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The BCCI has decided to do scrap its domestic Twenty20 tournament, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, from the 2016-17 season and replace it with a new inter-zonal league. The new tournament will occupy the same slot in the domestic calendar as the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, which was played in January this year.

Ranji Trophy 2016-17 at neutral venues

The BCCI working committee has ratified the decision proposed by the board’s technical committee to play the Ranji Trophy at neutral venues. The idea was originally mooted by the technical committee, led by Sourav Ganguly, which had recommended the need for a radical idea to make the premier first-class tournament more competitive and discourage the growing trend of states offering underprepared pitches for home matches.
The idea received a favourable response from captains and coaches of domestic teams during a meeting on Thursday. A majority of them felt such a decision was inevitable considering the quality of pitches during a few games in the previous seasons, and the failure of match officials to impose a penalty for this.

“We have proposed that the T20 matches will be played on a zonal-league basis,” BCCI president Anurag Thakur said at the end of the board’s working committee meeting in Dharamsala on Friday. “The states can play these matches at any time of the year among themselves. Then a league will be started where the stakeholders would be the state units in the zone.”The new tournament will be divided into two stages – an inter-state one, followed by the main inter-zonal one. In the first stage, states within a zone will play T20 matches among themselves. Once that level is complete, every zone will have a board comprising one representative from each of the respective state associations. Members of the zonal board will appoint a CEO and selectors to pick a team for the main stage. For example, once state teams within the West Zone have finished their respective matches, their representatives can appoint a selection committee that will pick a team to compete with the other four zones. There could be an additional sixth team representing the affiliate states under the BCCI banner, but that has not yet been confirmed.The schedule for the main inter-zonal stage of the tournament is likely to be drawn up by the BCCI, but Thakur said the inter-state matches can be held anytime prior to the tournament. Incidentally, the new structure was not discussed at the captains and coaches meeting on Thursday.The format for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy comprised teams spread across four groups with the top two from each qualifying for the knockouts. When asked why the board decided to revamp the format, Thakur said the new tournament would provide an opportunity to youngsters and domestic players who were unable to participate in the IPL. He also said that the franchise-based leagues run by states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu would remain unaffected by this new tournament.”They can participate in that competitive tournament now,” Thakur said. “Rather than Syed Mushtaq Ali, the way it has been played, this new format will give more number of matches to the players and more glory and more money to the upcoming cricketers.”A BCCI official said that the idea to start the new zonal-league tournament came from Thakur, who presented a proposal to monetize the new tournament before the working committee.”He wants to find a sponsor for the tournament and market that,” the official said. “But that is not easy considering fans are interested in watching international stars and not domestic players,”The official also revealed that Thakur wants to resuscitate university cricket in a similar fashion by selling rights for the T20 University Cricket Championship. In 2013 the BCCI, along with the Indian government, had conducted the University Cricket Championship, an extension of the annual all-India inter-zone university Rohinton Baria Tournament, by selling the rights to NDTV and co-sponsor Toyota. However that venture was scrapped after one year.”The previous deal ended because there was no attraction for the sponsor. They were expecting that the BCCI would allow an international player in each team to create hype but that was not possible,” the official said.

Lancashire are unlikely leaders of Division One after promotion last season but in a stop-start season they refuse to be cowed

Jon Culley at Trent Bridge05-Jul-2016
ScorecardStuart Broad clubbed useful runs•Getty ImagesA persistent breeze stiffened enough from time to time to ask less hardy spectators to consider putting on a jacket but at least it was a day that looked like summer. On the field, Stuart Broad worked up a sweat, eager to show his county the commitment that comes naturally to him in Test cricket. But an increasingly benign pitch was giving him very little back.Steven Mullaney, captain against his former county in the absence of Chris Read, was proactive, rotating the bowlers, frequently tweaking his fields, trying to make something happen. Broad ran willingly to where he was directed, chipping in too with suggestions on tactics to try. Deep into the last session, though, Lancashire’s openers had their sights on batting through to the close, determined that their concentration would not crack.They look like a side who believe in themselves. Promoted teams tend these days to find the step up a difficult one but Lancashire have established themselves among the front-runners. It would be a surprise if they are in first place at the end of the season but their players are not easily cowed.Tom Smith, a solid professional in the best traditions of county cricket, turned 30 now and with the wisdom and experience to go with it, locked horns again with Imran Tahir, as he had in the first innings. After a protracted battle, the legspinner had the last word then but this time Smith, so far, has the upper hand.At the other end, moreover, he had an ally who already looks equally at home playing the long game. Haseeb Hameed is not yet 20 in years but temperamentally seems much older, at least with bat in hand. The pair have been Lancashire’s best opening partnership so far this year, the first to put 100 or more on the board.In doing so, they have probably saved this game for Lancashire, who trailed by 198 on first innings, a scenario that looked unlikely after Nottinghamshire had lost half their wickets while still 35 runs behind.Steven Croft, as willing and versatile as he is, is not a wicketkeeper and it is a demanding position from which also to captain a side. Whether he could have done much differently, though, is a moot point, given that of all the things Mullaney tried later, none achieved a breakthrough.It has been a different match for Neil Wagner, who took 11 wickets when Lancashire beat Nottinghamshire handsomely at Old Trafford in May. His reward for 33.1 overs of toil this time was 3-107.”It was hard out there, on an unresponsive and flat wicket,” he said. “I thought we bowled well, we asked questions and we bowled better than we did yesterday, when we did not hit our lengths consistently and got hurt.”We thought if we could get a couple of quick wickets this morning we might be in with a shout but credit to Nottinghamshire they batted very well. Riki and Samit batted really well, as did Broady and the others who came in after. They never really gave us a chance.”But it was a great partnership between Haseeb and Tom and although there is a lot of work to do yet hopefully we are in a good position now to save the game.”Patel and Wessels could not be parted for more than an hour, adding 43 to an overnight lead of 27 before Patel, who had been watchful for the most part, feathered the thinnest of edges to Croft off Smith, who dismissed Wessels soon afterwards. Looking to accelerate the pursuit of bowling points, Wessels went after Smith and picked up his ninth boundary but was undone by the next delivery, which pushed him on to the back foot and took the edge, Liam Livingstone backpeddling from slip to take the catch.Wessels had to leave the field with a finger injury later in the day, handing the wicketkeeping gloves to Brendan Taylor for a period, but was able to resume after treatment.The end of one significant partnership, one that was worth 105 runs, merely introduced another. Broad, who has given good value to his county with the bat as well as the ball this season, combined with Brett Hutton to add another 79 for the eighth wicket, 31 of which came within the space of 18 deliveries, 24 from Broad’s bat, to clinch maximum batting points for Nottinghamshire with just one ball to spare.In an innings notable for unconverted starts – nine players made between 30 and 67 – neither Broad nor Hutton reached 50 but the lead kept stretching. Even Harry Gurney, a genuine number 11, made it into double figures, for only the eighth time in 95 first-class innings.The win that Nottinghamshire need rather more urgently than their opponents seems unlikely, however, unless Tahir can do something remarkable on the final day.

علق محمد عواد حارس مرمى الزمالك على أزمة أحمد فتوح مع النادي وتجميده في وقت سابق قبل تجديد عقده، موضحًا موقف اللاعبين الكبار بالقلعة البيضاء من الأزمة.

وقال محمد عواد في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة “أون تايم سبورتس”: “اللاعبون الكبار لم يرفضوا عودة أحمد فتوح، و(محدش يزعل من شيكابالا)، لأنه أسطورة حقيقية في الزمالك، ودوره خارج الملعب أهم من داخله”.

وتابع: “فنيًا لا أحد يختلف على شيكابالا في مصر أو الوطن العربي، دوره الآن أكبر من الدور الفني في ظل الإحلال والتجديد في الفريق، وأيضًا محمد عبد الشافي، أعتز أنني في فريق يمتلك شيكابالا وعبد الشافي”.

وبسؤاله كيف تعاملتم مع أزمة فتوح، أجاب: “لم نعرف التفاصيل، لكن عشنا فترات طويلة جدًا لم يكن بها انضباط في النادي ولا ثواب وعقاب”.

واستطرد: “فما حدث كانت رسالة واضحة من مجلس الإدارة أنه سيكون هناك ثواب وعقاب، وأنا أحب ذلك، أعتقد أن هذا كان سبب بنسبة كبيرة في خسارة الزمالك للبطولات”.

مع أم ضد بيع زيزو؟: “هو لاعب لا يُعوض، أنا أحب أن يكون معي 4 أو 5 مثله في الفريق، هناك مباراة في الدور التمهيدي بالكونفدرالية كنا نريد تسجيل 4 أهداف لكي نتأهل، وكنت أثق أننا سنفوز”.

طالع | محمد عواد يوضح حقيقة تخفيض راتبه في الزمالك.. وموقفه من العرض السعودي

ووصل: “لأن معنا زيزو وشيكابالا والمثلوثي وشلبي وكل اللاعبين، جميعهم كانوا عند المسؤولية، وزيزو يستطيع أن يصنع الفارق في أي وقت”.

ما الذي تغير في فيريرا في الفترة الأخيرة؟: “هو من أقوى المدربين الذين عملت معهم في حياتي، رجل مباشر وفي التدريب يجب أن تعطي 200% لكي تتواجد في التشكيل، كان رجلًا واقعيًا جدًا، يلعب بشكل دفاعي وأنا كنت (ليبرو) وكنت موفقًا في هذا الأمر”.

وأشار: “ممكن الاختلاف عندما رحل وعاد مرة أخرى، هذا أثر عليه، وأنا تواصلت معه بعد مباراة المحلة من أجل جمع اللاعبين والحديث معهم، لكن لم أجده كما كان، لأنه شعر بالإهانة، هو يريد الاحترام وعدم التدخل في عمله”.

رأيك في أوسوريو؟: “الأجواء التي كنا نعيشها لم تكن تساعد أحد على النجاح، هو كان يُحاول تطوير الأداء، وأدينا بشكل جيد، لكن ظروف النادي في هذا التوقيت مع أفكاره غير الواقعية ومشاكل اللاعبين الذين لم يستطيعوا أن يطبقوا أفكاره”.

وأتم: “اللاعبون كان عندهم مشاكل، 7 أشهر لم نحصل على مستحقاتنا، وفي الموسم الماضي لم نحصل على مكافأة واحدة، هذه ظروف لا أحد يتحملها، خاصة وأن الفريق به لاعبين صغار كانوا لا يستطيعون تحمل الضغط”.

Leeds United have rewarded Jack Harrison with a new contract as Javi Gracia's men aim to maintain their Premier League status.

Weren't Leeds close to selling Harrison?

It has been another turbulent campaign for the Yorkshire side this season with their top-flight status on the line as they enter the final nine games of the season.

Victory earlier in the week against Nottingham Forest may have eased the concerns at Elland Road as they were able to climb up to 13th spot.

But the gap to the relegation zone remains just three points leaving Gracia's men in a precarious position ahead of their next game against Crystal Palace.

However, amid their issues on the pitch, Leeds have been able to tie Harrison down to a new deal at Elland Road which will extend his contractual stay through to 2028.

This comes just months after the winger came close to leaving Leeds for Leicester City before the Whites pulled out from the transfer in January.

Indeed, speaking on the Inside Elland Road podcast, journalist Graham Smyth has issued an insight on the deal to extend the 26-year-old's time in Yorkshire:

(40:10) "I think getting that deal over the line will be good news. He needs to be talking about it since the World Cup break. He expected his representative to fly over for talks with Victor [Orta] in the new year and then the January thing happened, and I don't even know if you would call it a wobble on his part.

"If he thought there's a possibility of being sold to Leicester, then he probably just acted as any player who thought they were going to be sold to Leicester would."

Does Harrison deserve a new deal?

The Whites are certainly showing a lot of faith in the 26-year-old winger with a new deal which has added a further five years onto his stay with the club.

Harrison has been a player who Leeds have had to battle to keep ahold of in the past with the likes of Newcastle United also believed to have shown a strong interest.

It is reported the Whites had slapped a £35m+ price tag on the Englishman when Newcastle were sniffing around and it has to be questioned what his valuation may be now on the back of this new deal.

The 26-year-old has had a solid season overall having returned four goals and six assists in the Premier League (via Transfermarkt).

However, consistency is something which he will surely be looking to work on with four of those 10 goal involvements coming in the space of the first three games.

Harrison then endured somewhat of a barren run in the middle of the campaign until late where he has since scored three times and added two assists in his last six league games.

Junior Firpo hailed Harrison as "one of the best" and it is not too surprising when you consider how much the winger helps out defensively with an average of 1.43 tackles per game this season (via FBref).

But now it is time for Harrison to continue his bright form in order to help the Whites stay afloat for the new campaign.

Chelsea are now interested in signing Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier, according to a report from Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Chelsea eyeing goalkeeper

With goalkeeper Edouard Mendy currently ‘not looking’ to sign a contract extension at Stamford Bridge, the Blues are eyeing a new option between the sticks, recently being linked with a move for Borussia Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel.

On a more long-term basis, Chelsea have been looking at a number of options with proven Premier League experience, including Brighton & Hove Albion shot-stopper Robert Sanchez, who at one point was deemed to be ‘high up on the list.’

At one stage, the west London club were said to have made contact with David Raya about a move across the capital, while Everton’s Jordan Pickford was also a target, but the Englishman has recently signed a new contract.

The Latest: Meslier targeted

As per a report from Football Insider, Chelsea have now joined the race to sign Meslier in the summer transfer window, amid interest in the £30m-rated goalkeeper from the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.

Graham Potter is said to have informed owner Todd Boehly that he would like a new goalkeeper in the summer, and the club believe they could sign the Leeds United star for a bargain fee if they are relegated from the Premier League.

Despite the high level of interest in the 23-year-old, the Blues are willing to outbid their rivals to secure his signature.

The Verdict: Get it done?

Lauded as ‘unbelievable’ by members of the media, the Frenchman is at the right age to be a long-term success at Stamford Bridge, and he has been one of Leeds’ most consistent performers in the Premier League so far this season.

With an average Sofascore mating of 6.89, the former Lorient man is the sixth-best performing player in the squad, most recently impressing by making a total of six saves from inside the box in his side’s vital 4-2 win away at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

That said, it is unclear whether the 6 foot 4 colossus would be an upgrade on Kepa Arrizabalaga, ranking far lower than the Spaniard in terms of average save percentage per 90 over the course of the past year.

Given that Kepa has been putting in some very good performances in recent weeks, recently making five saves, including three from inside the box in the 3-1 victory at Leicester City, Chelsea should continue to monitor the performances of their current goalkeeper before deciding if a summer replacement is really necessary.

Newcastle United have reportedly made an inquiry over the possibility of signing Robin Koch from Leeds United this summer.

The Lowdown: Standout performer

In what has proven to be a difficult season for Leeds so far, with the sacking of Jesse Marsch coupled up with them being just outside of the relegation zone in the Premier League, Koch has been one of their standout performers.

No other player in the Leeds side is averaging more clearances per game in the division than he is, while he also ranks highly among his team-mates for a number of other metrics (WhoScored).

The Latest: Newcastle inquiry

As per German news outlet Sport1, Newcastle ‘above all’ are ‘interested’ in signing Koch this summer, but he has also received ‘inquiries’ from the Bundesliga.

His contract at Elland Road is up in 2024, putting Leeds under pressure to cash in at the risk of him leaving as a free agent at the end of next season.

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The Verdict: Shrewd addition

Koch would certainly be a shrewd addition at St. James’ Park, given that he already boasts plenty of Premier League experience.

The six-foot-three colossus is also capable of playing in a number of defensive and even midfield positions, and so his extra versatility would be very useful in the squad.

At 26 years of age, the Magpies would be signing a player about to enter his prime, and so this seems like a smart deal to do if Eddie Howe really fancies the player.

Craig Hope has revealed that people inside Newcastle United see Loris Karius as worse than Karl Darlow and Martin Dubravka.

The Lowdown: Karius has one chance to impress

Karius’ career is largely remembered for a single game in the Champions League final for Liverpool when he made two major errors that eventually ended up costing them the European trophy.

However, he now ha the chance to rewrite his story and make people see him in a different light as he’s set to make his competitive Newcastle debut in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley due to Nick Pope’s suspension.

With Dubravka cup-tied due to his two appearances for Manchester United in the Carabao Cup earlier this season and Darlow was shipped out on loan to Hull City – where he’s yet to make an appearance – leaving just Karius and Mark Gillespie to fight for the number one shirt.

The Latest: A drop off in ability seems clear

Hope has insisted on the True Faith podcast that people within the club clearly view Karius as a worse keeper than both Dubravka and Darlow who is on the books of a League One club.

He said: (6:25) “People have turned around and said Karius is as good as Darlow but you’ve got to remember we speak to people behind the scenes and listen,  nobody is saying Karius is rubbish by all means, but people are saying to us that Karius is a clear fourth choice.

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“I think that Nick Pope is way better than Dubravka, I think that Dubravka is significantly better than Karl Darlow and now if Karl Darlow is better than Loris Karius, it doesn’t mean Karius is a bad goalkeeper but it tells you that you’ve gone from there [the top] to there [the bottom] and how can that not worry you.”

The Verdict: Newcastle must be at their very best

Newcastle likely head into the final on Sunday as underdogs given the calibre of players Man United will have on display and the stunning form they currently find themselves in under Erik ten Hag, but the Magpies will still back themselves.

The Magpies have already faced Man United once this season and they did manage to secure a 0-0 draw away at Old Trafford but with their fourth-choice keeper between the sticks their task has become so much more difficult.

Given the electric form of Marcus Rashford who will likely thrive on the big stage at Wembley, Karius will likely need to be at the very top of his game and pull off some top saves to even hand the Magpies a chance of causing an upset.

Leeds United must hire a progressive new boss to take them into the future…

What’s the latest?

Pete O’Rourke issued a claim on the Whites’ managerial search that has been ongoing since Jesse Marsch’s dismissal earlier this week.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the journalist offered a glowing endorsement for one of the names mentioned as his successor. He claimed:

“If he [Radrizzani, Leeds owner] sees Andoni [Iraola] as being the right man to take Leeds forward, he looks like an exciting young coach who has huge potential and obviously, it’s a gamble; he’s never managed in English football before.“

Having seemingly been snubbed by Carlos Corberan, who recently extended his contract at West Bromwich Albion, appointing Iraola could actually represent an upgrade on the young Spaniard due to his far greater experience at the top level.

That said, a deal might be tricky to negotiate with Fabrizio Romano claiming that he could in fact be set to stay at his current club, Rayo Vallecano.

He’s better than Corberan

Although the Baggies boss did seem like the natural fit to take the Elland Road hot seat, he must be admired for his commitment to finish what he has started in the Midlands.

Having taken over a side languishing in the relegation zone, he has quickly whipped them into promotion contenders with plenty of the Championship season to go.

Leeds are in need of a similar kickstart, but with no experience managing in any of Europe’s top five leagues, it could represent a large risk.

As a devout follower of Marcelo Bielsa, the closest he has come to such a job was assisting the Argentine in the Premier League before leaving for Huddersfield Town.

Now Victor Orta could turn his sights to another of his disciples, with Iraola boasting plenty of the same philosophies that made the 67-year-old so revered due to his time playing underneath him.

When discussing his journey into coaching, he mentioned the former Leeds boss by noting him as: “a coach, by the way, who I was lucky enough to work with at Athletic. And I say lucky because it was incredible to be with him.”

The Rayo Vallecano man employs an aggressive system which focuses heavily on using speed to counterattack with frightening precision.

But it is his unique pressing style that allows him to stand out, with his team offering a form of organised chaos that perhaps offers more defensive security than Bielsa had done.

Across his 118 games in management for the Spanish outfit, he boasts a 1.53 points per match average, which is remarkable for a team batting way above their average.

For comparison, although he has experienced relative success thus far in the Championship, Corberan can only muster 1.44 points per game from his 152 games in various jobs.

Despite having been around for slightly longer, this, partnered with the fact he is yet to manage in a league of note, suggests he might not have been as perfect as first thought.

It seems that the 40-year-old offers that little bit of extra experience, whilst his philosophy remains far more defined and amicable for the Leeds fans. As such, they must appoint Iraola.

Newcastle United could make a late offer for Sheffield United midfielder Sander Berge, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Berge attracting interest

Berge has been the subject of interest from numerous Premier League clubs, with Newcastle, Arsenal, Liverpool and Fulham all listed as potential suitors, although the latter club were at one stage said to be the most serious.

There have been conflicting reports about the Magpies’ interest in the midfielder, with Keith Downie claiming that they have made a loan-with-obligation offer, while Fabrizio Romano has suggested that it is ‘not advanced’.

The Latest: Gettable for Newcastle

In an interview with GIVEMESPORT, Jones claimed that the Norwegian being linked to so many clubs is an indication that a move to Newcastle could be possible before the deadline.

The journalist said:“The only real area, right now, that I would expect any movement at Newcastle is in central midfield.

“There could still be new options put on the table. Sander Berge, for example, has been touted around everywhere.

“It makes you think he is gettable and it wouldn’t surprise me if a late option like that was to come on the table and they might take it.”

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The Verdict: Get it done?

Hailed as a ‘Rolls-Royce’ by Sheffield United teammate Chris Basham, the 24-year-old has weighed in with a solid return from central midfield in the Championship this season, picking up four goals and three assists in 19 appearances.

The maestro has an international pedigree, making 32 caps for national side Norway, and he excels in a number of different areas, with an average of 0.23 non-penalty goals per 90 over the past year ranking him in the 96th percentile compared to other midfielders, while 1.54 dribbles places him in the 96th.

Given that Jonjo Shelvey has arrived at the City Ground to complete a move to Nottingham Forest, Eddie Howe needs another option in the engine room, and Berge has shown that he is ready for the step up to the Premier League.

Chelsea manager Graham Potter will know that victory against London rivals Crystal Palace this afternoon will be imperative, with securing three points are all that matters in the fight to climb back up the Premier League table.

Despite a lucrative £315m spending spree since the arrival of Todd Boehly as owner last year, the Blues have suffered an internal collapse, hardly helped by the barrage of injuries with which the club have been beset, leaving them in mid-table mediocrity.

Indeed, in tenth place and with a miserable seven defeats from the past ten matches, the west London outfit are falling into very dangerous territory and could see European qualification of any kind falling out of their reach.

Victory for Potter would put Chelsea on 28 points after 19 Premier League matches, and in order to bypass the resilience of Patrick Vieira’s Crystal Palace, stability and flair needs to be at the heart of proceedings.

To achieve this, Mason Mount’s performance will likely be crucial to the result, with his role as the Blues’ conductor and his creative ingenuity perhaps providing the spark, the definitive moment, which can finally stabilise the ship.

While Kai Havertz might retain his role as Chelsea’s centre-forward, it is Mount who might just be the offensive focal point in his team’s endeavours for success.

Having made 25 appearances this season, scoring three goals and supplying six assists, the “incredible” Mount – as dubbed by Joe Krishnan – has been a shining light in a lacklustre team, with his average Sofascore rating of 7.25 ranking him second among outfield Chelsea players in the current Premier League campaign.

Averaging 1.6 shots and 1.4 key passes per match, maintaining an 81% passing accuracy, completing 60% of his dribbles and winning 1.6 tackles per game, Mount’s all-encompassing work could indeed be the difference in a fixture that Chelsea simply must win.

As per FBref, Mount ranks within the top 5% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues over the past 12 months for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 2% for rate of assists, the top 5% for shot-creating actions and the top 1% for touches in the attacking penalty area. This all serves to highlight the threat that he offers in the final third.

His vibrancy is invaluable to Chelsea, and whenever the Blues rekindle the form required to get them on an upward trajectory once again, the 23-year-old will almost certainly be within the thick of the action.

With optimism fading, Potter must work his magic to inject some life back into his team, and against Palace, the foundation could be paved for a revival ahead of the business end of the season.

The “world-class” Mount, as dubbed by Sam Inkersole, will need to channel every ounce of his creative calibre today; without him, Chelsea might struggle to defeat even a Palace team in poor form. Potter simply must trust in the 23-year-old once again this afternoon.