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Sarah Taylor’s half-century and Jenny Gunn’s cameo unbeaten 27 helped England fight nerves and a full-blown batting collapse to progress to their fifth World Cup final

The Report by Shashank Kishore18-Jul-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsSarah Taylor helped England nudge ahead early in their chase•Getty ImagesEngland progressed to their fifth World Cup final but not before South Africa gave them a mighty scare in Bristol. England nearly paid the price for switching off. A cruise when Sarah Taylor and Heather Knight were at the crease turned into a full-blown collapse when they lost three wickets – one of those to a brilliant run-out and another to a rank full toss – in the space of eleven deliveries. At 149 for 5, chasing 219, it was game on.But England dug deep to find a way out. Fran Wilson and Jenny Gunn exhibited England’s batting depth to take them within six runs of victory. Wilson showed tremendous guts – none more than her scoop to a full ball over short third man off Shabnim Ismail with England needing 40 off 38 – to make 30, before falling in the 48th over.It should have been easily from there on, but pressure can do strange things. South Africa were taking every step to make Nelson Mandela Day a memorable one. The game hinged on a knife’s edge as it went into the final over, off which England needed three. Ismail, entrusted with the responsibility of trying to polish off the last three wickets, put down a sharp chance off the first ball to reprieve Gunn. Nerves were jangling. Then with two needed off four, she foxed Laura Marsh with a slower ball. The England players were on tenterhooks now.South Africa needed two wickets. Anya Shrubsole, hardly needed to bat in the tournament, was on strike. She saw width and flayed it through point to bring up the winning runs, runs that were like a dagger through South Africa’s hearts as another World Cup dream crashing down to leave them heart-broken even as a jubilant England side extended an arm of support to the wounded soldiers.If South Africa were to reflect on the heart-wrenching loss, as they would in all likelihood, they’d perhaps rue letting England drift away when Taylor whipped, scooped and flicked her way to a half-century. Up until then, they had managed to pull things back courtesy Ayabongo Khaka’s 10-over spell which yielded two wickets, including that of Tammy Beaumont, the highest run-getter in the tournament.But Taylor’s 78-run stand with Knight had a deflating effect. They also didn’t help matters early in the chase by being a little off-colour on the field. Trisha Chetty, the record-holder for most dismissals in women’s ODIs, had a particularly bad day, fluffing two opportunities along with a number of fumbles to leak runs.All of this meant South Africa had no control over proceedings until Dane van Niekerk brought them back with an inspirational effort – a one-handed pick up at cover to run Taylor out with a direct hit at the striker’s end in the 33rd over. They weren’t the same side from there on. Laura Wolvaardt’s acrobatic effort at square leg off a full toss sent Knight back. When Natalie Sciver was bowled around her legs by Sune Luus, South Africa’s hopes brightened.The tournament’s best batting line-up was seriously being challenged by a gun attack. But England had a Gunn in their ranks too, and she biffed two boundaries off the 47th over to bring the equation to under a run-a-ball, shortly after Mosaline Daniels removed Katherine Brunt. But at the end, South Africa were left to rue a lower-order collapse of their own, which left them at least 30 short of what they should’ve got.Wolvaardt and Mignon du Preez struck half-centuries, and together they put on 77 for the third wicket, to set South Africa for a tilt at 250, but they never gained momentum. Once Wolvaardt fell, England simply didn’t let the middle and lower order get away on a slow surface where manufacturing shots wasn’t easy.Yet, Wolvaardt’s control of her batting stood out when runs were hard to come by. She batted with the maturity of a veteran, who knew how to make up for the slow start. At the other end, du Preez improvised, often manufacturing strokes by walking across or using the depth of the crease to either flick or cut and pull.But the first sign of growing comfort resulted in Knight introducing spin. It was a sign that they’d done their homework. Laura Marsh and Alex Hartley tied the runs down in the middle overs, before Knight reaped the reward in her first over when Wolvaardt was out bowled trying to cut a skiddy delivery. Three balls later, a mix-up led to Marizanne Kapp’s run out.South Africa’s last roll of the dice at 250 were Van Niekerk and Chloe Tryon, who replaced Masabata Klaas, only because they needed the middle-order muscle. When she chipped a simple return catch off her third delivery, South Africa’s innings had quickly descended into free fall. It needed a pugnacious unbeaten 76 from du Preez to give them a fighting chance, but it wasn’t quite enough.

Michael Beale has already made six summer signings for Glasgow Rangers during the transfer window and he doesn’t appear to be slowing down as the Ibrox side have been linked with a move for Burnley defender Bobby Thomas.

Could Rangers sign Bobby Thomas?

Writing via his Patreon account, The Sun journalist Alan Nixon claimed the Gers are in the hunt for the centre-back alongside Queens Park Rangers and Cardiff City as they look to add some depth to their defensive options.

Nixon doesn’t state whether any potential move will be on a permanent basis or if the Light Blues are looking at securing a loan deal, yet it appears they face some competition with regard to a move.

Among his six signings so far, Beale has added just one defender, Dujon Sterling and with the rigours of another Champions League campaign alongside a hectic domestic schedule, luring another one or two defenders to the club would be a wise idea.

Who is Bobby Thomas?

The 22-year-old centre-back plays for Burnley, but he has only made one first team appearance for the side, spending the embryonic stages of his career on loan in League One and League Two during spells with Barrow, Barnsley and Bristol Rovers.

Thomas has played just 73 senior matches over the previous three seasons, yet Beale could perhaps see the player as a long term heir for Connor Goldson, who much to the dismay of the Ibrox faithful, won't be around forever to marshal the defence.

The 30-year-old has been a rock at the heart of the defence since arriving in the summer of 2018, going on to make 261 appearances and with his contract not expiring until 2026, Beale will be hoping he can stay at the top of his game over the next three years.

Thomas is a far cry away from the standard Goldson has set across his five years in Glasgow, yet that isn’t to say he won't improve vastly should be make the move North of the border, learning under the former Brighton and Hove Albion defender in the process.

The 6 foot 1 gem could offer Beale something different from the back as across 51 games during his spell in the English third tier, he registered ten goal contributions – seven goals and three assists – with only defender James Tavernier scoring more last term, suggesting he could be a useful option to have in the squad.

Journalist Sam Frost claimed Thomas “has the makings of a good defender” back in January following his exit from Bristol Rovers and across his spell in League One last term, he averaged 1.3 tackles per game, which was just fewer than Goldson’s 1.5 tackles per game and the youngster also displayed his strength in the air by winning four aerials duels per game, which was more than the 2.6 won by Goldson during last season, indicating that he could be an ideal heir for the Rangers stalwart.

Thomas may not be an automatic first choice for the Ibrox side if he moved to Scotland, yet there is plenty of talent there, and he could develop into a solid centre-back over the coming years.

Sunrisers Hyderabad have won all three of their matches against Gujarat Lions and will want to keep that momentum going

The Preview by Annesha Ghosh08-Apr-2017Match factsSunrisers Hyderabad v Gujarat Lions
Hyderabad, April 9, 2017
Start time 1600 local (1030 GMT)
Head to headSunrisers have won all three matches played between the two teams so far.Form guide

Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by 35 runs
Gujarat Lions lost to Kolkata Knight Riders by ten wickets

In the newsAfter the 10-wicket defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday, when five of six bowlers used went at more than 10 an over, James Faulkner or Andrew Tye is likely to make the Lions XI. Dwayne Bravo and Ravindra Jadeja are still unavailable due to injuries.Sunrisers, who thumped Royal Challengers Bangalore in the season opener, will miss the services of left-arm quick Mustafizur Rahman for the second match in a row. But coach Tom Moody said he is “more than likely” to be available for their first away game of the season, against Mumbai Indians, on April 12.The likely XIsSunrisers Hyderabad: 1 David Warner (capt), 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Moises Henriques, 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 Deepak Hooda, 6 Ben Cutting, 7 Naman Ojha (wk) , 8 Bipul Sharma, 9 Rashid Khan, 10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 11 Ashish NehraGujarat Lions: 1 Brendon McCullum, 2 Jason Roy, 3 Suresh Raina (capt), 4 Aaron Finch, 5 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 6 James Faulkner, 7 Shubham Agarwal/ Akshdeep Nath , 8 Praveen Kumar, 9 Pradeep Sangwan/Basil Thampi, 10 Dhawal Kulkarni, 11 Shadab Jakati/ Shivil KaushikStats that matter Sunrisers are the only side Lions are yet to beat in the IPL. In 2016, Lions scored at a run-rate of 7.05 against Sunrisers, which is considerably lower than the 8.34 they have managed across all their matches against all other teams. In the last eight matches at Rajiv Gandhi International stadium, fast bowlers have picked up 66 wickets at 27.39 with an economy rate of 7.82. By contrast spin has yielded only 10 wickets at 54.3 with an economy rate of 7.72. Bhuvneshwar Kumar boasts the best figures against Lions: eight wickets for 84 runs with an average of 10.50. He has also won two Man of the Match awards in three games against Lions. Against all other teams, across 74 matches in the IPL, he has only two more such awards. Among the 20 bowlers who have bowled more than 30 balls to David Warner in the IPL, Dhawal Kulkarni is the only one to have conceded less than five an over. Kulkarni averaged 16.12 against left-handers and Bhuvneshwar 17.57 against right-handers in IPL 2016, which gives each team an excellent option at the top. Lions joined Mumbai Indians, Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals as one of four teams to be beaten by 10 wickets in the IPL twice. In nine seasons of the tournament so far, there have been only 10 such one-sided matches. Lions’ first such loss was against Sunrisers in 2016 and their latest was against Knight Riders on Friday.

Tottenham Hotspur have now opened "direct talks" with Wolfsburg defender Micky van de Ven, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Which defender are Tottenham signing?

Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas has given an overview of Tottenham's potential defensive targets this summer, naming the likes of Tosin Adarabioyo, Edmond Tapsoba and Van de Ven as options for manager Ange Postecoglou.

Progress has also been made in Spurs' pursuit of Clement Lenglet, with an agreement in principle being reached over a three-year contract, meaning the last remaining hurdle is agreeing a fee with Barcelona, and a €10m (£8.6m) deal is being discussed.

Gleison Bremer has been named as another target for the Lilywhites, however Juventus' €50m (£43m) asking price is scaring off potential suitors from the Premier League, meaning the Brazilian is likely to remain in Turin for the time being.

In a new update on Twitter, Romano has now confirmed that Tottenham have opened "direct talks" with Wolfsburg over Van de Ven, and the 22-year-old is amongst the club's "top targets".

Such is Spurs' interest in the defender, they are set to submit a "verbal proposal" soon, with the player himself said to be "keen on the move".

Tapsoba remains on the Lilywhites' list of potential targets, however a deal for the Bayer Leverkusen star would be more expensive.

Is Micky van de Ven signing for Tottenham?

If Tottenham are to win the race for the centre-back, they will have to fend off competition from elsewhere, with Liverpool also being named as potential suitors, and Football Insider report the Reds have identified him as a key target.

It is no wonder some of the Premier League's top clubs are queuing up for the Wolfsburg ace, as he has a range of important defensive qualities, with football scout Jacek Kulig hailing him as a "tenacious tackler" and "dominant in the air."

Not only that, the former Volendam man is also assured in possession of the ball, ranking in the 90th percentile for progressive carries per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers, indicating a willingness to drive the ball forward.

Van de Ven is still very young, and he only made his breakthrough in one of Europe's 'big five' leagues in the Bundesliga last season, but he is showing all the hallmarks of a quality centre-back, and it is exciting news that Tottenham have stepped up their interest.

When Peter Handscomb danced down the pitch and lofted Yasir Shah over long-on for the first six of Australia’s innings, you wouldn’t have believed he was on the verge of a maiden Test century

Brydon Coverdale in Brisbane16-Dec-2016Nervous nineties? What nervous nineties? When Peter Handscomb danced down the pitch and lofted Yasir Shah over long-on for the first six of Australia’s innings, you wouldn’t have believed he was on the verge of a maiden Test century. When, in the next over, from the very next delivery that he faced, Handscomb drove Mohammad Amir for four through cover-point, he had his hundred. He had sprinted through the nineties in seven balls.”I’d been toying with the idea of trying to hit Yasir over the top for most of the game,” Handscomb said. “They brought the field up to try and keep me off strike, so I thought there’s a chance, if he tosses it up I’ll give it a crack and see what happens. But that was only meant to go for two bounces and trickle over the rope. I was lucky enough it went the full distance and I was able to capitalise on a wide one next over.”Handscomb reached his century shortly before tea, and fell soon after the resumption when he chopped on for 105, but already his Test career consists of three innings, one fifty, one century, and one winning run. His footwork has been excellent during both the Adelaide and Brisbane Tests, regularly advancing to the spinners, and also playing back to create a sense of uncertainty.”I’m feeling pretty good,” he said. “The movements are great, going forward when I need to, going back when I need to, and just trying to stay as clear as possible. We all know that cricket’s a pretty fickle game and it can all change pretty quickly. So I’ll just be doing as much as I can to make sure that I stay as positive and keep trying to make as many runs as I can.”Although Handscomb’s technique against the fast bowlers of playing back in his crease and waiting to play the ball late might look unusual, it is a method that has worked well for him in the past few seasons for Victoria. Handscomb said it had taken some time, and plenty of work with former Victoria coach Greg Shipperd, to settle on his unique style.”All the way through junior cricket, into my first three years of first-class cricket, I changed my technique probably every year,” he said. “But that’s just something where each batter, each individual is just trying to find their own way, trying to find what works for them.”A couple of years ago I did a lot of work with Greg Shipperd, and we just found a technique to try and stop a certain mode of dismissal, and we have. Since then I’ve been able to tinker with it and find my own little spin on it and it seems to be going okay at the moment.”Handscomb and Steven Smith both scored centuries in Australia’s first innings to lift their total to 429, and by stumps on the second day Pakistan were in massive trouble at 8 for 97. Jackson Bird picked up 2 for 7 from nine overs and Mitchell Starc claimed one wicket, but Josh Hazlewood was particularly difficult for Pakistan’s batsmen to handle, and finished the day with 3 for 19 off 11.”He’s able to land it on a five-cent coin pretty much all the time now, and he’s been doing that for plenty of games,” Handscomb said of Hazlewood. “He’s definitely one of our strike bowlers if not the best bowler in the country. He’s doing a great job. He’s awesome. It’s great to have him on my team for a change and not have to face that, which is good.”It is tough under lights and we know that the pink ball swings under lights. They bowled well as well last night. But credit I think goes to our bowlers and the way we bowled in this session, to actually get a little bit more out of the wicket, which was awesome and has put us in a great position.”

علق إيهاب جلال المدير الفني لفريق الإسماعيلي، على مباراة اليوم أمام الزمالك والتي جمعت بين الفريقين ضمن منافسات الدوري المصري.

وانتهت مباراة الزمالك والإسماعيلي بالتعادل السلبي في إطار لقاءات الجولة الـ13 من المسابقة المحلية.

وقال إيهاب جلال في تصريحات خلال المؤتمر الصحفي: “بدأنا بشكل جيد، أول 25 دقيقة كنا مسيطرين وضاغطين على الزمالك، والنصف الآخر من الشوط الأول، الأبيض سنحت له فرصتين نتيجة أخطاء منا”.

طالع | موعد مباراة الزمالك القادمة بعد التعادل مع الإسماعيلي في الدوري

وتابع: “الشوط الثاني بدأنا بنفس الطريقة لكن تراجعنا والزمالك بدأ يلعب على الكرات الطولية، وأحمد عادل تصدى لفرصة هامة”.

وأتم: “أنا أشكر اللاعبين على الأداء والروح، وأشكر لاعبي الزمالك على الروح الرياضية، وأن المباراة خرجت بشكل جيد”.

Manchester United owners, the Glazer family, could change the guard in swift fashion once they choose to go ahead with the proposed takeover of the club, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest news involving Manchester United's takeover situation?

As per Sky News, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his petrochemicals firm INEOS are believed to be the front-running candidate to take over at Old Trafford despite having an inconclusive meeting with board executives last week.

Ratcliffe is proposing taking a majority stake in the club that would allow two members of the Glazer family to stay on in some capacity while rival bidder, Qatari businessman Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al Thani, is seeking to buy out 100% of the Premier League giants with no external involvement.

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire has criticised the Glazer family for their approach towards running Manchester United, stating in an interview with Football Insider: "The Glazer family have always adopted a parasitical approach to football ownership. It manifests itself in the fact that Avram Glazer is more than happy to watch Man United play at Wembley for the glamorous matches. Yet he shows very little interest in attending matches on a regular basis."

Red Devils boss Erik Ten Hag has commented on how much financial backing he may have to direct towards new recruits this summer amid the ownership debacle, as per The Mirror, stating when asked if he knows how much money he will have to spend: "No, I don’t have influence on that, I don’t have and also I don’t know. The only thing I know is that Manchester United is one of the biggest clubs in the world, one of the biggest two or three from a fanbase perspective."

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jacobs thinks that there will be a quick turnaround in getting the new owners in the door once the Glazers elect to sell the club.

Jacobs said: "These kinds of deals take as long as they take in many ways. Until a singular group is chosen, it's very difficult for things to progress.

"The upside is that a lot of what has gone to date is in many ways transactionally backwards and would be traditionally associated with a period of exclusivity. Those logistical elements, including preparation for a Premier League Owners' and Directors' Test and due diligence, are sometimes the time-consuming things.

"Because they've been done ahead of a preferred bidder at large, it does mean if the Glazers choose to green-light something, things could still move reasonably quickly by takeover standards."

What next for Manchester United?

Manchester United will take on Manchester City in the FA Cup final this weekend at Wembley Stadium as they look to inherit a second piece of silverware this campaign following their Carabao Cup triumph.

Once the trip to London is over, focus will soon turn towards concluding their transfer business, with Ten Hag keen to strengthen his side in the summer ahead of 2023/24.

As per The Sun, Tottenham Hotspur marksman Harry Kane is a main target for Manchester United and is said to be keen on a move to Old Trafford.

Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount and West Ham United captain Declan Rice have also been shortlisted by Manchester United heading into the off-season, as reported by Sky Sports, indicating that the Red Devils may be in for an exciting time of things in the market.

Chelsea have drawn up a three-man shortlist of goalkeepers who could come in this summer, including Aston Villa stopper Emiliano Martinez.

Will Chelsea sign a goalkeeper?

The Blues have endured a hapless season overall, languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table heading into the final few weeks of the campaign. Such a huge dropoff was never expected back in August, with results and performances simply nowhere near good enough.

There have been problems galore at Stamford Bridge in 2022/23, whether it be managers underperforming, midfielders being injured or attackers not being clinical enough, but the goalkeeping situation has also been a clear issue. Both Kepa Arrizabalaga and Edouard Mendy have flattered to deceive and it has become clear that a change is needed in that area of the pitch.

Mauricio Pochettino is set to be named the new Chelsea boss imminently and he will already be eyeing up new signings, ensuring a repeat of this season doesn't happen next time around. It looks as though he has already eyed up his potential new signing between the sticks, following a new update that he has green-lighted the arrival of a new number one.

Which 'keepers are being linked with Blues?

According to Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke, there are three 'keepers who the Blues see as strong options, with Martinez one of them, following a superb season for both Argentina and Aston Villa. It is claimed that "several other elite sides" are eyeing him up, though, and only a "huge bid" would be able to prise him away from Villa Park.

He isn't the only target, however, with Brentford stopper David Raya another name who is thrown into the hat, while Inter Milan hero Andre Onana is the third name mentioned.

While Kepa and Mendy can have good days at the office, it has become abundantly clear that neither are consistent enough to warrant being fist choice moving forward. For that reason, an upgrade simply has to arrive, with a top-class 'keeper essential for any top side.

While Martinez could potentially be hard to get, Chelsea should do all they can to snap him up, considering he has been hailed as "world-class" by Gary Neville, following such an outstanding and triumphant 2022 World Cup with Argentina. It may not be easy, though, which is why others should also be considered.

Raya could also be a strong option for Chelsea, with the 27-year-old possessing the ball-playing ability that Pochettino will surely want in his 'keeper, as well as being such a strong performer for Brentford in his all-round game. He has started all 36 of the Bees' league games this season and been described as "incredible" by Jurgen Klopp in the past, who added that he could "wear the number 10 shirt".

Celtic have another player on their transfer radar it seems, with Hungarian media source Nemzeti Sport reporting that Eduvie Ikoba is a name currently interesting the Scottish side.

Who is Celtic target Eduvie Ikoba?

The striker currently plays for Zalaegerszeg in Hungary but has made quite the impression for the side since his arrival. This campaign, the giant 6 foot 3 forward has produced eleven league goals and one assist for the club in just 27 appearances. In addition to that, the player has also helped his side to win their first-ever trophy, contributing to Hungarian Cup success with two goals and one assist in five games.

Prior to arriving at the club, he played in the USA, the country of his birth, for Black Rock FC. He left to make the move to Hungary but had a short stint away from the side with AS Trencin. Having continued to plunder the goals there – he scored twelve in total during his tenure with the side – he then returned to Zalaegerszeg and has gone from strength-to-strength there.

Now, a chance to make the move to Europe could beckon for Ikoba. According to Hungarian media outlet Nemzeti Sport, both Celtic and Stuttgart are interested in potentially signing the striker this summer, with head of recruitment Mark Lawwell seemingly marking him up as a target for Ange Postecoglou.

It doesn't state that any formal offers or bids have been made yet but it seems as though he is a player that both clubs are keeping an eye on ahead of a potential move.

How much is Eduvie Ikoba worth?

The forward has bagged the goals on a regular basis in Hungary this summer but it hasn't made his value sky high due to the quality of the league. Transfermarkt place the player's value at around the 500,000 Euro mark (£434,000) which suggests that a deal to send him to Scotland might not cost too much. However, Football Observatory's value tool places it at a much higher 5 million Euros (or £4.3m). The real answer could be somewhere in the middle, but judging off these two valuations, a deal might not break the bank for the Scottish Premiership champions.

It would be worth it either way, with the 13 goal striker showcasing this season that he can score goals and lead a line with his current club. If Celtic are after some striking depth, then Ikoba could be worth the risk given Lawwell and Ange's recent record for signings from lesser leagues.

أعلن جان لويس جاسيت المدير الفني الفرنسي لمنتخب كوت ديفوار الأول لكرة القدم، عن تشكيل اللاعبين لمواجهة نيجيريا، في بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023.

ويواجه منتخب كوت ديفوار نظيره نيجيريا، في إطار منافسات الجولة الثانية من دور المجموعات بكأس أمم إفريقيا في تمام الساعة السابعة مساءً بتوقيت “القاهرة”، اليوم الخميس.

وتشارك كوت ديفوار ضمن منافسات المجموعة الأولى في بطولة أمم إفريقيا 2023 مع غينيا بيساو، نيجيريا وغينيا الاستوائية.

اقرأ ايضاً.. تشكيل نيجيريا أمام كوت ديفوار في كأس أمم إفريقيا.. أوسيمين يقود الهجوم

وشهد تشكيل كوت ديفوار غياب سيباستيان هالير نجم بوروسيا دورتموند، وأدينجرا لاعب برايتون للإصابة. تشكيل كوت ديفوار اليوم أمام نيجيريا في كأس أمم إفريقيا

حراسة المرمى: يحيى فوفانا.

خط الدفاع: سيرجي أورييه، عثمان دياموندي، إيفان نديكا، غيسلان كونان.

وسط الملعب: فرانك كيسيه، إبراهيما سينجاري، سيكو فوفانا، كريستيان كويامي.

الهجوم: جيان فيليب كراسو، جيرمي بوجا.

وفاز منتخب كوت ديفوار في المباراة الافتتاحية أمام غينيا بيساو بنتيجة 2/0، فيما تعثر المنتخب النيجيري بعد تعادله مع غينيا الاستوائية بنتيجة 1/1 في الجولة الأولى.