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Malik Ouzia of The Evening Standard has now shared an exciting West Ham United transfer update as manager David Moyes edges closer to a signing.

The Lowdown: Moyes eyeing moves…

The Scotsman, after just missing out on a 2022/2023 Europa League place, has set his sights on improving West Ham’s squad as he steps up talks.

Having already announced four departures, the Premier League side could be on for a real overhaul this summer window as the Irons reportedly chase a left-back, central midfielder and striker (The Evening Standard).

They’re also tipped to strengthen in other areas as they eye a permanent deal for loanee shot stopper Alphonse Areola, all while having their eyes on a central defensive addition in Rennes star Nayef Aguerd.

The Latest: Hammers closing in…

According to Ouzia, writing on Twitter, the Irons are now ‘confident’ of sealing a deal for the Morocco international as a ‘key priority’ for Moyes.

He explained:

“West Ham confident of sealing €15m deal for Nayef Aguerd of Rennes. Highly-rated in France, left-sided centre-back a key priority for Moyes this summer.”

The Verdict: Exciting…

The 26-year-old has been a phenomenal player in Ligue 1 for Rennes over the last season, being described as one of the division’s best in his position and a real bargain.

According to WhoScored, he ranks in Rennes’ top ten for most minutes played over 2021/2022 whilst averaging more clearances per 90 than any of his teammates – backing his obvious ability.

€15 million (£13m) is certainly an absolute snip for a player of Aguerd’s age and class defensively.

In other news: West Ham talks imminent as Moyes steps up chase to sign 6 foot 4 powerhouse, find out more here.

Antonio Conte could see his transfer budget bolstered by a number of key departures at Tottenham Hotspur this summer…

What’s the word?

According to The Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick, the Italian head coach has hinted that, in order to commit to the club for another season, he needs assurances they can build a squad capable of challenging at the top of the Premier League.

New signings will be crucial but the Lilywhites are by no means a financial heavyweight, at least not in the same bracket as Manchester City or Newcastle United.

As such, as many as ten players could be free to leave the club should a suitable offer come in for them. Of these names, both summer arrival Emerson Royal and one-time club-record signing Davinson Sanchez feature.

Both should be offloaded by the club this summer.

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Get rid!

Emerson’s struggles since his £26m move from Barcelona are perhaps most evident by the fact that Conte tried to sign a new right wing-back during the January transfer window, less than six months after the Brazilian’s arrival. Jose Mourinho flop Matt Doherty had even begun to usurp him in the pecking order prior to his injury.

Over the course of the campaign, many supporters have been left frustrated by Emerson’s displays, with some describing him as a “liability”, whilst former Lilywhites centre-back Jonathan Woodgate once dubbed the 23-year-old “horrendous”.

Indeed, the Irishman has managed a better WhoScored rating and is averaging a better passing accuracy, more shots, more key passes and fewer fouls than the Brazilian this term.

It certainly seems like £26m wasted thus far.

Meanwhile, Sanchez has barely had a look-in under the Italian head coach, despite a change to a three-at-the-back system. The left-footed Ben Davies, a full-back by trade, is often preferred.

The Colombian centre-back has made only three substitute appearances across Tottenham’s last 12 league outings, with Eric Dier and impressive Atalanta loanee Cristian Romero also getting the nod.

Throughout his time at the club, he has often been lambasted for his calamitous ways, just like Emerson.

Former Premier League defender Kenny Cunningham once described him as a “real liability”, whilst ex-Colombia boss Jorge Luis Pinto also claimed that Sanchez “does not have the talent” to succeed.

Valued at £27m by Transfermarkt, he could be a player that garners some sort of worthwhile fee, perhaps in comparison to a Doherty or a Harry Winks.

As such, it’s time for the Lilywhites hierarchy to axe the struggling pair this summer. Conte would surely be buzzing if that happens, as it would bolster his transfer budget in his bid to keep Spurs competitive at the top end of the Premier League table.

AND in other news, Conte could land his own Jorginho in Spurs swoop for “extraordinary” £45m-rated titan…

It turns out he always had the outswinger, but wasn’t going to bowl until he was confident with it

Sidharth Monga26-Aug-2019While Ajinkya Rahane and Hanuma Vihari piled on the agony for West Indies on a sleepy Antigua morning, their team-mates, it appeared, were looking at scores updates from the Ashes. The intensity, the quality, the attention, the hype even, has been on another level in the Ashes.The second of the Ashes Tests introduced to the world a bowler you could swear was Jasprit Bumrah’s twin: both were fast-tracked after limited-overs performances, you wondered if they could bear the load of Test-match bowling, and both quickly allayed those fears. Both derive pace from short run-ups, both seem faster than the speed gun tells you, and both have shown they have instincts of veterans.If anything, Jofra Archer received more hype than Bumrah probably because he made an impact sooner than Bumrah did. With the Ashes reaching the crescendo it did on Sunday, and with the Antigua Test turning into a sleepwalk for India, it would need something ridiculously sensational to even be talked about. Enter Bumrah.ALSO READ: Jasprit Bumrah completes a unique set of five-wicket haulsYou must remember the ball Bumrah bowled to get Keaton Jennings out lbw in Southampton in 2018. It was a landmark delivery in a way. Everything about Bumrah’s run-up and his action tells you he will bring the ball back into the right-hand batsmen. Until then, he used to bowl the legcutter or get some seam movement or sometimes do the job with the ball just holding its line. Against Jennings, he unleashed the outswinger, which swung back into the left-hand batsman.Forget Jennings’ shock at the ball now swinging the other way, this is a ball that should be nigh unplayable because of the bowling mechanics of Bumrah. It turns out he always had the outswinger, but wasn’t going to bowl it until he was confident with it. With the Dukes balls in the nets in England, he found that confidence to use it in a match. He has possibly spent the break between the World Cup and this series perfecting it.In the second innings of this Test, Bumrah unleashed the absolute fury of the outswinger. The numbers were staggering. To right-hand batsmen, according to broadcasters , Bumrah bowled seven outswingers every ten balls. The results were lethal. Shai Hope and Jason Holder were forced to play the angle and defend their middle stump before the ball swung away late to hit their off stumps. He also bowled the left-hand batsmen John Campbell and Darren Bravo through the gate with late swing. Kraigg Brathwaite was the only one who played an apparently poor shot, defending an outswinger wide enough to be left alone, but then again it is the Bumrah angle that makes you commit to playing the ball.Jasprit Bumrah sends Darren Bravo’s off stump cartwheeling•Getty ImagesThe outswinger didn’t make a random appearance. After trying to get seam movement on a flat track in the first innings – bowling with a slightly stiff back and hence low on pace – Bumrah saw the ball swinging in the breeze. Ishant Sharma bowled from the end that aided his inswing. Bumrah felt this was the perfect time to go with the outswinger. So out it came with the same freak whiplash of an action, now back to the same pace, with the same venom, but now moving it away against that angle.If India’s facile domination of West Indies didn’t have your attention till now, you had better watch Bumrah’s spell. West Indies were simply blown away by this magical mix of pace, skill and precision: four of his five victims were bowled. Just like that, with a spell of 8-4-7-5, Bumrah now has five-fors in all four places he has toured for Test cricket: South Africa, England, Australia and the West Indies. No Asian bowler has ever managed five-fors in all these countries. The great Pakistan quicks, Muttiah Muralitharan and Rangana Herath, Kapil Dev and Zaheer Khan and Anil Kumble, none of them managed it. And Bumrah has done this on his first trips to these countries.One of the things that has added to the legend of Archer, who will likely be Bumrah’s rival – and what a great rivalry it will be – in the years to come, are the random tweets in the past that have taken a life of their own with those events nearly repeating themselves in different contests and contexts. Bumrah might just have entered himself in that race. On August 18, the last day of Archer’s debut Test, Bumrah quote-tweeted a photo and a caption with a bulls-eye emoji.This is what the caption said: “This speed race wanted to know the fastest: the dogs or the cheetah. The cheetah did not move a finger and sat in place. People asked the co-ordinator what had happened. He responded: ‘Sometimes trying to prove that you are the best is an insult.'”Make of it what you will.

In 2017 alone, Root has been dismissed four times between scores 50 and 59. On the other hand, Lyon has had a dream year with 51 wickets so far

Gaurav Sundararaman26-Nov-2017Root’s conversion problemsJoe Root currently has 33 fifties and 13 centuries. He was dismissed lbw by Josh Hazlewood for 51 in the second innings. Since his debut in 2012 until the end of 2014, Root scored five hundreds and seven fifties. However, since then Root has 26 fifties but only eight centuries. Root scores a half-century once every 2.4 innings and a century only once every 8.6 innings. If you look at his peers, Root has the best innings-per-fifty ratio but in terms of converting them to bigger scores Root is the worst.Steven Smith scores a century once every five innings while Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson and David Warner make a century once every six innings. Root, on the other hand, takes nine innings per century which is three more than the best. In 2017 alone, he has been dismissed four times between scores 50 and 59 which is a cause of a concern. Interestingly, since his debut, Root has 29 scores between 51 and 90 – the most for any batsmen in this period. The next on the list is David Warner with 21 such scores. Interestingly, when it comes to the second innings the poor conversion rate is even more evident. Root has just one century and 12 half-centuries in the second innings but has 12 hundreds and 17 fifties in the first innings.

ESPNcricinfo LtdDream year for LyonNathan Lyon has had his best year in Test cricket. He now has 51 wickets for the year – third-highest for a bowler this year. He also became the first spinner from Australia since 2005 to take 50 or more wickets in a calendar year. Shane Warne took 96 in 2005. Lyon is also the first offspinner from Australia to take 50 or more wickets in a calendar year since Hugh Trumble took 53 in 1902. In 2017, Lyon has 24 wickets and averages 17.20 against left-handed batsmen and 27 wickets at an average of 28.59 against right-anded batsmen.Aggressive MoeenMoeen Ali played a key role in increasing the lead for England with some quick runs. Before he walked out to bat, England were scoring at a run rate of 2.19 runs per over. They had scored 74 runs from 202 balls with seven fours. When Moeen was batting, England scored 81 runs from 117 deliveries at a rate of 4.15 with 12 fours. Moeen added 39 runs with Root and 42 with Jonny Bairstow, taking England from 74 to 155 in under 20 overs.Australia’s targetAustralia were set 170 to win against England. Historically, when they have been set a target between 170 and 200 against England, they have won thrice, lost twice and drawn twice. However, earlier this year, Australia failed to chase 188 against India in Bengaluru but those conditions were much harder for the batsmen.

17-Apr-2016Kevin Pietersen shared a 55-run second-wicket stand with Faf du Plessis, but contributed only a run-a-ball 15 before he was dismissed by Kyle Abbott•AFPSupergiants slowed down in the middle overs, before Steven Smith complemented du Plessis superbly, making a 26-ball 38 to push the run rate above 7.50•BCCIA weary du Plessis fought the heat and scored a fifty to take Supergiants towards a competitive total•BCCIMohit Sharma struck with the first ball of the last over, sending du Plessis back with a return catch•AFPIt was the first of three strikes in the final over that included a run-out of Irfan Pathan as Supergiants scored just three runs to finish on 152 for 7. Mohit ended with figures of 3 for 23•BCCIM Vijay began Kings XI’s reply in brisk fashion, but Manan Vohra soon caught up and outscored his partner in an opening stand of 97•BCCIAnkit Sharma, the left-arm spinner, ended the partnership by trapping Vohra leg before for a 33-ball 51 in the 13th over•BCCIVijay was his elegant self as he scored 53 off 49 balls, which included five fours and two sixes•BCCIWhen it looked like Kings XI were cruising, M Ashwin picked up three quick wickets to bring Supergiants back into the contest•BCCIBut Glenn Maxwell blasted 32 off 14 balls to take Kings XI to a six-wicket win with eight balls to spare•AFP

West Indies’ young captain Jason Holder can console himself as he reflects on the 34 runs he conceded in an over against South Africa that he is not the only World Cup bowler to take a trouncing

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Feb-20151. Brendon McCullum v Steven Finn, Wellington, 2015 – 44 from 10 ballsBrendon McCullum destroyed Steven Finn in the Cake Tin•Getty ImagesFinn’s previous three deliveries, against Australia, had brought one of the scruffiest hat-tricks in history but his luck was out against a rampant McCullum. Chasing a small target, New Zealand’s captain started quickly and then went into overdrive when Finn came on. His first ball disappeared into the crowd and his first over cost 20 – although it did include two dots. Worse was to come, as McCullum cracked four consecutive sixes in an over costing 29, breaking his own record for the fastest World Cup fifty and leaving Finn with wince-inducing figures: 2-0-49-0.2. Ross Taylor v Shoaib Akhtar, Pallekele, 2011 – 28 in an overRoss Taylor found his touch from nowhere against Pakistan in 2011•Associated PressTaylor was in poor touch on his 27th birthday but, finding himself still at the crease towards the death, he broke free with unprecedented violence, taking 28 off an over from Shoaib Akhtar and 30 – a tournament record at the time – off Abdul Razzaq. New Zealand crashed 114 off the last six overs. There were a few gifts thrown in, as Kamran Akmal ignored one catch and dropped another with Taylor in single figures.3. Herschelle Gibbs v Daan van Bunge, Bassetere, 2007 – six sixes for the first time in international cricketHerschelle Gibbs made history in 2007•AFPGibbs slammed six sixes in an over as South Africa plundered 353 from 40 overs against Netherlands and then restricted them to only 132 for 9, winning by the embarrassing margin of 221 runs. It was history in the making but ESPNcricinfo recorded it thus: “Beyond a point the punishment was not a joy to watch. It was like a heavyweight boxer pounding away at an untrained flyweight long after the bell had rung.” Van Bunge, the unlucky bowler, became the quiz answer that only the most committed cricket follower can recall.4. Ajay Jadeja v Waqar Younis, Bangalore, 1996 – 22 in an overAjay Jadeja launched an audacious assault on the world’s best bowler•Getty ImagesOnly 22 runs off this over but consider the magnitude of the fixture: India v Pakistan in a World Cup quarter-final in Bangalore. The bowler was no mug, either. Jadeja described it like this: “I received a half-volley first ball, which I dispatched through the covers. From there on, everything I hit was perfect. I knew Waqar would not try to do too much and would rely mostly on his stock ball, the inswinging yorker. The first of the two sixes I hit in that over came against that ball. I picked it up early, stepped out, and flicked it over midwicket. I was just playing my instinctive game.”5. Sanath Jayasuriya v Manoj Prabhakar, Delhi, 1996 – 47 in four oversSanath Jayasuriya gave Manoj Prabhakar a swansong to forget•Hamish Blair/Getty ImagesThis assault not only helped establish the reputation of Sri Lanka’s openers, Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana, as batsmen from the future but it ended the career of Prabhakar. A solid servant over more than a decade for India, Prabhakar was approaching his 33rd birthday when India and Sri Lanka met in Delhi – and his first two overs disappeared for 33, before he resorted to bowling offspin. Booed by his home crowd, Prabhakar was dropped for the next game and promptly retired. Jayasuriya did the same thing to England in the quarter-final, forcing Phil Defreitas to turn spinner as well.

From the old-school charms of Wellington’s ground to the big-city vibe of Auckland

Andrew McGlashan28-Mar-2013March 11
Early start. Red-eye flight. Breakfast at Wellington airport. Touring is all glamour.Get a first taste of how quickly the weather can change in this city when fog envelops the airport, forcing a plane from Auckland to turn around mid-flight and a host of others to be delayed. Like most of New Zealand, there is very little flat ground in Wellington. Houses are built into the hillsides and, from a distance, look like cut-out cardboard models.March 12
Meet Tim Jones from the Save the Basin campaign. They have huge concerns about the flyover that is set to skirt just north of the ground. Their campaign appears unlikely to stop the development, although they hope to delay construction until the next general election to see if a change in government can bring a rethink. While an elevated road running past one of the world’s iconic grounds is far from ideal, at least the venue itself will remain largely untouched.There is a monument inside the Basin dedicated to the founder of Wellington, the William Wakefield Memorial, and it has an interesting history. It began its life inside the ground, then was moved outside the boundary, only to fall into disrepair. In 2006 it was brought back inside the venue. Wakefield originally came from Essex. Is that a good sign for Alastair Cook?March 13
The Basin really is quite a unique ground. Not only is it based in the middle of a roundabout, it also acts as a public footpath. While there watching the teams train, a variety of people wander past, on their daily routines: mothers pushing prams, skateboarders whizzing past, business people on mobile phones. For a city with a fairly small population – around 400,000 – Wellington is notable for having two international cricket grounds. The Westpac Stadium, where the T20 international was held earlier in the tour, is across town. It is a shame that all matches can’t be played at the Basin, but commercial interests mean the floodlights and greater capacity of the Westpac take precedence. Thankfully, though, Test matches look set to stay at the Basin. For the near future, at least.However, one area of the ground will be off limits during the Test. The upper levels of the Museum Stand have been ruled an earthquake risk. Built in 1924, the ageing structure does not conform to new stringent levels of safety. Its future, whether it will be updated or demolished, is still being discussed.March 14
This Test is being used to mark the 40th anniversary of the 1973 New Zealand tour to England. It was a watershed trip for them, where they almost chased down 479 at Trent Bridge. All surviving members of the side, except Richard Hadlee and Rodney Redmond, are present in Wellington.March 15
Michael Vaughan, the former England captain, here in his commentary role, has an interesting start to the day. He goes for a morning cycle ride and picks up a puncture, without a repair kit or his mobile phone with him. He starts thumbing for a lift and fortunately a friendly farmer comes to his aid and gives him a ride back into the city.March 16
The Saturday of the Test. A sell-out at the Basin. It’s a terrific sight, with the grass banks full. Have a wonderful conversation with Bev Congdon, the former New Zealand captain, who led on that 1973 tour, where they came close to chasing down 479 at Trent Bridge. The initial idea was to talk to him about that trip, but the chat quickly broadens out into many areas of cricket and life. “For people of my generation, cricket was not a job. It came second. That gave you a perspective,” he says. We played it for the enjoyment. They probably played with a little more passion that nowadays. It seems to be that you go through the motions.”March 18
On cue, the tail-end of Cyclone Sandra arrives in Wellington to condemn the Test to a watery draw. The drought situation in New Zealand has reached such dangerous levels that the weather forecasters are now signing off their bulletins with “enjoy the rain”, with not a hint of sarcasm in their voice. Shame it couldn’t have just waited another day.

If the stumps and bails had behaved as cricketing precedent and Isaac Newton would have expected them to behave, England would have been seven wickets down with 43 overs left

March 19
To Auckland, the City of Sails, which has more yachts per capita than any other city in the world. For the first time on tour, I get that “big-city” feeling. Some people don’t like it, but the buzz is welcoming. Take a wander around the harbour, which is lined with millionaire boats. Summer is hanging on too.March 20
The home of New Zealand rugby will, for a few days, be the home of New Zealand cricket. After the traditional venues of Dunedin and Wellington, it feels strange to come back to a stadium. The odd dimensions hit you straight away – I fancy clearing the straight boundaries (after a few attempts). On a heady night in October 2011 the ground was packed to bursting point as Richie McCaw led the All Blacks to the World Cup title. The cricket series has not quite gripped the public imagination in the same way. In New Zealand there is rugby, followed by daylight, then other sports.March 21
Groundsmen have a tough job, and for Mark Perham, who looks after the surface at Eden Park, there is the juggling act of having a dual rugby and cricket ground. It takes three hours to move the drop-in pitch from near the No. 2 Oval into position on the main ground. He says he just produces “good cricket pitches” and doesn’t care to hear what people think about them. “You have just got to take it on the chin. I don’t listen to any of it. I’ve got bigger issues.”March 22
This should be a grand occasion – a series decider. Yet it feels a little flat. There’s a decent crowd, but in a 50,000-seater stadium, swathes of empty grey seats do not make for a great spectacle. Politics gave Eden Park this Test; shame that common sense does not prevail more often. Hamilton or Napier would have been better suited.Meanwhile, bowling first is becoming the new batting first. Alastair Cook makes it three times in the series the captain winning the toss has put the opposition in. But England don’t swing the ball.March 25
Billy Cooper, the Barmy Army trumpeter, begins the day with a collection of James Bond themes in memory of Derek Watkin, who died overnight. Watkin played on every Bond soundtrack. Whatever your view of the Army, Cooper brings a unique flavour to the game, and he is well received by a crowd that has shrunk at the start of the working week.March 26
What a way to finish. A day packed with incident. England look certain to lose, but between Ian Bell and Matt Prior they find a way out. Prior was thankful for some sticky bails, Stuart Broad for the DRS, and Monty Panesar that he didn’t start his dive a few inches earlier. “All I remember is thinking that it was an easy single,” Prior said. “Turned round, thought Monty would be safe and saw him doing a leopard crawl.”However, the abiding memory of the tour will be Brendon McCullum dragging himself between overs with a bust hamstring. Steve Waugh would have approved. On and off the field, McCullum was magnificent. Hopefully New Zealand can build their future around him.

ESPNcricinfo presents the Plays of the Day from the first ODI between West Indies and Australia in St Vincent

Brydon Coverdale16-Mar-2012The catch
Kieron Pollard didn’t distinguish himself with the bat in this game but he certainly did in the field. For a big man, Pollard is incredibly agile and he thrilled the Arnos Vale crowd when he hurled himself low and to his left at cover to take an outstanding one-handed catch to remove David Warner off the bowling of Marlon Samuels. Pollard celebrated his success by taking off towards the outfield and lapping up the applause, and the adulation of his team-mates.The arrival
The debutant Johnson Charles showed few nerves in his first over of one-day international batting. He was facing Brett Lee with the new ball and decided the best way to score his first runs was just to go for it, and he slapped Lee dismissively through midwicket for a boundary from the fourth ball he faced. That was followed two more fours in the next over from Clint McKay but his display was short-lived as he was caught at third man for 13.The over
Australia didn’t hit it a six in their innings, so Xavier Doherty must have wondered what was going on as he was mercilessly struck for three in his first over. Samuels defended the first two balls from Doherty and clearly liked what he had seen, for the next ball was deposited over long-off. The over finished with two more sixes down the ground, and Doherty could only smile in amazement as he walked back to his fielding position to reassess his methods.The ridiculous review
That teams are only allowed one incorrect review per innings in ODIs has not yet eradicated the frivolous referral. Shane Watson was lbw to Dwayne Bravo in the eighth over of the match and he asked for a review of the umpire Peter Nero’s decision. Replays showed he was about as plumb as could be, and the Australians were left without any reviews up their sleeves for the remaining 42 overs. Perhaps after a summer spent without the DRS at home against India they were a little rusty on its use.The non-appeal
An over-the-top appeal might not convince an umpire to raise his finger, but a half-hearted one nearly always persuades him to keep his hands down. So it was when Kemar Roach fired in an accurate yorker to George Bailey in the 47th over of Australia’s innings. The ball struck Bailey on the foot and in front of the stumps, but none of the West Indies were particularly enthusiastic in their appeal and the batsman survived. Replays showed he was plumb.

What is the BCCI doing to raise the level of umpiring in the country?

Sriram Veera in Hyderabad13-Jan-2009

“I have been playing domestic cricket continuously for the last two years and you can never be sure you will get a good complete game from the umpires. There are good umpires around but consistency is lacking.”Mohammad Kaif, the Uttar Pradesh captain, was a very disappointed man at the end of the second day. He had hung around tenaciously for 172 minutes, trying to consolidate when he lunged forward to defend a Zaheer Khan delivery. Amiesh Saheba, the umpire, heard a noise and put his finger up but Kaif went limp and stood motionless for some time. Replays revealed the bat had hit the pad and the ball went past the edge. Saheba had a bad semi-final as well, with couple of poor decisions. The other on-field umpire, Shavir Tarapore, has made two poor decisions in the game, but also a brilliant one – he picked up the edge from the toe end of the bat of Tanmay Srivastava.Bad decisions are no crime. Kaif himself said it’s part and parcel of the game but the key point he raised was that he sees a similar pattern of inconsistency around the circuit. It’s also reflected in the fact that India have no umpires in the ICC’s elite panel. So, what is the BCCI doing to raise the level of umpiring?VK Ramasamy, a former umpire who is the BCCI-appointed umpiring coach for this match, explains the process. Since the last season, the board has been spending money in installing cameras in every Ranji Trophy game and having an umpire coach at each venue.”Every appeal is tagged and the video is sent to us at the end of the day. We have a look, analyse the decision, see what is the mistake or the right thing the umpire has done and table it,” he said. “At the end of the match, we sit with the concerned umpire and run through the videos again. We find his thought process on why he made the decision and if we disagree with his verdict, we explain why. And we suggestive corrective measures wherever possible: his head position, his technique, his decision-making skills, on his man-management, you know the entire umpiring process.”The umpire coach also files a report to the BCCI where the umpire is graded on a rank of ten. The board is set to issue a new performance guideline which will ask the umpire coach to grade the umpire as bad, satisfactory, good or very good. “Also, at the end of the season, Mr Srinivas Venkataragavan, the director of umpiring, goes through the videos with the umpires in the scanner and suggests his point of view.”So the system is really good. The umpire can only get better and if he is not the system will ensure it weeds out the bad umpires. And please, this is just the second year with this system. You have to give us more time to see the result. It’s too early now but I think the system seems pretty tight.”The problem according to Mumbai’s coach Praveen Amre is that the existing pool of good umpires is very small. “There is no option but to back the men who are good. They are humans and like good players, out of form, you just have to support them.”Many have felt that former cricketers should be encouraged to take up umpiring. Some like Maninder Singh and Yashpal Sharma tried but while Yashpal left because of lack of money in the job – the board has now increased the remuneration considerably – Maninder left it because he felt the BCCI was not supporting him.”I cleared the exam, but there are too many people in the board to discourage you. Their main grudge was the TV jobs that had come my way. Despite my good reports, the board took ages to promote me. Then I let it go because I didn’t want to call people and say, ‘Sir, sir, give me this match, give me that match’.”In another initiative, the Indian board has signed deals with Cricket South Africa for exchange of umpires and is soon to have similar agreements with Cricket Australia and the England board. In the upcoming Duleep Trophy, South Africa’s Marais Erasmus will officiate while India have already sent Suresh Shastri to umpire in South Africa’s domestic circuit. But the question remains, when will India throw up a quality umpire good enough to enter the elite panel?

Having missed the second half of IPL 2023 with injury, Rahul was happy to start the new season with a half-century

PTI and ESPNcricinfo staff24-Mar-20242:37

Did RR get their Impact Sub tactic right? Should Rahul have batted faster?

Lucknow Super Giants captain KL Rahul didn’t want to read too much into his team’s 20-run defeat at the hands of Rajasthan Royals in their opening game of IPL 2024, but has said that none of the teams have been able to crack the powerplay code in the first week of the season so far.The two-bouncer-per-over rule has been introduced in IPL from this season and LSG were bounced out in the first six overs of their chase of 194, falling to 47 for 3. In comparison, Rajasthan Royals had scored 54 for 2 in their first six overs.Both Devdutt Padikkal and Rahul needed to undergo concussion protocols after being hit on the helmet by Trent Boult.Related

Powerplay swinger to death-overs specialist: the reinvention of Sandeep Sharma

Report – Samson, Boult star as Royals overpower LSG

“It is just the first game and I am not going to make too much out of it or over-analyse,” Rahul said at the post-match presentation.”[The] Powerplay is crucial for every team, and I don’t think any team has cracked it yet. Mohsin [Khan] was our powerplay bowler in the first season, but he wasn’t fully fit last season. Good to see him back. Naveen [ul-Haq] has been crucial for us since he has come in.”Rahul felt that 194 was a chaseable target in Jaipur. “I don’t think the target was a lot. It was just 10 over-par,” he said. “We bowled well in patches. Just made a few mistakes.”We will learn from the small mistakes we made. When we are three [down] for nothing, and we gave ourselves a chance of chasing 194 speaks of our line-up. But we need to find ways to win games of cricket. We’ll try to build from here, and see where we can get stronger.”Having missed the better part of the last season with a hamstring injury, Rahul was happy to start the current edition of the IPL with a half-century.”When you get runs, you always feel good,” he said. “But it’s important for us to end up on the winning side. That gives more satisfaction.”Super Giants’ vice-captain Nicholas Pooran felt that the bowlers squandered the early advantage after making inroads in the powerplay. Royals captain Sanju Samson and Riyan Parag, who batted at No.4, forged a 93-run partnership off only 59 balls for the third wicket to propel their side to 193. In response, Super Giants managed 173.”I felt like with the ball we were a bit undisciplined,” Pooran said at his post-match press conference. “We got off to a really nice start in the powerplay, and the game was in the balance there. I felt that from overs seven to 12 we bowled poorly, we gave away some easy boundaries there. I felt they scored 15-20 runs too many on that wicket. But in saying that it’s only the first game of the tournament and obviously we fell short but we got an opportunity to understand what we have to do from a bowling perspective.”