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Celtic are looking to swiftly conclude their January business, according to Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph. 

The lowdown

The Hoops are closing in on their first winter signing, Kawasaki Frontale defender Reo Hatate. They are seemingly nearing a deal with the Japanese club and personal terms aren’t expected to cause any problems, with the player pushing for the move to Glasgow.

The Hoops backed Ange Postecoglou with a £20m spend in the summer ahead of his first season in charge, but clearly the 56-year-old feels that he needs additional reinforcements in his pursuit of the Premiership title with Rangers four points ahead at the top of the table.

The latest

Keeping Celtic supporters posted on the latest transfer news, Joseph tweeted:

“Celtic are also continuing talks in their pursuit of Yokohama F Marinos forward Daizen Maeda and Gamba Osaka midfielder Yosuke Ideguchi.

“It’s understood the Hoops are looking to complete their January business early in the window.”

The verdict

It was telling that, after Kyogo Furuhashi and Albian Ajeti joined Celtic’s injury list last week, Postecoglou pointed to a lack of depth in the squad (via Daily Record). His argument seemed to be that, if he had better rotation options, it would be easier for him to protect key players.

Celtic’s squad will continue to be stretched in the New Year, especially if they progress through the Europa Conference League play-off round in February.

With a three-week winter break pencilled in between the Old Firm derby on 2 January and the Scottish Cup clash with Alloa Athletic on 22 January, early business would at least allow Celtic’s additions a healthy bedding-in period in Glasgow.

In other news, what about players who might be headed the other way?

Antonio Rudiger could be a perfect signing for West Ham if a transfer manages to materialise, according to Irons legend Frank McAvennie.

The Lowdown: West Ham linked with Rudiger move

The Hammers may have stumbled a bit in recent weeks, failing to win any of their last three Premier League games, but their start to the season has still been very promising.

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However, one major setback for David Moyes has been the injury to Angelo Ogbonna, with the Italian ruled out for the rest of the campaign with cruciate ligament damage.

For that reason, a new centre-back is needed in January, and Rudiger has been linked with a move to the Hammers despite being a key figure for Chelsea this season, starting 13 league matches.

The Latest: McAvennie wants transfer to happen

Speaking to West Ham Zone, McAvennie claimed that Rudiger would be the perfect addition for Moyes’ squad next month. He said:

“Rudiger’s a good player, he’s David Moyes’ kind of player. No airs and graces, he goes and wins the ball, he’s a hard-working player.

“He would fit right into the West Ham way of playing at the moment. I’m all for bringing good players and Rudiger is definitely a good player.”

The Verdict: No-brainer for Hammers

In truth, it is hard to see why Rudiger would suddenly want to leave Chelsea at a time when he is an undisputed key player under Thomas Tuchel and potentially on track for winning the Premier League title in May.

That being said, if he decides that he wants to join West Ham, he could be a wonderful addition, having been hailed as ‘amazing’ by Rio Ferdinand earlier this year.

He could slot in alongside Kurt Zouma and help fill the Ogbonna-shaped void, with his average of 2.7 clearances per game in the league superior to the injured Irons centre-back’s tally (2.4).

Not only that, but Rudiger’s experience could also be invaluable, having won 49 caps for Germany to date as well as a plethora of trophies with Chelsea, most notably the Champions League earlier this year. McAvennie is quite right to talk him up.

In other news, some West Ham fans have flocked to a transfer claim regarding an attacker. Read more here.

Cricinfo previews Kings XI Punjab ahead of IPL 2010

Jamie Alter11-Mar-2010One of the major concerns for Kings XI Punjab ahead of the third season of the IPL is a long injury list. The IPL begins on March 12 and Punjab play their first two games on March 13 and 16, but they are likely to field XIs that may not include a few first-choice players. Sample the injury concerns: Shaun Marsh, Punjab’s success story of 2008, looks unlikely to be fit for the start. Their most expensive overseas player, fast bowler Brett Lee, is also beset with fitness problems. Irfan Pathan seems likely to miss the first few matches and Yuvraj Singh, Punjab’s highest run scorer in 2009, has only recently begun batting after his latest injury. It is hardly an enviable position for their new captain Kumar Sangakkara, and key to Punjab even nearing the semi-finals this year will be having the entire squad fit and available for the tournament.Punjab were one of the best teams in the inaugural IPL, cruising into the semi-finals, but had a tough time in the second season, affected by the injuries to fast bowlers Sreesanth and Jerome Taylor, and the unavailability of Australian players for much of the competition. Punjab’s Indian bowlers had done the trick in 2008 but found it tough in South Africa the following season, and their team could suffer if that is the case as the bandwagon moves back to India.The buzzLalit Modi, the league’s commissioner, and Yuvraj have been busy providing updates on Twitter. Modi had assured that Ravi Bopara and Lee would tour, despite the security concerns, while Yuvraj kept his followers informed about his fitness.New facesPunjab have signed up four domestic players – the medium-pacers Love Ablish and Shalabh Srivastava, batsman Manvinder Bisla and allrounder Reetinder Sodhi. Sodhi, who played 18 ODIs for India, and Srivastava, a left-arm pacer, were recently admitted back into the domestic fold after they severed ties with the unofficial ICL. Ablish, who plays for Punjab on the domestic circuit, was the third highest wicket-taker in this season’s Ranji Trophy Super League. Bisla, the Haryana-born wicketkeeper who plays for Jammu & Kashmir, was part of IPL champions Deccan Chargers’ squad in 2009. Mohammad Kaif, the only Indian up for auction this year, went unsold in the first round of bidding but was later signed up by Punjab for $250,000.Watch out forWith so many key players not certain to play, No’s 3 and 4, the Sri Lankan pair of Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, will assume plenty of significance. Sangakkara was the team’s second highest run-scorer in South Africa with 332 runs at 30.18, with two half-centuries, while Jayawardene proved of immense value in a couple of extremely tight chases. Jayawardene doesn’t seem a Twenty20 prototype but can clear the boundary with wristy elegance. In the domestic Twenty20 tournament at home, he opened the batting for Wayamba and even scored 91 off 49 balls in the final. Sangakkara has of late evolved into a fabulous Twenty20 player. This pair will be expected to shoulder much of the batting in 2010. Missing in actionMarsh, Punjab’s standout performer in the first IPL season, became the latest worry after he was ruled out of Australia’s ODIs against New Zealand due to a back problem. Lee has arrived in India and has been bowling brief spells in the nets and a final call will be taken on March 11. Pathan, who missed the one-day Vijay Hazare Trophy due to a back strain, expects to recover in time to play but he may miss a few of Punjab’s initial matches. Yuvraj is confident of being fit by the second match at the latest.X factorPunjab, especially given Pathan’s fitness concern, desperately need an allrounder to be counted and primed for that scenario is Sodhi. Once tipped – like many other ill-fated domestic players who could bat and bowl a bit – as India’s answer to the massive void left by Kapil Dev’s retirement, Sodhi never made the grade and until last year was plying his trade in the unofficial ICL. But now that he’s back in the fold after severing ties with the IPL, Sodhi has a contract with Punjab and should get an opportunity to show what he’s got left in the tank. He’s only 29 and a handy Twenty20 player, so this could yet be a defining chapter in the story of another talent gone astray.StrengthSpin. Piyush Chawla did very well in the first IPL, prompting Sangakkara to hail him as one to watch out for, and Ramesh Powar is also a handy bowler to have in the squad. Chawla was less successful in South Africa, taking just 12 wickets, but wasn’t a bowler that opposing teams could take for easy runs. Back in familiar conditions, he will be a real focal point for Punjab. Powar has moved far behind Chawla in the list of India hopefuls, but should be confident of decent playing opportunities. One of the few offspinners who still rely on a lack of pace to fox batsmen in today’s game, Powar can be a treat to watch in limited-overs cricket when on top of his game. Both spinners are useful lower-order batsmen.WeaknessBesides fitness issues, the lack of quality in the Indian batting back-up for Yuvraj is another of Punjab’s drawbacks, which makes it vital that Pathan recovers from the back injury that has kept him out of the preliminary squad of the ICC World Twenty20 in the Caribbean. Top-order domestic players like Karan Goel and Tanmay Srivastava need to make an impact if Punjab are to become a genuine title contender.IPL 2009 – the key figures:Final position: Fifth place
Top scorer: Yuvraj Singh with 340 runs at 36.50
Top wicket-taker: Irfan Pathan with 17 wickets at 22.94 and economy rate of 7.74
Best result: Seven-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore
Worst result: Ten-wicket loss to Delhi
Highest team score: 158 v Kolkata Knight Riders
Lowest team score: 104 for 7 v DelhiPrediction for 2010It depends on which Punjab turns up. Playing at home will help but they need their bowlers firing to trouble the big teams. In 2009 they fought bravely in close encounters but there’s a feeling that Punjab lack the killer punch needed to floor the heavyweights. The odds are stacked against Punjab reaching the semi-finals.

Former Sri Lanka batsman Chandika Hathurusingha says he enjoying his new role as the acting head coach of the Australian state side New South Wales

Sa'adi Thawfeeq24-Dec-2012Former Sri Lanka batsman Chandika Hathurusingha, who played 26 Tests and 35 ODIs, is pleased to be fulfilling his new role as the acting head coach of the Australian state side New South Wales (NSW).”It came as a surprise, but it was recognition of my contribution to the NSW team since I became their assistant coach in September last year,” Hathurusingha said. He took over for the rest of the current Australian season following the sacking of Anthony Stuart, who had been coach of the state since May 2011.”It was not the ideal situation for me because I cannot do things my way as it is in the middle of the season, but nevertheless I am honoured,” he said.NSW is the among the most successful domestic cricket teams in Australia, with a rich history of many players having represented the national team. The present side includes Australia captain Michael Clarke, his deputy Shane Watson, David Warner, Mitchell Starc, Brad Haddin, Doug Bollinger, Trent Copeland, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Moises Henriques, Steve Smith and state captain Stephen O’Keefe – all of whom have represented Australia at some point in their careers.”It is a matter of prestige for a Sri Lankan to be coaching such a side. I enjoy working with them,” Hathurusingha said.Hathurusingha, whose CV includes being coach of Canada and the UAE, had at one point been thought of as a replacement for former head coach Trevor Bayliss, but he doesn’t mind his current position.”I was technical advisor to the NSW team (Sydney Sixes) during the Champions League in South Africa and when Trevor Bayliss went over to Kolkata Knight Riders, I more or less took over his position and we went on to become champions,” Hathurusingha said. “Even if I don’t get the job as head coach I am not worried. I am quite happy with my current position as assistant coach.”He said his chances of becoming the permanent head coach of NSW depended on the team’s performances this season. They are already out of the Ryobi one-day competition and are currently lying fourth in the Sheffield Shield table.”Many of our players are called up to play for Australia and this has affected our team performances,” he said. “My job is to help them achieve their goal of playing for Australia and also to develop players from the state to go and represent the country. I am not only helping the [batsmen] but even the bowlers. The feedback from them has been very encouraging. All of them are aspiring to play for Australia and I am delighted to be of help.”These players know how to take care of themselves individually. They are independent and once they are told something they go ahead and do it. That comes from their culture. In Sri Lanka, some of the players need to be pushed.”Hathurusingha was sacked by the previous Sri Lanka Cricket administration under DS de Silva as he had not obeyed the chairman’s orders not to return early from a tour of Zimbabwe to follow a coaching course in Australia in 2011. He left for Australia with his family and took on the job as assistant coach of NSW.”My sacking turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I was disappointed the way I was asked to go. I would have loved to have coached my country but unfortunately the administrators at that time did not see it that way.”

Newcastle United have been linked with numerous talents across Europe since the completion of their Saudi-backed takeover in October. The new owners are just two weeks away from their first transfer window and plenty of eyes will be on the Magpies throughout January.

However, one name who sticks out amid an array of players is Barcelona attacking midfielder Philippe Coutinho.

What’s the story?

After leaving Liverpool for the Nou Camp almost four years ago in what was reportedly a £142m deal, the Brazilian has seen his career stagnate significantly.

Since joining the Spanish heavyweights, the 29-year-old has made 106 appearances, scoring 25 goals and registering 14 assists. By comparison, Coutinho managed 54 goals and 45 assists in 201 appearances whilst his former Anfield manager Jurgen Klopp has hailed him as a “world-class player” in the past.

Furthermore, the Brazilian was sent out on loan to Bayern Munich in the 2019/20 season in a bid to restore his confidence. He produced 20 goal involvements in 38 appearances alongside winning the Champions League, Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal. However, a permanent move to the Bavarian powerhouse never materialised.

The £18m-rated attacking midfielder, previously labelled a “magician” by compatriot Roberto Firmino, has seen his predicament in Catalonia worsen this season. So far, Coutinho has only made a starting lineup in La Liga on five occasions, playing just 501 minutes in the Spanish top flight.

Italian outlet Tuttomercatoweb claimed (via Chronicle Live) that the playmaker will depart Barcelona next month amid the Tyneside club being linked with a move for him.

However, the likelihood of a move to Newcastle being completed doesn’t bode well, with the Brazilian’s wages likely to prove a stumbling block for numerous interested suitors.

Coutinho would be an excellent signing

With the Magpies sat in 19th place in the Premier League, Eddie Howe will be looking for significant reinforcements to help Newcastle’s survival bid.

Callum Wilson has scored a third of their 18 league goals this term and an injury to the English centre-forward would prove detrimental, with Newcastle’s back-up options majorly inferior – winger Allan Saint-Maximin is his only team-mate to have scored more than once in the current league campaign.

The Tynesiders have seriously lacked creativity from midfield this season, and Coutinho would likely make a major difference.

Players such as Miguel Almiron have once again failed to make a real impact, with the Paraguayan scoring just 13 goals and registering five assists in 106 appearances for Newcastle since joining almost three years ago. Indeed, as per WhoScored, Coutinho has averaged a higher seasonal league rating than the 27-year-old in each of the last four campaigns, including 2021/22.

It seems unlikely now, but if Howe could lure the former Liverpool maestro to St James’ Park, it could prove a major boost to the Tyneside club’s Premier League survival hopes.

In other news – “Senior source says”: George Caulkin delivers off-field update which will delight NUFC fans

Chennai’s disheartening defeat at the hands of Punjab, the fitness problems of MS Dhoni and Justin Kemp, and repeated failures in their experiment with a fifth bowler are a serious cause for concern come tomorrow

The Preview by Siddhartha Talya22-Mar-2010Match factsTuesday, March 23
Start time 2000 (1430 GMT)Big pictureCan Chennai stop Jacques Kallis’ prolific run?•AFPBangalore and Chennai are capital cities sharing a traditional rivalry but when extended to the third edition of the IPL, there is little debate over which team is better placed going into Tuesday’s match-up. Bangalore are top of the IPL table while Chennai are bruising physically and mentally.Both teams suffered blips in their respective starts to the tournament before winning the next two games. However, Chennai’s Super Over defeat at home to Kings XI Punjab on Sunday, when they failed to chase 137, the fitness problems of two crucial players, MS Dhoni and Justin Kemp, and repeated failures in their experiments with the fifth-bowler slot are serious causes for concern. Manpreet Gony, who struggled against Punjab with both bat and ball, Joginder Sharma and Sudeep Tyagi have all been tried with poor results.Contrast that to Bangalore’s resurgence. There has been stability in their attack with the five frontline bowlers retained in their three successive wins; targets high, low and tricky have been chased ruthlessly with Jacques Kallis unbeaten in this IPL, and with three fifties in four games; and backing up a formidable opening pair of Kallis and Manish Pandey is a line-up with considerable international exposure, which Chennai’s bowlers, barring Muttiah Muralitharan, may struggle to contain.The absence of Dhoni hurt Chennai in their failed chase against Punjab; his recovery from an injury to his arm has been gradual, and coach Stephen Fleming had said he could take the field in the game against Mumbai Indians on March 25. Chennai, who could slip down further from their current fourth position in the event of a loss on Tuesday, need an urgent recovery with their star player missing.Team talkBangalore will be tempted to retain the combination that has won them the last three games. Eoin Morgan, though, thanks to the success of the openers, hasn’t had much time in the middle and Bangalore will be keen to witness him perform.Chennai could leave out Gony after his disappointing turn-out against Punjab. Chennai will have prepared a contingency measure for Kemp, who hurt his back, bowling just one ball and not coming out to bat. In the event of his absence, Sri Lankan allrounder Thissara Perera remains an option, so does Makhaya Ntini, should Chennai aim to strengthen their bowling. C Ganapathy, a fast-bowling allrounder, who is a crucial member of the Tamil Nadu set-up, could fill in if Gony’s left out.Previously…Bangalore 3 Chennai 2
The teams shared honours in the first edition, with Chennai beating Bangalore at the Chinnaswamy Stadium by 13 runs, and Bangalore prevailing at Chepauk by 14 runs. The league stages in South Africa followed a similar pattern as Chennai triumphed in Port Elizabeth by 92 runs, followed by Bangalore surviving by two wickets in Durban. However, Bangalore had the last laugh, sealing an easy win in the semi-final by six wickets, with Pandey and Rahul Dravid seeing them through.In the spotlightMurali v Bangalore top order: Kallis and Pandey have been dominant while opening. While Kallis, with all his experience, has the wherewithal to combat Murali, Pandey has only faced the offspinner once. He proved adept against Shane Warne in Bangalore’s ten-wicket win, showing solidity in defence and picking the variations to find the boundary. While Murali generally doesn’t prefer bowling within the first six overs, Chennai may adopt a different strategy to halt Bangalore’s success at the top.Matthew Hayden v Dale Steyn: Steyn has clocked close to 150 kmph this tournament and has been economical, working well with his opening partner Praveen Kumar. He is foremost in Anil Kumble’s plan of bouncing out Indian batsmen. While the ploy may be designed more to target someone like Suresh Raina, who was found out in the World Twenty20, Hayden’s naturally audacious approach presents a different challenge.Prime numbersAnil Kumble has bowled 45 dot balls in this IPL, Steyn too has 45 and Praveen Kumar has 43. They are part of a list of six players with the most dot balls in the competition; Murali has 46 to his name.Bangalore have conceded 180 runs in the Powerplay in this IPL, at 7.19 an over. They are third in the list of most economical teams in the first six overs, with Deccan Chargers leading with 5.95, followed by Kolkata Knight Riders at 6.92. Chennai, with 7.68, are in fifth place.The chatter”We wanted Kallis to bat for the 20 overs and he has been doing that. He has been anchoring one end and when required he has been taking on the bowlers. He is a great player and with his ability to bowl he is a great asset. We hope that this continues.”
Anil Kumble, the Bangalore captain, sums up Kallis’ role, which he has lived up to with much success thus far.

Tamim Iqbal reached a memorable hundred on the fourth day at Lord’s as the visitors closed on 326 for 5, a lead of 105

The Bulletin by Liam Brickhill30-May-2010Close
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Tamim Iqbal lit up Lord’s with a brilliant display of strokeplay during his hundred•Getty ImagesTamim Iqbal reached a memorable hundred on the fourth day at Lord’s, giving his team the spark of inspiration they needed after being asked to follow on as they battled impressively to 328 for 5, a lead of 105, while England were made to toil in the sunshine. Tamim was well-supported by Imrul Kayes, who reached a milestone of his own with his maiden Test half-century as the pair put on 185 – a record opening stand for Bangladesh – as the visitors recovered well after being bowled out for 282. Late wickets dented their hopes of securing a draw, but Bangladesh continue to show that they are no pushovers.Tamim’s hundred was the first by a Bangladesh batsman in England, and his will be the second Bangladeshi name etched onto the honours board at Lord’s after Shahadat Hossain made his mark with 5 for 98 in England’s first innings. Tamim suggested as much as he motioned enthusiastically to his team-mates to get his name on the board as soon as he reached three figures with a dismissive drive over mid on.He struck 15 fours and two sixes in reaching his century from just 94 balls – the fastest by a Bangladesh batsman in Tests, the fastest at Lord’s since Mohammad Azharuddin’s effort in 1990, and just the sixth Bangladesh Test hundred outside of subcontinental conditions – midway through the afternoon session, and though Steven Finn struck back to remove both openers in a testing spell just before tea, Bangladesh’s middle order picked up where they left off with some stubborn resistance.Whether they would do be able to do so was an open question when James Anderson and Tim Bresnan ensured that Bangladesh’s tail folded within the first hour of play. But England’s bowlers found things much harder thereafter, with Tamim and Kayes taking their opening stand to 61 before lunch.The openers did not have everything their own way, but luck was with them as good balls flew past the edge of the bat rather than off it and Kayes, usually content to sit back and let his partner do the bulk of the run scoring, on this occasion matched Tamim shot for shot early on to bring up the fifty in the tenth over.Tamim was as pugnacious as ever, and he greeted Graeme Swann’s first ball of the day by charging down the track as the offspinner’s opening over was dispatched for 10 runs. At the other end, Kayes moved into the 40s with a couple of streaky shots behind square after the lunch interval, but was totally muted as he approached his maiden fifty, sitting on 49 for 15 balls before he finally reached the mark with a cleanly-struck sweep to deep square leg.His nerves had no effect on Tamim, however, who, after being outscored by his opening partner early on, switched gears as he neared his hundred. Swann’s first over after lunch was dispatched for 17, including two massive slog-sweeps over midwicket, and Tamim reached his hundred in the 35th over of the innings with three fours in one over from Bresnan, the third a dismissive drive over mid on to raise three figures.Bresnan was replaced with Finn, but even with men positioned out on the hook Tamim continued to play his shots, and eventually paid the price as he failed to control a swivel-hook and picked out Jonathan Trott at deep backward square. Four overs later Finn was at it again, finding disconcerting bounce from a good length as Ian Bell held onto a sharp catch off the face of the bat at short leg.The double strike exposed Bangladesh’s vulnerable middle order, but Junaid Siddique and Jahurul Islam picked up the mantle with a 100-run partnership for the third wicket. Siddique, in particular, was given a thorough examination by England’s pace attack, and throughout his innings faced very little that bounced in his half of the wicket.Both batsmen were willing to take their scoring opportunities when they arose, though, and a loft down the ground by Jahurul to take the score past 200 opened the floodgates as the batsmen cashed in with a flurry of boundaries. England responded with a short-pitched assault that had both batsmen ducking and weaving, but as the ball got older and the bowlers began to tire, Strauss was forced to use Trott’s gentle dobbers.The change brought a dismissal against the run of play, however, as shortly after Siddique brought up his half-century Trott wobbled one in to Jahurul and the ball ricocheted off the inside edge onto the pad, looping up for Trott to take a sliding return catch and pick up his first international wicket.Mohammad Ashraful again promised much with a couple of confident shots before he was undone by a beauty from Anderson with the new ball late in the day. England also removed nightwatchman Shahadat in the penultimate over to bring captain Shakib al Hasan to the crease, but Bangladesh can remain immensely proud of their efforts. With Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah still to come it is not beyond the realms of possibility that they could leave Lord’s with honours even.

Afghanistan continued their seemingly inexorable march to the World Twenty20 with a 14-run win over Scotland at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Cricinfo staff10-Feb-2010
Scorecard
Afghanistan celebrate their second successive win•International Cricket CouncilAfghanistan continued their seemingly inexorable march to the World Twenty20 with a 14-run win over Scotland at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Noor Ali’s blistering 42, when wickets were falling around him, provided the early impetus in Afghanistan’s 131 for 7 and Shapoor Zadran’s remarkable bowling – he conceded just eight runs in four overs – held Scotland at bay to ensure Afghanistan an all but certain passage into the Super Fours.Scotland’s decision to field this morning appeared to have paid dividends when Gordon Drummond picked up Karim Sadiq and Shafiqullah in his first over, but Ali was unperturbed and crashed four fours and a six in his 42. With his partner striking the ball so cleanly, Mohammad Shahzad could afford to play a more sedate innings. His 30 contained just a single boundary, but he rotated the strike well in the 71-run partnership.Kyle Coetzer grabbed three quick wickets – including the hero of yesterday’s game, Mohammad Nabi, first ball – to peg Afghanistan back, and when Samiullah Shenwari picked out Gavin Hamilton off Jan Stander in the 19th over, Afghanistan were struggling at 116 for 7. But a late surge from Raees Ahmadzai and Mirwais Ashraf took the score past 130 and gave Afghanistan’s bowlers a decent total to defend.Scotland would have been hoping for a positive start to their chase, but Navdeep Poonia fell second ball to Ashraf, and Zadran proved almost impossible to get away in his opening spell. When Kyle Coetzer’s painful innings ended on the first ball of the fifth over, he had struggled to two from 15 balls. Hamilton and Neil McCallum clawed their way back with a 66-run partnership for the third wicket, but when they were both dismissed in consecutive balls, Afghanistan had found their opening.Hamid Hassan bowled Jan Stander and Fraser Watts, and when Drummond and Simon Smith fell to Mohammad Nabi in the penultimate over, Scotland’s hopes were extinguished. Hassan shattered Majid Haq’s stumps with the last ball of the innings to seal an emphatic victory, sending Scotland crashing out of contention and Afghanistan almost certainly through to the next round.If they beat the USA and Scotland defeats Ireland, then the USA, Scotland and Ireland will be locked on two points each with net run-rate deciding which team joins Afghanistan in the Super Four stage from Group A.

Ryan Sidebottom is set to fly home from the England tour of Bangladesh, after failing to recover from a thigh injury

Andrew Miller in Chittagong04-Mar-2010Ryan Sidebottom is set to fly home from the England tour of Bangladesh, after failing to recover from a thigh injury, and he could yet be joined on the plane by Stuart Broad and Graham Onions, both of whom are being sent for MRI scans on their lower back, as the England camp was hit by a wave of injuries ahead of the third ODI in Chittagong.Sidebottom produced an off-colour performance in the first ODI in Dhaka, before being replaced by the spinner James Tredwell for the second, having aggravated a thigh injury he sustained after landing on the boundary rope during the opening Twenty20 in Dubai last month. He will be replaced in the Test squad by the Yorkshire paceman, Tim Bresnan, who took the new ball in Sidebottom’s absence on Tuesday.For Sidebottom this is the latest in a long line of injuries which have hampered him since his peak in early 2008 when he was England’s leading bowler. He was first struck down with an Achilles problem later that summer against South Africa before picking up a side strain in India. He then played against West Indies, in Barbados, when he was clearly unfit before recovering to be selected for the World Twenty20 last year. On England’s recent tour in South Africa he also picked up a side strain while with the performance squad, but was recalled for the final Test in Johannesburg.Arguably, though, it is Broad’s condition that is causing the management the greatest concern, given how integral he has become to England’s teams in all three forms of the game. He could barely walk when he arrived in the team hotel after a delayed flight from Dhaka on Wednesday evening, and England’s coach Andy Flower, confirmed he had injured the facet joint in his lower back.”There has been a lot happening at the moment, Flower said. “Sidebottom has pulled a side muscle and will be going home on Saturday after the one-dayers have finished. He won’t be fit for the Test matches so he has to go home.”We also have concerns over Broad and Onions. Broad injured something in his back in the last ODI and Onions is also struggling with something in his back. Both of them are having MRI scans tomorrow and we will know more about their results tomorrow afternoon.”Although neither Broad nor Onions has yet been ruled out of the forthcoming Test series, which gets underway on March 12, England have already taken precautions by calling the Middlesex and Lions seamer, Steven Finn, into the squad for the remainder of the tour. England were already without their leading quick, James Anderson, who was rested from this tour due to his ongoing knee problem.”I am delighted to be given such a fantastic opportunity,” Finn said. “To be called up to the full England side is a real honour for me, and I am really excited to be joining up with squad over in Bangladesh.”Whether I get to play any matches over there remains to be seen, however the opportunity alone to train with the squad and impress in front of the coaching team is a fantastic enough experience for me. Whilst I am coming in as cover for the bowling unit, I intend to work as hard as I can and enjoy the experience of being around the England squad and coaching staff.”Finn caught the eye of Flower during the same net session where Ajmal Shahzad was spotted when the performance squad trained with the full team in Pretoria before Christmas. Shahzad made his debut in the second Twenty20 against Pakistan, in Dubai, taking two wickets in his first over and will contest the vacant slot for the final ODI on Friday with Liam Plunkett.

Asier Illaramendi scored a sensational volley for FC Dallas in their clash against the San Jose Earthquakes Saturday evening.

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Asier Illaramendi scores brilliant volleyFC Dallas defeats SJ Earthquakes 2-1Secure win in stoppage-timeWHAT HAPPENED?

The former Real Madrid man brilliant took the ball down on the edge of the box, lifting it over his body before hammering home a low-driven volley. The Spaniard's first-ever MLS goal, he found the back of the net on his 15th appearance stateside in the 25th minute to level the game at 1-1.

It stayed that way until second half stoppage-time, when midfielder Dante Sealy knocked home a late winner to see Toyota Park erupt in joy.

Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowAdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Illaramendi joined the MLS side in August 2023, where he made 14 appearances without finding the back of the net. Now, just one game into the 2024 MLS season, he's officially opened his MLS account – and it came in style!

Prior to landing with FC Dallas, he made 197 appearances across all competitions for Real Sociedad in Spain from 2015-2022. However, prior to his time there, he crafted his trade with Los Blancos at the Santiago Bernabeu where he made 90 appearances over two seasons from 2013-2015.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR ILLARAMENDI AND FC DALLAS?

The Western Conference side will be taking on Eastern Conference heavyweights CF Montreal in week two. They'll look to take down the Canadian club when they hit the road to Toyota Stadium.