All posts by h716a5.icu

Fast bowler Kesrick Williams has been called into the West Indies T20 squad for the three-match series against Pakistan beginning on September 23 in Dubai as a replacement for allrounder Andre Russell

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Sep-2016Fast bowler Kesrick Williams has been called into the West Indies T20 squad for the three-match series against Pakistan beginning on September 23 in Dubai as a replacement for allrounder Andre Russell. According to a release sent out by the West Indies Cricket Board, Russell “asked to withdraw from the series to attend to a personal matter”.West Indies T20 squad

Carlos Brathwaite (capt), Samuel Badree, Dwayne Bravo, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Jason Holder, Evin Lewis, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Nicholas Pooran, Rovman Powell, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor, Chadwick Walton, Kesrick Williams
In: Kesrick Williams
Out: Andre Russell

Despite playing just nine first-class games and six List A matches in his career, the last of which came in 2014, Williams emerged as a consistent threat in this year’s Caribbean Premier League, playing for the champions Jamaica Tallawahs. Williams, 26, was a bargain after being drafted in the 13th round for a price of just $5000 before going on to finish third overall with 17 wickets in the competition behind only Sohail Tanvir and Dwayne Bravo.Russell was set to face a Jamaican Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) on September 19 and 20 for allegedly missing three tests but it is not known if this is the reason for his decision to withdraw from the Pakistan series.Russell, 28, has been a leading player in the T20 format in recent times. He played a crucial role in West Indies winning the 2016 World T20 title in March and April, and is a key performer in domestic leagues around the world. Russell was part of winning campaigns for Sydney Thunder in the 2015-16 Big Bash League, for Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League in February, and Jamaica Tallawahs in the CPL in August.

Centuries from Nic Maddinson and Kutis Patterson set up a thrilling one-run win for Australia A in a run fest against India A at the Ray Mitchell Oval on Tuesday

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Aug-2016
Scorecard0:47

‘Managed my innings well today’ – Nic Maddinson

Centuries from Nic Maddinson and Kurtis Patterson helped set up a thrilling one-run win for Australia A in a run fest in the Quadrangular series match against India A on Tuesday. Australia A defended a total of 322 by one run to climb to the top of the table and set up a clash in the final with India A, who had qualified earlier.India A captain Manish Pandey’s decision to field backfired quickly as Maddinson (118) and Patterson (115), who struck his maiden List A century, powered Australia A. Pandey fought valiantly through a century of his own, but his 110, the highest of his List A career, and half-centuries from Sanju Samson (87) and Mandeep Singh (56) were not enough as India A were kept to 321 for 8 after 50 overs, losing two wickets off the last two balls of the match.India A got an early advantage after putting Australia A in, as Shardul Thakur trapped Marcus Stoinis lbw in the fifth over with just 16 on the board. That advantage was short-lived, however, as Patterson and Maddinson came together, and the fielding side had to wait another 35.1 overs for a breakthrough as they added 230 runs for the second wicket. The two fell within nine deliveries of each other, but by then, they had inflicted considerable damage. Patterson struck 16 fours in his 123-ball 115, while Maddinson’s 118 came at just over a run a ball, helped by nine fours and four sixes.India A did manage to make some late inroads after the duo’s dismissal, but brief contributions from the middle order and Cameron Bancroft’s unbeaten 14-ball 21 were enough to propel Australia A to a dominant position at the mid-innings interval.Of the seven bowlers India A used, the pacers found most success, with Thakur taking 2 for 50 in eight over, while Jaydev Unadkat, Hardik Pandya and Varun Aaron accounted for a batsman each.India A’s chase had to be all about a strong start, and Mandeep and Shreyas Iyer managed to do that. They rebuilt the innings and took the side to 68 for 1 after the early loss of Faiz Fazal for 12. Stoinis then struck with his medium-pace and had Iyer caught for 13 to end a second-wicket stand of 43. Mandeep and Kedar Jadhav, the latter Man of the Match in India A’s previous game, added 44 for the third wicket, but both perished in the space of four overs to Cameron Boyce’s legspin. Jadhav’s wicket left India A with an equation of 179 runs to get off 23 overs.Pandey and Samson then turned the game on its head, adding 157 for the fifth wicket in just 118 balls. Pandey raised his century with a single at the end of the 44th over and India A went into the last five overs, needing 32 from 30 balls. Samson played an equally good supporting role in the partnership, bringing up his own fifty off 40 balls.Towards the end of the innings, however, India A choked. Pandey fell first, edging right-arm pacer Daniel Worrall to the wicketkeeper in the 47th over. He had scored 110 off 91 balls with 10 fours and three sixes. Two balls later, Hardik Pandya was run out for 2. Samson brought the equation down to three off two deliveries but was dismissed off the penultimate ball, caught by Stoinis off Kane Richardson for a 74-ball 87 that was studded with six fours and two sixes. Thereafter, a run-out of Thakur while attempting a second run off the final ball of the innings took a tie out of the equation and gave Australia four points.Australia’s bowlers shared the wickets equally. Worrall and Boyce took two each, although the latter proved to be very expensive, conceding 71 in 10 overs. Richardson and Stoinis took a wicket each.

Glasgow Rangers are close to “sealing a deal” for Los Angeles FC midfielder Jose Cifuentes, with those at Ibrox set to pay a “nominal” fee for his services.

What’s the latest Rangers transfer news involving Cifuentes?

Michael Beale has bolstered his midfield ranks with the addition of attacking midfielder Kieran Dowell, with a move being officially confirmed on Wednesday evening.

However, it looks as if further signing could be of interest with rumours of a move for Cifuentes emerging earlier this month.

Rangers reportedly made a “very strong” offer for the Ecuador midfielder and were thought to be close to a transfer last week. However, Beale came out and appeared to ease speculation, saying:

“It’s not very close. These things pick up speed and he’s a very good player but his contract runs till December and it’s quite a while until December. I haven’t seen any of his posts on social media.”

However, it does look as if a deal is on track to be completed, with The 4th Official saying on Twitter in the last 48 hours that a transfer is on track, with a “nominal” fee not set to be an issue.

“I can reveal that Jose Cifuentes is close to sealing a deal with Rangers with a transfer fee (set to be a nominal fee) not believed to be a stumbling block with LAFC.”

Who is Jose Cifuentes?

Cifuentes, who has won 15 caps for Ecuador, is 24 years of age and would offer plenty of versatility at Ibrox, should a move officially go through. Sponsored by Nike, he has made 111 appearances for his current employers, contributing to 33 goals in the process.

The midfielder can play in a defensive, central or attacking role, with Ecuador football expert Benedikt Duda describing Cifuentes as a “physical” player.

“Cifuentes is a no.8, who is physical and strong in defence with a tendency to get involved in the attack. There is a good reason he wears the no.11, and footballing-wise, he models himself after Paul Pogba.”

He appears to be at the top of his game with a career-high €12m Transfermarkt valuation, and as per WhoScored, Cifuentes has outperformed Rangers midfielders Ryan Jack, Glen Kamara, Scott Arfield, Scott Wright, Nicolas Raskin and Steven Davis this season, showing how he could be an upgrade in the middle of the park.

England Under-19s suffered their first home defeat for six years in a four-day match as an outstanding bowling performance by Lahiru Kumara fired Sri Lanka to a seven-wicket victory in Northampton

ECB Reporters Network05-Aug-2016
ScorecardLahiru Kumara claimed 11 wickets in the match for Sri Lanka•ECBEngland Under-19s suffered their first home defeat for six years in a four-day match as an outstanding bowling performance by Lahiru Kumara fired Sri Lanka to a seven-wicket victory in Northampton.Kumara, a well-built seamer from Kandy, claimed four more wickets as England could only manage 192 in their second innings. That completed match figures of 11 for 134, and left Sri Lanka needing only 94 for victory.They knocked them off for the loss of three wickets, two of them to Warwickshire seamer George Panayi, meaning they win the two-match series 1-0 after England enjoyed the better of a rain-affected draw in Cambridge last week.England’s last home four-day defeat had also come against Sri Lanka in Northampton in 2010, when a team including Joe Root and Jake Ball were beaten by 199 runs.They made a promising start on the third morning after resuming their second innings on 24 for 1, with Olly Westbury and George Hankins surviving a searching examination from Kumara and Jehan Daniel who both generated consistent and considerable in-swing to the right-handers.It was the introduction of spin which broke the stand as Hankins was lbw trying to sweep the slow-left-arm of Praveen Jayawickrama, ending a restrained innings of 20 from 70 balls from the Gloucestershire batsman.The next blow to England was self-inflicted as Westbury, the Worcestershire opener who made 196 in Cambridge and had compiled a patient 41 from 109 balls, was run out by a call for a quick single from George Bartlett.Next ball, Westbury’s Worcestershire team-mate Josh Dell became the first of two England batsmen to complete a pair, although he was unlucky to be brilliantly caught at silly point as he pushed forward to Jayawickrama.That left England on 89 for 4, still 10 runs behind. Bartlett, the Somerset batsman who also scored a century at Fenner’s, did his best to repair the damage by making 26, before edging a superb delivery from Kumara to third slip soon after lunch.Hampshire’s Josh McCoy completed England’s second pair when he was bowled by Kumara, but Surrey’s wicketkeeper Ollie Pope made a promising 23 from 31 balls until he was also trapped lbw by Jayawickrama.The Essex seamer Aaron Beard then joined Yorkshire’s Ed Barnes to put on 48 for the eighth wicket, the second highest stand of the innings. But Beard chipped a full toss from Sri Lanka’s captain Charith Asalanka to mid-off, and George Panayi edged the next ball to slip.Amar Virdi was the last man out, leaving Barnes unbeaten on 18. The Yorkshireman also claimed a wicket in Sri Lanka’s second innings, as Dilan Jayalath holed out to Bartlett on the square leg boundary, and Panayi briefly raised England’s hopes when he trapped Avishka Fernando lbw with his fourth ball.But Sri Lanka’s captain Charith Asalanka ensured there were no nerves in such a small chase by cracking 40 from 18 balls including two sixes, one of which soared over the signal box at Wantage Road and into the gardens of Clarke Road.England have the chance to hit back in a three-match Royal London One-Day Series which starts at Wormsley next Wednesday, and ends with a day-night game at the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence on Tuesday week which will be televised live by Sky Sports.

Rangers boss Michael Beale is not interested in signing Aris Thessaloniki star Luis Palma this summer, despite previous reports about a bid being made, according to The Daily Record.

Who is Luis Palma?

Palma currently plays for Greek side Aris, where he has impressed in a number of different positions this season, being utilised as a left-winger and at centre-forward, scoring 13 goals in all competitions.

The Honduras international has been heavily linked with a move to Ibrox, in light of his performances over in Greece, with it recently being reported a bid of £4.4m has been submitted by the Light Blues, and a deal was said to be close.

A recent update from Football Insider detailed that the race for the attacker's signature is hotting up, with the Gers pushing ahead with their plans to sign him, having conducted scouting missions throughout the 2022-23 campaign.

However, it now appears as though the 23-year-old may have to consider a move elsewhere, as the Daily Record report he is not on Rangers' or Beale's radar, despite the contradictory recent reports.

With Ryan Kent now expected to exit, the Light Blues are keen to bring in a new winger, however the report specifies it is more likely they target Swansea City's Morgan Whittaker, who they missed out on during the January transfer window.

A new striker is the immediate priority for Beale, and while Palma has proven himself in that position for Aris this season, he is no longer being targeted by the Gers.

Who will sign Luis Palma?

It is not just Rangers who have shown an interest in the Aris marksman, with the Greek club's sporting director, Robert Palikuca, confirming there has been interest "from American teams, who are very strong financially, as well as European teams".

The Honduran has been told he is allowed to leave this summer if his valuation is met, so it seems a little unusual that the Gers have seemingly dropped out of the race, given that the door is open to sign him.

Having been hailed as "outstanding" by members of the media, Palma is likely to be a success wherever he goes, and it is disappointing news that the Light Blues are no longer interested.

That said, Whittaker could be an excellent alternative option, given that he dazzled on loan at Plymouth Argyle this season, weighing in with 16 goal contributions across 25 matches.

Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani has submitted another offer to complete a full takeover of Manchester United, but it is still unclear who the Glazers will sell to, pundit Alex Crook has claimed.

What's the latest on Man United's takeover?

Recent reports indicated that Sir Jim Ratcliffe's consortium were the front-runners to buy the club from the Glazers, but this will have seen the current owners become minority shareholders, rather than completely removing them from the club.

However, Sheikh Jassim's consortium have launched another bid, which includes the promise of investment into club infrastructure and the local area, and the bid is for 100% ownership of the club.

Speaking on TalkSPORT, Crook revealed the valuation of the bid, but claimed that Ratcliffe and INEOS are likely still the front-runners in the battle for ownership.

"What we're being told from the Qatari side is that their bid is worth around about £4.5bn up front, plus significant investment in the football club and the community," he stated.

"I think we can almost dismiss the latter part of that because that's of no interest to the Glazers, all they care about at this stage is how much they're going to get for their share in the football club.

"I think when you break it down the offer that Sir Jim Ratcliffe has made for a lesser stake still works out as more pounds per percentage than what the Qataris are willing to pay. So at the moment, I don't think too much has changed.

"I think Sir Jim Ratcliffe's offer is probably still more attractive to the Glazers, particularly Joel and Avram because it keeps them in situ in some capacity."

Is a full sale necessary?

Some Man United supporters have voiced their concerns over a partial takeover, which would see the much-maligned Glazer family remain at the club in some capacity.

Many have argued for years that the Glazer's decision-making, and lack of both investment and interest in the club, has led United to where they are now. The club have not won a league title in ten years, and despite some heavy spending, they have not been close to challenging their rivals Manchester City at the top, and the club is in significant debt.

A full takeover from the Qatari consortium could see these debts wiped out, and potentially significant investment on and off the pitch.

Although a takeover from Ratcliffe could see the Glazers initially keep some of their shares, if his consortium do invest in the club in any way, seek to gain full ownership in the long run and gain decision-making powers from the Glazers, United may start to see some improvement.

It remains to be seen which offer the Glazers prefer, but the situation will ideally be resolved in time for Erik ten Hag to be able to spend during the summer transfer window.

Nicholas Pooran smashed 81 off 39 balls to propel Barbados Tridents to 173 and set up a comfortable 25-run win over St Lucia Zouks in Bridgetown

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jul-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsBarbados Tridents’ 20-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman Nicholas Pooran smashed a career-best 81 off 39 balls to propel his side to 173 and set up a comfortable 25-run win over St Lucia Zouks in Bridgetown.The hosts needed impetus at 51 for 2 in the ninth over, after openers Kyle Hope and Shoaib Malik were dismissed within seven balls of each other. Pooran provided that during a third-wicket partnership of 68 off 40 with AB de Villiers.After de Villiers departed in the 16th over – miscuing a Jerome Taylor slower ball to deep midwicket – Pooran took complete charge of the innings. He hit a four and a six off Kyle Mayers in the 17th over, and followed that with three fours and a six off Shane Watson’s 18th.Zouks never got going in the run chase. Ravi Rampaul knocked over Shane Watson for a duck and kept Andre Fletcher to 20, which ended up the top score of the innings along with the extras. When captain Darren Sammy played onto his stumps off left-arm seamer Raymon Reifer in the first ball of the 14th over, Zouks were reduced to 84 for 6. A double-strike from Wayne Parnell, the South African left-arm quick, in the 17th over left Zouks in danger of being bowled out but they just about managed to prevent that.Tridents registered their third win of the season, out of six matches, while Zouks languish at the bottom of the points table with one win out of four.

New Zealand’s three-Test series in India will begin on September 22, in Kanpur, followed by the second Test from September 30 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, while Indore will host the final Test

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jun-20160:58

India’s pink-ball Test will have to wait

New Zealand are unlikely to play a day-night Test against India this season with the BCCI announcing that all three Tests in September and October would begin at 9.30 am.Kanpur will host the first Test from September 22, followed by the second at Eden Gardens from September 30 and the third in Indore, a brand new Test venue, from October 8.The five ODIs will be played on October 16 in Dharamsala, October 19 in Delhi, October 23 in Mohali, October 26 in Ranchi and October 29 in Visakhapatnam.In April, BCCI president Anurag Thakur had announced India would host its first day-night Test during the New Zealand tour. A day later, NZC responded that nothing had been finalised. Last week, the chances of the series featuring a floodlit Test reduced further when Thakur himself conceded India were in “no hurry” to play one.New Zealand is the first of four teams – England, Australia and Bangladesh are the others – India are set to host in their 2016-17 home season, which comprises 13 Tests, eight ODIs and three T20Is. Thirteen Tests equals the record for the highest number of home Tests in a season; the only other instance was in 1979-80, also in India.New Zealand’s previous tour to India was four years ago, when they visited for two Tests and two T20 internationals. They lost the Tests 0-2 and won the T20Is 1-0.Initially, the BCCI’s press release had said Kolkata would host the third Test in October but the schedule was reworked to accommodate Durga Puja festivities.*1010 GMT, June 28, 2016. The article was amended to reflect a change in schedule in the India v NZ Test series

Chelsea have spent exorbitant sums of money since American businessman Todd Boehly assumed ownership of the club last year, and while a shrewder route must be taken going forward, the Blues have identified Nicolo Barella as a summer target.

What's the latest on Nicolo Barella to Chelsea?

According to Inter Live (via Sport Witness), Chelsea are prepared to rival Premier League rivals Liverpool and Newcastle United for the signature of the Inter maestro, who is being touted at €80m (£70m) by his outfit.

The report continues to state that despite Chelsea's lucrative outgoings across the past two transfer windows, spending roughly £600m, a further midfield signing is desired.

Barella is considered a vital component to Inter's future success, though such a high value to coincide with the club's financial struggles could leave Simone Inzaghi's side resigned to grant a departure from his homeland.

Should Chelsea sign Barella?

Work in the transfer department needs to be conducted in earnest at Stamford Bridge this summer, with Chelsea's ignominious season needing to be left firmly in the past, and swiftly.

The Blues claimed their first victory under interim manager Frank Lampard away to Bournemouth last weekend, though the result ended a shocking run of six straight defeats that have swiped Chelsea from the Champions League and mired the west London club in mid-table obscurity, and they remain 11th with four games to go – 13 points behind Brighton & Hove Albion in the last European slot.

The insurmountable gulf between Boehly's outfit and the Seagulls highlights the searing need for change, and while the inflated squad must be trimmed like a tangled thicket, replenishing the ranks with one or two well-placed moves is vital, and Barella could be the man to take the reins and spur the midfield into lasting action.

The 26-year-old dynamo has won the Scudetto and the Coppa Italia during his time at the San Siro, and with the Nerazzurri holding a 2-0 advantage over city rivals AC Milan in this year's Champions League semi-finals, he could cement his legacy as one of the club's modern greats.

Hailed for his "unbelievable" performance in the derby, the £157k-per-week gem completed 84% of his passes, making two key passes, three tackles and winning three of his seven ground duels in midweek, as per Sofascore.

And as per FBref, the 43-cap Euro 2020 champion ranks among the top 9% of midfielders for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 8% for rate of assists, the top 8% for shot-creating actions and in the top 10% for progressive carries per 90, with the statistical site even comparing him to Manchester City's superlative star Kevin De Bruyne.

De Bruyne, of course, plied his maiden years in Chelsea blue, signing from Genk in 2012 for £7m and failing to make his mark before departing for Wolfsburg in January 2014 for a reported £17m after starting just five matches.

The imperious £400k-per-week Belgian now perches comfortably inside the pantheon of contemporary greats, having scored 96 goals and supplied 148 assists from 351 displays for the Citizens and won a wealth of major honours for Pep Guardiola's City including four Premier League titles.

Signing Barella would provide the Stamford Bridge side with a world-class centre-midfielder to steady the ship after the harshest of storms; he is a "genius" on the pitch, as dubbed by sports editor Mike Piellucci, much like De Bruyne, and could be the catalyst for a year as resounding as it is disparate from the current stricken season.

After a performance as perfect as this – in which John Simpson became their third batsman to score a brilliant ton, and Tim Murtagh and Toby Roland-Jones shared nine Hampshire wickets – it is only rain that can deny Middlesex now

Will Macpherson at Merchant Taylors' School30-May-2016
ScorecardAdam Voges finished unbeaten on 160 before Middlesex’s bowlers got to work•Getty ImagesAs Brendon McCullum watched on from the balcony atop this beautiful, expansive ground’s quaint, wisteria-covered pavilion, he would have been forgiven for wondering quite how his new Middlesex team-mates have failed to win in the Championship this season. Six games, six draws. There is mitigation: half of those games have taken place on the deadest of Lord’s tracks, while they have lost a staggering 618 overs – 103 out of each game – to rain. The top order has been making runs, the bowlers have been taking wickets, yet not a result in sight.After a performance as perfect as this – in which John Simpson became their third batsman to score a brilliant ton, and Tim Murtagh and Toby Roland-Jones shared nine Hampshire wickets – it is only rain that can deny them now. A downpour is forecast for Tuesday, but the heavy lifting is done; surely, across the final two days, the clouds will lift to allow them time to take the seven remaining Hampshire wickets, after they were made to follow on. On the basis of the second day’s play, that should not take long.Angus Fraser talks about the “Middlesex DNA”, the personality traits he wants to define his team, which is a rather hazy concept for those on the outside, but crystal clear to all in a united, friendly, laugh-a-minute dressing room. It was there last week, when Nick Gubbins, the baby of the side – and thus victim of a few pranks – was so touched to be taken out for drinks by his team-mates upon finally reaching a Championship ton, having three times fallen in the 90s. It was visible here, when James Fuller took his first – then second and third – Championship wickets for the club, and the back-slapping seemed to last for hours. It is audible every time Ollie Rayner or Murtagh let out their big barks, their umms and ahhs in the field; each gag is raucously laughed at, each achievement raucously celebrated.It was perhaps most obvious, however, as Adam Voges and Simpson came out and flayed to all parts in the morning session – with clouds low and fielders’ fingers freezing – to add a quickfire 125 in just 19.2 overs and set up a perfect declaration, allowing the bowlers 30 minutes before lunch, upon the completion of Simpson’s rocking, rollicking century. Roland-Jones described their efforts, to which Simpson contributed 72 off 61 this morning as Voges, who finished 160 not out turned the strike over, as “selfless, but highly skilful too”.”It’s never easy to go out and force the issue that clearly,” Roland-Jones said. “They set the tone, playing so positively to get ahead so quickly and we exploited the conditions that were out there.”Simpson, such a pugnacious, powerful batsman, played a dazzling hand. There was a front-foot pull for six off James Tomlinson, then another six to cow, and reverse-swept and straight-driven fours, all of Liam Dawson, as 22 were pilfered from five balls. Each came with crack cleaner than the last. Hampshire, on a pitch described by Roland-Jones as “pretty consistent, but always offering enough to the bowlers with enough lateral movement,” had been thoroughly beaten up by brilliant batting. They looked utterly demoralised.Either side of lunch, the nippy, nagging excellence of Murtagh and the Fraser-ish, bouncy Roland-Jones, a veritable nightmare bowling down the hill, bowled 11- and 10-over spells respectively. As Roland-Jones’s lift continually beat the outside edge, Murtagh’s off-stump line accounted for the top three. Sean Ervine and Dawson – who drove beautifully straight – dug in to share 34, Hampshire’s largest partnership of the day, but a screaming Sam Robson catch at gully saw off Dawson, and before long Rayner’s bounce gave his first over the wicket of Joe Weatherley. Murtagh returned to find Ervine’s edge, and Roland-Jones docked a limp tail.Hampshire’s horrid day was summed up by Tino Best, so hot against Nottinghamshire last week, so very cold today. There he was, at the end of the day’s first over, calling the 12th man on for a second jumper – to be fair, it was chilly enough to force umpire Neil Mallender to don gloves – but soon he was officially warned for beaming Voges and, later, a leading edge off Roland-Jones flew straight to mid-on. His funereal walk to and from the middle meant a one-ball innings lasted four minutes.The follow-on was enforced without the batting of an eyelid – and may mean Hampshire, who are three behind on the over rate, end up taking -2 points from the match. Middlesex continued on their merry way, Murtagh’s second ball taking the edge of Will Smith – promoted to open, before Fuller’s aggressive late burst did for Michael Carberry, caught low at second slip, and Ervine – stump cartwheeling – just as the new-ball pair’s exertions began to show. Off they went, revelling in their six perfect sessions and ready to meet their newest team-mate, knowing that first win is not far away.