Bangladesh’s Abdur Razzak also produced an economical spell in a rain-hit contest on Monday

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Mar-20239:30

Watch – Highlights from Asia Lions vs World Giants

10-overs-a-sideA fine batting performance from Misbah-ul-Haq (44 not out) followed by an economical display of spin bowling from Abdur Razzak (2 for 2) helped Asian Lions beat World Giants by 35 runs in a rain-curtailed match on Monday. The Asian Lions’ second consecutive win pushed them to the top of the table.A wet outfield had delayed the start by more than two hours, forcing the game to be curtailed to 10 overs a side. World Giants captain Aaron Finch’s plan of opting to bowl first on a slow, damp pitch worked beautifully in the first seven overs. Finch utilised four spinners, including Monty Panesar, Ricardo Powell, Chris Gayle and himself, and the slow-bowling option of Paul Collingwood.It was a struggle in the early stages for the former Sri Lankan opening pair of Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan. After a sedate start, Tharanga tried to pick up the pace in the second over but he was stumped after missing a flat delivery off Powell.The first boundary of the Asian Lions’ innings came off the final delivery of the third over as Dilshan came down the pitch to hit a flighted delivery off Panesar straight down the ground. Dilshan kept the scoreboard moving with singles but couldn’t find much support in new batters Thisara Perera and Shahid Afridi.Misbah, though, picked up from where he left off from the previous match. He smashed Gayle for a six over long-on before hitting Powell for three boundaries in the eighth over. He then lofted Collingwood over long-on for six to bring up his fifty-run partnership with Dilshan. He finished with a 19-ball 44 to push the Asian Lions to 99 for 3 in their 10 overs.World Giants never really got going in their chase after the dismissals of openers Chris Gayle and Lendl Simmons. Gayle survived an early scare in the first over from Mohammad Hafeez. He was given out on the field after missing a sweep but his review showed the ball was going over the stumps.Gayle then struck Dilshan for three consecutive sixes off the first three deliveries of the fourth over. Shahid Afridi, though, put an end to Gayle’s cameo in the fifth over as he hit a short delivery straight to Thisara Perera at long-on. Gayle’s opening partner Simmons was the next to fall in the same over. The openers were the only batters to make it to double digits as the chase fell away rapidly after that.Former Bangladesh spinner Razzak got the wickets of Shane Watson and Ricardo Powell in the eighth over, which was also a maiden, to kill the chase as the World Giants fell woefully short.

Everything you need to know about Ryan Flamingo's salary details playing for PSV

Dutch defender Ryan Flamingo began his senior career with Sassuolo in Italy, but due to limited opportunities, he was loaned out to Vitesse and later Utrecht. In 2024, he made a permanent move back to the Netherlands, joining PSV in the Eredivisie.

The young Dutchman has settled in well, adapting quickly to life at a top club like PSV. Flamingo is now a regular starter and has shown significant promise in the Dutch side.

His current contract with PSV runs until 2029, and while he may not be among the top earners, he is still well-compensated for his contributions.

So, exactly how much does Flamingo earn playing in the Netherlands?

GOAL delved into the numbers with Capology and found out!

*

• Ryan Flamingo's wages at PSV in numbers

  Under Flamingo's current five-year contract with PSV, he receives a weekly salary of €22,692, totaling an annual income of about €1.2 million.

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in Euros	Annual wages in Euros
  Ryan Flamingo	Dutch	€22,692	€1,180,000

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  Top earners at PSV

  Sergino Dest is the highest-paid player at PSV, with Ricardo Pepi in third place. Rick Karsdorp, Tyrell Malacia, and Luuk de Jong are in second, fourth, and fifth positions, respectively.

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in Euros	Annual wages in Euros
  Sergino Dest	American	€75,385	€3,920,000
  Rick Karsdorp	Dutch	€56,731	€2,950,000
  Ricardo Pepi	American	€45,192	€2,350,000
  Tyrell Malacia	Dutch	€45,192	€2,350,000
  Luuk de Jong	Dutch	€38,077	€1,980,000

• Top earners in Eredivisie

  Jordan Henderson, formerly of Liverpool, has the highest salary in the Eredivisie. Sergino Dest from PSV is next. Daniele Rugani, an Italian player, is third, with Ajax's Brian Brobbey and Steven Berghuis in fourth and fifth.

  Player	Club	Weekly wages in Euros	Annual wages in Euros
  Jordan Henderson	Ajax	€90,000	€4,680,000
  Sergino Dest	PSV	€75,385	€3,920,000
  Daniele Rugani	Ajax	€75,385	€3,920,000
  Brian Brobbey	Ajax	€57,692	€3,000,000
  Steven Berghuis	Ajax	€56,731	€2,950,000

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  Highest paid players in the world

  Eredivisie player salaries are significant but lower than those of top global footballers, with none in the highest ranks.

  The top five earners are in the Saudi Pro League, with Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr having the highest salary.

  Karim Benzema, formerly of Real Madrid, is second, followed by Riyad Mahrez, previously with Manchester City and now at Al-Ahli, in third.

  Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly, both from Senegal, are in fourth and fifth places, respectively.

  Player	Club	Weekly wages Euros	Annual wages Euros
  Cristiano Ronaldo	Al Nassr	€3,846,154	€200,000,000
  Karim Benzema	Al Ittihad	€1,923,077	€100,000,000
  Riyad Mahrez	Al Ahli	€1,003,846	€52,200,000
  Sadio Mane	Al Nassr	€769,231	€40,000,000
  Kalidou Koulibaly	Al Hilal	€667,308	€34,700,000

You've probably seen it by now – card collecting is everywhere! From viral videos of rare autograph pulls to Fanatics' new Flagship store in London

The hobby has made a huge comeback, and for passionate football fans, there's never been a better time to get involved.

Enter the new 2024-25 Topps Chrome UEFA Club Competitions set from 15 May. Whether you religiously follow your team across Europe or have a keen eye for scouting the next wonderkid, this release is one of the best ways to collect your passion.

If you've been waiting for the right moment to jump in, this is it.

What is Topps Chrome – and why is it important for collectors?

Topps Chrome is one of the most iconic and premium card types in the collecting space.

Unlike traditional paper cards, Chrome cards are printed on chromium paper, giving them a shiny, metallic finish and a durable, high-end feel. First introduced in 1996, Chrome has a rich history in the hobby and is a collector favourite for its visual appeal, longevity and prestige.

ToppsAdvertisementEurope's best, all in one set

At its core, the 2024-25 Topps Chrome UEFA Club Competitions release is a celebration of European football at every level. Featuring stars from the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League, this is the flagship Chrome set that captures the season's story in collectible form.

The 400-card base set spans football's full spectrum – from household names and international legends to breakout talent. And for those chasing something rarer, the cards have parallel versions with different colours, and even autographed editions – some of which are produced in ultra-limited quantities, making them especially desirable.

World class players you can collect

What makes this set so exciting – especially for first-time collectors – is how it connects generations of greatness together.

Take the Quad Autograph cards, for example. This year marks their debut in UCC Chrome, and they’re unlike anything fans have seen before. Imagine pulling a single card that features the autographs of Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo and Hristo Stoichkov – four Barcelona legends on one iconic piece. It’s not just a collectible; it’s football history, signed and sealed.

Then there’s Lamine Yamal, the 17-year-old sensation lighting up Barcelona and the Champions League. This is his most comprehensive Chrome appearance yet, with the opportunity to pull his base cards, autograph cards and limited-edition parallels.

On the global stage, Kylian Mbappé continues to be one of the most sought-after names in the hobby. His cards in this year’s set are loaded with rarity and visual appeal – especially standout inserts like Golazo and White Noise, which showcase him looking as sharp as his form for Real Madrid.

And let’s not forget Endrick, the next Brazilian phenom and Real Madrid’s future star. His chase cards are some of the most desirable in the entire checklist, especially the Triple Autograph card shared with teammates Vinícius Jr. and Rodrygo. For fans of Brazilian football, that’s a generation-defining collectible.

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ToppsWhich box should you rip? Here's how to choose

One of the best things about Topps Chrome UCC is that you don’t have to be an expert in the hobby to get started. There are three main product formats – each offering a different kind of collecting experience.

If you're looking for a balanced mix of value, variety and exclusivity, the Hobby Box is a smart place to begin. It includes one guaranteed autograph, plus a strong line-up of inserts like Wonderkids, Golazo and even a UEFA Youth League insert. For collectors who want a real shot at legends, rookies and surprises, this Hobby Box has you covered.

Want to go big? The Jumbo Box is packed with firepower. You’ll find three autographs per box, more numbered parallelsand exclusive cards like Speckled Refractors and Black Lazer Autos. This format is ideal for fans chasing high-end hits and unique, premium cards.

If you're just testing the waters or want a more affordable entry point, the Value Box is your go-to. With exclusive Wave Parallels, two Refractors and access to inserts like Final Destination and the retail-only Soccer Brush, it’s a fun, low-pressure way to rip packs and discover the thrill of collecting.

KKR have their own problems, which could be the perfect time for Capitals to face them

Sruthi Ravindranath19-Apr-2023

Big Picture – Capitals optimistic despite 0-5 startDelhi Capitals have had a calamitous start to their campaign this season, losing all five matches so far, but their captain David Warner still seems optimistic. “Teams have come back well from this position before and we can go on and do better,” he said after their loss against Royal Challengers Bangalore.They do still have reasons to be positive at this stage – teams have bounced back well after losing five on the trot in previous seasons – but in the five-day gap between the previous match and the upcoming one, Capitals have also had to deal with an off-field issue. A number of players lost their bats and other equipment in transit from Bengaluru. More woes indeed.Capitals have not played with the same XI in any of the five games, and their bowling unit has failed to defend totals. But their batting remains the biggest letdown. There are a number of big names in the XI but they haven’t fired so far – Warner included. He’s got three fifties but his strike rate stands at 116.92. His opening partner Prithvi Shaw has been enduring a poor run of form, with 15 being his highest individual score this season. Together, Warner and Shaw have put up a total of just 104 runs in five matches.The only other team whose openers have a worse record is Kolkata Knight Riders – a total of 70 in five. Knight Riders have lost most wickets in the powerplay and have not scored a single six in that phase. Venkatesh Iyer has been making up for their failures, and has been a real threat in the last few games. In the previous match against Mumbai Indians, behind his 104, Andre Russell’s 21 was the highest score. The rest of the line-up has blown hot and cold.Spin to win has been Knight Riders’ mantra this season, and they’ve particularly had a hard time on days when their spinners have not succeeded. Their fast bowling trio of Lockie Ferguson, Umesh Yadav and Shardul Thakur have been expensive in the last few games. Their quicks have also taken only nine wickets combined – the least among all teams this season. Form guideDelhi Capitals LLL (last three matches, most recent first)
Kolkata Knight Riders LLWTeam NewsAndre Russell’s recent leg troubles were due to ‘dehydration cramps’, according to Nitish Rana. Otherwise, he is match fit as are the rest of the squad members at Knight Riders.It is understood that Capitals have called up Abhimanyu Easwaran and Priyam Garg for trials, but there’s no news of any injury barring Khaleel Ahmed’s hamstring strain from last week.Related

Moody's fix for Delhi Capitals: Drop Shaw, promote Marsh, recall Rossouw

Capitals players lose bats and other equipment in transit

Toss and Impact Player strategyDelhi CapitalsIf Capitals bat first, they may name three overseas players and use the combination of Prithvi Shaw and Mustafizur Rahman for the Impact swap. Otherwise, no other changes are expected but could we see Axar Patel batting higher up? Assistant coach Shane Watson half-joked to reporters about it after the last game.Capitals XII: 1 David Warner (capt), , 3 Mitchell Marsh, 4 Yash Dhull, 5 Manish Pandey, 6 Axar Patel, 7 Lalit Yadav, 8 Aman Khan, 9 Abishek Porel (wk), 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Anrich Nortje, Kolkata Knight RidersWith Rahmanullah Gurbaz underperforming, Knight Riders will be tempted to bring in Jason Roy. In that case, N Jagadeesan will be their wicketkeeper. Venkatesh Iyer and Suyash Sharma are the likely Impact Player swaps, depending on the toss.Knight Riders XII: 1 Jason Roy/Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 2 N Jagadeesan (wk), 4 Nitish Rana (capt), 5 Rinku Singh, 6 Andre Russell, 7 Sunil Narine, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Umesh Yadav, 10 Lockie Ferguson, 11 Varun Chakaravarthy, Pitch and conditionsIn the IPL since 2019, the teams batting second have been more successful at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, winning 10 out of 13 games. The weather is expected to be fine for the duration of the game.Stats that matter Warner has faced the most balls (195) in IPL 2023 without scoring a six. Umesh Yadav has sent Warner back five times in the IPL – the most times a bowler has dismissed him. Capitals have not lost their first five opening games in the IPL since 2013. They finished last that season. Quotes”The most pleasing thing is not the runs that I am scoring, the thing is that I am back on the field and playing. That is something that six months back I didn’t think I would do – step on the field in such a big tournament. I am really grateful for that – scoring runs and all is secondary, bit I’m grateful to the almighty that I am just able to play on the cricket field.”

Sam Curran has hailed the competition for places among England’s white-ball seam attack as Jos Buttler’s squad builds towards the defence of their 50-over World Cup title in India later this year.Curran took 4 for 29 in the second ODI against Bangladesh on Friday, including a devastating burst of 3 for 19 in five overs with the new ball, as England sealed the series with one game to play. He also struck 33 off 19 with the bat to provide a timely reminder of his all-round abilities in the format where he has most struggled to pin down a regular spot.With Chris Woakes and Jofra Archer rested after the first match of the series, England were able to call on Curran and Saqib Mahmood, who was making his first international appearance since his Test debut in the Caribbean a year ago, having recovered from a back stress fracture.Related

• Jason Roy, Sam Curran seal England's series with 132-run victory

• Apparent Shakib-Tamim issue a big storm in a tea cup

• 'Hungry' Roy conquers Bangladesh spinners with sweeps and reverse sweeps

England could also select another World Cup-winner in Mark Wood, while Reece Topley and Olly Stone – who missed the tour of Bangladesh due to being part of the Test squad out in New Zealand – have recently returned to contention after injury problems. Throw in the likes of David Willey, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts and Luke Wood, and England can hope to have a strong pool of seamers to pick from for the World Cup.”It is a quality squad at the moment,” Curran said. “There are a lot of guys who have been on the Test tour who will come back in. Any time you play in a team for England you want to put in a performance but it shows we’ve got a great squad with Jof, Woakes, Woody being back now as well.”Everyone has had a tough year with injuries and everyone is pleased to see the quality of the bowlers we have around. You saw how great the Test team were bowling as well.”It is an exciting time and hopefully we can give the captain and coach some good decisions to make but right now I’m sure the bowlers just want to keep performing and be in that 15 for the World Cup. Conditions will dictate if there is extra pace or extra spin, so it is about enjoying it and not putting on too much pressure.”Curran was Player of the Tournament when England lifted the T20 World Cup in Australia last year, carving out a well-defined role as one of the side’s go-to death bowlers during the lead-up to the competition. His left-arm angle, ability to swing the new ball and then fall back on his variations later in the innings – not to mention his hyper-aggressive approach with the bat – should make him a strong candidate to be part of the group in India, where he has a wealth of IPL experience.His overall record in ODIs remains underwhelming, with 24 wickets in 22 appearances at an average of 37.29. In 2022, that blew out to four wickets at 72.65, having been largely used at first or second change; but in Mirpur he took the new ball for only the second time in 12 appearances and promptly produced his second-best figures (his maiden five-for, against Sri Lanka in 2021, also came when opening the bowling).”It is a nice time to bowl as a seam bowler because you get swing and movement but it is tricky as well because you have to be on the money and start really well because the white ball doesn’t swing for that long,” Curran said. “In these conditions, your cutters, your slower balls and cross-seam deliveries may become useful as well. It is about adjusting and seeing what is in front of you.”I don’t think too much to be honest. It is about chatting to the guys in the dressing room, guys who are out and what the surface is doing.”I like to react to what is in front of me. I’m not a massive planner. If my cutters are working, I’ll stick to them but today the ball swung so you play it as you see.”Monday’s fixture in Chattogram is England’s last ODI until they play series against New Zealand at Ireland at the back end of the English summer, by which time the World Cup squad will have already been picked – although performances at the IPL, where Curran will fulfil a $1.85m contract with Punjab Kings, could also help sway the selectors.”We don’t have much 50-over cricket during the summer, so to play in these similar conditions as a group is cool,” Curran said. “It is a great series win as well, to win in Bangladesh is awesome. They hadn’t lost for a long time [since 2016-17] and we’re really proud of that.”

GOAL looks at the biggest storylines among Americans Abroad, with the final day of the European club season arriving

The final weekend of the European club season has arrived.

It’s been a long, demanding campaign. Players are pushing through fatigue, fans have ridden the highs and lows, and managers are already eyeing the months ahead. But before the offseason begins, there’s still one league match left – and for a few teams, everything is still on the line.

In Italy, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus take the stage in their league finale against none other than fellow U.S. international Gianluca Busio and his club, Venezia. The stakes for this contest are higher than most – all across Europe – this weekend. UEFA Champions League qualification is on the line for the while Venezia are in must-win territory to avoid relegation to Serie B.

Then, in England, Antonee Robinson's Fulham and Tyler Adams' Bournemouth end their Premier League seasons playing for pride on the final day of their campaign. For the , they hold the keys to potentially pushing Manchester City outside a top-five placement spot, while the will be competing in front of their home fans at the Vitality Stadium in what will be Jamie Vardy's final game for Leicester City.

GOAL looks at some of the biggest storylines to follow among Americans Abroad this weekend.

• AFP
  

  Juve's last dance, Venezia's final hope

  This one will be a blockbuster; there isn't a better storyline on the final day of the season.

  Busio and Venezia need all three points on Sunday to have any hope of staying in Serie A – but they'll also need results elsewhere to go their way. They host Juventus at the Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo, where a passionate home crowd will be urging them on in a last-ditch fight for survival.

  Venezia need to defeat Juventus, and both Lecce (away at Lazio) and Empoli (home vs. Hellas Verona) will need to lose, as well, to guarantee their safety. Should Venezia win, and Lecce and Empoli both draw, all three teams will be level on 32 points and enter what's called a . With that, Lecce would come out on top with eight points to Empoli and Venezia's three, but Busio and Co.'s superior goal difference (-1 to -2) would thereby earn them a playoff match against Lecce, and see Empoli relegated.

  Very simple, nothing crazy or extraordinary, right?

  For Weah, McKennie and the , three points secure them fourth place and a spot in the UEFA Champions League next season. They will also secure fourth by matching or bettering the results of Roma (away to Torino) and Lazio (at home vs. Lecce). Juve hold the head-to-head record over Lazio, so even if they end level on points, they will finish above them. The same goes for their scenario with Roma – if the two sides end level on points at the end of the day, Juve hold a superior goal difference (+22 to +19), which is the next tiebreaker. Roma could hypothetically make up the goal difference on the final day, but that becomes a whole different string of permutations then.

  For Juventus, it's simple: win and you're in – don't let it rest on the hands of others.

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• Getty Images
  

  Bournemouth ending on top

  It's been a pretty remarkable season for Tyler Adams and Bournemouth. The who sit 11th heading into Sunday, could finish as high as ninth pending other results around the league. Andoni Iraola has had a blockbuster campaign on the touchline, and the club have been in the thick of conversation for European contention most of the latter half of the campaign.

  They host Leicester City on Sunday, and Adams and Co. will be looking to end things on a high note, with three points in front of their home fans against the already-relegated .

  The match will reportedly be the final game that legendary Leicester forward Vardy dons their crest in, so there will be a lot to play for from the perspective of the away side. They will want to send the England international off with grace in what will be his 501st appearance for the club across all competitions.

  Adams, meanwhile, will play his final match of the campaign before shifting gears towards representing the U.S. men's national team at the CONCACAF Gold Cup this summer. The midfielder was recently named to Mauricio Pochettino's training camp roster and will be leading the midfield this summer in their final competition tune-up before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Fulham's plot vs. Man City

  U.S. international Antonee Robinson's status for the match is uncertain as he's been a bit of an anomaly of late. He played 89 minutes this past week against Brentford in a brilliant 3-2 victory, but wasn't named to the USMNT's roster for the Gold Cup by Pochettino on Thursday due to a Tendon injury that is ruling him out for the summer. There are expectations that he will, at minimum, be available for selection on Sunday when the host Erling Haaland and Co. on the final day of the season.

  "We were considerate and talked with the medical staff and the staff from Fulham about the situation," Pochettino said of Robinson, when he was not included in the roster. "He was visiting different specialists, and it's still not clear, the situation. I'm no doctor to explain the problem that he has, but it's a player who hasn't been training much over the last few months.

  "He's only been competing on the weekend, and then, next weekend, they'll see if he can play or not. I saw it as a big risk and, in this moment, we need to consider and pay attention to the advice of the medical staff and, of course, Fulham."

  Regardless of his availability on Sunday, though, it's a big, big match.

  City only need one point from the match to confirm a top-five spot, while a victory would confirm third place in the Premier League standings. However, if Fulham can secure a victory, it could force them out of the UCL next season, delivering a major blow to Pep Guardiola and Co. The only scenario where a draw would not be enough is if Aston Villa defeat Manchester United by 17 goals, and, well, it could happen! But yeah…it probably won't.

  The lowest City can finish is sixth, so they have been guaranteed Europa League soccer next year at a minimum.

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  Around the continent

  + Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah take the pitch for AC Milan for the final time this campaign on Saturday when they travel to already-relegated Monza. The have nothing to play for beyond pride and integrity in the match.

  + Chris Richards and Crystal Palace take on Liverpool in the final match of their campaign. There are no permutations involved in the game.

Birmingham stakeholder Tom Brady took a swipe at Wrexham following mistake by Kate Scott on CBS Sports.

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NFL legend formed part of Champions League coverageWas confused with Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenneyBlues will lock horns with Red Dragons again next seasonFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

NFL legend Brady joined a panel with Thierry Henry and David Beckham as they looked ahead to the 2025 Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter. The seven-time Super Bowl winner boasts ownership ties to Birmingham and the Las Vegas Raiders.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Arsenal great Henry is involved with Serie A side Como – who have Cesc Febregas in charge and Dele Alli on their books – while Manchester United icon Beckham works with Lionel Messi at MLS outfit Inter Miami and recently completed a takeover of Salford City alongside former team-mate Gary Neville.

DID YOU KNOW?

Addressing Brady, CBS presenter Scott said: “Thierry is involved in Serie A with Como. David, obviously, Inter Miami but also Salford City now as well. And you’re obviously with Wrexham, we should say congratulations, by the way.”

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WHAT TOM BRADY SAID

Brady was quick to rectify that mistake, pointing out that he is associated with record-breaking League One champions Birmingham – not third tier runners-up Wrexham. He said: “You know what, we beat Wrexham. Let’s not talk about Wrexham. But we kicked their ass this year, multiple times.”

Matthew Potts weighs in with two wickets in impressive display for Durham to boost Ashes hopes

ECB Reporters Network19-May-2023Gloucestershire 255 for 9 (Charlesworth 71, Harris 52, Patel 5-93, Potts 2-35) trail Durham 445 (Clark 100, de Leede 65, Coughlin 59*, Borthwick 53) by 190 runsDurham spinner Ajaz Patel put the skids under Gloucestershire on day two of an increasingly one-sided LV=County Championship encounter at Bristol’s Seat Unique Stadium.The slow left-armer claimed a season’s best haul of 5 for 93 and England paceman Matthew Potts weighed in with 2 for 35 as Gloucestershire were reduced to 255 for 9 in reply to Durham’s imposing first-innings 445.Marcus Harris and Ben Charlesworth offered defiance aplenty in contributing battling half-centuries as the hosts advanced to 139 for 2, only to then suffer an alarming collapse in the final session, losing seven wickets for 88 runs.Wheeling away from the Bristol Pavilion End, Patel ripped through the tail, claiming three of his five victims in an early-evening burst which left him on a hat-trick. Gloucestershire managed to register a batting bonus point before the close, but still trail the Second Division leaders by 190 runs and require a further 41 runs to avoid the possibility of being made to follow-on.His prospects of featuring for England in the upcoming Ashes series improved by injuries to Jofra Archer and James Anderson, Durham spearhead Potts was out to impress and add to the 23 victims accrued in four previous matches this season. He began well enough, removing Chris Dent lbw with a ball that came back into the left-hander and was destined to hit the top of middle and leg with the score on 10.Bowling with more pace and accuracy than any of Gloucestershire’s bowlers had managed on the first day, Potts created no end of problems for the home side’s second-wicket pair, going past the bat with sufficient regularity that, on another day, might easily have yielded four or five wickets.His battle with Australian opener Harris served as a potential precursor to future contests, while Charlsworth lived a charmed existence at times as he played and missed in the face of 11 overs of sustained hostility spread across two spells either side of lunch.Related

Quick wickets for Josh Davey put Leicestershire in box seat at Worcestershire

James Coles steals the Steven Smith show with classy maiden hundred

For his part, Harris had good reason to wish to sign off with an innings of substance on his last appearance before joining the Australian squad ahead of the ICC World Test Championship final against India at The Oval, beginning on June 7. Yet he could easily have gone in the first over without scoring, slapping a shortish delivery from Ben Raine straight to point where Bas De Leede was unable to hold on.Harris made good his escape to contribute a carefully crafted half-century, his first since early April, affording Gloucestershire’s reply the reassurance of solid foundations. His ninth boundary, steered behind point, served to bring up his 50 and raise the hundred partnership for the second wicket.Unfortunately for his Ashes ambitions, Harris was out next ball for 52, caught behind off a quicker delivery from Patel. The product of sound technique, his innings spanned 120 balls. Whether it will prove sufficient to dislodge either David Warner or Matt Renshaw from the Australian top-order next month remains to be seen.Given that batting became markedly more hazardous after an early afternoon downpour caused 13 overs to be lost, Charlesworth’s diligence and powers of concentration were to be admired as he single-handedly attempted to haul his side to respectability.Having survived the fire and brimstone generated by Potts, the left-hander demonstrated sound judgement in dealing with Patel, who now represented the chief threat to Gloucestershire. Certainly his temperament under duress suggests he is the man most likely to replace Harris at the top of the order when Championship action resumes next month.Miles Hammond and Jack Taylor came and went disappointingly quickly from a Gloucestershire perspective, the former losing his off stump to Raine without offering a shot and departing for 21 and the latter bowled between bat and pad by Patel after striking two fours and a six in a brief innings of 16.Relegated one place down the order owing to the joint burdens of captaincy and wicketkeeping, James Bracey departed with undue haste, making 14 before playing across the line to a Potts in-swinger and offering a catch to second slip as the hosts subsided from 139 for 2 to 189 for 5 either side of tea.Unperturbed, Charlesworth continued to go methodically about his business, raising his second fifty in as many innings from 134 balls.Although he was prepared to flirt with danger outside off stump, Zafar Gohar was at least able to provide more dependable support in a seventh-wicket alliance that, given the length of the tail, appeared pivotal to Gloucestershire’s prospects.But with the end of the day in sight, fatigue at last played a hand in proceedings, Charlesworth aiming a tired waft at a short-pitched ball from de Leede and offering a straightforward catch to second slip as the hosts lurched to 216 for 6.An already parlous situation then became much worse, Matt Taylor driving loosely to mid-on without scoring, Zafar reaching forward and being stumped by Ollie Robinson for 18 and Zaman Akhter nicking to second slip for a duck as Patel claimed three wickets in five deliveries to cut through the lower order and leave the home side teetering on 227 for 9.Only tail-end defiance from Josh Shaw and Ajeet Singh Dale enabled Gloucestershire to salvage a batting bonus point, a landmark that was greeted by ironic applause from a disgruntled audience.Durham had earlier concluded their first innings with a flourish. Resuming on 393 for 9, the last pair of Patel and Paul Coughlin added a further 52 in 8.2 overs, serving as an irritant to opponents who were in a hurry to commence their reply.Durham’s first task was to accrue a fourth batting bonus point and Coughlin obliged, pulling Zafar over midwicket for a maximum to move Durham beyond 400. Looking extremely comfortable in benign conditions, Coughlin quickly moved to his 50, a landmark which occupied 43 balls and included seven fours and a brace of sixes.Having not looked like taking a wicket in the previous 35 minutes, Gloucestershire no doubt breathed a sigh of relief when Matt Taylor found Patel’s outside edge and Bracey wrapped up proceedings with the visitors still five runs short of a fifth bonus point. Coughlin finished unbeaten on 59 from 52 balls, while Patel, who made 22, played his part in a valuable last-wicket stand of 71.

Hope hits fifty as West Indies chase down the below-par Oman target with plenty to spare

Danyal Rasool05-Jul-2023

A disciplined performance from the bowlers backed up by a century from Brandon King saw West Indies complete a clinical seven-wicket win over Oman in Harare. Kyle Mayers and Romario Shepherd were the pick of the bowlers before the spinners bogged Oman down, never letting them move out of third gear. Chasing a below-par 222, the West Indies had little trouble controlling the pacing of the game as King and Shai Hope – who scored another half-century – led their side to their first win in the Super Six stages of the World Cup Qualifier, and did so with more than ten overs to spare.With both teams already eliminated, this game lacked the intensity of many of the others, and that showed in front of a largely empty Harare crowd. Oman were punctured early by Shepherd and Mayers as Jatinder Singh and captain Aqib Ilyas fell cheaply. But a streak of self-destruction ran through an Oman innings which saw three run-outs. Kashyap Prajapati was the first to go in that fashion as Roston Chase pounced on poor judgment.Akeal Hosein, Roston Chase and Kevin Sinclair then took charge of the middle overs, running through them quickly in the absence of Oman’s intent as the run rate began to wane. Occasional outbursts of aggression weren’t adequately followed up by efficient rotation of strike as the litany of dot balls through the middle overs would suggest. When three quick wickets fell through the middle overs, Oman were in danger of folding early, but dogged resistance from Shoaib Khan and Suraj Kumar prevented that fate befalling them.Related

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An 85-run stand ensured they crossed 200 but the dreaded run-out struck soon after. Shoaib called for a single from the non-striker’s end, which Suraj wasn’t interested in, and West Indies were only too happy to send Shoaib on his way. The innings wrapped up tamely after that as Oman stumbled to 221.There was no pressure because of the tournament situation, and no scoreboard pressure either. Oman did strike an early blow when a lovely indipper from Kaleemullah uprooted two of Johnson Charles’ stumps, but West Indies eased their way through the rest of the first powerplay. Keacy Carty was run out but King had found his groove by then, and found runs increasingly easy to come by. As he joined up with the side’s best batter, Hope, Oman had few answers as they eased their way through the target.There’s little joy to be had for the West Indies in this tournament, but King managed to get to his second hundred as the finish line neared in sight. He wouldn’t finish things off, though, as Bilal Khan had him nick off two balls later, but by now, Hope had also got to his half-century, and West Indies were speeding through to the finish. An unbeaten 19-ball 24 from Nicholas Pooran got West Indies a win that will matter very little, but a job that needed to be done was completed with aplomb.

Jofra Archer has been ruled out of the English summer, including the Ashes, after the ECB confirmed a recurrence of the stress fracture in his right elbow.Concerns about Archer’s fitness were raised earlier this month when he flew home early from his IPL stint with Mumbai Indians, having already taken time out of the tournament to visit a specialist in Belgium. Prior to his comeback for England in South Africa earlier this year, he had not played for the country in almost two years, following a succession of elbow and back problems.And now, it has been confirmed that he will miss out on the entirety of this summer’s Ashes campaign, which begins at Edgbaston on June 16, and concludes six weeks later at the Kia Oval. England still harbour hopes, however, that he could yet be fit to help defend their 50-over World Cup title, when the tournament begins in India in October.Related

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“It has been a frustrating and upsetting period for Jofra Archer,” Rob Key, England’s managing director of men’s cricket said. “He was making good progress until a recurrence of the elbow injury, which kept him out for an extended period previously. We wish him the best of luck with his recovery. I’m sure we will see Jofra back to his best and winning games for England, whatever the format. Hopefully, sooner rather than later.”At the moment, all cricket’s been too much for his body to cope with and we need to get past that,” Key added. “I do think you see these times when someone like Jofra, he’s like a Formula One car almost, and he goes through the period he’s been through which has been really tough and then you think you’re getting to the point where he can come back and be able to play, and there’s another setback.”But you just hope that down the line he will overcome this, that body will get robust enough to be able to deal with the rigours of everything. And I wouldn’t sit here now and rule anything out. And as you then get through and start solving this problem for Jofra, then you can start making those decisions. But I don’t see the point in doing that at the moment.”Archer played five games for Mumbai this season, bowling his full quota in each game, picking up a couple of wickets and conceding 9.5 runs per over. Key defended the decision to let him play in the IPL, saying he wouldn’t have changed anything in the way Archer’s return has been managed.”When something like this happens, you look at every single thing,” Key said. “You look at the whole thing we had in place right before Christmas, when we had everything mapped out for how we wanted him back to get ready to play in the Ashes and the World Cup. When you get to this point and he can’t do it, you start to look at that.”But the fact is, he’s not been able to bowl more than four overs without feeling any sort of pain. Regardless of the way that we’ve gone, whether it has been right or wrong, I don’t think I’d change anything because you’re getting to the point where he’s actually had an issue that we need to just solve now.”We’re going to look at every single thing we’ve done. Everything we’ve done has been what we thought was the right thing for the player first, not actually for anyone else. Just what was the best way for him to have the best career he could possibly have. And that’s not worked out.”Key remains confident that Archer will return to England colours, despite this latest setback now meaning that he will have missed the last three English summers. He’s played four ODIs and three T20Is in 2023 and though he played his last Test for England in February 2021 Key hasn’t ruled Test cricket in the future.”People like Pat Cummins missed a lot of cricket at the early stage of his career. Now Australia have seen the benefit – he’s been able to put season after season together. I’m hoping at some point Jofra, who deserves a bit of luck to be honest, because the poor lad, who is pretty distraught with what’s happened, you just hope that luck turns for him at some point.”The one thing I’ll say about Jofra. You sometimes read and you sometimes get the feeling that people think he’s going to go down a white-ball road, that he’s not interested in Test cricket, that there are other things on his mind that come first. That’s absolutely not the case. He is desperate to play all forms of cricket. He’s desperate to play Test cricket as well. And I hope that he gets the chance to do that.”It’s going to be a fairly taxing road to go down to get this fixed and get this sorted, but I’m sure we’ll see him back at some point.”A return to red-ball cricket is not, however, what Ian Bishop thinks Archer needs. Speaking on ESPNcricinfo’s podcast” a little while before Archer was officially ruled out, Bishop looked back to the Ashes of 2019 – the only time Archer has played the marquee series – when he bowled 156 overs across four Tests. With James Anderson out after the first Test and Chris Woakes, the third quick, not bowling too much, Stuart Broad had the second-largest workload among the England quicks in those four Tests, bowling 130.3 overs.”There was a period when Jofra was overbowled. I sat there watching it, and I’m thinking: what madness is this, that you are going to give this guy over after over,” Bishop said. “You almost – I’m sorry to use this statement, I don’t know how else to say it – you are killing the goose that lays the golden egg for you.”It [Jofra’s] is a good action. I wake up in the morning – and I’ve said this to ESPNcricinfo before – if I hear Jofra Archer’s bowling, I snap out of my sleep, because I love the athleticism of the run-up, the high action, it’s poetry in motion. But once he got overbowled and sustained from stress workload, those little injuries, it’s always going to be hard no matter how good the action is.”Any fast bowler is, with all these formats that we have now, going to pick it [injuries] up somewhere along the line,” Bishop said. “So workload management – as much as we hate it – and strengthening the core strength in the body is going to be the key. But do not overbowl them.”I personally feel that I would not allow Jofra to think about red-ball cricket, at least for a while in the next couple of seasons. It’s too much.”