Match facts

May 12, 2017
Start time 10.45am local (0945 GMT)William Porterfield will hope his team continue the improvement they showed at Lord’s•Getty Images

Big picture

The last time Bangladesh and Ireland met in an ODI, the stadium vibrated to the tune of a 25,000-plus crowd trying hard to back their faltering home team. It was during the 2011 World Cup when the Bangladesh team truly captured the emotions of 140 million people. Despite making 205 batting first, they managed to beat Ireland by 27 runs and kick-start their home World Cup campaign that was shaken by India in the first game.More than six years on, and they are two teams at very different stages of their development. Bangladesh have been No. 7 in the ICC ODI rankings since 2015, after ODI series wins over Pakistan, India and South Africa that year. They progressed further in the 2016-17 season with Test and ODI wins over England and Sri Lanka.Bangladesh are now breathing down Sri Lanka’s neck in the ranking table and if they can beat Ireland twice and New Zealand at least once during this tri-series, they will enter this year’s Champions Trophy as the No. 6 team in the table. Even three years ago, such a stature was a pipedream.Under Mashrafe Mortaza – who will miss the opening match due to an over-rate suspension – Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal and coach Chandika Hathurusingha, Bangladesh have put together a really strong line-up that is a blend of experience and skilful youth. The likes of Mustafizur Rahman, Mehedi Hasan and Mosaddek Hossain are tipped as the leaders of Bangladesh’s future.During the same period Ireland won 23 out of 60 ODIs, once each against England and West Indies. They have lost their standing as the leading Associate nation to Afghanistan in recent times, but are in line to gain Test status in June.Similar to Bangladesh, Ireland have a core group of players who have now topped 50 ODIs. Ed Joyce, William Porterfield, Paul Stirling and Kevin and Niall O’Brien have the experience required to help nurture a team through a rebuilding phase. The addition of Tim Murtagh has been helpful while the left-arm spinner George Dockrell remains an important cog in their wheel although question marks remain over the new talent coming through.Bangladesh will be under pressure to beat a lower-ranked side while Ireland will hope that home conditions give them a chance to build some confidence.

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)Ireland LLLWW
Bangladesh LWLLL

In the spotlight

Ed Joyce hasn’t hit a 50 in his last five ODI innings, but Ireland will keep relying on the experienced top-order batsman, particularly against a tricky bowling line-up. He also would like to improve on his sub-par performance in ODIs in Malahide.Sabbir Rahman warmed up well against Ireland A, hitting an 86-ball 100. He is steadily establishing himself at No. 3 in Bangladesh’s ODI batting line-up, with stiff competition always around the corner. Sabbir will want to start off well against Ireland, to cement himself in the top-order.

Team news

Using more pace bowlers is usually what home teams do against Bangladesh, and Ireland should try a similar plan. As a result, the likes of Stuart Thompson and Craig Young could be considered alongside Tim Murtagh, Barry McCarthy and Peter Chase – the latter two having impressed in the recent ODIs against England. Newcomer Simi Singh may have to wait for his chance for an ODI debut.Ireland (probable) 1 Ed Joyce, 2 Paul Stirling, 3 William Porterfield (capt) 4 Andy Balbirnie, 5 Niall O’Brien (wk), 6 Gary Wilson, 7 Kevin O’Brien, 8 George Dockrell, 9 Barry McCarthy, 10 Tim Murtagh, 11 Peter ChaseBangladesh are likely to pick their successful batting line-up that has Mahmudullah at No. 7 with Mosaddek Hossain earning a promotion into the top five. Mashrafe Mortaza is suspended for the match due to an over-rate penalty. Shakib Al Hasan will captain.Bangladesh (probable) 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Soumya Sarkar, 3 Sabbir Rahman, 4 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 5 Mosaddek Hossain, 6 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 7 Mahmudullah, 8 Mehedi Hasan, 9 Shafiul Islam, 10 Taskin Ahmed, 11 Mustafizur Rahman

Pitch and conditions

Teams batting first in the last three ODIs at the Malahide ground made in excess of 300 runs, with Pakistan and Sri Lanka piling up 337 and 377 in the last two games. Runs may not be quite as easy to come by in relatively early-season conditions. There’s some chance of rain in the Malahide area which may influence the side winning the toss.

Stats and trivia

• Tamim Iqbal is Bangladesh’s highest run-getter against Associate nations, having made 737 runs in 18 ODIs. Mashrafe Mortaza is the highest wicket-taker against these opponents, with 43 wickets from 25 games.
• Six members each from the Bangladesh and Ireland squad played in the two teams’ last encounter in 2011.
• Kevin O’Brien needs three wickets to become the first Ireland bowler to claim 100 in ODIs.

Usman Khawaja will captain Australia A’s four-day team and Travis Head will lead the one-day side for a series of matches in South Africa in July and August

ESPNcricinfo staff19-May-2017Usman Khawaja will captain Australia A’s four-day team and Travis Head will lead the one-day side for a series of matches in South Africa in July and August. Glenn Maxwell, who scored his maiden Test century on the recent tour of India, will be vice-captain to Khawaja in the first-class games and will have the chance to push his case for retention in the Test side when Australia next play.Moises Henriques was initially named in the one-day squad but the selectors later stated that the allrounder will continue his county stint with Surrey, instead of playing the tri-series.* CA said the selection panel had “considered both Henriques’ experience along with future Australian tours in making this decision”, and that a replacement player will be named in due course.South Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey has been chosen in both squads after a remarkable summer in which he broke the record for most dismissals in a Shield season, while also scoring nearly 600 Shield runs. Queensland allrounder Jack Wildermuth has als been named in both squads, his first call-up for Australia A, while New South Wales batsman Daniel Hughes has the chance to debut for Australia A in the one-day format.The selectors decided against choosing the experienced batsmen Ed Cowan and George Bailey, who were two of the top three Shield run scorers last summer, as well as Cameron White, who topped the Ryobi Cup run tally. However, national selector Trevor Hohns said that while some senior players had missed out, it would “certainly not detract from their chances of representing Australia in the future”.Also absent from the squads were the opener Marcus Harris, who had a prolific Shield season for Victoria and finished fourth on the run tally with 808 runs, and the spinner Jon Holland, whose 50 Shield wickets placed him second only to swing bowler Chadd Sayers on the competition list. Ashton Agar and Mitch Swepson, both of whom toured India with the Test squad this year, were preferred as spin options in both formats.”We have opted for a well-balanced squad featuring some experience blended with younger players, with an emphasis on building our depth for the future,” Hohns said. “This is a great chance for these players to experience foreign conditions against a quality international sides and really test their skills.”With an upcoming Test Series in South Africa early next year it is also an opportunity to impress with their performances and put their names forward for consideration. Khawaja is a proven leader and has captained Australia A before, he will gel nicely with Glenn who recently had some captaincy experience in the IPL and we believe will respond well to this extra responsibility.”Australia A will play two four-day games against South Africa A from July 12 to 22, and then a one-day tri-series involving South Africa A and India A from July 26 to August 8.Four-day squad Usman Khawaja (capt), Glenn Maxwell (vice-capt), Ashton Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Jason Behrendorff, Jackson Bird, Alex Carey (wk), Hilton Cartwright, Travis Head, Kurtis Patterson, Chadd Sayers, Mitch Swepson, Chris Tremain, Jack Wildermuth.One-day squad Travis Head (capt), Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Hilton Cartwright, Sam Heazlett, Daniel Hughes, Kane Richardson, Marcus Stoinis, Mitch Swepson, Chris Tremain, Jack Wildermuth.*Friday, May 19 0759 GMT. This copy was updated to reflect a change to Australia A’s one-day squad

U.S. men's national team winger Christian Pulisic provided an update on his fitness on Tuesday.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Pulisic back training on grassUSMNT star posts social media update

Winger missed November international break through injury

WHAT HAPPENED?

Photos posted on Instagram showed the USMNT winger playing on a grass surface, while training in Milan gear. Pulisic picked up a knock in the final minutes of the Rossoneri's 2-1 victory over Kylian Mbappe and PSG in the UEFA Champions League. Now, ahead of a return to Serie A action at the weekend, the forward has posted that he's back in training – seemingly confirming that he's avoided any sort of serious injury.

InstagramInstagramAdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Without Pulisic, Milan drew Lecce 2-2 on November 11, the day before the international break kicked off. It's a big boost for the Rossoneri ahead of the weekend to have the forward in contention, as he seems to be an important puzzle piece in their success of late.

DID YOU KNOW?

In the six matches that Pulisic has either scored or assisted in this season, Milan have not lost once, and have only settled for a draw on a single occasion too. Will the former Chelsea man extend that streak this weekend?

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR PULISIC AND MILAN?

Club football returns this weekend with Milan hosting Fiorentina in Serie A. The status of Pulisic's fitness is still unknown, but seeing him in training has to be a positive for Stefano Pioli's side. If the USMNT winger isn't ready he'll be hoping to make his return on November 28, when his former club Borussia Dortmund come to town in UCL action.

Bangladesh begin their final preparations for the Champions Trophy by facing an Ireland side hoping to build on an improved performance in the second ODI against England

Preview by Mohammad Isam11-May-2017

Match facts

May 12, 2017
Start time 10.45am local (0945 GMT)William Porterfield will hope his team continue the improvement they showed at Lord’s•Getty Images

Big picture

The last time Bangladesh and Ireland met in an ODI, the stadium vibrated to the tune of a 25,000-plus crowd trying hard to back their faltering home team. It was during the 2011 World Cup when the Bangladesh team truly captured the emotions of 140 million people. Despite making 205 batting first, they managed to beat Ireland by 27 runs and kick-start their home World Cup campaign that was shaken by India in the first game.More than six years on, and they are two teams at very different stages of their development. Bangladesh have been No. 7 in the ICC ODI rankings since 2015, after ODI series wins over Pakistan, India and South Africa that year. They progressed further in the 2016-17 season with Test and ODI wins over England and Sri Lanka.Bangladesh are now breathing down Sri Lanka’s neck in the ranking table and if they can beat Ireland twice and New Zealand at least once during this tri-series, they will enter this year’s Champions Trophy as the No. 6 team in the table. Even three years ago, such a stature was a pipedream.Under Mashrafe Mortaza – who will miss the opening match due to an over-rate suspension – Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal and coach Chandika Hathurusingha, Bangladesh have put together a really strong line-up that is a blend of experience and skilful youth. The likes of Mustafizur Rahman, Mehedi Hasan and Mosaddek Hossain are tipped as the leaders of Bangladesh’s future.During the same period Ireland won 23 out of 60 ODIs, once each against England and West Indies. They have lost their standing as the leading Associate nation to Afghanistan in recent times, but are in line to gain Test status in June.Similar to Bangladesh, Ireland have a core group of players who have now topped 50 ODIs. Ed Joyce, William Porterfield, Paul Stirling and Kevin and Niall O’Brien have the experience required to help nurture a team through a rebuilding phase. The addition of Tim Murtagh has been helpful while the left-arm spinner George Dockrell remains an important cog in their wheel although question marks remain over the new talent coming through.Bangladesh will be under pressure to beat a lower-ranked side while Ireland will hope that home conditions give them a chance to build some confidence.

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)Ireland LLLWW
Bangladesh LWLLL

In the spotlight

Ed Joyce hasn’t hit a 50 in his last five ODI innings, but Ireland will keep relying on the experienced top-order batsman, particularly against a tricky bowling line-up. He also would like to improve on his sub-par performance in ODIs in Malahide.Sabbir Rahman warmed up well against Ireland A, hitting an 86-ball 100. He is steadily establishing himself at No. 3 in Bangladesh’s ODI batting line-up, with stiff competition always around the corner. Sabbir will want to start off well against Ireland, to cement himself in the top-order.

Team news

Using more pace bowlers is usually what home teams do against Bangladesh, and Ireland should try a similar plan. As a result, the likes of Stuart Thompson and Craig Young could be considered alongside Tim Murtagh, Barry McCarthy and Peter Chase – the latter two having impressed in the recent ODIs against England. Newcomer Simi Singh may have to wait for his chance for an ODI debut.Ireland (probable) 1 Ed Joyce, 2 Paul Stirling, 3 William Porterfield (capt) 4 Andy Balbirnie, 5 Niall O’Brien (wk), 6 Gary Wilson, 7 Kevin O’Brien, 8 George Dockrell, 9 Barry McCarthy, 10 Tim Murtagh, 11 Peter ChaseBangladesh are likely to pick their successful batting line-up that has Mahmudullah at No. 7 with Mosaddek Hossain earning a promotion into the top five. Mashrafe Mortaza is suspended for the match due to an over-rate penalty. Shakib Al Hasan will captain.Bangladesh (probable) 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Soumya Sarkar, 3 Sabbir Rahman, 4 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 5 Mosaddek Hossain, 6 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 7 Mahmudullah, 8 Mehedi Hasan, 9 Shafiul Islam, 10 Taskin Ahmed, 11 Mustafizur Rahman

Pitch and conditions

Teams batting first in the last three ODIs at the Malahide ground made in excess of 300 runs, with Pakistan and Sri Lanka piling up 337 and 377 in the last two games. Runs may not be quite as easy to come by in relatively early-season conditions. There’s some chance of rain in the Malahide area which may influence the side winning the toss.

Stats and trivia

• Tamim Iqbal is Bangladesh’s highest run-getter against Associate nations, having made 737 runs in 18 ODIs. Mashrafe Mortaza is the highest wicket-taker against these opponents, with 43 wickets from 25 games.
• Six members each from the Bangladesh and Ireland squad played in the two teams’ last encounter in 2011.
• Kevin O’Brien needs three wickets to become the first Ireland bowler to claim 100 in ODIs.

Mahela Jayawardene has effectively ended his playing career in Bangladesh after being signed for two seasons as head coach of BPL franchise Khulna Titans

ESPNcricinfo staff27-May-2017

Mahela Jayawardene has effectively ended his playing career in Bangladesh after being signed for two seasons as head coach of BPL franchise Khulna Titans. Jayawardene featured in two games for Dhaka Dynamites alongside his former Sri Lankan team-mate Kumar Sangakkara in 2016.Jayawardene’s signing comes a week after he coached Mumbai Indians to an IPL crown in his first season with the franchise. The former Sri Lankan captain takes over the mantle from Stuart Law, the former Australia batsman who recently took over as head coach of West Indies.”I enjoyed playing in the BPL last year and that has given me a great insight into what will be required to be successful in the 2017 tournament,” Jayawardene said in a statement. “BPL is an exciting tournament for Bangladesh, as well the region as a whole, and I am excited to be partnering with one of the most respected and forward-thinking franchises.”Kazi Inam Ahmed, Khulna’s managing director, said that the franchise can only benefit from the expertise of a cricketer of Jayawardene’s stature. “We are excited to have Mahela Jayawardane join the Titans as head coach for next two editions of BPL,” Ahmed said. “He has always been a great leader on the field and has won big tournaments for Sri Lanka.”We were thrilled to see him win the IPL recently as the coach of the Mumbai Indians. I am sure all of us Titans will learn a lot from him and the tournament will be enriched by his presence.”The 2017 edition is slated to start on November 4, with Sylhet likely to join the ranks and make it an eight-team event. The players’ draft is likely to be held on September 16 in Dhaka.

Newcastle United have been strongly linked with a move for Dominik Szoboszlai this summer and now a new update has emerged from a reliable source on the club's pursuit of the player.

What's the latest on Newcastle's interest in Szoboszlai?

According to Sky Sports' North East correspondent Keith Downie, Newcastle are now focusing their attention on the RB Leipzig attacker after Tottenham Hotspur progress their deal to sign James Maddison.

Downie took to Twitter on Tuesday evening to reveal: "Newcastle target James Maddison is in advanced talks with Spurs, report my colleagues @skysportspaulg & @skysports_sheth. "Cautious optimism” a deal will get done — small gap in valuation with Leicester. NUFC likely to look to RB Leipzig’s Dominik Szoboszlai as option."

Italian journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has also revealed the player's release clause and when it will expire:

"This is how Dominik Szoboszlai’s exit clause works. Only valid until June 30 — worth €70m (£60m)."

Would Szoboszlai be a good signing for Newcastle?

There is no doubt that Eddie Howe will be thrilled with the progress his squad at St James' Park has made during his first full season in charge, however, now the manager faces new and difficult challenges as the club prepares for Champions League football next season.

This will be the first time Howe has ever managed a side in Europe, and it's the first time that Newcastle have qualified in over two decades, so there will be a lot of work to be done in pre-season, as well as a strong transfer window to recruit new additions who can add quality and experience.

As a result, the signing of Szoboszlai – hailed a "future icon" by scout Jacek Kulig – would be a great opportunity for Newcastle to add some depth to their attacking threat as the versatile talent is prolific in a number of positions.

The 22-year-old has taken on many roles over his short career so far with a wealth of experience in countless positions including central midfield, attacking midfield, as well as taking up a more advanced role on the left and right wings of the forward line, making him a hugely valuable asset and potentially a much better alternative to Maddison.

Indeed, when comparing the Hungarian ace to his Leicester City positional peer, Szoboszlai outperformed Maddison in a number of key attributes including shots on target rate (48.3% v 32.5%), pass completion (79.9% v 73.4%), shot-creating actions per 90 (5.52 v 5.01) and goal-creating actions per 90 (0.63 v 0.47), proving that he is a more consistent performer in front of goal and a more creative option for Howe to deploy next season.

Another strength that Szoboszlai possesses over Maddison is a wealth of Champions League experience; with 25 appearances in the elite European competition – scoring eight goals and registering three assists.

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Newcastle to snap up the services of Szoboszlai this summer as he could be a real threat to opponents from a number of positions and would provide the club with a fresh perspective in the final third next season.

The former Pakistan batsman said the WhatsApp conversations that the PCB intend to use against him in court were baseless

George Dobell and Umar Farooq13-Jun-2017Nasir Jamshed found the evidence of corruption against him so “flimsy” that he laughed out loud when he read about it. The former Pakistan batsman was arrested in the UK in February in connection with an investigation into corruption in the 2017 Pakistan Super League. Through its own investigations, the PCB insists Jamshed is a central figure.Four months later, the only charge the board has laid against him is for obstruction and non-cooperation in the investigations. But the PCB has indicated that further, more serious charges can be laid against him, and is waiting for the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) – which arrested Jamshed – to share more evidence with it.And Jamshed is the subject of two concurrent hearings in front of a tribunal constituted by the PCB in Lahore; the main one, in front of a three-man tribunal looking into the obstruction charges and the second, in front of a one-man disciplinary panel, is one Jamshed initiated arguing for his provisional suspension to be lifted.In the meantime, details of a key element of the board’s evidence against him have been leaked, but are, Jamshed insists, so “ridiculous” that he was “amused” when he read them in the media. Eight WhatsApp voice notes, allegedly exchanged between Jamshed and Khalid Latif – another Pakistan batsman facing charges of corruption – first found their way into the media and have now been uploaded to a standalone website. The exchanges, in Urdu, are ostensibly about one or more bat deals; the PCB’s argument is that they are code for corrupt deals.”They claim they have WhatsApp voice messages that show me talking about spot-fixing in code,” Jamshed told ESPNcricinfo in his first interview since his arrest. “But what they actually have is WhatsApp voice messages that show me talking about selling bats. There’s no code involved at all.”I’ve had an arrangement for years whereby I would sell a few CA bats and take a 10% commission. It’s no secret; I’m allowed to do it. I laughed out loud when I saw details of their evidence against me. I was amused. It’s so flimsy. It’s ridiculous.

We have every confidence in the National Crime Agency. But we have very little confidence in the PCBNasir Jamshed

“The guy they say is a bookie… works in a Honda showroom as far as I know … We spoke about him buying some bats from me, but in the end he didn’t.”If that is as good as they have, they should dismiss the case now. They have no evidence of any financial gain and, after all this time, they have not even charged me with spot-fixing or trying to fix a game. They have no real evidence against me.”Those messages, however, are not the only evidence the PCB claims to have against Jamshed. The board says there are witness statements from several players that appear to implicate him. There is also the potential NCA information, which the PCB believes could have a bearing not only on the ongoing hearings against Sharjeel Khan and Latif, but also Jamshed.In fact, the board feels it has enough to continue with proceedings against Jamshed even if he is cleared by the NCA – the PCB’s anti-corruption code being different to the UK criminal code. It has maintained since it laid charges against Jamshed, that it retains the right to level further corruption charges, and that had the board been able to meet him, it would already have done so.”The original corruption investigation is still pending and we have retained our right to bring additional corruption charges at any time we deem fit,” a PCB official told ESPNcricinfo.Jamshed lives with his British-born wife – who during these interviews often acted as his interpreter – in Birmingham, where he too is waiting for the outcome of the NCA investigation. It is expected to conclude in June, with Jamshed either cleared or informed that he will be prosecuted.”We have every confidence in the National Crime Agency,” Jamshed said. “But we have very little confidence in the PCB.”How can we trust them? They have leaked information to the media, they have made up stories about me moving house to avoid the authorities – I’ve been here in Birmingham since January – and the tribunal they have formed to hear my case is made up of former PCB employees. How can that be independent?”Nasir Jamshed has alleged he is being used as a ‘scapegoat’•AFPThe PCB’s anti-corruption code calls for a tribunal to be independent of the board. In this case, it is made up of a former chairman (Tauqir Zia), a former legal advisor (Asghar Haider) and a former employee (Wasim Bari, a former Pakistan captain who has served in a number of different board roles, including as manager of the side as recently as January 2017). None of them are currently working for the PCB, however. Latif has also challenged the constitution of the tribunal, albeit unsuccessfully so far.”I expect the NCA to clear me,” Jamshed said. “But my worry is that I could be cleared by the NCA and found guilty by the PCB. That would still prevent me from playing cricket again. I’ve asked FICA (the international players’ union) for help, but as Pakistan are not affiliated to them, there is not much they can do.”Jamshed is particularly upset by comments made by PCB chairman, Shaharyar Khan, and lawyers working for the board who say he is refusing to return to Pakistan to face charges.”He said I had changed my address and phone number in an attempt not to have any contact with them,” Jamshed said. “But I’ve been here since January. My passport and phone have both been taken off me so I can’t travel. They know that yet they continue to say I’m refusing to return to Pakistan.”The only reason I have been reluctant to meet the PCB in the UK – and yes, they did suggest a London meeting – until now is that I’m not prepared to settle.”It is this refusal to sit down with PCB investigators, who travelled to the UK in April in the hopes of meeting him, that has led to the charges of non-cooperation and obstruction.

They are so keen to show the world they have cleaned up all the corruption in Pakistan cricket they are looking for a quick resolution to this case. All I can think is that I am seen as expendableNasir Jamshed

Jamshed’s explanation of the WhatsApp messages is backed up by a couple of other sources. Jamie Boyle, the captain at Old Elizabethans CC, where Jamshed played in 2016, confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that several members of the club had bought CA bats from him.”Yes, Nasir was selling bats when he was with us,” Boyle said. “There was never any secret in that. I think about four of our team ended up buying one from him.”Naeem Anjum, a first-class cricketer in Pakistan who plays club cricket in England and runs a sports shop, also confirmed he was the one providing bats for Jamshed.”It’s completely legal,” Anjum said. “I obtain a no-objection certificate from the makers and then send bats out depending on the demand. The last time I had an order from Nasir was just before the PSL.”Jamshed alleges that other players have been “coerced” into naming him to save their own careers and that he has been used as a scapegoat by a board keen to be seen as tough on corruption.”The PCB knew I was looking at a future in England,” he said. “I was hoping to play county cricket here. I would still like to after all this has been resolved.”They are so keen to show the world they have cleaned up all the corruption in Pakistan cricket they are looking for a quick resolution to this case. All I can think is that I am seen as expendable.”But some of those other players, such as Khalid Latif, have already raised their concerns about the PCB’s investigation. I’m confident the NCA will clear me and, when they have, I hope the PCB will drop this case.”Jamshed’s main tribunal hearing in which the charges against him will be heard has not begun in earnest; it was due to on May 26, but has been delayed and will resume on June 30.

India’s impressive batting line-up made a collective statement of intent, not least their 20-year-old prodigy Smriti Mandhana, as England, the hosts, were overwhelmed by a display of power and finesse

The Report by Andrew Miller24-Jun-2017

India’s impressive batting line-up made a collective statement of intent, not least their 20-year-old prodigy Smriti Mandhana, as England, the hosts, were overwhelmed by a display of power and finesse in the opening match of the Women’s World Cup at Derby.After winning the toss and bowling first under overcast skies, England’s captain Heather Knight had anticipated an opportunity for her side to lay down a marker of their own as they embark on their first home World Cup campaign since 1993, and the first ICC event on home soil since their victory in the world T20 in 2009.But they had reckoned with the silken skills of Mandhana, who capitalised on a nervy opening gambit from England’s bowlers, not least the veteran Katherine Brunt, to lead the charge with an innings of 90 from 72 balls.Despite the insistence from India’s captain, Mithali Raj, that women’s cricketers should not be judged against their male counterparts, it does Mandhana no disservice to say there were shades of Sourav Ganguly in her strokeplay, particularly her powerful driving on the up and through the covers. She also swung hard through the line for two big sixes over long-on, as she and Punam Raut left England with no place to hide in an enterprising 144-run stand for the first wicket.Raut was the sheet anchor as Mandhana went for her shots at the other end, seeing off a restrictive opening burst from Anya Shrubsole en route to an 86-ball fifty before lifting her tempo as her innings progressed. She benefited from a brace of drops from Tammy Beaumont at long-on and Shrubsole at midwicket, but was looking good for a century until she picked out Danielle Wyatt with a slog-sweep to deep midwicket in the 43rd over.Mandhana, by this stage, had also perished, holing out to Danielle Hazell at midwicket as she climbed into a short ball from Knight and trooped off, proud but disconsolate for 90 from 72 balls. It was a stunning performance from a young player who is on the comeback from cruciate ligament tear sustained at the WBBL this winter. There were concerns of a relapse when she limped from the field midway through the England innings, but she later confirmed it had been a hamstring twinge, and she is confident of being ready for the rest of India’s tournament.Her departure paved the way for the entrance of Raj, who in her 15th year of international cricket is in the midst of a golden vein of form. She charmed her way to a women’s record seventh consecutive ODI half-century before holing out for 71 from 73 balls from the final delivery of the innings. Harmanpreet Kaur, India’s aggressive allrounder, showed glimpses of her strength with a big six over midwicket off Hazell, and finished unbeaten on 24 from 22.In reply, England opened with a notable returnee, as Sarah Taylor stepped in for the absent Lauren Winfield in her first full international appearance for more than a year. It was an achievement in itself to complete her comeback after her much-publicised battle with anxiety, but she found India’s bowlers hard to dominate in a 31-ball 22, which ended with a mistimed slap to mid-on.Beaumont was dropped off a top-edged sweep early in her innings but failed to capitalise as Mandhana clung on to a sharp edge to slip for 14, whereupon England’s middle-order was becalmed by India’s slow bowlers, who dropped the ball on a good length and gave the batsman nothing to work with. England relied on a diet of sweeps to keep the score moving before Knight stepped up the pace with a pair of sweetly struck sixes down the ground. But, after Nat Sciver had been caught down the leg side via the first DRS review of the tournament, Knight fell victim to a sharp pick-up-and-throw from Kaur, to be run out for 46.At 134 for 4, England seemed in peril, although Fran Wilson wasn’t done yet. Her hard-hitting 81 from 75 balls gave her side genuine hope going into the final eight overs. But a spate of run-outs – three in four overs, including Wilson herself and the dangerous Brunt – wrecked their fightback. Victory was duly sealed with 15 balls to spare, as Shrubsole slogged to deep midwicket, moments after a defiant six had been caught in the stands by the father of her team-mate, Jenny Gunn. For India, it was their 18th victory in their last 19 matches, and a very impressive show of force at the outset of the tournament.

Arsenal have held talks with the representatives of RB Leipzig defender Benjamin Henrichs as manager Mikel Arteta eyes a new backup target.

Who are Arsenal signing this summer?

The Gunners have been moving swiftly in one of their most hectic transfer windows of the last decade, having already signed Kai Havertz from Chelsea in a deal worth £65 million.

Havertz will inject some much-needed versatility and quality into Arsenal’s attacking areas, with Arteta expressing his delight at the Germany international’s signing.

“Kai is a player of top quality,” explained the Arsenal boss.

“We welcome Kai and his family to Arsenal Football Club and we are all excited to start working with him when we start pre-season training soon.”

The north Londoners, meanwhile, are thought to be nearing the captures of both Ajax defender Jurrien Timber and West Ham United star Declan Rice, having agreed a total £105m fee for the latter player after weeks of negotiations.

Full-back is an area Arsenal will look to bolster as well, with reports out of Germany suggesting that Man City star Joao Cancelo and Galatasary’s Sacha Boey among the candidates.

Henrichs is also linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium, as now backed by Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, who says Arsenal talks have been held with his entourage.

Arteta is personally a big fan of the Germany international, with Plettenberg describing Henrichs as an “important” player for Leipzig.

Who is Benjamin Henrichs?

The 26-year-old has been given rave reviews in past seasons, with the Bundesliga’s official website even once likening him to Bayern Munich superstar Joshua Kimmich.

They wrote:

“With his ability to play at both full-back and in defensive midfield, the similarities with Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich make for an obvious comparison. Yet the players share more than just positional versatility: both are quick, aggressive in the tackle, able to spray diagonal passes into the feet of a teammate on the other side of the pitch, or curl pinpoint crosses into the box on regular forays forward.”

Meanwhile, Henrichs has also been called exceptional by former Bayer Leverkusen head coach Roger Schmidt, who said it’s “unbelievably difficult” to get past him.

Schmidt branded the defender “absolutely top class” in a glowing endorsement which will surely entice Arsenal supporters.

“He’s got exceptional defensive qualities,” said Schmidt.

“It’s unbelievably difficult to get past him. He’s absolutely top-class. We all know how hard it is to defend against players like Heung-Min Son and Ousmane Dembele…but it’s just very hard to get the better of Benny.”

Leandro Paredes begged Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni to "change his mind" and reconsider his potential resignation.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Scaloni hinted at potential resignation after Brazil winSuggested he is not at 100 per centParedes wants the coach to brush aside resignation thoughtsWHAT HAPPENED?

In a bombshell interview, after masterminding Argentina's 1-0 win over Brazil in World Cup qualifying, the Albiceleste manager revealed that he "has to think a lot about what to do", suggesting that he might relinquish his post of head coach for the national team. His comments sent shockwaves among the players and fans as they hold Scaloni in the highest regard after the tactician guided them to their third global crown in Qatar 2022. Paredes urged Scaloni to think long and hard about leaving the national team and hoped that he would continue at the helm.

AdvertisementWHAT PAREDES SAID ABOUT SCALONI

Speaking to the media after the match, Paredes said: "We didn’t talk to Scaloni. We are aware he’s the head of the group, let’s hope he stays there, that he makes the decision to stay because he is very important. He will have his reasons but we are more than grateful. Let’s hope he changes his mind and stays with us.”

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Argentina have been flourishing since Scaloni took over the reins. After a disappointing result against Uruguay last time out, the manager showed that he can boost his troops to script a comeback even in the most hostile of conditions. They are currently at the top of the World Cup qualifying group and hold a massive eight-point lead over sixth-placed Brazil, who have lost three consecutive matches under Fernando Diniz.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

JUAN MABROMATA/AFP via Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR SCALONI & ARGENTINA?

Scaloni's remarks came in the aftermath of a match marred by off-the-pitch violence at Brazil's Maracana stadium. His words could be a repercussion of the complete breakdown of law and order at the stands as he did not share anything definitive about his potential resignation. Although it does raise questions about his future the Argentina faithful will be hopeful that their successful World Cup-winning coach isn't leaving the team anytime soon.