With ODI cricket returning to Hambantota for the first time since 2015, the nature of the pitch for the third ODI between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe remains a mystery

Andrew Fidel Fernando05-Jul-2017Match FactsJuly 6, 2017
Start time: 0945 local (0415GMT)Tendai Chatara’s discipline has earned him four of Zimbabwe’s eight wickets in the series so far•AFP

Big PictureOne comfortable pursuit of 317 for Zimbabwe, one crushing home victory set up by Sri Lanka’s spinners – not much about this series has been predictable, and the teams are now about to venture into more uncertainty. In the past two years, the ground at Hambantota has probably hosted more elephants than cricket matches, and no one is quite sure how the pitch will play after such a long hiatus. Will it tend to be on the faster, bouncier side, as it had been between 2011 and 2015? Or will it – as the hosts might prefer – take a little extra turn now?Mumba replaces injured W Masakadza

Zimbabwe left-arm spinner Wellington Masakadza has been ruled out of the series due to an ankle injury, and has been replaced by seamer Carl Mumba. Masakadza’s last ODI appearance for Zimbabwe was in 2015, and having made a return to the squad, he did not get a game against Sri Lanka. Mumba’s sole ODI match so far came against Sri Lanka in November last year.

There is also often a powerful crosswind to contend with, at the venue, which tends to favour the more adaptable side. In the past, batsmen who have chosen to base their innings around hitting with the wind have prospered in Hambantota: not only do their strokes carry further, the balls they hit into the air have also been notoriously difficult to catch. Sri Lanka, who have dropped no fewer than six chances across the first two games, may be especially vulnerable if the breeze picks up. Bowlers have also had highly contrasting experiences with the wind: it has helped boost the natural swing of some, and put others off their game completely.Whatever the conditions, appropriate use of the sweep shot is likely to have come up in Zimbabwe’s team discussions over the past 48 hours. They had lived by the stroke in the first game, then died by it in the second. They may aim to be more selective in their deployment of the stroke in Hambantota.Form guideSri Lanka WLLWL (completed matches, most recent first)
Zimbabwe LWWLLIn the spotlightAll through the Champions Trophy campaign there was wonderment in Sri Lanka as to why Lakshan Sandakan was not in the XI. Now that he has taken 4 for 52 upon his return, the head scratching has only intensified. For now, Sandakan is not a bowler who offers a lot of control, and perhaps on the less spin-friendly tracks in England, the selectors and team management felt he may become a liability. However, if any bowler has appeared as if he may correct Sri Lanka’s inability to take wickets through the middle overs, it has been Sandakan. The selectors might do well to now provide him with a secure place in the side, in order to determine if he can in fact fulfill that wicket-taking role, in the longer term.A longer run in the ODI side can help determine if Lakshan Sandakan’s potential, seen in his 4 for 52, can be fulfilled•AFP

Though batsmen’s handling of spin has dominated the series narrative so far, it is the skillful seam bowling of Tendai Chatara that has brought Zimbabwe half of their eight wickets in the series so far. There is no booming swing or searing pace for Chatara, but so far in the series, there has been a discipline to his bowling, and even on an unresponsive Galle pitch, he was one of the only quicks to glean some movement off the seam. If he can quickly modify his bowling to suit Hambantota’s unique conditions, Zimbabwe could again make an early breakthrough, as they have in each of the first two games.Team newsSpinner Amila Aponso and seam-bowling allrounder Lahiru Madushanka have been dropped from the squad for the last three ODIs, and in their place are seamer Lahiru Kumara and batsman Chamara Kapugedera (Suranga Lakmal was originally slated to be in the squad until he took ill). Unless the flu that has been making its way around the Sri Lanka side incapacitates another player on Thursday, the hosts may not wish to make a change to their winning XI, however.Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 2 Danushka Gunathilaka, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Upul Tharanga, 5 Angelo Mathews (capt.), 6 Asela Gunaratne, 7 Wanidu Hasaranga, 8 Dushmantha Chameera, 9 Lakshan Sandakan,10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Nuwan PradeepDespite the loss, Zimbabwe have a fairly settled outfit, and they may stick with the same XI. If any place is under scrutiny, it may be that of seamer Donald Tiripano. Chris Mpofu could potentially replace him.Zimbabwe (possible): 1 Solomon Mire, 2 Hamilton Masakadza, 3 Craig Ervine, 4 Sean Williams, 5 Sikander Raza, 6 Ryan Burl, 7 Peter Moor (wk), 8 Malcolm Waller, 9 Graeme Cremer (capt.), 10 Tendai Chatara, 11 Chris Mpofu/Donald TiripanoPitch and conditionsForecasts for this part of the country are notoriously unreliable, but the weather is expected to be dry and hot, with temperatures in the low thirties. How the pitch will play is anyone’s guess.Stats and trivia Sri Lanka have won seven and lost six of their 17 matches at Hambantota. 2017 is Chatara’s most successful ODI year so far, having taken 15 wickets in nine matches at 24.46.In addition to having become the third bowler to take a hat-trick on ODI debut, on Sunday, Wanidu Hasaranga became the first Sri Lanka spinner to claim a hat-trick in the format.Quotes”Assessing the conditions a little bit better is crucial. When the wicket is flatter like in the first game, you can play all your shots freely and chase down a huge score like that. In the second game it was probably not a wicket where you can go for your shots regularly. We need to do bit of work on that – assess conditions and stick to our plans.””Nuwan Pradeep has been our best bowler in the last three years in Test and ODI cricket, but for some reason he doesn’t pick up many wickets. He has improved his fielding too. He is one of the hardest working cricketers in the side.”

Sean Dyche defended Amadou Onana after his weak penalty led to Everton's heartbreaking shootout defeat to Fulham in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.

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Everton crashed out of Carabao CupOnana & Idrissa Gueye missed from the spot in shootoutDyche defended the duo after failed spot-kicksWHAT HAPPENED?

The Toffees suffered a heart-wrenching exit from the cup competition after losing in a dramatic penalty shootout against Fulham. Onana's shockingly weak effort was saved by Fulham's Bernd Leno, leading to Everton's fourth penalty shootout defeat in six years. Idrissa Gueye hit the post in sudden death before Tosin Adarabioyo's successful penalty propelled Fulham into their first League Cup semi-final with a 7-6 victory after the two teams were locked at 1-1 after regulation time.

Onana has been criticised for his approach to taking the penalty, but Dyche defended him and instead hailed his courage to step up and take responsibility in a crunch moment.

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Talking to reporters, Dyche said: "Everyone has a style of penalty which they think can score. His record has been very strong in all the rounds and when we’ve practised them. That’s his style. If you are brave enough to get up there and take one then you have to be brave enough for the consequences.

"The first question is always who doesn’t want to take one. Simple as that because you need to want to take one. I’m pleased to say the whole group said they would take one. It is the moment of truth: the ball’s there, you have to put it in the net.”

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Dyche believes that his Everton players deserve a pat on their backs for their performance despite bowing out of the tournament. "I thought the performance was another strong one," he said. "We didn't find the true quality in the end of lots of good moves, we got into some really good positions but I'm not going to question that, lately we've been very good at that. The general performance was very strong again, having to change the style and move people. Jarrad [Branthwaite] was excellent playing at left-back, Jimmy Garner was tremendous higher up the pitch.

"There were still some very strong signs of what we're doing. Unfortunately, it doesn't pay you back tonight but it will do over the rest of the season as long as we stick with the principles and keep delivering performances like that."

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DID YOU KNOW?

Everton were knocked out of the Carabao Cup in a penalty shootout for the fourth time in six years. The Toffees have never won the competition, but did finish as runners-up in both 1977 and 1984.

Rangers have lined up a move for Ecuador international Jose Cifuentes amid reports they're closing in on Cremonese forward Cyriel Dessers.

Who will join Rangers this summer?

It's been a busy summer transfer window for the Gers and manager Michael Beale, who have already seen five major signings come through the Ibrox door.

Jack Butland, Dujon Sterling, Kieran Dowell, Sam Lammers and Abdallah Sima are all now Rangers players as the Ibrox side look to wrestle back Scottish football dominance from their arch-rivals.

The Hoops sealed an impressive domestic treble last season, but following the departure of Ange Postecoglou and re-appointment of Brendan Rodgers, it will be interesting to see if Rangers can usurp them.

Beale's side have held no shortage of ambition when it comes to transfers and reliable media sources claim that they're closing in on another major deal in potentially signing Dessers (as per Fabrizio Romano).

The 28-year-old is apparently on the verge of joining Rangers, and that is echoed by journalist Scott Burns in a piece for The Daily Record.

However, dropping another line in his piece, Burns claims that the Glasgow giants have "also lined up a move" for Los Angeles midfielder Cifuentes.

In a further bit of good news, it's added that the move is "expected to be completed" in this window.

Cifuentes has been heavily linked with a move to Rangers this summer and it appears they're still very much interested in signing the 24-year-old for Beale.

Who is Jose Cifuentes?

The South American ace apparently "starred" for Los Angeles over his most recent season, and with Cifuentes out of contract in December, Rangers could seemingly strike a cut-price move.

Cifuentes, who featured at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar last year, has also been praised by Tim Vickey for his exploits across the Atlantic.

Vickery, an expert on all things to do with South American football, called Cifuentes a "terrific" player after his 2019 exploits at the Under-20 World Cup.

"He was the beating heart of that side and I think he’s a terrific midfielder," said Vickey on talkSPORT (via footballscotland).

"This fellow Cifuentes strikes the ball well, moves across the field, strong in the tackle, strong on the ball, I like him a lot."

The Dhaka Premier League’s relegation battle ended early, with Partex and Victoria Sporting Club confirmed to go down

ESPNcricinfo staff29-May-2017
ScorecardFile photo – Partex captain Irfan Sukkur was one of only three batsmen to reach double figures•BCB

Khelaghar Samaj Kallyan Samity confirmed their stay in next season’s Dhaka Premier League with an eight-wicket win over Partex Sporting Club in the first relegation play-off game at the Fatullah Cricket Stadium. Khelaghar moved to eight points, meaning both Victoria Sporting Club and Partex, who are on two points each, were relegated to the Dhaka First Division Cricket League. The remaining relegation playoffs will now be formalities.Left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam took six wickets for just 18 runs from his 9.1 overs as Partex were shot out for just 73 runs in 25.1 overs. Tanvir’s figures were the best by a bowler in this year’s DPL, which also saw Rubel Hossain, Taijul Islam, Abu Hider and Arafat Sunny take six-wicket hauls.Only three batsmen – captain Irfan Sukkur, Jubair Ahmed and Nuruzzaman Masum – reached double figures for Partex who had elected to bat. Khelaghar only needed three batsmen to reach double-figures as they completed the second-shortest chase in Bangladesh’s List A history; Robiul Islam Robi’s 34 led the chase which they completed in 15.1 overs, with 209 balls to spare.

The cricket advisory committee, comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman, is likely to meet this week – most probably Tuesday or Wednesday – to finalise the process and interview schedule as India’s West Indies tour approaches

Nagraj Gollapudi06-Jun-2017Anil Kumble will be in the running once again to be coach of India after he officially re-applied for the post – this despite the BCCI having said there was no need for a formal application as he would be a “direct entry” into a final pool. Kumble is part of a six-man shortlist that includes Virender Sehwag, Tom Moody, Richard Pybus, Lalchand Rajput, and Dodda Ganesh, all candidates who will be interviewed by the three-member cricket advisory committee (CAC).Craig McDermott, the former Australian fast bowler had also sent an application but that arrived after the May 31 deadline. The CAC will assess the application and determine his eligibility for the interview.The CAC trio of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman is likely to meet this week – most probably Tuesday or Wednesday – to finalise the process and interview schedule. The BCCI wants to identify a candidate before the Champions Trophy ends on June 18, as India travel to the Caribbean immediately after for a limited-overs series.Kumble’s one-year contract was always due to end after the Champions Trophy, but instead of continuing a successful arrangement, the BCCI opted to advertise for fresh interviews. In large part, this is thought to be because the BCCI was concerned by player feedback on Kumble: some of the players, including the Indian captain Virat Kohli, have said they were uncomfortable with the “intimidating” style of Kumble’s man management.That has not deterred Kumble, whose application was one of the first to arrive when the application process opened on May 25. As well as his CV, Kumble has sent a detailed roadmap outlining his vision for the future of the Indian team.The BCCI and the Committee of Administrators (CoA) told Kumble in person that fresh applications will be considered once his contract ended when they met on the eve of the IPL final in Hyderabad. That meeting, incidentally, was for Kumble to make a detailed presentation on an upgrading of the contracts of Indian players and coaching staff; it is an issue on which Kumble and Kohli are very much on the same page.On the field, however, a widening of ways has developed in recent months, which makes the task of the CAC that much harder.It was, after all, Tendulkar, Ganguly and Laxman who brought Kumble into the fold despite the BCCI not including him in their original shortlist the last time around. Kumble was appointed despite having no formal qualifications. And the subsequent success India has had in the last year under Kumble will only make it harder still.But the weightiest question they will have to ponder is whether the the relationship between Kumble and Kohli is “so dysfunctional” that it cannot be salvaged and will instead be detrimental to the side. Tendulkar and Ganguly are believed to have spoken to Kohli to assess the situation, though they will not speak to Kumble until the interview. The preferred option, according to an official involved with the process, would be to not change something that isn’t broken, at least results-wise.”If the divide can be bridged, then that is the best solution because you want continuity if the team has done well for a year,” the official said. “You don’t need a new coach then. But it has to be something the two can work with. It cannot be a situation where the captain refuses to listen to the coach. The players will listen to the captain. What is the coach going to do then?”We have asked the CAC to talk among themselves before they pick the best person. There are issues. Are they surmountable with the CAC getting involved and sitting down with Kohli and Kumble and sorting it out? I hope it is possible.”The new coach, whoever it is, is likely to get a two-year contract with the 2019 World Cup as a main target.

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino sees young centre-back Levi Colwill as a potential regular next season, according to an update from journalist Dean Jones.

Where does Levi Colwill's future lie?

The 20-year-old is arguably one of the most highly-rated young players in the country at the moment, being viewed as a future England regular by some.

Last season, Colwill was loaned out to Brighton for the entirety of the campaign, in order to get more minutes under his belt, and while he didn't always manage to oust Lewis Dunk and Adam Webster, he still started 13 times in the Premier League and looked the part.

Now back at Chelsea, there has been a huge amount of talking regarding the centre-back's future, with Liverpool seemingly interested in making a move for him this summer. The Reds see him as a special prospect who they are willing to break the bank for, but the Blues are understandably reluctant to let him leave.

Colwill's current Chelsea deal expires in the summer of 2025, and while that still gives the club some leeway over an extension, time is slowly running out and the player's head could be turned by a move to Anfield.

Will Levi Colwill be a regular at Chelsea?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that Pochettino could make Colwill a regular starter for Chelsea in 2023/24, potentially alleviating fears over his exit:

"I think that he's certainly a player that is expected to be embraced by Pochettino. The noises that I'm hearing from people that cover Chelsea closely are that Colwill could genuinely come into the thinking for a starting role."

This is hugely encouraging news from a Chelsea perspective, with Colwill someone they simply must keep hold of this summer, especially having already lost another homegrown player in Mason Mount, who has completed his move to Manchester United.

At 20, there is so much time for Colwill to mature into one of the best defenders in the Premier League, and given Pochettino's preference for blooding youth, it would be so refreshing to see him show trust in him from the off next season, starting him at home to Liverpool on the opening weekend.

The centre-back is in the final of the Under-21 European Championship on Saturday evening, as England take on Spain, and success in that competition would only further enhance his ever-growing legend.

Should Colwill become a key starter for Chelsea from this point on, he could even take Harry Maguire's place in England's team at Euro 2024 next summer, should his rise continue to be as meteoric as it currently is. He has all the tools to become a massive player for the Blues, enjoying an 88.6% pass completion rate for Brighton last season and also 2.2 clearances per game, showing he can be a class act in possession and also muck in defensively, when required.

The thought of losing him to a rival in Liverpool doesn't bear thinking about, and while Chelsea can't promise him European football next term, the hope is that he is made to feel wanted by Pochettino and plays a big part in the rebuild at Stamford Bridge.

The France forward has re-established himself as being among the game's elite players over the past 12 months, but has received little to no credit

On October 30, France Football revealed its final Ballon d'Or rankings for 2023, placing the 30 nominees in order after all the votes were counted. The names trickled in via social media during the star-studded gala in Paris, with the outstanding players of the past 12 months all included.

There was Jamal Musiala, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard earning places in the top 20. So too did the likes of Mo Salah, Lautauro Martinez and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Lionel Messi, of course, won his eighth Golden Ball, with Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr close behind him.

One name that might have surprised those watching was Antoine Griezmann, who ranked at a lowly 21st following a season where Atletico Madrid crashed out of Europe early and went trophy-less in Spain. That he was even on the shortlist at all will have surprised some, but in truth, Griezmann's final ranking did him something of a disservice. That's a sentiment shared by Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak, who told GOAL this week that he "couldn't believe it" when he heard Griezmann's Ballon d'Or position.

Since the 2022 World Cup kicked-off in November of last year, the 32-year-old forward has scored 25 goals and added 17 assists for club and country. He took an Atletico side that had started the season in miserable form and led them to a third-placed finish and Champions League qualification. He has also been the architect of an undefeated Euro 2024 qualifying campaign for France, while in the opening months of the current campaign, his nine goals have Diego Simeone's side well-placed to make a first La Liga title push in three years.

On Sunday, when Atleti travel to take on Griezmann's former club, Barcelona, he has the chance to haunt Catalunya, as one of the Blaugrana's most-expensive transfer flops returns with his world-class abilities now revived and ready to land another blow to Barca's fading title dreams.

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  Not the right fit at Barca

  Griezmann and Barcelona's split was an amicable one. The two parties had endured a rocky 24-month relationship ever since his €120 million (£107m/$134m) move in the summer 2019, with neither side benefitting from the union.

  Griezmann, once one of Europe's best, saw his career stagnate at Camp Nou, though he did manage to scored a respectable 35 goals in 102 appearances. Brought into try and appease Messi and stop him from leaving, the pair instead found themselves operating in the same areas on the pitch, and manager Ronald Koeman never made the tactical adjustments to accommodate the duo.

  When the possibility of an Atleti return presented itself — on an initial two-year loan with an obligation to buy — neither side of the deal had reason to complain. Simeone, in fact, hailed the Frenchman's homecoming.

  "I found a Griezmann who was eager to return," Simeone said in September 2021. "[He was] enthusiastic about the option of returning to the team, and people will demand from Griezmann what they demand from us every day."

  There were some issues that still needed ironing out, as Atleti famously tried to use Griezmann as little as possible in order to avoid paying the obligated €40m (£35m/$39m) fee that would kick in after a certain number of appearances. But once a permanent move was finalised, on friendlier terms for a reluctant Atleti and cash-strapped Barca, Griezmann's Atletico journey 2.0 kicked off in earnest.

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  Atletico at a crossroads

  In January 2023, Simeone was reportedly on the verge of being let go. His side had gone into the World Cup break sat fifth in the table, already 13 points behind leaders Barcelona after just 14 matches. They had also crashed out of Europe altogether, finishing bottom of a less-than daunting Champions League group that also included Porto, Club Brugge and Bayer Leverkusen.

  The legendary Atleti manager seemingly couldn't work his magic anymore, with it claimed that opposition coaches had worked out how to counter 'Cholismo'. His team may have won La Liga in 2021, but even that felt like a spectre of something old (with the ageing Luis Suarez leading the charge), rather than the dawn of a new club.

  And so, Simeone changed things. Atletico could no longer be an elite defensive side — not in the mould of those that had competed with Barcelona and Real Madrid in the early 2010s. It was time for something new, something more attacking, something that the roaring Rojiblanco fans could get behind.

  In truth, Simeone had searched for it for a while, making the ill-advised signature of Joao Felix two years previously as a replacement for Griezmann. But that never worked – and with the Portuguese playmaker loaned out to Chelsea while Griezmann's loan move was made permanent – Simeone had his answer.

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  Taking a lesson from Deschamps

  To make his new-look side work, Simeone turned to the French national team, who had come within an Emiliano Martinez save of winning their second straight World Cup. Mbappe may have been the hero of that side, but Griezmann was the unquestioned fulcrum of it all. Dropped into a playmaking No.10 role, Didier Deschamps, in effect, allowed his attacking midfielder to control the tempo of games.

  And he repaid that faith in style. Griezmann didn't score in Qatar, but he was present for the bulk of Les Bleus' biggest moments. He provided the killer assist that set up Olivier Giroud's winner against England in the last eight, while was instrumental in the build-up to two of Mbappe's goals in the final. The Barcelona flop had become, in the space of one month, one of the world's most important playmakers.

  Simeone hasn't used Griezmann in exactly the same way; he still likes to pack the centre of the park with three interior midfielders, while France use only two. But the Argentine coach has asked Griezmann to drop deeper while still involving himself in attacking play. In the first four months after the World Cup, Griezmann touched the ball more in the middle third than at any point in his club career.

  And so while the teamsheet suggested that he was going to be playing alongside Alvaro Morata, the eye test told a different story. This was an orchestrator who covered ground, created spaces, and got into the box at the right moments. With Griezmann dictating, Atletico only lost once in the remainder of their La Liga campaign. Griezmann scored 10 and assisted 12 across those four months, becoming the driving force in an unlikely turnaround.

  Simeone, victorious and vindicated, summed it up: "He is an extraordinary player despite the fact that many, many, thought otherwise."

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  No drop off in form

  "We've been changing the way we play," Griezmann told GOAL before the 2023-24 campaign. Atleti, he said, were going to play more attacking football this season. They planned on keeping the ball, dictating play, and creating more goalscoring opportunities.

  This would still be a hardworking side revered for its transition defending and ruthless edge. But they would do that while also being more ambitious on the ball. It's a style that saw the Rojiblancos turn last season around, and a full campaign of that swagger, only more refined and calculated, meant Atletico could challenge for domestic and European success, Griezmann claimed.

  Thus far, his assertions have yielded results. Atleti are third in La Liga, four points off the top with a game in hand on co-leaders Real Madrid and Girona. They have scored the third-most goals in the league, and conceded the second-fewest. A drubbing at the hands of Valencia and tight loss to Las Palmas now look like outliers rather than warning signs.

  They have produced in big moments, too. Atletico dominated the Madrid derby, and remain the only team to keep Jude Bellingham quiet over 90 minutes this season. A nervy win against Real Sociedad, battering of Rayo Vallecano, and qualification for the Champions League knockout stages have only bolstered their credentials as genuine trophy candidates.

Shakhtar Donetsk could take legal action against Tottenham Hotspur over their deal to sign Manor Solomon a free transfer, according to Fabrizio Romano.

What's the latest on Solomon?

Having already brought James Maddison through the door, as well as signing Dejan Kulusevski permanently from Juventus, Tottenham are ready to add another attacker to their forward line.

Seemingly, this will be Manor Solomon, who spent last season on loan at Fulham from Shakhtar Donetsk. The left-winger managed 24 appearances, scoring five times, but also missed a large chunk of the season after undergoing knee surgery.

Due to the conflict in Ukraine, FIFA introduced a ruling last summer that enabled foreign players who played in the country to leave their domestic clubs for free, something that was criticised by those involved in Ukrainian football.

This ruling is also influencing this summer's transfer market, with Spurs able to acquire Solomon from Shakhtar on a free transfer, despite the fact that the Israel international's deal does not officially expire until December 2023.

Shakhtar's chief executive Sergei Palkin has already threatened Tottenham with legal action over their pursuit of Solomon, telling ESPN:

"Finally, where he will go, I don't know. In any case, if you go to Tottenham, we will deal with Tottenham in court in this case. Everything comes to a simple situation: it sounds like unjust enrichment.

"Can you imagine, we pay big money for this player and finally Tottenham receives him for free? It is not fair in respect of our club. We will definitely go to court and we will fight for ourselves."

With Solomon expected to complete his medical at Spurs this week, Fabrizio Romano is still unsure on if the deal will be completed, or what will happen in terms of legal action.

What did Romano say?

Speaking on his Here We Go podcast, Romano said: "For Tottenham, exclusive news that I am tweeting right now is about Manor Solomon, who had a fantastic season at Fulham last year, did very well on loan to Fulham.

"Then what happened, he formally returned to Shakhtar Donetsk from Fulham, but the reality is that because of FIFA rules all the players returning to Shakhtar Donetsk could be available for free. Then what happens in some cases is that you can negotiate, in other cases you need to find a different kind of solution."

He continued: "In this case, Manor Solomon has an agreement with Tottenham on the contract. He will be in England next week to have his medical test, it will be early [this] next week. So, Manor Solomon has his medical booked in London to become a new Tottenham player.

"Then Shakhtar CEO, Palkin, a few weeks ago said if Tottenham complete this deal we are prepared to fight in court this Solomon story because we can't allow the player, who is worth probably £30m or £40m, to go to Tottenham for free. So, we are prepared to go to court for this story.

"So, let's see how this evolves because it is about rules, guys, it's not about transfers. It's not a normal transfer."

Whether or not the deal will be finalised remains to be seen as it may be a decision that is made in a courtroom rather than a boardroom.

One thing is for certain, if Solomon arrives in north London on a free transfer then it would be a very smart piece of business from a Spurs perspective.

Ange Postecoglou is seeing his new side do some encouraging early business in this summer's transfer window which will surely excite the Australian ahead of their pre-season tour.

There was clearly a lot of room for improvement on the back of last season, so it will be interesting to see whether this transfer activity is to continue over the coming weeks.

An outrageous half-century from Faheem Ashraf took Pakistan to a victory that, even by their standards, must rate as one of the most improbable in their history.

George Dobell at Edgbaston27-May-2017Pakistan 342 for 8 (Shoaib 72, Faheem 64*) beat Bangladesh 341 for 9 (Tamim 102, Junaid 4-72) by two wickets
ScorecardShoaib Malik’s 72 kept Pakistan in the game before an astonishing finale•Getty ImagesAn outrageous half-century from Faheem Ashraf took Pakistan to a victory that, even by their standards, must rate as one of the most improbable in their history.Fahee, playing his first innings in a Pakistan shirt, thrashed 60 in 34 balls to turn this Champions Trophy warm-up match against Bangladesh on its head. Coming in at No. 9, he helped add 93 in 41 balls for the ninth wicket to take his side to an unlikely victory and make an all-but-undeniable claim for selection in Pakistan’s Champions Trophy side.Sadly for Faheem, this match will barely rate a footnote in the record books. With both sides able to utilise substitutes and Edgbaston sporting a remarkably short boundary towards the Pershore Road side of the ground (it measured just 42 metres, or 47 yards) in an effort to ensure the best surfaces were protected for more important matches, the game will not even be regarded as a List A encounter.But let nobody say this innings came in a soft or contrived manner. At various stages, Pakistan had looked doomed to a fourth one-day defeat in succession against Bangladesh – Bangladesh won the last series between the sides, in April 2015, 3-0 – as they subsided to 168 for 5, 227 for 6 and, in the 42nd over, 242 for 7.That meant they required exactly 100 from the final eight-and-a-half overs. But Faheem, who thinks of his seam bowling as his stronger suit, struck four sixes – none of them over the short boundary – and four fours to take his side over the line.He launched the assault by taking 19 off an untidy over from Mehedi Miraz, followed it with 16 off one from Mashrafe Mortaza and, with 13 required from the last, eased his side’s nerves with a vast pull for six from the first ball of the final over over the longest boundary in the ground.While it was his straight hitting that was most impressive – think of Darren Sammy at his best – it was noticeable that, when Bangladesh dropped short in an attempt to push him onto the back foot, he pulled with powerful assurance. It was, by any standards, a wonderfully persuasive performance by a man pushing for an international debut.Perhaps, had Mustafizur Rahman been playing – he was rested – things might have been different. Taskin Ahmed seemed to tire noticeably as the innings progressed and Shakib Al Hasan did not bowl his whole allocation of overs. But such was Faheem’s power that the Bangladesh bowlers’ ploy of making him hit towards the long boundary was negated and even the experience of Mortaza could find no answer for his clean hitting down the ground.Maybe we should suspend judgement on Faheem. This was a warm-up game, after all, without the large crowds or media scrutiny of a tournament match. But if he replicates anything like this in the game against India a week tomorrow – and it is hard to see how he could be left out of a Pakistan side that has been looking for a seam-bowling all-rounder since what seems the dawn of time – a star really will have been born.There was one other major caveat to this performance. The Bangladesh fielding was, at times, really quite appalling. At least five potential catches were dropped – including Faheem in the final over, allowing him to run three – and one important stumping was missed.Coming on the heels of a match against New Zealand where Bangladesh won despite dropping four chances it underlined the impression that their fielding is a major area of concern going into the Champions Trophy. As Imrul Kayes put it afterwards with a lovely hint of understatement: “I think we need a few more fielding sessions… That’s why we lost the match.”The shame of that is that, for a vast chunk of this game, Bangladesh were the better side. With Tamim Iqbal slamming a century, they set a total that we may well come to think of as something around par in a tournament that looks set to be hugely enjoyable for batsman and a complete nightmare for bowlers.After a relatively cautious start (he scored only 8 from his first 17 balls), Tamim thrashed 43 from his next 22 as he made full use of the short boundary and any width offered by Pakistan’s seamers. Imrul added a run-a-ball 61, Mushfiqur Rahim a typically pugnacious 46 and Mahmudullah and Mosaddek Hossain some impetus towards the end of the innings.With Mohammad Amir rested, Pakistan’s attack offered plenty of pace but no obvious control. Junaid Khan was taken for 25 in one over, Mushfiqur struck Imad Wasim for successive sixes and Wahab Riaz, who cannot be assured of his place in the side, was as mercurial as ever. While Hasan Ali, who could be the unfortunate man to make way for Amir’s return now that Faheem has made such a strong case for selection, leg-spinner Shahdab Khan and Faheem offered a little more control, this was a tough target for a Pakistan side who have made 340 in an ODI only once – and that against Zimbabwe – since the 2015 World Cup.And, for much of their innings, it seemed they had no chance of reaching it. Azhar Ali and Babar Azam both perished poking at balls outside off stump before Ahmed Shahzad’s promising innings was ended by a beauty from Shakib Al Hasan that gripped just a little and took his off bail. While Shoaib Malik, who was dropped on 8, and Mohammad Hafeez added 79 in 12.3 overs for the fourth-wicket to provide some hope, when they went and Sarfraz Ahmed soon followed, it seemed their chances departed with them.But Imad, who survived a stumping chance on 39, kept the chase alive before Faheem delivered his knock-out blow in partnership with Hasan.Insisting he was expecting to force his way into the side before the first match of the tournament – he was a non-playing member of the limited-overs team in the Caribbean – Faheem said he produced such innings “a lot” in first-class cricket – though a List A average of 15.52 with one half-century underlined that his shorter-format batting record is modest – and thanked his captain and coach for “their belief in me.””It’s the first innings I’ve played for Pakistan,” he said. “In first-class cricket I’ve played a lot of innings like that, but that’s the first one in one-day cricket. On one side, the boundary was very small. But they were bowling in good areas and we thought we would hit straight down the ground. I have an ability to hit straight.”He sure does. And while few will recall the details of such a warm-up game in a couple of weeks, his promise might mean that a Pakistan side seen as rank outsiders go into the tournament with hopes just a little higher.

Yorkshire’s captain once again came to the fore, but Somerset survived an early collapse to set up a fascinating final day

David Hopps at Taunton11-Jun-2017
ScorecardMany England fans are still on his case. “Ugly cricketer,” they carp about Gary Ballance. In Yorkshire, the criticism is peremptorily waved aside. As far as Yorkshire are concerned, ugly is the new beautiful.Since he was awarded the Yorkshire captaincy, Ballance has been irrepressible. His unbeaten 98 at Taunton has positioned his side for a victory that, if achieved, would pronounce them Championship contenders and which would deepen Somerset’s predicament in the process.How Somerset must wish they had a batsman like him. Pessimism surfaced in every corner of this intimate ground as they prepared to chase 263. That within 17 overs they succumbed at 49 for 4 was met by black West Country humour, but they finished on 101 for 4 with no further alarm, an engrossing conclusion in the offing.Steven Patterson took the first three, Dean Elgar to a leg-side strangle, Marcus Trescothick nicked one that straightened from around the wicket, and the poor, put-upon young captain, Tom Abell, lbw for 4 as he pushed forward. James Hildreth was ephemeral, a ghostly figure, there and then gone.Ballance is a captain who has been around the block. Abell, by everybody’s account, is a nice, polite young man, well-thought of, but he gives the impression that he should only go around the block if it is well lit, with CCTV cameras.Markedly young captains have a better chance of succeeding if they have a bit of arrogance and stubbornness about them. To draw courage from gentleness is never easy. It is to be hoped that the experience is the making of him, but his Championship average of 17 owes much to his unbeaten 71 on a dead final day against Middlesex at Lord’s last week.Ballance, by contrast, now has 727 runs in six Championship matches at 103.85. He has three hundreds, one of them a double. There are two dominant stories in Yorkshire’s season: the delightful wicket-taking exploits of a breakthrough fast bowler, Ben Coad, and something altogether earthier, Ballance at the crease, refusing to yield.When he took the Yorkshire captaincy in the close season, his England ambitions were far from abandoned. It is only last October, against Bangladesh in Dhaka that he played the last of his 21 Tests, but he met such a horrible end, passing 50 only once in his last 14 innings, that a long absence felt inevitable.Perhaps that absence remains likely. But with both Haseeb Hameed and Keaton Jennings short of runs, the theory that they will fill the top three places alongside Alastair Cook in the first Test against South Africa is not the certainty it once was.Ballance will never be an elegant batsman, but once again he is a highly effective one. He will never invite purrs of delight, but he draws admiration. While Somerset’s spinners, Dom Bess and Jack Leach, worked their way through Yorkshire’s order, sharing 4 for 10 in 8.2 overs after lunch, he shored up the innings as reliably as ever. He has become a batsman from the Essentials range, an everyday necessity.As ever, Ballance prospered square on the offside, enough to spring his detractors into life as they reflect upon his predominantly back-foot style. Judging by Steve Davies’ disappointed reaction behind the stumps when he failed to gather a squirted shot, Leach almost dismissed him on 57. Of his two sixes, a skilful ramp to third man off Jamie Overton to move to 98 stood out. Then the innings ended, Ryan Sidebottom agonised to be lbw, his captain’s fourth Championship hundred lost.”Confidence is such a huge thing and I feel really good about my game at the moment,” Ballance said. “I don’t think too much about stats, but rather concentrate on putting in performances that help the team.”Batting wasn’t easy today as their spinners were getting the ball to drift in the strong wind, as well as turn. So I am very happy about the position we have put ourselves in.”Gary Ballance set Somerset a testing target with another captain’s innings•PA Photos

There is some irony in the fact that Yorkshire’s overseas batsman, Peter Handscomb, springs even further back in his crease than Ballance. Perhaps he was signed as a reminder perhaps that back-foot play is not necessarily a criminal offence. Although if the Conservatives’ post-election deal with the DUP runs out of control, who knows what could become illegal?Positive news for Somerset came from Bess, who took his fourth five-wicket haul in five matches. At 19, his story is already one of perseverance, a trip to the Darren Lehmann Academy in Adelaide kick-starting his career after the Somerset Academy chose not to commit to his talents.Included in his 5 for 80 was a little drifter that did for Handscomb and a nicely-flighted delivery that had Jack Leaning caught at slip. A brief contest between Bess and Matthew Waite, an ambitious young player, quick on his feet, was as enjoyable as the day got.Hindsight suggests that Somerset should have kept faith with the spinners at 223 for 8, the lead 201, but they did not, and Yorkshire’s last two wickets added 60, primarily against pace bowlers and the second new ball, Ballance to the fore.