Australia failed to fully capitalise on a 231-run opening stand, but better fielding than India and excellent bowling from their quicks made sure India’s ODI juggernaut was halted at nine wins in a row, still their longest streak

The Report by Sidharth Monga28-Sep-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
1:27

Tait: Australia’s quicks have been good all through series

It is tough to imagine an Australian side of the old 3-0 down in a series after the dominant positions they got themselves into in the three preceding games. In failing to capitalise fully on a 231-run opening stand, they left themselves susceptible to a fourth such reversal, but better fielding than India and excellent bowling from their quicks made sure India’s ODI juggernaut was halted at nine wins in a row, still their longest streak.David Warner scored a hundred in his 100th ODI, Aaron Finch biffed his way to 94 and to the top of the runs chart this series despite playing only two matches, but Australia managed just 102 runs in the last 15 overs, setting India 335. For a good part of the chase, India seemed on course to add to their record of five successful chases of 330 or more and Australia’s unwanted record of eight unsuccessful defences of 330 or more, but their fielders and bowlers redeemed themselves on a damp outfield where it couldn’t have been easy to grip the ball.The moment of magic came from the captain Steven Smith, who has so far had an ordinary series in the field, dropping two catches in Chennai and one in Indore. Two of those were crucial. In Bengaluru, he led by example at point in a match where India let quite a few slip through on a bumpy outfield that is dangerous to dive on. While India seemed cautious diving, Smith threw himself at everything. One of those balls was a Virat Kohli cut with India’s two best ODI batsmen in the middle.Smith flew to his left at point. All of a sudden what seemed like at least a single caused panic. Kohli returned, oblivious that Rohit Sharma – on a sublime 65 at that point – kept running. It should have been Rohit’s call anyway even though he would have been only just out had Smith hit the stumps at the striker’s end direct. Smith missed, but both the batsmen were at the same end, and Australia had enough time to run Rohit out. Kohli was in no position to sacrifice his wicket for the set batsman because he had run past the wicket.To make it worse, Nathan Coulter-Nile returned to provide Kohli a replay of his Kolkata dismissal. Coulter-Nile went wide on the crease, bowled short of a length, asked Kohli to dab it to third man, but took the inside edge with the angle. India had slipped from 106 for 0 to 147 for 3, losing both half-centurions Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit. For the first time in a long time, India’s middle order was going to be tested with the asking rate a worry.India responded by promoting Hardik Pandya again. Pandya responded with three sixes in a 40-ball innings, moving to No. 1 on the six-hitters’ list this year, in under half the balls faced by the No. 2 on that list, Eoin Morgan. Adam Zampa had his own back after the Chennai mauling and two sixes on the night when he got Pandya out in the 38th over. Zampa bowled well to Pandya, not giving him the length he could hit straight. Pandya responded well with a pulled six and another over extra cover, but finally the short ball from Zampa got Pandya at long-off.It was, however, Pandya’s partner in that 78-run stand that seemed to be India’s man for the night. And afternoon. His low-arm action resembles a man bowling to under-10 kids in street cricket, but in international limited-overs cricket, India go to Kedar Jadhav only when all else has failed against big-hitting batsmen. As seen in the Champions Trophy, hardly ever does Jadhav’s unusual bowling fail. He came on to bowl in the 31st over with no wicket taken, with two of cricket’s biggest hitters looking to hit every ball big, and produced the wicket of Warner in a spell of 7-0-38-1.Umesh Yadav then removed Finch and Smith to expose the softer underbelly of Australia’s batting. Three wickets fell for five runs, no boundary came in 50 balls, only 56 were in scored before the last five overs.Umesh had in part been responsible for the rollicking start. Mohammed Shami and Umesh, playing ahead of the rested Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, provided full balls far too often on a pitch that seemed difficult if the pace was taken off with the length on the shorter side. Finch began the aggression, but Warner caught up soon and then left his opening partner far behind. Both took full toll of all of India’s specialist bowlers, including Axar Patel, replacing the rested left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav.Then Jadhav happened, giving himself a chance when his turn to bat came. Every time the asking rate crept towards or beyond eight in that partnership with Pandya, Jadhav would keep finding a way to hit a boundary. He managed the same later with Manish Pandey, but the turn available meant Smith could bowl 15 overs of spin, which was a bonus especially with Marcus Stoinis injured.Zampa began the 42nd over with a slight drizzle around. This was a crucial over because Australia’s three big quicks could bowl out after that over. To add to the drama, the drizzle was deemed hard enough to take the players off after one ball, with India two runs behind the DLS par score. Teams came back on, Zampa’s over went for 12, and Australia now had 75 to defend in eight overs of their three gun bowlers.Pandey sent Coulter-Nile back with a six over midwicket in the 43rd over, but Kane Richardson began to chip away at India. The 44th over was perfect for Australia: a slower yorker from deep inside Richardson’s palm and five other singles meant India needed more than 10 an over in the last six.Pat Cummins followed it with an eight-run over, and that Richardson slower ball – no change in arm speed or release – got Jadhav caught at long-off. Out came MS Dhoni with 49 required off 26. Despite his important hands of late, this was Dhoni’s test. Nobody has questioned Dhoni’s calm and acumen, which has shown in his recent efforts, but it is when quick runs are needed that Dhoni struggled of late. Especially after Pandey’s wicket early next over, it was all down to Dhoni.Dhoni showed a new side, in that he didn’t take ones and twos to take the chase into the last over. He tried a big hit to almost every ball, managing to hit one six, but he played a damaging five dot balls before chopping on. The chase was over. Australia finally had smiles on their faces.

Following a few weeks without any signings to begin the transfer window, Heart of Midlothian are looking set to make up for lost time.

Recent arrivals include goalkeeper Michael McGovern from Norwich City on a free transfer and midfielder Calem Nieuwenhof from Western Sydney Wanderers as Steven Naismith gears his squad up for the new season.

Frankie Kent could soon be the third player to arrive at Tynecastle after their bid for the defender was accepted by Peterborough United, however Naismith should also be moving forward in a bid to sign Jamie McGrath.

Could Hearts sign Jamie McGrath?

At the start of the month, The Daily Record reported that Hearts were weighing up a move for McGrath during the transfer window in a bid to bolster their attacking options.

With just a year left on his current deal, Naismith could perhaps submit an offer to Wigan Athletic in the hope that they accept, especially considering that this may be the final chance for them to bring in a decent fee for the player.

He knows the Premiership well, having had stints at both St Mirren and Dundee United, enjoying a loan spell at Tannadice last term and the 5 foot 9 gem could turn into a shrewd investment.

How did Jamie McGrath perform last season?

Despite the Arabs being relegated from the Premiership following a woeful campaign, the Irishman was arguably their only bright spark.

He managed to register 12 goal contributions across all competitions while showcasing his creative ability by ranking first in the squad for big chances created (five) and key passes per game (1.6) and should he join the Edinburgh side, Naismith could forge a wonderful midfield partnership between him and new arrival Nieuwenhof.

The Australian tends to operate in a defensive midfield role, controlling play from deep and this could allow McGrath much more freedom, as he is usually deployed just behind the striker.

The 22-year-old had a fine season in the A-League during 2022/23 as he displayed his impressive passing capabilities, ranking fifth in his squad for accurate passes per game (41.4) while also making 0.8 key passes per game, showing that even though playing from a predominantly deep position, he was still able to create a few forward passes.

This bodes well should he go on to play behind McGrath, and his defensive ability will also be key for any potential partnership to sparkle. The Australian ranked first in the Western Sydney squad for tackles per game (3.4) as he demonstrated his tenacious side and this will stand him in good stead due to the physical nature of Scottish football.

McGrath could be given immense freedom further up the pitch knowing full well that Nieuwenhof is roaming behind him sweeping up any danger with ease.

Much was anticipated of the 26-year-old when he joined the Latics from St Mirren, with journalist Josh Bunting waxing lyrical about the midfielder.

He said: “Jamie McGrath is a sensational signing for Wigan Athletic, think that’s one of the best signings of the window , really liked him whilst he was at Dundalk, good on the ball , aggressive and direct and has a very good shot , he’ll score from belters at the DW I’m sure of that.”

It hasn’t quite gone to plan since then for McGrath, making just four appearances for his current side, and Naismith could offer him a fresh start should he lure the player north of the border this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to make a long-term contract offer to Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba after sealing a deal for Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven.

Who will Spurs sign?

Ange Postecoglou, as reported by reliable media sources like Fabrizio Romano, are closing in on the signings of both van de Ven and Rosario Central striker Alejo Veliz.

The former, who will sign from Wolfsburg for around €50 million (£43m) including add-ons, is travelling to London on Saturday ahead of a medical with Spurs as chairman Daniel Levy finally captures a centre-back.

Meanwhile, Romano has also given his famous "here we go" to a Tottenham deal for Veliz, with the highly-rated South American striker coming in as a potential star for the future.

There are suggestions that this could well be a busy final month of the window for Spurs with some reports even claiming they could sign two senior centre-backs before September 1 – not including Blackburn starlet Ashley Phillips – whose arrival has just been announced by Tottenham.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

Postecoglou, after his new side conceded 63 league goals last season, has admitted to the media that signing a new defender or two is one of their summer agendas.

"That's definitely our intention, absolutely," said the Spurs head coach when asked about centre-backs.

"We've been working on it for a while and we'll definitely try to get it done as quickly as possible.

"I don't think it's any secret about some of the areas we needed to strengthen. Some of it I identified early on. The goalkeeper was one and central defence is another.

"In terms of the other boys, we've got a big squad but my view is I wanted to bring them along and just work with them, get some clarity in my head and give clarity to them."

After van de Ven, it appears Spurs are indeed aiming for at least one more option in that area. Indeed, Football Insider saying they're still in the hunt for Tapsoba, with a "long-term contract" currently in the offing.

The Burkina Faso international, who played more Bundesliga minutes than any other Leverkusen outfielder last season, is at the centre of interest from Spurs.

They will apparently turn attention to prising him away from Germany following van de Ven and are set to offer him a long-term contract in a bid to tempt him towards Tottenham.

This comes as Postecoglou aims to sign two centre-backs before deadline day, with Spurs pushing to complete a number of deals, according to the outlet.

How good is Edmond Tapsoba?

An untouchable member of Xabi Alonso's starting eleven last campaign, Tapsoba has been praised for his composure on the ball and even likened to former Bayern Munich star defender Jerome Boateng.

The Bundesliga website wrote:

"The legendary Bayern Munich defender, who made 364 appearances across 11 seasons for the Bavarian giants, was as cool and calm as it gets both on the ball and in the tackle while he was also famed for his pinpoint long passing that set up many an attack for the record champions.

"Tapsoba has similar traits and such is his eagerness to start forward thrusts, he has often been referred to as a defensive playmaker."

Arsenal have enjoyed a period of stable progression under Mikel Arteta, with little cause for worry as he forges a brighter future. However, that has not been a process without its hiccups…

Is Douglas Luiz leaving Aston Villa?

Having handed Emi Martinez a show of faith amidst Bernd Leno's injury, the Argentine impressed in between the sticks for a period.

Many thought they have pulled a blinder when such a stint resulted in a permanent move away to Aston Villa, retrieving a hefty £17m fee for what was essentially a backup goalkeeper. Few could have imagined just how far he would continue to grow.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

Now, in an attempt to avenge that devastating decision, and bolster their midfield too, perhaps the Gunners could seek to snag Douglas Luiz from Unai Emery's clutches.

After all, journalist and transfer insider Dean Jones suggested that they remain in the hunt, speaking to GIVEMSPORT:

"I think it’s an open secret in football that Arsenal still want Douglas Luiz, but they have failed to sign him in the past and given that Aston Villa are in a better place now than they were in 2022, I would expect them to keep hold of him again.

"It would take a huge offer to change their stance on that and while I do actually think this would be a great style of player for Arsenal to sign, I’m not convinced they have the capability in this window to make an offer that is so strong that Aston Villa can not turn it down.

How good is Douglas Luiz?

In his debut campaign at Villa Park, the Argentina international quickly established how much of a blunder sanctioning his exit was with his fine goalkeeping displays.

Featuring in all of their Premier League games that year, he maintained a 7.18 average rating, buoyed by his 15 clean sheets and 3.7 saves per game, at a 76% success rate, via Sofascore.

He was comfortably the highest-rated shot-stopper in the division that term, made even more impressive given how busy he was. Martinez was forced to make the third-most saves that year too.

However, that was not the extent of his success in the Midlands, given he has gone on to feature 112 times for the club.

His exploits led to an emergence within his national team, which had huge ramifications on the recent 2022 World Cup.

The 30-year-old was called upon on numerous occasions, emerging at the biggest moments to keep his side alive. He helped them crawl through a penalty shootout against the Netherlands before his last-minute save from Randal Kolo Muani prevented France from winning the final at the death.

Then, he would be the hero yet again, saving once in another shootout to become the hero. Gabby Agbonlahor even suggested: "I think he's the best goalkeeper in the world."

To think of where his career has risen, and how easily he was allowed to leave by Arteta, it likely remains one of his few big regrets from his time at the Emirates.

However, adding Luiz to his ranks should alleviate that frustration, given the attacking impetus he would offer to his engine room, alongside a tireless work rate. It could be the key addition that helps push them closer to that title.

His 7.10 average rating in the league last season was the best of any Villa player, largely bolstered by his 12 goal contributions 86% pass accuracy, two tackles and 1.2 key passes per game, via Sofascore.

The Brazilian is creative yet cut-throat, with writer Jack Grimse having branded the £75k-per-week star a "warrior" in the past.

To bring this kind of steel and elegance to Arteta's side, which prides itself on blending work ethic with pure quality, and at last, they could be set to get back at Villa for taking and turning Martinez into one of the world's best.

Everton are now considering a loan move for Southampton winger Kamaldeen Sulemana, who could be brought in as an alternative to Leeds United's Wilfried Gnonto, according to a report from Sky Sports.

What's the latest Everton transfer news?

Demarai Gray has been heavily linked with a move away from Goodison Park, and journalist Paul Brown believes the Everton boss would let him leave for a suitable fee this summer, saying:

"I don't really think that Sean Dyche is that high on Demarai Gray. If the price is right from any of those clubs showing interest, I think they would let him go.

"It's clear that Everton don't have much of a transfer budget at the moment this summer. They will need to generate cash with sales if Dyche wants to bring in anybody else in areas of the squad that they have a greater need.

"I do still think that if anybody puts down serious money for Demarai Gray this summer, he probably will go."

As such, Sean Dyche may need to think about bringing in new wide options, and Gnonto has emerged as one of his key targets, with it recently being reported the Toffees are leading the race for his signature, in what could be a £20m deal.

According to a recent report from Sky Sports, however, Everton may be growing frustrated in their pursuit of the Italian, and they could give up on their attempts to sign him, after having multiple approaches rejected by Leeds.

The Toffees are now running the rule over other targets, and they are looking at a loan deal for Sulemana, who they attempted to sign from Rennes during the January transfer window, before he opted to move to St. Mary's.

A deal for Gnonto is still not beyond the realms of possibility, however Leeds would need to soften their stance, having consistently knocked back the Merseyside club's advances up to this point.

How good is Kamaldeen Sulemana?

Despite the Saints' relegation from the Premier League, the Ghanaian had a strong end to the 2022/23 campaign, finding the back of the net twice in a man-of-the-match performance against Liverpool on the final day of the season.

They were the only two goals the £40k-per-week winger managed to score in a Southampton shirt, but he now has Premier League experience under his belt, and he could kick on next season if he gets a move back to the top flight.

One of the Techiman-born attacker's best attributes is his dribbling, ranking in the 99th percentile for successful take-ons per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

Lauded as an "excellent ball carrier" by members of the media, the former Rennes man is too good to be playing in the Championship next season, and if a loan deal is possible, Everton should definitely try and make it happen.

Dyche only has a limited budget to work with this summer, and Sulemana could be a fantastic low-cost alternative to Gnonto, with Leeds seemingly unwilling to let the 19-year-old leave.

أعرب الهولندي ماتياس دي ليخت مدافع بايرن ميونخ الألماني، عن خيبة آمله بعد توديع بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا على يد ريال مدريد.

وتقدم بايرن ميونخ بهدف أول، لكن ريال مدريد نجح في العودة بهدفي خوسيلو، ولم يحتسب هدفًا لـ دي ليخت بداع التسلل.

وتأهل ريال مدريد لنهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا بعد فوزه بهدفين لهدف، وسيلاقي بوروسيا دورتموند في النهائي.

وقال دي ليخت في تصريحات لـ”DAZN” و”بي إن سبورتس”: “أعتقد أننا رأينا مدى قسوة كرة القدم الليلة، قدمنا أداءً قويًا لمدة 90 دقيقة، كنا ناضجين للغاية ومتماسكين ودافعنا بشكل جيد حقًا”.

وأضاف: “لقد أتيحت لنا أيضًا فرص كبيرة حقًا لإنشاء شيء ما، وربما كان هذا هو الشيء الوحيد المفقود”.

وتابع دي ليخت: “إنه لأمر جيد أن تلعب بهذه الطريقة لفترة طويلة ضد ريال مدريد، في ملعب سانتياجو برنابيو، ولكن من العار أن تتخلى عن المباراة، كما هو الحال في كثير من الأحيان ضد ريال مدريد”.

وأردف بشأن هدف خوسيلو الأول: “من السهل الإشارة إلى (خطأ نوير حارس مرمى بايرن ميونخ)، لكنني رأيت أيضًا تصديًا في الشوط الأول، من عرضية فينيسيوس جونيور، لقد كان تصديًا من الطراز العالمي، وينطبق الشيء نفسه على تصدياته في الشوط الثاني”.

وأكمل: “لكن تلك الأشياء تحدث، وهذا أيضًا جزء من كرة القدم، إنه سوء حظ فحسب، ننتقل من الفوز إلى الخسارة في عشر دقائق، إنها ليلة سيئة للغاية”.

واستطرد: “كنا قريبين جدًا، لقد ضغطوا، عندما تعتقد أن ريال مدريد ماتوا، دائمًا ما يكون لديهم أنفاسهم الأخيرة، ولهذا السبب فازوا بدوري أبطال أوروبا 14 مرة”.

وبشأن هدفه الذي لم يحتسب، أفاد دي ليخت: “أعتقد أننا جميعًا نعرف القواعد، إذا لم يكن التسلل واضحًا، فيجب عليك ترك اللعبة مستمرة”.

وشدد: “لقد كان الأمر مؤسفًا، هدف خوسيلو كان تسللًا وتم السماح له بمواصلة اللعب، لماذا ليس معنا؟ إنه كذلك من السهل الحديث عن الحكام، لا أعرف إذا كانت تسللاً أم لا.. يمكنك فحصها”.

وأتم بشأن حديثه مع حكم الراية: “هذا مخجل، قال لي مساعد الحكم آسف لقد ارتكبت خطأ”.

Despite being bowled out for 194, Northamptonshire kept their promotion hopes alive through Rory Kleinveldt’s four-wicket burst

Paul Edwards at Wantage Road19-Sep-20171:38

County Championship round-up: Kleinveldt puts pressure on Notts

Three days from the autumnal equinox and the thick early morning mist settled on Northampton like a loving cat coiled around a devoted owner. The mist had lifted by the time play began at Wantage Road but Chris Read’s decision to bowl first will surely have been one of his easiest in two decades as a first-class cricketer.By teatime only the length of the shadows and the gentle browning of the leaves suggested the month but Nottinghamshire’s bowlers had completed their work by then, dismissing Northamptonshire for 194 in a game the home side must win to sustain their chances of promotion. Welcome to September, when the mellow days offer a curious counterpoint to the season’s late hurrahs and a summer’s work can be wasted in the faults and mischances of a black hour.And, yes, it was just such an error-littered final session, which lay in wait for Nottinghamshire’s batsmen. Four of them were dismissed by Rory Kleinveldt, who had earlier batted with uncomplicated good sense to make 43 off 63 balls. Now, Kleinveldt pitched the ball up in the full knowledge that he could be driven and found that his courage was justified. Steven Mullaney lost his off stump when playing down the wrong line, Cheteshwar Pujara prodded forward uncertainly at his third ball but only gave a catch to Richard Levi at second slip and Jake Libby was leg before on the back foot having battled for over an hour to make just 13.Kleinveldt even had the energy to return and capitalise on Riki Wessels’s mind-fade ten balls before the close when the batsman who normally scores runs for a hobby against Northants wafted nervously at a ball outside the off stump but only nicked a catch to a delighted David Murphy. Given that another Trent Bridge talisman, Samit Patel, was already back in the pavilion having been trapped in front by Nathan Buck, the joy at Wantage Road needed little imagining. If Northants can concoct a victory here, it will be a three-horse sprint in the final week of the season. The games at Worcester, Hove and Leicester will become hot tickets, warm anyway.And yet it will still take something rather spectacular to deny Nottinghamshire now. As their bowlers made early inroads on the first morning, one’s mind went back to last September when Read’s players produced some of the worst cricket of their careers and were relegated by 31 points. Proud men were hurt by that and this season has been, among other things, an attempt to expiate the stain on the house by the Trent. Two one-day trophies have been won and if Nottinghamshire can add a divisional title to those triumphs the county’s most successful season will have followed one of their most abject.Luke Wood celebrates a wicket•Getty Images

Read’s decision to field first may have been straightforward but it was also an expression of confidence in a seam attack lacking, among others, Jake Ball. The bowlers repaid such faith, taking four wickets in the morning session and the remaining six during the afternoon. Luke Wood produced one of his best spells of the season and none of the batsmen played him with the slightest ease. He took his first wicket in his opening over when he swung one into Rob Newton’s pads and only had to bowl six more balls before taking his second when Ben Duckett gave a return catch off the leading edge.The arrival of Richard Levi heralded a predictable counter-attack. Rather like Baldrick in Levi does not believe in waiting for the bullet with his name on it. He prefers to fire a few of his own and had rifled seven fours, most of them authentic, before, like Newton, he was leg before to a Wood inswinger. Levi had at least made 35 runs but by the time he was pinned by Wood, Northants had also lost their skipper Alex Wakely, who was beaten by a ball from Brett Hutton which moved off the seam and went via the edge to Wessels at first slip.Hutton and the slips resumed their productive relationship immediately after lunch when Rob Keogh and Murphy fell in successive overs to catches by Mullaney. The second of these was routine but the first had been brilliant, Mullaney diving to accept a one-handed catch to his right inches from the ground. Nottinghamshire’s hopes of seizing a decisive advantage increased when Josh Cobb was caught at slip by Wessels off Harry Gurney for a 36 which had been punctuated by thunderous off-drives. But, little though we knew it, 120 for 7 was as good as things got for Read’s players.Kleinveldt blocked most things that were straight and threw his full artillery at any balls that were wide. His innings was a pivotal effort and it changed the temper of the contest. And even after Kleiveldt had been bowled when he played on to Patel, Buck pitched in with 32 more runs, adding what has become an invaluable 30 to the total with Ben Sanderson and Richard Gleeson.A couple of hours later on a day when the gentleness of the setting made a curious backdrop to the intensity of the cricket, the game was back in the hazard and promotion issues were suddenly uncertain. The russet-roofed houses and spired churches around Wantage Road are used to witnessing floodlit dramas and short-form tension. But they may need to accustom themselves to something slower but no less vital over the next 48 hours. Read is playing his penultimate first-class match and he probably needs no reminder that Northamptonshire’s fine players often punch above their weight, a phenomenal effort in one or two cases.

Liverpool have ostensibly fallen short in the race to sign Moises Caicedo from Brighton & Hove Albion despite reaching an agreement for a British-record £111m transfer.

The Ecuadorian midfielder's preference has always been Chelsea and the Stamford Bridge side are actively seeking to reach an agreement to lure the player to west London.

This leaves Liverpool desperate to land a new holding midfielder, and with the Blues remarkably also looking to steal Liverpool's No. 1 target in Southampton's Romeo Lavia, Cheick Doucoure could be the man to complete Jurgen Klopp's summer rebuild.

Who are Liverpool going to sign?

Crystal Palace have been seeking to ward off interest in their Malian midfielder this summer after reports emerged in July that the Reds had earmarked the No. 6 after Fabinho completed a £40m move to Al-Ittihad.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

BBC Sports' Alex Howell claimed that the Eagles would only entertain Doucoure's sale for a "minimum fee of £70m", and whether FSG would meet such a high fee remains to be seen.

How good is Cheick Doucoure?

Doucoure only arrived on English shores one year ago, signing for Crystal Palace from French outfit Lens in a £21m deal, but he has been excellent for the Premier League side and has been praised as "the complete holding midfielder" by former boss Patrick Vieira.

The 23-year-old is both tough-tackling and composed in possession, boasting impressive retention skills and a 'complete' sheen to his game.

As per Sofascore, he recorded an average rating of 6.97 across his first Premier League season, completing 84% of his passes, making 1.1 shots, 0.8 key passes, 2.3 tackles and 1.6 interceptions per outing, also succeeding with 55% of his ground duels.

Comparatively, Caicedo recorded an average rating of 7.07 for the high-flying Seagulls, completing 89% of his passes, forging 0.8 shots, 1.2 key passes, 2.7 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per game and succeeding with 57% of his ground duels. Indeed, those stats are clearly very similar.

As is evidenced, there is a semblance across many of the facets of the respective players' games, and while Caicedo might be more refined at present, Doucoure's maiden term in England is as encouraging as it is impressive.

While Liverpool might miss out on Caicedo, who has been described as a "physical monster" by Dr. Rajpal Brar, Doucoure would slot right into Klopp's midfield and provide Anfield with the anchor it needs to craft a successful season.

Indeed, he has been hailed for his "combative, intelligent and consistent" performances by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and he certainly offers the tenacity Liverpool need, ranking among the top 5% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for interceptions per 90, as per FBref.

Caicedo, admittedly, ranks superlatively across a number of metrics, namely among the top 6% of midfielders for pass completion, the top 13% for tackles and the top 12% for interceptions per 90, but he is not the only adept defensive midfielder around, and Doucoure's impact would most certainly be felt on Merseyside.

It's worth noting that Doucoure could also be signed for some £30/40m less than the Brighton machine, which could free up valuable space and resources to make another swoop to further bolster the squad, which could prove to be paramount as Liverpool and their owner, John W Henry, look to get back on their perch this year.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
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Babar Azam’s stellar ODI run

Babar Azam’s seventh ODI hundred combined with a sublime all-round performance from Shadab Khan saw a listless Sri Lanka slump to their ninth consecutive ODI defeat. They lost by 32 runs, although the margin would have been much greater but for a fighting hundred by Sri Lankan captain Upul Tharanga; no one else scored more than 22. Sri Lanka were on top in the first quarter of the match, having reduced Pakistan to 101 for 6, before Azam and Shadab put together a gritty 109-run stand to propel Pakistan to 219.

Tillakaratne rues batting collapse

Batting coach Hashan Tillakaratne rued Sri Lanka’s collapse in their chase of 220 in the second ODI, but was hopeful the team could turn things around in the remaining three matches. “It has been very difficult and disappointing,” he said, after they crashed from 79 for 3 to 187 all out in the second ODI. “I thought we could have chased down that target and bounce back by winning the game. But still series is open and we need to rectify our mistakes and come back strongly.”
Sri Lanka’s middle-order collapse was triggered by legspinner Shadab Khan, who dismissed Dinesh Chandimal, Milinda Siriwardana and Akila Dananjaya for single-digit scores. In the Test series, it was 31-year old Yasir Shah who had troubled them, and Tillakaratne acknowledged the batsmen need to work on this area of their game. “We have been practising to face leg-spinners and hopefully we will put up a good show in the third game,” Tillakaratne added

It was a particularly grave indictment on Sri Lanka’s batting display that they were not in the chase for most of their innings, despite what was, by modern standards, a modest target. The batsmen didn’t find many answers to the relentlessly accurate spin trio of Shadab, Mohammad Hafeez, and Shoaib Malik, on a surface on which runs were especially hard to come by. Tharanga was handed at least four chances during the course of his hundred. The chasm between the sides appeared so wide that Pakistan could afford to be that generous and still bowl Sri Lanka out for 187.With Sri Lanka’s current ODI plight and Pakistan’s bowling prowess, Sri Lanka weren’t expected to make light work of the chase on a slow surface. Sri Lanka lost two early wickets – Niroshan Dickwella and Kusal Mendis – and consumed plenty of dot balls in attempting to absorb the pressure, as if surviving a tricky Test match session. Tharanga and Lahiru Thirimanne added a scratchy 40 runs off 72 balls, and when the latter was eventually dismissed, the asking rate had already climbed to close to 5.50.The rut set in straight after as the spinners knocked the wind out of the chase. Five wickets fell off the next 33 balls. Shadab took a wicket in each of his first three overs, getting prodigious turn with both his legbreak and googly.Jeffrey Vandersay was involved in a 76-run, eighth-wicket stand with Tharanga, who found his range towards the close of the game, looming as the last line of defence against Pakistan taking a 2-0 lead in the series. Shadab was also taken for boundaries and his immaculate length started to waver as Sri Lanka narrowed the gap between runs required and balls remaining.Pakistan could have established a near-impregnable position far earlier had they been less charitable in the field. Tharanga had lived a charmed life; he was dropped three times. That wasn’t the end of his fortune either, he was also given out caught before being overturned on review, and survived another review for lbw. He was trapped right in front later in his innings, but Pakistan ran out of reviews.As the asking rate came down and Sarfraz began to panic, berating his players almost every delivery, Pakistan broke through with 51 runs still to get, Vandersay holing out at deep square off a Rumman Raees slower ball. Lakmal was then run-out following a mix-up with Tharanga. It was fitting, in this frenetic contest, that the game ended via another run-out as Tharanga became the first Sri Lankan batsman to carry his bat through.The first innings had effectively boiled down to a contest between Sri Lanka and Azam after another top-order collapse. Ahmed Shehzad poked and scratched around while Fakhar Zaman also struggled for timing. Zaman was the first to go, Lahiru Gamage angling the ball across Zaman, whose outside edge flew to a wide slip. Shehzad joined him three overs later, driving a wide delivery from Suranga Lakmal straight to point.Lakmal and Gamage were once again terrific with the new ball, getting sufficient movement. Mohammad Hafeez broke the shackles with a glorious six back over Gamage’s head, but edged the next ball – gently seaming away – to the keeper.As Malik and Imad Wasim also fell cheaply, Azam continued to show signs of his quality and composure as a batsman. He held the innings together instead of letting the pressure of the situation get to him. Seemingly oblivious to the collapse around him, he guided the lower order, establishing a magnificent, match-changing partnership with Shadab.There were no slog overs, no pinch hitting. Just mature, calm batsmanship by a pair whose combined age is less than that of recently-retired skipper Misbah-ul-Haq. The singles came freely and easily, and twos were routinely pinched. If the opportunity presented itself, the occasional boundary was struck, too, but not if a risk had to be taken.Not until the first ball of the final over, anyway, when Azam tried to clear long-on with a tired heave. His job had been done, and he left the bowlers with enough room to do theirs. That, usually, is a winning strategy for Pakistan, and so it proved yet again.

Tottenham Hotspur are believed to be among a raft of Premier League clubs who are interested in signing Leeds United star, Tyler Adams, with manager Ange Postecoglou seemingly keen to strengthen his midfield ranks before the end of the window.

How much would Tyler Adams cost?

According to 90min, the Lilywhites are one of the top-flight sides who are 'keeping tabs' on the 24-year-old's current situation at Elland Road, with the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion also showing an interest in the American maestro.

As per the report, Tottenham's London rivals, Chelsea, are perhaps attempting to steal a march on those other suitors having made 'contact' regarding a potential summer deal, with Leeds having seemingly accepted that the former RB Leipzig man will depart following the club's drop into the Championship.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

The piece adds that the New York native – who made the move to Yorkshire on a £15m deal last summer – is set to be available for just £25m this time around due to the presence of a release clause in his existing contract.

How good is Tyler Adams?

That apparent interest in the 5 foot 9 ace has come amid reports that Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is set to be allowed to depart before the end of the window, with the Denmark international looking likely to seal a move to La Liga side Atletico Madrid over the coming weeks.

Prior reports had indicated earlier on in the summer that the north Londoners were open to offers for the 27-year-old, with Postecoglou seemingly keen to take his midfield in a different direction despite Hojbjerg having been a crucial figure under the likes of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte.

Having missed just five Premier League games over the last three seasons, the former Southampton man has evidently been a key cog in the centre of the park of late, albeit with there a chance for Daniel Levy to land a potential upgrade with the signing of Adams.

Even despite missing a fair chunk of last term through injury, the United States international still ranked fourth in the division for tackles made (89) as a sign of his defensive dominance in front of the back four, with Hojbjerg, meanwhile, placing 62nd after making just 56 tackles in total.

That difference in quality can also be seen by the fact that Adams averaged a remarkable 5.2 tackles and interceptions per game from his 24 league outings, while the current Tottenham man averaged just three tackles and interceptions per game from his 35 top-flight appearances.

Unsurprisingly lauded as "aggressive" and a "tackling machine" by pundit Kevin Campbell, the £55k-per-week asset also won 57% of his total duels as a further sign of that ball-winning prowess, with that again ahead of what Hojbjerg achieved in 2022/23 (53%).

That would suggest that if Postecoglou is looking for a figure who can protect the backline and provide an effective, defensive screen then Adams could well be the man for the job, with the American likely to allow Spurs' attacking talents the freedom to shine higher up the pitch.

Although at present it does appear that a move to Stamford Bridge looks more likely for the 36-cap ace, if Levy were to produce a late hijack it could be a particularly astute piece of business.