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Graeme Smith has plenty of memories of facing Mitchell Johnson. Some are good. Some are painful. In their first head-to-head of this series the fast bowler came out on top in double quick time

Jarrod Kimber at Centurion Park13-Feb-2014February, 2014The ball punches the pitch, and cracks into Graeme Smith who seems to react only as the ball leaves him. It loops up slowly and the crowd make noise accordingly. It is just off the pad. Not out. It is the first ball Smith faces from Mitchell Johnson.____________There is not much time to think between the ball leaving Johnson’s hand and the batsman having to deal with it. It is like a camera flash, or a political back-flip.You can have a plan, you can think it through, but the ball just comes out of his hand and you react. There are some batsmen who revel in that. See ball, hit ball.Not enough time for clear rational thought. There is not enough time to think about past deliveries, or history, it just happens.January, 2009A full ball that that should never have damaged anyone, but spat up and took the left massive hand of Smith. His hand disappeared like he had been zapped by a ray gun. For a second Smith was lost, the pain confused him, he was walking around in a circle towards point. And only then did he eventually find the culprit, which had gone off to fine leg to allow him to get off strike. But the damage was done, and he would only come back into to bat at No. 11, with a broken hand.____________There is a bowling machine that players have used to try and learn the mystery and tricks of certain players, the Pro Batter. You can face Morne Morkel, Lasith Malinga or even Mitchell Johnson.But you can’t program it with superhuman confidence. You can’t give it artificial menace. And you can’t play against it like it is a real force of nature. It is a computer game with real elements. Nothing more. All you can do is try and pick up a few tricks that you hope the next time you play will come in handy.South Africa have used the Pro Batter, they have also faced Johnson at his old best. They should know how to play him. Smith has faced him more than most. They have survived him at the WACA, after he took 8 for 61, they milked him on their chase beyond 400 to win, they have played him ten times. They know him.Well, they knew the old him. This new one is relentless and brutal, like a zombie girl group, or a current affairs reporter. This Mitchell is worse and better than anything that can be made with CGI or the old model.Graeme Smith could only fend a Mitchell Johnson short ball to the slips – at least his hand remained intact•Getty ImagesMarch, 2009Off the ground, looking at point, one hand off the bat, the right hand protecting his throat and being smashed into the bat handle. That is how Smith found himself as he just tried to survive a delivery. The ball did not take his wicket, he did end up in hospital.____________Smith is respected all over the world. He has scored almost 10,000 Test runs. He has done that at almost an average of 50. He has 27 Test centuries. He is the captain and leader of the world’s best Test team.Smith is South Africa’s top order monolith. Strong, calm and reliable. The young warrior who took over the side and pushed them higher than they had ever been. All with a bottom handed technique that makes even his best shots look like a solid uppercut.His place in the world of cricket is safe and secure, and he could retire tomorrow and be remembered for decades.In nine Tests he has been dismissed by Johnson five times and sent to hospital twice. Today Johnson tried to do both in one ball.February, 2014The ball leaves the pitch with a mission to break the jaw or eye socket of Smith. There is no time. There is nowhere to hide. There is no way out. Smith can ever be hit in the face, or try and play the ball. His body is doing in one direction, his face another. His bat is jerking upwards not like a cricket shot, but like he is fending off a surprise Pterodactyl attack. The ball hits the bat, more by pure chance than design. The ball flies high, and all of the slips, (there are a few, but it seems like hundreds), arch their necks up at once, and watch it float behind them. Shaun Marsh chases, and chases, while the batsmen easily cross, and at the last minute he reaches the ball to barely take the catch.____________Graeme Smith faced two balls from Mitchell Johnson today.

Bowler? Bowler who can bat? Allrounder? Bowler who can’t bowl his quota?

Sidharth Monga13-Jul-2012Irfan Pathan is back. Again. Not in Terminator sort of way. Not least because he didn’t promise he’d be back when he left. He never does.Nor is this a Rambo-like sequel. This is the continuation of the old story featuring that same unanswered question: who exactly is Irfan Pathan? To be precise, what exactly is Irfan Pathan?Irfan began as a delightful swing bowler. Then he became an occasional pinch-hitter who batted more than he slogged, with genuine potential for being an allrounder. Then as his bowling deserted him, he eked out appearances because of his batting. Then he was dropped, forgot his batting, and came back as a bowler who batted better than the designated allrounder in the same side but wasn’t allowed to bat higher than No. 9. Consequently he is a specialist bowler who has bowled his quota in only three of the last ten ODIs he has played in.One of those uncompleted quotas – nine overs for 61 runs against Bangladesh, which contributed to an India loss – seemed to have put him aside for a while, but in a can’t-live-with-or-without-you manner, India have called Irfan back again to replace an injured specialist bowler. There is no rule set in stone to suggest that a replacement should be strictly like for like, which could suggest picking him ahead of Praveen Kumar might be a belated admission that the original squad for Sri Lanka was an allrounder short. However, don’t hold your breath: Irfan is not considered an allrounder. That much was clear in Australia, his first proper test on his last comeback.MS Dhoni, his captain, said as much when he bemoaned the absence of a “seaming allrounder” even before that ODI series began. That statement needs to be seen in the context of Ravindra Jadeja, the preferred allrounder, struggling to bowl well on seamer-friendly pitches and being clearly out of his depth as a batsman at No. 7. So stubborn was Dhoni that even when Irfan was eventually picked, thanks to injuries to others, he was sent in at No. 9, behind R Ashwin. Sure enough, at No. 9, Irfan hit a six crucial to India coming out with a tie.When Dhoni sat out a game because of an over-rate ban, stand-in captain Virender Sehwag promoted Irfan to No. 7, where he scored an attractive 47 off 34, only for Dhoni to return and demote him to No. 9 again. It was clear that despite the conditions being in Irfan’s favour, India were not going to use him as an allrounder, for whatever the term is worth in the Indian ODI squad context. Even when they left Jadeja out in an Asia Cup game, Yusuf Pathan was his direct replacement, and Irfan had to rely on his bowling alone.What perhaps goes unsaid here is that Dhoni doesn’t want to play with any fewer than four fielders who can dive around and help him control the game. That was the reason he kept out one of the big three. And with the openers and himself ruled out, Dhoni is left with just three if Irfan is played at No. 7 with more specialist bowlers to follow. Jadeja can dive around; Irfan is strictly a safe fielder. It appears that four extraordinary fielders is a non-negotiable: when Jadeja has played himself out of the team, India are happy with a batsman who can bowl part-time spin but, more importantly, allows Dhoni to control the game through his fielding. It doesn’t help that since Kapil Dev India have produced only one fast bowler who is also a better-than-safe fielder, Ajit Agarkar.Irfan was to keep his place in the side on his bowling alone. He is simply not back to being a good enough bowler to do so, especially in the subcontinent. The captain’s lack of trust in Irfan’s bowling shows in how he repeatedly fails to bowl his ten overs, despite there being two new balls, which should counter his ineffectiveness with the old ball to some extent. Sooner or later he was bound to lose his place, and it happened in Bangladesh. With India hardly playing any cricket outside the subcontinent in the near future, his goose seemed to have been cooked.Not quite. When R Vinay Kumar was ruled out with a hamstring injury, India went to Irfan, and not Praveen Kumar, a better specialist bowler by all accounts. Which brings us back to the possibility that the selectors might have picked Irfan to address the absence of an allrounder, once again a term to be taken with a pinch of salt in the Indian context.Now that he has been picked – for whatever reasons – it will be interesting to see how India use him. If they play him as a specialist bowler, they might not have the luxury of not bowling him out, what with part-time spinners already under pressure to share their quota of ten overs. If he is played at No. 7, Dhoni will have to make do with just three fielders capable of charging and diving around the field. There is also the possibility of his not getting a game. Yet another series, then, in the life of the unanswered question: what exactly is Irfan Pathan?

This was what touring South Africa is meant to be all about, the battle between batsmen and fast bowlers

Andrew McGlashan in Cape Town04-Jan-2010This series has had plenty of passages of enthralling action, but the confrontation between England’s top order and the duel pace threat of Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn was as riveting as it comes. This was what touring South Africa is meant to be all about, the battle between batsmen and fast bowlers which has created some of cricket’s great moments of the past.In Morkel and Steyn, South Africa have the perfect pair for a fearsome pace combination. The height and bounce of Morkel complements the fuller, skiddy approach of Steyn – not that the latter doesn’t have a rapid bouncer in his armoury. However, this was the first time that they had operated together in this series with prime effect.Steyn missed the opening Test and was still searching for rhythm during the Durban clash. By the time he was finding form England’s lead was out of sight and Morkel was nursing a sore foot. This week, though, South Africa couldn’t afford anything less than starring roles from their two strike bowlers. Their series hopes depended on it.However, surprisingly, they weren’t the first pair to greet England’s opening batsmen. Morkel was handed the opening over and continued his hold over Andrew Strauss with the sixth-ball removal of the captain, but at the opposite end it was Friedel de Wet given the honours. With Makhaya Ntini now moved aside there was an opening to share the new ball, but surely it was the prime moment for Morkel and Steyn to harness their powers.Instead it was de Wet who was given the chance to find some early swing while Morkel concentrated on hitting the splice. He didn’t disgrace himself, but didn’t offer quite enough wicket-taking potential to justify the move from Graeme Smith. Steyn initially replaced Morkel, but two overs later finally the pair were in tandem.Stump shattering: South Africa’s pacemen were on the mark today•Getty Images”The captain felt that with two left-handers, Friedel does bowl well to the left-handers as does Morne, while Dale is unbelievable to the right-handers,” Jacques Kallis explained. “It was a little bit of tactical thing and a bit of a surprise to see how England would react.”Once in the action, it didn’t take Steyn long to live up to the pre-series hype. His record against England actually needs some work; he currently averages 41.14 against them against his career record 23.92. But with his fourth ball after the drinks break he began correcting that when he induced Jonathan Trott to chop onto his stumps, and two deliveries later he managed something a little special.It’s common knowledge around the world now that the place to target Kevin Pietersen when he first comes to the crease is full and straight. Steyn began with a bouncer, as if to mark his territory, but his next delivery was the stumps. It appeared to come out a touch slower and Pietersen, still a little heavy-footed early on, drove too early and Steyn stuck out his right hand to accept the return catch. For a second, time appeared to stand still before Steyn flung the ball up in celebration.It left England tottering on 36 for 3 – the morning wicket count was up to seven – and Newlands barely had time to catch breath. Steyn and Morkel then steamed in as Alastair Cook and Paul Collingwood tried to right the innings. Collingwood was left doing the limbo to avoid a Morkel bouncer, reminiscent of Robin Smith at his ducking-and-weaving best, but the pair survived until the slightly less threatening de Wet and Jacques Kallis took over.Battle was rejoined at the start of the afternoon session, and Morkel removed Collingwood leaving Ian Bell to face another working-over. Bell was repeatedly beaten outside off, especially by Morkel who was finding troubling bounce from a good length. The South Africans have said this isn’t a typical Newlands pitch and a touch of unevenness is already playing a role. Batting last won’t be easy.Crucially for South Africa, even when Morkel and Steyn weren’t in the attack they didn’t let England get away. Having Kallis available to play a fuller role was important, especially with Paul Harris not providing control. Towards the close, scoring became slightly easier, however Steyn returned and beat Stuart Broad for pace shortly before the new ball.”The bowlers came out and really showed what they can do and what they have been doing in the last year or two, rather than the last Test,” Kallis said. “The guys have stepped up and delivered the goods, it’s the reason why they got picked and have delivered the goods in Australia and in England last time.”The hard, red ball will be in the hands of Steyn and Morkel come the morning. Their first job is to mop up the tail, but the real work will begin when South Africa bowl again and the battle is rejoined with England’s top order. Then it will be about landing the knock-out blow.

Marcus Rashford admits he wanted to join Barcelona in January but was unable to do so, after he was confirmed as the club's latest signing.

• Rashford joins Barcelona on loan
• Catalan giants have option to buy
• Rashford lifts lid on failed switch

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Rashford has been confirmed as Barca's newest signing, joining the club on loan from Manchester United. The Catalan giants retain an option to buy the England international in the summer should they so wish. Now, the forward has confirmed that he wanted to move to Camp Nou in January, before eventually opting to move to Aston Villa on loan.

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  Rashford insists he had no difficulty in choosing to join Barcelona, as it has been his "preference" from the outset. The figures clearly did not align in the winter window, although he has finally ended up in Spain ahead of the 2025/26 campaign. He will wear the number 14 shirt at Barca, and has also issued a classy farewell to United.

• WHAT RASHFORD SAID

  Rashford said at his unveiling: "Not difficult. I was clear on my preference from the very beginning, actually from January, but it didn't work out in January so I went to Aston Villa. I enjoyed a good period there, I enjoyed myself a lot, and I'm very grateful for the opportunity to play there. The summer came around quickly and again, it was time to make another decision but my choice was easy. I feel like, one, it's a family club, something I'm used to from my past and it feels like home so I feel like I've made the right decision. I'm just excited to get going and play the first game, and play in front of the fans, to play for this football club is a special moment for me so I'm ready to get going."

  He added, on United: "The club is in a period of change and has been for a while. I don't have anything bad to say about Manchester United. It is an important part of my life. I wish them all the best and I hope they are successful in the future."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Rashford will not be making his debut in a previously scheduled pre-season friendly against Vissel Kobe because Barca have been forced to cancel their friendly, throwing their entire Asia tour into doubt. La Liga kicks off on August 16, with Barca playing Mallorca away.

Former Tottenham managing director of football Fabio Paratici attended the Europa League final on Wednesday as a return takes a step closer.

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Paratici attends Europa League finalLeft Tottenham in 2023Return moves a step closerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Tutto Mercato Web report that Paratici was at the game in Bilbao, where Spurs ended their 17-year wait for a major trophy by beating Manchester United 1-0. His presence appears to validate recent reports that he could return to the club, with the same publication claiming earlier that this month that the chances of it happening are "increasingly strong".

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Paratici worked for the club from 2021 until he left in 2023 due to his involvement in the investigation, a financial scandal that hit Italian football. He was handed a 30-month ban from football but could return to the club in a director role when the suspension ends on July 20.

DID YOU KNOW?

Nine of Tottenham's starting XI in Bilbao consisted of players Paratici signed for the club during his first stint, the report states. Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is said to still hold him in high regard.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR TOTTENHAM?

Tottenham face Brighton in their last game of the 2024/25 campaign on Sunday before attentions turn to building on their Europa League success next season.

The Argentine midfielder, who joined from Independiente del Valle in Ecuador, was initially set to see his contract expire at the end of the Apertura 2025.

Has played 82 matches with Cruz AzulScored 12 goals for the clubThe club recently renewed Carlos Rodríguez as wellFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

Cruz Azul have secured the future of Lorenzo Faravelli after announcing the Argentine midfielder’s contract extension until December 2026.

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Faravelli, who arrived from Independiente del Valle, has become a key figure in midfield, contributing both leadership and goals. Since joining the club, he has featured in 82 matches and scored 12 goals, proving to be a consistent presence in the squad. Originally tied to Cruz Azul until the end of the Apertura 2025, his renewal comes as part of the club’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its core. 

Getty Images SportDID YOU KNOW?

Just days earlier, Cruz Azul also announced the extension of Mexican international Carlos Rodríguez, further solidifying their midfield options. Reports also suggest that Erik Lira will be the next player to extend his contract with the club.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR CRUZ AZUL?

now turn their focus to a key clash this Saturday, as they host Chivas in Matchday 7 of the Apertura 2025.

يشهد نادي الزمالك واحدة من أصعب فتراته في ظل الأزمات المتلاحقة، وعلى رأسها قرار سحب أرض فرع النادي بمدينة السادس من أكتوبر، وهو ما أثار جدلًا واسعًا في الشارع الرياضي المصري.

الأزمة التي تفجرت مؤخرًا تعود إلى عدم استكمال الإنشاءات في المدة الزمنية المحددة، الأمر الذي دفع وزارة الإسكان لاتخاذ قرار سحب أرض الزمالك، لتجد إدارة النادي نفسها أمام مأزق جديد يهدد مستقبل المشروع المنتظر.

إدارة الزمالك الحالية بدأت بالفعل في التحرك عبر الطرق القانونية، بجانب اتصالات مكثفة مع وزارة الشباب والرياضة، من أجل إعادة النظر في القرار أو على الأقل الحصول على فرصة جديدة لاستكمال العمل.

طالع أيضًا | أول رد من وزير الرياضة على أزمة سحب أرض الزمالك في أكتوبر

وفي خضم تلك الأحداث، كتب رامي نصوحي، عضو مجلس إدارة النادي، عبر حسابه الرسمي على “فيس بوك”: “الزمالك الآن في لحظة فارقة.. تهدد حاضر ومستقبل النادي العريق”.

وتابع: “إما نكون أو لا نكون.. هذه ليست قضية مجلس حسين لبيب فحسب.. هذه قضية كل زملكاوي وكل من ينتمي لهذا النادي سواء داخله أو خارجه”.

واختتم: “على جماهير الزمالك الوفية الوقوف بجوار النادي.. ليس بجوار أشخاص.. الأزمة ليست هينة والجميع يبذل أقصى ما لديه لمواجهة التحديات الداخلية قبل الخارجية، ولن ينجو الزمالك إلا بجماهيره وتكاتفها للمرور من هذه الغمة”.

MatériaMais Notícias

O elenco do Internacional pode sofrer algumas baixas para a próxima temporada e o volante Johnny é uma dessas peças.

Na Itália para retirar o seu passaporte europeu, o meio-campista foi procurado pelo Spezia para atuar no charmoso calcio.

Segundo a publicação do ge, um encontro dos dirigentes do clube italiano com os empresários do jogador deve ocorrer nos próximos dias.

Internacional

De longe, o Colorado acompanha todas as especulações em torno do atleta e garante que não foi procurado por ninguém.

Inicialmente, o plano do Internacional é manter Johnny e dar ao técnico Mano Menezes outras peças para fortalecer o grupo.

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MatériaMais Notícias

A vitória em cima do São Paulo por 1 a 0 no Morumbi deixou muitos alvinegros empolgados. Nesta segunda-feira, o clube anunciou que sete mil ingressos já foram vendidos para Botafogo x Internacional.

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+Cinco brasileiros no top 15: veja ranking dos melhores times do mundo de outubro

As vendas para os sócios iniciaram na última sexta-feira. Os valores variam entre R$10 e R$320. A comercialização de ingressos para público geral inicia somente na quinta-feira. No momento, somente os setores Tribuna de Honra, Leste Superior, Leste Inferior e Oeste Inferior estão disponíveis para compara.

O Glorioso venceu quatro dos últimos cinco jogos disputados e busca manter esta boa fase diante de um estádio repleto de alvinegros. Botafogo e Internacional se enfrentam no próximo domingo, às 18h, no Nilton Santos, em partida válida pelo Campeonato Brasileiro.

+Luís Castro destaca postura do Botafogo e exalta Tiquinho: ‘Muita gente colocou dúvidas sobre ele’

SETOR TRIBUNA

Inteira – R$320
Meia – R$200
CAMISA 7
Glorioso e Alvinegro – R$100 (+1 convidado com desconto)

SETOR LESTE INFERIOR

Inteira – R$60
Meia – R$30

CAMISA 7
Plano Glorioso – Grátis – Check in
Plano Alvinegro – R$10
Plano Preto – R$20
Plano Branco – R$30
Plano BNC – R$30

SETOR LESTE SUPERIOR

Inteira – R$40
Meia – R$20

CAMISA 7
Plano Glorioso – Grátis – Check in
Plano Alvinegro – R$10
Plano Preto – R$15
Plano Branco – R$20
Plano BNC – R$20

SETOR OESTE INFERIOR

Inteira – R$80
Meia – R$40

CAMISA 7
Plano Glorioso – Grátis – Check in
Plano Alvinegro – R$12
Plano Preto – R$30
Plano Branco – R$40
Plano BNC – R$40

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.