كشف عماد النحاس، المدير الفني للنادي الأهلي، عن قائمة اللاعبين البدلاء في مباراة الزمالك، التي تقام اليوم الإثنين، بين الفريقين في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.
ويلعب الأهلي ضد الزمالك، ضمن مواجهات الجولة التاسعة من عمر مباريات بطولة الدوري المصري، على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي.
ويحتل فريق النادي الأهلي، المركز الثامن في جدول ترتيب الدوري، برصيد 12 نقطة، من الفوز في 3 مباريات والتعادل في مثلهم وتلقى خسارة وحيدة.
طالع | تشكيل الأهلي أمام الزمالك في الدوري المصري.. القوة الضاربة
ويهدف النادي الأهلي، إلى تحقيق الفوز من أجل العودة إلى المنافسة على لقب بطولة الدوري المصري هذا الموسم بعد البداية السيئة. بدلاء الأهلي اليوم أمام الزمالك في الدوري المصري
مصطفى شوبير، أحمد رمضان بيكهام، حسين الشحات، أحمد عبد القادر، مصطفى العش، عمر كمال، أليو ديانج وحمزة عبد الكريم وأحمد رضا.
William O’Rourke admitted being “pretty streaky” and “hot and cold” in the early part of the second innings of the first Test in Bengaluru. But having gone for 75 off his first 15 overs, he dismissed Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja in three successive overs with the second new ball as India lost their last six wickets for just 29 runs.”Overall, for me, I’ve been pretty streaky, pretty hot and cold with the ball,” O’Rourke said at the end of the fourth day. “Pant and Sarfaraz [Khan] obviously batted very well for a long time there, but that second new ball came on and started doing a little bit for us.”So, credit to Timmy [Tim Southee] for getting that first breakthrough [of Sarfaraz] and then I was lucky enough to get a wee chop on there [from Pant] to give us a bit of momentum going through.”Related
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Sarfaraz, in particular, handled O’Rourke well, picking him for 39 runs in 35 balls and repeatedly throwing him off his lengths with ramps and late cuts. While O’Rourke said he and the rest of the bowling unit could have been tighter with their lengths, he credited Sarfaraz for using the angles and opening up the field.”He [Sarfaraz] played me really well,” O’Rourke said. “With that angle of me sort of falling away, it sort of opens up that little dab shot. Yeah, maybe we could have been in the game a little bit, but he played it so well.”I would have liked to be a little bit tighter. Obviously, one of his strengths is that [the late cut]. So, yeah, I would have liked to be a little bit tighter, but I was missing a little bit wide, and he put me away. So credit to him.”O’Rourke has had a rousing start to his Test career. This is his fifth Test and he has already picked up 26 wickets at 18.84, which includes two five-fors. Fifteen of his 26 wickets have been in the subcontinent. He had an excellent tour of Sri Lanka last month where he picked up eight wickets in two Tests, and has continued his good run in India.William O’Rourke took three wickets in three overs to hurt India•BCCI
“I think we had a really good prep in Tauranga and down in Lincoln,” he said about his success in the subcontinent. “We had a few wickets that were a bit drier than probably what we are used to at that time of the year in New Zealand. And yeah, learning from the guys like Matt Henry, Tim Southee, who have been here before and done it before, it’s been massive for me coming here.”In the first innings here, O’Rourke picked up four wickets, including Virat Kohli’s for a duck.”It’s obviously pretty special getting someone so great, one of the greats of our game, out like that,” he said of the Kohli wicket. “You grow up watching those guys. So to come here and take that wicket, it’s probably right up there as one of the [best] wickets I’ve got.”While O’Rourke has been pleasantly surprised by the bounce he has seen on the Bengaluru surface, he is also loving bowling with the SG ball.”It has got a bit more of a pronounced seam than the Kookaburra [that New Zealand use at home], so it seems to be nice and hard to start with. It goes through nicely and big seams are always a big plus. [It’s] my first time here and [Bengaluru] probably had a little bit more bounce, a bit more pace than we expected coming over here, which suits a bowler like me. So far, I’ve really enjoyed it.”We definitely do our scouting and stuff before games. I’d say at the moment in my career, I’m more of a feel bowler. I like to back what I do, run in and do what I do. But definitely I have a look at the players beforehand, I like to know their strengths and weaknesses. But I think it normally comes back to just being me and doing what I do.”
A lot has gone very right for Chelsea so far this summer.
Enzo Maresca’s men overcame what many assumed would be too big a hurdle in Paris Saint-Germain to win the Club World Cup, and have been making some great moves in the transfer market.
The three big signings made so far are undoubtedly Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro, but the club show no signs of stopping there.
Chelsea forward Joao Pedro
For example, recent days and weeks have seen them linked to bona fide superstars like Rodrygo, who could cost up to £86m, and more up-and-coming talents who could develop into stars, like Xavi Simons, who appears to have a £52m price tag on his head.
However, it’s not all about bringing players in, as Chelsea have made several sales, and now it appears that one of the most important players has agreed to leave, which could help fund moves for the Real Madrid and RB Leipzig stars.
Why Chelsea want to sign Rodrygo & Simons
It’s certainly the case that, as things stand, Chelsea have plenty of attacking options in their squad. However, ultimately, having more can never hurt, and when they’re of the quality of Rodrygo and Simons, they could end up being hugely impactful next season.
For example, despite playing out of his preferred left-wing position for most of the last two seasons, the Brazilian “superstar,” as dubbed by Luka Modrić, has found the back of the net on 31 occasions and provided 20 assists in 105 appearances, totalling 7159 minutes.
That means the former Santos gem has been averaging a goal involvement every 2.05 games, or every 140.37 minutes across the last two years, which is undoubtedly impressive.
Appearances
51
54
Minutes
3707′
3452′
Goals
17
14
Assists
9
11
Goal Involvements per Match
0.50
0.46
Minutes per Goal Involvement
142.57′
138.08′
Moreover, when it comes to the Champions League, which the Blues will finally be back in again, his record is remarkable.
In his 64 appearances in the competition, totalling 3883 minutes, the 24-year-old has scored 25 goals and provided 14 assists, which comes out to a goal involvement every 1.64 games, or every 99.56 minutes.
However, what’s crucial to consider here is that eight of his 25 goals have been game-winning, and eight have come in the knockout rounds, so he could prove essential if the West Londoners want to make it far in the competition next season.
The Leipzig ace might not have the same pedigree when it comes to Europe’s top competition, but he was still seriously effective for the German outfit last season.
For example, in 33 appearances last season, totalling 2763 minutes, the Amsterdam-born monster scored 11 goals and provided eight assists, which comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 1.73 games, or every 145.42 minutes.
Moreover, despite turning 22 only a few months ago, he has already won 28 senior caps for the Netherlands, in which he has scored five goals and provided four assists, suggesting he’s not fazed by the big stages either.
In all, signing both players would make Chelsea a far more formidable proposition next season, but they’d likely need to make a big sale to do so, which, based on reports, they may well do.
The Chelsea star who has agreed to leave
While their incomings have dominated the conversation for fans, and understandably so, Chelsea have already made a few notable sales this summer, with Noni Madueke and Kepa Arrizabalaga going to Arsenal for a combined fee of up to £57m, for example.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
However, with the club still clearly looking to make some sizable additions to the squad, some more consequential sales may have to follow.
As things stand, the exits that feel most likely to happen include João Félix’s return to Benfica, Raheem Sterling’s move to an unnamed Champions League side, and potentially the sale of Nicolas Jackson for a tidy profit.
Yet, there is now another, far more important Blues star who is being linked with a massive departure: Enzo Fernández.
Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, the Argentine international is now a key target for Real Madrid, and a player their new boss, Xabi Alonso, has an ‘obsession’ with and sees as ‘essential’ to improve his midfield.
The report makes it clear that the West Londoners are reluctant to part with their midfield maestro, but he has already given the green light to the Spanish giants, who are working on an offer worth around €150m, equivalent to approximately £130m.
While that is a massive amount of money, and would go a long way in helping to bring in some other game-changing talents, this might be a move that’s hard to stomach for fans if it happens.
After all, the World Cup winner has now made 115 appearances for the Conference League champions, in which he has scored 16 goals, provided 23 assists, and really helped turn Maresca’s side into one that can give anyone a game.
Ultimately, it remains to be seen if this deal goes ahead, but if it does, BlueCo needs to ensure they use the entire fee on new, exciting additions, such as Rodrygo and Simons.
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Manchester United have made a rapid start to the summer transfer window, something that was desperately needed given their lowly Premier League standing this season.
Ruben Amorim’s side ended the campaign in a measly 15th place, winning just 11 of their 38 matches, sitting a staggering 24 points off a place in the top five.
He’s already added attacker Matheus Cunha to his ranks, with a move for Bryan Mbeumo appearing to be moving in the right direction after submitting an improved offer for his services.
Whilst the pair are likely to cost over £120m between them, the hierarchy appear to be showing no signs of slowing down in the market as multiple other targets remain on their radar.
Multiple positions are set to be the subject of their investment, handing the manager the depth he needs if he is to be a success during his stint at Old Trafford.
The latest on United’s hunt for new additions this summer
Dusan Vlahovic is a player who’s emerged as a key contender for the striker role at United, with Juventus set to hold talks over a swap deal which would see Jadon Sancho move in the opposite direction.
Goalkeeper Emi Martinez has been another key target for the Red Devils, as the Argentine is expected to depart Aston Villa this window as they try to raise funds to satisfy the division’s PSR rules.
However, the midfield department could be about to have a new addition, with the club firmly in the race to sign Club Brugge star Ardon Jashari, according to Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg.
He claims that Amorim’s side have already been in contact with the Belgian outfit over a move for the 22-year-old who’s valued at €40m (£35m) this summer.
Plettenberg also confirmed that they face a battle with Serie A side AC Milan over a move to land his signature, with the player himself keen on a move to Italy this window.
Why United’s £35m target would be perfect for Mbeumo
As previously mentioned, United submitted an improved £60m bid for Brentford star Mbeumo, still facing stiff competition from fellow top-flight side Tottenham Hotspur for his signature.
However, even before the latest bid, the 25-year-old stated his desire to move to Old Trafford this summer, claiming that they are the only side he’s interested in joining during the off-season.
His tally of 20 league goals this season is evidence of the talent he possesses within the final third, handing Amorim a new dimension and the added threat he’s craved since taking the reins.
As a result of his success, he’s demanding a pretty penny should he move to the Theatre of Dreams, wanting a reported £250k-per-week, subsequently making him one of their highest-paid players.
If he is to succeed in any move, he will need to be provided with opportunities at the club, something which Jashari could do should he also join the Red Devils this summer.
Club Brugge's ArdonJasharireacts
The youngster, who’s been labelled “seriously talented” by analyst Ben Mattinson, has registered four assists this campaign, with his tally of 7.2 progressive passes per 90 within the top 9% of all players within the Belgian Pro League.
He’s also managed 7.3 passes per 90 into the final third, with 1.3 of which going into the opposition area, subsequently being able to hand Mbeumo the ammunition he needs to succeed next season.
Games played
25
Goals & assists
6
Pass accuracy
87%
Progressive passes
7.2
Passes into final third
7.3
Passes into oppostion box
1.3
Take-on success
61%
Carries into final third
2.2
Jashari’s talents with the ball are further reflected by his take-on success rate, which has seen him complete 61% of his efforts, often liking to drive forward and taking the ball into attacking areas.
Given his talents, £35m in today’s market would reflect excellent business by the Red Devils, with the prospect of the youngster linking up with the Cameroonian certainly one the supporters should get excited by.
However, given the interest in his signature from Italy, the hierarchy need to operate quickly to avoid missing out on such a talent, with Jashari having all the tools to thrive and improve further given his tender age.
Their own Osimhen: Man Utd start talks to sign one of Europe's "best STs"
Manchester United appear to be making strides in a deal to land a new striker for Ruben Amorim.
James Anderson draws a crowd at Canterbury, even as a side-show
ECB Reporters Network23-Jun-2024Lancashire were 38 for 1, trailing Kent by 206, after day one of their Vitality County Championship relegation showdown at Canterbury.Josh Bohannon and Luke Wells were unbeaten on 22 and 14 respectively at stumps, after Beyers Swanepoel had bowled Keaton Jennings for a duck.Earlier George Balderson and Nathan Lyon took three wickets apiece for second-from-bottom Lancashire, as they bowled out the division’s basement side for 244.Tawanda Muyeye was Kent’s highest scorer with 59, while Ben Compton made 55.Although both sides have struggled all season, the crowd for the first day of the 172nd Canterbury week was estimated at over 2,000. Cars were queueing for half a mile down the Old Dover Road and moving so slowly that they were overtaken by hundreds of pedestrians walking up the hill.If they’d come to see James Anderson they were disappointed. Despite making the trip south he was left out of the squad and, perhaps unable to believe his luck at having been asked to bat against an Anderson-free attack, Compton plundered 11 from Tom Bailey’s opening over.The scoring rate soon slowed however. Will Williams found Marcus O’Riordan’s edge in the fourth over and although George Bell dropped him, he’d moved on to just 16 when Balderson had him caught at third slip by George Lavelle.Bailey switched to the Nackington Road end and got Daniel Bell-Drummond for 4 but Joey Evison joined Compton and batted through to lunch, at which stage it was 102 for 2.It wasn’t a standard interval: the crowd realised Anderson was bowling at one stump on the outfield and around a hundred fans formed a circle to watch. When he’d finished it took him nearly five minutes to reach the pavilion as he stopped for dozens of selfies.When the outfield had finally cleared Kent suffered a mini-collapse. Evison went for 25, edging Bailey to Matty Hurst, before Balderson claimed two wickets in the space of 10 balls. Harry Finch drove him to Josh Bohannon at mid-off for one and Compton fell to an ankle-high catch by Jennings at second slip.That left Kent on 124 for 5 and it nearly got worse for the hosts as Muyeye was on 23 when he pulled Lyon to the midwicket boundary, only to be dropped by Jack Blatherwick.Having dropped into the middle order after struggling as an opener, Muyeye responded with his first half-century of the season.Debutant Charlie Stobo joined him and made an inventive 36 before he was bowled by Lyon, ending a stand of 82 and leaving Kent on 210 for 6 at tea.Swanepoel made 19 before he top-edged Lyon behind and Matt Parkinson went for a nine-ball duck against his former county, lbw to Luke Wells.Lyon then bowled George Garrett middle-stump for three and although Muyeye was dropped again, this time off Lyon by a sliding Williams, he was lbw to Wells in the next over, denying Kent a single batting point and leaving Lancs to face 14 overs before stumps.Swanepoel sent Jennings’ off stump flying for an eight-ball duck but he was the only victim, with Wells just surviving a dicey penultimate over from Stobo.
An “interesting” Everton player is now said to be very close to leaving the club in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh claim.
Everton eyeing Premier League attacker and others
Blues supporters will be desperately hoping to see new signings arrive on Merseyside this summer, as David Moyes looks to take the team forward and make them a top-half Premier League side again.
Newcastle United striker Callum Wilson has been linked with a move to Everton, with the veteran a proven top-flight attacker who could add much-needed firepower in the final third. A tally of 88 goals in 239 Premier League appearances highlights the Englishman’s pedigree.
Newcastle striker Callum Wilson
The Blues are also believed to have entered the race to sign Timothy Weah, with the USA international currently plying his trade at Juventus. He scored five goals in Serie A last season, only starting 18 out of 38 league matches, so a fresh challenge may appeal to him.
Elsewhere, Corinthians striker Yuri Alberto appears to be a leading start to add to Moyes’ attack, with one report claiming that they are battling Wolves for his signature, with the latter tabling an offer for his services. Now, an Everton exit rumour has emerged, with one player not expected to be at the club at the start of next season.
"Interesting" Everton ace close to leaving
According to Africa Foot [via Sport Witness], Youssef Chermiti is now “very close” to leaving Everton this summer, heading to Championship side Stoke City.
The 21-year-old is reportedly likely to move there on a season-long loan deal, hopefully picking up some important experience before the Blues make a decision over his future at the end of next term.
Everton's Youssef Chermiti
This feels like a shrewd decision for all parties, with the report saying ‘sources believe Chermiti is not in Moyes’ plans for Everton next season’, so he needs to enjoy regular football elsewhere. He is under contract until the summer of 2027, so there is no rush to sell him permanently yet.
The Portuguese has struggled to make an impression in a Blues shirt, failing to register a single goal or assist in 24 appearances, but he was lauded as a “very interesting” player by football talent scout Jacek Kulig in the past.
Hopefully, Chermiti will flourish out on loan at Stoke, with the Championship a massive test of any players’ credentials, then giving Moyes a headache when he returns to Everton next summer.
Same agent as McNeil: Everton eyeing swoop to sign "incredible" PL rival
He’s got plenty of experience.
1 ByTom Cunningham Jun 21, 2025
He will have to do a lot in 2025/26 to show the Scot that he is worth persevering with long into the future, though, and it will be interesting to see how he fares over the next 12 months or so.
Manchester United will be adding further signings to their attacking arsenal before the summer transfer window slams shut at the start of September, after they agreed a deal to sign Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Man Utd in talks to sign Premier League attacker
Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg recently claimed that the Red Devils are in talks with Brentford over a deal to sign Bryan Mbeumo to bolster their attack.
The reporter claimed that the club already have a “verbal agreement” in place with the 25-year-old wing wizard, but that they are also facing competition from Tottenham Hotspur.
Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo celebrates after the match
Spurs recently confirmed the appointment of Thomas Frank, who managed Mbeumo with the Bees, and they are hoping that he can convince the forward to make the switch to North London.
The Cameroon international played in an inside right position for Brentford in the 2024/25 campaign and could compete for one of the two number ten positions in Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system alongside Cunha.
Mbeumo delivered 20 goals and seven assists in the Premier League for the Bees, which shows that he has the quality to hit the ground running at Old Trafford, and could provide the team with a boost offensively.
United would not be done there, though, as the Red Devils are also looking to sign a new centre-forward on top of Cunha and possibly Mbeumo.
Man Utd remain keen on Amorim favourite
According to Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United have been making calls in recent weeks in an attempt to sign Sporting number nine Viktor Gyokeres.
The reporter claims, however, that it is going to be a difficult deal for the Red Devils to get over the line because the Sweden international’s priority is to secure a transfer to Arsenal.
Romano states that the Gunners are currently assessing their options, as they look to sign a new striker, and adds that RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko is also on their radar.
This means that Gyokeres signing for Arsenal is far from guaranteed, as it remains to be seen what they are going to do in that position, which means that the door is still slightly ajar for United.
In fact, Romano claims that the Red Devils “remain keen” on the former Coventry City centre-forward, despite their belief that a move is unlikely at this stage, due to his preference to sign for the Gunners.
In April, football statistician Spencer Mossman described him as a “lethal” striker who is possibly “the best finisher in the world”, which highlights the kind of quality United could get if they land a deal for the Swedish star.
24/25 season
Gyokeres (Liga Portugal)
Premier League’s best
xG
30.95
25.37 (Mo Salah)
Goals
39
29 (Mo Salah)
xG differential
+8.05
+7.74 (Bryan Mbeumo)
Minutes per goal
72
89 (Jhon Duran)
Goals + assists
46
47 (Mo Salah)
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Gyokeres certainly has the potential to be the best finisher in the Premier League next season, as he outperformed his xG by more than any player in the English top-flight did.
The Sweden international, who also scored ten more league goals than any other player in England’s top tier, was on fire for Sporting in the 2024/25 campaign and could, therefore, be a fantastic signing for United if they can turn the odds around and beat Arsenal to his signature.
After Cunha: Man Utd join race for "red-hot" £47m Bryan Mbeumo clone
Man United need new forwards to improve Ruben Amorim’s team.
Everton are planning to buy this summer, but David Moyes is already presented with something of a dilemma. Not only are 15 of his club’s senior stars out of contract in the coming months, but one of his Toffees linchpins is attracting interest from some high-profile suitors.
Jarrad Branthwaite is one of Everton’s most important players, but the 22-year-old is also an attractive option and may well be sold to deepen the transfer purse this summer.
David Moyes
Multiple additions are needed, after all.
The latest on Jarrad Branthwaite's Everton future
Branthwaite is a monstrous defender, still so young yet rocketing up to the top level on English shores.
Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite
He’s kept eight clean sheets in the Premier League this term, winning 72% of his ground battles and averaging an incredible 6.6 clearances per game, as per Sofascore.
His efforts haven’t gone unnoticed.
Caught Offside reported last month that Manchester United are looking to reignite their interest in the Three Lions defender and will test Everton’s resolve with a £50m offer. Chelsea are also keen.
He’s important, but Everton seem to be resigned to losing him at some stage, for the right price, of course.
Moyes and his team will hope to retain his services, but he’s not the only one, with a much older Toffees teammate actually proving himself to be indispensable in the fold, with a fresh contract being prepared.
Everton veteran is more important than Branthwaite
While Idrissa Gana Gueye is 35 years old, his tough-tackling, combative style in the middle of the park has been instrumental for Everton across two tenures this season.
Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye
Illustrating his influence, Gueye is part of the bloated ranks currently awaiting the end of their contract this summer, but Football Insider have recently reported that TFG have opened talks with the star over a new deal.
Gueye’s age has not detracted from the level of his performance, with such commanding displays vital for the success of Moyes’ system. The level of his displays does suggest that he’s becoming increasingly important, maybe even more so than Branthwaite.
Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite
Described as Everton’s “heartbeat” by Sky Sports reporter Ben Grounds, Gueye might be getting on a bit but his performances have been nothing short of exemplary this season.
It’s not as if his athleticism has deserted him, having covered much ground and flown in with so many tackles for his team this season. More tackles, in fact, than any other player in the Premier League, just rubberstamping his importance to the cause.
1.
Idrissa Gueye
Everton
123
2.
Daniel Munoz
Palace
109
3.
Noussair Mazraoui
Man Utd
102
4.
Moises Caicedo
Chelsea
100
5.
Joao Gomes
Wolves
99
With so much change mooted to be afoot this summer, it makes a whole lot of sense to renew the £120k-per-week veteran’s deal, having benefited greatly from his presence.
Gueye, indeed, has started every one of Everton’s Premier League matches since Moyes returned to the helm, providing monstrous support for Branthwaite and co while contributing offensively too, completing a dribble and a key pass every two matches, as per Sofascore.
The Senegalese midfielder has racked up three assists this season.
It’s clear that Gueye – who was described as a “monster” by former teammate Presnel Kimpembe – has more left in the tank, and it’s a good thing that efforts are being made to extend his deal for another year.
He earns a pretty penny but his value is too great to part with at this critical juncture.
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Condescension is rife after Sri Lanka’s erratic efforts in a one-sided Lord’s Test
Andrew Fidel Fernando01-Sep-2024It’s got to that point in the series. You see it often now, when Sri Lanka tour England, Australia, India, and sometimes, New Zealand as well (when they roll out the grassy pitches). We’re at that stage where the home side seems, almost from day one, to be breezing so effortlessly to victory, their internal narrative dilemmas become more conspicuous than the contest between the two teams. Sports need to create drama, and well, this is the all the drama we’ve got.Is the temporary captaincy weighing too heavily on Ollie Pope?Is Gus Atkinson a serious allround option, long term?Has Jamie Smith already proven he’s worthy of a long stint in the team?Sri Lanka, though, are fighting, right? They’re showing they can play… well some of them. Kamindu Mendis is swimming in runs. That’s good news, given he’s just 25. Milan Rathnayake’s got a bit of fire about him, correct? There could be something there, for the future maybe? And they came out in the second innings and made England work for the wickets for almost 87 overs.We’re speaking almost entirely in condescensions now. We have to disassociate the Sri Lanka batting of the second innings from the Sri Lanka batting of the first innings, in order to pay these compliments. We pretend that “fight” was not necessitated by crumbling failure in other portions of the game. Because, you know, what else is there to do? No one wants to be nasty.Related
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Sri Lanka's tail shouts into the void as top-order failings invite humiliation
Gus Atkinson's latest Lord's feat wraps up series for England
Cricket is an entertainment business, and there are economic pressures to make this seem more like a contest than it is, to defend players and decisions more than they deserve occasionally, and perhaps most of all, to convince the audience they are getting a better show than they actually are. We attempt to do this even when the stands in the most famed cricket ground in England are roughly no more than 35% full on the fourth day of a Test, on a Sunday in the most reliably good-weather portion of the English summer. (In the spirit of only paying backhanded compliments, here’s one to the English weather.)There is an argument that the prices charged for a seat at this venue are too high. There is an argument that it is precisely this kind of financial opportunism that has made the Test game poorer, as India, Australia, and England, the three biggest cricket economies, carve up profits without sufficiently investing in other nations, leading to the game having become less vibrant – maybe across formats, but especially in Tests – over the last 10 years.There are other arguments too, but we’ve cornered ourselves. We’re not pretending that the playing field is even – or even close to even – any more, because these seem like foregone conclusions. Instead, here we are again, pulling punches even on teams that have done poorly even by their own standards.We’re not laying into Dhananjaya de Silva choosing to bowl first under cloudless skies on the first day as harshly as we could be. In de Silva’s mind, England having been 216 for 6 soon after tea on that day is vindication for his decision, and we’re not going to describe Atkinson’s 118 off 115 balls as an accident that was waiting to happen.England’s seamers have dominated Sri Lanka’s top-order across both Tests to date•Getty ImagesWe’re not going to roast the Sri Lanka top-order as severely as we could. Almost every decision taken in this Test was an attempt to protect senior batters. This is something de Silva himself suggested, when he said: “Our top order was struggling in the last match. I needed to give them a break and see what the pitch was doing, and then we’d have a bat.” This, despite one of the first things that anyone learns about Lord’s is that the overhead conditions are more consequential to the threat bowlers pose than the nature of the surface. (“You look up at Lord’s, not down .. etc etc”)On day four, Sri Lanka sent in a “lightwatchman”, at 43 for 2, when the skies became gloomy in the middle session, to protect the next three batters, each of whom has between 55 and 110 Tests on their record. At which point, you start to wonder what is going on. They are sending the bowlers out to bowl when the skies are clear because the top five is struggling, and bowlers out to bat when cloud comes over. Are they just throwing bowlers’ bodies at all their problems like sandbags at a flood?There are further weirdnesses. De Silva said experience in English conditions was key to doing well in this series, and actively lobbied for more exposure, but then left out Vishwa Fernando who had taken 17 wickets at 13.35 for Yorkshire in three matches earlier this season. He suggested more solidity from the top three would have helped the rest of the batting order to prosper, but then asked Nishan Madushka to keep wicket and open the batting, which surely has to have struck almost everybody as a bad idea.However, it is increasingly beginning to feel, in these global cricket conditions, that even when we make these critiques, they do not bite as hard as they should. They do not have the effect they once did, because what is the flood that Sri Lanka have to contend with in this series compared to the tectonic forces acting upon the game?It is possible audiences are aware of this too. If Australia had been in such a modest position at the start of day four, would the stands have been so empty? Would more spectators have shown up to Lord’s to watch mighty India fall in similar circumstances? It feels more likely. Those series feel rambunctious. This one feels as though fans of the home team are just hoping for some good cricket and little moreBut we’re not in an Australia or India series. We’re here, noting that Sri Lanka made it through to the second new ball in the second innings. That three batters crossed fifty in one innings, compared to just one in the first dig. We use words like resilient, and valiant, to describe a batting performance in fairly sedate conditions. Because, if you take in everything else that is happening in the game, we are in danger of straying into flagellation. And no one wants to be nasty.
The team full of native players is gearing up for one of its most important games – an Asia Cup semi-final against India
Mohammad Isam12-Oct-2022Thailand found out about one of their biggest achievements in cricket while they were at their hotel in Sylhet on Tuesday. Rain had washed out the match between Bangladesh and UAE that day, which meant the hosts and defending champions were knocked out, and Thailand were through to the semi-finals of the Asia Cup for the first time.Harshal Pathak, Thailand’s coach, acknowledged the stroke of luck which took them into the final four, but said his team’s hard work had achieved this massive accomplishment.”I am proud of my team, I am really happy that we qualified for the semi-finals,” Pathak told ESPNcricinfo. “Of course, a little bit of luck was on our side but I think you need to do some work to be lucky. We put in the work.”It is a very big deal for Thailand to reach the semi-finals of such a prestigious tournament. It will inspire our team. Thailand is a country where cricket is just developing. It is still in its infancy. The cricket association will be inspired with the result.”Thailand’s steady rise
Sep 2018 – Made their T20I debut
Sep 2018 – Won their first T20I against a Full Member
Feb 2020 – Made their first T20 World Cup appearance
May 2022 – Earned ODI status
Oct 2022 – Defeated Pakistan in a T20I
Oct 2022 – Qualified for Asia Cup semi-finals
Thailand won three of their six league games. They beat Malaysia and UAE, but it was the victory against Pakistan that made all the difference. Now, they face India for a spot in the final. The gulf between the sides was highlighted in their league game, when India routed Thailand for 37, but Pathak is hopeful of an improved performance on Thursday.”We didn’t play to our potential in the last game against India. We want to correct it quickly. We have to keep high intensity against this wonderful Indian team. The only way to go against them is to play an aggressive brand of cricket. Whether you are successful or not is a different thing.”Thailand showed that aggression against Pakistan with Natthakan Chantham, their top-scorer in this tournament and this year, hitting a fifty. Captain Naruemol Chaiwai and Nannapat Koncharoenkai have also played important roles with the bat, while 18-year old left-arm spinner Thipatcha Putthawong has taken eight wickets.Aminul Islam, the ICC development manager for Asia, has had Thailand in his portfolio for many years. The former Bangladesh captain praised the country’s vision of developing native Thai players in their quest to become a cricketing nation.Related
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“The Cricket Association of Thailand (CAT) have always tried to establish indigenous players from the very beginning,” Islam said. “They lost many matches in the early days but they stuck to this policy. I praise them for such a bold decision during the early 2000s. Other nations wouldn’t dare to do such a thing.”The CEO, Mohideen Kader, and his son Shan Kader found players from rural regions like the Laos border or Chiang Mai. It was long-term hard work by the CAT. I must give credit to ACC, ICC Asia and some individuals like [Syed] Ashraful bhai, Roger Binny, Venkatapathy Raju and Venkatesh Prasad. I used to be their development officer many years ago.”They all helped established a foreign sport in Thailand,” Islam said. “These individuals got the locals involved and made them dream of a bigger stage. It was a collective effort of many people, and the focus towards indigenous players.”India’s Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues interacted with Thailand players after their league game•Asian Cricket CouncilPathak, who has coached the Thailand women’s team since November 2018, said the challenges of developing this team were quite basic, but the CAT had often the squad to India for better preparation ahead of major tournaments.”There’s a big difference between coaching Thailand and India,” Pathak, who had worked with India captain Harmanpreet Kaur between 2016 and 2018, said. “When you are born in a country where cricket is big, you pick it up naturally by watching it. But in Thailand, it is difficult for the players to do that because they can’t watch a lot of cricket being played. That’s why CAT sends teams to India for high-performance training whenever possible.”The players understand what they need to do, but they are not able to see it quickly. When I was explaining to the batting line-up about playing the short-arm jab, they knew what I was talking about but only when they came to India (for training) and trained with first-class and U-19 players, they saw people do it. That’s when they got to do it.Islam, who travels around Asia to check on the progress of cricket teams at all levels, said he is most proud of two teams from the region. “I always give example of two cricket teams who progressed through sheer performance – the Afghanistan men’s team and the Thailand women’s team. They have reached the world stage through only performance, nothing else. It is a huge achievement, and it will help other countries wanting to develop their indigenous population in cricket.”