All posts by h716a5.icu

The 18-year old legspinner had only 212 to defend and he did so in style, picking up 7 for 18, the fourth-best figures in ODI history

The Report by Shashank Kishore09-Jun-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details3:16

Agarkar: No doubting Rashid’s quality

Afghanistan had won on four previous occasions when Rashid Khan had picked up four wickets or more. But Friday brought him one of his tougher challenges: he had only 212 to defend on a sluggish St Lucia surface but that only seemed to spur him on. The 18-year old legspinner finished with 7 for 18 – the fourth-best haul in ODI history – and West Indies were bowled out for 149.The 63-run victory for Afghanistan, their first in this format over a Full Member other than Zimbabwe or Bangladesh, exposed the ineptness of a West Indies unit struggling in their quest to qualify directly for the 2019 World Cup.Rashid, introduced in the 23rd over with West Indies seemingly steady at 68 for 2, broke open the game by picking up wickets off his first two deliveries. And if that isn’t impressive enough, he struck on consecutive balls in the 25th as well to be on a hat-trick twice during the course of his first two overs, opening his spell with figures of 4 for 1. The lone run conceded came courtesy of a dubious wide call in which a googly spun in from outside leg stump to strike Jonathan Carter’s back leg after a missed sweep before ricocheting to fine leg.Jason Mohammed played for a straight ball when there was turn, debutant Roston Chase fell for a golden duck, completely deceived by a googly, Shai Hope was snaffled courtesy Mohammad Nabi’s brilliance at slip and Jason Holder’s defence was breached by a ripping wrong ‘un. At 70 for 6, West Indies were railroaded, having to switch back to survival mode.That didn’t prevent Ashley Nurse from trying ungainly slogs and was quickly shown his place by a skiddy googly that gave Rashid his second five-for in ODIs. The upset was sealed in the 45th over, fittingly with another Rashid googly, as Afghanistan added to the shockwaves that rocked the cricket world this night. After all, it was only a few hours previously that another underdog, Bangladesh, had stunned New Zealand in the Champions Trophy.While Rashid walked away with the plaudits – among bowlers with at least 50 wickets, he has the best bowling average (15.05) and strike-rate (22.3) – it was opener Javed Ahmadi quietly worked his way through to make 81, his highest ODI score, to set the game up. He showed the resolve to fight through testing spells from Shannon Gabriel and Miguel Cummins and, given he had to face a lot of short-pitched bowling, he also showed that he was particularly strong square of the wicket. Forty of his runs, including four fours and a six, came behind point.Ahmadi built the platform in a slow, but assured, second-wicket stand of 55 with Rahmat Shah, before West Indies hit back with two quick strikes. They went into a shell against Nurse, who used the strong breeze to drift the ball away from the right-handers. He took out Asghar Stanikzai, who played for turn when there was none, and Samiullah Shenwari, who was unfortunately given out as the ball lobbed to slip off his forearm while trying to reverse sweep.With Afghanistan at 131 for 5 in the 38th over, and Ahmadi back in the pavilion as well, West Indies had a firm grip over the contest. But Gulbadin Naib used his muscle to pepper the legside boundary and take apart Jason Holder, who conceded 36 off his last three overs. Naib would hammer three fours and two sixes in his unbeaten 28-ball 41. The 58-run stand for the eighth wicket with Mohammad Nabi, who quietly finished 27 not out, would signal the change in momentum for Afghanistan.West Indies would have hoped for a brisk start from their batsmen but it was not to be and by being diffident and overcautious, they played themselves into a situation where one costly lapse could trigger an alarming slide. And slide they did.

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their plans to make further changes to their attacking options during the summer transfer window…

What’s the latest Rangers striker transfer news?

According to The Scottish Sun, a host of clubs are keen on a deal to sign Light Blues centre-forward Antonio Colak ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The report claims that Serie B clubs Pisa and Parma are in the race for his signature, whilst German outfit Werder Bremen are plotting a £2m swoop for the Croatia international.

It states that Michael Beale has decided to part ways with the former PAOK marksman in order to free up room for another addition in that area of the pitch.

The Sun adds that the club are eyeing up Feyenoord number nine Danilo, who has been the subject of two rejected bids already, and they are hopeful of striking a deal for the Brazilian ace in further talks with the Eredivisie outfit.

How good is Feyenoord’s Danilo?

Whilst he is yet to play in Scottish football, the 24-year-old striker's form in recent seasons suggests that the potential is there for him to be an excellent player for Beale.

The £8.3k-per-week marksman could be the dream heir to Colak's place in the squad, with the 42-year-old head coach seemingly eyeing him up as a replacement for the 29-year-old finisher.

Eredivisie expert Melvin Dupper described him as an "amazing instinctive" finisher in an interview with Rangers Review and that is backed up by his impressive return of ten goals in 14 league starts for Feyenoord during the 2022/23 campaign.

No Rangers player with fewer than 15 Scottish Premiership starts hit double figures for goals, which highlights how impressive the Brazilian hotshot's return was.

This was not a one-off year for Danilo, either, as the talented youngster plundered an impressive 17 goals in 31 Eredivisie starts on loan at FC Twente throughout the 2020/21 season, which is one more than any of Beale's stars managed last term.

The £5m-valued sensation has proven himself to be a reliable goalscorer in the Netherlands, which bodes well ahead of a potential move to Ibrox when you consider that Giorgos Giakoumakis plundered 19 goals in 15 Premiership starts for Celtic after a return of 26 strikes in 30 Eredivisie matches for VVV-Venlo.

There is a precedent for a player being able to translate their Dutch top-flight form over to Scotland and the Glasgow giants will be hoping to repeat that success.

Therefore, Danilo could be an excellent replacement for Colak after the Croatian striker struggled to make his mark following Giovanni van Bronckhorst's dismissal during the World Cup break in 2022.

The former Malmo ace only scored four goals in 15 appearances in all competitions under Beale last term, which came after an impressive 14 goals in 24 outings under the Dutch manager.

Rangers' current boss reportedly believes that his style of play does not suit Colak and the ex-Chelsea youth coach's interest in Danilo suggests that the 42-year-old tactician views him as being compatible with the system he intends to deploy.

Therefore, the Feyenoord star's eye-catching goal return in recent seasons could make him an upgrade on the current Gers number nine, due to his struggles with Beale's tactics, which is why he would be the dream replacement for the £2.5m attacker this summer.

Led by their bowlers who exploited a pitch with just enough moisture to make driving on the up difficult, Steven Smith and his men booked a place in the playoffs

The Report by Alagappan Muthu14-May-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details3:35

Hogg: Wretched show but Kings XI were also unlucky

Rising Pune Supergiant stormed into the playoffs, earning at least two more matches, and the opportunity for an IPL title before signing out of franchise cricket. They demolished Kings XI Punjab in a knockout match at home to book a spot in the first qualifier against Mumbai Indians on Tuesday. Kolkata Knight Riders will take on defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator in Bengaluru on Wednesday.The Kings Paupers XI
Steven Smith made a mention of the moisture in the Pune pitch, and his bowlers made excellent use of it with cross-seamers that tempted the on-the-up drive. On a bare surface, those deliveries come on nicely and batsmen can hit through the line. On this one, offering more purchase, such shots were ill-advised. The ball zipped through or bounced extra, and Kings XI were 32 for 5 in the Powerplay. They were then all out for their lowest total in the IPL – 73.The surprise strike-force
Jaydev Unadkat started it all, having the big-hitting Martin Guptill caught at short cover off the first ball of the game. He ran out Eoin Morgan with a direct hit from mid-on. A little later, he pulled off a smart, diving catch at short fine leg. Finally, he finished with 2 for 12, only four wickets behind Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the most successful bowler in IPL 2017, having played three fewer matches. Unadkat’s strike-rate of 10.8 is the second-highest among anyone that has taken 10 wickets in the tournament.The partner-in-crime
“My palms were sweating when I was in the bus,” Shardul Thakur admitted in a mid-innings interview. But once he took a look at his workplace, he quickly perked up. “When we started, it [the ball] was sticking [in the pitch] a bit, and the cross-seamers worked.”He had Shaun Marsh spooning a drive to mid-off in his second over, forced Rahul Tewatia to top-edge a pull to the wicketkeeper, and finally had Glenn Maxwell flicking a leg-stump half-volley into the hands of long leg. The Kings XI captain, who had pushed himself down to No. 6, finished IPL 2017 having played only 18 balls in the Powerplay and lost his wicket thrice.A little batting practice
Prior to Sunday, Ajinkya Rahane averaged 19.07, his lowest in a season since 2008, when he played only two matches. A target of 74, whilst being too little for a batsman to sink his teeth into, can still give him the opportunity to spend time at the crease. Rahane made sure to last the entirety of the chase, and hit the winning runs too, a six over long-on. Pune will want as many of their gun players in form to fill the hole that will be left by Ben Stokes – 316 runs and 12 wickets in 12 matches – who leaves for England tonight.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy personally favours Napoli striker Victor Osimhen as a potential replacement for Spurs star Harry Kane.

Will Harry Kane leave Spurs?

Kane, with his contract expiring in just 12 months, is rumoured to be attracting very serious interest from Bayern Munich as their manager, Thomas Tuchel, pushes for a move.

The 29-year-old has been linked with a Spurs exit before, namely two years ago, when treble-winners Man City were actively pursuing Kane to solve their past striker problem.

Pep Guardiola's side, according to Sky Sports at the time, placed bids in excess of £100 million on the table but Levy refused to budge – despite a "gentleman's agreement" with Kane that he could leave that summer.

Fast forward two seasons later, with City eventually signing superstar Erling Haaland in arguably the transfer of this decade, Kane appears closer and closer to leaving Spurs on a free transfer.

Tottenham have apparently offered the England international a "huge" new deal to remain in north London, though Kane is in no rush to sign it while the transfer window is still open.

Amid Bayern's interest, it is not seen as likely that Spurs will crumble and opt to offload their prized asset, but on the off-chance they do, there have been suggestions that they have their eyes on one player to succeed him.

According to Sport Bild, Napoli's star forward Osimhen is on Levy's personal radar to potentially step into Kane's shoes, but they may face an issue in persuading the Nigerian to join.

The 24-year-old is named as Levy's "favourite replacement" for Kane, but this report states that Osimhen may not opt to sign him for them given the conditions to win trophies aren't quite there yet.

As such, this could make matters even more difficult for Bayern, who really want to back Tuchel with Kane's signing this summer.

How many goals did Victor Osimhen score last season?

The African superstar has lit up Serie A with Napoli since his move from Lille in 2020.

Osimhen bagged 26 goals and four assists in 32 Italian top flight outings last season, standing out as Napoli's best-performing player by average match rating, as well as Serie A's best-performer overall (WhoScored).

In that time, he averaged a very impressive and threatening 4.2 attempts at goal per 90 – again the highest number of any player in Serie A (WhoScored).

The forward has been praised by members of the media for his excellent form over the past 12 months, with ESPN reporter Colin Udoh calling him a "monster" player.

"Such a monster of a player, Victor Osimhen," said Udoh.

"The technique to haul the ball in, the strength and close control to to shake off the first defender, the speed and technique to smoke the second. Such a complete player."

However, if Spurs are to mount a serious bid for Osimhen and convince the player to join, in the event of Kane's departure, they will have to pay a marquee fee for him.

Indeed, reports suggest Napoli chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis could demand as much as €120 million (£103m) for his services.

New Zealand go into the deciding Test in Hamilton trailing 0-1 in the series, and they will be without Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Ross Taylor, who are all injured

The Preview by Firdose Moonda in Hamilton24-Mar-2017Match factsMarch 25-29, 2017
Start time 1100 local (2200 GMT)2:20

What bowling attack will New Zealand pick?

Big pictureThe sun is rising later and setting earlier, the leaves have started to turn shades of orange and yellow, and last-of-the-season signs are going up in shop windows. It’s almost autumn but New Zealand and South Africa have one last summer fling to complete; one that could define what has been a super-long season.Both teams started in August and have played 11 Tests in the nine months since, and South Africa can claim to have had a better time. They started at No.7 and, with victories over New Zealand at home, Australia away and Sri Lanka at home, have worked their way up to No.3. A win in Hamilton – and if Australia don’t beat India in Dharamsala – will take them to No.2 and ensure they have won all four series this summer.New Zealand can’t mark their progress that way. They were No.5 then and are No.5 now, and the only way they can stay there is by squaring this series. Anything less than a win at Seddon Park, and they will drop a place.More than that, there is the importance of breaking a long-standing drought against a team they had on the ropes twice this series. This past week marked 13 years since New Zealand last beat South Africa in a Test, in Auckland in 2004. Since then, the teams have met 15 times with South Africa winning ten, including the previous Test in Wellington, where they were 94 for 6 in reply to 268. New Zealand lost that match because of one partnership and one hour in their own innings where everything went wrong. The margins are small and they will want to try and squeeze into them this time.It won’t be easy because New Zealand have lost Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Ross Taylor to injuries. They will have to bank on inexperienced players to beat a South African team, which, despite half their top-six batsmen struggling, has found ways to win. New Zealand pride themselves on the ability to scrap and will want to finish their summer with the biggest scrap of them all.Form guide(last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand: LDWWW
South Africa: WDWWW
In the spotlightAlthough Stephen Cook is not the only member of either top six to find himself out of form, his performances will come under scrutiny because of how closely they mirror his last away series. Cook battled through the first two Tests in Australia, and was thought to be facing the axe with Rilee Rossouw in the squad, but redeemed himself with a century in Adelaide. This time there is no Rossouw, and the replacement batsman, Theunis de Bruyn, is a middle-order player. The only other opening option, albeit an outside one, is Quinton de Kock, who is nursing a finger problem. Cook is safe for this Test, and probably the England tour, but he needs to start showing what he can do on a more consistent basis.From being the bowler with the biggest heart in New Zealand’s attack, Neil Wagner is now the one with the most responsibility. With Southee and Boult ruled out, Wagner will have to lead an inexperienced attack. He has only played in one Test without Southee and Boult, and that was on debut in 2012, when he had Chris Martin and Doug Bracewell for company. Wagner will be alongside Matt Henry, who has just seven Test caps to his name, and will have to make sure he attacks as well as keeps South Africa quiet.New Zealand’s pace attack was depleted by the injuries to Trent Boult and Tim Southee•Getty ImagesTeams newsWith three key players ruled out, New Zealand’s conundrum is which allrounder to pick as the third prong in their pace pack. Scott Kuggeleijn could be in line for a debut following strong showings in the Plunket Shield, if they decide to bench James Neesham, who offers more as a batsman, and Colin de Grandhomme, who opened the bowling in Wellington. New Zealand may opt for two allrounders and leave Henry out to play four quicks and a spinner, though that seems unlikely on what is expected to be a slow Seddon Park surface.New Zealand (probable) 1 Tom Latham, 2 Jeet Raval, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Neil Broom, 5 Henry Nicholls, 6 BJ Watling (wk), 7 James Neesham/Colin de Grandhomme/Scott Kuggeleijn, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Jeetan Patel, 10 Matt Henry 11 Neil WagnerSouth Africa will risk Quinton de Kock, who has tendon damage on his right index finger, for their last match of the summer, which means Heinrich Klaasen will continue to carry drinks along with one other seamer – most likely Wayne Parnell – and another player. Though South Africa flew Dane Piedt in specifically for the Hamilton Test, they may struggle to fit him into the XI, unless they are to leave JP Duminy out.South Africa 1 Stephen Cook, 2 Dean Elgar, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 Faf du Plessis (capt), 5 JP Duminy, 6 Temba Bavuma, 7 Quinton de Kock (wk), 8 Vernon Philander, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Morne Morkel, 11 Kagiso RabadaSome rain is forecast on all five days in Hamilton•Getty ImagesPitch and conditionsA pitch on the slower side of the block is set to assist spinners but the colour of the surface suggested otherwise. There was still significant green grass on the pitch but both captains expected it was just window dressing. Kane Williamson and Faf du Plessis expected the seamers to have to work hard for their wickets and also anticipated a race against time for a result. Though the weather has improved as the series moved further north – this match will be played in warmer temperatures than the previous two – some rain is forecast for all five days. Day two (Sunday) is at the greatest risk.
Stats and triviaNew Zealand have won their last three Hamilton Tests, against Pakistan, Sri Lanka and West Indies, following a streak of three losses at the venue to South Africa, Pakistan and Australia.Morne Morkel is one wicket away from 250 Test wicketsHashim Amla is 117 runs short of 8000 Test runsQuotes”It’s very important we bounce back, show that fight and those characteristics that this team is about, which we failed to do in the latter half of our last game. We’ve got one big game left in the summer and the guys are excited by that and want to put on a good performance.”
“I don’t think people appreciate and understand (South Africa’s record away from home). The record has been exceptional. Mentally we are very resilient. We know whatever the situation on the day, we have to find a way and try and make sure you deliver. You can never use an excuse, whether it’s green or spinning. You just have to get on and do the job. Our mental toughness has helped us.”

Newcastle United are more likely to sign James Maddison over Dominik Szoboszlai this summer, according to an update from journalist Dean Jones.

Is Maddison a primary target for Newcastle?

The Magpies are expected to have a busy summer ahead of them, ensuring they continue to build their squad and not rest on their laurels after an excellent season that saw them qualify for the Champions League.

New signings are expected all over the pitch and Maddison has arguably emerged as one of Newcastle's primary transfer targets. He is certain to leave Leicester City, following their relegation from the Premier League, and rumours linking him with a switch to St James' Park refuse to go away.

Szoboszlai is another player who is seemingly being eyed up, however, and it is a case of Newcastle bringing in the best possible option to make Eddie Howe's team even more of a force in 2023/24.

Could Maddison join Magpies over Szoboszlai?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones gave an update on Newcastle's current situation, admitting that Maddison's experience in the Premier League gives him the edge over Szoboszlai:

"I’ve said for a while that I expect Saint-Maximin to leave and to be honest, exits like that are necessary for Newcastle to keep upgrading this team. It would mean the door opens to a Szoboszlai or Maddison.

"They admire both players for sure, but Maddison has that edge whereby there would be little settling in time and almost no risk in terms of him being successful. Szoboszlai probably has a higher ceiling in my opinion and he’s so good and can be one of the very best in the game in his role."

Supporters are likely to be split over who they would prefer out of Maddison and Szoboszlai, assuming only one comes in, but there is certainly logic in signing the former over the latter.

As Jones alludes to, the fact that the £110,000-a-week Englishman, who has been hailed as "100 times" smarter than any coach, has already proven himself in the Premier League is vital – he has 43 goals and 34 assists in the competition – allowing him to hit the ground running from the off and immediately make Newcastle stronger.

Liverpool legend and former Magpies manager Graeme Souness believes Maddison is "destined for the biggest stage", speaking volumes about his quality as a footballer, and while Szoboszlai could be a greater long-term talent, the Leicester man looks like the perfect option for the here and now.

Martin Guptill returned from injury with a match-winning unbeaten 180 off 138 balls to help New Zealand level the series 2-2 in the 4th ODI

The Report by Andrew McGlashan in Hamilton01-Mar-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:28

McGlashan: Astonishing display from Guptill

Could Martin Guptill slot back into the New Zealand line-up after a month on the sidelines and make an immediate impact? The answer to that was an ‘yes’ as he surged to a ferocious 180 off 138 balls at Seddon Park to set up a series decider in Auckland on Saturday. His innings enabled New Zealand to chase down what had appeared a challenging target of 280 with a massive 30 balls to spare.His 12th century in ODI cricket came from 82 deliveries after being saved by the DRS having been given lbw to Dwaine Pretorius on 62. Guptill dominated a third-wicket stand of 180 with Ross Taylor who made 66 off 97 deliveries, the joint second-highest for New Zealand and highest for any wicket against South Africa. Guptill finished with 11 sixes – at least four of them disappearing out of the ground – and now holds the three highest innings for New Zealand in ODIs after his 237 against West Indies in the World Cup and 189 against England in 2013.South Africa will ponder their team selection and tactics with the ball. The fact that the pitch would aid the spinners, and likely grip for the seamers, had been telegraphed a long way out. Yet they opted not to play a second frontline spinner in Tabraiz Shamsi while JP Duminy’s three overs cost 26 although AB de Villiers later defended the selection. They also did not bowl the amount of cutters and slower balls that New Zealand did mid-innings, instead the extra pace from their quartet of seamers played into New Zealand’s – and Guptill’s – hands.With the bat it was a familiar pattern: a solid base (128 for 2), a middle-order collapse (4 for 30) and then a revival led by de Villiers and the lower order to take South Africa to 279. De Villiers, Chris Morris and Wayne Parnell plundered 100 from the last eight overs to seemingly swing the match in South Africa’s favour. But then Guptill got to work.He struck the ball with blistering power, belying his lack of match time, and the signs had been promising as early as the fourth over when he pulled Parnell onto the grass banks. He connected with an even bigger blow off Morris, speeding to his fifty off 38 deliveries and needing just another 44 for three figures. The ball rarely failed to make a thunderous crack off his bat.Each time the asking rate threatened to edge much over a run-a-ball he would manage to go over or across the boundary. De Villiers didn’t know how to stop him, a feeling many a bowler has felt against the South Africa captain. The nearest Guptill came to a problem, until a missed run out on 166 when the match had been won, was when he was struck on the helmet by Morris.He overwhelmed the innings, but his partners were important. Kane Williamson helped add 72 for the second wicket as New Zealand got themselves ahead of the rate. He was also involved in, perhaps, the crucial decision of the innings. When given lbw to Imran Tahir’s second ball he pondered the review but decided to walk off. Replays showed it was out. If Williamson had gambled, there would not have been one for Guptill.Taylor then played the ideal second-fiddle, happy to ride in Guptill’s slipstream, although brought his fifty up with a huge six over midwicket to match anything his partner managed.New Zealand’s selection was far more tailored to the surface with Jeetan Patel recalled, ahead of the unlucky Ish Sodhi, as a second spinner. He struck in the first over of the match when Quinton de Kock’s run of five fifty-plus scores ended with his first golden duck in international cricket. There was an even more notable first, too, as a pair of spinners opened the bowling in the first innings of an ODI for the first time.The move did not last long, though, and Hashim Amla enjoyed the extra pace of Trent Boult but New Zealand soon switched back to spin and pace-off. Patel nabbed Amla at the start of his second spell and New Zealand began to squeeze. Tim Southee and Jimmy Neesham bowled handy spells of cutters as South Africa lost 4 for 30 in 9.5 overs. JP Duminy’s unconvincing series continued when he bottom-edged Southee, du Plessis chipped to midwicket after a 72-ball fifty, David Miller picked out deep midwicket while Pretorius was run out.De Villiers was left to try and take the innings deep again. He was sitting on 27 off 37 balls, after a period of 12 boundary-less overs, when he pulled Mitchell Santner over deep midwicket to mark his late-overs kick. Both Southee and Boult came in for late punishment, but rather than providing a total to challenge New Zealand it just enabled Guptill to play one of New Zealand’s finest one-day innings.

Everton could be about to boost their frontline it seems, with TuttomercatoWeb reporting that the Toffees are in "advanced" talks to bring in Rodrigo from Leeds United.

How many goals did Rodrigo score for Leeds United?

The current Leeds striker has been with the club for the last three seasons but really found his stride in the top flight in the 2022/23 campaign. Having never managed a double-digit goal tally for the Whites prior to this year, he managed to bag 13 goals and one assist for them in just 23 starts.

It wasn't enough to keep the Whites in the Premier League, with the Toffees surviving on the final day, but it was a valiant effort from the 32-year-old.

That total was also his best goals tally for six years and shows that the player still has plenty to offer when leading an attack. Further proof that he is still at the top of his game comes when you look at his stats compared to other strikers across the Men's 'Top Five' big leagues in Europe.

His non-penalty goal rate of 0.56 per 90 for example puts him in the top 12 percent in that category and his shot total of 3.07 also puts him in the 77th percentile in that area. It shows that the Spaniard can be prolific at the highest level – and is one of the most clinical in his position – but also regularly gets into the spaces where he can attack the opposition goalkeeper and get those goals.

Are Everton interested in Rodrigo?

With Leeds now facing Championship football though, the player could be allowed to move on and it appears that the Premier League is a real proposition for the attacker.

That's because according to TuttomercatoWeb, Everton are in talks with Rodrigo over a potential transfer move. Not only that, but these "contacts" are described as being "advanced" and it adds that a deal could even be completed "as early as next week." It means that the Toffees appear to be fairly far along in negotiations and a transfer could soon be completed for the striker, who currently earns around £100,000-a-week with the Whites.

Rodrigo has arguably earned his place back in the Premier League next season, impressing with his performances up front for the relegated outfit, with football journalist Josh Bunting stating that a strike from the player was "class." It shows the level that the attacker is at and if the Toffees could indeed snap up the player, it could give them a good chance at trying to push on next season.

Moeen Ali has opted out of participating in the second season of the Pakistan Super League and will instead join members of his family on a pilgrimage to Mecca

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jan-2017Moeen Ali has opted out of participating in the second season of the Pakistan Super League for what the league said was for a pilgrimage for Umrah although the official line stated just “personal reasons”.*Moeen, who is currently in India with England’s limited-overs squad, was named yesterday as a replacement for Carlos Brathwaite in the Quetta Gladiators squad. He had been negotiating through his agent as to his exact availability when the clash of priorities became apparent.Quetta were quickly informed of his change of plans, and Moeen has now been replaced by the veteran Australian, Brad Hodge, who represented Peshawar Zalmi in last season’s inaugural tournament.”Moeen Ali is a top player and a great person,” read a tweet from the franchise. “We respect his decision to honour his family commitment first. Good Luck Moeen.”Faisal Mirza, who is in charge of player recruitment for the PSL, tweeted on Tuesday: “Between the time he declared availability and the Draft his plan to MashaAllah go to family Umrah got finalised. Naturally the team said ok.”It is not the first time that Moeen has performed a swift U-turn when it comes to T20 league availability. Last year, he put himself forward for the IPL auction, only to withdraw hours later after the ECB expressed concerns about his workload.As England’s premier spin-bowling allrounder, Moeen played 41 matches for England across all three formats in 2016, including all 17 of their Test matches. He faces an even more intense workload in 2017, with England hosting the Champions Trophy in June, as well as multi-format series against South Africa and West Indies ahead of the Ashes tour in October.Moeen, a devout Muslim, first performed umrah in November 2009, and credited the “inspirational’ experience for a flying start to his county season with Worcestershire the following year.”I think I came back nice and fresh after that,” he said at the time. “It makes a person strong and it was a chance to just get away from cricket.”The second season of the PSL gets underway in the UAE on Feb 9, with the final scheduled to take place in Lahore on March 7.*January 25, 1300GMT: the story was updated to reflect the PSL reference to Umrah

Mushfiqur Rahim, returning from a thumb injury, looked comfortable during his 58, and Soumya Sarkar played some attractive shots, but Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah failed to build on starts in the tour game against India A

The Report by Mohammad Isam in Hyderabad05-Feb-2017
Scorecard
Aniket Choudhary took 4 for 26 on the first day•AFPThe sight of Imrul Kayes studiously watching his batting footage in the first session suggested the sort of day Bangladesh had at the Gymkhana ground on their first day of cricket on their first bilateral tour to India. Kayes was the first wicket to fall against India A, when he picked out the only fielder in the deep – Hardik Pandya at long leg.It was a carbon copy of his dismissal on the first day of the Wellington Test last month, when he picked out Trent Boult, who was the only man in the outfield, in the same region. Bangladesh’s concerns about the inconsistency of their batsmen hasn’t abated, with only four days to go for the one-off Test.The day belonged to India A’s left-arm quick, Aniket Choudhary who generated extra pace and bounce using his height to claim four wickets. Mushfiqur Rahim, who was ruled out of the Christchurch Test because of a thumb injury, marked his return with a half-century. Top-order batsman Soumya Sarkar also struck a fifty while Sabbir Rahman and Liton Das, who has not played international cricket since 2015, made cameos before Bangladeshis declared on 224 for 8 with more than 60 minutes remaining in the first day. In reply, India A, led by Priyank Panchal’s unbeaten 40, reached 91 for 1 before stumps. Abhinav Mukund was the only Indian to fall, caught at first slip off seamer Subashis Roy.It wasn’t the kind of tune-up Bangladesh were looking for, ahead of the Test. After opting to bat on the sluggish pitch, they lost wickets at regular intervals. Five overs after the fall of Kayes, Choudhary bowled Tamim Iqbal 13 and then surprised Mominul Haque with extra bounce. Choudhary later returned to test Mushfiqur with extra bounce and had him edging to Rishabh Pant. He then trapped Mehedi Hasan Miraz for a first-ball duck.Mushfiqur, though, looked comfortable on his comeback from injury, striking eight fours and a six during his 106-ball 58. Sarkar, meanwhile, played some attractive drives in the arc between covers and mid-off during his 52 off 73 balls, including nine fours and a six. But Tamim, Mahmudullah and Sabbir Rahman didn’t convert starts, after briefly looking comfortable, as the India A bowlers preyed on their patience, or the lack of it.