The New Zealand batsman struck twin centuries as Auckland were routed by 256 runs

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Nov-2017

Jesse Ryder’s twin centuries powered Central Districts to their first victory in the Plunket Shield this season, handing Auckland a 256-run drubbing in Nelson.Ryder’s 237-ball 175 in the first innings, his 24th first-class hundred, rescued Central Districts from a precarious 51 for 4. He stitched two century stands to rally the side: 149 with Dane Cleaver (56) for the fifth wicket and152 with Doug Bracewell (97) for the sixth wicket. Once Bracewell fell, three short of a third first-class century, Ryder and Bevan Small added 62 runs for the seventh wicket at a rapid clip to propel Central Districts to an eventual score of 472. Small contributed a brisk 64, while Ryder fell to Lockie Ferguson, who went on to complete a five-for.Ryder’s second-innings century, on the other hand, allowed Central Districts to set Auckland a mammoth fourth-innings target of 426. Having secured a 123-run first-innings lead by the third day, Central Districts needed quick runs to force a result and Ryder delivered that with an unbeaten 106 off 107 balls. He and Cleaver (88) again put together a century stand – in this instance, 161 for the fifth wicket – as Central Districts soared from 141 for 4 to a declaration at 302 for 5 in 62.4 overs. Auckland were further hampered by the absence of Ferguson, who did not bowl due to a fractured finger.Central Districts’ first-innings lead was largely set up the pace trio of Bracewell, Seth Rance and Blair Tickner, who took three wickets each to counter half-centuries from Auckland captain Michael Guptill-Bunce (78) and Mark Chapman (72). Guptill-Bunce and Chapman tried to prop the innings with half-century partnerships, while a handy 45-run last-wicket stand lifted Auckland to 349.Three of Auckland’s top four fell to pace in their chase of 426, with Rance dismissing a set Guptill-Bunce and Michael Barry in consecutive overs. With Ferguson absent hurt, Auckland were one batsman short and once the early wickets had falled, Ajaz Patel swept up the middle order with 3 for 59.

Manchester United should consider reviving previous interest this summer in one of the most dynamic forwards in Europe, as Erik ten Hag weighs up his options for the remainder of the transfer window.

The Dutchman’s side got off to winning ways, however the narrative of the game was far from the three points, with club in crisis Wolves outplaying the Red Devils for the majority of the fixture.

With other clubs around United continuing to be active in the market, Ten Hag could take his side to the next level by exploring rumoured targets of the past that are still available to chase.

Who could Manchester United sign this summer?

After acquiring the talents of Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana, Mason Mount and Jonny Evans, United could seek further firepower by dipping back in the pool of Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix.

Read the latest Man United transfer news HERE…

Reported in Spain earlier in the summer, the Red Devils had interest in the 23-year-old, who has become an outsider in Madrid due to a frail relationship with Diego Simeone.

After a half-season loan in the Premier League at Chelsea, Felix returned to La Liga however, the transfer window has been full of speculation regarding his future, with his price tag said to be set around £80m.

How many goals has Joao Felix scored?

At just 23, the dynamic and versatile striker has netted 72 domestic goals, as well as scoring on five occasions for his country.

Described as “exquisite” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, the Portuguese sensation was snatched by Atletico at just 19-years-old, with the Spaniards paying a blockbuster fee of £113m to obtain his talent.

The season prior to his arrival in Spain, the teenager contributed to 24 goals in 26 Primeira Liga appearances for Benfica, showcasing to the world just how prolific he can be with the ball at his feet.

Now, Felix finds himself searching for a new challenge, with his future far from Madrid despite him being under contract with the club until 2027.

In capturing the 23-year-old dynamo, Ten Hag could significantly improve the attack on show at Old Trafford, with the striker’s versatility making him such an interesting acquisition for many.

Deployable on either flank, leading the line or most prominently as a second striker with a partner, the former Chelsea loanee could be the perfect capture for the Dutchman to play alongside new signing Hojlund.

Arriving from Atalanta for a bumper fee of £72m, the 20-year-old has a weight of expectation on his shoulders, with the move questioned due to him scoring just nine goals in Serie A last term.

In signing Felix, Ten Hag could not only gift the Denmark international an intricate striker partner, but a player that could ease the pressure from the youngster, in a partnership that could blossom at Old Trafford.

A keen creator, the Portuguese talent is accustomed to playing alongside a main striker, doing so expertly with Atletico behind the likes of Alvaro Morata, who dubbed the youngster as “special”.

It’s an extensive job to be expected to lead the line for a club such as Manchester United, even more so in the Premier League, and even more so as a 20-year-old with a £72m price tag on your head.

Felix could encourage the raw talents of Hojlund to perform with the help of his experience in playing the league already, paired with his knowledge in forming relationships with lead strikers throughout his impressive career so far.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsBrendon McCullum looks to paddle•Raton Gomes

Rangpur Riders came back to winning ways after their seven-run win over Sylhet Sixers at the Shere Bangla National Stadium. Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum lived up to their billing as the star opening act but the Bangladeshi duo, Sabbir Rahman and Nasir Hossain , gave Rangpur a real scare before Sylhet’s chase faded away.Rangpur now have two wins in five outings while Sylhet continue to struggle, losing for the fourth time. They haven’t won a game since leaving their home territory almost two weeks ago.The storm finally makes land-fallGayle played out a maiden over bowled by Hossain, a sure sign of settling down for the Jamaican giant. As he took things slowly, McCullum swatted Shuvagata Hom for two sixes in the second over before Danushka Gunathilaka dropped McCullum’s offering of a return catch in the fourth over.In the following over, Gayle officially got underway in the BPL. He slammed Nasir over his head for his first six before Gunathilaka was tonked for two sixes in a row, on either side of long on. He hit his fourth and fifth sixes off Liam Plunkett and Nasir, both over the square leg-side field.Rangpur’s slowdownWhen Nasir got McCullum in the ninth over, Rangpur started to slow down. McCullum had made 33 off 21 balls with three fours and as many sixes; in the 11th over it was Gayle who left, bowled by Abul Hasan for 50 off 39 balls, with his five sixes and two fours.With the destructive pair gone, Mohammad Mithun and Shahriar Nafees played out 14 balls without going anywhere before Andre Fletcher took a superb catch at backward point to get rid of Nafees in the 13th over. Only Ravi Bopara hit a six among the middle-order batsmen, as Rangpur reached 169-7 in 20 overs.Hasan finished with 2 for 24 from his four overs while there was a wicket each for Nasir, Bresnan and Plunkett.Sylhet lose three quicklySohag Gazi got the initial breakthrough, removing Gunathilaka in the second over. Babar Azam, playing his first match for Sylhet, holed out to deep midwicket off Mashrafe Mortaza before Andre Fletcher’s dismissal in the fourth over, caught behind off Rubel Hossain, made it 25 for three.Sabbir takes overSabbir and Nasir played well thereafter, for the first time in the tournament. The pair added 117 runs for the fourth wicket, taking only 13.4 overs. Sabbir made 70 off 49 balls with seven fours and two sixes but when he fell in the 18th over, Sylhet slipped out of the chase.Nasir ended up unbeaten on 50 off 43 balls with a four and a six while Tim Bresnan struck a six off the last ball but to no avail.Mashrafe, Sohag, Rubel and Thisara Perera took one wicket each as they combined to bring the big-spending Rangpur side a much-needed win.

Newcastle United's transfer window is close to bolting its latch, with manager Eddie Howe and technical director Dan Ashworth plying some impressive work over the past few months.

Playmaker Sandro Tonali has completed a £55m transfer from AC Milan, Leicester City have allowed winger Harvey Barnes to make a £39m move to Tyneside after their Premier League relegation and Southampton (also relegated) have sold Tino Livramento for £40m.

Allan Saint-Maximin has departed for Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli, and while the Magpies will be ready and raring after qualifying for the Champions League this year, one more offensive signing looks to remain on the cards…

Who are Newcastle going to sign?

According to Turkish-Football, United have been in negotiations with Galatasaray forward Nicolo Zaniolo's agents all summer and are considering meeting the player's £30m release clause.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

However, transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Newcastle's Premier League rivals Aston Villa have registered a concrete interest following a recent ACL injury to Emi Buendia.

How good is Nicolo Zaniolo?

While Zaniolo has not enjoyed the most seamless career to date, it's easy to see why European outfits such as Newcastle and Villa are eager to add him to the ranks, with the Italian's cutting edge and dynamism blending to create a truly deadly attacking outlet.

Zaniolo suffered a nightmare period in 2020 where he endured two ACL injuries himself, but has since rebounded and has caught the eye of many top outfits looking to add an extra dimension to their frontline ahead of the looming campaign.

Described as a "lethal playmaker" by journalist Zach Lowy, the 13-cap Italy international scored five times in the Turkish Super Lig despite only joining from Roma in February and starting two matches.

This follows on from the previous campaign where he scored eight goals and supplied nine assists for Jose Mourinho's Serie A outfit, netting the winning goal in the Europa Conference League final against Feyenoord.

Zaniolo also ranks among the top 3% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for total shots taken and the top 14% for touches in the attacking box per 90, as per FBref, illustrating his prowess at finding dangerous openings to sink the opposition with regularity.

Barnes is listed as a comparable player to the £76k-per-week gem, and Howe might actually be wise to make a move for a similar profile and provide healthy competition for his thriving squad.

Indeed, Barnes enjoyed an impressive campaign on an individual level despite the Foxes' relegation to the second tier, having scored 13 goals from 34 Premier League matches and earned praise for his presence as a "livewire" by pundit Alan Hutton.

As such, Barnes now ranks among the top 7% of positional peers for goals per 90, and while his clinical ability will bolster Newcastle's attacking impetus, given that the club will be looking to compete across four competitions this year, spreading the workload could be imperative.

Once dubbed a “frightening talent” by journalist Ben Jacobs, Zaniolo could shoulder the burden considerably, offering a different slant but maintaining Barnes' goalscoring knack, and both players could consequently thrive and take the next step in their development.

كشفت تقارير صحفية عن حدوث اشتباكات عنيفة بين جمهور الترجي والشرطة التونسية قبل مباراة الأهلي في دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

ويستعد الأهلي لمواجهة الترجي التونسي، مساء يوم السبت المقبل، في ذهاب نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا وذلك على أرضية استاد حمادي العقربي برادس.

طالع | ثنائي الترجي: مواجهة الأهلي متساوية بين الفريقين.. والملعب هو الفيصل

وكشفت إذاعة “موزاييك” التونسية، أنه جرت أحداث عنف واشتباكات بين جمهور الترجي وأفراد الشرطة في ظل سعيهم للحصول على تذاكر حضور مباراة فريقهم مع الأهلي باستاد رادس.

كما شهدت الأحداث قيام الشرطة التونسية بإطلاق قنابل الغاز المسيل للدموع لتفريق الحشود الكبيرة من جمهور الترجي.

وكان الأهلي قد نجح في التأهل إلى المباراة النهائية من بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا بعد تخطي عقبة مازيمبي الكونغولي، فيما تأهل الترجي على حساب منافسه ماميلودي صن داونز الجنوب إفريقي.

Everton have spent the lion's share of the past few weeks negotiating with Leeds United for the transfer of Italy international Wilfried Gnonto following the Whites' relegation from the Premier League.

According to Sky Sports, the 19-year-old has been subject to four formal transfer offers, with the latest totalling £25m, but the Elland Road side obstinately reject his potential departure, despite the forward's refusal to play as he attempts to force a move.

Well, despite the best efforts of Everton director of football Kevin Thelwell, the pursuit might wind up fruitless, and as such, Sean Dyche's side appear to be focusing on another precocious talent in PSV Eindhoven's Johan Bakayoko.

What's the latest on Johan Bakayoko to Everton?

According to Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri, the Toffees are in talks for the exciting 20-year-old wide man and are believed to be preparing an official transfer bid.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

Merseyside rivals Liverpool are also interested in the highly-sought Belgium international, but Dyche will hope that the promise of regular minutes can convince the player to join the fold at Goodison Park.

How good is Johan Bakayoko?

The talented winger – who has already earned four caps for his nation, scoring once – enjoyed a tremendous breakthrough campaign with the Boeren last year, posting seven goals and five assists across all competitions, leaving talent scout Jacek Kulig hailing him as an "electric player."

Also said to be "performing at super level" by Fabrizio Romano, Bakayoko boasts the pace, power and prowess to flourish on the major stage, already boasting superlative creativity and progressive presence on the pitch.

Indeed, the rising star ranks among the top 8% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Men's Next Eight divisions for assists, the top 10% for shot-creating actions, the top 1% for progressive carries and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

One thing is certain, if Bakayoko joins the ranks at Everton, he will open up a whole new channel up and down the flanks, providing the kind of 'electric' dynamism that Dyche will covet to eradicate the club's lack of attacking impetus, having finished the 2022/23 league edition as the second-lowest scorers.

He would also manage to bring the best out of the club's star talisman Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who is a "monster" of a striker – as he was once called by Kulig – but has been detrimentally plagued by injuries over the past few campaigns, having missed 46 matches since the summer of 2021.

Despite his woes (Calvert-Lewin scored only twice last term as a result of his injuries), the £100k-per-week gem still ranks among the top 8% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues for aerial wins per 90, highlighting an imposing dominance in the box, something that Bakayoko can channel his creativity towards, as a focal point.

If the Englishman can finally put his troubles behind him and complete a sustained period of fitness, then Bakayoko could be the perfect offensive force to supplement his game, and Thelwell would be wise to throw the kitchen sink at PSV to secure a true prodigy for the Toffees.

After beating Liverpool to the double-swoop of Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, it seemed that Chelsea were untouchable in the transfer market and could sign whoever they want due to their overwhelming financial muscle.

Therefore, when the Blues triggered Michael Olise’s £35m release clause, it seemed like the former Reading sensation would inevitably end up at Stamford Bridge.

However, in a mind-boggling turn of events, Olise has now signed a new four-year deal at Selhurst Park, leaving Chelsea to consider other attacking options.

Nottingham Forest’s Brennan Johnson is under consideration, but another name has come to the forefront of speculation.

Who could Chelsea sign instead of Michael Olise?

According to Fabrice Hawkins, Chelsea have accelerated their pursuit of 20-year-old Lyon prodigy Bradley Barcola following their failure to land Olise.

Read the latest Chelsea transfer news HERE…

However, Paris Saint-Germain are also interested in Barcola and the west London outfit’s first €35 (£30m) offer was refused by Lyon.

The player is yet to give a final agreement. Previous reports from France suggested a fee of £43m may need to be offered.

Who is Bradley Barcola?

Last season, Barcola enjoyed a stirring breakout campaign at the club he’s been at since 2010.

In 15 Ligue 1 starts, the attacker bagged five goals and crafted eight assists – his total for the metric was the highest in the squad as he has developed a formidable reputation for tricky, technique, and creativity.

The rising star also ranks impressively across the continent, sitting within the best 1% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for assists per 90, and the top 14% for successful take-ons per 90.

Despite possessing an obscene degree of skill, Barcola is deemed to be a hard-working forward who meaningfully contributes to the defensive effort – this is mirrored by his rank in the highest 10% for aerials won per 90, blocks per 90, and interceptions per 90.

The 6-foot livewire made history in April 2023, when he became the youngest player in Europe’s top five leagues to have been involved in ten goals in all competitions in 2023 (six goals and four assists).

Following this achievement, Lyon manager Laurent Blanc provided a glowing review of the Frenchman: "He surprises me on a physical level. He doesn't second-guess himself… he scores goals, even though he is not necessarily an out-and-out striker. He can easily eliminate his opponents with his technical finesse and speed.

"When he wasn't a starter, I told him to be attentive and serious because he was certainly going to be able to occupy an important position in the team. He must have thought I was crazy not to play him."

A player of this repertoire and output is a worthy alternative to Olise. It was widely assumed that he would join the two-time European Champions, but he has committed his future to the Eagles.

Palace were reportedly on the verge of launching legal action against Chelsea for their Olise approach. However, it seems that Todd Boehly has already pinpointed his next target, who like Olise, is a fountain of innovation.

Indeed, last term, the Eagles attacker registered a whopping 11 assists in the Premier League. Barcola couldn't quite manage as many but one year Olise's junior, he still has plenty of time to develop and reach the same dizzy heights.

Lauded as part of the "elite" Lyon academy by Football Talent Sout Jacek Kulig, Barcola is more than capable of becoming a useful asset at a Premier League club.

Dhaka Dynamites destroyed Sylhet Sixers in the shortest-ever BPL chase, winning by eight wickets and 73 balls to spare

The Report by Mohammad Isam11-Nov-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsShahid Afridi slogs into the leg side•AFP

Dhaka Dynamites destroyed Sylhet Sixers in the shortest-ever BPL chase, winning by eight wickets and 73 balls to spare. Shahid Afridi took four wickets and struck five sixes in his 15-ball 37 before Evin Lewis hit five more sixes in their chase of 102.Sylhet, who had previously won three of their first four matches, including one against Dhaka in the tournament opener, crawled to 101 for 9 in 20 overs. A 48-run tenth-wicket stand, the highest in BPL history, carried them towards respectability after they had slumped to 53 for 9 in 13 overs.Afridi took four wickets, his third four-for this year and eighth overall, while Sunil Narine finished with 3 for 10, which included his 300th T20 wicket, the third bowler to the landmark after Dwayne Bravo and Lasith Malinga.Hider, Narine take early wicketsIn the second over, Abu Hider had Upul Tharanga caught behind with a fine delivery that moved slightly away. He also removed Danushka Gunathilaka, who replaced opener Andre Fletcher. Narine also had Sabbir caught at slip before Ross Whiteley was stumped in his next over, Narine’s 300th T20 scalp.Afridi takes overFrom the sixth over, Shahid Afridi, who arrived on Friday, took control of the game. He had Nasir Hossain top-edging a hoick to slip, before having Wanindu Hasaranga squirting a drive to cover. Tim Bresnan, on his BPL debut, was then caught at long-off.Off the last ball of his spell, Nurul Hasan was caught in an unusual attempt to scoop the ball over the slip fielder. Delport completed his fourth catch, which gave Afridi his second BPL four-wicket haul. Khulna Titans were bowled out for 44 runs the last time he took a four-for. .Hasan’s resistanceAbul Hasan struck a century on debut at No. 10. He showed more of that capability with the bat against Dhaka. He struck a six and three fours in his 26-ball 30. Taijul Islam supported him with 16 off 20 balls.Improving net run-rateHaving replaced Kumar Sangakkara, Afridi was asked to open, and he hit his stride straightaway. He smashed Tim Bresnan for two sixes in the first over of the chase.Afridi and Lewis hit two sixes each in the fourth over, bowled by Taijul. After seven sixes in the first 24 balls of the innings, Bresnan dismissed Afridi and Delport off consecutive deliveries.Lewis, though, finished the game with three sixes in the eighth over, bowled by Hasaranga. Lewis was unbeaten on 44 off 18 balls, which included two fours and five sixes.

Sussex have announced Jason Gillespie as their new head coach.The decision ends a period of increasingly feverish speculation in which Matt Prior, the former England wicketkeeper, lobbied publicly for a role in a club that he believes has “gone soft”.Gillespie’s move to Hove, following a brief spell working with Papua New Guinea, represents an about-turn on a decision to commit his future primarily to Australia.When he stood down as Yorkshire head coach last year, having led them to successive Championship titles, he said that the move of his family back to Australia had made it impractical for him to serve as a full-time coach in English county cricket.He was linked with the England role before Trevor Bayliss took charge in 2015 and also had a brief spell as Kent bowling coach earlier this year where the pull of the county circuit remained strong.Further reflection has caused a change of mind as Gillespie takes on the talk of reinvigorating a county that dominated English cricket under the tenure of Peter Moores in the first decade of the century.He will find a club with exciting bowling stocks – Jofra Archer and George Garton are arguably the two most exhilarating young quicks in the country – but with vulnerabilities in their top-order batting, made worse by the premature retirement through injury of Matt Machan and the departure of their experienced opener, Chris Nash, to Nottinghamshire.A Sussex statement said: “We are thrilled that Jason has agreed to join us on an initial three-year contract. He will take up his post in the New Year, in time for our pre-season preparations and tour.”Gillespie, who will spend the rest of the year in Adelaide, where he coaches Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash, said: “I am thrilled to be given the opportunity of taking the reins at such a proud and traditional club like Sussex. I know that there is some excitement around the capabilities of the current playing group.”I look forward to getting over there and playing my role in helping Sussex achieve its on and off-field goals for 2018 and beyond.”It remains to be seen whether Gillespie will take up Prior’s lobbying for a role within the county where he spent his entire first-class career. But Prior has already tweeted his enthusiasm for a “fantastic” appointment, adding: “It’s a very good start to the club moving forward.”Rob Andrew, Sussex’s chief executive, said: “Jason is exactly the experienced head coach we had hoped we would attract to the role. He has enormous experience of the English county game after his very successful spell with Yorkshire.”We believe we have a very talented young squad and we need a bit a bit of stability and a coach of Jason’s experience to help mould a successful team over the next few years.”

A potentially major update has surfaced for Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp and co work fervently to rectify the issues in the transfer market and secure a first-class new holding midfielder.

Who are Liverpool going to sign?

Chelsea have beat Liverpool to the signings of both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia recently in a remarkable show of strength and incisiveness, and the Reds now need to move with their own swiftness to reaffirm their own guile.

The Anfield side have compiled a shortlist of options, with Fulham's Joao Palhinha and Crystal Palace's Cheick Doucoure believed to be the most coveted names.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

The latter, Doucoure, is likely the primary target, with the Independent confirming on Wednesday afternoon that the Malian midfielder could be available for less than £60m, and that while the Eagles are wary of losing too many players this summer, Liverpool are stepping up their efforts to secure his signature.

How good is Cheick Doucoure?

There is much to lament about Liverpool's transfer strategy this year, and it's unequivocally true that sporting director Jorg Schmadtke could have handled the recent events with more conscientiousness.

Saudi Arabian sides swooped for defensive midfielder Fabinho and captain Jordan Henderson to compound the departures of midfield trio James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, whose contracts concluded in June.

This is not to say that such outgoings were not necessary, rather, an illustration of the smoother road that could have been taken; Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have both penned deals with the club, but the squad currently feels thin.

Resting on their laurels is not an option, and the powers that be must now throw the kitchen sink to secure Doucoure's services, with the 23-year-old impressing for Crystal Palace since completing an initial £18m transfer to Selhurst Park from French side RC Lens one year ago.

The £60k-per-week machine is a first-class ball-winner, ranking among the top 6% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for interceptions per 90, as per FBref – for comparison, Fabinho ranks only among the top 34% after his "awful" season, as was said by Jamie Carragher.

This strengthening of the formidability of the midfield would only improve the performances of those around, and Doucoure, who has been described as "the complete holding midfielder" by former boss Patrick Vieira, could play to £60m man Szoboszlai's qualities.

The Hungarian midfielder has been lauded as a "magician" by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his technicality and flair, and ranks among the top 15% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 10% for shot-creating actions and the top 16% for progressive passes per 90.

He also ranks among the top 5% for blocks and the top 14% for clearances per 90, which could pay dividends for Doucoure's progress on Merseyside, with such a robust and industrious midfield partner easing his workload.

Liverpool have fallen by the wayside, but the new season signifies an apt opportunity for meaningful, impactful change, and now is the time to steal a swoop for Doucoure and enhance Liverpool's midfield.