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England and Afghanistan took huge personal strides towards their stated ambitions for the World T20, and now in a tasty afternoon tussle in Delhi, the pair go head to head in a match that promises to be fraught with danger for the favourites

The Preview by Andrew Miller in Delhi22-Mar-20161:35

Agakar: No walk in the park for England

Match factsWednesday, March 23, 2016
Start time 1500 local (0930 GMT)Big PictureIn their respective contests against South Africa in Mumbai, England and Afghanistan took huge personal strides towards their stated ambitions for the World T20 – progression to the knock-outs on the one hand, and the scalp of a major Test nation on the other. Now, in a tasty afternoon tussle at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi, the pair go head to head in a match that promises to be fraught with danger for the favourites.It is not simply that Afghanistan ran both Sri Lanka and South Africa unfeasibly close in their first two games of the Super 10s. It is also the prospect of new and uncertain conditions in Delhi – a venue for the first time in the men’s World T20 – that may alarm Eoin Morgan’s team.As they showed in their opening-round defeat to West Indies at Wankhede, England found it tough to gauge their pace when batting first in unfamiliar territory and fell some 30 runs shy of par; as Afghanistan showed in pursuing the unobtainable on Sunday, they won’t care what anyone thinks they can achieve, they’ll go out and give it some humpty anyway.Asghar Stanikzai, Afghanistan’s captain, claimed that his side’s form was “scaring” the major nations, none of whom fancy being the first to come up short. England, of course, are no strangers to doing just that at the World T20, with memorable defeats to the Netherlands in 2009 and 2014. But Morgan was adamant that the mentality among the class of 2016 is light years removed from that most recent defeat in particular, which came in the wake of England’s elimination from the tournament.”The disappointment of being knocked out of a World Cup is horrific really, so coming into this game, we’re really refreshed,” he said. “Tomorrow’s going to be about focussing on what we do and adapting to the conditions that are in front of us. If we do that, hopefully we’ll perform well.”Spin has so far played an undervalued but vital part in the challenge that both sides have put together. England’s duo, Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali, kept their heads amid the onslaught against South Africa, prising key wickets and finding a means to tourniquet the bleeding in spite of the barrage of boundaries they were being subjected to. The same has been true of Afghanistan’s slow-bowling contingent, who proved particularly tricky to dominate when they ran Sri Lanka close in Nagpur.In a fast-paced tournament, slow and steady might yet carry the day. But it’s fair to assume, given the riotous challenges we witnessed from both teams last week, that the side that wins the toss will be quite happy to ask their opponents to front up first.Form guide (last five completed games most recent first)
England WLLLW
Afghanistan LLWWWIn the spotlight He’s been quiet so far in the tournament to date, with only a low-key role in the chase at Wankhede, but Morgan’s experience has been a valuable factor in England’s progress, and tomorrow his knowhow will come in a slightly different form. As a former Ireland batsman, Morgan knows better than anyone how driven their opponents will be in this contest, and his cool head might prove particularly vital – with the bat, and in the field – as and when Afghanistan’s sluggers and spinners come into their own.Afghanistan’s super-slugger, Mohammad Shahzad, is so exuberantly in the spotlight right now that he might as well come out to bat with a top hat and cane, and tap-dancing shoes. But the man who might yet have an even more vital role to play on Wednesday is the 17-year-old legspinner, Rashid Khan. At Mumbai on Sunday, he was hit by the Churchgate Express, AB de Villiers, who carted his final over for 29 match-changing runs. But up until that point, his first three overs had cost 22 and had been instrumental in clogging up South Africa’s increasingly frustrated middle-order. He’ll be older and wiser for the experience.Team news Morgan dropped a not-so-subtle hint about the likely casualty should England opt for Liam Dawson in a three-spin attack, when he stated that his team bats down to 10 … “and sometimes 11, given the circumstances”. Given that Reece Topley, for all his promise as a left-arm seamer, is a disciple of the Devon Malcolm school of rearguards, his place is clearly on the line, and not simply because he looked all at sea during the Wankhede beanfests. Liam Plunkett could also challenge for his first start of the tournament. Alex Hales emerged as a late doubt after sitting out nets with back pain meaning James Vince is on standby.England (probable) 1 Jason Roy, 2 Alex Hales/James Vince, 3 Joe Root, 4 Jos Buttler (wk), 5 Eoin Morgan (capt), 6 Ben Stokes, 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Adil Rashid, 9 Liam Dawson, 10 Chris Jordan, 11 David Willey.After the formidable fighting spirit shown against South Africa, there seems little need for Afghanistan to shuffle the pack. The retention of the slow left-armer, Amir Hamza, would be prudent in support Rashid and Mohammad Nabi, given the reputation of the pitch.Afghanistan (probable) 1 Mohammad Shahzad (wk), 2 Noor Ali Zadran, 3 Asghar Stanikzai (capt), 4 Mohammad Nabi, 5 Gulbadin Naib, 6 Samiullah Shenwari, 7 Najibullah Zadran, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Dawlat Zadran, 10 Amir Hamza, 11 Shapoor Zadran.Pitch and conditions The Wankhede, England’s home for the first two matches of the World T20, has been the outlier so far as the tournament’s conditions are concerned. Delhi’s surface seems far more likely to offer turn from the outset – there’s been plenty on display in the nets so far. Morgan, citing his IPL experience, also reckons it will reward bowlers who hit the deck hard and seek natural variation, which again suggests that Plunkett might be useful – not to mention Shapoor Zadran.Stats and Trivia England have played Afghanistan on two previous occasions at an ICC global event. Their first encounter came at Colombo in October 2012, during the World T20. England won by 116 runs, thanks to 99 not out from 55 balls from the long-forgotten Luke Wright. Their most recent clash was at Sydney in March 2015, in England’s final contest of their miserable World Cup campaign. In a soggy, downbeat affair, Ian Bell signed off from ODI cricket with 52 not out from 56 balls in a nine-wicket win. England lost their most recent encounter with an Associate nation at the World T20, when the Netherlands crushed them by 45 runs in Chittagong.Quotes “It’s a bit like a pump-action shotgun. You can keep loading as long as you like. If you keep missing, it’s fine. But the opportunity along the way will come. And if you have your day, you might win a game.””Definitely there will be big pressure on England looking to the last two games, so we are eager to win at least one of the next two, and that is our main ambition in the next two matches.”

The attacking midfielder totaled 31 goal contributions during the regular season, and could yet be a future option for Gregg Berhalter

There is no doubting who the biggest star is in MLS anymore. Lionel Messi will wear that crown for as long as he calls Inter Miami his home, drawing in massive crowds wherever he goes. He may not have been able to lift his new team into playoff contention in 2023, but as the postseason rumbles on without him, the league remains abuzz from it's first brush with 'Messi-mania'.

As well as the biggest name, Messi is almost certainly the best player in MLS right now. But despite his quite ridiculous nomination given how little he played in the league due to his injury problems, he will not be taking home the MLS MVP award for 2023. That prize is Acosta's.

Lucho Acosta has spent the past season spearheading FC Cincinnati's best-ever regular season, as they were crowned Supporters' Shield winners while also earning a place in the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup, where they were beaten by Messi and Miami.

Acosta tallied 17 goals and 14 assists across all regular season competitions, and as a result, was handed the MVP honors. Actively in the process of acquiring his United States citizenship, the 29-year-old is also looking to earn eligibility to represent the U.S. men's national team, and potentially play a role in the 2026 World Cup on American soil.

What the diminutive Acosta lacks in size, he makes up for in skill, intelligence and awareness across the entire pitch. If Gregg Berhalter has the opportunity to add Acosta to his ranks, it automatically raises the standards of the USMNT.

From a failed move to Paris Saint-Germain to turmoil with D.C. United, and now MVP with FC Cincy, Acosta has adapted and continued to excel in MLS. Now, he's finally being recognized for his brilliance.

Getty ImagesWhere it all began

Acosta could barely have gotten a better footballing education as he worked his way through the youth ranks at Boca Juniors; the Argentine giants known as the club of the late, great Diego Maradona.

At just 21, Acosta made the move to the United States, joining D.C. United on loan in 2016 from his beloved Boca. He made an instant impact, with three goals and eight assists in his first season, and United turned his initial loan deal into a permanent one during his first year with the club.

Two years on, Acosta was regarded as one of the best players in MLS, and his lore only grew after D.C. added legendary Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney to their ranks. The duo even scored what might be the most famous goal in league history, while Rooney dubbed Acosta as "one of the best I've played with" during his time in the capital.

However, after a collapsed transfer to PSG, Acosta left United in 2020 on a free transfer, joining Liga MX side Atlas, but returned to MLSwith Cincinnati in 2021 as a Designated Player. Now, two years on, the Argentine has turned Cincy from cellar dwellers to MLS Cup challengers.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesParisian dreams up in smoke

In January 2019, Acosta was the darling of MLS. Flourishing alongside Rooney, he asserted himself as one of the brightest up-and-coming players in the league. Meanwhile, with Miguel Almiron having completed a $27m move from Atlanta United to Newcastle of the Premier League months prior, all eyes were on MLS for who the 'next Almiron' would be.

PSG certainly felt that Acosta fit the bill, and they pursued him like hawk late in the MLS transfer window. Per The Athletic, then-GM of D.C. United, Dave Kasper, traveled with Acosta to Paris to meet with the French giants through an 'unnamed intermediary' – but that's when the deal began to collapse.

The intermediary appeared to give false information to both parties ahead of time, and the two sides couldn't come to an agreement regarding a fee for Acosta, who United valued at $13-15m, while PSG's offer was $9.1m.

Whether Acosta would have made the grade at such an established European powerhouse is anyone's guess, but PSG's interest highlights the level of talent we are talking about here.

Getty ImagesA captain & a champion

When FC Cincinnati joined MLS as an expansion franchise in 2019, they were genuinely awful. There's no point in holding back or trying to frame it in a polite manner. They were awful, and it wasn't just one year of it; it was three-straight seasons where they finished as the worst team in MLS, managing just 14 league wins in that stretch.

Their fortunes changed in the summer of year three, though. Acosta arrived, and they built a squad around a player who had previously shown so much potential in MLS, but left due to the club refusing to build around him and provide the talent needed for him to truly succeed. Cincy didn't make that mistake.

Come 2022, Acosta's first full season with the Orange and Blue, he was named captain, and they qualified for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Progress.

This time around, however, has been the stuff of dreams. Cincy went seven games unbeaten to start the season, and only suffered one loss through their first 22 matches in all competitions. Acosta kept scoring, assisting and leading them to glory, and the Argentine even earned the captains' honors for MLS in their 2023 All-Star game against Arsenal in July.

The 2023 regular-season campaign from Cincinnati has gone down in league history as one the best-ever, only second to the 2021 run by the New England Revolution. Acosta was named on the ballot for 2023 MVP, and is now the first-ever winner of the award for the Orange and Blue. He almost single-handedly turned the franchise around, and is now being touted as an individual who could do that on the national stage – only not with Argentina.

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Getty ImagesBerhalter's next dual-national?

The 2026 World Cup is still over two years away, but the USMNT's planning for the tournament – which America will co-host – began the minute team crashed out of the 2022 edition in the last 16.

One aspect of that planning, that admittedly began before Qatar last winter, has been the convincing of dual-nationals to commit to joining Berhalter's squad. Berhalter has been part-coach, part-recruiter over the past few years, and has secured the services of enough players to make his roster one of the world's most talented.

Christian Pulisic, Timothy Weah, Yunus Musah, Antonee Robinson, Malik Tillman, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jesus Ferreira are just some of the high-profile names to have committed themselves to the U.S. cause in recent times, while the successful pursuit of Folarin Balogun earlier in 2023 left fans abuzz with anticipation as he rejected England's advances. Recent dual-national call-ups Kristoffer Lund, Kevin Paredes and Lennard Maloney could yet become reliable members of the squad in the build-up to 2026, too.

Next on Berhalter's radar is Acosta, who earlier this year started his American citizenship process with a dream of playing for the USMNT. In June, Acosta told that he would "obviously" accept a call-up to the squad if it arrived. The Argentine midfielder added: "It’s one reason I started (the citizenship) process."

Securing Acosta's services would offer the USMNT a veteran presence in their incredibly youthful attack, while allowing them to have an alternative to Gio Reyna at the No.10 position. Reyna's injury history is a cause for concern, and there is no clear back-up for the Borussia Dortmund youngster in the current U.S. squad. Acosta ticks every box that the USMNT need.

Ex-Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has heaped praise on Warren Zaire-Emery after he became one of the youngest players to receive a France call up

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Compared with Kylian Mbappe Received first France call up this weekYoungest player to receive national team nod since 1914GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

France manager Didier Deschamps added Zaire-Emery to his Les Bleus squad for this international break, just a month after the teenager was named captain of the nation's Under-21 side. The midfielder, 17, has started 10 of 11 Ligue 1 fixtures this season.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT WENGER SAID

In an interview with , the former Arsenal boss compared Zaire-Emery to Mbappe: "We’re speaking of a boy gifted with super talent. He has blossomed exceptionally early. That’s why he’s been called up by Didier. When, at 17, your manager at club level chooses you as one of the first names on the team sheet, that implies that you exude something that is unstoppable. To some extent, he makes me think of Kylian Mbappé in the sense that people are already unanimous on him, at an age where, in general, everyone says: ‘he’s talented, yes, but let’s see’."

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Wenger also admitted that he sees some of France's best midfielders in Zaire-Emery: "He has a bit of Paul Pogba’s power, but some common qualities with N’Golo Kanté in his aptitude to win back the ball. Zaïre-Emery is a bit of a mix of the two, a combination of the two 2018 World Champions, with his ability to win the duels without committing fouls and then breaking forward and showing his great vision of the play… He has a bit of Patrick too. A box-to-box midfielder as the English say."

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Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW?

Zaire-Emery is the youngest player to be called up to the Les Bleus setup since Maurice Gastiger, who earned a nod in 1914. The youngest to ever appear for the team, though, is Eduardo Camavinga, who made his first showing at 17 years, nine months and 29 days. Zaire-Emery could better that if he plays in either of Les Bleus' fixtures this week.

Iain Wardlaw, the Scotland fast bowler, has retired from international cricket with immediate effect to focus on a career in design

ESPNcricinfo staff19-May-2015Iain Wardlaw, the Scotland fast bowler, has retired from international cricket with immediate effect to focus on a career in design. He made his debut in 2013 and played in 22 ODIs and 4 T20 internationals, picking up a combined tally of 45 wickets. He also played five matches in the 2015 World Cup, where he took six wickets.”I would like to thank all the players, staff and fans of Scotland cricket for their passion and support throughout my time with the national team,” Wardlaw said. “I couldn’t have wished to have played with a better group of lads who I wish all the success in the future.”Wardlaw, 29, said he wanted to resume his designing career. “For me I’m looking forward to a career path in the design industry, where I started before cricket so there’s plenty of exciting challenges ahead.”Cricket Scotland praised Wardlaw for his commitment and dedication throughout his career. “His total commitment to his country was never in doubt by those who saw him train and play in the Scotland jersey. Throughout his Scotland career he was an attacking pace bowler who never took a step backwards and never shirked a tough challenge.”Grant Bradburn, Scotland head coach, also hailed Wardlaw for his contributions to Scotland cricket. “Iain can be proud that he has made a big contribution to Scotland Cricket and the team,” Bradburn said. “Iain is highly respected within the side and his contributions both on and off the park will be missed.”

The conditions in Khulna are likely to offer more turn to Bangladesh’s spinners, giving Zimbabwe a sterner test

The Preview by Devashish Fuloria02-Nov-2014Match factsNovember 3-7, 2014
Start time 0930 local, 0330 GMTZimbabwe will bank on Brendan Taylor to lead the fight against spin•Associated PressBig PictureBangladesh’s pre-series claims of superiority in batting and bowling almost lost relevance in Dhaka, where Zimbabwe’s seamers pushed the hosts into a corner from which they somehow found an escape. It may have been hard to come by, but a win is a win and it has brought Bangladesh a step closer to wrapping up the series. Zimbabwe perhaps missed their best chance because the conditions in Dhaka favoured their seamers as much as Bangladesh’s spinners. Khulna is not likely to come to their aid.Despite their top-order collapses, Bangladesh are still the better batting team and are miles ahead of Zimbabwe in the spin department. But as the first Test showed, it is hard to predict a winner. What it did indicate also was the inexperience of both teams in handling delicate passages of Test cricket. Khulna will present a new set of challenges, a lot of them for Zimbabwe, but a few for Bangladesh too.For Zimbabwe, the foremost would be their ability to handle spin. They were found utterly short of skill against Bangladesh’s trio of spinners and appeared walking wickets at times. In Dhaka, it was the bounce. In Khulna, it could be turn. Although Zimbabwe resorted to novel methods of training after the first Test, like putting a piece of net on the pitch to add unpredictability, playing spin is not a skill developed in a few days. So they will remain susceptible to collapses and will depend on their experienced players, most of whom have played a lot of cricket in Bangladesh, to apply themselves.Zimbabwe’s second area of concern is their spin bowling. They have variety in the squad but are short of experience. In Dhaka, Zimbabwe’s seamers made up for the disappointing performance of the spinners but moving forward in the series, they will have to bowl a lot more overs.For Bangladesh, the batting has been a hassle. The openers did not fire while the middle order squandered its starts. Mominul Haque, Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur all played steady hands in the first innings but could not stretch their innings. As Mushfiqur leads his side for the 18th team, equaling Habibul Bashar’s record for Bangladesh, he would hope the batting responds in Khulna and they wrap-up the series.Form guideBangladesh WLLDL
Zimbabwe LLWLLWatch out forBrendan Taylor was the only Zimbabwe batsman who resisted the Bangladesh spin bowlers in the second innings in Dhaka as the team collapsed to 114. He was quick to move forward in defence but mostly played off the back foot. With experience of the conditions, Taylor will be expected to lead the batting revival in Khulna.Legspinner Jubair Hossain made an encouraging debut in Dhaka where he picked up a couple of wickets. Jubair not only gets sharp turn, he also has a potent googly and a flipper in his armoury. Of a slight built, Jubair’s ability to bowl long spells will be tested as he moves forward in his career.Team newsAnamul Haque has been drafted into the Bangladesh squad and the selectors indicated he might play in the lower-middle order. That would mean no place for Shuvagata Hom. Al-Amin Hossain, who did not bowl in the second innings in Dhaka and is awaiting the report on his action, will miss the second and the third Tests because of his university exams.Bangladesh (possible): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Shamsur Rahman, 3 Mominul Haque, 4 Mahmudullah, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim (capt & wk), 6 Shakib Al Hasan, 7 Anamul Haque, 8 Jubair Hossain, 9 Shafiul Islam/Rubel Hossain, 10 Shahadat Hossain, 11 Taijul IslamAlthough Zimbabwe’s spinners were ineffective in the first Test, coach Stephen Mangongo indicated he did not want to make a change as they were still learning. That decision will, however, be taken by the convenor of selectors who is in Bangladesh. If Tafadzwa Kamungozi does miss out, he could be replaced by legspinner Natsai M’Shangwe.Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Vusi Sibanda, 2 Sikandar Raza, 3 Hamilton Masakadza, 4 Brendan Taylor (capt), 5 Regis Chakabva (wk), 6 Craig Ervine, 7 Elton Chigumbura, 8 Tinashe Panyangara, 9 John Nyumbu, 10 Tafadzwa Kamungozi/Natsai M’Shangwe, 11 Tendai ChataraPitch and conditionsAbul Hasan scored a century on debut from No. 10 two years ago in the only other Test played in Khulna. Two more Bangladesh batsmen narrowly missed hundreds in that game, suggesting the conditions would help the home batsmen. The overhead conditions are unlikely to be as bleak as in Dhaka, which means batting should be easier and seam bowling hard work. However, spinners will come into picture as the ball is expected start to keep low as the game progresses.Stats and trivia Bangladesh need to win the series to overtake Zimbabwe in the Test rankings With two wins, Mushfiqur Rahim is the most successful captain for Bangladesh in Tests Mominul Haque is 70 short of becoming the 12th Bangladesh player to 1000 Test runsQuotes”In any Test match you can see one or two soft dismissals, but in our case we see five or six soft dismissals, which is really alarming. We are trying to improve our concentration.”
“The first Test was close and we have prepared hard for the second game. We are determined to level the series here.”

The 18-year-old was officially presented as a Real Madrid player on Friday and here, Goal looks at the biggest teenage talents to emerge from Brazil

Getty ImagesPele

Considered by most as Brazil's greatest ever player and by many as the finest footballer of all time, Pele was a World Cup winner at the age of 17 in 1958, having made his debut for Santos as a 15-year-old in 1956.

went on to score over 1,000 goals in his career, spent mostly with Santos before a short stint in the USA with the New York Cosmos. He is the only player to have won three World Cups and is still Brazil's top scorer with 77 goals from his 92 games.

AdvertisementGettyZico

Such was Zico's talent that the Flamengo forward was nicknamed "the white Pele" in his homeland. And although he never won a World Cup with Brazil, he is still regarded as one of the finest footballers ever produced by the South American nation.

Zico made his Flamengo debut as an 18-year-old and would go on to score over 400 goals for the Rio de Janeiro side, most of those in the first of two spells either side of a two-season stint with Udinese. He finished his career with Kashima Antlers in Japan and scored 48 goals for Brazil.

gettyRomario

Romario started his career with Vasco da Gama in Rio, initially just as a fan and later as a professional once he had made his debut just days after his 19th birthday. At the age of 22, he then moved to PSV Eindhoven and later to Barcelona.

Short in stature, the striker was famous for his lobbed goals in a spectacular career which saw him play until beyond his 40th birthday. He won the World Cup in 1994 with Brazil and hit 55 goals in 70 games for the Selecao overall.

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GettyRonaldo

Ronaldo made his debut for Cruzeiro at just 16 years of age and after an impressive year, he followed a similar path to Romario as he joined PSV Eindhoven and then Barcelona, before moving to Inter and Real Madrid later in his career.

Part of the 1994 World Cup-winning squad with Brazil, did not feature that year, but played in two finals and claimed the trophy as the star in 2002. He scored 62 goals in 98 games for the Selecao and despite suffering a number of injuries, is among the nation's best-ever players.

Anya Shrubsole, the right-arm medium pacer, has been named England Women’s player of the year for the first time after leading the attack through what has been a difficult year for the team

ESPNcricinfo staff16-May-2016Anya Shrubsole, the right-arm medium pacer, has been named England Women’s player of the year for the first time after leading the attack through what has been a difficult year for the team.Meanwhile, an award voted for by the fans went to the recently retired Charlotte Edwards.Shrubsole, 24, took 32 wickets across three formats including 4 for 63 in the Women’s Ashes Test where she removed Australia’s top order, 4 for 11 against Australia in a T20I in Cardiff and a four-wicket haul against South Africa in an ODI in Benoni. It follows her award at the end of the previous season in September as England’s player of the summer.Since then, she has taken seven wickets in a three-match away ODI series against South Africa, five in the T20Is that followed, and seven scalps in five games at the Women’s World T20 in India.Following the retirement of Edwards last week, after she was told that there would be a change of captain and no place for her in the side in the near future, as well as the potential unavailability of Sarah Taylor, Shrubsole will be an increasingly senior figure in the team this season as they enter a rebuilding phase ahead of the 2017 Women’s World Cup in England.Shrubsole made her England debut in 2008 and has played 34 ODIs and 47 T20 internationals alongside four Tests.

Barcelona are hoping to keep Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix at Camp Nou, but permanent transfers for the pair will cost around €105 million (£92m/$113m).

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Portuguese pair joined in summer of 2023Due to spend the season at Camp NouPermanent deals will be sought in 2024WHAT HAPPENED?

The reigning La Liga champions put loan agreements in place for the Portugal internationals during the summer window. Versatile defender Cancelo arrived from Premier League giants Manchester City, while Felix made a “dream” move from domestic rivals Atletico Madrid.

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Felix has only netted once in his last 10 games, while questions have been asked of Cancelo as Barca continue to leak goals, but sporting director Deco says the club want to keep both men on board – despite their reported fees coming in at €25m (£22m/$27m) and €80m (£70m/$86m) respectively. Deco has told : “We are still in November, it is early. But of course we are already thinking about it. We see how the season is going. There is no doubt that we want to have them next season, because they are good for the squad. We are happy with their performance. How? We’ll see, these are discussions for later.”

WHAT THEY SAID

While looking ahead to next summer, Deco has claimed that no business will be done in January – with Vitor Roque set to be the only arrival if his agreed switch from Athletico Paranaense is pushed through ahead of schedule. Deco added to : “When the squad was drawn up, it was intended for the entire year. And that idea has not changed nor will it change regardless of fair play. I don’t think we can make any move in January regardless of what happens with Roque.”

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Barca have faced criticism this season after struggling for consistency in La Liga and Champions League competition, but head coach Xavi retains the full support of the club’s board and the expectation is that a star-studded squad will be reinforced at some point in 2024 – despite much-publicised financial struggles being endured in Catalunya.

Saurabh Tiwary’s unbeaten 175 propeled Jharkhand to 262 for 8 on the opening day against Mumbai at the Wankhede

The Report by Abhishek Purohit in Mumbai06-Dec-2013
ScorecardFile photo – Tiwary scored 75 of his runs in an unbroken 82-run ninth-wicket stand with Shankar Rao•Getty ImagesThis is quite a unique scorecard. Jharkhand lost eight wickets within two sessions. Two batsmen made ducks, three made single-digit scores, and four others scored between 11 and 28. But they are still batting on 250-plus, thanks almost entirely to Saurabh Tiwary’s blazing 175, his tenth first-class hundred and highest score. Seventy-five of those runs came from 180 for 8 in the company of No.10 Shankar Rao, in a partnership that has now lasted over a session and produced 82 runs.Such was the effect of Tiwary’s hitting that the defending champions were reduced to stationing up to eight men in the deep for prolonged periods in the final session. Not that it made much difference to Tiwary, for he swung eight sixes over those boundary riders, in addition to his 17 fours. The spread-out fields also allowed him to farm the strike comfortably, so that Rao almost never had to face more than two balls in an over. By stumps, defending stubbornly, he had survived for 64 balls with only two scoring shots.Tiwary has rarely made the news for his first-class exploits. Partly, this is because he plays for Jharkhand, a state many people realised had a Ranji team only when MS Dhoni emerged. Mostly, it is because of his multi-million dollar IPL paycheque, his flowing hair, his brawn and the comparisons with Dhoni have given him a flashy, Twenty20 image. So much that when Manish Pandey ran into trouble for demanding more than what he was entitled to in the IPL as an uncapped player, Tiwary’s case was cited by some in Pandey’s defence, as an example of similar players earning disproportionately more just because they had played the odd international match.The attention, for now at least, will be firmly on Tiwary’s first-class performances. This was his seventh fifty-plus score in nine innings this Ranji season. It must also be noted that Jharkhand have been promoted from Group C, where they were used to facing weaker teams, although no one will call this Mumbai attack strong. Tiwary is now the season’s leading run-getter; the next three are from Group C.From the first ball he faced at 13 for 2, Tiwary was in a different class to the rest of his struggling team-mates. Javed Khan, the best bowler on the day, bounced him first ball. Tiwary pulled it in front of square for four.The state of the game never restricted his pace of scoring. He motored to 50 off 71, to 100 off 144 and to 175 off 264. Barring the final session, Jharkhand kept losing wickets. There were stabilising partnerships of 73 and 49 for the third and fifth wickets, but Bhavik Thaker threw it away with a charge and Pappu Singh blocked and blocked before pushing one to silly point.Tiwary was in the zone at the other end. He may have scored more than a hundred runs in boundaries alone, but in between those bursts of his obvious power, there were numerous disciplined leaves. For an entire session, he refused singles. He would punch to deep extra cover, and walk calmly towards square leg. Invariably, he would take the single off the fourth ball of the over, with Mumbai refusing to move the field in. Rao would block the last two balls. This played out in loop throughout the afternoon.At times, the IPL version would appear, and he would cart the spinner many rows over deep midwicket, loft the seamers disdainfully into the sightscreen, bludgeon them through the covers.From the time he walked in, Mumbai thought they could bounce him out. Repeatedly, the seamers, especially Shardul Thakur, dug it in short. Tiwary hooked with complete control. Often, there were four deep fielders on the leg side. Tiwary still hooked, and still beat them to the rope.Mumbai took the second new ball as soon as it became available. Tiwary stepped forward and casually lifted Javed’s first delivery with it over mid-off. He pushed the last ball of the day and safely hustled across to keep strike for the second morning. The defending champions have a game on their hands; Tiwary is still not done, and Varun Aaron is yet to be handled.

The unnatural calm that existed between these two teams evaporated in the Adelaide heat when the umpires had to intervene on at least two occasions to separate the squabbling players

Sidharth Monga at Adelaide Oval12-Dec-20141:18

‘Sometimes I cross the line’ – Warner

The unnatural calm that existed between these two teams evaporated in the Adelaide heat when the umpires had to intervene on at least two occasions to separate the squabbling players. David Warner and Virat Kohli were involved in both instances, but as pacifiers in one each. On day three, when Kohli was hit on the helmet, Warner was the first one to walk up to him and check on him.The players lost their cool when Varun Aaron bowled Warner in the middle session on day four. Kohli had already been in the face of Chris Rogers when the opener had been dismissed. Now when Warner got out, both Kohli and Aaron gave him a bit of a send-off. It was the 34th over, Warner had already raced away to 66, and Australia were effectively 1 for 193. The send-off and the celebration didn’t quite look on for the state India were in.However, the umpires checked the replays and found out that Aaron had overstepped. Warner came back all happy and mocking the send-off, shouting “come on, come on”. All hell broke loose. The not-out batsman, Shane Watson, and Shikhar Dhawan got into an altercation even as Kohli was trying to pacify Aaron and Warner. Warner shouted “come on” again as he left alone a delivery. That incensed the Indians some more. And when Warner crossed Aaron while taking a single, more pleasantries were exchanged, including a kiss blown by Warner to Aaron, who just didn’t know how to react at being sledged by a batsman, a reversal of roles to which he didn’t seem accustomed.Later during the day, when Steven Smith had joined Warner, Rohit Sharma appealed for a leg-before when Smith had been miles down the wicket. It was by all accounts just a polite – albeit far-fetched – enquiry to the umpire, Marais Erasmus. Smith gave the Indians an incredulous look and shrugged, which for some reason made Rohit lose his cool. “What? What?” Rohit was heard asking Smith, who just kept smiling until he saw Kohli had left his station at first slip and planted himself mere inches from Smith. Angry words seem to fly until Warner walked all the way up to separate the two.The umpires had to get involved again, and could be seen having a long chat with Kohli, followed by smaller ones during the next few over breaks. The rest of the day went largely incident-free, but it has the potential to sour the spirit in which the first three days were played. Both sides, though, sought to underplay what happened.”I don’t know if the temperature got to 40 degrees-plus, but it was getting to a few people out there,” Warner said of the incidents. “When some decisions don’t go your way, you get bowled off a no-ball, it’s what happens in cricket. They’re always going to come at you and come at you, and you’ve got to learn to bite your tongue a bit, and sometimes we don’t.”Warner hinted at a history between the individuals that might have built up to this. Dhawan, for example, had mocked an injured Watson in an ODI in India last year with a deliberate limp in his walk. “Things happened in the past,” he said. “Things happen in IPL as well. There are a few send-offs here and there. It was the last over of his spell, and he got another one the next over. He bowled pretty well, he bowled tight and he thought he deserved the reward. It is unlucky in cricket that you bowl no-balls.”Asked if all this didn’t quite sit well with a side that had extended immediate concern towards Kohli when he was hit on day three, Warner sought to look at the two incidents as mutually exclusive. “Given the last week and a half it is quite tough when someone gets hit in the head,” Warner said. “You sit back and you hope he is okay. That’s what you have to do. We play the game within the spirit of the game, when we get tough we play tough. That’s getting verbal. But when someone gets hurt you are always going to give him sympathy. You have to.”Ajinkya Rahane, who addressed the press conference on India’s behalf, didn’t see much wrong in what went on. He said it was “part and parcel” of the game when things get “competitive”, and that the umpires did a good job in keeping things quiet.