Category Uncategorized

It would be fair to say that, so far, this season has not gone to plan for Arsenal.

After coming painfully close to winning the Premier League in their two prior campaigns, Mikel Arteta’s side came into this year with the sole intention of going one step further, and when Rodri was ruled out in September, it looked like it might happen.

Unfortunately, in the months since, the Gunners have had to deal with a considerable number of injuries themselves, some questionable decisions from officials, and simply put, some lacklustre form from some of their star players.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom for the men in red and white, as a few players have stepped up this season, including one already being compared to some highly valued stars.

Arsenal's top performers compared to last season

While there have been several players who have taken a step back for Arsenal in terms of their attacking output this season, it’s worth starting things on a positive – well, sort of – as, prior to his injury in December, Bukayo Saka was on track to have the best campaign of his career.

Last year, the Hale End icon was utterly sublime for the Gunners, racking up a haul of 20 goals and 14 assists in just 47 appearances, totalling 3865 minutes, which comes to an average of a goal involvement every 1.38 games, or every 113.67 minutes.

Yet, as incredible as that was, the 23-year-old was doing even better this year, racking up nine goals and 13 assists in 24 appearances, totalling 1828 minutes, which means he was averaging a goal involvement every 1.09 games, or every 83.09 minutes, which is frankly incredible.

Unfortunately, while the Ealin-born superstar stepped up this season, many of his teammates, like Leandro Trossard, did not.

The Belgian international was a force of nature at points last year and, in 46 first-team appearances, totalling 2263 minutes, produced a brilliant tally of 17 goals and two assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.42 games, or every 119.10 minutes.

However, so far this season, the former Brighton & Hove Albion star has only been able to score five goals and produce seven assists in 37 appearances, totalling 2190 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 3.08 games, or every 182.5 minutes.

The good news is that while some of the senior players have let the side down this year, another gem has broken into the first team and is now being compared to some highly valued attackers on the continent.

Market Movers

The £85m Arsenal star in the making

When Saka injured his hamstring in December, and then Gabriel Jesus injured his ACL just a few weeks later, there was a genuine concern over who Arsenal would play off the right.

Fortunately, Ethan Nwaneri stepped up and, since returning from his own minor knock, has looked like a nailed-on starter.

The “incredible” 17-year-old phenomenon, as talent scout Jacek Kulig described him, was one of only a few bright sparks for the Gunners against Leicester City last week.

It was his cross that led to Mikel Merino’s opener, and on top of that, he hit the woodwork twice and was a constant threat throughout the encounter.

It was the sort of performance that shouldn’t come as a shock anymore because, as the campaign has progressed and Arteta has continued to give him more game time, the Hale Ender has continuously and increasingly impressed.

For example, in 24 appearances this season, totalling just 790 minutes, the Enfield-born wonderkid has scored seven goals and provided one assist, which means he’s currently averaging a goal involvement every three games, or more impressively, every 98.75 minutes.

On top of this, he has also been likened to Jamie Gittins by FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and, in this instance, has concluded that the Borussia Dortmund star is the second most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Arsenal dynamo.

The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, non-penalty expected goals plus assists, shots on target, expected assists, crosses into the penalty area, goal-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Now, being compared to one of the most exciting players in Germany with 15 goal involvements to his name this season is encouraging enough, but it also bodes well for the Arsenal ace’s future valuation.

For example, according to a recent report from the German publication Bild, as relayed by the BBC, Dortmund are demanding around £85m for their young star, so given their statistical similarities and the financial strength of the Gunners, who to say that the Hale End gem won’t be worth just as much in the near future.

Ultimately, things haven’t necessarily gone to plan for the North Londoners this season, but in Nwaneri, it looks like they have yet another superstar attacker in the making and one who could have a massive part to play for the rest of the campaign.

He's like Xhaka: Arteta must rue not signing Arsenal's loan "genius"

The former Arsenal man is having a stellar campaign this year.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Feb 20, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

da poker： A forma como a torcida do Vascofoi apoiar a equipe na vitória por 2 a 0 sobre o Nova Iguaçu ficou refletida nos números do Mané Garrincha. O público que assistiu ao duelo da última terça-feira (7), pela sétima rodada da Taça Guanabara, foi superior à soma dos dois jogos anteriores que aconteceram em Brasília.

De acordo com a informação divulgada na terça, foram28.857 presentes no Estádio Mané Garrincha na terça-feira. A torcida saiu satisfeita com os gols de Jair e Gabriel Pec.

RelacionadasVascoApós vitória, Vasco tira sarro de eliminação do Flamengo ao divulgar postagem em árabeVasco08/02/2023VascoATUAÇÕES: Jair se desdobra na vitória do Vasco sobre o Nova Iguaçu; Pec e Alex Teixeira se destacamVasco07/02/2023VascoGabriel Pec valoriza boa fase pelo Vasco após vitória sobre Nova Iguaçu: ‘Nova noite inspirada’Vasco07/02/2023

da lvbet： No fim de semana, houve dois jogos no Mané Garrincha. O clássico estadual entre América-MG e Cruzeiro levou 13.631 pessoas no dia 5, no sábado (na partida vencida por 1 a 0 pelo Coelho). No domingo (6), a goleada por 4 a 0 do Botafogo sobre o Boavista levou 11.186 torcedores ao estádio.

Em entrevista coletiva após a vitória cruz-maltina, o técnico Maurício Barbieri não escondeu a importância do apoio da torcida para a equipe ir bem em Brasília.

– Eu acho que a recepção foi fantástica, o ambiente do estádio para nós é um motivo de satisfação e orgulho. E a gente tenta retribuir isso. Fico muito satisfeito e feliz com essa torcida enorme – disse.

Harry Kane has ended his trophy curse, but he will not be at the Europa League final as Tottenham seek to land elusive major silverware.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Star striker now a Bundesliga title winnerTottenham have made European finalKane will be watching on from afarFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

England captain Kane bid farewell to north London in the summer of 2023. He severed ties with Spurs as the club’s all-time leading goalscorer, but with final heartache having been suffered in domestic cup competition and the Champions League.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Kane headed to Germany in a bid to savour long-awaited success, with his second season at the Allianz Arena delivering a Bundesliga title triumph. The 31-year-old is relieved to have finally shaken that monkey from his back.

DID YOU KNOW?

His former employers in the English capital are now looking to land their first trophy since 2008, with Manchester United set to be faced in the Europa League final at San Mames in Bilbao on May 21.

WHAT HARRY KANE SAID

Speaking on his channel, Kane said when asked about winning a trophy alongside ex-Tottenham team-mate Eric Dier and whether he will be among the Spurs fans in Spain: "It was a nice moment to have with Eric. We have spent a lot of time together. To get our first trophy after so many years was a great moment and a big relief. Pure happiness from both of us. That was a great experience to have.

"With Tottenham, I won’t be there in Bilbao. I won’t be able to go but for sure I will be watching and wishing Tottenham all the best. Hopefully they can win their first trophy in a while as well. It would be a great moment for everyone."

R Ashwin’s 33rd five-wicket haul in Test cricket helped India bundle out West Indies for a mere 150 on the opening day of the first Test at Windsor Park, before an unbroken 80-run opening partnership between Rohit Sharma and debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal further strengthened India’s grip on the match.Back in the playing XI after being left out for the World Test Championship final, Ashwin dismissed Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Kraigg Brathwaite in the first session, Alzarri Joseph and debutant Alick Athanaze in the second, and then wrapped up the innings with the wicket of Jomel Warrican. As usual, he found good support from Ravindra Jadeja, who chipped in with three wickets.Twenty-four-year-old Athanaze was the only West Indies batter to offer any resistance. Last month, he had scored the joint-fastest half-century by anyone on ODI debut. On Wednesday, the left-hander showed he had the temperament for Test cricket as well. With wickets tumbling around him, Athanaze batted with a mix of caution and aggression but his stay came to an end when he top-edged a pull against Ashwin and was out for 47.Alick Athanaze in action on Test debut•Associated Press

When India came out to bat, Rohit did the bulk of the scoring initially as Jaiswal took 16 balls to open his account. The left-hander got off the mark by cutting Joseph over backward point for four, and increased his scoring rate as the innings progressed. By the end of the day, he had outscored his captain.The West Indies spinners, Rahkeem Cornwall and Warrican, found turn as well, but Rohit and Jaiswal faced few problems in dealing with them as the pitch had slowed down significantly by then. In the final over of the day, Jaiswal even reverse-swept Warrican for four.Earlier, Brathwaite won the toss and opted to bat first on a pitch with plenty of moisture in it. Mohammed Siraj found movement off the surface to beat Brathwaite’s outside edge three times in one over but he also strayed down the leg side more than once. Jaydev Unadkat was a lot more disciplined, bowling two maidens and conceding just four runs in his first four overs.Ashwin was introduced into the attack as early as the ninth over. He found Chanderpaul’s inside edge with his very first ball but it went past short leg.The offspinner, though, wasn’t to be denied for long. In his third over, Ashwin went wide of the crease from around the wicket and got the ball to land around middle stump. Chanderpaul looked to defend on the front foot but the ball turned just enough to beat the outside edge and hit the top of off. Having accounted for Shivnarine Chanderpaul four times in the past, Ashwin became the fifth bowler to dismiss a father-son pair in Test cricket.R Ashwin joined a small list of bowlers who’ve dismiss a father-son duo in Tests•AFP/Getty Images

Continuing around the wicket, Ashwin got rid of Brathwaite too. The West Indies captain tried to loft him over mid-on; instead, he ended up skying it to Rohit Sharma at extra cover.Shardul Thakur had Raymon Reifer caught behind in his first over, courtesy of a low catch by debutant Ishan Kishan, to make it 47 for 3. He could have had Jermaine Blackwood too but the leading edge just evaded a diving Shubman Gill at cover.On the last ball before lunch, however, Blackwood miscued Jadeja to the right of mid-off where Mohammed Siraj leapt in the air to take a one-handed stunner behind his body.Joshua Da Silva became Jadeja’s second victim soon after lunch. The wicketkeeper-batter went to cut Jadeja but extra bounce and little room resulted in an outside edge, which Kishan pouched on the second attempt.Ashwin too extracted prodigious turn in the second session, troubling both Athanaze and Holder. But the duo didn’t miss out on rare loose deliveries. Neither batter hesitated in taking the aerial route and added 41 for the sixth wicket to take West Indies past 100.The stand was broken when Holder fell into a short-ball trap laid by Siraj. The bowler banged one into the pitch and Holder pulled it straight into the hands of deep-backward square leg. A couple of overs later, Siraj hit Athanaze on the tip of the helmet with a bouncer as the batter took his eyes off the ball.While Alzarri Joseph, sent in ahead of Rahkeem Cornwall, could manage only four before Ashwin had him caught at short third, Athanaze was looking good for a half-century. He had the opportunity to reach there with a boundary when Ashwin bowled a short ball. Athanaze had pulled a similar delivery from Ashwin for four in the morning session, but this time he erred in execution.With West Indies eight down, Cornwall hit Ashwin for two fours in the first over after tea, but Kemar Roach and Warrican didn’t last long, falling to Jadeja and Ashwin, respectively, as the innings came to an end 25 minutes into the final session.

MatériaMais Notícias

da bet7： Seguindo a preparação para o duelo contra a Croácia na próxima sexta-feira, a Seleção Brasileira voltou a treinar nesta quarta no Estádio Grand Hamad. Diferentemente da última terça, quando abriu a atividade para a imprensa, o técnico Tite trabalhou com portões fechados desta vez.

Nesta quarta-feira, o treinador contou com os titulares da vitória sobre a Coreia do Sul, que fizeram atividade regenerativa na sequência do jogo com os asiáticos. Somente Alex Telles e Gabriel Jesus, que foram cortados da Copa do Mundo, não estavam à disposição. Ambosjá voltaram aos seus clubes.

+ Veja a tabela, os jogos e os chaveamento da Copa do Mundo de 2022

RelacionadasSeleção BrasileiraRonaldinho, Vini Jr e mais: ‘dancinhas’ fazem parte da história e cultura do BrasilSeleção Brasileira06/12/2022Seleção BrasileiraSeleção mostra em números que atingiu equilíbrio desejado por TiteSeleção Brasileira06/12/2022Futebol InternacionalGabriel Jesus recebe alta após passar por cirurgia no joelho direitoFutebol Internacional07/12/2022

da 888casino：
A expectativa é pelo retorno ou não de Alex Sandro à lateral esquerda. O jogador se recupera de lesão no quadril e fez treino separado no domingo e na terça-feira. Caso esteja à disposição, o camisa 6 deverá voltar ao time titular no lugar do zagueiro Éder Militão, que está jogando na lateral direita.

A escalação provável para o duelo de sexta-feira é: Alisson; Éder Militão (Alex Sandro), Marquinhos, Thiago Silva e Danilo; Casemiro, Lucas Paquetá e Neymar; Raphinha, Richarlison e Vini Jr.

+Artilheiros da Copa do Mundo 2022: veja lista de jogadores que marcaram

Brasil e Croácia se enfrentam na sexta-feira, às 12h (de Brasília; 18h no horário local), no Estádio Cidade da Educação, pelas quartas de final da Copa do Mundo de 2022. Quem vencer avança às semifinais do torneio para enfrentar Argentina ou Holanda. Em caso de empate, o jogo irá para a prorrogação. Se necessário, a vaga será decidida nos pênaltis.

Ollie Robinson scored his first century for Durham to help the hosts into a strong position to their LV= Insurance County Championship Division Two match against Derbyshire at Seat Unique Riverside.After a solid start, Durham were reduced to 126 for 4, but Robinson ensured that his team capitalised after winning the toss with a blistering century from 93 balls before he was dismissed for 114. Brydon Carse backed up his team-mate with flowing innings of 77 not out, notching his second first-class fifty in a row to allow the home side to post 410 for 8 on day one.Ben Aitchison was the best of the Derbyshire bowlers with three wickets for 111, while Luis Reece and Zak Chappell also claimed two apiece, but it was a tough day for the visitors amid aggressive batting from the hosts.Durham won the toss and Alex Lees set about flexing his England credentials at the top of the order. He impressed with the fluency of his knock as he worked Chappell and Aitchison around the ground for six boundaries in the first hour.However, Aitchison switched ends and swung a delivery between bat and pad to prise out Lees for a well-made 45 from 44 balls, as the opener failed to make the substantial knock that he may require to force his way back into England contention.Chappell found his rhythm and troubled Scott Borthwick before he found the left-hander’s outside edge. David Bedingham then fell cheaply and presented Chappell with his second, while Haider Ali pulled off a sensational one-handed catch at second slip to dismiss Michael Jones for 43 to put the visitors in the ascendancy.Robinson arrived at the crease and played with positive intent, scoring early boundaries to put the pressure back on the Derbyshire attack. The wicketkeeper’s timing was superb, particularly straight down the ground where he punished Chappell, Aitchison and Sam Conners for over-pitching.Derbyshire turned to spinner Mark Watt to try to find a semblance of control, but Robinson continued his aggressive approach, clearing the rope twice over midwicket and down the ground in the afternoon session to ensure Durham put their foot on the accelerator.Robinson shared a stand worth 106 with Graham Clark to set the foundation of the Durham innings. The 24-year-old had passed fifty twice without registering three figures for his new club, but he upped the ante to surge through the nineties to notch his first century of the season.Reece ended his brilliant knock for 114, pinning Robinson on the crease to open up an end for Derbyshire to attack the lower order. But Carse halted their charge, following in Robinson’s footsteps and continuing his fine form with the bat after scoring a career-best 91 against Glamorgan, hitting a brisk fifty from 66 balls.Paul Coughlin offered a more-than-useful foil at the other end with his ninth fifty in first-class cricket, putting together a 100-run partnership for the eighth wicket. Coughlin fell for 52, but Durham still ended the day well on top after earning their fourth batting bonus point as bad light halted proceedings.

Chelsea are planning to overhaul a key area of Enzo Maresca’s squad this summer, with BlueCo looking to sell two players and potentially open new talks for an elite-level star.

Chelsea continue transfer planning after botched CWC deals

In high-profile fashion, Chelsea missed out on a couple of anticipated deals before the pre-Club World Cup transfer deadline at 7pm on Tuesday.

Chelsea are in ongoing talks with Neymar-like forward – Sky journalist

The west Londoners are still working beyond the Club World Cup transfer deadline.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 11, 2025

While Chelsea do have the arrival of Liam Delap to celebrate, with the English sensation set to bolster Maresca’s forward options for the CWC, the Blues couldn’t quite get Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens or AC Milan’s Mike Maignan over the line.

The former was a top target for Maresca in the wide area, and Chelsea did their utmost to make it happen – lodging three different offers in the build up to Tuesday’s deadline, only for Dortmund to reject them all and demand more money (Florian Plettenberg).

Chelsea went as high as £47 million in their bid to sign Gittens, but it was no use, with the west Londoners deciding to walk away from talks once it was clear a deal could not be done in time.

Their attempts to sign Maignan were equally frustrating.

Milan wanted around £25 million to sell the France international, who’s about to enter the final year of his contract and won’t sign a new one, but Chelsea were only willing to pay up to £13 million, meaning no agreement could be found (The Athletic).

Given the 29-year-old’s pedigree as, arguably, one of the world’s finest keepers and France’s undisputed number one, there is frustration among Chelsea supporters that they didn’t stump up the cash for a player who would’ve undoubtedly been an upgrade on their current crop.

Maignan was also known to be very keen on a move to Chelsea, and for just £25m, the shot-stopper could’ve been a serious bargain.

However, their transfer plans are continuing into the summer, with reliable journalist Simon Phillips suggesting that a move for Maignan certainly isn’t off the cards.

Chelsea could hold new Mike Maignan talks next week

The Blues want to sell both Robert Sanchez and Djordje Petrovic, with Chelsea reportedly valuing the latter at around £21 million. Sanchez joined the club for around £25 million from Brighton, and you’d Chelsea would want to recuperate a large portion of that fee.

With the £46 million duo up for sale, one source has told Phillips that Chelsea could even reopen talks for Maignan as early as next week.

“They held talks with Milan, Maignan wants the move, and Chelsea actually believed they were about to sign him with a fee agreement close,” said Phillips, via his Substack.

“AC Milan moved the goalposts on the fee in the final stages and that was enough for Chelsea to back out, for now.

“However, they are likely to go back for Maignan. I know initially we heard yesterday that they wouldn’t be going back for him at all. But after further digging by our sources last night, we’ve heard that Chelsea are now likely to revisit this deal later in the summer window. One source even suggests they could go back in for talks as soon as next week.

“Chelsea don’t want to be pushed over in negotiations so some of this is about sending messages as well as not appearing desperate to land a new goalkeeper.

“And that is because they want to sell both Djordje Petrovic and Robert Sanchez this summer. Obviously this needs suitors and those suitors to pay the valuations to make this happen, but this is their intentions.”

Called “one of the best” keepers in world football by Alisson, the Liverpool star also heralded Maignan’s “quick” burst of pace off the line, and a truly quality number one could be one of the final missing pieces of Maresca’s jigsaw.

At Central Broward Park, the weather is beastly but the cricket is thrilling

Rahul Oak09-Aug-2022The Florida humidity hits you the minute you get off the plane. To someone like myself, who grew up in Mumbai, it brings nostalgia, but that buzz wears off in five minutes, by when I’m already sweating from crevices you aren’t supposed to sweat from – let alone at 9pm. By the time my Uber shows up, not only am I grateful for the concept of air conditioning, I’m also hugely appreciative of cricketers who have to endure the heat while putting on a show for my entertainment.My driver is a second-generation Puerto Rican. “Cricket?” he asks with a mix of curiosity and amusement that is indicative of the general perception of the sport in this country. Let’s just say we have a long way to go before cricket is mentioned in the same breath as even soccer, which, by the way, doesn’t make the top three either.I’m concerned about the weather. One moment it’s balmy and a gentle Florida breeze is blowing and the next, there’s a howling gale and the street is glistening from a persistent rain. But then, just as quickly as the rain arrives, it dissipates and all is well with the world again. I sleep that night feeling optimistic.

****

Waiting in the hotel lobby the next day for a bus to the stadium, I fall into conversation with a group of fellow cricket enthusiasts from various parts of the US, also headed to the game. We reminisce about pre-Covid times and our last live cricket match. Of course, the Gabba comes up. We all hope Virat Kohli finds form soon. The kinship is immediate.We drive away from the coast into the South Florida hinterlands. Central Broward Park, in a quiet suburb of Fort Lauderdale, hosts club cricket most of the year, but it’s certainly not a venue you’d associate with international cricket and bona fide superstars of the sort we are going to watch there.As I walk towards the entrance to the stadium, I spot a smattering of maroon shirts in a sea of blue, roughly equivalent to the relative population of the two regions. The ground is about three-quarters full when I get in. I see a range of India jerseys on show, dating all the way from the 1999 ODI World Cup to the latest edition, with several knockoffs thrown in for good measure.As the players emerge from the pavilion, crowds line up next to the fence, calling out their names and taking pictures. While hero-worship of cricketers in India is not uncommon, the extent of it here highlights the scarcity of cricket in the US, and also makes you realise how hard it must be to be an Indian cricketer. To their credit, even youngsters like Arshdeep Singh and Ravi Bishnoi are able to deal with the attention with grace and humour.Did we entertain you?•Chandan Khann/AFP/Getty ImagesAfter the toss there is a huge cheer when we find out India will be batting first. From my vantage point, the boundaries look small – about 20 yards in from where they could potentially be. I don’t mind it one bit. Low-scoring thrillers are all well and good, but when I watch a live T20 match for the first time ever, there is a bloodlust in me that can only be satiated by huge sixes.Between the toss and the first ball, as the players warm up, I see a unique drill that probably wasn’t the norm in the pre-T20 era. Shreyas Iyer, one of the substitutes for this match, is standing close to the boundary. Someone is hitting high balls to him from close to the pitch. Iyer tries to keep his balance as he catches them at the edge of the boundary. One time he overbalances but throws the ball back into play before stepping outside the boundary and then casually jumping back in to catch it. Practice makes perfect, as they say.The DJ springs into action, reminding me of the NBA and MLB games I’ve watched in the US. The crowd seems to be having a great time, dancing to a mix of old and new favourites, including bhangra, the latest Bollywood dance numbers, and the good old ” India”, which seems to have become a de facto anthem at Indian sporting events. Watching the cheerleaders dance to these unfamiliar tunes makes me think about how this very American phenomenon has made it to T20Is in the US via the IPL.The crowd goes wild when Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav start the innings off with a flurry of sixes. As good as Rohit’s sixes are, Suryakumar’s innovation is something else.After a middle period that feels a bit slow, even for a T20, the decibel levels reach a crescendo when Axar Patel finishes the innings off with a few lusty blows to cheers of “Bapu” from the predominantly Gujarati-speaking crowd – who are slightly disappointed their favourite sons, Harshal Patel and Hardik Pandya, are not playing this match.After a mad dash for lunch and restrooms, the crowd is stunned into silence by a strong West Indies start – until Avesh Khan snags a couple of wickets. The next bit is classic West Indies T20 batting: several big hits accompanied by a steady stream of wickets, much to the delight of the partisan crowd. That said, I find myself somewhat disappointed when Nicholas Pooran gets out. It’s incredible just how far he’s able to hit the ball for someone his size.Towards the end, the atmosphere turns celebratory as a West Indies win becomes increasingly unlikely. The DJs, who have till now turned the music off before each delivery is bowled, play the IPL bugle even as Arshdeep runs in to bowl his special yorkers at the lower order.Which team are we supporting? Read our shirts•Peter Della PennaOn the way back to the hotel, attention turns to Sunday’s weather and it does not look good. Before coming to Florida, I’d have been satisfied watching one full match, but now I’m starting to get greedy.

****

I wake up to a pleasant surprise: not only has it not rained all night, like it was supposed to, it may end up not raining at all. It’s more sparse in the lobby than it was the day before. I suspect most folks didn’t expect today’s match to be played and are catching up on their sleep. I remember overhearing some second-generation Indian kids complaining to their parents the day before about how they weren’t quite looking forward to watching . Apparently even watching matches back to back can be tiring, let alone playing them.The upside is that getting into the stadium is a breeze compared to the previous day, but I still can’t say I’m fully prepared for the speakers blaring bhangra at full blast at 9:30am. The crowd lets out a huge cheer when Hardik walks out for the toss. We see Ishan Kishan and Iyer getting drills from batting coach Vikram Rathour, an indication that we may be able to see both players in action.The crowd builds up as Iyer and Deepak Hooda put on a fine partnership. Then there is a bizarre stoppage, for lightning of all things. The announcer proclaims the area to be the “lightning capital of the USA” and it certainly looks like they have protocols in place. The people in the uncovered stands are ordered to go find shady spots to stand in. After a few minutes, play resumes, India chalk up another impressive score, despite West Indies clawing their way back somewhat towards the back end of the innings.When you’re in the “lightning capital of the USA”, you’ve got to expect …•Rahul OakThe match stops being a contest after Axar runs through the top order and Kuldeep Yadav traps Pooran lbw, though Shimron Hetmeyer offers some resistance. Bishnoi and Kuldeep are a treat to watch in tandem, reminding me of the heady days of KulCha.By the time the match is done and dusted, it’s a full-fledged party in the stands. Arshdeep runs over to our section for a few selfies and autographs and a couple of official-looking types make the rounds, thanking us for being a great crowd and inform us that there will be a few matches in Florida during the 2024 T20 World Cup, which is to be hosted in the Caribbean. Dare we hope that over time, there are a few more cricketing outposts across the US? With 4.2 million people of Indian origin (that’s 80% of the population of New Zealand), they are certainly deserved.I exchange numbers with some newly minted friends and leave with my heart full. The last two days have filled a cricket-shaped hole in me, and while I wish the matches were not as one-sided as they turned out to be, I realise that’s just being nitpicky. As I lapse into fitful bouts of sleep on my red-eye flight back to California, I find myself humming ” India”.

A crisis man, a tidy bowler and a compact batter – Chase ticks all the boxes for WI

Shashank Kishore21-Feb-2022Roston Chase wasn’t meant to play any of the T20Is and was only picked as a back-up allrounder. He not only ended the T20I series as the highest wicket-taker across both teams, and all but sealed his spot as a bowling all-rounder, who can offer batting flexibility when the team needs it.Early wickets lost, consolidation the need of the hour? Dial Chase. Wickets needed with the ball to win back some control? Dial Chase. Besides, Chase is also an excellent fielder inside the ring. He bowled his full quota of overs in each game; his six wickets in three games came at an economy of just 5.16.Jason Holder’s bruise on his chest prior to the series opener handed him an opportunity. In a modest 157 chase, India were cruising at 57 without loss when he was brought on. He bowled his four overs at a stretch mostly with a wet ball.He used the crease to vary his lines, and then his tall frame to bowl it into the pitch and extract bounce. By not allowing batters to get underneath the flight on a two-paced surface, he kept India honest. The rewards for these were the wickets of Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan. He finished the first T20I with figures of 4-0-14-2.In the second T20I, West Indies won a crucial toss and elected to bowl because of heavy dew. This time, Chase wasn’t a last-minute inclusion, but a first XI player in place of Fabian Allen, who was meant to start. Chase’s terrific effort in the series opener had swayed the team management into playing him again.This time, he had better conditions to show off his wares. India began to get off the blocks quickly, with Rohit and Virat Kohli playing in a refreshingly attacking manner. Kohli batted with freedom and positivity, hitting six boundaries off his first 15 deliveries. When Chase came on to bowl in the eighth over, Kohli had raced to 29 off 18, Rohit was on 18 off 16. The signs were ominous, and he delivered yet again.Chase’s tall frame helps him operate with different trajectories compared to Allen or Akeal Hosein, the other two spin bowling allrounders. And he used every bit of it to his advantage. Four balls into his spell, he dismissed Rohit for the second time in the series, by having him slice a lofted hit to cover.Chase can land the ball on the same spot – much like Washington Sundar does for India – and he mixes this with subtle changes in grip. The one that got Rohit held its line instead of spinning in because he bowled it with a scrambled seam. Rohit, who was looking to muscle it over cover ended up slicing it to the fielder at the edge of the ring. Off his next over, he enticed Suryakumar Yadav to drive, only to get the ball to dip and spin as he gobbled up a forceful push.Chase ensured India didn’t hit a single boundary between the end of the powerplay and the start of the 13th over. After a pulsating beginning, Kohli had managed just 10 runs off his next 15 balls during Chase’s spell, with two big wickets having fallen. Once again, his subtle mastery was at play, allowing Pollard a degree of control over proceedings. Four overs of mayhem at the end – where the fast bowlers repeatedly lost their lengths and bowled into the slot – allowed Rishabh Pant and Venkatesh Iyer to feast on the bowling to set up a target of 187, which the visitors fell short of.On Sunday, Chase was once again at the forefront for West Indies. Not allowing India’s fearless band to break away initially. They wanted to bat with freedom and made four changes with the series in the bag. In came Chase again, keeping them honest and in the process. Kishan’s frustration stemmed from his inability to step out to Chase.The lengths he bowled didn’t allow him to go back and pull either, because it was the “in-between” length Chase often goes back to as a default setting. Eventually, he’d have Kishan bowled trying to pull a delivery that held on to the surface and had him play early. Once again, he bowled out with West Indies having a degree of control, with Rohit and Suryakumar Yadav having to rebuild the innings. Allen, the man who was set to play ahead of him when the series started, bowled just one wicketless over. How the tide had turned. If not for some poor death bowling, West Indies may have found themselves chasing 20 fewer than the 185 they were set.While his bowling has come up leaps and bounds, Chase the batter struggled for any sort of rhythm. In the first game, he pottered his way around before falling lbw to a Ravi Bishnoi googly. In the third, he came in much later, after the cream of the batting had all been dismissed in pursuit of a big target. For someone who is seen as an accumulator, who can shift up and down the order based on conditions, these were disappointing series with the bat.In a line-up full of explosive power, Chase is often seen as the calm amid the storm. His presence gives West Indies a degree of comfort with the bat at the best of times. He is an excellent player of spin because of the assuredness in his footwork. His role is mainly to knock the ball around after the power plays, pick up occasional boundaries and allow the power-hitters to come into their own.This has been the DNA of his T20 game ever since he made a serious pitch as a T20 player in 2020, when he was named as a replacement player in the CPL by St Lucia Kings. In the following season, he repaid the faith by being the season’s MVP, which got him a maiden T20 World Cup call-up. While his bowling continues to be on the rise, Chase will hope his batting returns in India were an aberration. If he can offer West Indies a bit more flexibility, his presence, amid a succession of bowling allrounders in Allen, Hosein, Odean Smith, Jason Holder and Romario Shepherd will help build a bouquet of options T20 teams around the world yearn for.

Former Manchester United defender Brandon Williams has been given a lifeline after featuring for Hull City against Sunderland in a pre-season friendly following struggles with mental health.

• Williams features for Hull in pre-season
• Manager keen to hand second chance to ex-Man Utd man
• Follows battle with mental health and driving ban

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Williams left United last summer following the expiry of his contract but was unable to find a new club, having been handed a suspended prison sentence for dangerous driving in 2023. But Hull have taken a chance on the defender, featuring him in their recent pre-season win over Sunderland.

Advertisement

• (C)Getty Images
  

  WHAT WAS SAID?

  Hull head coach Sergej Jakirovic has opened up on the arrangement, saying: ""I like to help people because everyone deserves a second chance in life," he told Hull Live. "I spoke with him very honestly, and I explained to him what I expect from him.

  "We will be very careful, very, very slow. We have time, so we will try to help him. I think the quality is there because he was on a high level at Man United, so his quality is there. We need him to bring good fitness, and then we will make a decision.

  "For me, his mentality is good. From our conversations, he's a very normal guy. He just asked me yesterday (Monday), 'can I play?' and then I asked him, 'do you feel comfortable to play some minutes?' His desire is there, and so is the hard work.

  "On Saturday [when they played Stockport County at Edgeley Park], we left him here in Hull to carry on training, and so far, everything has gone according to the plan."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Williams has also recently opened up about his struggles with mental health, admitting he could never be openly honest about his feelings during his time at United due to fears over what would happen as a result. Hull have made a major show of support to the young defender by taking him on, where he will hope he can return to the top level.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR WILLIAMS?

  Hull are taking the situation with Williams one step at a time, and it remains to be seen whether he will be signed permanently ahead of the Championship campaign beginning in a few weeks' time.