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The Zimbabwe captain was disappointed after a seven wicket defeat to Sri Lanka, saying his batsmen did not adjust to the change in the pitch on Sunday and play more straight-bat shots

Andrew Fidel Fernando02-Jul-2017Graeme Cremer conceded Zimbabwe’s batsmen may have been too eager on the sweeps and reverse sweeps during the second ODI on Sunday, even though those strokes had proved productive during Friday’s record chase. Sri Lanka’s best bowler Lakshan Sandakan, meanwhile, had come prepared for that tactic from Zimbabwe, which goes some way to explaining his match figures of 4 for 52.Zimbabwe had been 67 for 1 before the spinners came into operation in Galle, and prompted a collapse that cost the visitors five wickets in the space of 10.3 overs. Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza and Ryan Burl all fell attempting to sweep or reverse sweep.”Maybe with the wicket, we should have adjusted, should have hit the ball down the ground a bit more,” Cremer said after the seven-wicket defeat. “I thought the wicket was a little bit different from the pitch for the first game, and we didn’t adjust early enough. At one stage we could have batted off the overs – 230 could have been a decent score, but we lost too many wickets in the middle.”Sandakan, playing his first ODI since March, employed several strategies to counter Zimbabwe’s sweep-happy batsmen. Early in the innings, he overcame Hamilton Masakadza’s reverse sweep threat by firing deliveries on a leg-stump line. Later in the innings, the dip he achieved also made him a difficult bowler to play across the line.”We identified that they were sweeping us, and we tried to change the field, slow the ball up a bit and change our lengths,” Sandakan said. “We didn’t try too many changes, but length and pace was important and it worked for us today. We also bowled wicket to wicket – a little straighter – to stop some of those shots.”While Sandakan had made the more telling blows to the opposition innings, debutant legspinner Wanidu Hasaranga knocked out Zimbabwe’s tail with a hat-trick in his third over. After the match, captain Angelo Mathews said he had not known much about Hasaranga, which suggests Cremer and the Zimbabwe are likely to have been even less enlightened on the threat he posed.”To get a hat-trick on debut that something special,” Cremer said of Hasaranga. “He looked a little bit nervous when he started, which is understandable. But credit to him when he stuck at it, and credit to the skipper having faith in him to keep him on. To clean up the back end of the innings was excellent.”Sandakan also lauded the 19-year-old’s poise. “When someone is debuting, he is under pressure. He managed the pressure well and bowled his googlies, flippers and leg-spin nicely.”

Liverpool could still make a move for Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Manu Kone this summer, according to an update from Bundesliga journalist Christian Falk.

How much does Manu Kone earn?

The Reds' midfield looks set for a huge overhaul this summer, with Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai already coming in as exciting signings, and James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all leaving after their respective contracts expired.

Meanwhile, doubts surround the futures of Jordan Henderson, Fabinho and Thiago, following rumours of move away from Anfield, so it could be all change in the middle of the park ahead of the start of the 2023/24 Premier League season.

One player who has been linked with a move to Liverpool in the recent past is the £37,000-a-week-earning Kone, who was seen as a strong defensive target, prior to the more attack-minded Szoboszlai coming in from RB Leipzig. While talks over a move appeared to have cooled lately, a new update has breathed new life into the saga.

Are Liverpool signing Manu Kone?

Speaking to Caught Offside, Falk claimed that new Liverpool sporting director Jorg Schmadtke could look to bring in Kone this summer, depending on the severity of the injury he sustained on international duty:

"Jorg Schmadtke made clear that it won’t happen between Liverpool and Micky van de Ven. At Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp is saying what he wants in the market and Schmadkte is making plans from this.

"Schmadtke has an eye on him. So these are things in the background that Schmadtke is doing at the moment."

Seeing Kone back on the table is an exciting update to hear for Liverpool fans, with the 22-year-old someone who has been an influential performer for Monchengladbach in recent times. Last season, the Frenchman started 30 Bundesliga matches, completing 87.3% of his passes in that time and also averaging 2.5 tackles per game in the competition.

Predominantly a defensive midfielder, the youngster could provide balance in the middle of the park behind Mac Allister and Szoboszlai, and other more attack-minded options like Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott, while Southampton youngster Romeo Lavia could also come in as competition, should at least one or two of Henderson, Fabinho or Thiago leave.

Kone was described as "fantastic" and a "one-man army in midfield" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig last season, following an outstanding performance against eventual Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, and he would come in as both a regular starter from the off, and someone who could grow into a genuine force at Liverpool as the year pass, only improving as his all-round game matures.

What is certain is that at least one more midfielder is needed for the Reds in the current transfer window, in terms of bolstering the squad after big problems in the middle of the park last season, but it is starting to feel like two more would be the best outcome.

Steve O’Keefe took 12 wickets and Steven Smith scored a remarkable century as Australia completed a 333-run win over India in the first Test in Pune

The Report by Brydon Coverdale25-Feb-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details4:54

Chappell: India should have used feet against O’Keefe

Fortress India has been sacked. Or should that be SOKed? Not since 2012 had India lost a Test at home, and rarely in that stretch of 20 matches had they even been held to a draw. Last time Australia toured India for Tests they were crushed 4-0. They entered this match having lost their past nine Tests in Asia. Not since 2004 and the days of Gilchrist, McGrath and Warne had Australia won a Test in India. Not even Nostradamus could have seen this result coming.Australia not only beat India, they thrashed them. Humiliated them. On a dry, turning pitch that should have suited India’s spinners, Steven Smith scored the only hundred of the match and Steve O’Keefe took as many wickets as R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja combined. So many, in fact, that his 12 for 70 were the best figures ever by a visiting spinner in a Test on Indian soil. India were humbled for 105 and 107; never had they scored so few in a home Test loss.The match was over inside three days, Australia the victors by 333 runs. The series is still alive, of course, but India have much to ponder over the next week, ahead of the Bangalore Test. It would be easy to look at the pitch and suggest the toss played a significant role, but that would be unfair to Australia, who outplayed India in all facets of the game, and more than doubled their totals in both innings. In any case, Australia had won all four tosses back in 2013.No, this a was a victory based on outstanding left-arm spin from O’Keefe, whose accuracy and ability to turn some deliveries but not others made him a constant threat; on a remarkable 109 from Smith in the second innings, which some observers said was the best hundred they had seen; on fielding that was not quite flawless but not far off it. And, yes, on what looked from the outside like a mental capitulation from India’s batsmen in both innings.This was the 10th home Test of India’s summer. It would be natural that they might show signs of fatigue, but there are three more Tests in this series. They must find a way to perk up quickly. If they are searching for positives, at least they have two extra days of recuperation ahead of the second Test. They can take little else from this result, their first loss in a home Test since England prevailed in Kolkata in December 2012.That too was a win that featured a defining hundred from the visiting captain, on that occasion Alastair Cook. In Pune, Smith’s 109 – more than the entire India team scored in either of their innings – helped to ensure Australia’s victory. It was his 18th Test hundred, his fifth in consecutive Tests against India, and his first on Indian soil. And, given the pitch and the quality of India’s bowlers, surely his best.He made the most of his luck – dropped three times on the second day – and resumed on the third morning on 59, with Australia’s lead already standing at 298. Already enough, the way India batted. But Smith made sure of it, scored freely on both sides of the wicket, using his feet to India’s spinners, and forging partnerships of consequence with several men in the middle and lower order. When he was finally lbw trying to pull Jadeja, his job was done.Some late slogging from Mitchell Starc, who hit three sixes in his 30 off 31 balls, helped lift Australia to 285 and set India 441 for victory. They would have to break the all-time record for the highest successful chase in Test history in order to keep their unbeaten home streak alive. They never looked like getting close. Within six overs they had lost both their openers and both their reviews, and all of their hope.O’Keefe broke through in his first over when he skidded one on to trap Vijay lbw, and in the next over Nathan Lyon spun one in to strike KL Rahul in line and another lbw was given. Both openers asked for reviews, but neither were successful. It mattered little, for the procession of wickets that followed were all straightforward enough that no reviews would have saved India.The wicket of Virat Kohli embodied India’s uncertainty against O’Keefe: he shouldered arms, confident that the ball would turn away from him, and failed to detect that this one was going on with the arm. Kohli lost his off stump. Ajinkya Rahane followed by driving a catch to cover off O’Keefe, and Ashwin was lbw on review when he pressed forward to O’Keefe and the ball struck pad fractionally before bat.Wriddhiman Saha came and went, also lbw to an O’Keefe skidder, and straight after tea the last remaining top-six batsman, Cheteshwar Pujara, fell in more or less the same way. India kept playing for turn, O’Keefe kept rapping them in front with straight balls. Of course, that is oversimplifying things: he turned enough deliveries to varying degrees that the straight ones became the danger, when the batsmen expected turn that didn’t come.By this stage, O’Keefe had 12 wickets for the match and a realistic chance of overtaking Ian Botham’s 13 as the best bowling by any visiting player in India. Instead, Lyon ran through the remaining three wickets: Jadeja was bowled trying to cut, Ishant Sharma was caught at leg gully, and Jayant Yadav gloved a catch to Matthew Wade to make the result official. A result that nobody saw coming three days earlier.

After reaching an agreement to sign Youri Tielemans, Aston Villa have been linked to another Premier League ace as the transfer window officially opens.

Unai Emery is expected to be joined by Sevilla sporting director Monchi according to reports, with a busy summer proposed at Villa Park.

What’s the latest on Brennan Johnson to Aston Villa?

As reported by the Daily Mail, Aston Villa have been mentioned as one of the clubs interested in Nottingham Forest midfielder Brennan Johnson.

In a separate report, the same outlet also claimed that Forest will require a price of £40m to allow their star to leave this summer.

What could Brennan Johnson offer Aston Villa?

Once hailed as “fantastic” by manager Steve Cooper, Forest will not want to see their midfielder depart this summer considering the influence he’s had on the club’s rise to the Premier League.

The 22-year-old scored 18 goals in Forest’s promotion season in the Championship, including two goals in the playoffs to write himself into the club’s folklore for this spell in the English top-flight.

Deployed primarily as an attacking midfielder, the Welshman is versatile in his positioning in attack and with lightning-quick pace he could fit comfortably in Emery’s free-flowing system in the middle of the park.

Named as the “fastest player in the Premier League” by journalist Sheldon Miller, the Spaniard could have a gem in his arsenal if Villa can strike a deal to sign the budding talent.

Emery has his own midfield mastery in Emi Buendia and soon-to-arrive Tielemans, however, the young Welshman could find himself higher in the pecking order than the Argentinian if he arrives at Villa Park.

Despite lighting up the Championship, the former Norwich City dynamo is yet to show his magic in the Midlands to full effect, which could see him fall out of favour with new recruits set to arrive this summer.

Johnson could capitalise on Buendia’s struggle to emulate his Championship form, with statistics highlighting that the Welshman has performed better than the Villa man this season.

Having appeared in all of Forest’s league games this term, the 22-year-old scored eight goals and registered three assists, making a considerably higher contribution than the 26-year-old who scored five and assisted two in claret and blue.

With Villa soaring to a seventh-place finish, the side was ticking under Emery, however, Johnson still proved to be more effective than Buendia in a less superior relegation-medaling Forest side.

The 22-year-old averaged 2.70 progressive carries per 90 to the Argentine’s 2.24, showing his desire to push the ball upfield and his direct style of play, which would be perfect in the Spaniard’s system.

Understandably Forest are reluctant to let their “unbelievable” homegrown talent depart – as dubbed by Wales manager Rob Page – but for the right price, there remains a possibility that Johnson could relocate in the Midlands this summer.

سخر نادي لايبزيج الألماني من تصرف الحكم دافيدي ماسا، تجاه البرازيلي فينيسيوس جونيور، مهاجم ريال مدريد، خلال مباراة الفريقين بدوري أبطال أوروبا.

وحل لايبزيج ضيفًا على ريال مدريد، بملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو” لخوض مباراة إياب دور الـ16 في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وحسمت المباراة بالتعادل الإيجابي بهدف لمثله، وسجل فينيسيوس هدف ريال مدريد، وتأهل الفريق لربع النهائي، بمجموع المواجهتين (2-1).

وسلط لايبزيج الضوء على شجار فينيسيوس وأوربان، حيث يرى النادي الألماني أنه كان يجب إشهار بطاقة حمراء للبرازيلي.

اقرأ أيضًا | يجعلوني عبرة للغير.. بيلينجهام يوجه رسالة نارية للحكام بعد طرده أمام فالنسيا

وعبر منصة “إكس” نشر لايبزيج تغريدة حول تصرف فينيسيوس تجاه أوربان، وكتبوا: “فينيسيوس يمسك ويلي أوربان من رقبته بكلتا يديه بطريقة غير رياضية”.

واختتم: “الحكم يعاقبه على ذلك فقط ببطاقة صفراء.. أمر مثير للاهتمام”، مضيفين ابتسامة في نهاية النص.

قلب نادي الهلال السعودي تأخره بهدف إلى الفوز بثلاثة أهداف لهدف على حساب سباهان الإيراني ضمن منافسات بطولة دوري أبطال آسيا.

الهلال السعودي التقى مع نظيره سباهان الإيراني، على أرضية استاد المملكة آرينا، في مباراة الإياب لدور الـ 16 من البطولة.

إقرأ أيضًا..تشكيل الهلال أمام سباهان أصفهان اليوم في دوري أبطال آسيا

تقدم سباهان الإيراني بهدف أول عن طريق زادهفرشاد احمد بروكي في الدقيقة 54.

وجاء التعادل بواسطة المتألق سالم الدوسري في الدقيقة 72 ثم سجل روبين نيفيز هدف التفوق الهلال في الدقيقة 82 وأحرز الهداف ألكسندر ميتروفيتش ثالث الأهداف في الدقيقة 90 ليحقق أزرق الرياض الفوز بثلاثة أهداف لهدف ليتأهل إلى دور ربع النهائي.

الجدير بالذكر، أن مباراة الذهاب التي أقيمت على ملعب استاد نقش جهان، معقل فريق سباهان، قد انتهت بفوز الهلال بنتيجة 3-1 أيضًا في سيناريو مشابه لمباراة الإياب.

وكان الهلال قد اقتنص بطاقة الصعود للدور الإقصائي الأول، باحتلاله صدارة ترتيب المجموعة الرابعة في دوري أبطال آسيا برصيد 16 نقطة.

أما سباهان فقد حل وصيفًا للمجموعة الرابعة برصيد 10 نقاط وتعادل وحيد، وهزيمتين بينهما واحدة بقرار من الاتحاد الآسيوي. أهداف مباراة الهلال وسباهان في دوري أبطال آسيا

More than 50 players between the ages of 17 and 30, including representatives from all 18 first-class counties, have been selected for involvement this winter in the four components of the ECB’s rebranded International Pathway programme, which will feature training camps and fixtures spread across four continents.Nick Gubbins and Keaton Jennings, two of the outstanding batsman of the 2016 county season, are among the 18 players selected for this winter’s Lions training camps, the senior tier of the programme, who will undergo training at Sandhurst, Loughborough and Dubai before playing three 50-over matches against the United Arab Emirates at the ICC Academy, and a three-day match against Afghanistan in Sharjah.A further 17 players have been selected for the Young Lions, all of whom will be eligible for the Under-19 internationals against India in the New Year. They will link up with the Lions squad in Dubai in December, where they will be supervised by Andy Hurry, the Young Lions head coach.In addition, five young fast bowlers between the ages of 19 and 23 have been selected for the Pace Programme, under which they will combine training with their counties and at the National Cricket Performance Centre in Loughborough before Christmas, before travelling to the High Performance Institute of Sport in Potchefstroom for warm-weather altitude training in the New Year.Another nine players – five spinners, and four batsmen – have been selected for Overseas Placements, in either Perth, Sydney, Adelaide or Wellington, where the emphasis will be on developing their independence as well as their cricketing skills, and they will work closely with local experts such as Warwickshire’s former New Zealand offspinner Jeetan Patel, the former Australia legspinner Stuart MacGill, and the renowned Western Australia batting coach, Neil “Noddy” Holder.Two members of the Lions squad have already played for England this season, and will be linking up with the senior squad for the one-day series in Bangladesh – Hampshire’s left-arm spinner Liam Dawson and Jake Ball, the Nottinghamshire fast bowler. Six other members of the squad played for England Lions in their successful Tri-Series against the A teams of Pakistan and Sri Lanka this summer – Kent’s Daniel Bell-Drummond, Worcestershire’s Joe Clarke, Toby Roland-Jones of Middlesex, Surrey’s Tom Curran and his younger brother Sam, who made his debut for the Lions in that series, as did Lancashire’s Liam Livingstone.”This squad is for the first half of our Lions programme this winter,” Andy Flower, the Lions head coach, said. “Firstly to build on some of the leadership work we did at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst last winter, which leads into a short camp at Loughborough, before we head out to Dubai later in November.”We are taking 18 players because, whereas last winter, and in our Tri-Series this summer, our focus was specifically on white-ball cricket, this year we will be working on both white-ball and red-ball skills. Developing skill will remain the highest priority of our work, with a range of specialist coaches to work with the players in the excellent facilities at the ICC Academy, and initially the opportunity to do that away from the different demands of competition.”However towards the end of the camp we will play as England Lions in white-ball and red-ball fixtures, and an England Lions squad will then be selected later in December for a tour of Sri Lanka in February and March which will again involve white-ball and red-ball fixtures.”David Parsons, the ECB’s performance director who leads the men’s International Pathway, said: “We hope that bringing all aspects of the International Pathway together in this form will help to show the range of ways in which the ECB is working with the first-class counties to prepare players for international cricket.”Our relationships with the counties are stronger and more collaborative than ever, and it is in these winter months that we can really offer additional value to the players, investing in their development by giving them high-quality cricketing experiences overseas – helping to bridge the gap to international cricket.”It’s also important for us that the different elements of the Pathway work together. For example this December the Lions and Young Lions will be together in Dubai for a short period, and most of the Lions coaches will stay on to work specifically with the Young Lions later in the month.”Lions (for training camps at Sandhurst, Loughborough, Dubai): Nick Gubbins (Middlesex), Keaton Jennings (Durham), Tom Alsop (Hampshire), Daniel Bell-Drummond (Kent), Tom Westley (Essex), Joe Clarke (Worcestershire), Liam Livingstone (Lancashire), Ben Foakes (Surrey), Liam Dawson (Hampshire), Ollie Rayner (Middlesex), Jack Leach (Somerset), Sam Curran (Surrey), Tom Curran (Surrey), Toby Roland-Jones (Middlesex), Jake Ball (Nottinghamshire), James Fuller (Middlesex), Craig Overton (Somerset), Stuart Meaker (Surrey).*Tom Helm (Middlesex), Matt Parkinson (Lancashire) and Josh Poysden (Warwickshire) have been invited to join the Lions camp in Dubai.Young Lions (for training camps in Loughborough): Max Holden (Middlesex), Harry Brook (Yorkshire), George Bartlett (Somerset), Josh Dell (Worcestershire), Tom Banton (Somerset), Ben Green (Somerset), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Delray Rawlins (Sussex), Amar Virdi (Surrey), Josh Coughlin (Durham), Will Jacks (Surrey), Euan Woods (Surrey), Liam Banks (Warwickshire), Aaron Beard (Essex), George Panayi (Warwickshire), Jack Blatherwick (Nottinghamshire), George Scrimshaw (Worcestershire).Pace Programme (to train at counties / Loughborough and Potchefstroom): Paul Coughlin (Durham), George Garton (Sussex), Tom Helm (Middlesex), Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire), Matt Taylor (Gloucestershire).*Reece Topley (Hampshire) and Jamie Overton (Somerset) may also join the Pace Programme in Potchefstroom as part of their return from injury.Overseas Placements: Matthew Carter (Nottinghamshire) and Rob Sayer (Leicestershire) – Wellington; Mason Crane (Hampshire) and Matt Critchley (Derbyshire) – Sydney; Dominic Bess (Somerset) – Adelaide; Tom Abell (Somerset), Aneurin Donald (Glamorgan), Dan Lawrence (Essex) and Tom Moores (Nottinghamshire) – Perth.

England chose not to enforce the follow-on after Pakistan crumbled for 198, a deficit of 391, in the Old Trafford Test with only their captain, Misbah-ul-Haq reaching a half-century

The Report by David Hopps24-Jul-2016England 589 for 8 dec and 98 for 1 (Cook 49*) lead Pakistan 198 (Misbah 52, Woakes 4-67) by 489 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsA first-innings lead of 391 against the Pakistan side that had beaten them at Lord’s should have been an occasion for ecstasy among England supporters following the Old Trafford Test. It was a time for bunting in the streets, BBQs on the lawn and dancing in defiance of the squally Manchester showers that long before the end had drained the tension from a prolonged third day.But as Alastair Cook chose not to enforce the follow-on, England’s utterly dominant position was strengthened to a background of muttering and grumbling that their appetite for a quick kill had not been satisfied. If there was any risk at all in making Pakistan bat again, many could not see it.Few Test captains put the opposition in again these days without misgivings, but having dismissed Pakistan in 63.4 overs, Cook’s reluctance was highly debatable even allowing for modern trends and the non-stop schedules that make captains reluctant to ask their bowlers to go the extra mile. Understandable, perhaps in the case of Ben Stokes, who had just returned from a knee operation. Others can be tasked with debating the pros and cons more deeply.England advanced that lead to 498 in 21 overs for the loss of Alex Hales, one player who might have benefited from Cook’s decision as he addresses a tendency to plant his front foot before the ball is released but who fell to Mohammad Amir for 24, an inside edge this time and a frustrated walk off without waiting for the umpire’s decision. Just as disturbingly, Hales has adopted a pencil moustache which gives him the look of a shifty character in a Miss Marple murder mystery.As for England’s malfunctioning middle order, James Vince and Gary Ballance, neither will get the chance to play a meaningful innings. In fact, with England already in an impregnable position according to Test-match statistics, they might not get to the crease at all.Whatever the considerations, Pakistan’s captain, Misbah-ul-Haq, would nevertheless have allowed himself a moment of satisfaction at the decision. At lunch, with Pakistan having subsided from four down overnight to be 119 for 8, the potential for a three-day defeat felt real, but that calamity was averted, first by a half-century of baleful countenance and stubborn stroke by Misbah, and then by another display of stubbornness by his England opposite number.Misbah added 60 in 15 overs with Wahab Riaz for the ninth wicket to hold up England after lunch before a top-edged sweep against Moeen was held by Cook at short fine leg. Wahab continued to eye Moeen’s spin, slog-sweeping him for six and then reverse-sweeping him just short of the ropes, before Moeen had him caught at deep midwicket by Hales. Moeen was challenged to prove himself in this Test, but as luck would have it he has so far batted nine balls for 2 not out and bowled 7.4 overs. At least he can claim he has done nothing wrong.Pakistan’s first innings went from bad to worse as they lost four wickets in the morning session. All four England quicks took a wicket in a session that was interrupted for an hour by rain.Their starting position was a dispiriting one: four wickets already lost for 57, still 532 runs in arrears. On a cloudier day, there was bounce and zip in the pitch and Pakistan proved unequal to the task.It took six balls for England to sense that it might be an excellent bowling morning, Shan Masood edging James Anderson on the bounce to Vince at third slip. Masood managed a more controlled boundary off Anderson, clipping off his pads, but a jab at a rising delivery later in the over gave Joe Root an inviting catch at second slip.Misbah, as one would expect from the old fox, met everything thrown at him with phlegm. He could not disguise his surprise when a back-of-a-length delivery from Broad exploded from the pitch, flew over his horizontal bat, and landed directly in the hands of Cook at first slip. More discomfiture followed from a well-directed bouncer from Chris Woakes in the last over of the morning, which flicked his glove as he jerked his head away in self-preservation and he lost a piece from his helmet in the process. He just got on with it, giving the impression that he had seen it all before.The rain break interrupted England’s progress, but when they resumed at 12.30pm it was not long before Asad Shafiq fell to a slower offcutter by Stuart Broad, a front-foot drive flying to Hales at backward point.The most idiosyncratic innings, though, was played by Sarfraz Ahmed, whose slash at two of his first three balls, from Broad, indicated his state of mind. His counterattack lasted 18 balls, 26 riskily assembled, before he edged Stokes to second slip.All it required was for Woakes to take a wicket for England’s pace bowlers to complete the set. It duly arrived with Root’s third slip catch of the morning – and fourth of the innings – enabling England to go to lunch a ball early.Woakes had his fourth wicket of the innings, a self-effacing allrounder making a name for himself. Not that he will make much of it: he seems the sort who signs leaving cards in tiny handwriting where he will not get in the way of others. But he has had a fine Test and his haul was a rewarding moment on a day that deteriorated with the weather.

Journalist Alasdair Gold has expressed his confusion as to why Tottenham Hotspur are considering Luis Enrique as their next manager.

What's the latest on Luis Enrique and Spurs?

The Premier League club are in the hunt for a new head coach but the big news of late is that Julian Nagelsmann is no longer an option for Daniel Levy and co.

Indeed, as reported in The Guardian, Spurs aren't keen to bring the manager to north London – though it remains unclear if he was ever really up for the job either.

However, it seems 53-year-old former Spain boss Luis Enrique remains a person of interest to Tottenham but not everyone seems convinced that he'd be a good fit.

For instance, while speaking about this possible appointment on his YouTube channel, Gold slammed it as odd, suggesting he would be just another "glamour" appointment as seen with previous managers.

He said (50:13): “You know, there's so many candidates out there that fulfil this criteria of being a project manager for the long term. Rebuilding a club, bringing an attacking football to the club.

"I don't feel that he suits that scenario at all. But we know Luis Enrique has been considered which is one of the oddest ones for me.

"Because for me, if we think of it as a trilogy, he would be the final part of a trilogy, of glamour appointments of [Jose] Mourinho, [Antonio] Conte and then Luis Enrique.

"Big names who fit wonderfully elsewhere, but fit Tottenham, like a glove that's kind of like missing fingers."

What went wrong for Conte and Mourinho at Tottenham?

It's safe to say that hiring big-name coaches like Conte and Mourinho hasn't worked well in the past, so Spurs do need to be wary of repeating this mistake.

Indeed, Conte left the club amid an explosive interview in which he seemed to express his distant for pretty much everything about the side. While Mourinho also wasn't shy in criticising the quality of his players during his tenure.

If Luis Enrique was to join, he'd also arrive with a reputation that proceeds him – having won numerous trophies in his career such as La Liga, the Champions League and the Club World Cup – and so Tottenham may be better off hiring a manager who perhaps hasn't yet already scaled the heights of club football.

With a little while seemingly to go before Levy must make his decision, it will be interesting to see if he takes something like this into account before finally hiring the next Spurs boss.

Glasgow Rangers could look like a totally different team next season, with Michael Beale confirming in his post-match press conference yesterday that Alfredo Morelos won’t be at Ibrox next term.

Indeed, the Gers boss said: "I think you saw a difference when Alfredo comes on in terms of energy but not a positive difference. We need a focal point for the team for sure.

"Antonio (Colak) isn't fit at the moment and Alfredo's obviously going to be moving on. I have already confirmed that.”

There will likely be a few forwards arriving at the club over the summer, and with Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres linked with a move to the Light Blues, as per Football Insider, it appears the wheels are already in motion.

The Swede has scored a whopping 22 goals this term and would be an excellent signing, however, the Championship side have valued him at £20m, which means a move north of the border is unlikely.

As such, could the Gers turn to another forward instead? With Josh Maja recently confirming that he will decide his future at the end of the current campaign having been linked with the Glasgow side over the previous few months, he could be a perfect alternative.

Could Rangers sign Josh Maja this summer?

The striker will see his contract expire at the end of 2022/23 and this has alerted Beale, who could land the player for nothing during the summer as he looks to save funds for other areas.

With a forward or two on the Englishman’s radar, Maja certainly fits the bill and his performances for Bordeaux in the French second tier have boosted his confidence following poor spells at Stoke City and Fulham across the last few years, scoring just five goals for both teams combined.

He hit the ground running for the French side though and has scored 16 goals in Ligue 2, while grabbing five assists as he currently sits second on the top scorer charts for the division.

The Nigerian clearly knows where the back of the net is and landing the player for nothing would be seen as a brilliant piece of business for the club.

His former teammate at Sunderland and ex-Gers forward, Jermain Defoe, praised Maja a few years ago, saying: Josh is a quick thinker and if you’re that fast upstairs you don’t need anything else.

“When he trained with the first team he showed such great awareness – he knew when to pass it, had a great touch – and although he’s not got electric pace, he’s two steps ahead of everyone which means he’s got an immediate advantage.”

“The gift Josh has is rare and if he builds on it, the sky’s the limit.”

Aged just 24, Maja still has a lot to learn, however, gaining first-team experience in European competition next term could allow him to fulfil his potential and Beale may even make a major profit on the striker over the coming years, particularly if he replicates his recent form for Bordeaux in Scotland.