All posts by h716a5.icu

Everton's James Garner could play "a much bigger role in midfield this year" if the club sign a fullback this summer, and should he do that, he could "have a big season", claims journalist Paul Brown.

Everton News – what does the future hold for James Garner?

It was a tough first season at the Toffees for the Birkenhead-born prospect last year.

Having joined from Manchester United in September, he spent his first two Premier League games at the club sitting on the bench before making his debut in a 2-1 loss to his former side on the ninth of October.

He would go on to feature in the next five league games for the club before suffering a back injury that meant he wouldn't play a minute of the following 14 league matches until finally making his return against Tottenham Hotspur on the third of April this year.

The 6 foot 1 midfielder endured yet more disruption in the closing weeks of the season when he was asked to fill in as a makeshift right-back following the injuries to both Seamus Coleman and Nathan Patterson, something he did better than most would've expected of him, as he even played there during the club's crucial final day victory over Bournemouth – a win that secured safety.

Being moved around the pitch to a position that is not your own is something that might cause a player to down tools or moan to the press, but in Garner's case, he seems grateful just to be playing, as in May, he said:

"If I am chosen to play there, I will be more than happy. I feel comfortable switching positions. From defence to midfield, midfield to right-back. I feel ready and more than capable of doing it."

While he might be happy to play where he is told to, journalist Paul Brown believes that moving back into midfield in the event of a new fullback joining the club would be best for the youngster.

What did Paul Brown say about James Garner and Everton?

Brown was keen to praise Garner for his performances last season and pointed out that if the club sign any fullbacks over the summer, he could potentially have a big year in the middle of the park next season.

Speaking to Football Fancast, he said: "I actually think he did really well anyway towards the end of last season, but depending where he plays if they get the fullback positions sorted out, I think you could see James Garner playing a much bigger role in midfield this year. And it'd be nice, as injuries kind of hampered his momentum a little bit last year. It'd be nice if he got in and broke through.

"I think there's potential there for him to have a big season as well."

How good was James Garner last season?

As Brown points out, it was a season hampered by injury last year for Garner. The 14 games he missed between November and February made it hard for him to develop any sort of positive momentum through the season.

That said, when he did play, he was able to show glimpses of quality, even if he never quite reached levels higher than his teammates.

According to WhoScored, across the 16 league games he did play, he averaged a rating of 6.43, picking up one assist and maintaining a pass accuracy of 80.9%.

While those statistics aren't anything to write home about, it's essential to look at them with the added context of a highly dysfunctional Everton side and that he was playing a lot of those final games in an unfamiliar position.

His underlying numbers are, again, fairly average, but within the context of a new position, they're decent enough.

According to FBref, who compare players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, the "highly rated" 22-year-old sits in the top 22% for aerial duals won, the top 24% for clearances, the top 26% for interceptions, the top 34% for assists, and the top 37% for non-penalty expected goals, all per 90.

Ultimately, while he did a good job as a temporary fullback for the team, should Everton bring in proper reinforcements in that area, Garner should be doing everything he can to stake a claim back in the midfield, and then we might see him reach the potential he has.

Shadab Khan’s 30 not out and his unbroken 45-run stand for the seventh wicket with Javon Searles – the highest of the match – helped Knight Riders register their second win

The Report by Shashank Kishore08-Aug-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsShadab Khan finished with 1 for 16 off four overs•CPLThis game was a repeat of the tournament opener, just in terms of the result. Everything else about the contest was a hard scrap on a treacherous Port-of-Spain surface where spin dominated. Trinbago Knight Riders’ spin trio of Kharry Pierre, Shadab Khan and Sunil Narine picked 3 for 48 between them off 12 overs, restricting St Lucia Stars to 118 for 9. Shadab then had to shepherd a tense chase as Shane Shillingford ripped through the top order to leave Knight Riders tottering at 52 for 5. A 45-run stand for the seventh wicket between Shadab and Javon Searles, the highest in the match, took Knight Riders to their second win in as many matches.Spin is kingFive Powerplay overs were bowled by the spinners. That this was a sluggish surface became evident at the outset when Pierre, the left-arm spinner, got the ball to turn and stop on the batsmen in the first over. Pierre, who was guilty of firing them in two nights ago, slowed his pace down nicely and struck in the second over when he had Johnson Charles lbw.Kamran Akmal couldn’t cope either, often bordering on the thin line between being aggressive and careless, eventually falling to an ill-advised cut to an offcutter that kicked at him. Andre Fletcher and Marlon Samuels added 30 for the third wicket to lead a brief recovery, but at 75 for 3 in the 13th over, Knight Riders wrested control.Fletcher rides luckAndre Fletcher has a career strike rate of 106.66 in T20Is. Here, however, he had to bat through. Against pace, he was happy to hit through the line. Against the turning ball, he was a nervous wreck. He should’ve been out on 16, but for a huge slice of luck as the ball beat his slog sweep to hit the stumps only for the bails to briefly dislodge before slotting back into the groove.Then, he was reprieved on 24 when Javon Searles palmed a catch over the long-on boundary. In between, however, he gritted his way through. His dismissal in the 16th over, attempting to hit out against Shadab, resulted in a wobble again. Having assessed the surface well, Kevon Cooper mixed up cross-seam deliveries with cutters to walk away with three wickets.Shillingford gives Stars hopeBriefly, it looked like Brendon McCullum had already caused enough damage in a low-scoring game, as he biffed three sixes in a nine-ball 19. But that was until Shillingford entered the fray and had him caught at midwicket. Four balls later, Colin Munro was out lbw playing the switch hit. Darren Bravo was out looking to cut one that skid through and Denesh Ramdin saw one dart through between bat and pad to crash into the stumps. When Dwayne Bravo was bowled by a searing yorker from Mitchell McClenaghan, Knight Riders were in trouble at 75 for 5 in the 10th over.Shadab’s composure stands outHaving bowled four overs, Shadab was his best judge on how to approach a small chase. His confidence shone through as he made 30 not out to help convert a tricky chase into a cruise in the end. Shadab’s composure and game awareness – not one stroke was played in desperation – spoke of his maturity as he continued to enhance his reputation on the same shores where he first broke through at the international arena not too long ago.

Glasgow Rangers desperately needed a summer revamp of their first team squad, which had grown stagnant over the previous two years and Michael Beale has delivered so far.

Eight new signings have arrived, while eight players have either been released or sold, and winger Ryan Kent was one of them.

Where is Ryan Kent now?

Following five seasons at the Ibrox side, the left-winger was released upon the expiration of his contract in May and has since joined Fenerbahce in Turkey.

The Englishman – who cost £7m from Liverpool in 2019– registered 89 goal contributions during his spell at the Light Blues and was so often a key attacking threat for the club under Steven Gerrard.

The previous two seasons however saw a slight dip in his attacking contributions. After registering three goals and 19 assists during the 2021/22 campaign, helping the Gers win the Scottish Cup and reach the Europa League final, his numbers dropped significantly last season.

He scored three times and made just ten assists, and it was evident that he wasn’t quite the same attacking threat as before, with Beale clearing showing no desire to offer him an extended contract.

Who could replace Kent at Rangers?

Despite his numbers dropping, Kent was still a key player for the Ibrox side and his departure leaves a void to be filled on the left wing, should Beale play with wingers next term.

Fashion Sakala could be a solid replacement, having featured out wide on various occasions last season, and he scored 12 times while registering eight assists.

Beale could perhaps turn to a young talent in the academy instead, however, with 18-year-old Thompson Ishaka showing signs of promise.

Who is Thompson Ishaka?

The teenage sensation joined the Gers back in March following a successful trial period for the colt side during the summer of 2022, and he was even wanted by European heavyweights such as Chelsea, Manchester City and PSV Eindhoven.

He signed a two-year deal with the club, and he will be given an ideal chance to develop further in the B team, with Beale keeping an eye on him.

During a tie against Elgin City last summer during his trial period, Ishaka was incredible as he terrorised the opposition defence throughout the match.

He was seen bombing up and down the left wing, leaving defenders for dust, with Darryl McHardy – who was lining up for Elgin on the night – admitting to having even had "nightmares" about the winger following his devastating performance.

Although raw and with a lack of experience, Ishaka may not be ready for first-team football straight away, however, his growing potential suggests he may be given a chance in the near future.

He could take solace from the fact his teammate, Zak Lovelace, managed to get an opportunity under Beale at the end of last season and should he impress during the 2023/24 campaign for the B team, he may follow in his footsteps.

Beale could save millions by unearthing the 18-year-old, and he may well turn out to be the ideal heir to Kent in the process.

Manchester United won't just be trying to sign a host of players during the current transfer window, but also trying to move on some deadwood in order to free up the wage budget.

David de Gea and Phil Jones have already departed Old Trafford, leaving on the expiration of their contracts following 12 years in Manchester and Erik ten Hag will be keen on moving a few more players out the door.

Does Fred have a future at Manchester United?

The Brazilian has just one year left on his current deal at United and this summer could represent the final opportunity for Ten Hag to secure a decent fee for the midfielder.

Fellow Premier League side Fulham are interested in Fred and with the Dutchman looking at signing younger players, it could be the perfect time to offload the 30-year-old, who started just 23 games across all competitions last term.

With the Red Devils eyeing a move for Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka during the transfer window, it could Ten Hag the licence to move Fred on and get some sort of transfer fee for him before potentially losing him for free next year.

Could Manchester United sign Leon Goretzka?

According to Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, United are still “monitoring” the Bayern star ahead of a potential move, despite him making it clear that he doesn’t want to leave the Bundesliga side this summer.

This could perhaps make any future swoop tricky to pull off and with the German giants valuing Goretzka at just €40m (£35m), it may be an opportunity missed.

Nevertheless, Ten Hag could still look to persuade him to make the move to England, and he’d be an instant upgrade on Fred.

Not only did the 28-year-old create more big chances (seven to four) in the league last season than Fred, but he also took more shots per game (1.5 to 0.7), demonstrating his attacking attributes from the centre of midfield.

It isn’t only his attacking qualities which allowed him to shine for Bayern. The midfielder also offers an aerial presence, ranking in the top 9% across Europe’s big five leagues for aerials won per 90 (2.04), while also making 2.04 blocks per 90, good enough to rank him in the top 3% as he demonstrated his defensive abilities.

Fred did make more blocks per 90 (2.53), yet he clearly doesn’t have as much of a presence in air compared to Goretzka, winning just 0.76 aerials per 90 and this ability to generate more chances for his teammates, alongside a strong physical presence suggests the 28-year-old would be a much better option for Ten Hag next season.

His fellow compatriot, Manuel Neuer, hailed the former Schalke gem “cold as ice” and given the fact he has scored 65 goals throughout his whole career for club and country, it indicates that the midfielder fails to buckle under pressure.

Signing Goretzka would be a shrewd move for Ten Hag, especially given his performances over the previous 12 months and in order to seriously challenge Manchester City for the Premier League title, continuing to play the likes of Fred simply won’t work.

Somerset moved into third place in the NatWest T20 Blast South Group with a 14-run victory over Hampshire in front of a 6,000-plus crowd at Taunton

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jul-2017Lewis Gregory gave Somerset a powerful start•Getty ImagesSomerset moved into third place in the NatWest T20 Blast South Group with a 14-run victory over Hampshire in front of a 6,000-plus crowd at Taunton.Opener Lewis Gregory led the way after the hosts had won the toss, smacking 43 off 20 balls, with nine fours, in a total of 204 for 9. Jim Allenby contributed 37, while Gareth Berg claimed 3 for 35.In reply, Hampshire were bowled out for 190, Lewis McManus top-scoring with 34. Tim Groenewald was the pick of the home attack with 2 for 28 from his four overs.Somerset made a whirlwind start to their innings thanks to some sweet timing from openers Gregory and Steve Davies and some woeful Hampshire bowling that saw the second over from Kyle Abbott feature two over-stepping no-balls and cost 25.By the end of the fourth over Gregory and Davies had taken the score to 61, the former being dropped on 24 by Berg off Brad Wheal, a tough chance, with the skied ball arriving over his shoulder.It was a relief for Hampshire when James Vince produced a good catch above his head at mid-on to dismiss Davies for 32, made from just 13 balls, Shahid Afridi the successful bowler.Man-of-the-match Gregory holed out to deep midwicket off Berg, having looked in prime form and by the end of the six-over Powerplay Somerset had raced to 83 for 2.Allenby took time to play himself in before producing some cracking shots. Peter Trego fell cheaply, but James Hildreth ensured there was no let-up for the bowlers with a breezy 25 off 18 deliveries.Allenby drove a catch to extra cover off Berg, but Michael Leask hit Wheal for six and two more maximums in the same over by Roelof van der Merwe, including a ramp shot, had Somerset on course for 220.But the 18th over saw van der Merwe run out and Abbott strike twice to dismiss Leask and Groenewald, forcing last pair Craig Overton and Max Waller to exercise caution.Hampshire replied positively despite losing Rilee Rossouw to only the eighth ball of their innings, bowled by Overton, whose opening over still coast 14.Vince cracked 33 off 15 balls, with seven fours, before being bowled by a full ball from Gregory. But George Bailey quickly followed, a victim for Groenewald, who put an early brake on the scoring rate.Carberry was dropped on 2 by Hildreth at short fine-leg off Overton as Hampshire ended the Powerplay on 51 for 3. He and Sean Ervine added 49 in good time before the latter was bowled by van der Merwe for 19 attempting a scoop shot.Carberry had progressed to 30 and was looking dangerous when run out by Groenewald in a mix-up with Lewis McManus over a second run. At 93 for 5 in the 11th over, the visitors were in trouble.McManus lofted successive sixes off van der Merwe in the 13th over, but the next saw Waller beat Afridi’s defensive shot and bowl him for 18.When McManus was caught by Allenby at extra cover off a skier to give Waller his second wicket, Hampshire were left needing 53 off four overs, with only three wickets in hand.Despite the best efforts of Berg (31 off 21 balls), they were always falling short and when he was run out the innings ended with three balls remaining.

Newcastle United are intending to sign three new players in key different areas of the pitch this summer, according to an exciting new transfer update.

Who have Newcastle signed in 2023?

The Magpies enjoyed a superb 2022/23 season, arguably exceeding all expectations and eventually finishing fourth in the Premier League. It means that they are back in the Champions League next term, which will lead to some memorable European nights at St James' Park in 2023 and hopefully 2024.

It is imperative that Newcastle don't sit still this summer and fail to kick on from last season's excellence, however, making sure their squad is bolstered enough to reach another level in 2023/24. Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali has already been brought in from AC Milan, but their business cannot afford to stop there.

The money is seemingly available for the Magpies to continue their recent spending, so Eddie Howe should be able to have an even more formidable-looking starting lineup by the time their opening fixture of the new campaign rolls around at home to Aston Villa next month.

While Newcastle look well-stocked in certain positions, not least midfield, especially after the signing of the highly-rated Tonali, there are other areas that look a little light currently, and that could do with summer surgery. A new update suggests that the Magpies have the situation under control, though.

Are Newcastle linked with new signings?

According to Football Insider, Newcastle still want to sign a left-back, a centre-back and a wide attacking forward this summer, in order to perfect their squad.

They see those areas as key points of focus, in order to have more options moving forward, and it will be "another big money window" according to this report.

This is encouraging to hear for Newcastle, with all three positions mentioned in needed in strengthening, if Howe's men are to go up another gear and secure back-to-back top-four finishes in the Premier League.

Dan Burn did a commendable job at left-back last season and remains an important figure, but it is important that a more natural left-sider comes in there, at least to provide competition and a different style of play to the towering Englishman. Arsenal's Kieran Tierney has been linked with a move to St James' Park and he could be ideal, in that respect.

Meanwhile, a younger centre-back is needed to come in and be a long-term replacement for Fabian Shcar, who at 31 years of age, has arguably reached his peak as a player. Monaco favourite Axel Disasu continues to be a target and a player of that ilk would be perfect.

Finally, another winger is also of the utmost importance for Newcastle, especially with Allan Saint-Maximin potentially heading off to pastures new, with a move to Saudi Arabia mooted in recent days.

The Frenchman is a threat on his day, but an upgrade is required moving forward, in terms of someone who can provide more reliable end product. Harvey Barnes looks like a primary option to come in and be that man, having scored 13 times in the league for a Foxes side who ended up being relegated from the Premier League last season.

Kumar Sangakkara announced that this would be his final season in the County Championship after Surrey had secured a draw at Lord’s

Vithushan Ehantharajah at Lord's22-May-2017
ScorecardThree days of engaging cricket from both sides ended, depressingly, with handshakes at 5.25pm. But whatever sorrow filled the air was engulfed by a deeper dismay when Kumar Sangakkara, with a century in each innings, announced that this would be his final season in the County Championship.He has a couple of contracts to honour this year, including a stint in the Caribbean Premier League with Jamaica Tallawahs. “The mercenary in me is still alive,” he joked, when pressed on whether he might be around for a T20 gig or two. “No one wants an old dog just playing for the sake of it. All in all, I’ll have a few more months but that’ll be it.” So begins the farewell tour.”You need to get out while you are ahead,” was Sangakkara’s response when he was implored to reconsider – by the press, no less. What world is this where a man can become the fourth Surrey batsman to score four centuries in four consecutive innings (Ian Ward was the last to do it in 2002), pass 20,000 first-class runs with two centuries in a match and sit pretty on 592 in just four Championship games this season and think he’s done? Sport and indeed life, as it happens. “This really is it. Look – I’m 39. I’ll be 40 in a few months. I think this is about the end of county cricket [for me] in the four-day and any sense, really.”The biggest mistake you can make is to think you are better than you are and you try to fight the inevitable. When you start a season like this, there is a long way to go. You have to enjoy the good times. All good things come to an end. Cricketers and any other sportsperson have an expiry date. I’ve been very lucky to plays as much as I have and I’m not taking anything for granted, but and there’s a lot of life to be lived away from the game.”He has a young family: two children who have reached ages when a settled home life will do them the world of good. They have seen dad play all around the world. Now is time for dad to take a load off his feet and watch them flourish.That is not to say their stay in south London has been unenjoyable. Surrey, as a county and a base, has been good to Sangakkara, even if his original move – spawned over a beer with his then Sri Lanka coach Graham Ford, who was leaving for the county – was met with a degree of trepidation from himself and those who know he prefers warmer climes. They also worried that the longest form of the game might enhance the streaks of grey that have crept into his sideburns.Turns out there was nothing to worry about. In fact, he took to the city so quickly that he was even looking into canal boats and mooring spots along the Thames during his first year at the club. “Seriously, he won’t stop going on about it,” groaned a team-mate at the time. Last year he signed a one-year extension.”A lot of friends asked me: ‘Why four day cricket? It’s long, it’s tough in England, it’s cold. It’s a long hard grind.’ I thought the same when I came in to be honest. Had I made the right decision? But I really, thoroughly enjoyed my time at Surrey. They’ve been a wonderful club to play for. They take care of their players very well.”James Franklin removed Kumar Sangakkara for 120 but his side opted not to chase a fourth-innings target•Getty ImagesIf this really is to be it, then it has been some way to bow out. As a man with very little memorabilia at home, he watched on as MCC unveiled his portrait in the days leading up to this fixture. “It’s a great honour and I think Anthony, the artist, has actually made me look a bit better than I actually am!”Look at all the other portraits of great cricketers and you feel a bit funny, thinking you don’t belong in that environment but the fact the MCC wanted my portrait was very humbling.”He says he was unnerved and slightly embarrassed when he walked past it on his way to the middle, twice, before making centuries in both innings. To think, for the longest time, his lack of a red-ball century at Lord’s weighed heavy on his mind.”I sat here in my last Test at Lord’s hoping to get a hundred,” he said. It was only in the first innings of that match in 2014, after six previous innings that amounted to just 140 runs, that he got his name on the honours board. “But also, at that time, I was thinking ‘wouldn’t it be funny if I got a duck?’ It was nice to go through the processes and bat again at Lord’s. It’s probably the last time I’ll play a four-day game here.”For the second time in the match, though, Sangakkara was unable to go on the morning after the century before, meaning Middlesex had an end open. And while they were able to pick away at that end, eventually bowling out Surrey, it was Ben Foakes, batting for more than six hours for his 67 not out, who dragged Surrey away from danger.Ollie Rayner accounted for the Currans either side of lunch, before Dawid Malan bowled Stuart Meaker and then had Mark Footitt caught at midwicket to leave Middlesex with a chase of 242 off 39 overs. What happened next did not reflect well on the defending champions.Even with all the caveats – a red ball, no fielding restrictions, the fall in the pound – this was a chase to be undertaken: just over six an over needed, a small boundary away to the Grandstand that had been peppered regularly over the last three days. This is also a Middlesex batting line-up that went to Taunton last year and successfully chased 302 in 45.4 overs. The cornerstone of their title win was positivity and yet here, on a pitch that was still playing true, they opted for caution.Nick Gubbins and Nick Compton opened the second innings and it became apparent after the third over, which Compton played out as a maiden, that the champions were not going to go out of their way to get the runs. Gubbins was caught behind swiping in an attempt to get things going and with him seemed to go the impetus.Compton – who had 2 off 16 balls at one point – hit a couple of fours before being caught on the square-leg boundary off Footitt. Even Malan, who did not play with any particular urgency, finished with 37 off 44 balls when the game was put out of its misery. Middlesex’s captain, James Franklin, while accepting that the chase entered their minds, felt that ultimately a docile fourth-day surface would have prevented them from really going hell for leather.

When the two teams meet on Wednesday, Bangladesh will have a chance to register their first victory over New Zealand at an away or a neutral venue

ESPNcricinfo staff16-May-2017Match factsWednesday May 17, Dublin
Start time 1045 local time (0945 GMT)Mitchell Santner’s five-for against Ireland was a tale of two spells•AFPBig pictureBangladesh have never beaten New Zealand at an away or neutral venue in 15 matches and will be keen to set that record straight, given how the last series between the two teams, in New Zealand, panned out.In all three of those matches, sudden and quick batting slumps from positions of relative stability cost Bangladesh. Some of that fragility was also on display in their opening match of this tri-nation series against Ireland: they lost wickets on either side of a promising stand, before Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah made a recovery. It’s a tendency Bangladesh will have to guard against, particularly if they want to tackle a New Zealand side which, although weakened, fought back well against Ireland.In conditions suited to seam bowling, how Bangladesh cope with New Zealand’s inexperienced but promising pace attack will be key. They will also be wary of New Zealand’s middle order striking form, although both George Worker and Ross Taylor were not quite fluent during their half-centuries against Ireland. New Zealand are likely to continue with Luke Ronchi as opener, giving the batsman freedom to hit out in order to ease the pressure on the middle order.Form guideBangladesh: LWLLL (most recent first, last five completed matches)
New Zealand: WLWLWIn the spotlightMahmudullah’s unbeaten 43 in the rain-interrupted match last week was only the fourth time he’s scored more than 20 in an innings since October 2016. While he has scored a half-century in that period, he has not been consistent. Mahmudullah had a disappointing ODI series in New Zealand, where he scored 4 runs in three innings. However, the solid patch of form from the Dhaka Premier League has extended to this tour, and Bangladesh will be happy that his runs against Ireland came after they were struggling at 70 for 4 in the 15th over. Mahmudullah needs another 79 to become the fifth Bangladesh batsman to score 3000 ODI runs.New Zealand coach Mike Hesson recently said they were not averse to opening the bowling with a spinner even in English conditions during the Champions Trophy, particularly if the track was flat. Mitchell Santner could be a key part of that strategy. Hesson was particularly impressed with how the left-arm spinner bounced back against Ireland: having conceded 43 and taken one wicket in his first spell of seven overs, Santner came back to take four wickets for seven in his second spell, decisively turning the match for New Zealand.Teams newsAdam Milne is likely to be available for selection, having joined the team last week. He could replace Ish Sodhi if New Zealand opt to boost their pace attack in what are likely to be seaming conditions.New Zealand (probable) 1 Luke Ronchi (wk), 2 Tom Latham (capt), 3 George Worker, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Neil Broom, 6 James Neesham, 7 Colin Munro, 8 Scott Kuggeleijn, 9 Mitchell Santner, 10 Seth Rance, 11 Adam Milne/ Ish SodhiMashrafe Mortaza will return from over-rate suspension, at the expense of possibly Rubel Hossain. Apart from that change, Bangladesh may want to persist with the XI they picked for the first match, which was abandoned.Bangladesh:(probable) 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Soumya Sarkar, 3 Sabbir Rahman, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Shakib Al Hasan, 6 Mosaddek Hossain, 7 Mahmudullah, 8 Mehedi Hasan, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 11 Mustafizur RahmanPitch and conditionsThis will be the first ODI, and the second international game, at Castle Avenue since May 2014, when Sri Lanka took on Ireland in a two-match series. At the time, conditions were green and seaming and it could be the same on Wednesday. The temperature in Dublin is expected to be between 15 and 18 Celsius during the day, with a chance of rain.Stats This will be the first match at Clontarf between two Full Member nations. Bangladesh had played a match there against West Indies in 1999, but had not yet achieved Full Member status Sunday’s match against Ireland was only the eighth time that Ronchi opened the batting in an ODI. His score of 37 was also his best at that position. Tamim and Shakib Al Hasan have the most runs by Bangladesh batsmen against New Zealand – 442 and 436 respectively. Quotes”It’s a challenge for us because we have guys coming back from the IPL. So we will have players we will release back to England and we will give a little bit of time to acclimatise and then assess conditions, because there are still ODIs and we will need to keep picking what we deem to be our best team.”

To say that Mykhailo Mudryk’s time at Chelsea is yet to meet expectations would be an understatement in the truest form. The Ukrainian was welcomed in January as the man to finally help kickstart the Blues’ season, before going on to endure a nightmare start to life at Stamford Bridge.Not helped by Chelsea’s dismal form in general, Mudryk ended the season with just two assists in the Premier League, and not a single goal to his name. Considering his reported hefty price tag of up to £89m, the pressure was on the 22-year-old to hit the ground running.In fairness to the winger, too, his first game against Liverpool, coming from the bench, showed plenty of promise, as he gave James Milner another reason why the curtains are perhaps closing on his illustrious career.With that, Mudryk had the excitement of the fans behind him. But, since then, he has failed to deliver.That hasn’t stopped him from backing himself on social media, however.

Mudryk hits back at fan

Fans love to have their say in football, with some even going as far to advise the professional players on what they should do, and how they should play. But, believe it or not, the player coached by football geniuses every week probably knows what they’re doing.

Criticising Mudryk, one fan took to social media to comment on the player’s Instagram post, saying: “Bro learn to make 360 turns with the ball it will help u change direction and be unpredictable. Running with the ball in one direction isn’t good enough. Clue.”

Talk about game-changing tactics…

Understandably, the Chelsea man couldn’t resist hitting back with a sarcastic comment, asking: “Didn’t win [the] Ballon d’Or yet?”

With that said, Mudryk will aim to finally prove himself on the pitch for Chelsea, likely opting not to take the advice of the supporter next season.

What is the market value of Mudryk?

Today’s transfer market is, of course, very different to how things used to be, given the incredible inflation in prices. That said, however, Chelsea massively overpaid for Mudryk, whose value is currently at just €50m (£42.61m). For context, the London club paid up to £89m for the Ukrainian back in January.

Even at the time of his arrival, as per Transfermarkt, Mudryk was only valued at the €40m (£34.09m) mark, which raises the question as to how Chelsea ended up paying almost triple that price for his signature.

The player they believed was arriving was someone who had been involved in 13 goals in 12 league appearances for Shakhtar Donetsk. What they got, though, was a player clearly not ready to save a sinking ship.

Under Mauricio Pochettino, things may get slightly easier. After all, the former Tottenham Hotspur manager has gotten the best out of young talents in the past such as Dele Alli. What’s more, the Argentine will almost certainly be an upgrade on Frank Lampard.

At the very least, he did show some glimpses of his mercurial talent while playing for Ukraine at the U21 European Championship this summer. Perhaps that is a sign of things to come.

After exceeding their transformation targets in the 2016-17 season, CSA were optimistic of having their major tournament ban lifted

Firdose Moonda08-May-2017Cricket South Africa is “optimistic” of having the government ban on bidding for hosting major global tournaments overturned when the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) presents its transformation report on Tuesday morning, although they do not foresee having any global cricket events in the country until at least 2023.The EPG is an independent committee, appointed by ministers, who compile an annual assessment of various sporting codes and their commitment to change. Last year, they found four sporting federations, including cricket, had not met the transformation criteria. Then-sports minister, Fikile Mbalula, meted out the same punishment to all four federations, even though it had little material impact on any of them. In cricket’s case, the ICC had already distributed events for the next six years.Nonetheless, CSA set new transformation targets which required the team to field a minimum of six players of colour, of which at least two must be black African. At the end of the 2016-17 summer, CSA exceeded their targets.”We are optimistic of achieving good outcomes but we would not want to pre-empt anything at this stage. Regardless, we are committed to transformation and we will continue to engage with the ministry and other stakeholders to ensure we achieve our transformation goals,” CSA CEO Haroon Lorgat told ESPNcricinfo.Apart from the on-field numbers, CSA also worked with the EPG and government administrators to create a more up-to-date database of cricket statistics at lower levels, particularly schools and clubs where much of the existing information was obsolete. “We have engaged constructively with the EPG secretariat and the Department to correct data errors and to develop a tailored scorecard for cricket,” Lorgat said.With accurate statistics now in place, cricket is unlikely to have a similar problem in the future provided the transformation numbers continue to meet requirements. There is no word on whether the targets will be increased, with new sports minister, Thembelani Nxesi, who was appointed in early April, yet to weigh in on the issue.