Tag Futebol

Batting for Change, a cause put together by the Sydney Sixers’ Ryan Carters and the LBW Trust, is an effort to further the cause of education for women and has grown with the BBL over the last four seasons

Daniel Brettig20-Dec-2016

While many of the BBL’s watchers this season draw interest from online betting shenanigans, there is also a way of spending money on the tournament that will go in a rather different direction.Season six of the tournament is also season four of Batting for Change, a cause put together by the Sydney Sixers’ Ryan Carters and the LBW Trust in an effort to further the cause of education for women around the world. Put simply, BBL watchers have the chance to pledge money to the charity via its website, with a set amount pledged for every ball struck over the rope by the Sixers.As the BBL has grown, so too has Carters’ enterprise, from raising $30,000 to fund the building of classrooms in Nepal in 2013-14 to a far loftier target this year – $150,000 to support projects in India, Sri Lanka and, for the first time, Kenya. This year Carters has been joined by a bevy of other ambassadors – Moises Henriques, Steve O’Keefe, Nic Maddinson, Alyssa Healy, Kurtis Patterson and Ed Cowan.”It’s interesting, they’ve both grown together,” Carters said of the two ventures. “There’s a reason the BBL has become so popular in Australia and it’s because Cricket Australia and Ten have done a wonderful job designing and managing the tournament. The standard of cricket itself is going up every year and the spectators love to see high quality clashes played out in the T20 format.”The WBBL has added a new dimension and expanded the fanbase again, and from Batting for Change’s point of view we offer a fun way to engage with the BBL, and as more people are watching matches live and on their TV screens, more people are signing up to become a donor, follow along and enjoy the thrill of seeing a six smashed out of the stadium and also knowing that’s another $1-2,000 that’s going to women’s education.”The Kenyan project marks a particular progression for Carters, as it not only supports education but branches further into social activism – namely the fight against female genital mutilation and child marriage in Kenya. “It is a really amazing story,” Carters said. “A woman called Kekenya Ntaiya, who grew up in a Maasai village called Enoosaen in Kenya. She was set to follow the traditional path, engaged to be married at the age of five.”But she struck up this horrible bargain with her father where she agreed to undergo female genital mutilation as long as she could stay in school until the end of high school. That was very unusual for girls to attain even that much education, but her father kept his word, she was allowed to finish high school, and then she was allowed to go on and complete university and ended up going all the way to a PhD in the US. With her newfound knowledge and networks she started her own foundation to educate girls from her own village.”Where we come in is that Batting for Change and the LBW Trust are providing the first ever tertiary education scholarships for women from this village. So for the girls who’ve gone through Kekenya’s school for girls and now completed high school, the first of them are ready to start university in 2018 at the University of Nairobi, so we’re excited about launching that.”Carters, who has pursued interests far more diverse than cricket throughout his life, hopes that this latest project can lead to others of a similar, transformational nature. “There are tricky decisions like geographically what do you want to support,” he said, “because there are worthy projects all around the cricket world and we’ve looked at a number of them.”But Kekenya really stood out because it’s such a moving story from the founder, and we know that as well as supporting women’s education, by doing so we’re also preventing female genital mutilation and child marriage. It’s about education but also preventing a harmful and oppressive practice. I think we do stand for social progress, above all with the focus on women’s education, which is a huge step forward in many parts of the cricket-playing world.”In that sense it’s already a very progressive vision for change to encourage women’s education. With Kekenya, the policy for girls to go to her school is that the parents must agree that the child will not be genitally mutilated or married before they finish high school. That further helps extend the social progress and the search for women to have the same rights as men.”When the Sixers meet the Sydney Thunder in the BBL opener on Tuesday night, they will compete to hoist the Batting for Change Cup. In doing so they will hope the symbolism can lead to further progress, via the pledges of the many thousands watching at home or in the stands.

Manchester United are in huge danger of watching their once-promising season crumble in the space of just one week, as today they travel to Wembley hoping to book their spot in the FA Cup final.

Having crashed out of the Europa League in embarrassing fashion, on the end of a 3-0 hammering at the hands of Sevilla, Brighton and Hove Albion now pose an arguably even tougher challenge as both sides clash for the honour to face Manchester City.

With the EFL Cup already under his belt, and top four well in his sights, Erik ten Hag would certainly have chalked this debut campaign down as a roaring success. However, the opportunity they had to win further silverware is melting away, whether it be through fatigue, a mentality shift or injuries.

The latter in particular is an easy source of blame, especially with the huge absences of Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez at the back.

Missing one is bearable, but with both out it has meant Harry Maguire has had to partner Victor Lindelof once again. Their display in Spain was enough to prove this was far from sustainable.

Therefore, in front of a packed-out Wembley crowd, perhaps the Dutch tactician could return to an old idea that had been trialled earlier in the season with success; to deputise Luke Shaw at centre-back and in turn drop their £80m flop.

Will Luke Shaw be available vs Brighton?

Despite having picked up a knock in their last game, the England full-back reportedly claimed "I'm good" following the match that he still finished.

To start the £150k-per-week ace at the heart of defence has been a tactic that has worked at times this year, and led to huge praise from Ten Hag: "He’s showed a lot of leadership capacities – he’s the example at this moment – and with his skills and with his physical power he brings a lot to the team. But now also with his mentality.

"He’s an example of how to win big games. I’m really happy with his development. I think it’s been huge either at centre-half or left full-back, he’s a great player and a great personality for the dressing room."

Shaw's 7.08 average rating this season is indicative of this, where he marks himself out as a defensive leader by boasting 1.7 tackles and 1.8 clearances per game, via Sofascore. However, by putting the mobile star at centre back, it could allow greater control of the ball, with his speed sure to quell the threat Roberto De Zerbi's free-flowing outfit pose.

Especially in the place of Maguire, who earned an abysmal 6.3 rating last time out of which only David De Gea was handed worse. Both were particularly bad, with the former notably being dispossessed in awful fashion for the opener. With his culpability for mistakes in key areas and positional deficiencies, the natural centre half cannot be trusted to avoid another disasterclass that would knock them out of a different cup.

The 27-year-old is far from a huge physical downgrade to his 30-year-old teammate too, standing at 6 foot 1 and having been branded a "monster" by recruitment analyst Daniel Sebestyen.

To once again remove the former Leicester City man from the scrutiny of the limelight could be good not only to bolster the team but to defend Maguire from further scathing criticism.

Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing Feyenoord attacker Santiago Gimenez during the summer transfer window.

How is Gimenez playing this season?

The 21-year-old is enjoying an extremely fruitful season for the Dutch giants, producing consistently influential performances in the Eredivisie and the Europa League. He has scored 10 times in just 15 league starts, while in Europe, he has netted five times in seven outings – with only two of those being starts.

Gimenez's performances don't seem to be going unnoticed, with Crystal Palace one of the sides linked with making a move for him this summer. It certainly looks as though a Premier League switch could be on the cards, with United now also getting a mention.

Could youngster seal United move?

According to W Deportes [via Sport Witness], the Red Devils are the "most interested team" when it comes to Gimenez ahead of a possible move to Old Trafford. They have sent scouts to watch him in action several times and are believed to have made the "first contact" with his representatives.

He has a "clause close to €20m", and with doubts over Wout Weghorst and Anthony Martial's long-term futures, he could be seen as a superior option to come in and bolster United's attacking options.

Gimenez could be such an exciting signing for the Red Devils this summer, as despite not necessarily coming in as a guaranteed starter – the hope is that Harry Kane or Victor Osimhen may arrive, too – he may be viewed as a long-term prospect who can be an important squad player from the off.

His goalscoring record this season is testament to his potential, with 18 in all competitions marking a great return for Feyenoord. Meanwhile, he also has two strikes in nine caps for Mexico despite his tender years. We think it is essential that Erik ten Hag buys young players as well as those in their late 20s or even 30s, such as Raphael Varane, Casemiro and Christian Eriksen, in order to build for the future at Old Trafford.

Gimenez could be an ideal addition in that respect, hopefully coming in and having an even greater impact than his compatriot Javier Hernandez did, with the Mexican bagging 59 goals in 157 outings for United.

At 21, he still has so much improving to do as a player, and he could go through the gears faster by having top-quality players around him.

A batting promotion worked wonders for Moeen Ali as he scored his second Test century, and the fourth-highest score by an England No. 7, to build an imposing total of 498 for 9 before Alastair Cook declared before tea

The Report by Andrew McGlashan28-May-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsTwo men of the day: Chris Woakes and Moeen Ali share a high five•Getty Images

Powered by Moeen Ali’s career-best 155 and three wickets on recall for Chris Woakes, England put themselves in position to push for another innings victory as Sri Lanka produced an insipid display on the second day at Chester-le-Street. The visiting batting subsided to 90 for 8 in reply to England’s 498 for 9, the follow-on surely set to be enforced in the morning, although they at least avoided being sent back in during the evening session, which looked a possibility at one stage.Moeen’s second Test century – his first also came against Sri Lanka, at Headingley in 2014 – allowed England to plunder 188 runs off 42 overs, of which Moeen provided 127, before Alastair Cook declared 40 minutes before tea. One down at the break was a passable start given what happened in Leeds, but things quickly unravelled in the final session, Woakes backing up the early incisions of James Anderson and Stuart Broad by quickly locating a challenging length with some late nip allied to eye-catching pace in the high 80s mph. Broad then returned in the final moments of the day to strike two more blows against the lower order.Regardless of the defences that can be given to Sri Lanka about the challenges of the conditions and the rebuilding phase the side is going through it was woeful performance from them. The tone was set early when, in stark contrast to their excellent catching on the opening day, they spilled two crucial chances in the first session: Moeen was dropped on 36 and Woakes on 8 inside the first four overs of the day, and from then on Sri Lanka were listless in the field.The second of those two chances, a regulation outside edge, was spilled by Dinesh Chandimal who was struggling with a thumb injury and at morning drinks was replaced by Kusal Mendis behind the stumps. It begged the question, given that Graham Ford had admitted the injury concern the night before, why the change hadn’t been made at the start of the day.Given a total of 298 at Headingley overwhelmed the Sri Lankans, 498 must have looked a fearful number looming from the scoreboard even as the sun shone brightly during the evening session. Mendis was again the best of an out-classed batting order, although Lahiru Thirimanne showed some pluck to see out the day, but their desperate state was summed up by Angelo Mathews’ review when he was given caught behind (having declined to review last week when he would have been saved from his lbw dismissal).Anderson picked up where he left off at Headingley when he found Dimuth Karunaratne’s leg stump in the third over when the left hander moved too far across to try and protect his outside edge. Anderson’s first spell, split either side of tea as Cook’s declaration allowed his new-ball pair a breather, also included Chandimal whose forgettable day continued when he edged to first slip with hard hands. Broad claimed Kaushal Silva when Jonny Bairstow took a sharp low catch which was referred to the TV umpire, Rod Tucker, although the on-field officials had given the soft signal as out.Woakes, who had played confidently for his 39 after the early life, was given the ball ahead of Steven Finn and in his second over found Mathews’ outside edge. A bowler who has recently taken 9 for 36 probably does not need much of a confidence boost, but when your Test average was upward of 60 removing the opposition’s best player is a perfect way to start.He then added Mendis, exaggerated lift finding the splice of the bat, and Milinda Siriwardana who edged a delivery that kept down – a pair of dismissals which further highlighted why Cook was happy to bat first. Still, it was not a 67 for 6 surface. Thirimanne and Rangana Herath resisted until the penultimate over of the day when Herath sparred to gully. Shaminda Eranga was then taken on the rebound by Joe Root at second slip after James Vince had done well to palm up a fast nick above his head.England resumed on 310 for 6, talking positively of 450 but probably willing to accept 400. By the time Cook declared, the last four wickets had added 271 runs with Moeen finishing with the fourth-highest score by an England No. 7. He received good support from the lower order, adding 92 for the seventh wicket with Woakes and 98 for the last two wickets combined, reaching three figures from 109 balls with a lofted drive down the ground. His next fifty took just another 43 deliveries, as he cut loose with Finn and Anderson for company, with the 150 being raised by a crunching six over deep midwicket off Suranga Lakmal.Although he made a half-century two Tests ago, against South Africa at Centurion, it has been a largely lean time with the bat for Moeen since last year’s Ashes series where his brisk lower-order contributions were vital at Cardiff and Edgbaston. He has not made any secret that he would prefer to bat higher in the order and in the absence of Ben Stokes he has, temporarily at least, moved up a spot. While not a chanceless innings, he appeared more focused than when he is lumped down with the bowlers.The only high point of the day for Sri Lanka was Herath’s 300th Test which finally came his way in his 28th over when Finn top-edged a slog sweep – Herath was not going to leave the catching to any of his team-mates. He became the third Sri Lankan bowler after Muttiah Muralitharan (light years ahead on 800 wickets) and Chaminda Vass (355) to cross the milestone. He was warmly applauded by the crowd and he raised the ball in acknowledgement, although a touch of reality soon dawned when No. 11 Anderson reverse swept him for four. The fact he had batted, and with more defiance than some, by the end of the day further summed up Sri Lanka’s plight.

Aston Villa return to long-awaited Premier League action today, but face a tough test as they travel to the capital to face a resurgent Chelsea side.

The Blues had enjoyed a fine turnaround under Graham Potter but were halted last time out against Sean Dyche's resilient Everton. He has provided the blueprint for all visiting sides seeking to snatch some points from Stamford Bridge, and Unai Emery will look to build upon it further.

Having impressed since joining, the Spaniard is seeking to further separate his side from the eight teams embroiled in a relegation battle and push the Villans ever closer to an unlikely European push.

Surprisingly, these sides actually sit on the same points after 27 games, effectively making this a huge mid-table six-pointer.

To truly give themselves the best possible chance of winning, the Midlands outfit will have to be resolute at the back and clinical in the final third. As such, perhaps it could merit a recall for Lucas Digne in the place of Alex Moreno.

Will Lucas Digne start for Aston Villa?

Although the Frenchman has not had the desired impact since moving from Merseyside, having been signed by former manager Steven Gerrard, the £160k-per-week full-back remains a quality creative asset who is bound to come good eventually.

Perhaps starting him in a game of this magnitude could be the vote of faith needed to reignite the form that saw him revered by the Toffees.

During his final full season at Goodison Park, he provided seven assists for a side that finished decidedly in mid-table, outlining just how important he could be contributing to the attack.

His offensive impetus could prove key in exploiting Chelsea's big weakness, which coincidentally is down the flanks.

Although they have been somewhat toothless going forward, they boast one of the best defences in the league this season. However, given the three-at-the-back system that Potter prefers, it often surrenders plenty of space out wide; especially with Reece James and Ben Chilwell pushing on.

Therefore, Digne could look to overlap into that space, and with that cutting edge, he could be clinical enough to provide a killer blow.

He has maintained 0.8 key passes per game in a season where he is averaging just 65 minutes per outing, as per Sofascore. Especially when he'll be supplementing the red-hot Ollie Watkins, who boasts seven goal contributions across his last eight appearances.

Digne's experience will also help him know when the right time to push forward is, which his former Toffees boss Marco Silva lauded during his debut year in England. He said:

"Fantastic football player, a fantastic professional, works always with a big ambition, and he’s a winner – he likes to win, not just in the matches but in every training session as well."

With Moreno posting the worst rating of any of Emery's starters last time out, this switch seems like the natural decision to exploit that space in behind, so the Spaniard must look to unleash the decisive 29-year-old today.

Transfer expert Steve Kay says that reports that Emile Smith Rowe could leave Arsenal at the end of the season are ‘way off the mark’.

The Lowdown: Uncertain future

It was reported earlier this week that Smith Rowe was one of five players with his future in doubt at the Emirates Stadium.

He, along with Kieran Tierney, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Nuno Tavares and Folarin Balogun, all reportedly could be sold this summer in order to raise funds.

The Latest: ‘Way off the mark’

Taking to Twitter, Kay says that reports of Smith Rowe potentially leaving are ‘way off the mark’, and that Mikel Arteta wants him to stay:

“Reports coming out that Arsenal’s Emile Smith Rowe could be leaving the club at the end of the season are way off the mark. Mikel #Arteta wants Emile (22) to stay & become a important part of the squad & reach his full potential.”

The Verdict: Great news

It will certainly come as great news to supporters that Arteta is planning on keeping Smith Rowe beyond this season.

The Englishman has been unlucky with injuries this term, but did have a short cameo in the 4-0 win at home to Everton on Wednesday night (Transfermarkt).

A Hale End graduate, he was an important player in the last campaign, scoring an impressive ten goals and two assists from midfield (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, the Gunners should be looking to keep as many of their stars that graduate from the Academy as possible, and at 22 years of age, Smith Rowe still has a bright future at the Emirates Stadium, providing that he can now keep himself fit.

تغلب فريق آرسنال على مُضيفه كريستال بالاس بخماسية لهدف، مساء السبت، ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

والتقى آرسنال وكريستال بالاس على ملعب “سيلهرست بارك”، بالجولة السابعة عشر للدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “البريميرليج”.

وافتتح جابريل جيسوس التسجيل لآرسنال بهدف مبكر في الدقيقة السادسة، ثم تعادل إسماعيلا سار لكريستال بالاس في الدقيقة 11.

وعقب ذلك أضاف جيسوس الهدف الثاني له ولآرسنال في الدقيقة 14، ثم تعرض بوكايو ساكا للإصابة وتم استبداله في الدقيقة 25 من المباراة، وبدت إصابته في الركبة، وشارك لياندرو تروسارد بديلاً له.

وبحلول الدقيقة 38 سجل كاي هافيرتز هدف آرسنال الثالث ليحسم الشوط الأول بالفوز بثلاثية لهدف.

وفي الدقيقة 60 تمكن جابريل مارتينيلي من إحراز الهدف الرابع لصالح آرسنال، ثم أحرز ديكلان رايس الهدف الخامس في الدقيقة 84.

ولم تسفر المباراة عن أهداف أخرى ليحسمها آرسنال بالفوز 5-1، ويرفع رصيده للنقطة 33 في المركز الثالث بترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي، ويتجمد رصيد كريستال بالاس عند 16 نقطة في المركز 15. أهداف مباراة آرسنال وكريستال بالاس