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Worcestershire brushed aside their West Midlands neighbours, Birmingham Bears, with ease in a match that they will hope was as good as a quarter-final eliminator. Much has still to be decided in the final week, and Birmingham have the chance to turn the tables in the return derby at Edgbaston next Friday, but a heavy defeat such as this and a long list of absentees will not imbue them with confidence.Birmingham’s chances of a place in the last eight cannot be entirely discounted. They now trail Worcestershire by three points with two to play but Northants are also visitors to Edgbaston next weekend for the second of two home games which Birmingham hope might yet provide them with an escape route.But this was New Road, not Edgbaston, a ground where unwary batters of a romantic frame of mind might gaze blithely upon the Cathedral on a sunny evening and not spot the demons lurking beneath their feet. Birmingham utterly failed to come to terms with a low New Road surface as they surrendered to Ish Sodhi, a legspin bowler of proven pedigree, and the jaunty, but the less-feted, legspin of Brett D’Oliveira. Their combined figures of 7 for 39 in eight overs told their own story. D’Oliveira began the slide; Sodhi finished the job off.Only Ed Pollock, with by his standards a restrained half-century, formulated any response as Birmingham were dismissed for 125. His departure, for 53 from 35 balls, left Birmingham 101 for 6 after 13.4 overs and as good as ended the contest. The prolific Sam Hain, who had earlier been bowled in D’Oliveira’s first over, was defeated by lack of bounce, but his reckless race down the pitch to attempt a hit over long-on might have said to the England selectors “If you won’t even consider me for a B team, I might as well just start slogging it.”All over the country, as the group stage reaches its climax, Blast teams are being drawn together from whoever is available. Injuries and England calls (two squads no less) have meant a succession of changes with gaps being filled with untried youngsters, loan signings and whichever overseas player can make it through customs.Birmingham are as bereft as any side when it comes to absentees. Their latest setback was to lose Danny Briggs, the leading wicket-taker in Blast history, but a left-arm spinner whose England days had seemed to be behind him. They gave Ryan Sidebottom his first taste of T20 at the age of 31. If he arrived in first-class cricket fashionably late, he has come to T20 with the food long since served and people already planning a taxi home. Still, he now has his first wicket – Ross Whiteley, bowled on the pull.Worcestershire exist on meagre rations. They essentially pick the same top six every week. The rest have barely faced 100 balls all season – and they are 12 games in. If Moeen Ali is unavailable, as happened again here, the likelihood is that everybody just shuffles up one. That top six barely convinces, but everybody knows their role and an awkward square and a strong bowling hand, which includes not just Sodhi but their second overseas recruit, Ben Dwarshius, often gets them through.Their need is to post a competitive total. The opening pair of D’Oliveira and Riki Wessels, their biggest run-scorers this season, pretty much assured that with an opening stand of 70 in seven overs; their 64 in six was their highest Powerplay of the season. D’Oliveira revealed that he was on song with replica extra cover drives in Craig Miles’ first over and then responded to Sidebottom’s Championship length by planting him over his head for six.Will Rhodes, on his way to 4 for 34, removed both in successive overs – Wessels was bowled attempting the largest slog-sweep in history, D’Oliveira fell at midwicket for 45 from 25 balls. Then the match settled. Or rather, sunk, because Jake Libby is a rarity in T20, an under-powered and cirumspect batter who has found a side where such a limited approach is valued. T20 looks unnatural for him but Worcestershire make the best of it, and so make the best of him.At No. 3, Libby is scoring at a strike rate of only 106.55 – the lowest rate among the top 50 run-makers in the competition this season. As far as runs go, he is no better than 31st. He produced a classic Libby innings of 18 from 20 balls after the openers had given Worcestershire their best Powerplay return of the season: his only boundary coming from a full toss from the left-arm spinner, Jacob Bethell, which begged to be driven to the extra cover boundary. Seeking a second boundary as he slapped Miles low to deep midwicket, he fell to Sidebottom’s excellent diving catch.An energetic contribution from Ben Cox (43 from 28 balls) ensured Worcestershire achieved the 170-plus score their start demanded.At 81 for 2 at midway (Charlie Morris hitting the stumps to remove Adam Hose and Rhodes), Birmingham could not be discounted. But D’Oliveira changed the course of the game with three wickets in nine balls, following Hain’s unexpected foray down the pitch by bowling Matt Lamb and Michael Burgess. Then Sodhi took a hand. Pollock struck him over midwicket for six before skying the next ball to the wicketkeeper – a horrible leg-side slog at a wide one. Bethell, Rob Yates and Jake Lintott were rounded up in the same over as the Bears succumbed to desperation.

West Ham United needed a reset after David Moyes' reign came to an end before the summer. Julen Lopetegui was welcomed in his place as the London club's first head coach – as opposed to manager – emphasising the structural shift that is in line with much of modern football.

Technical director Tim Steidten has certainly succeeded in a show of ambition, with over £120m paid for a list of new first-teamers: Niclas Fullkrug has joined as the side's new centre-forward; last year's Championship MVP Crysencio Summerville adds electricity to the left flank; Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo have signed to shore up the leaky backline.

That's not an exhaustive list but the east Londoners still need a bit more fizz in attack; after losing their Premier League opener 2-1 on home turf against Aston Villa, such concerns have been heightened, and an exciting addition is being targetted.

Who West Ham could still sign

Lopetegui is keen on landing a new midfielder to improve the fluency and attacking impetus. According to a recent report from The Guardian, Paris Saint-Germain's Carlos Soler has been earmarked as the perfect addition.

Given that Soler, a fine playmaker with an eye for goal, would join on a loan spell with an obligation to buy, there could be shades of Jesse Lingard about the potential deal, with the former England international enjoying a cult-status spell of success at the club.

Before such exciting thoughts can be realised, though, Steidten needs to engineer a couple of departures, and failure to do so would end the pursuit.

Who West Ham could sell

The most obvious player to free from the books would be Danny Ings, who is one of the highest earners while having scored only four goals across 53 appearances.

1.

Jarrod Bowen

£150k-per-week

2.

Lucas Paqueta

£150k-per-week

3.

Danny Ings

£125k-per-week

3.

Kurt Zouma

£125k-per-week

5.

Alphonse Areola

£120k-per-week

Ings, who is 32 years old, has entered the final year of his Irons contract and is being pushed toward the exit. The transfer window invariably heats up at the final stage and he could definitely be plying his trade elsewhere come September.

James Ward-Prowse has also been linked with a surprise exit, one year on from his £30m transfer from Southampton. The Times have named the free-kick specialist one of the most likely to be sold, and Soler would be a more dynamic and fully-packaged replacement.

Why West Ham have to get the deal done

Ward-Prowse enjoyed a decent campaign with West Ham, scoring seven goals and supplying 12 assists across all competitions, but while his set-piece ability is top-notch, he has faced criticism for his overall performances.

Soler, conversely, has been described as the "complete midfielder" by former Valencia player Curro Torres in the past, for his influence across the park speaks of a skillset that would survive the rigours of the Premier League.

Goals scored

0.17

Top 13%

Assists made

0.17

Top 19%

Passes attempted

63.51

Top 19%

Progressive passes

6.10

Top 24%

Touches (att pen)

2.59

Top 7%

Despite only starting 12 Ligue 1 matches last season, the Spaniard maintained a good rate of goals and assists, and with a more important role at the London Stadium, he might even prove to be Lopetegui's own version of the aforementioned Lingard.

Lingard's career form has definitely ebbed and flowed, with the 31-year-old enjoying significant moments of success at Manchester United but also spending plenty of time on the periphery, but inarguably his most potent period came when he joined Moyes' West Ham side on loan.

A deal was struck in January 2021. Moyes reunited with Lingard following his Red Devils days and optimism was perhaps tentative after a protracted period of inactivity under Ole Gunnar Solskjær. Few envisaged what was to come.

Pundit Trevor Sinclair hailed his "outstanding" resurgence as he found his Midas touch and wreaked havoc for the fast-improving Hammers, with his haul crucial for the side's sixth-place Premier League finish and consequent Europa League qualification.

As per Sofascore, Lingard's sojourn in the capital reaped prolific rewards, having bagged nine goals and provided four more across only 16 matches.

Alternating between central striking and wide-flanking roles, the dynamo also completed 84% of his passes and averaged 1.1 key passes per game.

It's for this reason that West Ham might be interested in striking a deal that would repeat the feat. Soler is itching for a chance to restore his status and he will have every confidence that he has the requisite skills to grow into his skin as one of the Premier League club's main men.

Soler, for example, plundered 11 goals and supplied five more assists across the 2021/22 campaign in La Liga, his last before signing for PSG.

Valencia's creative star also averaged 1.7 key passes per game and won 54% of his ground duels, backing up Torres' earlier-mentioned claims that he is indeed the 'complete midfielder'.

He would be unlikely to perform in the same kind of advanced position. The 27-year-old is dynamic and positionally pliable, but Lopetegui could recreate the success that his predecessor found – perhaps this time succeeding in tying down the talent in question to a permanent deal.

Therefore, it would appear crucial that Lopetegui gets his wish and lands Soler to add impetus to the midfield. While the squad is well-stocked with talents such as Ward-Prowse, he's seemingly considered expendable and his sale would allow the club to turn a profit while further shaping Lopetegui's design.

West Ham can land instant Summerville competition with £25m signing

West Ham could sign yet another exciting attacker

ByConnor Holden Aug 22, 2024

Plymouth Argyle are battling against relegation in the Championship and manager Wayne Rooney has opened up on the club's January transfer plans.

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Plymouth Argyle struggling under Wayne RooneyRooney opens up on January transfer plansMan Utd legend's job could be under imminent threatFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

Plymouth Argyle have been struggling to find form under Rooney this season, as the Pilgrims sit 23rd in the Championship standings. The Manchester United legend's side have struggled to score goals, with just 19 recorded in 20 games, the joint-lowest in the league. As such, it has been speculated that Plymouth may look to bring in more attacking options during the winter window, and Rooney has now revealed the Pilgrims' plans.

AdvertisementWHAT ROONEY SAID

When asked about the January transfer window, Rooney told reporters: “We know where we are at. We have got targets we want to bring in but it’s not always easy in January. For me, the most important thing is getting the four [injured] players back. That’s the main thing for me."

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Later in the media conference, Rooney was pressed further about plans for the January transfer window and who the Pilgrims have marked as targets. The Manchester United legend responded: “If we can get a couple, 2-3 players in, that will help as well. We are always looking. The game is both boxes so if we can tighten up at the back and have players available or bring players in to score more goals, that will give everyone a boost.”

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WHAT NEXT FOR ROONEY?

The Plymouth boss' future at Home Park has been cast into doubt over the last few weeks, and if their lull continues, Rooney's job may be under imminent threat. The Pilgrims will be in action again when they take on Middlesbrough on Saturday, December 21.

Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has told fans to expect more "unpopular decisions" as he bids to restore the club to its former glory.

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Co-owner criticises way club was previously runINEOS have made many big decisions in last yearSays recruitment must continue to improveFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Ratcliffe is approaching the one year anniversary of his INEOS firm purchasing a 27.7 percent stake in the club. He has made huge changes, including overhauling the club's board of directors and sacking coach Erik ten Hag, replacing him with Ruben Amorim. He has also made unpopular calls, such as making 250 staff members redundant, ending Sir Alex Ferguson's ambassadorial role and most recently hiking ticket prices in the middle of the season.

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But he has claimed tough decisions were needed to end a decade of stagnation since Ferguson's departure in 2013, taking aim at how the club was run before he took the reins last year. He said the club was way behind its rivals when it came to recruitment and data analysis.

WHAT RATCLIFFE SAID

"We have to make some difficult and unpopular decisions. If you shy away from the difficult decisions then nothing much is going to change," Ratcliffe said in an interview with the fanzine, via "We still have a long way to go and we still have a number of difficult decisions to make but we have to do that for the better. The club has drifted for a long period of time, a decade or so. Manchester United has become mediocre. It’s not elite and it is supposed to be one of the best football clubs in the world. That’s what it used to be under Alex."

He added: "We’ve not been good enough at recruitment. And until we’re as good as anyone in the world, then it’s not good enough for Manchester United We must have the best recruitment in the world. Data Analysis comes alongside recruitment. It doesn’t really exist here. We’re still in the last century on data analysis here. There’s an immense amount of useful data that we can get from data analysis and we’re in the ‘very poor’ bracket with data analysis here. These things don’t happen overnight. You can’t just flick a light switch and sort out recruitment. It’s all about people and we need to find the right people."

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DID YOU KNOW?

Ratcliffe also appeared to defend the decision to sack 250 people earlier this year. "The other big one is we need to run the club efficiently and well. We need to sweat every pound so that we have more capacity for the investment in players. Those are the big-ticket items which take up time. The other point here is how you grow the amount of money that you can spend on players. You can run the business more efficiently. And you can grow the top line."

‘He’s our number one batsman, he’s done it before, he’s paid for his mistakes’

Reuters and ESPNcricinfo staff06-Mar-2021

Whether Steven Smith leads Australia again continues to be a topic of debate•Getty Images

Usman Khawaja has called for Steven Smith to be given the captaincy of Australia’s Test side once Tim Paine’s tenure is over if he covets the role.Smith, who led the team for nearly three years, was stripped of the captaincy and banned from leadership roles for two years in the wake of the Newlands ball-tampering scandal in 2018.Smith’s leadership ban expired last March but he has since been overlooked for roles in the Test and white-ball teams.”If Steve Smith wants to captain Australia, I think he should captain Australia,” Queensland captain Khawaja told reporters in Brisbane on Friday.”He’s our number one batsman, he’s done it before, he’s paid for his mistakes, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be in line for the captaincy if wants to do it.”Paine succeeded Smith as captain and led Australia to their Ashes triumph in England in 2019 and briefly the top of the Test rankingsBut his leadership was criticised at times during the series against India and Australia’s 2-1 loss on home soil against the injury-ravaged tourists turned the spotlight on him although national selector Trevor Hohns said his position was “never in question.”Fast bowler Pat Cummins is vice-captain of the Test team and Marnus Labuschagne is regarded by some as a candidate for the captaincy despite no experience at professional level. Cummins has recently been made captain of the New South Wales one-day side.Smith, who won a third Allan Border Medal as the country’s top male cricketer, said last month the captaincy was “not on [his] radar” and the decision was out of his hands.Various people have talked of a “process” that needs to be gone through before Smith can be considered for the role again.Paine recently said he was sure Smith would like another crack at the job. “There’s no doubt he would like to do it, I think, but we’ll just wait and see what happens in the next six to 12 months,” he told SEN radio. “One of the things we’re trying to do is develop more leaders in our team and Steve Smith is certainly one of those.”Unless England win the final Test against India to level the series, which would allow Australia to sneak into the World Test Championship final, they will not play Test cricket again until the end of the year following the postponement of the South Africa tour.

Arsenal, led by sporting director Edu Gaspar, have agreed to pay £86 million to sign a very in-form forward for manager Mikel Arteta, according to a report this week.

Edu and Arteta targeting four key signings for Arsenal

According to some reports, Arsenal are targeting four key signings before the summer window deadline on August 30 – coming in the form of a new goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and forward.

"Special" Arsenal player agrees to leave as West Ham chase quick deal

They want it done this week.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 18, 2024

As talks remain ongoing over a deal for Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori, as widely reported, a large section of supporters are especially keen to see a talismanic new striker come through the door at London Colney.

A goalscoring out-and-out centre-forward has long been seen by many critics as the final missing piece of Arteta's jigsaw. Arsenal were heavily linked with a move for Brentford star Ivan Toney to fill the role last summer, but murmurs of a move for the England international have since cooled.

Bukayo Saka

20

Leandro Trossard

17

Kai Havertz

14

Martin Odegaard

11

Gabriel Jesus

8

While their fondness for Toney appears to have waned, the north Londoners are still believed to be in the market for a new striker if the right opportunity presents itself.

Arteta is rumoured to be a fan of Ajax striker Brian Brobbey as a possible alternative to Gabriel Jesus, while more marquee options like Napoli star Victor Osimhen have been mentioned in parts as well.

Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz bagged a brilliant 51 goals between them in all competitions last season, but Arteta apparently wants a striking partner for Havertz going forward next season.

Arsenal made a good proposal to RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko to fill the role earlier this window, but Edu and co were met with a swift rejection as the Slovenia international chose to stay in the Bundesliga and further his development at his current club.

There are other opportunities for Arsenal in the market, but they may have to invest heavily, with an interesting report now claiming they're willing to do just that.

Arsenal agree to pay £86 million to sign Viktor Gyokeres

As per Leonino, via Standard Sport [17/07/2024, 07:00], Sporting Lisbon star Viktor Gyokeres remains on Arsenal's wanted list after being heavily linked earlier this year.

It is now claimed that Arsenal have agreed to pay Sporting £86 million to sign Gyokeres, which is believed to be the value of his release clause. The Swede, called "unplayable" by former Coventry City teammate Maxime Biamou, scored a phenomenal 43 goals in 50 appearances across all competitions last season.

Gyokeres bagged a further 15 assists as well, totalling 58 goal contributions over what was a truly exceptional debut season in Portugal. There is a growing clamor for his services as a result, and it will be interesting to see if this report comes to fruition as Edu looks to end the club's long search for a new vocal point up front.

Every ODI is important in Bangladesh’s road to qualification for the 2023 World Cup. This is what new ODI captain Tamim Iqbal believes. Bangladesh will start their ODI Super League campaign against West Indies on Wednesday, with the top eight teams (including hosts India) set to qualify automatically for the showpiece event.Bangladesh were in danger of not qualifying directly for the 2019 World Cup, but series wins at home over South Africa, India and Pakistan in 2015 helped them enter the top eight of the ICC ODI rankings.This time around, they take on West Indies, New Zealand and England (all in 2021), along with Afghanistan and South Africa (in 2022) in three-match bouts in the road to the World Cup. They were to play Ireland and Sri Lanka, but both the tours were postponed due to covid-19.”We are likely to play 27 or 28 ODIs from now till the start of the 2023 World Cup and the points system have made every game important for us,” Tamim said. “These are not your usual series that it doesn’t matter if you lose. Every game is important to qualify for the World Cup. We would like to ensure that we don’t have to play the qualifying tournament, and we remain in top eight. It doesn’t matter what team we are playing, we will only work with what we have under our control.”Tamim, who was named captain last March during a BCB board meeting, has had to sit out for nine months like the rest of the Bangladesh players, due to the pandemic cancelling or postponing a majority of their assignments. His full-time captaincy was supposed to begin in Ireland last May, but in the absence of international cricket, he led the teams he played for in the BCB President’s Cup and Bangabandhu T20 Cup.”I think it is a bit of an advantage that I led two sides before starting off my international captaincy,” he said. “We missed several series unfortunately due to the pandemic. Both the tournaments were quite hard for me, and that’s when you learn a lot. If I have done well, I know what to take forward.”I think my style of captaincy will grow with time. I think the time and the situation in front of me, will tell me which way I should be going. Sometimes you have to think defensively or even at times you have to think over-aggressively.”A veteran of 345 internationals spanning 13 years, Tamim wants to try and understand which of his players would require him by their side, and which of them needs space. “Mashrafe bhai has done a lot for the team, no doubt. I will try to give my best,” he said. “I will try to lead the way I can. Some individuals need me to speak to them, while others like to have their own space. You have to know who you are dealing with, and act accordingly.”Tamim said that he was aware of the baggage that comes with leading an international side, particularly the criticism that could come his way. “I don’t think many cricketers in Bangladesh have heard as much criticism as I have, some necessary and some unnecessary criticism,” he said. “I am prepared for it. When you accept captaincy, you have to accept what comes with it. There will be both criticism and praise.”The most important thing for me is whether I am enjoying the role or not. At the moment, I am in a good headspace. I am excited about the game tomorrow, but it is also important to see how I react three or four months, or a year from now. I am ready for everything, whether it is criticism or praise.”

Hosts England and six other top-ranked teams on the ICC women’s T20I rankings will gain automatic qualification for the 2022 Commonwealth Games. April 1, 2021 is the cut-off date for the rankings.The final team taking part in the eight-team event will be decided via a Qualifier, for which the format and details are yet to be finalised. The deadline for the Qualifier is January 31, 2022.If West Indies finish among the automatic qualifiers, the Caribbean nation that takes part in the games will be the winner of the 2021 T20 Blaze domestic competition.”Cricket at the Commonwealth Games is a fantastic opportunity for us to continue to grow the women’s game globally,” Manu Sawhney, the ICC’s chief executive, said while announcing the qualifying pathway on Wednesday. “We are committed to accelerating this growth and maintaining the momentum we have created over the past few years, which most recently saw 86,174 fans packed into the MCG for the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020.”I thank the Commonwealth Games Federation for their support and for making this possible. We share with them the vision of greater equality, fairness and opportunity in sport and I am sure Birmingham 2022 will go a long way towards us achieving our common objectives.”The Commonwealth Games, which are set to be held in Birmingham from July 28 to August 8, 2022, will include women’s cricket for the first time, and cricket for only the second time after a men’s 50-over event at the 1998 CWG in Kuala Lumpur. South Africa, captained by Shaun Pollock, took home gold by beating the Steve-Waugh-led Australia in the final.”We are absolutely delighted to have women’s T20 cricket debut at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games,” said Dame Louise Martin, the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) president. “Cricket has always been one of the Commonwealth’s most popular sports and it is so special to have it back at our Games for the first time since the men’s competition at Kuala Lumpur 1998, where true greats of the game including Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis and Sachin Tendulkar were on show.”Now is the turn of the women and I can’t wait to see the next generation of stars like Heather Knight, Harmanpreet Kaur and Meg Lanning take centre stage.”Birmingham 2022 will be a fantastic showcase for the women’s game and the unveiling of the qualification criteria today is an exciting and important milestone as we head towards what will be a spectacular competition at the iconic Edgbaston Stadium.”

Udana, Russell three-wicket hauls in vain for Angelo Mathews’ side

Madushka Balasuriya01-Dec-2020
How the game played out
The Dambulla Viiking served up the first real outstanding bowling performance of the LPL, as their army of spinners utterly neutralised the big-hitting Colombo Kings on their way to an impressive 28-run win.Each of the six bowlers used by the Viiking picked up a wicket, though the standouts were undoubtedly the spin contingent of Samit Patel, Malinda Pushpakumara, Sachindu Colombage and Pulina Tharanga, who picked up seven wickets amongst them.The latter two had been drafted in as part of four changes, alongside Anwar Ali and Angelo Perera, from the team that had lost to the Jaffna Stallions less than 24 hours prior. Out went Ramesh Mendis and the pace trio of Lahiru Kumara, Lahiru Madushanka and Aftab Alam – the latter, in fact, might’ve been rather aggrieved considering his excellent display with the ball the previous night.But the Viiking clearly had a plan, as the spinners throttled a Kings line-up containing the likes of Andre Russell and Isuru Udana, as no Kings batsman, aside from Laurie Evans who hit a 33-ball 59, managed to score more than 20 runs. Incredibly, No.10 Dushmantha Chameera was the second-highest scorer in the innings with 17.At the halfway mark, though, the Kings would have fancied their chances, having limited the Viiking to 175 for 9. That the Viiking had even got so much was largely down to their captain Dasun Shanaka, who once again was required to deal with a top-order collapse after both Niroshan Dickwella and Paul Stirling fell cheaply.Stars of the day
Early wickets followed by a middle-order recovery is starting to be a Viiking template of sorts this LPL, and lucky for them they have one of the tournament’s in-form batsman in Shanaka to help them execute it. For the third time in as many games, Shanaka was required to undertake the bulk of Viiking scoring responsibility, and he happily obliged – aided by cameos from Upul Tharanga, Patel and Perera – on his way to a 34-ball 56.Pushpakumara has toiled in the domestic circuit for pretty much his entire career with barely a sniff of Sri Lanka’s national side – mainly thanks to the longevity of a certain Rangana Herath. However, today he showed why he’s picked up nearly 800 first-class wickets, as he showcased his game nous and guile, expertly varying his pace and trajectory on his way to figures of 2 for 19, including the scalp of the dangerous Udana.In the Kings’ opening game Udana showed his game-changing qualities with the bat, today he turned up with the ball. Ending with figures of 3 for 25, his four overs were full of subtle variations, while time and again proving to be the man Angelo Mathews turns to when he needs a breakthrough. While in the end his efforts were in vain, he along with Russell managed to stifle Shanaka just as the Viiking captain would have been looking to unleash.Turning point
There’s a reason why the Kings were favourites at the halfway mark – that reason is Russell. Enter 22 year-old Colombage, with just 14 List A games to his name. The young legspinner ended with figures of 1 for 28 after three overs, but he’ll not soon forget the feeling of having Dre Russ caught in the deep. It was at this point the Viiking players would have genuinely started to feel the game was within their reach.Where the teams stand
For the Kings this is a first loss, and possibly a reality-check after an unblemished record over their first two games. But for the Viiking this win was rather more important, and will help erase the memories of the bowling disaster-class against Thisara Perera the previous night. Both teams are on four points now, alongside the Stallions, who have played a game less.

يترقب عشاق ومتابعو كرة السلة، مباراة هامة وقوية بين الأهلي والاتحاد السكندري، اليوم الإثنين، في نهائي دوري المرتبط.

مباراة الأهلي والاتحاد السكندري، من المقرر إقامتها في نهائي دوري المرتبط لكرة السلة على صالة استاد القاهرة الدولي.

اتحاد السلة يكشف لـ”بطولات” عقوبة عمرو الجندي بعد أحداث مباراة الأهلي والزمالك

ويقام نهائي دوري المرتبط لكرة السلة بنظام الذهاب والإياب، على أن تقام في كل مواجهة مباراتين بين فريقي الشباب والأول.

الجدير بالذكر، أن مباراة الإياب بين الأهلي والاتحاد السكندري ستقام يوم الأربعاء الموافق 25 ديسمبر الجاري.

وكان الأهلي قد تأهل للدور النهائي على حساب الغريم التقليدي الزمالك، فيما صعد الاتحاد بفوز على سبورتنج.

ومن المنتظر أن تقام مباريات الأهلي والاتحاد السكندري، بحضور 2000 مشجع بواقع 1000 لكل فريق. موعد مباراة الأهلي والاتحاد السكندري لكرة السلة

وتنطلق مباراة الأهلي والاتحاد السكندري في تمام الساعة 5:30 (فريق الشباب) اليوم الإثنين، والساعة 8:30 الفريق الأول. القناة الناقلة لمباراة الأهلي والاتحاد السكندري اليوم

وتذاع مباراة الأهلي والاتحاد السكندري عبر فضائية “أون تايم سبورتس 2”. معلق مباراة الأهلي والاتحاد السكندري

وأسندت شبكة قنوات “أون تايم سبورتس” مهمة نقل أحداث وفعاليات المباراة للمعلق وليد أبو سريع.