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Glasgow Rangers secured a solid 2-0 victory over Ross County in the pouring rain at Dingwall, setting them up nicely for the trip to Eindhoven in midweek.

Michael Beale made a few changes from the 2-2 draw against PSV at Ibrox on Tuesday, and this included a start for Kemar Roofe – his first since April 2022.

Having lost their first Premiership tie against Kilmarnock and slipping immediately behind Celtic, all three points were required, and they duly delivered.

How did Rangers perform vs Ross County?

A solid, if unspectacular performance secured another win, and Beale will be pleased by how comfortably the game went by, especially in the first half.

Captain James Tavernier led by example with yet another wonderful performance, and his goal was a sight to behold.

Striding forward with purpose, the right-back looked in a menacing mood and unleashed a stunning, dipping shot that nestled into the top corner to give the Light Blues a two-goal advantage following Kemar Roofe’s opener.

Alongside his goal, the Englishman also demonstrated how effective he is going forward by making four key passes during the tie, while also succeeding with one successful dribble and taking three shots during the game.

Defensively, he won 50% of his ground duels along with making one tackle and one interception, as well as committing just one foul, which was good enough to help his team keep a clean sheet.

Read the latest Rangers transfer news HERE…

But as good as Tavernier was, it was centre-back John Souttar who was an absolute rock at the back for Beale against the Highland side, and he was a major contributing factor to the club keeping a clean sheet.

How did John Souttar perform against Ross County?

Speaking to the media before this match, fellow defender Leon Balogun praised the Scot, saying:

“I think he’s a very strong player. Last season didn’t go the way he planned as he got injured early on. Since I’ve come back, you can see that he’s a good defender and there are a few things that I’ve wanted to copy from him.

“We’ve got really good defenders in the backline and there’s no point being sour because we have big targets this season. In order to achieve them, you need a strong squad and that’s what we have.”

Against County, Souttar was a rock, while also showing how comfortable he is on the ball by taking 77 touches and completing 48 passes as he looked to start attacks from the back often.

Souttar won eight of nine total duels during the match, showcasing his physicality. He also made seven clearances, three interceptions and two tackles, and wasn’t dribbled past once across the 90 minutes.

It was a commanding performance by the former Hearts defender, and he has certainly emerged as a first-choice centre-back alongside Connor Goldson.

With two tough games against PSV and Celtic to come next week, seeing the 26-year-old in this sort of form will undoubtedly please Beale ahead of tougher tasks.

The India Under-19 head coach pointed out that while India’s rookies beat Australia in the final four years ago, more of the Australians from that title-bout have gone on to play senior international cricket

Annesha Ghosh in Mumbai05-Feb-2018

India’s Under-19 bunch might have got themselves the perfect result at the World Cup, but for head coach Rahul Dravid, their pursuit of excellence begins now. The onus to groom the youngsters for the rigours of higher-level cricket, according to Dravid, will rest as much on the players themselves as on the management going forward.”The challenges and the hard work start from here,” Dravid said in Mumbai after the team arrived in India, trophy in tow. “The hard work begins for them and for us as well, as to how we manage these boys over the next few years. Even if not a lot of them go on to play for India, it can happen… it’s not easy to get into the Indian side. It depends on the number of players who are performing – that makes it difficult to break in at times. If they go on to have successful first-class careers, then from thereon it becomes a stepping stone for international cricket.”Drawing an example from the title-winning batch of 2012, when India defeated Australia in Australia under the leadership of Unmukt Chand, Dravid pointed out that winning the World Cup alone will not be sufficient for the juniors to catapult themselves overnight into the national reckoning. He cited the instance of how only one player – medium-pacer Sandeep Sharma – went on to don national colours for the senior side, albeit only in two T20Is, whereas six of the members from the runners-up squad – Travis Head, Cameron Bancroft, Ashton Turner, Joel Paris, Ashton Agar and Gurinder Sandhu – represented Australia’s senior team subsequently.”It was quite interesting for me… during the World Cup they showed re-runs of some of the earlier finals, including that of the 2012 final, ” Dravid said. “In fact, I was watching that re-run, and I went back and started checking a few things.”It was interesting because the 2012 final featured India and Australia; the result of the final will tell you that India beat Australia. Six years down the line, while only one of those boys played a couple of one-day [T20I] games for India, four-five Australians have gone on to play for Australia. So, more of their guys have gone on to play first-class cricket. The debatable point is actually who won that final, if you look back six years later. So I think those are interesting chats and conversations to be had.”While acknowledging the limelight the World Cup triumph has brought on these cricketers needs to be savoured and not shunned in an attempt to being overly protective of budding careers, Dravid said it’s imperative that the players internalise the lessons that come with the experience.”The fact that they came to the [Mumbai] airport and saw the excitement, the noise and the people around them, I think that’s another experience [to remember]. Coming up and fronting up to you guys [the media] is another experience for them. So I’m glad they’ve had these opportunities to have these extra experiences because they won. So from my point of view that’s the plus point.”Being known players, it’s not going to be that easy for them, at least for a short period of time [while] playing domestic cricket… you know somebody talking about this performance, highlighting this performance, the expectation that comes with this. I think it’s a good learning [experience] and a challenge.”

The Western Australia captain stitched three solid partnerships to steer the total past 300 on the opening day in Perth

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Nov-2017
ScorecardMitchell Marsh guides one onto the leg side•Getty ImagesCaptain Mitchell Marsh’s 141 propelled Western Australia as they posted a solid 355 for 7 against Queensland on the opening day at the WACA.The hosts lost their opener Jonathan Wells for a duck in the second over to seamer Luke Feldman, after having elected to bat first, but the 72-run second-wicket partnership between William Bosisto (60 off 131 balls) and Hilton Cartwright (42 off 45 balls) put them in a strong position. With Brendan Doggett breaking their stand, it was Mitchell Marsh at No. 4 who stitched three solid partnerships to further bolster his side – 92 runs with Bosisto, 56 runs with Ashton Turner and 98 runs with D’Arcy Short – to steer Western Australia past 300, before Feldman struck again to dismiss him.Shortly before stumps, Short (59 off 88 balls) and Andrew Holder lost their wickets in the space of four overs to Jack Wildermuth, who finished with 3 for 69 on the day.

West Indies’ bowling coach had good things to say about his wards, especially legspinner Devendra Bishoo who has found form once again after a disappointing tour of England

Liam Brickhill in Bulawayo22-Oct-2017West Indies bowling coach Roddy Estwick credited an “outstanding” bowling attack for setting up West Indies’ first-innings lead over Zimbabwe in the first Test at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. Estwick, who has worked with the team’s bowlers for the last 18 months, gave special mention to legspinner Devendra Bishoo, who had a quiet tour of England but came to the fore with 5 for 79 against Zimbabwe.”Over the last year the bowling department has been functioning well, so I’m not surprised that we were able to bowl them out under our score,” Estwick said. “The bowling unit has been outstanding all year, and once Bishoo came to the party. I wasn’t surprised we restricted them to this score.”Bishoo, who took just three wickets across two Tests in England, picked up the fourth five-wicket haul of his career and ran through Zimbabwe’s top order with a combination of spin, bounce and accuracy in helpful conditions on the second day.”He didn’t have the best tour of England,” Estwick conceded. “It’s a difficult place to bowl. But if you look [at the last year], he got 30 wickets in that period so he’s been quite successful. He got eight wickets in Dubai on a flat track as well, so he does his job. The bowling unit has been outstanding; you can’t fault them. They’ve been able to stay on the park and stay fresh. It’s been a long year but we keep going and we keep getting teams out.”Estwick suggested that West Indies had taken their cue from Zimbabwe’s first-day bowling effort, when the patience and consistency of the seamers set up the spinners’ demolition. “Obviously we learnt from the way that Zimbabwe bowled in their first innings where they were patient and soaked up pressure,” he said. “We tried to do the same thing, block it with our seamers and try to get wickets from the other end.”West Indies’ lead stood at 148, with nine wickets standing, at the close of play, but in what has been a fast-moving, see-sawing Test match so far Estwick also warned against any complacency. “[The pitch] is going to get a bit more difficult because it’s going to lose pace, and that means strokemaking is going to get difficult. Zimbabwe lost 7 for 53 [58] after lunch, so the game can change very quickly on a pitch like this. We’ve got to try and take the game as long as possible. Bat until lunchtime and then assess from there. You can’t get ahead of yourself on this pitch. There’s a lot of cricket left.”

Leeds United will be craving another promotion hero to crop up sooner than their last.

It took 16 long years before the Whites could make their triumphant return to the Premier League, that which was undone in just three short seasons. Now, the search is once again on to find someone to assume that role.

Daniel Farke is sure to be a key player in any success they earn in the Championship, given his proficiency in getting teams promoted from the level, but he will need to forge a team not only capable of claiming that prize, but ensuring that their top-flight stay is not a short one.

Fortunately, rumours are persisting to link them with one man who could occupy that crucial role, as a creative leader ready to spearhead that charge.

Seeking to tempt those who already have a track record of excelling at this level, few seem more available at this moment than Gustavo Hamer, given how his Coventry City side failed in their playoff push and have since lost star man Viktor Gyokeres.

While transfer insider Dean Jones has suggested any deal might not be that straightforward, the respected journalist did state that the former Netherlands youth international could potentially emulate the success of Leeds legend Pablo Hernandez, in the second tier.

Despite that, he told Football FanCast just how influential the Dutch-Brazilian maestro could be, should the Yorkshire outfit bring him in: "Yeah he could definitely be a Hernandez-type figure for them, but convincing Coventry to sell him after they've just lost Gyokeres isn't going to be easy. I'm sure Coventry will try their best to keep the rest of that team together the best that they can, but he is a great player and at this level, he's really hard to replicate."

How good is Gustavo Hamer?

To liken him to someone of Hernandez's quality should speak volumes for just how good this 26-year-old has been of late.

With nine goals and ten assists in the league last season, Mark Robins' £4m-rated midfield general actually outperformed the figures posted by the Spaniard during Leeds' promotion year.

However, it could be argued that his apex came the term earlier, as the former Valencia man had recorded 24 goal contributions in the league alone to outline himself as a true star despite failing to win the playoffs. His bravery in dropping to their level proved to be a catalyst that ignited their eventual Premier League return, which they could now once again rely on from Hamer.

After all, it would take a degree of courage for the former Feyenoord gem to make this move to a freshly-relegated outfit, even if they are one of the biggest clubs in the division.

To further emphasise the similarities between these two stars, during their two most impressive respective seasons, both would blend technical quality with defensive steel.

The 38-year-old, whilst recording three key passes, also maintained 1.6 tackles per game, via Sofascore. Meanwhile, his potential successor saw his key passes drop to 1.8 per game, but his tackles rose to 2.6, via Sofascore.

If Farke is to assemble the team in his image though, with the quality already at his disposal and more that is hopefully set to come, Hamer could underpin any potential promotion push they make in the coming campaign.

As a consistent performer at this level, and a charismatic character to boot, he would hopefully fill the creative void that has arguably been left since Hernandez departed in 2021, helping to secure an instant promotion at the first time of asking.

Aston Villa are reportedly interested in Juventus star Federico Chiesa, as Unai Emery prepares to add big names to his plans at Villa Park.

The Spaniard, along with Monchi, has already signed Youri Tielemans from Leicester City, and with his former player Pau Torres with one foot in the door, it’s set to be an exciting summer in the Midlands.

Are Aston Villa signing Federico Chiesa?

Things could get all the more thrilling, with GIVEMESPORT adding substance to the rumours that the Villans hold an interest in Italian sensation Federico Chiesa.

Corriere dello Sport mentioned, via Sport Witness, the Midlands club as one of the Premier League representatives interested in the £53m winger, who is contracted to Juve until 2025.

Journalist Dean Jones has since revealed via GIVEMESPORT that Villa are “interested” and are one of the clubs expected to “explore” a potential deal for the 25-year-old:

“Aston Villa are interested. But the most interesting thing about this is that Juventus are willing to listen to anything people have got to say about making an offer for him.

"There's a bit of an exodus in Serie A at the moment, and I think that Villa are one of the clubs looking to explore how they can exploit that.”

Where could Federico Chiesa play at Aston Villa?

A player that’s versatile across the front line of attack, Chiesa is primarily deployed on the left wing, using his favoured right foot to cut in and cause havoc out wide.

Hailed as “dangerous" by scout Antonio Mango, the Italian has produced some glorious moments in Serie A, representing both Juventus and Fiorentina, in which he has contributed to 77 goals throughout his league career.

It could, however, be time for the Genova-born ace to take up a new challenge, after seeing a slight dip in performance since making the switch to Turin, in three seasons that have been tainted by injury.

Time on the sidelines has subsequently seen the 25-year-old slip up and down the pecking order, however, his talent has never gone unnoticed.

For Villa, signing a player of the calibre of Chiesa would be monumental, especially in introducing him into the positive environment that Emery has created at the club.

The youngster has shown certain attributes that suggest he could operate effectively for the Spaniard in his system, with his numbers likening him to a certain Premier League ace.

As per FBref comparisons, Chiesa shares similar statistical averages to treble-winner Riyad Mahrez, who has been a stellar member of Pep Guardiola’s squad over the years.

In signing the Italian, Emery could have his own answer to the five-time Premier League-winning Algerian, as highlighted by their in-game strengths on the flank.

Over the past year, the 25-year-old Italian has excelled in areas typical of a dynamic winger, averaging 2.26 successful take-ons and 4.52 progressive carries per 90, highlighting his strengths in possession, via FBref.

Similar numbers were recorded by Mahrez, who averaged 3.82 progressive carries and 1.37 successful take-ons over the past year, showing exactly how much of a threat Chiesa could add to Emery’s side in relation to the danger of the Manchester City star.

With an audacious price tag, it’s a decision for Monchi to make as to how strong Villa opt to be in their pursuit of the Italian, however, the winger could be the big-name signing that fires the side to new highs next term.

After a protracted search to find a new permanent head coach, Leeds United have moved to end the recent uncertainty by snapping up former Norwich City and Borussia Monchengladbach boss, Daniel Farke.

The 46-year-old – who has been appointed on a four-year deal – has been tasked with trying to take the Elland Road outfit back into the top flight, having previously enjoyed two promotions from the Championship during his prior stint with the Canaries.

If the German tactician is to repeat that feat in his new surroundings, however, one key area that he will need to improve is the club's dour defensive record, with the Whites having shipped 79 and 78 league goals in each of the last two seasons, respectively.

Such a grim return has not been helped by the woes of first-choice goalkeeper, Illan Meslier, with the 6 foot 6 Frenchman having arguably been "a massive liability" for his side last term, as per journalist David Kent.

As Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher stated during that dismal 2022/23 campaign, the 23-year-old arguably looks like a "kid in goal" due to his slender frame, as he simply offers "no presence" in the sticks.

The former Lorient man notably made three errors leading to goals in the Premier League last season as a sign of his shortcomings, with only Tottenham Hotspur's Hugo Lloris making more mistakes in the division (four).

The £30k-per-week man's costly blunders ultimately saw him axed from the starting lineup for the final four games of the season following Sam Allardyce's interim appointment, with one-time Everton man Joel Robles having been given the nod instead.

As per The Athletic's Phil Hay, the expectation is that Meslier will be moved on this summer if an acceptable offer is received by the club, with Farke seemingly needing to ensure that he does all he can to finally rid Leeds of their problematic stopper.

Who could replace Meslier at Leeds?

With the aforementioned Robles having left the Yorkshire side following the expiry of his contract last month, Farke is currently short on options with regard to who can replace the France U21 international ahead of next season.

That being said, according to Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie, Leeds are said to be "battling it out" with AFC Bournemouth for the signing of Newcastle United's, Karl Darlow, with a bid for the 32-year-old potentially in the offing.

The 6 foot 3 Englishman – who has two years left to run on his existing deal at St James' Park – notably enjoyed a strong spell on loan at Hull City in the second half of last season, having arguably been "outstanding" for the Tigers, according to pundit Carlton Palmer.

As Palmer also stated – when discussing Middlesborough's interest in Darlow – the one-time Nottingham Forest man could represent a "shrewd piece of business", particularly as he is valued at just €800k (£700k), according to Football Transfers.

With recent reports suggesting that Meslier could command a fee of around £30m if he is to be sold, Farke could then utilise those funds elsewhere to strengthen his squad, while snapping up the Magpies man for a possible bargain fee.

While Darlow's impact on Tyneside has been sporadic of late – having made just 100 appearances for the club over the last nine years – his form on loan at Hull should represent a strong gauge of his quality, as he kept five clean sheets from just 12 outings – the same as Meslier achieved from 34 appearances last season.

As such, if Farke is looking to move the latter man on, then snapping up the £30k-per-week titan could be just the solution for those at Elland Road.

Manchester City are interested in the services of West Ham United captain Declan Rice, per reports.

Manchester City transfer news – What's the latest on Declan Rice?

According to Sky Sports Italy reporter and transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio, Rice is "getting closer to" signing for Manchester City, who now have "confidence to reach a final agreement with West Ham."

The update comes after David Ornstein broke the news yesterday morning that the Citizens were "expected to submit an offer" to "rival Arsenal" for the England international.

The Premier League champions entering the race for Rice's signature has been an unexpected development.

Following David Sullivan's confirmation that his skipper would be leaving in the summer, it appeared that Mikel Arteta's side had been in the driving seat.

However, disagreements over fees and payment structure for the £120m-valued star seem to have left the door open for other teams to enter the race, and with the departure of Ilkay Gundogan to Barcelona this week, midfield reinforcements will be needed at the Etihad.

Could Declan Rice be the next Sergio Busquets under Pep Guardiola?

It's a massive question to ask of the 24-year-old.

Sergio Busquets is considered by many pundits and fans alike to be one of the best, if not the best defensive midfielder of the last two decades.

He was certainly a key figure under the stewardship of Pep Guardiola for four years, with the City boss being the man to unearth him from the famed La Masia academy back in 2008. Now, the Spaniard could find his next version of the colossal defensive midfielder in Rice, given the aforementioned reports.

With the massive potential West Ham's "monster" has, as once described by ESPN's David Cartlidge, Rice could certainly get close to emulating Busquets at the Etihad.

Former City legend Sergio Aguero believes the Hammers "destroyer" – who Paul Robinson previously hailed – is already at the level of the legendary Barcelona man.

Speaking to Stake (via football365), he said:

"For me, he is a great player and is at the same level as the best midfielders like Busquets, Rodri and Casemiro. But he has proven himself and I think he is one of the strengths of the England team at the World Cup."

His supporters also seem to think there is more than a passing similarity, dubbing him 'Basmati Busquets.'

The first comparison to make between the players is their physical characteristics.

There is little between them in terms of height, with West Ham's gem coming in at 6 foot 1, whereas the Spanish icon is ever so slightly taller at 6 foot 2. However, when it comes to their weight, the Kingston upon Thames-born titan has a slight advantage, coming in at 80kg compared to between 76-78kg for Busquets.

That may not seem like a massive difference, but it certainly helps in the more physical Premier League.

There is little to separate their seasons last year, either.

According to WhoScored, the Sabadell-born midfielder averaged a rating of 6.99 across his 30 La Liga games, whereas Rice averaged 7.01 across his 37 games.

What about their underlying numbers? Can we differentiate them that way?

Well, according to FBref, despite the La Masia graduate carrying the ball 52.6 times per 90 to Rice's 35, it's the Englishman who consistently moves the ball further into the oppositions half, averaging a progressive distance of 112.7 yards per 90 compared to Busquets 97.6.

It highlights one of the differences between the players, a contrast dictated by the system in which they have played most of their football.

Barcelona have always been more expressive, more about passing and moving, hypnotising the opponent with a dizzying array of passes, whereas, under David Moyes, the more rigid east London outfit have been far more direct, even counter-attacking at times, which Rice to be less expressive with his passing and instead focus more on driving at opponents to unsettle them.

That's not to say he couldn't work in a quick passing system as also, per FBref, he sits at a pass completion rate of 86.9%, just slightly behind Busquets on 89.3%.

The dynamic midfielder has also made no secret of his admiration for the World Cup winner, saying:

"Busquets is the one I've watched since I was a kid. He doesn't move from the centre circle. He plays with 360 vision."

Whether Rice comes to emulate Busquets completely or not, under Guardiola, he would certainly become a scary proposition for opponents.

Worcestershire’s Daryl Mitchell has been elected as the new chairman of the Professional Cricketers’ Association

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Feb-2017Worcestershire’s Daryl Mitchell has been elected as the new chairman of the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA). He succeeds Mark Wallace, who steps down after four years having completed the maximum two terms.Mitchell has already flagged the ECB’s plans for a new city-based T20 competition to be introduced in 2020 as a major issue to be tackled by the PCA under his chairmanship.”There is going to be big change ahead, not just for English domestic cricket but also on the world stage. These are interesting times,” Mitchell said.”There is talk of a franchise Twenty20 competition and it would be good to be involved in the discussions surrounding that. It’s important that the questions of our 400-plus members about how it will all work are answered and that was the crux of my manifesto.”Mitchell won a ballot of current county players ahead of four other candidates: Graham Onions, Paul Horton, James Hildreth and Steven Crook. He will serve for the next two years, with the appointment due to be ratified at the PCA’s annual general meeting on Tuesday.”It was pretty competitive and there were some really good lads who went for it, so to be elected by your peers from other clubs is very pleasing,” Mitchell said.”It’s a prestigious role and it has been done very well in recent years by Vikram Solanki, who I know from his time at Worcestershire, and then Mark Wallace, who has done a fantastic job over the last four years. It’s a big role and a big honour and I’m looking forward to the challenges ahead.”I have been involved with the PCA as a county representative since 2009 so I know about the fantastic work that they do. I have enjoyed being involved as a representative so this is the next step really. I want to try to get involved at the coal face of the organisation.”Mitchell, 33, has been a Worcestershire player for over a decade and served as captain until the end of last season, when he was removed from the position in acrimonious circumstances.He is the third Worcestershire player to become PCA chairman after Tim Curtis (1989-96) and Solanki (2009-13) and he will link up with another former county team-mate, David Leatherdale, the PCA chief executive who previously held the same role at New Road.”Daryl has been a PCA county representative for more than seven years and has a wealth of knowledge of the county game at all levels,” Leatherdale said.”He is undoubtedly held in high regard by players across the whole country as today’s appointment shows and, combined with his experience as the players’ representative on the ECB cricket committee, he will bring a great deal to the role of PCA Chairman. I very much look forward to working with Daryl again over the coming years.”Mitchell takes charge in the PCA’s 50th anniversary season. Wallace, the former Glamorgan wicketkeeper, last week announced his retirement to become a PCA Personal Development Manager.

USA coach Pubudu Dassanayake says a poor bowling performance was the main reason his side fell to Denmark by four wickets on Wednesday at WCL Division Four in Los Angeles

Peter Della Penna in Los Angeles 04-Nov-20162:06

‘It’s all about how we come back’ – Dassanayake

USA coach Pubudu Dassanayake gave credit to Denmark’s death bowling unit, saying their ability to bowl yorkers at the death saved them 30 runs in the final four overs that was a turning point in USA’s four-wicket loss on Wednesday at WCL Division Four. Dassanayake believes it is something USA must learn from when preparing to take on good teams in tournament play.”The major difference is that our bowlers didn’t bowl well and especially the main bowlers, our spinners,” Dassanayake said. “It was a decent batting track but defending 260 I would never doubt it but we bowled pretty badly. Having said that, Denmark bowled really well at the end. Almost every ball was a yorker and they defended about 30 runs in that period because of the way that they bowled. A lot of credit to them but it’s and eye-opener for our bowling department and at the death overs how we’re going to handle it if that situation comes again.”One area to come under scrutiny is not just USA’s poor bowling performance but the bowling strategy itself. USA captain Steven Taylor pulled specialist left-arm spinner Danial Ahmed from the attack after just one over for nine runs and didn’t use him for the rest of the game, the second time Taylor has done so in the tournament and instead opted to use himself and Alex Amsterdam to fill out those overs with part-time offspin. Taylor finished with 3 for 46 in ten overs while Amsterdam took 0 for 32 in seven.Ahmed bowled a superb spell of 0 for 29 in ten overs a day earlier against Oman and though he is wicketless so far in the tournament, he has had numerous chances put down off his bowling. Ahmed’s overall economy rate for the tournament is 4.27 and Dassayanake says he has confidence in Ahmed heading into the Jersey match.”I haven’t thought about any changes yet for Friday,” Dassanayake said. “We know Danial’s capability. Against Oman the way he bowled ten overs really contributed a lot to win that game. We have to keep building confidence in him. We’ll meet and see our best combination for Friday and come back with it. The things I have with the reserves, Jessy and Prashanth as bowlers, there are lots of options for me to select. I’m not blaming Danial, especially I don’t think anyone can blame him today because he only bowled one over. It’s just about giving that confidence to him and come back hard on Friday.”However, Dassanayake didn’t rule out other potential changes. Ali Khan has been bowling the last two games with a hamstring strain while Ravi Timbawala has been troubled since the first match of the tournament with a right thumb injury. Jessy Singh bowled well in the first two games of the tournament for USA before making way for Khan while hard-hitting Abdullah Syed is waiting to make his debut as a batting reserve.”We have to look into our injuries,” Dassanayake said. “Ravi is struggling with his thumb. Ali from the beginning had the hamstring injury but slowly he is getting better. There are a few other niggles. Still again we will assess all the injuries and see who is the best XI available for Friday.”Dassanayake remains bullish on USA’s chances of promotion despite the loss to Denmark. USA sits at 3-1 in a three-way tie for first place with Oman and Denmark, though USA has by far the best net run rate, which is the tournament tiebreaker. USA comes up against Jersey on Friday at Wong Cricket Field, a team currently 1-3 in the tournament whose only victory so far has come against winless Italy. A win for USA will clinch promotion to Division Three and set up a potential rematch in the final against Denmark, who take on Oman in a virtual semi-final at Severn Cricket Field.”When you lose it’s tough to take but still I am comfortable to say that USA is the best team in this league,” Dassanayake said. “It’s just one bad session we had in the evening. With my experience in World Cricket League, it always happens in these tournaments at this level. It’s all about how we come back hard on the next day. Everybody has to stay cool and come back and do their best on Friday and I’m pretty confident what we’re going to do. No one is panicking in our group. We have lots of confidence to get through this tournament. It was just a bad half day.”