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Batsman Tamim Iqbal has said that Bangladesh’s ongoing lengthy break from international cricket will hamper the team’s chances of performing at its best

Mohammad Isam29-Jun-2016

‘People should be more interested in playing against us but instead we are sitting on the sidelines’ – Tamim Iqbal•Associated Press

Batsman Tamim Iqbal has said that Bangladesh’s ongoing lengthy break from international cricket will hamper the team’s chances of performing at its best. He also suggested that other international sides should be more willing to play against Bangladesh.”After such a great season, we are not playing for six months,” Tamim told ESPNcricinfo. “It would definitely hamper us. People should be more interested in playing against us but instead we are sitting on the sidelines. We don’t know who we are going to play after six months. There’s no team in the world apart from Zimbabwe who sit out for so long between matches.”Bangladesh’s last international appearance was at the World T20 in India on March 26. Their next assignment is scheduled to be against England at home in October, after their maiden Test in India was pushed back to early next year. A proposed West Indies tour of Bangladesh in September is under discussion but is yet to be confirmed.Tamim said it was all the more frustrating to wait for international cricket after having had a successful 2015. Bangladesh reached the World Cup quarter-finals in early 2015, before going on to beat Pakistan, India, South Africa and Zimbabwe in consecutive ODI series at home. That string of wins secured their place in the 2017 Champions Trophy in England. In light of the team’s improvement, Tamim wondered why other teams were still reluctant to play Bangladesh.”Sitting for six months is not doing justice to anything,” he said. “I could have understood if we played like we did five years ago when our result was predictable, but after performing so well they still don’t want to play us, I don’t know.”Bangladesh have been growing accustomed to such long breaks in international cricket over the last five years. Usually they face a lull in Test cricket but, this time, they are missing out on all formats after busy 2015 and 2015-16 seasons. The BCB said that it was trying to get teams to play against Bangladesh but also felt that players needed a break after non-stop cricket for 15 months.Tamim said any team would suffer after such a prolonged break, and stressed that Bangladesh deserved more cricket at the highest level.”Take any top team and tell them to sit for six months,” Tamim said. “You will see how they perform after sitting for eight months. They won’t play the way they were playing.”

Arsenal transfer target Declan Rice is now 'pushing' for a summer move, according to talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook.

Who could Arsenal sign this summer?

As per recent reports, it appears central midfield is a major priority for transfer chief Edu and manager Mikel Arteta as a host of top players in that position are linked to joining.

As well as Rice, the likes of Moises Caicedo of Brighton, Barcelona star Raphinha and Everton midfielder Amadou Onana have all been mentioned in the last week.

Meanwhile, in other areas, Arsenal are reportedly in talks with the agents of Leicester City playmaker Youri Tielemans – who is looking set to leave the King Power Stadium as a free agent.

Across the pond, the north Londoners are also said to be targeting one of South Americas most exciting prospects Vitor Roque – who is also wanted by rivals Chelsea.

Arteta's side may have the pull to convince this crop of players to join them, especially considering they're currently eight points of clear of closest challengers Man City at the top of the Premier League table.

Arsenal have a real chance to end their near-20 year wait for a domestic crown, and if Edu can seal deals for some of the club's top targets later this year, it's safe to say these are exciting times to be a supporter.

Now, as per talkSPORT reporter Crook, it is believed that one of Arsenal's main priorities – England international Rice – has adopted a firm exit stance.

The Hammers captain is apparently 'pushing for a summer move' as the Gunners target him, coming amid West Ham's worry of having to sell other key players like Jarrod Bowen.

Should Arsenal sign Rice?

The 24-year-old has been praised for his 'sensational' form for the east Londoners in recent seasons and it's hard not to see why going by the numbers.

As per WhoScored, Rice is West Ham's best-performing player by average match rating and has featured over more league minutes than any other Irons star – making their most interceptions per 90 in that time.

Former assistant boss Stuart Pearce recently said this to talkSPORT on the player:

"He’s got so much more in his locker. He’s got a brilliant range of passing.

“When I talk about getting teams turned, he is in a key position to get us turned and go forward with diagonal passes or forward passes through the lines.

“He’s got a great range of passing. I’ve seen it first hand for two years."

Homegrown also, Rice could seemingly add a real degree of steal Arteta's midfield.

West Ham United could be without Lucas Paqueta in their Premier League clash with Aston Villa on Sunday after the Brazil international picked up an injury against AEK Larnaca.

The Lowdown: Antonio and Downes recover

Both Michail Antonio and Flynn Downes suffered issues in the Hammers’ impressive 2-0 victory in Cyrpus, with Antonio removed after his brace while Downes played through the pain to complete 90 minutes.

The pair have recovered in time for Sunday however, with BBC reporting Downes is expected to be in the squad to take on Unai Emery’s side while Claret & Hugh say Antonio is also fine.

However, David Moyes has suffered another setback in the week, with big question marks now over Paqueta…

The Latest: Paqueta to be assessed

In that same report, Claret & Hugh claim the former Lyon star is a doubt going into the game after he picked up a calf issue.

It is ‘too early’ to know whether he will play right now, while Łukasz Fabiański and Vladimír Coufal are expected to miss out.

The Verdict: Big blow for Moyes

The 25 year-old has perhaps not set the world alight as fans would have wanted, but it would still be a huge blow for the manager if he misses out.

Moyes is believed to be safe in his job for now, but with two goals and two assists in the league this season, Paqueta’s tenacity and end product will be missed.

The playmaker ranks highly amongst positional peers in Europe’s top leagues for shots, progressive passes and tackles (FBRef), providing a little bit of everything in the middle of the park.

Manuel Lanzini would likely keep his place from Thursday if Paqueta cannot play, with the Argentine miles behind his counterpart on a number of key metrics this season (FBRef).

Everything that could have gone wrong for Manchester United has done so far this season in the Premier League, with injuries to the likes of Luke Shaw, an off-pitch dispute between Jadon Sancho and Erik ten Hag, and disappointing results on the pitch.

In four games, the Red Devils have lost twice, with both defeats coming in North London against Tottenham Hotspur and then Arsenal. Meanwhile, the two wins that they have picked up were far from convincing, as they edged past Wolverhampton Wanderers on the opening day before being forced to come from two goals down to defeat Nottingham Forest.

United's current predicament has forced Ten Hag to turn his attention towards the January transfer window, and one particular star is interested in making what would be a record departure from his current club.

What's the latest Manchester United transfer news?

United ticked plenty of boxes over the summer. They welcomed a modern day goalkeeper in the form of Andre Onana, whilst also adding midfield depth with the arrivals of Mason Mount and Sofyan Amrabat. And to complete their transfer window, they signed forward Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta. Yet, with four games gone, it has been calamitous for the Red Devils.

With that said, it's clear that more reinforcements are needed, and that could come in the form of Brentford's Rico Henry. According to Pete O'Rourke of Football Insider, Brentford could accept a £35m-plus offer for their left-back in what could be a club-record sale.

The defender is also said to be interested in a big move, and a transfer to United would be exactly that. The Red Devils were also reportedly interested in Henry during the summer transfer window, but were not able to afford a permanent deal. When January comes around, it will certainly be interesting to see if United test Brentford's resolve, and if Henry pushes for a move away from the Bees.

How has Rico Henry performed this season?

Brentford have got off to a strong start in the Premier League once again this season, remaining unbeaten in four games, drawing against Spurs, Crystal Palace, and Bournemouth, as well as defeating Fulham. And Henry has played a large part in that run, starting in every game.

The left-back has earned plenty of deserved praise during his time with the Bees, including from Thomas Frank, who told the BBC: "On the defensive side, one-on-one actions, I actually haven’t seen a player or winger in the last two years in the Premier League that got the better of him.

"Maybe they got a cross in, but in general in these one-v-one duels he is so strong. He is so quick and he is in a fantastic place. If he can just get a tiny bit more output with assists and goals, that would be the next step for him. But he is another good example of a good character working very hard that will run through a brick wall for the team."

Given Henry's talent, United's interest comes as little surprise, making January an interesting month to keep an eye on when it comes to potential arrivals at Old Trafford.

Aston Villa tried to pull off a surprise transfer swoop late in the window that never came to fruition at Villa Park, according to reports from transfer insider Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest news involving Aston Villa?

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has issued an update confirming that Philippe Coutinho looks to be on his way out of Villa Park following months of speculation surrounding his future, as he stated: "Al Duhail are now closing in on Philippe Coutinho deal! Agreement being sealed with Aston Villa on loan move with salary covered. Coutinho accepted 10 days ago as he rejected approaches from Besiktas and Betis to join Qatari side Al Duhail. Here we go, soon."

In his time in the West Midlands, Coutinho has struggled to make a lasting impact at the club and has registered six goals and three assists in 43 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Last weekend, Aston Villa were trounced 3-0 by Premier League title hopefuls Liverpool at Anfield and former Villans' midfielder Jermaine Jenas spoke on Match of the Day 2 – via Birmingham Live – and aired his frustration at their defensive line, stating: "I think their game plan defensively today was quite worrying. First and foremost mistakes like these and inviting pressure at Anfield, you're asking for trouble when you start playing like this, you've got to be much more incisive. There's certain things in football that never change."

The Villans will take stock and recuperate over the international break before returning to action against Crystal Palace at Villa Park on September 16th. European adventures lie in wait for the Villans the following week, where they will travel to Poland to face Legia Warsaw in the Europa Conference League.

What has Ben Jacobs said?

According to journalist Jacobs writing in is column for CaughtOffside, Aston Villa were keen suitors for Sancho late in the summer, but Monchi's interest was deterred by Erik ten Hag: “Sancho was not really a player Ten Hag wanted to sell this summer despite early interest from Spurs and late interest from Aston Villa.”

Of course, Sancho has got himself into hot water recently after he publicly responded to comments from Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag made about his level of performance in training, cited by The Mirror.

Sancho took to social media to express his frustration at becoming something of a "scapegoat" at Old Trafford and it is said that Ten Hag could look to jettison the England international from involvement in senior training due to his reaction to the situation alongside enacting potential disciplinary action.

The former Borussia Dortmund ace, who earns around £350k-a-week on the books at Manchester United, hasn't exactly set the heather alight since moving to the North West in 2021 for a reported fee of £73 million.

As per Transfermarkt, Sancho has notched six goals and 12 assists in 82 appearances across all competitions for Manchester United, signifying a lack of consistency since his return to English football.

Truthfully, we will never know if Sancho could've found his feet again at Villa Park; however, Unai Emery and Monchi will have to be happy with the offensive options they have available for the remainder of the campaign.

Arsenal have long been craving a winger who will afford Bukayo Saka an element of rest.

The England superstar has played a huge amount of football in the last 24 months, failing to miss a single Premier League game in the last two years.

Signing someone to lift that burden, therefore, would be a good idea.

Who could Arsenal sign?

The Gunners haven't been linked with too many wingers throughout the summer. A year ago, they tried to sign Raphinha before making Pedro Neto a priority target.

However, another name has been Kaoru Mitoma.

The Brighton sensation is one of the most eye-catching in the Premier League and amid interest from Manchester City as well, has been touted at £50m.

Arsenal have been interested in the last few months too, and should player funds be raised, a late dash for the player in the window cannot be discounted, according to football.london.

What are Kaoru Mitoma's strengths?

The Japanese superstar is a dribble king. There are no two ways about it. This is a player who once studied the very art of doing so and his goal against Wolves on Saturday afternoon proved that.

He darted past three players from a run that started about 35 yards from goal. Cutting inside phenomenally from the left-hand side, he then weaved his way into the penalty area before finding the net in ruthless style.

Passing

Crossing

Dribbling

Aerials

Long shots

Interceptions

Lay-offs

That run encapsulated everything that is great about this "unplayable", "serious talent" as he was described by journalist Ryan Taylor last season.

Such a piece of play was reminiscent of a certain Saka too. Unlike Mitoma, he plays off the other side, cutting devastatingly onto his left foot. We saw that against Nottingham Forest last weekend as he moved inside towards the edge of the penalty area before curling a sensational finish past Matt Turner.

Clearly, they are two of the most exciting and tricky wingers in the division.

What supplements their similarities is FBref, who suggest that Arsenal's number 7 is in fact the most similar player to Mitoma.

As you can see in the data provided, when it comes to progressive carries and touches inside the opposition's penalty area, they are almost identical. Indeed, for the former, Mitoma ranks inside Europe's best 6% of wingers, while Saka sits inside the top 8%.

With regards to shot-creating actions, 4.33 vs 4.60 per 90 minutes in favour of Saka, they are nearly on par and there is little difference between their assists per 90 minutes either.

Of course, Saka is the more complete player at the moment. He scored 14 times and registered 11 assists in the Premier League alone last season, but Mitoma, with his seven goals and six assists, wasn't too far behind.

Gabriel Martinelli has been devastatingly brilliant from the left-hand side over the last year, scoring 15 times and supplying six last term, but in the Brighton superstar, Arteta would unearth another mesmerising option down that flank, one who could potentially emulate Saka's influence at the Emirates.

West Bromwich Albion are now eyeing a move for Reading left-back Nesta Guinness-Walker, with a new report revealing they could stand a good chance of signing him…

What's the latest West Brom transfer news?

With less than two weeks remaining of the summer transfer window, Carlos Corberan is still keen on bringing in new reinforcements, particularly in defence, with Football Insider reporting West Brom are keen on Millwall defender Jake Cooper.

As the 28-year-old is now entering the final year of his contract with the Championship outfit, a number of clubs are hoping to land him for a cut-price fee, with Leeds Untied and Rangers also being named as potential suitors.

Financial constraints have hindered the Baggies' ability to bring in the players they would have liked, but they could also make a move for Nottingham Forest midfielder Lewis O'Brien, who will now be allowed to go on loan to the Championship.

However, Corberan's main priority appears to be strengthening his defence, and West Brom are now eyeing a move for Reading left-back Guinness-Walker, amid a financial crisis at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, according to a report from Football Insider.

The Royals have informed senior players, including the left-back, that they may be sold to raise funds, and the Baggies are ready to seize the opportunity to take him to the Hawthorns.

With Reading desperately trying to balance the books, Corberan has been presented with the perfect opportunity to bring in a new defender, however there may be competition for his signature.

Blackburn Rovers are also credited with an interest in the 23-year-old, with Jon Dahl Tomasson looking to add some late signings to his squad before the deadline on September 1st, so West Brom will have to see off competition from their Championship rivals.

Who is Nesta Guinness-Walker?

Born in Twickenham, the Englishman made his first professional appearance for Metropolitan Police in the FA Cup, before going on to earn a move to AFC Wimbledon, who were in League 1 at the time, making a total of 97 appearances for the Dons.

The former Wimbledon man has managed to work his way up the footballing pyramid very quickly, making 28 appearances in the Championship for Reading last season, and he has picked up where he left off in League 1 this term.

So far this season, the defender has averaged a 7.25 Sofascore match rating, the third-highest in the Reading squad, having been ranked as the Royal's best-performing player against Port Vale, making a total of five tackles.

Not only is the Reading ace capable defensively, but he is also able to threaten on the front foot, as displayed when he completed an outrageous elastico skill move before firing a shot on goal against Hull City last season.

Having now had his first taste of Championship football, Guinness-Walker could be ready to join a team that will have aims of fighting for promotion this season, and West Brom should undoubtedly test the waters with an opening bid in the near future.

Australia’s Steven Smith took home the other big prize as he was recognised as the best Test player of 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jan-2018

Virat Kohli and Steven Smith walk back at stumps•Getty Images

India’s Virat Kohli hit a windfall at the ICC awards after being named both cricketer and captain of the year. He also regained a trophy he had won for the first time in 2012 as he was named ODI player of the year as well. The corresponding prize for Test cricket went to Australia’s Steven Smith.All the winners

Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year – Virat Kohli (India)
Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year – Steve Smith (Australia)
Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year – Virat Kohli (India)
Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year – Hasan Ali (Pakistan)
Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Year – Rashid Khan (Afghanistan)
Men’s T20I Performance of the Year – Yuzvendra Chahal (6-25 v England) (India)
David Shepherd Trophy for ICC Umpire of the Year – Marais Erasmus
ICC Spirit of Cricket – Anya Shrubsole (England)

In the qualification period from September 21, 2016 to the end of 2017, Kohli scored 2,203 Test runs at an average of 77.80 including six double-centuries, 1,818 ODI runs at 82.63 including seven hundreds, and 299 T20I runs at a strike-rate of 153. With him at the helm, India are ranked among the top three teams in the world as well. All of that came culminated in his becoming the ICC cricketer of the year and winning the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy.”It’s probably the biggest award that we have in world cricket,” Kohli said. “Two Indians getting it back to back makes it more special. Last time it was [R] Ashwin, this time I’m getting it so I’m really really honoured and I’d like to thank the ICC for recognising all the hard work that we all put in for our respective sides and I want to congratulate all the other winners also.”Smith’s numbers were equally mind-boggling. Though the coup de grace was his performance in the Ashes, scoring runs with such frequency that comparisons with Don Bradman was made with every passing innings, he has been in sublime form for at least four years, scoring over 1000 Test runs in each of them. In the ICC’s qualification period, he made 1,875 runs in 16 matches at an average of 78.12, with eight hundreds and five half-centuries.”It’s a great honour to receive this award for the second time, having won it in 2015 as well,” Smith said. “It’s called Test cricket for a reason, and I’ve enjoyed that test of my ability over the past 12 months.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“I got six Test hundreds for the year in 2017, which I was pleased about. I was pleased with the way I played but what pleased me most of all was that I helped us win Tests and, most importantly, The Ashes. To make a contribution in big matches and in big series and assist the team is what it is all about for me, and if I’m doing that then there’s a good chance that awards like this will follow.”Four of the last five ICC Test players of the year are Australian, starting with Michael Clarke in 2013, Mitchell Johnson in 2014 and Smith in 2015 and 2017.Moving to ODIs, Kohli was among the prime candidates to win the award. Only 29 years old, he hit his 32nd century recently, going past Ricky Ponting’s tally and moving ever closer to Sachin Tendulkar’s. “Twenty-sixteen for me I think was a breakthrough year and I was able to continue in 2017 also,” he said. “I think I worked even harder in 2017 and understand this has been a good phase for me but I will have to work even harder in future to play the same level of cricket I have been able to play in the past two years. But yeah, 2017 was indeed a very special year for me.”Pakistan fast bowler Hasan Ali was named emerging player of 2017. This follows his becoming the quickest from his country to 50 ODI wickets (in 24 matches) and a player-of-the-series winning performance in the Champions Trophy. The 23-year old also topped the ICC rankings in one-day cricket when his career was only 426 days old. Only two others have risen to the top at a better rate.”It has been memorable past 16 months for me as a young player and Pakistan as a team,” Hasan said. “This acknowledgement will not only inspire me to do even better in the coming seasons but will also convince the next generation of cricketers that hard work and good performances can never go unnoticed.”This award is for all those who believed and backed us in the journey, and look forward to their continued patronage as the next 18 months will be more challenging with the World Cup in 2019.”Rashid Khan, the Afghanistan legspinner, was named the Associate player of the year and claimed a place in the ODI team of 2017 as well. India’s wristspinner Yuzvendra Chahal taking 6 for 25 to send England crashing from 113 for 2 to 127 all out was adjudged the T20I performance of the year.The ICC distributed their awards for women’s cricket in December 2017, with Australia’s Ellyse Perry winning player of the year.

His place in Australia has gone to Worcestershire’s Josh Tongue while Porter hopes to be fit for the West Indies tour early next year

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Oct-2017Essex seamer Jamie Porter will miss the England Lions tour of Australia after being diagnosed with a stress fracture of the back.The injury was picked up during pre-tour screening, but Porter has not been scrubbed from England’s plans completely and will now spend time with the Pace Programme as he works his way back to fitness with the aim of being available for selection for the tour of West Indies early next year.Porter was the leading wicket-taker in the County Championship last season with 75 scalps during Essex’s march to the title.”While it was initially surprising and disappointing for Jamie and for us to discover he has a stress fracture, we have agreed with him and with Essex that this new approach is the best option,” James Whitaker, the national selector, said.”Spending the first half of the winter on the Pace Programme will allow him to take a break from competitive cricket after two excellent and demanding seasons for Essex, allowing the injury to recover, and for a focus on his rehabilitation.”We believe that will give him the best chance of being in peak condition for the competitive phase of the Lions winter programme, with four-day and one-day series in the West Indies early next year.”Posting on Twitter, Porter said: “I’m extremely gutted to be missing Australia but at the same time grateful to the ECB for giving me all the support and allowing me the opportunity to work hard and get myself fit for the West Indies tour which I’m very confident I will do! This is a minor setback and I know I’m going to do everything I possibly can to be fully fit for January!”His place in the Lions squad goes to Worcestershire’s Josh Tongue who was originally set to be on the Pace Programme.Tongue, 19, took 47 wickets at 25.78 in the Championship as he played in all 14 of Worcestershire’s matches.Kevin Shine, the who heads up the Pace Programme, said: “As ever, we’ve worked closely with the players and their counties, and we think this is a good solution.”Jamie relished his first Lions experience this summer and we’ve agreed with Essex for him to spend a couple of months with the Pace Programme, at the Performance Centre in Loughborough with a warm-weather camp at Desert Springs in Spain, to get him fit and ready to join the Lions in the West Indies after Christmas.”For Josh, he gets to sample the Ashes atmosphere in Australia, as well as gaining experience of working with the Lions.”

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag revealed his plan for unlocking Antony's threat against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

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• United face Forest at City Ground
• Ten Hag looking to get best out of Antony
• United hope to build on victory against Aston Villa

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ten Hag has explained that he is hoping to exploit space in behind the Forest defence to make the most of his Brazilian winger's threat in behind. Antony has struggled for form since his blockbuster move to United last season and has struggled again this term.

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  WHAT TEN HAG SAID

  Speaking to before the match, Ten Hag said: "[Antony] will have a good feeling. It is also a good opportunity for him to show that we have coached a lot and trained a lot about runs in behind, and we expect that from all [players] but especially the front line."

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Antony is yet to score a single goal or register an assist this season. However, he may feel more positive today given his last goal for the Red Devils came away at Forest in April.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ANTONY?

  After facing Forest, United make the short trip away to Wigan in the FA Cup third round in what is the final chance for Antony and Ten Hag to win silverware this season.