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Chairman hits out at predecessor following cancellation of EGM to determine Test viability

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Feb-2022Lord Kamlesh Patel has accused a group of Yorkshire members of attempting to “delay and derail” Headingley’s reinstatement as an international venue, because they believe the club is being “sacrificed on the altar of Black Lives Matter”.Yorkshire’s hopes of meeting the ECB’s conditions for hosting fixtures against New Zealand and South Africa this summer suffered a setback this week, after the club was forced to delay a proposed Emergency General Meeting (EGM), which had been expected to confirm governance changes in the wake of the Azeem Rafiq racism scandal.The EGM had been due to take place on Wednesday evening, but was cancelled after Yorkshire admitted it “had not been properly called under club rules”. The news was followed by claims from former chairman Robin Smith that the process to appoint Patel as the new chairman last year was “invalid”.In a statement to the PA news agency, Patel said: “It is plain that, when I joined the club in November, it had a wealth of legacy problems inherited from previous leadership, of which former chairman Robin Smith was a part.”I made a conscious decision that we would focus on a positive future for Yorkshire and remediate the inherited issues. For me and others at the club, this was part of a positive programme for change as there is no benefit to Yorkshire CCC in arguing about the past. That is a block to reform.”There is emerging, however, a clear agenda to undermine the club, driven by opposition to our progress and a desire to maintain an outdated status quo. It is disheartening and pernicious in equal manner.”We have become aware of a small group of individuals who have indicated a belief that, by looking to make progress and change for the better, ‘the lamb that is Yorkshire Cricket Club is to be sacrificed on the altar of Black Lives Matter’. This is unacceptable in every possible way.”This group is actively seeking to delay and derail the essential reforms and consequently the return of international cricket by litigating process issues, without presenting any positive alternative.”Patel has been the driving force behind Yorkshire’s response to being stripped of the right to host international matches by the ECB, following their mishandling of a report into Rafiq’s claims of institutional racism. Patel was brought in as chair in November, shortly after the incumbent, Roger Hutton, resigned.He said last month the club had made “significant progress” but warned that they could not remain “financially viable” without the restoration of major match status, with Headingley otherwise set to lose out on hosting a Test on New Zealand’s tour and an ODI featuring South Africa.Related

• Yorkshire's Test status restored pending resolution of internal issues

• Yorkshire bid to regain international status clouded by EGM cancellation

• English cricket must 'clean up its act' on racism – DCMS report

• Graves told by MP: 'Put up or shut up', amid row over influence

• Rafiq: 'Time is right' for Yorkshire to get international cricket back

However, the reported on Thursday that Yorkshire’s failure to register a rule change, which had been voted on at last year’s Annual General Meeting, with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), meant that Patel’s authority had been called into question.In a written statement, Smith responded: “Lord Patel’s comments seek to damage me for drawing attention to his own failures.”The members will in due course have an opportunity to pass judgement on Lord Patel’s actions since November last year and their enormous financial consequences for the club (currently rumoured to be more than GBP 3million).”In the meantime he should focus on getting the club’s legal position corrected in timely fashion.”As to the majority of members wanting his reforms, we shall see in due course. The reality, though, is that all Yorkshire members wish to see Test cricket returned to Headingley and have been threatened that that will not happen unless they support the reforms.”That is no way to ascertain members’ true views. Yorkshire members are true lovers of the game and are entitled to more respect than Lord Patel is showing them.”Among Patel’s first actions taken as chair was settling an employment tribunal with Rafiq, and overseeing the removal of Martyn Moxon, Yorkshire’s long-serving director of cricket, and Andrew Gale, the head coach, as part of a cull of 16 staff members.Yorkshire had been hoping to push through changes to the structure of their board, which reportedly included the ECB being given a seat on the club’s nominations committee, this week – with the outcome expected to influence the possible return of international cricket to Headingley.Martin Darlow, the ECB’s deputy chair, said during an appearance before the Department of Culture, Media and Sport select committee last week that the governing body “will be making a decision and considering their options” following the EGM. Rafiq himself said last month that the “time is right” for Yorkshire to regain its hosting rights.Yorkshire released a statement saying that it had cancelled the EGM after taking “specialist legal advice”, suggesting that the failure to notify the FCA of changes to its rules was “a legacy issue” attributable to the previous leadership. The club also said that it hoped to rearrange the EGM before the end of the month.

One Test into his career, Karunaratne has earned a trip to Australia on Sri Lanka’s most high-profile Test tour in years

Andrew Fernando21-Nov-2012If a run-a-ball 60 not out in the second innings in Galle swelled opener Dimuth Karunaratne’s confidence, an affirmation of his talent by the Sri Lanka selectors a day later will have him feeling bulletproof. One Test into his career, Karunaratne has earned a trip to Australia on Sri Lanka’s most high-profile Test tour in years, and can now dream of taking the field amid the MCG’s Boxing Day hubbub. He will likely have to displace his Sinhala Sports Club opening partner Tharanga Paranavitana to get a game in Australia, but it is not a tour he would have expected to be on at all after his first Test innings.He made a duck on Sunday, extending a tradition plenty of Sri Lankan openers have contributed to. His batting coach Marvan Atapattu began with a Test pair, and team manager Charith Senanayake started with a nought. Even Paranavitana at the other end was dismissed without scoring in his first Test – a legacy he had inherited from Malinda Warnapura, his partner on debut.”When I got out, Angie [Angelo Mathews] came to me and said, ‘Don’t worry man, I got out for a duck in my debut as well’,” Karunaratne said. ” A few others said that as well. No one scolded me or was harsh on me. They just said, ‘Don’t worry about it. It’s in the past, just think about the future. You can bounce back from this.’ I’m lucky that I get to play with understanding cricketers like that.”It is perhaps testament to the character of both the cricketer and the dressing-room culture that eager youngsters can have their best coaxed out of them, even after early setbacks. Captain Mahela Jaywardene said he was encouraged by Karunaratne’s self-belief in the manner in which he recovered from the failure.”If you watched some of his shots, you can tell he is a talented cricketer,” Jayawardene said. “I think he has a good future, but Tests aren’t easy. He will need to learn, but he’s a good batsman.”I have played with Dimuth at the SSC, so I know what he is like mentally. When he got out, he was quite disappointed, but we didn’t try to tell him much at that stage. It’s important that for a young player, we don’t crowd his mind in a moment like that. We let him play as he played. When we were fielding is when I talked to him, and I said, ‘Play like you play in a club match’.”Karunaratne revealed himself as a stroke-maker during his maiden fifty, striking nine fours in his innings, and finishing with the best strike rate for any batsman who scored more than 15 in the match. He was particularly powerful through the legside, hitting six of his boundaries there, and was unafraid to attack the short ball. He was only drafted into the side the week before the Test, after Tillakaratne Dilshan’s back injury ruled him out.”I thought I would be in the initial squad, but I wasn’t,” Karunaratne said. “But still I didn’t give up hope. I kept playing well and when Dilshan was injured I was able to join the squad. I was desperate to take my chance when it came, and I think that’s what I did.”He was selected for the New Zealand series thanks largely to his exploits for the Sri Lanka A team in South Africa, where he was the highest run scorer in two unofficial Tests, with 270 runs at an average of 90. He is among a growing number of young Sri Lankan batsmen who have found early success on fast, bouncy surfaces, and this was likely a major cause for his inclusion in the squad to Australia.”I’m very happy. I got this opportunity after two years of playing well and even though I couldn’t get any runs in the first innings, I did my best for the team in the second innings and showed everyone what I can do.”

Former France midfielder Emmanuel Petit is worried about Kylian Mbappe's current situation at Real Madrid amid his ongoing struggles at his new club.

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• Mbappe having rough time at Madrid
• Missed a penalty in the losses to Liverpool and Athletic
• Petit concerned about lack of friends at the club

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Former France midfielder Emmanuel Petit has shared his concerns about Kylian Mbappe's situation at Real Madrid and believes the star forward is all alone in the Spanish capital, having no friends in the team. Petit also shed light on how his overall image in the media hasn't helped his cause, especially after all the drama that has unfolded with the France national team following his expulsion by Didier Deschamps for the November games.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ever since his move to Madrid last summer, Mbappe has looked a shadow of the player that led France to back-to-back World Cup finals in 2018 and 2022. Mbappe has scored just 10 goals in 20 appearances in all competitions for Madrid and has evidently looked unsettled on the pitch. Additionally, reports from Spain have kept mentioning how his dynamic with the rest of the team is broken. Case in point, how Mbappe was apparently ignored by Jude Bellingham in the tunnel at Anfield last week.

• WHAT EMMANUEL PETIT SAID

  "I think Kylian Mbappe is so lonely at Real Madrid," Petit stated in an interview with Gambling Zone. "I saw Jude Bellingham ignoring him and it doesn’t even look like he has any help or any friends at the club.

  "He’s been hammered by the press and doesn’t seem like he has friends in Paris or Spain and he’s also gone to a public enemy number one in France because of what happened in the last international break. He’s so far away from his level this season, too. I know he’s scored ten goals but it’s just stats and he doesn’t look like himself.

  "I just say what I feel when I look at him and he looks miserable on and off the pitch. He was the king in France and could do whatever he wanted at PSG and with France and now it’s not the same anymore.

  "He’s lonely and with top players, the biggest game is against yourself and you have to be able to solve your problems on the pitch."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR KYLIAN MBAPPE?

  Following another toothless performance against Athletic Club on Wednesday, in which he missed another penalty, Mbappe took to Instagram to post a story in which he vowed to come back stronger and show the player he is. “Bad result. A big mistake in a match where every detail counts. I take full responsibility for it. A difficult moment but it’s the best time to change this situation and show who I am," Mbappe wrote on Instagram.

  Real Madrid fans will indeed be hoping for Mbappe to turn things around in LaLiga as Los Blancos will be travelling to Catalonia to take on Girona in a tricky away game on Saturday, December 7.

England dismissed for 185 after another flaky display with the bat in Melbourne

Valkerie Baynes26-Dec-2021It was a case of the more things change the more they stay the same for England as Australia took a stranglehold on the Ashes, bowling out the tourists for 185 on the opening day of the third Test at the MCG before reaching the close one wicket down and only 124 runs behind.England had made four changes to their side that lost by 275 runs in Adelaide to concede a 2-0 lead in the series, but again their batters struggled as Pat Cummins ripped through the top order by lunch and Nathan Lyon matched his captain’s haul of 3 for 36 as England succumbed for under 200 runs for the 12th time this year.In between, Cameron Green reaped rewards for a suffocating four-over spell and Scott Boland claimed a wicket on Test debut while also taking two catches to have a further hand in England’s demise before a Boxing Day crowd of 57,100.The Australians reached 57 without loss before James Anderson had David Warner sharply caught by Zak Crawley at gully. The hosts closed on 1 for 61 with under-pressure opener Marcus Harris unbeaten on 20.Cummins won the toss after rain delayed the start and sent England in to bat on a pitch offering some grass coverage. He capitalised with his fifth ball – the 11th legitimate delivery of the match after Mitchell Starc had opened with a no-ball – when he had Haseeb Hameed out feathering a catch behind to Alex Carey for a second consecutive duck.Cummins then had Crawley, replacing opener Rory Burns, caught by Green at gully for 12 as England slumped to 2 for 13 inside eight overs.
The tourists were again looking to Joe Root and Dawid Malan to steady them and they did, to some extent, with a 48-run partnership from 115 balls. But England needed so much more than even the 162-run stand they put on to give them some hope in the first Test in Brisbane and, when Cummins had Malan caught in the slips by Warner on the last ball before the lunch, they were again in strife at 3 for 61.Root brought up his ninth fifty in Australia after the break, but he fell a short time later when Starc – used sparingly in the morning session – had him caught behind chasing a ball outside off stump. Visibly furious with the fallibility of his dismissal, Root now needs to score a maiden century in Australia – 109 runs to be precise – in England’s second innings if he is to pass Mohammad Yousuf’s record for runs scored in a calendar year.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

More importantly, however, England needed their skipper to convert to dig them out of a hole. Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow, the latter replacing Ollie Pope, set about trying to salvage the innings but Green applied sublime pressure in a four-over spell which included three maidens and one wicket for one run, when Stokes tried to lift him over the slips cordon, but picked out Lyon at point for 25. Green threatened to claim another two balls later with a pearl of a delivery that zipped back between Jos Buttler’s bat and pad as the scoreless batsman lunged forward.It was Lyon who had Buttler out, England’s No. 7 advancing down the pitch and skying the ball straight to Boland at deep midwicket – a rash shot which saw him depart for just 3 on the stroke of tea. Lyon also dismissed Ollie Robinson for a spirited 22 from 26 deliveries and Jack Leach, who took his fellow spinner for 11 runs off one over – including a thumping straight six, before falling for 13. Leach had returned to the side after his bowling had been punished at the Gabba, making his courage with the bat a short-lived bright spot for England.Starc claimed his second, cramping Bairstow with a short ball that saw him lose his footing as he toppled backwards and gloved a catch to Green at gully. Bairstow was England’s second-highest run-scorer with 35 but, in an all-too-similar vein to the other recognised batters, it was simply not enough.Mark Wood, coming in for Stuart Broad in England’s other personnel change, had earlier became Boland’s first Test wicket when he was trapped lbw. Boland became the fourth Indigenous Test cricketer after Faith Thomas, Jason Gillespie and Ashleigh Garner in one of two changes for the Australians alongside the return of Cummins, who missed the second Test as a close contact of a Covid case.Wood threatened with the ball, showing England what they had been missing Adelaide, but it was Anderson who made the breakthrough that was a rare moment of solace for the battling tourists.

Manchester United suffered a wholly forgettable 2023/24 campaign, miserable and misfiring. Actually, no they didn't. The Red Devils' last competitive fixture saw the FA Cup trophy lifted in emphatic fashion, with neighbours Manchester City defeated at Wembley.

For Erik ten Hag – vindication after a battery of year-long criticisms. A lifeline. The Dutch manager had been expected to be sacked before the final was contested, but the grit and doggedness of United's effort turned the tide. It was Ten Hag's second slice of silverware in as many seasons, and European football had been salvaged.

But let's not forget that silver-laden success has served as a smokescreen of sorts over a truly wretched campaign, one that left the Old Trafford side marooned in eighth place in the Premier League at its conclusion.

Injuries buffeted the Theatre throughout, and Ten Hag argues that such misfortunes precluded his team from reaching the heights anticipated – and still, FA Cup glory.

Now, Man United can start afresh, with INEOS orchestrating from the clouds above and a refreshing shift in recruitment seeing some exciting moves made in the transfer market. The £35m transfer of Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna has been agreed, and an exciting partner is currently in the pipeline.

Man Utd transfer news

As per Football Insider, Man United are tussling with Tottenham Hotspur for the signing of Eberechi Eze, who completed an impressive campaign with Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

United are long-term admirers of the attacking midfielder's talents and are actively seeking to strengthen under new ownership, with sights set on returning to the Champions League.

The Eagles' £50m sale of Michael Olise to Bayern Munich complicates things somewhat; there is no pressing need to cash in, but given that Eze has a £60m release clause in his contract, all it takes is Sir Jim Ratcliffe to green-light the outlay and complete a thrilling signing.

Eberechi Eze's season in numbers

Injury troubles have beset Eze throughout his Crystal Palace career but he's been an electric presence when fit, notching 43 goal contributions from 124 appearances since signing from Queens Park Rangers for £20m in August 2020.

The silky-skilled playmaker was particularly arresting in his performances last term, carrying the high-level form at the end of the 2022/23 campaign into Robert Glasner's maiden days at the helm.

Eze's first several months were punctuated by injuries but he came into his own under Glasner's wing, with the Austrian tactician replacing Roy Hodgson in February and shaping Palace into a force to be reckoned with.

Scoring six goals and supplying three more over just 11 matches with the Austrian in the dugout, the 26-year-old was a linchpin over those thrilling months, combining ball-carrying expertise with an ever-improving potency in front of goal.

His improvements last season suggest that the Three Lions star is entering his prime, which is a dizzying thought when considering how mighty he's been at Selhurst Park over the past couple of years.

Placed on the left wing, driving forward with sparks flying, Eze could prove to be the perfect partner for Zirkzee, who's already been added to the fold.

Imagine Eberechi Eze & Joshua Zirkzee

Zirkzee's transfer might not yet have been officially announced but it would take a remarkable development to stifle the move at this eleventh hour.

The Dutchman is a striker but plays a more withdrawn attacking role, driving from deep to influence and attack on goal. He's been described by analyst Ben Mattinson as "one of the most complete" strikers around.

As per FBref, the 6 foot 4 colossus ranked among the top 14% of forwards in Serie A last season for pass completion, the top 17% for passes attempted and progressive passes, the top 11% for successful take-ons and clearances and the top 22% for tackles per 90.

Eze, meanwhile, has demonstrated himself to be one of the deadliest attacking midfielders in Europe over this past year, ranking among the top 4% of positional peers for goals scored, the top 5% for shots taken, the top 19% for shot-creating actions and the top 9% for successful take-ons per 90.

Hailed for his "explosive" qualities by one first-team analyst, the Palace star is demonstrably one of the most effective strikers in the Premier League and offers an impressive roundedness to complement such a skill. Zirkzee's ball-playing acumen and knack to drop deep and impact play could lead to a wonderful connection between the two players.

In turn, Eze's playmaking prowess would pay dividends for the Bologna talent, who only scored 11 goals from 34 matches in the Italian top flight last term but, upon deeper analysis, can be observed to have one of the most clinical attacking outputs around.

Indeed, as per Sofascore, the 23-year-old only missed four big chances in the league last season, which speaks highly of his ability to find the back of the net when presented with an exciting opportunity.

Rasmus Hojlund, to expand on the point, scored ten goals from 30 Premier League matches for Man United last term but also missed 13 big chances – the talented Dane, 21, is one of the hottest forward prospects around but was starved for service last season, isolated and knocked from confidence, clearly issuing a detrimental effect on his prolificness.

Signing Eze would complete the Red Devils' frontline, creating a newfound sense of dynamism and depth to ensure that Ten Hag fires the club back into the ascendancy, once and for all.

Imagine him & Zirkzee: Man Utd hold talks to sign "magical" star

He is available for transfer this summer

By
Joe Nuttall

Jul 12, 2024

Vinicius Junior has received a letter of apology from a minor who made racist insults against him while Real Madrid played Rayo Vallecano.

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• Vinicius Jr abused by youngster
• Letter of apology sent to Brazilian
• Perpetrator fined and banned from stadiums

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Madrid issued a statement on Friday, confirming that a minor has been handed a stadium ban after racially abusing Vinicius during the club's fixture against Rayo Vallecano. The individual in question has also written a letter of apology to the Brazil international, and will undergo educational courses designed to ensure he does not repeat the behaviour.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Madrid have confirmed that there will be a fine paid by the perpetrator, as the club continue to aim to prosecute every fan found guilty of racially abusing any of their players. Sadly, Vinicius has been abused regularly in La Liga, and in June, two Valencia fans were jailed for their part in racist chanting.

• WHAT REAL SAID

  In their statement, the club said: "Real Madrid C. F. would like to announce that the minor who made racist insults towards Vinicius Junior at the Vallecas stadium, during the match between Rayo Vallecano and Real Madrid on 18 February 2024, has issued a letter of apology to Vinicius Junior, in which he apologised and expressed his regret for his behaviour, accepting in the juvenile jurisdiction, as a consequence of the out-of-court agreement reached, to undertake the socio-educational activities requested by the Prosecutor's Office for Minors, as well as not entering stadiums where official competitions are played for a period of one year.

  "Additionally, he will have to pay the financial fine handed down for his behaviour by the State Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Sport. Since last June, there have now been four legal proceedings, either in criminal or juvenile jurisdiction, which have ended with the punishment of the perpetrators of the unacceptable racist acts committed against Real Madrid players both in different sports stadiums and in forums and social media.

  "Real Madrid has acted as a private prosecutor together with its players in these proceedings and is currently prosecuting others, and will continue to strive to protect the values of our club and to eradicate any racist behaviour in the world of football and sport."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  On the pitch, Real face Getafe in La Liga this weekend. They are currently second, four points behind leaders Barcelona.

Australia great passes away in Thailand following a suspected heart attack

Andrew Miller04-Mar-2022Shane Warne, one of cricket’s all-time greats, has died of a suspected heart attack at the age of 52 in Koh Samui, Thailand, while on holiday.Warne, who was named one of Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Century, claimed 708 Test wickets in a 15-year career for Australia between 1992 and 2007, and was also an ODI World Cup winner in 1999.According to his manager Michael Cohen, he died of a suspected heart attack.”Shane was found unresponsive in his villa and despite the best efforts of medical staff, he could not be revived,” Cohen’s statement read. “The family requests privacy at this time and will provide further details in due course.”Related

• Warnie was a generous, honest champion

• Shane Warne: the showman who could do hard graft

• Great Southern Stand at MCG to be named after Shane Warne

• The highs and lows of Shane Warne's cricketing career

• Shane Warne's death leaves cricket fraternity 'shocked and gutted'

According to Reuters, Thai Police said Warne and three other friends were staying in a private villa and one of them went to inquire about him after the former cricketer did not turn up for dinner.”The friend did CPR on him and called an ambulance,” Chatchawin Nakmusik, an officer with the Bo Phut police in Koh Samui, told Reuters by phone.”An emergency response unit then arrived and did another CPR for 10-20 minutes. Then an ambulance from the Thai International Hospital arrived and took him there. They did CPR for five minutes, and then he died.”The police did not know the cause of death but were not treating it as suspicious, Chatchawin said.The shocking news comes hours after the death of another icon of Australian cricket, former wicketkeeper Rod Marsh, who also suffered a heart attack earlier this week at the age of 74.”Warnie”, as he was known throughout the cricketing world, was without question one of the true icons of world cricket, a man who almost singlehandedly revived the art of legspin in the early 1990s.Although luminaries such as Pakistan’s Abdul Qadir had kept the art alive, Warne brought a new glamour and attacking intent to legspin, with his bottle-blond hair allied to a keen tactical brain that he used to outfox a host of unwitting opponents in his pomp.After an underwhelming debut against India in January 1992, where his solitary wicket came at a cost of 150 runs, Warne hinted at his full potential in bowling Australia to an unlikely victory over Sri Lanka in Colombo, before – in his fifth appearance – he ripped out seven match-winning second-innings wickets against West Indies at his home ground of Melbourne in the 1992-93 Boxing Day Test.4:17

Shane Warne’s ball of the century

However, it was the 1993 Ashes tour that truly cemented Warne’s legend. In the opening match of the series at Old Trafford, and having been shielded from England’s batters during the preceding one-day series, Warne’s first delivery left the sport dumbfounded as he served up the so-called “ball of the century” to Mike Gatting – a drifting, dipping, spitting legbreak, that turned a full two feet from outside leg to hit the top of off.Gatting was so confused, he did not initially realise he had been bowled – and in that moment, Warne exerted a hold over England’s batters that was so absolute, they would not come close to reclaiming the Ashes for another 12 years. And even when they did, in the seismic summer of 2005, Warne’s fingers were the last to be prised from the urn, as he carried Australia’s attack with a career-best haul of 40 wickets.Away from the cricket field, Warne could not help but court controversy. He was rarely far from the front pages of the tabloids amid a string of revelations about his personal life. In 1995, both he and his then team-mate Mark Waugh were fined for giving information to an Indian bookmaker during the previous year’s tour of Sri Lanka.In 2003, on the eve of that year’s 50-over World Cup, Warne was suspended from international cricket for a year after a banned diuretic was found during a routine drugs test – he claimed it had been given to him by his mother to help him lose weight.However, though that setback might have ended lesser careers, the year away from the game arguably gave Warne an extra lease of life going into his mid-30s. He returned to action with four five-wicket hauls in a row to lead Australia to a memorable 3-0 series win in Sri Lanka in March 2004, and then played a quietly crucial role in their subsequent “final frontier” victory in India.He retired from international cricket with typical showmanship in the 2006-07 Ashes, leaving the field arm-in-arm with his long-term bowling ally Glenn McGrath – a fellow great in one of the all-time great Test teams – after reclaiming the Ashes with a 5-0 whitewash (the first that Australia had inflicted on England since 1920-21).Even at the age of 37, the Warne legend was not done. In 2008, he was recruited by Rajasthan Royals to captain their franchise in the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), and duly delivered the title with 19 wickets at 21.26 in the course of the campaign. Though he went wicketless in the final against Chennai Super Kings, he couldn’t be kept out of the action, as he and Sohail Tanvir sealed the victory with the bat in a thrilling final-over finish.Prior to his IPL involvement, Warne had spent eight seasons (2000-2007) in county cricket with Hampshire, after being recruited by his friend and England rival, Robin Smith. He claimed 276 first-class wickets at 25.59 in his time at the club, and later had a stand at the Ageas Bowl named after him.In retirement, Warne became a trenchant commentator, primarily for Fox Sports in Australia – ever insightful on tactical matters, if at times a touch bombastic. He also dabbled in professional poker, a card game that he said replicated the sort of mind-games that he had revelled in during his playing days. He became a fixture at the Aussie Millions in Melbourne and at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, where in 2009, his deep run into the tournament meant that he arrived late for his commentary duties at that summer’s Ashes.Tributes to Warne have poured in from the cricket world, from team-mates and rivals alike. Brian Lara, arguably the greatest batter to have faced Warne in his pomp, tweeted an image of a broken heart, adding: “Speechless at the moment. I literally don’t know how to sum up this situation. My friend is gone!! We have lost one of the Greatest Sportsmen of all time!! My condolences goes out to his family. RIP Warnie!! You will be missed.”Adam Gilchrist, Warne’s team-mate in one of the greatest Test teams of all time, added: “Numb. The highlight of my cricketing career was to keep wicket to Warnie. Best seat in the house to watch the maestro at work. Have often felt a tad selfish, that Heals [Ian Healy] and I pretty much exclusively are the only ones who had that thrill and pleasure at Test level. Rip Warnie.”

It’s been a tough season for Arsenal this year.

Mikel Arteta’s side came into the campaign hoping that this would be the year they finally toppled Manchester City in the Premier League, and while they’re six points clear of the Champions, they’re six points behind current leaders Liverpool.

This drop-off is due to several reasons, from suspensions to injuries and a lack of cutting edge in attack, especially from those off the left, like Leandro Trossard, who’s produced just six goal involvements so far.

So, recent reports linking the club with an incredibly exciting left-sided gem should excite the Arsenal faithful, especially as he could get the Belgian firing again.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are one of several sides interested in Club Brugge’s talented full-back, Maxim De Cuyper.

The report has revealed that the Gunners are currently leading the chase for the 24-year-old, but fellow London sides Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are also keen on the exciting player.

The report does not mention a price, but given that Brugge’s most expensive departure of all time was the €36.5m – £30.2m – transfer of Charles De Ketelaere to AC Milan and that the left-back is valued at just €12m – £10m – by Transfermarkt, we can’t see this potential deal costing the North Londoners an arm and a leg.

Overall, it could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given De Cuyper’s ability and potential, it’s one well worth pursuing, especially as he could revive Trossard.

How De Cuyper could revive Trossard

Now, one of the benefits of signing De Cuyper is that he’s shown over the last few years that he’s versatile enough to play on either side of the defence and even further up the pitch.

However, left-back is his preferred position; therefore, it’ll be those out on the left wing, like Trossard, who will be most affected by him.

Fortunately, the Knokke-Heist-born dynamo appears to be an incredibly gifted attacking full-back, and that’s the reason he’d be able to revive his fellow compatriot out on the left.

For example, in just 24 appearances this season, the promising prospect, whom talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed “one of the best left-backs” around, has scored one goal and provided four assists, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 4.8 games.

Just imagine how much more effective the Gunners’ Belgian winger could be with the 6 foot full-back hurtling down the pitch, ready to overlap or play a killer pass through the lines for him to get on the end of.

That said, if his raw output from this season isn’t enough to convince you, perhaps his underlying numbers will be.

According to FBref, which compares players in similar positions across the next best 14 competitions, the left-footed star sits in the top 1% of full-backs for shot-creating actions and progressive passes, the top 2% for non-penalty expected goals plus assists, the top 3% for attempted passes and the top 7% for touches in the opposition’s penalty area, all per 90.

Ultimately, Arsenal’s left-hand side has been underwhelming so far this season, and while signing a new forward could help, signing a new attacking full-back to get the most out of their current attackers might be an even better idea.

Therefore, Arteta and Co should do what they can to sign De Cuyper as soon as possible.

Arsenal can solve Saka crisis by signing "unstoppable" £60m "machine"

The incredible player could pick up some of the slack for Arsenal amid Bukayo Saka’s massive injury blow.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Dec 24, 2024

Stats highlights from the fourth ODI between Australia and India in Canberra where the hosts stretched their undefeated home streak to 19 matches on the trot

Bharath Seervi20-Jan-201619 Consecutive ODIs without defeat for Australia at home – 18 wins and a no-result. They last lost to South Africa in November 2014 at the WACA. West Indies had a run of 18 home games without defeat from 1986 to 1990 and Sri Lanka 17 from 1996 to 1998.1 Australian bowler with a five-for when the opposition made more than 300 before Kane Richardson. Nathan Bracken had taken 5 for 67 at the Wanderers when South Africa chased 434 in 2005-06. Richardson’s 5 for 68 in this match are his best figures in ODIs and it is also the first time a bowler has taken a five-for at the Manuka Oval in eight ODIs.671 Runs scored in the match, the third-highest ever for an ODI in Australia. The top spot in this list also came recently, when the hosts and Sri Lanka tallied 688 runs in 2015. This is the 13th instance when both teams have made 300-plus totals in an ODI in Australia. Six of them have come in the last two years, and three in this series. India’s total of 323 is the fourth-highest by a team batting second in ODIs in Australia.162 Innings Virat Kohli has taken to score 25 ODI centuries making him the fastest to the mark and by some distance too. The old record was held by Sachin Tendulkar – 234 innings in 1998. Three other batsmen have at least 25 centuries in ODIs: Ricky Ponting (279 innings), Sanath Jayasuriya (373) and Kumar Sangakkara (378). This was Kohli’s fifth century against Australia in ODIs, the third-most by a batsman after Tendulkar (nine) and Desmond Haynes (six). With this century, Kohli now has nine centuries across all formats in Australia – five in Tests and four in ODIs. He equals Jack Hobbs and David Gower’s record for most centuries by visiting a batsman in Australia.2 Australia batsmen who have scored 2000 ODI runs in fewer innings than Aaron Finch’s 54 – David Boon (52) and Matthew Hayden (53). Greg Chappell and George Bailey also got to the mark in 54 innings. Steven Smith completed his 2000th ODI run in this match too, playing his 55th innings. Finch scored his seventh ODI century in this match. Among Australia openers, only four have scored more.187 Runs added by Finch and David Warner for the first wicket – Australia’s second-highest opening stand in ODIs against India, after the 212-run partnership between Boon and Geoff Marsh in Jaipur, in 1986.212 Partnership for the second wicket between Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan, the third-highest for any wicket against Australia in Australia; the second, third and fourth on the list have all been by Indian pairs. It was also the second-highest partnership in a chase that ended in defeat. The highest, also by India, is 223 between Mohammad Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja in Colombo (RPS) in 1997. Sri Lanka won that game by two runs. Kohli has now been involved in eight double-century stands, the most by any player going past Ponting and Upul Tharanga, who have seven each.131.33 Australia’s average opening stand at the Manuka Oval in Canberra from three innings. Warner and Finch, who put on 187 today, had added 118 against South Africa in 2014-15 while Finch and Watson combined for 89 runs against West Indies in 2012-13. In 13 innings at this venue, visiting teams’ opening partnerships have averaged 33.84, with three fifties including the 65 runs put on by Rohit and Dhawan in this match.0 Dismissals in 90s for Warner in his international career, before his 93 in this innings. He has got to the 90s 21 times in his international career prior to today’s match, and converted them into centuries on 20 occasions – 16 in Tests and four in ODIs. He was 90 not out once in a T20I against Sri Lanka at the SCG in January 2013.16 Wickets lost in the match after the 35th over – the most that have fallen after this cut-off in ODIs since 2002. Both the teams lost their second wicket on 37.3; while Australia managed to score 128 runs at 10.10 sine then, India were could add only 46 runs for their last eight wickets.74 Balls taken by India to reach 100 in this ODI – second-fastest by any team against Australia since 2002. The fastest came in 68 balls by New Zealand at the Gabba in February 2009, a 22-over ODI interrupted by rain.72 Innings taken by Dhawan to complete 3000 ODI runs – fewest by an India batsman beating Kohli, who did it in 75 innings. Only Hashim Amla (57 innings) and Viv Richards (69 innings) have been faster, while Gordon Greenidge and Gary Kirsten also took 72 innings. Dhawan is also the second-quickest to nine ODI centuries in terms of innings; only Amla (52 innings) has scored as many in fewer innings. Click here for the list of fastest batsmen to 3000 ODI runs.77 Runs conceded by Ishant Sharma in the match – most by an India bowler in an ODI in Australia, beating Debasis Mohanty’s 76 runs against Pakistan in Hobart in January 2000. Ishant’s 4 for 77 is the third-most expensive four-wicket haul in ODIs. Richardson’s 5 for 68 in the second innings is the joint-fourth expensive five-wicket haul in ODIs.2 Times, including India in this match, a team has been bowled out in an ODI after losing their second wicket at a score of 250 or more. India were the team on the receiving end in the other instance as well: against South Africa in the 2011 World Cup. They were 267 for 2 in Nagpur and collapsed to 296 all out. India lost their last eight wickets for 46 runs in last 12 overs in this ODI, which is the fourth-lowest aggregate by those wickets in an ODI for India.3 Instances of a team failing to chase a target despite having two centuries in the innings, including this match. And India have been involved in all of them. Azharuddin and Jadeja’s tons went in vain against Sri Lanka in Colombo in 1997 while Zimbabwe’s Stuart Carlisle and Sean Ervine felt the sting against India in Adelaide in 2003-04.

Paul Mullin is filling a cheerleader role at present, with the 30-year-old supporting Wrexham in the away end and Paddy Pimblett in UFC action.

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• Striker has slipped down the pecking order
• Took in Wigan game alongside away support
• Revelled in impressive win for Pimblett at UFC 314

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The prolific frontman has slipped down the pecking order in North Wales, to the point that he is now struggling to make matchday squads. That was the case once again when the Red Dragons headed to Wigan.

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• THE GOSSIP

  Mullin took up a seat among the travelling fans for that contest, as Phil Parkinson’s promotion-chasing outfit were held to a 0-0 draw. After showing his support for club colleagues, colours were then nailed to the mast of fellow Merseyside native Pimblett.

• WHAT PAUL MULLIN SAID

  Paddy ‘The Baddy’ was in action at UFC 314. He put on another show-stopping performance when prevailing in an epic clash with Michael Chandler. Mullin posted on social media of seeing Pimblett emerge victorious: "Doing us proud."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Mullin will be hoping to have his own cause for celebration in the coming weeks. Wrexham remain second in the League One table, with a historic third successive promotion beginning to fall within reach.

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