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Pakistan conceded a 220-run first-innings lead, but bounced back with five wickets late on the third day

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando08-Oct-2017Sri Lanka 482 and 34 for 5 (Mendis 8*) lead Pakistan 262 (Azhar 59, Sohail 56, Dilruwan 3-72, Herath 3-84) by 254 runs
Getty ImagesEver the entertainers, Pakistan first made a lavish surrender with the bat, then came hurtling back into the game with the ball, during an extraordinary 15-wicket day in Dubai. Though they ceded a 220-run first-innings lead to Sri Lanka, so total was their dominance in the last 14.3 overs of the day, that their hopes of squaring the series live for another day.Wahab Riaz, in one of his wonderfully intense bursts, uprooted three batsmen while conceding only 10 runs, as Yasir Shah and Mohammad Abbas took one wicket apiece. Though they had seemed almost completely out of the match only one hour prior, it is Sri Lanka who will be under most strain when play begins again on day four. They have five wickets in hand still, but were only 254 runs ahead after the third day. They have lost matches from stronger positions in the past three years.A day of wickets

245 for 15 – Runs and wickets on the third day of the Dubai Test. Pakistan slid from 51 for 0 overnight to 262 all out and Sri Lanka collapsed to 34 for 5. On the first two days, 10 wickets fell for 533 runs.

370 and 34 – Sri Lanka’s scores at the fall of the fifth wicket in the first and second innings respectively. The first five wickets batted nearly 120 overs in the first innings but not even 15 overs in the second.

2 – Instances of Sri Lanka losing five wickets for less than 35 in the last 10 years. Apart from the second innings in this match they lost their fifth wicket at the score of 26 against Australia in Colombo (SSC) last year.

Three separate collapses defined day three. The first arrived in the afternoon session. Pakistan had begun the day at 61 for no loss, but soon haemhorrhaged four wickets for 48 runs, putting Sri Lanka in control of the Test – or so it was thought. Shan Masood was the first to go, allowing debutant Lahiru Gamage to jag a ball through his defences from around the wicket. Sami Aslam – the more confident of the openers – was soon trapped in front by Dilruwan Perera. Having lost their overnight pair inside the first six overs of the day, Pakistan’s senior batsmen Asad Shafiq and Azhar Ali attempted a steady recovery. A fine piece of reverse-swing bowling from Suranga Lakmal, however, removed Shafiq. Swinging the ball in to the batsman, then straightening it off the seam, Lakmal collected Shafiq’s edge and had him caught low to the ground, by a tumbling Kusal Mendis at first slip. Babar Azam’s dismissal just before the tea break was largely the batsman’s own doing: he tamely bunted an unremarkable Rangana Herath delivery to short midwicket.The second was Pakistan’s surrender of six wickets for 82 runs, beginning with the dismissal of Azhar Ali towards the tail end of the twilight session. Their batsmen appeared muddled right through that period, Azhar, Haris Sohail and Mohammad Amir all being dismissed lbw by the spinners, before Sri Lanka’s quicks wiped out the last two wickets with the second new ball. The bowlers shared around the rewards. Dilruwan and Herath claimed three wickets each, while Suranga Lakmal and Lahiru Gamage took two apiece. Captain Dinesh Chandimal can take a little credit as well – two of the wickets in this period came from overturning umpires’ decisions, via reviews.It was the third collapse, however, that was the most dramatic. All Sri Lanka had to do when they began their second innings was to see out the new ball, with a view to scoring roughly 200 on day four in order to set up a declaration. But this being a Pakistan-Sri Lanka Test, things rarely go that smoothly for an ascendant team.Mohammad Abbas made the initial breakthrough, getting Kaushal Silva to nick a straightening ball behind. Then the big wicket. Dimuth Karunaratne aimed a cut off a wide Wahab delivery, but managed only to deflect the ball back on to his wickets – the second time he has fallen in this fashion, to the same bowler, in this Test. Wahab then had Sadeera Samarawickrama glove the ball to the wicketkeeper, trying to hook a legside bouncer. Then he struck Chandimal in front with a ball that would have gone on to clip the top of leg stump. In between, Yasir also had nightwatchman Suranga Lakmal out lbw.The only extended wicket-free patch of day three came in the second session, as Azhar and Sohail made 71 runs in each other’s company. Haris attacked occasionally, flitting down the pitch to launch Herath over the straight boundary twice, while Azhar hit his boundaries through cover. But it was the singles and twos that defined their partnership. Azhar favoured the legside, stepping out towards off stump to flick or sweep the spinners. Haris scored square of the pitch on both sides, hitting two memorable fours behind point, off Perera and Nuwan Pradeep. Both went on to make half-centuries, but were each dismissed before they could reach 60. Without this partnership, Pakistan would have been out of the match completely.The expressions of Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur, on the dressing room balcony, summed up his team’s day the best. He was visibly disappointed in the afternoon, tense through the twilight session, then grumpy as Pakistan’s middle and lower order threw their wickets away. At stumps, he was grinning.

Leeds United star Wilfried Gnonto played 82 minutes in their season opener but all isn’t at it seems. He may be on his way out, although he will likely have to “force an exit”, according to Ben Jacobs when talking to GIVEMESPORT.

Will Wilfried Gnonto be a Leeds player for much longer?

Wilfried Gnonto was one of very few shining lights in a very underwhelming 2022/23 season for Leeds United. They are back in the Championship for the time being but the young Italian may not be plying his trade in the second-tier for much longer.

One club at the fore of the saga surrounding Gnonto is Everton, another side who were embroiled in the relegation battle alongside Leeds last term. As per reports from Italian source TuttoMercatoWeb, the future of the Azzurri was subject to an £18 million bid from the Toffees, which is just short of United’s valuation.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a newly relegated club holding out for as big a fee as possible. Southampton are the prime example, as can be seen from Liverpool’s pursuit of young midfielder Romeo Lavia. The Saints may be hoping for £50 million but Liverpool are confident they can pay less for his services.

Back to Gnonto and Leeds are willing to sell if their £20 million valuation is met, and Everton aren’t the only interested party. It has previously been reported that Serie A champions Napoli could bring the 19-year-old in as they look to defend their title.

The thoughts of Ben Jacobs?

"I think that Daniel Farke sees Gnonto as being quite vital to the project in terms of coming back up, so Leeds have been pretty bullish here.

"They've been pretty dismissive with Everton, which tells you that somebody is going to have to pay above market value to succeed on this one.

"As it stands, Everton haven't come back and Leeds are planning for the player to remain at Elland Road for the season. Only a huge offer or a player-driven move to try and force an exit is looking like changing that, at this stage."

How are Leeds looking for the rest of the season?

Leeds got life back in the Championship underway with a 2-2 draw against Cardiff City. The Bluebirds romped into a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from new arrivals Josh Bowler and Ike Ugbo. Liam Cooper pulled one back and then Dutchman Crysencio Summerville rescued a point for the home side at Elland Road in the dying embers.

Fellow relegated sides Southampton and Leicester City also left it late themselves too.

Gnonto isn’t the only key figure likely to move on either with a number of teams rumoured to be interested in USMNT international Tyler Adams. The defensive midfielder is the only American left at the club given that Weston McKennie has returned to Juventus and Brenden Aaronson has gone on loan to German side Union Berlin.

Gnonto could be one of the most lethal players in the Championship and help Leeds return to the promised land, given his impressive displays at a higher level in the Premier League last season. Equally, he has a number of suitors and could secure a huge move before the transfer window slams shut.

Newcastle United are now keen on signing Estudiantes de La Plata forward Benjamin Rollheiser, who would be keen on a move to St. James' Park this summer, according to journalist Alan Nixon.

What's the latest Newcastle transfer news?

The Magpies are still looking to add some attacking players to their squad this summer, with Galatasaray star Nicolo Zaniolo being pursued, and Turkish Football claim the Italian would be a major coup for Eddie Howe's side.

Federico Chiesa has also been of interest to Howe, with the Juventus forward being targeted by a number of Premier League clubs, but it has now been reported the £43m-rated attacker would prefer to stay in Italy, if Liverpool do not make a move.

With Allan Saint-Maximin moving on at the end of July, joining Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli for an undisclosed fee, Newcastle may require a new winger, and they now have their sights set on a surprising new target.

Read The Latest Newcastle Transfer News HERE

According to journalist Alan Nixon (via Geordie Boot Boys), the Magpies are now keen on signing Rollheiser, having kept a close eye on his performances for Argentine Primera Division side Estudiantes.

Nixon details that a fee of £12m would seal a deal for the 23-year-old, with CSKA Moscow and Zenit St Petersburg already lodging bids of around that figure, however Howe's side hold a huge advantage in the race for his signature.

The forward has his sights set on a move to the Premier League this summer, so if Newcastle were to come in with a firm offer, that would be his preferred destination.

Who is Benjamin Rollheiser?

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig is well aware of the Argentine's abilities even if he is a bit of an unknown quantity to most fans, saying: "Rollheiser is a very good mix of an advanced playmaker and winger. He knows how to play as a winger but also likes to be given creative freedom and operate in the centre of the pitch or use half-spaces like an advanced playmaker. Interesting and very fun player to watch."

One of the Estudiantes star's key attributes is his versatility, having regularly featured across the frontline throughout his career so far, however he is most accustomed to playing at right-wing, making a total of 34 appearances in that area of the pitch.

After starting his career at River Plate, the 5 foot 6 attacker linked up with Estudiantes in 2022, and he has since gone on to establish himself as a key player, amassing 16 goal contributions in 35 games during the 2023 campaign.

Signing the former River Plate man would undoubtedly be a risk for Newcastle, given that he is unproven outside of Argentina, and he has only had one impressive season so far, despite being 23-years-old.

However, the versatile forward's progress has been significantly hampered by injuries, being ruled out for seven months due to a ruptured cruciate ligament, and he is now showing signs he is ready to kick on and compete at the top level.

At just £12m, Rollheiser would be a fairly low-risk signing for Newcastle this summer, and he could be a solid addition to Howe's squad.

News from the trade window of the Pakistan Super League, where a few big names found new homes

Umar Farooq06-Oct-2017With the third season of the Pakistan Super League to be played with an additional sixth team, the other five franchises were told by the PCB to retain 10 players – two each from the platinum, gold and diamond categories, three from silver and one emerging cricketer – and release the rest into a draft. The Multan Sultans will select nine men from this set and submit it to the PCB on October 10. The other teams have announced the players they have retained and will get the opportunity to fill out the rest of their squad when the PSL draft happens later this month.Lahore QalandarsRetained: Sunil Narine (Platinum), Umar Akmal (Platinum), Brendon McCullum (Diamond & mentor), Fakhar Zaman (Diamond), Yasir Shah (Gold), Sohail Khan (Gold), Cameron Delport (Silver), Aamir Yamin (Silver), Bilawal Bhatti (Silver)Released: Azhar Ali, Jason Roy, Chris Green, Sohail Tanvir, Zafar Gohar, Ghulam Mudassar, James Franklin, Grant Elliott, Usman Qadir, Dwayne BravoTrade: Brought in Sohail Khan from Karachi Kings in exchange for Mohammad RizwanIslamabad UnitedRetained: Andre Russell (Platinum), Misbah-ul-Haq (Platinum), Samuel Badree (Diamond), Mohammad Sami, (Diamond), Rumman Raees (Gold & ambassador), Shadab Khan (Gold), Iftikhar Ahmed (Silver), Amad Butt (Silver), Asif Ali (Silver)Released: Sam Billings, Ben Duckett, Brad Haddin, Steven Finn, Mohammad Irfan, Khalid Latif, Sharjeel Khan, Nicholas Pooran, Saeed Ajmal, Shane Watson, Zohaib Khan, Dwayne Smith, RafatullahTrade: Brought in Iftikhar Ahmed from Peshawar in exchange for their supplementary pick in second round of draft.Karachi KingsRetained: Shahid Afridi (Platinum), Mohammad Amir (Platinum), Imad Wasim (Diamond), Babar Azam (Diamond), Mohammad Rizwan (Gold), Ravi Bopara (Gold), Usman Shinwari (Silver), Usama Mir (Silver), Khurram Manzoor (Silver)Released: Kumar Sangakkara, Chris Gayle, Rahat Ali, Ryan McLaren, Kashif Bhatti, Shahzaib Hasan, Kieron Pollard, Mahela Jayawardena, Shoaib MalikTrade: Brought in Mohammad Rizawan in exchange for Sohail Khan. Brought in Shahid Afridi in exchange for one of their gold and two of their silver picks in player draft.Kieron Pollard, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle and Daniel Vettori indulge in a game of beach cricket•WICBQuetta GladiatorsRetained: Sarfraz Ahmed (Platinum), Kevin Pietersen (Platinum), Rilee Rossouw (Diamond), Mahmudullah (Diamond), Asad Shafiq (Gold), Mohammad Nawaz (Gold), Anwar Ali (Silver), Mir Hamza (Silver), Umer Amin (Silver)Released: Rovman Powell, Ahmed Shahzad, Nathan McCullum, Tymal Mills, Thisara Perera, Saad Nasim, Umar Gul, Zulfiqar Babar, Luke Wright, Moeen Ali, Carlos Brathwaite, Brad Hodge, Bismillah Khan, Sean Ervine, Rayad Emrit, Anamul Haque, Elton Chigumbura, David Willey, Noor Wali, Morne van Wyk, Mohammad NabiPeshawar ZalmiRetained: Mohammad Hafeez (Platinum), Wahab Riaz (Platinum), Shakib al Hasan (Diamond), Kamran Akmal (Diamond), Darren Sammy (Gold & player/coach), Hasan Ali (Gold), Haris Sohail (Silver), Chris Jordan (Silver), Mohammad Asghar (Silver)Released: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Andre Fletcher, Imran Khan, Junaid Khan, Eoin Morgan, Samit Patel, Marlon Samuels, Tamim Iqbal, Sohaib Maqsood, Shahzad Muhammad, Umair Masood, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad ShahzadTrade: Accepted Islamabad’s right to a supplementary pick in second round in exchange for Iftikhar Ahmed. And by giving up Shahid Afridi, Peshawar take from Karachi’s quota one gold and two silver picks at the draft Multan SultansPlaying their first season, new franchise Multan Sultans had no players to retain or release, and instead chose their first nine picks from the expansion draft.Shoaib Malik (Platinum), Kieron Pollard (Platinum), Kumar Sangakarra (Diamond & Mentor), Sohail Tanvir (Diamond), Mohammad Irfan (Gold & Ambassador), Junaid Khan (Gold), Sohaib Maqsood (Silver), Kashif Bhatti (Silver), Irfan Khan (Silver)

Glasgow Rangers kicked off their 2023/24 campaign in disappointing fashion as they lost 1-0 away to Kilmarnock despite a summer of change within the playing squad.

Who have Rangers signed this summer?

Michael Beale has been able to overhaul his Light Blues roster with nine signings since the end of last season but they were unable to avoid an opening day defeat this weekend.

Kieran Dowell, Dujon Sterling, Jack Butland, Cyriel Dessers, Leon Balogun, Jose Cifuentes, Sam Lammers, Abdallah Sima, and Danilo have all been brought in so far, and Sterling was the only player who was not part of the matchday team.

Read the latest Rangers transfer news HERE…

After 68% possession and 18 shots on goal, the Gers were unable to find the back of the net and another new striker could be on the cards before the window slams shut as they were recently linked with an interest in Sunderland ace Ross Stewart.

How many goals has Ross Stewart scored for Sunderland?

The Scotland international has racked up an excellent 40 goals in 80 competitive appearances for the Black Cats and could form a dream partnership with Todd Cantwell at Ibrox if the club are able to bring him in this summer.

He is currently sidelined with an Achilles injury that was sustained in January and is set to miss the first few weeks of the season, but has been back out on the grass ahead of a return to full training and may not be a long-term absentee.

This means that the Gers could have him available for selection in the not-too-distant future if they snap the prolific forward up before deadline day, even if his current fitness situation is an unfortunate one.

Prior to his injury, Stewart set the Championship alight for Sunderland with an outstanding ten goals and three assists in 13 appearances, which included just 11 starts.

That came after the 6 foot 3 gem, who was once hailed as "unbelievable" by teammate Alex Pritchard, produced 26 goals in 49 League One outings for the English side throughout the 2021/22 campaign.

The 26-year-old talisman could, therefore, be a dream partner for Cantwell as he would provide the former Norwich maestro with a number nine who has the quality to consistently finish off chances, whilst also being able to create for the January arrival.

Last season, the talented technician averaged 1.3 key passes per game and created five 'big chances' for his teammates – only to be rewarded with four assists – as per Sofascore.

No Rangers striker managed more than Antonio Colak's 14 goals and Stewart's form for Sunderland over the last two seasons suggests that he has the potential to be far more lethal at the top end of the pitch if the Scottish marksman can avoid further injury issues.

The Black Cats star also created nine 'big chances' throughout the 2021/22 season from a centre-forward position, which is six more than Colak managed, and could allow Cantwell to thrive as a goalscorer from midfield, after six goals in 15 Scottish Premiership starts last term.

Malik Tillman (ten) was the only midfielder who scored more league goals for the Gers than the English wizard, which is particularly impressive when you consider that he only joined the club in January.

Therefore, Cantwell and Stewart could form a dream partnership in the final third as they are both capable of scoring and assisting goals at an impressive rate for their respective positions.

Star India’s strong presence in both television and digital spaces, as well as global markets, prompted the company to make a record-breaking bid for the IPL broadcast rights for the period 2018 to 2022

Arun Venugopal04-Sep-20172:19

‘India, cricket and IPL have changed dramatically in the last 10 years’ – Shankar

Star India’s strong presence in both television and digital spaces, as well as global markets, prompted the company to make a record-breaking bid for the IPL broadcast rights for the period 2018 to 2022. Star’s bid of INR 16,347.5 crore (US $2.55 billion) was the only global bid made on Monday in Mumbai and was nearly INR 528 crore (US $82.45 million) more than the combined value of the highest bids in each individual category.Star already owned both broadcast and digital rights for international cricket in India until March 2018, and broadcast rights to ICC’s global cricket tournaments till 2023, for which it paid about $ 1.9 billion.With the IPL deal – the biggest for cricket – Star, according to its CEO Uday Shankar, was equipped to create a “complete experience” for cricket fans.”As you can see from our bidding numbers, we made a conscious call that we will bid for the global rights,” Shankar said after the bids were disclosed by the BCCI. “We have significant presence in each of these three universes. We have a television presence in India, we have a very robust, very exciting digital platform in India, which we are rolling out across the world. And, our channels are globally distributed, so it made sense for us to make an attempt to win it for all the markets.”Star’s bids in the individual categories for Indian television and digital rights were much lower than those of its competitors. Star had bid INR 6196.94 crore for TV rights in India, and INR 1443 crore for digital. When asked for an explanation, Shankar said Star’s aim was to bag both categories.”Look, it is a matter of bidding strategy. It is also a matter of how each company evaluates each segment of the rights,” Shankar said. “Our view was that we will be able to create a complete experience for cricket fans if we had TV and digital both. And that is why we felt that we were going to make an attempt to get TV and digital both. Otherwise, we have lived without IPL and we were happy to live without IPL.”Star had already established its IPL presence through Hotstar, its online streaming platform, having paid INR 303 crore for digital rights from 2015-17. Shankar said Indian consumers had taken the world by surprise by warming up to the digital platform. While Facebook was the highest individual bidder – INR 3900 crore – for this cycle of digital rights in India, Airtel (INR 3280 crore), Jio (INR 3075.72) and Star (INR 1443) also put up sizeable bids.”Till a few years ago, India was characteristically dismissed as a country that was not broadband-ready,” Shankar said. “People said there was not enough broadband, the data was too expensive, there were not enough phones. It was still only a voice-only market. And then, in less than two years, it has emerged as one of the world’s most exciting markets for video consumption.”You should see the number of people who bid for digital rights and the number of people who took interest by buying the tender document. So, that should tell you the story. I think it can become a lot more exciting depending on how the data prices behave and how the availability and access to broadband and wifi continues to grow in this country. But if that happens, it will be one of the world’s most exciting digital markets.”Over the last three IPL seasons, Hotstar broadcast the matches with a five-minute delay. However, with Star now owning both television and digital rights, Shankar was asked if Hotstar would broadcast matches in real time. Shankar was non-committal and said Star would think about it in due course.

R Ashwin is eager to learn quickly about English conditions ahead of India’s tour next summer – and he may have to if his Worcestershire stint is curtailed after two matches

George Dobell at New Road29-Aug-2017R Ashwin took three wickets on debut [file picture]•AFPHe probably wasn’t the off-spinning all-rounder they had come to see, but Jack Taylor produced the key contribution to defy Worcestershire at New Road.The day was meant to be about R Ashwin. The pitch had been prepared for him – this is the third time it has been used this season – and, by the time he was introduced into the attack, just before lunch on the second day, the stage was set for a key contribution.It was not quite to be. Nicely though he bowled and often as he troubled the batsmen – initially at least – Ashwin was forced to work hard to make an impact. The pitch, though dry, offered him very little – he described it as “extremely slow” with an expression that made it clear that was no compliment – and, even when the edge was taken, the fielders struggled to cling on to some tough chances. There was no lack of effort and no lack of variations, but there really wasn’t much help for him here.Maybe Worcestershire missed a trick with their selection. Had they included one of their left-arm seamers – either Jack Shantry or George Scrimshaw – their footmarks may have created a bit more rough with which Ashwin could work. As if was, they selected Pat Brown, a right-arm seamer, and he did not bowl a ball in the innings.With gentle rain falling on and off throughout the day – “I signed-up for the cold,” Ashwin smiled – holding the unfamiliar Duke’s ball was demanding and only one of his 27.5 overs was a maiden. And, if his first wicket, that of Gareth Roderick caught and bowled by one that was tossed up a little slower, would have pleased him, the wicket of Craig Miles came when the batsman clipped a full-toss to mid-wicket. Kieran Noema-Barnett might consider himself a little unfortunate to be adjudged leg before, too.But Ashwin is here to learn. He is here not for any financial reward – there is little county cricket can offer him in that regard these days – but because he wants to improve himself. He wants to learn to bowl in unfamiliar conditions (he has played only two Tests in England) and with unfamiliar balls. He wants to return next year and play a key role in helping India defeat England in a Test series. It speaks volumes for his character that, despite being placed No. 3 in the Test bowling rankings, he is prepared to go to such lengths to improve.”It’s not just about next year,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “It’s always been a dream to play county cricket. I grew-up watching it on TV in India and it has always meant a lot. Spinners have come before and told me it is a must-do experience. I was being rested from a series [against Sri Lanka], so I thought I might as well come here to get experience.”But yes, next year was in the back of my mind and the back of the mind of the team management back home. With the pace with which the international cricket calendar is set-up, you don’t have a long time to prepare. That might even cost you a Test match. So these experiences can be banked upon and, if you can learn faster – which I pride myself upon – the results can come a bit faster.”The conditions shouldn’t have been especially tough. But for all the use this surface has had – one four-day match between the England and India U19 sides and one T20 match – it hardly appears to have deteriorated. At this stage, it appears more to have died though it remains possible it will deteriorate over the next couple of days. Ashwin could yet win Worcestershire this match in the second innings and, by doing say, help them take a decent stride towards promotion.Either way, he was sanguine about the missed chances – none of which were easy – and, was able to see the bigger picture both in terms of his own development and his team’s position in the game.”They put down a few catches,” Ashwin shrugged. “But catches go down. It is part of the game. They are fielding close in to me for the first time so I would not blame them.”I wanted to work on exploiting the rough, on using angles and on using a greasy ball. My bowling figures aren’t so important; it’s about making a difference for the team and challenging myself to bowl in tough conditions.”How long he is here remains to be seen. There remains a possibility he will be recalled to play in the limited-overs games against Australia which could reduce his involvement to as little as two Championship matches: this one and the one next week at Trent Bridge. Worcestershire, desperate to push on and achieve promotion, dearly want him to stay until the end of the season and play four matches in total.”I could be called to play in the Australia series,” Ashwin admitted. “But I have indicated to Bumpy [Steve Rhodes, the Worcestershire direct of cricket] that I will be available for all four games. As of now, there are no communication channels open but they will be shortly so I’ll probably get a clearer idea after the Sri Lanka series.”When Ashwin took his first wicket, it seemed Worcestershire might cruise to victory. Gloucestershire were 93 for five at the time and the follow-on mark – 214 – looked distant. Ed Barnard, who finished with career-best first-class figures, had helped dismantle the top-order with a fine spell that peaked with the wicket of Cameron Bancroft, who lost his off stump to a beauty that was angled in, pitched and held its own. While not especially quick – he probably bowls in the high 70s in terms of miles per hour; not unlike a young Chris Woakes – Barnard maintains an immaculate line and length and gains just enough seam movement to trouble batsmen.But then came Taylor. While his overall first-class record may be modest – he came into this match averaging just 31.88 – his record against Worcestershire is outstanding. He has now scored four centuries against them in four successive Championship matches and averages 85.33 against them in first-class cricket. For a man who has scored only six first-class centuries in total, it is a remarkable statistic. He’s made a couple of centuries against them in second XI cricket, too. Only Wally Hammond (with six) and Charles Dacre (with five), of Gloucestershire players, have scored more first-class centuries against Worcestershire.While he survived one strong leg before shout in the 80s – George Rhodes, who bowled his own off-spin very nicely, was the unfortunate bowler – this was a deserved century. He picked Ashwin’s variations – especially the delivery that leaves the right-hander – used the crease intelligently to nudge and nurdle and put away the bad ball without fuss. While the first innings deficit was still substantial – 105 – it is not impossible he could have an even greater impact on the game with his off-spin in the fourth innings. He has, at least, kept his side in the game. Nobody else managed more than 33.Earlier Worcestershire lost their final three first-innings wickets for just three runs as Liam Norwell, who dislocated his finger on Monday and had it re-set at hospital, finished with four wickets.But in the grand scheme of things, perhaps the most significant aspect of the day was Ashwin soaking up the experience. While some will bemoan the fact that he has been given an opportunity to gain such knowledge – and it is true, he may well punish England with it next year – the smart English players will be watching and learning everything he does. It can only help them to test themselves against him and watch how he operates. It is especially telling that Moeen Ali nominally at least, a teammate for a few weeks, has already been on the phone offering his help and arranging a meeting.From a spectator’s perspective, it is simply a delight to see a terrific cricketer at close-quarters in the county game. Worcestershire are not the only ones who are lucky to have him.

Nottingham Forest could be set to make another foray into the summer market, with reliable reports suggesting their interest in a fresh target…

Who are Nottingham Forest signing this summer?

Those claims come courtesy of transfer guru David Ornstein, who admittedly sought to pen an article surrounding Arsenal's interest in Brentford shot-stopper David Raya.

However, later on in the piece, he briefly detailed the potential goalkeeper domino effect that such a swoop could have, benefitting a Tricky Trees side searching for a new number one.

Should the Spaniard make that Emirates switch, it would make Matt Turner somewhat obsolete, just one year after joining the Gunners. Steve Cooper has likely envisioned this, and is considering a move for the USA international despite there being a clear distance between both clubs on the valuation of the 29-year-old.

Some reports suggest a fee as much as £18m may be required, and his arrival would supplement the other additions of Chris Wood, Ola Aina and Anthony Elanga from this window thus far.

How good is Matt Turner?

Although far from experienced within the English game, the keeper in question does boast some special attributes that obviously caught the attention of Mikel Arteta and Edu.

After all, before his move he had shone in his homeland, making 111 appearances for the New England Revolution and starring,

His final full year before making the switch saw him maintain a 7.04 average rating in the MLS, bolstered by his fine shot-stopping and ability on the ball. As such he recorded an admirable 64% pass accuracy alongside 3.6 saves per game at a success rate of 74%, via Sofascore.

For comparison, even Keylor Navas failed to reach the levels of these three attributes during his recent loan stint at the City Ground.

This fed into his fine recent Gold Cup performances too, where his average rating rose to 7.28, a figure that no other goalkeeper at the tournament could better. Perhaps by moving to Nottingham, where he would be regarded as a far more important figure than at Arsenal, he could recapture those levels found only when he is trusted with plenty of game time.

That is not to suggest that Arteta has completely discredited the ace though, as he did laud him back in October: "I think he was phenomenal in the goal in situations especially when defending the area in behind the centre halves, and in the one-against-one situations he was really good."

To now pair such efficiency in between the sticks with Joe Worrall, Cooper's staunch defensive leader, and he could find the perfect balance that retains their Premier League status once again.

Especially given how the 26-year-old impressed in his first year in the top flight, maintaining a 6.82 average rating (seventh best in the squad) that is only set to improve with added experience at this level alongside 3.6 clearances per game in the league.

The hope will be they can replicate that feat once again, building a fine foundation with which such a historic club can sustain a top-flight stay for many years.

With the defensive foundation that Worrall and Turner will offer for the next few seasons at least, this is certainly a task that will be eased by such an addition.

Leeds United are interested in signing Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Edouard Michut this summer as newly-appointed head coach Daniel Farke crafts a team capable of securing promotion from the Championship.

Farke has already completed his first deal as Whites boss, landing 22-year-old defender Ethan Ampadu from Chelsea for £7m earlier this week, and looks set to invest in youth to ensure the framework at Elland Road breeds success for a lasting period.

And according to the Daily Mail print edition on 20th July [page 70] (via MOT Leeds News), Leeds have now approached the French Ligue 1 champions for the talented French gem, having been handed a boost after the 20-year-old was left out of PSG's pre-season tour, indicating that he is not within the club's plans.

Sunderland, where he had been on loan last season, decided against activating the €2.5m (£2.2m) buy clause this summer despite impressing during his year-long stint in the Championship, but Leeds could now entice the player into returning to England's second tier and cementing a regular starting berth in an outfit hoping for a swift and immediate return to the Premier League.

Could Leeds sign Edouard Michut?

Despite rejecting the Black Cats, transfer insider Dean Jones, speaking to GIVEMESPORT, recently stated that the dynamic midfielder is willing to consider a move to West Yorkshire.

Jones said:

"Michut would offer something a bit different to Leeds and he is open-minded about the move as it could fit his style of play.

"He could have stayed at Sunderland but he wasn’t getting on the ball enough and at Leeds, a side we have to expect will dominate games, would give him more opportunity to get on the ball and make things happen.

"Leeds do have limitations in terms of their spending in the Championship this season and this could be an astute addition."

How good is Edouard Michut?

As per Sofascore, the Frenchman made 24 appearances during his Stadium of Light loan spell last term, starting only 50% of those games, and impressed with the slickness of his passing – completing 88% of his passes – and the consistency and robustness of his tackling – averaging 1.7 per game, on top of 58% total ground duels won per game.

A versatile and dynamic midfielder, scout Jacek Kulig previously illustrated his flexibility and aptitude across the defensive, central and attacking sections of the middle third, highlighting his most notable qualities as a playmaker with 'great agility, flair and coordination' and a 'very good technical ability.'

Farke's position in the Leeds dugout could well be the defining factor that could edge a deal over the line, should it indeed be completed, with the German boss's previous experience in nurturing promising talent underscoring the wave that Michut could ride.

James Maddison plied his trade under the 46-year-old manager at Norwich City, making 49 appearances under Farke's wing and scoring 15 goals and supplying 12 assists before completing a £24m transfer to Leicester City in 2018.

Maddison, while primarily playing as an attacking midfielder, is also adept from a deeper position at the kernel of the midfield, and given his own playmaking prowess, ranking among the top 11% of positional peers for assists and the top 13% for shot-creating actions per 90 over the past year, as per FBref, could be the perfect player for Michut to emulate.

Journalist Josh Bunting also highlighted Michut's unrelenting intensity by waxing lyrical over his knack at covering "every blade" on the pitch, and for such a diligent, hard-working youngster, it might just be that he harnesses his prodigious talent under Farke's tutelage at Leeds.

As such, the German head coach could unearth his next young midfield star if the Whites' hierarchy sanctions a move for the PSG whiz.

Suzie Bates will become only the eighth New Zealand woman to play 100 ODIs when she takes the field against South Africa in their second World Cup game on Wednesday

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jun-2017Suzie Bates will become only the eighth New Zealand woman to play 100 ODIs when she takes the field against South Africa in their second World Cup game on Wednesday. She will join the likes of Debbie Hockley, Sara McGlashan and Haidee Tiffin, the former captain and current head coach. The milestone, Bates said, was the result of doing “something right” over the last decade.”As an 18-year old, I remember being pretty excited just to play the likes of Rebecca Rolls and Emily Drumm. I never thought I’d play this long. I was at university and cricket was bit of a hobby,” she said. “I really didn’t see it going professional. So to still be playing at 29, and be able to play in my 100th game on Wednesday is exciting. I can’t remember how the last 10-11 years have gone.”You look at the other names on the list; there are some greats – Debbie Hockley, Sara McGlashan, Amy Watkins. Then there’s Haidee Tiffin, who was captain when I was playing. I looked up to Rebecca when I was growing up, a hard-hitting opening batsman who also played a lot of football. That was pretty inspiring to be playing with these players, and now to be in the same list is amazing.”Bates was still a rookie when New Zealand last came close to winning the World Cup, in 2009, when they were pipped by England in the final. It’s a memory which hasn’t escaped Bates, who is now into captaining New Zealand for the sixth-year running. Bates was the highest run-scorer at the 2013 edition in India and the Player of the Series, but could only watch her team finish fourth. A different outlook, one that stems with experience, has helped her approach cricket differently, she says.”When I first started and got really serious about trying to be as serious as I can be. When I started leading the team, I probably didn’t have a lot of things outside of cricket,” she said. “When it didn’t go well, it was terrible. When it did, you were on top of the world.”Probably, I’ve become a lot more balanced on my outlook on cricket and trying to just take each game as it comes and not get too up and down along the way. Hopefully, captaining the side at this World Cup, we can maintain that sort of approach and not get too high or too low, because it’s a long-old slog if you ride the highs and lows.”Having been around since 2006, Bates, a double international who also represented New Zealand in basketball at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, has had a ringside view of how the women’s game has evolved over the last decade or so. For starters, she admits to being surprised at the exponential growth.”It’s unrecognisable from when I started,” she said. “You got 30 dollars daily allowance if you were staying at home, and I used to with mum and dad. That was still a bit of pocket money. It was hobby for everyone. Many were studying, some were at school. People got away from their day jobs for tours and live a dream. When you got together for tours, it was the best thing ever, since you got to live the dream.”Now, half a dozen of us do it 10 months of the year, full-time, and also get paid for it. When I first started, not just as a cricketer but just as a girl who loved sport, I never really thought it was going to be a career. I had study on the side and I just wanted to play sport because I loved it. I always thought I had to get a real job at some stage and I still haven’t had to.”