Se vida não está fácil para o Cruzeiro financeiramente, nada melhor do que uma vitória pela série B, diante da Ponte Preta, para pedir a colaboração de sua torcida apaixonada via ‘CruPix’, a chave pix da Raposa. Com isso, muitos rivais aproveitaram para tripudir, entre eles o íbis, pior time do mundo, que recentemente fechou o maior patrocínio de sua história.
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Na postagem feita pelo clube mineiro, o perfil íbis Mania, dos pernambucanos aproveitou para mostrar que se ‘comoveu’ e fez uma doação ao Cruzeiro: ‘Feito’, postou o pior time do mundo.
Sem poder contar com a bilheteria dos jogos, a Raposa vem buscando alternativas para gerar receitas. Após o “Cruzeiro Centavos”, o clube celeste criou recentemente o “CruPix”.
A partir das doações feitas através da chave [email protected], o Cruzeiro quer ajuda para quitar os vencimentos que ainda estão em aberto e destinar os recursos excedentes para o pagamento das próximas folhas salariais.Além disso, sempre que alguma folha salarial for quitada com o dinheiro recebido, o clube também informará aos seus torcedores.
Lamine Yamal's father Mounir Nasraoui has reportedly been stabbed multiple times in a car park near Barcelona and subsequently rushed to hospital.
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Nasraoui attacked in a car park at Mataro
Was allegedly stabbed 'multiple times'
Has been discharged from hospital after treatment
WHAT HAPPENED?
According to Nasraoui, 36, was attacked in a car park in the Spanish town of Mataro, up the coast from Barcelona, on Wednesday evening. Nasraoui was left in a serious condition and required immediate medical attention, although he is now believed to be stable. Local sources confirmed to the newspaper that the altercation began as a fight in the car park, before things escalated.
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WHAT CONDITION IS NASRAOUI?
Following the stabbing, emergency services were called to the scene, and Nasraoui was rushed to the nearby Can Ruti hospital. The hospital, located approximately six miles from Barcelona and midway between the city and Mataro, provided immediate care for Nasraoui. Despite conflicting reports saying he had been discharged, claims he remains at the medical facility under observation.
POLICE INVESTIGATING
Police in Mataro have launched an investigation into the assault, with MD reporting that three arrests have already been made. It is believed that the stabbing may have been the result of an earlier altercation, though the exact reasons behind the attack remain unclear.
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WHAT YAMAL HAS SAID
Later on Wednesday evening, Yamal shared a photo on social media of himself with his father, alongside a number of heart emojis. However, he later deleted the post.
Yamal has often spoken about the crucial role his father has played in his life and career. Nasraoui was present in the Euro 2024 final and his unwavering encouragement has been instrumental in Lamine's development as one of the most promising talents in European football. There will now be doubts over whether the winger will be back in action with Barcelona against Valencia at Mestalla on Saturday in La Liga.
There’s no two ways about it: Bruno Fernandes has been the best Manchester United signing since the Sir Alex Ferguson era.
The Portuguese magnifico has been absolutely instrumental ever since his debut, scoring 74 goals and providing 62 assists in 226 appearances.
Bruno Fernandes
For a midfielder, those numbers are simply incredible, but he’s not quite been as impressive this season in relation to his standards, scoring ten goals and supplying nine assists in 41 games.
With that in mind, there is a potential midfield summer signing that could make Fernandes unstoppable once again.
Man Utd’s quest for a new midfielder
According to a recent report from FootballTransfers, Man United have made Joao Gomes a “concrete” target.
The Brazilian ace plays for Wolverhampton Wanderers, who are only willing to let him go for a minimum of £40m, but that fee could rise.
Joao Gomes for Wolves
Although the Red Devils are keen on signing the midfielder, they’re not the only club keeping an eye on Gomes, with Arsenal also interested.
It seems that a move away from the Midlands is a likely outcome for the number eight, but how could he supercharge the United captain if he were to join?
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The Man United target has scored more goals than Bruno Fernandes this season.
ByTom Lever Apr 10, 2024 Why Gomes can make Fernandes unstoppable
Gomes has been fantastic in his first full season in the Premier League, starring in the Wolves midfield over his 27 league appearances.
The 23-year-old has proven to be a consistent and reliable performer who seems to thrive the most when playing against the very best in the league.
In truth, Gomes has been right at the centre of Wolves’ vast improvement, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe will hope that he can have a similar impact on his United side.
Flamengo’s former ace has the exact profile that’s been missing at Old Trafford this season, with the likes of Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, and Scott McTominay unable to provide what Gomes inevitably would.
Touches
54
Pass accuracy
88%
Key passes
2
Tackles
6
Interceptions
2
Duels won
7
Nonetheless, as displayed in the table above showcasing his statistics against Liverpool earlier this season, Gomes is the definition of a tenacious defensive midfielder.
Despite being 5 foot 9, the warrior covers every inch of the field and is an extremely dominant player, especially off the ball, as highlighted by his incredible six tackles, seven duels won, and two interceptions. He simply loves to get stuck in, notably ranking in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe's top five leagues for tackles over the last year.
This defensive security would without doubt make Fernandes far more dangerous, as it would somewhat provide a safety blanket behind his creativity, allowing the number eight to venture forward more often and simply take more risks.
A double pivot of Kobbie Mainoo and Gomes would also help United control more matches, both with and without the ball, with the Wolves star having relatively solid ball retention, as highlighted by his pass accuracy, in turn, giving the Portuguese artist more of the ball to work his magic.
Furthermore, Gomes also has the ability to influence actions in the final third, as shown by his two key passes in that game against Liverpool. Football analyst Ben Mattinson aptly refers to the fact that he has the ability to be a “box crasher” as well.
Overall, the well-rounded defensive midfielder could solve plenty of the problems United have had to face this season, and signing Gomes simply seems like a no-brainer.
Manchester United are under pressure to sell players in the summer transfer window and have been handed a boost in their bid to do so, a report says.
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United under pressure to sellNeed cash due to FFP regulationsGerman side interested in LindelofWHAT HAPPENED?
After the recent arrivals of centre-back Matthijs de Ligt and full-back Noussair Mazraoui in a £60 million ($77m) double swoop from Bayern Munich, the Red Devils need to bring in more cash by making a sale to ensure they comply with Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations, reports.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Swedish defender Lindelof is one figure the Old Trafford club are prepared to part ways, especially as he has entered the final 12 months of his contract. A transfer may be on the horizon as reports that Eintracht Frankfurt are interested in signing him as they look to strengthen before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.
DID YOU KNOW?
The 30-year-old centre-back joined United seven years ago from Benfica and has made 259 competitive appearances for the club. However, he was not part of the squad as United lost to Manchester City in a penalty shootout in the Community Shield last week.
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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR LINDELOF?
A summer transfer will be Lindelof's only hope of securing regular playing time this season, as coach Erik ten Hag has other options to fill in at centre-back. A move to the Bundesliga, then, may be the ideal solution for all parties.
It's been another season to forget for Chelsea fans this year, with the draw at home to Burnley just the latest in a long line of shocking results.
Mauricio Pochettino has looked lost since taking the job in the summer, and while he has led the Blues to an FA Cup semi-final, it remains to be seen whether he'll still be in the job by then.
That said, there have been moments to celebrate here and there, such as Cole Palmer's emergence, and there might be another as, based on reports, the Pensioners could be in for a youngster who could be an even bigger talent than the Englishman.
Latest Chelsea transfer news
According to a recent report from Spanish publication Sport, the Blues are among several clubs interested in signing Palmeiras' incredibly exciting youngster Estêvão Willian.
The report has revealed that Barcelona have now pulled out of the race for his signature to protect the maturation of their own 16-year-old wonderkid, Lamine Yamal, but Paris Saint-Germain are still very much in the race.
In fact, SPORT has revealed that both the Parisians and Chelsea have already sent 'emissaries' to speak to Palmeiras president Leila Pereira about signing the sensational winger, only to be told that the release clause of €60m – £51m – is the only way they'll let the youngster leave the club.
Therefore, if the Blues want to avoid another Endrick situation, in which they lost out to Real Madrid, they'll have to front up the cash.
Why fans should be excited about Estêvão Willian
So, £51m is an undeniably massive price tag for a 16-year-old, let alone one who hasn't even played in Europe yet, but given how he is spoken about and based on his little experience, it might just prove to be fair value.
In his 19 games for Palmeiras' U20 team, the Franca-born prodigy scored six goals and provided three assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 3.1 games.
Team
Palmeiras' U20
Palmeiras
Appearances
19
6
Goals
6
0
Assists
3
1
Goal involvements per Match
0.47
0.16
Since then, he has been introduced to the first team, making six substitute appearances, in which he has already provided an assist.
It's not just the output that sets the left-footed ace apart, though. According to data analyst Ben Mattinson, he is a "Neymar/Ronaldinho-like 'entertainer'", meaning that he can marry beautiful and intricate play with an effectiveness that could alone attract new fans.
Mattinson is so confident in the young ace's ability that he has described him as "a future Ballon d'Or winner", a "better prospect than Endrick", and "a technical genius", which are all descriptors that track with his nickname, 'Messinho'.
Now, if the West Londoners were to get their hands on this generational talent, he might have to compete with Palmer for a place in the team.
Cole Palmer
The Brazilian tends to favour playing out on the right-wing, while the Englishman has started there 13 times this season.
That said, the former City ace has also thrived in more central areas, so there could be a world in which the two-time European Champions can start both sensational youngsters in the same team, a prospect sure to terrify opposing teams.
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ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 27, 2024
Ultimately, while there is always an element of risk in signing such young players for such high prices, it really does seem like Estêvão is the real deal, and adding him to the squad could make missing out on Endrick look like a blessing in disguise.
India are going for a 5-0 whitewash. Will they play Rishabh Pant?
The Preview by Shashank Kishore01-Feb-2020Big pictureNew Zealand are in Kane Williamson territory in Tauranga, but he could just rest his left shoulder with the series already lost. Two back-to-back losses in the fashion they did have raised questions of their finishing abilities, ‘chokers’ to some if social media is a barometer. They’re currently in that kind of space where they’ll gladly take a win, however it comes.Colin Munro’s return to form makes it one headache less and he walks into a venue where he has two hundreds and a half-century in five innings at an average of 61.40 and strike rate of 193. But New Zealand’s recent dip in form, including the Australia whitewash, remains a larger worry as they constantly fight to remain in public memory.Spirit of Cricket – like their juniors were lauded for at the Under-19 World Cup – is fine, it’s also time to win. This message may not be explicitly written or told to them, but the players will know deep down that in a World Cup year, every opportunity counts and they should make the headlines for wins too. Not just being the nearly men who win hearts.Two weeks ago, India were playing in Bengaluru. Then having traversed several time zones to play in Auckland, Hamilton and Wellington in the space of five days, India are in Mount Maunganui. Camping here for three days should give them as much joy as they’ve derived from winning back-to-back Super Over thrillers.India’s uninhibited approach to a T20 innings is a refreshing change. Batsmen aren’t worried about preserving their wickets, the team is open to being flexible, Virat Kohli has no problems batting out of position and KL Rahul keeping wickets lends better balance. Manish Pandey, who struggled to break into the first XI earlier, is a beneficiary of this change.Injuries to their frontline fast bowlers in the format – Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Deepak Chahar – have pushed them to test their reserves, and the replacements have all delivered at some stage. Shardul Thakur, for example, has proven to not just be a swing option but also a death-bowling option. His hitting doesn’t quite make the lower order seem brittle anymore.Navdeep Saini gives them bristling pace, Jasprit Bumrah the consistency. Shivam Dube is also getting into the rhythm of bowling regularly, thereby accruing valuable experience that should help him should he be on the flight to Australia for the T20 World Cup. The result of the bowling rejig has meant one of their wristspinners, mostly Kuldeep Yadav, has had to sit out. The team management may as well give him a go come Sunday.Form guideNew Zealand LLLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first) India WWWWW In the spotlightSanju Samson is a fine white-ball striker but desperately needs a score to back his ability. With Shikhar Dhawan likely to be slotted back into the squad as soon as he’s fit, Sunday could be Samson’s final opportunity at making amends.Tim Seifert’s half-century that complemented Munro’s in Wellington went unnoticed because of the frenzied finish. He strikes at 137 in 24 T20Is, enough indication of his hitting abilities. New Zealand will want him to finish off games with the bat as the next part of his learning. With the gloves, he’s proven to be as tidy as they come.Team newsWhatever is written here can only be speculative, because Saturday was a travel day, with no training session or press conferences to provide any markers. Rishabh Pant is yet to get a game, so there is a case for the team management to bring him in and rest Rahul. If Kohli chooses to rest, it could mean Rohit comes back to lead. And if they want to bring in Kuldeep Yadav, it could be at Yuzvendra Chahal’s expense.India (likely): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Sanju Samson, 3 Shreyas Iyer, 4 Manish Pandey, 5 Rishabh Pant, 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Washington Sundar, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Navdeep Saini, 11 Jasprit BumrahMartin Guptill didn’t come out to bat in Friday’s Super Over because of a collision with Scott Kuggleijn on the field. Williamson’s status isn’t yet clear. However, New Zealand may want to rest him with an eye on the ODI series to follow.New Zealand: 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Colin Munro, 3 Tim Seifert (wk), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Tom Bruce, 6 Daryl Mitchell, 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Ish Sodhi, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Hamish Bennett, 11 Scott KuggleijnPitch and conditionsThe town is built around a hill and the wind patterns aid swing. It could be hard for bowlers running in against the breeze, but the surface is one with true bounce and good carry. It should be full of runs.Stats and trivia The average first innings score in the five games that have produced a result at Bay Oval is 199 New Zealand’s dot-ball percentage at the death has been 34. India have scored significantly faster, and have a dot-ball percentage of just 25 in the same periodThe team batting first has won each of the five games here
Liverpool have been hit with yet another injury concern before their Premier League clash with Sheffield United, as reported by reliable journalist David Lynch.
Liverpool injury news
The Reds continue to excel this season and they know that victory over the Blades at Anfield on Thursday night will put them back to the top of the table, following wins for Arsenal and Manchester City on Wednesday.
Jurgen Klopp has a number of injuries heading into the game, however, with several key men still unavailable after long absences from the team this season. Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Diogo Jota are the individuals who stand out in that respect, but the hope is that all three will be back in action in the coming weeks.
Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara
Meanwhile, the quartet of Joel Matip, Thiago, Stefan Bajcetic and Ben Doak may not feature again this season, outlining the number of issues that Liverpool have had to deal with.
On the plus side, Curtis Jones is expected to be back in the squad for the Sheffield United match, as is Andy Robertson, but now a fresh issue has emerged for another player.
Liverpool star a late doubt vs Sheffield United
Taking to X after Klopp's press conferece, Lynch confirmed that Wataru Endo is "dealing with a knock sustained against Brighton", meaning he is a doubt for the Sheffield United game.
Wataru Endo for Liverpool.
It feels almost impossible for the Reds to go more than a week without a new injury emerging, and the fact that they are still in with such a great chance of winning the title is testament to the incredible job that Klopp has done in 2023/24 to date.
Endo has been one of the signings of the season, having arrived in low-key fashion from VfB Stuttgart, bringing so much balance to midfield and allowing Alexis Mac Allister to excel further up the pitch. Klopp himself knows how influential the 31-year-old has been.
If Endo is ruled out against the Blades it will be a blow, considering the understated impact he has made, but equally, Liverpool should have more than enough quality to get past their relegation-threatened opponents at Anfield.
More important is ensuring that the Japan international is available for Sunday's enormous clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford, which has the potential to be a defining fixture between now and the end of the season.
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While the Red Devils are unconvincing, they showed what they can do in the FA Cup win over the Reds, and Endo's experience anchoring the midfield will be needed in a hostile atmosphere.
تحدث إمام عاشور، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، عن علاقته بزميله محمود كهربا، منذ انضمامه للقلعة الحمراء.
وقال عاشور، في تصريحات عبر قناة “الأهلي”: “لم ألتقِ بكهربا أو هو لم يرَني إلا في مباراة الأهلي والزمالك، وعندما كنا نتحدث كان الأمر خارج نطاق كرة القدم وبعد أن تم الإعلان عن انضمامي للأهلي، تواصل معي كهربا، وقال لي، كلنا منتظرينك، وسهّل لي الأمور داخل النادي، لكنه لم يكن له علاقة بقراري بالانضمام للأهلي”.
وتابع: “في أول تدريب لي مع الأهلي، كان كهربا أول من استقبلني هو إنسان تحب الحديث معه، ودائمًا يقف بجانب كل اللاعبين وليس أنا فقط، فهو شخص (جدع) سواء داخل الملعب أو خارجه”.
طالع..إمام عاشور: لم أقبل هتافات جماهير الزمالك رغم نصيحة الخطيب.. وهذا ما قلته لـ شيكابالا
وأكمل: “في الأزمة الأخيرة، بكيت عندما عاد كهربا إلى مصر في السوبر الإفريقي، وتحدثنا جميعًا مع محمد رمضان لمحاولة إقناعه بالبقاء، لكن قراره كان صائبًا، كهربا في الفترة الأخيرة موجود يوميًا في الجيم ومعنوياته مرتفعة”.
وواصل: “مهما شكرت كهربا، لن أستطيع أن أعطيه حقه، فهو صريح جدًا ويهتم بزملائه كثيرًا، وأي لاعب في الفريق يحتاج شيئًا، يكون كهربا أول من يقف بجانبه”.
وتطرق عن مروان عطية لاعب الأهلي: “داخل الملعب يتحدث بإيجابية، عندما أراه في الملعب أطمئن، ولي الشرف أنني لعبت بجوار السولية وكوكا ونيدفيد، مروان من الشخصيات المحترمة وهادئ ويركز في عمله دائمًا، وأعلم أن لو الكرة قطعت مني، مروان خلفي وسيأتي بها”.
وأضاف: “أحصل على مستحقاتي بانتظام مع الأهلي، فهم يعطون اللاعب حقه، ويقفون إلى جانبه إذا احتاج شيئًا، يعجبني أن كل شخص يعرف دوره، ولذلك فإن منظومة الأهلي ناجحة وستظل كذلك”.
واستمر: “نلعب من أجل جماهير النادي الأهلي، التي مرت بفترة صعبة جدًا بعد خسارة السوبر الإفريقي أمام الزمالك، تعرضت لتعب شديد ودخلت المستشفى”.
وأردف: “أنا من النوع الذي لا يحب الخسارة، سواء في التمرين أو في المباراة، وهذا كان طبعي منذ أن كنت في الزمالك وميتلاند وحرس الحدود وغزل المحلة، مررنا بأسبوع صعب على الفريق بأكمله، وكنا ننتظر مباراة السوبر المصري لنثبت للناس أننا موجودون وأننا رقم واحد في مصر وإفريقيا”.
واستطرد: “بعد الخسارة أمام الزمالك في السوبر الإفريقي، قلت لمحمد رمضان إننا سنواجه الزمالك في نهائي السوبر المصري، وقتها زعل مني وعاتبني، وقال لي كيف تفكر في ذلك ونحن سنواجه سيراميكا كليوباترا أولاً، كنت أرغب في فوز الزمالك على بيراميدز لكي نواجههم”.
وواصل: “خسارة السوبر الإفريقي كانت صدمة لنا، ولا يوجد لاعب ينزل إلى المباراة ويفكر في أن يكون أداؤه سيئًا، لم نكن في يومنا، والكرة لم تساعدنا، ولم يكن أي منا في فورمته، عوضنا كل ذلك في السوبر المصري”.
وقال: “أنا من اخترت ارتداء رقم 22، كانت متاحة الأرقام 3 و11 و22، في البداية قلت سأرتدي رقم 11 الخاص بوليد سليمان، ولم يكن أحد قد أخبرني عن رقم 22، ثم أبلغني خالد بيبو أن أحمد عبد القادر يريد رقم 11، فطلبت الحصول على رقم 22، وبيبو قال لي وقتها ستكون قدها، ولم أخف من الرقم”.
وأضاف: “من أمنيات حياتي أن ألتقي بأبو تريكة، وقد تحدثت مع نجله سيف، وقلت له إنني أرغب في التواصل مع محمد أبو تريكة، ولكنه مشغول بسبب عمله، وإن شاء الله سأذهب إلى قطر لكي أراه، رقم 22 ثقيل جدًا، ويجب على من يرتدي رقم أبو تريكة أن يكون على قدر المسؤولية، وخلال مسيرتي مع الأهلي سأحاول أن أكون ربع ما كان عليه أبو تريكة”.
وتابع: “في الفترة الأخيرة تعرضت لضغوطات كثيرة جدًا، ولو كنت ركزت عليها لم أكن لأحقق البطولات أو أستمر في الأهلي، أعرف كيف أخرج نفسي من الضغوط في الآونة الأخيرة كنت أجيب على الانتقادات لأنني تعرضت لضغوطات كثيرة، لدي مفكرة على الهاتف أكتب فيها كل شيء، وهناك أشياء مكتوبة فيها منذ عام 2021، وعندما أرد، يكون ذلك في الملعب، إذا أحد قال عني تصريح سلبي، فهو يعطيني دافعًا”.
واستمر: “لا يوجد نقد في كرة القدم يغضبني، فأنا أرد من خلال أدائي في الملعب وكنت سعيدًا بهدفي في مرمى الزمالك بنهائي الكأس، دخلت المباراة وتركيزي كان على أن أخرج فائزًا وأقوم بما يجب علي، نادرًا ما أدخل داخل منطقة الست ياردات، وهذا الهدف جاء بتوفيق من الله، وكنت بحاجة لهذا الهدف في ذلك الوقت”.
وأتم: “هدفي في مرمى العين كنت قد سجلت هدفًا مشابهًا له في التمرين قبل المباراة بيوم، وكانت العرضية من بيرسي تاو أو رضا سليم، وكنت أنتظر كرة مشابهة لتلك تحدث في مباراة العين لكي أسجلها، كنت مركزًا جدًا في مباراة العين، وكان لدي دافع أن أحقق شيئًا وأركز في كل كرة أخرجها من قدمي”.
James Anderson has said he hopes to be fit for England’s tour of Sri Lanka next month, having returned to training following the rib injury he suffered in South Africa. There have been suggestions that the 37-year-old would be rested from the two Sri Lanka Tests, but Anderson indicated that he would make himself available and leave the decision up to the selectors.Anderson played the first two Tests in South Africa, his first cricket in almost five months having broken down during the Ashes with a calf strain. He claimed 5 for 40 in the first innings in Cape Town – a record-breaking 28th five-wicket haul for England – as England levelled the series, but was then ruled out of the rest of the tour.”It’s all healed, I’ve been training for a few weeks now, getting my bowling back up to speed and I feel really good,” he told Sky Sports. “It was frustrating when it happened, it was a bit of a freak incident, but thankfully now it’s all healed and I feel much better.”That’s the aim, to try and get fit for whatever’s next – at the moment that’s Sri Lanka. It’s hard to prove your fitness in the indoor school at Old Trafford. With a broken bone, you’re waiting for that to heal. I’ve not lost any fitness, it’s just about building my bowling back up now, still got a month before that tour, so we’ll just have to wait and see what the selectors think.”England’s leading Test wicket-taker, Anderson has repeatedly said he hopes to play on for as long as his body will allow. He admitted “there’s always that element of doubt in your mind” about his comeback in Centurion, having pulled up during the Edgbaston Test in August after just four overs. But said his confidence quickly returned in South Africa, where he felt as “strong and quick as I have for a long time” after lengthening his run-up during injury rehab.”I felt like in Cape Town I hit my straps,” he said, “I was bowling as well as I ever had, feeling in as good a conditions as I ever have. [Even when you’ve] been after playing for all these years it’s still nice to know you’ve got something to offer and being able to get five wickets away from home was special.”I felt like I was in really good rhythm, strong and as quick as I have been for a long time. I’ve lengthened my run up a bit, to help with my calf issues. I’ve kept the same mark but gone about five or six seven yards back, and that allows me to gradually build up momentum rather than trying to set off too quick. Similar to what Mark Wood did, and that seems to have helped me get into rhythm much better.”After securing a 3-1 series win in South Africa, along with 90 World Test Championship points, England’s next challenge will come on the slower, more spin-friendly pitches of Sri Lanka. There have been indications that England were willing to leave Anderson, along with senior new-ball partner Stuart Broad, at home for that tour, but with Jofra Archer now ruled out by an elbow stress fracture and continuing concerns over the durability of Mark Wood, that thinking could change.Ed Smith, the national selector, is set to announce his touring party on Monday, and Anderson said that he felt the calendar allowed him sufficient opportunities for rest between series. After the Sri Lanka tour, which finishes at the end of March, England’s next Test commitment is against West Indies in June.”If I’m fit I want to be playing for England, wherever that might be,” Anderson said. “I showed in South Africa I can still do it abroad. I’ve been unlucky a little the last few months with injuries but my record before that’s been pretty good injury-wise. I’m hopeful I can keep fit for as long as possible, if I’m fit I want to be playing wherever England are.”Because I don’t pay one-day cricket I think there’s enough rest there naturally to be available for most series and most games. The last few months have been different because I have been injured. But that’s not something that’s been an issue for me before. Going forward, as I said, there’s enough break naturally between series to get myself fit and prepare for the next series.”
De Grandhomme and Neesham return to strengthen their middle order
The Preview by Deivarayan Muthu04-Feb-20206:58
Agarwal, Shaw opening would be great – Bangar
Big PictureNovember 25, 2019. The last time New Zealand actually won a game. They’ve been winless in nine matches across formats since, and injuries have weakened them further. Their captain and premier batsman Kane Williamson has now joined Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson, and Matt Henry on the injury list. Add to that, they will be without head coach Gary Stead, who has taken a break and has handed over the reins to bowling coach Shane Jurgensen for the three-match ODI series against India.Wednesday’s match will be New Zealand first ODI since Super Over against England last year. New Zealand have lost three more Super Overs since. Having hit rock bottom in the T20Is against India, the only way for them is up.They will welcome back Tom Latham, who has recovered from a finger fracture, and has proven his form and fitness in the 50-over Ford Trophy. In the injury-enforced absence of Williamson, Latham will also stand in as captain and will take back the gloves from Tim Seifert, who isn’t part of the ODI side.Jimmy Neesham, fresh off winning the Super Smash with Wellington Firebirds and a List A best of 5 for 29, returns to the side, as does fellow allrounder Colin de Grandhomme. The comebacks of Latham, Neesham, and de Grandhomme spruces up the middle order that struggled to finish games in the shortest format.India, too, are missing some of their first-choice players, including white-ball vice-captain Rohit Sharma, who will miss the following Test series as well. However, unlike New Zealand, India have ready replacements who have had a taste of 50-over cricket in New Zealand, having been part of the shadow A tour. They will be buoyed by how they shook off the jet lag and bossed New Zealand in the T20Is, just days after their 2-1 come-from-behind ODI series win against Australia at home.With both Dhawan and Sharma suffering injuries, Mayank Agarwal and Prithvi Shaw are set to slot in at the top and make their ODI debuts together. On the eve of the ODI series opener, captain Virat Kohli confirmed that KL Rahul will continue to bat in the middle order. This ODI series could be another chance for Manish Pandey to showcase his middle-order gears.Form guideNew Zealand TWLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first) India WWLWWALSO READ: Who is Kyle Jamieson? 0:48
Star Sports Game Plan: New Zealand’s morale will be low – Laxman
In the spotlightHenry Nicholls is no dasher like Colin Munro at the top, and instead is more adept at building an innings. His solidity could be the ideal foil for the more attacking Martin Guptill at the other end in New Zealand’s post-World Cup period. The left-hander is coming off Ford Trophy scores of 120, 62, and 55.Around this time in 2018 in New Zealand, Prithvi Shaw led India Under-19s to World Cup glory. Two years later, he is ready for his ODI debut, with Kohli stating that India aren’t looking at ODIs as preparation for the T20 World Cup across the Tasman Sea. Having been banned for a doping violation last year and overcome fitness issues, Shaw will be eager to make his second coming count.Team newsMark Chapman is likely to take up Williamson’s No.3 position, and New Zealand could consider resting Tim Southee, who had a horror T20I series. Instead, Auckland’s beanpole quick Kyle Jamieson could make his international debut. New Zealand might also have to choose been Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner on the spin front.New Zealand: 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Henry Nicholls, 3 Mark Chapman, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Tom Latham (capt & wk), 6 Colin de Grandhomme, 7 Jimmy Neesham, 8 Mitchell Santner/Ish Sodhi, 9 Kyle Jamieson/Tim Southee 10 Hamish Bennett, 11 Scott KuggeleijnIndia, too, might have to choose between Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal. Mohammed Shami is likely to return after being rested for the last two T20Is. Neither Kedar Kadhav or Shivam Dube inspire enough confidence and might miss the cut.India: 1 Mayank Agarwal, 2 Prithvi Shaw, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 KL Rahul (wk), 6 Manish Pandey, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Yuzvendra Chahal/Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Mohammed Shami/Navdeep Saini, 11 Jasprit BumrahPitch and conditionsThe Seddon Park pitch that was used the third T20I wasn’t too flat and the ball did hold up in the second innings then. The weather is expected to be pleasant for the during of the game.Stats and trivia Shaw and Agarwal will be the fourth Indian opening pair to make their ODI debuts together. Incidentally, Dilip Vengsarkar and P Sharma opened together on debut in New Zealand in 1976. Latham has an excellent ODI record against India, having made 593 runs in 13 innings at an average of nearly 54 and a strike rate of 90.53 At six feet and eight inches (2.03 metre), Jamieson is the tallest cricketer in New Zealand.Quotes”You want to play every game you can for New Zealand and [I was] pretty disappointed to miss out on the T20 squad for the series just gone.” “We’re not looking at preparing for the T20 World Cup through this series, IPL will be the right platform.”