Tag Futebol

A Royal Challengers’ fan gets a win for his side, a replica top, a fantastic crowd, and an encounter with a celebrity

James McGillivray24-May-2009Team supported
Royal Challengers Bangalore. My loyalty to Bangalore has grown stronger since I umpired the warm-up game, and I was happy on Thursday when they beat the Deccan Chargers, because it set them up to play in the semi I’d be watching.Key performer
No true individual brilliance, more of a team effort. I thought that Jacques Kallis’ comeback after his first two overs was very important, and the five-over spell either side of the time-out was probably where the Chennai Super Kings lost the momentum.One thing I would have changed about the match
Not much I’d change, maybe have the players in my fantasy team perform better! Overall this was a very satisfying game for all followers of the Royal Challengers.Face-off I relished
Albie Morkel vs Kallis. Two of the best allrounders in the game, two South Africans, and two who can win any game on any given day. Contrary to expectations, Morkel outdid Kallis with the bat, but Kallis made a big impression with the ball. Shared spoils, methinks.Star-spotting
As I was leaving the stadium I’m pretty sure I walked past Deepika Padukone. It was certainly a celebrity trying to slip through the crowd without being swamped (The bodyguards gave it away).Wow moment
As the game was drawing to its conclusion, the whole squad of the Royal Challengers stood up, and linked arms, waiting to celebrate. It was a hugely symbolic moment for me, the team who were in total disarray last year, who were so disappointing and never looked like a unified group, suddenly seems like a team. I got the feeling at that moment that they’re no longer relying on the stars, or any specific group, but that they trust every member of the team to be able to play a match-winning hand, should it be required.Cheerleader factor
Bangalore took this comfortably, purely on the quality of the pre-match routine.Crowd meter
The atmosphere was fantastic inside the Bullring, with both teams having huge support. The merchandise stands made a killing as South Africans really chose a team and decided to back them to the hilt. The red of Bangalore got more and more prominent as the game wore on, but I really enjoyed the brief time period when Sivamani was drumming up the support for the “day-glo yellow”, as my mate described the jersey of the Super Kings.It was also fantastic meeting and chatting to a group of guys who came over from Jaipur to see the end of the IPL and to have a short holiday in South Africa.Local hero
Plenty of local talent on show in this game, and the crowd showed their appreciation. Morkel got a massive welcome when he came out to bat, and hit a trademark massive DLF-er (with apologies to Danny Morison and Simon Doull).Entertainment
The crowd was thoroughly entertained by the cricket, but while the TV companies were paying their bills, two of South Africa’s most popular bands, Wonderboom and The Parlotones, kept the stadium entertained. And with Sivamani keeping the noise level up between overs, even the most die-hard of purists couldn’t help but enjoy the IPL experience.Banner of the day
It wasn’t as cold tonight as other games I’ve been to, but someone was clearly expecting it to be, and she had an interesting solution: “Mr Delivery, please bring me Dhoni and some hot chocolate”.Overall
The semi-final promised to be a wonderful occasion, and I was kept entertained throughout the game. My side won, I picked up a replica top for the final, and the crowd was fantastic. What more could a fan ask for?Marks out of 10
9.5 . The only thing missing from the game was a real nailbiting finish. But when your team wins, you don’t mind small things like that.The IPL’s first foreign trip
The IPL in South Africa is almost certainly a once-in-a-lifetime event, and it has been such an amazing experience. I’m quite surprised at how well the crowds have responded and how, as the tournament progressed, more and more people that I know nailed their colours to the mast and picked a side to support. Who knows, maybe the success in IPL 2009 will strengthen the brand and we could see the tournament outside of India again. But if we don’t I’m extremely pleased that I had a chance to experience IPL 2009, and I have no idea what I’m going to watch after I get off work from now on. [email protected].

أثار علي معلول، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، الجدل، خلال الساعات الأخيرة، بعد عودته للمشاركة في التدريبات.

وعاد معلول، للمشاركة في تدريبات الأهلي، خلال الأيام الأخيرة، بعد التعافي من الإصابة التي تعرض لها في نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا أمام الترجي.

طالع..الشمال القطري يوضح عبر “بطولات” حقيقة اتفاقه لضم أكرم توفيق من الأهلي

وكتب معلول، عبر حسابه على موقع التواصل الاجتماعي “انستجرام” آية قرآنية من سورة البقرة: «وعسى أن تكرهوا شيئًا وهو خير لكم وعسى أن تحبوا شيئًا وهو شرًا لكم والله يعلم وأنتم لا تعلمون».

ويحيط الغموض بمستقبل النجم التونسي، بعدما خرج من قائمة الأهلي في دوري أبطال إفريقيا، والحديث عن عدم تجديد عقده ورحيله عقب نهاية الموسم الجاري.

وكان الأهلي، قد تلقى الخسارة أمام شباب بلوزداد، في مباراته الأخيرة ضمن منافسات الجولة الثالثة من بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

ويستعد الأهلي لمواجهة سموحة في الدوري المصري يوم الثلاثاء القادم، الموافق 7 يناير الجاري في تمام الساعة الخامسة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، السادسة بتوقيت السعودية.

This summer could, and should, be a seismic one for Arsenal.

Andrea Berta and Co have already added some impressive depth to the side in Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga – not to mention the incoming Martin Zubimendi – but the area of the team that desperately needs reinforcements is the attack.

Moreover, while a new striker is a necessity, it’s just as essential that Mikel Arteta is handed one, or maybe even two, new wingers as well.

Fortunately, the club seem to be on the same wavelength, as recent reports have linked them to a player who has been compared to Bukayo Saka on more than a few occasions.

Arsenal's winger search

Given Arsenal’s comparative lack of cutting-edge wide options, it’s not been a massive surprise to see them linked with several exciting options in recent weeks, such as Antonio Nusa and Anthony Elanga.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The former is reportedly available for close to £38m this summer and amassed a tally of 13 goal involvements in 40 games last season.

Elanga, on the other hand, could cost as much as £60m, but was that bit more effective for Nottingham Forest last season, scoring six goals and providing 12 assists in 43 games.

However, while there is clear upside in both of these wide talents, neither one has been or could really be compared to Saka, which isn’t the case for Noni Madueke.

Yes, according to David Ornstein, Arsenal are in fact very interested in the Chelsea winger.

Speaking on the latest episode of The Athletic podcast, the respected journalist revealed that the Gunners like the Englishman and are “working” on a deal, which, according to other reports, could cost around £50m.

It might not be the transfer some Arsenal fans would be hoping for, but Madueke has the ability and potential to be something special in North London, and the fact he’s been compared to Saka can only be a good thing.

How Madueke compares to Saka

Now, it should be noted that there are numerous surface-level comparisons that can be made between Saka and Madueke.

These include the fact that they’re both full England internationals, they both play for a ‘big six’ side in London, they’re primarily right-sided wingers, and they both came out of the academy of a North London team.

However, the comparisons do go deeper than that.

In fact, respected analyst EBL was bold enough to argue for the Chelsea ace’s similarity to the Gunners’ star as far back as March 2023, claiming that, he is indeed “very similar to Saka”.

They pointed out that, like the Hale Ender, the former PSV Eindhoven star is particularly adept at lulling an opposition defender into a “false sense of security” by first slowing down with the ball at his feet and then shifiting “the ball to either side” and making the most of his impressive “ball-striking.”

However, that’s not his only avenue for beating opposing defenders, as EBL also highlights his “explosive shift”, which is just a way of describing how he gets around players with a burst of energy when dribbling.

Interestingly, we can see how similar this is to Saka in the numbers, as, according to FBref, the North Londoners’ talisman completed 1.99 successful take-ons per 90 when playing in Europe’s top five leagues or the Champions League, which is the exact same number as the Blues star.

1

Savio

2

Salah

3

Diaz

4

Son

5

Madueke

However, that is not all, as when we look at just the Premier League last season, FBref ranks the “incredible” talent, as dubbed by content creator Matisse Armani, as the fifth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Ealing-born superstar.

Ultimately, while Madueke hasn’t quite reached the levels of Saka, there are some undeniable stylistic and statistical similarities between the pair.

Therefore, if a deal can be struck at a reasonable price, then Arsenal should go ahead and bring the exciting winger to the Emirates this summer.

Saka will love him: £68m "superstar" is now "desperate" to sign for Arsenal

Arsenal could sign Bukayo Saka’s dream teammate this summer.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 3, 2025

Leeds United are keen to to strengthen their promotion credentials and have now initiated contact over a potential incoming this month, according to a report.

Leeds' January transfer plans

Following a commendable showing in the first half of the Championship campaign, Leeds will now turn their attention towards the transfer window as Daniel Farke looks to add further quality to his squad at Elland Road following a little blip in form prior to the win over Birmingham.

Incomings and outgoings will be expected over the course of this month and there will be a palpable sense of excitement from supporters, who will be keen to see the German coach add strength in depth to a roster that has been stretched by injury concerns this campaign.

Leeds could sign a dream Rutter partner in January who Bielsa once wanted

Leeds United could strike gold in the upcoming transfer window signing this excellent star.

ByKelan Sarson Dec 31, 2023

Bournemouth winger David Brooks has been linked with a loan move to the Whites and Cherries manager Andoni Iraola refused to rule out a departure for the Wales international in a recent interview, cited by The Bournemouth Daily Echo, stating: "It is not about one individual situation. It’s a matter sometimes of what they think. David the other day came on and played very good minutes. Some players probably are not getting the minutes they want.They have to discuss with the club and take the best possible option for everyone."

Departures will also pave the way for new arrivals and duo Wilfried Gnonto and Charlie Cresswell could seek a new challenge elsewhere after reports indicated that interest in their services from elsewhere is growing, with both said to be open to leaving Elland Road.

A left-back is on the radar for Farke as he begins to get his ducks in a row in the market, with that position one the club are desperate to strengthen in having been linked to a whole host of players.

Leeds United make contact for Josh Doig

According to reports in Italy, via MOT Leeds News, Leeds have held talks with Hellas Verona defender Josh Doig's intermediaries as the Scot looks to move elsewhere in the January transfer window.

Five similar players to Josh Doig (FBRef)

Player

Club

Pasquale Mazzocchi

Salernitana

Pablo Maffeo

Mallorca

Raoul Bellanova

Torino

Rico Henry

Brentford

Jerome Roussillon

Union Berlin

The outlet claim that Serie A pair Torino and Monza are looking at securing the 21-year-old this month; meanwhile, Rangers are also keen on offering him a return to Scotland after nearly two years in mainland Europe.

Heralded as a player with "incredible potential" by Gabriele Cioffi back in 2022, the Scotland Under-21 international has joined a growing cluster of countrymen who have moved to Italy to continue their development, and he has made 34 appearances in total for his current employers, registering two goals and four assists (Doig statistics – Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, he could now be on the move and could address Leeds' need for reinforcements on the left-hand side of their backline, which has been compromised at times this campaign due to injury concerns involving Junior Firpo, Sam Byram and Stuart Dallas.

Tottenham Hotspur's start to the season has been nothing short of sensational, with Ange Postecoglou's impact instant and revolutionary.

The Australian was a well-liked figure from his previous roles with the Australian national team, Yokohama F. Marinos and Celtic among many others, but few could have predicted that a man without experience in such a high-pressure job would take to north London with such ease.

In fact, the 58-year-old has proven to be one of the finest tacticians in the Premier League, having cultivated a feel-good atmosphere in N17 once again, the likes of which have not been seen since Mauricio Pochettino's tenure.

As such, he has implored fans to let their imaginations run wild with regard to expectations for the season, noting: "No, no, no, let them go, let them enjoy it. I've said this before, my role is not to burst peoples' bubbles. Let them get excited and ahead of themselves, that's the beauty of being a supporter.

"They go through enough pain, let them enjoy and if they think we're going to be world-beaters great, it's then up to us to match those expectations. Our supporters deserve to have some happiness and they can enjoy it anyway they want to."

Whilst he alone is being credited as the driving force behind this return to form, James Maddison's work on the pitch cannot be understated. He too has hit the ground running following his move, and promises to be a true spearhead for their revolution.

How good is James Maddison?

Unloading £40m on the recently relegated maestro was a fee that many likely questioned given the decreasing bargaining position of sellers Leicester City. However, with Newcastle United also interested, it made sense to ensure a deal could be completed with ease.

Especially given the way the 26-year-old has enjoyed his start to life in north London, having scored twice and assisted a further five across just eight Premier League fixtures.

His unrelenting creativity and deceptive trickery have seen him instrumental in some key results earned, with Joe Cole even suggesting his acquisition had been the best throughout the window: "The more I think about it he could be the best signing of the summer. I am so excited for him, especially the way Ange plays."

Not only are his tangible figures exemplary, but the underlying ones match those trends to suggest that it is a partnership set to earn long-term success. After all, when compared to other attacking midfielders across Europe, he sits in the top 1% for assists and shot-creating actions per 90, the top 6% for progressive passes per 90, and the top 3% for expected assisted goals, via FBref.

It should come as no surprise that he has become one of the division's top creators, with his assist tally making him one of three with the most in the entire Premier League.

The praise showered on him by talkSPORT pundit Andy Townsend therefore makes complete sense, as he claimed: "I have really enjoyed watching Maddison. I have enjoyed watching him play because I think he enjoys being kind of almost the pivotal part of the team. I think that suits his personality. I have been impressed."

However, one of that trio on five assists for the season is actually a former Lilywhites star, and one they surely regret offloading. After all, few could have predicted how exceptional Kieran Trippier's twilight years would be.

Why did Spurs sell Kieran Trippier?

Although the former Burnley man had become a true Spurs stalwart, as a key cog in their run to the Champions League final alongside a couple of limp title pushes, the 33-year-old would reveal just how disappointing the manner of his 2019 exit would be whilst speaking to The Athletic.

The Yorkshire-born ace noted: "As a footballer, you're trying to do your best and sometimes things don't go your way. It just wasn't happening, but I was still getting picked by Mauricio Pochettino.

“After the Champions League final, it felt like the right time to move on. The media weren't really on my side at the time and maybe I needed to get out of England for a bit just to clear my mind. I never looked back.

"What annoyed me … as you know, people in football speak and there are always rumours, but I know 100 per cent for a fact – and this is what I was most angry about – that two months before the end of the season, Daniel (Levy, the chairman) was offering me to other clubs.

“I knew for certain that was happening, so I knew my time there must be up. I was playing for my teammates and the supporters, but I also knew I wasn't wanted.”

So, he would depart for just £12m amongst a betting scandal, having since returned to Newcastle United to spearhead their own incredible revolution.

How is Kieran Trippier performing now?

Whilst Trippier may be level with Maddison in the league, his assist in their 4-1 Champions League rout over Paris Saint-Germain has actually seen the right-back surpass the midfielder in assists across all competitions.

It should come as no surprise to see the £120k-per-week wizard maintain his immense creativity from defence, especially after the truly outstanding year he enjoyed last campaign. Featuring in every single league game as they finished fourth against all the odds, his eight goal contributions were supported by 2.9 key passes and 1.9 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

His bravery to return to a relegation-threatened club and steer them to safety has been lauded by many, with Alan Shearer leading the praise, Shearer: "Some of the balls he was putting into the box were just unbelievable. What a signing he has been for Newcastle, he’s in great form".

Hugo Lloris

Danny Rose

Kevin Wimmer

Toby Alderweireld

Kieran Trippier

Eric Dier

Tom Carroll

Dele Alli

Erik Lamela

Heung-min Son

Andros Townsend

Pundit Trevor Sinclair would support such a notion: "When you're injured and have a long-term injury which Kieran Trippier has got, you don't need to go [to the matches]. It's not something that he has got to do as a member of the squad.

"You don't have to go to away games, especially as it's 200 to 250 miles away. But that, for me, just shows the personality of Trippier and why signing him wasn't just for him going there for a bit of money and glory. He was going there to try and achieve something and coming back for other reasons as well."

It is fair to say that he has attained such a goal, with his efforts in out-creating Maddison just one of his many accolades.

Simon Harmer’s best figures of the season and Murali Vijay’s second half-century of the match have given Essex a chance of toppling Nottinghamshire

ECB Reporters Network12-Sep-2018
ScorecardSimon Harmer’s best figures of the season and M Vijay’s second half-century of the match have given Essex a chance of toppling Nottinghamshire in their Specsavers County Championship meeting at Trent Bridge.Harmer took 6 for 87 as Notts were bowled out for 337 in their second innings, leaving the defending champions requiring 282 for victory.Kraigg Brathwaite made 68 for the hosts and Steven Mullaney scored 53 before becoming Harmer’s fifth victim.Vijay, who hasn’t played since making a pair for India in the second Test of the recent series against England, followed up his first-innings 56 with an undefeated 73 as Essex closed on 147 for 1.The home county began the day in good shape on 116 for 1 but lost three wickets, all to Harmer, during the opening session. Luke Fletcher, the nightwatchman, had an eventful time at the crease. He was struck on the elbow by a wild throw from Nick Browne and also reprieved after being caught off a no-ball from Matt Coles.Nevertheless, the local favourite, a few days away from his 30th birthday, skilfully frustrated the Essex attack for more than two hours in making 39.Brathwaite, the West Indies’ opener, reached his third half-century in as many matches for Notts, getting there from 117 balls with his ninth boundary. The opener stroked three more fours before being pinned on the crease by Harmer’s offspin. Fletcher’s lengthy vigil ended in the same manner and Jake Libby lost his off stump for 15.Simon Harmer gets a hug from Nick Browne•Getty ImagesResuming from their lunchtime score of 208 for 4, Notts lost their fifth wicket to an unexpected source. The visitors opened the session with the part-time spin of Tom Westley and the hunch paid off as Ben Duckett fell lbw for 17.Harmer returned to the attack soon after the second new ball had been taken and bagged three further wickets as Notts lost their momentum. Tom Moores was stumped for 15, after a stand of 68 with Mullaney, who nicked the spinner into the hands of wicketkeeper Adam Wheater.The former South African international then had Lyndon James caught by Ryan ten Doeschate at short leg before Jamie Porter removed Samit Patel and Mark Footitt to polish off the innings.Essex began their pursuit of 282 with the early loss of Browne, playing all around a full-swinging delivery from Footitt. Vijay and Westley, who is undefeated on 45, negotiated the rest of the final session in adding an unbroken 130 together to put Essex firmly on the way towards their first victory at Trent Bridge since 2003.

Smriti Mandhana is set to become the first Indian to appear in the Kia Super League in England this summer after being signed by defending champions Western Storm. Mandhana will be Storm’s second overseas player this season. India’s T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur had been signed by Surrey Stars last year but she had to pull out because of a shoulder injury.”I am very excited to be playing for the Kia Super League champions,” Mandhana was quoted by the Storm website. “To be the first Indian player to appear in the tournament is a real honour and I hope that I can help Western Storm to more success.”Mandhana, who will turn 22 next month, is one of the most sought-after Indian players apart from Harmanpreet. Mandhana has already represented Brisbane Heat in the Women’s Big Bash League. More recently, she also led the Trailblazers side in the women’s IPL exhibition match played in Mumbai last month.”We are really excited that Smriti will be joining us. She is one of the brightest young talents in the game at the moment,” Storm head coach Trevor Griffin said. “Although she is still young, she has a great deal of experience of the game at the highest level and we believe that she will prove to be an excellent signing.”Mandhana has scored 826 runs in T20 internationals so far, at a strike rate of 112.84 with five half-centuries. In ODIs, she has 1464 runs to her name with three centuries and 11 half-centuries, at an average of 37.53 and strike rate of 81.33.After showcasing her impressive strokeplay during the World Cup in England last year, Mandhana carried her ODI form into 2018 by scoring a century in South Africa, and four half-centuries in five home matches against Australia and England. She scored well in the T20s too, against South Africa and then in the tri-series against England and Australia at home, but could not extend it to the Asia Cup where India failed to defend against Bangladesh in the final.

Reactions from the Chennai Super Kings players soon after they won their third IPL title

ESPNcricinfo staff27-May-2018Contrasting emotions were on show after CSK sealed their third IPL title•BCCI

MS Dhoni: “I think by the time you reach the final, everyone knows their roles and responsibilities, so you don’t have to speak a lot. Yes, when you’re fielding, you have to adjust your plans at times. You push your bowlers to give as less runs as possible so that you’re not chasing extra runs. Other than that, even if you see today, we knew what our batting style is and how our batsmen bat. If someone is finding it difficult, there’s no reason why someone else coming behind him will find it easy to score runs. So it was good we didn’t lose too many wickets in the first half, because a lot of times you can get into the feeling that you need a good start to chase down 179. Then they have a mystery bowler in the form of Rashid, but what you also have to keep in mind is Bhuvi is equally deceptive, because with the new ball, he can swing it either way. He bowls a very good length so, it’s not only one bowler. They had a few bowlers who could put pressure on the batsmen, so I thought it was a very good batting effort. At the start, yes maybe we felt we have to get moving, but we had the belief that we had the firepower to get the runs.”I think we talk a lot about age, but what’s important is the fitness aspect. Rayudu is 33, but he covers good ground. Even if he plays a few games where he’s spent a lot of time on the field, he’s not going to turn up and say I’m stiff. So fitness matters more than age. What we have seen is that our fitness has improved. Most of the captains want players who move well on the field. It doesn’t matter who was born in which year, you have to be fit and agile. At the same time, we knew the shortcomings and had to accept areas that you won’t be brilliant in. If I am pushing Watson to stop a single, there’s a good chance he would burst his hamstring and won’t be available. You don’t want Watson or a Bravo injured because that will mean shuffling a lot of players to get the right combination or the same strength. Age is just a number.”We are going to Chennai tomorrow. The plan was to go there irrespective of the result. We plan to meet fans and people close to the franchise. We will all have a get together in the hotel and enjoy the evening because this has been a fantastic win.”Shane Watson: “Look, it’s been a special season. To get an opportunity again, for CSK to give me a chance after the previous season with RCB is incredible. Things fell my way nicely at certain times. To come good in such a big game means so much to the franchise. After those first 10 balls [when Watson scored no runs], I was hoping to catch up and at least get to a run a ball and then go from there. It’s good I was able to get a couple of boundaries. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was very skillful with the new ball. We knew if we could get through six overs without much damage, we knew once the ball stopped swinging, it would be easier to get runs later. To have the support from Tommy Simsek (physio), Stephen Fleming and MS Dhoni, especially towards the later stages, has been incredible. They’ve been superb with my recovery. The good thing is I don’t have to play for three-four months now.”Dwayne Bravo: “It’s been good, a special moment because the team hadn’t played together for two years. For most of the guys, this was the first time with the franchise. Then we had to move from Chennai. Lot of things were going wrong, but we kept focus. There’s nothing better than winning titles. That’s why I’m very happy for the team. We always said experience will get the better of youth. The amount of games all of us have put together are for moments like these. Shane Watson batted on one leg, struggling with a hamstring injury, but his experience got him through. He’s a world-class player and I’m very happy for the entire team.”CSK coach Stephen Fleming: “Each year has been different, we’ve been lucky to get a core group of players. We managed to stay consistent with a core set of skills, while other teams were chopping and changing. Experience tends to come through. It was this year, the quality of those players, you have to look at specialists as well. We just value and hope the big players on the big stage will come through. It’s just a case of support in a lot of areas, a lot of man management in the group. 23-24 can be a large group to manage. Important to prepare the players, communicate. It’s a nice relationship.”Harbhajan Singh: “It’s brilliant to see what Watson brings onto the table, at this ground, no matter how many runs you have, everything is possible. So glad to be part of the winning side, this is my fourth IPL title. Considering Kane Williamson was in good form and they had a lot of middle-order batsmen who are right-handers, MS Dhoni wanted a bowler [Karn Sharma, who played ahead of Harbhajan] who can take the ball away. These days it’s a trend, wristspinners are bowling more and more, fingerspinners aren’t bowling that much. Hopefully that will change next year, well done to Karn Sharma.”Shardul Thakur: “Last year, I was part of the final but couldn’t win. This year, it’s incredible. I can’t express the feeling in words. I’m on top of the world. The last game was on my mind. I knew I had to bowl well at the death. Today, I was right on top of the ball, executed what I wanted.”Ambati Rayudu: “I was really fortunate to have such a great season. I worked really hard for it, happy I could score the winning runs. The wicket looked slow, I thought it was damp but it got much better. I was confident we could chase this.”Ravindra Jadeja: “It’s good to be part of a champion team. We did a good job on and off the field. Win or lose, we played as a team. Very happy that we’re champions after a gap of two years.”Deepak Chahar: “Enjoyed the role of bowling with the new ball. I was waiting for my chances. Thanks to Mahi bhai, he believed in me. Everyone’s dream is to play in the IPL and then win it. One of my dreams has come true.”Lungi Ngidi: “It has been amazing. This season has been a rollercoaster of emotions. It’s lovely to have that (pressure) on your shoulders, and take the game one ball at a time.”

Moeen Ali says he never expected to play 50 Tests and the achievement might help him put an unrewarding Ashes tour behind him

Andrew McGlashan18-Mar-2018

Moeen Ali probably had the worst Ashes of any England player. His batting average sank and his bowling average soared. But he isn’t one to dwell on disappointments for too long, especially as he prepares for the significant milestone of his 50th Test.He has only missed one Test since his debut in 2014 – against West Indies, in Antigua in 2015, when he had an abdominal injury – and at his best helped make England’s lower order among the most feared in the world while manfully carrying the role of lead spinner (except for that odd period last year when the tag was given to Liam Dawson) even though it has never been his specialist discipline.”I never ever thought I was going to play that many games,” Moeen said. “When I got 25 I thought 50 seemed like a long way. It’s been great to be part of the set-up and hopefully this week will be an amazing feeling for myself.”The fact he never got out of the starting blocks in the Ashes means he needs to recapture the form that made him such a match-changing force against South Africa last year when he was Man of the Series. He was set back in Australia by a side strain which limited his preparation then suffered a cut spinning finger due to the hard Kookaburra seam which never really healed. The end result was a bowling return of five wickets at 115.To make matters worse, his batting slumped against his opposite number Nathan Lyon who removed him seven times in nine innings.Since then he has regained bowling confidence in the one-day format, playing an important role in the series wins against Australia and New Zealand, but trying to get through ten overs as economically as possible is a very different challenge to teasing out batsmen in a Test match with the pink or red ball”I think the Ashes was quite tough for me and the one-dayers came at a good time and I feel like my confidence is slowly getting back,” he said.Nathan Lyon had the measure of Moeen Ali in the Ashes•Getty Images

“Obviously you lose your confidence from such a bad tour as a team, not just as an individual. I’m sure there’s quite a lot of the guys want to put that right…but in terms of confidence you play so much cricket now that you’ve got to get back on that horse and try your best and almost forget about the bad days if you can.”The finger is not causing Moeen a problem anymore – he supplemented his one-day workload with more than 40 overs on England’s two bowling days in Hamilton – although does now have a sore shoulder which he picked up in the second ODI at Mount Maunganui. It is causing him a few problems throwing but his bowling is unaffected.Quite where his batting sits after the Ashes problems is a little harder to deduce given his limited opportunities to build an innings in the ODIs. It is also not yet entirely clear where he will be in the order for Auckland. If Ben Stokes is available as a fully-fledged allrounder, Moeen could be back down to No. 8 with Chris Woakes at No. 9, but if Stokes’ workload has to be restricted he will likely bat No. 5 which would to allow an extra bowler and Moeen would slot in at No. 7.”I hope he’s bowling. The balance of the team is pretty much sorted when he’s in,” Moeen said of Stokes. “Knowing we’ve got a much stronger side when he’s playing, it gives everyone else a good lift, and obviously him being at slip for me, he’s very good in that position. And he’s great to have just to talk to about bowling. When I’m bowling he gives me quite a lot of advice. I’m sure he’s ready to go and ready to perform and give back to the team, which I’m sure he wants to do for what happened earlier.”Stokes will be put through his paces in Auckland on Monday, his first serious bowl since the one-day series and having an injection in his back last week. He was moving freely with the bat during his 27 in Hamilton and then returned for extra centre-wicket practice after the match had finished. For different reasons, this series is a fresh start for two of England’s allrounders.

Dinesh Chandimal, who had led Sri Lanka in six limited-overs matches during the tour of Bangladesh, is likely to take charge in the T20I tri-series, also involving India and Bangladesh

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Feb-20183:18

The Angelo Mathews story

Angelo Mathews’ ongoing hamstring troubles have ruled him out of the Nidahas Trophy tri-nation series, which begins next week. Though nominally Sri Lanka’s limited-overs captain, he has led in only one ODI since his reinstatement in early January. Sri Lanka were led by Dinesh Chandimal in the six remaining limited-overs games on the tour of Bangladesh, and it is Chandimal again who is expected to take the reins for the T20I tri-series in Sri Lanka, also involving India and Bangladesh.There was more bad news for Sri Lanka in the approach to the tournament. Fast bowler Shehan Madushanka, who had made an impressive start to his international career in Bangladesh, has himself been ruled out by a hamstring strain he sustained in Bangladesh. Allrounder Asela Gunaratne, meanwhile, has been ruled out due to a rotator cuff strain.However, batsman Kusal Perera, who had been among the injured in Bangladesh, has played two matches for Colts Cricket Club in the ongoing domestic T20 league, and is fit enough to have been named in Sri Lanka’s provisional 20-member squad. That squad will be trimmed to 15 before the tournament begins.Mathews’ recent history of injury-layoffs does not make for encouraging reading. Since late 2016, he has missed eight out of 18 Tests, 24 of 40 ODIs, and 14 of 19 T20s. In short, he has only been available for 40% of Sri Lanka’s international fixtures. Mathews and Sri Lanka’s physios have said that this current spate of injuries is a consequence of the allrounder’s incredibly heavy workload in previous years. Mathews was one of the most active cricketers in the world between 2013 and 2016, shouldering both batting and bowling responsibilities, in addition to captaining Sri Lanka across formats.The Nidahas Trophy begins on March 6 and runs for 12 days.Sri Lanka preliminary squad: Dinesh Chandimal (capt), Upul Tharanga, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Kusal Perera, Thisara Perera, Jeevan Mendis, Suranga Lakmal, Niroshan Dickwella, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Isuru Udana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Akila Dananjaya, Amila Aponso, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Nuwan Pradeep, Dushmantha Chameera, Dhananjaya de Silva