Brian Vitori suspended from bowling for third time

The Zimbabwe seamer’s action has been reported again, four matches after he was cleared to resume bowling following a 12-month ban

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Mar-2018Zimbabwe’s left-arm seamer Brian Vitori has been reported for an illegal bowling action for a third time in two years, and suspended from bowling until he undergoes an assessment of his action.Vitori’s woes

Jan 2016 – Reported for the first time
Feb 2016 – Suspended for the first time
Jun 2016 – Bowling action declared legal
Nov 2016 – Reported again
Dec 2016 – Suspended from bowling for 12 months
Jan 2018 – Allowed to resume bowling in internationals
March 2018 – reported and suspended again

Vitori was suspended from bowling for 12 months in December 2016 after tests revealed he flexed his elbow more than the accepted 15 degrees. The ICC cleared him to bowl again in January 2018 but four matches into resuming his international career, he has been pulled up again.The umpires raised doubt over Vitori’s action during Zimbabwe’s game against Nepal in the World Cup Qualifier on Sunday. He was then filmed during the next game – a nail-biter against Afghanistan – on Tuesday, after which two members from the ICC’s panel of human movement specialists (Helen Bayne and Mark King) reviewed the footage and the penalty was subsequently handed out.Vitori had played a defining role in that game, taking 2 for 32 in 9.3 overs, including taking the final wicket in the 50th over to seal a two-run victory. He will no longer be available to bowl for Zimbabwe until he volunteers himself for biomechanical testing again, and as a result he has been replaced in the Zimbabwe squad by left-arm seamer Richard Ngarava.

West Ham: Moyes Eyeing "Deadly" £14m Scamacca Replacement

Gianluca Scamacca’s time at West Ham United was a disaster.

There are still many question marks shrouding the signing.

Firstly, the transfer strategy of the hierarchy to pinpoint the Italian as the preferred target, when his style dramatically contrasts what David Moyes was trying to achieve.

Secondly, the striker's own obvious lack of motivation or willingness to adapt, eventually lead to his career in east London petering out into irrelevancy.

This summer, the Irons have massively strengthened the midfield with Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse and added Konstantinos Mavropanos to the defence.

The final piece of their window is the striker and a new name has emerged as a possible target…

What’s the latest West Ham United transfer news?

According to the Guardian, West Ham are looking to add some attacking reinforcements, with Ajax’s Mohammed Kudus and free agent Jesse Lingard tipped to join the London Stadium.

But, as per the Daily Mail, a lesser-known figure by the name of Georges Mikautadze, is also under consideration for the Irons.

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

The forward could possibly be available for around £8.5m this summer and a move to the Premier League could be his chance to formally announce himself to European football.

Currently, Moyes’ striking options consist of the veteran Michail Antonio, the influential Danny Ings, and the young Divin Mubama, so there is definitely an opportunity for Mikautadze to shine.

Who is Georges Mikautadze?

The 5 foot 9 phenom signed his first professional contract with Metz in 2019 and joined Belgian First Division side Seraing on loan – across two seasons and 57 appearances, he registered 40 goal contributions and in the summer of 2022, he returned to France looking to prove a point.

In the 2022/23 campaign, the former Lyon academy graduate recorded 31 goal involvements in Ligue 2, which meant he was named the League’s best player and top-scorer as his side secured promotion.

In the first two games of the current Ligue 1 season, Mikautadze has scored once and crafted an assist, with his manager Laszlo Bolini showering the youngster with praise, calling him a “deadly striker.”

Georgian international Georges Mikautadze.

After looking at the manner in which the 16-cap international has excelled at his previous clubs, it would be worth West Ham opting to take a punt on his potential.

It would be difficult for Mikautadze to perform worse than Scamacca in east London.

Over the past 365, ranked against his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, the Italian sits within the lowest 15% for non-penalty xG per 90, touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, and assists per 90, as well as the bottom 49% for shot-creating actions per 90 and progressive passes per 90.

This is a damning indictment of his inability to contribute towards offensive sequences or get on the end of chances.

Antonio alluded to the fact that Scamacca wasn’t a good fit for West Ham and said:

"The problem is, he can’t play the way the gaffer plays. He needs a different type of manager to play his type of football, [one who can] have other players play off him and stuff like that.”

Therefore, the £14k-per-week gem deserves a chance and he could continue his excellent form in the Claret and Blue of the London Stadium.

Explained: Why Chelsea medical director Dimitrios Kalogiannidis has departed Stamford Bridge amid Blues injury crisis

Chelsea medical director Dimitrios Kalogiannidis is set to leave the club, despite the Blues dealing with an injury crisis this season.

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  • Dimitrios Kalogiannidis to depart
  • Agreement reached with Chelsea board
  • Nine players currently injured
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    reports that Kalogiannidis is set to leave the club, although no timescale has been placed upon his possible exit. Chelsea are currently dealing with a major injury crisis, meaning the news has come as a bolt from the blue.

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    THE EXPLANATION

    Per the report, Kalogiannidis is leaving due to family reasons. He had worked with the club for 13 years, and was placed in the position of medical director in October of 2022. There have been a number of changes within the medical staff at Chelsea, as both Paco Bicosa and Thierry Laurent – the head of the medical department and chief physio, respectively – departed in September 2022.

  • DID YOU KNOW?

    Chelsea have nine players currently on the treatment table. Wesley Fofana, Reece James, Marc Cucurella, Romeo Lavia, Christopher Nkunku, Robert Sanchez, Trevoh Chalobah, Lesley Ugochukwu and Nicolas Jackson are all out.

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    WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

    Mauricio Pochettino's side face Middlesbrough in the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final on Tuesday. The Blues are currently trailing 1-0 on aggregate.

Liverpool Have Perfect Opportunity To Sign £17m Leader

The focus of Liverpool conversation is on the transfer of Southampton's Romeo Lavia, with Jurgen Klopp's side set to lodge a second offer for the Belgium international this week, but there is perhaps room for another midfield acquisition after a tumultuous window thus far.

The Reds knew that they would lose a large chunk of their centre, with James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all leaving in June after concluding their contracts, but stability was threatened when Saudi Arabian outfits emerged as suitors for Jordan Henderson and Fabinho, who join the aforementioned trio in leaving Anfield.

Moves have been made to upgrade on last season's options and Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai certainly look to be fantastic purchases for the Merseyside outfit, but even if the deal to sign Lavia, aged 19, steers over the line, some might feel that another defensive midfielder would be necessary to truly restore the equilibrium.

Who will Liverpool sign this summer?

According to journalist Bruno Andrade – via Sport Witness – Fluminense ace Andre's agent Jorge Mendes is currently 'in the process' of transferring the 22-year-old to England, and despite rival interest from Fulham, Liverpool are believed to be in the driving seat.

A fee of €20m (£17m) would be enough to prise Andre away from his homeland, with Klopp chasing a deal this summer.

How good is Andre?

Yet to dip his toes into European football, Andre has made quite the name for himself in Brazil and is an integral part of Fluminense's system, hailed as a "leader" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, who are currently fourth in the Série A.

As per Sofascore, the gem has averaged a match rating of 7.09 this season after 14 matches, completing 94% of his passes, averaging 2.1 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per game, and succeeding with 71% of his dribbles and 62% of his duels.

Those statistics are illuminated in glory by FBref who rank him among the top 1% of midfielders across Men's Next Eight divisions for pass completion and the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90. As such, he might just be the perfect man to bolster Liverpool's midfield and ensure that Lavia does not find too great a weight heaped upon his shoulders.

With right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold's new hybrid role foraying into midfield and unleashing his creativity and superlative ball-playing ability from the centre, an industrious and composed figure such as Andre could pay dividends.

trent-alexander-arnold-liverpool-performance-opinion-jurgen-klopp-leicester-premier-league

The England international has rebuked for his defensive mishaps last term as Liverpool struggled for any vestige of form and fluidity, even being called a "training dummy" by reporter Casey Evans after being obliterated by the fleet-footed Vinicius Jr. in the Champions League.

A tactical alteration from Klopp saw Alexander-Arnold move in-field, playing in a double-six, and Andre could indeed be the perfect partner to allow him to exhibit his flair.

Indeed, the 24-year-old was a centrepiece during Liverpool's late-season resurgence and was hailed as "sensational" by commentator Martin Tyler after clinching eight goal contributions from the final ten matches of the league campaign.

It would be an astute purchase, and if Liverpool can afford to part with the reported £17m they simply must do so in order to chart a course for success.

Polosak set to become first female umpire in domestic men's game

Claire Polosak to stand with Paul Wilson in the List A contest between New South Wales and a Cricket Australia XI at Hurstville Oval on Sunday

Daniel Brettig04-Oct-2017Claire Polosak was a Goulburn teenager with a love of cricket when a schoolmate gave her a new idea for getting involved in the game. “A friend came to school with a flyer and she said ‘Dad says you like cricket, you should give this a go’,” Polosak said. “She thrust the flyer into my face and it was a course for umpiring. So I thought ‘oh I’ll give this a go’ and it grew from there.”From that abrupt introduction, her career did indeed grow, to the point that Polosak, 29, will on Sunday become the first woman to officiate as an on-field umpire in an Australian domestic men’s fixture – standing with Paul Wilson in the List A contest between New South Wales and a Cricket Australia XI at Hurstville Oval.In doing so, she will join the likes of Kathy Cross (New Zealand), Jacqueline Williams (West Indies) and Sue Redfern (England) as women to have umpired at the men’s first-class level. Polosak’s progress also follows significant progress for female officiators in other sports. In May, the South Australian Eleni Glouftsis became the first woman to stand as a field umpire in an AFL men’s match.”A little bit nervous, but if you don’t have a little bit of nerves, you don’t care,” Polosak said in Sydney. “So it’s all about getting all the butterflies going in the same direction. Planning on going out there and having my routines, get through the first ball and go through it from there. I love the challenge, watching balls, being out there, the camaraderie between umpires as you’ve come through is really good, it’s a family, the challenge of having to answer decisions is always good.”I never played cricket, but I always followed cricket, and my parents got me into it [umpiring], Dad used to drive me up from Goulburn to do the umpires course here. It took a few times to pass but it was something I was determined to do and I just kept working through the grades in Sydney competition.”I got a phone call from Simon Taufel [to say I would umpire on Sunday]. I followed Simon when I was a lot younger growing up, he was at his peak, so to have the phone call from him was quite special.”Having umpired men’s and women’s matches extensively, Polosak is in a unique position to compare and contrast. She has found that the women’s game can be more difficult to judge as the high standard of fielding often catches out runners between the wickets, while the greater speed of the ball in men’s matches means that nicks off the edge of the bat can be more easily heard. But either way, she is yet to meet an angry fast bowler or irritated captain she has not been able to “deal with”.Equally, Polosak has not yet joined other colleagues in wearing much in the way of protective equipment when standing. “Cricket Australia is very open to if you want to wear a helmet or protective equipment, they’re happy to provide that,” she said. “At the moment I’m fortunate that I haven’t been in that situation. But if you’ve got good positioning and watching the ball, hopefully that reduces your chance of any injury.”Asked whether her pathway had been anymore difficult than for a male equivalent, Polosak paused. “A bit hard to tell, as I’ve come through the grades, I’ve come through at the same speed that players have, so now in first grade in Sydney I’ve seen players I’ve worked with all the way through, so I’m not a novelty anymore,” she said. “The way the appointments work are based on merit, so I can never ask for anything extra.”I’ve probably had to work a little bit harder [than men] but it’s all part of the enjoyment, and being able to do well makes it even better.It just shows there is a pathway now, there are increased opportunities. Cricket Australia and Cricket NSW are really increasing the amount of support available for female umpires, and I think that’s showing in other sports as well.”In addition to her own umpiring, Polosak works in female engagement and umpire education at Cricket NSW, where she is intent on building the number of females coming through the ranks of the game’s arbiters. “We’re looking to improve the numbers,” she said. “There’s now an increased awareness of women’s sport and an increased pathway so it’s really exciting.”As for whether the road, that started with that flyer waved in her face, can lead to standing in a Test match, Polosak said she was not putting any limitations on what could be achieved. “There always is [a dream to umpire a Test match],” she said, “but if you ask players or referees from any sport, you just want to go to the highest possible opportunity that you can.”

Read's record adds lustre to crushing Notts win

Chris Read set a new wicket-keeping record for Nottinghamshire as they moved closer to promotion with an innings defeat of Derbyshire

Jon Culley at Derby09-Aug-2017It is every retiring cricketer’s wish to leave the game in a winning moment and the fulfillment of that aspiration is within touching distance for Chris Read now after Nottinghamshire escaped the ravages of the weather to complete a comprehensive win over their nearest neighbours.Brett Hutton delivered the key performance with the ball against Derbyshire, taking five wickets for the second time in the match.Read, Notts’ veteran wicketkeeper and captain, may not have a third Championship to celebrate when he plays his final first-class match next month but promotion as champions from Division Two would not be a bad consolation, particularly with the Royal London One-Day Cup already in the trophy cabinet.Not to forget a potential Nottinghamshire tilt at the NatWest Blast, even if Read himself has retired from that format.With a lead of 50 points over third-placed Northamptonshire and four matches remaining, it is hard to imagine any other outcome to Read’s valedictory year, from which he will also take the Nottinghamshire record for most wicketkeeping dismissals, which he claimed with the first of his two catches on the final afternoon.It took him to 968 victims, overtaking Thomas Oates, born not too far from here in the mining town of Eastwood, who numbered 967 in a career that ran from 1897 to 1925. The breakdown of those figures reflects how different the game is today. Of Oates’s total, 744 were catches and 223 stumpings, compared with 924 catches and just 44 stumpings by Read.Read, on the eve of his 39th birthday, looked no less mobile behind the stumps than he did when he made his Nottinghamshire debut in 1998, diving to his right to grasp the ball as Mark Footitt induced an edge from Gary Wilson.”I’ve been aware of the milestone and it is an honour of which I’m immensely proud because Thomas Oates clearly played a lot of cricket and was a great servant to the club,” Read said, admitting that his last season could hardly be progressing better.”I’m ecstatic with the way things are going. We set ourselves some aims and goals and so far we are going a long way to achieving those. Primarily that is getting promotion to Division One, and we are in a good position to do that, while winning the 50-over competition was brilliant.”To win this game after losing a day and a session was a tremendous effort. Alex Hales’ knock on day two was phenomenal but the headlines should belong to Brett Hutton, who got more out of the pitch than anyone else in both innings.”It was bitterly disappointing to get relegated last year but I’m looking forward to finishing off in style with promotion and get back to where we belong.”Read, who will leave the professional game to be director of cricket at Uppingham School, is not dwelling on how he might feel when the curtain does finally come down for good.”No I’m not thinking about it massively,” he said. “We know we have to keep putting in the performances and after the T20 group stages and quarter-finals are out of the way we have two massive home games against sides in the top four, so we can’t let any complacency come in.”Aside from Read, the man of the hour for Nottinghamshire was the seamer Hutton, who chose a good moment, given that his team are reaching the climax of the season without three of those bowlers – Stuart Broad, James Pattinson and Luke Fetcher – who were first-choice picks at the beginning, to find his best form.Hutton, who took five for 52 in the first innings, finished with 10 for 126 in the match in his fifth Championship appearance of the year, almost equalling his tally in the first four as Nottinghamshire made sure Hales’s brilliant 218 off 218 balls did not go to waste.In addition to Read, Hutton and Hales, Nottinghamshire ought to raise a glass too to the Derbyshire groundstaff, whose efforts to make the ground fit after 24 hours of almost continuous rainfall gave them 75 overs from one o’clock in which to take the nine wickets needed to complete a sixth win of the season, which they achieved with 12.1 to spare.For the first hour and 20 minutes, it seemed Derbyshire might deny them as Ben Slater and captain Billy Godleman extended their second-wicket partnership, which had reached 31 at the end of day two before rain the weather washed away day three, to 96 without encountering too many problems.But then Slater, drawn into playing at a full length ball from Hutton that swung late, edging to Riki Wessels at second slip, and after Godleman, seven overs later, was superbly caught by a running and diving Hutton at extra cover, pushing at one from left-arm spinner Samit Patel, the innings never recovered.After breaking the Oates record – to give Footitt his fourth wicket of the match against the county that enjoyed his best years so far – Read added another to the collection with a more routine take as a terrific ball from Jake Ball proved too good for Harvey Hosein.Wayne Madsen, coming in at five down after suffering with an upset stomach, was bowled by Hutton off an inside edge and, after Hardus Viljoen had played over one from Ball, Hutton wrapped things up after a small measure of late defiance from the tail, pinning Tom Taylor in front as he played around one and taking out Tony Palladino’s off stump.Godleman, whose side had been denied an almost certain victory over Nottinghamshire by the weather when they went to Trent Bridge earlier in the season, felt his side had played poorly this time.”There was still a small bit in the wicket for the seamers but we felt we were capable of batting it out and saving the game and we should have found a way to not lose the game,” he said.

Liverpool Willing To Pay £25.6m For "Perfect" Klopp Signing

Liverpool are reportedly willing to meet Khephren Thuram’s €30m (£25.6m) asking price this summer.

What’s the latest Liverpool transfer news?

The Reds and Jurgen Klopp have been busy so far this summer in the transfer market as they look to improve on what was a disappointing 2022/23 campaign where they missed out on Champions League qualification.

Owners FSG have already splashed the cash by spending €112m (£95.7m) on two new marquee midfielders. Alexis Mac Allister was the first to make the move to Anfield from Brighton & Hove Albion, and the Argentine has since been joined by Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig.

Fabrizio Romano did hint that three new midfielders were on the radar for the Reds this summer, which may leave one more addition on the cards.

Reports have suggested that Southampton youngster Romeo Lavia could be on the way to Merseyside, with those at Anfield believing the player wants the move despite interest from Premier League rivals Arsenal and Chelsea. The Saints want £50m, whereas Liverpool are willing to offer £40m, however, Thuram, another player to be linked with the Reds, would command a lower fee.

Paisley Gates relayed an update from Spain regarding Thuram in the last 48 hours, claiming OGC Nice want to receive €30m (£25.6m) for the Frenchman.

The report states Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Liverpool are all interested, however, the La Liga winners cannot meet the asking price, whereas the Reds and Bayern Munich are willing to pay that figure.

khephren-thuram-liverpool-transfer-premier-league

Who is Khephren Thuram?

Thuram is primarily a central midfielder who can play in a holding role or on the left of midfield and appears to be going from strength to strength with a career-high €40m Transfermarkt valuation.

The 22-year-old, a France U21 international, has made 138 appearances for the Ligue 1 side and was the club’s sixth best performer last season, as per WhoScored. Thuram’s average match rating was actually better than any other Liverpool midfielder, so he could be a wise addition in both the short and long run.

Journalist Zach Lowy certainly feels a move could be a smart one, recently describing him as the perfect signing for Klopp’s team due to his elite ball-carrying and high press.

“Khephren Thuram is just the sort of player that Liverpool need to transform their midfield. Elite ball carrier for someone of his size and really effective at winning the ball high up the pitch — perfect signing for Klopp’s side.”

Lowy’s comments are backed up by FBref, who rank Thuram in the top 1% of midfielders for successful take-ons that lead to a shot and top 4% for progressive carrying distance.

At just £25.6m, under his current Transfermarkt valuation, Liverpool may feel that a deal could be a bargain in the long run, and by the looks of things, the Reds are willing to meet that asking price. As a result, a move could be one to keep an eye on, which could mean Liverpool lining up with Thuram, Mac Allister and Szoboszlai in a completely new midfield three at some point next season.

Transfer News: Man City Set To Sign "Fine Young Footballer"

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.”

Manchester City coach Enzo Maresca with Pep Guardiola.

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.

Rangers: Beale wants "dangerous" 6 ft 2 marksman as Defoe 2.0 at Ibrox

Glasgow Rangers are reportedly interested in the services of striker Lyndon Dykes.

Rangers transfer news – What's the latest on Lyndon Dykes

According to the Daily Mail, the Glasgow giants are interested in reuniting the Scotland forward with former boss Michael Beale north of the border.

The Teddy Bears' interest has come in the aftermath of his 'heroics' with the national side against Norway on Saturday.

The 27-year-old scored late on to level the game before providing the assist for Kenny McLean in their 2-1 win.

The performance has also led to interest from other clubs, with Burnley and Millwall now interested, the latter having already submitted a £2m offer in January.

Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale.

Could Lyndon Dykes replicate Jermain Defoe's success at Rangers?

In recent years, Rangers have made a habit of poaching strikers from the Championship or lower-level Premier League clubs, with the most prominent example being Jermain Defoe, who joined from AFC Bournemouth in 2019.

The former Tottenham Hotspur man's time in Glasgow was a fruitful one.

In the 74 appearances he made for the club, he produced 42 goal involvements, 32 goals and ten assists.

He was also a key member of Steven Gerrard's team that won the Teddy Bears' first league title since they rejoined Scotland's top flight.

A player like Dykes could certainly replicate some of that success.

According to WhoScored, the Scot averaged an impressive rating of 6.8 across his 35 starts for Queens Park Rangers last season, scoring eight goals and laying another two on for his teammates.

He should have scored more as well, with FBref putting his expected goals for last season at 12.6, suggesting that he was getting into good goal-scoring positions more often but suffering from bad luck.

He has also proven his ability to find the back of the net in the Scottish Premiership from his season with Livingston in the 2019/20 season when he produced an excellent 19 goal involvements, 11 goals and eight assists.

Soccer Football – Championship – Queens Park Rangers v Reading – Loftus Road, London, Britain – January 29, 2022 Queens Park Rangers’ Lyndon Dykes celebrates scoring their first goal Action Images/Matthew Childs EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club /league/player publications. Please contact your account representa

It was during his stint with the Lions that he drew the attention and praise of Gerrard, who claimed:

"They've got a forward in-form in Lyndon Dykes who's having a real good season, who is capable of playing in the air or on the floor, he's quite dangerous."

The 6 foot 2 marksman has also received plaudits from another Gers legend, Alan Hutton, who, in the aftermath of the club missing out on the "focal point" in 2020, said:

"I think he'd have been a great addition for the Rangers squad, definitely. He's proven it on a high stage now."

That "high stage" Hutton is talking about is international football, a place Dykes has thrived.

The Australian-born forward has already scored nine times in 29 appearances for Scotland and started all three games during the delayed Euro 2020 tournament, including their draw with England.

If Beale and co can convince Dykes to make their journey back north, there is no doubt that he would be able to replicate some of the successes of the retired Defoe; arriving as a player that is already well-known amongst the coaching staff.

Thigh injury rules out Imrul Kayes

Bangladesh opening batsman Imrul Kayes has been ruled out of contention for the one-off Test against India, which starts on Thursday in Hyderabad

Mohammad Isam in Hyderabad06-Feb-2017

Imrul Kayes has been replaced in Bangladesh’s squad by Mosaddek Hossain•AFP

Bangladesh opening batsman Imrul Kayes has been ruled out of contention for the one-off Test against India, which starts on Thursday in Hyderabad. Imrul injured his left thigh while fielding on day two of the Bangladeshis’ tour match against India A at the Gymkhana ground.According to BCB media manager Rabeed Imam, it is a recurrence of the same injury that ruled Imrul out of the second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch last month.In Imrul’s absence, Soumya Sarkar – who replaced him in Christchurch, opened for the first time in Tests, and scored 86 and 36 – is likely to open alongside Tamim Iqbal in Hyderabad. Bangladesh have not called up an opener as Imrul’s replacement, instead flying in the middle-order batsman Mosaddek Hossain, who played the ODIs and T20s in New Zealand but was overlooked for the Tests.Imrul’s injury comes as a significant blow to Bangladesh ahead of their first-ever Test on Indian soil. While Imrul’s Test record is modest – 1432 runs at 28.64 – he and Tamim have forged what is by far Bangladesh’s most successful opening partnership. Together, they have scored 2205 runs, and average an impressive 47.93as a pair with four century stands.Bangladesh squad: Mushfiqur Rahim (capt & wk), Tamim Iqbal, Sabbir Rahman, Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan, Mehedi Hasan, Taijul Islam, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Soumya Sarkar, Taskin Ahmed, Subashis Roy, Liton Das (wk), Mominul Haque, Shafiul Islam, Mosaddek Hossain.

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