Steven Smith smashed a half-century in another statement as Sydney Sixers overcame a superb allround performance from Will Sutherland to edge Melbourne Renegades out at the SCG.In what will be a rare BBL appearance this season, six days before the first Test between Australia and Pakistan, Smith again relished opening the batting to top-score in Sixers’ 175 for 6.No.3 Jake Fraser-McGurk made Sixers’ veteran attack nervous with a furious 48 off 24 balls, but his dismissal just before drinks left Renegades in peril at 78 for 4.Sixers were made to work with Sutherland, having earlier starred with the ball, providing a late twist. He bludgeoned an unbeaten 51 from 30 balls before Sixers secured their eighth straight win over Renegades.Several of the high-profile signings for Renegades, who last season made finals in a bounce back, did not play including Test spinner Nathan Lyon. But legspinner Adam Zampa performed well with 2 for 24 after crossing over from Melbourne Stars.It wasn’t enough for them to break a Sixers hoodoo with Smith once again relishing returning to the BBL.Smith has openly stated his desire to open the batting for Australia at next year’s T20 World Cup having shuffled around the order previously. He auditioned for the role late in last season’s BBL with blistering centuries in consecutive innings.Smith also made a half-century against India during the recent T20I series in his first opportunity to open at the international level.After Sixers were sent into bat, Smith starred with 61 off 42 balls in a knock mixing gorgeous traditional strokes with inventive tennis-like swats. He waited patiently for the strike with opener Josh Philippe hitting a boundary off the first ball of the innings to foreshadow what was ahead.Philippe, once a BBL standout who has endured a torrid run in this season’s Sheffield Shield, was in superb touch with five boundaries in his first 11 deliveries.Smith wasn’t to be overshadowed and made his move in the third over by whipping seamer Tom Rogers through backward square before bludgeoning a six over deep square on the next delivery.With pace having no impact, offspinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman was thrusted into the attack in the powerplay but Smith treated him with disdain by striking three straight boundaries through the offside.Smith raced to 25 off 10 balls as Sixers stormed to 48 for 0 after four overs. Zampa hoped to stem the onslaught, but Philippe slog swept him for six into the famous Member’s Pavilion.Ben Dwarshuis picked up three crucial wickets to dent Renegades•Cricket Australia/Getty Images

Sutherland provided a much-needed breakthrough with his first ball after Philippe chopped on and James Vince fell in similar fashion later in the over. Bowling a hard length, the towering Sutherland led a fightback with a brilliant four-over spell.He was difficult to score off as Smith reverted to unfurling the ramp shot to hit a rare boundary in the middle overs. Smith reached his half-century off 31 balls, but struggled to regain his earlier fluency and eventually holed out to deep midwicket off Zampa.Zampa on his next delivery clean bowled Tom Curran with a brilliant googly to continue Renegades’ stirring comeback. But late hitting from Jordan Silk and Jack Edwards lifted Sixers to a strong total.Renegades’ hopes rested on Fraser-McGurk just two months after he entered the record books for the fastest ever List A century. Wickets fell around him, but Fraser-McGurk was undaunted and whacked 18 runs in the third over off seamer Jackson Bird.He then whipped quick Sean Abbott for six to race to 24 off nine deliveries before pulverising Edwards over long-on and onto the roof.Fraser-McGurk, playing his 26th BBL game, rapidly closed in on a maiden half-century before being bamboozled by a clever slow bumper from veteran quick Ben Dwarshuis.Veteran Aaron Finch overcame a scratchy start to provide support for Sutherland, but Renegades were always pushing an uphill battle. Sutherland tried his best and a huge six off Dwarshuis meant Renegades needed 14 off the last four balls.But Dwarshuis did enough to complete a resilient performance after his father passed away this week.

Fast bowler becomes India’s highest wicket-taker in World Cups, over-taking Javagal Srinath and Zaheer Khan

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Nov-2023

It’s about finding rhythm, hitting right areas, keeping an uncluttered mind, and feeding off the love of the people, Mohammed Shami said after bagging the Player-of-the-Match award for his 5 for 18 in a thumping 302-run win over Sri Lanka in Mumbai, which made India the first team to qualify for the World Cup semi-finals.”All the hard work we are putting in, the rhythm we have found, it’s because of that that you are getting to see this storm (on the cricket field), the incredible things our bowling unit is doing,” Shami said at the post-match presentation. “The rhythm we are bowling with, I can’t believe anyone will not enjoy it. So, yes, we are enjoying ourselves a lot and working together as a unit, and you are able to see the results of that.”Loud cheers rang out around the Wankhede Stadium when it was announced that Shami had, with his final wicket, become the highest wicket-taker for India in World Cups, going past the mark of 44 achieved by Zaheer Khan and Javagal Srinath.”Yeah, I am trying (to do my best), as always, trying to pitch the ball in the right areas and trying to find the right rhythm, because in big tournaments, if you lose rhythm it’s very difficult to get it back,” Shami said. “So right from the start, the attempt has been to focus on the right areas and right lengths, and it’s working, so why not try to repeat it?”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Since Shami came into the side at the World Cup, his returns have been 5 for 54 (vs New Zealand), 4 for 22 (vs England), and now 5 for 18 (vs Sri Lanka).”It’s tough,” Shami said when asked about the achievement, “but I will say it again: your rhythm has to be right and the areas you hit must be right. Especially with the white ball, if you hit the right areas, you get movement off the pitch. So that’s what matters the most.”Shami, who came on to bowl after Mohammed Siraj (3-16) and Jasprit Bumrah (1-8) had picked up the first four Sri Lanka wickets for just 14 runs, got one of his wickets bowled, two caught behind by KL Rahul, one caught in the slips, and one caught at point. No lbws. In fact, none of his 45 World Cup wickets have been lbws.He didn’t quite know how to explain this. “No rocket science. Just a matter of rhythm, good food, keep your mind uncluttered, and, most importantly, the love of the people. The support we get in India has a huge role. When you go out of India, you get so much support from Indians. So I will keep trying to make everyone happy.”Shubman Gill: ‘Our bowlers have been phenomenal’Shubman Gill, who top-scored in India’s innings with a run-a-ball 92, credited the bowling unit for making the job of the batters easier.”Our bowlers have been doing a phenomenal job. They have always restricted the opposition to below-par scores, which has made our job as batsmen easy,” he said on the official broadcast after the match.Gill took a sharp catch in the slips towards the end of the Sri Lanka innings, off Kasun Rajitha, which completed Shami’s five-for. It was a good vantage point to watch the fast bowlers in action.”The way they were bowling, there weren’t many conversations we were having [in the slip cordon], you know,” Gill said. “We were anticipating wickets almost on every ball. But in the last match as well… the way our fast bowlers have bowled throughout the World Cup has been sensation to watch. Especially from the slips.”