Recalled New Zealand leg-spinner Brooke Walker was put through the grinder at Sharjah last year and will be heading back into the cauldron after his selection in teams for Sharjah and both one-dayers and Tests in Pakistan today

Lynn McConnell01-Apr-2002Recalled New Zealand leg-spinner Brooke Walker was put through the grinder at Sharjah last year and will be heading back into the cauldron after his selection in teams for Sharjah and both one-dayers and Tests in Pakistan today.Walker, 25, has taken the place of Daniel Vettori, who has been ruled out of the tour on medical advice as part of a managed programme to assist his rehabilitation from a stress fracture to his back.Walker said today that his immediate goal was to improve on his last tour to Sharjah where he felt he was guilty of trying to mix his pace up in a bid to match the way Muttiah Muralitharan was able to turn the ball square on the flat pitches.”I will try to bowl the way I normally do,” he said.”I have to bowl more consistently, line and length, and more at the pace I regularly bowl at,” he said.Walker said he felt he had sorted out his bowling around the time the State Shield series finished in early February and that he had gone back a little since then.However, he will spend some time with his old club coach Rowan Armour who has helped him a lot in his career so far, before the team leaves for Sharjah on Saturday.It will be a tight time frame but Walker is confident that the adjustment he needs to make is a small one.International selection wasn’t on Walker’s mind in what had been a busy personal season, and something of a triumph.In his first year as Auckland captain, he led the side to victory in the first State Championship and took 28 wickets at an average of 24.75. His career figures now show him having 120 wickets at 30.70 in his 55 first-class matches.On the one-day scene the figures are not so impressive with only three wickets at 83 in his seven matches to date and at an economy rate of 5.79. His best One-Day International bowling was two for 43 off nine overs against South Africa at Cape Town.”It has been a rewarding experience as captain. It was quite hard and I was learning all the way through the series.”But as a captain I wanted to be positive and I had 11 other guys looking to me for leadership.”He said his team-mates had been supportive and with some talented young players coming into the side he had been conscious of helping them develop belief and confidence and to relax in the first-class environment.It was a struggle to bowl himself at times, but he said Matt Horne, who returned to the side from Otago this year and who had captaincy experience of his own, had been invaluable in letting him know that it was time he came on to bowl.Walker went into the season looking to work on some aspects of his bowling and he felt it had worked out well but he said he had “gone off the boil” after the one-day programme which had been disappointing.Selection has also meant he has had to put his career away from the cricket field on hold. He was looking to get involved in real estate marketing and was due to have some interviews but they would now have to wait until at least the end of the tour to Sharjah and the Test tour of Pakistan, and all going well, possibly the tour to the West Indies.Walker said it had been good to go away after his first taste of international play last summer and to learn about his art a little more and he thought that overall his leg-spin had advanced nicely.

Liverpool must swoop for Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic this summer after being linked with a move for the 6 ft 3 gem.

What’s the story?

According to Italian outlet Il Messaggero, Jurgen Klopp’s charges view the 26-year-old as the ideal replacement for Gini Wijnaldum following the Dutch international’s departure.

The report states, however, that it would take a “monstrous” offer to prize Milinkovic-Savic away from the Stadio Olimpico as he still has three years remaining on his current contract.

Edwards masterstroke

After a hugely underwhelming 2020/21 campaign, Liverpool have already started rebuilding their first-team squad ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

Ibrahima Konate has arrived via a £34 million move from Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig, and the next addition through the Anfield doors could arrive imminently.

A new central midfielder is thought to be high up on Klopp’s wish list following Wijnaldum’s exit, with the likes of Saul Niguez, Nicolo Barella and Florian Neuhaus previously being linked.

But a new transfer target has now emerged in the shape of Milinkovic-Savic, and his arrival could have the biggest instant impact of them all.

The Serbia international looks a perfect fit for the Premier League. His size and stature would ensure the physical demands of the English top-flight would pose no problems for him, while his quality speaks for itself.

Although he was unable to fire Lazio into the Champions League qualification spots, Milinkovic-Savic still managed a highly impressive eight goals and 10 assists in 32 Serie A appearances last season.

He was central to everything that the capital club did, as his underlying numbers clearly show.

The £63m-rated powerhouse recorded 1.3 key passes per league game in 2020/21, made 54.1 passes on average per league game, and had two shots on average per league game as well, meaning he placed in the top three amongst his teammates for all three metrics.

Once described as a “complete midfielder” by Sky Sports journalist Anton Toloui, Milinkovic-Savic could be the perfect addition to the Liverpool engine room.

Acquiring his signature would represent a genuine masterstroke from director of football Michael Edwards, and his presence alongside Thiago and Fabinho in the centre of the pitch could see Liverpool regain their Premier League crown next term.

And, in other news…Edwards must act to sign “unplayable” £154m gem for Liverpool as competition lessens 

Rowledge have put their Southern Electric Premier League Division 2 relegation worries aside by reaching the last 16 of the National Village Championship, sponsored by The Cricketer magazine

Mike Vimpany11-Jul-2002Rowledge have put their Southern Electric Premier League Division 2 relegation worries aside by reaching the last 16 of the National Village Championship, sponsored by The Cricketer magazine.Their reward for an 11-run win over Sparsholt is a seventh round home tie with Buckinghamshire champions, Dinton on July 21.David Lloyd was the inspiration behind the Sparsholt victory, hitting 95 of a Rowledge total of 190-6, before taking 3-21as the Winchester club slipped to 179 all out (Tim Richings 41).Ian Stuart did his level best for Sparsholt, top scoring with 63 and returning a respectable 3-34.

Wolves are among the top clubs in European football who are eyeing up a move to sign Joao Palhinha in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Palhinha a priority

As reported last month by A Bola (via Sport Witness), Palhinha is a ‘priority target’ for the Midlands club, and they may have an advantage in the long race for his signature.

The news outlet also states that Ruben Vinagre is wanted by Sporting Lisbon, and so a potential swap deal could take place.

The Latest: Another club interested

Now, A Bola (via Sport Witness) are reporting that Atalanta have joined the Molineux faithful in the hunt to sign Palhinha, which also includes Leicester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Sevilla, Atletico Madrid and Napoli.

However, after what the publication describes as ‘good performances’ at Euro 2020, manager Ruben Amorim would now like to keep him in Portugal.

The Lions would have considered a bid in the region of €30m (£25.8m) for their prized asset, but now it is thought that an offer would have to be ‘way over’ that sum to be taken seriously.

The Verdict: Try to negotiate price down

If the Wanderers are serious about beating all of these other teams to signing Palhinha, then they must try and negotiate his price down with Sporting quickly.

Described as a ‘special’ player last season by Amorim, he was key in their domestic title win, winning no fewer than 9.1 duels a game, while also averaging 3.3 tackles, 1.5 interceptions and 1.2 clearances per match (Sofascore).

At just 25 years of age, Palhinha has not his peak yet either, and so WWFC should really push to try to sign him, so long as a reasonable deal can be struck.

In other news, find out what transfer update has left Wanderers fuming here!

West Ham manager David Moyes will not be thinking of moving on, says former Premier League midfielder Carlton Palmer.

The West Ham board recently decided to offer Moyes a new three-year contract, which he has signed, to keep him at the club after his previous deal reached its final month.

Prior, the 58-year-old had been linked with a return to Everton, while various other Premier League jobs have also been available this summer.

Moyes, however, has opted to stay at West Ham and Palmer expects the Scotsman to honour his contract if interest arises in the near future.

“He signed a new three-year contract, he’s had a fantastic season, he seems to be a good fit with [David] Gold and [David] Sullivan, so why would he want to leave?” the ex-Leeds United player said in an interview with TT.

“You don’t sign a three-year contract and be thinking of moving on. If he was thinking of moving on, then I think after the season he’s had, I’m sure he would have had clubs, especially before he signed his contract.”

Would Moyes fancy another crack at one of the top jobs in the country after his disappointing spell at Manchester United? Perhaps, but he looks at home at the London Stadium, enjoying a second tenure with the Hammers.

Considering that, it is hard to imagine Moyes walking away from the club anytime soon.

MatériaMais Notícias

Pela última rodada do turno do Campeonato Carioca, Vasco recebe a Portuguesa em São Januário. A Lusa ainda não venceu na Taça Guanabara, e ocupa a 5ª colocação. Já o Vasco, que acumula duas derrotas e duas vitórias, segue na vice-liderança do Grupo C.

Os dois times vêm de derrota, mas quem briga pela semi-final é o Vasco. Do lado da Portuguesa, o ex-Vasco da Gama, Maicon Assis volta ao gramados, após se recuperar de lesão, mas entende que a partida será difícil.

– Vai ser um jogo muito difícil, mas a responsabilidade é do Vasco, que busca a classificação para a semifinal. Vamos em busca da nossa primeira vitória e tentar surpreender fora de casa.

Pelo Cruz Maltino, Talles retorna recuperado de uma amigdalite, contraída na vitória do Vasco em cima do Santos-AP pela Copa do Brasil. Os times se enfrentam neste sábado, às 16:30.

Harry Kane has insisted that he wants to leave Tottenham Hotspur this summer and if he does end up leaving the north London club, Dean Windass has backed Steven Bergwijn to replace the golden boot winner.

Even for Kane’s high standards last season was a special one as he finished as the Premier League’s top scorer for the third time, but also finished the campaign with the most assists in the league. However, that was not enough to win the PFA Player of the Year award.

Since arriving in January 2020, Bergwijn has failed to impress on a consistent basis managing just four goals in 51 league appearances, but under a new manager and in a new role he could flourish and prove why Spurs brought him from PSV Eindhoven.

He has only ever been deployed as a striker 11 times as he has spent most of his career as a winger, but to save his club several million this summer he could put his hat in the ring to replace Kane if he goes, according to Windass who spoke exclusively to Football FanCast:

“It could be a situation now where it’s a great opportunity for him because he could say he’s number one now if Kane does end up leaving. I know he’s played in the wide areas but the boy is a talent.

“He’s only a young boy and I watched the Spurs documentary and when he signed he looked quite happy and his family were quite happy. So he’ll be rubbing his hands together now, not for the fact that he’s losing Harry Kane but because it’s a great opportunity for the kid.”

It would not likely be a good replacement for Kane in the eyes of Tottenham fans considering Kane is regarded as one of the best strikers in world football, whereas Bergwijn has only ever scored more than nine goals in a season once.

If the worst does happen and Kane leaves, whoever is the new manager will have a very large transfer budget to sort the squad out and improve it in almost every area after a very poor previous campaign.

كشف أحمد دياب رئيس لجنة رابطة الأندية المحترفة، عن تطورات شكوى الأهلي الذي تقدم به للرابطة واتحاد الكرة بشأن أخطاء التحكيم، كما أوضح موقف الرابطة من تأجيل مباريات في بطولة الدوري من أجل إعداد معسكر لمنتخب مصر مع إيهاب جلال.

وقال دياب خلال تصريحات لبرنامج “جمهور التالتة” على قناة أون “تايم سبورتس1”: “ذكرنا من قبل أن هذا الموسم استثنائي وصعب، ولكن بالتنسيق مع اتحاد الكرة سننهي الدوري في التوقيت المحدد سلفًا، وسنحاول بعد ذلك أن ننهي المسابقة في الأوقات الطبيعية”.

وأضاف: “نراعي أن كل الأندية مضغوطة، خاصة الأندية التي تشارك في إفريقيا، (لكن معلش).. هو موسم استثنائي ونريد أن نتحمله”.

عن ملف التحكيم وشكوى الأهلي، أوضح: “لا توجد ثوابت، وكل عناصر الكرة تخطئ، ونحن نتضامن مع الأندية في شكواها لأننا نُمثل الأندية، الفترة الماضية لجنة التحكيم استعانت بخبير في تقنية الفار، وهناك خطة لتطوير الحكام، نحن ندعم الحكام المصريين ونريدهم أن يُمثلوا مصر في المحافل العالمية، وليس معنى وجود أخطاء أن نضغط عليهم، لكن يجب أن ندعمهم”.

طالع | الأهلي يتوجه بـ5 مطالب لاتحاد الكرة بسبب أخطاء التحكيم.. منها الاستعانة بحكام أجانب

وبسؤاله “هل ستوافقون حال طلب إيهاب جلال إقامة معسكر للاعبين المحليين؟”، قال: “سننظر للخطة التي سيضعها المدير الفني، وطالما أن الأولوية لمنتخب مصر سنتفادى الأخطاء التي حدثت من قبل بشأن فترات الإعداد والمباريات الودية، وسنبذل أقصى مجهود لخدمة المنتخب”.

وأردف: “لم نبحث مقترح تقليص عدد أندية الدوري، ولم يطلب كيروش هذا الأمر”.

وأكمل: “بطولة كأس مصر خاصة باتحاد الكرة وليس بالرابطة، ولكن بالتنسيق بيننا سيُلعب الكأس القديم، وجاري تسكين المباريات”.

وأتم: “أشكر كيروش لأنه اجتهد في عمله، تأهلنا إلى نهائي إفريقيا والمباراة الفاصلة في تصفيات كأس العالم، ولكن لم يحالفنا التوفيق وهذا وارد في كرة القدم، لكن يجب أن نُقدم له الشكر ونقتنع أن الكرة بها توفيق وعدم توفيق، وتنازله عن الشرط الجزائي يدل على احترامه لمنتخب مصر”.

Somerset Second XI ended the second day’s play of their three day match against Worcestershire at North Perrott in a strong position.Yesterday on the attractive tree lined ground Worcestershire were bowled out for 219, with Pete Trego ending with 6 for 53. The visitors total would have been considerable less had it not been for a last wicket stand of 97.Before close of play on Wednesday Somerset had taken their score to 104 for 2, with Piran Holloway not out on 51.Today the Somerset batsmen enjoyed the conditions at North Perrott and took the score onto 422 for 9 before declaring. Holloway ended with 91 and Graham Rose made 61.By the close of play Worcestershire were 11 for 1, with Trego being the successful Somerset bowler.

Alan Hutton believes that Barcelona defender Junior Firpo would be an ‘excellent signing’ for Leeds United, following news that he is scheduled for a medical at Elland Road later this week [Football Insider].

The Lowdown: Leeds United gear up for 2021/22

As the Whites get their ducks in a row ahead of 2021/22, many onlookers will be fascinated to see how Marcelo Bielsa goes about improving his side’s impressive ninth placed finish last time out.

Already active in the transfer market, the Yorkshiremen have completed a deal for ex-Birmingham City starlet Amari Miller, whilst they have also been linked heavily with a move for Hertha Berlin forward Matheus Cunha [Leeds Live].

However, they now look set to acquire Dominican Republic left-back Firpo, something that the BBC pundit has greeted with extreme positivity.

The Latest: Hutton lavishes praise on ‘excellent’ Firpo as he gets set for medical

Speaking in an interview with Football Insider, the former Tottenham Hotspur man claimed:

“He was at Betis before he joined Barcelona. He’s an outstanding player.

“I was reading quotes by Abidal, who signed him, some of the stuff he was saying about him. How he could be one of the best left-backs in the world, he just has to be patient and learn.

“I think this move just shows you what type of player Leeds are trying to attract. Reading about the style of player that he is, I think he’d definitely fit into a Bielsa side.

“It’s a position where they need someone in. It’s as simple as that and I think they’re aiming high. It obviously shows you where they’re trying to go with this squad.

“It’s only going to be exciting for the league if they come back even stronger because I thought they were excellent last year.

“I think that’d be an excellent signing.” [Football Insider].

The Verdict: Leeds United should look to get the Firpo deal over the line ahead of pre-season

Correctly, the 36-year-old points out that the qualities the 6ft ace possesses are in sync with the high-octane style of football Bielsa likes his sides to operate in – pace and versatility.

In 2020/21, Firpo made 18 appearances for Blaugrana, notching one goal alongside a solitary assist [Transfermarkt].

Advantageously for the Elland Road club, he is also adept at moving the ball quickly and effectively. Throughout last season, he averaged a commendable 89.7% pass accuracy, which would suit Leeds and Bielsa.

Moving towards pre-season, the Whites should look to finalise a deal for the 24-year-old full-back ahead of time so he can get bedded in to Bielsa’s high-intensity style as quickly as possible.

In other news, Leeds United are set to miss out on a reported signing target.