Joe Weatherley top-scores with 42 before bowlers close out victory

ECB Reporters' Network11-Jun-2021

Liam Dawson struck in a tight spell as Hampshire beat Essex•Getty Images

Chris Wood lead a superb defensive bowling display as Hampshire Hawks beat Essex Eagles by 13 runs to get their Vitality Blast competition rolling.Left-arm fast bowler Wood’s four overs went for just 15, along with the scalp of Aron Nijjar, with fellow homegrown star Liam Dawson returning a miserly 1 for 17.Joe Weatherley top-scored with 42 as the Hawks struggled to 155 but despite Tom Westley’s 44 the Eagles were bowled out for 142 – losing their last five wickets for 22 runs.Hampshire were stuck in and were contained well by the Essex bowlers as they reached 39 for the loss of James Vince – aggressively pulling Sam Cook to midwicket – in the powerplay.Simon Harmer, for the second match in succession, struck with his second delivery to york Tom Alsop.Cook took career-best T20 figures against Somerset and once again impressed with analysis of 2 for 21 as he had Australian D’Arcy Short caught behind by Will Buttleman – leaving the visitors 59 for 3 in eight overs.Weatherley rebuilt with Dawson and James Fuller through 35 and 33-run stands without any explosion to the run rate.Dawson was stumped off Harmer and Weatherley – having notched 42 from 34 balls – picked out deep midwicket to leave Hampshire facing a below-par total.But James Fuller plopped Jamie Porter for back-to-back sixes back over his head at the River End in the penultimate over to boost the tally, before he skied to cover.Buttleman lasted only seven balls on debut before he hooked Brad Wheal to fine leg.Michael Pepper also departed in the powerplay, caught behind attempting to sweep Dawson, as Essex reached 41 in the first six overs.The impetus was raised as Paul Walter lifted Mason Crane for sixes into the Hayes Close End houses from the first over of the leg-spinner’s first two overs.Westley also lofted over the straight boundary, but Crane got the last laugh, and loud grunting send-off, as Walter danced past a straight one to be stumped, before Westley was run out by a Ian Holland direct hit.Ryan ten Doeschate was bamboozled by Crane, struggling for four dots before slicing to short third man – as the England spinner pulled back his first 13 balls going for 37 to end up with two for 42 from his four overs.Jimmy Neesham clubbed Wheal into the Doug Insole Pavilion with a pull to accompany some powerful fours but he was caught at midwicket with 36 still needed.Nijjar pulled to deep fine leg, Simon Harmer and Sam Cook were run out and Plom was bowled by Wheal to confirm the victory.

نجح فريق الكرة الأول بنادي بيراميدز في تحقيق الفوز على نظيره مودرن سبورت، بهدف دون رد، في خضم منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

المباراة التي أقيمت على ملعب استاد السلام ضمن منافسات الجولة الرابعة عشر من عمر البطولة المحلية المقامة هذا الموسم بشكل استثنائي.

وتعد مباراة اليوم هي الأولى للمدرب الجزائري عبد الحق بن شيخة المدير الفني الجديد لفريق نادي مودرن سبورت، والذي تولى زمام الأمور قبل يومين فقط.

تقارير جنوب إفريقية: بسبب بيرسي تاو.. الأهلي يُحرم من صفقة ذهبية

وأحرز هدف اللقاء الوحيد اللاعب الدولي إبراهيم عادل في الدقيقة الثالثة من الوقت بدل الضائع بالشوط الأول، بتسديدة من لمسة واحدة من داخل منطقة الجزاء.

بهذا الفوز يستعيد فريق بيراميدز صدارة ترتيب الدوري الحائرة بينه وبين حامل اللقب النادي الأهلي برصيد 33 نقطة، وبفارق نقطة واحدة عن المارد الأحمر.

نجح فريق بيراميدز في تحقيق الفوز بـ10 مواجهات هذا الموسم، والتعادل في 3 بينما خسر مواجهة واحدة، وسجل لاعبوه 25 هدفًا واستقبلت شباكه 7 أهداف.

وفي الوقت ذاته يتجمد رصيد مودرن سبورت عند 8 نقاط متذيلًا جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري بعد أن نال خسارته الثامنة هذا الموسم فيما حقق خمس تعادلات وانتصار وحيد. هدف فوز بيراميدز أمام مودرن سبورت

Also: what’s the record for most consecutive wins from the start of a captaincy career?

Steven Lynch17-Sep-2024Shimron Hetmyer hit 91 without a four in one innings in this year’s Caribbean Premier League. Is that the highest in T20s without a four? asked Chris Dowden from Grenada
You’re right that Shimron Hetmyer’s 91 for Guyana Amazon Warriors in their CPL match against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in Basseterre a couple of weeks ago contained no fours. We should perhaps mention that he did manage no fewer than 11 sixes, though!It is the highest score in any T20 match without a four, beating Shashrika Pussegolla’s 78 for Sebastianites against Police in Colombo in June 2022.The highest individual score in any T20 match with no fours or sixes appears to be 38 not out, by Navdeep Poonia for Scotland against Bermuda in Belfast during the World T20 Qualifier in August 2008.What’s the highest opening partnership in an international in which neither player scored a hundred? asked Nandra de Silva from Sri Lanka
A performance in a T20I leads the way here. Playing for Gibraltar against Bulgaria in Valletta (Malta) in 2022, Avinash Pai (86 not out) and Louis Bruce (99 not out) batted through the innings for an unbroken opening partnership of 213.In ODIs, Chris Gayle (99) and Wavell Hinds (82) put on 192 for West Indies’ first wicket against Bangladesh in Southampton during the 2004 Champions Trophy in England. Shikhar Dhawan (81 not out) and Shubman Gill (82 not out) also shared an opening stand of 192 – without being parted – for India against Zimbabwe in Harare in 2022.The men’s Test record is also 192, by Sunil Gavaskar (97) and Chetan Chauhan (93) for India against Pakistan in Lahore in 1978. However, Caroline Atkins (90) and Arran Brindle (85) put on exactly 200 for England’s first wicket in a women’s Test against India in Lucknow in 2002.I was going through scorecards of the good old days of Pakistan cricket, and spotted that in a Test against India in 2005-06, seven batters made 50-plus in the second innings. Was this a record? asked M Usman Sharif from Pakistan
You’re right that Pakistan’s second innings against India in Karachi in 2006 contained seven scores of 50 or more. Actually, it was the top seven in the order: Salman Butt 53, Imran Farhat 57, Younis Khan 77, Mohammad Yousuf 97, Faisal Iqbal 139, Shahid Afridi 60 and Abdul Razzaq 90. The total was enough for Pakistan to win by 341 runs – quite a comeback considering they had been 0 for 3 in the first over of the match, after a hat-trick from Irfan Pathan.That was actually the second Test innings to contain seven individual scores of 50 or more, after England against Australia at Old Trafford in 1934. It happened again at Lord’s in 2006, when seven Sri Lankans reached 50 after they followed on against England. Here’s the full list of seven or more batters making 50 or more.Percy Chapman holds the record for winning the most consecutive Tests at the start of a captaincy career•SR Gaiger/Getty ImagesHad England won at The Oval, Ollie Pope would have started with three wins in his first three matches as captain. Which captain won the most Tests from the start of their career? asked Mark Annear via Facebook
England’s stand-in captain Ollie Pope won his first two Tests in charge, before coming a cropper in the third, at The Oval last week. Over the years, 23 captains won their first three matches in charge: six of them are from England, the most recent being Brian Close in the mid-1960s. The most recent from any country is Pope’s opposite number, Dhananjaya de Silva, earlier this year.The best start is by England’s Percy Chapman, who won his first nine Tests as captain in the late 1920s. Earlier that decade, Warwick Armstrong won his first eight Tests in charge of Australia. There’s a big gap then to seven others who won their first four Tests as captain.Regarding last week’s question about the tallest men to play for England, what about Boyd Rankin? asked Michael O’Hara from Ireland
Thanks for pointing that out: it’s not the first time I’d forgotten that fast bowler Boyd Rankin, who played county cricket for Derbyshire and Warwickshire, played a Test for England (against Australia in Sydney in 2014), as well as two for his native Ireland.Rankin is also in the region of 6ft 8in (203cm), and thus shares the distinction of being England’s tallest Test cricketer with Steven Finn. Current squad member Reece Topley is also 6ft 8in, but although he has played more than 50 white-ball internationals, he hasn’t appeared in a Test match.The tallest Test player from any country remains Mohammad Irfan of Pakistan – another left-arm quick – who extends the tape to 7ft 1in (216cm). Irfan is believed to be the tallest first-class cricketer too.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

West Bromwich Albion are back in action in the Championship this evening as they prepare to travel to St. Mary’s to take on an in-form Southampton side.

The Saints, now led by Tonda Eckert, have won five of their last six matches in the division, beating Birmingham City 3-1 in their most recent outing.

Ryan Mason will have to make some tweaks to his side after they were beaten 3-1 by QPR at Loftus Road on Saturday, and Josh Maja is one star who could lose his place in the XI.

Why Ryan Mason should drop Josh Maja for West Brom

The Nigeria international was given a starting berth for the trip to West London after he came off the bench to provide an assist in the 3-2 comeback win over Swansea in the previous game.

Unfortunately, though, the former Sunderland centre-forward was unable to build on that assist with another strong performance, as he struggled against QPR.

Maja joined Aune Heggebo to form a front two for the Baggies in London, but was unable to provide much of a threat at the top end of the pitch in a drab loss.

Minutes

64

Shots

1

Touches

20

Possession lost

8x

Key passes

0

Duels won

2/5

As you can see in the table above, the 26-year-old attacker offered very little in the final third and was wasteful with his use of the ball, only retaining possession 12 times from his 20 touches.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

With this in mind, Mason should ruthlessly ditch the striker from the starting line-up to bring Isaac Price back into the starting line-up as a number ten against Southampton.

Why West Brom should unleash Isaac Price against Southampton

The Northern Ireland international should be brought back into the side for multiple reasons, and not only for the attacking quality that he can provide.

As a natural attacking midfielder, Price replacing Maja could make West Brom more difficult to play through than they were in a 4-4-2 shape against QPR, as the youngster can drop into a midfield three, making it a 4-5-1 out of possession, which Maja would not be comfortable doing.

This is why bringing the former Standard Liege talent into the team could make a lot of sense for tactical reasons, ahead of a clash with an in-form Southampton team that will be expected to be on the front foot.

Of course, Price should also come into the starting XI because he has the potential to offer more quality to the side at the top end of the pitch than Maja does.

The 22-year-old star, who was described as a “breath of fresh air” by Chris Brunt, has been more effective than the Nigerian centre-forward with his play in and out of possession in the Championship so far this season.

Appearances

17

19

xG

1.88

4.65

Goals

1

5

Key passes per game

0.4

1.4

Big chances created

0

3

Assists

1

2

Duel success rate

36%

49%

As you can see in the table above, Price has scored four more goals, outperforming his xG, and created chances for the team on a far more regular basis than Maja.

These statistics suggest that the Northern Irish talent is far more likely to be a difference-maker in the final third against Southampton this evening, which is why he should be given the nod from the start in the hope that he can make an impact at St. Mary’s.

Their respective success rate in duels also further backs up the belief that Price would be the better option out of the two for West Brom’s plan out of possession, as he is better in his physical battles against opposition players.

Given that Southampton have won five of their last six games, the Baggies will need to roll up their sleeves and put in a lot of fight to come away from Hampshire with some points, and Price seems more likely to be effective in that situation.

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Therefore, Mason must ruthlessly drop Maja from the starting line-up, after one match, to bring Price back into the side in an attempt to secure a positive result against Southampton this evening.

Rangers were certainly busy in the transfer market last summer, but supporters will be demanding more new recruits come January.

13 new additions were made in July and August, but this team has got significantly worse, leading to sporting director Kevin Thelwell feeling the need to do an interview with the club’s in-house TV channel during the international break.

Having sacked Russell Martin after only 15 games in charge and appointed Danny Röhl, the German will surely demand new recruits when the winter window opens in just 41 days time, so could Rangers bring in some much-needed defensive reinforcements?

Rangers' need for defensive depth

After taking a couple of matches to figure things out, new coach Röhl has settled on a back three, notably deploying this shape against Hibs, Roma and Celtic.

As a result, centre-back will surely be a key position he’ll seek to strengthen in January, given the Light Blues’ lack of depth and quality in this position.

Summer signing Nasser Djiga has regularly proved himself to be an unreliable figure, making a high-profile error against Club Brugge, having been sent off on his home Premiership debut against Dundee, thereby losing his place in the side (video below).

Meantime, John Souttar has been Rangers’ most impressive centre-back so far, starting 23 of 24 fixtures to date, albeit he can unfortunately never be relied upon to remain fit for a long period of time.

He withdrew from Scotland’s starting lineup mere minutes before Tuesday’s historic World Cup qualifying win over Denmark after suffering an injury in the warm-up and was at fault in the game against Greece, with James McFadden stating that he had a “nightmare” in that clash.

So, right now, even when everyone is fit, Röhl has just four senior centre-backs for three starting positions, one of which is Emmanuel Fernandez, who has not started a match since August.

Perhaps an addition in January would do the trick.

Rangers targeting a new centre-back

According to reports in Belgium earlier this month, Rangers have “made enquiries” as they aim to sign defender Mujaid Sadick from Genk.

Well, Football Transfers believes the 25-year-old is worth around £8m, which would make him one of Rangers’ most-expensive signings of all-time, so would he be worth the investment?

Mujaid began his senior career at Deportivo La Coruña in Spain, making 55 appearances for the fallen Spanish giants, before moving to Belgium in 2021, appearing 136 times for current employers Genk, who finished third in last season’s Jupiler Pro League.

This season, he has been a near ever-present for the Smurfs, including starting all four of their Europa League matches, the first of which was a 1-0 victory at Ibrox, with former Celtic striker Oh Hyeon-gyu the match-winner.

The Spaniard’s statistics certainly make for impressive reading, as outlined below.

Mujaid Sadick stats 25/26
Stats	Mujaid	League rank
Minutes	1,203	33rd
Completed passes	848	5th
Pass completion %	94.4%	1st
Tackles	28	20th
Clearances	75	15th
Aerials duels won	25	34th
Total duels won	61	40th
Stats via FBref and SofaScore

As the table highlights, Mujaid’s statistics in Belgium’s top-flight this season are generally pretty imperious.

No players boast a higher pass completion %, while he is also in the top 20 when it comes to tackles and clearances.

The Rangers Journal described the Spaniard as “physical, athletic, good on the ball and aggressive”, while his “versatility” has also been praised, which would certainly enhance his reputation with Röhl, who regularly tinkers with his shape and formation both from one game to the next but also within a match.

Thus, what is clear is that Rangers really need to sign another centre-back in January to avoid having to play stop-gaps as part of Röhl’s back three.

Mujaid’s statistics and potential, still only 25 years and playing in the sixth-strongest league on the planet, according to Global Football Rankings, all suggest he would represent an upgrade on Djiga and Souttar, the latter has been in good form, but is injury prone and whether or not his performances as sustainable remains a question mark.

The Spaniard would be an expensive investment, but one Rangers may have to make to correct the errors made in the summer.

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Arne Slot explained "three elements" that are central to Liverpool's strong defensive structure amid an excellent start to the Premier League season.

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Reds have best defensive record in Premier LeagueHave conceded just three times in eight matchesSlot revealed the secret to successFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

With an exceptional record of seven clean sheets in 12 games across all competitions, Slot’s Liverpool have only allowed five goals in total. In the Premier League, they have shipped in three goals, while Nottingham Forest, the next closest, had conceded six before facing Leicester City on Friday.

AdvertisementGOAL/GettyWHAT SLOT SAID

Slot attributes Liverpool’s defensive resilience to three key elements: dominance in possession, the high-calibre players in defence, and remarkable teamwork during challenging game phases. Speaking to the press, the Dutch manager explained: "One of them is that we – most games, almost all of them, maybe except for one – we dominated and controlled for large parts of the game. So it helps if you dominate, if you have the ball. But I also like that if there were difficult parts in the game, or for large parts in the game like we had against Chelsea, that the work rate is incredible. That is something that’s very important.

“If you combine that with having the likes of Virgil and Ibou and the two goalkeepers we’ve used until now, that is probably one of the reasons why we haven’t conceded that much. Then to be aware of the fact that we also have Jarell Quansah and Joe Gomez, we’re in a good place when it comes to centre-backs – and the goalkeeper speaks for itself I think.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Although Liverpool have maintained a tight defence, recent games have seen the Reds securing victories by narrow margins. Each of their last three league matches has been won by just one goal, a trend that also appeared in their recent Champions League fixture against RB Leipzig. Nonetheless, Slot is not concerned with the margin of victories and added: "I think every game has its own story. The Leipzig game, I said about the difference in the period of rest we had in between the games, so that could be a factor where Leipzig were, in the end of the game, a bit better than we were.

“I don’t know if it had anything to do with it, but it could. I think when I look at the Crystal Palace game it was one or two transition moments where we were still, in my opinion, dominating the game but we were a bit unlucky or we didn’t have a good enough rest defence – combined with some set-pieces. I liked the last six minutes of injury time we had in Leipzig where we constantly had the ball and controlled it. Those moments were not difficult.

“Also the Leipzig game, the first chance they had in the last 10 to 15 minutes was from a second phase set-piece. But yeah, you also concede the set-pieces, the other team is a bit stronger than you at that moment. I’m not worried, but I would prefer to see that we dominate until the end of the game. But it’s also good to see that, if we have to defend, that we have a team that defends with 11, with two outstanding centre-backs and a goalkeeper that makes saves as well.”

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

Liverpool’s commanding start to the season sees them narrowly leading Manchester City by a single point at the top of the Premier League standings. However, Slot's defence will be tested by a free-flowing Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, who have scored 15 times in eight matches.

While there were a few wobbles towards the start, it would be fair to say that Nuno Espírito Santo’s time in the West Ham United dugout has largely gone well so far.

The Portuguese coach has lifted the East Londoners out of the Premier League relegation zone and picked up some impressive results against Newcastle United, Manchester United, Everton and Burnley.

One of the players who seems to have benefited most from his arrival is Callum Wilson, who rediscovered his goalscoring form.

However, it might not be enough in the eyes of the club, as West Ham are now being linked with a striker who would represent an upgrade on the Englishman, a striker who once finished in a Jarrod Bowen-esque way.

West Ham linked with Wilson upgrade

The transfer window reopens in under a month, and, as is the case with most other clubs, West Ham have already been linked with a plethora of exciting players.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

For example, Toulouse’s highly rated English defender, Charlie Cresswell, has once again been touted for a move to the London Stadium, as has Nuno’s old number one, Jose Sa.

However, while both players would certainly have a positive impact at West Ham, neither one could be described as a Wilson upgrade, unlike Santiago Giménez.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, the Hammers are among several clubs that have been offered the chance to sign the AC Milan forward next year.

If the East Londoners do want to take up the offer, either on loan or in a permanent deal, they will have to get moving, as the report also states that Leeds United are the team with the most concrete interest in the player.

It could be a complicated transfer to get done for West Ham, but considering Giménez’s ability and goalscoring record, it’s one they should fight for, especially as he could be an upgrade on Wilson and arguably finished like Bowen in the past.

Why Giménez would be an upgrade on Wilson

There are a few reasons why Giménez would represent an upgrade on Wilson, and the first is their respective output.

Now, it is undoubtedly the case that the Englishman is actually outdoing the Mexican international in this regard so far this season, scoring four goals in 12 games compared to his one goal and two assists in 11 games.

However, when you take a step back and look at his form last season, and especially when he was playing in the Netherlands, it becomes clear that the former Feyenoord star is the more dangerous striker.

For example, while the former Newcastle United star scored only once in 22 appearances last year, the Resistencia-born marksman scored 22 goals and recorded six assists in 38 appearances.

Moreover, the season before that saw the Coventry-born ace do pretty well, scoring ten goals and providing one assist in 26 games, but his potential competition still did better, scoring 26 goals and providing eight assists in 41 games.

Giménez & Wilson’s recent form
23/24	Giménez	Wilson
Games	41	26
Minutes	3204′	1338′
Goals	26	10
Assists	8	1
24/25	Giménez	Wilson
Games	38	22
Minutes	2110′	458′
Goals	22	1
Assists	6	0
All Stats via Transfermarkt

With all this in mind, it’s clear that the “insane” Milan forward, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, is the far superior goalscorer, and considering he is left-footed, there is a Bowen-esque way to how he often curls the ball into the net.

Now, on top of the output, the 46-capped Mexican ace also has age on his side, coming nine years younger than the veteran 33-year-old Englishman.

Finally, the £78k-per-week game-changer also has fitness on his side, as he’s only had one season in his career in which he’s missed more double-digit games through injury, compared to Wilson, who has had seven.

Ultimately, while it might not be the club’s top priority, West Ham should go out and sign Giménez as soon as possible, as he could supercharge their attack.

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South Africa might want to tinker with their batting personnel, while Pakistan would look for more from their bowlers

Firdose Moonda13-Apr-2021Big pictureMatch one went down to the penultimate ball. Match two was as one-sided as they come. What are these two teams really about?South Africa have been rebuilding for much of the last six years and still don’t seem to have much beyond the outlines of a foundation. They know they have a host of decent players – so much so that even with seven first-choice ones missing, they have packed a decent punch against Pakistan in the two T20Is. The next question is how best to make use of the wealth of talent at their disposal.While their combinations are dictated largely by player availability, batting is one area they may want to address. Though they have gone into both matches with a surplus of bowlers, their batting line-up appears short of at least one batsman. Calls for Kyle Verreynne – the second-highest run-scorer in the 2018-19 one-day cup – to be included have abounded among public and pundits alike, and it is difficult to see the rest of this series playing out without him making an appearance – whether at the expense of another batsman or as an addition to the line-up.Related

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Pakistan are at full strength but their strongest suit – their bowling – did not look at their best in the first match while they did not have enough to defend in the second. Mohammad Nawaz has been their most threatening presence, but they would be hoping for more incision from legspinner Usman Qadir and left-arm quick Shaheen Shah Afridi.The second T20I aside, Pakistan’s line-up has shown they can post big totals albeit with only one or two players coming good. Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan lead their run-charge and they will want to see more from the middle-order to develop a complete performance.Both teams appear to still have plenty of work to do before they are ready for the T20 World Cup, a task for later in the year. With this being a four-match series, whoever wins the next match will have one hand on the trophy.Form guide
South Africa WLLWL
Pakistan LWWLWIn the spotlightAndile Phehlukwayo had the lightest workload in the second T20I, where he neither bowled a ball nor was he required to bat. While the latter suggests the top order did the job it is supposed to, South Africa’s many bowling options means Phehlukwayo is finding himself surplus to requirement at the death despite that being his specialty. Sisanda Magala and Lizaad Williams did a sterling job in giving away just 30 runs besides taking four wickets in the last four overs, and South Africa may have to find a different way to use Phehlukwayo in the middle period.He earned his 100th cap in the first T20I but Mohammad Hafeez has not made the kind of impression he may have wanted to in this series. With scores of 13 and 32 – and dismissals against the spinners in both innings – Hafeez has some unfinished business against what must be his last tour to southern Africa. He has two previous fifties in South Africa – including his joint second-highest score of 86 – so perhaps a return to a happy hunting ground could bring out the best in him. Pakistan need that, especially as they seek to avoid an over-reliance on their top three.If Fakhar Zaman has not recovered, Pakistan will have to field Sharjeel Khan again•AFP/Getty ImagesTeam newsSouth Africa won’t want to tinker too much with the combination that won on Monday. But the continued absence of Verreynne and the difficulties Wihan Lubbe has had in building an innings may mean a change in the top five. There is also the possibility of Rassie van der Dussen, if fit, getting the nod ahead of Verreynne or displacing Pite van Biljon.South Africa (possible): 1 Aiden Markram, 2 Janneman Malan, 3 Rassie van der Dussen/Kyle Verreynne, 4 Pite van Biljon, 5 Heinrich Klaasen (capt, wk), 6 George Linde, 7 Andile Phehlukwayo 8 Sisanda Magala, 9 Beuran Hendricks, 10 Lizaad Williams, 11 Tabraiz ShamsiIf Fakhar Zaman has not recovered from the rash that kept him out of the second match, Pakistan would have to give Sharjeel Khan another opportunity and would want their line-up to give the attack more to work with.Pakistan (possible): 1 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 2 Fakhar Zaman/Sharjeel Khan, 3 Babar Azam (capt), 4 Mohammad Hafeez, 5 Haidar Ali, 6 Faheem Ashraf, 7 Hasan Ali, 8 Mohammad Nawaz, 9 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 10 Usman Qadir, 11 Mohammad HasnainPitch and conditionsThe series moves back to Centurion for the final two matches, which may suit Pakistan just fine. They won both ODIs here on this tour, chasing in the first match and defending in the second. With the match starting in the afternoon, there shouldn’t be any early moisture. Conditions are expected to be more even irrespective of the teams batting first or second even if the pitch is slightly slower than at the Wanderers. Temperatures have gone up this week, so expect a scorcher at close to 30 degrees.Stats and trivia There have been 19 T20Is played between South Africa and Pakistan in the past, with South Africa slightly in the advantage with ten wins. If Pakistan win this match, they will even that number. South Africa haven’t won a T20I series since beating Sri Lanka at home in March 2019. Similarly, Pakistan haven’t won a T20I series played outside Pakistan or the UAE since 2018. Shaheen Afridi has had an economy rate of ten or more runs only four times in 23 T20I matches, but twice in two games this series.Quotes “We’ve got a game plan going towards the World Cup, so we’re trying to buy into that. If we can play that type of cricket now leading into the World Cup, then we know how exactly to go about things when it does come.”

Everyone involved with Ipswich Town will hope that they enter the Premier League and make the most out of it, especially if it ends up being a fleeting visit, on the way to a disappointing relegation straight back down to the Championship.

The Tractor Boys' nerves ahead of their maiden voyage back to the top flight won't have been helped when casting an eye over their 38-game schedule when it was released recently, facing off against Arne Slot's Liverpool and Pep Guardiola's Manchester City in a daunting pair of opening clashes.

The prospect of being embarrassed in both games could be why Kieran McKenna and Co are so insistent on bringing in a number of new defenders through the door this summer.

Perhaps that could start with reported target Jacob Greaves and continue with a full-back who is now on the agenda.

Ipswich eyeing up free agent

According to a report in the Telegraph, who also broke the news of Ipswich's interest in the aforementioned Greaves, the Suffolk club are also now eyeing up a free-agent swoop of Ben Johnson this off-season.

With Johnson's contract coming to an end at West Ham United very shortly, it's no surprise to see the Tractor Boys are testing the waters, knowing that the soon-to-be £0 man is an in-demand figure.

Leeds United have also been interested in the services of the adaptable 24-year-old for some time now, having attempted to get a deal done in the January transfer window, but Ipswich could well be in the driver's seat over the Whites to land Johnson, owing to their newly attained top-flight status.

How Johnson would fit in at Ipswich

The Hammers number two could offer the likes of Axel Tuanzebe great competition at Portman Road if his signature was successfully won, alongside offering McKenna a utility option to rely upon, if issues started to come to the surface across the back four.

Despite never being the main man hogging the spotlight at the London Stadium, across his many years in East London, Johnson has remained a key player at West Ham, as a figure that can be relied upon if a gap needs to be filled defensively, or even further forward.

In 2023/24, the versatile 24-year-old made 14 Premier League appearances, often from off the bench, but even started at right midfield against Manchester United, happy to just play wherever for his employers in an understated manner.

Minutes played

90

Touches

64

Accurate passes

34/36 (94%)

Accurate crosses

1/8

Accurate long balls

3/3

Shots on goal

3

Duels won

5/9

Johnson's 90-minute display away at Old Trafford exemplified his effectiveness in being played all across the park if required, as can be seen glancing at the table above, with Tuanzebe worried that his nailed-down right-back spot from the back-end of last season is now on shaky ground if the 24-year-old rocks up to Portman Road shortly.

Only making 18 appearances in total in the league, the former Manchester United defender found his debut season in Suffolk a struggle at points, with only four clean sheets amassed from the Championship clashes he featured in.

Yet, he will have a burning desire to prove those wrong at the Red Devils next campaign, after his release from the Theatre of Dreams in 2023, with Johnson providing some much-needed competition, to get even more out of the Tractor Boys number 40.

It will be an interesting opening few games from an Ipswich perspective, with those watching on from Suffolk hopeful that McKenna's underdogs can rise to the occasion, especially if solid new recruits such as Johnson – who has even been described as "wonderful" in the past by Stuart Pearce for his selflessness – end up joining.

Ipswich could sign an exciting talent who'd thrive with Broadhead

Ipswich Town could look to add this exciting youngster to their squad this summer.

ByKelan Sarson Jun 21, 2024

نجح فريق الكرة الأول بنادي الهلال السعودي في الفوز على نظيره الوصل الإماراتي بهدفين دون رد، في ختام مواجهات دور المجموعات ببطولة دوري أبطال آسيا (النخبة).

المواجهة التي أقيمت على ملعب زعبيل أرينا، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثامنة من مرحلة الدوري في دوري أبطال آسيا، في مباراة تُعد تحصيل حاصل بالنسبة للزعيم، بعد ضمانه التأهل رسميًا إلى دور الـ16.

طالع | ترتيب دوري أبطال آسيا بعد فوز الأهلي على الغرافة وتعادل النصر مع برسبوليس

وخاض فريقا الهلال والوصل مواجهتهما كتحصيل حاصل بعد حسم الطرفين صعودهما إلى دور الـ16 ببطولة دوري أبطال آسيا (النخبة).

افتتح ماركوس ليوناردو التسجيل بهدف أول للهلال في الدقيقة 13، قبل أن يضيف سالم الدوسري الهدف الثاني في الدقيقة 49.

ويحتل الهلال المركز الأول في جدول ترتيب مجموعة الغرب برصيد 22 نقطة، جمعها من 7 انتصارات وتعادل وحيد، دون أي خسارة، ليؤكد تفوقه في مشوار البطولة حتى الآن.

على الجانب الآخر، يحتل الوصل الإماراتي المركز الخامس في المجموعة، برصيد 11 نقطة، بعد تحقيقه 3 انتصارات وتعادلين مقابل 3 هزائم.

بمواجهة الليلة تختتم منافسات مرحلة الدوري الخاصة بمجموعة غرب والتي شهدت منافسة 12 ناديًا وهم  الهلال، الأهلي، النصر (السعودية) – السد، الغرافة، الريان (قطر) – الوصل، العين (الإمارات) – استقلال طهران، بيرسبوليس (إيران) – باختاكور (أوزبكستان) – الشرطة (العراق). 

وتأهلت 8 أندية من تلك المجموعة وهي الهلال، الأهلي، النصر، السد، الريان، الوصل، استقلال طهران، باختاكور، في انتظار الصاعدين من مجموعة شرق.

وتتأهل أفضل 8 فرق من كل مجموعة إلى دور الـ16، المقرر إقامته في مارس 2025، بينما تُلعب الأدوار النهائية بداية من ربع النهائي وحتى المباراة الختامية بنظام التجمع من مباراة واحدة، في المملكة العربية السعودية، خلال الفترة من 25 أبريل إلى 4 مايو 2025. أهداف مباراة الهلال والوصل في دوري أبطال آسيا