Unbeaten 93 takes Glamorgan to the brink of stiff run-chase at Cardiff
ECB Reporters Network10-Jun-2021Gloucestershire 179 for 6 (Phillips 44, Douthwaite 3-28) beat Glamorgan 175 for 9 (Labuschagne 93*) by four runsMarnus Labuschagne’s superb unbeaten 93 off 56 balls couldn’t stop Gloucestershire from starting their Vitality Blast campaign with a four-run win over GlamorganGlenn Phillips’ 44 and 30 from Benny Howell off 15 balls saw Gloucestershire post 179 for 6 in Cardiff which always looked like being a challenging total. And despite Labuschagne’s fine innings on his Blast debut, Glamorgan fell just short against some tidy Gloucestershire bowling.Glamorgan weren’t helped by batting second and the fact there were no floodlights available at Sophia Gardens as the skies darkened.Gloucestershire won the toss and chose to bat, and Glamorgan opened with spin at both ends. Andrew Salter cleaned up Miles Hammond in his first over. Ian Cockbain then skied to Timm van der Gugten at mid-on off the bowling of Ruaidhri Smith for 16 as Gloucestershire reached 34 for 2 from their first six overs.Gloucestershire struggled in the first powerplay, but Phillips got the scoreboard moving with consecutive sixes and then a four off Salter. But just when Gloucestershire looked like they were getting going, Chris Dent was caught superbly by Kiran Carlson on the cover boundary for 20 from the bowling of Dan Douthwaite.Phillips was the mainstay of the Gloucestershire innings as they went past 100 in the 13th over. But he fell short of 50 to the part-time spin of Labuschagne when Nick Selman took a fine catch on the mid-wicket boundary.Labuschagne followed in Selman’s path with another boundary catch to dismiss Jack Taylor, but Gloucestershire finished with a flourish as Smith’s 18th over went for 16.David Lloyd’s fine form continued as he started Glamorgan’s reply with a quickfire 28 which included two sixes before he was clean bowled by Josh Shaw. Selman soon followed Lloyd back to the pavilion and when Colin Ingram was clean bowled by Shaw for just a single Glamorgan were 46 for 3 from the first powerplay.Labuschagne and Chris Cooke rebuilt the innings to take Glamorgan to 80 for 3 at the halfway stage and Cooke was dropped on the midwicket boundary in the 11th over. But he wasn’t so lucky when he was caught by Hammond from the bowling off Tom Smith for 26, leaving Glamorgan’s chase in the hands of Labuschagne.He did go to the game’s first half-century from 36 balls, but Carlson fell for 14, Douthwaite was lbw first ball and Salter was run out for a duck trying to keep Labuschagne on strike.Labuschagne gave it everything, but he needed 19 from the last over and couldn’t find the boundary enough despite a six from the last ball as Ryan Higgins held his nerve.
Glasgow Rangers failed yet again to win an Old Firm derby under Philippe Clement. This was the fifth time the Belgian had led the Ibrox side into this fixture, coming out with just one draw for his troubles.
The stark reality is, Rangers' fierce rivals in Celtic were far too good. The Light Blues started brightly, yet once Daizen Maeda scored the opener, there was never going to be a way back into the tie for the Gers.
Rangers vs Celtic
The international break perhaps comes at the right time for Clement, who will need to have a long think about what is continually going wrong in these matches.
Several of the players who shone vs Ross County last weekend were dismal when the pressure was on, particularly Rabbi Matondo.
Rabbi Matondo’s statistics vs Celtic
The Welsh winger shone against County, scoring twice while grabbing two assists, but playing Celtic at Parkhead is a completely different story indeed.
Matondo was unleashed on the left wing over the weekend, with Clement hoping he could replicate his feats from the previous match.
He only lasted 38 minutes, hobbling off holding his hamstring, but his time on the field lacked any meaningful impact.
The 23-year-old had one shot (off target), missed a big chance, failed with his only dribble attempt and took just nine touches overall.
This plus his injury combined to make it a horrible experience for the player. It remains to be seen how long he will be missing, but his spell at Ibrox has failed to yield any sort of consistency.
Goals
0
Assists
0
Accurate passes
4/5
Touches
9
Key passes
0
Possession lost
3
Aside from his excellent display against County, Matondo has been off the pace so far this season for the Ibrox side. Perhaps it is time for Clement to unleash Oscar Cortes when he is fit instead.
Rabbi Matondo’s statistics this season
His performance against the Highland side has certainly skewed his statistics, as across the other three Premiership matches, Matondo has been poor.
The winger has missed two big chances already this term, winning only 36% of his total duels per game along with being dribbled past on 0.8 occasions each match. His displays are a far cry from that wonderful goal he scored against Celtic last term. Why can't we see more of that?
Add in the fact he has lost possession 27 times after just four games, and it is clear that while Matondo’s pace might be a great asset, defensively, he is failing to contribute when required.
Cortes appears to be near a return to full fitness. Hopefully, by the time the Light Blues take on Dundee United in the league once the international break is over, the Colombian will be ready to be unleashed.
Oscar Cortes
Although less experienced than Matondo, the 21-year-old has shown flashes of his abilities during his time in Glasgow. A run in the starting XI could allow him to build his confidence, establishing himself as the main option on the left flank.
It is all fine starring against the likes of Ross County, but when it comes to high-pressure games such as the Old Firm, Matondo has failed to showcase anything near his best form.
Fewer touches than Butland: Rangers must drop a star who lost 9/9 duels
The Light Blues attacker may have just played his way out of the starting line-up.
Arsenal have undergone a dramatic transformation in the last five years or so and are practically unrecognisable from the club Mikel Arteta took over in late 2019.
Alongside Sporting Director Edu Gaspar, the Spaniard has completely overhauled the squad, bringing in a swathe of talented players like Ben White, Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice while getting rid of those who wouldn't help him take the team forward.
However, while there has been so much change at the Emirates since the former Captain returned, a few players have remained and become integral members of this title-challenging team; players like Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, and Gabriel Martinelli.
Arsenal's GabrielMartinellicelebrates after Newcastle United's Fabian Schar scores an own goal and Arsenal's second
That said, while there are no question marks over the future of the Englishman and Frenchman, there are some for the Brazilian, although since the manager took over, his valuation has exploded, per Transfermarkt.
1 Martinelli's market value when Arteta took over
saka-martinelli-arsenal
So, on December 20th 2019, Arteta was announced as Arsenal's new head coach, and just ten days earlier, Martinelli saw his valuation rise to €18m, which is about £15m.
It's not an enormous number, but considering he was only signed for £6m from Ituano that summer, it was already a major indication that the club had a special player on their hands.
It was an increase that was more than justified during the season as well.
Despite still being a teenager and suffering a major injury during Project Restart, Martinelli racked up a seriously impressive haul of ten goals and provided four assists in 26 first-team appearances.
2 Martinelli's market value in 2020/21
Unfortunately for the young attacker, his second season in North London was much less spectacular than his first, as he was only able to rack up a total of two goals and two assists in 22 appearances for the club.
However, this disappointing output was mostly due to the severe knee injury he sustained in June, as he didn't even make his first senior appearance until the 19th of December.
That said, as he had still enjoyed a statement season in the campaign prior, his valuation in October 2020 had increased to €25m, which is about £21m, or £6m more than his price tag when Arteta took over.
3 Gabriel Martinelli's market value in 2021/22
Gabriel Martinelli warming up for Arsenal
The June before the 21/22 campaign saw the dynamic winger's valuation decrease to €22m, about £19m, due to his lack of game time the previous season.
However, this wasn't really an issue as, after a pretty miserable year, the Guarulhos-born gem was able to play some regular football again.
He wasn't just making up the numbers either, as, across 36 matches, the 5 foot 10 ace scored six goals and provided seven assists, meaning that he maintained an average of a goal involvement once every 2.76 games.
Moreover, while he didn't play in every game, he remained fit for the entire campaign, giving the manager another option in attack and boosting his reputation in the process.
4 Gabriel Martinelli's market value in 2022/23
Thanks to his impressive displays in 21/22, Martinelli's valuation was once again soaring ahead of the following season. In June 2022, it reached a new peak of €40m or £34m, and over the next ten months, he would more than justify the new price tag.
Arsenal went into the campaign with the goal of finishing in the top four, but fairly early on, it became apparent that they were suddenly in a title race with Manchester City, and a large part of the reason why was the attacking talent in the team, including the then-21-year-old Brazilian.
For example, in his 46 appearances across all competitions, the "unplayable" dynamo, as described by pundit Owen Hargreaves, scored 15 goals and provided six assists, meaning that just a couple of years after suffering a serious knee injury, he was averaging a goal involvement every 1.85 games.
Unfortunately, the Gunners would collapse near the season's end, but Martinelli had now laid down a marker and showed the league just how good he could be.
5 Gabriel Martinelli's market value in 2023/24
So, after such an incredible campaign, the former Ituano gem's reputation was at an all-time high and in June 2023, his valuation would match that fact, with Transfermarkt valuing him at a whopping €80m, which is about £67m.
However, as so many have before him, the 13-capped international struggled to follow up on his barnstorming year, and over the next ten months, he's become a player who increasingly frustrates a fanbase now expecting their team to push for the title.
In his 44 appearances across all competitions, he could only muster up a fairly uninspiring tally of eight goals and five assists, equating to an average of a goal involvement once every 3.38 games.
2019/20
26
10
4
0.53
2020/21
22
2
2
0.18
2021/22
36
6
7
0.36
2022/23
46
15
6
0.45
2023/24
44
8
5
0.29
2024/25
3
0
0
0.00
Now, this wasn't a dreadful return, and some of the discussion around the 23-year-old since has been hyperbolic, but compared to how well he played just the season prior, it was undeniably disappointing.
6 Martinelli's market value in 2024/25
So, we come to this season, and considering the slight step back he took last year, the Gunners' number 11 has unsurprisingly seen his valuation decrease.
Transfermarkt priced him at €70m in May of this year, which is about £59m or 293% higher than it was when Arteta joined the club.
It's set to be a massive campaign for Martinelli this year, as with all the talk of Nico Williams and other talented wingers over the summer, his place in the starting lineup isn't guaranteed anymore.
Worryingly, in his three appearances thus far, he hasn't looked particularly impressive, and when he was substituted off at Villa Park, his replacement, Leandro Trossard, came on and scored with his first touch.
However, Martinelli is still an immensely talented winger, and even though he's been in and around the first team for five years now, he's still relatively young at 23.
Therefore, while his stock might be quite low at the moment, he has all the raw qualities to turn things around and get back to his very best.
How many games Odegaard could now miss for Arsenal after ankle injury news
Manchester United winger Antony's agent has confirmed that the Brazilian is not short on offers in the January transfer window.
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Antony is yet to realise his potential at Man UtdAmorim's arrival hasn't changed fortunesWinger mooted for a January exit from OTFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Arriving at Old Trafford with the reputation of a dynamic and skillful player under then-United boss Erik ten Hag, Antony has struggled to live up to the hype. Over two and a half seasons, the 24-year-old has managed just five Premier League goals, leaving fans and pundits questioning his impact.
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Antony’s struggles have continued under new manager Ruben Amorim, who replaced Ten Hag earlier this season. The winger has found game time limited, with his second start coming during United’s Carabao Cup clash against Tottenham. However, his performance in the 3-0 defeat fell short, leading to his substitution after just 55 minutes. Amorim is expected to overhaul the squad in the upcoming transfer windows, and Antony’s future at the club has been a topic of speculation. The Brazilian winger has been linked with a potential exit, with several clubs reportedly monitoring his situation closely.
WHAT ANTONY'S AGENT SAID
Junior Pedroso, Antony’s agent, has confirmed that there is genuine interest in his client ahead of the January window. Speaking to GiveMeSport, Pedroso stated: “Many clubs have approached us for Antony’s move in January. These clubs wanted to understand the situation for Antony, so I can confirm that there’s concrete interest."
Pedroso emphasised that Antony’s immediate future depends on United’s decisions regarding his role in the squad. He added: "To be fair, Manchester United have never expressed any interest to sell or loan out Antony to us. We never received this sort of communication so far. Man United management never told us that they want Antony to leave, despite the reports we see around about our client."
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Pedroso also hinted at the possibility of a loan move if the club believes it would benefit both parties.
“I can say that Antony’s future is very much tied to Manchester United's interests," he added. "If the club thinks it would be a good idea to loan Antony out in January so he can get more minutes and regain his trust, we will work together on that option. Otherwise, Antony is working hard to regain his place and show his best skills under the new coach Ruben Amorim.”
All the stats, analysis and colour from the title bout of the inaugural World Test Championship
Sidharth Monga20-Jun-2021 Those in the US can watch in English or Hindi here6.30pmThat is stumpsThat is also stumps. New Zealand will love what they have managed today, dragging India back with seven wickets for just 71 runs and then scoring 101 themselves for the loss of just two wickets. The full report on the day that belonged to Kyle Jamieson and Devon Conway is in the works. See you tomorrow.6.25pmThe extravagant flickThat is a shot that Devon Conway loves. He flicks with a flourish if you overpitch on the pads. Remember how he found out the fielder in the last Test? He has done it again, this time wide mid-on. There was build-up to this shot: three straight maidens, 26 dot balls, and Conway saw some release in that leg-side half-volley and ended up playing a touch early and chipping it to Mohammed Shami at wide mid-on.Between the wicket and Ross Taylor’s arrival, they check the light and deem it good enough to continue. Remember how New Zealand lost crucial wickets to Bhuvneshwar Kumar in fading light at Eden Gardens in 2016-17?New Zealand 101 for 2 in 48.4 overs. Conway gone for 54 off 153 balls.PS: As it usually happens, the umpires take players off for bad light just after a wicket has fallen.6pmFirst fifty of the matchICC/Getty ImagesQuite unsurprisingly, it has come from Devon Conway, the find of this summer. He has looked as assured as one can on this pitch and against bowling of this quality. He has progressively picked up the scoring rate. New Zealand 99 for 1 in 44 overs.5.30pmAshwin the conjurerShiva Jayaraman has tried to put numbers here to “being threatening irrespective of conditions”. It is not perfect but is as good as it can be without the help of HawkEye data on spin. Here he is
Eyebrows would have been raised when both R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were included in the playing XI, notwithstanding the conditions that were expected with the inclement weather around. If you had to drop one of R Ashwin or Ravindra Jadeja, who was it going to be? While Jadeja’s batting and fielding add a lot more all-round value to the side compared with Ashwin, the offspinner offers something that the Indian team management has perhaps come to realize in recent times: the ability to create something irrespective of the conditions. Ashwin was the first to take a wicket here, as he has been on eight previous occasions when India haven’t taken a wicket in the first 20 overs of an innings. No other bowler since 2010 has provided his team the breakthrough after 20 overs more often. New Zealand’s Tim Southee is next in this list with seven such dismissals.
New Zealand 76 for 1 in 39 overs.5.20pmAshwin finds the breakthroughThe discipline of Ashwin pays off for the first wicket for spin in this Test. Tom Latham started this session with a hard-hands drive first ball, and has played the kind of shot he has been avoiding two balls after the drinks break. Yes, Ashwin got dip on this, he has been playing around with his pace too, but Latham has done without driving away from the body so far. Here he has done just that and chipped to short extra cover.New Zealand 70 for 1. Latham gone for 30 off 104.5.15pmIndia still looking for a breakthroughDevon Conway and Tom Latham keep growing in confidence as they get surer and surer of what the pitch is doing. Classic batting against high-quality seam bowling. India might not be swinging it, but the ball is still doing enough to keep them interested. But they are a three-man seam attack, which means the fourth bowler is only doing a limiting job, which R Ashwin has done quite well, bowling zero bad balls in eight overs for just 10 runs. New Zealand’s control percentage stays around 83, but the real chances are getting fewer.New Zealand 70 for 0 in 34 overs. Conway 38 off 102, Latham 30 off 102.4.45pmAnother half hour gone4:15
Match Day Masterclass: Swing vs seam – Dale Steyn explains
Six overs, 18 runs, no further wicket. Tom Latham has edged one between third slip and gully, and once driven uppishly through mid-off. Still the key figure is no wicket has fallen. New Zealand 54 for 0 in 27 overs. And the important discussion is between seam and swing. India are predominantly seam bowlers, New Zealand swung it a lot. That was the difference back in New Zealand too. However, India looked similarly comfortable against the new ball before the slightly older ball started to cause them problems. They will hope so for sure, but right now their fans will be nervous.3.55pmOpeners go to teaAFP/Getty ImagesThis has definitely been New Zealand’s session. They took out the last three Indian wickets for just six runs, and then their openers have batted out the testing period to tea for no loss. India haven’t let them run away, conceding just 36 runs in 21 overs. They came close to getting a wicket, especially Mohammed Shami, who took the shoulder of the bat only for the ball to sail over the cordon. New Zealand’s control percentage is 83, which means they have survived 22 false responses without losing a wicket. India were bowled out in 108 of those.New Zealand trail by 181 runs, and if light stays good we are in for another humdinger of a session. Quite a long one too: possibly more than three hours.3pmTom LeavamESPNcricinfo LtdTom Latham has left alone 15 balls in his 30. He leaves a lot of balls. On length many of them. This is quite a contest going on with Ishant Sharma looking to bowl straight with a strong leg-side field to make him play. Jasprit Bumrah is trying to get closer to him without getting straight. They will also remember perhaps how Mohammed Shami got him out leaving the ball in Christchurch last year. Also it takes courage to keep trusting your leaves if you are Latham. He has been dismissed four times leaving the ball in Tests.New Zealand 17 for 0 after nine overs.2.10pmFive time, five time, five time, five time, five timeICC via GettyKyle Jamieson takes out Ishant Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah in successive balls to seal his fifth five-wicket haul in a young career. That’s the most five-fors for anyone in this WTC cycle. Ishant gone fishing, and Bumrah – promoted ahead of Mohammed Shami – trapped by a yorker.Minutes later, following a long sight-screen adjustment break, Ravindra Jadeja edges down the leg side for India to be bowled out for 217. They will be disappointed after they started the day at 146 for 3, but won’t mind this score overall because the conditions continue to be helpful for bowling. There is swing, there is seam, and the sun has gone hiding again.India’s control percentage yesterday was close to 85 yesterday but it has now come down to 80. It has taken 108 balls of false responses for India to be bowled out.The stat of the innings, courtesy Nasser Hussain: zero byes in the innings. BJ Watling was exceptional behind the wicket in his last Test. He will have crucial work to do in front too.India 217 in 92.1 overs (Rahane 49, Kohli 44, Jamieson 5-31)Post-lunch session is onAnd the sun is out
Look! There’s a curious yellow orb in the sky! #WTCFinal pic.twitter.com/aiAs8nUZ6I
— Andrew Miller (@miller_cricket) June 20, 2021
LunchSouthee drops JadejaFinally a dropped catch by New Zealand, Tim Southee reprieving Ravindra Jadeja just before lunch. You might say a good session for New Zealand – and they have contained damage by getting Virat Kohli early – but India will be happy with the score on the board. They still have three wickets in hand, one of them Jadeja. This is already a very good score for these conditions. This session, though, did belong to New Zealand with four wickets falling for 65. You just can’t look away from this action-filled Test. India 211 for 7 in 89 overs with Jadeja and Ishant Sharma at the wicket.12.50pmAshwin plays a crucial hand
Ayyo
— Wear a mask. Take your vaccine. (@prithinarayanan) June 20, 2021
R Ashwin has missed out on a few selections in recent times on account of being lesser the batter than Ravindra Jadeja these days, but that SCG rearguard has been a bit of a turning point. He batted beautifully in treacherous conditions, dropping his wrists when Neil Wagner bowled short at him and then playing some eye-catching drives on the up. One edge flew over the cordon, but even then he went hard at it, giving a possible edge every chance to fly over. Eventually an edge went straight to second slip, but his 23-run stand with Jadeja took India past 200. That is already a good score in these conditions.India 205 for 7 in 85.5 overs. Ashwin gone for 22 off 27 balls.12.15pmIt is a long way down from thereNo slip. Two men behind square on the leg side. Two men just in front. One at midwicket. Three balls from Wagner to go before he will likely be taken off because the new ball will be available. Wagner bowls the short ball, Rahane looks to pull, tries to keep it down, but it is a long way down from that awkward chest height. And he is caught at forward square leg some 30 yards from the bat.It is possibly a miscalculation from Rahane. He doesn’t want a repeat of what happened in New Zealand when they just shut him out with the short ball for hours, but the new ball is just around and this plan is not going to be a prolonged one.Rahane goes for it, and pays the price after a superb innings whose hallmark was how late he played the ball. The thing with this New Zealand attack is that – on these tracks, mind, and not in Asia – you can exhaust yourself surviving two or three sets of plans and then there is always one more examination. India 182 for 6 in 78.4 overs. Rahane gone for 49 off 117 balls.Noon12.2 overs, 25 runs, 2 wicketsYou will have to call that New Zealand’s morning so far, but Rahane and Jadeja have added 15 in 3.2 overs in this partnership. And this seem likes a pitch where runs will be at a huge premium. India are 171 for 5, which is not a bad score at all given how much the pitch is doing. And it is time for the first drinks break of the day.11.45amJamieson’s morningGetty ImagesAnd now Kyle Jamieson has removed Rishabh Pant. A wide tempter, and a shackled Pant has a go at it, edging through to second slip. Pant got off the mark with the 20th ball he faced. And that was because Jamieson went straight looking for the lbw.This is almost a pitch where you are better off bowling a defensive line, especially when you have a five-man seam attack. Just keep the runs down, and the wicket-taking ball will come. Don’t risk giving away easy runs by going searching. New Zealand have followed that plan this morning, and taken two wickets for 10 runs in nine overs.India 156 for 5 in 73.4 overs. Pant gone for 4 off 2211.30amFans’ day outNagraj Gollapudi is your eyes and ears. Here he reports from before the start of play
A sport fan’s experience is unique. Between watching high-quality skill, there are also frustrating waits. However, watching the players in flesh, watching them train and play, watching them having fun during warm-ups – these are things that make it an enriching experience.Dank, damp, soggy it might have been in Southampton the last three days, including Sunday, but the fans, majority of them Indians, have not been deterred. They have filled up to the 25% capacity allowed currently in England at sports stadia and made the noise and created a buzz without which this Ultimate Test might have sounds hollow. The fans are the biggest stakeholders in the end, and both the ICC and even the players recognise that.Indian captain Virat Kohli might have a lot of things on his mind, but on Sunday, about three quarters of an hour from start of play, he heard a young Indian fan call him. The youngster, just about 10 years old, just wanted Kohli to acknowledge him to begin with [Editor’s note: Was it Roman reigns in disguise?]. Walking up the stairs leading to the dressing room, Kohli stopped mid-stride, gave a smile and thumbs-up. Next he asked the youngster, “Having a good time?”. The youngster was jubilant. His parent asked Kohli whether he could take a picture. Kohli said: yes, after the match.That youngster might keep this story for life. It is just another example of the what being a fan means.
On the field, the ball is doing all sorts, and Rishabh Pant has just survived a marginal lbw call. It returned an umpire’s call on hitting the leg stump so the not-out call stayed. India 150 for 4 after 71 overs. Pant yet to open his account having faced 13 balls.11.15amKohli gets that rare jaffaAs Nasser Hussain has told you if you are watching the telly, Kyle Jamieson is easy to leave. According to HawkEye projections, only seven out of 94 balls from Jamieson will have gone on to hit the wicket. That seventh was the one that got Kohli out lbw. And thus ends another mini classic from Kohli. I know you are counting days since he scored a hundred, but I have rarely seen him bat better. He is so in control of what he is doing. He has been batting better than he did in 2018 where he left himself open to chance. The hundreds will come. Till then, enjoy the Kutty Classics.India 149 for 4 in 67.4 overs. Virat Kohli gone for 44 off 132 balls.11amKohli v de Grandhomme’I don’t need to get in an ego battle with you’•Getty ImagesHe is all set to end up as a handful of all-time great batsmen. His response to the quickest of quicks has been to cut down the distance between him and the bowler. “Treat them like a spinner,” Sachin Tendulkar told him.He is a trundler. A typical New Zealand dibbly dobbly. Ironically he is called Sir Colin in cricketing circles because to an outsider it can seem he is being given the respect that should be reserved for Sir Garry but for no apparent reason.Yet Virat Kohli has chosen to show great respect to Colin de Grandhomme. He got out to him in New Zealand last year. Then played and missed here. Played out three straight maidens.The consensus here is this: Kohli has prepared so much against high pace that this nagging pace and equally nagging line and length in seaming conditions is a bit of a blind spot. And that is the beauty of international cricket: a blind spot – I hesitate to call it a weakness – can emerge from anywhere.Kohli’s response has been the most fascinating. He has not tried to stamp his authority. He has looked Mitchell Johnson in the eye and hooked him all over MCG. Here he is forced to play out de Grandhomme. And he has. There is a good chance if he goes driving it will come off, and Kane Williamson will be forced to take de Grandhomme off. But there is also a good chance he might nick one. Or play uppishly to cover. He has not taken that risk. He wants the scoreboard and the team score to stamp his authority.This is a master batsman acknowledging an unlikely nemesis and doing whatever it takes to not give him his wicket. And de Grandhomme’s pace and line is the worst possible pace and line of you are looking to leave balls. Kohli has defended 15 and left alone eight of the 31 balls he has faced from de Grandhomme. Thirty-one balls, five runs, one dismissal is not a pretty reading for this match-up, but Kohli knows it is the final India scorecard reading that matters.
A delayed start, but play will begin today at 11 AM local time (3:30 PM IST) https://t.co/BtiZKR1YDD | #INDvNZ | #WTCFinal pic.twitter.com/QhqyK1M53H
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) June 20, 2021
10.30amLooking at an 11am startThe inspection is over, and we are looking at a half-an-hour delay because of the wet outfield. An 11am start is what we are hearing of.
It's been a rainy morning here in Southampton and the covers have just been removed.
Next inspection will take place at 10.20 AM local time, 14.50 IST.#WTC21 pic.twitter.com/mYnewHrWup
— BCCI (@BCCI) June 20, 2021
10amHow you doin’?
Day three at the #WTCfinal. Grey. Damp. Hardly raining but not yet drying. Meh. pic.twitter.com/UQZz3jcHF7
— Andrew Miller (@miller_cricket) June 20, 2021
After the high of a finale-fitting but brief contest yesterday, how you doin’? How is the appetite for more? We are not yet sure of a timely start, though. We are hearing of an inspection at 10.20am. The problem seems to be the amount of overnight rain and the lack of sun in the morning to dry it out. We will keep you updated about that and more.Since the time Andrew Miller posted the above-quoted tweet, the covers have come off so at least the signs are positive.
Joshua Zirkzee is reportedly moving closer to Manchester United exit as the struggling striker has reached an agreement with Juventus.
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Zirkzee has struggled to find his feet at Man UtdJuventus keen to get Zikrzee in JanuaryRed Devils ready to get a deal over the lineFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The 23-year-old striker has endured a challenging spell since his £36 million ($42m) summer transfer from Bologna, managing just four goals in 27 appearances for the Red Devils. His struggles to adapt have been compounded by his inability to secure a consistent spot in Ruben Amorim’s lineup.
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According to a return to Serie A, where Zirkzee thrived with Bologna last season under coach Thiago Motta, appears to be on the horizon. Juventus are reportedly eager to reunite the striker with his former mentor, who helped him flourish during his breakout campaign in Italy. The ongoing injury struggles of Juventus striker Arek Milik have left Dusan Vlahovic carrying the load in attack. Zirkzee’s arrival would provide much-needed depth and a player tailored to Motta’s tactical style. Juventus’ sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli has reportedly been in discussions with Zirkzee’s agent, Kia Joorabchian, who facilitated Douglas Luiz’s transfer to Juventus earlier this year. While a basic agreement between Zirkzee’s representatives and Juventus appears to be in place, a deal has not yet been finalised.
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After his most recent substitution which saw the Dutchman leave the pitch in tears, Zirkzee is said to be eager to leave Old Trafford just a few months after his arrival. However, the decision may ultimately rest with new United boss Amorim, who has already excluded Marcus Rashford from his squad in recent weeks, and Zirkzee’s first-half withdrawal against Newcastle only added to the uncertainty surrounding his future at the club.
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Financial constraints have left United with limited room for manoeuvring, making player sales essential for securing the funds needed to pursue reinforcements. Zirkzee’s potential departure could help ease those pressures, but the club faces a balancing act in finding a suitor willing to meet their demands. Juventus’ hesitance to commit to a permanent transfer leaves the situation in limbo, with the Bianconeri instead pushing for a January loan until the end of the season.
Arsenal take on Serie A side Atalanta on Thursday evening in their next all-important fixture of an action-packed football calendar, but there are a few concerns for manager Mikel Arteta heading into the contest.
Atalanta vs Arsenal – team news and injury updates
Arteta’s side travel to the Gewiss Stadium in very good mood, having just taken all the spoils in their North London Derby clash away to fierce rivals Tottenham – despite being without a host of key players during their 1-0 victory.
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Defender Gabriel Magalhaes rose highest to thump a header past Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario from close range – feeding off an in-swinging corner – which was eventually enough to gift Arsenal three points and all the bragging rights on derby day.
Beating Ange Postecoglou’s side gets the first of three very difficult games out of the way, but a completely different test now looms in Arsenal’s first Champions League game of the 2024/2025 campaign.
Date
Result
15th Sept 2024
1-0 Arsenal win
28th April 2024
3-2 Arsenal win
24th Sept 2023
2-2 draw
15th Jan 2023
2-0 Arsenal win
1st Oct 2022
3-1 Arsenal win
12th May 2022
3-0 Spurs win
26th Sept 2021
3-1 Arsenal defeat
Atalanta were the side to end Bayer Leverkusen’s unprecedented unbeaten run last season, handing Xabi Alonso’s league champions their first and only 2023/24 defeat with a 3-0 victory over them in the Europa League final, so Gian Piero Gasperini’s side are not to be underestimated.
Heading into the tie, Arteta will have star midfielder Declan Rice back in the team, and reports suggest that Bukayo Saka is likely to be available for Arsenal against Atalanta, having gone off against Spurs with cramp and nothing too serious.
Takehiro Tomiyasu remains out with a knee injury, though, as does summer signing Mikel Merino. The latter is yet to feature after arriving from Real Sociedad, with Merino fracturing his shoulder in training. The Spaniard isn’t expected to be back for weeks as a result, and question marks surround a few of his star teammates as well.
Indeed, there are doubts over the availability of Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf), Riccardo Calafiori (calf) and captain Martin Odegaard (ankle) – who all missed the derby through injury.
Ornstein suggests Odegaard has "significant" Arsenal injury
Zinchenko, Calafiori and Odegaard could miss Atalanta as a result, but we will have to wait for official confirmation from Arteta.
Speaking on The Athletic’s podcast this week, reliable journalist David Ornstein shared his view on the latter’s ankle problem after hearing from the Arsenal boss. Ornstein suggests Odegaard has suffered a “significant” injury at Arsenal, after he was hauled off during Norway’s 2-1 win over Austria in the Nations League last Monday.
“He was never going to make it, it was what Arteta said. And it looks like a significant injury, but look, we don’t know,” said Ornstein.
“The last I heard, they didn’t have full clarity from the scan still, because of the extent of the swelling, but the extent of the swelling concerns you, if you’re an Arsenal fan.
“Because, maybe it could be quite tough, but there’s an international break coming up as well, so they’ll be praying that their creator in chief, their captain, is okay, but they will also have to cope without him if it is going to be a prolonged absence.”
Arteta sparked hope among supporters when the Spaniard refused to rule Odegaard out of the North London Derby on Sunday, but he wasn’t included in the squad after all and remains a doubt for Thursday’s 20:00 kick off.
The £240,000-per-week star is one of Arsenal’s most crucial players, and Arteta will be keen to get him back out on the field as soon as possible.
Oval Invincibles captain excited by new format and opportunities for young players to learn
Matt Roller21-Jul-2021Sam Billings has challenged Jason Roy and Will Jacks to emulate Brendon McCullum’s famous 158 not out on the opening night of the IPL when they open the batting for Oval Invincibles together in the first men’s fixture of the Hundred on Thursday night.McCullum’s innings against Royal Challengers Bangalore set the tone for the tournament’s success as he hit 10 fours and 13 sixes to launch it into mainstream attention back in 2008, and Billings – who will captain the Invincibles against Manchester Originals – said that the occasion would provide Roy and Jacks, their likely opening partnership, with an opportunity to do the same for the Hundred.”I would definitely like to be the guy but I think we’ve got quite a few guys in the dressing room who will want to be that main man,” Billings said. “We’ve seen what Jason can obviously in the T20Is [against Pakistan]. He’s done it for a long time and he does enjoy being the main guy. As an opening batter, like McCullum, he provides the fireworks.”Will Jacks has been in the form of his life for Surrey. It could really be that launchpad for him: first men’s game, showcased at The Oval. It’ll be really exciting to see what he can do and catapult himself to another level. That’s what we’ll see throughout the tournament, these young guys, against the best players in the world. Anyone can make a name for themselves, and how good is that?”Billings’ own preparation for the tournament has hardly been ideal – he was one of the England limited-overs players to test positive for Covid-19 after the third ODI against Sri Lanka, sending the whole squad into self-isolation – but the time he has spent away from the game has given him the opportunity to make some plans for the Invincibles’ campaign.He caught up with Tom Moody, the Invincibles’ head coach and Sri Lanka’s director of cricket, during the international series at the start of the month, and the pair have been in regular contact for a number of weeks to discuss tactics and selection – as well as finding a last-minute replacement for Sandeep Lamichhane, in the form of Tabraiz Shamsi.”Over the next couple of days it’ll be interesting to get the thoughts of the other guys and how the team view the new format,” he said. “We’re the first men’s game to give it a go and the teams that will progress are the ones that will learn quickly. It’s still cricket, isn’t it? The fundamentals of the game don’t change.”It’s incredibly exciting because we’ve had to wait for so long, really. We were talking in the changing room just now and saying it’s a really cool new environment. It’s a franchise competition essentially, where you have a real mix of people you don’t normally play with and normally play against. Guys like Sunil Narine. Colin Ingram… it’s been brilliant.Related
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“Especially for guys who haven’t necessarily had that exposure around the world in those competitions, it’s going to be so good for them and everyone will learn so much. I’ve benefited from being in those environments hugely over the last few years. Someone like Jordan Cox, an exciting talent I’ve spent a lot of time with at Kent, he could really fly on the back of being around this experience.”The best thing about it is the whole competition is being launched by the women’s game – that’s on Wednesday and we’ll all be tuning into that. There are definitely things we can pick up from that, certain tactical decisions that will or won’t work. It’s an advantage to have a sneak preview – it can only be a good thing for us. We are one team, two squads, but one team. Being aligned with the women’s game is huge for the sport and what we want to do moving forward.”Billings also suggested that the Invincibles might have picked up the bargain signing of the whole competition: Saqib Mahmood, who was snapped up for £60,000 in February’s re-draft after failing to agree personal terms with Manchester Originals. Mahmood starred in England’s ODI series win against Pakistan last week, and Billings expects him to continue his form in the Hundred.”Saq and I did a Lions trip together to Dubai about three years ago against Pakistan A,” Billings said. “[Mohammad] Rizwan was playing and Saqi was the best bowler. He bowls with genuine heat, very very skilful and it’s great to see him showcasing what he can do. It’s just been a matter of opportunity and having a run of games.”Everyone knows international cricket is really tough, particularly when you’re playing sporadic games, so for him to get a run of games and dominate the way he has is great. He’s mentioned the PSL and how he’s benefited from playing as an overseas player and how it’s helped his development. Why can’t a lot of our young guys over here benefit in the same way?”
Tottenham's FA Cup clash at non-league Tamworth was delayed as the hosts had to patch up one of the goal nets with tape.
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Tamworth host Tottenham in FA CupThird-round tie delayed due to goal net issuePlayers sort problem with teamwork and tapeFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Spurs' third-round FA Cup tie against the National League side was delayed due to an issue with Tamworth's goal net. Beck-Ray Enoru was hoisted onto team-mate Jordan Thomas Cullinane-Liburd's shoulders to apply some tape and close up the gap in the net. After a few smiles and laughs were shared, the game got underway at 12.36pm on Sunday.
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A lot is riding on this game for Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou. The Australian is under mounting pressure to keep his job after an underwhelming Premier League season so far. He may have created a rod for his own back by stating he always wins trophies in his second season in charge of a team. Defeat to Tamworth could be a telling blow for the ex-Celtic boss.
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Tottenham, who are in pole position to reach the Carabao Cup final, next face bitter rivals Arsenal in the Premier League on Wednesday.
The allrounder is doubtful for Jamaica Tallawahs’ opening match on Friday
Alex Malcolm24-Aug-2021Carlos Brathwaite has been forced into isolation and is in doubt for Jamaica Tallawahs’ opening match of the Caribbean Premier League on Friday after a positive Covid-19 case was reported on his flight from the UK to St Kitts and Nevis.Brathwaite travelled from Manchester to Basseterre ahead of the CPL after captaining Manchester Originals in the Hundred. A fellow passenger tested positive for Covid-19 and he was told to isolate until further notice.”My tests have been negative as far as I know,” Brathwaite said. “We’ve been asked to be in quarantine. I still don’t know the full extent of it. I’ve just been told I need to continue to quarantine as opposed to being allowed to walk around the hotel as was initially allowed. So I’m just as much in the dark as you are, unfortunately.”Related
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Speaking from his hotel room following the announcement that he re-signed with Sydney Sixers for the upcoming BBL season later in the year, the allrounder said he was unsure whether he would be available for the Tallawahs’ opening clash with Saint Lucia Kings on Friday.”Not sure,” Brathwaite said. “I haven’t actually received anything official yet to know when day one is and how many days of quarantine, etc. So yeah, I’m just skipping in my room and doing sit-ups and hoping to be at least physically ready to go if I can.”Brathwaite was retained by Tallawahs along with Andre Russell after they were knocked out in last season’s semi-final by eventual champions Trinbago Knight Riders. He believes Knight Riders won’t have it all their own way this season.”The tournament is going to be interesting,” Brathwaite said. “I don’t think it will be an undefeated run to the finals as Trinidad had last year. I think it will be a little closer. I think all the teams are more evenly matched.”Brathwaite said runs from the top order will be key to Tallawahs’ chances given the quality of the allrounders and spin-bowling.”I feel as though we have a few potential match-winners. Myself, Russell, Rovman Powell obviously in the middle. Our spin attack, we’ve lost Mujeeb and we’ve lost Sandeep but we have Qais Ahmad, Veerasammy Permaul, and Chris Green. So when you look at it that’s a real balanced spin attack, left-arm orthodox, right-arm offspinner, leg-break bowler.”I think we just need to get some runs at the top of the ordr and middle order to provide a good platform. I think too many times last year we were 30 for 3, 40 for 4 and we didn’t really have a good platform to go on and get big scores.”So this year, setting a good platform and if we add the firepower that I know myself, Russell and Rovman can give, added with the spin stocks that we have and the whole bowling unit actually, I think we’ll do well.”