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Ten umpiring calls that left players wishing there was DRS in CPL 2018

Peter Della Penna and Deivarayan Muthu31-Aug-2018David Warner: lbw b Imran Tahir for 11The St Lucia Stars opener fell victim to arguably one of the worst lbw decisions ever, when he was hit outside the line of off stump, while gloving a reverse-sweep. Instead of supporting Imran Tahir’s appeal, wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi set off after the ball that trickled behind point. Perhaps he knew it would be missing the stumps, but umpire Nigel Duguid raised his finger to leave Warner stunned and Tahir wheeling away in celebration.Luke Ronchi: lbw b Mark Chapman for 42In that same game at Providence, Guyana Amazon Warriors wicketkeeper-batsman Luke Ronchi was also adjudged lbw, when umpire Dungid erred again. Ronchi missed a pull against a short arm ball from left-arm spinner Mark Chapman, and copped it on the thigh. Though the ball seemed to be heading down leg, Duguid thought otherwise, and Ronchi was on his way.Darren Bravo: reprieved on 36Just as Darren Bravo and Colin Munro were taking charge of Trinbago Knight Riders’ chase of 183, Jamaica Tallawahs’ Adam Zampa let rip a non-turner that fizzed past Bravo’s sweep and pinned him in front of middle. The ball would have crashed into middle and leg, but the umpire shot down the appeal. Bravo went onto cart a pair of sixes, which helped TKR secure a last-gasp chase.Glenn Phillips: lbw b Ben Cutting for 41Ben Cutting first hit the front pad of Glenn Phillips with a swinging yorker and then had it ricocheting onto his back pad. Replays indicated the ball had pitched outside leg, but Cutting’s appeal was upheld.Glenn Phillips: c Nicholas Pooran b Steven Smith for 36The Tallawahs opener was left fuming again, when he was given out caught-behind even though he did not nick a sharp legbreak from Barbados Tridents’ Steven Smith. When Phillips saw a short ball turn and bounce outside off, he went on the back foot to work it away towards the leg side but missed by a long way. Umpire Shaun George, though, did not spot it, and raised his finger.Andre Fletcher: reprieved on 18Trinbago Knight Riders’ new-ball fast bowler Ali Khan had been giving fits to St Lucia Stars opener Andre Fletcher in the opening match of the season. Having been dropped in the first over, Fletcher received another let-off when a yorker struck him flush on the toe in front of middle stump but was given erroneously as a run after the ball ricocheted through the slips. It wound up not costing much, as Fletcher fell to a slower ball later in the over, and TKR cantered to a resounding win.Chris Gayle: reprieved on 5The Universe Boss scored 86 out of a total of 146 for St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in the second match of the season against Guyana Amazon Warriors, but his innings really should have been done in the second over. Attempting to sweep the offspin of Chris Green, Gayle missed and was struck plumb in front. But umpire Duguid saw it differently. Replays showed the ball was crashing into the stumps. Amazon Warriors prevailed in the end despite Gayle’s fortuitous innings.Chris Lynn: lbw b Rahkeem Cornwall for 4As part of a trend of poor decisions involving the sweep, Lynn’s inside edge onto the pads went undetected by umpire Gregory Brathwaite. The error didn’t matter much in the end, thanks to a mind-boggling assault by Darren Bravo that helped take TKR homeBrandon King: lbw b Kavem Hodge for 17Even before Stars left-arm spinner Kavem Hodge had sent a full ball outside off, Patriots batsman King jumped a fair way across his stumps, lost his balance, and did not connect with a slog-sweep. Despite being struck outside the line, King was given out lbw. Another sweep. Another poor umpiring decision.Kavem Hodge: c Devon Thomas b Carlos Brathwaite for 0The clash between St Lucia Stars and St Kitts & Nevis Patriots at Gros Islet was the shortest-ever 20-overs-a-side CPL match, but it still had room for another umpiring blunder. And this time, Hodge was the victim. When Carlos Brathwaite found extra bounce and got a length ball to zip away outside off, Hodge reached out for the ball with his feet pinned to the crease and was beaten. Still, he was given out caught behind – a bizarre decision, which left the Stars captain Kieron Pollard flinging his hands in utter shock.

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Aug-2016Martin Guptill (49) and Tom Latham (42) put on a century partnership and went to lunch unbeaten•AFPAfter the break, the Zimbabwe fans held a peaceful protest, holding their flags and singing the national anthem. Play was not interrupted at all•AFPGuptill was trapped lbw by Donald Tiripano, for 87, but Latham trudged along as Kane Williamson joined him•AFPThe Zimbabwe bowlers toiled without much reward as the second-wicket stand also grew alarmingly•AFPLatham brought up his second straight century and the fifth of his Test career, taking the team score past 250•AFPWilliamson, playing his 50th Test, was the most attacking of the three. He struck eight fours during the day and finished unbeaten on 95•AFPLatham handed a return catch to Sean Williams with two deliveries left for stumps, and walked back for 136. New Zealand ended the day on 329 for 2•AFP

New Zealand’s management believed in Martin Guptill’s match-winning ability and stood by him through a nearly two-year period of rocky form. Even they couldn’t have predicted he would vindicate them with a double-century in a World Cup quarter-final

Andrew McGlashan in Wellington21-Mar-20152:15

Crowe: Year of hard work behind Guptill’s knock

Who would rise to the occasion of a World Cup quarter-final? The public expectation was on Brendon McCullum. Martin Crowe thought it could be Kane Williamson. It might even have been a day for Ross Taylor to emerge from his stupor and pepper deep midwicket with his slog sweep. In the end, it was none of them.It was a surprise when McCullum decided to bat. Although he has only had the choice of what to do twice in the tournament he has bowled both times so it was a departure from the perceived preference, especially on the ground where the ball had swung when Tim Southee dismantled England. Then McCullum departed in the fifth over, skying a catch to cover, and scenario was laid: knockout match, needing to set a target, and the talisman was gone.Step forward Martin Guptill. Over 50 overs, three-and-a-half hours of batting, he wrote himself a place in history with the highest score in the World Cup. Chris Gayle, the previous record-holder with his 215 against Zimbabwe early in the tournament, offered his congratulations. “He came up and said ‘congratulations, welcome to the club,” Guptill said. It was also the second highest in all ODIs behind Rohit Sharma’s 264.Dropped on 4, as was Rohit in his record-breaking innings, he produced a magnificently structured innings. His four fifties came off 64, 47, 23 and 18 deliveries. Such is the modern tempo of the one-day game, and the feats at this World Cup, that when he reached his hundred in the 35th over and started to unleash with the Powerplay there were already murmurings of a double hundred. Those are the expectations these days.Still, whatever the theories about heavy bats, small boundaries and poor bowling – and there was certainly a lot of the latter – to sustain such hitting for a long period remains breathtaking. Twice he hammered sixes over 100 metres, the second of them onto the roof which led to a (non-offensive) two-finger signal to Craig McMillan, the batting coach. “He’s had one on the roof and I’ve hit two,” Guptill explained.The noise in the Cake Tin as Guptill approached the landmark was something to behold. There were 30,000 people chanting Guptill’s name. The straight drive which brought the 200 led to a prolonged standing ovation as a nation acclaimed its latest hero. “It was pretty cool,” he said. “I’ve never had anything like that before. For it to be in New Zealand is even better and for it to be a quarter-final.”Guptill had already been the holder of New Zealand’s highest ODI score – the unbeaten 189 he made against England in Southampton in 2013 – but he was not a player revered in this country the same way as the earlier names mentioned or the likes of Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Daniel Vettori. Now, his life will never be the same again.Previously his career has often been viewed as much with frustration as with admiration. It was possible to understand why. The stroke-making ability, so evident in that Southampton innings and now this one in Wellington, was rarely in doubt but sustaining an innings became a problem. Since the 189 until the start of the World Cup he averaged 27.57 with one hundred, although that did include a period either side of ankle surgery. As recently as January, when he collected to first-ball ducks against Sri Lanka, there were calls for him to be replaced by Tom Latham.However, a hallmark of New Zealand’s World Cup planning has been the faith shown in those they believe are key players. Guptill was viewed as the man most capable of providing the punch they wanted at the top of the innings alongside McCullum.A hundred in the warm-up match against Zimbabwe, when most of his team-mates failed, was a timely boost. He looked at ease during the opening innings of the tournament against Sri Lanka, but as to encapsulate the preceding problems he nicked off for 49.That was followed by scores of 17, 22 and 11 against Scotland, England and Australia. The middle one was in the slipstream of McCullum’s own Wellington onslaught against England so there were not many runs left for him to score, but with each of New Zealand’s victories being dissected his four-match tally of 99 runs came under the spotlight.Then he faced Afghanistan and scored 57 against a hard-working attack that gained many plaudits in the tournament. It was not his toughest innings, but they were not freebie runs. He went up another level against Bangladesh with New Zealand’s first hundred of the tournament to marshal a demanding chase. There were also hours and hours in the nets, on the bowling machine with guidance from Crowe who remains a mentor.”It hasn’t just appeared on the day, it’s been a year of work,” Crowe told ESPNcricinfo’s Match Point show. “He worked in the nets changing his technique, getting both feet active, looking to play the ball straighter. We know he’s a straight hitter but it’s the defence he has worked harder on. Between all of those fours and sixes he played a good defensive game. That’s the key to batsmanship; the defensive shots, the running between the wickets, all those things are a little more subtle than the big six hits. They make up a batsman.”He also had some last-minute advice. “He texted yesterday and said try to hit the gaps, it was nice to hear from him,” Guptill said. Gaps were hit, so were stands and the roof.The form was coming; Guptill has always insisted he felt on the edge of something substantial. What occurred, though, was beyond anyone’s comprehension. “I’m still not really sure what’s happened,” he said. “It hasn’t really sunk in yet.”That sentiment probably applies to all those who witnessed or heard about it.

Gary Kirsten may not have had the longest of tenures but he took South Africa to the top and, of particular pride to him, helped several rookies take their first steps in international cricket

Firdose Moonda10-May-2013Gary Kirsten sent a message to every South African player he currently coaches when he decided not to renew his contract. He wanted to let them know, personally, he would no longer be around.It was a typical Kirsten way of doing things – intimate, caring and sensitive. Every one of them responded. Never one to disclose too much, Kirsten would only say the replies were “incredible.” Most of the men who sent them would likely use the same word to describe Kirsten and the influence he had during his time in charge, which they will likely agree was too short. Just two years. That’s all the time Kirsten was able to give to South Africa. He changed them substantially in the first of those.Kirsten’s anniversary on August 1, 2012 was followed 19 days later by what will be remembered as his biggest achievement. South Africa beat England at Lord’s to claim the Test mace. It confirmed that taken the step from nearly men and champions by accident – which Graeme Smith said they felt like after their first short stint at No.1 in 2009 – to rightful owners of the label “best in the world.” They proved they could win in various conditions, against a range of opponents and in trying circumstances: all the ingredients required at the beginning of the road to greatness.But did they actually ascend those heights during Kirsten’s time? Or did they simply get the best foundation possible to one day be counted among legends? The evidence, and Kirsten himself, would suggest the latter.In numbers terms, Kirsten’s 12 wins, five draws and two losses from the 19 Tests he was in charge for make him the most successful coach in the longest format the country has ever had. It’s a small sample size though, especially when compared to Mickey Arthur’s tenure of 45 Tests, Bob Woolmer’s of 44 and Graham Ford’s of 33, so it may be going too far to say the team would have continued as strongly.The evidence that they were a cut above the rest came in the things the figures couldn’t prove – the maturity, the nuances and the caring Kirsten brought, especially in the Test side. He convinced them life was not about cricket and cricket alone. He asked them to think outside of the sport and in so doing, fostered them getting better at the sport as a whole.Last year showcased that spectacularly. South Africa’s 2012 was travel heavy as they competed in New Zealand, England and Australia. They won all three Test series they played and emerged out of them far more human than ever before. Kirsten said it felt as though they had become a “family.”He led the way when he decided to run a marathon as an extra-curricular activity in Auckland. He encouraged the rest to use the time between Test matches to explore areas like the Waikato Caves and Lake Taupo.Before the series against England, he took them on gruelling obstacle-course of a trip to Switzerland where explorer Mike Horn oversaw their trips up mountain passes. The squad agreed that it was the most strenuous physical activity they had to do but that it showed them what was possible if pushed to the extreme.That excursion helped them deal with the horrific eye-injury that ended Mark Boucher’s career and contributed significantly to their success in beating England. Sprinkled with trips to the Olympic Games and dress-up parties, they also dominated to emerge a deserving No.1 side.Confirmation of that came when they travelled to Australia three months later and defended their title even though they took a week’s break on the Gold Coast. Kirsten proved a winning team is not one that spends all its time in the nets but one that has players who can be held accountable for their actions and can take responsibility for when they want to do things.It helped that he introduced these concepts at a time when several senior members of the squad were going through major life changes. Graeme Smith was recently married and had just become a father, Jacques Kallis accepted the end may not be far away and allowed his personality to come through more and AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla were learning how to deal with leadership.Kirsten provided them with some of the tools to embrace these events without panicking. “One of my primary activities was to facilitate in growing people,” he said. “We created a culture that allowed players to thrive.”Of particular importance to him was the way rookies stepped up and played important parts in South Africa’s success. From Vernon Philander to Faf du Plessis, the new caps all looked ready to play international cricket not only because they had done well domestically but because they felt welcomed by the national side.Tributes

Chris Nenzani
I would like to thank him for his tremendous contribution to the well-being of the Proteas over the past two years. It is obvious to all of us the standard of excellence that he has brought to our national team and it will be wonderful if he can complete his tenure by bringing home the ICC Champions Trophy next month.
Mohammed Moosajee
Although the decision is painful and disappointing, it reflects the authenticity of the man. Gary, you have brought a sense of calmness and consistency that focuses specifically on growing others. Your vision has always been for the team culture to be independent of any one person. We hope you will not be lost to the Proteas and South African cricket.
Mark Boucher, former South Africa wicketkeeper and batsman
Protea crickets loss today with Garys decision,but a life lesson in itself..always put family first! take a bow Gaz! Thanks for all ur work!
Explorer Mike Horn
Personal growth stops if you stay in the same surroundings. @Gary_Kirsten you have taken experience but left behind a chapter of history!

Kirsten listed as one of his highlights “the comments that a lot of the young players have made about how comfortable they feel in the environment and how they feel straight away they can make significant performances.”It was that which told him he had achieved the aims he wanted in his two years. “I am not in coaching for performance even though I am measured by that. I want to help people be the best they can be. While I am measured by whether the team do well or not, to me that is not as relevant as the influence I can have over individuals in the team.”That’s why Kirsten’s one-day and T20 record does not affect the way he views his time with the team. They were in transition in both formats with a new captain in de Villiers and uncertainty, especially in the batting department. They failed to find consistency in the fifty-over game and crashed out of the 2012 World Twenty20 without making the semi-finals.After that tournament, the first signs came that Kirsten was feeling the strain. He relinquished the role as T20 coach, and handed it over to his assistant Russell Domingo, who is also his likely successor. In the travel that followed, to Australia, he made a whistle-stop tour back home to South Africa, even though he had to cross many time zones to spend just two nights with his children.What was suspected at the very beginning when Kirsten took the job was confirmed – he was reluctant to travel and reluctant to spend significant chunks of time away from home. With three young children, one of whom was born during his first series in charge, that was to be expected.In the end, Kirsten picked them over his other charges and it is a decision many will respect. “I won’t miss the time away from my family but I will miss is the environment and the players,” he said. “We really are moving positively in the right direction in all issues that exist within our cricket. I leave a happy man.” But he will be happier if South Africa can build on the start he gave them.

Plays of the Day from the second World Cup semi-final between India and Pakistan in Mohali

Osman Samiuddin and Sharda Ugra at the PCA Stadium30-Mar-2011The Moment of Truth
The DRS may actually work. Well, only the Indians were not yet fully convinced. Until, the ICC hopes, today. In Saeed Ajmal’s second over, he had Sachin Tendulkar plumb – and the umpire thought so – or what looked like plumb first shot as well as in the replay. Tendulkar, though, was far from convinced. He walked over to his partner Gautam Gambhir and after a brief discussion asked for a review. The dead surety of Tendulkar’s refusal, everyone thought, could only be due to an inside edge. Not quite. But Tendulkar asking for the review seemed almost prescient: the replay predictive path showed the ball going over and well past the leg stump.The Epidemic
After being quoted as saying that he would not allow Tendulkar to score his 100th international century, Shahid Afridi and friends then did their best to guide him in that direction. It took an epidemic of clangers to make Tendulkar’s 85 happen. Three times off Afridi’s bowling Tendulkar was dropped – by Misbah-ul-Haq at midwicket (on 27), Younis Khan at extra cover (on 45) and Kamran Akmal (70) failing to hang on to a thin, quick snick. A fourth chance with Tendulkar on 81 was spilt off Mohammed Hafeez’s bowling. Finally, Afridi decided to show his underlings how catches needed to be seized. Given that the ball had come straight at him and he’d actually hung on, Boom Boom was allowed to do a bit of celebrating. But before everyone was able to forget about the dropped catches, Kamran let an edge from Dhoni get past him.The assault
Umar Gul against Virender Sehwag was always going to be one of mini-battles of the game: one of the tournament’s leading fast bowlers against the leading slayer of Pakistani fast bowling. Sehwag ended it as early as the third over of the innings, Gul’s second. The first two balls were too straight and full, duly dispatched to the leg-side boundary. Fields were changed, slips came out but to no avail: Sehwag casually picked off three more boundaries in a 21-run over and Gul never recovered.The Shoaibi
It was always going to be a tough call in such a big game: Wahab Riaz or Shoaib Akhtar? Pakistan opted for the former and it paid off spectacularly as Riaz ended with a maiden five-wicket haul. The pick of the wickets was the dipping, swerving full toss to dismiss Yuvraj Singh first ball, a delivery, in fact, Shoaib himself would’ve been proud of. It led to a pumped-up airplane celebration, made famous by … none other than Shoaib of course.The shot
Pakistan were well set at 70 for 1, Mohammad Hafeez was better set on 43. He’d hit some fine drives, cut well, pulled authoritatively once. It looked one of the match’s prettier knocks. Munaf Patel then pitched one well outside off, on a length, and Hafeez decided the best option was not to leave it, or drive it, but to try and somehow paddle it over his left shoulder. Instead it took an edge to be safely pouched by MS Dhoni. It was Hafeez moment, the one which occurs in almost every innings he plays, and the template on which his ODI career is based (his average is just over 23).

Shaun Pollock led by example and masterminded the biggest upset of the Indian Premier League as Mumbai toppled Delhi

Cricinfo staff04-May-2008
Shaun Pollock inspired Mumbai to a shock win over Delhi, playing the roles of batsman, bowler and captain with aplomb (file photo) © AFP
On eve of the match against the Delhi Daredevils, Mumbai Indians’ captain Shaun Pollock had said that they would retain their “winning combination” in response to a question regarding whether Sachin Tendulkar would play. It was a cheeky answer, after Mumbai had recorded their first win after four successive defeats, but Pollock led by example and masterminded the biggest upset of the Indian Premier League as Mumbai toppled Delhi. It was their second successive victory, their first at home, and it instilled the belief that Mumbai could win even without Tendulkar.The target that Mumbai set – 162 – was modest by the tournament’s standards and with Delhi’s power-packed batting line-up – Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, AB de Villiers, Shoaib Malik – they were favourites to chase and win. As it turned out they fell 29 runs short, and the difference between the two teams was Pollock, who played the roles of batsman, bowler and captain with aplomb.If Mumbai were going to challenge Delhi, Pollock needed to do a McGrath, i.e take wickets and concede few runs. His modus operandi was spot on and he inspired his bowlers to keep up the pressure. Pollock’s first ball to Gambhir, the third-highest runscorer in the IPL, set the tone: a perfect out going delivery that Gambhir nearly edged before pulling his bat out of the way in the nick of time.Such discipline and accuracy were the building blocks of Pollock’s legend as South Africa’s strike bowler. That focus on the minutiae maintained his status as one of the most economical bowlers till the time he decided to hang up his boots. Today he took those boots out of the locker once again.His opening three-over spell cost only 11 runs and included the wicket of Shikhar Dhawan, who had successfully continued the openers’ good work in Delhi’s previous victories. Pollock then returned at a crucial juncture to finish his spell when Delhi were rebuilding to launch a final assault. Malik and Dinesh Karthik were steadily regaining the momentum lost immediately after Sehwag’s departure and the asking-rate was around eight an over, thoroughly manageable by Delhi’s standards.Pollock’s first ball of his last over was a slower one. Malik took the risk of clearing the straight boundary but failed to clear the long off. Pollock later said the “wickets of Sehwag and Malik were the key” because they had international experience of orchestrating close run-chases.Sehwag too felt that if he had batted longer Delhi would have made it. “Had I not got out at that stage I am confident we would have won comfortably,” he said. “We kept losing wickets at regular intervals and the asking-rate went up. It was batting failure which was responsible for the defeat.”That batting failure was brought about by Pollock’s bowling skill and his ability to marshal his team-mates. He was seen motivating his young bowlers, putting an arm around each one, being assertive, and yet he delivered his instructions gently. His cool captaincy on the field came after he had lifted Mumbai’s innings from the throes at 112 for 5 with a sparkling 15-ball 33, which included a calculated 22-run assault against Mohammad Asif in the 19th over. The feature of Pollock’s batting was the manner he moved towards the leg side to make room against the tight line and lengths employed by Delhi’s bowlers.His innings was the difference between a poor total and a competitive one, and his spell punctured Delhi’s run-chase at the start. It was a compelling allround effort by a captain of a team that had the worst start to the IPL and his reward was a victory against the table leaders.

Avesh Khan struck before stumps on Sunday with Vidarbha still trailing by 69

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Mar-2024Wicketkeeper and opening batter Himanshu Mantri struck a patient 126 to help Madhya Pradesh take a crucial 82-run lead on the second day of the Ranji Trophy semi-final against Vidarbha. He scored exactly half of MP’s total of 252 in response to Vidarbha’s 170 all-out.Vidarbha ended the day on 13 for 1, still trailing by 69, having lost Atharva Taide to Avesh Khan, who picked up a four-for in the first innings.Mantri held one end up firmly even as MP lost 3 for 12 in a middle-order collapse. MP had started day two at 47 for 1, with Mantri and Harsh Gawli as the overnight batters. But Yash Thakur broke the 61-run stand with the score on 81, trapping Gawli lbw for 25 in the 36th over. By the time the 42nd over ended, Umesh Yadav had dismissed captain Shubham Sharma for 1, while Thakur also got Venkatesh Iyer without scoring.Mantri, who got a life when Karun Nair dropped him at slip on 38, calmly got to his half-century off 123 balls before Iyer fell. Alongside Sagar Solanki, he took time to rebuild from 93 for 4. They added 52 together for the fifth wicket before Thakur ran Solanki out for 26 in the 59th over.It was time for a restart again, as Mantri now had Saransh Jain for company. In a rare show of aggression, Mantri smashed offspinner Akshay Wakhare for four and six off successive balls in the 62nd over, even as Jain got off the mark with a six. Jain had taken 15 deliveries to score his first run, but ticked along after that.Mantri then got to his sixth first-class century in the 71st over, as both batters were content in gradually heading ticking past Vidarbha’s first-innings total of 170. But MP lost a cluster of wickets in quick time again, losing their last five for just 38 from 218 or 5. The slide started when Wakhare removed Jain for 30 – the next best score after Mantri’s century – before also getting rid of Mantri to break his resistance.Aditya Sarwate, Thakur and Yadav then got a wicket each to wrap MP’s tail up.

The reigning champions bounced back from a poor first-half display to make it two wins from two in La Liga

Second-half goals from Pedri and Ferran Torres helped Barcelona fight back from two goals down to win 3-2 against Levante in La Liga on Saturday.

The reigning champions found themselves deservedly behind thanks to a strike from Ivan Romero and a penalty from Jose Luis Morales, with the hosts unlucky not to score more.

However Barca were quick out of the blocks in the second half, with a wonderful long-range strike from Pedri and a close-range finish from Ferran Torres levelling the score.

And in the dying embers of the game, Levante defender Unai Elgezabal headed into his own net following a teasing Lamine Yamal cross as Barca completed a dramatic comeback.

GOAL rates Barcelona's players from the Estadio Ciutat de Valencia…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Joan Garcia (6/10):

  The goalkeeper could do nothing to stop either goal going in. He did make a couple of good saves, though, to prevent Levante from scoring more.

  Eric Garcia (4/10):

  He and his fellow defenders started well, catching Levante offside a few times, but their solidity quickly crumbled thereafter.

  Ronald Araujo (4/10):

  Like Garcia, Araujo and the Barca offside trap was in fine form early on, but Levante soon got the better of it and were very unlucky not to score more than two.

  Pau Cubarsi (4/10):

  The centre-back, with his arms behind his back, was not aggressive enough as Romero dribbled past him to fire the hosts in front after 15 minutes.

  Alejandro Balde (4/10):

  A difficult evening for the left-back. Not long after receiving a yellow card, the 21-year-old conceded the penalty for Levante's second after the ball struck his wrist inside the box.

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• AFP
  

  Midfield

  Pedri (8/10):

  Barca's best player by far. He was unlucky not to record an assist, when Ferran Torres hit the crossbar from his delightful through ball, before his long-range stunner kick-started the comeback.

  Marc Casado (4/10):

  Returning to Barca's midfield, he was easily dribbled past in the build up to Levante's opener before being replaced at half time.

• AFP
  

  Attack

  Lamine Yamal (7/10):

  He looked a threat every time he was able to cut inside onto his left foot, with his late cross leading to Barca's last-gasp winner.

  Raphinha (7/10):

  The Brazil international headed wide from a great first-half chance. He grew into the game, though, curling in a great corner which led to Barca's equaliser.

  Marcus Rashford (4/10):

  The forward looked sharp early on, as he and Balde combined well down the left-hand side, but his influence soon waned. He was substituted during the half-time break.

  Ferran Torres (7/10):

  The former Manchester City man should have scored in the first half but hit the crossbar. However he made amends after the break, latching onto Raphinha's corner for the equaliser.

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  Subs & Manager

  Jules Kounde (6/10):

  He had the chance to win it for Barca before Elgezabal's own goal, but he fired his shot just wide of the far post.

  Andreas Christensen (6/10):

  The defender was introduced late in the second half as Barca went in search of a winner. He looked assured, thus giving manager Hansi Flick plenty to think about moving forward.

  Gavi (6/10):

  He came off the bench for the second half and provided Barca with more impetus going forward. A solid display from the 21-year-old.

  Dani Olmo (6/10):

  Like Gavi he injected some much-needed energy into Barca's play in the second half. A good substitution by Flick and a good outing from Olmo.

  Robert Lewandowski (5/10):

  The striker received little service following his introduction off the bench. He was convinced he should have earned his side a second-half penalty, but his appeals were waved away.

  Hansi Flick (5/10):

  Perhaps the decision to start Casado was the wrong one in the end. However the German got his half-time team talk spot on as Barca scored two quick-fire goals after the break.

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Kylian Mbappe's generous World Cup gesture has sparked unexpected trouble as five police officers face scrutiny over donations worth over €180,000.

Five officers flagged for accepting fundsMbappe insists donations followed legal ruleWatchdog alerts prosecutors after suspicious transfersFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to the French superstar Mbappe is at the centre of an unexpected controversy after reportedly donating €180,300from his World Cup bonus to five police officers who protected the French team during Qatar 2022. Four riot officers received €30,000 each, while their commander was gifted €60,300. Though the Real Madrid forward insists the payments were legal and made out of gratitude, French financial watchdog Tracfin flagged the transfers, prompting an internal police investigation and wider scrutiny over the transaction's legality and tax declarations.

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While Mbappe’s gesture appears rooted in goodwill, the case highlights a legal grey area regarding private donations to public servants. The donations were made from an account in Monaco and were reportedly backed by a signed letter from Mbappe himself. However, the manner in which the officers declared, or failed to declare, the money has raised alarms within France’s financial and judicial authorities. The investigation could pose reputational risks amid his high-profile move to Real Madrid. Mbappe has a history of donating his France match bonuses to charity, but the commander who received the largest sum is also under scrutiny for accompanying the French international on trips to Cameroon and Vaucluse.

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The development centres on Mbappe’s well-known habit of donating his earnings from national team duty to causes or individuals he believes deserve recognition. After the 2022 World Cup, where France finished as runners-up, he pledged to donate his entire tournament bonus as a gesture of appreciation. This included not only charitable organisations like Premiers de Cordee but also the security team that protected the squad in Qatar.

The recent revelation that five police officers received sizeable payments from Mbappe triggered concern from Tracfin, which monitors unusual or potentially suspicious financial activity. As a result, the IGPN (General Inspectorate of the National Police) launched an administrative investigation and informed the public prosecutor, largely due to the unusual nature and amount of money involved.

The officers in question reportedly presented a signed certificate from Mbappe stating his deliberate decision to reward them with a portion of his World Cup bonus. His entourage insists everything was done transparently, in compliance with regulations, and that the star forward is ready to cooperate fully with investigators. For now, the scrutiny appears focused more on whether the recipients declared the money properly than on Mbappe himself.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MBAPPE?

While not the target of any criminal probe, Mbappe may face ongoing media and legal attention as the French authorities assess whether the police officers breached ethical or tax protocols. His legal standing appears protected due to clear documentation, but the fallout could influence future regulations around gifting in elite sport. For now, the Madrid hero will aim to refocus on his debut season at the Santiago Bernabeu while keeping a low profile off the pitch.