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Visitors name three-seamer line-up in anticipation of showery weather in Manchester

Matt Roller20-Aug-2024

Dhananjaya de Silva is all smiles during training•Getty Images

Dhananjaya de Silva, Sri Lanka’s captain, has revealed that his team wanted to play more than one warm-up match before their Test series against England but were denied the chance to do so.Sri Lanka lost by seven wickets in their four-day, first-class match against an inexperienced England Lions team at New Road last week. They were bowled out for 139 on the opening day but grew into the match, with Nishan Madushka, Angelo Mathews and Dhananjaya all scoring second-innings half-centuries.Eight of the side that will face England at Emirates Old Trafford in Wednesday’s first Test were involved, with Kamindu Mendis, Vishwa Fernando and Asitha Fernando due to come into the side. Milan Rathnayake, the 28-year-old seamer, will make his Test debut at the age of 28 after taking a wicket in each innings against the Lions.”The conditions are quite different to Asian countries,” Dhananjaya said. “We wanted to play a few matches, but that’s what we get. We didn’t go with the full-strength [team]. We have tried out a few players as well. The result didn’t go our way, but we had the preparation, I think. It’ll work in this match.”Dhananjaya said he had “no idea” why Sri Lanka’s desire for a second warm-up match had been overlooked, but suggested that the schedule was tight ahead of their first Test series of more than two games since 2018. “I have no idea about it,” he said. “Maybe because we are playing a three-match series after a long time; maybe that’s the reason.”Related

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Sri Lanka have not played a Test since April but come into this series after beating India 2-0 in an ODI series, and have a 100% record in Dhananjaya’s three matches as captain. “Our mental state is good,” he said. “Yes, we lost the practice match, but that match is there for our training. Within that, we got the preparation we wanted.”He is expecting the weather to play a significant role in the Test match, and hopes that Prabath Jayasuriya – whom he described as a “world-class spinner” – will play a role later in the match. “From the looks of it, it’ll be a rain-affected match,” Dhananjaya said. “I thought because of that, it’s best to go with three quicks, because we will go in and out of the game.”Dhananjaya made his Test debut immediately after Sri Lanka’s most recent Test tour to England in 2016, but will lean on the experience of Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal and Dimuth Karunaratne throughout the series. “It’s been long since we played here the last time,” he said, “but there are a few experienced players… They are sharing the experience with me.”

Excellent bowling from Nathan Sowter, Ben Raine and Callum Parkinson sets up win for last QF place

ECB Reporters Network19-Jul-2024

Alex Lees works the ball leg side•Getty Images

Alex Lees and Colin Ackermann scored unbeaten half-centuries to take Durham to an eight-wicket victory over Derbyshire Falcons in the Vitality Blast match at Derby.Lees made 72 off 60 balls and Ackermann 54 from 30 with the pair sharing an unbroken stand of 88 as Durham ended on 159 for 2 to claim the remaining quarter-final place in the North Group.Durham’s victory was set up by excellent bowling from Nathan Sowter, Ben Raine and Callum Parkinson, who took two wickets each to restrict Falcons to 155 for 8.Most of the Falcons got a start on a slow pitch but no one could go on with Wayne Madsen and Alex Thomson top scoring with 22.The home side fought hard to defend a modest total but Lees and Ackermann showed experience and nous to take Durham into the knock-out stages.Falcons had motored to 64 in the powerplay with Paul Coughlin leaking 33 from two overs but their adventure came at the cost of three wickets.Luis Reece went in the first over, bowled stepping across to Parkinson before David Lloyd cut Coughlin for four and six.Aneurin Donald drove Parkinson over the long off boundary but then top edged a sweep to backward square.Coughlin was cut over third man for six by Madsen but responded by having Lloyd caught behind for 20.Madsen made a brilliant century against Durham in the Blast two years ago so they were relieved when he mistimed a drive at Sowter and holed out to long off to leave the Falcons 65 for 4.Coughlin returned to have Brooke Guest caught behind and his next ball saw Ross Whiteley edge to slip where Ashton Turner spilled the chance.Samit Patel cut Matthew Potts over third man for six but Sowter was tying the Falcons down and he struck again when he trapped Patel lbw for 20.When Whiteley edged a drive at Raine, Falcons were 110 for 7 but Thomson pulled Coughlin for six before Mohammad Amir smashed Parkinson into the front of the media centre.Raine bowled Amir as he and Potts conceded only 15 from the last three overs to leave Durham chasing 156.Lees drilled Daryn Dupavillon for two fours but Amir was giving nothing away, conceding only five from his first two overs before taking a smart catch at short third off Pat Brown to remove Graham Clark.Lees pulled and drove Amir for two fours to take Durham to 45 for 1 at the end of the powerplay but they were being made to work hard by some disciplined bowling.Although David Bedingham pulled Thomson for six, he dragged the next ball to mid-wicket and after 10 overs, Durham were 75 for 2, needing another 81.Ackermann eased the pressure with two big sixes over midwicket off Thomson in the 13th over and drove Reece for another off the last ball of the 15th.Patel conceded only four off his final over but Lees and Ackermann took no risks to see Durham home with seven balls to spare.

One of the most interesting transfer sagas that will develop this summer regards Aston Villa’s former loanee Marcus Rashford. His future is up in the air at Old Trafford, and it does seem likely that he will depart Manchester United after a decade at the highest level for his boyhood club.

He went on loan to Villa Park in January, but it remains to be seen if he will stay at the club. The Villans have a £40m buy option for the winger, but BBC Sport reported that ‘there have been no negotiations over a permanent transfer’, and Rashford thinks United ‘would be prepared to sell him for £40m to anyone this summer’.

So, if they do not keep hold of the England superstar, it means Villa will need to sign a new winger. Perhaps that player could be Rashford’s international teammate.

Aston Villa’s potential Rashford replacement

It will be fascinating to see if Rashford stays at Villa Park beyond this season. However, if that is not to be the case, then it seems as though Unai Emery’s side have done due diligence on alternative options.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to a report from TEAMTalk, the Villans are a ‘team to watch in the race’ to sign their former attacker Jack Grealish. The Manchester City star seems destined to leave this summer, and could now launch a move for their ex-captain, who was a superstar at Villa Park.

Emery is said to be ‘a big admirer’ of the forward, and could push for a deal to be done. However, they will face competition from Everton and Newcastle United, as well as Scudetto winners Napoli.

Grealish is valued at £40m by Football Transfers, and could cost upwards of that price.

Why Grealish would be a good signing

If Villa are to bring Grealish back to his boyhood club this summer, it would be a sensational return for a true maverick of the Premier League. Despite a tough season for City, the England international is still a player capable of magical moments.

He has only played 20 games in the Premier League under Pep Guardiola this season. In that time, the 29-year-old scored and assisted one apiece. Despite four goal involvements in five games in City’s run to the FA Cup final, he was snubbed of an appearance at Wembley, with Guardiola choosing to bring Claudio Echeverri on for his debut, instead.

Should Grealish get to call Villa Park home again next season, he would surely love to reignite the exceptional form that earned him the £100m move to City in the first place. In 213 games for the Villans, he scored 32 times and created 43 goals.

So, how does that stack up to Rashford’s form at Villa Park? Well, the Wythenshawe-born superstar was sensational during his 17-game stint in Claret and Blue, leaving a huge impression in such a short time.

During his brief career as a Villa player, Rashford found the back of the net four times and grabbed six assists. He played 940 minutes, the equivalent of 10.4 games, leaving him with a goals per game ratio of almost one.

With that being said, Grealish could be the perfect Rashford replacement. The numbers from the 2020/21 campaign, his final season at Villa, compared to the United star’s stats from the same season, show exactly what he can do in a Villa shirt.

According to FBref, the former Villa skipper averaged 3.33 key passes and 7.08 progressive carries per 90 minutes. In comparison, the Red Devils’ number 10 averaged 1.33 key passes and 4.14 progressive carries each game.

Goals and assists

0.66

0.62

Key passes

3.33

1.33

Goal-creating actions

0.82

0.62

Take-ons completed

2.67

2.53

Progressive carries

7.08

4.14

If Villa get that version of Grealish, or even a player half as good, they have an excellent replacement for Rashford. Both players were sensational that season, with 16 goals and assists for Grealish and 20 for Rashford.

To bring back a player to his boyhood club who can be one of the best attackers in the country, as the stats show, might be a genius move for Villa.

As Statman Dave once called him, he is a “menace”. If Emery can bring the best out of Grealish, it will be a fantastic deal for the club and player.

Emery's new Duran: Aston Villa lead chase for "frightening" £40m sensation

Unai Emery is aiming to bolster his attacking options this summer

1 ByRoss Kilvington Jun 7, 2025

David Moyes has done a tremendous job as Everton boss over the last couple of months, pulling the club clear of any looming relegation threat in the Premier League.

He was appointed as manager back in January after Sean Dyche was sacked, leading the club out of trouble and comfortably away from the drop zone.

The Scotsman has only lost five of his 20 games in charge at Goodison Park, with the Toffees finishing 13th and 23 points clear of third-bottom Leicester City, who were relegated to the Championship.

Moyes has demonstrated that he’s capable of taking the club to the next level ahead of their move to the Hill Dickinson Stadium over the next couple of months.

The hierarchy need to back him in his quest, handing him the funds to make the changes to the first-team squad that he desires, which could see the Toffees rise back up the league standings.

The latest on Everton’s pursuit of new additions this summer

Over the last couple of days, Everton have been one of a number of clubs touted with a summer move for midfielder Angel Gomes during the off-season.

The 24-year-old announced that he would be departing French side Lille on a free transfer at the end of June, after failing to agree a new deal with the Ligue 1 outfit.

However, he’s not the only player touted with a move to Merseyside this summer, with Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap firmly on their radar, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The journalist confirmed that the Toffees are preparing a huge offer to the forward to convince him to join Moyes’ side over a switch to Manchester United or Chelsea.

He also claims that the £30m release clause doesn’t appear to be an issue, it’s down to the player to decide where he goes, with the hierarchy seeing him as a leading talent in their new project.

Why Everton’s £30m target could be Moyes’ own Richarlison

Brazilian forward Richarlison is a player who captured the hearts of the fanbase during his spell at Everton, making over 150 appearances for the Toffees over a four-year period.

He scored 53 times for the club, reaching double figures across all competitions in every season he spent as a first-team regular, offering a key source of goals for various managers.

However, he would depart in a £60m deal to join Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2022, banking the club a hefty profit on their investment which saw them spend £40m on his signature.

However, current boss Moyes could land his own version of the forward this summer with Delap, following suit of the 28-year-old, who joined the club from a lower-level Premier League outfit.

When comparing the Englishman’s stats to those of Richarlison, he’s managed to outperform him in numerous key areas – showcasing what an excellent addition he’d be for the Toffees.

Delap, who’s been labelled “sensational” by one analyst, has massively outscored the Brazilian, whilst also posting a higher shot-on-target rate – showcasing his clinical edge within the final third.

He’s also managed to win more aerial battles in the Premier League this season, handing the Toffees the needed focal point that they’ve been hunting for in recent years.

Games played

37

15

Goals & assists

14

5

Shot-on-target accuracy

44%

41%

Progressive carries

2.1

1.4

Pass accuracy

70%

60%

Shot-creating actions

2.2

1.4

Take-on success

45%

6%

Aerials won

43%

30%

The Ipswich star has also completed more of the passes he’s attempted whilst also completing more progressive carries per 90 – having the opportunity to provide other players around him with chances in attacking areas.

The £30m fee touted for his signature would be a huge investment from the hierarchy, but it’s a deal worth completing given his tender age – handing him the platform to improve his skillset.

However, if he manages to have the same level of success Richarlison did on Merseyside, it would be a superb piece of business, potentially making the club a massive profit in the years to come.

Forget Alcaraz: Moyes may have found his new Fellaini in 8/10 Everton star

David Moyes could have his next Marouane Fellaini in this constantly improving Everton star.

ByKelan Sarson May 25, 2025

Celtic have the chance to win the domestic treble for the second time in the last three seasons when they face Aberdeen in the final of the SFA Cup.

Brendan Rodgers clinched his second Scottish Premiership title in as many seasons last weekend when his side swept Dundee United away with a 5-0 win.

The Hoops will want to continue their dominance for seasons to come, and have already swooped to make one high-profile signing in the form of Kieran Tierney.

Why Kieran Tierney is an impressive signing

The Scotland international will officially join Celtic on a free transfer when his contract at Arsenal expires at the end of June, returning to the club after six years in England.

As you can see in the graphic above, the academy graduate enjoyed a phenomenal first spell in Glasgow, winning five league titles and making 170 first-team appearances.

At the time of writing (01/05/2025), Transfermarkt currently values Tierney at £8.5m, which is a drop from the £25m he was sold for, but that still means that the club are signing an £8.5m-rated asset for £0. He is an impressive addition for the Hoops because he is a proven Premiership star and a valuable asset.

Celtic do, however, have numerous valuable assets at the club, in what is a very talented squad, and one of those who is worth even more than Tierney is Daizen Maeda.

Celtic have hit the jackpot with Daizen Maeda

The Hoops swooped to sign the Japan international, who was described as a “snip” by pundit Chris Sutton, for a fee of just £1.6m, in the summer of 2022 from Yokohama F. Marinos.

Maeda, who was recently hailed as “brilliant” by Rodgers, has soared in value over the past three years in Glasgow, and is currently enjoying his best season at the club.

The 27-year-old forward has plundered 33 goals and provided 11 assists in 47 appearances in all competitions, which is a tally of 44 goal contributions that beats his return of 14 and 18 in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns, respectively.

March 2025-present

£9.3m

December 2024

£6.8m

October 2024

£6.3m

May 2024

£5.9m

December 2023

£5.5m

June 2023

£5.1m

December 2022

£4.2m

June 2022

£2.9m

As you can see in the table above, Maeda’s value has skyrocketed as a result of his improved output at the top end of the pitch in the current season, going from £5.9m last summer to £9.3m at the time of writing.

His current market valuation of £9.3m also means that his value has soared by 481% from the £1.6m that Celtic paid for his services back in 2022, and that he is now worth even more than Tierney, who was once sold for £25m.

This shows that the Scottish giants have hit the jackpot with Maeda because he has provided sensational performances on the pitch this term, and the Japan international is now an incredibly valuable asset who is worth even more than a big summer signing.

Worth less than Nawrocki: Celtic must axe flop who "wants to be at the club"

Celtic must ruthlessly bin this player who is now worth even less than Maik Nawrocki.

ByDan Emery Apr 29, 2025

By giving bowlers a little leeway down the leg side, cricket will bring new skills and forgotten strokes into play

Abhinav Mukund13-Aug-2025After the thrilling finish in the Oval Test earlier this month, Shubman Gill said that nothing should be changed in terms of the Test cricket playing conditions. Rightly so, with all the games in the England-India series going the full distance.But what about the other formats? The ICC has made a few changes in their playing conditions for white- ball cricket. One change in particular, which is to be trialled from October, has piqued my interest. This relates to the wide-ball rule.This change, which aims to provide a certain amount of wriggle room for a bowler when faced with a batter moving around in their crease before or during a delivery, says that the position of the batter’s legs at the point of delivery will be used as the reference point for a wide. Further:Related

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[…] A ball that passes the popping crease between the leg stump and the protected area marker [will not be] called a Wide. To help with this, the protected area marker line will be extended to the popping crease and act as a guide for the umpires.

Any leg side delivery that passes behind the batter’s legs and outside of the line at the time the ball reaches the popping crease may still be called a Wide. Previously, a wide had been called for a delivery that would not have been called wide if the batter had retained their normal batting position.

Effectively, a ball that passes just a little behind the batter’s legs will not be ruled a wide. But before we get into the details, I want to talk about the existing playing conditions. (The Laws of Cricket and the ICC’s playing conditions are interconnected, with the latter supplementing and sometimes modifying the former for specific competitions.)The wide law as it stands currently states that if the ball passes wide of where the striker is standing, or has stood at any point after the ball came into play for that delivery (and if it would also have passed wide of the striker standing in a normal batting position), it should be given a wide. And while a wide is called as soon after the ball passes the batter’s wicket as possible, it is considered to have been a wide from the time the bowler entered their delivery stride.So, according to the Laws, the movements of the batter during the delivery are taken into account for adjudging a wide – which gives the batter leeway to move about their crease to possibly attempt to manipulate a wide call in their favour. In contrast, the ICC’s new proposed playing conditions state that the ball needs to pass within the protected area marker on the leg side when it goes past the crease. This is a fixed reference point. If the ball passes close to the pad near the batter’s legs and moves away afterward, outside the protected area line between that point and the bowling crease, it will be called a wide.Ashwin KumarIn the recently concluded Tamil Nadu Premier League, a similar wide law was trialled, but using the framework of the Laws of cricket. A three-point system was used to judge wide calls:Where was the batter standing at the point of the release of the ball?
How close to the batter was the ball when it passed them?
How close to the stumps was the ball when it went past them? This ensures that, even if the batter was moving all over the place before the ball was bowled, the wide call was based on the position of the batter at the point of the bowler’s release.How did the new rule play out in the TNPL?In the 2023 tournament, 319 wides were bowled; in 2024, 311; and in 2025, 275. So there was a significant drop in the number of wides called this year, under the new rule. But surprisingly, that did not impact the scores at all; rather, the scores were higher.In 2023, 9570 runs were scored. In 2024, this grew a little, to 9659. And in 2025, it went up more substantially, to 10,048. In a power-hitting, flat-batting world, it was wonderful to see the batters adapt and play the leg glance or flick against the ball going down leg. You don’t often see those shots in a T20 game.Did the new rule give an advantage to the bowler?T Natarajan, who has played multiple years of IPL and won the TNPL title with the IDream Tiruppur Tamizhans this year said, “There is a definite advantage in terms of bowlers who have control – especially in the death, when the go-to delivery is a wide yorker. The stump yorker comes into play with this [new] rule, as it gives you the margin of error to miss your line by a few inches.” This puts doubt in the batter’s mind, he said. “It adds an element of variety in your bowling.”Mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy thinks the rule presents fast bowlers with more of an advantage than it does spinners. “While the pacers can add a lot more variety with a yorker or bouncer, the only advantage I had was if I got the googly slightly off target and it beat the batter on the leg side – it wouldn’t be called a wide. Otherwise, spinners who have the ability to bowl the yorker can use it to their advantage in a T20 game.”Batters win you sponsorships, bowlers win you championships. The T20 game, in particular, is built on batting exploits and the long sixes that batters hit. As fans, we generally tend to want to see more sixes being hit and not lower scores.Did the new bowler-favouring rule mean we saw fewer sixes this year in the TNPL? Surprisingly not: 418 were scored in 2024, 463 were scored this year. Batters found a way to adapt. The battle between bat and ball was heightened thanks to this rule.The ICC has announced the revised rule will come into effect from October on a trial basis for six months in ODIs and T20Is. In ODIs, with two new balls for the first 34 overs (another new rule) we might see bowlers attempt to swing the ball without fear of being called wide for going fractionally down the leg side. We might see reverse swing attempted a lot more at the death. Tactically, having a leg-side-dominant field in the middle overs could be an option for captains, as you are allowed only four fielders outside the 30-yard circle in that period.Batters will need to work on their leg-side game – not many have the leg glance or flick in their repertoire because of the strong hold that flat-batting has on the game. There will be a definite need for batters to alter their technique ever so slightly if they want to succeed against a bowler who has good control.Personally, I would like the ICC playing conditions to mirror the Laws of cricket, and account for the batter stepping out or moving around in the crease before the ball is bowled, without just making it a standard rule of judging whether the ball passed inside the protected area markers or not.This could, however, make it a nightmare for the umpires, who will have to note when the bowler starts his delivery stride, and also keep in mind where the batter was in his stance when making their decisions. In the TNPL and IPL you are allowed to call for the DRS for wides; in an international game you are not. I am pretty certain this will change soon, though the pace of play may be affected. Certainly the modified rule in the ICC playing conditions will have an impact in deciding the results of games.As a batter myself, I am overall in favour of the new rule. It provides an exciting element, especially in the closing stages of a T20 game, bringing an element of unpredictability to what a bowler can do, without the fear of being penalised. It gives bowler and batter another layer of skill to display. I won’t be surprised if we have games decided on one or two legal deliveries that previously might have been called wide.

With a blend of composure, calmness, skills and courage, he once again helped the side live to fight another day

Nagraj Gollapudi09-Jun-20232:24

The technical changes that have brought Rahane success

After he pulled Pat Cummins for a six to bring up his half-century, Ajinkya Rahane kept his helmet-covered head bowed. The moment lasted barely a few seconds, but it was poignant. In that instance, Rahane probably told himself whatever he had been doing since being dropped from the Indian Test side in January 2022 was worth it.Since then Rahane has been telling himself, and us, to be in the moment. And that nothing else matters. Whether he has featured in 80-plus Tests, led India with distinction whenever the opportunity arose, or played some great knocks over the years. Or that he was grinding it out for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, or scoring runs at a breakneck speed for Chennai Super Kings in their recent IPL triumph. None of that matters.Rahane has played his cricket away from the spotlight, but quietly he has managed to do extraordinary things. If not for him, India might not have won the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. After India were bundled out for 36 in the first Test in Adelaide, he quietly took over the captaincy from Virat Kohli, who returned to India for the birth of his daughter. In the second Test, in Melbourne, Rahane scored one of the best centuries in Test history to help India level the series.Related

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But when Rishabh Pant hit the winning runs in Brisbane to help India win the series 2-1, and virtually every Indian player charged onto the field to celebrate, Rahane stayed behind the boundary line. The Mumbai school of cricket has ingrained in him to not be loud in celebration, instead let his bat make all the noise.On Thursday, even before he walked in with India reeling at 50 for 3 in response to Australia’s 469 in the World Test Championship final at The Oval, Rahane would have blanked out all the emotions. It didn’t matter to him how he found his way back into the side after nearly an 18-month absence. His shirt number was the same. His batting position was the same. And his role was the same. Moreover, to bat with the team in troubled waters was also familiar territory.”You can be the hero if you stay in the moment,” Ajinkya Rahane seems to be telling himself•ICC/Getty ImagesImmediately upon arrival, Rahane faced an incisive spell from Cummins, including one of the best deliveries of the match. Pitching around fourth stump, on the fuller side of the good-length band, the ball seamed in. Rahane, who was rooted in his crease, was forced to play but the ball straightened just a wee bit to beat his outside edge and rap him on the back thigh. It was in line with off stump, and umpire Richard Illingworth didn’t hesitate in raising his finger. But Cummins had overstepped.The Australia captain pitched the next ball on an almost identical spot. On this occasion, the ball moved in sharply to jab Rahane’s right index finger, which had to be taped.The four earlier in the over was already a distant memory. It had taken him to 17, where Rahane would stay stuck for 23 balls. But he was not worried. After facing the white Kookaburra for two months in the IPL, and adjusting to the varying lengths, uneven bounce and relentless questions from Cummins, Scott Boland, Cameron Green and Mitchell Starc was part of the joy of Test cricket.The striking feature of Rahane’s innings on day two was that he never looked in a rush or ruffled. But on Friday, he did ensure that the scoreboard kept ticking. The boundaries came via the skillfully carved out steers between gully and point, and the punched drives off the front foot through covers.On a testing pitch against a high-quality attack mistakes were bound to happen, but luck was Rahane’s pal more than once. On 72, he played away from his body at a full ball on fifth stump from Cummins; the outside edge, though, was spilled by David Warner, who possibly was distracted by Alex Carey’s movement.It did not bother Rahane. When Nathan Lyon came on to bowl about 20 minutes before lunch, he skipped out of his crease to drive the offspinner through cover-point for four. The pace at which Rahane and Shardul Thakur were scoring started to bother Australia, and the attacking field of the morning changed with fielders pushed deep.No pain, no gain: Rahane gets his finger taped after taking a blow from Cummins•Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty ImagesA century on comeback was rudely denied by the catch of the Test by Green at gully, but Rahane did not bite his lip. He had done his job admirably: not only did he prove his worth again, that he was still capable of pulling the team out of a spot of bother on difficult pitches, but he also helped Thakur stay at the crease despite the latter being peppered by the seamers.Thakur, who was also making a comeback having played his previous Test last July against England, said that Rahane had told him the one way they could rebuild the innings was by giving feedback to each other on Australia’s bowling plans. Rahane told Thakur to quickly point it out if he committed any mistake.It is this down-to-earth nature of Rahane, his willingness to learn and treat everyone as an equal, is what earns him the respect of his peers and former greats. That is what makes him a hero for youngsters.And that respect is what drives Rahane to do some amazing stuff. On the 2018 tour of South Africa, Rahane had been dropped for the first two Tests of the three-match series, which India lost. Rahane would reveal later that he was “hurt” and “disappointed” but when told by the team management that he would play the final Test in Johannesburg, he told himself it was the “best opportunity to become a hero”. Rahane scored 48, the highest contribution in India’s second innings on a pitch which the ICC would rate poor because of dangerous bounce. He himself likened it to a century as South Arica lost by 63 runs chasing 241.Probably, that’s what Rahane was telling himself after his fifty on Friday morning: “You can be the hero if you stay in the moment.” His innings was a blend of composure, calmness, skills and courage.The challenge for him and the reason for being dropped remain the same – can he score the big runs consistently? But that’s a question for another day. For now, he is the reason India still have some hope of drawing, or even winning, this Test.

Maiden overseas Test century contains all the familiar traits, as opener ends long wait

Osman Samiuddin04-Sep-20211:45

Laxman: Rohit’s ability to adapt speaks volumes of his character

Just wait. It’ll come as sure as night after day. Most likely it’ll come from one of the shots that defines Rohit Sharma in white-ball cricket. England will bounce him, put two men out and he’ll pull it to one of them. Like he did at Trent Bridge after he’d batted nearly 40 overs. Like at Headingley where, having batted nearly three hours for 19, he pulled one very awkwardly to short mid-on. Like he did in Sydney earlier this year when, on 52, he pulled Pat Cummins straight to backward square leg. “Rohit will be filthy with himself,” ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball commentary noted.England didn’t have anyone of real pace on this surface but in the 50th over of the innings, they sent two men back and Chris Woakes bowled one short. Earlier this series, in a interview with Dinesh Karthik, Rohit had pushed back against the impression that he somehow had more time than other batters when at the crease. Probably it’s true but in playing this Woakes short ball, ABBA had time enough to break up and then reform. Wrists rolled over it, a single, to move from 55 to 56.Never mind, it’s coming. Any moment now.Look, Moeen Ali’s on. Rohit’s going to try and assert the ordained hierarchy of cricket here: Indian batter >> offspin. He’ll sweep him, like he once did to Nathan Lyon, over six years ago at Sydney. He was on 53, and he under-edged it on to his stumps. Moeen’s found some turn and unsettled Rohit pre-lunch so it’s bound to happen. The first ball Moeen bowls after lunch, Rohit, on 56, sweeps. It rolls along the ground to square leg. No run.Rohit Sharma’s first overseas century contained all the quality of his numerous missed opportunities in previous Tests•Getty ImagesIt’s written. Give it some time. Now, because England might start going straighter at him on this surface, it’ll bring the stumps into play. Ages ago, when Rohit was a different Rohit, he was pinged by one from Angelo Matthews (eyebrow-raising is allowed here) that seamed back in when he was on 79, and the day was nearly done.Already a couple of times today, he’s hit uppishly in the general direction of mid-on. On 36 he got away with it when Woakes moved in the wrong direction first, and then was close to getting to it. Ollie Robinson starts probing away with Rohit nearing 60. He gets beaten by one that nips back in sharply – but it’s high – and then pushes one, in the air, but well short of mid-on.England bring in a short mid-on in Robinson’s next over, the last before afternoon drinks. Rohit gets hit on the thigh, he inside-edges a block for four but, of course, short mid-on is now redundant. Memo lads, the horse, she has bolted.So…No really, it’s here. He’s already gotten a little lucky post-afternoon drinks when, in one Moeen over, he’s beaten by the drift and nearly slices a drive to James Anderson but it goes instead for a boundary. Because you may remember him lobbing one back to Lyon at Adelaide when he was 43. Anyway, he’s on 80 in the following Moeen over, there’s a man at deep midwicket and he sweeps Moeen. Not in control, top-edged and it hangs in the air. And drops safely on the way to the boundary.Related

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Maybe now it isn’t coming?Wait. A good ball can still do it. That’ll get him. This is England, this is the Dukes ball, the two are enough for a party. Except that there’s a Debbie Downer at this party and it’s the England slip carousel (no, it’s not a cordon right now). The good balls turned up when Rohit was on 6 and then 31, so those chances are long gone.It’ll come because it must. Because it has all those times when an overseas Test hundred has looked a formality for Rohit Sharma only for it to not be. All those occasions which, increasingly and especially this year, have been anti-climactic in the way hitting middle age is, when one morning you realise this is it and there’s not really a whole lot else.And then he zips through the 90s like the 90s are an aberration in the counting system and we’ve been counting wrong all these centuries, that after 89 comes 100, and he’s dancing down at Moeen and launching one over long-on and the Met Weather Office didn’t record any sunshine today at The Oval but here, unmistakably is a glimpse of it. (It had, incidentally, peeped out once five minutes before lunch too, when he pulled Craig Overton for four.)It’s not coming.No, that six means that the brain-fade, the carelessness, a fatal breakdown in the process – whatever you want to call it – whatever it has been that has seen Rohit hit eight overseas fifties and zero hundreds, it’s not coming today.We’re a species of box-tickers, so now that the hundred is here, let’s be real about this. If Rohit had gotten out for 99 today it wouldn’t have meant he’s any less of the batter he’s been through this series. If anything, his body of work in this series, this year, have shown that the landmark of a hundred can sometimes feel an arbitrary one. That we sometimes invest too much into the reaching of landmarks, mistakenly ascribing traits such as ruthlessness to it. Of course, it does mean something, not least to Rohit, because we are also a species that seek unending validation – and none more than athletes.But let’s also allow ourselves the thought, however briefly, that as he understood he had struck that six, and celebrated so understatedly that Cheteshwar Pujara was the more excitable fellow, some small part of Rohit also thought: “I have seven Test hundreds already and I am a little bit good whether or not that went over the ropes.”After all, his various not-hundreds in this series – the first-innings 36 at Trent Bridge, the 83 at Lord’s, the 59 at Leeds – have not been any less important or made him any less than the most secure batter here, other than perhaps Joe Root.It hasn’t needed this hundred to recognise and appreciate the one shot that has defined him this summer – other than the leave – and not least in this innings. That forward defensive, leant into gently not strode into, and possessed of a balance, and the stillness of body and mind of a tightrope walker.More than any attacking stroke, time and again this has been the act that has signalled a comprehensive end to the individual battle each delivery in cricket is. Time and again today it was his response to the reality he found himself in, a little like Leonardo DiCaprio’s recurrent spinning top in , reminding him of which world he was in. To the balls before he was beaten, to the balls after he was beaten, to balls before the boundaries and to the balls after them, to the balls that meant nothing and to the balls that meant everything, and most tellingly to the ball right after that six off Moeen.It did finally come though. It did yes, except by then the world was no longer what it was when we started this.

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O Bahia recebe o Naútico nesta quarta-feira (10), pelas quartas de final da Copa Nordeste. A bola rola a partir das 21h30 (de Brasília), na Arena Fonte Nova, em Salvador, com transmissão do SBT e do canal Nosso Futebol (Youtube).

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✅ FICHA TÉCNICA
Bahia x Náutico – Copa do Nordeste
Quartas de final

🗓️ Data e horário: quarta-feira, 10 de abril de 2024, às 21h30 (hora de Brasília)
📍 Local: Arena Fonte Nova, em Salvador (BA)
📺 Onde assistir: SBT e canal Nosso Futebol (Youtube)
🟨 Arbitragem: Paulo Jose Souza Mourão (árbitro); Ivanildo Gonçalves da Silva (assistente 1); Antônio Adriano de Oliveira (assistente 2); Ricarle Gustavo Goncalves Batista (quarto árbitro)

⚽ PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES

BAHIA (Técnico: Rogério Ceni)
Marcos Felipe; Santiago Arias, Kanu, Cuesta e Rezende; Caio Alexandre, Jean Lucas, Cauly e Everton Ribeiro; Biel (Luciano Juba) e Thaciano.

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Desfalques: Everaldo, Ryan e Acevedo (lesionados)

NAÚTICO (Técnico: Mazola Júnior)
Vágner; Arnaldo, Joécio, Rafael Vaz e Diego Matos; Sousa Marco Antônio e Patrick Allan e Thiago Lopes; Cléo Silva e Paulo Sérgio.

Desfalques: Lorran e Júlio César (lesionados)

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A 48ª edição da CONMEBOL Copa América já tem sua bola oficial pronta para rolar pelos gramados dos Estados Unidos entre os dias 20 de junho e 14 de julho. A PUMA, patrocinadora oficial da competição e fornecedora da bola Cumbre, também disponibilizará para venda camisetas e bonés para os fãs de futebol.

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Inspiração

O nome PUMA Cumbre busca inspiração na cordilheira que se estende por toda a América, uma forma de homenagear e levar o futebol da região para um novo patamar. Seu design é inspirado no formato do continente, apresentando 16 linhas que remetem ao total de países participantes da CONMEBOL Copa América 2024™. Desta forma, a bola entrelaça todas as nações que competem no torneio de seleções mais antigo e emocionante do mundo.

Puma apresenta destaques

PUMA Cumbre destaca-se pela sua tecnologia de alto nível e máximo desempenho, atestado pela FIFA Quality Pro, certificação que atende aos mais altos padrões de desempenho da FIFA. Seu design é composto por 12 gomos selados que proporcionam uma distribuição de peso equilibrada, com costuras expandidas e profundas que garantem aero dinamismo. Apresenta ainda a válvula PAL (PUMA Air Lock), assegurando retenção de ar. A PUMA Cumbre é um exemplo do compromisso da marca esportiva em estar na vanguarda de design e tecnologia.

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No contexto do ano do esporte, a marca esportiva de vestuário de esporte reforçará a comunicação da PUMA Cumbre através de sua campanha de marca mais importante dos últimos anos, “FOREVER. FASTER. – See The Game Like We Do”. Durante a competição, a campanha também apresentará os marcos alcançados por diferentes nações latino-americanas nas edições anteriores da CONMEBOL Copa América™, tendo a PUMA como protagonista.

Uma versão especial da PUMA Cumbre, com detalhes dourados, será a protagonista da final do torneio no dia 14 de julho, no Hard Rock Stadium, em Miami Gardens, nos Estados Unidos.

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Copa AméricaPuma