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Karnataka became the first team to hold both white-ball titles in the same domestic season

The Report by Hemant Brar01-Dec-2019Defending champions Karnataka survived a Baba Aparajith-Vijay Shankar scare to clinch a last-ball win as they beat Tamil Nadu by one run in the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2019-20. They became the first team two win both white-ball titles in the same season, having won the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy a little over a month ago, and incidentally, Tamil Nadu were the losing side in the final on both occasions.After being put in, Manish Pandey led from the front, scoring an unbeaten 60 off 45 balls to help Karnataka to a formidable 180 for 5. In response, Tamil Nadu were 80 for 4 at the end of ten overs before Vijay and Aparajith revived the chase by adding 71 in 43 balls for the fifth wicket.It came down to 13 required from the final over with Vijay and R Ashwin in the middle. R Ashwin hit offspinner K Gowtham’s first two balls for fours before playing a dot ball and taking a single to put Vijay on strike. With four needed from two balls, Vijay was run out while returning for a non-existent second run, Pandey’s throw from long-on catching him short.With two required off the final ball for a Super Over, non-striker R Ashwin removed his pads but his namesake M Ashwin could hardly get the ball off the pitch and the batsmen managed only one.Tamil Nadu stumble after strong startTamil Nadu started their chase positively and moved to 64 for 2 at the end of seven overs with Washington Sundar and Dinesh Karthik looking well set. Karthik had just hit two fours off Shreyas Gopal and when Rohan Kadam failed to latch on to a rebound at the deep-backward square-leg boundary in the eighth over, it looked like it would be Tamil Nadu’s night.Karnataka, though, struck back by dismissing the two in successive overs: J Suchith had Karthik stumped and Gowtham castled Washington.Karnataka survive Aparajith, Vijay scareTamil Nadu needed 101 from the last ten overs and Vijay and Aparajith never let the asking rate go past 11. They found at least one boundary per over between overs 11 to 15 and reduced the equation to 52 from five overs.Aparajith then hit the first balls of the next two overs for sixes and took the side closer. But with 31 needed from 18 balls, he fell to Ronit More while looking for another six. Vijay and R Ashwin further brought it down to 25 from 12 and then 13 from six, but in the end, they fell short by the narrowest of margins.R Ashwin’s two-in-two not enoughIt was billed as a contest between Karnataka’s batsmen and Tamil Nadu’s bowlers. And the black-soil surface did seem to aid spinners. There was turn available, with a couple of balls coming slower off the pitch. Add R Ashwin and Washington’s guiles to the mix, and you would back them to trouble most batsmen.Karnataka’s batsmen, though, just don’t fall in that category. KL Rahul started the innings by cutting R Ashwin past point for four. While his opening partner Devdutt Padikkal didn’t look at his best and was pinged on the helmet by a T Natarajan bouncer in the fourth over, the youngster remained unperturbed and flicked the seamer for a six three balls later.In the next over, Rahul used his feet against R Ashwin to hit him over long-on but the spinner had his revenge next ball. Rahul skipped down again but R Ashwin shortened his length this time and had the batsman caught at long-on. Mayank Agarwal fell for a first-ball duck, closing the face of the bat too early to offer R Ashwin a simple return catch.But Padikkal hit Washington for a six and a four in the next over to take Karnataka to 57 for 2 at the end of the powerplay.Pandey leads with unbeaten half-centuryPadikkal’s scratchy innings came to an end when he played inside the line to a Washington delivery and had his off stump flattened. His 23-ball 32 took his run tally for the tournament to 580, the most in a single edition of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.At the other end, Pandey stepped out against M Ashwin, hitting him for a six and four. He, in the company of Kadam, took the side past 100 in the 12th over.Kadam too hit his stride after a slow start and struck back-to-back fours off left-arm spinner M Siddharth before hitting Vijay for three in a row in the next over. Pandey kept putting away the loose balls and despite just 34 runs from the last four overs, Karnataka managed a total that proved just enough.

Thomas Tuchel dished out another warning to an England defender over his conduct on the pitch. Tuchel has been very particular with the on and off-field behaviour of the players who represent the Three Lions and the former Chelsea manager is in no mood to compromise when it comes to discipline. Tuchel recently oversaw England's historic World Cup qualifying campaign, where they won all eight of their matches.

• Djed Spence ignored Thomas Frank after Spurs loss to Chelsea

  Following a terrible performance against Chelsea earlier this month, which produced just one shot on target, the home supporters made their feelings clear as boos rang around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium following the conclusion of the match. Despite the jeering, as is customary, Spurs boss Frank went onto the pitch as he and the rest of the players planned to show their appreciation for their fans' support during the game. 

  However, later in a video which was widely shared across social media, Spurs duo Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence opted to leave the pitch instead of greeting supporters, to the anger of head coach Frank. 

  The Spurs, though, later downplayed the incident as he told reporters: "All the players are, of course, frustrated. They would like to do well, they would like to win, they would like to perform. I understand that. I think it’s difficult to be consistent in good times and bad times, that’s why I went around to the fans as I did, it’s more fun when we win, I can tell you that. I understand why you ask the question. But I think that’s one of, how you can say, small issues. We have Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence doing everything they can. They’ve performed very well so far this season. Everyone is frustrated. We do things in a different way, I don’t think it’s a big problem."

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  Spence warned by Tuchel

  Following the misconduct on the pitch for his club, England boss Tuchel has now spoken to the defender and warned against repeating such behaviour. The German coach later told reporters, "I didn’t like it. Because the players know they are not only national players when they are ten days in camp. They are always national players, and the standard of behaviour is always important."

• Tuchel slammed Bellingham earlier

  During England's World Cup qualifier against Albania on Sunday, Jude Bellingham finally got a chance to shine as he displayed an impressive performance. However, he was disappointed at being substituted in the 84th minute and was later accused of not "embracing the collective"

  On Bellingham's behaviour, Tuchel later said: "That is a bad impression. It should be about the collective. What we did in camp is all about the collective. I have to then review it – I was happy about the goal. I had a quick talk with Morgan Rogers and I was sure that everyone celebrated together. I will have a look at it. That is not the image we want to transport. We feel everyone is committed and that everyone accepts tough decisions, be it before the match or in the match.

  "He [Bellingham] has to accept it, he has to accept it. We should not make more out of it than it is. Rogers was not happy when he couldn't start today because he deserves to play, and he wants to play all the time. We gave him a bit of a rest because he came with a lot of minutes playing at club [level] and played for us against Serbia. I also don't want to make more out of it. I stick to my words – behaviour is key. Decisions are made, and you have to accept it as a player."

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  England's historic World Cup qualifying journey

  England scripted history as they became the first team to win all of their eight World Cup qualifying matches without conceding a single goal, as they scored 22 times in this period. In their latest win over Albania, courtesy of a brace from Harry Kane, the Bayern Munich star took his international goals tally to 78 as he surpassed Brazil icon Pele in the list of all-time highest goalscorers in the international arena.

Meredith, Faulkner and Ellis pick up three wickets each before Short and McDermott hit half-centuries

Sruthi Ravindranath24-Dec-2019An impressive show from the fast-bowling trio of Nathan Ellis, Riley Meredith and James Faulkner backed up by a solid batting display by D’Arcy Short and Ben McDermott helped the Hobart Hurricanes consign the Melbourne Renegades to their third straight loss this season.The strong performances from Aaron Finch and Shaun Marsh with the bat were the only positives on the day for the visiting Renegades, who were treated to some disciplined bowling from the Hurricanes’ quicks, who combined to take nine wickets. Finch fell soon after bringing up his fifty, and the Renegades batting disintegrated after that, the last six wickets falling for just 14 runs to finish on a below-par 147.In reply, Short helped his side get off to a quick start. He was joined in the fourth over by McDermott, who played a patient innings, hitting just one four on his way to a half-century and staying till the end to take his side past the line.Short, McDermott play it smartShort’s exploits in the format are well-known, and the opener had yet another impressive outing on the day. The top run-scorer of last season brought up his second fifty of the season, plundering the Renegades bowlers for seven fours and a six to lead the chase of the small target.But it was McDermott’s innings which stood out. Playing sensibly, the Hurricanes captain stuck to quick singles, especially against the spinners. He had come in after two quick wickets in the fourth over, and both batsmen slowed it down for a while, not attempting any big shots from the sixth to tenth overs.When Short got to a 37-ball 50, McDermott was on 20 off 22 balls without a single boundary against his name. Shortly after their partnership crossed 70 runs, the Renegades got the breakthrough with Boyce striking Short’s pads. But it did not set any alarm bells ringing for the Hurricanes, who needed 49 off 37 balls at that stage and had David Miller at the crease. While McDermott stuck to his plan, Miller helped reduce the equation further by smoking two sixes off Harry Gurney, one of which went out of the ground.McDermott went on, bringing up his fifty off 47 balls at the end of the penultimate over, and the win was sealed soon after.Riley Meredith bowled superbly at the death•Getty Images

Finch and Marsh play their partAfter Sam Harper holed out to Faulkner for a duck in the third ball of the match, Finch was joined by the in-form Marsh. The duo showed their fondness for spin as McDermott introduced left-arm spinner Clive Rose up front. His very first delivery was swept away to the boundary by Finch, and while he managed to keep the batsmen quiet for the rest of that over, he was taken for two more fours in his second.Finch and Marsh took the total to 1 for 50 by the end of the powerplay, but the run rate gradually slowed down over the next three overs, with Meredith, Ellis and Qais Ahmed giving away just 18 runs. Marsh was eventually undone by Ellis’ slower ball, which he hit straight to long-on. But Finch carried on, bringing up his 16th BBL half-century off 36 balls, hitting six fours on the way.Hurricanes’ quicks call the shotsFinch couldn’t make it a big one, sent back caught trying to whip Meredith’s full delivery over midwicket, and the Hurricanes did not let the opposition take the upper hand from there on. Ahmed pinned Beau Webster in front and it was one-way traffic after that. The quicks ran riot, combining to pick five wickets for just eight runs and bowl the Renegades out for 147. Ellis and Meredith, in particular, bowled with discipline, using changes of pace and probing lines to keep the Renegades quiet.Merdith bowled the big 18th over and did superbly – getting Dan Christian to edge a short ball to the keeper and then pinning Tom Cooper in front with a near-145kph yorker. In the next over, Ellis bowled a slow short delivery that Cameron Boyce sent to long-on, and he then took out Richard Gleeson with an inch-perfect yorker. Faulkner came back to finish off the job in the first ball of the final over when he had Kane Richardson caught at mid-off.

In addition to signing established players ready to make an immediate first-term impact last summer – the likes of James Maddison, Micky van de Ven and Brennan Johnson – Spurs also acquired a couple of teenagers with the potential to be starters for the club in the longer term.

19-year-old forward Alejo Veliz arrived from Argentine club Rosario Central, while 18-year-old centre-back Ashley Phillips came in from second-tier Blackburn Rovers. It looks as if Spurs may try to continue that two-timeline approach in January, this time with a move for Royal Antwerp's Arthur Vermeeren.

Even though he's only 18, Vermeeren has already established himself as a mainstay in the Antwerp side. He's not only started all 20 of their Pro League games this season, he's also completed the full 90 minutes in all but three. His domestic form has earned him a rapid call-up to the Belgian senior side, with two caps under his belt, and he's firmly in contention to feature at this summer's European Championships.

Man Utd rival Spurs for Vermeeren

According to Tottenham Hotspur News, Spurs have been pursuing Vermeeren, who has drawn comparisons to former Lilywhites player Christian Eriksen his "technical ability and range of passing".

However, they now face "serious competition" from Premier League rival Manchester United, who have identified Vermeeren as a "big target" for 2024. Manager Ange Postecoglou is "keen" for his side to come out on top, particularly because it would hurt to see him playing a direct competitor.

Vermeeren could be a transformative signing

Fabrizio Romano reported last month that Vermeeren is "set to leave" Belgium this year, if not in January, then definitely in the summer. The big question is where he ends up, with interest likely extend beyond the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Old Trafford.

Named in the best XI of players born in 2005 or 2006 by the CIES Football Observatory last year (Breaking The Lines), he's one of the premier midfield talents in Europe. Under-23 expert Antonio Mango has described him as a "gift to football", while talent scout Jacek Kulig has billed him a "sensation".

Vermeeren has took his chance to sign in the Champions League this season, scoring against Barcelona in the final group-stage match and becoming the third-youngest player to provide two assists in a Champions League game against Shakhtar Donestsk.

Indeed, the teenager is a player who can spot gaps in opposition defensive structures and thread the ball through, which is why he ranks as high as fifth in the Belgian top-flight for progressive passes this season (142). He was also right up there last season for take-on percentage (third with 76.2), emphasising his ability to evade pressure in the middle of the park, and tackles won (10th with 46), proving that there's a bite to his game too (FBRef).

When you combine all this with the fact that as, of January 1, he'd covered the most distance in the league (Zach Lowy), you can see how he's managed to make himself an indispensable player already. Vermeeren is an outstanding, all-round midfield package, and if Spurs win the race, his capture could be celebrated for a generation.

The ICC board also revealed that the LA28 Olympics will have 28 games in total

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Nov-2025″Keen to build on the success” of the recently concluded Women’s World Cup, the ICC has agreed to expand the next edition of the tournament (2029) to ten teams. The ICC had announced the expansion of the women’s game on International Women’s Day back in 2021, and a recent release reaffirmed the board’s “commitment to the growth of women’s cricket” after the success of the 2025 edition.Since 2000, only eight teams have featured in the main tournament of the Women’s ODI World Cup. As compared to the 31 matches in the recent World Cup, the 2029 edition will have 10 teams playing 48 games.The Women’s T20 World Cup next year will also be expanded to 12 teams, up from the 10 that featured last year in the UAE.”Nearly 300,000 fans watched the event in stadia breaking the record for tournament attendance for any women’s Cricket event,” the ICC release said. “The tournament also witnessed viewership growth and new records being set for on-screen audiences across the world with nearly 500 million viewers in India.”The ICC board also ratified the appointment of a number of members of the ICC Women’s Cricket Committee, namely Ashley De Silva, Mithali Raj, Amol Muzumdar, Ben Sawyer, Charlotte Edwards, and Sala Stella Siale-Vaea.

Cricket at the LA 2028 Olympics and Brisbane 2032

The Board also revealed that the Olympics event in Los Angeles in 2028 will have 28 games in total, across both the men’s and women’s competitions. The six teams in each competition will comprise the top-ranked side from each of the five regions (Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania), including the hosts USA. The sixth team will be identified through a qualifier, for which details are not currently known. The events, as reported earlier, will begin on July 12 and be played at the purpose-built Fairgrounds Stadium, around 50km outside of Los Angeles.Before then, cricket will also feature in multi-sport games at the Asian Games in 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, the African Games in Cairo, Egypt, in 2027 as well as the PanAm Games in Lima, Peru, in 2027.Talks have also begun on cricket’s inclusion for the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane, Australia. Sanjog Gupta, the ICC CEO, is believed to have told members at the meeting that he held “meaningful discussions with Brisbane 2032 for cricket’s inclusion in their program.Along with the ICC chair Jay Shah, Gupta had meetings in Lausanne, Switzerland, recently with teams from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), LA28 and Brisbane 2032, where they discussed event delivery, competition formats and qualification scenarios.

ICC starts bids for mobile gaming

The ICC also confirmed that it will begin a bidding process for its mobile cricket game, which has been at the centre of tensions between the governing body and the World Cricketers’ Association (WCA). “The ICC Board confirmed its approval to issue an Invitation to Tender (ITT) for Video Gaming Rights, opening the door for leading global partners to collaborate with the ICC in delivering world-class, digital fan experiences,” the board said in the statement.The dispute between the ICC and the WCA centred over NIL (Name, Image and Likeliness) rights of the players, with the latter claiming any move by the ICC to develop a game featuring players would be in breach of a contract. The ICC decided earlier this year that member boards would deal directly with players over NIL rights, rather than with the WCA who have those rights to about 600 players and have already entered the gaming market. The ICC had launched an Expression of Interest process in June, but it has taken time for boards to negotiate those rights with their players. It isn’t clear yet exactly how many boards have secured the rights, though one estimate is that at least half of the Full Members have.

Carlo Ancelotti's side have all the pieces in place to dominate yet again in the new campaign

How can Real Madrid actually improve? Los Blancos were the best team in Europe for most of last season, dominating Spain and securing an obligatory Champions League triumph with aplomb.

Well, they've done all of the right things to suggest that they could actually get better. In Kylian Mbappe, they finally got their man in the transfer market (albeit after years of waiting.) And even though a key player has retired, Los Blancos should have enough about them to run it back.

Should all else fail, they have arguably the best manager in the business to figure it all out. Be prepared for a growing pain or two, but this could be the best year in Madrid in a while.

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  Mood around the Santiago Bernabeu

  It's excellent. Real Madrid were the best team in Europe last year – winning a Champions League and La Liga double – and appear to have improved. The arrival of Mbappe is massive for Los Blancos. There may be some growing pains, but he's still a top three player in the sport. He will bring goals in spades.

  Even without him, this is a young exciting core that will only get better. Federico Valverde had a quietly masterful season last year, while Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga continued to improve. If they take another stride, then Real could be special.

  Carlo Ancelotti is the perfect man at the helm in all of this. The Italian penned a new contract in the middle of last campaign, and seems set to be the ideal figurehead as this side continues to evolve. Prepare for yet another season of brash confidence from the most outspoken fanbase in football.

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  Transfer business

  Well, they wrapped up the big one – at a great price, too. Mbappe's arrival was rather delayed by Paris Saint-Germain's deep pockets, but it might just all be worth it given Los Blancos didn't have to pay a penny for him. He's supposedly on decent wages, too, and the signing bonus will raise some eyebrows (not just Ancelotti's).

  But it hasn't all been smooth sailing. Real have reportedly shown interest in other targets – without much success. They joined half of Europe in the Leny Yoro sweepstakes before the centre-back chose Manchester United, proving unable to grant the teenager the playing time he wanted at a big club.

  Talk about full-back acquisitions has also gone quiet. A Trent Alexander-Arnold move fell apart before it gathered any real momentum. Alphonso Davies' presumptive arrival is also in doubt – with Los Blancos likely having to wait 12 months before they can lure the Canadian to the Bernabeu.

  Similarly, there remains interest in River Plate youngster Franco Mastantuono, but Madrid might not be too inclined to spend big on a player who won't have much of an impact this season.

  Still, Mbappe's acquisition alone makes this summer nothing less than an overwhelming success in terms of incomings.

  Joselu's has left the Bernabeu after he became a one-season cult hero, while stalwart Nacho has departed at the end of his contract, and Kroos, of course, has retired. Meanwhile, young centre-back Rafa Marin, 22, has been sold to Napoli.

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  Pre-season performances

  If there are any concerns about this Madrid team – and there are admittedly few – they can be derived from what was an undeniably poor pre-season campaign.

  Ancelotti gave all of his big names a month off, and Los Blancos' backups struggled as a result. Losses to Milan and Barcelona proved as points of annoyance, while there can't be much to take from a win over an admittedly miserable Chelsea side.

  It wasn't the best slate for Real's backups, who struggled to find form. Brahim Diaz could have used the month-long tour of America to play his way into the picture, but failed to impress. Meanwhile, a 38-year-old Luka Modric certainly looked his age.

  Perhaps most concerningly, though, was the poor form of Endrick. There will undoubtedly be massive pressure on the 18-year-old,€60 million (£50.7m/$65.2m) million price tag and all. He didn't really seize the moment this summer, failing to find the net off the back of a poor Copa America campaign.

  Then again, the Super Cup showing against Atalanta…

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  Talking tactics

  Can anyone ever really doubt Ancelotti? There are a lot of questions to be asked here: how can you fit Vinicius and Mbappe into the same team? What will happen to Bellingham as a result? Does Rodrygo get any minutes?

  Effectively, the manager has too many forwards, and not enough spots for them. The sexiest setup is a Vinicius-Mbappe-Rodrygo triumvirate, with Bellingham operating as an advanced midfielder.

  That could work, but might lack the kind of defensive solidity that Ancelotti values. It was an interesting experiment against Atalanta – and ultimately it worked – but it remains to be seen how effective that is on bigger European nights. In those situations, Rodrygo might be left out, Bellingham plays as a No.10/false nine of sorts, with a workmanlike midfield keeping everything tidy.

  And should it fail to pan out at first, Ancelotti will have few problems configuring a more reliable XI.

A member of the public at the T20 final attended by more than 86,000 has subsequently tested positive for COVID-19

Daniel Brettig13-Mar-2020Kevin Roberts, the Cricket Australia chief executive, has denied it was “irresponsible” to play Sunday’s women’s T20 World Cup final in front of more than 86,000 spectators at the MCG.However, he has acknowledged the potential exposure of many in attendance to the coronavirus helped lead to the decision to play the men’s ODI series between Australia and New Zealand in empty stadiums over the next week.Speaking in Melbourne on Friday morning, Roberts said that CA has been receiving constantly updated advice from health officials in recent days, with Thursday’s news that a spectator in the MCC members area of the MCG on Sunday had subsequently been diagnosed with coronavirus contributing to the call to lock crowds out of the three ODI matches, two at the SCG on Friday and Sunday and concluding at Hobart’s Bellerive Oval next Friday.ALSO READ: Coronavirus newsfile: ICC Board to hold March meeting via conference call only“We’ve taken what we believe is a well-balanced decision,” Roberts said. “We obviously experienced last Sunday night that a member of the crowd at the women’s T20 World Cup, was later diagnosed with coronavirus, and it’s important that we learn from that.”What we’ve learned from that, the decision we’ve made, is to go ahead with these ODIs today and on Sunday and next week, but they’ll be played without crowds in attendance. We think it would’ve been excessive to cancel the matches. Had we gone ahead as planned, we think that would’ve been a failure to learn from what we experienced last Sunday. so we’re confident that in a situation that’s not ideal, we’ve made a well-balanced decision.”Asked directly whether it had been irresponsible to host such an enormous crowd on Sunday for the final of the ICC event, Roberts was adamant that it was not. “A lot of things have changed since last Sunday,” Roberts said. “Based on the information that was at hand at that time it was the right thing to do to inspire a world of women and girls, and to give cricket for men, women, boys and girls a massive springboard. It was the right thing to do to host that final on Sunday night, and inspire the cricket world.”We’ve been getting updated advice almost hourly. It’s really important that we navigate that calmly and we make well balanced decisions, rather than getting into a situation of panic. So there’s no rigidity or regularity about those updates, our eyes and ears are open all the time and will continue to be, so we’re as informed as possible.”Roberts said that he was hopeful that the weekend’s round of club cricket finals across the country would go ahead as planned.”Certainly our information is that it’s safe for our people to be working in the office over the road today, provided that we keep a safe distance from each other and make good decisions with the information we’ve got,” he said. “So I hope people can get out there in club cricket this weekend, there’s many finals on in club cricket around the country this weekend, so all the best to all the players and teams getting out there, having a crack and staying safe while they do it.”The day of the World Cup final was also notable for lengthy meetings involving Roberts, the CA chairman Earl Eddings and the ICC chief executive Manu Sawhney among others, as they contemplate the resolution of a series of disputes around the nature of the game’s future calendar – notably Sawhney’s proposal for an dramatic increase in the number and scale of global events from 2023 to 2031.”We had good discussion with Manu when he was down for the T20 World Cup final,” Roberts said. “We’re really conscious, as much as we all love cricket, and perhaps billions of people around the world love cricket, this situation is bigger than cricket and that’s what we’re focused on at the moment, the safety of our players, our people and the public. That’s where our focus lies, and we’ll continue to deal with business as usual activities when we’re confident this situation is in hand.”

Billy Stanlake was Tasmania’s bowling hero as they made it five wins in five in this season’s One-Day Cup

AAP15-Nov-2025Beau Webster will enter Australia’s Ashes Test squad in good batting form after guiding Tasmania to a four-wicket win over South Australia in a One-Day Cup match on Saturday.Webster didn’t bowl, letting an on-song Billy Stanlake do the damage as the Redbacks made just 195 in Saturday’s match in Kingston. He made his mark with the bat, though. Batting at No. 3 with authority, Webster’s 78 off 96 helped the Tigers home with more than ten overs and four wickets to spare.It was the Tigers’ fifth win from as many 50-over fixtures this year, pushing them well clear on the top of the table.Billy Stanlake celebrates a wicket with Riley Meredith•Getty Images

Webster fell with some work to be done, but Nikhil Chaudhary (19) and Nathan Ellis (20) guided them home.Earlier, Stanlake (3 for 31 from ten overs) made the most of the early movement to torment the Redbacks’ top order. He trapped Jake Fraser-McGurk on the crease for four and grabbed the key wicket of Jake Lehmann, bowled for 29.Nathan McSweeney (49 off 92) tried to steady the innings while Nathan McAndrew (40 off 29) provided some late fireworks.Webster will head west with the Australia team on Sunday, hoping there is room for him in the first Test XI.He’s made four fifties in 12 innings in his seven Tests, often arriving in tricky situations, while taking eight wickets at an average of 23. But he could be squeezed out if selectors opt to shift Cameron Green to No. 6, give opener Jake Weatherald a debut,. and reinstall Marnus Labuschagne at No. 3.

Rangers are now planning to accept permanent bids for a "superb" £18,000-a-week player who has struggled to make his mark at Ibrox, according to a fresh transfer update.

Rangers transfer news

The Gers continue to be linked with new signings at the end of the season, with Sheffield United striker Oli McBurnie one player who is seen as a possible candidate to come in. In fact, the Englishman has even talked up his hopes of moving to Ibrox, speaking of his admiration for the club since his childhood.

Fabio Silva had a poor game in Rangers' 3-3 draw at Celtic on Sunday, even though he won the penalty that James Tavernier converted, but there is still the potential for the Portuguese's loan move from Wolves to become a permanent switch in the summer window.

Rumours linking the Scottish Premiership side with a move for in-form Hearts striker Lawrence Shankland are also refusing to go away, with former Celtic attacker Frank McAvennie admitting that he is concerned about him moving to Ibrox: "I think it’ll be an interesting one if he goes to Ibrox – it’s a real step in the right direction and something Celtic will have to be aware of – they’ll be worried."

Rangers to accept bids for "superb" player

According to a new report from Football Insider, Rangers are willing to accept offers for Sam Lammers this summer, with the £18,000-a-week attacker deemed surplus to requirements.

A recent report claimed that there is confusion over his future with the Gers with the player himself admitting he has no idea what's next, having joined Dutch side Utrecht during the January transfer window after being limited to 10 starts in the league and not being seen as a key man by Philippe Clement.

For that reason, it makes total sense to consider offers for him in the next few months, even though Heerenveen manager Kees van Wonderen has hailed his "superb work ethic" in the past.

The brutal truth is that a tally of just two goals and assists apiece in 31 appearances for Rangers is not good enough, especially for an attacker, and while he is faring far better in the Netherlands currently – he has netted seven times in just 13 matches for Utrecht since January – the Scottish giants need to be looking at other options.

Rangers could replace Jack with their "outstanding" academy talent

Rangers have several talented youngsters emerging from the academy

By
Ross Kilvington

Apr 9, 2024

Whether they decide to sign Silva or Abdalla Sima permanently remain to be seen, but Shankland arguably looks like the strongest option, considering he has 20 Scottish Premiership goals in 2023/24 to date – more than anyone else.

Batter joins Sri Lankan fast bowler Suranga Lakmal as the club’s overseas signings

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jan-2023Haider Ali, the Pakistan batter, will join Derbyshire for the 2023 county season.Haider, 22, has played 35 white-ball matches for his country, including two appearances at the recent ICC T20 World Cup, where Pakistan were runners-up to England. In 33 T20I appearances, he has scored 499 runs, including three half-centuries, one of which came against England at Emirates Old Trafford in 2020.Announcing Haider’s signing on Friday, Derbyshire recognised his red-ball abilities also, citing an average of 54.33 from 11 first-class appearances, including three centuries and four half-centuries. He will be available in all formats during the 2023 county season, subject to international commitments, and joins Sri Lankan fast bowler Suranga Lakmal as the club’s two overseas signings.Mickey Arthur, Derbyshire’s head of cricket and the former Pakistan coach, said: “Haider is an immensely talented young player who already has a wealth of international experience, which will be key for us in all formats.Related

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“I spoke with him at the T20 World Cup, and again during the Lanka Premier League, and he’s so hungry to come to England and prove himself in all formats, that’s exactly the attitude we want in our dressing room. Of course, he still has a lot of developing to do, but I’ve outlined what I expect from him and I have no doubt Haider will succeed in county cricket.”Haider said: “I’ve seen over the last few years how many Pakistan players have improved their game by playing at a high standard in county cricket, and that’s something I think could really help my development.”Mickey Arthur is such a respected figure in world cricket and he’s still so highly regarded within the Pakistan set-up, so the opportunity to learn from him is one I’m so excited about… there’s a lot of good players here and Mickey wants to achieve something big with this club. Hopefully I can contribute a lot of runs in 2023 and entertain the Derbyshire crowd.”Haider’s move to Derbyshire comes after fellow Pakistan batter Shan Masood left the club where he scored 1,766 runs across formats last season for a two-year deal at Yorkshire, where he will be captain in 2023.