All posts by h716a5.icu

NatWest will become the major ECB sponsor from next year, taking over the branding of the various teams which are currently under the Waitrose deal that will finish early in 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jul-2016NatWest will become the major ECB sponsor from next year, taking over the branding of the various teams which are currently under the Waitrose deal that will finish early in 2017, alongside its current sponsorships which include the T20 Blast and the CricketForce volunteering scheme.The bank has been heavily involved in English cricket since 1980 and the new four-year deal will take them beyond 40 years of association with the sport which began with the domestic 60-over NatWest Trophy.The shirt part of the deal – which includes all England teams – begins at the start of the busiest international summer which includes the Champions Trophy, Women’s World Cup, full tours by South Africa and West Indies and a visit by Ireland at the start of the season.David Wheldon, the chief marketing officer at NatWest, said: “Ever since we first established the NatWest Trophy in conjunction with the ECB in 1980, cricket has been ingrained in the DNA of NatWest and I am delighted that we will be re-invigorating this partnership by becoming the ECB’s first ever Principal Partner.”NatWest are also currently the title sponsors of the T20 Blast and that will continue for 2017 which was the final year of a four-year agreement that began in 2014.There is extensive debate about the future shape of England’s domestic T20 with a recent report saying that a new, franchise-based tournament could begin as early as 2018.One suggestion is that it could be played in conjunction with an 18-team county T20 that would retain its position mainly on Friday nights which has proved successful for some counties in boosting attendances.

Burnley are keen on completing a deal to sign Arsenal midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga this summer, according to reports.

Is Albert Sambi Lokonga leaving Arsenal?

The Belgian international is an academy graduate of Anderlecht in his homeland but swapped his familiar surroundings for the Premier League in 2021 when he arrived at the Emirates Stadium in a deal worth €17.5m (£15.2m), as per Transfermarkt.

The Gunners starlet, however, made just two top-flight starts in the first half of this season so was sent out on loan to Crystal Palace in January in the hope of receiving some regular game time, but with Roy Hodgson’s side reluctant to acquire his services on a permanent basis this summer, his future is very much up in the air.

The Times have reported that Edu and Mikel Arteta are set to sanction the sales of 11 players at the end of the season to help create funds for new signings and the 23-year-old is one of those to be name-checked, with his potential availability appearing to have alerted Vincent Kompany at Turf Moor.

Are Burnley signing Lokonga?

According to The Sun, Burnley are interested in a summer move for Lokonga, with the manager “eyeing up a reunion” with his former midfielder having previously coached him during his time at Anderlecht.

The Clarets boss is a “huge fan” of the talented prospect and believes that he will be able to help him “rediscover” his form and become a “hit” in the Premier League. Arsenal view him as “surplus to requirements”, meaning that the door is now “open” for him to seal a permanent move elsewhere, with the Gunners valuing him at £15m.

Burnley will be aware that Lokonga isn’t in prime right now having failed to nail down a regular starting spot at Palace or Arsenal but Kompany knows him better than most, and having been lauded a “tireless” runner by talent scout Jacek Kulig, he could be a risk worth taking.

The Europa League participant, who currently earns £50k-per-week, clocked up ten goal contributions (seven assists and three goals) in 78 Anderlecht appearances, and during the 2020/21 season, recorded a total of 36 shots which was the third-highest throughout the whole of his squad at the time, via FBRef.

Lokonga is also a versatile operator with his ability to play in defensive, central, attacking and even on the right side of a midfield unit so could be a fantastic option for the boss to have at his disposal should any unexpected injuries occur.

Arsenal will hope to keep their Premier League title dreams alive when they welcome Brighton and Hove Albion to the Emirates Stadium this afternoon.

By the time kick-off swings around, Mikel Arteta's side could be four points adrift of their rivals Manchester City, who play relegation candidates Everton earlier in the day and today's task will be no easy one as the Seagulls will be wanting to get their own European push back on track.

The visitors have slipped to eighth in the standings following a shock 5-1 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers, with Aston Villa's red-hot form under Unai Emery another factor.

Arteta is left with plenty to consider in terms of team selection as his squad continues to be affected by injuries, but will the Spaniard make any big decisions today?

Will Bukayo Saka start vs Brighton?

A leading star for club and country, it's been one phenomenal season for Gunners winger Bukayo Saka.

The 21-year-old dynamo leads the goal contribution charts in north London and ranks fifth overall in the English top-flight this campaign, with 13 goals and 11 assists to his name.

But it has been a quiet couple of weeks for the England superstar, having failed to register a goal or assist in each of Arsenal's last three league outings, whilst his two contributions against relegated Southampton have been the Hale End prospect's only two returns in his last seven matches, via WhoScored.

Saka has also struggled to see out 90 minutes in the trio of games against Newcastle United, Chelsea and Man City and has arguably looked a little jaded, so perhaps his place against the Seagulls can be questioned.

It would be a huge surprise and one hell of a ruthless call from the Spaniard but with a viable alternative in Leandro Trossard, who will be keen to punish his former club, the decision to put Saka on the bench is surely made a little easier.

Gunners legend Ian Wright has also called for the England winger to be dropped, having endured a long and physical campaign, one that was interrupted with a mid-season World Cup.

"Maybe Saka should get a little bit of a rest," claimed Wright (via the Metro). "I think a little rest. Maybe my mouth is going too quickly for my brain, in this situation we can’t afford to lose anymore games. We need everybody out there, but I just worry, I worry for him."

Having also been hailed as "phenomenal" by West Ham star Jarrod Bowen this week, there is no denying that the £76m-rated machine is one of the team's brightest and best players on his day, though it's also evident that he is suffering the effects from his continuous involvement for both Arsenal and England.

Only two other Gunners players have registered more minutes than Saka in the Premier League this term, with the £70k-per-week star playing nearly 200 minutes more than his wide counterpart Gabriel Martinelli, by comparison.

Brighton will likely be preparing for the threat of Saka down the right flank too, where the match-up with Pervis Estupinan is certainly one to watch, so Arteta could even spring a surprise on Roberto De Zerbi by opting for Trossard instead.

As such, the Arsenal boss must make a major call on his star man heading into kick-off. Perhaps it's time for Saka to come out of the starting XI for just one game.

Jonathan Trott’s well-received hundred at Guildford was a heartening reminder that there is a life worth living once an England career ends

Tim Wigmore03-Jul-2016
ScorecardJonathan Trott gave Warwickshire the advantage•Getty ImagesAt 5:43 on a fine summer’s evening at Guildford, Jonathan Trott essayed an exquisite extra cover drive for four. In so doing he reached his century. The warmth with which the crowd responded to Trott’s matter-of-fact celebrations – nothing effusive, for this was just Trott doing as Trott does – spoke of the regard in which this fine cricketer is held throughout the shires.It was a heartening moment indeed for those who had feared that the termination of Trott’s international career last May would trigger his entire departure from the professional game. Certainly there were reasons to be fretful last summer: Trott averaged just 25.05 for Warwickshire, his worst return since 2007, and considered retirement.So far, 2016 has been altogether more fulfilling. An April trip to Lord’s brought a double century, and Trott’s run-making has not ceased thereafter, even if they have paid measured in 50s rather than hundreds.Ever since Mitchell Johnson harassed Trott three years ago, it has been almost de rigueur to greet Trott with a bouncer, just as Mark Footitt did here. Trott left that well alone, and did much the same when Stuart Meaker and the Curran brothers tested out this perceived vulnerability. In the end, they merely provided affirmation of Trott’s enduring patience; certainty defined his every response, even when it was just to duck or leave the ball.After a rather funereal start, Trott did plenty more than that. As the sun lit up a flat pitch, this innings assumed the air of a man batting on auto-pilot. This was a chanceless century underpinned by all Trott’s trademarks – imperious defence, driving that eschews elegance for efficiency, and, more than anything, all those remorseless shuffles to the legside. Yet in the evening sunshine he still retained the capacity to surprise. Gifted width by Meaker just after reaching his first century against Surrey, Trott flatbatted a six over third man, and then unfurled a thunderous cut through point two balls later. It was a matter of considerable surprise when Sam Curran defeated Trott with a delivery that moved back in.Trott walked off slowly, chuntering to himself and shaking his head. In a sense this was the most heartening sight of all: even in his 36th year, Trott’s competitiveness and zest for self-betterment are undimmed. Were circumstances different one could easily imagine him lining up at number three – a position from which only Wally Hammond have scored more runs for England in Test cricket – against Pakistan this month.That will not be happening. But instead Trott has the air of a man who will be accumulating runs for half a decade more in the shires yet.The same could well be true of his Warwickshire captain. Ian Bell will hope otherwise, but he has not been able to turn the promise of 174 in his first innings of 2016 into the glut of runs needed to convince the selectors he is worth revisiting. Sixty-six attractive runs, ended by a top edged sweet, ultimately registered as a missed opportunity, no matter how sweet his late cuts.In international cricket, Bell’s most productive partner was Trott. The two shared seven century stands – although, rather curiously given the reputation of both players, five of those were in ODI cricket but only two in Tests. If their alliance here was a long way short of the double century that ensured England’s victory in India four years ago, the 116 runs the two added have gone a long way towards shaping the match.The upshot was a day’s toil for Surrey, especially with Tim Ambrose, another Test match centurion, flaying the ball through the offside in forging another century stand with Trott. In isolation, Surrey bowled well enough, their spirit unbroken in a day elongated by morning showers. The trouble was that this day did not take place in isolation, but after Surrey had lost five wickets for 30 en route to being bowled out for 273. It was a score that always had the feel of being a hundred shy of par given the quality of the wicket and the shortness of the boundaries.If there was a pleasing sense of familiarity to Trott’s innings, there is a rather dispiriting predictability to Surrey’s plight in this game. Woodbridge Road was host to their only Championship defeat last year; not since 2002 have Surrey won here. They should already be fearful of 2019, when the demands the World Cup will place upon The Oval might necessitate them playing two games here.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Kusal Perera has replaced injured seamer Dhammika Prasad in Sri Lanka’s Test squad in England

Andrew Fidel Fernando22-May-20163:42

Perera and SLC must be compensated

Wicketkeeper-batsman Kusal Perera has replaced injured seamer Dhammika Prasad in Sri Lanka’s Test squad and will travel to England as soon as “visa formalities are taken care of”, SLC announced.Perera had been the Test side’s wicketkeeper and No. 7 batsman before he was provisionally suspended for failing a doping Test, in December. The charges against him have since been withdrawn by the ICC, and he has been eligible to play international cricket since May 11.Chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya said his committee had chosen Perera to replace a bowler because Sri Lanka “have enough bowlers in the squad”. In addition to the four frontline bowlers and two allrounders who played in the Headingley Test, seamer Suranga Lakmal and offspinner Dilruwan Perera sit in reserve.”Kusal will join the team as soon as possible and acclimatise so he can do some serious work with the bat,” Jayasuriya added.It is unlikely – though not impossible – that Perera will be available for the Test at Chester-le-Street which begins on Friday. He will almost certainly be in contention for the third Test at Lord’s, which does not begin until June 9.Perera has been training at SLC’s national academy at Khettarama since May 13. Having begun his career as a limited-overs specialist, Perera had made a bright start to his Test career, hitting two rapid fifties in five innings so far. If he is selected, Sri Lanka also have the option of relieving Dinesh Chandimal of the gloves.

Former Rangers defender Alan Hutton has been left concerned by Michael Beale's decision to let a number of experienced first-team players leave the club this summer.

Which players are leaving Rangers this summer?

The Gers will need to bring in a number of new players in the upcoming window, as several players are set to be shown the exit door, with Beale recently confirming Morelos is "going to be moving on" at the end of the season.

Turkish outlet Fanatik have recently reported that Ryan Kent has made the decision to leave at the end of the season, upon the expiration of his contract, while a number of other experienced players are out of contract.

Ryan Jack, Scott Arfield and Allan McGregor are all free to leave in the upcoming market, and Hutton is concerned that Beale plans to replace the old guard with some relatively inexperienced players.

In an interview with Football Insider, the pundit said: “That is my one fear.

“That the players that it looks like are leaving are experienced players, they have experienced European finals, winning leagues, winning trophies. I think it could be a mistake to let them all go.

“If you look at the likes of Arfield, Jack, Davis, McGregor, Morelos, Kent, I think you have to keep some for their experience, I am all for that.

“Especially if you look at the type of players they are wanting to bring in, the likes of [Morgan] Whittaker, Dowell, [Todd] Cantwell and [Nicolas] Raskin are already there, these are young guys.

“If you are bringing in seven or eight young players who are inexperienced, you need older heads round about them to guide them.“

Is a summer rebuild really needed?

Of course, Beale will be desperate to bridge the gap between Rangers and bitter rivals Celtic next season, currently trailing the Hoops by 13 points in the Scottish Premiership, but it is a questionable decision to let so many key players leave.

It is particularly concerning that Morelos and Kent are set to depart, given that both played a major part in the title-winning 2020-21 campaign, amassing a combined 32 goal contributions in the Scottish Premiership.

Scott Arfield has become a bit-part player, mainly being utilised as a substitute this season, but the decision to let Jack go is a little concerning, considering he has been a first-team regular whenever he has been fit.

Former Rangers man Lee McCulloch has previously spoken about how "influential" McGregor is in the dressing room, so the 41-year-old's departure could also pose problems for Beale, and the manager is playing a risky game by allowing so many players to leave.

Leeds United have deployed chiefs to watch Strasbourg striker Habib Diallo ahead of a potential move to the Premier League, according to reports.

What's the latest on Diallo's future?

The Whites have Rodrigo out of contract at the end of next season and both Patrick Bamford and Wilfried Gnonto are expected to be sold during the upcoming window should they get relegated, so if that turns out to be the case, Javi Gracia will need to enter the market to find suitable attacking reinforcements, and the 27-year-old has been identified as a potential ideal candidate.

The Senegal international has spent the last three years with Frederic Antonetti's side in Ligue 1 making 98 appearances to date, and his form this season has been particularly eye-catching being the top-performing offensive player and second overall with a WhoScored match rating of 6.97, so despite his contract not expiring until 2025, he's gained himself an admirer in Yorkshire.

According to Football Insider, Leeds are "among" a host of clubs in the Premier League that are "interested" in signing Diallo ahead of the 2023/24 term. The Elland Road outfit are "on the lookout" for a new striker and "sent club scouts" to assess the forward during Strasbourg's 2-1 defeat to Lyon on Friday evening. West Ham United, Leicester City, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Burnley, who have already sealed their promotion back to the top-flight, also "dispatched" their chiefs to the same game.

Strasbourg "understand" that it will be a hard task to retain the services of their key player and as a result are "resigned" to losing him should they receive "appropriate" bids during the upcoming window. His agent, Mark McKay, has also been given the green-light by the club to offer him to interested suitors.

Should Leeds submit an offer for Diallo?

Leeds won't yet know how much they'll be able to spend in the summer or exactly how much it will cost to prise Diallo away from Strasbourg, but should a deal be affordable to complete, the hierarchy should definitely table an offer to test the waters with their target having been lauded "quality" by Metz's former coach Vincent Hognon.

Predominantly a centre-forward but also with the versatility to play out wide on both the left and right flanks, the £10k-per-week gem has 17 goals to his name in 32 Ligue 1 appearances this season and has recorded a total of 71 shots since the start of the term which is higher than any other of his fellow teammates, as per FBRef, not to mention that he's also collected four man-of-the-match awards during that time.

Finally, Diallo shares the same agent as Weston McKennie, Adam Forshaw, Brenden Aaronson, Sam Greenwood, Luis Sinisterra and Crysencio Summerville, so this existing representative connection could potentially give the Whites an advantage over their fellow competitors in the race to secure his services this summer.

With Mauricio Pochettino looking increasingly likely to take over the soon-to-be vacant hotseat at Chelsea, he may be expected to delve into the transfer market over the summer.

Sky Sports has reported that it could be as early as next week that a formal announcement is made over Pochettino, with Todd Boehly clearly aiming to get a deal done before the end of the season.

Chelsea spent £323m in January alone on players such as Enzo Fernandez, Mykhailo Mudryk and Benoit Badiashile, and despite the abundance of talent, the squad just hasn’t performed to the required standard this term.

Pochettino will surely look to bring the best out of the players in the current team before he eyes up any potential incomings – and one member of the first team could do with a new manager to reinvigorate him ahead of 2023/24 is Raheem Sterling.

How has Raheem Sterling performed this season for Chelsea?

A return of seven goals and three assists in all competitions this season is a modest total for the winger, and it could represent his worst season in terms of goal contributions since 2012/13, where he managed two goals and six assists during his breakout season in senior football for Liverpool.

His spell at Manchester City yielded an impressive 131 goals across a seven-year spell where he won four Premier League titles amongst a hatful of other trophies and his move to Chelsea last summer was an arguably surprising one given his success at City.

The £325k-p/w star has struggled to replicate this form he displayed under Pep Guardiola since moving to London, however, and perhaps an attack-minded coach like Pochettino could spark him into life.

The former PSG boss favours attacking formations, which could benefit Sterling, as he could be deployed on either wing to great effect similarly to the way Son Heung-min was at Spurs when Pochettino was in charge – the South Korean star scored nearly 70 goals under him during that spell.

The 51-year-old has managed nearly 600 matches in his career to date and his teams have scored a staggering 1,027 goals. It’s evident that he likes his players to get forward as often as possible to create chances and likes to utilise wingers who can score plenty of goals, suggesting that Sterling could thrive in this environment given his previous exploits.

Having been dubbed “frightening” by Tony Cascarino last season, he has perhaps lost an edge during a troubled few months under a number of different coaches, yet with Pochettino close to being appointed, it could be the catalyst he needs in order to succeed at Chelsea.

Mark Goldbridge has offered a rather interesting reaction to a Manchester United transfer update involving Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar.

What’s the latest Man United transfer news on Neymar and what’s Goldbridge had to say?

The Red Devils appear to be making a head start on their summer transfer plans, despite the ongoing saga of a potential takeover at Old Trafford. Erik ten Hag reportedly wants to bolster his midfield and attacking options, with links to Neymar emerging in recent days.

Reports have suggested that United are keeping tabs on Neymar ahead of a potential summer move, with Paris Saint-Germain planning to sell the £810,000-a-week forward at the end of the season.

Old Trafford has been named as a potential destination for the 31-year-old, especially if the Red Devils are taken over by Atari investors led by Sheikh Jassim.

Jassim is planning to make a third offer for Manchester United before Friday’s deadline and has also been linked with personally making a move for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham.

However, when it comes to Neymar, Goldbridge was asked on Twitter for his thoughts on the PSG star possibly making the move to Manchester. The talkSPORT presenter replied:

“Rather sign my Nan. Great player but his personality isn't right for what we're building imo.”

Neymar does have a history…

Neymar has been a star on the pitch throughout his career, contributing to an incredible 195 goals in 177 appearances for PSG. The Brazilian has been out of action recently with an ankle injury but has 18 goals and 17 assists in 29 games in 2022/23.

The 31-year-old does have a history of causing a stir, though, recently admitting he had an angry showdown with team-mate Marquinhos and sporting director Luis Campos. As well as this, there has also been speculation that there is a feud between Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in Paris.

Therefore, you could argue that Goldbridge has a point by saying his personality may not be right for Ten Hag’s side ahead of the manager’s second season at Old Trafford.

There is no denying his quality on the pitch, ranking in the 99th percentile for six stats in the past year, however, his age, extortionate salary and previous history of falling outs in the dressing room could make a move a gamble, but it looks as if it could be a transfer to keep an eye on.

Manchester City are preparing a big-money offer to bring Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham to the Premier League, according to reports.

What's the latest on Bellingham's future?

Bellingham’s contract at the Signal Iduna Park isn’t set to expire for another two years, but he’s becoming one of the hottest prospects in football, currently sitting as Edin Terzic’s overall top-performing player with an average match rating of 7.49, catching the eye of Pep Guardiola.

The Telegraph report that the Sky Blues, alongside La Liga giants Real Madrid, are expected to be the two main contenders to sign the 19-year-old after Liverpool recently dropped out of the race, and whilst his services will come at an extremely expensive rate, that doesn’t seem to have put off the hierarchy from digging deep into their pockets.

According to Football Insider, Man City are “ready and waiting” to table a big-money bid to sign Bellingham ahead of the 2023/24 term. The Bundesliga star has emerged as a “top target” at the Etihad with the board waiting to “pounce” and submit an offer when given the green light. They are “prepared” to propose a financial package “well over £100m” which they believe will beat any offer from his other potential suitors.

The Sky Blues are currently “waiting” to learn the England international’s decision on where his next destination will be, though he “hasn’t ruled out” staying put for one more year to develop his game even further. Dortmund have already held “negotiations” over a new deal which is “on the table” should he want to continue in Germany.

Should Man City splash the cash on Bellingham?

Bellingham will undoubtedly be one of the most expensive signings of the summer but having been dubbed a “beast” by BT Sport pundit Rio Ferdinand, Man City should 100 per cent empty their pockets to secure his services during the upcoming window.

The Adidas-sponsored star has posted 17 goal contributions (ten goals and seven assists) in 38 appearances across all competitions this season and not only would he bring goals but also leadership qualities, having already captained his side on multiple occasions.

The Stourbridge-born talent additionally ranks in the 99th percentile for successful take-ons and has recorded 106 shot-creating actions this season, higher than any other of his teammates, via FBRef, so is constantly looking to get past his marker and make the magic happen.

Finally, Bellingham will already hold a strong existing connection to Erling Haaland from their time at Dortmund so this could potentially give City the advantage in the race to get a deal over the line this summer.