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Western Australia captain Adam Voges has suffered concussion after being struck on the helmet during a Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania at the WACA

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Nov-2016
ScorecardAdam Voges was helped from the field after being struck by a bouncer•Getty Images

Western Australia captain Adam Voges suffered concussion after being struck on the helmet on the first day of the Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania at the WACA. Voges was not taken to hospital but was ruled out of the rest of the match after retiring hurt on 16 when he failed to evade a bouncer from fast bowler Cameron Stevenson and was hit on the helmet.Voges lay on the ground for some time after the blow, and was assisted from the ground by medical staff before being monitored in the change-rooms. Earlier this year, Voges suffered a freak head injury while playing county cricket for Middlesex, when he was fielding at slip and was hit on the back of the head by a ball being thrown back towards the wicketkeeper after a boundary.After his failures in the first two Tests against South Africa, Voges loomed as a likely candidate to be axed for the third Test in Adelaide, and was hoping for a big innings against Tasmania to press his case for retention. At the time when he was struck, Voges was trying to rebuild the Western Australia innings after a shaky start in which they slumped to 3 for 15.Opener Cameron Bancroft, who could have made a strong case for Test selection with a big innings, was caught behind off Simon Milenko for 2, and the prolific Michael Klinger edged Jackson Bird to slip on 5. The loss of Voges left Western Australia effectively at 5 for 59, but a 117-run stand between Ashton Turner and Sam Whiteman provided some respectability.Turner scored his maiden first-class century and finished with 110, and Whiteman managed 54, before the Warriors were bowled out for 262. Tasmania lost both their openers before stumps and finished the day on 2 for 60, with Alex Doolan on 18 and nightwatchman Bird on 6.

ألمح طارق حامد لاعب منتخب مصر والمحترف في صفوف فريق ضمك السعودي، إلى التراجع عن قرار اعتزاله اللعب الدولي مع الفراعنة.

وكان طارق حامد لاعب وسط منتخب مصر والمحترف في صفوف ضمك السعودي، قد أعلن في وقتٍ سابق اعتزاله اللعب الدولي بشكل رسمي.

وقال مصدر مقرب من طارق حامد لـ”بطولات”: “الموقف الذي اتخذه طارق حامد بالاعتزال الدولي لم يكن لأسباب فنية وإنما كان لأسباب شخصية في العلاقة بينه وبين روي فيتوريا المدير الفني السابق لمنتخب مصر”.

طالع أيضًا.. مصطفى يونس: حسام حسن قادر على النجاح مع منتخب مصر.. ولكن

واختتم: “طارق حامد على حد رؤيته كان لا يلقى أفضل معاملة من روي فيتوريا وأن الأخير تحدث معه بطريقة غير لائقة عقب مواجهة جيبوتي أمام اللاعبين، ولم يحترم تاريخه مع المنتخب وفي كرة القدم بشكل عام، لذلك اتخذ قرار الاعتزال الدولي”.

A cohort of South Africa’s Test players will begin their preparations for the floodlit Test against Australia later in the year by facing the pink ball in the A-team series in Brisbane

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jul-2016

A cohort of South Africa’s Test players will begin their preparations for the floodlit Test against Australia later in the year by facing the pink ball in the A-team series in Brisbane.The opening four-day game against Australia A at Allan Border Field will be a first experience of facing the pink ball in first-class for the South Africans, albeit this match will be in daytime conditions.The South Africa A squad includes nine Test players, including captain Stephen Cook who made his Test debut against England in January, with some of them having a good chance of being in the squad for the full of Australia tour which starts in October and includes South Africa’s first day-night Test in Adelaide from November 24.The other Test players on this tour are Dean Elgar, Temba Bavuma, Wayne Parnell, Vernon Philander, Dane Piedt, Stiaan van Zyl, Dane Vilas and Hardus Viljoen. Elgar and Bavuma are established in the Test line-up while Piedt is currently the frontline spinner.There had been initial reluctance from the South Africans to play a Test under lights with a lack of preparation and experience in such conditions being a major factor. However, after much behind-the-scenes work an agreement was reached to mean that Australia will host two day-night Tests in their season with Pakistan also playing under lights at the Gabba in December.”The guys are really on a high and looking forward to the first game,” Cook said. “It will be the first time the guys play with the pink ball in a first-class match, so the guys have prepared for that and are very excited about that.The second match of the series will be played in Townsville from August 6-9, before a one-day series that also involves India A, Australia A and a National Performance Squad begins on August 13.

Atletico Madrid attacker Joao Felix could potentially spend another season on loan at Chelsea in 2023/24, according to a new transfer report.

How is Felix faring at Chelsea?

The 23-year-old joined the Blues from Atletico during the January transfer window, having struggled to really make an impression at the La Liga giants. He was one of several big names to arrive at Stamford Bridge soon after the World Cup, and considering he is a past European Golden Boy award winner, much was expected of him.

In truth, Felix's time in a Chelsea shirt has been a little hit-and-miss to date, with the Portuguese only scoring twice in 12 Premier League appearances. He has been part of a struggling Blues team, however, so it is harsh overly judge his performances, given the lack of stability on show.

Once this season reaches its conclusion, the west Londoners have a big decision to make, in terms of whether they look to sign Felix permanently or not. It looks as though there is an alternative to that, though, following a new update.

Could Felix extend Blues stay?

According to Mundo Deportivo [via Sport Witness], Felix's future is "up in the air", but Atletico are "contemplating different scenarios" when it comes to their player. While Chelsea "want to keep the player", they will not be willing to spend the €100m (£88.6m) being demanded to sign him permanently.

The report goes on to state that "the formula of extending the loan for another year is a scenario that is already being contemplated" – one where "the terms would be similar to the current one" – in a scenario could that end up suiting all parties.

Chelsea should definitely look to retain Felix's services beyond this summer, with Alvaro Morata once hailing him as a "special" footballer during their time together as teammates. Granted, the Blues haven't yet seen the best of the Portugal international, but he is someone who could flourish under Mauricio Pochettino, with the Argentine potentially feeling he can get the best out of him.

In an ideal world, a permanent move would be ideal, but the money being asked for is huge, so one more year on loan is the next-best alternative, and could be less of a risk, should Felix end up proving to be a disappointment next season. Atletico are clearly happy to sell, so Chelsea should be the ones to swoop in.

ScorecardMichael Klinger was again Gloucestershire’s saviour•Clint Hughes/PA Photos

Michael Klinger led from the front as Gloucestershire clinched a nail-biting four-wicket NatWest T20 Blast win over Somerset with one ball to spare under the Bristol floodlights.The skipper hit 60 in a low-scoring contest to guide his side to 160 for six in front of a large partisan crowd. Roelof van der Merwe took three for 16 from four overs to ensure a close contest.After rain had delayed the start until 7.05pm, Somerset posted 158 for five, Chris Gayle top-scoring with 40. Benny Howell picked up two for 29, while Tom Smith and Kieran Noema-Barnett combined well in mid-innings to restrict the scoring rate.It didn’t look enough, but a see-saw contest ensued before Gareth Roderick hit the penultimate ball from Yasir Arafat for a boundary.The match began with the unusual sight of Gayle playing out a maiden from Matt Taylor. But soon the West Indian was giving an 11,000 crowd, the biggest ever for a domestic match at the ground, a taste of what they had come to see.Having taken nine balls to get off the mark, Gayle blasted 6 fours and two big sixes off Liam Norwell and Andrew Tye before skying Noema-Barnett to extra cover where Michael Klinger took an excellent catch in the seventh over.”It was a fantastic atmosphere and I want to thank all our supporters who turned out to make it such a memorable evening,” Klinger said later. “If Chris Gayle had hung around for a few more overs it might have been a different story. When he skied that ball into the lights and I got underneath it I was praying I didn’t drop it.”Thanks largely to Gayle, Somerset reached 55 by the end of the six-over powerplay. But from then on their innings lost momentum as Noema-Barnett and left-arm spinner Smith, who took a brilliant caught and bowled to dismiss the dangerous Peter Trego, stemmed the flow of boundaries.At the halfway stage the visitors were 83 for two. But Jim Allenby (27) fell to a catch at short fine leg, Mahela Jayawardene looked sadly out of touch in making 24 and Johann Myburgh quickly followed him back to the pavilion in the same Howell over.It took a late assault from Lewis Gregory (23 not out) and Roelof van der Merwe (18 not out) to get Somerset to a competitive score, which still looked below par.Gloucestershire’s reply got off to a disastrous start as Hamish Marshall pushed only half forward to the first ball and was bowled through the gate by Yasir Arafat.Klinger and Ian Cockbain took the score to 40 in the sixth over before the latter, on 23, carelessly pulled a short ball from Jamie Overton straight to Gregory at deep square.Chris Dent (22) helped Klinger add 63 before being bowled advancing to hit van der Merwe in the 13th over by which time Gloucestershire required only 56.Klinger went to his half-century off 36 balls, with 4 fours and a six, offering a reassuring presence throughout. Benny Howell fell cheaply to the excellent van der Merwe, who followed up by having Noema-Barnett caught at long-off in the same over.Somerset must have rued leaving out leg-spinner Max Waller as their quicker bowlers proved easier to hit. But they kept chipping away and finally got rid of Klinger, bowled by Gregory aiming a big hit after a change of ball.Gloucestershire required 30 off the last three overs, with four wickets in hand. Arafat and Gregory did their bit and 14 were still needed as Arafat’s first delivery of the final over was hit for a straight six by Tye.That changed everything and Gloucestershire edged home.

Manchester United are in pole position to bring AS Monaco defender Axel Disasi to the Premier League, according to reports.

What's the latest on Disasi to Man United?

Football Insider recently reported that Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof will both be put up for sale in the summer, and with Phil Jones also out of contract at the end of the season, Erik Ten Hag will be in the market for central reinforcements. The Frenchman’s contract at the Louis II Stadium isn’t set to expire for another two years, but having featured in all 31 Ligue 1 games this season, his impressive performances under Philippe Clement have caught the attention of the hierarchy at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils are reportedly very interested in securing the services of the 25-year-old during the upcoming window, with transfer insider Dean Jones recently revealing that “initial conversations” regarding a deal have been “positive”.

Now, according to Football Insider, Manchester United “lead the race” to sign Disasi ahead of the 2023/24 term. Manchester City and Chelsea are the two other potential suitors to have “registered an interest”, but it’s Ten Hag’s side who are the “favourites” ahead of their competitors.

The M16 outfit have “sent multiple scouts” to watch the centre-back in action this season and it’s stated that club chiefs have returned with “positive reports”. The recruitment department see him as a “star with huge potential” and he has therefore become the “first-choice defensive target” for the summer.

Would Disasi be a good signing for Man United?

Standing at 6 foot 3, Disasi has been hailed a “dominant” centre-back thanks to his physical presence by talent scout Jacek Kulig and he would certainly be an excellent addition to sure up the backline at United.

The Gonesse native is currently averaging 3.1 clearances and 2.6 aerial wins per league game, via WhoScored, which shows his strength in steering the ball away from danger, but he’s also commanding with the ball at his feet. The £18k-per-week colossus ranks in the 96th percentile amongst centre-backs for progressive passes, highlighting his calmness and composure in playing out from the back, and he is cool in the tackle too, having won 18 tackles from 26 players challenged this season (FBRef).

Additionally, Disasi has the ability to pose a real threat in the final third having posted ten goal contributions (six goals and four assists) across all competitions this term, which are fantastic numbers for a central defender, making this deal even more of a no-brainer to complete.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Chelsea look set to miss out on touted transfer target Jan Oblak amid a fresh contract update.

What's the latest on Jan Oblak and Chelsea?

The 30-year-old goalkeeper has been linked with a move to the Premier League in the press of late amid uncertainty over their own options between the sticks.

Indeed, Evening Standard journalist Nizaar Kinsella has recently reported that the Blues are "making contact" with a number of goalkeepers ahead of some possible summer transfers, claiming that managerial candidate Luis Enrique would want Chelsea to "consider" the Slovenian.

While speaking on his YouTube channel, however, Romano revealed that the Atletico Madrid man looks set to sign a new contract, which would likely put an end to any speculation about his future.

The journalist explained: "We had some stories, it's not the first time, we always see Man United and Chelsea linked to Jan Oblak – Atletico Madrid goalkeeper – because officially, he is out of contract in the summer, so a big opportunity.

"But I can tell you that from what I understand, Oblak will sign a new deal at Atletico Madrid until June 2027.

“There is a verbal agreement in place, just waiting for the documents to be signed, but Oblak already said yes verbally to Atletico Madrid.

"So let's see if some club will be able to break that, but at the moment, from what I understand, Oblak is prepared to stay at Atletico Madrid until June 2027."

Will Oblak's contact impact Chelsea's manager search?

It's no surprise that some big English clubs such as Chelsea and Manchester United were keeping tabs on the player – especially if his future was previously undecided, as Romano suggests.

Indeed, the reported £360k-per-week ace has long been viewed as one of Europe's finest goalkeepers, with teammate Koke telling the press last year following a 1-0 win over the Red Devils: "Jan is the best goalkeeper in the world and he's shown it again. It's a pleasure to have him and I hope he's with us for many years."

With this latest deal set to keep him in Spain until 2027, it seems as though Oblak won't be on the market this summer. Perhaps this news will make a manager such as Enrique think twice about joining the Blues.

If so, this latest contract news could be a blow for the club in more than one way, as it remains unclear who will be the No 1 at Chelsea next season and who will be the new head coach.

Tottenham Hotspur's reported managerial target, Julian Nagelsmann, is believed to have grown a fondness for the north London club from the Mauricio Pochettino days.

Do Spurs want to bring in Nagelsmann?

Having now parted ways with Antonio Conte, Spurs could well be keen to bring in a new manager before the end of the season despite the club claiming Cristian Stellini and Ryan Mason were to see out the campaign.

And one name which has certainly emerged as a potential option over recent days is that of Nagelsmann after he was released by Bayern Munich.

Spurs are believed to have eyed the young German manager as a potential option in the past but it seems as if Real Madrid could also be an option for him in the summer.

But speaking on his YouTube channel, Alasdair Gold has claimed the 35-year-old had grown a liking for the club during the Pochettino era in north London:

(1:02:10) "I do think there would be an interest there from Nagelsmann. He forged a really strong connection with Spurs, like a real affinity for them during Poch's tenure especially. He saw I think a kindred spirit Poch, became a really big fan of Spurs' style of play and kept a very close eye on Spurs.

"And likewise Spurs kept an eye on him because obviously, his idea was to play attacking football with a real high pressing line, which is very similar to Poch as well."

(1:03:10) And I know Spurs have very much had him high on their list twice. 2019 when Poch went, he was a very strong candidate, but they turned to [Jose] Mourinho.

"And then when Mourinho left, they also really strongly looked at him again, but he was pretty much all tied up with Bayern."

Would Nagelsmann want to join Spurs?

The German is said to be shocked by the sudden exit from his position Bayern so it will be interesting to see whether he would be keen to make an immediate return to football.

However, if Spurs are seriously interested in the 35-year-old, then they may have to start putting in the relevant steps to try and get the wheels turning on this one.

As reports have suggested potential interest coming from Madrid in the summer, it could leave Spurs with a monumental challenge in the summer.

What would be interesting to see is whether Nagelsmann would be keen on making an instant return to football with only 10 games remaining in a league he hasn't managed before.

Having failed with their two short-term managerial options in Conte and Jose Mourinho, it does feel as if Spurs' next move has to be to return to a project manager.

And in this sense, it could be something which may appeal to Nagelsmann who could be offered reassurance by Daniel Levy that he would be offered time to put his stamp on the side.

It has felt like a season to forget in north London, yet Spurs still have Champions League football to play for with 10 games remaining.

Whether the combination of Stellini and Mason will be able to see that over the line or not remains to be seen but a huge summer lies ahead for Spurs.

And if Spurs are to keep Harry Kane at the club for next season, they are likely going to have to convince him with an exciting hire like Nagelsmann.

All the pieces have fallen perfectly into place at Arsenal and the signings of recent years have largely been resounding swoops that have been integral in the craft and construction of a now imperious outfit that competes for the Premier League title.

The likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard are two salient examples of the shrewd movements of the Gunners hierarchy, with both attacking gems now playing central roles in manager Mikel Arteta’s fluid system.

One further signing that has gelled with conviction and authority over the past few years is Brazilian centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes, who arrived in north London from French Ligue 1 outfit LOSC Lille for roughly £23m in 2020, and despite an inconsistent start to his life in the Premier League, now stands beside Frenchman William Saliba as one of the division’s foremost defensive parternships.

The impact he has had on this Gunners team this term has been profound, and still only 25-years-old, the enforcer could cement his stature as one of English football’s very best titans over modern times.

Did Edu strike gold with Gabriel?

Hailed as a “rock” by Kevin Campbell for his unwavering strength and resolve in the defensive third, Gabriel has made 103 appearances for the Gunners and scored ten goals, which is an impressive tally for a central defender.

This season, he has played in 33 clashes across all competitions, and started all 25 of his outfit’s Premier League contests, paramount with his modernistic skill set and boasting the second-best defensive record in the league, behind only Newcastle United.

According to CIES Football Observatory, he is now worth £62m, which is nearly three times the fee paid to lure the player to the Emirates in the first place and shows that the club struck gold on him.

Such a towering figure is most impressive indeed, especially when compared to other prominent centre-backs in England; Liverpool’s 31-year-old colossus Virgil van Dijk is worth £44m, while Manchester City’s Ruben Dias is valued at £88m.

As per FBref, Gabriel ranks among the top 13% of centre-backs for non-penalty goals per 90 in Europe’s top five leagues and European competition over the past year, with the offensive precision to his rounded game imperative in providing Arsenal with an extra dimension to aid the unrelenting pursuit of the league trophy.

The £50k-per-week star’s 7.05 average league rating, via Sofascore, is an exhibit of his assurance and composure, with his superlative 89% pass success rate and 3.3 clearances per match crucial in rebuffing unwanted advances from the opposition, with Connor Humm even describing the former Brazil U23 titan as “on another level.”

Should Arsenal decide to cash in on their phenom any time soon, which, granted, is a highly unlikely proposition, then they would recuperate a mammoth sum that eclipses what was paid to land the player from his former outfit.

But regardless, his current value is a welcome reminder of the shrewd piece of business that was struck to clinch the signature of an ace now eminent among the talented crop of Europe’s best centre-backs.

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery was conservative in his approach to his first window in charge of the club in January as the coach did not make major changes to the squad.

The Spanish manager opted for minor adjustments to his roster, potentially due to it being midway through the season, by signing Jhon Duran and Alex Moreno, from Chicago Fire and Real Betis respectively, and allowing Danny Ings to join West Ham.

Moreno has come in to fight it out with Lucas Digne for a starting spot at left-back and has made six Premier League appearances since arriving at Villa Park.

The former Everton defender has struggled this season and needed competition to push him. He has averaged an underwhelming Sofascore rating of 6.68 across 18 outings in the top flight – making 2.1 tackles and interceptions per game and winning 52% of his defensive duels.

His Sofascore rating places him 14th in the squad and his poor form suggests that the dud is not living up to his £25m price tag, which could open up a debate around his future heading into the summer.

If all goes well, Moreno could become the first choice in that position and Emery could ditch Digne from the club by cashing in on him ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Could Sebastian Revan replace Lucas Digne at Aston Villa?

The Spanish head coach could earn and save NSWE millions in one go by selling the ex-Barcelona full-back and then coaching academy talent Sebastian Revan to make the step up to the first team.

If there is sufficient interest in the defender, Villa could rake in a sizeable fee for Digne as FootballTransfers place his Expected Transfer Value at around £28m (€32m).

Emery could land save the owners millions on a replacement for the Frenchman by unearthing Revan from the U21 side, as the 19-year-old has caught the eye this season.

Earlier this term, the teenager averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.00 in the EFL Trophy for the U21s and made four tackles and interceptions per game – winning 58% of his duels – across two matches.

The dynamo, who already has first-team experience with Grimsby and Hereford on loan, has played 13 times in the Premier League 2 and contributed with one goal and two assists from defence. He is now an experienced player for the U21s as the youngster has made 36 appearances for them to date, after playing 28 matches at U18 level.

His boss at Grimsby, Paul Hurst, hailed the talent as a “very athletic” defender who “impressed” for Villa in the FA Youth Cup, which highlights how well the gem has performed at academy level for the club.

At the age of 19, the battler still has plenty of years left ahead of him to develop and improve with Emery set to benefit from coaching him into becoming a first-team-ready left-back who could replace Digne in the summer – providing Moreno with competition next term.

This would, therefore, prevent NSWE from needing to splash out millions on a new signing to come in as a replacement for the French defender.