All posts by h716a5.icu

An unbeaten 202 from Alex Doolan put Tasmania in a very strong position at stumps on the second day against Western Australia at the WACA

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Nov-2016
ScorecardAlex Doolan scored just his second first-class century in three years•Getty ImagesAmid all the talk about batsmen competing for a Test call-up, Alex Doolan’s name was never mentioned. And there was good reason: he entered this Sheffield Shield round with 1315 runs at 24.81 from his past three years of first-class cricket. But on the second day at the WACA, Doolan bounced spectacularly back to form with an unbeaten 202 that put Tasmania in a strong position at stumps.Of course, in order to add to the four Test caps Doolan won in 2014, he would likely need a lengthy run of good form to make up for his long lean patch. But he did have a productive Matador Cup, and his runs on the second day in Perth stood out on a Tasmania scorecard on which no other player passed fifty. The in-form George Bailey was lbw for 24 and was one of four Tasmanians out in the 20s.The Tigers had resumed on 2 for 60, with Doolan and nightwatchman Jackson Bird at the crease, and they put on 56 for the third wicket before Bird was out for 22. Bailey, Beau Webster (27), James Faulkner (13) and Jake Doran (41) all made starts, but Doolan was the only one able to go on with it, and finished the day with 33 fours, two sixes, and a new highest first-class score. His 202 had come from 311 balls.Jason Behrendorff picked up 3 for 73 and Simon Mackin collected two wickets for the Warriors. At the close of play, Simon Milenko was the crease on 5, alongside Doolan.

Tottenham Hotspur have made contact with Eintracht Frankfurt defender Evan Ndicka about a summer move to north London, according to journalist Fabrice Hawkins.

What's the latest Tottenham transfer news?

Incoming Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou clearly has his sights set on a new defender, considering a €22m (£19m) bid has already been launched for Galatasaray defender Victor Nelsson, according to reports from Turkey.

However, with the Turkish side set to hold out for €25m (£21m), Spurs may choose to turn their attentions elsewhere, and they have been linked with a cut-price move for Leeds United's Robin Koch, following their relegation from the Premier League.

With Harry Maguire falling down the pecking order at Manchester United, the Lilywhites have registered their interest in the England international, and the Telegraph report he could also be available for a lower fee in the upcoming window.

Another player who wouldn't break the bank is outgoing Frankfurt defender Ndicka, whose contract with the Bundesliga club is set to expire at the end of the month, and he has attracted the interest of a number of potential suitors.

In a recent update on Twitter, RMC Sport journalist Hawkins confirmed that Tottenham have "had contacts" with the centre-back, however at the moment it appears as though he is more likely to move to Italy.

AC Milan have tabled a contract offer for the 23-year-old, but AS Roma are currently in the best position to win the race for his signature.

Who is Evan Ndicka?

The Paris-born defender came through the youth ranks at Auxerre, however he made just 16 appearances for the first team, before moving to Frankfurt ahead of the 2018-19 campaign, and he has since established himself as a key player.

In the 2021-22 Bundesliga season, the "towering" 6 foot 4 colossus, as dubbed by journalist Jacque Talbot, made 32 appearances, and he averaged a 7.12 match rating from Sofascore, the second-highest figure in the squad.

Although his form dipped slightly last season, the former Auxerre man has still managed to impress, ranking in the 83rd percentile for clearances per 90, as well as the 80th percentile for blocks in the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

It appears as though Roma are most likely to win the race for Ndicka, but he could be an excellent signing for Tottenham, should they make a late move, given his stellar defensive attributes, and the fact he is still only 23-years-old.

A round-up of the CSA T20 Challenge matches on December 4, 2016

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Dec-2016With three league games left in the T20 competition, Lions kept themselves in contention for a playoffs berth with a five-run victory over Warriors in Durban. Lions defended 157 to rise to third, while Warriors remained in second place, seven points ahead.Lions were off to a flier after Dominic Hendricks and Rassie van der Dussen put on 76 for the first wicket. Hendricks was the quieter of the two, contributing a 27-ball 25, while van der Dussen scored an even 50, his 10th in T20s, off just 25 balls. They were dismissed in consecutive overs, leaving an increasingly fragile looking middle-order to mount a competitive total.Lions were unable to keep pace with the openers as Colin Ackermann’s offspin sparked a middle and lower-order collapse. They lost their last eight wickets for 48, with no batsman between Nos. 3 and 10 contributing more than 17, as the innings ended with a ball remaining.Viljoen and left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin put Warriors in trouble early in their chase. They were reduced to 31 for 3 in the fifth over before Colin Ingram and Christiaan Jonker mounted a recovery. They shared a 59-run fourth-wicket stand, but then spin turned the match again as legspinner Eddie Leie took three wickets in five balls to reduce Warriors to 95 for 6 in the 14th over.Andrew Birch’s 30 off 19 balls kept Warriors in the hunt, leaving them with 34 to get off the last three overs, with three wickets in hand. They plundered 15 runs off the 18th over, but only eight came off the 19th. With 11 needed in the final over, Dwaine Pretorius took a wicket off the first ball, and conceded just six off the next four deliveries. With six needed off the final ball, Pretorius bowled Birch to secure a tense win.Kevin Pietersen’s 51-ball 79 went in vain as Dolphins suffered a seven-wicket defeat to Cobras, who achieved their 179-run target by seven wickets and eight balls to spare at Kingsmead in Durban. This was Cobras’ second win in seven matches. The four points helped them narrow the gap to three points over fourth-placed Dolphins.Pietersen hit three fours and five sixes in his knock to help strengthen the foundation laid by Morne van Wyk, who made 44. Pietersen drove the innings forward in the company of Khaya Zondo, with whom he shared an 89-run stand for the fourth wicket. Zondo contributed 40 of those in the team’s 178 for 5. Rory Klienveldt picked up three wickets.Cobras stuttered early when they lost Wayne Parnell in the third over, but their chase received a fillip courtesy half-centuries from Richard Levi and Dane Vilas. When Levi was dismissed by Imran Tahir, Cobras still needed 63 off 46 balls. Vilas found an able ally in Kieron Pollard, who made an unbeaten 31, to steer the team home.

A one-over eliminator was needed the separate the two teams after the match finished in a tie

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Dec-2016
Canterbury won the one-over eliminator
ScorecardLuke Ronchi’s unbeaten 31-ball 58 was not enough to take Wellington across the line•Getty ImagesCanterbury pipped Wellington in the one-over eliminator at Hagley Park after both teams finished their respective innings on 166, thanks in part to a late surge by Wellington’s Luke Ronchi and Luke Woodcock, who added 29 runs in the match’s last nine balls.With Wellington needing 20 off the final over, Ronchi and Woodcock managed 19. Then, in the one-over eliminator, Wellington finished on 5 for 2, losing both Woodcock and Ronchi to run-outs. Wellington’s Jeetan Patel struck first ball for them in their defence but followed that up with five consecutive wides. Tom Latham struck a four off the next legal delivery to give Canterbury the match and four points in an anticlimactic ending.Chasing 167, Wellington were reduced to 95 for 5 in the 14th over – courtesy Todd Astle’s double strike – but they clawed back by adding 71 runs in their last 40 balls. Woodcock, who came in to bat at No. 9 in the 19th over, smacked 17 in his six-ball innings, complementing Ronchi’s 31-ball 58, which included four fours and three sixes.In Canterbury’s innings, Henry Nicholls hit an unbeaten 66 off 40 deliveries. He came into bat two-down, and stitched together partnerships with Cam Fletcher (46 for the fifth wicket) and Tim Johnston (31* for the sixth wicket). Nicholls struck seven fours and two sixes, and with Johnston, added 16 runs off the last over to take Canterbury to 166 for 5.

Wolverhampton Wanderers target James Ward-Prowse is 'not going to rush' his next move as interest from several Premier League clubs could arise for his services, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving James Ward-Prowse?

According to The Sun, Wolverhampton Wanderers are keen on Ward-Prowse this summer amid competition from multiple English top-flight clubs for his signature.

The 28-year-old is set to seek a new challenge following Southampton's relegation to the Sky Bet Championship and West Ham United, Newcastle United and Aston Villa are interested in tempting the £100k-a-week ace elsewhere with the prospect of a new challenge.

As per The Daily Mail, Liverpool have also been linked with a move for Ward-Prowse; however, they are willing to play the waiting game in the off-season due to his £50 million asking price.

Football Insider have claimed that Ward-Prowse is taking some time to decide on his next career steps and further detail that Tottenham Hotspur are another side that are in the frame to acquire the England international.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that Ward-Prowse would be reticent over potentially moving to the Old Gold due to interest from other high-profile Premier League clubs.

Jones told FFC: "I'd say the big question is, are they going to be considered by him to be a good enough move at this moment in time? He's got a lot of options ahead of him potentially; I think he wants to wait it out. I think he is not going to rush into signing for Wolves when he knows that there's potential for Tottenham or Newcastle coming in for him in the coming weeks."

Would James Ward-Prowse be a good signing for Wolverhampton Wanderers?

Ward-Prowse is an excellent all-round midfielder that also provides a major threat from set-pieces and would be a terrific addition to the Wolves midfield ahead of next term.

In 2022/23, he managed to register 11 goals and five assists in 45 appearances across all competitions for a Southampton side that finished bottom of the pile in the Premier League, as per Transfermarkt.

Unsurprisingly, Ward-Prowse was Southampton's most-consistent performer during the campaign, gaining an average match rating of 6.95/10, according to WhoScored.

The 28-year-old was also a major chance provider for Southampton over the course, successfully carrying out 127 shot-creating actions, as per FBRef.

Wolves may be keen on Ward-Prowse this summer, though it looks as if the Englishman will weigh up his options before deciding on where his future may lie come the start of 2023/24.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is looking to exploit Fulham's contractual situation with Tosin Adarabioyo and secure the defender's signature this summer.

What's the latest on Tosin Adarabioyo to Tottenham?

That's according to the Evening Standard, who claim that the Lilywhites are actively pursuing a move for the 25-year-old after concerns over the £50m price tag of Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi.

The wantaway Adarabioyo only has one year left on his current deal with the Cottagers after signing for around £2m in 2020, and Tottenham could now pounce and land the tenacious tackler for a cut-price fee of around €15m (£13m).

The one-time Manchester City youngster has been imperative to Fulham's successful return to the top flight this year and would be an astute piece of business for a Spurs side looking to salvage their position among the frontal pack of the Premier League.

How good is Tosin Adarabioyo?

It will hardly come as a surprise to Tottenham supporters that Postecoglou is seeking to start his tenure at the club by bolstering the defence with several top-quality signings.

But the London side do not boast a bottomless pit of cash and with links to £61m Bayer Leverkusen centre-half Edmond Tapsoba presently at the forefront of transfer conversation, signing Guehi for around £50m is simply unfeasible.

This is why Adarabioyo, who made 29 appearances across all competitions last term as Fulham secured a tenth-placed finish, could be a shrewd alternative, having also been hailed as "exceptional" by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.

As per Sofascore, the former England U19 international recorded a rating of 6.89 in the top flight, completing 82% of his passes and demonstrating his exemplary sweeping prowess by making an astonishing 5.5 clearances per match on average, also succeeding with 69% of his aerial duels.

Ranking among the top 2% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for clearances and the top 23% for progressive passes, as per FBref, the £40k-per-week colossus wields the tools to flourish at the highest level and would be a credit to Spurs' backline, praised as "sensational" by journalist Rahman Osman.

He could even emulate former midfield menace Mousa Dembele, following in the former Cottager's footsteps and taking his career to the next level with the Lilywhites.

Having made 249 appearances for Spurs after completing his own move from Craven Cottage in 2012, the 82-cap former Belgium international made increments to his game and became one of Europe's most formidable box-to-box vehicles, having been described by former boss Mauricio Pochettino as a "genius".

Ex-teammate Kieran Trippier also said: "I feel like selling Mousa Dembele, for me, and you can ask anybody who’s played with him, he’s the best player I’ve ever played with, you just can’t replace him."

Dembele was 25-years-old when he joined White Hart Lane – the same age as Adarabioyo is now – and crafted a successful career for himself with the club after initially impressing at Craven Cottage.

The Fulham defender must continue this trend and make the move himself, continuing the ascent in his development and playing a central role for Tottenham as they commence their anticipated resurgence next season.

Nearly 50 overs were lost to bad weather, but Bangladesh would feel confident after getting to 154 for 3 having been put in to bat on a green pitch

The Report by Alagappan Muthu11-Jan-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:37

Isam: Given Bangladesh’s record here, they’ve had a good first day

Bangladesh understood that they have the personnel to hold steady in seamer-friendly conditions over the course of a rain-affected day in Wellington. As far as surprises go that was rather pleasant; not unlike finding money in the couch cushions.Tamim Iqbal was carving boundaries at will and throwing bowlers off their rhythm. So dominant was he that at one point all but four runs of the total were made by him; and by then he was past fifty. Mominul Haque was subtler; so much that the runs he scored were an afterthought. Only, before anyone knew it, he was on 64 not out, his team was 154 for 3, and it took the light fading to finally drag him off his beloved batting crease. Nearly fifty overs were lost in total to bad weather and in an effort to make up for them, the umpires ruled that play would start half an hour early on Friday.If the strokeplay was eye-catching, then the northerly wind was a full-blown diva. It hit speeds of 150 kph, swindled an umpire’s hat, made the groundstaff fly let alone the covers, and forced the cameramen off the Southern stand, which was basically scaffolding. For a good part of the final two sessions, the cricket was broadcast the old way, from behind the batsman at one end. It seemed to enhance Mominul’s appeal as he showcased stout defence and good judgment outside off.Smart Stats

2 Number of hundreds for Mominul Haque against NZ. He has scores of 181, 22* ,47 & 126* and averaged 188 against them before today’s match.

4 Number of fifty plus scores for Tamim Iqbal from six innings. He averages 51 in New Zealand.

85 Runs added by Mominul Haque and Mahmudullah for the third wicket. It was the third highest partnership for any wicket for Bangladesh in New Zealand.

In the lead up to this Test, the popular opinion was Bangladesh would be caught off guard. It gained steam after Kane Williamson invited them to bat on a pitch that retained flecks of green. Imrul Kayes didn’t help matters when he top-edged a hook and was caught at long leg in the fourth over. It was a particularly irksome dismissal, especially for an opener, in conditions where the short ball posed a lot less threat than the full one.Of course, Mahmudullah might have reasons to disagree with that assessment, considering he was hit in the box by a back of a length delivery soon after coming in to bat. He was then struck on the right hand by a throw from Neil Wagner running to his left from midwicket and made to look like he was being pulled in opposite directions when facing New Zealand’s two left-arm quicks. With time he learnt not to get so squared up and even crunched three sweet shots to the point boundary but just as he was looking dangerous, he chased a wide delivery from Wagner and the outside edge was smartly taken by BJ Watling diving to his right.Nevertheless Bangladesh made their highest total at the Basin Reserve when they passed 143; they had found 106 of those runs in fours and sixes. Few things could better represent New Zealand’s ill-discipline. Trent Boult ping-ponged from iffy to irresistible. He was hit for six fours in 17 balls by Tamim, at which point Williamson had no choice but to take his premier fast bowler out of the attack after only three overs. It’s all very well having the wind at your back, but when it clocks in faster than your deliveries, you have a problem.Boult redeemed himself by having Tamim lbw with his second ball after the early lunch, pitching it on an in-between length, making it seam in off the deck and catching the batsman on the move. New Zealand had already used one of their reviews when allrounder Colin de Grandhomme had an lbw struck down in the 11th over, but Williamson tried again and this time umpire Marais Erasmus’ on-field call of not out was overruled.Tim Southee was a bit more dependable. He assessed that as abundant as the cloud cover was in the morning, the breeze was too savage to encourage swing. The grass on the pitch however, lent itself to helping the ball move after pitching and Southee used to his advantage, occasionally even using cross-seamers to surprise batsmen.But there weren’t enough times that pressure was forced upon Bangladesh from both ends. A run-rate of 3.81 indicated the Wellington pitch was truer than most thought, but it also pointed the finger on Boult and company for their inability to maintain a length that demanded the batsman come forward.Bangladesh should be wary if they do find it. They were playing an away Test for the first time in more than two years and, as the one-day series showed, they share an uncomfortably close relationship with batting collapses. Unless they get enough runs on the board, it would be too much to ask their inexperienced bowling attack to win them the match. Taskin Ahmed and Subashis Roy were making their debuts and Kamrul Islam Rabbi and Mehedi Hasan made their debuts only months ago. None of them have played any long-form cricket abroad.

West Ham United star Declan Rice's "preferred destination remains" Arsenal and he's "settled in London", according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

Will Arsenal still sign Declan Rice?

Since the beginning of this summer's domestic window, which officially opened last week, reports surrounding the future of Rice have been ever-present.

It was long thought that Arsenal were in pole position for the England international ahead of other previously linked suitors, like Chelsea, but Man City recently entered the fray in their bid to source an Ilkay Gundogan replacement.

Pep Guardiola's involvement slightly complicates matters for Arsenal, who no longer have a clear-run at signing Rice. Some media sources, like Sky's Gianluca Di Marzio, have even claimed that City's talks for Rice are fairly advanced.

News from The Athletic's David Ornstein came in this morning, detailing that the Premier League champions lodged a formal offer for Rice last night, but their £80 million bid (plus £10 million in add-ons) has been rejected.

Arsenal apparently intend to bite back with an offer of their own, which would be their third after two previously rebuffed bids, so the race for Rice is certainly hotting up.

From the player's side, though, Sheth has some good news for Arsenal supporters which may help their side just edge City in the transfer battle.

Speaking on Sky Sports, the journalist claims that Rice's preferred destination remains north London, even if you can't rule out City entirely.

"One source has told us that Declan Rice's preferred destination remains Arsenal," said Sheth.

"Of course, we know in football that can change, if somebody like Manchester City or Pep Guardiola especially, go in for a player, how difficult would it be for someone like Declan Rice to turn down those advances.

"But then you've got to think of it from a human perspective as well, he's got a young family, he's settled in London, a move from West Ham United to Arsenal might be something that he's been thinking about and thinks 'this is where I want to be'.

"So, plenty to think about if you're Declan Rice."

What's been said about Declan Rice?

Called "world class" by sections of the press, West Ham's star 24-year-old showcased yet again why he is a man in demand this summer.

The Hammers captain marked himself out as their best-performing player by average match rating in the English top flight last season (WhoScored), with former England defender Matthew Upson calling him "very mature" for his age.

AB de Villiers, South Africa’s one-day captain, believes there has never been as much belief in the squad as they currently have in the midst of an 11-match ODI winning streak

Andrew McGlashan in Hamilton18-Feb-2017AB de Villiers, South Africa’s one-day captain, believes there has never been as much belief in the squad as they currently have in the midst of an 11-match ODI winning streak.A win in Hamilton on Sunday will equal South Africa’s best run in ODI cricket – matching the 12 wins in a row they achieved in 2005 – and eyes are already firmly fixed on the Champions Trophy in June. Global tournaments come with a huge weight of history for South Africa, most of it bad, but de Villiers’ faith in his squad is absolute.”The belief in the squad is as high as I’ve ever experienced it,” he said. “There’s a great respect among the players and a sense of direction. It’s as simple as that. We know it can change in a matter of minutes, so there’s a deep respect for the game and the fact you can go into a dip at any time, but I really believe what we have in this team will carry us through good and bad times.”It’s definitely a build-up towards the Champions Trophy, it’s a big goal of ours to go there and win that tournament, we know there’s a long way to go but this is a great stepping stone,” he added. “The conditions are pretty similar – the ball moves around a bit when it’s new and you have to extend your partnerships when you get in, so it’s quite similar to the UK.”Pretorius available for SA

Dwaine Pretorius, the allrounder, will be available for the second ODI in Christchurch after delaying his departure for the tour to attend the birth of his child.
Pretorius, 27, made his ODI debut against Ireland last year and recently claimed five wickets in two matches against Sri Lanka.
Dane Paterson was included for the start of the tour as cover in Pretorius’ absence and played the T20 in Auckland when Kagiso Rabada was rested.

South Africa had warned themselves to be on their guard against a slow start to their tour and de Villiers was delighted with the intensity they showed in the T20 at Eden Park. He admitted a one-off match was tough to get motivated for, but that made the convincing nature of the 78-run victory even more pleasing ahead of the main portions of the tour.”It’s difficult to get yourself up for a one-game series. We chatted about that and saw it as a red flag – even though it’s not that significant, you are still representing your country,” he said. “You are away from home and you want to start a tour off on the right note. We are hoping that momentum will take us into the ODI series. I thought we played an outstanding game of cricket. It was vital for us to start well, it doesn’t guarantee us any success in the ODIs but it was a good start.”A couple of hours after completing their victory, at close to midnight, with only the cleaners, security and night owls of the media left at the ground, the full South African squad strode out to the middle of the Eden Park pitch and produced a loud rendition of their team song. De Villiers admitted it felt “a bit weird” after a one-off match but said it was important to maintain traditions.”We were hoping no one would be there,” he said with a hint of a smile. “We normally go out quite late, but it’s just a tradition after every series win. You have to appreciate the good times.”He insisted, though, that there was no extra feeling because of what had happened the last time South Africa played at Eden Park in the World Cup semi-final.”It will never disappear that we lost the semi-final, but all you can focus on is the now. That game has been played about a 1000 times on TV over the last few days, so I’ve been reliving those emotions quite a bit, but it’s all good memories really. We’ve got through all the pain and heartache. When I’ve watched the game over the last few days I just saw good things.”And with that, the next global tournament draws ever nearer.

Tottenham Hotspur supporters are set to face an anxious summer amid the continued uncertainty surrounding the future of talisman, Harry Kane, with it yet to be seen if the England skipper will be spearheading Ange Postecoglou's side next season.

While Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is believed to be adamant that the 29-year-old will not be sold to a domestic rival before the September deadline, an exit could well still be on the cards with just 12 months left to run on the striker's contract, with German giants Bayern Munich currently circling.

The hope will be that the long-serving marksman opts to stay put in north London for next season and beyond, although Postecoglou and co may need to consider potential striking targets who could attempt to fill Kane's void if he is to move on this summer.

According to recent reports in Spain, the Lilywhites have been contacted by the agents of Udinese forward, Beto, regarding the prospect of a possible summer move, with the Portuguese hotshot potentially set to be up for grabs for a fee of around €30m (£26m).

The 6 foot 4 striker – who originally joined the Serie A side on loan from Portimonense back in 2021 – has caught the eye after scoring 21 goals in just 63 games for his current side to date, ensuring he could potentially be the man to bolster Postecoglou's attacking ranks this summer.

Who is Udinese striker Beto?

While perhaps not a household name, the towering machine is seemingly a "quality player" – according to journalist Josh Bunting – having particularly impressed with the manner in which he simply "spooks defenders" when running in behind, in the words of writer Sam Tighe.

An "intelligent" number nine who possesses "good hold up play", in the words of Bunting, the 25-year-old could evidently offer more to Postecoglou than merely his finishing prowess, helping to provide a focal point that Tottenham's other attacking talents can work around.

Although the Lisbon native is yet to be tested at Premier League level, he is said to share a statistical likeness to current Newcastle United star, Alexander Isak – according to Opta's Player Radars – with the latter man having flourished in his debut season at St James' Park.

Despite being hampered by injury in the early throes of 2022/23, Isak – who was named by Alasdair Gold as a player of interest to Spurs last summer – went on to score ten goals in just 22 league games, helping to propel the Magpies to Champions League qualification in the process.

To then find their own version of the 23-year-old in the form of Beto could allow Tottenham to realise their own top four ambitions next season, with the pair notably alike due to their predatory penalty box instincts, as they rank in the top 13% among their European peers for touches in the attacking penalty area.

Equally, the duo are also alike with regard to their ability to defend from the front, with Beto ranking in the top 40% for defensive actions, while Isak ranks in the top 36% in that regard following his fine early impact on Tyneside.

With the latter man destined to be "worth £100m" in the future – according to talkSPORT's Jason Cundy – perhaps the Udinese ace could enjoy a similarly meteoric rise if he is to link up with Postecoglou this summer.