All posts by h716a5.icu

England’s Under-19s received another harsh lesson from Sri Lanka as they were beaten by 108 runs in the first match of the Royal London One-Day Series at Wormsley

ECB Reporters Network10-Aug-2016
ScorecardCharith Asalanka had a vastly satisfying day•Getty ImagesEngland’s Under-19s received another harsh lesson from Sri Lanka as they were beaten by 108 runs in the first match of the Royal London One-Day Series at Wormsley.This was England’s first chance to bounce back from the defeat they suffered in the second four-day match against the Sri Lankans in Northampton last week, albeit with a slightly different team.Instead they were dismissed for 149 after restricting the tourists to 257 for 7, losing their last eight wickets for 53 – seven of them shared by Sri Lanka’s three spinners.England made four changes to the team who had lost in Northampton. Kent’s Hugh Bernard, Worcestershire’s Zen Malik and the Somerset pair of Ben Green and Dom Bess came into the team – Malik and Bess making their Under-19 debuts, among seven players who were winning their first one-day caps.Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat, but Bernard gave England the perfect start when he pegged back Dilan Jayalath’s middle stump with the third ball of the match.Green then broke a dangerous second wicket stand of 67 when he had Avishka Fernando well caught by a diving Ollie Pope.But Sri Lanka’s captain Charith Asalanka picked up where he had left off in Northampton, striking 70 from 96 balls with eight fours.The tourists seemed on course for an imposing total but were pegged back in the middle of their innings by Bess, an offspinning allrounder from Devon who had already had Asalanka dropped at long on before taking a sharp return catch to dismiss the Sri Lankan captain himself.Bess ended with impressive figures of 1 for 30 from his 10 overs, and Bernard then claimed his second wicket courtesy of a superb legside stumping by Pope standing up to the Kent seamer.Green also collected a second wicket and there was one for Yorkshire allrounder Ed Barnes, and England seemed to have restricted Sri Lanka to a manageable total.They suffered two early setbacks in their reply when the former Millfield School team-mates George Hankins and George Bartlett, now at Gloucestershire and Somerset respectively, were undone by wiry seamer Thilan Prasan.That left England relying on their captain Max Holden, who was joined by Malik in a promising partnership of 61 in 14 overs.But the loss of Holden was a hammer blow as he fell to the off-spin of his fellow captain Asalanka, well taken by Wanidu Hasaranga at short extra cover after making 40 from 69 balls.That set off a procession, as England struggled to cope with the pressure exerted by Sri Lanka’s spinners and their excited chatter in the field. Pope ran himself out, Malik chipped a catch to mid-wicket after making 32 from 60 balls, and when Dell gave a return catch to Damitha Silva, England had lost four for 10 to slip to 106 for 6.Green and Bess stemmed the flow slightly but Green’s dismissal triggered another burst of four wickets in six overs, with Aaron Beard left unbeaten on 17 from 15 balls – the third highest score of the innings. Silva ended with 3 for 28 from his 10 overs, Hasaranga had 2 for 28 from eight, and Asalanka 2 for 27 from 6.3.England must now win both the remaining matches to take the series, in Chelmsford on Saturday before a day-night match at the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence next Tuesday which will be televised live by Sky Sports.

Celtic are set to lose one of their talents this summer, with Tsoanelo Letsosa deciding not to agree a new deal with the club, according to the Daily Record (24/05, 4:31pm).

Who will Celtic sell this summer?

The 18-year-old has spent this season playing for the Scottish Premiership side's B-team in the Lowland League. He's been a first-team regular for that outfit, playing 32 times in the division and bagging himself three goals and five assists along the way. He also played for the side in Europe in their UEFA Youth League campaign, managing five appearances with one goal to his name.

Having come up through the ranks at the club – he began in the side's Under-17 and Under-18 teams before moving on to play with the B-team – Celtic may have hoped that he could come through and play in some matches for their first team in the future. However, with his contract expiring at the end of the season, it seems he has no intention to stay.

That's because the Daily Record is reporting that despite being offered fresh terms, he has opted against putting pen to paper and is instead looking for a move over to England. However, the only saving grace for the Scottish side is that if he does move on to another side, the club are likely to be given compensation due to his age, which is thought to be to the tune of a six-figure sum.

Who is Tsoanelo Letsosa?

The youngster has yet to really have a taste of first-team football at the top level, so it is obviously unclear just how well he would do if given the chance in perhaps the EFL or at a higher level than he has featured so far.

However, the signs are promising for any team that does pick him up this summer. That's because coach Stephen McManus stated that he and the rest of that squad are "terrific" and that they each have a "bright future" in the game. It's high praise from the former player and suggests that he may well have the ability to go on and feature somewhere else to some success.

In addition, he's also been capped by the Scotland national team at Under-16 level – an honour which wouldn't be given to a player unless their coaches saw talent in his boots.

Therefore, Letsosa could be a good free-agent pickup for a team in England this summer – although it is unclear as of yet where he will end up.

Mitchell Johnson is set to play BBL cricket for the first time after signing with the Perth Scorchers for the 2016-17 season

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Aug-2016Mitchell Johnson is set to play BBL cricket for the first time after signing with the Perth Scorchers for the 2016-17 season. Johnson, 34, announced his retirement from international cricket during last summer and has only played in the IPL since then, but the lure of staying involved via the BBL was appealing.”I was never going anywhere else and always wanted to stay here and be part of the community,” Johnson said. “To be able to play for the Perth Scorchers, where I live and where I’m based, is perfect for me.”It’s exciting to be able to play Twenty20 cricket. A lot of the boys have told me about the Big Bash and how good it’s become, not only from a spectators’ point of view but also from a player’s point of view. It’s really good to play and it’s only getting bigger and bigger.”Johnson’s signing comes after the Scorchers lost a key drawcard with spinner Brad Hogg defecting to the Melbourne Renegades. Johnson said he would enjoy working with the Scorchers’ talented group of young fast bowlers, including fellow left-armers Joel Paris and Jason Behrendorff.”I’ll hopefully be able to guide these young guys in the right direction,” Johnson said. “I want be a mentor and bowl alongside these guys. I want to be involved in the coaching side of things which has become a bit more of a focus for me. I also want to enjoy it and have some fun.”

Rangers have made a “very strong” offer to sign Los Angeles star Jose Cifuentes as journalist Stefano Navas shares news on Twitter.

What’s the latest Rangers transfer news?

The Scottish Premiership side have missed out on silverware this campaign and have largely been overshadowed by Old Firm rivals Celtic, making preparation for next season absolutely imperative.

Rangers are also set to lose a number of both first team and fringe players in the coming weeks, with eight Ibrox stars about to leave the club for free at the end of this month.

The Gers and manager Michael Beale, as a result, are thought to be making moves behind-the-scenes and reports suggest that they hold a serious interest in Cifuentes.

As well as the Ecuador international, Rangers are chasing the likes of Jack Butland and Arsenal player Aaron Trusty – with the latter star shining on loan at Birmingham City over 2022/2023.

Going back to Cifuentes, overseas reporter Navas has shared his own update on Gers’ pursuit of the 24-year-old on Twitter, claiming they have indeed made a “very strong” offer to sign him.

He explained:

This comes amid reports that Rangers are closing in on a move for the South American ace, with Navas’ news that Cifuentes has already been in Glasgow surely coming as very promising.

Who is Jose Cifuentes?

The Ecuadorian could come as a very good acquisition for Beale if the club can get it done, especially considering he has played on the biggest stages in football.

Cifuentes, who featured at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, is exactly the type of player Rangers should be aspiring to sign if they’re to tussle dominance over the SPFL back from Celtic.

South American football expert Tim Vickery, speaking to talkSPORT (via Football Scotland), is certainly no stranger to the player’s obvious “quality”.

“He was the beating heart of that side and I think he’s a terrific midfielder. He’s strong, he’s got quality, he’s got a good engine – he’s one of the best all-round midfielders, potentially, that I’ve seen come out of South America in a while.”

Arsenal have "sounded out" West Ham star Declan Rice, but he is also a target for their Premier League title rivals, according to reports.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

The north Londoners are said to be prioritising central midfield additions this summer, even despite the signing of former Chelsea midfielder Jorginho in January, with Brighton's Moises Caicedo and Rice high on their agendas.

Manager Mikel Arteta is also believed to be chasing additions further forward, especially with Reiss Nelson out of contract this summer – leading to interest in the likes of Jonathan David (Lille) and Lois Openda (Lens) from Ligue 1.

Central defensive signings aren't ruled out, either, with star man William Saliba's injury problems arguably exposing some real frailties in the Arsenal back line this season.

The Gunners went four league games without a win in April – a run which may well have cost them their first domestic crown in 20 years if City can keep up their near-perfect winning run of late.

Sporting director Edu will have one eye on next campaign and how he can reinforce Arteta's squad for a potential fresh challenge in 2023/2024.

Going back to Rice, a report by Football Insider has shared some news on Arsenal's pursuit of the 24-year-old.

They've apparently "sounded out" the England international over a move to the Emirates Stadium and remain in pole position for his signing, but they could face competition from title rivals Man City.

Pep Guardiola is also reportedly targeting Rice, alongside fellow rivals Chelsea, but the midfielder's eagerness over potentially working with Arteta could work in their favour.

Rice is believed to be really impressed with the job he has done at Arsenal and is excited over the prospect of playing under him, not to mention he is keen to remain in London.

What could Rice bring to Arsenal?

As per WhoScored, the Irons star is a colossal presence for David Moyes, having registered more interceptions per 90 than any other West Ham player whilst standing out as their best-performer overall.

Rice has also been called "utterly sensational" by members of the press like 90min reporter Toby Cudworth, while Sky Sports pundit Alan Smith said this on him recently (via The Boot Room):

“Declan Rice, He’s like two players for West Ham. He’s unbelievable, world-class and he is starting to add goals to his game as well.”

He could inject both quality and enthusiasm into Arteta's midfield, yet he won't be cheap, with reports claiming he could cost up to £120 million.

Eoin Morgan, England’s limited-overs captain, has described Tymal Mills as a “really exciting” addition to the T20 squad

Alan Gardner19-Jun-2016Eoin Morgan, England’s limited-overs captain, has described Tymal Mills as a “really exciting” addition to the T20 squad ahead of a possible international debut against Sri Lanka next month. Sussex left-armer Mills is capable of bowling above 90mph and his selection is another step towards England developing a pool of players who can consistently mount a challenge for global white-ball trophies.Mills’ pace has made him a player of interest to England for some time but a back problem diagnosed last year effectively forced his retirement from first-class cricket at the age of 22. He has since been focused on becoming a T20 specialist, with a tailored training programme developed in conjunction with the ECB.Morgan suggested Mills could provide England with a cutting edge similar to Mitchell Starc for Australia and welcomed his introduction to the set-up. England were beaten finalists at this year’s World T20, with the tournament next scheduled for 2020 – although a 2018 edition may still materialise – but it is possible that Mills could eventually have a role to play in 50-over cricket as well.”It’s really exciting,” Morgan said. “We have a left-arm option who is quite steady but to have a genuine quick… I don’t think we’ve somebody who bowls as quick as Tymal in quite a long time. I think he’s been bowling at 93, 94mph. I think Steven Finn bowled that three or four years ago but has not managed it since. It’s not something that comes easy. Certainly if we can ease Tymal into the squad when it comes to a big match I see no problems going to him. I think now is the time to get him involved.”Mills has taken 25 T20 wickets at 18.32, with an economy of 7.94, since joining Sussex ahead of the 2015 season, leading to his involvement with the England Lions against Pakistan A in the UAE over the winter. He has only played two List A games in the last year, since the discovery of the spinal condition that causes shooting pain in his legs, and has a career average of 35.77 from 23 matches.Morgan concedes that Mills is restricted to T20 at the moment. “At the moment, yes,” Morgan said. “He’s building up towards 50 overs if possible, but I think that’s a long way away at the moment. He’s come a long way since last year. He thought his career might be over. It’s really exciting to see him back. With the balance of the side we have, if Ben Stokes is fit, we can have the luxury of gambling with somebody like that.”Tymal Mills has carved out an impressive T20 record with Sussex•Getty ImagesEngland have enjoyed a renaissance in limited-overs cricket over the last 12 months under Morgan, particularly in their style of play, which culminated in an exhilarating run to the World T20 final in India.Results have been less consistent in ODI cricket, however. England have won 10 and lost nine ODIs since the start of last summer, with series victories over New Zealand and Pakistan counterbalanced by defeats to Australia and South Africa, and Morgan believes it is “still the beginning” in terms of challenging at next year’s Champions Trophy and the 2019 World Cup.”We’re still a long way away,” he said. “I think we have the attributes to be the team we want – we’re moving in the right direction, particularly in our bowling department. We have a legspin option who turns it both ways, a left-arm seam option, we have quicks and then somebody who is quite steady. The all-round balance of a bowling attack is important leading into any major competition. Having not just one line-up but a back-up is important.”It’s always good to look back and realise we have made some good progress but also think whether we are still going in the right direction. Who is our next left-arm seamer if somebody goes down, who is our next legspinner if somebody goes down? Things are going well at the moment but it is still the beginning.”Morgan also held out hope for Stuart Broad – who has spoken openly of his desire to return to the one-day side – and James Anderson, suggesting the formats had become more squad driven, and that England wanted to have greater strength in depth rather than attempting to settle on an ideal XI to play all of the time.”I actually think somewhere between 15 and 17 players [is what we need]. It’s a squad game. One of the lessons from the World Cup last year was that going into the event our standout bowlers weren’t in form, coming back from injury. That put quite a bit of pressure on Jimmy and Broady. It was probably wrong of us to do so. That’s one lesson.”It creates a lot of healthy competition for places. We’ve had some fantastic performances over the last 12 months but 12 months doesn’t necessarily earn you the right to win a 50-over World Cup. It’s a bit of a longer race than that.”We’d still like to keep Stuart, Jimmy, etc in our minds. Like I say, probably a squad of about 17 players who are in and around the side. We would like guys to stand up and say, ‘This spot is mine.’ But we’ve jigged around during the last 12 months trying to find the best balance.”Etihad Airways, a global partner of Taste Festivals, is the first ever official airline partner of the England Cricket teams. Etihad Holidays will have a range of cricket tour packages for the upcoming England tours to Bangladesh and India: www.etihad.com

Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos is set to leave this summer, having not been offered a new contract by manager Michael Beale, and Football Insider have confirmed he has a number of offers on the table.

Which Rangers players could leave this summer?

The Gers are set to part ways with a number of first-team players this summer, with Beale confirming Ryan Kent will not be offered a new deal, although he has played down reports the winger has held talks with Turkish side Fenerbahce.

In the same report, the Light Blues manager also confirms Malik Tillman will not play again this season, however he hints that he would be interested in signing him on a permanent basis, if the player himself is willing to make the switch to Ibrox.

With Rangers closing in on the signing of Jack Butland, veteran goalkeeper Allan McGregor may also choose to call time on his playing career, although he will wait until the summer before making his final decision.

Beale recently confirmed the club "haven't come forward" with a contract offer for Morelos, and Football Insider now report multiple clubs across Europe are eyeing the striker, who is set to announce his next club within weeks.

The Colombian wants to give it his all in his final five games as a Gers player, before deciding where he moves next, with clubs in Italy, Spain and multiple other countries said to have made offers.

The likes of Filip Helander, Scott Arfield and John McLaughlin are also understood to be joining the striker in leaving Glasgow this summer.

Is letting Morelos leave the right decision?

The 26-year-old has been a regular starter under Beale, recording 11 goals and six assists in 30 Scottish Premiership games this season, so it is a little surprising the manager is willing to let him leave.

That said, the Rangers boss may be eager to bring in his own personnel, rather than relying on players who have already had their chance to impress at Ibrox, with journalist Dean Jones claiming the forward probably needs a "fresh start."

The "terrific" £33k-per-week marksman will be remembered fondly by Rangers fans, not least because of the part he played in the title-winning 2020-21 campaign, scoring 11 league goals.

However, it is time for a new era at Ibrox, and Morelos could be replaced by Bordeaux striker Josh Maja, who is joint-second in the Ligue 2 goal-scoring charts this season.

Chelsea will battle title-chasing Arsenal tonight as the Blues attempt to restore some pride to their horrendous season, whilst halting the Gunners’ attempts to return to the top spot.

However, this will be a humongous task considering the abysmal form that the Blues currently find themselves in.

Since Frank Lampard took charge as caretaker, the 2021 Champions League winners are winless in five games, only scoring once and conceding nine.

Mikel Arteta’s men also find themselves in patchy form, drawing three of their last four matches, but they will be desperate to bounce back in this London derby.

In Chelsea’s last outing, the side produced a dismally depressing showing against Brentford, slumping to a 2-0 defeat.

One player who drastically struggled was Cesar Azpilicueta and should be dropped for the encounter this evening.

Should Chelsea drop Azpilicueta vs Arsenal?

The Spaniard is currently the club’s longest-serving player and has been the captain since Gary Cahill’s departure in 2019. He has made over 500 appearances for the Blues across 11 years and in January 2023 he became the sixth player to reach this milestone.

His reliability, longevity, and consistency are three unteachable traits that have to be applauded. However, the 33-year-old has unsurprisingly declined and that was painfully apparent against the Bees.

Nowadays, full-backs are expected to be a versatile blend of defensive solidity and attacking flair, but Azpilicueta didn’t impress in either of these categories.

The 44-cap international made only his 12th top-flight start of the season, but it quickly soured. The former Marseille man failed to register only any tackles or blocks, as well as being unable to win any ground duels.

The £180k-per-week veteran also failed to contribute to any offensive phases of play and didn't offer any accurate crosses, key passes, or successful dribbles.

A miserable display was capped off by an own goal from a corner, and he was hauled off at half-time to spare his blushes.

With Reece James being ruled out until the end of the season, Chelsea are missing one of their primary creative forces and the skipper fails to even moderately mirror what the Englishman offers.

Although Azpilicueta should only be used sparingly for the rest of the season, it makes a huge amount of sense to retain the experienced leader beyond this campaign in this period of change and difficulty.

The defender has won every available trophy in West London and will be remembered as one of the club’s most successful players, but starting him at the Emirates tonight would invite trouble.

Manchester United could be boosted by the return of Alejandro Garnacho when they welcome Aston Villa to Old Trafford on Sunday, reports the Manchester Evening News.

What's the early team news?

The Red Devils welcome a high-flying Villans side to Manchester on Sunday in what has suddenly become a hugely important fixture in the race for European football. The hosts can move themselves nine points clear in the race for Champions League qualification, while Villa have their own aspirations and could actually sit just three points behind Erik ten Hag's side with a win of their own.

Unai Emery is expected to be without Matty Cash, Boubacar Kamara, Philippe Coutinho and Leon Bailey, but United have some problems of their own, with first-choice centre-back pairing Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane both sidelined.

One piece of good news however is the return of Garnacho, after the teenager participated in training on Friday, the same day on which the club announced a bumper new contract for the rising star.

According to MEN, the 18 year-old, who has not played since March, "took part in first-team training on Friday afternoon at Carrington", which suggests he "could be available" when Villa come calling in what the paper describes as a "boost" for the manager.

Will Garnacho play vs Aston Villa?

The Argentina U20 international has been praised for being "dangerous" and having a "massive influence" when he plays by none other than Paul Scholes, and it's not hard to see why.

Capable of playing on both wings and terriying defenders with his quick feet and directness, Garnacho has mustered up nine direct goal involvements in 31 senior appearances for the club, a phenomenal return for such a young player.

With Anthony Martial not quite looking his best since injury and Wout Weghorst still failing to really make his mark, having Garnacho off the bench could prove to be the difference when the game gets stretched and Villa's legs are tiring.

If he is indeed fit enough to give Ten Hag 30 minutes of his usual high-tempo performance, Garnacho's return is indeed a massive boost and he should be granted the opportunity to make his mark.

Leeds United youngster Crysencio Summerville is wanted by Newcastle United in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh update.

Is Summerville having a good season?

The Whites are having a tricky time in the Premier League, with survival still far from a given, and too many players have struggled to perform this season. Summerville is one who has arguably done better than some expected, however, proving to be an important figure at times.

The £15,000-a-week-earning Dutchman has scored four goals and registered two assists in the campaign to date, including a memorable late winner away to Liverpool back in October, and he has made 27 appearances in all competitions. Unfortunately, an ankle injury disrupted his season earlier this year which halted his progress, but it has still been a positive campaign on an individual note.

It could be that Summerville is a wanted man when the summer window arrives, however, and while his current contract doesn't expire until 2026, his head could potentially be turned by an offer from another club if Leeds go down.

Could Summerville join Newcastle?

According to Football Insider reporter Pete O'Rourke, sharing news from his sources, high-flying Newcastle could be a possible destination for the winger at the end of the season, should he depart Elland Road. They are "among the top clubs monitoring the situation" currently.

The Magpies are "ready to pounce in the off-season", especially if Leeds suffer relegation to the Championship, while Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund are also seen as potential suitors. The report does state that the Whites "will find it hard" to keep the youngster if they do go down, which isn't too much of a surprise.

Losing Summerville would be a big blow this summer, considering the long-term ceiling he has, having been hailed as "absolutely incredible" by former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha recently. At 21, he still has so much improving to do as a player, and for Leeds to see him develop elsewhere would be tough to stomach, having seen him mature so much in recent years.

The hope is that the Whites retain their Premier League status and are able to persuade the attacker to stay put, perhaps with the promise of him being even more of a key starter next season. Should the worst-case scenario happen and he demands a move, though, it is essential that Leeds get as much money as possible, in order to bolster their transfer kitty ahead of what is an important summer.