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They might not look like a well-oiled unit. They might not even be playing good cricket. Yet, importantly, Karachi are winning just when they need to

Osman Samiuddin in Sharjah02-Mar-2017As a general rule, batting out two maidens to start an innings is not the best approach to winning cricket matches. For T20s, it’s almost a non-starter. That’s 10% of your innings gone in dot balls upfront. This is a format of cricketing austerity, where what you do with every single last ball has to be accounted for. Of the four times it had happened before this game (for which games ESPNcricinfo has ball-by-ball records) only once had the team batting out the maidens gone on to win.But then to fall apart over the last ten balls of the innings, losing five wickets for four runs: What’s worse? Losing five wickets in those ten balls, or just scoring four runs in those ten balls? And to leave two balls unused at the end – in all that’s 24 balls out of an innings of 120 that have gone to complete waste.Karachi Kings did all of this. They also dropped their opponent’s opener, who turned out to be the highest scorer, and still won by 44 runs, having bowled them out with nearly five overs to spare. Islamabad United were truly abject with the bat, but the nature of this win spoke more of Karachi than it did of them.It has been that kind of campaign for Karachi. They have individuals who we can say make for a decent enough side, or at least one that can compete. Mohammad Amir is one. Babar Azam is the brightest thing in Pakistani batting and just maybe is beginning to show signs that he could get the hang of this format. Usama Mir is one of the league’s success stories. Ravi Bopara was last year’s man of the tournament. Shoaib Malik led one of the most successful T20 sides known to cricket. Kieron Pollard needs no introduction. Given the of Test bowler that he is – fuller lengths, not quick, reliant on swing – Sohail Khan is a better T20 bowler than you might at first think. And Imad Wasim is hot property right now.But here’s the strange thing. Of all the franchises in the league, they feel least like a team, or at least a team with some kind of identity. Lahore Qalandars were abysmal last year, but with Brendon McCullum leading them this time, they had all clearly bought into the way he wanted them to play. It mattered that the product was a dud in these conditions, but it also mattered that you could identify Lahore through it, come boom, come bust.Peshawar Zalmi were a brand before they even actually came into being. The totemic Shahid Afridi helped, but even Darren Sammy has come to represent something of Zalmi, and likewise Zalmi some of him. Breezing through the league and choking in the playoffs might be their thing but at least they have a thing.

“This kind of win [against Islamabad] and the way we beat Lahore, that really lifts the game and team spirit. If you win a match like this, your morale really gets high.”Imad Wasim

Islamabad United are a Misbah side through and through, in their successes and their foibles. They were, until tonight, the defending champions and they had some of the sympathy vote this season, having lost Andre Russell and Sharjeel Khan.Quetta have Viv Richards, Kevin Pietersen, Moin Khan, and are led by the man to soon be – most likely – Pakistan’s captain in all three formats. And they represent the most continually neglected province in the land. It would be difficult to create something endearing and distinct out of that mix.Karachi? What are they, other than a loose collection of players, gathered together for, well, what purpose? They were a mess last year, and this time, for a while, looked to be going the same way. They still look more wrong than right. They have persisted with Chris Gayle for longer than has been sensible; this year, as a spectacle, he has looked and felt like that one tour too many undertaken by the Rolling Stones.There is, what really should be, a fatal sameness in the strike rates of the meat of their batting. Babar is developing, but he, Sangakkara, Malik and Bopara have strike rates ranging from 100 to 122 this season. Pollard and especially Imad have not faced as many balls as men with their striking capabilities should; the latter has played 43 deliveries in seven innings. They haven’t needed him as much but Bopara has bowled only twice in nine matches – this the man who was their highest wicket-taker last season. They lost a promising young mystery spinner to a back injury two games into the season.Here they are though, the form side among those left, and the only one now to have won three games in a row this season. Collect enough good players and at least the chances of good things happening rise. Pollard has won them one – what may be the decisive one that turned their campaign, against Lahore, with two sixes off the last two balls; even Gayle came good in another; they have both the tournament’s top-scorer and top wicket-taker so far; and the bowling is rounded, with right-arm fast, left-arm fast, a legspinner and a left-arm spinner.They may not look like a team, but all it takes is one win and then it doesn’t matter what they look like, it only matters that they keep finding ways to win. As Imad said: “This kind of win and the way we beat Lahore, that really lifts the game and team spirit. If you win a match like this, your morale really gets high. The way we won, the combination is really good now.”Not looking like a team, losing games, doing things wrong but then coming good at just the right time? Sounds familiar doesn’t it?

The thrilling lives of the stars, laid bare for your delectation

Alex Bowden27-Nov-2015Jimmy Neesham sledged us.

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Careful, Jimmy. We have the power to shift the decimal point in your batting and bowling averages, you know.That may be a bit underhand on our part, but sounds like Jimmy knows a thing or two about that kind of thing.

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Agree that there will be no shenanigans and then shake on it. A handshake’s legally binding. Nothing controversial could ever come about following a handshake.The absence of one following an impressive innings, however…

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Turns out the Aussies are perfectly happy to show a player respect.There was plenty more evidence of this as Mitchell Johnson’s team-mates lined up to pay overly emotional tribute to him upon his retirement.

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Watson sometimes gives the impression that a great many things bring tears to his eyes. It took a fellow fast bowler to offer a pithier and rather less embarrassingly gushing take.

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That’s how you use a hashtag.This is how you don’t.

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It’s catching. Pretty soon the whole commentary box will be #justsaying things. That is, of course, their job – but you get the point.Here’s another poor hashtag.

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It’s over, Shane. You can stop using the hashtag now.Nor is Warne the only Aussie clinging to past glories.

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Gillespie was also spotted doing a bit of fielding by ex-Australia coach Tim Nielsen.

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Tell you what that is – that’s banter. Gillespie won’t mind. They’re big on that kind of thing at Yorkshire.

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Parthiv Patel meanwhile, is self-sledging, directing the banter at himself.

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Kemar Roach is increasingly quiet on Twitter. It takes major developments to spur him into a tweet nowadays.

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Meanwhile, Chris Gayle is continuing with what he does best – taking selfies with his shirt off.

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Do you think he knows it’s possible to work out without a mirror?Somewhere in the world, there is always a cricketer not really committing to an opinion one way or the other about air travel.

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He knows where he stands on rail travel, though.

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Meanwhile, New South Wales’ Gurinder Sandhu is positively enthusiastic about bus travel.

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It’s for this kind of insight into sporting lives that Twitter was made.

Stats highlights from the second ODI between England and India, in Cardiff

Bishen Jeswant27-Aug-2014304 India’s total today. India also scored 304 in the last ODI they played against England in Cardiff, in 2011. In both games India also lost six wickets. Further, both games were decided by the D/L method, with only difference being England won in 2011.0 Number of times England have scored 300-plus in a successful chase at home. As mentioned in the previous stat, England have won an ODI at home after bowling first and conceding 300-plus, but the revised target was below 300 in that rain-hit game. Overall, England have bowled first and conceded 300-plus on 23 occasions, losing 19 times and winning three, with one tie. For context, India has won 13 ODIs after bowling first and conceding 300-plus.133 India’s winning margin today. In terms of runs, this is India’s second biggest victory against England in ODIs. The only time England lost to India by a bigger margin was in Rajkot in 2008. India have beaten England by 100-plus runs four times.2091 Number of runs that MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina have scored for the fifth wicket while batting together in ODIs. They are the only pair in ODI cricket to have posted 2000-plus runs for the fifth wicket. Next on the list are Michael Bevan and Steve Waugh, who have posted 1372 runs together. For any wicket, Dhoni and Raina have put together 3244 runs, which is the third most for any batting pair in the last 10 years.1 Number of ODI hundreds that Raina now has outside Asia; he has three fifties at such venues. In Asia, he has 29 scores of 50 or more, including three hundreds. Raina has played 130 ODIs in Asia and 63 outside.12 Number of 50-plus scores Raina has now scored against England. Raina has 33 scores of 50 or more in ODIs, which means 36% of such scores for him have come against England. He averages 47.70 against England in ODIs. The only teams he averages more against are Bangladesh and Hong Kong, against whom he averages 101 each.4 Number of batsmen who have scored ODI centuries at the Sophia Gardens in Cardiff. Three of these batsmen are Indian – Raina, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli – with Bangladesh’ s Mohammad Ashraful being the other. The highest score by an English batsman in Cardiff is 88 – Ian Bell against Pakistan in 2006.3 Number of times R Ashwin has dismissed Eoin Morgan in ODIs. In six ODIs, Morgan has scored 25 runs off 47 – a strike rate of 53 – off Ashwin.83.5 Ravindra Jadeja’s batting average in ODIs in England. This is the fourth-highest batting average for any player who has played at least five ODI innings in England. Jadeja has only scored 167 runs in England, but has benefitted from remaining not-out in four out of his six innings there.16 Number of times in his 178 ODI bowling innings that Anderson has conceded more than 50 runs and gone wicketless. Anderson has conceded 50-plus runs on 53 occasions.

Despite defeat in this series, England have developed a game plan that works and a method that can prosper

George Dobell27-Jan-2013Any side that wants to be confirmed as the best in the world can never be satisfied with a series defeat but, bearing in mind England’s ODI record in India and their weakened state, then they can depart India both quietly encouraged and slightly frustrated.Yes, the final victory came in a dead rubber. Yes, this is an Indian side in something of transition. And yes, each of the five games in this series was won by the team that won the toss. For all those reasons, it would be wrong to read too much into these results or the fact that only decimal points separate England and India at the top of the ODI rankings table. It is success in global events that will continue to define limited-overs success.But when England captain, Alastair Cook, spoke of “taking a lot of positives” from the series, it was not empty rhetoric. Not only had the new captain-coach partnership helped improve England’s grim ODI record in India – England had not won any of their previous 13 ODIs against India in India; they had been beaten 5-0 in both their previous ODI series in India; and only once, in 1984, have they emerged victorious from an ODI series in the country – but they have shown they are on the right track.Most importantly, England have shown they have a game plan that works. They have a team that exploit the new ODI playing regulations – two new balls and fewer fielders outside the ring – better than most. In English conditions, in particular, they look to have a side and method that can prosper. They may well start the Champions Trophy as favourites.Their qualities were typified by Ian Bell in the final ODI. Bell’s calm temperament and sound technique enabled him to withstand some testing bowling in helpful conditions and pace England’s chase expertly. If there were any doubts about the make-up of England’s top five in the Champions Trophy – and there really shouldn’t have been – then Bell and Eoin Morgan should have dispelled them. Bell, it should be noted, was top scorer in both ODIs that England won, their top run-scorer in the series overall and top of the averages. While such players may not have been ideal openers in the ODI cricket of a few years ago, they may prove ideal now.Certainly the pressure for Kevin Pietersen to return to opening position should have abated. It is true that his record as an ODI opener – albeit from a brief sample size – is a great deal better than his record as a middle-order player. In his eight ODIs as an opener, Pietersen averages 58.85; in his 29 ODIs at No. 3 he averages 28.85 and in his 94 ODIs batting between No. 4 and No. 7, he averages 45.17. In normal circumstances there might be a decent argument for promoting him back to open. But against two new balls and in English conditions – he has never opened in ODIs outside Asia – he is better off at No. 4.

England will go into the Champions Trophy better equipped for a global ODI tournament perhaps since 1992. England need to stick to their guns and retain faith in their methods and key players.

There were other encouraging signs for England. Steven Finn improved by the game and Joe Root and James Tredwell were especially impressive. The conditions of a June day in England – when the Champions Trophy is to be played – may not resemble those of India, but Tredwell showed the skill and composure to suggest, whatever the conditions, he would never let England down. Root, too, may have to be content with a role as understudy at present but, with each passing day, his future looks more and more promising. If you could buy shares in people, you would invest heavily in Root.The one major disappointment from this series has been England’s failure to identify the missing links in their ODI jigsaw. They went into this series all but certain about the identity of nine of their first choice ODI XI and ended it the same way. Perhaps discounting the claims of Craig Kieswetter and Jade Dernbach might be counted as progress, but England are little closer to finding their alternatives. If you accept that this series was about learning, England have to accept that some aspects of it have ended in failure.The main issues to resolve remain the identity of the wicketkeeper and the identity of the fifth bowler. Hoping to squeeze 10 overs out of the likes of Samit Patel and Root will work sometimes but it is taking a huge risk. The pair conceded 80 runs between them in their 11 overs in the final ODI. England have been here before and it has cost them: in the 1979 World Cup final they attempted a similar ploy only to see the 12 overs delivered by Geoff Boycott, Graham Gooch and Wayne Larkins cost 86.The ideal solution would be to field an allrounder of batting at No. 6 or No. 7 and delivering a full allocation of overs. None of the potential candidates – Tim Bresnan, Patel, Root, Luke Wright, Ben Stokes, Ravi Bopara, Chris Woakes or Rikki Clarke among them – are ideal at present, but knowing what you are missing is a decent first step towards finding it. Given some opportunity in the games remaining ahead of the Champions Trophy, each of them might learn their role. Woakes and Bresnan are in pole position.The failure to take a look at Stuart Meaker might also be considered a missed opportunity from this series. It is hard to see the benefit of selecting Bresnan – impressive though he was – in the final game of this dead series. England learned nothing new about him. It might have made sense to look at some alternatives.Minor quibbles aside, England will go into the Champions Trophy best equipped for a global ODI tournament since, perhaps, the 2004 version of the same event or even the 1992 World Cup. Whatever the vicissitudes of form, England need to stick to their guns and retain faith in their methods and key players. It is a long time since a global ODI trophy has been won by a side with a top three that owes more to the traditions of Boycott than Jayasuriya but that is the hand that England have been dealt and they play it well. If they keep playing it and identify the two missing positions, they will prove hard to beat.

After arriving from Australia, Brendan Nash didn’t have to wait too long to play for West Indies, but he faced a few hurdles along the way

Sriram Veera25-Jun-2011″Go home white boy, you’re no good. You couldn’t make it there, so why are you here?” It’s 2007 and Brendan Nash is batting at the trials in Jamaica. A few locals came on all four days of the trials and gave him a hard time. Their anger was perhaps understandable. Nash, whose father was a Jamaican Olympic swimmer, had arrived from Australia and perhaps the locals felt he had blocked a young Jamaican from getting an opportunity. How did Nash feel at the time?”It was a little disheartening,” he told ESPNcricinfo, “to actually get it in the country you are trying to play for. I think it taught me a lot about my character and how to build it. My father was actually with me during the first six-eight months. He was here in Jamaica so he was a little concerned too. My father was a well-known sportsman in Jamaica, so that kind of eased the tension.”Nash has been dropped from the West Indies squad for the Barbados Test against India although he was the vice-captain. He had made only 1 and 9 at Sabina Park, and only 54 runs in his previous six innings. The future is now uncertain, as there are a couple of youngsters pushing for places in the middle order. It is the most serious disappointment Nash has faced since his Test career started in a hurry in December 2008.Nash did not think he would play for West Indies, even when he first played for Jamaica. His form was great, he got along with his captain, Chris Gayle, and suddenly the ambition of becoming a Test cricketer grew after six to eight months. “I remember my first conversation with Chris. He said to me, ‘You are one of us, don’t worry about what anyone’s saying to you. If anyone troubles you, I am here for you.’ Obviously, as much as I had played with great cricketers back home [in Australia], to have a Chris Gayle, this was his country, and to have him come and say that to me was a great thing. It was my first or second trial game. So it helped me settle down quicker.”Nash keeps saying “We” when he talks about West Indies. The question had to be asked. How long did it take to say “we”? “It’s funny. It didn’t take too long,” he says. “There are still problems with accent and Jamaicans find it funny when I say that (we). But I have broken lots of barriers and it’s easy now.”He had a connection with the West Indies cricketers as he was growing up. His mother would invite the visiting West Indians home for a meal. Nash remembers Courtney Walsh ducking to avoid the arches at home. He had a poster of Curtly Ambrose plastered on his wall at boarding school.Even after Nash settled into the West Indies team, he faced other every-day cultural challenges. He and his wife like to sit and talk in a bar. They found it wasn’t easy to do. “Here in Jamaica it’s about dancing. To go out to a bar is not to necessarily drink, but it’s more of a nightclub dancing culture. I was a bit of a rum drinker in Australia. So no problems on that count.”There were other quirks, some of which he can’t still get used to. “In the Caribbean, we are always trying to be the most important person in the party,” he says. “I am not comfortable doing it. I like to stay in the background. That’s who I am. I don’t think I am going to change myself at this stage.”West Indies weren’t winning much when Nash made his debut and he says he tried to do his bit to improve the work ethic. “When I came in, Queensland were just coming into a period of winning. Unfortunately I have come to West Indies when they haven’t been winning. That’s the biggest difference – the mindset and the work ethic. When you are winning, hard work becomes easier, when you are not winning it’s hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. That’s what I have been trying to bring here – develop the work ethic.”At the end of the chat, Nash tries to put the West Indian part of his career in perspective. “I am glad that I could come and live this life. As much as I love the things I have achieved, the biggest thing for me is that in some small way I have helped West Indies try and take the steps [to return to] where they were.”

India’s opening pair hasn’t put together a century stand in the last five series in England

S Rajesh17-Jul-2007

Not for the first time, an Indian squad travelling to England boasts of an impeccable middle-order. Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman – even if they aren’t in top form – still constitute a fearful combination. Not for the first time, though, they’ll be preceded by an opening combination that hardly inspires confidence. On the last five tours of England, India have almost always given away the early initiative, both with the bat and ball. The table below shows how wide the gulf has been between the two teams at the start of an innings.In 1982, India had the considerable presence of Sunil Gavaskar at the top of the order, but partnering him was debutant Ghulam Parker, whose initiation to Test cricket turned out to be unmemorable. Ravi Shastri, Dilip Vengsarkar and Suru Nayak all tried their hand at opening, but the outcome was a highest stand of 21 in five innings, and an average stand of less than ten. England’s pair of Geoff Cook and Chris Tavare did much better, notching up two partnerships of more than 95.The presence of the unorthodox Krishnamachari Srikkanth eased matters in 1986, when he and Gavaskar went past 50 three times, and ended up with a respectable average of 37.50, but on their last three tours, the Indian openers have had little to cheer about, even as their England counterparts have relished India’s new-ball attack.

Graham Gooch and Michael Atherton plundered runs at will against an insipid Indian attack in 1990, and while Mohammad Azharuddin and Sachin Tendulkar made it a memorable summer for batting aficionados, India’s openers, Shastri and Navjot Sidhu, struggled to put a partnership together. It got even worse in 1996, when India tried several options – Vikram Rathour, Ajay Jadeja, Sanjay Manjrekar and Nayan Mongia – but none of them inspired any confidence. England, on the other hand, had Atherton and Alec Stewart to get them past the new-ball threat posed by Javagal Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad. It wasn’t different in 2002 either, when Dravid was invariably walking in to bat after the first wicket had fallen early.In the last 25 years, Shastri (twice) and Virender Sehwag have been the only openers to score hundreds in England. On the other hand, Gooch, with four centuries, Michael Vaughan (three) and Atherton (two) are among several England openers who have had success against the Indians. Of the 14 Indians who opened during this period, only three – Shastri, Sehwag and Sanjay Bangar – average more than 30, while eight average less than 15.

In fact, the best days for Indian openers in England were during the 1930s and 40s, when Vijay Merchant and Mushtaq Ali teamed up at the top of the order. They averaged 83.42 per partnership, with two century stands and three half-century ones in seven innings. Since then, the only pair which came close to matching them was Gavaskar and Chetan Chauhan, who averaged 64.71 for the opening wicket in the 1979 series, with two century stands. The 213 they added in the fourth Test at The Oval during that memorable run-chase remains the last hundred partnership by an Indian opening pair in England. It will take a brave man to bet against that record standing for a few more years.

Scotland opener makes unbeaten half-century in straightforward chase

ECB Reporters Network02-Jun-2023Sarah Bryce starred with an unbeaten 67 as The Blaze booked their place in the Charlotte Edwards Cup semi-finals after easing past Northern Diamonds at Seat Unique Riverside by six wickets.The visitors required 130 to win after Nadine de Klerk and skipper Kirstie Gordon restricted the Diamonds with a fine bowling performance. Lauren Winfield-Hill top-scored for the hosts, but their score was always under par on a ground with a quick outfield.Bryce took the attack to the Diamonds bowlers, using both power and guile to propel her team ahead of the required rate. She notched her first fifty of the competition and ended the contest unbeaten after scoring six four and three sixes. The Blaze can now prepare for their last four fixture, while Diamonds still have work ahead of them after suffering their first defeat.Diamonds won the toss and elected to bat in the bright sunshine at Chester-le-Street. The Blaze’s opening bowlers made life difficult for Winfield-Hill and Leah Dobson, restricting them to just one run off the first two overs as Grace Ballinger sent down a maiden.Winfield-Hill had trouble timing the ball in the early stages before finding her range in the fifth over, taking de Klerk for two boundaries. Dobson was given a life when she was dropped by Kathryn Bryce for 14 on the boundary, but the visitors still had control of the scoreboard as Diamonds mustered just 26 from the Powerplay.Gordon made the breakthrough as the drop proved costly as Dobson fell for 19. Hollie Armitage offered a semblance of power as she found the rope three times in a bid to up the run rate. Armitage provided the foundation of the innings with Winfield-Hill with a stand worth 47 before the Diamonds skipper was caught on the fence presenting Gordon with her second wicket.Related

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Winfield-Hill manoeuvred the hosts into a decent position after working her way to 40, but Sophie Munro ended her knock with her first ball of the innings. Bess Heath and Chloe Tryon added quick runs in the closing overs with 19 and 20 respectively, but de Klerk ensured the Diamonds couldn’t push towards 140 removing Heath before prising out Tryon and Lizzie Scott with the final two balls of the innings.The Blaze had no issues getting off to a strong start in their chase of 130. Marie Kelly put the pressure on the Diamonds bowlers from the off, scoring four boundaries to work herself to 19 before Scott produced an inswinger to prise out the opener.Sarah Bryce kept up the intensity and struck Katie Levick for the first two sixes of the game over long-on. She followed that with further sublime striking to take 16 off Scott’s third over, putting the visitors almost halfway to their victory target at the end of the powerplay. Bryce was in full flow at the crease, easily finding the gaps in the field.The 23-year-old notched her first fifty of the season from 30 deliveries, whittling down the required total. Abi Glen gave Diamonds a glimmer of hope by skittling Kathryn Bruce and Michaela Kirk in successive balls. De Klerk survived the hat-trick ball and with Bryce extinguished the hosts’ hope of a miraculous comeback. The Blaze cantered over the line, securing their win with 4.2 overs to spare.

MatériaMais Notícias

Daniel Borges tem recebido propostas de clubes brasileiros nos últimos dias. O lateral perdeu espaço no Botafogo depois da chegada de Leonel Di Plácido, mas deseja permanecer no Rio de Janeiro. O LANCE! apurou que Avaí, Coritiba, Goiás e Mirassol demonstraram interesse na contratação do lateral.

O jogador, no entanto, tem enfrentado um grave problema familiar nas últimas semanas, gosta da cidade e deseja ficar para brigar por vaga no time titular do Glorioso.

+São Paulo reencontra Tigre; Botafogo enfrentará altitude: veja os grupos da Copa Sul-Americana

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Apesar das ofertas, os dirigentes alvinegros externaram que desejam contar com Daniel Borges para sequência da temporada. O jogador esteve muito abalado nas últimas semanas em virtude do problema familiar e isso pode ter afetado seu desempenho em campo.

Daniel Borgesdeve conversar com Luís Castro nos próximos dias para reafirmar seu desejo de permanecer e buscar espaço no clube. O jogador tem contrato até dezembro deste ano e não vem sendo relacionado para os últimos jogos do Botafogo.

Brentford attacker Yoane Wissa has reportedly rejoined first-team training after clearing the air with head coach Keith Andrews, although the player continues to pursue a move away from the west London club. The 28-year-old forward was seen participating in a full training session on Wednesday morning, marking his first involvement with the senior squad since walking out of the team’s pre-season camp in Portugal on July 21.

Wissa returns to Brentford trainingStriker remains intent on Newcastle transferClub values Wissa higher than £30m offerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The recent meeting between Wissa and Andrews appears to have slightly eased what had been a turbulent two weeks between the player and the club. Tensions escalated when Wissa departed the pre-season base without permission, signalling a breakdown in communication and intent. However, both parties were able to sit down at Brentford’s training facility on Wednesday for a frank discussion, as revealed by

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That dialogue has paved the way for Wissa to resume training duties, but the underlying issue of his future has yet to be resolved. The DR Congo international is still eager to leave the club and join Newcastle, motivated in part by the opportunity to play in the UEFA Champions League next season.

DID YOU KNOW?

Sources close to the situation have indicated Brentford are open to selling the forward but only at the right price. Newcastle have already tabled an offer believed to be worth £25 million ($33.5m) with an additional £5 million in potential add-ons. However, Brentford are holding out for a higher fee, viewing Wissa’s value as considerably greater than the Magpies' current proposal. The club’s reluctance to green-light a deal is also tied to their need to bring in a suitable replacement before the transfer window closes on September 1.

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR WISSA?

Relations between player and club have somewhat thawed as Wissa took part in the Premier League’s official media day on Tuesday. The event, used for promotional and broadcast purposes ahead of the upcoming campaign, featured players being filmed and photographed in full club gear. Wissa’s involvement in the media day came just days after he skipped Brentford’s 1-0 victory over Queens Park Rangers in a friendly fixture, further stoking speculation over his future. Whether the forward will feature in the club’s next pre-season match against Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach on Friday remains to be seen.

Santner, Neesham and Allen starred as New Zealand overcame an early collapse to level series

Sreshth Shah30-Dec-2023

Mitchell Santner and James Neesham saved New Zealand the blushes by helping the hosts crawl back from 49 for 5 to seal victory in a low-scoring third T20I to share the series honours 1-1 with Bangladesh.Bangladesh finished on a below-par 110 courtesy Santner’s 4 for 16 through the middle overs, but the bowling of Mahedi Hasan and Shoriful Islam led a fightback. When Neesham and Santner joined hands, the early wickets had put New Zealand behind the DLS par score, but their unbeaten 37-ball 46 partnership dragged them ahead.Rain arrived with New Zealand’s innings back on course – needing only 16 more runs in 5.2 overs. They were adjudicated winners by 17 runs (DLS method) once the rain settled in.Finn Allen scored a quick 38 in a small chase•AFP/Getty Images

New Zealand collapse breathes life into contestA chase of 111 was meant to be regulation, but four of New Zealand’s top five batters were out for one run each. Offspinner Mahedi had opener Tim Seifert stumped and No. 3 Daryl Mitchell caught at mid-off, while Shoriful got a length ball to rattle Glenn Phillips’ stumps.No. 5 Mark Chapman then collided with Finn Allen only to be run out, leaving New Zealand behind the DLS with the conditions turning cloudy rather fast at 49 for 5.Experienced pair step upThe Chapman run-out appeared to be the unravelling of New Zealand, but Bangladesh captain Najmul Hassan Shanto’s part-time offspin in the tenth over offered a release. Neesham smacked Shanto for six and four off consecutive balls to ease the pressure, and then knocked it around once New Zealand were ahead on DLS.Neesham then hammered legspinner Rishad Hossain for a six in the 14th over, and the flow of runs allowed Santner to play low-risk cricket shots alongside him. Together they batted for 6.1 overs before rain played spoilsport, with Neesham unbeaten on 28 and Santner on 18, both off 20 deliveries apiece.Mitchell Santner ended 2023 with a four-wicket haul•Getty Images

Before their partnership, though, the other opener Allen found some semblance of form with his 30-ball 38 that ended a string of low scores. He clubbed four fours and two sixes that gave the hosts the early momentum. He punished left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam heavily in the first over that went for 12 runs, and then hit Shoriful for two fours over mid-on in the fourth.Even though he slowed down after the powerplay and was eventually dismissed by Shoriful in the ninth over, had it not been for his innings up top, the Neesham-Santner stand could have ended on the losing side.Santner squeezes BangladeshNo team had ever won chasing in Mount Maunganui, but Santner chose to do that at the toss with one eye on the weather. It looked like the right call with Tim Southee, Ben Sears and Adam Milne taking a wicket each in the powerplay to leave Bangladesh at 45 for 3. The trend continued after that as well, with Bangladesh’s batters looking like getting starts but falling soon after. Five batters in the top eight reached double digits but the highest innings score was Shanto’s 17.The main reason for Bangladesh’s middle-overs collapse was Santner’s spell. He kept it tidy just outside off and Towhid Hridoy and Mahedi found the edge to the wicketkeeper. Afif Hossain was deceived by a length ball that hit his glove and popped up, while Shamim Hossain was caught at short fine leg sweeping.That left Bangladesh at 81 for 7, and Santner brought the pacers back. The trio cleaned up the tail to finish with two wickets apiece, ending the Bangladesh innings at 110 in the 20th over.” Our bowlers did a great job, but batsmen didn’t get the runs today,” Shanto said after the game. “Our batsmen got starts like 15-17 but didn’t go deep, that was our mistake.””The seamers were brilliant in the powerplay,” Santner said. “The pacers used the wind and bowled really well. The bowlers did the job upfront.”