da pixbet： Liverpool are reportedly on red alert over potentially signing a “phenomenal” Premier League player in the summer transfer window.

Liverpool favourites to sign Wirtz in stunning deal

da imperador bet： In a massive development late in the week, the Reds are believed to be closing in on the signing of Bayer Leverkusen superstar Florian Wirtz, in what would almost certainly be a club-record move to Anfield, potentially costing as much as £126m.

Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg has claimed that the 22-year-old has given Liverpool his “verbal commitment”, preferring to join the Premier League champions over Bayern Munich.

The news has clearly caused a huge amount of excitement among the Reds’ fanbase, with Wirtz a signing who could feel one of the most exciting and significant in years, considering he is among the best attacking players in Europe, bagging 57 goals and 65 assists in 197 Leverkusen appearances.

If Liverpool could sign the Germany international, as well as Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, it would be a fantastic start to the summer, and now another promising talent has been linked with a move to Merseyside.

Liverpool eyeing move for "phenonemal" ace

According to The Boot Room, Liverpool are on alert when it comes to Arsenal star Ethan Nwaneri this summer, with the teenage attacker no closer to signing a new deal at the Emirates.

It is claimed that the Reds are “well aware” of the £6,000-a-week Englishman’s situation, with Chelsea and Manchester City in the same boat, and there is also thought to be “very strong interest” from other European clubs.

The idea of Liverpool signing Nwaneri is enormously exciting, both because he is a special talent and the fact that the Reds would be stealing him away from one of their biggest Premier League rivals.

The 18-year-old has enjoyed a breakthrough season at Arsenal, making 25 appearances in the league, and former Reds left-back Stephen Warnock has described him as “phenomenal”.

Related Just imagine him & Wirtz: Liverpool want to sign "incredible" £68m CF

Liverpool are planning to replace Darwin Nunez with a new centre-forward this summer.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair May 23, 2025

Granted, it does feel like a move is relatively unlikely, not least because the Gunners will do everything they can to tie him down to a new deal, but his current situation is certainly giving potential suitors hope.

Ethan Nwaneri’s 2024/25 Premier League stats

Appearances

25

Starts

10

Minutes played

817

Goals

4

Assists

2

Dribbles per game

1.3

Key passes per game

0.9

Pass completion rate

88.9%

Liverpool were linked with a move for Nwaneri back in 2022, so they appear to be long-time admirers of him, and snapping him up this summer would be an incredible coup, considering he has the ability to reach the very top of the game.

Also: who has scored the most runs in Tests without ever being out for a duck?

Steven Lynch11-Dec-2018I noticed that Wellington Masakadza made his Test debut captained by his brother. How many others have been given their first cap by a relative? asked Brian Hartson from South Africa

Slow left-armer Wellington Masakadza won his first cap in a rare overseas victory for Zimbabwe in Sylhet last month, in a side skippered by his brother Hamilton.It turns out this was the eighth instance of someone making his Test debut captained by his brother. The previous two instances both involved Arjuna Ranatunga, who was Sri Lanka’s captain when Dammika Ranatunga won his first cap, against Australia in Brisbane in 1989-90, and also when Sanjeeva Ranatunga debuted against Pakistan in Kandy in 1994-95. (Arjuna was also in charge when another brother, Nishantha, played his first one-day international, against Zimbabwe in Sharjah in 1992-93.)The first instance was in the very first Test match: Dave Gregory captained Australia in Melbourne in 1876-77, and his side included his brother Ned. It happened again in Durban in 1913-14, when Dan Taylor made his debut for South Africa, captained by his younger brother Herbie.In Calcutta in 1933-34, CS Nayudu made his debut for an Indian side led by his brother CK, while the following season Rolph Grant made his debut for West Indies in Bridgetown, under his brother Jackie. And in Karachi in 1976-77, New Zealander Murray Parker made his debut in his younger brother John’s only Test as New Zealand’s captain.For Pakistan, Zulfiqar Ahmed made his debut against India in Lucknow in 1952-53, in a side captained by his brother-in-law AH Kardar, while David Holford’s skipper for his first Test, for West Indies against England at Old Trafford in 1966, was his cousin, Garry Sobers.Who has scored the most runs in Tests without ever being out for a duck? asked Keith Hamilton from England

The leader on this particular list is the former Zimbabwean captain Dave Houghton, who now coaches Derbyshire. In a 22-Test career that started when he was 35 – he hit 121 in Zimbabwe’s inaugural Test, against India in Harare in 1992-93 – Houghton scored 1464 runs in 36 innings, without ever being out for a duck.There are five others who finished their Test career with more than 1000 runs and no ducks: the Australian captain Herbie Collins made 1352, his fellow Aussies Reggie Duff 1317 and Jim Burke 1280, while the recent West Indian player Brendan Nash scored 1103 and the 1950s Pakistani batsman Waqar Hasan 1071.Of current (or very recent) players, Sami Aslam of Pakistan has scored 758 Test runs without a duck, and the Australian opener Matt Renshaw 636.Marcus Harris was recently dismissed for 26 in both innings of his Test debut. Has this happened before? asked Christopher Shen from Australia

If you mean has anyone ever been dismissed twice for exactly 26 on debut before – as Marcus Harris was in the first Test against India in Adelaide – then the answer’s no. But there have been higher debut doubles. Dan Taylor – the South African coincidentally mentioned in the first question – made twin 36s on debut against England in Durban in 1913-14. The Indian allrounder Syed Abid Ali made 33 in both innings of his debut, against Australia in Adelaide in 1967-68.Another South African, Bernard Tancred, made 29 and 29 – a large proportion of his side’s runs in their inaugural Test – against England in Port Elizabeth in 1888-89. And the England pair of Arthur Carr (against South Africa in Johannesburg in 1922-23) and Mark Ramprakash (v West Indies at Headingley in 1991) both made two scores of 27 in their first Test appearance.No other bowler has as parsimonious an economy rate as Joel “Big Bird” Garner in ODIs – 3.09 in 98 one-dayers•Getty ImagesWhich bowler has been the most economical in ODIs? asked Devendra Patel from India

The lofty West Indian Joel Garner is on top of this particular table – and my guess is he’ll stay there forever, given the more attacking mindset of batsmen these days, not to mention the restrictions on fielders and bouncers which were less stringent in his day. “Big Bird” conceded just 3.09 an over in his 98 ODIs, leaving him significantly meaner than the next man, Australia’s Max Walker, who went for 3.25 an over.The most economical current bowler is the Afghan mystery spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman, at 3.84 per over; his spin partner Rashid Khan is not far behind, on 3.90. Another Afghan slow bowler, left-armer Amir Hamza, conceded 3.92 (his last match to date was in 2017). The only other bowler whose career took place entirely in the current century who went for less than four an over was the Zimbabwean left-arm spinner Ray Price, who just made the cut with 3.99.I noticed that Alastair Cook took part in 26 Tests at Lord’s. Is this a record for one ground? asked Alex Bartram from England

Alastair Cook’s 26 appearances is the record for Lord’s – his old mate Jimmy Anderson is close behind with 23 – but he’s only second overall, as Mahela Jayawardene squeezed in 27 Tests at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. He’s also joint fifth on this list, with 23 Tests in Galle, a number matched by Kumar Sangakkara. Just above them lies Muttiah Muralitharan, who had 24 Tests at the SSC.Use our feedback form or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

Liverpool know they are heading into next season without Trent Alexander-Arnold amid his impending move to Real Madrid, and they could be set to lose another star player to the Spanish giants in the future, per reports.

Liverpool look to freshen up in the summer window

Arne Slot has done a miraculous job in the eyes of many Liverpool supporters and will be given backing by FSG to shape his squad following their Premier League title victory.

Nevertheless, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure to Real Madrid on a free transfer has delivered a sting in the tail, with the Dutchman now left without one of his best creative outlets from the end of this month.

Virgil Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah’s contract extensions have softened the blow somewhat, but there is a clear acknowledgement that the summer window will be a decisive one as the Reds seek to claim further silverware.

With the time for transfer business fast approaching, Liverpool are expected to make a ‘serious move’ for Lyon winger Malick Fofana despite Arsenal also remaining attentive to his situation.

Dean Huijsen and Murillo are candidates for the Reds to strengthen their backline from Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest respectively, though it remains to be seen whether either will arrive at Anfield to shore it up ahead of another challenging campaign.

Fabrizio Romano reveals what he's heard about Liverpool signing De Bruyne

Could a shock move to Anfield materialise this summer?

ByHenry Jackson May 9, 2025

Second-season syndrome isn’t an evil Liverpool want to experience. Forward planning will be needed to ensure that doesn’t happen, and contingency plans have to be identified early to avoid uncomfortable scenarios.

Nevertheless, they could now be set for another considerable blow after the news that Real Madrid are lining up another one of their most talented assets on a free transfer.

Real Madrid looking to press ahead for Ibrahima Konate

Per reports in Spain, Real Madrid want to sign Ibrahima Konate from Liverpool in 2026 should the Frenchman opt against extending his current terms at Anfield.

The report notes that he has shown no willingness to sign a new contract and that his demands have created internal ‘tension’ on Merseyside, which may pave the way for an acrimonious exit next summer.

Appearances

39

Goals

2

Assists

2

Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Manchester City are also keeping eyes on Konate’s situation, though Real Madrid are said to be in the box seat due to their experience in landing lucrative players without having to pay a transfer fee.

Labelled “outstanding” by Virgil van Dijk, the 25-year-old has won 128 duels this season on Premier League duty, becoming a mainstay in Slot’s Premier League-conquering side alongside the aforementioned Netherlands international.

Mooted to earn £70,000 per week at Liverpool, Konate may well be in the hunt for a significant pay rise – something his current employers haven’t been able to find an agreement on as of yet.

With his future firmly up in the air, the Reds may need to sit down sooner rather than later with his entourage to thrash out a deal.

MatériaMais Notícias

da dobrowin： Substituído no início do segundo tempo do empate entre Santos e Botafogo, na tarde deste domingo (23), o goleiro João Paulo teve um incômodo no quadril direito. O jogador passará por exames nesta segunda-feira (24) para saber se há lesão e a gravidade do problema. 

RelacionadasSantosATUAÇÕES: Marcos Leonardo marca duas vezes, mas Santos cede empate ao Botafogo nos minutos finaisSantos23/07/2023BotafogoATUAÇÕES: Veja quem levou a maior nota do Botafogo no empate com o SantosBotafogo23/07/2023Fora de CampoWeb se rende ao Botafogo após empate com o Santos: ‘Não tem explicação, estão iluminados’Fora de Campo23/07/2023

da betano casino： João desabou no gramado após fazer uma defesa simples e pediu substituição na sequência. O capitão santista deu lugar a Vladimir, que sofreu os dois gols botafoguenses. 

+ Já atualizou sua camisa de 2023? Confira os novos uniformes do Peixe!

O técnico Paulo Turra lamentou a saída de João Paulo e a possibilidade de lesão, mas disse que o reserva tem um perfil de liderança parecido com o do titular. 

– Muito importante. Temos o Vladimir, que é um goleiro super experiente, que faz um trabalho espetacular no dia a dia. Muito parecido com o João Paulo. João Paulo, por ser capitão, tem uma identificação muito grande. Papel do capitão, profissional muito bom, assim como todos os guarda redes. São dois jogadores experientes – disse Turra na entrevista coletiva após a partida. 

+ ATUAÇÕES: Marcos Leonardo marca duas vezes, mas Santos cede empate ao Botafogo nos minutos finais

João Paulo é o jogador com mais minutos jogadores pelo Santos nesta temporada, tendo ficado fora somente de uma partida do Peixe em 2023.

Para saber se tem lesão e a possível gravidade do problema, o goleiro será o único atleta santista a ir ao CT Rei Pelé nesta segunda-feira (24), já que o elenco ganhou folga e se reapresentará somente na terça-feira (25). O próximo compromisso da equipe alvinegra será no sábado (29), contra o Fluminense, no Rio de Janeiro.

O Santos é 14º colocado no Campeonato Brasileiro, com 17 pontos, três a mais do que o Bahia, que abre a zona do rebaixamento. O clube alvinegro, no entanto, não pode entrar no Z4 nesta rodada, já que o Tricolor de Aço já entrou em campo e também empatou.

Whilst the drama of the Premier League continues through May, Leeds United are already done and dusted with their triumphant 2024/25 campaign in the Championship.

Indeed, Daniel Farke’s Whites would close out the season as champions, having obtained a remarkable 100-point haul, which is the highest points total ever reached by the West Yorkshire giants.

With no football left to play on the pitch, Leeds’ main focus now rests on the hectic transfer window to follow, with plenty of rumours already coming out of Elland Road.

Leeds' attempts to strengthen up top

Farke won’t want to lose the identity of the squad that managed to leap up to the Premier League, but he will be aware of how punishing the top division can be if improvements are not sought after.

One area that Leeds look to be prioritising is in attack, with rumours already coming to the surface that the newly promoted side are keen on the likes of Richarlison and Troy Parrott as fresh centre-forward personnel.

But, there is another new face in this department that will really intrigue the Elland Road masses, with Sky Sports journalist Rob Dorsett revealing that the Whites could put a new £100m+ transfer kitty to good use by snapping up Everton star Beto, a player they have a vested interest in ahead of the summer.

Dorsett has further revealed that it’s unclear whether the Toffees would allow for this switch to take place, but if Farke and Co were successful in landing the towering 27-year-old, the German could have his next Teemu Pukki on his hands with the Finnish ace always a solid and robust option up top for Norwich City.

How Beto could be Farke's new Pukki

Obviously, the main standout moments of Pukki’s career at the Canaries under Farke came in the Championship.

The 129-time Finland international would collect 65 of his strikes in Norfolk in the bread and butter of the second tier, but the 5 foot 11 menace did manage to show off some flashes of his immense quality up a level too under his ex-manager.

Whilst Farke’s Canaries did immediately fall back down to the EFL at the end of the 2019/20 season, Pukki could at least exit that dismal campaign with his head raised high, having amassed a respectable 11 strikes from 36 contests.

Beto could well eclipse that total in the here and now for Moyes’ side with three league games left to go, with the German perhaps seeing a similar style player to his former great in the Portuguese forward, who could potentially offer the Whites a stable head in attack when navigating the step-up.

Looking at the table above, Beto hasn’t blown anyone away this season at Goodison Park with seven strikes from 27 league games, but the £17m-rated forward does operate in a similar fashion to his 35-year-old counterpart, with both attackers in question content with limited touches of the ball before firing home an opportunity in the same bullish and dogged fashion.

Moreover, adding in the ex-Udinese man to the Leeds ranks would offer Farke something different to what he currently has at his disposal, with Beto previously praised for his “powerful” nature by former manager Sean Dyche, away from possessing some similar attributes to Pukki.

He could love life in West Yorkshire too lining up next to Dan James and Manor Solomon who twist and turn defences for fun, before then presenting the 27-year-old with some golden chances.

Of course, this could all just be speculative chat churned out of the rumour mill, but if Leeds do have an opportunity to land Beto, they should take it, with Farke ready to work his magic on the Lisbon-born forward like he did with Pukki.

Leeds could seal best striker signing since Wood with move for 20-goal star

Leeds could land their best striker signing since Chris Wood in a swoop for this star.

By
Dan Emery

May 7, 2025

da premier bet： West Bromwich Albion are now considering a move for a “ruthless” striker on a free transfer as Ryan Mason’s first summer signing, according to a recent report.

Mason can't wait to get started as Baggies boss

da dobrowin： On Monday the Baggies confirmed the news that Ryan Mason has become their new head coach, signing a three-year contract after leaving Tottenham Hotspur. This will be the 33-year-old’s first permanent managerial role, as he took two interim spells at Spurs as manager but mainly worked as a first-team coach under Antonio Conte and Ange Postecoglou.

After putting pen to paper on becoming West Brom’s new head coach, Mason revealed he is “thrilled” at being given this opportunity and that it is a job he is “excited” about, as the club has a fantastic infrastructure.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to have been appointed Head Coach of West Bromwich Albion. This is a huge club with a fantastic infrastructure and an incredible fan base, and I am excited about what we can achieve together.

“Having spoken at length to the board and those at the club, I am convinced that Albion is the perfect place for me to be, and I can’t wait to get started.

Related West Brom targeting "fantastic" EFL ace who could be Mason's first signing

The Baggies are set to hold talks with Ryan Mason.

Posts ByTom Cunningham May 29, 2025

“I will bring with me a huge amount of enthusiasm, dedication and ambition and look forward to a positive future together at such a fantastic club.”

West Brom considering move to sign "ruthless" ace for £0

As Mason gets his feet under the table at the Hawthorns, he is wasting no time in trying to strengthen his new team. According to The Scottish Sun, West Brom are weighing up a move to sign striker Lawrence Shankland.

The Scotland international is out of contract at the end of this month, and he is said to be weighing up his options as Hearts continue to discuss a potential new deal with the forward. That is because while Hearts struggled in the league during the 2024/25 season, the 29-year-old continued to be a threat in front of goal, netting nine times in all competitions, as well as providing 11 assists.

Hearts are hopeful they can keep hold of Shankland, but they are not the only team working on agreeing to a contract with the player. West Brom hold a real long-standing interest in the Scot, who has netted 53 goals in 138 Premiership games, and are hoping his position as a soon-to-be free agent will clear the path for a relatively straightforward deal.

Lawrence Shankland’s 24/25 Scottish Premiership stats

Apps

32

Starts

29

Goals

8

Goals per game

0.3

Big chances missed

11

Chance conversion

9%

Assists

8

Big chances created

14

Key passes per game

1.3

Dubbed “ruthless” by Chris Sutton, West Brom have made contact with the player’s agent to gauge his interest in a move to the Hawthorns. The Baggies are not alone in their pursuit, as Southampton are also monitoring and ready to pounce.

حسم التعادل الإيجابي مباراة منتخب ليبيا، أمام نظيره الرأس الأخضر، في اللقاء الذي جمعهما اليوم الأربعاء، ضمن منافسات التصفيات الإفريقية المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم، بنتيجة 3-3.

وأضاع المنتخب الليبي فرصة حسم تأهله إلى كأس العالم 2026 بعد تعادله المخيب للآمال، في الجولة التاسعة من تصفيات المجموعة الرابعة.

طالع.. تشكيل منتخب مصر أمام جيبوتي في تصفيات كأس العالم.. مصطفى محمد أساسيًا

افتتح روبرتو بيكو التسجيل بالخطأ في مرماه لصالح ليبيا في الدقيقة الأولى، بعد عرضية من فاضل سلامة، وقبل نهاية الشوط الأول، أدرك تيلمو أركانجو التعادل لصالح الرأس الأخضر في الدقيقة 30.

وعاد عز الدين المليمي لتسجيل الهدف الثاني لليبيا في الدقيقة 42، ثم أضاف محمود الشلوي الهدف الثالث في الدقيقة 58 من تصويبة صاروخية من ركلة حرة.

وتمكن الرأس الأخضر من استغلال خطأ للحارس مراد الوحيشي، حيث سجل سيدني لوبيز كابرال هدفًا من منتصف الملعب في الدقيقة 76، قبل أن يخطف ويلي سيميدو هدف التعادل القاتل في الدقيقة 82.

وبهذا التعادل، توقف رصيد ليبيا عند 15 نقطة في المركز الثالث، فيما تصدر منتخب الرأس الأخضر المجموعة برصيد 20 نقطة.

Vala wants PNG to pick their “energy, determination and attitude” with Afghanistan and NZ up next

Mohammad Isam06-Jun-2024Papua New Guinea captain Assad Vala said that their batters couldn’t adjust to the Providence Stadium pitch against Uganda on Wednesday. PNG were bowled out for 77, their lowest total in T20Is, and eventually suffered their second defeat at the T20 World Cup 2024. in what turned out to be a low-scoring encounter.Hiri Hiri’s 15 was the top score for PNG, while only two others reached double figures. They succumbed to Uganda’s pace bowlers first, and then the spinners took grip of their batting. Vala, who fell in the first over for a duck, felt that there were too many soft dismissals in their innings.”Because it was a new wicket, we didn’t have a target set,” Vala said. “We said to give ourselves a few overs then see how we go from there. As the game progressed, I think we didn’t do that. I think the batters that played today really let ourselves down. We didn’t do as we planned.”We had a lot of soft dismissals. I think anything just over 100 was a good score on that wicket. It was a challenging wicket to bat on. They bowled really well but a lot of soft dismissals from us put them on top. They never gave us any chance to get back into the game. So, credit to them as well.”Alei Nao got the early breakthroughs for Papua New Guinea•ICC via Getty ImagesVala however lauded his bowlers who reduced Uganda to 6 for 3 in the third over. They further slipped to 26 for 5 before Riazat Ali Shah and Juma Miyagi restored the Uganda innings with a 35-run stand. Riazat enjoyed some luck in his crucial 33, surviving an easy dropped chance by fielder Charles Amini on 8; that was one of two dropped chances let off by PNG in their defense of a small target.”I thought that the effort from the bowlers really brought us back into the game,” Vala said. “There weren’t enough runs on the board for them to defend. We started really well with three early wickets.”You need everything to go your way in a small total. We created the opportunities at the same time. When we need to take those chances, I don’t know what to say anymore. It is a disappointing effort from us.”Vala doesn’t want his troop to drop their shoulders yet. They have matches against Afghanistan and New Zealand next, so he wants to see the energy levels they displayed against West Indies in their opening game.”We are coming up against two Full Member nations in Afghanistan and New Zealand in the next two games in Trinidad. I think we need to be up for that,” he said. “We don’t get the opportunity to play against those teams so when the opportunity is in front of us, we need to make the best of it.”I think we need to have the full energy, determination and attitude towards playing against top teams. We got outplayed today, to be honest. We didn’t play as well as we did against West Indies so we need to have the right attitude in the next two games.”

Jason Holder says that his experience of looking on from afar as West Indies sealed their thrilling eight-run victory over Australia at the Gabba in January has given him “renewed energy” to pick up where he left off, as he prepares to face England at Lord’s in his first Test for almost a year.Holder, 32, was one of the notable omissions when West Indies chose to send a weakened squad to Australia earlier this year, having turned down a central contract in order to fulfil his lucrative deal with Dubai Capitals in the ILT20. In his absence, Kraigg Brathwaite’s team bounced back from a ten-wicket defeat in Adelaide to square the series in extraordinary style in Brisbane, a venue where Australia had lost just one Test since 1988.”It gave me a renewed energy to come back to the group, and try to be a part of something special again,” Holder said. “I missed Test cricket. This is my first Test match in a long time, so I’m looking forward to it. I’m just happy that I’ve been able to still get the body up and going and being up for the challenge here.”On the lure of franchise cricket, Holder insisted “it’s not my job to find a solution”, but pointed out that South African and New Zealand players have similarly opted out of central contracts in recent months to maximise their earning potential in T20 tournaments.”It is what it is,” he added. “This is where the game is moving, each and every person has their own personal decision to make. I was just so happy for the boys when they when they did what it did in Australia.”West Indies have arrived in London, where they will go into the Lord’s Test as underdogs given that 1988 was also the last time they won a Test series in England. But, as holders of the Richards-Botham Trophy after a hard-fought 1-0 win in the Caribbean in 2021-22, and with memorable victories at Headingley and Southampton in each of their last two away series in 2017 and 2020, Holder is confident that his team has the wherewithal to go one better this time out.”The guys took a lot from that Test victory in Australia,” he said after West Indies’ training on Monday. “We’ve been doing some really positive things over the last couple of months. And I think as a young side, the main thing is just to keep learning. What we have in the dressing room is some special talent, no doubt about it. It’s just a matter for us just to play some solid cricket and they’ll have just to believe. It’s time for someone to break the shackles, and there’s no better time for us to come here and beat England.”The circumstances of West Indies’ current visit could not be much further removed from their last tour in 2020, which took place at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, behind closed doors and in bio-secure environments at Southampton and Old Trafford. Holder himself was captain back then, and though his team earned huge respect for helping to keep international cricket alive in uncertain times, it was not an experience he looked back on with any great fondness.Jason Holder runs in to bowl at West Indies’ training session ahead of the first Test against England•Getty Images

“Firstly, it’s just good to be out in the open again,” he said. “I remember being locked in Manchester for three weeks before the Test series, which was tough because you stayed at the ground. And then we went down to Southampton for a week, which felt like a week out of prison. And then we went right back into prison after Southampton.”Related

• Jason Holder, Nicholas Pooran, Kyle Mayers turn down West Indies central contracts

• Shamar, Motie miss WI's tour game after flight from Guyana cancelled

• Johnny Grave: West Indies' Covid tour showed Big Three need strong opponents

• James Anderson's seven-wicket onslaught condemns Nottinghamshire to follow-on

• Andrew Strauss: 'There has to be life after James Anderson'

The fact that the show went on, however, offered a degree of normality to a world that was otherwise in lockdown, and Holder hoped that something of the same could apply to the people of the Caribbean, a region that was last week hit hard by the devastation of Hurricane Beryl.”It was tough man, but reflecting on it, you just count your blessings right now,” he said. “Obviously, there were a lot of lives lost during Covid. And again, it’s a similar situation with the hurricane that just passed. The only impetus that people had was cricket. They finally got a chance to see some cricket which put a smile on people’s faces in the Caribbean.”So coming back here in England four years later, we’re just looking to take it one step further. We won one Test match last time out of three. Yeah, two will be a lot better on this trip.”Holder’s preparations for his Test return included two first-class matches for Barbados in March, followed by a five-match stint for Worcestershire in the County Championship, for whom he made an unbeaten century against Kent in his final appearance.”It was one hell of an experience,” he said of his time with the club. “It gave me new energy because the love that the boys showed me was second to none.”Although much of the buzz around the first Test will centre on James Anderson and his impending retirement, Holder was reluctant to be drawn into the conversation at this stage. However, he acknowledged the hole that Anderson will leave in England’s dressing room could be similar to that left in West Indies’ after the departure of Shivnarine Chanderpaul after his own 21-year career.”It was a bittersweet feeling in a sense,” he said, “where someone who’s done so much for West Indies cricket Is being pinched to wake up that he’s actually finishing.”You’re losing such a powerful figure in the dressing-room, I guess it’ll be the same thing for England. But, as with everything else, we’ve got to move on many times. You unfortunately can’t play professional sport forever. At some point, we’ve got to close the curtains.”Some people get to do it on their own terms, some people don’t . But the experience of me playing with Shiv, it was great to be in the dressing room with him and just learn so much from him.”

Musheer, Sarfaraz, Rinku, and Reddy all fell cheaply to Kamboj and let go of the advantage India B had going into day three

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Sep-2024Even as Abhimanyu Easwaran stood tall from one end to post an unbeaten 143 for India B, Anshul Kamboj ran through the batting unit to take 5 for 66 to give India C the advantage by stumps on day three in Anantapur. With one day of action remaining, India C are now favourites to claim the first-innings-lead points, with India B still 216 runs behind at 309 for 7.Day three began with India B on 124 for 0. The opening pair of Easwaran and N Jagadeesan were looking to build towards overcoming India C’s first-innings score of 525, but Kamboj struck in the day’s fourth over, dismissing Jagadeesan for 70.That triggered a slide that had India B sipping to 194 for 5, with each of those dismissals belonging to Kamboj. After getting Jagadeesan caught behind, the seam-bowling allrounder had both Khan brothers – Musheer (1) and Sarfaraz (16) – dismissed lbw, and then followed it up with the wickets of Rinku Singh (6) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (2). While Ishan Kishan caught Rinku off Kamboj, Reddy was out bowled.However, Easwaran, from an overnight score of 51, could not be dislodged through the day. He brought up his 24th first-class century after lunch, and with the help of 12 fours and a solitary six finished the day seven short of his 150. With Washington Sundar (13), he added a 43-run sixth-wicket stand, and with Sai Kishore (21), he stitched a 46-run partnership for the seventh wicket.The two promising lower-order partnerships were ended by Vijaykumar Vyshak and Mayank Markande respectively, while Rahul Chahar (18*), coming in at No. 9, saw off the last eight overs with Easwaran on a day when only 65 overs were bowled.India B’s middle-order crumble, which saw them lose 5 for 65, now leaves them with very slim chances of earning any points from this round two fixture. If India C take the last three wickets and claim the lead – which they are favourites to do – they will earn three points and be guaranteed to move to the top of the Duleep Trophy table. India C’s best-case scenario, though, would be to enforce follow-on early on the final day and then hunt for the six points on offer for an outright win.