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Perry had earlier batted through the Sixers innings making 54 not out, taken a key wicket, made a crucial run out and held a vital catch before bowling the final over that saw the match end in a tie

The Report by Alex Malcolm19-Jan-2019

Ellyse Perry prepares to go aerial•Getty Images

Super over
Is there anything Ellyse Perry can’t do?A stunning six in a Super Over saw the Sydney Sixers keep the dream of three consecutive titles alive scraping past the Melbourne Renegades in a remarkable game. They will face the Brisbane Heat in the WBBL final next Saturday following a day of heart-stopping semi-finals at the Drummoyne Oval in Sydney.Perry had earlier batted through the Sixers innings making 54 not out, taken a key wicket, made a crucial run-out and held a vital catch before bowling the final over that saw the match end in a tie. And after all of that, she clubbed Molly Strano for six off the fourth ball of the Super Over to win the game.Strano only had six runs to play with after Sixers pacer Marizanne Kapp had held the Renegades to four singles and a two.The Super Over was an anti-climax compared to the chaotic final ball sequence in the Renegades chase.Sophie Molineux, on 53 having controlled the chase magnificently, faced Perry needing three runs to win off the final ball. Molineux carved it just over backward point’s head. Erin Burns sprinted from deep cover-point to make a remarkable diving save to prevent the boundary. Sarah Aley was there in support to fire the throw to the keeper’s end. Molineux’s partner Claire Koski made her ground coming back for three but Molineux had been slower covering the ground. Alyssa Healy ripped her glove off, gathered Aley’s throw and fired to the non-striker’s and delivered a direct hit to catch a diving Molineux short to leave scores tied.Ellyse Perry celebrates Sophie Molineux’s run-out•Getty Images

Healy produced another direct hit run-out in Kapp’s excellent Super Over. Kapp found Dani Wyatt’s outside edge with a slower ball but the nick fell just short of Healy. Wyatt went to run but was sent back, only to be run out by Healy’s accurate underarm.Molineux’s remarkable innings was in vain. She made 55 off 54 balls only to be just inches short of winning the game. Her innings was even more special given the Renegades had slumped to 3 for 19 chasing 132. But she got superb support from Jess Duffin who made a vital 41 from 34 balls. But after Duffin and Courtney Webb fell, the Renegades needed 45 from the final four overs. Koski clubbed 19 from 14 to aid Molineux but left her needing 13 from the last over. Molineux struck a boundary first ball, but Burns’ save denied her a boundary off the last to save the game for the Sixers.Earlier, Perry and Dane van Niekerk saved the Sixers blushes with the bat with an unbeaten 98-run stand to set the Renegades a stiff target. The Sixers looked in a world of trouble losing three wickets in the Powerplay and slumping to 4 for 33 in the ninth over.Healy fell in the third over with only eight runs on the board, swiping a slog sweep straight down the throat of Wyatt at deep midwicket off Molineux. It was the fifth time in WBBL Healy fell to Molineux’s left-arm orthodox.Amy Satterthwaite’s bold move to place herself at slip to Lea Tahuhu paid immediate dividends, with the captain pouching a low catch from Ashleigh Gardner’s outside edge. Burns was run out after a horror mix-up with Perry before Sara McGlashan chipped a simple catch to cover-point off Georgia Wareham.Perry, in the form of her life, had struck her first ball for four but really struggled for fluency thereafter. Van Niekerk’s vast experience provided the perfect foil. Despite the horror scenario, the pair didn’t panic. They rotated the strike comfortably and ticked the scoreboard over without taking undue risks during a six-over rebuild. They then unleashed late. Perry reached her eighth score of 50 or more for the tournament. Van Niekerk’s 51 not out from 36 balls was even more valuable. The South African struck three fours and a six in the last three overs which proved pivotal in the end.

Chelsea face Manchester City this weekend in a huge Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge, and Fabrizio Romano has now shared some major injury news ahead of the fixture.

Chelsea's injury struggles….

Like many sides this term, Chelsea have had to face the unwanted reality of injury struggles, which at times have forced Mauricio Pochettino's hand regarding team selection. Carney Chukwuemeka, Ben Chilwell, Trevoh Chalobah and Romeo Lavia have been among some of the more long-term absentees at Stamford Bridge. At the same time, Armando Broja has continually had to deal with injury niggles this campaign, leaving Nicolas Jackson to lead the line alone for much of this season, as per Football London.

Nevertheless, Romano has taken to social media platform X to issue some positive news surrounding summer signing Lavia, who joined Chelsea for a fee in the region of £58 million from Southampton in August, as cited by Sky Sports.

Explaining when Lavia could potentially return to contention, Romano shared quotes from Blues manager Pochettino on the Belgium international, which read: "Roméo Lavia, close to returning as he was training today. Hopefully next week he will be involved with the team, then assess when he can help the team."

Of course, the congestion around the Christmas period will require squad rotation as players are required to participate in a large number of fixtures within a relatively short space of time. Chelsea captain Reece James has recently made his return to first-team action, providing a major boost in SW6 as the Blues aim to climb the Premier League table.

Despite this, James asked to be left out of Gareth Southgate's Three Lions squad for their upcoming double-header against Malta and North Macedonia in EURO 2024 qualifying, which is something the former Middlesbrough boss has implied could count against him when he selects his squad to compete at the tournament proper next summer in Germany.

Now, another major Chelsea injury update has become apparent as their clash against Manchester City on Sunday at Stamford Bridge draws closer.

Christopher Nkunku injury update

Once again taking to social media platform X, Romano has confirmed that Chelsea attacker Christopher Nkunku is set to miss the clash against Manchester City.

Christopher Nkunku statistics for RB Leipzig – all competitions (Transfermarkt)
Appearances	172
Goals	70
Assists	56

However, the Italian journalist has also revealed a promising timeline for Nkunku's return from his injury struggles, as he stated: "Chelsea confirm Christopher Nkunku’s absence for Man City game — sources expect him back beginning of December."

Much anticipation surrounded Nkunku's arrival at Chelsea. Nevertheless, his struggles with a significant knee issue have curtailed any hope of seeing the France international turning out at Stamford Bridge thus far.

Judging from his performances in 2022/23, it is clear that Nkunku is a distinguished attacking force that will be a major asset to Chelsea when he pulls on the blue jersey, given that he averaged three shots, 1.6 key passes and 1.5 completed dribbles per match in the Bundesliga (Nkunku statistics – WhoScored).

For now, at least, Chelsea fans will need to wait a little while longer before Pochettino is able to unleash Nkunku at Stamford Bridge.

Fast bowler believes he is one of five bowlers vying for a single spot in squad, as countdown continues to showpiece tournament

George Dobell in Colombo22-Oct-2018

Mark Wood in training during England’s tour of Sri Lanka•Getty Images

Mark Wood admits he is battling “against the clock” if he is to win a spot in England’s World Cup side.Wood returns to the England side for the final ODI against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Tuesday but, having not played a game in the series to date, fears he may have fallen behind several others in the race for selection.Now, with only one more ODI series to come (the five-match series in the Caribbean in February and March) before England pick their World Cup squad, he feels he is one of five men competing to complete the 15-man party.”In my mind, there’s one spot in the squad for five of us,” Wood said. “Liam Plunkett is going to play: he’s been our best bowler for a while. Chris Woakes has been so consistent. He is a great bowler and he is going to take the new ball. And Ben Stokes balances the team.”So you’ve got one spot between me, Tom Curran, who feels he has got his slower ball back, Olly Stone, who bowls rockets and is ahead of me at the moment, Sam Curran, who can bat, and David Willey, who had a good summer. We’re all probably vying for that one spot.”It’s hard to disagree with Wood’s assessment. With England’s tactic of playing two spinners in most circumstances working well for them, and the management understandably keen to have some left-arm variation – provided by either Sam Curran or Willey – in their attack, it may well prove that Wood is now an outside bet for that final place.With the World Cup having been a focal point of England’s cricket for the last four years – and Wood having been a regular part of the ODI side in that period – it would heart-breaking to miss out at this stage. As a result he is hoping to improve his game in the final months before the tournament, both by lengthening his run-up in order to avoid some of the stress he puts on his body and by developing a new slower ball.”It can be frustrating when you are just on the outside with a World Cup around the corner,” he said. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have one eye on that. I know that, if I don’t do well here, I am one tour away from not making that World Cup squad. And that’s something we’ve been building up to for over four years. Ever since the last one. So I’ve got to do the business.””I’ve managed to swing the new ball out here so that has been a plus. And I have been trying to work on a few new slower balls. I feel I can get better with a few slower balls.”But I’m against the clock a little bit. Everyone is fighting for that one spot so it is not like I can keep working on a slower ball for the next three years.”While such competition for place could disturb the equilibrium in the squad, Wood insists it will not be allowed to do so in this England camp. With Eoin Morgan having confirmed he would drop himself from the team if his form was not up to scratch – he may rest himself on Tuesday to provide opportunity elsewhere – the mood in the camp is, Wood says, selfless and positive.”We’re one team,” he said. “We’re all together. I want my friends to do well. I’m an England fan and I want England to win.”You don’t win nine series on the bounce [a statistic that excludes the one-off defeat against Scotland]. It’s good to have healthy competition without being all bitter or sour. That doesn’t help anyone. And I don’t think Eoin Morgan would have you around if you weren’t behind the team.”Some of the net sessions have been pretty hairy as all the bowlers have been charging in trying to get a spot in the side. I’ve just got to prove myself and get better. And if I can do that, hopefully I should get my spot back.”Meanwhile Chris Jordan, who has recently arrived in Sri Lanka, trained with the squad on Tuesday. Jordan has been added to the squad with a view to playing in the one-off T20I match that follows the ODI series.But while Jordan took part in the warm-up football, there was no sign at training of Jonny Bairstow. Bairstow’s ankle injury remains a concern and it is doubtful that he will be fit to play in the first Test.England may well call up Ben Foakes, the uncapped Surrey keeper, within the next day or two. Olly Stone and Joe Denly, who could make his first ODI appearance this decade on Tuesday, also sat out the football section of training.

Celtic return to action in the Scottish Premiership this afternoon as they take on Aberdeen at Parkhead ahead of the November international break.

The Hoops head into this match in need of a reaction after their dismal 6-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

Brendan Rodgers' side were ripped to shreds by the Spanish giants, with an early red card for Daizen Maeda not helping their cause, and they now have an opportunity to pick up a positive result before players head away with their respective countries.

One change the Northern Irish head coach must make to the starting XI that lined up in Spain is to ditch Kyogo Furuhashi and unleash Hyeon-Gyu Oh in his place.

Kyogo's performance against Atletico in numbers

The Japan international produced a woeful display on Tuesday as he failed to impose himself on the match to help Celtic cause problems at the other end of the pitch.

As per Sofascore, Kyogo played 61 minutes of the 6-0 defeat and only had eight touches of the ball in total. With those touches, the forward failed to complete a single pass – with one attempted – and lost three of his four physical duels.

Unfortunately, that was not a new issue for the Hoops lightweight as he has now gone four matches without a goal in all competitions for the Hoops.

He also only completed three passes and failed to create any chances for his teammates – along with zero goals – in his last two Premiership starts.

The statistics that show why Oh should start

Meanwhile, Oh stepped up off the bench against Atletico and showed some fight during the second half by winning six of his eight duels and completing two passes.

The South Korea international started and played the full 90 minutes against Ross County last time out in the Premiership and showed signs of what he is capable of.

Sofascore rating

7.5

Shots

Six

Goals

Zero

Chances created

Three

Duels won

Eight

Passes completed

18

As you can see in the table above, Oh was constantly involved in the match by winning duels, making passes, creating chances, and taking shots at the opposition goal.

He was not rewarded with a goal or an assist for his efforts but did manage to pop up with a winning goal off the bench against St. Mirren in the previous league match.

The 22-year-old dynamo, who was once dubbed an "improving" talent by South Korean hero Jung-won Seo, has only started one league game for the Hoops this season and his recent performance suggest that he deserves more time on the pitch.

Oh, who scored six goals in 16 league outings last term for the Bhoys, has shown that he has the ability and physicality to be a constant nuisance to opposition defenders. Whereas, Kyogo's recent displays have left a lot to be desired in terms of his impact, or lack thereof, in and out of possession as a number nine.

This is why Rodgers must ditch the Japan international, who made zero passes in midweek, in favour of the 6 foot 1 centre-forward against Aberdeen today.

Tottenham Hotspur may have enjoyed a largely proficient summer transfer window, but there remain numerous key positions that could use some strengthening…

Who could Spurs sign in January?

It already seems like Ange Postecoglou, buoyed by his blistering start to life in the Premier League, now has his sights set on the January transfer window, seeking to build upon the fine foundation already built.

As such, it could mark an ample opportunity to begin reinvesting the £100m gained from Harry Kane's sale, perhaps into a striking replacement to put Richarlison out of his misery and return Heung-min Son to his natural role.

That's according to Italian outlet La Repubblica, who suggest that €50m (£43m) of those funds could be spent on tempting Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez to join their revolution.

Having spent much of last window reportedly trying to snag the Mexican, it seems his continued form has caught the eye of others now, with Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund all reportedly interested.

How good is Santiago Gimenez?

Having enjoyed a solid stint in his homeland, the 22-year-old marksman would move to the Eredivisie after a modest nine goals across all competitions for CD Cruz Azul.

However, it seems that a switch to the Netherlands has already proved fruitful, as his pacey and powerful play style allowed him to crash home an impressive 15 goals in the league, and a total of 28 across all competitions.

What makes this even more exciting is that the 6 foot finisher has started the new term in even more blistering fashion, having scored 12 in eight league games, poised to easily surpass last year's tally.

Such form simply had to gain adulation, with former Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt leading the praise: "He's standing here among the defenders again and he's really fast. Watching the goalkeeper before he shoots, the halftime… In my opinion he is currently the best striker in the Eredivisie."

To pair him with James Maddison, who has enjoyed an outstanding start to life in N17 as well, and these two could strike up an instant partnership to help propel Spurs to the unthinkable in the final six months of the season.

After all, the England international already boasts two goals and five assists in the Premier League so far after just eight games, averaging a mouth-watering 3.3 key passes per game, via Sofascore. Gimenez must be salivating at the prospect of linking up with one of the game's most in-form creators, and likewise with the former Leicester City man.

It must also be noted that the attacking midfielder has earned success without a recognised striker, given Richarlison's woes in front of goal, having scored only once all campaign. Instead, his South Korean teammate, Son, has stepped up, and whilst posting an admirable return of six league goals, would likely be far better suited to the left wing.

Gimenez's arrival would help recalibrate Postecoglou's system, returning Son to his favoured position and the Brazilian forward to a less pressurised role on the bench. Then, he can start building his relationship with Maddison, which could prove devastating for English football.

كشف مصدر بـ اتحاد الكرة المصري عن موقف إبراهيم عادل من الاستمرار في معسكر منتخب مصر الأولمبي الحالي استعدادا للمشاركة في أولمبياد باريس 2024.

وكان هاني سعيد المدير الرياضي لنادي بيراميدز قد أكد رغبة بيراميدز في استعادة إبراهيم عادل من معسكر المنتخب من أجل المشاركة مع الفريق في مباراة الأهلي المقبلة بالدوري المصري.

طالع | بيراميدز يوجه طلبًا لمسؤولي منتخب مصر الأولمبي بسبب مباراة الأهلي

بيراميدز سيواجه الأهلي في خضم مؤجلات الجولة الرابعة عشر من عمر الدوري المصري الممتاز، مساء يوم الجمعة المقبل على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي.

وقال المصدر في تصريحات خاصة لـ”بطولات”: “القرار النهائي أن إبراهيم عادل لن يخرج من معسكر منتخب مصر الأولمبي”.

وتشهد صدارة الدوري المصري منافسة شديدة بين ناديي الأهلي وبيراميدز، إذ يحتل الفريق السماوي الصدارة برصيد 68 نقطة حصدهم من 27 مباراة، ويلاحقه المارد الأحمر صاحب الـ57 نقطة من 23 مباراة.

Leicestershire remain on course to win three consecutive championship matches for the first time in 20 years

ECB Reporters Network22-Jun-2018
ScorecardLeicestershire are strong favourites to win three consecutive championship matches for the first time in 20 years after setting Middlesex a fourth innings target of 381 to win their match at the Fischer County Ground, Grace Road.Increasingly variable bounce on the previously used pitch, evident throughout the Leicestershire second innings, makes it an even tougher prospect for the 2016 county champions.It was also a huge factor in the fall of the second last wicket of an absorbing day’s cricket, when Middlesex opener Sam Robson, having batted impressively in going to 31, received a delivery from Gavin Griffiths that both seamed back in and stayed horribly low to pin him leg before wicket.The dismissal broke a partnership of 51 between Robson and Steve Eskinazi, who came together after just three balls of the innings, when Max Holden had edged a Ben Raine delivery which both lifted and left him outside off-stump.Had Eskinazi and skipper Dawid Malan been together at the close, there would still have been real hope for the visitors, but with eight balls remaining in the day, Malan pressed forward to Raine and edged to wicketkeeper Hill to leave his team still needing 299 runs with just seven wickets in hand.The tone of a day which saw Middlesex show real spirit after conceding a huge first innings lead of 194 was set by Middlesex seamers Tim Murtagh and James Harris. Murtagh, having taken 5 for 52 in Leicestershire’s first innings, conceded just 14 runs in bowling 13 consecutive overs from the Bennett End, and with Harris almost equally parsimonious from the Pavilion End, Leicestershire opener Harry Dearden faced 71 balls in scoring just six runs before edging Murtagh to the wicketkeeper.By then Harris had bowled Colin Ackermann, scorer of 196 not out in the first innings for just 3, and when a disbelieving Mark Cosgrove went leg before to the occasional offspin of Holden, Leicestershire were struggling, the more so when Harris bowled Hill with a delivery which seamed back in.A stand of 50 between Raine and Neil Dexter gave Leicestershire’s innings a modicum of impetus, but Dexter will want to quickly forget his dismissal, wandering out of his crease after bottom edging a Murtagh delivery along the ground to wicketkeeper Simpson. The alert Simpson rolled the ball back on to the stumps, and Dexter, not attempting a single, had indeed been stumped.Leicestershire’s tail, as has regularly been the case this season, made useful contributions to drag the score up to 186, with Murtagh finishing with 3 for 27, and overall match figures of 8 for 79.

Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman and head coach Tony Mowbray have built up a squad that is full of talented young prospects on Wearside.

The Black Cats have placed a clear focus on bringing in players who have the potential to develop and increase in value over the last few years.

They have tried to snap up young talents with upside in the hope that they will be able to improve under the manager and coaching staff's work on the training pitch and in matches in order to sell them on for a significant profit further down the line.

This was on full display over the summer transfer window as the club sold Ross Stewart to Championship rivals Southampton for a reported £12m package, which includes £8m up front.

Appearances

13

Goals

Ten

Assists

Three

Sofascore rating

7.40

They had signed him from Scottish side Ross County for a reported fee of £300k in January of 2021 and this means that his value soared by a whopping 3,900% in less than three years at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland will now be looking at their current crop of players to see who the next major sale could be and one player who is quickly moving up on the list is central midfielder Pierre Ekwah.

How much was Ekwah worth at West Ham?

The French prospect arrived from West Ham United during the January transfer window and FootballTransfers placed an Expected Transfer Value (xTV) of €65k (£52k) on his head at the time of the move.

Ekwah, who had joined the Hammers from Chelsea in 2021, caught the eye with his performances for the Premier League side at youth level and convinced the Black Cats that he was ready to make the step up to first-team level.

The midfield maestro racked up 39 appearances for West Ham's U21 team throughout his time at the London Stadium and was able to showcase his ability in and out of possession.

He produced nine goals and three assists in those matches and plundered an impressive five goals in 11 Premier League 2 outings during the first half of the 2022/23 campaign before his move to the Stadium of Light.

This showed that the central midfielder had the potential to offer an attacking threat from a midfield position as he has a knack for bursting forward to chip in with goal contributions at the top end of the pitch.

Ekwah also displayed his quality against senior opposition in three EFL Trophy appearances for West Ham in the first half of last season.

He averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.00 across three matches in the competition and contributed with two tackles and interceptions and two key passes per game, to go along with a duel success rate of 54%.

This showed, albeit in a small sample size, that the French talent could hold his own, physically, against professional players, and had the ability to provide quality on the ball by creating chances for his teammates.

How many appearances has Ekwah made for Sunderland?

The 21-year-old dynamo has made 25 first-team appearances for Sunderland since he made the move from West Ham earlier this year and has established himself as a regular for Mowbray as it stands.

However, it has not been an easy ride for the French talent throughout the year as he did not hit the ground running during the second half of the 2022/23 campaign.

It was his first experience of regular league football and Ekwah's performances lacked consistency. He averaged an unimpressive Sofascore rating of 6.57 across 14 Championship matches, five of which came as starts.

22 of his teammates averaged higher Sofascore ratings throughout the season and this suggests that he was considerably far away from being one of Mowbray's best performers last term.

However, the Sunderland head coach placed his faith in Ekwah at the start of the 2023/24 campaign and it is currently paying off for the former Blackburn boss.

The France U20 international, who was hailed as "vital" to the side by journalist Josh Bunting, has averaged a terrific Sofascore rating of 7.27 across six starts in the Championship, which is the fifth-best score within the squad.

This shows that he has gone from being one of the least impressive performers on Wearside to the point where the talented Frenchman is now one of the leading lights for the Black Cats as it stands.

Ekwah, who scored two goals in the 5-0 win over Southampton earlier this month, has caught the eye with his reliable passing and strong defensive play. He has completed 90% of his attempted passes and made three tackles and interceptions per game, as per Sofascore, which is the second-most of any player within the squad.

How much is Ekwah worth now?

At the time of writing (28/09/2023), FootballTransfers has the central midfielder's xTV at €3.4m (£2.9m) and this shows that his market value has rocketed up over the course of the year.

His xTV has increased by a staggering 5,032% from the initial €65k (£56.5k) that he was valued at when Sunderland swooped to sign him from West Ham at the start of the year.

Therefore, Mowbray has struck gold with the impressive youngster as he has developed into an impressive Championship midfield option for the head coach and his market value has reflected that.

The Black Cats boss has been able to turn Ekwah from an unproven U21 performer for the Hammers into a key cog in his first-team set-up at the Stadium of Light in less than a year, which is a credit to his coaching and management skills alongside the player's adaptability and willingness to learn.

Hopefully, he can continue to go from strength to strength and increase his xTV even further over the coming months and years. If his performances continue to catch the eye in the Championship then he could end up being the next Stewart to rake in a huge profit for the club if he attracts attention from elsewhere.

However, Sunderland may prefer him to be part of a promotion-winning side so that they can afford to keep hold of their top talents and then progress to the next level in the Premier League.

The second day of England’s two days with the pink ball in Hamilton did not go that well for the batsmen. England lost 14 wickets in the day and were still unable to match the New Zealand XI total

Andrew McGlashan at Seddon Park15-Mar-2018The second day of England’s two days with the pink ball in Hamilton did not go that well for the batsmen. England lost 14 wickets in the day and were still unable to match the New Zealand XI total. Only Liam Livingstone really impressed, although Alastair Cook looked in decent order. Here are a few talking points from the day.Stoneman’s bad dayMark Stoneman has had more productive days with the bat. There wasn’t much he could do about his first dismissal, an excellent delivery from Seth Rance which bounced and angled across him, jagging from around leg stump. But in his second innings of the day he will regret the shot selection, trying to pull a ball from outside off and lobbing a catch to mid-on. Stoneman has already spoken about the pressure he’ll be under this series, he’ll hope for a decent score against red ball in the next two days, although there is no other opener in the squad.The Vince paradoxEdging behind the wicket has become as much of a trademark for James Vince as the cover drive. One followed the other in the space of two balls here, although there was a variance on the theme. He played a perfect cover drive off Rance then next ball tried to leave the delivery and gave a catch to Tom Blundell. In his second chance at the crease he played solidly for his 31 – producing one of the shots of the day when he drove Nathan Smith through the covers off the back foot – only to miss a big full toss from Rance inside the final half hour to be lbw. It could well have been swinging down the leg side.Driving without due care and attentionTim Southee and Trent Boult won’t have minded how England’s middle went about things. Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali were all dismissed by expansive drives – Cook had also dragged one into his stumps – and there was a concerning looseness about the strokeplay, even given all the caveats around this match. At one point in the morning session, wickets were falling at such a rate that Ben Stokes was dispatched to fetch Moeen from the nets. With the pink ball at Eden Park there is likely to be periods where some circumspection is called for. In Southee and Boult there are two fine exponents of swing in the opposition.Livingstone a lone successAt the start of these practice days, Liam Livingstone was considered the least likely of this squad – aside from reserve keeper Ben Foakes – to have a chance of playing in Auckland. He was the spare batsman, having replaced Gary Ballance in one of the token changes after the Ashes. But he was head and shoulders above most of the other batting until Joe Root’s late half-century. He struck the ball cleanly and confidently, picking the right the delivery to attack and, though he played aggressively, did not offer a chance until the wild flat-footed drive early in the night session, 12 short of three figures. Occasionally he flexed his left ankle, the one he injured in the Caribbean last month, which is still causing a little discomfort.Injury updateIt was confirmed that Ben Stokes had received an injection in his back earlier this week. He was said to be responding well, but would not bowl on Friday in England’s red-ball fielding stint, although it was hoped he would be able to bat on Saturday. Whether he fields remains to be seen – he could just be in the squad, rather than the XI. There appears to be an increasing possibility that Stokes will be considered as a batsman only for the first Test. Chris Woakes (hamstring), Craig Overton (quad) and Mason Crane (back) are expected to be able to take full part in the second two days.

Celtic appear to be close to bringing in a new midfielder before tomorrow evening’s deadline, with an update emerging from abroad.

What’s the latest Celtic transfer news?

Brendan Rodgers hasn’t begun his second stint in charge at Parkhead in perfect fashion, with the Hoops already being dumped out of the Scottish League Cup by Kilmarnock. Points have also been dropped in the Scottish Premiership, which has led to plenty of speculation over a late transfer window spree.

Reports last week claimed that Celtic could bring in five new players before the window closes, and since then, they have sealed a move for Honduras international Luis Palma in a deal worth £3.5m, with Rodgers delighted at the news, saying:

“We are really pleased to bring Luis to the club. He is a player who had a lot of options but, of course, we are delighted he has chosen to come to Celtic, an opportunity which really excites him.

“He is a very talented player who likes to play attacking football, so we hope he will be a very good fit for the team.”

After Palma, it appears as if Celtic are about to bring in a new defender following injuries to Maik Nawrocki and Cameron Carter-Vickers. Liverpool’s Nat Phillips looks likely to be the centre-back brought in on a season-long loan, whereas progress appears to have been made on a move for Paulo Bernardo following talks.

According to reports from Portugal, relayed by Football Scotland, Benfica have now given the green light for Bernardo to move to Glasgow on a season-long loan.

The midfielder is expected to arrive in Scotland at some point today to undergo a medical and is on course to become a Hoops player over the next 24 hours.

Who is Paulo Bernardo?

Bernardo is a product of Benfica’s academy and is now 21 years of age who actually has a €100m release clause in his current contract.

Primarily a central midfielder who can also turn out in an attacking midfield role if needed, Bernardo is already sponsored by Adidas and has played 16 times in total for Portugal at U21 level.

At club level, Bernardo has made 13 senior appearances during a loan spell with FC Pacos de Ferreira and has turned out on 26 occasions for Benfica, five of which have come in the Champions League.

The midfielder's mentor, Renato Paiva, recently said Bernardo is "intelligent" and was identified as an "elite midfielder".

“Paulo had a beautiful history with us. He was identified at Benfica as an elite midfielder, but I told him there was a difference between an elite midfielder and a high-quality midfielder, scoring goals.

“If he didn’t score goals, he would never become an elite midfielder. The truth is that Paulo, being the intelligent kid that he is, knew how to listen, be patient and work accordingly.”

He would offer a versatile option for Rodgers in midfield, should a move go through as expected, and by the looks of things, there could be more to come before the deadline if the previous claim of five potential late arrivals is accurate.