Tottenham Hotspur’s ambitions of building on their Europa League triumph were evident during the summer transfer window, after the hierarchy spent upwards of £100m in the transfer market.

Thomas Frank was the beneficiary of such spending during his first summer at the helm, after taking the reins from Ange Postecoglou after the Aussie was dismissed at the end of 2024/25.

However, the Dane has struggled to make an immediate impact in North London, as seen by the club’s current 14th-placed standing in the Premier League.

The January transfer window presents a fresh opportunity for the manager to improve his squad and get his career back on track after a recent dismal run of form.

Whilst the window is still yet to be open, the manager has already suffered a huge blow, as it appears one player won’t be joining the Lilywhites in the New Year.

Why Spurs are set to miss out on Semenyo in January

Spurs’ issues within the final third have been evident over the last couple of months, as seen by their tally of 26 goals in the Premier League so far this campaign.

Richarlison has only netted seven times in the league to date, but such a tally is the highest of any player in the squad, with no other player managing more than three.

As a result, the Lilywhites have made a move to land Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth over the last couple of days, after his £65m release clause was reported.

The 25-year-old has been one of the Premier League’s leading talisman in 2025/26, as seen by his tally of eight goals in his first 16 league appearances.

As a result, the Lilywhites made their interest known in landing the Ghanaian international, with Frank’s side prepared to pay the current asking price when the window opened.

However, in recent days, the player himself has rejected a move to North London, with the player now looking increasingly likely to move to Manchester in the coming weeks.

Missing out on such a quality player will no doubt be a bitter blow to Frank and the hierarchy, but now they face a huge call over what to do next ahead of the window.

The Spurs star who is becoming a homegrown Semenyo

After the news emerged about Semenyo rejecting a move to join Spurs, the hierarchy did act swiftly to try and resurrect a deal to land Manchester City star Savinho once again.

The Lilywhites pushed for a deal in the summer, but the Brazilian winger decided to remain at the Etihad – a decision that now looks to be a mistake a couple of months on.

The 21-year-old has only started four league games under Pep Guardiola, and could fall further down the pecking order should Semenyo move to the Citizens this winter.

However, despite Frank’s efforts to land the youngster, agreeing a fee appears tricky at this stage, which could result in yet another failed pursuit for the club.

As a result, they may be forced to turn to the academy to rely upon fresh blood, which could see Luca Williams-Barnett handed a consistent run of games in the first-team.

The 17-year-old attacking midfielder joined the youth setup at U10 level, subsequently spending seven years in the ranks, with the last few months seeing the teenager enjoy a breakthrough.

He’s already made his first-team debut, coming off the bench in the Carabao Cup against Doncaster Rovers this campaign, but it’s his numbers in the youth ranks which have caught the eye.

In his 14 appearances across all competitions, Williams-Barnett has already racked up an incredible tally of 22 goal contributions – broken down into 15 goals and seven assists.

Subscribe to the newsletter for transfer insight and Spurs coverage Dive deeper into Tottenham transfer decisions and academy prospects, and subscribe to the newsletter for expert analysis on targets, youth talents like Luca Williams-Barnett, and broader club coverage that sharpens your perspective. Subscribe Subscribe to the newsletter for transfer insight and Spurs coverage Dive deeper into Tottenham transfer decisions and academy prospects, and subscribe to the newsletter for expert analysis on targets, youth talents like Luca Williams-Barnett, and broader club coverage that sharpens your perspective.

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His latest outing for the Youth Team came against Slavia Prague at the start of the month, with Williams-Barnett starring and scoring five goals in the 9-1 triumph.

Most Goals and Assists – Spurs U21s (25/26)

Player

Tally

Luca Williams-Barnett

10

Rio Kyerematen

5

Reiss-Alexander Russell-Denny

4

Tynan Thompson

4

Yusuf Akhamrich

4

Oliver Irow

3

Dane Scarlett

2

Dante Cassanova

2

Stats via FotMob

Such numbers are impressive, but they are even more remarkable when realising he’s currently operating four years above his age group when featuring for the U21s.

His performances across various teams in 2025/26 has led to huge praise being directed his way, with analyst Ben Mattinson labelling him as “one of England’s best talents”.

Such a comment was backed up by the player, after he was named in the England U17 squad for the World Cup back in November, where he netted two goals in his four appearances.

At just 17, the club will certainly have to manage the expectations placed upon him, but it’s undeniable that the Lilywhites have a phenomenal young prospect on their hands.

However, if he can break into the senior ranks and continue his excellent form, there’s no reason why he can’t allow the fanbase to forget about missing out on yet another top talent in the form of Semenyo.

Related Paratici lines up move to sign a bigger talent than Semenyo for Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur’s hunt for a new winger looks set to continue ahead of the January window.

Posts 1 ByEthan Lamb

Don’t worry Liverpool fans, we’ve got some more news in the Transfer Tavern for you. 

After his dreadful display in the Champions League final, it’s safe to say that Loris Karius’ career at Liverpool might just be over. Ever since he joined the club, the German goalkeeper has never cemented himself in the Liverpool side. With that said, following Stoke’s relegation to the Championship, the Merseyside club should target, Jack Butland.

If Liverpool are to win a title this year, Jurgen Klopp must sign a top-class goalkeeper. Loris Karius has had his chance but continually failed to come up with the goods, and as for Simon Mignolet, if he’s second to Karius, then that tells you what Klopp thinks of him.

Although he’s second to Jordan Pickford for England, Jack Butland still remains one of the bets goalkeeping talents in the country.

Butland left Birmingham City’s academy for £3.5 million in 2013 and ever since he has gone to become one of Stoke’s best players.

Valued at £19.8 million by Transfermarkt, the England goalkeeper could well go for even less due to Stoke’s relegation. However, new boss Gary Rowett has confirmed that he will speak to the goalkeeper, whom he is very keen to keep at the club.

“Because Jack is a terrific goalkeeper and obviously with England at the moment everyone will speculate that because you’ve been relegated, of course he’s going to have to go, he’s going to want to go.”

“But the reality is – you’ve seen it with Joe Allen and others – people want to be at this club.”

He’s the ideal candidate to mind the nets at Anfield for years to come. A stoic presence between the sticks, Butland’s shot-stopping abilities and high concentrations levels would stand him in good stead in a team who largely dominate games, not giving him all that much to do until the inevitable defensive lapse.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

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Clearly, he’s got a long way to go to wrestle the England No.1 jersey from Pickford, though a move to Liverpool could give him the platform to do exactly that.

Thoughts?

Nottinghamshire’s best day of the season has left them in striking distance of a first Championship win at Trent Bridge since May 1999. After taking their own first innings score to 371 and picking up one Glamorgan wicket during the morning session, they took nine more wickets in the period between lunch and tea to bowl out their visitors for just 187.Following on, 184 behind, Glamorgan fared little better at the second time of asking. Without a run on the board Robert Croft should have gone. A casual flick off his legs flew straight to Paul Johnson at square leg. Inexplicably the `dolly’ went down – to rub salt in the wounds with Johnson holding his head in his hands and the ball at his feed the batsmen ran a cheeky single.The unlucky bowler Paul Franks soon had cause for double celebration dismissing Croft and Powell in the same over. The off spinner tried to cut a rising delivery and for the second time in three hours was taken by Hewison in the gully.Michael Powell clipped his first ball for four and then lost his off stump to the next. Franks jubilation was understandable if not, perhaps, a little excessive.Things got even better for the England one-day international when he picked up the prize scalp of Matthew Maynard in his next over – again it was the off stump that took the pounding and again it preceded wild scenes of delight.At 20-3 the departure of Glamorgan’s captain would surely have dented the spirit of the dressing room but their day of suffering ended shorly afterwards when bad light halted the day’s play, with still 28 overs remaining.Franks had taken all three wickets, at a personal cost of just eight runs. In Glamorgan’s first innings the pick of the Notts bowlers was AJ Harris, who bagged 5-69 to take his haul for the season to 40.With still two full days remaining Notts could yet revive their fading hopes of promotion from division two.

Scorecard

	Pankaj Singh four wickets rattled the England Lions © Getty Images

Pankaj Singh grabbed four wickets as Central Zone shot out England Lions for 155 and gained a healthy 115-run first-innings lead. Central, though, lost two wickets in the seven overs they had to face before stumps on the second day in Vadodara.In the morning session, Central, resuming from 238 for 7, could only add 32 runs to their first-innings effort before being bowled out. Alan Richardson, the right-arm medium pacer, took two more wickets to be the Lions’ most successful bowler with four wickets.The Lions’ batting effort got off to a poor start with Joe Denly, winner of the NBC Denis Compton award for four successive years at Kent, falling to Pankaj, who was part of the Indian squad that toured Australia recently, in the first over. Michael Yardy, the Lions’ captain, was Pankaj’s next victim, managing only 5. After some brief resistance, both Michael Carberry and Ed Joyce fell in quick succession to leave the Lions at 66 for 4.Uttar Pradesh’s left-arm spinner Praveen Gupta ably assisted Pankaj as the Lions were unable to put together any partnerships of note, tumbling to 120 for 8. It was thanks to No. 7 Adil Rashid’s 40 that the visitors managed to post their modest score – their innings ending when Sanjib Sanyal struck twice in the same over. Pankaj finished with 4 for 43 while Gupta had returns of 3 for 32 in 23 overs.

Unmukt Chand, the former Under-19 captain, will lead India A in the upcoming tri-series against Australia A and South Africa A, while Ambati Rayudu has been named as captain for the two-match unofficial Test series that follows against South Africa A.Legspinner Karn Sharma, who missed the recent Zimbabwe tour due to a fractured finger, was picked in both squads and Karnataka batsman Karun Nair was chosen as the vice-captain for both the tri-series as well as the unofficial Tests against South Africa.Himachal Pradesh batsman Ankush Bains, 19, was selected on the back of a strong domestic performance – 568 runs in 11 first-class matches at an average of 47.33, with a highest score of 156. Saurashtra batsman Sheldon Jackson was picked after a stellar 2014-15 Ranji Trophy season, during which he made 819 runs in eight matches.Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, Amit Mishra and KL Rahul, who were part of the India A squad for the unofficial Tests against Australia, were not available because of the Test series in Sri Lanka beginning on August 12.Robin Uthappa and Manoj Tiwary, who played in all the ODIs against Zimbabwe, were not picked for the tri-series.All the matches of the tri-series will be played in Chennai between August 5 and August 14. The two-match series against South Africa A begins three days later on August 18 in Wayanad, Kerala.India A squad for tri-series: Unmukt Chand (capt), Mayank Agarwal, Manish Pandey, Karun Nair, Kedar Jadhav, Sanju Samson, Axar Patel, Parvez Rasool, Karn Sharma, Dhawal Kulkarni, Sandeep Sharma, Rush Kalaria, Mandeep Singh, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Rishi Dhawan.India A squad for unofficial Tests: Ambati Rayudu (capt), Karun Nair, Abhinav Mukund, Ankush Bains, Shreyas Iyer, Baba Aparajith, Vijay Shankar, Jayant Yadav, Axar Patel, Karn Sharma, Abhimanyu Mithun, Shardul Thakur, Ishwar Pandey, Sheldon Jackson, Jiwanjot Singh.

Scorecard1:45

‘Live for moments like these’ – Standford

USA’s best bowling and fielding performance of the tournament was followed by a match-winning 66-run partnership between Man of the Match Nicholas Standford and Alex Amsterdam as they blew past Hong Kong by seven wickets at Clontarf.Three run-outs and and a game-changing spell from medium pacer Japen Patel restricted Hong Kong to 125 for 7. Then USA’s batsmen were able to polish off the game with 11 balls to spare.For Hong Kong though, the defeat brought back memories of their inept show in their tournament opener against Jersey. And it would hurt them even more considering they defended 129 against Ireland only yesterday.They had the chance to pierce through USA’s shaky middle order with the score on 37 for 2 in the chase. Akeem Dodson had been run out following a calamitous mix up with his opening partner Fahad Babar while Japen Patel’s dangerous cameo was cut short at 17 off nine balls. But errors in the field put paid to hopes of a fightback.USA had made only two runs off the bat in the first 10 balls after Japen’s wicket when Amsterdam, who was yet to score, lofted seamer Tanwir Afzal to 17-year old debutant Giacomo Lamplough at long-on. But the simple waist-high chance was spilled and Amsterdam went on to make an unbeaten 43. Amsterdam should have been out on 9 in the tenth over as well but Kinchit Shah misjudged a catch on the cover boundary off Anshuman Rath and the ball wound up going over his head, landed just inside the rope and bounced away for four.Hong Kong bucked up as seamer Irfan Ahmed trapped Babar lbw for 15 off 26. USA might have felt a touch nervous at 62 for 3 in the 11th over, considering their history of middle-order collapses. But Standford took charge and finished that 11th over off with a monstrous six over the sightscreen. Irfan, who had been the catalyst for Hong Kong’s victory over Ireland with 3 for 11, came in for some heavy punishment from Standford and finished with 1 for 33 in 3.1 overs.With 32 needed off five overs, Hong Kong took a punt and asked Mark Chapman to bowl his first over of the tournament and it nearly worked. Standford, on 16, punched Chapman’s left-arm spin but the bowler wasn’t able to hold onto a tough overhead catch.Alex Amsterdam contributed to USA’s chase with an unbeaten 43•ICC/Sportsfile

Amsterdam was on 41 at the time and Standford caught up with three big blows in the next over. Irfan, who was the bowler, conceded a pair of sixes over long on and then a pulled four through square leg. Standford smashed another four over the leg side off the first ball of the 19th over from Irfan to clinch victory and finished with 40 not out in 25 balls.The platform for victory though was set up by USA’s seamers who kept Hong Kong’s batting in check. Captain Muhammad Ghous, who had opted to bowl after winning the toss, opened with a maiden and got the initial breakthrough in the third over. It might have been a lucky one; he trapped the left-handed Rath lbw while darting in his offspin over the wicket. But the batsman did shuffle across his stumps and was looking to flick behind square.Left-arm seamer Naseer Jamali bowled a tight three-over spell in the Powerplay and conceded only 12 runs but Ghous was hit out of the attack by Irfan and Nizakat Khan. They swept and flicked a pair of fours before turning their attention to the off side. A cover drive raced to the boundary and took the score to 23 for 1 after five overs.Nizakat fell to seamer Adil Bhatti’s first ball, in the seveth over, as a flat-footed swish outside off took the edge and was well taken by wicketkeeper Dodson diving to his right.Irfan was then run out by the bowler Hammad Shahid after a miscommunication with Chapman to end the tenth over with Hong Kong at 54 for 3. Hong Kong increased that tally by 29 runs to be 83 for 3 after 14 overs. Though the run-rate wasn’t great, they had wickets in hand.That’s when Japen struck. He responded to being smacked to the point boundary by Chapman by dismissing the batsman the very next ball. Cramped for room, the glide to third man found the keeper’s gloves instead. In his next over, Japen went full and straight to beat Babar Hayat’s slog, and picked up one more in the 19th when Tanwir’s hoick was skied to Timil Patel at point.That was the first of four wickets off the final nine balls for Hong Kong. An alert Dodson denied a leg bye and ran Aizaz Khan out. Then Timil induced a mistimed drive from Haseeb Amjad to long-off, where Naseer Jamali took a good, running catch. Jamie Atkinson, the top-scorer with 34, was run-out off the final ball and USA went into the innings break with a spring in their step.Now for USA to reach the playoffs, they must beat Papua New Guinea on Sunday and have two other results go in their favor. Ireland must beat Jersey and Namibia has to beat Hong Kong to put USA on six points to Hong Kong’s five and Jersey’s four while Nepal has already been eliminated from contention for a top-four spot by finishing on three points.

Jerome Jayaratne, Sri Lanka Cricket’s head of coaching, has been appointed interim head coach of the Sri Lanka team for the upcoming home series against West Indies. Jayaratne’s appointment came four days after Marvan Atapattu had resigned as the national team coach.Jayaratne was appointed SLC’s head of coaching in 2008, a role that did not extend to the national team coached at the time by Trevor Bayliss. Jayaratne has coaching certificates from Cricket Australia and the ECB, and previously held the posts of manager-coaching as well as coach of the SLC academy squad. He also played 22 first-class matches between 1990-91 and 1995-96.Atapattu had quit after Sri Lanka lost Test series to Pakistan and India, only the second time they have lost two home series in a year. He had officially held the position since September last year, but had effectively been head coach since April 2014, after Paul Farbrace’s departure. Before that, Atapattu had worked as batting coach of the team since 2011.

ESPNcricinfo keeps you up to date with all the player movements ahead of the 2016 seasonKagiso Rabada will turn out for Kent in 2016•Gallo Images

DerbyshireIN: Andy Carter (Nottinghamshire), Tom Milnes (Warwickshire), Neil Broom (UK passport)
OUT: Mark Footitt (Surrey), Wayne White (Leicestershire), Jonathan Clare (released)
OVERSEAS: Hamish Rutherford, James Neesham (T20)DurhamIN:
OUT:
OVERSEAS: John HastingsEssexIN: Matthew Quinn (UK passport), Aaron Beard (academy), Ashar Zaidi (Sussex), Matt Dixon (UK passport)
OUT: Reece Topley (Hampshire), Mark Pettini (Leicestershire), Monty Panesar, Greg Smith, Matt Salisbury, Saf Imtiaz (all released)
OVERSEAS: Jesse Ryder, Adam Milne (T20), Wahab Riaz (T20)GlamorganIN: Craig Meschede (Somerset), Nick Selman, Timm van der Gugten (Dutch passport), Harry Podmore (Middlesex – loan)
OUT: Ben Wright (retired)
OVERSEAS: Jacques Rudolph, Shaun Tait (T20)GloucestershireIN: Chris Liddle (Sussex), Josh Shaw (Yorkshire – loan)
OUT: James Fuller (Middlesex), Geraint Jones (retired), Cameron Herring, Robbie Montgomery (both released)
OVERSEAS: Michael Klinger, Andrew Tye, Cameron Bancroft (April-May)HampshireIN: Reece Topley (Essex)
OUT: Danny Briggs (Sussex), Basil Akram, Tom Barber, Joe Gatting (all released). Sean Terry (mutual agreement). Yasir Arafat (Somerset, loan).
OVERSEAS: Ryan McLaren and Shahid Afridi (T20).KentIN: Adam Rouse
OUT: Brendan Nash (released), Ben Harmison (released)
OVERSEAS: Tom Latham, Kagiso Rabada (July)LancashireIN: Alviro Petersen
OUT: Ashwell Prince (retired), Paul Horton (Leicestershire)
OVERSEAS: Neil WagnerLeicestershireIN: Paul Horton (Lancashire), Neil Dexter (Middlesex), Wayne White (Derbyshire), Kevin O’Brien (limited-overs), Mark Pettini (Essex)
OUT: Matthew Boyce (retired), Andrea Agathangelou, Dan Redfern, Alex Wyatt, Neil Pinner (all released)
OVERSEAS: Clint McKay, Umar Akmal (T20), Rilee Rossouw (T20)MiddlesexIN: James Fuller (Gloucestershire)
OUT: Neil Dexter (Leicestershire), Gurjit Sandhu (released), Harry Podmore (Glamorgan – loan)
OVERSEAS: Adam Voges, Brendon McCullum (T20), Mitchell McClenaghan (T20)NorthamptonshireIN: Richard Levi (Kolpak), Ben Sanderson.
OUT: David Willey (Yorkshire), Stephen Peters (retired), Kyle Coetzer, Maurice Chambers (both released)
OVERSEAS: Rory Kleinveldt, Seekkuge PrasannaNottinghamshireIN:
OUT: Andy Carter (Derbyshire), Gary Keedy, Paul Franks (both retired)
OVERSEAS: Jackson Bird, Dan Christian (limited-overs)SomersetIN: Ryan Davies (Kent), Roelof van der Merwe (Dutch passport), Yasir Arafat (Hampshire, loan)
OUT: Craig Meschede (Glamorgan), Alfonso Thomas, Adam Dibble, George Dockrell, James Regan (all released)
OVERSEAS: Chris Rogers, Chris Gayle (T20), Mahela Jayawardene (T20).SurreyIN: Mark Footitt (Derbyshire), Ravi Rampaul (Kolpak), Mathew Pillans (ancestral visa), Conor McKerr (UK passport)
OUT: Kevin Pietersen (released), Vikram Solanki, Tim Linley, Chris Tremlett (all retired)
OVERSEAS: Kumar Sangakkara, Dwayne Bravo (T20), Chris Morris (T20), Aaron Finch (July-August)SussexIN: Danny Briggs (Hampshire)
OUT: Michael Yardy, Steffan Piolet (both retired), Chris Liddle (Gloucestershire), Ashar Zaidi (Essex), Callum Jackson (released), Matt Hobden (deceased)
OVERSEAS: Ross Taylor, Mustafizur Rahman (limited-overs)WarwickshireIN: Alex Mellor
OUT: Tom Milnes (Derbyshire), Tom Lewis, Pete McKay (both released)
OVERSEAS: Jeetan PatelWorcestershireIN:
OUT: Gareth Andrew (released), Alex Gidman (retired), Richard Oliver, Shaaiq Choudhry (released)
OVERSEAS: Matt Henry (Apr-June), Kyle Abbott (Jul-Sep), Mitchell Santner (T20)YorkshireIN: David Willey (Northamptonshire)
OUT: Josh Shaw (Gloucestershire – loan), Rich Pyrah (retired), Moin Ashraf, Dan Hodgson, Jonny Tattersall (all released)
OVERSEAS: Kane Williamson (June-July), Travis Head (July onwards)

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:19

Sri Lanka seal clean sweep

Sri Lanka’s seamers ploughed through the West Indies top order then weathered a Marlon Samuels surge to set up a 19-run Duckworth-Lewis victory and complete the series whitewash. Buoyed by Samuels’ 94-ball 110 not out, West Indies got to 206 for 9 from their 36 overs, but, having had them at 105 for 6 before a 135-minute rain interruption, Sri Lanka had that total scaled down via the Duckworth Lewis method. Kusal Perera top-scored with 50 off 47 balls in a chase of 190. Sri Lanka had moved to 179 for 5 after 32 overs when rains came down again to end the match. The par-score at that final interruption was 160.A West Indies victory always seemed unlikely when they lost four batsmen in the first six overs. Lasith Malinga and Suranga Lakmal collected two wickets each in their opening bursts, then a little later Dushmantha Chameera dismissed Denesh Ramdin with raw pace. Ajantha Mendis had also claimed a wicket before the big downpour came. Sri Lanka lacked some discipline as they were forced to contend with a slippery ball after the break, but just as his frontliners appeared to be losing their way, a half-fit Angelo Mathews stepped into the breach to deliver two cheap overs towards the close.Despite the loss, Samuels produced what was perhaps the best individual innings of the series, while his team collapsed around him. He had moved sagely to fifty before the rain break, then unshackled by the urgency of West Indies’ situation upon resumption, scored heavily on the offside as he hurtled to a ninth ODI ton. It was inherently a remarkable innings, but it was particularly sublime from a batsman who had spent the first four weeks of this tour in a funk.As West Indies have found throughout the tour however, individual distinction usually can’t trump collective excellence. Lasith Malinga rifled through his variations from his first over, and Lakmal found zippy movement off the track. Malinga’s two victims fell in identical fashion – both fending bouncers tamely to point. Lakmal had Andre Fletcher lbw on the stroke of a first rain break that lasted over an hour, but didn’t cause a reduction of overs, then he bowled Darren Bravo with an indipper the batsman offered no shot to.Samuels had moved smoothly to 50 off 51 balls after that first rain break, but came out intent on attacking after the second, major interruption. His first ball after the interruption, from Malinga, was clattered over midwicket for four. The next delivery was sliced over the third-man fence.Samuels took a particular liking to Malinga in the second half of his innings, cracking the bowler through or over the point region for three consecutive fours in the 28th over, then continued to back away and aim blows to the square fence. The other bowlers were not so severely punished, but as Samuels was batting with Nos 10 and 11 in the last seven overs, singles into the outfield were routinely turned down.West Indies’ only substantial partnership was his 55-run, eighth-wicket stand with Carlos Brathwaite, who made 18. Jason Holder, who hit 19, was the only other batsman to make it into double figures. Malinga, Lakmal, Chameera and Mendis all picked up two wickets apiece, and Mathews got a wicket for himself at the death.West Indies’ bowlers were consistently threatening even with a wet-ball, but as the target was modest, Sri Lanka found themselves cruising. Kusal and Tillakaratne Dilshan bludgeoned a few early boundaries to give the chase some impetus. Dilshan was out cutting to Samuels at point, after having been dropped by the same fielder on the previous ball, but Kusal and Lahiru Thirimanne put on a 50-run stand together to settle the innings.Thirimanne, Kusal and Dinesh Chandimal all departed within nine overs of each other, and yet, with Mathews at the crease, the chase never seemed in trouble. He struck up unhurried partnerships with Milinda Siriwardene and Shehan Jayasuriya to inch Sri Lanka towards victory. Mathews was unbeaten on 27 when the rains came again and the players went off the field for the third and final time.

Karachi, July 22: Sri Lanka scored a relatively easy win overBangladesh to cruise into the final of the Under-17 Asia Cup CricketTournament at the National Stadium here on Saturday.The islanders’ opponents for Tuesday’s final will be decided tomorrowwhen hosts Pakistan face the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) in thesecond semi-final.Sri Lanka, who were sent in by Bangladesh skipper Nafees Iqbal, builttheir score of 214 around a solid opening stand of 71 between IshanMutalip (36 off 82 balls with four fours) and the left-handed HareshRatnayake (32 off 60 balls with two fours).The impetus to the Sri Lankan innings was provided by Man-of-the-MatchJeewan Mendis, who made 42 off 41 deliveries with four boundaries.Mendis and all-rounder Prasad Ranawaka (28 off 21 balls with threefours) were involved in a sixth-wicket partnership of 50 in 36 ballsas the final 10 overs of the innings realized 87 runs.Bangladesh, in reply, made a decent start as they reached 113 forthree in the 29th over. However, fine bowling by Sri Lankan skipperJehan Jayasiriya, who captured three for 36 with his off-spinners, anda spate of run outs resulted in Bangladesh losing their last sixwickets for 49 runs.Diminutive opener Mohammad Ashraful was impressive as he stroked hisway to 48 off 88 balls before he was fourth out. His knock includedjust one boundary.Ashraful and Nasiruddin Faruque (30 off 55 balls with four fours) puton 61 for the third wicket.The only other notable scorer for the losers was all-rounder SharifulIslam with 32 off 40 balls