أعلن نادي مانشستر سيتي لكرة القدم، في بيان رسمي منذ قليل، توقيع أحد لاعبي الفريق الأول على عقد جديد لمدة خمس سنوات، حسبما نُشر عبر الموقع الرسمي للسكاي بلو.
ويستعد مانشستر سيتي لخوض مباراة الديربي ضد نظيره مانشستر يونايتد، يوم الأحد المقبل على ملعب “الاتحاد” في قمة منافسات الجولة الرابعة من الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.
وأصدر مانشستر سيتي بيانًا رسميًا للإعلان عن توقيع ريكو لويس على عقد جديد لمدة خمس سنوات، حيث سيظل بمقتضاه في ملعب “الاتحاد” حتى صيف 2030.
كان ريكو لويس قد انضم إلى أكاديمية مانشستر سيتي في الثامنة من عمره، وتدرج في الفئات السنية المختلفة للنادي قبل أن ينضم إلى الفريق الأول في موسم 2022/23.
وشارك ريكو لويس في 97 مباراة مع الفريق الأول في مانشستر سيتي، وسجل 5 أهداف، حيث أعرب عن سعادته الجمة بعد توقيعه على العقد الجديد اليوم.
اقرأ أيضًا | المباريات التي سيغيب عنها عمر مرموش مع مانشستر سيتي بعد إصابته.. مواجهتان ناريتان
وقال ريكو لويس: “مانشستر سيتي يعني لي كل شيء، ومن ثم فإن حصولي على فرصة توقيع هذا العقد الجديد لحظة مميزة جدًا لي ولعائلتي، ما زلت أتطور وأتحسن كلاعب، أعلم أن فرصة مواصلة العمل مع جوارديولا وجهازه الفني وفريقنا الرائع ستساعدني على مواصلة التطور”.
وأضاف: “قضيت وقتًا طويلًا في هذا النادي، مانشستر سيتي يعني لي كل شيء، لذلك فإن البقاء لفترة أطول يجعلني سعيدًا للغاية، تمثيل ذلك النادي كل يوم يُعد شرفًا وامتيازًا لي”.
وواصل: “سأبذل قصارى جهدي لمساعدتنا على تحقيق المزيد من النجاح هذا الموسم وما بعده، ومع فريقنا العالمي، أنا متحمس للغاية لما يحمله المستقبل للنادي”.
Building on good work by Ed Barnard and Will Rhodes, Burgess is 126 not out against Somerset
ECB Reporters Network30-Jun-2024
Michael Burgess acknowledges his century•Getty Images
Michael Burgess hit his seventh first class century to cement a determined Warwickshire fightback on the opening day of the Vitality County Championship Division One match with Somerset at Taunton.Going in at No. 8, the 29-year-old wicketkeeper made an unbeaten 126, off 167 balls, with 14 fours and three sixes, to build on the good work of Ed Barnard (92) and skipper Will Rhodes (63) after their side had slumped to 40 for 4 on losing the toss.Chris Woakes contributed 39 to an eighth-wicket stand of 110 with Burgess that enabled Warwickshire to close on 373 for 8. Migael Pretorius was the pick of Somerset’s bowling attack with 4 for 72 from 20 overs.Josh Davey made the first breakthrough with the Warwickshire total on 19 as Alex Davies edged a defensive push to Tom Abell at first slip in the fifth over.It was 34 for 2 when Rob Yates, on 15, nicked a lifter from Pretorius and Kasey Aldridge accepted a sharp chance at second slip. The South African struck again in his next over with an excellent delivery that clipped the top of off stump to send back Sam Hain for a duck.Warwickshire were in a deep hole at 40 when the inspired Pretorius induced Dan Mousley to edge an attempted leg-side shot to give Aldridge another slip catch at which point the seamer’s figures were 3 for 6.Rhodes survived a couple of scares before lunch, which was taken at 97 for 4, the skipper having made 42 and added 57 with Barnard, who was unbeaten on 25.The afternoon session saw Rhodes move to fifty off 87 balls, with seven fours, and the partnership with the unflappable Barnard extend past the century mark before Somerset struck two blows in rapid succession.Jack Leach, preferred to Shoaib Bashir as the only specialist spinner in the side, tempted Rhodes into an error as an ugly mishit saw him cloth a gentle catch to Andy Umeed at mid-on. The following over saw Craig Overton force a defensive edge from Jacob Bethell through to wicketkeeper James Rew.Barnard remained a solid presence, having moved to a chanceless half-century off 94 balls, with eight fours. He was unbeaten on 79 at tea, sensibly picking the right balls to attack, and had helped his side to 214 for 6, with the help of Burgess, on 33 not out.Somerset began the final session with the occasional leg-spin of Umeed, who was quickly dispatched for six by Burgess over a short leg-side boundary. It proved a solitary over as Leach changed ends to good effect.Burgess moved to an impressive fifty off 87 balls, with five fours and a six, but Barnard fell unexpectedly with the stand on 99 as the England left-arm spinner bowled him attempting to cut a slightly quicker delivery.Barnard had faced 159 balls and struck 12 fours on the ground where he claimed his best Championship bowling figures of 6 for 37 (11 for 89 in match) for Worcestershire in 2018.A Burgess single of Leach took Warwickshire to a first batting point at 250 for 7. As the time for the second new ball approached, Burgess went on the attack, launching Leach for two sixes over long-on.It was 291 for 7 when the new ball was taken, with Burgess and Woakes looking well set. Woakes brought up 300 with a glorious cover driven four off Overton as Somerset’s bowling lacked the accuracy of the pre-lunch session.Burgess went to three figures with a straight drive for two off Overton, having faced 146 balls and hit 10 fours and three sixes. The pitch was offering precious little seam movement as he and Woakes batted with increasing comfort and aggression.Woakes suffered a couple of painful blows, one to his right hand, but the England allrounder battled bravely through until chipping a catch to Umeed at mid-on to give Pretorius his fourth wicket. Michael Booth then survived a caught and bowled chance to Davey to increase Somerset frustration.
It wasn’t the most thrilling spectacle to take in for the scattered array of Chelsea supporters watching on, but the Blues did start their Club World Cup campaign with a relatively straightforward 2-0 victory over LAFC on Monday evening.
Enzo Maresca named a very strong lineup for the clash with Steve Cherundolo’s challengers, and, for the most part, it was a smooth match for the likes of Cole Palmer – who was donning the no.10 for the first time – and Moises Caicedo, among many other strong first-team personnel.
There would have been some worries in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium that the game could peter out into a dire clash with no goals scored within the first 30 minutes. Thankfully, Pedro Neto managed to raise the excitement levels when he broke the deadlock in the 34th minute.
The game was then tied up in the second half by Enzo Fernandez popping up with a goal of his own, but away from the goalscorers stealing the limelight, there were several top performers on the night, alongside others putting in slightly more subdued displays.
Chelsea's best performers vs LAFC
The most logical place to start is with Neto’s standout showing, with his blistering solo run and tricky feet resulting in the ex-Wolverhampton Wanderers winger getting Chelsea’s account underway in the competition.
Away from this sublime effort beating former Spurs captain, Hugo Lloris, Neto also fired another shot off the woodwork, with his constant livewire presence clear for all to see even more when completing a hefty five successful dribbles.
Neto wasn’t the only bright spark from Chelsea’s perspective, however, with Fernandez also sticking out in the second half when winning two duels alongside his goal. Involved in that second strike was debutant Liam Delap, who scampered down the right and delivered an inch-perfect cross for the Argentine to bury.
Starring alongside Fernandez was the ever-reliable Moises Caicedo.
He was also persistently involved in play when notching up 101 touches, but not every blue shirt trudged off at the end delighted with their efforts.
Chelsea's worst performers against LAFC
Romeo Lavia struggled to get going before Maresca hooked him off at the half-time interval, yet there was one underperformer throughout that will be worried for his Club World Cup starting spot now and his future as a regular starter at Stamford Bridge after offering very little in the Atlanta heat.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
It’s clear from the rampant transfer rumours coming out of West London that Chelsea are in the market for a new left winger figure, with Jamie Gittens one of the main targets being lined up to replace the recently departed Jadon Sancho.
After the 2-0 win over LAFC, it’s even more abundantly clear that the Blues need urgent reinforcements down the left flank, with Noni Madueke having a torrid time of things when chucked out to this unfamiliar position on the pitch.
A large portion of Chelsea supporters took to social media to voice their frustrations at Madueke’s dire showing, with the 23-year-old largely ineffective throughout when powering just one paltry on-target effort at Lloris’ goal.
How to Watch the FIFA Club World Cup for Free
Everything you need to know about the Club World Cup.
ByCharlie Smith Jun 13, 2025
Moreover, Neto’s eye-catching trickery on the ball down the right just didn’t rub off on the out-of-sorts number 11 on the left, culminating in just one unmemorable successful dribble being registered.
Madueke’s performance in numbers
Minutes played
64
Goals scored
0
Assists
0
Touches
43
Accurate passes
25/27 (93%)
Shots
2
Possession lost
10x
Total duels won
3/7
Stats by Sofascore
On top of those already grim statistics, Madueke also gave away possession ten times, alongside only winning a disappointing 42% of his duels.
Therefore, going forward, Maresca must not continue playing Madueke down the left, with a low 5/10 match rating handed to him by Football.London’s Bobby Vincent after the match adding insult to injury.
Tyrique George is the only other option the former Leicester City boss can rely upon on the left channel, with Chelsea needing to act fast now to add someone like Gittens to their squad.
If this were in a far more pressurised contest, Madueke could have ended up costing his side dear.
Upgrade on Ekitike & Delap: Chelsea enter talks to sign world class £67m CF
Chelsea are chasing the services of a striker who is an upgrade on both Liam Delap and Hugo Ekitike.
Wolverhampton Wanderers fans have seen a whole host of top attacking stars grace the Molineux pitch in recent years, with the likes of Diogo Jota and Raul Jimenez immediately sticking out.
Between them, the potent pair managed to tally up 101 goals when donning an Old Gold strip, leading to both players still being held in high regard in the West Midlands.
Vitor Pereira and Co will be hopeful that any new strikers that enter the building this summer can be as memorable as both Jota and Jimenez were, with Wolves now being linked to a load of fresh centre-forwards.
Wolves' pursuit of a new striker
The in-form Premier League side might well be keeping their options wide open just in case Matheus Cunha does decide to jump ship, considering the spellbinding Brazilian is being linked incessantly with a switch to Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United.
Already, the Old Gold have been tipped to make moves for breakout Holstein Kiel striker Phil Harres, alongside Leicester City veteran Jamie Vardy, but now they have allegedly thrown their hat into the ring to land deadly Irish marksman Troy Parrott.
As per journalist Ben Jacobs when recently appearing on the Wolfpack podcast, Pereira’s men are keen on snapping up the lethal AZ Alkmaar attacker when the transfer window reopens, with Parrott presumably up for a move back to English shores himself after a testing time with former side Tottenham Hotspur.
If Wolves were successful in their pursuit, the Old Gold could be about to land their next iteration of Kevin Doyle, with Doyle also coincidentally a striker that hails from Ireland who knew how to excite the masses with electric attacking displays.
Why Parrott could be Wolves' next Doyle
Minus the geographical similarities, Parrott has proven himself across many a season now in the Netherlands that he possesses the same goalscoring prowess as the ex-Wolves number 29.
Doyle, across 179 appearances at Molineux, would chip in with a respectable tally of 34 goals and 22 assists. Parrott, for his current employers, already boasts 20 strikes from 45 games, which is a hefty total that follows from his 17-goal heroics when starring for Excelsior elsewhere in the Eredivisie.
He’s even managed to excel on the international stage for the Republic of Ireland, much like Doyle before him, with five goals picked up from 28 caps for his nation – again bolstering his reputation as a feared goal machine.
Amazingly, his 20-goal return for AZ this season actually betters Cunha’s unbelievable rich vein of form for Pereira’s men, with a hope in the air that signings such as Parrott’s getting over the line softens the potential blow of the 25-year-old departing for Old Trafford.
Games played
45
32
Goals scored
20
17
Assists
5
6
Games
28
29
Goals
14
15
Goal frequency
157min
156min
Assists
2
6
Big chances missed
18
2
Big chances created
4
12
Key passes
1.1
1.8
Indeed, the table above shows off Parrott’s impressive goalscoring numbers even more, with Cunha falling short of his Irish counterpart’s output by three goals in all competitions, albeit from 13 fewer clashes.
Lauded as “phenomenal” by ex-manager Ryan Lowe when the duo were together at Preston North End, it’s clear that the former Spurs youngster is ready for a taste of the Premier League again to put his goalless stint in the men’s team in North London firmly behind him.
Wolves might well give him that platform to strut his stuff soon, with the potential there for the Dublin-born striker to be the club’s next Doyle if everything goes swimmingly.
The next Jimenez: Wolves eyeing up "remarkable" £8.5m CF alongside Vardy
Wolverhampton Wanderers could soon land their next Raul Jimenez with this striker purchase.
Often when it comes to Leeds United and promotion races, the Whites let their nerves get the better of them.
However, with only one game remaining of the current Championship season, the West Yorkshire outfit are already Premier League bound away from any worries seeping in.
Daniel Farke’s side looked every bit ready for the challenge ahead when brushing aside playoff-chasing Bristol City effortlessly in a huge 4-0 win on Monday night.
There was a carnival-like atmosphere in the air at Elland Road throughout, with no hangovers in sight from the home side’s perspective after sealing promotion.
Leeds' best performers vs Bristol City
Leeds might have been anticipating a trickier tie in truth, considering Liam Manning’s Robins aren’t mathematically safe inside the top six positions.
But, from the get-go, the clash felt like a walk in the park for the hosts, with Ao Tanaka’s calm and collected finish from a floating Manor Solomon ball opening the scoring in the 21st minute.
Solomon – away from assisting Tanaka to break the deadlock – really stood out himself during the one-sided contest, with the electric Tottenham Hotspur loanee amassing two successful dribbles and four shots of his own to try and catch out the sheepish visitors from Bristol even more.
Both Wilfried Gnonto and Largie Ramazani would shine too as the other goal scorers on the night, with Ramazani only needing nine minutes of action to bag a brace, whilst both Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu would accumulate a ridiculous 291 accurate passes between them in the heart of the Leeds defence.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Of course, alongside the aforementioned Welsh pairing, there was also the influential figure of Junior Firpo pulling the strings once more from defence, with his assist for Ramazani’s first of the clash taking his assist haul to the season up to a mighty ten.
Regardless of his standout showings this season, according to reports, it looks unlikely that the ex-Barcelona man will be kept around for the forthcoming challenge of the Premier League.
However, there is another face in Farke’s starting XI who may succumb to the same fate as the left-back over the summer.
7/10 Leeds star needs an upgrade
Tough conversations will have to take place at Leeds this coming off-season involving who is cut out for the intense jump up to the top-flight, with Farke’s neck already allegedly on the line in this regard.
Brenden Aaronson will also be worrying slightly about his long-term future in West Yorkshire, considering the American has previously floundered at the elite level.
Indeed, last time he was plunged into the choppy waters of the Premier League, Aaronson would only manage to pick up one goal and three assists from 36 outings, culminating in the Whites falling back into the reaches of the Championship.
Now, the ex-Red Salzburg attacker will have a point to prove. But, based on his somewhat wasteful approach against the leaky Robins and his topsy-turvy form this season, he might not be Farke’s preferred choice of number 10 in the far tougher division.
Aaronson’s performance in numbers
Stat
Aaronson
Minutes played
86
Goals scored
0
Assists
0
Touches
50
Accurate passes
28/33 (85%)
Key passes
2
Shots
3
Big chances missed
1
Stats by Sofascore
It must be said, this was not Aaronson’s worst night of the campaign, far from it. The £45k-per-week attacking midfielder did manage to link up nicely with Solomon and Co at points as another vibrant option up top, but another goal or assist to add to his season collection of 11 from 45-second tier clashes annoyingly evaded him.
Whilst the likes of Solomon and Tanaka wouldn’t look out of place in the top-flight, Aaronson could well find he’s pushed back into the deep-end once more, with Yorkshire Post journalist Tom Coates even labelling his night as “frustrating” despite his 7/10 rating. It was a night of mixed reviews for the American, which rather sums up his time at Leeds, with the Athletic’s Larry Henry suggesting it was a “really positive display”.
Evidently, an upgrade will be required in the Premier League and it might well be that the likes of Firpo, Farke and Aaronson have all just enjoyed their last nights under the Elland Road lights.
Before any more talk centres on whether the inconsistent 24-year-old could be let go of, Leeds still have the chance to clinch the Championship title on the final day of the season, with Plymouth the location for the Whites’ potential triumph.
Even better than Archie Gray: Leeds must rue selling £1m "animal"
Leeds United once sold a young talent for £1m, and now he is even better than Archie Gray.
Bangladesh have a rare chance of starting a fresh day with ten wickets in hand, and they have Shadman and Zakir to thank for that
Mohammad Isam22-Aug-2024One thing batters do not look forward to is to face twelve overs of bowling after spending the whole day fielding. Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam’s brave faces weren’t fooling anyone in Rawalpindi. Justin Langer wrote in his autobiography about wanting the twilight challenge, but few are cut from the same cloth.Zakir and Shadman are Bangladesh’s tenth different opening pair in the last three years. After Shan Masood declared the Pakistan innings on 448 for 6 at 4.34 pm local time, they were set to face at least an hour of hellfire from Pakistan’s pace attack. And they did… okay. They blunted Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, and annoyed Khurram Shahzad a little bit. That’s not a bad evening’s work. They have a more work to do but for now this will do.Related
Rizwan, Shakeel tons define Pakistan's day of gains
Muted Rawalpindi shows little love for a Pakistan in rehab
The expectations of Bangladesh’s batters have been so low these days that going twelve overs unscathed felt like a big deal. On a tough day for Bangladesh, Shadman and Zakir looked in control to ensure the visitors left the ground with some respite. Shadman is returning to the Test side after 16 months while Zakir is playing his first overseas Test. The pair played out 58 dot balls in the twelve overs and even hit three fours.Batting coach David Hemp wore a smile at the end of the day. He looked like one of those dads who watching their kids’ recital and mouthing their lines along with them. Hemp had received good news earlier in the day from the Islamabad Club where Saif Hassan and Jaker Ali struck hundreds for Bangladesh A. He was however more pleased with what he saw in Rawalpindi.”It is always a challenge to bat for a limited time in the back end of the day,” Hemp said. “After being in the field for five hours. We are really pleased not to lose wickets, but more importantly their approach. They are still trying to capitalise on scoring options. I also felt that they made good judgements about leaving the ball.”Shadman’s recent form should provide some confidence. He made 88 against Pakistan A in Darwin recently. Zakir didn’t have a good outing against Pakistan A in Islamabad last week, but he was beginning to forge a solid partnership with Mahmudul Hasan Joy, whose groin injury kept him out of this Test.Zakir Hasan cuts the ball•Associated PressHemp added that the rest of the Bangladesh batters are also prepared to take on the Pakistan attack. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mominul Haque are up next, followed by the veterans Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan, and Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz lower down the order.”From what we are seeing in the preparation period, they have all been striking the ball well and getting into good positions,” Hemp said. “They are all confident that they can contribute to the team. We have depth in the batting order with Litton at seven and Mehidy at eight.”[Pakistan] have four good seamers and a reasonable spinner. They have bowling options. They are a good attack. It is going to be a challenge. The priority is to bat the day. We have to negotiate each session, and then see where we are.”Hemp also expected the lower order to contribute runs, citing how the Bangladesh tail stood up against New Zealand in their last Test win, in November 2023.”The mantra in the team is for everyone to be able to contribute,” he said. “Everyone is expected to bat as much as possible. For us internally, we look at contributions from the lower order. We are more interested in balls faced than runs from No 9, 10 and 11. During the New Zealand series at home last year, the last four batters averaged 33 to 34 balls per innings. That’s 120 balls, which kept New Zealand in the field for 20 extra overs. It had a massive impact on the game. For us it is a really important factor.”Shakib, Shanto and Litton have not been among the runs. Mominul and Mushfiqur are low on game time, while Mehidy is also returning from a considerable break. Bangladesh will need a massive effort from the batters to get even in this Test.
“I see a bit of myself in him,” Lewis says of Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who he is expected to open with at Sharjah Warriors in the ILT20
Deivarayan Muthu02-Jan-20231:41
Evin Lewis: ‘UAE players should use ILT20 as a stepping stone’
Evin Lewis has called West Indies’ first-round exit from the T20 World Cup in 2022 “a tough pill to swallow”, but says he has moved on and is ready for the inaugural ILT20, where he will represent Sharjah Warriors.During the T20 World Cup, Lewis had also sustained a hamstring injury, which sidelined him from the Super50, West Indies’ premier domestic one-day competition, but he is good to go now.Related
Pollard says players not at fault for T20 WC exit
ILT20 will start with Knight Riders vs Capitals on January 13
“Yeah, it [the T20 World Cup] was a tough pill to swallow, to be honest,” Lewis told ESPNcricinfo. “I had the help of my family, which was the most important thing. When I came home, I tried not to dwell on it too much. These things can actually hurt you a lot if you go too deep into it. So, I had to give that responsibility to my family and the support that they’ve been giving me since I reached home… I’m very thankful for that.”I think I’m in a good space now – both fitness-wise and mentally. I’m happy with the way I’m going about my cricket at the moment. I think Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah – all these are pretty good wickets for batsmen. I think, as batsmen, we have to make the best use of it.”Lewis: ‘I see a bit of myself’ in Gurbaz Lewis is particularly excited at the prospect of combining with Rahmanullah Gurbaz at the top of the order for Warriors. Having watched him from close quarters at the CPL – Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter Gurbaz played for Guyana Amazon Warriors last season – Lewis saw shades of his own attacking style.”I’m looking forward to batting with him [Gurbaz],” Lewis said. “He’s actually a great guy and as everyone knows, he’s a very aggressive batsman and probably someone who can take a bit of pressure off you [while] opening the batting. So, I’m looking forward to opening with him.”I see a bit of myself in him as he’s a guy who looks to get on with the game and tries to score as fast as possible in the powerplay to give the team a good start. So, I think that’s something teams look forward to as an opening batsman.”Evin Lewis and Rashid Khan were team-mates at St Kitts & Nevis Patriots last season•Getty ImagesLewis has played just 12 T20s in the UAE, returning 260 runs at a strike rate of 142.07, but he believes that his most recent T10 stint with Bangla Tigers in Abu Dhabi and the experience of having faced unorthodox spinners like Rashid Khan and Akila Dananjaya at the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots nets in CPL 2022 will hold him in good stead.”I haven’t played much T20 cricket in UAE, but I think the T10 has actually helped me a lot [to get used to conditions] and how to go about my innings,” he said. “You don’t have much time in T10, like in T20, but you always need to get a good start for the team, which is important.”Rashid is someone different when it comes to bowling legspin. I don’t think there’s anyone who is playing cricket like him at the moment. It’s difficult to pick when you’re batting [against] him, but I try my best to pick his mind at times; probably try to analyse which ball he’s going to bowl when. These guys [Rashid and Dananjaya] are professionals and they go about their games very seriously and I respect them for that.”Lewis: ILT20 ‘can open the way’ for UAE players In a T20 World Cup warm-up game last year at Junction Oval in Melbourne, UAE made West Indies sweat for victory. Fast bowler Zahoor Khan, who picked up two wickets in that game, turned out for Kandy Falcons in the Lanka Premier League last December. Legspinner Karthik Meiyappan, who bagged a hat-trick in the T20 World Cup proper, will now be Lewis’ team-mate at Warriors. Lewis reckons that impactful performances in the ILT20 will open up more opportunities for UAE’s local players in franchise cricket.
“Sometimes, we, as batsmen, tend to focus more on strengths than weaknesses and it’s something we have to learn to do”Evin Lewis
“It would be great for cricket for these guys, playing a huge tournament like this,” Lewis says. “People all around the world will see what these guys can do and probably can open the way for them in terms of different franchises, so I think they should use this competition as a stepping stone more or less and just go out there and perform.”Earlier, Lewis was vulnerable to the incoming delivery, with his head often falling over, but he has recently tweaked his stance, which could serve him well on his return to the Emirates.”Yeah, I’ve worked on that,” he said. “Sometimes, we, as batsmen, tend to focus more on strengths than weaknesses and it’s something we have to learn to do. I made a slight change in my batting stance and not trying to shuffle as much. I try to stay as still as possible and I think that has been going quite well for me thus far.”I haven’t worked specifically with anyone on this. I just have a couple of friends – supportive friends who will go with me when I want to hit balls. Throw balls at me, use bowling machines – these guys have been very supportive in this aspect.”Warriors will open their ILT20 campaign against MI Emirates in Abu Dhabi on January 14.
Kings XI Punjab could do with quicker runs – and not more runs – from their captain
Karthik Krishnaswamy10-Oct-20207:41
Did KL Rahul’s sedate strike rate cost Kings XI?
It feels almost unfair to begin with that quote, but then again, how can one not? On a day when KL Rahul made 74 off 58 (strike rate 127.58) and his team lost by two runs while chasing 165 for a win?How can you not begin with that quote when Rahul wears the Orange Cap with 387 runs at a strike rate of 134.84, while his team sits at the bottom of the IPL table with just one win in seven games?How can you not draw a line connecting all the runs Rahul has scored, and his manner of scoring them, with his team’s results?There are other factors behind where Kings XI sit halfway through their league campaign. Their bowling, for one, particularly in the death overs. But think of it this way: Rahul has been on strike for 287 of the 824 balls faced by Kings XI’s batsmen this season. That’s just under 35% of all the balls they have faced. No other batsman has had as much influence on how their team’s innings have been shaped. No bowler, by the simple fact that they are restricted to delivering at most a fifth of their team’s overs, has had a comparable influence.KL Rahul’s smart runs in his last five innings•ESPNcricinfo LtdAn overall strike rate of 134.84 doesn’t sound terrible. But over the first 30 balls of all his innings, he’s made 195 off 174 balls, at a strike rate of 112.07. Keep in mind that if he has faced 30 balls, he’s used up a fourth of his team’s quota of deliveries.It isn’t that Rahul can’t play any other way. In IPL 2018, he had a first-six-overs (powerplay) strike rate of 157.57. Since then there’s been a perceptible shift in approach, with his strike rate in that phase dropping to 120.83 in 2019 and 116.00 this year.There are reasons behind why he is playing this way, of course.One, Rahul and the Kings XI management probably believe he has the game to make up for his slow starts if he spends a certain amount of time at the crease. So he has a certain allowance to put a price on his wicket – a bit of a luxury in T20s – and play risk-free cricket for a certain amount of time.When it comes off, it can be spectacular. For instance, he smashed 42 off the last nine balls of his innings against the Royal Challengers Bangalore, and finished with 132 not out off 69.But how often will he get that deep into his innings, and once there, how often will he explode as spectacularly? Rahul made 90 off 39 (strike rate 230.77) after crossing the 30-ball mark against the Royal Challengers, but in the three other games where he’s gotten to that point of his innings, he’s made 32 off 24 (against the Rajasthan Royals), 31 off 22 (against the Chennai Super Kings) and, on Saturday against the Knight Riders, 39 off 28.
Compare the situations Maxwell has walked into with the relative blank slates Rahul has at the start of his innings, and you might begin to see that different types of players get judged by different standards in T20 cricket. Recognising that, ask yourself this: what exactly does being the leading run-getter in a T20 league mean if your team has lost six out of seven games?
That’s not a whole lot of payoff. And if Virat Kohli hadn’t dropped him twice just before he went on that late blitz against the Royal Challengers, Rahul would have finished with 83 off 55 (41 off 25 after the 30-ball mark) or 89 off 59 (47 off 29).Rahul certainly can make up for slow starts, but he hasn’t been doing it consistently this season. It can’t be easy for anyone to bat with a certain rhythm for a significant length of time and suddenly change their approach and pull it off time and again.The second reason behind Rahul’s approach could be that he’s often batted alongside someone scoring rapidly enough to make him – or the team management – believe that his best role is to give that batsman the strike and keep the partnership going. Mayank Agarwal has been the quicker-scoring partner in two century opening stands this season, and in both games, Kings XI seemed to be in an impregnable position when he and Rahul were at the crease.Kings XI, however, have lost both those matches. It’s not an unexpected outcome. Data drawn from all seasons of the IPL shows that long partnerships with one partner scoring slowly are often counterproductive. Perhaps Rahul and the Kings XI know this, but feel it’s the only option left to them. That could be another reason behind Rahul’s approach. He may be batting in this manner because the Kings XI either don’t bat that deep – they have played an extra bowler in their last two games and ended up with a long tail – or don’t trust their middle and lower order to build on smaller but more explosive starts from their top order.KL Rahul was dismissed at a most inopportune time for his team•BCCIThat the Kings XI sent in Prabhsimran Singh – who had 258 runs in 15 T20 innings, at a strike rate of 139.45, before Saturday – and not Glenn Maxwell when they needed 21 from 16 against the Knight Riders would suggest they haven’t invested a whole lot of trust in at least one of their regular middle-order batsmen.The fact that Maxwell had only made 48 off 56 balls over six innings before Saturday might suggest that the Kings XI had a reason to not trust him, but that begs two questions: One, why play him at all? And two, could his lack of form and rhythm have something to do with how the Kings XI have used him, or at least be part of the same vicious cycle?Maxwell came into this IPL season having just played two counterattacking, match-winning knocks – 77 off 59 and 108 off 90 – in three ODIs against England. T20 is an entirely different format, but that sort of ball-striking form surely can’t just disappear so quickly.But it can get misplaced if you’re playing in entirely different conditions, and you walk in time and again with not a lot of time to get used to those conditions.In three out of his seven IPL innings this season, Maxwell has finished not out having faced fewer than ten balls. On three of the other four occasions – against the Delhi Capitals, the Mumbai Indians and the Sunrisers Hyderabad – he’s failed to make a significant contribution after walking in with the Kings XI struggling in chases. He’s not been at or even close to his best, but he’s usually not come in with time to play himself in.It’s the job description of the middle-order hitter in T20s, of course: a lot to do in not a lot of time. But compare the situations Maxwell has walked into with the relative blank slates Rahul has at the start of his innings, and you might begin to see that different types of players get judged by different standards in T20 cricket. Recognising that, ask yourself this: what exactly does being the leading run-getter in a T20 league mean if your team has lost six out of seven games?
The Colorado Rockies are trading right-handed reliever Tyler Kinley to the Atlanta Braves, according to a report from Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.
The trade will send a prospect back to the Rockies.
The 34-year-old Kinley has accumulated a 5.66 ERA this season, but advanced analytics suggest he's been a better pitcher than his ERA shows. The Braves are hoping that he can be a reliable righty out of the bullpen for the second half of the season, while also giving the franchise the option to add another year of team control. Kinley is earning $3 million this year in the final year of his contract, but has a $5 million club option that Atlanta could exercise for 2026.
The Braves are a disappointing 45–61 this season, and sit in fourth-place in the NL East.
Liverpool have a remarkable aversion to confidently defending Premier League titles. This season and in 2021/22, the Reds have found themselves on a sticky wicket after reaching the top, and Arne Slot has to find the answers quickly.
In fairness, the endless rut the club have found themselves in this season looks to have abated. Liverpool have gone four games without defeat, though it would simply be incorrect to suggest that they are back to their best.
With Mohamed Salah’s uncertain future rumbling in the background, FSG are ready to reinforce the struggling champions with a winter recruit or two.
But it might be at the back, and not in attack, that Liverpool need to prioritise.
Liverpool ready to sign a centre-back
Ibrahima Konate is out of contract at the end of the season, and there is still no resolution in sight. Real Madrid have ended their interest in the French centre-back, though, such has been the severity of his dismal season.
Errors have come by the dozen. Couple that with Konate’s weakness in the build-up, exposed by Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure, and you can see that Liverpool desperately need a new elite partner to help the ageing Virgil van Dijk.
Last summer, Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi was the chosen man, and now, sporting director Richard Hughes is ready to return for him.
According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool remain in pole position for the Three Lions star, with FSG confident that a deal can be struck, considering that personal terms have already been agreed and the player is said to still view Anfield as his preferred destination.
However, Bayern Munich are pushing, and so if the Reds want to avoid any doubts before Guehi’s contract expires at the end of the season, they must bid around £20m to bring him over next month.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
However, Liverpool’s defensive crisis suggests that that might not be the worst idea in the world.
Why Liverpool must sign Guehi in January
Guehi, 25, is one of the best centre-backs in Europe. Over four years since leaving Chelsea and joining Crystal Palace, he has established himself as “an absolute Rolls Royce of a defender” who is “world-class calibre”, as put by academy coach David Matthews.
The England star is just now coming into his own, stretching toward a widely recognised elite status. Liverpool must ensure that they secure his services before someone else does, especially since it could revive Van Dijk.
There’s no denying that the Netherlands captain has been poor this season, lacking his typical authority and imperiousness at the back.
But then Liverpool’s dysfunctional system has promoted inconsistency, and Guehi could prove the upgrade on Konate needed to rekindle Van Dijk’s flame.
The Eagles star’s ball-playing game is more expansive and dynamic than Konate’s own, and alongside the 34-year-old Van Dijk, he would help create a wider variety of passing patterns than Liverpool fans have been treated to this year.
Looking at how Guehi compares to Konate in the Premier League this season, you can see that the Englishman has more quality on the ball while also proving more combative and mobile in protecting his backline. Palace, remember, have only conceded 12 goals in the league this season, a total bettered only by Arsenal.
Premier League 24/25 – Guehi vs Konate
Stats (per 90)
Guehi
Konate
Goals scored
0.14
0.00
Assists
0.14
0.00
Touches
62.50
78.88
Pass completion (%)
85.4
89.5
Progressive passes
5.21
4.26
Shot-creating actions
1.64
0.72
Progressive carries
1.21
1.16
Ball recoveries
4.00
2.96
Tackles + interceptions
3.00
2.24
Clearances
5.14
6.86
Aerial duels won
2.86
3.96
Errors
0.07
0.22
Data via FBref
Forget all the technical frills for a second; Guehi is quite simply much more composed on the ball than his Les Bleus counterpart, who has made so many mistakes this season.
Couple that with his progressiveness and intelligence when making forward passes, Guehi could be the perfect partner for the veteran skipper, who is still one of the best centre-halves in the business but is getting on a bit and could do with a stable partner who complements his strengths and adds synergy to the wider tactical system.
Liverpool make move for £88m Semenyo upgrade who can be "Ballon d'Or level"
Liverpool may need to sign a new winger given the unsavoury Mo Salah situation.