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When last these teams met, Rangana Herath practically gobbled the opposition up, and took nearly half the Zimbabwe wickets on offer in the series. Herath had not previously played Zimbabwe, and as such, it was the only team against whom he did not have a five-wicket haul. He claimed only six wickets in the first Test, but was irresistible in the next, taking five wickets in the first innings and eight in the second. All up, his 19 wickets came at 15.10 apiece.This time around, Zimbabwe have at least seen a little of Herath, and understand the threat he poses and captain Graeme Cremer is confident Zimbabwe’s homework will stand his batsmen in good stead.”We know he is a quality bowler, he is someone that Sri Lanka really rely on to pick up wickets,” Cremer said of Herath. “We’ve just spoken about how he tries to get people out – both left-handers and right-handers. Guys have all come up with their own individual plans on how to play him. We definitely know he is a threat and he will be someone we need to keep out if we are to do well in the Test.”Their own attack, meanwhile, is likely to comprise of a similar array of spinners as were in evidence during the ODI series. Cremer himself is a specialist legbreak bowler, and had some success in the Tests against Sri Lanka last year. In support are several allrounders: Sean Williams (left-arm spin), Malcolm Waller and Sikandar Raza (both offspin).”We rely on a lot on our spinners, which has always been our wicket-taking option,” Cremer said. “We’ve had injuries with the seam attack – Carl Mumba is struggling with his knee, which is a setback for us. But we’ve still got guys who can step up and do the job, because we are spin-heavy in our team. It depends on the conditions how many spinners we will play.”Cremer also drew attention to the substantial challenges posed by Zimbabwe’s infrequent Test schedule. The team has only played four Tests since November 2014, and none since they met Sri Lanka in October and November 2016. The vast majority of their squad have played fewer than 20 Tests, with Cremer himself only having 15 matches under his belt. The rushed schedule on this tour was also a mild bone of contention – Zimbabwe would ideally have liked more time to become acclimatised to Sri Lankan conditions.”We sometimes struggle when we go three, four, five months without a series, which can be tough. It’s not easy just to walk up there and play well against top teams. If we can get a lot more games against good opposition it will help our cricket.”We also knew it was tough to get a practice fixture, because Sri Lanka had a tough schedule. We’ll sort of take any cricket that is given. If Sri Lanka said we can’t play a three-dayer or four-dayer because of the schedule, that is something that we cannot control. We aren’t too fussy. At least the guys have been out in the middle in the ODIs. We are still confident we can still push them.”

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.”

Everton are the latest team to throw their hat into the ring for Romain Faivre, according to a report from Foot Mercato, via Sport Witness.

How has Romain Faivre played this season?

The midfielder – who primarily plays on the wing but can also feature as a traditional number ten – has spent the 2022/23 season on loan with Lorient and has really caught the eye with his displays. He managed 16 top flight games for the club but produced a superb total of eight goal contributions along the way, with five goals in total and three assists.

hen you consider he only managed 13.8 lots of 90 minutes for the club, it's a superb goal contribution rate for the winger.

He's never managed the same totals for parent club Lyon, although he has also not been able to get onto the field as much with them. Before moving to Lorient, he was given only three starts by Les Gones and managed just the one assist across 2021/22. In fact, he has only managed 12 league starts during the entirety of his time with Lyon.

Now, he could be given the chance to leave France and try his luck in the Premier League. That's because according to a report from Foot Mercato, via Sport Witness, the 24-year-old is drawing interest from several English clubs.

One of the latest to express their eagerness to sign him is Everton, who will have to battle Fulham and Crystal Palace if they want any hope of bringing the player to Goodison Park this campaign.

How much would Faivre cost Everton?

They may already find that to be a struggle, with Lyon also slapping a 15 million Euro price tag on his head (£13m). Whilst that is not an extortionate fee for the midfielder, it is one that the Toffees may currently struggle to pay – and the report adds that whilst they may be able to compete financially more than other interested parties from abroad, they will struggle against other Premier League sides.

He's clearly a player that possesses some real ability too. Those who have watched him have been full of praise for Faivre, with football talent scout Jacek Kulig previously calling the player "pure quality" after a performance back in 2022.

It shows that the 24-year-old has been impressive in France – and if Everton were able to poach him, he would certainly upgrade their midfield and wide options.

A failure to take early wickets during the Sri Lanka innings was behind Bangladesh’s defeat, according to captain Mashrafe Mortaza

Mohammad Isam01-Apr-2017

Mashrafe Mortaza suggested the lack of an early breakthrough made his bowling unit impatient and defensive in their 70-run loss to Sri Lanka in Colombo. Bangladesh conceded 76 runs in the first ten overs before Mehedi Hasan broke the opening partnership in the first over of the second Powerplay.There were, however, a few more twists and turns in the third ODI, which Mashrafe later acknowledged as pivotal to his side only drawing the series from a position of being 1-0 ahead.Danushka Gunathilaka and Upul Tharanga gave Sri Lanka their fast start before Kusal Mendis worked hard to keep the run rate above five an over during his 76-ball 54. But when he fell in the 37th over and then Sri Lanka lost Asela Gunaratne and Seekugge Prasanna, their scoring rate slowed down and Bangladesh edged back into the game – only for it to slip out of their hands again in the last six overs, as Thisara Perera and Dilruwan Perera helped add another 59 runs.Selectors stick by XI

Mashrafe Mortaza approved of the consistent selection during the ODI series after the same XI was picked in all three games. This was the first time in Bangladesh’s history that the same XI played in all three games of a three-match series against a higher-ranked side.
“In the New Zealand series we made changes in every game. Confidence of players went down, and [they] started to feel insecure. It is a good thing that we were consistent in Sri Lanka. Everyone understood their role. I hope the team will remain on their toes in Ireland.”

Mashrafe said that early breakthroughs in the first two ODIs meant the Bangladesh attack could bowl according to their plans but as soon as Tharanga and Gunathilaka started charging at the bowlers, the switch from an attacking mindset began and was evident even in those last six overs.”I don’t think it was nervousness [in the first ten overs] but we did use up five bowlers during that period,” Mashrafe said. “We weren’t as disciplined as we were in the first two games. I think we tried a few more things because we weren’t getting what we wanted early on. We didn’t judge the wicket properly in regards to our areas.”We went into defensive mode as soon as we had one or two bad overs. It created more problems. We should have stuck to our attacking mode like we did in the last two games. I think we moved away from that plan.”But he also felt that a poor start with the bat, chasing 281 runs, and their inability to sustain the recovery also didn’t help. Bangladesh slumped to 11 for 3 in the fourth over after which Shakib Al Hasan and Soumya Sarkar added 77 runs for the fourth wicket. But what compounded their difficulties was the 16 runs between Mosaddek Hossain and Mahmudullah, who looked in fine touch in the first ODI.”When we played the practice match, we understood that the Colombo wicket becomes flatter in the second half,” Mashrafe said. “They perhaps made 20 runs more, but if you follow Miraz’s batting [Mehedi made 51 at No. 8] you could see clearly that the wicket didn’t have anything.”Perhaps the new balls swung from both ends but Soumya and Shakib could have dragged on their partnership a bit further and if the next two batsmen could have made a big contribution, we could have won the game. We needed 70-odd off the last 36 balls, so I think if we had wickets in hand, things would have been different for us.”But he said that they would take lessons from such games where they had to fight back from a difficult position. “We made a comeback as a bowling group in this game, having done poorly in the first ten overs,” he said. “I think we bowled well in the first ten overs in the second ODI in Dambulla, but still went on to concede 300-plus total. It is a lesson for us, how to turn around from a bad start.”

Liverpool have joined the race to bring Borussia Monchengladbach striker Marcus Thuram to the Premier League, according to reports.

Who is Marcus Thuram?

Thuram is a centre-forward who currently plays his football at the Borussia Park having moved there from Guingamp back in 2019, and he’s since gone on to become a regular feature of the first-team having clocked up 134 appearances to date.

The France international started 28 of the 34 Bundesliga games last season and was a standout performer under Daniel Farke before he departed, ranking as his manager’s top-performing offensive player and second overall with a WhoScored match rating of 7.09, so he’s bound to have attracted interest.

However, the 6 foot 4 titan will be out of contract at the end of the month and is expected to depart as a free agent having not signed a deal to extend his stay, with his potential availability having alerted FSG and Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.

Are Liverpool signing Thuram?

According to Spanish reports (via CaughtOffside), Liverpool have entered the running to sign Thuram ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. The Reds are reportedly “hoping to snap him up” for nothing during the upcoming window, and it’s stated that the striker could be wanting to “take the next step” in his career. The Premier League is viewed as an “attractive option” so he is therefore “likely to be tempted” should an offer arrive at his door.

Where would Thuram fit in at Anfield?

Liverpool have confirmed that Roberto Firmino is leaving the club so Klopp will be in need of a suitable replacement in time for the start of the new season, and given the fact that he would be available to recruit for quite literally free, Thuram could be the perfect long-term successor, allowing the serious funds to be spent in midfield.

The World Cup participant, who pockets £53k-per-week, racked up 19 goal contributions (13 goals and six assists) in 30 Bundesliga appearances last season and recorded a total of 92 shots over the course of the campaign, which was higher than any other of his fellow teammates, as per FBRef, with this form seeing him collect four man-of-the-match awards.

Borussia Monchengladbach’s “beast”, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is also a versatile operator with his ability to operate everywhere across the frontline, including at centre-forward, out wide on both flanks and as a second striker, so he really seems to have all the qualities to fit what the boss is likely to be looking for in a Firmino replacement.

Zimbabwe’s players have ended their protest over non-payment of match fees and will return to training on Monday after being given an assurance by Wildfred Mukondiwa, the Zimbabwe Cricket chairman, that their monies will be paid. The players have also received certainty over contracts, although the specifics are not yet known.Last week, ESPNcricinfo reported that the Harare-based players, who were involved in a camp ahead of matches against Pakistan A, refused to practice until they had been given certainty over their unpaid money and the status of contracts. Players from other parts of the country were not involved as they had not travelled to Harare.The players demanded a meeting with Mukondiwa, which took place on Friday, two days after the ZC AGM. Sources revealed that Mukondiwa informed them he was working on a payment plan for their match fees. Some players had not been paid for matches dating back to July last year. ZC was making payments in batches, with the final one due in July this year which went unpaid.Zimbabwe are due to host Sri Lanka and West Indies after the A-team series, although the fixtures have yet to be announced. Zimbabwe are also without a head coach, and are working with former interim coach Makhaya Ntini. Heath Streak is believed to be the frontrunner to take over.

Stuart Broad is set to play in the Big Bash League if he fails to make England’s limited-overs squad to tour India in January.ESPNcricinfo understands Broad is close to agreeing terms with a BBL team, most likely the Hobart Hurricanes, as he attempts to reinvigorate his white-ball career and force his way back into contention for England’s ODI squad ahead of the 2017 Champions Trophy and the 2019 World Cup.On Tuesday the ECB will announce the squad to face Pakistan during the five-match Royal London ODI series and it appears unlikely Broad will be included in the current set-up. He has played just two ODIs – in South Africa in February – since England’s dismal World Cup campaign in 2015, as the selectors have turned to a new crop of limited-overs seamers.But Broad has made it clear he has not given up on an international career with the white ball. When he was omitted from the ODI squad for the series against Sri Lanka in June, he indicated he would explore other avenues to prove his merit in limited-overs formats.If he is not named in the squad to face Pakistan he will have few opportunities for Nottinghamshire in the remaining Royal London One-Day Cup fixtures to make his case for selection ahead of England’s tours of Bangladesh and India.With 50-over cricket becoming the focus in the lead-up to the Champions Trophy, England won’t play Test cricket between the final match in Chennai and the first Test of the series against South Africa in July.England’s fifth Test against India finishes on December 20 in Chennai and Hobart’s first match in the BBL is an away fixture against the Sydney Sixers three days later, meaning Broad – who has taken 65 wickets in T20 Internationals at an average of 22.93 – could potentially be available for the entire competition, which culminates in the final on January 28.

Arsenal starlet Folarin Balogun will be "keen to leave" this summer if the club don't guarantee him first team opportunities, according to reports.

What's the latest news on Balogun?

The 21-year-old is currently attracting a lot of serious interest from clubs abroad as reliable journalist David Ornstein shared recently. Indeed, the player's future could be a big topic for Arsenal this summer and Ornstein has reported that they face a big decision.

Balogun's contract expires in just over two years, giving Mikel Arteta's side a dilemma over whether to sell this year or implement him into the first team – as it is currently very unlikely he will extend his contract with the club.

Currently on loan at Reims in Ligue 1, the forward has absolutely dazzled under Will Still, prompting some of the continent's best sides to take note of his exploits.

It has been reported that AC Milan, Inter, Marseille, Monaco and RB Leipzig are just some of the elite sides eyeing a move for Balogun.

Now, 90min has weighed in with their own update, as it appears the England Under-21 international is set to give Arsenal an ultimatum upon his return to north London.

Indeed, it is now believed that he will be 'keen to leave' the club permanently if Arsenal don't guarantee him first-team minutes. Balogun is apparently due to hold 'crunch talks' with the club over his future, Another loan move has been ruled out by the striker's entourage, meaning his potential exit will be a permanent one.

90min adds that RB Leipzig, Eintracht Frankfurt, Union Berlin, Nice, Lyon, Villarreal and Sevilla are all taking an interest in Balogun – and he is just as popular in the Premier League.

Brentford, Leicester City, Wolves, Everton and Crystal Palace are all keeping tabs on the exciting youngster, with the Bees particularly seeing him as an alternative to Ivan Toney – who faces a lengthy ban due to the betting charges against him.

What should Arsenal do with Balogun?

We believe the solution is obvious – the Gunners should guarantee Balogun first-team minutes next season.

As we've already seen with defender William Saliba, it is entirely possible for returning loanees from France to make an immediate impact in Arteta's first team.

Called 'incredible' for his form by Arteta, Balogun has been quite simply scintillating in front of goal – scoring 18 in 26 top-flight starts.

He's also attempted an impressive 3.3 shots at goal per 90, more than any Gunners forward in England – making you wonder what exactly is stopping him from breaking through.

Losing such a highly talented player would be a real shame and we believe his best place next season is at The Emirates.

A round-up of the Dhaka Premier League games that were played on May 30, 2016

Mohammad Isam30-May-2016

Mashrafe Mortaza’s six-wicket haul set up Kalabagan Krira Chakra’s 10-run win (D/L method) in a rain-affected match against Legends of Rupganj in Fatullah.After Kalabagan asked Rupganj to bat, it was Dewan Sabbir who did the early damage, removing Rupganj’s openers for single-digit scores. Despite decent knocks from Mohammad Mithun, Ishank Jaggi and Asif Ahmed in the middle order, Rupganj slumped to 87 for 5. A 78-run sixth-wicket stand between Asif Ahmed and Sajjadul Haque added substance to Rupganj’s innings, before the former fell to Sabbir, giving him his third wicket of the match. Mashrafe, who had been introduced as the third-change bowler, then cleaned up the tail taking the last four wickets.Mashrafe had earlier dismissed Mithun and Rupganj captain Mossharraf Hossain. He finished with figures of 6 for 42 in his 10 overs. This was his second 6-wicket haul in List-A cricket, the other one being 10 years ago, against Kenya in an ODI.Kalabagan had reached 127 for 4 in 35.4 overs when rain intervened to curtail proceedings. That was enough for them to secure a 10-run victory under the Duckworth-Lewis method. The win opened up a four-point lead between Kalabagan and Cricket Coaching School, who are second from the bottom on the points table. That gives Kalabagan some breathing space, with the two bottom-placed teams to be relegated to next season’s Dhaka First Division Cricket League.Victoria Sporting Club leapt from seventh to third position on the table with their 28-run win over Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club in Mirpur.After opting to bat first, Victoria were bowled out for 247 in 49.4 overs. While six of their top seven got starts, only Mominul Haque got a half-century, scoring 50 off 51 balls, including six fours and a six. Batting at no. 3, he added 72 runs for the second wicket with Fazle Mahmud. Later, captain Nadif Chowdhury and Chaturanga de Silva added 80 runs for the sixth wicket. Nadif’s dismissal left Victoria 212 for 6. A nine-ball 24 from Mahbubul lifted the side to 247.Mahmudullah took 3 for 40, while Muktar Ali and left-arm spinner Abdur Rahman took two wickets each.In a similar fashion to Victoria’s batsmen, Dhanmondi’s top-order batsmen squandered starts, with each of the top four getting out between 20 and 50. Only Sohag Gazi, batting at no. 6, registered a half-century, with a knock of 59 off 64. Then it was Victoria pace bowler Kamrul Islam Rabbi’s turn to get among the wickets. He took four of the last six wickets, as Dhanmondi were bowled out for 219 in the 49th over.Gazi Group Cricketers beat Brothers Union by 43 runs in a low-scoring encounter on a turning track at the BKSP-3 ground.In response to Gazi Group’s 167, Brothers were bowled out for just 124 runs in 40.1 overs. Gazi Group’s offspinner Mahedi Hasan picked up 4 for 16, while Gurkeerat Singh, Alok Kapali and Salehin Shad picked up two wickets apiece. Brothers captain Tushar Imran played the only knock of substance, with 41 off 81 balls.Tushar had earlier taken a four-wicket haul with his part-time offspin as Gazi Group were bowled out for 167. Opening the batting, Anamul Haque top-scored for Gazi Group, with 46 off 52, including three fours and four sixes. But, after a 70-run opening stand, Gazi Group slipped to 102 for 8. A few lusty blows from Mohammad Sharif, at no. 11, added some crucial runs to their final score.The win takes Gazi Group to 10 points, while Brothers remain on 8.

After a spectacular display of fireworks lit up the start of the final of the inaugural Pakistan Super League in Dubai, Dwayne Smith produced the cricketing equivalent of it, firing Islamabad United to the title

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Feb-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details2:24

‘PSL can help Pakistani youngsters’ – Misbah

After a spectacular display of fireworks lit up the start of the final of the inaugural Pakistan Super League in Dubai, Dwayne Smith produced the cricketing equivalent of it, firing Islamabad United to the title. He struck 73 off 51 balls, 52 of them through boundaries. Smith’s effort came after Quetta Gladiators had put up a challenging 174 with fluent half-centuries from Ahmed Shehzad and Kumar Sangakkara. Islamabad captain Misbah-ul-Haq, who had termed the PSL almost like a “World Cup” at the toss, sealed the victory with a flick past midwicket and sparked off wild celebrations.Smith, who had struggled to get the ball off the square during his 37-ball 19 in the third qualifier against Peshawar Zalmi, got into his shot-making stride right away on Tuesday night, cracking fours off his second and third balls. He then followed it up with a brace of fours in the next over, off spinner Nathan McCullum, who was bowling for the first time in the tournament. Nathan managed to bowl PSL’s only centurion Sharjeel Khan, who had been added to Pakistan’s World T20 and Asia Cup squads, for only 12, but Smith continued his slap-happy strokeplay and raised a fifty off 32 balls.Smith was dismissed when he sent a top-edge to Kevin Pietersen to backward point in the 16th over, but Brad Haddin, whose knock was a more measured one, remained unbeaten on 61 off 39 balls, his third fifty of the tournament. Islamabad ultimately won emphatically with six wickets and eight balls to spare.They had begun on a positive note as well with fast bowler Mohammad Irfan striking in the first over to dismiss opener Bismillah Khan for a duck. Pietersen, playing his third T20 final this season after the Ram Slam and Big Bash League, promised much before holing out to deep square leg for 18; Asif Ali completing an excellent catch. Sangakkara and Shehzad then married power and timing in an 87-run partnership, highlighted by Sangakkara’s extra-cover drive for six off Mohammad Sami, for the third wicket. The pair ensured that Quetta motored past 100 by the 13th over.Sangakkara, however, was caught by Imran Khalid at long-on off Russell for 55, in the 15th over. Sangakkara’s exit set in motion a flurry of wickets as Quetta lost four wickets in four overs at the death. Anwar Ali swung wildly and connected a six before he became Russell’s third victim. It meant that Russell went past Wahab Riaz to finish as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 16 scalps. Grant Elliott lifted the last ball of the innings for a six but Quetta’s joy was short-lived.