Lara also urges the West Indies board to focus more on developing players for Test cricket

Vishal Dikshit in Mumbai17-Oct-2019

Former West Indies captain and batting great Brian Lara believes appointing Kieron Pollard as the ODI and T20I captain is “a step in the right direction,” but he has urged Cricket West Indies to focus more on developing players for Test cricket.”He’s got some good experience,” Lara said of Pollard, who last played an ODI over three years ago, at the launch of a T20 tournament for retired players in Mumbai. “I also believe that a captain is as good as his team and the people who really support him. And I believe that he will get the support, that’s half of your job done.ALSO READ – Hayden Walsh Jr, Brandon King break into West Indies’ ODI, T20I squads”Practically, he has played cricket all around the world, he will understand what needs to be done. So it’s not a bad decision. If he’s committed to West Indies cricket for a long period of time, it’s a step in the right sort of direction and let’s see how it goes.”In Tests, the eighth-ranked West Indies recently lost 2-0 to India at home. They started the year in emphatic fashion by beating England 2-1 in Tests at home but against India in August, they were able to bowl out the visitors only twice in four innings and could not cross 250 even once in as many attempts.Brian Lara, Jonty Rhodes and Sachin Tendulkar at an event to promote the Road Safety World Series T20 cricket league•AFP

“We came off about six months ago a win against England in the West Indies which was very promising,” Lara said. “So you expected the team to maybe follow on after that. But there was a lot of one-day cricket and different things happening over the last five-six months with almost the same players. So the attrition level is something the West Indies cricket board and the management will have to see if they can solve that because some of the cricketers are understanding the shorter version of the game but the longer version they’re missing some key elements.”I think first we’ve got to get back to playing good and competitive first-class cricket in the Caribbean where the guys spend time in the middle as batsmen, bowlers bowl long spells and see if we can work from there.”But I still believe that the talent on show for West Indies is very good and promising. Maybe the entire batting line-up is in their 20s, you just want to know that if they’re playing at the highest level that they are capable of performing well. I think learning the game at the international stage is not where you want to go.”West Indies’ next assignment is a full tour against Afghanistan in India where they will play three T20Is, three ODIs and a one-off-Test over a period of three weeks. A short gap after that they will feature in another three T20Is and three ODIs against India in India. Lara emphasised on the importance of adapting to conditions on their tour of India, where spin usually plays a vital role.”To be successful anywhere in the world you have to adapt very quickly,” he said. “If you’re playing in Australia, India, South Africa, West Indies…they’re all different conditions. First and foremost, everyone that plays international cricket has a certain level of skill and talent to play the game. How you approach with your mental strength is key, adaptation of the environment you’re in is key. Learning all these important things to be successful…to be a step ahead, not having any excuses. I think those things are key to making sure that you’re successful playing anywhere in the world.West Indies have been a much harder opposition to beat in the shortest format, ever since they won the T20 World Cup back in 2012. They are currently ranked ninth in the format but could pose a different challenge for oppositions in the format, banking on some of the CPL stars who have broken into the team recently. The next T20 World Cup is still over a year away and Lara said handling the talent coming through from T20s will be key for defending champions West Indies in the coming months.”It’s still quite a long way,” Lara said of the T20 World Cup to be played in Australia in October-November 2020. “Whatever tournament the West Indies are going to, they’ll never be favourites at this point in time…even when we won the two tournaments in the past. What we do have is the shorter version of the game. A lot of young players that are coming into the team, [Shimron] Hetmyer, [Nicholas] Pooran, they are very very good in the T20 version, in the limited-overs version of the game.”The talent is there, and I’ve always said in the past that the West Indies have some of the best talents in the world coming through. What we do with that talent, how we harness that talent is the most important part. I reckon that the next eight-ten months before the World Cup there will be a lot of planning. You may even see some new faces coming through. If you listen to any other teams in the world or captains, they’re very wary of the West Indies. They never ever take us for granted, which is a good thing. So hopefully we will make a good showing coming to the World Cup.”

Manchester City are battling a number of Premier League rivals for the signing of a "magnificent" player this summer, according to a new transfer update.

Man City transfer news

The world-class quality and depth that Pep Guardiola has in his squad is the envy of any manager in world football, but that's not to say that new signings aren't needed in the summer transfer window.

Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar is one of many players to have been linked with a move to City in recent days, with the Serbian being seen as a possible upgrade on Stefan Ortega between the sticks to come in as a backup option to Ederson.

Meanwhile, Bayern Munich superstar Jamal Musiala is also seen as a target for Guardiola's men, with the German arguably one of the world's most exciting young players at the moment, already scoring 43 goals and registering 30 assists for his current side. A move for him could raise doubts over the future of Jack Grealish, however, considering he can thrive as a left-sided attacking player.

Bayer Leverkusen have had many heroes during a memorable Bundesliga campaign, and Florian Wirtz has been one of the undoubted stars, bagging 17 goal contributions in 24 starts. City are thought to be eyeing a move for him as well, in what could be a hugely eye-catching piece of business.

Man City want "magnificent" Premier League ace

According to a fresh update from Football Transfers, Manchester City are also in the mix to sign Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite at the end of the season.

Rivals Manchester United are believed to be going "all in" on the young Englishman, while Newcastle United are seen as outside contenders to snap him up.

City may be well-stocked at the heart of their defence, possessing the likes of Ruben Dias, John Stones, Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake, but Branthwaite could be a superb signing, coming in as a long-term addition with an extremely high ceiling.

While Everton have struggled this season, the 21-year-old has been a bright spark for the Merseysiders, averaging a monstrous 4.2 clearances per game in the Premier League, as well as 2.6 aerial duel wins and two tackles per match. He has also been lauded as "magnificent" by Alan Shearer, while Ian Wright has said of him:

“I would like to give flowers to Jarrad Branthwaite. I believe now he will be in the next England squad. He has got everything. You watch how he plays, left-sided as well, he plays out well. Very brave. And then when you listen to his interview he sounds like somebody who is like yeah, I’m there, I’m here."

Related "Outstanding" Man City ace in line for shock return despite initial verdict

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At 21, Branthwaite is still so young, and he could mature a huge amount through working with Guardiola every day, eventually becoming one of the most imposing centre-backs in the country. A move to the Etihad would surely appeal, too, rather than being in a relegation-threatened Everton team.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Corinthians se reapresentou nesta quinta-feira após golear o River Plate-PAR, na Neo Química Arena, na última quarta. E a atividade desta tarde trouxe novidades e boas notícias para o novo técnico Sylvinho. Além de receber um jogador para o elenco, ele soube que Cauê e Cássio não têm lesões graves.

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> Veja classificação e simulador do Brasileirão-2021 clicando aqui

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>Saiba quais são os 30 jogadores mais valiosos do Brasileirão

A comissão técnica contou, pela primeira vez, com o lateral-direito Matheus Alexandre, que retornou de empréstimo da Inter de Limeira. O jogador de 22 anos foi contratado em 2019, mas jamais fez uma partida pelo Timão. Após ser emprestado desde então, pode ter uma oportunidade na reserva de Fagner.

Além dele, vieram da base dois jovens para completar o treino: os zagueiros Robert e João Tornich que, por ora, não foram promovidos efetivamente.

Sylvinho também teve boas notícias em relação ao Departamento Médico. O goleiro Cássio, que sentiu uma fadiga no músculo adutor da perna direita no jogo contra o River Plate-PAR, fez um trabalho interno no CT e deve ir ao campo nesta sexta. Na partida, ele precisou ser substituído no intervalo por Donelli.

Já Cauê, com um trauma no tornozelo direito sofrido diante do time paraguaio, passou por exames e não teve nenhuma fratura constatada. Ele iniciou a recuperação com o departamento de fisioterapia e não tem retorno definido.

Um desfalque certo é do meio-campista Otero, que foi liberado para se apresentar à seleção da Venezuela para a disputa das Eliminatórias para a Copa do Mundo 2022. O jogador tem contrato com o Corinthians até 30 de junho.

O Corinthians volta a campo no próximo domingo, diante do Atlético-GO, em sua estreia pelo Campeonato Brasileiro, que marcará também a estreia de Sylvinho no comando do time. O jogo será às 18h15, na Neo Química Arena.

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The case reportedly revolves around an unsuccessful attempt by Morris to procure a loan

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Dec-2019

Robin Morris, the former Mumbai first-class cricketer, has been arrested along with four others in Mumbai over an alleged kidnapping, the reported. The case revolves around an unsuccessful attempt by Morris to obtain a loan, as per the newspaper’s report.The quoted a police officer from the Mumbai suburb of Kurla as saying: “Morris wanted a loan of Rs 3 crore [USD 410,000 approx] a few years ago. He got in touch with the complainant [a loan agent] through a mutual friend.” As things unfolded, the newspaper reported, “the complainant took a commission but failed to provide Rs 3 crore loan sanction to Morris”. Subsequently, “Morris along with his four accomplices decided to call him to a restaurant in Kurla and forcefully took him to [Morris’ residence in] Versova”, before calling the loan agent’s family members and demanding the remainder of the commission be returned. “The family instead approached us and we registered a case.”Morris was in the news last year after being named by news channel Al Jazeera, following the channel’s alleged sting operation into fixing in cricket. Former Pakistan batsman Hasan Raza was filmed on camera by Al Jazeera, sitting adjacent to Morris as Morris speaks to an undercover reporter about facilitating spot-fixing in T20 tournaments. Morris denied any wrongdoing, saying that the channel invited him “to audition for, and act in, a commercial movie for public entertainment”.Morris, who played 42 first-class matches and 51 List A games in a career running from 1995 to 2007, was part of the now-defunct Indian Cricket League, where he played for Mumbai Champs. He was offered amnesty by the BCCI in 2009, along with several others who were part of the unsanctioned T20 league.

The former LA Galaxy striker, now an AC Milan board advisor, revealed his optimism on the state of US soccer after the Copa America.

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Praised the impact of Messi in MLSAdmitted that the World Cup in 2026 will play a big roleStriker played for LA Galaxy from 2018-2019WHAT HAPPENED?

Ibrahimovic expressed his excitement on the growth of soccer in the U.S. as Milan embark on a pre-season tour of America. The striker, who is now a senior advisor to the American-owned Serie A club, asserted that the league is "growing every single day."

AdvertisementWHAT IBRAHIMOVIC SAID

Ibrahimovic spoke extensively on the state of American soccer in a press conference: "When I left, you got another big store which is Messi, who everybody knows. I think he holds up the quality and the attention in the league. The purpose is to grow, and how fast it's growing, or how slow it does will make the difference. You have the World Cup coming in 2026, I think that will have a big impact. We just had Copa America now also here, which gives also an impact."

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

MLS reached record attendance and viewing numbers when Messi moved to Inter Miami just over a year ago. With a new expansion franchise due to arrive in San Diego next season, and fanbases around the league growing, there is certainly a buzz around the sport in the US ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR IBRAHIMOVIC?

After retiring in 2023, the legendary striker has taken on an advisory role at Milan. He will play a key part in squad building and off-pitch matters as the Serie A club look to hunt down reigning title holders Inter this season.

Arsenal walked away from the Etihad Stadium this evening with a very important point that Mikel Arteta will gladly take.

However, for the neutral, it was far from a game that will be remembered as a title race classic, with the tie ending 0-0, which does neither Manchester City nor the Gunners many favours.

In truth, it was a tie that both sides were desperate not to lose rather than win, but the hosts did enjoy far more of the ball, tallying up 72% possession.

But, ultimately, they were unable to break down the stubborn Arsenal side, which defended in a compact block, with William Saliba and one more Arsenal ace being the stars of the show.

William Saliba’s performance in numbers

Prior to the game, it was a known fact that Saliba was set to be in for a difficult afternoon, but in all honesty, he passed the Erling Haaland test with flying colours, just like he did in the reverse fixture.

The French defender was at the heart of the backline, helping Arsenal end Man City’s 57-game goal streak at the Etihad Stadium.

Unlike the reverse fixture, this game wasn’t particularly one that Saliba was able to show his technical class in, with Man City often pressing the centre-back with intensity, as shown by his 76% pass accuracy.

However, the 23-year-old was incredible defensively, making five clearances, three tackles, and winning all six ground duels, limiting Haaland to just seven passes all game.

Even though Saliba was superb, there was one player who was just as good, if not even better than the Gunners number 2.

Arteta struck gold selling Arsenal flop who's now worth less than Nelson

He’s had a terrible campaign since leaving the Emirates.

ByEthan Lamb Mar 30, 2024 Declan Rice’s statistics vs Man City

It’s unheard of that a £100m signing looks like a bargain in less than a year at a club, but Arsenal’s purchase of Declan Rice is certainly an exception.

Once again, the England international was phenomenal in the middle of the park, striking up a brilliant partnership with Jorginho.

The Evening Standard handed the number 41 an 8/10 rating for his display, alluding to the fact that his defensive work rate and security were extremely important.

The former West Ham United ace started in his usual left-central midfield role and finished the game with the same amount of energy that he started with, as his athleticism and engine stood out.

Pass accuracy

89%

Touches

42

Key passes

1

Successful dribbles

1/1

Tackles

3

As you can see by the table above, Rice was the calm and composed player on the field, boasting an 89% pass accuracy, which was the highest in the Arsenal starting lineup.

That said, he was also not afraid to try to get the ball up the field to the dangerous attackers, whether that be via his passing or dribbling, as shown by his one key pass and 100% dribble success rate.

Defensively, the 25-year-old was also brilliant, making three tackles and covering ground swiftly, which prevented Man City and Kevin De Bruyne from working their magic on the counter.

Overall, it’s fair to say that without Rice in the side this season and today, Arsenal wouldn’t be in their current position with nine games to go.

قرر مسؤولو نادي الأهلي الاستغناء عن خدمات أحد اللاعبين المحترفين بـ فريق الكرة خلال الموسم الحالي، بسبب عدم الحاجة له بالفترة المقبلة.

وكان الأهلي قد تمكن من تحقيق فوز هام على حساب العين الإماراتي بثلاثية نظيفة، في المواجهة التي جمعت بينهما ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس الانتركونتيننتال.

طالع | محمد رمضان: لا أعرف شيئًا عن ساعات لاعبي الأهلي.. وهناك تربص بشأن معلول

وعلم “بطولات”، أن الأهلي قرر عدم تجديد عقد بيرسي تاو لاعب الفريق، والذي ينتهي بنهاية الموسم الحالي وهناك محاولات لفسخ عقده في يناير المقبل.

وفشل بيرسي تاو في تقديم أداء جيد مع الأهلي منذ بداية الموسم الجاري، مما جعله يجلس على دكة البدلاء في مواجهة العين الأخيرة.

ويستعد الأهلي لمواجهة سيراميكا كليوباترا مساء السبت المقبل، في الجولة الأولى من الدوري المصري.

Whilst continued FFP struggles could see Everton hamstrung in the transfer market this summer, it appears they have already lined up a replacement for one of their stars linked with a move away.

Latest Everton transfer news

With balancing the books in the midst of a takeover the most important job for the Toffees at the moment, a number of outgoings at the club are expected to take place this summer. Midfielder Amadou Onana has already been linked with a move to both Chelsea and Newcastle, with the Belgian unlikely to be playing his football at Goodison Park next season.

Everton chiefs expect star to demand exit to highest bidder if relegated

The Toffees could suffer a triple blow this summer.

By
Tom Cunningham

Mar 1, 2024

Another likely transfer is 21-year-old Jarrad Branthwaite, who has caught the attention of top Premier League sides during his first full campaign with the Toffees. Spurs and Man United have both expressed an interest in the defender, who looks certain to be departing Merseyside this summer.

Whilst losing Branthwaite would be disappointing for Everton fans, it appears that the club have already lined up a replacement who could fill the departing player's shoes.

Everton interested in defender with "a lot of potential"

As first reported by The Daily Mirror, Everton are interested in signing Jacob Greaves from Hull City. The outlet states that the Toffees are already drawing up plans for Branthwaite's potential departure with Greaves at the top of their wishlist.

As far as Everton are concerned, trading one young left-footed central defender for another would be smart business, with Greaves already showing that he has the ability to play in the top flight. The 23-year-old has been one of the standout performers in Liam Rosenior's playoff-chasing Tigers, only missing one league game all season.

This most recent campaign has seen the confidence of Hull's vice-captain skyrocket, becoming a lot more natural on the ball and acting as a vital cog in Rosenior's possession-centric system. Greaves' stats for the season see him rank seventh in the division for passes completed whilst still winning the fourth most aerial duels.

From this it is clear that the Englishman is something of a unique talent in this current crop of Championship defenders. Comfortable with the ball at his feet, Greaves is still able to do the defensive dirty work that Sean Dyche can rely upon.

Unfortunately for Everton fans, Premier League attention is nothing new to Greaves, and it is likely that they will face opposition to secure his services this summer. Whilst links to Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa last year amounted to nothing, it is likely that there could be an ensuing bidding war for the defender.

Speaking on last season's rumours, Rosenior praised Greaves' time at Hull City so far telling the press: "Jacob's an outstanding player. Would I rather have him here from a footballing point of view? One hundred percent, because he's got so much potential and so much to learn."

"He's brilliant. He's naturally an outstanding player. He's captain when Lewie's (Coyle) not on the pitch, he's got a lot of potential, he understands the game."

One saving grace for the Toffees is that Greaves' agent is the same as their shot stopper Jordan Pickford. In the event that there is a battle to secure his services, it could be England's number one who convinces Greaves to move to Merseyside.

Argentina's deputy sports minister has been sacked after suggesting Lionel Messi should apologise for the squad singing a racist song aimed at France.

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• Argentina team in racism scandal over song
• Deputy minister wants Messi to apologise
• Garro sacked within hours of comments

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez went live on Instagram after Argentina's Copa America triumph over Colombia, where he and some team-mates sang a discriminatory song that questioned the heritage of Kylian Mbappe and his French compatriots. Subsequently, minister Julio Garro said Messi – who was not involved in the chant – should: "Come out and offer the appropriate apologies, as should the Argentine Football Federation president [Claudio Tapia]." Hours after he spoke to radio station Urbana Play, Argentina president Javier Milei sacked him.

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• Getty Images
  

  WHAT JAVIER MILEI SAID

  On his social media page, the president wrote: “The Office of the President states that no government has the right to tell the Argentine national team, world champions and double Copa America champions, or any other citizen, what to comment, what to think and what to do. That is why Julio Garro ceases to be the under-secretary of sport.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Although Fernandez apologised for posting the video and engaging in the chant, Chelsea have launched disciplinary proceedings against him. The French Football Federation has complained about this to FIFA and is considering legal action, while Chelsea's Wesley Fofana posted the video on social media and wrote: "Football in 2024: uninhibited racism."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Chelsea have begun their pre-season campaign and head out to the United States next week. Fernandez and other team-mates are expected to join later in the tour, and it remains to be seen what action will be taken against him and Argentina.

It's almost here. Liverpool will host Manchester City on Sunday in a Premier League contest of staggering proportions, with Jurgen Klopp's side currently one point ahead of the defending champions, who lead third-placed Arsenal by a single point themselves.

Despite recent success, Liverpool have been plagued by a spate of injuries that have left the squad looking rather threadbare, and while several key stars have returned to action recently, many still languish on the sidelines.

One player to have returned to action relatively recently is Andy Robertson, who has long been the star left-back of Klopp's team but was ruled out for four months after suffering a shoulder injury on international duty with Scotland back in October.

How Andy Robertson has performed since injury

Kostas Tsimikas and the impressive makeshift left-back Joe Gomez have filled in for Robertson in recent months and while he has now started four matches since making his competitive comeback in January, it would be fair to say that the 29-year-old is still somewhat out of sorts.

Playing the full 90 during Liverpool's 5-1 demolition over Sparta Prague on Thursday evening, Robertson completed 95% of his passes and took more touches than any other player on the pitch with 115, as per Sofascore.

But while he kept it crisp, the £100k-per-week ace missed with all three of his crosses, failed to attempt a single dribble, and created just one key pass all evening; for all his action, he didn't actually do much, also squandering a glorious chance to score and being caught out for some attempts on goal from the hosts, who were thwarted by the impressive Caoimhin Kelleher.

With Gomez proving himself to be a reliable option all season, Klopp might be convinced to take the bold decision to move his long-time stalwart to the bench on Sunday, with an erudite thinker such as Pep Guardiola sure to look to capitalise on any possible chinks in the Anfield armour.

On that note, the Liverpool boss might also be inclined to ditch Harvey Elliott from the starting line-up, and that is despite the 20-year-old's remarkable performances of late and convincing display once again in the Czech Republic.

Why Harvey Elliott must be dropped vs Manchester City

Elliott has been amazing over recent weeks, avoiding any fitness setbacks while his peers drop like flies to consistently start and succeed for Klopp's team, with his two assists against Sparta Prague taking him up to five direct contributions since the turn of the calendar year.

As per FBref, the creative midfielder ranks among the top 1% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shots taken, the top 3% for assists, the top 7% for shot-creating actions, the top 6% for progressive passes and the top 3% for progressive carries per 90.

Minutes played

90'

Assists

2

Touches

58

Accurate passes

45/47 (96%)

Key passes

3

Duels won

2/8

Tackles

0

Interceptions

1

Dribbled past

4x

Handed an 8/10 match rating on Thursday by This Is Anfield's Joanna Durkan after his noteworthy effort, the correspondent noted that: 'Having played the most minutes of any Red over the previous four games, Elliott was back for more in Prague and still full of energy in his fifth successive start.

Tidied up loose balls nicely for the most part, and notched one of the easiest assists he’ll get in his career by laying the pass off to Nunez.'

However, given that Elliott succeeded with just two of his eight contested ground duels, failed to make a single tackle, and was actually dribbled past on four occasions, he's hardly demonstrated the roundedness that will be so important against Manchester City, unrelenting and unforgiving.

Rodri is a workhorse charged with a limitless supply of energy; Bernardo Silva is silky-smooth and will weave and dance and prance past Elliott, who will need to ramp up his defensive game and then some. Kevin De Bruyne… well, no formula seems to work against his brilliance and it's hard to imagine Elliott holds the key, given his struggles out of possession.

With Endo anchoring the midfield, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister must form a strong Liverpool engine room, and while Elliott will hope for a starting berth, he must be relegated to the bench for this one.