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أكد حازم إمام، لاعب الزمالك الأسبق، أن الغيابات التي يعاني منها الفريق الأبيض سيكون لها تأثير واضح خلال مباراة الجونة، مشيرًا بشكل خاص إلى غياب بيزيرا.

ويلتقي الزمالك مع الجونة، على أرضية استاد القاهرة الدولي، في إطار الجولة الثامنة من عمر مباريات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وقال حازم إمام، في تصريحات عبر قناة “أون سبورت”: “الغيابات ستؤثر على الزمالك في مباراة اليوم، خاصة غياب بيزيرا، المباراة اليوم صعبة لأن الزمالك عندما يواجه الفرق التي تدافع لا يجد حلولًا”.

طالع | تشكيل الزمالك أمام الجونة في الدوري المصري.. الدباغ يقود الهجوم

وأضاف: “الجونة لعب 6 مباريات حتى الآن، تعادل في 4 وخسر مباراة واحدة وفاز بأخرى، وهو فريق دفاعي لا يخسر بسهولة، وهذه النوعية من المواجهات تمثل صعوبة خاصة للزمالك”.

واختتم: “الزمالك عندما يلعب أمام فرق تدافع يظهر فيريرا وكأنه يفتقر للحلول، لذلك لا بد أن يكون هناك سرعة أكبر في التحولات الهجومية لتجاوز صعوبة المباراة”.

Manchester United are now ready to send a “big” offer to sign a teenager who is also being eyed by Chelsea, according to a new report.

Bruno calls to repay fan support after dismal season

It was another weekend to forget for the Red Devils, as they suffered their 14th defeat of the Premier League season against Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon. It was a game that had nothing on it for United and everything on it for the Magpies, and that showed, as Ruben Amorim made changes before a ball was kicked.

Worse than Bayindir: 4/10 Man Utd flop should be nowhere near Amorim's XI

Manchester United were battered by Newcastle United on Sunday evening.

ByMatt Dawson Apr 13, 2025

Despite the game being over with 20 minutes left to play, United supporters continued to sing from the famous sky-high St James’ away end, and manager and captain Bruno Fernandes feels it is time they reward the support that has been shown to them.

“There’s not much to assess; we lost the game. In the first half we did good, in the second half we couldn’t keep up the way we wanted to play.

“We know that it’s been a tough season; nothing to add to that. Our position in the table is not where this club belongs, but unfortunately we are not getting the results. We need to look forward, as we have a big game coming up; we need to clear our heads and go for it.

“We are in this position because we have not been consistent in the performances we put out. We lack being more fearless, being more brave. Today this was not the case because we ended up conceding goals by trying to be brave.

“It’s easy to criticise because this club has never suffered like this, so it’s normal. You have to be aware you play for United, and criticism will be there. Our fans have been there all season during bad moments; today they were there at the end trying to cheer us up. It’s time we give something back.”

Man Utd now "ready" to send "big" offer for £75m ace

As Fernandes focuses on what remains of this season, the Red Devils leadership are looking ahead to the transfer market already. According to Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport, relayed by Sport Witness, Man United are “ready” to make a “big investment” and sign Kenan Yildiz from Juventus.

The report states that while Juventus want to keep hold of Yildiz and the winger is happy in Turin, a sale may happen this summer if the Italian giants do not qualify for the Champions League. This opens the door for United, who are ready to make a move and sign the Turkey international but don’t state how much they are willing to spend.

However, the Red Devils are not alone in their pursuit of the exciting attacker, as Chelsea and Manchester City are also willing to make offers to secure a transfer.

Apps

76

Goals

12

Assists

6

Since joining Juventus’ academy in July 2023, Yildiz’s market value has continued to climb and climb. In July 2023, Yildiz was valued at one million euros; that rose to 10 million euros in January 2024 and now sits all the way at 45 million euros – Yildiz’s market value has risen by 4,500% over the year and a half he’s been at the club.

It’s even been reported that he could cost much more than that, with a figure of £75 million being mentioned in the Italian press.

After a career full of incredible teammates – from Paul Gascoigne all the way to Terry Butcher – Ally McCoist has now revealed the two Rangers players that he feels went under the radar during his time at the club.

Ally McCoist's legendary Rangers career

A clinical striker who became a champion in Scotland as many as 10 times with Rangers, McCoist is an undeniable Ibrox legend who saw it all during his time at the club as both a manager and a player.

Of course, it must be said that his time as a player compared to his time in the dugout both came with incredibly different experiences and challenges. As a player, the Scot was part of a winning Rangers side who often took their place at the top of Scottish football – a contrast to Celtic’s current dominance under Brendan Rodgers.

As a manager, however, McCoist was left to pick up the pieces at a crumbling club as they went into administration and down from the Scottish Premiership. Stepping up nonetheless, the former Rangers man played a vital part in helping to drag the Gers back up the divisions in Scotland.

"Madness" – McCoist stunned at Rangers claims to sign £15k-p/w Celtic star

There have been some suggestions of a move.

ByCharlie Smith Apr 10, 2025

Whilst many will be naturally quick to praise the likes of Gascoigne, Butcher or players of Brian Laudrup’s calibre for their success alongside McCoist, the man himself named two teammates who went under the radar during their time at Rangers.

McCoist names most "underrated" teammates

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, McCoist revealed two players who didn’t get enough of the spotlight: “I’ll give you two actually who were underrated. I was very lucky, I played with some brilliant players. Big Goughy (Richard Gough), Cooper, Gascoigne, Laudrup, Gordon, Terry Butcher, Ray Wilkins, guys like that. Fantastic players, absolutely fantastic players.

“Probably two underrated ones would be Stuart McCall and Ian Ferguson. Stuart was a brilliant midfielder, as was Ian.

“Stuart was just so underrated as a football player. The first thing that struck you about Stuart was his energy and his willingness to run about and work hard and I think in many ways that masked his ability in some people’s opinions, because he was a far better football player perhaps than the way he played.

“What caught your eye when he played was his work rate and his closing down, getting the ball back, but far cleverer with the ball and a better player than a lot of people imagined.

“And Ian Ferguson was the exact same. Those two guys could’ve played in any team at any level. Fergie came from St. Mirren as a younger man and Graeme (Souness) and Walter (Smith) turned him into a very mature, level-headed midfield player who was aggressive and had one of the hardest shots out of any players I ever played with.”

“The one thing about Fergie that helped was that he was a Rangers boy growing up so he absolutely loved every minute of putting on that blue jersey. Probably two I’d value as high as any are Stuart McCall and Ian Ferguson.”

Duo share fifth-wicket stand of 199 to rescue side from perilous overnight position against Yorkshire

ECB Reporters Network15-Apr-2024Ollie Price’s career-best 147 and a century from James Bracey helped Gloucestershire to an unlikely draw on the final day of the Vitality County Championship match with Yorkshire at the Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol.The pair shared a fifth-wicket stand of 199, Bracey making 102 as they batted from the start to the brink of tea, rescuing their side from a perilous overnight position of 97 for four, chasing 498 to win.Price’s fourth first-class ton and Bracey’s 10th frustrated the Yorkshire attack on a placid pitch, allowing Gloucestershire to close on 405 for 6. They took 12 points from the game, while Yorkshire claimed 13, having dominated for long periods.The start of play was delayed by half an hour due to heavy overnight rain, with eight overs lost. When the players took the field at 11.30am, the sun was shining, but a biting wind was whipping across the ground.Gloucestershire faced the daunting prospect of being 400 runs in arrears and the only realistic target was to bat through the day for a draw.
Price and Bracey played with a commendable restraint, ready to punish the occasional bad ball, while displaying immaculate defence in battling to save the game.Unbeaten on 44 overnight, Price moved to a 104-ball fifty, with seven fours, while Bracey showed the high degree of patience which marked his early days as a Gloucestershire player.Yorkshire skipper Shan Masood shuffled his bowlers, but not for the first time a final-day pitch at Bristol proved too benign to offer much assistance.Price had one moment of alarm on 54 when edging a turning delivery from Dan Moriarty, only for the ball to ricochet off the gloves of wicketkeeper Jonny Tattersall and out of reach of first slip.By lunch, the Gloucestershire’s pair had taken the score to 166 for 4, with Price unbeaten on 75 and Bracey 38 not out.Masood had tried some imaginative field settings and when left-arm spinner Moriarty bowled to Bracey from the Ashley Down Road end after lunch, he had five players in catching positions on the leg side.It didn’t stop Bracey going to his half-century off 99 deliveries, with eight fours. Price began to go on the attack, hitting three successive fours off short balls from Matt Fisher and taking another boundary off the first ball of his next over. That brought up the century stand.Price stepped back to hammer Moriarty for a boundary through the off-side, which brought up an exemplary hundred off 175 balls. It was his 16th four.Bracey was also blossoming under darkening skies, producing one of the shots of the day when driving Matt Milnes through extra cover for four. It was the last meaningful action before rain, which had been forecast, brought a brief interruption at 224 for 4.Only two overs were lost before normal service was resumed, Price and Bracey continuing to play with ease. Price was occasionally guilty of playing and missing forcing shots off the back foot against the spinners, but in general maintained his composure admirably.A two off Moriarty took Price past his previous highest first-class score of 132, made against Derbyshire at Bristol last September. Yorkshire’s last hope was the second new ball, taken at 293 for 4. The second delivery with it saw Price push forward and edge a catch behind off Ben Coad.Tea was immediately taken and the visitors could approach the final session with renewed heart. It saw Bracey go to three figures off 198 balls with 14 fours in a welcome return to the form which earned him an England Test call-up in 2021. Last season he failed to register 500 first class runs and averaged less than 22.The relief was evident in his celebration, but the very next ball saw him edge Coad through to the diving Tattersall and at 314 for 6 Gloucestershire still had work to do with a minimum of 24 overs remaining.But skipper Graeme van Buuren (51 not out) and Ben Charlesworth (43 not out) batted confidently to secure the draw, the players shaking hands just before 6pm with Yorkshire perhaps pondering whether they should have declared earlier on day three.

Ipswich Town appear to have their eyes on an “exciting” EFL star who “scores and creates goals”, according to one Sky Sports pundit.

Ipswich Town transfer rumours with McKenna’s side in relegation zone

The Tractor Boys’ return to the Premier League looks like it may only last one season, with Kieran McKenna’s side nine points adrift of safety with nine games remaining.

A defeat at Portman Road last time out was coupled with Wolves’ win at Southampton and has left Ipswich with plenty of work to do in the final months of the season.

Best signing since Davis: Ipswich struck gold with "wrecking ball" star

Leif Davis has been one of Ipswich’s finest signings during the Kieran McKenna era.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 20, 2025

Should Ipswich suffer relegation, there could be a number of exits, including star striker Liam Delap, with several top-flight giants eyeing a move for the impressive forward, including Man Utd and Chelsea.

Hearts striker and captain Lawrence Shankland, who is out of contract at the end of the season, has seemingly been identified as a possible replacement for Delap at Portman Road.

Loanee Kalvin Phillips is also unlikely to make his move permanent, and his replacement could be 6ft 6 midfielder Kalidou Sidibe, who currently plies his trade with French side En Avant Guingamp.

Towards the end of 2024, Ipswich were also linked with Peterborough United star Kwame Poku, alongside Southampton, Championship side Burnley and Scottish giants Rangers.

Ipswich Town told they can sign “exciting” EFL star if relegated

Now, talking to Football League World, Sky Sports co-commentator and pundit Don Goodman has labelled Ipswich target Poku as an “exciting” potential signing in the Championship, appearing to urge the Tractor Boys to make a move if they’re relegated.

“Well, Peterborough have finally found their mojo, haven’t they? They’ve just put a seven-game unbeaten run together, far and away their best run of the season. It took way too long.

“Kwame Poku, 10 goals and six assists this season from just 20 games, 19 starts, is very impressive. It’s on the back of 11 goals and seven assists last season.

“He’s been on my radar for a couple of seasons now, along with Ephron Mason-Clarke, who is now doing really, really well at Coventry.

“If you’re Burnley, Southampton or Ipswich, it’s obviously going to depend on which players stay and which players leave. That’s assuming Southampton and Ipswich will be in the Championship, Burnley will hope to be in the Premier League.

“So whether he’s ready for the Premier League just yet is a debate to be had, but certainly if I was a Championship club and I needed an exciting, ball-carrying winger that both scores and creates goals, he would be on my radar.”

Games

139

Goals

28

Assists

28

Minutes played

9,828

It could well be one to keep an eye on, and with Ipswich at this stage likely to come straight back down, someone like Poku could help in the final third as they aim to bounce back up.

The tournament has had its first upset – and one of the biggest of all time – while two teams face an almost must-win clash in Lucknow

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Oct-20233:56

Trott: ‘Manner and margin of Afghanistan’s win makes it significant’

–Fixtures | Squads | Points table | Tournament IndexTop Story: The Great Upset – Afghanistan bring World Cup to life with England conquestAfghanistan claimed the most famous scalp of their international history, and in the process provided the first big shock of the 2023 World Cup, by routing England’s world champions by 69 runs in a spin-and-seam masterclass under the Delhi floodlights.Their dominance was set in motion by a fearless display of power-hitting from the 21-year-old Rahmanullah Gurbaz, whose 80 from 57 had promised so much more until a run-out sawed him off in his prime. But Ikram Alikhil marshalled Afghanistan’s lower-order with a precious half-century in his first game of this year’s World Cup, whereupon they set about making a target of 285 seem as dim and distant as England’s hopes of defending their title must now feel.Click here for the full reportMatch analysis: Forget Bazball, this was GurbazballRashid Khan clinches Afghanistan’s historic win against England•Getty ImagesThe ball skidded past Mark Wood’s bat and into the stumps, and Rashid Khan stood with his arms outstretched, arching his back and facing the night sky. It was a moment to savour, one which will reverberate across Delhi, India and far beyond: Afghanistan had not only beaten the world champions, but thrashed them.This was the performance of a team with no fear or inhibition, attacking first with the bat and then with the ball. Afghanistan had won once in their 17 previous World Cup matches, a one-wicket victory over Scotland eight years ago: they were a team with nothing to lose, who gained everything.Amid political turmoil and humanitarian crises, India has become a home away from home for Afghanistan. This, their most famous night as a sporting nation, came in front of over 25,000 fans in a city with a substantial Afghan diaspora. Many of them waved Afghanistan flags and danced along as played over the PA system.Read the full analysis by Matt Roller in DelhiHave your say: Which is England’s most shocking loss?England have been on the wrong end of some big upsets in ICC events and have been shocked once again in this World Cup, by Afghanistan in Delhi. Which of these defeats was the most surprising? Click here to voteMust Watch: Aaron Finch on Pat Cummins4:43

Finch: ‘Everyone in the team respects Cummins and his tactics’

News headlines Travis Head is hopeful of being able to fly out to join Australia’s World Cup squad later this week as he continues to recover from his fractured hand
England captain Jos Buttler has said the team “must let this defeat hurt” after they were toppled by Afghanistan
Match previewAustralia vs Sri Lanka, Lucknow (2pm IST; 8.30am GMT; 7.30pm AEST)1:32

Kumble on Australia’s limited spin attack

Even in a tournament with nine group-stage matches which allows room for a slip up or two, you don’t want to be 0-3 early in the competition. But that’s exactly the situation which will confront one of Australia and Sri Lanka after they face off in Lucknow in what already shapes as a contest to retain realistic semi-final hopes. It has been a tough start for both sides, but two points in this fixture will revive belief that they can still challenge for the top four.Full previewTeam newsAustralia (probable): 1 David Warner, 2 Mitchell Marsh, 3 Steven Smith, 4 Marnus Labuschagne, 5 Josh Inglis (wk), 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Marcus Stoinis, 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Pat Cummins (capt), 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh HazlewoodSri Lanka (probable): 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kusal Perera, 3 Kusal Mendis (capt, wk), 4 Sadeera Samarawickrama, 5 Charith Asalanka, 6 Dhananjaya de Silva, 7 Dunith Wellalage, 8 Chamika Karunaratne, 9 Maheesh Theekshana, 10 Kasun Rajitha, 11 Dilshan MadushankaFeature: Tired and tested – Australia’s challenges at this World CupIt’s no doubt a view coloured by recent results and the mediaperson’s tendency to hanker for shiny new things to talk about, but there’s a definite jadedness to Australia’s ODI set-up. Where some other teams – India, for instance – have torn up their ODI template and started over more than once over the last two World Cup cycles, Australia continue to play the way they’ve always played. They have an explosive line-up buttressed by a pair of busy anchors, and they trust in their best – which usually translates to Test – fast bowlers no matter what the conditions are.Read the full piece by Karthik Krishnaswamy in Lucknow

انطلقت منافسات الجولة الثانية من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز لكرة القدم، موسم 2025/26، مساء الجمعة، حيث حقق تشيلسي فوزًا على خصمه وست هام بخمسة أهداف مقابل هدف.

وتعرض مانشستر سيتي للهزيمة على ملعب “الاتحاد” أمام نظيره توتنهام، في قمة منافسات تلك الجولة، حيث خسر بهدفين دون رد.

وحقق آرسنال فوزًا عريضًا أمام ليدز يونايتد بخماسية دون رد على ملعب “الإمارات” ليتصدر ترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي.

في حين أن مانشستر يونايتد واصل نزيف النقاط حيث اكتفى بتعادل مخيب مع فولهام، في الجولة نفسها، بهدف لمثله.

واُختتمت منافسات تلك الجولة بمباراة مثيرة بين فريقي ليفربول ونيوكاسل يونايتد حيث فاز حامل اللقب بثلاثة أهداف لهدفين. جدول ترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي

1 آرسنال، 6 نقاط. 

2 توتنهام، 6 نقاط.

3 ليفربول، 6 نقاط.

4 تشيلسي، 4 نقاط.

5 نوتينجهام، 4 نقاط.

6 مانشستر سيتي، 3 نقاط.

7 سندرلاند، 3 نقاط.

8 إيفرتون، 3 نقاط.

9 بورنموث، 3 نقاط. 

10 برينفورد، 3 نقاط.

11 برينلي، 3 نقاط.

12 ليدز يونايتد، 3 نقاط.

13 فولهام، نقطتان.

14 كريستال بالاس، نقطتان.

15 نيوكاسل يونايتد، نقطة.

16 مانشستر يونايتد، نقطة.

17 أستون فيلا، نقطة.

18 برايتون، نقطة.

19 ولفرهامبتون، بدون نقاط.

20 وست هام، بدون نقاط.

ويمكن متابعة ترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، موسم 2025/26، محدث بشكل مستمر من هنا.

Fifties to James Rew, Craig Overton only prolong the inevitable for Somerset

ECB Reporters Network27-Jul-2023Jordan Clark claimed four wickets as Surrey strengthened their position at the top of the First Division table with a comprehensive LV= Insurance County Championship victory over Somerset inside three days at Taunton.The hosts began their second innings at the start of play trailing by 198 runs and were bowled out for 226, Clark taking 4 for 36 to help set up a ten-wicket victory.James Rew contributed 55, becoming the first player in Division One to pass 1,000 runs for the season at the age of 19, while Craig Overton smacked five sixes in a defiant 70 not out. But Surrey were left to make only 29 and reached their target in 8.3 overs.Somerset took only three points from the match after two brittle batting efforts, while their opponents claimed 22 to maintain a healthy lead over nearest challengers Essex.Related

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With only four balls bowled, the morning session was interrupted by rain. When play resumed at 12.10pm, any hope Somerset had of getting back into the game disappeared with some abject top-order batting.Sean Dickson had already survived a chance to third slip when in the same Clark over, the fourth of the innings, he edged to first slip where Dom Sibley made no mistake.Four overs later, Tom Lammonby swished at a wide delivery from Clark, which he might have left and Will Jacks held a low two-handed catch.It was 23 for 3 when George Bartlett shouldered arms to a Clark delivery that crashed into his pads on off stump and fell lbw.With only five runs added, Kohler-Cadmore directed a sharp catch off Dan Worrall to Jamie Overton at backward point.Clark finished his opening spell with figures of 3 for 15 from six overs. But Tom Abell put a blameless pitch in perspective with sound shot selection and by lunch, which was taken at 46 for 4, the Somerset skipper had struck four boundaries in moving to 27.Rew, who had taken 32 balls to get off the mark in the first innings, again displayed a patience lacking in more experienced team-mates and had yet to open his account, having faced ten deliveries.The afternoon session saw Rew and Abell progress their partnership to 64 with few alarms, the prolific teenager reaching a four-figure run tally for the summer when moving to 21 with a single to cover off Worrall.But Clark returned at the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion End to pin Abell leg before for 46 with a yorker and at 92 for 5 Somerset still required 106 to make Surrey bat again.Kasey Aldridge edged a short, wide ball from Tom Lawes to third slip where Jacks took an excellent diving catch as his side continued to gift wickets with injudicious strokes.An exception was Rew, content to accumulate quietly without resorting to big shots until, with his score on 31, he effortlessly lifted a ball from Lawes over deep backward square for six.Ben Green was caught behind looking to drive a full-length delivery from Jamie Overton to make it 130 for 7 before Rew went to fifty for the seventh time this season, off 96 balls, with four fours and a six.The unflappable young wicketkeeper, who doesn’t turn 20 until January, had turned five of his previous half-centuries into hundreds, with a top score of 221 against Hampshire at Taunton.At tea, Somerset were 139 for 7, still trailing by 59. They had added just six runs when Rew, perhaps feeling he was running out of partners, top-edged a pull shot off Gus Atkinson and skied a catch to fine leg. He had faced 106 balls in another mature contribution.The end looked nigh as Atkinson quickly followed up by sending back Matt Henry, lbw to a yorker. But Craig Overton had other ideas, launching a savage attack with powerful pulls and drives that saw him take 20 off an Atkinson over and dominate a last wicket stand of 77 in 13 overs with Shoaib Bashir.It merely prevented the inevitable and Surrey wrapped up victory at just before 6.15pm with openers Rory Burns and Dom Sibley completing the job.

Holder, Joseph, Paul and Hosein ran through Nepal despite a poor fielding display by West Indies

Danyal Rasool22-Jun-2023Centuries from Shai Hope and Nicholas Pooran saw West Indies post 339 and demolish Nepal by 101 runs to shore up their Super Six hopes. After early wobbles, Hope and Pooran combined for a 216-run partnership for the fourth wicket, scoring 132 and 115 respectively as West Indies registered the highest score of the tournament. Nepal were never in the chase despite extensive sloppiness in the field from West Indies, and wickets for Jason Holder, Keemo Paul and Akeal Hosein helped them bowl Nepal out for 238.Nepal won the toss and Rohit Paudel elected to field first, a trend that has seen most sides be successful in these qualifiers. It seemed to pay off immediately with his side enjoying the better of the first ten overs. Karan KC and Gulshan Jha removed Kyle Mayers and Johnson Charles within the first five overs to leave them two wickets down for nine. Sandeep Lamichhane – much improved from the first two games, also got his first wicket of the tournament when he cleaned up Brandon King with a googly shortly after.That brought Pooran and Hope together, but a costly drop when Pooran had just scored three by keeper Aasif Sheikh would prove to be a real sliding doors moment. Pooran smacked one six each off Lalit Rajbanshi and Lamichhane immediately after as West Indies began to move through the gears, and Hope joined in on the aggression. He would soon bring up his half-century, before Pooran reached his at a much quicker clip off 51 balls. By now, West Indies were 162 for three with a third of the innings set to go, beautifully set up for the finish.Related

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It was a platform they took advantage of, with Pooran throwing caution to the wind thereafter as Hope played second-fiddle, willing to be a spectator to the fireworks. Jha was tonked for 15 in an over and Karan for 12, and it even appeared as if Pooran might beat Hope to three figures. In the end, they both got there in the 40th over, Hope easing to it with a brace while Pooran carved a boundary behind point to bring his up in 81 balls.West Indies had a free rein in the final ten overs, through which they’d contribute 98, helped by cameos from Rovman Powell and Holder, giving Nepal 340 to get their first points on the board.Shai Hope celebrates his 15th ODI century•ICC via Getty ImagesIt was an overwhelming ask, and Nepal almost seemed to treat the target as a suggestion rather than a goal. Early wickets for Joseph and Holder didn’t help as Nepal went back into their shell. But they continued to lose wickets as the run rate climbed, despite the profligacy of the West Indian fielding, which bordered on the uninterested at times. There were at least seven catches put down all innings, as well as a number of misfields that could be put down to lackadaisical efforts.But, true to West Indies form, it was interspersed with moments of divine brilliance in the field. A catch on the boundary by Keacy Carty was the pick of the lot, leaping over the rope before coming back in to complete a perfectly executed catch to dismiss Kushal Malla. A sharp grab by Roston Chase sent Dipendra Airee packing too, and by now, Nepal had long been nudged out of the contest, tottering on the brink of a colossal defeat at 128 for six.Aarif Sheikh hung around with the lower order, scoring a spirited half-century to ensure his side put up a respectable total. Nepal crossed 200 and ensured they took the game to the final over thanks to Karan, who played his shots as West Indies went through the motions. It was a successful effort, of sorts, to delay an outcome that had been obvious for at least a couple of hours, as West Indies shook hands on their second successive win.

He is alleged to have attempted to convince players to fix in the 2020 Lanka Premier League

Andrew Fidel Fernando06-Sep-2023Former Sri Lanka offspinner Sachithra Senanayake has been arrested by Sri Lanka Police on Wednesday, on charges related to match-fixing. According to the police’s media division, he is due to be produced in court in the next 24 hours.Senanayake, 38, is alleged to have attempted to convince players to fix in the 2020 Lanka Premier League. Although he was not himself a player in this tournament, and is understood to have been overseas at the time, Senanayake is alleged to have contacted more than one player taking part in the LPL. This information was then allegedly conveyed to the tournament’s anti-corruption officers.The arrest was made under the Prevention of Offences Relating to Sports Act, which was introduced in 2019. Under this law, “any person who solicits, entices, persuades, or instructs any person… to influence the result, progress, conduct … of any sport, commits the offence of corruption in sports”. This is the first arrest made under this act.Last month, a court had also imposed a travel ban on Senanayake, after a probe was launched into the allegations.Senanayake had had something of a storied career before being pulled up on his action in 2014. He’d been a key part of Sri Lanka’s triumphant 2014 T20 World Cup campaign, and had also been bought for USD $625,000 by Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2013 IPL season.Although he made a return in 2014 with a remodeled bowling action, his career declined thereafter. He played the last of his 49 ODIs in December 2015, and the last of his 24 T20Is in 2016. He also played one Test in 2013, but didn’t take any wickets.