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Also: more stats from the West Indies-Australia Kingston Test, and a unique ODI century record at Edgbaston

Steven Lynch16-Jun-2015Rajendra Chandrika started his Test career with a pair. How many batsmen have done this? asked Azweer from India

The unfortunate Rajendra Chandrika, who bagged a pair in the second Test against Australia in Kingston, was the 40th man to start his Test career in this way. What’s more significant, though, is that he was only the fourth opener to start with a pair, following Ken Rutherford for New Zealand v West Indies in Port-of-Spain in 1984-85, Saeed Anwar for Pakistan v West Indies in Faisalabad in 1990-91, and Dirk Viljoen, for Zimbabwe v Pakistan in Bulawayo in 1997-98. The good news for Chandrika is that Rutherford and Anwar went on to have long and successful careers – although you have to worry a little about someone who was chosen to open in a Test despite never having scored a century in 32 previous first-class games. For the full list of those who started the Test careers with a pair, click here.In the second Test against Australia, West Indies’ openers managed only four runs between them in four attempts. What’s the Test record in this regard? asked Mark Long from England

The four runs scraped together by Kraigg Brathwaite in Kingston (Rajendra Chandrika recorded a debut pair, as mentioned above), meant West Indies equalled the record for the lowest opening contribution to a two-innings match total. The mark was set very early on, as England’s openers collected only four runs in the second Test of all, against Australia in Melbourne in 1876-77. That was equalled by Pakistan against West Indies in Lahore in 1986-87 (Rizwan-uz-Zaman three runs, Mohsin Khan one) and by Zimbabwe against New Zealand in Napier in 2011-12 – a pair for Hamilton Masakadza, and two twos by Tino Mawoyo, all on the third day.In the second Test against Australia, Jerome Taylor bagged a pair – but did take a five-wicket haul. How often has this happened in Tests? asked Uwaisul Karnain from Sri Lanka

Jerome Taylor’s unusual double in Kingston provided the 43rd instance of a player making up for bagging a pair by taking a five-for in the same Test. It was the seventh case for West Indies, including two by Courtney Walsh – against Pakistan in Rawalpindi in 1997-98, and South Africa at Port-of-Spain in 2000-01. Muttiah Muralitharan is the only other person to do it twice. John Trim, for West Indies v Australia in Melbourne in 1951-52, was run out for a duck in both innings – but also took 5 for 34. The first two instances were by the England players George Lohmann and Bobby Peel in 1896, and the last one before Taylor’s was by Dhammika Prasad for Sri Lanka against England at Headingley last year. For the full list, click here.The recent Edgbaston ODI was the first instance of two hundreds in a one-day innings where the said batsmen never batted together•Getty ImagesHow many people have been out for 199 in a Test, as Steven Smith was in Jamaica? asked Keegan Templeton from Australia

Steven Smith became the eighth batsman to be dismissed for 199 in a Test when he was trapped in front by Jerome Taylor in Kingston. Two of the others were Australians too: Steve Waugh was also lbw for 199 in the West Indies, in Bridgetown in 1998-99, while at Headingley in 1997 Matthew Elliott was bowled by Darren Gough one short of his double-century.All the 199s have come since October 1984, when Pakistan’s Mudassar Nazar was caught behind against India in Faisalabad. The others to be out for 199 in Tests are Mohammad Azharuddin (India v Sri Lanka in Kanpur in 1986-87, another lbw), Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka v India in Colombo in 1997, bowled), Younis Khan (run out by Harbhajan Singh’s direct hit, Pakistan v India in Lahore in 2005-06), and Ian Bell (England v South Africa at Lord’s in 2008, caught and bowled).There are also two cases of unfortunate batsmen being marooned on 199 not out: by Andy Flower for Zimbabwe v South Africa in Harare in 2001-02, and Kumar Sangakkara for Sri Lanka v Pakistan in Galle in 2012.There were 27 sixes in the one-day international at The Oval – was this a record? asked George Clinton from England

The 27 sixes in last week’s exciting one-day international at The Oval – 14 by England and 13 by New Zealand – was a new record for a match in England. The previous mark was set just three days before at Edgbaston, when England hit 14 sixes and New Zealand one.It should be noted that there have been two ODIs in Scotland which featured more sixes than the old record: New Zealand hit 18 without reply against Ireland in Aberdeen in 2008, and Scotland and Ireland collected nine apiece in Edinburgh in 2011. Australia’s ODIs against Scotland in Edinburgh in 2009 and 2013 also produced match totals of 15 sixes, the Aussies hitting 13 of them each time.The recent Oval match comes in fourth on the overall list: in Bangalore in 2013-14, both India and Australia smashed 19 sixes for a grand total of 38. There are also two cases of 31: New Zealand (13) v India (18) in Christchurch in 2008-09, and New Zealand (15) v West Indies (16) in the 2015 World Cup quarter-final in Wellington.Joe Root and Jos Buttler scored centuries for England at Edgbaston without batting together at any stage. Was this a first for an ODI? asked Darren Styles from England

England’s remarkable 408 for 9 at Edgbaston – the 16th total of 400-plus in one-day internationals, but England’s first – was the first case of two hundreds in an ODI innings where the batsmen did not bat together. But in Johannesburg in January 2015, AB de Villiers came in when Rilee Rossouw was out for 129, and smashed 149 himself, from just 44 balls. At the other end throughout, Hashim Amla made an undefeated 153 (he had 114 when Rossouw was out). This remains the only occasion there have been three individual centuries in an ODI innings; England at Edgbaston provided the 127th instance of two.

Sohaib Maqsood could have made it to Pakistan’s international team earlier, had it not been for a spate of injuries

Umar Farooq12-Nov-2013Multan is famous for many things – shrines, Sufi saints, renowned political figures and mangoes. In cricket, the city produced Inzamam-ul-Haq, perhaps Pakistan’s best batsman, but no one else in the six years since he retired. Until now. Sohaib Maqsood, Pakistan’s newest international cricketer, was born in Multan in 1987, and he kick-started his career with half-centuries in his first two ODIs, against South Africa.Maqsood, 26, began playing first-class cricket in 2003-04 but had problems with his back for most of the next three years, during which he didn’t play a game. He also had an ankle-ligament injury that threatened his career in 2010, and underwent surgery for an ingrown toenail that had been a hindrance for much of his domestic career.He returned in the 2007-08 season to score 537 runs at an average of 53.70 but was inconsistent over the next two years. In 2010-11, however, Maqsood made 951 runs at an average of 50 and in the following season he scored 1020 at 44.34. He was the leading runscorer in domestic one-day cricket in 2012-13, with 944 runs at an average of 78.66.Maqsood’s consistent run in domestic cricket resulted in a call-up to Pakistan’s Twenty20 squad for the matches in Zimbabwe this year, and subsequently for the ODIs against South Africa in the UAE. He recovered from more back trouble in time to make the trip to Harare, where he made 26 in his only T20 innings, but began his ODI career with 56 and 53 against South Africa.”He has been terribly unlucky throughout his domestic career,” Amjad Saddiq, who coached Maqsood when he played for Water and Power Development Authority, told ESPNcricinfo. “Injuries have been the main factor. Otherwise, with such talent, he could have played for Pakistan at least in his early 20s, but better late than never. Whatever the case, he is out there playing international cricket.”He (Maqsood) used to be very chubby like Inzamam, and we called him (second) Inzi. He is a rare batsman in our domestic cricket at present, one who is good against any bowling. His mental strength is the key, otherwise his brittle body could have ended his career way before. There are many things that resemble Inzi’s elegance, but it will be unfair to put undue pressure by comparing him with a former great.”Maqsood bowled offspin and could have been an allrounder who bats in the lower-middle order. However, his back injuries curtailed his bowling and so he developed into a specialist top-order batsman. And though he’s known to be reticent in the dressing room, his batting is extremely expressive. Maqsood’s strength is his off-side play and his back-foot punch is a treat to watch.As is usually the case in Pakistan, Maqsood had to balance cricket and education during his childhood. His father, a retired teacher, was keen for his son to nurture his cricket skills and Maqsood’s mentor in college, Professor Javed Malik, was instrumental in his development ahead of his selection for the under-19 regional team.Maqsood went on to represent Pakistan U-19 in two unofficial Tests against Sri Lanka U-19 in 2005, and was part of the probables for the 2006 U-19 World cup before his back problems flared up again. He was sidelined for two years, during which he graduated. Later on he completed a masters degree in sports sciences.”His education made him a prominent cricketer around us,” Saddiq said. “He pick things very quickly and absorbs pressure very well, and this is exactly what Pakistan need at the moment in their batting line up. I never doubted Sohaib in the time we have recruited him in WAPDA and knew the guy has the ability to go far if he remains fit.”

Graeme Smith believes his side is ready to end the cycle of repeats that has seen them miss out on No. 1 spot in the Test rankings

Firdose Moonda01-Aug-2012Like and , South Africa’s cricket team have been on your screens doing their thing time and time again. The only difference is that despite numerous episodes and re-runs, too many to count, the team have not come out with a fairytale ending like Rachel and Ross, or laughing like Homer and Bart.When the sporting equivalent of a 30-minute TV episode is over, South Africa have usually found themselves in the same place they were when the opening credits rolled: somewhere close to the top but never actually on top. Frankly, it has not been a bad place to be. Always second- or third-best, although once much lower, it has allowed them to command adequate respect and put them in a position to continually challenge to be the absolute best.That they had only been able to call themselves that for a few months three years ago, illustrates how close but how far they have always been. And here they are again. The scene setter has been broadcast, the jingle has played, louder than on previous occasions, with an innings-and-12 run win at The Oval, and the first ad break has been taken.This time it was spent playing a two-day tour match in Worcester while the captain jetted home to welcome his new-born daughter into the world and the rest having a fancy dress party in the lead up to the second part of the show. While both those are circumstantial differences to the norm, for South Africa to have a different outcome at the end of this series to the one they are usually stuck with, something more substantial has to have changed.In cricketing terms, South Africa cannot do much more. With an unbeaten record away from home that stretches back to 2006, a thundering victory in the first Test and the big name players living up to their reputations, only fine-tuning is necessary. Concerns such as Alviro Petersen’s lack of form on the tour so far, Jacques Rudolph and JP Duminy’s lack of time in the middle and assessing and adapting to conditions at Headingley have been dealt with.
It is other terms that South Africa’s real progress will be measured. Having not won consecutive Tests in a single series since 2008 and not won back-to-back matches in two years, maintaining momentum is one of those things.Historically, South Africa have not been able to do it. The last two times they have played against the No. 1 side in the world, which was then India, they squandered a 1-0 lead. In 2010, they won by an innings in Nagpur only to lose in Kolkata, and in the return leg, South Africa were held 1-1 at home, again after opening with an innings victory. Overall, they have lost immediately after going ahead in three of their last four series.Conversely, not allowing the momentum that has taken them to the brink of No. 1 again to sweep them away is another issue that must be addressed. Pressure presents itself in a different form because it is the not anxiety of win-or-lose-everything, situations that have haunted South Africa in knockout matches, but the expectancy of win-and-gain everything that has existed before and will come again. Managing that is going to be the most challenging thing that will face the squad over the next five days.The person who has led the team throughout their seemingly endless hover near greatness and maintained the stoic attitude needed to prevent losing sight of the ultimate goal, knows that best. “Keeping emotions in check is crucial,” Graeme Smith said. “The mental energy that we have in our squad is an important thing. You can feel the intensity among the group at the moment.”A fresher attitude at the key stage of the series is the only tangible thing Smith thinks makes this time different to all the others. They have kept their performance graph a fairly straight line and their gazes firmly fixed on that distant point in the future that has almost always eluded them.

“We’ve got most of our bases covered in terms of players but as a group of men, this is the best group of men that I have been around”Graeme Smith

“Nothing has been too up or too down. We’ve trained as hard and we’ve prepared as well as ever,” Smith said. “We don’t expect England to give us anything for free. We know we are going to have to earn it and we have the mindset where we can do that.”As insurance against making this match the ultimate as far as South African cricket’s future is concerned, Smith already went as far as talking about the need to maintain good form rather than just achieve it for brief periods. “We understand that the job is not done and it’s not done for a period of time, if we want to see ourselves at the top of the rankings consistently,” he said.This is not South Africa’s last chance to become world No. 1, neither is the final Test of the series at Lord’s because they go on to play a three-match series in Australia in November. But it is as clear cut a chance as they have had in recent times.Smith knows it and so coloured his words carefully, making sure he said the immediate goal was the next five days. He also provided extensive evidence that South Africa are ready, not just to win one match and rise to the top but, once they do that, to stay there. “We are training every day to be the kind of team that can consistently go forward. We need to walk that walk out in the middle and win those games now to prove that to people. We would love to be holders of the No. 1 title and be the team that can push forward.”What can dramatically aid that cause is what Smith identified as one of the immeasurables that have made the team he is currently in charge of different to any other. “We’ve got most of our bases covered in terms of players but as a group of men, this is the best group of men that I have been around,” he said. It’s a group he will be hoping are not keen on repeats but who will be eager to break new ground from Thursday.

Delhi suffered a defeat against Punjab because of a failure to assess what was needed on a tough pitch at the Kotla

Jamie Alter at the Feroz Shah Kotla11-Apr-2010Paul Collingwood and Daniel Vettori were dismissed by Piyush Chawla•Indian Premier LeagueApplying the squeeze: From the time he cut the first ball of the match, from offspinner Ramesh Powar, for four, David Warner wanted to dominate. As a destructive Twenty20 opener, it’s what he does. However, he didn’t have a back-up plan against Powar, whose gagging tactics with the new ball worked. Powar persisted with a leg-stump line to the left-hand batsman, inducing false strokes from impatient charges. Flight followed by spin had Warner stretching forward, pushing and missing. The zip and extra bounce Powar generated off the pitch didn’t allow Warner to cut without risk. After that first four, Warner relied solely on the cut and was beaten off the last two balls of the opening over. His frustration was evident.A big turn off: Paul Collingwood and Daniel Vettori had extended net sessions against spin during training yesterday. Whatever they learned facing Amit Mishra in the nets, however, didn’t bear fruit in the middle because both failed to read Piyush Chawla’s spin. Collingwood went back instead of forward, when the ball was staying low and was trapped plumb in front, and not too long after it was Vettori who committed the same mistake. Chawla pitched the ball on middle and Vettori went back, presumably to play the legbreak, but was outfoxed by the googly.Not relying solely on the bounce and slowness of the track, Chawla introduced a surprise element: sharp turn. The batsmen were perplexed, their frailties exposed. And when the ball didn’t spin and went straight on, the results were all too similar. Chawla utilised the bowler’s footmarks but mostly it was the curator’s generosity that he manipulated. Batsmen were frustrated when they cut and missed, inside-edged uncertain prods and swept with hard hands to fielders.Failing to adapt: The pitch wasn’t conducive to Twenty20 strokeplay, for it played slow and low and offered generous turn. However, it wasn’t a minefield and, with a bit of application, Delhi’s batsmen would have fared better. There will be more such days when the ball does a bit off the track and batsmen cannot thump every ball to the boundary. A feature of the matches played at the Kotla during the Champions League Twenty20 last year was how well the Australians adjusted difficult surfaces. Simon Katich, Phil Hughes and Rob Quiney contributed match-winning innings from the top three spots while under pressure. The Sri Lankan Michael Vandort also played one from No. 3 during Wayamba’s 15-run win over Victoria in another low-scorer contest, and Eagles opener Riley Roussow was forced to reassess his horizontal-bat tactics. He still produced a crucial 62-ball 65 in a tense winover Sussex. Delhi’s former overseas signing Owais Shah also judged the conditions while compiling a match-winning unbeaten 39 from 38 balls, after the hosts were 46 for 4, against Cape Cobras. What these innings did was strengthen the purist’s theory that playing orthodox cricket is more beneficial than all the innovative fireworks of the Twenty20 format. Today, none of Delhi’s batsman appeared to have an alternative to stand-and-deliver.No wickets in the bank: On this pitch a total of 140 would have been challenging but Delhi failed to achieve that because they lost too many wickets. With no clear solution for a flagging run-rate, attack seemed the apt riposte. Apt but not effective, as Dinesh Karthik realised. When Irfan Pathan began the 14th over, Delhi had five wickets left. Karthik, on 17, didn’t wait to see what the bowler had to offer. He hung on the back foot and thumped the first ball straight to long-off. At the start of the 16th over Farveez Maharoof – no mug with the bat and certainly better than a No. 9 – shoved the bat at his first delivery and was bowled. Delhi hadn’t preserved enough resources to even attempt a late charge.

Sam Curran and Liam Livingstone spoiled Rishabh Pant’s comeback as Punjab Kings started their IPL 2024 campaign with a four-wicket win at their new home ground in Mullanpur.After being sent in, Delhi Capitals were 137 for 7 in the 18th over when they decided to bring in Abishek Porel as the Impact Player. Porel smashed 32 off just ten balls to lift them to 174 for 9.But that also meant Capitals were going to be a bowler light during the chase. Ishant Sharma’s injury – he hurt his ankle after bowling just two overs – set them back further.Related

• Pant on his comeback to cricket: 'I was pretty nervous'

Shikhar Dhawan and Jonny Bairstow started the Kings’ chase positively but both fell in the fourth over. Kuldeep Yadav then dismissed Prabhsimran Singh and Jitesh Sharma to keep Capitals in the game.But Curran and Livingstone took over after that and added 67 off 42 balls for the fifth wicket. Curran was out in the 19th over, for 63 off 47, but Livingstone stayed till the end and finished the game with a muscular six with four balls to spare.

Warner, Marsh give Capitals a breezy start

With Prithvi Shaw left out, David Warner and Mitchell Marsh opened the innings for Capitals and gave them a fast start. Marsh got going by hitting two fours off the first two balls he faced, from Curran. Warner joined in by carting Arshdeep Singh for a six and a four in the next over.Marsh then hit a six each off Kagiso Rabada and Arshdeep. He fell for 20 off 12 when he drove Arshdeep to cover-point where Rahul Chahar took a sharp, overhead catch.Warner kept batting aggressively and even flick-scooped Rabada for a six as Capitals finished the powerplay on 54 for 1. In the seventh over, Shai Hope, on IPL debut, danced down the track and lofted Chahar for a straight six.It was all Capitals at that stage till Harshal Patel came to Kings’ rescue, having Warner caught behind with a slower bouncer.

Pant’s first outing after the accident

Warner’s wicket brought Pant to the crease, and the Mullanpur crowd welcomed him with a standing ovation. Playing his first competitive game in 15 months, Pant looked a bit rusty. He was given a life on 4 when Harshal lost the ball in the sun at deep midwicket and ended up gifting a four.As if to rub it in, Pant then drove Harshal for his second boundary. Two balls later, though, Harshal bowled a slower bouncer; Pant failed to spot it and ended up popping it to backward point. His first outing with bat on comeback ended on 18 off 13 balls.3:06

Moody on Porel: That’s how impact subs should be used

The Porel gamble pays off

Harpreet Brar and Chahar dented Capitals further. Brar had Ricky Bhui caught down the leg side, and Tristan Stubbs holed out to long-off while trying an inside-out shot against Chahar.When Axar Patel was run out coming back for a second, Capitals were reduced to 137 for 7 with 2.5 overs to go. But, coming in as the Impact Player, Porel slashed hard at a short and wide delivery from Harshal and picked up a boundary to deep third.After 19 overs, Capitals were 149 for 8. With Harshal bowling the last over, Kings would have expected to restrict Capitals under 160. But that’s when Porel decided to have a say in matters, and smashed three fours and two sixes in a 25-run final over.That lifted Capitals to 174 for 9. At the start of the 20th over, ESPNcricinfo’s Forecaster had Capitals’ chances of winning at 38.9%. Porel singlehandedly lifted that number to 56.7%.

Dhawan, Bairtsow start with a flurry of fours

Just like the Capitals openers, Dhawan and Bairstow also started with positive intent. In the first three overs, they hit a combined six fours and looted 34 runs. However, both fell in the fourth over. Dhawan was bowled as he charged down the ground to Ishant, and Bairstow was run-out at the non-striker’s end when a Prabhsimran drive brushed a diving Ishant’s fingers and crashed into the stumps.But, in the sixth over, Prabhsimran tucked one towards midwicket, from where Ishant charged and fielded the ball. But as he was about to throw, he twisted his right ankle and had to be carried off the field.1:47

Has Harshal become too predictable?

Kuldeep keeps Capitals in the game

In the tenth over, Prabhsimran tried to go big against Kuldeep and holed out to long-on for a 17-ball 26, which included five fours. In the spinner’s next over, Jitesh attempted a reverse sweep, but not only did he miss the ball, he also lost his balance and ended up out of his crease. Pant was alert behind the stumps and broke the wickets.Kuldeep finished with figures of 2 for 21. He could have easily picked up a third, but Tristan Stubbs, running to his right from long-on, put down Curran, who was on 33 at that point.

Curran, Livingstone take over

Kings needed 63 from the last six overs when Curran and Livingstone clubbed Marsh for 18 to calm the nerves.Capitals still had hope when 28 were required from three overs. But with Ishant off the field, Pant had no option but to bowl Marsh again. He conceded another 18 to finish with 52 from his four wicketless overs.In the 19th over, Khaleel dismissed Curran and Shashank Singh off successive deliveries but it was too late by then. Warner dropping Brar on the last ball of the Khaleel over didn’t help either.With just six required from the final over, Sumit Kumar, who was making his IPL debut, had little chance against a set Livingstone. He started with two wides, and after a dot, Livingstone launched him over deep midwicket to seal the win.

Neymar admits to being in the dark when it comes to his future at Santos, with no extension being agreed to his initial short-term deal.

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Returned to his roots on short-term dealHeading towards free agency againMove to Europe has been speculated onFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Brazil international, who is his country’s all-time leading goalscorer, returned to his roots in January after being released from his lucrative contract at Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal. He became a free agent after struggling through injury issues in the Middle East.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

More fitness problems have been endured with Santos, limiting Neymar’s game time, but he has made his latest return to competitive action. Questions are now being asked of what happens next.

DID YOU KNOW?

A return to Europe has been speculated on for the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward, with the 33-year-old eager to captain Brazil at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

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GettyWHAT NEYMAR SAID

An extended stay at Santos may yet be agreed, allowing Neymar to remain in familiar surroundings alongside his children and girlfriend Bruna Biancardi, but he has told reporters when asked about his future: "I don’t know. In this moment, I don’t know."

All summer long, GOAL will be handing out grades for the biggest transfers from around the world…

For some football fans, the summer is the part of the calendar that they look forward to the most, as that can only mean one thing: It's time for transfers! The 2025 window proved to be one of the busiest in recent times, with some huge names making big-money moves.

We all know that some transfers turn out well for all parties involved, but there are plenty where at least one of the clubs, or even the player, are left wondering what might have been had they made a different decision while at the negotiating table.

GOAL has been here throughout the summer to ensure you know who did the best out of every massive deal as we graded each done deal as it happened, letting you track the big winners – and losers – of transfer season.

Check out all of our grades below, and let us know what you think in the comments section…

Getty/GOALSeptember 1: Gigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain to Manchester City, £30m)

For PSG: A massive call by Luis Enrique. The PSG coach has taken full responsibility for the decision to get rid of the goalkeeper who played such an integral role in last season's Champions League triumph and he freely admits Donnarumma is one of the best shot-stoppers in the world. However, Luis Enrique has never been convinced by the Italian's ability on the ball, which is why he says he needed "a different type of goalkeeper". Hence, the summer move for Lucas Chevalier, who is much more comfortable with the ball at his feet. From a financial perspective, PSG have done well here, as they've banked decent money for a player with less than a year left on his contract, but Luis Enrique really needs Chevalier to succeed at Parc des Princes to avoid looking foolish for ditching Donnarumma in such unceremonious circumstances. Grade: B-

For City: A puzzling move by Pep Guardiola. Ederson exhibited some signs of decline last season, so his move to Turkey isn't all that surprising. However, City had already replaced the Brazilian with James Trafford, who was key to Burnley securing promotion to the Premier League. It's now clear, though, that Trafford will be back warming the bench at the Etihad due to the arrival of Donnarumma, who isn't an especially good sweeper-keeper at all. So, does his arrival signal a change in Guardiola's tactics? Are City going to start knocking it long a lot more this season? Donnarumma is an outstanding goalkeeper; he'll definitely keep out shots that Ederson would have let in – and maybe that's all that Guardiola cares about now. We could be about to see a more pragmatic Pep than ever before. As it stands, though, it's really strange that a coach that sent Joe Hart packing almost a decade ago for not being good enough with his feet has just signed a No.1 exiled by PSG for precisely the same reason. Grade: C+

For Donnarumma: An interesting challenge. Donnarumma was left with no option but to find a new club after being mercilessly frozen out of the first-team picture at Parc des Princes by Luis Enrique, and was rightly upset by the way in which he was treated by the club. He deserved better, but the manner of his departure will doubtless provide him with plenty of fuel to prove PSG wrong. Indeed, if he were to slot seamlessly into a Guardiola side, it would be incredibly embarrassing for Luis Enrique. Of course, for all of the reasons listed above, that won't be easy, because it's worth remembering that Donnarumma was still making costly mistakes at PSG during the first half of last season. He only really came good during the Champions League knockout stage and the general lack of interest in his services (which had a lot to do with his salary demands) meant that there was a very real risk of him ending up at Galatasaray, which would have felt like such a waste. Moving to Manchester City rather than Manchester United also gives Donnarumma a greater chance of succeeding in the Premier League – but everything really will hinge on him getting to grips with Guardiola's footballing philosophy, which, as Trafford has already discovered to his cost, can lead to embarrassing gaffes. Grade: B

AdvertisementGetty ImagesSeptember 1: Senne Lammens (Royal Antwerp to Manchester United, £18.5m)

For Antwerp: A lucrative success story. Antwerp picked Lammens up on a free transfer in 2023 after the youngster had failed to make the grade at Club Brugge, primarily due to the enduring excellence of Simon Mignolet, and although he initially struggled for game time at the Bosuilstadion, he featured regularly under Mark van Bommel before becoming Jonas De Roeck's first-choice goalkeeper. New coach Stef Wils was just as impressed with Lammens' ability, but Antwerp were never going to turn down what is good money for a relatively inexperienced 23-year-old plying his trade in the Belgian Pro League. Grade: B+

For United: Hopefully the answer to their goalkeeping problem. For a long time this summer, the presumption was that United would sign Emiliano Martinez, the World Cup winner who was very clear about his desire to leave Aston Villa. However, United have instead decided to go in a very different direction by bringing in a young, up-and-coming shot-stopper who has been compared favourably with Thibaut Courtois. The big question now, though, is whether Ruben Amorim will throw Lammens straight into his starting line-up after the international break, given Altay Bayindir and Andre Onana haven't proven themselves remotely reliable in recent weeks (and months!). Grade: B

For Lammens: A daunting but exciting challenge. Lammens is still learning his trade having only made just over 50 appearances at senior level, but he's undoubtedly a shot-stopper of real world-class potential. Lammens earned a fully deserved call-up to the Belgium squad due to his fantastic performances for Antwerp last season, while he also ended up making more league saves than any other goalkeeper across Europe's top 10 leagues. There is, of course, a concern over how he will cope with the pressure that comes with representing United as even more highly-rated youngsters than Lammens have been traumatised by the toxic atmosphere at Old Trafford in recent years. Whatever happens, though, this is the kind of opportunity that Lammens probably dreamed of as a child. The No.1 jersey really is there for the taking and Lammens appears to have the combination of physicality and footwork that Amorim wants in a goalkeeper. Grade: A

Getty/GOALSeptember 1: Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea to Bayern Munich, loan)

For Chelsea: A remarkable turn of events. Chelsea were all set to accept Bayern's offer of a loan deal with an option to buy. However, the Blues looked to pull the plug on the transfer after Liam Delap picked up an injury in Saturday's win over Fulham. Neither Jackson nor Bayern were willing to give up, though, and their collective desperation played perfectly into Chelsea's hands. Admittedly, the final fee depends on certain targets being met, but no matter what happens between now and next summer, Chelsea are set to make a big profit on a £32m signing that Enzo Maresca had lost all faith in due to Jackson's profligacy and propensity for picking up stupid yellow and red cards. Grade: B+

For Bayern: A disturbingly desperate move. Taking Jackson on loan would have been one thing; accepting an obligation to buy him is quite another. Jackson is erratic, in every sense. There is arguably a good striker in there somewhere and it's not as if Bayern have an abundance of viable alternatives up front to Harry Kane. The Bavarians let Thomas Muller go during the summer and failed to wrap up a deal for Nick Woltemade before Newcastle signed the Stuttgart centre-forward in double-quick time. Consequently, they were left with no real option but to take a punt on someone – but this is a wild bet. Granted, Jackson managed to hit double figures in each of his two seasons in the Premier League and he might well prove a decent understudy for Kane, but Bayern have undoubtedly taken a huge risk by committing so much money to signing such an inconsistent and volatile centre-forward. Grade: C-

For Jackson: A better move than he could have expected. Jackson's limitations were brutally exposed last season, with the Senegal international guilty of a number of shocking misses that often visibly upset team-mate Cole Palmer. Despite his struggles, though, Jackson has been picked up by one of the biggest clubs in European football and he’ll no doubt believe himself capable of eventually becoming Bayern’s first-choice No.9. Certainly, Kane can't go on forever and Jackson, who is eight years younger than the England captain, should find playing for Bayern in the Bundesliga a lot easier than leading the line for Chelsea in the Premier League. Grade: B+

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Getty ImagesSeptember 1: Yoane Wissa (Brentford to Newcastle, £55m)

For Brentford: Amazing money but terrible timing. As recently as Saturday, Brentford boss Keith Andrews reiterated his belief that Wissa would still be a Brentford player after the close of the transfer window – but the Bees have long been fighting a losing battle. As soon as Wissa threw his toys out of the pram, it was clear that he'd eventually get his way. Unfortunately, Brentford had to wait until deadline day to get the fee they wanted out of Newcastle – but it really is a sensational sum for an attacker who turns 29 on Wednesday. The flip side, of course, is that unless they can convince Borussia Dortmund to sell Max Beier, they're not going to have sufficient time to bring in a worthy replacement and that would be a major issue for Andrews, who has lost two of his first three Premier League games in charge. Grade: B

For Newcastle: Pure relief. Having been rejected by a plethora of potential summer signings, Newcastle have finally landed one of their top targets. The only issue is that they've been absolutely taken to the cleaners by Brentford. However, Newcastle weren't really in a position to haggle and their Premier League rivals knew that they were both desperate and flush with cash after selling Alexander Isak to Liverpool. The Magpies were in dire need of a quality replacement for Callum Wilson and Wissa unquestionably fits the bill. He's Premier League-proven, having hit double figures in each of his past two Premier League seasons and, perhaps more importantly than anything else, he has the requisite set of skills to play in the same attack as Nick Woltemade. Grade: B

For Wissa: The public plea worked! Although there has been a lot of talk about the way in which Isak forced his way out of Newcastle this summer, Wissa secured a switch to Tyneside in just as undignified a manner. Just like Isak, the DR Congo forward spoke about broken promises, while he also argued that Brentford were demanding an unreasonable amount of money for his services, and he probably has a point in that regard – but it was all very messy. Still, Wissa will feel that the end justified the means. With the last big move of his career, he's finally going to get a chance to play Champions League football – and that's all that matters to him now. Grade: A-

هاجمت الصحف الكتالونية، الإيطالي كارلو أنشيلوتي مدرب منتخب البرازيل، واتهمته بمجاملة فريق ريال مدريد الإسباني، بعدما أعلن قائمة البرازيل لفترة التوقف الدولي المقبلة.

ويخوض منتخب البرازيل مباراتين أمام تشيلي وبوليفيا في شهر سبتمبر المقبل، ضمن مباريات تصفيات أمريكا الجنوبية المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026.

وشهدت قائمة البرازيل استبعاد رباعي ريال مدريد، رودريجو، فينيسيوس جونيور، إيدير ميليتاو وإندريك.

واستدعى أنشيلوتي رافينها نجم فريق برشلونة لقائمة البرازيل في توقف سبتمبر، وهو ما سلطت الصحف الكتالونية الضوء عليه.

وعلقت صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” على الأمر، مشيرة إلى أن أنشيلوتي لا يزال يهتم بفريقه السابق ريال مدريد.

وفسرت الصحيفة قرارات أنشيلوتي بأنه قرر منح الراحة للاعبي ريال مدريد وفي المقابل قام باستدعاء جناح برشلونة، رافينها، لخوض مباراتين ليس لهما أهمية كبيرة، خاصة مع حسم البرازيل التأهل لكأس العالم بالفعل.

ذكرت الصحيفة أن فينيسيوس كان سيغيب بالفعل عن مباراة تشيلي للإيقاف، لكن حال استدعائه، كان بإمكانه المشاركة في المباراة الثانية ضد بوليفيا، لكن أنشيلوتي فضل إراحته.

اقرأ أيضًا | أنشيلوتي بعد استبعاد مهاجم ريال مدريد من قائمة البرازيل: يمكنه الاتصال بي لمعرفة السبب

كما سلطت الصحيفة الضوء على المباراة أمام بوليفيا التي تلعب على ارتفاع 4000 متر فوق مستوى سطح البحر، وهو ما يزيد من إرهاق اللاعبين المشاركين.

صحيفة “سبورت” تحدثت كذلك عن قرار أنشيلوتي، ورصدت تقريرًا بعنوان: “كارلو أنشيلوتي يسيء معاملة برشلونة ويسعد ريال مدريد”.

وأفادت خلال تقريرها أن المدرب الإيطالي يُقدم خدمات جليلة لفريقه السابق ريال مدريد والمدرب تشابي ألونسو، بقرار إراحة فينيسيوس جونيو، رودريجو وإيدر ميليتاو، لكنه قرر استدعاء رافينها.

وترى الصحيفة الكتالونية أن قرار أنشيلوتي بمثابة معاملة تفضيلية لريال مدريد، وإرهاق لرافينها لاعب برشلونة بما في ذلك السفر أكثر من عشر ساعات طيران عبر المحيط، وفارق توقيت خمس ساعات، وخوض مباراتين ليس لهما أهمية كبيرة أو حافز في ظل حسم التأهل بالفعل.

The result ensures Bangladesh have at least one hand on the trophy as they head into the final game 1-0 ahead

Sreshth Shah29-Dec-2023No result Mount Maunganui had a solid Friday turnout to start off the year-end weekend, but rain had the final say in the second T20I between New Zealand and Bangladesh after only 11 overs of action.It was an even contest with New Zealand at 72 for 2 in 11 overs, with Bangladesh crawling back after Tim Seifert’s early assault.Seifert scored 43 in 23 balls with six fours and one six, but everything wasn’t spectacular. Craig McMillan on the broadcast said, “he swung like a rusty gate”, suitably describing the opener’s stay with a few lucky boundaries off slogs adding to New Zealand’s early momentum.It was however an important innings because Finn Allen was out driving Shoriful Islam to cover in the second over of the game, and Daryl Mitchell in at No. 3 was slow to start after Bangladesh opted to bowl. In between, on 8, Seifert was also hit on the side of his helmet at the non-striker’s side after Mitchell crunched a drive back. He continued after the physio’s go-ahead.Mitchell struggled in his 24-ball stay of 18, looking to overhit Bangladesh’s pacers or legspinner Rishad Hossain. Rishad’s three overs at 3.33 apiece kept Mitchell and No. 4 Glenn Phillips (9* in 14) in check.On a slippery outfield, Bangladesh’s impressive fielding added to the squeeze. Soumya Sarkar down the ground was busy manning long-on, and it was Najmul Hossain Shanto’s tricky catch running behind from cover that removed a rampaging Seifert in the eighth over.A light drizzle soon gained momentum forcing the players off the field. Had there been a short DLS-adjusted chase, Bangladesh would’ve needed 46 in five overs but those were slim hopes. The rain never relented rather only increased in intensity and the umpires abandoned the fixture at 9.55pm local time.Friday’s washout confirms Bangladesh will have at least one hand on this T20I trophy come Sunday. New Zealand can only level the series in the third T20I on December 31 with the hosts trailing 0-1.

Batter available for seven County Championship matches and entirety of T20 Blast

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Dec-2023

New Zealand batter Will Young has signed a multi-format deal with Nottinghamshire for the 2024 season.Young, who has represented the Black Caps on 56 occasions, will be available for seven County Championship matches and the entirety of Notts Outlaws’ Vitality Blast campaign.His acquisition is a coup for the county, not least because of a strong impression made last summer. Having signed for a short three-game red-ball stint, he struck 299 runs at an average of 59.80, including 145 on debut against Surrey at the Kia Oval, and 87 – from 79 deliveries – in a victory over Kent. Young will allow Notts to cover for the loss of Ben Duckett, who is likely to spend a large parts of next season away with England now that he has become a feature in all three formats.A top-order batter, Young averages 26.45 from 13 Test caps, and on Sunday struck his third ODI hundred as New Zealand triumphed over Bangladesh in the first of a three-match series. He also featured six times during the recently completed 50-over World Cup which saw New Zealand make it through to the semi-finals before losing to hosts India.”Will adds valuable experience to our batting group, especially with the potential loss of Ben Duckett to England for large portions of the season,” Peter Moores, Nottinghamshire head coach, said.”He showed his quality as a player last season, not only with the runs he scored but also in the manner he scored them. His calm approach will add stability to our Championship team as well as being a good tactical support for Haseeb [Hameed], our captain.”Will’s availability for the majority of the first half of the season across formats is also significant. He fitted brilliantly into the squad last season and will give us continuity as we navigate our way through the business part of our season.”Personally, I’m excited as in his brief spell with us last season, I really enjoyed working with him as a coach.”Speaking on the move, Young said: “I had such an enjoyable experience with the team the first time round, so the offer to play for Nottinghamshire and in front of the members at Trent Bridge again was too good to turn down.”The opportunity to play white-ball games in front of packed out crowds at Trent Bridge was a really attractive prospect for me, too. It’s a superb place to bat and I’m hoping I can help the team go a step further in the Blast in 2024.”Being around the group for longer will hopefully help me to pass some experience onto them and learn from the coaches and players at Notts. The squad is in an exciting place to build on what they achieved last season.”Young has previously played for both Durham and Northamptonshire in the County Championship.