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A round-up of the second day’s play from the quarter-finals of the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Dec-2016
ScorecardS Badrinath and Tanmay Agarwal frustred Mumbai in the middle session•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Tanmay Agarwal and S Badrinath, the captain, struck half-centuries as Hyderabad were 128 adrift of Mumbai’s 290 with seven wickets in hand at stumps on day two in Raipur. Agarwal and Badrinath added 105 for the third wicket to steady the innings after Mumbai, who lost five wickets for 40 this morning, reduced Hyderabad to 30 for 2 courtesy Abhishek Nayar’s twin strikes.B Sandeep then blunted the bowling for 64 deliveries to remain unbeaten on 10, along with Agarwal, as Hyderabad ended an attritional day on 166 for 3. Mumbai’s Siddesh Lad, unbeaten on 101 overnight, added nine, while Nayar added 13 before being dismissed for 59. CV Milind, the left-arm pacer, finished with 5 for 80, his second successive five-wicket haul, while Mohammad Siraj took four wickets.
ScorecardIshank Jaggi’s rich vein of form continued•K Sivaraman

Jharkhand were in sight of the first-innings lead against Haryana courtesy half-centuries from Virat Singh and Ishank Jaggi at the Moti Bagh Stadium in Vadodara. Haryana, resuming on 251 for 7, lasted just 33 deliveries in which they added seven runs. Left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem added two wickets to his overnight tally to finish with 7 for 79. Jharkhand responded with 228 for 3 in 82 overs, with Virat and Jaggi having added 146 for the fourth wicket.
ScorecardBumrah’s four-wickets came as Odisha lost six batsmen in the space of 16 overs•Getty Images

Odisha went from 83 for 1 to 101 for 7, courtesy Jasprit Bumrah’s four wickets for Gujarat, before Deepak Behera and Suryakant Pradhan added 72 runs for the eighth wicket to finish the day on 184 for 8 at Jaipur’s Sawai Man Singh Stadium.Basant Mohanty started the day off by completing his 16th five-wicket haul in first-class matches as Gujarat were all out before lunch. Rush Kalaria fell for 73, thereby bringing an end to his 154-run partnership with Chirag Gandhi, who fell soon after with the team’s score at 238 for 8 before a late knock of 28 by Mehul Patel ensured Gujarat’s 263.After opener Ranjit Singh’s early exit, his partner Sandeep Pattnaik scored 43 runs in an 82-run partnership for the second wicket with Subhranshu Senapati, who scored 30. After Pattnaik fell with the score at 83 for 2, Odisha languished their advantage as they lost another five wickets for only 18 runs, with Bumrah triggering a slide. His scalps included those of captain Govinda Poddar and Odisha’s top-performer Biplab Samantray, whom he removed for ducks. Behera and Pradhan then hit 72 runs before the latter’s 27-ball knock ended. Mohanty (4) joined Behera (30) to see off play till stumps, trailing by 79 with two wickets in hand.

A washed out first day in Christchurch is unlikely to prompt wholesale changes in strategy, because there is still “plenty of time left in the game”, New Zealand batting coach Craig McMillan said

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Christchurch17-Nov-2016

A washed out first day in Christchurch is unlikely to prompt wholesale changes in strategy, because there is still “plenty of time left in the game”, New Zealand batting coach Craig McMillan said. Not even the toss was possible on Thursday, which means neither team has yet named their XI.Play is now set to begin half an hour early, for the following four days, as long as weather permits. A minimum of 98 overs is scheduled for each of these days, when usually, only 90 are expected to be bowled.”There’s not a lot of overs lost even though we lost the whole day today,” McMillan said. “We haven’t named our XI, and there are probably discussions on that tonight, but I don’t think too much has changed.”Though a day of rain may make an already green Hagley Oval surface even more conducive to seam movement, McMillan hoped the recent proliferation of greentops in New Zealand will have equipped his batsmen with the means to cope.”I think it’s fair to say looking at that surface that the toss will be important,” he said. “I think with the pitch being under cover today with the rain about, that first session tomorrow (Friday) is certainly going to be challenging. Hopefully, though, there’s enough movement for a couple of days, so that the team that wins the toss doesn’t have so big an advantage. I think there’s going to be enough for both teams in the first innings.”These are conditions that we’ve been in quite a lot over the last few years. We’ve batted first on a number of pitches that looked very similar to the one out there, and we’ve done it well. It’s nothing new to us but we still know that we have to get things right against a very good Pakistan attack.”McMillan had been charged with helping New Zealand’s batsmen – who were battered in India – regain some confidence ahead of the long home season. He said the top order had prepared specifically for the Pakistan attack, with special attention given to combating the left-arm angle that Mohammad Amir, and perhaps Rahat Ali, will provide.”I want to see the batsmen commit to their own personal game plan,” McMillan said. “We’ve done some good work over the last two days in the nets. Both sets of fast bowlers are licking their lips and are pretty excited I think by what’s on offer. I think they have to commit to the style and game plan that they want to follow through with and they have to make good decisions. They have to be nice and precise the way they go about it. If they do that, there’s a reasonable chance they can come out with some success.”

New Zealand’s only warm-up match in a tour played during India’s off-season will be played on a pitch that bears little resemblance to the raging turners that they are likely to confront during the Test matches

The Preview by Sidharth Monga in Delhi15-Sep-2016Two weeks ago New Zealand were facing the pace barrage of Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada in South Africa’s off-season. A short stop at home later, they are in Delhi, during India’s off-season, preparing for what promises to be a challenging Test series on India’s raging turners. It is so early in the season that even the pre-season fumigation in the press-conference room – Delhi is fighting an outbreak of mosquito-infested diseases – was carried out only minutes before New Zealand arrived.All New Zealand have between landing in India and the Test series, to prepare for what has the makings of the biggest challenge in Test cricket today, are a couple of training sessions in Delhi, a three-day game against Mumbai that begins on Friday, and two more training sessions at the venue of the first Test.India are not going to do them any favours either. Not that New Zealand expected any. They didn’t expect the track for the three-day game to prepare them for what is in store, and Feroz Shah Kotla is certainly in no mood to surprise them pleasantly. The track for the match against Mumbai, which won’t be a first-class fixture and will thus let all 15 have a bat and a bowl, is not quite a greentop but looks nothing like what you will encounter at Indian Test venues.”It is what we expected to see here,” Ross Taylor said of the grass on the Kotla pitch. This is consistent with what Virat Kohli felt when India gave England barely any spin to face in their warm-up matches before the Tests in 2012-13.”We were given flattest of tracks during practice matches in England and Australia, and then suddenly presented with a greentop during the Tests,” Kohli had said back then. “During practice matches, we would face those 120kmph bowlers … If they [England and Australia] wanted to be fair to us, they could have provided us with same kind of tracks for practice matches, like what were used in Tests. Especially, when they knew that visiting teams get very less time to practise. Now they would be playing on turning tracks and definitely would know where they stand.”England played three warm-up matches before the Tests on that tour, but only once, against Haryana, did they get to face genuine spinners. In the other two games, the only spin they faced was delivered by part-timers. New Zealand, having seen the pitch at the Kotla, didn’t look in a mood to complain. “We are expecting the wickets to turn,” Taylor said at the press conference a day before the warm-up game. “We are not expecting the Test wickets to look the way it is looking at Kotla.”For New Zealand the warm-up game is more about getting used to the weather, with temperatures in the mid-30s when it is winter back home. “A warm-up game is a warm-up game,” Taylor said. “A chance to get out and play in Indian conditions. Obviously a lot warmer than a couple of days ago back home in New Zealand. Stretch your legs so to speak. We are expecting a tough match against Mumbai tomorrow.”Before the reversal in South Africa, New Zealand were the side expected to present the toughest challenge to the hosts in this season of 13 Tests. They still possibly have the best spin resources among the touring teams this season. But the scheduling of the series relegates them to being a bit of a sideshow. They are used to this. When they go to England, they play in May; their last tour to India was in August-September, and this year they are playing back-to-back Test series in off-seasons. It is a fact not lost on them.”The last two tours we had here we didn’t even have a warm-up game,” Taylor said. “So it’s nice to have a warm-up game against a good opposition. It’s going to be a hard-fought series over the next three weeks. The boys are looking forward to it.”If the warm-up game is just a means to acclimatise yourselves to the heat and if you are expected to adjust from South African conditions to Indian ones suddenly, how do you do it? In the nets, Taylor said. “Regardless of whether you are playing on a bouncy green wicket or on a turning wicket, you have got to put yourself under pressure in training and try to simulate as much as possible.”Accordingly, one of the members of New Zealand’s support staff was seen asking the groundsmen to shave off the grass on the nets pitches. The next three days are not just about what goes on in the middle at the Feroz Shah Kotla, but also about how much the ones not on the field can take away from their nets sessions.

Manchester City have Marco Verratti on their transfer radar this summer according to reports from Le Parisien via the Daily Mail.

Who are Man City signing this summer?

The Premier League outfit have sealed another title victory, with Pep Guardiola's side overtaking Arsenal to finish with a flourish. It means that the club have now bagged a total of seven top-flight trophies since the induction of the Premier League and will have their eyes set firmly on adding an FA Cup and Champions League to that haul before the season is done with.

Guardiola's time at the Etihad Stadium has so far seen five Premier League titles come to the club, but it's the Champions League that remains elusive. With a final against Inter beckoning in the near future, it presents the former Barcelona boss with a chance to finally right that wrong for City.

Heading into next season though, the side could be set to lose some of the most important players. Ilkay Gundogan, who has been with the club for seven years, looks like he could be set to depart the club with his contract coming to an end. Arsenal are the latest side to register an interest in his services and could look to lure him away this summer.

That would leave a gap in the centre of the field for City – one that could be filled by Marco Verratti, according to fresh reports. As per the Daily Mail, French outlet Le Parisien states that the PSG man is indeed on the club's radar and that they have already asked about the player's availability ahead of a potential move. However, the report does add that despite interest in his services, the Italian would like to stay in Paris if he can and could try to fight for his place there rather than seek pastures new during the transfer window.

Is Marco Verratti moving to Man City?

The midfielder has established himself as one of the most reliable options in his position in Ligue 1 and arguably in world football over the last few seasons.

Having not bagged any goals or assists this season for PSG in the league, that is not what Verratti's game is about. With 2.5 tackles per game and a pass success rate of just over 92%, the player dictates matches from the middle of the field, stopping opposition breaks and then distributing the ball with pinpoint vision and range to one of his teammates. His WhoScored rating of 6.97 over the course of the campaign attests to that, too, with only four PSG players ranking higher.

He's even come in for high praise from teammate Lionel Messi, who insisted that the Italian is a "phenomenon" – showcasing just how highly he is viewed.

Verratti – who is valued at €15m (£13m) by CIES Football Observatory – would be an excellent addition to the Man City squad if they did end up engineering a deal for him – but if he wants to stay in Paris, PSG should be happy that he wants to stay considering the level of his abilities.

Members of the media have expressed their delight as Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale pens a new deal at the Emirates Stadium.

What’s the latest Arsenal contract news?

The Gunners and manager Mikel Arteta currently have a few first teamers heading into the final year of their respective deals, with Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, Jorginho, Rob Holding, Granit Xhaka and Mohamed Elneny all falling into that bracket.

Arsenal talks have been held over extended deals for both Saka and Saliba, according to reports, but Arteta’s side are reportedly willing to let Xhaka leave as Bayer Leverkusen push for a deal.

Tying down the likes of Saka and Saliba is imperative given just how crucial they have been for Arsenal this season, but claims suggest real progress has been made in regards to the former.

The England international is apparently set to sign a new deal, but as Arsenal wait to announce that news, the Gunners have at least managed to officially agree fresh terms for Ramsdale.

The 25-year-old has been a key figure and Arsenal have rewarded him with a new four-year contract which doubles his wages to around £120,000-per-week.

Members of the media have heralded Arsenal for the move, with both Piers Morgan and Daily Mirror journalist John Cross saying this on Twitter:

Arsenal journalist Adrià Jiménez Muñoz also praised the club’s announcement video as “wonderful”, with Rwandan Sports Journalist Rigoga Ruth calling it the “best deal” for Arteta.

Who is Aaron Ramsdale?

The former Sheffield United keeper put pen to paper on a move to Arsenal in 2021 and hasn’t looked back since – being praised for his impressive 2022/2023 season in particular.

Ramsdale is currently repaying every penny of the £30 million paid to sign him two years ago, having featured in every single game of Arsenal’s title race (WhoScored).

Still just 25, the shot-stopper could well be Arteta’s number one for years to come, and that certainly seems the case off the back of his new and improved deal.

Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Julen Lopetegui was "livid" with Matheus Nunes during the 6-0 loss against Brighton & Hove Albion this afternoon, according to journalist Liam Keen.

What was the Brighton vs Wolves result?

After such an important victory against Crystal Palace on Tuesday night, which is likely to have confirmed their Premier League status for next season, Wolves were seriously disappointing this afternoon, losing 6-0 due to a disastrous first-half performance.

Journalist Steve Madeley described the Old Gold's opening 45 minutes as "the worst half by Wolves under Lopetegui by a distance", while other members of the media "couldn't name a player" who deserved to stay on for the second half.

Nunes struggled throughout the first half, with Keen criticising the midfielder for giving the ball away "so poorly" just 13 minutes in, before Pascal Gross opened the scoring, and the manager was also furious with his performance.

After the 24-year-old made a similar mistake just minutes later, Keen said: "Another big chance for Brighton after Nunes gave the ball away again. Lopetegui livid."

Should Nunes be dropped against Aston Villa?

Liverpool have been linked with a £50m summer deal for the Portuguese midfielder, however, Jurgen Klopp may think twice about making a move after his terrible performance today.

Madeley claimed the former Sporting CP man was "very lucky" to not be substituted at half-time, while also slamming him for making a "big error" earlier in the match, and his performance did not improve in the second half.

After switching to an unconventional right-wing back role, the £85k-per-week earner ended the match with a Sofascore match rating of just 5.8 his worst performance since signing for the club.

The whole team massively underperformed today, so it would not be a surprise if Lopetegui makes a number of changes for next weekend's game against Aston Villa, with Nunes undoubtedly in line to lose his place in the starting XI.

Manchester City tallied up their ninth consecutive Premier League victory last night when they hosted West Ham United at the Etihad and Pep Guardiola will no doubt be feeling confident in his team's chances of securing another title.

The Sky Blues applied more pressure to Arsenal upon their latest win, and went one point ahead to knock their rivals off the top spot with just five games remaining in the title race.

It was business as usual on the blue side of Manchester last night as City dominated every area of the pitch with 69% possession, more shots on goal (16 v 6), more big chances created (6 v 1), more accurate passes completed (656 v 255) and more tackles won (16 v 12).

In the first half, the Hammers did well to hold off their opponents, putting on a confident defensive performance and keeping the attacking threat as quiet as possible to stay in the game when the whistle was blown at half-time.

In the final 45 minutes, City had warmed into the game and finally broke down David Moyes' resilient side when Nathan Ake found the opening goal to give his team the lead in the 49th minute, quickly followed up by a second from the inevitable Erling Haaland and perfectly finished off by Phil Foden with a fantastic strike in the 85th minute.

Indeed, Haaland stole the headlines with his phenomenal record-breaking performance that saw the Norwegian titan become the Premier League's highest-scoring player in a season with 35 goals and counting.

However, it was Ake who was Guardiola's unsung hero upon his return to the starting XI last night with a phenomenal all-round performance that led City closer to their seventh league title.

How did Ake get on vs West Ham?

There is no doubt that Ake has played an integral part in Man City's dominance over the second half of the season and has been a breath of fresh air in the back line.

The talented defender had not started a league game since the beginning of April with an injury issue keeping him sidelined over the last few weeks and his explosive return to action last night proved exactly why he has been a constant feature throughout.

Over his 77-minute performance, the £90k-per-week ace – who has been hailed as "unbelievable" by teammate Jack Grealish – won 100% of his ground and aerial duels combined in a bullish and combative defensive

Furthermore, the Dutchman completed 53 accurate passes and had 68 touches of the ball, as well as winning two tackles, completing two clearances and, of course, scoring the all-important opening goal.

Guardiola will surely be delighted that Ake had no trouble making an instant impact upon his return to the starting side, as the manager had claimed in January that “without Nathan right now, we cannot play good."

With that being said, City are at a fantastic advantage now that Ake is available for selection again and will likely continue to play a huge role in the team in their pursuit of a monumental treble-winning season.

Chelsea have held talks with Luis Enrique over the managerial vacancy at Stamford Bridge after the Spaniard travelled to London for discussions.

When will Chelsea appoint a manager?

The Blues look ready to see out the remainder of the campaign now with Frank Lampard in the dugout once again after recent developments.

Bruno Salter stepped in as caretaker manager on Tuesday night as the Blues were forced to settle for a point against Liverpool at the Bridge.

However, Chelsea now have their man for the remaining games of the campaign in their former manager and player, Lampard.

But the search for Graham Potter's permanent successor continues and there are a number of potential candidates believed to be on Todd Boehly's list.

One of those being the former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique who is also believed to be on the radar of their London rivals, Tottenham Hotspur.

And speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has claimed there have been talks held in London between the Premier League club and Enrique over the vacancy:

(1:15) "But also recently, Luis Enrique, was in London on Wednesday morning, together with Ivan de la Pena."

"So what's going on? Chelsea had conversations with [Julian] Nagelsmann to discuss about the long-term project and the impact was very good, very positive, but also conversation with Luis Enrique, who prepared something to explain [to] Chelsea his idea for the present and future.

"So both of them had approaches with Chelsea, we know that the race is still open because Chelsea decided to take some time."

"Luis Enrique is there and, from what I understand, Luis Enrique's 100% sure that he wants the job. He wants to go to England and he wants to try an experience in the Premier League. So he would be happy to become the new Chelsea manager. ​​​​​​"

Is Enrique the right man for Chelsea?

The 52-year-old certainly has the experience which is likely required to manage this current Chelsea side which is full of big-name players.

Enrique enjoyed most of his managerial success as the Barcelona manager where he managed the likes of Lionel Messi and Neymar which will put him in good stead to manage this Chelsea dressing room (via Transfermarkt).

And his record as the Barcelona manager is likely to be something which will impress Boehly given he has got his hands on the league title and the Champions League during his time in Spain.

However, that does not necessarily mean he could translate his success into this Chelsea side which is struggling dramatically this season.

Boehly has already seen a number of managers come and go in his brief spell as the Chelsea owner so it does feel as if they need to nail the next appointment.

And it will be interesting to see whether Enrique's latest job may hinder his chances of landing the post at Stamford Bridge over the coming months.

Enrique recently left his job as the manager of Spain's national side following their dismal World Cup display which saw them knocked out by Morocco on penalties in the last 16.

Enrique is undoubtedly a big name in the game, however, no Premier League experience and a poor World Cup performance hanging over his head could well prove an issue for the Blues.

Crisis? What crisis?Manchester United put Sunday’s Anfield drubbing behind them after powering past Real Betis in their Europa League last-16, first-leg tie on Thursday evening, with Erik ten Hag’s side producing a stunning second-half display to all but confirm their place in the last eight.The hosts had made a fast start at Old Trafford as Marcus Rashford lashed home for his 26th goal of the season in all competitions, albeit with a shaky spell prior to the interval seeing the La Liga outfit strike back, with on-loan Leicester City man Ayoze Perez producing an exquisite, driven finish from the angle.With nerves creeping in among both the United players and the home crowd heading in at the break, the Red Devils looked rejuvenated in the second period as the often-maligned Antony expertly curled in from range to mark ‘his best goal for United’ – in the words of Samuel Luckhurst – before under-fire skipper Bruno Fernandes nodded home with ease from Luke Shaw’s pinpoint corner.The home side then added late gloss as an emotional Wout Weghorst finally got the goal that his performance deserved, with the towering Dutchman showcasing a mixture of relief and delight at having bagged just his second goal for the club.For all the negativity heading into last night’s meeting, that late strike marked what was a commendable display from Ten Hag’s men amid the circumstances, with the former Ajax boss more than vindicated with his decision to start the same starting lineup to that which was brutally undone on Merseyside.The likes of Fernandes, in particular, had a point to prove after being branded “embarrassing” by club legend Gary Neville at the weekend, although the Portugal international was simply sublime after being restored to his playmaking berth, recording a goal and an assist as well as contributing five key passes in total.That standout showing – which earned the 28-year-old a 9.1 match rating, as per Sofascore – will help to serve as a reminder of the former Sporting CP’s man undeniable quality, as he truly led from the front with a “captain’s performance”, in the words of writer Si Lloyd.The midfield maestro was also joined by the aforementioned Antony in having “redeemed” himself on the night – as per one source – with the latter man having also shaken off justified criticism of his performance last time out.

How did Antony perform against Betis?

The 23-year-old’s tough start to life in England ultimately reached its nadir against Jurgen Klopp’s men as he simply proved rather ineffective at both ends of the pitch, with pundit Micah Richards suggesting that it was as if the Red Devils had been playing with “ten men” due to the Brazilian’s failure to track back.

Having also been branded as a player whose “final product is horrible” – according to ex-United defender Paul Parker – the £86m man could well have wilted after featuring from the start once again last night, although he ultimately went on the showcase the “personality and character” that his manager simply loves.

Although the one-time Sao Paolo man did still prove infuriating at times – notably failing to tee up what would have been a certain goal after selfishly dinking his effort over the crossbar – he was a real threat in that relentless second-half showing for the hosts, marking that impact with an “unstoppable” finish, as per CBS reporter Ben Jacobs.

The fleet-footed “genius” – as described by journalist Juan Lopesino – also came close to adding a second only to see his effort saved by the sprawling figure of Claudio Bravo, having also completed 100% of his crosses and laid on two key passes from his 53 touches.

That encouraging performance also saw Antony win three of his four ground duels as a marker of his improved attitude defensively, while his match rating of 7.5, as per Sofascore, was only bettered by that man Fernandes.

While bigger tests will lie ahead for Ten Hag’s side over the coming weeks and months, yesterday’s outing will have revived the confidence among the likes of Antony and Fernandes, in particular, with the aim going forward to prove that the grim, 7-0 thrashing was nothing more than a mere blip.

Former Aston Villa forward Gabby Agbonlahor has taken aim at current centre-back Calum Chambers.

The Lowdown: Lack of game time

Chambers made the move to Villa Park from Arsenal last year but has made just 19 appearances for the club in all competitions.

The 28-year-old has turned out eight times during the current campaign, starting just two Premier League fixtures, the last of which came in a 3-1 defeat to Manchester City.

He returned to the bench last weekend in the loss to former side Arsenal, with Villa now losing their last three in the top flight and conceding 11 goals.

The Latest: Agbonlahor’s comments

Talking to Football Insider, Agbonlahor didn’t hold back when it came to assessing Chambers, labelling him as slow, sluggish, a squad player for a club at the bottom of the league and claiming Villa need better.

“He’s 100% not a Premier League defender, for me.

“I’ve watched him at Arsenal, Fulham, and now he’s at Villa – he’s not good enough.

“He’s slow, sluggish, not physical enough – he doesn’t have the attributes of a centre-back.

“He is a squad player for a club at the bottom of the league, at best.

“For him to play against Man City – I knew it was game over when I saw that team sheet. Aston Villa need better backup than Calum Chambers.”

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The Verdict: Has a point…

It’s safe to say that Agbonlahor doesn’t think Chambers is good enough, and when you look at the current campaign statistics, he has a point. The centre-back has been the club’s worst-rated player this season, averaging a poor 5.93/10 match rating, as per WhoScored.

He ranks low in the Villa squad for tackles made per 90 but high when it comes to fouls committed. Chambers averages just 23 passes attempted per game, compared to Tyrone Mings’ 48 and Ezri Konsa’s 46, and with Diego Carlos on the comeback trail from injury, moving Chambers on in the summer could be a wise move.