Jake Ball has been ruled out of the Lord’s Test against South Africa with a knee strain

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jun-2017

Jake Ball will not be available for England’s first Test against South Africa due to a knee strain. He has also been ruled out of Nottinghamshire’s Royal London Cup final at Lord’s on Saturday, head coach Peter Moores has confirmed.The seamer felt pain in his knee when bowling during the second innings of Nottinghamshire’s Specsavers County Championship game against Kent on Tuesday. He went for a scan on Wednesday to assess the damage and was unable to take to the field when the third day of the day-night match resumed after a rain delay.Ball is set to miss the next two weeks of action, which puts him out of contention for the start of the Investec Test series against South Africa, which begins on 6 July at Lord’s. England are already set to be without Chris Woakes and have worries over the fitness of Stuart Broad, Ball’s Notts team-mate, after he suffered a recurrence of his heel problem last week.Nottinghamshire hope Broad will be able to play in the Royal London Cup final, having sat out the pink-ball match at Trent Bridge.”Jake is naturally very, very disappointed to miss out on the final, having previously been made available to play by the ECB, particularly after missing out on selection when Notts beat Glamorgan at Lord’s in 2013,” Moores said. “He’s given his all in this competition when he’s been available to us, and we’ll miss him for what will be a really tough game against Surrey.”Jake is a very strong character and I’m sure he’ll bounce back from this. I know he’ll be wanting us to beat Surrey as much as anybody.”

Billy Root has been rewarded for his promising performances for Nottinghamshire this season, particularly in T20 and one-day cricket, with a two-year contract – his first as a professional

Dylan Bell21-Aug-2017Billy Root has been rewarded for his promising performances for Nottinghamshire this season, particularly in T20 and one-day cricket, with a two-year contract – his first as a professional. Root, whose brother Joe is England’s Test captain, scored his maiden List A hundred this year and has been averaging 67 in the NatWest T20 Blast.His coach, Peter Moores, has been impressed with Root. “Billy worked very hard in the off season and used his bowling to help get him a chance in the side from where he could show what he could do with the bat as well,” Moores said.Moores has also been satisfied with Root’s consistency and believes that he can become an established allrounder if he keeps developing. “He’s been an effective player for us, particularly in one-day cricket, and we’re looking for him to now push on in both white and red ball cricket after working very hard for this opportunity,” Moores said.Root’s versatility has made him a useful option at Notts and helped him win a first contract at the age of 25. “He’s starting to put all three formats together,” Moores said.Root has had to work for his chance in the shadow of a more famous sibling. Billy followed Joe in coming through the Yorkshire academy. However, in 2011, Billy was released and went on to join the MCC Young Cricketers programme – which led to him appearing as a substitute fielder during the 2013 Ashes Test at Lord’s, briefly joining his brother on the field.Shortly after, Root began a degree in Sports Business Management at Leeds University but, although his hopes of a professional career appeared to be fading, he was playing regularly with Notts seconds, which gave him the encouragement to not give up.He subsequently made his County Championship debut at the back end of 2016. Then, at the start of this season, Root made his List A debut for Nottinghamshire against Worcestershire and scored 46 off 42 balls. He also made his T20 debut this year, against Yorkshire, and has featured in seven games ahead of this week’s quarter-final. The hope at Trent Bridge is that he can continue to progress in all three aspects of the game.Luke Fletcher, the fast bowler who sustained a season-ending head injury last month, has also been awarded a new two-year deal. Fletcher, 28, was hit in his follow through by a shot from Birmingham’s Sam Hain during a T20 Blast match and was advised by medical staff not to play again this year as he continues his recovery.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou wants to sign Juventus centre-back Gleison Bremer "at all costs" this summer, with the manager ready to hand him a leading role in the team, according to a recent report from CalcioMercato.

What's the latest Tottenham transfer news?

Postecoglou has already strengthened his squad considerably in attacking areas this summer, with James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Manor Solomon all agreeing deals with Tottenham, but he is still yet to bring in a new centre-back.

The manager has no shortage of options, with Spurs said to be keen on Manchester United's Harry Maguire, who is also a target for Newcastle United and West Ham United, while they are also interested in signing Galatasaray's Victor Nelsson.

According to reports, the Lilywhites have now made an offer of €15m (£13m) plus Davinson Sanchez for the Galatasaray centre-back, and the Turkish club have accepted that proposal, meaning the Denmark international could soon be on his way to north London.

Postecoglou is keen to bring in a left-sided defender this summer, with Football Insider reporting that Tottenham are targeting two centre-backs, and Bremer features highly on the manager's wanted list.

CalcioMercato now report the Australian wants to sign the Juventus defender "at all costs", and he is ready to carve out a leading role for him in his side's three-man defence in the upcoming campaign.

Juventus would be willing to let the Brazilian leave this summer, should a suitable offer be tabled, and it is thought that a bid of €50m (£43m) will be enough to tempt the Serie A club into sanctioning his departure.

The report makes it clear the Spurs boss is a huge fan of the 26-year-old, but it remains to be seen whether Tottenham are willing to match Juventus' fairly high asking price.

How good is Gleison Bremer?

Italian journalist Carlo Garganese hailed the Brazil international on a number of occasions last season, describing him as a "beast", while also praising him for his positioning, likening him to Thiago Silva in that regard.

Although the 2022-23 campaign ended up being a disappointing season for Juventus, being handed a ten-point deduction which caused them to miss out on the Champions League, the centre-back still managed to put in a string of very impressive performances.

Across the season, the former Torino man averaged a 6.92 WhoScored match rating, the third-highest of any player in the squad, exhibiting his passing ability by averaging a 90.2% pass-success rate, the second-highest among players to start more than one game.

The £154k-per-week defender is dominant in the air, averaging 2.69 aerials won per 90 in the past year, placing him in the 81st percentile compared to his positional peers.

Not only that, the centre-back has also proven himself as a real attacking threat, ranking in the 92nd percentile for non-penalty goals per 90 over the same time period.

At £43m, Bremer would be quite an expensive option for Tottenham, but his performances over the past year indicate he could be a fantastic signing.

Arsenal "like" Ajax's Mohammed Kudus, and they could step up their interest in the midfielder later in the transfer window, journalist Charles Watts has recently told TEAMtalk.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

Arsenal are now ready to make a move for Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz, and they could be set to hijack Tottenham Hotspur's move for the Brazilian, while Edu has also been in talks with Gremio over a move for Bitello.

Mikel Arteta is clearly still keen on adding another central midfielder to his squad, and Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth has claimed Romeo Lavia remains an option, but only if the manager moves on another midfielder this summer.

Sheth said: "I think Arsenal will only look into the midfield department and recruit again after spending over £200m if there is a departure for good money in that midfield."

Transfer insider Dean Jones has previously reported that Arteta may be keen on a back-up option for Bukayo Saka ahead of the Gunners' return to the Champions League next season, and they could now move for a versatile forward option in Kudus.

That is according to Watts, who recently told TEAMtalk:

“He [Kudus] is definitely a player that they like. I’ve seen the recent reports that they’re potentially looking to step up that interest a bit later on in the window, which wouldn’t surprise me if that is the case.

“Arsenal have a decent working relationship with Ajax after what they did with Timber, which might help them in that regard. And it seems like Kudus is quite open to a move."

How good is Mohammed Kudus?

As stated by Watts, the Ghanaian is able to play in several different positions, including attacking midfield, right-wing and centre-forward, however he has most commonly been utilised as a central midfielder during his career so far.

Lauded as "absolutely fantastic" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, the 22-year-old displayed his keen eye for goal by weighing in with 11 goals in the Eredivisie last season, while he also managed to find the back of the net four times in the Champions League.

The £11k-per-week maestro is also very impressive in possession of the ball, having averaged a pass-completion rate of 85.5% per 90 over the past year, which places him in the 99th percentile compared to his positional peers.

Kudus' versatility would make him the perfect signing for Arsenal, as he can slot in at central midfield, and he can also be used as a back-up option for Saka on the right, so it is exciting news that the Gunners could make a move for the Ajax star.

Burnley have not given up hope of landing Sunderland winger Jack Clarke this summer, with reliable journalist Alan Nixon stating that it "isn't over yet" for the Clarets in their pursuit of the youngster.

How many goals has Jack Clarke scored for Sunderland?

The 22-year-old was on fire last season in the Championship for Sunderland and had, statistically, the best campaign of his career to date. He ran rampant with the Black Cats in the second tier, bagging himself nine goals in 45 games and, even more impressively, notching 11 assists along the way.

It meant that his goal contribution rate stood at 20 in total and gave him an average of 0.48 goals or assists per 90 – almost one or the other every second game he played, as per FBref. Considering he also featured in nearly every single second-tier game throughout the previous campaign, it shows how vital he was to the club's cause.

Prior to this breakout year with Sunderland, Clarke had struggled to hit the back of the net too frequently. In League One, he had managed only one strike with the Black Cats and his two stints with Stoke and QPR had led to no goals whatsoever. The early promise he had shown with Leeds, when he had struck two goals in four league starts, had seemed to dwindle and go off course due to a lack of action. Now a regular again, he is finding his feet once more and topped the Championship leaderboard for assists in 2022/23.

Are Burnley signing Jack Clarke?

These showings have now led to a potential Premier League return this summer. Burnley have been keen to seal a deal for the winger but, with the 22-year-old proving to be so vital to his current club, they have turned down all bids from the Clarets so far.

However, that has seemingly not deterred the top-flight side in their efforts to bring him to Turf Moor. According to reliable journalist Nixon, Burnley remain keen to try and snap up Clarke and Vincent Kompany remains a big fan of the player – so they are not out of the running for his signature yet and there is nothing to say they won't launch yet another offer for his services.

"Burnley have a few targets that they are still haggling over… the fact they are still in suggests that one isn’t over yet… and the manager still wants him."

Having worked with Tony Mowbray last season during Sunderland's run to the play-offs, not many know Clarke like the manager does. Watching the winger in action and working with the youngster has clearly left the former Blackburn boss in awe, as he stated that the forward was a "wonderful" player and added that "nobody can deny" the talent that he possesses.

He's clearly seen in high regard at the Stadium of Light then, and it is no wonder that they don't want to let him leave this summer if they can help it. Burnley, though, look as if they will continue to try and tempt him away from the EFL side – and if they did manage to add him to their own ranks, it would be another shrewd signing for the Clarets.

The 2023/24 Scottish Premiership season kicks off this weekend as Celtic host Ross County at Parkhead and a number of new faces could be on display to the home crowd.

Who have Celtic signed so far this summer?

Manager Brendan Rodgers has been backed by the board as the club have snapped up five fresh additions to the squad.

Winger Marco Tilio and Norwegian midfielder Odin Thiago Holn were his first two signings of the summer transfer window, after he came in to replace Ange Postecoglou in the dugout.

Since then, South Korean duo Hyeok-kyu Kwon and Hyun-jun Yang have both arrived on permanent deals, whilst the newest member of the team is Polish central defender Maik Nawrocki, who has been brought in from Legia Warsaw.

There could be further signings before the deadline passes, though, and one player who has been linked with a switch to Paradise is Gwangju winger Ji-sung Eom.

How many goals has Ji-sung Eom scored this season?

The 21-year-old ace has produced two goals and two assists in nine K League 1 starts for his club in 2023 and his form over the last 18 months suggests that the potential is there for him to come in as an upgrade on Sead Haksabanovic.

Celtic's Montenegro international struggled to make a significant impact on the pitch during his debut campaign in Scotland after Postecoglou signed him from Rubin Kazan in 2022.

The 24-year-old produced five goals and two assists across 26 Scottish Premiership outings, which is an average of one direct contribution every 3.71 league matches.

The attacker also left a bit to be desired on the physical side of the game as the former West Ham United man lost 60% of his individual duels. Opposition players were able to get the better of him too often and that is a cause for concern moving forward if he is unable to improve on that whilst also rarely contributing at the top end of the pitch.

Eom, on the other hand, enjoyed a fantastic 2022 campaign with Gwangju and his performances suggest that he could offer far more than Haksabanovic for the Hoops.

The South Korea U22 international was rewarded for his form by being named the K League 2 Young Player of the Season, whilst he was also included in the division's Team of the Year.

He chipped in with nine goals – a return only two current Celtic players beat last term – and one assist in 28 league appearances, which is an average of one goal involvement every 2.8 outings.

The 5 foot 7 youngster, who was once described as "underrated" by scout Ali Can Kutlu, also held his own out of possession, in spite of his age, as he won 50% of his battles and came out on top in 5.4 per game, as per Sofascore, compared to Haksabanovic's 1.9.

Therefore, Eom could provide more strength off the ball whilst also being able to produce goal contributions more frequently from a wide position, which is why the Hoops target could be an upgrade on the ex-Hammers prodigy for Rodgers.

Bangladesh’s spin attack is better than Australia’s at home, according to Shakib Al Hasan. He has backed left-arm spinner Taijul Islam and offspinning allrounder Mehidy Hasan, with whom he combined for 38 wickets in the two-Test series against England last year, to deliver against Australia as well.”I think our spin attack is better than theirs,” Shakib said. “Not in all conditions but in Bangladesh, we are better than them. Taijul and Miraz [Mehidy] have been bowling well for some time now. I believe they will do something fantastic in this series.”Shakib is the most experienced spinner in the Bangladesh side with 176 wickets at an average of 33.04. Taijul is two short of 50 wickets while Mehidy has 35 wickets in seven Tests.The tourists also have an experienced spinner in Nathan Lyon, who will be supported by two rookies – left-arm spinner Ashton Agar, who has played only two Tests so far, and legspinner Mitchell Swepson, who is uncapped in international cricket. Agar, set to play his first Test in more than four years, is likely to partner Lyon in the first Test ahead of Swepson.With the pitches in Bangladesh becoming more responsive to spin now, and more quality spinners coming through the ranks, Shakib feels his workload has lessened. He may not have to bowl as many overs as he used to get wickets.”Taijul and Miraz are bowling well. Spinners like Raj [Abdur Razzak] and [Mohammad] Rafique were around in my early days,” Shakib said. “But there weren’t pitches that helped wicket-taking, because we didn’t really think about winning Test matches. Since now we are focused on winning, the pitches have also become more helpful for spinners.”Shakib, who is set to play his first Test against Australia, is looking forward to complete a set of five-wicket hauls against all nine other Test countries. He would become the fourth player after Muttiah Muralitharan, Dale Steyn, and Rangana Herath to achieve the feat.”I have that in mind. I have four innings to do it so let’s see, Shakib said. “It is more important to contribute, so if someone else takes a five-wicket haul it is good for the team. Taking wickets isn’t really up to me.”There are times when I don’t get a single wicket despite bowling very well. And then there are times when I got wickets by not bowling well. Bowling [in] partnerships is also essential, so we have to keep that in mind too.”

Anthony Gordon should start the opening game of the 2023/24 season, according to Craig Hope.

The winger has impressed for Newcastle United so far this pre-season.

How old is Anthony Gordon?

The 22-year-old is currently enjoying an impressive run of games in his young career.

Following his move from Everton in January for a fee of £45m, Gordon had a disappointing start to life on Tyneside, making 16 appearances and managing just one goal, with arguably his most memorable moment in a Magpies shirt last season being him "fuming" after being subbed off against Brentford in a game where he had come off the bench at half time.

This summer has been a very strong one for the youngster, with the Liverpool-born winger being a crucial player throughout the England U21 Euros campaign, scoring two and assisting one as the national team won their first U21 Euros in over 30 years. Gordon was so impressive throughout that he was named as the Player of the Tournament, with the technical observer panel who awarded him the honour stating: "He played the whole tournament at a high level, scoring two goals and getting one assist."

The player has since joined up with the Magpies on their pre-season tour in America with the PL Summer Series, and has impressed in his limited game time, with journalist Hope awarding rating the winger's performance against Chelsea as an 8/10, stating:

"Another brilliant, purposeful showing. Looks miles ahead of his team-mates for sharpness. Laid on goal for Almiron."

Hope took to his YouTube channel after the game to continue his praise of the winger, stating that he believes the 22-year-old should be one of the first names on the team sheet for the sides opening game of the Premier League season against Aston Villa:

"Gordon just looks super sharp right now and his role in the goal for Almiron, the way he’s burnt past his man in the middle of the park, I’m saying the same things here because the same players are impressing me and deserve that mention and it’s proof that it’s not a one off it’s confirming that what we are seeing is that Anthony Gordon is flying, genuinely is. Again tonight he’s reinforced that for me, Anthony Gordon starts against Aston Villa 100%, in fact he’s almost the first name on the team sheet."

Where will Gordon play?

Gordon has shown throughout his career so far that he is a very versatile option.

The young forward has played across the frontline as well as in attacking midfield according to Transfermarkt, and that flexibility will be vital for a Newcastle team competing in the Champions League for the first time in over 20 years, as it will allow a number of players to be rested knowing that Gordon can not only play in that position but perform well in that position.

Gordon will face some tough competition for game-time in his natural position off of the left wing, as despite strong reports that Frenchman Allan Saint-Maximin will depart St James Park this summer, Eddie Howe has already brought in his replacement in the form of Harvey Barnes, who despite being relegated with Leicester City last season scored 13 goals and impressed many, earning him his £38m move to Tyneside.

Swedish forward Alexander Isak was also deployed on the left at points last season and impressed with his returns from the position, making him another option in that wide role.

An area where Gordon could get a lot of game time next season is the right wing. Miguel Almiron is the current first-choice option in that position and the Paraguayan enjoyed the finest campaign of his Newcastle career last season with 11 goals and two assists in the Premier League making him the clubs second-highest scorer. Should the 29-year-old struggle to recapture that form however, Gordon may be turned to for that right-wing spot.

Chris Gayle said the players and Cricket West Indies need to build on a steadily improving relationship “to get the best players out on the field”

Shashank Kishore in Bengaluru13-Jul-2017

West Indies could feature a full-strength squad across formats as early as August this year, according to Chris Gayle. Gayle said “things have been steadily improving” with regard to the dispute between the players and Cricket West Indies.”The fans were happy to see me back on the field representing West Indies. Hopefully, things can get better. Hopefully I can play a few more games. I definitely want to play the 2019 World Cup,” Gayle said. “Things are beginning to open up a little more now between players and the board. It’s looking good, and we’ve to try and build from this to get the best players out on the field.”Currently, Cricket West Indies follows a stringent policy of considering only those players who have featured in the domestic 50-over competition, under the regime of Julian Hunte and Ernest Hilaire. In recent times, however, the CWI have been more open to negotiation, which Courtney Browne, the chairman of selectors, too spoke of in May.Gayle said discussions regarding the possibility of featuring in a full-strength squad for West Indies’ tour of England in August were positive. “That’s what is actually in discussion. It’s for them to make the announcement, and make it formal so that we know what is what,” Gayle said. “We’ll wait and see what happens.”I can’t get into specific details, just from the little I’ve experienced since coming back, it’s been good. There’s still more discussion to be done. It’s positive. That’s the good thing about it. We’ve to just look to carry on from here. Once we are guided with the rules, if it is going to change fully, we’ll know how to take things further.”Gayle was also optimistic that investment in a young squad, particularly Evin Lewis, would pay off eventually, even though results in recent times – a loss to Afghanistan and an ODI series defeat to India apart from their failure to qualify for the Champions Trophy – haven’t gone their way.”Two centuries in two T20s against India, it’s fantastic,” Gayle said of Lewis. “He’s a small player but a powerful player. He’s very young and very hungry, he’s one for the future. Once more consistency comes into his play, he will be more dangerous. It was a brilliant innings just the other day to put us into that winning position by batting right through the end was fantastic. That’s what I love to see, especially an opener batting right through to take it till the end and win games.”With our experience, we all try and share as much as we can before we go; 2019 is just around the corner. We don’t want to miss out like what happened at the Champions Trophy. We will try and push hard for that and everyone can work collectively to make sure we’re part of the World Cup.”Gayle also said he was “excited” at seeing young fast bowlers challenge him at the nets, and impressed upon the need to maintain his fitness to take every step possible to put himself in fray for selection. “I’m still being active in the gym, putting in the work. These youngsters are very sharp, they try to take your head off saying ‘he’s old now, take him down,'” he said. “You’ve got to be mindful, got to be ready at all times. I’m trying and looking after the body. There’s a lot of travelling, so I try and monitor [my schedules and training] as much as possible.”

شارك الدولي المصري محمد صلاح، في مباراة ليفربول وفولهام، والتي فاز بها الريدز بثلاثية مقابل هدف، ضمن منافسات الجولة 34 من الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ليفربول فاز بثلاثية مقابل هدف، قبل أن يدخل محمد صلاح بديلًا في الدقيقة 74 بدلًا من لويس دياز.

شارك محمد صلاح في 16 دقيقة، لم يسجل أو يصنع أهدافًا، ولمس الكرة 11 مرة، ومرر 6 تمريرات بواقع 76% دقة تمريرات.

طالع أيضًا.. فيديو | ليفربول يتخطى فولهام بثلاثية ويلاحق آرسنال في صدارة الدوري الإنجليزي

فاز محمد صلاح بصراع أرضي من أصل 2، كما نجح في إرسال كرة طويلة في ظهر الدفاع، مع فقدان الاستحواذ 4 مرات، ووقع في مصيدة التسلل مرة واحدة.

ويستعد النجم المصري للمشاركة مع ليفربول في مواجهة إيفرتون يوم الأربعاء المقبل على ملعب جوديسون بارك في ديربي ميرسيسايد.