All posts by h716a5.icu

Matt Prior has offered his support to the on-field umpires during the current trial of review technology as the players continue to come to grips with the new system

Andrew McGlashan in Jamaica06-Feb-2009
Andrew Flintoff refers his appeal for lbw against Devon Smith after it was was turned down © AFP
Matt Prior, the England wicketkeeper, has offered his support to theon-field umpires during the current trial of review technology asthe players continue to come to grips with the new system. Tony Hilland Rudi Koertzen were at the centre of the action on the second daybetween England and West Indies at Sabina Park, with both sidesgaining and losing from the third umpire.This is the third series to be part of the trial, following theprevious contests between India and Sri Lanka then New Zealand andWest Indies. Devon Smith was given out lbw to Andrew Flintoff afterHill, the on-field official, had originally declined the appeal, whileRamnaresh Sarwan was reprieved after Hill had initially given apositive decision in Steve Harmison’s favour.”I think a lot of the players have some sympathy with the guys[umpires] because they are making tricky decisions,” Prior said.”We’ve just had an afternoon of having to try and make decisions in asplit second and it’s not easy. Everyone makes mistakes, players willmake more mistakes than umpires in a day’s play. If an umpire makes amistake it’s not because they are trying to. If the decision ischanged then so be it.”Five decisions were reviewed during the second day’s play and all inthe space of 12 overs. The most controversial of those was Sarwan’soverturned lbw when on 5, with replays showing the ball would haveclipped the top of the stumps.”Harmison’s one with the use of Hawk-Eye looks like it is hitting thetop of the bails which is out,” Prior said. “So from that point ofview you can get a bit frustrated. But it’s not easy. The third umpireis making a guess decision as much as anyone else. If you are trustingHawk-Eye to track the ball three-quarters of the way or longer, thenwhy not all the way. “As a wicketkeeper, Prior will often be in the thick of the action whenreviews are asked for, although he said that he can only be of somuch use to Andrew Strauss when the ball is swinging “A lot of peoplewould say that the keeper has the best view but that’s not always thecase,” he said. “We had a couple where the ball was tailing into legstump and you lose the line.”From my own point of view it’s very much an instinctive call. You seeit and you either feel it’s out or you don’t. But when a decision likethe Steve Harmison one is given not out you almost startsecond-guessing yourself a little because I thought that was prettyclose.”Sarwan admitted he was grateful for his escape but said that WestIndies remained unsure about the system following their firstexperience of it on the recent tour of New Zealand. “In our team nottoo many guys are keen on it. It kind of takes the umpires out of thegame. Sometimes it goes your way, sometimes not, we have to realisethat everyone is human and makes mistakes and that is something thatyou need to understand.”One of the issues that came to the fore was the time it takes to makethe decisions, which was an original concern about the furtherintroduction of technology. The system has already been tweaked by theICC to reduce the number of reviews down to two per team, perinnings, and the stoppages in play will need further monitoring.”Do you sacrifice that to make sure you get the right decision?,”Prior said. “There is a huge amount at stake at the minute and bigdecisions have to be made. Traditionalists will say it does take quitea bit of time out of the game, and why shouldn’t the umpires have theright to make their decision as they always have done?”

Kieran Maguire has made a claim involving the prospective new owners at Newcastle United should a takeover be pushed through.

The Lowdown: Partnership announced

Last month, the St James’ Park club announced a new commercial deal with eToro.

The online social investment platform will now be allowed to advertise at St James’ Park and take advantage of a number of other marketing opportunities.

The Latest: Maguire on partnership

Speaking to Football Insider, football finance expert Maguire has now claimed that the prospective new owners would have been advised over the value of the deal with eToro, in case they can push the takeover through. He said:

“The way you value a club is you look at the future cash being generated.

“If the deal negotiations are at an advanced stage, the prospective new owners will have been advised as to the value of the deal with eToro and other partners.

“Given that Mike Ashley has still got to persuade them to pay a final price, if he locks the club into low-value deals, especially on a long-term basis, that is no good for him.

“If the club has been locked into lower-value revenue streams, that’s going to have an impact on what Ashley can charge.

“It’s not in Ashley’s interest or the new owner’s interest to be tied into them.”

The Verdict: Still hope

There is still hope that a takeover can be pushed through on Tyneside, as the prospective new owners will want to know what is going on inside the club in case they are able to take charge.

The arbitration case between Newcastle and the Premier League over the stalled bid is set to take place early next year, and a positive result for Mike Ashley could see him finally sell.

Nonetheless, the Toon Army will have to be patient after a disappointing summer transfer window which only saw them bring one player on a permanent deal in Joe Willock from Arsenal, and next year could well be their time.

In other news, find out what details Mark Douglas has revealed about this under-the-radar NUFC signing

Rohit Sharma, the Indian batsman, is hoping a good performance in the upcoming series in Sri Lanka will help him secure a spot in the Test side

Cricinfo staff22-Jan-2009
Rohit Sharma said he had steadily improved since his success in the CB Series in Australia early in 2008 © Getty Images
Rohit Sharma, the Indian batsman, is hoping a good performance in the upcoming ODI series in Sri Lanka will help him secure a spot in the Test side. A successful one-day series in Australia early in 2008 helped Rohit settle in the Indian middle-order and he said he had improved steadily since then.”Though I did not play in the Test series in Sri Lanka [last July-August], I worked on my technique under Gary Kirsten’s guidance,” Rohit told the . “My footwork is much better now and even my shot selection has improved. My job is to perform. Hopefully, it should help me seal a Test spot.”Over the last year, when he played 28 of his 32 ODIs, Rohit scored three half-centuries – two in Australia – at 25.33. He put in an impressive performance in the Ranji Trophy, scoring two centuries in the final and aggregating 747 runs at 74.70 in the tournament that his team, Mumbai, won.He was under-par in the five ODIs in Sri Lanka last year, with a top score of 32, but India won the series 3-2 and he said the pressure would now be on Sri Lanka. “India are a strong side now. We beat Australia and then England. On the other hand, Sri Lanka look patchy. I feel the pressure will be on them. We are confident of beating them in their own backyard once again.”Sri Lanka were beaten by Bangladesh in a league game of the tri-nation series and narrowly avoided another defeat to the same opposition in the final. They also lost the first ODI in Pakistan before bouncing back with a 129-run rout in the second.

Many West Ham United fans are delighted with the news that the Irons have verbally agreed a fee with Chelsea for the signing of Kurt Zouma.

The transfer window is fast approaching its end after several months, and the Hammers remain one of the quietest clubs in the Premier League in terms of new arrivals. In fact, they have so far been unable to bring in a new outfield player, with only goalkeeper Alphonse Areola making the move to the London Stadium (Transfermarkt).

However, there may be some positive news on the horizon for the Irons. According to David Ornstein, West Ham have verbally agreed a fee of £25.7m for Zouma. At the moment, there are issues in regards to the £28.8m-valued France international ‘s wage demands (Transfermarkt), with the 26-year-old reportedly said to be looking for £125,000 per week.

It seems that many West Ham fans are delighted by news of the agreement, and these supporters took to social media platform Twitter to share their thoughts on the prospective arrival of the Premier League and Champions League winner at the London Stadium.

Let’s see what these fans had to say about the Zouma news

“I’d love him at West Ham. Think there’s too many harsh critics out there. Fingers crossed we get it over the line!”

Credit: @MattWaite5

“Hope so, be a good signing for us”

Credit: @Titcomb27

“Get the deal done, crying out for someone to partner Ogbonna, we pay Yarmo 120k a week, why can’t we pay Zouma 125k”

Credit: @joecronin1999

“Sign Zouma”

Credit: @FCarruthers

“Please sign Zouma. Please sign Zouma. Please sign Zouma””

Credit: @Ginger_nols

“Pay it, whilst your at it give rice double that”

Credit: @sammhadgraft

In other news, West Ham are also interested in this Brazil international.

Leeds United have suffered a potential blow in their quest to sign Nahitan Nandez, with Tottenham reportedly making contact with the midfielder.

The Lowdown: Nandez a constant Leeds target

Few players have been linked with a move to the Whites as often as Nandez this summer, with the Cagliari man considered an ideal midfield addition.

The Uruguay international chipped in with two goals and assists for Cagliari in Serie A last season, featuring in 32 of their 38 league games and being hailed as ‘unstoppable’ by Italian football expert Mina Rzouki in the past.

[freshpress-quiz id=“359346″]

The Latest: Spurs ready to swoop?

While Leeds are still thought to be trying hard to acquire Nandez’s signature, they have suffered a potential setback in their reported pursuit of the Uruguayan.

According to journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Spurs director Fabio Paratici has commenced talks with the 25-year-old regarding a move to north London.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-12/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Big blow for Whites

This news will come as a blow for Leeds, considering Spurs’ standing as one of the bigger clubs in the Premier League as well as their own long-held interest in Nandez.

While Tottenham may not be vastly superior to Marcelo Bielsa’s side, finishing just two places above Leeds in 2020/21, they possess more funds, have a wonderful new stadium and have the lure of being situated in London, along with being able to offer European football.

Spurs’ 1-0 win over Manchester City on Sunday may also have turned Nandez’s head, particularly in comparison to Leeds’ 5-1 drubbing at the hands of Manchester United on Saturday, so the Londoners’ interest in the midfielder could make it a lot harder for Leeds to win this particular transfer race.

In other news, Phil Hay has provided a key update on one Leeds player. Find out who it is here.

India may have cancelled their tour to Pakistan, but the decision is unlikely to affect the country’s status as hosts of the ICC Champions Trophy, due to be held in 2009, a senior Pakistani official said.

Cricinfo staff18-Dec-2008
The PCB has pointed out that India’s pullout had nothing to do with security concerns © AFP
India may have cancelled their tour to Pakistan, but the decision is unlikely to affect the country’s status as hosts of the ICC Champions Trophy, scheduled to be held in 2009, a senior Pakistani official said.The tournament was postponed from the original September 2008 slot after a number of countries expressed reservations over touring Pakistan due to security concerns. It was then decided that a security review of India’s tour in January would form the basis of another assessment before the tournament was cleared.India’s pulling out could affect the Champions Trophy but the PCB pointed out that security had nothing to do with the BCCI’s decision. “It is too early to say anything about the Champions Trophy,” Saleem Altaf, the PCB’s chief operating officer, told Cricinfo. “India has not pulled out over security concerns. Their government has not given them clearance to tour.”The matter is likely to be discussed during an ICC board meeting in Perth on January 31. It is understood, however, that the ICC is likely to consider the security situation in Pakistan at that point in time, and will not be influenced by India’s decision not to tour, which is being seen as a political decision.Officials from both sides have played down the effect the decision – and deterioration in ties between the two countries – could have on the 2011 World Cup, to be jointly hosted by India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.”It will not affect the 2011 World Cup as that is a different tournament,” said Ratnakar Shetty, BCCI’s chief administrative officer.Ijaz Butt, the PCB chairman, also echoed a similar sentiment and argued that the tournament was still some way off. “I don’t think it will be affected – it’s far off,” he told .

Ijaz Butt, the newly appointed chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, has hinted that Pakistan may have to play home games at neutral venues if the security situation doesn’t improve

Cricinfo staff09-Oct-2008Ijaz Butt, the newly appointed chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, has hinted that Pakistan may have to play home games at neutral venues if the security situation doesn’t improve. Pakistan have been starved of international cricket this year, since Australia’s Test tour and the Champions Trophy were postponed due to growing security fears.”The holding of the Champions Trophy in Pakistan depends on the security condition of the country and if the current indefinite situation prevails further we may consider the option to play on alternate venues,” Butt said shortly after the Federal Sports Ministry confirmed his appointment. “Security is something which is not in our control. The government is dealing with that and I am confident that we will overcome this problem and bring international cricket back to Pakistan.”The idea of playing matches at neutral venues has evoked mixed reactions from former Test players. Abdul Qadir, the former legspinner, suggested that the PCB organise matches in Sharjah as it wasn’t easy to guarantee security to foreign players, but former captains Ramiz Raja and Intikhab Alam disagreed. Raja said Pakistan will lose the home advantage while Alam said neutral venues will set a wrong precedent as even teams like India and Sri Lanka – who have toured Pakistan in the recent past – will opt not to tour Pakistan.Butt said he will attend an ICC meeting next month and address the security issues. The West Indies women’s team had earlier pulled out of the Pakistan leg of their Asian tour because of concerns over player safety and the men’s team too opted out of a proposed tour next month.Butt added that his other priorities as chairman include rectifying Pakistan cricket’s tainted image following the various doping controversies and indiscipline issues.”Discipline is paramount and I will push everyone hard to overcome this problem and will not allow anyone to tarnish Pakistan’s cricket image,” he said.Mohammad Asif, the fast bowler, is scheduled to attend a hearing before the IPL drugs tribunal on October 11 after testing positive for the banned steroid nandrolone during the tournament.

South Africa completed the formalities of a 2-0 series victory with a comfortable seven-wicket success in the second one-day international in Kimberley

Cricinfo staff02-Nov-2008
Scorecard
South Africa completed the formalities of a 2-0 series victory with a comfortable seven-wicket success in the second one-day international in Kimberley. Hashim Amla took his chance to impress with a 76-ball 78, and Jacques Kallis continued his return to form with an unbeaten 92, as South Africa eased to their target with nearly 15 overs to spare.Kenya did produce a better effort with the bat as Seren Waters, the 18-year-old, made an eye-catching 74 to provide further evidence of his talent. For the home side this has been a good chance to shake off the early-season cobwebs and both victories have come without much fuss. It was a useful exercise for their bowlers to have first use in this match, allowing them to hone their skills ahead of the Bangladesh series.After 4-0 defeat in England, South Africa were trying to re-establish their credentials as a top limited-overs unit. Two wins over Kenya don’t prove anything, but time in the middle is always of greater value than net sessions. Kallis used both games to good effect after a barren England trip, following his 71 in the first match with a clam and efficient innings to carry South Africa home. He hurried the match to a conclusion by attacking Hiren Varaiya and finished the game with a six off a free hit.Kallis said he had worked hard during the off season with former Western Province and England coach Duncan Fletcher. “It’s nice that the hard work has paid off,” he said. “You never stop learning in this game. The slight technical changes I have made have opened up a few new scoring options for me.”The run-chase platform had been laid by Amla, who was one of few bright spots during the loss to England after being handed a chance to open by Graeme Smith’s injury. The captain’s continued absence allowed him another chance and he cracked 13 boundaries, after taking 16 balls to get off the mark, as the Kenya bowlers continually fed his strengths of cutting and driving.Herschelle Gibbs went early, smartly caught at midwicket by Waters, but Amla and Kallis added 118 in 17 overs. Amla reached his first ODI fifty off 47 balls and was on course for a maiden century when he was caught behind off the left-arm spin off Varaiya.While Kenya cannot take many positives from their fielding effort, the performance of Waters, who was educated at Cranleigh school in England, gives them something to leave with. In his fourth ODI, Waters needed 105 balls to reach his half-century before hitting debutant Johann Louw for two fours and a six in the 35th over. Another boundary followed off Albie Morkel before he was beaten for pace and bowled for 74, but useful contributions from Thomas Odoyo and Jimmy Kamande ensured a respectable total.Morkel finished with three wickets, including that of Steve Tikolo caught behind for duck, while Louw collected his first international scalp early on when Maurice Ouma edged to Mark Boucher. Louw was handed his chance with Morne Morkel being rested and it was a chance for South Africa to test their reserve strength. Smith and Dale Steyn are hoping to return against Bangladesh, another series that should allow South Africa to ease into their season before they head to Australia in December. That will be where the challenge really starts.

Liverpool have approached the entourage of a Serie A star about a potential move to Anfield in January, according to reports.

Liverpool transfer news

The Reds and FSG had a quiet first summer under new manager Arne Slot, signing just two new players. The first, goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, remains with Valencia and won’t move to Anfield until next summer, while the second, Federico Chiesa, has barely featured for the Reds due to fitness and injury problems.

After the New Year, however, Slot may be a bit busier in the transfer market. The Reds have already been linked with a number of big, and small, names, including Fulham’s American full-back Antonee Robinson, Sporting Lisbon starlet Geovany Quenda, and Chelsea’s Mykhailo Mudryk.

Meanwhile, a deal for Sevilla defender Loic Bade, according to a recent report from Spain, already been agreed. The Spanish publication claims that Bade had been a target for Liverpool since last summer and that he will now join them in January, assuming ‘”nothing goes wrong.”

Ederson approached by Liverpool

Another player who could be Merseyside bound next year is Atalanta midfielder Ederson. According to sports journalist Rudy Galetti, Liverpool and FSG have recently approached the Brazilian’s entourage to “explore the negotiation margins for January.”

Galetti claims that Manchester United have also approached Ederson’s team, while Manchester City are in the race for the 25-year-old, too.

Atalanta, however, wouldn’t want to lose the Brazil international, who has been capped twice by his country, in the winter, says Galetti, but could be willing to listen to bids in excess of £42 million next summer.

Ederson began his career in his home country with Desportivo Brasil. Following spells with Cruzeiro, Corinthians, and Fortaleza, he moved to Italian club Salernitana in January 2022. He spent just six months at the Stadio Arechi before being snapped up by Atalanta, where he’s since established himself as one of Serie A’s top holding midfielders.

Last season, he also played a starring role as La Dea won the Europa League for the first-ever time, beating Bayer Leverkusen in the final.

Appearances

12

Starts

11

Minutes played

975

Goals

1

Assists

1

Pass completion rate

88.1%

Aerial duel wins per game

1.4

Interceptions per game

1.2

Back in January, South American football expert Tim Vickery described Ederson to Sky Sports as a “strong, well-built central midfielder.”

“Strong on the ball, versatile, box-to-box. Strong personality as well. The first time I remember him was his professional debut really. He was thrown in the deep end in a big team called Cruzeiro, who were really on the slide. They were relegated in dreadful form and even in this bad context, he stood out, so a lot of virtues.”

Ederson’s former Corinthians head coach Tiago Nunes, meanwhile, previously described him as “a player with a lot of strength, a lot of physical ability, a player who was a powerful striker on the ball, with good technique.”

Craig Overton likely to share new ball with Woakes after Robinson left out of 12-man squad

Cameron Ponsonby06-Mar-2022Chris Woakes has spoken of his excitement about being given another chance in an England shirt after fearing he may have been dropped in the wake of their disastrous Ashes series.Woakes is set to share the new ball in the first Test in Antigua, starting on Tuesday, with Somerset’s Craig Overton after Ollie Robinson, who suffered a back spasm in the warm-up match last week and did not train on Sunday, was left out of the 12-man squad.”[Robinson has] had a great start to his Test career so naturally he’ll be a big miss,” Woakes said. “At the same time, it gives people opportunities. This tour is not just solely about opportunities, we’re trying to win games of cricket, but at the same time it does give that chance to someone to potentially make their Test debut or who’s been waiting in the wings for quite a while, and show that they can do it at this level.”England 12 for first Test

Joe Root (capt), Jonny Bairstow, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes (wk), Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Alex Lees, Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

Speaking after training at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, where England are due to commence their three-Test series against the West Indies, Woakes insisted that he expected a tough start to Operation Red-Ball Reset as the tourists look to embrace a new mentality.”By no means is this going to be an easy Test series for us,” he said. “We haven’t won a lot of Test matches here in the last 50 or 60 years from what I’ve heard so it’s not by any means going to be a walkover.”I think it’s more of a mindset, really. In Australia, we maybe got into a place where people were thinking more internally, thinking on personal levels rather than thinking fully about the bigger picture and about how to win games of cricket as a team.”We’re trying to focus on that in particular, the last week or so we’ve tried to focus on how we can get better at doing things as a unit rather than individually. Naturally it’s a game that produces individual performances but we still need to be better as a collective, we can’t just rely on certain individuals to always step up and put their hand up. We need to do it as a group and that’s something we’ve tried to focus on in the 10 days we’ve been here.”Woakes was one of many to endure a poor Ashes series, taking just six wickets in three matches at an average of 55.33. His performance furthered concerns about his contrasting home and away records, which has seen him average 22.63 from 25 matches with the ball in England, but 52.38 from 17 matches away. With a mass overhaul planned, Woakes worried that his time may have been up.”Yeah, definitely. Pretty much everyone would have been bar maybe a few. It would have been silly not to. [I’m] delighted to be here, to be backed and have another opportunity to have a crack at it. I’d have liked Australia to go better but obviously it didn’t.”It’s clear my away record isn’t as good as my home record, but I don’t prepare in any different way. I look at conditions and try to figure out how best to perform on any given surface. I’ve never played a Test in the Caribbean so I’m excited about the challenge of that. It is a Dukes ball here so I’m hoping it might suit me a little better.”Related

Full proves foolish as Chris Woakes feels the new-ball strain

Robinson 'needs to be fitter' to survive at Test level, says Lewis

Roach targets England frailties after omission of Anderson, Broad

Stokes vows to dig deeper after 'letting myself down' in the Ashes

England learn little as Reifer blunts new-look seam attack

Far from being dropped, Woakes has instead been a main beneficiary of interim managing director Andrew Strauss’s comments ahead of the series that these matches represent a chance for, “some of the bowlers that have been playing in the team to play either a slightly different role or more of a senior leadership role”.For Woakes, his role is both slightly different and more senior. In the absence of James Anderson and Broad, Woakes will take the new ball – something he has only done for England in 13 of his 42 Test matches. He will also be the de facto attack leader, with Overton expected to play his seventh Test in Robinson’s absence and England banking on Mark Wood’s availability after illness for extra pace; the uncapped Saqib Mahmood is the other seam-bowling option in the 12.”It’s something that I’m excited about,” Woakes said, “it’s not like I’m putting any more pressure on myself, I think we’ve spoken a lot over the last ten or so days and something I took away from Australia is making sure you don’t take playing for England for granted.”We worked so incredibly hard to get to this point, to become an England player and to get to this environment. You know it’s easily taken away from you. It’s making sure that every game is really important to you, you’re wearing the Three Lions and you give the best of yourself every time you step out there.”