After two-thirds of play was rendered impossible by the weather for the second day in succession, Kuldeep Yadav ate into India Blue’s gains with a four-wicket burst late in the night

The Report by Arun Venugopal30-Aug-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsFile photo – Mayank Agarwal was dismissed eight runs short of what would have been a second first-class century•Getty Images

After two-thirds of play was rendered impossible by the weather for the second day in succession, Kuldeep Yadav ate into India Blue’s gains with a four-wicket burst late in the night. India Blue went from 188 for 1 to 200 for 5 in four overs, as Kuldeep unleashed a rash of googlies that bored into India Blue’s batting core.Should Mayank Agarwal nurse heartaches over his dismissal, it wouldn’t be out of place: he ventured an inexplicable slog to be stumped after coming within a whisker of his second first-class hundred. The dismissal proved to be costlier than he might have anticipated on a day India Blue had to negotiate a mere 27.4 overs.From the outset, this was a curious day where little of the expected unfolded. With rain in the air, and after the pitch had sweated under the covers for over 24 hours – the grass on the pitch appeared markedly lusher – it was thought the ball would move around crazily. On the evidence of the first few overs, it also seemed that India Red’s wretched luck would continue – they had handed India Blue captain Gautam Gambhir and Agarwal a reprieve each on Monday, and were still atoning for them.The second ball of the day, from left-arm seamer Pradeep Sangwan, caught Gambhir’s outside edge and flew just wide of second slip. On the first ball of the next over, Ishwar Pandey struck Agarwal, who shouldered arms with pad thrust forward, on the back leg, but umpire Virender Sharma made a brave not-out call.Meanwhile, Gambhir continued to slash, steer and edge boundaries behind square. India Red captain Yuvraj Singh even installed an extra slip, but he never came into play. India Blue had scored 40 runs in the first 10.4 overs, and there was neither any mad swing nor significant seam movement.The first spark of action was provided by Nathu Singh, who was evidently quicker than Sangwan and Pandey. He decided to take the pitch and the atmosphere out of the equation, and beat Gambhir with sheer pace: the ball whooshed off a length and crashed into Gambhir’s pad before his bat came around it. While Nathu was looking to blast the batsmen out, in came Kuldeep with his wristy, drifting offerings. After a quiet period, three deliveries changed the course of India Blue’s innings.Agarwal charged out to biff the first ball of the 56th over on the full for a six over the bowler’s head. The next ball was flatter and skidded past the batsman’s attempted cut, before Kuldeep offered a loopy googly. Agarwal dashed out again for a slog across the line, but this time the ball dipped and swerved past him for Srikar Bharat to complete a stumping. The Kuldeep-Bharat combine came together again in the bowler’s next over when Suryakumar Yadav was stumped in an attempted flick. Next ball, nightwatchman Karn Sharma was walking back after being trapped lbw, again by a googly.B Aparajith was, in contrast, untroubled by Kuldeep’s googlies, but edged a drive to gully, where Nitish Rana snapped up a smart, low catch, only two overs later. Till about half an hour earlier, India Red were probably bracing for a long haul in the field. But, like in the first game, it took Kuldeep only a few minutes to make a difference.

Tottenham Hotspur might well have established a frontrunner for their managerial vacancy, but one respected journalist suggests that the race is far from over.

What's the latest on Luis Enrique to Tottenham Hotspur?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Fabrizio Romano suggested that despite Ange Postecoglou emerging as a fine option for Daniel Levy, Luis Enrique is not one to be discounted.

He claimed:

"I think we have to keep an eye on the situation of Luis Enrique because Enrique is in conversation with Napoli. But the Napoli president confirmed that he has a feeling that, for Enrique, the priority is the Premier League.

"So he is maybe waiting for Tottenham's decision before he keeps going in the conversations with Napoli. Luis Enrique's name is one we have to follow."

With the Spaniard seemingly waiting for a top-flight job in England before confirming his role at Napoli, it seems an opportunity remains for the Lilywhites to hijack this move.

Would Luis Enrique be an upgrade on Ange Postecoglou?

The Spaniard boasts pedigree beyond most who have been linked with the post, namely due to his exploits in Barcelona, as he oversaw one of the greatest club sides in recent history.

With a front three of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez, the Catalan giants were led to an unprecedented treble, adding to the numerous other titles he holds.

His counter-attacking 4-3-3 system might not exert the same control over a game that Postecoglou has done in Scotland, but it cannot be faulted for its effectiveness.

Whilst his most recent venture with the Spanish national team was not as successful as he would have hoped, his exit still led writer Muhammed Butt to brand him a "world-class coach", suggesting they were worse off without him.

The same could not be said for the Australian, who could quite easily be replaced at Celtic Park given the ease with which the Scottish giants often dominate their division. Of the last 12 seasons, they have only been dethroned on one occasion.

Across the sprawling 431-game career of the 53-year-old, including spells at AS Roma and Celta de Vigo as well as the two aforementioned, he has lost just 89 games, scoring 935 in the process.

His teams pride themselves on a quick, vertical style that exploits defensive frailties. With the pace at the disposal of the Spurs squad, this also seems far more likely to reap immediate rewards, rather than the many years it would take to convey Postecoglou's convoluted style.

Whether it be the standard of their careers, the trophy cabinet they boast or the aura they command, Enrique stands as a marked upgrade to Levy's current first-choice candidate.

The recently crowned 2023 Europa Conference League champions are riding the crest of a footballing wave; European success and the mouth-watering prospect of more memorable conquests across the continent for West Ham.

As a result of his monumental triumph, David Moyes could be awarded a lucrative transfer budget to prepare his squad for a third-consecutive season of European football.

With the impending departure of club captain Declan Rice on the horizon, the club will need to reshape its midfield, and Conor Gallagher has emerged as a possible target.

What’s the latest on Conor Gallagher to West Ham?

According to a recent report from Football Transfers, the Chelsea player, alongside James Ward-Prowse and Scott McTominay, have been tipped to fill Rice’s void.

In a previous report by talkSPORT, the Englishman has been valued at around £40m, which would leave the Hammers with a healthy segment of the £120m they are expecting from their captain's sale.

Gallagher’s season has divided many opinions, but a move to the London Stadium could reignite his stuttering career.

What can Gallagher bring to West Ham?

The 23-year-old was in formidable form when he was on loan at Crystal Palace last season. In 34 appearances for Patrick Vieira, the £50k-per-week star registered 11 goal contributions and the highest average rating (7.09) of any Eagles player, as per WhoScored.

Although he has been described as looking like a “fish out of water” during his time at Chelsea, his energy, work rate, and athleticism are infectious, and when his confidence is high he has a keen eye for goal.

This is showcased by the fact that the six-cap international ranks within the top 19% In Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for progressive carries and touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, as well as the highest 23% for tackles per 90, according to FBref.

This displays his contribution at both ends of the pitch and an unrelenting willingness to constantly be involved.

His tendency to find himself in offensive positions means he could formidably link up with Jarrod Bowen, who wrote his name into folklore thanks to his last-gasp winner against Fiorentina.

It was Bowen’s 40th goal in a West Ham shirt, which is nicely complimented by his 32 assists, and he has emerged as a fountain of productivity and an indispensable component of the progression under Moyes.

As Gallagher largely outstrips Rice in attacking areas, with the Hammers skipper scoring five times this season, this could benefit the winger as the Epsom-born talent will undoubtedly offer him more support going forward.

Described as “fantastic” by his former manager Graham Potter, Gallagher has already proven his top-flight pedigree and deserves a chance in East London to shine alongside his fellow countryman.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have been linked to a goal machine ahead of the summer transfer window, as Julen Lopetegui looks to fix his side’s scoring woes.

Wolves found the net just 31 times in 38 games this season, making them the Premier League’s lowest scorers.

The club could end their low scoring streak in one signing this summer, despite pressures of FFP putting strain on the Spaniard’s ability to spend.

What’s the latest on Georges Mikautadze to Wolves?

According to French outlet le10sport last week, the Midlands club are “ready” to position themselves to sign FC Metz striker Georges Mikautadze.

The report states that the asking price from the Ligue 2 club would be around the €20m mark, making him available to Wolves for just £17m.

What could Georges Mikautadze bring to Wolves?

For only a snip price, Lopetegui could get his hands on a prolific goalscorer who has found the net on 24 occasions in all competitions this season.

Playing in Ligue 2 with Metz, the 22-year-old ended the campaign as the league's top scorer, with 23 strikesin the competition, as well as scoring one in the Coupe de France.

Hailed as “incredible” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the young forward has more than just goal-scoring ability in his arsenal, having registered nine assists across all competitions also.

His talents could provide Wolves with an essence of the spirit at Molineux when Raul Jimenez was firing, and the club were pushing towards the top six.

In both the 2018/19 and 2019/20 campaigns, the Midlands club finished seventh in the Premier League under Nuno Santo, with the two recurring successes in those seasons being the form of the Mexican striker.

The talisman scored a combined total of 30 goals and registered 14 assists over the impressive terms, however, since his devastating injury the goals have dried up and so has Wolves’ form.

Lauded as “remarkable” by former teammate Conor Coady back in 2020, the forward was the battery fuelling Nuno’s attack, and inspired his team to dream about competing with the big fish in the Premier League.

What Wolves relished in having during those years is what the club is missing now, being absent going forward which has punished their performance in the competition, with the club sitting bottom of the table on Christmas day last year.

Lopetegui must improve his side’s ability to find the net, which he could do so in signing the “Georgian killer” Mikautadze, who has an innate ability to contribute to goals, just as Jimenez did in those glory years.

This season, the Georgian has a scoring frequency in Ligue 2 of every 134 minutes, averaging 1.1 shots on target per game, similar to that of the Mexican in 2019/20 who averaged 1.2 on target per game and a frequency of 191 minutes – as per Sofascore.

At just 22-year-old, the Spaniard could have a talent to lead the line at Molineux for years to come in a player that would cost the club less than £20m.

Leeds United saw their three-year stint in the Premier League cut ruthlessly short on Sunday, as their 4-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur confirmed their relegation.

Wins elsewhere for Everton and Leicester City only exacerbated such failures, as they finished 19th to return to the Championship.

Having spent 16 years in the second division the last time they were demoted, the hope around Elland Road will be that they can avoid another lengthy absence and bounce back at the first time of asking.

To do that, it will require an almighty effort from the hierarchy to secure a new long-term manager and a host of new players to propel them there, amidst a potential takeover.

However, they might have some key assets who could spearhead such a charge, who are already in their squad and unlikely to leave this summer.

One such example is Darko Gyabi, who joined as a top-quality youngster from Manchester City just last summer. Despite the £5m expended, he was forced into the U21s for the majority of the campaign.

Having surely acclimatised to life at Elland Road now, next term could truly be his breakthrough one to announce himself as a star in Yorkshire.

How good is Darko Gyabi?

With all the physical assets to compete in such a taxing division, it is wholly possible that the 19-year-old could be the Championship's next top product.

After all, he has already shown himself to be at a level above his youth category, with journalist Joe Donnohue offering massive praise after one performance in particular back in March: "Darko Gyabi's performance tonight is the most complete midfield display by any LUFC player, at any level, (I've seen) this season. Passing, strength, presence, awareness, use of his body – class."

He continued by noting that he "plays with an attitude, dynamism & real vitality"; attributes that will be key to dominating midfield battles.

As such, he may already be ahead of a certain Weston McKennie, the American who endured a torrid time in Yorkshire after his half a season loan from Juventus back in January.

The midfielder did little to weave his way into the hearts of those at Elland Road during his six-month stint, as he travelled home to Turin this week with zero goals and just one assist to show for his efforts.

On the flip side, with Gyabi amassing five goal contributions from 17 Premier League 2 games, his offensive input cannot be understated alongside his other impressive attributes. This has culminated in just three senior appearances, which should be vastly expanded upon next season with more game time likely forthcoming.

Gyabi's work in the U20 World Cup serves to offer further proof as to just how remarkable he is for his age, as the teenage sensation has recorded a 7.07 average rating thus far, maintaining an 88% pass accuracy alongside, one interception, 2.7 tackles and 2.7 successful dribbles per game, via Sofascore.

This tough-tackling mindset blended with elegance on the ball makes him a technical marvel, who already stands at a whopping 6 foot 5 to only emphasise his stature as someone capable of making the step up.

He has everything needed to shine at senior level, and it could be argued that a run of games in the Premier League might have even been merited. But with huge changes set to occur this summer once McKennie and co depart, Gyabi should offer some clarity for the new boss, as a nailed-on starter for their new adventure in the Championship.

West Ham United star Declan Rice is ready to make it clear he "favours" a move to Arsenal this summer, according to reports.

Who could join Arsenal this summer?

The north Londoners and manager Mikel Arteta, despite fighting for the vast majority of this season, ultimately fell short in their attempts to win a first Premier League title in nearly 20 years.

Champions Man City secured a third-sucessive domestic crown as Pep Guardiola chases the treble, but given just how long Arsenal were in pole position, there are a lot of positives to take from this campaign.

Injuries to key men like centre-back William Saliba towards the backend of 2022/2023 arguably hampered their efforts, with many points dropped in April.

As such, strengthening in key areas is a top priority for the Gunners, with central midfield seemingly right at the forefront of their thinking.

Rice, Brighton star Moises Caicedo, City captain Ilkay Gundogan and Chelsea's Mason Mount have all been linked with moves to north London – with Wolves' Ruben Neves also billed as a target.

The Hammers captain, though, is thought to be a top target for Arteta, with reliable reports suggesting an official bid will be submitted next month and after the season draws to a close.

Now, as per The Mirror, there has been a further update – with Rice ready to express that he "favours" a switch to Arsenal in the summer window.

The London side have apparently already put in a lot of groundwork in regards to a move for the 24-year-old and Arteta personally has a vision for how Rice will fit into his system.

There is also a belief at Arsenal that they're in pole position for his signing, with Granit Xhaka also expected to potentially leave as Bayer Leverkusen push to bring him to the Bundesliga.

Who is Declan Rice?

The Three Lions ace, who also impressed at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, is a key player for David Moyes – standing out as their best-performer by average match rating this season (WhoScored).

Rice is a midfield general at West Ham, averaging more interceptions per 90 than any of his teammates, with members of the media calling him "utterly sensational" for his contributions in claret and blue.

The former Chelsea academy ace has also been branded "underrated" for his efforts in the middle of the park, but if Arsenal are to sign him, reports suggest he could well cost north of £100 million.

Madhya Pradesh secured a bonus-point victory on the back of an innings and 64-run thrashing of Uttar Pradesh in Hyderabad. UP, asked to follow-on after being bowled out for 176, slumped to 225 all out on the final day. Chandrakant Sakhure, the right-arm medium pacer, playing in only his third first-class game, finished with career-best figures of 6 for 40. MP’s 465 in the first innings was built around Harpreet Singh’s unbeaten 216. UP captain Suresh Raina, recovering from fever, didn’t bat in both innings.A double century from Manpreet Juneja helped Gujarat pull off a heist and pocket three points, courtesy a first-innings lead, despite conceding 544 against Baroda in Jaipur. Gujarat began the day needing 267 runs with six wickets in hand, to take a lead. The task appeared tougher when they lost the services of Rujul Bhatt, who retired hurt on 58. But Juneja found able support from Axar Patel, the left-arm-spinning allrounder, who made an unbeaten 109 as Gujarat went past Baroda’s score without losing a wicket on the final day.Railways’ push for an outright win was thwarted by Uday Kaul as Punjab salvaged a point after conceding a first-innings lead at Palam grounds in New Delhi. Set a target of 362, Punjab were 170 for 3 when play ended, with Kaul (61 not out) and Mandeep Singh (41 not out) having forged an unbroken 86-run fourth-wicket stand. Railways, who resumed on 180 for 2, lost five wickets for the addition of 65 runs before the declaration. Shivakant Shukla, who made 128 in the first innings, made 97 in the second dig. Punjab captain Yuvraj Singh had a disappointing outing, making 9 and 17 in his two outings.

With less than a week to go before the start of India’s first Test against England, the BCCI and ECB have not signed the Memorandum of Understanding

Nagraj Gollapudi03-Nov-2016With less than a week to go before the start of India’s first Test against England, the BCCI and ECB have not signed the Memorandum of Understanding, a standard agreement that details various aspects of bilateral series.The main reason for the delay in signing the MoU is that the BCCI is awaiting directions from the Lodha Committee. A big part of the MoU says the BCCI will bear all the costs pertaining to the England team during the tour. Normally the BCCI would directly approve such expenses, but because of the order passed by the Supreme Court on October 21, the board has to get approval from the Lodha Committee, which has been appointed to oversee all financial transactions of the BCCI.In its response to the BCCI, however, the Lodha Committee said forming cricket policy was not part of its remit, but that directions regarding payments could only be given after the BCCI provided more information about the transactions. The committee has given the BCCI five days to respond with details of various contracts the board said it needed to finalise in the next year to avoid disruption of daily business.But before proceeding with the matter of existing and future BCCI contracts, including the MoU with the ECB, the Lodha Committee reminded the board that an unequivocal undertaking was required from the president Anurag Thakur that the BCCI would implement the court order of October 21.  The court had asked Thakur and board secretary Ajay Shirke to file affidavits in two weeks from October 21 and appear before the committee. As of November 3, Thakur had not given such an undertaking and he and Shirke had not met the committee either.BCCI and ECB officials were not available for comment about whether an unsigned MoU could jeopardise England’s tour of India, but an official from another board said an international tour could still proceed without it. An MoU is only used in case of a dispute between the two boards involved in a bilateral series.In an email on Thursday to BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke, the Lodha Committee asked the board to obey the three orders the Supreme Court passed on July 18, October 7 and 21. “To avoid any hindrance to the cricketing calendar and to ensure the continued enjoyment of the sport by its aficionados, the BCCI would be well advised to comply with the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in its orders dated 18th July 2016, 7th October 2016 and 21st October 2016,” the committee e-mail said.On October 21, the Supreme Court had directed the BCCI not to distribute funds to state associations until they agreed to comply with the Lodha Committee’s recommendations, which the court had approved in an order on July 18. The court also asked Shirke and Thakur to meet the Lodha Committee by November 3 and placed several restrictions on the board’s ability to enter into contracts.The committee had already sent Thakur an email reminder earlier this week and it told Shirke on Thursday: “The requirement for such an undertaking is not a mere formality. In the absence of the undertaking, the Committee finds it difficult to implement the order of the Supreme Court by issuing necessary directions to BCCI.”On October 28, Shirke had sent an email to the committee, asking for intervention on a “priority basis” because failing to do so would “severely prejudice” cricket operations. Shirke told the committee that decisions concerning a lot of important contracts had been left pending.Among the contracts mentioned was the postponed IPL tender, finalising vendors for the IPL and international and domestic cricket, and title and shirt sponsorships for the India men’s team. Shirke also said the BCCI needed clarity regarding the “threshold value”, above which the contracts needed to go through the Lodha Committee as mandated by the Supreme Court order. The court also asked the committee to appoint an independent auditor to oversee the BCCI’s transactions.Shirke said that since the court had appointed the Committee as the “custodian of revenue and finances” of the BCCI, it should act immediately. The board, Shirke said, feared that the “uncertainty” might have already “devalued” the size of the bids expected for the IPL television and digital rights.In its response today, the committee told Shirke that finalising vendors was not its job. “Please note that neither identification nor appointment of vendors or contractors is the task or function of the Committee. The Committee is only required to fix a threshold value and approving awards of contracts above such threshold value.”In order to “fix” the threshold value and appoint an auditor, the committee asked Shirke to provide details of the contracts such as the value, term, expiry date of existing contract, the nature of the tender process and so on. “It is only on examining the above that the Committee would be able to fix a threshold value and also assess the nature of work involved for appointing the independent auditor and formulating his terms of engagement,” the committee said.In another email, Shirke told the committee the BCCI had to give a commitment to the ECB regarding incurring expenses for England’s tour of India. He asked the committee to set the terms and conditions and the “manner in which” the agreement should be executed. Shirke had also written to the five state associations hosting the England Tests, asking if they had enough funds to stage the matches.The Committee, however, said that framing the MoU was not part of the court’s order. “The proposed MoU between BCCI and ECB concerns bilateral cricketing policy, the formulation of which is not a part of the mandate of the Committee. As far as payments are concerned, if they are to be made directly by the BCCI, no directions can be given by this Committee until relevant details are furnished by the BCCI.”It is understood that Shirke sent the committee the unsigned MoU via email late on November 3 evening, but despite being asked for details the email did not contain what the Lodha Committee wanted.

كشفت صحيفة “سبورت” الكتالونية عن موقف ثنائي نادي برشلونة الهجومي، جواو فيليكس وجواو توريس، من مباراة نابولي في دور الـ 16 من دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويلتقي برشلونة ونابولي يوم الأربعاء المقبل، في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت “القاهرة” على ملعب “دييجو أرماندو مارادونا” في ذهاب تلك المرحلة.

وكان برشلونة يعاني في الفترة الماضية من فقدان الثنائي فيليكس وتوريس بسبب الإصابة، حيث أصيب البرتغالي بالتواء في الرباط الجانبي الخارجي لكاحله الأيمن منذ 3 أسابيع.

اقرأ أيضًا | أراوخو يعترف: أفتقد ميسي في برشلونة.. وأنتقد نفسي بشدة

بينما غادر توريس مباراة برشلونة وأوساسونا باكيًا في نهاية يناير الماضي، وتغيب عن الفترة الماضية مع العملاق الكتالوني.

وبحسب التقرير أن فيليكس قد يكون متاحًا لمباراة نابولي في دوري أبطال أوروبا عكس ما كان يقال قبل أسبوع تقريبًا، وبالتالي، ستكون إضافة كبيرة لقائمة برشلونة والمدرب، تشافي هيرنانديز.

ولكن موقف فيران توريس معقد فهو غير جاهز بعد للمباراة ويواصل برنامجه التأهيلي لحين العودة إلى التدريبات، ولن يتسرع تشافي والجهاز الطبي بالمخاطرة به.

Doug Bollinger helped deliver New South Wales a place in the Matador Cup finals as they secured an eight-wicket win over Western Australia at North Sydney Oval

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Oct-2016
ScorecardDoug Bollinger picked up 3 for 26•Getty Images

Doug Bollinger helped deliver New South Wales a place in the Matador Cup finals as they secured an eight-wicket win over Western Australia at North Sydney Oval. Set 208 for victory, the Blues made an outstanding start to their chase through a 172-run opening stand between Daniel Hughes and Ed Cowan, and from there the result was never in doubt.The win meant New South Wales leapt into the top three and will play against Victoria in the elimination final for the chance to take on Queensland in the tournament decider. The day began well for the Blues when Josh Hazlewood struck in the first over of the match and Trent Copeland in the second, before Adam Voges (62) provided a steadying influence for the Warriors.Michael Klinger (46) and Cameron Bancroft (56) helped made valuable contributions but Bollinger then ran through the lower middle order to finish with 3 for 26 from his eight overs as Western Australia were bowled out for 207 in the 44th over.In the chase, Ashton Turner picked up the only two wickets that fell, but by then the damage had already been done by Cowan and Hughes. Cowan departed for 66 and Hughes was lbw for 96, falling short of what would have been a second consecutive century after his 122 against Victoria on Sunday.