Cristiano Ronaldo has sent an inspirational message to his Al-Nassr team-mates after they opened their season with a draw against Al-Raed.
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Nepal legspinner Sandeep Lamichhane is hoping that success in the Cricket World Cup League Two ODI competition for Associates will lay the groundwork for a path to Test cricket for his homeland, adding that it is his dream to don the whites for Nepal.According to Lamichhane, that dream played a significant role in his decision to cut short his stint with league-leading Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League in order to return home ahead of Nepal’s first-ever home ODI, against Oman on February 5 in Kathmandu.”It’s simple. I have a dream to play Test cricket for Nepal and every little contribution from my side will go for Nepal cricket,” Lamichhane told ESPNcricinfo on Monday. “Till the day of retirement of my cricket career, I would like to play Test cricket for Nepal. I think the sight of playing Test cricket for Nepal will be amazing. I can get those vibes straight away right now, how that feeling will be in the future. Little steps will take me to that place.”As one of the most in-demand spinners in the T20 franchise circuit, the 19-year-old Lamichhane has cultivated a following that has transcended Associate cricket. After getting his first taste of franchise T20 cricket in the now-defunct Hong Kong T20 Blitz, Lamichhane became the first Nepalese player to be picked up in an IPL auction by Delhi Capitals in 2018, and has since parlayed that into opportunities in the CPL, PSL, BBL and Global T20 Canada.But even though he is earning well into the six figures when all his franchise deals are tabulated, he still has never been able to say no to playing for his country. This despite the fact that according to multiple sources, players have not been paid for more than a year while the Cricket Association of Nepal tries to recover from administrative suspension by the ICC. Part of the reason for that is the determination of Lamichhane and his teammates to lift Nepal higher up the global rankings in limited-overs formats, which he sees as a vehicle to pursue the dream of Test cricket, particularly since the four-day Intercontinental Cup competition for Associates has been quietly disbanded after Afghanistan and Ireland’s elevation to Test status in 2017.”You can’t even imagine the excitement level for all the players right now,” Lamichhane said of the build-up to Nepal’s first of four ODIs they will play against Oman and USA over the next week. “Individually, I’m really excited about these four games that are going to be played against USA and Oman, pretty important games for us [if we are to] play in the World Cup 2023. First time playing in home conditions, first-ever ODI for Nepal to host right now, so pretty excited and I’m really hoping to see more than 20,000 audience to come and cheer for Nepal.”If you see in this stadium in the sitting areas, there is no one right now, but come Wednesday it will be fully jam-packed and I can’t wait to see all those spectators who will come here and support us. It will be an amazing experience. For the four games Nepal is going to play here, it will be jam-packed.”Gyanendra Malla punches a cover drive•Peter Della Penna
The moment is just as special for captain Gyanendra Malla, who took over the captaincy reins from Paras Khadka in 2019. The 29-year-old, who made his senior team debut in 2006, says this week will be one of the highlights of his career.”When we started playing cricket, everybody wanted to get ODI status and get big cricket over here,” Malla said. “Finally, one-dayers are here in Kathmandu, one of my favourite venues. The first ODI home series, that’s one of the proudest moments for me as a captain.”I think we are one of the luckiest teams because we have very good fan following. Wherever we go as a Nepali, there are lots of Nepali supporting us. I think that craze has gone up since the [2014 T20] World Cup and then after ODI status, it’s been getting bigger and bigger. So we’re very excited about it. The fans are supporting, 15,000-plus coming here and supporting us will be a huge plus point for us playing against other sides. As an Associate nation, we are the luckiest team who have the best fan following.”
Everton failed to take advantage of Newcastle United's current injury crisis, with the Toffees coming away with just a point in the 1-1 draw at St James' Park on Tuesday night.
Sean Dyche's side claimed a late equaliser after striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin stepped up to power his penalty past Martin Dubravka, with the club securing a crucial point in their hunt for Premier League survival.
Despite the result on Tyneside, Dyche's men have failed to win a single Premier League game in 2024, with the Toffees needing to push on if they are to stay in England's top flight next season.
Everton have a huge clash against Burnley at Goodison Park this weekend, with one player needing to be dropped from their last outing if they are to claim three vital points.
Abdoulaye Doucoure produced a below-par performance against the Magpies, with the former Watford man only winning 20% of his duels and needing time on the sideline to allow another player to excel.
With that being said, here's a potential look at the Toffees' starting XI to face Burnley…
1 GK – Jordan Pickford
If the club do stay up this season, goalkeeper Jordan Pickford will be the man to thank, with the England international saving Dyche's side on more than one occasion.
The 30-year-old has kept eight clean sheets in the league this season, with his tally only bettered by Arsenal's David Raya.
His average of 3.1 saves per game has played a huge part in the club's attempts to stay up, with the captain undoubtedly going to start at Goodison this weekend.
2 RB – Ben Godfrey
In recent weeks, the defender has enjoyed a mini-revival of his time with the Toffees, starting each of the last nine league matches, after just one start between August and December.
Despite playing in an unnatural right-back position, the defender has excelled and managed to keep club legend Seamus Coleman out of Dyche's starting lineup.
This weekend is another great opportunity for the former Norwich City man to build on his brilliant recent form.
3 CB – Jarrad Branthwaite
The 21-year-old has had an excellent campaign for the Toffees, with his brilliant form not going unnoticed, with the former Carlisle United youngster receiving an England call-up last month.
The centre-back has started 27 out of 30 Premier League matches during 2023/24, with the ace set to continue his successful partnership with James Tarkowski on Saturday.
4 CB – James Tarkowski
The second half of Everton's long-term centre-back partnership is James Tarkowski, with the 31-year-old starting every single league match under Dyche this season.
He will face his former side on Saturday, with the former Claret looking to inflict yet more pain on Vincent Kompany's side and help claim all three points that would push them closer to an immediate return to the Championship.
5 LB – Vitaliy Mykolenko
The Ukrainian left-back produced a brilliant display away at Newcastle in midweek, with the 24-year-old's energetic playstyle allowing him to make ten passes into the final third – the most of any Everton player that night.
He's started to look really settled on the left side of the Toffees' defence, with the fans beginning to see why the club decided to pay £17m for his signature.
His good form will need to continue on Saturday, with the left-back tasked with keeping forward Jacob Bruun Larsen quiet, with the Burnley attacker scoring two goals in his last three Premier League outings.
6 RM – Ashley Young
Despite being 38 years old, Ashley Young has been an important part of Dyche's side this season, starting 20 games in the Premier League for the Toffees.
He was utilised in a right-midfield position on Tuesday night, with the former Manchester United man having a rare opportunity to showcase what he's capable of in attacking areas.
Although he had a fairly standard game, he deserves another opportunity to demonstrate his talents and stake his claim for a regular midfield role.
7 CM – Amadou Onana
Despite being replaced after just an hour in the week, the Belgian midfielder deserves a starting spot this weekend, with the outing against Burnley a great opportunity for the youngster to demonstrate his qualities.
The 22-year-old has a huge ceiling to develop and become a brilliant midfielder, with occasional poor performances to be expected given his tender age.
8 CM – Idrissa Gueye
Experienced midfielder Idrissa Gueye has often been the man to partner Onana in the middle of the park for the Toffees this season, with the Senegalese crucial in ball-winning for Dyche's side.
The former PSG man won three tackles and ten duels in the draw at St James' a few days ago, with Gueye more than deserving of a second start in a row this weekend.
9 LM – Dwight McNeil
Despite not scoring for Everton since December, the winger has been ever-present in the starting lineup. Dyche clearly trusts the 24-year-old given his constant selection, with the attacker needing to repay his manager's faith this weekend.
He's set to start against his former side, with the encounter potentially giving the wideman an added incentive to end his goalscoring drought and help push the Toffees further clear of any looming relegation threat whilst pushing the Clarets closer to the drop.
10 CAM – James Garner
Midfielder James Garner was unlucky to not start the trip to Tyneside on Tuesday, with the youngster making a brilliant impact off the substitutes bench when given the opportunity by Dyche.
Fellow midfielder Doucoure endured a tough outing in midweek, with the £130k-per-week man – who hasn't scored since December – needing to be dropped, thus allowing Garner to potentially get the chance to play in the attacking midfield role ahead of Gueye and Onana.
His relentless pressing game coupled with his fantastic ball-striking ability make for a great combination in the number ten role, with the former Manchester United talent – who Dyche has dubbed "terrific" – deserving of a recall.
علقت جماهير آينتراخت فرانكفورت على أداء الدولي المصري، عمر مرموش، في مباراة بوخوم اليوم بمنافسات الدوري الألماني “بوندسليجا”.
وفاز فرانكفورت على نظيره بوخوم بنتيجة 7/2، خلال المباراة التي جمعت الفريقين في منافسات الجولة التاسعة من الدوري الألماني على ملعب “دويتشه بانك بارك”.
اقرأ ايضاً.. عمر مرموش يدخل تاريخ آينتراخت فرانكفورت بعد هدفه أمام بوخوم في الدوري الألماني ملخص لمسات عمر مرموش في مباراة فرانكفورت وبوخوم بالدوري الالماني
وتمكن عمر مرموش من تسجيل هدف فرانكفورت الثاني في مباراة اليوم، عند الدقيقة 18، وقام بصناعة هدفي فرانكفورت الأول والسادس.
وكالعادة عبرت جماهير فرانكفورت عن آرائها في أداء النجم المصري، خلال مباراة فرانكفورت وبوخوم عبر مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي المختلفة. ردود أفعال جماهير فرانكفورت على أداء عمر مرموش أمام بوخوم
“نسخة ميسي بقميص آينتراخت فرانكفورت”.
Prime Messi einfach im Team — Juschku🇩🇪 (@Juschku22) November 2, 2024
“أي نوع من الآلة هذا اللاعب”.
Digga was ist das für eine Maschine — M💫🖤🤍💙 (@M27212721) November 2, 2024
“يقوم مهاجم الدوري الألماني بعمل جيد في ألمانيا حتى ينضم إلى الدوري الإنجليزي. لم أفهم أبدًا السبب”.
Bundesliga striker do well in Germany until they join EPL…I have never understood why — KOT OCS👮👮 (@WaruiJohn2) November 2, 2024
“أرقام مثيرة للإعجاب! مرموش هو بالتأكيد لاعب يستحق المشاهدة. الأندية الكبرى سوف تصطف من أجله!”.
Impressive numbers! Marmoush is definitely a player to watch. Top clubs will be lining up for him! 🔥 — badsha (@badsha0311) November 2, 2024
“لقد كان مثيرا هذا الموسم. يجب أن يأتي إلى أرسنال”.
He’s been sensational this season. He should come to Arsenal😍😍 — SAqib KAshmiri (@saqibkashmiri65) November 2, 2024
“لدينا أفضل لاعب في العالم”.
Wir haben den besten Spieler der Welt pic.twitter.com/zX2dFlP6MF — Violência (@ViolenciaSGE) November 2, 2024
“الملك المصري الجديد”.
The new Egyptian king man — Rel (@FCB_Rel) November 2, 2024
“يجب على ليفربول التعاقد معه بدل من نونيز”.
LFC swap deal with Nuñez — Richy (@bossmanrichy) November 2, 2024
Leeds United have had their fair share of transfer howlers and blinders over the years in the market under current and previous owners and managers.
Former Whites owner Massimo Cellino was no stranger to a gaffe during the transfer window throughout his time at Elland Road before his exit in 2017.
One of his howlers in charge of the club was the signing of Mauritania international forward Souleymane Doukara ahead of the 2014/15 campaign.
Leeds initially signed him on loan from Catania with an option to make it permanent the following summer, and he had a fairly average first season in English football.
The French-born marksman, who was signed at the start of Dave Hockaday's short tenure as manager, made 27 appearances for the club in all competitions, 25 of which came in the Championship.
Doukara played the majority of those matches as a centre-forward, with five games on the right and left flank combined, and produced five goals and three assists in the league.
Cellino then opted to sign the attacker on a permanent deal for an undisclosed fee in the summer of 2015, which turned out to be a blunder by the Italian.
The now-32-year-old went on to endure a frustrating campaign in front of goal as he plundered three goals and two assists in 23 Championship matches throughout the 2015/16 season.
Midway through that term, manager Steve Evans claimed he had a "heart the size of Big Ben" but that did not stop him from landing in hot water shortly afterwards.
Doukara was banned for eight competitive matches by the FA for biting Fulham central defender Fernando Amorebieta in February, with the ban coming into place at the end of March for what the FA stated was an 'act of violent conduct'.
That was not the end of his Leeds career, though, as he went on to score six goals in 39 appearances in all competitions during the 2016/17 campaign.
The centre-forward left Elland Road through a mutual termination of his contract in the summer of 2017 and has been at seven different clubs since his exit from Yorkshire.
He joined Osmanlispor on a free transfer ahead of the 2017/18 campaign and then went on to play for Antalyaspor, Al-Ettifaq, Giresunspor, APO Levadiakos, and Genclerbirligi before a move to his current club in August of last year.
|
Souleymane Doukara |
At Leeds |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
93 |
|
Goals |
19 |
|
Assists |
Nine |
|
Stats via Transfermarkt |
|
Doukara currently plays for Magusa TGSK in Cyprus but Transfermarkt and Sofascore do not have any information on their fixtures and results, which means that it remains unknown as to how well he is doing there.
However, the 32-year-old plying his trade in Cyprus, along with the aforementioned collection of clubs post-Leeds, shows that his career trajectory has not soared upwards since moving on from England, given that it is the 23rd best division in Europe based on their coefficient.
Overall, Cellino had a mare with the signing of Doukara as the forward failed to score or assist goals on a consistent basis before being released on a free transfer and becoming a journeyman with moves to Turkey, Greece and Saudi Arabia over the subsequent years.
Leeds United have been handed a major boost on the injury front as a key man has returned to action ahead of the final run-in.
Leeds stall after historic winning run
The Yorkshire outfit are flying this season under Daniel Farke, but may well need a record points tally to be promoted automatically from the Championship come the end of the campaign.
As it stands, they sit in third place, two points behind Ipswich Town and six points ahead of fourth placed Southampton, though the Saints have a game in hand on the sides above them.
With 76 points to their name, Leeds can theoretically reach 106 points by the end of the campaign should they re-continue their impressive recent run, but even should they amass far fewer than that they would be making history.
The record points tally required to claim the second automatic promotion spot currently sits at 93 points, and no team with more than 90 points (Sunderland 1997/98) have ever failed to be promoted.
The highest points tallies in Championship history
Leeds and Burnley recently made second-tier history.
ByCharlie Smith May 17, 2025
But with Ipswich on 78 points already, there is a strong chance that 93 points won't be enough to secure automatic promotion (5 wins and 5 losses from their final 10 games would see them reach that figure).
The run in
Ipswich Town vs…
Leeds United vs…
Cardiff City (A)
Sheffield Wednesday (A)
Sheffield Wednesday (H)
Millwall (H)
Blackburn Rovers (A)
Watford (A)
Southampton (H)
Hull City (H)
Norwich City (A)
Coventry City (A)
Watford (H)
Sunderland (H)
Middlesbrough (H)
Blackburn Rovers (H)
Coventry City (A)
Middlesbrough (A)
Hull City (A)
QPR (A)
Huddersfield Town (H)
Southampton (H)
To overturn that record, Leeds will need all the help they can get, and to that end they have been handed a timely update.
Leeds boost as key man set to return soon
Now, Leeds have been handed a major boost on the injury front as it has emerged that Pascal Struijk is set to make his long awaited return from injury in the coming weeks. The defender underwent surgery in January after picking up an adductor injury over Christmas, and is yet to make his return. However, he is now back in training and gearing up for his long-awaited re-introduction to Championship action.
Daniel Farke admitted that he believes Struijk could be the man to make the difference, hailing the return of his 'key player'.
"It feels a bit crazy that we didn't speak about him last two months and thank God we didn't have to because our defensive behaviour was spot on", the Leeds boss began.
"He's a cornerstone for our future. We play without such a key player for two months, once he's back in team training it's not like you press a button and he's back to his best. I expect him to be back in team training other side of international break at latest. Hopefully as soon as possible back in best possible shape."
He added that he felt Struijk could be a 'big factor' for the final ten games of the season, though he admitted he may not be back until after the international break. As it stands, Leeds have the best defensive record in the Championship, having conceded just 28 times all season. It could well be that the defender is not risked in light of his deputies having made such an impression, but it is nonetheless a major boost to Farke's squad planning given Struijk's lengthy absence.
Leeds are next in action away to Sheffield Wednesday on Friday night, with the Owls themselves fighting for their Championship lives in a congested relegation scrap.
The transfer window is due to slam shut this evening and Tottenham Hotspur appear to still be active in their efforts to add to Ange Postecoglou's squad.
Latest Spurs transfer news
Whilst supporters may want to see signings that immediately bolster the first-team, such as Timo Werner and Radu Dragusin, the club are reportedly looking at a long-term project.
According to Football Insider, the Lilywhites are plotting a last-gasp hijack of Barcelona's deal to sign Lucas Bergvall from Swedish side Djurgardens IF.
The Spanish giants have rolled out the 'red carpet' to tempt the 17-year-old maestro to LaLiga, along with an offer of £8.5m to secure his services.
It states, however, that Spurs are now ready to invite the teenage whiz to their training ground to hold talks over a move to England, after the player visited Catalonia on Tuesday.
If Tottenham win this battle and convince him to join the North London side then they could find their dream long-term heir to Rodrigo Bentancur in midfield.
Bentancur's brilliance last season
The Uruguay international has struggled with injuries this term – starting three Premier League matches – but caught the eye with his impressive displays in midfield last season.
He started 17 top-flight games, and came off the bench once, for Spurs and showcased his quality defensively, in transition, and at the top end of the pitch for the club.
The former Juventus ace won 53% of his duels and made 3.6 tackles and interceptions per match, which shows that the talented gem held his own in physical contests to cut out opposition attacks.
Bentancur also completed 66% of his attempted dribbles (1.2 per game) to help his team to beat opposition presses and burst past players in transition to push his side up the pitch.
Along with that, the 26-year-old dynamo chipped in with five goals and two assists as he showed off his ability to provide vital contrbutions in the final third to win points for Spurs.
The stats that show why Bergvall could be Bentancur 2.0
At the age of 17, Bergvall is unlikely to be signed as a player expected to make an instant impact in the Premier League and could, instead, be viewed as a future heir to Bentancur – who is nine years older.
The teenager, who turns 18 on Friday, played 25 league games for his club throughout 2023, despite his age, and caught the eye with his midfield displays.
Appearances
25
Starts
11
Goals
Two
Assists
One
Pass accuracy
88%
Like the Spurs maestro, the Swedish wizard is a fantastic dribbler who can evade challenges and beat players with relative ease for his team – with 1.1 dribbles per game at a success rate of 68%.
Bergvall was willing to put his foot in to win possession back for his team as the talented youngster made 2.20 tackles and interceptions combined per 90.
The Spurs target, who was once hailed as "superb" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is a box-to-box midfielder, like Bentancur, who can make contributions in all three thirds.
Therefore, Postecoglou could land his long-term heir to the ex-Juventus gem by beating Barcelona to the signing of the 17-year-old whiz, who has plenty of time to develop and improve before taking over from the Uruguay international further down the line.
Tottenham Hotspur have invested a hefty amount of money since the arrival of boss Ange Postecoglou from Celtic back in June last year.
Owner Daniel Levy has invested around £232m on players over the last eight months, with the signings of players such as Brennan Johnson from Nottingham Forest and James Maddison from relegated Leicester City.
The spending continued into the January transfer window, with the signing of centre-back Radu Dragusin from Genoa for a fee in the region of £25m – with the Romanian rejecting a move to Bayern Munich for a move to north London.
Despite the big investment in recent times, Spurs could be about to splash more cash in the summer as Postecoglou looks to continue his rebuild of the Tottenham first-team squad.
Spurs eyeing ambitious summer swoop
Earlier this week, reports from Spain suggested that Postecoglou's side had submitted a sensational bid in the region of £51m for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.
The 26-year-old joined the Spanish side for £73m from Ajax in July 2019, with the midfielder establishing himself as one of the best talents in recent years.
Despite Spurs' recent approach for the Dutchman, it appears it may take a higher fee to tempt Barça into any deal for the midfielder.
Goal reported this week that despite Spurs' bid for De Jong, it may take an offer of up to £85m before Xavi's side even negotiate a deal with any club interested in signing one of their prized assets.
However, with De Jong only having two years on his contract, the club may want to sell the former Ajax man before his price decreases. Given Barça's recent financial struggles, they may be forced to sell some of their key players whether they want to stay in Spain or not.
How De Jong compares to Christian Eriksen
There aren't many players that have had an impact like Christian Eriksen did during his seven-year stint at Tottenham, with the Danish midfielder scoring 69 times in 305 appearances in north London.
One of his best seasons for the club was during the 2017/18 Premier League campaign, where the former Ajax man achieved double figures for his goals and assists – with his set pieces playing a real part in his success.
Compare that to De Jong's tally so far this campaign, with the Dutchman scoring once and yet to register a single assist in La Liga. This isn't a surprise given the Barça man is often utilised as a box-to-box midfielder in comparison to Eriksen, who was more of a number 10 behind Harry Kane.
Given the role of De Jong, he sees a lot more of the ball and is more accurate with his passes than Eriksen was during the 2017/18 campaign. Although Eriksen achieved an exceptional number of assists, he trails the current Barça midfielder when comparing their respective pass completion rates.
The Dane averaged a 77% pass completion rate during his wonderful season. However, Barça's "incredible" midfielder – as dubbed by his boss Xavi – has averaged 91% blowing the former fan-favourite out of the water – ranking him within the top 3% of midfielders in Europe this year.
With the Dutch international operating slightly deeper, it allows for him to progress the play – a potential perfect fit to play behind Spurs' magician Maddison. De Jong's averaged 3.3 progressive carries this campaign, one more per game than Eriksen, with the Barça man once again ranking within the top 3% in Europe's top five leagues.
That said, in the last few years the Dane has started playing in a deeper role, similar to De Jong, with plenty of similarities on offer last term when Eriksen moved to Manchester United. They both register a similar number of key passes and shot-creating actions from central areas while their preference to stay back is illuminated by their touches in the offensive third of the play.
Goals + Assists
0.21
0.39
Pass Success
91%
81%
Key Passes
1.60
1.58
Progressive Passes
9.89
7.19
Shot-creating Actions
3.91
3.12
Goal-creating Actions
0.39
0.39
Tackles Won
0.92
0.79
Touches (attacking third)
21.5
20.4
With Tottenham looking to go to the next level under the guidance of Postecoglou, De Jong could well prove to be the final player to complete the Greek-Aussie's midfield transformation.
Neymar has earned the nickname “magician” at Al-Hilal despite his injury nightmare, with the Brazilian following Cristiano Ronaldo to Saudi Arabia.
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Ashantha de Mel was appointed as team manager and selector-on-tour for the World Cup and had clashed earlier with the coach over selection choices
Madushka Balasuriya02-May-2019
Getty Images
Sri Lanka Cricket believes that coach Chandika Hathurusingha and Ashantha de Mel will have no issues working together in the Sri Lankan dressing room, after the pair is said to have “thrashed things out” prior to the latter’s appointment as team manager and selector-on-tour for the World Cup starting at the end of this month. Since de Mel took the reins as chief selector ahead of Sri Lanka’s tour to New Zealand, the pair had clashed over several selection choices – most notably the exclusion of Dinesh Chandimal and Lasith Malinga’s captaincy.Other decisions taken by SLC’s executive committee
Chandima Mapatuna appointed as the logistic manager of the team for the World Cup. Mapatuna, who is also the head of international cricket of SLC, will travel with the team for the World Cup
In the wake of recent tragic incidents in the country, SLC will take additional measures to strengthen the security of the team at the World Cup. SLC is working on it in consultation with the Ministry of Sports and the ICC
Roy Dias appointed as coach of the ‘A’ team for the upcoming tour of India, in May, while Chaminda Mendis has been appointed as team manager. Mendis will also continue to function as a national selector
Avishka Gunawardena appointed coach of the emerging team for the tour of South Africa, in June. Hemantha Wickramaratne appointed team manager and will continue to function as a national selector
SLC has decided to donate Rs. 2 million to the Relief Effort Fund set up by His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith The Arch Bishop of Colombo, to support the victims of the affected areas and parishes following multiple attacks on Easter Sunday
“Before the appointment we got the both of them together to talk things through,” SLC secretary Mohan de Silva told ESPNcricinfo. “They eventually thrashed things out and now we’re very confident that they’ll work quite well together.”De Mel’s appointment, which was rubber-stamped by SLC at an executive committee meeting on April 30, had been mooted for some time, but speculation had been rife over whether he and Hathurusingha would be able to get along over the course of the six-week tournament.It was a spat with the new selection committee that culminated in Hathurusingha being removed from the role of selector-on-tour in February. And since then Hathurusingha’s job security has only become more tenuous.In March, he was given “a break” during Sri Lanka’s T20I series against South Africa after rumours surfaced of him having fallen out with certain players and staff. The situation was so dire that SLC CEO Ashley de Silva flew over personally to hold crisis talks, following which Hathurusingha returned to the island for further mediation. During this period, there were also reports of SLC seeking legal advice over possible options with regard to prematurely terminating Hathurusingha’s contract which will only run out in 2020.However, following clear-the-air talks with the board, Hathurusingha is understood to have agreed to rein in his methods as a “total dictator”, much of which de Silva believes had manifested during the course of the nine-month SLC power vacuum, when the governing body was run by a sports ministry-appointed competent authority.”We were in two minds whether to discontinue him or not,” de Silva said. “We needed to know if he was amenable to our way of thinking and whether he would change his attitude. Because to be quite honest, he had become a total dictator after we left, and that’s also one of the reasons that the selectors were gunning for him.”But he has now promised to toe the line with the administrators and the selectors, because to be honest his thinking in terms of the national team has been good, although the results haven’t followed unfortunately.”Sri Lanka will begin their World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Cardiff on June 1.