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Sri Lanka, currently ranked eighth in ODIs with 88 points, can secure direct qualification for the 2019 World Cup if they win at least two matches in the upcoming five-ODI series against India, starting August 20 in Dambulla.Winning two games will push Sri Lanka’s tally to 90 while West Indies, currently placed ninth with 78 points, can at best reach 88 even if they win their six remaining ODIs – one against Ireland and five against England – before the September 30 cut-off. The top seven sides along with hosts England gain direction qualification for the tournament.If Sri Lanka manage to win only one match in the series, however, West Indies could pip them on decimal points, provided they win each of their upcoming six ODIs. A loss against Ireland would rule West Indies out of direct qualification, even if Sri Lanka get whitewashed by India.Sri Lanka’s recent form at home isn’t encouraging: they lost 3-2 to 11th-ranked Zimbabwe last month. They have, in fact, lost seven of their last 10 completed ODIs at home.West Indies’ ODI form isn’t encouraging either: in the last five years, and among Full Members, their average of 27.20 and run-rate of 5.10 are only better than Afghanistan, Ireland and Zimbabwe.

Celtic may be on their own in the race to sign Kieran Tierney now, with The Daily Record reporting that Newcastle are no longer so keen to sign the defender.

What is Kieran Tierney worth?

The 26-year-old originally moved to Arsenal back in 2019 for £25m and went on to play 15 times in the Premier League for them in that initial campaign. A season later though, that total had increased to 27 as the Scotland man became an increasingly important member of the first-team side.

However, despite establishing himself as their first-choice left-back during this period, his gametime has since tailed off for the Gunners. In 2022/23 for example, he still played over 20 times for the club in the top flight, but only six of those were actual starts. It means that his market value now – as suggested by Transfermarkt – could be around 25 million Euros (or £21.5m). That's less than their original outlay on the defender.

His most productive spell remains his time with Celtic. He spent five seasons with the Scottish Premiership outfit, after the side gave him his SPL debut as a 17-year-old. He was turned to continually as a teen despite his youth and went on to play in over 100 league games for the Hoops during his time there.

With the defender potentially out of the plans in north London now and down the pecking order for Mikel Arteta, there has been interest in signing the 26-year-old this summer. Newcastle have been one of the clubs tracking Tierney, with the Toon contemplating a bid for his services this summer. The Hoops though have also been linked with a sensational swoop to bring the Arsenal man back to Scotland, although they too have yet to submit an official offer.

Are Celtic signing Kieran Tierney?

Now, according to a report from The Daily Record, the SPL outfit could have been handed a big boost in their efforts to land Tierney. That's because it seems Newcastle's interest in adding the defender to their ranks has cooled, with the report also referring to Alex Crook, who states that the interest "seems to have gone quiet".

It adds that with Harvey Barnes now joining the Toon, there is less intent from the side in adding Tierney too due to financial knock-on effects. It means that Celtic may now be the only team in the race to sign him – and the pathway has therefore opened up for the Hoops to try and get a deal done.

If they did sign him, it would be another shrewd move from Celtic. Arsenal defender Oli Zinchenko, who has played and competed with the left-back for the Gunners, called the Scot "amazing" and admitted he had watched the 26-year-old in action before they were even teammates.

Celtic then would certainly be upgrading their defensive ranks if they could get a deal done – and it would likely benefit the player, as it could also mean more playing time and a second chance at a place he was appreciated and thrived.

An increased level of intensity, thanks in part to exposure against Sri Lanka, is leading to better results for Scotland cricket according to allrounder Richie Berrington. Speaking after his side’s 51-run win over Namibia, Berrington credited the aggressiveness of the team for playing a key role in coming out on top.”I thought just the way we turned up today, the bowlers were excellent and had clear plans and just kept coming with that intensity which created chances throughout the innings,” hetold ESPNcricinfo after the win. “It’s something that our bowling attack have really been working on, bringing that intensity from ball one.

Berrington on Mommsen

Scotland’s win marked the return of former captain Preston Mommsen. The 29-year-old had announced a shock retirement in November but later declared his availability again for the matches against Namibia and the two ODIs against Zimbabwe.
Despite being away for seven months, he hardly skipped a beat in his return with an unbeaten 49 off 35 balls, including a century stand with Berrington.
“It was great to have him back in the team obviously, such a quality player,” Berrington said. “To know he’s coming in at No. 5 is really good for us. We’ve played together quite a lot so we both have that understanding when we’re batting together and I think that showed when we managed to get a lot of twos in the outfield, which is massive on this ground. I also forgot how fast he is and how much he does make you run.”

That intensity was personified best by 23-year-old fast bowler Chris Sole. Though he didn’t bowl in the 5.1 overs of Namibia’s innings completed on Sunday, Sole was given the ball right away for the resumption of play on Monday and turned in a hostile spell that ended with two wickets. One of those deliveries included a first-ball bouncer to Christi Viljoen that tagged the Namibia allrounder flush on the helmet, a sequence that set the tone for the rest of the day.”Soley has done that excellently in the games he has played,” Berrington said. “Looking back to [the win over] Sri Lanka as well, that’s where he had a lot of success running in with that intent, so that’s something he’ll keep looking to do.”Berrington said the higher-intensity approach was also evident in the late surge in Scotland’s own innings; he shared in a turbocharged stand of 101 in 9.4 overs with Preston Mommsen to rocket Scotland past 250. Berrington ended with a career-best 110 off 90 balls after having started on 14 off 35 balls. However, Berrington said the true catalyst for that surge was the earlier role played by Craig Wallace, who repeatedly pulled out a slog sweep for use, not just against Namibia’s spinners but their medium pacers as well.”The Namibian bowlers bowled really well after they got those two wickets, put us under a bit of pressure, bowled really tight lines which on that surface wasn’t always easy to get away,” Berrington said. “So it probably took us a bit longer to get ourselves in. Going on and off wasn’t particularly easy but we’re used to those kinds of scenarios. I think once we did come back on, Craig Wallace came in and managed to lift the intensity a bit which helped myself as well.”The wind also played a role in the match with the Berrington-Mommsen stand aided in part by their utilisation of a strong cross-breeze which made scoring easy on the eastern side of the ground. Namibia tried to get Scotland’s batsmen playing against the turn to counter the breeze, but Berrington says their batsmen were not fazed taking on the left-arm spin of Bernard Scholtz.File picture – Chris Sole set the tone for Scotland on Monday with a first-ball bouncer to Christi Viljoen that hit the Namibia batsman flush on the helmet•Peter Della Penna

“I think we do have to use the conditions here when it’s windy like that because there is a big advantage to scoring on one side of the field at times,” he said. “We back ourselves to hit strong areas of the field and for most of us that is a strong area. There wasn’t particularly a lot of turn in the pitch so that wasn’t a concern to be honest.”Conversely, Namibia captain Sarel Burger said he was disappointed with the shot selection of his top-order batsmen despite the wind being even more of an aid during their own innings on Monday. Tailender Zhivago Groenewald top-scored with 42 off 20 balls through orthodox strokeplay, further underscoring how good the pitch remained until the end of play, and Burger says his batsmen needed to show more responsibility.”I think it was obviously very disappointing, especially in the top order, the shots the guys got out to,” Burger said. “Besides the wind blowing in that direction, I think the shot selection itself wasn’t that great. Early in the innings, the idea was for guys to get in and from there get going. Not getting in and spending time at the crease makes life even more difficult hitting into the wind. So I think it was the shot selection that was the bigger factor, not the wind itself.””I felt 268 was always chaseable, especially looking at the condition of the wicket which was playing really good. The way Richie batted, it was a great innings he played and he kept the innings together and I think that’s where Namibia fell a bit short. He took his time during the difficult stages while the ball was still new to get himself in. I think that made life a bit easier for him. Unfortunately on our side, we didn’t have anyone taking responsibility hanging around for a while to do a similar type thing.”

Arsenal are pushing to sign Ajax defender Jurrien Timber, as Mikel Arteta bids to bolster his defensive depth this summer.

The Gunners enjoyed a joyous campaign last season, which they will aim to continue next term with sufficient reinforcements.

Depth in defensive areas was a title-costing problem last campaign, however, is a topic that can be made positive this transfer window.

What’s the latest on Jurrien Timber to Arsenal?

As reported by Fabrizio Romano via his Youtube channel, Arsenal will "bid again" for Timber with their opening offer of £30m rejected.

The Gunners have an ‘agreement with the player’, who is ‘excited’ by the project at the Emirates, as stated by Romano (04:59).

The Athletic’s David Ornstein first reported the news, claiming that Ajax want a fee in the region of £50m for the defender, a price that Arsenal are optimistic to strike a compromise to lower.

What could Jurrien Timber offer to Arsenal?

Following the injury to William Saliba in March, Arteta opted to deploy Rob Holding in his place, in a switch that left the side pining for the Frenchman’s return.

The Englishman was called a “Championship defender” by former Premier League ace Gabriel Agbonlahor, via talkSPORT, and exposed Arsenal’s weaknesses in not having the depth to allow for the absence of Saliba.

Disappointing performances when called upon could signal the end of the 27-year-old’s time in north London this summer, particularly with news emerging regarding Arteta’s ploy to sign Timber.

The Dutchman would be a significant upgrade on Holding and could be the individual to cut the underperforming centre-back loose from the squad, giving Arsenal the chance to bolster their squad with undeniable quality.

Praised as “special” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Timber would be a leap in the right direction for the Gunners to expel the deadwood from their side, adding assured quality in numbers to allow for the challenges that come in a Premier League season.

The 22-year-old excels in a variety of areas in comparison to Holding, particularly in terms of his ability to get the ball forward from the back with similar attributes to Arsenal’s favoured centre-back William Saliba.

As per FBref, Timber averages an assured pass completion rate of 91.6%, with Holding averaging behind with 87.6% over the past year.

Taking into consideration his progressive play, Timber could equip Arsenal with another Saliba-style star in place of Holding, with the Englishman averaging 4.35 progressive passes to the Dutchman’s monstrous 8.62 per 90.

Defensively, the 22-year-old comes out on top over the Gunners centre-back, making 1.40 tackles to his 1.07 per 90, as well as 1.25 interceptions to the 27-year-old’s 0.69 per 90, showing the upgrade Arteta could introduce.

With just one year remaining on his contract, Holding’s time at Arsenal could be coming to a close, however, the Gunners are showing indications of progression in their efforts to sign Timber, who has shone as one of the bright stars in Europe this term.

Liverpool’s signing of Alexis Mac Allister understandably had fans thrilled, as it marked the start of what promised to be a revolutionary summer.

However, since that early June acquisition, it seems to have all gone quiet on the transfer front, despite Fabrizio Romano promising that Jurgen Klopp wanted “two or three midfielders” back in late April.

With nearly a month and a half until the new Premier League season gets underway, the German is likely far from where he envisions his team to end up come that trip to Chelsea.

However, that could all be set to change with one marquee addition, which could leave rival clubs stunned and petrified at the prospect of facing the Reds once more.

With reports emerging late last week, it seems that this could well be the case, as the Merseyside outfit are one of the clubs listed as interested in Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, a striker valued at £60m by FootballTransfers.

In linking this in-form front-man with their new Argentinian maestro, they could form a fine partnership to catapult them back to the apex of the English game.

Would Victor Osimhen improve Liverpool?

Whilst Mac Allister is far from the most expansive attacking midfielder, his offensive figures for a Brighton and Hove Albion side that finished below Liverpool remained impressive. This is emphasised given he was often forced into numerous roles across a stellar campaign, including a defensive one too.

After all, notching ten goals and two assists merely scratched the surface of his 87% pass completion rate and 1.3 key passes per game in the league, via Sofascore.

The 24-year-old has only just begun to light up English football, with his future made all the more exciting by his Anfield switch.

This kind of goalscoring quality, combined with the lethal presence of Osimhen, could form a terrifying partnership the likes of which this striker has already been a part of. Not to mention he has the quality to drop deep and supplement such a powerful asset due to his versatility.

Journalist Marco Messina noted one such pairing he has starred in that has already brought widespread success, as he wrote on Twitter: “I can’t figure out who is more scary to play against: Kvara or Osimhen. They’re THAT good”.

With 31 goals in all competitions for the Serie A-winning Naples outfit, the 24-year-old was instrumental in bringing the Scudetto back to the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium for the first time since 1990.

However, it is not just his ability in front of goal that suggests he and Mac Allister would thrive together. When given space, the World Cup-winning gem can prove particularly deadly in the attacking third, as he proved last campaign with the Seagulls.

Given the immense power and pace Osimhen offers, with journalist Raj Chohan having branded him a “monster”, his mere presence would attract multiple defenders to quell his threat.

If that should be the case, Klopp’s first summer signing will truly be able to exercise his qualities in the pockets of space that will open up. Should the opposition then push up to keep him quiet, the 6 foot 1 marksman will instead punish them in behind.

Whilst midfield might remain the priority, this is one move which would take many by surprise, and likely take the league by storm.

Pakistan’s batting coach Grant Flower is confident that captain Misbah-ul-Haq will work himself back into form, after a string of low scores recently

Osman Samiuddin in Melbourne22-Dec-2016

Seven years is a long time as it is, but for Misbah-ul-Haq, it probably feels like a lifetime. Seven years ago he came into the Boxing Day Test at the end of a year in which his second coming was grinding to a halt.He had scored just 261 runs in 11 innings until then and actually been dropped from all of Pakistan’s squads. A day after the exclusion he went back to domestic cricket and made 284, ensuring a swift return for the tours to New Zealand and Australia at the behest of Mohammad Yousuf, who had taken over from Younis Khan.The response was a pleasant and fluent 65 in the first innings, but even then it felt not like an old man raging against the dying light or going gently into it, but just one coming sensibly to terms with a difficult situation. He was out first ball in the second innings, in the first over of the fifth day, then for a two-ball duck in the Sydney chase and dropped. All over, everyone thought, except that it hadn’t even begun.He returns this year short on runs again. Talk of an exit is on the agenda, but some way down and not nearly as vexing as it was in 2009. He was one of the few specialist batsmen who didn’t get runs in Brisbane, though the nature of the innings and dismissals are worth noting more than the scores of 4 and 5.Both times he looked skittish at the crease and was drawn into pokes outside off-stump by Jackson Bird that he has done well to curtail in his third coming. That concluded a run of six innings with just one fifty, against West Indies in Sharjah.At 42, when these little streaks can roll into something bigger very quickly, it is a concern. But it isn’t anything like the pressure he admitted he was under seven years ago.”He doesn’t seem worried,” said Grant Flower, Pakistan’s batting coach, though he said it in the knowing way that suggests what he really meant was that nobody can tell whether Misbah is worried or not.”But he’s always mentally strong and relaxed. He’s got a lot of experience. He’s just going through a bit of a trot but he’s been through these periods before and he’s a class player. He’s got the mental strength and resilience to come back and I’m sure a good innings is just round the corner.”If there was any admission of worry, it came in deed not words. Misbah hung back for an extra half-hour session of batting in the nets with Flower on Thursday, as Pakistan returned to training for the first time after the epic feats of Brisbane.It was a fairly gentle return to work but the jauntiness of mood and spirit was impossible to miss. It is not often Pakistan teams in Australia look this upbeat after the first Test.The other old man, Younis Khan, had what Flower thought was his “best net” for a while and his return to runs will no doubt have assuaged the loss in supply from Misbah.”He did look a lot better [in the second innings in Brisbane],” Flower said. “Obviously the shot he got out to – at that stage what wasn’t the best. But having said that, he scores quite a few runs with the reverse sweep. You’ve got to find the balance regarding how you go about things. But he’s getting into better positions and today he had his best net practice for ages and he looked brilliant.”Mohammad Amir appeared in no great discomfort through the three-hour session, though his right knee is still strapped. He also picked up a nasty bruise just above that knee in Brisbane, after being hit by a Mitchell Starc delivery and it was that, more than the knee that, according to Flower, was causing him to be just a little stiff.Sohail Khan was the only one of the squad not to train. He arrived at the MCG with the team but felt unwell almost immediately and took no part. Pakistan are not, however, treating it as anything more serious than a potentially upset stomach.

Liverpool youngster Fabio Carvalho just doesn't fit the system at Anfield, claims RedMenTV host, Ste Hoare.

The 20-year-old joined the Reds last summer and after initially impressing early on this season, things haven't quite gone to plan.

In fact, he's played just eight Premier League minutes in 2023, and that could be down to Jurgen Klopp's tactics.

What's the latest on Fabio Carvalho's future at Liverpool?

The former Fulham midfielder has been linked with a move away from Anfield, but the club are only prepared to let him go out on loan, recently rejecting a £10m bid from Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig.

With the arrival of Alexis Mac Allister, and reports suggesting Liverpool are pursuing several midfielders, there's going to be plenty of competition in the middle of the park for the club, and it seems Carvalho won't fit into plans this season.

A number of Premier League sides, including his former club Fulham are interested in taking the Portuguese youngster on loan, with several offers currently on the table, but it remains to be seen where he'll end up.

What has Ste Hoare said about Fabio Carvalho and Liverpool?

Despite Carvalho's struggles at Liverpool this season, Hoare believes it's not down to talent, but a lack of fit in Klopp's system that has caused the £16m-rated midfielder problems this year.

Speaking to Football FanCast, the RedMenTV host said:

"It's mad because Liverpool tried so hard to sign Carvalho. They beat so many teams, they paid more than they needed to make sure they got him.

"They really liked what they saw and by all accounts, he is a good player, he just doesn't fit the system."

How did Fabio Carvalho perform this season compared to last year?

While making the move from Fulham and Championship football, to one of the Premier League's biggest sides in Liverpool was always going to be tough, Carvalho's spell in Merseyside has seen his game time and output drop drastically.

Across the board, the 20-year-old's statistical numbers have all decreased this year, which is hardly a surprise given his lack of regular minutes.

Last year, the midfielder completed 1.2 dribbles per game for Fulham, seeing that number drop dramatically to 0.2 per game for Klopp's men this season, whilst his WhoScored average rating dropped from 7.11 at Fulham to 6.37 for the Reds, and he went from completing 1.7 key passes per game at Craven Cottage, to a measly 0.1 this campaign.

At 20 years old, there's still plenty of time for Carvalho, who is sponsored by Nike, to turn his Liverpool career around and a spell out on loan may be the catalyst in that, but if he doesn't fit the system now, who's to say he will when he comes back.

Kyle Abbott, who led South Africa to a 4-0 lead with a four-wicket haul in his first appearance for the side in four months, has said it is “tough” not being a regular member of the team

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Oct-20161:42

‘It’s tough not knowing when you are going to get a game’

Fast bowler Kyle Abbott, who led South Africa to a 4-0 lead with a four-wicket haul in his first appearance for the side in four months, has said it’s “tough” not being a regular member of the team. With the hosts resting three first-choice bowlers – Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada and Imran Tahir – for the dead rubber in Port Elizabeth, Abbott got a game and produced a Man-of-the-Match performance.”It’s tough not knowing when you are going to get a game,” he said. “The key is to still tick the boxes at practice and when those opportunities come, there is no time for questioning out there, ‘have I done the work’? Coming up against a quality batting line-up like Australia, you need to stay on top of your game even if you are not playing.”Having dominated Australia in the four games so far, Abbott said the hosts will look for more of the same in Cape Town to become the first team to whitewash Australia in a five-match ODI series.”We can’t even begin to think what it might be like on Wednesday night if it does happen. It has been phenomenal,” he said. “We celebrated well on Wednesday night after winning the series and that was the big challenge today, to put in another performance knowing that the series was secured and not take our foot of the gas. We did that pretty well. Coming up to Wednesday, I don’t think we will do anything differently. We will stick to what we’ve done that’s won us four games and hopefully make it five and make some history.Abbott also said it was a challenge dealing with the wind at his new home ground, having moved from Dolphins to Warriors.”Rhythm was difficult with the contrasting ends,” he said. “From the top end, running with the wind and downhill, you almost felt like you were going past your run-up and then from the other way, you struggled, sometimes not knowing whether you will get to the crease. It was quite a challenge. We trained for the last two days with the wind. We knew it was going to be like that.”

Joel Ward has been an excellent performer for Crystal Palace over the years, and his goal at Craven Cottage on Saturday was a moment he deserved, podcaster Dan Cook has claimed.

How did Ward play against Fulham?

The 33-year-old scored his first goal of the season as Palace came from behind to snatch a point, bundling in a late equaliser from a free kick.

The right-back has been a consistent performer over the years, having made 334 appearances for the club, but goals are a rare occurrence, with just six strikes in this time.

Speaking on the HLTCO podcast, Cook lauded Ward as a club hero following his goal, and praised what was a special moment for the veteran.

"Ward is not ever someone that you could expect to put in a 10 out of 10 performance as a modern full-back, he's not going to bomb on, put crosses into the box or affect the game from an attacking perspective week after week. But from a defensive perspective, he's always a seven out of 10," he stated.

"I mean this categorically, I have never seen Joel Ward have a stinker of a game. He is Mr. Consistent. He's just part of the furniture really at Crystal Palace and one of those players who is not really appreciated by those outside of our fan base.

"From my perspective individually, it was just fantastic to see Ward score."

Should Crystal Palace keep Ward?

The defender is out of contract at the end of the season, and with it currently unclear what direction Palace will go in when looking for a new manager, it remains to be seen whether the Englishman will extend his stay.

If Ward is keen on an extension then it's a no-brainer for Palace to keep Ward for another season, whilst also exploring the market for younger full-backs who can eventually be his successor.

Ward has been a consistent figure in the Crystal Palace team, apart from a spell where Aaron Wan-Bissaka broke through and earned himself a big-money move to Manchester United.

He was able to rack up 25 accurate passes on the weekend and also registered two shots on goal despite only having 43 touches of the ball (via SofaScore).

Palace should be in the market for a defender who can initially rotate with Ward, as the veteran may not be able to start for an entire season, but given his experience and his long affiliation with the club, keeping him in the dressing room could be important as the club prepares to make changes off the pitch.

Roy Hodgson has had a successful spell as interim boss, but there still remain questions over whether he should continue in his role or if Palace should look to start a different project.

Sri Lanka Cricket has suspended Kithuruwan Vithanage from all forms of cricket for one year for his part in a public brawl in Colombo

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jul-2016Sri Lanka Cricket has suspended batsman Kithuruwan Vithanage from all forms of the game for one year for his part in a public brawl in Colombo. In a hearing conducted on June 16, SLC’s disciplinary committee found Vithanage guilty of misconduct and in breach of the ICC code of conduct.The suspension not only makes Vithanage ineligible for international and Sri Lanka A team cricket, he is also unable to represent his club – Tamil Union – in the Premier tournaments, and is barred from any provincial tournaments in the coming domestic season. SLC’s severity on this occasion is a reflection of existing displeasure at Vithanage’s conduct. In September 2014, Vithanage was docked his full match fee and handed a “suspended sentence of one year” after leaving the team hotel overnight in the middle of a Test match he was playing. It is understood that at least two other breaches of conduct had been dealt with informally.In this case, SLC said its disciplinary committee “was presented with written and oral evidence from witnesses to the incident in question and Vithanage was invited to present similar evidence in his defence.”After a closed hearing, and in consideration of the evaluation of the evidence presented, the Disciplinary Committee has recommended an immediate suspension, specifically drawing attention to the fact that the conduct of Vithanage is ‘unacceptable when considering his status as a public figure, and a role model for the youth of Sri Lanka’.” Vithanage can appeal the decision.He last played for Sri Lanka during the tour of New Zealand in December and January, but his modest returns on that tour had seen him drop out of contention for national selection. Vithanage, 25, has scored 370 runs at an average of 26.42 in ten Tests, and has also played six ODIs and three T20Is.