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The Reds expect to make significant signings ahead of next season, but who could be on their way out of Anfield?

Change will be in the air at Anfield this summer, and rightly so. This, unquestionably, is the end of an era at Liverpool, with on-field struggles this season matched by off-field uncertainty.

The club is up for sale, the sporting director is leaving, a new stand is opening and a new team needs to be built, with contracts expiring, key players ageing and Jurgen Klopp’s midfield options, in particular, in need of serious reinforcement. 

Klopp has already hinted that an overhaul is likely to take place. Jude Bellingham is the Reds’ No.1 transfer target, with the likes of Matheus Nunes and Teun Koopmeiners also linked. A summer of spending is anticipated, regardless of whether Liverpool qualify for next season’s Champions League.

It is likely to be busy in terms of outgoings, too, with several players expected to leave the club.

Here, GOAL looks at those who could be heading for the Anfield exit door…

GettyAlex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Oxlade-Chamberlain’s six-year stay on Merseyside is set to end this summer when his contract expires. 

The former England international has failed to hold down a regular starting spot in recent years, but has offered a useful squad option for Klopp, playing on the wing or in midfield. 

But at 29 – he will turn 30 in August – Oxlade-Chamberlain’s time at Anfield is up. He will not be offered a new deal, and has already been linked with a move to various Premier League clubs, including West Ham and Southampton. 

Likelihood of leaving? 10/10

AdvertisementGettyNaby Keita

Another player out of contract at the end of this season, Keita has found himself back in favour of late, starting each of the Reds’ last three matches and helping improve a midfield that had struggled badly beforehand.

The Guinea international’s injury record, though, means any optimism surrounding his form must be tempered, and the fact there has been no breakthrough in talks over a new deal does not bode well. A number of German clubs have expressed interest in signing the 27-year-old.

Likelihood of leaving? 8/10

Getty ImagesRoberto Firmino

If Klopp gets his way, Firmino will be staying around. The Brazilian will be a free agent in June, but his manager is eager for him to extend his contract for at least another year, believing he still has an important role to play.

As yet, though, there has been no resolution. Firmino is understood to be open to the idea of remaining on Merseyside, but is expected to receive lucrative offers from elsewhere, and the January arrival of Cody Gakpo hardly bodes well for his future prospects.

Likelihood of leaving? 5/10

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Getty ImagesJames Milner

The last of Liverpool’s out-of-contract quartet, Milner had been expected to leave the club last summer, only to sign a one-year extension in June. 

A repeat this time around cannot be ruled out – Klopp hinted as much recently – but at 37, the vice-captain certainly does not represent the long-term, and with the Reds set to bring in at least two senior midfielders, and probably more, the time might be right for Milner to move on. 

If he does, he has more than played his part in a wonderful era on Merseyside.

Likelihood of leaving? 7/10

Sri Lanka Women captain Chamari Atapattu struck her maiden T20I fifty, effected a run out, and picked up a wicket, to lead her side to a 10-run victory over South Africa Women in Bangalore

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Mar-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsChamari Atapattu profited from slog sweeps during her first T20 international fifty•IDI/Getty ImagesSri Lanka Women captain Chamari Atapattu willed and rallied her side to a 10-run victory over South Africa Women in Bangalore, in the last league match of the Women’s World T20.Atapattu first stroked her maiden T20 international fifty, which contained five fours and one six, even as her partners floundered. Atapattu then brought herself into the attack in the defence of 114 and her second over resulted in two wickets. She ran to her right from her follow through, collected a wristy push from Trisha Chetty and flung a throw to the keeper to catch Dane van Niekerk short for 24 off 31 balls. Three balls later, Atapattu pinned her opposite number Mignon du Preez plumb in front for a duck, a wicket the Sri Lanka captain identified as the “turning point” at the post match-presentation.Left-arm spinner Sugandika Kumari and left-arm pacer Udeshika Prabodhani backed Atapattu to squeeze South Africa’s middle order. From 50 for 0, South Africa slumped to 102 for 7. Du Preez said: “We had a good start and we lost it in the middle order. We have been struggling with it in the whole tournament. It was also poor execution from us. This is something we need to work on and come back stronger.”Prabodhani speared in full balls and defended 12 off the last over, including taking the wicket of Chloe Tryon for 11 off 10 balls. Though it was just a dead rubber, Sri Lanka toasted the win, and got into a huddle only after wicketkeeper-batsman Dilani Manodara had joined the team from the dug out; Prasadani Weerakkody had taken the gloves in the absence of Manodara.Manodara was pinged on the grille of the helmet when she missed a scoop off her first ball. She scratched around for 4 off 9 balls, before she was bowled by seamer Marcia Letsoalo. Manodara was later sent to the hospital for a scan and it was found that she had no major injuries.Sri Lanka’s middle order folded as well and they managed only 34 for 4 in their last five overs. Atapattu, however, had lifted Sri Lanka with a bevy of muscled slog sweeps. She hit 52 off 49 balls before she was run out by Marizanna Kapp, who was featuring in her 50th T20 international. She picked up two wickets and was complemented by legspinner Suné Luus, who also scalped two wickets. But Attapattu’s act would prove to be too much for South Africa.

Jesse Ryder’s career-best figures put Essex in firm control against Glamorgan at Chelmsford, snapping the visitors’ excellent run of recent form with the bat

ECB/PA13-Jul-2015
ScorecardJesse Ryder whittled out Glamorgan•Getty ImagesJesse Ryder’s career-best figures put Essex in firm control against Glamorgan at Chelmsford, snapping the visitors’ excellent run of recent form with the bat.Ryder, the New Zealander, picked up 6 for 47 in 15 overs as Glamorgan were bowled out for 162, the first time this season they had failed to get a batting point in a completed innings. Essex were left with a first innings lead of 117 on a day when 46 overs were lost through rain or bad light and they added another 78 runs before the close.In overcast conditions, Ryder used a combination of seam and swing to undermine the visitors’ innings after they had resumed on 40 for 3 and he beat the bat so often that he could have reaped a greater harvest.Ryder claimed the first five wickets of the innings to fall with only 59 on the board and at that stage, Glamorgan were in danger of being asked to follow-on after replying to an Essex total of 279. But they steered clear of having to do so largely through the efforts of Colin Ingram, Mark Wallace and David Lloyd.Ingram adopted a positive approach while gathering 43 from 56 balls with the help of five fours and a six while Wallace’s 21 included five boundaries. Both were eventually dismissed by paceman David Masters who trapped Wallace leg before wicket before he bowled Ingram for 43. Lloyd hit out boldly while making an unbeaten 20 that included a six and three fours.Masters finished with 3 for 53 while Napier picked-up the remaining wicket when Michael Hogan was bowled off his pads to bring Glamorgan’s replay to an end in the 41st over.With Jaik Mickleburgh suffering from back spasms, Liam Dawson, on-loan from Hampshire, was promoted to open the innings with Nick Browne and the pair never looked in any real trouble as they pressed home Essex’s advantage. They defied a succession of bowling changes while raising the fifty stand with some fine strokes on either side of the wicket and they put together the highest partnership of the match so far.They were still together when bad light brought play to an end with the total on 78 without loss. Browne was within eight runs of his half-century while Dawson will resume on 30.Essex have certainly put themselves in a healthy position to inflict upon promotion-chasing Glamorgan their first defeat of the summer, one that would be a blow to their hopes of reaching Division One. But the real winner could yet prove the weather with outbursts of rain, some prolonged, forecast over the next couple of days.All-rounder Liam Dawson admitted that his Essex side are in a good position. “To go into day three almost 200 runs ahead with twn wickets left is a position that you want to be in. I think there is enough in that wicket if you bowl well over a period of time to take wickets. The longer the game goes on and the more runs we get on the board, the more we put the pressure on Glamorgan. When we come to bowl against them again, whether it is late tomorrow or the start of day four, there is plenty in that wicket to encourage us.”Glamorgan head coach Toby Radford added: “It was a disappointing day for us, I thought that Ryder bowled exceptionally well, used the conditions overhead and got a lot from the pitch, swung it and nipped it both ways. I was still disappointed though that we couldn’t get closer to the Essex first innings score and then we failed to take any wickets this evening. So we are under pressure and have to play well over these last two days.”

Rajasthan Royals have to win to have a chance of qualifying, whereas a win for Kolkata Knight Riders would put them through to the playoffs

The Preview by Arun Venugopal15-May-2015Match factsSaturday, May 16, 2015
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)3:06

O’Brien: KKR need to look for consistency in away games

Big PictureRajasthan Royals must be feeling an uneasy sense of déjà vu. They began the season with five wins in five games but like last year, when they appeared to be cruising to the playoffs, they have lost steam midway. Royals find themselves needing to win their last game, and yet that might not be enough.That there has also been a change in captaincy, with Shane Watson stepping down ahead of the Chennai Super Kings encounter, has added another interesting dimension. But, with Steven Smith having stood in for Watson in the opening stages of the tournament, his elevation might not be an earth-shattering development.Knight Riders, on the other hand, would be inclined to look back ruefully at their five-run loss to Mumbai Indians on Thursday, but will have little emotional bandwidth to do so. They know that a win would get them into the playoffs, but a defeat would leave them pinning their hopes on other results.Both the matches played at the Brabourne Stadium thus far have been high-scoring affairs and this one isn’t likely to be any different. It could well be a contest between Royals’ batsmen and Knight Riders’ spinners, who have contributed 35 wickets in the tournament.Form guideRajasthan Royals LLWLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Kolkata Knight Riders LWWWLWatch out for…Chris Morris has been a worthy investment for Royals, and he has contributed with both bat and ball. Besides being their second-highest wicket-taker, he has also been the most economical of Royals’ bowlers. He has also scored 72 from five innings with a strike-rate of 189.47 without being dismissed once. By playing him too low down the order, Royals have perhaps not completely exploited his batting potential. A promotion in a crunch game might not be a bad idea.Yusuf Pathan has been a revelation in this year’s IPL, having shed his one-dimensional slogging in favour of a more balanced approach. He showed maturity in taking Knight Riders to the brink of victory against Mumbai, but his dismissal in the last over changed the course of the match. Marrying sangfroid with his characteristic big-hitting, Pathan could well be both the middle-order marshall as well as the finisher.Stats and trivia Robin Uthappa (11) is third on the list of most dismissals behind the stumps in this IPL. Wriddhiman Saha (13) and Dinesh Karthik (12) occupy the top-two positions Ajinkya Rahane (4) is joint-second with Lendl Simmons and Shreyas Iyer, behind only David Warner (6) for the most number of 50-plus scores made in IPL 2015Quotes”Gautam Gambhir is one of the best captains in the IPL. He always goes for wickets and not containing the batsmen. Even in the 15th or 16th over if there is a new batsman at the crease, he will have a short-leg and slip.””I doff my hat off to Watto for giving up the captaincy and taking more responsibility for his batting. It was a responsible thing to do. We all appreciate it as team men and move on.”

Jurgen Klopp slammed the Anfield atmosphere during Liverpool's 5-1 victory over West Ham United in the Carabao Cup.

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Liverpool cruised past West Ham 5-1Sailed into Carabao Cup last fourYet Anfield failed to bring out their bestWHAT HAPPENED?

Despite leading 1-0 at half-time with a stunning goal from Dominik Szoboszlai, Klopp felt that the excitement in the stands was lacking. Liverpool eventually secured a comfortable win over the Hammers with Curtis Jones, Cody Gakpo, and Mohamed Salah finding the net after the break.

AdvertisementWHAT JURGEN KLOPP SAID

Speaking to reporters, Klopp said: "I thought in the first half when the boys played really exceptionally, I was not overly happy with the atmosphere behind me. I asked people what do they want? We changed a lot of things and we dominated West Ham like crazy and missed chances. If I was in the stands I would be on my toes, 1,000 per cent. I don’t know, if the Man United game was that bad that we have to say sorry we didn’t smash them?

"If it is too much football in December, if you are not in the right shape, give your ticket to somebody else. It was just not the excitement I felt. There were so many good performances but we were only 1-0 up.”

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Liverpool are set to host Arsenal in a blockbuster top-of-the-table Premier League clash on Saturday and Klopp kept no stone unturned to rally the Reds faithful ahead of the crucial fixture.

“We need Anfield on Saturday," he said.

"Arsenal didn’t play this week. They’ve prepared for this game and anyone who knows anything about them knows they will be prepared. So we need Anfield on their toes from the first second, without me having an argument with the opposition coach."

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DID YOU KNOW?

Gary Neville also criticised the Anfield atmosphere after the 0-0 draw against Manchester United and labelled it "the worst I've seen ever for a Liverpool-Manchester United game."

Chesney Hughes ended a two-year wait for a century to put Derbyshire on course for a second victory of the season as they totally dominated the third day against Northamptonshire at Derby.

Press Association12-May-2015
ScorecardChesney Hughes made a century to put Derbyshire in full control•Getty ImagesChesney Hughes ended a two-year wait for a century to put Derbyshire on course for a second victory of the season as they totally dominated the third day against Northamptonshire at Derby.Hughes’s 104 was the first time he had scored a hundred since his 270 at Headingley in May 2013 and his opening stand of 205 with Ben Slater, who made 96, laid the platform for Derbyshire to declare on 407 for 5, setting Northamptonshire an improbable victory target of 427.Any slim hopes they harboured were quickly dashed by Mark Footitt, who removed both openers in his first three overs, and at the close Northamptonshire were 40 for 2, still 387 short of what would be the highest fourth-innings total in their history.Derbyshire were already well-placed at the start of the day, 95 runs ahead with all wickets intact, and Slater and Hughes batted patiently to slowly close the door on Northamptonshire. Not even a couple of short rain breaks could disrupt their concentration as they denied the visitors the breakthroughs that would have put them back in the contest.Hughes went to his fifty off 143 balls, his first in the Championship since June 2013, while Slater completed his third in as many matches this season from 160 to extend Derbyshire’s lead to 188 at lunch.Northamptonshire plugged away with part time offspinner Rob Keogh bowling 33 overs unchanged from the Racecourse End, but it was only when the batsmen upped the tempo that wickets started to fall. Hughes was lbw on the back foot to Keogh and Slater’s five-and-a-quarter hour vigil ended when he flashed at David Willey who then got one through Hashim Amla’s defences to bowl the South African captain. But it was now a question of when Derbyshire pulled out and after skipper Wayne Madsen and Harvey Hosein had added 68 in 10 overs, Northamptonshire were left with eight overs to face before stumps.It was always likely to be an awkward period and so it proved as Stephen Peters fell to the first ball when he played too soon at Footitt and chipped a gentle catch to short midwicket. Kyle Coetzer survived a difficult chance to fourth slip but was caught behind pushing at Footitt to leave Derbyshire holding the best hand going into the final day.”We’ve had a good three days,” Madsen said. “The wicket is deteriorating quite a bit and tomorrow it will take a bit more turn so it puts us in a strong position. We are expecting them to come at us but on this type of a wicket we will back ourselves to get enough chances and as long as we take them we will hopefully be victorious at the end.”Keogh admitted he was looking forward to an early night after his marathon shift. He said: “I knew I would be bowling some overs but wasn’t expecting that many on the bounce so I’m looking forward to a good kip. We bat all the way down and they scored nicely so if we dig deep, I’m sure we can try and pull through.”

Xavi revealed his admiration for Alvaro Morata and stated that he spoke to the striker over a possible transfer to Barcelona.

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Xavi wanted Morata at BarcelonaAdmires the Spain forwardHas scored 12 goals in all competitionsWHAT HAPPENED?

The Barcelona manager confirmed that he had a chat with Atletico star Morata and wanted the player to join the Catalan club. He also revealed that he admires the Spain striker and was looking forward to welcoming him in his team but unfortunately the move never materialised.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT XAVI SAID

Speaking to reporters, the coach said: "It's true that I wanted to sign him. There was that possibility. I was talking to him and I wanted him in the team, but it couldn't happen. He's a forward that I really like. Morata is a great forward. He is a generous footballer, who works a lot for the team, he works a lot. He goes very well into spaces and helps his teams a lot. I really like him a lot. With him and with [Antoine] Griezmann, Atletico has a world-class forward line."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The Catalan giants reportedly tried to sign the Spanish forward in January 2021 when he was on loan at Juventus from Atletico, according to . The former Chelsea man was not getting too many opportunities to play at the Italian club and was considering returning to his parent club before making a move to Camp Nou. The Bianconeri, though, did not want to release Morata at that point and thus a move to the Blaugrana could not take place.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR ALVARO MORATA?

The 31-year-old has had an impressive outing for Atletico in the ongoing season having scored 12 goals in 17 appearances across all competitions including seven La Liga goals which is the same as Barcelona star Robert Lewandowski. He will be next seen in action on Sunday when Diego Simeone's side lock horns against the defending champions in La Liga.

The Blancos, amid a testing 2017-18 campaign, are expected to overhaul their squad in the summer and will have a sizeable budget at their disposal

Galacticos of 2018?

Real Madrid are expected to spend big this summer, with a forgettable domestic campaign highlighting the flaws in a squad that swept to a La Liga and Champions League double in 2016-17. Reports suggest that the Blancos could invest as much as €600 million in fresh faces, with high-profile sales – such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Keylor Navas – helping to counter a sizable outlay and ensure the club adheres to Financial Fair Play regulations. Who, though, is on their shopping list as the next ‘Galactico’ recruitment drive at Santiago Bernabeu is pieced together?

AdvertisementGettyDavid de Gea: €130m

The Manchester United goalkeeper has been a longstanding target, with a deal almost done in the summer of 2015 only for a now-infamous fax delay to scupper a return to Spain for the former Atletico Madrid custodian.

De Gea has said of his Old Trafford future: “I don't think it's the time to start talking about the future, it's not the time to be talking contracts. Being a player and a part of this club is special, so when you get to wear the shirt, you go to away games, that's something you are always proud of and is very special.”

Getty ImagesThibaut Courtois: €100m

Amid the struggles to get an agreement in place for De Gea, Chelsea’s current number one has emerged as a possible alternative – with the former Atletico loanee having made no secret of his desire to return to Spain.

Courtois has said: “Yes, my heart is in Madrid. It is logical and understandable. If they [Real] want me, they have to contact Chelsea. We'll see. But they have not done that. What is certain is that one day I will return to Madrid.”

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Getty ImagesToby Alderweireld: €30m

Another man to have once graced the books at Real’s cross-city rivals Atletico, the Tottenham defender is now considered a realistic target as he is yet to commit to fresh terms in England and has a release clause set to kick in from 2019 if no extension is agreed.

Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino has said of the Belgian centre-half: “Toby still has two-and-a-half years of contract. Messi was six months left on his contract. Messi! If something happens, the club is going to communicate.”

Yorkshire’s worsening financial position, and the dilapidated state of Headingley, will only serve to toughen the resolve of the incoming ECB chairman, Colin Graves, to consider any option to sort out the finances of the professional game

David Hopps04-Mar-2015If Colin Graves, one of the men charged with bringing a fresh new look to England’s professional circuit, has had any fleeting doubts that an overhaul is necessary, those doubts will have been largely banished by Yorkshire’s deepening financial plight.Yorkshire won the Championship in 2014, and provided a steady stream of players for England, yet their finances remain bleak after announcing a loss of £300,000 for 2014, adding to debts already in the region of £22m.The county only survived a decade ago thanks to Graves’ financial support. Now he is in charge at the ECB, he is determined to examine all ways that can improve cricket’s popularity and relevance and put the game on a firmer financial footing.A respect for the game’s eternal verities will not be allowed to cloud the imperative for England’s professional circuit to make a stronger connection in the modern era.Although Yorkshire’s results did bring the consolation of halving the £600,000 loss the previous year, their continued financial straits are an indication of the dangers facing the English counties, where total debts are estimated around £120m. Results, though, have been mixed – Notts and Sussex have recently announced satisfactory financal figures.Without their success in producing England players, Yorkshire’s finances would have made even grimmer reading. Income from the ECB increased by £400,000 thanks in part to prize money for winning Championship and increased payments in respect of the development of England players and their representation for the national side.But international match revenue in 2014 was only £2.2m, 30 per cent of total income, slightly down on the previous year, even though the Test against Sri Lanka took place later in the year, in June, and Headingley sold out for an ODI against India in which the local favourite, Joe Root, made a match-winning century.Yorkshire, under their new chief executive, Mark Arthur, are making concerted efforts to strengthen links with the public in a county which professes to house the most committed cricket followers in the land but which seems reluctant to prove it at the turnstiles, amid grouses about high prices and the poor standard of Headingley.Despite ground improvements in the last decade, Headingley remains a work in progress and the old rugby stand could be closed for the next few years after parts of it were condemned as unsafe during a recent inspection.During the year the club received a £1m payment from the ECB which was used to repay a short term loan that was taken out in 2013 to repay £500,000 of a long-term loan from Leeds City Council loan and to fund capital projects.Paul Hudson, director of finance, claimed: “Improved results after a period of heavy financial losses.”Yorkshire are now pinning their hopes on what Hudson called “a significant investment” in the installation of permanent floodlights, which will allow NatWest Blast matches to begin at 7pm, instead of 5.30pm when the clog of the Leeds rush hour made attendance impossible for many thousands of would-be spectators. Only the Roses match, though, is a certain sell-out – and thanks to a washout in 2014 many spectators will get in for free this year.But Yorkshire spectators’ parochial disdain for England is damaging their own county to an extent many have yet to come to terms with.The second Investec Test against Sri Lanka was a compelling, fluctuating affair – Sri Lanka won when last man Jimmy Anderson was caught off the fifth ball of the last over of the final day.But even heavily reduced admission prices over the final three days – as low as £5 with free entry for juniors on the last day – could not attract more than 13,000 spectators over that period.Arthur pointed out at the time that the total aggregate attendance of 38,000 was significantly better than the 29,000 for the 2013 game against New Zealand, but revenue was down.Yorkshire have opted not to replace their 2nd X1 coach, Richard Dawson, who has joined Gloucestershire as chief coach, preferring to appoint from within.With Yorkshire in such financial disarray, and further ground improvements held at the moment at the architects’ drawing stage, no wonder that Dickie Bird, the former Test umpire, club president, and (in the Broad Acres at least) national treasure, has felt the need to offer to stump up the cost of a dressing room balcony out of his own pocket.

Jehan Mubarak has been named in the Sri Lanka A squad for the first four-day match against West Indies A, starting October 11 in Hambantota

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Oct-2014Sri Lanka A squad

Upul Tharanga (capt), Dimuth Karunaratne, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal, Ashan Priyanjan, Jehan Mubarak, Niroshan Dickwella, Seekkuge Prasanna, Shaminda Eranga, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Gamage, Madawa Warnapura, Rumesh Buddika, Tharindu Kaushal, Kasun Madushanka

Jehan Mubarak has been named in the Sri Lanka A squad for the first four-day match against West Indies A, starting October 11 in Hambantota. The squad of 15 will be led by Upul Tharanga.Mubarak, who last played a Test in 2007 and ODI in 2013, featured in eight T20s for Southern Express recently, five in Sri Lanka and three in the Champions League T20 qualifiers in India. He last played a first-class match in April this year.Sri Lanka’s next assignment is against England in November. With that in mind, Lahiru Thirimanne, Niroshan Dickwella, and Shaminda Eranga, who played the Tests against Pakistan in August, and Ashan Priyanjan, Seekkuge Prasanna and Dinesh Chandimal, who played the ODIs, all feature in the A squad.Two players who were in the Test squad but did not get a game – Dimuth Karunaratne and Lahiru Gamage – were also named for the first-class match.Among the uncapped players in the squad were Madawa Warnapura, Tharindu Kaushal, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Madushanka and Rumesh Buddika. Fernando played for the Sri Lanka A squad which toured England and Ireland in August.Sri Lanka A will host West Indies A for three four-day matches and three unofficial ODIs.