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Western Australia fast bowlers Simon Mackin and David Moody bowled their side to victory in a close encounter with South Australia at Adelaide Oval, where the Redbacks fell eight runs short of their target late on the third day

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Feb-2017
ScorecardFile photo – Simon Mackin has taken 23 wickets in his past two Sheffield Shield games•Getty ImagesWestern Australia fast bowlers Simon Mackin and David Moody bowled their side to victory in a close encounter with South Australia at Gliderol Stadium, where the Redbacks fell eight runs short of their target late on the third day. Set 200 to win the low-scoring match, South Australia were dismissed for 192, the match ending when Moody bowled the No.11 David Grant for 4.Moody finished with 4 for 45 but the key man was Mackin, whose 5 for 78 in the second innings left him with match figures of 12 for 159, the best analysis by any bowler in a Sheffield Shield game since November 2012, when South Australia’s Gary Putland took 12 for 92. Even more remarkably, Mackin now has 23 wickets in two games, having taken 11 for 101 in the last Shield match before Christmas.In this game, he ran through the South Australia middle order, dismissing Callum Ferguson, Jake Lehmann and Alex Ross cheaply, and then later picking up the key wicket of Tom Cooper, who had made 55 and given the Redbacks an excellent victory chance. Cooper and Alex Carey (46) had put on 99 for the sixth wicket, but once they both departed the Warriors pounced.The day had started with Western Australia on 7 for 196 in their second innings, needing to add runs to set South Australia a challenging target. Debutant wicketkeeper Josh Inglis did a fine job in compiling 40 before he was caught behind off Kane Richardson, who collected 5 for 69 and, like his colleague Chadd Sayers, finished with nine wickets for the match.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been dealt renewed hope in their bid to sign Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount this summer, according to reports.

What's the latest on Mason Mount to Liverpool?

That's according to Sky Sports Germany's Florian Plettenberg, who has stated that while favourites Manchester United are "pushing" to sign the England international for €45-€50m (£39m-£43m), Liverpool are very much still in the race.

Ultimately, it is believed to be the player's decision, and with Liverpool waving goodbye to midfield trio James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain this summer, Mount might be the perfect star to add energy and dynamism back into the centre.

Liverpool have maintained an interest in the 25-year-old across the latter stages of the campaign and, while maybe dissuaded by Chelsea's initial £70m valuation, the recent depreciation makes a move far more plausible for Klopp and co.

How good is Mason Mount?

Unequivocally, Mount has not been at the races this season, but football is a fickle sport and those involved are quick to condemn the stragglers, leaving the past success in absent memory.

This is not entirely unfair, and with the Blues finishing 12th in the Premier League this year after an abject and discordant campaign, the players should rightfully be lambasted after reaching the finals of both domestic cup competitions the previous term and undergoing a £600m transfer transmutation across the past two windows.

However, the "special" – as hailed by Alan Shearer – Mount is of a calibre that must not be forgotten and there is every chance and more he can return to past heights with a move to Merseyside, providing a prominent role as Klopp looks to reconstruct his own team after a lacklustre season.

As per FBref, the £80k-per-week ace ranks among the top 18% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for rate of assists, the top 14% for shot-creating actions and the top 15% for progressive carries per 90, having before been praised as a "generational" talent by journalist Benjamin Lynch.

Given his similarities to the playing style of Liverpool's Harvey Elliott, a move may not bode well for the 20-year-old prospect as he looks to continue his own ascent to the forefront of the Premier League talent poolll.

Indeed, in comparison the one-time Fulham youngster ranks among the top 6% of positional peers for shot-creating actions, the top 11% for progressive passes and the top 9% for progressive carries per 90, coincidentally likened to Mount by FBref's 'similar players' tab.

While Elliott will still expect to be provided opportunities to impress regardless of who the Reds bring in this summer, he has only started one of his team's last 11 matches of the campaign, and with that coinciding with Liverpool's late-season purple patch, it might just be that Klopp has deemed the 5 foot 6 dynamo is not quite ready for a regular starting berth with a renaissance anticipated.

And in Mount, Klopp could unleash a "superstar" – as lauded by Adi Joseph – one who could utilise his progressive prowess and ball-playing capabilities to return some of the robustness to Anfield, once a staple of the side's fluid system but lacking after a detrimental seasonal slump.

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Nov-2016
ScorecardFile photo – William Somerville’s career-best 5 for 65 included the wickets of Cameron Bancroft and Michael Klinger•Getty ImagesNew South Wales were 93 runs from victory at stumps on the third day at the SCG, after spinner William Somerville claimed a career-best 5 for 65 as Western Australia were dismissed for 177 in their second innings. It meant a target of 96 for the Blues, who batted two overs before stumps and reached 0 for 3, with Daniel Hughes on 3 and nightwatchman-opener Somerville yet to score.The Warriors had started the day on 0 for 14, needing a strong batting display to set New South Wales a challenging target on a dry, turning pitch. But the loss of both openers, Cameron Bancroft and Jon Wells, to spin within the first four overs of the day was a sign of things to come. Only captain Michael Klinger (50) and Ashton Agar (35) were able to offer much resistance among the top order.Ashton Turner chipped in with 32 lower down, but the work of Somerville and Steve O’Keefe did the job for New South Wales. O’Keefe followed his five-wicket haul from the first innings with an incredibly miserly 3 for 41 from 38.3 overs in the second, while Somerville finished with match figures of 9 for 126.

Australia’s selectors have lost patience with Glenn Maxwell, putting “the big show” on hiatus by dropping him for the ODI series in Sri Lanka

Daniel Brettig31-Jul-20162:20

Chappell: Maxwell needs to sort himself out

Australia’s selectors have lost patience with Glenn Maxwell, putting “the big show” on hiatus by dropping him for the ODI series in Sri Lanka and instructing him to work on evolving into a more consistent batsman.While he has been omitted from the team on numerous occasions, this is the first time Maxwell has been dropped from the limited-overs squad altogether since his debut in 2012. The decision follows a run in which he has averaged 11.80 in six innings in Australia’s last 10 ODIs.In the recent triangular series in the Caribbean, Maxwell made one useful contribution of 46* to help Australia into the final, but made only seven runs in his other three innings combined, alongside sporadic use as a spin bowler. Named to replace Jon Holland for Australia A against South Africa A in Brisbane this week, Maxwell promptly made a duck.Australia’s ODI squad for SL

Steven Smith (capt), David Warner, George Bailey, Nathan Coulter-Nile, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Usman Khawaja, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa
In: Moises Henriques, Shaun Marsh
Out: Scott Boland, Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell

At the age of 27, Maxwell is at something of a crossroads in terms of his future. Less than 12 months ago he was set to be a part of the Test squad for an Australian tour of Bangladesh, but now finds himself out of the picture. The selection chairman Rod Marsh stated that the panel wanted the opportunity to pick Maxwell for all formats, but needed him to ally consistency to his explosive talent.”If you want to play cricket for Australia, you should be consistent. If you are batsman, you should get consistent runs. If you are a bowler, you should get consistent wickets, or bowl well,” Marsh said. “As far as I am concerned, he has had a lot of chances. It got to that stage – we couldn’t go on any longer. Glenn has too many games where he doesn’t contribute with the bat. He is a hell of a good fieldsman, as we know, he is handy bowler, and, at his best, he is one of our first picked in a one-day team.”But if he is not making runs, then we have got to find a solution to it. The solution we have come up with is to put him back a step or two and see if he can get some runs there on a consistent basis. When you have got as much talent as that, you should be able to play all forms. He took it as well as what could be expected. No one likes being dropped but he understood the reasons and he also understands what he’s got to do.”Earlier this year, Maxwell denied he needed to go away and concentrate more on his batting, in the manner Steven Smith once did, in order to shore up his place in Australia’s plans and push for a Test berth. “I don’t think I can rest on just being a batsman,” Maxwell told . “I know Steve Smith went that way when he lost his Test spot, not really bowling much at all. But I don’t think I can go that direction. I have to keep working on both parts of my game and make sure they’re good enough.”Shaun Marsh has returned to the squad in place of Travis Head after missing the West Indies series due to the birth of his first child, while the NSW allrounder Moises Henriques has effectively come in for Maxwell after a productive IPL. “I hope he gets a game,” Marsh said of Henriques. “He’s been training the house down, really fit and I just hope his bad luck with injuries finishes.”

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag appears to be intent on raiding his former club Ajax once again this summer, amid reports that the Dutchman is eyeing a reunion with Mexican maestro, Edson Alvarez.

What's the latest on Alvarez to Man United?

As per a recent report from Spain, the 25-year-old appears to be a top target for the Red Devils ahead of the summer transfer window, with the piece suggesting that the former Club America man is viewed as Ten Hag's 'favourite' option to bolster the midfield ranks.

The report goes on to add that the Old Trafford outfit would be willing to fork out around €50m (£43m) in order prise the 6 foot 2 ace from the Eredivisie giants, with a new midfield recruit seemingly a top priority for the Premier League side ahead of next season.

Ten Hag has, of course, already utiltised his Amsterdam connections to bring in both Antony and Lisandro Martinez from his previous employers last summer, with it looking as if the 53-year-old will again try and tempt one of his former assets into making the move to England.

How could Alvarez's arrival impact Man United?

As a defensive midfielder by trade – as well as a potential centre-back option – Alvarez would likely prove to be a useful alternative to Casemiro in front of the back four, as well as representing a possible partner for the influential Brazilian in the starting lineup.

The signing of the highly-rated "monster", as hailed by The Athletic's Felipe Cardenas, could well then prove to be bad news for current United man, Scott McTominay, with the Scotland international having typically been the figure to step in for Casemiro on occasion this season.

With rumours already rife that the 26-year-old could be on his way this summer, the addition of the Ajax ace could prove the final nail in the coffin for the academy graduate's Old Trafford career, having previously been described as "not good enough" by club legend, Roy Keane.

The differing quality between both Alvarez and McTominay is shown by their contrasting fortunes so far this season, with the latter man having recorded an underwhelming average match rating of just 6.72, as per Sofascore, from only ten top-flight starts, while the former has a standout average match rating of 7.27 from 28 league starts.

In that time, the Mexico international has illustrated his superior ball-winning quality after averaging 2.3 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game, while McTominay, by contrast, has averaged just 1.5 and 0.6 for the same two metrics, respectively.

It is also Alvarez who appears to possess the greater ability in possession having averaged 7.78 progressive passes and 2.54 progressive carries per 90 across the last 365 days, as per FBref, while the Red Devils dud has averaged just 2.66 progressive passes and only 1.33 progressive carries in that time.

Equally, the 62-cap titan also appears to provide a superior threat in an attacking sense having contributed three goals and three assists in the league this season, while McTominay has just one goal involvement in the Premier League thus far.

With suitors already lining up for the latter man – including both Newcastle United and West Ham United – the arrival of Alvarez could well help to hasten his exit from the Theatre of Dreams.

Celta Vigo attacker Gabri Veiga 'would like to work with' Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, according to La Liga journalist Manu Sainz.

Who could Arsenal sign this summer?

A blockbuster last four Premier League games await for the north Londoners as Arteta attempts to end his side's near-20 year wait for a league title.

After a recent torrid run of matches, where they failed to win a single game before their 3-1 win at home to Chelsea, rivals Man City are now firmly in the driving seat to pip them with the race now being in their hands.

Pep Guardiola's men have leapfrogged Arsenal into pole position and still possess a further game in hand, meaning Arteta is relying on a slip up in Manchester to regain control.

The Gunners are still in contention, though, and it has been a brilliant campaign overall at the Emirates after Arsenal missed out on a top four finish last season.

Off the pitch, sporting director Edu will be working in preparation for next season – identifying potential transfer targets. It has been widely reported that Arsenal are chasing a central midfield addition, with West Ham's Declan Rice and Brighton's Moises Caicedo on their radar.

They are also after creative attacking additions, leading to links with the likes of Belgium international Youri Tielemans and South American starlet Vitor Roque.

Now, as per reporter Sainz, it appears they could have a real chance of signing Veiga if they make a move.

According to his information on AS, as also translated by Gooner Talk, Arsenal would most likely land him if they enter the bidding for Veiga – with the Spaniard eager to join Arteta.

Sainz explained:

"The club in England he likes the most, which we published a while back, is Arsenal. Arsenal is the club. If Arsenal gets into the bidding for Veiga, then they will most likely get him, because he enjoys the football Arsenal play and he would like to work with Arteta. It’s football, and he would have an advantage there.”

What would Veiga bring to Arsenal?

The attacking-midfielder is a hot property in La Liga right now, with Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United all holding a serious interest.

Veiga has been in red hot form, scoring nine goals and registering four assists in 31 league appearances at just 20-years-old.

He stands out as one of the division's most exciting prospects with all this fondness for the player perhaps telling you all you need to know.

Perhaps he could be a brilliant alternative to the likes of Tielemans if Arsenal are willing to invest in activating his £35 million release clause.

كشف توم سنتيفت المدير الفني لمنتخب جامبيا عن رأيه في المنتخبات المرشحة للفوز ببطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا المقبلة، والمقرر إقامتها في كوت ديفوار والتي ستنطلق يوم 13 يناير الجاري.

وتستضيف كوت ديفوار مباريات كأس أمم إفريقيا، حتى 11 فبراير 2024، ويتواجد منتخب جامبيا في المجموعة الثالثة والتي تضم السنغال، الكاميرون وغينيا.

وقال توم سنتيفت في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة المحور: “منتخب مصر لديه فريق قوي جدًا، وهو مرشح للفوز باللقب مثله مثل الجزائر والمغرب وحتى تونس”.

وتابع: “لكن لا أعتقد أن فريقًا من شمال إفريقيا سيفوز باللقب في غرب إفريقيا لأن الرطوبة عالية وكذلك الحرارة، والملعب مختلف والظروف مختلفة”.

طالع | مصدر يكشف لـ”بطولات” عن هدف فيتوريا مع منتخب مصر في بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا

وأكمل: “أعتقد أن فريقا من غرب إفريقيا هو الذي سيفوز بهذا اللقب، أرى السنغال قوية دائمًا وكذلك مالي التي يمكنها أن تكون فريقًا قويًا، ولكن رأي أن النهائي سيكون بين كوت ديفوار ونيجيريا”.

وأتم: “بالنسبة لي نيجيريا قوية جدًا، ولكن كوت ديفوار قوية وتلعب على أرضها، وأيضًا منتخب مالي”.

Everton are yet again struggling to retain their Premier League status this season and, with just seven games remaining to seal their fate, Sean Dyche is in a challenging position at Goodison Park.

The Toffees are only clear of the bottom three by the skin of their teeth with a better goal difference than Nottingham Forest, who match them for points but are currently in the drop zone, so taking points from their upcoming game at Selhurst Park will be essential following a difficult few weeks for form.

Indeed, there will unlikely to be much transfer planning taking place on the blue side of Merseyside until they know whether they will remain in the top flight or spend next season in the Championship, however, if Everton are going to improve there will need to be changes made no matter what.

It is no secret that, alongside their lack of stability in the Premier League, the Blues are suffering several monetary concerns with an investigation underway to delve into their alleged mismanaged finances over the last few years, which pending an outcome will likely affect Dyche's ability to splash the cash in the summer transfer window.

As a result, the former Burnley boss could look to the club's academy to find glowing talent that can be of use to the senior squad next term, adding vital depth to key positions on the pitch without the need to scour the market for bargains.

One player who has recently been offered the golden opportunity to develop a better understanding of how the senior team operates is Ishe Samuels-Smith, a talented left-back who was seen in the matchday squad against Fulham last weekend.

Who is Ishe Samuels-Smith?

Samuels-Smith has been rising through the ranks of the youth academy at Finch Farm since joining at U9 level and has also been part of the England youth system from U15s onwards.

Despite being only 16 years old, the defender has already been given several opportunities in the U18 and U21 teams, comfortably rising to the challenges of playing with teammates and opponents much older than him, which has ultimately led to his chance to impress Dyche too.

Over four appearances in the Football League Trophy campaign this season, Samuels-Smith was hugely impressive having successfully completed 60% of his dribbles and 77% of his passes.

Importantly, he was strong at the back, averaging 1.5 interceptions, two tackles and 3.5 duels won per game – despite only averaging 45 minutes per performance.

The Manchester-born full-back – who also plays as a centre-back for England – has not been short of praise for his talents either, with The Athletic's Patrick Boyland claiming that he is "definitely one to watch."

Boyland continued: "He was best in his group with Emilio Lawrence, who left the club over summer. They did well to keep hold of ISS over summer, because there was plenty of interest.

"Versatile – also plays full back – so will be interesting to see where he ends up position-wise."

Whilst the Merseysiders have acquired the services of Vitaliy Mykolenko and Ruben Vinagre on the left flank since the departure of Lucas Digne, neither have seemingly convinced the Everton boss since his arrival in January, so it could be a great opportunity for Samuels-Smith to become Digne's true heir by working hard to earn a spot in the starting XI soon.

With that being said, the future is looking bright for Samuels-Smith and if he can continue to impress Dyche in training, it will be no time at all before he is Everton's next breakthrough star at Goodison Park.

Revised bids to buy Manchester United, one of which was from Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani, look set to fall short of the Glazers’ valuation.

What’s the latest on the Old Trafford takeover?

Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe appear to be the main contenders when it comes to a takeover, with both parties making second bids after a mix-up last week. Respective teams of the pair asked for an extension after missing the deadline on Wednesday, with Ratcliffe’s fresh proposal going in 24 hours later on Thursday and news of Jassim’s second offer emerging on Saturday morning.

Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth believes that any sale will be for a world-record fee, and an update has emerged on those second offers. ESPN reporter Rob Dawson shared news he’s heard out of Old Trafford in the last 24 hours regarding a takeover. He stated that revised bids ‘will fall short of the Glazer family's valuation, although there is still hope a buyout can happen’.

Dawson added that bids ‘have been increased from around £4.5bn but remain below the asking price of around £6bn', so the improved bids comfortably surpass the record £3.7bn Denver Broncos takeover in the NFL. He says there is 'hope that the Glazers might still accept a compromise fee to allow a takeover at Old Trafford.’ Red Devils staff have been told to expect 'clarity' when it comes to the ownership situation by the end of the season.

What would a Qatari takeover mean?

It looks as if the proposals on the table from the Qatari investors and Ratcliffe have already eclipsed the current world record for a sports team which stands at a $4.65bn sale for the Denver Broncos last year.

Jassim is thought to be confident of winning the race to take control at Old Trafford, and should he do just that, the club could be in for a busy few months in the transfer market. Earlier this year, the Qatari group wanted 'things done quickly' so they could help Erik ten Hag when it comes to new signings, with reports suggesting last week that Jassim is a huge fan of Jude Bellingham and is looking at a stunning move.

Both Jassim and Ratcliffe will now have to remain patient and await what the Glazers have to say to their proposals, but even though the offers could be rejected, it seems as if a complete takeover in 2023 could still be on the cards, making this a situation to keep an eye on alongside maters on the pitch.

Manchester United await for Southampton in the Premier League, with the Saints hoping to build upon their recent good form and stave off the threat of relegation.

Their recent form under manager Ruben Selles – the former coach stepping up to replace Nathan Jones, who was sacked after a wretched spell at the helm – has been far more promising, with two victories clinched from the past three league matches.

An away triumph over Chelsea preceded a battling defeat to relegation rivals Leeds United, before a pivotal win against Leicester City, themselves just two points above the bottom three, closed the gulf to touching distance; Saints are now just one point behind the Whites in 17th.

The upswing in form has come at the perfect time considering the magnitude of the task in travelling to Old Trafford and stopping Erik ten Hag’s Red Devils, who responded emphatically after losing 7-0 to Liverpool by defeating Real Betis 4-1 in the Europa League.

What will Southampton’s starting XI be vs Manchester United?

With this in mind, here is how Football FanCast is predicting Saints boss Selles to field his starting eleven when the club take on Man United at the Theatre of Dreams this afternoon, with just one change expected after three points were clinched last weekend.

(4-3-3) – (GK) Bazunu; (RB) Maitland-Niles, (CB) Bednarek, (CB) Bella-Kotchap, (LB) Walker-Peters; (CM) Lavia, (CM) Ward-Prowse (AM) Elyounoussi; (RW) Walcott, (LW) Sulemana; (CF) Adams. 

Selles will likely stick with the same backline that secured victory last time out, especially given Southampton have now kept clean sheets in two of the past three league outings, conceding only once against Leeds.

In midfield, Romeo Lavia and captain James Ward-Prowse could continue their partnership as the two behind the attacking midfield trident.

Selles will demand cohesion and attentiveness from his outfit, and might have to do so without last week’s match-winner Carlos Alcaraz, who is touch-and-go for a starting berth against United after injuring himself in the celebration last Saturday, with The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell stating that scans were ‘positive’.

The £12m winter signing is a doubt due to his fitness and the “one-dimensional” – as remarked by analyst Ben Wells – Mohamed Elyounoussi could start by replacing the starlet at St. Mary’s.

Up front, Che Adams will retain his talismanic position in the place of Paul Onuachu, while pacy wingers Theo Walcott and Kamaldeen Sulemana will hope to make an impact from the flanks.