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The Zimbabwe captain also believes the conditions in Bulawayo will negate the threat posed by West Indies’ pace attack

Liam Brickhill in Bulawayo20-Oct-2017The Zimbabwean Test side had a torrid 2016, losing three matches by over 200 runs and a fourth by an innings. This year, they have witnessed something of a turnaround. After winning the ODI series in Sri Lanka, captain Graeme Cremer’s Zimbabwe side nearly caused an upset in the Colombo Test. Cremer believes the team that will take on West Indies in Bulawayo in the first Test from Saturday is even better than the one that pushed Sri Lanka hard.”I feel that we’ve probably got an even better team than we had in Sri Lanka,” Cremer said on the eve of the first Test. “We’ll take that confidence from Sri Lanka, but we know we can perform even better than that.”Zimbabwe have been buoyed further by the return of batsman Brendan Taylor and seamer Kyle Jarvis to international cricket, and Cremer’s confidence was echoed by his coach, Heath Streak. “They bring a lot in terms of experience, and we know what they’re capable of,” Streak said. “And we’re focusing on playing our own brand of cricket and backing ourselves, rather than looking at the reputations of the opposition. With the ability that we have in our changeroom, we genuinely can go out and win.”Though the conditions may suit Zimbabwe’s batting and spin-bowling strengths, both Streak and Cremer insisted Zimbabwe are wary of a West Indies side short on experience but having found some grit on their recent tour of England.”We respect West Indies,” Streak said. “We saw what they were capable of in England, winning that Test. Despite that, we feel we’ve got the resources and the personnel to be able to win against these guys in a Test match in Bulawayo.”West Indies have an advantage over Zimbabwe in terms of the pace of their seam attack, but Cremer pointed out that a traditionally sluggish Queens pitch may well blunt the likes of Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel. As well as that, a slightly older, wiser Zimbabwean batting unit will have a little more to offer in terms of experience than the visitors.”We feel that their seam attack is probably one of their strengths, but the Bulawayo pitch will negate that a bit,” Cremer said. “I think the pitch will be a little slow. Hopefully it will take some spin as the Test match goes on.”They’ve got some good batters too, although they’re a little inexperienced. Our team is probably a little more experienced than they are. So we just want to play good consistent cricket over the five days. In Test cricket, even one bad session can hurt you.””We also obviously know the conditions ourselves, so all those things are factored in when we’re looking at the balance of our side and how might exploit any weaknesses in the opposition,” Streak added. “At the end of the day, it comes down to how well you execute those plans on the pitch. Being able to adapt, to think quickly on your feet, to adjust and adapt our strategies will be key.”

Glasgow Rangers will take some confidence from their midweek victory in the Champions League Qualifiers against Servette as they head into their first home tie of the 2023/24 Premiership campaign.

Michael Beale will know all three points is a requirement having slipped to defeat to Kilmarnock last weekend and there could be a few changes from the squad that took to the field against the Swiss side on Wednesday evening.

What is the latest Rangers team news ahead of Livingston?

Beale spoke to the press before the game today and claimed there could be a few players missing due to injury, yet he kept the names close to his chest.

He said: "We have one or two bumps and bruises. We just have to assess now.

"One or two will miss out. I am not going to give you any names, or I am not going to give Davie (Martindale) any names.

Read the latest Rangers transfer news HERE…

"There are one or two that we will need to protect this weekend.”

Beale also confirmed that summer signing Jose Cifuentes will make his first start for the Light Blues, saying: “Jose is playing against Livingston.

“He didn’t get in until late on the Thursday before Kilmarnock and had a bit of jet lag, but with eight subs I just wanted him to see Scottish football.

“I felt he was good when he came on the other night in the small glimpse, but I think he is ready.”

What could Jose Cifuentes offer Rangers?

The former Los Angeles FC midfielder finally linked up with the Gers at the start of the month following a chase which lasted throughout the transfer window.

A fee of £1.2m was enough to secure his services as his contract was due to expire in December, and it looks as though it could be a shrewd investment by Beale.

The Ecuadorian arrived at Ibrox having already played 19 MLS matches during 2023, showcasing his attacking abilities from the heart of midfield by creating five big chances and averaging 1.7 key passes per game, and it’s clear Beale could terrorise Livingston by unleashing him this afternoon.

Indeed, he made his debut against Servette, coming on for the final 13 minutes, yet he wasn’t shy in getting involved. The 24-year-old succeeded with 100% of his dribble attempts, made two tackles and won all but one of his six duels, suggesting he could be a vital cog in the midfield for the Light Blues this season.

South American football expert Tim Vickery lauded Cifuentes back in 2019 after he shone for Ecuador at the U20 World Cup, saying: "He was the beating heart of that side and I think he’s a terrific midfielder. He’s strong, he’s got quality, he’s got a good engine – he’s one of the best all-round midfielders, potentially, that I’ve seen come out of South America in a while.”

Alongside Nicolas Raskin, Beale could form a midfield which has everything and the duo could compliment each other well.

Livingston will prove to be a tough side to break down, applying the low block, especially away from home, but including Cifuentes from the start should see the Gers ease to a first league win of the season.

Cameos from de Villiers and Behardien gave an inexperienced bowling attack enough runs as cushion and they used it well to topple Bangladesh

The Report by Mohammad Isam26-Oct-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsQuinton De Kock smashed 59 off 44 balls•CHARL DEVENISH/AFP/Getty ImagesAnother match, another win for South Africa: nothing much has changed on this tour. The hosts took the first T20I in Bloemfontein by 20 runs, but for the first time in four weeks, Bangladesh put up a proper fight.Quinton de Kock smacked a half-century, AB de Villiers, in one of his moods, hit eight boundaries in his first 16 balls and Farhaan Behardien produced a fine knock as finisher to take South Africa to a total of 195. Then, Dane Paterson, Andile Phehlukwayo, Beuran Hendricks and debutant Robbie Frylinck picked up two wickets each to keep Bangladesh down to 175 for 9 in 20 overs.Mehidy Hasan and Shakib Al Hasan bowled effectively against a set of rampaging batsmen. Later, Soumya Sarkar and Mohammad Saifuddin did well to put pressure an inexperienced South African attack. It wasn’t enough, but it was something worth talking about from the visitors.After JP Duminy decided to bat, the home side banked on two strong partnerships to post a competitive total. A 79-run second wicket stand between de Villiers and de Kock gave them the foundation before the unbroken 62-run fifth wicket stand between David Miller and Behardien gave them the sparkling finish.Bangladesh’s bowlers started well, taking their earliest first wicket on tour when Mehidy removed Hashim Amla in the second over. De Villiers arrived at the crease at that point and saw de Kock hit three fours before getting down to business himself.He started with two fours off Rubel Hossain in the fifth over that went for 14. He struck Shafiul Islam for four boundaries in the next over that went for 18. In the seventh over, de Villiers hammered Saifuddin for two more fours as South Africa got 44 runs in these three overs.Over the next three overs though, Mehedi and Shakib gave away only 20 runs and that made a difference as de Villiers went for another of his big shots only to hole out to long-off. He finished with 49 off 27 balls.A spell of 27 balls without a boundary was broken in the 12th over when the South African stand-in captain JP Duminy tonked a full toss over deep midwicket. It was the only bad ball in Mehidy’s entire spell, which yielded 2 for 31.Imrul Kayes completed a great catch at long-on to remove Duminy in the 13th over, which also included a marginal run-out call which went South Africa’s way. De Kock, the batsman reprieved, fell lbw to Rubel Hossain in the 15th over, having made 59 off 44 balls. And though he wasn’t too wasn’t happy with the decision he didn’t even try to review it.Behardien and Miller came together with the score on 133 for 4 with five overs left. They only got five boundaries in that time, but by pinching twos at every opportunity, they were still able to ransack 62 runs.Bangladesh took to the chase in earnest, Kayes smashing the first ball from Paterson for four over mid-off and Sarkar joining in with a massive six over mid-on.They kept up with the required rate while the field restrictions were on – for the cost of Kayes’ wicket – but their hopes of building on such a fine start were put to bed by Frylinck and Phehlukwayo. One made Shakib his maiden T20I wicket and the other trapped Sarkar lbs for 47.Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah followed Sarkar to the pavilion, leaving Bangladesh at 101 for 5 in the 12th over. The contest was as good as done when Sabbir Rahman, the last specialist batsman, fell 15 balls later. Paterson added the exclamation point to that statement, taking two wickets in two balls, one of them off a scorching yorker, as Bangladesh kept unravelling.It was against this backdrop that Saifuddin made a composed 39 off 27 balls. He hadn’t allowed South Africa to get too many in the last over of their innings and he ensured they wouldn’t bowl Bangladesh out, taking 15 runs off the last over of the match.

Leeds United remain in the market to bolster the depth in their squad for their challenging Championship season ahead, and now a new update has emerged on the club's pursuit of a potential target.

What's the latest on Leeds' interest in Nat Phillips?

According to journalist and transfer insider Peter O'Rourke, Leeds are preparing a big-money offer to sign Liverpool defender Nat Phillips this summer.

As per a report written for Football Insider, O'Rourke has claimed that the Whites will go back into the market for defensive reinforcements after Liam Cooper suffered an injury blow, with Phillips named alongside Taylor Harwood-Bellis as the prime targets to replace the centre-back during his recovery.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

Will Leeds sign Nat Phillips?

There is no doubt that Daniel Farke will be feeling the pressure following a number of injury issues already plaguing his squad at Elland Road, alongside ongoing transfer drama involving Italian winger Wilfried Gnonto and midfielder Tyler Adams.

Crysencio Summerville is out of action with a groin strain, whilst Junior Firpo is still recovering from torn lateral ligaments in his knee and not expected to be back for at least four weeks, as well as a huge blow to Liam Cooper who will be out of action for eight weeks due to a ruptured plantar fascia.

As a result, the signing of Phillips could not be a more urgent for the West Yorkshire club, as his experience of Championship football and quality in the centre-back role would be a major asset to Farke over the upcoming fixtures for Leeds in the second tier.

The Liverpool defender has struggled for game-time at Anfield over his tenure at the club due to the high-quality competition the club boasts with Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez all ahead of the Bolton-born titan.

Indeed, all has not been lost for Phillips – who has a reported price tag of £10m – as he has taken every opportunity to prove his worth when either leaned on by Jurgen Klopp or during loan spells away from Merseyside, especially during his six-month stint Bournemouth in the 2021/22 season.

Over 17 Championship appearances, the 26-year-old – once hailed "colossal" by journalist Josh Bunting – tallied up an 82% pass completion rate, kept eight clean sheets, successfully completed 50% of his dribbles and won 65% of his duels combined, as well as averaging 76.1 touches and 53.5 accurate passes per game, proving he is a huge and dominant presence on the pitch.

Despite being rarely-seen in the starting eleven under Klopp, the Liverpool boss has waxed lyrical about Phillips' strengths in the past, following an outstanding performance in the Champions League back in 2021:

"Oh my god. What a boy he is, what player he is, what a night it is for him."

"The concentration level he shows now week in week out since he is playing for us is absolutely incredible."

With that being said, if Leeds could secure the services of Phillips it would undoubtedly soften the blow in Cooper's absence, but would also provide Farke with a high quality defender who could be a reliable contributor throughout the season.

Liverpool are looking to secure their third midfield signing of the summer, with the Anfield side having made a renewed attempt to prise Romeo Lavia away from relegated Southampton.

How much is Romeo Lavia worth?

That's according to Fabrizio Romano, who took to Twitter this afternoon to reveal the following:

"Liverpool have submitted new bid for Roméo Lavia as expected — £42m fee. Still no agreement with Southampton, it will be formally rejected soon as they insist on £50m asking price.

"Negotiations remain ongoing. Clubs remain in contact as Lavia wants the move."

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

Having already signed Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai this summer, Liverpool's midfield will look ready and raring if the deal for the Belgian can be edged over the line, with the 23/24 Premier League campaign less than two weeks away.

How good is Romeo Lavia?

There is no doubt that while Lavia may be young, Liverpool would be invested in an "exquisite" player, as praised by The Athletic's Jacob Tanswell, to hold the Anfield centre together for years to come.

The one-cap Belgium international has also been hailed as an "absolute monster" by journalist Benjy Nurick, and will provide the tenacity and fire to ensure he serves the club well as Fabinho's successor, who has recently completed a £40m move to Saudi club Al-Ittihad.

As per Sofascore, Lavia recorded a respectable average rating of 6.80 in the Premier League last season, completing 86% of his passes, forging 2.1 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per game, succeeding with 68% of his dribbles and winning 57% of his ground duels.

For comparison, Fabinho – an established holding midfielder with a wealth of major honours, ten years Lavia's senior – recorded an average rating of 6.87, making just one interception and 1.8 tackles per game while winning just 48% of his ground duels.

Yes, the former was required to do more defensive work as he was lodged in a relegation battle but it bodes well that he performed his duties so well.

Indeed, the robustness and exuberance of the one-time Manchester City graduate, who Southampton signed for an initial £10.5m, will aid the surrounding teammates, and Curtis Jones could be one to particularly find fruit in Lavia's arrival.

Jones finally started to exude the quality at his disposal with consistency during Liverpool's pivotal late-season purple patch, earning praise as the "complete #8" by one analyst & scout after starting all 11 of the Reds' closing league matches of the campaign.

As it happens, the 22-year-old ranks among the top 6% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 3% for pass completion, the top 14% for progressive carries and the top 13% for tackles per 90, as per FBref.

With the £25k-per-week Lavia ranking among the top 4% of positional peers for blocks per 90, the No. 6 can armour the midfield and screen the defence, allowing Jones to dazzle in front of him with his crisp passing and progressive attitude – in turn fortified by Jones' defensive work rate, getting stuck in and duelling the opposition.

Described as an "incredible prospect" by reporter Tom Barnes, Lavia will be a fine and prudent addition to Klopp's side, and as he grows into his skin on Merseyside he will allow teammates such as Jones to ply their trade effectively ahead of him.

Negotiations drag on, with an agreement looking closer, but coming slowly, like the dripping of a stalactite. Liverpool will be wise to move as swiftly as possible though, bypassing the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea and fortifying their new-look midfield ahead of the season opener in less than two weeks.

Kiran Carlson’s first hundred of the season revived the expectations stirred by his maiden hundred against Gloucestershire last season

ECB Reporters Network19-Sep-2017Kiran Carlson, at 19 one of the leading lights in Glamorgan’s fresh crop of Welsh-born players, struck a career best 137 not out, the second first-class century of his career on a memorable day for Glamorgan.His innings – to follow his maiden first-class century against Essex last season when he became the youngest Glamorgan player to reach that landmark – followed a partnership of 182 with Andrew Salter, who struck a career-best 84.Carlson and Chris Cooke (51) guided Glamorgan to 127 for 4 at lunch, Gloucestershire deciding to bowl first after an uncontested toss. The Welsh county got off to a poor start, Nick Selman removed lbw by David Payne from the second ball of the match after he survived a dropped catch from the first.Colin Ingram got off to a great start in his last home Championship match before he takes up a one-day contract next year. He struck three fours in the first four overs. It wasn’t long, however, before he was bowled by Liam Norwell for 18.Championship debutant Connor Brown, meanwhile, showed early promise as he dealt blow after blow to the boundary after being joined by fellow Cardiffian Kiran Carlson. It was shortlived, however, when he was dismissed lbw by Kieran Noema-Barnett for 35, having struck eight fours, and Glamorgan looked to be in a spot of bother at 62 for 3.Aneurin Donald, back in the side after being dropped last week for the Northamptonshire match, played a poor shot outside off-stump on one, offering an easy chance to George Hankins at third slip off David Payne.Carlson and Chris Cooke looked to get Glamorgan back on track in the middle-order against Noema-Barnett and Matt Taylor. The rate continued at around four an over and Glamorgan finally reached the hundred mark in the 26th over, and the batsmen went past the fifty partnership when Carlson drove Josh Shaw for four through cover.They had added 65 by tea, as the home side reached 216 for 5. Chris Cooke had reached his half-century from 67 balls. However, after a lengthy delay to repair a hole in the pitch at square-leg, he was bowled by David Payne for 51, ending an 88 partnership with Carlson for the fifth wicket.Carlson kicked on, however, and reached his half-century from 131 balls with a crashing blow through the covers off Payne, his seventh four of the innings. The wicket slowed Glamorgan’s scoring rate, but Andrew Salter looked to up the tempo with back-to-back fours, pulling through mid-wicket before cutting down to third man off Kieran Noema-Barnett as he moved into double figures.Carlson continued to bat sensibly, allowing Salter to play the shots. However, it was Carlson who hit the first six of the match, and the first of his Championship career, over spinner Jack Taylor’s head towards the River Taff after Glamorgan had gained their first batting point, bringing up the fifty stand for the sixth wicket. Another, slightly wider six soon followed off the same bowler before tea.Carlson showed great maturity in waiting more than four-and-a-half hours to get his hundred, and great composure throughout the nineties as the field closed in around him. Salter reached his half-century from 127 balls, having hit five fours.

Victory against Derbyshire was another positive sign for Durham as they began to put the ECB’s 48-point penalty behind them

ECB Reporters Network31-Aug-2017Keaton Jennings found frustration during Durham’s win•Getty ImagesDurham completed their third Specsavers County Championship in the last five games 15 minutes before lunch as they beat Derbyshire by nine wickets at Chester-le-Street.After the shock of beginning the season with a 48-point deduction, they have become stronger as the season has progressed.The visitors were all out for 354, leaving Keaton Jennings and Tom Latham to score 39 for the maximum points win which took Durham above Derbyshire.After edging a short, wide one to fall to the first ball of the match, Jennings was immediately fed something similar by Hardus Viljoen but studiously left it alone. He got off the mark by coming down hard enough on a yorker to squeeze it through mid-off for three.In the ninth over he cut Viljoen for two fours, but with only eight needed he went to pull another short one and lobbed it to square leg to depart for 16. Latham stroked two off-side fours off Harry Podmore, on loan from Middlesex, in the next over to finish on 23.’Keaton will come through’ – Collingwood

Paul Collingwood, Durham’s captain, backed discarded England opener Keaton Jennings after a frustrating match
“Keaton Jennings was annoyed to get out, but there were a few clouds around and with a threat of showers we didn’t want to go into lunch with a few runs needed,” Collingwood said. “The game has a knack of kicking you when you are down, but Keaton is mentally tough and he will come through it.”

Durham needed just under an hour to wrap up the Derbyshire innings when they resumed on 305 for six in pleasant sunshine.Graham Onions struck with the day’s fourth ball. After seeing Harvey Hosein pick up an edged four and a single, reducing the deficit to six, he had Tony Palladino caught behind.Podmore collected the runs which put Derbyshire ahead then edged Chris Rushworth between slips and gully for four to reach ten. But without addition a similar edge in Rushworth’s next over flew at head height for Ryan Pringle to hold the catch at third slip.Two balls later Onions swung one in to have Hosein lbw before Imran Tahir nonchalantly slapped him square for four then sliced another boundary wide of gully.He saw little of the strike in the next few overs as Hardus Viljoen showed some pedigree, hooking Rushworth for four before Durham turned to the leg-spin of Cameron Steel.In his second over Tahir tried to turn him to leg and looked shocked to be adjudged lbw, ending a stand of 29 with Viljoen on 19.

Arsenal are in advanced talks to offload midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga to Burnley on loan, and the transfer deal could include a mandatory buy option.

Who is leaving Arsenal this summer?

The Gunners and manager Mikel Arteta have spent north of £200 million as we enter the final month of this summer's transfer window – sealing deals for Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber and club-record transfer Declan Rice.

Havertz signed for £65m from Chelsea, while Timber completed a £37m switch from Ajax, but it is Rice's move which stands out as the real headline-grabber.

In a serious statement of intent, Arsenal signed the 24-year-old from West Ham in a £105 million deal, which now makes Rice the most expensive English player of all time – ahead of both Man City's Jack Grealish and Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham.

“Declan is a player with fantastic ability and a proven record at both club and international levels," said Arsenal transfer chief and sporting director Edu.

"The process of this transfer has been a big team effort with a clear plan, and we are so happy that Declan is joining us.

“Declan is a high-quality, young international player who will add great strength to our squad, fitting so well into our strategy of competing with young talented players at the centre of our club."

Arsenal are showing a further ambition heading into August, as reports now claim they could strengthen their goalkeeping department by making a move for Brentford star David Raya.

Having invested significantly, Arteta's side may need to balance the books by offloading certain fringe members of the squad. Both defender Pablo Mari and long-serving midfield general Granit Xhaka have both left the club, with Lokonga now apparently edging closer to following them out the door.

According to Belgian transfer journalist Sacha Tavolieri, the Red Devils international is subject to serious interest from Burnley, with "advanced talks" ongoing over a loan deal.

The temporary move could also become a permanent one, depending on certain conditions, as Tavolieri claims Arsenal are plotting to include a buy clause.

The option to buy will become mandatory if the 23-year-old plays a certain number of games for Vincent Kompany's side.

"Infos Sambi Lokonga," wrote the reporter on Twitter.

"Talks advanced on their way between #ArsenalFC and #BurnleyFC to find an agreement with a loan including an option to buy.

"That could be mandatory in case the Belgian midfielder plays a certain number of matches. First idea of the Belgian Red Devils was to try a journey in Spain but Vincent Kompany’s team was the most concrete solution at the moment and that would allow him to show and proof he’s ready for the #PL."

How good is Albert Sambi Lokonga?

The young midfield ace has struggled to work his way into Arteta's plans in the last two seasons, having spent the second half of last season on loan at Crystal Palace.

Another loan move could be on the horizon for Lokonga, but by Arteta's own admission, he is a player of real "quality" and may strengthen Burnley's ranks.

“Albert is a very intelligent player who has shown great maturity in his performances during his development. He has been coached well by Vincent Kompany and his team at Anderlecht,” Arteta told Arsenal’s official website (via The Standard).

“I know Vincent very well and he talks so highly about Albert and the positive impact he had to Anderlecht in recent seasons.

“We’re confident Albert’s ready for the next stage in his development and we’re looking forward to welcoming a new member to our squad with his quality and presence.”

It's "very unlikely" that Sunderland target Amad Diallo will still be at Manchester United come the end of the transfer window as there are "a lot of clubs on standby" who want to sign him, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

Is Amad Diallo joining Sunderland this summer?

It was a brilliant first season back in the Championship for Sunderland last year. Granted, they couldn't make it past Luton Town in the play-off semi-final, but considering most fans and pundits didn't even think they'd finish in the top six, it was a miraculous achievement even to get there.

Since getting agonisingly close to making it back to the Premier League, the club have been recruiting to help get them over the line if they get the chance again next year.

So far, they have welcomed four new faces to the club, with one of their signings getting a lot of media attention, Jobe Bellingham. The 17-year-old is the younger brother of new Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham, but the Black Cats only had to pay an estimated £3m to secure his signature from Birmingham City.

However, the one player many fans would likely love to see back at the Stadium of Light is United youngster Diallo, who spent last season on loan with the club, playing a massive part in their charge up the table.

Unfortunately for the Roker Men, the Northern Echo reported last week that their chances of signing the 21-year-old are hanging in the balance as Leicester City have emerged as a potential rival for his signature following their sale of Harvey Barnes.

Worse still is that, alongside the Foxes, West Ham United, Sheffield United, and Everton are all interested in signing the Ivorian, and with their status as Premier League sides, they certainly have an advantage over Sunderland.

What has Dean Jones said about Sunderland and Amad Diallo?

Jones explained that the chance of Diallo remaining at United come the end of the summer is low, but Sunderland will have a lot of other clubs to compete against should they wish to take him back on loan in the Championship.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: "Diallo would be amazing. I think we've all seen what he's capable of.

"Now, as it stands, it's very unlikely he'll be playing for Man United regularly. So, I wouldn't expect him to be there by the end of the transfer window.

"We'll have to see if this particular move is possible. There are a lot of clubs on standby waiting to put an offer in front of him."

How good was Amad Diallo last season?

With the Black Cats' desire to re-sign the Ivorian winger on loan again this year, it should be no surprise that he was excellent during his last campaign in the Northeast.

According to WhoScored, in his 29 games for Tony Mowbray's side, he scored 14 goals, provided three assists, won four Man-of-the-Match awards and maintained a season rating of 7.06 – the third-best in the squad.

In what shouldn't come as a shock to anyone, his underlying numbers are just as brilliant as his output, suggesting that his outstanding form wasn't fortunate at all, but just a true reflection of his ability.

According to FBref, who compare players in a similar position across what they define as the next eight competitions, Diallo sits in the top 2% for pass completion, the top 6% for interceptions, the top 15% for non-penalty goals, the top 18% for attempted passes, the top 21% for touched in the oppositions penalty area, and the top 25% for progressive passes and successful take-ons, all per 90.

His efforts were certainly appreciated by manager Mowbray who, at the back end of 2022, said:

"He's an amazing footballer. Somebody said he cost £37m from Atalanta when he joined Manchester United, so I find it difficult to think how he is at Sunderland, but probably the pressure of playing in front of a big crowd, and he relishes it.

"He can run all day and he has the ball stuck to his foot, he runs past people and he can score goals like that. We're delighted he's here with us."

While it may be a step too far for the Black Cats this summer, if they can convince Diallo to join them for one more season, they could be a Premier League team once again come the start of the 2024/25 season.

Jofra Archer recorded his career best Twenty20 figures to help Sussex end Hampshire’s unbeaten start to the Natwest T20 Blast

ECB Reporters Network20-Jul-2017
ScorecardJofra Archer continued an excellent season•Getty ImagesJofra Archer recorded his career best Twenty20 figures to help Sussex end Hampshire’s unbeaten start to the Natwest T20 Blast.West Indian-born fast bowler Archer posted figures of 4 for 18 from his four overs to restrict Hampshire to a below par 126.And Sussex eased to their first victory of the tournament as Chris Nash and Ben Brown crashed an 82-run stand before Chris Jordan hit the winning runs to complete the six-wicket thrashing with 16 balls to spare.James Vince won the toss for Hampshire and decided to bat on a grubby looking track as they attempting to celebrate a fourth successive Blast win – but scoring never looked easy for the hosts.David Wiese hinted at what was to come as he had Rilee Rossouw caught by a diving Jofra at mid-off with the match’s fifth ball.Tom Alsop was the only batsman to appear comfortable for the hosts as he made his first appearance in the competition, and his first-team appearance for Hampshire since May.He uppercut back to back sixes off the returning Tymal Mills – who was also making his maiden outing this season after IPL commitments and a hamstring problem.As former England Lions star Alsop appeared in control, wickets fell at the other end.James Vince swiped across the line to be caught at cover before George Bailey departed to a stunning David Wiese grab while running back at backward square.Sean Ervine was next to enter and exit when he miscued a pull to square leg as Archer celebrated his first scalp of the evening – Sussex restricting the hosts to 30 for four.Alsop enjoyed his greatest partnership with fellow academy graduate Lewis McManus as they added 48.The left-hander moved to his second Blast fifty in 30 deliveries with a crashed pull to the boundary.Former Hampshire spinner Danny Briggs impressed as he yorked McManus and had Shahid Afridi lbw on the sweep – as he recorded figures of 2 for 17.But Archer stood out when he finally saw the back of Alsop for 64, caught at short fine leg attempting to scoop an over after being dropped, before he bowled Kyle Abbott.Reece Topley was the last wicket to fall as the home side could only post 126.Sussex’s reply got off to a poor start as left-armer Topley pinned Luke Wright leg before with an in-swinger.Runs seemed to flow more quickly in the second innings with Chris Nash and Ben Brown constantly picking the gaps – although the latter was spilled by Bailey on 18.The carried Sussex to within 42 runs of the win before Brown was lbw for 43 to Afridi.Nash was caught at mid-wicket for 32 to hand Mason Crane a wicket and Ross Taylor was run out by a Vince direct hit – but Sussex cantered to victory.