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Steve Magoffin celebrated a 10-wicket haul for the fourth time in his career but he could end up on the losing side with Worcestershire favourites to see off a Sussex run chase in teir bid to finish runners-up in Division Two

ECB Reporters Network13-Sep-2016
ScorecardSteve Magoffin finished with 10 wickets in the match•Getty ImagesSteve Magoffin celebrated a ten-wicket match haul for the fourth time in his Sussex career but Worcestershire are favourites to beat them and improve their chances of claiming runners-up spot in Division Two of the Specsavers County Championship.Magoffin followed his first innings 5 for 38 by taking 5 for 32 from 15 overs as Worcestershire were dismissed for 198 in their second innings on another day of rich entertainment in which 17 wickets fell and 390 runs were scored.It has left Sussex with a victory target of 272 on a pitch still offering plenty of assistance to the seam bowlers and they suffered a big blow in the final over of the day when Chris Nash was leg before to Joe Leach. They will resume on 13 for 1, still needing 259 to win.Worcestershire had claimed a crucial first innings lead of 77 but Magoffin had them in trouble immediately when Daryl Mitchell was caught at cover off a leading edge from the first ball of the innings.Magoffin ‘best in division’

Mark Davis, Sussex coach: “Steve Magoffin bowled magnificently again on a pitch where you can score runs quite quickly. In the last few games he has been absolutely fantastic for us and here he got great support from the other seamers, particularly David Wiese. It was great to see Chris Jordan and Jofra Archer batting so intelligently. CJ is a bit of a mentor to Jofra and it showed – their partnership might turn out to be absolutely crucial.”
Matt Mason, Worcestershire assistant coach: “Our batsmen think Steve Magoffin is the best new-ball bowler in the division and he showed it again, I thought he was magnificent for them.

Magoffin struck again in this second over when Chris Nash pulled off a superb diving catch at second slip to remove Brett D’Oliveira. Magoffin has now claimed the wickets of 22 opening batsmen this season – the best record in the country – but Worcestershire rallied thanks to a stand of 68 between Tom Fell and Joe Clarke.Throughout the game, though, wickets have fallen in clusters and it happened again when three fell in the space of 18 balls. Wiese picked up Clarke (35) when he mis-timed a drive to extra cover before George Rhodes (6) was leg before offering no shot in the South African’s next over.Tom Kohler-Cadmore was leg before to Jofra Archer to register his fourth successive duck and leave his side 76 for 5 but once again Fell led a recovery, this time with Ben Cox. Together they added 113 in 24 overs with left-arm spinner Danny Briggs targeted as he had been in the first innings. Cox struck him down the ground for two sixes while Fell pushed on after being dropped by Nash on 57.Magoffin was summoned back into the attack and immediately made the breakthrough when Fell, trying to cut, was surprised by extra bounce and edged behind for 85, made from 126 balls with 12 fours.In his next over a full-length delivery was too good for Cox (56) and Magoffin completed his five-for when he yorked Miguel Cummins.Wiese gave him excellent support, picking up the last two wickets to finish with 4 for 18, his best figures for the county.Worcestershire would have been in an even better position had Chris Jordan not led some spirited resistance by Sussex’s lower order earlier in the day.From a parlous 71 for 7 he helped the last three wickets put on 158 of which his own contribution was an unbeaten 57. An enterprising stand of 97 with Archer ensured Sussex avoided the follow-on but it was their fellow Barbadian Cummins who stole the show.The Worcestershire paceman finished with figures of 7 for 84 after picking up four more wickets in a high-quality display down the slope on a pitch offering him plenty of encouragement.

Sky Sports pundit Tim Sherwood has slammed Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa after he gave away a penalty in the club's most recent game.

What's the latest on Wolves and Jose Sa?

The Molineux outfit had to travel away from home to take on Leicester City in a big clash towards the bottom of the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

Indeed, the threat of relegation is very real for both teams, although the Foxes are in a bit more trouble, coming onto the match stuck inside the bottom three.

Perhaps with that in mind, Wolves – who came into the game five places above the relegation zone – started the game with more confidence and took an early lead thanks to a fine finish from Matheus Cunha.

However, despite dominating the early stages of the game. Julen Lopetegui's men found themselves pegged back in the 37th minute.

Jamie Vardy latched onto a good through-ball, and after his touch took him past Sa, the goalkeeper clattered into the striker.

Referee Andy Madley pointed to the spot and there could be no complaints as Kelechi Iheanacho put the resulting penalty kick away to make it 1-1.

Evidently unimpressed with what he'd just witnessed, pundit Sherwood was far from kind when dropping his verdict on Sa.

Indeed, he told Sky Sports: "Vardy looks like he is hurt. He looks to be in agony.

"He was going away from the goal, l have no idea what Sa was thinking."

Could Jose Sa be dropped after this mistake?

Sherwood certainly was right about Vardy, who had to be replaced by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall at half-time after being fouled by Sa.

And it seems as though he was also fair when questioning the £25k-per-week goalkeeper for rushing out of position and bringing the Englishman down.

For example, journalist Liam Keen also slammed the actions of Sa. He wrote on Twitter: "Sa makes a call to come and makes a big error, taking Vardy out. He's booked too."

What's more, according to journalist Alan Nixon of The Sun, Wolves are potentially looking to sign Sunderland shot-stopper Anthony Patterson next summer.

That could mean Lopetegui has some doubts about Sa in the long term and he certainly wouldn't have done his reputation any favours with this major error in judgement.

For now, at least, he has until the rest of the season to prove his quality between the sticks as Wolves fight to avoid the drop.

Fast bowler Pat Cummins is expected to use an Australia A series in August to make his return from a long lay-off due to a stress fracture of the back. Cummins has been named in a 24-man squad for Australia A’s winter games in Queensland, while there were also call-ups for young batsmen Matt Renshaw, Sam Heazlett, Alex Ross, Travis Dean, Kurtis Patterson and Jake Lehmann, the son of national coach Darren Lehmann.Australia A will play a pair of four-day games against South Africa A in Brisbane and Townsville from July 30 to August 9, before a quadrangular one-day series featuring the same two teams, the National Performance Squad, and a fourth international side yet to be confirmed. The one-dayers will be play in Townsville and Mackay, before two more four-day games in September.Cummins is expected to be used in the one-day games, if he continues to recover from the back stress fracture that was diagnosed last September and ruled him out of yet another home summer. Cummins was part of the World Cup-winning squad early last year and remains a Cricket Australia-contracted player, despite injuries having prevented him from playing Sheffield Shield cricket for more than five years.”Pat is tracking along nicely in his recovery from his long term injury and we are hopeful he will be available for the one-day matches in this series,” national selector Rod Marsh said. “However, we will be guided by medical staff on his return.”The list of bowlers in the squad also includes Joe Mennie and Daniel Worrall, the South Australia pair who topped the Sheffield Shield wicket tally last summer, as well as Chris Tremain, and spinner Mitchell Swepson.Australia A squad Ashton Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Scott Boland, Cameron Boyce, Pat Cummins, Travis Dean, Peter Handscomb, Travis Head, Sam Heazlett, Moises Henriques, Jake Lehmann, Chris Lynn, Joe Mennie, Kurtis Patterson, Joel Paris, Matt Renshaw, Kane Richardson, Alex Ross, Chadd Sayers, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Chris Tremain, Daniel Worrall, Sam Whiteman.Four-day matches
July 30-August 2: Australia A v South Africa A, Allan Border Field, Brisbane
August 6-9: Australia A v South Africa A, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville
September 8-11: Australia A v TBC, Allan Border Field
September 15-18: Australia A v TBC, Allan Border Field
One-day series
August 13: South Africa A v NPS, Townsville
August 14: Australia A v TBC, Townsville
August 16: Australia A v NPS, Townsville
August 17: South Africa A v TBC, Townsville
August 20: Australia A v South Africa A, Townsville
August 21: TBC v NPS, Townsville
August 24: NPS v Australia A, Harrup Park, Mackay
August 25: South Africa A v TBC, Mackay
August 27: NPS v TBC, Mackay
August 28: Australia A v South Africa A, Mackay
August 30: Australia A v TBC, Mackay
August 31: South Africa A v NPS, Mackay
September 3: Final 3 v 4, Mackay
September 4: Final 1 v 2, Mackay

Don Robson, the driving force behind Durham’s emergence as a first-class county, has died at the age of 82

David Hopps11-Mar-2016Don Robson, the driving force behind Durham’s emergence as a first-class county, has died at the age of 82.Durham became the 18th first-class county in 1992, the first since Glamorgan in 1921, defying the general assumption that county cricket was certain to decline rather than expand bravely into what became its most northerly outpost.After difficult beginnings, they went on to dominate the professional game, winning six trophies between 2007 and 2014, including three Championships, and also staging international cricket at their purpose-built Chester-le-Street ground.The death of the man who was chiefly responsible for delivering that dream comes at a challenging time when Durham are under considerable financial strain, inviting questions whether regular England cricket in the north-east is sustainable.Robson, immensely proud of the north-east, would have had no truck with such pessimism. As leader of Durham county council (the youngest ever when he was appointed in 1973) and an influential member of the regional assembly, he had political clout in the region and he put it to good use in a straightforward, immensely committed style.His ambition was to provide a home for the succession of cricketers developed in the north-east but who had previously had to leave the county to fulfil their ambitions to play professional cricket.Gordon Hollins, the ECB’s chief operating officer, knew Robson well from his time as commercial director at Durham.He said: “Don played a leading role in gaining first-class status for Durham prior to their inaugural season at the top table in 1992. The north-east was going through a really tough time economically and Don’s efforts therefore didn’t just help cricket, they also helped the region regain some pride.”The success of Durham on the field, the development of several England players and the staging of international cricket at the Emirates Riverside are all achievements that would not have been possible without Don’s contribution”Don was equally committed to the recreational game – I would often see him watching Greenside CC play in the Tyneside & Northumberland league on a Saturday afternoon.”Robson became Durham’s first chairman as a first-class county, but this was no political sop. He led the fundraising drive, lobbying extensively and continuing his involvement in cricket in the north-east.He was involved when Durham were England’s dominant minor county through the 1970s and ’80s – going 65 games unbeaten between 1976 and 1982 – managed the Under-19 team for a while and represented the county at several committees on the Test and County Cricket Board – the forerunner of the ECB.In April 1992 they played their first match as a first-class county – a Sunday League fixture against Lancashire at the Racecourse Ground in Durham. Ian Botham and Wayne Larkins, two high-profile signings, opened the batting and Durham won. It was a decade and more before winning became a habit.Most importantly, Durham secured land for a permanent headquarters on the outskirts of Chester-le-Street, adjoining the River Wear and with Lumley Castle providing a striking backdrop. A Chester-le-Street farmer had been willing to end his lease because the land was too wet. In May 1995, Durham played their inaugural game on the ground against Warwickshire and the pavilion was named in Robson’s honour and opened by the Queen in 1996.Geoff Cook, Durham’s director of cricket – the longest-serving county coach in the game – said on the their website: “You had to be involved at the time of Durham’s emergence from minor counties cricket to appreciate the enormity of Don’s involvement in the whole scheme.”To be the first new county for 70 or 80 years was a big thing in its own right, but the practicalities of getting the finance and the ground in place were vital to us having a realistic chance of succeeding.”A tremendous amount of balls were up in the air at the same time, but Don remained completely focused throughout the process and at the same time he progressed his business as well as his political career.”It was amazing to be on hand to witness his mental and physical energy and the way he was able to pull things together. He really was a remarkable man. He had a ferocious energy and a determination to satisfy his vision.”No matter the size of the hurdles that got in his way, he always felt he could surmount them. He was formidable, but he had a lot of warmth and he was a caring person.”Before awarding first-class status, Durham had to have at least £1m in the bank and guarantee to secure a permanent ground within five years.Robson used his political contacts to win major support from such companies as Scottish and Newcastle Breweries, but he was a politician who also had a strong connection with the public and they trusted him with a rush of small donations and offers of help in the belief that he would achieve his goal.He was awarded a CBE for services to local government in 1997 and received an honorary doctorate from Sunderland University in 2002 in recognition both of this and his role in securing Durham’s first-class status. He also played professional football as a centre-forward with Doncaster Rovers and Gateshead.

Everton’s business in the transfer market in recent years has arguably been one of the biggest reasons behind their fall from European hopefuls to relegation candidates.

Splashing the cash on big-money signings such as Yerry Mina (£27.2m), Theo Walcott (£20m) and Andre Gomes (£22m) has all been for nothing, with the trio just three amongst a handful of other inflated moves that just haven’t worked out for the club.

With Mina likely to leave this summer upon the expiration of his contract and Walcott having departed a few years ago following a measly record of just 11 goals in 85 appearances, it is Gomes who could still rinse the club for the next year, and his singing has been one of disappointment.

How much has Andre Gomes cost Everton?

Much was made of the Portuguese midfielder upon his arrival at Goodison Park in 2018, initially on loan before sealing a permanent deal. Here was a player who had just spent two seasons at Barcelona, winning two Spanish Cups along with a La Liga title, while he also won Euro 2016 with Portugal, proving that he could bring a winning mentality to the Toffees.

Despite his successful season on loan, scoring once in 27 Premier League matches, completing 73% of his attempted dribbles and making 1.4 tackles per game, the following campaigns have largely been underwhelming.

The 29-year-old only started seven league matches last season, averaging a Sofascore rating of just 6.35/10, managing just one assist and losing possession 7.7 times on average per match.

He was even described as a “walking red card” by The Athletic journalist Greg O’Keeffe following a match last season and over the course of his Everton career, he has rinsed them for millions.

Indeed, since arriving permanently for £22m in 2019, Gomes has also cost the club a further £19.7m in wages during his time at the Toffees, adding up to a quite ridiculous total of £41.7m.

Former Toffees manager Frank Lampard sent him out on loan to Ligue 1 side Lille in the summer for the whole season and his form seems to have picked up slightly. In 18 league matches, he has netted once while grabbing a further two assists and also making 0.7 key passes per game.

This return to some sort of form could work well for current boss Sean Dyche, who may be able to recoup some of the £22m the club spent on him four years ago.

Whatever happens regarding his future, he has rinsed the club for way too much during his stint on Merseyside and future transfers like this will need to be avoided.

Take a peek into the life of one of Pakistan’s most exciting fast bowlers

Shashank Kishore03-Sep-2022There is a boisterous energy Naseem Shah brings to everything he does on the cricket field. And he makes things happen. If his fiery lifters to Virat Kohli elicited a raised brow and a nod from the batter, his late seam movement back into KL Rahul to clang into his stumps triggered an Imran Tahir-like sprint of celebration. Even his handshake comes off with a sideways high-five vibe. It’s all or nothing.When Naseem is running in, everyone must stop what they are doing and watch. At training, and at press boxes. Even in the dining room, people put down their spoons and forks and watch him. On Sunday, he bowled Rahul first ball, and then welcomed Kohli with a sharp bouncer and a smile. Everyone’s eyes were on him. Even the private security guards whose job it is to survey the crowed for signs of trouble couldn’t help but steal a glance.Yet, for all that aggression, there’s a boyish charm to Naseem, in the way he just seems to enjoy everything about the game. Bowling is what he loves, though. Even at the end of a long two-hour session, if he still has the ball in hand, you know batters are going to be challenged, if not cop blows. It doesn’t even matter that they are all his team-mates.Related

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Naseem plays with a smile; angry barbs aren’t his way. If you know his story, just 19 years’ worth, you would know why playing cricket means so much to him. He has seen poverty knock on his door. He has had to deal with the loss of a parent – his mother. He’s experienced challenges every step of the way. It has all been in search of a dream. A dream that may have once seemed as far from becoming a reality as his hometown in the Lower Dir in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is to Karachi or Islamabad. But not anymore.Naseem has overcome setbacks on the field too. Some serious, like multiple stress fractures on his back that has had him spend more time on hospital beds, looking at PET scans and reports, than the nets or at the ground. And others not quite so frightening, but worrying all the same, like his shoulder troubles earlier this year.In between, he has roughed up batting line-ups with swing, seam and raw pace. He is the youngest bowler ever to pick up a Test hat-trick. He has played in England, West Indies, Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and is now in the UAE for the Asia Cup. In a month’s time, he is likely to be on the flight to Australia, the country of his Test debut, for his maiden [T20] World Cup.Not bad, you’d think, for someone who didn’t have a pair of spikes till four years ago. He didn’t know what a leather ball was or what seam position meant. All he knew was bowling fast. No compromises.A 16-year old Naseem Shah takes off after picking up a Test hat-trick against Bangladesh in February 2020•Associated PressMudassar Nazar, the former Pakistan allrounder, remembers watching Naseem in his debut season, in 2018, and being spellbound. Mudassar was director of academies at the PCB and was in charge of honing the skills of young cricketers who had been handpicked to be part of the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.”In his maiden first-class season, I remember a game where Naseem was bowling to a tailender, a No. 11, I presume,” Mudassar recalled in a chat with ESPNcricinfo. “You could see the guy was scared of Naseem. He kept exposing all three stumps, it was basically an open invitation for Naseem to clean him up. But he kept bowling short, bowling bouncers at him. He was so aggressive that he wanted to knock him out. We had to sit him down and tell him this is not how you bowl; the prime objective is to get people out.”The NCA in Lahore shares a wall with the Abdul Qadir Academy, where Naseem began his formal training at 15. He had just moved into his uncle’s house in the city, from where he would cycle long distances to reach the academy. On his first day there, he was handed an old ball. Two overs later, Naseem made a beeline for the new ball, and he wasn’t to be denied. Clearly, he was special. Saud Khan, a man with an eye for talent and one of the coaches at the academy, was Naseem’s first instructor, and Sulaman Qadir, one of Abdul Qadir’s sons, his mentor.For six months, Naseem’s routine was something like this: cycle to training, bowl for four hours, cycle home, grab some food, then go back and do it all over again in the evening. It wasn’t for everyone. But for Naseem, it was all he wanted to do. Once word about him spread, he was immediately drafted into one of several age-group camps at the PCB Academy.This period coincided with Mudassar’s return to Pakistan from Dubai, where he had been in charge as head of cricket development at the ICC Academy. Mudassar, a veteran of 76 Tests and 122 ODIs, had been at the forefront of the academy’s development since its launch in 2009, but couldn’t refuse an offer when then PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan came calling.Naseem Shah got his first Pakistan cap from Waqar Younis in November 2019•Getty ImagesMudassar’s first task was to identify a pool of players at the Under-16 level to take part in PCB’s exchange programme with Cricket Australia in early 2017. Sure enough, Naseem figured in that list. It was Mudassar’s first proper sighting of the fast bowler, long before he played that first-class game where he roughed up tailenders with bouncers.”My first impression was the guy can bowl sharp, and that he was quick, but can get quicker,” Mudassar said. He continued after a long pause: “But he had a terrible bowling action that was putting a lot of strain on his back. Much of it came about because of non-stop cricket. He’d bowl at the NCA, then hop over to the academy next door and bowl there. And this took a toll on him without him realising it.”Towards the end of 2017, Naseem had his first stress fracture and it needed six-seven months of rehab. “He dealt with the news of his injury better than me, or better than many other kids would,” Mudassar said. “But that desperation to play was there. It was a stressful time, but he was so composed. Every morning, he’d come and say, ‘sir, ‘ [I want to play]. Our challenge as coaches was to control hm and tell him he needed to look after himself.”Mudassar has undertaken several courses about biomechanics and injury management over the years. His ability to explain a complex issue in layperson’s terms helps put things into perspective.”Naseem’s action is side-on, and his front arm kept falling away from his body instead of going across his body,” Mudassar said. “That would take the head position with it, and all his energy, instead of going straight down the pitch, would be going towards gully. This put immense stress on his back.”He would be so fond of bowling that you couldn’t keep him still. You have to do a certain number of repetitions to get a message from your brain to form your muscle memory. But because young players are so fond of playing, it’s easy to go back to old habits. We had to control Naseem for six months. And inch by inch, we worked on bringing his front arm across. Only once we were fully satisfied, he was able to do that, we let him play.”Mudassar Nazar played 76 Tests and 122 ODIs for Pakistan•Getty ImagesWithin two months of getting fit, Naseem was playing for Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited in a Quaid-e-Azam Trophy game against Lahore Blues. Less than a year later, he was in Australia, making his Test debut. He was that good. He didn’t need to play Under-19 or ‘A’ team cricket. It was straight into the senior team.”The boy simply wanted to knock batters out with his aggression and pace, the main thing was to get him to understand how to bowl to every batter, how to bowl on different kinds of pitches and how to get people out,” Mudassar said. “He slowly started to play more matches. Which is why he was also in the scheme of things for the Under-19 World Cup in 2020. But you knew he was way ahead of his mates at that level.”Naseem made his Test debut in Brisbane, a week after he had received the news of his mother’s death. The fastest flight home was going to take 48 hours. He chose to stay on.Since his debut, Naseem has become a regular member of the Pakistan line-up, and although he only made his T20I debut a couple of days ago, he looks a shoo-in for the T20 World Cup squad. Especially now that it is clear he was only suffering from cramps when he went down, screaming in pain and clutching his leg, in the India game earlier this week.But, for all his gifts – his pace, his swing, his aggression – there are still things Naseem can get better at. “I don’t see him using the crease yet,” Mudassar said. “But as he bowls more, he’ll pick up the finer aspects. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that he stays fit. This boy, like his second name, Shah – which means emperor in Urdu – will rule the world.”

The final was a big test considering the tournament and the crowd, and there wasn’t a doubt that Pakistan’s raucous fans would ensure their chants were heard

Nagraj Gollapudi at Lord's21-Jun-2009Cricket remains secondary in England except when it comes to The Ashes. In the years to come, though, the theory will be sternly tested. Cue the 2009 World Twenty20: the tournament went on for 16 days, spread over three venues across London and Nottingham, culminating in a final at Lord’s on Sunday attended by a sellout crowd. Surprisingly, even the old traditionalists, the MCC members who had ignored most of the event, decided to turn up in strong numbers today, flashing their bacon-and-eggs ties proudly.This was the first time two teams from the subcontinent clashed in the final of a big event at the world’s most famous ground. It was a big test given the tournament, and crowd, and having witnessed most of Pakistan’s games there was no doubt that their raucous supporters would make sure their chants of ‘Pakistan [long live Pakistan]” were heard as far as West Ham, Ilford and Southall if not Lahore, Karachi or Rawalpindi.Not sure if it was by coincidence or by design, the organisers decided to hold the final on the longest day of the year. England’s bright summer continued as Lord’s was basked in sunshine – cricket lovers didn’t need more motivation to turn up from early morning.Steve Elworthy, the tournament director, asked if he would have imagined the final to be such a raging success in the absence of India, said his team had promoted the event cleverly. “We went to Brick Lane on ‘Baisakhi [the harvest festival]’ and set up a tent to market the event to the Bangladesh fans. We tried to reach out as many areas with Asian ethnicity in England to educate the fans and attract them to the event.”Smart thinking, given the healthy crowds witnessed at The Oval and Trent Bridge.The English don’t warm up to sporting events like their arch-rivals Australia who, as South African cricket writer Neil Manthorp once said, would “turn out in thousands to witness even a cockroach race.” Football remains England’s No. 1 sport, followed by rugby and cricket. However, despite the threat from events like the Lions’ rugby tour, a Formula 1 race and the US Open golf, the World Twenty20 managed to garner some newsprint, in addition to the air time on radio and television.Even if the tickets were somewhat steep, priced at £50, £60 and £90, the fans did not mind spending the money. Apart from the final, some of the best games in the tournament were the warm-up clash between India and Pakistan at The Oval, the opening game between England and the Netherlands, attended by 1200 odd colourful Dutch fans dressed in traditional orange, the crunch India-England Super Eights game, and both the semi-finals.The most distinguishing feature about this tournament was the rich quality of cricket, a far cry from the hitting contest prevalent in both IPL seasons. Probably that prompted a member to say: “I’ve never been a fan of Twenty20 but this was something else.” There were thousands of more converts by the end of the event.A Sri Lankan family cancelled their barbecue to arrive for the final without any tickets. Little did they know to enter the home of cricket was as expensive as finding a seat at Centre Court on day one to watch Roger Federer. The cheapest bargain they found was £300 per ticket, a pound more than the price to watch Federer play tomorrow.

The most distinguishing feature about this tournament was the rich quality of cricket, a far cry from the hitting contest prevalent in both IPL seasons. Probably that prompted a member to say this: “I’ve never been a fan of Twenty20 but this was something else.” There were thousands of more converts by the end of the event.

Fans had booked ticket months in advance. “Ninety percent of the tickets for the final were booked six months ago,” Elworthy said. A Sri Lankan fan anticipated a final against India and had bought the ticket three months in advance. “I’m happy we are here but feel sad that India aren’t.”But if anyone was taking the mickey out of the India’s absence it was the boisterous Pakistan fans, who had invaded grounds in large numbers throughout the tournament. The Pakistani band ‘ age-old hit reverberated through the afternoon as Younis Khan’s men silenced Sri Lanka emphatically. “Dear India, you can hide your tears, you (are) pussycats. R (you are) no match for our ‘majestic lions'” read a banner in one of the stands. The banter was sporting and taken by the Indian fans in the right spirit. “I bought my ticket from an Indian,” was another poke at the former world champions.Twenty20 cricket’s biggest achievement has been to attract fans who had never ever seen or heard about the game. There were a bunch from Kosovo, supporting Pakistan even if they couldn’t tell Shahid Afridi from Umar Gul. Apparently a form of cricket is famous in Kosovo and is known as ‘guaxha’ (pronounced ‘goojah’).Would Lord’s witness the same sort of intense fervour once again in a month’s time when the second Test of the Ashes would be played here? “No, there will be nothing like that. As Australia run through our batting, the English fans will be drowning in tears,” said an ECB official.But today was all about celebrations and the chants like “” poured into the streets outside the Grace, North and East Gates outside Lord’s.

An ICC panel picked the best Test and ODI teams of the year based on performances in the last 12 months. There’s no disagreeing with their wisdom but, had they gone by statistics alone, would their choices have been a bit different

11-Sep-2008An ICC panel, chaired by Clive Lloyd, and including Greg Chappell, Shaun Pollock, Sidath Wettimuny and Athar Ali Khan, picked the best Test and ODI teams of the year based on performances in the last 12 months. There’s no disagreeing with their wisdom but, had they gone by statistics alone, would their choices have been a bit different? Mathew Varghese looks at the ones that got away.
Mohammad Yousuf was in contention for the ICC ODI Player of the Year, but wasn’t picked in the ODI Team of the Year © AFP
Mohammad Yousuf, the Pakistan batsman, was one of the players nominated for ICC’s ODI Player-of-the-Year Award. Yousuf didn’t win; Mahendra Singh Dhoni did. And Dhoni and fellow nominees, Sachin Tendulkar and Nathan Bracken, were named in the ODI Team of the Year, Yousuf wasn’t. Yousuf’s omission was puzzling not only because he was one of the nominees for the top award, but also one of the prolific run-scorers in the period considered by the ICC.The awards were based on performances from August 9, 2007 to August 12, 2008. In that period, Yousuf scored 1161 runs at 68.29; among batsmen with at least 500 runs, only Shivnarine Chanderpaul had a better average and he wasn’t in the ODI team either. Pakistan did play back-to-back series against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh but even if you considered performances only against the top eight ODI teams, Yousuf’s average is 59.09. (Click here for the top batsmen with at least 10 ODI innings.)In the ICC’s XI, only Yousuf’s team-mate Younis Khan averaged as much. Ricky Ponting and Andrew Symonds were the other middle-order batsmen in the team but Ponting, the captain, averaged only 42.23 in 20 innings, while Symonds fared marginally better with an average of 45.Another surprise pick was allrounder Farveez Maharoof, who played only seven matches in the period. Granted that he took 14 wickets at 17.42, but he scored only 45 runs in four innings. (Click here to see the best bowlers against the top eight teams.)In the ICC’s Test Team of the Year, Kumar Sangakkara was chosen as the wicketkeeper but he kept wickets in only one Test out of Sri Lanka’s ten during the period under consideration. He’s played as a specialist batsman while Prasanna Jayawardene has impressed one and all with his sharp glove work while keeping to Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis. However, the other Test keepers fared poorly with the bat, a factor that could have swung the vote Sangakkara’s way. England may have seen a turnaround under Kevin Pietersen’s leadership, but his position in the middle order denies a place to either of AB De Villiers, Andrew Symonds or Michael Clarke – all three averaged over 55, while Pietersen managed only 47.25. (Click here for the top batsmen during the selection period.)

Liverpool have been handed a boost after learning that one of their first-team stars could return from injury during next weekend’s Premier League game vs Manchester City.

Liverpool injury news

The Reds have Andrew Robertson, Thiago Alcantara, Stefan Bajcetic and Conor Bradley all out on the sidelines with their respective long-term problems, but the club have received some more positive news regarding the fitness of a few in the short term.

According to reports, Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konate are expected to stage their comeback for the highly anticipated encounter against Pep Guardiola’s side, which is great for the defensive backline, while Jurgen Klopp is also set to have his options bolstered in the middle.

The Merseyside outfit secured the services of central midfielder Ryan Gravenberch from Bayern Munich over the summer, and it's fair to say that he has shown plenty of promising signs during his 12 appearances to date (Transfermarkt – Gravenberch statistics), but he's recently been absent.

The Netherlands international has missed the last two games against Toulouse in the Europa League and Brentford in the top flight due to a niggling knee injury, but if the following update is to be believed, the 21-year-old may be back at his manager’s disposal next weekend.

Ryan Gravenberch set to be available

According to This Is Anfield, Gravenberch may return from injury for Saturday’s showdown at the Etihad Stadium, and he also could be joined by Curtis Jones.

"Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konate were surprise absentees from the squad to face Brentford, with the former also being forced to drop out of international duty with France. But This Is Anfield understands both men were sidelined only by minor issues that it is expected will have cleared for the visit to the Etihad Stadium.

“Sources also confirmed a similar prognosis for Ryan Gravenberch, after his run of four consecutive Premier League starts was ended by a knee niggle. But the Dutchman will face fresh midfield competition from Curtis Jones going into next weekend, with the young Scouser set to be available again after hamstring trouble.”

Gravenberch's return will be a boost for Klopp

Whilst Gravenberch is naturally a central midfielder, he’s been stronger in the offensive aspects of his game since joining Liverpool, having posted four contributions (two goals and assists apiece) in 12 outings, so him being available once again will be a huge plus for Klopp.

Standing at 6 foot 2, the colossus also ranks in the 97th percentile for successful take-ons compared to positional peers in men’s big five leagues over the last year (FBRef – Gravenberch statistics), highlighting his desire to dribble past his marker and create chances for himself and his fellow teammates in the final third.

Furthermore, Anfield’s £150k-per-week earner (Liverpool salaries), is a versatile operator having been deployed in five different positions over the grass since the start of his career, including three in the centre of the park and two across the frontline.

Despite only being at the club for a short amount of time, Gravenberch has already been hailed for his “sensational” impact by journalist Josh Bunting, and there’s no doubt that he will only continue to make a positive impression when he does return to the field, which could well be next weekend.

West Ham United's rise under David Moyes' management will forever be heralded in east London for the stunning ascent to sustained European exploits – leading to victory in the Europa Conference League last season.

Such success has meant that truly excellent players have been welcomed to the fold, with the likes of Lucas Paqueta and Jarrod Bowen coveted commodities on the European scene.

The climb to prominence even led to the attempts to sign Manchester United's Harry Maguire in the summer, but a deal wasn't agreed. Now, the Irons are believed to be back in for the titan and could move this winter.

What's the latest on Harry Maguire to West Ham?

The fact that Maguire's name remains in circulation suggests that Moyes is still optimistic that a deal could be struck in the future, and should the 30-year-old's playing time continue to cause concern such a transfer grows increasingly likely.

According to ESPN, West Ham are indeed considering a new bid for Maguire and may even lodge a formal offer in January.

It's understood that the Hammers grew weary of Maguire's unwillingness to commit to a transfer from the Theatre of Dreams and withdrew their £30m bid this summer, though with Manchester United's stance relatively unchanged a deal might be salvaged next year.

However, Maguire recently claimed that there was no agreement between the respective outfits and that he did not actually turn down a transfer to the London Stadium.

How good is Harry Maguire?

Manchester United signed Maguire from Leicester City for £80m in 2019, surpassing the world-record £75m fee Liverpool paid Southampton for Virgil van Dijk 18 months earlier.

Maguire had impressed in the Premier League but he has become a figure of debate for his poor performances and has received many vitriolic comments, branded as a "liability" by figures such as talkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan.

Despite all of the criticism, he remains a powerful and commanding centre-half and a "leader" of men, as he has been called by international teammate Kieran Trippier.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 6% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 16% for passes attempted, the top 15% for progressive carries and the top 9% for aerial wins per 90 – highlighting his ball-playing skills and imposing presence, attributes that would suit West Ham very well.

Not just an imposing unit defensively, the England international has also been known to pop up with a goal, scoring 28 goals at club level, 11 of which have come in the Premier League. Of course, he has played a great deal more games but for context, that tally was more than even Sebastien Haller managed in the top-flight of English football, netting ten times in 48 outings.

Such a glistening array of qualities could well mean the £190k-per-week star is the perfect replacement for defender Kurt Zouma, who is the West Ham captain and has been integral in Moyes' side's endeavours over the past several years.

However, as ESPN covered in their report on Maguire's transfer situation, Zouma is contracted until 2025, and while the east London side are hoping to extend his current deal, Saudi Arabian suitors are eager to exploit any hiccups in negotiations.

Zouma joined the club from Chelsea in a £30m transfer two years ago, and has been praised for his "incredible" qualities by his Scottish manager.

Clearly important to the squad's progress, Zouma's leadership could be emulated by a player of Maguire's standing, and while the Frenchman ranks among the top 4% of defenders for goals scored and the top 2% for clearances per 90, he is not known for his passing ability and ranks among the bottom 3% for passes attempted per 90.

Maguire would be an excellent replacement and one whose time in Manchester appears to be drawing to a close, earning his first Premier League start of the season last time out against Brentford but only as a by-product of injuries to Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane.

West Ham offer a starring role and a clean slate, and it's surely a transfer that would benefit all parties and is certainly one to keep an eye on over the coming months.