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Richard Gould: ECB 'unapologetic' about attracting top talent to Men's Hundred

by h79snht.top Uncategorized

ECB chief executive cites market dynamics for growing gender pay gap amid PCA critcism

Vithushan Ehantharajah13-Dec-2024

Tom Curran, Sam Curran and Adam Zampa celebrate the Invincibles’ title in 2024•Alex Davidson/Getty Images

Richard Gould, the ECB chief executive, says English cricket must not apologise for attracting the world’s best men’s players, as he faced down claims from the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) that Thursday’s upheaval to the Hundred’s pay structure for the 2025 season will only benefit overseas players.Top salaries in the men’s Hundred will rise from £125,000 to £200,000 (a 60% increase) and £100,000 to £120,000 (20%) for the second tier. However, the other four salary bands, which cover all but four players in 15-man squads, will receive hikes of between 3 and 5%.The announcement was greeted with disdain by the PCA, with interim-chief executive Daryl Mitchell stating he was “extremely concerned” at how the changes had been pushed through. Having been part of initial talks on how the injection of money would be spread across the board for the upcoming competition, Mitchell believed Thursday’s news reflected “a severe lack of communication and consultation”.Tymal Mills and Sam Billings, two players who have been ever-present since the Hundred’s inaugural season in 2021, took to X to voice their concerns. Billings, who captained Oval Invincibles to successive men’s titles, said: “Remarkable how a category gets a 60% increase yet most others get under 5%… Who has come up with this???”Speaking on Friday in Hamilton ahead of England’s third and final Test against New Zealand, Gould admitted he was taken aback by the PCA’s criticism, stating it was “not what I want to hear”. However, he held an unapologetic line about lifting the top brackets to court the best talent in the world, arguing that the dissenting voices had come from a “small section of male players”.”I don’t accept that,” Gould said, when asked if the top pay packets are almost exclusively reserved for overseas talent. “Because that band also includes central- and potentially contracted (England) players, so you’ve effectively got through that top band. And so, no, I don’t accept that at all.”Competition from overseas leagues, including Major League Cricket in the USA, has been a factor in the ECB’s approach to top-tier salaries, with Pat Cummins admitting to ESPNcricinfo that he hadn’t considered the Hundred when signing a lucrative four-year deal with San Francisco Unicorns last year.”This is a global market. We want the best players, irrespective of nationality. If you’re the best player, you’ll be paid the most,” Gould added. “You only have to look at the IPL and the differential and the spread. And if you look back over the last couple of years, we haven’t had as many of the best players in the world that we wanted in the men’s. We want more, and we’re not going to be apologetic in terms of our ambition to get them here.”Once we’re there, then the money is much easier to spread it throughout the squad. It is a very, very competitive market for a very small number of players, and we are not going to be pushed aside on that. We are going to compete, and we have to compete because we need the best players playing in our competition.”Gould also countered the PCA’s suggestions the ECB are guilty of widening the gender pay gap between the men’s and women’s competitions, citing market forces. While the top women’s bracket has increased by 30 percent, they will be earning three times less than their male counterparts. Next year, the difference in pay will have risen from £75,000 to £135,000.In 2022, the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) called for gender pay parity in the Hundred by 2025. The ECB pushed back on the timeframe as unrealistic in its response to the report, which Gould reiterated.”The gap has got bigger because of market dynamics,” he said. “That wasn’t a recommendation we said we could deliver on and we have been very up front on that. We have seen a significant increase in the salaries we have been able to put into the women’s game.”I’m really looking forward to the point that every county club in the country now has a women’s team. You know, I think in five years’ time, we’ll look back and go, ‘How did it take us this long?’ But I think that’s a really, really significant step for us.”Related

Stephen Fleming steps down as Southern Brave head coach

PCA criticises ECB for lack of consultation on Hundred pay increases

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ECB plans wage hikes, increase in overseas player limit

Equity sale in the Hundred could be delayed beyond 2025 – Vikram Banerjee

Relations between the ECB and PCA are at an all-time low with disagreement over Hundred salaries following dissent over an issue regarding a new, more stringent No Object Certificate (NOC) policy.A group of domestic players have been blindsided by what they deem as legislation that restrict their earning opportunities. Those hamstrung by the new regulations are ones who have red-ball commitments written into their existing county deals.Though no NOCs have been rejected yet, with 80 handed out to male players in 2024 so far, a group of around 50 cricketers have floated the prospect of strike action in the form of boycotting the 2025 Hundred.Gould accepts there is nuance to the latest NOC stance, particularly for white-ball players with ad hoc agreements with their clubs. Tom Curran, for instance, has been on a white-ball contract with Surrey since 2022, but made two County Championship at the end of the 2024 season as the club negotiated other absences.Nevertheless, Gould believes the updated measures will “protect the sanctity” of county contracts. He also hopes a boycott does not come to fruition.”That may have been discussed on a call with with a variety of representatives, but I’ve heard nothing in that regard and I sincerely hope that’s that’s not the case.”

В Steam временно стала бесплатной выживалка с открытым миром и 88% рейтинга — V Rising

by h79snht.top Uncategorized

В честь Хэллоуина в вампирской выживалке V Rising начались бесплатные выходные. В рамках акции, которая продлится до 1 ноября 20:00 по московскому времени, геймерам совершенно бесплатно доступна полная версия игры.

Помимо бесплатных выходных, напомним, V Rising получила скидку 20% и новое дополнение Haunted Nights Castle Pack. До 7 ноября выживалку можно купить за 348 рублей. Что касается DLC, то оно добавляет в игру множество тематических декораций для замка, включая обои, ковры, фонари и тыквы. Дополнение можно забрать бесплатно до 7 ноября — затем оно исчезнет из Steam.

V Rising вышла 7 мая в раннем доступе, где пробудет ещё около 7 месяцев. С тех пор игра получила почти 43 тысячи отзывов, 88% которых — положительные.

Следить за халявой и скидками на игры можно в нашем Telegram-канале.

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    Kohli's form, Iyer vs Suryakumar, and Pandya's ODI return on India's discussion table

    by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

    Is Prasidh Krishna’s hit-the-deck style the way to go? Talking points ahead of India’s three-match ODI series against England

    Shashank Kishore11-Jul-2022It is entirely possible the 2019 ODI World Cup final still feels recent, but the fact is that there is another 50-over World Cup upon us next year. While the build-up to it may still be muted, India, like many others, have some work to do. The three-match series against England beginning on Tuesday at The Oval will provide an opportunity for a few players to set things right, while at the same time being an audition for the others.Can Kohli banish talks of a decline?
    The numbers are out in the open. It is likely that even the most disconnected fan of the game knows a century has been loading for close to three years. But it hasn’t entirely been doom and gloom for Virat Kohli the batter.Adelaide 2020, Chennai 2021, The Oval 2021, and Cape Town 2022 are a few shining examples. Ever since he gave up the captaincy last year, every innings has brought with it that much more scrutiny.Related

    Where Shreyas Iyer falls short

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    Even for someone as zoned out as Kohli from external chatter, he is unlikely to forget that the count of century-less innings in international cricket now stands at 77. His struggles have been analysed threadbare, and mindset scrutinised to the extent that there has been a chorus from former players and coaches for him to take a break, which he has received in plenty; fair call to the BCCI there.But the men who matter – Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid – have continued to back Kohli.All said, the upcoming ODIs may be his best chance to shred talks of being on the decline and bring back that air of inevitability to his batting and hundreds, something that was commonplace when Kohli was at his peak between 2015 to 2019. For the record, he has six half-centuries in his last 11 ODI innings.Shreyas Iyer will need a big score to keep someone like Suryakumar Yadav out of the ODI side•AFP/Getty ImagesSuryakumar vs Iyer
    Such stifling competition for places isn’t new to Shreyas Iyer. He wasn’t even a first-choice player in India’s Under-19 World Cup squad in 2014. But the reality is that while he hasn’t done much wrong in the opportunities he has got, his methods of handling the short ball have come under scrutiny.Iyer was in the form of his life last year before a shoulder injury sidelined him for six months. But in the time since, he has lost his IPL captaincy, was released by a franchise that he led to their first-ever IPL final a year earlier, and then saw Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson and Deepak Hooda catch up with him as far as the middle-order stakes go.An average of 41 and a strike rate of 97 across 24 ODI innings means he should be an automatic pick, but the competition for places is such that he will need a big score to keep someone of Suryakumar’s calibre out. Suryakumar’s most recent knock was an unreal T20I century on Sunday. Like Iyer, he too has cashed in on every opportunity so far in the 50-over format. This middle-order jostle is a healthy one, though.Hardik Pandya last bowled ten overs in an ODI innings during the 2019 World Cup semi-final•PA Photos/Getty ImagesPandya’s return to 50-overs cricket
    He has returned to bowling, and has done quite well so far in T20s, but can his body tune up to the rigours of the longer format? Can he deliver ten overs if required? How will the change in format affect his workload? There are a few questions which Hardik Pandya could potentially answer in this series. He has only featured in nine ODIs since July 2019, the last of which was in Sri Lanka last year when he was part of a second-string squad led by Shikhar Dhawan.In fact, Pandya last bowled ten overs in an ODI innings during the 2019 World Cup semi-final. So clearly, there is plenty to look forward to because the bowler in him lends India a new dimension and squad balance.Prasidh’s hit-the-deck style the way to go?
    With Jasprit Bumrah being the pace spearhead and Mohammed Shami clearly still in the ODI plans, the third-seamer spot could be a juicy toss-up with a number of claimants in the ring.There is Prasidh Krishna, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj and now Arshdeep Singh. Among them, Prasidh has so far had an impressive initiation. Even on the most docile surfaces, his height and release allow him to get deliveries to rear up awkwardly on batters. Moreover, Prasidh does this at a fair clip too, at above 140 clicks. These, combined with a perfect seam that gets the ball moving both ways, make him an even more dangerous prospect on surfaces with some assistance.Prasidh had a breakthrough ODI series earlier this year against West Indies, and is being groomed to be the kind of bowler India saw in Ishant Sharma in his early days. Of course, the 50-over format wasn’t one that Ishant always favoured, but Prasidh has shown there is enough to work with if persisted.He is just seven ODIs old but has already picked up 18 wickets at an average of 16.42, and an economy of 4.84. But England’s destructive batting line-up could offer a stern test.

    Who has top-scored the most for their team in Tests?

    by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

    And how many batsmen have scored twin hundreds in a match in which no other batsman has managed even one?

    Shiva Jayaraman and Bharath Seervi21-May-202055 Number of times Sachin Tendulkar was the highest run scorer for India in all-out team innings – the most by a batsman in Tests. Two others have done it over 50 times: Brian Lara (53) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (52). Sunil Gavaskar (38) and Allan Border (37) complete the top five.ESPNcricinfo Ltd34.42 Percentage of times Don Bradman was the highest run scorer in his team’s all-out innings – 21 out of 61 – the highest among all batsmen with a minimum of 50 all-out innings. Among players who batted in over 100 all-out innings for their teams, Lara has the best percentage (27.46%) of being the top run scorer – 53 out of 193. Gavaskar (26.95%), Joe Root (24.24%), AB de Villiers (24.03%) and Tendulkar (23.70%) are the others in the top five with a minimum of 100 innings.10.37 Percentage of Carl Hooper’s innings that were the top scores for his team – 14 out of 135 – the lowest such rate among all batsmen who batted 100 or more times in completed innings in the top six. Mark Waugh is only slightly better, with 16 top scores in 145 all-out innings (11.03%). Among those who batted 100 or more times in completed innings in the top four positions, Sanath Jayasuriya has the lowest percentage (9.80%) of top scores – ten out of 102.7 Number of times Lara’s centuries were the only 50-plus score in a completed innings for West Indies – the most by a batsman. Tendulkar has scored six such hundreds for India. Five batsmen have scored four centuries each in these circumstances: Colin Cowdrey, Graham Gooch, Desmond Haynes, Rahul Dravid, and Virat Kohli.ESPNcricinfo Ltd7* Instances of a batsman scoring a century with no other player reaching fifty in the Test from either side, in matches where all four innings were played. John Reid (100 v England), Dilip Vengsarkar (102 v England), Graeme Wood (100 v England), Ian Botham (114 v India), Andy Flower (113 not out v West Indies), Kumar Sangakkara (157 not out v West Indies) and Dimuth Karunaratne (158 v SA) are the seven batsmen to have done so. Five batsmen have been the only centurion in similar circumstances when three innings of the match were played: Henry Wood, Arthur Hill, Hanif Mohammad, Denis Lindsay, and Matthew Hayden.6 Instances of a batsman’s double-century being the only 50-plus score in a Test innings. Dudley Nourse (231 v Australia), Len Hutton (202 b West Indies), Arthur Morris (206 v England), Dennis Amiss (262 v West Indies), Marvan Atapattu (216 not out v Zimbabwe), and Lara (226 v Australia) hold this distinction.

    9 Instances when Cowdrey was the only centurion in a Test where a minimum of three innings were played. Geoff Boycott is next with eight such instances, while Bradman, Gavaskar, Mohammad Azharuddin, and Sangakkara have been the lone centurions seven times each.8 Instances of a batsman scoring twin hundreds in a Test when no other batsman from either side scored a century. The first to achieve this was Rohan Kanhai against Australia in Adelaide in 1961. The latest is Ajinkya Rahane, v South Africa in Delhi in 2015. Glenn Turner, Alec Stewart, Steve Waugh, Grant Flower, Tillakaratne Dilshan, and Brendan Taylor are the others to have done so.4 Number of players who have, on multiple occasions, scored twin hundreds in a Test when no other batsman from their team has scored a century: Gavaskar, Border, Taylor and Jacques Kallis have all done it twice. There are a total of 38 such instances in Tests. Australia have done it most often (eight).

    3 Instances of a batsman scoring more than 50% of his team’s runs in a Test when they were all out in both innings. Lara’s 53.83% against Sri Lanka (221 and 130) in Colombo in 2001 is the highest. The other two are: Jimmy Sinclair (51.88%) against England (106 and 4) in Cape Town in 1899 and Andy Flower (50.36%) against South Africa (142 and 199 not out) in Harare in 2001.* The piece had earlier erroneously mentioned the instances as four. That has been correctedMore stats trivia here

    Ali Khan, Lewis Gregory among five overseas players to watch out for in PSL 2020

    by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

    The five names who could hit higher notes in the fifth season of the tournament

    Deivarayan Muthu19-Feb-2020Fabian Allen (Multan Sultans)On his day, Allen can clear the boundaries from the get-go lower down the order. He is an electric fielder. He can also chip in with quick-ish left-arm fingerspin. Allen is the kind of T20 package that every franchise desperately wants and he is already a superstar in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). He had cracked 177 off 79 balls between overs 16 and 20 in CPL 2019 at a strike rate of nearly 225. His big-hitting didn’t miss the eyes of Sunrisers Hyderabad, who snapped him up for INR 50 lakh as they look to fill the Shakib Al Hasan-sized hole in IPL 2020. Allen is currently in action for West Indies in Sri Lanka and is set to join the Multan Sultans roster after that tour ends on March 6.Ali Khan (Karachi Kings)A fast bowler who can hit speeds north of 140kph, Khan was among the breakout stars in CPL 2018. Incidentally, PSL 2020 will be a homecoming of sorts for Khan: he was born in Pakistan before he migrated to the USA and forged a career there.Khan had claimed 16 wickets in CPL 2018 at an average of 20.81 and economy rate of 7.80 in Trinbago Knight Riders’ run to an unprecedented third title. Khan’s form somewhat tailed off in CPL 2019, but his raw pace and ability to bowl yorkers have paved the way for stints in the Bangladesh Premier League, Global T20 Canada and T10 League.ALSO READ: Top-order batting key for Gladiators; Islamabad’s strength is in their solid coreSeekkuge Prasanna (Lahore Qalandars)Khan’s Knight Riders team-mate Prasanna could be the middle-overs enforcer for Lahore in an attack that is packed with quicks like Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi, Usman Shinwari, Dilbar Hussain and David Wiese. Prasanna doesn’t have a big-turning legbreak, but he often gets his wrong’un to skid into the batsman. He has also evolved into a power-hitter, something that was on bright display during the second CPL qualifier last year. Prasanna smote a 27-ball 51 during which he launched slower-ball specialist Harry Gurney out of the Brian Lara Stadium. The Sri Lankan allrounder has been a regular in the BPL and T20 Blast over the years, but this will be his maiden PSL stint.Phil Salt gave the Strikers an excellent start•Getty ImagesPhil Salt (Islamabad United)A bruising batsman at the top, Salt has had an eventful few months. The day before the CPL 2019 final, the Sussex batsman was holidaying in Miami, and he received a call-up from the Barbados Tridents as a replacement for the injured JP Duminy. Just about 24 hours later, Salt was a CPL champion with the Tridents although he had bagged a duck. He then went to the Big Bash League, where he led the way for the Adelaide Strikers at the top.Salt can be brutal against pace when the bounce is true but hasn’t been as effective against top-quality spin. Tackling the slower bowlers is among the challenges Salt is likely to face in his second stint with Islamabad. In 2019, he had made only 94 runs in six innings at an average of 15.66 and strike rate of 128.76.Lewis Gregory (Peshwar Zalmi)Peshawar have a surfeit of allrounders in their squad, but with Kieron Pollard on international duty for the early half of the season, they might look to trial England seam-bowling allrounder Gregory instead. The 27-year old had struggled as England’s finisher in New Zealand last year, but in a new role at No. 4 in the BPL, he scored 262 runs in 11 matches at a strike rate of 140.10 for the Rangpur Riders. He also contributed with the ball, picking up 15 wickets at an impressive economy rate of 7.64. If he follows it up with a productive PSL, he can be in with a chance to return to England’s T20 World Cup mix.

    Why Juventus are blocking Douglas Luiz exit despite Everton & Nottingham Forest transfer interest as midfielder looks to end Italian nightmare after Alisha Lehmann split

    by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

    Juventus are unlikely to let Douglas Luiz leave the club on loan this summer, despite strong interest from Premier League sides Nottingham Forest and Everton. Luiz endured a nightmare debut campaign in Turin after leaving Aston Villa last summer, as the Brazilian started three Serie A matches. The midfielder now wants to return to England but his move is being blocked by the Italian giants.

    Juventus won't let Luiz leave on loanEverton & Forest want to sign LuizSplit up with Lehmann earlier this yearFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

    Luiz has been linked with a move away from Turin since the start of the summer transfer window after a forgetful debut campaign with the Serie A outfit. Premier League clubs like Everton and Forest have shown an interest in signing the Brazil international, but Juventus are unwilling to let the out-of-favour star leave on loan, according to the . 

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    The report adds that while the English club are willing to push for a loan with an option or obligation to buy next season, the Bianconeri are firm on their stance on selling the player for a transfer fee in the region of £26 million ($34.5m). Last month, Luiz failed to report back at Juventus on the first day of pre-season and for that, he is likely to face punishment.

    DID YOU KNOW?

    Apart from his on-field struggles in Italy, Luiz also endured personal problems as he broke up with long-term girlfriend Alisha Lehmann. The Swiss footballer followed her boyfriend from Aston Villa to join Juventus last summer. However, in May 2025, it was reported that the couple had split up.

    Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR JUVENTUS?

    Igor Tudor's side will face Borussia Dortmund and Atalanta in pre-season friendlies before kicking off the new Serie A season against Parma on August 24. 

    Liverpool braced for new and improved Luis Diaz bid from Bayern Munich as Reds consider Alexander Isak move after signing Hugo Ekitike

    by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

    Bayern Munich are set to launch a renewed attempt to sign Luis Díaz from Liverpool, with a second offer reportedly on the cards. While Díaz remains with the Liverpool squad during their pre-season tour in Asia, discussions surrounding his potential departure have intensified behind the scenes.

    Bayern remain determined to sign DiazWilling to test Liverpool's resolvePreparing improved bid for the ColombianFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

    After being approached by both Bayern Munich and long-time suitors Barcelona, the 27-year-old has informed the Reds of his preference to leave in this transfer window. The Catalans had reignited their interest in him but ultimately diverted their efforts toward signing Marcus Rashford after being told Liverpool would demand a high fee, one the Spanish club was unwilling or unable to meet due to financial limitations.

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    According to Bayern are now poised to present a new formal offer in the region of €75 million (£65m/$88m) for Díaz, a sum just short of the €80m (£69.5m/$94m) that had been informally discussed between Liverpool and the player as a suitable valuation. The Bundesliga side has set a hard cap of €80 million and are unwilling to exceed that amount. To bridge the gap, Bayern are proposing the inclusion of a sell-on clause. According to German outlet , this would allow Liverpool to profit from any future sale of the Colombia international.

    TELL ME MORE

    Bayern are “very optimistic” about completing the transfer within the next seven to 10 days. Díaz’s agent, Raul Costa, reportedly spent several days on Merseyside before the player departed for the club’s Asia tour, laying the groundwork for a potential deal by holding preliminary discussions with Liverpool officials. The Bavarians had an earlier bid worth approximately £57m (€66m/$77m) turned down. However, their persistence suggests they are confident of eventually landing the winger.

    DID YOU KNOW?

    Liverpool have publicly maintained their stance that Diaz is not available for transfer. Yet, much like the unfolding situation involving Alexander Isak at Newcastle United, there are signs that this firm position may soften if a significant offer arrives, particularly one with creative add-ons that protect the club’s long-term interests.

    Should Diaz be sold, Liverpool would almost certainly look to replace him with another high-profile forward, especially Isak. Sources suggest that the Swede is intrigued by the prospect of a switch, particularly after being informally approached by the reigning Premier League champions, who are prepared to break the British transfer record to secure his signature.

    Cartwright catches lucky break as WA grind down Tasmania

    by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

    Jayden Goodwin and Hilton Cartwright will look to extend their strong partnership for WA, who moved to within 87 of Tasmania’s first-innings total in Hobart

    AAP02-Nov-2024Hilton Cartwright was fortunate to survive a seemingly regulation caught-behind decision late on day two as Western Australia seized control of their Sheffield Shield clash with Tasmania at Bellerive Oval.After Sam Fanning (68) laid a stoic early platform, Jayden Goodwin (73 not out) and Cartwright (48n not out) helped lift WA to 220 for 2 at stumps on Saturday, 87 runs short of Tasmania’s 317.WA will look to erase the deficit early on Sunday before aiming to construct a match-winning lead.Inside the last half-hour of play on Saturday, after a tough day of toil for the home side’s bowlers, Mitchell Owen drew a thick edge from Cartwright, who was on 38, which was pouched low but cleanly by wicketkeeper Jake Doran.The umpires got together before confirming, to Tasmania’s shock, that the original not-out decision would stand.Goodwin and Cartwright have combined for an unbeaten 91-run third-wicket stand, accelerating late after two sessions of attritional grind.”We’ve got two guys who are set at the crease, so I think we’re in a strong position,” Fanning said. “If we want to move the game forward, I think it’s in our hands. We’re set nicely.” Tasmania’s lower order spent 17.3 overs poking around for 15 runs, after resuming on 302 for 7, before WA crawled to 23 without loss at lunch in reply. The opening session reaping just 38 runs from 28.3 painstaking overs.Lawrence Neil-Smith made six of 77 balls, while Kieran Elliott’s 77-ball stay ended on 21 thanks to a marvellous one-handed slips catch from Cameron Gannon.Teague Wyllie (22) was the only WA batter to fall before tea, trapped plumb lbw by left-arm orthodox spinner Matthew Kuhnemann.Fanning dominated the 70-run first-wicket union with Wyllie and moved to his highest first-class score before chasing a wide half-volley from Bradley Hope, which he feathered to Doran.”I see a pathway for us to victory – four overs to go before the new ball,” Kuhnemann said. If we can take some wickets early tomorrow and put some pressure on, day three is moving day. I think the bowlers did a decent job, but tomorrow’s a massive day for us.”

    Revealed: Hansi Flick issued strong warning to Marcus Rashford before giving green light to Barcelona transfer amid internal concerns about Man Utd outcast

    by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

    Barcelona boss Hansi Flick issued a strong warning to Marcus Rashford before approving the English forward's loan move to the club. The German coach had a direct conversation with the Manchester United outcast last week before he travelled to Catalonia. Rashford is expected to be announced as a new Barcelona signing this week.

    Flick issued warning to RashfordManager approved Rashford's loan moveRashford to be unveiled as Barca playerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

    Rashford will finally end his United nightmare and exit Old Trafford this summer as he is all set to complete a loan move to Barcelona. The 27-year-old reportedly rejected offers from the Saudi Pro League and some top European clubs, as the winger only wanted a transfer to the Catalan side.

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    The negotiations picked up speed towards the end of last week after Flick personally spoke to Rashford, as reported by . The German manager warned the winger that he would have to fight for his place in the team's starting lineup and put in more work defensively. The report adds that concerns were raised internally over the England international's work rate. Flick, however, gave his green signal after getting a verbal assurance from Rashford.

    DID YOU KNOW?

    Rashford has his task cut out at Barcelona as he is expected to predominantly operate from the left side of their attack. He has to compete with Raphinha in that position, who was one of the star performers for Flick's side last season. In the central striker position, Rashford's competition is with legendary Polish forward Robert Lewandowski.

    Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR RASHFORD?

    Rashford could inherit the number of Lamine Yamal or Thierry Henry once he signs the dotted lines at Barcelona. The Spanish league winners have already confirmed that Yamal will take the iconic No.10 shirt after Ansu Fati's loan move to Monaco.

    Sam Curran worth a million, really?

    by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

    A day after the IPL auction, where all eight franchises claimed their money was well spent, ESPNcricinfo staffers pitch a few knuckle balls

    19-Dec-20186:57

    IPL 2019 auction: Rating the squads

    Is Sam Curran worth a million dollars?

    Does performing against India matter so much? We saw the likes of Shimron Hetmyer and Nicholas Pooran perform well and garnered strong bids. But that was in the limited-overs format. What about Sam Curran? He will no doubt win the Test debutant of the year going on the back of his Man-of-the-Series performance in the home summer against India. But, it is not common for IPL franchises to pick players based on their red-ball performances. Has that trend changed now?A left-arm fast bowler is always attractive in T20, but Curran bowls at lower speeds, is not part of England’s limited-overs teams and has no creditable performances in the T20 Blast. Age, potential and temperament seem to have gone in Curran’s favour. But will he do justice to his price tag at INR 7.2 crore?
    Gaurav SundararamanSam Curran wipes the sweat off during a practice session•Associated PressWhere’s your middle order, Kings XI?
    Kings XI Punjab had the biggest purse going into the auction. They spent all but 3.7 of the 35-plus crore purse to stack up the squad and despite that they seem a featherweight batting team.David Miller isn’t the Miller he was back in the day. Karun Nair and Mayank Agarwal struggled in the last IPL and are likely to wrestle for the same spot again. KL Rahul was their talisman last season but his current form hasn’t been great. So getting a back-up batsman, an experienced hand, would have been useful.But Kings XI splurged on on mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy when they already had another mystery spinner in Mujeeb ur Rahman, who bowls in the Powerplay and the death. Not to mention their captain R Ashwin.
    Deivarayan MuthuDavid Miller attempts to play the pull shot•BCCIWhy did Delhi spend INR 3.1 cr on Test specialists Vihari and Ishant?
    Delhi Daredevils – now Delhi Capitals – have been known to try all kinds of strategies to add to their trophy-less cabinet. Under a different owner, with a new name, they bought the hard-hitting Colin Ingram, handy allrounder Axar Patel and the Caribbean duo of Sherfane Rutherford and Keemo Paul.They also bought Ishant Sharma and Hanuma Vihari, who are seen more as Test specialists.Parth Jindal, Delhi’s co-owner, said one big reason Ishant was bought (at INR 1.1 crore) was because of his familiarity with Ferozshah Kotla, the home venue. Ishant remained unsold last auction till Kings XI got him as a replacement player. But he did not play a single match. Despite his experience, which has helped him lead the Indian Test bowling attack admirably, Ishant struggled to adapt to the demands of the IPL. He is not express, and, importantly does not have the variations to bowl at death.As for Vihari, who made his Test debut in England this year, his strike-rate in T20s is a mere 111.12. He is a good batsman, as far as technique goes, but is not an aggressive one. Still officials at the Delhi table exchanged high fives after getting him for INR 2 crore. What does Vihari offer and where will he fit in Delhi’s famed top order comprising Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant?
    Vishal DikshitIshant Sharma eats a banana between overs•Associated PressWhy did no one pick Dale Steyn?
    Some of the most expensive buys at the IPL auction were fast bowlers. Even before the auction franchise officials had indicated that fast bowlers, especially good ones, would command attention and money. Yet, one of the fastest bowlers, a modern-day great, went unsold?Extreme pace, lethal swing and solid bowling IQ have made Dale Steyn a household name. But the South African failed to earn a single bid despite his name coming up three times. Why? Is it because Steyn has been hampered by various injuries over the past few years? Is it because the South African players are only available till April 25 and investing in Steyn for just one season is not worth it?
    Jayaditya GuptaDale Steyn is pumped after delivering Australia another blow•Getty ImagesWhy was Manoj Tiwary ignored?
    India and Bengal batsman Manoj Tiwary not fetching even a single bid (base price of INR 50 lakhs) was baffling. Playing for now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant in the 2017 IPL, he had scored 324 runs in 13 innings at an average of 32.40 and a strike rate of 137.28.That performance should have fetched him a bigger role in the 2018 edition, but he was not picked in the XI for the first six games by his new franchise Kings XI Punjab, and didn’t get to play more than two games at a stretch.He got to bat four times in the five games he played, twice coming in at No. 6 and once at No. 7. In the only other innings, he scored a 30-ball 35 from No. 4 to end the tournament with 47 runs at a strike rate of 106.81.However, he bounced back from that, scoring 438 runs at 43.80 with a strike rate of 79.63 in the domestic 50-overs cricket. Yet, Tiwary remained unsold despite his name coming up three times.
    Hemant Brar

    Where are the young Indian fast bowlers?
    It’s been 12 years of auctions. Have franchises still not figured out how to measure T20 metrics right? What possible reason could they have for splurging on Mohit Sharma (INR 5 crore), Varun Aaron (INR 2.4 crore), Barinder Sran (INR 3.4 crore), Ishant and not going for a young fast bowler instead? This was the perfect auction to do it for several teams, especially those who had most of the squad largely in place.One reason could be that the scouts look outside – at the Big Bash, the CPL, the PSL and the Mzansi league – for fast bowling talent. No Indians there. Looking at performances in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy had some value, but even that is no longer the case since the auctions are held before the domestic T20 tournament. The regional Indian leagues — TNPL and KPL, for example — are not of the same standard so one can’t really form concrete opinions based on performances there.
    Saurabh Somani

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