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Manish Pandey works Tabraiz Shamsi to deep fine leg for a single. “I’ve Got The Power” plays on the stadium’s PA system. Suresh Raina pushes the next ball straight to cover for a dot. “Here Comes The Hotstepper” blares out. Welcome to the new world of music after every ball in T20 cricket, assuming the paying public cares for it.Yes, songs have been played on a cricket ground in between overs and after boundaries for a while now. But Cricket South Africa is using the T20Is against India to trial the idea of playing music between deliveries. At the end of the series, the ticketholders will be asked to participate in an online survey and the decision to stop or keep going will be made based on the feedback.”Twenty20 is played in festive environment,” a CSA official said. “It is followed by families and kids. We wanted to see if our public wants more of the music and dance. We will of course listen to the people and see what the survey says. If they like it, we might even get a professional DJ at our grounds for T20.”The official said CSA was not taking the lead from what happened in the Trans-Tasman tri-series. Music between deliveries was tried during a game at Eden Park in Auckland last week and it received harsh criticism from the fans, including those on Twitter.As in South Africa, the cricket board in New Zealand is in charge of the music on game day. The negative response to the experiment brought immediate results: the music was reduced in the subsequent matches of the tri-series.”NZC is in charge of game day enhancements such as music, and they turned it down as soon as they were informed,” Eden Park tweeted in response to the complaints against the too-frequent music.

Everton are potentially interested in signing Chelsea centre-back Trevoh Chalobah during the summer transfer window, according to a new update.

How much does Trevoh Chalobah earn?

The 24-year-old, who currently earns £50,000 per week at Stamford Bridge, has become a solid squad player for the Blues of late, albeit being part of a struggling team that unfathomably finished 12th in the Premier League last season.

Chalobah started 18 of his side's 38 league matches, averaging 2.2 clearances per game, but it remains to be seen what his current squad role is moving forward. In Levi Colwill, Chelsea have an exceptional young defensive talent who will surely push for regular playing time in 2023/24, while Axel Disasi has arrived from Monaco as well.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

The Englishman's current Blues deal doesn't expire until the summer of 2028, but it could be that Mauricio Pochettino doesn't see him as a key figure moving forward, meaning the club are willing to listen to offers for him before the current transfer window closes later this month.

That's where Everton come into play, as they continue to look at defensive reinforcements this summer, having lost Yerry Mina and also decided not to make Conor Coady's loan move from Wolves a permanent one.

Will Everton sign Trevoh Chalobah?

According to Football Insider, Everton are one of a host of clubs eyeing up a summer move for Chalobah, should he be allowed to leave Chelsea:

"Everton are among the sides plotting a move for Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah, sources have told Football Insider.

"Everton are ready to pounce and secure a deal, while fellow Premier League sides West Ham and Crystal Palace are also poised to join the race for Chalobah’s signature."

Chalobah could actually be a strong signing by Everton, at a time when a younger centre-back option could be ideal, considering James Tarkowski is now in his 30s. At 24, he should be heading towards his prime as a footballer, and the fact that he could become far more of a regular at Goodison Park than at Chelsea could entice him.

The three-time capped England Under-21 international has been praised by Graham Potter in the recent past, with the former Blues manager saying of him:

"He wasn’t in for the first couple of games, but acted perfectly: trained really well, very professional, very determined. He’s an impressive character, very focused on his football. He’s a bit of a soldier. He’s played in all the games, we’re having some problems in terms of availability for players, but he’s stood up, stood in and he’s performing at a really good level."

This further illustrated the many attributes Chalobah possesses as a footballer, and while he may not be the most sparkling of centre-backs around, he is someone who could immediately make Everton more of a force defensively, and act as a long-term signing who should only get better.

The 18-year old leads rally with Siddesh Lad before Andhra strike back; Madhya Pradesh recover after TN inflict early blows and Baroda firm against Odisha

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Nov-20170:36

Pathan: Prithvi Shaw’s initiation much like Tendulkar’s

Prithvi Shaw’s fifth century in his seventh first-class match provided the thrust for Mumbai, but they couldn’t build on, slipping to 248 for 6 at stumps against Andhra in Ongole. That the hosts made inroads was because of the twin-threat posed by seamers B Ayyappa (3 for 87) and P Vijay Kumar (2 for 55).Put into bat, Mumbai wobbled, losing Jay Bista and Shreyas Iyer (0) inside three deliveries. From 20 for 2 they slumped to 64 for 3 when vice-captain Surya Kumar Yadav was caught behind off Ayyappa. Shaw then teamed up with Siddhesh Lad (86), fresh from a second-innings rescue-act against Baroda, to add 125 before yet another stutter.Ayyappa came back to remove Shaw in the 61st over. When Aditya Tare, the captain, fell for a duck, Mumbai were precariously placed at 193 for 5. Lad and Abhishek Nayar, though, put on 55 runs, but frustratingly for Mumbai, they couldn’t carry on as Lad’s dismissal in the penultimate over of the day set them back further.Madhya Pradesh recovered from 67 for 5 to post a more respectable 224 for 7 on the opening day against Tamil Nadu in Indore. K Vignesh and M Mohammed, the seam bowling duo, inflicted maximum damage, but MP were rescued by the two Ankits – Sharma (75*) and Dane (63) – through a 120-run stand. Offspinner Washington Sundar made a couple of late strikes, including one to remove Dane, but Sharma and Mihir Hirwani couldn’t be dislodged.In the morning, Mohammed (2 for 46) removed openers Aditya Shrivastava and Rajat Patidar before Vignesh got into the act. In the space of six overs, he removed Shubham Sharma, Harpreet Singh Bhatia and captain Devendra Bundela to knock half the side out. He finished the day with figures of 19-7-27-3.Kedar Devdhar’s seventh first-class hundred led Baroda’s dominant batting performance against Odisha in Vadodara. Two other batsmen – Aditya Waghmode (52) and captain Deepak Hooda (51) – made half-centuries as Baroda ended on 281 for 3.In fact, it wasn’t until the 51st over that Odisha, who elected to bowl, had their first breakthrough as seamer Basant Mohanty dismissed Waghmode. They would account for another Baroda batsmen in the next four overs, as Biplab Samantray sent back Devdhar, whose 150-ball 104 included 15 fours and a six.A 70-run stand for the fourth wicket between Hooda and Vishnu Solanki (46*) meant Baroda would consolidate their position further before Hooda fell in the 73rd over. Solanki and Swapnil Singh, though, made sure Odisha didn’t have the satisfaction of another late wicket.

Liverpool are believed to hold the cards in the pursuit of Brazilian outfit Fluminense's rising holding midfielder Andre, who is attracting European attention after his recent exploits.

Who are Liverpool signing this summer?

Reds manager Jurgen Klopp and sporting director Jorg Schmadtke have acted with haste over the past few months, signing Alexis Mac Allister and Dominick Szoboszlai to fill the void left by James Milner, Naby Keita, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's departures back in June.

Progress suffered a blip when the tidal wave of Saudi Arabian transfer movement homed in on captain Jordan Henderson and holding midfielder Fabinho, but Liverpool are looking to complete a move for Southampton's Romeo Lavia, a precocious and promising talent.

However, according to Portuguese outlet Record – via Sport Witness – Brazilian midfielder Andre could yet join the fold on Merseyside despite the pursuit of Sporting CP, who are concerned about matching the affluence of the Anfield side.

The report touts the 22-year-old at €20m (£17m), which could prove to be a worthwhile deal given the relatively cheap valuation in the modern market.

Should Liverpool sign Andre?

While Andre looks a tough-tackling, pass-proficient midfielder with the set of skills necessary for success on English shores, previous claims indicate a stumbling block laying in Fluminense's reluctance to part with their No. 6 before the culmination of the Brazilian Serie A season in December.

However, with Lavia destined for a date with Klopp's Reds, Andre could be an exciting addition to complement the side at the season's midpoint and ease the burden on the young Belgian's shoulders.

The "leader" – as Andre has been hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig – has recorded an average Sofascore match rating of 7.08 across 13 league matches this term, remarkably completing 94% of his passes, averaging 2.1 tackles per game and succeeding with 63% of his ground duels.

For reference, Fabinho completed 89% of his passes, averaged 1.8 tackles and won just 48% of his ground duels last term, albeit in the Premier League.

Andre ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Men's Next 8 divisions – behind the big European five – for pass completion, while also within the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90 (FBref), and certainly looks like he holds the elements requisite for success at the highest level.

His assured passing skills and precision when utilising his defensive qualities would only serve to enhance the game of esteemed centre-half Virgil van Dijk, who has been a revelation since joining Liverpool from Southampton for £75m in 2018 but was culpable of "poor" performances last term as Klopp's side floundered, as per club legend Jamie Carragher.

Liverpool's problems were well-documented and the midfield's inability to effectively protect the backline was often cited as the crux of the malady.

Irrespective of this, Van Dijk did not exude the usual air of superiority and swagger, being said to have "languished" by pundit Jason Cundy, a central part of a defence that shipped 47 league goals – as opposed to 27 the season prior – and fell into the Europa League after seven successive years in the Champions League.

Fabinho was described as an "old man" by journalist Graeme Bailey for his part in the collapse, but this new chapter tantalises greatness once again at Anfield and with Andre entering the fray, he could develop into the perfect new option to revitalise Liverpool and restore Van Dijk back to his former imperiousness.

James Vince admits he has had an indifferent season but he is happy to concur with the selectors’ view that he can succeed in Australian conditions

Jon Culley27-Sep-20171:02

Being dropped made me hungry to play more Tests – Vince

James Vince admits he was as surprised as anyone to find himself in the England squad named for this winter’s tour of Australia.The 26-year-old Hampshire batsman, who played seven Tests in 2016 but has not been selected since after averaging just 19.27, was preferred on the basis that, despite a relatively thin summer in domestic red-ball cricket, his game is better suited to Australian conditions than some of the other candidates for the middle-order slots.”Until the last few days and reading a couple of articles in the papers I hadn’t really considered it,” he said. “I felt my own red-ball form this season has been a little bit indifferent, although I have played a lot of cricket in April and September when conditions have been a bit tough.”But I got a call from James Whitaker on Tuesday night and it turned out to be a busy few hours on the phone. My winter was pretty much planned out with Twenty20 stuff so it is a bit of a surprise.”He concurred with the selectors’ view that his batting style is the kind that can prosper on fast, bouncy Australian pitches.Vince feels his game is suited to Australian conditions•Getty Images

“When I have played in Australia in the past and more recently in South Africa on a Lions tour I have found that playing with a different ball in different conditions, with more pace but less natural movement than you get here, I have found my game is quite well suited to that and I have done well there so far.”The wickets are a bit truer and the Kookaburra ball does not do so much or for so long. It is a different test but when I have played in those conditions I have enjoyed batting.”He said his first taste of Test cricket had been a frustrating experience given how much confidence had been invested in him but says he had enough faith in his ability to believe another opportunity would come his way in time.”It got me down a little bit in that I was frustrated when I did get to 30 or 40 I didn’t go on and get big scores. If I had managed to convert a couple of those it would have been a different summer and maybe people would have had a different opinion of me.”But no part of me thought I wasn’t up to playing at that level and having had a taste of it I went away with a hunger to work hard and get back in the side.”

The three-member Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman meets in Mumbai on Monday to scrutinise candidates for the high-profile job of India’s coach. Former team director Ravi Shastri has emerged as the frontrunner.The BCCI received 10 applications – from Shastri, Virender Sehwag, Tom Moody, Richard Pybus, Dodda Ganesh, Lalchand Rajput, Lance Klusener, Rakesh Sharma (Oman national team coach), Phil Simmons and Upendranath Bramhachari (engineer with no cricketing background). It is learnt that the CAC will interview six of these 10 candidates. As per sources, the six likely candidates are Shastri, Sehwag, Moody, Simmons, Pybus and Rajput.The position for the coach had fallen vacant after Anil Kumble resigned from the post before the West Indies tour due to what seemed like differences in the dressing room.Shastri had initially not applied for the post but when the BCCI extended the deadline to accept applications till July 9, the former India captain jumped into the fray and suddenly became the hot favourite. Given his cordial equation with captain Virat Kohli, Shastri, who had a successful tenure as team director with India reaching the 2015 World Cup semi-final, is the favourite.

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.

Manchester United are still positive over their pursuit for Mason Mount, despite their latest bid being rejected, Fabrizio Romano has revealed.

What's the latest on Mason Mount?

The Chelsea star looks set to leave the club as he has no intention to renew his £80k-per-week contract, as he enters the final year of his deal.

The Blues are seemingly keen to offload players this summer with a number of their players headed for new experiences in Saudi Arabia.

Man United are heavily interested in the 24-year-old, and have seen two bids rejected, but remain confident that they will land the midfielder.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano revealed that Mount has agreed personal terms with the Red Devils, and that United will not be swayed in their attempts to sign him despite Chelsea's strong stance over the transfer fee.

"There was also an official bid from Manchester United, the second to Chelsea for Mason Mount. Bid rejected, because the Manchester United proposal was still not what Chelsea wanted, it was around £45m fixed fee, so this was the idea of Manchester United for Mason Mount, but also with some add-ons," he stated.

"This is still not enough because Chelsea want more. Now the feeling is still positive around Mason Mount and Manchester United, because the player agreed 100% all the personal terms with Man United, so the contract is ready, it is done.

"Everything is okay between Mount and United, and Mount's camp confirmed again to Chelsea in recent hours that he's not signing a new deal, at least this is the situation as of now."

Will Mount be a good signing for Man United?

The midfielder would arrive on the back of one of the worst seasons in his career, as injuries limited him to just 24 league appearances, where he notched up just three goals and two assists as Chelsea finished in 12th place.

The Champions League winner has been a strong servant for Chelsea over the years, providing 70 goals and assists in 195 appearances, and he could slot straight into Man United's midfield alongside Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro.

Erik ten Hag is seemingly aiming to bolster his midfield, and the arrival of Mount could see Fred depart, as the Brazilian has been linked with Fulham.

Despite his relatively young age, Mount will arrive with plenty of experience domestically and in Europe, and if United can get a deal over the line soon, he could be a top signing to kick off what will be an important summer transfer window for the club.

With Karachi Kings needing 10 off the last two balls, Kieron Pollard tonked two sixes to keep their hopes of a playoff spot alive

The Report by Danyal Rasool25-Feb-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsIn a nutshell
T20 run fests are great fun, but nothing quite beats a nail-biter, specially when a team has something at stake. This was the format at its raw, cruel best, where one swing of the blade meant wildly fluctuating fortunes for Pakistan cricket’s two biggest powerhouses. Two swings of the blade, actually. Karachi Kings’ Kieron Pollard, who hadn’t fired in the tournament until today, struck two sixes off the last two balls of the match to ensure his side’s hopes of making it to the playoffs were not yet extinguished. In doing so, he left Lahore Qalandars on the verge of first-round elimination again.’Matter of making contact and keeping calm’

Kieron Pollard, who struck two sixes off the last two balls of the match to keep Karachi Kings’ chances of a playoff spot alive, stressed it was important to keep a cool head in such situations and back yourself. The allrounder made 45 off 20 balls against Lahore Qalandars, finding form after a middling run in the tournament, and steered the side through a last over from which they needed 14 runs.
“First of all, to keep a cool head. We’re just trying to make contact with the deliveries first,” he said. “To get runs, you have to make contact with the ball and it’s just a matter of making contact and keeping calm. When you look at it, it’s just a cricket match at the end of the day. Yes, if we had lost we would have got knocked out but it’s not a life-or-death situation, so it makes no sense stressing too much about it. There’s so many things in life to stress about than stressing in a cricket match.”
Asked about the pressure he faced after the equation came down to 10 off two balls, Pollard said, “A game is never over until it’s over. One coach coming through school always told us that, and ten in two, that’s two boundaries – two sixes is 12, a six and a four, 10. So the game would have not been dead if it was one ball and ten runs. Once there is a situation there is belief and deep down inside we had a bit of belief and luckily enough tonight it came off.”

The run chase of 156 had looked comfortable at the start for Karachi. Babar Azam paired up first with Mahela Jayawardene – who replaced Chris Gayle in the starting XI – and then with Kumar Sangakarra to ensure they were in control of the required rate, and had wickets in hand. But accurate bowling from Lahore’s spin pair of Sunil Narine and Yasir Shah starved Karachi of boundaries, and as the asking rate began to rise, so did the tension. Sangakarra’s men lost their heads in the middle briefly, with Ravi Bopara and Shoaib Malik running themselves out in a space of a few overs. Pollard and Imad Wasim then came together in a partnership that always seemed like they had slightly too much to do, never more so than when they needed 10 to win off the last two balls. Pollard was up to the task and took 12 runs.Lahore will rue their own batting performance – an innings that never quite managed to gain momentum, for which the batsmen had only themselves to blame. Poor shot selection at inopportune times kept pegging them back, with Brendon McCullum, Umar Akmal and Grant Elliott falling in similar fashion, slicing the spinners up in the air. Shoaib Malik deserved credit for his 2 for 21, which helped ensure Lahore’s total was just within reach.Where the match was won
Lahore had a decent platform of 68 for 2 at the end of their first nine overs, with McCullum appearing to ease himself back into form. Then, between the 10th and 15th overs, the innings completely unravelled as Lahore lost four wickets for 29 runs in 28 balls. Their most threatening players were back in the pavilion just when the innings should have begun to take off. It wasn’t down to outstanding bowling, either; with the exception of Shoaib Malik, no Karachi bowler really bowled out of their skins. Instead, they waited for Lahore to make mistakes and the batsmen did just that.The men that won it
Karachi had made it hard for themselves by losing five wickets for 103 by the end of the 15th over, three of them to run-outs. With the asking rate hovering over twelve for the last four overs, it increasingly appeared that the only thing standing between Karachi and elimination was the burly figure of Keiron Pollard. He hit at least one boundary in each of the last four overs, ensuring that even though the required rate was steep, it did not become insurmountable. Imad played a diligent hand, ensuring Pollard got as much of the strike as possible. The partnership kept Karachi in the game even when 10 required off the last two balls. The hapless Aamer Yamin slightly missed his yorker in both deliveries on both of them.Moment of the match
If it wasn’t for Pollard’s late show, this game would likely have been remembered for McCullum’s tactics in the field. He was unusual, at times downright funky, with his bowling selections. Fakhar Zaman was handed the ball for the 13th over with Babar Azam in good touch, and three balls later, the batsman holed out on the boundary. Two overs later, McCullum brought himself on, presumably for no other reason except to have someone to turn the ball away from the left-handed Imad. That over went for 13, and half an hour later, McCullum suddenly didn’t look quite so clever.Where they stand
Karachi pipped Lahore to fourth place, and, unless they lose by a massive margin to Islamabad United tomorrow, they will go through to the playoffs. Lahore, who have dropped down to fifth, are staring at the likelihood of first-round elimination for the second successive season.

RB Leipzig are still pushing to complete the signing of Liverpool youngster Fabio Carvalho this summer, journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed.

Is Carvalho still at Liverpool?

There has been plenty of speculation surrounding the future of the 20-year-old of late, following a disappointing first season in a Reds shirt where one may be forgiven for forgetting his existence in the squad.

Carvalho arrived at Anfield from Fulham in last summer's transfer window, with much expected of him, but he ended up being a bit-part player, at best. While a dramatic late winning goal at home to Newcastle United in August was a high point, the £40,000-a-week attacking midfielder only made four Premier League starts.

With new midfield signings expected to come in this summer – Naby Keita has joined Werder Bremen to free up spaces in the squad – and with Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo, Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez all strong attacking options, it could be difficult for the Liverpool man to enjoy regular football in 2023/24, so he could depart soon.

A move to Leipzig has been strongly mooted numerous times of late, although it remains to be seen if Carvalho could leave on a permanent or temporary basis.

Are Leipzig signing Carvalho?

Writing on Twitter on Friday, Romano said that Leipzig are continuing to push hard to snap up Carvalho this summer, with negotiations ongoing in the coming days:

"Understand RB Leipzig have had more talks with Liverpool this week over Fabio Carvalho deal — told negotiations will continue over the weekend. Liverpool don’t want to lose the player on permanent transfer, now looking for the best solution."

Losing Carvalho permanently doesn't make a huge amount of sense for Liverpool, considering he still such a young player with a bright future, having been hailed as "unbelievable" by Jurgen Klopp earlier in the campaign.

A loan move is surely the best outcome for all parties, allowing the former Fulham man to enjoy some regular playing time next season, before returning to Merseyside a more mature player.

Should Carvalho then fail to kick on beyond that date, it could be time to simply accept that it is a move that hasn't worked out, but selling a big prospect at just 20 years of age, when he could yet become a huge star in years to come, feels reckless.

It should be stressed that he joined a Liverpool team who have struggled all season long, which won't have helped him settle and pick up confidence, so it is harsh to overly judge the lack of impact he has made.