All posts by h716a5.icu

Kusal Mendis said a desire to raise his average and be considered among the best players in the world was behind his unbeaten 166 on the first day in Galle

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Galle07-Mar-2017Kusal Mendis said the prospect of raising his average from the low 30s, and the goal of being among the world’s best batsmen, provided motivation to hit a big score on the first day in Galle.Like many in the Sri Lanka top order, Mendis endured an awful tour of South Africa in which he struck only one Test fifty and averaged 23.00 across six innings. That series was preceded by a lean run in Zimbabwe, where he averaged 19.75.His first Test knock at home in six months brought more luck. He edged his first ball to the wicketkeeper but was reprieved when the bowler was shown to have overstepped on review. From there, he played a largely chanceless innings and, thanks to being 166 not out at the close, his average has risen to 37.70. It will not drop below 35 even if he gets out first ball on day two.”When I played Australia at home, I had an average of about 42, but then it deteriorated little by little,” Mendis said. “People told me it’s hard to push it back above 30 if it goes below that. After I failed in South Africa, I wanted to get it back above 35, and you need a big innings to do that. People told me that when you get set, make sure you hit a big innings. I want to be among the best ten batsmen in the world, and to get my average to 40 or 45 eventually.”The return to form was not down to a specific technical change, Mendis said, though perhaps the early reprieve did help. In previous innings, Mendis has been out driving loosely, but following that first shot, he was largely watchful through the first session. Only later in the day did he adopt the positive approach that is more familiar to his game.”I practised hard after Zimbabwe and South Africa,” he said. “The coaches, senior players and captains all told me that I can handle this level – they didn’t put much pressure on me despite my failures. I corrected my backlift a bit after watching previous videos, but there weren’t any major changes. Those little things I tried to change.”I must have played a bad shot to get out first ball, but I was keen to stay there for the team after that.”Mendis’ 196-run partnership with Asela Gunaratne was instrumental to Sri Lanka’s strong position in the match. The two had come together with the score on 92 for 3, and batted with freedom over 43 overs to transform the game’s outlook.”Asela’s in really good form after doing well in the Australia series. I had a feeling he’d get a good score, given the way he was playing. When he was at the other end, it became easier for me as well. At one time, he batted well at the other end and took the pressure off me when I was feeling a bit tired. Unfortunately he got out towards the end of the day. It was easy to bat with him.”While Galle can often be a spin-bowling paradise, so far this surface has been as lifeless as any seen at the venue over the past three years. The previous Test here, against Australia, ended in two-and-a-half days, though Mendis was also impressive in that game, top-scoring with 86.”Last year when we played Australia here, the ball really turned,” Mendis said. “This time it’s easier for the batsmen, and it won’t be a big difference tomorrow – maybe late in the day the ball will spin a bit more. The wicket does seem hard though, so it’s hard to predict what will happen.”

Steven Finn has recovered from injury and is primed to make an impact when England begin their three-Test Investec series against Sri Lanka next week

Alan Gardner14-May-2016″Use your frustration as motivation.” That was the simple advice Trevor Bayliss emailed to Steven Finn last month. Finn had received what might be described as a mild ECB ticking off for talking about missing the World T20 despite being, in his opinion, fit to play and England’s head coach was keen to channel it into a positive response.Finn’s publically expressed disappointment barely qualified as an outburst but he has had his share of frustrations over the last few years, starting with the problems surrounding his run-up and action and then more recently through injury. Having made a triumphant comeback during last summer’s Ashes, he was forced out of the UAE series with a foot problem, missed the final Test in South Africa with a side strain and then suffered a calf strain leading up to the World T20.Instead of being part of England’s run to the final in Mumbai, Finn was left to do pre-season with Middlesex, where he offered his thoughts in a couple of press engagements. He has since spoken to the “medical people, selectors, the people who made the decision” to clear up the matter and Bayliss will hope to have a bowler primed to make an impact when England begin their three-Test Investec series against Sri Lanka next week.”I shouldn’t have been as vocal as I was when I came out and said those things. I’ve accepted what’s happened, I’ve had conversations with the people that I mentioned in that interview and it’s all fine,” Finn said. “I missed the World Cup because I was injured, you’re disappointed when you miss out on world tournaments … I was in the wrong, I’ve accepted that, I’ve spoken to the people who were affected by the interview and everything is fine now.”Trevor actually sent me an email, he said ‘use your frustration as motivation to take wickets in the Test matches this summer’, which I think was the perfect response to it. You can channel your frustration into the wrong avenues and it can affect you. If it’s used in the right manner it can be a positive thing as well.”Taylor retirement ‘very sad’

Steven Finn has said that James Taylor’s successor at short leg will have “a lot to live up to”. Taylor took two brilliant catches – the second off Finn’s bowling – in England’s Johannesburg Test victory in January but has since been forced to retire at the age of 26 after the discovery of a life-threatening heart defect.
“Whoever fields in there now has got a lot to live up to,” Finn said. “It’s just very sad, we’re all saddened by what’s happened, I think the solace that we can take is he’s still with us. It’s a shame that we’ll never see him on a cricket field again because he had so much to give, but we’re glad he’s alive, glad he’s fit and well.”

Despite a call-up for the uncapped Jake Ball, Finn seems set to return to the third-seamer’s berth that has been his on a timeshare basis only since his debut six years ago. While Ball is the joint-leading wicket-taker in Division One of the Championship, with 19 at 21.15, Finn’s 12 wickets have cost more than 30 apiece and he admits that it has taken a while to get his “competitive head back on” after a three-month lay-off following the Johannesburg Test in January.”I’ve bowled some good spells this summer, I’ve bowled some not-great spells this summer,” he said. “I know it’s in there.”Finn’s eight-wicket haul at Edgbaston last summer, having not played a Test in more than two years, was one of the highlights of England regaining the Ashes, as well as vindication for his own hard work with Richard Johnson, Middlesex’s bowling coach, and the ECB’s Kevin Shine. Further sessions with Johnson beckon before Finn joins up with England next week, as well as work at Loughborough with Raph Brandon, the ECB’s head of science and medicine and the man who played a vital role in helping to re-groove Finn’s run-up.”I’ve learned a lot about myself over the last couple of years, I know a lot more,” Finn said. “I’m more in tune with my game and what I’m trying to do to get people out, and with my action, etcetera, so I feel in a good place.”Headingley has not been an auspicious venue for England in recent times – they have won only once in their last six Tests in Leeds – and it was there, against South Africa in 2012, that Finn’s habit of kneeing the stumps in his delivery stride became a problem that was soon to escalate. It is a ground where it can be “hard to find your rhythm” due to the slope but also offers extra pace (bowling downhill) and bounce (uphill) once mastered.Steven Finn has taken 12 wickets in four matches for Middlesex so far this season•Getty ImagesThose are the qualities Finn has always sought to bring to England’s attack, while the addition of an outswinger has not harmed his cause. Even if there have been a few too many four balls in his early season outings for Middlesex, he appeared relaxed about everything clicking into place again.Ball’s elevation keeps the pressure on – Mark Wood, Chris Woakes and Liam Plunkett will all hope to provide further competition over the course of seven Tests against Sri Lanka and Pakistan – but, as Bayliss’s email hinted, Finn remains the preferred candidate to support England’s senior new-ball pair. This will be the latest in a succession of big summers as he tries to nail down his place for good.”I think I went a little bit of a way towards doing that in South Africa, but unless you are a Stuart Broad or James Anderson you are never settled in that line-up,” Finn said. “It’s a big summer for me to try and cement that spot in the team but it’s something that I’m not putting too much pressure on myself. If you put pressure on yourself it won’t come, if I relax, play with a smile on my face and let the ball do the talking, it will look after itself.”Investec is the title sponsor of Test match cricket in England. For more on Investec private banking, visit www.investec.co.uk/banking

The 2023 youth tournament gets under way on Saturday, May 20, and it is a competition where some of the game's greats have made their mark

Before many of the game's legends became, well, legends, they were first hopefuls, prospects, starlets. And before many of them went on to lift some of the sport's most iconic trophies, they first lifted the Under-20 World Cup on their journey towards immortality.

Launched in 1977, the U20 World Cup, or the FIFA World Youth Championship as it was called until 2005, has served as a proving ground for several of the game's icons. Between them, Brazil and Argentina have lifted the trophy 11 times, and many of the players that defined generations for those two South American nations emerged in this tournament.

From Diego Maradona to Lionel Messi, Argentina have produced some of the world's best, while Brazilian stars Fernandinho and Oscar both scored some of the most memorable goals this tournament has to offer. But it's not just South American stars that have dominated this competition, though, as a certain Norwegian terminator first went mainstream with one of the most dominant performances this sport has seen at any level.

GOAL looks back at some of the biggest names and most memorable performances in U20 World Cup history:

Getty Images1979 – Diego Maradona

The 1979 tournament was the second iteration of the U20 World Cup, and it notably featured a breakout performance from one of the game's great icons. Before he became an Argentinian God, Diego Armando Maradona was a teenager at the then-FIFA World Youth Championship. His six goals, alongside eight from Ramon Diaz, led Argentina to the title, with both scoring in a 3-1 win over the Soviet Union in the final.

While Diaz claimed the Golden Boot, Maradona claimed the Golden Ball, setting the stage for one of football's most unforgettable careers.

AdvertisementGetty1987 – Davor Suker

Before becoming one of Croatia's best-ever players, Suker starred for Yugoslavia as they lifted the trophy in 1987. It took extra-time and a penalty shootout to take down West Germany, with the two sides each scoring goals after the 85th minute. In the end, though, Yugoslavia emerged victorious, with Suker finishing as the Golden Boot runner-up with six goals.

It wasn't enough for him to make the Golden Ball podium, though, with Yugoslavia's Robert Prosinecky winning the award over team-mate Zvonimir Boban, who finished second.

Getty Images1991 – Luis Figo and Rui Costa

After winning the tournament in 1989, Portugal somehow brought an even more star-studded squad to the 1991 tournament on home soil. Future legends Figo and Rui Costa headlined the squad, which ended up in the final against Brazil in front of over 125,000 fans at Estadio da Luz.

The match finished goalless, but both future midfield icons scored from the spot in the shootout win.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

clarin1997 – Lionel Scaloni

The 1997 Argentina team laid the foundation for a generation. Scaloni, who ultimately achieved World Cup glory as the country's manager in 2022, was one of several familiar faces in the squad that lifted the U20 World Cup in 1997.

Esteban Cambiasso, Pablo Aimar, Juan Roman Riquelme and Walter Samuel were all in the team that beat Uruguay 2-1 in the final. Each of those named ended up becoming superstars, while continuing to build their country's legacy at this tournament.

South Africa’s bowlers flexed their muscles with the pink ball the day after the touring batsmen had done likewise to round out the warm-up match against a Cricket Australia XI under lights at Adelaide Oval

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Oct-2016
ScorecardRilee Rossouw scored a brisk 77 after CA XI were rolled over•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesSouth Africa’s bowlers flexed their muscles with the pink ball the day after the touring batsmen had done likewise to round out the warm-up match against a Cricket Australia XI under lights at Adelaide Oval.The local collective lasted a mere 30.4 overs meaning Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander, Morne Morkel and Kagiso Rabada were denied the chance to see how the pink ball would perform after dark.However an even spread of wickets – the aforementioned quartet plus Kyle Abbott all claimed two wickets each – augured well for the South Africa bowlers ahead of the Test series against Australia, even if the CA XI provided modest opposition.Only the CA XI captain Matthew Short was able to resist for any length of time, battling his way to 57 from 61 balls as wickets fell around him. No other member of the invitational side made it to double figures.The swift collapse of the CA XI innings left the tourists with the remainder of the evening for a second innings, in which Rilee Rossouw made the most of his chance to post a swift 77 before retiring.Faf du Plessis, Temba Bavuma and JP Duminy were all able to indulge in some gentle centre-wicket practice before the close. Arjun Nair, the young NSW spinner, was able to put in a second economical display while also deceiving Bavuma.

Rehan Ahmed is just 13. But such is his talent that, for the second year in succession, he was invited by MCC to bowl at the Test teams as they prepared for the Lord’s Test

George Dobell06-Sep-2017There had been talk going into this Lord’s Test that a young English legspinner might win his chance to impress.But it wasn’t Mason Crane who stuck out in the nets ahead of the third and final Test. It was an even younger legspinner named Rehan Ahmed.Rehan is just 13. But such is his talent that, for the second year in succession, he was invited by MCC to bowl at the Test teams as they prepared for the Lord’s Test.Last year he bowled so well that he dismissed Ben Stokes. But MCC felt that, in light of his age, any media coverage would be unhelpful and politely requested he be given time away from the spotlight. That will come soon enough.But this year he was back and bowled beautifully, troubling several batsmen in the nets.He can bat, too. He recently made an unbeaten 150 in a county game and, given the opportunity to face one ball from Jason Holder in the nets, charged down the pitch and drove him back over his head.”He is an exceptional, precocious talent,” Steve Kirby, the head coach of MCC told ESPNcricinfo. “And one we should nurture and not over-coach.”Nottinghamshire are doing a great job with him at present. We all just want to allow him to play and flourish. We don’t want to do anything to crush the wonderful enthusiasm he has at the moment.”Why is he here? Well, we thought he would enjoy bowling at the England and West Indies players. But more importantly, it’s all part of our attempts to build relationships with the south Asian communities. Hopefully seeing Rehan’s success will inspire other boys and girls to follow in his footsteps.”Rehan came to the attention of Nottinghamshire when his father, Naeem, brought him to open trials at the club as an eight-year-old. He was soon drafted into the Under-10 side and, this season, was deemed good enough to play for the U17s on occasions. He has two brothers, one older who is a decent seamer, and one younger, who is a spinner (he is 10 and bowls a lovely doosra).”Mushtaq Ahmed was just walking past the nets last summer and, when he saw Rehan bowl, he stopped in his tracks,” Naeem says. “He came back to watch and was obviously very impressed.”His advice? “He said ‘Just bowl and don’t take too much notice of what any coaches say.'””There is a perception that we over-coach in England,” Gemaal Hussain, the former Gloucestershire and Somerset seamer who is now working as an MCC scout, agreed. “These boys have learned the game in their garden. They have a natural talent that is born of playing the game they love with fun and freedom.”It took Hussain years to break into the first-class game. He spent nights sleeping in his car and months driving around the country in pursuit of opportunities until finally, aged 25, he got his break with Gloucestershire. Things should be considerably easier for those of Rehan’s generation.

BBC are currently in a dispute with the Premier League over hosting rights as they are looking to reduce the £60million-a-year fee they currently pay.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

BBC in dispute with Premier LeagueLooking to reduce the yearly fee of £60mThere will be fewer games in their slotGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

According to a report from The Daily Mail last month, the iconic 'BBC Match of the Day' show was set to remain the broadcaster for another four years from 2025. The likes of Channel 4, Channel 5 and ITV decided against bidding for the rights to Match of the Day as they did not find it commercially viable. However, a new report from The Daily Mail now suggests that there is an ongoing conversation between the BBC and Premier League to reduce the yearly fee that is charged.

AdvertisementTHE EXPLANATION

There could only be three Saturday afternoon kickoffs since the Premier League is planning to broadcast up to 270 live games a season, the majority of which will take place on Sundays. While the BBC airs Match of the Day 2 on Sunday nights as well, its flagship Saturday show, hosted by Gary Lineker, garners higher viewership. The BBC places special emphasis on the 3 pm kickoffs because of the extensive coverage that live broadcast games receive elsewhere on the other platforms.

DID YOU KNOW?

There is an ongoing petition to get rid of the blackout of the Premier League games between 2:15 pm and 5:15 pm. Since before the Premier League was established, broadcasters have only been permitted to air the early and late matches on national television in the UK due to the blackout with the majority of the games not broadcast on television. However, American investors are looking to get rid of the blackout as a means of increasing the broadcast revenue from the games.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR THE BROADCAST RIGHTS?

It is still expected that the broadcast rights will remain with BBC as their competitors have also raised the same concerns regarding the extremely high yearly fees for hosting the famous slot of Premier League games.

Everton have been strongly linked with a move for Wilfried Gnonto this summer and now a new update has emerged on the club's pursuit of the player.

What's the latest on Everton's interest in Wilfried Gnonto?

According to Italian news outlet Gazzetta Dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Everton have made a concrete move for the Leeds United winger.

As per the report, the Toffees are the first to make a serious move for the player alongside Freiburg and the club have already made contact with the recently-relegated West Yorkshire outfit to confirm their interest in Gnonto.

It is claimed that Leeds will demand up to €20m (£17m) to part ways with their young forward this summer as they are attempting to keep together as much of their Premier League squad as possible.

Will Everton sign Wilfried Gnonto this summer?

Improving the quality of the attacking threat at Goodison Park will be the top priority for Sean Dyche this summer as he aims to stabilise Everton's situation in the Premier League after the club suffered two consecutive relegation scraps.

Whilst the midfield and defensive personnel have been refreshed with quality as the likes of James Tarkowski, Idrissa Gueye and Amadou Onana have become key players for the Merseysiders, the presence in the final third has been significantly weakened over the last 12 months.

Anthony Gordon followed Richarlison out of the door in January, leaving the wide attacking options limited to Dwight McNeil and Demarai Gray for the remainder of the campaign and whilst the Toffees were saved with two points to spare at the end of the 38-game campaign it came a little too close for comfort.

Now Dyche could significantly improve the forward line with opportunities presented to him in the summer transfer window and by signing Gnonto could provide McNeil with a partner on the opposite flank who can work alongside him to offer more creativity and goal-scoring opportunities next season.

Only McNeil offered more goal contributions (10) than the Italian sensation (8) in all competitions last season, which is a testament to just how poor the threat was in front of goal last season for the Toffees and how valuable the signing of Gnonto could be for Dyche.

As per FBref, the teenage sensation – hailed "special" by Michael Skubala – already ranks in the top 20% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for blocks, tackles and progressive carries, proving that not only does he have an eye for goal but is also a consistent ball-winner who can comfortably progress into dangerous positions. The thought of two lively wingers, therefore, is a mouthwatering one for those at Goodison.

With that being said, the signing of Gnonto would be a major coup for Everton as his Premier League experience and potential to develop into a really valuable threat in front of goal could set up the future of their forward line for many years to come.

Liverpool's flight back to Merseyside was cancelled amid the wind and rain of Storm Ciaran, after they beat Bournemouth 2-1 in the Carabao Cup.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Reds won in terrible conditionsCody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez scoredLiverpool unable to fly back northWHAT HAPPENED?

Liverpool battled to a 2-1 win over the Cherries on the south coast on Wednesday, despite the wind and rain that plagued the encounter. Gakpo and Nunez scored to send the Reds into the quarter-finals of the competition, but the conditions grounded their flight back north.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Per Liverpool Echo journalist Paul Gorst, the Reds' flight back was cancelled, leaving the squad and staff stranded. Storm Ciaran brought strong winds and heavy rain to the United Kingdom overnight, with large parts of the country ordered to stay inside amid "danger to life" warnings. Liverpool, meanwhile, are not back in action until Sunday, when they face Luton Town away from home.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Reds have won the Carabao Cup on nine occasions and are aiming to repeat their 2021/22 success after overcoming the Cherries. They will face West Ham in the last-eight.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Klopp's side face newly-promoted Luton at Kenilworth Road this weekend.

The wicketkeeper, who is set to equal Brad Hogg’s Australian record for the most Tests missed between appearances, is eager to use this chance to rewrite the story of his career

Brydon Coverdale in Brisbane20-Nov-2017Tim Paine can’t take a hint. In fact, he can’t take repeated hints over the course of several years.Three summers ago, when Paine was 29, Tasmania looked to the future by choosing the Western Australian import Tom Triffitt as wicketkeeper instead of Paine. Last season, it was the teenage Jake Doran – another import – who took the gloves. And this year, Matthew Wade returned from a decade with Victoria and settled in behind the stumps himself.So where does that leave Paine? In a plot-twist worthy of , it leaves him about to keep wicket for Australia in an Ashes series, seven years after he last wore the baggy green. As head-scratching selections go, this is one of the scratchiest, for Paine has been gloveman in just three Shield games in the past two years and has not scored a first-class hundred since 2006. But there are mitigating circumstances.”It was widely recognised last year in Tasmania that I was the best wicketkeeper in Tasmania,” Paine said in Brisbane on Monday, “it was just that at the time Tasmania had a fair share of battles in Shield cricket and decided to go in a new direction that was clearly a younger direction, so that was just how it panned out.”And the lack of big runs? One contributing factor was the smashed finger that he suffered while batting against Dirk Nannes in an exhibition match in 2010. Rod Marsh was Iron Gloves, but surely no Australian wicketkeeper has had as much metal to contend with as Tim Paine, who now has a plate and seven or eight pins as permanent features of his right hand, repairing the index finger that caused him such trouble after the Nannes blow.”Behind the stumps I was pretty good straight away, it didn’t worry me too much. It hurt a little bit but it didn’t take too much away from me,” Paine said. “But with batting, it really did affect me and you only have to look at my numbers in those few years when I came back. I was battling mentally, I was out there thinking I was going to get hit and if I did get hit I’d never play again. It certainly rattled me a lot.”It was not until he opened up with Tasmania’s sports psychologist, Emma Harris, that Paine was able to move past his batting troubles. And now, a couple of years down the track, he has also found an ally in the new Tasmania batting coach Jeff Vaughan, who has helped Paine rework his batting grip to better suit his pins and plate.”The opportunity has come at a really good time for me,” Paine said. “The past five or six months I’ve really started to bat well again and I’ll go into this Test with some confidence. I played pretty well last week [against England in a tour game], I’ve played Test cricket before so I know what to expect. And I’ve had some success in the few Tests I have played, so I’ll take some confidence from that.”Australia have played 78 Tests since Paine last wore the baggy green, meaning that on Thursday he will equal the Australian record for the most Tests missed between appearances: Brad Hogg also sat out of 78 Tests from his 1996 debut until he returned to the side in 2003.And while Paine admits he was surprised by his recall, he is keen to grab his chance. He turns 33 next month, and if he performs strongly during this Ashes campaign, he could feasibly have several years ahead of him as a Test keeper. Finally, it is a chance for Paine to live up to the high expectations that were placed on him seven years ago.”I’m not here for five minutes, I’m here to make the most of this opportunity,” he said. “To be honest, I’m sick of talking about being the person who hurt his finger and what could have been six or seven years ago. That’s the way I’m looking at this opportunity.”Hopefully I can be sitting in a room like this in two years or three years and we’re talking about the back end of my Test career, not ‘Geez, he could have been a good player back in 2009’. That’s something that’s really exciting for me, is to be able to re-write my story a bit and it’s something I’m really keen to do.”

Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri has revealed that a simple piece of advice was all it took to turn Weston McKennie's career around.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Allegri explains McKennie redemptionManager shares advice he gave USMNT midfielderMcKennie now key player for JuventusWHAT HAPPENED?

McKennie's Juventus career appeared to be over when he joined Leeds United on loan in January. Plenty of clubs were linked with the USMNT midfielder over the summer, but he ended up staying in Turin and has been a key player for Juventus this season. Now, Allegri has revealed how he inspired McKennie's turnaround.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT ALLEGRI SAID

After Juventus beat Roma 1-0 on Saturday evening, Allegri said: "How did I transform McKennie? I didn't transform him… I just told him during the summer that he had a great chance of staying at Juventus as long as he started running on July 15 and stopped on May 26."

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

After being used sparingly during his first three seasons at Juventus, McKennie is now one of the first names on Allegri's team sheet. The 25-year-old has appeared in all 18 of his side's Serie A games this term, and was named Juventus' player of the season so far by TuttoSport.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MCKENNIE?

McKennie's performances have played no small part in Juventus launching a surprise title challenge. He'll look to carry his impressive form into 2024, starting with a Coppa Italia clash with Salernitana on January 4.