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A government warning about a threat to Australian interests could not be ignored

Brydon Coverdale01-Oct-2015Sadly, it had to be this way. From the moment on Friday that Cricket Australia was warned by the government of a threat to Australian interests in Bangladesh, the cancellation of the tour seemed likely. From the moment on Monday that an Italian charity worker was shot dead in Dhaka and Islamic State reportedly claimed responsibility, it was certain. CA had no option but to abandon their tour.It is sad for Bangladesh cricket, for the players and the fans. This should have been a big series for Bangladesh, their first Tests against Australia in nine years. Their one-day form this year is strong, and in their home conditions this looked set to be a competitive series against a raw, regenerating Australian side. It should have been an entertaining contest.It is sad for Australian cricket. A young squad was to have its first taste of cricket in Asia under new captain Steven Smith. New faces like Cameron Bancroft and Andrew Fekete now do not get that opportunity. The challenge of playing a Bangladesh team on the rise, of testing themselves in unfamiliar conditions – that is gone for now.Most of all it is sad for the sport itself that once again factors outside of cricket could force a tour to be abandoned. Bangladesh has not previously been viewed as seriously unsafe; nobody wants it to become the new Pakistan. Nobody to bow to the threat of violence. But a government’s security agencies do not publish these travel warnings on a whim.

Put yourself in the position of Cricket Australia. Is there a bigger, more visible “Australian interest” in Bangladesh than a touring cricket team?

To the citizens of Bangladesh, this may well feel like an insult. That is natural, and completely understandable. The past few months in Bangladesh have been peaceful, certainly more so than in 2013-14, when political violence surrounding the country’s general election caused concerns in the lead-up to the World T20, an event that ultimately went off without a hitch.But this is not about domestic political violence. It is not about the feeling of safety and security that Bangladeshis feel in their own country. This is about the Australian government warning its citizens of “reliable information to suggest that militants may be planning to target Australian interests in Bangladesh”. Not just “western interests” generally, but “Australian interests” specifically.That is why it is irrelevant that other teams such as South Africa, India and Pakistan have toured Bangladesh this year without incident. The warning was published on the Australian government’s Smartraveller website only on Friday. That is why it is irrelevant that Australia have toured Bangladesh safely in the past, including for last year’s World T20. This warning is new.That is also why this cannot be compared to touring India after terrorist attacks in 2008, or touring England after the 2005 London bombings. Those were not attacks directed specifically at Australians. The wording of this latest warning – “Australian interests in Bangladesh” – is worryingly unambiguous. No such advice exists for other countries in south Asia.None of us outside the intelligence community can know how or why the government came upon this information, which it calls “reliable”. We are not privy to that background, and for that reason we have no option but to take the advice seriously. Cricket Australia had no option but to do so either in spite of the high level of security offered by Bangladesh’s government and cricket board.Bangladesh fans will naturally be upset by the cancellation, especially after the successful hosting of the World T20, but intelligence reports cannot be taken lightly•AFPPut yourself in the position of Cricket Australia. Your government contacted you directly on Friday to warn you that its travel advice was about to change, that it believed militants may be planning to target Australian interests in Bangladesh. Your team was due to fly there on Monday. Is there a bigger, more visible “Australian interest” in Bangladesh than a touring cricket team?That is not to say there was any specific threat to the Australian squad. But could Cricket Australia take that chance? After the tragedy of the attack on the Sri Lankan team in Pakistan in 2009, could Cricket Australia take such a risk in the face of such recent, specific advice from its own government? Sadly, it could not. It had no option but to abandon the tour, for no security is truly foolproof.The death of the Italian man in Dhaka on Monday led to further security warnings, including the Australian government advising its staff in Bangladesh to travel only by vehicle. Also on Monday, the US State Department stated that there was “reliable new information to suggest that militants may be planning to target Australian interests in Bangladesh.”What this means for Bangladesh in the longer term is unclear. Naturally, it is to be hoped that future tours there can go ahead, but that will depend on the security advice at the time. For now, the security advice is clear. That is why Cricket Australia’s decision to abandon their tour was sad but inevitable. And sensible.

Real Salt Lake star Diego Luna has been recognized as MLS Young Player of the Year, the league announced on Thursday.

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Luna wins Young Player of the YearProvided eight goals and 12 assistsYoungest member of MLS All-StarsGet the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowIMGANWHAT HAPPENED?

Diego Luna developed into a star for Real Salt Lake this season and his impressive campaign was rewarded by being named Major League Soccer's Young Player of the Year.

The league announced Luna's award on Thursday, highlighting a strong season from the 21-year-old contributed to 20 goal contributions, scoring eight and assisting 12, joining only Diego Rossi to become the second player in league history to hit that mark before 21. In addition, Luna was the youngest member of the MLS All-Star team this summer.

In total, Luna ended up with 35.66 percent of the vote, narrowly edging out second-place finisher Diego Gomez from Inter Miami, who garnered 33.21 percent. LAFC's Cristian Olivera finished third with 5.55 percent.

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A dynamic creative midfielder, Luna could wind up being a U.S. men's national team contributor in the years to come. He earned his first USMNT cap during the 2024 January camp, but declined an offer to be an alternate for the U.S. U-23s at the Summer Olympics in Paris. Luna is also eligible to represent Mexico and could file a one-time switch to play for .

Thus far, Luna has played 76 MLS matches, scoring 15 goals, with all of those goals coming over the last two seasons.

FC DallasDID YOU KNOW?

Luna joins some illustrious company as winner of MLS Young Player of the Year, which was rebranded from MLS Rookie of the Year in 2020. Rossi won that inaugural award before FC Dallas stars took home back-to-back trophies with Ricardo Pepi and Jesus Ferreira in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Argentina World Cup winner and ex-Atlanta United star Thiago Almada won the award in 2023.

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR LUNA?

Real Salt Lake's MLS season is over following the club's first-round MLS Playoff exit at the hands of Minnesota United, who won both matches in penalty kick shootouts. Luna will look ahead to a potential January Camp call-up under new USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino.

Bowling for the first time since the Old Trafford Test, having put fitness concerns behind him, the fast bowler looked on the road back to his best rhythm

Srinidhi Ramanujam05-Sep-2025Every few minutes, a flight takes off from the airport just beyond the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) ground on the outskirts of Bengaluru. There’s a steady hum in the background, easy to tune out, and constant enough to notice if you’re paying attention. On the field, Anshul Kamboj’s bowling had a similar feel: there was an unhurried, deliberate rhythm to it, as he returned to action far from the spotlight that had briefly found him in England.After a challenging Test debut in Manchester in July, when he toiled for 18 overs for a solitary wicket, this Duleep Trophy semi-final for North Zone (NZ) against South Zone (SZ) marked a quieter, more controlled step forward.”I’m just trying to get into rhythm, focus on the present, and push myself without thinking too far ahead,” Kamboj had told ESPNcricinfo after the first day’s play. After missing NZ’s quarter-final due to a fitness concern, acknowledged that two weeks off from bowling had made this match just as much about rebuilding his body as it was about performance.Related

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“I felt really good this morning,” he said, reflecting on his first competitive match since the Test debut. “It’s been a month since I’ve played, so I’m just trying to get into the rhythm of playing a match again. I’m trying to push myself without thinking too much about what’s ahead, [and] just focusing on the present.”For Kamboj, the pre-season preparation is “just a matter of intensity”. It isn’t something that simply turns up on match day – it must be cultivated in the days leading up to it. That intensity was evident in his opening spells on the first and second days against SZ, when he steamed in with pace. His actions were sharp, and his focus clear.”For a fast bowler, loading [the body] during the off-season is crucial for the long season ahead,” Kamboj said. “You can’t train too much during the season; it’s about maintaining yourself. If you load your body well in the off-season, it helps you sustain performance over time.Anshul Kamboj picked up just the solitary wicket in 18 overs on Test debut in Manchester•Getty Images”When in competition, you focus more on refining your skills since you can’t train heavily. But in the off-season, you can build up gradually [by] working on both fitness and skills. The key is not to rest [for] too long, but to keep your body fit through shorter, focused training sessions. If you’re prepared in the off-season, you’ll just need to maintain it during the season, making it easier to perform consistently.”On Thursday, the first day of the Duleep match, Kamboj bowled a seven-over spell and almost had a wicket, forcing N Jagadeesan, on 9 at the time, to nick a length ball to the keeper only to be no-balled for overstepping. It turned out to be a costly mistake, as Jagadeesan went on to score 197 and pushed SZ’s total to 536. Kamboj, however, got on the wickets column soon after, getting Devdutt Padikkal caught behind just as tea approached.On day two, with 15 overs already under his belt, Kamboj’s workload was lighter, with spinners Nishant Sindhu and Mayank Dagar shouldering most of the responsibility, with Sindhu picking up a five-wicket haul. Kamboj still set the tone early on, however, running in hard, hitting the deck, and getting Mohammad Azharrudden caught at first slip with his second ball of the day.Kamboj, who finished with 2 for 67 in 24 overs, underscored the role of mental fitness in sustaining match intensity.”If you maintain the intensity of the match in practice, it puts a lot of pressure on the mind,” he said. “If you’re mentally fit, you can sustain that intensity in practice. But if you’re not, it becomes very difficult, and you might give up halfway. It’s about pushing yourself extra, even when it feels tough, because that’s how you build long-term results.”Last season, Kamboj was the highest wicket-taker in the Duleep Trophy. That followed a haul of 34 wickets in six matches for Haryana in the Ranji Trophy. These performances fast-tracked his road to that India cap.Now, after that difficult Test debut, the selectors were at the CoE, watching him closely. As the new season progresses, Kamboj will hope his preparation, both mental and physical, will enable him to keep putting up these performances of quiet control.

Juventus outcast Paul Pogba met up with Patrice Evra one month after receiving transfer advice from his former France and Manchester United team-mate.

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Pogba met former colleague EvraEvra wants Pogba to join MarseilleFrenchman can resume playing from March 2025Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Last month, Evra suggested that a proven performer like Pogba should consider returning to France to link up with Mason Greenwood at Marseille once his doping ban ends next year. The World Cup winner has seen his four-year suspension from football-related activity reduced to 18 months following an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). As a result, the French midfielder will be cleared to resume his professional career in March 2025.

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While Pogba will be ready to take the field next year, it is unlikely that he will appear for Juventus again as the Serie A giants are contemplating terminating his contract. There has been talk of the Frenchman potentially joining Lionel Messi and Co in MLS, however, Evra firmly believes that Marseille should be the midfielder's next destination where he can revive his career.

WHAT PAUL POGBA SAID

Amid speculation over his next move, the 31-year-old caught up with his ex-colleague in person, a month after Evra's Marseille suggestion, as they posed for a photograph together. Pogba got Evra in a headlock and joked in the caption: "What did you say..?!"

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR PAUL POGBA?

It remains to be seen what response Pogba transfer talk will get from Medhi Benatia – who is now the sporting director at Stade Velodrome. Pogba has been linked with a sensational return to Manchester United, too, while Saudi Arabia has also been mooted as a possible next destination for the World Cup winner.

West Ham United have made a £30m offer to sign a new player ahead of Premier League rivals Manchester United.

Steidten and Lopetegui making West Ham moves

The Hammers have brought in teenage Brazilian winger Luis Guilherme from Palmeiras and experienced goalkeeper Wes Foderingham after he left Sheffield United, but that could be just the start of a productive few months in the transfer market.

Speaking at Lopetegui’s first official press conference as Irons boss on Monday, Steidten said it would be a “busy summer”.

“I can’t tell you specifics, but it will be a busy summer for us for sure. The owner and the board have done a really good job over recent years, so we’re in good shape financially. We’re trying to build up the squad. We’re not limiting ourselves to one position – we’re looking at all areas.”

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Julen Lopetgeui wants him as captain.

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Meanwhile, Julen Lopetegui added when asked about further signings: “Of course we are working to improve (the squad). The first thing to highlight is that we’re happy with the players, but of course we’re going to try to improve. We have to work very hard to be ready for the Premier League, and we would like players as soon as possible, but it’s not easy.”

Reports in recent weeks have stated that the Irons have made offers for former Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha, now at Galatasaray and Fluminense forward Jhon Arias, while agreeing terms with Vitoria Guimaraes attacker Jota Silva.

At the back, an opening offer for Wolverhampton Wanderers centre-back Max Kilman was also submitted but then turned down, with Lopetegui even willing to make him Hammers captain, should a reunion materialise. Kilman isn’t the only defensive target that West Ham have made a bid for, with a new update emerging on Nice’s Jean-Clair Todibo.

West Ham make £30m offer Todibo

According to reliable French outlet L’Equipe, relayed by Sport Witness, West Ham have made an opening offer for Todibo worth in the region of €35m (£30m). The Hammers have already had a reply from Nice, with the report adding that the bid was immediately dismissed by the Ligue 1 club.

Man Utd have also been pushing to sign Todibo this summer, however, new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his association with Nice have made a deal difficult. Reports have even suggested that Ratcliffe is willing to sell his stake in the French club in order to sign the centre-back over the coming months, but it appears as if the Irons are looking to steal a march, so it will be interesting to see if they return with an improved offer.

Ratcliffe wasn’t happy at not being able to sign Todibo for Man Utd, saying: “UEFA said we can sell him to another PL club, but we can't sell to Man Utd. But that's not fair on the player, and I don’t see what that achieves.”

The 24-year-old has been called the “complete package” by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, and a move to the Hammers is one to watch.

Katherine Brunt provides vital support in sixth-wicket stand after India post 222 target

Annesha Ghosh30-Jun-2021England Women 225 for 5 (Dunkley 73, Winfield-Hill 42, Brunt 33*, Poonam 2-63) beat India Women 221 (Raj 59, Verma 44, Cross 5-34, Ecclestone 3-33) by five wicketsKate Cross’s second career five-for and a second successive three-for from Sophie Ecclestone, followed by a sixth-wicket unbeaten 92 stand between half-centurion Sophia Dunkley and Katherine Brunt set up England’s five-wicket win in the second ODI as Mithali Raj’s second fifty in as many games was in vain.India scored 71 off their last 15 overs to set England 222; the hosts needed 65 off theirs to clinch a second straight win and bolster their lead to 6-2 in the seven-match multi-format series. By then, Dunkley, batting for the first time in ODIs having made her debut in the format on Sunday, had put on 24 with Brunt. It took the duo less than 13 of those 15 overs to overhaul the target as Dunkley finished on 73 not out and Brunt on an unbeaten 33.Exuding the nerveless, clear-headed approach that underpinned her 74 not out on Test debut earlier this month, Dunkley steadied England’s chase after the home team lost half their side with 79 still needed. Her release shot – an imperious six into the long-on stands off pacer Shikha Pandey in the 34th over – put England in the driver’s seat after intermittent strikes had denied England’s top five any fifty partnerships.A maiden from Pandey in the first half of the Powerplay set the tone for India’s defence, under stand-in captain Harmanpreet Kaur as Raj didn’t field owing to neck pain. Jhulan Goswami drew first blood with a jaffa in the fifth over. Landing one on a good length, Goswami had it seam away slightly after pitching on middle, when, as replays suggested, the original line had been heading down leg. The misreading of the line caused the in-form Beaumont to be bowled for just 10.Beaumont’s opening partner, Lauren Winfield-Hill, showed early promise with a bouquet of cracking drives through the covers and over the bowler’s head. She hit four fours and a six en route to her 42 but fell to a feather of an edge in Pandey’s second spell thanks to brilliant Taniya Bhatia, standing up, with the gloves.Pandey could have had a second wicket a ball later. Kaur claimed a low catch diving forward to a Sciver lofted drive to mid-off, and was adamant her fingers were under the ball as she did so. The on-field soft signal, however, was not out, and was duly upheld, much to her displeasure, when the zoomed-in TV replays proved inconclusive.Kate Cross claimed a five-for as England took control of the second ODI•PA Photos/Getty ImagesIt could have proven to be a pivotal flashpoint. Instead, on 92 for 3, with Sciver having added another six runs since the close shave, offspinner Rana caused her to edge to Bhatia for the second of the wicketkeeper’s superb takes. Poonam picked up Amy Jones in the 29th over, keeping India’s chances alive, until Brunt and Dunkley staged a meticulous rebuild.As with their bowling performance, with the bat, India showed better intent than the first ODI. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma’s fifty opening stand came up in the 11th over, but in the next over, the introduction of England’s third pacer, Cross, led to the first breakthrough, with Mandhana chopping on a good-length, scrambled-seam delivery that nipped away from the bat.England had turned to spin as early as the ninth over, with Ecclestone bowling six overs for 20 runs and picking up the wicket of Verma in her first spell. Badly dropped on 21 by Winfield-Hill at mid-off, and parched of runs in the first three balls of the 17th over, Verma, six shy of a maiden ODI fifty, trotted down the pitch but was stumped adeptly by Jones as Ecclestone dragged her length back.No. 3 Jemimah Rodgriues, replacing Punam Raut as one of three changes to India’s XI, struck two emphatic fours in Ecclestone’s fifth over. That’s all she could score in her 15-ball stay before coming down the wicket to Cross, and offering up a leading edge for Brunt to complete an easy take.After India slipped from 56 for 0 to 77 for 3 in the space of 29 balls, Raj and her deputy, Kaur, strung a fourth-wicket stand of 68 runs, their third fifty-plus stand in their last four ODI innings together, to lift India to 145 for 4 by the 34th over. Their stand ended with Cross eliciting a cavalier hoick off Kaur that ended up in a benign top edge for the bowler herself to gobble up.Related

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The next-best partnership was worth just 15, between Raj and Deepti Sharma, whose flick found Dunkley in the deep, as Cross made giant strides on her merry march to the Player-of-the-Match honours. Sharma’s wicket capped off Cross’s four-for, the first by an England bowler in a home ODI since Anya Shrubsole’s epochal five-for in the 2017 World Cup final at Lord’s.Cross sealed her five-for with the wicket of Sneh Rana, who made the XI at the expense of Pooja Vastrakar. Drawing a leading edge similar to Rodrigues’, Rana was held at the second attempt by a relieved Heather Knight, as England celebrated with a group hug to mark a fine performance from a popular player.Ecclestone followed up her 3 for 40 in the first game with 3 for 33 in the second, Bhatia her second scalp at Taunton. In Shikha Pandey, Sciver picked up her 50th ODI wicket.Raj found support towards the end of the innings from No. 10 Goswami, who pulled Brunt twice with aplomb in her unbeaten run-a-ball 19. Regular dismissals at the other end meant Raj dropped the scoring pace somewhat as she neared her fifty, a highlights-worthy compilation of back-foot punches, cuts, trademark cover drives, and a failed attempt at pulling a superb Cross bouncer in the 36th over.On 48, Raj copped a bouncer from Cross on the front of her grille, but quickly shook it off to bring up a half-century, her 57th in the format. However, she was run out nine runs later, after a terrific recovery from Dunkley on the deep square boundary. After recovering from a misfield, her bullet throw was well gathered in front of the stumps by Jones, who whipped off the bails to claim the key scalp among her day’s four dismissals.A 29-run tenth-wicket stand between Goswami and Poonam Yadav, who was picked over Ekta Bisht as the second frontline spin-bowling option, dragged India past 200. Ecclestone bowled Yadav for a 15-ball 10 off the final delivery of the innings. And though India bettered their 201 tally in the first post 221 in the second, it again proved insufficient to get the better of England.

Leicester City would have known, even upon re-entry to the Premier League, that it would still be hard to keep a hold on Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall after his electric Championship campaign.

The slick midfielder looks to be edging closer to a move to Chelsea, to reunite with former Foxes boss Enzo Maresca at Stamford Bridge no less, as Steve Cooper now aims to pick up his troops from off the floor after such a demoralising loss to the squad.

Dewsbury-Hall's impact last season

The 25-year-old midfielder has been a bright spark for many a campaign now at the King Power, lighting up the Premier League even during Leicester's dismal relegation campaign, with two goals and two assists registered from 31 contests.

Yet, making the drop-down to the second tier, it was clear that Dewsbury-Hall's ceiling was far above playing EFL football on a regular basis.

The homegrown Leicester product would amass a staggering 12 goals and 14 assists from 44 league games, as Maresca relied upon the magic of his number 22 at times to steer the Foxes to the top of the Championship tree, particularly when moments were tense and nervy towards the business end of the gruelling 46-game schedule.

Keeping a firm grip on him, even when dropping a league, must have made those with Leicester connections confident that Dewsbury-Hall would stay put with the club ahead of returning to the top flight, especially after the ecstasy of lifting the Premier League title aloft must have also made the 5 foot 10 gem hungry to succeed at the level again with his boyhood employers.

1. Harry Maguire

£80m

2. Wesley Fofana

£68.1m

3. Riyad Mahrez

£57.5m

4. Ben Chilwell

£42.5m

5. James Maddison

£39.2m

Yet, money always ends up talking, but Leicester will be somewhat deflated that they couldn't drive a larger fee out of the Blues, with a glance at the table above showing that Dewsbury-Hall's exit won't make a dent in the top-five record departures that have left Leicester in recent memory.

Steve Cooper and Co could have well have had their hands tied when it came to his deal, however, when looking at the financial difficulties Leicester are still facing, with the 25-year-old just wanting to move on and shine at Stamford Bridge under a familiar Maresca.

The newly promoted side have still added significant money to their bank when you consider that Dewsbury-Hall was one off the Academy production line. Yet, the recent champions of the second tier have been here before and bounced back when it comes to a major sale leaving a gaping hole in an important area.

The deal to sell Harry Maguire for an eye-watering £80m reigns supreme as a staggeringly excellent bit of business when comparing the two.

Indeed, Maguire's bumper move to Manchester United really hurt those at the King Power Stadium back in 2019, but at least they managed to drain the Red Devils dry of every million they had to make this deal happen, with Dewsbury-Hall departing for far less at a reported £30m.

Selling him on for an arguable low amount will also be a bitter pill to swallow from the perspective of the East Midlands club, with their star number 22 crucial in the Foxes lifting the Championship title last season.

Harry Maguire's time at Leicester

Nobody would have anticipated that Maguire would go on to leave the King Power for such an excessive amount when he joined for what now looks like an understated £17m from Hull City back in 2017.

Joining the club to give Leicester a new rock-solid figure at the back, away from the ageing duo of Robert Huth and Wes Morgan, Maguire provided just that, with the 31-year-old everpresent in the main team during his debut 17/18 campaign in the league, winning a remarkable 6.9 duels on average per game.

The 6 foot 4 colossus was also a reliable source of goals for the East Midlands outfit across his two seasons at the club, as can be seen with his late winner against Southampton above, with five goals registered from 76 clashes.

Yet, his time playing for the Foxes felt like it went by in a blink of an eye, before he was catapulted to new levels of stardom when moving onto Manchester United, with the Red Devils wanting a slice no matter how much it ended up costing them.

It would end up costing the mega-riches of Man United a staggering £80m to land the now much-maligned defender, who has seen his reputation take a battering at the Theatre of Dreams, like so many other high-profile signings that relocate to the red side of Manchester.

Leicester simply just moved on and took the wads of cash whilst they could, with the Foxes very much coming out as winners in this deal.

Why Leicester were the winners of the Maguire deal

Maguire is now only worth £9m when looking at his transfer valuation today as per Football Transfers, with Leicester laughing at the fact they managed to sell on their former defender for £80m when they did.

The towering 31-year-old was even being touted for a move away from the Theatre of Dreams last summer, with West Ham United the most talked about next destination at the time, as his topsy-turvy couple of years playing for the Red Devils looked to be nearing its finale.

2024

£9m

2023

£11.1m

2022

£29m

2021

£50m

2019

£80m

2018

£11.5m

2017

£17m

Maguire's sad decline can be charted looking at this transfer value continually dropping, when looking at the table above, with talk surrounding the 31-year-old being "world class", as he was labelled by football creator Liam Canning once upon time, somewhat of a distant memory now.

It remains to be seen whether Leicester, down the line, will look at the sale of Dewsbury-Hall in a similar light, knowing that they cashed in at the best possible time before the wheels started to fall off.

The 25-year-old could get even better in his new West London location, however, as Leicester aim to keep their heads above water as a minimum back amongst the Premier League elite next season away from talk centring in on Dewsbury-Hall, with Steve Cooper now at the helm.

Cooper must now sell Leicester man who earns 2x more than Dewsbury-Hall

Steve Cooper will be assessing who to offload from his Leicester City squad currently.

ByKelan Sarson Jun 26, 2024

Neither side can avoid stalemate on a pitch suffering from winter floods and chilly spring

George Dobell02-May-2021When spectators are finally allowed back into New Road, they will be greeted by something of a sad sight. Two of the horse chestnut trees that have overlooked the ground for many years have gone; felled to prevent the disease they suffered spreading to the fortunate remaining tree.As this match has worn on, however, the suspicion has grown that the two trees were the lucky ones. Indeed, an alternate theory is they hacked themselves down as they could no longer bear to watch the grim cricket being played in front of them.That is not to decry the efforts of the two sides in this match. Both fought hard throughout. There was no shortage of skill or commitment on offer in this game.But 40 wickets have now fallen at this ground in eight days of cricket this season. And, while a total of 2,002 runs in that time might make it sound as if there has been a feast of batting, the run-rate has been 2.75 per over. It is not a wicket that is good for batters, bowlers or spectators. At times in this match, there were six fielders on the boundary and batters were more concerned with shovelling out low-bouncing grubbers than thinking of the stokes they might play. You could almost imagine the poor remaining tree calling out for a lumberjack.Such a track has not been designed. Instead, the club are dealing with the consequences of severe winter flooding followed by a dry but cold March. As a result, there has been little grass growth. The groundstaff cannot be blamed.It does make for pretty grim cricket, though. You wonder whether the use of heat lamps – to promote grass growth – or hybrid surfaces – which are now routinely used in limited-overs cricket – might play a part in finding a solution. But Worcestershire are going to find it desperately tough to win games here if the wickets are like this. The extra points provided for a draw this season do little to discourage such tracks.”It was a low, slow, turgid wicket,” Essex head coach Anthony McGrath said afterwards. “It was tough for bowlers and not free-flowing for batsmen. When Simon Harmer isn’t getting any turn at nearly 5pm on the fourth evening, you know things are tough. It’s been a grind. It’s not made for great watching.”I’d be open-minded about trials of hybrid pitches. In some circumstances, like those we’ve seen here, it might be worth experimenting.”Related

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For a moment, in mid-morning, the game briefly flickered into life. Worcestershire, apparently cruising at 313 for 5, were suddenly 326 for 9, with Sam Cook claiming 3 for 1 in 16 deliveries.But a 10th-wicket stand of 38 between Dillon Pennington and Charlie Morris arrested the slide. It wasn’t so much the runs the pair scored as the fact they kept Essex out in the field for an extra 15 overs. Essex had no choice but to enforce the follow-on – there were three overs of Worcestershire’s second innings before lunch on the fourth day – but by then they had already bowled 138.1 overs.Perhaps it showed. While Cook remained dangerous, the rest of attack looked understandably jaded. Peter Siddle bowled three overs before he was taken off with a few to challenges ahead – Essex start their next game at Trent Bridge on Thursday – and Cook had to be rested at some stage. He may well be rested for that match.The result leaves Essex one from the bottom of Group One with one victory in four matches. But though that is an unflattering position, there is little reason for concern. They have dominated long stretches of the last two games and, even now, are only five points from the top spot.Cook, in particular, emerged with great credit from this game. On a surface on which Siddle, for example, finished wicketless, Cook delivered 40 overs (19 of them maidens) and claimed 6 for 67. It was an immense performance which deserved rather better from the conditions.Nagging away like toothache, Cook invariably hits a good length and can swing the ball away. But it was the one that nipped back that accounted for Ben Cox, beaten through the gate, and then, in the second-innings, Daryl Mitchell, leaving one that took his off stump.He is not especially quick – perhaps 80 mph – but, in another playing age, an age when the likes of Steve Watkin, Richard Ellison or Tim Munton were playing for England, Cook might well be close to a national call-up. Right now, with the likes of Craig Overton and Ollie Robinson ahead of him, he seems some way back in the challenge. But he is a terrific bowler and if the chance did come, he wouldn’t let England down.Much the same could be said of Simon Harmer. He has now bowled nearly 100 more overs than anyone else in the County Championship this season (he has bowled 262.4; the next busiest bowler is Jack Carson with 167.2) and in this game alone bowled 73 overs.Worcestershire were, once again, grateful for the solidity of Jake Libby. His half-century here took his season average above 100 and left him as one of only 10 men to have scored 400 Championship runs this season. He has proved an excellent signing.This result leaves Worcestershire third in the table but just two points off the top spot. They play Warwickshire, who are top, at Edgbaston this week with Josh Tongue and Joe Leach in line to freshen up an attack that has spent a lot of time on its feet of late. Jack Haynes may also come in for Gareth Roderick, who looks short of confidence at present.In the end, though, nothing anyone did on this pitch made any difference.

Manchester United will not make a decision on whether to demolish Old Trafford or redevelop the stadium until next summer.

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Man Utd delay decision on future of stadiumMust choose to rebuild or renovateWill explore options ahead of final call next yearFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Red Devils have decided to delay a decision on the future of Old Trafford until after the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham's budget in March. The club also want to explore more funding options and will therefore not make a final call on whether to demolish the famous old ground and build a new home or redevelop the stadium until the summer, according to . The Red Devils were initially expected to renovate Old Trafford but have also drawn up plans to knock the ground down and build a new £2 billion ($2.5bn) 'Wembley of the North' 100,000-seater stadium. If Manchester United do go ahead with plans to build a new stadium they will likely have to buy surrounding land that is currently occupied by a large rail freight terminal.

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Manchester United fans remain divided over the best way forward for Old Trafford. A recent survey sent to half-a-million supporters revealed that 52% of fans were open to a new stadium., while 31% would prefer Old Trafford to be redeveloped and 17% were not sure of which way to go. The results of the survey also revealed that it's the club's younger supporters who want the club to stay, while older fans would rather the club build a new stadium.

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Manchester United are currently holding consultations with fans to provide supporters with further information and hear opinions. Former defender Gary Neville is also part of a stadium 'taskforce' with Burnham which has been charged with exploring regeneration options and is due to deliver a report by the end of the year.

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Manchester United fans will fill Old Trafford again twice this week. The Red Devils take on PAOK at home in the Europa League on Thursday and then host Leicester in the Premier League on Sunday. The two games are Ruud van Nistelrooy's final matches as interim boss before new head coach Ruben Amorim takes over.

The India fast bowler recalls an epic Test tour of England, and reflects on the challenges life has thrown his way

Shashank Kishore and Daya Sagar26-Aug-20254:33

Breaking down where Akash Deep can improve

In the weeks leading up to India’s recent tour of England, Akash Deep had one thought weighing on him: “How do I survive five Tests?”For over two months, Akash Deep had spent several nights in hospital, attending to his sister Jyoti who was undergoing cancer treatment. Diet and sleep had become luxuries. His training was haphazard. Cricket wasn’t the most important thing in his life at that time.It’s why Akash Deep spontaneously remembered Jyoti and dedicated his 10-wicket haul in his first Test of the series to her, after India made it 1-1 in Birmingham.”It was tough,” he says while in Bengaluru, where he is preparing for India’s home international season. “As such, a five-Test series is not easy. Especially if you’re a fast bowler. And at a time when I had to prepare, I was dealing with a lot of things.”Being in and out of hospital, your diet and sleep often go for a toss. I was actually wondering how do I survive five Tests because even during the IPL because of my sister’s treatment, my training was haywire for one, one-and-a-half months. Luckily, I got time in the lead-up to the series thanks to the India A tour, where I had 10-15 days of preparation. I used that time to prepare well.”It’s been three whirlwind weeks since Akash Deep’s return from England, where he played an important role in India drawing the series 2-2. After a dash home to see his family, he was away on a pilgrimage for ” (peace of mind),” and then visited his ‘AB Cricket Academy,’ which he had begun last year in his hometown Sasaram in Bihar.”When I was growing up, there was nothing here,” he says. “No ground, no practice facility. I didn’t even see a red ball until I was 17-18. My thinking was when I have some money and resources, I’ll try and help kids who aren’t from financially sound backgrounds. So that they don’t have to go too far away to train.”Not being financially strong should not come in the way of living your dreams of playing the game or getting opportunities. I’m glad I’ve been able to realise my dream [of building an academy]. I have a team that looks after most things, but I guide them and insist, if there are kids coming forward from disadvantaged backgrounds and have the talent, they should be prioritised.”Akash Deep took 13 wickets on the tour of England•Getty ImagesAkash Deep’s story is one of courage. Sharing a 150 square feet room with eight others in Kolkata, surviving on (lemon tea) to play club cricket, staying with his cousin in Durgapur in search of opportunities, losing his father and brother in the span of a couple of months, he has seen it all. It’s why he treasures every moment on the field. “If you find even a little happiness amid all your problems, it’s enough to bring a smile.”He wasn’t smiling on that tense final morning at The Oval when he dropped Gus Atkinson at long on and palmed the ball over the boundary for six. England needed 11 after that to win the series, India needed one wicket to draw it.”Maybe I could have tried to palm the ball in to save the six,” he says. “But I went to take the catch. Luckily in the next over (two overs later) we got the wicket [of Atkinson]. Immediately after I dropped the catch, there was really no time to dwell on it. Maybe if something else had happened I may have been thinking about it. Luckily I didn’t have to worry much.”I ran really quickly to Siraj [laughs] once we took the final wicket.”That was just one of several memorable moments involving Akash Deep on the tour. Earlier in the fifth Test, he had put his arm around England opener Ben Duckett and said a few friendly words after dismissing him in the first innings.”He had been out four-five times to me. Before coming out to bat in that innings, he said, ‘this time you won’t get me out’. I got him out and then said, ‘bro, now go and rest please’,” he says with a laugh.There’s a memory from Birmingham that stands out. He’s watched replays of that dream wicket on loop.”Joe Root,” Akash Deep says with a smile. “The way I got him (bowled). Set him up, and got him out exactly the way I wanted to.” For those who don’t remember, he pitched on a good length and angled the ball in, before getting it to nip away and beat the outside edge of Root’s defence to hit the top of off stump.0:42

Tendulkar: Akash Deep to Root at Edgbaston was ‘ball of the series’

Apart from his 13 wickets in the series, he also made a vital contribution with the bat, scoring a half-century after coming in as a nightwatcher in India’s second innings in the fifth Test at The Oval. Akash Deep made 66 in his partnership of 107 with Yashasvi Jaiswal for the third wicket, helping India set a match-winning target of 374.”Everyone expects me to contribute with the bat, but I haven’t been able to do it to all the time,” he says. “That innings, I learnt a lot. It taught me to not take my batting casually. When the team needs me, that time I’m motivated.”He also recalls his innings in Brisbane in 2024, when he helped India save the follow-on, to explain what he needs to motivate himself at times. “I think I should put extra pressure on myself as a batter to contribute,” he says. “That’s what it (The Oval innings) taught me. I was just thinking of building a partnership with Yashasvi.”They [his team-mates] were happy because the batters used to taunt us in a friendly way, ‘kabhi toh kuch kardo (can you also contribute once in a while)’, ‘dus to bana do, bees to bana do (make 10 or 20 runs at least)’, so I felt they’ll keep quiet now for some time [laughs].”Akash Deep is now at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, gearing up for the two-Test series against West Indies from October 2. For the first time in months, he has the mental space to breathe, train, and focus on his game. He doesn’t have to go to the hospital at present and he’s enjoying the luxury of being able to stay in the moment and do what he loves most.