All posts by h716a5.icu

Manchester United are considering a move for Fiorentina's Moise Kean after the striker's resurgence in Serie A.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

United consider move for KeanStriker under attention from Saudi clubsKean could return to Premier League where he struggledFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Kean has found a new lease of life in Florence, scoring 19 goals and registering three assists in 32 Serie A games last season, and, according to , is on United's radar. The Red Devils are desperately searching for a new striker and rebuffs from Liam Delap and Viktor Gyokeres have forced their attentions to the Italian forward. Ruben Amorim has been unable to find his ideal number nine from within the squad, with Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee failing to impress, and could look to trigger Kean's release clause of €52 million (£44.5m) available from 1 to 15 July.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

United may have to move quickly to secure the services of Kean who is also the target of Saudi Pro League side Al-Qadsiah. It is unclear whether the Italian striker would be open to a move to the Middle East, but could be tempted by a huge contract offer. Kean is also determined to keep his place in the national team ahead of the World Cup next summer and a move to United over Al-Qadsiah could keep him in hotter contention.

DID YOU KNOW?

Kean has already played in the Premier League with Everton, but it did not go exactly how he would have wished. Signed as a brightly-tipped youngster, Kean struggled to adapt to life in England and was criticised for his attitude. His plight in England epitomised by the time he was taken off by Duncan Ferguson in the 88th minute after only being brought on as a substitute in the 70th minute against United at Old Trafford as a 19-year-old.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR KEAN?

There is no guarantee that Kean chooses to leave Italy this summer, particularly to Manchester United. The striker is enjoying life at Fiorentina and helped the club achieve Europa Conference League qualification by finishing sixth. It is unclear whether he would consider following the likes of former Serie A stars Hojlund and Zirkzee to Old Trafford and may choose to remain in Italy.

DDCA to request both senior players to stay but “final decision will be theirs”

PTI11-Aug-2023Former Delhi captain Nitish Rana and the side’s highest run-getter in the Ranji Trophy last season Dhruv Shorey have sought No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) from the DDCA to play for other states in the upcoming domestic season.The development was confirmed by DDCA joint secretary Rajan Manchanda on Friday although he assured that both cricketers will be spoken to and given a patient hearing to find out why they want to take such a decision.”Yes, it is true that both Dhruv and Nitish want to leave Delhi and have sought NOC,” Manchanda told PTI. “We will definitely request them to stay as both are senior players and have served Delhi cricket. But the final decision will be theirs. If they don’t agree, we will certainly give them NOC.”Delhi couldn’t qualify for the Ranji knockouts last season despite Shorey ending with 859 runs. He was the fourth in the list of the highest run-getters after Mayank Agarwal (990), Arpit Vasavada (907) and Anushtup Majumdar (867).When Manchanda was asked if Rana and Shorey will have their grievances addressed, he said: “How can we talk about selection matters? It is the prerogative of selection committee.”Himmat Singh, the middle-order batter, is likely to take over captaincy and Abhay Sharma is unlikely to continue as head coach.

Marseille owner Frank McCourt says he wants to keep English forward Mason Greenwood at the club and try to challenge Paris Saint-Germain next year.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Marseille want to keep GreenwoodFinished second behind PSG in Ligue 1Have already signed Angel GomesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Rumours have swirled over Greenwood's future, though the 23-year-old himself made clear his desire to stay at the Stade Velodrome back in May. He scored 22 goals in his first season in southern France and has four years remaining on his contract after signing from Manchester United in 2024.

AdvertisementAFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Marseille finished second behind PSG in Ligue 1 and secured a return to the Champions League. They will need to strengthen their squad and owner McCourt says the club plan to keep key squad members like Greenwood as well as Adrien Rabiot, Leonardo Balerdi and Amine Gouiri despite interest from elsewhere.

WHAT MARSEILLE'S PRESIDENT SAID

McCourt said to : "It's my wish [to keep them]. Now, I'm neither the sporting director nor the president. My goal is to put Pablo [Longoria], Medhi [Benatia] and their teams in the best conditions to make the best decisions in the short, medium and long term. Regarding the players mentioned, our goal is to keep them and build the team around them."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

DID YOU KNOW?

There were reports of a squad rift after a poor end to the season saw Marseille fall way behind PSG in the Ligue 1 title race, but McCourt believes some small tweaks here and there can get them closer to the recent treble winners.

He added: "Of course. If we put the right reforms in place, it will help us, and other clubs, to be more competitive."

Situation in 2024 set to be even more problematic due to T20 World Cup at height of summer

Vithushan Ehantharajah28-Sep-2023Alec Stewart has accused the ECB of disrespecting the County Championship on the day Surrey secured the 2023 title.Stewart, who has been Surrey’s director of cricket since 2014, criticised the decision to schedule a one-day international series against Ireland that affected availability for the final two rounds of the Championship. He also complained about the mooted 2024 schedule, which will further marginalise the first-class game, urging the governing body to better support the counties.With England resting their World Cup squad for the Ireland series, Surrey were without Gus Atkinson and Sam Curran for the run-in, and then had to do without Will Jacks and Jamie Smith as both were included in a second-string squad for those matches. Jacks and Smith missed the penultimate fixture against Northamptonshire, with Surrey struggling in their absence, before joining the final match against Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl on day two (Wednesday) after Ireland series ended in Bristol on Tuesday.”I have a bit of a moan here at the ECB,” Stewart said after Surrey had been confirmed as champions for the 21st time in their history. “They still need to respect the County Championship. We all like the Championship, have played in it, worked with it.”Take these Ireland games – England didn’t pick their first team, which was understandable because of the World Cup. But also to say that there was one game during round 13, then a game in between and then one game on the first day of this game. That to me is disrespectful to the county game.Related

Chris Jordan backs Surrey to switch mindsets for Somerset Blast challenge

ECB defends 'Super September' as 2024 county fixtures put season climax in spotlight

Hampshire dampen Surrey celebrations with rapid final-day victory

County directors call for 'urgent' review into standard contracts amid franchise exodus

Dawson's five-wicket haul delays Surrey's title confirmation

“Could they have staged it better so that you only missed one game and had all three games during that penultimate game and perhaps on that first rest day so that everyone is then available?”With the 2024 T20 World Cup in June and July, domestic competitions will be squeezed further to the periphery next summer. The ECB has discussed billing the season’s climax as “Super September”, with the latter stages of the T20 Blast, finals of the Metro Bank One-Day Cup and Rachel Heyhoe Flint Trophy, along with the climax of the County Championship season.The men’s competitions will be shorn of personnel given the international fixtures running concurrently, with the third Test against Sri Lanka, and three T20Is and five ODIs against Australia crammed into 18 days from September 11. Stewart, who has seen the early plans, regards the situation as unworkable.”Even next year, what the probable schedule looks like next year, the ECB are going to try and call it Super September. It’s anything but. When the quarter-final of the T20 is on, there’s a Test match. When the finals of the T20 is on, England are playing Australia in T20s on the Friday and the Sunday. When the 50-over final is on, England are playing Australia.”You have to work with the national team, and I always want England to be the best. But also trying to find a way of being more respectful to the county game because that is where your players are made to go on to England. That’s what we’re up against.”Stewart also called for a return to an eight-team top division to ensure greater integrity in the competition. The ECB shifted to a 10-team Division One in 2021, along with a leaner fixture list with each team playing 14 matches. It meant not everyone in the top-flight plays each other twice, leading to Surrey facing second-place Essex just once this season, after only playing closest challengers Hampshire at the Kia Oval in their successful 2022 campaign.Stewart also regarded the experimental use of the Kookaburra ball for two rounds in June and July as another impediment to a balanced league structure.”If there is symmetry to it, it is so much better. We only played Essex once this year, and the fact that we brought the Kookaburra in for two games – why? We had two home games, others had two away games, others had one at home and one away. So, the integrity of the tournament, you still want to try and keep. We don’t want to be talking about [whether] it is right or fair that we’ve only played Essex once.”It is not easy – I do have sympathy with the people who have to put the schedule together – but my role is director of cricket at Surrey so I care about county cricket a lot. I just want to see that it’s not diluted or put on the backburner and everything is just looked at, internationally or franchise.”

Manchester United have pulled out of secret talks over a record-breaking £10 million ($13.6m) Amazon documentary deal following concerns raised by head coach Ruben Amorim. Despite financial pressures and months of negotiations, United decided that the behind-the-scenes series would be an unwelcome distraction for the first team during a critical rebuild under Amorim.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Man Utd reject £10m+ Amazon documentary after Amorim’s objectionsManager feared distraction amid first-team rebuild and poor form Talks ended despite financial appeal and months of negotiations Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Athletic have reported that Manchester United spent several months negotiating a potential 'All or Nothing'-style series with Amazon, which would have been the streaming giant’s biggest-ever deal with a football club. The proposed agreement, worth well over £10 million, would have granted Amazon full behind-the-scenes access for the 2025–26 season. However, the club ultimately withdrew from the talks after receiving strong opposition from Amorim.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

As per the report, Amorim voiced concerns that such a project could undermine the first team’s focus during a delicate transitional period, prompting Manchester United’s executive committee to unanimously reject the proposal. Despite financial struggles and no European football next season, United sided with the manager on footballing grounds. The decision highlights Amorim’s growing influence at Old Trafford amid his efforts to reshape the squad.

TELL ME MORE…

United’s business department, including INEOS and CEO Omar Berrada, initially backed the idea to ease commercial strain. With players’ cooperation also in doubt, alongside Amorim, the board respected the head coach's stance and ended the discussions early this summer.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

AFPWHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

The Red Devils will now explore alternative commercial avenues as they look to boost income following sponsor exits and heavy debt. Amorim will continue steering the club’s sporting rebuild, with player recruitment now aligned to his tactical vision.

Sri Lanka were restricted to a sub-par total and a trio of fifties from Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi and Azmatullah Omarzai then powered an ice-cool chase

Madushka Balasuriya30-Oct-20232:55

Maharoof: SL lost the game between the 11th and 40th overs

For the second game running Afghanistan showcased exemplary calm in the chase, whittling down a sub-par target of 242 with ice-cold composure. A trio of fifties from Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi and Azmatullah Omarzai led the way, as Afghanistan leapfrogged Sri Lanka into fifth place on the points table with six points now on the board.Sri Lanka meanwhile are virtually out of the running for a semi-final berth, needing to essentially win all of their next three games – against India, Bangladesh and New Zealand – to stand any chance.For Afghanistan this was a win set up by their bowlers, who had stifled Sri Lanka’s batters on a deck that was for all intents and purposes tailor-made for batting, before their batters ran down the target with minimal fuss.Related

Farooqi hits his straps to help keep Sri Lanka under wraps

Afghanistan turn to careful cricket for unprecedented success

Can Sri Lanka and Pakistan still make the semi-finals?

Fazalhaq Farooqi was the pick of the bunch ending with figures of 4 for 34, but the most intriguing quirk of this game was that despite being afforded a true surface with a lack of lateral movement and minimal turn, both sides rarely scored at more than five an over.Their reasons however differed. While Sri Lanka could be criticised for a criminal lack of intent, Afghanistan were simply following the breakdown devised for them by head coach Jonathan Trott. Several times over the course of the innings the broadcast camera would pan over his giant whiteboard with 10-over markers clearly laid out – “50 after 10”, “100 after 20”, etc. But despite it being offered up in as easy-to-digest a manner as possible, such was the efficiency with which Afghanistan went about their work, Sri Lanka were powerless to do anything about it.Sure Dilshan Madushanka tailed one in on Rahmanullah Gurbaz off just the fourth ball of the chase to dislodge middle stump, but Afghanistan had their playbook and they followed it to a tee. Even when the wickets did fall, Afghanistan were quick to snuff out any momentum Sri Lanka might have been looking to derive.Partnerships of 73, 58 and 111 – between Ibrahim Zadran and Shah, Shah and Shahidi, and then Shahidi and Omarzai – formed the spine of their chase. Throughout that effort, boundaries were never sought after but only accepted when offered, as they were content to wait for loose balls, rarely willing – or needing – to take a risk.Sri Lanka for their part began to look more and more broken as the innings wore on, running out of ideas and steam on a surface that offered them nothing and against a team that were equally unforgiving.Fazalhaq Farooqi finished with a four-wicket haul•Associated PressBut the tone for this game had been set from the very beginning, as having been asked to bat first – a decision Kusal Mendis said he would have taken even had he won the toss – Sri Lanka would proceed with an uncertainty conspicuously absent in their first five matches.Perhaps this was borne by this being Sri Lanka’s first real game of the tournament where a chance of a semi-final spot – however unlikely – was tangibly within grasp. Inhibitions had been shed in an improbable chase against South Africa, and that aggressive intent had cascaded through to their next game against Pakistan. Then against Australia, the confidence continued to flow before an unprecedented collapse stopped them dead.Maybe it was this that pushed Sri Lanka into a more conservative approach, but evidence of any shift didn’t prove forthcoming in games against Netherlands and England, where their intent, or lack thereof, wasn’t scrutinised to any great degree with a pair of middling chases calling more for caution than aggression.Against Afghanistan though, on a surface which had been described as a “batter’s paradise” during the pitch report, the inclusion of Dimuth Karunaratne betrayed the fear that had been driving Sri Lanka’s thinking.Rashid Khan leads Afghanistan’s lap of honour in what was his 100th ODI•ICC/Getty ImagesYes, Kusal Perera hadn’t made an impact aside from his 78 against Australia, but a surface such as this might have proved precisely the panacea for his batting troubles. Instead Sri Lanka were left frustrated as his replacement Karunaratne would play and miss a handful of shortish, wide deliveries on either side of the wicket – rare loose balls in otherwise tight opening spells from Fazalhaq Farooqi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Sri Lanka would end up striking just four boundaries in the first 10 overs.That powerplay would also see Sri Lanka end on 41 for 1, their lowest score after 10 overs in the entirety of the tournament. This pronounced lack of ambition would afflict them throughout an innings that only sporadically scratched the five an over mark, let alone the sixes and sevens that have been more prevalent across this tournament.The deference showed to the Afghanistan bowlers through the middle overs was incongruous to say the least when compared to how Sri Lanka had approached those first two games against South Africa and Pakistan.What this meant was that when the quality deliveries that Afghanistan’s bowlers are capable of inevitably arrived, Sri Lanka’s batters would fall having failed to effectively capitalise on the opportunities afforded elsewhere.Karunaratne would be the first to go, trapped lbw by one darting in from Farooqi, the on-field not out call overturned on review. A 62-run stand between Nissanka and Mendis would follow, before Omarzai would jag one in from a back of a length outside off and coax Nissanka to feather an edge through to Gurbaz behind the stumps – thus ending his streak of fifty-plus scores at four. Gurbaz was deputising for Ikram Alikhil, who was off the field receiving treatment after having dislocated a finger on his right hand while keeping.Dhananjaya de Silva was mostly clueless against Rashid Khan•ICC via Getty ImagesKusal Mendis was next to fall while going for his favoured slog sweep for a fourth time in four games. He would have been disappointed to find the man stationed for just such a stroke, but what was more jarring for onlookers might have been the reticent version of Mendis that had knocked around 49 deliveries prior to that for a modest 39; despite the lack of demons in the wicket, much like the rest of his team-mates, Mendis was shackled by a demure approach in an innings that saw just the three boundaries.Mendis’ dismissal, which followed a 50-run stand with Sadeera Samarawickrama, would prove the catalyst for a mini collapse that would see Sri Lanka tumble from 134 for 2 to 185 for 7.Samarawickrama, who had looked his usual industrious self in his 40-ball 36, was caught in the crease by a quicker one from Mujeeb that tailed in. Dhananjaya de Silva, who had put on 28 with Charith Asalanka, was then worked over beautifully by a Rashid googly through the gate, one that had been setup over the course of a nagging over in what was Rashid’s 100th ODI. Asalanka would miscue a pull to mid-off shortly after off Farooqi, while a chaotic and unnecessary run-out – Angelo Mathews calling for a run that would have kept him off strike for the start of the next over – would send Dushmantha Chameera packing.Only a rearguard stand of 45 from 42 between Mathews and Maheesh Theekshana, where the latter showed off his batting chops with some expansive stroke-play through the offside, took Sri Lanka to a total of any respectability. But on a true surface, and against a commanding Afghanistan side, it was never going to be enough.

Only eight Bangladesh players trained on eve of the Sri Lanka game in Delhi, as high air-pollution levels continue

Mohammad Isam05-Nov-2023Only eight Bangladesh players turned up for training in Delhi on Sunday, the eve of their World Cup match against Sri Lanka, while the others decided not to risk exposure to the severe air pollution in the city. Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusinghe said that those who didn’t come were “asthmatic” and did not want to risk training given the poor air quality.Bangladesh had already cancelled one training session on Friday evening, and Sri Lanka did the same on Saturday afternoon. Bangladesh trained with 13 players on Saturday evening before the lower attendance on Sunday afternoon.”Our doctor has kept a close eye on players. Some of the players didn’t turn up for practice because they are asthmatic, so they stayed in indoors,” Hathurusinghe said. “And even for practice, we’re very conscious. We train what we have to train, and they go back into the dressing room. They don’t spend time unless they’re bowling or batting. We have taken some measures to minimise our exposure before the game.”Related

Hathurusinghe: Our batting let us down with 'high expectations'

Plenty of repair work to be done for both Bangladesh and Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka and Bangladesh players impacted by air pollution in Delhi

Bangladesh cancel training because of air pollution in Delhi

Hathurusinghe said that while selection for the game would not be influenced by the air quality, the team is wary of the long-term effects of playing in such conditions. “We need to practice and still be careful about the long-term effect of these conditions,” he said. “Air quality is affecting both teams. It is not ideal. But we have no choice. We have to play in the conditions that’s in front of us.””The team selection won’t depend on air quality. It will depend on conditions, our strength and opposition.”The Sri Lanka team manager team manager Mahinda Halangoda said they would be guided by the ICC advice.”Definitely we will be looking at the index. But obviously, we will be guided by the ICC and I think they have a medical panel here and, so, they will be giving us instructions,” Halangoda told PTI. “Today when we came, we were told to wear masks. But it depends on what the outside index is, and then we’ll make a call on it. We didn’t make a request to change (the venue). But we were asking the ICC what would happen because when we came here, we saw the Bangladesh team had cancelled (training) and we saw the outside environment.”So, we just asked them what’s the plan. They said they will have a discussion, and then they’ll come back. I think they have installed some equipment here, and they’ve got specialists to check and they are helping them out. They have already informed us that they are planning to go ahead. So, we will do exactly what the ICC tells us to do.”According to the ICC’s guidelines on air quality, as well as a pulmonologist (lung specialist) whom the organisers have been consulting, an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of below 200 is considered safe for play in most cases. A higher AQI could put play in jeopardy but it is only a guideline rather than a hard cut-off.The AQI reading in the vicinity of the ground, the Arun Jaitley Stadium, was over 400 on Sunday afternoon, having hit 500 at some points during the day. An air emergency had been declared in Delhi on Thursday, as the AQI rose above 400 in several places across the city, forcing the government to close schools for two days and impose restrictions on construction and vehicle traffic. AQI levels in areas of the city are expected to be in the severe category till Tuesday, November 7.An ICC spokesperson told ESPNcricinfo on Saturday that the situation was being monitored. “The ICC and our hosts the BCCI take the well-being of all participants seriously and are monitoring the air quality in Delhi,” the spokesperson said. “We are taking expert advice to assess the situation.”BCCI staff have been taking air-quality readings from handheld devices at the ground. They will continue to do so leading into the game to determine whether the air quality is at a safe level for play. The organisers will also undertake mitigation measures such as turning on the sprinklers before play, which is expected to help lower pollution levels in the immediate vicinity of the ground. They will also ask players to remain inside their dressing rooms, where air purifiers will be operational, rather than in the dugout. ESPNcricinfo understands that match officials will treat the air pollution just as they would the weather, in deciding whether conditions are fit for play or not, and taking the players off the field when needed.

Luis Enrique's side blew Los Blancos away to set up a meeting with the Blues in New Jersey in Sunday's final

Paris Saint-Germain flexed their muscles to secure a 4-0 win over Real Madrid in their Club World Cup semi-final on Wednesday. Fabian Ruiz netted twice while Ousmane Dembele and Goncalo Ramos also got on the scoresheet for the rampant European champions to set up a meeting with Chelsea in Sunday's final.

Ruiz and Dembele had both already tested Thibaut Courtois before they combined to break the deadlock in the sixth minute, with Dembele able to rob Raul Asencio inside the Madrid penalty area before Ruiz able to provide the close-range finish. Dembele then doubled the lead just three minutes later when he dispossessed Antonio Rudiger and ran in unopposed to fire into the bottom corner.

Luis Enrique's side were utterly dominant in New Jersey, and made it three before the half-hour mark when a flowing move ended with Achraf Hakimi squaring for Ruiz to grab his second of the game. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia should probably have made it four, too, only to fire wide when well placed shortly before the break.

PSG took their foot off the gas somewhat in the second period, though they were still able to keep Madrid at arm's length before capping their performance with a fine finish by substitute Ramos after he was found by Bradley Barcola.

GOAL rates PSG's players from MetLife Stadium…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Gianluigi Donnarumma (6/10):

Had very little to do but didn't put a foot wrong when he was called upon.

Achraf Hakimi (8/10):

Combined superbly with Doue going forward, most notably to create the third goal for Ruiz, while showing excellent defensive nous to deal with the likes of Mbappe, Vinicius and Bellingham.

Marquinhos (7/10):

Never looked troubled by the Madrid forward line, and even bullied Mbappe at times.

Lucas Beraldo (7/10):

Stepped into the shoes of the suspended Pacho and ensured the Ecuadorian wasn't missed. Madrid tried to target him as best they could, but the Brazilian stood firm.

Nuno Mendes (8/10):

Was absolutely everywhere, particularly in the first half. Made a couple of superb last-ditch challenges while causing havoc with his late runs in attack.

AdvertisementAFPMidfield

Joao Neves (7/10):

At his combative best when winning possession back in midfield. Did pick up a first-half booking, but didn't let that faze him.

Vitinha (8/10):

World football's classiest midfield operator again dictated the tempo with supreme ease. Set-pieces were dangerous, too.

Fabian Ruiz (9/10):

In the right place to find the net on two occasions, but that only told part of the Spaniard's story in an all-action display. Might not be a more underrated player in world football right now.

AFPAttack

Desire Doue (7/10):

Ran Fran Garcia ragged at times as his blistering pace and quick feet left the Madrid left-back in the dirt. Final ball was lacking on occasion, but did play his part in the move for PSG's third goal.

Ousmane Dembele (9/10):

Forced mistakes out of both Asencio and Rudiger within the first nine minutes that led to PSG's opening two goals. Showed exactly why he remains the Ballon d'Or favourite.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (8/10):

Electric down the left-hand side, all that was missing from the Georgian's performance was a goal as his finishing let him down on a couple of occasions.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

AFPSubs & Manager

Goncalo Ramos (7/10):

Had a couple of half-chances before showing good feet to net the fourth in the closing minutes.

Bradley Barcola (7/10):

Got in behind multiple times before his quick feet helped set up Ramos for his goal.

Warren Zaire-Emery (6/10):

Kept PSG ticking over in midfield after replacing Ruiz.

Senny Mayulu (6/10):

Put his foot in after being thrown on for the final quarter of the game.

Lee Kang-in (N/A):

On for the final 10 minutes.

Luis Enrique (9/10):

His team basically picks itself nowadays, but they look as hungry as ever to add another trophy to their growing collection. Right now, they look pretty unstoppable.

Fletcher, Pooran, Kohler-Cadmore and Thushara play starring roles in Gladiators’ win

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Dec-2023Sikandar Raza’s 27 off 10 balls helped Chennai Braves chase 106 down as Northern Warriors went down by five wickets.Having been put in, Warriors were off to a steady start, with opener Hazratullah Zazai scoring 54 off 32 balls. His partner Kennar Lewis, meanwhile, could not get going, as he made a 15-ball 13. Mohammad Nabi got the breakthrough for Braves, with a double strike in the eighth over, where he first dismissed Zazai and then sent James Neesham back. It was then Junaid Siddique’s turn to strike as he removed Lewis. Adam Hose then scored a 10-ball 24 which gave Braves a target of 107.In reply, Braves lost their openers Kobe Herft and Jason Roy for single-digit scores. Bhanuka Rajapaksa, too, was sent back for 7. Stephen Eskinazi scored a couple of boundaries and a six to lift Braves before he was pinned in front by Tabraiz Shamsi. With the required run rate going up, Raza and Charith Asalanka then combined for a 45-run stand to take Braves closer to the line. Raza took Angelo Mathews for 6, 4, 6, 6 to turn the game Braves’ way. He was dismissed in the ninth over, but Asalanka made sure there were no further blemishes as Braves put up their second win of the season.Richard Gleeson picked up three wickets in an over•Abu Dhabi T10Richard Gleeson picked up three big wickets in one over, and later the Player-of-the-Match award, to set up a huge win for Delhi Bulls over Bangla Tigers on Saturday evening. The win was Bulls’ third in a row, and placed them comfortably at the top of the table, at least for the time being.Tigers were going fine at 28 for 2 after three overs, and with Jordan Cox, David Miller and Dasun Shanaka, among others, to follow, looked set to put up another big total after scoring 143 for 4 in their win over Dubai Gladiators on Thursday. But Gleeson changed the script in the space of five balls in the fourth over, getting rid of Miller, Shanaka and Cox, in that order, to leave Tigers completely off-kilter at 29 for 5.Between Daniel Sams (20 not out in 15 balls) and Carlos Brathwaite (21 in 17), Tigers did fight back to get to 81 for 7, but it was never going to be enough against Bulls’ powerful batting line-up.Quinton de Kock and Johnson Charles fell inside two overs, but James Vince (17 in nine), Rilee Rossouw (21* in 11) and captain Rovman Powell (37* in 11) made sure Bulls got to the target quickly – in just six overs.For Tigers, it was a second loss in three games, and at the end of it, they were placed seventh on the eight-team table.Nicholas Pooran gave Deccan Gladiators a powerful start•Abu Dhabi T10
Explosive 30s from captain Nicholas Pooran and Tom Kohler-Cadmore, followed by Andre Fletcher’s 12-ball 41, set up a crushing win for Deccan Gladiators over Team Abu Dhabi.Pooran dashed out of the blocks taking left-arm fingerspinner Roelof van der Merwe for two fours and two sixes in the first over. Rumman Raees then dealt a double-blow, removing both Pooran and Andre Russell off successive balls in the fourth over, but Kohler-Cadmore and Fletcher proceeded to re-establish Gladiators’ dominance.Six of the 12 balls that Fletcher faced were sent to the boundary, including five sixes. Fletcher, Fabian Allen and Kohler-Cadmore all fell in quick succession, but David Wiese provided the final flourish with 15 off six balls.Abu Dhabi started their chase shakily, losing their top three inside five overs. Leus du Plooy (25), Colin Ingram (19) and captain Dwaine Pretorius (9), fought back to lend some respectability to the scorecard. Sri Lankan slinger Nuwan Thushara, who plays for Jaffna Kings in the LPL, was the pick of the bowlers for Gladiators, coming away with 2 for 5 in his two overs.

“Drawing is maybe as big as a loss for us,” the opener said ahead of his final Test, where he will also be standing in as captain

Firdose Moonda02-Jan-2024Dean Elgar likened the emotions of a Test series victory to winning a World Cup, while recognising that he has never played in one of the latter.”I only play the game to win,” Elgar said on the eve of his final Test. “I don’t care about stats. I care about wins. I care about series wins. That’s the greatest memories you can ever share with your team, everyone that has got an influential role in the background. Test series wins – you don’t top that. Maybe a World Cup win is up there. I have never had that opportunity but this is my World Cup. This is my arena where I want to win.”Elgar’s career will end this week with 86 Test caps and with him as one of only eight South Africans to have scored more than 5000 runs in Test cricket. He is 167 runs away from catching Mark Boucher, who is seventh on the list and will equal Herbie Taylor, with 18 Tests as captain, the fifth-most by a South African. While the runs are something Elgar hopes to reflect on in the future, being asked to lead the side, 11 months after being stood down from the captaincy because of an injury to regular skipper Temba Bavuma, is among Elgar’s proudest achievements.Related

Classy Elgar unveils a new dimension in farewell series

Jubilant South Africa put their name up in lights

Test's the best for David Bedingham as Newlands dream awaits

“I don’t think you get a bigger accolade or bigger credit than to be asked to captain. I did it in the past for a year-and-a-half or whatever it was and it has been the best learning experience for me as an individual – not just from a cricketing point of view but off-field stuff,” he said. “I give my 100% whether I am playing or captaining and I am going to have that mentality going into this game. For me, it’s about showing the right ways for the younger players and hopefully that catches on.”Playing against India, the team Elgar led South Africa to a 2-1 win against in the 2021-22 summer, holds extra meaning for him. “There’s no bigger honour than to captain your country irrespective of who you are playing against but being against India adds more flavour. India is the powerhouse nation in the world and we are in a situation where I can influence and try to get a 2-nil win.”

“It’s a massive Test for us, being our highlighted Test of the year. The New Year’s Test at Newlands, they don’t get much bigger and better, against really tough opposition.”Dean Elgar

Though South Africa’s innings win at SuperSport Park last week means that they cannot lose the series, Elgar does not want them to settle for that. Instead, he wants them to adopt a mindset that this is a series they should not share, because it will be played at home and with the final match at many of the players’ favourite venue: Newlands.”We are in a fortunate position knowing that we can’t lose the series but drawing is maybe as big as a loss for us,” he said. “It’s a massive Test for us, being our highlighted Test of the year. The New Year’s Test at Newlands, they don’t get much bigger and better, against really tough opposition. Playing the New Year’s Test is big for guys and they are going to have a lot of firsts so we want them to just live in that moment but be mindful of the opportunity of winning 2-nil. Drawing the series is not something we are thinking about at all.”This is South Africa’s first series of the 2023-2025 WTC, during which they will only play two-Test series and will not face England or Australia at all. The dearth of fixtures was believed to be part of the reason Elgar chose to retire, despite his 185 in the Boxing Day Test suggesting he still has much to offer, and though he did not confirm that, he also made it clear he will not be changing his mind. “One thing people need to understand is that I made my decision long ago,” he said. “A couple of months ago, I chose this to be my last series, irrespective of what is happening behind the scenes. I made my bed and I am sleeping in it quite nicely.”