Sussex have strongly denied media reports linking Mushtaq Ahmed with a move to Warwickshire at the end of the summer.A terse statement from Sussex made clear that no formal approach had been made by Warwickshire and that “if an approach has been made directly to the player the club is unaware of this and the approach would therefore it would be deemed an illegal under the current ECB regulations”.With the number of overseas players allowed reduced to one per county from 2008, Sussex have to chose between, Mushtaq and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan. The county stated that they were in discussion with Mushtaq regarding his future.
Left-armer Nayan Doshi has joined Warwickshire on a short-term contract until the end of the summer. He walked out on Surrey last month.
The explosive Leah Poulton is set to make her senior debut for Australia after the squad was announced for the upcoming Rose Bowl series against New Zealand at Brisbane. Poulton, a top-order batsman, is a former captain of Australia under-19s and has been named in place of her New South Wales team-mate Alex Blackwell, who is carrying a knee injury. It is the only change in the 13-player squad to the side which whitewashed India in the Test and one-day series in February.A strong year with the bat earned Poulton the senior call-up; she struck 325 runs in the domestic league, at an average of 32.50. “She is a talented player with a free-flowing game,” explained the chairman of selectors, Margaret Jennings, “and we are keen to see how she performs against New Zealand, whom we expect to provide some very tough competition.” Australia are the current holders of the trophy.The series comprises five one-dayers and the first women’s Twenty20 in Australia, which kicks off the tour on October 18. All ties will take place at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane.Squad Karen Rolton (capt), Lisa Sthalekar, Sarah Andrews, Kate Blackwell, Melissa Bulow, Cathryn Fitzpatrick, Michelle Goszko, Julie Hayes, Shelley Nitschke, Kirsten Pike, Leah Poulton, Jodie Purves, Clea Smith.
Points TableDurham failed to post a challenging total for Somerset, on another excellent pitch at Taunton, as Somerset cruised to victory by five wickets to retain hopes of promotion. Opening the bowling for Somerset, the left-armer Robert Woodman, who made his debut, bowled a superb length and consistently troubled Durham’s batsmen, particular the left-handers, with late swing. Dale Benkenstein hit an unbeaten 60, and Mike Hussey 43, but Somerset set about the target of 223 with aggression. Man-of-the-match Matt Wood hit an attractive 76 from 80 balls, and despite Gareth Breese picking up two wickets, Somerset walked home with two-and-a-half overs to spare.Leicestershire nearly slipped up against Sussex, but a defiant 92 from Dinesh Mongia saw the home side through by five wickets, with seven balls to spare. Sussex crashed to 44 for 4, but rebuilt through Mike Yardy, 58, and Carl Hopkinson who made 39. Veteran Ottis Gibson took 4-39. Leicestershire in reply then lost 101 for 4, and when Snape was out (102 for 5), Sussex’s score of 186 suddenly looked more than reasonable. Mongia stood firm, however, striking eight fours and a six as Leicestershire moved into second place of Division Two. Despite the loss, Sussex remain top.
Reacting to the news that Muttiah Muralitharan was threatening to sue him, Bishan Singh Bedi was unperturbed. “I’m entitled to my opinion,” he said. “In my opinion, he doesn’t conform to the laws of the game and the ICC is squarely to blame for allowing him to get away with it,” said Bedi, in an interview with The Hindustan Times.An Associated Press report had quoted Murali’s manager, Kushil Gunasekera, as saying that a few of Bedi’s articles had been sent to his lawyers. When asked about it, Bedi said, “I have no lawyers. Let them send a letter, they will have to send a million letters to various people. They have to realise that I have nothing personal against Muralitharan.””I have never met him, never said hello, never shaken hands with him,” said Bedi. “How can I have something against him personally? I am talking about the spirit of the game being violated.”Bedi added that the fault lay with the International Cricket Council for allowing Murali to carry on with such an action. And he reiterated that Murali wasn’t the only one with a dubious action, and that the ICC was letting them off too easily.”The problem is not with the bowlers, it lies in the ICC’s inefficiency to control them,” he said. “What is the ICC up to anyway?”
MELBOURNE, March 8 AAP – Victoria is seven wickets from an outright win over Western Australia in their Pura Cup cricket match at the MCG, but it would be an empty win.Brad Hodge, who posted his highest first-class score today of 183, reflected the mood of his team-mates when he said: “It just feels awful not to be in the final.”New South Wales’ win over Queensland today at the SCG meant the Blues secured second spot on the Cup ladder ahead of Victoria.The Victorians arranged for the MCG scoreboard not to post updates from the SCG, so they could concentrate on their match, but the news at the breaks today was grim.”That was pretty disheartening, really – we tried not to listen to what was going on, but obviously everyone takes a bit of notice,” Hodge said.While pleased to end a disappointing summer well, Hodge was also dirty on himself to miss a double century.He top-scored in Victoria’s 486, which gave the home side first-inning points in reply to WA’s 275.WA was 3-88 at stumps with one day left, still needing 123 to make the home side bat again.”We owe it to ourselves to try to win,” Hodge said, adding WA had beaten Victoria three times this summer.The one bright spot for Hodge today was being able to shut up captain Darren Berry, who had chided him for having a top score of only 140.”It’s been a goal of mine for a fair while and Darren Berry also brings it up that he has a higher score than what I have – he hasn’t any more,” said Hodge, who counted down to 166 and then waved to Berry once that monkey was off his back.”I was just really determined to do well because I’ve been under a fair bit of pressure (lately).”Victoria batted until tea, with Berry making 49, Jon Moss chipping in with 47 and Cameron White adding 27.Coach David Hookes had no qualms about making WA wait for its second innings.”I don’t think (WA captain) Justin Langer would have given us Jack shit if we were in Perth in the same situation on a 40-degree day, and neither should he,” Hookes said.”Our priority, regardless of what was happening north of the Murray, was to win the game….I think Chuck (Berry) did the right thing.”Victoria’s form tapered after Christmas, while NSW surged, and Hookes conceded several of his pacemen “ran out of juice” in terms of fitness.He said it would be a “fair assessment” to rate Queensland and New South Wales the best two sides in the Cup.Hookes also wants a change to the MCG wickets next season, saying it is too difficult to gain results.”You could argue that’s the best pitch of the year…but I don’t think that necessarily suits the way we play,” Hookes said of the slow, even deck for this match.”You don’t want to be fighting, fighting, fighting for a late fourth day result, five times out of five.”
After seeing his side end the day on 291 for 6 at Taunton Somerset Coach Kevin Shine told me: “It was a good end to the day for us. ‘Dutchy’ and ‘Noddy’ played very well for us.”When asked about the innings of ‘keeper Rob Turner, who returned to form to end the day on 71 not out he said: “Rob is getting back to where he was two years ago. He’s decided to keep it as simple as possible,and as the old saying goes -‘if it isn’t broke why fix it’. Today he kept it simple and it worked.”
It may only be Wednesday but this has been another classic week in the life of a Manchester United fan.
Before their remarkable 4-4 draw with Bournemouth on Monday, Ruben Amorim had taken aim at two of the club’s academy players in the form of Harry Amass and Chido Obi.
Why he did that is anyone’s guess, but it’s certainly not the way you get players and indeed supporters onside. There’s never a dull moment at Old Trafford right now, eh?
That 4-4 draw was all rather silly. From a positive point of view, United’s forward line looked as good as it has done in years. The defence, however, is a different story. It’s a mess.
Perhaps signing a midfielder or two in January could help smooth things over.
Man United targeting a host of Premier League midfielders
Reports in recent months have suggested that two of INEOS’ key targets for 2026 are Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson.
However, it’s likely United will have to pay a premium for their services and alternatives are being sought.
One of those alternatives is said to be Bournemouth’s Tyler Adams, according to reports. Adams was named in the starting lineup by Andoni Iraola on Monday evening but his audition lasted just a matter of minutes when he hobbled off with an injury.
His replacement on the night was 22-year-old Alex Scott, the latest target said to be in Man United’s crosshairs.
That’s via Samuel Luckhurst of The Sun who reported at the beginning of the week that Old Trafford chiefs are now weighing up a move for Scott.
The report notes that United are ‘monitoring’ the player and could look to bring him in if Kobbie Mainoo leaves the club. The hope is that the Red Devils would only lose Mainoo on a loan deal for now.
Why Scott could be another Mainoo for Man Utd
Of course, all of the talk in recent months has been about Anderson and Wharton. If Amorim and Co could bring one of England’s top midfielders to the club then Old Trafford would be euphoric.
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Scott doesn’t represent a bad alternative, though. Recently handed his first England call-up by Thomas Tuchel for the November international break, it speaks volumes about his progression and potential. He really does stand a chance of being at the World Cup next summer.
Why? Well, the young midfielder has been making waves ever since he was at Bristol City in the Championship. In the 2022/23 campaign, he was awarded the second tier’s Young Player of the Year Award.
A move to Bournemouth followed and he’s quickly established himself as one of the most promising young players in the Premier League too. As Como scout Ben Mattinson put it, he has made the step between divisions “seamlessly.”
While he has only scored three goals and registered four assists during his time at the Vitality Stadium, this is a player who oozes class and brings a lot of poise to the middle of the park.
Hailed as the “Guernsey Grealish” by some, one United media personality stated during the game with Bournemouth on Monday that he “looked like prime [Roy] Keane”.
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As he battled his way through proceedings at Old Trafford, he was particularly strong in the duel and was always on the front foot, trying to play forward. That’s something United could certainly benefit from, particularly if he’s going to replace the forward-thinking Mainoo.
Scott vs Man Utd
Minutes played
85
Touches
39
Accurate passes
19/26 (73%)
Shots
2
Successful dribbles
1/1
Defensive contributions
5
Ground duels won
3/4
Aerial duels won
2/3
Stats via Sofascore.
A midfielder with a wide skillset, Scott ranks highly for some important metrics, notably when it comes to progressing the ball.
According to FBRef data, he sits inside the top 14% of midfielders in the Premier League for progressive carries per 90 minutes with 2.01, while he also ranks among the best 9% for successful take-ons with 1.01. He’s particularly adept at drawing a foul too, ranking inside the best 11% of positionally similar players in the top-flight for that metric.
Scott is also more than happy to do the dirty work, making 1.34 interceptions per 90, a stat that places him within the best 14% of midfielders.
So, he’s cut from a similar cloth as Mainoo. They both possess dynamic skillsets and while they don’t score a lot of goals, their impact on progressing and breaking up play makes them valuable players.
As bad as Shaw: Man Utd star had his worst game for the club vs Bournemouth
Manchester United drew again at Old Trafford in a frantic 4-4 draw with Bournemouth.
Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna has accused Norwich’s Bradley Johnson of deliberately trying to break his leg, after the France international suffered his second long-term injury in the space of six months on Saturday.
The full-back suffered a broken leg in the clash with the Canaries, and as a result will now miss Euro 2012.
The Gunners man has stated that he feels that Johnson targeted him on purpose and that the break was similar to the first injury.
“I think he did it on purpose,” Sagna told French newspaper L’Equipe, translated to English by The Daily Mail.
“He stepped on my leg right where the plate was. I think the plate pressured (the bone). It’s a neat break, just above the plate.
“When I tried to control the ball, I felt a crack, just like the first time at Tottenham.
‘That’s how it is. It’s football. I came back once, I will come back a second time. Even stronger,” he conceded.
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Newcastle will be boosted ahead of the 2011/12 season by the news that French international winger Hatem Ben Arfa has returned to full fitness.
The 24-year-old had a promising start to his career at St James’ Park, scoring the winner against Everton on his full debut, but broke his leg in a challenge with Manchester City’s Nigel de Jong back in October. The bulk of the player’s rehabilitation has occurred in Clairefontaine in his homeland, but the ex-Marseille midfielder has revealed he is fit and available for selection.
“It was a very serious injury, of course, and took a long time to recover from, but I’m 100% fit now,” he told the club’s official website.
“A lot of my recovery was done at Clairefontaine, the French football centre, where I was under the control of the doctor who did the operation back in October. I also came back to Newcastle for various updates with the club’s medical staff here, then back to Clairefontaine to continue the recovery, and I managed to get a couple of breaks in as well because you need that to keep the morale going.
“And now I’m no longer under the doctor, so all the hard work has paid off. It was a very, very difficult few months and I’m really happy that now it’s all over and I can get cracking. I’m really eager to get back,” he continued.
The Tyneside club have had a busy summer in the transfer market thus far, and have signed two French players in the form of Yohan Cabaye and Sylvain Marveaux, which is great news for Ben Arfa.
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“It’s good for my morale that we have signed such good players from France, players that I know and that I have played against. It’s going to be really good. I spoke to Sylvain Marveaux before he came here and it was a very good conversation. I told him it was the right place for Sylvain to come and I’m very glad he took my advice,” the Clamart born man concluded.
Newcastle open their 2011/12 Premier League campaign with a home game against Arsenal on August 13.
This week, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer announced that he will be ending his 14 year association with Manchester United and returning to manage his former club Molde. Over the years Solskjaer has provided Manchester United with some amazing memories, none more so than his winner in the Champions League final in 1999. Solskjaer, as a player and coach is adored by the Manchester United fans and it will be sad to see the Norwegian leave. However, the striker has left Manchester United with some great memories, and below is a selection of them.
v Bayern Munich, Champions League final, Barcelona 26/05/99
What more needs to be said?
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Continue to PAGE TWO for more Magic Solskjaer Moments…
v Liverpool, FA Cup, 24/01/99
A goal that kept the treble dream alive. Manchester United were trailing to Liverpool before an equaliser, and up stepped Solskjaer with nerves of steel to win the game and send Manchester United through. He wrong footed David James and nestled a 12 yard strike inside the near post. If United had lost that day, the season could have looked a lot different for United and Solskjaer.
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Continue to PAGE THREE for more Magic Solskjaer Moments…
v Nottingham Forrest, Premiership, 06/02/99
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored four goals inside 10 minutes at the City Ground. United had raced into a 4-1 lead against a diabolical Nottingham Forest side. Both Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke had scored two each but it was Solskjaer, from the bench, who was to grab a hat trick. The definitive super sub had just super sized the accepted parameters of his trade, and no cause would ever be lost again.
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Continue to PAGE FOUR for more Magic Solskjaer Moments…
v Charlton, Premiership, 23/08/06
The Norwegian knew that his playing time at Old Trafford was coming to an end due to persistent injuries. This was his last goal for Manchester United, and who could deny that he deserved his wish of one more. He saluted the Manchester United support, and in kind they saluted him back. Through three years of injury misery, he was motivated by scoring another goal for Manchester United – a true Manchester United legend.
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v Newcastle, Premiership, 18/04/98
Manchester United had lost ground in the title race and were looking to be loosing their grip on the Premier League title. Manchester United threw everyone forward for a late corner, but Newcastle in the shape of Rob Lee broke and was clear on goal. In an act of pure selflessness, Solskjaer chased Lee down – despite being 10 yards behind him. He hacked the midfielder down, and was shown the red card but it showed in an age of rampant egotism there were selfless footballers who would do their all to prevent a defeat. Maybe not his finest moment, but this act – or Manchester United fans at least – showed his commitment to the cause.