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New Zealand coach Gary Stead played down his side’s thumping performance but was not shy about stating their prospects for Sunday’s final against England

Jenny Roesler in Sydney19-Mar-2009It was all but inevitable that New Zealand would beat eighth-ranked Pakistan at the Drummoyne Oval on Thursday and seal their place in the final. Yet the way they did should send a warning to England, whose 17-win streak came to a shuddering stop against Australia over in North Sydney.Their coach Gary Stead played down his side’s thumping performance – which included 168 from Suzie Bates and Haidee Tiffen’s maiden ODI century in a world-record stand of 262 – but was not shy about stating their prospects for Sunday’s final against England.”I will be telling our girls we’re going to go really, really hard at England and we’re going to try to smash them off the ground early in the game.” Stead said. “It’s a little hard to take too much from this game. It’s not the standard of England by any means, but you see special innings occasionally and the partnership there between Suzie and Haidee was outstanding and to break some world records is really important to our team.”Haidee’s had a pretty good tournament, she’s been good with some runs and Suzie’s starting to show some nice form and coming into the business end of the tournament, that’s important. We know she’s a classy player who can hit the ball pretty hard and she showed that today.”If we’re confident and we trust our instincts I think we can beat anyone. We’re really looking forward to the game and if we can relax and play good cricket and trust our abilities I’m sure we can do well.”Stead dismissed the suggestion that New Zealand may have preferred a stronger opposition heading into the final. “I don’t think it matters too much,” he said. “We had some tough games against India and Australia and England earlier. I think it’s nice for the girls that they’ve had the chance to go out there and feel good about their games and they’re confident.”Tiffen played the anchor as Bates smashed her way to breaking records. “I thought the really good thing in their partnership was the roles they played,” Stead said. “Haidee understood she was the run-getter and after a while Suzie said ‘Right, it’s boom time’ and she went big.”Then he watched as Tiffen brought up her first century with a dab to square. “When Haidee had it in her sights you could see she wasn’t going to miss out,” he said. “She knuckled down.”Having piled up 7 for 373, New Zealand had their sloppy fielding moments but in defending such a huge total they were never in trouble. Besides, they had their minds on other, much grander, matters.

Ricky Ponting has taken the blame for Australia’s poor batting performances during the series loss to South Africa

Cricinfo staff30-Jan-2009
Ricky Ponting: “At the end of the day the buck does stop with me” © Getty Images
Ricky Ponting has taken the blame for Australia’s poor batting performances during the series loss to South Africa despite being the second highest run-scorer in the opening four games. Only Shaun Marsh (213) has been more successful than Ponting, who has 202 at 50.50, but the captain said he needed to assume more responsibility in the final match in Perth on Friday.”Any team wants their guys at the top, at least someone, to make 100 and we haven’t had a century made in this series so far,” Ponting told AAP. “At the end of the day the buck does stop with me. I’m ultimately the one that is responsible and takes the flak if we lose and takes the credit if we win games.”South Africa took the series in Adelaide despite Ponting’s streak of 46, 64, 29 and 63. “I felt I’ve batted really well in all four of these one-day games, but at the same time I felt I’ve left a lot of runs out there almost every time I’ve been out in the middle,” he said.”So I just want to finish off this series very strongly. I want to put in a good performance for myself and the team, and take a bit more responsibility than I have in the first four games.”

Manchester United have been handed a potentially significant boost in their pursuit of Rennes midfielder Eduardo Camavinga.

What’s the story?

The Red Devils have been linked with a move for the highly-rated 18-year-old throughout the summer as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looks to bolster his engine room options.

And now, the well-known journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has provided an update on Camavinga’s situation, claiming a move away from his boyhood club could still occur before the transfer window closes.

He tweeted: “There are chances for Eduardo Camavinga to leave Rennes in the final 8 days of the transfers market. He’ll not sign a new long-term deal with Rennes, so they’re open to sell Camavinga for €35m fee. #transfers It depends on the offers in the next few days. Open race.”

Solskjaer will love him

The talented teenager has established himself as one of Ligue 1’s most promising young players since making his first-team debut back in 2019, scoring two goals and providing five assists in 86 appearances for Les Rouge et Noir.

Famed for his tackling skills, his ability to drive upfield with the ball and his tactical discipline, Camavinga would be a valuable addition to any top-level squad and Solskjaer would surely love to bring one of the sports most exciting prospects to Old Trafford.

With Paul Pogba’s long-term future at United still up in the air, the chance to bring in a ready-made replacement for just £30m is surely something the club’s hierarchy must be considering.

Although Camavinga is a different player with a different set of attributes to his compatriot, his ability and potential mean he could be the ideal heir to the World Cup-winning dynamo, should he seek pastures new next summer.

Therefore, Solskjaer and United supporters alike will love this news and will surely be hoping that football director John Murtough can pull off a third masterclass of the current window to bring the youngster to the red half of Manchester.

The 20-time English champions are attempting to win their first top-flight title since 2013 this season, and the arrival of Camavinga would be a substantial boost to their chances of doing just that.

And, in other news…Fewer touches than De Gea: £40.5m-rated MUFC dud who lost 60% duels cost Ole vs Saints 

Cricinfo presents the Plays of the day from the third day of the first Test between India and England in Chennai

Cricinfo staff13-Dec-2008
Kevin Pietersen had a match to forget with the bat © Getty Images
Split wide open
Harbhajan Singh was so anxious to get his front pad outside the line of off stump when padding up to Graeme Swann that he ended up doing the splits on his knees. He kept the ball out alright, but it’s not a technique that the MCC will be recommending any time soon.Little man, big hit
After Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s dismissal, India knew that any run made would be an unexpected bonus. Few though could have anticipated Amit Mishra coming down the track and clouting Monty Panesar to long-on. If only some of his batting colleagues had shown similar resolve.Run, rabbit, run
Though he could be smiling at the end of it, Kevin Pietersen had a match to forget with the bat. Trapped in front by Yuvraj Singh bowling round the wicket, he trudged off miserably, and then had to suffer the indignity of watching Yuvraj make rabbit ears at him.For want of a catch …
Strauss had made just 15 when he stepped back to drive Mishra off the back foot. The ball zipped off the outside edge, and Dhoni couldn’t quite hold on. England were 43 for 3 at the time. By day’s end, the scoreboard was telling a very different story.It all evens out
Having got a stinker from Billy Bowden in the first innings, Paul Collingwood was due some luck. He got it too, with edges evading and miscues evading fielders. The most astonishing shot though was a loft to long-off for four – off the leading edge.The white hats
There was a time during Greg Chappell’s tenure as coach that the team was introduced to the idea of de Bono hats. Something might have rubbed off, because at one point, seven of them were wearing the white floppy ones in the afternoon. The white one represents facts and information, and on this particular occasion, India got theirs all wrong.

Manchester United are not interested in re-signing Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Ander Herrera, contrary to reports.

What’s the story?

The Reds Devils were linked with a shock move for the experienced 31-year-old campaigner by The Guardian following Lionel Messi’s arrival at the Parc des Princes in recent days.

However, according to well-known reporter Jonathan Shrager, United aren’t looking to bring the Spaniard back to Manchester this summer.

He tweeted: “In terms of today’s report which proposed a possible return to United for Ander Herrera, I am told that there is currently nothing in it”.

Fans will be delighted

United manager Ole Gunnar Solkjaer is thought to be desperate to bolster his engine room options with a new defensive midfielder in the current window.

The likes of Ruben Neves, Saul Niguez and Eduardo Camavinga have all reportedly caught the eye of the club’s hierarchy, but a formal offer has yet to be made for any potential target.

News of the Old Trafford outfit’s proposed interest in Herrera came as a shock, though. The tough-tackling dynamo enjoyed five relatively successful years on English shores before departing for Paris in 2019.

He scored 20 goals and provided 27 assists in 189 appearances for the Red Devils during his time at the club, winning the FA Cup, Europa League and League Cup along the way.

During a tricky time on and off the field for the 20-time English champions, Herrera’s honest, consistent and full-blooded displays endeared him to the supporters, earning his status as a fan’s favourite at the time.

However, talk of his potential return would have done little to excite the United supporters. At 31, the former Athletic Bilbao ace is entering the twilight years of his career and is not the solution to Solskjaer’s midfield conundrum.

The Norwegian tactician is thought to be keen on a holding midfielder capable of providing the necessary support to Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba, allowing him to drop the ‘McFred’ double pivot.

Whether such a player even exists is up for debate, but the answer certainly doesn’t lie in Herrera’s ageing legs, and a large section of the fanbase will surely be delighted that a return appears to be off the cards.

And, in other news…Man Utd plot big-money move for £36m-rated “conductor”, Ole would love him 

A round-up of matches on the second day of the ICL 20-20 Domestic Tournament

Cricinfo staff24-Sep-2008Chennai Superstars clinched a low-scoring thriller against Chandigarh Lions off the penultimate ball of the match in Bangalore. Chasing a target of 126, Chennai scored 129 for 5 in 19.5 overs. Their top three batsmen got starts but failed to convert them and it was left to Rajagopal Sathish, who scored an unbeaten 38 off 40 balls, to guide the team home. Sathish had also taken 2 for 21 in four overs to help restrict Chandigarh to 125. Ganapathi Vignesh was Chennai’s best bowler, taking 3 for 23, while Jamaluddin Syed Mohammad took 2 for 12. Opener Chetan Sharma top scored for Chandigarh with 38.Delhi Giants scored a last-over victory over Royal Bengal Tigers in Hyderabad. Bengal were reduced to 44 for 3 after a couple of run-outs and lost wickets to slump to 136 for 7 in 20 overs. Rajiv Kumar’s 35 was the highest score while Asif Murtaza and Abhishek Sharma took two wickets each. Delhi’s openers were not at their best, but Jai Prakash Yadav and Abbas Ali scored 38 and 27 respectively to set up the victory. Pritam Das, who took 3 for 10 in four overs, and Abu Nechim, who had 2 for 24, were the only wicket-takers for Bengal.Ahmedabad Rockets made short work of Hyderabad Heroes’s total of 124 and reached the target in the 17th over with seven wickets in hand in Hyderabad. Sumit Kalia took three wickets to reduce Hyderabad to 77 for 4 after which Rakesh Patel struck twice to restrict them to 124 for 7. Ahmedabad lost Pallav Vora in the sixth over but the other top order batsmen – Sachin Dholpure, Bhima Rao, and Sridharan Sriram – made useful contributions and ensured victory.

حقق فريق المصري الفوز على نظيره المنصورة بهدفين لهدف، في المباراة التي أقيمت اليوم الأحد، بملعب برج العرب بالإسكندرية.

المصري واجه المنصورة، في إطار منافسات دور الـ32 من عمر مواجهات بطولة كأس مصر موسم 2022.

وكان فريق المنصورة قد تقدم أولًا عن طريق أحمد عبد العال من ركلة جزاء، في الدقيقة 61.

وعاد فريق المصري بهدفين متتاليين عن طريق جريندو من ركلة جزاء في الدقيقة 73، والهدف الثاني أحرزه أحمد الشيخ، بعد تمريرة من فريد شوقي أمام مرمى المنصورة في الدقيقة 82.

طالع | قيس اليعقوبي: معين الشعباني يستحق ناد أكبر من المصري البورسعيدي

وشهدت المباراة حالة طرد للاعب المصري إيزي إيميكا، بعد عرقلة لاعب فريق المنصورة، ولكن حكم اللقاء عاد إلى تقينة الفيديو في هذه الحالة، ليتم إلغاء البطاقة الصفراء الثانية للاعب وإلغاء الطرد.

وبهذا الفوز، يتأهل المصري إلى دور الـ16 من مسابقة كأس مصر، لكنه سينتظر معرفة منافسه بعد القرعة التي سيجريها الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم.

جدير بالذكر أن مباراة المنصورة تعد الأولى لـ حسام حسن في قيادة فريق المصري بعد عودته لتولي قيادة الفريق البورسعيدي خلفًا للتونسي معين الشعباني. أهداف المصري والمنصورة في كأس مصر:

Sheffield United have been dealt a major blow in their bid to keep George Baldock at Bramall Lane this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Mail, who claim that Olympiakos and Burnley have joined Celtic in the race for the right-back in the summer transfer window.

It is claimed that the Scottish side are keen to take the 28-year-old on a temporary basis, however, Slavisa Jokanovic would not be open to anything other than sanctioning the permanent sale of the defender this summer, with it being reported that the Blades’ are demanding a fee of around £8m in order to part with Baldock.

However, the report finishes by stating that, following the latest interest in his services, the future of the right-back appears rather uncertain heading into the final weeks of the summer market.

Jokanovic will be fuming

With it looking as if Celtic’s pursuit of Baldock had hit something of a dead-end, and subsequently Sheffield United’s chances of retaining the services of the defender for their 2021/22 Championship campaign increasing, the new interest from Olympiakos and Burnley is sure to have left the 52-year-old manager fuming.

Despite a disappointing season last time out, Baldock nevertheless proved the previous year that he is an extremely important player within the United team.

Indeed, over his 38 Premier League appearances back in 2019/20, the £4.5m-rated right-back made an average of 0.9 interceptions, 1.6 tackles, 1.8 clearances and won 4.9 duels per game.

He also impressed in an attacking capacity, scoring two goals, registering three assists and creating two big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 0.6 key passes per match.

These metrics saw the man Garth Crooks dubbed a “superb” player earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.83, ranking him as the Baldes’ joint 11th-best performer in the top flight of English football that season.

As such, it would very much seem as if the £26k-per-week Baldock remaining at Bramall Lane beyond the transfer deadline at the end of the month would indeed significantly improve the club’s chances of going on to secure an immediate return to the Premier League at the first time of asking, while his sale could well see the wheels fall off United’s promotion push before it has even really begun.

In other news: Sheff Utd dealt potential blow over “unreal” 7.5k-p/w ace, Jokanovic will be gutted

An update has emerged regarding Leeds’ interest in CSKA Moscow attacker Adolfo Gaich.

What’s the talk?

According to TuttoMercatoWeb, the Whites have made an offer to take the Argentine on loan from the Russian Premier League outfit.

The report claims that he is expected to leave CSKA on a temporary deal, having recently returned from a loan with Benevento, and it remains to be seen whether or not he wants to return to Italy.

Bielsa must work his magic

If this move goes through, then Marcelo Bielsa must work his magic on the forward. The Argentine international could be an exciting addition to the squad given Bielsa’s reputation for being one of the most influential coaches in the world.

Gaich has not hit his stride at senior level as of yet, but has shown signs that he could explode onto the scene at any moment. This suggests that he needs the right coach to get the best out of him, and who better than Bielsa?

He is only 22 and has already been capped by Argentina at senior level and played in the top divisions in Russia and Italy. The attacker scored two goals in nine starts for Benevento in Serie A last season.

Last year, Argentine youth coach Fernando Batista compared him to Robert Lewandowski, highlighting the impressive physical attributes in his game.

He said of Gaich: “He has power, aerial play, he is strong. His speed can also prevail. Despite his height, he knows how to get an opponent off his back. I imagine him on those perfect European pitches, with the wet grass, ideal for him.

“The characteristics would perhaps fit better in the Premier League, in the Bundesliga, in Italian football. Though now he could also play perfectly in Spain and Barcelona.

“I see in the physical, how he puts the body, how he holds the ball, there are some Robert Lewandowski things.”

This suggests that he has the raw qualities needed to succeed at the top level, without harnessing them in the right way to become a consistent threat in front of goal. Therefore, he could be an exciting project for Bielsa to work on and fans could enjoy seeing him develop over the course of the season. With his coaching pedigree, he could help Gaich to use his physical ability to become the next Lewandowski.

Then, if all goes to plan, Victor Orta could look into a longer-term arrangement to keep him at the club. This loan could be a ‘try before you buy’ situation, giving Leeds the opportunity to see if the 22-year-old has what it takes to play regularly in the Premier League, and without the risk of splashing out on a lavish transfer fee for his services.

AND in other news, Leeds must pounce on chance to land “explosive” £15m gem, Bielsa will love him…

MatériaMais Notícias

Recém contratado pelo Atlético-MG, o atacante Marlone já foi utilizado no clássico contra o Cruzeiro e agora quer mais. Neste domingo, o jogador estará em campo diante da Caldense, já que Roger Machado pretende poupar seus principais atletas. Desta forma, Marlone quer aproveitar a oportunidade para mostrar seu futebol e colocar uma dúvida a mais na cabeça do treinador.

– Estou trabalhando para isso. Estou à disposição do professor Roger. Quero entrar e fazer meu melhor, corresponder à altura, fazer o meu melhor. O grupo também está preparado para isso. Se ele optar por mim, para começar jogando, vou dar o meu melhor e ajudar a equipe – comentou.

Apesar do pouco tempo de casa, Marlone já garante estar totalmente adaptado ao clube alvinegro. A explicação para isso pode ser encontrada também nos novos e antigos companheiros. Nos tempos de Fluminense, o atacante jogou ao lado de Fred. No Sport, foi parceiro de Danilo e mais recentemente atuou ao lado de Elias, no Corinthians.

– Desde o primeiro dia que cheguei fui bem recebido. Conhecia alguns atletas. Me abraçaram, me acolheram, já estou até dando risada com alguns. Aqui é uma família e tem tudo para gente evoluir esse ano. Estou bem adaptado.