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Russell was ambling to his crease at the non-striker’s end at that point, expecting the throw to arrive (only) at the striker’s end

Mohammad Isam21-Jan-2022A bemused Andre Russell was run out in freak fashion in Minister Group Dhaka’s game against Khulna Tigers, when the fielder’s throw from short-third man incredibly deflected from one set of stumps to the other.On BPL 2022’s opening day, Russell, having just deposited a six over midwicket, tried to work the ball into the third-man region and take a single off Thisara Perera. Mahedi Hasan, positioned at short-third, fielded and fired a throw in towards the striker’s end, where Mahmudullah was headed. The throw was on target, breaking the stumps, before things took a turn for the more bizarre: the ball then ricocheted down the pitch and straight on to the stumps at the non-striker’s end in a bit of perfect but mind-bending geometry. Russell was ambling to his crease at this point, expecting the throw to arrive (only) at the striker’s end.Dhaka appealed for both run-outs, and while Mahmudullah was safe, Russell wasn’t.According to the Laws of Cricket, the ball was not dead after hitting the first set of stumps, as, in this instance, it would only be dead when the batter was dismissed. The first part of Law 20 states:(20.1.1.2) a boundary is scoredAn international umpire who did not want to be named told ESPNcricinfo of the dismissal: “It was a clean dismissal. The fielding side appealed for the first direct-hit. Since it was not out, the decision was transferred to the next chance of dismissal. In this case it was a run-out at the non-striker’s end.”Russell had his hands on his hips, wondering at his luck.Dhaka went on to finish on 183 for 6, with Tamim Iqbal top scoring in the innings with 50 off 42. It would not be enough, with Khulna chasing down their target with five wickets and six balls to spare.

An elite European club has entered talks with Chelsea over signing a £50 million member of Enzo Maresca's squad, and it is believed he's tempted by the possibility of joining them before the summer deadline.

Players who could still be sold by Chelsea this summer

So far, Todd Boehly and BlueCo have given the green light to a host of players leaving Stamford Bridge, with co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Wistanley finding an array of suitors for them.

Fabrizio Romano: 6ft 3 star now agrees to join Chelsea after bid submitted

They have a long-term contract ready for him to sign at Stamford Bridge.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jul 25, 2024

Thiago Silva, Hakim Ziyech, Malang Sarr, Ian Maatsen, Omari Hutchinson, Michael Golding and Lewis Hall have all left Chelsea, with the aforementioned quartet bringing in around £89 million to help even out their financial scales after another window of lavish spending.

Boehly and co have also managed to get their wages off the club's books, which will save cash in the long-term and allow the west Londoners to reinvest that money in the salaries of future additions.

Alongside these former Chelsea men, a few more players have been tipped for the exit door this summer. Trevoh Chalobah is now prepared to leave Chelsea after being omitted from their pre-season tour, a move which has drawn criticism from both pundits and supporters.

"The Chalobah situation is an absolute shambles," said Bart Barrett, a life-long Chelsea season ticket holder, to GOAL.

"He was probably our best defender in last 10-15 games last season – no coincidence our form improved massively with him in there instead of Disasi and [Benoit] Badiashile.

"It's a joke they have signed Tosin to replace Chalobah, who is a better player and has been at Chelsea since a kid. But the only way they look at it is Tosin was free and Chalobah will go for £30m – so profit for the same squad role. It just shows a complete lack of understanding of the club."

While treatment of the 24-year-old Cobham graduate has attracted criticism, another player who supporters won't want to see leave is midfielder Conor Gallagher. The England international, who is also a product of the Chelsea academy, has been linked with a high-profile exit which would prove deeply unpopular with the fanbase.

Atletico Madrid open talks to sign Conor Gallagher from Chelsea

He's entered the final 12 months of his contract, meaning the west Londoners are faced with the difficult decision of either selling this window or letting him go for free next year.

There has been no news in the way of renewed terms, and that is something which clubs are looking to take advantage of. According to TEAMtalk, Atletico Madrid have opened talks with Chelsea over signing Gallagher.

Diego Simeone's side are confident they'll win the race for his services and believe he really fits their mold. TEAMtalk also state that Gallagher is attracted by the possibility of joining up with the La Liga heavyweights, but it will be interesting to see if they're willing to go anywhere near Chelsea's £50 million valuation of the player.

Called a "very underrated" player by commentator Stephen Doyle, Gallagher's exit is a transfer which could be met with uproar.

Plays of the Day from the fourth day of the first Test between Bangladesh and West Indies in Mirpur

Mohammad Isam in Mirpur16-Nov-2012Milestone of the day
Mahmudullah completed his half-century early on the fourth day, taking a single in the third over to score his first since March 2010. Not long after, he took the more important single to post Bangladesh’s highest team total, off the final ball of the 136th over. It overtook the 488 Bangladesh scored against Zimbabwe in Chittagong almost eight years ago.Payback of the day
It will be hard to forget Chris Gayle dispatching Sohag Gazi’s first ball in Test cricket for six. Today, Gazi returned the favour with the bat, almost. He skipped out of the crease and chipped Sunil Narine for a boundary, off his first ball in Test cricket. Two dot balls later, however, he played back to a sharp off-break and had his off-stump pegged back.Misfortune of the day
Nasir Hossain refused many singles during his 61-run ninth-wicket partnership with Shahadat Hossain, so it was clear how little he trusted the man from Signboard, Narayanganj (yes, that’s where he’s from). Nasir rushed through the 90s, hammering two boundaries to move to 96. Tino Best’s slower ball however had the better of him, the batsman edging a push into the hands of Chris Gayle at first slip, to become the tenth Bangladesh batsman to be dismissed in the 90s. His selflessness didn’t pay there.Effort of the day
Shahadat played his part in helping get rid of Gayle in the sixth over of the West Indies second innings. Off the first ball of the over, Gayle’s flick towards deep-square leg was boundary-bound but Shahadat saved the four, with a little flick of his leg while he was prostrate. Shakib helped out with a strong throw and it kept Gayle down to two and on strike. Two balls later, Rubel Hossain had him caught behind.Catch of the day
Gazi got one to bounce at Marlon Samuels, which he popped to short square-leg Shahriar Nafees. Replays showed that the catcher had in fact backed away slightly as the batsman shaped to hit the ball through midwicket. But Nafees, apparently despite not really planning to, held on somehow. This on a day when Junaid Siddique dropped two catches, and Shahadat one.Timely blow of the day
Gazi has shown many skills with the ball in his debut Test, including a delivery that goes straight on. Off what turned out to be the final ball of the fourth day, the offspinner bowled a beauty to get rid of nightwatchman Veerasammy Permaul, who went on to the front foot, groped and missed the straight one completely. It pushed West Indies to 244 for 6, ahead by 215 runs with four wickets in hand, going into the final day.

San Marino made history once again after beating Liechtenstein 3-1 to earn an unprecedented Nations League promotion in the process.

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• San Marino win again
• Beat Liechtenstein 3-1
• Achieve Nations League promotion

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  A couple of months on from winning their first game in 20 years, and their first competitive match ever, San Marino beat Liechtenstein once again on Monday night. That was the first time they have scored three goals in the same game – ever.

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  To top it off, they topped League D Group 1 after four matches – meaning they will be promoted to League C. They finished with seven points from a possible 12, edging Gibraltar into second. The infamous minnows, who are ranked as the worst international football team in the world, will now face an even tougher task against better sides in the next edition of the Nations League.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  San Marino fell behind in the 40th minute through Aron Sele, before second-half goals from Lorenzo Lazzari, Nicola Nanni, and Alessandro Golinucci secured them a stunning victory in Liechtenstein's Rheinpark Stadium.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  San Marino, who are the lowest ranked international side in the world at 210, will eagerly wait to find out who they play in the 2026/27 edition of the Nations League.

Scorchers remain at the top of the table despite the loss, while Thunder are now tied on points with second-placed Sydney Sixers

Tristan Lavalette06-Jan-2022Gurinder Sandhu claimed a BBL hat-trick as Sydney Thunder continued their stranglehold over league leaders Perth Scorchers with a six-wicket victory in a rain-affected match at Gold Coast.Sandhu claimed his third hat-trick in Australian domestic competitions to help restrict Scorchers to a modest 9 for 133 off 18 overs on a slow Metricon Stadium pitch. Needing a revised 135 runs off 18 overs, Thunder overcame a late wobble to prevail with six balls to spare.Thunder have inflicted Scorchers’ their only two losses in ten matches this season after a 34-run win in Canberra on December 28. And they have now pulled level with second-placed Sydney Sixers on 23 points after winning their fourth straight game.Sandhu’s three-card trick
Sandhu is the only cricketer to have taken two hat-tricks in Australia’s List A competition and achieved the feat this time in the BBL.It took a while to happen, though, with Sandhu’s first wicket, of Colin Munro, off the last ball of the 12th over, and then he returned to the attack only in the 16th, when he outfoxed Aaron Hardie with a slower ball and then got Laurie Evans when the batter attempted a slog. That made Sandhu the seventh bowler to claim a BBL hat-trick.His heroics ensured Thunder did not miss Pakistani quick Mohammad Hasnain, who was unavailable because of Queensland’s Covid-19 border restrictions. Thunder showcased their array of talent with a disciplined performance as English import Sadiq Mahmood bade farewell to the BBL with two wickets.Munro fails to get going
Even though there was a forecast of rain, Scorchers stuck with their preference of batting first, and opener Kurtis Patterson did his best to vindicate that decision with a couple of boundaries in the opening over. But a 25-minute rain break during the third over halted his momentum as Patterson fell giving a catch to extra cover shortly after resumption.The onus was then on the big hitting Munro, who has had a superb season but looked out of sorts in his last start against Sydney Sixers with a scratchy 36-ball 27. Once again, Munro was unable to find his usual belligerence with a subdued knock of 18 off 20 balls.Scorchers were rocked by Sandhu’s double-strike in the 16th over, but were given a nudge by Ashton Agar, who threw the bat around – quite literally in the last over – in a handy late cameo.Jason Sangha top-scored in the Thunder chase•Getty Images

Thunder get home despite Hales’ struggle
Alex Hales has had a miserable BBL season, exacerbated by contracting Covid-19, which forced him to miss Thunder’s two matches against Adelaide Strikers. He returned, but his touch still deserted him as a frustrated Hales was completely overshadowed by Matthew Gilkes, who smashed Lance Morris for 14 runs in the opening over.Gilkes’ pyrotechnics eased the burden on Hales, who only scored one run off his first seven deliveries before finally smashing a boundary to end the four-over powerplay. He demonstrated his famed power with a six over long-on to bring up Thunder’s 50 in the seventh over.His partner departed soon after but Jason Sangha kept the momentum going with some blistering shots around the wicket to underline his burgeoning credentials.Hales couldn’t shake off his struggles and his 32-ball 26 ended when he holed out in the 13th over and Thunder still had work to do. When Sangha was bowled for 32 in the next over, Thunder appeared tense, needing 40 runs off the final four overs.But Oliver Davies and Sam Billings steadied the ship with the Englishman finishing his BBL stint in style with the winning boundary.Scorchers left to rue sloppiness on the field
Scorchers rested spearhead Jason Behrendorff for the second straight game, perhaps sensing it was a good opportunity to give him an extended breather with Tymal Mills playing his final match of the season.For much of Thunder’s chase, Scorchers seemed out of answers but in trademark style they slowly clawed back into the contest. Mills bowled tightly in the 11th over as Scorchers started turning the screws and they sensed another comeback when Matthew Kelly unleashed a superb yorker to knock over Sangha.But Scorchers were unusually sloppy under pressure, marked by a crucial drop by wicketkeeper Cameron Bancroft to reprieve Billings when Thunder needed 19 runs off 14 balls.Even though he struggled late, Mills will be an undeniable loss for Scorchers who will probably hope they don’t see their bogey team Thunder again this season.

Since the end of the Sir Alex Ferguson era, Manchester United have struggled to find a striker who can guarantee them goals. There were plenty of deadly marksmen under the legendary Scot, but since his retirement in 2013, the Red Devils have not managed to find someone who can hit the back of the net consistently.

However, that is not for lack of trying to find a replacement. They have had many centre-forwards over the years, some have had more success than others. Radamel Falcao struggled to make an impact in red and scored just four times during his one-year loan stint at Old Trafford in 2014/15.

The likes of Romelu Lukaku and Edinson Cavani also represented the club, two of the 21st century’s biggest names. Lukaku’s numbers were not bad, with 42 goals in 96 games, and Cavani was excellent, but sadly injury-prone. The Uruguayan scored 19 goals in 59 outings for the Red Devils.

Of course, the biggest of these names is Cristiano Ronaldo. The legendary Portugal striker scored 27 goals across 54 appearances during his second spell at the club but fell out with Erik ten Hag and left the club.

United are still looking to find the perfect striker to consistently find the back of the net. With the transfer window now open, they have been linked with one man who could be their main man up front.

Man Utd target Premier League striker

The player in question here is Everton and England international Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The 27-year-old has been consistently linked with a move away from Goodison Park this summer, with United offering a potential destination for the striker.

At least, that is according to a report from The Athletic who report that 'talks have taken place' amongst the new hierarchy at Old Trafford for a potential deal with Calvert-Lewin, with Brentford striker Ivan Toney also under consideration.

According to the report, Everton are 'open to selling' their talismanic striker this summer, due to their current financial issues, as opposed to letting him leave for free once his contract expires next summer.

A deal for the Englishman would cost around £30m and may well represent an alternative to Joshua Zirkzee. The Dutchman is said to be closing in on a move to Old Trafford according to some reports.

Why Calvert-Lewin would be a good signing

The Everton striker played 32 times in the Premier League last season, scoring seven goals and registering two assists along the way. However, his best season in the top flight came in 2020/21, when Calvert-Lewin bagged 16 times in 33 appearances.

That season, the Englishman played under one of the all-time great managers, Carlo Ancelotti. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig called the striker a “pure poacher”, explaining that the Italian turned Calvert-Lewin into “a monster” of a centre-forward. He may not be so prolific anymore but he still has some exciting attributes that help him live up to Ancelotti's billing of a few years ago.

Indeed, in terms of his profile, the Englishman uses his height to his advantage and is widely renowned as one of the best strikers in the air in the Premier League, with Richarlison once suggesting that he has a "leap on him like Cristiano Ronaldo".

He is also excellent in the penalty box and can sniff out a chance with great instinct like any top striker, hence why Kulig called him a “poacher”.

One of the things to be cautious about when it comes to Calvert-Lewin is his injury record. Whilst, last season, his fitness issues were not as bad as previous campaigns, the Englishman has missed a lot of football in recent times. In 2021/22, he missed 34 matches with injury, and 2022/23 was not much better. The Everton number nine missed 29 games sidelined with an injury.

He is a different profile to Rasmus Hojlund, who likes to run the channels rather than hold the ball up. This is something which was pointed out by football analyst Adam Bate in an article with Sky Sports, who explained that the young Dane “would prefer to be running channels, finding space with his movement” rather than act as the hold-up striker Ten Hag used him as last season.

According to Fbref, last season in the Premier League, Calvert-Lewin averaged 5.68 aerial duels won per 90 minutes, which ranks him in the top 3% of strikers in the division. This gave him a win rate of 48.8%, placing him in the top 13% of strikers.

His instinct in front of goal is also backed up by the stats from Fbref. Calvert-Lewin’s expected goals per game last season in the top flight was 0.53xG, ranking him in the top 17% of centre forwards. He also averaged 0.12 shots per game which then led to a goal-scoring shot, which placed him in the top 7%.

He has had previous successes against Manchester United for the Toffees. The England international grabbed a goal and an assist in a memorable 3-3 draw at Old Trafford during 2020/21, against a Red Devils defence that included Harry Maguire and David de Gea. His 95th-minute equaliser broke United hearts at the death having dominated the club's defence.

Should the Red Devils look to sign Calvert-Lewin this summer, he could become the centre-forward United have lacked in the years since Ferguson left the club. Although he has struggled with injuries in recent seasons, he is a quality penalty box striker with an eye for goal and offers something completely different to Rasmus Hojlund. For £30m, it could be an excellent deal for United.

Man Utd hit gold on exceptional star who's worth way more than Zirkzee

The talented youngster’s valuation is sky-high.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jul 9, 2024

Celtic have less than two months left to go in the summer transfer window to make any changes to their squad before it slams shut at the end of August.

The Hoops' main focus at the moment may be about how they can convince Matt O'Riley to stay at Parkhead amid interest from the Premier League.

Journalist Alfie House recently reported that Southampton, who have just been promoted from the Championship, are interested in a deal for the Danish playmaker.

He added that agreeing a transfer fee with the Scottish giants is possible but it could be difficult for them to iron out personal terms with the ex-MK Dons star.

Brendan Rodgers lost Jota and Carl Starfelt last summer and may not want to watch another key performer for the Hoops move on ahead of next season.

On the other side of things, Celtic may also be looking at potential signings to come in and improve their squad before the 2024/25 campaign, as they look to build on their domestic double – lifting the Scottish Premiership title and the SFA Cup – last term.

Celtic's interest in midfielder warrior

Back in April, Football Scotland reported that the Hoops had been offered the chance to sign Cremonese defensive midfielder Charles Pickel.

The report stated that Rodgers wants to bring in a new number six to anchor his side next season and the Serie B star emerged as an option for him to consider.

It revealed that the Bhoys made it known that they want to add a player in that position and agents came back to suggest Pickel as a target, which the Scottish side took onboard.

Football Scotland claimed that English Championship sides Preston North End and Leeds United are also interested in a potential swoop for the 27-year-old star.

However, the outlet stated that the DR Congo international's preference would be to make a move to Scotland to play for Celtic, rather than test his luck in England's second division.

The report did not, though, explain how much Cremonese would demand for the player, who has two years left on his contract, or how much the Bhoys would be willing to spend on a new defensive midfielder.

This means that it remains to be seen how likely a move to Parkhead is for the experienced Serie B anchor before the summer transfer window slams shut.

If the Hoops do decide to press ahead with a deal to sign him, though, then they could bring in a star who could offer more than Tomoki Iwata in the number six role.

Tomoki Iwata's season in numbers

The Japan international did not start the season as an important member of Rodgers' side but eventually worked his way into the team during the second half of the campaign.

12 of his 19 appearances in the Premiership came after the turn of the year and this shows that the Northern Irish boss decided to lean on him to anchor the midfield during the run-in as they fought for the title.

The 27-year-old midfielder, who only started six league games under Ange Postecoglou in the 2022/23 campaign, provided a calming presence on the ball for the Hoops, with the likes of Reo Hatate, Callum McGregor, Paulo Bernardo, and Matt O'Riley then tasked with making an impact in the final third.

He completed 90% of his attempted passes in the league, completing 30.9 per match on average, and this shows that the Japanese ace rarely gifted possession back to the opposition, allowing the Hoops to dictate the tempo of games.

However, Iwata's lack of progression on the ball and his average defensive work means that there is scope for Celtic to land an upgrade on him.

As you can see in the table above, he only won 50% of his physical duels across his 19 appearances in the Premiership, which shows that the 27-year-old gem was not a dominant force in the middle of the park.

The Hoops could now land an upgrade on Iwata by swooping to sign Pickel from Italian side Cremonese to anchor their midfield for the 2024/25 campaign and beyond.

Why Celtic should sign Charles Pickel

Firstly, he is an experienced player who could come in and hit the ground running at the age of 27, rather than arriving as a young prospect who would come in with potential and may take time to develop.

This means that Pickel could be signed to make an instant impact on the pitch and that is backed up by his impressive form in the Serie B last season.

The potential Hoops addition ranked within the top 41% of midfielders in the division for progressive passes per 90 (4.83) and the top 31% for Expected Assisted Goals per 90 (0.11).

Along with that, the DR Congo international also chipped in with three goals and two assists in 27 league appearances for the Italian outfit, which shows that he has the potential to provide more at the top end of the pitch than Iwata – who managed just two goal contributions.

Pickel, who was hailed for his "incredible" offensive work as a defensive midfielder by journalist Emery Kabongo, also caught the eye with his work off the ball.

As you can see in the table above, the Serie B battler constantly looked to win possession back for his side by winning duels in the middle of the park.

Pickel could, therefore, provide more to the Hoops than Iwata did out of possesion with his ability to get across the field to make timely challenges, whilst also being more dominant in aerial battles to help from crosses and set-pieces.

Celtic could ease possible O'Riley exit with swoop for SPFL goal threat

The Hoops are facing interest from the Premier League in their star midfielder.

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By
Dan Emery

Jul 3, 2024

Overall, the 6 foot 1 titan could be an excellent addition to the squad as an upgrade on the Japan international due to his qualities on and off the ball.

Incoming England boss Thomas Tuchel has reportedly reached out to Manchester United star Marcus Rashford about his plans for him with the Three Lions.

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• Tuchel England's next manager
• German reaches out to Rashford
• Reveals plans for Man Utd man

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to , Tuchel told Rashford that he wants him in his Three Lions squad as long as he keeps his form up. The German is said to be a huge admirer of the 27-year-old and believes a big part of England's failure to win Euro 2024 was not having Rashford as an option.

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  Tuchel will take up his England manager role in January 2025, with the goal of leading the Three Lions to World Cup glory in 2026. One of his many tasks will be getting the best out of Rashford, so long as the United man delivers on the pitch for the Red Devils. After not being selected for the Euros, Rashford will be determined to right the wrongs of 2024 when 2025 rolls around.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Rashford has scored four goals and bagged three assists in 17 games for United this season, meaning he is half way to the goal contributions tally he chalked up over 43 appearances last term. He may need to do better than that to get into the England squad under Tuchel.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Before Rashford can think about getting back into the England squad and potentially playing under Tuchel, he will be focused on Sunday's Premier League clash with Leicester City at Old Trafford.

Chris Gayle’s return and the presence of a number of potential matchwinners in the line-up augment West Indies’ chances in the ODI series

Madhusudhan Ramakrishnan15-Jun-2012England ahead in recent contests
When England and West Indies last played each other, in the group game of the 2011 World Cup, the context was entirely different. While West Indies had managed to keep themselves afloat by beating the three lower-ranked teams in their group after a loss in their opening game to South Africa, England were struggling to stay in the tournament after an indifferent run in the group stage where they beat South Africa but suffered shock losses to Bangladesh and Ireland. In that clash in Chennai, England were on the ropes after Chris Gayle’s stunning start but managed to recover and eke out a close win. However, the joy for both teams was short lived as they crashed out in humiliating fashion in the quarter-finals (both ten-wicket losses). Since then, England have gone on to win three out of four bilateral series (excluding the one-off game against Ireland) with their most recent win coming against Pakistan in the UAE. The situation for West Indies has been the opposite. They lost home series against Pakistan and India (both by a 3-2 margin) and were beaten 4-1 in India. However, in their most recent home series against Australia, West Indies performed well above themselves to secure a 2-2 result.Since 2000, West Indies’ slide in Tests has been alarming. However, in ODIs, they have been a far bigger threat. In 2004, they came back from the brink to win the Champions Trophy final and made the final of the next edition of the tournament in 2006. As is the case for West Indies against most teams, their win-loss record against England is better in home games. Since 2000, their win-loss ratio in home ODIs is 1.20 while the corresponding number in away games is 0.66. They played England twice in neutral venues (both in India) in the Champions Trophy 2006 and the 2011 World Cup and lost on both occasions. West Indies’ steady decline in the last decade becomes even more apparent when one considers that they had a positive win-loss record against most top teams before 2000.

West Indies’ away record a worry
In their last series, West Indies nearly pulled off a stunning upset against Australia. Despite the absence of Gayle and Dwayne Bravo, West Indies pushed Australia in the five-match series and managed to secure a 2-2 result (the remaining game ending in a tie). However, that is as far as West Indies have been able to go. Since 2007, they have managed to win just one bilateral home series against a top team (excluding Bangladesh and Zimbabwe). In two home series against India and Pakistan, the only matches they managed to win were dead-rubber games (after losing the first three matches). Their away record in the same period is hardly inspiring. Of the nine series they have played in away/neutral venues, West Indies have won just one. They can, however, draw some confidence from the fact that their only away series win came against England in 2007 (2-1). The win-loss ratio for West Indies in home and away matches since 2007 is 0.47 and 0.19 respectively.England have traced a very different path in ODIs in the last five years. Despite their lack of success in major tournaments, they have stayed extremely competitive in bilateral series. Their win-loss ratio in home matches (1.25) is much better than their performances in away/neutral games (0.58). In the last two years, England have won home series against Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka by a close margin of 3-2 each time. Two of their worst defeats have come in away series – they lost 6-1 in Australia and 5-0 in India. However, they did manage to salvage their away form by defeating Pakistan 4-0 in the UAE. England’s home series record (Seven wins and three losses) gives them a major advantage over West Indies, who have hardly threatened in away matches.*

Gayle’s comeback a cause for cheer
Given Gayle’s spectacular form in IPL 2012 and his excellent track record in ODIs, West Indies will be more than glad to have him back. Gayle last played in an ODI in the 2011 World Cup and his absence deprived West Indies of powerful starts. He is just one century away from surpassing Brian Lara as the leading century maker for West Indies in ODIs. While his overall stats make for impressive reading, it is his performance in chases that sets him apart. He has scored 10 of his 19 centuries in chases at an average of 41.67 and strike rate of 87.81. He has a high average (51.88) in matches against England in England but a surprisingly low strike rate (70.22). Gayle, who was instrumental in setting up West Indies’ series win in England in 2007, undoubtedly adds to the threat posed by West Indies in the shorter form.

Pietersen’s absence could be felt
Although Kevin Pietersen had not been in the greatest form for the last two years, he had reversed the trend in the series against Pakistan by scoring consecutive centuries. Pietersen’s sudden decision to retire from ODIs will have a major impact on England’s batting, considering that his average and strike rate are the highest among England batsmen with 4000-plus runs. England, however, have benefited vastly from Alastair Cook’s renaissance as an ODI batsman. Cook has been remarkable in recent matches scoring over 1000 runs at an average of 53.95 and strike rate of 91.51. While Jonathan Trott provides stability at the top, Eoin Morgan adds value to the middle order by virtue of his aggressive approach.Kieron Pollard, already an integral part of West Indies’ Twenty20 setup, has now established himself as an allrounder in the ODI team. In the fourth ODI against Australia, Pollard proved his worth by scoring a century off 69 balls, the joint second-fastest by a West Indies batsman. Along with Pollard, the presence of powerful hitters like Andre Russell and Darren Sammy makes the West Indies middle order extremely dangerous. Gayle is likely to be partnered at the top of the order by Lendl Simmons, who has made a fairly impressive start to his ODI career (11 fifty-plus scores in 36 matches). Darren Bravo is yet to prove himself in the shorter form but will be buoyed after his century in the tour game against Middlesex.

Experience gives England the edge
While the West Indies’ batting line-up matches up well with England’s, the relative lack of bowling experience could hurt the visitors. Dwayne Bravo’s return adds variety to an attack that will miss the aggression of Kemar Roach. Sunil Narine, who had great success against Australia in the recent ODI series, has picked up 14 wickets in eight matches at an economy rate of 3.79. Narine was not quite at his best on his Test debut, but given his impressive display in IPL 2012, he will be a tough bowler to handle in the shorter form.James Anderson suffered on the flat tracks in the subcontinent during the World Cup but will be far more dangerous in helpful conditions in England. Graeme Swann, who is already England’s most successful spinner in ODIs, has excellent stats in the period (average 24.06 and economy rate 4.30). Steven Finn bowled superbly in the series against Pakistan and finished with a series haul of 13 wickets (from four matches) including two four-wicket hauls. Finn, who has had an excellent start to his ODI career (28 wickets at 23.92), gives England a definite advantage on the bowling front going into the series.

Liverpool chief John Henry was close with Ed Woodward when he was at Manchester United and even advised him on contract talks with Mohamed Salah.

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• Woodward and Henry first bonded over Project Big Picture
• Ex-Man Utd chief revealed contract advice
• Salah signed new Liverpool deal in 2022

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  A revealing report from the on Salah has lifted the curtain on his career at Liverpool, exposing both the good and the bad. One key flashpoint in the story came before the 2022 Champions League final, in which the Reds lost 1-0 to Real Madrid, where club majority owner Henry was keen to extend Salah's contract.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  At the time, Henry had grown close with the much maligned United chief Woodward, who helped advise him on how best to go about contract talks. Despite Salah's excellent consistency since his arrival in 2017, very few clubs were in the market for him, and the interest which there was, namely from Paris Saint-Germain, appeared unattractive to Salah. As a result, Liverpool were in a strong position to extend the Egyptian's contract as it seemed he had nowhere else to go.

• AFP
  

  WHAT THE REPORT SAID

  In the revealing article, it's claimed that Woodward told Henry of his struggle to manage 'expectations' after handing David De Gea a lucrative new deal in 2019, intimating this was a warning to the Liverpool head honcho, who he had grown close to after working together on Project Big Picture.

• WHAT NEXT FOR SALAH & LIVERPOOL?

  Liverpool are preparing for Tuesday's Champions League clash with Bundesliga winners Bayer Leverkusen, before hosting Aston Villa in crucial Premier League clash. Salah has been in potent form so far this season, notching nine goals and seven assists in all competitions.