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Dietmar Hamann says Chelsea “exploited” Bayern Munich’s desperation with a €16m Nicolas Jackson loan fee as the club “weren’t keen to buy him”.

German giants want long-term Kane successorMissed out on top targets & landed at JacksonBig-money permanent deal considered unlikelyFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

With Harry Kane now 32 years of age, Bundesliga champions at the Allianz Arena are aware of the need to start putting long-term plans in place when it comes to their No.9 berth. They had been hoping to prise 23-year-old frontman Nick Woltemade away from domestic rivals Stuttgart.

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He has, however, joined Newcastle in a £65m ($88m) deal as Alexander Isak’s replacement. That deal left Bayern scratching around for a striker towards the end of the summer transfer window.

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They eventually settled on Jackson, with the Senegal international heading to Germany from Stamford Bridge. His loan deal includes a £70m ($95m) purchase option, which is a lot of money for a forward that is yet to register 20 goals across a single season in his career to date.

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GettyWHAT HAMANN SAID

Dietmar Hamann doubts that clause will be triggered, with the ex-Bayern star – speaking in association with – telling GOAL: “Well, he’s got to play 40 games, and cup games don’t count. It’s only the league and the Champions League. If they were to get to the Champions League final, I think it’s 48 or 49 games. I think he misses five or six with the Africa Cup of Nations. So, he pretty much has to play every game. Which is a possibility, but it’s probably unlikely it’s going to happen.

“And I think Bayern Munich wanted to put that clause in because, I don’t want to say they weren’t keen to buy him, but they certainly weren’t keen to buy him for that amount of money, because obviously it’s a bit of a gamble. Got himself sent off a few times, a lot of yellow cards, got plenty of pace. But you need to see how he fits in, how he settles, the way he finds his place.

“It’s a lot of money for a one-year loan. But then again, Bayern Munich left it late and were desperate to bring a player in, and Chelsea obviously exploited it.”

Manchester City are now readying a £147 million bid to sign a “special” star who is rated highly by Pep Guardiola, according to a recent report.

Man City chasing two goalkeepers as Ederson’s future is in doubt

The Blues have already been very active in this transfer window, with Sverre Nypan being their latest capture. But things could soon be about to heat up even more at the Etihad, as focus switches to the goalkeeper department and the future of Ederson.

Bye bye: £330k-per-week stars want out of Man City to join the same club

Both are legendary figures at the Etihad.

1 ByHenry Jackson Jul 18, 2025

The Brazilian was linked with a move to Saudi Arabia even before the summer transfer window opened, but talk of that move has now gone quiet. But that doesn’t mean the goalkeeper is not going to leave City, as it’s emerged that Ederson wants to leave the Etihad to join Galatasaray this summer.

The Turkish giants are looking to sign Ederson and İlkay Gündoğan from the Premier League side, meaning the Blues are in the market for a new goalkeeper.

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, City have already contacted Burnley about signing James Trafford. The Blues have a buyback price of £40 million, but they are trying to negotiate with the Clarets about lowering that fee.

As well as Trafford, City are willing to make a £52 million bid to sign Andriy Lunin from Real Madrid. The 26-year-old is said to be open to the idea of joining City, as he continues to be behind Thibaut Courtois in the pecking order. However, Real Madrid continue to see Lunin as a key part of their team, and they don’t want to lose the Ukraine star without a fight.

Man City plot £147m bid for Cole Palmer

As the Premier League side chase a new goalkeeper, according to a report from Spain, Man City are now set to submit a 170 million euros (£147 million) bid to sign Cole Palmer from Chelsea.

The Blues sold Palmer to Chelsea back in 2023 for a fee of £40 million, but now they are keen to reunite with the player, who Pep Guardiola admires and has praised for his “special quality” in front of goal.

Pep is said to be pushing City to bring Palmer back to the Etihad, and that is why the Premier League side are willing to spend nearly three times the amount they sold him for to get a deal done.

City are aware Palmer can make a huge difference to their attack, as the England international did at the Club World Cup this summer, but Chelsea do hold all the cards in this potential transfer tussle, as Palmer is under contract at Stamford Bridge until 2033.

Apps

97

Goals

43

Assists

29

However, Palmer is represented by the agency CAA Base Limited, the same agency that looks after City defender Rico Lewis, and the Blues may see this as a good opportunity for them to use their contacts to tempt Palmer back to Manchester.

Ticket prices for next year’s Lord’s Test against India have risen once again, despite Marylebone Cricket Club coming in for severe criticism for the cost of entry to this summer’s Test against Sri Lanka.For the first three days of the India Test, which begins on July 10 next year, the cheapest adult tickets on offer are restricted-view seats for £90 each (£20 for under-16s). Those with a clear line of sight are priced between £120-£175 (£40-£50 for under-16s).These prices compare unfavourably with last month’s Test against Sri Lanka, for which the cost of unrestricted views ranged from £115-£140 for adults and £15-£40 for concessions.That Sri Lanka contest concluded on the fourth day, for which just 9,000 tickets (approx one-third capacity) were sold. This was, in part, a reflection of England’s current fast-paced approach to Test cricket, with several recent contests being wrapped up well in advance of the final day.MCC came under further criticism for failing to offer any reduced-entry options until after tea on that fourth day, when the price fell to £15 for adults and £5 for under-16s. By then, however, there were just three Sri Lanka wickets left to fall, and the lack of advance notice further prevented a significant take-up.Related

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Speaking in the aftermath of the Test, England’s stand-in captain Ollie Pope said that the subdued atmosphere had been noted by his team.”It was just like ‘jeez, it seems quiet today’,” he said. “I’m not sure if people expected the game to be done by day four or not. It’s a shame it wasn’t a full house because it was obviously a good day’s play.”Despite Guy Lavender, the chief executive and secretary of MCC, announcing that the club would be conducting a review into its fourth-day pricing policy, there is little concession for fans who hope to attend on that day for next year’s India Test. Under-16s will be admitted for £25, half the cost of the first three days, but tickets with a full view will still cost £90-£150.MCC’s rationale is that India are now the second-biggest draw in the English Test calendar, behind Australia, and the prices reflect the likely demand, which is in line with the policy adopted by other sports. The top-priced tickets for the 2023 Ashes Test were £170, which the club argues represents a below-inflation increase of £5.Lord’s is also due to host the World Test Championship final in June, which is currently on course to be contested between India and Australia, a rematch of the 2023 final at the Kia Oval. Tickets for that match are set between £70-130 for adults and £20-£50 for under-16s.England and India are also due to play a women’s ODI at Lord’s in 2025, for which adult tickets will be available for between £25 and £45. The men’s ODI against South Africa, on the other hand, will cost between £75 and £150.

If there is one thing Arsenal need to add to their squad ahead of next season, it’s goals.

Despite coming second in the Premier League, Mikel Arteta’s side scored 17 goals fewer than champions Liverpool and three fewer than third-placed Manchester City.

Fortunately, the club appear keen to address the problem this summer, as over the last few weeks, and particularly the last seven days, the Gunners have been linked with a host of incredible attacking talents.

One of those who has been heavily touted for a move to the Emirates for some time now is Benjamin Sesko, and while he would be a great addition to the team, another, potentially better signing has now been linked with the North Londoners.

Arsenal target attacking superstar

With the Gunners clearly lacking something in attacking areas compared to their competitors, it’s not been much of a surprise to see the club being linked with several brilliant goalscoring players in recent weeks, like Eberechi Eze and the aforementioned Sesko.

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The former has a release clause worth around £68m in his current deal, and while that’s no small fee, it feels about right for a 27-year-old Premier League-proven England international, who scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists in 43 games this season.

The latter could end up costing the North Londoners around £70m this summer, and like the Crystal Palace star, he enjoyed a strong campaign this season, scoring 21 goals and providing six assists in 45 appearances for RB Leipzig.

However, while the Slovenian international would be a good signing for Arteta and Co, another, even more exciting player has now been linked with the club: Morgan Rogers.

Yes, according to a recent report from The Athletic, Arsenal remain interested in the Aston Villa star and are currently ‘exploring’ a deal for him.

A potential price for the England international is not mentioned in the story, but according to stories from late last week, he could be available for around £70m this summer.

It might be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line for Arsenal, but Rogers has shown he’d be worth the effort, and we even think he’d be a more exciting signing than Sesko.

Why Rogers would be a better signing than Sesko

The first reason why Rogers could end up being a better signing for Arsenal than Sesko is that, although he’s also just 22 years old, he has already proven himself in the Premier League.

If the Gunners were fighting for a top-four finish, or even heading into their first title race, then perhaps signing a young and relatively unproven striker wouldn’t be such a concern.

However, that’s not the situation they find themselves in; instead, they need someone who can help them win something as soon as possible, which might not be possible if the Leipzig star needs half a year to settle in.

Moreover, while the Slovenian poacher could help solve Arteta’s centre-forward problem, that’s all he could help with.

In contrast, the “superb” Villa star, as dubbed by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, is more than comfortable playing off either wing and in attacking midfield, which could provide the manager with so many tactical options.

Finally, when we take a look under the hood at the pair’s underlying numbers from this past season, it becomes even clearer that the former Manchester City youth product is the far more complete player.

For example, the 22-year-old “machine,” as dubbed by The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell, comes out on top in purely offensive metrics, such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists and key passes, as well as some defensive ones, including tackles won and blocks, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.42

0.40

Progressive Passes

3.55

1.74

Progressive Passes Received

5.43

5.34

Progressive Carries

3.29

1.78

Expected Assists

0.15

0.06

Key Passes

1.47

0.72

Passes into the Final Third

2.11

0.95

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.62

0.34

Shot-Creating Actions

3.04

1.93

Goal-Creating Actions

0.46

0.34

Tackles Won

0.64

0.11

Blocks

0.75

0.57

Interceptions

0.17

0.19

Carries into the Final Third

1.97

1.10

Carries into the Penalty Area

0.95

0.53

This demonstrates that, across the board, the Englishman could and almost certainly would contribute far more to the Gunners next season.

Therefore, while Arsenal should be looking to sign both Rogers and Sesko this summer, the former would undoubtedly be the better buy.

A big upgrade on Eze: Arsenal discussing move to sign £80m "nightmare"

The international attacker would be brilliant for Arsenal.

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Shamsi says SA will have to rely more on spin than pace in the Caribbean leg of the T20 World Cup

Firdose Moonda15-Jun-20242:32

Morkel: South Africa need to have more intensity with bat

South Africa are “testing out all the scores,” as Tabraiz Shamsi jokingly put it when he accepted his Player-of-the-Match award after helping his team pull off another last-ball heist, against Nepal.Although South Africa topped Group D and are yet to lose a match in the tournament, their last two victories have come off the final ball and their match against Netherlands was decided in the penultimate over. “It’s a little bit closer than we’ve needed it to be,” Shamsi said.All four of their games have been low-scoring, starting with their opener against Sri Lanka, who they bowled out for 77. Then, South Africa chased 104 against Netherlands, having recovered from 12 for 4 to do it, and defended 113 against Bangladesh and 115 against Nepal. The first three totals could be somewhat explained by seamer-friendly conditions in New York, which was characterised by inconsistent bounce but the score in St Vincent was the result of what seemed like a misreading of conditions, which were more suited to spin. Captain Aiden Markram summed it up as them being “nowhere near our best and just lacked a bit of intensity and conviction in our game plans.”Related

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While he did not isolate the top three, their form remains a concern. Between them, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks and Markram have scored 129 runs from 12 trips to the crease, at an average of 10.75. Only Uganda, Papua New Guinea and Ireland’s top three have fared worse. After being put in to bat against Nepal, their old Achilles’ heel against spin seemed to re-emerge as all seven of the wickets that fell were to Dipendra Singh Airee’s offspin and Khushal Bhurtel’s legspin.There may also have been reflection of an element of facing the unknown in the way South Africa performed against Nepal. This was the first time South Africa and Nepal have met in an international match and Markram conceded that Nepal, “put us under a lot of pressure,” as South Africa also navigated between playing morning games in the USA and a night match in St Vincent. “It has been a bit different because we spent the whole day almost doing nothing and there [in New York], we’d be playing first thing in the morning,” he said. “Moving forward some things may change. It’s one of the big challenges of cricket, being open minded and adapting.”Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks are yet to fire like they can•AFP/Getty Images

For Shamsi, the key to playing in the Caribbean is recognising that there will be a need to shift away from reliance on pace to spin. “Our fast bowlers did a great job in New York but our slower bowlers will have to take up the mantle now,” he said.South Africa came prepared for that, and included three specialist spinners in their 15-player squad. So far, they have only fielded one of them per game, with Keshav Maharaj playing in New York and Shamsi in St Vincent, but Markram conceded they both should have played against Nepal. Left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin has yet to come into the conversation but with a reputation for taking wickets with the new ball, he may also feature in the Super Eight. South Africa were the first team to qualify for that round and Markam is hopeful they can “put a more complete game of cricket together now that we move forward to the business end of the competition.”Ultimately, some may be of the view that may not be what it takes for South Africa to win their first World Cup. Historically – and often despite strong performances in the group stages – South Africa have crumbled in crunch moments and lost games that they seemed on course to win. Now, with three close results, they’ve shown an ability to hold their nerve. “We’ve been put under pressure in every single game and we have stood up to it,” Shamsi said.Importantly, they also found different match-winners. Against Netherlands, David Miller’s 51-ball 59 took them over line, against Bangladesh, Keshav Maharaj’s 3 for 27 did the trick and against Nepal, Shamsi’s 4 for 19 was vital to their victory. Throughout Ottneil Baartman’s performances have been exemplary and added variation to an attack that has sometimes been too one-dimensional.The top order issues aside, South Africa seem to be ticking along well or as Shamsi said: “When this team is rolling, everybody knows their roles.”

After agreeing a deal to sign Zepiqueno Redmond on a free transfer, Aston Villa have now reportedly made an offer to sign a Serie A champion who is tempted to complete a move to the Midlands.

Aston Villa set to sign Redmond

Kicking off their summer business as early as possible, the Villans are reportedly set to sign Redmond from Feyenoord when his current contract comes to an end at the end of the month. At just 18 years old, the Dutchman very much reflects the future of Aston Villa’s frontline and could provide Unai Emery with a replacement for Jhon Duran that he has needed at times.

When it comes to first-team experience, the young forward has already received a taste of Eredivisie action at Feyenoord and even featured in the Champions League last season. Now, Redmond will be keen to add some Premier League experience to a portfolio that only looks likely to grow more and more impressive as the years go on.

Despite their PSR concerns, Redmond could yet be the first of a few fresh faces in the Midlands if reports are anything to go by. Recent rumours have mentioned names such as Jack Grealish in recent weeks and there’s no doubt that his return would cause quite the stir.

Having been shown the door at Manchester City, Grealish could yet complete a sensational Villa comeback and one that would need to see him get fans back onside as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile, away from Grealish, the Villans have also reportedly submitted an offer to sign a Serie A champion this summer.

Aston Villa submit offer to sign Rrahmani

According to Il Mattino, as relayed by CalcioNapoli, Aston Villa have now submitted an offer to sign Amir Rrahmani from Napoli this summer and whilst he is not desperate to leave the Italian club, he is reportedly tempted by the offer from the Midlands.

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Villa aren’t alone in their pursuit, however, with Tottenham Hotspur also reportedly chasing a deal to sign the experienced centre-back. And that interest should come as no surprise. The 31-year-old enjoyed an excellent campaign as part of Napoli’s Serie A-winning side, starting in all 38 games, and has done more than enough to attract impressive admirers.

Starts

38

23

Progressive Passes

4.97

4.33

Tackles Won

0.82

0.67

Ball Recoveries

3.57

2.77

Given how highly those in the Midlands rate Pau Torres, the fact that Rrahmani outperformed the Spaniard in several areas proves just how impressive an addition he would be.

A deal may be easier said than done, however, especially if Antonio Conte has his say. The Napoli boss was full of praise for his defender last season, describing him as “hardworking” and like a “solider” in his title-winning side.

There has been a development in Liverpool’s pursuit of a new playmaker, with a report revealing he is now keen on a move to the Premier League this summer.

Attacking midfielders Liverpool could sign

Manchester United’s loss against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night means the 2024-25 campaign is set to be their worst of the modern era, which makes Gary Neville’s previous comments about Arne Slot’s midfield even more laughable.

Early in the campaign, Neville suggested the Reds would swap their Premier League title-winning midfield for United’s, much to the bemusement of Jamie Carragher.

It would be interesting to find out if Neville still thinks the Red Devils’ midfield is on a similar level, but one thing that is clear is that Slot is looking to add another, more attacking player to his already solid options in the engine room.

Florian Wirtz has emerged as one of the more ambitious targets, but with a total package of over £250m potentially needed to sign the German, Slot’s side could opt to bring in a much cheaper alternative.

According to a report from The Boot Room, a deal for Lyon’s Rayan Cherki would amount to just over £20m, and Liverpool have now received a boost in their pursuit of the attacking midfielder, as he is now believed to be keen on a move to the Premier League.

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Cherki has his heart set on a move to England, following talks with the Reds and a whole host of other Premier League clubs, and the low asking price could make him an attractive option.

Cherki showing serious signs of development

The Frenchman has been a first-team regular for Lyon over the course of a number of years, but the 2024-25 campaign was by far his best in terms of attacking contributions, which suggests he could now be ready for a move to a top club.

Season

Ligue 1 appearances

Goals

Assists

2021-22

16

0

1

2022-23

34

4

6

2023-24

33

1

6

2024-25

30

8

11

The starlet ranks in the 99th percentile for assists per 90 over the past year, when compared to other attacking midfielders, while he has also received plaudits from ESPN’s Julien Laurens in the past.

It is clear to see why Wirtz is Liverpool’s “absolute dream target”, having amassed 31 goal contributions in all competitions last season, but Manchester City dropping out of the race for the 22-year-old due to his price suggests he may be unattainable, and Cherki could be a fantastic signing.

It seemed like forever that Arsenal had been away from the Champions League before their return to the competition in 2023, allowing them to make more memories in the famous competition.

From squeezing through the group stages to making the final in dramatic circumstances, the north Londoners have had plenty of memorable moments under the lights since making their debut in 1998.

Football FanCast has ranked 25 of the Gunners’ best Champions League moments.

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ByStephan Georgiou May 15, 2025 25 2005/06: Arsenal 2-1 FC Thun Bergkamp rescues Arsenal late on

Champions League minnows FC Thun were plying their trade in non-league eight years prior to this fixture and were expected to be rolled over with ease. But it certainly didn’t pan out like that.

Arsenal had to play with 10 men for much of the match after Robin van Persie received a straight red card for catching Alen Orman in the face with his boot.

The Gunners found themselves frustrated by the Swiss outfit and appeared to be heading towards a shock draw before Dennis Bergkamp struck home a dramatic stoppage-time winner to spare his side’s blushes.

24 2000/01: Arsenal 2-1 Valencia Parlour screamer downs Valencia

Arsenal came back from 1-0 down against La Liga giants Valencia to secure a 2-1 victory in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Thierry Henry levelled the score in the 58th minute before Ray Parlour netted a thunderous strike from distance two minutes later to put the north Londoners ahead.

Unfortunately, the second leg saw the Spanish side advance on away goals after winning 1-0 at the Mestalla.

Valencia went on to reach the final before suffering a heartbreaking defeat to Bayern Munich on penalties.

23 2003/04: Arsenal 1-0 Dynamo Kyiv Ashley Cole keeps Gunners alive

Bonfire Night in 2003 produced an electrifying atmosphere at Highbury after Ashley Cole netted an 88th-minute winner to clinch a 1-0 victory against Dynamo Kyiv.

The all-important result kept Arsenal’s Champions League dreams afloat as they went on to win their final two group games to qualify for the knockout stages of the competition.

The Gunners reached the quarter-finals before suffering a late 3-2 aggregate defeat to London rivals Chelsea.

22 2005/06: Arsenal 1-0 Villarreal Highbury bids farewell to CL nights

Kolo Toure’s first-half strike was enough to seal a 1-0 win against Villarreal in the semi-finals of the Champions League, in a game that saw a squirrel famously invade the field of play.

It was also Arsenal’s final European fixture at Highbury, so the victory was a fitting farewell to the historic stadium.

Wenger’s men went on to reach the Champions League final after holding the Spaniards to a goalless draw in the second leg at El Madrigal.

21 2002/03: PSV 0-4 Arsenal Gilberto and Arsenal thrash PSV

Arsenal secured a thumping 4-0 away victory against PSV in the group stages of the 2002/03 competition. Gilberto Silva broke the record for the fastest Champions League goal after netting inside 21 seconds.

Thierry Henry scored a late brace and Freddie Ljungberg also found himself on the scoresheet to complete the demolition job in the Netherlands.

Dennis Bergkamp also played in his first European away game in two years.

20 2013/14: Arsenal 2-0 Napoli Mesut Özil truly arrives

The summer of 2013 saw Arsenal obliterate their transfer record to sign Real Madrid playmaker Mesut Özil for a whopping £42.4m.

The German’s first goal in Arsenal colours came in their Champions League opener against Napoli as he beautifully caressed home a side-footed effort from just inside the box.

Özil scored seven goals whilst laying on 14 assists in his debut campaign in north London, so not bad going…

19 2024/25: PSV 1-7 Arsenal Gunners enjoy another great night in Eindhoven

Arsenal’s placing in the revamped Champions League group phase meant a last-16 tie against PSV, who had beaten Liverpool and Juventus on their way to sealing their own knockout stage berth.

But those hoping for a close game were quickly disappointed, as the Gunners raced out of the blocks to lead 3-0 inside 31 minutes.

Arsenal didn’t take their foot off the gas in the second half, putting another four past their opponents to make the second leg a formality. It was their biggest away victory in the Champions League.

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ByStephan Georgiou Mar 5, 2025 18 2001/02: Arsenal 4-1 Bayer Leverkusen Eventual finalists played off the park

Arsenal played the would-be runners-up Bayer Leverkusen off the park as the French trio of Robert Pires, Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira all got themselves on the scoresheet.

But it was the Dutchman Bergkamp who scored the pick of the goals as he turned his man on the edge of the area and cheekily dinked the ball over the helpless Hans-Jörg Butt.

Despite a dazzling display by the Gunners, they were dumped out of the competition in the second group phase after finishing third.

17 2007/08: Arsenal 7-0 Slavia Prague Gunners turn on style against Slavia

Wenger’s men completely dominated their Czech opponents as they recorded the club’s biggest-ever Champions League victory. The fluidity of the play was a joy to watch, and some of the goals scored were out of this world.

The Gunners came second to Sevilla in their group that year and reached the last eight of the competition before suffering a 5-3 aggregate defeat by Liverpool. A cruel exit for the north Londoners.

Football purists will certainly enjoy watching this highlight reel below.

16 2005/06: Arsenal 0-0 Real Madrid Gunners hold Real at Highbury to complete epic victory

After sealing a historic 1-0 win at the Santiago Bernabeu, Arsenal still had to fend off Real Madrid on their own patch to seal a quarter-final place back in 2006.

In an even game, the Gunners held their own against their fancied opponents once again, with Thierry Henry mesmeric as ever as Arsene Wenger’s side held on.

Madrid came closest when Raul was extraordinarily denied by Jens Lehmann with the goal at his mercy.

Wanindu Hasaranga was hopeful conditions wouldn’t be too far removed from home

Sidharth Monga03-Jun-20241:20

Will Hasaranga be the gamechanger?

Puff of dust. Not on the pitch but on the outfield. That’s the first thing you notice about cricket at the Nassau County International Cricket Ground just outside New York City. The next thing you see is that the ball plugs in it. It doesn’t zip off like we are used to seeing in pretty standard conditions in cricket on TV these days. It is a sandy outfield where fielders won’t be queuing up to dive.Then there is the drop-in pitch. In the warm-up game between India and Bangladesh held two days before the ground hosts its first World Cup match, the ball seamed around and also sat in the surface. Yet again, these are anything but standard conditions. And because of reasons not explained to the South Africa and Sri Lanka teams, they go into the match without any training session at the actual venue.Related

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This is precisely why South Africa requested for at least a fielding session on the actual outfield after they were done with their nets at the Cantiague Park, another facility outside New York City. Even during the India-Bangladesh match, their coach Rob Walter and bowling coach Eric Simons made it a point to come to the venue and check the conditions out.Sri Lanka, on the other hand, will visit the venue for the first time when they come in for the match. They even cancelled their nets session at the Cantiague Park. They have decided what they saw of the warm-up game on the TV is all they need to know. That is not as dramatic as it sounds because conditions are a little similar to Sri Lanka: sticky pitch, heavy outfield. That is what they have seen in their other practice sessions as well.”First of all, we prepared really well,” Sri Lanka’s captain Wanindu Hasaranga said. “We came two weeks early to North Carolina, and we had practice sessions there. And we played two practice matches in Florida. And I think as a team, we prepared really well. And conditions are similar to Sri Lanka. So, I think as a team we have prepared really well.”Wanindu Hasaranga was confident his side were ready•AFP/Getty ImagesYou can detect some sulkiness with Sri Lanka, though. Firstly, their flight into New York was delayed by seven hours. Then, unlike India and South Africa, they are staying in downtown Brooklyn, which makes it quite a trek to the ground. Their hotel’s swimming pool is closed for the rest of the year, a repeat for them from the 2019 World Cup in England. In fact when asked about adjusting to early-morning starts this World Cup – to cater to the TV audience in India – Hasaranga didn’t omit to mention the travel to the ground.”No, if we played under lights, then we have to prepare, with the field and everything under the lights,” Hasaranga said when asked if they needed to make adjustments to early starts. “Then the only concern is we have to come early to the ground. We have to come at 7.30 in the morning because we are so far from the ground. It will take like one-and-a-half hours to the ground. That’s the only concern we have.”Hasaranga is not incorrect. During the warm-up match, almost everyone had trouble getting to the ground with the police closing down the entrances to Eisenhower Park, which houses the stadium. Everyone is hopeful there is better co-ordination between the police and the ICC come match day when the roads will be closed at 7.30am for everyone except the team buses.2:01

South Africa batters vs Sri Lanka spinners

And then there is the frequent travel for them. Along with Netherlands, Sri Lanka are one of the only two teams that will play all their four first-round matches in four different venues. So they will be in a loop of match-travel-train-optional train-match through then first round.We can sometimes not appreciate the small little challenges that can accumulate with these daily things. For example, when you are asked to train at another venue a day before the match, this is what happens: you load the cricket kits in the hotel at the team bus, then you unload them at the training facility, then you load again and go to your hotel, then you unload in the morning at the ground and load again because you have to travel immediately and don’t have the luxury of playing another match at the same venue.South Africa were more philosophical with the logistical challenges that are part of coming to a new country, which on top of that is not used to hosting cricket, but they do get to play three matches in New York. Even they were bemused they had to train elsewhere. They didn’t know a reason why. Asked if they would have rather they trained at the venue of the match, their captain Aiden Markram said: “It’s hard to say because I’m not sure what [training facility] is there [at the venue of the match], because I haven’t been there. This facility is incredible to be honest, so we don’t mind training here either.”

Hot pace, a cool pose, sixes to finish and a replacement shining on the big stage feature in our best moments from the season

Shashank Kishore31-May-2022Stunning finishes from Rahul Tewatia, MS Dhoni and David Miller, Umran Malik’s fiery spell, Daniel Sam’s redemption and Yuzvendra Chahal’s hat-trick celebration feature in our list. Which one did you enjoy the most?