Wahab Riaz bounced back from figures of 0 for 110 at Trent Bridge with a Man-of-the-Match display at Old Trafford

Andrew McGlashan at Old Trafford07-Sep-2016Wahab Riaz’s tour of England was in danger of ending on a forgettable note. When England racked up their world record 444 at Trent Bridge he finished with 0 for 110, the second-worst figures in ODI history, and was banished to the sidelines for the final two games of the series.But, brought back for the T20 at Old Trafford, he responded with a career-best performance of 3 for 18, including the key wicket of Jos Buttler, and did not concede a boundary in his four overs. Used exclusively in the second half of the innings – a piece of early planning from new captain Sarfraz Ahmed – England could not handle his extreme pace or drastic slower balls.”I had a plan within myself that if I have to bowl fast it has to be very fast and if I have to bowl slow it has to be very slow and you have to have a lot of varieties in this T20 game,” Wahab said. “When you are in rhythm, things go your way.”When he was being hammered around Nottingham by Alex Hales, Buttler and Eoin Morgan, Wahab did not help his cause by overstepping. The TV umpire, using the trial system of calling no-balls, was at his busiest when he had the ball. Most costly was the reprieve of Hales on 72 as he went on to score his England-record 171.Wahab said missing the last two ODIs had given him time to work on the problem and thanked the effort of bowling coach Azhar Mahmood.”I wasn’t in the habit of bowling no-balls before this tour, I don’t know what happened to me. The credit goes to the bowling coach, he really helped me, he was very strict with me about the no-balls. Because I was resting the last two games, he really worked hard with me and the credit goes to him.”Eoin Morgan acknowledged Pakistan’s attack had enjoyed a good day, but believed conditions had changed significantly when his bowlers tried to defend 136: by the end of the Powerplay, Pakistan were 73 for 0. He said the evening dew made strokeplay easier and, with hindsight, he would have bowled first.”Pakistan bowled well, and adapted to the circumstances – but given the pitch we bowled on, we probably would have needed 180-185. The ball seemed to slide on quite nicely.”I’m not one for excuses, but certainly the shots the Pakistan batsmen played out there are shots you can only play on a very, very good wicket.”We are not a timid batting team – we play quite aggressively. But none of us seemed to catch fire or get going.”

Leeds United will lose around £80m in television revenue after being relegated from the Premier League, according to a new update.

Has it been a nightmare season for Leeds?

The Whites started the 2022/23 season with high hopes that they could kick on after avoiding relegation from the top flight, but instead, a disastrous campaign unfolded.

Jesse Marsch ultimately proved to be out of his depth as manager and was replaced by Javi Gracia, but he lasted very little time in the Elland Road, with Sam Allardyce coming in to hopefully rescue things. He didn't manage to do that, however, having had so little time to work with his squad, and Leeds' fate was sealed last weekend, following their 4-1 loss at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

Not only have the club had to deal with the misery of heading back to the Championship but also the recent bombshell regarding owner Andrea Radrizzani reportedly looking to use Elland Road as a way of funding his takeover of the Italian club Sampdoria.

It's fair to say that this isn't a happy period for Leeds currently and a fresh update isn't likely to improve the mood of the supporters, either.

How much is Premier League survival worth?

According to Football Insider, the Whites' 19th-place finish and subsequent relegation means that they are "set to lose £80million in television payments alone after being relegated to the Championship". It is described as a "devastating financial hit", with money given to EFL clubs for TV rights "significantly less" than in the Premier League.

For that reason, there will now be a "major impact" on Leeds' revenues in 2023/24, showing how crippling it can be to be relegated from the top flight.

This is clearly a big blow for the Whites, even though it is one that they will have known was coming, and it goes to show how precious playing in the Premier League is. The biggest hope is that the potential 49ers Enterprises' takeover of the club still goes through this summer, in order to soften the blow of this update, considering the financial boost it could hand them.

It is imperative that Leeds make a swift return to the top of the English game rather than languish in the Championship for a number of years, but having the money to make good signings and redevelop the club is vital to that. Some good news is certainly badly needed in the coming weeks.

Liverpool's pursuit of Alexis Mac Allister has certainly been no secret, and manager Jurgen Klopp is now homing in on his first major signing of the summer.

What's the latest on Alexis Mac Allister to Liverpool?

According to Football Insider, Brighton & Hove Albion's imminent capture of Borussia Dortmund midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud indicates that Mac Allister's transfer to Liverpool is approaching completion.

These claims are bolstered by transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who recently tweeted to say that the Reds have a full agreement on personal details with the Argentine, with a deal expected to be concluded in June.

Arsenal and Chelsea are also keen on a deal for the 24-year-old but with Liverpool moving swiftly and with conviction, the Seagulls ace's signature should be shortly secured, with fees as high as £70m being touted.

How would Mac Allister do at Liverpool?

Mac Allister has enjoyed something of a meteoric rise since arriving in England to sign a deal with Brighton, leaving his homeland and club Argentinos Juniors in 2019, where he made 83 appearances, scored 12 goals and provided nine assists.

Last season, he played an important role for Albion and found success in the Premier League, scoring five times and earning 22 starts as he grew into his skin on the English south coast.

And now, the £50k-per-week star is flourishing with unrelenting might, having scored ten goals from 33 matches in the top-flight and playing an important role in Argentina's monumental triumph in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where he was heralded as "sumptuous" by Gary Lineker.

As per FBref, the dynamo ranks among the top 17% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 20% for progressive carries and the top 17% for successful take-ons per 90, indicating he possesses a robust core and is willing to seek out offensive openings through his driving presence on the ball.

This progressive element to his game is something that could bode well for Klopp's stratagems when considering how the midfielder would link up with Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose superlative ball-playing skills from deep could benefit Mac Allister when making surging runs into the final third.

Liverpool's £180k-per-week right-back ranks among the top 12% of positional peers for rate of assists, the top 4% for shot-creating actions, the top 2% for passes attempted and the top 2% for progressive passes per 90, recently hailed as a "genius" by Goal's Neil Jones.

The 24-year-old's newfound success following a tactical tweak, inverting from his usual marauding up and down the wings to occupy a role within the half-spaces and inflicting creative damage from deep could also be of interest to Mac Allister.

Indeed, he would find Alexander-Arnold in closer proximity and able to pick exquisite passes from behind as he makes his darting runs into danger areas, becoming the Reds' "golden boy" – as he was hailed by Albion-focussed content creator Ryan Adsett.

While Liverpool may not qualify for the Champions League this season, bolstering the middle of the park with Mac Allister will only enhance the intensity and verve of Klopp's outfit, and with Alexander-Arnold returning to his best after a lacklustre campaign, it could be a devastating concoction that truly takes the Liverpudlian to the next level.

Northamptonshire members will vote at an Extraordinary General Meeting this evening on plans to change the ownership structure of the club

George Dobell08-Sep-2016

Northamptonshire members will vote at an Extraordinary General Meeting this evening on plans to change the ownership structure of the club.The club’s directors have proposed a resolution that would see members cede control of the club in favour of a limited company, NCCC Holdings. The directors say such a move is necessary to encourage much-needed investment in the club. They require 75 per cent of the vote to see the resolution passed. Proxy votes have been accepted, but there is no facility for postal voting.Northants has sunk heavily into debt in recent seasons. As well as two separate loans of around £1m each to the local council, it is also understood that several hundreds of thousands of pounds have been lent by directors at interest rates of up to 7%. While the club have yet to reveal the identity of the potential new investors (and there is some doubt as to whether some of the money would be ‘new’ or involve existing debt being transferred to share options), they have suggested they are hoping to raise around £1m.Existing club members will also have the opportunity to buy shares with a minimum subscription of £250. Those that decline can continue to purchase season tickets, but will no longer be entitled to vote at club meetings. They will be allowed to elect a representative to the board, but the board will be able to veto this representative if they deem them unsuitable.One of the chief concerns of members will be the plans of new investors for the county ground in its town-centre location. ESPNcricinfo has previously revealed that the club not only had the Wantage Road site valued, but had plans drawn up for a new ground on the outskirts of town. With planning permission, the ground was estimated to be worth around £12m (without planning permission, it was worth around £4.5m), though costs for a new ground were estimated to be around £15m. Several members of the Northants board have a background in property development. The ESPNcricinfo story was originally denied by the club but confirmed by the council.Club directors hope that hastily amended articles of association – there have been three drafts in the last week or so – will win over the doubters. Whereas, as recently as Monday morning, the articles of association stated that the new company “may not sell” the ground, they allowed several potential caveats. Among them was the requirement that the company “acquire an interest in a replacement site … or to repay the debts or to satisfy other obligations of the company … or to repay monies actually received by the company by way of share subscriptions (and a reasonably [sic] rate of return on those share subscriptions).”The new articles of association state that “The company may not itself redevelop, sell, grant a long lease, or otherwise voluntarily allow the ownership of the whole or a material part of the freehold of the County Ground to pass out of the ownership or control of both the company and NCCC Limited in a manner which is detrimental to the continuance of professional cricket at the County Ground without both: a special resolution of the shareholders; and in addition a special resolution of those Season Ticket Holders who cast their vote at an AGM.”The amendments were made after the intervention of former Wisden editor, Matthew Engel. As a long-time supporter of the club, he expressed concern in the original wording (“There is absolutely no protection for the ground,” he told BBC Northampton last week. “There is nothing stopping them turning it into a cheese factory”) and helped the club re-draft the relevant section. He remains undecided, though, and has told ESPNcricinfo he will attend the meeting unsure which way he will vote.The vote has a wider significance given the on-going debate into the future structure of domestic T20 cricket in England and Wales. Whereas a members’ club might be expected to resist marginalisation by a new premier competition, a shareholder-run company – a company that may pay dividends and look for a monetary return on its investment – might be expected to take a more pecuniary stance.Whatever Northants’ financial struggles, the club continues to contribute to the overall strength of English cricket on the pitch. As well as winning the NatWest T20 Blast competition for the second time in four years a few weeks ago, Northants has also helped produced several high-class players (not least David Willey, Ben Duckett and Olly Stone) who could go on to enjoy long international careers.

Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez is looking likely to stay put beyond the summer, according to an update from transfer expert Dean Jones.

How important has Martinez been to Villa?

The Villans hero has enjoyed arguably the most memorable season of his career to date, playing a starring role for both club and country. The £120,000-a-week 'keeper famously tasted 2022 World Cup glory with Argentina, performing plenty of penalty heroics and arguably his country's star player along with Lionel Messi, enhancing his reputation hugely in the process.

For Villa, Martinez made 27 Premier League appearances in 2022/23, playing his part in them qualifying for Europe after a huge resurgence under Unai Emery.

The 30-year-old has been linked with a move away from Villa Park during the summer transfer window, however, with plenty of interest in his services. Granted, his current deal doesn't expire until 2027, but a move to an even bigger club could potentially appeal if an offer arrives.

Is Martinez likely to stay this summer?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones provided an update on Martinez's future, admitting that it is still up in the air, but that the idea of him staying put is far from out of the question:

"I think obviously the Jose Sa one will depend on what happens with Emi Martínez. I keep hearing there is potential for Martínez to go if a big enough offer lands, but whenever Martínez talks at the moment, I kind of get the feeling that he's not going anywhere.

"So a tricky one but if they did lose Martínez, then yes, Sá would be an interesting one to turn to."

This would be a massive boost for Villa, with Martinez one of the most important players at the club these days, having now racked up 112 apparances since arriving from Arsenal back in 2020. He has been lauded as "world-class" by Gary Neville in the recent past, as well as "unbelievable" and "one of the best goalkeepers in the world" by teammate Matty Cash.

The fact that Emery's men have qualified for Europe could certainly sway the Argentine's thought process, and the fact that the club is thriving so much under the current manager, and the hope is that he continues to be a vital performer for many years to come for Villa.

Should he move on, which would clearly be a blow, it is then essential that the money is used wisely to bring in the best possible replacement.

أعلنت اللجنة الفنية بالاتحاد المصري لكرة اليد برئاسة محمد الأمين، رسمياً اليوم الخميس، عن ملعب مباراة القمة بين الأهلي والزمالك، التي ستجمع بينهما ضمن منافسات بطولة دوري المحترفين.

وتقرر إقامة المباراة بين الأهلي والزمالك، غداً الجمعة على صالة أكتوبر الدولية بناء على قرار اللجنة الفنية بصلاحية الملعب بعد معاينته.

وكان نادي الزمالك اعترض على إقامة مباراته ضد الأهلي على الصالة الدولية بمدينة أكتوبر بسبب سوء أرضية الصالة، حيث إنها غير مجهزة وقد تعرض اللاعبين للإصابة.

طالع أيضاً.. الزمالك يعترض على صالة قمة اليد أمام الأهلي

علي صعيد متصل أقيم الاجتماع الأمني اليوم في وجود مندوبي الناديين، وتمنى اتحاد اليد أن تخرج القمة بالشكل اللائق بقيمة كرة اليد المصرية وقيمة الناديين الرفيعة وتعكس قوة الدربي المصري.

وكان دوري كرة اليد توقف في الفترة الماضية بسبب مشاركة منتخب مصر في كأس أمم إفريقيا والتتويج باللقب على حساب الجزائر في النهائي.

Burnley manager Vincent Kompany could be a busy man over the next few months as the Belgian attempts to build a squad capable of competing in the Premier League.

The head coach led the club to glory in the Championship, winning the title with 101 points, and could look to the summer transfer window to improve his team.

Foot Mercato recently reported that the Clarets are seriously considering a swoop to sign Bristol City defensive midfielder Han-Noah Massengo, who has been on loan at Auxerre this season.

The 21-year-old is out of contract at Ashton Gate this summer after joining them from Monaco for €8m (£6.9m) in 2019 and is set to be available as a free agent, which could make him a bargain signing for Kompany.

How has Han-Noah Massengo performed this season?

He joined Ligue 1 side Auxerre on loan for the second half of the 2022/23 campaign and enjoyed a strong five months of action in his home country.

The talented France U21 youngster, who was once dubbed a "roaming playmaker" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has showcased his defensive instincts in the middle of the park and his ability as a holding midfielder could make him the perfect heir to 33-year-old Burnley ace Jack Cork.

Massengo averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.85 across 13 appearances in Ligue 1, where he also made 3.3 tackles and interceptions per game, which shows that the French enforcer is able to win the ball back for his side on a regular basis.

Cork, on the other hand, averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.77 across his 39 outings, where he made 2.5 tackles and interceptions per league match for the Clarets.

The former Monaco man has also won 53% of his duels in comparison to the Englishman's 51% and this means that the youngster has made more defensive interventions per appearance whilst also being more efficient in his attempted challenges.

Both players have a pass completion rate between 86 and 87% and have the quality to be reliable in possession to go along with their excellent defending in front of the back line.

Massengo is also 12 years younger than Cork and this means that the ace has plenty of years left ahead of him to grow and develop and could do just that under Kompany's coaching at Turf Moor.

Therefore, the soon-to-be free agent could be the dream long-term heir to the veteran defensive midfielder and could lean on the Englishman's experience to help him improve before eventually taking over in that position in the team.

Arsenal might have shifted their prime focus for this upcoming transfer window, and are already making plans to secure the man to fill Mikel Arteta's void.

What's the latest on Moussa Diaby to Arsenal?

That's according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth, who offered a supplementary verdict on Edu's reported pursuit of Moussa Diaby.

The Bayer Leverkusen winger has enjoyed a standout year in Germany, and could well have earned his big move now with plenty of suitors across Europe.

Sheth told GIVEMESPORT, when asked if the youngster would once again be a target for English clubs: "Yes, I think so. With regards to Arsenal specifically, we know that the right-sided forward position was a priority area in January.

"And last summer, remember they tried to sign Raphinha. They tried to not necessarily sign but there was definite interest in Moussa Diaby. I would expect that interest to still be there come the summer. But look, he will have other suitors as well."

It is expected the trickster will only be sold for €80m (£69m).

Can Moussa Diaby emulate Mohamed Salah?

With both starring on the same flank, it is hard not to draw comparisons between the Frenchman and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, for their goalscoring instincts from out wide.

The Egyptian, who moved to Anfield back in 2017, has quickly become a surprise sensation in front of goal on his way to scoring 186 goals in 305 games and becoming the club's record Premier League scorer, surpassing Robbie Fowler.

His ability to drift inside from his right wing, onto that favoured left foot, has often proven devastating for opposition defences. This season, in what has arguably been one of his toughest on Merseyside, has still seen the 30-year-old hit 46 goal contributions in all competitions.

Diaby too boasts this same skillset though, of blistering speed and a lethal left foot when he cuts infield. The former has even been outlined by journalist Aaron Stokes, who lauded his "electrifying pace" just last summer.

The 23-year-old has been similarly prolific this term, recording 25 goal contributions across 48 appearances. Not only is he a consistent goalscorer, but he is a reliable starter who always performs at such a high level.

This is further emphasised through his 7.15 average rating for this campaign, with his 1.8 key passes per game continuing to draw comparisons with the equally creative Liverpool man.

FBref serves to cap off their shared attributes by putting Salah atop Diaby's similar players model, cementing the latter as a potential successor to such immense success in the English game. If he could become half as proficient as the man Jurgen Klopp branded a "Liverpool legend," then this would already mark a deal worth making.

Journalist Alex Barker supported such fine figures with the claim that he had been a "demon" last year too, deserving of his big move elsewhere.

Whilst Bukayo Saka has shone this season from the right, finishing the season on 25 goal contributions in the league too, this move could not only provide integral additional competition for the man who featured in every league game again, but allow the Frenchman's versatility to cover a number of roles without Arteta having to see the quality decline.

Two of South Africa’s least experienced batsmen – Temba Bavuma and Quinton de Kock – fought back with half-centuries on the first day in Perth, but Australia remained on top at the tea break

The Report by Brydon Coverdale03-Nov-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details5:04

Chappell: Steyn got sucked into the challenge with Warner

The first day of Australia’s Test summer began with Mitchell Starc striking in the opening over. It ended with David Warner racing to a brisk half-century. In between, South Africa faltered and fought back, but not enough to be comfortable with their position at stumps. Four years ago they won at the WACA having been bowled out for 225 in the first innings. This time they reached 242, but Warner’s late-afternoon efforts ensured Australia were firmly on top.It was not what Faf du Plessis would have envisaged from the day, after he won the toss on a good pitch for batting. Still, South Africa’s recovery from 4 for 32 meant they were still in with a chance in the match. And they had two of their most inexperienced Test batsmen – Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma, in their 11th and 12th Tests respectively – to thank. Had Vernon Philander not overstepped early in Australia’s innings, things could have been very different.On 17, Warner survived an lbw shout from Philander, who convinced du Plessis to ask for a review. Indeed, the ball was pitching in line, hitting in line, and the decision would have been overturned – except it was a no-ball. Eventually, Warner went to stumps unbeaten on 73 with his new opening partner, Shaun Marsh, on 29 and Australia’s total had moved on to 0 for 105. It meant their deficit was already eroded to 137.Warner has always been a massive threat at the WACA. His first Test innings at the ground – a blisteringly fast 180 against India in 2011-12 – was a sign of things to come. By stumps, he was only six runs away from overtaking Matthew Hayden as the all-time most prolific Test opener at the venue, no mean feat considering he has played barely half as many WACA innings as Hayden, who broke the Test record score there with 380 against Zimbabwe.He drove hard when South Africa’s bowlers overpitched, and cut when they fell a fraction short. Remarkably, 62 of his 73 runs came through the off side. At the other end, Marsh needed to do little but rotate the strike. Dale Steyn bowled quick, reaching 150kph, but was not consistent enough, and Kagiso Rabada took a little while to find his best. Philander was perhaps the best of the bowlers, but wasted his best chance with a no-ball.By stumps, Australia’s openers had a century partnership, something that no pair achieved during the South Africa innings. There was, in fact, only one half-century stand, the 71-run combination from Bavuma and de Kock, which came after some serious top-order wobbles.For the 19th time since the start of last year, Starc struck in the first over of an international innings. This time his victim was Stephen Cook, who had been in shaky form during South Africa’s warm-up matches against second-string opposition. It was no preparation for facing Starc with the new ball. The fourth delivery moved away just enough and Cook’s edge was taken by a diving Mitchell Marsh at gully.A bigger blow was to come for South Africa in the fourth over, when Hashim Amla was done by the subtle variations in Josh Hazlewood’s swing. Amla’s edge was comfortably taken at second slip by Steven Smith. It was the second duck of the innings, and South Africa were 2 for 5. Hazlewood also muddled Dean Elgar, who couldn’t decide whether to play or leave, and did neither, feathering behind to Peter Nevill.A fourth wicket was to come inside the first hour, when Peter Siddle moved one back in to kiss the inside edge of JP Duminy’s bat on the way through to Nevill. Du Plessis and Bavuma saw South Africa through to lunch without further loss, but du Plessis did not last long after the resumption. On 37, he edged Starc to Adam Voges at slip, and at 5 for 81, South Africa still looked in danger of a seriously sub-standard total.De Kock and Bavuma worked solidly at building the score up past 150, and Bavuma reached his half-century from his 84th delivery. It took an outstanding catch to end Bavuma’s innings, his inside edge off Nathan Lyon brilliantly snapped up by Shaun Marsh, lunging to his right at short leg. It was a key moment for Australia, as South Africa were threatening to undo all of Australia’s good work from the morning session.De Kock played his shots when the opportunity arose and found some support from the lower order, but wickets still fell regularly. Philander played on for 10 trying to pull Starc in the final over before tea, debutant Keshav Maharaj holed out to long-on off Lyon for 16, and de Kock missed the chance for a century when he pulled Hazlewood to Shaun Marsh at midwicket on 84 from 101 deliveries. It was a fine innings, but one that might not even cancel out Warner’s runs.The innings ended with Steyn bowled by Starc for 4. Starc finished with 4 for 71 and bowled with impressive pace throughout the day, given his very limited match practice after recovering from a nasty leg injury suffered at training in September. Hazlewood and Siddle were both accurate and found enough movement to trouble the batsmen, and Australia’s fielding was generally outstanding.Australia’s home summer usually begins at the Gabba – or the Gabbatoir – where they have not lost a Test since 1988. Their record at the WACA is much more mixed, but after one day of the Test season, they have made a fine start regardless of the venue.

Aston Villa are in pole position to sign Sporting Lisbon star Pedro Goncalves and are leading the race for his signature. according to reports.

Who could Villa sign this summer?

It was a phenomenal end to the Premier League campaign for Unai Emery, who guided his side to a seventh-placed finish and subsequent qualfication for next season UEFA Europa Conference League.

This is despite Villa undergoing a very poor run of form at the start of the season under Steven Gerrard, but after Emery turned the tide, it is now the club's job to back their capable manager this summer.

Central midfield may well be a position of importance in this regard, with Villa thought to hold an interest in the likes of Joao Palhinha (Fulham), James Ward-Prowse of Southampton and even free agent Youri Tielemans – who recently departed Leicester City.

Meanwhile. additions further forward are not out of the question either, as Villa have even been linked with audacious moves for the likes of Dusan Vlahovic (Juventus) and Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid).

Sporting Lisbon star Goncalves, nicknamed 'Pote', is also a player on Emery's radar and the Villans have been tipped to move for him this summer.

According to Portuguese newspaper O Jogo, via Sport Witness, Aston Villa are "in the lead" for his transfer, while Sporting expect his exit to be "imminent".

While Pote has starred under Ruben Amorim, Sporting's lack of Champions League qualification for next campaign means they have to sell and generate much-needed funds.

That's why the Primeira Liga side are happy to sell for the right price, with Pote's contract also containing an €80m (£68.8M) release clause.

Going by this update, Emery could well be edging closer to the signing of Pote.

Who is Pedro Goncalves?

The 24-year-old, as per WhoScored, has played a dazzling role for Sporting as a key player in their set up.

Pote stood out as their top goalscorer in the Portuguese top flight last season with 15 goals, registering a further 11 assists and totaling an impressive 26 goal contributions (WhoScored).

The central midfielder also attempted more shots at goal per 90 than any other Sporting player over 2022/2023, averaging their second-highest rate of key passes per 90 as well (WhoScored).

Journalist Sacha Pisani, commenting on the "incredible" Pote all the way back in 2021, tipped him for stardom and for Europe's elite to come calling.