Luis Suarez received a special gift from his Uruguay team-mates ahead of the Inter Miami star's final game for the national team.
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A huge European club's sporting director is now pushing to sign an "amazing" Southampton star for a £42m discount this summer, according to a fresh transfer update.
Southampton transfer news
Saints are preparing for their biggest match of the season, as they come up against Leeds United in the Championship playoff final next Sunday. Their 3-1 win over West Brom on Friday night saw them a book place at Wembley, with a return to the Premier League within touching distance.
Getting back into the top flight would be huge for so many reasons, not least because of the boost in finances and ability to attract top players to Southampton in the next few months.
Flynn Downes has enjoyed an excellent season for Saints on loan from West Ham, with the Englishman starting 33 league games and completing an incredible 93.4% of his passes. He has shone so much that the south coast club are reportedly keen on making his move a permanent one at the end of the season. Promotion could hold the key, however, highlighting the importance of getting over the finish line against Leeds.
Rangers attacker Kemar Roofe has also been linked with a summer move to Southampton, with the 31-year-old departing the Scottish Premiership club on a free transfer.
Sporting director wants to sign Southampton ace
According to a new report from Calciomercato [via Sport Witness], Juventus want to keep Southampton star Carlos Alcaraz on loan for another season, with sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli pushing to get a temporary deal over the line to bypass the release fee in his contract.
Max Allegri's sacking has increased the chances of it happening, with the manager not as fond on him as Giuntoli, and he is seen as a player who could thrive under incoming manager Thiago Motta. Not only that, but a loan move would save the Serie A side €49.5m (£42m) because they wouldn't be triggering his Southampton release clause.
In truth, Saints' only real hope of keeping Alcaraz involved at the club next season is if they are in the Premier League, but this update suggests that another year away could be expected. The 22-year-old is a player who Russell Martin clearly values greatly, saying of him back in October: "We wanted Charly in the team because he has trained so well His mentality has been great.
"I put him in a role that suits him more than the other ones he has played in recently. We wanted to free him up a little bit. We did that I think – he was amazing with it. We sat down a lot this week and went through it and watched a lot of clips. His understanding of it was really good. I’m really proud of him and really pleased for him. He was outstanding [Saturday]."
£50,000-p/w star Martin desperately wants to keep set to leave Southampton
A frustrating decision for Martin…
ByTom Cunningham May 17, 2024
The lure of staying at arguably one of Europe's biggest clubs could be great for Alcaraz, although at some point, Southampton are going to need to cash in on him, so a loan move which allows his contract to tick down and the club's negotiating posititon to weaken is risky.
Dan Scarr believes Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney will be seeking bragging rights over counterpart Tom Brady when Wrexham take on Birmingham.
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Wrexham face Birmingham on MondayRed Dragons sit top of League One McElhenney & Reynolds eyeing promotionWHAT HAPPENED?
NFL legend Brady joined Reynolds and McElhenney in the ownership sphere when he acquired a 3.3 per cent stake in the League One club last year. Brady would love for even a fraction of the success the Hollywood stars have achieved at Wrexham, achieving back-to-back promotions and earning worldwide recognition thanks to their Emmy-winning Welcome to Wrexham documentary.
AdvertisementAFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE
The two teams will go head-to-head on Monday evening when Wrexham travel to Birmingham. Phil Parkinson's side have made a faultless start to the season, topping the standings after winning four out of their first five matches, while Birmingham are fourth. Scarr believes Wrexham's co-owners will want bragging rights over Brady but has insisted the players won't approach the game any differently.
WHAT SCARR SAID
"The lads won't approach it any different," Scarr said, per the . "Obviously there's the atmosphere and there's the bragging rights with the owners being American, and stuff like that.
"We will go with a game-plan and try and execute it the best we can but it will just be a normal game like we have set out for every game this season. Just go there and try and get a result like we have done in the other games. Hopefully if we put in a performance like we have been doing, we will be fine. It's a sell-out and I've seen a few away days from our fans as well and they are crazy so I am looking forward to it."
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The game, which has already been dubbed 'the Hollywood derby', has major implications, with Birmingham also aiming for promotion after being relegated from the Championship last season.
نجح فريق الكرة الأول بنادي أهلي جدة، من تحقيق فوز كبير على نظيره التعاون، بنتيجة 4-2، خلال المباراة التي انتهت منذ قليل ببطولة الدوري السعودي.
والتقى الأهلي مع التعاون على أرضية استاد مدينة الملك عبدالله الرياضية، في ختام مواجهات الجولة الثالثة عشر لمسابقة الدوري السعودي.
وتقدم جواو بيدرو بالهدف الأول للتعاون في الدقيقة 22، من تسديدة خارج منطقة الجزاء باغتت حارس المرمى وسكنت الشباك.
طالع أيضاً.. بثلاثية.. الهلال يخطف فوزًا قاتلًا من الرائد في الدوري السعودي
وأضاف موسى بارو الهدف الثاني للتعاون في الدقيقة 23 بتصويبة صاروخية من خارج منطقة الجزاء، سكنت المرمى مباشرةً.
وفي الدقيقة 45+8 سجل روجر إيبانيز الهدف الأول للأهلي، بعد تنفيذ ركلة حرة مباشرة بقدم رياض محرز من منتصف الملعب وصلت إلى إيبانيز ووضعها داخل المرمى.
وأحرز فراس البريكان الهدف الثاني في الدقيقة 52، بعد مراوغة ممتازة من ألكساندر ثم توغل داخل منطقة الجزاء ومرر الكرة إلى البريكان ووضعها داخل شباك التعاون.
وتقدم روبيرتو فيرمينو بالهدف الثالث للأهلي في الدقيقة 63، بعدما وصلت إليه تمريرة من فراس البريكان ووضعها داخل الشباك.
وسجل رياض محرز الهدف الرابع في الدقيقة 73، بعد كرة وصلت إليه ليسددها ويضعها داخل الشباك.
بتلك النتيجة، وصل الأهلي إلى النقطة 23 محتلاً بها المركز الخامس في جدول ترتيب الدوري السعودي، بينما يتواجد التعاون بالمركز التاسع، ولديه 18 نقطة.
The BCCI has sent an email to state associations on Sunday, outlining several measures in the form of guidelines that need to be followed in order for domestic cricket to resume safely. Although it did not say the guidelines are mandatory, the BCCI pointed out that the “health and safety” of all stakeholders, including players, would be the “sole responsibility” of the state associations, while also hinting that it didn’t expect domestic cricket to resume very soon.The document, which stretches to 100 pages, was prepared by a team of medical experts including Dr Abhijit Salvi, BCCI’s anti-doping, age verification and medical consultant. The standard operating procedures (SOPs) are meant primarily for players and coaching staff to resume training, help them understand how to operate in a sterile environment, the dos and don’ts of social distancing in a team environment, and what to do if someone tests positive. They also include restrictions on people who are at least 60 years old and/or have an underlying medical condition.ESPNcricinfo lists the key guidelines that the BCCI has said need to be adhered to by state associations at all times to negate or limit the spread of the outbreak, both before and after domestic cricket resumes.First step – Appoint a chief medical officerEvery state will need to have a CMO who will be “responsible for ensuring the biosafety” guidelines are implemented. The CMO will also become the point of contact for the team and the administrative staff, and will also keep them posted on the latest directives issued by the public health authorities within each state, whose permit will be needed to restart training activities.Can players start training en masse?No. The BCCI has suggested “solo training followed by small group activities and progressing to training in larger groups.” Before arriving at training, the player/coaching staff will need to provide his/her travel and medical history for the preceding two weeks. Any person displaying Covid-19 symptoms will need to undergo testing. The BCCI has said: “two tests one day apart (Day 1 & Day 3) should be done to account for false negatives. If both test results are negative, only then they should be included in the camp.”What about wearing a mask?It is “mandatory” for players and coaching staff to wear a mask in public places between the time they leave their home/hotel and reach the ground. The BCCI has said wearing the mask will be “optional” during training. The mask should be a “triple layer or N95 mask (without a valved respirator)” that will cover both the nose and the mouth. In addition, players and coaching staff have been “encouraged” to put on “eyewear” at all times.Any age restrictions or for people with underlying medical conditions? Individuals “over” 60 years old should be “discouraged”, the BCCI has said. These include “support staff, umpires, ground staff, and those individuals with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, lung disease, weakened immunity, etc should be considered vulnerable and are believed to have a higher risk of severe Covid-19. All such individuals should be discouraged from participating in the camp activities until suitable guidelines are issued by the Government.”Will there be regular testing on every day of training?All players and support staff should have their body temperature checked every day. “If a member develops any initial symptoms (cough, headache, chills, fever, body ache, difficulty breathing, loss of smell or taste or any other unusual symptoms) they should intimate the team medical personnel immediately and remain self-quarantined until help arrives,” the BCCI has said.What happens if someone tests positive?According to the protocols “suspected/positive cases” should be “immediately isolated from the rest of the squad and managed in close coordination with local hospitals and treatment centres equipped with COVID-19 testing and treatment.” Along with following all the mandatory norms set by the Indian government, the BCCI has said the state associations should ensure contact tracing is done “immediately”.What about team huddles?The BCCI has said team members need to “avoid physical contact of any form i.e. team huddles, handshakes, high-fives, tackling etc.” as part of the norms to be followed at all times during on-filed training. Also to be avoided is “handing over” a cap, a towel, sunglasses, etc to umpires or teammates.The BCCI has also suggested “team discussions” should “strictly” adhere to social distancing norms and be conducted on the ground “where more space is available.”Saliva on the ball? Like the ICC, the BCCI, too, has said that saliva “should not be used” on balls. Another guideline is to not sanitise balls without getting the nod from BCCI.Can players spit on the ground?Strictly “prohibited”, the BCCI has said. “Spitting and clearing of nasal/respiratory secretions on the ground or at any place other than washrooms shall be prohibited. Members doing so should discard the soiled tissue paper securely in the provided dustbins.”Can players share equipment?Cricket equipment should not be shared. The same applies to not sharing towels in the dressing room, on the ground while training, and in the gym. Ditto with sharing “water/drink” bottles. “Marker pens should be provided for marking each individual member’s bottle once allotted,” the BCCI said.Can a player step out of the bubble during a training camp?The guidelines say team members should “avoid stepping out of the team environment” as well as meeting people outside the bubble during the course of a training camp. This includes family. “If any member is required to travel outside the team environment for unavoidable circumstances, upon his/her return, he/she should be isolated from the rest of the squad and medically assessed, before he/she is allowed back in the team environment,” the BCCI said.
It is currently difficult for Leeds United's chiefs to make any concrete plans to bolster their playing squad in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Daniel Farke and his team do not yet know what division they will be playing in during the 2024/25 campaign and that could significantly impact their recruitment.
Players they may want for another season in the Championship may not be suitable for a Premier League term and players they could target for the top-flight may not be attainable, financially or in terms of their desire to join, if they remain in the second tier.
Their fate will be sealed by this time next week, though, as they have their huge play-off final clash at Wembley against Southampton this Sunday.
A win will secure their instant return to the Premier League but a loss will consign them to a second straight year in the second division, which speaks to the importance of this game.
If Farke and his side do come out on top and make their way back to the top table of English football, they could repeat the masterclass they played with Joe Rodon by swooping to sign another underused talent from Tottenham Hotspur.
Leeds urged to pursue deal for English dynamo
TEAMtalk writer James Marshment has urged Leeds to pursue a deal to sign Ryan Sessegnon on a free transfer from Spurs in the upcoming transfer window.
The former England U21 international is set to be released by the Premier League side this summer and the reporter has suggested that the Whites should swoop in to snap him up if they are promoted to the top-flight.
In the same article, TEAMtalk states that Rodon's priority is to complete a permanent move to Elland Road from Tottenham, and that a deal worth around £15m including add-ons should be enough to get a move over the line.
Fabrizio Romano recently reported that there is plenty of interest from teams in England and in Europe to sign the versatile left-footed star, who is due to be a free agent.
The Italian journalist added, however, that the player's preference is to remain in the Premier League next season, which would be a boost for Leeds should they win the play-off final and decide to make a move for him.
Farke could now repeat the masterclass he played with the signing of Rodon from Tottenham by signing Sessegnon to bolster his squad ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
The masterclass Leeds played with Joe Rodon
The Wales international had only made 24 appearances for Spurs in three years at the club prior to his initial loan move to Elland Road last summer.
He had spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan with Rennes in Ligue 1, playing 16 league matches, and Leeds opted to gamble on him in the hope that the defender would hit the ground running and be a rock at the heart of their defence.
That is exactly what Rodon has been for the Yorkshire-based outfit this season as he has been in fantastic form at centre-back, and has proven that there can be big benefits to snapping up underused talent from big Premier League teams.
HIS performances in the play-offs have been particularly impressive, as the right-footed star won six of his seven ground duels and eight of his ten aerial battles in the two clashes with Norwich in the semi-final, helping his side to keep a clean sheet in both matches.
The 26-year-old titan's dominant defensive work was also on display during the regular season to help the team to finish third in the Championship, earning them a place in the play-offs.
23/24 Championship
Joe Rodon (Leeds)
Appearances
43
Clearances per game
4.5
Ground duel success rate
69%
Aerial duel success rate
67%
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.3
Clean sheets
17
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Rodon rarely lost a physical battle, on the floor or in the air, across 43 appearances in the regular Championship campaign.
These statistics, and his outstanding work in the play-offs so far, show that Leeds played a masterclass when they brought him to the club last summer.
They plucked out an underused gem from Tottenham on loan and turned him into a star at Elland Road, which is what they could do by signing Sessegnon on a free transfer.
Why Leeds should sign Ryan Sessegnon
Firstly, this would not be a risk-free addition for the Whites as he has missed 62 matches for club and country through injury over the last two seasons, mainly due to hamstring issues.
This means that Farke would be taking a gamble on his fitness and hoping that the defender can get back to playing consistently without any major problems during the season.
It was one they took with Sam Byram, who had played 30 league games in the previous three seasons with Norwich, and he has played 34 league matches – including the play-offs – for Leeds this term, which shows that those gambles can pay off.
Sessegnon, who can play at left-back or on the wing, has only made 57 appearances for Spurs since his move to the club from Fulham in the summer of 2019.
However, the 24-year-old ace, who was once hailed as "incredible" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, did play 17 times and start nine matches in the Premier League last season for Tottenham.
Ryan Sessegnon vs full-backs
22/23 Premier League (per 90)
Percentile rank
Expected Assisted Goals (0.12)
Top 20%
Shot-creating actions (2.55)
Top 19%
Progressive carries (2.66)
Top 21%
Successful take-ons (0.55)
Top 49%
Touches in attacking penalty area (2.99)
Top 7%
Non-penalty goals (0.22)
Top 4%
Stats via FBref
As you can see in the table above, Sessegnon caught the eye with his superb play in possession in those 17 games, as he ranked well above average against his positional peers as both a scorer and a creator from left-back.
The 5 foot 10 whiz, who scored two goals in the Premier League last term, was also only dribbled past 0.4 times per match on average, which shows that opposition wingers found it hard to get the better of him.
Whereas, current Leeds left-back Junior Firpo was dribbled past 1.2 times per game in the division last season and did not rank above the bottom 44% of full-backs in the league in any of the aforementioned statistics that Sessegnon excelled in.
Leeds have "inquired" about signing £55k-p/w star who'd thrive with Gnonto
The Whites are reportedly interested in a swoop to sign the soon-to-be free agent defender.
ByDan Emery May 22, 2024
This suggests that the potential is there for the free agent defender to come in as an upgrade on Firpo at Premier League level, due to his greater threat on the ball and stronger defensive work to avoid being dribbled past.
This is why Farke could repeat his Rodon masterclass with a move for the young star, who could be a fantastic addition if the gamble pays off and they can get him fit and firing.
Whilst there may have been some initial concerns over Rasmus Hojlund's ability to lead Manchester United's attack, he is now undoubtedly the main man in his role, creating the need for the Red Devils to find an adequate backup.
Man Utd transfer news
The Dane has been one of few bright sparks at Old Trafford this season and represents a player who is only just getting started. Erik ten Hag is certainly a fan of his talent and was even full of praise for his forward in a recent interview with Sky Sports, although he admitted that those at Old Trafford initially looked elsewhere for attacking options.
At 21 years old, however, Hojlund can't carry the responsibility on his own. United must look to secure a player who can step in and fill the boots of the Dane when the time comes to hand him a rest. And that's where Vitor Roque could come in.
Man Utd could sign "one of the best midfielders" around to partner Mainoo
He has played under Ten Hag before
ByJoe Nuttall May 3, 2024
According to Mundo Deportivo, Manchester United have made contact with Roque's agent over a potential loan deal from Barcelona this summer. The Brazilian, still just 19 years old, is yet to break into Xavi's side on a consistent basis and reports suggest that the teenager could be loaned out to gain more minutes next season.
It's a sign of Roque's talent that a club of United's calibre are seemingly interested in landing a deal this summer even if he hasn't broken into Barcelona's starting side as of yet. It's also a positive sign when it comes to Manchester United's recruitment under Sir Jim Ratcliffe that they've turned their attention towards a future star rather than big marquee deals.
"Magnificent" Roque can compete with Hojlund
Competition is healthy in any squad, but ultimately, it's something that United lack. A lack of competition can breed mediocrity and Old Trafford has seen just that this season, creating the need for vital reinforcements this summer. Handing Hojlund a player of Roque's potential to go up against for a starting place should only result in further improvement, which could make all the difference for Ten Hag.
Roque isn't a player who will want to just sit back and settle for a place on the bench, either, having proved exactly what he's capable of in Brazil to earn the praise of Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig.
It remains to be seen whether United can land a loan deal for the Barcelona man, but he would certainly help push Hojlund past his tally of 14 goals so far this season.
Aston Villa's recruitment strategy under Unai Emery has been excellent, with the shrewd and calculated market moves leading to Europa Conference League qualification one year ago, with the Spaniard only taking the reins of a struggling squad only seven months earlier.
Certainly, the Spaniard's passion and feverish commitment to the cause, implementing his tactics sharply, has been at the centre of Villa's rise, but there's no doubt that the players signed have been made with purposeful and precise lunges.
Now qualified for the Champions League with a top-four Premier League finish, fans might be hoping for some big names, and while that may be the case, Emery's side have moved shrewdly to sign former loanee Ross Barkley.
Why Aston Villa are signing Ross Barkley
It's not done and dusted but it would appear that Barkley is headed for Villa Park after previously playing a mixed spell in the Midlands on loan from Chelsea in 2020/21, scoring on an emphatic debut in an incredible 7-2 thrashing over Liverpool but then falling by the wayside, injuries and struggles for tactical integration limiting him to just 18 starts.
Now, though, the 30-year-old has enjoyed a later bloom into a cultured and commanding presence in the engine room, starring for Luton Town this season and even said to be "not far off Player of the Season" by Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson.
As per Sofascore, Barkley has scored five goals and supplied four assists for The Hatters across 32 appearances in the Premier League this season, right at the heart of the action with 61.2 touches per game – which is pretty incredible given that newly-promoted and swiftly relegated Luton took the second-lowest amount of touches (129,656) of any side in the division.
He also completed 85% of his passes, averaged 1.5 key passes, tackles and clearances, 2.1 dribbles, 6.3 ball recoveries and 6.1 successful duels per game. This is a brilliant collection of metrics that prove his quality and past praise from Chelsea teammate Cesc Fabregas, who called him a "machine" for his incredible work rate.
Indeed, producing performances that have seen him likened to Douglas Luiz and John McGinn, FBref rank the 6 foot 2 star among the top 7% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 11% for shot-creating actions and the top 1% for successful take-ons per 90, adept in penetrating the opposition and unleashing his creativity in the final third.
An experienced and multi-functional player, Barkley will make a marked impact on a Villa side entering a new phase, adding depth and dynamism. On £30k-per-week, the one-time Everton prodigy will be hopeful for improved terms with the Lions, and given that Diego Carlos seems to be headed for the exit, he might get his wish.
Why Villa are set to sell Diego Carlos
Carlos has endured a bit of a luckless stint in the Premier League, signing from Sevilla in a £26m deal back in June 2022 but spending the majority of the 2022/23 campaign sidelined with an ACL injury.
The recently-concluded campaign has been far more fruitful but Carlos has still been restricted to just 20 Premier League starts, with his performances leaving much to be desired.
Matches played
27
35
Matches started
20
35
Pass completion
88%
92%
Tackles per game
1.0
1.5
Clearances per game
2.9
1.9
Recoveries per game
2.9
4.1
Duels won per game
2.0 (45%)
4.8 (76%)
Errors leading to shot
2
1
Errors leading to goal
1
2
Compare his stats with those of Ezri Konsa. The disparity in performance is remarkable, with Konsa particularly putting him to shame in the duel, so much more reliable and confident against surging opponents. The Athletic's Jacob Tanswell has noted Carlos' "sloppy" efforts and it shows – the metrics don't lie.
AC Milan have recently been reported to hold an interest in the Brazilian but now The Telegraph have confirmed that the 31-year-old has been deemed expendable by Emery and his band despite a £50m windfall after landing Champions League football, with efforts still needed to ensure the club complies with Premier League Profit and Sustainability rules.
They say lightning doesn't strike twice but Tyrone Mings was felled to an ACL injury last August, one year on from Carlos' blow. The 6 foot 5 titan has not featured since but will be hoping to have overcome the muscular atrophy that has come as a by-product of his setback to make an impact in Emery's first team next season.
Carlos might see himself fall down the pecking order as Mings makes a comeback, especially given Aston Villa have also been linked with an audacious move for Barcelona centre-half Ronald Araujo this week.
Earning a pretty penny at £100k-per-week, Carlos must be ditched this summer, with that lofty salary not reflecting his impact in the senior set-up. In fact, it's actually over three times what Barkley currently earns, magnifying the need to make a change.
Barkley, as considered above, will hope for a rise in wage and given the thin line between the fair and the foul of financial regulations, cashing in on Carlos might just be a worthwhile move.
Villa line up £68m signing who'd be their biggest talent since Grealish
This would be an incredible signing for Unai Emery’s project.
ByAngus Sinclair May 21, 2024
Villa's recruitment strategy and drive have been excellent since Emery's arrival and the Spanish manager now has the chance to prove his credentials and ambition by ditching Carlos and continuing to make improvements to the squad.
Let's not forget, Aston Villa are going to be competing against Europe's finest in a matter of months, not years; a matter of when, not if.
Barkley has showcased his quality and faculty for a good performance on a big stage, but Carlos simply isn't up to scratch.
Opener’s 319-ball innings leads Pakistan to 326 before Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Abbas strike
The Report by Valkerie Baynes06-Aug-2020A career-best innings from Shan Masood answered every question England had asked of Pakistan on the first two days of this opening Test.Masood batted for nearly eight hours and faced 319 deliveries for his 156, which highlighted an ability to adapt throughout the course of an innings and effectively told the story of his cricketing life so far.Not long into the evening session, it was Pakistan asking all the questions when Shaheen Shah Afridi trapped Rory Burns lbw with the fourth ball of England’s innings and Mohammad Abbas accounted for Dom Sibley and Ben Stokes to put the hosts under pressure at 12 for 3.By the close, Ollie Pope had played a steadying hand with an unbeaten 46, but it was going to take much more from him and Jos Buttler, who was not out 15, come the third day after Joe Root was dismissed by Yasir Shah for a battling 14.Masood resumed on 46 having played a supporting role to Babar Azam the previous day. As opener, Masood had navigated a tricky start in which Stuart Broad and James Anderson bowled tight opening spells.But England’s bowling attack had lost all potency post-lunch on the first day and Masood and Azam cashed in where possible without taking too many unnecessary risks, save for Masood’s ill-advised charge at Dom Bess which ended in a missed stumping by Buttler. Masood had earlier survived a dropped catch by the wicketkeeper off the same bowler.When Azam failed to add to his overnight score of 69 in the face of some improved England bowling on the second morning, Masood took the lead role, although he could have been upstaged had Shadab Khan not got too flashy and skied Bess straight to Root at mid-on after a knock of 45 from 76 balls that was, until that moment, very sharp.Most impressive from Masood has been his ability to show how far he has come after past disappointments against England – and particularly Anderson – learning from experience and changing for the better.Masood left balls on the fourth-stump line that he would prevoiusly have nicked off to and played with soft hands when he had to so as to avoid offering chances to the slips.So when Anderson struck with his sixth ball of the day, luring Azam into an attempted drive that ended up in the hands of Root at first slip, Masood didn’t panic.When Anderson and Broad bowled six maidens on the trot between them, Masood maintained the patient approach that had got him this far. Indeed, it was Asad Shafiq who scored Pakistan’s solitary run from eight overs bowled by Broad and Anderson in that period.Shafiq fell for to Broad for 7, caught by Stokes at second slip, followed by Mohammad Rizwan, caught behind off Chris Woakes, to leave Pakistan 176 for 5. That brought Shadab to the crease and, having negotiated their way to lunch, Masood adapted after the break. The pair fell into a lovely rhythm of shot-making and nabbing quick singles that frustrated England’s bowlers throughout a sixth-wicket partnership worth 105.England had only conceded 48 runs during the morning session but saw Pakistan regain the momentum immediately after lunch, as Bess and Root bowled ahead of the arrival of the second new ball. Masood then stroked his way through the 90s in half-a-dozen balls to bring up his hundred, loudly celebrated on the Pakistan balcony.The partnership should have been more but Shadab’s wild swing at Bess ended things, although it sparked another change in gears from Masood. What looked like being a rebuilding job, became something else when Jofra Archer dismissed Yasir and Abbas with consecutive balls, the former without adding to his score of 5 when he was dropped by Buttler off the bowling of Bess.Masood flicked the switch, seeking as many runs as he could get before he ran out of partners. He took 16 off one Bess over, including two sixes in three balls, was keen to run a second to bring up his 150 and did when Buttler’s relay shy at the stumps went wide and he wore a Broad short ball painfully on the elbow, all before tea.Masood didn’t last long after the break, falling lbw to a Broad delivery that nipped back and struck the back pad on line with leg stump. But by then he had more than done his job, racking up his third consecutive Test century after tons against Sri Lanka in December and Bangladesh in February, the fourth of his career overall.Pakistan’s bowlers kept up the good work with Abbas particularly damaging in picking up the wickets of Sibley and Stokes for nought in the space of eight balls. The delivery that bowled Stokes was an absolute diamond that found just enough late movement to beat the bat and kiss the top of off stump.Naseem Shah showed his pace with no reward and when Yasir chimed in with a faint edge off Root which went through to the keeper, England were left looking to Pope and Buttler to erase a deficit still north of 250.
Board not convinced with Malik’s response to corruption charges
Danyal Rasool10-Jul-2020
Saleem Malik is all smiles after leaving the sessions court•AFP
Saleem Malik’s ongoing quest to be reintegrated into Pakistan cricket has been pushed back once again by the PCB. The board believes Malik hasn’t again responded satisfactorily to the contents of a conversation 20 years ago in which he talked about fixing cricket matches.While Malik insists he had submitted a response last month to the board regarding a sting operation by an English tabloid 20 years ago, the PCB does not believe his response appropriately addresses the matter.After the Qayyum report was released in 2000 – in which Malik was banned for life – the now-defunct newspaper released a video in which Malik was allegedly caught offering to potentially corrupt players and games in exchange for money.The reporter involved in the sting – Mazher Mahmood – was the same as the one that carried out the 2010 Lord’s spot-fixing operation. The revelations and allegations arising from the sting were not part of the Justice Qayyum inquiry; that inquiry took place in the year before this story and the report had been made public days before the sting.While Malik remained out of the fold for a number of years, he has recently begun to appeal to the PCB to reintegrate him, and made himself available for coaching or mentoring roles. The PCB, however, remain adamant that will not be possible until Malik has substantively dealt with the questions that the sting raised.Malik submitted his response in June, but the PCB’s statement on Friday makes clear they are not satisfied with its contents. ESPNcricinfo understands the board believes the response to be irrelevant to the issue at hand. “In the backdrop of the above, the PCB will be unable to proceed any further until such time you respond on the said matter,” the statement said.Malik’s cricketing career was ultimately sullied by match-fixing scandals. In a judicial inquiry that began in 1998 and continued for 13 months, he was found guilty of bribing Australian cricketers Shane Warne and Mark Waugh to lose the 1994-95 Karachi Test. Malik was fined Rs 1 million and banned for life in 2000, but eight years later his sentence was overturned by a Lahore sessions court, allowing him theoretically to return to the fold. However, today’s statement from the PCB makes clear little progress has been made between the two parties since Malik began his latest attempt to completely rehabilitate himself.Danish Kaneria after his meeting with the PCB integrity committee•AFP
The PCB accused the former captain of “denial and avoidance” with respect to the transcripts, and referred to an apology he had made in 2014 in which he appeared to “accept my wrongdoing, apologise to the fans and start my rehabilitation process”.The PCB also addressed Danish Kaneria’s recent appeals for rehabilitation. The legspinner was banned for life in 2012 by the ECB after a disciplinary panel found him guilty of corruption after a stint in county cricket in the UK, implicated during fellow player Mervyn Westfield’s criminal trial. The board told the player he was appealing to the wrong party, and was advised to approach the ECB, the board that had banned him in the first place.”You were banned for life by the ECB’s Cricket Discipline Commission after it was established that you had ‘knowingly induced or encouraged Mervyn Westfield not to perform on his merits in the Durham match'” the statement said. “You subsequently challenged the decision before the Appeal Panel of the Cricket Disciplinary Commission, which was upheld. Then, you appealed before a commercial bench of the High Court in London, which was dismissed. Then, you appealed before the Court of Appeal (Civil Division), which was rejected. The PCB’s rehabilitation programme is offered to players upon conclusion of the respective periods of ineligibility and not for players who are serving life bans.”