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Kumar Sangakkara must be a relieved man. Despite their high net run-rate going into the game, Sri Lanka had some running to do to ensure their semi-final spot. And unlike West Indies and Australia, they had to contend with the Indian batting line-up on a wicket that favoured their style of play.As if on cue, India’s top order led by Suresh Raina forgot their travails against the short ball on the slow and low St Lucia pitch, to get off to a great start. Sri Lanka then clawed their way back into the game, with Thissara Perera, Thilan Thushara and Lasith Malinga bowling fine spells to restrict India to 163. Sangakkara acknowledged the efforts of his seamers who excelled with their yorkers in the end overs.”I was thinking they would make a big score,” Sangakkara said. “But we showed a lot of character to come back and not just cut down the runs, but take wickets too.”Sangakkara admitted that his side’s first target was to reach 144, 20 short of the victory target but enough to stay ahead of India on net run-rate. “We were keeping an eye on 144. We said ‘If we feel we can win this then we go on to chase this, but if we can’t, we make sure we get 144′,” Sangakkara said.At one stage, even that target seemed stiff, after the in-form Mahela Jayawardene and the experienced Sanath Jayasuriya fell in the first two overs. Tillakaratne Dilshan shook off his indifferent form and brought Sri Lanka back into business with an attacking 33. Sangakkara then combined with Angelo Mathews to take Sri Lanka close to their first objective, which was met with seven balls remaining.Buoyed by having knocked India out of the tournament, Chamara Kapugedera and Mathews sealed the morale-boosting win with a flurry of sixes, including one off the last ball of the match. Sangakkara was full of praise for the youngsters, who showed tremendous character to switch gears and turn the tables on India.”You never want to lose guys early, especially Mahela, who is in top form,” Sangakkara said. “But Dilshan got the momentum back for us and we talk about how capable our younger players are and they have shown how they can handle the pressure. Mathews and Kapugedera are going to be around for a long time.”Everyone in the squad has to keep working hard and no one can sit back and relax as we have these young guys pushing everyone really hard,” he said.Sri Lanka’s victory meant West Indies had to beat Australia by a substantial margin to get into the semi-finals ahead of them. As it transpired, Australia won that game comfortably to confirm Sri Lanka’s rightful place in the knock-out round. There they will face a red-hot England side, but given his youngsters’ ability to raise their game in the crucial moments, Sangakkara will be upbeat about his team’s prospects.

Leeds United could soon make a proposal for Cagliari attacking midfielder Nahitan Nandez, according to Tuttomercatoweb.com.

The Lowdown: Two midfielders wanted

Marcelo Bielsa is without key man Kalvin Philips until March, meaning Leeds’ midfield options are down to the bare bones. Following the England star’s injury against Brentford last month, Victor Orta has laid the groundwork for two midfield additions over the coming weeks.

It is believed that the Whites now want two midfielders instead of one, with a number six and number eight on the agenda.

Nandez, who was wanted at Elland Road over the summer, appears to be on the radar once again, along with Marseille’s Boubacar Kamara.

The Latest: Nandez proposal soon

Tuttomercatoweb.com shared a story late on Tuesday evening, claiming Orta and co could soon make a proposal for Nandez.

They also added that Kamara is a midfield target for Bielsa, while Nandez’s valuation has dropped to €20m.

The Verdict: Big money?

Nandez holds a Transfermarkt valuation of £16.2m, whereas Kamara’s stands at £22.5m – so the pair could burn a serious hole in Andrea Radrizzani and the 49ers group’s pockets.

However, midfield additions are needed in Yorkshire for the second half of the season and beyond, with the Whites’ first goal to guarantee a third season of Premier League football, with more ambitious objectives perhaps lined up after that.

You’d expect Kamara is viewed as the number six addition and Nandez the number eight, and with both extremely versatile, they could fit into Bielsa’s squad effortlessly, should moves go through.

In other news: Sky Sports drop live-on-air Leeds transfer update regarding midfielder pursuit. 

There was a time when Leeds United supporters spitefully shook their heads as the club’s recruitment team neglected important areas of the team in the transfer window.

That had never been truer than when someone like Pascal Struijk joined the Whites.

The Dutch defender didn’t receive a particularly warm welcome but he serves as a fine example for needing to be patient.

He has been crucial this season and in a campaign where the likes of Robin Koch and Liam Cooper have been injured, the emergence of the colossal Struijk has been timely.

But it’s at the other end of the pitch that we want to focus on for the time being where another timely breakthrough act has been discovered.

That falls in the form of Joe Gelhardt, a teenager who is very quickly becoming an important figure at Elland Road.

Star striker Patrick Bamford has featured only once since a bad ankle injury back in September as the previously irremovable object from Bielsa’s side was finally dethroned.

Dan James, Rodrigo, Tyler Roberts and Gelhardt have all been utilised at the top of the pitch in Bamford’s absence but of all of them, it’s the lad the Elland Road faithful know as ‘Joffy’ who has caught the eye the most.

Signed for just over £1m in August 2020, his value and estimations are growing rapidly.

It’s clear to see why, too. He already has 25 career goals across senior and youth level and has taken to Bielsa’s methods like a duck to water, winning a crucial penalty against Wolves and scoring against Chelsea in his limited opportunities this season.

His performances have subsequently earned rave reviews with Leeds Live reporter Bergen Cross who hailed the masterclass done in the transfer window by Victor Orta and co.

He said: “Gelhardt may well be the best bit of business the club has done in the last 20 years, if not ever, because he just looks absolutely outrageous, very, very good player.”

The youngster has been so impressive that he was described as a “human wrecking ball” by Bielsa.

The boss added: “I like him, he’s really exciting. He’s fast, he’s aggressive, he gets on the ball, he takes people on. Once he gets into the box, he loves it. That’s where he can do most of his damage.”

It’s clear that Gelhardt has a quite remarkable amount of potential and for that alone, it is a dream deal.

Combine Bielsa’s affection for the player with his growing importance and it’s hard to disagree with Cross’ bold statement.

He’s certainly someone that can loosen the burden on Bamford’s shoulders in the coming years.

AND in other news, Leeds can finally replace Hernandez with 17 G/A “grafter” who “Bielsa quietly admires”…

MatériaMais Notícias

Sem a presença do volante Petros e do centroavante Lucas Pratto, o São Paulo se reapresentou nesta terça-feira (21) no CT da Barra Funda após o empate sem gols com o Botafogo, no último fim de semana. O técnico Dorival Júnior comandou um treino em campo reduzido e não sinalizou quais devem ser os titulares para o jogo contra o Coritiba, no domingo. O destaque ficou por conta do entrosamento até então desconhecido entre o peruano Cueva e o garoto Brenner.

Ainda sentindo dores na coxa direita, o atacante tricolor não apareceu em campo. Embora não tenha sido diagnosticado com qualquer tipo de lesão, o hermano trabalhou no Reffis e segue sendo uma incógnita. Por sua vez, Petros não deu as caras no treino do Tricolor pois está na Bahia resolvendo questões pessoais.

O treino

Contando com titulares e reservas em campo, o comandante são-paulino dividiu o elenco em duas equipes e fez um treino de dois toques em campo reduzido. A comissão técnica não sinalizou quais devem ser os titulares, já que os times foram mesclados e até mesmo os garotos da base, quase nunca utilizados nos jogos do Tricolor, participaram das atividades.

Escalados na mesma equipe, Cueva e Brenner foram os responsáveis por descontraírem o clima. Sob intensa chuva, a dupla levou competitividade ao trabalho e abusou dos carrinhos e jogadas de efeito para vencerem o time rival na atividade. No fim do trabalho teve até comemoração de ambos, que, além dos gritos e da correria, ainda tiraram um sarro dos derrotados.

Outra novidade que pôde ser percebida no treinamento foi o retorno do lateral Bruno aos treinos com bola. O jogador tratava de uma cervicalgia (dores nas costas) e foi liberado para trabalhar com seus companheiros. Contudo, a participação do defensor foi curta. Após aproximadamente dez minutos em campo, Bruno deixou a atividade e fez um trabalho separado dos demais.

Many Everton fans have been left fuming as some transfer news emerged on Aaron Ramsey.

As per Calciomercato, the Goodison Park faithful have now ‘started the first contacts’ with his entourage, as Juventus are reportedly willing to let him go on a free transfer in the January window.

The issue with signing Ramsey would be his whopping €7m (£6m) yearly salary, which would put him among the Merseyside club’s top earners if he received a similar figure, and also the fact that he has extensive injury problems.

On top of that, he is 30 years of age now, and so certainly past his best, given the fact that he has only managed a mere six goals and six assists during his time at the Old Lady so far (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, one would have to question whether he would be a smart signing.

Everton fans on Ramsey transfer news

These Toffees supporters fumed as the transfer news was shared on Twitter, with one even going as far as to claim that it was ‘mad’:

“He’s made of the same sort of biscuits Mina is made from. We will be paying wages to someone else who is never fit.”

Credit: @AlfiesSquad

“Young? No. British? No. Point to prove? No. Low wages? No. Can get a fee if we sell? No.”

Credit: @Joe_Clemo

“Past his best. Massive wages. No pace. We never learn”

Credit: @Feedtheyak22

“No thanks.. Washed up and overpaid. We need to change our type.”

Credit: @Lorahodson89

“Even the thought of that is mad”

Credit: @salemmohalesh75

“Can we have Brands back?”

Credit: @FPLPremTipster

In other news, find out what news on this Blues ‘tyrant’ has fans talking here!

George Bailey controlled Tasmania’s tricky chase with an unbeaten 74 that sealed a tight win over New South Wales

Cricinfo staff05-Dec-2009Tasmania 7 for 178 (Bailey 74*, Smith 3-43) beat New South Wales 177 (Henriques 37, Denton 3-19) by 3 wickets
ScorecardGeorge Bailey stayed composed as his side edged past the Blues•Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

The captain George Bailey controlled Tasmania’s tricky chase with an unbeaten 74 that sealed a tight win over New South Wales. A testing pitch in Launceston made life hard for the batsmen and it was Bailey’s innings that stood out as his side reached 7 for 178 in a three-wicket win.Chasing the Blues’ 177, Tasmania were looking comfortable at 3 for 87 following a stand of 51 between Brett Geeves (36), the makeshift opener, and Bailey. However, Steven Smith created some awkward moments with 3 for 43 before Bailey, who hit three sixes and four fours during his 89-ball stay, and Brendan Drew (31) guided them home.The Blues, who have lost three of their four games in the competition, relied on some late hitting from Stuart Clark and Simon Keen to reach their total on a pitch offering some unpredictable bounce. Gerard Denton caused the early damage with the prized wickets of Phillip Hughes (0) and Phil Jaques (0) in the first over before following up with David Warner (8) in a match he was not meant to play in. The late withdrawal of the opener Wade Irvine, who hurt his back in the warm-up, allowed Denton to take his place and he finished with 3 for 19.Moises Henriques started the recovery from 3 for 14 with a team-high 37 while Ben Rohrer’s 28 and Smith’s 25 avoided an embarrassing total. Clark and Keen both scrambled 29 to hold up the hosts while Geeves and Luke Butterworth collected two wickets each to keep the pressure on.

With the return of Premier League action now in sight, Southampton have an away clash against Norwich City next up as they look to continue the good run of form they were on prior to the current international break having won three of their previous four league games.

On the chalkboard

In terms of who Ralph Hasenhuttl could pick in his starting XI to take on the Canaries, who are currently sitting at the bottom of the Premier League table with just five points on the board, one player that should definitely be in the running for a place in the team at the weekend is Adam Armstrong, who is currently earning a weekly wage of £53k-per-week according to Salary Sport.

Armstrong’s previous appearance for Southampton saw him score the winning goal in their 1-0 win over Aston Villa just before the current international break after which the striker said that he is “confident with both feet” when it comes to striking the ball the way he did for the goal against Villa.

As well as the goal, Armstrong managed to put in a solid display across the pitch for the Saints in an attacking and defensive sense with three dribbles completed, 13 passes made, seven duels won, two tackles made and one interception, ultimately earning him an impressive overall match rating of 7.3/10 according to SofaScore, which would make him a real nuisance for Norwich’s defenders if he puts in a similar sort of performance this weekend.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/check-out-the-latest-southampton-news” title=”Check out the latest Southampton news!”]

In addition to this, the 24-year-old, who is currently valued at £16.2m according to Transfermarkt, has provided two assists and scored one other goal in the nine league games he appeared in for Southampton this season prior to the Villa match.

It’s safe to say Armstrong has not proven himself to be a consistent goalscoring threat for Southampton yet in the same way former Saints striker Danny Ings had after scoring 46 goals in 100 games for the club before moving to Villa in the summer.

However, the forward has still shown in the few months he’s been at St. Mary’s that he is still a useful attacking option for Hasenhuttl with the potential to grow and develop his game after joining from Blackburn Rovers back in August.

Taking all of this into account, Hasenhuttl should definitely keep Armstrong in the team to face Norwich at the weekend to see if he can continue his goalscoring run and give newly appointed Canaries manager Dean Smith nightmares after ending his reign at Villa with a defeat.

In other news: Lost the ball 81x: Ralph must brutally axe “unbelievable” Saints dud, he’s a liability – opinion

Norwich City have reduced their shortlist of managerial targets to just two names.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a recent David Ornstein report for The Athletic, in which the journalist revealed that Stuart Webber has narrowed his search for Daniel Farke’s replacement in the Norwich dugout to only two individuals.

It is also claimed that despite the club’s rather speedy identification of Farke’s potential successor, no conversations with managerial targets had taken place prior to the German’s sacking on Sunday, while the club are also thought to be hoping to have appointed a new head coach within a week.

Fans will be buzzing

While the reaction to Norwich’s sacking of Farke was somewhat mixed from the club’s fanbase, the news that City already appear to be closing in on the 45-year-old’s successor is sure to have fans buzzing.

Indeed, with the Canaries’ 2-1 win over Brentford on Saturday moving the club level on points with Newcastle United, as well as just five away from safety, there is certainly a great deal left to play for at Carrow Road this season.

And, with a two-week international break ahead of the club, now would appear to be the perfect time for City to appoint a new manager, as the incoming coach will have ample time to settle into life at Norwich, as well as being afforded an extended stretch of time to work on fitness and tactics on the training ground with his new side, all without the worry of upcoming fixtures.

Furthermore, should the club be successful in their attempts to bring in a managerial target in the coming weeks, the new boss will also be able to assess the current ability of his playing squad, before making a decision as to which positions that may need strengthening in the January transfer window.

As such, with a crunch match against Southampton coming up on November 20, it is certainly a case of the sooner the better regarding Webber’s appointment of a new coach, something which appears to be on the cards following Ornstein’s latest report.

In other news: Webber could land NCFC’s dream Farke heir with “attractive” coach, he’s a perfect fit

Newcastle United have now been backed to sign Dele Alli by Football Insider pundit Frank McAvennie.

The Lowdown: Alli on Newcastle’s radar

As per Football Insider, the Magpies are already making plans to bring three new faces to the northeast in the January transfer window.

One of those will reportedly be a central midfielder, as a recruitment source told Football Insider that Alli is one player listed for that position.

It remains to be seen whether Tottenham Hotspur would let the 25-year-old go to a Premier League rival, but it looks as if the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium will try their best to lure him to Tyneside.

The Latest: McAvennie reacts

Speaking to Football Insider, former Premier League striker McAvennie has urged the Magpies to sign Alli, admitting that it is a move he can see happening. The 61-year-old said:

“I think Dele Alli would be the ideal signing for Newcastle.

“If he went there, there would be nowhere to hide. He would play every game and maybe that pressure would help him find his form.

“He’s not played a minute under Conte so maybe he’s not convinced by him yet.

“Newcastle have this money to spend. Alli might be on his way out.

“If they want Premier League quality players, look no further. He’s brilliant on his day.

“Eddie Howe might have issues with his attitude. But if you can solve those issues, you have one hell of a player on your hands.

“I can see that happening if Alli doesn’t work his way back in at Spurs, which is entirely possible.”

The Verdict: Avoid

Alli is not the player he once was. He was absolutely top-class for Spurs between 2015 and 2018 in particular, when he managed 37 goals and a further 29 assists over three consecutive seasons in the Premier League, but those kind of numbers have since dried up for him (Transfermarkt).

Now he is not played a single minute yet under Antonio Conte.

With players like Allan Saint-Maximin, Miguel Almiron and Joe Willock at Eddie Howe’s disposal, it is unclear how Alli would fit into the Newcastle team, so spending on him in January could turn out to be a real waste of money.

With the likes of Adrien Rabiot and Philippe Coutinho also being linked, there are plenty of other midfield options out there for the Magpies to consider.

In other news, a former EPL goalkeeper has been speaking about this potentially ‘big’ NUFC transfer news

Following an extensive enquiry into the events that led to the abandonment of the second Twenty20 between England and Australia, the ECB has recommended that a reserve playing surface should be prepared for all future international fixtures

Cricinfo staff11-Sep-2009Following an extensive enquiry into the events that led to the abandonment of the second Twenty20 between England and Australia, the ECB has recommended that a reserve playing surface should be prepared for all future international fixtures, and that – in the event of the sort of exceptional circumstances that forced the cancellation of the September 1 contest – an amendment to the playing conditions should be sought to ensure that the match goes ahead regardless – which, in the case of that particular Twenty20 fixture, might have involved bowling all overs from one end.The ECB launched their enquiry after the on-field umpires, Peter Hartley and Nigel Llong, were forced to abandon the match primarily because of what they considered to be a ‘dangerous’ and ‘unstable’ area on the bowlers’ run up at the Brian Statham End of the ground. It was also deemed that there were other areas of the ground that were ‘marginal’ in terms of their suitability for international cricket.The enquiry determined that the cause of the problem was the fact that the new drainage system, installed at Old Trafford in the winter of 2008-09, did not include parts of what is to become the new square in 2011, when the surface is relayed to face North-South, as opposed to East-West as it does currently. To do so, the ECB said, would have resulted in further extensive works having to take place in 2010.The safety of the players was deemed to have been paramount in making the decision, and although Lancashire were able to start their County Championship match against Sussex the following day, the umpire for that match, Neil Mallender, stated that he would not have declared the ground fit for international cricket. Nevertheless, the ECB report exonerated Lancashire for their part in the abandonment, praising their ground covers as “excellent”, and pointing out that there had been an unusual volume of rain in the days leading up to the match, exposing those parts of the ground without the new drainage.The report made six recommendations in all: That as soon as the square at Old Trafford is relocated in Autumn 2010 the drainage is further reviewed to ensure all areas outside the square benefit from the enhanced drainage system. To recommend to ICC that the abandonment of matches whilst remaining in the sole control of the umpires is only made after consultation with the ground authority. The safety of players must remain an overriding criteria if there is a substantive risk of serious injury. To recommend to ICC that conditions must be safe to preserve the integrity of the match and due care for the players but in marginal conditions play should be maximised. In the case of abandoned T20 matches the Home Board should have the right to reschedule the fixture if a venue be available and is feasible within 24 – 48 hours . All Category A and B venues be required to prepare two playing surfaces which shall be a minimum of 5 metres apart for major matches. That in consultation with the Home Board the ICC Match Referee and the captains should have the power to amend the playing regulations to seek to provide play . David Collier, the ECB chief executive, said: “We thank Gordon Hollins, the ECB’s head of venue partnerships, for his thorough investigation of the events surrounding this abandonment. We are bitterly disappointed for the 17,000 spectators who had spent time and money attending the match and aim to do everything in our powers to ensure play whenever possible.”The Board have received a series of recommendations which they will now progress – including the suggestion that drainage facilities and permanent floodlights for matches awarded from 2011 become a significant part of the balanced scorecard used when the Major Match Group award such matches.”The ECB will also recommend a new match protocol for International Twenty20 to the ICC as a matter of urgency.