da bet7： O Internacional deu passos importantes para obter dois reforços que são velhos conhecidos do torcedor: Aránguiz e Luiz Adriano. Passos esses que tiveram o importante reforço da presença do presidente Alessandro Barcellos em solo europeu, tratando das questões pessoalmente.
Nos dois casos, o Inter busca a liberação antecipada dos jogadores, que têm contrato até junho com Antalyaspor-TUR e Bayer Leverkusen-ALE, respectivamente. Apesar da dupla poder assinar pré-contratos, as atuais equipes do meio-campista e do atacante precisam aceitar que os atletas não cumpram o restante de seus vínculos para uma liberação imediata.
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da betsul： >Técnico do Inter afirma que nenhuma equipe está superior em desempenho no Gauchão
Outro ponto que pesa positivamente na situação de Luiz Adriano é a aceitação de um acordo baseado em produtividade. Aos 35 anos, o atacante, que é torcedor confesso do Inter, assinaria contrato com menor valor salarial de início, porém com metas que acabaram por elevar seus ganhos.
Em sua segunda passagem no futebol europeu após período no Palmeiras entre 2019 e 2021, Luiz fez 38 partidas com a camisa da equipe turca nas últimas duas temporadas. Ao todo, foram oito gols e três assistências.
Sobre Aránguiz, apesar da negociação estar em caráter menos avançado, há otimismo por um “final feliz”. Todavia, há certa preocupação pelo fato do atleta de 33 anos conviver com lesões nos últimos anos, estando justamente “de molho” no clube alemão por conta de problema na região do quadril. Ele está longe dos gramados há quatro meses. A última vez que atuou foi no dia 15 de outubro de 2022.
Somerset were bailed out by their lower order after choosing to bat against Warwickshire on the opening day of their LV=Insurance County Championship game at Edgbaston.After rain wiped out the first session, the visitors plummeted to 37 for 6 against a disciplined seam attack led by the evergreen Chris Rushworth with 4 for 33.But captain Tom Abell and Lewis Gregory added 56 for the seventh wicket and, after they perished with the total still short of 100, Neil Wagner (55 not out) and Josh Davey (28 not out) added an unbroken 84.The comfort with which the ninth-wicket pair scored their runs must have embarrassed their top-order colleagues. It also suggests that, on a good batting pitch, despite Somerset’s recovery, Warwickshire remain strongly placed.Rushworth and Olly Hannon-Dalby started this match with 100 Championship wickets between them this season and took just seven overs to lift that tally to 103. Tom Lammonby offered no shot to a straight ball from Rushworth who also had Lewis Goldsworthy taken at first slip by Rob Yates. Sean Dickson fell lbw to a Hannon-Dalby in-ducker.Both change bowlers then struck in their first over as Andy Umeed edged Ed Barnard to Will Rhodes at second slip and James Rew was caught in two minds on a pull shot and top-edged a return catch to Craig Miles.When Barnard changed ends, he took just one ball to cause further damage. This time it was Tom Banton’s turn to press the self-destruct button when he left a ball that knocked out off-stump. At 37 for 6, Somerset were in danger of recording a new Championship low against Warwickshire, surpassing their 50 all out at Edgbaston in 1951 and Taunton in 2011.That was avoided after Abell, who had already dug in deep, found some support from Gregory, whose forceful 39 included eight fours before he lifted Rushworth to extra cover. The former Durham seamer quickly added his 655th first class wicket when Abell edged to wicketkeeper Michael Burgess.That was 96 for 8 but Wagner and Davey batted with freedom to post a half-century stand in 69 balls. Wagner reached a fluent 47-ball fifty with four hammered through the covers off Will Rhodes and the pair remained intact overnight and ready to push on in the morning to challenge Somerset’s record ninth-wicket stand against Warwickshire – 180 by Steven Davies and Jamie Overton at Edgbaston in 2020.
Chelsea are in talks to sign a Brazilian wonderkid who is already playing first-team football at the age of just 16, according to a new report.
Chelsea acting early in the market as Denner Evangelista set to sign
Chelsea made a new signing over the weekend in the form of Brazilian full-back Denner Evangelista, with Fabrizio Romano reporting that the Blues have agreed to pay £11.5 million for the 17-year-old. Romano said that Denner is soon to sign a seven-year contract at Stamford Bridge, but that he won’t join his new club until 2026 after he turns 18.
Denner is just the latest in a growing-line of Brazilian youngsters to have joined the club in recent years, including Deivid Washington, Andrey Santos and Angelo. Most notably, young winger Estevao – who is widely regarded as one of the best young talents in world football – will join the Blues in the summer, having agreed an initial £29 million move to West London back in June.
Young Brazilian star Estevao Willian
Thanks to his sensational displays for Palmeiras this season, the 17-year-old’s impending arrival has many a Chelsea fan excited, who are hoping he can bring some much-needed dynamism in the final third for Enzo Maresca’s side.
Blues also in transfer talks for long-term target Gabriel Mec
Clearly not content with the signings of Denner and Estevao, according to Graeme Bailey on TBR Football, Chelsea are now also pursuing the signature of Gremio attacking midfielder Gabriel Mec. Bailey claims that the Blues tried and failed to land Mec, 16, last summer, but are now once again in talks with Gremio and are hopeful they can secure a deal.
Chelsea are said to be pushing hard to land Mec, who is already playing first-team football at the Arena do Grêmio, having been handed his debut by manager Gustavo Quinteros earlier this year. They will face competition from Barcelona, however, who are also keen on the youngster.
Mec is represented and Neymar’s father, Neymar Sr., and has already been compared to the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star by analyst Ben Mattinson.
“Neymar-esque play-style and comes from the same academy (Grêmio) as Ronaldinho. Hard to not be excited by him,” wrote Mattinson on X. “Mec has rapid feet able to do skills so quickly that he can fool defenders easily,” he said. “A joy to watch, he’s a real throwback Brazilian.”
After Mec made his Gremio debut in January, Mattinson wrote of him: “Played with so much confidence to drive at the defence onto either foot, drawing players to him to create spaces. Mec is the biggest talent of his age group and another prospect ready for a breakthrough season.”
Injury just 20 days away from New Zealand’s ODI World Cup opener; timeline for recovery yet to be established
Vithushan Ehantharajah15-Sep-2023Tim Southee will fly home to New Zealand with his World Cup involvement in doubt, after scans revealed he had dislocated and fractured a bone in his right thumb while dropping a catch during the fourth ODI against England.Southee suffered the injury trying to take a catch off Joe Root (on 8 at the time) while fielding at a wide first slip off the last delivery of the 14th over at Lord’s, bowled by Ben Lister. He signalled his discomfort immediately before being escorted off the field by a member of the touring medical team.After leaving the ground for a scan, he did not play any further part in New Zealand’s 100-run loss – Trent Boult replaced him as a substitute fielder, while he didn’t come out to bat in the latter stages of the innings.With just 20 days before New Zealand begin their World Cup campaign, against England in Ahmedabad in the opening game of the tournament, New Zealand will hope the further assessment can allow Southee to keep his place in the 15-man squad for what will be his fourth ODI World Cup.”It’s not ideal for Timmy,” Tom Latham, New Zealand’s captain, said. “He’s a massive leader amongst the group and obviously he’ll be assessed over the coming days when we get back home to see how bad it is, but we do have a bit of time leading into those first couple of games, so we’ll know more over the next couple of days.”He’s a pretty resilient character, so I’m sure he’ll be doing all he can to be on the plane, ready for that first game. But it’s hard to know at this point what the timeframe will be. Once he gets home and has a few more scans, we’ll know the extent of what’s going on.”Remarkably, Southee was the third of three injuries sustained in New Zealand’s cordon, and their fourth of the match overall. Daryl Mitchell dislocated his ring finger taking a smart low catch to dismiss Jonny Bairstow, before Finn Allen – on for Mitchell – suffered a laceration on the little finger of his right hand when giving Root his first life on 7 after a misjudged late cut, again off Lister. Root was unable to make the most of the two bits of fortune, eventually bowled by Rachin Ravindra for 29. However, Allen was later cleared of any further damage to his finger.Lister’s misery was compounded when he hobbled off with a hamstring issue after bowling six overs, an injury that has now ended his stint with Kent, for whom he was due to play in the remainder of their County Championship campaign. Neither Allen nor Lister, who was drafted into this series as a replacement for Adam Milne, are in the World Cup squad.Mitchell was able to return to the field and cover for the loss of two quicks with seven overs of medium pace. He finished with figures of 2 for 40, removing Jos Buttler for 36 with his fourth delivery, and then snaring David Willey in the final over as England reached 311 for 9. However, he made just 4 from 14 balls with the bat as New Zealand’s series hopes faded.
da dobrowin： It is hard to map out what exactly a successful season for Celtic would look like next season. They have won the Scottish Premiership title in each of the last four seasons and won the League Cup last term.
da brdice： Perhaps Brendan Rodgers will be targeting more progress on the European stage, after reaching the play-off round of the Champions League against Bayern Munich in the 2024/25 campaign.
Celtic manager BrendanRodgersbefore the match
In order to kick on, the Hoops could look to use the summer transfer window to improve their squad, as they have already done with the additions of Kieran Tierney, Ross Doohan, and Benjamin Nygren.
There could be more yet to come for the Hoops, though. Who will move on from Parkhead? Who will fill the spot Jota’s injury has left on the wing? Here’s what Celtic’s dream summer could look like if everything goes according to plan.
The new arrivals Club-record winger and Premier League striker sign
Brighton & Hove Albion's Evan Ferguson.
Jota suffered a knee injury in May that ruled him out for up to nine months, and this has left the Premiership champions in need of a new left-sided attacker for next season.
Sarpsborg forward Sondre Orjasaeter is a reported long-term target for the Hoops, but is valued at £11m by the Norwegian club, which would see him equal the club-record fee paid for Arne Engels last year.
Sondre Orjasaeter (Eliteserien)
2024
2025
Appearances
28
7
Goals
5
1
Big chances missed
5
2
Big chances created
12
7
Key passes per game
1.9
2.0
Assists
5
2
Dribbles completed per game
2.4
2.7
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the 21-year-old talent is a direct and dynamic winger who likes to take opposition players on, whilst delivering end product with goals and assists as well.
Orjasaeter may not be the only high-profile signing Celtic make this summer, in a dream world, as they are also reportedly confident of landing a loan move for Brighton striker Evan Ferguson.
The Ireland international, whose finishing was lauded as “phenomenal” by James Milner, has scored 13 goals in 28 Premier League starts in his career, and could be the replacement for Kyogo Furuhashi, who joined Rennes in January.
Ferguson would not be the only striker to arrive at Parkhead this summer, though, as Callum Osmand has put pen to paper on a four-year contract. The 19-year-old is yet to make his senior bow for Fulham, however, and could be a back-up option at first.
As well as the teen sensation, Celtic are set to sign left-sided centre-back Hayato Inamura, as per Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph, to bolster their depth at the back.
That is not all. The Hoops are also reportedly in the market to add another midfielder to the group, and are interested in signing Andy Irving from West Ham United to provide competition for Callum McGregor.
The Scotland international completed 90% of his attempted passes in ten Premier League outings last season, and could offer an assured presence in possession for Rodgers when called upon.
Final incomings: Kieran Tierney, Ross Doohan, Benjamin Nygren, Sondre Orjasaeter, Evan Ferguson, Callum Osmand, Hayato Inamura, Andy Irving
The outgoings Bye-bye Auston Trusty
Naturally, a host of new signings will mean that members of the current first-team squad will likely move on from Parkhead, as has already been the case with Scott Bain’s move to Falkirk to make way for Doohan’s arrival as the third-choice goalkeeper.
Bringing Orjasaeter and Nygren in, on top of already having Nicolas Kuhn, Daizen Maeda, Hyun-jun Yang, and Jota, could mean that Luis Palma and Marco Tilio, who spent last season on loan at Olympiacos and Melbourne City FC, respectively, could be on the chopping block.
They would find game time incredibly difficult to come by, hence why they had to go out on loan even before two potential new additions, and that is why they will be sold in an ideal world.
The same can be said of Stephen Welsh, Gustaf Lagerbielke, and Hyeok-kyu Kwon. They all spent the 2024/25 campaign out on loan away from Parkhead, and the signings of Inamura and Irving, in a dream summer, would send them even further down the pecking order, which is why they should be moved on.
Perhaps the most surprising exit that could happen in a dream world this summer, though, is one for Auston Trusty, who only joined the club from Sheffield United last year.
24/25 Premiership
Liam Scales
Auston Trusty
Appearances
26
22
Clean sheets
14
10
Tackles + interceptions per game
1.9
2.3
Dribbled past per game
0.2x
0.5x
Error led to shot
1
4
Error led to goal
0
1
Duel success rate
72%
64%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Liam Scales significantly outperformed the USA international as a left-sided centre-back option for Celtic, making far fewer mistakes and winning a much higher percentage of his duels.
These statistics suggest that Scales should be the first-choice option in that area of the pitch, which is now set to be bolstered by the signing of Inamura. This would leave Rodgers with three left-sided centre-backs to fill one position, as well as having Maik Nawrocki who can cover there.
Auston Trusty
Therefore, moving Trusty on this summer, after just one season at Parkhead, could be a dream result for the Hoops, as it would recoup some money, if there are any interested clubs, and leave them with Scales and Inamura to compete for that position, with Nawrocki and Carter-Vickers on the other side.
Final outgoings: Auston Trusty, Luis Palma, Stephen Welsh, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Scott Bain, Marco Tilio, Hyeok-kyu Kwon
The contract renewals Daizen Maeda puts pen to paper
Celtic may also want to tie down some of their top talent this summer to avoid losing them. Sky Sports have reported that the club are set to open contract talks with both Daizen Maeda and Nicolas Kuhn.
Brentford have been linked with a potential bid for the Japan international, whilst RB Leipzig are reportedly in talks to sign the German winger ahead of next season.
This shows that the two Celtic attackers are in-demand and that is why pinning them down to new contracts could help to secure their respective futures at Parkhead.
Another player who could warrant a new contract is central midfielder Luke McCowan. His current deal is due to expire in the summer of 2027 and the Hoops may want to extend his deal to ensure that they are not in a position where they may have to sell him next year to avoid losing the Scottish ace for nothing.
Contracts renewed: Daizen Maeda, Nicolas Kuhn, Luke McCowan
All in all, the business mapped out here could represent a special summer for the Premiership champions, as they would bolster their squad with fresh talent, secure the futures of their top players, and move on fringe players who are unlikely to contribute much on the pitch.
Celtic have hit gold on "incredible" star who's worth way more than Nygren
Celtic have hit the jackpot with this star who is currently worth millions more than Benjamin Nygren.
The Red Devils have suggested making supporters pay for the right to guarantee a seat at their new stadium – they must abandon the idea immediately
Manchester United are on their third-consecutive pre-season tour of the United States as they yet again take part in touring some of the best stadiums America has to offer. And it is fitting that United and the rest of the teams participating in the Premier League's Summer Series should be playing at NFL venues, because it is these very arenas which led to English football modernising and the creation of the most watched league in the world.
As recounted in Joshua Robinson and Jonathan Clegg's book 'The Club: How the Premier League Became the Richest, Most Disruptive Business in Sport', then-Arsenal owner David Dein and Tottenham chief Irving Scholar were inspired to help form the breakaway Premier League after their trips across the pond to watch American football. The pair were blown away by the modern stadiums, the friendly atmosphere and, in Dein’s case, the cleanliness of the toilets. The pleasant experiences they had watching live sport was in sharp contrast to the contemporary terraces of English football, where "the threat of physical violence hung in air – along with the powerful smell of urine".
The NFL grounds that Dein and Scholar visited would later influence Arsenal and Tottenham’s new stadiums, which opened in 2006 and 2019, respectively. The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium even now hosts NFL matches. So when United began considering whether to renovate Old Trafford or build a brand new stadium, it was inevitable that they too would look to the NFL for inspiration.
Club staff studied new arenas, such as the SoFi stadium in Los Angeles, the Metlife in New Jersey and the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on their tours in 2023 and 2024. When United unveiled plans for their £2 billion, 100,000 capacity stadium in March, designed by Sir Norman Foster, the influence of American stadiums was plain to see.
It has recently emerged, however, that the club are also looking into adopting one of the most controversial and influential policies enacted by NFL franchises: charging supporters for the right to buy season tickets, known in the U.S. as Personal Seat Licences (PSL). And if the club want to avoid a full-scale revolt from supporters and alienating many of the fans who have watched the team week in, week out for decades, they need to urgently drop the proposal.
Getty
Worrying direction
The introduction of PSLs, which could cost as much as £4,000 ($5,285) to reserve a seat at the new stadium, is just one of many ideas put forward in focus groups between the club and a select number of supporters. Such data gathering exercises are common before building a new stadium, and Everton conducted similar surveys while drawing up plans for their new ground, which officially opens its doors later in August.
During United’s consultations with fans, different groups were shown different content so the club could gauge reactions to a range of early ideas and themes to understand what resonates, what needs refinement, and how their thinking should evolve. And the club have been keen to stress that the issue of PSLs was just one of many questions asked in order to inform the commercial model. It is not a proposal, merely a question within a much wider survey and discussion point within a focus group.
And yet the fact that such a controversial idea – one never previously contemplated in English football – was even put forward by United suggests a worrying direction of travel. Red Devils fans have felt completely ignored and exploited ever since the Glazer family bought the club in 2005 in the hugely controversial leveraged takeover. The new owners immediately raised ticket prices and subsequently steadily increased them over the next few years while doing almost no renovation work on Old Trafford.
But things have gotten even worse since Sir Jim Ratcliffe bought his minority stake in the club in 2024.
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Getty Images Sport
Greed over tradition & loyalty
The club did away with child and senior ticket concessions in the middle of last season, and when Ratcliffe was asked about the move by , he said the club cannot charge less for tickets than Fulham. The Cottagers have the highest season ticket prices in the league and charged up to £160 for the most recent fixture against United. But that was just the start of it.
A couple of months later, hundreds of fans who have sat in the Sir Bobby Charlton stand for decades were informed that their seats would be relocated so their spots, in a prime location next to the pitch and close to the tunnel, could be re-issued as VIP seats. United later announced a five percent increase in season tickets and then revealed that single-match tickets could be priced as high as £97 for the biggest games.
The increases were branded “a kick in the teeth” by the Manchester United Supporters Trust and came after a number of well-attended protests before matches. But rather than listening to supporters’ concerns like Manchester City did when they took similarly controversial measures, United are now considering even more exploitative strategies such as PSLs. And even though the proposal only popped up in a data gathering exercise, supporters are getting wary.
"This will force out supporters who have followed our club for decades home and away," Chris Haymes of The 1958, which has organised the mass protests against the Glazers and the latest measures imposed by Ratcliffe, told GOAL. "It will price out the youth, local communities, and generations of loyal fans.
"It’s another step towards the Americanisation of our game which is ripping football away from its working-class roots, showing just how out of touch our club and owners have become. This isn’t about the game or the supporters – it’s about profit and greed over loyalty and tradition. We don’t believe a word the club say. United are a sounding board for all other clubs. Their actions prove their intentions. We will be campaigning hard against this."
Getty Images Sport
Not understanding football's soul
Long-standing United season ticket holder Steve, who has been in touch with several people who have attended the focus groups, also lambasted the notion of PSLs. He said: "Part of the pitch is that it not only secures your seat, but also protects you from being moved. That’s laughable considering the club has displaced 500 fans, many of them families who have sat in those same seats for over 25 years.
"United created the problem, forced people out, and now there's talk of offering a paid solution to stop it from happening again. This is what happens when you have owners who don’t understand the soul of the game. They undervalue the very people who make football what it is – the fans. We matter more than they realise."
PSLs are used across all major U.S. sports, but they are most common in the NFL. The Carolina Panthers were the pioneers, introducing the scheme in 1993, ahead of their launch. The move raised $122 million and helped pay for the bulk of the franchise's new home, now called the Bank of America Stadium, which opened in 1996 at a cost of $187m.
Other franchises saw the success and followed suite. Today, 21 of the 32 NFL teams employ PSLs or a similar scheme. The Los Angeles Rams – owned by Arsenal chief Stan Kroenke – charge the most, pricing seat licences at up to £166,000 in 2017 ahead of the opening of the SoFi Stadium. The Dallas Cowboys, meanwhile, charge a maximum of £110,000.
Getty
'Not a Rich People's Stadium'
The first MLS team to start a PSL scheme was Charlotte FC, ahead of their launch in 2022. This was despite the club having no stadium costs to pay as they play at the Panthers' Bank of America Stadium. And the scheme has proved to be a total disaster, as home games never sell out and PSL owners have complained of being unable to sell their seat for individual games without significantly lowering the price.
Although the schemes are widespread and many fans cough up the money, they remain hugely controversial and unpopular. The Minnesota Vikings provoked the wrath of state governor Mark Drayton when they announced a PSL scheme for their U.S. Bank Stadium in 2012. "I strongly oppose shifting any part of the team’s responsibility for those costs onto Minnesota Vikings fans," he wrote in a letter to the club's owners. "This private contribution is your responsibility. Not theirs. I said this new stadium would be a ‘People’s Stadium’, not a 'Rich People’s Stadium'".
Drayton hit the nail on the head: the schemes are a shameless way for already rich owners to avoid paying for a stadium which they ultimately benefit more from than anyone else. NFL owners are famous for shirking the funding for stadiums, as only three of the leagues 30 arenas were entirely privately funded (the SoFi, Metlife and Gillette stadiums).
Completing a remarkable revival, having been engulfed in turmoil ahead of the tour, Pakistan claimed a rare series triumph in Australia after a comprehensive eight-wicket victory on a bouncy Optus Stadium surface in the third and final ODI.Having lost a heartbreaker in the opener at the MCG, Pakistan rebounded brilliantly with almost flawless performances in Adelaide and Perth to completely overwhelm world champions Australia, who have plenty of question marks ahead of the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025.It was Pakistan’s first series victory in Australia since 2002 and a result made more incredible given white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten quit just a week before the tour amid well-worn Pakistani turmoil.But Pakistan appeared galvanised under Jason Gillespie, their Australian Test coach who is filling the shoes of Kirsten, and were ignited by a rampant four-pronged attack that routed a shorthanded Australia without their Test stars for 140 in just 31.5 overs.There were no infamous wobbles for Pakistan, who romped home in the 27th over.Australia capped a sluggish series with a sloppy performance in the field. Opener Saim Ayub had an early reprieve, while Adam Zampa spilt a sitter at deep square leg to reprieve Abdullah Shafique as Australia faced the humiliating prospect of a first ever 10-wicket ODI loss at home.But Lance Morris, who showcased his trademark pace by hitting speeds in the mid-140 kph, at least saved Australia from an unwanted place in the record books with the wickets of Shafique and Ayub in the 18th over.Lance Morris dismissed the two openers in one over•Getty Images
Interim captain Josh Inglis opted not to use Morris until the 15th over with allrounder Marcus Stoinis surprisingly given the new ball alongside Spencer Johnson.Skipper Mohammed Rizwan and Babar Azam, his predecessor, were nerveless with a flurry of boundaries to complete a match that finished two hours ahead of the scheduled close time.It completed a memorable first series in charge for Rizwan, who had no hesitation to bowl first and his decision was vindicated. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah claimed three wickets apiece, while in-form Haris Rauf finished with 2 for 24 as his sheer speed once again shook up the batters.Numerous batters succumbed to hostile short balls, while allrounder Cooper Connolly had to retire hurt on 7 after copping a blow to his left hand attempting to pull Mohammad Hasnain. He was taken for scans and did not field in Pakistan’s innings.Pakistan’s attack smartly did not get carried away with the bounce on offer as their quicks bowled unrelenting line and lengths to totally smother Australia, who once again would be disappointed with their shot selections on a surface that was not a minefield. No Australia batter scored a half-century across the series.Pakistan entered in the unfamiliar position of favourites in a country where they have endured so much misery over the years.Their optimism was heightened by Australia making five changes after skipper Pat Cummins, Steven Smith, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Marnus Labuschagne were rested as they start to prepare for the first Test against India.Australia had to rejig their batting-order, but openers Matt Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk remained at the top of the order and desperate to fire having struggled across the opening two games.They appeared intent on backing their ultra-aggressive methods and scored 12 runs in the opening over. But things quickly went downhill with Fraser-McGurk caught at second slip after attempting to drive a good length delivery from Naseem.Josh Inglis gives the team talk on captaincy debut•Getty Images
He failed to move his feet in a dismissal that is common in Perth and his wicket brought to the crease allrounder Aaron Hardie, who was elevated to No. 3 in a role he fulfils with aplomb for Perth Scorchers in the BBL. Even though he was on his home ground, Hardie looked nervous and fell in a moment of indecisiveness and edged to second slip in a reward for Afridi, who conjured beautiful seam movement.The pressure was on Inglis, who was already amid a big day in his captaincy debut having been earlier selected in Australia’s 13-member squad for the Perth Test against India. Inglis has often performed a rescue role for Scorchers in the BBL, but he couldn’t get going and skied a short Naseem delivery to Rizwan.Short managed to get through the early barrage as he set his sights on furthering his bid to become Australia’s permanent ODI opener. But on 22 he picked out square leg to gift a wicket to Rauf, who was feeling giddy at his good fortune.Rauf ramped up his speed and claimed Glenn Maxwell for a duck as Australia stared down the barrel of being routed for under 100. The only momentary concern for Pakistan was Afridi grimacing in agony after being whacked on his left thumb taking a throw at the stumps.But he returned and was faced with a counterattack from Sean Abbott, who top-scored with 30. But Afridi ended Abbott’s resistance and then knocked over Morris to send the large contingent of Pakistan fans in the terraces into raptures and they continued to roar through the afternoon.
Dour application and discipline from MP’s top four kept Siddarth Kaul and co. at bay
Daya Sagar07-Jun-2022The first four overs of the day were all maidens. The first 11 yielded just 14 and not a single boundary. By the time a four was struck in the 30th over, the score had swelled to a grand total of 56 for no loss.In era of T20 cricket, the way Madhya Pradesh went about their batting would probably be classified as “super-slow”. The KSCA stadium in Alur is hosting three quarter finals of the Ranji Trophy, and while they just can’t stop scoring at Mumbai-Uttarakhand, Karnataka-Uttar Pradesh is just producing wickets by the bucketful. Over on the corner ground, there are no such events worth talking about between Punjab and Madhya Pradesh.For the Punjab bowlers, the lack of wickets was not down to lack of effort, but for their opposition, the slow run rate was a clear sign of game awareness and a considered strategy. One that helped them push ahead in the contest in the closing stages of the second day.For Punjab, the experienced new-ball pair of Siddarth Kaul and Baltej Singh started well after their batters had put together 219. There was a generous cloud cover and a breeze blowing cross-field, and Kaul and Baltej kept bowling in a good channel outside off, varying their lengths ever so slightly, to keep Yash Dubey and Himanshu Mantri quiet. A wicket looked imminent at all times. Punjab would have to wait till the 33rd over for their breakthrough, though, as Dubey fell to an injudicious slog-sweep against Mayank Markande.That was half of all the success Punjab would have as a bowling side on the day, with Madhya Pradesh finishing the day at 238, with a handy lead of 19. With eight wickets in hand and three whole days to play, they have the perfect opportunity to put this match beyond the reach of Punjab. While Madhya Pradesh managed a century, an 89 and a pair of round 20s on the day, the manner in which they scored these runs were a throwback to the best traditions of red-ball batting. They left as many balls as possible while it was new, and scored at a fairer clip once the bowlers had tired and the ball had softened. For Chandrakant Pandit’s wards, this was the perfect game-plan given the conditions and the match situation.The right-handed Dubey faced 89 balls for his 20 and didn’t hit a single boundary. He left so many deliveries outside off that it drove the Punjab bowlers to offering some loose balls, which his left-handed partner Mantri pounced on. Mantri was the more enterprising of the two, striking Vinay Choudhary for a couple of sixes in the first session. However, it was only after tea that he exhibited a wider repertoire of cuts, drives, flicks and inside out shots. His 89 was his first half-century in first-class cricket, and he would have been disappointed with his mode of dismissal, when in sight of a century, stumped off Markande.Their best batter of the day was No.3 Shubham Sharma, though, who struck nine fours and a six in a 211-ball 102 which oozed both control and discipline. Shubham had only three centuries in his first eight years since his debut in 2013, but this year he has already struck his third hundred in five innings. Like his predecessors, Shubham wasn’t ‘excessively slow’ in his approach and took full toll of all scoring opportunities at his disposal. Against the quicker bowlers, he was happy to respond with cuts, drives, back-foot punches, pulls and flicks, but used his feet well against the spinners.He was lucky too, with a couple of edges falling short of fielders when he tried to take the attack to the spinners. As they say, fortune favours the brave. Or in the case of the Madhya Pradesh batters on Tuesday, it smiled on the traditional and the disciplined.
Once upon a time, only two years ago actually, batting in Rawalpindi was hard work. Now not so much
Danyal Rasool02-Dec-2022The razzmatazz of Bazball masks the ennui surfaces like the one in Rawalpindi tend to produce, but by the time Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq were set, no one was under any illusions. There was so little seam movement on offer – even for a master like James Anderson – that England took out a slip as early as the second over. The Barmy Army’s morning excitement had given way to afternoon lethargy, and the crowd amused themselves by calling out to boundary fielders until, finally relenting, they ended up waving back.
****
After half a dozen questions about the pitch on Friday, Ramiz Raja threw his hands up. “I don’t know why all of you are padded up and ready, coming after me about the pitch,” he exclaimed. “As if everyone here’s an international cricketer.”The PCB chairman was speaking to a throng of journalists in the press box at lunch, his back turned to the ground. The scoreboard, had Ramiz cast a sideways glance, would have shown that England had posted 657 in 101 overs, amassed the highest first-day score in history, and become the first side to have four century-makers on the opening day of a Test match. Perhaps it would have gone some way towards clearing up that mystery.Related
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Why did Pakistan sedate Rawalpindi, their liveliest Test pitch?
Ramiz’s faux confusion might only have been mildly amusing, but the revisionism that would follow was rather more frustrating. Over a number of media engagements through the day, he acknowledged the pitch here was poor, but doubled down on his insistence that this has been a long-running problem in Pakistan cricket.The most recent Test at this ground before Ramiz took over, though, is where that argument hits a snag. The second Test of Pakistan’s series against South Africa produced scores between 200 and 300 in all four innings. It featured early seam movement to the fast bowlers, and when the pitch flattened out, the spinners came into the game, with George Linde and Keshav Maharaj taking eight of the ten wickets in the third innings. By the final day, pace was by far more potent, and Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali bagged nine wickets between them as Pakistan secured a famous win.As Shafique and Imam coasted along to an unbeaten 181-run stand by stumps, it felt scarcely credible that that Test had taken place less than two years ago. More recently, the two had also put on an undefeated 252 on day five against an Australian attack of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon before, recognising the utter pointlessness of it all, the two sides finally shook hands.At the time, Ramiz, stung by the criticism that had come his way, put out a YouTube video, claiming Pakistan sedated the surface to neutralise the threat of Australia’s three-pronged pace attack. Never mind, though, he promised. That was a one-off. England, after all, don’t pose the same kind of menace. They even went into the game a bowler light, with Anderson, Ollie Robinson and Jack Leach the only specialists in the XI. The potential for the pace of Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf to prove a point of difference was ripe.A happy bowler – quite a rare sight over the past two days•AFP/Getty ImagesPakistan cricket might have had 99 problems when Ramiz took over, but the Rawalpindi pitch wasn’t one of them. And with every ball that Shafique and Imam kept out, almost appearing to bat on autopilot, the consequences of trying to fix what wasn’t broken were thrown into ever sharper relief. Even the promise of drop-in pitches – that mythical search for a silver bullet that always seems just out of reach – has now been rebranded.Ramiz said the cost of importing the surfaces was prohibitive, but why that wasn’t apparent after the most cursory research when the idea was initially floated 15 months ago remains a mystery. Instead, he said, Pakistan would focus on a different kind of drop-in pitch, one that is prepared in Pakistan and can ostensibly shapeshift on command.”That way, we can prepare square turners or bouncy wickets depending on what we want,” he said.Ramiz also appeared to write off the prospect of any excitement for the entire home season, warning fans to expect similar pitches across all three Tests this series, and the two that follow when New Zealand visit at the end of the month. Nine months earlier, though, he had been rather more upbeat about this season.”It takes five-six months to prepare pitches, and during the off-season, you will see – soil is coming from Australia; we’ve experimented, consulted soil experts and prepared soils, and we will redo 50-60 pitches all over Pakistan once our season ends in March-April,” he said at the time.On the evidence of what has transpired over the previous two days, they might have saved themselves the hassle and expense.
Following on from signing Joe Rothwell and Emmanuel Fernandez, Glasgow Rangers are now reportedly closing in on an agreement to sign a 6’2 defender for Russell Martin.
Rangers pushing on after Rothwell and Fernandez
The Rangers overhaul is officially underway following the arrivals of Max Aarons, Fernandez, Lyall Cameron and Rothwell, but even after four fresh faces the 49ers are not done. Martin is seemingly set to be backed with further signings before the Scottish Premiership gets underway as he looks to cause a shock in his first season at Ibrox.
Conor Coady and Jamie Vardy together at Leicester City.
Just who else comes through the door remains the question around Glasgow. Already, the Gers have completed some impressive business but the likes of Conor Coady and David Brooks may still be on their way in what would make it four Premier League signings this summer.
Joining Aarons and Rothwell, Coady and Brooks would round off an excellent few weeks on the transfer front. And Martin has already been full of praise for all of his new arrivals, including Rothwell.
The manager told the club’s official website after the midfielder put pen to paper: “He is a player who we thoroughly enjoyed working with during my time at Southampton.
“His leadership, professionalism and quality were a huge asset. He is joining on the back of two promotions so helps bring a real winning mentality to the group. We are excited for Joe to join up the squad, get to know his teammates, and help make the group stronger.”
Even with Coady and Brooks already on their radar and with Rothwell arriving alongside Aarons, however, reports are now suggesting that Rangers could be about to sign an alternative Premier League defender this summer.
Rangers closing in on Djiga agreement
According to Sky Sports’ Anthony Joseph, Rangers are now closing in on an agreement to sign Nasser Djiga on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers and hoping that he undergoes a medical in the “coming days”.
After joining Wolves in the January transfer window, the 6’2 defender looks set to arrive at Ibrox in search of much-needed playing time before returning to the Midlands.
At 22 years old, the centre-back is certainly a player full of potential even if he has struggled to show it in full at Wolves. Dubbed “quick” and “aggressive” by former Wolves sporting director Matt Hobbs after signing for the club in January, Djiga could now finally show his best form in Scotland.
More career goals than Tavernier: Rangers eyeing 'legendary' Igamane upgrade
With Hamza Igamane seemingly on his way out of Ibrox, should Rangers sign a “living legend” who has scored 244 senior career goals?
ByBen Gray Jul 4, 2025
By signing the defender alongside Leicester City’s Coady, Martin would instantly have an upgraded backline to work with at Ibrox.