All posts by h716a5.icu

“I wasn’t quite sure how I was going to go after a winter of rehab and a bit of hard work. I’m not going to lie, it was pretty tough,” the fast bowler said after his 4 for 55 in Whangarei

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Dec-2017It didn’t seem like Doug Bracewell, coming off a knee injury and a 100-hour community service sentence following a drink-driving offence, and Todd Astle, who described his ODI debut as a “dream come true”, hadn’t played international cricket for the last year. They found their rhythm from the outset, and combined to take seven wickets in the first ODI, leading New Zealand to a five-wicket win in Whangarei.”The first couple of games I was nervous and I guess anxious at the same time,” Bracewell said after his 4 for 55 in the first ODI. “I wasn’t quite sure how I was going to go after a winter of rehab and a bit of hard work. I’m not going to lie, it was pretty tough. I was quite sore but I managed to get through and now it seems to get better each day.”Since slipping in a domestic match last December, Bracewell said he has been working on improving his knee as well as his batting. “It’s one of those things that we’ve got to manage and monitor,” he said. “But it’s improved a hell of a lot over the last couple of weeks. There’s definitely positive signs there.”It’s (batting) something I’ve been working pretty hard at lately. I’ve been given the opportunity for Central Districts to go out and sort of play with some freedom at six or seven and I’ve managed to have a good start for the season so I’m feeling really good with the bat. I’m hoping I can show I’ve got the ability down at No 8, No 7.”Astle, on the other hand, said his focus was on developing variations with his legspin to improve his repertoire. “Any little bit of doubt you can create, that’s what I’m trying to bring with bowling those variations and wrong ‘uns,” Astle said. “You’re only going to be unknown for a certain period of time. There will now be lots of video footage, so it’s just trying to stay one step ahead.”New Zealand will be without Kane Williamson and Tim Southee, who have been rested, for the remainder of the ODI series. Tom Latham will lead New Zealand in Williamson’s absence. The next ODI is on Saturday in Christchurch.

Heart of Midlothian suffered an agonising 2-1 defeat to Greek side PAOK in their Europa Conference League qualifier on Thursday evening.

With the match finely poised at 1-1, Lawrence Shankland scored a stunning goal which looked to have given Hearts the lead. It was chalked off, however, and Andrija Zivkovic netted the winner 15 minutes from time with a wonderful strike.

It wasn’t the result Steven Naismith would have hoped for, yet it showed that there wasn’t much between the two teams, and given how many young talents he has at his disposal such as Alex Lowry, Hearts could respond well next week.

How has Alex Lowry performed at Hearts?

The young midfielder joined on loan from Rangers, and it could turn into a stroke of genius from Naismith.

He has played five times so far and grabbed two assists while demonstrating glimpses of his vast talent during his two appearances in the Premiership.

Averaging just 45 minutes per game, the 20-year-old has taken 33 touches per match while making one key pass and one tackle per match, suggesting that he is comfortable getting on the ball and trying to make things happen, while also looking to win the ball back.

Having burst onto the scene in January 2022 by scoring on his Gers debut in the Scottish Cup, he couldn’t quite become a regular starter last term due to injury issues, and a loan spell looked like the best option.

There is no doubt a move to Hearts will aid his development. Naismith will only benefit from his presence for a year – however, could he perhaps unearth his own Lowry with a teenage starlet from the B side in Callum Sandilands?

Who is Callum Sandilands?

The 17-year-old joined the Gorgie side back in 2021 following his release from Rangers, and was previously lauded by John Rankin, who was the Hearts U18 manager at the time.

He said: "Callum first came in on trial back in June and really impressed us.

"He’s a goalscoring midfielder who brings so much energy to the team and he can also play in a number of positions across midfield.

"He’s got good vision and technical ability and, equally as important, has a fantastic attitude.

"I believe Hearts is the perfect place for him to continue his development and I look forward to seeing him progress over the coming months and years."

High praise indeed for someone so young, and his time in Edinburgh has enabled him to gain some crucial game time for the B team.

He has played across a few positions over the previous two seasons, most notably in an attacking-midfield role, yet the teen can also operate wide on the right or slightly deeper if required.

Like Lowry, Sandilands is a goalscoring midfielder who tends to push forward as often as possible, and across 41 matches for the B side, he has racked up an impressive 18 goals and four assists.

Yet to make his senior bow, Naismith could change that this term, especially if they do make the group stages of the Europa Conference League, with squad rotation vital to keeping the starting XI fresh.

The manager should enjoy Lowry for the single campaign he will spend at Tynecastle, but in Sandilands, he could unearth his very own wonderful talent who could go on to emulate what Lowry has already achieved.

The two boards are yet to confirm the dates and venue of the match, but India are likely to host it before they leave for their tour of Australia in late 2018

Nagraj Gollapudi11-Dec-2017Afghanistan will play their inaugural Test match against India in 2018. Rahul Johri, the BCCI chief executive officer, confirmed that India would host Afghanistan, and that the two boards would work out the venue and the dates shortly.Since being inducted as an ICC Full Member in June, alongside Ireland, Afghanistan have been looking for an opponent to play their maiden Test match against.Ireland have already confirmed that they will play their first Test against Pakistan in May 2018.Afghanistan will become the fourth side to play their first Test against India•ESPNcricinfo LtdInitially, Zimbabwe were scheduled to play Afghanistan in the UAE before travelling to Bangladesh early next year. However, Zimbabwe Cricket informed the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) that it wanted to focus on the World Cup Qualfiers in March and therefore not increase its players’ workload.This October the ACB, led by its chairman Atif Mashal and CEO Shafiqullah Stanikzai, met Johri in Mumbai, requesting India to consider playing against Afghanistan. “The ACB requested us to play their first Test match,” Johri said, after attending the BCCI’s special general meeting in Delhi on Monday. “The BCCI has agreed.”It is understood that both boards will meet in a week’s time in Dubai to finalise the schedule. With India travelling overseas for most of 2018, the Afghanistan Test is likely to be scheduled ahead of India’s trip to Australia in late 2018.For the moment, the ACB is excited. “It will be a historic Test match,” Stanikzai said. “We would like to thank the BCCI for granting this opportunity to us and accepting our request.”

Leeds United have encountered an 'issue' in their hunt to sign a prolific Sky Bet Championship goalscorer this summer as Daniel Farke looks to win promotion to the Premier League, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest transfer news involving Leeds United?

Leeds United have slowly started to edge their way into the transfer market and have wrapped up four additions in the form of Karl Darlow, Ethan Ampadu, Sam Byram and Joe Rodon, as per Transfermarkt.

Nevertheless, the Whites are in a precarious position concerning departures and several key assets from last term have left the club either on loan or permanently, including Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen, Marc Roca, Max Wober and Rodrigo Moreno.

Jack Harrison has also left the building at Elland Road to join Premier League outfit Everton on a season-long loan deal despite currently being sidelined with a hip injury, as per BBC Sport.

The Daily Mail report that Leeds United attacker Wilfried Gnonto remains a target for Everton as Sean Dyche plans a double raid of the Whites to bolster his squad; however, the Kettering-born coach did see a bid in the region of £15 million rebuffed for the Italy international in July.

Of course, outgoings will present the opportunity for players to come in and refresh Farke's squad moving forward and Football Insider have revealed that Swansea City striker Joel Piroe is on his radar at Elland Road this window.

Southampton are also keen on the Dutchman, though his current employers could try to leverage a fee of between £15-20 million before sanctioning any prospective exit from the Swansea.com Stadium.

Piroe, who has been hailed as a "real threat", has started 2023/24 in a rich vein of form, registering two goals in three appearances across all competitions for Swansea City, as per Transfermarkt.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jacobs has indicated that Piroe's £20 million price tag has become a sticking point in Leeds United's pursuit of the 24-year-old.

Jacobs stated: "I think Leeds would like a striker. I think that they need a goalscorer to come in and make sure that they retain their firepower, but it's not guaranteed.

"Joel Piroe has been the one that's been linked from Swansea, but I think that price has always been a bit of an issue there, even though Leeds are very genuine."

Who else could Leeds United target this summer?

According to Last Word on Sports, Leeds United are considering making a move for Aston Villa youngster Cameron Archer as their hunt for a new striker intensifies.

Journalist Alan Nixon has indicated on Patreon that Everton striker Tom Cannon could also be courted as a solution to give Farke more depth in the forward areas.

La Nazione via Leeds United News claim that Bayer Leverkusen and Dinamo Zagreb have joined the Whites in the hunt to sign Venezia striker Joel Pohjanpalo.

Leeds United, Leicester City, Burnley and clubs in Saudi Arabia are all keen on bringing in West Bromwich Albion winger Grady Diangana, who could be available for a fee in the region of £7 million this summer, as per The Express & Star.

Brisbane Heat have signed the legspinner as a replacement player for this season’s Big Bash League, owing to Shadab Khan’s potential international commitments

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Nov-2017Yasir Shah has been signed up as a replacement player by Brisbane Heat for this year’s Big Bash League (BBL). It is his first involvement with the BBL, having previously played T20 competitions in Pakistan and West Indies. Yasir is the second Pakistan legspinner the Heat have drafted this year, having also signed Shadab Khan.However, Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand later this year clashes with the BBL to some extent, which means Shadab may not be available for the Heat for a significant chunk of the season. Heat coach Daniel Vettori confirmed that as the reason for securing Yasir’s services.Yasir has not been part of Pakistan’s limited-overs set-up for more than a year. His last ODI was against England in August 2016.”Having Yasir agree to join us as a replacement player means that we can plan for the series with some certainty,” Vettori said after the signing. “Shadab Khan has been going from strength to strength for Pakistan since signing with us and there is the possibility he could be required for international duty during the BBL. Having an experienced like-for-like player such as Yasir to call upon means we can hopefully have continuity with our playing plans.”Each team in the BBL is allowed two foreign players in their 18-man squad. Brisbane, last year’s semi-finalists, have Shadab and Brendon McCullum in their ranks. Yasir will now feature in that list, only coming in should one of those two players be unavailable. Their first match is against Melbourne Stars at the Gabba on December 20.

Liverpool are interested in Sporting CP star Goncalo Inacio this summer, and a journalist from Portugal has shared news on Twitter involving the player's release clause.

Are Liverpool signing more players?

The Reds are going through one of their more dramatic summers in recent times, with business tending to be relatively low-key during Jurgen Klopp's time at the club. There have been drastic changes to Liverpool's squad, however, with Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai coming in and as many as five different midfielders leaving, including Fabinho and Jordan Henderson, who has departed for Saudi Arabia, along with Roberto Firmino.

There is also an ongoing battle with Chelsea over the signings of Brighter star Moises Caicedo and Southampton teenager Romeo Lavia, with more depth badly required in the middle of the park in 2023/24, in what remains a tense situation.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

Liverpool could also do with signing a new left-sided centre-back, however – someone who can also play at left-back, in order to provide stern competition for Andy Robertson, who hasn't always looked at home in a tweaked role recently, sitter deeper to allow Trent Alexander-Arnold to step into midfield.

Sporting CP youngster Inacio is one player who has been linked with a summer move to Anfield, with the 21-year-old a highly-rated prospect who will be available if his release clause is met.

Will Liverpool sign Goncalo Inacio?

Taking to Twitter, a Portuguese journalist claims that Liverpool are keen on making a move for Inacio in the near future, even reporting they are happy to pay his €45m (£38.8m) clause in the process:

"Excl: Liverpool want Goncalo Inacio from Sporting and accept to pay release clause (€45m)."

While so much focus has rightly been on Liverpool's midfield, given the changes that have taken place there since the end of last season, it is also essential that another central defender arrives, and Inacio could be the perfect option in that area of the pitch.

Not only is he a young player with an extremely high ceiling, but his price tag would also be relatively cheap in the current market because of the release clause, acting as an added bonus. Last season, he completed 90% of his passes in the Primeira Liga, showcasing his ability in possession, and he also averaged 1.9 clearances per game.

Inacio has been hailed as a "complete" centre-back by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, and at just 21 years of age he is already a genuine key man and leader for Sporting, winning the league title with the Portuguese giants back in 2021.

The Portugal international would come in as an immediate improvement on both Joel Matip and Joe Gomez, neither of whom look like the players they used to be, and he would also put pressure on Robertson for minutes – particularly the latter, who hasn't always found it easy to stay fit in a Liverpool shirt.

Snapping up Inacio would be another massive step in the right direction for the Reds this summer, further suggesting they could mount a Premier League title bid, but at least one top-quality midfielder is needed for that to happen, if not two.

Group B round-up: Piyush Chawla’s five-for helps defending champions Gujarat skittle Kerala for 208; Rajasthan steady against Jharkhand

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Oct-2017Sheldon Jackson (181) and Ravindra Jadeja (150 not out) shellacked centuries as Saurashtra racked up 428 for 4 on the opening day of their second-round match against Jammu & Kashmir in Rajkot. The two, who joined hands with the side precariously placed at 59 for 3 after electing to bat, added 281 for the fifth wicket.Jackson’s 14th first-class century consisted of 22 fours and seven sixes. His knock came off just 156 deliveries before Waseem Raza struck in the final session. Jadeja, in comparison, was more watchful, playing out 223 deliveries. By stumps, he had put on an unbroken 88 for the sixth wicket with Snell Patel, who was not out on 31. Robin Uthappa, promoted to open, made 37, while Cheteshwar Pujara, who continued to lead in Jaydev Shah’s absence, fell for 13.Legspinner Piyush Chawla picked up five wickets in his first appearance as a professional as Gujarat, the defending champions, wrested the initiative in their season opener in Nadiad. Kerala, who elected to bat, were bowled out for 208, with just one fifty-plus score that belonged to Sanju Samson. Chawla triggered the lower-order slide as Kerala lost their last six wickets for 38 runs. Jalaj Saxena was unbeaten on 30. Sachin Baby, the Kerala captain, was the second-highest scorer with 49. In reply, Gujarat lost Priyank Panchal, the previous season’s highest run-getter, and Bhargav Merai to finish on 60 for 2.Opener Amitkumar Gautam’s unbeaten century helped Rajasthan rally after a top-order wobble against Jharkhand in Jaipur. Gautam’s unbroken 131-run stand with Tarjinder Singh (66 not out) helped Rajasthan end the day at 250 for 4. Ashok Menaria contributed 50 before falling to Jaskaran Singh. Adding to concerns in the Rajasthan camp was the injury to wicketkeeper Dishant Yagnik, who was forced to retire hurt. They can avail a substitute wicketkeeper if Yagnik isn’t fit to keep later in the match, under the new ICC guidelines which the BCCI has also implemented. Ashish Kumar, the fast bowler, picked up two wickets for Jharkhand.

Ashley Giles’ rebuilding of Warwickshire has continued with the announcement that batsman William Porterfield and allrounder Ateeq Javid will both leave the club at the end of the season

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Sep-2017Ashley Giles’ rebuilding of Warwickshire has continued with the announcement that batsman William Porterfield and allrounder Ateeq Javid will both leave the club at the end of the season.Warwickshire’s ageing squad, refreshed by Giles during his return to Edgbaston as sport director, is facing relegation from Division One of the Championship, although Birmingham – the club’s T20 alter ego – did reach the final of the NatWest Blast on Saturday before losing to Nottinghamshire.Ireland captain Porterfield joined the club ahead of the 2011 season, from Gloucestershire, and until this season was a regular in all formats. He plans to return to Ireland to play first-class cricket.Javid is a product of Warwickshire’s academy and made his senior debut in 2009, making 32 first-class, 39 List A and 53 T20 appearances for the Bears without ever quite holding down a regular place. He is joining Leicestershire on a two-year contract.Giles said: “William and Ateeq have been great servants to the club and have been instrumental in our success in recent years, being part of the teams that have won all major trophies across the three formats of the game in a five-year period.”In addition to his contributions with the bat, William has been our vice captain in white ball cricket for the last two years. His leadership experience and support in the dressing room has been a great asset for the club and we wish him the very best in his career with Ireland.”Ateeq grew up in Birmingham and is a Bear through and through. It’s always sad when we see homegrown players leave the club, but we recognise the opportunity for him at Leicestershire and wish him every success in the future.”Offspinning allrounder Javid made his England Under-19s debut at 17. He scored 619 runs in Division One of the Championship in 2013 at an average of 44.00, including two centuries, and helped Birmingham to their NatWest T20 Blast title win in 2014; the dismissal of Kevin Pietersen with his first ball of the semi-final against Surrey was a key contribution.”The time is right to make a move, fight for a place and hopefully play regular cricket across all formats,” Javid said.Leicestershire needed a lift after the departure of coach Pierre de Bruyn after relationships broke down with several senior players. Chief executive Wasim Khan said: “We know that Ateeq is talented in all formats of the game. He is a very versatile player who can adapt to different roles in different competitions. We have been following his progress for some time.”

West Ham United currently have Arsenal's American forward Folarin Balogun on their "radar" this summer and would want to be part of any "conversation" with the Gunners should they wish to sell him, claims journalist Alex Crook.

Is Folarin Balogun joining West Ham United this summer?

The Hammers have had a strange transfer window this summer, as despite making a massive profit on their club captain Declan Rice, thanks to a £105m offer from Arsenal, they are yet to make a single signing in the window.

So far, they have made several bids for players across the country, such as Southampton's James Ward-Prowse, Manchester United's Harry Maguire, and Chelsea's Conor Gallagher, only to see each one rejected in turn.

And they now look likely to lose their Italian striker Gianluca Scamacca – who only arrived last year- to Serie A giants Inter Milan, meaning they'll need to add a new goalscorer onto their shopping list this summer.

Read the latest West Ham United transfer news HERE…

And according to CBS reporter Ben Jacobs, they might've identified a new potential target for that position, Arsenal's promising youngster Balogun. However, the issue, as it is for most transfers, is the price, with the Gunners valuing the youngster at £45m and some within the club wanting £50m as a minimum.

That said, while it does look like the New York-born prospect will be moving on this year, there is a chance he remains for a little while longer following the injury to Gabriel Jesus earlier this week, but should the North Londoners press on with a sale, West Ham "want to be a part of that conversation", per Alex Crook.

He explained the situation live on TalkSport, with the clip being posted to their YouTube Channel:

"One player we believe is on West Ham's radar is the Arsenal Striker Folarin Balogun. He had such a good season in the French League last year. Will he get the opportunity at Arsenal?

"Well he might you know because Gabriel Jesus is injured for the start of the season but if they are open to offers, West Ham will want to be part of that conversation I'm told."

Would Folarin Balogun be a good signing for West Ham?

While the east Londoners were able to pull themselves out of a potential relegation scrap earlier than the year before last season, they were still in a perilous position for much of the campaign, and one of the reasons for that is their lack of goals.

Across the entire season last year, the club scored just 42 goals, with only seven teams scoring less than them; even the relegated Leeds United and Leicester City found the back of the net more often than David Moyes' side.

Unsurprisingly, the individual scoring statistics aren't much better, with Jarrod Bowen and Said Benrahma ending the year as the Hammer's league top scorers on a paltry six goals a piece and Michail Antonio following close behind with just five.

From looking at these numbers, it's easy to see just how Balogun could dramatically improve the side's overall attacking performance.

In just 34 Ligue 1 starts for Stade Reims, the 22-year-old "golden" talent, as described by scout Jacek Kulig, scored 21 goals, provided two assists and won four Man-of-the-Match awards, per WhoScored.

If the Irons lose Scamacca, as it looks like they might, Balogun could be the ideal replacement and dramatically improve their attacking output next year.

Nottingham Forest are reportedly interested in Brazilian starlet Marcos Leonardo, as Steve Cooper bids to add firepower to the front line at the City Ground.

The Reds will want to push on from securing survival in their Premier League return last season, however, reinforcements must be made to add further quality to the side.

What’s the latest on Marcos Leonardo to Nottingham Forest?

As reported by news in Brazil, relayed by Sport Witness, Forest are ‘observing’ Santos forward Leonardo in a potential summer swoop.

The report claims that the Midlands side are weighing up whether to make an official offer for the youngster, with some reservations over his suitability for the English game.

Earlier in the year, the 20-year-old was linked with a Premier League move with Arsenal being the side in question, suggesting the quality of the striker who is valued by FootballTransfers at €21.1m (£18m).

How good is Marcos Leonardo?

Lauded as being a “natural goalscorer” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the forward could be the perfect acquisition for Cooper’s side.

In the Brazilian Serie A, the Santos forward has made eight goal contributions in 11 appearances, securing him an average match rating of 7.15 in the league competition, via Sofascore.

While his movements in the domestic schedule are impressive, the budding talent shone at the U20 World Cup, in which he scored five and assisted once in just five games for his country.

Clinical in nature, the dynamic forward has been dubbed as a “killer in the penalty area” by Kulig, providing an obscene amount of threat in the final third for a player so early into his career.

For Forest, it’s integral to add goal-scoring options considering the calibre of the creative individuals on show at the club who could take the side to the next level if handed a competent goal-getter.

While nominated striker Taiwo Awoniyi netted ten goals last term in the Premier League, the robust line leader lacked the ruthless edge that could make the difference between survival and relegation next season.

As per Sofascore, the 25-year-old missed eight big chances and registered only 0.6 shots on target per game in the league, calling for further reinforcements to challenge the Nigerian.

Cooper could strike gold by capturing a rival in Leonardo, who averaged 1.2 shots on target per game for Santos in Serie A, highlighting that he could fulfil expectations in areas lacking by Awoniyi.

Described as “frightening” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, the 20-year-old is identified to have strengths in agility, reactions and decision-making, as per scouting site Total Football Analysis.

A forward that excels in reading the game could be fundamental to Forest’s progression, as well as getting the best out of star attackers Morgan Gibbs-White and Brennan Johnson, who could benefit from the signing of the young Brazilian.

Highlighted as being a player that enjoys helping his teammates build attacking scenarios, the two Forest playmakers could flex their status in the final third with the added flair of the Santos star.

With 47 goals in his career already, the 2003-born ace could be the perfect target for Cooper to chase this window.