Category Uncategorized

Big picture

Over the years, Rajasthan Royals have had to force-fit overseas players into their XIs at the back end of the competition because of the unavailability of their first-choice picks. This season, they have to do that from the start.Jos Buttler has arrived in the UAE with family and is undergoing extended quarantine. This rules him out of Tuesday’s fixture in Sharjah. Ben Stokes is still with family in New Zealand. The Royals therefore have two gaps to plug.One of those – the opening slot – might be plugged by Yashasvi Jaiswal, the Mumbai teenager with a burgeoning reputation already in domestic cricket, and Robin Uthappa, one of their big buys at the auction.ALSO SEE: RR vs CSK live score 22nd September 2020Who comes in to replace Stokes? It appears as if Tom Curran might be the chosen one. He has had plenty of match time, in the England-Australia limited-overs series. He was a standout performer for the Sydney Sixers in their BBL 2019 victory, finishing the tournament as the third-highest wicket-taker (22 strikes in 14 matches). Then, there’s David Miller, who could make his franchise debut after nine seasons with Kings XI Punjab.For the Super Kings, given they are playing in Sharjah, traditionally a high-scoring venue with small boundaries, MS Dhoni could look for some bowling insurance by fielding a sixth option. One way of doing this could be by bringing in Shardul Thakur for M Vijay, who had a forgettable opening game. The rest of the batting can then move up a slot, with Sam Curran and Ravindra Jadeja as the floaters to keep-up the left-right combination should they want that.

In the news

• Ruturaj Gaikwad has rejoined the Super Kings bubble after testing negative for Covid-19. The team management believes he could fill the void left by Suresh Raina’s exit, but he’s only had one full training session yet. So it could be a while before he’s eligible for selection.Faf du Plessis and Ambati Rayudu played lead roles in Chennai Super Kings’ opening-day win•BCCI
• Steven Smith is fit and ready to go. He has cleared the necessary tests and has even started training with the team after a concussion scare in the UK earlier this month.

Jos Buttler comes into IPL 2020 with tremendous form behind him•BCCI

Likely XIs

Chennai Super Kings: 1 Shane Watson, 2 M Vijay, 3 Faf du Plessis, 4 Ambati Rayudu, 5 MS Dhoni (capt, wk), 6 Kedar Jadhav, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Sam Curran, 9 Piyush Chawla, 10 Deepak Chahar, 11 Lungi Ngidi Rajasthan Royals: 1 Robin Uthappa (wk), 2 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3 Sanju Samson, 4 Steven Smith (capt), 5 David Miller, 6 Riyan Parag, 7 Shreyas Gopal, 8 Jofra Archer, 9 Jaydev Unadkat, 10 Varun Aaron, 11 Tom Curran

Strategy punt

• Barring Buttler, none of the other Royals batsmen had a strike rate of over 120 against spin last season. With him not playing the opener, things might have to be shaken up a little. In 2014, when the first 20 matches of the season were held in the UAE, Miller had the third-highest strike rate and the fourth-best average among those making more than 100 runs in that period. For far too long, Miller has been used as a finisher. Can he prove to be the X-factor player up the order?
• Jofra Archer has the third-best economy among all bowlers to have bowled at least 15 overs at the death. Given that the Royals had the poorest death overs economy of 11.3 last season, it makes sense to use Archer at the back-end. However, it wouldn’t be too bad an option to bring him in the middle, especially to hustle Ambati Rayudu with short balls. Archer has dismissed Rayudu twice and Watson once, with neither being able to score freely against his hit-the-deck bowling.
• MS Dhoni would do well to bring his spinners on immediately against Smith. Ravindra Jadeja has dismissed him six times in T20s.

Stats that matter

• Since their return to the IPL in 2018, the Super Kings have won three out of their four outings against the Royals.
• Since 2018, the team chasing has won 26 T20s out of the 46 played in Sharjah.
• Pacers have picked up 64% of wickets in T20s here since 2018.
• Since 2018, the average score here is 161, while the average winning score shoots up to 175

Mitchell Santner stars with ball as Andre Russell misses out through injury

The Report by Matt Roller27-Aug-2020

Mitchell Santner dismissed compatriot Glenn Phillips in the first over of the chase•Randy Brooks – CPL T20 / Getty

Barbados Tridents’ spinners turned the screw on the Jamaica Tallawahs to complete a convincing victory at Queen’s Park Oval, after Kyle Mayers’ career-best 85 had laid the platform in the first innings.The Tallawahs came into the game on a high after beating the Guyana Amazon Warriors last night, while the Tridents had lost their last three, but news that Andre Russell would miss the match due to a flare-up of his long-standing knee injury served as a major blow. Rovman Powell, the Tallawahs captain, said he hoped to have him back “for the back end” of the CPL. “It’s a little bit of pain [in his knee] and some swelling in his foot,” he said.Mayers obliterated the Tallawahs’ seam attack, hitting eight sixes in his innings and hitting the final five balls of Carlos Brathwaite’s 18th over for 28 runs as he made a maiden T20 half-century, despite struggling to rotate the strike against the spin pair Sandeep Lamichhane and Mujeeb Ur Rahman.And with Jason Holder having two legspinners and a slow left-armer at his disposal against a team containing 11 right-handed batsman, the match-ups always looked likely to work in the Tridents’ favour. Tallawahs never got going in their run chase as the required rate soared and wickets tumbled, with Mitchell Santner – who took 2 for 10 from his four overs – the standout performer.Mayers makes hayMayers came into this game averaging 14.77 and with a strike rate of 110.7 in his T20 career but tucked into the Tallawahs’ pace-on options early on. He hit four sixes in the space of 14 balls faced between the fifth and eighth overs, lofting Veerasammy Permaul inside-out over cover, heaving Fidel Edwards over midwicket and slapping Rovman Powell for two in the space of three balls.He looked utterly bemused by mystery spin, managing a combined 11 off 24 balls against Lamichhane and Mujeeb and completely failing to pick either of them out of the hand, but the carnage resumed as soon as the medium pace returned.Brathwaite started with a wide and a dot in the 18th over, but was then carted for four sixes and a four to concede 29 from the over as Mayers took the Tridents up to a competitive score. He holed out to deep cover at the start of the 19th, but a total of 148 looked slightly above par.Mystery spin at it againMujeeb and Lamichhane’s combined figures across the tournament are now 19 for 170 in 40 overs, with a collective economy rate of just 4.25. They were at it again here, ripping through the Tridents’ batting line-up as they both displayed their full range of variations: Lamichhane bowled 18 googlies and only six legbreaks, while Mujeeb was keen to use both his googly and his carrom ball.It is easy to forgot given their vast experience in leagues around the world that these two talents are only 19 and 20 years old: there could be few better adverts for the global T20 circuit than two spinners born in the 21st century, one Nepalese and one Afghan, bowling in tandem for Jamaica.Tallawahs fluff linesPowell had slammed his side’s “atrocious” batting performance against the Amazon Warriors at the start of this week. While they showed some improvement in the return fixture last night, they were hopeless here against a side that matched up well against them.It is a damning indictment of the Tallawahs’ team construction that they again fielded a side made up exclusively of right-handed batsmen, not least against a Tridents attack featuring two legspinners and a slow left-armer. Santner struck in his first over to remove compatriot Glenn Phillips, and Holder’s two early wickets left them reeling at 26 for 3 after the Powerplay. Hayden Walsh Jr. managed his first scalps of the tournament, while Rashid Khan bowled better than his figures suggested.Jermaine Blackwood and Nkrumah Bonner attempted to rebuild but chewed up too many dot balls as the required rate sky-rocketed. The Tallawahs faced a 85 dots in that defeat against Guyana last week – the joint-most ever in a major league – and managed to rack up a further 76 tonight.

Wolverhampton Wanderers can end their 2023/24 season on a high this afternoon by ruining Jürgen Klopp’s farewell at Anfield.

The German ends his nine-year association with Liverpool today, but a win for Gary O’Neil’s men would be the perfect way to wrap up a decent campaign, giving them some momentum heading into the summer.

Wolves suffered a 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace during their final home game of the season in midweek and O’Neil could perhaps make a few changes to his starting XI for the visit to Anfield.

Hwang Hee-Chan may have scored 13 goals this term, but the South Korean was poor throughout the clash against the Eagles, and he could well be replaced.

Hwang Hee-Chan’s game in numbers vs Crystal Palace

Tasked with leading the line just in front of Matheus Cunha, O’Neil was looking for the former RB Leipzig centre-forward to offer a dangerous threat against a resurgent Palace side.

Instead, the manager was forced to watch a poor display which saw the South Korean manage just one shot all match (which was off target), succeed with zero dribble attempts and miss a big chance.

Hwang Hee-Chan's stats vs Palace

Goals

0

Assists

0

Key passes

0

Big chances created

0

Dribble attempts (successful)

1 (0)

Via Sofascore

Not only that, but Hwang’s distribution was also poor, as he completed just 14 of his 19 attempted passes while taking only 27 touches, 20 fewer than Daniel Bentley in goal.

Winning one duel out of five and losing possession nine times throughout the game suggests it wasn’t his finest performance for Wolves. Could O’Neil make a bold call ahead of the match against Liverpool and bring Pablo Sarabia into the starting XI after he started on the bench in midweek?

Pablo Sarabia’s statistics this season

The Spaniard has enjoyed a good season for the Old Gold, registering 14 goal contributions – four goals and ten assists – across 36 matches.

Sarabia’s goal involvements have come against the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Chelsea, which suggests he could be the ideal player to call upon against Liverpool this afternoon.

Thomas Tuchel, his former manager at Paris Saint-Germain, hailed Sarabia for his excellent abilities and work rate, saying:

"Pablo is really impressive. He runs well, with and without a ball. His game without the ball is a great example. He plays with a lot of intensity and does not stop [working] defensively."

Having a player who is willing to track back and commit to defensive duties could be vital if O’Neil wants to secure a point or three against the Merseyside outfit, with the former Bournemouth boss likely keeping his fingers crossed that the playmaker will be available, amid a "slight doubt" over his availability.

Sarabia currently ranks fourth among his teammates for overall Sofascore rating (7.22) in the top flight, while also ranking third for shots on target per game (0.6) and first for big chances created (nine), which is yet more evidence that he should be unleashed this afternoon.

Related £90k-p/w Wolves star could now be more vital than Pedro Neto

Wolves have a player in their squad who could be even more important than Neto between now and May

Posts ByRoss Kilvington Feb 26, 2024

Dropping Hwang would be a bold call by the manager, but Sarabia clearly has a lot to offer, both in the final third and when Wolves don’t have the ball, indicating he could be the player who may make the difference against Klopp’s men in the final match of the season.

Leeds United have the opportunity to move into the top two in the Championship when they take on Middlesbrough at the Riverside on Monday night.

Ipswich Town were not in action over the weekend, as their clash with Coventry City was postponed due to their involvement in the semi-finals of the FA Cup, and this means that the Whites have the chance to leapfrog the Tractor Boys for now.

A win against Boro would put them on 90 points, one point ahead of Kieran McKenna's side, and pile the pressure on their rivals to make the most of their game in hand.

The Whites head into this clash with Michael Carrick's men off the back of a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Blackburn Rovers at Elland Road last time out in the league, with Sammie Szmodics scoring the only goal of the game in the second half.

Daniel Farke may now look to make some alterations to his starting XI from that loss in order to freshen his team up and attempt to return to winning ways.

With that in mind, here is FFC's predicted Leeds lineup to take to the field on Teeside against Middlesbrough in the Monday night Championship clash…

1

Illan Meslier

Starting off in goal, Illan Meslier should keep his place between the sticks as he has been the manager's first-choice option throughout the season.

There was little the French shot-stopper could have done to stop Szmodics' clinical finish from inside the box against Blackburn last time out, and should start against Boro.

2

Archie Gray

Archie Gray, who started in central midfield against Rovers, could be moved back to right-back for this match in order to make room for another player to return to the XI in the middle of the park.

The 18-year-old starlet was crowned Championship Young Player of the Year last weekend and could play in the position that he has nailed down the majority of the campaign.

This would see Connor Roberts, who made one tackle and created one chance in 67 minutes against Blackburn, drop down to the bench for this clash, as he has been ruled out of the game – and the upcoming clash with QPR – through injury.

3

Joe Rodon

To the left of Gray, Joe Rodon should retain his place at the heart of the back four for Leeds, as the Tottenham Hotspur loanee has been superb throughout the season.

The Wales international has dominated opposition attackers on a regular basis in the Championship for the Whites, with a duel success rate of 66%.

4

Ethan Ampadu

Pascal Struijk has been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign with a groin injury and this means that defensive midfielder Ethan Ampadu looks set to continue at centre-back.

The Welsh battler has made more Championship interceptions per game (1.4) than any other player in the squad this season, which speaks to how well the former Chelsea man reads the game and breaks up opposition attacks.

5

Junior Firpo

Junior Firpo is the manager's only natural option at left-back and should lineup once again. Sam Byram, who is naturally right-footed, could be deployed in this role, but the ex-Barcelona man offers a creative outlet down the flank.

He has registered five assists and created an eye-catching 11 'big chances' in 23 appearances and 16 starts in the Championship for Leeds so far this season.

6

Glen Kamara

At the base of the midfield, Gray could move to right-back to make space for Glen Kamara to return to the starting XI after being an unused substitute against Blackburn.

The Finland international, who was described as being made of "iron" by ex-boss Neil McCann, could have extra motivation to put in a strong performance after being dropped for the clash with Blackburn.

In the Championship this season, the summer signing from Scottish giants Rangers has completed 93% of his attempted passes and won 58% of his duels across 34 appearances.

7

Ilia Gruev

Ilia Gruev could start alongside the former Arsenal academy graduate in the middle of the park after he won 100% (3/3) of his duels in the defeat to Blackburn.

The Bulgaria international has completed 92% of his attempted passes in the Championship this season, which shows that he has the quality to be a reliable operator in possession for Leeds.

8

Wilfried Gnonto

On the right of the attack, Wilfried Gnonto should keep his place in the starting XI ahead of Dan James after his fantastic performance last time out.

The Italy U21 international made five key passes and created two 'big chances' against Rovers, only for his teammates to fail to make the most of the those high-quality opportunities in front of goal.

9

Georginio Rutter

In the attacking midfield position, Georginio Rutter could be selected once again by Farke despite a recent dip in form in terms of goals and assists.

The 22-year-old magician has failed to register a single goal or assist in the last five league matches but has created 22 'big chances' in 41 league starts this season, and the head coach may hope that the Frenchman bounces back to form on Monday night.

10

Crysencio Summerville

The Championship Player of the Season should be selected to play on the left wing in the hope that he extends his impressive record in the division.

Crysencio Summerville has plundered 17 goals and eight assists in 40 league matches for Leeds, and his attacking quality could be key during the last few games of the campaign as the Whites look to fire themselves back to the Premier League.

Jadon Sancho was reportedly left frustrated after he was left out of Manchester United's clash with Fulham last weekend.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Sancho played no part In Man Utd's PL opener
• Forward was vexed with Erik ten Hag's decision
• Juventus keen to sign the disgruntled English star

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to Sancho reaffirmed his desire to leave Old Trafford after being once again ignored by Erik ten Hag. Although the Dutch manager addressed the situation by explaining that an ear infection contributed to the decision, insiders have confirmed that the final choice to leave Sancho out of the squad was a tactical one. Despite the disappointment, Sancho maintained a professional demeanour around his teammates in the dressing room prior to the match but was not spotted in the directors' box with other sidelined players like Rasmus Hojlund, Leny Yoro, and Tom Heaton, further fueling rumours of discontent.

Advertisement

• Getty/GOAL
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While there have been rumours linking Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) with a potential move for Sancho, sources close to the French giants have dismissed these claims. They assert that Sancho was never part of PSG's transfer plans this summer. This leaves the door open for other interested parties to make a move, with Juventus emerging as the most likely destination. They have already begun negotiations for Sancho and it remains to be seen if they can match United's financial demands – with the Red Devils reportedly setting a £40 million ($52.8 million) price tag.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Earlier this year, Juventus showed interest in Sancho but ultimately pulled back due to then-manager Massimiliano Allegri's tactical preferences. Allegri's 3-5-2 system did not suit Sancho's style of play, leading the club to pause their pursuit. However, with Thiago Motta now at the helm, the landscape has changed. Motta's tactical flexibility has renewed Juventus' interest in Sancho, and the club's sporting director, Cristiano Giuntoli, is reportedly keen on bringing the Englishman to Turin.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  United would prefer a permanent sale and is open to a loan only if it aligns with the club's profitability and sustainability rules (PSR). They would demand full coverage of Sancho's salary, a loan fee, and an obligation for a permanent transfer at the loan's conclusion. These financial demands aim to ensure that any temporary deal contributes significantly to United's future transfer plans, potentially facilitating the acquisition of other targets like Paris Saint-Germain's Manuel Ugarte. In case their demands are not met, they would rather retain Sancho than allow him to leave on a loan deal that does not provide substantial financial benefits.

Alvaro Morata and Rodri have been given one-match bans by UEFA for misconduct during Spain's Euro 2024 winners' parade.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Rodri and Morata bannedSpain beat England in Euro 2024 finalPunished for chant about GibraltarWHAT HAPPENED?

UEFA have handed Morata and Rodri a one-match ban each for misconduct during Spain's Euro 2024 winners' parade, per The Athletic. The pair were filmed singing 'It's Spanish, Gibraltar is Spanish", with Gibraltar's FA subsequently submitting a complaint to UEFA. They claimed the song was "extremely provocative and insulting".

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The ban for Morata and Rodri will stand for all UEFA competitions, meaning that it will take effect for their Nations League campaign. Spain will be without the striker and the midfielder for their fixture against Serbia on September 5.

WHAT UEFA SAID

UEFA's statement explained that the pair have been banned due to them "failing to comply with the general principles of conduct, for violating the basic rules of decent conduct, for using sporting events for manifestations of a non-sporting nature and for bringing the sport of football, and UEFA in particular, into disrepute".

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

While the ban has taken immediate effect, it will not affect domestic fixtures. Rodri will likely play for Manchester City against Manchester United in the Community Shield this weekend, while Morata is set to make his AC Milan debut against Torino later this month.

Arsenal are set for discussions over signing a £40 million Brazilian for manager Mikel Arteta, and a bid is seen as very possible.

Brazil stars impressing at Arsenal

The Gunners possess a small contingent of Brazil's finest in their squad, who have proved pivotal over the last two seasons with Arsenal involved in multiple Premier League title races.

£69m player now excited by chance of joining Arsenal this summer

He prefers a move to Hale End.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 10, 2024

Since the beginning of 2022/2023, Gabriel Magalhaes has been showered for his defensive contribution after forming an excellent partnership with William Saliba at the heart of Arteta's back line.

The 26-year-old is ranked as one of Arsenal's best-performing players by average match rating per 90 (WhoScored), and has been a fixture for the north Londoners over 29 top-flight outings this campaign.

Bukayo Saka

7.64

Declan Rice

7.35

Martin Odegaard

7.31

Gabriel Magalhaes

7.05

Gabriel Martinelli

7.00

Further forward, both Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli have been vital to Arsenal's success – chipping in with a combined 10 goals and seven assists in the top flight alone over 2023/2024 as they look to help their side win a first league title in 20 years.

Reports suggest that sporting director Edu could look to his homeland again in search of reinforcements for next season. Leading up to 2024, Arsenal were heavily linked with Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz, but it is unclear whether that interest remains.

The same can be said of striker Marcos Leonardo, who was on Edu's radar before he opted for a move to Benfica instead. You cannot rule out the possibility of Arsenal looking towards Brazil again for more talent, it would seem, with an interesting report now shedding light on their interest in Wolves sensation Joao Gomes.

Arsenal set for Gomes discussions with bid possible

The 23-year-old has been an ever-present under Gary O'Neil this term, earning praise for his impressive displays since signing from Flamengo last summer.

According to newspaper O Dia, as translated by Sport Witness, Arsenal will go into discussions to sign Gomes and may make an offer for him at the end of this season.

Man United are named as other competitors for the defensive midfielder, but Erik ten Hag's side are not viewed as seriously as Arsenal, who appear to be taking further steps than the Red Devils as things stand.

Gomes has been called a "super talent" already by his manager, and reports suggest he's valued at around £40 million.

“He’s a super talent. There’s that language barrier as well that he works hard on," said O'Neil earlier this season.

“He’s been very impressive. At his age and with his lack of experience of Premier League football, it’s still something you have to work with him on and try to improve, but as a starting point with the qualities he has, he’s at a very, very good level.”

Batsman’s captaincy and run-scoring in the spotlight as hosts seek to close rankings gap with India

The Preview by Matt Roller27-Nov-2019Big pictureIf it wasn’t already clear that New Zealand are the closest challengers to India’s current dominance of Test cricket, then their comprehensive victory at Bay Oval last week came close to confirming it.While there are no Test Championship points at stake in this series, New Zealand do, at least, have the chance to close the gap on the runaway leaders of the ICC’s rankings with a win at Seddon Park, and assert themselves as the side best equipped to beat them in a one-off final in two years’ time.That status will only be confirmed with a competitive showing on their tour of Australia next month, but the Hamilton Test this week provides an opportunity for them to demonstrate a quality not always associated with a country so sparsely populated: depth.New Zealand coped perfectly well without Trent Boult on the final day of the first Test, but the news that he has been joined on the treatment table by prolific allrounder Colin de Grandhomme leaves them two key bowlers down.The likelihood is that Daryl Mitchell – the seam-bowling allrounder – will make his Test debut in a straight swap for de Grandhomme, but it seems that New Zealand are not willing to let Lockie Ferguson off the leash just yet. Instead, Matt Henry – whose bowling average in the high-40s does little service to his control and pace – is set to come in for Boult; some English fans will remember his devastating spell as Kent’s overseas player in 2018, which saw him take 75 Division Two wickets at 15.48 apiece.Watch cricket on ESPN+

New Zealand v England is available in the US on ESPN+. Subscribe to ESPN+ and tune in to the Test series.

For England, the past week could hardly have gone worse. It quickly became clear as BJ Watling and Mitchell Santner ground them into the dirt while scoring at just over two runs per over that their hotly-anticipated new blueprint for Test cricket was little more than an attempt to play more like New Zealand, by batting long and bowling dry, and as Stuart Broad admitted on the final morning, the first-innings effort of 353 all out was anywhere up to 150 runs short of a good score on a flat pitch.Indeed, much of the post-match analysis has focused on Joe Root’s captaincy, and perhaps with good reason. No Englishman has captained as many overseas Tests as Root’s 14 with a worse win/loss ratio, and his ability to get the most out of Jofra Archer’s talents in particular has been up for debate ever since the fast bowler’s debut at Lord’s. The rest of the squad and the management have both publicly stood by their man, though Ashley Giles illustrated the hollow nature of that in his press conference this week. “I’m not quite sure what anyone is expecting me to say,” Giles said. “‘We’ll see how we go’? That’s not a great vote of confidence in a captain.”Add into the mix the sad news that Chris Silverwood will return home after the second day of the Hamilton Test due to a family bereavement, and the racist abuse suffered by Archer on the final day at Bay Oval – not to mention an injury scare to Jos Buttler* – and it is clear that any attempt to start afresh has been wracked with difficulty.The best way to remove the spotlight from Root before next month’s tour of South Africa would be to win convincingly and end England’s miserable record overseas under his leadership. But given they are winless in their last 16 games in Australasia – their last victory in this part of the world was the Sydney Test in 2011 – that is easier said than done.Form guide(last five completed matches, most recent first)New Zealand WWLWW
England LWLWDIn the spotlightJoe Root needs runs, and desperately. His batting average as captain has dipped below 40. He has slipped out of the top 10 of the ICC’s batting rankings for the first time since 2014. Since the start of the English home summer in July, he has scored just 371 runs in 14 innings, averaging 26.50, with almost as many ducks (three) as half-centuries (four). Root insists that his batting has “just clicked” in training, and that a return to form is “round the corner”; England will be desperate for him to demonstrate that those are not empty words.It scarcely takes one wicketless spell for a section of New Zealand fans to start questioning the purpose of Tim Southee, whose tight control over line, angle and seam position makes him the precision engineer to Lockie Ferguson’s boy racer. But his three wickets on the second morning were not far short of decisive in keeping England to 353 in their first innings, and his record at home in the past five summers – 84 wickets at 24.59 – is a fair reflection of his supreme ability in familiar conditions.Team newsMitchell is set to make his debut as the swing-bowling allrounder, while Henry is likely to edge out Ferguson and replace the injured Boult. The rest of the side is unlikely to change, though Jeet Raval’s spot might come under pressure ahead of the Australia tour with another unconvincing display.New Zealand: 1 Tom Latham, 2 Jeet Raval, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Henry Nicholls, 6 BJ Watling (wk), 7 Daryl Mitchell, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Matt Henry, 11 Neil Wagner.The likelihood of England going into the Test unchanged took a hit on Thursday*, with news of Buttler suffering a back spasm while in the gym. If he is ruled out, that would mean Ollie Pope taking the gloves for only the sixth time in a first-class match. Zak Crawley would probably come in as batting cover, although England were pondering the use of Chris Woakes as another allrounder; Woakes could come into contention anyway, with Jack Leach’s place far from certain after taking 2 for 153 in Mount Maunganui.England: 1 Rory Burns, 2 Dom Sibley, 3 Joe Denly, 4 Joe Root (capt), 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Zak Crawley, 7 Ollie Pope (wk), 8 Sam Curran, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Chris Woakes/Jack Leach, 11 Stuart Broad.Pitch and conditionsThe pitch was very green on Tuesday – it looked as you’d expect a surface to look three days out, rather than two – but is likely to be cut. It has been hot in Hamilton, and the groundstaff have watered the pitch heavily. Seddon Park is one of the lower-scoring grounds in New Zealand, where the ball swings a bit more due to the humidity, and it is a typical ‘look up, not down’ surface.Stats and trivia New Zealand have won five and drawn one of their last six Tests at Seddon Park. Ross Taylor has made five of his 18 Test hundreds at Hamilton, and is 92 runs away from scoring 1000 at the venue. In his 12 first-class games at the ground, Daryl Mitchell averages 39.33 with the bat, and 23.60 with the ball. Dom Sibley’s strength off his pads is offset by a weakness outside his off stump. On his debut last week, he scored five runs from the 87 balls that arrived outside off, and was dismissed twice. England have lost five of their six internationals in Hamilton across formats, with their only victory a two-run win in a T20I in February 2018.Quotes”It’s fantastic opportunity for Daryl if he’s selected. I think he has the capability to do what Colin has [done] in recent times. We’re lucky we have Daryl to come in.”
New Zealand bowling coach Shane Jurgensen hopes Daryl Mitchell can fill Colin de Grandhomme’s big shoes“When they were 600 declared, we knew our first innings wasn’t quite good enough.”
Ben Stokes took longer than most to realise England were in trouble*0900 GMT – This story was updated with news of Buttler’s injury

MatériaMais Notícias

Peça que foi importante na Chapecoense especialmente no ano de 2019, o jovem goleiro Tiepo renovou seu acordo com o clube catarinense na última segunda-feira (3) tendo, agora, um vínculo com duração até 2022. Em palavras ditas ao site oficial do clube, Tiepo se disse “muito motivado” por conta do prolongamento contratual e espera poder retribuir com atuações destacadas na posição onde, atualmente, João Ricardo detêm a titularidade:

RelacionadasFutebol NacionalApós grave lesão, Guilherme Conte já faz transição para o campo e comemora reta final de recuperaçãoFutebol Nacional03/05/2021Futebol NacionalSuposta sondagem do Sport não mexe com Anderson Leite: “meu foco é a Chapecoense”Futebol Nacional03/05/2021ChapecoenseApós cirurgia bem-sucedida, Mozart poderá ter alta ainda neste sábadoChapecoense01/05/2021

>Status da disputa do Campeonato Catarinense

– Estou muito feliz e muito motivado. Agradeço a confiança de todo o pessoal da Chape por acreditar no meu trabalho. Espero retribuir da melhor forma, ajudando meus companheiros e todo o estafe do clube, para que possamos fazer uma temporada brilhante.

Quem também comentou sobre o fato foi o presidente da Chape, Mano dal Piva, exaltando a formação do atleta de apenas 23 anos de idade na base do Verdão do Oeste e suas aparições no Brasileirão de 2019 onde foi não apenas titular como uma das revelações do torneio.

– Com muita alegria, assinamos a renovação de contrato do Tiepo. Ele é um atleta nosso, formado aqui dentro, com um potencial enorme e no qual nós acreditamos muito. Já jogou Série A, comprovou o seu grande nível e a sua grande capacidade, e é por isso que renovar o vínculo com ele é motivo de satisfação. Além disso, finalmente ele está recuperado da grave lesão que sofreu, trabalhando normalmente com o grupo e aguardando a sua oportunidade. Temos certeza de que ele nos ajudará muito no decorrer das competições.

Ao todo, Tiepo fez 35 partidas pela equipe profissional onde, na curta carreira, teve como período mais complicado quando sofreu uma luxação no ombro direito na reta final de 2020. Entre o procedimento cirúrgico em novembro do ano passado e a completa recuperação, foram quatro meses.

– Depois de quatro meses em recuperação, hoje, graças a Deus, estou zerado. Treinando normalmente com os meus companheiros. Agora é trabalhar firme pra ajudar a Chape nos objetivos do ano – garantiu.

Leeds United enjoyed a relatively quiet January transfer window as the deadline passed without much movement in or out of Elland Road ahead of the second half of the season.

Leo Hjelde was allowed to leave on a permanent deal as Championship rivals Sunderland swooped in to secure the versatile defender's services.

Darko Gyabi, Luke Ayling, and Ian Poveda were also all sent out on loan to Plymouth Argyle, Middlesbrough, and Sheffield Wednesday respectively, whilst Djed Spence's loan in Yorkshire from Tottenham Hotspur was cut short.

Daniel Farke then moved to sign Wales international Connor Roberts from Premier League side Burnley on deadline day as his only addition of the window, to bolster his options in the full-back position after Ayling and Spence's exits.

The Whites now reportedly have one eye on the summer transfer window as they are said to be considering a big swoop for a former player if they win promotion to the Premier League in May.

Latest Leeds transfer news

According to Football Insider, Farke is eyeing up a possible move for Manchester City central midfielder Kalvin Phillips ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

The report claims that the Yorkshire-based side will be in the 'market' to sign the England international on a permanent deal if they make their way out of the Championship.

It states that the Whites are expected to spend heavily in the summer if they are promoted to the top-flight, and they have already identified their former star as one of their top targets.

Football Insider claims that Leeds expect Phillips to return to Manchester City at the end of his current loan spell with West Ham United and then be sold on a permanent deal at the end of the season.

This comes just under two years after his £45m move away from Elland Road to sign for Pep Guardiola's side in the summer of 2022 – a switch that earned him a wage of £140k-per-week.

However, the report does not reveal how much it would cost to secure his services on a permanent basis this summer, or how much Leeds are prepared to pay for him.

Before they worry about the financial implications of any swoop for Phillips, Leeds must, first, ensure that they win promotion back to the Premier League.

Current Championship top six (25/02/24)

Team

Position

Matches played

Points

Leicester City

1

34

78

Leeds United

2

34

72

Ipswich Town

3

34

72

Southampton

4

34

67

West Brom

5

34

56

Hull

6

34

55

As you can see in the table above, Farke's side are currently in the automatic promotion places and are, therefore, on course to make an instant return to the top-flight.

However, Ipswich are level on points with the Whites and there could be plenty more twists and turns, with Southampton also not far behind, with 12 matches left to play before the end of the campaign.

If Leeds do end up in the top two and make their way back to the top of the footballing pyramid in England then they could land an upgrade on current star Glen Kamara by securing a deal to sign Phillips.

Glen Kamara's metronomic performances

The club swooped in to sign the Finland international from Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers, and he has enjoyed a strong season in the middle of the park.

FFC recently picked Kamara out as the real hero of the night for Leeds as they beat Leicester 3-1 at Elland Road on Friday night, as the 28-year-old maestro showcased his qualities in and out of possession.

23/24 Championship

Glen Kamara

Appearances

26

Goals + assists

Two

Key passes per game

1.2

Tackles + interceptions per game

1.9

Duel success rate

59%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the former Arsenal prospect has offered quality as a creator in midfield whilst also being a strong presence off the ball as he has won the majority of his physical duels.

Kamara has also completed 93% of his attempted passes and made 7.28 progressive passes per 90, which places him within the top 6% of his positional peers in the Championship this season.

These statistics show that the Leeds dynamo is reliable in possession and looks to create for his teammates with progressive passing, to go along with tackles and interceptions to win the ball back for his side.

Why Phillips could be an upgrade on Kamara

Farke could, however, land an upgrade on Kamara by securing a deal to sign Phillips, who has proven his quality in the Championship and the Premier League.

During the 2019/20 campaign, in which Leeds won the second tier title, the English maestro made 37 league appearances for the club and caught the eye in and out of possession.

Phillips, who was hailed as "excellent" by Marcelo Bielsa, made 1.8 key passes and 4.0 tackles and interceptions per match for the Whites.

This means that he produced 0.6 more key passes and made 2.1 more tackles and interceptions per game for Leeds than Kamara has managed so far this season, which suggests that he has the quality to offer more to the team at both ends of the pitch.

The 28-year-old gem has also proven himself in the Premier League as he impressed under Bielsa during the 2020/21 top-flight campaign.

Kalvin Phillips vs midfielders (via FBref)

20/21 Premier League (per 90)

Percentile rank

Tackles (2.74)

Top 12%

Interceptions (1.67)

Top 18%

Blocks (1.82)

Top 9%

Clearances (1.96)

Top 9%

As you can see in the table above, Bielsa's 'excellent' star was defensively outstanding for Leeds in their first season back in the big time, as he ranked highly among his positional peers in a host of key defensive metrics.

Phillips, as evidenced by his Championship and Premier League statistics, has more quality out of possession than Kamara as he can win possession back far more frequently by cutting out opposition attacks.

That is a crucial trait to have in the top-flight as a newly-promoted team as it would be naive to expect to go up and dominate matches in the same way that they do in the second tier, which is why being strong defensively is key.

Therefore, Phillips, who also made more key passes per game than Kamara in his last season in the second division, could be a big upgrade on the current Leeds star if he can return to Elland Road and get back to his best.

One concern, however, would be that he has only started four Premier League games since the start of last term. At the age of 28, though, the talented whiz still has plenty of years left to give and could get back to match sharpness with a regular run of games in Yorkshire.