Glasgow Rangers boss Michael Beale has used the summer transfer window to great effect so far in his efforts to improve the playing squad at Ibrox.

The Gers have already secured four first-team signings ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, despite there still being over two months left of the window, as Dujon Sterling, Jack Butland, Kieran Dowell, and Sam Lammers have all agreed to join.

Whilst the head coach will be looking for players who can come to make an immediate impact in the starting XI, as Nicolas Raskin and Todd Cantwell did in January, the 42-year-old could also be in the market for younger players with potential.

Football League World recently reported that the Light Blues have had an offer rejected by Championship side Leeds United for defender Charlie Cresswell and he would fall into that category, at the age of 20.

Beale is said to be interested in a deal to sign the England U21 international and the talented youngster could be the dream long-term heir to Connor Goldson at Ibrox.

How did Charlie Cresswell perform last season?

The central defender spent the 22/23 campaign on loan at Millwall in the English Championship and enjoyed a strong year at the back in his first full season of first-team football.

Cresswell, whose heading ability was described as "powerful" by journalist Josh Bunting, averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.13 across 28 league appearances and made 2.8 tackles and interceptions per game for the Lions.

He also proved himself to be a dominant enforcer at the heart of the defence with a 60% duel success rate, which shows that the 6 foot 3 English colossus was able to get the better of the opposition attackers more often than not.

The aforementioned Bunting hailed Cresswell as an "excellent defender with a big future ahead of him in the game" last year and the statistics back that up as the youngster produced consistently superb displays and showed strength beyond his age whilst competing against experienced forwards week-in-week-out.

Goldson, meanwhile, averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.29 across 25 Scottish Premiership matches and made 2.3 tackles and interceptions per game for his side, whilst coming out on top in 67% of his battles.

These statistics indicate that the current 6 foot 3 Rangers star is a step ahead of Cresswell in terms of his current performance levels and dominance at the back, but that is to be expected at his age.

The Light Blues enforcer is ten years older than the Leeds prospect and could take the youngster under his wing with a view to him being the dream long-term heir to his position in the team.

Indeed, the former Millwall loanee has shown plenty of promise as a strong and consistent performer in defence during his time in the Championship.

Chelsea are holding “contact and talks” regarding a deal to bring Gabri Veiga to the Premier League, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg.

How good is Gabri Veiga?

Veiga is a central midfielder who currently plays his football for Celta Vigo in La Liga, having worked his way up through the various youth ranks to graduate from their academy. He’s now become a regular feature of the first-team, clocking up 55 senior appearances to date.

The Spaniard still has another three years to run on his contract at the Balaidos Stadium, but after establishing himself as his homeland outfit’s second top-performing offensive player last season, has been highlighted as an ideal transfer target by Mauricio Pochettino.

Reliable reporter Rudy Galetti revealed earlier this month that the Blues are one of several clubs to have “shown interest” in the 21-year-old, whilst Jacob Steinberg later claimed that a bid "could arrive soon”, and if the following update is to be believed, the two parties may already be discussing a switch to Stamford Bridge.

Are Chelsea signing Veiga?

Taking to Twitter, Plettenberg revealed that Chelsea are currently in negotiations with Celta Vigo and Veiga regarding a move ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. He wrote:

“Gabri Veiga is ready for the next step now. He will leave Celta Vigo. His management is considering many options as he could become a future top player in central midfield. Contact and talks with CFC and others. Release clause of around €40m [£34m] – confirmed. Bayern is not involved.”

Should Boehly make a bid for Veiga?

Chelsea will know that Veiga only being 21 means he would be more of an investment for the long-term future of the club, but having already started to show what he’s capable of on the main stage, Todd Boehly should certainly consider tabling an offer to secure his services.

The Gol International client – the same agency used by Christopher Nkunku – posted 15 goal contributions (11 goals and four assists) in 36 La Liga appearances last season, form which saw him collect three man-of-the-match awards, but the central midfielder was also a threat even when the ball didn’t hit the back of the net.

The Spain U21s starlet was averaging 3.14 shot-creating actions per league game which was the second-highest number in his squad, via FBRef, so he’s always looking to produce moments of quality for his fellow teammates.

Veiga has been lauded an “electric” player by journalist Fabrizio Romano for his youthful pace and energetic nature, so should he put pen to paper, it would be a massive coup for Pochettino.

West Indies’ middle and lower order came to their rescue in a big way as they recovered from a precarious 71 for 5 to end the opening day at 244 for 7

The Report by Danyal Rasool21-Apr-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsWest Indies’ middle and lower order came to their rescue in a big way as they recovered from a precarious 71 for 5 to end the opening day in Jamaica on 244 for 7. Roston Chase and Shane Dowrich added 118 for the sixth wicket after Mohammad Amir had made three breakthroughs either side of lunch as Pakistan threatened to take a firm hold on the match.Play was called off nine overs early, as the clouds that hovered above for much of the day finally impacted the light enough to convince the umpires to lead the players off after just one over with the new ball, but the final session had not been short of action. Chase and Dowrich, whose partnership started in the first over after lunch, took their stand to three figures but just as it looked like Pakistan were running out of ideas the breakthrough came via a miraculous diving catch on the boundary to dismiss Chase, with Wahab Riaz taking a stunning grab running towards the long-on boundary.The next ball, Dowrich was bowled by Yasir Shah as the visitors wrestled the advantage again, but some gutsy late hitting by Jason Holder and Devendra Bishoo ensured West Indies finished the day with some momentum, and a total to defend.Pakistan were on top for much of the first day, but West Indies produced a heartening response after looking as though they could unravel when Amir and debutant Mohammad Abbas were operating with the new ball. Abbas claimed a wicket with his second delivery in Test cricket as Kraigg Brathwaite edged to second slip where Younis Khan snared another catch, reminding Pakistan it wasn’t just his runs they were going to miss when he hangs up his bat at the end of this Test series.Roston Chase’s reactions from the first day

On how the day went: “We were in bit of a hole early on, but Shane and I had a decent partnership, I thought it was a fighting effort, but disappointed neither of us went on to get that big score. Hopefully the skipper and the rest of the batsman can put us in a strong position, a fighting position and put Pakistan on the back foot”
On what WI need to do on the second day: “I always believe 450-500 is a good first-innings total if we set the tone from early. But as I said, we were in a bit of a hole so if we get 350-plus from here that’ll be a decent comeback for us. If we go into lunch tomorrow losing no wickets or even one, or even if we do get bowled out, if we score quickly enough to get that 350 or 375, that will be a positive for us in that session.”
On the Sabina Park pitch: “The pitch is a bit two-paced. Some balls, when they’re banging in the ball it doesn’t really come off that well. Once you stay patient and hit those areas hard, some things happening for you there.”

However, Abbas’ senior bowling partner was the man of the morning. Showing exquisite control, Amir produced one to dart back into the left-handed Shimron Hetmyer, one of two West Indians on debut. Hetmyer, who had for much of his short stay at the crease been chiefly concerned with Amir’s outswinger, was clearly unprepared for the change-up; Pakistan had almost begun celebrating by the time the his bat came down. Four overs later, Amir castled Shai Hope with his stock delivery, swinging into the right-hander and sending his off stump cartwheeling.When Wahab came on, the runs flowed a little more freely, the batsmen taking advantage of his slightly erratic length and relative lack of movement. Even so, he claimed the scalp of Vishaul Singh, also in his first outing, owing to a sharp catch at square leg from Azhar Ali, the batsman falling over to a ball drifting on to leg stump.When Kieran Powell fell two deliveries after lunch, chasing a wide swinging delivery from Amir he would have been better off leaving alone, Pakistan would have harboured realistic hopes of dismissing West Indies for under 150, but Chase and Dowrich took control of the innings with a sense of grit and determination that supposedly better batsmen had been devoid of. They were excellent in trying circumstances, taking advantage whenever Yasir – who was inconsistent – missed his length, and punished Wahab when his line wavered. They did not panic when the runs dried up, but didn’t go back into their shells so much they couldn’t pounce on the poor deliveries.Chase and Dowrich snapped back into a more aggressive mindset soon after tea, the latter rubber-stamping that fact by slashing Abbas for a pair of stylish square cuts and bringing up the 100-run stand moments later. It was then that the absence of a fifth bowling option began to hurt the visitors as they turned to Amir again, who they would ideally have wanted to rest until the new ball.However, when this Test match has long been forgotten, all people will probably remember is how the sixth-wicket stand was broken. In a moment of play that almost defied belief, Chase struck a lofted drive off Yasir, looking for all the world like it would fetch him a boundary, despite Wahab, hardly a world-beating fielder, scampering back from mid-off. Wahab threw himself at the ball – even the technique looked all wrong – and somehow emerged with it in hand. The umpires asked for TV confirmation – perhaps they were just as astonished as everyone else.The next ball, Dowrich was beaten for spin as he tried to drive Yasir along the ground, the ball thudding into his stumps: 189 for 5 had become 189 for 7 and, just like that, Pakistan again sensed a swift end to the innings.However, no one appeared to have told Holder and Bishoo, who set upon Yasir in a display of counter-attacking hitting, not afraid to loft him in the air, earning multiple boundaries in return. They raced to a fifty-partnership at almost a run-a-ball, and continued to frustrate Pakistan as the new ball was taken.Fortune came to their aid thereafter, as the new ball was only one Amir over old when the umpires decided this was no time of day to be facing fast bowling. Holder and Bishoo didn’t need to be told twice, sprinting off to the dressing room after living to fight another day.

Former England Women’s captain Charlotte Edwards is giving the USA Women’s squad a leg-up in their preparation for the ICC Europe this summer by visiting Texas this week to run a women’s coaching camp.

Peter Della Penna14-Apr-20173:20

‘There’s a real hunger in USA for female coaching’ – Edwards

Former England Women’s captain Charlotte Edwards is giving the USA women’s squad a leg-up in their preparation for the ICC Europe T20 Qualifier this summer by visiting Texas to run a women’s coaching camp.”Part of what I’m over here for is to help prepare them, talk to them about T20 cricket,” Edwards told ESPNcricinfo. “I’ve had a little bit of a chat with the girls around the strategy behind it. I’m just trying to help them as much as I possibly can in preparation for that tournament, which is huge for them.”Edwards arrived in Texas last Saturday and worked the next day with six players of the women’s squad who were invited to join the USA men’s team at a high-performance camp last weekend at Moosa Stadium in the south Houston suburb of Pearland. She has remained in Pearland to conduct a four-day camp that began on Thursday and is specifically targeted for 30 women’s squad players to train during the Easter holiday weekend.This isn’t the first interaction Edwards has had with the USA women’s squad. She was part of the inaugural MCC women’s tour to North America in September and played a couple of matches against USA women in Philadelphia, including one at the historic Merion Cricket Club. At the time, Edwards had said she would be interested in making future visits to stay involved with the USA women’s programme and has followed up on her pledge by coming to Texas this week.”I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the MCC here in Canada and the United States,” Edwards said. “For me, I just saw a passion for learning and wanting to be better and I think there was just a hunger here for obviously some female coaching. I’m a person of my word and I said I’d come back.”Back in September, that opportunity wasn’t there then and it’s great. Once I heard that they’ve got that opportunity to play in a T20 Qualifier, it’s enormous.”Edwards says she has already noticed improvements in the women’s players since her first visit and is hoping to do what she can on this trip to enhance their tactical skills and match awareness, identifying those as key areas for improvement. She believes women’s players in the USA are disadvantaged in tactics simply by lack of match opportunities at club level – there are approximately 100 women’s players registered nationwide – to be able to test out methods and learn from experience.”There’s many things I kind of want to help with,” Edwards said. “I think growing their awareness of the game and obviously having played a lot myself, hopefully I can pass on a lot of advice and experiences that I’ve been through. Upskilling them, that’s always important. Working on their skill development, giving them options especially in terms of the batting. I think that’s where probably I’m hopefully going to be a real asset to them.”We’ll be doing a lot of scenario work. They obviously don’t get that much chance to play cricket so we’ve got to create that as much as we can over the four-day camp which I’m really excited about.”Charlotte Edwards arrived in Texas last Saturday and worked the next day with six players of the women’s squad•Peter Della Penna

USA women’s captain Nadia Gruny said she was eager to work with Edwards again after their initial meeting in Philadelphia last year. Gruny was one of the six women’s players invited to the men’s camp last weekend and said that Edwards had already begun to make a difference from day one of her interactions with the half-dozen members of the USA Women’s squad, offering unique insights on the women’s game that the players were unable to get from other coaches.”We worked with her last September and seeing her again in April, it’s quite a lot of months, but at the same time it feels like there is some continuation; it doesn’t feel like it was a long time ago,” Gruny said. “Having Charlotte with us, we’re able to relate to her a lot better because she’s a woman player and she understands many of the nuances of the women’s game that may be different to the men’s game.”For example, women that haven’t as much strength as most of the men, the pace of the spinners, what to expect from the bowlers in a typical women’s game. So just being able to relate to us with our game specifically has been a big help.”When asked about the possibility of joining USA’s coaching staff in a formal capacity for the T20 Qualifier, which is scheduled for August 12-20 in Scotland, Edwards said she would have to decline due to her commitments in England’s Kia Super League. But she is keen to pass along whatever she can before then, starting with this week’s camp in Texas. The eagerness of the players to soak up tips is a major reason why Edwards said she is offering her support to the USA Women’s team.”I think they’re just growing in confidence the whole time,” Edwards said. “I think the opportunities they’re now getting in terms of being [at the men’s national camp] for the week, they’ve loved it. They’re relishing all the opportunities they’re getting and they’re improving.”What stood out to me is we were doing a really good fielding session with Trevor Penney and just their resilience, their real hunger to want to be better and I think that’s something you can’t coach. Them willing to take stuff they’re learning in the nets into the match situations. I just think they’re growing in confidence all the time which, hopefully, they’ll just continue to do that.”

Steven Smith passed 5000 Test runs en route to his second hundred of the series, and along with Glenn Maxwell’s composed unbeaten 82, carried Australia into the ascendancy

The Report by Daniel Brettig16-Mar-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details4:41

Manjrekar: Very uncharacteristic innings from Maxwell

Test hundred number 19, nine of them made overseas, was a measure of the quality Australia’s captain Steven Smith has brought to Ranchi to give his team a chance of unseating India at home. Ball number 147, kept out by Glenn Maxwell in the day’s final over, was a measure of the resolve he brought to his first Test innings in nearly three years.Previously, the most deliveries Maxwell had faced in any international innings across all three formats was 98. By stumps, his new personal mark not only showed how much he had steeled himself to contribute alongside Smith, but also put Australia in a very strong position to dictate terms on what is comfortably the best pitch prepared for this Border-Gavaskar Trophy bout.When Maxwell joined Smith, the day had hung rather more in the balance. Umesh Yadav was reversing the ball sharply, and the 28-year-old Victorian’s propensity for batting brainstorms was recalled by many watching. Yet with Smith’s counsel, Maxwell was able to avoid his usual rush, so much so that he waited until his 56th delivery to reach the boundary – this from a man whose most significant moment for Australia had been a World Cup hundred off 51 balls against Sri Lanka at the SCG in 2015.What followed was a certain acceleration, but nothing too outlandish. The day’s viral video moment was instead saved for Wriddhiman Saha’s attempt to glove a Ravindra Jadeja ball lodged between Smith’s padded legs, so desperate had India’s search for a wicket become. The attempt proved fruitless, and Smith was soon toasting his century, and with Maxwell, walked off boasting a wicketless final session, an unbeaten stand of 159, and the promise of more to come.Their concentration and discipline made for a contrast to some of the more wasteful dismissals seen earlier in the day, as the Australian top order failed to make the most of their starts. David Warner and Matt Renshaw would be particularly frustrated to have wasted starts on a surface that played far better than widely predicted.Peter Handscomb also got established at the crease before being defeated by a fine inswinging yorker from Yadav, the most threatening member of India’s bowling attack. Ishant Sharma had a couple of concerted lbw appeals denied, but R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja found far less assistance than they had seen in Pune and Bengaluru. Pointedly they missed Virat Kohli, who left the field for treatment after landing heavily on his right shoulder when trying to stop a boundary.Glenn Maxwell’s fluency grew as his innings progressed, finishing with an unbeaten 82•AFPRanchi’s pitch played far better than appearances had suggested, meaning plenty more runs will be required. But at the very least, Smith and Maxwell have ensured something to bowl at for a team featuring another cricketer making a long-delayed return to the Australian Test team – the fast bowler Pat Cummins.Kohli conceded the loss of a key toss before play began, and that seemed more so as Renshaw and Warner rattled to 50 in less than 10 overs by taking advantage of the pitch’s even pace and a scorchingly fast outfield. Jadeja erred on the full side to Warner, but a full toss found the batsman in two minds about hitting square or straight, and the resultant return catch maintained his mediocre overseas record.Renshaw had been finding gaps either side of the wicket and looked in full control, so it was a surprise when he fiddled in undisciplined fashion at Umesh and edged to Kohli at first slip. Umesh had created uncertainty by gaining some movement. Shaun Marsh was unable to get established, well caught at short leg by Cheteshwar Pujara off bat and pad, the decision made after India’s successful DRS referral against Ian Gould’s initial not-out verdict.Handscomb’s cover drive off his first ball to the fence underlined the improved batting conditions, and though Smith edged one reversing ball from Umesh to the fine leg boundary between his pads, shortly before lunch, he was otherwise certain in his methods and safe in his defence. Handscomb also looked capable of going on to something substantial, but for the fifth time in as many innings this series he was dismissed at a frustrating juncture, unable to get his bat to a Umesh yorker that swerved back sharply to strike him in front of the stumps.Maxwell’s likely approach had seemed a mystery to even his team-mates before this match, but he quickly showed an impressive level of composure to build his innings in Smith’s slipstream while taking few risks. His only moment of nervousness came from the first ball of an Ishant spell that swung back into his pads, but India’s decision referral was waved off when replays showed the bowler had overstepped.In the evening session a steady stream of runs came with the occasional boundary, and Maxwell hammered a second six of his innings to go past 50 for the first time in a Test. Nothing affected Smith’s deep concentration, not even a period of more than an hour spent in the 90s. As attentive, mature batting partners do, Maxwell took up much of the scoring slack during this episode. Like so much else in his innings, it came as a pleasant surprise.

Listed No. 1 in the ICC rankings for bowlers in ODIs and T20Is, Imran Tahir was “sad” and “down” after going unsold at the IPL auction two months ago. But an injury to Mitchell Marsh opened a door for Tahir: he was signed as a replacement and shone with 3 for 28 in Rising Pune Supergiant’s seven-wicket win in their opening match against Mumbai Indians.After Mumbai raced to 41 for 0 in four overs with consecutive sixes from Jos Buttler, Steven Smith brought on Tahir, who bowled Parthiv Patel around his legs and then removed Rohit Sharma and Buttler within the space of three balls in his next over.”The way they were playing it looked like they were going to end up getting 200,” Tahir told after the match. “I always love challenges, and when I bowl I always look to get wickets. I was very fortunate to get Patel out and obviously, the next two wickets were very special. Those guys were really good against spin bowling and it was very special for me that I got them out and [I’m] really, really happy with the way the ball came out. I’ve been here for one week and I’m trying to do well because it’s a new team and they gave me a lot of confidence.”I always come on the ground with a smile on the face but inside I’m always ready to fight and try to give as much as I can. I love doing what I’m doing and I always look for a challenge.”Tahir expressed how disappointed he was when no franchise picked him at the auction in February, when he had a base price of INR 50 lakhs. He had been released by Delhi Daredevils after an unimpressive IPL last year, playing four matches for five wickets with an economy rate of 8.62.”I was obviously sad not to be part of this league [in the auction] but there’s nothing I can do about it,” Tahir said. “But really relieved and pleased with myself about playing the way I’ve been playing and just deliver it today.”I’m grateful to god and my family supported me, especially my wife. I was quite down when I didn’t get picked in the league. But our life carries on and I came here to prove myself again, that’s what my job is. I don’t blame no one for not picking me. My job, if someone picks me, is to come and perform, that’s what we do for a living.””I always come on the ground with a smile on the face but inside I’m always ready to fight”•BCCI

Supergiant played two legspinners – Tahir and Adam Zampa – in the absence of R Ashwin and left out Faf du Plessis from the XI. Zampa, their highest wicket-taker last season, did not impress as much as Tahir on Thursday, with 1 for 26 from three overs, but Ajinkya Rahane said the strategy of playing two attacking legspinners worked for them.”Both of them are attacking, both of them look to take wickets, and that’s very important in T20,” Rahane said. “Zampa did well for us last year, and Imran Tahir is a world-class bowler. It’s good to have them both in our side, and we, as a team, know they’re always looking to take wickets.”Rahane gave Supergiant’s chase of 185 impetus, scoring 60 off 34 that featured six fours and three sixes. He brought up his half-century off only 27 balls; Supergiant were 79 for 1 in the ninth over.”When you’re chasing 180-190, it’s important to continue the momentum after the first six overs,” Rahane said. “I knew I was batting really well, and striking the ball well. So, for me, it was really important to play with that same momentum. Smith was completely new [on the pitch] at that time. So, I just wanted to take my chances and play my normal shots. I mean, I didn’t take any risks. But it was important for both of us to keep rotating the strike and hit one boundary or six in an over.”When you are chasing 180 plus, it’s the openers’ job to consolidate the innings. For me and Mayank [Agarwal], our discussion was to play positive cricket. We did not set any target for the first six overs. We just wanted to play our attacking game, and later on just capitalise on that. Unfortunately, he got out, but I was batting well. And Smith was there, I told him I’ll take my chances, and he should just carry on and play a long innings.”

The Three Lions boss continues to play favourites with his selections, meaning some high-profile players likely won't be on the plane to Germany

Aside from France, no team will be able to rival England for strength in depth at Euro 2024 this summer. There are a few holes in the squad here and there, midfield most notably, but in some positions Gareth Southgate has two, or even three, world-class options to choose from.

This can be a double-edged sword. While the current generation of England players is the most talented since David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and Co, some high-profile stars are guaranteed to miss out each time Southgate makes his selection.

The most recent squad was no exception. Even with a host of regulars being ruled out with injury, some onlookers were still unhappy to see their favourites miss out on games against North Macedonia and Malta.

With time running out until Euro 2024 kicks off, these debates are only going to rumble on over the coming weeks and months. Below, GOAL has taken a look at which players should be worried about their prospects of boarding the plane to Germany. In the end, there was so many, we even managed to fashion them into a makeshift XI…

• Getty Images
  

  GK: Nick Pope (Newcastle)

  Southgate's recent treatment of Pope has been a little strange to say the least. One would have thought that moving to Newcastle and playing in the Champions League would have only strengthened his position as one of Jordan Pickford's deputies.

  However, Pope has now not received a call-up since last March – even with Aaron Ramsdale warming the bench at Arsenal over the past few months. His other rival, Crystal Palace's Sam Johnstone, may be featuring regularly for the Eagles, but he's hardly having a standout season, making Pope's omission all the more baffling.

  Regardless, it's looking less and less likely that he'll be on the plane to Germany this summer.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  RB: Reece James (Chelsea)

  In terms of all-round ability, James is probably the best right-back Southgate has at his disposal. But that's not the whole story here. The Chelsea captain seemingly irritated his international manager by ruling himself out of the latest squad for fitness reasons.

  "There is (a lot of talent ahead of James) and that's the risk. He's only got one more squad before the Euros. So he knows that. We've got belief in what he can do," Southgate said.

  With competition for places so fierce at right-back, it's not something James will have wanted to hear, even if he was outstanding in Chelsea's 4-4 draw with Manchester City on Sunday.

• Getty
  

  CB: Ben White (Arsenal)

  "I assume so," Southgate said, when asked whether White was fit for his most-recent squad. That he seemingly had not even considered calling up the Arsenal star is telling of how unlikely he is to make the cut this summer.

  "Ben’s been very solid for Arsenal. He is a different profile of full-back. He’s more of a centre-back playing at full-back really. And he’s obviously doing a good job for his club, he’s just behind a couple of others in our reckoning," Southgate stated.

  Publicly, Southgate has insisted that there has not been a falling out between the pair after White exited the 2022 World Cup due to "personal reasons". But as long as he continues to perform for the Gunners and remains out of the international set-up, those rumours aren't going to subside.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty Images
  

  CB: Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan)

  After years of neglect, Tomori has increasingly earned Southgate's trust over the past few international windows. But with the England manager's Harry Maguire obsession showing no signs of abating and John Stones a certain starter, it seems unlikely he'll break into the starting XI permanently.

  In fact, he might even be squeezed out of the squad entirely depending on how the next few months play out. Ezri Konsa, Levi Colwill, Lewis Dunk and Marc Guehi are just some of the other contenders for the centre-back spots, and history might suggest that if anyone is going to be edged out, it's Tomori.

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.

A board release said Aravinda de Silva stepped down due to “personal commitments that would hinder his availability and time investment in the Committee further”

Andrew Fidel Fernando05-May-2017Aravinda de Silva has decided to resign from the SLC cricket committee, of which he was chairman, 13 months after he took on the role. A board release said de Silva will step down on June 30 due to “personal commitments that would hinder his availability and time investment in the Committee further”.”It is understandable that [de Silva] needs to prioritise his personal commitments,” board president Thilanga Sumathipala said. “He has supported the strategic vision of this administration and been vastly instrumental in many of the developments we have made.”We intend to continue to engage Aravinda’s expertise in our key cricketing activities on a consultancy basis,” Sumathipala added.During his time in the committee, de Silva had been among the more influential SLC figures, overseeing, in particular, a re-order of SLC’s coaching structure. However, his clout is also understood to have waned in recent months, with SLC having appointed other officials to advise the national team. De Silva had also twice served as chief selector – most recently in an interim stint last year, when his selection panel picked the squad for the World T20.

A round-up of the Dhaka Premier League matches that ended on June 2, 2017

Mohammad Isam02-Jun-2017

Gazi Group Cricketers regained the lead in the Super League after beating closest rivals Abahani Limited by six wickets, courtesy Nasir Hossain’s all-round show – a three-for coupled with a half-century – at the BKSP-3 Ground in Savar. The victory puts Gazi Group Cricketers only one win away from clinching the 2017 edition of the Dhaka Premier League, with the final round of matches to be held on June 5.Gazi Group’s decision to bowl received validation, with their spin contingent accounting for eight of Abahani’s batsmen and skittled the side out for 156 in 41.2 overs. Abahani’s innings, however, received its first jolt as left-arm pacer Abu Hider trapped Saif Hassan in front in the first over of the game. Hossain Ali inflicted the second dent to Abahani’s effort the very next over, cleaning up Shadman Islam. With both the openers having been removed for a duck, offspinners Mahedi Hasan and Nasir denied Abahani any real chance of a consolidation, as they chipped away at the middle and lower order to finish with a three-wicket haul each. Among the Abahani batsmen, Mohammad Mithun, Liton Das, Afif Hossain and Shuvagata Hom all fell between 23 and 32, with a 40-run fourth-wicket stand between Mithun and Liton being the only partnership of note during the Abahani innings.In reply, Gazi Group stuttered intermittently during chase, despite Anamul Haque having set the platform with a 54-ball 41. While he lost his opening partner, Munim Shahriar, in the third over to Manan Sharma’s left-arm spin, Mominul Haque couldn’t sustain his innings beyond a 25-ball 21, as Hom had him caught by substitute Kazi Anik. Subsequently, Mohammad Saifuddin’s dismissal of Anamul and Manan’s removal of Jahurul Islam had Gazi Group struggling at 84 for 4 by the 21st over. Gazi Group captain, Nasir, however, took charge of his side’s chase thereafter, notching up an industrious 56 off 92 balls to overhaul the target with 13.2 overs to spare, in the company of Nadif Chowdhury (26), with whom he put on 73 unbroken runs for the fifth wicket.Mehedi Maruf’s 127 headlined Prime Bank Cricket Club’s five-wicket win over Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club at the BKSP-4 ground in Savar, as he made short work of a 243-run chase.Maruf set the tone for Prime Bank’s innings, with an array of confident strokes, negating the impact of the early breakthrough that Dhanmondi Club had garnered through opener Shanaj Ahmed’s dismissal off Rubaiyat Haque in the fourth over. Maruf, whose marathon knock lasted nearly 47 overs, anchored the chase with three crucial partnerships, including a 44-run third-wicket stand with Rafatullah Mohmand (24) and another worth 64 runs for the fourth wicket with captain Asif Ahmed (26). The most significant, however, was his 115-run second-wicket partnership with Zakir Hasan, who fell one short of a half-century in the 24th over.Maruf clobbered ten fours and four sixes en route to his 143-ball knock, before he holed out to Tanbir Hayder off Sohag Gazi. Ariful Haque and Arifur Rahman then closed out the chase for Prime Bank with two overs to spare. Five out of the seven bowlers Dhanmondi Club used finished with one wicket apiece.Earlier, Prime Bank’s Al-Amin Hossain and Taibur Rahman forged a potent partnership with the ball to restrict Dhanmondi Club to 242 for 7 in 50 overs. The duo scalped five out of the opposition’s top six, after offspinner Nahidul Islam made the first strike in the sixth over of Dhanmondi Club’s innings. Having lost half their side inside 21 overs, with 100 runs on the board, Tanbir Hayder (58) resuscitated the innings with captain Elias Sunny (57) by means of a 104-run partnership for the fifth wicket. No. 8 batsman Mehedi Hasan Rana chipped in with a 21-ball 20 to help Dhanmondi Club near the 250-run mark.