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Worcestershire’s bowlers bounced back in impressive style from their weekend semi-final mauling in dismissing Kent for 260

ECB Reporters Network19-Jun-2017
ScorecardJoe Leach’s early spell set an impressive tone for Worcestershire•Getty ImagesWorcestershire’s bowlers bounced back in impressive style from their weekend semi-final mauling in dismissing Kent for 260 on day one of the Specsavers County Championship promotion battle at New Road.But then Kent responded themselves with the ball despite a boundary-laced cameo from England all-rounder Moeen Ali as Worcestershire closed on 95 for 3.The home side, who conceded 363 runs in the Royal London One-Day Cup clash with Surrey, may have feared the worse after Kent skipper Sam Northeast won the toss on a good batting wicket in the blazing heat.Skipper Joe Leach and 19-year-old Josh Tongue in particular impressed with the ball and Kent, despite lower order resistance from Matt Coles and Adam Rouse, would have been disappointed to be bowled out in 73.1 overs.All of their batsmen except openers Daniel Bell-Drummond and Sean Dickson got into double figures but no-one went past 50.As well as Leach and Tongue bowled, some of the shot selection of the Kent batsmen was questionable and their score was below-par.Leach bowled an inspired opening spell and sent back openers Bell-Drummond and Dickson during an initial burst of 7-3-7-2.Bell-Drummond nicked through to Daryl Mitchell at first slip and then Dickson tried to work the ball on the leg side and the ball struck his pads and bounced onto the stumps.Joe Denly drove Ed Barnard straight to Brett D’Oliveira at point and then Tongue bowled a fiery spell after lunch which accounted for Northeast and Will Gidman.In between Joe Weatherley wafted at a wide Leach and was caught behind and then Darren Stevens flat batted John Hastings straight into the hands of deep extra cover.Kent were then 139 for 7 but resistance came at last from Coles and Rouse who opted to counter-attack in adding 79 in 16 overs.It needed the return of Tongue to break the stand shortly before tea as Rouse provided Mitchell with a third catch and then Coles played back to Moeen Ali and was lbw.Leach finished with 3 for 42 to take his season’s wicket tally to 36 and Tongue, in his first season of senior cricket, 3 for 56 to move onto 24 victims.The wickets were soon tumbling when Worcestershire launched their reply and D’Oliveira failed to trouble the scorers before he was pouched at second slip off Stevens.Moeen was ultra aggressive in his approach with nine fours in his 37 off just 16 balls, a mixture of glorious cover drives and edges which just eluded the slip cordon.But then he fell for the three card trick and was caught at deep midwicket off Coles who then had opener Mitchell taken at third slip.The positive aspect for Worcestershire was Joe Clarke looking like he was returning to form during an unbeaten 34.He received good support from George Rhodes, in his first senior appearance of the season during an unbroken stand of 47.

Crystal Palace have made a verbal offer to sign Montpellier striker Elye Wahi and these next few days could be "decisive", according to reports.

Who will Crystal Palace sign?

It was a mixed 2022/2023 Premier League campaign for the Eagles, with relegation comfortably avoided but little progress made in terms of mixing it with England's elite.

Palace also sacked former manager Patrick Vieira with the Frenchman leading them into dangerous territory at the time, leaving them to turn to fan and club favourite Roy Hodgson.

After he guided them to safety, the Eagles saw fit to award Hodgson with the permanent job for next season, and a top half finish is now being targeted.

"I know what a fantastic squad we have here," Hodgson said a fortnight ago (via the BBC).

"It's a great blend of youth and potential, alongside experienced players with Premier League and international pedigree.

"As such, we have set ourselves the target of a top-half finish, which we believe is eminently achievable with such a fabulous group of players and the most magnificent supporters who get behind the team, week in, week out."

To strengthen further this summer will be imperative to that ambitious goal, with Jefferson Lerma already making the move to Selhurst Park on a free transfer.

Palace have been linked with a succession of more signings, including Arsenal forward Folarin Balogun, AC Milan's Charles De Ketelaere, Netherlands international Donny va de Beek and Torino defender Perr Schurrs recently (footballtransfers).

However, after the departure of star forward Wilfried Zaha, it's perhaps most important they add quality to their attacking ranks.

As such, the south Londoners have been linked with red-hot Ligue 1 striker Wahi, with reliable French newspaper L'Equipe (via Sport Witness) revealing as much.

According to the paper, Palace have made a verbal offer for the 20-year-old, with Hodgson's side having "invited themselves to the talks".

As well as them, it is believed La Liga giants Atletico Madrid have done the same, and these next few days could be "decisive" in determining Wahi's future.

The forward remains on holiday at this moment in time, but according to L'Equipe, he hopes to return and start training with his "new club" – whoever that may be.

How good is Elye Wahi?

Montpellier's star player bagged a brilliant 19 goals and five assists in the league alone last season, ranking as one of their best-performers per 90 in the process according to WhoScored.

Wahi was a consistent threat in the final third and that is exactly what Palace need if they're to achieve their goal of a top half finish next season.

The young attacker has also been praised by members of the media for his displays across the channel.

"If he manages to polish the definition, we are facing a striker who is going to exceed ten goals per season," said journalist Andrés Onrubia Ramos on Twitter.

"A real beast in space that, in addition, associatively also leaves interesting things. It should definitely explode."

West Bromwich Albion will target free agents and the loan market this summer as Carlos Corberan looks to add to his squad, according to Express & Star reporter Lewis Cox.

What players have West Bromwich Albion been linked with this window?

According to Football League World, West Brom were keen to add free agent Nick Powell to their ranks this summer following his exit from Stoke City; however, the outlet claim that he will now complete a deal to move to EFL League Two side Stockport County.

The former Manchester United ace also had interest from Coventry City, Wrexham and Major League Soccer, though he now looks odds-on to sign for Dave Challinor's men ahead of 2023/24.

Former Portsmouth midfielder Jay Mingi, who is also now a free agent, was on the radar of West Brom in January, though it remains to be seen whether the Baggies can afford to move for him again this off-season.

As per The Telegraph, West Brom are in 'financial peril' and will need to sell most of their prize assets before being able to dip back into the transfer market to acquire players ahead of the new term.

Dara O'Shea has left the club to join Premier League outfit, Burnley, fetching a fee in the region of £7 million to put back into the coffers at the Hawthorns, as per BBC Sport.

Birmingham Live report that several other faces are set to join the cull in the coming weeks. Manager Corberan has revealed his hope that he can add to his squad before taking them to St George's Park next week for a visit, stating: "We are giving a little bit of time to see if we can add some of the new players and then spend time together there, at St. George’s Park.

"It’s not just the football perspective we will be working on, but the human perspective too. Some of the players are going to be new and they’ll need to fight together in the competition, so they’ll be creating a new family and new relationships."

What did Lewis Cox say about West Brom's potential transfer business?

According to journalist Cox, who spoke on the Express & Star YouTube channel, any additions that do come the way of West Brom this summer are more likely to arise from the free agent pool or loan market, according to journalist Cox.

Cox stated: "Finances will surely largely dictate that [scope for recruitment], loans are more likely to happen later in the summer, we know this. I don't think that we can get too hung up on it yet, but obviously, it would've been ideal to have them in. Now, it doesn't mean the window is going to end badly, it could be a positive late July/August with some really encouraging names and frees and the loans come in"

Ultimately, Corberan looks like he will have his hands tied this window and may be completely consigned to completing deals on the cheap or on a loan basis; nevertheless, he will be keen to find a few bargain gems to offer some depth to his side.

The Spaniard is also likely to rely on youth players to supplement his squad and has a positive reputation in developing younger players, which would offer some excitement for Baggies supporters despite their awkward position in the transfer market.

With a number of pitches in the competition defying their usual character this year, assessing conditions quickly has been a challenge for teams in the IPL, according to the Rising Pune Supergiant coach Stephen Fleming

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Apr-2017With a number of pitches in the competition defying their usual character this year, assessing conditions quickly has been a challenge for teams in the IPL, according to the Rising Pune Supergiant coach Stephen Fleming.In his column in the , Fleming has written that conditions in some grounds have been more difficult to bat in than in previous seasons, leading to a better balance between bat and ball. He took the example of Rising Pune defending 160 to beat Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium.”Conditions have not been traditional this season,” Fleming wrote. “Bangalore, for example, is a low-scoring ground. Mumbai was very dry, with not a lot of dew, while Kolkata produced a seaming wicket, with quite a bit of pace and bounce.”Therefore, the key this year is to read the conditions and play accordingly. So even though people may have expected us to score more than we did against Mumbai, 160 on that pitch was a challenging total. The expectations of fans may be based on past years but this edition of the IPL has seen the world’s best players struggle to score at the death.”That means one of two things – either the bowling has been extremely good or the conditions aren’t easy to score in, particularly when the ball gets old. I feel the balanced competition is a good thing, instead of 190-200 every time. The best T20 games are often the low-scoring ones.”Rising Pune’s win at the Wankhede came a day after Kolkata Knight Riders defended 131 to win an even more low-scoring game at the Eden Gardens, where Royal Challengers Bangalore slid to 49 all out, the lowest-ever IPL total. According to Jacques Kallis, the Kolkata Knight Riders coach, the scores were a reflection of poor batting techniques rather than a particularly diabolical pitch.”There was absolutely nothing ‘wrong’ with the pitch for that match,” Kallis wrote in his column. “There was a little bit more pace and bounce than the average Indian pitch – and certainly more than there used to be at the Gardens – but nothing that a decent technique couldn’t handle.”In truth, it was a poor batting display from both teams.”Rising Pune and Kolkata Knight Riders meet on Wednesday evening at the MCA Stadium in Pune. Knight Riders are second on the table with five wins from seven matches, while Rising Pune are fourth with four wins in seven.

India have finished at the top of the ICC Test rankings for the second successive year after beating Australia 2-1 in the four-Test series

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Mar-2017India have finished at the top of the ICC Test rankings for the second successive year after beating Australia 2-1 in the four-Test series. As a result of being No. 1 by the cut-off date of April 1, India will be presented with a cash award of $1 million by the ICC.India had gone into the home series against Australia needing to win one Test to guarantee their No. 1 ranking. The series victory also meant that India currently hold Test titles against all other teams, a feat previously matched only by Australia (twice) and South Africa.Virat Kohli received the Test mace and cheque at the post-match presentation ceremony in Dharamsala. “The longest format of the game really tests a team’s character and I’m proud that we have proved ourselves to be the best,” he said.The race to No. 2 is still on. It will be decided on the fifth day in Hamilton, where South Africa need to come away with at least a draw against New Zealand to hold on to the No. 2 ranking and claim the prize money of $500,000. If they lose, Australia will pip them to second place.The ICC also announced that India offspinner R Ashwin will be awarded the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for being the ICC Cricketer of the Year for 2016. Ashwin, who was also named ICC Test Cricketer of the Year for 2016, took 48 wickets and scored 336 runs in the eight Tests he played during the period under consideration – September 14, 2015 to September 20, 2016.

An update has emerged on Rangers and their attempts to bolster Michael Beale's attacking options ahead of the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership campaign…

What's the latest on Danilo to Rangers?

According to the Daily Record, Danilo has told his club that he wants to join the Light Blues before the end of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Brazilian attacker informed Feyenoord of his decision over the weekend as he would like to make the move to Ibrox in the coming weeks.

This should come as a big boost to Beale in his attempts to land the attacker as it could put pressure on the Dutch side to be accommodating in negotiations in order to prevent them from ending up with an unhappy player for the rest of the season.

It states that the Gers have already had an offer of £3.5m turned down and that it will take a fee in the region of £5m to secure his services.

This comes as the club are closing in on the signing of Nigeria international forward Cyriel Dessers from Cremonese for a total package of €6.5m (£5.6m).

How did Danilo perform last season?

The 24-year-old number nine enjoyed a strong campaign with Feyenoord in spite of his limited game time as he showcased his impressive finishing ability domestically and in Europe.

His form in the Netherlands suggests that there is an exciting player for Beale to unearth and the English head coach could excite Rangers supporters by pairing him with current Ibrox star Todd Cantwell.

Danilo, who was once praised by Erik ten Hag as the manager's best "finisher" at Ajax, plundered an outstanding ten goals and three assists in 14 Eredivisie starts,

This shows that the right-footed dynamo often took his chances when given an opportunity on the pitch. Meanwhile, no Gers player with fewer than 15 Premiership starts hit double figures for goals last term.

He also found the back of the net twice in six Europa League starts, which means that the former Ajax prospect also has experience playing and scoring in European competitions.

His superb performances in front of goal are not a flash in the pan, either, as the 6-foot hotshot produced an eye-catching 17 goals and five assists in 31 Eredivisie starts on loan at FC Twente during the 2020/21 campaign, one more strike than any Rangers player managed last season.

Cantwell, meanwhile, averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.36 – a score no other attacker or midfielder matched – across 16 Premiership outings in 2022/23. The Englishman scored six goals to go along with his five assists.

The former Norwich ace caught the eye with his silky ability on the ball, which was combined with a quality end product, proviing himself capable of making a big impact in the final third.

This means that Beale could pair an outstanding number ten with the ability to be a scorer and a creator with a Brazilian striker who has the potential to be a lethal attacker, something that would no doubt get fans excited ahead of next season.

Everton are one of the clubs interested in signing Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres this summer, according to a new transfer update.

Who is Viktor Gyokeres?

The 25-year-old is coming off the back of a highly impressive season for the Sky Blues, having inspired his side to the Championship play-off final.

Gyokeres was the second-highest goalscorer in the Championship in 2022/23, notching 21 strikes in the competition, making him the envy of many managers who would no doubt have loved to have him in their ranks.

This summer, it looks increasingly likely that the Swede will move away from Coventry, as he looks for a new challenge at a potentially higher level. Sporting CP appear to be strong contenders to snap him up, but it could also be that a Premier League club make a move for him.

That team could well be Everton, according to a new update, as the Blues look to make some important signings to ensure a third consecutive relegation battle doesn't come their way next season.

Are Everton in the mix to sign Gyokeres?

According to Football Insider, the Toffees are "among the clubs interested" in signing Gyokeres in the summer window, although Sean Dyche will have to "wheel and deal" if they are to have much chance of signing him.

The report goes on to add that Coventry "will demand a fee of £20million for Gyokeres – even though he has just 12 months remaining on his contract at the club", which highlights the need for Everton to generate more transfer funds if they want to bring him in, potentially selling key players like Jordan Pickford and Amadou Onana.

Gyokeres may not have proven himself at the top level yet, but he could be a fantastic signing for the Blues this summer, standing out as one of the Championship's star men in 2022/23.

He is strong, fast, good in the air and ruthless in front of goal, and was even likened to Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland by Tony Mowbray. Meanwhile, his all-round game is tailor-made to thrive in the Premier League. Ex-Watford boss Slaven Bilic also hailed him as a "very good player".

Whether Everton are deemed the best option for Gyokeres in his own mind remains to be seen, however, the lure of playing in Europe for a team like Sporting could ultimately be something he can't turn down. The Toffees must do all they can to get him, though, with a clinical striker so badly needed.

Bowlers and records were all over the place in Greater Noida as Afghanistan trumped Ireland by 28 runs to seal a 3-0 whitewash in a 438-run slugfest

The Report by Nikhil Kalro12-Mar-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAfghanistan recorded their second 3-0 whitewash in T20Is•PTI Bowlers and records were all over the place in Greater Noida as Afghanistan trumped Ireland by 28 runs to seal a 3-0 whitewash in a 438-run slugfest, taking their unbeaten streak to a record 11 games in T20Is. Two of Afghanistan’s most destructive batsmen, Mohammad Shahzad and Mohammad Nabi, thrashed scintillating fifties to set up Afghanistan’s 233 for 8, their highest T20 total. Ireland scrapped and fought their way back but in the end, found themselves short of firepower and the target.Shahzad set the ball rolling, getting to his fifty one ball after the Powerplay, off just 27 balls. The bowlers’ lines were far too wide, but the strength of his bottom hand didn’t leave them much choice. Shahzad struck six fours and five sixes, but his first boundary – a cut through backward point – may have been the sweetest for it took him past Virat Kohli as the format’s fourth-highest run-scorer.By the time he was dismissed in the 13th over, Ireland’s bowlers found their rhythm, reducing Afghanistan from 97 for 1 to 121 for 5. Legspinner Jacob Mulder earned two wickets in three balls. A cameo, at best, would take Afghanistan close to 200. The 14th over went for seven runs, and that worst-case total lowered.In the next over, Nabi stepped out and skewed a mow that just cleared long-on. If the boundary was a metre longer, Nabi was undone by flight. But, the small dimensions meant Nabi had the security of productive mis-hits. He hardly mis-timed a ball thereafter though. Bowlers repeatedly missing their yorkers played into his strengths, and his confidence, power and timing did the rest. When he was done clobbering them, with 89 off 30, he had the highest score by a No. 6 or lower in T20Is.Afghanistan plundered 104 with at least two boundaries in each of the last six overs. Barry McCarthy conceded 69 runs in his four overs, the most expensive figures in T20Is. Even though Kevin O’Brien returned 4 for 45 to control some of the damage, it seemed like Ireland’s house had blown away.It hadn’t yet. Paul Stirling and then Stuart Thompson broke the game open with the joint-highest Powerplay score in T20Is, as Ireland scored 91 to equal Netherlands’ total against them during the World T20 in 2014. Apart from abetting Ireland by overstepping, Shapoor Zadran’s lines were wayward and his variations were predictable. Stirling was dropped twice off consecutive deliveries, and had scurried to 49 off 19 before flicking Zadran to deep square leg.Thompson struck two fours and five sixes in his 43, but was bowled off left-arm spinner Amir Hamza in his bid to keep Ireland’s momentum going. A few tidy subsequent overs meant Ireland were always behind the required rate, with the opposition’s best bowler still unused.Gary Wilson kept Ireland interested with a quickfire fifty; so much so that at the end of 18 overs, Ireland were four runs ahead of where Afghanistan were. However, Rashid Khan, bowling the 19th over, took three wickets to end Ireland’s spirited fight.

Chelsea have placed Anatoliy Trubin on their transfer radar this summer, according to a report from reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Who is Anatoliy Trubin?

The 21-year-old currently plays in goal for Shakhtar Donetsk, where he has spent the entirety of his career to date. He was given his first ever league outing with the side back when he was just 16-years-old, and he has since gone on to establish himself as their undisputed number one. In the 2022/23 season, he managed the biggest stretch of league games with the side to date, featuring on 28 occasions as the club won his second league title.

It's led to him also being given minutes for his country on the international stage too. He was handed his Ukraine debut back in 2021 and has gone on to feature seven times for them, having also played for their youth teams.

Now, his performances appear to have caught the eye of Premier League side Chelsea. According to a report from reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano, Mauricio Pochettino wants to try and strengthen their goalkeeping department and whilst they aren't entirely sure of a need to buy a first-choice shot-stopper, it's clear they want to at least bring in an alternative to provide competition for that spot.

One of the names on their transfer wishlist on that area is the 6 foot 6 giant Trubin, although Blues chiefs have yet to make an official bid for his signature.

What is Trubin's transfer value?

It's unclear exactly how much Trubin would cost the Blues if they did want to launch an official bid for the player. Romano doesn't mention a price tag for the goalkeeper, but Transfermarkt suggest that his value could be around the 22 million Euros mark (or about £19m). It isn't an extortionate amount of money for a young and promising player, but it is still a fairly steep price to pay for a player yet to test himself outside of Ukranian football.

He's already highly regarded despite his age though, and that could be why Chelsea are keen to do business for the player. At just 21-years-old, football talent scout Jacek Kulig has already called him a "hero" for his performances with Shakhtar Donetsk and highlighted how impressive he had been statistically in a recent fixture against Rennes.

Trubin then can already do a job at a decent level and given the right coaching, he could eventually emerge as an undisputed number one – and the Blues seem to want it to be with them too.

Durham have confirmed the signing of South African batsmen Stephen Cook for the first half of the 2017 season

David Hopps23-Jan-2017Durham have confirmed the signing of South Africa batsmen Stephen Cook for the first half of the 2017 season.Cook will sign as an overseas player, much to the relief of CSA as it contends with an influx of players into county cricket on Kolpak registrations, so ending their international careers, at least for the foreseeable future.Kyle Abbott (Hampshire), Hardus Viljoen (Derbyshire), Simon Harmer (Essex), Rilee Rossouw (Hampshire) and David Wiese and Stiaan van Zyl (Sussex) have all signed Kolpak deals, although last week Dean Elgar shunned the opportunity when he was confirmed on an overseas player deal with Somerset.For Cook to resist the lure of a Kolpak deal at the ripe old age of 34 – precisely when it is deemed most attractive – is particularly striking. Forced to wait until late in his career for a chance at international level, he is in no mood to concede it.Durham always pursued the overseas player route with Cook. Even if they had proposed a Kolpak option, which they did not, it is questionable whether the ECB would have allowed it. Since Durham were saved from administration by re-forming as a community interest club, with the ECB agreeing a £3.8m rescue package, the county can expect to be monitored closely by the central body for what is viewed as acceptable behaviour.As well as Championship matches for Durham, who were relegated to Division Two with a 48-point penalty, Cook will also play in the Royal London One-Day Cup before joining South Africa’s Test squad for the four-match series against England later in the summer.With two heavy top-order run-makers, Mark Stoneman and Scott Borthwick, moving to Surrey, and Calum MacLeod and the long-serving fringe batsman Gordon Muchall also released, Durham will be desperate for Cook to provide ballast as an opener.Cook burst on to the international scene and scored a century in his first Test innings against England last January, the last Test player to achieve the feat before his new Durham team-mate Keaton Jennings. He has already chalked up two further hundreds in a nine-match Test career, at an average of 41.Jon Lewis, Durham’s head coach, said: “We have been looking to add quality to the squad but also the right character to fit into the dressing room, and we have found someone who has both of those assets in Steve.”Our conversations have been very promising and he comes to us with a fine reputation, built not only through his short international career so far but throughout an excellent first-class record over many years in South Africa and we are looking forward to welcoming him into the changing room.”