Durham got their Royal London Cup campaign up and running in emphatic style with a 72-run victory over Warwickshire in a rain-reduced match at Edgbaston

ECB Reporters Network01-May-2017
ScorecardFile photo – Keaton Jennings made a career-best List A score•Getty Images

Durham got their Royal London Cup campaign up and running in emphatic style with a 72-run victory over Warwickshire in a rain-reduced match at Edgbaston. Durham were lifted to a hefty 313 for 5 from 39 overs by Keaton Jennings’ career-best 139, scored off just 101 balls, supported by Stephen Cook, who made 60 off 57, and Michael Richardson’s 49 off 44.Chris Rushworth and Mark Wood then shared three wickets in eight overs to inflict crucial early damage upon Warwickshire’s reply. From 43 for 3, there was no way back for the Bears who mustered only 241 all out despite Jonathan Trott’s 92 – his sixth 50-plus score in eight RL Cup innings.James Weighell, a 23-year-old seamer playing only his second one-day game for Durham, ended with 5 for 57 as batsmen holed out under pressure from the escalating required run-rate.Put in, Durham prospered on a good batting wicket as openers Jennings and Cook added 129 in 19.1 overs before the latter skied young seamer Aaron Thomason to wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose.Jennings and Richardson kept the scoring rate high with a stand of 123 in 13.4 overs. After Thomason knocked out Richardson’s leg-stump, Jennings advanced to his second one-day century before lifting a catch to long-leg off Thomason.On a chastening afternoon for Warwickshire’s bowlers, only 19-year-old Thomason took more than one wicket. In only his third one-day game, he ended with 4 for 64 after Ryan Pringle lofted to mid-on. The only other wicket-taker was Grant Thornton, whose first wicket in county cricket arrived when he trapped Graham Clark lbw.Durham inflicted rapid blows on Warwickshire’s reply as Rushworth’s fourth ball forced a skied pull from William Porterfield and his 22nd trapped Sam Hain lbw. An impressive spell from Mark Wood then gained reward when Ian Bell edged to wicketkeeper Stuart Poynter.Trott and Tim Ambrose added 79 in 12.4 overs but Weighell struck with his fifth ball which Ambrose edged to the keeper. Weighall also dismissed Rikki Clarke, caught at point, and although Trott and Thomason added 52 brisk runs, with 124 required from ten overs, something spectacular rather than brisk was required.When Trott lifted Weighell to long-off, Warwickshire’s last hope went with him. All that remained was for Weighell to complete his maiden List A five-for as Thornton and Jeetan Patel sent up catches.

Manchester City are close to signing teenage striker Luca Fletcher from Reading, according to Fabrizio Romano.

What’s the latest Man City transfer news?

Pep Guardiola hasn’t wasted any time in bolstering his first-team squad following a historic treble-winning 2022/23 season. City announced the signing of Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea on Tuesday, with the Croatia international taking the number eight shirt from Ilkay Gundogan, who has joined Barcelona.

It appears as if City don’t plan on stopping after securing Kovacic, though. A £90m offer was rejected by West Ham for star midfielder Declan Rice, with City pulling out of the race as a result. Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain right-back Achraf Hakimi is also on the radar at the Etihad Stadium, with City ready to pay and complete the signing of the Morocco international.

Alongside the well-known stars, City are also working on bolstering their youth ranks, with a move for English attacker Fletcher set to be finalised.

Romano took to Twitter on Tuesday to share a Man City transfer update involving Fletcher. He said that the forward has passed a City medical and a deal will be worth an initial £600,000 plus add-ons.

“Understand Manchester City are closing in on the signing of 16-year-old talented striker Luca Fletcher from Reading.

“Medical passed and paper work being signed — been told fee around £600k with future add-ons. Part of City project to sign and develop the best young talents.”

Who is Luca Fletcher?

Fletcher is primarily a centre-forward but can also play on either wing if required. The teenager, who has been a. regular for England at U1 level, reportedly turned down a professional contract with the League One side in order to move to complete a move to Manchester.

Labelled as a “fine young footballer” by Reading’s Academy Manager Michael Gilkes, Fletcher could well be a star in the making, and by the looks of it, he’ll be plying his trade in City’s academy over the coming years.

You’d expect he’ll be looking to secure a professional deal with the treble winners over the next 12 months and then push on aiming to become the next teenager to breakthrough into the first-team plans, following in the footsteps of the likes of Phil Foden and Rico Lewis.

Bottom-of-the-table Warwickshire turned the Royal London Cup North Group table on its head with a five-wicket win over Yorkshire at Edgbaston

ECB Reporters Network14-May-2017
ScorecardIan Bell’s scoring touch has returned•Getty Images

Bottom-of-the-table Warwickshire turned the Royal London Cup North Group table on its head with a five-wicket win over Yorkshire at Edgbaston.The Bears’ defence of the trophy was already over after six successive defeats while The White Rose went into the match top of the group. Yorkshire will still qualify but have ceded top spot in the group to Worcestershire, who defeated Durham at New Road.They built a meaty total thanks to Joe Root’s stylish 83 and a muscular sixth-wicket stand of 116 in 15.1 overs by Tim Bresnan and Matthew Waite, who struck a a List A-best 71 from 58 balls.Warwickshire’s reply was robustly launched by Jonathan Trott and Sam Hain. And after a wobble induced by spinner Azeem Rafiq, they were steered to victory by a cleanly-hit alliance of 111 in 106 balls between Ian Bell, who made 98 from 85 balls, and Rikki Clarke.Warwickshire spinner Jeetan Patel said: “We have come off a run of a few really bad losses and some that were quite tight but credit to the guys for the way they came out today. Grant Thornton bowled really well which is where we need to get to. We are an ageing teams with a lot of experience but we need to be able to trust the younger guys.”After choosing to bat, Yorkshire lost Adam Lyth to the first ball of the match, from Keith Barker, which he edged to wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose.Jonny Bairstow soon miscued Rikki Clarke to mid-on and Peter Handscomb drove expansively and nicked behind off Barker, who bowled his full stint straight off and was unlucky not to harvest better figures than 10-1-39-2.Root and Gary Ballance added 64 in 14 overs before the latter lifted Grant Thornton to long-leg. Root, looking utterly assured, appeared set for his 11th List A century when he feathered an attempted cut at Clarke to the keeper.That left Yorkshire 149 for 5 but Bresnan and Waite joined forces to exploit a short Hollies Stand-side boundary in a century stand. Considering the shortness of that boundary, for Patel (10-0-32-1) to deliver ten overs without conceding a four or six was a remarkable effort.Still, Bresnan’s ninth one-day half-century and Waite’s first had given Warwickshire a stuff target.Trott and Hain gave the Bears’ reply an excellent base but after Trott sent up a skier off Waite, Rafiq struck three times in quick succession. He bowled Hain and Ambrose in the space of three balls and had Ateeq Javid caught at short fine-leg.But Bell and Clarke halted the clatter and then gradually accelerated, Bell ending the group stage in fine form with scores of 93, 104 and 98.

A major offside rule change put forward by Arsene Wenger is being considered by IFAB, with USMNT legend Alexi Lalas claiming he endorses the move.

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Wenger advocates major offside rule changeWould give an advantage to forwardsLalas endorsed the moveWHAT HAPPENED?

The former Arsenal manager, who is currently FIFA's chief of global football development, has suggested that the entire body of the forward should be in front of the last defender to be considered as offside. The current rule states that if any body part that can be scored with is ahead of the last defender, then the player shall be ruled as offside. IFAB are now reportedly mulling over Wenger's suggestion, per the , and Lalas has put his weight behind the rule change. He argues that defenders will be forced to further adapt their game if it is implemented.

AdvertisementWHAT LALAS SAID

Lalas while answering a fan about the rule change, wrote on : "Yes, it simply moves the line that we will argue about. But it does create a new and distinct advantage to the attacker, which I like. It will force the defenders to adjust (drop) in order to truly be goal-side and rely less on the offside trap."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

In a simulation graphic, a red line was drawn to determine whether the player was offside or not. Although Lalas backed the rule change, he shared his concern about the thickness of the line and questioned, "How wide is the line?"

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

The IFAB is considering Wenger's suggestion which aims to eradicate the controversies that have sprung up since the introduction of VAR – which has thus far scrutinised every goal in minute detail. If it is approved by the law-making body then it could come into effect from the 2024-25 season.

Moises Henriques was chosen ahead of batsmen including Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, George Bailey and Cameron White – plus the allrounder James Faulkner – in an Australian Champions Trophy squad that also features recalls for James Pattinson and John Hastings.The omission of Faulkner from an Australian ICC event squad for the first time since 2011 marks a major change for the selectors, who have also determined that Henriques is worth his place for his batting alongside the likes of Marcus Stoinis and Hastings.Khawaja and Handscomb were both part of the ODI team over the summer, and the latter’s performance with the bat suffered notably when asked to keep wicket in New Zealand in place of the injured Matthew Wade.Chris Lynn, who injured his shoulder in the IPL this week, and Mitchell Starc have been chosen subject to fitness assessments, meaning Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Pattinson all appear in a pace-laden squad six months out from a home Ashes series.Trevor Hohns, the chairman of the selection panel, said Australia’s medical staff would monitor the fitness of Lynn and Starc – who has been out of action since he flew home halfway through Australia’s Test series in India with a stress fracture in his right foot – and hoped both would be fit by the time the team departed on May 18.Pattinson, who last played an ODI in September 2015, has been in roaring form since his return from a long-term injury, taking 24 wickets at 17.41 for Victoria in the Sheffield Shield and carrying that form into the County Championship for Nottinghamshire, taking 13 wickets in two matches at 12.92. His inclusion gives Australia a wealth of genuine pace options, with Hastings’ return a nod to early English summer conditions.”Both James and John have made very good returns from injury and are bowling well for their respective teams in the English County competition as well as both contributing well with the bat,” Hohns said.”When you also add Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins to the fast bowling artillery it becomes a very exciting proposition for Australian cricket.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Henriques has been an irregular member of Australia’s ODI squad, playing only eight matches between his debut in 2009 and his last match in August 2016. He has scored 46 runs at 6.57 and taken six wickets with his medium-pace at 40.83.Faulkner has greater ODI experience – 67 matches, with averages of 34.06 and 30.08 with bat and ball – and was Player of the Match in the final of the 2015 World Cup. Since then, while his left-arm seam has remained an effective weapon, his batting returns have fallen away, with his last 17 innings yielding a high score of 36 and an average of 17.40.It is also possible that a lack of recent match practice has gone against Faulkner, who has not featured in a competitive game since playing for Tasmania against Queensland in the Sheffield Shield in early March. He is yet to play a match for his IPL team, Gujarat Lions, this season. Henriques, on the other hand, has featured in all but one of Sunrisers Hyderabad’s six matches, scoring 138 runs at an average of 46.00 and a strike rate of 127.77, and taking one wicket in 10 overs.”Moises finished off the domestic season very well and has had a great start in the Indian Premier League,” Hohns said. “We believe Moises’ batting has improved significantly in the past six months and he will provide us with a strong option should he be selected.”James has been a consistent performer for the one-day squad for several years, however with players such as Pattinson, Cummins and Hastings coming back to full fitness and the emergence of Marcus Stoinis, James was squeezed out of the squad and an unlucky omission.”Stoinis and Hastings are the two other seam-bowling allrounders in Australia’s squad, with Glenn Maxwell and Travis Head providing part-time offspin back-up to Adam Zampa’s legspin.

Liverpool are "speeding things up" in regard to signing Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram this summer, according to reliable journalist Rudy Galetti.

Is Thuram likely to join Liverpool?

The 22-year-old has emerged as one of the Reds' primary midfield targets this summer, as Jurgen Klopp looks to make significant additions in the middle of the park.

Alexis Mac Allister was an early-summer arrival, in what looks like an exciting piece of business, while the club recently announced the arrival of Dominik Szoboszlai.

It could be that Thuram is seen as the third addition to bring in, which would be a huge transformation of Liverpool's midfield, with the £14,000-a-week Nice star enjoying an eye-catching 2022/23 season. He registered four assists and scored twice in Ligue 1 – while the Reds are not the only ones apparently interested.

While the Szoboszlai news has dominated the headlines in recent days, it looks as though Thuram could now return to the forefront of the Reds' thoughts, following a new update.

What's the latest on Thuram to Liverpool?

Taking to Twitter, Galetti claimed that Liverpool are now trying to make a move for Thuram happen quickly, with Newcastle United hovering ominously:

"Liverpool are speeding things up for Khephren Thuram. LFC want to close the gap with OGCNice soon to anticipate the competition of Newcastle, which are starting to move concretely for the player: evolving situation."

This is great news, with Thuram someone who could be a devastating addition to Liverpool's midfield, potentially adding something that was not there last season as the Reds missed out on Champions League qualification.

The 6 foot 4 Nice ace is a towering player with great physical attributes, but he is also technically strong, using the ball intelligently and with purpose, as seen in his 86.9% pass completion rate in the 2022/23 Ligue 1 campaign.

Nice teammate Aaron Ramsey has said that Thuram is "very dangerous, very powerful, a very strong dribbler of the ball", adding that he is "another player that can go all the way to the top", which says a lot about his ability.

If Liverpool could bring in Mac Allister (24), Szoboszlai (22) and Thuram (22), it would have to be considered a wonderful summer – completely rebuilding a problem area of the pitch and solving the issue for years to come, considering the ages of the players in question.

Coach Russell Domingo also said that ODI captain AB de Villiers’ decision to opt out of Tests for South Africa has not affected the team adversely

Firdose Moonda13-Jun-2017AB de Villiers’ behind-the-scenes leadership skills are good enough to merit him continuing as ODI captain despite mounting calls for him to step aside. That was national head coach Russell Domingo’s endorsement of de Villiers, which added to a growing chorus from inside the team camp in support of the ODI captain following South Africa’s first-round exit from the Champions Trophy.”He has done a fantastic job as captain during this campaign. He leads from the front. I know there has been a lot of criticism about his leadership but a lot of it takes place behind closed doors, so what people see on the field, they will create their impressions from that. But the team and management all think he has done a wonderful job behind closed doors, in the preparation and lead-up to games,” Domingo said. “There’s a lot more that goes on than just making a bowling change. People can question his tactics, but there is more than one way to skin a cat. There is no right and wrong way in cricket. He has got to go with what he feels are the best decisions on the field and he has got to commit to that and that’s what he does.”De Villiers was appointed captain of the ODI and T20I sides in 2011, when Domingo began his work with the South African side. At the time, Domingo was Gary Kirsten’s assistant and two years later, he took over the main job only for de Villiers to hand the T20 reins to Faf du Plessis and set his sights on Test captaincy. Throughout that time, de Villiers was still said to be learning the leadership and slow over-rates, coupled with occasionally odd tactics, were proof of that. Domingo was among those who were patient with de Villiers’ schooling.When Graeme Smith stood down in March 2014, Hashim Amla was preferred over de Villiers but less than two years in, Amla did not want to do the job anymore. De Villiers captained two matches as interim skipper before being confirmed the permanent Test captain but never fulfilled the role after injury and then a Test hiatus kept him out of the whites.De Villiers’ absence from the longest format has now stretched to 18 months and could extend to as much as two years. He has opted out of Tests until the home series against India – dates have yet to be confirmed but it could start as late as January 2018 – to manage his workload ahead of the 2019 World Cup in England.Domingo on de Villiers’ choice to opt out of Tests: ‘By no means can we force players to play every single format’•Getty ImagesDe Villiers’ selective availability for South Africa – while still playing in tournaments such as the IPL – has not sat well with everyone, including former national batsman and current Cobras’ coach Ashwell Prince, who, in the aftermath of the Champions Trophy exit, tweeted: “Perhaps it’s time that @OfficialCSA dictates to players when they may have the honor of representing this country instead of other way round.”Asked whether de Villiers’ decision has affected the team, Domingo denied that it did. He said: “A lot of players have given up a certain format to focus on another one and that’s their choice. By no means can we force players to play every single format. You’ve obviously got to play them according to what they’re contributing in the particular formats and that’s what has happened. If he wants to just play one-dayers and T20s then that’s a decision he has got to live with and a decision he has got to make. You can’t force players to play every format if they are not committed.”Domingo went even further in his defence of de Villiers, pointing out that although de Villiers is not available for Tests, he has not missed any fifty-over cricket since recovering from elbow surgery early this year. After being unable to play against Australia at home last October, de Villiers returned against Sri Lanka, went to New Zealand and has now played in England, where he is also set to feature in three T20s ahead of the Tests. He is expected to play all of South Africa’s one-day series ahead of the World Cup.”He hasn’t sat out any one-day series where he hasn’t been injured. Whenever he has been fit, he has played one-day series. He’s sitting out Test cricket at the moment. His [lack of] Test cricket, in my opinion, would not be affecting his one-day cricket that much,” Domingo said. “So I can’t see the last time he missed a one-day series out of chance – it’s either been having a baby, or getting injured, and those are the main reasons. I wouldn’t say he has been picking and choosing one-day series.”

Arsenal are now considering a surprise move for PSG forward Kylian Mbappe, according to a recent report from Football Transfers.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

Arsenal are still running the rule over a number of options to challenge for Bukayo Saka's spot at right-wing, with Villarreal's Samuel Chukwueze being "monitored", amid "fierce competition" for his signature from Liverpool and Newcastle United.

Another attacking option for the Gunners is Fenerbahce's Arda Guler, having recently leapfrogged Newcastle in the race for his signature, with Dean Jones claiming that Mikel Arteta has "two more" signings up his sleeve this summer.

According to a report from Football Transfers, one of the club's more outlandish targets is Mbappe, with Arsenal, and by extension sporting director Edu Gaspar, currently weighing up whether to send a package to the representatives of the PSG forward ahead of what has been labelled a sensational 2024 move.

The Frenchman's contract is due to expire at the end of next season, so this summer may be the last chance PSG have to receive a transfer fee for their prized asset, who has also been linked with a move to Real Madrid.

At this stage, it is thought the La Liga side are leading the race for the 24-year-old, and they could make an offer this summer, should his current club reduce their asking price, but at the moment they are holding firm.

Arsenal are aware they are currently second-choice to Real Madrid, and they will have to hope the Spanish club fail in their pursuit of the attacker.

How much does Kylian Mbappe earn?

The France international is currently tied down to a huge £1.2m-per-week contract at PSG, so the Gunners will be well aware they must be willing to spend big if they are to secure his signature this summer

In truth, it does not seem very likely the Gunners will be able to compete for his signature, as while they do have Champions League football on offer next season, the PSG star will probably want to move to a side with a more recent history of winning major trophies.

However, if the former AS Monaco man is attracted by the prospect of being a part of the project at the Emirates Stadium, there is every indication he could be a fantastic signing, who could help take Arsenal to the next level.

Hailed as a "generational talent" by members of the media, Mbappe has recorded a remarkable 212 goals and 98 assists in 260 appearances for PSG, proving himself as one of the world's best players.

Everton have "formally expressed" their interest in signing Almeria forward El Bilal Toure this summer having expressed their intentions to pay the release clause of €40m (£34m), according to journalist Sacha Tavolieri.

What's the latest Everton transfer news?

Having missed out on multiple attacking targets in the January transfer window, including the likes of Kamaldeen Sulemana and Jean Philippe-Mateta, Everton are eager to bring in a new striker this summer, and they have identified several targets.

Back in June, it was reported the Toffees were plotting a move for Udinese striker Beto, with the Serie A outfit expecting the 25-year-old to leave this summer, however there could be competition for his signature.

Several of Europe's top clubs, including Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Napoli and Tottenham Hotspur, have now been offered the opportunity to sign the Portuguese forward, with the same report detailing that he will be available for €30m (£26m) this summer.

Another player who has been linked with a switch to Goodison Park is Leeds United's Wilfried Gnonto, however journalist Paul Brown has claimed a move for the Italy international is "slightly unrealistic", so Sean Dyche may have to focus on other targets.

Tavolieri recently took to Twitter to claim that Everton have put €40m (£34m) on the table to sign El Bilal Toure, offering the Almeria forward a five-year contract, and the same journalist has now provided another update on the situation.

Everton have indeed "formally expressed" their intentions to go ahead and pay Almeria the €40m (£34m) release clause included in the 21-year-old's contract, but spread out over a period of installments rather than up front and in full.

The Toffees hierarchy are keen to pay off the deal in three of four installments, which could potentially put a spanner in the works, with a number of other clubs interested, including Fulham, who view the youngster as a priority target if Aleksandar Mitrovic leaves.

At the moment, the situation is "a bit messy", with a number of agents said to be "speaking about the striker", potentially indicating the Blues will miss out if they don't simply stump up the cash.

Who is El Bilal Toure?

Although he was born in the Ivory Coast, the Almeria starlet is a Mali international, having already made 13 caps for his national side, registering four goals in the process.

The former Reims man predominantly plays at striker, finding the back of the net seven times in 21 appearances in La Liga last term, in what was a very impressive debut season.

The Toffees have been linked with a move for the £5k-per-week attacker for quite some time, with transfer correspondent Graeme Bailey hailing him as a "major talent" amid reports about a switch to Goodison Park last summer.

Even though the Malian impressed last season, however, it is still up for debate whether his performances justify a £34m outlay, as there are several areas in which he needs to develop.

Over the past year, Toure ranks in just the 15th percentile for successful take-ons, and in the 27th for passes attempted, when compared to his positional peers, indicating he is far from the finished article.

An independent committee has found Gautam Gambhir guilty of “seriously inappropriate behaviour”, and handed out a four-match suspended ban

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jun-2017Delhi captain Gautam Gambhir was handed a four-match suspended ban from first-class cricket for his altercation with coach KP Bhaskar in March this year. A three-member independent inquiry committee, set up by Justice Vikramjit Sen, comprising Madan Lal, Rajendra Rathore and Soni Singh, found Gambhir guilty of “seriously inappropriate behaviour”.The committee, however, suspended the punishment for a two-year period, ending on March 19, 2019, contingent on Gambhir accepting the ruling.During this year’s Vijay Hazare Trophy, Gambhir had criticised Bhaskar of creating an insecure environment for youngsters. Subsequently, the DDCA set up a committee to investigate the argument.”The Committee Members agree that considering the above facts and circumstances that have come to light, Mr Gambhir’s actions towards Mr Pillai with premeditated intent to humiliate the coach were highly inappropriate and of serious nature,” Sen said in a statement.”The position of a coach among the team members is of high respect and dignity. It is a serious disgrace to a coach to be humiliated in front of team members by one of the team members even though if it is a senior player.”The actions of Mr Gambhir, however well intended, cannot be said to be in the interest of the team, or its performance or the game as it was done on the very last day of the season and therefore could not have been any corrective effect,” the statement said.Among other decisions, the committee also recommended the creation of a grievance-redressal system for players and framing of disciplinary-action rules that would inform them of the consequences of a transgression.”It is also recommended that disciplinary action rules and mechanism of imposing penalty are required to be formulated to inculcate discipline in the team members and for predictability and deterrence, where players know that an act of indiscipline would have serious repercussions and are therefore deterred from committing them,” Sen said.