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Stockport County – rivals of Wrexham – have signed MLS defender Ethan Bristow on loan from Minnesota United on Thursday.

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Stockport sign MLS defenderEthan Bristow joins on loan from MNUFCWrexham trail rivals by four-points in tableWHAT HAPPENED?

The League Two side and the Loons announced a six-month loan for the 22-year-old full-back, who will return to England following a summer transfer to Philadelphia from Tranmere Rovers. The move comes following a season-ending injury to Stockport full-back Ryan Rydel and the imminent loss of Ibou Touray to the Africa Cup of Nations, while it opens up an international roster spot for the Loons.

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Stockport manager Dave Challinor said: “We’re delighted to be able to secure bringing Ethan to the club; there are so many positives to the move from our perspective. We were obviously in a situation where we needed to immediately replace Ibby for the period he will miss due to the African Cup of Nations and it’s a position where we had no real depth with Ryan Rydel being out for the season with his ACL injury.

“Ethan not only fits the profile of what we want for that position, but he can also begin training with us now in order to get him integrated and up to speed as soon as possible. He’s not played for a little while so that will be important, and we’ve got nearly three weeks to do that.

“The other huge positive is that we bring in a player with recent League Two experience from his time last season at Tranmere. He was a real hit there and had a big impact on their team with his performances down that left hand side. We’ve had nothing but positive reports from the people I know there about his character and ambition to improve. We are already enjoying working with him and looking forward to his performances in a County shirt.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Stockport hold a four-point lead over second place Wrexham as we near the end of the calendar year. With the addition of Bristow, who played 12 matches in MLS in 2023, they bolster their defence in their attempt to secure promotion at the end of the campaign. Wrexham, meanwhile, have yet to make a splash in the January transfer market.

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USA Today Sports WHAT NEXT FOR BRISTOW AND STOCKPORT

The League Two side are back in action Saturday against 10th place Bradford. Bristow won't be available for selection until his international certificate arrives, but once it does, expect him to make a push for a place in the starting XI.

Seeing out Graeme Cremer and staying positive will reverse a little pressure and bring a mammoth 388 target within reach, according to Dimuth Karunaratne

Andrew Fidel Fernando17-Jul-2017Seeing out Graeme Cremer and staying positive will reverse a little pressure and bring a mammoth 388 target within reach, according to Dimuth Karunaratne. The opener made 49 to help set the tone for the innings.Zimbabwe claimed his wicket and two others with balls that took substantial turn. The delivery that dismissed Karunaratne spun more than any other in the match, hitting the fast bowlers’ footmarks and darting alarmingly into his offstump. Kusal Mendis, who had also been positive at the crease, and Angelo Mathews, are the overnight pair.”I do think we can make it,” Karunaratne said. “We have already scored 170 for three wickets and we need only 218 more. We’ve also batted out the period when he ball is hard and does a little bit more. All Zimbabwe have now is the support from that rough.”Angie and Kusal are set now. If those two guys keep on batting for an hour or more tomorrow morning, they can get set again. If that happens, I don’t think it’s easy to get them out unless we do something silly.”Mendis, whose 60 has come off 85 deliveries, was busy at the crease, and used his powerful flat sweep shot to good effect. Mathews has already used the reverse-sweep himself, during his 33-ball 17. Both those options may be key to manipulating the field.”They’re bowling on the leg side with more fielders. So we need to have a plan to change that field may be playing a reverse sweep,” he said. “If we do that, we will be able to put some runs on the board quickly.”If we just to survive, we’re losing the opportunity to win the match. We need to be positive. When another 60 to 70 runs are scored, I think they will spread out the field. Then we can get the single and have a chance. We have to put them under pressure.”Cremer, who had claimed a five-wicket haul in the first innings, appears the key figure in the opposition attack. He has already bowled 58.3 overs in the match, however, and Sri Lanka may have hopes of tiring him out, as they had once done with Yasir Shah, in Pallekele. Sean Williams was the other wicket-taker on Monday.”Cremer is bowling in good areas and turning it well. As a wrist spinner, he gets a lot out of the surface. What Sean doing is that he pegs the batsman down and forces him to commit a mistake against Cremer. Other than those two, I don’t think there will be a huge threat. The reality is that those two cannot keep bowling right throughout the day.”

The prodigiously gifted left-winger is already making history and megaclubs across the pond are taking notice

Looking back at the moment itself just a few months later, Julian Hall admits he wasn't nervous. Even he is surprised by that fact. How in the world did he not feel a tidal wave of anxiety the moment he stepped onto the field?

You see, the moment in question came on September 30, 2023. With the New York Red Bulls down a goal, the club turned to Hall in the 80th minute. Nothing unusual, clubs turn to attacking players late in games all the time. The difference is that Hall is 15 years old. 15. The number bears repeating.

Too young to go get a driver's license, but old enough to play meaningful minutes in an MLS game for a club in a playoff race. By making his appearance, Hall became the second-youngest player in MLS history. The only one younger? Freddy Adu.

"I wouldn't say there were nerves," Hall told GOAL, "which is pretty surprising. I definitely just couldn't believe that I was on the field. It was really surreal to me. It took me a while to even feel like I was playing in the game. It was definitely one of the best feelings I've ever experienced and hopefully, I can continue with that."

The world is watching now. Clubs all over Europe have been linked, and they're big ones. Chelsea, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich.. all have been linked with the rising 15-year-old starlet.

It's still wild to Hall, whose life has totally changed over the last year in ways he still can't quite fathom.

"I think it's all changed a lot after last year," he said. "I never really got the high school experience. I never really attended high school before, but there was a pretty big chunk of teenage life that got away a bit, but it's all been taken out for a good reason now: my development and for me to have a career in this sport."

What's next for the rising 15-year-old star? GOAL spoke to Hall to discuss his career so far and, of course, his hopes for the future…

Insta: julianhall_Where it all began

He doesn't remember the exact moment it happened, nor the real reason why. There was no wake-up moment for Hall when he was younger. At some point early on, he just really fell in love with soccer.

Hall played other sports, but, at one point, soccer became the one. And it didn't take him long to realize that he was actually pretty damn good at it.

"I wouldn't say I was ever the best player, that came at a later time," Hall said. "I started training from age or three years up, and that made me realize that maybe I had a chance to pursue this as a career. When I look at where I am right now, it makes me feel like I have a chance to go somewhere with soccer."

Growing up, Hall was inspired by those around him. He had the usual European influences, although those were only heightened by his Polish ancestry. He loved watching Manchester United, although he initially chose them as a kid mostly for the colors. The player he idolized most, though, was Robert Lewandowski, as anyone with a connection to Poland would.

Born in Manhattan, Hall embraced the uniqueness of the New York soccer scene, one that has always been a big melting pot of cultures. He came from a Polish background through his mother's side, but a quick walk around any New York City game will introduce you to any number of players from any number of different backgrounds.

"There were all sorts of cultures and people," Hall said. "Especially when I played on my local team, people were coming from all over the city. It's definitely thriving where I'm from."

By the time he was 12, though, Hall was ready to make the leap from New York to New Jersey. He joined the Red Bulls in 2020, and it didn't take long for him to prove himself at one of the best academies in MLS.

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Hall's early years with the Red Bulls youth teams? In a word: dominant.

In 39 matches, the forward scored 28 goals for the academy team, working his way up the ranks. His most notable achievement came with the Red Bulls U-15s at the 2023 MLS NEXT Cup, where he scored five goals to earn an MVP award and, more importantly, the tournament trophy for the Red Bulls team. He also won the Golden Boot award at the 2023 Generation adidas Cup, scoring five more goals, including two in a win over Chelsea.

Ahead of the 2023 MLS Next Pro season, Hall signed his first professional deal. He went on to make 10 appearances, scoring twice despite being among the younger players in the league. By September, those in charge had seen enough to offer him a three-year contract with the first team. And then, just 23 days later, he was on the field for that debut just over halfway into his 15th year on this planet.

"In terms of training with them and getting opportunities with the first team, because of that, [the debut] wasn't a surprise," he said. "I try to stay ready for anything. Anything can happen. But, with that, that was something that I couldn't believe happened in that moment"

He added: "Of course I see certain things going on. Of course, the accolades for the players that came before me, they were all important in making the history of the league. For me now, I think it's incredibly important to just stay focused, especially on myself."

In just a few years, Hall had basically speed-run the Red Bulls system. He made leap after leap after leap relatively quickly, going from academy to second team to first before his 16th birthday.

How it's going

The expectation is that Hall will be eased into the Red Bulls' first team. He's just 15, after all. There's so much maturing he needs to do, on and off the field, before he's ready to be a regular contributor at a top, top level.

If this preseason is anything to go by, though, Hall might not be too far away from his second MLS appearance.

"Julian is one of those players that, no matter what we put in front of him, he managed to have an impact and he managed to adapt," said Red Bulls academy director Sean McCafferty. "We'd be lying, though, if we said we'd expected him to adapt to first-team training as quickly as he has."

He added:" The best compliment I can give him is that every time you put him into an environment where you think he's going to struggle, he finds a way to make it work."

Hall got plenty of minutes during the Red Bulls' preseason run and, against St. Louis, he came off the bench to win a penalty for his team. He provided an assist against the Chicago Fire, too, teeing up Elias Manoel. It's the type of impact he can make, even at his age.

Still, the Red Bulls won't rush him. Hall will be given all the time he needs.

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Biggest strengths

Able to play across the attacking line, Hall is primarily a left-winger, one with the ability to beat a defender and, when the time comes, make things happen in the final third.

His goalscoring record on the youth level speaks for itself, as do his preseason contributions. Despite his age, Hall is confident and dynamic, a player who has an eye for goal at every level he's played at so far in his young career.

"I think being an attacking threat is a huge part of being an attacker, but I have so much to learn. I have great role models at the club to help me to keep improving every day. Nothing is final yet, of course, but there are always things that I can improve on."

At 5'10", Hall already has size, and he could still grow a bit considering his age. He has the pace and skill to beat defenders, helping him create the moments needed to contribute in the attacking third. In terms of physical gifts, they're all there, which is why he can play with players twice his age.

Hall has already found one heck of a role model with the Red Bulls: club legend Bradley Wright-Phillips. One of the most prolific strikers MLS has ever seen, Wright-Phillips has helped Hall adjust to life at this new level.

"I came into the team last year at a young age and it was a new environment for me," he said. "Bradley Wright-Phillips is someone with a great history in the league. The fact that he's still around the team and at the facility, he's available all the time to ask questions and get information from him."

"I think the things that he showed when he was in the league, there's that potential for myself, but I have a long way to go, but having him there is definitely a key aspect of my development."

Wright-Phillips said of hall: "I think he needs a lot more games at the MLS NEXT Pro level but I will say this – the way he’s matured, his body, everything… he’s ready to get minutes for the first-team — and if he does, don’t be surprised if he comes on and has an impact in some games.

"But I think with the young players, we don’t wanna go too fast. There are steps you have to take to adjust your game and I think Julian should take those steps and if he continues to do well at the NEXT Pro level… then he will get his chance."

Paul Farbrace conceded that England don’t have the bowlers to compete on flat wickets, but refused to criticise the efforts of his team

George Dobell in Perth16-Dec-2017It tells you everything you need to know about England’s fortunes that, in one of the driest cities in the world, their best chance of achieving the draw that would sustain their Ashes campaign is the hope of rain.Australia scored 346 runs for the loss of just one wicket on the third day as England’s attack was rendered impotent by some fine batting and a flat pitch. The Australia lead is already 146 and there is plenty of power to add. If Australia win the game, they will regain the Ashes by taking an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series. But if England gain a draw, they can still retain the urn if they win the last two matches by virtue of the holding them at present.But despite the chastening nature of the day, Paul Farbrace had no criticism for the England bowlers. Instead the England assistant coach, a man brought out to explain such grim days for England with such regularity you wonder whether he should carry a scythe, praised their efforts but conceded the English system was not producing spin or pace bowlers required for such conditions. He also suggested that a lack of ruthlessness with the bat on day two had allowed Australia back into the game.The problem, he concluded, was that England simply don’t have the bowlers to unlock strong batting line-ups on flat pitches.”There’s always something for our bowlers in England,” Farbrace said. “A little bit of swing or a little bit of movement off the surface. We saw that in Adelaide when there was a little bit of swing or movement off the surface, we have high quality bowlers who can exploit those conditions.Craig Overton is caught in a tangle near the boundary•Associated Press”But when it comes to flatter pitches, we don’t have that express pace. And we haven’t got the highest quality of magical spin. On flat wickets like this in Australia you need to be able to bowl 90-plus mph to have a chance of making a difference. They have a group of high-quality bowlers to do so.”I’m not being critical of our bowlers. I’m being honest. We don’t have bowlers bowling 90mph-plus in our set-up and we don’t have too many waiting in the wings to come in. And one or two that do bowl that pace can only bowl four-over spells. So they’re not exactly ideal for Test cricket.”We need to find those quick bowlers. And yes, in the long term, something needs to be done.”It has been an exceptionally tough day for our bowlers. But we feel we have managed to get stuck in and compete as hard as possible. In the field we have tried our best to back the bowlers up. I don’t think we have been flat, or lacking effort. On that wicket, we just haven’t got anything else to offer.”What can we do? We have tried various ideas and plans. The majority of ways we have of taking wickets with the attack we have is to be monotonous with line and length, and we have tried that. They have been very honest, toiled away with what they have got and on that flat surface they’ve found it exceptionally hard work.”Despite the scorecard, Farbrace hinted that the turning point of the match came when England let slip a strong foundation with the bat. England were well poised at 368 for 4 before a collapse saw the last six wickets fall for the addition of just 35 runs.”When you get yourself into a position where you can go on and make 550 and compete in the game…” Farbrace said. “And it’s been a pattern in this series. We have got in good positions and we have either not been good enough or they have been better and taken the initiative away.”It was very disappointing to be in a position where 550 looked a good score for us. It does knock the stuffing out of you a bit.”Two blokes played out of their boots and got us from 140 for 4 to 400 but it’s shown that it wasn’t enough. The two today have shown that, when you get in, you have to be greedy and go on and get big scores. That’s what the best teams do and we haven’t been able to do that.”But Farbrace insisted the Ashes had not gone and called upon England to show “some guts and determination” over the last couple of days.”It’s going to be tough,” he said. “We have to believe we can fight hard over the next two days and make sure there’s still a contest to keep going.”We’ve got to show some guts and determination. We’ve got to fight as hard as we possibly can. And if we get into a position where we were in the first innings, we have to make sure we capitalise on it.”

Liverpool recently completed the surprise signing of Japanese midfielder Wataru Endo for a fee of £16.2m from Stuttgart as Jurgen Klopp continued his midfield rebuild.

Having missed out on Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, who both joined Chelsea, the German will need to move swiftly to land another one or two players before the end of the transfer window.

Endo may not be a marquee name, yet his experience could be vital – and Klopp also appears to be edging closer to signing another target…

Who could Liverpool sign next?

With Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita all departing Anfield, the Reds find themselves a bit short in the middle of the pitch.

According to Football Insider, Crystal Palace star Cheick Doucoure is still on Klopp’s list despite the arrival of Endo earlier this week.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

The Eagles are set to ask for a fee believed to be around £70m for one of their prized assets, and should Liverpool submit an offer in this region, it’s highly likely they will secure his signature.

The £60k-per-week Palace gem has just one season of Premier League football behind him, yet Klopp clearly sees enough to launch a move to lure him to the north-west.

How good is Cheick Doucoure?

Although a mass midfield exodus was perhaps expected with a few players out of contract, to see Henderson depart after 12 years with the club was a major surprise.

The Englishman played a key role during their success between 2018 and 2022, captaining the side to a Premier League title, Champions League crown and a handful of other trophies as the Reds emerged out of the shadows that had plagued them for years.

The 33-year-old made nearly 500 appearances for the Anfield outfit, and although he started just 23 league matches last season, Klopp could still have counted on his experience for the 2023/24 campaign.

A move for Doucoure could certainly alleviate the blow of losing the 77-cap England international, especially with his wonderful debut season in England.

The 23-year-old even won the Player of the Year Award for his 2022/23 performances and there is no doubt he could be an ideal heir to Henderson.

Read more on Cheick Doucoure HERE…

The Mali international not only made more tackles per game than Henderson (2.3 v 0.9) last term, but also made more interceptions (1.6 v 0.6) and won possession more often (0.7 v 0.4) per game than the former Liverpool star in the league.

This suggests he could be much better at winning the ball back in the heart of the midfield, while his defensive abilities would allow others to thrive in a more advanced role.

Indeed, he ranked in the top 6% when compared to positional peers across Europe’s big five leagues for interceptions per 90 (1.73), while he even showcased his ability to take on defenders by ranking in the top 5% for his take-ons per 90 success rate (71.4%, as per FBref).

Lauded by former boss Patrick Vieira for being “the complete holding midfielder”, it’s evident that Doucoure belongs at a more esteemed club, and Klopp should be tying up a deal as quickly as possible.

Neal Maupay and James Maddison almost came to blows after the Brentford star mocked the Tottenham player's celebration on Wednesday.

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Maupay scored for Brentford against SpursCopied Maddison's goal celebrationAngry England star confronted opponentWHAT HAPPENED?

Maupay opened the scoring in the Premier League clash against Tottenham and copied Maddison's celebration of miming a darts throw. The England international came up to Maupay and gave him a few pats on the head and the Brentford star reacted with a few slaps back, sparking a tense moment.

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Maddison has been doing the darts-throw celebration ever since his time at Leicester. The 27-year-old, playing his first Premier League game since November, did not appreciate Maupay copying his antics in his own stadium and had a go at him. As a renowned troll, Maupay appeared to get the reaction he wanted out of the English playmaker.

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

After the home match against Brentford, Tottenham will hope to boost their hopes of a top-four finish by beating Everton on February 3. Two days later, Brentford will face a huge test as they take on reigning champions Manchester City.

Barcelona have reportedly paused talks to keep Joao Felix permanently after coaching staff raised 'doubts' over the Atletico Madrid loanee.

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Felix has suffered a dip in formBarcelona staff are not convincedMight not make a permanent transferWHAT HAPPENED?

Felix's summer move to Barcelona was expected to relaunch his career, since he closely aligns with the club's style of play. He started on a bright note and chipped in with important goals against Real Betis, Atletico and Valencia. However, the Portuguese playmaker's performance levels have dipped in recent weeks, which has sown seeds of doubt in the minds of the coaching staff.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

According to , the Blaugrana were preparing to advance negotiations with Atletico this month to retain Felix permanently. However, those discussions have stalled since there are internal doubts within the coaching staff about his performances. The Portugal international was drafted in after Ousmane Dembele's departure to Paris Saint-Germain, and was expected to thrive at Barcelona, but his future is now in doubt.

DID YOU KNOW?

Felix was denied a start in the last two league games and when he was thrown back into Xavi's lineup against Barbastro in the Copa del Rey, he was a shadow of his former self and contributed little in attack before being substituted. Barcelona remain aware that Atletico would demand a high transfer fee, reportedly around €80 million (£69.3m/$84.8m), for the player as they aim to recoup a portion of their initial £113m ($130m) investment. The reigning La Liga champions are willing to extend Felix's loan with a purchase option for the summer of 2025, but for a figure far lower than what Atletico are demanding.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Felix has already taken a huge pay cut whilecompleting an initial loan switchto Camp Nou in the summer. Hence, the salary might not be a point of contention for Barcelona, but his declining form will definitely defer the negotiations until the end of the campaign, with a return to Atletico now once again a possibility.

Sri Lanka’s inconsistent selection has had a “big effect” on the present state of the ODI team, according to cricket manager Asanka Gurusinha

Andrew Fidel Fernando31-Mar-2017Sri Lanka’s inconsistent selection has had a “big effect” on the present state of the ODI team, cricket manager Asanka Gurusinha has said, ahead of the third ODI against Bangladesh.Sri Lanka have rifled through 41 players – five higher than any other international side – since the 2015 World Cup. The team has been especially changeable since Sanath Jayasuriya’s selection committee took over following last year’s World T20: 33 players having played since last April – again comfortably the highest among international teams.Sangakkara also critical of instability in selection

Kumar Sangakkara has also voiced criticism of present instability in Sri Lanka’s ODI selection, speaking at a Dialog Change Forum event.
“One of the things that the current Sri Lankan team needs is to have some sort of continuity. If you’re not emotionally mature or mentally skilled enough, most people won’t thrive in an environment where there is insecurity, where either you’re looking over your shoulder, or above your head, waiting for that sword to fall.”
He also reiterated the widely-held view that Sri Lanka’s domestic structure is poorly equipped to identify and develop talent.
“We also have a structural issue with our first-class cricket that does not allow us to funnel the best of the best through. Let’s face it, not everyone can play cricket – only 11 can play, and it has to be the best 11. It’s about giving an opportunity to the best, and continuously to the best.
“Unfortunately through our first-class system we don’t get that. We have a huge churn rate of players. The more established international sides that have had those structural changes made – which includes India now – selection is consistent. They consistently have an underpinning structure that funnels the best of the best through.”

Gurusinha has only recently taken over the role of cricket manager, in which he acts as the primary contact between the selection committee and the team. He suggested it has very quickly become apparent that greater stability is required, as Sri Lanka build towards this year’s Champions Trophy and the 2019 World Cup.Sri Lanka have lost each of their last six completed ODIs, as well as five of their last six completed home matches.”I’ve been here only 20-odd days, but I’ve talked to the selectors and the coach, and my biggest goal is to keep about 20 players for Tests and ODIs together,” Gurusinha said. “Then the players also know they can stay in the team for a bit. If not, it’s hard to build a team. If you look at the best teams in the world, there aren’t many changes. The players also have a responsibility, but my biggest hope is that we can keep that group together.”Sri Lanka cricket manager Asanka Gurusinha has singled out Dhananjaya de Silva and Danushka Gunathilaka as players the side may do well to invest in•AFPGurusinha said that not only does stable selection breed greater security among players, who are likely to feel more confident about their position, but also allows coaches to work intensively with specific groups of players. He singled out opener Danushka Gunathilaka and batsman Dhananjaya de Silva as players Sri Lanka may do well to invest in. Gunathilaka averages only 22.70 from 17 ODI innings, but has nevertheless shown glimpses of potential in his outings so far.”Someone like Danushka is someone that I’ve been impressed with when he’s batting. I know he hasn’t scored runs, but my philosophy is to try and support people and have a stable squad. That’s what I’m focusing on. Have a stable cricket team and squad in the national team. That’ll give confidence to the players and confidence to everyone. That’ll help us to do better in our fielding as well.De Silva, meanwhile, has had a string of modest international scores across formats, despite having top-scored in the Test series victory against Australia last year. Though initially brought into the side as a lower middle-order batsman, de Silva had been moved to No. 4 during the recent Test series in South Africa, and has been deployed in various positions in the limited-overs formats as well.”Yes, Dhananjaya has to score some runs, but he’s got the talent,” Gurusinha said. “It’s up to us now to work with him and make him a better player from where he was. You all know how he batted against Australia last year.”Sri Lanka’s attack has also been in flux, with several players having been saddled with the death bowling role over the past two years, in which Lasith Malinga has been largely absent through injury. This was exemplified in the ongoing tour, where Nuwan Kulasekara and Nuwan Pradeep were added to the squad mid-series, and were immediately brought into the playing XI for the second ODI.Asanka Gurusinha (left): “If you look at the best teams in the world, there aren’t many changes. The players also have a responsibility, but my biggest hope is that we can keep that group together.”•AFP”We’re building up a bowling attack,” Gurusinha said. “Suranga Lakmal – what he’s done from the time I came, that’s when I saw him – he ‘s pretty good. We’ve got Lahiru Kumara who’s pretty quick for his age. He’s 20 years and still raw. We know you’ve got to work with people like that. In this one day squad we’ve got Nuwan Kulasekara in there and Nuwan Pradeep, and there are a few other young bowlers who are coming up.”It comes down again to having a stable squad, and giving them the confidence that they can play for a while. What I can say is that if that doesn’t happen? It’s very difficult for a coach.”Gurusinha used the example of Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup winning side – of which he was a part – to illustrate the benefits of consistent selection. That side featured perhaps the most experienced top order in the tournament, as well as a younger, but well-established attack.”Even with our team, when I was playing, it took us a while to get to that winning habit. It came with experience, and when you have experience you know how to win from difficult situations.”Bangladesh have some experienced players who know what to do. That’s what I’d like to build in this team. We’ve got to do it very soon. We’ve got to be able to win it from difficult situations. When we do that the players will be having a lot of fun in the middle, and we will go back again to those glory days of Sri Lankan cricket, which we had even when Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene were playing.”

Sri Lanka unravelled again, losing 10 for 103 and the series in the third ODI in Johannesburg

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando04-Feb-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAnother day on tour, another collapse – Sri Lanka sank from 60 for no loss to 163 all out at the Wanderers, mis-hitting short balls, hanging their bats out to give catches behind the wicket, and in general committing the same batting mistakes that will have become familiar to their fans during the past six weeks. Of their diminutive target, South Africa made short work. AB de Villiers produced a clinical 60 not out to bring his team home in 32 overs, seven wickets in hand.The hosts were far from their best in their pink gear, dropping catches and attempting needless runs, but they did not need to be at their best. They have won the series now. The two remaining games are dead rubbers.De Villiers’ hot streak at the Wanderers

100.85 Average of AB De Villiers at the Wanderers . He has three hundreds and three fifties from 10 innings.

108 Balls remaining in South Africa’s innings. This is their fifth-quickest win against Sri Lanka. Two of these wins have come at the Wanderers.

3 Number of lower scores than 163 for Sri Lanka against South Africa while batting first. Incidentally in 2002 they were dismissed for 128 at the Wanderers.

7 Consecutive series wins for South Africa at home since 2013. They have won 20 out of the 25 matches played during this period.

The hosts’ bowlers were disciplined – Imran Tahir miserly and menacing in equal measure, as usual – but there was little in the surface to warrant Sri Lanka’s loss of 10 wickets for 103 runs. A little extra bounce – hardly a surprise at the Wanderers – was responsible for the wickets of Upul Tharanga, Niroshan Dickwella, Asela Gunaratne and Suranga Lakmal. Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva were caught behind. Sachith Pathirana left a stock legbreak which turned to hit his off stump. Such was the quality of their batting.If it wasn’t for a 65-minute delay due to the arrival of a swarm of bees, Sri Lanka’s innings would have been even shorter. Plenty noted that the bees had spent more time in the middle than most batsmen. Only Dickwella resisted for any notable length of time, his 74 studded with spunky square-of-the-wicket shots – usually timed impeccably. Of his teammates only three others made more than five, and only Tharanga breached 20.It was Dwaine Pretorius, playing in his fourth ODI after replacing Wayne Parnell in the XI, who took the game’s best figures of 3 for 19. He was tight with the new ball, and although not especially quick, was accurate with his variations. Tahir claimed 2 for 21 in 9.2 overs, and Kagiso Rabada got two scalps as well. South Africa’s fielding was not as effective as usual, but in his 100th ODI, Faf du Plessis nevertheless managed to complete his third spectacular one-handed grab of the series, when he sprang horizontally from second slip to intercept an edge from debutant Lahiru Madushanka.Though the scorecard will suggest Sri Lanka squandered a good foundation – the openers having made 60 together – in truth, their start was inauspicious. The first boundary came off a Dickwella top edge, and Tharanga was dropped on 11 soon after – the one-handed grab at second slip too tough for du Plessis, for once.At the end of the first Powerplay, however, Sri Lanka were well-placed at 54 for no loss, both batsmen having found some fluency. Pretorius bowled tightly from the beginning, but Rabada, who would have been seen as the primary wicket-taking threat in the innings, had even been a little expensive in those early overs.But when the openers both sent catches into the air off their top edges in the 12th over, things began to unravel quickly. The first of those chances – off Dickwella on 25 – was spilled by JP Duminy, who had backtracked from backward point. The second was secured by Pretorius, and the rapid fall of wickets had begun.Dwaine Pretorius, replacing Wayne Parnell, took the game’s best figures of 3 for 19•AFPAndile Phehlukwayo removed Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal in the space of three overs with two unremarkable deliveries. Chandimal, especially, will be unhappy with this dismissal on what has been a poor tour. Seeing a full, wide delivery, he went down on one knee and nailed it in the air straight to the deep cover sweeper.When de Silva fell, and following the delay, Gunaratne also went, Sri Lanka had slid to 125 for 5. Dickwella attacked for a little while, perhaps knowing there was not much batting to come, and fell by his sword when he gloved a Pretorius bouncer to the keeper. The tail barely resisted. It was all done inside 40 overs.Lahiru Kumara bowled with characteristic spirit on ODI debut, and claimed the wicket of Quinton de Kock in the fourth over with a 142kph short ball. But though he continued to threaten through the remainder of his overs, was wayward between the good balls, and conceded more than six an over.Kumara’s opening partner Suranga Lakmal was unlucky, as he has been through the tour, gleaning an edge off Hashim Amla on 12 only for wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal to grass the diving chance. But with so much batting in South Africa’s line-up, perhaps it wouldn’t have made a major difference to the final score. Amla ran himself out for 34 anyway, though by that stage de Villiers had already begun to take the chase by the collar.Early in his innings, de Villiers dominated Lakshan Sandakan, who had dismissed him in the previous ODI, and after about 20 balls at the crease, there was no bowler that de Villiers didn’t seem capable of dictating to. He was especially active on the legside – each of his five boundaries coming there – but that was more a reflection of the lines Sri Lanka bowled to him. He took clutches of singles out to deep cover as well, and generally made a small chase seem even smaller.Sri Lanka may take heart in the bowling of Madushanka, who swung the ball away, albeit at gentle pace, and seemed a player worth a few more games at least. Apart from him and Dickwella’s innings, there was precious little to salvage from this match.

Loris Karius played in his first Premier League game in six years as he keeps goal for Newcastle against Arsenal at the Emirates.

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Karius replaces Martin Dubravka in goalOnly his second appearance for Newcastle Eddie Howe has explained stopper's selectionWHAT HAPPENED?

Eddie Howe selected Karius to play in goal due to an illness being suffered by Dubravka. He has not played in the Premier League since May 2018, when he was still playing for Liverpool, and his first appearance for the Magpies came in the Carabao Cup final against Manchester United last season.

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Howe revealed on Dubravka: "He has not been feeling very well for a couple of days so hopefully he is on the mend."

Asked about Karius' selection, he added: "He has trained every day for a long period of time. He had a slight shoulder injury at the start of the season but since then he has been fine. He has played in games behind closed doors so he is match ready.

"The last game he played of course was the cup final so he is used to big games and at Liverpool he had many big matches so I have no doubt about his temperament and we are relying on his big-game experience."

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Karius has been in the spotlight previously for all the wrong reasons, as he made two vital mistakes in the Champions League final when Liverpool lost 3-1 to Real Madrid. That was his final game for the Reds, and he was subsequently sent on loan to both Besiktas and Union Berlin, before making the move to the Magpies as an experienced back-up to the currently injured Nick Pope and Dubravka.

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

If Dubravka's illness does not clear up, Karius will hope to play in Newcastle's next fixture, in the FA Cup against Blackburn Rovers on Tuesday. Their next Premier League game comes against Wolves next weekend.