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A round-up of East Zone matches in the Inter State T20 tournament played on February 3, 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Feb-2017

Sayan Ghosh’s 3 for 25 and Pragyan Ojha’s 2 for 29 helped Bengal restrict Odisha to 121 after setting them 146 to win at the Eden Gardens. Odisha’s debutant Subhranshu Senapati (41 off 42) was their only batsman from the top six who got into double figures as they were reduced to 39 for 5 in the ninth over of their chase. Earlier, Bengal were reduced to 67 for 5 in 12th over after being put in, thanks to medium-pacers Basant Mohanty (2-39) and Deepak Behera (2-16) who took the first four wickets between them. Of Bengal’s top four, only Shreevats Goswami (33 off 31) got past 10. It took efforts from Pramod Chandila (32 off 32) and Writtick Chatterjee (33 off 22) – who were both dismissed by Paresh Patel (2-18) – to lift Bengal to 145.File photo – Abu Nechim played a supporting role with 2 for 10 as Assam bowled Tripura out for 85•AFP

Pritam Das, the medium-pacer, finished with his first five-wicket haul in T20s to help Assam skittle Tripura for 85 and set-up a seven-wicket win in Kolkata. Assam now have two wins in three matches in the Inter-State T20 tournament.Tripura, sent in to bat, were tottering at 36 for 5 in the 10th over. Manisankar Mura Singh, the captain, waged a lone battle to top score with 32, before Tripura lost their last five wickets for nine runs. Rishav Das got Assam off to a flier, striking four boundaries in his 21 before they lost two wickets in successive overs. Murasingh, who dismissed Rishav, had his second when he bowled Arun Karthik. But Sibsankar Roy’s 35 not out ensured Assam suffered no further hiccups as they won with 41 balls to spare.

An update has emerged on Celtic as they speed up their plans to replace manager Ange Postecoglou this summer…

What's the latest on David Moyes to Celtic?

According to Football Insider, the Hoops have made West Ham United head coach David Moyes their number one target to take over at Parkhead next season.

The report claims that the club are preparing a swoop to snap the Scotsman up after their last boss moved down south to join Tottenham Hotspur earlier this month.

Majority shareholder Dermot Desmond is now looking for the Australian's heir and has identified the Hammers chief as an option, as the Scottish giants want someone who can make an impact in Europe after Brendan Rodgers and Postecoglou both struggled in continental competitions.

What is David Moyes' record in Europe?

The 60-year-old has an impressive record in European matches in recent seasons and secured his name in his history books by winning the Europa Conference League with West Ham last week.

Moyes, who reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League with Manchester United in 2013/14, made it to the semi-finals of the Europa League in 2021/22 with the Hammers before going all the way to win a trophy this term.

He has won an impressive 18 of his 25 European games in charge of the London-based club, losing four in that time, suggesting that the tactician, who won eight of his 14 UEFA Cup outings with Everton, knows how to get results outside of domestic action.

The Scottish tinkerer, who was once dubbed a "fantastic" coach by ex-United forward Robin van Persie, has proven that he can excel in European competitions and take teams into the latter stages, which is something that has eluded the Hoops for some time.

Celtic have not reached the quarter-finals of any tournament outside of Scotland since they reached the last eight of the UEFA Cup in the 2003/04 campaign.

Postecoglou won three of his 12 Europa League and Champions League group-stage matches combined and did not win a single knockout match during his two years at the club.

Rodgers won one of his 12 games in the Champions League with the Hoops and these statistics suggest that Moyes has the potential to come in and achieve a level of success in Europe for the Scottish giants that their most recent managers have failed to get anywhere near.

Therefore, Desmond could get Celtic firing again on the continent by pulling off this ambitious swoop for the Premier League head coach to replace Postecoglou.

Jason Holder’s opening burst and debutant Ashley Nurse’s three wickets helped West Indies defend 227 on a deteriorating Harare pitch and seal a bonus-point win over Sri Lanka

The Report by Nikhil Kalro16-Nov-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsJason Holder’s figures of 8-0-16-2 set the tone for West Indies’ win•AFP

West Indies’ bowlers, led by Jason Holder and Ashley Nurse, defended 227 on a deteriorating Harare pitch to register a bonus-point win, their first against Sri Lanka at a neutral venue since 1999. West Indies may not have had as much had it not been for enterprising cameos from Jonathan Carter and debutant Rovman Powell.Holder set the tone with a sensational opening spell of swing bowling in which he picked up two wickets and conceded 12 in five overs. He had Dhananjaya de Silva caught behind off an inside edge and drew Kusal Mendis forward with a full delivery that swung away late and took the outside edge. Nurse took a reverse-cupped catch in front of his face at second slip. In between, Johnson Charles effected an agile run-out of Kusal Perera, hitting the stumps directly from square leg.The pitch seemed to slow down as the afternoon wore on with more than a few balls stopping in the surface. Nurse dismissed Sri Lanka captain Upul Tharanga with one such delivery. It pitched on leg, drawing Tharanga into a flick, but the ball spun and bounced extravagantly to take the leading edge and lobbed back to the bowler.A few overs later, Nurse beat the defense of Asela Gunaratne and trapped him in front with what looked like an innocuous offbreak. Suddenly, Sri Lanka had slumped to 79 for 6 on a surface that was getting increasingly harder to bat on, making West Indies’ score of 227 seem a lot more.Sachith Pathirana and Shehan Jayasuriya kept Sri Lanka in the hunt with a 60-run seventh-wicket partnership, but too much damage had been done too early. Nurse finished with 3 for 46, while Shannon Gabriel claimed the last two wickets to return 3 for 31.West Indies’ first away ODI win since the 2015 World Cup was achieved after Jason Holder had lost his sixth straight toss and West Indies were put in. For most of their recent ODI series against Pakistan, their focus was on their biggest strength: power-hitting, as opposed to strike-rotation. It seemed like West Indies had intentionally swapped their strategy, with mixed results.West Indies’ major concern would have been negotiating a testing opening spell in gloomy conditions. Their batsmen were adept at doing so, albeit on a morning with less swing available than in the tri-series opener two days ago.Sri Lanka nipped out the openers in that period, including the run-out of Kraigg Brathwaite who plonked his bat on the crease while completing a run. The bat jarred in the turf and bounced up as Nuwan Kulasekara’s direct hit from mid-on found him short.Debutant Shai Hope and Evin Lewis, a T20 specialist, were then forced to stabilise a faltering innings. As the slower bowlers were introduced, the pair looked in so much discomfort in finding gaps that West Indies could only muster 51 runs between overs 11 and 25. The Harare pitch had begun to deteriorate and the Sri Lanka spinners strangled the batsmen. West Indies had cut out expansive shots on their own volition, and Sri Lanka closed the gaps.Carter, an ODI specialist, found his rhythm from the outset, hitting gaps and finding singles by looking for them. He struck 54, and picked off two fours and two sixes in a 62-ball knock filled with intent.Powell displayed his ball-striking ability in his 29-ball 44, an innings that featured two fours and three muscular sixes into the leg side, all a result of a strong bottom hand.Just when West Indies looked set for a score in excess of 250, Sri Lanka’s seamers returned in the end overs to trigger a collapse. West Indies lost their last five wickets for 18 runs.

Arsenal have made an "official offer" of £12 million for defender Sacha Boey after meeting with Galatasaray vice-president Erden Timur in London, according to reports out of Turkey.

Who could Arsenal sign this summer?

Despite missing out on a first league title in nearly 20 years to Man City, last season was one of real promise for Arsenal, who challenged for much of the 2022/2023 campaign.

Injuries to the likes of William Saliba, a key player in the run-in, arguably scuppered Mikel Arteta's hopes of ending Arsenal's long wait for a domestic crown – but the looming summer transfer window hands them a real opportunity.

Sporting director Edu, speaking back in April, already confirmed that plans are well underway to strengthen Arsenal's ranks in an attempt to keep pace with England's elite.

"Our planning has already been done," said the Brazilian to ESPN (via 90min)"It has already reached the owners. Now, we're taking things step by step. We're focused on how we will finish the season, but we've put in the planning and I'm very excited."

As well as central midfield signings, with the Gunners targeting West Ham's Declan Rice, Arteta also apparently wants new full-backs in his squad.

Real Valladolid's Ivan Fresneda and Boey have been linked to joining Arsenal, and a report by Hurriyet (via Sport Witness) has some news on the latter man.

According to their information, Arsenal and Galatasary vice-president Timur held a meeting in London recently where they discussed Boey's potential move.

After these talks, it is believed the north Londoners made an "official offer", which amounts to around £12 million. However, £17 million is their asking price, and Arsenal are expected to increase their bid for Boey as a result.

As of yet, it is unclear what Arteta's side could be willing to pay for him, but they could apparently offer out more cash.

Who is Sacha Boey?

The 22-year-old has been a key player for Galatasary and ranked as one of their best-performing players per 90 last season in the Turkish top flight.

Boey, who averaged Galatasary's joint-highest rate of tackles and second-most interceptions per 90 over 22/23, has also been seriously endorced by former Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna.

“Galatasaray’s Sacha Boey is a player I really like," said Sagna.“I think he will fit perfectly into Arsenal. As a right-back too, I have to say I think he’s great. I’m sure many clubs have Sacha Boey in mind.“There is a contract to sign.”

Chelsea will finally be able to say goodbye to a dreadful Premier League season on Sunday, as they finish the campaign against high-flying Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge.

Frank Lampard will also be looking to finish with a flourish as his time as interim manager comes to an end, with Mauricio Pochettino expected to be in the dugout for Chelsea when the new season rolls around.

If the English manager wants to avoid tarnishing his reputation at Chelsea even further after a disastrous spell which has returned just one win, one draw and eight losses, he must consider dropping Mykhaylo Mudryk.

Should Chelsea drop Mudryk vs Newcastle?

Todd Boehly has been guilty of several underwhelming transfer decisions in his stint at Stamford Bridge but his £88.5m addition of Mudryk looks set to go down as the worst of the lot.

The Ukrainian winger had caught the eye with his performances for Shakhtar Donetsk, where he contributed 12 goals and 17 assists in 44 appearances, but he had very little senior experience and was perhaps always going to be a risky signing for that sort of money.

His 17 outings for Chelsea certainly haven't produced those numbers as he boasts no goals and just two assists thus far, with the 22-year-old somehow failing to score in the 4-1 defeat against Manchester United in midweek when he was found in the middle of the box under no pressure, slicing a shot well wide.

He also missed a golden opportunity in the 2-0 defeat against Aston Villa which saw Graham Potter lose his job at Stamford Bridge, with journalist Alex Batt criticising his performance on Twitter when he was substituted.

He said: "Mudryk has been such a flop. Once again hauled before 60 mins. Disgraceful signing."

Although it was always going to take time for the wide man to settle and adjust to the demands of Premier League football, WhoScored currently ranks him as the 27th-best performer in Chelsea's squad with a woeful 6.31 average rating for his performances.

The west London outfit would have expected far more from the £100k-per-week youngster and while they will be hoping to see much more from him under Pochettino, he has done little to suggest that he deserves another start today, especially when up against a top-class right-back such as Kieran Trippier – who was nominated for the division's Player of the Year award.

With the likes of Carney Chukwuemeka and Omari Hutchinson waiting in the wings, Lampard should perhaps call upon some of Chelsea's homegrown talent for his final game in charge, as selecting Mudryk again could result in another disaster when he no doubt wants to sign off with a win.

Carlos Brathwaite has said adapting to spin in home conditions that aren’t too different from India, will be key for a young side that is looking to build from their gains in Australia

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Jul-2016West Indies allrounder Carlos Brathwaite has said adapting to spin in home conditions that aren’t too different from those in India will be key for a young side that is looking to build from their gains in Australia.West Indies lost that series 2-0 but showed signs of improvement, mainly in their batting, as the tour progressed. Brathwaite made his debut in Melbourne by scoring 59 and followed it with an attacking 69 in Sydney.”As a team, we ended that tour on a high note, but transforming it now from Australia to West Indies will be a challenge,” he said after a training session in Jamaica. “The pitches are slow here and the Indians will attack with spin, unlike Australia who went with pace. So it’s about being patient for us.”Brathwaite said Phil Simmons, the head coach, has been working with the batsmen over a period of time to get them spin ready ahead of the four-Test series that starts in Antigua on July 21. “Spin has plotted our downfall over the last two years, but I think we’ve gotten better,” Brathwaite said. “The coach has done a good job by getting a few batters in even during the off season, and the focus has been on playing spin better. It’s a matter of us having a few options to each delivery, being patient and playing the waiting game.”With Jerome Taylor having ended his Test career and Kemar Roach searching for match fitness after recovering from an injury following a poor tour of Australia, Brathwaite is part of an inexperienced pace attack alongside Jason Holder, the captain, Shannon Gabriel and uncapped Miguel Cummins, who have a combined experience of 31 Tests.Brathwaite said the challenge as a bowling group would be to remain persistent against a quality batting line-up. “Bowling plans are important because India, undoubtedly, are one of the more strong batting line-ups in the world both home and away. Unfortunately or fortunately, conditions here aren’t too different from India now, but we have our plans for each batsman. It’s about executing the plans and keeping at it even if things don’t go our way.”It’s a lot tougher challenge than our regional first-class cricket. It’s about being patient and understanding momentum. When you’re on top, you stay on top. If the other team is on top, it takes just one good hour to wrest the momentum. Once we understand ebbs and flows of the game, we should do well to put smiles on the faces of the West Indies fans.”

Celtic are concerned that they could lose manager Ange Postecoglou to Leeds United this summer, according to a fresh rumour regarding the Whites' future.

Is Postecoglou shining at Celtic?

The Australian is excelling in charge of the Hoops currently, arguably proving to be one of their best managers over the past decade or two. He has achieved great success since arriving at Parkhead in 2021, winning back-to-back Scottish Premiership titles, as well as two Scottish League Cups and one Scottish Cup.

Postecoglou has only been signing one-year extensions at Celtic, so his current deal is set to expire at the end of this season, which will no doubt lead to speculation surrounding his future. This is where Leeds come into play, with their managerial situation still up in the air.

Sam Allardyce is currently in charge until the summer, as he looks to inspire them to Premier League survival, but it remains to be seen if his services will be retained beyond this season.

Could Postecoglou be Leeds' next manager?

According to Football Insider, Celtic are worried that Postecoglou "has already made up his mind on joining an elite Premier League side this summer". He has overseen an "incredible transformation" at Parkhead, according to the report, and he is on the "wanted list" of both Tottenham and Leeds.

One of the things that has potentially attracted the Whites is his "superb knowledge of the Japanese and Asian markets", turning Kyogo Furuhashi, Reo Hatate and Daizen Maeda into "fan favourites" at Celtic.

Postecoglou could be an inspired appointment by Leeds if they stay in the Premier League this season, with the 57-year-old surely unlikely to want to manage in the Championship next term. He has got the Hoops playing an exciting brand of attacking football since coming in, while his aforementioned trophy count is proof that he can instill a winning mentality in his players.

Granted, the Premier League is a different challenge entirely, but he has the experience in management to not be daunted by it, and the general classy manner in which he conducts himself could make him an enormously popular figure at Elland Road, much in the way Marcelo Bielsa was.

Postecoglou should be viewed as an upgrade on Allardyce, even if the 68-year-old keeps Leeds in the Premier League, with the Englishman viewed as a short-term fix rather than someone who can be a long-term success story at Elland Road. Australia head coach Graham Arnold has lauded him as "fantastic" recently, further outlining his reputation.

Chelsea are "monitoring" the progress of Middlesbrough youngster Finley Cartright ahead of a potential move, according to journalist renowned Fabrizio Romano.

Has Chelsea's recent business worked?

The Blues have spent big in recent transfer windows, bringing in the likes of Mykhailo Mudryk and Enzo Fernandez, among various other signings. So far, their expensive business during Todd Boehly's reign hasn't paid off, however, with the west Londoners languishing in 11th place in the Premier League, following their 2-1 defeat at home to Brighton on Saturday afternoon.

It has been a bitterly disappointing season, with both Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter sacked as manager, and only an unlikely Champions League triumph now left to play for, which is a grim position to be in so early in the campaign.

While big-money and big-name signings will always excite supporters, it is also vital that Chelsea plan for the future, too, looking to bring in the top British talent from the academy and lower tiers. It looks as though they are aiming to do just that, following a new update.

Will Chelsea sign Cartright?

Taking to Twitter, Romano claimed that the Blues are interested in acquiring Cartright's signature in the near future, as they continue to track his progress:

"Understand Chelsea are now monitoring Middlesbrough young midfielder Finley Cartwright, talent born in 2006. He’s one of many prospects in the list to improve the academy and bring in new talents."

Cartright certainly looks like an exciting prospect, with the 16-year-old already an England international at Under-16 level, highlighting his prestige in the youth ranks. The midfielder is someone who could blossom at Chelsea's highly thought-of academy, learning from some top coaches and potentially breaking into the first team further down the line.

The likes of Reece James, Mason Mount and Conor Gallagher are proof that young players are given the opportunity at Stamford Bridge if they are good enough, so the Middlesbrough teenager could use the trio as inspiration, should the Blues end up acquiring his signature.

There is also the option of staying at 'Boro, of course, should he feel that more regular chances at first-team minutes is a better pathway for him, but the all-round high standards that would be afforded to him at Cobham means a move south would arguably be better for his growth.

It is refreshing to see Boehly possibly looking at bringing in top youth players as an important part of his reign, ensuring Chelsea build for the future and not just the present.

Tottenham Hotspur see Brighton wonderkid Evan Ferguson as an 'heir apparent' to star striker Harry Kane, according to Mail journalist Simon Jones.

What's the latest Spurs transfer news?

For much of the past week, reports have centred around James Maddison and the potential Spurs capture of Leicester City's star player – with chairman Daniel Levy apparently determined to sign him.

However, he isn't the only player who Spurs have their eye on amid Levy's search for a new manager also. The Premier League top four hopefuls are still on the lookout for Antonio Conte's replacement in north London, yet the appointment of Chief Football Officer Scott Munn could mean Tottenham have more resources to start preparing for the summer transfer window.

As such, there are a few positions Spurs could need to reinforce, with a centre-back or two also previously rumoured to be a priority for the club. As well as this, the Lilywhites may need to start thinking about which strikers could eventually take Kane's mantle.

Not only is the 29-year-old out of contract in 2024, but he is also slowly approaching the twilight phase of his career, meaning Tottenham have their eyes on possible long-term replacements.

Now, according to The Daily Mail reporter Jones, there has been an interesting update on that front as Spurs target Brighton starlet Ferguson. Man United are also said to be admirers of the 18-year-old but Tottenham see Ferguson as an 'heir apparent' to Kane.

Indeed, both Spurs and United apparently have a 'strong interest' in the teenager, coming after claims that Ferguson is also wanted by heavyweights Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

Should Spurs make a move for Ferguson?

The forward is a seriously exciting prodigy with Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi even claiming that he has the potential to become a European great.

As per WhoScored, Ferguson has racked up six goal contributions in total over six full starts and as many appearances off the bench – impressive numbers for a player so young.

Brighton are still well in contention for a Europa League qualification place with two games in hand on fifth-placed Spurs – and Ferguson has contributed effectively to their standings.

Called 'world-class' by Brighton reporter Ryan Adsett, Ferguson has also impressed for the Republic of Ireland at international level – already scoring his first goal for them against Latvia in late March.

It's hardly surprising Spurs have taken note of his exploits, yet it appears they face stiff competition for his services.

Leeds United's financial difficulties in the early 2000s were well-documented, and this woe translated into their devastating fall from grace.

In what seemed like an instant, the Whites went from Champions League semi-finalists and Premier League challengers to relegation fodder, culminating in their 2004 slump into the Championship.

During this period, in a desperate attempt to balance the books, many of their top assets were sold at a cut-price as other top clubs came circling around their sinking ship.

They saw opportunities to pick at the bones of this flawed institution that held no bargaining power, and as such their rivals essentially took what they wanted.

This did not end with their relegation though, as a year after then-manager Kevin Blackwell oversaw one of their most frustrating sales as academy graduate Aaron Lennon left for Tottenham Hotspur. Whilst his departure alone stung, the tiny fee paid only served to further twist the knife into their gaping financial wound.

How much did Aaron Lennon cost Tottenham Hotspur?

Having scored only once for the Yorkshire outfit, the 5 foot 5 winger had still captured the attention in their first season in the second division. His electric pace and quick feet made him a threat to any full-back, so it was unsurprising to see him coveted by the likes of Spurs.

However, because of their aforementioned fiscal deficiencies, the Lilywhites would only have to part with £1m to secure this diminutive speedster.

Given how important the 35-year-old became for them, a staple of the Premier League, marks just how big of a blow this turned out to be. Lennon would go on to feature 364 times for Spurs, scoring 30 and assisting 79.

Such was his influence on not just this club but the league as a whole, journalist Joao Vitor Castanheira branded him a "legend" despite only winning a sole EFL Cup.

He truly was capable of the spectacular, with fellow journalist Alasdair Gold reminiscing on the times when the winger would be "tearing defences to shreds with his pace" before finishing things off with a stunner; or as writer Ian Mitchelmore put it, an "absolute beauty".

A nomadic figure who is now synonymous with the English top flight, Lennon would also go on to play for Everton and Burnley whilst becoming a true pioneer in the mental health sphere within the sport.

His work on and off the pitch has made him a true cult hero figure at every club he has graced, but Leeds have the right to feel the hardest done by given the manner in which he was snatched from them only to be turned into a legend for everyone but them.