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Partnerships between Markram and de Zorzi and then Verreynne and Mulder help South Africa take a big lead

Firdose Moonda16-Aug-2024With a lead of 239 and five wickets in hand on a surface that got better to bat on as the day went on, South Africa put fingertips on the Sir Vivian Richards Trophy.Eight wickets fell on another action-packed day in Guyana where the advantage ebbed and flowed. South Africa took two early on but West Indies’ last pair got them close to drawing level in the first innings. Jason Holder and Shamar Joseph shared a 10th-wicket stand of 40 – the second-highest in the West Indian innings – to turn the match into all but a one-innings game and in that game, South Africa will feel they have the advantage.An opening stand of 79, half-centuries from Aiden Markram and Kyle Verreynne and an unbeaten 84-run sixth-wicket partnership between Verreynne and Wiaan Mulder – the highest of the series so far – all put South Africa in a strong position. But, with plenty of time left in the game, West Indies will not be too disheartened, especially as they have seen how quickly wickets fall early on.South Africa lost four in the first session of day one and West Indies three on day two, which could provide West Indies with an opportunity early on the third day. The pitch is expected to be at its best on the third afternoon and West Indies will want to be batting by then, especially with a big chase in their sights. Before they get there, West Indies will rely on their attack, particularly hometown hero Joseph, and Jayden Seales, who took 2 for 7 in his third spell, to get rid of South Africa’s middle and lower order. So far, they have held up well after a mini-collapse which saw South Africa lose 4 for 19 in nine overs after a solid start of 120 for 1.South Africa’s openers were tested upfront with seam movement from Seales and tight lines from Holder. Markram edged Holder short of first slip at the end of his first over but settled when he drove Seales for four through cover point five balls later. Tony de Zorzi was hit on the back pad by Seales and flirted with a run-out chance when he pushed a single off Holder but pulled Seales off his toes to announce himself. South Africa went to lunch unscathed on 30 without loss.Runs came quickly after the break and South Africa had more than doubled their morning score to 66 in 4.4 overs after the interval when they offered their first real chance. De Zorzi edged Holder to the left of wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva, who dived low to try and take the catch but could not hold on. De Zorzi was on 36 off 41 at the time and added only three runs off the next 31 balls he faced before he nicked off to give Seales a well-earned reward. De Zorzi punched his bat in frustration as he walked off when the opening stand was broken.Markram and Tristan Stubbs eked out six runs off the next four overs while they bided time but Stubbs’ patience seemed to be tested when he edged Gudakesh Motie past slip for three. Stubbs’ first boundary came off the 21st ball he faced when he reverse swept Motie through third but he did not look entirely comfortable at any point in the session. He survived an lbw appeal off Holder and held his end through to tea. Markram was lucky to get there when, on 42, he drove Motie to Alick Athanaze at silly mid-off but was put down. South Africa were 111 for 1 at the tea break, 127 runs ahead.Three overs into the final session, Markram reached 50 off 104 balls but seven balls after that was struck on the back foot to a Motie delivery that straightened and was given out lbw. Temba Bavuma could have been out on his third ball when he edged an away seamer from Joseph but it did not carry to slip. Motie had better luck when Bavuma went forward to a length ball, was hit on the pad. The umpire didn’t think it was out, but West Indies successfully reviewed to have the decision overturned.Jayden Seales and Gudakesh Motie brought about wickets in a cluster•AFP/Getty ImagesThat wicket sparked a mini-collapse. In the next over, Stubbs edged Seales to Da Silva and two overs after that David Bedingham was bowled to give Seales a second wicket in three overs and give the hosts a chance of keeping South Africa’s lead under 200. Mulder and Verreynne took them over that mark. They were in danger of being separated 12 minutes before the end of play when Mulder was given out lbw in Seales’ fourth spell but he reviewed and ball-tracking showed it was missing leg. The pair accelerated towards the end of the day with 26 runs off the last four overs, which included Verreynne’s fifty off 71 balls – his third in Test cricket. All of his half-centuries, and his only Test hundred so far, have come away from home.Earlier, the last-wicket stand between Holder and Joseph meant West Indies finished just 16 runs adrift of South Africa’s first-innings score of 160. After resuming on 97 for 7, Jomel Warrican chipped an overpitched delivery from Kagiso Rabada to Keshav Maharaj at mid-on to depart for a 16-ball duck.Left-arm seamer Nandre Burger shared the day’s opening duties with Rabada and started off bowling full but in his second over, began a short-ball assault to set up Seales. The first three deliveries of Burger’s third over of the day were increasingly short in length but his fourth was full on the stumps and Seales was struck on the pad and given out lbw.South Africa could have ended West Indies’ innings on the next ball when Joseph edged Burger to Markram at second slip but he could not hold on to a head height catch. The drop proved costly as Joseph went on to score 25 – but was dropped again on 15 by Mulder a third slip – and provided strong support to Holder, who approached the first hour of play with aggression. Holder hit the last ball of Mulder’s first over on the day over long-on for six, to bring up the first half-century of the match and his 14th in Tests. Joseph took on Burger, and hit his short ball behind square leg and past point and then, just for laughs, sent the full one out of the ground. In his first over of the morning, Maharaj beat Joseph’s sweep and had him out lbw and South Africa were batting again 90 minutes into the day.

The former Australia allrounder leaves his role as an assistant coach with Sydney Sixers

AAP14-Jun-2024

Former Australia white-ball captain Cameron White has been identified as the man to coach the Melbourne Renegades back into contention in the BBL.White has signed a three-year deal to replace David Saker, who moved on in May after a disappointing seventh-place finish in his third season at the helm.The 40-year-old White is taking on his first head-coaching job but has worked under Sydney Sixers boss Greg Shipperd for the past two years and was previously an assistant at the Adelaide Strikers.Related

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He inherits a Renegades roster that includes white-ball run-machine Jake Fraser-McGurk, superstar spinners Adam Zampa and Nathan Lyon and prized recruit Josh Brown.”I’ve got so many great memories here as a player and achieving success, so to be back in Renegades colours several years later is a thrill,” White said. “The idea of working with this playing group – some really exciting players there, both young and experienced – is really exciting. I’m really looking forward to ripping in and starting my journey as coach.”Renegades came out with pick two in the BBL overseas draft order announced on Thursday.As a player, White represented Australia 142 times across all three formats.  He was best known for his contributions as a middle-order batter in the white-ball sides.While his Test career was limited to four appearances on a 2008 tour of India, White captained the T20I side six times and the ODI side once, in 2011.He was also a member of the Australia side that beat New Zealand in the final to win the ICC Champions Trophy in 2009. Domestically, White played during the Renegades’ only BBL championship in 2019.Victoria’s longest-serving Sheffield Shield captain, White amassed more than 7000 first-class runs between his debut as a teenager in the 2000-2001 summer and his final match in 2019.

Aston Villa are now one to watch in the race for an “unbelievable” player, with Unai Emery considered a big admirer, according to a report.

Emery may have to reshape Villa squad this summer

There have been widespread reports suggesting that Emiliano Martinez may leave Villa before the start of the new campaign, and the goalkeeper is not the only player who could move on, with Youri Tielemans recently admitting his future is up in the air.

Speaking on international duty, the Belgian said: “There’s nothing definitive or ruled out about whether I’ll stay or leave. But I feel good at Aston Villa; I feel a lot of confidence from the club and the manager.”

As such, Unai Emery could be tasked with bringing in a new central midfielder this summer, while the manager may also have to bolster his attacking options, given that Marcus Rashford’s loan spell at Villa Park has now come to an end.

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ByRoss Kilvington Jun 10, 2025

Rashford featured at both centre-forward and left-wing during his time with the Villans, who have now made an approach for FC Porto striker Samu Aghehowa, while they are also one to watch in the race for Manchester City winger Jack Grealish.

That is according to a report from TEAMtalk, which has revealed that Emery is a big admirer of Grealish, with the manager in the belief the Englishman would add some creativity to his forward line, but there may be competition for the former Villa man.

Everton are now ready to hold talks over a deal for the left-winger, although the Toffees would only be able to orchestrate a loan deal, and Man City would have to be willing to pay a large amount of his huge £300k-a-week wages.

Newcastle United and Napoli are also in the race for the 29-year-old, with City willing to sanction a departure on the right terms this summer.

"Unbelievable" Grealish could reignite career back at Villa

Villa Park was, of course, the place where the Birmingham-born forward made a name for himself, but while he played a key role in Man City’s historic treble in the 2022-23 season, the England international’s career has stalled in recent times.

The City ace picked up just two goal contributions in the Premier League last season, having arguably regressed since the two seasons he spent in the top flight with his boyhood club.

Season

PL appearances

Goals

Assists

2019-20

36

8

6

2020-21

26

6

12

While he has failed to deliver for City in recent times, Villa fans will be well-aware the winger can be a top player on his day, given his previous exploits, and he has been lauded as “unbelievable” by Pep Guardiola.

Heading back to Villa Park would surely be of great appeal to Grealish, given that European football is set to be on offer next season, and the move could reignite his career.

Everton beat Fulham at Craven Cottage at the weekend to consolidate their position in mid-table. When David Moyes replaced Sean Dyche in January, the fear of relegation was a palpable thing indeed.

Trailing 1-0 when the fourth official displayed four minutes of stoppage time before the interval, Vitalii Mykolenko struck from outside the box and saw a wicked deflection get the better of Bernd Leno. Michael Keane and Beto struck in the second half to seal a fantastic win on the road.

Keane and Abdoulaye Doucoure (who assisted Mykolenko) are both out of contract next month but produced excellent performances to perhaps suggest they deserve a place at Bramley Moore next season.

However, not everyone facing an exit will have impressed the gaffer.

Everton's worst performers vs Fulham

Moyes knew when taking on the Everton job that he would face a deluge of contractual issues. The arrival of Angus Kinnear, Kevin Thelwell’s replacement in the directors box, makes that task less daunting, but it’s a big one nonetheless.

Keane and Doucoure might be getting on, taking a considerable portion of the wage bill besides, but they are still capable of adding depth and experience to a Blues side fighting for higher ground. However, Ashley Young, 39, is a spring chicken no more and proved that much on Saturday.

The right-back languished against the fleet feet of Alex Iwobi and Ryan Sessegnon, still showing off some creativity but being branded with a 5/10 match rating by The Liverpool ECHO, who echoed that sentiment.

Jack Harrison might be a decade younger, but he’s no less expendable. The loanee is about to complete his second year on Merseyside but has ebbed back on multiple occasions this season, with just one goal and one assist across 36 matches in 2024/25.

He too received a 5/10 score from the ECHO, struggling against a Fulham side that limited him to an houer on the field, hooked so that Moyes’ side could achieve more fluency and security in their game.

At least these players earned starting roles. There’s another whose afternoon was spent on the bench. Armando Broja has been unfortunate with injuries this year, but there’s no way Everton should be looking to turn his loan move into a permanent deal this summer.

Moyes must instantly ditch Armando Broja

Everton have been a day late and a dollar short too many times in the transfer market in recent years, with Broja’s signing reminiscent of the frustrating deals that never live up to the hype.

Admittedly, injuries have formed the crux of the 23-year-old’s struggles at Goodison Park this season, for he has only started four times in the Premier League and has failed to score across any competition.

Having been an unused substitute across the past two fixtures now that Dominic Calvert-Lewin is fit again, it’s clear Moyes does not value the Chelsea man all that highly.

Everton – 24/25

10

0

0

Fulham – 23/24

8

0

1

Chelsea – 23/24

13

1

1

Chelsea – 22/23

12

1

1

Southampton – 21/22

32

6

1

Broja left Stamford Bridge for Merseyside last summer on a one-year loan deal, with the option to make the move permanent for a £30m figure.

Given that the Albania international has scored just two Premier League goals across the past three seasons, Moyes would be unwise to authorise the transfer, especially when considering he hasn’t even hit the target across his 13 appearances as a Toffee, as per Sofascore, only yet to miss a big chance because he hasn’t been presented with one.

He might have been hailed as an “animal” by The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell during his time with Southampton, that was a long time ago and he needs to do much more to restore that predatory instinct.

Ultimately, for £30m, Chelsea would be laughing after a third successive Premier League campaign with little success for the centre-forward.

Broja has the talent to make it work at the highest level, but Everton should turn their heads elsewhere.

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ByKelan Sarson May 11, 2025

The next few weeks are vital for Enzo Maresca’s future as Chelsea manager, with the Blues having two huge chances for glory currently on their plate before the end of 2024/25.

They face a huge battle for a place in the top five of the Premier League, subsequently securing them Champions League football, whilst also having the chance to win the Europa Conference League.

It remains to be seen if the Italian will be in charge next season should he fail to achieve both of their goals, undoubtedly falling well below the expectations set upon his appointment.

Regardless of what Maresca is able to accomplish between now and the end of May, more signings are expected this summer, to help the side edge one step closer to battling for a title.

The hierarchy have wasted no time in targeting reinforcements, with one player already in the frame over a potential summer move to Stamford Bridge.

The latest on Chelsea’s hunt to land Dean Huijsen

Over the last couple of days, Chelsea have made huge progress in their pursuit of landing Bournemouth centre-back Dean Huijsen, but still face serious competition from elsewhere.

Real Madrid and fellow Premier League sides Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle United have all been credited with interest in the 19-year-old who has a £50m release clause in his contract.

However, one report has claimed that the Blues have held multiple rounds of talks with the defender’s representatives over a potential deal to move to West London.

It remains to whether Huijsen would want a move to Maresca’s side, but the signs are all positive – especially considering his team are still open to negotiations with the club’s hierarchy.

Despite the interest in the Spaniard’s signature, the club already have their own superb talent who’s valued more than Huijsen – highlighting the excellent work the club have done in previous years.

The Chelsea star who’s worth even more than Huijsen

Chelsea have done tremendous work in the transfer market over recent years, getting themselves some bargains even though they’ve spent over £1.2b since 2022.

Cole Palmer and Moises Caicedo have both cemented their places in the first-team, starring frequently this season, with the latter undoubtedly one of the best midfielders in the division – as seen by his Team of the Year nomination.

However, despite the success with the additions, they’ve also managed to develop countless homegrown talents, numerous of which have played a key role in Maresca’s side.

Levi Colwill is just one of those academy players to make the step-up into the professional ranks, missing just three league games in 2024/25 – showcasing his importance to the side.

The 22-year-old has been the most consistent figure at the heart of the backline, going from strength to strength with increased minutes in West London.

When delving into his stats from the current season, it’s evident how impressive he’s been, more than deserving of his place in the England setup over the last couple of months.

Colwill, who’s been labelled “superb” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has managed a 90% pass accuracy in the Premier League, whilst also managing to win 2.6 aerial battles per 90 – having a huge impact at both ends of the pitch.

Games played

29

Goals & assists

2

Pass accuracy

90%

Dribble success

63%

Aerials won

2.6

Aerial success

61%

Tackles won

67%

As a result of his performances to date, his market value has soared, now valued at £47m by Transfermarkt – a figure higher than that of Huijsen, who’s only valued at £36m.

Given his rise, the club should put more resources into developing young talent, reaping the rewards in the long-term, just as they have done with the 22-year-old.

However, that being said, a partnership of Colwill and Huijsen at the heart of the defence could set them up for future success down the line, given the pair’s tender ages.

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ByConnor Holden Apr 18, 2025

Very few players dig as deep as he does and over this India series and the Ashes coming up, he’ll need to

Sidharth Monga09-Jul-2025

Ben Stokes is an irrepressible presence•Getty Images

There are many compelling sights in our sport. Right up there is a batting team on the top, the conditions flat, the ball not doing anything at all for the other bowlers, and then Ben Stokes charging in and drawing life out of nowhere in a long spell.Stokes has the rare ability to take you along on the ride. You don’t need to be a cricket connoisseur to know something special is taking place in front of your eyes. You can almost feel the strain he puts himself through, the stretching of every sinew, the twisting away of the torso to create the unusual angle, the high pace eked out of a battered body, the unusualness he extracts from dead conditions, and the satisfaction of having achieved something when it hadn’t seemed possible.It is not magic. In this series, for example, Stokes has swung the ball more than any other fast bowler. His release is wider than most – only Jasprit Bumrah and Josh Tongue have gone wider in this series – and the swing creates problems coming from that angle.Related

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When Stokes is nearing the top of his mark, it seems like he is dragging his feet and has no gas left. They hardly seem to leave the ground, and seem like they are being thrown forward by force. Then he picks up pace and leaves a piece of himself on the pitch. It is tempting to wonder how much better his numbers would have been had he just been a bowler.Every time you feel this must be it for him, he comes back for another over, against the wishes of the coaching staff as his workload needs to be managed. It just doesn’t seem possible for Stokes to have a measured go. Even at press conferences, he is not finishing a chore, but gives thoughtful answers. Despite all his injuries, only a small percentage of his spells is short. Among 27 fast bowlers who have bowled 100 or more spells since 2021, only James Anderson, Matt Henry, Kagiso Rabada and Ollie Robinson have bowled a lower percentage of spells of four overs or fewer.Ben Stokes has made 86 runs from four innings at an average of 21.50 in this series•Getty ImagesThis is also part of the reason why Stokes is rated highly as a captain. His tactics on the field can yo-yo between the astute and a random smokescreen, but he has the ability to drag his team-mates with him, much like Ian Botham and Andrew Flintoff before him. He doesn’t take the new ball, still bowls long spells, and batted against nature just to get a buy-in into the style of play he and Brendon McCullum wanted England to adopt.Stokes batted at 57.07 per 100 balls before Bazball, and has gone at 66.83 since. At the start, he batted frantically just to drive the message home despite being the one batter in the line-up who was more at home playing traditionally. It is the fall in the batting average from 36.05 to 33 during Bazball era that is starting to hurt England. In matches that Stokes has played in the Bazball era, top seven batters have averaged 38.25 overall. Of course he could ease his own batting load a little by getting in a better batter than Zak Crawley, who averages only 31.79 on some of the flattest tracks of the last decade, but Stokes the captain is not one for half measures.In opting for this way of playing the game in the first place, Stokes has shown courage of conviction to go against the grain. Captains are known to design pitches to suit their bowlers to win matches; Stokes and McCullum saw a weakness in their batting and asked for surfaces that played to their strengths instead, asking batters to make up for it with quick scoring. It hasn’t turned them into world-beaters, and the surfaces haven’t all been the same, but it has improved the results.Stokes will continue to rouse us with those bowling spells and will keep inspiring his team, but eventually the game is won by runs and wickets. He is one of the players who can get away with some leeway because of the way he plays, but the next eight Tests that Stokes plays have the ability to overshadow even that reputation. Especially because it is quite plausible that Stokes retires at the end of the Ashes.A lot – disproportionately so – rides on the next eight Tests. Stokes could perhaps drop down a slot if he feels mentally spent. Jamie Smith has shown signs he can bat in the top six. Alternatively Stokes could perhaps reinforce the batting and drop Shoaib Bashir. A home series against India on the line and the Ashes at the end of the year, runs not coming, rest of the bowling struggling, a body to manage, this is going to be some ride that Stokes will surely take us along on.

The mid-season trades didn’t work, pace bowling was a problem, and their most successful spinner had a tournament to forget

Sreshth Shah21-May-20235:04

Moody: KKR’s issue was juggling of top order and uncertainty around XI

Where they finishedPosition on table: Seventh, with 12 points
Wins: Six
Losses: Eight
By the time they produced complete team performances in the last fortnight of the league stage, Kolkata Knight Riders were all but eliminated. Their expensive mid-season trades did not provide a positive payoff, they identified their best openers very late and their most successful spinner in IPL history had an ordinary season. Pace bowling continued to be a problem and if it wasn’t for a couple of brilliant individual performances from their domestic talent, KKR could’ve finished even lower.Related

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The good – Domestic talent impressVenkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh (alongside Andre Russell) provided a robust and attacking middle order that was dangerous both against pace and spin. Rinku and Rana were the most consistent among the four, and both batters are among the top five run-getters between Nos. 4 and 7 this season.Fast bowlers Vaibhav Arora and Harshit Rana showed promise even if their inexperience proved to be expensive in some games. Both showed signs that they can be regular new-ball bowlers in the future with their impeccable seam positions and stepped up when a lackluster Umesh Yadav was injured.Varun Chakravarthy, too, returned to his mysterious ways, taking 20 wickets this season. He was one level above the other KKR bowlers that also includes Sunil Narine. In fact, young Suyash Sharma on his debut IPL season impressed more than Narine with his 10 scalps in 11 games.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe bad – Unsettled at the top and trades underutilisedThere were a lot of things that went wrong for KKR. Shreyas Iyer’s injury at the start of the season did not help, but neither did their choice of trying nine different opening pairs in 14 games. N Jagadeesan, Mandeep Singh, Venkatesh, Litton Das and Rahmanullah Gurbaz were all tried without each of them getting long runs, and till Jason Roy’s late arrival and subsequent boost, their first-wicket partnership always felt like a walking wicket.Shardul Thakur and Lockie Ferguson – two expensive trades between seasons – were not used enough in comparison to how much of their budget was spent on the pair. Ferguson had three ordinary outings, taking only three wickets with an economy north of 12.50 while Shardul averaged less than two overs per innings.Overseas player availability was also a problem. Their two Bangladesh overseas players had limited availability in the first place, and that problem was compounded when Shakib Al Hasan didn’t even travel to India. Roy, their best overseas player alongside Russell, was not even in their original squad and was drafted into the squad as a mid-season replacement.Top performer: Rinku SinghIPL 2023 has been a season of finishers across all teams but no story has quite been like Rinku’s. Backed by KKR since IPL 2018 through poor form and season-ending injuries, Rinku was the man who consistently saved KKR the blushes while also making his own case for an India cap.Rinku racked up 474 runs in one season – the most in IPL history by a batter coming in at No. 5 or below – while maintaining an average of 59.25 and a strike-rate of almost 150. Each of his four 50-plus scores came while chasing and while he was out there, other teams felt the pressure. Rinku hitting five sixes in the 20th over to seal a win over Gujarat Titans is one of the IPL’s most memorable moments, but he also closed out an important game against Punjab Kings with a last-ball four. He very nearly left LSG on the mat too in his last game with an unbeaten 67.The highlightsShardul’s 29-ball 68 in a come-from-behind win against Royal Challengers Bangalore. The Rinku special in Ahmedabad where KKR chased down 31 in the final over. The season double over RCB. And the win against Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk after 11 long years.Poll

His steady strike rate has been a constant talking point since last IPL, whether he fails or he scores

Nagraj Gollapudi30-Apr-20213:11

Manjrekar lauds ‘superb’ innings from Rahul

You have to feel for KL Rahul. That man is not just the captain of the Punjab Kings, but has been their best batter since he joined the franchise in 2018, which prompted him to take charge as captain at the start of 2020 IPL.In the last four seasons, including the ongoing IPL, no batter has scored as many runs in the IPL as Rahul, who won the orange cap in the 2020 edition. But it is him who still gets hauled up for not striking the right tempo while opening for them. His steady strike rate has been a constant talking point since last IPL, whether he fails or he scores.Despite the debate Rahul has carried on doing what he does best: shut his ears to the outside noise and continue scoring. He continues playing to the situation. On Friday evening in Ahmedabad, the Kings started to ride the wave confidently with Chris Gayle in the mood to attack his former franchise, the Royals Challengers Bangalore.Related

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• Harpreet the hero after Rahul's 91* as Punjab Kings move up

Gayle’s strike rate in the first 10 balls in the Kings’ first six matches this season was 86. His highest was 12 runs in the first 10 balls in those matches. On Friday, Gayle stuck at 280, blasting 28 runs in his first 10 balls including five fours in an over against New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson. Rahul helped Gayle build the momentum as the Kings were sailing smooth at 91 for 1 at the halfway stage; 200 was in sights.Just then Gayle got sucked into a short-pitched delivery and faltered. He cursed himself on his way out. He would be seen sitting by the side of the Kings’ dugout, staring coldly in the distance, hurt that he could not impose himself the way he wanted to. In a matter of minutes, he would be joined by Nicholas Pooran, who, too, walked back shaking his head after a three-ball duck, the fourth time he had failed to open his account this IPL. Deepak Hooda and Shahrukh Khan promised a lot but once again were overwhelmed by the situation.Once again Rahul was on his own. The Kings were 132 for 5 with three overs remaining. The last boundary had been hit in the 12th over. That was not Rahul’s concern. He had seen his team nearly sink on many such situations in the past only for him to emerge as the life guard and take them to the shores.He urged his young partner Harpreet Brar, who was playing his first match of the season, to stay put. Brar obeyed his captain’s orders. A partnership blossomed quickly as Brar triggered a late assault with some fluent hits against Harshal Patel, the best bowler so far this tournament, who was then toyed by Rahul as he walked across his stumps to power a 22-run final over.ESPNcricinfo LtdIt was in the third straight match against the Royal Challengers that Rahul walked back undefeated, amassing 284 runs and having batted all 20 overs on these three occasions. Ever since he joined the Kings in 2018, no other batter in the IPL has scored a higher percentage of his team’s runs (scored off the bat) than Rahul’s 29.2%. On that list, Rahul is followed by stalwarts such as AB de Villiers and two-time orange cap winner David Warner. In this period Rahul has played 28.2% of the balls the Kings have faced, including in this season.Last year Rahul faced criticism for being selfish from pundits who urged him to be selfless, keeping in mind the firepower his team possessed in the middle order in the form of Pooran and Glenn Maxwell. While Maxwell couldn’t fire, Pooran was inconsistent. The Punjab side had started the season badly, but bounced back before marginally losing the playoffs race. The one constant, though, was that Rahul kept scoring.This season again Rahul remains Kings’ best batter with 331 runs at an average of 66.20 and strike rate of 136.21. The remaining specialist batters meanwhile have scored 476 runs at an average of 19.83 and a strike rate of 128.64. Nonetheless, Rahul’s strike rate remains a talking point.At the start of this IPL, Wasim Jaffer, the assistant coach of the Kings, said that a new and aggressive Rahul would be seen in action. Twice this season, against the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Sunrisers Hyderabad, when Rahul attempted to attack straightaway and failed, the Kings struggled to get 120 and lost both matches. Rahul might wonder to himself then: damned if I score and damned if I don’t.There is a reason Rahul bats the way he does. You cannot blame for him for not trusting his other batters. Rahul understands if he does not drop the anchor, his team could very easily lose the situation. Agarwal, Gayle and Pooran would need to play according to the situation.Rahul cannot be ploughing a lone furrow for the Kings.

أبدى محمود عبد الرازق شيكابالا لاعب فريق الكرة الأول بنادي الزمالك، حزنه الشديد مما يحدث داخل أروقة القلعة البيضاء، خلال الفترة الأخيرة. 

وقال شيكابالا في تصريحات على قناة “إم بي سي مصر 2”: “منذ يومين وأنا حزين على ما يحدث في الزمالك، لا يليق أن نترك النادي بهذا الشكل”.

طالع.. عضو الزمالك لـ”بطولات”: جاهزون لتقديم استقالة جماعية في هذه الحالة.. ومديونيات النادي تجاوزت الـ2 مليار

وأضاف: “أريد أن أهنئ محمود بنتايج على عقد قرانه، ولكن ما يحدث في الزمالك غير طبيعي، لعبت في الزمالك سنوات كثيرة جدًا، لعبت في أسوأ فترات الزمالك ولم نصل لهذه المرحلة”.

وتابع: “مجلس الإدارة حال عدم قدرته على تلبية طلبات الزمالك وجماهيره، أطالبهم بالرحيل، أكثر مجلس حصل على دعم جماهيري هو المجلس الحالي والأمر أصبح صعبًا”.

واختتم شيكابالا تصريحاته، قائًلا: “يزن نعيمات كان سينضم لنادي الزمالك وميدو تحدث معه والأمور كانت شبه محسومة، ولكن مثل ما حدث الأيام الماضية، كل لاعب يرتبط اسمه الزمالك فجأة (مش بتلاقيه)”. 

Cristiano Ronaldo is set to receive only a one-match ban for his red card against the Republic of Ireland in Portugal's penultimate World Cup qualifier. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was sent off after elbowing Dara O'Shea off the ball and was set for a three-match ban for 'violent conduct'. However, FIFA's disciplinary committee has decided to let the 40-year-old off easy.

Ronaldo only gets a one-match ban for O'Shea elbow

Ronaldo was expected to miss one or two of Portugal's opening clashes in the 2026 World Cup in North America after being shown a red card for violent conduct on O'Shea. However, FIFA's disciplinary committee have ruled that the Portugal captain's actions were only worth a one-game ban, which he has already served after he missed Roberto Martinez's squad for the 9-1 win over Armenia. His punishment, however, also holds a two-game suspended ban, which will be triggered if he is found guilty of a similar offence yet again in the next 365 days.

Ronaldo was sent off just before the hour mark, after Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg consulted with VAR, having shown the five-time Ballon d'Or winner a yellow card initially. In the review, it seemed clear to the referee that, in a tussle with O'Shea, Ronaldo clearly elbowed O'Shea in the back without any ball involvement around him.

AdvertisementGettyCR7's first international red card

The red card against the Republic of Ireland was Ronaldo's first of his international career as the Portugal captain has never been sent off in his 226 appearances with the national team. It has been reported that this disciplinary record may have played a massive part in the FIFA disciplinary committee's decision.

However, this wasn't the first time Ronaldo and O'Shea clashed as the Portugal captain and the Irishman had previously clashed, with the Al-Nassr star appearing to slap him all the way back in 2021. While O'Shea had hit the deck at that point as well, the referee and VAR had missed the incident, and Ronaldo had gotten away with his assault on the Ireland star; however, the same was not the case this time around.

Ronaldo's absence raises questions about Portugal squad

Ronaldo's absence for Portugal's 9-1 win over Armenia raised serious questions from fans over the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's spot in Martinez's World Cup squad as Portugal's attacking play seemed a lot smoother. The same was the case during the 2022 World Cup when Fernando Santos played Ronaldo as more of a substitute through the tournament in Qatar with stars like Goncalo Ramos, Joao Felix and Diogo Jota starting instead.

However, the quarter-final failure against Morocco eventually saw Santos receive the sacking and Martinez being onboarded as the head coach of the Portuguese national team. The former Belgium coach quickly reintegrated the former Real Madrid man into the squad as he led Portugal to their Nations League triumph last year.

Nonetheless, questions are still being raised as to whether having Ronaldo as the main man in the Portugal squad is the best way forward for the 2026 World Cup as the country look to raise their first-ever trophy on the international stage.

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Getty Images SportPortugal's World Cup opener to feature Ronaldo

Despite all the questions regarding Ronaldo's form at the highest level, it is highly unlikely that Martinez will be altering his squad this close to the World Cup. As such, it is almost guaranteed that Ronaldo will be the first name on the teamsheet when Portugal kickoff their 2026 World Cup campaign in North America.

However, the ill-tempered Ronaldo will have to keep his emotions in check through the tournament, as another sending off or even a violation of FIFA's regulations could see him miss the latter stages of the World Cup.