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First target is Michael Burgess from Sussex as new director of cricket launches recruitment drive

George Dobell22-May-2019He may only have been in the role a few weeks, but Paul Farbrace has clearly seen enough.Farbrace, who started his new job as director of cricket at Warwickshire about six weeks ago, is so concerned about the performance of his new side that he is on the search for reinforcements with David Willey and Liam Dawson among the more eye-catching targets. Warwickshire are bottom of the top division in the County Championship and failed to progress from the North Group in the Royal London One-Day Cup.The first player to move to the club is expected to be Michael Burgess, a 24-year-old keeper-batsman who is struggling to break into the Sussex first team with opportunities limited by the presence of Kolpak signing Stiaan van Zyl.Having developed through the Surrey system – he remains close friends with Warwickshire’s Dominic Sibley – Burgess progressed through the MCCU programme (he went to Loughborough) before signing for Leicestershire. He was released by the club in 2016, but quickly joined Sussex, for whom he has made two Championship centuries and kept in their 2018 T20 campaign in which they finished runners-up to Worcestershire.Burgess averages 38.91 in first-class cricket and scored 95 in his opening first-class match of the season, against Cardiff MCCU. He was offered a two-year contract extension at Sussex last year, but choose to let his contract run down instead.He could well play for Warwickshire as a specialist batsman initially, while he would also offer cover – and perhaps succession planning – for Warwickshire’s 36-year-old keeper, Tim Ambrose. Burgess’ arrival – which is anticipated to happen almost immediately – is unlikely to prove especially good news for Warwickshire’s current understudy keeper, Alex Mellor.Other Warwickshire targets are understood to include Willey – who is currently with Yorkshire – and Hampshire’s Dawson. It is unclear, at this stage, how realistic either target may be, though it is understood Dawson has expressed an interest in a white-ball only contract with Hampshire in the relatively recent past.Whether they move or not, the attempt to attract them perhaps shows the calibre of player Warwickshire are after, the budget they have and the acceptance that the current squad requires reinforcement.

Marsh was struck in the box last month while preparing for the return of the Sheffield Shield

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Mar-2019

Doctors were concerned that Mitchell Marsh may had suffered a ruptured testicle when he was struck in the box while preparing for the return of the Sheffield Shield.Marsh underwent surgery, after the blow he took while getting throw downs in the nets, which revealed the injury wasn’t as serious as feared and he was suffering from severe bleeding. He was ruled out of the match against New South Wales, but is set to return to action against South Australia at the WACA on Sunday.”I basically got hit in the box by one of our coaches on the flicker [used for throw downs],” Marsh said. “Usually, when you get hit in the box, it lasts for a couple of minutes and goes away. But after half-an-hour, I was in the exact same pain.”I got taken to hospital to double check. I had a scan where they thought I potentially ruptured one of my testicles. But once they got in there, it was just basically severe bleeding. It was best-case scenario. It was pretty sore for a few days. They’re still both working hopefully so it’s good.”Marsh is still experiencing some pain but said he was confident heading into the next Sheffield Shield round. “Once you get out in the middle and your competitive juices are flowing, I won’t be thinking about this at all.”It has been a challenging season for Marsh who has lost his place in both the Test team – for which he was vice-captain – and the ODI side. He needs a very strong finish to the Shield campaign to keep his name in the frame for the World Cup and Ashes, but both now appear a long shot for him.

Virat Kohli’s 40th ODI century and a collective failure of Australian nerve saw India take a stranglehold of the ODI series in Nagpur, after the visitors found a way to lose despite needing only 33 from 34 balls with five wickets in hand at one point.On a dry, slow Nagpur pitch that had always seemed likely to aid the team bowling second, the Australians wrestled gamely with India for most of the match in the face of Kohli’s brilliance and the wiles of Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav.However, the team led by Aaron Finch and coached by Justin Langer will spend considerable time pondering how they came to lose a match where they appeared to be in full control when Marcus Stoinis and Alex Carey were together. Even the wicket of Carey drew only muted celebration by India, but it heralded the loss of 5 for 24 in 30 balls to hand India a 2-0 series lead.Bumrah was once again supreme, critically claiming two wickets for just one run in the 46th over of the innings and then cornering Stoinis into playing out another over worth one in the 48th, while Kuldeep’s three wickets counterbalanced greater expense than usual. They set things up for Vijay Shankar to take the final two wickets while defending 11 off the last over.India had lost Rohit Sharma in the first over and regular wickets for much of their innings, but Kohli found enough support from the likes of Vijay and Ravindra Jadeja to take his side to a defendable tally in hot weather.Virat Kohli goes through the leg side•Getty Images

Occupying 120 balls, Kohli’s 116 took him into equal second place with Rohit Sharma behind Sachin Tendulkar’s nine for the most 50-over centuries against Australia with seven apiece. Pat Cummins was Australia’s outstanding bowler with four wickets and considerable economy, while Nathan Lyon was also more than useful on his recall to the team.Adam Zampa claimed two wickets in as many balls including MS Dhoni for a golden duck, but he was otherwise expensive, as was Nathan Coulter-Nile. Glenn Maxwell’s part-time off-breaks were more parsimonious than either.Facing enormous pressure following an extended run of low scores, Finch was at least able to give his side a start to their chase in the company of Khawaja as the pair added a smooth 83 in 14.3 overs before being separated when the captain kneeled to sweep and was given out lbw.When Khawaja followed shortly after by chipping tamely to cover, the innings appeared likely to lose momentum, but Shaun Marsh and Handscomb were able to rotate the strike effectively in a stand more useful than its mere numbers – 39 in 50 balls – suggested. Maxwell lasted only briefly before his pull shot was tunnelled under by Kuldeep, but Handscomb formed another effective stand with Stoinis, to take the game deep.On the cusp of a half-century, Handscomb gambled on Jadeja’s precision left-arm and paid for it with a direct hit, before Stoinis found another ally in Alex Carey. Together they ransacked 15 from Kuldeep’s penultimate over to bring the target down into the run-a-ball region, only for the wrist spinner to respond in his final over by coaxing Carey to drag a sweep shot onto the stumps.Coulter-Nile lasted only an energetic four balls before trying to cut Bumrah off the stumps, leaving 28 required from as many deliveries, and when Cummins touched Bumrah behind two balls later the game tilted firmly towards India.Vijay Shankar is elated after dismissing Marcus Stoinis•Getty Images

Stoinis was still in occupation and raised only the second half-century of the match as the equation tightened further. But his determination not to expose Lyon allowed the requirement to blow out to 20 off 12, and 11 off the final over. In the hands of Vijay, his first ball was stump to stump, and Stoinis’ big swing and miss brought an lbw decision. Zampa was bowled two balls later to give Vijay’s bowling a boost and Australia plenty more to think about.Concerns about defending a target among the visitors appeared to have overruled the state of the Nagpur pitch, which looked dry, cracked, and likely to take increasing amounts of spin as the game went on. Oddly given Finch’s decision to bowl at the toss, the Australians chose two spinners for an exceedingly rare occasion in 50-over matches, with Lyon and the fit-again Marsh returning in place of Jason Behrendorff and Ashton Turner. India were unchanged.Behrendorff’s omission meant a rare outing with the new ball for Cummins, and he was to strike in the first over of the game. First beating Rohit Sharma with a full away swinger, he then dropped short and coaxed an upper cut that sailed unerringly into the hands of third man.Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan seemed to have shrugged off this early reverse in some style, but the introduction of spin brought another change. Glenn Maxwell straightened a quicker offbreak enough from around the wicket to win an lbw verdict against Dhawan via the DRS, after the bowler insisted “that’s out” to his captain Finch.Ambati Rayudu was likewise deceived and dismissed lbw after forming the beginnings of a partnership with Kohli, this time given out on the field and seeing the decision upheld after his own review. Kohli, meanwhile, pushed through with typically well-chosen strokes, alert running between the wickets and deft placement for the occasional boundary in Nagpur’s considerable heat.A more lasting union grew between Kohli and Vijay, the pair managing to avoid falling prey to the slowness and turn of the pitch while also lifting India’s run rate. Kohli and Vijay appeared to be in so much control that the latter’s exit, a run-out backing up when the captain’s drive was deflected onto the stumps by Zampa, was a genuine surprise in both its eventuality and its manner.Zampa took advantage of the breathing room by coaxing Kedhar Jadhav to loft a catch to cover, and the very next ball the previously impassable MS Dhoni cuffed straight to Usman Khawaja at slip. Jadeja averted the hat-trick, and stayed with Kohli as he went to make his 40th ODI century, making him the only man other than Tendulkar to get this far. India’s acceleration was measured rather than absolute, again underlining the difficulties of the pitch.Kohli looked quite drained by the experience of fighting his way to three figures in such conditions, suggesting that it would be a difficult chase for an Australian side without anything like the same confidence as India’s leader. A further indicator of the same was offered by how the Indian innings folded after Kohli’s exit, the final three wickets claimed for two runs.

Mike Dodds' interim spell in charge of Sunderland looks to have ended in a whimper rather than a bang, the Black Cats losing 1-0 to Bristol City last time out with the Tyne and Wear side now gearing up to announce Tony Mowbray's successor imminently.

Mowbray's successor looks as though it could be former Rangers and QPR manager Michael Beale, a potential appointment met with many detractors owing to the 43-year-old's recent failures with the Gers and the fact he walked out on the Hoops just months into his tenure at Loftus Road to move to Ibrox.

Failing to get a deal over the line to secure the services of a left-field manager from afar in both Will Still and Kim Hellberg, Beale could still freshen things up and give the entire Sunderland squad a boost on his suspected arrival.

Jewison Bennette in particular will welcome the new appointment, a fresh set of eyes in the dug-out who could give the dynamic Costa Rican forward more first-team opportunities at the Stadium of Light soon.

Frozen out by Mowbray, the 19-year-old has shown glimpses of his quality for the Black Cats when used sporadically in the past.

Jewison Bennette's numbers for Sunderland

Rumoured to be loaned out in the coming transfer window, owing to just 79 minutes of senior action, Beale could give Bennette a lifeline by playing him in the first team more.

Described as a "flamboyant winger" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig on social media, Bennette has shone in patches on rare senior occasions for the Black Cats.

This season, the 19-year-old tricky attacker entertained the Sunderland masses with a dazzling cameo versus Southampton in a comprehensive early campaign 5-0 win.

Bennette had a part to play in adding more salt to the Saints' wound, only amassing seven touches – as per Sofascore – but assisting Chris Rigg's goal late into the game to make the scoreline even more embarrassing for Russell Martin's visitors.

Skilfully taking it past two Southampton defenders with outrageous showboating, his cross after pulling off the skills was also floated in expertly for Sunderland's 16-year-old midfielder to head home.

Bennette is yet to experience more first-team action this season, but has been impressive in the Premier League 2 during his short time at the Stadium of Light too – scoring two goals and assisting a further four from ten U21 appearances to date.

The bold left winger could be given a chance to impress in the first-team fold under Beale however, who has previously enhanced players in that very position at other clubs he's managed.

Why Bennette could benefit from Beale

In his previous job post at QPR, the divisive 43-year-old got the best out of former Arsenal man Chris Willock down the flanks who plays where Bennette operates.

Willock would become a man possessed under Beale, scoring six goals and picking up one assist under Beale's guidance in west London before Rangers came calling.

The goal output dried up after for QPR's number seven without the 43-year-old in the dug-out, only helping himself to one more assist during the entire rest of the 2022-23 season with zero goals scored.

Football journalist Jack Austwicke described Bennette as "hungry" and having a desire to "want to learn earlier in the year when speaking to Football League World, and so the Costa Rican forward will hope he can push on and advance his game under new potential Black Cats boss Beale by showing his eagerness and willingness to make strides.

Bennette won't come in and displace the likes of Jack Clarke – the ex-Leeds United winger into double figures for the season already with ten goals – but the new Sunderland manager will want to utilise his squad more effectively than Mowbray.

He can start that by giving Bennette far more first-team chances, hoping to work his Willock magic on the promising attacker.

It was the Lionel Messi show Saturday, as the Argentine bagged an outrageous assist and a stupendous goal in an important league victory.

It was a night where Inter Miami needed three points desperately. Heading into the match, the morale was low after their embarrassing exit from the CONCACAF Champions Cup midweek, where Brandon Vazquez's CF Monterrey sent the Herons home from Mexico with their head down. They were winless in five-straight matches, and frankly, were looking a bit lost in direction.

On the road, in front of 70,000+ people at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, they did it – someway, somehow, though.

Lionel Messi's first start in MLS since March 2, he came out with fire in his eyes. A goal and an assist, he led the Herons to their first league victory in nearly a month. It wasn't a smooth ride by any means, but the job got done, with a few standout players leading the way.

In all-too-familiar fashion, though, the match started with a defensive blunder from Miami. A poor giveaway and an attempt to draw a foul failed the Herons just six minutes in, as Sporting KC's Erik Thommy capitalized on the moment, firing his team ahead early. Miami responded well though, and of course, it came through Messi. The Argentine delivered a sensational assist to David Ruiz in the 18th minute to bring them level, with the two teams then going into the break at a stalemate.

Messi then did it all on his own six minutes into the second half, firing a truly incredible effort into the back of the net from 23 yards out. What the Argentine did, though, Thommy replicated it Saturday. Sporting's German winger responded in the 58th minute with a splendid goal, firing a wicked volley into the back of the net off the post to bring SKC level.

The winner for the Herons arrived via Luis Suarez, who scored his sixth goal of the MLS season, with the Uruguayan poking home at the back-post after Diego Gomez won a contentious ball near the corner flag. The Paraguayan's low-driven cross found Miami's leading scorer, and he couldn't miss from that range.

On a night where the Herons defense was exploited not once, but twice, their superstars got them over the line. Messi, Suarez and Gomez singlehandedly earned Miami three points, in arguably their most important win this season to date.

It was a brilliant performance, but their defensive woes still haunt them. A late Jordi Alba injury will only make that matter worse, too, but… tonight? Tata Martino's squad can celebrate a hard-fought victory.

GOAL rates Inter Miami's players from Arrowhead Stadium…

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  Goalkeeper & Defense

  Drake Callender (5/10):

  Poor positioning on Sporting's opener, but had a few nice saves. Not much he could do on the second, but the same issues continue for the U.S. international: he does not look confident.

  Jordi Alba (6/10):

  Good going forward, brought life to the attack, but was too slow to close down on Thommy in the second half before scoring Sporting's second. Left late in the match with a non-contact injury.

  Tomas Aviles (6/10):

  Disastrous on the opening goal, but recovered well with a few important tackles.

  Nicolas Freire (5/10):

  Simply not compatible with Aviles. A rough performance.

  Marcelo Weigandt (5/10):

  Continues to look like he's undergoing an adaptation period in MLS. Has yet to fill the hole that Deandre Yedlin left.

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  Midfield

  David Ruiz (7/10):

  Was really, really good. Had the assist on Messi's goal, but ran the connection between the midfield and the attack.

  Julian Gressel (5/10):

  A surprise rough performance. He was subbed off in the 67th minute after completing only 74% of his passes.

  Sergio Busquets (6/10):

  Shut down the SKC midfield, but was caught out on the opening goal. His lack of pace got the best of him Saturday.

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  Attack

  Luis Suarez (7/10):

  It began as an off-game from the Uruguayan. He struggled with passing, making runs and linking up with those around him – but then, he poked his head into the match for 30 seconds, scoring the winner late. A classic poacher's performance.

  Lionel Messi (9/10):

  What else is there to say? He's otherworldly. A brilliant assist and goal on his first MLS start since March 2 as he provided the spark Miami needed.

  Diego Gomez (9/10):

  His performance cannot be overshadowed by Messi. Gomez was sensational, opening the scoring and setting up the third.

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  Subs & Manager

  Benjamin Cremaschi (6/10):

  A welcomed return on his season debut, Cremaschi was composed on the ball and brought a sense of inspiration onto the pitch in the second half.

  Franco Negri (N/A):

  Subbed on late after playing 90 minutes last weekend. Depending on the severity of Alba's injury, he could be a crucial asset going forward.

  Yannick Bright (N/A):

  Arrived as a late sub, helped close out the match.

  Tata Martino (6/10):

  Didn't use five defenders, which was an automatic plus to start the match. However, the Herons seemingly were outclassed tactically. Moments of brilliance – and opposition errors – bailed them out. There's still so much room for improvement with this team.

أعلن الجهاز الفني لـ منتخب مصر الأولمبي، بقيادة البرازيلي روجيرو ميكالي، عن تشكيل الفراعنة لمواجهة فرنسا، في إطار منافسات دورة الألعاب الأولمبية، باريس 2024.

ويلتقي منتخب مصر مع فرنسا اليوم على أرضية استاد “بارك أولمبيك ليون”، في نصف نهائي منافسات كرة القدم بـ أولمبياد باريس، اليوم الإثنين.

وكان منتخب مصر، نجح في الوصول إلى نصف النهائي، على حساب باراجواي، بعد الفوز بنتيجة 5-4 بركلات الترجيح عقب التعادل بهدف لكل منهما في الوقت الأصلي والإضافي.

طالع | تشكيل فرنسا أمام مصر في نصف نهائي أولمبياد باريس

وفي الجهة الأخرى، وصل منتخب فرنسا إلى نصف النهائي بعد إقصاء منتخب الأرجنتين، بهدف دون رد.

ويشهد تشكيل منتخب مصر، تواجد محمد شحاته في مركز الظهير الأيمن، بينما يقود الهجوم الثلاثي أحمد سيد زيزو وإبراهيم عادل وأسامة فيصل. تشكيل منتخب مصر اليوم أمام فرنسا في أولمبياد باريس

حراسة المرمى: حمزة علاء.

خط الدفاع: محمد شحاته، عمر فايد، حسام عبد المجيد، كريم الدبيس.

خط الوسط: محمد النني، محمود صابر، أحمد نبيل كوكا

خط الهجوم: إبراهيم عادل، أحمد سيد زيزو وأسامة فيصل. بدلاء منتخب مصر أمام فرنسا في أولمبياد باريس

علي الجابري (حارس مرمى)، محمد طارق، زياد كمال، محمد حمدي، أحمد عاطف قطة، مصطفى سعد ميسي وبلال مظهر.

If there is one team you could pick as a dark horse for a run to the final in the Women’s World T20, South Africa would have to be it. They are an electric team when it all clicks, but they are also as inconsistent as they are exciting.In the last two years, they have been knocked out of one world tournament in the group stage (2016 World T20) and come within touching distance of the final in another (2017 World Cup). They have conceded world record totals, and set records of their own. They have been all over the world, playing far more than any other team, and their preparation for the World T20 involved holding the reigning world champions West Indies to a 2-2 draw in the Caribbean.”I think I’ve said it 100 times: we can beat anyone in the world, it just depends on what we do on the day,” captain Dane van Niekerk said on the eve of the team’s departure for the Caribbean. “In the recent past we haven’t been a consistent unit, and that’s been our downfall. Somewhere it needs to click, and hopefully it will in a big tournament like a World Cup.”Everything seemed to be coming together for South Africa during the tail end of their limited-overs series against West Indies earlier this month. They recovered from a couple of limp batting performances that left them 0-2 down to win the fourth T20I by eight wickets before squaring the series with a thrilling three-wicket win with a ball to spare. When the top order makes runs, they look a different team.”It was a great learning curve going to the West Indies and playing the defending champions,” van Niekerk said. “Our top order needs to fire. In the last three tours, we’ve only had two batters that rocked up. We need four or five batters to rock up and do really well for us. In the last two weeks that we’ve been home, a lot of our batters have had time for some introspection, and they’re ready to go for the World Cup.”Coach Hilton Moreeng echoed van Niekerk’s call for consistency, especially with the bat. Whether or not Lizelle Lee and Laura Wolvaardt are off to get South Africa to rapid starts at the World T20 will be vital in conditions that will allow the spinners to control the middle overs of the game.”The Powerplay is going to be key,” Moreeng said. “We’ve got two subcontinent teams in the group and in those kinds of conditions, they’ll have three to five spinners in the team. We need to counter that with the bat. With the hard ball up front, we need to capitalise, because it can get very difficult in the middle period. For us, as a batting unit we need to work on our consistency. One of the top three needs to bat as deep as they can to give us a chance on the day.”Getty Images

South Africa are in Group A, alongside England, West Indies, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, and their games will be played at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence, the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground in Gros Islet, and the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua. Van Niekerk insisted that there would be no easy games in the group.”A big tournament like this, and it being T20 cricket, it brings all the teams closer,” she said. “We’re not going to take anyone lightly. We know what Sri Lanka can bring: one of their top batters scored 170 against Australia in a World Cup. They have world-class players in their side. And Bangladesh, we had a really good series against them at home but like Hilton said, the conditions there suit the subcontinent teams a little more and we know they have a lot of spinners and talented players.”While van Niekerk is hoping for a little more consistency from her batsmen, she believes that it could be the team with the best bowling attack that ultimately lifts the trophy. “I made the, I guess, brave comment that the best bowling team in the Caribbean is going to win the World Cup,” she said. “I just find that the batting conditions in general in women’s cricket with four out and small boundaries, batting is a bit easier. So that’s the main thing that we’re going to focus on: our bowling and just getting our plans 100%.”Moreeng agreed with her: “The captain was spot on. The best bowling team needs to be backed up by good fielding.”South Africa have unfortunately lost one of their bowlers before the tournament even begins, offspinner Raisibe Ntozakhe having been suspended for an illegal bowling action, but they will also be bolstered by the return of Shabnim Ismail for the World T20. Fast bowler Ismail is South Africa’s leading wicket-taker in T20Is, with 72 dismissals in 69 matches, while both Marizanne Kapp and van Niekerk have 49 wickets each in the format.”Going into the World Cup, there’s ten teams going there with the same intent: to win,” Moreeng said . “So we need to stay focused on us as a team. If we can apply the basics better than our opposition, on that day we believe we’ve got an opportunity to do it. Everyone has realised what needs to happen, and they’re hungry for it. We believe at the end of the day that the team that wants it more is going to win. And we’re working hard to be that team.”

Former Barcelona star Arda Turan has received a one-year prison sentence after he was convicted of tax fraud in Spain.

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Turan guilty of tax fraudHas been convicted in two separate casesPlayed in Spain for Atletico Madrid & BarcelonaGOALWHAT HAPPENED?

Turan has been found guilty of committing two counts of tax fraud in 2015 and 2016, resulting in a fine of €630,000 (£583607/$684,000). However, the sentence has been suspended since first-time offenders in Spain can choose to suspend the prison term if it is less than two years.

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Turan's career trajectory saw him join Barcelona in 2015 from Atletico Madrid, where he had established himself as a prominent figure in the midfield. During his tenure at Barcelona, Turan made significant contributions to the team's performance before being loaned out to Basaksehir in January 2018. Subsequently, he transitioned to Galatasaray, where he concluded his professional career upon retirement in 2022.

DID YOU KNOW?

The case against Turan underscores a broader trend of tax-related legal challenges faced by notable figures in football. Over the past decade, Spanish tax officials have targeted several soccer stars, including luminaries such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Jose Mourinho, for alleged tax evasion or fraud. Despite the severity of the accusations, none of these individuals have served time in prison.

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

The charges against Turan highlight the scrutiny faced by high-profile athletes regarding their tax obligations, with Spanish authorities frequently cracking down on instances of financial misconduct within the sports industry.

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Rishabh Pant’s unbeaten 67 off 71 balls helped India A complete a stirring come-from-behind win in the second four-day Test against West Indies A in Taunton. They chased down 321 with five wickets in hand to clinch the series 1-0.While Pant saw the chase through, the foundation was laid by half-centuries from Hanuma Vihari (68) and captain Karun Nair (55) on Thursday. This allowed India A, who resumed the fourth day needing 107 to win, to rally despite losing two wickets inside the first five overs of play. Jayant Yadav, the offspinner, made 23 not out in an unbroken 100-run stand with Pant for the sixth wicket to seal the win.Two days into the contest though, India A were well behind. They were bowled out for 192 in the first innings, with left-arm seamer Raymon Reifer taking five wickets as West Indies A claimed a 110-run lead. But a sensational fightback led by India’s seamers resulted in West Indies A being bowled out for 210 in their second innings.Half-centuries from John Campbell and Jermaine Blackwood apart, there was little of note in the West Indies second innings; they lost their last nine wickets for 85. Mohammad Siraj picked up four wickets while Rajneesh Gurbani, on India A debut, finished with three. Siraj finished with match figures of 8 for 132.Chasing a huge score, India A openers R Samarth and Abhimanyu Easwaran put on 51. Then Nair, pressing for a middle order berth in India’s Test squad for England, struck eight fours in his 63-ball 55. His 136-run stand with the in-form Vihari put West Indies A on the back foot. Their wickets early on the fourth day threatened to take the game away, but Pant chose to make his mark on the tour with a responsible knock to guide the side home.India A’s final tour game is a one-off Test against England Lions from July 16, one where a number of Test specialists like M Vijay, Mohammed Shami and Wriddhiman Saha are likely to feature ahead of the first Test against England on August 1 at Edgbaston.

Harry Kane believes his pass to set up Jamal Musiala was "one of the best assists" of his career after Bayern Munich thrashed Mainz 8-1.

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• Bayern thrash Mainz 8-1
• Kane scores a hat-trick
• Musiala assist 'one of his best'

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The England captain scored a hat-trick as Bayern reduced Bayer Leverkusen's lead at the top of the Bundesliga to seven points. After the contest, where the 30-year-old became the first man to score four hat-tricks in his debut Bundesliga season, the former Tottenham striker spoke about the importance of the victory and his stunning cross-field pass for Germany winger Musiala on Saturday.

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  WHAT HARRY KANE SAID

  He said: "Hopefully this game will be a bit of a restart for the rest of the season. We used the momentum today (Saturday), it was a great performance from start to finish. We took advantage of our chances against a difficult opponent. Now we have to build on this performance in the coming weeks. I feel good at the moment and we are creating a lot of chances as a team. There are still a few games left, so I want to add more goals. Of course I'm also happy about my assist for Jamal [Musiala], I saw him in the corner of my eye. That was perhaps one of my best assists in my career. It’s nice that Jamal made it worthwhile."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Bayern picked up a morale-boosting 3-0 victory over Lazio in the Champions League in midweek to advance to the quarter-finals of the competition and this rout of Mainz may give them belief they can claw back Leverkusen's hefty advantage. However, there is a real possibility the Bavarians fail to pick up a major trophy in a season for the first time since 2011/12.

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Leverkusen, who are unbeaten this campaign, could go 10 points clear at the top of the table again when they host Wolfsburg on Sunday evening, with Bayern next in action away to relegation-threatened Darmstadt on Saturday.