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A round-up of the latest round of Group B Ranji Trophy matches, in which Rishabh Pant made one of the fastest hundreds in Ranji history and Arup Das bowled Assam to victory

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Nov-2016

Rishabh Pant smacked one of the fastest centuries in Ranji Trophy history, off 48 balls, to clinch his second hundred in the match as Delhi saw out a draw against Jharkhand in Thumba. The 19-year old batsman, has averaged 81.87 with a strike rate of 96.75 since making his first-class debut in October 2015.Pant, who scored a 106-ball 117 in the first innings, followed it up with a 67-ball 135 to secure a point for Delhi after they were asked to follow on. Overnight batsmen Dhruv Shorey and Nitish Rana put together an 82-run stand for the second wicket, before the latter was dismissed one short of a half-century by Shahbaz Nadeem. Thirteen runs later, Nadeem got Shorey out on 91, before Pant’s blitz of 13 sixes and eight fours ended any chance of a Jharkhand victory. Milind Kumar (65) and Manan Sharma (53*) chipped in with half-centuries as Delhi finished on 480 for 6 at stumps. Jharkhand collected three points on account of their first-innings lead.Assam beat Saurashtra by nine wickets to record their first win this season in Kolkata. Arup Das returned with another five-wicket haul to finish with match figures of 12 for 70, his best in first-class cricket.Saurashtra were skittled for 81 in their second innings, with only three batsmen reaching double figures. There were five ducks overall. The new ball pair of Arup and Krishna Das shared nine wickets between them to trigger a massive collapse that resulted in Saurashtra losing seven wickets for just 30 runs. Needing 66 to win, Assam missed an opportunity to claim a bonus point when Rahul Hazarika was dismissed for 8. Rishav Das, who made a 41-ball 30, and Sibsankar Royl secured the six points for an outright win.Centuries from Ranjit Singh, Subhranshu Senapati and debutant Abhishek Yadav helped Odisha to a draw against Rajasthan in Patiala after being asked to follow on.Ranjit and Senapati put together a 233-run partnership for the third wicket as both batsmen reached centuries before lunch, before both were dismissed in the space of four runs as Odisha slipped from 318 for 2 to 334 for 5. Yadav then struck a 157-ball 115 supported by Saurabh Rawat as they ended on 508 for 6 at stumps. Rajasthan used ten bowlers in the innings, as they settled for three points due to their first-innings lead. Odisha received a solitary point.

استطاع فريق الهلال الليبي، تحقيق الفوز على نظيره اتحاد العاصمة الجزائري بهدفين مقابل هدف، خلال المباراة التي جمعت بينهما اليوم ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية.

والتقى الهلال الليبي مع اتحاد العاصمة، على أرضية ملعب الشهداء بنينا، في خضم مواجهات الجولة الخامسة من دور مجموعات الكونفدرالية.

وسجل أمير مفتاح هدف الهلال في الدقيقة 14 من عمر المباراة، فيما أضاف المعتصم بالله الطيب الهدف الثاني في الدقيقة 50، بينما أحرز أسامة شيتة هدف اتحاد العاصمة في الدقيقة 63.

طالع أيضاً.. ترتيب مجموعة الزمالك في الكونفدرالية (مباشر)

الهلال الليبي واتحاد العاصمة يتواجدان في المجموعة الأولى من بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية رفقة كل من فيوتشر وسوبر سبورت الجنوب إفريقي.

بهذا الفوز، يحتل اتحاد العاصمة صدارة ترتيب المجموعة برصيد 10 نقاط، فيما يتواجد الهلال الليبي في المركز الثالث ولدية 6 نقاط.

Celtic majority shareholder Dermot Desmond remains engaged in efforts to find a replacement for recently-departed head coach Ange Postecoglou.

The 57-year-old completed a move to Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur last week and the Hoops are now in the market to appoint a new manager.

Sky Sports recently reported that Brendan Rodgers, who has already enjoyed one successful stint with the Scottish giants, has held talks with the club. And they are now set to hold further discussions with the Northern Irish coach in the coming days as they attempt to bring him back to Parkhead.

However, if they fail to convince the former Leicester City boss to take the job for a second time, then Desmond could find a dream alternative in Bodo/Glimt's Kjetil Knutsen, who is also reportedly on Celtic's radar.

What is Kjetil Knutsen's style of play?

The Norwegian manager plays a "kamikaze" style – as described by his captain Ulrick Saltnes – once explained his own philosophy by saying:

“Dominating doesn’t just mean scoring but also having the possession of the ball and dictating the rules of the game."

These comments show that the 4-3-3 tactician plays an intense brand of attacking football that results in his side being able to dominate the opposition, which has led to terrific results during his time with Bodo/Glimt.

Rodgers won seven trophies in less than three years at Parkhead and would come in as a proven winner, but Knutsen has also achieved great success in Norway and has proven that he knows how to win titles too.

The 54-year-old has won two Eliteserien titles in the last three years, whilst his side have won ten of their 11 league games so far in the division during 2023, which suggests that he is on his way to a third.

Knutsen has also shown signs of promise with his work in European competitions.

In the 2021/22 campaign, the promising coach reached the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League and won seven of his 11 matches in the tournament, which suggests that the potential is there for him to be a success on the continent.

Whereas, Rodgers failed to reach the last-16 in any European setting during his time in Scotland and, therefore, there are still question marks over his suitability to take the club forward outside of domestic football.

The Bodo/Glimt boss would not come in as a proven quantity in Scottish football as the Northern Irish manager would, but his impressive work in Norway – domestically and in Europe – suggests that the 54-year-old could be an excellent alternative to Rodgers if Desmond is unable to convince the former Liverpool chief to take on the job for a second time.

West Ham United are keen on making a move for Nottingham Forest talisman Brennan Johnson this summer, according to Simon Jones of the Daily Mail.

Who is Brennan Johnson?

Johnson is one of Nottingham Forest’s own. Born in Nottingham, the forward entered the academy and hasn’t looked back ever since.

The Englishman was a crucial part of Forest’s shock promotion from the Championship in the 2021/22 season, with 19 goals in all competitions, including two in the play-offs.

Is Brennan Johnson leaving Nottingham Forest?

Whilst Johnson’s Nottingham Forest exit is far from a guarantee this summer, given their Premier League status, the Wales youngster has reportedly attracted plenty of interest.

This comes as little surprise, too, given the exceptional campaign that the "unbelievable" forward – as once hailed by former boss Sabri Lamouchi – had in the Premier League for the first time – scoring eight goals and assisting a further three to help keep Forest afloat.

Still young, Johnson has plenty of time for improvement, meaning that any club that did swoop in this summer would have themselves a player for both the present and the future.

As per Jones, West Ham are interested in the forward, though do face competition from Everton. Both clubs could battle it out for Johnson, who is reportedly valued at £40m by Forest.

The Hammers could certainly do with the goals that the Forest man could bring, that’s for sure – last summer’s £30.5m flop – Gianluca Scamacca – found the back of the net just three times in a total of 16 Premier League appearances.

Meanwhile, Michail Anontio’s form began to spiral slightly when it came to domestic action, only scoring on three occasions, despite making 33 appearances in the league last season.

Their lack of goalscorer very nearly cost the Hammers the ultimate price of relegation, before David Moyes guided them to safety. But, nonetheless, this is a precarious feeling they won’t want to face again, meaning that reinforcements are a must this summer.

With Forest’s valuation of Johnson reportedly as high as £40m, however, West Ham may need the financial boost of potentially winning the Europa Conference League if they are to consider pursuing the deal further.

Those at the London Stadium showed last summer that they are willing to break the bank for quality, though, having hit a new transfer record with the deal for Lucas Paqueta, which saw them splash out a record £51.3m.

Johnson may well find himself amongst West Ham’s most expensive signings, if the Hammers continue their interest in the forward and complete a deal.

Jonathan Carter and Miguel Cummins gave a good account of themselves on the opening day of West Indians’ two-day fixture against Emirates Cricket Board XI in Dubai

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Oct-2016
ScorecardFile photo: Miguel Cummins, who made his Test debut against India in July, impressed on the opening day of WICB’s warm-up fixture•Associated Press

Jonathan Carter and Miguel Cummins gave a good account of themselves on the opening day of West Indians’ two-day fixture against Emirates Cricket Board XI in Dubai.The fast-bowling pair picked up seven wickets between them to reduce their opponents to 56 for 7, after the batsmen, led by Shai Hope and Leon Johnson scored half-centuries in their total of 249 for 6 declared in 70 overs.The West Indians, who have already lost the T20I and ODI series against Pakistan, had each of the top six batsmen getting off to starts after they elected to bat. Apart from Hope and Johnson, Roston Chase, who brought up his maiden Test century against India in Jamaica in July, and Jermaine Blackwood retired on 38 and 45 respectively.An opportunity for some of the fringe players like Johnson, Shane Dowrich and Jonathan Carter, all of whom chipped in with useful contributions, came up as three regulars in the Test squad – Kraigg Brathwaite, Marlon Samuels and Darren Bravo – are in the midst of the ODI series against Pakistan.Offspinner Rohan Mustafa and medium-pacer Amjad Javed picked up one wicket apiece for the Emirates Cricket Board XI. With the bat, only Shaiman Anwar offered any sort of resistance to end the day unbeaten on 23. He was the only one to reach double figures as five of his team-mates didn’t open their accounts.

دعا ميكيل أرتيتا، المدير الفني لفريق آرسنال، اللاعبين إلى استغلال آلام الخسارة أمام بورتو للانتقام من نيوكاسل يوم السبت.

ويلتقي الفريقان غدًا في إطار منافسات الجولة السادسة والعشرين من الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

اقرأ أيضًا.. أرتيتا يلمح لإمكانية عودة ثلاثي آرسنال المصاب أمام نيوكاسل

ويخوض آرسنال تلك المباراة بعدما خسر أمس الأول أمام بورتو، بهدف دون رد، في ذهاب دور الـ16 من دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وفي المرة السابقة التي خسر فيها آرسنال في دوري أبطال أوروبا، أمام لانس بنتيجة 2-1، كان الرد عبارة عن تحقيق الانتصار ضد مانشستر سيتي بهدف نظيف.

وقال أرتيتا في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “ديلي ميل” الإنجليزية: “هذا هو رد الفعل الذي نحتاجه، نريد خلق هذا الجو في الملعب منذ البداية”.

وأضاف: “أطلب من الجميع الذهاب إلى هناك مساء الغد بكامل طاقتهم لأن الفريق سيكون هناك، نحن نمر بلحظة جيدة حقًا في الدوري الإنجليزي ونريد أن نكون هناك”.

وواصل: “لقد شعرت في غرفة تبديل الملابس على الفور أننا أردنا اللعب في اليوم التالي إن أمكن، هذا هو الشعور الذي ينتابك بعد الخسارة، أنا متأكد من أنه عندما يعودون خلال ساعة أو ساعتين، سأرى هذه الرغبة مرة أخرى”.

وأردف: “علينا أن نتعلم ولكننا نحتاج أيضًا إلى إدارة المباراة بالطريقة الصحيحة، هذا ليس من واجبنا أن نفعله، هذا من واجب الحكام أن يفعلوه”.

واستمر: “نترك ذلك لهم لأنه من الواضح مرة أخرى ما حدث يوم الأربعاء، علينا أن نتعامل مع ذلك، وعلينا أن نكون مستعدين لذلك، ولكن في النهاية هذه مهمتهم وعلينا التعامل مع ذلك”.

Burnley outscored every other team en route to finishing as winners of the Championship this past season, but Vincent Kompany is ready to add to his attacking options ahead of embarking on his first season as a Premier League manager.

Queens Park Rangers striker Lyndon Dykes is being eyed up by the Clarets, according to the Daily Mail, and he could bring something a little different to Turf Moor should he arrive.

Who is Burnley target Lyndon Dykes?

Dykes spent the first seven years of his career in his native Australia and Scotland – whom he now represents at international level – before being given a break in English football with QPR in August 2020.

The 27-year-old finished his first season at the club as top scorer with 12 goals and a further five assists, and has scored eight goals in each of the past two Championship campaigns, the most recent of which was disrupted by a worrying health scare in January.

After returning from a two-month lay-off, Dykes made up for lost time with a strong end to the 2022/23 campaign, scoring twice in QPR's final six matches and being named Man of the Match by WhoScored in half of those games.

Dykes also has a respectable eight goals in 28 caps for Scotland, but there is more to his game than simply finding the net, as reflected in the 4.8 aerial duels won per game in the Championship last season – the most of any QPR player.

Do Burnley need a Chris Wood 2.0?

Alan Hutton previously described Dykes as a "focal point" that one of his previous clubs, Rangers, could have done with at a time they were being linked with the striker in 2020.

Given his size, with QPR's official website putting him down as 6 foot 2, there are obvious comparisons to be made with former Burnley player Wood, who himself measures in at 6 foot 3.

A career-wide comparison of the two players only highlights their similarities in terms of playing style. Sofascore gives Wood a rating of 62 for his attacking play compared to 61 for Dykes, while the pair are both rated at 44 for creativity, as per Sofascore.

However, it is the physical side of the game where they are really alike, with the New Zealand international ranking in the top 9% of strikers in Europe's top five leagues for aerials won per 90. Comparatively, Dykes ranks among the best 8% in the next eight best divisions for the same metric.

Wood reached double figures for goals in all four full Premier League seasons with Burnley, before earning a move to Newcastle United in January 2022, so he undoubtedly has more goalscoring quality than unproven Dykes.

Yet, for a player who is rated at a small fee of just £2m, according to Football Transfers, it is clear to see why Burnley are showing a reported interest in the Aussie-born forward.

For while Kompany has transformed Burnley's style of play in his first year in charge, bringing on Dykes from the bench could act as a perfect back-up plan next season.

Ahead of India’s home ODIs against New Zealand, captain MS Dhoni has said it is difficult to find players to slot into a finisher’s role

Arun Venugopal in Dharamsala15-Oct-20162:19

‘I can bat up the order in this team’ – Dhoni

Ahead of India’s home ODIs against New Zealand, captain MS Dhoni has said it is difficult to find players to slot into a finisher’s role. The nature of cricket in the subcontinent, he said, meant lower-order batsmen had few opportunities to get used to the pressure of finishing games.”You talked about [the examples of Jos] Buttler and [Glenn] Maxwell. You have to see consistent performances,” he said. “It [finishing] is one of the most difficult things to do in cricket. It’s not about six months or one year. You have to be used to that role and responsibility, and you have to have that self confidence to keep on doing what is required of you, usually over a period. Once you find a good finisher, they are the ones that will keep batting at that slot for 8-10 years.”I think one of the biggest challenge is that the cricket that we play in the subcontinent, more often than not, a finisher is someone who bats at 5, 6 7, to some extent, maybe No. 4. A lot of times in India, the lower order doesn’t get a chance to bat.Dhoni himself had made his reputation as a finisher but, with his striking power having dimmed over the last few years, he has indicated a preference for batting higher up the order; his reasoning is he can hold the innings together before hitting out in the end, while the batsman coming in at numbers 7 or 8 could go for the big hits from the start. He said the team management had identified a few players for the finisher’s spot, but refused to divulge their names so as to not put pressure on them.”It becomes more and more difficult for a youngster to come in and fill in that place. The reason being he may not get an opportunity, but you start counting opportunities – say if we are four or five down for 40 runs, it’ll be counted as a big opportunity by you. In 15-20 games, [the youngster] gets an opportunity like that and you expect the youngster to do well, score a 100-150; you say” ‘That was a perfect opportunity in front of you.'”Dhoni is averse to using the word “experimentation”, but with India having only eight ODIs to play before the 2017 Champions Trophy in England, he admitted to there being pressure to identify the best combination of players in a short span of time. When it was pointed out India had played 31 different players in ODIs since the World Cup 2015, Dhoni said that was a necessary exercise to look at new talent as well as rest key players.”Quite a few of them would have gone to Zimbabwe. All of a sudden, 14 or 15 were there and then a few injuries here and there… It’s not a realistic number but at the same time, there are a few individuals who we are very keen to see what they have on offer.”With the Indian team, it’s difficult to give chances, let’s be fair about it, because we have to win games while also looking at the process. So we try our best to do what is in favour of the result and the team at the same time. Now there’s slightly more pressure because we only have eight games. This is a season when we’ll play a lot of Test matches. It’s a different challenge, but we’re open [to experimenting] and we’ll use games in the best possible manner.”

حقق فريق كرة القدم الأول بنادي طرابزون سبور فوزًا هامًا على نظير بينديك سبور، بثنائية نظيفة في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما ضمن الجولة 26 من الدوري التركي.

شوط المباراة الأول انتهى بالتعادل السلبي، قبل أن تشهد الربع ساعة الأخيرة كل الإثارة في ملعب بينديك.

الدقيقة 75، جاء الهدف الأول عن طريق النجم المصري محمود حسن تريزيجيه، الذي تمكن من استغلال فشل دفاع بينديك في إبعاد الركنية ولمسها من داخل منطقة الجزاء في مرمى أصحاب الأرض.

طالع أيضًا.. تقييم تريزيجيه بعد تسجيله في مباراة طرابزون سبور وهاتاي بـ الدوري التركي

هدف تريزيجيه هو الثالث له على التوالي، بعدما سجل في المباراتين الماضيتين خلال بطولتي الكأس والدوري، منذ عودته من المشاركة مع مصر في أمم إفريقيا.

في الدقيقة 80 ضاعف ديستان النتيجة بالهدف الثاني، ليقتل المباراة، ويخطف طرابزون فوزًا هامًا للغاية على بينديك.

هذا الفوز رفع رصيد طرابزون إلى 43 نقطة في المركز الثالث بالدوري التركي، بينما بينديك ظل في المركز الثامن عشر بعدما تجمد رصيده عند 26 نقطة. أهداف مباراة طرابزون سبور وبينديك في الدوري التركي

R Sridhar is set to return as India’s fielding coach for the three-Test series against New Zealand

Arun Venugopal13-Sep-2016

R Sridhar is set to return as India’s fielding coach for the three-Test series against New Zealand. Sources confirmed Sridhar, who is currently in Australia with the India A team, will replace Abhay Sharma, and join the team in Kanpur for the first Test. The details of his contract, however, are understood to not have been finalised yet.It is learnt India coach Anil Kumble was keen on re-appointing Sridhar, whose contract came to an end in April after the World T20. “Kumble contacted Sridhar immediately after he took over as coach and advised him to wait till he came back from the West Indies and took a call [on Sridhar’s appointment],” a source familiar with the developments told ESPNcricinfo. “The BCCI sent an e-mail to the India A team manager late last evening asking Sridhar to report in Kanpur ahead of the first Test. Sridhar might have to leave midway through the second four-day Test between India A and Australia A from September 15 to 18.”While Abhay travelled with the team for the Zimbabwe and West Indies tours in a stop-gap capacity, BCCI president Anurag Thakur had said full-time appointments would be made before September 15. Sanjay Bangar, who went on both the tours, will continue as batting coach, while no bowling coach is expected to be appointed at least until the end of the New Zealand series.Sridhar and Bangar had begun their first stints as assistant coaches to Ravi Shastri, who was brought in as team director, during the limited-overs leg of the England tour in August 2014 after India had lost the Test series. Their contracts were first extended until the end of the World Cup in 2015, before they were renewed till the end of the World T20 the following year.