The England allrounder says the two are “probably really good people” deep down
ESPNcricinfo staff20-May-2019Moeen Ali has called on fans who will attend the 2019 World Cup to refrain from heckling the duo of Steven Smith and David Warner with personal barbs. Both men will be turning out for Australia for the first time since they were banned for a year each in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal, but Moeen said he didn’t want fans to go after them too much because of that.”I really hope they don’t get too much stick. I want them to enjoy the series,” Moeen told the . “If you have to, keep it funny, not personal. We all make mistakes. We are human beings and we have feelings. I know deep down they are probably really good people. I just hope they get treated decently. I just want the cricket to be spoken about.”Moeen’s comments come two days after Australia coach Justin Langer had said both Smith and Warner would require sensitive monitoring and handling over the coming months.”There’s not too many I’ve met in my life who like being booed or heckled or disliked so… they’re human beings,” Langer had said. “We’re going to have to care for them, we’re going to have to put an arm around them and make sure they’re going okay. But what people say, whether it’s in the crowd or social media or wherever, there’s nothing they can do about that, they can’t control it, but what we can do is keep an eye on them and make sure they’re going okay as people as much as cricketers.”Smith and Warner were part of Australia’s pre-World Cup camp, which included three practice matches against a New Zealand XI. Smith made 22, 89* and 91* in those games, while Warner scored 39, 0 and 2. Both men played key parts in the recently concluded IPL 2019 for their respective franchises, though they had to leave the tournament early to join the Australia camp.Warner was the leading run-scorer in the competition, amassing 692 runs in 12 innings for Sunrisers Hyderabad at an average of 69.20 and a strike rate of 143.86. Smith started slowly for Rajasthan Royals but upped his run-scoring significantly once he was made captain, ending with 319 runs in ten innings at an average of 39.87 and a strike rate of 116.00.
Sunderland will hope a return to the comforts of the Stadium of Light tonight – where the Black Cats have picked up eight wins in the Championship to date this season – can steer the Wearside club back on course after a bruising defeat to Ipswich Town last time out.
Going 1-0 up early on in Suffolk courtesy of a Jack Clarke thunderbolt saw the rapturous away following at Portman Road grow in confidence, only for Kieran McKenna's hosts to show their class eventually and come away with a comeback 2-1 win to break Sunderland hearts.
Michael Beale will hope switching up the Black Cats lineup can inspire an immediate response from his players to overcome Hull City tonight, with two potential changes in this predicted XI from the narrow Tractor Boys defeat last weekend…
1 GK – Anthony Patterson
Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson.
Beale will hope he can keep his number one goalkeeper Anthony Patterson past this January despite interest from elsewhere, with football journalist Alan Nixon stating that the reliable Black Cats shot-stopper is being linked with a shock move away to Liverpool.
Despite this interest from Jurgen Klopp's Reds potentially turning Patterson's head and making him demand a move away, Beale will start the 23-year-old against the Tigers.
2 RB – Jenson Seelt
With Aji Alese potentially not fit enough to start tonight's game against Liam Rosenior's Hull, Beale could have to shake up the back four and play Jenson Seelt at right-back with Trai Hume moved over to the then-vacant left-back spot.
The exciting Dutchman shone playing in this makeshift role when Sunderland faced off against Hull in the reverse fixture just last month, winning five duels in the away contest to help his side clinch the three points.
3 CB – Daniel Ballard
Dom Ballard
Daniel Ballard's spot in the defence is set in stone for tonight's clash in contrast, the former Arsenal centre-back only missing one game this season to date in the league.
The Northern Ireland international even stood out in the defeat to Ipswich, winning all but one of his duels but to no avail as McKenna's men still exited the fierce encounter victorious.
4 CB – Luke O'Nien
Luke O'Nien also trudged off the field of play with his head held high despite the final scoreline, blocking four shots in the 2-1 away loss to ensure Sunderland weren't completely humbled on their travels to Suffolk.
The 29-year-old also gave his all in the reverse fixture versus the Tigers in December, completing ten accurate long balls in the narrow 1-0 win. Could O'Nien help his promotion-chasing side pick up a victory on home turf tonight with another clean sheet tallied up?
5 LB – Trai Hume
Trai Hume
Hume won't be out of his comfort zone too much filling in at left-back tonight if selected there by Beale, drafted in with other options lacking that can do a job.
Averaging 5.7 ball recoveries per game this season, Beale will hope Hume's full-throttle energy and tenacity down the flanks can help Sunderland pick up a much-needed win at the expense of Hull to forget the demons of Ipswich.
6 CM – Pierre Ekwah
Sunderland midfielder Pierre Ekwah.
With Beale's experiment of playing a 4-4-2 formation at Portman Road not working whatsoever, the 43-year-old in the Black Cats hot-seat could be tempted to switch back to the tried and test set-up of a 4-2-3-1 with Pierre Ekwah chosen as one of his holding midfielders.
Ekwah struggled against the Tractor Boys centrally – the ex-West Ham United youth player turned Sunderland first-teamer allowing himself to be dribbled past twice – and so Beale will hope reverting the number 39 to a more comfortable anchor position gets the best out of him again.
7 CM – Dan Neil
Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil.
On the contrary, Dan Neil didn't quite flop in the new formation chosen by Beale – amassing one key pass versus Ipswich in a bid to pull off a monumental victory on the road – but the homegrown Sunderland product does excel alongside Ekwah when played further back.
When featuring versus the Tigers away last month, Neil's creativity from a deep role stood out even more – helping himself to three key passes in the encounter – with one of those balls setting up Jack Clarke to score a stunner to win the tight match.
8 RM – Abdoullah Ba
Sunderland midfielder Abdoullah Ba.
Abdoullah Ba could well be retained for tonight's clash, the right winger benefitting from Patrick Roberts still being in the Sunderland treatment room and attempting to show to Beale that he's worthy of being Roberts' immediate replacement whenever selected.
Still only 20 years of age, the Frenchman isn't quite the finished product yet but his raw ability down the channels did trouble Ipswich defenders on occasion at Portman Road.
Registering two key passes from just 34 touches of the ball, Ba will hope he can contribute with a strike or an assist tonight as Sunderland get back to winning ways returning to Wearside.
9 CAM – Jobe Bellingham
With Alex Pritchard being lined up for a move away from the Black Cats, according to reports, despite breathing life back into his fading Sunderland career in recent weeks, Jobe Bellingham is the obvious choice in this number ten role for the visit of Hull tonight.
Played as an unorthodox striker against Ipswich, the dynamic 18-year-old is far more at ease playing just behind the lone centre-forward.
On New Year's Day, as Sunderland confidently dispatched Preston North End with ease in a 2-0 win, Bellingham shone in this role with a 100% successful dribble completion rate managed on top of only misplacing four passes from the 85 minutes he was on the pitch.
10 LM – Jack Clarke
It's no surprise to any Sunderland fans now when Jack Clarke rifles in a wonder strike, the ex-Tottenham Hotspur winger able to have his own goal of the season competition at this point with another sumptuous effort managed against the Tractor Boys last weekend.
Clarke will just hope if he manages to get fans at the Stadium of Light off their feet again with a sublime goal against Hull that a win is forthcoming at full-time, with the promotion hopefuls abundantly aware that their star attacker is a wanted man and could move on if the Black Cats slump further.
Apart from the allrounder’s second-innings performances, KS Bharat and Anmolpreet Singh contributed heavily with the bat
ESPNcricinfo staff03-Jun-2019India A completed a resounding 2-0 series rout of Sri Lanka A with a 152-run triumph in Hubli, thanks to legspinner Rahul Chahar’s six-wicket match haul and a maiden fifty with the bat. Chahar’s efforts were complemented ably by KS Bharat and Anmolpreet Singh, who contributed significantly with the bat in both innings.Sri Lanka A lost the toss for the second time in the series, but resisted India’s onslaught for longer than they had done in the first match that had lasted three days. In Hubli, the hosts were bowled out for 269 – of which wicketkeeper-batsman KS Bharat made 117 – thanks to Lahiru Kumara and Lakshan Sandakan, who picked 4 for 53 and 4 for 64 respectively. Tottering at 64 for 3, India A’s innings found resuscitation through Bharat and Anmolpreet’s 91-run stand. Anmolpreet chipped in with a knock of 65, studded with six fours and two sixes.In reply, the visitors conceded a 57-run deficit as no other batsman, apart from No. 7 Kamindu Mendis, made a half-century. Mendis’ 68 helped his side scrape to 212 as all six India A bowlers took at least a wicket each. Offspinner Jayant Yadav was the pick of them with 3 for 24 from his 12 overs while Sandeep Warrier and Shivam Dube took two apiece.India A put on a more convincing show with the bat in their second dig, with the middle-order trio of Anmolpreet (60), Siddhesh Lad (53) and Bharat (60) leading the way. The 123-run eighth-wicket stand between Rahul Chahar and Jayant then built on this platform, taking India A past 350. Chahar hit a 109-ball 84 for his maiden first-class fifty, while Jayant made 53, having been dismissed for single-digit scores in the preceding three innings. The pair fell in a span of nine balls, but their partnership ensured India A amassed 372 to set Sri Lanka A a target of 430.A score of 277 in 66.4 overs was all the tourists could get, despite Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s rapid 110 at No 3 – his seventh first-class ton – and an enterprising 46 from Kamindu. Chahar played a big role in their undoing, snaffling 5 for 112, his sixth five-wicket haul at this level.
England cricket captain Ben Stokes has delivered a motivational message to Harry Kane and Co ahead of the Three Lions’ bid for Euro 2024 glory.
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Shot at continental glory on the cardsTest skipper has offered words of wisdomSouthgate drawing up plans for trophy questWHAT HAPPENED?
World Cup winner Stokes, who now skippers his country at Test level, knows all about delivering under pressure. He is a talismanic presence with bat and ball and has often been the man to dig England out of a hole.
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Kane, who takes the armband when leading his country into football fixtures in the men's game, is hoping that he can inspire continental glory in Germany this summer – breaking his own trophy duck in the process. Stokes has been on hand with words of wisdom, as he met up with the England squad at a recent training session.
WHAT SOUTHGATE SAID
Gareth Southgate has said, when revealing the message that Stokes got over to those competing on a different sporting stage to the one that he is accustomed to gracing: “Ben Stokes came in, which I thought was a brilliant session. In my head he’s one of the few English sportsmen that I felt could impact them, make them think. He’s authentic, he talked brilliantly about getting the right balance of fearlessness but recognising that anybody’s going to have nerves. It’s still making good decisions under pressure. He was able to talk to them about some leadership aspects, the culture he’d tried to create. I think that backed up some of the things we’re doing so we were pleased that reaffirmed some ideas as well. I just think he’s a hugely impressive guy that’s relatable to their age. And anybody who’s performed as well as he has for England… That was a really good session that worked well for us.”
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GOALWHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND?
England will be in friendly action against Bosnia & Herzegovina on Monday, before taking in another warm-up clash with Iceland at Wembley on Friday. After that contest, Southgate will have to cut his 33-man preliminary squad down to a final group of 26 for tournament action.
Burnley have made one signing thus far in the January transfer window, recruiting striker David Datro Fofana from Chelsea on a short-term loan deal, but they continue to be active as they look to strengthen Vincent Kompany's squad.
The Clarets are said to be on the verge of signing Maxime Esteve, the Montpellier centre-back, in a deal that will be worth just over £10m. They appear to have beaten off significant competition to land the Frenchman.
Another Ligue 1 player has also piqued the interest of the relegation-threatened Premier League side, this time a midfielder in Marseille's Pape Gueye. Kompany and Burnley have been "incessant" in their pursuit of Gueye, who's into the final six months of his contract at the Stade Velodrome. Now, as the deadline looms, there's been a significant update from France on the player's future.
Marseille doing all they can to force Gueye out
According to Foot Mercato, Marseille are desperate to sell Burnley target Gueye before the window closes. The player is of a mind to leave at the end of the season, potentially because he's already reached an agreement to join another club on a free transfer, but Marseille want him out now while they can still receive a fee.
The club held talks with the player's entourage last month, but Gueye rejected two offers to extend his deal. Marseille offered him a pay rise and a "nice signing bonus", but it still fell short of his expectations because he wanted one of the highest salaries in the squad.
Burnley now closing in on £10m+ agreement for “dominant” star for Kompany
Burnley are now poised to make their second signing of the transfer window.
ByDavid Comerford Jan 27, 2024
After those talks broke down, the Ligue 1 club asked him to pack his bags, aware of interest from clubs like Burnley, but Gueye hasn't actively sought a winter move. Whether he stays or goes at this point, he may never play for them again, with bosses threatening to exclude him from the squad for the remainder of the season if he doesn't leave.
The report stated that Marseille would make this clear to him when he returns from the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal and, significantly, the holders were knocked out on penalties by the hosts Ivory Coast on Monday night.
Burnley hope Marseille threat works
Marseille signed Gueye from fellow French club Le Havre in 2020, but the circumstances of that deal were controversial. FIFA found that he'd already agreed to join Watford, only to go back on his word, and they subsequently banned him from playing for four months.
As a result, while Gueye has played 103 games for the club overall, he's only featured three times this season, coming off the bench in a few Ligue 1 matches before he headed off to AFCON.
Josh Brownhill
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Burnley can only hope that Gueye, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Sevilla, hasn't already shaken hands with a rival suitor, and that he sees the light when he returns from AFCON. The threat of not featuring for the next four months or so should be a fairly powerful one.
A proud occasion for the visitors will inevitably be overshadowed by what has gone before, and what is still to come
The Preview by Andrew Miller23-Jul-2019Big pictureWell, how do you follow that? The Greatest Game at the Greatest Venue. The Greatest Day for English cricket in, at the very least, a generation. And if Liam Plunkett’s telling comments in the aftermath are anything to go by, the Greatest Comedown imaginable for a band of England cricketers who, last Sunday afternoon, reached the highest high of them all – an unforgettable World Cup triumph at Lord’s.Well, in keeping with the sport’s ever-grinding treadmill, the only fit and proper follow-up is to march onwards, ever onwards, to a very different slice of cricketing history. Three strips north of the patch of grass laid out for that epic encounter with New Zealand, England and Ireland will do battle for the very first time in Test history, in a contest that offers a very abrupt change of pace from everything that we’ve so far witnessed this summer.First things first, let’s pay tribute to the visitors, for – with respect to their first overseas Test against Afghanistan in Dehradun in March – this is unquestionably the biggest occasion for Irish cricket since their inaugural Test against Pakistan last May. And in so many ways it is bigger still than that emotional home unveiling in Malahide.Will Porterfield takes a drink during training•Getty ImagesJust try to imagine the huge pride that Ireland’s players will feel as they walk through the Long Room for that very first time tomorrow, to compete in a Test match at Lord’s, no less. There is no more fitting ceremony to mark the completion of their journey from Associate obscurity to Full Member acceptance, and coming so soon after a World Cup from which they were forced to look on enviously from the sidelines (and watch a former team-mate raise the trophy on England’s behalf), the occasion is sure to be all the sweeter.But let’s be frank, the timing is not exactly ideal. In fact, it utterly sucks. Schedules are no-one’s friend, and the ECB are entitled to say, if not now, then when could they possibly have issued that maiden invitation? But there are only two contests on English cricket’s minds this summer – the World Cup that has already been, and the Ashes that are looming large in barely a week’s time. Everything that occurs in the next four days (and that in itself is a telling detail) will be viewed through a light blue filter, a green-and-gold filter, or both.Of course, that in itself will throw up some intriguing subplots. England have confirmed two debutants in their ranks for Wednesday morning – the familiar face of Jason Roy at the top of the order, and the lesser-exposed Olly Stone in the pace attack – and while both men will be justifiably proud when they receive their maiden caps before the toss, they will also know that this is just the pre-amble, an audition for a far more prestigious role in August and September.And Roy aside, what of the other World Cup survivors – the captain Joe Root, the keeper Jonny Bairstow, and the seamer Chris Woakes, whose chronic knee problems have been managed so efficiently that he is now back to being a front-line Test option after not featuring in the side for almost a year? How do they manage the emotions of returning to the scene of that triumph? Should they hold anything in reserve, pacing themselves for stiffer tests to come, or should they throw themselves wholeheartedly into the fray, and honour the occasion as an equal, even when pragmatism says that it is not?Of course they’ll give it their all. Root is the Test captain, and rightly proud of the honour; Bairstow doesn’t get out of bed with anything less than 100 percent commitment. Woakes was a centurion in his last Test at Lord’s and has missed enough matches in his six-year career to know never to take anything for granted. But it doesn’t make it right to expect them to be able to dredge up another performance so soon after playing their hearts out on the biggest stage of all. As shown in the new film, The Edge, which charts the rise and fall of England’s 2009-14 team, the dangers of burn-out are all too real and all too easily ignored.But, the show must and will go on, and it’s fair to say that Ireland won’t care too greatly if their opponents’ minds are caught in no-man’s land. Even eight years on, there are enough survivors in Ireland’s ranks from that mighty victory in the 2011 World Cup to know how sweet it can be to fell a giant when they are least expecting it. They’ve spent enough of their careers punching upwards to give it one last heave for glory.That said, there is a certain poignancy about Ireland’s international fortunes at present. They are not so much a team in transition as a team basking in the last sunbeams of a golden generation. Kevin O’Brien, Tim Murtagh and Boyd Rankin are closer to their 40th birthdays than their 30th; Ed Joyce and Niall O’Brien have already retired since that inaugural Test. Will Porterfield has been captain for a remarkable 11 years and counting.That said, England are missing a raft of key performers – not least the ever-green James Anderson – and if their new-look top-order suffers a familiar wobble on another grass-tinged deck, the circumstances are ripe for an almighty World Cup comedown. But for that to happen, Ireland may require a new generation of heroes to make their presence known. That faithful old guard can’t be expected to do the job every time.Form guideEngland WLLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first) Ireland LL—In the spotlightJason Roy is the anointed one. The manner in which he tore into Australia’s bowlers in that crushing World Cup semi-final was all the evidence required. Like David Warner before him, he is all set to complete the transition from white-ball to red-ball opening, and given the purity of the technique that lurks behind his extraordinary power, he is surely as well placed to make a success of the promotion as any player who has gone before him. That said, he didn’t have much fun against the swinging ball in the World Cup final (though he was hardly alone in that). If he can get set, however…If Ireland are to compete on an equal footing, then local know-how is sure to be a factor. Enter Tim Murtagh, 38 next week and still making the ball talk on the Lord’s slope for Middlesex week in, week out. He’s picked up 291 wickets at 23.98 in his Lord’s career to date, including two of his four ten-wicket hauls. The degree to which he can set the agenda could define his team’s prospects.Team newsDespite some optimistic noises about James Anderson’s calf injury, England’s senior seamer was never going to be risked with the Ashes just around the corner. Which means that Stuart Broad and Chris Woakes are the likely new-ball pairing, with the young gun Olly Stone lurking at first change to unleash his 90mph offerings, in only his third first-class outing since suffering a stress fracture of the back. Lewis Gregory will have to wait his turn after England opted for a twin-spin attack, with Jack Leach’s left-armers set to partner Moeen Ali, who will form part of a familiarly interchangeable raft of allrounders in the middle order, albeit with Jonny Bairstow pushed up to 5. Roy and Rory Burns will form an all-Surrey opening partnership.England 1 Jason Roy, 2 Rory Burns, 3 Joe Denly, 4 Joe Root (capt), 5 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 6 Moeen Ali, 7 Chris Woakes, 8 Sam Curran, 9 Jack Leach, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 Olly StoneThere’s the realistic prospect of as many as three Test debutants in Ireland’s ranks, with the young allrounder Mark Adair and the more seasoned seamer Craig Young in the frame, alongside the spinner Simi Singh, who could yet feature if Ireland ape England’s strategy and opt for two slow bowlers. Will Porterfield was giving little away on the eve of the game, saying only that all 14 squad members were fit, although it emerged later on Tuesday that James McCollum had suffered a back spasm.Ireland (possible): 1 Will Porterfield (capt), 2 Paul Stirling, 3 Andy Balbirnie, 4 James McCollum, 5 Kevin O’Brien, 6 Gary Wilson (wk), 7 Mark Adair, 8 Andy McBrine, 9 Craig Young / Simi Singh, 10 Boyd Rankin, 11 Tim MurtaghPitch and conditionsAnother lush green offering has been served up at Lord’s, which may give Root a restless night given how strokeless he was rendered on a similar deck in the World Cup final – that one was two-paced and sticky, and favoured the slower seamers. The weather is set fair for at least the first three days, with a threat of rain at this stage for Saturday.Stats that matter This will be the first home England Test match since the 2005 Ashes – 89 Tests ago – in which Alastair Cook has not featured, and the first since August 2006 in which he has not opened the batting. This will also be the first Test match to feature numbers on the back of England’s shirts – the captain, Joe Root, will be wearing 66. Joe Denly will be making his first appearance in a home Test match, almost a decade after he made his ODI debut in Stormont against an Ireland that still features three of the same names.Quotes”It’s right up there – if not the pinnacle for everything that’s been achieved for the last while for Irish cricket. We have got quite a few World Cups under our belt, little things like that. They have been pretty big occasions, but getting to Test cricket and then having theopportunity to play here at the home of cricket is a pretty special thing.” Will Porterfield on a special occasion for Irish cricket“They are a side that have always performed well, probably over-performed at times, I hope that doesn’t sound that I am underestimating them or not giving them a fair shout – they have upset sides like England in previous World Cups and they ran us close in the one-day format at the start of the year … it is great for the game that sides like Ireland are getting a chance in this format and I think they have earned the right to get thisfixture. “
Lamine Yamal has described Xavi's sudden sacking as "very strange" but is very excited for the arrival of new Barcelona boss Hansi Flick.
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Xavi sacked by BarcelonaFlick to replace him next termYamal reacts to manager changesWHAT HAPPENED?
Spanish international Yamal was handed his Barcelona debut by manager Xavi in April 2023 but just over a year later, the former Blaugrana midfielder was dismissed by the Spanish giants. Ex-Bayern Munich boss Flick was named as his successor soon after and now the 16-year-old has weighed in on Barca's managerial changes.
AdvertisementGettyWHAT YAMAL SAID
When asked about Xavi's sacking, he told Mundo Deportivo: "It was a very strange moment. At first he left, then he stayed… It was strange, because we saw the same thing that you saw too. [It was] very sad because for me he was the first coach in the elite that I've had, but these are things that happen in football."
The youngster added on Flick's appointment: "The last thing I saw was when he was at Bayern, and also in the German national team. They have a fairly offensive game, quite direct. I'm very excited."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
It's been a chaotic six months for Barca. Xavi initially said he would step down in January at the end of the season, before being convinced by the club's board to stay on. President Joan Laporta took exception to Xavi's comments about the state of the Catalan outfit and now Flick is at the helm. But the club's financial issues remain and more players may have to be sold to balance the books.
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?
While Yamal heads out to Germany to represent Spain at this summer's Euros, the teenager is likely to return for their pre-season fixtures against Manchester City, Real Madrid, and AC Milan in late July and early August.
Bowling coach lauds ‘fantastic team man’ Boult after he became the third New Zealand bowler to 250 Test wickets
Andrew Fidel Fernando in Colombo23-Aug-2019How does Trent Boult maintain a near-blinding standard over so many years, and across so many formats? Before rain washed out two further sessions of play in Colombo on Friday, Boult became the third New Zealand bowler to 250 Test wickets during a double-wicket maiden that perhaps swung the match in New Zealand’s favour. This milestone comes in a year in which he averages less than 22 in Tests, following two full calendar years in which he averaged 23.90 (2018) and 24.77 (2017).On English tracks, in a completely different format, Boult had also had a good World Cup, having taken 17 wickets to sit eighth on the tournament table. Bowling coach Shane Jurgensen thinks the key to Boult’s consistency has been his fitness and his “simple” action.”Today’s a special day for Trent – becoming the third New Zealand bowler to 250 wickets,” Jurgensen said. “I think he has a very efficient bowling action. Overall, it’s quite simple. I think that allows him to do what he does. Being accurate is really important in all parts of the world. He’s got an advantage being left-handed, and that creates variation for our bowling group.”He’s one of the best bowlers in the world and he’s proved that for a long time. He’s got that skill to expose any type of conditions that are available to him. I also think he can bowl across all different periods of the game. That’s really important. He’s one of the leaders of being able to do that – the ability to adjust to all periods.Trent Boult throws the ball to Tim Southee•Associated Press”He’s also got great passion and energy which he brings to our team. He’s our energiser bunny in the warm-ups. He loves his soccer. I think the skill and execution and the way he’s contributed to the team has been amazing. He’s a fantastic team man as well. And he does a lot of hard work off the field. He doesn’t stop working on his fitness or his resilience. Those factors have contributed to the success he’s had.”Also delivering a double-wicket maiden on Friday was Boult’s longtime partner-in-crime Tim Southee, who removed Dimuth Karunaratne and Niroshan Dickwella in quick succession. Southee is also only three wickets away from hitting the 250 mark. He is slightly slower to the milestone, however – Boult achieving it in his 63rd Test, while Southee is playing his 67th. On Friday, the pair combined to produce four wickets for just 32 runs.”Tim and Trent have been doing it for a while,” Jurgensen said. “Today there might have been a little bit of swing with the overhead conditions, and it just seemed to be doing a little bit. They both work really hard on their fitness, and that’s a big factor in their resilience.”They’re always giving each other a bit of a hard time [because they are so close to each other in terms of career wickets]. That’s what’s great for the team – they keep things lighthearted. They support each other a lot too – they back each other up on the field and off the field.”
Although they endured a relatively quiet January transfer window, West Ham United did at least welcome Manchester City's Kalvin Phillips on loan to help fill the boots of Declan Rice. Much of the focus was on winter exits and the controversy surrounding Said Benrahma's departure. And that could be the truth once more this summer, as the Hammers prepare to sell a forgotten man for David Moyes.
West Ham transfer news
Lyon were left furious when West Ham failed to register the Benraham deal on FIFA's Transfer Matching System, originally forcing their move to collapse. The Ligue 1 side said in a statement via Sky Sports: "In the absence of this reciprocal action on the part of the English club and following this incomprehensible behaviour, raising questions, the international transfer certificate could not be requested before closing time.
"Olympique Lyonnais deeply regrets this situation and this decision, demonstrating a profound lack of respect on the part of West Ham towards the institution and the player.
West Ham already have a Phillips replacement who's the next Declan Rice
David Moyes could soon hand this talented teenager a starting berth in his senior squad.
ByAngus Sinclair Feb 9, 2024
The deal has fortunately since gone through and reached completion, however, with the midfielder joining Lyon on loan until the end of the season with an option to buy at that point.
It is a dilemma that the Hammers will want to avoid a repeat of and it looks as though their focus has turned straight back towards further exits in an attempt to do just that. According to Brazilian outlet iG, West Ham are now hoping to sell Luizao after rejecting loan offers for the centre-back from Brazilian sides.
The London club reportedly set a price-tag of €5 (£4m) when AS Monaco made an attempt to secure his signature last month and that looks set to remain the price for their forgotten man.
"Impressive" Luizao needs move
Since arriving in January of 2023, Luizao is yet to make a single appearance for West Ham's first team and doesn't look likely to gain an opportunity any time soon. At 21-years-old, the central defender is in desperate need of consistent minutes, which won't come at the London Stadium. And, given that West Ham have reportedly rejected loan offers for the defender, he must complete a permanent exit in search of game time.
It's surprising that Luizao hasn't been handed a first-team opportunity after he impressed many for the U21s side, including X account West Ham Youth:
Yet, over a year on from his arrival and it looks likely that Luizao's West Ham spell will fall under the category of what might have been. Still only 21, he still has time to potentially find his feet back in South America, before perhaps one day proving the Hammers wrong over their unwillingness to hand him opportunities. Either way, this one was certainly a transfer to forget in last January's transfer window.
Tim Ream has called on his USMNT team-mates to make a fast start against Bolivia in their opening Copa America game.
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Ream encourages team-matesUSA take on BoliviaUruguay and Panama make up rest of the groupWHAT HAPPENED?
The Fulham defender was keen to stress that him and his side will need to improve their performance levels in the tournament if they are to progress deep into the tournament. The US have not been in their finest form in recent months and few have high hopes for the side – despite their 1-1 draw with Brazil recently.
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Speaking to reporters before the game, Ream said: "We have to come out with an intensity, with a desire to impose ourselves on the game and make sure that we're the ones that are doing the right things and creating the feel and the intensity of the games. It's going to be important for us to do that from the first minute. Obviously, we don't want to have anything happen like [against] Jamaica, where you're scrambling for the rest of the game."
DID YOU KNOW?
The US are playing in their fifth Copa America tournament. They even made the semi-finals in 1995, a run which included a famous 3-0 win over Argentina, before losing to Brazil. Ream will only be dreaming of replicating that feat once again.
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR REAM?
Reamand the rest of the USMNT will have the opportunity to put their words into action against Bolivia – the lowest ranked South American team. The other sides in their group are Uruguay and Panama, with the former favourites to win the group.