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Glasgow Rangers will have the opportunity to win a second trophy under Philippe Clement after they reached the final of the League Cup on Sunday.

The Light Blues came from behind to win 2-1 at Hampden Park against fellow Scottish Premiership outfit Motherwell, who had been 1-0 up at half-time.

Goals from Cyriel Dessers and Nedim Bajrami turned the game around for the Scottish giants, who will now face Celtic in the final at the national stadium.

The star who was handed the Player of the Match award on the Premier Sports coverage did not get on the scoresheet, though, as Vaclav Cerny claimed that honour.

Vaclav Cerny's performance against Motherwell

The Czechia international was hailed as a bright spark for the Gers by Premier Sports pundit Alan Hutton, formerly of Rangers, for his involvements throughout the game.

On loan from Wolfsburg, Cerny continues to make a positive impression on the supporters, after an indifferent start to life at Ibrox, with his seventh goal contribution in the last five matches for the club – five goals and two assists – coming on Sunday.

The left-footed ace did not have his most efficient performance against Motherwell, however, as a number of his early touches and attempted passes were wayward and went straight back to the opposition.

He was direct, though, and kept trying things to make something happen in the final third, with one finally paying off in the 81st minute when his pass into the box for Bajrami led to the winning goal.

Cerny was not, however, the best performer on the pitch, despite his Player of the Match award, as Connor Barron was the star of the show for Clement.

Connor Barron's performance against Motherwell

The Scotland international was a shining star throughout the game for the Light Blues in the middle of the park, with an energetic display in and out of possession.

Barron was constantly buzzing around the pitch to put out fires and halt opposition attacks, which worked to great effect for the majority of the game, as Jack Butland barely had a save to make outside of the goal that was conceded.

The former Aberdeen man was also the game-changer for the Light Blues as it was his energy and clever work that created the equalising goal, which galvanised Rangers and propelled them to the win.

Barron made an intelligent run in the right channel of the box and then took a neat first touch before laying the ball off to Dessers to find the back of the net.

His performance was rewarded with a player rating of 8/10 from GlasgowWorld, who only gave Cerny a score of 7/10, and that was the highest rating of any Rangers player.

The 22-year-old dynamo was key to the Light Blues getting back into the game with his energy in and out of possession and changed the game with his brilliant assist for the equaliser, which is why he was the star of the show for Clement – instead of the Czechia forward.

Rangers could replace Clement with "kamikaze" 4-3-3 manager

Rangers may soon be on the lookout for a new manager.

2 ByRoss Kilvington Nov 2, 2024

da apostebet： Ruud Van Nistelrooy ended his interim time in charge of Manchester United by steering his reinvigorated Red Devils side to a 3-0 win in the Premier League, as Steve Cooper’s Leicester City offered very little in return to compete with the hosts at Old Trafford.

da bet7： The much-loved Dutchman picked up three wins and a draw in all competitions from the dug-out, with his first victory coming against the Foxes funnily enough in the EFL Cup, before another win against the newly promoted side came his way on Sunday afternoon.

Now, it’s up to Ruben Amorim to take on the permanent reins over the stand-in 48-year-old, with the exciting Portuguese manager no doubt pleased with the performances of some standout Red Devils figures this weekend.

Best Man United performers vs Leicester

Bruno Fernandes feels like a good player to kickstart this discussion off, with the playmaker excelling under the interim reign, with Amorim hopeful he can be key under his guidance too.

The 30-year-old got the ball rolling for his side in their pursuit of another three points, after the United number eight hammered home an early first-half effort past the Foxes goalkeeper.

That was Fernandes’ fourth goal in as many games, with the constantly creative attacking midfielder finding a new lease of life under Van Nistelrooy, away from the dire end of Erik ten Hag’s bumpy reign.

Manuel Ugarte also impressed in the midfield positions, shoring up the United defence, with a stunning ten ground duels won on top of only skewing four of his 50 passes on the day.

A favourite under Amorim during his Sporting CP days, the summer recruit will pray his spot in the United starting XI is now set in stone, especially when the new manager enters into the esteemed dug-out and makes the look of the team his own.

He’s not the only undroppable figure though…

Amad's performance in numbers

Amad Diallo will also be keeping everything crossed that he has made his position down the right wing as concrete as possible, with the Ivorian standing out again for United across the span of the 3-0 win.

Used sparingly under the previous regime, Amad had managed to spark into life under Van Nistelrooy’s stint in the hot seat, with two goals coming against PAOK in the Europa League before the showdown with Leicester back in the league.

Although the 22-year-old didn’t fire home another goal against Cooper’s men, he still stood out as a lively option down the right flank, with a little flick by the former Sunderland loanee setting up Fernandes for the opening goal of the one-sided contest.

Amad’s performance in numbers

Stat

Diallo

Minutes played

90

Goals

0

Assists

1

Touches

50

Accurate passes

19/26 (73%)

Key passes

1

Shots

4

Successful dribbles

4/5

Total duels won

10/14

Stats by Sofascore

The United number 16 excelled both as a livewire – with four successful dribbles on the day twisting and turning Leicester markers for fun – but also as an option getting stuck in to win the ball back to launch attacks, with a high ten duels won across the course of his bright 90 minutes.

Amorim could now see Amad as the best possible option he has on the right flank based on his promising showings under Van Nistelrooy, with Antony really the only other player he could rely on in his threadbare part of the pitch.

Having been largely frozen out of ten Hag’s plans when it came to being selected in the top flight, Amad must be delighted with how well he has done under the stand-in boss, having also picked up a glowing 8/10 match rating by the Express’ Joe Krishnan for his efforts versus the Foxes.

But, he will hope there’s plenty more to come, as United launch headfirst into a new era under Amorim very soon.

Related Amorim wants to sign "important" ex-Man City star in first Man Utd arrival

This would be a controversial move…

Posts 1 ByTom Cunningham Nov 9, 2024

While it hasn’t been disastrous, it has been a challenging start to the campaign for Arsenal this season.

Mikel Arteta’s side have done reasonably well considering the calibre of opposition they have already faced in the Premier League, but injuries are starting to become a serious problem.

The North Londoners were without Riccardo Calafiori and Martin Odegaard against Liverpool, and before the game finished, they also saw Gabriel Magalhães and Jurrien Timber come off.

The small saving grace was that Bukayo Saka seems to be back to full fitness, but given his age, workload and incredible importance to the team, Edu Gaspar and Co must find another right-winger to come in and provide him with competition, which, based on recent reports, might happen next year.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from Football Insider, Arsenal are interested in Brentford’s goalscoring dynamo, Bryan Mbeumo.

Former Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur scout Mick Brown told the outlet that the Gunners “have been looking” at the winger and that there is a real “possibility” that they go in for his signature next year, akin to their move for Leandro Trossard in January 2023.

No price is mentioned in the story, but reports from earlier this year have suggested that the Cameroonian international could be available for a fee in the region of £50m, which would make sense due to his contract expiring in under two years.

It wouldn’t be a cheap transfer to get over the line, but given Mbeumo’s impressive form in recent months, it is worth pursuing, especially as it would also help Saka.

Why signing Mbeumo would be great for Saka

So, before looking at Mbeumo’s impressive form in the last couple of seasons, let’s examine the significant reason why his arrival would be excellent news for Saka: rest.

Yes, while fans, and Arteta for that matter, would likely love for the Englishman to play every minute of every game for the next few years, that just isn’t possible, and worse yet, it would almost certainly have a negative impact on his long-term future.

For example, the 23-year-old has already played an incredible 18289 minutes of first-team football, and by the end of his sixth full season, had played more than former wonderkids Michael Owen and Dele Alli played at the same points in their careers, and according to research from the people at OLBG, the Hale Ender could see his career go down a similar path if the manager continues to play him into the ground.

The research in question has concluded, based on the careers of other top stars and when they had to hang up their boots, that there is a chance he has already played around 53% of his projected career minutes, and while it’s obviously not a hard science, it would be foolhardy to believe the 42-capped Englishman would be immune to the eventual burnout that so many other stars have had to contend with.

So, with all of that said, it’s clear that the Gunners need another high-quality right-winger who can not only come in for games in the Englishman’s stead but also consistently push and challenge him throughout future campaigns, which is where the Brentford man comes in.

For example, the “criminally underrated” attacker, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, was sensational for the Bees last season, racking up nine goals and six assists in just 27 appearances, equating to a goal involvement once every 1.8 games.

Moreover, if a campaign like that isn’t enough to convince people, then perhaps the fact he’s already scored eight goals in ten matches this season will be.

Appearances

210

Goals

58

Assists

42

Goal Involvements per Match

0.47

Ultimately, if Mbeumo were to join Arsenal next year, he would be doing so knowing that he’d mostly be a backup to Saka.

However, given how well he has played in recent years, there is no reason he couldn’t still play a significant role throughout a full season, and the fact he’d allow the Englishman to play fewer games could be a game-changer for the club in the long run.

£25m profit: Arsenal hit gold selling PL star now worth millions less

Arsenal have become much better sellers in recent years.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 29, 2024

Zimbabwe’s marks out of 10 following their disappointing series in Bangladesh

Devashish Fuloria17-Nov-20148Hamilton Masakadza and Brendan Taylor had vastly contrasting series•AFPHamilton Masakadza (356 runs, Avg 59.33)After hardly making a dent in the first Test, Hamilton Masakadza illustrated why Zimbabwe had pinned their hopes on him as he went on to score a career-best 158 and followed it up with two more half-centuries. With past experience of playing in Bangladesh, Hamilton was expected to be an important cog. He held one end together, and at times, was immovable. Additionally, he picked up three wickets with his part-time medium pace.Regis Chakabva (317 runs, Avg 63.40)Registered his maiden Test century during the Khulna Test. All through that innings, his quick footwork and range of shots helped him counter the spin threat. Frequently, he would use his feet to hit over the top or employ the sweep. The presence of Hamilton Masakadza perhaps helped him in pacing his innings and improved his confidence progressively. Playing on turning pitches for the first time, Chakabva was probably the biggest positive for Zimbabwe. He batted the most deliveries among the Zimbabwe players.Tinashe Panyangara (14 wickets)The lone seamer in the top five wicket-takers in the series, Panyangara announced himself with a ripper to Tamim Iqbal in the first Test. With the bounce in the pitch favouring his bowling, he went on to collect a five-wicket haul that put Zimbabwe in a position from which they could have controlled the Test. He played a support act in the second innings but was again crucial in keeping the match open. In less helpful conditions, Panyangara didn’t get the rewards but he remained disciplined.6Sikandar Raza (243 runs, Avg 40.50)Was comfortable against the Bangladesh spinners and registered three half-centuries, but he wasn’t able to convert them to bigger scores. His 51 in tough batting conditions in Dhaka was probably at par but Zimbabwe needed more from him in the next two Tests where batting was simpler. He picked up five wickets with his part-time offspin too.5Natsai M’Shangwe (7 wickets)Joined the team for the second Test. After a tough first innings during which he struggled to find the right length, he settled into a better rhythm in the second. Found more turn and bounce compared to Zimbabwe’s first-choice legspinner, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, and picked up four wickets in the second innings of the Khulna Test. Bowled the most overs in the series for Zimbabwe.4Elton Chigumbura (135 runs, 5 wickets)Another Zimbabwe player who had past experience of the conditions and was expected to play a role. Although he was impressive with the discipline in his bowling, he wasn’t able to pick up wickets. It was his batting skill that Zimbabwe needed, but unfortunately, his only innings of note came too late in the series.Malcolm Waller (6 wickets)Made regular strikes with his part-time offspin, including Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim off consecutive deliveries in the second innings. But he was disappointing with the bat, scoring just 10 runs in two innings.Tendai Chatara (3 wickets)Played the first two Tests and created a lot of pressure by keeping one end tight. He was the most economical of all Zimbabwe bowlers but his failure to pick up wickets eventually forced Zimbabwe to drop him from the XI for the last Test.2Tinashe Panyangara wrecked Bangladesh with a five-for in Dhaka, but his team was unable to capitalise•AFPBrendan Taylor (135 runs, Average 27)The biggest disappointment for Zimbabwe. Taylor, along with Hamilton Masakadza, has been the best batsman for his team over the last few years and just like Hamilton, he was one of the few players with knowledge of the Bangladeshi conditions. He scored a fighting 45 not out in the second innings of the first Test when Zimbabwe’s batting crumbled around him, but as the conditions improved for batting, Taylor’s form waned.Craig Ervine (112 runs, Average 18.66)Did not do justice to his position as a middle-order batsman. Four times in the series, he was dismissed for less than 20 and his highest score was 34.1The restThe experienced Vusi Sibanda was dropped after his twin failures in Dhaka. The young Brian Chari replaced Sibanda but appeared raw for Test cricket. Zimbabwe’s first-choice spinners – John Nyumbu and Kamungozi – failed to take advantage of conditions on which Bangladeshi spinners ran through their side. Nyumbu also dropped crucial catches and lost his place in the team.

Regis Le Bris will be raring to go ahead of this weekend's next set of Championship fixtures, hopeful that his Sunderland side can make it four wins in a row without tasting defeat when travelling down to Portsmouth.

Before that, however, the Black Cats have the frantic occasion of transfer deadline day to deal with, as many new targets now begin to be linked with the early second-tier pace-setters.

It has been well publicised this hectic transfer window the twists and turns that have come from Alexandre Mendy's uncertain future at SM Caen and Sunderland's reported admiration, but any last gasp deal for the Ligue 2 sharpshooter looks to be very much dead in the water now.

Instead, the promotion hopefuls have set their sights on other targets in the centre-forward spot, including this bright attacker from the Premier League.

Sunderland's search for a striker

As per a report by Sunderland Nation, Le Bris' men are now working on a potential loan swoop involving Chelsea youngster David Datro Fofana, in a bid to bolster their striker spots before the close of the window later on today.

It is reported that Chelsea are keen to offload Fofana to try and trim down their over-populated squad, with Sunderland keen on adding the Ivorian to their ranks as a result, after the 21-year-old showed signs of his potential out on loan with Burnley last campaign.

Displaying flashes of his brilliance for the Clarets, even as they stared relegation in the face, Fofana could be able to take to the demands of the Championship well.

He might well even be seen as an upgrade on Mendy, with the Caen man nine years older than his counterpart, on top of only ever playing in his native France and never in the hustle and bustle of the English game.

What Fofana could offer Sunderland

The 21-year-old would only make 15 appearances last season for Vincent Kompany's men in the Premier League, but he will largely be held in high esteem by those with connections to Turf Moor based on what he gave to the Clarets even in those fleeting moments.

Fofana would bag four strikes in total in league action, alongside picking up a further assist, as the ex-Burnley number 23 then returned back to Stamford Bridge somewhat proud of his efforts in Lancashire.

Chelsea didn't just splash the cash to acquire Fofana last year for a fee around £10m on a whim, however, with the 21-year-old a revelation at his former employers in Molde FK, with a mightily impressive 34 goal contributions managed from just 65 games in Norway.

Yet, the bumper move to West London just hasn't gone to plan for Fofana so far, with Le Bris perhaps the best manager to get more out of the £30k-per-week youngster now – as per Capology – having already managed to get two goals out of Eliezer Mayenda this fresh Championship campaign, after he fired blanks under previous Black Cats bosses.

Labelled as being an "outstanding" talent by now ex-Clarets manager Kompany after scoring this screamer versus West Ham United last campaign, this also feels like a purchase that suits the Sunderland ethos of developing young and hungry gems more so than forking out wads of cash to sign Mendy.

The 31-year-old does boast an unbelievable goal return of 101 goals from 291 professional appearances, but Sunderland are now going full steam ahead to find a striker away from their previous interest in the Caen man, as a move for Fofana potentially goes down to the wire.

Imagine him & Jobe: Sunderland in positive talks over Ekwah replacement

Sunderland could forget all about Pierre Ekwah with this late buy.

By
Kelan Sarson

Aug 29, 2024

da pinup bet： It has been a very poor start to the season for Manchester United and Erik ten Hag, and it appears they could already be putting plans in place for January, as the Red Devils eye a deal for a new defender, according to a new report.

Related Man Utd must drop 4/10 star who Neville thought was "awful"

Manchester United resemble a sinking ship under Erik ten Hag’s stewardship.

Posts ByMatt Dawson Sep 30, 2024 Man Utd transfer news

da esoccer bet： Defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon piled even more misery on to Ten Hag and raised even more doubts about his future at the club, with a testing week ahead with trips to Porto and Aston Villa to come. The United hierarchy will be looking for an instant turn of results, but it appears that Dan Ashworth and Jason Wilcox already have their eye on what business they would like to conclude in January.

The Red Devils have been linked with a move for Nico Williams in 2025, with INEOS reportedly willing to throw everything at the deal to get it completed as they try to beat Barcelona to his signature. Meanwhile, as well as looking at Williams, United are also keeping an eye on Ruben van Bommel, following his rise through at AZ Alkmaar. The Dutchman is the son of PSV and Champions League legend Mark van Bommel, who also played for Bayern Munich, AC Milan, and Barcelona.

While United keep their options open for attacking additions in 2025, the Red Devils also appear to be looking to reinforce their defence, despite adding Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt in the summer.

Man Utd prepare £62m+ bid for new centre-back

According to a report from Spain, Manchester United are looking to beat Liverpool to the signing of Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace. The defender was hot property during the summer transfer window with Newcastle United chasing his signature, but he remains a Palace player.

This report states that Man Utd are looking for quick solutions to their defence given their poor start to the campaign and have identified Guehi as a “serious target”. There is apparently talk of a €75m (over £62m) bid being prepared as a matter of “urgency”, while the report even claims United and Liverpool are “preparing offers that could break the market”.

Guehi, who was labelled as “great” by John Stones at Euro 2024 and a “monster” by Palace reporters for his performances in Germany, was the subject of bids of around £70 million from Newcastle in the summer, so United may well have to up the reported opening offer even further if they truly wish to get a deal done.

Marc Guehi’s Crystal Palace stats

Apps

119

Goals

6

Assists

2

Guehi, who is said to be on a weekly wage of £50,000, has been at Crystal Palace since 2021, when he joined the club from fellow London side Chelsea. The defender’s importance at Selhurst Park has grown and grown in the last few seasons, and during the summer he was recognised on the international stage as he stepped up for England and replaced the injured Harry Maguire.

He could be seen as a replacement for Maguire once again, as the defender is in the final year of his contract at Old Trafford, fighting Lisandro Martinez for the chance to be the permanent starter alongside De Ligt.

MatériaMais Notícias

da betsul： O São Paulo encara o Red Bull Bragantino, neste sábado, às 16h30, no Nabi Abi Chedid, pela 3ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro, precisando prestar atenção em uma famosa ‘lei’ do futebol brasileiro: a lei do ex. Isso porque três jogadores que atuaram no Tricolor estão no Massa Bruta: os atacantes Helinho e Ytalo e o meia Lucas Evangelista.

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da betobet：
O caso mais recente é de Helinho. Revelado pelo São Paulo, o atacante foi emprestado ao Red Bull Bragantino em 2021. Se destacou e acabou sendo comprado pelo clube de Bragança Paulista porR$ 24 milhões. Inclusive, quando estava emprestado, Helinho atuou contra o Tricolor, com o Bragantino pagando a multade R$ 400 mil. Foi na vitória por 1 a 0, pelo Brasileiro do ano passado. Nesse ano, ele foi titular também na vitória sobre o Tricolor por 4 a 3.

Já Ytalo chegou ao São Paulo em 2016, depois de um bom Campeonato Paulista pelo Audax, quando foi vice-campeão. Foram 13 jogos pelo clube do Morumbi, com um gol marcado, contra o Cruzeiro. O atacante jogou cinco vezes contra o São Paulo pelo Bragantino, mas não marcou gols.

Já Lucas Evangelista foi revelado pelo São Paulo em 2013. Naquela temporada, disputou 23 jogos e marcou um gol, contra a Portuguesa. Em 2014, atuou em quatro jogos, anotando um tento, antes de ser vendido para a Udinese. Após passagem pela Europa, acertou com o Red Bull Bragantino, onde está desde 2020.

Evangelista jogou três vezes contra o São Paulo, sendo dois como titular. Ele não marcou gols.

New Zealand’s top order goes missing leaving de Grandhomme and his 36-ball fifty to pull up the slack

Firdose Moonda26-Feb-2022

Stumps A dozen wickets fell on the second day in Christchurch as South Africa squandered and then seized the advantage in a must-win match. Resuming on 238 for 3, the visitors would have been eyeing a total above 400, but lost 5 for 45 as clouds rolled in and offered the seam movement that had been missing on the opening day. On 302 for 8, even 320 seemed a distance away but Marco Jansen and Keshav Maharaj put on a 62-run ninth-wicket stand to take South Africa past 350. Then, Kagiso Rabada and Jansen ran through New Zealand’s top six to leave them on 91 for 5 but a counter-attacking half-century from Colin de Grandhomme, off 36 balls, took New Zealand eight runs away from avoiding the follow-on.The most notable difference between play on the second day compared to the first was in the conditions. It started in sunshine and there was swing in the air but it soon became overcast and there was some drizzle and the seamers came to life. The pitch also quickened up and run-scoring became less laboured. After hovering at over two an over in the morning session, South Africa scored at more than four an over post lunch while New Zealand’s run-rate was a healthy 3.5. All that resulted in four times the number of wickets falling on day two compared to day one and the game speeding up.Matt Henry created the first opportunity in the fourth over on Saturday. Rassie van der Dussen attempted to drive a ball that swung away but edged to Tim Southee at third slip. After five edges did not carry on the first day, it seemed New Zealand were surprised when one did and the fielder could not hold on. van der Dussen chipped the next ball back to Henry but it fell short and scooted away for three. Finally, Henry had some luck when he bowled Bavuma with a delivery that surprised everyone, that slipped under the bat and knocked over off stump.Two balls later, Henry beat Kyle Verreynne with one that seamed away and missed the edge and two balls after that, Verreynne was nearly run-out at the non-striker’s end as he got off the mark with a risky single. Henry only had to wait until his next over for Verreynne to nick off to second slip. The wicketkeeper batter has now scored just 112 runs from six Test innings and averages 14.00.South Africa lost 2 for 23 in the first 10 overs of the morning and scored only just 16 runs off the next 10 overs and something had to give. Neil Wagner was the beneficiary of the squeeze when van der Dussen, desperate for runs, chased a wide half-volley on one knee and edged to Daryl Mitchell at first slip.Wiaan Mulder, still considered a batting allrounder, looked composed and played crisp drives off the front and back foot before attempting a half-hearted pull shot, and as hard as he tried to bail out, he popped up a top edge that landed safely in Tom Blundell’s gloves. South Africa went to lunch on 298 for 7 and lost Rabada two overs after the break. He became Wagner’s fourth wicket, playing at a ball on fourth-stump line only to get a thick edge to slip.Colin de Grandhomme scored a 36-ball 50•AFP/Getty Images

A short rain delay did not put Jansen or Maharaj off their task and they batted with fluency as New Zealand fell into the trap of peppering Nos. 8 and 10 with short balls. Maharaj brought out the upper cut off Henry, Jansen was strong on the pull off Wagner, then Maharaj flayed Wagner for three boundaries in an over to bring up the fifty-run stand and sliced Southee through cover for four. Kyle Jamieson, who had not had any success earlier in the innings, put an end to South Africa’s chutzpah when he had Maharaj caught at gully and Lutho Sipamla caught in the slips to end South Africa’s innings 25 minutes before the scheduled tea break.The tourists used that time to their advantage. Rabada removed both openers in 10 deliveries to make South Africa’s total look like much more than it is. Tom Latham was caught down the leg side by Verreynne, diving to his right, and Will Young was done in a manner more conventional, nicking off to a ball he should have left outside off.Rabada started the final session on fire too, much to Devon Conway’s discomfort. In three successive balls, South Africa reviewed an lbw chance that was too high, had an appeal for caught behind that came off the thigh and a ball that beat that bat by a whisker. Conway also survived an lbw shout off Sipamla, playing his first Test since the series against Sri Lanka in early 2021, and almost handed Rabada a return catch before falling to the second leg-side strangle of the innings off Jansen.Mulder was brought on after 20 overs and convinced Dean Elgar to go for two reviews in three balls in his second over. The first hit Mitchell above the knee roll and was umpire’s call on clipping the bails, the second was in a similar spot with the same batter caught on the crease. Ball-tracking showed this one was missing the stumps altogether. Mitchell gave thanks to the heavens and remained batting to the close but some of his partners were not quite so lucky.Nicholls was caught by a strategically-placed fielder halfway to the point boundary as he failed to keep the cut down and Blundell bowled while shouldering arms to Rabada. South Africa would have sensed an opportunity to run through New Zealand but de Grandhomme didn’t give it to them.He took on the bowling, especially the inexperienced pair of Mulder, who he hit for a six and back-to-back fours in the same over, and Sipamla, who he cut for four and pulled for six off successive balls. He brought up fifty with a drive to deep cover and then changed gears to see out the day. South Africa used the last review on the penultimate ball of the day when Sipamla appealed for lbw against Mitchell, but he had inside-edged the ball.While South Africa will be pleased with their efforts, especially with the ball, they may still have some concern about their bowling discipline. While New Zealand bowled 41 maidens out of 133 – a third – South Africa sent down 11 out of 45, less than a quarter.

Dale Steyn doesn’t aim to just hit the “right areas” in one-day cricket, he goes out there to attack the batsmen, and the results are there for all to see

Sidharth Monga in Johannesburg09-Dec-2013A day before the start of this ODI series, South Africa had a long training session. Towards the end of it, Dale Steyn went in to bat, and struggled. The metal stumps were rattled at least once, the attempted big hits didn’t go far, and the timing just wasn’t there. Steyn’s cursing of himself reverberated through the empty practice facility at the Wanderers. As he was leaving, clearly frustrated with his batting, he absolutely demolished a set of stumps in one of the nets with his bat. His coach and other support staff were there, and his captain was there. Nobody spoke a word. They all just quickly stepped aside.Steyn was angry, no one wanted to bother him, but they must have known it was a good space for Steyn to be in before a big series. It works with Steyn. He once said, jokingly, if somebody ever manages to make his friend and team-mate Morne Morkel angry, he will become the best bowler in the world.Steyn has let out all that anger on the white Kookaburra in this series, which has conveyed the message to the India batsman. In 15 high-quality overs, he has conceded just 42 runs, and taken six wickets. More importantly, by the time he finished his first spells, the matches were over as a contest. For a young batting unit with little experience of these conditions – an A tour on flat pitches cannot count – it is quite possible Steyn has left a few intimidated. And Steyn says that he has seen that in the batsmen’s eyes.Alternatively, in Steyn’s eyes you can see that he knows he has the batsmen at his mercy. That he can continue to play with them. Wickets are important, but he is not desperate to get them immediately. Going past the bat, or bowling bouncers that the batsman can do nothing to, is giving him as much joy. “I’ve got you now. You’re mine,” Steyn once said of the helplessness he sometimes spots in the batsmen’s eyes. Sometimes torturing the batsman for a period in the public eye can leave a deeper scar than actually getting him out first ball.Steyn did that to Rohit Sharma in the first match with his searing quick outswingers. For 15 deliveries Rohit couldn’t touch the ball. He knew he couldn’t chase them. When he tried, he was beaten. The pace had been set. India were now chasing the game. For a shorter period in the second game, Steyn did the same to Ajinkya Rahane. This time with bouncers. They were quick, they were high, but not higher than the shoulder. Steyn was telling him, “Go ahead, try to hook them. If you don’t, I will keep bouncing you, and you won’t even get a no-ball.” What do you do to such bowling if you haven’t been facing such pace and skill all your life?Hard as it is to believe, this is a new start for Steyn. He has played just 79 ODIs. In the past, Steyn has been used sparingly in ODI cricket by South Africa. They usually keep him for big events such as the World Cup. Which is why this year, with 27 wickets at 15.85 and an economy rate of 3.65, has been his most successful in 50-overs cricket. There is a clear shift in the philosophy. South Africa want Steyn in ODIs, even bilateral series. They might rest him in dead rubbers, but they want him to be part of the core group as they approach the World Cup.It is going to be a refreshing change in the world of right areas that ODI cricket is. Steyn doesn’t just run up and put the ball in the “right areas”, he goes out there to attack the batsmen. There can be days when he gets too full or too straight. There can be days when the pitch might be a little flat and slow, which makes his natural, aggressive length hittable. Like it happened in Gwalior when Sachin Tendulkar hit the first ODI double-hundred. Steyn went for 89 in his 10 overs that day. The theory that Steyn might not make that good a limited-overs bowler was perpetuated by his first two or three years in the IPL.However, when South Africa’s ODI ranking began to fall – even as they became the best Test side in the world – they began to preserve their best bowler a little less. Not that they might need to: Steyn is one of the fittest athletes in cricket today, and his action is so pure and smooth he is the least likeliest of the fast bowlers around to get injured. His inclusion back into the ODI side has given South Africa something other teams lack: a genuine strike bowler you absolutely need to play out for little returns if you want to keep wickets in hand.The results are there for all to see. South Africa can now afford to rest him for the inconsequential third ODI, but Steyn’s importance to the ODI side, and ODI cricket in general, has been established. It might help South Africa further if every now and then their bowlers in the nets keep pinging Steyn’s stumps.

Recent events have fractured what was a harmonious relationship between India and South Africa. While the BCCI has been perceived as flexing its muscles to have its way, CSA has not handled the situation professionally as it could have

Firdose Moonda03-Sep-2013There are few break-ups that can be described as completely amicable and few people who can part ways without harbouring some ill feeling. The tensions between the BCCI and Cricket South Africa (CSA) seem to be ending the way the worst separations occur: with broken glass, and burnt bridges. Looking at them now, it’s difficult to believe they once romanced each other with the enthusiasm of teenagers but as recently as three years ago, they did.The Indian and South African cricket boards have had a special association for years, from the time when India were the loudest voice in banning South Africa from international cricket in 1970 – a deserved punishment for the atrocity which was Apartheid – and in welcoming them back in after unity in 1991. They were the first country to host South Africa after readmission and the first to tour these shores.The 1992-93 series was aptly called the Friendship tour and consisted of four Tests and seven ODIs – almost as long as the one which was proposed for the 2013-14 season. Ali Bacher, who was the South African cricket boss at the time, explained South Africa wanted to host India before anyone else as a “gesture of appreciation,” for the role India played in getting South Africa back into the international game.The real opportunity to pay the BCCI back only came 16 years later and CSA snapped it up. When the general elections in India made the hosting of IPL 2009 impossible in that country, South Africa offered to organise the multi-million dollar event with little more than three weeks’ notice.Gerald Majola, then the CEO of CSA, said it was an opportunity to demonstrate the closeness of the two boards and CSA went all out. They provided staff ranging from administrative assistants to groundsmen, many of whom, such as Wanderers’ pitch doctor Chris Scott, had to have leave cancelled as the South African offseason had just begun. CSA helped in contacting partners, hotels, airlines and security personnel, they sold tickets, they marketed the event with even more gusto than they often did with their own and they pulled it off, start to finish, to perfection.The franchise impact

The strained relationship between the BCCI and CSA will affect South African franchises, sponsors and the fans most. The Wanderers has asked and not been given an answer to clarify how the fifth day of their Test against India can be played if it clashed with an ODI India are due to play in New Zealand. Johannesburg’s Bullring seems destined to lose out on an India Test for the second tour running if the series is limited to two Tests. For Newlands and Kingsmead there are other worries. The former has put season tickets on sale advertising a T20, ODI and Test, which they have billed as Sachin Tendulkar’s 200th, on sale. Not only are they likely to lose one of the limited-overs games but Tendulkar is due to play his milestone match at home and the false advertising could lead to a demand for refunds later on. Kingsmead may miss out on a Boxing Day Test if the Tests happen before the ODIs.
And that is before even getting to whether East London’s Buffalo Park and Bloemfontein will see India at all. With the series set to be downscaled from seven, the ‘smaller grounds’ may be back in cricketing wilderness. Given CSA’s attempts to build fan bases in this area, that will be a major blow.
The same worry extends to sponsors. After the Majola affair, CSA lost all its major corporate backers and had to offer naming rights of series to charity – such as the T20s against Australia at the end of 2011 – or at bargain basement prices – like the deal signed with cooking oil manufacturers Sunfoil for the Test series also that season. As they made commitments to change and better corporate governance, money came back. Last season, CSA had a full house of sponsors and it looks as though they will not get the promised bang for their buck because of fewer fixtures.

It was also that IPL which was the source of CSA’s biggest scandal since Hansie Cronje’s admission of match-fixing almost a decade earlier. Majola accepted R4.7 million (then US$671,428) in bonuses for him and 39 other staff members but did not pass the money through the CSA board, who had already awarded their employees money for their IPL work.CSA’s auditors discovered the indiscretion in 2010 and what followed was a three-year-long saga that involved a series of investigations into Majola’s wrongdoing, intervention by the country’s sports minister, withdrawal of all major sponsors and eventually, Majola’s sacking.Through all of that, the BCCI did not have the need to respond. In fact, their dealings with CSA got stronger with the formation of the Champions League T20 – a partnership between the BCCI, Cricket Australia and CSA – and an additional tour.India asked South Africa to play two Tests in 2010, as part of their quest to hold on to their No.1 ranking. South Africa obliged but won the first Test in Nagpur courtesy a stunning Dale Steyn performance, only to lose the second in Kolkata and set a scintillating contest for the return series later in the year. The quality of cricket played in the 2010-11 summer was some of the highest in recent times and the 1-1 draw left a lot of unfinished business ahead of this season’s series, which is now in danger of being severely curtailed.The kernel of the recent friction between the BCCI and CSA appear to boil down to one man: Haroon Lorgat. The parties locked horns over a variety of issues when Lorgat was the ICC CEO and neither side has been willing to disclose exactly what those are.When he was appointed as Majola’s replacement, Lorgat said he was surprised to learn the BCCI disapproved of it and even threatened CSA with a shortened or cancelled tour. He said he regarded the BCCI as “friends” and would do whatever it took to smooth things over, even if it meant sitting across a table and apologising. His words were reassuring but his actions have not been.To date, Lorgat has made no plans to visit India and has not even been willing to acknowledge the obvious signs that the series will be affected. CSA’s only statement is that they will not respond to speculation and that they have not heard from the BCCI about revisions to the existing itinerary. The financial implications are huge for CSA, who stand to lose out on R175 million if a shortened series happens.While the BCCI was out of place in trying to dictate internal affairs at CSA and reams have been written about the danger their growing hegemony on world cricket poses. But CSA have not dealt with the situation as professionally as they could have.CSA have been unwilling to address any of the issues related to a possible reduced itinerary. Instead, they’ve busied themselves with conferences – a CEO’s one last week, a sponsor’s forum this week – and given their fans nothing to ease their concerns. While it is understandable that CSA do not have answers yet, it is difficult to fathom why they are ignoring the problem to this extent.It’s clear to even the casual observer that CSA are being pushed around and that it is not right but given India’s clout through cash, it is also perhaps unavoidable. Under the radar, there are murmurings of CSA being pushed out of the CLT20. This year’s fixtures were released without their consultation and their staff who were due to work at the event in India, have been told their services are not needed. There is also talk of another board being invited to replace CSA.Should they eventually be displaced, both from the CLT20 and India’s plans, the losses will be both financial and cricketing. The CLT20 was one of the franchise’s most important sources of earning. CSA make at least four times more money off an India incoming tour than any other. And cricket lovers, judging on the responses on social media, want to see at least three Tests between the two teams this summer. What is obvious is that this is not the time for CSA to resort to the silent treatment.