Canada have India left to face in the group stage and the opening batter said, for all the stars, they must play the ball, not the name

Sidharth Monga11-Jun-20241:24

O’Brien: ‘Ultra-aggressive’ Johnson perfectly suited for this surface

Twenty more runs, and who knows what Canada might have been able to achieve? And looking at the way Aaron Johnson started they threatened to go past the run-a-ball mark, which has been successfully defended in New York on the last two days.Canada now have only a remote chance to make it to the Super Eights but for a while they dreamed. All thanks to Johnson’s half-century on a surface where every batter has struggled. Not surprisingly, Johnson called it the best international innings of his life.Related

• Never Fold: Canada puts Punjabis out of Punjab back in cricket

• Highlights – Canada vs Pakistan – Amir, Rizwan keep Pakistan afloat

• Rizwan takes Pakistan to their first win after Amir-led quicks put on a big show

“I think it’s my best innings so far in international cricket,” he said. “And growing up, you know that Pakistan, one thing they have is quality fast bowling attack, right? And to be able to get a decent total on the board for my team, I think that’s up there with the top, probably top two best innings for me.”Johnson took advantage of the early full lengths and never looked back. “If it’s in my area, my team-mates, my coach, they give me the license to back myself and play my shots. So, once I get going, I knew that they would pull the length back because they saw that I’m scoring so it’s just a matter of me batting as long as possible for the team.”The relentlessness of bigger attacks is something that stood out for Johnson. “One thing I learned, if you’re going to score runs, you have to bat very, very hard,” he said. “You have to focus. Because again, these guys, just imagine, I batted well against Shaheen Shah [Afridi], and then Babar signal to Amir to come and bowl. And you’re thinking to yourself, I remember when I was playing cricket in England, these guys were playing for Pakistan international team. I went to the ground to watch them play. So, to be playing against them, it’s a wonderful experience.”Aaron Johnson took on the Pakistan attack in tricky conditions•Getty Images

Earlier this year, Johnson spent time with Carlos Brathwaite in Toronto. And the Jamaican-born Johnson is also friends with Chris Gayle and Andre Russell. He cherishes the friendship but is also aware that he represents Canada now.”I’m here representing the Canadian national team and as you say my fellow West Indians, Carlos, Chris Gayle, and these guys. Last game we won, I got a personal message from Russell – we’re very good friends. Chris Gayle and these guys would text you sometimes or just to like some of the posts that you make.”Yes, I get some amount of inspiration from them. And one thing Carlos said to me when we met about two, three weeks ago in Toronto is just relish the opportunity and express yourself. Someone you can change the game for your team. So don’t stress too much, don’t think too much about it, just react to what you see.”Possibly Canada’s last match in this World Cup will be against India, and Johnson is aware of the line between respect and awe. “Again, as I say it’s just a ball,” Johnson said when asked about the challenge Bumrah and Co. pose. “The ball is very round the moment you walk on the field, anyone can win. Yes, you have to have respect for these guys. They have been doing it for years.”There are some of them, like someone like Babar today, he’s a legend. I’m pretty sure he will be a legend of the game, right? And hopefully we get to play against Kohli, Rohit, all of these guys, the list goes on and on. And you have to respect them, but at the end of the day, you have to know that you’re a professional cricketer also. And if they did it, you can do it also. So, it’s about respecting them, but also respecting yourself.”

MatériaMais Notícias

da pinnacle： O Santos volta a atuar pela Copa Sul-Americana nesta terça-feira (2). O adversário da vez é o Newell’s Old Boys, líder do Grupo E. Para conseguir os pontos e tomar a primeira posição da chave, o Peixe terá que driblar a ausência de Soteldo, camisa 10 e um dos principais destaques do Alvinegro Praiano.

+Guia Santos: veja a análise dos adversários, onde assistir e tudo sobre o Peixe na Sul-Americana

Sem poder contar com o venezuelano por conta de uma lesão muscular moderada na posterior da coxa esquerda, Daniel Ruiz é o favorito para assumir o espaço.

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da fazobetai： +Joia de 15 anos estreia pelo Barcelona: lembre 28 jogadores que começaram cedo no profissional

Pelo Brasileirão, o colombiano ficou com a responsabilidade de substituir Soteldo, pois o jogador não pôde atuar na 2ª rodada por conta de uma suspensão.

Na briga pela vaga, Ângelo também visa espaço, mas Odair Hellmann deve ir com Daniel Ruiz para manter formação tática semelhante com a dos últimos jogos. Correndo por fora, Lucas Braga está disponível para ser utilizado pelo treinador Odair Hellmann. Todavia, por retornar agora de lesão, o ponta deve começar no banco.

Com base nessas informações, Odair Hellmann deve armar o Santos da seguinte forma: João Paulo; Nathan (Inocêncio), Messias, Bauermann e Lucas Pires; Rodrigo Fernández, Dodi e Lucas Lima; Daniel Ruiz (Ângelo), Mendoza e Marcos Leonardo.

Emilio Gay and James Sales both set new landmarks as Northamptonshire continued to dominate on day two of their Vitality County Championship clash with Middlesex at Wantage Road.First-day centurion Gay forged on to post 261 – the highest-ever individual Championship score for the county against Middlesex – while Sales, brought back into the side for this game, made his maiden first-class hundred with his father David and mum Abigail in attendance to mark the moment. The pair set a new fifth-wicket record against the Seaxes of 181 before the hosts declared on 552 for 6.For Middlesex, who conceded 620 in the first innings against Glamorgan last week, it was another case of much leather chasing, Toby-Roland-Jones their only bowler to take more than one wicket (2 for 81).There was still time in the evening session for two young debutants to make an impression, Raphael Weatherall capturing his maiden first-class wicket, while Middlesex teenager Nathan Fernandes reached an impressive half-century before stumps were drawn with the visitors 128 for 1, still 424 in arrears.As they did on the opening day, Middlesex made an early breakthrough, Roland-Jones trapping Rob Keogh, the batter risking censure by taking his time to drag himself away from the crease, shaking his head as he went, a point noted by the two umpires. However, as on day one, the wicket proved a false dawn for Middlesex as Gay and Sales embarked on their record stand.Gay timed the ball exquisitely, straight driving first Ethan Bamber, then Roland-Jones to the fence as he eclipsed Stephen Peters’ record score against Middlesex at Wantage Road, 183 set in 2010.It wasn’t long before he flicked a loose one from Tom Helm to the fine leg fence to reach his first double-hundred and take Peters’ record of the highest-ever score against Middlesex of 199 made in that same summer 14 years ago.Josh De Caires would give him a reprieve almost immediately afterwards, failing to hold onto a tough caught and bowled opportunity. In De Caires’ defence he probably saved four not to mention himself being decapitated by the blow.Sales meanwhile got underway with a four through midwicket and later took heavy toll of a De Caires over, clubbing one just beyond the grasp of mid-on before driving a better shot straight in the same over on his way to 50 from 109 balls. The hundred stand was raised by lunch as Middlesex rattled through 22 overs in the second hour’s play to rectify a previously negative over rate.Gay was granted a second life soon after the resumption when Bamber failed to hold an even tougher caught-and-bowled close to the ground and celebrated the reprieve by hoisting De Caires back over his head for the day’s first six on route to 250.The record fifth wicket stand against Middlesex of 131 between David Capel and Nigel Felton set at Lord’s in 1989 was soon eclipsed and it was a surprise when Gay’s innings was ended via a run-out.Saif Zaib sparkled briefly, striking one six out of the ground, before all eyes fell on Sales. Already having surpassed his career-best, the 21-year-old right-hander banished any thoughts of the nervous 90s with a huge six of his own before a scampered single took him to the century to a great reception from an albeit sparse crowd.The declaration came soon afterwards and while Middlesex openers Mark Stoneman and Fernandes survived a testing 35 minutes before tea, Weatherall’s golden moment came soon afterwards. The youngster, who played in the England U19 Test on this ground last September took just eight balls to find the edge of Stoneman’s bat, the tickle carrying comfortably through to McManus.That one stuck for McManus but he grassed another when Fernandes was on 24, so denying Weatherall a second victim from his opening burst.The left-hander made the most of the reprieve, to reach a 50 including seven fours, while Max Holden survived a drop at short leg on 35 to be 40 not out at the close.

John Textor claims to have settled the differences with Paris Saint-Germain counterpart Nasser Al-Khelaifi after Botafogo's Club World Cup win.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Textor dismisses any bad blood
• Jokes about "cowboy" tag pinned on him by PSG owner
• Claims match result doesn't reflect reality

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Botafogo owner Textor had a rift with Al-Khelaifi in February regarding the Ligue 1 streaming rights deal. However, the two appear to have resolved their issues after Textor joked about the PSG owner's leaked remark, tagging him as a 'cowboy'.

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• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Qatari owner called Textor a 'cowboy' as Al-Khelaifi argued that the American didn't understand the dynamics of the business. However, with Textor's joke about the matter, everything seems to be okay between the two football executives. Textor's Botafogo pulled off a shock win against PSG on Thursday, earning a 1-0 win in their second Club World Cup game.

  Watch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream now

• WHAT TEXTOR SAID

  Textor sought to cool the reports of tension between the two after the game, going on to sing Al-Khelaifi's praises. He said: "Nasser did some very important things. The unity we have is not fake. There is a crisis in French football and it is important to be together. He is a man with a great knowledge of the game, in France and around it. He has a good sense of humour, he liked my cowboy hat. I told him: 'In real life, I never wear a cowboy hat'. Now we are together for the good of French football and we need it to be like this."

  The Eagle football company owner further said: "I didn't play against Nasser tonight. I was sitting on a chair, I wasn't on the pitch. Nasser was sitting on a chair next to me and he wasn't on the pitch. Our Botafogo team beat that team, but I didn't beat Nasser, and Nasser wasn't trying to beat me."

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR TEXTOR?

  With multi-club ownership also come multiple problems. Textor might be elated with Botafogo's win over PSG, but bigger issues need to be solved at another one of his teams, Crystal Palace, in which his Eagle Football company holds a 43 per cent stake. The club is due to play in the Europa League after winning the FA Cup. However, with Textor owning a majority stake in Lyon, and the French club also playing in the Europa League, UEFA rules do not allow the same ownership to have influence over two teams in the competition. Earlier, Drogheda United from Ireland was expelled from the Conference League because of a similar ownership issue.

تلقي تشابي ألونسو مدرب ريال مدريد الإسباني، دفعة معنوية قوية بشأن أحد لاعبي فريقه، قبل فترة التوقف الدولي القادمة في شهر أكتوبر.

ويخوض ريال مدريد مباراة مساء اليوم الثلاثاء أمام ليفانتي، في إطار مباريات الجولة السادسة لبطولة الدوري الإسباني “الليجا”.

طالع تشكيل ريال مدريد المتوقع أمام ليفانتي اليوم في الدوري الإسباني

ويتصدر ريال مدريد ترتيب الدوري الإسباني بـ 15 نقطة، بعد مرور 5 جولات على إنطلاقة البطولة، حيث حقق الفوز في مواجهاته السابقة.

وبحسب ما ذكرت صحيفة “لو باريزيان” الفرنسية، عُوقب أوريلين تشواميني لاعب ريال مدريد، بالإيقاف لمباراتين مع منتخب فرنسا بعد البطاقة الحمراء التي تلقاها مع الفريق في مباراته ضد آيسلندا.

وبالتالي لن يُستدعى تشواميني لقائمة منتخب فرنسا في فترة التوقف الدولي بشهر أكتوبر القادم بسبب الإيقاف.

وأشارت صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية إلى أن غياب تشواميني عن المنتخب الفرنسي يعني أن اللاعب سيتمكن من الراحة، وهو خبر سار لتشابي ألونسو.

وأصبح تشواميني عنصرًا أساسيًا في خط وسط ريال مدريد مع تشابي ألونسو، وشارك في جميع المباريات الست التي خاضها الفريق في الدوري الإسباني ودوري أبطال أوروبا، وقد بدأ جميعها أساسيًا.

Liverpool, despite being on course to secure the Premier League title this season, have had an issue in the centre-forward position under Arne Slot.

The Dutch head coach has not found a reliable and consistent option in that role in his 4-3-3 system, with right winger Mo Salah carrying the load at the top end of the pitch with his 27 league strikes.

Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, and Diogo Jota have all been utilised in the centre-forward role at various points throughout the 2024/25 campaign so far, with none of them able to really nail it down as their own.

As you can see in the table above, all three of those players have been average, or poor, in front of goal considering the quality of chances that the team have created for them.

They have all, also, failed to hit double figures for goals in the division by this point, with Salah sitting on a whopping 18 goals ahead of anyone else in the squad.

Their respective struggles at the top end of the pitch this season may be why Liverpool have been linked with a move for Argentine forward Julian Alvarez.

The latest on Liverpool's interest in Julian Alvarez

Former Man United and Blackburn chief scout Mick Brown has revealed that Liverpool have “looked” at the former Manchester City number nine ahead of the summer transfer window.

Speaking to Football Insider, the scout explained that the Reds want to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch but the Atletico Madrid man may not be a viable option.

Brown said: “I’ve heard talk about a potential move to Liverpool, but just a year after he left City I’m not convinced that one’s likely to happen. I think he’s one they’ve looked at to see whether he might be an option, but it’s not gone any further.

“He’s settled and happy where he is at the moment, I don’t think he’s looking to move. Plus, Atletico Madrid are not going to want to sell, it would have to be a huge deal.”

He added: “Liverpool do want to strengthen up front, but they’ll have to look elsewhere.”

These comments suggest that Michael Edwards will not be able to strike a deal for the 2022 World Cup winner when the summer transfer window opens, which is a shame when you consider the kind of quality that he could provide at Anfield.

How Julian Alvarez could improve Liverpool's team

The 25-year-old sensation’s performances for Atletico Madrid across all competitions this season suggest that he has the ability to come in and solve Slot’s problems in the number nine position.

Alvarez, who scored 17 goals for Manchester City in the 2022/23 campaign, has racked up 23 goals and five assists in 44 appearances in all competitions for the Spanish giants this term.

He has proven himself to be a ruthless forward who can make a big impact in the final third in both LaLiga and the Champions League for Diego Simeone’s side, thanks to his lethal finishing when chances come his way.

As you can see in the table above, Alvarez has outperformed his xG, by some distance, across both competitions and rarely passed up a ‘big chance’ to find the back of the net.

These statistics suggest that the Argentina international is the kind of centre-forward that Slot has been missing from his Liverpool squad in the Premier League in the current campaign.

The Dutch manager, however, may have his own version of Alvarez brewing at Anfield in the form of young marksman Jayden Danns, who is currently out on loan at Sunderland.

Why Jayden Danns could make the breakthrough at Liverpool

The England U18 international signed for the Championship side on loan in the January transfer window but has yet to make an appearance for the Black Cats due to a back issue.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Danns, despite not having any estimated return date yet, is expected to play a part in their promotion push before the end of the season, though, and that could give him an opportunity to impress Slot before pre-season.

The 19-year-old starlet has, already, shown plenty of promise at youth and senior level in his career so far, however, as he has made nine appearances for Liverpool’s first-team.

Danns has scored three goals in his nine matches for the senior side, scoring two goals against Southampton and one against Accrington Stanley.

As you can see in the clip above, the teenage sensation showed fantastic movement and composure in front of goal to score an excellent goal against the Saints last term.

Danns was once described as “unplayable” by U23 scout Antonio Mango and analyst Ben Mattinson claimed that the striker is “a better finisher than (Darwin) Nunez”, which shows that he has caught the eye of unbiased onlookers.

As you can see in the table above, the Liverpool youngster has already shown a clinical and ruthless edge at academy level with his goalscoring exploits in the U18 Premier League and the FA Youth Cup.

It is now down to him to show that he can translate those performances over to the senior versions of those competitions, in the Premier League and the Champions League specifically.

His return of three goals in two FA Cup matches for the first-team is a promising sign and shows that he does have the ability to make an impact against senior teams, with his aforementioned goal against Southampton showcasing his composure and quality in front of goal.

It is now down to him to return from injury and enjoy a strong end to the campaign with Sunderland to prove to Slot that he is ready to return to Anfield to compete for a place in the squad next season.

Slot can bin Nunez & Jota by unleashing Liverpool star who's barely played

Liverpool can move on from Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota by unleashing this star.

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Mar 23, 2025

If he can do that then Edwards can forget all about Alvarez and the club’s unlikely pursuit of the Atletico star as Liverpool could have their own version of the clinical number nine in Danns, who seemingly has the potential to be the consistent scorer that the Reds have lacked in that position this season.

da esport bet： With Matheus Cunha possibly heading for the exit door this summer, Wolverhampton Wanderers have reportedly set their sights on signing an Atletico Madrid star who’s actually been compared to Nelson Semedo.

Cunha could leave Wolves with Premier League giants keen

da supremo： By signing a new contract and staying put in January, some may have believed that Cunha had put any talk of an exit to bed once and for all. However, it quickly emerged that his new deal included a release clause worth around £63m which is reportedly likely to be triggered this summer.

The Brazilian is certainly not short on suitors, either, with Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur both in the race for his signature. Alas, as things stand, it seems as though it’s Manchester United who are leading the race to secure his signature having reportedly already agreed personal terms with the Wolves star.

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Before the arrival of Vitor Pereira, the thought of Cunha’s exit would have sent most Wolves fans into overdrive. However, even in the absence of their star man thanks to suspension a few weeks ago, the Midlands club began to put together a vital winning run and dominantly ended their relegation fears. It was then Cunha’s return to the side which helped stretch that run to six games before Manchester City stopped it there on Friday.

Speaking with great pride about his side’s run even after it came to an end against Man City, Pereira said: “Yes, but in the end, this is football. I am still proud of my team.

“I told them that we can lose a game, but we cannot lose our identity, our courage, our ambition, our commitment, our team spirit. Today, I saw everything in my team, everything except the result. “

Wolves eye move for Atletico Madrid's Samuel Lino

Still needing to replace Cunha despite recent results, those in the Midlands have reportedly set their sights on a new target. According to South American journalist Juan Arrien, relayed by Give Me Sport, Wolves are now eyeing a move to sign Samuel Lino from Atletico Madrid in an attempt to replace Cunha this summer.

A player who has been compared to Nelson Semedo by Football Transfers, Lino mainly operates as a left-winger but can also feature on the opposite flank to offer Pereira key versatility. Having scored four goals and created a further six in all competitions this season, the Brazilian’s output has far from matched Cunha’s, but a move to the Premier League could be exactly what he needs.

Of course, it wasn’t so long ago that Cunha was struggling at Atletico Madrid before starring at Wolves. Once dubbed “incredible” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Lino can now follow that same path by swapping Madrid for Molineux in the coming months.

There is no escaping from the fact that this season has been a real disappointment for Arsenal.

As things stand, Mikel Arteta’s side are 12 points off Liverpool in the Premier League and, in reality, the title race came to a pathetic end months ago.

However, it is not all doom and gloom in the red half of North London, as in Europe anyway, the Gunners have seriously stepped up and are just two games away from what would be their second Champions League final in their history.

The competition has seen some of Arsenal’s players remind the rest of the world just how good they really are, including one unlikely star who is now worth more than Thomas Partey, whose future is back in the conversation.

The latest on Thomas Partey

Just a few weeks ago, it was generally believed that once his £200k-per-week contract came to an end on June 30th, Partey would depart Arsenal as a free agent following five relatively successful years at the club.

However, ahead of the team’s underwhelming draw with Crystal Palace on Wednesday night, The Athletic’s David Ornstein broke some news that suggested that might not be the case anymore.

According to the respected journalist, the Gunners now want the experienced midfielder to remain at the club and are in talks over a new deal, which could either be for two years or one with an option for another.

Appearances

47

Minutes

3496′

Goals

4

Assists

3

Goal Involvements per Match

0.14

Minutes per Goal Involvements

499.42′

There is certainly an element of risk in handing a soon-to-be 32-year-old player with an extensive injury list a new deal, but this season has seen him available for almost all of it, and with 47 appearances so far, it’s clear Arteta still rates him.

However, his age and injury history have likely counted against his most recent valuation, as Transfermakrt has priced him at just €15m, which is about £13m and millions less than one of Arsenal’s surprise stars of the last month.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

The Arsenal star worth millions more than Partey

So, while practically the entire team played well against Real Madrid, one starter perhaps surprised fans with just how well he performed against the European Champions: Jakub Kiwior.

Yes, the player in question is the former Spezia ace who’s often been looked upon as an unconvincing backup to the sensational William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães.

However, since the latter was ruled out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury, the Polish international has stepped up in a massive way.

In fact, had it not been for his French partner, he’d have a clean sheet at the Bernabeu to his name.

Moreover, while the highly-rated Bondy-born superstar made yet another mistake at home against Palace this week, the “extraordinary” Tychy-born titan, as dubbed by Robert Lewandowski, found himself on the scoresheet.

So, with such a dramatic turnaround from worrying backup to essential starter, it’s not all that surprising to see the 25-year-old’s valuation be higher than some of his teammates.

For example, Transfermarkt has priced the defensive “monster,” as dubbed by reporter Sam Dean, at €22m, which comes out to about £19m, or £6m more than Partey.

Ultimately, while he’ll likely never be the first choice when the backline is fully fit, Kiwior has demonstrated over the last month or so that, when needed, he can be the perfect backup for Arsenal, and, as such, we would not be surprised to see his valuation climb higher before the end of the season.

Big Odegaard upgrade: Arsenal plan move for £86m star who's like Bellingham

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Liverpool have confirmed a new contract for Virgil van Dijk, fending off interest from the likes of Bayern Munich to keep the captain on Merseyside for two more years.

Liverpool seal new contracts for key stars

The Reds could officially win the Premier League this weekend in what has been a brilliant first campaign under Arne Slot. Should Arsenal suffer defeat against Ipswich Town on Sunday afternoon, Liverpool could seal the title with a win at Leicester City shortly after.

However, away from the pitch, a hot topic of conversation has been on the futures of star trio Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk. Salah, as we know, has officially signed a new two-year contract at Anfield, whereas Alexander-Arnold looks set to join Spanish giants Real Madrid.

Meanwhile, Fabrizio Romano had recently said that Van Dijk is set to join Salah in signing a new Liverpool contract through until 2027, and talking recently, the skipper was asked about his pending new deal: “I think first, all the focus should be going to the Hillsborough anniversary. I think that’s the main thing and then we’ll see. The focus will still be on Leicester, but maybe there’s some news. I know … but I don’t know.

“I love the club, that’s pretty obvious. I think you can see that in the way I speak about the club, the way I work for the club in terms of what I do on the pitch on and off the pitch, and that will always be the same.”

Club have accepted "brilliant" star's exit as Liverpool line up Mane 2.0

He’s enjoyed an excellent season…

1 ByTom Cunningham Apr 16, 2025 Van Dijk signs new Liverpool deal worth over £40m

Bayern Munich were keen to sign Van Dijk on a free transfer, seeing the centre-back as a ‘unique opportunity to strengthen its defence with experience, leadership and proven quality’, but it has now been confirmed by Liverpool that Van Dijk has signed a new contract at Anfield.

Rumoured to be on £220,000-a-week beforehand, Van Dijk has become a Liverpool legend since joining from Southampton back in 2017, winning numerous trophies, and David Ornstein reports the new two-year deal is now worth £400,000-a-week.

Ornstein confirms there are no pay cut or break clauses, which will guarantee the Netherlands star is paid £41,600,000 through to the summer of 2027, by which time he’ll be 35. This is even more than the fee Liverpool paid to Brighton for star midfielder Alexis Mac Allister (£35m), but Reds fans will feel their captain deserves every penny.

Games

314

Goals

27

Assists

13

Yellow cards

25

Red cards

1

Minutes played

27,925

Trophies won

8

Talking after penning terms, Van Dijk said: “I’m very happy, very proud. There are so many emotions obviously that go through my head right now speaking about it. “It’s a proud feeling, it’s a feeling of joy. It’s just incredible. The journey I’ve had so far in my career, to be able to extend it with another two years at this club is amazing and I’m so happy.”

Van Dijk is now the highest paid defender in the top flight and will be the second-highest paid player in any position once Kevin De Bruyne departs Man City this summer, behind only Erling Haaland who sits on £500,000-a-week at the Etihad.

Fighting century and two wickets on bowling comeback condemn Pakistan to heavy defeat

Andrew Miller29-May-2024

Nat Sciver-Brunt declared herself sore but satisfied after a formidable allround performance at Chelmsford, as England’s women signed off from their Pakistan series in style with a 178-run victory in the third and final ODI.Sciver-Brunt top-scored in England’s innings of 302 for 5 with a mighty 124 not out from 117 balls, then signalled a return to bowling after a long-standing knee niggle with two wickets in her designated five-over spell, including Pakistan’s top-scorer, Muneeba Ali, for 47.She left the field immediately after her spell with a slight hamstring niggle, with England’s substitute fielder Sophia Dunkley claiming the series-sealing catch at long-off. But afterwards she insisted it was “nothing a rest-day tomorrow can’t fix”.”I had a great time, and it’s a great way to finish the series,” Sciver-Brunt said during the post-match presentation. “The body is pretty sore! It’s probably not my quickest five overs ever, but I was happy to bowl in a consistent area.”England’s bowling performance was set in motion by two wickets for Lauren Bell in the powerplay, then sealed by the spin of Sophie Ecclestone, whose 3 for 15 included her 100th ODI wicket in a women’s record 64 matches.But the batting rested almost entirely on Sciver-Brunt’s ninth ODI hundred, and her fourth in her last nine innings. Danni Wyatt was England’s next-highest scorer with 44 from 42 balls, and though Alice Capsey finished strongly with 39 not out from 42 at No.7, run-making was never quite as easy as Sciver-Brunt made it look in the final analysis.”I’m pretty happy with the level of skill, but the mental game of it as well,” she said. “I managed to get through those tougher patches today and communicate well with my batting partner. I felt pretty natural going onto the back foot, it’s probably more that I’ve worked on manipulating the field [with paddles and sweeps] and getting fielders into places to make it easier for my more comfortable shots.”After arriving at the end of the 11th over following the loss of England’s openers, Sciver-Brunt negotiated the further loss of Heather Knight for 12 before playing second-fiddle to the forceful Wyatt, who took the initiative in a fourth-wicket stand of 79 in 13.2 overs.After reaching her fifty from a measured 58 balls and her century from 110, it wasn’t until the final throes of the innings that Sciver-Brunt truly cut loose, with consecutive sixes off Diana Baig as she and Capsey added 47 runs in the final three overs.”That probably tells you it was more situational, rather than how I was feeling in that period around 80 to 90,” she said. “I did a lot of thinking about my innings whilst I was out there, just trying to be really present.”I was taking my time because, at times, I didn’t feel very free-flowing. But I guess that ebb and flow of the innings is something that I could get through today, which I was really happy with. Hopefully I can use that next time I’m in a bit of strife out there, or it’s not coming out that good. It’s something to fall back on.”Despite the self-proclaimed scratchiness of her innings, Sciver-Brunt’s only clear-cut chance came on 86, when she was dropped by the wicketkeeper Najiha Alvi after charging and missing an attempted whip to leg off Nashra Sandhu.Related

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“I felt like I wanted to get on with it a bit quicker, but I probably could have done that with just getting off-strike,” she said. “I was probably [looking to score] a few more boundaries at that point. So, on reflection I probably didn’t need to do that too much. Or if I was going to, keep hitting straight.”The extent to which Sciver-Brunt had to battle chimed with Heather Knight’s pre-series assessment that England needed to get better at managing the moments that can crop up over the course of a full 50-over innings.And though the 20-over World Cup is the team’s immediate priority, the 50-over version is approaching quickly in 2025, and Sciver-Brunt acknowledged that adapting between formats was something that all the players would have to do better in an ever-more-crowded professional era.”At the end of the day, the skill is pretty much the same,” she said. “It’s just elongated, or you might use different things in your armoury at different times. But international cricket is a bit like a merry-go-round. It’s evolved massively since I started playing, so individually, it’s about working out your freshest mindset for whatever tournament comes up next.”You used to have two or three months to work on your skills, then go into a tournament or series. But actually learning on the job now is so important, and that’s something that we’ve realised as a group. You don’t have that luxury of two months working on a skill, you have to do that live in games. It’s something we’re a bit more used to now.”