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رد إكرامي الشحات، حارس الأهلي السابق، على أنباء عرض نادي بيراميدز زوج نجلته رمضان صبحي للبيع خلال الفترة القادمة.

وقال إكرامي خلال تصريحات عبر برنامج “اللعيب” على قناة “إم بي سي مصر”: “الكلام الذي يتكتب على السوشيال ميديا 90% منه كذب”.

وأضاف: “هل بيراميدز الذي قام بتجديد عقد رمضان صبحي ثلاث سنوات ويعالجه يريد بيعه! هذا كلام هري”.

طالع.. رسميًا | بيراميدز يتخذ قرارًا جديدًا بشأن رمضان صبحي وأسامة جلال

وتابع: “أريد أن اتحدث في نقطة، هناك لاعب خرج في تصريحات عن رمضان صبحي، في الأيام الماضية، أقول له عيب، أنت كنت لا تستطيع أن تتكلم بهذا الشكل وهو معك في الفريق (وهو بيحط عليك في الفريق)”.

وأتم: “عيب أن يطلع يتكلم على الكابتن بتاعه بالأسلوب ده، وانت أصلا لاعب قليل أنك تطلع تتكلم على الكابتن بتاعك بالاسلوب ده، الله كريم خليك في نفسك”.

تجدر الإشارة إلي أن لاعب الأهلي السابق وسيراميكا كليوباترا الحالي، كريم نيدفيد، هو من كان تحدث عن رحيل رمضان صبحي من الأهلي مؤخرًا، لمطالعة تصريحاته كاملة من هنا).

An “unbelievable” Premier League player is reportedly interested in sealing a move to Liverpool in the summer transfer window.

Liverpool eyeing attacking reinforcements

The Reds may have won the league title at a canter, but there has been flaws within Arne Slot’s squad throughout the season, not least in attack. Mohamed Salah has carried the troops at times, and while Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo have contributed, Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota have struggled and there is feeling Salah needs better running mates.

For that reason, at least one new face is needed in Liverpool’s attack this summer, if not two, with both central and wide options being linked with moves to Anfield alongside a potential move for Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz.

Diaz continues to be mentioned as an option for Barcelona before next season, and Athletic Bilbao star Nico Williams has been backed to join the Reds, perhaps being seen as a direct replacement for the Colombian, should he depart.

Meanwhile, centre forwards continue to be linked with Liverpool, too, with talks reportedly taking place with Eintracht Frankfurt ace Hugo Ekitike. The 22-year-old could be seen as an alternative to Newcastle United marksman Alexander Isak, who is arguably the dream signing for the Reds, but likely to be out of their price range.

Liverpool boosted in pursuit of £100m winger

According to a fresh claim from Football Insider, Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon is on Slot’s “radar” at Liverpool, as the champions weigh up a summer move for him.

A move to Anfield almost happened last year, at which point the England international was said to be “very keen” on a switch, but he stayed at St James’ Park instead. As a boyhood Red he is once again keen on a move though, with the 24-year-old valued at approximately £100m.

It is certainly easy to see Gordon flourishing in a Liverpool shirt, given the pace he possesses out wide, as well as end product, bagging 11 goal contributions (six goals and five assists) in the Premier League this season.

Last term, the Englishman got 21 overall in the competition – 11 goals and 10 assists – so he has proven himself in a top-level player, and Bruno Guimaraes has heaped praise on his teammate.

Newcastle make contact to sign one of the best dribblers in Europe for £21m

The Magpies have stepped up their pursuit of a midfielder ahead of the summer transfer window.

ByDominic Lund May 22, 2025

It would only make sense for Liverpool to move for the £150,000-a-week Gordon if Diaz leaves, though, with Slot unlikely to be able to keep three left-sided players happy next season.

Leicestershire rolled aside for 88 in one-sided encounter at Grace Road

ECB Reporters Network26-Jul-2024

Ed Barnard was in the wickets to enhance his allround reputation•Getty Images

Warwickshire made it two wins out of two in the Metrobank One Day Cup with an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Leicestershire at the UptonSteel County Ground, Grace Road.Bears’ skipper Ed Barnard, who made a big century and took two wickets in his side’s first game against Essex at Chelmsford, continued his outstanding form in the competition by taking four quick wickets, including that of India Test star Ajinkya Rahane, after putting the Foxes in to bat, reducing the home side to 40 for 4.Craig Miles picked up three wickets, and Oliver Hannon-Dalby, Will Rhodes and Jake Lintott one apiece as Leicestershire subsided to 88 all out in just 25.4 overs.Although former Warwickshire player Chris Wright then took two quick wickets when the visitors began their reply, Rhodes and teenager Hamza Shaikh put together an unbeaten partnership of 85 to steer their side home with 32.4 overs in hand.Both sides came into the match having won their opening fixture, Leicestershire against Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire against Essex. While Leicestershire were unchanged, however, Warwickshire gave starts to Kai Smith, the teenage wicketkeeper fit again after six weeks out with a broken hand, and another 18-year-old in spinner Taz Ali. On a fine day Leicestershire’s supporters turned out in good number in anticipation of the second appearance of Rahane, whose 71 off 60 balls against Notts had left many searching for superlatives.Warwickshire supporters made the journey from the West Midlands in the hope of seeing for a third consecutive century from Barnard, who had followed his 143 in the warm-up match against Staffordshire with an unbeaten 173 against Essex. In that respect they were to be disappointed, but it was the only disappointment they were to suffer on what became a near perfect afternoon for their side.Barnard chose to bowl first after winning the toss, but can hardly have anticipated what would follow, on the same pitch on which Leicestershire had scored 369 for 6 against Notts. The first five overs were relatively uneventful, albeit Foxes opener Harry Swindells played and missed at several outswingers, but fellow opener Sol Budinger appeared untroubled, hitting three crisp boundaries. There was movement off the seam though, particularly for Barnard, and soon after bringing one back to bowl the struggling Swindells, found the edge of Budinger’s bat with a fine delivery which left the left-hander.Opposite number Hill was his third victim, edging a lifting delivery to the wicket-keeper, but his fourth wicket, the key one of Rahane, had an element of fortune about it, coming off a low leg side full toss which the batsman tried to help down to long leg only to turn the bat too soon. The ball struck the back of the bat and looped gently back to the grateful if slightly startled bowler.Leicestershire’s second overseas batsman, Peter Handscomb, also went caught and bowled, in his case chipping a full straight delivery straight back to Rhodes for a duck. The procession continued, Liam Trevaskis edging a delivery pushed across him from Hannon-Dalby low to Rhodes at slip, before a stand of 34 between Ben Cox and Ben Mike gave Leicestershire’s disbelieving supporters faint hope of posting some sort of score.The hopes were quickly and decisively extinguished as Cox chipped a simple catch to midwicket, Mike top-edged an ambitious pull for Ali, running back from mid-on, to take a good catch, a catch made to look ordinary when Rhodes took a really fine diving catch at slip off Jake Lintott to see the back of Scriven.Wright was last to go, bowled off the inside edge, but the seamer at least enjoyed some measure of revenge, trimming Barnard’s bails with a beauty and then winning a leg before decision against Theo Wylie to reduce the Bears to 7 for 2. Thereafter however Rhodes and Shaikh played with increasing comfort to see their side over the line in double-quick time.

Chennai Super Kings signed off their home league campaign with a win, giving themselves a decent chance of coming back to Chennai for the last two playoff games. Despite losing their 11th toss out of 13 and being asked to field in the afternoon heat 40 hours after finishing their last match in Ahmedabad, the CSK bowlers used a slow pitch expertly to keep Rajasthan Royals down to 141, which they chased down with relative ease.The slow pitch was right up the home bowlers’ alley, and they kept Royals quiet in a wicketless powerplay after which Simarjeet Singh kept getting wickets every time Royals tried to push back. Royals never really succeeded in mounting an attack, which CSK’s New Zealand batters, Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell, successfully did to put their chase on course with a Shivam Dube putting them on top.Related

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• As it happened – Royals slip to third straight defeat

The win took CSK up to 14 points from 13 matches, level with Sunrisers Hyderabad who have a game in hand, and two points clear of the nearest challengers outside the top four. Royals suffered their third straight defeat, which will be a cause for concern for them going into the playoffs, especially with Jos Buttler not expected to be available for the final week.RR’s power-less-play
These are the two slowest teams in the first two overs of the IPL. They like to suss the pitch out before they start attacking. Royals stayed true to form, scoring just seven off the first two, but they couldn’t kick on even after that with Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana and Shardul Thakur giving them nothing to drive. Their 42 for 0 was the slowest wicketless powerplay of IPL 2024, one run behind their 43 for 0 against Punjab Kings, but that came in a small chase.Simarjeet Singh exults after dismissing Jos Buttler•BCCI

Simarjeet cashes in
Usually CSK go to Ravindra Jadeja in the seventh over, but perhaps because of the right-left combination, which didn’t let their orthodox spinners bowl in their last match against Gujarat Titans, they bowled Simarjeet in the seventh over. Playing only his third match this year, Simarjeet had ground to make up after going for 60 in that Titans match. On this slow pitch, he was immediately on target: hard lengths and no room. When Yashasvi Jaiswal tried to take him on, the ball got big on him and resulted in a skier to cover. In his next over, Simarjeet became the beneficiary of an odd shot from a frustrated Buttler: a ramp on a slow pitch with fine leg back on the fence.With Royals’ only left-hand top-order batter gone, Jadeja rattled through his four overs for just 24 runs to go with Theekshana’s four overs for 28. Sanju Samson just kept looking for singles while Riyan Parag tried the odd boundary. It seemed as if Royals had decided they needed to get somewhere around 160 and not aim too high.The final kick doesn’t arrive
Even to get to 160, they would need two a ball for the last six overs after getting to 89 for 2 in 14 overs, which is when the spinners bowled out. Royals were banking on cashing in on pace, but just when they tried to go hard they handed Simarjeet another wicket: Samson caught at mid-off. Again Royals were pushed back.Deshpande and Thakur stuck to their plans in the death overs, and Royals never got the big overs. Only Parag’s 47 off 35 took them to 141, which was 23 less than the lowest total successfully defended in this IPL. Royals attacked just 30 balls in their innings, the sixth-lowest figure this season in non-all-out innings when setting a target.Shivam Dube played a crucial cameo after CSK had gone 39 balls without a boundary•Associated Press

Ravindra, Mitchell get chase going
CSK have been the only team slower than Royals in the early goings but they were mindful of not letting the bowlers settle into their defence. Ravindra flicked Sandeep Sharma for a six over midwicket in the second over, and went after compatriot Trent Boult in the third. Even though R Ashwin got Ravindra out in the fourth, Mitchell kept up the intent. Their 56 for 1 was their fourth-highest powerplay of this IPL.Royals claw back but Dube breaks chase open
In the middle overs, Royals clawed their way back. Yuzvendra Chahal got Mitchell, the spinners kept Moeen Ali and Ruturaj Gaikwad quiet, Moeen got out for 10 off 13, and 39 balls went without a boundary. Still it was 50 needed off seven overs. This was when Ashwin came on to bowl his last over with Dube on strike. Dube took the veteran spinner on for 6, 4, 4, with a leg-side wide in between, and while Ashwin came back with Dube’s wicket, CSK needed 35 off the last six.Captain Gaikwad stayed true to his anchor role for this chase, and saw his team home despite Jadeja getting himself out obstructing the field.

The pair combined for a brisk 140-run sixth-wicket partnership to inch Australia closer to victory

Tristan Lavalette11-Mar-2024Alex Carey produced a brilliant knock under pressure to crush New Zealand’s bid for a famous victory as Australia ran down a tough 279 runs in a nerve-jangling chase at Hagley Oval.Australia’s bid to win the second Test and seal the series 2-0 appeared in major trouble at 80 for 5 after the early wicket of Travis Head on day four. But Carey and Mitchell Marsh, who made 80 after being dropped on 28, combined for a brisk 140-run sixth-wicket partnership to inch Australia within 59 runs.Debutant Ben Sears, bowling in the mid-140 kph, flipped the match on its head with the wickets of Marsh and Mitchell Starc on consecutive deliveries to revive New Zealand’s hopes. Carey, however, was unperturbed and finished Australia’s hero with an unbeaten 98.He found calm support through Pat Cummins, who again helped Australia over the line much like he memorably did at Edgbaston in last year’s Ashes. Cummins made 32 and hit the winning boundary at an increasingly gloomy Hagley Oval as the batters embraced mid-pitch.Australia had only run down 279 or more in the fourth innings on 13 previous occasions and only twice since 2006. Only three teams in Test history had scored more runs after the fall of the fifth wicket in a successful fourth-innings chase.The victory capped a hectic period of Test cricket for Australia, who have played 22 Tests in the last 15 months. But they will have a long breather from the format with their next assignment not until next summer against India in a five-Test blockbuster.It was a satisfying triumph for Australia, who before this had only one won series away from home since their last Test tour of New Zealand in 2016.But New Zealand were left bitterly disappointed as their misery against Australia continued having only beaten them once in the past three decades. With their next series against Australia not due until 2026-27, several senior players in the team might never again have a chance to beat their neighbours.After a stirring fightback ever since being bowled out for 162 in their first innings, New Zealand had been in the box seat heading into the fourth day’s play, which was delayed by an hour due to rain.Resuming at 77 for 4 and needing a further 202 runs, Australia’s hopes seemingly rested with Marsh and Head who had combined for 43 runs late on day three after a top-order collapse.In overcast conditions, Marsh went for broke off Tim Southee’s first ball when he hit a bullet to backward point only for Rachin Ravindra to drop a chance.But New Zealand’s agony was short-lived when on the next delivery Head replicated Marsh’s full-blooded stroke and Will Young made no mistake at point. It completed a tough season for Head, who scored just 150 runs in 11 Test innings outside of his match-winning century against West Indies in Adelaide.With Josh Inglis breathing down his neck, Carey’s place in the team had been in the spotlight having only made two half-centuries in his previous 18 innings. Buoyed by a record-equalling 10 dismissals by an Australian wicketkeeper, Carey looked solid as he quickly moved to 19 until he was given out lbw after being trapped on the knee roll by Matt Henry bowling from around the wicket.But Carey was saved by the DRS with ball tracking deeming the ball to be sliding down the leg side. He calmly resumed his innings and kept the runs trickling along, but did have an anxious moment on 37 when Scott Kuggeleijn loudly appealed for caught behind. New Zealand unsuccessfully reviewed as their nerves heightened.Entering the innings on the back of consecutive ducks, Marsh rediscovered his form from the Australian summer as he and Carey notched their half-centuries and Australia reached lunch needing a further 105 runs.A single from Marsh after the interval notched the pair’s century partnership and reduced Australia’s deficit to under a hundred, with batting becoming easier against the older ball. New Zealand’s fading hopes seemingly rested with Henry, who was also seeking a 10-wicket haul, but Marsh continued to counterattack and whacked his bouncer for six.Southee desperately turned to Sears and it proved a masterstroke as he trapped Marsh lbw after hitting him in front of middle and leg. Marsh reviewed in the hope that the ball was sliding down the leg side, but it was upheld in an umpire’s call to spark New Zealand.It was bedlam at a near-capacity Hagley Oval when on his next delivery Sears had Starc hitting straight to square leg. Sears almost completed his hat-trick when Cummins nervously edged in front of second slip.But Sears was then thwarted by inventive batting from Carey and an unruffled Cummins, who continued his knack for ice-cool batting in run chases. Both batters endured some anxious moments as Southee reverted to Henry for one last push but it was in vain. Carey fell short of a deserved century as Cummins sealed victory with a punch through point and he let out a roar in celebration.

Arne Slot revealed in his pre-match press conference on Friday morning that he will finally enforce some rotation across Liverpool’s final four Premier League matches of the season.

It’s taken him long enough, but then who can blame the Dutch manager for sticking to his guns, now crowned the division’s champion in his maiden year on English soil?

The business end of the 2024/25 league campaign has been navigated with a confident swagger for those of a Liverpool persuasion, with their team strutting far out ahead of second-place Arsenal, who themselves have held a healthy advantage over the rest of the Champions League hopefuls.

For those looking at the Anfield side from an outside perspective, it might seem like there’s a lot of work that needs to be done: Andy Robertson has faced criticism for his performances, Trent Alexander-Arnold is expected to join Real Madrid on a free transfer this summer and Slot’s frontline hasn’t always fired across every cylinder.

While Mohamed Salah has been a true talisman, posting 33 goals and 23 assists across all competitions, his attacking partners have flattered to deceive at times, with none more culpable than Darwin Nunez.

No road back for Darwin Nunez

Tough season for Nunez. In fact, the 25-year-old has looked so far away from the vision that Slot wants from his striker that his exit is all but confirmed this season, with Liverpool actively planning to cash in while already searching for potential heirs.

Nunez has only returned seven goals this year, and it’s a bleak indictment of his performances that 37 of those 43 matches he has featured in have returned blanks. That is not the form of a club-record Liverpool striker, one whose total payment could reach £85m.

While Slot was quick to dismiss claims that Nunez is being repeatedly benched due to a clause that means his 50th Premier League start would impel Liverpool to pay Benfica an additional £5m sum, the fact remains that the Uruguay international has been used sparingly this season.

In fact, he’s only started once in the top flight since Boxing Day.

Frankly, it’s hard to envisage a world where Nunez lines up as Anfield’s chief centre-forward next season, not after falling heavily by the wayside under Slot’s wing.

Liverpool, for sure, are ready to sign a new forward.

Liverpool ready to sign new forward

Liverpool have identified a new attacking star, and while he might not be an out-and-out frontman, Daizen Maeda has all the qualities to become a valued part of Slot’s frontline.

That’s according to transfer insider Graeme Bailey, making the claim that the 27-year-old, who can play across the frontline, is attracting interest from both Arsenal and Slot’s Reds ahead of the summer transfer window.

Valued at £25m, Maeda has been scouted by Liverpool across the campaign and would certainly be curious at a transfer to Anfield, having been quizzed on a potential transfer away from Scotland in March and responding that it was a “difficult question.”

Daizen Maeda would be perfect for Slot

Discovered by Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou, who signed Maeda from Yokohama F Marinos on an initial loan in December 2021 before the deal was made permanent the following summer, it’s been a profitable few years in Scotland for the Japan international.

Described as an “absolute nuisance” of a forward by pundit Rio Ferdinand, Maeda’s ability to provide danger from every angle is something that differentiates him from most other forwards, having also been noted as a “physical beast” by his former coach John Hutchinson.

This season alone, he’s posted 33 goals and 11 assists across 47 appearances for the Hoops, which curiously means he has outscored Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, who has posted 26 goals this term and is on Liverpool’s list as a potential Nunez replacement, albeit an unlikely signing given he is valued at £150m.

His ability to step up in the Champions League, scoring four times in the competition this season, including against Bayern Munich in the first knockout round, makes a firm comment on his capacity for success at Liverpool, with the physicality to serve as Slot’s next version of Nunez, one who might provide a more clinical output.

While he hasn’t always been the most consistent in front of goal, Maeda is a tireless performer and possesses fleet feet besides.

Matches (starts)

31 (27)

Goals

16

Assists

9

Shots (on targets)*

1.8 (0.6)

Big chances missed

16

Pass completion

83%

Big chances created

10

Key passes*

1.3

Dribbles*

0.7

Tackles + interceptions*

1.7

Duels won*

3.1

Some would point toward Maeda playing in a division of objectively inferior quality, but the fact that he has converted 16 goals and missed as many chances bespeaks his natural goalscoring ability, something that has been hardened under Brendan Rodgers’ wing to be sure.

Nunez, for reference, has scored 25 goals across his three years in the Premier League, rather shockingly missing 53 big chances.

Though Maeda isn’t the natural central striker that Liverpool fans hope to walk through the door this summer, he has clinched 14 goals and four assists from just ten matches as Celtic’s striker.

Slot has already demonstrated his willingness to use such a dynamic profile across different attacking roles through the deployment of Luis Diaz across the campaign, with the Colombian having featured routinely in a central berth to accommodate Cody Gakpo and create an electric sense of fluency.

Transfer Focus

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Maeda would merely strengthen this exciting thread of attacking players, with the confidence and completeness to effectively step into Nunez’s boots and take Liverpool’s project to the next level.

Slot's own Xabi Alonso: Liverpool learn conditions to sign £80m "machine"

Liverpool would take their midfield to the next level by sealing this ambitious signing.

ByAngus Sinclair May 2, 2025

Everton and their hierarchy are now pushing to complete the signing of a £12 million attacker who has told his entourage to get the deal done, according to a recent report.

Everton chasing multiple signings to kick off summer business

The Toffees are one of several sides in the Premier League who have nothing to play for in the remaining games of the season, but will want to carry plenty of momentum into the new campaign. Club chiefs at Goodison Park however appear to be turning their attention towards the summer and the business they would like to conclude.

Moyes' biggest star since Rooney: Everton leading race to sign £38m star

Everton appear to be making moves to land a talented youngster ahead of this summer.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 24, 2025

Strengthening the options in defence seems to be a high priority for David Moyes, as they have already been linked with a shock move for Liverpool’s Jarell Quansah, who has now been backed to make the move to Everton by former scout Bryan King. The Toffees are also interested in signing David Hancko from Feyenoord, but it is not a cheap deal, as the Dutch side want to get around £34 million for his services.

It’s also been stated that Moyes is keen to strengthen his forward line, as goals have been somewhat of a problem, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin could leave for nothing come the end of the season. Brighton’s Evan Ferguson has been identified as their top target for a new centre-forward, as his future with the Seagulls is very much up in the air.

Everton are pushing to sign £12m winger Moses Simon

As well as looking at Ferguson, the Toffees are also looking at other attacking additions, and according to Africa Foot, relayed by Sport Witness, Everton have identified Moses Simon as a transfer target heading into the summer.

The report states that the Toffees are pushing to complete a deal for Simon after sending scouts to watch him live in action in Ligue 1 in the last few weeks. The Nantes winger is said to have left them impressed, and now the Premier League side are working on a deal, with Simon telling his agent to do whatever needs to be done to complete a move to Everton in the summer transfer window.

Interestingly, his agency CAA Base also represent one of Everton’s coaching staff, Dan Micciche, who is the Toffees’ Player Development Lead.

The French club do not want to sell Simon, despite his contract ending at the end of next season. However, their stance on selling the 29-year-old will change if they receive a bid worth €15 million, which is roughly £12.8 million. The Toffees meanwhile believe they could take advantage of Simon’s contract and bring him to England for less than the price Nantes want.

Apps

173

Goals

32

Assists

37

The Nigeria international has scored seven goals and recorded nine assists in 28 Ligue 1 games this season, which is his best return in his career. Everton may need to strengthen in the wide areas this summer, as there is uncertainty over the future of Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom, who are both on loan until the end of the campaign.

Broadcaster set to move across from President role in October, following Bruce Carnegie-Brown’s tenure

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Mar-2024

Mark Nicholas, the current president of MCC, is set to take over as chair in October•Getty Images

Mark Nicholas is set to take over as MCC’s chair when his one-year term as President expires in October, after being recommended as Bruce Carnegie-Brown’s successor in the role.Nicholas, 66, will be recommended as the new chair at the club’s AGM in May, working in conjunction with the chief executive, Guy Lavender. He has been a member of MCC since 1981, and has served on the club’s Cricket, Marketing and Main Committees since the 1990s.In his playing days, Nicholas scored over 25,000 runs and took 173 wickets in a professional career spanning over two decades. As captain of Hampshire, he guided the side to four trophies between 1986 and 1992, including three victories in Lord’s finals, and he also captained England A.The position of MCC chair has existed since 2000, and Nicholas is set to become its seventh incumbent, but the first former professional cricketer in the role. In the course of his presidency, he has expressed the opinion that MCC should take over the ownership of the Lord’s-based Hundred team, London Spirit, and this move may be an indication of the club’s ambition on that front.Nicholas is currently chair of the Hampshire-based Southern Brave team; a non-executive director of the media rights agency, River Media Partners, and co-founder/director of Century Cricket which runs IPL-style T20 tournaments for club and junior cricketers in Australia.In 2005, he co-founded Chance to Shine, the cricket charity that has helped to re-introduce the sport to 4,000 state schools in England and Wales, and given 6 million children a chance to play the game. His long and successful media career is synonymous with the Ashes summer of 2005, for which he anchored Channel 5’s coverage. He has worked extensively with Channel 9 in Australia, Supersport in South Africa, and also writes columns for The Telegraph and ESPNcricinfo.”The role of MCC chair is a huge responsibility and I am honoured to have been named as the Committee’s recommendation to the membership,” Nicholas said. “Amongst many aspects of the club’s immediate future, is the need to engage more with Members. In addition, we are embarking on many new projects and opportunities as we look to embrace this ever-changing game. I hope to ensure that we can play our part in cricket’s development over the coming years.”Chris Rogers, MCC Treasurer, said: “The Nominations committee found that Mark was the outstanding candidate for the role, noting that he has a deep and personal knowledge of the game. In making its recommendation, the MCC Committee feels that his experience, as a player, broadcaster, journalist and administrator, would be of huge benefit to MCC.”

South Africa had almost the same team that got thrashed by England in the 2014 World T20 semi-final. What has turned them into such an intimidating side?

Jarrod Kimber17-Jul-2017The ball is still rising; it feels like it will always be. It has cleared the fielder, the rope, the electronic fence and the speaker system, and flies at least forty metres over a boundary that has been placed so her so-called fairer sex can clear the rope. If there is a ground that can contain her, it certainly isn’t to be found in the roped-off postage stamps of the women’s games. This six almost ends up out of Grace Road. Lizelle Lee hits a lot of sixes.She hits so many she currently has over 12% of the sixes scored in this World Cup. She’s a better six hitter than Sri Lanka, Pakistan and West Indies. It would be unfair to focus only on her six-hitting power, because she was the reason that South Africa had enough runs to panic against Pakistan, the reason India got crushed, and the reason her team was set up to go past 300 against England. And that’s all fine, nice and wonderful, but she hits the ball like she has a dark prior history with it, and no one else is hitting the ball as far, or anywhere near as often.Lee has gone from an average middle order player with no impact on the game to a genuine threat at the top of the order. Her team has done the same.It was not that long ago that the South African team was a non-entity. They did make the 2014 WT20 semi-final, but in that match they had two players score double figures, and England chased down their total one wicket down with more than three overs to spare. It was their only success since a surprise World Cup semi-final in 2000. As women’s cricket has got better and better, South Africa have struggled.Lee opens the batting with Laura Wolvaardt, who is probably the biggest prodigy in the game. At 16 she walked into the team like a fierce magical heroine from a far-off land. Dane van Niekerk had never even heard of her before she was picked, but after watching her once in the nets, was completely won over. Wolvaardt has so much time to see each delivery that it feels like she could plan a backpacking holiday as Anya Shrubsole was delivering an inswinger. According to van Niekerk, “she’s not 18 when you speak to her, it’s weird. She’s not 18 when she bats.”Then there is van Niekerk, a warhorse captain who passionately supports her team. An allrounder who bowls leggies, her bowling economy in this tournament is 3.26, which would be impressive in any case, but is more so since she also has 15 wickets at 8.3. Yet she has said she still isn’t in rhythm yet and has been lucky with her bowling. Most people don’t get that lucky, or in that kind of rhythm once in a lifetime.Then there are her pace bowlers. According to Van Niekerk, “I came into the World Cup thinking I had the best opening attack in the world”. The only thing that has changed since then is she now thinks her other bowlers have improved enough for her attack to be the best. She has pace in Shabnim Ismail, constant probing from Marizanne Kapp and massive swing from Moseline Daniels. But this is the weird thing about this bowling attack, and really, the entire team: They have all been there for a long time.Dane van Niekerk has inspired South Africa’s charge in the tournament, on and off the field•ICC/GettyComing into this tournament they were ranked sixth in the world. But during the last two years, they have played 33% more ODIs than any other team – double the amount West Indies have played. Of the team that England smashed in the 2014 WT20, nine have already played in this tournament; all nine could even line up in the semi. So it’s almost the same side, just with an added batting prodigy, and somehow they’ve gone from a curiosity – why are South Africa never any good – to a semi-finalist and future contender.So this is a team that has grown up together, is finally getting proper off-field support, plays more than anyone else, and has their line up right. It’s not a surprise that they’ve finally become a decent team. Before the World Cup, the team got together to come up with a slogan for their tournament. This is not new for South African teams; ‘ProteaFire’ is something that has been used for years by the male team. But the women went for something different: always rising.”We always want to get better day by day, and like what happened in the first game against England, you get knocked out, it’s about how you rise,” was how van Niekerk explained the slogan. The phrase came from the CSA publicity team sitting down with the team and asking them about their core values. There is no doubt that good things have come since the team and CSA started working so closely together.Van Niekerk was 10 in 2000 when they made their previous semi-final, and she doesn’t remember it at all. This time they have the chance to make a far bigger impact. It’s more than just winning, they are playing to inspire. They know that there are more girls out there like Wolvaardt, and the more they win, the more chance they have of finding them. Every time Lee smacks a six, Ismail uproots a stump, and South Africa wins, they are building the game for their country. If they beat England, they have more than a chance of winning the tournament, but for them, they also have a chance of winning fans at home.England look reformed in this tournament, and as good as South Africa have been, it was England who kicked them the hardest. But regardless of the result, they will be playing in front of the biggest audience they’ve ever played for. The way they play, it’s going to fun to watch them regardless.They might lose, but like a Lizelle Lee six, they are still rising.

da premier bet： Celtic supporters have certainly been treated to a fair few top-class strikers down the years.

da bet sport： Henrik Larsson, simply known as the King of Kings, is widely considered to be Celtic’s best player of the modern era, scoring 242 goals in 315 appearances for the club across seven seasons.

Since his departure for Barcelona in 2004, plenty of Celtic strikers have been labelled ‘the best since Larsson’, but does this tag now belong to a current member of the squad?

The player in good question might just be their best since Odsonne Édouard was donning green and white.

How good was Odsonne Édouard at Celtic

Édouard, one of the many recipients of the ‘best since Larsson’ label, his given to him by former manager Martin O’Neill, certainly made a big impact at Parkhead.

The Frenchman arrived from Paris Saint-Germain, initially on loan in 2017, before his performances on the park convinced the club to make the move permanent for a then-club-record fee of £9m.

In total, Édouard scored 87 goals in 179 appearances for the Hoops, thereby on target every 140 minutes on average, before he was eventually sold to Crystal Palace at a profit, for £14m to be precise in August 2021.

It’s safe to say he was a phenomenal signing, winning the treble three times and picking up the club’s Player of the Season gong in 2019/20.

However, in terms of the value-for-money stakes, Édouard has certainly been eclipsed by Celtic’s current leading marksman.

Celtic's best signing since Odsonne Edouard

Daizen Maeda joined Celtic from Yokohama F. Marinos for a reported fee of £1.4m in January 2022, and it didn’t take long for him to make an impression, scoring less than four minutes into his debut against Hibs.

Subsequently, the Japanese forward has taken his tally to 57 goals for the Hoops, a humongous 28 of which have come this season, hence why former Hibs and Hearts midfielder Michael Stewart believes he has “stepped up a level” in recent months.

Meantime, John McGinley of the Celtic Way labels him a ‘superstar’, while right-back Alistair Johnston described him as “one of the most in-form players in Europe”.

Given Maeda’s scoring spree, it’s got us wondering, what’s the most goals a Celtic player has scored in a single season post-Larsson? Let’s find out.

Players with 25+ goals in all comps in one season (from 2004)

Players

Season

Goals

Daizen Maeda

2024/25

28*

Kyōgo Furuhashi

2022/23

34

Odsonne Édouard

2019/20

29**

Scott Sinclair

2016/17

25

Moussa Dembélé

2016/17

32

Leigh Griffiths

2015/16

40

Kris Commons

2013/14

32

Gary Hooper

2012/13

31

Gary Hooper

2011/12

29

Scott McDonald

2007/08

31

*season ongoing. **season curtailed by Covid-19.

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt

As the table outlines, since Henrik Larsson’s 41-goal haul in 2003/04, only Leigh Griffiths has reached 40 goals in a single season for Celtic, leaving Maeda with only up to ten more matches to equal this record, requiring 12 goals, which certainly isn’t out of the question at all, is it?

The Japanese forward does already have one record secured, becoming the first Celtic player to score four times in a single European Cup or Champions League campaign since Joe Craig in 1977/78.

According to Transfermarkt, Maeda’s valuation is at its highest point, thereby valued at around £9.2m.

Meantime, with speculation swirling surrounding his future, Michael Gannon of the Daily Record labels the striker ‘priceless’, while TEAMtalk believes Celtic would only sell for a ‘sizable fee’.

Thus, as alluded to earlier, having cost just £1.6m and now, unquestionably Celtic’s ‘best player’, Maeda must also be right up there as the club’s best value-for-money signing.

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Posts ByDan Emery Mar 18, 2025