All posts by h716a5.icu

Michael Clarke’s desire to improve his Twenty20 skills has got him thinking about taking part in the IPL for the first time

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Oct-2010Michael Clarke’s desire to improve his Twenty20 skills has got him thinking about taking part in the IPL for the first time – but only if his body is right. Clarke, Australia’s captain in the shortest format, did not play in the opening three versions to spend extra time at home in Sydney.Each year he weighs up a decision between making more money or having a holiday, and he hasn’t always enjoyed a smooth relationship with Lalit Modi, the former commissioner. Modi is no longer involved in the tournament and Clarke is keeping an open mind about taking part.”It’s important for me to play as much Twenty20 cricket as I can but I’ve also got to sum up my body and my life when it comes to choosing between having that six weeks at home for a break or going to play IPL,” Clarke said in the Sunday Telegraph. “If my body feels great and I’m confident I can go out and play those six weeks of the IPL, I’ll put myself in the auction.”But I’ve also got Test cricket and one-day cricket for Australia to think about, our schedule is very busy. If I felt like my body couldn’t handle another six weeks of IPL, I wouldn’t play it. It would make sense that the closer we get to the next Twenty20 World Cup, the more I’ll want to play.”Clarke said the IPL had helped develop players, and not just in the T20 arena. “I would love, no doubt, to take part in the IPL,” he said. “It’s just a matter of when I might be able to play it.”In Matthew Hayden’s autobiography he wrote about how the Australian players realised they weren’t running the show and quickly learned that Modi was dismissive of excessive demands. “Michael Clarke found that out in a hurry,” Hayden wrote. “I remember him saying to Modi, ‘I’m worth X amount of dollars.’ Modi laughed at him.”

Tottenham Hotspur are closing in on the signing of Sofyan Amrabat this January transfer window…

What’s the word?

Italian journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano delivered a fresh update on Spurs’ pursuit of the Fiorentina midfielder, who is currently excelling for Morocco at the Africa Cup of Nations, very early on Wednesday morning.

He said:

“Sofyan Amrabat to Tottenham, advanced but not a done deal yet. [Antonio] Conte and [Fabio] Paratici both want him – he’s also doing great at AFCON.

“But Spurs are waiting to complete [Tanguy] Ndombele deal [to Paris Saint-Germain] before Amrabat (loan with buy option). Player side, not a problem: he only wants Spurs.”

Closing in

At the moment, this would be the Lilywhites’ first signing this month as a swoop for Adama Traore continues to rumble on without much success.

It appears as if Conte’s attentions have quickly turned to sorting out the engine room because you don’t make the likes of Ndombele, Dele Alli and Giovani Lo Celso all available for an exit if you’re not going to try and reinforce such a key position, especially with less than five days of the window remaining.

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Amrabat isn’t a signing that is going to thrill much of the Spurs fanbase but if the Italian head coach wants him, then he must be backed.

The 25-year-old midfielder has been restricted to only 211 minutes in the Serie A this season but has featured in three full 90-minute games for his country in Group C and the round of 16 at AFCON.

Conte has lacked someone capable of driving the ball forward from midfield and he could well find that in Amrabat. Of the 39 players to have attempted 150 or more dribbles since the start of the 2019/20 campaign,  only one player (Ismael Bennacer, 79.6%) has managed a better dribble success rate than the Viola enforcer (70.3%), per WhoScored.

That is also above every single one of Spurs’ current central options with Oliver Skipp leading the way on 66.7% and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg not too far behind on 62.2%. Ndombele – who is supposed to be the ideal fit for the role – sits down at 55%, which is rather telling.

He is also solid at delivering long balls and is aggressive in the tackle, so whilst his lack of game time is a worry, there are certainly credentials there that make him fit for Conte, who must be absolutely delighted that a deal is very close. to happening.

Somewhat of a perfect signing for the Spurs boss, the north London outfit are in for one busy few days ahead of Monday’s deadline.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold hints at Adama Traore twist for Spurs…

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in Fiorentina centre-back Nikola Milenkovic…

What’s the talk?

According to the Daily Mail, the Magpies are now plotting a move to sign the central defender to bolster their squad this month.

The report claims that it will take £32m for the Italian side to part ways with him, whilst Southampton’s Jan Bednarek is also mentioned as an option.

Vidic 2.0

Eddie Howe could find his own Nemanja Vidic in a deal to sign the Serbian colossus, as the Serie A beast has previously been compared to his compatriot.

In reaction to those comparisons, Milenkovic said: “It is magnificent to be compared to the likes of Vidic and I have to stay humble with both feet firmly on the ground.

“Vidic was one hell of a player while I am in the fledgeling stage of my career and hence I have to keep working hard in order to climb that mountain. Krstajic’s praise means so much because it’s an impetus to keep improving.”

Pol Lirola previously lauded the defender’s talents as “extraordinary” and his statistics in Italy back up that claim as he has consistently impressed.

In the Serie A this season, he has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.13. He has won an excellent 71% of his duels overall in the division, making 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game along with 3.2 clearances – as per SofaScore.

This shows that he has the ability to perform consistently to a high standard at the top level. Therefore, he could improve Newcastle’s defence and hand them a greater chance of keeping clean sheets and picking up points in the Premier League, aiding their bid to avoid relegation.

At the age of 24, he also has plenty of time left to develop and progress further as a player. This means that he could fulfil his potential and become the new Vidic and end his career as a Premier League icon by delivering the goods over the course of a number of years at Newcastle.

Therefore, Howe must ensure that the club are able to match the £32m price tag Fiorentina have placed on his head to get a deal done in the coming days. The comparisons to Vidic and his performance data in the Serie A suggest that he could be a strong addition to the team and they must work hard to bring him to St. James’ Park.

AND in other news, Newcastle could get SJP rocking by signing “top class” £50m beast who has “everything”…

Australia want to begin their tour of the British Isles with a big win against Ireland

Brydon Coverdale16-Jun-2010Match FactsRicky Ponting hasn’t been in action since the tour of New Zealand in March•Getty ImagesThursday, June 17
Start time 1045 (0945 GMT)The Big PictureAustralia’s six-week tour of the British Isles begins in the understated surrounds of Clontarf in Dublin, where they kick things off with an ODI against Ireland. While Ricky Ponting’s men will be understandably keen to ensure a big victory, the real aim is to shed any winter rust before the five-match series against England.Several of the Australians were in the Caribbean for the World Twenty20 last month, while others have been involved with the IPL since the Australian season ended. But for some, like Ponting and James Hopes, the past two and a half months has been an extended holiday. They don’t want to head to Southampton for the first ODI still rusty, so expect Australia to play their full strength team in this encounter.For Ireland, there’s little to lose. Nobody truly expects them to beat Australia, but their history shows they are capable of upsets if their more fancied opponents fail to show them due respect. Next month they have two more chances to beat a Test-playing side when they host Bangladesh in Belfast, but knocking off Australia would be something special.Form guide (most recent first)Ireland LLWWW
Australia LWWWL
Watch out for…Tim Paine has done everything right when he has been given opportunities in the one-day team. He scored 111 against England at Trent Bridge last year and has also posted three half-centuries in a 17-game career. Paine will have the gloves for at least the limited-overs portion of the tour but is also auditioning for a potential Test debut if Brad Haddin’s elbow injury keeps him from rejoining the squad.A tall fast man who has been identified by the ECB as a potential player of the future, Boyd Rankin will be a key man if Ireland are to restrict Australia’s batsmen. In home conditions, he could be more of a challenge than the Australians anticipate.Team newsIreland will be without the 17-year-old spinner George Dockrell, who was highly impressive at the ICC World Twenty20. He is unavailable due to exams and on the eve of the match they also lost the experienced Andre Botha with a suspected stress fracture of the back.Ireland (possible) 1 William Porterfield (capt), 2 Paul Stirling, 3 Niall O’Brien (wk), 4 Alex Cusack, 5 Kevin O’Brien, 6 Gary Wilson, 7 Andrew White, 9 John Mooney, 9 Trent Johnston, 10 Peter Connell, 11 Boyd Rankin.Elbow problems have prevented both Mitchell Johnson and Haddin from joining the squad in Ireland. Paine will take the gloves and most likely the opening position, which could mean Shaun Marsh has to wait for his comeback having missed the tour of New Zealand with a back injury. The pace trio of Ryan Harris, Clint McKay and Doug Bollinger will lead the attack in England, so they will all be keen for a decent warm-up. The teenage fast man Josh Hazlewood will probably be running the drinks, with Steven Smith and Nathan Hauritz to battle for the spin position.Australia (possible) 1 Shane Watson, 2 Tim Paine (wk), 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Clarke, 5 Cameron White, 6 Michael Hussey, 7 James Hopes, 8 Steven Smith/Nathan Hauritz, 9 Ryan Harris, 10 Clint McKay, 11 Doug Bollinger.Pitch and conditionsThe Dublin pitch is expected to be slow and low, which will reward stump-to-stump bowling. The forecast is for isolated showers and a top temperature of 21C.Stats and trivia The two teams have met only once before in a one-day international, when Australia romped to a nine-wicket win at the 2007 World Cup Ireland famously beat Pakistan and Bangladesh in the World Cup in the West Indies, but have not beaten a full ICC member in an ODI since then Ireland are yet to be beaten in an ODI at the Castle Avenue ground in Dublin, where they have had five wins, one no-result and one match abandoned Trent Johnston played five first-class games for New South Wales from 1999 to 2000, and will be lining up against one of his former state team-mates, Michael ClarkeQuotes”If you get ahead of yourself and you’re worrying about England and you don’t pay Ireland the respect they deserve then they can sneak up and bite you.”
Merv Hughes, the Australian selector on duty”It’s hard for us to look and say, if Australia are tip-top in every area, that we will beat them but if they’re going to screw up at any time then we’re going to be ready for it.”
Phil Simmons, the coach of Ireland

It was more gloom and doom than ‘Boom Boom’ for star one-day batsman Shahid Afridi after Pakistan’s enigmatic captain suffered a six-ball duck on the opening day of their second tour game against Kent in Canterbury

Mark Pennell at Canterbury28-Jun-2010
ScorecardUmar Akmal was the mainstay of the Pakistan innings with 153•PA PhotosIt was more gloom and doom than ‘Boom Boom’ for star one-day batsman Shahid Afridi after Pakistan’s enigmatic captain suffered a six-ball duck on the opening day of their second tour game against Kent in Canterbury.Instead of watching Afridi dispatch the ball to all parts, Kent and Pakistan supporters had to contend themselves with a workmanlike 153 from Umar Akmal as Pakistan recovered from a sticky start of 53 for 3 to rack up 360 all out in temperatures more akin to Gujranwala than the Garden of England.Having elected to rest the majority of their first choice side for this first-class fixture, Kent gave a county debut to former Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Middlesex leg-spinner Mark Lawson and welcomed back seamers Dewald Nel and Robbie Joseph after long-term injuries. The hosts also included their former Academy all-rounders Matt Coles and Alex Blake in a side led by former Pakistan allrounder Azhar Mahmood.Though understandably batting first in sublime conditions and against a makeshift county attack, Pakistan made a miserable start by losing four wickets for 112 in the opening session of this three-day friendly.Looking ill at ease against a seaming ball, the tourists lost their first three batsmen all to leg-before decisions. Umar Amin (2) played horribly across the line of a Coles off-cutter then Fawad Alam (20) went in the same manner despite the hint of an inside edge against Nel, who was bowling his first over for the county first team since April.Then, in the next over Mahmood snared Salman Butt (26) to one that darted back in to the left-hander hitting him flush in front and leaden footed at the crease. In the last over before lunch Shoaib Malik (27) was enticed into a rash, wide drive against Lawson to meekly give up his wicket to a comfortable catch at backward point.After lunch the sprightly Blake, bowling again after a host of back problems, took two wickets in consecutive overs, including the prized scalp of Afridi. The 21-year-old had Kamran Akmal (28) spectacularly caught at gully, one-handed by Coles diving away to his right off an edged drive then, without addition to the score, Afridi disappointed his local following once more.In his four one-day starts when playing for Kent back in 2004 Afridi averaged a dismal 13 and faced only 24 deliveries, this time around he lasted barely seven minutes before an impulsive drive over cover sliced off an open face to deep backward point, where Nel took a good catch on the run.While Afridi sloped off to spend half-an-hour in the St Lawrence practice nets, so Pakistan’s seventh-wicket partners Umar Akmal and Abdul Rashid set about posting a sensible partnership worth 111 in 30.1 overs.Akmal moved to a 73-ball half-century with a six over mid-wicket against Lawson, but generally played well within himself until he had reached three figures. At the other end, Abdul Rehman was content to play second fiddle, batting a shade over two hours for his 30 runs and two boundaries.His stay came to an end after the right-hander over-balanced when attempting a leg-glance against James Goodman only to be stumped by a good piece of work by Kent’s understudy keeper Paul Dixey, who was deputising for the resting Geraint Jones.Once safely to his 150-ball century with 15 fours and a six, the diminutive Umar Akmal opened up his locker of shots with four more sixes, three of which came from lofted-straight drives against debutant Lawson.Lawson finally got his revenge and brought an end to the right-hander’s 268-minute stay to another Dixey stumping, this time after Akmal had advanced down the pitch only to miss with a wild swish to one he had hoped to deposit somewhere over the ropes at long-on.Lawson, assisted by three stumpings by Dixey, duly ran through the tail to finish with 4 for 93 leaving Kent to survive the final over of the day and post two without loss by the close. Night watchman Coles scored their only runs.

Andreas Skov Olsen could join Rangers during the January transfer window, according to Bologna Sport News (via Ibrox News).

The lowdown

The 22-year-old, who is predominantly a right winger but can also play on the left, is currently with Serie A club Bologna.

The Denmark international is valued at £5.85m by Transfermarkt and Kasper Hjulmand called him up for last summer’s European Championship, substituting him on in their first two group matches. The Danes went on to reach the semi-finals, where they were beaten by England at Wembley.

The latest

The report from Bologna Sport News stated that Skov Olsen is ‘destined to leave’ the Italian club on loan this month, and Rangers are said to be competing with Serie A outfit Sampdoria for his signature.

The player will apparently decide ‘in the coming days’ where he wants to be playing his football during the second half of the campaign.

The verdict

Skov Olsen’s record for his former club FC Nordsjaelland was outstanding. He scored 27 goals and provided seven assists in 51 matches for the Danish outfit.

However, it’s fair to say that his career at Bologna has failed to ignite up to this point. In 69 appearances for the Rossoblu, he has only managed three goals and five assists, which probably explains why he’s available for a mid-season transfer.

Rangers will probably be more encouraged by his form for his country, with talent scout Jacek Kulig describing his performances in a Denmark shirt (11 goal contributions in 15 caps) as ‘simply amazing’. That sounds like a player who is worth pursuing.

In other news, many Rangers fans flocked to this poignant correspondence from the club

Craig Kieswetter returned to the Somerset team with a half-century as the Group A leaders maintained their successful Clydesdale Bank record with a 71-run win over Worcestershire at Bath

Cricinfo staff23-May-2010
Scorecard
Craig Kieswetter returned to the Somerset team with a half-century as the Group A leaders maintained their successful Clydesdale Bank record with a 71-run win over Worcestershire at Bath. A festival crowd of around 3,000, basking in hot sunshine, saw the England World Twenty20 hero hit 52, with three sixes and three fours, in a Somerset total of 235 for 9. Zander de Bruyn made 55, and Ben Phillips 51 not out, his first one-day half-century.That proved too much for the Royals on an unpredictable pitch, as they subsided from 63 for 1 to 164 all out, Mark Turner taking a career best 4 for 36 from 7.4 overs. Somerset have now won all five of their group matches, and already look hot favourites to reach the semi-finals.Kieswetter received a warm ovation from spectators when opening the Somerset innings after they had lost the toss, and soon helped them make up for the early losses of Marcus Trescothick and Nick Compton. He shared a third-wicket stand of 86 with de Bruyn, and was soon demonstrating the clean hitting that had earned him the Man of the Match award in the World Twenty20 final seven days earlier.Having faced 63 balls, Kieswetter got a leading edge to Imran Arif and was caught at cover. When the in-form James Hildreth followed for a duck and De Bruyn was caughtbehind having hit five fours and two sixes, Somerset were 125 for 5.Worcestershire continued to claim wickets, but the match was taken away from them by 34-year-old Phillips, who hammered seven fours and a six in 34 balls. Daryl Mitchell was the pick of the Royals’ attack, with 2 for 30 from his eight overs.When Vikram Solanki fell to the first ball of the Royals’ reply, a sharp lifter from Turner, their struggles in the competition looked set to continue. Phil Jaques and Moeen Ali briefly raised hopes with a stand of 63, but once Jaques was well caught by Murali Kartik attempting to pull Turner, there was a steady procession of batsmen.Peter Trego produced a delightful slower ball to york Alexei Kervezee for 19, and soon it was 141 for 8. Kieswetter’s glovework was nowhere near as impressive as his batting, and the 22-year-old still has work to do on his keeping if he wants to challenge Matt Prior for his Test place.

Marcelo Bielsa could finally axe one of his biggest liabilities at Leeds United…

What’s the word?

According to TNT Sports, the Yorkshire giants have submitted a £20m offer to sign Atletico Mineiro left-back Guilherme Arana, who is also of interest to some of their Premier League rivals.

Both Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers have been linked with a move for the Brazil international in recent months.

The 24-year-old has caught the eye of many teams since excelling at the Tokyo Olympics in the summer.

Firpo upgrade

You’d imagine that any move for a new full-back would see the end of Junior Firpo’s time as Bielsa’s first choice.

The Spaniard, signed from Barcelona in a £12.8m deal in the summer, has been quite a liability at Elland Road thus far. His error-prone performances have already seen him suspended due to racking up five yellow cards in the Premier League.

One particular display against Brighton and Hove Albion saw him labelled as an “absolute disaster” by Match of the Day and Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards.

As such, director of football Victor Orta should look to rectify their summer blunder by signing Arana.

SofaScore ranked the 5 foot 9 dynamo as Brazil’s fourth-best performer on their way to the Olympic Gold medal in the summer. His coach at the Olympics, Andre Jardine, waxed lyrical about his ability at the tournament.

“He is going through a spectacular phase, he was the best full-back at the last Brazilian Championship, with a great resourcefulness, defensively and offensively,” he said. “His big message at the last Championship was that he scored goals, gave assists, he even scored a goal on our last call. I talk to Franco a lot. With his approval on the left-back, he really meets the Brazilian National Team. Arana fills our eyes with us at the club and here.”

Meanwhile, domestically, Arana helped steer Mineiro to the Serie A title, where he delivered five goals and seven assists across 48 appearances, via Transfermarkt.

On that evidence, he could be a much more reliable option than Firpo, so Orta and co must look to seal Bielsa an ideal upgrade at left-back in Arana this January.

AND in other news, Bielsa could unearth Leeds’ next Stuart Dallas in “unbelievable” 20 y/o gem “with no ego”…

West Ham United have been handed a huge injury boost concerning Kurt Zouma.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to a claim made by Claret & Hugh, with the club insiders stating that the 27-year-old centre-back – who suffered a hamstring tendon injury in West Ham’s 3-2 win over Chelsea towards the beginning of the month – is already back in training at Rush Green, and could even make a return to first-team action at the end of January.

In their post, Claret & Hugh said: “Kurt Zouma is also reported to be back on [the] grass and current estimates are that the big summer signing could be involved again by the end of January. The player decided against having surgery and it seems it was a good decision with our source saying he is making much quicker than expected progress.”

Moyes will be buzzing

Considering just how impressive Zouma has been since his £29.8m move from Chelsea this summer, the news that the 27-year-old could make a return to action as soon as January will undoubtedly have left David Moyes buzzing.

Indeed, over his 11 Premier League appearances this season, the £28.8m-rated defender has helped his side keep two clean sheets and has scored one goal, as well as making an average of 1.2 interceptions, 0.6 tackles, 5.2 clearances and winning 60% of his duels per game.

These returns have seen the £120k-per-week man average a SofaScore match rating of 6.91, ranking him as the Hammers’ joint 10th-best player in the league.

Furthermore, West Ham have won just one of the six fixtures they have played since the France international picked up his injury, drawing one and losing the other four games.

As such, it is clear to see that Moyes’ side are desperately missing the 27-year-old in the heart of their defence, particularly with fellow centre-back Angelo Ogbonna also looking to be ruled out for the rest of the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury of his own, meaning that the latest update concerning Zouma’s ahead of schedule return is sure to come as fantastic news for all involved with the club.

In other news: Moyes can finally axe £61k-p/w West Ham “colossus” by sealing “Van Dijk-like signing”

Chennai’s batting coach Stephen Fleming hoped MS Dhoni would return to lead the side in Mumbai but said a decision would be made on match day

Cricinfo staff24-Mar-2010By coincidence Chennai Super Kings, after five matches, are in the same spot this year as they were in South Africa in 2009: three matches lost and an uphill climb to the semi-finals. Injuries to key players have hampered their campaign and, with only nine games remaining, MS Dhoni’s team is up against it to make the final four for the third season running.The most damaging setback was the freak injury to the captain, who got hit on the elbow by a short ball from Shane Bond. In the absence of Andrew Flintoff and Jacob Oram from the entire season, Chennai rely on Dhoni and Matthew Hayden to provide momentum.That reliance is evident from Chennai’s experience so far. Hayden failed against Deccan Chargers and, though Dhoni led the rearguard action, Chennai lost by 31 runs. Dhoni then rescued the innings from a top-order collapse against Kolkata and his 109-run stand with S Badrinath was instrumental in the 55-run victory. Hayden unleashed the Mongoose against Delhi, ensuring his aggression made up for Dhoni’s absence, while chasing a stiff target. But Hayden’s dismissals in the 30s during the next two games, coupled with Dhoni’s injury-forced absence, was too much for Chennai to cope with and they were beaten by both Kings XI Punjab and Royal Challengers Bangalore.”Yes, that is the bottom line. The key players are relied upon. Certainly with injuries, they are relied upon more,” coach Stephen Fleming said.Such is Dhoni’s versatility that his absence deprives the line-up of someone expert at building, as well as finishing, the innings. The other man capable of destroying bowling during the final overs is Justin Kemp, but he too missed the last game with a back injury. “We do miss a finisher,” Fleming said, ahead of the match against Mumbai Indians. “We saw that in the game against Punjab and we played the extra batter yesterday [George Bailey against Bangalore]. But if Dhoni comes back, the balance of the side changes again. We have got injury problems at the moment: we have lost Flintoff, Oram and now Kemp. So that is a big dent to the way we play our game.”Fleming hoped Dhoni would return to lead the side in Mumbai but said a decision would be made on match day. “[Dhoni] Looks good,” he said. “He is back with the team and he is training today. But we will make a call after training today, and then again tomorrow, to see how his arm reacts to doing a bit more work. We are happy at this stage, we hope he’ll be playing.”When asked if Dhoni would play as a wicketkeeeper, Fleming said they were “looking at full fitness.” “There is obviously a responsibility to Indian cricket as well, so there are a lot interested (in his fitness). Like I said, we will be cautious but we are optimistic.”The floating middle order is another of Chennai’s problems, one acknowledged by VB Chandrasekar, one of the team’s coaches. Dhoni’s absence has led to a change of plans but to make someone like M Vijay, who is more assured while opening against the new ball, bat at three different positions in five matches suggests there is uncertainty about the role each batsman must perform. The captain cannot return soon enough.