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Pakistan stars Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan and Haris Rauf were the most popular selections at the BBL overseas drafts with Afridi selected No.1 overall on Thursday and seven Pakistan players taken in total.Nearly every club in the draft would have taken Afridi with their first pick after he nominated for the BBL draft for the first time with availability for the whole season. Brisbane Heat had no hesitation in taking the left-arm quick who will join all-star pace attack alongside Spencer Johnson, Michael Neser and Xavier Bartlett.Heat batter Nathan McSweeney was unsure who would take the new ball.”We’ll have to wait and see. Probably depend on who’s opening the batting,” McSweeney said.”But that’s the good thing about it. We’ve got so many options now with Neser, Bartlett, Spencer and now Shaheen. I’m really excited to see what he’s like. Not too excited to face him in the nets but it’s going to be awesome. I think the Gabba itself is a great wicket to bowl fast and be able to swing the ball. So it should suit him to a tee.”Rauf will return to Melbourne Stars who needed to use their retention pick to keep him after Adelaide Strikers tried to poach Rauf with pick No.2.Related

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Rizwan was taken with the fourth pick by Melbourne Renegades despite already having dynamic wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert as a pre-signing.Adelaide Strikers pulled a slight surprise by selecting England left-arm seamer Luke Wood as a platinum pick with pick No.3 after missing out on Rauf. That left fellow Englishman Sam Curran on the table to be selected by Sydney Sixers at pick No.7 while Sydney Thunder retained Lockie Ferguson with pick No.8.Perth Scorchers and Hobart Hurricanes confirmed pre-signings Finn Allen and Chris Jordan as their platinum players in round one.Renegades picked uncapped USA allrounder Hassan Khan very high with their second pick at No.11. Khan played one game for Renegades last season and has been a key contributor to San Francisco Unicorns team early in the MLC season, with Unicorns managed by Cricket Victoria’s high performance team who also run Renegades.Shadab Khan was taken by Thunder with pick No.12 who had traded up in the second round to get him. Thunder will be Shadab’s fourth different BBL club after playing three games for Heat in 2017, four with Sixers in 2021-22 and five with Hurricanes in 2022-23.Rishad Hossain was the only Bangladesh player taken in the draft with Hurricanes picking him with pick No.13. Hossain was selected by Hurricanes last season but was withdrawn from the tournament after he wasn’t granted an NOC.Hurricanes also selected England legspinning allrounder Rehan Ahmed in the fourth round to bolster their spin options. Laurie Evans and David Payne return to Scorchers having won BBL titles in Perth previously but both were unable to be retained last season by Scorchers and played at Renegades and Strikers respectively.”It’s always nice to bring guys back who have been successful for your club, and Laurie’s performances for us over a period of time were excellent,” Scorchers coach Adam Voges said. “We were sad to see him leave last year, but we’re really excited to welcome him back. He’s one of the overseas players who has performed really strongly at Optus Stadium, at our home in our home conditions, which can be tricky at times. So to welcome him back into the fold, into our middle order, is going to be really exciting.”Strikers added another popular Pakistan pacer in Hasan Ali with their third-round pick. England keeper-bat Tom Alsop will return to Heat while England legspinner Jafer Chohan will return to Sixers after being a surprise selection last season.Adelaide Strikers: Luke Wood, Jamie Overton, Hasan Ali
Brisbane Heat: Shaheen Shah Afridi, Colin Munro, Tom Alsop
Hobart Hurricanes: Chris Jordan, Rishad Hossain, Rehan Ahmed
Melbourne Renegades: Mohammad Rizwan, Hassan Khan, Tim Seifert
Melbourne Stars: Haris Rauf, Tom Curran, Joe Clarke
Perth Scorchers: Finn Allen, Laurie Evans, David Payne
Sydney Sixers: Sam Curran, Babar Azam, Jafer Chohan
Sydney Thunder: Lockie Ferguson, Shadab Khan, Sam Billings

MatériaMais Notícias

O novo alvo América-MG é Pablo Vegetti, atacante que joga no Belgrano, da Argentina. A informação foi primeiro divulgada pela rádio argentina “Sucesos”, da cidade de Córdoba.

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Segundo a rádio, o clube mineiro busca fazer uma proposta de dois anos pelo atacante de 34 anos, que tem vínculo até 2024 com o Belgranos.

Veggeti já passou por times como Gmnasia La Plata e Cólon. O argentino marcou 13 gols e fez uma assistência na última temporada e foi artilheiro do Campeonato Argentino, junto a Michael Santos, do Talleres.

Na última quarta-feira (27), o América-MG anunciou outros dois reforços para a temporada. O volante urugaio Javier Méndez, que assinou contrato até o fim de 2024, e o zagueiro argentino Esteban Burgos, que fechou com o clube até o fim da temporada.

Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen has shot down claims regarding himself and Wayne Rooney, comparing themselves during their teenage years.

Owen unrivalled at 18 years of age

Owen burst onto the scene as a 17-year-old back in 1997, scoring on his Liverpool debut at Wimbledon, before becoming a superstar for both the Reds and England.

The ex-striker’s career fell away as the years passed, mainly due to injuries, but speaking to Rio Ferdinand, he claimed that no English player has reached the level he did at that age.

“People can look at how I played at 26 and say, ‘these players are much better than him.’ Yes, I know. By then, my hamstring muscles were torn in half. I was ashamed to wear a shirt with my name on it at 26 and beyond. I was already in decline. I won the Ballon d’Or when I was already on the downturn. It was a serious decline. At 19, my muscles tore in half.

“But if we talk about the period from 7 to 19 years old, I’m not sure anyone was better than me. There were very few players like that. What Ronaldo was doing at 17, 18 – my God! I played against Thierry Henry; there was a one- or two-year gap between us, and he wasn’t doing what I was doing.

“At 17, I became the Premier League top scorer – that will never happen again! And at 18, twice. But everyone remembers only how I played at 31, 32. By then, I couldn’t do anything anymore.”

It is clearly a topic that has irked Owen, with some remembering his latter days rather than his remarkable early years, and he isn’t letting the debate go away.

Owen shoots down Rooney with new remarks

Writing on X on Friday, Owen further went on to compare himself to Rooney at 17, saying there is no debate as to who was better at that age, comparing his Liverpool exploits to that of the ex-Everton sensation.

In fairness to Owen, time hasn’t been kind to him, with so many thinking about his injuries, and the players who have potentially surpassed him since, including Rooney.

That said, he has a genuinely valid point in saying that nobody was better at 17 or 18, in England at least, with the former Three Lions international a stunning talent – one who scored 23 goals in both 1997/98 and 1998/99, before he had even turned 20.

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While Rooney went on to have a better career, and was a superior all-round footballer overall, Owen was better as a teenager, and was arguably only below Brazil legend Ronaldo at the same age.

MatériaMais Notícias

Thiago de Camillis chegou ao Botafogo em 2019 e trabalha atualmente como treinador do time sub-20 alvinegro. O técnico concedeu uma entrevista exclusiva ao LANCE! e comentou sobre as recentes transformações que vêm ocorrendo nas categorias de base do clube.

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– A base do Botafogo vem passando por um processo de transformação profunda desde houve a transformação do clube para SAF. Em todos os aspectos, existe mais investimento financeiro, mais profissionais envolvidos em todos os departamentos e uma diretriz metodológica bem definida. Muitos efeitos já são perceptivos e outros virão com o tempo.

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O treinador trabalhou nos últimos meses com grandes promessas do Botafogo como Bernardo Valim, Raí e Sapata. O técnico acredita que estes jovens ainda estão em processo de adaptação, mas renderão bons frutos futuramente.

– São ótimos jogadores. Hoje ainda estamos em fase de adaptação e de melhoria em muitos aspectos, mas com um potencial de crescimento enorme, que logo vai se transformar em excelentes resultados no campo, em vendas de jogadores e, consequentemente, em retorno financeiro do investimento que vem sendo feito.

Thiago de Camillis fez uma análise da “Botafogo Way”, que consiste na unificação da metodologia de trabalho em todas as categorias do clube. O comandante acredita que este modelo levará bastante tempo para ser implementado, mas será benéfico para base.

– Avalio como uma excelente oportunidade de se criar um DNA formador. Desde os processos, métodos e perfis de profissionais, até uma ideia unificada de jogo. Como dito anteriormente, algumas coisas já são perceptíveis no clube e outras ainda estão em fase de adaptação. Essas coisas demandam um pouco mais de tempo para serem notadas.

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CONFIRA OUTROS TRECHOS DA ENTREVISTA

TRANSIÇÃO ENTRE BASE E PROFISSIONAL

– Acho que todas as dimensões do jogo andam junto na formação. O jogo não as separa. Claro que deve haver um profissional adequado para cada área e que demandas especiais devem ser tratadas também de maneira especial. Entendendo que cada indivíduo tem seu próprio ritmo de desenvolvimento, seja mental, físico ou técnico.

PLANEJAMENTO DA CARREIRA DOS JOVENS

– Essa é a pergunta de 1 milhão de dólares. A velocidade com que o futebol e o mundo vem se transformando nos últimos 20 anos é absurda. O que eu vivi nos meus tempos de atleta é muito diferente do que se vive hoje. As ofertas são outras, as facilidades são outras e as dificuldades também. Noto uma série de diferenças e diversos fatores influenciadores. Mas ainda acho que família e educação são ainda os meios mais eficientes para que um jovem faça boas escolhas.

FUTURO DA BASE DO BOTAFOGO

– Se continuarmos nesse caminho, acho que estaremos, em alguns anos, no nível dos melhores clubes do Brasil.

Though he hasn’t come cheap, there’s no question that Everton manager David Moyes has pulled off an impressive signing in Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

A strong and slick central midfielder, the 26-year-old joins the Toffees from Chelsea for an initial £24m fee, which may rise to £28m with add-ons.

Moyes is packaging his squad with quality after overseeing a resurgence on Merseyside, replacing the stricken Sean Dyche in January. Many have left, and arrivals are filtering through as Everton prepare for life at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

More, it must be said, is needed. And the Friedkin Group are aiming to bid, with one of the Premier League’s most prominent stars in talks to sign this month.

Everton planning more moves

The Athletic’s David Ornstein has confirmed Everton are in talks with Manchester City to sign Jack Grealish on loan. The 29-year-old has been told he does not feature in Pep Guardiola’s plans, but his £300k-per-week wage poses a problem.

Grealish has become a bit-part player over the past two years, which is rueful for those of a Citizen persuasion, given he joined for a British-record £100m fee back in 2021.

Still, the 29-year-old is fleet-footed and inspiring, and would raise the creative bar at Everton.

But he’s not the only one. According to Football Insider, Everton are still pushing hard for Southampton’s Tyler Dibling, despite having seen a second bid worth £40m rejected.

Football Insider’s report reveals Saints have commenced talks with West Bromwich Albion for Tom Fellows, which indicates a willingness to sign a replacement for their 19-year-old prodigy.

What Tyler Dibling would bring to Everton

Dibling has been named a “world-class talent” by Southampton’s academy manager, Andy Goldie, and though the south coast club endured a painful 2024/25 campaign, relegated from the Premier League with a whimper, he still shone brightly. ​​​​​​

Having notched four goals and three assists across all competitions, Dibling showed signs of clinical potential, ranked among the 19% of positional peers in the Premier League last season for pass completion and the top 13% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

His successful take-ons, in particular, indicate an athletic quality that could rival Grealish’s down the line, perhaps with both under Moyes’ wing.

Considered by retired pro Stuart Pearce to be cut from the same cloth as Grealish, some might feel it’s a case of one or the other, but given that Grealish plays off the left and the Saints youngster is more often placed on the right, the two could combine to add some newfound flair to Moyes’ Everton.

Grealish is widely regarded as one of the most skilful midfielders the Premier League has witnessed in recent years, and in his final season at Aston Villa, he averaged a jaw-dropping 8.9 duels per game and won 64% of his dribbles, as per Sofascore.

Though Iliman Ndiaye already holds down the fort imperiously on Everton’s left flank, there’s a sense at times that the all-inspiring Senegalese brings qualities to the table that few, if any, of his teammates can match.

In Grealish and Dibling, Everton would land two stars with a similar capacity to thrill and lift fans from their seats.

Whether the Blues manage to pull both deals off remains to be seen, but with Thierno Barry having replaced Dominic Calvert-Lewin at the front of the ship, such athletic playmakers could dynamise Moyes’ project.

Only time, as ever, will tell if Everton’s Director of Football, Angus Kinnear, can get the moves completed.

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تنتظر الجماهير المصرية بشكل خاص والعربية بشكل عام، مباراة القمة بين قطبي الكرة المصرية، ناديي الأهلي والزمالك، التي تقام بينهما مساء غدًا الإثنين.

يستضيف استاد القاهرة الدولي، مباراة الأهلي والزمالك في القمة، ضمن منافسات الجولة التاسعة من عمر مباريات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز للموسم الحالي 2025-2026.

قمة نارية منتظرة بين الأهلي والزمالك، حيث يسعى الفارس الأبيض للفوز من أجل الابتعاد بصدارة ترتيب الدوري، حيث يتواجد في المركز الأول برصيد 17 نقطة.

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بينما النادي الأهلي، يدخل اللقاء متسلحًا بنجومه تريزيجيه وبن شرقي وبن رمضان وزيزو، كما يمتلك ما يكفي من الدوافع لتحقيق الفوز وتخطي المرحلة الصعبة التي يمر بها في الوقت الحالي، حيث يقوده جهاز فني مؤقت بقيادة عماد النحاس، ويقترب من تعيين مدير فني أجنبي جديد.

كما يسعى المارد الأحمر لتحقيق الانتصار من أجل العودة من جديد إلى المنافسة على لقب بطولة الدوري للموسم الحالي، بعد البداية السيئة، حيث يحتل المركز السابع برصيد 12 نقطة.

وتنطلق مباراة الأهلي والزمالك، في تمام الساعة 8 مساءً، الإثنين، بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، تنقل على قناة أون سبورت 1 بتعليق بلال علام وأيمن الكاشف.

ومن المقرر أن يقود مباراة الأهلي والزمالك، طاقم تحكيم إسباني، بقيادة سيزار سوتو، يعاونه إيفان ماسو جراندو وأنطونيو مورينو، حكم رابع، أليخاندرو رويز، ويتواجد في عرفة الفار خوسيه مونتير وحكم مساعد فيديو، ماريو لوبيز.

وتواجه الأهلي والزمالك في بطولة الدوري قبل لقاء غدًا الإثنين، 130 مرة، تفوق المارد الأحمر في 50 مباراة، مقابل 29 انتصارًا للقلعة البيضاء، وحسم التعادل 51 مبارة.

Ryan Mason has settled into the West Bromwich Albion dug-out now with a reputation for working with some of Tottenham Hotspur’s most promising starlets when he was still situated at the Premier League club above his head.

Indeed, during his lengthy stay in North London, the 33-year-old even took on the position of Head of Player Development in the Academy structure, with the likes of Mikey Moore, Jamie Donley, and Will Lankshear – who was with the Baggies last season – all benefitting from his methods.

Moore and Donley have been tipped to link back up with Mason in the West Midlands, but no such moves have gotten off the ground just yet, with West Brom now perhaps looking further afield when chasing after some up-and-coming starlets ready to burst into life in the EFL.

West Brom interested in move for £5m starlet

Of course, West Brom also have a lot of promising youngsters already on their roster, with Caleb Taylor potentially ready for a breakout 25/26 campaign, after being loaned out to Wycombe Wanderers last season.

But, a new 19-year-old attacker now looks to be on their radar to add to the youthfulness of Mason’s camp, with a hope the target in question can replicate Tom Fellows’ heroics – who was once a wide-eyed winger himself – from minute one of his Hawthorns adventure.

As per journalist Ben Jacobs via X, West Brom are now reportedly interested in a deal to land rising Genoa star Seydou Fini this summer, but they aren’t the only ones taking a peek at the teenage forward, with both Coventry City and Watford also keen to strike up a deal for the £5m attacker.

West Brom will want to win this race so they can add yet another exciting future talent to their ranks, with Fini perhaps going down as the Baggies’ next iteration of Fellows if all goes to plan, considering the Solihull-born winger was once an unknown entity in the senior environment of the Championship after soaring up the age brackets, before then becoming a staple of the West Brom main XI.

How Fini could become West Brom's next Fellows

It does feel some time ago now that Fellows wasn’t a household name at the Hawthorns, with the 21-year-old first attempting to cut his teeth in the senior ranks at the start of the 23/24 season.

He has managed to jump over any hurdles that come his way effortlessly since catching a first-team break, considering Fellows is now on the reported Everton shopping list after amassing a bumper 14 assists in league action last campaign.

Genoa U19s

45

11

14

Excelsior

38

4

5

Genoa U17s

28

21

11

Genoa U18s

10

6

5

Standard Liege

9

0

0

Genoa

5

0

0

Fini is in a similar position now as many a Championship suitor eyes him up after a promising loan stint out in the Netherlands with Excelsior Rotterdam last season resulted in the Italian winger picking up four goals and five assists in the Eredivisie.

Whilst it hasn’t quite clicked for the 19-year-old in senior action back at Genoa, his promising youth numbers for Patrick Vieira’s outfit will make him a tantalising prospect to purchase on the end of the Baggies, with Fini up to a bumper 68 goal contributions in total for his Italian employers at youth level.

Like Fellows, he’s a creative outlet and as the scout below translates, Fini possesses a “real flair for dribbling.”

Fellows wouldn’t hit such grand numbers himself back at the Hawthorns, with a lesser 28 goal contributions notched up for both the U18s and the U23s, as the direct, fast-paced Fini now tries to push his English counterpart all the way to a starting spot on the right channel.

West Brom have already gone rogue with some of their transfer business, with £4.7m forked out already on ex-Brann attacker Aune Heggebo, with another bold move now looking to be in the works for Mason and Co. to snap up their next Fellows for a similarly wild fee.

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Wolverhampton Wanderers find themselves looking to build on a mixed campaign last term and are now in the picture to sign a highly-coveted striker, according to a report.

Wolverhampton Wanderers want to kick on after Jhon Arias arrival

Adding some much-needed flair after Matheus Cunha’s departure, Jhon Arias has joined Wolves from Fluminense and has explained that the success of his compatriots at Molineux helped to sell the idea of a move to the Premier League.

He stated: “It’s a project I believe in. They showed me the plans, and there are top players there – I don’t even need to mention André or João Gomes, who came from Flamengo.

“I believe in the squad and in the manager’s work. I know what they expect from me, and I’m ready to give 100%.”

Vitor Pereira has been a breath of fresh air since arriving in the West Midlands, though more reinforcements are needed to ensure the Old Gold can evade being dragged into a relegation scrap.

With that in mind, Almeria full-back Marc Pubill was picked to replace Wolves defender Nelson Semedo, with the latter set to depart to bring an end to a protracted goodbye for the Portugal international. However, the Spaniard has instead joined Atletico Madrid.

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Not to be deterred, Real Betis winger Pablo Garcia could also come in at Molineux after a bid was submitted for his signature, albeit they are competing with Real Madrid and Barcelona to sign the 19-year-old.

Either way, there is plenty of movement on incomings starting to occur at Wolves, which will please supporters after a slow start to the window.

Now, the Old Gold have turned their attention towards strengthening their forward line despite signing Jorgen Strand Larsen on a permanent deal.

Wolverhampton Wanderers fighting to sign Idrissa Gueye

According to L’Equipe, Wolves are one of a number of clubs in the mix for FC Metz striker Idrissa Gueye, who could be set to exit France only months after joining the Ligue 2 club from Génération Foot.

Intriguingly, up to ten clubs are keen on signing the 18-year-old. Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund, West Ham United and Southampton are also among his admirers.

Idrissa Gueye at FC Metz – 2024/25 in all competitions

Appearances

20

Goals

5

Assists

1

Metz are keen to recoup a hefty fee of around £17 million for the teenager. Nevertheless, they will listen to offers that near the £13 million mark for the young striker.

Previously, Gueye has been likened to Olivier Giroud by his club’s director of football Frederic Arpinon. At the same time, comparisons to compatriot Sadio Mane have also come to the fore as his rise continues.

Admittedly, the Mbour-born man is likely to be a signing with the future in mind, but there is no harm in Wolves adding another layer of variety to their frontline ahead of another exciting season for all involved at Molineux.

Smriti Mandhana’s half-century took India to 165 but it proved inadequate

Srinidhi Ramanujam28-Jul-2024 • Updated on 29-Jul-20242:58

Sri Lanka show they aren’t solely reliant on Athapaththu

Sri Lanka created history on Sunday, dethroning India to clinch their maiden Women’s T20 Asia Cup. Fighting half-centuries from top order batters Chamari Athapaththu and Harshitha Samarawickrama, and Kavisha Dilhari’s all-round heroics stood out as Sri Lanka cruised to an eight-wicket victory in front of a packed crowd in Dambulla.Samarawickrama and Dilhari’s valuable contributions in the final once again highlighted a crucial point that Sri Lanka are not just dependent on their captain to deliver. They have now won 14 of the 17 T20Is this year and go into the T20 World Cup slated in October with massive confidence and pride from their performances.Smriti Mandhana’s 60 and quickfire knocks from Richa Ghosh and Jemimah Rodrigues helped India post a competitive total of 165 for 6 but in the end, it proved inadequate.Athapaththu vs left-arm spinThings were quiet until the fifth over. Then, with Sri Lanka on 28 for 1, Athapaththu targeted the inexperienced left-arm spinner Tanuja Kanwar. After lofting a short ball to deep square leg for six, she punished two full length deliveries for a four and a six to score 16 runs off the over and end the powerplay on 44 for 1. Radha Yadav, another left-arm spinner, bowled the next over and conceded nine runs with six coming off Athapaththu’s bat. With only Deepti Sharma as the specialist offspinner, Harmanpreet had to use Radha and Kanwar against the two left-handers Athapaththu and Samarawickrama. In the end, 29 of the Sri Lanka captain’s 61 runs came against left-arm spinners, at a strike rate of 170.58.Samarawickrama, Dilhari step upSamarawickrama has been playing at the international level for six years now and her most important knock came in Dambulla. She had hit only four half-centuries in 61 matches prior and her career strike rate in T20Is is less 100. But on Sunday, Sri Lanka needed her to stay as long as possible and not think about those numbers.When Deepti bowled Athapaththu in the 12th over, the crowd was stunned to silence. Sri Lanka needed 72 runs from 48 balls and there was a chance of an Indian comeback. After getting set, scoring 29 off her first 27 balls, it was on Samarawickrama to take her side through and she did it in style. She brought out her A game with pull shots and slog sweeps to eventually top-score for Sri Lanka with an unbeaten 69. When 25 was required from the last three overs, Radha’s 17-run 18th over – where Samarawickrama smashed two fours and a six – blunted India.Smriti Mandhana’s half-century went in vain for India•ACCDilhari, a strong bottom-handed player, chipped in with an unbeaten 30 off 16 and sealed the victory with a six in the penultimate over. The duo shared a match-changing unbeaten 73 off 40 balls for the third wicket. Meanwhile, India endured misfields and two dropped catches and were also tactically tested as the game slipped away. This included a fumble from Harmanpreet when she dropped a simple catch in the 15th over when Samarawickrama was on 45.Mandhana marches on to another fiftyMandhana brought all her experience to the fore in the final. Sri Lanka dominated the first five overs of the powerplay, and Mandhana made a run-a-ball 14. But in the final over, she tried to up the ante by shuffling across to manufacture runs against left-arm seamer Udeshika Prabodhani. She hit three fours, and India ended the powerplay on 44 for 0. Soon after Shafali Verma and Uma Chetry were dismissed, Mandhana punished anything too short or too full, especially from Athapaththu as she raced to her 26th T20I fifty off 36 deliveries. She was dropped by Samarawickrama at cover on 10 off 10 in the fifth over.Mandhana also got a life when she hit one straight to Athapaththu, the bowler, in the 16th over, but the ball bounced twice before reaching the batter and so was declared a no-ball. However, in the following over, Athapaththu took an excellent running catch off Dilhari’s bowling to dismiss the India opener.The Dilhari-Ghosh battleDilhari has been crucial to Sri Lanka’s recent success. Of her 16 T20Is this year, only thrice has she gone wicketless. She usually doesn’t concede many either. At the end of 17 overs, the legspinner’s had gone for 18 runs and picked up two wickets in her three overs. But her final over, the penultimate of the innings, against Ghosh, was bittersweet. The first ball was a legbreak which Ghosh looked to cut and probably got an edge to the wicketkeeper. There was a huge appeal from the bowler and the keeper, but the umpire was unmoved. Dilhari pleaded and kicked the turf in disappointment, but there was no DRS in this tournament. The next three deliveries saw Ghosh muscling away two fours and a six to take India past 150. Dilhari ended up conceding 18 runs off her final over. Ghosh eventually finished on a 14-ball 30

Russell Martin is the 20th permanent manager in Rangers’ 153-year history, but he’s got plenty of work to do if he’s going to be a success at Ibrox.

Last season, the Gers finished second in the Premiership, a whopping 17 points adrift of the champions, and ended the campaign trophyless, most notably dumped out of the Scottish Cup having suffered their first-ever home defeat against lower-league opposition in the competition.

So, if the Light Blues are going to be ready for the start of Champions League qualifying next month, Martin is going to want to be very busy in the transfer market, so could he be reunited with a player for the third time?

Rangers targeting a new centre-back

According to a report by EFL Analysis, Rangers remain interested in signing centre-back Harry Darling, labelling this potential move to Glasgow a ‘very intriguing prospect’, with Norwich City also pursuing the defender.

The 25-year-old is a free agent, having left Swansea City, and has twice played for Martin before, first at Milton Keynes, before the new Rangers manager signed Darling three years ago when he was in charge of the Swans.

Recently-appointed Norwich boss Liam Manning, who replaced Martin at MK, described Darling as “outstanding”, adding that he is more than “capable” of playing at a high level, so could he turn down the Canaries and reunite with Martin once more?

How Harry Darling compares to Robin Pröpper

According to reports in the Netherlands, Robin Pröpper is set to re-join FC Twente this summer, with the Eredivisie side willing to pay around half of the £2.5m they received for the centre-back a mere 12 months ago.

The Dutchman made 43 appearances during his first, and potentially only, season at Rangers, scoring during victories over both Celtic and Dundee United, but more notably getting sent off just 13 minutes into the Europa League quarter-final against Athletic Club.

Pröpper himself admitted that “maybe I underestimated” the level of competition one faces in the Scottish Premiership, with his performances often widely criticised, including by Aaron Nijjar of Football Insider, who noted that his ‘struggles continued’ following a hard-fought 1-0 victory over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park in December.

Meantime, Ewan Paton of the Rangers Review believes that Scottish football is ‘too quick and physical for his capabilities’, suggesting that supporters would be pleased to see the back of him.

But, would Darling be an upgrade? Let’s assess the pair’s respective statistics to answer that question.

Appearances

39

43

Minutes

3,337

3,210

% of dribblers tackled

56.5%

55.6%

Tackles per 90

0.8

1.2

Interceptions per 90

0.6

0.9

Clearances per 90

5

3.8

Ball recoveries

152

36

% of aerial duels won

64.2%

54%

% of ground duels won

66%

53.25%

Average Sofascore Rating

7.23

6.69

As the table outlines, pretty much across the board, Darling comes out on top for the vast majority of defensive metrics included.

Worth considering that also, according to Global Football Rankings, the EFL Championship is the 11th strongest division in the world, with the Scottish Premiership down in 43rd, albeit 11 of Pröpper’s outings did come in either Champions League qualifying or the Europa League.

Writer Kai Watson believes that Darling would be ‘perfect’ for Martin’s system, labelling him ‘very comfortable on the ball and a brilliant passer’, underlining that this deal is a no-brainer for Rangers, especially considering he’s a free agent.

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