Shamsa Hashmi, former general manager of the Pakistan women side, criticised the former captain’s tactics, and said that she had been trying to control Mir’s ‘manoeuvring and hegemony by counselling’

Umar Farooq05-Oct-2017Sana Mir, recently axed from captaincy, has found herself back in the spotlight as the former women’s general manger Shamsa Hashmi said that she had been trying to control Mir’s ‘manoeuvring and hegemony by counselling’. She criticised Mir’s captaincy over the years, saying she had been discouraging players, and had taken shocking on-field decisions. Mir will be replaced by Bismah Maroof as captain, a decision that is part of the PCB’s revamp of its women’s cricket set-up following the team’s poor performance at the World Cup in June. Shamsa was herself dismissed as general manager.”I never spoke earlier in public about what Sana had been saying, because I was part of the PCB, and I do like to follow the organisation’s obligations,” Shamsa told reporters in a rare media appearance at her home. “I heard she didn’t want to work with the management of the women’s wings, but still she had been working with us for the last two-and-a-half years. Now I don’t know what suddenly went wrong. There may be a lot of factors behind it but she never conveyed those to me, except one. She wanted to have her former fellow players appointed to the selection committee, and one of them she wanted to have as women’s team trainer. I didn’t want to be a part of it, and I told her that I would have to think about it. So if that was the problem, then I can’t do anything about it.”Mir, the team manager, and a couple of senior players had been singled out for blame for Pakistan’s winless World Cup campaign. In a damning report, coach Sabih Azhar accused Mir of adopting a “negative approach” and of being completely self-obsessed. He also complained that Ayesha Ashar – who has been sacked from the managerial post and made interim general manager women wings – paid most of her attention to some senior players and was “cold” towards the younger players.”If we recall our World Cup performance this year, it wasn’t bad at all,” Shamsa said. “But the way players are being used, with rapid batting order changes and unorthodox changes in bowling – these are the things that let us down. I want to recall the England match in which Heather Knight and (Natalie) Sciver scored hundreds, and most of their runs were on the leg, but the field wasn’t adjusted accordingly.”Against South Africa, for example, we lost by [a small margin]. We actually lost the game by conceding 16 runs in the second-last over. Scoring 16 runs in last two overs while chasing is always difficult and I believe that over should have been given to your best bowler which the captain didn’t do. Against Sri Lanka, we lost only because we didn’t take the Powerplay and that was the responsibility of the captain in the middle. So these are the critical things to notice.”Mir, 31, had, before the World Cup, hinted at retiring from the game. The PCB top brass then came up with the suggestion of giving Mir a graceful exit, but later decided to retain her for a few series and assess her individual performance. Mir had also stepped down as captain of the T20 side after 2016 Women’s World T20. “I do respect Sana as a player and since she is captain, I wanted to give her a graceful exit,” Shamsa said. “But as far as her manipulation and hegemony is concerned, I told her we should abide only by merit.”

K Gowtham and Manan Sharma chipped in with runs and wickets, while Hyderabad were denied by bad weather again

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Oct-2017Karnataka started the 2017-18 Ranji Trophy season with an emphatic bonus-point victory over Assam in Mysore. Vinay Kumar, the captain, picked up three of the four wickets they needed on the final day as Assam, following-on, hurtled to an innings-and-121-run defeat.Resuming on 169 for 6, Assam lasted little less than an hour, with only Gokul Sharma, the captain, offering any sort of resistance in making 66. Vinay finished with figures of 4 for 31, while his new-ball partner Abhimanyu Mithun and offspinner K Gowtham picked three wickets apiece. Gowtham finished the game with seven wickets and a maiden first-class century. Assam now have two outright defeats in as many matches.A bonus-point win over Railways helped Delhi temporarily top the group standings. Denied an outright win by bad light in their season opener, Delhi now have 10 points after two rounds. On Tuesday, they needed less than a session to wrap up the innings-and-105-run victory at Karnail Singh Stadium.Manan Sharma, the allrounder, capped off a memorable game by picking up three second-innings wickets. He ended with seven in the match along with a maiden first-class century that helped Delhi build an imposing lead. Nitin Bhille, unbeaten on 54 overnight, top-scored with 73 for Railways, who now have one win and a loss in two matches.Hyderabad endured a second successive abandonment, courtesy rain and a slushy outfield at the Gymkhana grounds. That means they’re yet to take the field this season and have just two points in as many matches. The result didn’t help Uttar Pradesh either. Desperately needing game time to get back on track after a shock loss to Railways, they had to settle for a solitary point.

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

The fast bowler made his maiden first-class fifty and topped it up with two wickets in two overs. Elsewhere, defending champions Gujarat too built a solid case for qualification

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Nov-2017

Basil Thampi enjoyed a fine day out in Lahli. It began with his walking out as a nightwatchman, without a single run to his name. It ended with him scoring a maiden first-class half-century and picking up two vital wickets to reduce Haryana to 83 for 5. On the back of that effort, Kerala retained a lead of 98 runs and appear well placed to secure the victory which will seal their progress into the quarter-finals.That may have been timely consolation for Rohan Prem, who had battled for 314 balls in search of a century only to fall seven runs short. His was the first wicket of two wickets to fall in the 101st over bowled by legspinner Amit Mishra but Thampi ensured there was no transfer of momentum, striking 10 fours and a six during his stay at the crease. Although Kerala’s tail folded relatively meekly – medium-pacer Ajit Chahal picked up his second five-for in as many matches – the damage had already been done.It would only get worse for Haryana as they found themselves 6 for 1 in the seventh over. The run-rate remained dismal for the rest of the day – they were 39 for 3 in the 27th – and were hurt further when Thampi picked up two wickets in successive overs to leave the score at 61 for 5.Defending champions Gujarat took a few further steps towards making the knockouts in Ranchi with Kamlesh Thakor, the debutant left-arm seamer, playing a pivotal role. The 25-year old picked up five wickets in the day to ensure Jharkhand were bowled out for 242 and then made to follow on. The hosts could not stand up to scoreboard pressure, with six of the XI falling for single-digits in the first innings. Only opener Nazim Siddiqui (71) and Kumar Deobrat (80) provided any resistance but they were removed by Gujarat’s two most impressive bowlers Thakor (3 for 43) and Chintan Gaja (3 for 49). Deobrat was promoted to open alongside Siddiqui in the second innings, but both batsmen fell to Thakor to leave Jharkhand 106 for 2 in at stumps.As well as Saurashtra fought, making Rajasthan follow-on in Jaipur, their bid to stay alive in the tournament took a hit due to the way the other two matches in group B progressed. A win for Gujarat and Kerala will see them through regardless of what Saurashtra do. Still, captain Jaydev Unadkat (3 for 77), Dharmendrasinh Jadeja (3 for 42) and Shaurya Sanandia (3 for 62) bowled Rajasthan out for 275 and helped secure a lead of 259. Robin Bist (63) and Mahipal Lomror (52) were the only batsmen to put up concerted resistance. There was time for 12 overs in the follow-on innings, which openers Amitkumar Gautam and Chetan Bist safely negotiated.

West Ham United are chasing the signature of Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher; however, it looks like the prospective transfer may be 'off' due to his hefty price tag, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

Is Conor Gallagher moving to West Ham United?

According to The Daily Mail, West Ham fear that they will miss out on Gallagher this summer as he would prefer to stay at Chelsea and fight for his place under Mauricio Pochettino at Stamford Bridge.

The report states that the Hammers saw a £40 million bid plus add-ons turned down for the England international, who has also attracted interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United.

Due to advances from West Ham, Chelsea are believed to have slapped a £50 million price tag on Gallagher's shoulders, though the Epsom-born man is 'relaxed' about his future, as per talkSPORT.

Gallagher has two years left on his deal at Stamford Bridge and Chelsea are faced with the conundrum of this window potentially being the last chance to recoup a sizeable fee for the 23-year-old.

Last term, Gallagher made 45 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea and managed to register three goals and one assist, as per Transfermarkt.

West Ham source Sean Whetstone has claimed on Twitter X that Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi was offered to the Hammers during talks for Gallagher, though he could be on his way to Fulham, who are in the 'box seat' to sign the 22-year-old, according to Football Insider.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs thinks that any notion of a deal for Gallagher is now 'off' due to Chelsea's asking price for the midfielder.

Jacobs told FFC: "The West Ham deal is off for now and I stress for now because it's a long window, but West Ham's bid was rejected around the £40 million mark and Chelsea are looking for; I would say, at least £45 million on preferable terms, but some even say £50 million, which would even be an increase on some of the numbers that the club were willing to sell Gallagher for in previous windows and the West Ham interest is obviously genuine, which is why they've placed a bid, but they're not prepared to go that high."

Who else could West Ham United sign this window?

According to The Sun, West Ham have seen a £25 million bid turned down for Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse, who the Saints want closer to £40 million for before sanctioning his exit.

Southampton director of football Jason Wilcox confirmed the news, stating: "Have we rejected the bid? Yep. Is there another offer? Not as I know. I think when a club makes an offer, very rarely is it their full and final offer. If we get the right offer, we will consider it. Consider is an important word because we don’t have to sell."

Initial discussions have also taken place regarding Manchester United pair Scott McTominay and Harry Maguire; however, a gap in valuation currently exists for both players between West Ham and the Red Devils, as per Sky Sports.

Football Insider have claimed that West Ham are 'confident' that they can land Ajax midfielder Edson Alvarez for between a fee of £35-40 million as David Moyes looks to fill the void left by Declan Rice in his engine room.

Newcastle United are still hoping to sign Southampton full-back Tino Livramento this summer after seeing an initial approach rejected as Eddie Howe now looks to improve his side's defensive options.

The Magpies boss has already completed deals for playmaker Sandro Tonali and winger Harvey Barnes for the first-team, taking the club's spending to just short of £100m, and looks determined to spread his attention evenly across the Toon squad to continue the club's rise.

Indeed, Newcastle finished fourth in the Premier League last year and now, with Champions League football awaiting, must ensure that the correct steps are taken to cement their stature among Europe's elite.

Is Tino Livramento joining Newcastle?

After being rebuffed the first time, Sky Sports' Mark McAdams has confirmed that the Magpies have seen a £30m offer rejected for Livramento, with Southampton holding out for £40m.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

The former Chelsea academy graduate spent the lion's share of the 22/23 campaign out injured and Saints, who were relegated from the Premier League, believe he has retained his value.

How good is Tino Livramento?

After signing from Chelsea for £5m in 2021, Livramento took to senior action like a duck to water and earned praise from England manager Gareth Southgate for his "excellent" start to the 21/22 campaign.

Across that season, the 20-year-old would forge 28 Premier League appearances, earning an average Sofascore rating of 6.85 and clinching a goal and assist apiece, also completing 79% of his passes, making 1.9 tackles, 1.7 clearances and 1.7 interceptions per match and succeeding with 62% of his ground duels.

It's clear that this varied approach would enhance Newcastle's right flank; Kieran Trippier is a remarkable player and a creative phenom but did not better Livramento across any of the aforementioned metrics last season, and given that he is approaching his 33rd birthday it is wise to identify an eventual heir.

It is also an astute move for Howe to move for a player plying his trade for a recently-relegated Premier League team, especially when considering his success previously delving into the market for a star to have faced the drop.

Namely, Nick Pope. The 31-year-old England international joined the St. James' Park project one year ago after arriving from Burnley for just £10m.

The £60k-per-week shot-stopper kept 14 clean sheets from 37 outings in the English top-flight last term and ranks among the top 8% of goalkeepers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for least goals conceded and save percentage, as per FBref.

It was a prudent purchase, and one that Howe has reaped the rewards of; what is to say the diligent recruitment team, headed by technical director Dan Ashworth, cannot repeat the feat?

Livramento saw his progress stifled last year but if his performances from the previous season are anything to go by, he was a sorely missed presence in the floundering Saints squad, and there is no question that he is a "future star" – as stated by former teammate Theo Walcott – who could grow into his role and coincide his burgeoning rise with Newcastle's over the next several years.

Todd Boehly is "prepared to sell" Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher despite the fact that Mauricio Pochettino wants to keep the player at Stamford Bridge next season, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

Is Gallagher leaving Chelsea?

Considering just how many players have left the Blues this summer, it has come as something of a surprise that Gallagher is still at Stamford Bridge.

While he did feature readily for Chelsea last season, making 35 Premier League appearances under three separate managers, the indefatigable midfielder struggled to make a significant impact in an underperforming side.

Given the ruthlessness of Chelsea's summer rebuild, allowing the likes of Mason Mount, N'Golo Kante and Kai Havertz to leave the club, there was an expectation that Gallagher would have been one of those moved on to help the Blues recoup some funds.

However, Pochettino's arrival has altered things significantly, and it is believed that the new Chelsea boss is eager to keep Gallagher at Stamford Bridge next season.

Chelsea's hierarchy have a different opinion, however, and they would be prepared to sell the midfielder this summer despite Pochettino's high opinion of the 23-year-old, according to journalist Jacobs.

Talking directly to GIVEMESPORT, Jacobs stated: "Gallagher's perspective is that he's a Chelsea player and he wants to fight for his place. But Pochettino and the Chelsea board still need to get the squad size down.

"Whereas Pochettino quite likes Gallagher and he is not necessarily the first name out of the players that Chelsea need to resolve, I think the Chelsea board would have a slightly different perspective and would be prepared to sell Gallagher for the right price.

"There's a few moving parts here. There's a football decision to be made and Gallagher is quite happy to fight for his place after getting a lot of pre-season minutes. There's the Pochettino perspective and he has been very impressed by Gallagher. He said that during the American tour."

He added: "But if the right number is hit in terms of an offer, I think the Chelsea board would be prepared to sell him."

Chelsea recently rejected a £40m bid from West Ham United for the midfielder which suggests that perhaps Boehly is willing to support Pochettino's decision to keep Gallagher at the club for the 2023/24 campaign.

However, as Jacobs suggests, an improved West Ham bid may be too tempting to turn down, especially as Chelsea look to fund a move for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo.

Gallagher's current contract runs until 2025 and the England international will be hopeful of reviving his Chelsea career under Pochettino's guidance.

How good is Gallagher?

Gallagher usually operates as a number eight for Chelsea, making it important that he can contribute effectively to both attacking and defensive phases of play.

Gallagher's attacking impact was not as eye-catching as his defensive work last season. He did score three goals and register one assist in the Premier League, a total that put him in the top 36% of midfielders in the competition.

When comparing Gallagher to other midfielders in the Premier League last campaign, it is clear that he is in the right positions to contribute to Chelsea's attack but lacks some of the composure necessary to score and assist more.

While averaging 1.55 shots per game, these shots come from an average distance of 17.9 yards from goal. These lower-reward efforts from the edge of the area perhaps demonstrate why his goal tally is not higher, highlighting the need for Gallagher to make more productive runs into the penalty area to find shooting angles – something he showcased his ability to do during his loan spell with Crystal Palace.

Defensively, however, Gallagher can be very productive. Per 90 last season in the Premier League he averaged 1.83 tackles won (top ten percent of midfielders), 2.28 blocks (top four percent) and 0.58 tackles in the attacking third (top three percent), the latter showing his capacity to instigate the press.

Depending on what responsibilities Pochettino offers Gallagher, the midfielder still has the potential to develop into a top box-to-box midfielder.

Jake Lehmann won the Player-of-the-Match award for his double of 103 and 93 as South Australia fell two wickets short of outright victory over Victoria

The report by Daniel Brettig07-Nov-2017
ScorecardAssociated PressAshes aspirant Glenn Maxwell made his second decent score of the match before South Australia fell two wickets short of outright victory over Victoria on the final day of the Sheffield Shield match at the MCG.By following up a first innings 60 with 64, Maxwell showed the sort of consistency the national selectors want from him if they are to consider retaining him in the top six for the first Test against England at the Gabba later this month.But he was unable to go on to a match-shaping hundred, and after the captain Peter Handscomb and Aaron Finch also fell soon after passing 50, the Bushrangers had to scrap to avoid defeat in the closing overs.Joe Mennie, who played his one Test match in Hobart last year, claimed four vital wickets for the Redbacks, but was curiously unused when SA’s captain Travis Head threw the second new ball to Daniel Worrall and Chadd Sayers with four overs remaining and two wickets required. Peter Siddle and Scott Boland were able to survive, which amounted to the honours being shared. Jake Lehmann won the Player-of-the-Match award for his double of 103 and 93 – scores that added him to the list of players for the Test selectors to consider.

Arsenal have missed out on the signing of teen sensation Dino Klapija, with the USMNT prospect heading to RB Leipzig instead.

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• Arsenal miss out on highly-rated teen
• Signs with RB Leipzig
• Has USA & Croatia international eligibility

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the 16-year-old has signed with the Bundesliga side from NK Kustosija, and will join their ranks this January. He snubbed Mikel Arteta and the Gunners after the Arsenal boss failed to win over his family, reports , with the Bundesliga outfit offering a clearer path to first-team soccer.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Klapija is one of many young dual-nationals who could opt to represent the USMNT in the near future. Also Croatian-American, recent commit Rokas Pukstas has come onto the scene and represented the USA at the U-20 World Cup in 2023. The 19-year-old has been dubbed Croatia's "most promising" talent and is set to be their next big blockbuster export.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Klapija began his youth career in the MLS academy of New York City FC, and was born in New Jersey. He was called up by the USA U-17 for a training camp last October in preparation for the U-17 FIFA World Cup.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR KLAPIJA?

  The USMNT prospect will look to break into the Leipzig first team over the next year, while also getting minutes with their reserve side. Eventually, the 16-year-old will hope to be on the radar of USMNT boss Gregg Berhalter or Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic by the 2030 – or even 2026 – FIFA World Cups.

Celtic majority shareholder Dermot Desmond and the rest of the board have backed Brendan Rodgers in the summer transfer window so far.

Who have Celtic signed this summer?

The Hoops chiefs have splashed the cash to bring in five new signings for the Northern Irish tactician, who returned to the club last month to replace Ange Postecoglou after the Australian manager's move to Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.

Australia international Marco Tilio and Norwegian midfielder Odin Thiago Holm were his first two additions and they have since been joined by South Korean duo Hyeok-kyu Kwon and Hyun-jun Yang, alongside Polish central defender Maik Nawrocki.

Whilst there is still just over a month to go until the deadline passes, Rodgers could potentially avoid the need to dip into the market for further reinforcements by utilising the academy set-up.

One player who has caught the eye with his performances for the B-team of later is versatile attacker Bruno Davidson, who could be a dream heir to Daizen Maeda at Parkhead.

How many goals did Bruno Davidson score last season?

The 19-year-old talent scored a respectable six goals in 26 Lowland League matches for the Hoops academy side during the 2022/23 campaign.

He racked up six goals and six assists in 29 domestic outings and has scored once in two league games so far this season for the B-team.

This means that the exciting wizard has recorded a direct goal contribution once every 2.38 domestic clashes on average since the start of last term.

His form caught the eye in Canada last year as journalist Joshua Kloke claimed he was "causing some buzz" due to his dual eligibility to play for the North American side. Despite this, he has only been called up by Scotland at U17 level so far.

The teenage maestro is also yet to be handed his first-team bow by the Bhoys to date and has not been given an opportunity to showcase his talent on the professional stage.

Maeda, who can play anywhere across the front three, produced 11 goals and seven assists in 49 competitive games for Celtic last season, which included eight strikes and five assists in 31 Scottish Premiership outings.

The Japan international was directly involved in a goal every 2.72 appearances on average for the Hoops. He is not a prolific scorer or consistent creator but is able to chip in at the top end of the pitch on a semi-regular basis.

Davidson, who has been deployed on both flanks and through the middle as a number ten, has showcased similar qualities as a versatile winger for the B-team, as shown by his aforementioned statistics.

Of course, there is no guarantee that he will be able to translate his form over to a first-team setting but the potential is there for him to take the next step if Rodgers offers an opportunity.

Davidson's emergence as a senior option would alleviate the need for the club to go into the market to splash out millions on a new attacker, which is why using the academy to unearth talent can be a cost-effective and pleasing way of adding to the squad for supporters who want to see homegrown players flourish.