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Pakistan have begun hunting the terrorists who attacked the bus carrying Sri Lanka’s cricketers to the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore on Tuesday.

Cricinfo staff04-Mar-2009
The Sri Lankan team bus which took the impact of the bullets © AFP
Pakistan officials have detained around two dozen people in connection with the attack on the bus carrying Sri Lanka’s cricketers to the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore on Tuesday. Six policemen and two civilians were killed in the attack which left five Sri Lankan cricketers injured.”Around two dozen people have been picked up, most of them belonging to banned or outlawed organisations, in the hope of finding a clue to the identity of the escaped terrorists,” a police official told .The militants fired 25 bullets on the bus and also hurled grenades and a rocket. It is believed that the attackers may be linked to radical terrorist groups like the al-Qaeda and the Taliban. However, their identities are being kept confidential.”Some people have been detained and the investigations are progressing in the right direction,” Lahore city police chief Habib-ur-Rehman, said.All the attackers fled the scene and they left behind a large weapons cache, anti-personnel mines and two unexploded car bombs. The Punjab government has offered a reward of Rs 10 million (US$ 125,000) for leads on the terrorists. Asif Ali Zardari, the Pakistan president, was confident the investigation team would nab the attackers.”Progress has been made in the investigation and the perpetrators will be exposed and brought to justice,” Zardari said in an official statement.

Leicester City will be hoping to make it back-to-back wins in the Premier League when they host champions Manchester City this afternoon.

The Foxes pulled off an astonishing 5-2 victory over the Cityzens at the Etihad Stadium last season, as well as defeating them in last month’s Community Shield, and Brendan Rodgers may be able to repeat the trick at the King Power Stadium this time around.

After the likes of Patson Daka, Boubakary Soumare and Jannik Vestergaard arrived in the Midlands over the summer transfer window, Leicester’s recruitment got even better on deadline day when Ademola Lookman signed on a season-long loan deal from RB Leipzig.

The 23-year-old impressed with Fulham last season, bagging four goals and providing four assists in 34 top-flight appearances, and Rodgers is looking forward to working with the youngster this time around.

“I’m really excited about working with Ade. He’s a top talent. I wanted to take him to Celtic when he was at Charlton. I was aware of him when he was 15,” he said in Thursday’s press conference.

“He has all the tools; he has a great dribbling ability, how he views the game, he has an eye for a goal. My hope is that this environment will give him a chance to flourish. Hopefully, he can find a home here. I have no doubt the supporters will be excited by him.”

Lookman could get a first chance to impress his new fanbase when Pep Guardiola brings his charges to the King Power Stadium, with Rodgers confirming that the former England under-21 international is available for selection.

“He’s available. He looks fit and strong. If he doesn’t start, he may play some part in the game,” the Northern Irishman revealed.

Although Lookman prefers to be on the left wing, allowing him to cut inside on his stronger right foot and unleash efforts on goal, Harvey Barnes’ presence on that flank could see him fielded in a more unusual role.

“He can play in a number of positions. His preferred position is off the left side. He can play on the inside as well and on the right. He’s very balanced,” Rodgers admitted.

Therefore, the former Liverpool boss must take advantage of his new signing’s versatility and unleash him against Manchester City today.

With Ayoze Perez unavailable through suspension, this could be the ideal game for Lookman to get used to his new surroundings without any great pressure to perform, and he could inspire the Foxes to another memorable victory over Guardiola’s side.

In other news… Get it done: Leicester make contact over £30m wizard, he’s a “great talent” 

Brad Hodge missed a hundred by two runs as he was responsible for building a healthy lead for Victoria against New South Wales

Cricinfo staff16-Feb-2009Victoria 9 for 379 (Hodge 98, Wade 62, Rogers 61) lead New South Wales 227 by 152 runs
Scorecard
Points table
Victoria were thankful for Brad Hodge’s 98 as they controlled proceedings at the MCG © Getty Images
Brad Hodge missed a hundred by two runs as he was responsible for building a healthy lead for Victoria against New South Wales on the second day. Hodge, who was troubled by a hamstring injury last month, led the Bushrangers’ strong reply to the Blues’ 227 as the competition leaders eased to 9 for 379.After starting cautiously, Hodge increased his speed and struck 47 from his final 37 deliveries to leave with 98. He was bowled by Aaron Bird after improving on the work done by Chris Rogers, who began with 61. All of the Victoria batsmen made starts and Matthew Wade’s 62 ensured the total passed 300.A promising sign for the Blues was the performance of Beau Casson, who took 3 for 113 – although Hodge did cause some damage to his figures. Less than a year ago Casson was playing in a Test, but he was dropped from national calculations and has spent some time in the state’s 2nd XI. Bird, whose suspect action has been reported by Cricket Australia, gained 3 for 94 while Burt Cockley grabbed 3 for 54.

Many Aston Villa fans have been left buzzing as a transfer update emerged on Axel Witsel.

As per Tuttosport, AVFC as well as Roma are eyeing up a potential move for the Borussia Dortmund central midfield player before the summer window ends, and he would cost them a fee in the region of €5m (£4.3m).

Witsel is a player with a lot of experience of playing at the highest level, having played in the UEFA Champions League with four different clubs as well as racking up no fewer than 114 senior caps for Belgium, scoring ten goals (Transfermarkt).

Primarily a defensive midfielder, he would add some much-needed depth in that area for Dean Smith’s team, given that they only have Douglas Luiz and Marvelous Nakamba as natural CDM’s in their current squad at the moment (Transfermarkt).

Aston Villa fans on Witsel transfer update

These AVFC supporters buzzed as the transfer update on Witsel was shared on Twitter:

“Wouldn’t say no to him! He’s vastly experienced and still in Belgium squad.”

Credit: @SkellyVTID

“Get him that’s the deal we’ve been waiting for”

Credit: @mikeeb03

“He’s a bit old but a quality player who can play in defence as well. Would be a good signing if true. We can’t have double standards with Smith. If he lies with injuries he can surely do it for transfers”

Credit: @JackAV_6

“I would say exactly what we need tbh”

Credit: @ethanwoody123

“Get both McKennie and Witsel and we are done”

Credit: @AVFCfan83

“Yes sir”

Credit: @ColeCunn7

In other news, find out what club announcement had Villa fans fuming here!

Madhya Pradesh completed an emphatic win over Assam to soar to the top spot in Group B

Cricinfo staff22-Nov-2008
Scorecard
Madhya Pradesh completed an emphatic win over Assam to soar to the top spot in Group B. Assam began the day in Indore trailing by 169 runs, and none of the batsmen reached 50 as they lost eight wickets in 45.2 overs on the third day.Assam suffered a blow in the first over of the day when overnight batsman Sibsankar Arabinda Roy was caught behind off medium-pacer Sanjay Pandey. Naman Ojha, the wicketkeeper, pouched two more catches in the innings: Rashmi Parida was caught off Shantanu Pitre and Jacob Martin, who top scored with 49.Martin took Assam from 78 for 4 to 161 along with Sarupam Purkayastha, who made 39 before he was trapped lbw by Pandey. The innings then unravelled for Assam, with the last five wickets falling for 16 runs. Legspinner Yogesh Golwalkar struck thrice, including twice in an over. Martin was out with Assam at 171, and Pandey got a fourth, dismissing Ranjitkumar Mali for 0.

Liverpool have received a boost in their pursuit of Watford winger Ismaila Sarr, with manager Jurgen Klopp keen to bolster the club’s forward line.

What’s the story?

The Reds have been linked with the highly-rated 23-year-old throughout the summer after first being credited with an interest 12 months ago.

However, a move to Merseyside now looks more likely than ever for Sarr after the 34-cap Senegal international reportedly informed his current club that he wants to leave, according to TransferMarketWeb (via The Express).

The report states that Liverpool are preparing a £40m bid to secure the youngster’s services, who has also been on Manchester United’s radar.

Any move for Sarr is likely to hinge on the futures of unwanted pair Divock Origi and Xherdan Shaqiri, though. The duo are edging towards an Anfield exit, and Klopp may need to proceeds of their sales to fund a move for the Watford ace.

Jurgen Klopp needs him

During his single campaign in the Premier League back in 2019/20, Sarr bagged five goals and provided six assists in 28 appearances, earning praise from the likes of Gary Neville, who labelled him “special” following a scintillating performance against West Ham United.

The Sky Sports pundit went on to praise the flying forward further, praising his natural assets, intelligence with the ball at his feet and decision making.

“He’s a big, big talent, honestly he really is,” the former Manchester United full-back said.

On what makes Sarr so good, Neville continued: ‘I always think, particularly as a wide player, what would I have not wanted to have played against? The first thing is pace.

“And then you’ve got to think about, can he use his pace? Well, yes, he can, because he makes really good quality runs: the spin in behind, straight, but also the run inside in between full-back and centre-back – which I always think is the most difficult to mark.”

With Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino struggling to hit top form last season and Origi and Shaqiri not up to the required standard, Klopp needs another quality addition in the final third.

The likes of Manchester City and Chelsea have a plethora of options at the top end of the pitch, and if Liverpool are going to beat them to the Premier League title, their German tactician will require greater strength in depth.

And, in other news…Liverpool tipped to make a move for £117m-rated “phenomenon”, Klopp would love him

Leicester City would be making a shrewd signing if they can acquire Noni Madueke, according to former Foxes defender Steve Howey.

Madueke has made a stunning start to the season, scoring five goals and adding an assist in six PSV Eindhoven appearances.

The 19-year-old winger, who has already been capped by the England under-21s, has been attracting interest from a number of Premier League clubs throughout the transfer window.

Among Madueke’s suitors are Leicester and Crystal Palace, with Dutch giants PSV seeking £20million (per The Sun).

Leeds United have also been keeping tabs on the former Tottenham Hotspur youngster, along with reigning Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.

Brendan Rodgers has already led Leicester to silverware this season, having beaten Manchester City to the Community Shield.

The Foxes then got their Premier League campaign off to a positive start by seeing off Wolverhampton Wanderers at the weekend.

While Howey believes Madueke would need time to adjust to the pace of the Premier League, he feels the teenager would be a hit at the King Power Stadium.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, he said: “If a Premier League team can nick him, I think that could be good business.

“At 19, it’s a lot to ask for him to move back to another country and adapt to that game.”

England are preparing for a delicate balancing act on their way to a final decision on the India tour with the ECB planning to fly its players to Abu Dhabi on Thursday

Cricinfo staff03-Dec-2008
Reg Dickason has completed his inspection of Chennai and is now heading to Mohali © Cricinfo Ltd
England will fly to Abu Dhabi on Thursday with a view to resuming their tour of India if they receive the requisite security clearance. A full-strength squad, minus the injured Ryan Sidebottom, has been named despite concerns that some players would opt out, and they will train in the Middle East before heading to Chennai early next week ahead of the first Test on December 11.However, the onward trip from Abu Dhabi is still subject to Reg Dickason’s assessment of the security plans in India. Dickason inspected the venue of the first Test in Chennai on Wednesday and said that his security concerns have been addressed. He is scheduled to visit Mohali, the venue of the second Test, later. The security consultant will, meanwhile, hold meetings in India with Hugh Morris, the managing director of England cricket, and Sean Morris, the chief executive of England’s Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA).Hugh Morris and Sean Morris will then fly to Abu Dhabi to confirm to the ECB and the players that the added security recommendations are in place for the tour to begin.All the players have received reports from the ECB security team and also the recommendations that Dickason has insisted the BCCI in India put in place, which include a heavy police and commando presence around the team”The only consideration in all our discussions has been the safety and security of the team and support staff,” said Hugh Morris. “We have been delighted by the input of the PCA and also the willingness of the BCCI to act upon our recommendations regarding security.”While we have sought to reassure players that their safety is paramount we have not pressurised any player into making the trip against their will. Those who leave for Abu Dhabi are all anticipating travelling to India if both Sean and I are happy that Reg Dickason’s security plans have been activated. The board and players will be kept fully informed.”There had been speculation that some players would opt out even if the tour went ahead, but Hugh Morris said that a few days at home had allowed them to clear their minds. “The players have been fantastic over the last few days,” he told . “The reason we came back from India in the first place was to take some time to reflect. We have all been able to do that.”Sean Morris added: “The PCA and ECB have worked extremely closely on this issue and the players have been fully supportive throughout. We will access the highest calibre of security advice on a regular basis so that we can provide the players with the latest accurate information.””I have been assured by the ECB that they would never compromise the players’ safety and security. Hugh and I are travelling to India this weekend to confirm for the players that the security is of the high standard that the ECB and PCA demand.”Sidebottom, who was named in England’s original 15-man tour party, has been ruled out of the series with a side injury. Stuart Broad will miss the first Test having picked up a hamstring strain in Cuttack during the fifth ODI. He will remain in England for intensive physiotherapy and then fly out to Chennai where his fitness will be reviewed ahead of the second Test.The 14-man Test squad will be supplemented by 10 players from the Performance squad with Adil Rashid, the Yorkshire legspinner, a late addition on Thursday to bolster the spin department.Squad Kevin Pietersen (capt), Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Owais Shah, Andrew Flintoff, Tim Ambrose, Matt Prior, Graeme Swann, Stuart Broad (flying straight to Chennai), Steve Harmison, James Anderson, Monty Panesar.Additional players Ravi Bopara, Mark Davies, Robbie Joseph, Amjad Khan, Sajid Mahmood, Samit Patel, Liam Plunkett, Ollie Rayner, Adil Rashid, Alan Richardson

County seeks influential figurehead in the wake of racism allegations

David Hopps20-Aug-2022Yorkshire are expected to sign Shan Masood, the Pakistan opening batter, after he confirmed that he had turned down Derbyshire’s offer of a new contract and would leave the club at the end of the season.Masood, who is regarded in Derbyshire circles as one of their most influential overseas signings, could also be offered the Yorkshire captaincy following Steven Patterson’s decision to step down as leader of the Championship side at the end of last month and the departure of England’s allrounder, David Willey, who was in charge of the T20 side, to Northamptonshire.Masood is seen as a perfect fit for Yorkshire as they seek to promote an all-inclusive culture in the wake of racism allegations from their former player, Azeem Rafiq, which sparked the biggest crisis in the club’s history and brought charges of bringing the game into disrepute from the ECB after a prolonged investigation.As a multi-format player, whose international days might be drawing to a close, Masood could also be expected to become an important figurehead in minority-ethnic communities as Yorkshire work to build trust across all parts of the county.His considered leadership was a prime factor in Derbyshire’s qualification for the Blast quarter-finals, as well as a more stable season in Division Two of the LV= Championship, but he was called up by Pakistan for a Test tour of Sri Lanka and Derbyshire crashed and burned in their last-eight Blast tie against Somerset at Taunton.Related

'I have moved on with my life': Andrew Gale refuses to defend ECB racism charge

Derbyshire had been in discussions with Masood, 32, regarding an extended contract for several months and despite a significantly improved offer, he has decided to take on potentially a hugely influential role.Derbyshire’s head of cricket, Mickey Arthur, was philosophical about Masood’s departure but nevertheless it is a blow for his efforts to change the county’s reputation as one of the weakest in the country.”Bringing Shan to Derbyshire was my priority when joining the club last winter,” Arthur said. “He’s shown the performances I knew he was capable of in county cricket and we’ve been keen to extend his deal since very early on in the season.”The contract renewal reflected his performances and value to the club, but ultimately we couldn’t match the offer. The other county set their stall out to bring in Shan and while it is of course disappointing to lose a player of his calibre, I and everyone at the club wish him the very best for the future.”We’ve seen a different Derbyshire this year and the group have surpassed people’s expectations. We’re shaking off that underdog tag and teams know when they play us that it’s going to be a competitive game. There’s more to come from this group and we’ll supplement that core with overseas recruitment, the process for which is already underway.”Masood offered optimistic words in return. “Derbyshire is a great club with a very positive outlook and inclusive culture. Under Mickey’s project I see the group challenging for trophies and reaching greater heights in the very near future. It has not been easy making this decision, but I feel this move is the next phase of my life and career.”He is on course to finish the season with more than 2,000 runs across all formats, including a double century against Sussex.Yorkshire explored the possibility earlier in the summer of signing Moeen Ali as another statement signing, although that prospect was always unlikely. Moeen said in June that he would be open to joining Yorkshire for cricketing reasons but “not as a publicity stunt” before making an expected switch from Worcestershire to his first county Warwickshire and his home city of Birmingham where his popularity is evident, not least in his leadership of Birmingham Phoenix in the Hundred.Yorkshire would welcome a similar impact from Masood as they try to reinvigorate a county where membership has fallen to historically low levels and debts remain around £20 million.

Jude Bellingham confirmed he was involved in a training ground bust-up with Real Madrid team-mate ahead of Arsenal game.

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Bellingham confirmed bust-up with Rudiger Rudiger tackled Bellingham in Madrid training Los Blancos face Arsenal on Wednesday Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The reigning champions are aiming for a historic comeback against Arsenal in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final fixture at Santiago Bernabeu after they went down 3-0 at Emirates Stadium last week. Declan Rice's two free kick goals and a strike from Mikel Merino helped the Gunners register a thumping win in North London.

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Ahead of the crucial encounter, reported that Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham was involved in a training ground bust-up with Antonio Rudiger after the German defender caught him with a harsh tackle. The Englishman reportedly angrily confronted his colleague on the training pitch, and the duo "had to be separated" by other Los Blancos stars.

WHAT JUDE BELLINGHAM SAID

In the pre-match press conference, the 21-year-old confirmed the training ground incident as he said: "It's football, it's normal on the pitch that emotions get high. You communicate with teammates louder than you'd communicate with your mum and dad.

"For every negative interaction you see, there are 20 positive interactions. That will get lost in the media, which is fine, as long as the team respects each other to have those honest conversations."

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?

After facing the Premier League giants this Wednesday, Carlo Ancelotti's side will be back in action in La Liga on April 20 as they take on Athletic Club at home.