Tag Futebol

The three-match series could give an indication of Chapman’s ability to fit into WIlliamson’s World Cup spot

Deivarayan Muthu16-Aug-2023Kyle Jamieson is finally back
After having recovered from back surgery, fast-bowling allrounder Kyle Jamieson is set to play his first international game in more than a year and first T20I since March 2021. With Lockie Ferguson, Adam Milne, and Blair Tickner all not part of the UAE series, this is Jamieson’s opportunity to prove his fitness and be the enforcer in the attack.Related

Jamieson back in New Zealand squad for UAE and England T20Is

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If not fit to play, Williamson could be a NZ mentor at the ODI World Cup

Archive: Foxcroft returns to NZ with big hits after two-year exile

Jamieson’s tall frame and propensity to generate extra bounce has been a point of difference for New Zealand’s attack in Test cricket and ODIs, but he is yet to crack the shortest format. He has played eight T20Is so far, conceding almost ten runs an over. Can he remedy those numbers and fare better in what will be his first white-ball international away from home?NZ’s next gen is here
Auckland legspinner Adithya Ashok and South Africa-born Otago batter Dean Foxcroft are the new faces in New Zealand’s squad for the three-match T20I series in the UAE.Ashok, 20, has played only 15 List A and 19 T20 games so far, but he has already been earmarked to become a future star for New Zealand. Ashok has a big-turning wrong’un in his repertoire and will slot in straight for senior legspinner Ish Sodhi, who is currently with Trent Rockets in the Hundred. Having recently played club cricket for Colchester & EECC in Essex, Ashok will have to quickly adjust to the Dubai conditions, where dew is usually a major factor.”I still don’t think it has sunk in,” Ashok told NZC media in the lead-up to his potential debut. “It’s slowly sinking in…things like getting my kit and training – that’s when it starts to feel a bit more real. It’s a kid-in-the-candy-store type vibe and it was really cool, special moment for me. Also being away from home and things like that it’s pretty cool to go on a journey where it’s not like it’s quite expected as well, so the surprise is really pleasant.”Foxcroft, 25, had thought that his New Zealand career was over when he was locked out of the country when Covid-19 hit. What was supposed to be a six-week visit to South Africa eventually turned out to be a frustrating two-year-long stay because of the pandemic. Foxcroft is now on the brink of making his long-awaited international debut for New Zealand after having dominated the most recent Super Smash T20 tournament with his big-hitting and quickish offspin. Foxcroft has also had T20 – and T10 – exposure outside of New Zealand, with stints in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and Oman D10 league.Adithya Ashok has played 15 List A and 19 T20 games so far•ICC via GettyChapman’s chance to push his WC case
The last time Mark Chapman batted for New Zealand in a T20I, he played a blinder in Rawalpindi, his 57-ball 104 forming the centerpiece of a successful chase of 194 against an attack that included Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Shadab Khan. That innings put Chapman in New Zealand’s ODI World Cup frame. With Kane Williamson unlikely to start the World Cup for New Zealand, a batting spot is up for grabs. If Chapman produces similar powerful performances in the UAE and the UK, he could be a contender for that slot in India.UAE are a familiar opponent for Chapman. Overall, he has played six matches against them – all for Hong Kong – scoring 336 runs, including an unbeaten 124 in Dubai in 2015.More international exposure for UAE
It’s not often that UAE get to host two Full-Member nations in a span of two months. After making West Indies work hard for their 3-0 ODI series win in June earlier this year, UAE are gearing up for the New Zealand challenge with some new faces as well as old ones.Allrounder Mohammed Faraazuddin and left-arm fingerspinner Jash Giyanani are the two newbies in the side, with the selectors rewarding them for their good performances for the A team in the ACC Men’s Emerging Cup in Sri Lanka. But there is no room for legspinner Karthik Meiyappan.Fingerspin-bowling allrounder Aayan Afzal Khan and captain Muhammad Waseem, who were both in action in the recently concluded Global T20 Canada, are among the UAE players to watch out for in this series.

The rationale behind his dipping strike rate is not clear, but he would want to try and find a way out

Shashank Kishore12-Apr-20224:49

Is Hardik Pandya’s batting position dictating his approach in IPL 2022?

When Virat Kohli said one “can’t create overnight what Hardik Pandya brings at No. 6” last October, he was referring to his middle-order power-hitting specifically. Over time, Hardik has been able to marry this ball-striking with the game-smarts that have made him a feared white-ball destroyer.Hardik, who has largely batted in the lower middle order, has notched up the seventh-most number of sixes in the IPL since 2017, with 92 hits.Related

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This fearless hitting was witnessed during the Champions Trophy final in 2017, where Hardik swatted six sixes against spin – almost immediately from the get-go – to make a whirlwind 43-ball 76 in a crumbling chase. We have seen that in Australia, where his finishing act – a 22-ball 42 – in a 195-chase helping India seal the T20I series in December 2020. He has done it numerous times for Mumbai Indians in the IPL.So, what makes Hardik tick? When in full flow, He can line up his scoring zones with a touch of brutality to his game. His powerful wrists and bottom-handed power have added different scoring zones to his repertoire. He can scythe wide yorkers behind point with the same efficacy as playing a helicopter to a yorker-length delivery.But so far this season, this version of Hardik hasn’t yet surfaced. His 141 runs in four innings this season have come at a strike rate of 122.60. This pales in comparison to his overall strike rate of 150.5 in the IPL. In the death overs, specifically, he strikes overall at a mind-boggling 187.60.This time around, Hardik has tried to take his innings deep, before trying to pull off a late jailbreak. This hasn’t worked, like it didn’t on Monday night against Sunrisers Hyderabad when he remained unbeaten on a 42-ball 50, with Gujarat Titans “finishing seven to 10 runs short” by his own admission.Barring the one knock against Punjab Kings where he made 18 off 27, Hardik has largely looked to build an innings. At Mumbai Indians, the presence of enforcers in Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Quinton de Kock, and at times Kieron Pollard, left him with a clear mandate: of going out to take down attacks.2:15

Is No. 4 Hardik Pandya’s best position?

At Titans, it’s easy to assume it’s perhaps the added captaincy responsibility that is making him restrictive in his approach. But there could be a bigger factor at play: the auction. Titans made a splash when they signed Shubham Gill and Rashid Khan along with Hardik as their core group of players, but the batting is still thin on experience.Abhinav Manohar is a middle-order finisher, who hadn’t played a single T20 game until six months ago. B Sai Sudharsan has been picked on the back of one prolific Tamil Nadu Premier League season. It makes for a great story to tell how the franchise has backed two new players to rise to the occasion, but when it affects the overall batting dynamics, it’s hard not to look at the fault lines.Both Manohar and Sudharsan are now playing the role of enforcers. While Gill has been in scintillating touch, Matthew Wade has managed just 56 runs in four innings. Vijay Shankar, a batter they would’ve hoped a lot more from, finds himself out of the mix, firstly because of injury and then due to team combination.The top order isn’t brimming with alternatives either. Hardik’s move up to No. 4 has meant leaving the role he dearly loves to the likes of David Miller and Rahul Tewatia. There is one problem, though. Miller is not the same player that he has been. Since IPL 2016, Miller has the second-lowest strike rate among 59 batters who have faced over 500 balls,For Hardik, as a young captain, this can be a massive sacrifice, but it boils down to a lack of options. With only one other young batter in Rahmanullah Gurbaz to potentially fill in, the dearth of options may have fired Hardik to be a pillar at 4.Hardik’s captaincy mantra has revolved around “taking pressure off youngsters and asking them to play freely.” What freedom does he enjoy? It’s quite striking to look at the significant dip in strike rates of first-time Indian captains in the IPL as compared to the previous two seasons. Hardik’s dip from 151.67 in the previous two seasons to 122.6 currently is the biggest.As the season enters the second half and pitches tire, average scores could come down. Spinners may have a bigger say. The dew factor could be negligible, and Hardik may have to re-look at his approach.Even though it might not be his most ideal role, as a team man, one can understand his rationale behind doing it. But he would want to try and find a way out.

PSL starts on January 27 in Karachi, with all sides picking two supplement players to cover for injuries and Covid-19

Umar Farooq12-Dec-2021The six PSL franchises firmed up their full squads for the seventh edition of the competition scheduled to begin January 27 in Karachi. Each franchise had the opportunity of retaining a maximum of eight players. Then they met in Lahore to finalise the remaining squad and complete an 18-man side, including two supplement players to prepare for scenarios such as injury and Covid-19 cases in any camp. However, it was agreed that these players can feature in the XI regardless of circumstances.Teams were allowed three platinum, diamond and gold players each, five silver ones, and two apiece from the emerging and supplementary categories. However, no one could pick more than four players combined – both overseas and local – in the platinum and diamond groups. A team had to choose at least three foreign players among their first nine picks, and could get the other foreigner from the supplementary round.That apart, sides must field a minimum of three overseas players and a maximum of four in their playing XIs. The 16-man squad must include five foreign and 11 local players, while the 18-player group could have been a combination of either six foreigners and 12 locals or five foreigners and 13 locals. Also, according to PSL regulations, an emerging player should either be Under‐23 as of January 1 of the playing season, or someone who has played an aggregate of ten or more games in the PSL over two seasons, but is not eligible to be in the emerging category as per age.Lahore Qalandars squad for PSL 2022•ESPNcricinfo LtdLahore QalandarsDraft picks: Fakhar Zaman (Platinum), Abdullah Shafique, Phil Salt, Harry Brook, Kamran Ghulam, Dean Foxcroft, Zaman Khan, Maaz Khan, Samit Patel and Syed FaridounRetained: Rashid Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi (both Platinum), Haris Rauf (Diamond; Brand Ambassador), David Wiese, Mohammad Hafeez (both Diamond), Ahmed Daniyal, Sohail Akhtar and Zeeshan Ashraf (all Silver)Potential first XI: Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Phil Salt, Mohammad Hafeez, David Wiese, Kamran Ghulam, Samit Patel, Rashid Khan, Zaman Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris RaufMultan Sultans squad for PSL 2022•ESPNcricinfo LtdMultan SultansDraft picks: Tim David, Odean Smith, Rumman Raees, Asif Afridi, Anwar Ali, Rovman Powell, Imran Khan Sr, Aamer Azmat, Abbas Afridi, Ihsanullah and Blessing MuzarabaniRetained: Mohammad Rizwan, Rilee Rossouw (both Platinum), Imran Tahir (Diamond; Mentor), Sohaib Maqsood (Diamond), Khushdil Shah (Gold; Brand Ambassador), Shahnawaz Dahani and Shan Masood (both Gold)Potential first XI: Mohammad Rizwan, Shan Masood, Sohaib Maqsood, Rilee Rossouw, Khushdil Shah, Tim David, Odean Smith, Abbas Afridi, Imran Khan Sr/Rumman Raees, Imran Tahir and Shahnawaz DahaniKarachi Kings squad for PSL 2022•ESPNcricinfo LtdKarachi KingsDraft picks: Chris Jordan, Lewis Gregory, Umaid Asif, Tom Abell, Rohail Nazir, Mohammad Imran (wildcard: from Emerging to Silver), Qasim Akram (Right to Match), Faisal Akram, Talha Ahsan, Romario ShepherdRetained: Babar Azam, Imad Wasim (both Platinum), Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Nabi (both Diamond), Joe Clarke (Gold; Brand Ambassador), Aamer Yamin, Sharjeel Khan (both Gold) and Mohammad Ilyas (Silver)Potential first XI: Babar Azam, Sharjeel Khan, Joe Clarke, Imad Wasim, Lewis Gregory, Mohammad Nabi, Aamir Yamin, Chris Jordan, Umaid Asif, Mohammad Amir and Talha AhsanIslamabad United squad for PSL 2022•ESPNcricinfo LtdIslamabad UnitedDraft picks: Colin Munro, Marchant de Lange, Muhammad Akhlaq, Reece Topley, Danish Aziz, Zafar Gohar, Mubasir Khan, Zeeshan Zameer (Right to Match), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Athar MahmoodRetained: Asif Ali, Hasan Ali (both Platinum), Faheem Ashraf (Diamond), Shadab Khan (Diamond; Brand Ambassador), Alex Hales (Gold; Mentor), Azam Khan, Mohammad Wasim Jr (both Gold) and Paul Stirling (Silver)Potential first XI: Paul Stirling, Alex Hales, Colin Munro, Shahdab Khan, Azam Khan, Asif Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Muhammad Zeeshan/Mubasir Khan and Marchant De LangePeshawar Zalmi squad for PSL 2022•ESPNcricinfo LtdPeshawar ZalmiDraft picks: Hazratullah Zazai, Usman Qadir, Salman Irshad, Arshad Iqbal, Sameen Gul, Kamran Akmal, Sirajuddin, Mohammad Amir Khan, Ben Cutting and Mohammad HarrisRetained: Liam Livingstone, Wahab Riaz (both Platinum), Haider Ali, Sherfane Rutherford, Shoaib Malik (all Diamond), Hussain Talat (Gold), Saqib Mahmood (Gold; Brand Ambassador) and Tom Kohler-Cadmore (Silver)Potential first XI: Hazratullah Zazai, Haider Ali, Kamran Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Ben Cutting, Hussain Talat, Sherfane Rutherford, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Amir, Saqib Mahmood and Salman Irshad/Arshad IqbalQuetta Gladiators squad for PSL 2022•ESPNcricinfo LtdQuetta GladiatorsDraft picks: Jason Roy, James Faulkner, Umar Akmal, Sohail Tanvir, Ben Duckett, Naveen-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, Ashir Qureshi, Ahsan Ali and Noor AhmedRetained: James Vince, Sarfaraz Ahmed (both Platinum), Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz (both Diamond), Shahid Afridi (Gold; Mentor), Mohammad Hasnain (Gold; Brand Ambassador) and Naseem Shah (Gold)Potential first XI: Jason Roy, James Vince, Umar Akmal, Sarfaraz Ahmed, James Faulkner, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Hasnain and Abdul Wahid Bangalzai

Chelsea are not guaranteed the chance to defend their Club World Cup title as FIFA debate whether to allow the Blues to qualify automatically.

Chelsea could miss out on CWC in 2029Blues won revamped competitionFIFA may not allow them inFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Chelsea face the prospect of being unable to defend their Club World Cup trophy in 2029, per . Organisers FIFA are considering whether or not to allow the winners to qualify automatically, which is not currently the case.

AdvertisementAFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

As it stands, each league can only have two clubs representing them in the tournament, with Chelsea and Manchester City heading over from England. That frustrated FIFA, however, as big clubs such as Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal missed out. All three are huge revenue drivers.

DID YOU KNOW?

UEFA may take issue with the plans, however, if the Club World Cup threatens to become a competitor for the Champions League. As it was, though, none of the three champions of England, Spain and Italy played in the tournament that the Blues won.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

Chelsea kick off their Premier League season next weekend against Crystal Palace after friendlies versus Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan. 

The left hander was closing in on his career best after he and Jake Doran left the home side without ideas

AAP15-Nov-2024Tasmania opener Jake Weatherald was closing in on his highest first-class score after dominating the Queensland bowlers on day one of their Sheffield Shield clash.The 31-year-old sent another reminder of the quality top-order batters in the Australian domestic scene, although after making an unbeaten 185 he said he had probably left his run too late to be in the Test equation.Related

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Queensland captain Mitchell Swepson won the toss and sent Tasmania in under heavy cloud cover at Allan Border Field on Friday but Weatherald and fellow left-hander Jake Doran were in complete control when bad light stopped play an hour after tea with Tasmania 358 for 3 off 76 overs.Weatherald and Doran added 161 off 177 deliveries in an unbroken fourth-wicket stand after Tim Ward had played a fine hand at No. 3.Weatherald’s highest Shield score is the 198 he made while playing for South Australia against Tasmania in 2019. He had made a couple of 40s in the opening Shield rounds this season but had been unable to make the most of the starts.After the day’s play he spoke of the welcome focus opening batters have had domestically this season after David Warner’s retirement.”It has been a bit of a circus going on in Australia trying to find an opener but it has been awesome to watch,” Weatherald said. “I’m very happy for Nathan [McSweeney] getting a gig. I think he’s deserved that spot.”I definitely left my run too late but I think there are some good openers around. Sam Whiteman is playing very well and Caleb Jewel has been very good for a long time. Hopefully we can keep putting the pressure on the Australian boys.”Tasmania had been bowled out for 98 in the second innings of their previous Shield clash against Western Australia but none of that fragility was on show.Queensland had themselves to blame with poor line and length from the bowlers and occasional shoddy fielding not helping their cause. Swepson appeared to run out of ideas as none of the six bowlers used troubled the visitors. They were missing strike bowler Michael Neser with a hamstring injury and his absence was felt.Weatherald went after the bowling from the get-go as his strike-rate of 91.58 suggests.”It probably felt in the last game that I was hanging back a bit so in this game there was impetus to come out and meet the ball and I thought that worked well on that wicket,” he said. “It was nipping around a bit early but they gave us some opportunities to score which was good. It is a great venue to bat on and you get good reward.”

Sir Alex Ferguson always had an eye for homegrown talent, building his Manchester United dynasty on the backs of British and Irish stars like Ryan Giggs, Rio Ferdinand and Roy Keane.

The legendary Scottish manager was well known for not always seeing eye to eye with even his greatest stars however, and was not afraid to dish out punishment to some of the biggest names in the game.

Gary Neville recalled a dispute after he swore at the 83 year-old during their time together at United: “He fined me a week’s wages, battered me after the match.

“Did it again the day after in his office. Then he proceeded to leave me out for the next two weeks, put me on the bench. He shouted something on to me [in the game] and I knew it. I spent the next 15 minutes of the match thinking, ‘I am done. I’m done.’”

Perhaps the most well-known case of ‘Fergie’ taking on one of his own players came in 2005, leading to Keane’s departure as Red Devils captain.

The Republic of Ireland midfielder had been in and out of the team since an injury sustained due to a poor tackle from Liverpool’s Luis Garcia, and had also taken issue with the quality of the team’s accommodation during a pre-season camp in Portugal.

And after an outburst criticising his teammates on MUTV as well as several rows with Ferguson and assistant manager Carlos Queiroz, Keane left Old Trafford by mutual consent in November 2005.

Ferguson: Gerrard was the best midfielder in the Premier League

Suddenly United had a gaping hole in a team that had dominated the Premier League for years, and Sir Alex has since revealed the only man capable of filling that void at the time was Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard.

It’s little surprise the Scot was so appreciative of Gerrard’s talents either. At a time when United were dominating their north-west counterparts domestically, Gerrard was the sole constant thorn in their side.

The Premier League has seen some of the best midfielders in the world throughout the years, leading to fierce debates as fans rank the likes of Keane, Gerrard, Vieira, Paul Scholes and Frank Lampard.

20 Best Midfielders in Premier League History Ranked

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By
Charlie Smith

May 8, 2025

Sir Alex wasn’t the only one full of praise for Liverpool’s skipper though, with the legendary Jose Mourinho once admitting he tried to sign him both with Internazionale and while he was in charge at Chelsea.

It’s truly difficult to comprehend how England’s ‘golden era’ was unable to succeed with the likes of Gerrard, Lampard and Scholes leading the charge.

All the issues and implications surrounding a landmark county cricket deal

Matt Roller30-Sep-2024

Have Delhi Capitals bought Hampshire?
Not quite. Delhi Capitals are an equal-share joint venture between the sports arms of two Indian conglomerates: JSW Group and GMR Group. GMR bought the Delhi franchise – initially named Delhi Daredevils – ahead of the inaugural IPL season in 2008, and sold a 50% stake to JSW in 2018. GMR are the only relevant party in the Hampshire deal.So who are GMR, and why have they invested in cricket?
The group describe themselves as “a leading infrastructure developer” who own and manage projects in a number of different areas. They own and run six airports, including Delhi and Hyderabad. GMR says its sports division has the “social objective” of “promoting and nurturing potential talent at the grassroot level” in Delhi while the IPL has proved a lucrative investment: having paid US$84 million for the Delhi franchise in 2008, they sold a 50% stake in 2018 for US$66m.Do GMR own any other teams?
Yes. GMR are the owners of Dubai Capitals in the UAE’s ILT20, India Capitals in the Legend League Cricket (LLC), and have a stake in Seattle Orcas (MLC). JSW, their IPL co-owners, run Pretoria Capitals in South Africa’s SA20, and the two companies also co-own Delhi Capitals Women in India’s WPL. GMR also own teams in the Indian sports kabaddi and kho-kho.And have they taken over at Hampshire?
Hampshire announced on Monday morning that GMR have acquired a majority stake – understood to be around 53% – in Hampshire Sport & Leisure Holdings Ltd, and will complete a full acquisition over the next two years. Rod Bransgrove (chair) and David Mann (chief executive) will retain their respective roles during that transition period.GMR have a 50% stake in Delhi Capitals in the IPL•BCCI

What does this mean for the Hundred?
The ECB started the process of selling stakes in the eight Hundred teams at the start of this month. The proposed model would see the ECB sell 49% stakes in each team to private investors, with 51% transferred to the host venue or county – in Southern Brave’s case, Hampshire.So will GMR become majority owners of Southern Brave by default?
No, not necessarily. The ECB’s sales process includes a mechanism which gives the ECB discretion over whether or not to transfer 51% stakes to hosts. They could opt to retain it if they feel that an investor is attempting to circumvent the wider sale process or buying a franchise via the back door. “The deal is not contingent on getting a Hundred franchise,” Bransgrove said.But in practice…?
The ECB have spoken to every IPL and WPL franchise about the prospect of investing in Hundred teams, and GMR appear highly likely to bid for the remaining 49% of Southern Brave as part of the sales process. If GMR’s bid is successful and is considered by the ECB to represent fair market value, Hampshire would then be transferred the other 51% and GMR would effectively become 100% owners of the Hundred franchise.What’s in it for Hampshire?
Most obviously, money. Hampshire said in their statement that the deal was “designed to strengthen the financial position” of their parent company, which also runs the on-site hotel and golf course at the Utilita Bowl. GMR will provide “a material injection of capital to reduce the leveraging” of the company – in other words, starting to pay off Hampshire’s £60 million debt.Bransgrove said GMR were chosen after a “thorough selection process” because of their “shared values and commitment to our vision”. The Utilita Bowl has been awarded its first men’s Ashes Test in 2027, and Bransgrove said investment was necessary to ensure Hampshire can stay “at the top table… in a leadership position”.What do the ECB make of it?
Richard Gould, the ECB’s chief executive, welcomed GMR to English cricket in a statement. Gould said: “I am pleased to see their commitment to continuing to develop Hampshire’s cricket teams and pathways and enhance facilities at Utilita Bowl, and their respect for the traditions of the game in this country.” After recent criticism of the Hundred’s sale from Lalit Modi, Gould said that the deal “demonstrates the global interest” in investing in English cricket.Related

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Didn’t Hampshire do something like this before?
Yes. Hampshire were previously part of a short-lived tie-in with Rajasthan Royals in 2010, which saw them spend four years playing as Hampshire Royals as one of five ‘Royals2020’ teams around the world. The deal was quietly shelved amid a dispute between Rajasthan’s owners and the IPL which briefly saw the franchise expelled from the league.How long has this been planned?
Hampshire said that the principal terms and conditions of their agreement with GMR were “formally agreed upon by the parties a year ago” and Bransgrove clarified that talks started “the best part of two years ago”. The reported in January that the two parties were in advanced talks and in February, Bransgrove and Mann were GMR’s hospitality guests at the ILT20. Discussions have continued through the year, with GMR representatives attending England’s T20I against Australia at the Utilita Bowl earlier this month, and the deal has now been announced publicly.What’s KP got to do with it?
Kevin Pietersen played an informal role in helping to broker the deal as a “common link” between Bransgrove and GMR’s Kiran Kumar Grandhi. Pietersen represented both Hampshire and Delhi Daredevils (as they were then known) during his playing career, and described Monday as a “historic day” for English cricket.Will Hampshire’s deal be the first of many in county cricket?
Maybe, although not imminently. Hampshire are one of only three counties – the others are Durham and Northamptonshire – who are private limited companies rather than member-run mutual ‘societies’, though Yorkshire’s chair Colin Graves is attempting to demutualise the club to open up the possibility of private funding.The majority of counties are heavily reliant on central ECB funding for income and may consider private investment an attractive alternative. “I’m absolutely certain that we will not be the last to go down this route,” Bransgrove said.

اتخذ مجلس إدارة نادي الزمالك برئاسة حسين لبيب، قرارا مفاجئا بشأن مشاركة الفريق في بطولة إفريقيا للأندية لليد في المغرب، وكذلك بطولة كأس الكؤوس الأفريقية المؤهلة للسوبر الأفريقي.

وكانت قرعة بطولة إفريقيا للأندية قد أسفرت عن تواجد الفريق الأول لكرة اليد بنادي الزمالك، على رأس المجموعة الثالثة بجوار فرق: “منتدى المغربي، والصداقة الكاميروني، وكريكوس الأثيوبي”.

طالع.. مواعيد مباريات الزمالك في بطولة إفريقيا للأندية لكرة اليد

وعلم بطولات من مصادره أن فريق الزمالك قرر الاكتفاء بالمشاركة في بطولة كأس الكؤوس الإفريقية المؤهلة إلى بطولة السوبر الإفريقي. 

وكان الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة اليد أعلن في وقت سابق عن جدول مباريات بطولة أفريقيا للأندية لكرة اليد، والتي ستقام في المغرب خلال الفترة من 10 إلى 19 أكتوبر المقبل.

على جانب آخر، يقع فريق الأهلي على رأس المجموعة الأولى بجوار أندية، النجم الكونغولي، ميكيلي الإثيوبي، سي إف جي الكونغولي.

ومن المتوقع أن تشهد المجموعات منافسة شرسة بين جميع الفرق، حيث يسعى كل فريق لتحقيق الفوز في كل مباراة والتتويج باللقب الغالي.

An intrepid visitor to The Oval was among 1000 people helping trial the return of crowds to sporting events in the UK

Tawhid Qureshi27-Jul-2020Choice of game
A tumultuous few months, when the prospect of watching any kind of live sport seemed distant, gave way to hope and optimism as I happily passed through the Oval’s Alec Stewart Gate. I was there to watch perhaps the most significant friendly game of cricket ever played, ironically between traditional rivals, Surrey and Middlesex. I was one of the fortunate 1000 Surrey members who had patiently dialled and then several more times redialled the ticket office, to be rewarded with a ticket for the first spectator-attended sports event in England for four months. The match in essence was a glorified practice session for both sides, but the occasion itself was of far more importance, a government-endorsed test of how cricket could function as a spectator sport, against the backdrop of Covid-19.Although the surroundings of The Oval were comfortingly familiar, Surrey had clearly gone to huge lengths to make sure that the venue fully complied with new Covid-19 guidelines. The detailed four-page spectator guide emailed in advance was a taste of what to expect, including rather comical instructions to avoid hugs and to take care when celebrating. Hand sanitiser was placed at the entrance and throughout the periphery of the ground, arrows clearly directed a one-way walking system and stewards politely asked that face coverings be used in the enclosed parts of the ground. These measures seemed very sensible and a minor inconvenience in order to experience the normality of hearing leather on willow.Key Performers
The lack of genuine intensity in the game was forgivable, particularly as both teams had agreed to bat for exactly one day regardless of the number of wickets lost, indeed Surrey continued to bat after losing 10 wickets and the unlucky Ryan Patel was out twice in the same innings. Pre-season friendlies are usually a good time to give debuts, and Middlesex’s tall 18-year-old Blake Cullen will certainly remember his first ball in senior cricket, as he claimed the wicket of Will Jacks, caught at slip. His second spell after lunch signalled how much of an exciting prospect he is, as he ran in hard from the pavilion end and picked up a second wicket.Jacks began his innings with dazzling strokeplay, fluently driving the ball towards the boundary, and he looked disappointed to be dismissed after reaching his half-century. Surrey have contributed several players to the current England set up, Jacks will be hoping the season ahead means that he’s next in line. Scott Borthwick shared the most significant partnership of the innings with Jacks and eventually top scored with 87, and some late order hitting from Jordan Clark was also eye-catching.Wow Moments
Allrounder Clark’s clean hit for six over midwicket against a tiring Middlesex attack illustrated his ability to score quickly and his importance as a multi-format cricketer. The other memorable moments of the day involved sharp catching from the Middlesex fielders, despite a long gap from playing the game, most of the fielding didn’t show any sign of rustiness. Captain Stephen Eskinazi and Nick Gubbins both made difficult catches look simple.One Thing I’d Change
The overall organisation of the event was superb, but perhaps so much attention had been placed on ensuring the new social distancing guidelines were followed that communicating the quirky playing conditions was almost forgotten. Basic information about the playing XI wasn’t easily obtained but in the grand scheme of things this was a very minor gripe.Back in business: Will Jack and Scott Borthwick got going out in the middle•Getty ImagesThe Crowd
The bulk of the 1000-strong crowd were seated in a few blocks of the newly named 1845 Stand – beneath the famous gas-holder – albeit with many gaps in between, the idea being to test crowd management and social distancing within a relatively confined space. This meant warm applause greeting each Surrey boundary and subsequent landmarks was satisfyingly amplified, even if the vast empty stands opposite made the ground look lop-sided. The crowd itself was always good natured, even a rain delay and darkened clouds were unable to dampen spirits and the sense of appreciation.One of the pleasures of watching first-class county cricket at The Oval is the chance to regularly change seats and take in different views of the middle, unallocated seating being the norm. Understandably on this occasion the PA system regularly reminded people to remain in their allocated seat. Another new experience took place in the morning; a crisply struck cover drive from Jacks sent the ball speeding towards the boundary rope and then deflecting into the stands; as a spectator went to fetch the ball from under his seat, those around him anxiously told him not to. Instead the ball was kicked towards the bottom of the stand and retrieved by a fielder. The issue of touching the ball, perhaps unhelpfully and confusingly highlighted by Boris Johnson, is another part of the new Covid-19 world that we must adjust to.Marks out of 10
A triumphant 10. The hard work that Surrey had put in behind the scenes meant that the day went as smoothly as possible. Once I was safely seated, it was easy to focus on the contest in the middle and engage in sorely missed conversations about who should open the batting – the value of such seemingly mundane chat now priceless. I can only hope the success of the day results in more cricket for spectators at The Oval and beyond, a safe environment for watching cricket is clearly achievable and hugely desired by countless supporters everywhere.
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We’ve picked 20 landmark moments from the first 1000 T20Is. Vote for your favourite

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Nov-2019From the very beginning, T20s at the international level have been a sporadic exercise, coming into focus during the World Cups played every few years. A number of memorable moments have come in those World T20s, with a few record-breaking feats coming in bilateral games. We’ve picked 20 landmark moments from the first 1000 T20Is. Which of these is your favourite?Is there any big one that pops up in your mind that we’ve missed? Let us know by tweeting us or mailing [email protected]