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Chetry is yet to make her ODI debut but has played four T20Is

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Nov-2024Wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia has been ruled out of India’s upcoming ODI series in Australia due to a wrist injury she picked up during the ongoing WBBL. In her place, India have called up Uma Chetry, who is uncapped in the format.Chetry has played four T20Is, all this year. Her debut was against South Africa in July. Earlier this month, she was the second-highest run-getter in the domestic T20 Challenger Trophy with 231 runs at a strike rate of 154.00. She also scored the only hundred in the competition, a 122 off 71 balls.Chetry also has the experience of touring Australia, with India A side in August, even though her returns were underwhelming. In four matches across formats, she scored 7 and 11 in T20s, 16 in the one-dayer, and 2 and 47 in the four-day game.Related

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Bhatia was the second-highest run-getter for Melbourne Stars – despite missing the last three games – scoring 154 runs in six outings at a strike rate of 104.76. Stars, however, finished at the bottom of the points table with two wins from ten matches.Before her WBBL stint, Bhatia played the three-match ODI series against New Zealand at home and scored 84 runs in three innings. She was part of the T20 World Cup squad but didn’t get a game.The first two ODIs against Australia will be played at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane, on December 5 and 8. The third and final match will be played at the WACA ground in Perth on December 11.

India Women squad for Australia ODIs

Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana (vice-capt), Priya Punia, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, Richa Ghosh (wk), Tejal Hasabnis, Deepti Sharma, Minnu Mani, Priya Mishra, Radha Yadav, Titas Sadhu, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, Saima Thakor, Uma Chetry (wk)

Rafael Leao made the difference for AC Milan as the Serie A giants overcame Liverpool 4-2 in a closely-fought pre-season encounter in Hong Kong.

Leao with goal and assistLiverpool show promise but defeated by MilanWirtz starts for RedsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱TELL ME MORE

Liverpool tasted defeat in the first game of their pre-season tour courtesy of a strong counter-attacking display from Milan at Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong. Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo scored for the Reds, who showed glimpses but ultimately came out second-best on the day as Leao shone with a well-taken goal and assist.

The Reds continued their tributes to the late Diogo Jota, which were prevalent in their emotional opening fixture at Preston North End. On Saturday, they wore special shirts containing a patch saying 'Diogo J 20'.

It was Milan who started the brighter of the two sides, as Leao opened the scoring in the 11th minute after an earlier warning shot. The Portuguese winger was freed by Christian Pulisic on the break down the left, and despite being forced out wide by Virgil van Dijk, the 26-year-old rifled the ball into the top corner. He paid tribute to former Portugal team-mate Jota with a muted celebration.

Mohamed Salah had a great opportunity to equalise after he was played through by new man Florian Wirtz, but the Egyptian was unselfish and played a ball back towards the German which was cleared away before it could reach him. However, Liverpool would be level before the half-hour mark courtesy of the right boot of Szoboszlai. Assisted by ever-impressive 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha, Szoboszlai nonchalantly clipped the ball over the lead of Mike Maignan and into the top corner of the net from the edge of the penalty area.

Liverpool dominated first-half possession but Milan could have gone in ahead at half-time had Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Leao not combined to waste a golden opportunity on the counter-attack.

The pair would combine again to have their say early in the second period though, Leao this time breaking on the break and finding Loftus-Cheek, who showed poise to calmly finish into the bottom corner. Soon the Italian side would score a third, Noah Okafor this time powering into the net after another rapid counter-attack.

Liverpool pushed to get back into the game and substitute Jeremie Frimpong would prove a threat playing higher up on the right wing, forcing a good save before Gakpo headed home expertly to halve the deficit in stoppage time. However, any chance of a last-gasp equaliser was quashed when a defensive lapse allowed Okafor to score his second with the last kick of the game. This would ultimately prove Milan's day.

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The game's outstanding player was Milan's Leao. The Portuguese international has been touted as one of the world's most exciting forwards for several years now and he showed exactly why. An outstanding individual goal opened the scoring early on, before he broke forward on the counter to assist Loftus-Cheek for his side's second. He even had a role to play in the third goal with a backheel in the centre circle to set off a counter attack. Milan's threat waned after their danger man was withdrawn just after the hour mark.

NEW FACES

Wirtz made his second appearance following last week's behind-closed-doors friendly with Stoke City and showed several glimpses of his undoubted quality in 45 minutes on the pitch in his new colours. A moment where he broke through the centre of midfield and played through Harvey Elliott stood out, as did a clever through-ball to Salah which could have led to a goal. Liverpool clearly have a very accomplished new signing on their hands, though he was playing in the slightly unfamiliar position of false nine on this occasion.

Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong were introduced at half-time as they continue to build connections with their new team-mates. Frimpong stood out and almost got on the scoresheet after a brilliant take out of the sky got him in behind the defence, only for the Dutchman's fierce strike to be thwarted.

GettyONES TO WATCH

Ngumoha is just 16 years old but has already stood out throughout pre-season, and he did so once again against Milan. Following up a goal against Stoke, he registered an assist for Szoboszlai's goal and looked comfortable among his esteemed team-mates out on the left wing in the first half. He also forced Maignan into a smart save after a rapid stepover earned him some space on his weaker left foot.

We also saw appearances by rising Liverpool stars such as Luca Stephenson, Trey Nyoni, Tyler Morton and Ben Doak, who all aimed to show glimpses of their quality in hope of finding a more regular role to play in Slot's squad next season.

MatériaMais Notícias

da esoccer bet： O Atlético-MG venceu o Bahia por 1 a 0, na manhã deste domingo (13), com gol de Paulinho, no Mineirão, pela última rodada do primeiro turno do Brasileirão. Resultado dá fôlego ao trabalho de Felipão e pode fazer o Tricolor de Aço terminar rodada na zona de rebaixamento.

RelacionadasAtlético MineiroPróximos jogos do Atlético-MG: onde assistir e calendário com datas e horários das partidasAtlético Mineiro12/10/2023Fora de CampoPênalti ou não? Carlos Eugênio Simon analisa lance de Palmeiras e Atlético-MG e explica regraFora de Campo10/08/2023Atlético MineiroCom eliminação na Libertadores, Atlético não atinge meta esportiva pela segunda vez no anoAtlético Mineiro10/08/2023

da lvbet： Todos os 90 minutos foram muito equilibrados, os dois times conseguiram criar muitas chances, mas só Paulinho, no início do segundo tempo, conseguiu balançar as redes.

+ Veja a tabela do Brasileirão

LÁ E CÁ
11 chutes para o Galo e 14 para o Bahia; 39% de posse para o Galo, 61% para o Bahia. Os números podem até mostrar uma mínima vantagem para os tricolores, mas, no campo, o equilíbrio marcou a partida.

Quem chegou primeiro com perigo foi o Bahia. Ademir finalizou de fora da área uma bola cheia de veneno. Éverson, que completou 200 jogos pelo clube, foi seguro e encaixou. Depois disso, o goleiro quase desviou para dentro uma boa finalização de Cauly, mas antes disso, Paulinho também obrigou o goleiro Marcos Felipe a trabalhar. No fim do primeiro tempo, Hulk caiu na área e ficou pedindo pênalti de Kanu. O jogo ficou parado por um bom tempo, mas não houve nada.

PRESENTE PARA O PAULINHO PAI
Mais uma vez quem começou com perigo foi o Bahia, na cabeçada de Vitor Hugo. Mas, quem marcou mesmo foi Paulinho, após receber bola enfiada de Hulk. No fim do jogo, o atacante dedicou o gol ao pai, seu ídolo. Logo na sequência, o Bahia chegou ao ataque e, no rebote, Thaciano chutou beirando a trave. No final, o Tricolor acabou se afobando para buscar o resultado e não conseguiu ameaçar tanto a defesa do Galo.

+Galo: Éverson completa 200 jogos hoje contra o Bahia

O próximo compromisso do Atlético-MG é contra o Vasco, no domingo (20), às 11h (de Brasília) em São Januário. O clube carioca ainda tenta levar a partida para o Maracanã. Já o Bahia enfrenta o Red Bull Bragantino no mesmo dia, às 16h, na Fonte Nova.

Liverpool have plenty of summer targets in their sights, but they are also aware that departures at Anfield will be needed to supplement incomings.

Liverpool looking to scale upwards in summer window

The Reds have enjoyed a mercurial season under Arne Slot and have been head and shoulders in front of their competitors for the Premier League title.

Nevertheless, the upcoming window is a test of FSG’s long-term ambitions at Anfield. The market sphere is becoming more crowded than ever, and several of their rivals will relish the opportunity to strengthen ahead of next campaign.

Thwarting any optimism that their crown can be deposed is the priority for Liverpool, who now have Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong at the top of their list to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Continuing that theme, the Reds are also monitoring Monaco right-back Vanderson following his exploits in Ligue 1 this term, signifying that they have several contingencies to fill the void that will be left by the academy graduate.

Nevertheless, Alexander-Arnold won’t be the only one to leave Merseyside behind in the coming months. Luis Diaz is being targeted by Saudi Pro League clubs and may fetch £68 million to invest back into potential reinforcements.

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Could a shock move to Anfield materialise this summer?

By
Henry Jackson

May 9, 2025

Some may think changing things while they are playing out nicely is a strange phenomenon, but there can be no room for sentiment in the hunt for silverware. Ultimately, Liverpool want to be in a position to dominate English football for years to come, so it makes sense to be proactive on all fronts should the right opportunies to conduct business present themselves.

Tapping into that school of thought, Slot may have a decision to make following recent developments involving one of his high-profile stars.

Liverpool receive two offers for Darwin Nunez

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool have received offers for striker Darwin Nunez from RB Leipzig and Napoli following his disappointing campaign at Anfield. The Uruguay international is the subject of bids of around £50.7 million, which has plunged his future at the Reds into doubt due to a lack of consistency since joining from Benfica in 2022 for £71.8 million.

Labelled “wonderful” by Jurgen Klopp, Nunez has registered seven goals and seven assists in 44 appearances this campaign, though Diogo Jota has sometimes been preferred to spearhead Slot’s attack. Finding himself at a crossroads, the Artigas-born man could be the one to make way as Liverpool hunt for an elite striker to build on their title success.

Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak has been mooted as a Reds target. Still, big-money sales are likely to be critical in any successful pursuit of the Sweden international. Nunez doesn’t appear to be front and centre of Liverpool’s plans, making a departure an easy decision for all parties should a deal be agreed upon.

Derby County are now keen on signing a 100+ career goal forward this summer, with John Eustace personally driving the move, according to a report.

Derby's summer transfer plans taking shape

It was always going to be tough to avoid relegation from the Championship in Derby’s first season back in the second tier, but having just about got the job done, Eustace will be looking to bring in signings capable of helping his side push up the table next season.

The Rams have set out to raid some of their Championship rivals next summer, having submitted a bid for Hull City right-back Cody Drameh, although they did not receive the response they would’ve been hoping for, with the proposal being knocked back.

Drameh is not the only defender in Eustace’s sights, however, with enquiries also being made over centre-back Ricardo Santos, who is available on a free transfer upon leaving Bolton Wanderers.

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The Championship outfit are clearly keen to bolster their options at the back, despite maintaining a decent defensive record throughout the 2024-25 campaign, given their league position, shipping just 56 goals across the campaign.

However, there is also an eagerness to strengthen their attacking options, with a report from Derbyshire Live revealing Derby are now keen on a move for Andi Weimann, who previously spent three years at Pride Park from 2015 to 2018.

Eustace is personally pushing for the Rams to bring back Weimann, who will be available on a free transfer, should the forward fail to agree a new contract to extend his stay with current employers Blackburn Rovers.

"Incredible" Weimann could be tempted by Derby move

The 33-year-old clearly has a strong relationship with Eustace, with the 45-year-old also signing him for Blackburn last summer, and he received high praise from his manager last season, who said: “It doesn’t matter how old he is (or) how young he is when you have a player of that quality.

“Everyone can see the impact he has had on and off the pitch. We are very fortunate that he decided to sign here.”

Former Bristol City boss Nigel Pearson is also an admirer of the Austrian, describing his desire and work ethic as “incredible”, and he has a plethora of experience at Championship level, which could be very useful for Derby.

The Blackburn forward has spent the majority of his career in the second tier, scoring 74 times in the competition, and after picking up seven goals last term, he now has over 100 career goals to his name.

As such, Weimann could be a fantastic signing for Derby, who will be hoping his existing relationship with Eustace will be helpful in convincing the attacker to move to Pride Park.

With the summer transfer window fast approaching, Manchester City are now reportedly readying a formal proposal to sign a talented South American defender for Pep Guardiola.

Pep reveals Man City's FA Cup pride

Whilst it’s been a fairly disappointing season in the Premier League and arguably Guardiola’s toughest, Manchester City still have the FA Cup final to look forward to this weekend. In what is the third year in a row that the Citizens have reached the final at Wembley, they will be desperate to avoid an upset against Crystal Palace and fall at the final hurdle for the second consecutive year.

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Guardiola knows exactly what the occasion means and spoke about how proud he and his side are of their FA Cup achievements in recent years. The Spaniard told reporters earlier this week: “I say it every time we are in this position, but I will say it again: it is such a privilege to be able to play in this incredible stadium and have a chance to win this beautiful trophy,” said Guardiola, ahead of his squad’s trip to north-west London.

“This is our third year in a row in the FA Cup Final, which is something we are very, very proud of. In the FA Cup, you play all the top teams from the Premier League and the Championship and always there are times when it is difficult.

“To have made three Finals in a row shows how consistent we have been. It says everything about this generation of players and the club itself. The FA Cup is the most challenging and beautiful domestic cup competition in the world, there is no doubt about that.”

Away from their potential Wembley success this weekend, meanwhile, those at The Etihad have already reportedly set their sights on welcoming a defensive reinforcement when the summer transfer window arrives.

Man City readying Wesley proposal

According to Coluna do Fla, as relayed by Sport Witness, Manchester City are now readying a formal proposal worth €35m (£29m) to sign Wesley Franca from Flamengo this summer. The Brazilian right-back is reportedly keen on a move to Man City, but has also attracted interest from Manchester United and Liverpool as a result of his impressive campaign.

Their £29m proposal will reportedly fall short of Flamengo’s valuation, however, with the Brazilian club demanding as much as €45m (£38m) to sell Wesley before the Club World Cup begins.

Dubbed “pacy” by South American football expert Nathan Joyes, Wesley looks set to have quite a decision to make this summer. With a whole host of Premier League clubs chasing his signature, the 21-year-old looks destined for England and may well end up in a Manchester City side who desperately need a right-back.

GOAL looks at the frontrunners for the 2025 MLS MVP, including reigning award winner Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi’s stellar 2024 season earned him the Landon Donovan MLS MVP award – his first regular season honor in the league. Now, he’s aiming to become just the second player to win it twice, the first being Preki, and the first to do so in back-to-back seasons.

But several strong challengers are in the mix.

Evander and Diego Rossi had brilliant starts to the campaign, but a few slow weeks have seen others leapfrog them in the race for candidacy.

Nashville SC forward Sam Surridge, San Diego FC breakout star Anders Dreyer, and LAFC's Denis Bouanga are all coming off brilliant stretches of form in May and early June and are emerging as some of Messi's biggest threats en route to the trophy. One individual, Philadelphia's Tai Baribo, has been there the entire way, though. The Israel international has been one of the league's top performers from Matchday 1 through 18 this season when featuring for the Union, and as things stand, might be the lone individual in front of the Inter Miami star just over halfway through the season.

How does each one rank, though, and who else is still in contention? GOAL presents the latest edition of MLS MVP Rankings.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  1Tai Baribo, Philadelphia Union

  The Israel international has emerged onto the scene in 2025 in the most unexpected way possible. Before the halfway mark of the campaign, he surpassed his goal tally from 2024, and he's single-handedly spearheaded the Philadelphia Union's charge to the top of the Eastern Conference standings.

  With 13 goals and 1 assist in 16 appearances – 13 of which have been starts – he has been dominant in the final third and is taking MLS by storm as the league leader in scoring as a result.

  At Philly, he's found immense success inside the box, out-performing his xG of 9.67 while having a .42 percent conversion rate in front of the net. He's been one of the league's most clinical players, scoring on 13 of his 17 on-target attempts this season as well.

  More than a goalscorer, he's also played nine key passes resulting in an attacking opportunity, one of which earned him an assist. He has been an unexpected yet welcome addition to the league's elite attackers this season.

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• Getty Images
  

  2Lionel Messi, Inter Miami

  The Argentine, after a slow start to the campaign, has really turned it on in recent weeks. Just in the month of May, he scored seven goals, helping lead Miami back up to third in the Eastern Conference after a rough patch of form towards the end of April.

  The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner is now up to 10 goals and six assists, totaling 16 goal contributions in just 13 appearances in MLS action this season. He's out-performed his xG of 7.54, and has established a shot conversion rate of .15 percent, with 30 attempts on target this season. In just 1,115 minutes, he's climbed towards the top of the league in goals and assists, despite playing in fewer matches than most due to a mix of international duty and injury.

  He trails only Bouanga (78) in total shot attempts this season with 68 himself, while he is second in the league with shots on target, trailing only Hany Mukhtar of Nashville SC (38).

  The Argentine put his foot on the gas pedal in May, and is now back towards the top of contention to win the prestigious award as he looks to make MLS history.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  3Denis Bouanga, LAFC

  The heart and soul of LAFC, Bouanga has been one of MLS' best players since his 2022 arrival within the league. Across the start of the 2025 season, he's scored eight goals and recorded five assists in 15 appearances – 14 of which were starts.

  Across all competitions, LAFC are unbeaten in their last 10 matches, and he's been a crucial reason as to why. During the successful stretch of matches, the 30-year-old has recorded a goal contribution in all but one game, including two game-winners in MLS action. The Gabon international also scored the game-winning goal to clinch their berth in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in a 2-1 extra-time victory over Club America, and is riding an immense wave of confidence heading into the marquee summer compeition.

  An MVP candidate in both 2023 and 2024, 2025 could finally be the year where he makes a legitimate case to be considered for the prestigious award. After a rocky start to the season for both him and the , he's turned things around, and is spearheading their charge towards the top of the Western Conference standings.

• 4Anders Dreyer, San Diego FC

  The San Diego FC forward is the frontrunner for Newcomer of the Year, but who is to say he shouldn't be in MVP candidacy as well? He's up to 14 goal contributions this season, with six goals and eight assists, which puts him tied atop the league for the moment.

  He's helped the expansion side to second place in the Western Conference heading into Matchday 19 of the campaign, and has arguably been the best addition to the league this season. He's coming off an international break where he represented Denmark, and in a 5-0 victory over Lithuania, he scored and assisted for his nation.

  For SDFC, he's been one of the most important players on the field for them this season, and leads them in both goals and assists.

  With his sublime left foot, he's been a menace to defenders all season long, and doesn't look to be stopping as he looks to lead the expansion side to a top-four finish in the Western Conference come the end of the campaign.

Liverpool are in pole position to secure the signing of a highly-rated Premier League midfielder in the summer transfer window.

Liverpool preparing for EFL Cup final

The Reds faced the disappointment of being eliminated from the Champions League on Tuesday night, following a penalty shootout defeat to Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield. Arne Slot’s Liverpool side have the perfect opportunity to bounce back this weekend, however, as they prepare to face Newcastle United in the EFL Cup final at Wembley.

It promises to be a tough game for the Reds, especially as Newcastle are looking to end a 70-year wait for a domestic trophy, but they will go into the game as the obvious favourites, as Slot looks to win his maiden piece of silverware as head coach at Anfield.

There are injury concerns heading into the match, with Trent Alexander-Arnold missing out after hurting his ankle against PSG, and Ibrahima Konate also having to come off in extra-time, albeit only with cramp. Away from Sunday’s huge game, an exciting transfer rumour has emerged.

Liverpool leading race to sign Wolves star Joao Gomes

According to Gazete do Urubu [via Sport Witness], Liverpool are leading the race to sign Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes this summer. It is claimed that the Reds are the “main interested party” in the £50m-rated Brazil international currently, and they are “close” to him, ahead of a potential switch to Anfield at the end of the season.

While Liverpool’s midfield feels stocked full of excellent options, not least the first-choice trio of Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, another addition wouldn’t go amiss this summer, especially in terms of players in the mould of Gomes.

The 24-year-old has enjoyed an excellent season for Wolves, starting 24 Premier League games, showcasing his off-the-ball quality with an average of three tackles per match. Meanwhile, pundit Sue Smith has heaped praise on him.

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By
Angus Sinclair

Mar 14, 2025

Gomes already knows English football well from his time at Wolves, so there wouldn’t be any concerns about him struggling to hit the ground running at Liverpool.

Given his age, he would be coming in as a long-term option who arguably offers more natural defensive cover than Gravenberch and Mac Allister, who have averaged 1.8 and 2.8 tackles per game this season in the league respectively.

Lead selector Desmond Haynes indicated Darren had been left out to give opportunities to younger players keeping the 2027 ODI World Cup in mind

S Sudarshanan21-Nov-2023Dwayne Bravo has hit out at West Indies selectors, saying that “the system failed again” after his brother Darren Bravo was excluded from the ODI squad against England.”When will the BS [sic] stop?! I’m not surprised by my brother’s non-selection, but with the recent changes in WI cricket management, I held onto a bit of hope for the better,” Dwayne posted on Instagram. “This is NOT acceptable, and I just can’t make sense of it! So here are my burning questions: What’s the criteria for West Indies team selection? Surely, it can’t be solely based on performance?”Darren was the leading run-scorer in the Super50 Cup 2023 that concluded earlier this month and captained Trinidad & Tobago to the title. He scored 416 runs in the competition at an average of 83.20 and a strike rate of 92.03, batting at No. 3, and was one of the two players with over 400 runs in the competition. Bravo also was among the leading run-scorers for Trinidad & Tobago last season in the 50-over competition with 240 runs at an average of 48 and a strike rate of 76.92.Following the squad announcement on Monday, West Indies’ lead selector Desmond Haynes indicated Darren, 34, had been left out to give opportunities to younger players keeping the 2027 ODI World Cup in mind.”It was a very tough decision for us to make as a panel,” Haynes said of Darren’s omission. “Darren has proven, not only this year but last year as well in the Super50 tournament, to be somebody who has performed well at this level. But we have invested in players like Alick Athanaze and Keacy Carty.”We also had to take into consideration that the World Cup 2027 is something that we have got in mind. We believe that we have invested in these players, and we need to give the opportunity to play against a very strong England side. That is the reason why Darren has been omitted.”Dwayne accused the selection panel of “mistreatment” and “disrespect” towards players.”I usually stay away from these discussions, but the mistreatment, disrespect, and dishonesty towards players over the years demand a voice. When will it stop?” he wrote.”To Mr. Desmond Haynes, your statement didn’t surprise me. It feels like another former player singing for his supper. I hoped for trust in the system with figures like you, Sammy, and the new director of cricket, but the system failed again. To my brother, this too shall pass. Keep your head up, stay focused, and trust in the Almighty.”While Darren was excluded, Kjorn Ottley, 33, was picked for the first time since 2021 as a back-up opener after Justin Greaves was ruled out with injury. Ottley made his ODI debut in Bangladesh in January 2021 and scored 25 across two games before being left out. But he put in a strong performance in the Super50 Cup this year with 317 runs while opening the batting. Only Greaves and Darren had scored more runs than Ottley this season.”You got to look at the roles that you want the player to play,” Haynes said. “Kjorn Ottley was included in the team as we had an injury to Justin Greaves. We thought we wanted somebody to bat up front and that’s the reason why Ottley got picked.”It is also important to have people playing in our domestic season and doing well. We keep saying all the time, our pool is not that big. I also mentioned about investing in young players like Athanaze, Keacy Carty. If we do the knee-jerk reaction where we just decided to invest in guys one year and then get rid of them next year, I am not too sure if that’s good for the development.”Hayden Walsh topped the bowling charts in the Super50 Cup 2023•AFP/Getty ImagesHaynes: Hayden Walsh was very close to selection
After unimpressive outings in ODIs against India at home and Pakistan away as well as the T20Is against New Zealand at home last year, legspinner Hayden Walsh Jr was left out of the West Indies side and was not selected for the T20 World Cup in Australia. Ahead of the CPL 2023, he switched from Barbados Royals to Jamaica Tallawahs, but played just two matches.After he was dropped last year, Haynes said he had asked him to look at his bowling footage in order to work on his shortcomings.”Last season I was the first to go to Hayden when he lost his confidence and I suggested ‘get a camera to look at you, where you are bowling’,” Haynes said. “I thought at the time he was not bowling well and need some assistance from the outside just to have a look at him.”This year I can tell you that I am very impressed with the way the ball was coming out of Hayden in this competition. We even made the suggestion to the West Indies Cricket Board to have Hayden in the 16 and he is going to be in Antigua for the camp.”Walsh returned to form with both bat and ball in the Super50 Cup bagging 20 wickets – joint-most in the tournament with Sunil Narine – and scoring 222 runs with two fifties and a strike rate of 100.45. Against West Indies Academy, he came in with Leeward Islands at 157 for 6 and scored an unbeaten 60 off 55 to lift them to 239. He then picked up five wickets to help his side win by 66 runs.Related

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His second fifty came in a similarly tough situation in the semi-final against Barbados. Walsh scored 57 off just 45 to help Leeward Islands recover from 179 for 6 to post 290.”We were very impressed with Hayden,” Haynes said. “He used to be a two-dimensional player. He batted very well for Leeward Islands, came in at some crucial times and gave Leeward Islands a really good partnership and get them some good runs. We were very impressed with his batting as well.”Hayden was very close to selection, and I am happy he has got back his form. He is bowling well and is always going to be in our plans.”Haynes also said that he was told Jason Holder “is involved only in T20 and Tests” and is not available for ODIs.

Celtic could reportedly now complete the signing of an “excellent” player this summer, having missed out on snapping him up in the January transfer window.

Celtic eye signings amid doubts over Rodgers' future

The Hoops are preparing to make the trip to St Johnstone this weekend, as they look to go one step closer to Scottish Premiership title glory. They have a 13-point lead over Rangers currently, so it surely feels like a matter of time until they are once again crowned champions.

In terms of potential summer signings to further bolster Brendan Rodgers’ squad, Celtic are believed to be pushing to sign Royal Antwerp forward Michel-Ange Balikwisha, with the manager a big fan of him.

Speaking of Rodgers, one new report that has emerged has claimed that he “could quit” the Hoops at the end of the season, amid possible interest from clubs in the Premier League.

It is stated that the 52-year-old is “content at Parkhead as things stand”, but there doesn’t appear to be any guarantee that he will be in charge of Celtic when next season gets underway, especially if he does not receive backing in the transfer market.

Celtic plan to back the boss with £4.2m long-term target

According to TuttoMercatoWeb [via Sport Witness], there is still belief that Celtic could sign David Strelec from Slovan Bratislava this summer. The Hoops attempted to sign him at the eleventh hour in the January window, but were unable to entice him to the club midway through the season.

The 24-year-old could be available for as little as £4.2m at the end of the season though, potentially rising to £5.9m, with offers expected to come his way.

Strelec could be a potent addition to Celtic’s attack, which is needed after the surprise departure of Kyogo Furuhashi back in January. The Slovakian has enjoyed an impressive season for Bratislava, scoring three times in the Champions League qualifiers before also finding the net twice in the main competition itself.

Strelec has proven his worth at international level, too, scoring seven goals in 28 caps for Slovakia, while scout/writer Jacek Kulig has hailed him as an “excellent” player.

The striker ticks so many boxes for Celtic, at a time when Rodgers will want more firepower added to his squad, not least his age. Strelec turned 24 on Friday, meaning he now has plenty of experience at a good level, but is still a young player whose peak shouldn’t arrive for another few years.

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BySean Markus Clifford Apr 3, 2025

He is an attacking player with genuine pedigree, and if Celtic were able to snap him up for as little as £4.2m, it could be a superb piece of business. That said, £5.9m is still hardly paying over the odds for a player of his quality.