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شارك النجم الدولي المصري محمد صلاح، لاعب الفريق الأول بنادي ليفربول، في مباراة أتلتيكو مدريد ضمن منافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا.

واستضاف ليفربول بقيادة الهولندي آرني سلوت نظيره أتلتيكو مدريد مساء الأربعاء، في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة ومكة المكرمة، على ملعب “آنفيلد”.

وانتهت المباراة بفوز ليفربول 3-2 على رجال سيميوني ليستكمل المشوار القوي الذي بدأ الموسم به حتى الآن إذ لم يخسر الفريق الإنجليزي في أي مباراة حتى الآن بالموسم الجديد.

وخاض محمد صلاح، مباراة أتلتيكو مدريد أساسيًا ولعب حتى النهاية واستطاع أن يساهم في الهدف الأول والثاني. ملخص لمسات محمد صلاح في مباراة ليفربول وأتلتيكو مدريد

وبدأ محمد صلاح المباراة متحمسًا في بداية اللقاء وقام بإعاقة أحد لاعبي أتلتيكو مدريد في الثانية 56 من بداية المباراة وأطلقت ثاني صافرة للحكم بالمباراة باحتساب خطأ.

وساهم صلاح في الهدف الأول لـ ليفربول في الدقيقة 4 والذي أحرزه اللاعب أندي روبرتسون بعد تنفيذ ولا أروع من الملك المصري لركلة حرة مباشرة ارتطمت الكرة في الظهير الأيسر الأسكتلندي، خدعت أوبلاك وغيرت اتجاهها.

وسجل محمد صلاح، الهدف الثاني لصالح الريدز في الدقيقة 6 بعدما قاد الهجمة من جبهته ومرر الكرة إلى جرافنبيرخ الذي مررها ببراعة إلى صلاح الذي اخترق الدفاع ووضعها بيساره على يسار أوبلاك.

وفي الدقيقة 21 قام محمد صلاح باستلام تمريرة أكثر من رائعة من فيرجيل فان دايك بالجبهة اليُمنى، استلمها الملك المصري واخترق بالقرب من منطقة الجزاء وسدد الكرة بقدمه اليُسرى لكنها جاءت خلف القائم الأيمن لـ أوبلاك.

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وفي الدقيقة 31، تم إرسال تمريرة عالية سريعة خلف دفاع أتلتيكو لم يستلمها صلاح بل سددها مباشرة على مرمى أوبلاك لكنها ذهبت إلى المكان الذي يقف فيه وأمسكها بسهولة.

وفي الدقيقة 40، نفذ روبرتسون رمية تماس ومررها إلى إيزاك الذي خاض أول مباراة له بقميص ليفربول، وبعدها أوصل الكرة إلى محمد صلاح الذي سدد الكرة مباشرة على مرمى أوبلاك لكنه تصدى لها.

في الدقيقة 61، كان صلاح قريبًا من المرمى لكن الحكم أطلق صافرته واحتسب حالة تسلل على قائد منتخب مصر.

وفي الدقيقة 64 سدد محمد صلاح كرة أكثر من رائعة من منطقة الجزاء في انفراد تام بالمرمى الذي يحرسه الحارس يان أوبلاك لكنها ارتطمت بالعارضة اليُسرى للحارس السلوفاكي.

وفي الدقيقة 72، قدم محمد صلاح تمريرة رائعة وصلت إلى الفرنسي إيكتيكي الذي لم يتمكن من التعامل جيدًا مع كرته قبل اقتطاعها من الدفاع.

وفي الدقيقة الأخيرة من المباراة، كان محمد صلاح قريبًا للغاية من زيادة مساهماته بعد التمريرة الرائعة التي مررها إلى هوجو إيكتيكي لكنه أضاع الفرصة بغرابة شديدة.

Regis Le Bris certainly loves raiding his native homeland of France for some gems to add to his ever-expanding Sunderland camp.

Indeed, Lorient-born ace Enzo Le Fee was the first major statement purchase on Le Bris’ end when calling back to his birthplace.

It’s safe to say the midfielder made an instant impact on Wearside, registering an amazing assist against Middlesbrough and then scoring against Luton within his first few months at the club.

Now, Le Bris seems intent on exploring the French market once again.

Sunderland eyeing £14m star after Diarra

Habib Diarra will be the next to join in a similar vein, having been a top performer in Ligue 1 for some time now, which was the Black Cats’ manager’s old stomping ground before the Stadium of Light came calling.

Diarra will allegedly cost a club record £30m to obtain but that won’t stop Sunderland in their tracks when it comes to adding even more diamonds who have recently called the French top division home.

As per a report from Italian outlet Corriere Dello Sport, which has been relayed by, Roker Report, Sunderland are keen on adding AFC Bournemouth outcast Hamed Traore to their growing ranks this summer.

It’s stated that Fiorentina, Parma, Sassuolo, and Marseille are all interested in snapping up the £14m-rated attacker alongside Le Bris’ men, with this frenzied interest coming about off the back of Traore setting Ligue 1 alight last season out on loan at Auxerre.

Still, despite coming into his own in France, The Cherries are adamant they want to get rid, with it being stated that the South Coast outfit are undergoing a squad refresh.

Subsequently, Sunderland could be about to pick up another gem who was a standout performer in Ligue 1 last season, with Traore and Diarra as a duo giving the Black Cats lots of quality ahead of their voyage up a division.

Why Traore would be great alongside Diarra

Traore had shown in flashes for Bournemouth that he can also handle the tricky terrain of the Premier League, before tumbling down the pecking order, with a single goal coming his way from 13 Cherries appearances.

He will hope he can kick on and add even more goals to his slim top-flight collection if Sunderland do come calling, with the Ivorian showing off his obvious class in Ligue 1 last season for Auxerre, bouncing back having initially struggled on the south coast.

In total, Traore fired home a mightily impressive ten goals and picked up two assists across 26 Auxerre appearances, with his ability to play all across the forward positions as a left or right winger, alongside being capable as a number 10, making him an even better pick-up for Le Bris.

Diarra can offer the same eye for a goal and assist that Traore possesses, but from a more central place on the pitch, whether that be as a number 10 or as a more defensive anchor, with the pair together perhaps forming a healthy working relationship in both making the jump to move to Wearside shortly.

Games played

26

30

Goals scored

10

4

Assists

2

5

Touches*

42.2

43.5

Shots*

2.6

0.9

Accurate passes*

17.4 (78%)

26.3 (87%)

Key passes*

1.1

0.9

Big chances missed

5

2

Big chances created

4

9

Total duels won*

4.9

3.3

The similarities don’t just end at their comparable levels of electric output, however, with Diarra and Traore both willing to battle for their team’s cause too, notably winning a high number of duels.

This would make them very valuable members of Le Bris’ relegation-threatened squad, with the “magnificent” attacker – as he’s been glowingly labelled by scout Jacek Kulig – ready for a chance to prove himself in the Premier League again, after exploding into life on French soil.

With Diarra also being hailed as a “complete midfielder” by analyst Ben Mattinson, these are two buys that could well see Sunderland stay afloat next season, with more signings past these two surely expected as the Black Cats continue to conduct their business at a blistering pace.

​​​​​​​

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أجرى رودري لاعب خط وسط منتخب إسبانيا، مؤتمراً صحفياً قبل لقاء تركيا، في الجولة الثانية من تصفيات أوروبا المؤهلة لمونديال 2026.

وقال رودري في مؤتمر صحفي نقلته صحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية: “أنا سعيد جداً بالعودة للمنتخب، لقد كان عام طويل جداً بالنسبة لي، أنا في كامل طاقتي وأتمتع بلياقة بدنية ممتازة، حتى الآن لعبت مباراتين مع فريقي وأبذل قصارى جهدي لاستعادة لياقتي”.

وعن زميله في المنتخب زوبيمندي: “يذكرني بأيام تواجدي مع بوسكيتس، من دواعي سروري أن يكون لدينا لاعبون بهذه الجودة العالية في جميع المراكز، ما قدمناه كان مذهلاً، خسرنا دوري الأمم بركلات الترجيح”.

وتابع: “زوبيمندي لاعب رائع وقادر على الوصول للقمة، إن لم يكن قد وصل لها بالفعل، إنه تحد كبير أن ينتقل للبريميرليج للعب مع آرسنال، وأرى كثير من التطورات الإيجابية، لقد استحق مكانه في المنتخب وقدم أداء رائعًا في نهائي كأس الأمم الأوروبية وطوال العام”.

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وعن الكرة الذهبية وفوزه بها في وقت سابق، أكمل رودري تصريحاته: “مررت بلحظات من الأفضل والأسوأ على التوالي، كان تأثير الإصابة أكبر بكثير من الكرة الذهبية، كانت نفس منعش في مرحلة كنت أمر بوقت عصيب، أنا سعيد بهذا التكريم لكن لا فائدة منه لما هو قادم، أريد العودة لأعلى المستويات”.

وعن لامين يامال، قال: “إنه انعكاس لما أتمناه له، يضع موهبته في خدمة الفريق وكرة القدم، لاعبون أكثر خبرة مثلي شاهدوا لاعبين يضيعون أحياناً لكن لامين لديه رؤية واضحة جداً، نحن هنا لمساعدته، أراه سعيداً مبتسماً ويطور مهاراته لأن ذلك سيكون معنى النجاح في بلدنا”.

وعن رأيه في الفائز بالكرة الذهبية، تابع: “جائزة صعبة، لدي تفضيلات لزملائي، باريس كان فريق الموسم ومن الصعب تخيل لاعب منهم لا يفوز بها، لكن من باب التعاطف أفضل لامين أو بيدري، ولكن بناء على الجدارة والاستحقاقية قد يكون ديمبلى أو فيتينيا”.

وعن أخطر لاعبي تركيا أتم رودري تصريحاته: “هم فريق رائع، ليس فقط على المستوى الفردي بل الجماعي، فريق قوي جداً متماسك لكن لاعبين مثل جولر وشالهان أوجلو قادران على صناعة الفرق، نركز عليهما وغداً علينا أن نبذل قصارى جهدنا”.

وحول المنافسة على المركز الأول في تصفيات أوروبا ختم رودري تصريحاته: “كل الاحتمالات مفتوحة، لعبنا مباراة واحدة فقط، غداً ستكون المباراة النهائية والفائز لديه فرصة احتلال المركز الأول، الفريق الأكثر ثباتاً في الأداء سيتأهل”.

It might not even be July, but Arsenal feel like they’re falling behind in the transfer window.

Manchester City have already signed a handful of incredible players, including Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders, Manchester United have picked up Matheus Cunha, and Chelsea got Liam Delap through the door at the start of the month.

However, the most significant transfer to be completed by a rival, and the most worrying for the Gunners’ Premier League prospects next season, has been Liverpool’s acquisition of Florian Wirtz.

The German international has been the talk of the window so far, and it looks like he could be a superstar for the Reds.

How Wirtz compares to Premier League stars

With the level of excitement that has followed Wirtz to Liverpool and the enormous £116.5m fee it took to get him out of Bayer Leverkusen, there is an expectation from fans and rivals alike that the German will hit the ground running next season.

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With that in mind, how do his numbers from this season stack up against some of the more prominent attacking midfielders in the league?

Well, given the amount of money he has cost the Reds, it should come as no surprise that none of the Premier League’s top attacking midfielders were more productive than the 22-year-old across all competitions last year.

Wirtz

45

16

15

0.68

Odegaard

45

6

12

0.40

Palmer

48

15

12

0.56

Fernandes

57

19

19

0.66

De Bruyne

40

6

8

0.35

Rogers

54

14

15

0.53

Gibbs-White

38

7

10

0.44

Szoboszlai

49

8

9

0.34

Eze

43

14

11

0.58

Maddison

45

12

11

0.51

In his 45 appearances, the former Leverkusen gem produced 31 goal involvements, which comes out to an average of 0.68 per game, and the only player to get close to that was Bruno Fernandes, whose 38 goal involvements in 57 appearances came out to an average of 0.66 per game.

Bringing it back to Arsenal, the sad reality is that the team’s captain and previously mercurial Martin Odegaard didn’t get anywhere near to being as productive as the man of the moment.

In fact, the Gunners’ Norwegian leader was only able to score six goals and provide 12 assists in 45 appearances this season, which comes out to a rather underwhelming average of 0.40 goal involvements per game.

In short, the North Londoners’ midfield maestro appears to be no match for the effectiveness of Liverpool’s new superstar.

Still, it’s not all doom and gloom, as Mikel Arteta has his own monster talent at the Emirates, someone worth millions more than Wirtz.

The Arsenal star worth millions more than Wirtz

While Arsenal are blessed with an abundance of talent, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that there are not many players worth more than the monstrous fee Wirtz has cost Liverpool.

However, one of those players who is worth more is, of course, the simply sensational Bukayo Saka.

According to the CIES Football Observatory, the Hale End icon is worth up to €157.3m, which converts to about £135m, or £18.5 more than the Liverpool star’s price tag.

Now, there will undoubtedly be some out there who look at such a price and rubbish it, but if we look at how the pair stacked up against one another this season, it might be easier to see where the CIES were coming from.

For example, despite missing over three months of action, the “world-class” winger, as dubbed by Rio Ferdinand, was able to score 12 goals and provide 14 assists in just 37 appearances, which comes out to an average of 0.70 goal involvements per game – 0.02 better than the German.

Moreover, when we look under the hood at their respective underlying numbers, the 23-year-old international once again comes out looking better.

For example, he produces a higher non-penalty expected goals plus assists figure while also playing more key passes and making more tackles, which only helps to demonstrate the way in which he takes responsibility for all areas of the game.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.71

0.50

Non-Penalty G+As

0.78

0.77

Progressive Passes

3.65

6.74

Progressive Carries

5.00

5.02

Shots

3.44

2.83

Shots on Target

1.15

1.34

Passing Accuracy

75.5%

78.3%

Key Passes

3.02

2.18

Shot-Creating Actions

6.09

5.66

Goal-Creating Actions

1.20

0.99

Tackles

1.51

1.23

Ultimately, it’s this ability to have an outsized impact on the attacking side of the game while still putting in the dirty work while still being relatively young that makes Saka so valuable, and if he continues on his current trajectory, we aren’t sure Wirtz’s valuation will ever catch up.

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Burnley will be very aware that possessing a feared striker will undoubtedly help their chances of staying up in the Premier League next season.

Unfortunately, they didn’t have that at their disposal during the 2023/24 campaign, which ultimately ended in relegation, leading to the goal-shy Clarets only firing home 41 strikes from 38 contests.

Therefore, it wouldn’t be the biggest shock in the world if Scott Parker was now on the hunt for a fresh striker that can cause Premier League defences all sorts of bother.

Arguably, the promoted Lancashire outfit have struggled in this department ever since Chris Wood left Turf Moor in 2022, with the New Zealand international going on to bigger and better things at the City Ground, whilst his former employers attempted to plug his notable gap.

Wood's heroics at Burnley

Now, it goes without saying that the 33-year-old is a Premier League-recognised goal machine.

But when he joined the Clarets in the summer of 2017 for a club-record fee of £15m, he had only ever briefly played in the top division, away from regularly strutting his stuff in the Championship.

Yet, after five goal-heavy seasons donning a Burnley strip, Wood had very much announced himself to the Premier League, with the 33-year-old ending his successful stay with the Clarets by bagging 53 strikes in total from 165 games.

Therefore, it was always going to be a gruelling process to replace such a significant part of many a Clarets team, with a whole host of attackers failing to replicate or live up to Wood’s potency in the seasons that followed his departure to St James’ Park.

Zian Flemming

24/25

Champ

31

14

Zeki Amdouni

23/24

PL

37

6

Rodriguez

22/23

Champ

30

10

Jay Rodriguez

21/22

PL

35

7

Whilst Zian Flemming did help himself to a sizeable 14 strikes last season on the way to promotion being sealed, the Clarets really have lacked a commanding striker presence in the top-flight ever since Wood’s exit, away from some competent performances here and there from the likes of Zeki Amdouni and Jay Rodriguez.

Parker’s men could change this ongoing narrative, however, by swooping in for this former star who has been tentatively linked with a switch back to familiar pastures.

How Burnley could land their their best ST since Wood

Alongside a deep desire to possess a goal machine in the Premier League again, the newly promoted side will also be desperate to consolidate themselves as a top-flight regular once more.

To help with that, the Clarets could look to bring back former star Danny Ings, with journalist Graeme Bailey stating that the 32-year-old dramatically returning to Turf Moor should not be ruled out amidst the veteran being looked at by Birmingham City and Wrexham.

After all, before the much-talked-about spell of Wood came to be, the “clinical” forward – as he has been previously praised by journalist Leanne Prescott – was the original poacher Burnley relied upon to get them out of sticky situations.

In total, the 5-foot-10 menace would tally up a hefty 43 goals for the Clarets across 130 games, bolstering his 72-goal record in the top division subsequently.

Therefore, whilst he is more known now for injury issue after injury issue at West Ham United, Burnley could be prepared to take a punt on their former striker coming good again in their pursuit to win a Premier League-proven star.

After all, Ings did manage to collect a healthy eight goals from 15 top-flight starts during the 2022/23 season for the Hammers and Villa, before his injury problems settled in.

He would also cost nothing to bring in, amid his expiring Hammers contract, meaning Parker and Co. might well look very smug down the line if he proves to be a hit once more in becoming their most prolific attacker since Wood’s dominance.

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Looking to get their summer business underway, Everton are now reportedly battling to sign a Premier League winner who would instantly become their highest earner.

Everton set to miss out on Liam Delap to Chelsea

Although the summer transfer window is yet to officially get underway, Everton have already reportedly been handed their first rejection courtesy of Liam Delap. The Toffees presented their project to the Ipswich Town star in an attempt to convince him that a step towards David Moyes’ side would suit this stage of his career rather than an instant jump into the Premier League’s top six. As right as that argument could prove to be, however, it was not enough to convince the talented striker.

Set to turn Everton and Manchester United down as well as others in favour of a move to Chelsea this summer, Delap’s decision will disappoint those in Merseyside who would have seen their frontline transformed.

Moyes even confirmed Everton’s interest in Delap earlier this month, telling reporters when asked about Delap: “He spoke to three or four clubs. He’s given us our opportunity to pitch our case. We’re probably a little bit behind the black ball but hopefully, you never know what happens.”

Now, however, the Toffees must turn to alternative options in pursuit of improving Moyes’ frontline this summer. And whilst names such as Gustavo Hamers have already been mentioned, Everton could first push to sign a Premier League-winning attacking addition when the transfer window swings open.

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It would be some statement from the Friedkin Group and one that could instantly ease Everton’s Delap woes.

Everton now looking to sign Jack Grealish from Man City

According to The Boot Room, Everton are now battling AC Milan and a host of other clubs to sign Jack Grealish this summer, with Manchester City willing to allow the attacking midfielder to leave on loan in the coming months. Alongside the Toffees and Milan, Aston Villa, Napoli, Newcastle and West Ham are also keen, as are clubs in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

The former Aston Villa star has won all there is to win at the Etihad, including three Premier League titles, but may look back on his spell at Manchester City with slight frustration, having never truly hit the heights that his £100m price tag suggested he could. Now, after being left out of Pep Guardiola’s squad on the final day of the Premier League season, an exit seems increasingly likely.

That said, even on loan, a deal to sign Grealish may not come cheap. If he completed a summer switch to Everton, for example, then he would instantly become their highest earner by some distance at £300,000-a-week.

Jack Grealish

£300,000

Jordan Pickford

£125,000

Idrissa Gueye

£120,000

James Tarkowski

£100,000

Michael Keane

£80,000

Earning over double what Pickford earns at Everton, the pressure would certainly be on Grealish to perform. In regards to how difficult a deal could be to complete, meanwhile, things are likely to be made that much easier by the fact that the Manchester City man is represented by the same CAA Stellar agency as Jordan Pickford.

Aston Villa have expressed their interest in signing an African attacker who prefers an assist to scoring a goal.

Rashford and Asensio starring for Aston Villa as NSWE eye permanent moves

Into the quarter-finals of the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain and pushing for another top-four finish in the Premier League, it has been a positive start to 2025 for Unai Emery’s side.

The Spaniard was backed by NSWE in January with loan deals for Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio from Manchester United and PSG respectively. Both have starred in recent weeks for Villa, and there have already been claims that Villa are plotting a permanent move for Asensio that could be worth £25m.

With Rashford, it is believed that Villa are best placed to sign the forward on a full-time basis. Those in the Midlands have a £40m option to buy, and ex-scout Mick Brown thinks Villa are in pole position to sign Rashford.

“Marcus going out on loan has been a win-win. There was no way his situation at Man United was going to improve, so from that point of view he’s gone away and improved his position. There’s never been any doubt about Marcus’ talent, and now he’s found a platform to display that.

“Aston Villa have gained from it because they were brave enough to take him on loan. Now, I think they’ll be in the best position to keep him on a permanent deal even though there’s going to be interest from elsewhere.”

Games

11

Goals

3

Assists

4

Games

10

Goals

8

Assists

1

Ahead of the summer, NSWE and Villa have been identifying new targets, and they may have found a star in the making who is catching the eye across Europe.

Aston Villa make approach for 18 y/o attacker Rodolfo Aloko

According to reports from Spain, relayed by Sport Witness, Aston Villa are one of the clubs circling to sign Rodolfo Aloko, who is currently plying his trade in Croatia with NK Kustosija.

The 18-year-old is primarily an attacking midfielder but has been described as a very fast and powerful striker who is difficult to stop when at full speed.

Villa have seemingly made an approach by expressing their interest in Aloko, however, they are not alone, with RB Salzburg and PSV Eindhoven doing the same. Sevilla have also scouted Aloko in action for Benin and are thought to be ahead in the race, with the attacker in and out of Kustosija’s first team and reserves.

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It is added that Aloko actually enjoys assisting more than scoring goals and that Kustosija will want a ‘decent fee’ to part ways with their talented African over the coming months.

By the looks of things, a move to Villa for Aloko could be one to keep an eye on, where he may join the likes of Rory Wilson in the club’s academy looking to eventually progress into the first team.

With a limited time left in the game, Marizanne Kapp is focusing on how much she can still do and not how much she shouldn’t

Firdose Moonda03-Oct-2024If you, like me, have wondered what the point of women playing one-off Tests – often with no red-ball domestic structure to help them prepare – is, Marizanne Kapp has the answer.”That 150 against England, when we were in so much trouble, changed the way I approached batting,” she told ESPNcricinfo. “Just prior to that, I started working a lot with [former New Zealand men’s international] Kruger van Wyk, who is our fielding coach. We just worked on a few mental things and upped my game. I used to be someone that had to hit and bowl a million balls before games and I really worked hard to taper down on that so that by match day I am not so fatigued. I’ve also really worked on just being a little bit more aggressive and if it’s in my area going after the bowlers.”The match Kapp is referring to took place in June 2022 in Taunton and was South Africa’s first Test in more than seven years. They were put in to bat and found themselves 47 for 4 when Kapp got to the crease. She batted for most of the rest of innings – four hours and 26 minutes in total – and faced 213 balls for her 150, and then everything changed.Related

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In 20 ODIs after that knock, Kapp scored a staggering 836 runs at an average of 59.71 (compared to a career-average of 34.33) including two of her three hundreds. In 23 T20Is, she scored 486 runs at 27.00 (up from an overall average of 20.98), improved her strike rate from 103.58 to 130.99 and decreased her balls-per-boundary rate to 5.62 from 11.73 in the three years prior to that.That means Kapp has gone from scoring a boundary every two overs, to one every over, which in the shortest format makes a massive difference, and proves she has joined the women’s power-hitting revolution. “I’ve really started to back myself in hitting the ball, whether it’s my first three balls or whether I’ve faced 30 balls,” she said. “These days you have to adapt, be more aggressive, and keep on working on your game. I feel like in T20 cricket or even in ODI cricket if you look, the girls are starting to reach scores of 280, 300 and above. It’s not the same as years ago where you [could] just take your time.”Kapp’s own role is also not the same as it was a few years ago, where she slotted into South Africa’s middle order after the likes of Lizelle Lee, Dane van Niekerk and Mignon du Preez. All three are now retired, which presented South Africa with the opportunity to play Kapp up the order at No. 3, where she has been since January last year. And that wasn’t the first time she found herself in such a key batting position. She was initially put there in 2017 by Surrey Stars in the Women’s Super League in England. Kapp was the competition’s fourth-highest run-scorer, behind Rachel Priest, Suzie Bates and Ellyse Perry, and later had some games in the same position in the WBBL and WPL.”I’m a big believer in the leagues even though it takes so much out of me. I feel like the leagues are probably the reason that I’ve really started to put in big performances in international cricket,” Kapp said. “The leagues bring a different level of competitiveness. You bowl and bat in different areas in a game in these leagues. You get used to playing in semi-finals and finals with massive crowds. I’ve learned how to finish games in leagues. If you look at our international schedule, even if you play all the games, how many times will you find yourself in a situation where you have to finish off a game? It doesn’t always work out that way. In the leagues, I’ve been in that situation a lot.”

“I take most of my wickets in the powerplay and we need me to strike and almost protect those younger bowlers a little bit more, so that they can come in after the powerplay, where they can have their four fielders and bowl to their plans”Marizanne Kapp

Though Kapp is an advocate of prioritising leagues in the schedule, like most cricketers she still thinks there is “nothing better than playing for your country and playing in World Cups”, especially as South Africa continue to improve.Last year, they reached a final for the first time even though “we probably didn’t play our best cricket” but “managed to rock up on the day of the semi-final and performed”.This year, there’s expectation growing at home that they can go one better, even though they are without a key member of their last squad, Shabnim Ismail, who has retired. Without her, South Africa have lost significant bowling experience and quality and Kapp, once again, finds herself in a position of increased responsibility.Along with her higher batting role, she also expects to continue opening the bowling. “I still believe I have a massive role to play with the ball. Experience is something you can’t buy and we saw that with Shabnim leaving, it leaves a big hole in our bowling line-up,” Kapp said. “Our bowling line-up has always been world-class but we’ve had a few changes. I take most of my wickets in the powerplay and we need me to strike and almost protect those younger bowlers a little bit more, so that they can come in after the powerplay, where they can have their four fielders and bowl to their plans.”Kapp’s understanding of her new-ball job is spot on. Since the start of 2023, she has taken 70% of her total wickets in the first six overs – 48 at an average of 16.31 – and it is also where she is most difficult to get away. She goes at 5.36 runs per over in the powerplay, and 7.94 from overs seven to 20. Her ability to find swing upfront continues to make her a big threat and in T20s, she is open to bowling her full complement of overs early. “If it’s going well and it’s my day, we’ve been letting me bowl three or even four overs sometimes. If you can get one of those big sides on the back foot, you’re halfway there.””It just took me one or two knocks against the big sides and my confidence just doubled”•BCCIBut that doesn’t mean Kapp hasn’t taken stock of what she’s putting herself through. “If you have to look at allrounders at the moment, your big allrounders all over the world, none of them really still opens the bowling and bats top order like what I’m doing currently,” she said. “So even if I was younger, it’s a big ask and a tough ask in international cricket.”Especially for someone like her, who has also had health struggles. Kapp had Covid-19 four times and has also missed matches with other illnesses. She thinks some of it is down to her diet as a vegetarian, but has seen improvement since the team added a doctor to the permanent support staff.”We’ve had the doctor for quite a while and she’s been guiding me and helping me and making sure that my food is sorted,” Kapp said. “I’m getting older and my body is getting older in the sense that if you look at the amount of cricket I play, for example. This is going to be my tenth year of Big Bash and it can be tough to do both skills full out.”It can also be rewarding and with a limited time left in the game – Kapp is thought to be eyeing next year’s 50-over World Cup as a swansong of sorts – she’s focusing on how much she can still do and not how much she shouldn’t. “It just took me one or two knocks against the big sides and my confidence just doubled. Now, I believe I can do it as a batter as well, not only as a bowler.”

Two defining performances in India’s 2007 triumph, and two five-fors from Sri Lankan legends

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Oct-2022Voting for these match-ups has ended. Yuvraj Singh’s 70 and Rangana Herath’s 5-3 move to the semi-finals.RP Singh’s 4-13 vs Yuvraj Singh’s 704-13 vs SA | RP Singh | Durban, 2007
India were defending 153 in a must-win contest to make the semi-finals, and RP Singh’s sensational effort ensured it was more than enough. He made the perfect start, trapping Herschelle Gibbs lbw with an inswinger, and two balls later induced an edge from Graeme Smith that was taken by Dinesh Karthik in the slips. In his third over, a vicious yorker – arguably the ball of the tournament – swung into Shaun Pollock’s leg stump. South Africa could have made the semi-finals if they got to 126, but RP Singh ended those hopes by bowling Albie Morkel.70 (30) vs AUS | Yuvraj Singh | Durban, 2007
India’s young side had made a slow start in the T20 World Cup semi-final and were 41 for 2 at the end of the eighth over. Yuvraj Singh began with a swivel-pull against Stuart Clark – one of the best bowlers of the tournament – for six off the second ball he faced, and smashed a 119-metre pick-up shot off Brett Lee in the next over. His entire innings was like a highlights reel: the 70 off 30 balls included five sixes and as many fours, and he almost single-handedly took India to a match-winning 188.ESPNcricinfo LtdLasith Malinga’s 5-31 vs Rangana Herath’s 5-35-31 vs ENG | Lasith Malinga | Pallekele, 2012
Hosts Sri Lanka were defending 169, and Lasith Malinga all but knocked out defending champions England in his opening over. Luke Wright, Jonny Bairstow and Alex Hales were all dismissed in the third over of the chase, and Jos Buttler and Samit Patel were accounted for later. This was far from peak Malinga – he did not hit his yorkers as reliably as he generally did – but the sight of a fantastic fast bowler causing havoc was a sight to behold.5-3 vs NZ | Rangana Herath | Chattogram, 2014
Sri Lanka’s rousing T20 World Cup triumph may have never happened but for a spell of wizardry in the final Group 1 match. Chasing 120 under lights – with evening dew around – New Zealand were mugged by one of the great T20 spells. Rangana Herath wove a web of deception with his subtle skills. He didn’t concede a run until his 14th ball, delivered 18 dots in 3.3 overs, removed four of the top six, ran out Martin Guptill, and returned to the attack to complete his five-for.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Trouble is brewing and the strongest shall win

Alan Gardner14-Sep-2020You may well have heard of the ongoing “culture wars” dividing modern society (basically just a glorified term for the actions of certain men who want to play computer games without being told to tidy their rooms) – but news has reached the Light Roller this month of a far more serious rift. The normally carefree troupe of globetrotting hipsters known as the Australia cricket team has split into rival factions based around their preferences for coffee.Clearly, dealing with life in the biosecure bubble while on their tour of England has taken a toll. Discussing the situation in an emotional, socially distanced interview, Kane Richardson spilled the beans (organic, hand-picked) on the group’s descent into caffeine-fuelled nihilism, hitting out at diminutive legspinner and haircut wearer Adam Zampa for being a “coffee snob” who had never extended him an invite to the famous Love Café.(As watchers of will know, the Love Café was founded in response to the crisis that engulfed Australian cricket following the 2018 sandpaper affair. Zampa and Marcus Stoinis are the designated “rare units” who front the operation, with the goal of fostering a more caring, sharing environment within the national team. There is also an aim to teach Stoinis how to play legspin but they haven’t got round to that part yet.)Richardson revealed that he has taken to patronising the newly established outlet of batsman-barista David Warner, adding warmly that “to me it all tastes the same”. Marnus Labuschagne has also tried to claim a slice of the market with what connoisseurs describe as a homespun brew that looks a bit funny but gets the job done – though given he is only open for business when not batting in the nets (or throwing for Steven Smith in the nets), success is believed to have been limited.Furthermore, rumours that Smith was considering switching to coffee from tea, in a move that could help unite the warring parties, have been dismissed by well-placed sources who point out that he could never betray his preference for exotic leaves.While captain Aaron Finch has so far managed to maintain appearances of elite mateship, mainly by overseeing a series of team-bonding latte art sessions, there are fears more serious cultural issues may once again be percolating through the Australian system. Dressing-room feuds such Warne v Waugh or Katich v Clarke are nothing new, but the emergence of this latest beef/vegan-friendly meat substitute could tear the squad apart. What might be the consequences, for instance, of Pat Cummins starting up a cold brew movement, or Glenn Maxwell experimenting with kombucha?Remember, as the old saying goes, a team is only as strong as its weakest pot of vacuum-brewed single-origin fair-trade Sumatran.

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Australia’s old guard, meanwhile, continue to cherish their status as unappointed moral arbiters of the sport, diligently policing “the line” wherever they go. Ricky Ponting has been quite clear about which line he doesn’t want R Ashwin to cross during the IPL – that is the notional, “spirit of cricket” perimeter beyond which lies the lawless world of running out a non-striker for backing up (NB: completely the Laws). However, it seems after a chat with Ashwin, he has now noticed the actual, physical white line that non-strikers keep sauntering past, too. “I think something has to happen with the laws of the game to make sure batsmen can’t cheat,” said a perplexed Ponting. Quite right, too, Ricky. But what possible solution could there be?

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From the IPL to the Svenska Cricketförbundet – quite literally, in the case of Jonty Rhodes, who will head for Scandinavia after the completion of his stint with Kings XI Punjab in the UAE. Tempting as it is to make the joke that Sweden is one of the few places whiter than South African cricket, Rhodes has spoken openly in support of transformation and his own experience of privilege growing up – and we wish him great success in helping to establish the game in what looks to be an inhospitable foreign clime. Here’s hoping he is able to assemble a capable team quicker than you can say ubiquitous flat-pack furniture manufacturer and is back at an ICC event in the very near future, leading a bunch of tall, chiselled Nordic types who are all absolute guns in the field. Just don’t ask questions about how they will handle the knockout rounds.