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Arsenal seem to be closing in on their fourth signing of the summer, with this relative unknown sure to play a big role in the future of the club…

Who are Arsenal signing this summer?

The latest on their pursuit of Brazilian talent Bitello comes courtesy of 90min, who suggest that the Gunners are continuing their pursuit, working on a deal to tempt him from Gremio.

It is noted in the report that they are confident of securing the move, with the touted £8.5m fee a nominal one given how free-spending Mikel Arteta has been thus far this window.

Negotiations are ongoing, with the player also said to be keen on a move to north London despite the various interest across Europe.

His signing would supplement the earlier additions of Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber and Declan Rice, which have put them in a far greater position to topple Manchester City in the coming season.

Who is Bitello?

There is a good reason why the 23-year-old maestro is so sought-after, given his recent starring campaign within the Brasileiro Serie A. He announced himself as one of the division's top performers despite his youth, suggesting a bright future for such a classy midfield ace.

His entrance into the Emirates could coincide perfectly with the earlier exit of Granit Xhaka, which has left a huge creative void in the engine room.

His £21.4m move to Bayer Leverkusen was felt heavily by a fanbase who had enjoyed a rollercoaster experience with the Swiss international, eventually coming to love the man they once booed.

This was largely encouraged due to his stellar 2022/23 year, in which his creativity from deep helped to spearhead their unlikely title charge.

The 30-year-old would maintain a 7.05 average rating in the Premier League, upheld through his seven goals, seven assists, 1.3 key passes and 0.9 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

He was everywhere, and deservedly earned praise from his manager following the conclusion of the campaign: "He’s been exceptional. A key part of the success of the team and I’m so happy that everybody is appreciating what he’s done. He’s had an exceptional season."

To replace that will be a tough task, though Bitello has already showcased his possession of the key attributes that made Xhaka so effective.

Standing at 6 foot in stature, just one inch shorter than his potential predecessor, he already has the physical qualities that emulate the box-to-box stalwart. However, it is his creativity in his homeland that has truly caught the eye.

Last term in the Brazilian top flight, Bitello posted a 7.09 average rating alongside his 83% pass completion, 1.9 key passes and 1.8 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

Although he would only record three goal contributions, it is clear that his efforts in forging chances have perhaps not been reciprocated by the strikers. Should he move to Arsenal, instead supplying the likes of Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, these are figures only set to grow.

In fact, his key passes per game would have ranked him third amongst Arteta's squad last season in the league, to further emphasise the creativity that led data analyst Ben Mattinson to laud his "unique profile" and versatility.

With a little bit of work, it would not take long to mould the powerful midfielder into the perfect Xhaka heir, with his exceptional creativity already suggesting he is ready to take that step up.

Ben Foakes added to his growing reputation with a highly-responsible 82 not out as Surrey kept alive their hopes of reaching the Royal London One-Day Cup quarter-finals

ECB Reporters Network12-May-2017
ScorecardBen Foakes continued a fine season with the bat•Getty Images

Ben Foakes added to his growing reputation with a highly-responsible 82 not out as Surrey kept alive their hopes of reaching the Royal London One-Day Cup quarter-finals by beating Kent Spitfires by 44 runs at the Kia Oval.The 24-year-old Foakes, who hit a six and six fours from 80 balls, was joined in a sixth wicket stand of 79 in 11 overs by Sam Curran as Surrey rallied from 141 for 5 to reach 251 for 7 in an innings reduced to 41 overs by a delayed start and then two further rain interruptions.In reply Kent could reach only 204 all out from 35.4 overs as they chased a Duckworth-Lewis adjusted target of 249, despite 69 from 65 balls from Sam Billings in his first appearance for the county this season following stints in the Indian Premier League and in England’s short one-day international series against Ireland.Kent lost Daniel Bell-Drummond early, for 11, when he missed a hoick at Tom Curran, but Joe Denly played well for a 40-ball 34 before inside-edging into his stumps an attempted drive at Ravi Rampaul.Sam Northeast put on 38 with Billings but was then run out for 17 when his partner refused a short single into the offside; Darren Stevens was leg-before for 5 to what looked to be a Scott Borthwick googly; and Alex Blake briefly glittered with three fours in a quickfire 22 before mishitting Sam Curran to mid on.The same bowler castled Calum Haggett and, at 170 for 6 with ten overs left, Kent’s hopes rested with Billings and the tail.Those hopes were extinguished when Sam Curran went around the wicket to have Billings caught on the pull by his brother Tom at long leg. Billings had struck three sixes and two fours but his dismissal was symptomatic of Kent’s profligate batting and they sit at the bottom of the South Group with just one win from six matches.The end came soon afterwards with James Tredwell and Charlie Hartley removed for ducks and Matt Coles last out for a jaunty 25. Stuart Meaker, who had Coles caught behind hooking at a bouncer, finished with 4 for 37 and he and Sam Curran (3 for 43) were the pick of Surrey’s attack.Sixteen runs had come from the first over of the match, with Jason Roy plundering three high-class boundaries off Coles after edging the paceman’s second ball just wide of a diving Tredwell at second slip. A clip through mid wicket, a back foot cover drive and a thundering pull were all despatched to the ropes with withering power and a huge total on a fine pitch looked certain.Coles, however, hit back to concede just 12 runs from his next four new ball overs – an excellent effort – and Haggett, though expensive, snapped up the wicket of Mark Stoneman for 10 with a fine ball, brilliantly held by keeper Billings as he flung himself in front of slip.The first of two rain interruptions came with Surrey on 58 for 1 off 7.4 overs and, by the time of the second, they were struggling at 115 from 20.2 with Stevens snaring both Kumar Sangakkara and Rory Burns in a typically canny spell of medium pace from the Vauxhall End.Roy had also by then fallen for a 44-ball 44, caught at deep square leg off Ivan Thomas after failing to kick on from his flying start while both Sangakkara and Burns found it difficult to find fluency against the accurate Stevens and also a steady six-over spell by Thomas.Hartley and Tredwell also began tightly but, after Borthwick had chipped Hartley’s whippy fast-medium to short mid wicket, a Surrey rally was launched by the in-form Foakes.The right-handed keeper-batsman found a busy partner in Sam Curran and the sixth wicket pair added 79 in 11 overs to revive the innings. Foakes reached his fifty from 57 balls, with successive fours off Hartley, and the younger Curran brother drove Haggett and Tredwell for sixes to long off and long on respectively before, on 39 from 37 balls, edging the returning Coles to Billings who completed the catch at the second attempt.Thomas removed Tom Curran in the closing overs but was also pulled superbly for six by Foakes as Surrey eventually hauled themselves past the 250 mark in what had been a stop-start innings, and not just because of the weather.Most of Surrey’s innings was watched by 5,000 local schoolchildren, enthusiastically attending as part of the club’s annual Schools Day, but by the time Kent replied in warm afternoon sunshine they had long gone.

Manchester United are 'one step away' from announcing Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount as their first summer signing, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Mason Mount?

As per Sky Sports News, Mount is undergoing a medical ahead of his move to Manchester United in a deal that is worth in the region of £60 million.

The Red Devils has three bids turned down for Mount in the process of trying to secure his signature; however, the £80k-a-week ace now looks set to swap Stamford Bridge for Old Trafford in a high-profile summer signing for Erik Ten Hag's men.

Renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Mason Mount has completed his medical ahead of signing for Man United.

According to The Manchester Evening News, Manchester United midfielder Fred could be shunted out of the exit door at Old Trafford once Mount finalises his move to the Premier League giants, with Fulham believed to be keen on his services.

Donny van de Beek and Scott McTominay have also been linked with moves elsewhere this summer, though there is pessimism that another midfielder besides Mount would be affordable for Manchester United.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones has detailed that Manchester United are nearly there as they prepare to officially capture Mount from Chelsea.

Jones stated: "An announcement is prepped and soon he will be getting the 'Here We Go' treatment. This is a very good signing, a player with pedigree at every level on the elite stage and still only 24.

"As an 8 in this United team, he will really thrive. I’m told Erik ten Hag can’t wait to work with him."

Will Mason Mount be a good signing for Manchester United?

Mount is a hard-working, quality individual who has possibly become a victim of circumstance at Chelsea and joining Manchester United under Ten Hag may be the best move for him, as the Dutch boss will have detailed plans to help him rediscover the consistency of his earlier career at the Blues.

In total, the England international has made 195 appearances for Chelsea, notching 33 goals and 37 assists in total, as per Transfermarkt.

Last term, Mount also showed his credentials as a creative force in midfield, racking up 1.3 key passes per match in the Premier League, as per WhoScored.

FBRef display that Mount recorded 83 successful shot-creating actions during last campaign, showing sparks of what he is capable of despite an underwhelming time of things across the board at Stamford Bridge.

With the right stewardship, Mount could be a key asset for Manchester United and form an exciting midfield alliance with the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro.

Liverpool have wasted no time at all in getting their business done in the summer transfer window and have already made the signing of two exciting young midfielders with Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai joining the squad for next season.

The Reds failed to maintain their high standards both in the Premier League and on the European stage last season which left many supporters hoping that the club would look to iron out the issues and uninspiring performances by acquiring fresh talent.

Indeed, the Anfield faithful will be thrilled with the signing of the two attacking-minded midfielders, however, there is still plenty of work to be done to bring the team back to life and deliver on the expectations that have been set over Jurgen Klopp's tenure so far.

The Athletic's Liverpool reporter James Pearce claimed in an article this week that the club are no longer making the signing of a third midfielder a priority and instead are more likely to focus on bringing in a centre-back who can inject some youth into the defensive set-up.

Both Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip are well into their 30s at this point with the latter set to be out of contract at the end of next season, so there is a real opportunity to strengthen the personnel and provide Ibrahima Konate with another young prospect to work alongside as part of the long-term future of the team.

One player who has been linked with a move to Merseyside this week is Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi.

How much is Marc Guehi?

A talented centre-back who has been going from strength to strength over the last two seasons, the Englishman has become a huge asset to the South London club.

Football Insider report that Liverpool are interested in signing Guehi this summer, however, Palace will command a whopping £60m fee to part ways with their defensive prodigy.

How good is Marc Guehi?

Owing to his expensive price tag it would seem unlikely that FSG would sanction the funds to snap up the services of Guehi this summer, however, this will depend on just how urgent the need is felt to strengthen the centre-back role and whether Klopp can trust his current crop of players.

Should Matip be allowed to leave on a free next summer, it would leave Klopp's options limited to Konate, Van Dijk, Nat Phillips and Joe Gomez, unless of course, the club decide to invest in the 2024 transfer windows.

This would also be without taking into consideration potential injury issues, something that plagued Konate's ability to be a consistent presence over last season with only 18 appearances and 17 starts in the Premier League last season.

As a result, the signing of Guehi – dubbed "composed" by Patrick Vieira – could be the perfect opportunity to bolster the centre-back options with a Premier League-proven defender who could not only maintain the quality needed when others are injured but would be a great upgrade on Gomez.

When comparing the positional peers' output in the league last season, Guehi comfortably outperformed the Liverpool centre-back in a number of attributes including percentage of dribblers tackled (61.9% v 57.9%), aerial duels won (55.7% v 54.8%), interceptions (45 v 25) and ball recoveries (241 v 126), as per FBref.

The 22-year-old has been the recipient of high praise over his career so far, with Club Brugge 'keeper Josef Bursik naming Guehi when asked to pick the strongest player in England's U21 squad a few seasons ago:

"Marc Guehi. He’s an absolute tank, It’s like having a brick wall in front of you, he’s massive."

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Liverpool to sign Guehi this summer as it could well be a move that facilities an exit for Gomez.

كشف أشرف صبحي، وزير الشباب والرياضة، عن كواليس أزمة انضمام محمد صلاح لمعسكر منتخب مصر المقرر له في شهر مارس الحالي، تحت قيادة حسام حسن.

ومن المقرر أن ينطلق المعسكر المُقبل يوم 13 مارس الجاري، استعدادًا للبطولة الودية التي تضم كرواتيا وتونس ونيوزيلندا، وتقام في أبو ظبي.

واستبعد حسام حسن النجم العالمي محمد صلاح لاعب ليفربول من قائمة معسكر مارس، بعد أن طلب الريدز عدم استدعائه من أجل إراحته عقب الإصابة التي تعرض لها في كأس أمم إفريقيا الماضية.

وقال أشرف صبحي في تصريحات عبر برنامج “نجوم في عز الضهر”، على إذاعة “أون سبورت إف إم”: “هل صلاح لا يرد إلا على الوزير فقط؟ لا بالعكس، صلاح رجل محترف، عندما يكون هناك أمور تعاقدية هذا يكون مع وكيله، أما الأمور التي تخص المجتمع والدولة يكون موجودا دائمًا”.

وتابع: “أنا أول ملف توليت مسؤوليته كان 2013 عندما لم يكن هناك توافق بين محمد صلاح واتحاد الكرة، نحن نقدر نجومنا وبلدنا، وأنا أميل للبلد وأقدر كل مجتهد، عندما يخرج أحد عن الأطر المعهودة وتمثيل بلده بشكل كبير جدًا، يجب أن نُقدره، نحن نُقدر أحمد زويل ومجدي يعقوب، وكنا دائمًا نقول نريد لاعبا يصل في كرة القدم لهذه المكانة، ولهذا نقدره فيما لا يهدر حق بلدنا”.

طالع أيضًا | أيمن يونس: حسام حسن اتخذ قرارًا صائبًا بشأن محمد صلاح.. وأتعجب من استبعاده لـ ثنائي الزمالك

وأوضح: “بعض الموضوعات أتدخل بها قبل الوقت بصفتي مسؤول، حسام وإبراهيم من نجوم مصر ولهما قدرهما، لهما رصيد كبير عند الدولة، ومحمد صلاح نجم محترم وصل للعالمية وعنده شيء من الحساسية لا بد أن نراعيها”.

وأردف: “صلاح بنى نفسه بنفسه، من نجريج لـ ليفربول، ونحن عندنا جهاز جديد جاء في فترة قصيرة، الفكرة أن هناك دورة ودية في الإمارات، أنا اعتقدت أن حسام حسن سيؤجل هذه البطولة، لكن وجدت منه شجاعة كبيرة جدًا، وقال لي لا بد أن نخوض التجربة ونجرب اللاعبين”.

واستمر: “قلت له من حقك أن تعتذر عن هذه البطولة،، رفض وقال لا بد أن أرى كل اللاعبين ونخوض تجربة، ونؤكد أن النتيجة ليست مقياسا، وأنا قدرت شجاعته، وأخذت المبادرة بشكل سريع وتواصلت مع صلاح وتبادلت الحوار الذي تم بيني وبين اللاعب مع حسام وابراهيم”.

وأشار: “صلاح قال لي أنه يُعاني من ورم دموي، وسيأخذ وقتاً متدرجا وسيلعب مباريات بشكل تدريجي، فبدلًا من أن يأتي ولا نستفيد منه، فقلنا يأخذ وقته، وحسام حسن يرى باقي اللاعبين، لأن بالتأكيد صلاح لا يحتاج لأن يختبره حسام حسن”.

واختتم: “الموضوع انتهى عند ذلك، احترامنا لحسام وابراهيم، وتوفير الظروف الملائمة لهم هذا دوري، صلاح سيخضع لفترة علاج وسيتدرج بها، وبعد ذلك سيكون جاهزا، وأنا قلت له نحن نحلم بأن ترفع كأسا لمصر”.

Tottenham Hotspur are contenders in the race to sign Leicester City midfielder James Maddison this summer as they look to add some creativity to their midfield, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest transfer news involving James Maddison?

As per Football Insider, Tottenham are said to have made Maddison their 'top summer target' and are already 'pushing' to try and acquire the England international despite not having a manager or Director of Football in place.

The report states that Newcastle United and Arsenal are monitoring the situation of the 26-year-old, who could be part of a mass exodus at the King Power Stadium in the off-season due to the Foxes suffering relegation to the Sky Bet Championship.

According to The Sun, Spurs are also keen on Maddison's teammate Harvey Barnes and the Lilywhites, alongside Newcastle United, are said to be 'pushing hardest' to land the duo.

Capology understands that Maddison earns £110,000 per week on the books at Leicester City on a contract that runs until June 2024, and it is believed that his price tag is currently set at £50 million.

Cited by The Daily Mail, Manchester City are also targeting Coventry-born midfielder Maddison, potentially leading to a transfer tug-of-war for his services.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs thinks that Tottenham will be in the mix to sign Maddison this summer alongside other sides.

Jacobs told FFC: "In terms of Premier League suitors, the historical one has been Newcastle. But their focus, if they were only to get one Leicester player, will still be James Maddison. Tottenham are another suitor to watch there, although, with Spurs, we obviously have to understand the new manager and new sporting director."

What have James Maddison's stats been like this season?

Despite Leicester City's relegation, Leicester City's "top player" was in relatively good form for his current employers this season and can count himself unlucky that his efforts weren't enough to save the Foxes from the drop.

All in, Maddison, who has been hailed as "100 times more intelligent than any coach", appeared 32 times in all competitions across 2022/23, registering ten goals and nine assists in the process, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored takes into account that Maddison has earned an average match rating of 7.24/10 for his exploits on the pitch, comfortably making him Leicester City's most consistent performer this term.

FBRef also shows that the Englishman has excelled in providing chances for his teammates, successfully carrying out 138 shot-creating actions in the Premier League.

Tottenham need some ingenuity in the middle of the park looking ahead to the new season and Maddison could certainly offer some fresh ideas under a new manager as he looks to cement his place in the England set-up for Euro 2024.

Rilee Rossouw has said that the team is unaffected by the talk going around on the decision to drop Hashim Amla from the XI

Firdose Moonda04-Oct-2016Rilee Rossouw was called up to South Africa’s ODI squad as a replacement for the injured AB de Villiers, ahead of the match against Ireland at the end of last month. He ended up replacing an ill Hashim Amla at the start of the Australia series last week. To say that Rossouw had big boots to fill is not an understatement. But try two fifties in two matches on for size, and it seems Rossouw could be a perfect fit.So, why the in-house handwringing from captain Faf du Plessis, who said he wanted Amla back in the XI but the selectors decided otherwise? “Hashim averages 52 in one-day cricket, so, for me, you can never replace that,” du Plessis said. “And if you miss one game for the flu, then it’s always the respect that you’re given to come back into the team. So, if it was my decision, I would definitely bring him back, and the same with the coach, but the selectors felt the combination at the top was working really well.”Perhaps, the stand-in captain just wants protocol to take precedence, and it seems he is not the only one. Television and social media commentators were aghast at Amla’s omission on Sunday, and there is every indication that he will be back for the third ODI. And where will that leave Rossouw, mentally and literally? “When we had our team culture camp, we spoke about our playing bubble. People can say what they want to say, as long as it doesn’t affect how we are going about our proceedings and how we play,” Rossouw said. “If Hashim comes back and I am playing, I will probably slot into the middle order.”Rossouw has batted at Nos. 4-7 in 18 of the 33 ODIs he has played, and come out at No. 3 eight times, so he is most familiar outside the top two but more successful in it. In the seven matches in which Rossouw has opened, he has averaged 39.57 – compared to an overall average of 35.53 – and scored one of his two hundreds and two of his seven fifties. He admitted he prefers getting to the crease as early as possible, and that the constant shifting up and down the order is challenging but possible with proper preparation.”I don’t mind anywhere in the top of the order. I prefer the new ball, while the Powerplay is still on so I can pierce the field and play good cricket shots,” he said. “It’s very difficult to change batting positions. It’s about how you prepare for where you are going to bat. If your preparation is good enough for the scenario out there, then your execution should follow.”Rossouw was fairly pleased with his execution so far in this series, barring the failure to get to three figures. “I am quite disappointed in that. In the first game, the reverse sweep is my shot, so if I go out to that, it is hard lines, but it’s my shot,” he said. “I am more disappointed with the way I went out at the Wanderers. It was quite soft.”At Centurion, Rossouw was out lbw, attempting a reverse sweep off the first ball he faced from Adam Zampa. At the Wanderers, he miscued a pull shot, and though the selection of both strokes is questionable, Rossouw insisted the second one was worse because he played it when he was closer to his century. “I have been hard on myself for that. I pride myself in making the most runs that I can. So 75 is all right, it’s good, but I am more interested in the three figures.”Without a hundred, Rossouw knows it will be more difficult to keep his place, especially in a line-up that should welcome Amla back at some stage, and with a crammed middle order. Du Plessis and JP Duminy have both found their touch, leaving little for David Miller and Farhaan Behardien to do, and Rossouw will have to displace one of them if he moves down. “It’s a tough gig, because if you are not performing, there’s a guy that can do the same job as you, if not better,” he said. “When you put on that shirt, you want to perform and do your best because you know there’s someone else who can take your spot.”At least South Africa have the problem of plenty, unlike their opposition, who now face three must-win matches if they are to win the series. Although Australia have appeared a little flat so far, Rossouw expects them to surge back, especially when they hear of South Africa’s intention to close out the series with two games to spare.”If they don’t bounce back, then they don’t deserve to be the best team in the world. I am sure they will come out fighting with big swings, and it’s up to us how we will counter-punch,” he said. “The guys had two serious performances and we are ready for the third game tomorrow, and we want to wrap it up. Australia are the best team in the world. If you give them a sniff, they come back hard. We want to finish this series tomorrow.”

Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Lahore Qalandars have removed Pakistan ODI captain Azhar Ali from the captaincy, but retained him in the side. Azhar is likely to be succeeded by Brendon McCullum, whom Qalandars are set to pick in the draft to be held in Dubai on October 19.Qalandars will get the first pick in every round of the draft for the second edition of the PSL as the team finished at the bottom in the inaugural edition earlier this year. Given this advantage, Qalandars have decided to snap McCullum from the top Platinum category and name him captain. The former New Zealand captain will also act as a mentor for the team.”We are bringing in McCullum, whose credibility and performances as captain are tremendous,” said Aqib Javed, the franchise’s director of cricket operations. “We are signing him not only as captain but as a batting mentor as well. We are announcing it earlier because we want to take the captain on board so that we can make a better combination than the one we had last year. We are really happy to have him on board and the level of commitment he has shown so far is really great.”Qalandars were arguably the most explosive batting side in the competition last year, boasting Chris Gayle, Umar Akmal, Cameron Deport and Dwayne Bravo, but only managed to win two out of eight games. Azhar’s captaincy position was called into question in the immediate aftermath of the tournament, but the official announcement came only on September 22, weeks before the second PSL draft. The franchise had already revamped their working executive, bringing in former fast bowler Aqib as director cricket operations and Muddasir Nazar as consultant.In last year’s draft, Azhar was relegated from the Diamond category to the Gold category, and then from Gold to Silver, before Qalandars eventually picked him up. Commenting on Azhar losing the captaincy, Aqib said that he had leadership qualities but added that McCullum was a “much better choice”.”Azhar is a great human being and does have the leadership qualities, but you can’t compare him with Brendon at all,” he said. “There is no comparison between the two players. Last year, unfortunately, we didn’t do well and now we want to make a winning combination. With Brendon on board, we want to start planning much earlier to make a difference. This won’t hamper Azhar’s national captaincy at all, but Brendon was a much better choice.”Azhar’s ODI captaincy has also come under increased scrutiny after a tough 17 months during which Pakistan slipped to ninth place in the rankings with 86 points, their lowest ever rating since the ranking system was introduced in 2001. In the eight series with Azhar at the helm, Pakistan have beaten only Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Ireland. After Pakistan’s 4-1 defeat to England in August-September, PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan asked Azhar to consider relinquishing the captaincy, but Azhar decided not to step down. With Shaharyar currently in London, recuperating after a heart surgery, the status quo has been maintained for Pakistan’s forthcoming ODI series against West Indies in the UAE.

Ed Joyce hammered a career-best 160* in an innings that featured 19 fours and three sixes to propel Ireland to a series-levelling win against Afghanistan in Belfast

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jul-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsEd Joyce hammered a career-best 148-ball 160* in an innings that featured 19 fours and three sixes to propel Ireland to a series-levelling win against Afghanistan in Belfast. Joyce’s knock, the second-best score by an Ireland batsman in ODIs and third-highest by a player from an Associate team, helped the side post 265 for 5, a total they defended by 12 runs. The five-match series was tied 2-2.Ireland, who were batting first for the first time in the series, lost captain William Porterfield in the fifth over when he edged to second slip for 8. Sean Terry, playing his third ODI, was dismissed in the 10th over when Yamin Ahmadzai completed a stunning one-handed grab off his own bowling, diving low to his right.Gary Wilson, promoted to No. 4, and Joyce then got stuck into rebuilding the innings. Joyce got to his fifty in the 24th over, off 70 balls. The pair combined for a 134-run stand to set up a strong platform for Ireland in the end overs. In between, Wilson survived a nasty collision with Mohammad Shahzad in the 32nd over, when he tried to return to his crease.Wilson holed out to square leg off the first ball of the 41st over, for 58 off 92 balls. At that stage, Joyce was on 93. After Kevin O’Brien fell in the following over, Joyce took charge and smashed 67 of the 87 that Ireland scored in the last 10 overs. He finished with 60.37% of Ireland’s runs, the highest percentage in a completed ODI innings for an Associate side.After the game, Joyce, who was named Man of the Series, said he was spurred on by his controversial dismissal in the previous match. “I probably was extra motivated; I was actually pretty tired this morning going into the game, had a niggle, but what happened in the last game obviously gave a bit of extra motivation.”Afghanistan’s chase was dented early by the Ireland seamers as they were quickly reduced to 27 for 3. Rahmat Shah (30), captain Asghar Stanikzai (32) and Mohammad Nabi (25) got starts in the middle order but failed to convert as Ireland chipped away.Afghanistan were tottering at 119 for 6 in the 33rd over. Najibullah Zadran and legspinner Rashid Khan, however, put on a 93-run seventh-wicket stand but the soaring asking rate proved insurmountable. Three wickets in three balls – one at the end of the 46th over and two at the start of the next – effectively killed the chase.Dawlat Zadran smashed five boundaries in his unbeaten 15-ball 31 but it wasn’t enough. O’Brien finished with 3 for 57, while medium-pacers Peter Chase and Barry McCarthy picked up two wickets each.

Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha’s contract has been extended until the 2019 World Cup

Mohammad Isam19-Jun-2016

Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha’s contract has been extended until the 2019 World Cup. The decision was approved at a BCB board meeting on Sunday.Assistant coach Ruwan Kalpage, fielding coach Richard Halsall and fitness and conditioning coach Mario Villavarayan were also retained for another three years.Hathurusingha, who was appointed head coach in July 2014, will also hold a place on the six-man selection committee, along with Bangladesh team manager Khaled Mahmud, who is also a BCB director, and the cricket operations committee chairman Akram Khan.The proposal to expand the selection committee was put forward last month and ratified by the BCB on Sunday. This means Bangladesh’s national squads will be picked by a six-member panel, which would include three selectors, two board officials and the head coach.”We have only legalised the current process,” Hassan said of the change. “The cricket operations committee chairman will call the meeting with the selectors, coach and manager. The coach will give his strategic input, if he has any. The manager will give his and the captain’s input.”Former Bangladesh batsman and junior selector Sajjad Ahmed was promoted to the three-man panel under Faruque. He replaced former Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar, who has been put in charge of picking Bangladesh’s women’s teams. Minhajul Abedin retained his place as senior selector on the panel.Former Bangladesh players Hannan Sarkar and Hasibul Hossain have also been made junior selectors.Another outcome of Sunday’s board meeting was the reinstatement of Bangladesh fast bowler Rubel Hossain’s central contract. He had been omitted from the National Player Contract list in February 2016 due to a disciplinary breach. Simon Helmot, who was named BCB’s High Performance coach a week ago, has been retained until 2019.The BCB are also in the midst of preparing a response to the two-tier Test proposal, although discussion on that matter was not entertained at Sunday’s meeting.”I stopped the CEO when he was giving a presentation on the two-tier system because the discussion itself is now at an early stage,” BCB president Hassan said. “It was only discussed at the CEC [Cricket Executives Commitee] level in the ICC.”