Green says that the thinking was to win and put pressure on RCB, and not worry about NRR equations

ESPNcricinfo staff21-May-20231:29

Moody: Massive step for Green in his IPL career

Despite acing yet another 200-plus chase, Mumbai Indians need Gujarat Titans to beat Royal Challengers Bangalore in the last league game of IPL 2023 to confirm their playoff spot. If they don’t make the cut, their captain Rohit Sharma feels that they only have themselves to blame.Mumbai’s win over Sunrisers Hyderabad took them to 16 points with a net run rate of -0.044, and even though RCB have 14 entering their last fixture, they have a superior NRR (0.180) already. For Mumbai to have gone past RCB’s NRR, they would’ve had to win in 12 overs with the assumption that RCB win by one run.”We came with the mindset of winning the game and not worrying about what happens elsewhere,” Rohit said after the match. “What you can control, you can control and hope for the best. If we don’t go through, we have ourselves to blame for it. If we go through, I’ll give all the credit to the boys. That’s the last thing you want – to be dependent on the other results.Related

Green century and Madhwal four-for help Mumbai Indians finish fourth

“Last year we did a big favour to RCB, I hope the result comes what we are looking for.”In IPL 2022, RCB needed Mumbai to beat Delhi Capitals in their last league game to go through to the playoffs. Mumbai, who were already eliminated by then, went on to beat Capitals by five wickets.While summing up Mumbai’s season, Rohit looked back at two games – against Punjab Kings at home and against Lucknow Super Giants away – as ones they should have won. Against Kings, Mumbai needed 40 off the last three overs with seven wickets in hand and a set Suryakumar in the middle. But Arshdeep Singh and Nathan Ellis denied them. Against LSG, chasing 178, they were 92 for 1 after ten overs but couldn’t close out the game.”We did a lot of things right as we went along,” Rohit said. “We lost a couple of games at the start and won three on the trot. The crucial moments in the game that we lost… if I have to look back there are a lot of moments like that. The game against Punjab here, we needed 30-34 [40] off 18 balls. We could have played well there. Against LSG, we had the game in our hands after the first half of the innings. But can’t look too much into that. I am sure the guys want to do well but sometimes it doesn’t come off.”Cameron Green reached his century in just 47 balls•BCCIGreen: ‘Thinking was to just win and put pressure on RCB’Cameron Green, who starred with an unbeaten 100 off 47 balls, also said that they were not thinking about the NRR situation. “Our intention was to win the game,” he said. “We were not going to chase down a total in the seventh over or anything to try to boost our net run rate. The thinking was to just win and put pressure on RCB.”Earlier, Green, who came in at No. 3, and Rohit added 128 in 10.2 overs for the second wicket. Talking about the partnership, Green said: “It was absolutely awesome being out there with Rohit. We helped each other through that. Chasing 200 you got to show intent at the top. I was trying to smack the spinners and he was batting beautifully against pace bowlers.”With me and Rohit batting, it’s awesome knowing you have got SKY [Suryakumar Yadav] after you. Watching those guys in the nets and then you have got Polly [Kieron Pollard] to help with range hitting. That’s a pretty good setup we have got.”Green smashed eight fours and eight sixes in his unbeaten innings. However, towards the end, with Green on 99 and Mumbai needing just one to win, he and Suryakumar refused to take a bye. On the next ball, Green hit the winning single to bring up his hundred.”When we had 20 to get, I just said to SKY, just finish it,” Green said. “We’ve obviously come here to win the game firstly, so make sure you do that. Then we had a couple of runs left, we just trickled over the line.”Green has spent the best part of the last four months in India, as part of the touring Australians for the Tests as well as the ODIs first, and now at the IPL. He said that playing in the subcontinent was “valuable” as prep for the upcoming ODI World Cup which will be held in India.”Getting exposed any time you can to subcontinent conditions – as an Australian you are not really used to how low the ball skids at times, how much it spins at times – any experience you get over here is so valuable for us who bat in pretty different conditions,” he said. “The past three and a half months I have had here is so valuable and hopefully holds me in good stead coming here again and I can pass it over to other guys who come over.”

Opening batter Dimuth Karunaratne has been recalled to Sri Lanka’s ODI squad, more than two years after he last played a 50-over game in international cricket. Also returning is fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera, who had missed the New Zealand tour in March 2023 after undergoing ankle surgery.Legspinning allrounder Dushan Hemantha is the only uncapped player in the 16-man squad to face Afghanistan in three ODIs, starting on Friday. There was no room for left-arm spinning allrounder Dunith Wellalage however, while wicketkeeper Kusal Perera is out with a hamstring injury.Karunaratne’s presence is an indication that the selectors are once again set to fall back on his experience in a World Cup year, after he’d led Sri Lanka in the 2019 edition. They had also recalled Angelo Mathews earlier in the year, and have consistently had Dhananjaya de Silva in the middle order as well. Karunaratne may be poised to open alongside Pathum Nissanka. Nuwanidu Fernando, who had opened the batting in New Zealand, was not picked for this series.Related

• The Pathirana question, Afghanistan's rustiness, the spin battle, and more

• Malinga on Pathirana: 'I somehow want to make this guy even better than me'

Hemantha, 29, is something of a surprise selection. He had not been especially impressive with the bat in this year’s National Super League – Sri Lanka’s most competitive List A tournament. But he had been good with the ball, taking 13 wickets at an average of 23.61 across eight matches. It is possible he is there as cover for Wanindu Hasaranga, who is “currently undergoing rehabilitation for a foot injury” according the Sri Lanka Criket release. The only other frontline spinner in the squad is Maheesh Theekshana.The seam attack appears especially strong after the return of Chameera, with Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha, and Matheesha Pathirana in the squad. Pathirana is fresh from a strong showing as an impact player in the IPL, but has never played an ODI. Allrounder Chamika Karunaratne is another seam-bowling option.The batting line-up is fairly predictable. Kusal Mendis likely to take the gloves and bat at No. 3, with the likes of Charith Asalanka, Mathews, and de Silva to make up the middle order. Sadeera Samarawickrama, who recently made a maiden Test hundred against Ireland, has been picked for these matches as well, though he’s not played an ODI since 2019.Each of the three matches will be played at Hambantota. For Afghanistan, it will be part of their lead-up to the World Cup, having already qualified for the marquee event. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, are yet to seal their place. They must play the qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe next month; these matches will serve as preparation.Sri Lanka ODI squad: Dasun Shanaka (capt.), Kusal Mendis (wk), Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushan Hemantha, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lahiru Kumara, Dushmantha Chameera, Kasun Rajitha, Matheesha Pathirana, Maheesh Theekshana

Essex seamer will be hoping to seize his chance after lengthy wait for recognition

Andrew Miller02-May-2025It’s worth noting that Sam Cook is only 27, because – given the narrative that has pursued him throughout his remarkable county career – you’d be forgiven for assuming he was at least four years older.Cook has been worthy of an England call-up since at least 2019, when – aged 22 – his 32 wickets at 21.03 helped propel Essex to their second County Championship title in three years. And with every season since, his skill has been honed like his focus on the top of off stump, to the extent that when he claimed his 300th first-class wicket for Essex against Nottinghamshire last month, he did so with an average of less than 19.And yet, the more those wickets piled up, the further from the Test conversation Cook seemed to get. It was as if his success, achieved without express pace or cloud-snagging height, doomed him to membership of that sub-genre of county seamers dominated by David Masters and Alan Richardson, rather than earning him the sort of plaudits reserved for Chris “Wizard” Woakes, the man whose absence has finally created the conditions for his call-up.Related

• Jordan Cox recalled to England Test squad for Zimbabwe

• Cook rested by Essex as prospect of England Test debut grows

• Stone ruled out for 14 weeks after undergoing knee surgery

The nadir was arguably reached after the 2021-22 Ashes, when the folly of taking a platoon of English right-arm medium-pacers to Australia – Mark Wood being the honourable exception – was exposed by a second 4-0 series thumping in as many trips. Pace in abundance, and failing that, genuine points of difference, such as Josh Hull’s left-arm angle and beanpole release point, became the requisites for selection.But, as Luke Wright, the national selector, explained on Friday after Cook’s maiden call-up to the Test squad, genuine skill can be a point of difference in itself, when it comes to creating the sort of “complementary attack” that England will need to compete across ten defining Tests against India and Australia this year.”He’s performed outstandingly well, consistently,” Wright said. “We’ve obviously made no bones about looking to add some pace into the attack and, yes, at 85-86mph, he’s not up there which is fine. What he has got is incredible skill.”The thing I like about Cooky is he’s not just a swing bowler. He swings and seams the ball as well, and he’s actually a bigger lad than some people realize. He gets bounce. He’s obviously known for his accuracy, but you speak to any top-order batters around county cricket, he’s the one that everyone fears the most.”And so now, unless Brendon McCullum has other ideas for his final XI, that chance will now come against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge, the venue where Cook produced arguably the defining performance of his career to date.Against Nottinghamshire in early April last year, in the same round of Championship fixtures in which Sam Northeast made 334 not out at Lord’s, Cook manipulated the Kookaburra ball with an aplomb that no other bowler in the country could match. He served up a decisive 10-wicket haul, including 6 for 14 in a crushing second-innings display, at which point the pigeonholing ceased.

“He’s non-stop done everything that’s been asked of him, including with the Kookaburra ball when he’s gone to Sri Lanka or Australia on the A tour. He’s kept getting performances and knocking that door down. He’s been outstanding”Luke Wright on Sam Cook

His selection for this winter’s Lions tour of Australia was a case in point. Four years earlier, and despite a season’s haul of 58 wickets at 14.43, including a stunning 10 for 41 as Northamptonshire were beaten in barely more than a day at Chelmsford, Cook had been a notable absentee from that trip Down Under, and even when he was belatedly sent an invite, he alone of the uncapped seamers in England’s shadow Ashes squad was omitted from the unofficial Test against Australia A.This time, on the other hand, he was front and centre of the action, claiming a creditable 3 for 58 in 21 overs of a match that was ultimately ruined by the Lions’ first-innings batting. Before that, however, he trapped Australia A’s opener, Tim Ward, lbw for 0 with the fifth ball of the match, thereby proving instantly that his wicket-to-wicket methods could yet have a role beyond this home summer.”He’s non-stop done everything that’s been asked of him,” Wright said, “including with the Kookaburra ball when he’s gone to Sri Lanka or Australia on the A tour. He’s kept getting performances and knocking that door down. He’s been outstanding. So yes, he’s had to be patient, but there’ve been some fine bowlers ahead of him as well. So I’m delighted for him, and I’m sure he’s hoping to get the opportunity in that XI and take it with both hands.”It is true that circumstances have stacked up to offer Cook this opportunity. The enforced retirement of James Anderson was one aspect, given that his lock on the role of low-80s mph skill merchant had allowed no room for others to take on that mantle. And that, to a certain extent, included Woakes – himself now 36 – whose wiles would have been called upon to lead the line this summer had he not been missing from action since the SA20 in January.But there’s been loyalty and perseverance at play from Cook himself too. He could have taken the franchise shilling this winter gone, with offers on the table from at least three competitions around the world. But instead, with his lines of communication with the England hierarchy open – including with Wright and Rob Key the managing director – he committed himself to Lions availability and is now reaping the rewards of that faith.Cook has had to bide his time despite his county success•Getty Images”From my point of view, it’s been two years of working with Cooky that we’ve spoken regularly,” Wright said. “He reached out as soon as any other bowler got picked, and we’ve kept that dialogue going, explaining what our thinking was.”I know Rob Key’s spoken a lot at length about having a complementary attack. Before him, we had Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad there. Then he’s had Woakesy and then Pottsy [Matthew Potts].”But we spoke to him at the end of the summer, because we knew we had that Lions trip to Australia. I said to him, I’d love him to go and keep pushing his case, but it was a tough decision for anyone.”He’d already lined up some franchise cricket but, fair play to him, he rang me back a few days later and said, ‘Look, England’s my number one. I’ll give up the franchise, and I want to try and do everything I can’. He came away to that Australia trip and performed well again, and I’m delighted for him that he’s going to get an opportunity.”His selection will also be a boost for the often-beleaguered county circuit, especially in light of England’s recent left-field thinking, most specifically the fast-tracking of Shoaib Bashir and Hull on the strength of their “high ceilings”.He will approach the crease from a significantly lower trajectory than either, but as the likes of Vernon Philander and Mohammad Abbas have amply shown in recent years, there can always be a role for relentless accuracy, allied to high skill and a perfect seam presentation.And even if Cook will hear the thunder in the distance, as England’s absentee 90mph fast bowlers begin to be drip-fed back into narrative ahead of Australia – among them Wood, Brydon Carse and maybe even Jofra Archer during the Lions matches against India in June – there’s the small matter of five Tests against India on home soil to factor in first.This, after all, was perhaps the key mistake made by England in the lead-up to the last Ashes in 2021-22. The failure to focus on the contest at hand back then bled directly into their shortcomings Down Under. Winning the here-and-now will suffice for Cook. He’s waited long enough to be given that chance to do so.

Stand-in captain Jake Libby notches another fifty but injury-hit Derbyshire land their punches

ECB Reporters Network25-Jun-2023

Anuj Dal again enjoyed himself at Worcestershire’s expense as bottom-placed Derbyshire put their injury problems in the bowling department behind them to bring about a collapse by the home side on day one of the LV=Insurance County Championship encounter at New Road.Dal had scored a hundred and a fifty plus picking up a five-for in the corresponding fixture in 2022 after scoring a century in the match between the teams at the Incora County Ground. He continued in that vein by returning figures of 18.3-5-45-5 as Worcestershire, who were 105 for 1 at one stage, were dismissed for 237 in 83.3 overs.The Peakites were without frontline bowlers Saranga Lakmal, Zak Chappell and Sam Conners and in addition Ben Aitchison limped off after being unable to complete an over. But Derbyshire, who signed Surrey’s Conor McKerr on loan for a third spell at the club, stuck to their task against a Worcestershire side who themselves had fitness problems.Club Captain Brett D’Oliveira, Jack Haynes and Kashif Ali were all ruled out and it meant handing a debut to rookie pro Rehaan Edavalath in addition to India pace bowler Navdeep Saini.Stand-in skipper Jake Libby continued his rich vein of form by top-scoring with 78 to take his run tally to 373 in his last three knocks. But only fellow opener Gareth Roderick and Adam Hose offered him much substantial support.Saini, who played for Kent in the Championship last summer, struck with his first delivery to dismiss Harry Came and Derbyshire ended on 32 for 2 after losing Luis Reece to the final delivery of the day from Dillon Pennington.Libby opted to bat after winning the toss and he and Roderick scored freely against the Kookaburra ball which is being used during the next two rounds of Championship matches.They completed their third successive half-century stand since joining forces at the top of the order in the previous Championship game against Sussex. The partnership was worth 70 when Roderick was bowled through the gate by Aitchison with a delivery that nipped back.The game started to swing in Derbyshire’s favour once Azhar Ali was dismissed to the final delivery before lunch when he drove at Dal and was caught at slip.Edavalath came out for his maiden innings at the start of the afternoon session but lasted only three balls before he missed a straight delivery from Dal and was lbw for nought.Libby completed an excellent half century from 106 balls with a push through the covers for two off Dal who bowled a probing 10 over spell either side of lunch of 10-2-32-2.Hose has been in prime form in Championship and T20 cricket and he again looked in good touch and helped Libby add 54 in untroubled fashion. But Hose edged Nick Potts to slip and Libby’s fine knock was brought to an end by Dal with keeper Brooke Guest holding onto the chance. Libby has now scored 614 first class runs this summer, the third highest figure on Division Two.Ed Pollock, recalled to the Championship side, got his head down but was dismissed to the last ball before tea when he shouldered arms to Dal and was bowled.Matthew Waite showed positive after the interval, striking Aitchison for three boundaries in the first over to bring up the 200. But he was bowled on 19 by a delivery from McKerr which nipped back a long way.Joe Leach clipped McKerr tamely into the hands of mid wicket and Josh Baker pushed forward to Luis Reece and was bowled. Dal completed his five-for by shattering Pennington’s stumps.Saini made the perfect start as Came offered no shot to a delivery angled into him and was bowled and then Reece edged the final delivery of the day from Pennington to first slip.

Titans have five Tamil Nadu players – Sai Sudharsan, Sai Kishore, Vijay Shankar, Shahrukh Khan and Sandeep Warrier – but CSK have none

Deivarayan Muthu25-Mar-20242:17

‘Mohit one of the best bowlers when the ball is wet’

Match detailsChennai Super Kings (CSK) vs Gujarat Titans (GT)
Chennai, 1930 IST (1400 GMT)Big picture: Gaikwad vs GillWhen Chennai Super Kings ran into Gujarat Titans in a bizarre three-day rain-hit final in IPL 2023, MS Dhoni and Hardik Pandya were in charge of the teams, respectively. Shubman Gill took over Titans’ captaincy after Hardik had moved back to Mumbai Indians in what is arguably the biggest player trade in IPL history.Then, on the eve of the IPL season-opener, Ruturaj Gaikwad was announced as CSK’s new captain. Gill’s expression at the captains’ conference was roughly how most of Chennai reacted to Dhoni handing over the captaincy to Gaikwad. Gill and Gaikwad, the most inexperienced Indian captains in the IPL, will now face each other at Chepauk on Tuesday.Gill and Gaikwad have already grabbed the headlines with their captaincy. After Titans snatched victory from Mumbai Indians’ grasp in Ahmedabad on Sunday, their debutant Spencer Johnson talked up Gill’s leadership, saying the captain sat alongside him on the bus to help calm his nerves in the lead-up to the game. As for Gaikwad, he rifled through fielding changes in his first game as IPL captain, and one such change, which involved extra-cover moving to sweeper cover, brought CSK their first wicket.Related

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The other interesting subplot in this game is the Chennai boys vs Chennai Super Kings. Titans have as many as five Tamil Nadu players in their side – Sai Sudharsan, Sai Kishore, Vijay Shankar, Shahrukh Khan and Sandeep Warrier. Among the quintet, Sudharsan, Kishore and Vijay are set to slot into Titans’ XI or XII (accounting for the Impact Player). Sudharsan, Kishore and Vijay all have been part of CSK or Junior Super Kings, their grassroots programme. And back in the day, Shahrukh used to be a ball boy at Chepauk for IPL matches. In contrast, CSK don’t have a single local player in their main squad.At his pre-match press conference, CSK coach Stephen Fleming was even asked if this would be a “home game” for Titans. “A few of the players will be at home in terms of conditions,” Fleming responded. “But yeah, it’s hard to say.”Sai Sudharsan should start if Gujarat Titans bat first•BCCITeam news: Pathirana links up with CSKSri Lanka’s death-bowling specialist Matheesha Pathirana has joined CSK’s squad in Chennai, but it remains to be seen if he will be rushed into action after having suffered a hamstring injury. Mustafizur Rahman, who marked his CSK debut with four wickets in a space of ten balls in the season-opener, could keep his place in the team ahead of Pathirana.Toss and Impact Player strategyIf CSK bat first, Shivam Dube should start, with Mustafizur coming in as an Impact Player in the second innings. It could be vice-versa if CSK bowl first.Chennai Super Kings
Possible bat-first XI: 1 Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), 2 Rachin Ravindra, 3 Ajinkya Rahane, 4 Daryl Mitchell, , 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Sameer Rizvi, 8 MS Dhoni (wk), 9 Deepak Chahar, 10 Maheesh Theekshana, 11 Tushar DeshpandePossible bowl-first XI: 1 Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), 2 Rachin Ravindra, 3 Ajinkya Rahane, 4 Daryl Mitchell, 5 Ravindra Jadeja, 6 Sameer Rizvi, 7 MS Dhoni (wk), 8 Deepak Chahar, 9 Maheesh Theekshana, 10 Tushar Deshpande, Gujarat Titans
Having won their first match of the season, Titans might persist with the same XI and Impact Player strategy. Sudharsan should start if they bat first, and could be replaced by Mohit Sharma or one of the bowlers. And it could be vice-versa if Titans bowl first.Possible bat-first XI: 1 Shubman Gill (capt), 2 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), , 4 Azmatullah Omarzai, 5 Vijay Shankar, 6 David Miller, 7 Rahul Tewatia, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Umesh Yadav, 10 R Sai Kishore, 11 Spencer JohnsonPossible bowl-first XI: 1 Shubman Gill (capt), 2 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 3 Azmatullah Omarzai, 4 Vijay Shankar, 5 David Miller, 6 Rahul Tewatia, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 Umesh Yadav, 9 R Sai Kishore, 10 Spencer Johnson, MS Dhoni has hit Umesh Yadav for 68 runs off 38 balls in seven IPL innings•BCCIStats that matter
Gaikwad has a strong head-to-head record against Rashid Khan in the IPL: 95 runs off 60 balls in seven innings at an average of 47.5, and a strike rate of 158.3. Only Sanju Samson (111) has scored more runs than Gaikwad against Rashid in the IPL. Ajinkya Rahane’s first-ten balls strike-rate since the start of IPL 2023 is 158.3. In comparison, his first-ten balls strike-rate between 2018 and 2020 was just 85.1. Dhoni has hit Umesh Yadav for 68 runs off 38 balls in seven IPL innings with just one dismissal at a strike-rate of nearly 180. Since IPL 2023, Titans’ seamers have taken 25 wickets in the powerplay at an economy rate of 8.35. No other team has picked up more wickets in the first six overs during this period. Azmatullah Omarzai, a genuine swing bowler from Afghanistan, has strengthened Titans even further in this area.Pitch and conditions
The Chepauk pitch that was used on Friday was an atypical one, with not much turn on offer for the spinners. Instead, the ball slid on to the bat nicely, especially in the early exchanges. Believe it or not, CSK’s spinners didn’t take a single wicket in the season-opener. It was only the second instance of CSK’s spinners going wicketless at Chepauk since May 2015.”If you’ve noticed my comments over the last couple of seasons, we’ve been guessing a little bit about the wicket as well,” Fleming said. “But it looks pretty good [today].”

Kyle Walker-Peters is poised to join West Ham United on a free transfer following a dramatic breakdown in talks with Ole Gunner Solskjaer's Besiktas. The 28-year-old defender had been in advanced talks with the Istanbul-based side after his contract with Southampton expired, but the move collapsed in controversial fashion after the defender requested additional time to evaluate his future, a gesture that did not sit well with Besiktas.

• Besiktas pulled plug after Walker-Peters delayed medical
• Full-back set to join Hammers
• Three-year deal on the table

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  With the door now firmly closed in Turkey, West Ham quickly reignited their long-standing interest in Walker-Peters. Pending a successful medical and final documentation, the former Southampton right-back is expected to sign a contract that will keep him at the club until the summer of 2028, as reported by the

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  Walker-Peters' arrival comes at a crucial time as the club looks to rebuild its defensive line following the departures of long-serving full-backs Vladimir Coufal and Aaron Cresswell. His ability to play on both flanks and Premier League experience make him a valuable addition to a squad looking to bounce back from a disappointing campaign that saw them finish 14th in the league standings.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Walker-Peters’ career began at Tottenham Hotspur but it was at Southampton where he truly established himself as a first-team regular. After an initial loan spell on the south coast, the defender made his move permanent in 2020 and went on to make 202 appearances for the Saints, finding the net six times across all competitions.

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  Walker-Peters’ impending arrival is part of a broader reshaping of West Ham’s defence. Earlier this week, the club finalised the £19 million signing of Senegalese centre-back El Hadji Malick Diouf from Slavia Prague. In addition, they have confirmed French defender Jean-Clair Todibo will remain at the club permanently following a successful loan spell. These additions reflect West Ham’s determination to address their defensive gaps, which leaked 62 goals, the most by a club which managed to stay afloat in the English top-flight.

Marcus Rashford has officially swapped Manchester for Barcelona and while the deal represents a significant opportunity for the player to rediscover his best form, club legend Rivaldo has poured cold water on any suggestions that the English forward will walk into the starting XI, particularly at the expense of Raphinha. Rashford has moved on a one-year loan deal and the Spanish giants retain the option to make the deal permanent next summer for a fee of £30 million.

Rashford has joined Barca on loanFaces stiff competition for starting spotMight have to wait for his opportunity to shineFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Barcelona have agreed to cover the entirety of Rashford’s wages, underlining their belief in the England international. However, the forward will face stiff competition for a starting berth as Hansi Flick has a tailor-made front three of Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal to power his attack.

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Raphinha enjoyed an extraordinary 2024-25 season, producing an astonishing 34 goals and 25 assists, firmly cementing his place as one of the best players in the world. Hence, Rivaldo believes his compatriot remains untouchable in the current squad hierarchy.

WHAT RIVALDO SAID

Speaking candidly about the potential internal competition Rashford will face, Rivaldo told "When a player leaves a club in a tough situation, like he did, and joins a team like Barcelona, it’s only natural that the coach will use training sessions and the first few matches to get a better look at him. Barcelona had a great season last year, so it’s normal for him to start off on the bench. I believe that little by little, he’ll find his rhythm, start to understand how the manager wants the team to play, get used to the training routines, and gradually settle in. Over time, he’ll earn his spot.

"I think that’s highly unlikely that Rashford will take Raphinha’s spot, especially after the season Raphinha had last year. In my view, Raphinha is currently among the top five players in the world. Right now, he’s an undisputed starter at Barça and already a club icon. Everyone, the players, the coaching staff, the whole club rates him very highly. What he did last season was outstanding, so without a doubt, that position is his."

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While Rivaldo acknowledges Rashford’s talent and the potential impact he could make, he emphasised that new arrivals must go through a process of adaptation, particularly at a club with high expectations and a well-established core.

"Of course, it’s always good to have top-quality players around you. So yes, there will be competition, but I don’t think Rashford is going to take Raphinha’s place," he again insisted.

"Other opportunities will arise, and with training, the manager will likely find a way to fit them both into the team. But for me, Raphinha is a nailed-on starter. I don’t see any chance of him being dropped from Barça’s starting line-up."

RCB are coming off a morale-boosting win against Sunrisers, but they still have a lot to do if they’re to make the playoffs

Sruthi Ravindranath27-Apr-2024

Match detailsGujarat Titans vs Royal Challengers BengaluruAhmedabad, 3.30pm IST (10am GMT)Big PictureGujarat Titans’ season so far has been a mixed bag. In the last game, against Delhi Capitals, their tactics were questionable: Sandeep Warrier, their best bowler of the day, ended up bowling just three overs, while left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore, coming off 4 for 33 against Punjab Kings, was introduced as late as the 19th over where he was taken for 22 runs.On Sunday, they will return to their home base and will also hope to get their tactics right, just like they did in their previous afternoon game at the venue. In that match, against Sunrisers Hyderabad, having assessed that the conditions slowed down considerably once the ball got softer, GT brought in legspinner Rashid Khan and left-arm wristspinner Noor Ahmed, and then Mohit Sharma – who bowled 13 cutters out of 24 balls on the day – between overs 7 to 14. Three big wickets fell and only 53 runs were conceded during that phase.RCB, who have just one left-hand batter in their top seven, can expect a trial by spin. Apart from Rashid and Noor, GT also have the option to introduce Sai Kishore in the powerplay to provide the squeeze upfront against Virat Kohli, who has struck at just 123.57 against spinners as opposed to 161.62 against fast bowlers.Related

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It's too many runs, somebody make it stop

But in Rajat Patidar, RCB have a batter who has not only been in fine form, but has also struck at 225 against spinners this season. RCB are also coming off a confidence-boosting win against Sunrisers, where their spinners Karn Sharma and Swapnil Singh made a significant impact.GT will also be looking to improve their powerplay game with the bat: their run rate in the phase is just 8.1, the second-lowest among all teams this season. The slow starts from the top three of Wriddhiman Saha, Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan has put the middle order – which has several big-hitters – under pressure to make up.Form GuideGujarat Titans LWLWL
Royal Challengers Bangalore WLLLLTeam news and impact player strategyGujarat TitansGT brought Sai Sudharsan in for Sandeep Warrier as the Impact Player in the last match; if they bat first, they are likely to do the opposite. Azmatullah Omarzai has not had great returns with the bat or ball in six matches so far, and with enough bowling options in their side, will they look to slot Kane Williamson in at No. 4?Gujarat Titans XII: 1 Shubman Gill (capt), 2 Wriddhiman Saha, 3 Sai Sudharsan 4. Azmatullah Omarzai/ Kane Williamson, 5 David Miller, 6 Shahrukh Khan, 7 Rahul Tewatia, 8 R Sai Kishore, 9 Rashid Khan, 10 Noor Ahmad, 11 Mohit Sharma, 12 Sandeep Warrier.Royal Challengers BengaluruRCB swapped in left-arm spinner Swapnil Singh as the Impact Player for Rajat Patidar in the second half of the game against SRH, and the move paid dividends. Swapnil removed Aiden Markram and the dangerous Heinrich Klaasen in a double-wicket over and gave RCB the upper hand. The visitors are unlikely to change their line-up barring any injury concern.RCB XII: 1 Virat Kohli, 2 Faf du Plessis (capt), 3 Will Jacks, 4 Rajat Patidar, 5 Cameron Green, 6 Dinesh Karthik, (wk) 7 Mahipal Lomror, 8 Karn Sharma, 9 Swapnil Singh, 10 Lockie Ferguson, 11 Mohammed Siraj, 12 Yash DayalRashid Khan has a great record in T20s against RCB’s key batters•BCCI

In the spotlightShubman Gill has not been his consistent best this season: he’s coming into this game with scores of 6, 35 and 8. His slow starts have also hurt GT’s run rate in the powerplay. But with GT returning to their home base, which also happens to be one of Gill’s most favourite places to score, will he be able to get his side off to a strong start? He has an average of over 64, scoring 833 runs in just 16 games, in the IPL at this venue.Virat Kohli scored a 43-ball 51 against SRH, his third half-century of the season, but it was an innings of two halves. Having raced away to 23 in his first 11 balls, he took 32 deliveries to score the next 28 runs, struggling against left-arm spinner Shahbaz Ahmed as well as the left-arm seam pair of Jaydev Unadkat and Natarajan who bowled an assortment of slower balls. In this year’s IPL, Kohli has struck at 155 with 35 boundaries in the powerplay, but only strikes at 123 in the middle overs hitting just 13 boundaries. GT will look to exploit this by introducing spin early against Kohli, who has a strike rate of under 140 against each of Rashid, Sai Kishore and Noor.Pitch and conditionsPlayers will be bracing for a hot afternoon with a peak of 40C.In the last outing at the venue, GT suffered a massive defeat, folding for 89, which Delhi Capitals then chased down within nine overs.In the previous afternoon game in Ahmedabad, GT bowlers combined to restrict SRH to 162 for 8, which the hosts then chased down with five balls remaining.Stats that matter Rashid has a great record against RCB’s three key batters in T20s. He has dismissed Kohli twice in eight meetings, while Faf du Plessis and Dinesh Karthik have fallen to him three times in nine and eight meetings respectively. RCB have conceded over 60 in the powerplay in six of their nine games this IPL so far. While Saha has fallen to Mohammed Siraj three times in six meetings, Gill has a strike rate of 159 against the RCB pacerQuotes”I love to play fast bowling as well. I’m a top-order batsman, so I love [playing] both fast bowling and spinners. We have played a lot of domestic cricket on turning surfaces, so I think I have the ability to handle the spinners.”

Three balls into his fifth over, he felt pain in his left side and immediately headed off the ground

Alex Malcolm06-Feb-2024Australia quick Lance Morris suffered a left side strain during the third ODI against West Indies in Canberra, leaving him in doubt to tour New Zealand with the Test squad later this month.Morris had taken his first two ODI wickets in a fiery spell to leave West Indies in tatters, before they were eventually bowled out for 86. But three balls into the fifth over of his first spell, having claimed 2 for 13 with a maiden, he felt pain in his left side, and immediately grabbed his cap and headed off the ground to get assessed.Cricket Australia confirmed shortly after that Morris had suffered a left side strain, and would head for a scan at some stage to determine the extent of the injury.Related

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“He just said he had a bit of pain in the side and was struggling a bit, so he’ll get a scan in the next 12 to 24 hours and we’ll know more then,” captain Steven Smith said. “He was probably a little bit nervous the other day making his debut, but he was starting to get some nice rhythm.”He’s been great around the group, for over a year now he’s been there or thereabouts and it’s great to see him get a couple of games in.”It leaves Morris in doubt for the two Tests against New Zealand, the first of which starts in Wellington on February 29, although there was a chance Morris would not be required despite travelling with the Test team through the early part of the Australian summer.Morris is yet to make his Test debut but was carefully managed through the early part of the home season to be fit for the Pakistan Test series. However, he was not required to play, as Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood played all five Tests against both Pakistan and West Indies without issue.Morris’ injury comes after Australia’s other back-up Test paceman Scott Boland suffered knee soreness during Victoria’s Sheffield Shield match against South Australia at the Junction Oval in Melbourne this week, although he was able to bowl in the second innings after getting assessed.Australia are expected to name their Test squad for the New Zealand series later this week.

England A captain shows class in run chase after Sparks recover from slow start

ECB Reporters Network01-May-2024A high-class century from Grace Scrivens ensured that Sunrisers continued their strong start to the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy season with a five-wicket victory over Central Sparks at Kidderminster.Put in, Sparks lost both openers for ducks and recovered only partially to post a moderate 213 all out thanks principally to Abi Freeborn’s accomplished 93. Only Freeborn stayed long enough against a disciplined attack led by openers Kate Coppack (3 for 26) and Nicola Hancock (3 for 34).It looked a under-par total on a decent batting pitch and Scrivens navigated Sunrisers’ pursuit of it to perfection, with a stroke-laden unbeaten 118 off 123 balls to take her side to 214 for 5 with 10.2 overs to spare.A third win from four games strengthened Sunrisers’ place among the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy front-runners but Central Sparks need to reboot after following their opening-round win with three successive defeats.Abi Freeborn scored 93•Getty Images”It was great to get another bonus-point win,” Scrivens said. “I’m feeling nice at the moment and when you are feeling nice you have to cash in. I was just happy I did that today and helped get us over the line.”I thought we kept them to a total which was a little bit below par. We bowled well up top to take some wickets and then bowled well through the middle too. Sometimes you can let things drift when you don’t take wickets but we stuck at it really well and it was nice to restrict Freeborn to the mid-nineties when she was in and set.”Sparks captain Eve Jones endured a bracing start to the day: at 10am, she lost the toss. At 10.30am, she edged the first ball of the match, an absolute beauty from Coppack, to wicketkeeper Amara Carr.When Chloe Brewer edged Coppack behind, both Sparks openers had departed without scoring and debutant Courtney Webb walked in to bat with the score at 1 for 2. The pressure on the batters remained high – Coppack opened with 5-2-8-2 and Hancock 5-1-6-0 – but Freeborn and Webb withstood it to add 67 in 20 overs before the latter miscued a straight hit and was caught by Scrivens in front of the sightscreen.Freeborn completed her second half-century of the season from 99 balls but partners continued to come and go as Davina Perrin and Katie George sent up catches in successive overs from Jo Gardner.Freeborn had her good fortune – on 69 she should have been out twice to the same ball from Gardner, stumped at one end then run out at the other as she tried to scramble a bye – but batted with selective assertion. The 27-year-old struck 12 fours and was seven short of emulating her century against Sunrisers last season when she top-edged a pull and fell to a fantastic diving catch by Mady Villiers.Related

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Bethan Ellis offered some impetus with a 35-ball 31 which included the only six of the innings, but Coppack and Hancock returned to lop off the tail, supported by more excellent catching.When Sunrisers replied, the catching bar was raised still further by George’s brilliant, one-handed grab at second slip off Grace Potts as Ariana Dowse became the third opening batter in the day to bag a duck.The fourth opener filled her boots though. Reprieved on 22 when wicketkeeper Freeborn grassed a tough chance from an edge off Grace Potts, Scrivens played with the freedom and confidence of a batter in top form. She reached 50 from 53 balls and celebrated by lifting Ria Fackrell over long-on for six.Scrivens and Cordelia Griffith (37) added 110 in 19 overs before Fackrell struck twice to retain a Sparks toe-hold in the game. Griffith belted a full toss straight to a fielder and Jodi Grewcock fell lbw, sweeping. When George took another fine catch, at midwicket off Ellis, to end Villiers’ counter-attack, it was 149 for 4 and Sparks had a glimmer of opportunity.That glimmer was emphatically extinguished by Scrivens and Carr (26), the former reaching her century from 108 balls in a victory-clinching fifth-wicket partnership of 59 in nine overs.