تحدث رودريجو جوس، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ريال مدريد عن علاقته بـ زين الدين زيدان وثنائية مانشستر سيتي الشهيرة وأول هاتريك له في دوري أبطال أوروبا.
وأجرى الدولي البرازيلي حوارًا مطولًا مع صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية تحدث من خلاله حول كارلو أنشيلوتي وعلاقته القوية به ومنتخب البرازيلي وأسرار كثيرة من كواليس انتقاله إلى الفريق الملكي.
وقال رودريجو، عن مباراة مانشستر سيتي الشهيرة: “كان أصعب يوم في حياتي، وكان أيضًا أفضل يوم في حياتي، ويوم العديد من مشجعي ريال مدريد الذين ما زالوا يكتبون لي ليشكروني على هذين الهدفين في دقيقتين، كان الأمر جنونيًا”.
وأكمل: “عند التعادل 1/1، أعلن المذيع الداخلي عن 6 دقائق من الوقت بدل الضائع، وكان الهدف بمثابة التأهل لنا، جنون الجماهير في البرنابيو واحتفلوا بعدد الدقائق كما لو كان هدفًا، هذا أخافهم (يقصد مانشستر سيتي) وفكرت لحظة وقلت في نفسي هل يمكنني تسجيل هدف آخر؟، وفعلت ذلك برأسي، انظروا، كان بإمكاني تسجيل هدف آخر قبل الوقت الإضافي لكن أنقذها إيدرسون، كانت ستُكتب أعظم هاتريك في التاريخ، في اليوم السابق، أخبرت والدي أنني سأسجل ثلاثة أهداف، وفعلت ذلك بالفعل، كان الأمر في رأسي، كان الأمر جنونيًا للغاية”.
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وعن أول مباراة شارك بها بقميص ريال مديد على برنابيو: “نعم، كان الأمر مميزًا للغاية، أتذكره كأنه كان بالأمس، لن أنسى أبدًا عندما اتصل بي زيدان ليخبرني أنني سألعب مباراتي الأولى في البرنابيو، لم أتخيل أبدًا أن يحدث ذلك بهذه السرعة، لطالما حلمت به ولكن عندما يحين الوقت، أشعر بتوتر شديد، أتذكر أن كاسيميرو مرر لي الكرة وسيطرت عليها جيدًا وراوغت وسددت وسكنت الكرة الشباك، كانت بداية مثالية”.
وعن تسجيل هاتريك في أول مباراة له في دوري أبطال أوروبا قال رودريجو: “كنتُ أعتقد أن بيننا رابط مميز، لطالما أحببت هذه البطولة، ثلاثية مثالية (هاتريك) أمام جماهيرنا، كانت البداية رائعة بهذه الطريقة”.
وعن اللعب تحت قيادة زين الدين زيدان: “كان شخصًا عاديًا لكنه أبهرني، نظرت إليه وقلت زيدان يتحدث معي! في الثامنة عشرة من عمري كان كل شيء جديدًا بالنسبة لي، وكان كل شيء مثيرًا للإعجاب، استغرق الأمر مني بعض الوقت لأعتاد عليه وأتقبل أنه مجرد مدربي، وهذا كل شيء، تحدث معي كثيرًا وساعدني وأحببت الوقت الذي قضيته معه”.
Tilak jumped a whopping 69 places after his back-to-back centuries in South Africa
ESPNcricinfo staff20-Nov-2024India allrounder Hardik Pandya is back on top of the T20I allrounders list in the ICC rankings, while Tilak Varma has broken into the top 10 among batters for the first time.Hardik displaced England’s Liam Livingstone at the top and also overtook Nepal’s Dipendra Singh Airee after he picked up two wickets and scored 18, 39 not out and 2 in the T20Is against South Africa. His top performance was his spell of 1 for 8 that included a maiden in three overs in the fourth T20I in Johannesburg. The last time Hardik rose to the top of the allrounders list was just a few months ago, after India won the T20 World Cup in June also by beating South Africa.Tilak, the Player of the Series in the recent bilaterals, shot up 69 places among the batters after his consecutive and unbeaten centuries that followed scores of 20 and 33 in the first two T20Is. He is now placed third, after Travis Head and Phil Salt, and closely followed by his captain Suryakumar Yadav. Sanju Samson, the other batter with two hundreds in the series, went up 17 places to 22nd, as he also bagged two ducks between the two centuries. Among bowlers, left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh moved to ninth after gaining three spots with the help of eight wickets against South Africa. Arshdeep was the top-wicket taker in the series among fast bowlers and bagged three-fors in the last two games.Adam Zampa, who picked up six wickets against Pakistan, was among the biggest gainers among the bowlers, reaching third spot after rising five places, just behind Adil Rashid and Wanindu Hasaranga. His team-mate Nathan Ellis shot up a significant 15 spots to reach 11th rank, after he finished the three T20Is against Pakistan with four wickets, including figures of 3 for 9 in the opening match that was truncated by rain.For South Africa, Tristan Stubbs climbed three places to move to 23rd whereas Heinrich Klaasen jumped six places but remained out of top 50, at 59th.After the 1-1 T20I series between Sri Lanka and New Zealand, Kusal Mendis rose to joint 12th spot after going up three places. After they won the ODIs 2-0, Maheesh Theekshana went up six places to be placed sixth, that pushed Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj one spot down each, to seventh and eighth respectively.
Away from Nathaniel Phillips joining Ryan Mason’s ranks, it’s been somewhat of a quiet summer so far at West Bromwich Albion as far as incomings are concerned.
It’s definitely been hectic surrounding outgoings, however, with Grady Diangana, John Swift, and Semi Ajayi all exiting one after the other, having failed to agree on extended contracts at the Hawthorns.
Tottenham's Ryan Mason
The brand-new Baggies boss must have thought he’d won himself his second big buy when it was reported that AFC Bournemouth winger David Brooks was likely to join his camp.
But, no such deal has got off the ground, leaving the promotion hopefuls back at square one with who to bring in to boost their chances of moving up to the Premier League.
Brooks' collapsed West Brom deal
In a drastically sharp change of events, Brooks – who had reportedly completed a medical at the Hawthorns – has now seen a move to West Brom fall through.
This would have been an ideal signing for Mason to strengthen his numbers in attack in the wake of Diangana leaving the building, with the Welshman a top performer in the Championship in the not-so-distant past.
David Brooks for Bournemouth.
Just two seasons back, the AFC Bournemouth number seven proved himself to be an instant hit out on loan at second-tier promotion chasers Southampton, as seen in a whirlwind return of two goals and six assists coming his way from just 20 outings at St. Mary’s.
That bumped up his overall tally in the division to a sublime 11 goals and 16 assists, with Brooks’ adaptability to play as a left winger or as an attacking midfielder making him even more of a sterling, short-term pick-up.
An unfortunate twist in the tale has stopped this promising deal from occurring, though, but the Baggies could win themselves a dream alternative if this exciting starlet is loaned in instead.
West Brom's "fearless" Brooks alternative
Mason might as well put his Tottenham Hotspur connections to good use from the Hawthorns hot seat.
This might well prove to be a great weapon on West Brom’s end, with rumours circulating last month that Spurs’ teenage sensation Mikey Moore is being eyed up by the West Midlands side.
Moore is arguably cut from the same cloth as the Cherries forward, with Brooks held in high regard ever since breaking through at Sheffield United aged just 19. In the case of the North London prodigy, he’s already making waves at Thomas Frank’s men at the tender age of 17.
Indeed, a terrific solo strike against Elfsborg last year was his first ever senior strike for his boyhood employers, shining so much in the Europa League that teammate James Maddison suggested he was “like Neymar.”
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Much like his Welsh counterpart would have been capable of, the teenage sensation could go on to be a superb talent for the Baggies across various attacking positions, with a lethal 11 goals coming his way across his fledgling career as a centre-forward, away from shining as a left or right winger like Brooks.
The worry would be that Moore might not instantly take to his new Championship terrain, having only ever been in that bubble of youth football at Spurs.
Yet, having recently also been hailed as “fearless” by Maddison when leaping into the Tottenham first-team, this should be another hurdle he’s able to overcome, with West Brom’s failed pursuit of Brooks quickly forgotten about if he goes on to be a success.
The new Fellows: West Brom looking at deal to sign "outstanding" EFL star
West Bromwich Albion could repeat their Tom Fellows magic by landing this EFL star.
Everton are one of the clubs in the mix to sign a “brilliant” former Premier League player on a free transfer this summer, according to a new report.
Everton left-back signs new deal
The Blues may be looking at signing experienced players this summer, but retaining the services of their most exciting players is also of the utmost importance.
One big positive has emerged in that respect, with Everton left-back Josh van Schoor signing his first professional contract at the club, keeping him on Merseyside until the summer of 2027.
The 18-year-old is clearly delighted to have committed his future to the Blues, speaking about the new deal and calling it a “really special” moment for him.
“It’s a really special moment for me and my family. It’s something you work towards your whole life, and as a little lad you dream about it, so to sign is a very proud moment. When you’re working hard towards things, and then again over the past few years when you’re so close, to finally achieve it is a very good moment. Last season was good, I think I really found a good bit of form and captained the side a few times as well, which was really good for me.”
Everton keeping tabs on "brilliant" free agent
According to a fresh report from Caught Offside, Everton are also “keeping close tabs” on former Tottenham left-back Sergio Reguilon, who is available on a free transfer after leaving Spurs last month, having been on loan at Manchester United.
Bournemouth and West Ham are also mentioned in the update, with the Hammers mentioned as the “most enthusiastic” among the three Premier League clubs.
Reguilon could be an astute addition for Everton between now and the beginning of the new Premier League season, possessing lots of experience at a high level and no doubt wanting to get his career back on track, following a nomadic spell of late.
The 28-year-old has tasted victory against the Blues before, scoring in a 5-0 win for Spurs back in 2021/22, and Noel Whelan once called him “brilliant”, also saying:
“I’ve been an admirer of Reguilon for some time. He really stamped his authority on the game and grabbed the winner to show what a quality player he is.”
At 28, Reguilon is far from an ageing player, so he should be able to be a good player for Everton for the next four or five years, and the fact that he has Premier League experience is an added bonus.
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The Spaniard could come in and provide stiff competition for Vitalii Mykolenko at left-back, giving the Blues two great options in that position.
David Bedingham, Dane Paterson and Dane Piedt are the only players from South Africa’s makeshift squad that toured New Zealand in February to be named for their next red-ball assignment, against West Indies in August. While Bedingham is seen as central to the future of South Africa’s long-format batting, Paterson, 35, has been included to add experience in the absence of Anrich Nortje and Marco Jansen, and Piedt, 34, to have a second spinner in addition to Keshav Maharaj.The rest of the players were all part of South Africa’s home series against India earlier this year with the exception of batter Matthew Breetzke, who has earned his first Test call-up. Breetzke is currently playing for Northants and was part of a South African A side that toured Sri Lanka last year. With Dean Elgar’s recent international retirement, he will provide batting back-up to a top five that will likely include Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma and David Bedingham.Red-ball coach Shukri Conrad confirmed that Stubbs would take over the No. 3 spot, with de Zorzi moving up into Elgar’s opening slot. “Technically Stubbs is one of the best around,” Conrad said at a press conference. “He’s the type of cricketer that I want at the top of the order. And I think he has got all the makings of a top-class No. 3 batter. He will get a really good run and he is definitely one for the future. Some might say it’s a big call, but I certainly won’t be throwing someone in at the deep end and give him a task that I didn’t think he was capable of handling.”Wicketkeeper-batter Ryan Rickelton has been recalled after last playing Tests in the home series against West Indies in March 2023 and will compete with incumbent gloveman Kyle Verreynne for a spot at No. 6. The only seam-bowling allrounder in the squad is Wiaan Mulder, who also last played Tests at home against West Indies, after Jansen was rested from the tour.”Given the hectic schedules and not necessarily for South Africa – you take someone like Marco, who would have had two months at an IPL straight to a World Cup, straight into an MLC – the plan was always for different guys to be getting breaks at different times,” Conrad said. “So this is Marco’s time where we felt we can do some really good work with him from a rehab and conditioning point of view, and if there’s some technical work that needs to happen.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Jansen will also miss the October Tests in Bangladesh and “be ready for Sri Lanka and Pakistan”, Conrad said. “And then another quick will have the Bangladesh series off and be ready for Sri Lanka and Pakistan. So it’s conversations that Rob [Walter, the white-ball coach] and I have been having for the longest time now. We want to make sure that we manage these players properly. They never get time to actually do some work on their bodies and any technical stuff. It’s not a holiday.”The pace attack will be led by Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi with Nortje not considered after he opted out of a central contract this year with the aim of focusing primarily on T20 cricket. Paterson and left-armer Nandre Burger are the other two pace options.South Africa’s first-choice Test players have not been in action since the New Year’s Test, which they lost to India after being to miss the New Zealand series and honour SA20 commitments. South Africa lost that series 2-0 and sit in seventh place on the WTC points table, but have only played four matches. They have eight more Tests scheduled in this cycle – two in the West Indies, two in Bangladesh in October and home series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan – and have hopes they could put themselves in a position to compete for a spot in the WTC final.”We’ve got eight test matches left in the cycle and whilst one doesn’t want to look too far ahead, in order to give ourselves a good crack at it, we probably need to win at least seven,” Conrad said. “That’s part of the end goal. We know that every Test series is going to be a challenging one. But when we play to our full potential, I think we can obviously get the right results. We’re still very much in the mix.”Those members of the squad who are not involved in the MLC or on the county circuit – Bavuma, Breetzke, de Zorzi, Mulder, Paterson, Stubbs and Verreynne – will take part in a four-day training camp in Durban before departing for the West Indies. The first Test takes place in Trinidad from August 7 and the second in Guyana a week later.
South Africa Test squad
Temba Bavuma, David Bedingham, Matthew Breetzke, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Dane Paterson, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton, Kyle Verreynne
Celtic are now likely to complete the signing of an “amazing” attacking player soon, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.
Attackers the order of the day for Celtic
Brendan Rodgers will know the importance of adding to his squad and making his team even more of a force next season, in order to prevent Rangers from closing the gap in the Scottish Premiership, and perhaps more excitingly for the Hoops to improve in the Champions League.
Celtic appear to be prioritising attacking signings this summer, with Benjamin Nygren strongly linked with sealing a move from Nordsjaelland to Parkhead.
Meanwhile, Evan Ferguson has emerged as an audacious transfer target for the Hoops ahead of next season, with the Brighton striker’s stock falling over the past 12 months, following a tough spell out on loan at West Ham.
That’s not to say that the Republic of Ireland international couldn’t be a fantastic acquisition for Celtic, however, with Gary Lineker calling him a “born goalscorer” and once tipping him to replace Harry Kane at Tottenham.
Now, it looks as though the Scottish champions could be edging towards another attacking signing.
O'Rourke: Celtic set to finalise deal for Balikwisha
Speaking to Football Insider, O’Rourke claimed Celtic have a good chance of signing Royal Antwerp forward Michel-Ange Balikwisha this summer.
“There’s real potential that Celtic could finally get a deal done for Balikwisha. He’s been a long-term target for them, they tried to sign him in the summer transfer window last year but an injury and failing to agree a price stopped their hopes. Their interest has never gone away, they’ve continued to keep tabs on him. He has got back to full fitness after a bad injury and finished the season strongly.
“Celtic will be in the market for a new winger and Balikwisha has remained on the radar. They’ve been given a boost in their pursuit as well, reports are suggesting in Belgium that Royal Antwerp are experiencing some financial problems. They may have to cash in on some of their players, and with the 24-year-old in the final year of his contract Celtic could land him for a bargain fee of £5million.”
Michel-Ange Balikwisha against Porto in the Champions League.
Balikwisha has been linked with Celtic for some time, with talks mooted recently, and he could be a brilliant signing this summer, with the 24-year-old possessing so much quality.
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The attacker already has 46 goal involvements in 141 appearances for Antwerp, and at international level he has been capped for Belgium across five different youth age groups, also being called “amazing” by analyst Ben Mattinson.
While primarily a left winger, Balikwisha can also shine on the opposite flank and as a striker, so Rodgers would be signing a player who can add so much depth to his attack.
Chelsea have not held back in the transfer market under new owner Todd Boehly. The Blues have certainly been comfortable to splash the cash, aiming to build a new dynasty at Stamford Bridge, and particularly looking to strengthen in attack.
Over the past few seasons, they have signed several new attackers, including permanent deals for the likes of Pedro Neto from Wolverhampton Wanderers, and even a loan move for Jadon Sancho from Manchester United.
They even have three young attackers joining in the next couple of seasons, further strengthening their options in forward areas. That does not include summer targets for 2025, with Kenan Yildiz one player they are linked with.
The latest on Chelsea’s pursuit of Yildiz
It seems as though the race to sign Juventus attacker Yildiz is on this summer, with Chelsea set to go head-to-head with one of their biggest rivals, Arsenal, to bring the 19-year-old to London. Whether he moves to West or North London, however, remains to be seen.
Juventus'KenanYildiz
A recent report from Caught Offside suggests that the Blues have been ‘intensifying their efforts’ to bring the youngster to Stamford Bridge in the next few months. As well as facing competition from the Gunners, newly crowned Premier League champions Liverpool, 13-time winners Manchester United and their rivals Manchester City could all show interest.
As for why Enzo Maresca’s side want to add Yildiz to their ranks, he has been impressive for the Old Lady this term. The Turkey star has eight goals and five assists across all competitions for Juve, and has played everywhere across the frontline. They are eye-catching numbers for such a young player.
With that in mind, his price might not come as a shock, though it is certainly a high fee Juve could demand. Caught Offside report that he is worth £85.2m, if he is to depart the Allianz Stadium this summer.
Juventus' KenanYildizcelebrates
Incredibly, the Blues have an attacker worth even more than the 19-year-old sensation.
The Chelsea star worth more than Yildiz
Of all the attackers the Blues have bought, none has made the impression that Cole Palmer has. The England international has been in lean form for a few weeks, but his time at Stamford Bridge overall has been exceptional.
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The 22-year-old, who hails from Wythenshawe in Manchester, has an exceptional record in that famous Blue shirt of Chelsea.
He’s managed 39 goals and 24 assists in 85 games so far, and was crowned PFA Young Player of the Year for his 33 goals in as many Premier League games last term.
This term has been slightly slower for the former Man City star. He has managed 14 goals and nine assists in the top flight, although has now gone 12 games without a goal. In that timeframe, he has chipped in with three assists.
With that being said, his underlying stats from the past two seasons, courtesy of Sofascore, show just how talented he is. For example, the 22-year-old averaged 2.5 key passes per game last term, and a slightly better 2.6 key passes per game so far this term.
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0.76xGI
When considering all that, it might not be a surprise to learn that Palmer is valued extremely highly by Football Transfers. They have him worth £100.2m, higher than any other player in the Chelsea squad.
Interestingly, that is around £15m more than the amount Juventus would be looking to charge for Yildiz this summer. If anything, this further highlights the importance of Palmer to the Chelsea side.
Chelsea star Cole Palmer
They certainly got lucky with Palmer when they signed him in 2023. He has proven to be a revelation, an “insanely consistent” player as Statman Dave called him. Despite his struggles in recent weeks, there is no doubt about the quality of Palmer.
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Chelsea are hunting a summer move for a Premier League star who could see Cole Palmer recapture his form.
In the Premier League, Arsenal have been left to bemoan their lack of a fit centre-forward.
Truth be told, even before Kai Havertz sustained a season-ending hamstring injury, they needed more cover in an attacking area.
Just weeks before, Gabriel Jesus was dealt a cruel blow of his own, picking up an ACL injury that means we are unlikely to see him play again in 2025.
That didn’t spur the recruitment team at the Emirates Stadium into life and they have been made to pay the price since.
Still, Mikel Merino has been in fine form since becoming the club’s leading number 9, scoring six goals in his ten outings as a striker. Not bad numbers indeed.
However, the Spaniard, despite his incredible finish against Real Madrid, is not the long-term answer.
Arsenal's hopes of signing a new striker
Andrea Berta has now been in the job a few weeks and his main objective over the summer transfer window must be to strengthen the club’s offence.
It promises to be an exciting summer at Colney with the Gunners not only needing a new forward but also a winger, a back-up goalkeeper and potentially even a midfielder. Martin Zubimendi is reportedly edging close towards a deal.
So, who will the shiny new striker be? That’s the question on everyone’s lips down at N5.
David Ornstein confirmed a few weeks ago that Sporting CP sensation Viktor Gyokeres is one of their leading targets but work is also being done on Benjamin Sesko.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
A flurry of reports linked the Slovenian with a move last summer but he ended up penning new terms with German club RB Leipzig.
A year on and his departure from the Bundesliga looks far more likely. Indeed, according to TEAMtalk, Arsenal continue to keep a ‘close on’ on the 21-year-old with new steps now taken in a bid to secure his signature.
RB Leipzig's BenjaminSeskobefore taking a penalty
The report notes that the London club have had ‘direct contact’ with the player’s camp to discuss a move and the feeling after that meeting has been a positive one.
Sesko’s contract – which expires in 2029 – currently contains a release clause valued at around €70m (£60m).
How Sesko compares to Haaland and Isak
A few years ago, Arsenal were monitoring the progress of Alexander Isak. The Swede was at Real Sociedad at the time and wasn’t yet a truly rampant goalscorer.
The year was 2022 and Isak’s contract in Spain also contained a release clause, one that was slightly more than Sesko’s at about £75m.
Sadly, the Gunners deemed that too expensive and since then, he signed for Newcastle for £63m and become one of the Premier League’s leading lights, scoring 20 goals this term, third to only Erling Haaland and Mo Salah in the top-flight.
So, Arsenal must learn their lesson. Miss out on Sesko now and you could be looking at a price tag of over £100m in a few years’ time.
The Slovenia international may not be the finished article just yet, but he possesses a unique profile and Berta must buy now, with Arteta undoubtedly having the ability to turn him into a top-class talent, just like Isak.
Indeed, if Arteta can get a tune out of Merino in the club’s forward line, a midfielder by trade, just think what he could do with an actual striker.
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Described as “the new Erling Haaland” by scout Jacek Kulig, Sesko has found the net 19 times in 40 matches this term and seems to be getting better season by season, still aged 21.
Like Haaland, he’s a tall centre-forward. The Norwegian stands at 6 foot 4 while the Arsenal target is a fraction taller at 6 foot 5.
Manchester City's ErlingHaalandcelebrates scoring their first goal
What that allows the pair of them to do is a number of things. Not only are they physical but their lengthy running stride and pace makes them a total nightmare for a defensive line.
Sesko would not get as much time and space in the Premier League, something Haaland is now all too familiar with, but their games marry up nicely when assessing their ball striking as well.
Just look at the thunderbolt below from Leipzig’s star man. It’s a thing of beauty and something that, let’s be honest, no Arsenal player in the current squad is capable of.
Perhaps the biggest difference is that Sesko is actually right-footed, but that’s not a bad thing, particularly when you consider Havertz is left-footed, meaning Berta would be adding more variety to the attack.
While someone like Gyokeres – who has scored 44 goals this season – and Isak, a proven Premier League striker, would be amazing signings, perhaps the best thing to do is go out and get Sesko, an unpolished diamond but someone who possesses elite potential.
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The white ball wants to fly and, lately, it looks to the batters to satisfy this craving. Travis Head, in particular, has been very kind to it. They’ve seemed quite taken with each other recently; had a very successful date right here in Ahmedabad a few months ago. Then he showed up. The old flame.Oh they ran so hot when they were together. Early 2015 was filled with some totally NSFW scenes. Ninety-three thousand people saw them frolicking in broad daylight out on the MCG. Brendon McCullum had to avert his eyes.Related
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Starc shows the way as KKR blow away Sunrisers to march into IPL final
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Mitchell Starc and the white ball. This romance is not for the faint of heart. And it was rekindled on Tuesday night. Right from practice, it looked like they were back together. The left-arm quick in his training gear was going full tilt and the guy with the baseball glove, standing behind a set of target stumps – those fluorescent ones made of pliant material – had trouble trying to keep up. So much pace. So much bounce. Something was brewing.Soon it was game time and destiny itself weighed in favour of uniting Starc with his one true love straightaway (sorry Alyssa Healy). Sunrisers Hyderabad won the toss and chose to bat. Head took strike. Starc ran in. The ball beat the bat and crashed into his stumps. He’d just been dumped in front of over 75,000 people.Mitchell Starc took three wickets inside the powerplay to derail the SRH top order•BCCIWe should’ve known this was coming. It was a big game. He’s Australian. And this is a World Cup year, which is partly why he’s even playing this IPL, after skipping the last nine. Starc couldn’t have known about the INR 24.75 crore (USD 2.99 million/ AU$ 4.4 million approx) that would come his way at the auction when he put his name back in the hat. Back then, all he cared about was the match practice, against the best of the best, leading into an ICC event.At first, it didn’t really go according to plan. He gave up 100 runs in eight overs. Then just 82 in 10 while picking up five wickets. Then it went bad again. 148 in 10 overs. Through it all Starc kept working. He trained as hard as he always does. He switched off when he needed to. He trusted in his skill.Sometimes in T20 cricket, no matter how good you are, you will get hit. And the place where Starc kept getting hit (economy rate 11.61) was the place where all fast bowlers were getting hit (10.51). Eden Gardens. That will have helped him keep perspective, which is why he didn’t see the need to change anything in the playoffs. He bowled a good length. He looked for swing. He found it. And he never let up. KKR spent 3/4th of their purse on him at the auction. It must feel so worth it right now.
Starc’s two great strengths are his air speed and his accuracy. One makes him a threat even if there’s no help available. The other makes him deadly if there’s even the slightest bit of help. Ahmedabad fell into the second category, with one very important caveat. As the ball got older, it lost its shine and became easier to hit. That was on show with Sunrisers scoring 53 runs in the back half of the first 10 overs even though by then they’d lost four wickets. So the trick was to make the most of the early exchange and there are few better than Starc at this.According to ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data, 67.5% of the deliveries in his first over across his T20 career either threaten the stumps or the outside edge. There’s a good chance of false shots under this kind of examination. Thirty-three percent as it turns out. In other words, two of the six balls he’ll be starting the game with have significant wicket-taking potential.Starc has 498 wickets in both formats of white-ball cricket. Three of those are Head’s. One from now. Two from the Australian domestic one-day tournament in 2015. All of them were bowled, in the first over, for scores of 0, 1 and 0, with the exact same delivery. Angled in. Swinging away. At speeds that cause nosebleeds.Seeing those stumps in disarray, Starc thrust his right hand up and peeled away to one side, creating another snapshot that was first seen nine years ago when he won a whole World Cup in the space of six balls. That was his best night, and this one, based on what happens in Chennai in a few days time, could still make the top 10. Imagine waking up an ODI World Cup, T20 World Cup, Test Championship, Ashes and IPL winner.
They have scripted a remarkable turnaround after having finished bottom last season. Here is how they’ve done it
Deivarayan Muthu27-Sep-20221:53
Miller: Getting the right players and structure worked for us
two games so far – one being an inconsequential match against Guyana Amazon Warriors, and the other a rain-hit one against Jamaica Tallawahs when Rovman Powell hit a timely six to put them ahead of the DLS. ESPNcricinfo decodes Royals’ dominant run in CPL 2022.Role clarity
One of the key ingredients for success in a T20 tournament is giving players clarity about their roles. Despite the absence of their regular captain David Miller and wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock – who were both part of the overseas core – for the last leg of the tournament in Guyana, Royals’ management ensured everyone stayed true to their roles.Before CPL 2022, Kyle Mayers had never captained in senior T20 cricket, but Royals prepped for Miller’s departure for South Africa duty in India by easing Mayers into the leadership role in the inaugural 6ixty that preceded the CPL. And Jason Holder, who had led the Barbados franchise – Tridents at the time – to the title in 2019, was around to help smoothen the transition.According to Holder, the Royals have done an “outstanding job” in ensuring there was transparency in the group, and every player understood his role.Related
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“We know more or less how we want to operate as a franchise,” Holder had told ESPNcricinfo. “I think it has been really easy on David [Miller] as captain and now Kyle [Mayers] coming in to replace him.”You see today (in the match against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots on September 21) it was just like a smooth transition, and I think that’s because of how the structure is in the group. I always believe if you’ve got a strong management in terms of how you operate, how certain things are supposed to be done, everybody knows who they’re meant to be and what they’re meant to be doing, everything pretty much falls into place. I think you can have any leader once you get that clarity amongst the group – and also good direction – everything else falls into the place.”Mayers himself dashed out of the blocks at the top – his 9 off 20 against Amazon Warriors being an aberration – as did Rahkeem Cornwall. De Kock showed that he has the game and gears to bat at the top as well as in the middle.Obed McCoy and Holder, who were both tasked with bowling the tough overs, have taken 15 wickets each so far. Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Azam Khan, who is particularly strong against spin, got an NOC from the PCB to skip the National T20 Cup – the domestic T20 tournament at home – to turn out for Royals once again. In Royals’ first game at Providence, which is arguably the most spin-friendly venue in the Caribbean, Azam hit 64 off 42 balls to blindside CPL 2021 champions St Kitts & Nevis Patriots.ESPNcricinfo LtdSquad depth
Amid the pandemic, CPL 2020 was entirely played in Trinidad, while CPL 2021 was entirely held in St Kitts. With CPL 2022 being hosted by three venues – Guyana being the new addition – squad depth was another important box to tick. Although Miller and de Kock left the tournament early, Mujeeb Ur Rahman joined the squad late after the Asia Cup, and Oshane Thomas, who has had to deal with fitness issues in the recent past, played just three games, Royals constructed a squad that had the depth to win games across conditions.In IPL 2022, Rajasthan Royals often struggled with the absence of a sixth-bowling option after Nathan Coulter-Nile suffered an injury. In CPL 2022, Royals remedied that by recruiting and backing allrounders Corbin Bosch and Cornwall, who can not just hit sixes, but also contribute with the ball.And when the ball swung in the early exchanges of the tournament in St Kitts, Mayers himself took the new ball and made inroads for Royals, providing a throwback to the times when he was more of a frontline seamer.On the spin front, Royals followed their usual template of pairing up an aggressive wristspinner or a mystery spinner with a defensive fingerspinner. In the IPL, it was Yuzvendra Chahal with R Ashwin. In the SA20, it will be Tabraiz Shamsi with Bjorn Fortuin. At the CPL, Royals had two aggressive options in Hayden Walsh Jr and Mujeeb, and two tidy fingerspinners in Joshua Bishop and Cornwall.Barbados Royals at the death•ESPNcricinfo LtdStart strongly with bat, finish strongly with ball
Arguably the powerplay and death are the make-or-break phases in a T20 game. Powerplays, in particular, can be challenging for players who are not familiar with the Caribbean conditions where the wind often dictates proceedings. The wet weather was also a factor in the tournament, but Royals found ways to pull ahead even when they lost crucial tosses in day games.With the bat, Royals were the second-fastest scoring team in the powerplay at a run rate of 7.24. Only St Lucia Kings (8.39) bettered them during this phase, thanks to the vast experience of Faf du Plessis and Johnson Charles.However, Royals were by far the most economical side with the ball between overs 17 and 20, conceding at just 6.97 an over. During this phase, they also picked up 18 wickets – only Amazon Warriors (20) and Trinbago Knight Riders (20) got more wickets than Royals.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe emergence of Simmonds and Bosch
In their first CPL seasons, uncapped South African allrounder Bosch and local left-arm seamer Ramon Simmonds have contributed handsomely to Royals’ success. Simmonds, Royals’ emerging pick at the CPL draft, impressed the management so much with his variations and courage to bowl the difficult overs that they added him to their Paarl Royals side for the forthcoming SA20.”Someone like Ramon Simmonds has really impressed me, particularly because this is the first time I’ve played with him,” Holder told ESPNcricinfo. “To just see his composure under pressure and then him having the confidence to execute slower balls and yorkers to big players at big stages of the game is quite impressive to me.Corbin Bosch is also part of the Royals’ squads in SA20 and IPL•CPL T20 via Getty Images”I think he has talent that not many people can boast of at such a young age. Once he continues to develop, the sky’s the limit for him.”Bosch is also part of the Royals’ squads in SA20 and IPL. After having trialled Bosch at No.3 in the 6ixty, Royals gave him an opportunity to bat at that position at the CPL. Bosch seized that with back-to-back half-centuries against Kings and Tallawahs.Having added an extra yard of pace to his bowling, Bosch pitched in with the ball too. He also adds value in the field by patrolling the hotspots. Against Patriots, he snagged five catches, which is a CPL record.