Sydney Sixers slipped further out of contention while Hobart Hurricanes’ poor season with the bat continued

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Nov-2021Brisbane Heat strengthened their hold on a finals berth – and kept themselves in the hunt for top spot – while at the same time pushed Sydney Sixers closer to the exit as they held their nerve in a low-scoring contest.The ball dominated throughout and though Heat had plenty of overs to spare (5.5) they were well into the lower order when Nadine de Klerk hit the winning runs. Left-armer Lauren Cheatle had given Sixers hope, adding to her first-over removal of Grace Harris with two further wickets in the space of four balls in the fifth over, as Heat slid from 1 for 34 to 4 for 37 when Maitlan Brown produced a stunning delivery to remove Anneke Bosch.Jess Jonassen’s departure, caught at square leg against Ash Gardner, further buoyed Sixers before a crucial moment came with 19 runs needed when Laura Kimmince was caught at mid-on but Ellyse Perry, who went for 23 in two overs, had overstepped. Next over Kimmince launched a six off Stella Campbell and though she was lbw next ball attempting a reverse sweep, the target was into single figures.Sixers had been set back early by a superb spell from Courtney Sippel, whose 2 for 12 included a maiden and 15 dot balls. She removed Alyssa Healy with her first delivery as the ball nipped away although Healy did not think she had hit it, and five balls later, Gardner pulled to deep square leg.Jonassen then had Perry caught behind cutting in the sixth over and Shafali Verma, having been given an early life when Poonam Yadav and Jonassen left a catch to each other, was taken at long-on off Poonam to leave them 4 for 34. Nicole Bolton played neatly before falling to a stunning catch by Mikayla Hinkley at mid-off and all the lower order could do was bat out the overs. The entire innings produced just three boundaries, the joint-lowest ever in the WBBL, but in the end Sixers weren’t that short of having enough.Darcie Brown took out Hobart Hurricanes’ top order•Getty ImagesDarcie Brown played a starring role as Adelaide Strikers maintained their push for a place in the finals with a resounding 48-run victory in Mackay.Brown removed Hobart Hurricanes’ opening pair in her first spell before returning to take Richa Ghosh’s off stump with a terrific delivery. Between those incisions, Tahlia McGrath had removed the dangerous Mignon du Preez, and Nicola Carey was run out by a direct hit from Amanda-Jade Wellington, moments after being dropped, as Hurricanes crashed to 5 for 44 inside ten overs. It did not get any better from there as the legspin of Wellington and Dane van Niekerk went through the lower order.Strikers had not hit top gear with the bat until Bridget Patterson struck 25 off 17 balls in the closing stages to form a stand of 54 in 5.5 overs with McGrath. The final over from Carey cost 17 runs including two boundaries by McGrath, a no-ball, a wide and a six by Patterson. van Niekerk’s consistent form continued with 44 off 38 balls after Katie Mack had been cleaned up in the first over of the game by a good delivery from Tayla Vlaeminck, who took 1 for 16 off her four overs, while Molly Strano kept a lid on the middle order with 2 for 23.

Ipswich Town are still without a Premier League win this season. Now just over a quarter of the way through the campaign, Kieran McKenna’s side currently sit 18th in the table, having drawn five and lost five of their 10 games so far.

They’ve come close to winning on numerous occasions, however, none more so than against relegation rivals Leicester City at the weekend. With 94 minutes on the clock at Portman Road, the Tractor Boys found themselves 1-0 up against the Foxes thanks to a second-half goal from Leif Davis.

However, with practically the last kick of the game, Leicester forward Jordan Ayew played a neat one-two with striker Jamie Vardy and fired in a well-deserved equaliser to break Ipswich hearts.

McKenna's position safe

Despite the defeat, and his side’s position in the Premier League, McKenna’s job remains safe. In an interview with BBC Radio Suffolk this week, Ipswich Town CEO and chairman Mark Ashton said that the Northern Irishman will remain as manager of the club, regardless of what happens this season.

“It doesn’t even enter my head,” Aston said about the prospect of sacking McKenna. “It’s madness.”

In the same interview, Ashton also suggested that McKenna could have some money to spend in the January transfer window to try and keep his side in the top division.

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“Cash and the spending of cash won’t be the issue. The amount of cash we spend will be dictated by Financial Fair Play [FFP],” said Ashton.

He added: “The two clubs we were promoted with are both on parachute payments and, by the way, still had 50% of their squads from their previous time in the Premier League, so only needed to recruit four or five players. We’re behind, behind, behind, and we’re playing catch-up as quickly as we can.

“We’ll be brave and bold, we won’t be reckless, but we can’t spend what the others spend because we don’t have the Financial Fair Play headroom. They do. When I joined the club, revenue was around £30 million. We’ll break through £150+ million this year, I’m sure, but it’s still not enough.”

Tottenham up next

Up next in the Premier League for Ipswich is a tough trip to North London to face Tottenham, who in recent weeks have been firing on all cylinders. Spurs have won four of their last five games in all competitions, beating both league champions Manchester City and Champions League flyers Aston Villa.

Ange Postecoglou’s side thumped Villa 4-1, with Dominic Solanke on the scoresheet twice in an impressive win for the Lilywhites.

Speaking after his side’s victory over Villa, Postecoglou was full of praise for the Solanke, who joined Spurs from Bournemouth for a fee of £60 million in the summer: “I can’t speak highly enough of what he is contributing to our team at the moment. Long may it continue.”

McKenna will be hoping otherwise.

Newcastle United have got a pair of strikers in Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson who bring goals and influence to the St. James’ Park pitch – it wasn’t always that way.

The lucrative PIF takeover and appointment of Eddie Howe have turned Newcastle toward prominence, a place at the height of the Premier League that would place the club alongside the finest outfits in the business; they are working toward it.

Reliable goalscorers are fundamental parts of a high-performing team. Newcastle struggled for purchase in the final third for many years before particularly Isak signed his contract, and though there have been flashes of brilliance across the past few decades, it might stretch back to Alan Shearer’s time since such a standard of focal frontman plied their trade in black and white.

Alan Shearer's record at Newcastle

There are certain sportspeople who etch themselves into lore, carving themselves not into their sphere’s history books but onto the front cover. From time immemorial.

Over in Newcastle, Shearer did just that, though, of course, the striker-turned-pundit is a household name across all of Britain, with his haul of 260 goals in the Premier League a feat matched by only… no one.

1.

Alan Shearer

441

260

2.

Harry Kane

320

213

3.

Wayne Rooney

491

208

4.

Andy Cole

414

187

5.

Sergio Aguero

275

184

Harry Kane, 31, looked to be sidling on up to him across a career of clinical shooting with Tottenham Hotspur, but the England record scorer’s transfer to Bayern Munich has preserved Shearer’s record. Much to Tyneside’s relief.

The 54-year-old is one of football’s finest-ever goalscorers, with most of his football coming for his boyhood club, where he notched 206 goals and 58 assists across 405 matches in all competitions, winning United’s Player of the Year four times.

The Newcastle legend famously made his £15m switch from Blackburn Rovers in the summer of 1996, just over one year after winning the Premier League with the Blues and Whites, a trophy which would prove to be the sole major honour of his career.

Nonetheless, he graced St. James’ Park with his prowess over a decade, completing ten seasons in the English top flight for the Toon. Though they tried, Newcastle failed to replace their lionised forward across the duration of the gloomy Mike Ashley era.

Speaking of Isak, Shearer has said that “everything about his game is of the highest quality”, which certainly bodes well for the 25-year-old’s future success in the Premier League.

Newcastle might never have shelled out the club-record £63m fee for the Sweden international had a former striker, believed to be Shearer reincarnate, reached the envisaged heights.

But Aleksandar Mitrovic was sold before he hit his peak, having struggled to bring it all together for Newcastle.

Aleksandar Mitrovic was supposed to be Shearer 2.0

Just over nine years ago, Newcastle signed Mitrovic from Belgian club Anderlecht for £13m on a five-year deal, believing they had signed one of Europe’s most talented young forwards for a bargain price.

Speaking on the transfer, he said: “There will be pressure here, for sure, but I like pressure. I also know about the famous players who have played for Newcastle United, like Alan Shearer who is a hero of mine. I hope I can play like him for this club. It will be an honour.”

Though he enjoyed a rich career in London, with Fulham, Mitrovic found that he ebbed and flowed between divisions and as such was unable to showcase his skills to their full extent, at the very highest level.

For that reason, Newcastle were probably right in cashing in on the Serbia international for a fee of £22m back in 2018, having failed to sustain a vein of prolificness at the club before moving on loan to the Cottagers and doing well. It was a no-brainer, in some respects, but Rafa Benitez’s decision pulled a high-class goalscorer away from the club at a time of great need.

The hulking centre-forward’s first campaign with Newcastle saw him score nine goals and add four assists in the Premier League, but he lost his growing Midas touch after United fell into the second tier that summer and was duly loaned out the season after.

Oh what could have been. Especially when considering that the 30-year-old actually carried the perfect properties to forge a successful career for himself at Newcastle. Indeed, according to ex-England manager Roy Hodgson, the frontman was “a bit like Alan Shearer” in that he offers a fierce strike and holds the ball up really well, with nice link-up play to boot.

Mitrovic’s efforts in England since leaving Newcastle have showcased enough to suggest that he could have played a long-term role at the club, had he been afforded more time to grow into his skin, had United’s conditions been less turbulent.

He had actually bagged 14 times across just 22 Premier League matches last year before signing for Al Hilal over in the Saudi Pro League for a reported £50m figure, forcing his way toward the riches of the Gulf.

Though the Serbian has left a career in England laden with goals, he has bobbed between the Premier League and Championship and might have been better off sticking with Newcastle. Had he done so, he could have been the starring talisman to guide the club toward an exciting new PIF era.

Given that Mitrovic’s sale saw the Magpies turn a profit after producing creditable results on Tyneside, his time at the club can’t go down as that of a severe blunder, but since he was once likened to Shearer, it would be fair to say that he didn’t reach his potential.

Not just Toney: Newcastle made a big error selling "Vinicius quality" star

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Long-serving executive stands down after tumultuous fortnight for club

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Nov-2021

Mark Arthur has become the second senior official at Yorkshire to pay the price for the Azeem Rafiq racism scandal, as it was confirmed he has vacated his role as chief executive with immediate effect.Arthur, who is due to give testimony at the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) select committee hearing next Monday, joins chairman Roger Hutton in vacating his position as the full consequences of the club’s botched investigation into Rafiq’s allegations of institutional racism became clear.”Today the board at Yorkshire County Cricket Club has accepted the resignation of Mark Arthur as CEO,” Lord Kamlesh Patel, the new chairman, said in a press release. “We thank him for his tenure.Related

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“This is an important moment for the club which is ready to move forward with new leadership, which will be vital in driving the change we urgently need.”We know there is still much work to be done and more difficult decisions to be made. We need to rebuild the trust of the fans, the cricketing world and the public”.Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Patel had hinted that Arthur’s position had become untenable after a torrid week for Yorkshire, adding that he would make “the right decisions in the coming days”.Arthur’s departure comes after loss of a raft of key club sponsors including Emerald, Nike and Yorkshire Tea; an ECB suspension from hosting major matches, including next year’s Test against New Zealand; and a wave of allegations of racist behaviour from past and present players, including Gary Ballance, Michael Vaughan, and the current coach Andrew Gale.It was also confirmed that Yorkshire had settled their long-running employment tribunal with Rafiq, who was awarded a six-figure sum and offered an unreserved apology from Patel, both for the treatment he had received in his time at the club, and for their previous attempts to impose a gagging order in return for a settlement.Arthur, who took over as chief executive in 2013 after 13 years at Nottingham Forest, oversaw a period of on-field success for Yorkshire, which peaked with back-to-back County Championships in 2014 and 2015, and also signed off the successful rebuilding of the Football Stand End of the ground in a £45 million redevelopment that was completed in 2019.He oversaw a number of community projects within the county, including the redevelopment of Bradford Park Avenue cricket ground, and six years of progress with the club’s South Asian engagement programme.However, he has been a repeated target of Rafiq’s frustration given Yorkshire’s inaction in the racism case. On Monday, Rafiq repeated his call for Arthur to step down, along with the director of cricket, Martyn Moxon, whose position – along with that of Gale as head coach – also appears untenable.”I’ve had eight fantastic years at the Yorkshire County Cricket Club, working alongside an outstanding group of people, and together achieving many highlights,” Arthur said. “I would like to thank the members for their support over this period and wish the club all the very best in the years to come.”The news comes as it was confirmed that Tom Harrison, the ECB chief executive, and Barry O’Brien, the interim chair, have been added to the list of witnesses at next week’s DCMS hearing.Harrison, who is currently in the UAE for the ICC’s first in-person chief executives’ meeting since the pandemic, spent the early part of the week in Pakistan, where he met with the PCB chairman, Ramiz Raja, to reaffirm England’s commitment to next year’s multi-format tour of the country.

Jack Grealish has been brutally told that boyhood club Aston Villa “won’t go anywhere near him” amid his ongoing struggles at Manchester City.

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Moved to City for £100m in 2021Struggled for end product with BluesVillans have moved on from ex-captainFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The England international playmaker became the most expensive player in the history of British football when moving to the Etihad Stadium for £100 million ($124m) in the summer of 2021. He has won Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup titles with City.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Grealish has, however, faced questions of his output throughout a trophy-laden spell in Manchester, with only two goals being registered this season. He stands accused of no longer drifting past players as he once did, with a starting berth proving difficult to nail down under Pep Guardiola.

WHAT STAN COLLYMORE SAID

Grealish is now 29 years of age and has seen a move elsewhere speculated on. Quizzed by GOAL on whether he could return to his roots in the West Midlands, ex-Villa striker Stan Collymore – speaking in association with – said: “No. I sincerely hope not. I think Jack’s output is nowhere near the required level.

“If you look at the two players that have been brought in, [Marco] Asensio and [Marcus] Rashford, they can play either side of Ollie Watkins. There is a question mark over both – can they do it, will they do it? They have got pedigree.

“Jack, really, going to Manchester City and being a part of the treble-winning team – even then he wasn’t the main man, that was Kevin De Bruyne. He was good but not great. Last season, a stat of scoring one goal in just over a year… I don’t think he goes past people any more. [Jeremy] Doku when he first came into the team did that, [Omar] Marmoush you imagine will do that.”

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Collymore added on what the future could hold for Grealish: “Jack might end up going somewhere like Saudi because I’m struggling to see a top four, five or six team that would take him. The traditional top four or five, wages and fee would be a problem.

“If you are an aspiring club, Newcastle could go and buy anybody that’s young and hungry and fresh, likewise Villa. If you are one of the clubs like Bournemouth and Brighton, you probably couldn’t afford him. You could probably see him at a club like West Ham, bizarrely, because they have got the money and London as clout.

“I’m absolutely sure that Unai Emery won’t be going anywhere near Jack Grealish. Great emotional story, but I don’t think it’s going to happen.”

MatériaMais Notícias

O primeiro passo do Flamengo na temporada foi dado com o pé direito de Lázaro. Afinal, o atacante marcou os dois gols na vitória por 2 a 1 sobre a Portuguesa, no Estádio Luso-Brasileiro, na estreia do Rubro-Negro no Carioca, em partida que a equipe atuou sob o comando de Fabio Matias, do Sub-20. Os garotos fizeram um jogo seguro diante da Lusa, que descontou com Sanchez.

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Ainda não é assinante do Cariocão-2022? Acesse www.cariocaoplay.com.br, preencha o cadastro e ganhe 5% de desconto com o cupom especial do LANCE!: GE-JK-FF-ZSW

Mais uma vez com a garotada, o Flamengo volta a campo neste sábado, quando visita o Volta Redonda no Raulino de Oliveira. O jogo será às 18h. A Portuguesa, por sua vez, enfrenta o Audax, no Luso-Brasileiro, às 15h30.

PARA PAULO SOUSA VER!

A partida foi acompanhada por Paulo Sousa e sua comissão técnica, que compareceram ao Luso-Brasileiro. O técnico tem a intenção de utilizar jovens ao longo da temporada, como Lázaro e Matheus França. Assim, era uma ótima oportunidade para os garotos do Ninho. Entre os titulares, Matheus Cunha, Cleiton, Marcos Paulo e Igor Jesus fizeram suas estreias entre os profissionais.

GAROTOS DO NINHO NA FRENTE

O começo não poderia ser mais positivo para os garotos do Ninho, que, seguindo o plano de jogo de Fabio Matias, valorizaram a posse de bola, buscando recuperá-la rapidamente também. Foi assim que Matheus França desarmou o adversário na intermediária e André arrancou até a área, onde Carlão o derrubou. Aos cinco minutos, Lázaro cobrou o pênalti com categoria, deslocando o goleiro, e marcou o primeiro gol do Flamengo na temporada.

Após o gol sofrido, a Portuguesa “acordou” e o jogo seguiu equilibrado até o intervalo, com boas chances e três finalizações para cada lado. Quem se destacou pelo Flamengo foi o centroavante André, que voltou a dar trabalho à defesa rival e, por pouco, não completou cruzamento para a rede. Pela Lusa, Pirambu exigiu de Matheus Cunha boa defesa, e Watson finalizou com perigo.

LÁZARO AMPLIA, E FLAMENGO VENCE!

O cenário se repetiu na volta do intervalo. Mais ligado, o Flamengo ampliou a vantagem após um bom início de segundo tempo. Lázaro, que já tinha feito dois bons lances, marcou o segundo gol rubro-negro (e dele) aproveitando o rebote em chute de Thiaguinho. A finalização, de primeira, foi com estilo: 2 a 0.

A Lusa mexeu e a resposta foi imediata. Aos 15, Sanchez subiu mais que Noga e Cleiton e, desviando escanteio, descontou para a Portuguesa. A equipe de Marcus Paulo Grippi tentou tornar o jogo mais físico, por vezes fazendo faltas mais duras, mas os garotos do Ninho suportaram bem e, além de controlar a posse de bola, conseguiram boas escapadas para contra-atacar. O placar, contudo, não foi mais alterado, e os garotos do Ninho estrearam com vitória.

FICHA TÉCNICA
FLAMENGO 2X1 PORTUGUESA

Data e hora: 26 de janeiro de 2022, às 21h35 (de Brasília)
Local: Estádio Luso-Brasileiro, no Rio de Janeiro (RJ)
Árbitro: Bruno Arleu de Araújo
Assistentes: Thiago Henrique Corrêa e Carlos Henrique de Lima Filho
Renda/Público:2.931 pagantes / 3.116 presentes / R$ 80.745,00

Gols: Lázaro (1-0, 5’/1ºT e 2-0, 9’/2ºT) e Sanchez (2-1, 15’/2ºT)

Cartão amarelo: Igor Jesus e Kayke David (FLA); Carlão, Leandro Amaro, Willian, Watson, Marcos Paulo Grippi (POR)
Cartão vermelho: Não houve.

FLAMENGO (Técnico: Fabio Matias)

Matheus Cunha; Wesley, Noga, Cleiton e Marcos Paulo; Igor Jesus (Kayke David, 31’/2ºT), Yuri e Matheus França; Lázaro (Werton, 19’/2ºT), Thiaguinho (Petterson, 47’/2ºT) e André(Ryan Luka, 31’/2ºT).

PORTUGUESA (Técnico:Marcus Paulo Grippi)

Carlão; Watson, Leandro Amaro, Sueliton e Sanchez; Wellington Cezar, Willian (Victor Feitosa, 13’/2ºT), Rafael Pernão (Patrick, 13’/2ºT) e Andrezinho (Maikinho, Intervalo); Romarinho e Pirambu (Bruno Santos, Intervalo).

West Ham United chiefs sense a potential bargain transfer opportunity, with one club now ready to sell their attacking gem for under £10 million.

West Ham's rumoured transfer plans for January and next summer

Technical director Tim Steidten moved to back new manager Julen Lopetegui with nine major signings over the summer window, investing a near-£120 million in centre-back Maximilian Kilman, winger Crysencio Summerville, striker Niclas Fullkrug, Brazilian Luis Guilherme, defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka, goalkeeper Wes Foderingham, Guido Rodriguez, Jean-Clair Todibo and Carlos Soler.

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However, following a fairly mixed start to the new season for Lopetegui, not to mention Fullkrug’s injury and the fact a couple of senior forwards will be out of contract next summer, highlights the need for more attacking options.

Both Michail Antonio and Danny Ings could leave the club for free in 2025, potentially leading to West Ham’s interest in Eintracht Frankfurt star Omar Marmoush.

The Egypt striker has been nothing short of a revelation so far this season – bagging nine goals and six assists in just nine appearances across all competitions – with reports suggesting West Ham have drawn fresh plans to sign Marmoush.

Meanwhile, it is also believed West Ham are prepared to bid for Lyon forward Rayan Cherki, as Lopetegui casts his eye on alternative attacking midfield options in the final third. Besiktas playmaker Ernest Muci and AC Milan winger Samuel Chukwueze are also thought to be targets for the Hammers board, so it will be intriguing to see which faces could arrive at the London Stadium in January or next summer.

West Ham’s recent 4-1 victory over Ipswich Town was their first in all competitions since late August, indicating that there is still plenty of work to do as they rebuild the squad post-David Moyes.

Vasco de Gama ready to sell Rayan Vitor as West Ham eye move

According to The Boot Room, Brazilian gem Rayan Vitor, currently plying his trade with Vaso de Gama in the Brasileiro, is now on the east Londoners’ radar.

The left-footed winger, who TBR compare to West Ham superstar Jarrod Bowen, is also being chased by Brentford, Brighton and Hove Albion, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Nottingham Forest – so he’s a man in demand at Premier League sides.

West Ham are eyeing a move for Rayan Vitor, with Vasco also said to be ready to accept an £8.5 million bid for his services. The teenager is very highly rated by his peers too, having been praised for his physicality in particular.

“What we tell the youth players is that from the moment they step into the professional ranks, they have to be held accountable as professional players,” said Vasco interim coach Rafael Paiva.

“He is a player with experience, a lot of physical ability. He is powerful, has a very strong finish, and he is a player who has just been called up to the Brazilian under-20 team. And we saw that he evolved in this process.

“He was unfortunate once again with his mistake [against Palmeiras]. A mistake that, at this level of play, costs him dearly. It cost us our defeat. But he has to be held accountable just like any professional player. And he has the technical, tactical and physical ability to withstand professional play.”

Big Picture

Bangladesh will sign off from the World Cup on Wednesday after a poor Super 12s campaign, but can they take Australia with them? At the very least, Aaron Finch’s team need to win both their remaining games to have a chance of a semi-final and even then they will need England to topple South Africa because, barring extraordinary events, their net run rate can’t be improved enough if South Africa also reach eight points.Having rebounded from their opening qualifying loss to Scotland, Bangladesh missed their chance to get a foothold in the Super 12s when they couldn’t defend 171 against Sri Lanka and then they lost their nerve against West Indies.Australia will hope that Bangladesh’s 84 all out against South Africa was a performance of a side that has checked out of the competition and will look to replicate their problems against pace bowling. Their last meeting went 4-1 in Bangladesh’s favour, but things were a lot different, from the conditions to the teams. Shakib Al Hasan’s loss is a huge dent for Bangladesh, but Australia aren’t good enough to rest on their laurels.The defeat against England was such a hammering that it has undone most of the good work achieved against South Africa and Sri Lanka. There remains a belief in the Australia camp that the toss played a significant part and if their quicks had got the first go under the same conditions, it could have been different. However, England showed against Sri Lanka, when they laboured to the 10-over mark, that the best teams find a way. From here, there’s only so much Australia can do.Related

• Australia expect 'trial by spin' against Bangladesh as semi-final hopes hangs in balance

• All hope not yet lost, but Australia have their backs against the wall

• Meek Bangladesh leaving yet another World Cup with a whimper

Form guide

Australia LWWLW
Bangladesh LLLLW

In the spotlight

It was a futile effort given Bangladesh’s low total, but Taskin Ahmed bowled superbly against South Africa to take 2 for 18 from his four overs in a match that was dominated by some excellent pace bowling. He trapped Reeza Hendricks lbw and then had Aiden Markram edging to slip the ball after cutting him in half. Australia’s top order can be vulnerable if the ball moves, so Taskin could cause problems.Glenn Maxwell came into the tournament in some of the best form of his career but things have not quite clicked. He missed a big reverse sweep against South Africa, fell for the cause against Sri Lanka, as he picked out deep midwicket having come in at No. 3 to keep the tempo going, and was undone by the exceptional Chris Woakes against England. It was a surprise to see him still come in at No. 4 in that last match given how much the ball was nibbling around – his best chance would probably have been for someone else to try and take the sting out of the bowling to allow him some freedom. How much Finch feels he can trust him with the ball is also vital to the balance of the side.

Team news

The big question remains: five bowlers or four? Ashton Agar was recalled against England in place of Mitchell Marsh and it could be the opposite for this match.Australia (probable) 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch (capt), 3 Mitchell Marsh, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 Marcus Stoinis, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh HazlewoodBangladesh are likely to bring back Mustafizur Rahman at the expense of Nasum Ahmed. Australia wouldn’t mind that, having one less spinner to face.Bangladesh (probable) 1 Mohammad Naim, 2 Liton Das, 3 Soumya Sarkar, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim, 5 Mahmudullah (capt), 6 Afif Hossain, 7 Shamim Hossain, 8 Mahedi Hasan, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Shoriful Islam

Pitch and conditions

It’s a return to a day game for Australia which should make the toss slightly less critical – although their two wins have still come chasing. The highest total batting first in Dubai so far has been Sri Lanka’s 154 which Australia overhauled with ease.

Stats and trivia

• Adam Zampa (eight wickets at 15.37) and Josh Hazlewood (eight wickets at 10.62) both have excellent records against Bangladesh
• Glenn Maxwell passed 18 in only one of his last eight T20I innings
• Having taken 14 wickets at 8.40 in the qualifying round, Bangladesh’s spinners have managed just nine at 31.00 in the Super 12s.
• Shoriful Islam is the third-leading wicket-taker among seamers in T20Is this year behind Mustafizur, Dushmantha Chameera and Hasan Ali

Quotes

“The only thing we can do is move forward now and try and win and win strongly. We certainly have the side that’s able to do that. We’ve got so many options, such great squad depth.”
“As a professional, we need to come back strongly. We have another game to go. We need to maintain that winning mindset, and build winning confidence. We have to think about Bangladesh cricket’s way forward.”

Glasgow Rangers face a crucial weekend as the Ibrox side travel to Hampden Park for the League Cup semi-final against Motherwell.

For Philippe Clement, it could well be win or bust for the Belgian, especially following the midweek defeat to Aberdeen at Pittodrie.

Clement led the Light Blues to the League Cup last season – their first win in the competition for 12 years – as it looked to be the catalyst for a Premiership title challenge.

If the Belgian suffers defeat to the Steelmen this weekend, will his position be untenable? A large section of the Ibrox faithful believe he should already be sacked…

Philippe Clement’s future at Rangers isn’t promising

At the turn of the year, Rangers had already won the first trophy of the season, secured the top spot in their Europa League group, and were chasing Celtic down in the league.

While the wheels fell off towards the end of the campaign, there was plenty of credit in the bank. This was boosted further by selling Sam Lammers and Connor Goldson while releasing a few players upon the expiration of their contracts to free up the wage bill.

Next five Rangers fixtures

Date

Competition

Opponent

03/11/2024

League Cup

Motherwell

07/11/2024

Europa League

Olympiacos

10/11/2024

Premiership

Hearts

23/11/2024

Premiership

Dundee United

28/11/2024

Europa League

Nice

Via Transfermarkt

With just six wins in the top flight, trailing Celtic and Aberdeen by nine points, it is clear the club won’t be winning the title. The style of football has been dreadful, with several players underperforming massively.

If Clement is sacked, who can the board get to replace him?

Kjetil Knutsen would be a worthy replacement for Clement

Sooner or later, the rumour mill will start to circle regarding who will take the reins at Ibrox. Before Michael Beale was approached, Knutsen was linked with the managerial role in 2022, but nothing materialised.

The same name appeared yet again last year without success. Might it be third time lucky this time if the board decides to go down that route?

The Dane has enjoyed plenty of success at Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt, leading them to three league titles since 2018, with a fourth potentially on its way.

He has managed to club 296 times, winning 178 games in the process while averaging 2.02 points per game. An impressive spell, no doubt, but it is his attack-minded approach to games that could please the supporters.

Knutsen tends to use a 4-3-3 formation, which is different from what Clement is utilising. His style was once dubbed as “fantastic to watch” by journalist Connor McGilligan, while Bodo/Glimt captain Ulrik Saltnes had previously hailed the style of football as “kamikaze” which could certainly see the team score more goals.

Change is needed, and fast, if the Light Blues are to salvage anything from the 2024/25 campaign. Knutsen has worked wonders in Norway, and he could be a popular choice to take over at Ibrox when Clement departs.

It would be an interesting gamble, no doubt about that, but it could pay dividends, given his proven track record of winning league titles and his exciting style of play.

Related Major update on Clement's immediate Rangers future from sources in Belgium

The Gers boss is under a huge amount of pressure.

Posts ByHenry Jackson Nov 1, 2024

يستعد فريقا الأهلي والزمالك لخوض مباراة قوية وهامة اليوم السبت، ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس مصر لكرة الطائرة سيدات.

ومن المقرر أن تُلعب المباراة على صالة حسن مصطفى بـ6 أكتوبر، في إطار نهائي بطولة كأس مصر لكرة الطائرة.

وكان فريق سيدات الزمالك قد تمكن من التأهل إلى نهائي مسابقة كأس مصر لكرة الطائرة بعد الفوز على دلفي.

طالع أيضاً.. الأهلي يهزم الجزيرة في دوري السوبر لكرة السلة

على الجانب الأخر، تأهل فريق سيدات الأهلي إلى نهائي كأس مصر عقب فوزه على سبورتنج بنتيجة 3-0، في المباراة التي أقيمت أمس الجمعة. موعد مباراة الأهلي والزمالك في نهائي كأس مصر لكرة الطائرة 

من المنتظر أن تُقام المباراة في تمام الساعة العاشرة والنصف مساء اليوم السبت بتوقيت القاهرة، الحاية عشر والنصف بتوقيت السعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة الأهلي والزمالك في نهائي كأس مصر لكرة الطائرة

ومن المقرر أن تنقل قناة الأهلي مباراة الفريقين، إلى جانب الحسابات الرسمية لقناة “أون سبورت”، على مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنـــا.