Veteran quick says accepting new deal was a ‘no-brainer’ as 200-match milestone beckons
ESPNcricinfo staff13-Nov-2019
Graham Onions bounces in wicket-taking delight•Getty Images
Graham Onions will play at least another season at Lancashire after signing a one-year contract extension.Right-arm quick Onions, who turned 37 in September, will play his third season with Lancashire in 2020 having taken 45 Championship wickets at an average of 19.57 in 2019, including three five-wicket hauls, as the club topped the Division Two table and secured promotion.Onions, who played nine Tests and four ODIs for England between 2009 and 2012, joined Lancashire at the end of the 2017 after 14 seasons at Durham. The move came after Onions rejected a two-year deal to stay at Durham where the second year depended on him remaining injury free.He finished his first season with Lancashire in 2018 as the fourth-highest wicket taker in Division One with 57 wickets at 21.77 and is now just eight matches shy of making 200 first-class appearances.”I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at the club so far and it was a no-brainer to sign a new contract,” Onions said. “I feel as fit as I ever have and owe a lot to the strength and conditioning team at the club for their hard work and expert advice.”Part of the attraction of joining Lancashire was the chance to explore coaching opportunities – he holds a Level 4 qualification, the ECB’s highest certificate level – and he will continue to work with the club’s academy and age-group sides in that capacity.”I will continue to work with the club’s up-and-coming bowlers, something which I have loved doing over the last two years,” Onions said. “There are some real talents coming through the system and I hope I can positively influence their careers. It is an exciting time to be a part of Lancashire Cricket and I am delighted to be here for at least another season.”Lancashire’s Director of Cricket, Paul Allott describe Onions as “exceptionally skilled” with “substantial knowledge to pass on to our younger bowlers”.”He has repeatedly proven himself as a high-class Division One bowler and we are delighted to keep him for at least another season,” Allott said. “He is the ultimate professional both on and off the field and we’re delighted to have given him further coaching opportunities with both the Lancashire academy and age-group sides, which is something that I know he’s enjoyed doing over the last couple of years.”
A few months into the campaign, Tottenham Hotspur seemed to have cultivated an air of invincibility after a blistering start under Ange Postecoglou, perching at the Premier League summit after ten matches.
Such a start veiled the residual issues of the 2022/23 campaign that, frankly, had every right to still exist. Tottenham were pretty dire last season and new management and fresh faces could not have been expected to surpass polished machines at the top of the division.
It's remarkable that Postecoglou engineered such a fine start at all, picking up a hat-trick of Manager of the Month awards to start life in the Premier League.
In any case, fighting for Champions League qualification against high-flying Aston Villa and inconsistent Manchester United is probably a fair reflection of where Spurs are at, battling and making gains at the beginning of a new era.
Discordancy ruled supreme down at N17 last season but moves were made to rectify this last summer, with Guglielmo Vicario and Micky van de Ven purchased to restore a struggling defence.
Last season, Hugo Lloris was on the decline, loanee Clement Lenglet flattered to deceive and Eric Dier foundered at the centre of the issue; Tottenham could have done with something else, and might rue the fact that Cameron Carter-Vickers failed to live up to the hype in north London.
Why Spurs sold Cameron Carter-Vickers
Now, Carter-Vickers might be enjoying prominence over in Scotland with Celtic, but he was touted for bigger things once upon a time and Daniel Levy will be most disappointed that he didn't live up to the potential at Tottenham.
His time on Tottenham's books was defined by a nomadic series of years at different outfits, never lasting more than a season and invariably in the Championship.
Sheffield United
2017/18
18
Ipswich Town
2017/18
17
Swansea City
2018/19
33
Stoke City
2019/20
15
Luton Town
2019/20
16
AFC Bournemouth
2020/21
26
Celtic
2021/22
44
He never featured in the Premier League, with four of his five senior appearances for the Lilywhites arriving in the domestic cup competitions during the 2016/17 campaign.
Hoops manager at the time, Postecoglou – would you look at that – hailed it a "major acquisition" for the club and gushed over the defender who had been integral in silver-laden triumphs while on loan.
"He was vital to our success during the season, such a hard-working player of real quality and he was an absolute model of consistency."
Celtic defender Cameron Carter-Vickers.
Spurs had recruited Cristian Romero and would land Lenglet for the campaign, with Davinson Sanchez and Dier also in the squad – his sale made sense, having ebbed and flowed from form and performance over his years on loan – the £6m outlay to bring him to Celtic Park enticed Spurs to part ways moreover.
Cameron Carter-Vickers' Celtic career
The 16-cap USMNT international has now chalked up 106 appearances for Celtic and has won successive titles in the Premiership and League Cup, also winning the Scottish Cup last term.
Described as a "warrior" and a "winner" by journalist John McGinley, the Southend-born centre-half is undoubtedly one of the finest backliners in Scotland, with his efforts leading Postecoglou to target the player at Spurs at the start of the campaign, albeit not acting on said interest and heading in a different (Dutch) direction.
This season, as per Sofascore, the 26-year-old has featured 18 times in the Scottish Premiership and has completed 92% of his passes, averaging 0.4 key passes, 5.4 ball recoveries and 2.8 clearances per game, also winning an impressive 68% of his contested duels – an absolute monster in the air.
While the defending champions have regressed this season, leading historic rivals Rangers by one point after 30 games (having played a game extra), Carter-Vickers has maintained a high level of performance.
This all sounds rather impressive, but Mauricio Pochettino, who oversaw much of Carter-Vickers' development in the early phase of his Tottenham career, once remarked that Carter-Vickers, having caught the eye as a teenager, would become "one of the best centre-backs in England in the future."
Spurs could soon be in danger of losing their own Declan Rice for £0
With one Tottenham star facing an expiring contract, the club may need to cash in swiftly…
ByRobbie Walls Mar 22, 2024
This hasn't happened, with his very sale after never gracing the Premier League pitch underpinning the disappointment in his ultimate failure to reach the lofty heights once envisaged, and expected.
Cameron Carter-Vickers' market value in 2024
If Carter-Vickers does not try his hand – and foot – in a top division such as the Premier League, he will never be able to bloom into the kind of star that his one-time gaffer once projected him to be.
To reflect this: according to Football Transfers' player valuation model, the 6 foot 1 star is marked with a £13m expected market price right now, and that's after enjoying a £6m skyrocket in value since the beginning of the season.
But £13m places him below the likes of Oliver Skipp within Tottenham's squad, with the 23-year-old centre-midfielder touted at £16m by the site.
Skipp is an industrious player and has been coveted as the outfit's "future captain" by sports broadcaster Abbi Grace Summers in the past, but he's only started four top-flight fixtures this season and doesn't look likely to overtake the likes of Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma to cement a first-choice spot in Postecoglou's team.
Look, the quality is there and Carter-Vickers deserves praise for forging a successful career for himself in Scotland, with Jan Vertonghen once hailing his young positional peer's budding qualities during his younger years.
"He's still young but he's an absolute beast. He's a real defender. He's strong one-on-one, in the air, he's not afraid and he can play from the back. That's the style the gaffer wants to see from him."
Celtic defender Cameron Carter-Vickers.
Still, Carter-Vickers might have the trappings of an elite defender but he will be 27 years old by the end of the year. He's yet to try his hand in a 'top five European league' and will never be able to prove himself one of the best until he does so.
Who knows? Postecoglou's at the helm and he's clearly an admirer of Carter-Vickers' talents, but it's hard to imagine that he would reach a level close to that of Spurs' star defensive axis right now, and thus will have an onerous task in living up to the one-time effusions of his Pochettino and the like.
Richmond Mutumbami’s fight in vain as Zimbabwe collapse in a heap
The Report by Liam Brickhill18-Sep-2019
Mahmudullah taps the ball towards the off side•AFP
With their backs up against the wall, Bangladesh cruised to a 39-run win over Zimbabwe in a sweltering Chattogram to book their place in next week’s tri-series final. Put in to bat by Zimbabwe, Bangladesh’s 175 for 7 was built around a 78-run fourth-wicket stand between Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim. While Zimbabwe did well to hold Bangladesh back when they had been poised to score many more, they showed no such application with the bat in their chase. Brendan Taylor fell for a duck in the very first over, Zimbabwe stumbled through the Powerplay, and an eighth-wicket partnership of 58 between Richmond Mutumbami and Kyle Jarvis was their only combination of any substance as Bangladesh took full control.Mahmudullah’s sixesMahmudullah spanked five sixes in his 62 – only one less than Zimbabwe managed in their entire innings. Liton Das had cracked two of his own to lead Bangladesh’s charge in the Powerplay, taking 21 off an over from young left-arm spinner Ainsley Ndlovu, but when he, debutant Najmul Hossain and Shakib Al Hasan fell in the space of 17 deliveries, the momentum was transferred back to Zimbabwe. Mahmudullah ensured it didn’t stay that way for long, stepping out to biff the very first ball he faced over long-off for six.While Mushfiqur Rahim kept things ticking over at the other end, five overs later Mahmudullah was at it again. Sean Williams was slogged over long-on, just past the outstretched fingers of Tino Mutombodzi in that position, and soon afterwards it was Mutombodzi who was on the receiving end, with a floated legbreak flayed over long-off for Mahmudullah’s third six.By then, the fourth-wicket stand had passed fifty, the innings had been well and truly set up, and Mushfiqur joined the party by slog-sweeping a Chris Mpofu slower ball for a six of his own. He was out soon afterwards, but Mahudullah wasn’t done yet, raising Bangladesh’s 150 in the 18th over, and his own half-century three balls later with his fourth maximum via a muscular pull off Mpofu. He saved his best for last, with six No. 5 coming off a delivery from Mpofu that was only slightly too full, a low, dipping full toss being lifted cleanly over fine leg.Full tosses do the trickWhile Mpofu’s full toss disappeared over fine leg, Kyle Jarvis found that the delivery worked rather well for him. He reverted quickly to the full toss as his stock delivery when he came back into the attack in the 18th over, bowling four in a row to keep Afif Hossain and the marauding Mahmudullah to just six off the over.He used the same tactic in the final over of the innings, and the tactic bore dividends. Jarvis dished up a full toss that was only under waist height to Mahmudullah, who aimed for the stands beyond square leg and a sixth six, but could only pick out Williams near the boundary. The next ball was an action replay, Mosaddek Hossain swinging a high full toss straight out to Regis Chakabva at deep midwicket, and all of a sudden Jarvis was on a hat-trick. But instead of sticking with the seemingly deadly full toss, Jarvis reverted to length, Mohammad Saifuddin clipping the hat-trick delivery to midwicket for two and then swatting the last ball, a bouncer, to midwicket for four to boost Bangladesh’s total.Disarray in the PowerplayFaced with a challenging chase, Zimbabwe were hunting quick runs, but what they found was quite the opposite. Tied down for four runless deliveries in Saifuddin’s opening over, Brendan Taylor aimed a wild swipe at the fifth and skied a simple chance to Shakib at mid-off. Three balls (and just two runs) later, Chakabva picked up the second duck of the innings.The run rate was hobbled at under three an over when Shafiul Islam, playing his first T20I for almost two years, hurried Williams’ pull to have him easily caught at midwicket with his very first ball. Though Hamilton Masakadza found his range with a couple of characteristically meaty strokes, and Mutombodzi swiped Mustafizur Rahman over long-on for six, Zimbabwe ended the Powerplay at 34 for 3, the required rate above 10 and their chase going nowhere fast.A debut to remember It came as something of a surprise when Aminul Islam was picked to make his T20I debut having never bowled in a domestic T20. Yet it proved a debut to remember for the 19-year-old, as he picked up a wicket with his third ball as Mutombodzi looked to plonk him over long-off, but could only get the ball as far as Najmul in the deep.Aminul’s next wicket was even more memorable. Masakadza, almost twice his age, seemed to be the only batsman in Zimbabwe’s top order to have settled, but he was undone by some flight and dip from the young legspinner. Masakadza missed a sweep and was struck plumb in front. By the end of his spell, he had 2 for 18 and Zimbabwe were as good as sunk.
Once a wantaway figure in the Leeds United camp who even refused to play at one stage, Wilfried Gnonto redeemed himself last Friday night when his sublime strike away at Bristol City helped Daniel Farke's men win 1-0.
Gifted a start in the lineup owing to Daniel James still being sidelined with an injury concern, the dynamic Italian attacker made sure he left his mark on proceedings as his side returned to West Yorkshire with all three points in their continued quest for automatic promotion glory.
Although he was crucial to Leeds clinching their fifth straight win in league action to start 2024 on Friday, Gnonto could well have found his minutes limited if the Whites had pulled off this dramatic signing with the clock ticking on Deadline Day.
Why Leeds didn't sign Manuel Benson
It's no secret that Leeds would have loved raiding Burnley further in the transfer window, content at getting a deal over the line for Connor Roberts in the end but disheartened at another swoop of the Clarets in Manuel Benson falling flat.
At one stage in the window, Football Insider even reported that the Championship titans were in 'very advanced talks' to land the explosive Belgian attacker but a move never materialised despite a move being agreed. In turn, both a move to Leeds or Southampton collapsed at the final hurdle.
That said, the Whites won't be too downbeat about Benson staying put considering Gnonto's heroics at Ashton Gate, but the Burnley star could well have filled the hole left by James' absence more effectively as an upgrade on their diminutive number 29 when you look at his devastating numbers at Championship level previously.
Manuel Benson's career statistics
The Belgian winger was key to Burnley confidently strolling to the second-tier title last campaign, twisting and turning defenders for fun alongside the likes of Anass Zaroury and Nathan Tella in a spellbinding Clarets attack.
Manuel Benson
Under Vincent Kompany last season, Benson would bag 12 goals from 33 Championship appearances alongside helping himself to three assists to tee up his equally potent teammates up top.
Described as a "beautiful" footballer by football journalist Josh Bunting during this phenomenal individual campaign, the now out-of-favour Clarets figure could have made Leeds even more of a terrifying prospect going forward as the best possible replacement for James being in the treatment room.
James has revitalised his Leeds career this campaign after once finding himself chucked out on loan to Fulham, notching up an impressive ten goals and six assists from 27 games before a knock stopped him in his tracks versus Norwich City to the dismay of Farke's men.
Gnonto hasn't managed to get anywhere near the lofty heights the ex-Manchester United man has reached this season, with Benson also far superior last time at this level compared to the 20-year-old attacker who has been largely poor away from his Bristol City winner.
Obviously delighted with his match-winner at Ashton Gate, there was also a sense that scoring the goal was a weight off his shoulders more than anything – the 13-time Italy international only onto two goals for the season after this goal from 25 appearances.
Leeds forward Wilfried Gnonto.
Gnonto will want to kick on after blowing away the cobwebs to show his class against the Robins, with Farke reliant on the 20-year-old to fill in and do a job as James remains sidelined.
Whereas, if Leeds had gone all in and won Benson's services to upgrade on Gnonto and add more depth, it could well have been that statement addition the Whites needed to really show they mean business to clinch an automatic promotion place.
أعلن نادي برشلونة، في بيان رسمي منذ قليل، تجديد عقد أحد لاعبي الفريق، رغم الإصابة طويلة الأمد التي يعاني منها في الوقت الحالي.
ويستعد برشلونة لخوض مباراة مساء غد ضد يونج بويز، في إطار منافسات الجولة الثانية من دوري أبطال أوروبا.
اقرأ أيضًا.. هانز فليك يرفض الحديث عن تشيزني ويؤكد: لا يوجد لاعب يضمن مكانه في برشلونة
ويخوض برشلونة تلك المباراة بعد خسارته الأولى في الدوري الإسباني لهذا الموسم، يوم السبت الماضي أمام إسبانيول بنتيجة 4-2.
ووفقًا لما جاء في بيان رسمي، فإن برشلونة توصل إلى اتفاق مع اللاعب مارك بيرنال بشأن تجديد عقده، حتى 30 يونيو 2026، عندما ينتهي دوره كلاعب في فريق الرديف تحت 19 عامًا، مع خيار التمديد لثلاث سنوات أخرى.
وتبلغ قيمة الشرط الجزائي في عقد مارك بيرنال 500 مليون يورو.
كان مارك بيرنال عنصرًا أساسيًا في فريق برشلونة الرديف، قبل انضمامه إلى الفريق الأول حيث تألق تحت قيادة المدرب هانز فليك، في فترة ما قبل الموسم.
وظهر بيرنال لأول مرة مع برشلونة، الفريق الأول، في الجولة الأولى ضد فالنسيا، وأثار إعجاب الجميع.
ولكن الأمر لم يستمر طويلًا، حيث تعرض بيرنال لإصابة بقطع في الرباط الصليبي خلال مباراة الجولة الثالثة أمام رايو فاييكانو، مما يعني انتهاء موسمه.
ورغم ذلك، فإن برشلونة يؤمن بقدرات مارك بيرنال لدرجة دفعت الإدارة إلى تجديد عقده على المدى البعيد.
Glasgow Rangers return to competitive action this Saturday as their quest to win a 35th Scottish Cup title gets underway against Dumbarton.
This should be a relatively easy tie to negotiate, and perhaps Philippe Clement will give some fringe players or even an academy gem or two a run out against the League Two side.
What is clear heading into the second half of the season, however, is that the Gers need to add a few more bodies to their first-team squad if they are to fight on both domestic and European fronts over the coming months.
One main area which needs bolstering is at left-back, and the 49-year-old tactician is scouring the market to find someone who could come in and make a difference.
January transfer window: All the deadline day deals from England and Scotland
Stay on top of all the latest transfer deals across the Premier League, EFL and SPFL as the January window closes.
ByCharlie Smith Feb 1, 2024 Rangers’ search for a new left-back
The first choice in the left-back position, Borna Barisic, is out of contract come the end of the season and with reported interest from Dinamo Zagreb, he could be close to leaving the Ibrox side in the next few months.
Clement’s other option on the left side of defence, Ridvan Yilmaz, is also attracting attention, and he could move away from the Gers as early as this month if the right deal presents itself.
Borna Barisic
Indeed, the Light Blues have recently rejected a loan-to-buy deal from Galatasaray, according to Sky Sports (via Glasgow World), as the £3.4m fee is clearly lower than what Clement feels the youngster is worth.
There is still time for him to depart and the need for another option in this area has heightened significantly since the start of the transfer window.
One of the latest names to be linked with a move is Benfica defender David Jurasek, who, according to Football Scotland, is someone that Clement could potentially lure to the club on a loan deal until the end of the season.
A temporary deal could be an ideal way of bringing someone else in without having to spend a lavish sum on a transfer fee, and it could certainly be a win-win situation for everyone involved.
Rangers could sign dream Barisic replacement in 6 ft 1 "unit"
Rangers are currently searching for a new left-back this January
ByRoss Kilvington Jan 15, 2024
Yilmaz has struggled to settle properly at Rangers and aside from a few glimpses of his talent, moving him on might be the best option for the Belgian coach.
Ridvan Yilmaz's Rangers career in numbers
The Turkish defender cost the club a staggering £5m back in the summer of 2022 and with Giovanni van Bronckhorst looking at building the blocks of a successful, yet youthful team, the signing was seen as an exciting one.
Former sporting director Ross Wilson hailed the youngster, saying: "He's a talented young player who has been coveted throughout Europe following outstanding performances for Besiktas. We also know how highly regarded he is in the Turkish National Team. This is another exciting young player to join our squad, and we are delighted to bring Ridvan to Rangers."
Ridvan Yilmaz for Rangers.
Yilmaz missed 29 games in his maiden season in Scotland due to injury, playing just 15 times in all competitions in what was an underwhelming 2022/23 campaign for the club.
Following a solid pre-season, much was expected of the defender, yet Michael Beale left him out of his Europa League squad and during the first half of the season, the 22-year-old started only ten matches.
He did score his first goal for the club against Livingston with a storming solo effort, but these glimpses of his ability clearly haven’t been enough to convince Clement that he is the long-term option at left-back.
With a transfer away from Glasgow looking increasingly likely, could Jurasek make Clement forget all about Yilmaz should he join this month?
How David Jurasek compares to Yilmaz
The Czech Republic international has endured a similar sort of season to Yilmaz, playing only 12 matches across all competitions for Benfica, as he has failed to secure a consistent run of matches.
Despite this, he does currently rank in the top ten among the squad for key passes per game (1.2) and for successful dribbles per game (0.7) in the Portuguese top flight, giving supporters flashes of his attacking ability.
With Benfica reaching an agreement to sign Alvaro Fernandez from Manchester United, this could force Jurasek out of the club and the Gers could be ready to make an offer.
Although fairly low-key this season, the 23-year-old shone for Slavia Prague during the 2022/23 campaign and if he could replicate these performances upon joining Rangers, they would have a solid option to depend on.
Jurasek played a total of 45 games for the Czech side last term, scoring twice and chipping in with 12 assists, and these 14 goal contributions would have ranked him seventh for the Scottish club in 2022/23, demonstrating just how impressive an attacking outlet he can be when on form.
Indeed, for his club side, the defender ranked third for key passes per game in the Czech top flight (1.1) along with ranking sixth for successful dribbles per game (0.5) and fifth for tackles per game (1.5), indicating that he contributed at both ends of the pitch.
The defender was praised for his impressive season in his homeland by Kai Watson, who said when analysing the player for the Rangers Review:
“He’s a modern-day forward thinking full-back that also has a few tricks in his locker. He’s willing to take on and commit defenders while driving forward. He’s definitely a more direct and attacking full back than Borna Barisic and looks more solid on the defensive end.”
High praise indeed, and it looks as though if he can put his spell in Portugal behind him and remain focussed, the Gers could see a player who will possess an attacking threat at one end of the pitch while being reliable at stopping attacks at the other end.
Accurate passes per game
25.2
19.2
Big chances created
3
1
Key passes per game
1.1
1.2
Tackles made per game
1.4
1.5
Total duels won per game
3.6
2.8
It is evident that this is an area which urgently needs bolstering sooner rather than later, even if a loan move for someone like Jurasek is sorted this month.
When the summer transfer window rolls around, Clement will have more time to assess the situation, but at this present moment in time, he should be bringing in the current Benfica defender, even if it is just for a few months.
Three Notts batsmen reach fifties as visitors stroll to win, despite Billy Godleman’s ton
ECB Reporters Network21-Apr-2019
Luke Fletcher picked up four wickets•Getty Images
Luke Fletcher claimed his first one-day five wicket haul as Notts Outlaws made it two wins in a row in the Royal London Cup with a six-wicket victory over Derbyshire Falcons.Fletcher took 5 for 56 to restrict the Falcons to 297 for 8, which was built around Billy Godleman’s 116 and 88 from Luis Reece.Former Derbyshire opener Ben Slater scored 83 on his return to Derby and, although 18-year-old paceman Alfie Gleadall bagged three wickets, Steven Mullaney – with an unbeaten 68 – and 52 not out from Tom Moores guided the Outlaws to 299 for 4 in the 46th over.The Falcons looked on course for 350 after Godleman and Reece accumulated steadily on a pitch lacking in pace and bounce.Fletcher beat the bat several times in a probing spell but there were few problems for the openers with Reece ending a lean start to the season by reaching his first 50 off 52 balls.Godleman needed 86 balls for his second consecutive half-century and the Outlaws had to wait until the 31st over for the breakthrough which came when Reece top-edged a sweep at Mullaney.Wayne Madsen lifted the scoring rate with 38 from 28 balls until he was deceived by a good slower ball from Jake Ball, who bowled intelligently to check the Falcons’ progress.Godleman drove Fletcher for six but the fact his century came off 131 balls highlighted the slow nature of the pitch and the accuracy of the bowling.Another well disguised slower delivery from Ball removed Matt Critchley and, after Leus du Plooy was bowled advancing at Fletcher, Godleman was caught behind in the 49th over.Alex Hughes pulled Ball for six but Fletcher bowled straight and full to strike three times in the final over to keep the Falcons under 300.It did not look enough as Slater and Joe Clarke plundered 70 from the first 10 overs with Clarke cutting Mark Watt’s left-arm spin for three consecutive fours.But Gleadall tempted Clarke into a skied pull to deep mid-wicket and Ben Duckett played across Reece in the next over.Slater and Jake Libby swung the initiative back towards the Outlaws by working the ball around to add 93 before Gleadall returned to revive the Falcons’ hopes with a double strike in the 30th over. Slater drove loosely to cover and, three balls later, Libby got a top-edge trying to turn it to leg and was caught at mid-wicket for 41 to leave the Outlaws on 173 for 4.Moores responded by driving Gleadall and Watt for sixes, Mullaney twice deposited Watt high over long on before Moores smashed Gleadall for two more sixes to reduce the target to 56 from the last 10 overs. The chase turned into a stroll in the evening sunshine as the pair sealed victory with 29 balls to spare.
Chennai Super Kings extended their winning streak to four matches and lengthened their lead at the top of the table in IPL 2019 with another clinical chase in a five-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders with two balls to spare. Knight Riders have now lost three straight matches after a hot start to the season.Suresh Raina made the most significant contribution, scoring the 36th half-century in his IPL career after wisely using a review to overturn an lbw decision against him when on the second ball of his innings. The reprieve was the turning point in the chase as Raina flicked his very next ball through midwicket for a boundary, then cruised to 50 off 36 balls before ending unbeaten on 58 off 42.The match was still very much up for grabs with 24 needed off two overs, but Ravindra Jadeja hit three consecutive boundaries off death-bowling specialist Harry Gurney to drag the equation to 11 off 8. Jadeja and Raina cantered across the line in the following over.Knight Riders paid for a tame finish to their innings as Imran Tahir swung momentum towards the visitors in the field with a sensational four-for. Tahir was supported by a world-class clinic in catching as Faf du Plessis, Shardul Thakur and substitute Dhruv Shorey converted three difficult chances coming off the boundary to claim the key scalps of Robin Uthappa, Chris Lynn and Andre Russell to ensure that the Knight Riders set a below par total.Shaking off the fluChris Lynn supplied the firepower for Knight Riders in his comeback to the lineup after sitting out the last match with a bug. After Joe Denly made a golden duck in the Australian’s place last match, Lynn highlighted his value by top-scoring with 82 off 51 balls, including six sixes.After four overs, Lynn had raced to 31 while his opening partner Sunil Narine was stuck on 1. He brought up his 50 off 36 balls in the ninth over before going after Jadeja’s left-arm spin in the 14th. On the first ball of the over, he backed away to slap a drive over the extra cover rope. Staying in his crease for the next ball, he flicked a delivery pitching in the same location over midwicket for six before driving a third consecutive maximum over long-on. However, his fun came to an end in the following over as Tahir stamped his impact on the match.Suresh Raina goes airborne•BCCI
Tahir is hereThe South African legspinner had already begun causing problems after entering in the 11th when Nitish Rana drove a simple catch to du Plessis at long-on for the second wicket, then struck two balls later when Uthappa played an ill-advised slog that spun sharply to create a skied edge over mid-off. Du Plessis charged in 25 yards from the boundary to take a spectacular diving catch on the edge of the ring.Two bigger blows came in the 15th in the form of Lynn and Russell. Lynn had just concluded his rampage against Jadeja in the previous over when he shuffled across Tahir’s first ball in the over and slammed a flat pull to deep square leg, where Thakur pouched a sharp take coming at high speed. Russell arrived at the crease and began by biffing Tahir for a four and six over the leg side.But trying to repeat a straight hit maximum from the previous ball, Russell rolled his wrists to produce a top-spinning chance rather than get the elevation for six. Sub fielder Shorey judged the opportunity to perfection charging in from long-on for a stunning grab diving forward. At 132 for 5, the Knight Riders monster mashers had been wiped out. They only added 29 runs off the last 31 balls as a result.Raina’s Purple ReignOf Raina’s 36 IPL half-centuries, eight of them have been scored against the Knight Riders. For a brief moment, it appeared that would not be the case when he was given out in the fourth over lbw to Gurney just a few balls after Watson had fallen in the same fashion.Watson was talked out of using a review by du Plessis, which was vital as the Australian’s decision turned up three red lights on replay and would have resulted in a lost review. Instead, Raina had it at his disposal and didn’t hesitate to signal for it off what was shown to be a clear inside edge into the pads on replay.Super Kings were fractionally behind the required rate needing 101 off 11 overs as Sunil Narine pinned back Raina’s partners with an excellent spell of 2 for 19, beginning with a wicket-maiden to claim du Plessis swiping across the line and then later claiming a frustrated Ambati Rayudu picking out short extra cover in the 10th.But MS Dhoni’s charged six off Kuldeep Yadav in the 13th sparked similar aggression from Raina against Piyush Chawla in the following over. The required run-rate briefly climbed above 10 with four overs left but Jadeja’s flurry of fours off Gurney in the penultimate over eased any nerves in the Super Kings camp and they have now won seven of eight.
England boss Garth Southgate has responded to links with the Manchester United job as pressure mounts on current incumbent Erik ten Hag.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Man Utd could sack Ten Hag this summerSouthgate mentioned as potential targetEngland boss focused on Euro 2024WHAT HAPPENED?
The Dutchman's second season as Man Utd boss has gone disastrously and as such reports have suggested that the the coach could be shown the door by the Red Devils top brass at the end of the season. Southgate's has been the most commonly mentioned name in the conversation over potential replacements, but he maintains that he is focused fully on England with the Euros due to start in just over a month – although he refused to deny the move was a possibility thereafter.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT SOUTHGATE SAID
Speaking to ITV News, Southgate said [via ]: "I’ve got one thing to focus on. That’s having as successful a tournament with England as possible. Everything else outside of that is a complete irrelevance to me."
On whether the links are a distraction for him, he told the : "Well, for me, it's not an issue and never has been. I have to deliver a successful tournament for England and there's enough work involved in that. I think everybody would expect that's where my focus should be.
"There will always be speculation about managers because if you lose a couple of games, you're in trouble – you win a couple of games and it is a different agenda.
"But for me, it [Euro 2024] is a brilliant opportunity. We're looking forward to the tournament. My focus is on how do we go a step further than we went in the last Euros [when they were beaten on penalties in the final by Italy]."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Southgate's current contract with the Three Lions expires in December, and predictably a coach of his stature has drawn the attention of clubs that may potentially look to switch coaches at the end of the season. One of those clubs is Man Utd, who look likely to miss out on European football next season as they currently sit eighth in the Premier League. It has been reported that Southgate will be considered for the role despite his lack of silverware, although soon-to-be ex-Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel is believed to be the frontrunner. The possibility of Erik ten Hag staying on has also not been ruled out.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
GOALWHAT NEXT FOR SOUTHGATE?
The England manager will be looking to finalise his travelling squad for the European Championship in Germany with a lot of tough calls staring him in the face. For the Three Lions, the Euros will kick off on June 16 with a clash against Serbia.
Managerless Sunderland got the better of Carlos Corberan's West Brom yesterday in an enthralling Championship encounter, Dan Neil's decisive goal late on against the Baggies ensured a 2-1 win was secured with Brandon Thomas-Asante scoring a consolation strike for the visitors shortly after.
As the rumour mill continues to throw up new wild possibilities for the next Black Cats manager, interim boss Mike Dodds would have been pleased that the drama around Tony Mowbray's exit from the club didn't unsettle the players out on the Stadium of Light turf from the task at hand.
Daniel Ballard would break the deadlock with a late second-half header, whilst the aforementioned Neil would go on to score a decisive game-clinching goal by dinking an effort over the on-rushing Baggies goalkeeper with the clock ticking down.
Both of the goalscorers were crucial for the Black Cats, but it was an impactful substitute cameo from Alex Pritchard that completely turned the game in Sunderland's favour.
Despite only being on the pitch for 28 minutes in total, the former Huddersfield Town man stood out as a key performer for the hosts alongside other heroes stealing the headlines.
Alex Pritchard's game vs West Brom in numbers
If Pritchard hadn't been introduced into the contest by Dodds, Sunderland might well have continued to struggle going forward and trudged over the line to an unsatisfactory draw or a demoralising loss.
Instead, with the diminutive 30-year-old on the pitch, the game became more comfortable for Sunderland with the 5 foot 7 attacking midfielder managing to constantly find pockets of space to then cut open a determined Baggies back four at will.
As per Sofascore, Pritchard was 100% accurate with all of his passes in the short but sweet cameo with two of those passes ending up assisting Ballard and Neil. The assist for Neil's goal, in particular, was impressive, a swift and effective counter-attack with Pritchard's pass parting the West Brom defence before Sunderland's number 24 slotted the chance away calmly.
Pritchard managed to have such an important impact in the tight contest despite only registering 18 touches of the ball, with Anthony Patterson in goal for the hosts even amassing more touches with 38.
Not one for wasting passes, the 30-year-old was also important for his side when it came to launching into duels as the game got scrappy towards the end – the former Terriers midfielder successfully winning three of his four ground duels, bettering Niall Huggins who played the full 90 minutes at full-back who only won two.
This blistering appearance from off the bench could well be just the boost Pritchard needed, the exciting attacking midfielder finding first-team chances hard to come by this season under the now-departed Mowbray.
Alex Pritchard's season in numbers
Before the game against West Brom, Pritchard had only managed two assists from his previous 16 appearances this campaign.
Routinely substituted on by Mowbray – the ex-Black Cats boss often praying that his skilful midfielder could conjure up some late magic when opposition legs were tiring – Pritchard will now be hopeful that he can start Sunderland's next game against Leeds United on Tuesday night.
Sunderland's Tony Mowbray and Alex Pritchard.
If he was selected from the start against the Whites, it would be only the fifth time the veteran EFL figure had been given a start this campaign.
A tricky player for opposition defenders to keep tabs on, whoever comes into the Sunderland hot seat to replace Mowbray must surely utilise Pritchard more effectively and give him more minutes based on his exploits against the Baggies.