Chelsea's American winger Christian Pulisic is expected to force his way out of Stamford Bridge in the summer after an underwhelming campaign for the 24-year-old.
Will Pulisic leave Chelsea in the summer?
Pulisic made the move to Stamford Bridge in January 2019 for over £57m from the Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund where he was immediately loaned back until the end of the season.
However, he has certainly endured his struggles in England having failed to nail down a consistent spot in the starting XI at Stamford Bridge.
His struggles have even seen his father hit out through social media last year over his own frustration regarding the winger's lack of game time.
And speaking on the Here We Go podcast, Fabrizio Romano has claimed the expectation around west London is for the £150k-per-week winger to move on in the summer:
"I think he will leave Chelsea. This was already in the plans, from what I understand, in January – then, the transfer didn't happen because of the injury, but it was already a possibility for Pulisic to leave in January.
"I think this summer is going to be the opportunity for him to go to try something different."
Who could Pulisic move to?
There are reports suggesting the American does have interest from within the Premier League from the likes of Newcastle United and Manchester United.
Chelsea have spent massively on attacking options over recent months which has meant the American's competition for a spot in the starting XI has been enormous.
However, it would be interesting to see whether he would be open to a move to a side who have outperformed the Blues in the Premier League this season.
Chelsea's Christian Pulisic pulls up with an injury issue in the Premier League.
Both Newcastle and the Red Devils are fighting for a spot inside the top four so it would be no easy ride for the 24-year-old to break into their respective sides.
There have to be injury concerns over the winger who has never been able to play more than 27 league games for Chelsea since landing in England (via Transfermarkt).
But the "magician" – according to reporter Al Butler – has shown he is capable of performing in the Premier League having returned nine league goals and six assists in his season at Stamford Bridge.
With this in mind, perhaps a move to Old Trafford or St. James' Park could prove an attractive proposition for the winger given the record of Eddie Howe and Erik ten Hag with their respective wingers.
On Tyneside, Howe has transformed Miguel Almiron into the side's top scorer this season with an impressive return of 11 league goals.
And in addition, Ten Hag has brought Marcus Rashford back to the best version of himself with the England international having netted 27 goals across all competitions.
It certainly hasn't been plain sailing for Pulisic recently, but perhaps a change of scenery will see him return to his best.
Leeds United are a club that could perhaps be accused of living in the past, with many fans keen to reminisce on their better days as they challenged in Europe and for league titles.
They could be forgiven for harking back to those days, especially given their 16-year absence from the Premier League, which Marcelo Bielsa finally rectified.
However, even upon once again re-emerging into the top flight, it has hardly been the romantic return they desired as they once again find themselves entrenched in a battle for survival.
Their first season back aside, it has been a tumultuous few years in which their position in the division often hung by a thread.
In a seemingly never-ending cycle of stress and misery, those good days offer a refreshing memory of what has been, and a glimmer of hope of what could be once more. Some of the talent they boasted back in the late 1990s and early 2000s was unbelievable, and to see them slowly leave one by one was gut-wrenching.
Arguably none more so than the sale of Eric Cantona.
How good was Eric Cantona?
Having been brought in from his homeland, the mercurial forward quickly established himself as someone capable of thriving in England.
His impact in just half a season helped propel the Yorkshire outfit to the title, but the following campaign saw the darker side of having a player like the Frenchman within a squad.
Despite scoring 14 goals and assisting five in just 34 games, the 56-year-old would force a move from Elland Road in acrimonious circumstances. His exit was widely seen as good business, to remove the ‘bad egg’ from the bunch, but selling to Manchester United was a devastating mistake. Especially for just £1m, the reported true figure earned.
Cantona would only take his career to new heights at Old Trafford, where in total he scored a further 81 goals and assisted 62 in just 182 games. He would play an imperative role in the further four Premier Leagues he would win, alongside two FA Cups and five English Super Cups.
In total, the man affectionately dubbed “the King” in Manchester, would win 11 trophies after leaving Leeds.
Even as recently as 2021 was he recognised as a “legend” by the current captain of the Red Devils Harry Maguire.
To further pronounce his greatness, Sir Alex Ferguson even wrote him a heartfelt letter upon his retirement which emphasised Cantona’s importance to their success. One part stated: “For me it is to remind you how good a player you were for Manchester United and how grateful I am for the service you gave me. I will never forget that and hope you won’t either.”
Moving the great Scotsman to such kind words is no small feat, and only serves to exacerbate the huge mistake Leeds made to sell the 45-cap magician, transfer request or not.
His exit may have been inevitable, but it surely didn’t have to be to their arch-rivals.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola will be without defender John Stones for their blockbuster Premier League clash against Arsenal this evening.
The Lowdown: City travel to north London…
City travel to north London tonight knowing a win against Mikel Arteta’s side will take them level on points with their fierce title rivals.
The Sky Blues were really losing ground against Arsenal but the latter side’s 1-0 loss to Everton and 1-1 draw at home to Brentford has gifted Guardiola an opportunity to seriously close the gap.
Arsenal still have a game in hand on City but both teams must play each other twice in the league, including tonight’s encounter, before this season ends.
The Latest: City without Stones…
In terms of team news, star striker Erling Haaland is apparently touch and go for the Emirates Stadium bout whilst England international Stones is definitely absent with a thigh problem.
The centre-back remains sidelined for City with Guardiola potentially turning to Ruben Dias and Aymeric Laporte in the middle.
That being said, Guardiola’s recent line ups indicate we can’t rule out surprises, with Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake also in real contention.
The Verdict: Blow for Pep?
Stones, when available, is clearly favoured by the Blues boss, with only Akanji playing more league minutes in terms of City’s current defensive options (WhoScored).
The 28-year-old is also an elite ball-playing defender, averaging the joint-highest pass accuracy (94.3%) in Guardiola’s squad (WhoScored).
Stones has played a significant role in City’s back line for the past year with his one of his most notable performances coming against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals last season.
The former Everton star was heralded for his assured and composed performance against the La Liga giants with members of the media quickly calling him an ‘absolutely magnificent’ defender.
Stones has been a consistent member of Guardiola’s title-winning squads since the Spaniard took charge, and for such a huge game, he will be sorely missed as an option.
حسم التعادل السلبي مواجهة غزل المحلة والاتحاد السكندري، التي أقيمت اليوم السبت، ضمن منافسات مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز.
وأقيمت المباراة بين غزل المحلة والاتحاد السكندري، في الجولة الخامسة من مسابقة الدوري المصري على استاد المحلة.
طالع..طارق العشري يوقع على عقود تدريب فريق عربي جديد
واستحوذ زعيم الثغر على الكرة في المباراة حيث وصلت نسبة امتلاكه للكرة 59% بينما 41% لصالح غزل المحلة، بينما سدد أصحاب الأرض 11 مرة في مقابل 4 مرات فقط للفريق السكندري.
ورفع الاتحاد السكندري رصيده إلى 8 نقاط في المركز السادس من جدول ترتيب مسابقة الدوري المصري، بينما غزل المحلة عنده 5 نقاط في المركز الرابع عشر.
Former Celtic manager Neil Lennon enjoyed two largely excellent spells in charge of the Scottish giants as he won ten pieces of silverware for the club.
Which trophies did Lennon win with Celtic?
The Northern Irish head coach dominated football in Scotland and won five Scottish Premiership titles in total, with the latest one coming in the 2019/20 campaign.
Competition
Season won
Premiership
2011/12
Premiership
2012/13
Premiership
2013/14
Premiership
2018/19
Premiership
2019/20
Scottish Cup
2010/11
Scottish Cup
2012/13
Scottish Cup
2018/19
Scottish Cup
2019/20
League Cup
2019/20
Via Transfermarkt.
However, Lennon did not get everything right throughout his two stints in the dugout at Parkhead and some of his dealings in the transfer market were questionable, including the signing of striker Patryk Klimala from Jagiellonia Bialystok.
The Poland youth international flopped at Paradise and it took the club securing a phenomenal piece of business after the Northern Irish head coach moved on to make up for the signing's failure.
How much did Celtic pay for Klimala?
The Hoops reportedly agreed a £3.5m deal to sign the young centre-forward despite having yet to prove himself as a regular scorer at first-team level by that point in his career.
At the time of the move, in January 2020, FootballTransfers placed his Expected Transfer Value (xTV) at €600k (£514k), which is considerably less than the £3.5m Lennon and Celtic sanctioned to sign him.
This suggests that the Scottish giants massively overpaid for the 6 foot marksman as they lavished a big transfer fee on an unproven player whose market value was less than £1m.
Klimala was coming off the back of seven goals in 17 Ekstraklasa matches during the first half of the 2019/20 campaign and that came after the attacker struggled throughout the previous season.
He produced one goal and one assist in 22 games in the Polish top-flight during the 2018/19 term, and arrived at Parkhead with 11 goals and four assists in 50 senior appearances for Bialystok in all competitions.
Former Celtic striker Patryk Klimala.
The Poland U21 international had, however, shown promise at youth level with a stunning 17 goals in nine U19 clashes for Bialystok, whilst he also scored 13 goals in 27 outings in the second division of Polish football on loan with Wigry Suwalki during the 2017/18 campaign.
How many goals did Klimala score for Celtic?
Klimala endured a rough 18 months with the Scottish side as he only found the back of the net three times in 28 competitive appearances in all competitions for the club.
Lennon snapped him up in January of the 2019/20 campaign and slowly bedded him in with four outings during the second half of the season.
He produced one assist in two SFA Cup clashes and did not contribute to any goals in his two Scottish Premiership games, although the young forward only played 15 minutes of football in those matches.
Klimala then played 17 times in the Premiership throughout the following season but was unable to prove his worth to Lennon as he managed three goals and zero assists in that time.
The Polish attacker averaged an unimpressive Sofascore rating of 6.65 in those games and missed five 'big chances', which shows that he was not clinical with the opportunities that did come his way at the top end of the pitch.
Former Celtic striker Patryk Klimala.
27 other players averaged a higher Sofascore rating within the Celtic squad and this highlights how disappointing his displays were when he was given a chance to showcase his skills.
His lack of physicality was also evident as the £3.5m signing lost 68% of his aerial battles and 57% of his duels in total in the top-flight, as per Sofascore, which shows that opposition defenders found it far too easy to get the better of him in physical contests.
He also made seven appearances in the cup competitions, domestically and in Europe, throughout the 2020/21 campaign and failed to deliver a single goal or assist.
How much did Celtic sell Klimala for?
Celtic decided to cash in on the Polish centre-forward in April 2021, which came two months after Lennon was relieved of his duties in February, and played a masterclass in doing so as they were able to rake in a reported fee of €6m (£5m).
The Hoops sold him to MLS outfit New York Red Bulls and made a £1.5m profit, despite his struggles on the pitch throughout his time in Glasgow.
Red Bulls chief Kevin Thelwell hailed him as a "talented" ace and Klimala showcased his quality in front of goal with eight strikes and six assists in 26 MLS starts throughout the 2021 campaign.
However, his form did not last as the former Bhoys lightweight then struggled during the 2022 season and ended the term with five goals and three assists in 29 league outings.
Where is Klimala now?
The 25-year-old finisher is currently playing for Hapoel Beer Sheva in Israel after moving to the club from New York Red Bulls in January of this year.
Klimala has failed to deliver consistent quality at the top end of the pitch since his latest switch as he has scored three goals in 20 appearances in all competitions to date, which includes zero strikes in five matches this term.
At the time of writing (15/09/2023), FootballTransfers has his xTV at €1m (£857k) and this shows that Celtic played a masterclass with their deal to sell him to Red Bulls for a staggering £5m.
The Scottish giants were able to make a £1.5m profit on the Polish flop, in spite of his poor performances on the pitch, and have now watched on as he has struggled to kick on his career beyond life in Glasgow.
Klimala is not playing in a major European league and his market value is nowhere near the fee that they raked in for his services in 2021, which shows that the club made the right decision by selling him when they did.
Whilst the signing was a flop for Lennon on the pitch, the Hoops board made sure that a positive came out of Klimala's time at Parkhead with a fantastic piece of trading that they can look back on as a huge success given his lack of consistency in the final third since his exit.
The ICC has set October 1-3 for the hearing on the PCB’s dispute with the BCCI, and the decision of the panel will be final
ESPNcricinfo staff11-Apr-2018The BCCI and the PCB’s dispute over two unplayed bilateral series moved a step forward after the ICC constituted a three-person dispute panel four months after Pakistan decided to take the legal route in pursuit of its resolution. The hearings will take place in Dubai from October 1-3 and the decision of the panel will be final.”The International Cricket Council today confirmed that the Hon Michael Beloff QC will chair the Dispute Panel in the matter of proceedings between the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Board of Control for Cricket in India,” the ICC said in a statement. “The other two members of the panel, which has been established under the Terms of Reference of the ICC Disputes Resolution Committee, are Mr Jan Paulsson and Hon Dr Annabelle Bennett AO, SC. The hearing will take place in Dubai from 1-3 October and, as per Article 10.4 of the Terms of Reference of the ICC Disputes Resolution Committee, the decision of the Dispute Panel shall be non-appealable and shall remain the full and final decision in relation to the matter and binding on all parties.”The PCB claims up to $70million worth lost revenue from failure of the BCCI to play two series – in November 2014 and December 2015 – which were agreed by the boards in April 2014. Both series were officially slotted into the ICC’s Future Tour Programme (FTP) with Pakistan as host. However, amid a deteriorating political situation, the BCCI refused to honour that agreement.The PCB, saying they had no option left, sent a notice of dispute to the ICC. Under the watch of the ICC, both boards met on a number of occasions to try and reach a resolution in good faith, to no avail.In a final motion, a three-person dispute panel headed by Beloff with Paulsson (Pakistan representation) and Bennett (Indian representation) will have a three-day hearing at the ICC headquarters in Dubai. Beloff, incidentally, was head of the ICC tribunal which banned Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif for spot-fixing in 2011. The proceedings are likely to be conducted in private.”Unless the parties agree to settle their dispute in the meantime, the Dispute Panel shall decide the outcome of the case following deliberation in private,” read the terms of reference. “They shall endeavour to reach a unanimous decision, but a majority decision shall suffice. No member of the Dispute Panel may abstain from voting on the outcome of any dispute, but any member may record a dissenting opinion which may be attached to the majority decision with the permission of the Chairperson of the Dispute Panel. “The bone of contention is the original agreement between the two sides in 2014, which is expected to be a central pillar in the PCB’s arguments. It had agreed on both sides playing six series between December 2015 and November-December 2022, and also an effort to play a short limited-overs series in Pakistan (or a neutral venue) in November 2014. But amid tense relations between the two governments, any chance of a resumption in bilateral ties had always looked distant. And that has been the BCCI’s core claim all along – that it does not have government permission to play Pakistan.India and Pakistan have not played a full series since the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai, which India blamed on militants based in Pakistan. Pakistan visited India for a short limited-overs series in December 2012, but that did not do enough to thaw the frosty relationship.
Ben Stokes is set to join up with his team-mates in New Zealand and could resume his England career in the coming weeks after he pleaded not guilty to a charge of affray over an incident outside a Bristol nightclub in September. His case was referred to Bristol Crown Court, with a first hearing set for March 12.Although Stokes will not currently be considered for the T20 triangular series involving New Zealand and Australia, he is set to depart the UK on Wednesday. The ECB released a statement saying that he would link up with the team in Hamilton, where England play New Zealand on Sunday.”Having entered his plea at Bristol Magistrates’ Court today, Ben Stokes will now travel to New Zealand to join the England squad,” an ECB spokesperson said. “He departs tomorrow, Wednesday 14 February, and will arrive on Friday 16 February, ready to train with England team-mates in Hamilton.”Any decision to include him in upcoming matches will be made by head coach Trevor Bayliss and the England management team. He is not currently being considered for the ongoing international T20 tri-series.”ECB fully respects his right to defend himself in court and any obligations he has within the legal process will always take precedence over England commitments. It has been confirmed that he will not be required to return to the UK for the first hearing at Bristol Crown Court on Monday 12 March.”Stokes arrived at the Magistrates’ Court in the city shortly before 10am, to be met by a scrum of cameras and reporters. Stokes spoke in court only to confirm his name, address and enter his plea on the basis of self-defence or the defence of another. Two other men charged with the same offence, Ryan Hale and Ryan Ali, also entered not-guilty pleas on the same basis. All were offered unconditional bail.Having played no part in the Ashes, Stokes has now been cleared to represent England but a comeback in New Zealand during the tri-series was deferred by his need to appear at the Magistrates’ Court. He was named in England’s squads for the one-day series with New Zealand, which starts on February 25, as well as the subsequent Tests, on March 22-26 and March 30-April 3.He is also expected to play in the IPL, which begins in early April, after being bought for GBP1.37m by Rajasthan Royals in last month’s auction.Stokes was charged with affray last month, having not been considered for selection during England’s tour of Australia while police investigated the Bristol incident. He was arrested in the early hours of September 25 on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm; his England team-mate Alex Hales was also present and is likely to be called as a witness as the trial.After the announcement by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Stokes tweeted his intention to defend himself: “I am keen to have an opportunity to clear my name but, on advice, the appropriate time to do this is when the case comes to trial. The CPS’ decision to charge me, as well as Ryan Ali and Ryan Hale, at least means that my account of what happened that night can come out in court and be made public.”Affray is an each-way offence – meaning it can be tried either at Magistrates’ Court or Crown Court – with a maximum possible prison sentence of three years.
Burnley are believed to have stepped up their interest in Hertha Berlin star, Dodi Lukebakio, with manager Vincent Kompany continuing what has already been a hectic summer window thus far for the Premier League new boys.
What are the latest Burnley transfer rumours?
Having already made ten signings to date – with talks also being held regarding Aston Villa's Aaron Ramsey – journalist Sacha Tavolieiri has now revealed that a bid of around €13m (£11m) has already been lodged by the Clarets in order to sign the Belgian forward.
Writing on Twitter, the transfer insider stated: "Confirmed! Been told #BurnleyFC did an offer of 11M€ + 2M€ add-ons to #HerthaBSC last Friday! Clarets are waiting for the final answer of the Belgian by the END of the WEEK to close the deal. Wait&See."
This comes following a prior Tweet from Tavolieri which had also noted the Lancashire side's interest in the 25-year-old, albeit with Serie A side Atalanta also said to be keen:
"Infos #BurnleyFC : There is a concrete interest of #BurnleyFC that exists for Dodi Lukebakio & #HerthaBSC wants indeed to get 10M€ from this deal but I’ve been told the right winger doesn’t want to play relegation again as he did with Hertha Berlin last season according to the latest.
"Atalanta Bergamo still on the Belgian track. To be continued."
How good is Dodi Lukebakio?
Despite having already brought in the likes of Nathan Redmond and Jacob Bruun Larsen this summer, it would appear that the Turf Moor outfit are still keen to strengthen their wide options, having also seen a £9m bid rejected by Southampton for ex-loanee Nathan Tella in recent weeks.
Burnley forward Nathan Tella.
The latter man had been an instrumental figure in Burnley's rampant promotion charge last season after scoring 17 goals and providing five assists in 39 Championship appearances, with it no surprise that Kompany and co are keen to bring the 24-year-old back to the club on a permanent basis.
With the Saints thus far holding firm with regard to sanctioning the sale of the Englishman – with Tella featuring for Russell Martin's side against Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend – it could be wise to consider alternative options, such as Lukebakio.
The former Watford man mirrors Tella in the fact that he also typically operates in a right-wing berth, with the 6 foot 2 whiz having enjoyed a promising individual campaign in the Bundesliga last time out, after bagging 11 goals and contributing four assists in 32 outings.
Despite Hertha ultimately slipping to relegation, that solid return of goal contributions is a marker of the forward's talents, with the eight-cap international having recorded 46 goals and assists in 100 games in total for his current side.
Previously lauded as "incredible" by former Fortuna Dusseldorf teammate Oliver Fink after netting a hat-trick against Bayern Munich back in 2018, Lukebakio could prove to be a real attacking weapon for Kompany next season, thus easing the loss of the influential Tella.
One key strength of the Hertha star is his ability for being able to beat his man down the flanks, as he notably ranks in the top 12% among his European peers for successful take-ons at an average of 2.57 per 90, with that superior record to what the current Southampton man has achieved across the last 365 days (1.25 successful take-ons per 90).
Also an "incredibly fast" asset – as described by Fortuna's Adam Bodzek – the £41k-per-week livewire could well be tormenting Premier League defences next season under the watchful eye of his compatriot, Kompany.
Sir Dave Brailsford has warned Manchester United's playing staff of the need to 'step up' in order to become a world-class institution once again.
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Brailsford told Man Utd they needed to improve
Cycling guru believes United must become 'world-class'
INEOS' 25% stake to be ratified within six weeks
WHAT HAPPENED?
Brailsford, INEOS' director of sport who transformed British cycling, visited United's training ground last week with Sir Jim Ratcliffe for the first time since the firm agreed to buy a stake in the club. He has been conducting an internal review on behalf of Ratcliffe. According to , he told the club's football staff that they needed to raise their game and that the new sporting regime would not accept anything below 'world-class' standards.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
INEOS agreed to take charge of United's sporting operation in exchange for purchasing a 25 percent stake in the club for £1.25 billion ($1.58bn). The deal still needs regulatory approval from the Premier League and Brailsford, Ratcliffe and co are not expected to take charge until late February. Their arrival comes amid the club's worst start to a season in the Premier League era, with United also suffering a humiliating exit from the Champions League. The tone of Brailsford's words to staff was described as 'collegiate', but he reportedly made it clear that change was in the air and there would be more pressure to perform.
DID YOU KNOW?
United have already lost nine times after 20 Premier League matches, as many defeats as they suffered in the entirety of the 2022-23 season.
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WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?
The Red Devils will hope to lift the mood when they visit League One strugglers Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup on Monday. They then face a hugely testing Premier League game against Tottenham on Sunday. They will hope the ratification of Ratcliffe's takeover is completed within the expected timeframe.
Stumps Live scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsSikandar Raza revived Zimbabwe’s innings•AFP
Hamilton Masakadza and Sikandar Raza starred with the bat on the second day at Queens, but incisive bowling and attritional batting from West Indies ensured the honours were shared at stumps. Masakadza and Raza did enough to ensure that the hosts passed 300, which looked a long way off when they were 14 for 3 yesterday, but Zimbabwe’s progress was stalled by openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Kieran Powell. They ground their way to an opening stand of 76 in almost 47 overs before Brathwaite was eventually prised from the crease, as nightwatchman Devendra Bishoo partnering Powell until the close.The game had moved much faster in the morning, when Hamilton Masakadza cracked the first ball of the day through the covers for four, and then collected four boundaries in the space of seven deliveries before the first drinks break. He and Raza threatened to take the game away from West Indies with a stand that stretched to 90 runs, but with Masakadza’s dismissal West Indies forced their way back into the game. The spinners struck repeatedly with the old ball to peg Zimbabwe back, and after lunch, the quicks used the new ball to deal with the tail, as the wickets were shared around.Masakadza had looked set to surpass his Test best on the second morning, but Jason Holder’s decision not to take the new ball when it was due slowed the game down, made scoring harder, and eventually helped West Indies break through. Three runs short of his 150, Masakadza attempted to force the pace with a slog sweep at Bishoo, but the ball ballooned off the top edge to be caught by wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich.Malcolm Waller then went for a golden duck, flashing a drive over the top of an extravagantly flighted ball from Brathwaite, and Regis Chakabva never settled, missing a sweep at a Bishoo legbreak to be bowled for 10.Only Raza stood firm, going to fifty with a swatted pull for six over midwicket off Bishoo. Picking the right balls to hit and using his feet effectively, he wore the responsibility of batting with the tail well and carried Zimbabwe past 300 with a flowing drive through cover point. The eventual arrival of the new ball brought about his demise, however. Raza drove at Shannon Gabriel but edged to second slip for 80 – the first catch to be taken in the slips off a pace bowler for either team all series. An overly adventurous single saw Cremer run-out for 11, and when Roach undid debutant Tendai Chisoro with a superb slower ball, Zimbabwe were all out for 326 midway through the second session.The clouds that had engulfed Bulawayo on the first day parted in the afternoon, and West Indies’ openers began their riposte under bright blue skies. There was a similar clarity to their batting, both men seeing the shine off the new ball ahead of stiffer challenges from Zimbabwe’s spinners.Cremer brought himself on as early as the 10th over, immediately finding the outer half of Powell’s bat, though the edge fell short of slip. Raza, used ahead of specialist left-arm spinner Chisoro, also had a strong lbw shout turned down in his first over. Zimbabwe weren’t helped by a couple of missed opportunities. Cremer missed two caught-and-bowled chances off Powell’s bat straight after tea, but otherwise both Powell and Brathwaite’s knocks were studies of attritional, risk-free accumulation; 19 of the 49 overs West Indies faced were maidens.Chisoro eventually had a bowl late in the afternoon, and with his stock ball turning away from the right-hander, he looked particularly menacing when bowling at Brathwaite, beating his outside edge several times in his first spell of bowling in Tests. Yet it was Cremer, who had struggled for rhythm and consistency early in his spells, who eventually brought the breakthrough. Moments before the close, he got Brathwaite to spar at a quicker, flatter legspinner to be well caught by Masakadza at slip. After a lot of hard graft – West Indies made the lowest Test score after 40 overs in the 21st century – the wicket ensured the day ended with the balance of the match at an even keel.