Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have suffered a stadium blow at Wrexham, with full clearance yet to be granted for the club’s rebuilt ‘Kop’ stand.
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Misbah-ul-Haq has decided to continue as Pakistan’s Test captain, a decision that has been accepted by PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan, who also named Sarfraz Ahmed as the vice-captain in Tests. Misbah’s decision to lead in the West Indies put to end questions over his retirement, which have made news over the last few months, at least for the next two months as Pakistan will play three Tests in the Caribbean in April and May.After returning from Australia, Misbah had said he would take a call on his future after seeing how he would fare in the PSL. During the league, he told ESPNcricinfo that he was “most likely” to go to the West Indies, where they are yet to win a Test series. And once his team Islamabad United was knocked out of the tournament, he said he would meet Shaharyar upon his arrival in Pakistan and inform the chairman about his decision.”Misbah-ul-Haq has conveyed to the Chairman [of] PCB his desire to continue as captain of the Pakistan Test team,” the PCB said in a statement. “Accordingly, the Chairman has approved his appointment for the upcoming West Indies Test series. The Chairman has also approved appointment of Sarfraz Ahmed as vice-captain of the Pakistan Test team.”Misbah, who will turn 43 in May, has been under immense scrutiny having led the team to five successive Test defeats, although it was under him that Pakistan were ranked No. 1 last year. A dip in his batting form and his age added to the drama that reached its peak after the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne last year when Misbah admitted to being unsure about his future as a cricketer.ESPNcricinfo understands the PCB wants to eventually appoint a single captain for all formats, but such a decision will have to wait until Misbah takes a call on his future. The decision to appoint Sarfraz as vice-captain in Tests came after Azhar Ali stepped down from ODI captaincy and later relinquished his Test vice-captaincy as well. The role was vacant since then. Sarfraz is already leading Pakistan in the Twenty20 format.Pakistan will start the West Indies tour with four T20s starting March 26, followed by three ODIs in early April and the three Tests starting April 22 in Jamaica. Pakistan’s selection committee is due to announce a limited-overs squad later this week while the Test team will be announced later.
The Melbourne Renegades kept their BBL campaign alive with a dramatic one-run win over hosts Brisbane Heat
The Report by Alex Malcolm in Brisbane20-Jan-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsSunil Narine picked up two wickets in the 19th over and set up a dramatic finish•Getty Images
Nine deliveries, 16 runs and three wickets featured in one of the most bizarre final overs in BBL history. But the Melbourne Renegades kept their finals hopes alive with a nail-biting one-run win over the Brisbane Heat at the Gabba.The equation was simple at the beginning of the final over. The Heat needed 18 runs to secure a home semi-final. Nathan Rimmington needed to defend 16 or less to keep the Renegades alive.Rimmington did his job, but only . He bowled four wides, conceded two sixes, took the wicket of Joe Burns and completed two run-outs in roller-coaster ride that would have left the most adventurous of thrill-seekers feeling nauseous.It had been a night for the batsmen. The Renegades had set a big total of 199 on the back of a stunning opening stand from Aaron Finch and Marcus Harris. They scored 106 runs in just nine overs before Harris fell.The Heat then trumped that start with the second-highest score in the Powerplay in BBL history. Brendon McCullum and Sam Heazlett took 84 from the first five overs of the chase. The Renegades, though, pulled Heat back courtesy outstanding spells from Thisara Perera and Brad Hogg. Extraordinary hitting from Ben Cutting and Joe Burns and some rain then added to the drama of the final overs but the Renegades somehow held their nerve. 1wd 6 6 W 1wd W 1wd 0 W(1wd)
The final over of the match from Rimmington had to be seen to be believed. The Renegades had lost three final-over thrillers this season with Finch, Perera and James Pattinson all entrusted with the final six balls and all conceding the winning runs. Finch turned to Rimmington for this over instead of Pattinson after Perera, one of their best bowlers on the night, had bowled out. Rimmington had bowled an excellent 18th over, conceding just eight runs and removing Cutting, who had scored a rampaging 35 from 18 balls and was threatening to end the Renegades’ season. Burns was 23 from 19 balls and had only found the boundary once, so the Renegades were favourites.But Rimmington bowled a wide first ball, attempting a yorker. 17 off 6 balls. Burns then nailed two short balls over the long boundary at midwicket for sixes. 5 off 4. He got a third in the slot but mis-hit it to long-off and Perera held on to keep things interesting. 5 off 3. Rimmington bowled another wide. 4 off 3. Buchanan nailed the next – a full wide ball – to cover where Finch gathered and fired at the non-striker’s end. Rimmington’s collect to break the stumps was superb as Buchanan was run-out. 4 off 2. Rimmington bowled another wide to Mark Steketee. 3 off 2. He tried the wide yorker for a sixth time in the over and finally got it inside the guideline beating Steketee, who strangely backed away to leg, for a dot ball. 3 off 1. Rimmington went wide again for the final ball. Swepson got a running start at the non-striker’s end, hoping to run two for a super over if Steketee made contact, but he instead left alone another wide only to look up and see his team-mate charging at him. Debutant wicketkeeper Andrew Harriott threw the ball to Rimmington and the run-out ended the game. Although not everyone on the ground was certain of the result, with Finch admitting later he thought it was only the eighth wicket.Aaron Finch gave the Renegades a blazing start with 71 off 35 balls•Cricket Australia/Getty Images
Finch’s fireworks
Finch has responded to his axing from the Australian one-day side in the finest possible fashion with three half-centuries in his last four BBL innings. This was the most destructive. He clubbed 71 from 35 balls with six fours and four sixes. He started in the first over with a mammoth hit over cover that landed in the second tier. Incredibly, he played second fiddle to Harris for the next three overs. At the end of the fourth over Harris was 30 from 15 balls while Finch had scored just 18 from nine balls. But he took charge in the eighth over. He was gifted a life, and six runs, from Burns in the deep during a hat-trick of bombs off Marnus Labuschagne. Callum Ferguson also played a vital hand scoring 31 not out from 15 balls to help get the total up to 199.Now the waiting begins
The result puts the Renegades into the top four on the table for now. The Heat’s loss means a home semi-final is in jeopardy. Everything now hangs on Saturday’s matches. If the Scorchers beat the Hurricanes and the Stars account for the Sixers, the Renegades will play in the finals. But if the Sixers beat the Stars, then the Renegades will likely be squeezed out due to an inferior net run-rate. The Hurricanes are now likely to miss out on the finals after the Heat’s loss even if they beat the Scorchers due to a very poor net run-rate. Peter Nevill might be available for a potential final after being cleared of a facial fracture. He could come back in for Harriott who did a fine job having been plucked from NSW premier cricket to make his T20 debut at the Gabba. He took two catches and kept well throughout.Brendon McCullum shellacked a fifty off 18 balls – the second fastest in BBL history – but it was not enough for the Heat to secure a home semi-final•Getty Images
Hogg, the unsung hero
While Finch was named Man of the Match, his 71 was just one of a number of blistering knocks on a night where the batsmen were very productive. McCullum also set the Gabba alight with a fifty off 18 balls, but, arguably, it was Hogg who turned the game. McCullum was a runaway freight train in the first five overs before Perera arrived and bowled a brilliant sixth over, conceding just a single. Hogg then spun his web. His first three overs cost only eight runs, all singles, although there were five leg byes. McCullum scored just six runs from his next 17 balls after reaching fifty. Overall, Hogg bowled nine balls to McCullum and conceded only two runs. He also removed the dangerous Alex Ross to apply additional pressure on the Heat.
Michael Klinger scored 87 off 78 to stud Western Australia’s 6 for 190 in 28 overs, before Andrew Tye took three wickets to ensure that Victoria fell 41 short of their revised target in a rain-affected match at the WACA
ESPNcricinfo staff08-Oct-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAndrew Tye took 3 for 10 in three overs and also effected a run-out•Getty ImagesMichael Klinger scored 87 off 78 to stud Western Australia’s 6 for 190 in 28 overs, before Andrew Tye took three wickets to ensure that Victoria fell 41 short of their revised target in a rain-affected match at the WACA ground in Perth.Victoria won the toss and started well, dismissing Shaun Marsh for 15 and Adam Voges for a ten-ball duck, leaving the hosts at 2 for 30. But Klinger and D’Arcy Short then put on 92 off 87 for the third wicket, with Short contributing 52 off 43 before falling to Jon Holland. Klinger batted on, though, hitting three fours and three sixes in his knock as Western Australia added 66 in the last eight overs.With more rain disrupting play, Victoria found themselves chasing a D/L-adjusted target of 140 in 18 overs. But at no point were they able to even approach the required run rate. The opening stand added 25 in 5 overs and was ended by Jason Behrendorff, who got Marcus Harris caught behind. Behrendorff then got Glenn Maxwell for 9 in his next over. By the time Tye dismissed Dan Christian in the ninth over, Victoria had only managed 54 runs.That wicket opened the floodgates – a further six wickets fell for 28 runs in 36 balls to leave the visitors at 9 for 82 in the 15th over. They managed to scrape together 16 more runs and avoid being bowled out, but that would have come as scant consolation.Meanwhile, Western Australia, who tied their first match and lost their second, would be relieved to have their first win on the board.
Wolverhampton Wanderers have one game remaining of the Premier League season, and are reportedly looking ahead to the summer transfer window.
The Midlands side have endured a rollercoaster of a campaign, going from the lows of Bruno Lage’s final moments in his reign, to Julen Lopetegui’s impressive turnaround of fortunes at Molineux.
The Spaniard has made significant improvements since his arrival in November, however, the issue of goal-scoring has not been something the former Real Madrid boss has been able to relieve since joining mid-season.
With the transfer window presenting Lopetegui with the chance to make his own amendments to the squad, a number of forwards have been linked already with a move to Molineux, with one La Liga starlet part of an ongoing saga.
What’s the latest on Ansu Fati to Wolves?
As reported earlier this month by Spanish news outlet Sport (via Sport Witness), Wolves hold an interest in Barcelona forward Ansu Fati, in what could be a potential €30m (£26m) swap deal including Ruben Neves.
Earlier this week, it was revealed by The Athletic, that the 20-year-old has been mentioned as a “possible player” to make the switch to Molineux so Neves could depart to Catalonia.
The deal simmers down to whether the Portuguese ace goes to Barcelona, and importantly if Fati accepts a move to Molineux, with the player’s father insistent that he wants his son to move on – as per Spanish radio outlet COPE.
What could Ansu Fati bring to Wolves?
Once described as potentially being Barcelona’s heir to Lionel Messi, the 20-year-old was the club’s next big thing when he made his debut at 16 years old against Real Betis in 2019.
Hailed by Xavi as “extraordinary”, the forward has limitless potential in the game, however, has been deprived of game time at Camp Nou due to injury and competition within the squad.
The £199k-per-week youngster could be a star man under Lopetegui, who favours playing a system with traditional wingers playing to the touchline and imposing a 1v1 threat.
Likened by FBref to Arsenal hero Gabriel Martinelli, the Bissau-born ace could be the Spanaird’s answer to the young Brazilian in the Premier League, as communicated by his statistics.
The Gunners’ forward has started 34 of his 36 appearances in the league this season, with Ansu Fati making just 11 starts in 34 in La Liga, explanatory to the difference in goals scored, with Martinelli netting a phenomenal 15 goals this term to the latter's seven.
However, over an average of 90 minutes in the past year, the two are extremely similar in their effectiveness in game plan, both being go-to men in the box due to their abilities on the ball.
As per FBref, the Brazilian averages 6.99 touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, putting him in the top 3% of Europe’s top five leagues in his position, with Fati ranging in the top 2%, with 7.73 per 90.
Similar statistics that showcase their attributes in being direct and dangerous on the wing is the number of progressive passes received, highlighting their advanced positioning to cause havoc.
FBref shows that Martinelli receives an average of 11.29 progressive passes per 90, with the Barcelona youngster scoring marginally less in that area with 10.54.
The two forwards are comparatively prolific from wide areas, telling of the magnitude of the Spaniard’s talent relating to an established Premier League star.
In Lopetegui’s system, the 20-year-old could blossom into a real threat, though in being part of a complicated deal, only time will tell if he will reside at Molineux next season.
Former Rangers defender Alan Hutton has been left concerned by Michael Beale's decision to let a number of experienced first-team players leave the club this summer.
Which players are leaving Rangers this summer?
The Gers will need to bring in a number of new players in the upcoming window, as several players are set to be shown the exit door, with Beale recently confirming Morelos is "going to be moving on" at the end of the season.
Turkish outlet Fanatik have recently reported that Ryan Kent has made the decision to leave at the end of the season, upon the expiration of his contract, while a number of other experienced players are out of contract.
Ryan Jack, Scott Arfield and Allan McGregor are all free to leave in the upcoming market, and Hutton is concerned that Beale plans to replace the old guard with some relatively inexperienced players.
In an interview with Football Insider, the pundit said: “That is my one fear.
“That the players that it looks like are leaving are experienced players, they have experienced European finals, winning leagues, winning trophies. I think it could be a mistake to let them all go.
“If you look at the likes of Arfield, Jack, Davis, McGregor, Morelos, Kent, I think you have to keep some for their experience, I am all for that.
“Especially if you look at the type of players they are wanting to bring in, the likes of [Morgan] Whittaker, Dowell, [Todd] Cantwell and [Nicolas] Raskin are already there, these are young guys.
“If you are bringing in seven or eight young players who are inexperienced, you need older heads round about them to guide them.“
Is a summer rebuild really needed?
Of course, Beale will be desperate to bridge the gap between Rangers and bitter rivals Celtic next season, currently trailing the Hoops by 13 points in the Scottish Premiership, but it is a questionable decision to let so many key players leave.
It is particularly concerning that Morelos and Kent are set to depart, given that both played a major part in the title-winning 2020-21 campaign, amassing a combined 32 goal contributions in the Scottish Premiership.
Scott Arfield has become a bit-part player, mainly being utilised as a substitute this season, but the decision to let Jack go is a little concerning, considering he has been a first-team regular whenever he has been fit.
Former Rangers man Lee McCulloch has previously spoken about how "influential" McGregor is in the dressing room, so the 41-year-old's departure could also pose problems for Beale, and the manager is playing a risky game by allowing so many players to leave.
Aston Villa are reportedly eyeing a move for AZ Alkmaar forward Vangelis Pavlidis.
What’s the latest on Villa and Pavlidis?
Unai Emery appears to be on the hunt for a new striker over the coming months, with Ashley Preece previously stating that ‘a new No.9 to partner Ollie Watkins is at the top of Villa's shopping list this summer’.
The club have been heavily linked with a move for former Villa Park loanee Tammy Abraham, however, Pavlidis also seems to be of interest.
Hailed as a "difference maker" in the media for his goal involvements this season, the 24-year-old is primarily a centre-forward but can also turn out as an attacking midfielder or left-winger. Valued at a career-high €12m by Transfermarkt, the Greece international has enjoyed a successful stint in the Netherlands, previously with Willem II.
Pavlidis, sponsored by Nike, netted 33 times for Willem II which resulted in a move to AZ Alkmaar back in 2021, and he has continued to reach double figures in front of goal in the Eredivisie, netting 40 times in 80 appearances for his current employers.
Jeunes Footeux provided an update regarding Pavlidis in the last 48 hours, where Villa were named. They said that the Villans and Premier League rivals are closely following the performances of the forward ahead of a potential move. The report cites a €25m (£22m) fee for Pavlidis, a figure which is within the reach of officials at both Villa Park and Elland Road.
Should Villa bring Pavlidis to the Midlands?
You can see why Emery is after a new forward ahead of his first season in charge, especially after parting ways with Danny Ings back in January.
Ollie Watkins has stepped up to the plate, enjoying a purple patch in front of goal in recent months, however, Villa have been outscored by nine of the 10 teams above them in the table.
Therefore, looking at a potential move for someone like Pavlidis could be a shrewd move, with the forward scoring 10 or more league goals in each of his last four seasons. He appears to be at the peak of his powers with his market valuation and would also provide an option out wide or in behind the striker, should Emery stick with Watkins as his main man in attack.
Adding proven quality in the final third would be a good move, and it looks as if Pavlidis could be the one to come in and rival Watkins and youngsters Jhon Duran and Cameron Archer next season.
Martin Guptill’s 80 off 48 balls took New Zealand to a formidable 180 for 5 and set up a 22-run victory over Pakistan
The Report by Alagappan Muthu22-Mar-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMartin Guptill was in explosive form, extending his status as one of the best in white-ball cricket in recent times•AFP
It seems Pakistan are not short of Achilles heels lately. New Zealand aimed an arrow at a rather famous one – their batting while chasing big totals – and came away the victors to become the first team to qualify for the 2016 World T20 semi-finals.Pakistan, who knew their hopes of staying alive in the World T20 depended heavily on a favourable outcome tonight, looked a chase of 181 in the eye and blinked. Sharjeel Khan’s enterprising cameo had set them up. He himself had struck ten boundaries before the Powerplay was done and Pakistan’s fifty was raised in 24 balls – their fastest in T20Is.However, once New Zealand doused Sharjeel’s fire, Pakistan’s went out as well. The batsmen down the order could not back up the early flurry and will face critique for being poor chasers. There were no boundaries – not one – in the last five overs, which led to the 18th failed chase of a 150-plus target for Pakistan. It left their hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals extremely bleak.New Zealand had done their homework again – underneath a cover of grass lay a belter of a pitch and Martin Guptill began taking advantage of it as soon as he strode out to bat. The seventh ball he faced, from the seven-foot tall Mohammad Irfan, was lofted toweringly high into the air and became the first of six of the night. That shot, and his entire innings – 80 off 48 balls – was simple in design and an exhibition of a batsman well aware of his strengths.Guptill is a tall man. His reach is longer than most players and he is not short of power either. So the moment he decides to hit straight, he has the upper hand. He secured 32 of his runs in the arc between long-off and long-on, including two of his 10 fours and all three of his sixes. Guptill had a clear strategy against spin too. The sweep shot, and on a pitch that wasn’t turning excessively, it helped him dominate even when he misread the delivery off the bowler’s hand. Guptill played two of those against Afridi soon after reaching his fifth T20I fifty over his last 10 innings.Sharjeel came out and played an innings equal of Guptill’s, at least in impact. His strength appears to be in the midwicket region and New Zealand’s bowlers fed him a delicious diet of length and short balls. They attempted to pull the pace off, bowled over and around the wicket and changed their fields but very few thought of changing the line and probing him in the corridor around the off stump. Mitchell McClengaghan was smacked for three fours and a six in the fourth over and was taken off. The new bowler Adam Milne dismissed Sharjeel with wider, fuller delivery that was met with a slog and ended up as a top-edge to point.That wicket gave New Zealand some breathing room. It allowed their spinners to get into the game without fear of being hit out. Mitchell Santner, who bowled the first over and was smashed for 15 runs, finished his full quota with two wickets and gave away only 14 further runs. His partner Ish Sodhi, who was back in Punjab, the state of his birth, conceded only one boundary in his four overs and took the crucial wicket of Afridi as well.The back-end squeeze was fruitful for both teams. At one point New Zealand looked set for over 200. Mohammad Sami was the key man for Pakistan, his 19th over went only for four runs and he finished his spell with two wickets and an economy rate of 5.75.But Ross Taylor withstood that spell and led a scrappy lower-order effort to muster 53 runs in the last five overs and that Pakistan could not find a contribution like that became their undoing. Umar Akmal played a woeful innings at No. 4 – 24 off 26 balls, with no fours or sixes. Ahmed Shehzad was similarly subdued – he scratched around for 30 off 32 balls. Afridi attempted to make up for it, but he was caught on the long-off boundary by Corey Anderson, who timed his leap to perfection. New Zealand’s strangle at one end had defused a big threat at the other, and they kept squeezing until Pakistan had nothing left.
Arsenal could see Reiss Nelson depart at the end of the campaign in a bid to secure himself some more regular first-team action.
How long does Reiss Nelson have left on his contract?
The 23-year-old did only return to north London in the summer having spent some time away on loan in the Netherlands with Feyenoord.
And his current deal with the Gunners is set to expire at the end of the current campaign although there have been reports of a potential extension.
It is believed the north London side are in talks with Saturday’s match-winner over the possibility of extending his stay at the Emirates Stadium.
However, speaking on the Talking Transfers podcast, insider Graeme Bailey has claimed that despite his love for the club, Nelson could look to leave in the coming months:
“He might sign from what I’m hearing and he does like it there, but he’s not going to get any guarantees over playing time. So don’t be surprised if he does move on.”
Will Reiss Nelson sign a new deal with Arsenal?
The youngster certainly has a big decision to make over the coming months with his development potentially on the line if he chooses to remain at Arsenal.
Nelson has proven his value under Mikel Arteta this season having scored some important goals to help the Gunners along the way as they look to lift the Premier League title.
However, the Englishman has not started a single Premier League game this season and has just 84 minutes of league action under his belt (via Transfermarkt).
It has to be noted that he has had ongoing injury issues which have sidelined him for large chunks of the 2022/23 campaign, but his opportunities, when fit, have been extremely limited.
Having said that, in the two games when he has featured for more than a brief cameo, Nelson has provided Arteta with three goals and two assists in the league. Which equates to a stunning goal involvement return of one every 17 minutes.
But with this in mind, it could open doors in the summer to potentially earn himself a move to a club that would be willing to offer him more regular football over the long term.
Although his record is mightily impressive, it is unsustainable if he was to be given regular action which may quickly see Arteta lose faith in the player.
If the Gunners are to get their hands on the league title then there would be no better way of bowing out, however, he may still feel as if he could earn himself a spot in the starting XI.
Bangladesh scored 116 runs in boundaries to India’s 114, but they played out 38 more dot balls
S Rajesh12-May-2007Bangladesh finally fell short by 46 runs, but there was one aspect in which they trumped India: they scored 116 runs in fours and sixes – admittedly thanks to Mashrafe Mortaza’s blitz at the end – compared to India’s 114. That stat also means, though, that they fell behind in something more basic – and less glamorous – than dismissing deliveries over and beyond the ropes.The stats analysis after the World Cup had revealed that among all the teams that reached the Super Eights, Bangladesh played out the highest percentage of dot balls, and they repeated it today: of the 297 deliveries they faced, 190 produced no runs off the bat; that translates to nearly 32 overs, or 64% of total deliveries faced.
India 152 110/ 16/ 2 24/ 3 50.84 Bangladesh 190 77/ 11/ 2 14/ 10 63.97 The Indians themselves aren’t known to be the best runners between the wickets, but Bangladesh’s batsmen could start by taking inspiration from some of them: in the first game, Dinesh Karthik scored a 60-ball 58 with only 16 runs in boundaries, while Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s brisk 91 had 28 runs in fours. Today, Rahul Dravid’s 42 had just one four, and yet he scored his runs in 47 balls.In contrast, Bangladesh’s batsmen relied almost entirely on the boundaries to score quickly. Aftab Ahmed made 40 off 41, but with 26 runs in boundaries; Habibul Bashar wasn’t quite as successful with the big hits – and he admittedly batted after Bangladesh had lost lots of wickets which allowed India to attack more – and he struggled, getting to 43 from 88 deliveries, with 62 dot balls.Gambhir stands outFor India, the performer of the day was Gautam Gambhir. He has often frittered away starts in the past – in eight out of 21 innings he has fallen between 15 and 40 – but today he didn’t make that mistake, getting to his second ODI century. The feature of his innings was the manner in which he paced it – the first 25 runs came off 39 balls, the next 25 took 26, the third 25 came in just 18, while the last 26 took slightly longer – 30 balls – primarily because of the stifling heat. The knock also took his average against Bangladesh beyond 50 – he now averages 51 against them in four innings. The challenge will be to keep up this level consistently, and be among the runs against all kinds of bowling attacks. (Click here for Gambhir’s career summary.)More stats India’s 284 for 8 is their second-highest total in an ODI against Bangladesh. The highest is 348 for 5 at Dhaka in 2004-05. Enamul Haque, a former left-arm spinner and an umpire in this game in which Dinesh Mongia was smashed for 26 in an over, was himself at the receiving end in an ODI: Shahid Afridi smashed him for 28 in an over – including four sixes – at Dhaka in 2001-02. The 26 runs that Mashrafe Mortaza and Abdur Razzak scored off Mongia is the most runs scored in an over in an ODI between India and Bangladesh. (Click here for the list of most number of runs scored in an over.)