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Time and time again this season, he is proving his doubters wrong with his control and variations

Deivarayan Muthu30-Apr-20242:29

Moody: Deshpande steps up in big moments

Jasprit Bumrah, Tushar Deshpande and T Natarajan. These are the three best Indian seamers, in terms of economy rate (min 150 balls) in IPL 2024.Tushar, really?Indeed, Deshpande, who had leaked runs at almost ten an over last season, has now brought his economy rate down to 8.65 in a season where average scores and run rates have shot through the roof.In such a season where even Chennai Super Kings have chopped and changed, the uncapped Deshpande is the only bowler to have played all nine games for them so far. Because he keeps levelling up.ESPNcricinfo LtdIn IPL 2021, Deshpande joined CSK as a net bowler. Having already played for Delhi Capitals, it was actually a stepdown for him. In three seasons at CSK, however, Deshpande has grown to become one of the main bowlers for them. Deshpande, like his franchise and Mumbai team-mate Shardul Thakur, has always had wicket-taking ability, but this season he’s also improved his defensive bowling so much that he is being picked ahead of the more experienced Thakur.Dew or no dew, Deshpande’s defensive skills have been central to CSK shutting down two big-hitting sides at Chepauk. On a dewy night against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Deshpande almost killed the chase single-handedly by taking three wickets in two overs in the powerplay. He had pushed slower balls wide outside off, creating a sharp angle from over the wicket, to have both Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma caught at sweeper cover, one of only two men out of the boundary.On another day, both hits might have sailed over Daryl Mitchell for six. But this was Deshpande’s day. He executed the plan and even gave Head a send-off. This is the payoff for dealing with immense pressure as a bowler in T20 cricket.The sample size is fairly small, but Head has managed just 14 off 10 balls that pitched wide outside off stump while being dismissed twice this season, according to ESPNcricinfo’s logs. It could’ve been three dismissals had Moeen Ali not dropped an edge at slip off a wide outswinger from Deepak Chahar when the two teams had met in Hyderabad earlier this month.In Chennai, CSK stationed one of their best fielders Mitchell on the off-side sweeper boundary, which was marginally bigger than the square boundary on the leg side, and MS Dhoni then adjusted Mitchell into a squarer sweeper position on the off side. On cue, Deshpande had Head losing his shape and carving a catch to Mitchell for 13 off seven balls.Tushar Deshpande has brought his economy down to 8.65 this season•AFP/Getty ImagesDeshpande came away with 4 for 27, his best IPL figures and the second-best IPL figures for a CSK seamer at Chepauk. But he understands that taking some tap is an occupational hazard of being a T20 bowler.”I think the most important thing is to be headstrong because knowing the fact that I bowl in the powerplay and death, some days can go against me and I may come out as a hero someday,” Deshpande told CSK’s social channels. “But on days that go against me, I’ve to be headstrong because that is the time that can make or break the game.”Bowling in the tough overs, most importantly you should have confidence and a lot of confidence in yourself. Even if one ball has not gone my way, I’ve got another five balls or 11 balls to make a difference for my team. So, that’s been my mindset always while bowling at the death because that is where the team requires me the most to deliver.”Related

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Deshpande's rise from being CSK's net bowler to bowling tough overs in the middle

Against Kolkata Knight Riders, when there wasn’t as much dew, Deshpande bowled an acceptable wide yorker from around the wicket and had Andre Russell holing out to long-on for a run-a-ball 10. With a packed off-side field, Deshpande had challenged one of the biggest hitters in the world to drag the ball against the angle, into the leg side. But even Russell’s power wasn’t enough to clear the outfielder.Bravo used to do it back in the day for CSK. Deny batters the angle and length to access sixes. Deshpande is now doing the job for them, with help from Bravo behind the scenes.”[He was] a phenomenal bowler in his time and now an absolutely amazing coach to us,” Deshpande said of Bravo. “I think to all of us [bowlers] because his experience is so vast. He has played T20 cricket, international cricket in all parts of the world. So, the planning and preparation that he’s got and what he gives us is just amazing.”He always focusses on practice, which we’re going to do in the match. So, he emphaises on perfect practice. And we always practice like we’re going to bowl in the match, be it death overs, using the angles, according to some batters. So, that’s where I can grow as a player and try to be something like Dwayne Bravo.”Tushar Deshpande finished with figures of 3-0-27-4 against Sunrisers’ heavy hitters•BCCINine of Deshpande’s ten wickets have come at Chennai this season. Chepauk has traditionally favoured spin but seamers with solid defensive traits have also had considerable success at this venue. Like Bravo of course or Mohit Sharma. Deshpande had started his T20 career as an aggressive bowler in the T20 Mumbai tournament, but is now refashioning himself into a defensive bowler, using the boundary dimensions and pitch conditions to his advantage.”Tushar has taken to what is needed,” CSK coach Stephen Fleming said on Tuesday. “In some ways, he has simplified his game and he’s worked with Eric Simons [bowling consultant] and is becoming repetitively good and he has added other parts to it [his game] rather than be everything. He just knows his game well. He’s had a good domestic season, and that form has continued for us. Some of his figures this year have been very, very good.”Deshpande, however, still has his limitations – only four other bowlers have conceded more extras (26) than him this IPL and he is far from a safe catcher in the outfield – but his ability to bowl across phases has earned the trust of the team management. He has also given CSK the flexibility to often backload the overs of Matheesha Pathirana and Mustafizur Rahman.In IPL 2023, Deshpande got an opportunity to play only because of injuries to other bowlers. He ended up as their highest wicket-taker. Despite that, not many expected him to start this season for CSK. He is proving people wrong once again, this time with his control and variations.Stats updated till the end of KKR vs DC game on April 29

The superstar from the T20 league circuit is all but certain to play the three T20Is against India next week

Andrew McGlashan17-Sep-2022There has been a lot of talk about what Tim David be able to do in an Australia shirt. Next week we will get the first chance to see what he do.It was always likely these three games in India would provide David the chance to make a debut for his second international team – he has played 14 T20Is for Singapore – but the injuries to Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis have made it all but certain.Related

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By the time the World Cup comes around in a month’s time, David could have eight matches for Australia under his belt with series against West Indies and England to follow.But David’s is a strange entry into Australian colours because he’s been up in lights on the big stage for some time already, yet apart from his two-month stint in the BBL, he is outside of the Australian cricket system. The way the sport’s landscape is rapidly changing, he is unlikely to be the last to take this path. Some of his new team-mates are still to be introduced.”I look forward to meeting him,” said Mitchell Starc, who will now have to wait until next month having sat out the India trip. “He’s obviously plied his trade around the world in different leagues. He’s got his opportunity now in the World Cup squad.”Think we’ll see more and more players [emerge] in that fashion. Certainly the next generation I’m sure we’ll see it more and more with more opportunities in different leagues, that’s just the way cricket seems to be heading at the minute.”I’m much the same as [the public], I’ve seen him on TV. Obviously that power and what he brings to the table to any team he plays for and now he has a chance to do that on the international stage.”David’s body of work produced during his globe-trotting cannot be doubted. Of teams he has played more than two games for since December 2020 (when his T20 league career started to take off with Hobart Hurricanes) his lowest strike-rate is 143.92 with St Lucia Kings in the CPL. His strike-rate of 216.27 for Mumbai Indians in the last IPL made a mockery of him being left out during that competition.That latter figure also suggests he should not have too many concerns adapting to the conditions over the next week in India. The quality of the bowling may be a different challenge given that there is rarely a weaker link that is sometimes the case in franchise cricket, but he has a good grounding.”One of the rare things he has which there isn’t a whole lot of in Australia is just raw power,” Glenn Maxwell said. “He’s able to muscle the ball, much in the same way Stoinis and Mitch Marsh do it. He’s probably developed his game a little bit over the last two years where he’s got a bit more off-side [shots] so he’s not a one-dimensional hitter, he’s able to clear the boundary in different areas. He does it against spin and quicks which is something that’s really impressive and something that impressed me during the IPL as well watching him go about his business.”However, in terms of David’s position in the team, it’s what comes after India that is most interesting. Assuming that Marsh and Stoinis are both fit come the World Cup there remains a decision to be made as to how he fits into the final XI.4:48

Hodge: Australia shouldn’t look back from this point when it comes to Tim David

Despite being able to shed his tag of “Mr Fix It”, Steven Smith would appear the most vulnerable (setting aside, for a moment, the ramifications of Aaron Finch’s poor form extending through the next few weeks).”I feel like when I’m playing good T20 cricket, I’m in that team for sure,” Smith said during the recent one-day series against Zimbabwe. “The role that I’ve been given the last couple of years is the ‘Mr Fix It’ role and that tag’s been taken away from me now. I can just take the game on and if I want to smack someone for six first ball, then I’m able to do that freely.”Whether that is really his game, though, is the question. While not a completely fair comparison given their roles, in 200 T20 innings Smith has hit 130 sixes and in 119 innings David has already struck 165.There remains a feeling that Australia like having Smith in their line-up. So if they keep him and swap David for a more like-for-like player, the only option would be Stoinis, who helped win the World Cup semi-final against Pakistan last year and has since struck at 162.50 in T20Is. He can also provide some overs if needed.A lean return in these three matches against India should not dampen David’s chances of playing the World Cup, either. But if he replicates the type of innings he has already shown around the globe, then he will be even harder to leave out than it already looks.

Neil Wagner wasn’t playing, but he was there in spirit, as NZ quicks employed the short-ball tactic with success

Karthik Krishnaswamy in Wellington23-Feb-20200:52

Short-ball plan against Kohli was a good one: Boult

Neil Wagner wasn’t at the Basin Reserve, but he was there in spirit.New Zealand had hardly missed him in the first innings, when Kyle Jamieson had proved to be a dissimilar but able replacement, and when the pitch gave their fast bowlers all the assistance they needed to bowl in mostly conventional Test-match fashion.But now, on day three, when India began their second innings, New Zealand might have noted the absence of their hatchet man as they trooped onto the field. They were 183 ahead, yes, but that’s not necessarily a watertight position on pitches in this country, which often flatten out around the time when both teams have completed their first innings.This pitch still had something in it, but it quickly became evident, as Tim Southee and Trent Boult got into their new-ball spells, that that something wasn’t necessarily seam movement off a good length. Once the swing subsided, the biggest ingredient for the fast bowlers to work with was bounce – or its vagaries, to be more precise.This wasn’t the kind of up-and-down pitch where some balls rear up and others scoot through low. The short ball, instead, was coming off the pitch at unpredictable pace. Some were skidding through quickly, others were stopping on the pitch and rising a little more steeply than expected.Wagner may well have bowled all day here, if he’d been around. He wasn’t, so Southee, Boult and Kyle Jamieson took turns bowling like him: hitting the middle of the pitch hard, from over and around the wicket, creating awkward angles by varying their positions on the crease.”I think the luxury is that I have played a lot of cricket at the Basin Reserve,” Boult said at his end-of-day press conference. “Generally, the wind is the biggest thing to deal with. But if I can chop and change those angles and not let a batsman get familiar or get set with what I’m trying to do, then I hope that will interrupt them.Trent Boult is pumped up after accounting for Virat Kohli•Getty Images”That’s the luxury of being a left-armer and being able to use those subtle changes. The red balls here in New Zealand haven’t been swinging as much as they have in the past, and if that’s not happening for me then it comes down to changing angles and using different parts of the crease.”Given the length New Zealand’s quicks bowled, the fields were heavily leg-side-oriented. Typically, there would be a long leg and a deep forward square leg on the boundary, and a leg gully and a forward short leg close to the bat. Occasionally, there would be something a little more unusual.For the first seven overs of India’s innings, Southee and Boult had bowled normal new-ball lengths, looking for swing and edges to the cordon. Mayank Agarwal, solidly, and Prithvi Shaw, less so, had moved India to 22 for no loss in that period.Then, in the eighth over, Boult went around the wicket to Shaw, stationing three fielders square on the leg side. He moved his fine leg to deep backward square leg, and then stationed two fielders at almost handshaking distance some 20 yards from the bat, a square leg and a square midwicket..Shaw dealt comfortably with the first two balls from the new angle, getting on top of the second one and chopping it between second slip and gully. The third ball, though, came out exactly as Boult wanted it to. It was short, angling into the batsman’s left shoulder, and skidding through quickly off the surface. Shaw had no room to pull, and just about managed a weak flick, which popped up to the fielder at catching square leg, Tom Latham, who took it smartly diving to his left.If he had been watching, Wagner would have nodded his approval.The thing about Wagner, though, isn’t so much that he bowls short to take bursts of wickets in the full-frontal, Mitchell Johnson way. He doesn’t have the pace for it. He’ll get the ball up to awkward heights, get it to come off the pitch at a hard-to-predict pace, and make life exceedingly difficult, but at Test level, quality batsmen can still survive this sort of examination.Boult, Southee and Jamieson aren’t Mitchell Johnson either. Their short bowling, therefore, was of the Wagnerian sort: nasty and brutish, but primarily defensive in intent.You can bowl like that when you’re sitting on a big lead. When India’s fast bowlers had bowled short earlier in the day, New Zealand’s lower order could afford to pull and hook with abandon, because they were already ahead and were looking to stretch their lead with a smash-and-grab approach. It was a high-risk, high-reward strategy, and on another day, they may have lost their last three wickets for not as many while taking the same approach, and not lost too much sleep over it.Hanuma Vihari evades a bouncer•Getty ImagesIndia, however, were trying to overcome a sizeable deficit, and could not afford to lose a clump of wickets playing low-percentage shots. Not on this pitch. So Agarwal and Cheteshwar Pujara, Agarwal and Virat Kohli, Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane, and then Rahane and Hanuma Vihari – all these pairs embarked on the painful path of trying to survive the short ball – ducking, weaving, or riding the bounce and playing with soft hands – and wait for mistakes.New Zealand’s bowlers hardly made any. This pitch gave them a bigger margin for error than one with truer bounce might have, but even so, it was a remarkable effort from the three fast bowlers to offer up nothing that sat up to pull, and very little that could be cut or slashed.”With the luxury of playing a bit of cricket on this wicket, we know it’s a very good wicket generally and day three and four is the best time to bat,” Boult said. “It’s slightly drier than what we’re used to but we know accuracy is a big thing.”Playing against Indian batsmen, they like to feel the bat on ball and free their hands. Being a left-armer – I’m not giving you all my secrets but I’m going to bowl around the wicket to change that angle.”Another factor that allowed the three quicks to bowl this way was a man who ended the day with figures of 0 for 25, having bowled 14 overs of naggingly accurate, into-the-wind military-medium outswing. Colin de Grandhomme remains a hugely underrated Test cricketer, but not for too much longer if he keeps batting the way he did on Sunday morning with the lower order – playing classically straight, timing the ball like a dream when he had to, but otherwise curbing his attacking instincts – and bowling the way he did later on – he was almost unerringly accurate, wobbling the ball just enough, and incredibly hard to score off, with two short covers – three when Pujara was on strike – and a short midwicket to complement mid-on and mid-off in cutting off the straight-bat shots.”He has found a way to be very defensive but very aggressive at the same time,” was how Boult described de Grandhomme’s bowling. “He almost plays the role like a spinner, and being able to bowl a few overs and control the run rate nicely. He has been very good for us and has been very frustrating for some oppositions.”How frustrating, exactly? Well, of every bowler who’s taken at least 20 wickets since de Grandhomme’s debut, only one, James Anderson, has a better economy rate than his 2.42.The presence of this metronomic fifth bowler allowed Boult, Southee and Jamieson to mostly bowl with the wind at their back – with Southee doing the into-the-wind role when needed – and usually while relatively fresh.Together, it was a masterclass in the waiting game. And India responded mostly in kind. It was an achievement, in a way, to only lose four wickets in 65 overs against bowling this relentless, but the runs came at a drip.Tim Southee and his team-mates celebrate Mayank Agarwal’s wicket•Getty ImagesFrustratingly for India, they lost wickets in avoidable ways. Cheteshwar Pujara suffered a momentary lapse of judgment with tea imminent, and shouldered arms to a Boult inswinger that didn’t start from all that wide outside off stump. Agarwal did all the hard work and got to 58, reaping the rewards for his patience against the fast bowlers by cashing in during a brief spell of left-arm spin from Ajaz Patel, before getting caught behind off a half-volley outside leg stump. Virat Kohli was the one batsman out while trying to hook a short ball. It was a low-percentage shot, given the field Boult had set, but such errors aren’t unusual when a batsman is under constant pressure.Boult acknowledged the pressure from Jamieson at the other end while talking about Kohli’s wicket.”In terms of Virat, he likes to feel the bat on ball like a couple of their guys,” he said. “Definitely almost we miss [our lengths and lines], he hits, and he hits it well and gets boundaries. From our point of view we were trying to dry that up and for me personally using the wicket and the shorter ball was a good plan to try and control his run rate.”It is nice to draw the error out of him but I think the way that Kyle has been bowling the whole match, especially that spell he bowled to him and not letting him get away to a racing start was a big part of it.”At stumps, India were 144 for 4, still trailing by 39 runs. They’ve gotten through two extended sessions of waiting game against waiting game, suffering a significant but not yet grievous loss of resources in the process, and they’ll have to get through a whole lot more of it if they are to make anything of this Test match.

A naturally aggressive batter, Abdul Samad has become choosier with his shot selection, and is hoping to see the results in the upcoming Ranji Trophy season

Deivarayan Muthu04-Sep-2025Jammu and Kashmir’s Abdul Samad, a naturally aggressive batter, is hoping that a more measured approach brings him a big output in the upcoming Ranji Trophy season.Samad, 23, had scored twin centuries against Odisha in J&K’s second game of the 2024-25 Ranji season, becoming the first J&K batter to achieve this feat in a first-class game. However, he couldn’t sustain his form, and managed only 158 runs in his other eight innings in the season.”Scoring two hundreds in a game obviously gives you a lot of confidence, and carrying forward from that, we got to play on the green tracks back home,” Samad said on the sidelines of the pre-season Buchi Babu tournament in Chennai. “[I] didn’t get to capitalise on those two hundreds and [convert] it into a big season like a 700-800-run season, but still I’m working on my batting. Hopefully, this season will be a good one for me.Related

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“I think from last year to this year, I’ve become a bit choosy [with my shots]. Like I wait for the ball to land in my area and I keep waiting for that one and when it pitches in my zone, I go for it.”On Tuesday, against TNCA President’s XI in the Buchi Babu semi-finals, Samad batted on a turning track at the CSK High Performance Academy ground. He was fairly selective in his strokeplay and showed good judgment against spin. He was right forward or right back to defend, and deployed the reverse-sweep only when the lines of the spinners didn’t threaten the stumps. During his 75 off 96 balls, he also took some trips down the pitch and made sure he met the pitch of the ball while doing so.”Yeah, I’ve changed something in my technique while playing spin and that thing is helping me – I’m trying to apply myself, especially against spin bowling,” Samad said. “I’ve been working with our head coach Mr Ajay Sharma for the last two years and my batting has changed a lot after that. He always says one thing while playing spin: ‘Keep your head down and try to reach the ball’. And that’s working for me.”Samad has also drawn confidence from his stint with his new IPL team, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). He faced 93 balls in 12 innings for them, hitting 164 runs at a strike rate of 176.34.”A new team was a good changeover for me,” Samad said. “Changing from SRH [Sunrisers Hyderabad] to LSG… I got to see new people and new team-mates. Last season was good for me [but] I couldn’t finish well in the last three games. But I felt good [with my personal form]. I really like Rishabh Pant’s mindset and he doesn’t bother much when batting. See the ball hit, the ball. If it’s there, [he] hits it.”On moving from SRH to LSG: “A new team was a good changeover for me”•BCCIIn the previous season, J&K had made the Ranji knockouts for the first time in five seasons, following wins against Mumbai and Baroda. They nearly advanced to a maiden Ranji semi-final, and have now tuned up for the new season by making the Buchi Babu semi-finals.To Samad, J&K are among the top Ranji sides at the moment.”I think at the moment, we will be in the top three teams in the Indian domestic circuit,” he said. “If you see the batch we have, the potential in the guys and experience, I see my team in the top three. I think this batch is playing from the last five years with each other and now we’re getting that combination and coordination. We know what the guys can do, so the combination is very good at the moment.”Samad’s occasional legspin gives J&K an extra bowling option, especially on pitches that aid slower bowlers. He has been working behind the scenes on his secondary skill, and sees himself performing a support role for frontline spinner Abid Mushtaq and offspin-bowling allrounder Sahil Lotra.”I think my job is to do what is required for the team,” Samad said. “So, I keep working on my bowling at the nets. Whenever there’s a requirement, whenever a partnership builds, I come and give my team a breakthrough.”

Everyone from known MLB journalists to casual fans to the respective dugouts of the Detroit Tigers and Chicago Cubs seemed to have a bone to pick with Doug Eddings on Saturday afternoon. Eddings had the home plate assignment calling balls and strikes for the matinee, and made some head-scratching calls to say the least, calling several outside pitches that looked like clear balls as strikes.

Jon Heyman quote-Tweeted David Kaplan's complaint about Eddings, going so far as to suggest that Eddings and umpires making similarly bad calls should be replaced by robo-umps . Quite a brazen critique.

Jesse Rogers noted that the reaction from the Cubs dugout in particular was bold and loud. In one instance, Eddings called a third strike on Kyle Tucker on a possible check swing without consulting with the base umpire.

Here are some of the calls in question and reactions from fans online:

We've all had a bad day at work. Having to face a very public forum of critique can't be easy for anyone, umpires included, but the expectation for the highest level of the game to make reliable and high-quality calls is reasonable.

During spring training, MLB tested ABS, which allows batters and pitchers to challenge balls/strikes and gets instant feedback from the league's automated system. Over half of the challenges resulted in an overturn of the original home plate call according to the league's report. Generally, it was a well-received system that didn't do away with home plate umpires entirely, but allowed for some checks and balances. It may be used in the regular season in the future but is not in use this year.

Aston Villa are now reportedly racing to sign Oscar Mingueza alongside Premier League rivals West Ham United as those in the Midlands look to land a La Masia graduate.

The Villans turned on the style against Bournemouth, bouncing back from defeat at Anfield to head into the international break with a convincing victory under their belt. Emiliano Buendia’s free-kick was undoubtedly the pick of the four goals that Unai Emery’s side scored, as he continued his recent, much-welcomed resurgence.

After a tough start to their campaign, Villa now sit seventh and Emery admitted that his side “are recovering from a bad start”, telling reporters: “I am very happy with the win.

“We are recovering from a bad start to the season. The effort physically was huge and to manage the squad with different players, with the effort we needed, we can feel proud after the game.

“This is the level of the players. We are trying to set our standards in everything [we do], every day how we prepare for the game, and the quality of the players is important.”

Qualifying for European football, whether it’s the Europa League, Europa Conference League or in the best-case scenario, the Champions League, is more important than ever in the Midlands. Those at Villa Park can’t afford to miss out and run into more problems with PSR limitations as a result.

Their poor start to the season stemmed from a disappointing summer transfer window and the chaos of potential sales that never arrived. This time next year, they must be in a better position on that front.

Fixing their PSR problem would see Emery’s side reach another level entirely and could finally see long-term target Mingueza arrive.

Aston Villa racing to sign Mingueza

According to reports in Spain, as relayed by Sport Witness, Aston Villa are now battling to sign Oscar Mingueza from Celta Vigo alongside the likes of West Ham and Newcastle United. The Villans have been admirers of the La Masia graduate for some time, but have consistently failed to secure his signature.

Capped four times by Spain, the defender has also played twice for the national team of Catalonia, who are not recognised/affiliated with FIFA or UEFA due to their status as one of Spain’s regional football federations.

Aston Villa fighting to sign Samu Aghehowa amid interest from Tottenham and Arsenal

Recent reports have indicated that Aston Villa would be keen on signing Porto forward Samu Aghehowa.

ByJames O'Reilly Nov 5, 2025

Emery will be hoping that 2026 is finally the year that the right-back arrives, given that he’s on course to become a free agent next summer and any transfer complications will suddenly become far easier to navigate.

Former Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman once predicted that the Spaniard would have a “great future” and that could yet arrive in the Midlands, where he’d compete for a place with Matty Cash, who is in excellent form.

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When compared, it’s clear that Mingueza and Cash have different qualities. Whilst the former is arguably better going forward, the Villa star has been a more well-rounded player so far this season – impressing in and out of possession.

What is clear is that Mingueza’s arrival would add vital depth to the right-back role for Emery, even if he’s forced to provide backup for Cash.

"Best in the league" – Media stunned by "aggressive" Aston Villa star vs Bournemouth

أكد بيب جوارديولا ، المدير الفني لنادي مانشستر سيتي، أن فريقه قد نسى أمر الهزيمة أمام نيوكاسل يونايتد في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز ، وذلك قل مواجهة باير ليفركوزن في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

مانشستر سيتي سوف يستضيف نظيره باير ليفركوزن يوم غدًا الثلاثاء على ملعب الاتحاد، ضمن إطار الجولة الخامسة من مرحلة الدوري في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويسعى مانشستر سيتي للفوز على ليفركوزن من أجل مصالحة جماهيره، عقب الهزيمة القاسية التي تعرض لها السيتيزن ضد نيوكاسل يوم السبت الماضي 2-1 بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وقال جوارديولا خلال المؤتمر الصحفي الخاص باللقاء ، والذي نقلته شبكة ”cityxtra” : ”نسينا أمر الهزيمة أمام نيوكاسل فورًا. كانت هناك بعض الأفكار حول ما حدث، لكنها مباراة مهمة للغاية ضد باير ليفركوزن”.

وكشف جوارديولا عن آخر تطورات تعافي رودري من إصابته، حيث أضاف: ”ليست إصابة طويلة، لست متأكدًا، لكنها ليست طويلة. نحن بصدد تحديد موعد عودته، وعندما يعود سننتظر قليلًا للتأكد من أنه بخير”.

وعن إنذار حارس مرمى مانشستر سيتي، جيانلويجي دوناروما، أمام نيوكاسل بسبب الاعتراض أوضح المدرب الإسباني: “عليه الدفاع عن مركزه، إذا تم إيقافه فسوف يلعب جيمس ترافورد”.

وعن مواجهة ليفركوزن أردف جوارديولا: “نحن في منتصف دور المجموعات بينما قدمنا ​​أربع مباريات رائعة حتى في مباراة موناكو، لعبنا بشكل رائع والآن نبدأ آخر أربع مباريات، مباراتين على أرضنا ومباراتين خارج أرضنا. غدًا سنلعب ضد صاحب المركز الثالث في الدوري الألماني، هي مباراة مهمة للغاية لإنهاء ما نريد إنهاؤه وهو التواجد ضمن الثمانية الأوائل”.

اقرأ أيضًا .. حكم مباراة مانشستر سيتي وباير ليفركوزن في دوري أبطال أوروبا

وتابع: ” بالطبع، بالفوز غدًا والحصول على نقطة إضافية سنتأهل بالفعل للدور التالي، هناك منافسة بين 24 فريقًا كما كان الحال في الموسم الماضي ولهذا السبب مباراة الغد مهمة، والتركيز منصب على ما يجب علينا فعله”.

وعن الوصول إلى 100 مباراة كمدرب لمانشستر سيتي في دوري أبطال أوروبا قال جوارديولا: “أدرك أنني أتقدم في السن، كل عطلة نهاية أسبوع تمثل إنجازًا كبيرًا، إنها لحظة فارقة ورائعة حقًا. هذا يعني أننا كنا هناك في الواجهة في كل موسم والفريق الوحيد في إنجلترا الذي كان هناك في كل موسم خلال السنوات التسع أو العشر الماضية. نأمل أن نكون هناك أيضًا في الموسم المقبل”.

وأضاف: “دوري أبطال أوروبا منافسة ضخمة، رائعة ومميزة للاعبين والذين يعشقونها، وللمدربين وللجميع. إن تحدي نفسك ضد أفضل الفرق في أوروبا تجربة رائعة للغاية. بالنسبة للنادي من حيث السمعة والمكانة المالية، يعد هذا الأمر بالغ الأهمية”.

وعن لاعب مانشستر سيتي المعار إلى باير ليفركوزن، كلاوديو إيشيفيزي أوضح جوارديولا: “نقدره تقديرًا كبيرًا كلاعب وعما حدث معه في ليفركوزن يجب أن تسأله، لا أعرف لأنني لست مشاركًا ولم أتحدث معه. أنا متأكد تمامًا أن وكيل أعماله يعرف كل شيء أكثر من أي شخص آخر”.

وعن التحدث مع لاعبي الفريق المنافس عقب نهاية كل مباراة أردف المدرب الإسباني: “أحب ذلك. أنا رجل عاطفي وأحب التحدث وتحريك يدي وذراعي وكل شيء”.

وعن حديثه بشكل حاد مع أحد المصورين خلال مواجهة مانشسر سيتي ونيوكاسل تابع جوارديولا: ”شعرت بالحرج والخجل عندما رأيت ذلك. لا يعجبني ما فعلته واعتذرت لمصوّر الفيديو بعد ثانية. أنا كما أنا حتى بعد ألف مباراة، لست شخصًا مثاليًا وأرتكب أخطاءً فادحة. ما هو مؤكد أنني أدافع عن فريقي وناديي”.

وعن التنافس على لقب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز اختتم جوارديولا مؤتمره: ”من تجربتي، للفوز بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز كان علينا الحصول على  100 نقطة، و98 نقطة، وإلا فلن نفوز به، هذا مؤكد”.

Yorkshire on top in Scarborough despite unbroken last-wicket stand for visitors

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay29-Jul-2025

James Wharton pulls off a brilliant diving catch to dismiss Tom Haines• Allan McKenzie/SWPIx.com

Sussex 210 for 9 (Coles 47, White 3-21) vs Yorkshire Yorkshire enjoyed a productive opening day of their key Rothesay County Championship clash with Sussex at Scarborough, a day lit up by a stunning James Wharton catch in the deep.Sussex, inserted on a green-tinged pitch, were limited to 210 for 9 from 96 overs. James Coles top-scored for them with 47 off 54 balls.New-ball seamer Jack White impressed with 3 for 21 from 17 overs, with the first of his wickets coming courtesy of what was labelled in some quarters as one of the all-time great catches by Wharton running back towards deep square-leg.Yorkshire came into this fixture second-bottom after 10 of 14 matches. They were seven points away from third-bottom and eighth-placed Durham, with Sussex only 21 ahead of the White Rose in fifth.These two counties were promoted from Division Two last summer. Yorkshire beat Sussex here last August. In fact, Sussex have never won a first-class match at North Marine Road. This is their 11th attempt. If Yorkshire’s start is anything to go by, that run may extend.Quite where Wharton’s catch stands on the list of all-time great grabs is difficult to say with certainty. What can be said with certainty, however, is that was a truly outstanding catch. You will struggle to see better at any county venue this season.Tom Haines looked to whip White over the leg-side but skied a chance off a top-edge. Wharton, positioned at a short midwicket, raced back towards deep square-leg and took the catch mid-air having dived full length.That left Sussex at 19 for 1 in the ninth over. From there, Yorkshire took wickets at regular intervals. Sussex reached lunch at 92 for 3 in the 29th over.Australian left-hander Daniel Hughes was the second wicket to fall when bowled by a beauty from White which angled in from around the wicket, straightened and hit the top of off stump with the score on 26.Coles and Tom Alsop steadied the ship, the former actually counter-attacking, including a six over long-on against the offspin of Dom Bess, Yorkshire’s stand-in captain with Jonny Bairstow on paternity leave. Coles fell just before lunch when caught behind against George Hill.A feature of the White Rose bowling performance was how miserly they were. For example, Sussex only scored 57 runs in an afternoon session which saw three more wickets fall – 149 for 6 at the tea break – and then 61 more after tea.White got wicket No. 4 when he had Danial Ibrahim caught at first slip pushing forwards before visiting captain John Simpson feathered behind a drive at Matt Milnes, leaving Sussex at 113 for 5 in the 44th over.Alsop, twice a fifty-maker in last year’s clash, was then the second Sussex batter to fall in the 40s after Coles. The left-hander had exactly 40 when he was bowled through the gate by one angled in from Revis with 129 on the board in the 53rd.More damage was done shortly after tea as Sussex lost three wickets for the addition of run one in eight balls, slipping to 150 for 9.The three wickets fell courtesy of catches at first, second and third slip. Two of them went to Will Sutherland’s seam in the 66th over – Fynn Hudson-Prentice for 23 and Jack Carson for a duck. Henry Crocombe also fell without scoring in the next over to Hill.Sussex were then boosted late on by an impressively watchful 10th-wicket partnership of 60 unbroken between Danny Lamb and Gurinder Sandhu. Both men pulled sixes off seam, Lamb finishing on 40 and Australian Sandhu 24.

قضت برشلونة صباحاً مميزاً وسعيداً بعودة الفريق لأرضية ملعب الكامب نو بعد فترة توقف طويلة، وأجرى الفريق حصة تدريبية في وقت سابق من اليوم.

وتوافد 23 ألف مشجع على المدرجات لإلقاء نظرة على اللاعبين في الملعب بعد انقطاع دام أكثر من 890 يوماً، وغمرهم أجواء الحماس والسعادة.

وتحدث العديد من لاعبي برشلونة عبر حسابات النادي على مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي عن تجربة العودة لملعب الكامب نو وشعورهم بهذه المناسبة المميزة.

وقال رونالد أراوخو: “أنا سعيد للغاية، من الرائع العودة لملعب كامب نو ورؤية ما أصبح عليه، إنه رائع للغاية وخاصة مع جماهيرنا، إنه حقاً أمر رائع”.

وعن شعور أراوخو بالعودة للملعب بعد غياب طويل وتأثير ذلك العاطفي: “كنت متأثراً بعض الشيء، شعرت بالحماس بالعودة لكامب نو، الجميع يعلم ما يعنيه هذا الملعب وما يثيره من رهبة في قلوب الجميع”.

أقرأ أيضاً.. فيديو | أخبار سارة في تدريبات برشلونة بعد عودته لملعب “كامب نو”

واعترف الأوروجواياني بأنه من اللاعبين القلائل الذين سبق لهم اللعب في هذا الملعب: “هناك زملاء في الفريق لم يسبق لهم اللعب هنا ولم يدخلوا هنا من قبل، كان كل شيء في غاية الجمال، أنا سعيد جداً بما أراه وبما أصبح عليه الملعب، وسعيد جداً بحضور الجماهير الغفيرة اليوم لدعمنا، نحن متشوقون للغاية”.

واختتم عن رسالته لجماهير برشلونة على دعمهم الدائم للفريق وحضورهم بأعداد كبيرة: “هما حاضرين دائماً ويدعمونا في كل الأوقات،هذا يمنحنا دافع كبير لما هو قادم ولا يزال أمامنا الكثير وسنسعدهم كثيراً وهذا ما أتمناه”.

بينما تحدث مارك كاسادو عن شعور العودة لملعب الكامب نو: “شعور مذهل، استمتعت حقاً، ليست عودة كاملة ولكن تجربة تدريبية رائعة، شعرنا وكأننا في بيتنا، سواء كنا جماهير أو لاعبين، أشكر الجماهير رغم أنها كانت مجرد جلسة تدريبية ونأمل العودة لهنا قريباً”.

وأضاف: “لم ألعب في كامب نو بعد، كنت جزءًا من بعض الفرق لكني مازالت أحلم بلعب مباراة رسمية مع برشلونة وآمل أن يتحقق ذلك قريباً، الملعب رائع والأمر مختلف تماماً، الأجواء في المدرجات كانت استثنائية حقاً”.

بينما أعرب ماركوس راشفورد عن سعادته بالتدريب في الكامب نو: “كان شعور رائع وملعب رائع، وامتلائه بالجماهير أمر لا يصدق، لا أطيق الانتظار للعب هنا، من الرائع حضور جماهيرنا معنا وأرضية الملعب رائعة ومتحمس جداً باللعب هنا”.

وحول لعبه مع مانشستر يونايتد في وقت سابق ضد برشلونة على ملعب الكامب نو: “سيكون شعورًا مختلفا تماماً، كامب نو أحد ملاعبي المفضلة ولطالما رغبت في اللعب فيه، اللعب بقميص برشلونة مختلف ولا أعرف ما سيكون الأمر بعد ذلك لكني أتطلع بشوق وسأستمتع بالتأكيد”.

واختتم عن تجربة التدريب في ملعب الكامب نو: “كانت تجربة جيدة، مازالنا في مرحلة التعافي من المباراة السابقة ونستعد للمباراة القادمة، ولكن فرصة مثالية للجماهير للشعور بمزيد من التواصل معنا كلاعبين في لحظات مميزة حقاً”.

Everton were pegged back by Jarrod Bowen’s second-half goal at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, leaving David Moyes’ side three games without a win, but there was much to like about this Monday night effort in the Premier League.

However, there’s a sense that the Toffees might be somewhat one-dimensional in their approach play right now, funnelling the ball out to Jack Grealish, who wasn’t at his best against the Hammers but remained the brightest spark.

Problems persist regarding number nine. Beto toiled once again, missing a good opportunity to score in the first half, and Thierno Barry lacked composure and positional intelligence across his second-half cameo.

However, there were bright sparks for Moyes and his team as they drew this match against West Ham United.

Everton's best performers vs West Ham

James Tarkowski hasn’t quite looked himself so far this season, and all of an Everton persuasion will be eager to see Jarrad Branthwaite complete his long-awaited return from injury and settle back into the backline.

However, the decision to extend Michael Keane’s contract before the summer was rubber-stamped after his thumping header after 18 minutes, rising and directing into the net with such emphatic power.

Grealish we have mentioned, but his alternative wideman, Iliman Ndiaye, was also bright, winning four duels and creating two chances, as per Sofascore. However, the Senegalese’s sharpness when it matters could do with some work.

Off the bench, Tyler Dibling also looked bright. The teenager stepped in for Ndiaye and put in a promising late-stage display, leading The Athletic’s Patrick Boyland to comment that he “would like to see much more” of the fleet-footed talent.

However, there’s another man who often goes under the radar who deserves a bit of credit. Indeed, James Garner put in an impressive, workmanlike performance in the middle of the park, showcasing his technical skill besides with the delivery for Keane’s thumping header.

Might Moyes have unearthed the next Leighton Baines?

Everton's new Leighton Baines

Garner has been at Everton for a while now, joining from Manchester United for £15m in 2022. He has played 92 times for the Merseysiders and has made a positive impression since Moyes replaced Sean Dyche at the start of the year.

As Sofascore reveal, Garner took 82 touches, more than any other player on the field, completed 88% of his passes, won three of four ground duels and found the target with four long balls across the evening. The Liverpool Echo handed him a 7/10 match rating for his labours.

Given that he has already played three times as a stand-in left-back this season, the 24-year-old could grow into Moyes’ next Baines, should he continue to go from strength to strength.

Now Everton’s assistant manager, Baines was one of the most talented left-backs in the Premier League during his long stint at Goodison Park, hailed by Kevin Phillips for having “a wand of a left foot”.

Baines made creativity an art form for defenders before it was cool. He boasted such accuracy on the ball and was intelligent with his passes. Furthermore, Baines was very much a set-piece specialist.

Most Assists in PL History (defenders)
Player	Apps	Assists
Trent Alexander-Arnold	259	64
Andy Robertson	310	60
Leighton Baines	420	53
Graeme le Saux	327	44
Kieran Trippier	209	38
Data via Premier League

While Garner isn’t a defender, his versatility lends itself to the berth, and there’s no denying he has an eye for a pass that doesn’t differ all that much from Baines’ back in his heyday.

Moreover, he has a power in his ball-striking which nearly came up trumps. His ferocious strike late on bore testament to that.

It’s worth pointing out that Garner’s contract expires next summer, and with work still needed across a range of positions, it feels vital that the industrious Englishman’s terms are renewed.

Moyes has previously acknowledged the scale of Everton’s rebuild and that it would take more than just the one transfer window to bring it all together.

Recent results have underscored that, for sure, but with players like Garner doing the hard yards, Moyes will be sure to retain the essence of his long-standing philosophy while imbuing his team with new modern touches. Garner embodies both.

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