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When it comes to the full-back positions, Celtic haven’t exactly brought in great quality with the Hoops devoid of many first-class options in Ange Postecoglou’s ranks at Parkhead.

Take Boli Bolingoli for example. The Belgian full-back was the subject of a rather stern telling off from Neil Lennon when the current pandemic was at its peak.

He visited Spain on an unsanctioned trip, failed to isolate when he came home and as a result, put the entirety of Celtic’s playing and coaching staff at huge risk of the virus.

But then there’s Greg Taylor as well, someone who is rather divisive in Glasgow.

Capable of bursting forward from full-back and delivering a cross, he is arguably the closest thing the Bhoys have had to Kieran Tierney since he departed for Arsenal.

Yet, met with inconsistency and injuries, he’s hardly an ideal long-term heir.

Of course, Josip Juranovic has deputised ably in that position at times since Postecoglou signed him but they didn’t half make a messy situation out of one of their former academy gems, someone who would now be their first choice every week.

That happens to be Aaron Hickey, a player who Celtic let go in his mid-teens to Hearts and then failed to bring back to Paradise in two successive summers.

The Hoops have long been linked with a move to bring him back into the fold but after a £1.5m sale to Serie A side Bologna, his path now looks destined for greater things.

The 19-year-old has been labelled an “exceptional talent” by Daniel Stendel and has even been compared to Sergio Busquets due to his ability to feature in a holding midfield role too.

Yet, it’s on the left-hand side of defence, an area that needs obvious improvement long-term at Celtic, that he’s become a star in.

As a teenager, he has quickly become one of the most promising young defenders in Italy, scoring four times and assisting a strike in 2021/22 so far.

Furthermore, he ranks in the top 1% of full-backs across Europe’s top five leagues over the last year for shot on-target percentage, and in the same 1% for fouls drawn by an opponent per 90 minutes.

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With those stats in mind, it would appear that not only did Celtic lose a tricky defender from their academy, but they have also missed a golden chance to bring him back to Glasgow.

Sadly, any chance of luring him back has now gone as well, with Transfermarkt valuing the Scot at a whopping £11.7m, an increase of 766% on what he was sold for and surely miles out of Postecoglou’s price range.

It’s fair to say they will have plenty of regrets about Hickey.

AND in other news, Forget Jota: Celtic ace with 78 touches today is no longer Parkhead’s “walking joke”…

Azhar Ali has said he and Mohammad Amir had “moved on” from the complications that beset Amir’s reintegration to the Pakistan team, in the approach to the New Zealand tour. He said he would focus on captaining Amir, and helping create an environment in which the bowler could thrive.The first ODI on Monday will be the first occasion in which the two will play together, since Amir’s return to international cricket. “He bowled well in the T20s I think,” Azhar said. “As the captain my job is to take the best out of him. Hopefully we will all be united and with Mohammad Amir, and we will allow him to bowl really well and get wickets for Pakistan.”

Elliott credits diligence for bowling contributions

New Zealand allrounder Grant Elliott said his recent effectiveness with the ball in T20s was thanks to “hard work”. Elliott took nine wickets on the four occasions he bowled in the recent T20 series, against Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
“As an allrounder sometimes your batting’s not going as well and you want to be able to get into the game,” Elliott said. “I always think about what I wouldn’t want to face, when I’m bowling. For me in T20s, it’s about taking pace off the ball. In the one-dayers it’s slightly different. I want to try and swing the ball and hit the back of the length.”
New Zealand are without Ross Taylor in the ODI series, after the batsman sustained a muscle injury in his side during the final T20. Brendon McCullum is also injured, but Elliott said the team had enough skill and experience to cope with the absences.
“It’s unfortunate what’s happened to Ross, but that always creates opportunity for guys to step up. We’ve got a lot of experience in this team. I think what we’ve seen in the past is that guys have come in during the recent tours of South Africa and Zimbabwe, filled gaps and done pretty well.”

Four weeks ago, Azhar had been among two players who sought to avoid a pre-tour conditioning camp, stating: “I will not attend the camp as long as Amir is there.” He had also attempted to resign the ODI captaincy over Amir’s inclusion, before the Pakistan Cricket Board intervened. He struck a more philosophical tone in Wellington.”Whatever my stance was, my job is to lead this side and keep harmony in the dressing room,” he said. “We are all united and keen for this challenge.He did not want to be drawn on what has allowed his position to change since December. “We should not discuss more about it. We’ve moved on.”In the event Azhar is the passive-aggressive type, the Basin Reserve does present him with a unique opportunity. Bowlers who have upset their captains sometimes find themselves bowling into the stiff wind that is a feature of the Wellington climate. A strong northerly breeze is forecast for the day.”We already discussed it and we’re practicing in this wind,” Azhar said. “So everyone is prepared for that.”In addition to Amir, Azhar has a legion of left-armers in the squad. Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Irfan and Rahat Ali are likely to play at some point in the series, and left-arm spinning allrounder Imad Wasim has also been effective with the ball since making his debut last year.”A lot of the good bowlers that are coming in – most of them are left-armers, in Pakistan,” Azhar said. “Sometimes it’s an advantage because not every team has left-armers. They bowl at good pace as well, so we’re lucky to have them.”With bounce and pace expected in the Basin Reserve surface, Azhar said he hoped Irfan could trouble opposition batsmen. New Zealand allrounder Grant Elliott said Irfan’s height and pace made him an “exciting” bowler to face.”I think I made the comment that playing Irfan was like batting on a trampoline,” Elliott said. “The height that he comes from is very different. It takes a little bit of getting used to – the first couple of balls. He’s another great player for the crowd to see bowl. He’s seven foot and bowls at 140 clicks.”

Scorecard

Rahul Dravid made 40 before he was dismissed by Ramesh Powar © AFP

Mumbai’s bowlers, led by Ramesh Powar, dominated the opening day of the Ranji season after Karnataka won an important toss and chose to bat on a turning wicket. Ajit Agarkar prised out the Karnataka openers cheaply before Powar removed Rahul Dravid, who led a mini recovery act. Powar then ran through the tail to leave Karnataka struggling at 189 for 9. B Akhil led a rearguard effort with a gritty unbeaten 119-ball 53, an innings whose importance will be known after Mumbai bat on this wearing track.The first session featured some fine seam bowling from Agarkar, but Powar dominated the next two. He had delivered the sucker punch ten minutes before lunch when he removed Dravid with a flighted delivery that spun and bounced to produce an edge off a jab. Karnataka’s defences had been breached and it would have been even worse had the short-leg fielder, Sahil Kukreja, held on to sharp chance offered by C Raghu in the same over.Undaunted, Powar struck almost immediately after lunch. Slip, silly point, short leg and backward short leg watched in glee as Powar began to tease the batsmen with variations in flight and turn. In the fourth over he deceived Yere Goud with a lovely flighted delivery that dipped rapidly on the lunging batsman and spun to leave him desperately swishing in the air.The runs came in a trickle in the post-lunch session – 58 runs in 34 overs – as the batsmen struggled to come to terms with the turning ball. Raghu, with a patient 138-ball 31, fought hard while Akhil showed rare glimpses of aggression as he drove and cut the spinners on a few occasions. Using his height, he stretched well forward to drive Powar and Iqbal Abdulla, the 17-year-old left-arm spinner making his Ranji debut. He even attempted a couple of reverse-sweeps against Powar as he began to run out of partners.Abdulla got sharp bounce, with Vinayak Samant, the wicketkeeper, collecting some deliveries in front of his face. All indications were that Anil Kumble would have plenty to look forward to later in the game.Powar certainly enjoyed the wicket. In the last session, he grabbed three wickets in four overs as the tail succumbed pushing and prodding. Sunil Joshi was struck on the pad while stretching forward, Kumble stabbed a turning delivery and Vinay Kumar jabbed at a floater.The first hour of the day belonged to Agarkar, who kept the ball full, got late movement and strangled the batsman. Barring an elegant cover drive from Dravid, hardly any shot pierced the infield as Agarkar ended his first spell with figures of 8-3-9-2. He was on the job right from the start, teasing the outside edge with his second ball before striking two balls later when Barrington Rowland, on nought, lunged at a good-length delivery that shaped away.That brought in Dravid, with another semi-crisis to tackle. The first ball was patted to the off side and he soon got off the mark with a dab to cover. Dravid played cautiously, constantly looking to get forward to kill the movement but the same could not be said of the other batsmen. KB Pawan, brought in for Robin Uthappa, was edgy throughout his 31-ball stay. He was caught at the crease, unsure of his off stump and was constantly pushing tentatively away from his body. Agarkar beat him repeatedly but what would have pleased Pravin Amre, Mumbai’s coach, the most, was the effort from Rajesh Verma.Verma was rewarded for his five-for (“a pleasant surprise” according to Amre) in the Irani Trophy with a place in the playing XI. He repaid that faith with a fine spell, bowling just marginally short of good length and cutting the ball both ways with a whippy action. He beat Pawan three times in his first over and continued to harass him subsequently.Dravid was cautious against Verma and Agarkar but was beaten only three times: the first prompted an lbw appeal as Agarkar brought one in to rap him high on the pads; the second missed the outside edge as Verma cut it away; and the third, half an hour before the break, saw Dravid play a rare stroke away from the body off Agarkar. The rest met the middle of the bat as Dravid proceeded to settle the nerves in the dressing room.Spin was introduced in the 17th over, and Dravid immediately hit Powar for successive fours, an elegant off drive followed by a cut against the turn, while Raghu, who grew in confidence as the innings progressed, dabbed the ball around in the gaps to rotate the strike.The first signs of alarming spin came off the fifth ball of the 23rd over. Powar got it to turn sharply and bounce, forcing a surprised Dravid to hurriedly pull out of an intended cut. Soon Powar took over to have a stranglehold over Karnataka.

‘We will try and support him through this period and hope he produces the goods when it counts’ – Younis Khan backs Shahid Afridi © AFP

What wouldn’t Pakistan give for Shahid Afridi to regain his mojo? It’sbeen over 17 months, and 21 innings, since he’s manageda fifty. In between he’s retired from Test cricket, reversed hisdecision and turned into a more-than-handy operator with the ball.Recently, as Bob Woolmer revealed yesterday, he’s made it clear that hewants to bat at No.5 – a strange choice because it’s a position thatrequires a calmness to get through the middle overs.He’s capable of the lightning innings but can Pakistan afford to keepstaring at the skies and waiting? “It certainly would be frustrating for him,” Woolmer admitted, “but we still see him as a positive force in one-day cricket for Pakistan. We will try and support him through this period and hope he produces the goods when it counts.”Younis echoed his views. “Everyone wants to see Shahid play and perform,”he said, “but there is no guarantee that every player will score in every tournament. I have always maintained that this is a team game. If we play as a team and have the energy that we showed in the Sri Lanka game, we can beat South Africa comfortably.”But is batting him at No.5 the option? “We want to utilise Shahid to the hilt,” he continued. “As an opener, if he falls early, there is pressure on him and on us. If he comes low down the order, he doesn’t have much time. We are trying to give him every chance so that he can settle down. Shahid is the kind of player who can win matches single-handedly. It hasn’t paid off till now; it’s part of the game.What that’s also meant is that Shoaib Malik, arguably Pakistan’s mostvaluable player over the last two years, gets a chance only at No.6.Younis, though, didn’t want that to change. “It’s working for the team,”he justified. “He has made almost 100 runs in the first two matches, and he played a matchwinning knock in the first match. It’s good for the team too. Before the tournament, he was out of form, and now is back in the runs. He is happy with his spot in the batting order.”Afridi at No. 5 and Malik at No. 6 meant that Younis needed to shoulder the burden at No. 3. He hardly made an impression in the first two games, managing scores of 7 and 2, but he insisted that it had nothing to do with the pressures of captaincy. “My form has nothing to do with captaincy,” he asserted. “I am not the captain for the first time. Last year, in Karachi [against India], I led and performed and we won the game too. There is so much cricket that you can’t maintain the same level every time. Ricky Ponting too hasn’t made runs in two matches. But yes, as captain, your attention is divided. I am thinking for everyone now. I need to carry the youngsters. Maybe my focus has shifted a little away from my cricket. I need to start to get the focus back. I am constantly learning, I want to keep learning.”

A proud Andrew Flintoff and his trophy © Getty Images

Andrew Flintoff was named the Professional Cricketers’ Association Player of the Year at a glitzy dinner at London’s Royal Albert Hall.Flintoff won the award, which is voted for by all professional cricketers, for the second year in succession. The previous player to win it back-to-back was John Lever in 1978 and 1979.”It’s been massive,” Flintoff said. “You have to pinch yourself sometimes. It’s been a roller-coaster of emotions. It’s been enjoyable, it’s been tense, it’s been nervy and to come out with the Ashes has been amazing – but at the end I just wished there was another Test to play the following week.”But Flintoff, along with other England cricketers, was keen to let the PCA awards mark the end of English celebrations of a wildly successful summer. He told Sky Sports he was looking forward to the challenge of playing in the subcontinent, against Pakistan and then India, in conditions vastly different from home.”Pakistan is going to hold new challenges. Having played against Australia, it was hard, and I’m sure Pakistan is going to be equally hard. We’re going out to the subcontinent, playing under different conditions foreign to ourselves, and I feel I’ve got something to prove on the subcontinent. I went out to India a few years ago and I’ve been to Sri Lanka, and did alright. But I’d like to do well in other parts of the world, not just England.”Flintoff wasn’t alone in turning thoughts away from celebrating and towards the challenges that lie ahead. Ashley Giles, who had such a successful series in Pakistan in 2000-01, is expected to play a key role again on pitches that are likely to offer turn. “They’ve been great but it’s the last hurrah. We’re back in the gym after this,” Giles explained. “I’ve got an important role to play in the subcontinent, so I have to be ready. I have to be fit and firing. So, the next four weeks are important preparation.”

Alastair Cook: Young Player of the Year © Getty Images

England arrive in Pakistan on October 26 for a tour that includes three Tests and five one-day internationals. They also visit India in February before hosting Sri Lanka and Pakistan next summer. The side then travels to Australia at the end of 2006 where they will attempt to retain the Ashes.Marcus Trescothick, the vice-captain, said, “There’s a lot of cricket to play before then. We are not going to get too far ahead of ourselves. We will take a break, go to Pakistan and move on. We are looking forward to it but we are going to have to work very hard. To beat them in their own countries will be tough.”Matthew Hoggard was similarly wary. “We have got to beat Pakistan and India before we think about going to Australia. They are two very hard sides to beat in their own countries and we are going to have to play well. We have got the capabilities to achieve what we want but we know we have still got to improve in some areas.”With the exceptions of Michael Vaughan, the England captain, Kevin Pietersen and Simon Jones, the majority of the English side were present for the ceremony. And the occasion held enough glitter and glamour for Trescothick, reveling in his new-found status as national hero, to mutter to reporters, “It’s the first time I’ve seen the red carpet out here.”Essex batsman Alastair Cook, 20, who earlier in the month was named the Cricket Writers’ Club Young Player of the Year, added the PCA’s Young Player of the Year award to his collection.Ian Botham was named the greatest England cricketer of the last 25 years, while David Shepherd, who retired from umpiring at the weekend, received the England and Wales Cricket Board Special Award.

Jagmohan Dalmiya: finding it hard to be a patron© Getty Images

Jogesh Khattar, a member of the Bhopal Cricket Association, has served a petition in the Bhopal High Court alleging that the BCCI has committed contempt of court by electing Jagmohan Dalmiya as its patron-in-chief.Khattar had filed a petition last week asking the court to prevent the BCCI from making the appointment, on the grounds that there was no provision for it in their constitution, and the court had accordingly directed the board to refrain from any activity that was not in accordance with their constitution.The crux of the matter lies in the interpretation of that order. Professor Ratnakar Shetty, joint secretary of the board, told Wisden Cricinfo, “There is a provision in the constitution. We have taken a decision and it is within the rules.”Khattar’s contention, meanwhile, is that the board’s constitution allows only for an outsider to be made chief patron, and not an incumbent president. The court had accepted that argument had prima facie merit, but they have yet to rule on it.

All Today’s Yesterdays – July 4 down the years 1918
The quintessential English seamer is born. Surrey’s AlecBedser was simply one of England’s greatest post-war bowlers, a disciple of line and length, seam and swing. He began his Test career with a staggering 22 wickets in his first two Tests, against India in 1946. Indeed, throughout his career Bedser’s wickets came in clusters: 23 in three Tests against South Africa in 1951, 36 in four against Australia two years later, including match figures of 14 for 99 at Trent Bridge, the greatest in Test history by a bowler not on the winning side. He was later an England selector for a record 23 years, and was knighted in 1996. His twin brother Eric was also a fine allrounder for Surrey.1981
Put in on a moist pitch in the County Championship match atBournemouth, Nottinghamshire were dispatched for 143 by Hampshire. Nothing unusual in that, but while batsman after batsman laboured at one end, Clive Rice batted as if it was a Johannesburg shirtfront. He made a superb 105 not out; the next-highest score was Tim Robinson’s 10. The Wisden Almanack report, presumably written by David Coleman, called his performance "remarkable".1959
Birth of the highest runscorer in women’s Test cricket history. Nobody can match Jan Brittin’s 1935 runs, made in 27 Tests for England between 1979 and 1996. Her five hundreds are also a record.1931
A prankster is born. England’s Peter Richardson had a fondness for sending false cricket records to EW Swanton, for publication in theDaily Telegraph. Oh and he batted too, extremely successfully in 34 Tests between 1956 and 1963. A diligent left-handed opener, he made five hundreds in his first 16 Tests, including 104 against Australia inLaker’s Match at Old Trafford in 1956. He played for Worcestershire and Kent, and in 1957, he played alongside his brother Dick in the Trent Bridge Test of 1957. They were the last brothers to do so for England until the Hollioakes.1986
A burly 183 not out from Mike Gatting, in his second game as captain, was the highlight of England’s drawn third Test against India atEdgbaston. It was a result not to be sneezed at – England had lost seven in a row going into this. This was also the debut of Mark Benson, the Kent opener. He faced his first ball with England at 0 for 2, made 21 and 30 in good style – and was never picked again.1922
Birth of Ghulam Ahmed, one of India’s premier spinners in their formative years of Test cricket. He was at his best on helpful wickets, where he could be lethal. Three of his four five-fors came in defeat though, including his best figures – 7 for 49 against Australia at Calcutta in 1956-57. He was an aggressive but essentially hopeless tailender – in 22 completed Test innings he made nine ducks, but he somehow made 50 against Pakistan at Delhi in 1952-53. He was secretary of the BCCI between 1975 and 1980, and died in his native Hyderabad in 1998.1984
A complete mismatch at Edgbaston, where Warwickshire thumpedOxfordshire by 227 runs in a NatWest Trophy match. Alvin Kallicharran flayed 206 … and then took 6 for 32 with his gentle offspinners. His was the first double-hundred in a one-day match in England, although it looks piddling compared to Ally Brown’s butchery in the 2002 season.1972
Craig Spearman, the New Zealand opener who turns 31 today, has never quite done justice to his explosive talent in 19 Tests. He slashed aquickfire 40 on debut, in a lowscoring match against Pakistan atChristchurch in 1995-96, and later that winter made his only hundred, against Zimbabwe at Auckland. His nature should have made him suited to the one-day game, but in 51 appearances he averaged only 18. He is now playing for Gloucestershire as a non-overseas player, qualifying by virtue of his Welsh mother.

New Zealand Cricket will look to Australia for assistance in match play for the CLEAR Black Caps if the tour of Pakistan is not able to be undertaken in any form next month.NZC chief executive Martin Snedden said today he would approach Australia, probably on Monday, to see if it was possible to organise at least two more State games for the New Zealand team before the first Test.”I haven’t spoken to them yet but I am sure they would see it being in their own best interests for us to be as well prepared as possible,” he said.Snedden said he was more inclined to look for cricket in Australia for the side than to try and organise games, possibly between the Black Caps and the NZ A team, in New Zealand.Pakistan was still an option, although it was unlikely, he said.The Black Caps arrived back in New Zealand this morning after they had been placed on hold in Singapore when events in the United States on Wednesday caused NZC to consider its options for the side.

After months of waiting, the start of the Premier League season is here, and while it’s tough to predict any sides’ starting XI, Liverpool throw up a very unique set of circumstances.An extremely busy summer at Anfield has taken place, with Kop legend Steven Gerrard and starlet Raheem Sterling having both left, while lavish sums of money have been cast out from Merseyside to snare top talents such as Roberto Firmino and Christian Benteke.Rolled into this are the captures of James Milner and the rise of Jordon Ibe in pre-season, so we’re sure Brendan Rodgers has been up late into the night shifting salt and pepper pots on his kitchen table to try and come up with a balanced and effective XI.And it’s not just the Northern Irishman who’s been giving it some serious thought, with Liverpool legend John Barnes also clear on how he wants his old side to line up as they attempt to avenge that 6-1 drubbing at Stoke.The former England international, and Brand Ambassador for TitanBet.co.uk – Click here to get £20 free bet when you deposit and bet £10. 18+, terms apply – said: “I would go with Lallana, Benteke, Firmino. Lallana on the left, Benteke down the middle, Firmino on the right, the top three.â€The rest of Barnes’ XI is a little controversial, too, with the likes of Mamadou Sakho missing out, while Alberto Moreno is given the nod ahead of pre-season starlet, Joe Gomez.Here are some great bets for the Stoke vs. Liverpool game from TitanBet.co.uk:25/1 Liverpool to win the League5/2 Liverpool to finish in Top 4.6/5 Liverpool to beat Stoke9/2 Benteke to score first v Stoke9/2 Liverpool to beat Stoke and Both Teams to Score (Mobile Only)AboutÂTitanbet.co.ukTitanbet.co.ukÂis powered by the world’s largest online gaming software developer Playtech, a publicly-traded company on the London Stock Exchange (PTEC.L). As the developer’s flagship sportsbook,ÂTitanbet.co.ukÂcustomers can expect an exceptional and fully-customisable betting experience. Our mobile product is second to none and offers sports betting opportunities on the go – anytime, anywhere. We’re proud to offer early pre-match betting lines, exciting live bets, and some of the best odds on the market. All staff live and breathe sport, and their mission is to offer UK-based sports enthusiasts a top of the line sports betting experience.

Speaking to Football Insider, pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor of talkSPORT has let rip into three ‘overrated’ West Ham United players.

The Lowdown: No backing in January…

Following what was a regrettable January transfer window, manager David Moyes will have to contend with his current crop as he aims to guide the Hammers to Champions League qualification whilst keeping their Europa League dreams alive.

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West Ham are now out of the FA Cup following last night’s disappointing 3-1 away defeat to Southampton and, depending on their European chase, face the prospect of going trophy-less for another campaign.

Moyes will need some members of his squad to rediscover their best form with Agbonlahor not impressed with three Irons stars in particular.

The Latest: Agbonlahor slams ‘overrated’ trio…

Speaking to FI, the ex-Aston Villa striker has ripped into Said Benrahma, Pablo Fornals and Manuel Lanzini – simply stating they don’t offer enough threat for Moyes.

“Apart from Antonio and Bowen, there are no other attacking players in that squad that I rate,” he explained.

“I think Benrahma is overrated, I think Lanzini and Fornals are overrated, they’re average. They need more help, they need more pace on the wings.

“I like Bowen on the right but can they get more pace on the left-wing? Benrahma drifts out of games and is subbed early.”

The Verdict: Right to criticise?

According to WhoScored, Agbonlahor may be right to single out members of this trio, but others remain up for debate.

Lanzini, for example, could arguably be questioned given he is statistically one of West Ham’s worst performers in the Premier League – averaging a 6.68 match rating and ranking among the lowliest of Moyes’ performers (WhoScored).

However, while there is evidence of Benrahma ‘drifting out’, he’s also averaged the third-most shots at goal per 90 with only Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio managing more goals/assists combined (WhoScored) – perhaps indicating he can still be a threat.

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Fornals, who has made the joint-second most key passes per 90 for West Ham in England’s top flight, is another who comes in as a mixed bag – with the Spaniard also among West Ham’s best in terms of goals/assists this season.

The fact these players are attracting such fierce criticism could bring into debate the validity of stats in certain cases, but one thing is for certain, Moyes will need the best out of Fornals, Benrahma and Lanzini if West Ham wish to finish 2021/2022 strongly.

In other news: Insider: Moyes’ brand new transfer demand could now spell the end for ‘fantastic’ West Ham player, find out more here.