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David Hopps at Headingley21-Apr-2018
ScorecardCheteshwar Pujara is just the sort of overseas player Yorkshire need this season as they attempt to instil first principles of safety and security into their Championship side. Except that Pujara is also India’s run out specialist. In his most accident prone moments, safety and security don’t really come into it.Pujara has been instrumental in six of India’s last eight run outs in Tests. He has run himself out on four of those occasions so at least nobody can accuse him of selfishness: the damage is largely to himself. Against South Africa in Centurion in January, he was run out twice in a Test, a misfortune not suffered for 18 years. To make it extra special, one of them was a first-ball duck.In the switch to Yorkshire, it appears that Pujara’s characteristics remain implanted. His ability to perform on English surfaces, and affinity for the long game, ensured his services are valued in county cricket, but his latest run out came at a critical juncture against Nottinghamshire at Headingley and without a measured response from Yorkshire’s captain Gary Ballance it could have had bad repercussions.As it was by the close of the second day, Yorkshire’s position was a commanding one. At 189 for 4, they lead by 257, a position built in the last two sessions after they bowled out Nottinghamshire on the stroke of lunch for 188. Ballance will resume the third day on 76, although there is little sense as yet that England are studying his form too closely.ESPNcricinfo LtdPujara’s brainstorm came in the 15th over. Yorkshire had already lost Alex Lees, lbw to Jake Ball playing no shot. Pujara had been dropped on nought, an edge against Ball flying through Riki Wessels’ hands at first slip, but thereafter he had reached 18 comfortably enough.Then Adam Lyth dropped a ball from Harry Gurney at his feet and, although he reacted to Pujara’s appetite for a quick single with a surprised yelp of rejection, he found a stately Indian batsman standing too close to comfort. Pujara turned, but his quest was safety was hopeless and Jake Libby completed the run out from backward point.Yorkshire have nicknamed him Steve because “Cheteshwar” is too much of a mouthful and, although unexplained, it should be linked to Steve McQueen, the American actor who was known as the King of Cool, but who was not short of a few hair-raising stunts when the mood took him. In his defence, however, he had a previously unblemished running record as far as county cricket is concerned.When Lyth was caught at the wicket and Harry Brook was cleaned up by Ball, so ending an impressive 36 from 41 balls, Yorkshire were 163 on with six wickets left, far from secure with the pitch settling a little.Ballance guided the match back into Yorkshire’s favour, spared a confident lbw appeal first ball from Gurney. He looked untroubled, as he did this time last season, a burst of form that won a Test recall, which failed to last the summer.But with Ed Smith’s elevation to national selector, study of data might be on trend and that would do Ballance no harm at all. No regular county cricketer has a better record when it comes to converting first-class innings into half-centuries (more than 35%) or for that matter centuries.If he can gen up on a few more erudite matters that might the attention of Smith, such as the culinary habits of Greek philosophers, the polarising political qualities of Jacob Rees-Mogg or whether cricket has reached peak left-handedness (note to Ballance: best to conclude “no” as you are one) and he might be within range of that recall after all.

Everton have endured a rough start to the season under Sean Dyche, with the former Burnley boss still struggling to uncover his strongest side and the best philosophy with which to play them.

Given the distinct lack of quality he has at his disposal, this is a task far harder than the other relegation-threatened outfits, who at the very least have a set play style to which they can adhere.

The Toffees have been without an identity for years now, with Frank Lampard failing to bring one back, Carlo Ancelotti leaving before he could properly integrate his, and Ronald Koeman, Marco Silva and Sam Allardyce all messing things up in between. It is years of questionable decision-making from the top that has led them into their current position of peril, and only with a minor miracle will they continue to survive.

Their latest 52-year-old head coach has one of the toughest tasks of his career ahead of him, to steer a rudderless ship to safety with their shiny new stadium on the horizon. It is widely believed that retaining their Premier League status until their entry into the Bramley-Moore Dock arena is of paramount importance towards keeping the seismic club afloat.

However, their dwindling finances are the result of years of fiscal mismanagement, spending freely and without thought on players and managers without a plan in place. Farhad Moshiri may be desperately trying to sell the Toffees now, but much of the blood will forever remain on his hands, alongside his much-maligned accomplice Bill Kenwright.

Who is Everton's worst-ever signing?

Whilst some of the club's worst-ever acquisitions may have come before the Iranian billionaire got involved, it is indisputable that some of the biggest financial outlays have come under his watch, with nine of the top ten record signings brought in with his money.

Adorning that list is a group of players who have largely disappointed, with one or two outstanding exceptions. Richarlison and Romelu Lukaku were immediate successes, with their goals vital, and the funds their sales would rack in proving imperative too. Amadou Onana is another who has enjoyed a fine start, and boasts a valuation that could one day turn a huge profit.

However, the likes of Yannick Bolasie, Michael Keane, Alex Iwobi and Moise Kean are all stars who joined with big reputations but failed to live up to the expectations.

And yet, there are even signings outside of that list that have arguably proven even worse value for money, given the fee expended and the output they would return.

Few stand out more than Davy Klaassen in this regard, as someone who hardly cost a ridiculous amount, but must be recognised as one of their worst pound-for-pound signings.

1

Gylfi Sigurdsson (Swansea City)

Ronald Koeman

2

Richarlison (Watford)

Marco Silva

3

Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea)

Roberto Martinez

4

Amadou Onana (LOSC Lille)

Frank Lampard

5

Alex Iwobi (Arsenal)

Marco Silva

After all, the Dutchman joined during a summer of vast overhaul under Ronald Koeman, who had just led his new side to seventh in his debut year. Financial backing was expected, but his tactical ideals remained muddled going into the new campaign. He would therefore bring in the midfielder alongside Wayne Rooney and Gylfi Sigurdsson, thus drowning out the number ten position with three superstars all vying for the spot.

As such, the club record signing and a former club legend took precedence, and the former Ajax captain would make a mere 16 appearances across his torrid tenure on Merseyside, failing to score.

Such a vast underperformance was always bound to draw criticism, with former QPR midfielder Joey Barton branding him "a complete dud". A fair comment, given the high expectations placed upon him when Netherlands and Barcelona legend Johan Cruyff likened him to Tony Kroos.

In an interview back in 2022, the disappointing midfielder would blame the tactics as one reason for his underperformance: "At Everton, I really suffered from culture shock. If it’s not going well there, they hoof the ball forward."

Although they hardly expended a king's ransom to tempt him to Goodison Park, Klaassen certainly failed to live up to the billing, thus marking him out as one of Moshiri's worst buys.

How much did Everton pay for Davy Klaassen?

Such a notion is only exacerbated when viewing the financial side of the deal, which did leave a mark during a summer where they would spend a total of €158.2m (£137m).

Whilst his £23.6m fee was just a drop in the ocean of that vast overhaul, it has certainly contributed to the growing financial worries that continue to mount on the club with each passing year.

Such huge risks cannot afford to backfire as often as they have done, and as such the Toffees are seemingly constantly seeking the next big sale to balance the books.

What was Davy Klaassen's salary at Everton?

Although Klaassen would only spend a sole year in Merseyside, adding his salary onto that transfer fee only emphasises the fiscal drain the 41-cap flop posed.

After all, his £70k-per-week wage was ludicrous when compared to what he offered, but at the time it actually marked a fair price for someone who had stood out in his homeland.

Therefore, this figure added a further £3.6m to the total sum, bringing that up to £27.4m. Then, comparing that with the appearances the 30-year-old mustered, and Koeman's costly purchase actually ended up commanding £1.7m for every appearance he made.

Did Davy Klaassen deserve to earn £70k-per-week?

Whilst it marked crazy demands in hindsight, beforehand this entire deal actually seemed rather shrewd.

After all, the hard-working midfielder was coming off the back of a fine creative year in his homeland, having scored 14 and assisted ten in the Eredivisie, whilst also helping captain his side to the Europa League final.

Koeman would even gloat about the magnitude of such a capture, noting after his signing: "Davy has made this step in his career at the right time. He spent four seasons with Ajax and gained experiences in Europe and with the Dutch team. He will have to get used to the high tempo we play and it will tougher for him, especially from a physical point of view, but Davy has developed well as a player. He is intelligent and can read the game.”

Naturally, that failed to come to fruition, and after just one year he would trade Goodison Park for Werder Bremen. There he actually recaptured some semblance of his form before returning to Ajax in 2020. He now plays his football at Inter Milan, once again trying his hand outside of the Netherlands.

The odds will be heavily against Afghanistan, but even the world’s No. 1 Test team won’t take them lightly

Varun Shetty13-Jun-20182:20

Chopra: Afghanistan spinners will challenge India

Big pictureThis is it for Afghanistan. Their ten-year journey since beating Jersey in the WCL Division Five final has been studded with miracles and pinnacles: they’ve been in multiple world tournaments, completed historic victories, created potential icons of the game, and will probably have the the largest, most diverse fan base a team has ever had on Test debut. Not bad for a team that consists of players who used broken helicopters as dressing rooms not long ago.But perhaps their biggest achievement is that not even the No. 1 Test team, playing at home, will take the newcomers lightly.Afghanistan have won more than they’ve lost in India. In limited-overs cricket, they’ve only lost five out of 18 matches across formats. While those numbers will mean little coming into a different format, what they signify is that at some point over five days, the conditions will be in their favour. And therein lies the danger for India, who have been more susceptible to spin in Tests lately than their traditional reputation would suggest.Objectively, that is the only big problem India could come up against. They have a formidable batting line-up that is close to collapse-proof at home. With allrounders in Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, and further fortification of the middle order through Dinesh Karthik, the hosts won’t be easy to breach. It’s also likely that the pitch in Bengaluru will be suited to seam, given India’s upcoming England tour, which is another factor that tilts this fixture heavily in their favour.Objectivity is something Afghanistan have barely bothered about, though. This is their big moment. A first ton, a first five-for, a first draw – even a first win – are all things that may or may not come in Bengaluru. But, two days after Kevin Pietersen’s cry for a more entertaining Test scene, Mohammad Shahzad will be screaming at fielders, jersey probably untucked by the second session, and Rashid Khan’s googly will be more subtle than his sending-off of the victim. Asghar Stanikzai, who led Afghanistan to a World Cup Qualifier title days after an appendicitis surgery, will look more a warrior than ever in Test whites. And in the midst of all these certainties, the newbies will draw standing ovations from the home crowd on more than one occasion. It’s going to be as good as a one-off Test can ever be.Form guideIndiaWLLDW (completed matches, most recent first)
Afghanistan N/ABCCIIn the spotlightQuite often, KL Rahul has looked like India’s best all-format batsman after Virat Kohli. He has also, often, been immensely frustrating as a Test player. Outside of the 14 innings in which has made 50-plus scores, Rahul has only scored 229 runs in 23 innings. That’s an average of under 10 in innings where he doesn’t make sizable contribution. Rahul went to South Africa having made eight fifties in his 10 previous Test innings, only to return with 30 runs from four innings. Perhaps the quest to master limited-overs batting had started to impede his game in Tests, but with the IPL season he has just had, he looks more assured in his strokeplay than ever. Could that security mean a more relaxed, more mature batsman in Tests? The fight to be India’s No. 1 opener in Tests is his to win.Can they do it in Tests? Rashid, Mujeeb ur Rahman and Amir Hamza are likely to form the spin attack for Afghanistan along with Mohammed Nabi. Neither Rashid nor Mujeeb is older than 20 and the latter has never played a first-class match. Their captain thinks they’re better than India’s spinners. To top it all off, they’re expected to be Afghanistan’s big weapons against a strong batting line-up. It’s a diverse spin quartet, with each one offering a different variety of spin – something that has made Afghanistan a difficult team to beat in limited-overs cricket. But how easily can they transfer that effect to Test cricket, where sustained discipline is more rewarding than exaggerated variation?Team newsOn the eve of the Test, India had an optional training session that was attended by Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Karun Nair, Karthik and Pandya. Dhawan had a session with the physios and appeared to be going through a fitness test. This could mean one of Dhawan and Vijay in the starting XI, allowing a straightforward slotting-in of Nair to replace Kohli.Mohammed Shami’s exit from the squad might not mean too much for replacement Navdeep Saini, who has to beat an in-form Umesh Yadav to make it to the XI. Ahead of the game, Ishant Sharma looks the only fast bowler assured of a spot in a team that’s likely to use two spinners and Pandya as a third seamer.India (possible): 1 M Vijay/Shikhar Dhawan, 2 KL Rahul, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Ajinkya Rahane (capt.), 5 Karun Nair, 6 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Ravindra Jadeja, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Umesh YadavAfghanistan coach Phil Simmons said that while Shahzad’s fitness could be trusted in 50-over games, Tests are a completely different proposition. Shahzad is likely to play as a specialist batsman with Afsar Zazai taking up wicketkeeping duties.Afghanistan (possible): 1 Mohammad Shahzad, 2 Javed Ahmadi, 3 Rahmat Shah, 4 Asghar Stanikzai (capt.), 5 Nasir Jamal/Hashmatullah Shahidi, 6 Mohammed Nabi, 7 Afsar Zazai (wk), 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Amir Hamza/Zahir Khan, 10 Yamin Ahmadzai, 11 Wafadar/Mujeeb ur RahmanPitch and conditionsOn the eve of the match, Bengaluru had overcast skies and some areas were affected by a light drizzle. The pitch has a green tinge but a brown look overall. It’s expected to have some moisture early on, and take turn from the third day onwards.Stats and trivia Rashid Khan has taken a five-wicket haul in each of his four first-class matches before this one. In 12 Tests since the start of 2017, Ajinkya Rahane has gone past fifty only four times and averages 33.94. Since January 2013, India have failed to win only six (one loss, five draws) of their 26 Tests at home.

Liverpool's revival this season has stemmed from Jurgen Klopp's emphasis on comprehensively rebuilding a midfield that struggled to implement his tactical philosophy last year, which bitterly resulted in a fifth-placed Premier League finish.

Such a dismal campaign meant that the Reds would not play in the Champions League for the first time since 2015/16, which really was a hammer blow to an ambitious and esteemed manager in Klopp who had returned the glory to Anfield after so many years of mediocrity.

And while the return to the Europa League is not a prospect that will have filled world-class stars such as Mohamed Salah, Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk with jubilation, it does present an opportunity for the German gaffer to complete the full gamut of silverware since joining the side back in 2015.

It also presents a great opportunity to unleash some of the club's younger talents, which is exactly what Klopp has done thus far.

Indeed, Ben Doak, still only 17, started against LASK in the 3-1 win in September, while Stefan Bajcetic and Jarell Quansah have also earned starting berths across the first two games – with both prospects very much looking talented enough for starring roles in the future.

With an ostensibly weaker calibre of opposition, healthy squad rotation certainly becomes less strenuous, and with six points already Liverpool are in a good position to cruise through the remainder of the group phase. Though these feel like famous last words.

One player who has featured prominently has been Kostas Tsimikas, who has played second fiddle to Andy Robertson since joining from Greek side Olympiakos in a £12m transfer in 2020.

However, with the 62-cap Scotland captain withdrawn due to injury on international duty earlier this week, the 27-year-old might be called upon for greater responsibility in the Premier League, where he has made just one substitute appearance this term.

Is Andy Robertson injured?

Robertson has been ever-present under Klopp's tutelage and has emerged as one of Europe's foremost full-backs after bursting onto the scene following his £10m transfer from Hull City in 2017.

The £100k-per-week machine has been hailed as a "Duracell Bunny" by Liverpool writer Leanne Prescott for his remarkable energy and workrate, and has played every minute of the Reds' league season this year.

Player

Apps

Mohamed Salah

315

Trent Alexander-Arnold

280

Andy Robertson

275

Alisson

240

Virgil van Dijk

229

This is why his injury suffered on international duty will come as such a blow to his club team, who have clicked into gear this term after enduring that incohesive 2022/23 campaign.

The shoulder issue – which might be a dislocation – could result in a spell on the sidelines for the talented defender, who will possibly now miss the Merseyside derby against Everton next weekend – a big blow to Liverpool's fluidity and prospects.

As per FBref, the 5 foot 10 marauder ranks among the top 11% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 9% for shot-creating actions, the top 5% for passes attempted and the top 12% for progressive passes per 90.

Very much one of Liverpool's chief creators, Robertson's injury will leave a void in the restored system, and while Tsimikas is a productive force himself, having provided 12 assists from merely 65 outings, he's not the most consistent of performers, with one LFC podcaster criticising him for his "abysmal" performance against LASK.

As such, it might be high time for Klopp to make good use of that aforementioned youth quality, with an exciting left-back in Calum Scanlon taking great strides in his development and now perching on the cusp of a senior debut for the Merseyside outfit.

Who is Calum Scanlon?

This summer, young Scanlon was included in Klopp's pre-season squad after impressing for Liverpool's development squad over the past few years.

Noted for his “aggressive” approach by reporter Jack Lusby, the defender was signed for the Reds for a reported fee of £500k in December 2020 when he was just 15 years old, having impressed for Birmingham City throughout his youth days.

Considered one of the brightest talents of his age, Scanlon, now aged 18, has now spent three years on Merseyside and has chalked up 38 appearances for the club's various youth sides, scoring twice and providing four assists.

Signing his first professional deal last year, there is clearly hope at the club that he can work his way into a prominent position in Klopp's senior set-up, with reporter Neil Jones noting that he has looked "so good" this season, earning an assist during a 3-0 win over Morecambe Town in the EFL Trophy in September.

The emerging sensation is also among the youth players registered for the Europa League via List B this season – which means players who are aged 21 or younger and have been registered for their club for over two years.

This is a big demonstration of faith in his precocious skill set and one that may well be enacted soon following Robertson's injury, which could mean that Tsimikas is required to take centre stage for a while..

Should the 29-year-old star be sidelined for several weeks or more, Kostas Tsimikas is the number one candidate to serve in his stead, but with Liverpool competing across four different competitions it will not be possible for the Greek dynamo to play all the time.

As such, Scanlon could find himself stepping in to impress, and should he live up to Jones' praise – who also claimed that he is “very talented” – then he might just find that that shot at the first-team sticks.

Every world-class phenomenon starts as an unknown commodity, and every club has its success stories starting from within the youth ranks.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is evidence of Liverpool's thriving formative fold, and Scanlon could now emulate his positional peer and walk the same pathway toward prominence under the Anfield lights.

Christian Pulisic has responded to the questions of his character after being accused of being a “bad sport” in AC Milan’s 1-0 win over Lazio.

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American drew two dismissals in RomeAccused of unsporting behaviourAdamant that he did nothing wrongWHAT HAPPENED?

The United States international was heavily involved in that contest, drawing two red cards from opponents that lost their composure in the heat of Serie A battle. The first of those, when Luca Pellegrini was dismissed, saw Pulisic brought down after Lazio thought the ball was being played out so that Taty Castellanos could receive treatment for an injury.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT PULISIC SAID

Pulisic was blasted by those in the Italian capital for a supposed display of “unsporting behaviour”, with Lazio picking up two more dismissals deep into stoppage-time after seeing Noah Okafor snatch an 88th-minute winner – with Pulisic hauled down by Mateo Guendouzi prior to the former Arsenal midfielder being ushered down the tunnel.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Pulisic has told of the criticism that he has attracted: “For me, this was not a question of being a bad sport. I saw nothing behind me, I play to the whistle and I was brought down. I had no intention of doing anything like that, the whole situation got out of control. People who know me will know that, people outside can say whatever they want, but I didn’t mean anything against Lazio.”

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR PULISIC?

Milan had Pulisic to thank again in their latest outing – as he grabbed the winner in a 1-0 victory over Empoli – and the USMNT star admits that he is producing the best form of his career after posting personal bests in 2023-24, while still having the promise of more to come.

Even though Nazmul Hassan, the board chief, didn’t explain why exactly the players felt so, he said it was linked to the worldwide trend of declining interest in Test cricket shown by other boards, broadcasters and players

Mohammad Isam20-Jul-2018Bangladesh’s senior players, including Shakib Al Hasan, have become reluctant to play Test cricket, according to BCB president Nazmul Hassan. Even though the board chief didn’t explain why exactly the players felt so, he said that it was linked to the worldwide trend of declining interest in Test cricket shown by other boards, broadcasters and players.In his now regular post-series briefing, Hassan said that the future of the Bangladesh Test team depended on blooding in new faces to fill the gap that will be created when the senior players near retirement. But he also mentioned the task will not be easy as all of the established players have been performing for a number of years.Hassan also named Mustafizur Rahman among those reluctant to play Tests, although he stated that the fast bowler never told him so.”Even in the ICC, I don’t see any other country other than England and Australia showing interest to play Tests,” Hassan said. “As a board, they are not interested in Tests. The broadcasters are also not interested. They say they don’t have any interest where there is no audience.”We are seeing in our country that some of our senior players don’t want to play Test cricket. Shakib doesn’t want to play Tests. Mustafiz also doesn’t want to play, but he hasn’t mentioned it. He wants it to a point. Maybe since he is injury-prone, he feels he will get injured playing Tests? Maybe they feel Test is quite tough, say for someone like Rubel [Hossain]. Bringing in younger players is our only option.”The BCB had granted Shakib’s request for a break during the Test series in South Africa last year. Shakib has been the only Bangladesh player to have put in such a request.Hassan declared that Mustafizur, who missed the Afghanistan T20s and the West Indies Tests due to an injury he picked up while playing for Mumbai Indians in the IPL, will not be given any NOCs to play foreign leagues. “The saddest part is that he gets hurt playing franchise leagues, and then can’t serve the country. It is not acceptable. I have already told him that he can’t play outside for the next two years,” Hassan said.He said that the BCB was focused on finding more specialist Test and T20 players, but admitted it was hard for practical reasons to drop their core senior players. “We have to form a new set-up for Tests. I have been saying it for the last four years. We must have three or four players in common; all the international teams are doing this. Everyone has specialist T20 and Test players. We only have Mominul [Haque] for Tests. We need to develop five or six of them.”We have Tamim [Iqbal] and another opener, plus three pace bowlers and a spinner. You can’t change Shakib, Mushfiqur [Rahim] and [Mahmudullah] Riyad. Mominul plays at three. You can’t drop him for doing poorly in one series. So, for this No. 7 position we have Mosaddek [Hossain], Sabbir [Rahman], [Mehidy Hasan] Miraz, etc.”There will be a lot of talk if we leave out any of the seniors. We need to find new players for a time when Tamim, Shakib, Mushfiqur and Riyad won’t be around. We need to prepare the new players.”

England ace Jess Carter may cause friction at Chelsea after liking a post calling Emma Hayes’ comments on inter-player relationships ‘beyond bonkers’.

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Blues boss has spoken outComments caused a stirReaction from her own playersGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Blues boss Hayes, who is set to take charge of the USWNT when the 2023-24 campaign comes to a close, has added her voice to the debate regarding partnerships inside football clubs. She has said: “Player to coach relationships are inappropriate, player to player relationships are inappropriate”

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Those comments have caused quite a stir, with inter-player relationships common in the women’s game. Arsenal stars Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema fall into that category, while Chelsea superstar Sam Kerr is engaged to United States international Kristie Mews – who now plies her club trade in the WSL with West Ham.

DID YOU KNOW?

Lionesses star Carter is coupled up with Chelsea team-mate Ann-Katrin Berger, and the 26-year-old defender would appear to have a bone to pick with her manager after liking a series of posts of social media questioning why Hayes decided to speak out on such a topic.

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WHAT NEXT?

Carter has liked posts suggesting that Hayes’ comments are “beyond bonkers”, “flawed” and misunderstand the “power imbalances at play”. Debate regarding inter-club relationships has resurfaced following the news that Leicester City Women are investigating manager Willie Kirk over allegations that he has been involved romantically with one of the club’s players.

Chadwick Walton and Sheldon Cottrell have been recalled after missing out on the Hurricane Relief charity T20I match against the World XI at Lord’s in May

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Jul-2018Chadwick Walton and Sheldon Cottrell have been recalled into a 13-man West Indies squad to take on Bangladesh in the three-match T20I series beginning in St. Kitts on July 31.West Indies T20I squad

Carlos Brathwaite (capt.), Samuel Badree, Sheldon Cottrell, Andre Fletcher, Evin Lewis, Ashley Nurse, Keemo Paul, Rovman Powell, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Chadwick Walton (wk), Kesrick Williams
IN: Sheldon Cottrell, Chadwick Walton
OUT: Chris Gayle, Rayad Emrit

Chris Gayle, 38, was rested according to a Cricket West Indies media release. The left-handed opener scored 142 runs in the recently-concluded three-match ODI series against Bangladesh, including 73 off 66 balls in the series decider while opening in what turned out to be an unsuccessful chase in an 18-run loss and lose the series 2-1. Walton was brought back after being left out of the T20I squad for the one-off hurricane relief match against a World XI at Lord’s in May. West Indies won that match by 72 runs while defending 199. Walton is the second wicketkeeper in the squad apart from Denesh Ramdin.”We have rested Chris Gayle and have added left-arm pacer Sheldon Cottrell for variety to the bowling attack,” chairman of selectors Courtney Browne said. “The team reflects the last squad that performed well in the charity match in the UK.” Marlon Samuels, who missed the ODI series due to rehabilitation for a knee injury, retained his place in the T20I squad from Lord’s.Cottrell was a part of the ODI squad against Bangladesh, playing the third ODI and taking figures of 1 for 59 in nine overs. He last played a T20I in January this year, against New Zealand. He comes back into the squad in place of Rayad Emrit.Just prior to the Bangladesh limited-overs series, both Cottrell and Emrit competed in the Global T20 Canada tournament. Emrit took seven wickets in six matches for Winnipeg Hawks – including a 4 for 28 in the eliminator – at an average of 23.71 but Cottrell shone for the champions Vancouver Knights, finishing as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 16 scalps in eight matches at 14.25.Walton also played for the Knights, finishing ninth overall in runs with a tally of 183 and a strike rate of 156.41. Besides Cottrell and Walton, Evin Lewis and Andre Russell are other players in the West Indies T20I squad who also played for the champion Knights, a squad that was captained by Gayle.Russell had recently injured his hamstring in the first ODI against Bangladesh and missed the two subsequent matches after that. It was feared that his recurring injury may have aggravated, but his inclusion in the T20 squad is a sign that the injury isn’t too serious.After the first match in St. Kitts on Tuesday night, the final two T20Is will be played on August 4 and 5 in Florida at the Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderhill. It is the third series visit to Lauderhill for West Indies, following matches there against New Zealand in 2012 and India in 2016, while Bangladesh will be making their Florida debut.

Leeds United have made an excellent start to the 2023/24 Championship campaign following on from their relegation from the Premier League at the end of last term.

The Whites finished in the bottom three of the top-flight and dropped back down to the second tier after three seasons at the top table of English football.

Daniel Farke's side are currently third in the division and fighting for promotion back at the first time of asking. Although, they are nine points off the automatic places, having played one more match than Ipswich Town, as the top two are starting to run away with the league.

The Yorkshire-based outfit most recently dropped points in a 1-0 defeat to Stoke City on Wednesday night in what was a frustrating evening for the club, with a missed Patrick Bamford penalty followed swiftly by an own goal from Pascal Struijk.

Summer signing Joel Piroe led the line and failed to produce the goods as he missed a 'big chance' and only managed one shot on target in 70 minutes on the pitch.

The Dutch marksman has now only scored once in his last five Championship matches for Leeds but that should not be a major concern as the quality is there for him to return to goalscoring form.

In fact, the young finisher could have the potential to be Farke's own, second tier version, of the prolific Manchester City ace Erling Haaland.

Why Haaland and Piroe are similar forwards

In a recent interview with Sky Sports, Piroe namechecked the Norway international as a player he likes to watch and learn from as the former Swans star believes that there are similarities in the way they both play.

The impressive Dutchman mentioned that the runs Haaland makes for City to create chances for himself is something that he would like to do more of in his game in this new fluid role that Leeds are asking him to play.

Interestingly, he also named Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard as an inspiration for his play in possession when asked to collect the ball in deeper positions, due to the Norwegian magician's ability as a second striker who can control the midfield.

Piroe, who led the line for Swansea in recent seasons, has been deployed as a hybrid of a number ten and a striker alongside Georgino Rutter this season.

Farke came out in defence of his decision to play the 6 foot 1 ace in that role. The German tactician stated that he wants his forwards to be constantly pressing and causing problems for the opposition and that is not Piroe's strength.

However, the ex-Norwich boss lauded his finishing as "world-class" and that is why this role is perfect for him as Rutter can press and stretch the defence and leave space for the left-footed whiz to push forward into the final third to get on the end of passes and crosses to punish teams.

As Piroe alluded to in his interview, this is what works for Haaland and Julian Alvarez for Pep Guardiola as they complement each other perfectly and the Argentina international's movement creates the room his strike partner needs to be a constant goal threat.

The statistics that show Piroe is a big goal threat

Since arriving from Swansea during the summer transfer window, Piroe has scored five goals in ten Championship appearances for the Whites.

Crysencio Summerville (four) is the only other player at the club with more than two goals and this shows that the lethal forward has been Farke's outstanding goalscoring option so far this season.

The 24-year-old ace has only missed four 'big chances' in total for the Whites and has found the back of the net five times from 3.9 xG (Expected Goals), which shows that he has overperformed in front of goal in terms of the quality of chances that have been put away.

This comes after the superb marksman enjoyed a fantastic season with Swansea at Championship level last season. Piroe racked up 19 goals in 43 appearances, despite his teammates only creating 13.20 xG worth of chances for him.

He also outperformed his xG during his debut year in English football with the Swans throughout the 2021/22 campaign. The former PSV prospect produced an eye-catching 22 goals from 16.67 xG over the course of his 45 league outings.

In total, Piroe has scored 46 times from 33.77 xG at Championship level for Swansea and Leeds combined since the start of the 2021/22 season, which is an overperformance of 12.23 goals.

This backs up Farke's claim that the Whites centre-forward's finishing is 'world-class' as it shows that he has been incredibly clinical at the top end of the pitch by significantly outperforming his xG over the course of over two seasons.

Therefore, if Piroe can learn from Haaland's movement and implement that in matches for Leeds, coupled with his teammates being able to pick out his runs, then the manager could have his own version of the City star at Elland Road.

Haaland's Manchester City statistics

The 23-year-old phenomenon, who was born in Leeds, has scored nine goals in nine Premier League matches so far this season for the champions.

He has racked up that number from 6.19 xG and came into this term off the back of a record-breaking debut campaign in English football last term.

Haaland broke the record for the most goals in a single Premier League season with 36 goals in 35 top-flight appearances for the Cityzens, despite only having 25.23 xG.

Appearances

67

Goals

63

Assists

11

Trophies

Four

This means that Haaland has scored a stunning 45 goals from 31.42 xG for City since the start of the 2022/23 campaign, which is an overperformance of 13.58 goals.

These statistics show that there is already an argument to be made that Piroe is the Championship version of the Norwegian superstar as they are both similarly prolific in how they are able to outperform the quality of chances that come their way.

However, Haaland has only scored one fewer goal in English football despite playing only playing one-and-a-bit-seasons, which suggests that the Leeds star could improve the frequency of his scoring.

Learning from the City ace's movement and running off the ball to create opportunities could result in Piroe having higher-quality chances, which could help him to improve his goalscoring output and be Farke's own Haaland.

Wrexham released their financial results for the year ending June 30 2023, and they owe owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney a large sum.

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Reynolds and McElhenney owed significant sumWrexham increased turnover in last financial yearMade a loss of £5.1m despite winning promotion Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Wrexham have released their financial results for the year ending 2023, and have confirmed that they owe Reynolds and McElhenney a total of £8.9 million ($11m). However, they have also made it clear within their statement that they are under "no immediate pressure to repay these loans", with the owners pumping cash into the club to bring them out of the National League and into the English Football League.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Wrexham have also confirmed that they had a turnover of £10.4m ($13.1m) and a loss of £5.1m ($6.4m), an increase from £2.9m ($3.6m) from last season. They also have increased their wage bill to £6.9m ($8.7m), a figure that outstrips most League One clubs, as they continue their quest to gain promotion once again.

WHAT WREXHAM SAID

Wrexham's statement explained: "The financial losses suffered by the Club since the takeover shouldn’t be repeated, with income generated by the Club now sufficient to meet the operational costs of the Club going forward.

"These losses were deemed necessary to allow the Club to maximise its full potential in the shortest time practically possible. The Club is under no immediate pressure to repay these loans at the expense of the progress we seek to achieve and further financial support will be provided/secured to support the capital expenditure projects the Club is currently planning, which includes increasing the capacity of The Racecourse Ground and the development of a training facility for all the Club’s teams.

"The year-on-year income comparisons since the takeover, show the potential of the Club. These will significantly increase again for the year ending June 30, 2024, following promotion and the continued popularity of ."

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

Wrexham are next in action against current league leaders Mansfield Town this weekend in a huge encounter. A win for Phil Parkinson's side would move them level on points with their opponents, although they do have a significantly worse goal difference.