Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson will make an ambitious attempt to bring Cristiano Ronaldo back to Old Trafford in the summer, according to the Daily Star.
Ronaldo scored against the Red Devils in the first leg of Real Madrid’s Champions League last 16 tie in the Spanish capital last week but did not celebrate.
The Portuguese star still has a soft spot for Ferguson and Manchester United so a return to the Premier League would certainly appeal to the forward who is reportedly unhappy in Madrid as the club are hugely underperforming this season.
Jose Mourinho looks like he may quit Real this summer, leaving Ronaldo with another reason to return to England where he become one of the best players in the world.
It is thought that United will offer £55million for Ronaldo at the end of the season and the Premier League leaders will look to offload the likes of Nani and Antonio Valencia to make way his return.
[cat_link cat=”manchester-united” type=”grid”]
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According to Portuguese reports, Leeds United are chasing 21 year-old Benfica winger Diogo Goncalves.
What’s the story?
Leeds are reportedly lining up a summer swoop for Goncalves as they look to add more creativity and goals to their attack for next season.
Goncalves has scored eight and provided eight assists for Benfica B in the Portuguese second tier this season, and is highly regarded in Portugal.
The report claims that the impressive young winger, who is a client of super agent Jorge Mendes, is a “priority” for Leeds this summer. This comes shortly after owner Andrea Radrizzani’s absurd Twitter rant over Wolves’ use of agents in the transfer window.
Goncalves was linked with a season-long loan deal to Wolves last summer.
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Should Leeds pursue the youngster?
Leeds fans have often been frustrated by the amount of signings they make from lower tier European leagues, but this one would be too good to pass up. Goncalves is a major talent, and to contribute to 16 goals from the wing at such a young age is impressive in any league.
There has been a real lack of pace, excitement and creative spark at Elland Road this season, and with Pablo Hernandez looking likely to leave when his contract runs out, Goncalves would bring everything Hernandez did and more.
The speedy youngster is skilful, surprisingly strong, and an excellent crosser and set piece taker. He even grabbed an assist in one of his three Primeira Liga starts for the senior Benfica side and was trusted to make four Champions League starts. The 21 year-old is still waiting for his first senior international cap, but has represented Portugal at U15, U16, U17, U18 and U19 level.
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Goncalves may be a rough diamond, but he is a diamond nonetheless. If Radrizzani does indeed plan to follow Wolves’ transfer model as he indicated on TalkSport last week, then the Portuguese youngster would be an excellent starting point.
Leeds fans, would you like to see a move for Goncalves this summer? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below…
It may feel like it’s winter counter-part only slammed shut yesterday, but the January transfer window is already upon us, in what often constitutes a rather chaotic time of year for Premier League clubs.
And it looks set to be a busy one for Tottenham; they’re reportedly planning a winter clear-out to make way for new signings, so we should see some movement on both the inward and outward front at White Hart Lane this month.
There’s certainly some lingering transfer issues that require Maurico Pochettino’s attention and, being the helpful bunch we are at Football Fancast, we’ve outlined the FIVE we view as the most important. So without further ado…
SHIFTING THE DEADWOOD
Football – SL Benfica v Tottenham Hotspur – UEFA Europa League Third Round Second Leg – Estadio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal – 13/14 – 20/3/14Tottenham Hotspur’s Nacer Chadli (L) and Aaron Lennon applaud the fans at the end of the gameMandatory Credit: Action Images / Paul ChildsEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
Tottenham’s squad is far too large and before the Lilywhites can consider bringing more bodies in, having already added summer signing DeAnre Yedlin to their roster (officially) this month, they need to get rid of the ever-mounting deadwood.
Spurs now have five players capable of playing at left-back for example, Jan Vertonghen, Danny Rose, Ben Davies, Kyle Naughton and Benoit Assou-Ekotto, which is far too many, and in my opinion the latter two should be cut loose this month to make way for new recruits. There isn’t too much interest in the Cameroonian, but Swansea have been linked with a £4million bid for Naughton this week – not a huge sum, but certainly a decent contribution to the kitty.
Likewise, Aaron Lennon appears to be edging closer towards the White Hart Lane exit door with Stoke City mooted as likely suitors. The occasional England international has perhaps been unfortunate to slump down the pecking order over the last 18 months with many positive attributes to his game – particularly, work-rate, pace and experience – but he’s clearly not to Mauricio Pochettino’s specific taste and for that reason alone, may as well be moved on.
Moussa Dembele, linked with Everton earlier this term, is another candidate for the scrapheap, having made just four Premier League starts this season, as are defenders Vlad Chiriches and Younes Kaboul, whilst few tears would be shed if the Lilywhites said goodbye to goal-shy striker Emmanuel Adebayor this month.
CUTTING LOSSES
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Paulinho, Erik Lamela and Roberto Soldado constitute the three largest signings in Tottenham history, but none have hit the heights expected since moving to White Hart Lane in summer 2013 and it might be time for the north Londoners to consider cutting losses – before their market values depreciate even further.
Indeed, the former Spain international has gone on to record just three goals from open play in the Premier League, the Argentine has only ever shown glimpses of his true ability and the Brazilian, in addition to enduring a terrible World Cup campaign, tends to be a rather anonymous figure compared to the dynamic nature of your average Premier League midfielder.
Lamela’s future seems safe for now; he’s struggled to adapt to the Premier League but the 22 year-old was always viewed as a long-term investment.
Soldado and Paulinho, however, may not be so lucky. Combined, they cost Spurs a whopping £43million and the Lane outfit need some of that money back.
The former has been linked with a move to Sevilla this month, as part of a swap deal for Los Che’s star centre-forward Carlos Bacca, which would at least save Tottenham some face even if it doesn’t improve their bank balance.
Meanwhile, there’s quite a bit of demand for the latter this month, with The Independent claiming Inter Milan, Schalke and former club Corinthians could all be interested in the £12million-rated midfielder.
Admittedly however, the Lilywhites may be better off waiting until the summer.
Signing players that fit Pochettino’s philosophy
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Tottenham can be considered more guilty than most of making signings that don’t fit any particular philosophy, in-part due to them having three different managers in the last year.
The current complexion of the starting XI says it all, with Harry Kane, Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason regularly included over players the Lilywhites spent untold fortunes on in transfer fees and wages, such as Mousa Dembele, Paulinho, Etienne Capoue, Roberto Soldado and Emmanuel Adebayor, predominantly due to them lacking the energy and mentality to perform well under Mauricio Pochettino’s high-pressing ethos.
The Argentine wasn’t given the support he needed during the summer window, operating on a budget of just £30million and many signings seemingly made beyond his control. But after a string of impressive results in his first six months at White Hart Lane, he deserves full licence to land targets of his own discretion this January.
So who could Tottenham sign, better fitting of the Pochettino ethos? In my opinon, Aston Villa star Fabian Delph, who shares the gritty, lung-bursting styles of Mason and Kane, would be a perfect addition.
He’s developed hugely over the year or so, earning the Villain of the Year award last term and more recently a spot in the England squad, and could be snapped up on the cheap this window, with just six months remaining on his current contract.
According to Mirror Football, Liverpool are plotting a £7.5million bid for the tenacious contract rebel – a figure the Lilywhites can easily match.
Sign another striker or rely on Harry Kane?
The story of the season so far at White Hart Lane has, of course, been the sensational rise of Harry Kane, emerging from the peripheries of the squad to become the club’s top scorer with 18 goals across all competitions, including eight in the Premier League.
Yet, Kane’s superfluous form can’t last forever; right now he’s high on confidence, seemingly fuelled by his undying support from the White Hart Lane faithful, but eventually he’ll hit a dry patch.
At which point, the Lilywhites will be forced to depend upon Emmanuel Adebayor and Roberto Soldado (assuming they aren’t sold this January), who have scored just three Premier League goals combined this term.
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Thus, Mauricio Pochettino must decide whether he’s prepared to rely upon Kane’s form for the remainder of the campaign or needs to bolster his striking options this January.
One target already mooted is Fenerbahce forward Emmanuel Emenike, who boasts a strong return of 14 goals in 40 league outings for the Turkish club.
The Express alleged an £8million bid last week, whilst, adding further weight to continuing speculation, the Nigerian international has been spotted in London this month with his agent.
Goodbye to another Spurs skipper?
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Tottenham said goodbye to long-term captain Matt Dawson in the summer as the former England international made his way to Hull City, and they could do so again this month in the form of Younes Kaboul – just five months after his official appointment.
Indeed, Maurico Pochettino gave the Frenchman the nod at the start of the campaign but he’s not started a Premier League fixture since the beginning of November, with the Spurs gaffer preferring centre-back partnership Federico Fazio and Jan Vertonghen – the defensive bedrock behind Tottenham’s improved results in recent weeks.
I’ve never been too fond of Kaboul, a centre-half prepared to rely on his pace and strength to make up for mistakes, rather than preventing them with the subtler powers of positioning and anticipation, so I wouldn’t mind seeing the Lilywhites skipper leave this month.
He’s already been linked with a move to Besiktas by the Daily Mail as part of Tottenham’s alleged winter clearout, but the report claims Spurs will have to reduce their asking price somewhat to complete the deal.
It’s hardly as if Benoit Assou-Ekotto is particularly easy to miss at the best of times at Tottenham Hotspur. But if there was ever any danger of the 28-year-old’s recent return to the team going unnoticed, then his typically blunt comments upon regaining full-fitness suggested that he’s certainly not lost any of his bite.
Ever the master of subtlety, the former Lens man certainly wasn’t mucking around when it was put to him whether fellow full-back Kyle Naughton offered much in the way of competition for the left-back berth.
“He’s not a real left-back,” mused Assou-Ekotto following the 1-1 draw with Manchester United last month.
“I don’t think he has the same left foot as me, so I’m not worried about that [being kept out the team].”
“I’m not worried because obviously I can do stuff with my left foot that he can’t do.”
To the neutral, such observations may well seem like the comments of a potentially volatile dressing-room ego, but for those who have followed his journey in North London, it’s simply par for the course.
Similarly to his now infamous comments about football not being his passion, Assou-Ekotto’s recent quips are more brutal honesty than callous disregard. After all, as a right-footed fullback playing on the left side out of necessity as much as anything else, of course Naughton can’t produce the sort of magic on his left as the cultured Assou-Ekotto can.
He’s certainly not pulling any punches, but following his near on four-month absence with a knee injury, it appears Assou-Ekotto means business upon his return to Andre Villas-Boas’ side. Although while statements of intent and no-nonsense attitudes are all very well, he needs to back it up with the performances, to boot.
And although supporters can’t realistically expect instant results after such a long spell of time on the sidelines, the former-Lens man is going to have to hit the ground running sooner, rather than later.
Spurs’ 2-1 FA Cup defeat to Leeds United last Sunday didn’t represent a realistic barometer for the side’s collective defensive efforts this term, but it certainly gave Villas-Boas some real food for thought.
Given Steven Caulker’s age and Jan Vertonghen’s status as a debutant in this league, it’s perhaps understandable that the pair aren’t looking like quite the defenders they were earlier on within the term. Yet while supporters can perhaps afford their central defensive unit a spot of patience, the same might not be able to be said for the club’s fullbacks.
The lack of depth at both right-back and left-back berths has been something of an Achilles heel for the club so far this season and although their lack of depth has been affected by circumstance as much as self-infliction, it’s something which must be addressed soon. Assou-Ekotto’s return could well be the remedy that helps them shuffle the pack for the better.
Alongside Younes Kaboul, Assou-Ekotto’s injury after three league games this season was the loss that sent the house of cards tumbling down. With no real, out-and-out left-back available to the club following the ex-Lens man’s injury, Villas-Boas was forced to push his central defensive rock in Jan Vertonghen out to left-back. As well as weakening the side through the middle, it also weakened the side out wide.
Yet the long-heralded solution of wheeling out Kyle Naughton at left-back has perhaps left the side with more questions than answers. Vertonghen may be no natural left-back, but it’s been difficult to see at times whether Naughton has really been anything nearing a step-up. Considering the ex-Sheffield United product is a right-back by nature, supporters have been keen to give him the benefit of the doubt.
But in returning to the side, Assou-Ekotto could potentially offer a short-term solution to the right side of defensive affairs, too. Kyle Walker’s troubles this season have been well documented, but for all his struggles to replicate his stunning form of last-season, there’s been little in the way of a ‘Plan B’ for Villas-Boas to utilize.
With Naughton now free to move back over into his natural position, now could be the time to take Walker out of the side. Whether Naughton has what it takes to pose a realistic threat to Walker in the long-term, only time will tell.
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Although if Spurs are going to continue their push for Champions League qualification, they’ve got to start shoring things up at full-back and that has to start with a return to form for Benoit Assou-Ekotto. From what we’ve seen so far since his return, the Cameroon international is understandably a little rusty and after four months out, supporters would be naïve to expect an instantaneous return to form.
Yet while craving more than simply a return to full fitness might seem like it’s asking a lot from the man known as ‘Disco Benny,’ now’s the time for Spurs’ eccentric left-back to really stand up and be counted. Before he picked up his injury, Assou-Ekotto’s performances hardly set the world on fire and despite enjoying a generally good term last season, his form gradually seemed to erode away as the weeks went on.
Supporters need to see a fully fit Assou-Ekotto, but also a focused, mature and error-free left-back return to the side. He can’t shed the flair and the ball-playing nous, but with the club crying out for stability and experience in their back four, they can’t be treated to much more of the bizarre decision making, the cheap loss of possession and the other self-indulgent elements that adorn his game.
Tottenham Hotspur need Benoit Assou-Ekotto firing on all cylinders during the second half of the season. And perhaps to a lesser extent, for the sake of his White Hart Lane career, the player requires the same thing, too.
Azhar will continue to a member of the selection committee for the men’s national team
ESPNcricinfo staff22-Nov-2024Former Pakistan captain Azhar Ali has been appointed head of youth development at the PCB. The newly created role was filled, according to the PCB, after a recruitment process and Azhar will perform it in addition to his current role as a member of the selection committee for the men’s national team.While light on specific details of what the role entails, a PCB statement said Azhar would be “tasked with shaping the future of Pakistan cricket by designing and implementing comprehensive youth cricket strategies, establishing robust grassroots cricket structures and talent pathways, collaborating with regional cricket associations to strengthen age-group programmes, educating emerging cricketers under the PCB’s Pathways Programme, and organising seminars and clinics to build awareness of off-field development essentials for aspiring players”.Azhar is one of the more obvious examples of a success story through the player pathway programme in Pakistan.He made his first-class debut in 2002, and was part of Pakistan’s Under-19 World Cup squad that year. He went on to hone his game in the UK before returning to Pakistan, making his Test debut in 2010, and became a Pakistan great, scoring 7142 Test runs at an average of 42.26, and briefly captained both Pakistan’s Test and ODI sides.”I am honoured and excited to take on this important role,” Azhar told the PCB’s website. “Having risen through the age-group ranks and played extensive club and domestic cricket, I understand the critical role grassroots development plays in shaping future stars.”Significant strides have already been made in this area and I look forward to working with my colleagues to elevate our youth development programme further. Our goal is to identify promising talent and equip them with the tools to excel at the highest level.”Pakistan’s U-19 side is currently involved in a triangular series in the UAE, with Afghanistan as the third side.
A decision on his place in the squad will be taken early next week
ESPNcricinfo staff20-Sep-2023Tim Southee will undergo surgery on Thursday for the thumb injury he sustained against England last week and New Zealand remain hopeful he could still be available the World Cup.Southee dislocated and fractured his right thumb attempting to take a catch at slip offered by Joe Root at Lord’s. A decision on his availability will be taken early next week.”We’ve got our fingers crossed the surgery goes well for Tim,” head coach Gary Stead said. “He’ll have some pins or screws inserted in his right thumb and, providing the procedure is a success, it will be a matter of ensuring Tim can tolerate the pain and manage the actual wound when returning to train and play.Related
Southee fractures bone in right thumb during Lord's ODI
“Our opening game of the World Cup against England is not until Thursday October 5 in Ahmedabad, so that would be our logical target in terms of his availability.”Tim’s obviously a hugely experienced and important figure in our team and we want to give him every chance to be part of this World Cup campaign.”Southee is New Zealand’s third-highest wicket-taker in ODIs with 214 at 33.60 and has played in three previous World Cups.He was one of four specialist quicks named in New Zealand’s squad alongside Trent Boult, Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson. Kane Williamson is also part of the squad as he returns from an ACL injury although when he becomes available is still uncertainNew Zealand play two warm-up matches on September 29 against Pakistan and October 2 against South Africa.Five of the World Cup squad are currently part of the ODI series in Bangladesh while the rest will depart for India next Tuesday.
There had been speculation about his future in the format since he took a break
Mohammad Isam17-Jul-2022Tamim Iqbal has announced his retirement from T20Is shortly after leading the ODI side to a 3-0 series win over West Indies in Guyana. Bangladesh won the match by four wickets, with Tamim winning the player-of-the-series award. At around 6pm local time, he wrote a short message on his official Facebook page, posting in Bangla saying, “consider me retired from T20 internationals from today. Thanks everyone.”It ends speculations over the last several weeks about his decision to continue playing the format he had taken a break from in January this year. He said at the time that he is going to take a break of six months from T20Is.”My full focus will be on Tests and ODIs,” Tamim said on January 27 this year. “We are preparing for the World Test Championship and qualification for the 2023 World Cup. I will not be thinking about T20Is in the next six months. I hope that those playing will do so well, that the team won’t need me in T20Is. But if God forbid the team or cricket board needs me, and I am ready, I will possibly think about it.”Related
Tamim becomes first Bangladesh batter to reach 8000 ODI runs
Tamim Iqbal steps away from T20Is for next six months
Tamim Iqbal drops out of T20 World Cup, says other players deserve a chance
Tamim had kept himself away from this format since the middle of last year when he made the surprising decision to voluntarily pull out of contention from the T20 World Cup in the UAE. Tamim stepped away to give Soumya Sarkar and Mohammad Naim an extended run as openers, although both failed and were later dropped from the T20I side.Tamim last played a T20I in March 2020 when he made 41 off 33 balls against Zimbabwe. He was criticised in some quarters in the T20I series before that, in Pakistan, when he made 65 off 53 balls.Instead, Tamim has flourished in the other formats, leading Bangladesh to five consecutive ODI series wins including the one against West Indies that concluded on Saturday.Tamim was a regular in the Bangladesh T20I side from 2007 to 2018, having played 75 out of 84 possible games for the side. He remains the only batter with a century for Bangladesh, finishing as the third highest run-scorer with 1701 runs at 24.65 average. Tamim is likely to play in domestic T20 competitions. He is the all-time leading run-scorer in the BPL, having played in every season of the tournament.
Test opener returns to club where he earned his route back to Australia squad in 2019
ESPNcricinfo staff10-Mar-2021
Cameron Bancroft, the Australia Test opener, will return to Durham for the 2021 season, the club has announced.Bancroft captained Durham in both the County Championship and One Day Cup in 2019, prior to his call-up for that summer’s Ashes squad, and was described by the club’s director of cricket, Marcus North, as having a “positive influence” during his time with the club.Bancroft scored 726 runs at 45.37 in nine Championship games that season, and a further 377 runs at 94.25 in List A cricket, performances that helped to smooth his way back into the Test set-up after serving a nine-month ban for his role in Australia’s ball-tampering scandal in 2018.After missing out on the 2020 season due to the Covid-19 outbreak, Bancroft will return to Chester-le-Street once he has completed his Sheffield Shield campaign with Western Australia.”We are really pleased to welcome Cameron back to Emirates Riverside this summer,” North said. “He had a positive influence on and off the field during his time with us in 2019.He is currently having a fantastic summer down under for Western Australia and we look forward to him having a big impact for Durham when he re-joins the squad in May.”
New-look seam attack restrict New Zealand to sub-par 153 for 5 in series opener
The Report by George Dobell01-Nov-2019England 154 for 3 (Vince 59, Santner 3-23) beat New Zealand 153 for 5 (Taylor 44) by seven wickets A maiden T20I half-century from James Vince helped a new-look England get their New Zealand tour off to a winning start in Christchurch.Despite taking the opportunity to look at three debutants – Sam Curran, Pat Brown and Lewis Gregory – England ensured the reign of new head coach, Chris Silverwood, got off to a winning start in sealing a sixth successive T20I victory. For a side experimenting with fringe candidates a year out from the T20 World Cup, it was a satisfying performance.There were some dissenting voices when Vince, now 28 and playing his 35th international game across formats for England, was recalled. But when he bats like this, combining composure with an ability to time the ball that few can match, it is easy to see why the selectors have
found it so hard to cut him adrift.James Vince pulls through the leg side•Getty Images
Here, demonstrating a range of conventional strokes, Vince controlled the run-chase perfectly. From the moment he hit his first delivery for
four, a classy square drive of Mitchell Santner, he batted with a fluency no other batsman in the game could replicate. Using his feet to pace and spin alike, he made it hard for New Zealand’s bowlers to settle on a length and hit as many fours – seven – as their batsmen managed in their entire innings.But while Vince may dominate the headlines, this was a result set up by a skilful display from England’s bowlers. Maintaining immaculate lines and lengths, they varied their paces cleverly to keep New Zealand to a total perhaps 20 under par on a surface that was a little sluggish – understandably, too: this is the earliest date an international game has been played in New Zealand’s South Island – but which offered bowlers little.The opening pair of Sam and Tom Curran conceded just seven from the first three overs of the match – Tom Curran started with a maiden – to ensure New Zealand were unable to make full use of the Powerplay. And while Sam Curran’s figures were dented by a third over that cost 21 – Colin Munro punishing Morgan’s decision to extend the bowler’s spell with two successive sixes – he had already snared the key wicket of a frustrated Guptill, playing-on as he looked to force the pace.It was a decent start from Brown, too. Bowling at the death, he showed both his skills and his composure, conceding two sixes but no fours,
and claiming a notable maiden international wicket when Ross Taylor mistimed a slower ball to deep midwicket. The third debutant, Lewis
Gregory, was not required with bat or ball, though looked just a touch nervous in the field.Pat Brown made his England debut•Getty Images
But perhaps Chris Jordan was the pick of the bowlers. While Tim Seifert may have been unlucky with his dismissal – replays suggested the full toss he scooped to mid-wicket was perilously close to waist height – Jordan demonstrated a good range of pace, good control and a willingness to bowl both in the Powerplay and at the death.That New Zealand were able to set anything like a competitive target was largely due to a fifth-wicket stand of 56 in 38 balls between Ross
Taylor and Daryl Mitchell. Mitchell hit the ball as hard as anyone but, coming in at 93 for 4 in the 14th over, had been left too much to do to get New Zealand up to a match-winning total. Only four overs in New Zealand innings realised more than 10 runs; only one realised more
than 13.Any hopes that New Zealand may have enough were quickly banished. Jonny Bairstow may have taken eight balls to get off the mark, but he then took 18 – three fours and a six – off Scott Kuggeleijn’s first over. So while Santner, with his changes of pace, troubled England with three wickets, the support bowlers – Kuggeleijn and Ish Sodhi – were unable to maintain the pressure.When Bairstow, brilliantly caught by Martin Guptill at deep mid-wicket after he had been drawn into slog-sweeping one well outside off stump, and then Vince, mistiming a long-hop in the same direction, fell New Zealand may have harboured hopes of a dramatic fightback. But Eoin
Morgan was too experienced to allow that and sealed the result with a heave over midwicket off Tim Southee with nine deliveries remaining.
The result puts England one-up in the five-match series.At the post-match press conference, Mitchell conceded that New Zealand were about 10 short of a par score. “We would’ve liked to have done better but I think England probably adapted better to the pitch than we did. It was tough to start on, was a bit two-paced and a bit slow. We lost a few wickets straight after the Powerplay there which halted our momentum a bit and we had to play catch up but fair play to England. They might have been a bit more match-fit having played a couple of warm up games and hopefully we’ll learn from this and be ready for the next one.”The match was preceded by a minute’s silence for those who lost their lives in the terrorist attack of March 15 in the city. All proceeds from ticket sales at the match are to be to donated to a fund to encourage the participation of ethnic minorities in sport.
Netravalkar made his captaincy debut in USA’s last match against Belize and has been assigned the role until the tour of Oman for the Division Three Championship in November
Peter Della Penna03-Oct-2018Ibrahim Khaleel, who captained USA to victory over Canada in the 2017 Auty Cup to end a 26-year drought and more recently led USA to the tournament title at the ICC World T20 Subregional Americas Qualifier in North Carolina last week, has been dropped from USA’s 16-man squad for the Cricket West Indies Super50.Former India Under-19 medium pacer Saurabh Netravalkar, who made his captaincy debut in USA’s final match in North Carolina against Belize as a stand-in for the rested Khaleel, has been chosen to take over full-time for the Super50 and USA’s tour to Oman for WCL Division Three in November.
USA squad
Saurabh Netravalkar (capt), Alex Amsterdam, Usman Ashraf, Elmore Hutchinson, Nosthush Kenjige, Jannisar Khan, Jaskaran Malhotra, Monank Patel, Timil Patel, Kyle Phillip, Srini Salver, Roy Silva, Jessy Singh, Sunny Sohal, Steven Taylor, David Wakefield
Khaleel, who turns 36 next week, is one of a handful of USA players who had T20 franchise contracts in the Caribbean Premier League this summer as well as in the Global T20 Canada, but has paid the price for scoring five runs in two innings in North Carolina. He was USA’s third highest scorer with 142 runs on tour and a best of 61 in the CWI Super50 played in February in Barbados, USA’s most recent 50-over tour.But Khaleel’s overall 50-over batting record for USA was modest, with 392 runs in 21 matches at an average of 19.60. He was arguably USA’s best pure gloveman of the past decade, though it wasn’t enough of a benefit in the eyes of USA’s selection panel to justify maintaining his spot. His departure means Jaskaran Malhotra will take over the gloves in the immediate future for USA. Malhotra was USA’s leading scorer this past January at the Super50 with 277 runs. He was named Best Batsman at the Subregional Americas Qualifier after scoring his maiden century for USA against Belize and kept wicket in the match that Netravalkar filled in for Khaleel as captain.”There were some incredibly tough decisions to be made following the tournament in Raleigh, of which the decision regarding Ibrahim was one of them,” said USA selection chairman Ricardo Powell in a press release. “On behalf of the selection committee, I would like to express a sincere and heartful [sic] thanks to Ibrahim for his leadership over the past thirteen months.”Netravalkar, 26, did not have a sharp tournament in North Carolina either, with just two wickets in six matches at an average of 45.50 against weak competition. However, he was USA’s joint-leading wicket taker in February at the last Super50 with 13 wickets in eight games on his USA tournament debut and has been given the captaincy nod ahead of others in a side where few other senior players have managed to make convincing cases for holding down a long-term spot in the team.Fast bowler Ali Khan is the only other player from the T20 squad picked for North Carolina who will be absent from the Super50 tour of Barbados after Khan was drafted by Kabul in the inaugural Afghanistan Premier League which starts this weekend in the UAE. However, Khan is expected to be a member of USA’s WCL Division Three squad in Oman beginning on November 9 where USA will also face Denmark, Kenya, Singapore and Uganda needing a top-two finish to gain promotion to WCL Division Two.Steven Taylor drives over cover for a boundary to move past 1,000 career one-day runs for USA•Peter Della Penna
On the flip side, Steven Taylor became available for USA’s squad after he was not included in Jamaica’s playing group for the Super50. Taylor played for Jamaica in February’s Super50 and has had a contract with the Jamaica Scorpions franchise since 2017 but has seen limited playing time in both the four-day and 50-over teams. He was recently named Player of the Tournament after helping USA to the Subregional Americas T20 title in North Carolina, including an unbeaten 96 off 54 balls in a two-wicket win over Canada on September 25 in which he clubbed 22 off the final over.The three players added to USA’s squad for the Super50 to push their case for inclusion in USA’s final 14 that will go to Oman are batsman Alex Amsterdam and medium pacers Jessy Singh and Kyle Phillip. Amsterdam, 27, last played for USA at the previous Division Three tournament in Uganda in May 2017, making 102 runs in four innings with a best of 41.Singh, 25, also has not played since Division Three in Uganda after requiring reconstructive knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus and torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee suffered in the leadup to that tour. Singh played through the injury, taking the clinching wicket against Uganda that saved USA from relegation, before a post-tournament MRI scan revealed the extent of the damage.Phillip, 21, has only recently qualified on residency to play for USA after moving to Florida from Trinidad & Tobago. The towering quick, Phillip stands roughly 6’6″, poses a threat with his sharp height and bounce at 135 kph and was the only other USA player besides Khaleel and Khan to be drafted in this past summer’s Global T20 Canada. He was team-mates with Khan at Winnipeg Hawks and played four matches but is still a very raw prospect and struggles with his accuracy at times.USA’s squad departs Wednesday for Barbados where they will play eight matches in a double round-robin group that includes Barbados, Jamaica, Leeward Islands and Combined Campuses & Colleges. USA’s first match is against CCC on Saturday October 6.