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Real Madrid are reportedly set to hand a contract extension to a key full back who is versatile enough to play as a winger as well.

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Madrid set to offer a fresh deal to Lucas VazquezWill keep the Spaniard at the club until 2025Ancelotti pushed the club to offer him an extensionWHAT HAPPENED?

According to the Spanish champions are set to offer a fresh deal to Lucas Vazquez that will tie him down to the capital club at least until June 30, 2025, highlighting his enduring value to the squad. He is a product of Real Madrid's youth academy and should the extension materialise, Vázquez will mark ten seasons as a senior Real Madrid player.

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Vazquez's contribution to the team has grown remarkably over the years. Initially a promising winger, he has evolved into a back-up full-back to Dani Carvajal. His ability to seamlessly switch between attacking and defensive duties has made him an indispensable asset for the club. Unlike many players whose performance wanes with age, Vazquez has continued to improve, thriving in his dual role while his comprehensive understanding of the game and his ability to execute tactical instructions flawlessly has endeared him to Ancelotti.

DID YOU KNOW?

Real Madrid highly value Vazquez for his identity and commitment to the badge. His consistent performance has been evident in his statistics this season: appearing in 36 games, with 28 in La Liga and eight in the Champions League, scoring three goals and providing eight assists.

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As the season draws to a close, his performances have bolstered his chances of making a late push for inclusion in Luis de la Fuente's Spain squad for Euro 2024. While Dani Carvajal, his Real Madrid teammate, remains the first-choice right-back for Spain, Vazquez could provide valuable backup, given his experience and versatility. However, he faces significant competition from Jesus Navas in that position and it remains to be seen who is included in the final 26-man squad by De La Fuente.

Their fifties, and solid contributions from Steven Mullaney and Will Jacks, moved the visitors to 303 for 5 at stumps on day one

The Report by Sruthi Ravindranath in Wayanad07-Feb-2019

Ben Duckett got off to a typically rapid start•Getty Images

After the Krishnagiri Stadium in Wayanad received scathing feedback for producing spicy pitches for Kerala’s Ranji Trophy knockout matches, it rolled out a more benign surface for the opening day of the first unofficial Test. By stumps, England Lions held the advantage, getting to 303 for 5 thanks to well-paced fifties from Ben Duckett and Sam Hain, and handy contributions from the middle order.Fear of extra moisture under the surface delayed the start by half an hour, and with both sides unsure as to how the pitch would behave, India A captain Ankit Bawne sent England Lions in.The new ball, however, didn’t do any tricks for either Shardul Thakur or Navdeep Saini, and Duckett and Max Holden got off to a brisk start, the two left-handers putting on 82 for the first wicket in 23.3 overs. Holden, the less aggressive of the two, hit four fours in getting to 26 before Saini got him to edge one to the keeper.Duckett felt India A’s fast bowlers may have been unclear in their approach. “They tried too many things,” he said at the end of the day’s play. “Maybe they searched a little bit more with the new ball. The three of them bowled fairly good pace. The wicket was slow, maybe it quickened up towards the end. I felt comfortable against all of them.”Today, they bowled quite wide to me. Maybe they could have bowled a bit straighter.”Duckett feasted on the width, cover-driving Thakur for successive fours in the 33rd over. He raised his fifty by caressing one to the point boundary, and England got to lunch at 92 for 1.With the pitch offering minimal help, India’s quicks tried different approaches. While Avesh Khan went at full throttle relentlessly, Thakur and Saini mixed up their pace and waited for errors in judgment.Thakur finally reaped the reward, getting Duckett to drag one on at 80. Avesh then got Ollie Pope with one that sped through him and crashed into his off stump.Then on, Hain kept the momentum going, making India’s bowlers, especially spinners Jalaj Saxena and Shahbaz Nadeem, toil hard. Even as the Lions lost Pope and captain Sam Billings after the second drinks break, Hain carried on, grinding his way to his fifty in the afternoon heat, allowing himself only a few moments of flamboyance. His dismissal came off a poor shot, though, as he top-edged a pull off Saxena to the keeper.That was the last wicket India would take on the day, as Steven Mullaney and Will Jacks put on an unbroken sixth-wicket partnership of 65. Jacks ended the day on 40 and the composed Mullaney on 39, leaving the Lions looking poised for a big total.

West Ham manager David Moyes could now hand more opportunities for a player to revive his career at the London Stadium, according to reports.

Frustrating international break for Moyes

Following a torrid run of internationals for members of the Hammers squad, Moyes is now having to cope with a few injury problems to key players. Star winger Jarrod Bowen pulled out of England duty with a knee problem and is a small doubt to face Burnley at Turf Moor on Saturday, though Moyes is hopeful to have him, while striker Michail Antonio is a certain absentee after limping off for Jamaica (pre-Burnley press conference).

West Ham "set sights" on club's "massive" striker after Antonio injury

Moyes has been handed a big striker problem.

By
Emilio Galantini

Nov 22, 2023

Mohammed Kudus was absent for Ghana at points but played the second half of their final international game of the break, with the summer signing apparently suffering from back problems these past few weeks. Antonio, though, will come as a big miss for Moyes and West Ham are now very short of natural striker options as a result.

Kudus can play in a more central attacking role when required, as can Bowen, with the Hammers boss not exactly showing much faith in back up forward Danny Ings this season.

Indeed, Kudus in particular has been tipped to become more and more of an Antonio rotation option this season than the former Saints star.

"I think it makes most sense that he goes in to alternate the forward role for a little bit," said journalist Dean Jones to GiveMeSport last month.

"We know that West Ham are going to start looking towards signing a No.9 in the January market. We know that they're looking for somebody to alternate with Antonio a bit.

"Before he came in, I was told that's a role they had earmarked for him. It wouldn't be just that position that he would play, but the two things I was told was to look out for him as a striker rotator and also don't expect him to come in all guns blazing."

Fellow option Ings has featured over just 68 minutes in the Premier League so far, indicating that he just isn't quite fancied, but Antonio's injury problem could hand him a brief opportunity.

Ings tipped for "late, last" West Ham chance

Signed from Aston Villa in January earlier this year, Ings just hasn't quite managed to justify his transfer over the minutes he has played. Scoring just three goals throughout his entire West Ham career, time is running out for the 31-year-old to showcase his true ability, but reporter Jones believes Ings may be handed a "late, last" opportunity to do so amid Moyes' injury crisis.

"I don't think that there are that many West Ham fans right now who have got much faith in Danny Ings being the answer to this solution based on what they've seen so far," said Jones this week to GMS.

"I think that Danny Ings was heading for a January transfer. Maybe this is a late, last opportunity for him to prove that he can make this work out at West Ham.

Danny Ings' style of play (via WhoScored)
Indirect set-piece threat
Plays the ball off the ground often
Likes to tackle

"Certainly, he is going to get more opportunities now than he would have had before. But it'll be interesting to see if that's definitely the route that West Ham want to go down and how much they even trust Danny Ings."

Leicester City are in good shape as they continue their promotion charge under Enzo Maresca and could now look to add a talented rising star in January, according to a report.

Leicester City lead the way…

Leicester City remain top of the Championship table and were able to extend their lead at the summit to three points after a Jamie Vardy double helped to see off Watford at the King Power Stadium on Saturday.

Despite their own positive form, Ipswich Town were struck down by West Bromwich Albion, giving the Foxes some breathing space at the top of the league with 42 points from their first 17 fixtures.

Speaking in the aftermath of their comfortable triumph, Italian boss Maresca was delighted with his side, who he feels got their just reward from the encounter. Cited via the club's official website, he stated: "I think overall we deserved to win. We improved in the second half. In the first half it was just a matter of tempo – starting quick with free-kick and goal-kicks – if they are not man-to-man, we can start quick."

He added: "This is a journey that started less than five months ago so thinking that in five months everything is working well is not a reality. Especially after two defeats, seeing how difficult it is to win games, we continue in the way we want to play. It’s difficult, it’s a process but we are improving."

Looking like genuine contenders to gain promotion to the Premier League, Maresca will hope his side can continue to maintain their impressive consistency away to Sheffield Wednesday in midweek.

Leicester City's recent results – Sky Bet Championship
Opponent & result	Venue
Leicester City 2-0 Watford	King Power Stadium
Middlesbrough 1-0 Leicester City	Riverside Stadium
Leicester City 0-1 Leeds United	King Power Stadium
Queens Park Rangers 1-2 Leicester City	Loftus Road
Leicester City 1-0 Sunderland	King Power Stadium

Now delving into the transfer market, the Foxes could land themselves a talented defender at the King Power Stadium, according to a recent report.

Jarell Quansah targeted by Leicester City

According to The Sun, Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah has been checked out by Leicester City, who could look to enact a loan swoop for the 20-year-old in the January transfer window as Jurgen Klopp aims to build his experience.

Preston North End are also keen to acquire the Warrington-born ace and both clubs are monitoring his progress as his stock continues to grow at Anfield.

Quansah, who has been labelled "excellent" by teammate Andy Robertson, has made nine senior appearances for Liverpool this term across all competitions, registering one assist in the process (Quansah statistics – Transfermarkt).

Making an impression, the Reds youngster has managed to record an average of one completed tackle and 1.8 successful clearances per match in the Premier League (Quansah statistics – WhoScored).

Now seemingly being floated for a loan move, Leicester City could be the perfect platform for Quansah to gain more first-team expertise as the Foxes bid to win the Championship title.

Rangers have been near-perfect since the arrival of Philippe Clement, who took over a side fresh from a worrying start to the season under Michael Beale. The former Queens Park Rangers boss just could not get the Gers going and faced the sack as a result. Now under Clement's guidance, Rangers are unbeaten in their last seven games, and though still behind in the Scottish Premiership title race, are on course to restore some pride to their campaign.

If they want to reach what currently seem like unthinkable heights this season, though, then they may need to make some January changes. And that could include the exit of one particular out-of-favour player.

Rangers transfer news

During the summer transfer window, Rangers failed to find the right replacements for the likes of Ryan Kent, Glen Kamara and Alfredo Morelos and have paid the price ever since. Arrivals such as Cyriel Dessers and Sam Lammers have struggled to really make their mark so far, giving Clement plenty to think about when the January transfer window swings open. Meanwhile, those who the new manager does not see as part of his plans may well find themselves heading for the exit door, whether by their choice or Clement's.

Among those players could be Ridvan Yilmaz. According to Turkish outlet Sport Digitale, Yilmaz is weighing up a January exit away from Rangers and his agent will hold a talk with Clement in the coming days regarding his future. This comes after the left-back's struggle for game time this season, making just four starts in 12 Scottish Premiership games. Thanks to Beale's decisions to exclude Yilmaz from Rangers' Europa League squad too, Clement is unable to select the Turkish full-back for the competition.

The winter window could reportedly see Besiktas, Fenerbahce and Galatasaray all return for Yilmaz's signature following their failure to lure the Rangers man away from Ibrox in the summer. The Gers were keen to keep hold of their left-back then, but it remains to be seen whether that's still the case in January.

"Brilliant" Yilmaz could be heading for Rangers exit door

Arriving at Rangers in the summer of 2022 in a deal worth £5m, Yilmaz has since struggled to make an impact in the Scottish Premiership and has failed to take the starting spot from Borna Barisic at left-back. That said, the out-of-favour full-back may just need to have some patience.

He's still only 22-years-old and has plenty to learn under the guidance of Clement. Barisic, meanwhile, is now 31 and not getting any younger, meaning that the left-back spot should be there for the taking sooner rather than later.

When in form, Yilmaz is a player who has impressed those in Scotland in the past, including Joshua Barrie, who posted on X: "Brilliant play from Ridvan Yilmaz, that's the variation of options he gives you! Runs the full length of the Livingston half driving beyond two men before finishing from range. That's some goal from your left back."

So, Yilmaz clearly still has the potential to become the main man down the left-hand side for Clement. It just remains to be seen whether or not he stays put amid a lack of minutes at Ibrox so far this season.

Celtic have had a mixed start to the 2023/24 campaign after they decided to bring Brendan Rodgers back to Glasgow after Ange Postecoglou's departure over the summer.

The Hoops were hit with a blow as their former manager opted to part ways with the club in order to join Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur at the end of last season.

Postecoglou secured the domestic treble last season and that achievement is already out of the question for the Scottish giants this time around as the Bhoys lost 1-0 to Kilmarnock in the League Cup.

Celtic are also bottom of their Champions League group with zero wins and three defeats in their opening four matches – competing against Feyenoord, Atletico Madrid, and Lazio.

They are, however, top of the Scottish Premiership and are yet to lose a game in the league, with a record of 11 wins and two draws in 13 outings.

Rodgers added nine new signings to his squad over the summer as Hyeok-kyu Kwon, Odin Thiago Holm, Marco Tilio, Hyun-jun Yang, Nat Phillips, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Maik Nawrocki, Paulo Bernardo, and Luis Palma were all brought in to bolster the side.

The upcoming January transfer window will provide the Northern Irish head coach with an opportunity to make more additions, and the Hoops have been touted with an interest in a Premiership midfielder.

Celtic transfer news – Lennon Miller

According to a recent report from TEAMtalk, the Scottish giants are one of a number of teams eyeing up a possible swoop to sign Motherwell starlet Lennon Miller.

The outlet named both Celtic and Rangers among the group of clubs keeping tabs on the teenage talent's development, as they track his progress ahead of a potential move for him further down the line.

However, they are not alone in their interest as the Scottish gem has a host of Premier League outfits looking at his performances this season.

It is stated that Tottenham Hotspur, Brentford, Aston Villa, West Ham United, and Brighton & Hove Albion have also been sending scouts to watch him on a regular basis this term.

There is no mention of how much it would cost to secure te 17-year-old prospect's services or whether or not Motherwell are even prepared to entertain any offers for him during the upcoming January transfer window.

If there is a deal to be had, though, it could be a difficult one for Celtic to complete if they face competition from multiple Premier League sides, who can offer football in a major European league, whilst the Hoops may not have any European football to offer if they finish bottom of their Champions League group and crash out of Europe entirely.

However, Rodgers could secure his next version of his former Leicester City defensive midfielder Wilfred Ndidi if he is able to win the race for the Motherwell star's signature.

Celtic were touted with an interest in the Nigeria international after the Foxes were relegated from the Premier League but a move did not materialise, after the Northern Irish tactician worked with him in England for a number of years.

Ndidi's form for Leicester under Rodgers

The towering ace made 138 appearances across five seasons for Rodgers during their time together at Leicester, as he excellently anchored the midfield throughout that spell.

Ndidi proved himself to be a superb defensive midfielder who is able to consistently cut out opposition attacks in order to stop his own goalkeeper from being troubled, whilst also being able to create more chances for his own side to make things happen at the right end of the pitch.

In their last full season together, which was during the 2021/22 campaign, the 26-year-old titan made 5.4 tackles and interceptions per game across 19 Premier League matches. He won 54% of his duels that term and was dribbled past 1.7 times per match by his opponents.

Ndidi followed that up with 3.7 tackles and interceptions per outing for Leicester last season, along with a duel success rate of 55% and only being dribbled past once per clash on average, across 27 league games.

The right-footed dynamo ranked within at least the top 6% of his positional peers at Premier League level last term for tackles, interceptions, and clearances respectively per 90, which illustrates how impressive his defending was a midfielder.

These statistics show that Rodgers had a terrific defensive presence in the middle of the park at the King Power and Miller could come in to provide a similar set of skills if Celtic are able to snap him up at the start of 2024, or during the summer transfer window at the end of the season.

Lennon Miller's season in numbers

The 17-year-old talent, who was once hailed as "fantastic" by manager Steven Hammell, has enjoyed an impressive start to the campaign with Motherwell.

In spite of his age and lack of experience, Miller has established himself as a dominant force in midfield for his club and is now a regular starter.

The teenage whiz has started nine of his side's Premiership outings so far this season after four appearances and one start in the Scottish top-flight last term.

His defensive qualities have been on full display as the Hoops target has made an eye-catching 3.6 tackles and interceptions along with 7.7 ball recoveries per game. He has also only been dribbled past once per match on average, which shows that the young gem is stopping opposition players far more often than they are getting the better of him.

Tackles per game

1.6

1.1

0.9

Interceptions per game

0.9

0.7

0.4

Duel success rate

54%

53%

51%

Miller, at the age of just 17, has won an outstanding 71% of his duels – including 79% of his aerial battles – in the league this season, which shows that he is already physically prepared to compete at first-team level.

The Motherwell battler, who does not turn 18 until next season, has also produced one goal and one assist in five League Cup appearances this term.

Looking at his statistics during the 2023/24 campaign, the impressive teenager could be Rodgers' next Ndidi as he has the physicality and the defensive awareness to consistently cut out and stop opposition attacks to help his side at both ends of the pitch, just as the Nigerian gem did for him at Leicester.

Despite losing Ange Postecoglou in the summer, who has got off to a blistering start at Tottenham Hotspur, Celtic are on course for a third consecutive title in the Scottish Premiership. Their transition during the return of Brendan Rodgers has been seamless and the former Leicester City boss hasn't skipped a beat since making the move back to the place where he had so much success. He won't want to rest on his laurels, though. Instead, Rodgers will only want to kick on further at Celtic Park.

Celtic transfer news

As things stand, the Hoops are five points clear of Old Firm rivals Rangers and are reportedly eyeing a move to improve their side even more during the January transfer window.

Celtic's work off the pitch has been almost perfect in the last few years. They've added the likes of Kyogo Furuhashi and Matt O'Riley, who have both since gone onto play crucial roles at the club. And their attention now looks set to turn towards the January transfer window, which can often make or break a club's season. From Celtic's perspective, they shouldn't need too much when it comes to reinforcements, given their place at the top of the league, but they could still add stars for the future, including Nathaniel Adjei.

According to Sky Sports, Celtic are monitoring Adjei, who has been impressing for Swedish side Hammarby. The 21-year-old is reportedly not short on suitors, however, with clubs in Belgium and Italy, as well as Celtic's Old Firm rivals Rangers, reportedly eyeing a move for the central defender in January.

Defensively, the league leaders have been excellent so far this season, conceding just seven goals in 11 games. That said, with the potential that Adjei holds, it could be a deal worth pursuing. The Allsvenskan season comes to an end this month, giving Adjei plenty of time to assess his options before making what should prove to be a crucial career decision.

Nathaniel Adjei has "huge potential"

At just 21-years-old, Adjei seemingly has the world at his feet, evidenced by reports he will have the option of clubs from across Europe, including Celtic. Under Rodgers, he could learn a great deal from the likes of Cameron Carter-Vickers and Liam Scales too, who have ensured that the Hoops' defensive record has remained impressive this season.

It's no surprise that Adjei has earned plenty of praise at his current club, including from former Hammarby sporting director Jesper Jansson, who told the club's official website: "Adjei has had a very good development in HTFF. He is a centre-back with huge potential who looks very exciting for the future, and we have made the decision to buy him from his Ghanaian club."

The fact that Adjei is now being linked with a move to a number of top clubs just a year after his promotion to the Swedish side's first-team shows just how rapidly he is developing as a player. The only way seems to be up for the central defender, and Celtic may need to act quickly to secure his signature.

Liverpool have undergone quite the transformation since Anfield welcomed Jurgen Klopp to the dugout, with the esteemed German manager's influence welcoming a cascade of silver-laden success.

Before, Liverpool had languished for some time, and despite the unexpected title charge of 2013/14 – a season etched eternally into the club's lore despite coming up short – positivity was few and far between.

Brendan Rodgers' dismissal after an abject start to the 2015/16 season led to Klopp's appointment, and the rest is history, with Liverpool now soaring to heights that have secured Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup titles.

Now over eight years into Klopp's rule, Liverpool seems to have entered a new phase, with last season's decline serving as something of a watershed moment, comprehensively recrafting a midfield that was in dire need of renovation.

There remain many of the most important members of the first wave of triumph – namely, Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and more – but there is undeniably a different feel to the current team.

One former star who was among the first to depart following the prosperity in the Premier League and Champions League is Georginio Wijnaldum, who has not had the smoothest of rides since leaving Merseyside for the final time.

Georginio Wijnaldum was a machine at Liverpool

Signing from relegated Newcastle United for around £25m in 2016, there was cautious optimism that Wijnaldum would contribute effectively to the touted revival under Klopp's leadership.

The now-32-year-old ace had just completed an impressive campaign on an individual level, posting 11 goals and five assists during his sole Premier League season with the Magpies, though the Liverpool manager recognised that his talent might be best utilised deeper in the midfield.

Over 257 appearances for the Anfield side, Wijnaldum only scored 22 times, though he was hailed for his "irreplaceable" role in the middle by Richard Jolly and proved to be indispensable with his superlative distribution.

Never dropping below an 87% pass success rate at league level, Klopp's midfield machine proved to be instrumental in the illustrious feats, now heralded in the club's history books for his efforts.

The 90-cap Netherlands star ended his Anfield affiliation in 2021, joining French giants Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer, though he failed to make his mark in Ligue 1 and forged just 38 matches – clinching three goals and assists apiece.

He then joined Roma on loan and fractured his tibia in the early phase of the 2022/23 term, only returning in February in what proved to be a heavily disrupted stint in Italy.

At present, the veteran midfielder has signed for Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq, where he has so far scored five goals from seven outings across all competitions from central midfield, a tally that actually means he is currently outscoring each of Liverpool's current options.

Not known for his rate of striking while under Klopp's wing, he now has free rein to wreak havoc from the middle, and it is a testament to his ability and resilience that he has rebounded to produce such stellar numbers so far this term, actually outperforming Liverpool gem Dominik Szoboszlai, who has been a revelation on English shores so far.

Dominik Szoboszlai has taken "centre stage"

Liverpool had started the midfield rebuild with great promise this summer after signing Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton & Hove Albion, but the capture of Szoboszlai for £60m from RB Leipzig confirmed that Klopp was targetting a return to the forefront and was pulling no punches in achieving this.

Deployed in the centre, the £120k-per-week machine has scored twice from 13 appearances for Liverpool so far, earning praise for the thunderous rocket against Leicester City in the Carabao Cup.

Wijnaldum deserves praise for the free-scoring touch he has unleashed on the Saudi Pro League, with his ever-impressive work rate and performances now replaced by a new form of star in Szoboszlai, who may not be matching his output but is unquestionably at the heart of the Liverpool renaissance.

The calibre and constancy in his performances has provided Klopp with the tools to restore the club's verve, with The Athletic's James Pearce remarking that the Hungarian has taken "centre stage", bringing energy and technical quality in abundance.

As per FBref, Szoboszlai ranks among the top 9% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 1% for shot-creating actions, the top 12% for progressive carries, the top 7% for successful take-ons and the top 5% for blocks per 90, underscoring his value across the pitch.

Player

Club

Teun Koopmeiners

Atalanta

Joe Willock

Newcastle United

Jude Bellingham

Real Madrid

Martin Odegaard

Arsenal

Marcos Llorente

Atletico Madrid

Once hailed as a "generational talent" by journalist Marcel Moeller, Szoboszlai registered 42 direct goal contributions from 91 appearances for RB Leipzig and played an instrumental role in winning successive DFB Pokals before his departure.

Wijnaldum might be outscoring Szoboszlai at present, but the impression that the current Reds star has left on the pitch so far into his Liverpool career transcends something as black and white as direct goal contributions.

Indeed, the same could be said for the Dutchman, who was instead utilised for his industriousness and intelligence in the centre of the park, proving to be the metronomic presence to facilitate the prolific exploits of forward-placed teammates such as Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.

So too has Szoboszlai set to work with his unrelenting approach to his craft, having completed 88% of his passes in the Premier League this season, also averaging 2.3 key passes and 7.1 ball recoveries per game, as per Sofascore.

Szoboszlai seemingly has the skills in the locker to cement his stature as one of Europe's leading midfielders, and indeed the expectation at Anfield after his blistering start bespeaks of his staggering potential.

To say that the Hungary captain has been a belated upgrade on Wijnaldum would be like claiming that one's boots are of finer quality than another's gloves; it is not quite a practical comparison.

But Szoboszlai could certainly play a role every bit as important over the coming years, and the fact that Wijnaldum is outscoring him at present does not negate the effect that Klopp's new hero has made on Merseyside.

Shadab’s career-best 4 for 32 bundled Zimbabwe out for the lowest ODI total in Bulawayo

The Report by Danyal Rasool13-Jul-2018
AFPPakistan romped to victory against Zimbabwe in the first ODI at Queen’s Sports Club, Bulawayo, pummelling the hosts by 201 runs. It was their first win of the year, but on the evidence of the gulf in ability between these two sides, it appears inevitable they will add four more in the next ten days or so.A career-best 128 from opening batsman Imam-ul-Haq helped Pakistan amass 308. It was plenty against the beleaguered Zimbabweans, who didn’t at any point look like either keeping in touch with the run rate or knitting together a partnership.A side depleted by infighting, and lately, injury, never looked like a batting unit of international calibre. While some of the weaknesses were papered over by Solomon Mire’s brilliance in the T20I tri-series, they stood well and truly exposed on Friday.Debutant Ryan Murray was, if you were particularly determined in looking for a positive, unbeaten on 32 by the time the innings wrapped up for 107, but only one other batsman crossed 20. It was a feeding frenzy for Pakistan’s bowlers, Usman Shinwari beginning the bloodbath with two early wickets, while Shadab walked away with career-best four for 32 to seal Pakistan’s fifth biggest win in ODI history.Pakistan, who were put in to bat under overcast skies in the morning, were unusually cautious in the first hour or so, in stark contrast to the approach they’ve become known for over the past two years. The run rate was under four for the first 15 overs, and they didn’t seem to get out of second gear even after that.It wouldn’t be remiss to give the Zimbabwean bowlers some credit for that, though. The opening pair was excellent with the new ball, Blessing Muzarabani and Tendai Chatara maintaining a steady off stump line that repeatedly threatened to draw Imam’s outside edge. Despite being slow, the innings was played almost entirely on Pakistan’s terms. When Fakhar Zaman and Imam did begin to accelerate slightly, Zimbabwe looked short on ideas as to how they would be contained.They brought on 18-year old offspinner and captain of the Under-19 Zimbabwean team Liam Roche, a debutant with a pleasing high arm action and a mop of hair almost just as eye-catching. And he struck the big blow in the 25th over, removing Fakhar with a sharp catch off his own bowling to claim his first international wicket.By then, Imam, who had looked so tentative against the new ball, was slowly coming into his own. Playing his first match in Zimbabwe – he hadn’t been part of Pakistan’s triumphant tri-series last week – he was solid once the first 10 overs had been seen off. It still wasn’t the modern one-day innings you might have come to expect from a 21-year old opener in this new Pakistan side.It took him 75 balls to reach his 50, but after that, he was chiefly responsible for picking up the pace of the innings. It began when he smashed Roche out of the attack shortly after Fakhar fell, hitting four boundaries in his seventh over and hurtling towards his second ODI century.As Imam began to tire after reaching his century – given a reprieve when wicketkeeper Murray put down a tough diving chance on 77 – it was debutant Asif Ali who gave the innings the impetus it lacked for the first 40 overs. The power hitter Pakistan have been crying out for in leaner times over the years, smashed four fours and two sixes in a 25-ball 46, catapulting Pakistan past 300.While Asif was in full flow, it looked as if Pakistan would get close to 325, but Chatara, who ended up arguably the best Zimbabwean bowler on the day, removed him two overs before the close to drag Pakistan back.However, those hypothetical few runs they might have added were decidedly academic in the end, with Zimbabwe looking far removed from putting up any meaningful resistance to this world-beating Pakistan side. The thought there are four more of these games to go is a somewhat disconcerting one, not least for the Zimbabwean players who’re sitting this one out.

An opening stand of 189 inflicted Glamorgan’s fifth defeat in five Royal London Cup games this season and put Essex back into contention to move through to the knockout stage

ECB Reporters Network30-May-2018

Jamie Porter caused Glamorgan plenty or problems•Getty Images

ScorecardVarun Chopra and Adam Wheater put on a swashbuckling stand of 189 to inflict Glamorgan’s fifth defeat in five Royal London Cup games this season and put Essex back into contention to move through to the knockout stage.Until Wheater was stumped for 88 off 99 balls, it had looked like a race to see who would reach their century first. However, Chopra was left stranded on 98 when Essex passed the target of 201 with 18 and a half overs to spare.Chopra’s 84-ball innings, with nine fours and four sixes, took his season’s tally to 445 runs from five innings.Essex’s victory was set up by some accurate and parsimonious bowling, led by Jamie Porter, and supported by Matt Coles’s 3 for 41 in his first one-day outing since moving from Kent.Porter, who had been rested for the last three games, bowled his 10 overs straight through to record best List A figures of 4 for 27.By reaching their target so quickly, Essex improved their run-rate significantly, which could prove crucial if they win their remaining group matches against Sussex on Sunday and Kent next Wednesday and qualification goes to the wire.For Glamorgan, Chris Cooke marked his 32nd birthday with sixes off successive balls in a 75-ball 59, and shared a 64-run seventh-wicket stand in 12 overs with Andrew Salter that lifted the general lethargy surrounding the Glamorgan innings.Glamorgan, put in on a blameless wicket posted just 34 from the first 10 overs for the loss of their openers. Nick Selman epitomised the delusory pace with 10 from 22 balls before he nicked Porter low to Chopra at first slip. Aneurin Donald had already gone to the first ball he faced, edging a straight one behind in Porter’s second over.Ingram should have followed when he had 4 to another edge off Porter, but Chopra dived to his left, getting both hands to the ball but unable to hang on.However, the first time Porter went around the wicket he ended Ingram’s sequence of five successive one-day centuries against Essex. The left-hander was pinned on his crease as the ball slanted in, and he was out for 13.David Lloyd did not last long, driving Wagner forcefully square to cover point where Simon Harmer took a spectacular catch. Connor Brown, who had managed four fours in a debut 31, departed to a one-handed catch by Adam Wheater in front of first slip to give Porter his fourth wicket.Cooke and Wagg put on 42 for the sixth wicket in 16 overs before Wagg played all around one from Ravi Bopara and was bowled. Andrew Salter helped Cooke increase the rate and lifted Wagner over mid-on to put up Glamorgan’s 150 as late as the 43rd over.Salter hammered a second six over cow corner to dent Coles’s otherwise parsimonious figures, but when he went for another next ball, he was caught on the boundary. He had hit 43 from 47 balls, and shared in a 64-run stand with Cooke in 12 overs.Cooke passed fifty from 72 balls with a six flicked off his legs during the most expensive over of the innings which cost 17 runs. Bopara thought he had Cooke, on 59, caught off a head-high no-ball by Cook, but the South African swung at the next ball and Bopara took the return catch above his head.Coles wrapped up the innings with wickets in successive balls for figures of 3 for 41.Chopra showed the Essex intent. Ruaidhru Smith was twice deposited over the leg-side boundary ropes for six in his first two overs.With Wheater finding the gaps, the opening pair had 50 on the board inside eight overs, 100 up in the 16th. The wicketkeeper was first to his personal fifty from his 55th ball.Chopra’s half-century came from 45 balls and contained five fours and those two sixes.When he was 63, Wheater had a reprieve as a lofted drive flew through van der Gugten’s hands at midwicket. The 150 partnership came up in 26 overs before Chopra clouted Salter for a straight six, and then helped himself to four and another six in successive balls off the spinner.