Batsmen who didn’t quite light up the tournament

25-Nov-2014Inzamam-ul-Haq
19 runs at 3.16 in 2003
Inzamam made his name with one of the greatest World Cup innings during the 1992 tournament. Famously, he helped Pakistan cane New Zealand’s surprise weapon, offspinner Dipak Patel, for 22 runs in Patel’s last two overs. In 2003, though, Inzamam couldn’t manage 22 runs across the entire tournament. In an effort to prolong his career, he had committed to a diet that helped him lose 17 kg, but the first evidence of its impact was disastrous. He made only 19 runs from six matches in South Africa, and not once could he reach double-figures. Recalling that trial for the , Inzy vowed, “I never do that again”.Allan Border

60 runs at 8.57 in 1992
Border might have turned the 1987 World Cup final Australia’s way with this weaker suit, getting England’s Mike Gatting to mis-hit reverse sweep off his left-arm spin, but just over four years later, as Australia tried to defend their title, Border couldn’t come through with his stronger suit. He averaged 8.57 in the tournament, totalling just 60 runs from seven innings. The captain’s nightmare series was not without consequences for his team, as they were knocked out at the group stage in a tournament they were co-hosting.Nathan Astle

79 runs at 8.77 in 1999
The New Zealand batsman’s World Cup career got off to a roaring start in 1996 as his century helped defeat England. That was not a harbinger of things to come: he had to wait ten more innings before reaching double-digits, and that when it came was a 11 against Scotland in 1999. He had three ducks in 2003 as well, but balanced those out with several important innings. His ’96 campaign was also salvaged a bit by that hundred against England. There was no such solace in ’99 as he ran up a sequence of: 4, 4, 2, 0, 11, 20, 9, 26, 3.Mahela Jayawardene made only 5 in the 2003 World Cup semi-final, but made up for it with a classic century in the semi-final four years later•Nick Laham/Getty ImagesMahela Jayawardene

21 runs at 3.00 in 2003
Jayawardene often finds himself being an example of how calculated strokeplay is always better than slogging. No one would have made that argument from his contributions during the 2003 World Cup though. The extra pace and bounce in South Africa got the better of him, and his best chance to get back in form did not pan out as he was not required to bat against Bangladesh or Canada. Coming away with 21 runs off seven innings in the showpiece event of the ODI calendar is not quite flattering to a man who likes the big occasion. But one thing he did do right was cling on to Ehsanul Haque’s outside edge that ensured Chaminda Vaas became the first and only bowler to claim a hat-trick off the first three balls in an international match.Keith Arthurton
2 runs at 0.40 in 1996
On each of his previous tours to India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the West Indies batsman had reasonable success with the bat. It was expected that he would be able to cope with the conditions in the subcontinent during the 1996 World Cup. Instead, he had arguably the worst World Cup for a specialist batsman, scoring 2 runs in five innings. That wretched run included ducks in the loss to Kenya, and in the famous meltdown against Australia in the semi-final. It cost him his place in the one-day side for two years.

High demand on franchise circuit persuades 21-year-old to withdraw from first-class game

Matt Roller14-Nov-2022Will Smeed has signed a white-ball-only contract at Somerset in a ground-breaking move that highlights the growing divide between formats in English cricket.Smeed is one of the most promising young batters in the English game and made his debut for the Lions earlier this year. He has impressed for Somerset in the T20 Blast across the last three seasons and in August became the first player to score a century in the Hundred, playing for Birmingham Phoenix.”I feel that my game is better suited to white-ball cricket,” Smeed said in Somerset’s press release. “After a huge amount of thorough and considered discussions, I feel that I need to solely focus my attention on the limited-overs formats in order to become the very best cricketer I can be.”I can assure people that this [is] not a decision that I’ve taken lightly, and I’ve spoken to a lot of people about it. I want to be the best player that I can be, and to do that I believe that this needs to be my focus.”Smeed first came to mainstream attention when, aged 16, he made a second-team hundred in the same innings as a 42-year-old Marcus Trescothick in a red-ball game, but he has never played a first-class game and averaged 15.57 in his five outings in the Second XI Championship this season.”I know how much our members love red-ball cricket, but unfortunately I haven’t been performing how I would like to in the longer form of the game,” Smeed added. “The easy option would have been to carry on playing red-ball cricket and try to fit everything in and reach a certain level across all formats, but I want to try to be the best that I can be.”To achieve this, I feel that I need to focus on excelling in one format. I’m certainly not saying that I’ll never play red-ball cricket again. I just feel that this is the right decision for me and Somerset at the current time.”It has become increasingly common for English players to sign white-ball deals with their counties since Adil Rashid and Alex Hales took that step in early 2018, but the vast majority of those players have been in their 30s and have already played a significant chunk of red-ball cricket. Smeed has made the decision weeks after his 21st birthday.Will Smeed celebrates reaching his century for Birmingham Phoenix in the Hundred•ECB/Getty Images

“I still want to play everything,” Smeed insisted in an interview with ESPNcricinfo this summer but his exploits in short-form cricket have made him a sought-after player on the franchise circuit. He has already represented Quetta Gladiators in the PSL – who have retained him for the 2023 edition – and Bangla Tigers in the Abu Dhabi T10, a tournament he will return to next week playing for Deccan Gladiators.Most significantly, he has a deal with MI Emirates – the franchise run by Mumbai Indians’ owners Reliance in the ILT20, the new UAE league – and he appears certain to put his name forward for December’s IPL auction. If selected, he would miss the first two months of the Championship season regardless of his Somerset contract.Andy Hurry, Somerset’s director of cricket, said that the club supported Smeed’s decision. “As a club we will continue to do everything we can to ensure that our players fulfil their aspirations, and we therefore support Will in this decision,” he said. “White-ball only contracts are not new in the game and are not new at Somerset. The game is developing all the time and I sense that we will see more contracts of this type emerging across the world.Related

• Will Smeed fighting on all fronts for Somerset after red-ball reversal

• Will Smeed chooses his white-ball path, but the ground was laid a generation ago

• Will Smeed, Ben Duckett show England Lions are ready to roar on off-day for senior side

• Star turn on Lions debut leaves England feeling the need for Will Smeed

• Will Smeed hits the Hundred's first hundred to get Birmingham Phoenix off the mark

“Will is an exceptional talent and has the potential to have an incredibly successful career. At this stage he is not drawing a permanent line under his red-ball future, and this is currently the best way forward for both Will and the club.”He has all the attributes to become a very successful white-ball player and I am sure that our members and supporters will enjoy seeing him continue to improve. He has a very important role to play in limited-overs cricket for Somerset for many years to come.”Smeed had previously signed a one-year extension with Somerset earlier this year, which was due to expire at the end of the 2023 season. His new deal runs until the end of the 2024 season.

Aston Villa have suffered an injury blow as a “massive” £140,000-a-week star has torn a muscle on international duty.

This break in the Premier League probably came at the right time for the Villans, as they have suffered four defeats in their last four games in all competitions – form that has seen them lose ground in the top flight.

Aston Villa looking at signing Grealish 2.0 in "sensational" PL star

Aston Villa are eyeing up a move for a Premier League midfielder…

ByRoss Kilvington Nov 17, 2024 Aston Villa transfer news

As the Premier League enters one of its busiest periods, clubs like Villa will start putting plans in place for January as the transfer window is not that far away from opening. The Midlands side have been busy in most transfer windows under Emery, and this next one could be the same considering the players that they have been linked with.

One player that Villa are interested in signing is Ajax midfielder Kenneth Taylor, who has impressed with his performances in the Netherlands. Villa are not the only team interested in Taylor, as Arsenal, Newcastle United and Napoli are also “keeping tabs” on the midfielder. This could be an expensive capture for Emery’s side, as Ajax would be willing to sell the player, but only if they received a fee of £29m.

Meanwhile, Villa are also interested in a swoop for Manchester United’s Harry Amass. The left-back is seen as a promising player at Old Trafford, and Villa, who have been keeping an eye on his development since he was at Watford, are keen on bringing him to Villa Park, with the youngster yet to play in United’s first team.

Aston Villa's £140k-p/w ace suffers injury blow while on international duty

According to journalist Sacha Tavolieri, Aston Villa’s Amadou Onana has suffered a muscle tear in his foot while on international duty with Belgium. The 23-year-old joined the Midlands side during the summer transfer window from Everton, and since his arrival, he has been a key player for Emery, starting all 10 of the league games he has been available for.

Onana, who has been described as a “monster” by data analyst Ben Mattinson, has also started three of their four Champions League games this season and has three goals to his name in all competitions.

Tavolieri states that Onana’s injury is in his foot, and occurred during Belgium’s game against Italy on Thursday night. The midfielder, who earns £140,000 a week at Villa Park, is now expected to be out for two to three weeks, which means he could miss Villa’s games against Crystal Palace, Juventus, Chelsea and Brentford.

This is the second injury blow that Onana has suffered this season, as he’s already missed a few games for club and country due to a hamstring injury. Emery will hope that his return to Villa Park this week can help him speed up his recovery, as he will want his midfielder to be ready for their important games in the league and in Europe.

da pinup bet： A Tottenham Hotspur star has reportedly signalled his intention to rip up his current contract in N17 and leave as a free agent as he desperately seeks a new club, perhaps even before the January transfer window opens.

Spurs shine with emphatic win over champions

da realsbet： Spurs enjoyed a thumping 4-0 win over Manchester City on Saturday, which Ange Postecoglou described as “outstanding.”

While it was James Maddison who stole the headlines on the night thanks to his superb brace, it was Spurs’ defensive duo of Ben Davies and Radu Dragusin that impressed Big Ange the most.

The pair, who are standing in for injured first-choices Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, were heavily criticised after Tottenham’s recent 3-2 defeat to Galatasaray in the Europa League.

Against City, however, they both made strong cases to keep their places in the team.

“I thought they were all great,” Postecoglou said after the win when asked about the pair’s performances.”You have to be against City because obviously they’ve got big Erling [Haaland] up there, but the way they deliver the ball, the areas they consistently probe, you’ve got to be focused the whole time and I thought Ben and Radu were really focused.

“I think when you play City, you can’t rely on individuals to find solutions out there and collectively, I thought we defended really well.”

Spurs outcast wants out

Spurs’ defence has been vital to their good form this season. The Lilywhites are currently sixth in the Premier League, three points behind third-placed Chelsea, and have conceded just 13 goals in 12 games. Only three teams – Liverpool, Arsenal, and Newcastle United – have conceded fewer.

Though Postecoglou has mostly started with a back four of Destiny Udogie, Romero, Van de Ven and Pedro Porro, he’s also given minutes to Davies, Dragusin, Archie Gray and Djed Spence. One man who hasn’t had a sniff, however, is Sergio Reguilon.

The Spain international has been selected by Postecoglou for one matchday squad this season, that being in a 3-2 EFL Cup third-round win over Coventry City back in September, where he was an unused substitute.

Amid his lack of game time, Reguilon is now, according to the Sunday Mirror (via Football.london), ready to terminate his Tottenham contract in order to force a move away from north London in January.

The Mirror reports that Reguilon, who reportedly earns £120,000 per week at Spurs, wants the club to agree to a mutual contract termination amid interest from clubs in Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

Reguilon joined Tottenham from Real Madrid for a fee of £25 million in the summer of 2020. Though he enjoyed a decent first two years in England, he’s since been an outcast at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, spending the last two years out on loan with Sevilla, Manchester United and Brentford.

Reguilon’s Spurs career by season

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2020/21

27

0

3

2021/22

31

2

3

2022/23

0

0

0

2023/24

0

0

0

2024/25

0

0

0

Stats via Transfermarkt

Reguilon’s last appearance for Spurs came all the way back in April 2022. According to Spanish media, Reguilon could be offered a route back to his home country by way of La Liga side Getafe, who are viewed as candidates to sign the defender and give him a new permanent home.

Wessly Madhevere is eager to establish himself as Zimbabwe’s No. 3 in ODIs after making the most of an unexpected opportunity in the opening match against Australia in Townsville.Madhevere only found out shortly before the game started that he was in the team when Sean Williams was ruled out having taken a blow on the elbow at training on Saturday. An indication of how late the change was made came from the hasty scribbles on the team sheet.”To be honest I didn’t know I was going to play,” Madhevere said. “Was told [on Saturday] I wasn’t going to play but found out that Sean wasn’t doing too well with the elbow and that’s when the coach told me that I was playing.Related

• Williams: 'Definitely a big skill gap' between Zimbabwe and Australia

• Dave Houghton wants to 'take away that freezing' when Zimbabwe play 'strong sides'

• Cameron Green five-for, David Warner fifty take Australia 1-0 up

• Roy 388: Townsville pays tribute to Andrew Symonds

“I normally get nervous the day before, especially when I know I’ll be playing, but today I was kind of relaxed.”Madhevere went on to make his fourth ODI fifty and a new career-best of 72 to give Zimbabwe a platform from where they could have accelerated at the death, but after he gave a return catch to Adam Zampa’s final delivery they lost 6 for 15 to be bowled out for 200 with 15 balls unused.However, Madhevere wants to take on the No. 3 role in a more permanent capacity having made 5 and 2 in the position on the previous occasions he had batted there, in the recent series against India.”I see myself batting there, it’s one of the crucial positions when you want to be exposed to the pressure, so that’s one of the key areas and I quite like that challenge,” he said. “It also helps me grow as a cricketer if I get exposed to it right now, then it will be easier for me in the future.”Madhevere, who made his debut in early 2020, began his ODI career with a solid run of scores, making his first three half-centuries in the space of eight innings against Bangladesh and Pakistan, but after that he had only reached 20 once in 13 innings before facing Australia.He built steadily against seam and spin, reaching his fifty from 67 balls, and said he found the Townsville surface similar to those he had played on while at school in South Africa.”I quite enjoyed it,” he said. “Got exposed to those kind of conditions while I was at school so I knew what was happening.”Madhevere added that he felt 250-260 would have been a competitive total and Zimbabwe are hopeful that spin will be become more of a factor in the remaining two games. Sikandar Raza caused a few problems with his offspin while legspinner Ryan Burl collected three wickets as the Australians played aggressively against him.The second ODI takes place on Wednesday.

Stats highlights from an unusual Ashes series in which the winning team didn’t necessarily have the better stats

S Rajesh25-Aug-2015In every way, this was a bizarre series. Out of a possible 25 days of cricket, there were only 18, making this the joint-shortest five-Test series, along with the England-West Indies series of 2000; there were only 7920 balls bowled in the entire series, the third-lowest in a five-Test series with results in all five matches; for the first time in a five-Test series, no match went into the fifth day.It wasn’t the most compelling Ashes series of recent times, though. The team which took the early initiative in each Test invariably dominated the rest of the game and won by a huge margin. The only fightback was on the opening day of the series, when Australia had reduced England to 43 for 3 and then dropped Joe Root, who led a magnificent recovery and allowed England to finish the day on 343 for 7. Through the rest of the series, neither team was able to recover from early setbacks.Even so, the matches were largely action-packed – wickets fell in a hurry, and yet both teams continued to score at a frenetic run rate: England’s series run rate was 3.74, and Australia’s 3.72. The overall series run rate of 3.73 is the third-highest in Ashes history, next only to those in 2001 and 2005. A wicket fell every 49 balls, and the average score in a full day’s play (90 overs) was 336 runs for the loss of 11 wickets.Australia lost their fourth successive Ashes campaign in England, but in two of those series – in 2009 and 2015 – they ended with a higher batting average than England. The 2015 averages were obviously influenced by the dead-rubber last Test, when Australia scored 481 for 10 wickets compared to England’s 435 for 20; after four Tests of the series, England averaged 31.63 runs per wicket to Australia’s 29.77. In 2009 Australia averaged 40.64 to England’s 34.15, despite losing the series 2-1, while in 2013 England had an advantage of only three runs despite winning by a 3-0 margin.

The last four Ashes series in England

YearTeamRuns scoredWkts takenBat aveResult2015England23658029.193-2Australia25658132.062-32013England28568933.603-0Australia27358530.730-32009England28697134.152-1Australia28868440.641-22005England29628931.842-1Australia28109331.571-2England’s middle-order mightEngland’s average score at the fall of the second wicket was 43; Australia’s was 131. The opening partnership was one of the success stories for Australia, while Adam Lyth’s lack of runs – he had one of the poorest series for an Ashes opener – meant England always lost at least one early wicket. Rogers and Warner, on the other hand, put together 514 runs, one of only 12 instances when an opening pair has added more than 500 runs in an Ashes series.Australia’s problem, and England big advantage, was their middle and lower middle order. For wickets three to seven, England, on average, added 184; Australia managed just 115. That turned out to be the key difference between the two teams. Root got enough assistance from England’s middle and lower order to stitch together useful partnerships almost every time – Moeen Ali made useful runs down the order, while Ian Bell and Ben Stokes made a couple of vital contributions (though Bell’s overall series numbers were very ordinary). For Australia, middle-order wickets consistently fell in a heap. England’s No. 4 to No. 8 batsmen scored 1228 runs at 30.70, with two hundreds and eight fifties, while Australia managed just 737 runs at 18.89, with four half-centuries and no hundreds. Australia had more players who topped 400 runs in the series – three to England’s one – and more batsmen who averaged 40-plus, yet in the final analysis that didn’t count for much. (Click here for England’s player-wise batting and bowling averages in the series, and here for Australia’s.)

Partnerships for each wicket

EnglandAustraliaWktInngsP’ship runsAve stand100/50p’shipInngsP’ship runsAve stand100/50p’ship1st914716.330/ 01056562.773/ 32nd923726.330/ 1961468.221/ 33rd931439.250/ 4918122.620/ 14th848560.622/ 1826933.621/ 05th831739.621/ 1814317.870/ 16th819824.750/ 1822828.500/ 27th816220.250/ 289812.250/ 08th822327.870/ 2833141.370/ 39th823529.370/ 27689.710/ 010th8476.710/ 07689.710/ 0The bowling comparisonComing into the series, Australia claimed they had the best fast-bowling attack in the world, but in this series there’s no doubt that they were second-best to England. Until Peter Siddle came into the line-up at The Oval, Australia’s pace attack consistently leaked runs at an uncomfortable rate – the combined economy rate of the two Mitchells, Starc and Johnson, and Josh Hazlewood, was 3.76 runs per over, compared to 3.24 for England’s five fast bowlers – Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Steven Finn, Mark Wood and Stokes. Both Starc and Johnson averaged more than 30, which, in the context of a low-scoring series, wasn’t quite good enough, especially when Broad’s 21 wickets came at just 20.90 each.Nathan Lyon was clearly the more skilled of the two specialist spinners on view in the series, but Moeen Ali made some vital contributions with the ball, dismissing Warner four times and Smith twice.

Pace and spin for each team

PaceSpinTeamWicketsAverageSRWicketsAverageSREngland6427.2349.91642.5657.4Australia6327.7446.61729.1151.2The head-to-head battlesFive-Test series allow a lot more time for batsman-bowler rivalries to develop, and there were a few interesting ones in this series as well. Root was the only batsman from either side who scored more than 100 runs against three opposition bowlers – Starc got him out three times, but against Johnson and Hazlewood he averaged more than 50, and those battles went a long way in defining the series. Cook was very good against Johnson and Hazlewood, but not quite as successful against Starc and Lyon. Moeen clearly preferred the spin of Lyon to the pace of Johnson – he may have lost the battle of offspinners, but won his personal duel against Lyon. Lyth, meanwhile, struggled against most of the bowlers he faced in the series – he was dismissed three times each by Starc and Hazlewood, and against Siddle in the last Test, Lyth faced 20 balls, didn’t score a run, and was dismissed twice.

England batsmen v Australian bowlers

Batsman Bowler Runs Balls Runs/over Dismissals AverageJoe Root Mitchell Johnson 115 168 4.10 2 57.50Joe Root Josh Hazlewood 104 146 4.27 2 52.00Joe Root Mitchell Starc 102 155 3.94 3 34.00Moeen Ali Nathan Lyon 89 120 4.45 0 – Alastair Cook Mitchell Johnson 83 143 3.48 1 83.00Joe Root Nathan Lyon 83 111 4.48 0 -Alastair Cook Mitchell Starc 75 137 3.28 3 25.00Alastair Cook Josh Hazlewood 68 159 2.56 0 -Moeen Ali Mitchell Johnson 63 90 4.20 4 15.75Alastair Cook Nathan Lyon 59 186 1.90 3 19.66Adam Lyth Mitchell Starc 44 94 2.80 3 14.66Adam Lyth Josh Hazlewood 28 63 2.66 3 9.33Jos Buttler Nathan Lyon 18 41 2.63 4 4.50Among the Australian batsmen, Rogers scored 100-plus runs against Anderson and Broad, but while Broad dismissed him five times, Anderson couldn’t get him out even once. On the other hand, Anderson had plenty of success against Rogers’ opening partner, Warner, but Broad failed to dismiss him all series. Broad, though, was generally superb against Australia’s top order, dismissing Smith three times and Clarke twice. In fact, Clarke fell twice each to Broad, Wood and Finn, suggesting that Broad wasn’t his only nemesis. In fact, he faced only 12 balls from Anderson in the entire series, indicating how insignificant his batting was through the summer.

Australian batsmen v England bowlers

Batsman Bowler Runs Balls Runs/over Dismissals AverageChris Rogers Stuart Broad 113 216 3.13 5 22.60Chris Rogers James Anderson 109 181 3.61 0 -Steven Smith Stuart Broad 77 122 3.78 3 25.66David Warner Moeen Ali 69 77 5.37 4 17.25David Warner Stuart Broad 66 134 2.95 0 – Steven Smith James Anderson 63 112 3.37 0 -Steven Smith Steven Finn 42 69 3.65 3 14.00David Warner James Anderson 32 72 2.66 3 10.66Michael Clarke Stuart Broad 29 57 3.05 2 14.50Michael Clarke Mark Wood 29 55 3.16 2 14.50Michael Clarke Steven Finn 4 33 0.72 2 2.00

Since Eddie Howe took over as manager of Newcastle United back in November 2021, he has taken the side from strength to strength. After avoiding relegation in his first season, they managed to reach the Carabao Cup final and qualified for the Champions League in 2022/23.

Although last term was slightly more disappointing for the Magpies, missing out on European qualification, they have still made great strides under Howe.

This is largely down to the Englishman’s impressive signings since he has been at the helm of the Tynesiders. It is fair to say the Magpies’ boss has made the most of all the money available since their takeover by a Saudi Arabian consortium.

Newcastle’s signings under Howe

Since the 2021 takeover, the Magpies have made 22 signings, some for substantial amounts of money, others on loan and even some on a free transfer. Howe has been able to shape the squad to his liking, thanks to the investment from the board.

The most expensive deal under the former Bournemouth manager came in 2022 when they broke the record for the most expensive signing. The North East side spent £63m on Real Sociedad and Sweden striker Alexander Isak.

Anthony Gordon was another major signing under Howe. The winger joined the club from Everton in January 2023 for £45m and has since gone on to become an England international, featuring at Euro 2024. Last summer, he was reportedly close to a move to the Red side of Merseyside, with Liverpool wanting to sign him for an eye-watering £100m.

Some of the Magpies’ other notable signings include the likes of Harvey Barnes, who made the move from Leicester, and Sandro Tonali. The Italian midfielder joined the club from Serie A giants AC Milan in 2023.

In total, there have been eight players who have made the move to St James’ Park for £30m or more.

Newcastle signings under Howe who cost £30m+
Player	Signed from	Cost
Alexander Isak	Real Sociedad	£63m
Sandro Tonali	AC Milan	£55m
Anthony Gordon	Everton	£45m
Bruno Guimaraes	Lyon	£40m
Harvey Barnes	Leicester	£39m
Tino Livramento	Southampton	£32m
Sven Botman	Lille	£32m
Stats from Transfermarkt

Arguably the biggest bargain of the lot, however, has been Bruno Guimaraes. The Brazilian has become a crucial player under Howe and has greatly risen in value since he joined the club in January 2022.

Guimaraes’ market value in 2024

In January 2022, the Magpies beat European heavyweights Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain to the signing of Guimaraes. He joined the club from French outfit Lyon, signing for £40m.

Since making the move from the French side to Newcastle, the 30-cap Brazil international has been superb in that famous black and white striped shirt. He has now played 117 times for the club, scoring 17 goals and grabbing 17 assists in that time.

This term, he has taken on a far more senior role for Howe’s side. So far during the 2024/25 campaign, the midfielder has captained the Magpies in all eight of their Premier League games, grabbing an assist in their 2-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Football scout Jacek Kulig touted the Brazilian as a “leader” back in 2021, and he is certainly showing that side of his game so far this season.

With that in mind, it is perhaps unsurprising to find out that the Magpies investment has already paid out well. The 26-year-old’s transfer value has rapidly increased during his time at Newcastle, and he is now valued at a whopping £70m.

The Newcastle number 39 did have a £100m release clause in his contract, although that expired earlier in the summer. He came close to a move away, with both Manchester City and Arsenal believed to be interested. However, he ultimately remained at St James’ Park.

Should he get sold by the Magpies for £70m, his current value, or perhaps even more, would be a figure that represents their record sale. It would eclipse several sales including that of Andy Carroll to Liverpool back in 2011 for £35m.

There is no doubt that the signing of Guimaraes has been a brilliant piece of business from Howe’s side. Not only have they got one of the best midfielders in the Premier League on their books, but would also be in for a huge profit if he was to leave.

Newcastle ace who left in 2016 now earns a crazy £180k-p/w more than Gordon

One former Newcastle player is earning a fortune in the Middle East…

By
Ross Kilvington

Oct 22, 2024

Afghanistan out of the T20 World Cup after going down by six wickets in Brisbane

Andrew Fidel Fernando01-Nov-20221:11

Maharoof: ‘Masterclass under pressure from Dhananjaya’

Sri Lanka kept a leash on Afghanistan’s innings, making frequent breakthroughs before partnerships could truly blossom, holding the run-rate in check. Led by Wanindu Hasaranga, whose outstanding 3 for 13 was most responsible for hindering the opposition, Sri Lanka conceded only 144 or 8 on a decent batting track.There was an early wobble in Sri Lanka’s chase, when Pathum Nissanka was out for 12. And as the new ball swung, and Mujeeb Ur Rahman delivered excellent early overs, they could muster only 28 runs from the powerplay.Dhananjaya de Silva waited patiently for opportunities, however. He built a slow partnership with Kusal Mendis first, ensuring that Sri Lanka did not hemorrhage top-order wickets as they had done in the two previous games. Then in the company of Charith Asalanka, and Bhanuka Rajapaksa, he began to produce sweetly-struck boundaries, before finishing with 66 not out off 44 – his best T20I score. Sri Lanka strolled home with nine balls to spare.Only Rashid Khan and Mujeeb took wickets for Afghanistan, claiming two each. For them, the loss means they are out of reckoning for a semi-final spot. Sri Lanka’s hopes remain alive, though they are slim. They must not only beat England in their next game to have a chance, other results must also go their way.Afghanistan’s solid start
Having flayed Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup, Rahmanullah Gurbaz seemed to be getting into his work again, particularly when he lofted Lahiru Kumara down the ground in the third over to hit the game’s first six. He was on 28 off 23 at the end of the powerplay, and Afghanistan had a platform, having made 42 for no loss. But first ball of the seventh over, Kumara nipped one back into Gurbaz, to knock back middle stump. And Afghanistan did not have a partnership that touched 30 for the rest of the innings.Hasaranga’s masterclass
You wouldn’t think this was the guy who went at over 17 runs an over, just two matches ago. In this game, Hasaranga bowled the seventh, 11th, 14th, and final over of the innings, took three wickets, and did not concede a single boundary. He took special pleasure in bowling his opposite number – Rashid – with a googly in the 20th over, which brought Sri Lanka two wickets and cost only three runs. He was electric on the field, as usual.Wanindu Hasaranga got rid of Usman Ghani, caught at deep midwicket•ICC via Getty

De Silva takes control
De Silva was two off seven at the end of the powerplay, then 12 off 15 later. But with only a modest total to chase, he did not panic, even when the required rate had crept to above eight at the halfway stage. In the 11th over, de Silva nailed a slog sweep off Rashid Khan for six, and this is when his own innings, and that of the team, switched into a higher gear. He hit 54 runs off the last 29 balls he faced, launching Mohammad Nabi for a six into the sight screen, cracking seamers over the covers, and sending the spinners legside. It was his partnership with Asalanka that really broke the game open for Sri Lanka. The pair made 54 off 34 together; de Silva hit 29 off 16.Rashid’s bad day
In truth, Rashid bowled well, getting Kusal Mendis in his first over before having Asalanka caught at long-on in his third. One of the boundaries he conceded to de Silva was also the result of an inside edge. But by the end of his spell, Rashid was visibly frustrated at not having made a greater impact (his figures were 2 for 31), and then things got worse. As he slid to stop a ball on the boundary with Sri Lanka on the cusp of victory, his left knee got stuck in the Gabba’s soft turf. He had to be helped off the field, but later in the day the Afghanistan Cricket Board said in a tweet that he had “considerably improved” after having twisted his knee and “is expected to be fully fit soon”.

Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperini suggested he's ready to quit after receiving furious backlash for "worst penalty taker" dig at Ademola Lookman.

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• Lookman missed from the spot against Brugge
• Gasperini openly criticised the striker's penalty skills
• Manager says comments were not meant to offend

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The penalty incident occurred during Atalanta’s 3-1 second-leg Champions League play-off defeat to Club Brugge. Lookman, who had just pulled a goal back for his team after coming on as a second-half substitute, had the opportunity to further close the gap from 12 yards but his effort was denied by former Liverpool and Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, extinguishing any hopes of a dramatic comeback.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  In his post-match comments, Gasperini did not hold back in his criticism of the Nigerian international, making it clear that Lookman had no business taking the crucial spot-kick.

  "Lookman was not supposed to take that penalty, he is one of the worst penalty takers I've ever seen," the Italian manager told reporters.

  "He has a frankly terrible record even in training, he converts very few of them. Retegui and De Ketelaere were there, but Lookman in a moment of enthusiasm after scoring decided to take the ball and that was a gesture I did not appreciate at all."

  Following Gasperini’s remarks, Lookman took to Instagram to express his disappointment, describing the criticism as both "deeply disrespectful" and personally hurtful. His response resonated with fans and pundits alike, many of whom questioned why the manager chose to publicly attack his player instead of addressing the issue internally.

• WHAT GASPERINI SAID

  As the controversy continued to dominate headlines, Gasperini addressed the situation in a press conference on Saturday. While he acknowledged the impact of his words, he insisted that his intention was not to insult Lookman.

  "It had an extraordinary impact, everything that came afterwards… mine was not meant to be an offensive sentence," Gasperini said.

  "Yesterday in Udinese-Lecce we had what could have been a drama, luckily there were guys who let it go. I would have liked a strong player like Lookman to have made a gesture towards [Charles] De Ketelaere saying: 'Come on keep the ball, put it in'.

  "He can become a penalty taker, that would be an additional goal-scoring ability… I always speak in front of the whole team, it has never touched the club. He felt offended, I didn't want to offend anyone."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR ATALANTA?

  Amid his efforts to downplay the controversy, Gasperini has been busy preparing his troops for a crucial match against Empoli on Sunday. They remain in contention for the Serie A title, sitting third in the league table, just five points behind leaders Napoli and another victory over the weekend will be a major boost to keep their championship ambitions alive.

Arne Slot has engineered victories over Real Madrid and Manchester City in the past week, dispatching both without conceding a goal and consolidating Liverpool’s position as Premier League and, to a lesser degree, Champions League favourites.

The nine-point Premier League lead over Arsenal and Chelsea, united in second place, bears testament to the Dutch coach’s unflappable mentality and innovative tactics, shaping Jurgen Klopp’s talented team to his own design.

Redmen from all angles have stepped up to bring elation to the Merseyside masses, who can scarcely believe the incredible start to the season that has suggested an illustrious finish is on the horizon.

At the front, though, is Mohamed Salah. The 32-year-old’s future is up in the air but this is hardly affecting his performances, notching a brace against Pep Guardiola’s withered crop to raise his haul to 11 goals and seven assists across 13 top-flight appearances this term. He’s posted six goal contributions from seven matches in further competitions.

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Wayne Rooney

Man United

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Ryan Giggs

Man United

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Harry Kane

Tottenham

259

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Thierry Henry

Arsenal

249

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Mohamed Salah

Liverpool

241

It’s clear that Salah wants to renew his £350k-per-week salary, but whether FSG bypasses their strict wage structure remains to be seen. Time’s ticking. Liverpool’s sporting director Richard Hughes is prudently looking at potential successors, and he’s found an excellent choice to possibly replace the Egyptian king.

Liverpool eyeing Salah replacement

The Athletic have reported that Salah is open to extending his Liverpool contract by a single year but is frustrated by FSG’s handling of the situation. It’s not a good look, whichever angle it is viewed from.

The fact is, FSG have their parameters and will not acquiesce to Salah’s demands if they are deemed untenable. If the dreaded eventuality becomes reality for the Reds, Omar Marmoush is the player who is being lined up to take his place according to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg.

Marmoush, Salah’s teammate with Egypt, has been in remarkable form for Eintracht Frankfurt this season and carries the kind of dynamic attacking qualities that would allow him to dovetail into Slot’s high-flying system.

The £50m-rated forward has been brilliant this season, for sure, and could forge a deadly partnership with Liverpool’s attacking options, especially Cody Gakpo.

Imagine Omar Marmoush & Cody Gakpo

Marmoush, who is 25, scored 17 goals across 41 appearances for Frankfurt last season as he established himself as one of the most promising forwards in German football.

This season, the Egypt international has been on a different level, harvesting 17 goals and 11 assists across 19 matches in all competitions, meaning that he is incredibly outscoring Liverpool’s very own Salah.

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As per FBref, the 5 foot 9 ace also ranks among the top 1% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists and the top 2% for shot-creating actions per 90, thus showcasing a creative side to his game that would see him emulate Salah as an elite multi-faceted attacking outlet.

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Harry Kane

12

14

7

21

2.

Omar Marmoush

12

13

7

20

3.

Mohamed Salah

13

11

7

18

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Robert Lewandowski

15

15

2

17

4=

Raphinha

15

9

8

17

While Marmoush is typically found at centre-forward, his pace and movements allow him to operate on the left wing too, promoting his playmaking side. This could see him flourish alongside Gakpo, whose own positional versatility has been streamlined this term, and he is now reaping the rewards.

Goals against Real and Man City have taken the Netherlands international’s haul to eight goals under Slot’s wing, though it’s more impressive still when seeing that he has actually only been handed ten starting berths.

Exclusively posting his strikes from that left channel, it’s fair to say that Gakpo is loving life under his compatriot’s wing, and is actually thriving with Luis Diaz as the pair jockey for placement on the left.

As you can see below, Salah’s defence-splitting arced pass undid the shaky City backline on Sunday, finding the surging Gakpo and sending Anfield into an exultant roar. He had no trouble bundling the ball in, and it’s something that Marmoush might have taken note of.

Gakpo’s hardly just a marksman either, once hailed for his “special skill set” by Klopp’s former assistant manager Pep Lijnders, endowed with physical strength, shifty motions and impressive technicality that might just see him forge an innate bond with the equally dynamic Marmoush.

Though it’s easy to get ahead of the track, Liverpool fans must remember that there is plenty of football still to be played this season, with twists and turns and bumps and blocks all sure to threaten the Anfield side’s place in the ascendency.

Salah might be the cream of the crop, but players such as Gakpo are proving to offer quality fit for the biggest and shiniest titles.

To lose Salah at the supposed height of his powers is unthinkable, and surely must not be allowed to happen, but Liverpool will need to replace their 32-year-old phenomenon at some stage, and Marmoush is blessed with the talent to succeed in his stead.

Alongside Gakpo and co over the coming years, it might even be a move that maintains Liverpool’s position at the very summit of English and European competition.

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