All posts by h716a5.icu

Tottenham Hotspur could be set to take a huge stride towards replacing Harry Kane by emulating the past success of a rival…

Who could replace Harry Kane?

Ange Postecoglou has been handed the task that few Lilywhites managers ever wanted to undertake, as the sale of the England captain was taken out of his hands with Bayern Munich's persistence paying off.

For all the frustration and the quality they have lost, it does almost offer the dawn of a new era, one that's not reliant on a sole star and ready to drive towards a brighter future.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

In order to ensure that potential is attained, it seems that the Australian must trust in youth rather than scouring the market for immediate but short-term success.

Given what Soccernet.ng are reporting, that does seem to be the thinking behind their touted swoop for Gift Orban.

Valued at around €30m (£26m), it is noted that Spurs have opened talks with Belgium high-flyers K.A.A, Gent to bring him to the Premier League.

Earlier reports have suggested that a bid is imminent.

How good is Gift Orban?

With the 21-year-old finisher, goals would seemingly not be hard to come by, which is a benefit considering just how many they have lost with Kane's departure.

The 30-year-old was the club's all-time top scorer and was coming off the back of a season where he notched 30 league goals as the rest of his team struggled.

Whatever circumstances arose, he remained consistently brilliant.

Fortunately for Postecoglou, it seems that Orban shares that same quality in front of goal, as last term also saw the Nigerian post 20 goals and two assists across just 22 games in all competitions, having started this campaign in similarly blistering fashion, with five goals in four games.

Such form understandably has drawn praise, with his boss Hein Vanhaezebrouck noting:

"He’s a phenomenon and he will continue to be a phenomenon. I’ve said it five times and I’ll keep saying it. This is normal for him. Gift Orban was hungry and showed his qualities once again, I keep calling him a phenomenon and that will not change."

Whilst all signs already point towards this being a fine addition given the lethal nature of someone so young, there are additional factors that could lend to the potential success of the deal. After all, to sign someone directly from Belgium to England does draw comparisons with Kevin De Bruyne, who also traded his boyhood Genk for Chelsea in 2012.

Although his career only really took off once he left Stamford Bridge, the 32-year-old has since returned with Manchester City to terrorise English football with his patented creativity.

He has been ever-present in five Premier League title victories, as well as winning two FA Cups, five League Cups and that coveted Champions League just last season. Such success has seen him make 358 appearances for the Citizens, scoring 96 and assisting a further 153.

The Belgium international is a true legend of the game, with Jamie Redknapp even suggesting he might be one of the best ever:

"His football brain and IQ make him no.1 [of the best midfielders in Premier League history] for me, and hopefully we can find a little bit more about what makes him tick because every young footballer should watch him and the way he plays in midfield".

Whilst Orban is not expected to emulate such an imperious legacy, should he attain half of that success Postecoglou would be more than pleased. The young finisher would mark a perfect foundation for his new-look attack to be built, walking the same path that De Bruyne did and hopefully reaching similar levels.

Trevor Bayliss has called on CA and the ECB to “get together” to ensure a better standard of preparation for both teams on Ashes tours

George Dobell in Townsville18-Nov-2017Trevor Bayliss has called on CA and the ECB to “get together” to ensure a better standard of preparation for both teams on Ashes tours.Bayliss, the England coach, has stated several times that he would have preferred England to encounter stiffer opposition ahead of the first Test but has been at pains to point out that the situation is not so different for Australia when they visit the UK.As a result, Bayliss has already spoken to Andrew Strauss – the director of England cricket – to suggest that first-class matches against an A team (effectively the national second XI) are written into future Ashes schedules ahead of the first Test, adding that he will speak to Pat Howard (Strauss’s counterpart in Australia) about the matter in the coming days.”Both Australia and England should be getting together and having at least one match against the A team before each series,” Bayliss said. “I’ve already mentioned it to Strauss and I will mention it to Pat Howard when I see him too.There was a certain irony in the timing of Bayliss’ words. While the CA XI that England played in Townsville contained just one man with a first-class century to his name prior to the match – Nick Larkin – by the time it ended, two more young Australian batsmen had maiden first-class hundreds. And as England laboured throughout the final day in taking just one wicket, it became harder to sustain the argument that the opposition was as modest as had first appeared.In truth, though, that was partially the result of an unusually slow, flat wicket which is unlikely to be replicated during the Ashes series. And while the England camp are reluctant to make any public complaint about the preparation they have been provided by CA, there is a sense that both the surfaces and the opposition to this point have left them facing a major change of quality – and specifically pace – when they arrive at the Gabba.Underlining that suspicion – or, depending on your view, paranoia – is the training schedule ahead of the first Test on Thursday. England will train in the afternoon on Tuesday and Wednesday – often teams alternate between morning and afternoon sessions on consecutive days – giving them slightly less time to rest and slightly less exposure to conditions throughout the day.”That was a bone of contention,” Bayliss said. “The home team makes the programme and that’s just the way it is. We will take it on the chin and get on with it.”

West Ham United are plotting a surprise swoop to sign Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney this summer, according to fresh reports.

Is Kieran Tierney leaving Arsenal?

The Gunners left-back first arrived at the Emirates Stadium back in 2019 from Celtic, and during his four years at the club, has gone on to become a regular feature of the senior first team fold, but he’s recently fallen significantly out of favour under Mikel Arteta.

In the Premier League last season, Scotland’s international was handed just six starts and was forced to come off the bench as a substitute on 21 occasions, as per WhoScored, showing not only how far down in his manager’s pecking order he is but also that he needs to move elsewhere should he want to gain minutes more often.

Read The Latest West Ham Transfer News HERE…

Newcastle United are the only club in the top-flight to have been heavily linked with a move for the 26-year-old, whilst The Sun have since reported that La Liga outfit Real Sociedad have enquired about taking him on loan next season and have been monitoring him all summer.

The Irons already sanctioned the sale of Arthur Masuaku earlier this year so are therefore left with Emerson and Aaron Cresswell as their two remaining options in their target’s position, though with the latter’s contract expiring in less than a year, there’s a chance he could soon be on the move meaning that a successor may be needed.

Are West Ham signing Kieran Tierney?

According to Football Transfers, West Ham have identified Tierney as a “shock target” and are “willing to match any offers” that he receives from other potential suitors.

Arsenal's left-footed defender is said to be viewed by chiefs as a “direct replacement” for Cresswell, with David Moyes hoping to “flesh out” his side with more experience.

However, it’s stated that the full-back “isn’t interested” in completing the move at present, which provides a huge “stumbling block” when it comes to trying to get a deal over the line.

How much does Kieran Tierney earn?

At Arsenal, Tierney pockets £110k-per-week which he isn’t really earning given his lack of game time, but that could all be reversed should he have a change of heart regarding a move to E20, where he would only excel under the guidance of Moyes at West Ham.

The Douglas native is naturally stronger in the offensive aspect of his game despite being a left-back having clocked up 19 goal contributions (14 assists and five goals) in 124 senior appearances for the Gunners, the kind of form which has previously seen him dubbed a “baller” by talent scout Jacek Kulig when bursting down the flank.

Furthermore, Tierney will already know what it takes to compete and be successful at the highest level having won 14 pieces of silverware over the course of his career, so if he was to sign on the dotted line, he’d be able to instil a much-needed winning mentality into the current squad at the London Stadium.

The latest news and updates from the Ranji Trophy circuit

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Oct-2017M Vijay retired hurt after he injured his ankle•Sivaraman KittaInjury scare for M Vijay: India opener M Vijay hurt his ankle while attempting a single on the third day of Tamil Nadu’s Ranji Trophy opener against Andhra in Chennai. He retired hurt on 13, during Tamil Nadu’s second innings, and did not return to bat later in the day. The team’s physio, Thulasiram, allayed fears of a serious injury and said, “Vijay has an ankle sprain. He might bat on Monday but we will take a call in the morning only.”Vijay had added 19 for the first wicket with captain Abhinav Mukund before hobbling off the field in the 14th over of the innings. He had earlier endured a fairly lengthy layoff following a surgery for a wrist injury suffered during the Test series against Australia in March. He returned to action in the 20-over Tamil Nadu Premier League before scoring 17 runs and taking five wickets in a Duleep Trophy match last month.BCCI disciplinary committee accept Gowtham’s apology: After offspinner K Gowtham was dropped by the BCCI from India A’s squad that was set to play New Zealand A for ‘grossly insulting the domestic system’, the board’s three-man disciplinary committee accepted his apology and let him off with a warning.Following the decision of the committee, Gowtham is allowed to carry on with his commitments and it is understood that he has joined the Karnataka squad ahead of their Ranji Trophy season.Gowtham was pulled up by BCCI after he opted out from playing a Duleep Trophy game, producing a medical certificate for his illness, but was found playing in the Karnataka Premier League only two days later.Ojha set to leave for home: Pragyan Ojha has been given a no-objection certificate by the Cricket Association of Bengal after a long impasse. As a result, the left-arm spinner may well play for his home state of Hyderabad in the opening round of the Ranji Trophy.”They [CAB] have given clearance last night, so if he is fit and if his registration form has been uploaded and accepted, he’s eligible to play today,” Hyderabad Cricket Association secretary T Seshnarayan told ESPNcricinfo. “Anyhow the match hasn’t started [yet] because of rain. I don’t know what the selectors have done, but we have included Ojha in the fifteen [member squad]. I spoke to the [acting] BCCI president [CK Khanna] also and the BCCI also don’t have any objection. After all, it’s a question of a player’s [career].”Ojha debuted for Hyderabad in 2005 and but left the state in 2015, seeking to play for a team in the top rungs of the Ranji Trophy. Before the start of this new season however, he asked Bengal to release him from his contract so he could move home to be with his family. But the CAB did not offer him an NOC, saying he was too valuable to their plans for the new Ranji season. That was when contact between the two parties supposedly broke, to the extent that Bengal had to replace Ojha with a rookier spinner Pradipta Pramanik for the opening match against Services.On Thursday, however, the CAB said it had received a letter from Ojha saying it was “difficult for him to leave Hyderabad” and that missing matches at his age of 31 was “detrimental to his career”. In response, CAB joint secretary Avishek Dalmiya said: “The matter was discussed with the president [Sourav Ganguly]. The matter has been considered sympathetically based on Mr. Ojha’s request to the President and therefore the Association would have no objection if he plays for Hyderabad.”Jadeja unavailable for Haryana game: Allrounder Ravindra Jadeja, who was part of Saurashtra’s squad for their first match against Haryana from October 6, has opted out of it due to personal reasons: he has to attend a wedding. Left-arm spinner Jay Chauhan replaces him in the squad. Jadeja will be available to play from the second round, in which Saurashtra take on Jammu & Kashmir.

The threat of a final-day defeat at Kia Oval, plus signs of a Somerset revival in the west, have put Yorkshire’s top-flight status in jeopardy

Alan Gardner at The Kia Oval14-Sep-20171:31

County Championship Round-up: Yorkshire in strife

Yorkshire were left facing a battle to avoid defeat after three days at The Oval, with their Division One status becoming increasingly imperilled. They were made to follow on for the third time this season after being dismissed for 396 by Surrey, for whom Gareth Batty and Freddie van den Bergh shared six wickets, and reached the close still 139 in arrears.On a surface that has worn slowly but steadily, Surrey’s pair of spinners likely hold the key to victory. Batty soon brought himself on again and, although he could not add to Sam Curran’s initial breakthrough, Yorkshire have a job on their hands if they are to emulate their escape against Hampshire earlier this season, when Gary Ballance’s unbeaten double-hundred secured a draw after following on at the Ageas Bowl.They did at least begin steadily, losing just the wicket of Tom Kohler-Cadmore in the 23 overs remaining of the evening session, as Shaun Marsh and Alex Lees reached stumps unbeaten. With Somerset closing in on victory over Lancashire and Middlesex seeking bonus points from their severely rain-affected fixture at Uxbridge, defeat here would likely leave Yorkshire in the bottom two.Kohler-Cadmore had described the pitch as one he would “love to bat on every week” after play on the second evening and he was quickly given another chance as Yorkshire failed to reach the 443 they required to avert the follow-on. He could only manage 11 this time around before falling lbw and it remains to be seen whether he will keep his place in the side for the visit of bottom club Warwickshire to Headingley next week, with Adam Lyth likely to return and West Indies opener Kraigg Brathwaite set for a debut.For a Yorkshire side that claimed the Championship trophy in 2014 and 2015, before narrowly missing out on three in a row this time last year, this has been a difficult campaign – the first under Andrew Gale as coach. Depleted by England call-ups (they are currently missing Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Adil Rashid, Liam Plunkett and David Willey due to the limited-overs series with West Indies), they must now summon some of the grit Gale was famous for as a player if they are to see out the final day.The morning began with van den Bergh, on his Championship debut, picking up where he left off – his spell from the Pavilion End eventually lasting 32 overs before the arrival of the second new ball allowed him a break. Aged 25, van den Burgh has played nine games of senior cricket going back to 2011, but a muscle injury for Amir Virdi meant he won a chance against Yorkshire. He should expect plenty more opportunities to impress on the final day.Van den Bergh certainly made an impact, as he had a hand in each of the first four wickets to fall. Kohler-Cadmore had spooned a catch to point in the final overs of the second day, after an opening stand of 162, and Marsh also failed to go on, stumped for an identical 78 after being lured forward by the slow left-armer.That was in the sixth over of the day, enough to send the first shiver through Yorkshire supporters. The captain, Ballance, then joined Lees, whose unproductive season has seen him drop down to No. 3, in a stand worth 53 but van den Bergh struck again an hour into the session. Lees had accumulated steadily but on 46 connected with a firm sweep that Ryan Patel, at square leg, dived to snatch up one-handed.The loss of Ballance, who had been averaging 91.89 in the Championship coming into this match, was a more debilitating blow. He set off for an ambitious single having pushed towards cover and then could not get back in time as the bowler hared after it and relayed the throw to Ben Foakes behind the stumps. At 243 for 4, the good ship Yorkshire had struck an ice (van den) Bergh.Although the rest of the innings fell away in slow motion, there was a sense of inevitability about it. Jack Leaning helped add another 59 with Andrew Hodd before edging a Curran delivery with the second new ball to Foakes; Hodd and Tim Bresnan then buckled down for 18 overs to put on 41. But with Yorkshire still 100 from the follow-on target, Batty crowbarred out two more: Bresnan taken at slip, then Azeem Rafiq lbw for a three-ball duck.Hodd went on to a fourth fifty of the season but he could not carry Yorkshire as far as they needed. Stuart Meaker made a mess of Steve Patterson’s stumps and Foakes claimed a fourth victim with an excellent diving grab as Curran found Jack Brooks’ outside edge, before Hodd was last out trying to swing Batty into the stands and only finding cover.

It looks as if Rasmus Hojlund may not be the only striker on his way to Manchester United this summer, amid reports that the Red Devils are also showing an interest in Santos starlet, Marcos Leonardo.

How much would Marcos Leonardo cost?

According to Italian outlet CalcioMercato.it, the Old Trafford outfit are said to be in the race for the 20-year-old's signature, with the young Brazilian seemingly set to be up for grabs for as little as €15m (£13m) this summer.

While the piece does suggest that the 5 foot 9 ace is keen on linking up with former United boss Jose Mourinho at AS Roma, further reports indicate that talks have stalled with the Serie A side – thus potentially giving Erik ten Hag and co the chance to pounce.

Read the latest Manchester United transfer news HERE…

The Premier League giants have already agreed a £72m deal with Atalanta for the signing of Hojlund, although 90min did reveal earlier this summer that it was not of the question that two new strikers could be on their way to the Theatre of Dreams.

Who is Marcos Leonardo?

With Wout Weghorst – who scored just two goals in all competitions for United last season – no longer at the club, Ten Hag has at present been left with Anthony Martial as his sole, senior option through the middle, with that a scary thought considering the Frenchman's grim injury record, as he missed 27 games last term.

While the former Ajax boss repeatedly suggested last season that the team play their "best football" when the 27-year-old is on the pitch, it is hard to ignore the fact that he has now scored just 11 league goals in English football since the start of the 2020/21 campaign.

As such, for Ten Hag to not only bring in Hojlund this summer, but also Leonardo, could well prove the final straw in Martial's time at the club, with reports heading into the window having claimed that the Red Devils are open to offers for the former Monaco man.

While still rather raw, young Leonardo has been far more impressive in recent times after scoring 14 goals in 30 appearances in all competitions so far this term, while the current United man scored just nine goals in 29 outings in 2022/23.

Despite his relative youth, the Brazil U20 international already boasts a stellar haul of 47 goals in 149 games across all fronts for his current side at senior level, with talent scout Jacek Kulig describing him as a player who has "all the tools to become an absolute killer in the penalty area".

Also hailed as being "born to score" by Kulig, the Santos sensation already has six goals in just 12 league games in the current campaign, with it clear to see just why there is such hefty interest in his services at present.

With Martial having undoubtedly had more than enough time and chances to impress after eight years in Manchester, the signing of two young and hungry assets in the form of Hojlund and Leonardo should be the final nail in the coffin with regard to his time at the club.

If you were wondering why David Warner was sporting a new baggy green in the first Test in Dhaka, there is an answer

Adam Collins31-Aug-2017If you were wondering why David Warner was sporting a new baggy green in the first Test in Dhaka, there is an answer: his original had gone missing.But some good news arrived in the aftermath of the loss, for Australia’s vice-captain and century-maker; it has been found overnight at his Sydney home.ESPNcricinfo learned that when Warner was returning to Australia following the Champions Trophy, the cap was not in his hand luggage, where he thought it was packed.As he had yet to come home from the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, going straight into IPL service and then to London for the tournament, it was still with him to that point.Flying with his young family, he believed it was possible the cap had fallen to the ground from his bag and ended up in lost property. And from there, who knows.In turn, for this Bangladesh series, a new baggy green was issued to Warner, which he wore and batted in through the first Test in Dhaka.Plans were in place for Warner to go through the formal process of declaring the original lost, which includes signing a statutory declaration to that effect.But when his wife went on one final search of their Sydney home in the hours after his breakthrough second innings, it was located.It showed up in the bag Warner keeps the captain’s blazer in, carried everywhere with him in the event Steven Smith has to suddenly pull out from a Test.Last summer, Warner was already in discussions about replacing the cap he won in 2011 on the basis of tears in the peak.In ordinary circumstances, they would be fixed by the manufacturer, as was the case when Steve Waugh famously fixed his well-worn version.But with the change in manufacturer for the caps last summer from long-term provider Albion to Kookaburra, that proved harder than it sounded.Either way, he has a couple of options for the Ashes this summer. And given the masterful ton he made on Wednesday, maybe it will be in with the new.

Arsenal could be set to secure one of the coups of the summer, with claims imploring the Gunners to save a world-renowned star from his current predicament.

Is Neymar leaving Paris Saint-Germain?

Despite Kylian Mbappe's touted exit from Paris Saint-Germain dominating the headlines, it could be forgotten how Neymar too has suffered from the recent underperformance of the French giants.

The Brazilian is one of the game's finest players and yet a mixture of injuries, unfavourable conditions and a demanding fanbase have left him without proper recognition for his talents.

Now, he could be left all alone in Paris, should his French teammate depart just as Lionel Messi did earlier in the window.

However, he too could seek to push an exit, with Julio Baptista suggesting that the Emirates could mark the perfect place to reignite his career. He told GOAL:

"It’s interesting. I think Neymar is comfortable at PSG, but maybe the best move for him is to create a new atmosphere at a new club – maybe a club that supports him and gives him all the confidence that he needs.

"He doesn’t have that at PSG. The fans don’t like him a lot and maybe it is time to move on and try something different. Why not?

"Arsenal is one of the best clubs in Europe. We know that the last eight or so years, Arsenal have not produced their best or been as competitive. But now, with [Mikel] Arteta, Arsenal have something different. They have started to construct something powerful. Why not?

"Maybe this could be the key. In Brazil we say that you have the house, you have everything, and you just need the key to open it. Maybe Neymar is the key to open and complete everything at Arsenal. He is an incredible player.”

How many goals has Neymar scored in his career?

As one of the most famous stars in world football, his signing would provide far more than just the imperious offensive and creative quality he possesses.

Neymar would encourage countless shirt sales, with his name alone a big enough brand to skyrocket the north London club back to the heights they once occupied.

However, his work on the pitch would surely have Mikel Arteta salivating too, given how he has shone even despite his recent injury woes.

Last season saw him notch 18 goals and assist a further 17 in all competitions, yet only managed 20 appearances in Ligue 1. He has starred in France just as he did with Barcelona, with his final year at the Nou Camp seeing him provide 46 goal contributions in 45 games across all competitions.

Wherever the 31-year-old dynamo goes he will star, and it is for this reason that he would likely even displace the ever-impressive Gabriel Martinelli, at least until age starts to steal his powers from him.

That aforementioned recent campaign is one that goes under the radar, whilst Arteta's own Brazilian 22-year-old notched 15 goals and assisted just five in the league yet received huge praise. He is a keen goalscorer but struggles at times to create, yet Neymar still surpasses him with regard to both facets and that's why he continues to get the nod for their country, Brazil, too.

Perhaps a few years supplementing such a legendary figure could actually help Martinelli in the long run, as what he serves to learn from the serial winner would far surpass any game time he might lose out on.

After all, the former Santos superstar has posted 294 goals and assisted a further 190 across his illustrious career, which has garnered one Champions League and countless domestic honours across Spain and France.

It is no surprise to see the £42m-rated maverick earn widespread praise of his own, with his former boss Christophe Galtier claiming:

"Neymar is world-class. He's one of the best players in the world. Who wouldn't want a player like that in his team? That's all there is to say."

That is a question that could now be posed to Arteta, who would have the unenviable task of choosing between his young star with the world at his feet or the legend of the game who has already conquered the world.

Kraigg Brathwaite and Shai Hope crafted an extraordinary tale for West Indies at Headingley, leading their side to a five-wicket win that helped them draw level in the series

The Report by Andrew McGlashan29-Aug-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsIt was one of the great Test matches. Headingley has seen some remarkable final days and West Indies created their own extraordinary tale by chasing down 322 to level the series. Shai Hope achieved what Kraigg Brathwaite narrowly missed, becoming the first batsman to score twin hundreds on the ground in first-class cricket and, at 6.43pm, with the floodlights illuminating the ground almost as much as the day-night Test last week, Hope tucked the ball through square to complete one of the most unexpected redemption stories in the game’s history.Such was the application and skill of West Indies’ batting, anchored by the 144-run third-wicket stand between Brathwaite and Hope that, once they got through the morning session, the prospect of victory was closer than many would accept. There was constantly talk of how quickly it could change, but the collapse never came. At tea, moments after losing Brathwaite for 95, they needed 123 off 35 overs; when Roston Chase was superbly caught by substitute Mason Crane at mid-on, 76 off 19.5 overs.There was a chance with the new ball looming and the light fading that it could still unravel for West Indies, but Chase’s wicket may actually have helped. He was finding the old ball hard to time, and it brought in Jermaine Blackwood who chanced his arm (or batted normally for himself). He clubbed two tension-easing fours before, in brilliantly brazen style, hammering James Anderson’s second ball with the new ball straight for six. He was stumped with two runs needed, but his 41 off 45 balls ensured England never regained a foothold. From losing 19 wickets in a day, to this. Their first win in England since Edgbaston in 2000.Hope brought up his century from 175 balls – the second fifty proving much harder work off 105 deliveries – and on 106, with 37 runs required, he benefited from the 13th drop catch of the match when Alastair Cook at first slip spilled a top-edged cut. The last West Indies batsman to score two centuries in a Test was Kieran Powell, against Bangladesh in 2012, and Hope’s performance – from a man who averaged 19 before this Test – epitomised more than anything the team’s revival. Those who paid £10 to get in witnessed an ‘I-was-there’ moment.It was the second-highest successful chase at the ground behind Bradman’s 1948 Australians, slotting in ahead of England’s final-day hunt against Australia in 2001. Joe Root became the fourth England captain to declare and lose a Test but it was a perfectly reasonable target to set and it needs to be hoped a streak of positiveness isn’t knocked from Root’s mindset. England did not bowl badly, although Chris Woakes wasn’t at his best, on a surface that behaved far better than expected.Missed chances, though, proved costly from early in the day. In the fourth over, Cook had also dropped Brathwaite when he had 4. Another chance came from Brathwaite, on 29, amid bizarre circumstances when he popped a return catch to Broad which burst through the hands and cannoned into the non-striker’s stumps with Kyle Hope well out of his crease. A wicket, but the more valuable one would have been Brathwaite’s, as one of the players with the ability to defy England for long periods. It was 40 overs before he offered another chance, edging Moeen Ali to slip, and by then the groundwork for victory had been laid.Hope’s innings was magnificent. His first boundary was a rifled back-foot straight from a short-of-a-length delivery by Woakes and his fifty came off 70 balls, a slightly quicker rate than Brathwaite and he ensured Root could never dry up the scoring. As in the first session of the second day, it was an examination of both batsman’s techniques against a moving ball and the pair also played Moeen smartly to nullify his threat. After their 246-run partnership in the first innings, it was the first time since Brian Lara and Ramnaresh Sarwan at Colombo in 2000-01 that the same West Indian batsmen had shared two hundred stands in a match.In mid-afternoon, England tried to conjure something with forceful spells from Broad and Ben Stokes, the latter not used until the 47th over of the innings, but both batsmen withstood everything, including a few zipping deliveries from Broad and the occasional ball which jumped off a length. England grew increasingly frustrated, especially Broad who took a kick at one of the followthrough marks which brought a rebuke from umpire S Ravi and may interest the ICC.Eventually it was spin which brought the breakthrough, Brathwaite driving away from his body to give Stokes a catch at slip. England would have had expectations of making further inroads into the middle order, but Hope and Chase sensibly soaked up the pressure after tea as Root gave Anderson an extended 10-over spell either side of the break which gave him precious little time to rest before the new ball.The harder ball zipped under the lights, but also came quicker off the bat – the middle and edges – as it dawned on England that the game had escaped them. With the target closing in Blackwood swung fiercely at Broad, edging a boundary and then clearing third man for six. There was still time for one more dropped catch – Stokes, of all people, shelling Blackwood at deep midwicket – but by then West Indies were all-but home. Lord’s, next week, is one of the more unexpected deciders.

A major update has emerged on the future of one of Michael Beale's current Glasgow Rangers forwards ahead of the 2023/24 campaign…

What's the latest Rangers transfer news?

According to The 4th Official, the Light Blues have told Fashion Sakala that he is free to find a new club before the end of the summer transfer window.

Beale has reportedly made it clear that the Zambia international's time at Ibrox is over and the attacker will not be part of his plans for the upcoming season.

Read the latest Rangers transfer news HERE…

The outlet states that there is interest from Saudi Arabia, but the 26-year-old foward has already turned down the chance to move there, alongside the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.

However, it remains to be seen whether or not he is willing to change his mind or wait for other options to arise before September's deadline.

How many goals did Fashion Sakala score last season?

The electric whiz plundered 12 goals across 41 appearances for the Scottish giants in all competitions last term and was a reliable attacking threat for Beale.

He produced 12 goals and eight assists in 29 Scottish Premiership outings for Rangers, which works out as a direct goal contribution every 1.45 matches on average.

This came after the 26-year-old sensation managed 12 goals and seven assists in 50 clashes across all competitions during his debut year in Scotland.

New is not always better and the Gers may learn that the hard way as there is little evidence so far to suggest that Brighton & Hove Albion loanee Abdallah Sima will offer more than the £8.3k-per-week gem, which means that Beale is heading for a huge transfer blunder.

The 22-year-old winger provided six goals and two assists in 37 games on loan at Angers in France last season, which came after he failed to score or assist any strikes in four competitive matches for Stoke during the previous campaign.

These statistics show that the summer signing does not have a recent track record of being a reliable option in the final third as a scorer or a creator from out wide.

Sima has gone four appearances without a goal, albeit in pre-season, for Rangers so far, whilst Sakala scored once in three friendlies before being left out of the most recent clash with Hoffenheim on Saturday.

Whilst it is harsh to judge players based on their pre-season form, their respective form aligns with what they have shown in competitive matches over the last two campaigns.

Only Antonio Colak (14) and James Tavernier (16) scored more Premiership goals than Sakala last term.

The Zambian finisher, who was once dubbed a "firework" by ex-Gers full-back Alan Hutton, was one of the club's most reliable scorers and they are now willing to move him on without the guarantee of an excellent replacement.

Sima's goalless pre-season and less-than-outstanding spells in front of goal against Angers and Stoke City do not suggest that he will be able to replace the exceptional contributions that the ex-Oostende star provided.

Therefore, Beale is heading for a significant blunder in the transfer window as his side could lose a significant goal threat unless Sima is able to burst onto the scene and show far more than he has in recent seasons and for the Gers so far.