The freewheeling Pakistan batsman who came to prominence with a matchwinning century against India in the final of the Champions Trophy, is heading to Somerset

David Hopps31-Jul-2017

Fakhar Zaman, the freewheeling Pakistan opening batsman who shot to prominence with a matchwinning century against India in the final of the Champions Trophy at The Oval in June, is returning to England to join Somerset until the end of the season.Zaman gets his chance because Corey Anderson will be returning to New Zealand immediately to undergo treatment for a stress fracture to his back and he will therefore play no further part in Somerset’s NatWest T20 Blast competition. He will also play in four-day Championship matches.Zaman’s brand of hitting will be eagerly awaited in Taunton as they attempt to reach Finals Day in the Blast, but it could have all gone wrong for him in the Champions Trophy final. He was so ill the night before the match that the team doctor kept an eye on him for most of the night and he was caught on 3 off a no-ball by Jasprit Bumrah.Anderson hit 81 on debut for Somerset in defeat against Surrey at Kia Oval, and the county pleaded a stiff back after a flight as the reason he did not bowl. But he did not bowl a ball in his four matches and has now returned home to address the problem.He leaves Somerset in second place in South Group but they have played a game more than many of their rivals.Matt Maynard, Somerset’s director of cricket, said: “It’s disappointing that Corey has had to return to New Zealand, particularly in light of what he has achieved during his short time with us. During his time here Corey has soldiered on bravely and managed his ongoing stress fracture well but now it needs immediate treatment.”We have really enjoyed having him around and he has made a positive contribution both on and off the field at the Club. Hopefully we will see him again in Taunton in the future.”Anderson said: “I am grateful to Somerset for giving me an opportunity to play cricket in England and only sorry that I have been unable to conclude my stay with them. However I hope that at some point in the future when my back problem has been resolved that I will be able to return.”He suffered a double stress fracture two years ago during New Zealand’s Test against England at Lord’s, which caused an eight-month absence from international cricket. Since then, he has only taken more than two wickets in an innings once in international cricket when he returned 3 for 55 against England in Cardiff in June.Zaman has limited T20 experience and, as such, represents a bit of a punt by Somerset. At 27, he has appeared in four ODIs, scoring 252 runs at an average of 63, and has also played in three T20Is in which he averages 13.He will join Somerset as soon as his visa is granted and will be available for selection from then on.Maynard said: “It’s great to have Fakhar joining us and in addition we will have Dean Elgar back for the final three NatWest T20 Blast group stage games.”Elgar, though, will play no more Championship cricket for Somerset as they attempt to make a late escape from relegation. He has to return to South Africa for a camp prior to South Africa’s series against Bangladesh.That leaves Somerset also reliant on Zaman for the remainder of their Championship season. If he treats four-day cricket in the same uninhibited style, Somerset, lying eighth, 30 points from safety with six matches remaining, will not be blocking as they attempt to preserve their Division One future. But he should not be lightly dismissed in this format as a first-class average of 61 testifies.Zaman has been feted in his home town of Katlang since his feat in the Champions Trophy final, and he has attempted to keep his feet on the ground by trusting to the advice from the Pakistan great, Younis Khan, who told him that “fame is only an illusion” and that it could destroy him.He will be famous in the Somerset market town of Taunton if he helps them win the Blast and stay up in the Championship. The sort of fame, however, which very rarely threatens to wreak havoc on a person’s soul.

Arsenal "could reluctantly be forced" to cash in on striker Folarin Balogun with his value at an all-time high, according to journalist Charles Watts.

Who will leave Arsenal this summer?

Following the marquee signings of Germany international winger Kai Havertz, midfielder Declan Rice in a £105 million deal and defender Jurrien Timber from Ajax, the north Londoners need to balance the books.

Further additions haven't been ruled out this summer, with Southampton starlet Romeo Lavia attracting Mikel Arteta's interest, though outgoings are of the upmost importance right now.

Granit Xhaka has already completed his multi-million pound move to Bayer Leverkusen, with the likes of Thomas Partey and Balogun linked to the exit door also.

The latter player is a curious case after his scintillating season on loan at Reims. The USA forward scored 21 goals in 37 Ligue 1 appearances last campaign, putting a host of clubs on red alert given his Arsenal contract also expires in two seasons.

Journalist Charles Watts, writing on his official website, claims Arsenal could be forced to sell Balogun given he has no intention of going out on loan again and has also showed little willingness to pen fresh terms.

"Arsenal’s academy product scored 22 goals in all competitions in France, sending his reputation through the roof," wrote Watts.

"That has allowed him to go into the transfer window holding all the cards when it comes to taking his next step.

"Balogun is coming off the back of a superb individual campaign. He still has two years left of his deal and he has just agreed to be the poster boy for the United States ahead of their home World Cup in 2026. So his value, both in footballing terms and commercially is sky high."

How good is Folarin Balogun?

The 22-year-old's goal record in France is just one indicator of his quality, with Balogun also attempting more shots at goal per 90 than any other Reims player and ranking among their best-performers overall (WhoScored).

Balogun is a player of serious potential and attacking quality, making him an attractive proposition for any interested side, domestically or abroad, who are in need of a prolific forward.

Arsenal could apparently demand as much as £50 million for the frontman, who Arteta has previously praised for his commitment and bravery as well.

“He’s a boy that has a really clear idea of what he wants to do with his career," said Arteta.

"He’s really ambitious, really committed and really brave.

“When you look at the numbers and what he is doing, it’s just incredible. It’s very rare to see that. But he’s got something special."

ScorecardSean Dickson hit a career-best unbeaten double century and Joe Denly notched his third hundred of the summer as Kent enjoyed a first-day run fest in their Specsavers County Championship match with Northamptonshire in Beckenham.Kent cashed in on a Worsley Bridge Road shirt-front after winning the toss to post 434 for 1 after 96 overs with Dickson and Denly unbeaten on 210 and 143 respectively as Sam Northeast’s promotion-chasers racked up maximum batting bonus points at a canter.The total already represents Kent’s best at this venue, while Dickson’s 210 is his career-best as well as the highest individual score at the ground, beating Ben Duckett’s 207* here last season. Dickson also became the first Kent player in history to post double tons as his first two first-class centuries for the county.In adding an unbroken 305 the pair also moved past the previous second-wicket record of 260 against Northamptonshire set by Arthur Fagg and Frank Woolley at Canterbury in 1934. And, when Denly pulled a short one from Nathan Buck for four in the day’s penultimate over, he raised their 300 stand to beat Kent’s record for any wicket against Northants of 296 set by Ken Hutchings and Frank Woolley at Gravesend in 1908. For good measure, the stand is also a record for any wicket at the ground.As for Northamptonshire, they will look to their ill fortune earlier in the day when they might have dismissed Dickson twice before he had even reached three figures.Dickson, the 25-year-old South African right-hander, joined forces with fellow opener Daniel Bell-Drummond to post 129 either side of lunch – their second-best partnership of the season behind their 172 against Sussex at Tunbridge Wells last month.Bell-Drummond went one short of his 50 soon after lunch when edging a back-foot defensive push to the keeper off Ben Sanderson and it transpired to be the visitors’ sole success of the day.Dickson was on 35 when he survived a concerted shout for lbw against Buck then, with his score on 97, Dickson drove hard at an away swinger from Buck only to be given the benefit of the doubt to another loud appeal for a catch behind the stumps.Sean Dickson converted into his second double century•Getty Images

With the luck on his side, Dickson marched on to a 165-ball 100 with 10 fours and a six then Denly reached the milestone from 132 balls with six fours and three sixes.Northamptonshire tried permutating seven bowlers and delayed taking the second new ball in a desperate bid to curtail the run-rate but, when they finally did take it, their worst fears were realised as Denly cracked it to all parts in a sublime display of driving.Just before the close, Dickson clipped sweetly off his pads against Steven Crook to hit the ropes for a 20th time and raise his double hundred from 280 balls.Northamptonshire skipper Alex Wakely described Kent’s run-fest as his’toughest day in any form of cricket’, adding: “We’ve walked offwith smiles on our faces because we’re not quite sure what we might have done differently or what to say about it. A couple ofopportunities and appeals didn’t go our way early on but apart from that both Denly and Dickson played really well.”I haven’t had a tougher day in cricket than this and can’t remember a day when we’ve only ever picked up one wicket in the three sessions.We’ve been playing some really good cricket of late so I’m going to give Kent the credit they deserve.Dickson needs a further 66 runs on day two to better Matt Walker’s all-time individual record total for the county,He said: “I’m a little bit overwhelmed by it all at the moment if I’m quite honest and feel shattered. The last nine overs were a massive challenge for me out there and I just tried to remember what one old, wise man said to me the once , that ‘double hundreds don’t come your way every day’. I said to Joe that I needed a little energy spurt, a mind switch to get myself across the line to 200 and thankfully I found it from somewhere.”There’s a massive amount of emotion after this for me. I have made four ducks this season at at times it’s been a massive mentalstruggle, but I’ve been hitting balls superbly well of late with no result.”

The 25-year old middle-order batsman has been ruled out of the tournament having hurt her right hand

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jun-2017Bismah Maroof, Pakistan’s second-most experienced player in ODIs, has been ruled out of the ongoing Women’s World Cup due to a hand injury. She has been replaced in the squad by allrounder Iram Javed.Maroof had hurt herself in the field on Tuesday when England thrashed Pakistan by 107 runs. A capable middle-order batsman – 11 fifties at an average of 26 – her loss has come at a difficult time, with her team at the bottom of the points table with no wins in two matches.Nevertheless, it represented an opportunity for the 25-year old Iram, who has played only seven ODIs since her debut in 2013. She has scored 37 runs and has taken three wickets with her seam bowling. She last played 50-over cricket for Pakistan in November 2016.The ICC’s event technical committee – comprising Geoff Allardice (ICC, chairman), Campbell Jamieson (ICC representative), Steve Elworthy (Tournament Director), Alan Fordham (host representative), Anjum Chopra and Alison Mitchell (both independent nominees) – has approved the change.Pakistan squad: Sana Mir (capt), Asmavia Iqbal, Ayesha Zafar, Diana Baig, Ghulam Fatima, Iram Javed, Javeria Khan, Kainat Imtiaz, Marina Iqbal, Nahida Khan, Nain Abidi, Nashra Sandhu, Sadia Yousuf, Sidra Nawaz (wk), Waheeda Akhtar

Arsenal have been linked with Porto striker Mehdi Taremi; however, he is not 'on the radar' for the time being at the Emirates Stadium, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

How good is Mehdi Taremi and who has been linked with signing him?

Taremi is a player with a knack of finding the back of the net and enjoyed a masterful campaign for Porto last season, registering 31 goals and 14 assists in 51 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored take into account that Taremi was extremely consistent for the Portuguese giants in 2022/23, recording an average match rating of 7.47/10 in Liga Portugal alongside taking on 2.9 shots per game.

His clinical form in front of goal has attracted interest from the Premier League and O Jogo via TEAMtalk have reported that Arsenal and Manchester United among others are keen to secure the £29k-a-week ace's services in the off-season.

The Sun have picked up on a potential hint from Taremi's agent Borna Khoramdel, who is the CEO of Arvand Sport, that he could be on his way to join Manchester United following a post on Instagram that showed a picture of his representative at Old Trafford.

Sky Sport cite that AC Milan are big admirers of Taremi and claim that Porto have lowered their asking price for the Iran international to €20 million (£17.09 million) plus bonuses. Roma and Saudi Pro League outfit Al Hilal are said to be monitoring his situation.

Football Insider mooted back in April that Mikel Arteta could look to bring another striker to north London this window that possesses a different profile to current options Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah, targeting a physical presence in the frontline.

Nevertheless, transfer insider Jones doesn't think that Arteta will move to bring in an alternative forward to add to his options in the final third.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones stated: "Yeah, I mean, Mehdi Taremi is suddenly being linked with a lot of clubs. Whenever that happens, I'm always a little bit cautious about whether he's just being touted around and what the meaning is behind it.

"I haven't heard too much on this one in terms of Arsenal's genuine interest. As far as I've been told, a forward of this sort of mould isn't really on the radar at this sort of time."

What else is going on at Arsenal this transfer window?

The Gunners have already already secured their first signing in the summer in the form of Kai Havertz, who has moved across London from Chelsea for a fee in the region of £65 million, as per Sky Sports.

West Ham United captain Declan Rice and Ajax defender Jurrien Timber have both underwent medicals at the club and will be officially announced this week, according to The Evening Standard.

Speaking to The Residency quoted by 90min, Arsenal midfielder Jorginho admitted that he has 'no idea' when both deals will be announced.

Southampton star Romeo Lavia is another midfielder that is under consideration from Arteta as he aims to bulk up his midfield, as per The Guardian, signifying that some exciting times may be in store at the Emirates in the next few weeks.

Tottenham Hotspur may "abandon" their pursuit of Micky van de Ven due to issues surrounding the player's price tag at Wolfsburg, according to Ben Jacobs.

Is Van de Ven joining Spurs?

The arrival of Ange Postecoglou in north London has shifted the mood around Hotspur Way.

There is a new and growing optimism around the club and its supporters as Tottenham prepare for a new era under the Australian coach, one which has been buoyed by several summer signings already in James Maddison and Guglielmo Vicario.

Postecoglou's charisma and attitude has endeared him to players and fans wherever he has been, most recently at Celtic, and the 57-year-old will be hoping that the good feeling around Spurs can last well into the new season.

However, if Spurs defend like they did last season, those warm fuzzy feelings will disappear pretty quickly.

Postecoglou's most difficult challenge will be transforming a backline low on confidence and quality and in dire need of reinvigoration. Bringing in a top-quality centre-back would be a great start and a couple of the Bundesliga's finest young prospects have already been linked.

Edmond Tapsoba of Bayer Leverkusen has been considered the priority target, but talks have reportedly advanced for Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven.

According to journalist Jacobs, however, a deal for the latter could yet be abandoned due to the Dutchman's high valuation, with Spurs looking for a potentially more economical solution to their centre-back problem.

Speaking on The Football Terrace, Jacobs said: "I think Tottenham are looking for a centre-back, we've known this for quite some time. Micky van de Ven is one player that they've been considering and exploring, and price has been a little bit of an issue there.

"So, we know this is a key area because Ange Postecoglou is intent effectively on having ball-playing centre-backs and defenders more generally, but Spurs will abandon their pursuit of Micky van de Ven because of the fact that ultimately price is a problem and they're still looking for value in the market.

"So, that leads the towards, perhaps, Edmond Tapsoba, another one that's been on the list for quite some time. And he's a top target, I think it's fair to say, and the valuation there is somehwere in the region of £40m, some would say £45m. So, they're going to be ones to watch over the coming weeks."

Tapsoba's greater experience at senior level may influence Spurs' decision, with Postecoglou perhaps viewing the Burkina Faso international as a more first-team ready addition.

Jacobs didn't rule out the possibility of Van de Ven still making a move to the Lilywhites from Germany, but it certainly contradicts aforementioned claims that a deal is at a very advanced stage.

How good is Van de Ven?

The 22-year-old arrived at Wolfsburg from Volendam in his home country back in 2021, but only made five appearances in his first season with Die Wolfe as he adjusted to life in the Bundesliga.

Last year was the youngster's breakthrough campaign, featuring 36 times in all competitions and helping Wolfsburg to an eighth-placed finish, missing out on European football to Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt on the final day of the season.

Van de Ven is quick, something perfectly exemplified by a recent clip circulating on social media, and stands at 6ft3 – a formidable combination.

The fact that he is left-footed makes him an even more desirable asset due to the scarcity of top-tier centre-backs who thrive on the left-hand side of defence, while he is also comfortable playing at left-back or as one of three centre-backs in a back five.

Boasting an 87.7% pass accuracy in the league last season, he also ranked in the top 11% for successful take-ons and progressive carries per 90 compared to other Bundesliga centre-backs, showcasing his technical strengths.

If Postecoglou wants a ball-playing, modern centre-back, then he need not look much further than Van de Ven.

Watch more of The Football Terrace HERE!

Middlesex survived the loss of six wickets for 20 runs to sneak an enthralling London derby by one wicket in front of more than 27,000 at Lord’s

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jul-2017
ScorecardKumar Sangakkara sustained Surrey until he misjudged a ramp shot•Getty Images

Steven Finn hit a dramatic winning boundary off Ravi Rampaul to earn Middlesex a nerve-shredding one-wicket victory in the NatWest T20 Blast against Surrey before a near sell-out 27,205 London derby crowd at a floodlit Lord’s.A sudden Middlesex collapse left Middlesex needing nine runs from the last three overs but with three wickets still intact. Then Jade Dernbach had Nathan Sowter caught at cover and John Simpson, trying to turn Ravi Rampaul to leg, was caught for 7 off a leading edge. From 133 for 3, chasing 159, Middlesex had staggered to 153 for 9.That left last man Finn coming in to join Tom Helm with six still required. He survived a close lbw appeal from Rampaul before the next ball, also angled into his pads, flew away for four leg byes. Rampaul’s next ball, the fourth of the 19th over, was an attempted slower ball and Finn clipped the resulting full toss to the midwicket ropes amid wild scenes.Surrey captain Gareth Batty had earlier taken 4 for 14 with his off spin, including a double-wicket maiden in the 16th over when he dismissed both Eoin Morgan and Tim Southee, to set in motion the collapse which produced such a thrilling finish on a two-paced pitch.

That Middlesex wobble

133-4 Morgan 15.2
133-5 Southee 15.3
143-6 Higgins 16.3
150-7 Franklin 16.6
153-8 Sowter 17.6
153-9 Simpson 18.1

Only Kumar Sangakkara, with 70 from 42 balls, took the attack to Middlesex’s bowlers for anything other than a brief cameo and Surrey’s eventual 158 for 9 never looked enough.Dawid Malan and Paul Stirling began the chase well, the left-handed Malan hitting two fours in the first over from Dernbach and the stocky Stirling plundering two fours and a remarkable swatted six over wide third man from Sam Curran’s opening over.At 37, and after Malan had driven Rampaul’s first ball high for four, Stirling fell for 23 in that same fourth over as he mishit to mid off. Malan, however, twice swung Rampaul for huge legside sixes in a sixth over which ended with Middlesex well ahead of the required rate at 64 for one.Middlesex T20 captain Brendon McCullum made only 9 before slugging Batty’s second ball high to long on, where 39-year-old Sangakkara took a good tumbling catch to his right, and Surrey’s hopes rose when Malan chipped a low catch to Ollie Pope at extra cover from a ball which seemed to grip the surface.Malan made 41 from 26 balls, and his early aggression allowed Morgan and Franklin time to steady Middlesex’s reply, which they did with a judicious mixture of easy singles and the odd more adventurous stroke in a fourth wicket stand of 53 in six overs.

Captains’ views

Brendon McCullum (Middlesex):
“It was a brilliant game of cricket, and both sides contributed to the spectacle. We want to play an aggressive brand of cricket, and you have to be true to that whatever happens. We sent in Tim Southee to take on Gareth Batty’s off spin and it didn’t come off. So be it.
“But if we get to the final stages of this competition then we want to be comfortable with the way we are playing T20 and, when the pressure is on, we need to be able to cope with that. Thankfully, Finny got us over the line in the end and 27,000 people have been hugely entertained.
Gareth Batty (Surrey):
“I thought we might have pulled it out of the bag after not being at our best for most of the game. But it was not to be and Finny got them home.
“That lbw decision at the end against Finn? It was a close one, but the decision was made and we got on with it. Finny was good enough to get the runs needed after that, so fair play to him.”

That looked to be guiding Middlesex to a comfortable victory, but then Batty returned to have Morgan caught at point for 31, with Southee slogging the next ball into the hands of long off.Ryan Higgins drove his first ball for four, off Tom Curran, and then pulled his next for six. The next, however, was edged behind as Higgins went for 10 and the slide continued when Franklin was bowled later in Curran’s over for 23. Then came the fall of both Sowter and Simpson, and Finn’s late heroics.It was Surrey’s first defeat in the south group, after winning their first two games, while Middlesex added another two points to the one they gained for a thrilling tie against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham last Friday.The match began with Finn’s opening over, the second of the innings, being taken for 17 runs as Aaron Finch followed two legside fours with a pulled six into the Mound Stand. With Finch already having collected a five in the opening over, a direct hit run out attempt by Higgins deflecting off the bowlers’ stumps and racing away for four overthrows, Surrey were off to a flyer.The Lord’s crowd was just 800 below England’s domestic T20 record•Getty Images

Southee tried to stem the early flow of runs, producing a beauty to have Dom Sibley caught behind for 5 in his second over with the new ball, and when Helm replaced him at the Nursery End he bowled Finch for 22 through an attempted heave at his first delivery.Helm’s opening over only cost a single but Sangakkara increased the tempo again by lofting the unhappy Finn high over the covers for six and then taking a couple of steps down the pitch to swing Helm magnificently over long on for another maximum.Sowter’s introduction for the eighth over saw the Australian-born leg-spinner knock back Ben Foakes’ off stump with his first ball, the England Lions wicketkeeper-batsman only briefly firing with 13, but teenager Pope – who also made 13 – then added 23 with Sangakkara before he was bamboozled and bowled by a slower ball from the returning Southee.The Curran brothers did not last long, Stirling’s off spin accounting for them both. Sam was bowled for 5, back when he should have been forward, and Tom was also bowled, for 4, when he tried to force square a ball which seemed to creep through a little low to hit his off stump halfway up.Sangakkara, though, hit Franklin’s left-arm seam high over extra cover for six and also drove and swung fours off the same bowler in a 16th over costing 18. When Finn returned for the 19th over, however, nursing figures of 0 for 40 from his first three overs, the great Sri Lankan left-hander diverted a low full toss into his own stumps as he tried an unconventional flick to leg from outside his off stump.That success also allowed Finn to concede just two singles from his final over and, with Helm also bowling tightly in a 20th over in which Batty hit him straight to extra cover and Rampaul picked out deep square leg to go for ducks, the Surrey innings ended with something of a whimper.Surrey were missing opener Jason Roy, because of a shoulder injury, while Kevin Pietersen is not scheduled to make his T20 Blast comeback until next Wednesday, in the home match against Essex.

The allrounder, who is set to play his first Test against Australia, is looking forward to complete a set of five-wicket hauls against all nine other Test countries

Mohammad Isam24-Aug-2017

Bangladesh’s spin attack is better than Australia’s at home, according to Shakib Al Hasan. He has backed left-arm spinner Taijul Islam and offspinning allrounder Mehidy Hasan, with whom he combined for 38 wickets in the two-Test series against England last year, to deliver against Australia as well.”I think our spin attack is better than theirs,” Shakib said. “Not in all conditions but in Bangladesh, we are better than them. Taijul and Miraz [Mehidy] have been bowling well for some time now. I believe they will do something fantastic in this series.”Shakib is the most experienced spinner in the Bangladesh side with 176 wickets at an average of 33.04. Taijul is two short of 50 wickets while Mehidy has 35 wickets in seven Tests.The tourists also have an experienced spinner in Nathan Lyon, who will be supported by two rookies – left-arm spinner Ashton Agar, who has played only two Tests so far, and legspinner Mitchell Swepson, who is uncapped in international cricket. Agar, set to play his first Test in more than four years, is likely to partner Lyon in the first Test ahead of Swepson.With the pitches in Bangladesh becoming more responsive to spin now, and more quality spinners coming through the ranks, Shakib feels his workload has lessened. He may not have to bowl as many overs as he used to get wickets.”Taijul and Miraz are bowling well. Spinners like Raj [Abdur Razzak] and [Mohammad] Rafique were around in my early days,” Shakib said. “But there weren’t pitches that helped wicket-taking, because we didn’t really think about winning Test matches. Since now we are focused on winning, the pitches have also become more helpful for spinners.”Shakib, who is set to play his first Test against Australia, is looking forward to complete a set of five-wicket hauls against all nine other Test countries. He would become the fourth player after Muttiah Muralitharan, Dale Steyn, and Rangana Herath to achieve the feat.”I have that in mind. I have four innings to do it so let’s see, Shakib said. “It is more important to contribute, so if someone else takes a five-wicket haul it is good for the team. Taking wickets isn’t really up to me.”There are times when I don’t get a single wicket despite bowling very well. And then there are times when I got wickets by not bowling well. Bowling [in] partnerships is also essential, so we have to keep that in mind too.”

South Africa ‘A’ sauntered to their second win in the tri-series, downing Afghanistan ‘A’ by 164 runs in Pretoria

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Jul-2017Reeza Hendricks carried his bat through•Getty ImagesReeza Hendricks smashed an unbeaten 173, his ninth List A century, as South Africa ‘A’ crushed Afghanistan ‘A’ by 164 runs in Pretoria to secure their second win of the tri-series.Hendricks, who carried his bat through the innings, struck 14 fours and five sixes in his 145-ball knock as the hosts posted 336 for 5 after being put in to bat. Afghanistan ‘A’ had as many as six batsman crossing double digits, with the highest being Rahmat Shah’s 55 at No. 3. They were bowled out for 172 in 32.2 overs with Tabraiz Shamsi, the left-arm wristspinner, taking 4 for 19.Afghanistan ‘A’ were up against it right from the outset as Hendricks and Henry Davids put on 79 for the opening wicket in 13 overs to set the platform. Mangaliso Mosehle was out for 17 but each of the other batsmen got among the runs. The middle-order lift was provided by Khaya Zondo, the captain, who made a 55-ball 62 during the course of a 135-run stand with Hendricks. The last 15 overs fetched them 144.Afghanistan ‘A’ were rocked early when Dwaine Pretorius struck in the second over to remove Javed Ahmadi. He made it a double-strike by dismissing Usman Ghani in the sixth over. Rahmat hit five fours and a six to raise a half-century, but was trapped lbw by Shamsi to trigger a middle-order slide.Najibullah Zadran (26), Afsar Zazai (24) and Shafiqullah (16) got off to starts but fell to expose the lower order. The innings was wrapped up when Dane Paterson bowled last man Fareed Ahmad to finish with three wickets.Afghanistan ‘A’ have now lost both their matches in the tri-series. They take on India ‘A’ in their next outing on August 1 at the same venue – the LC de Villiers Oval.

Southampton are set to demand "£50m plus" for midfielder Romeo Lavia this summer amid heavy interest from Premier League clubs in his services, according to Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth.

How much will Romeo Lavia cost interested suitors?

£50 million is the figure that Southampton are 'holding out' for before considering sanctioning a departure for Lavia from St Mary's Stadium this summer amid interest from Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Barcelona in his services, according to Football Insider.

The outlet claim that Liverpool are frontrunners to bring in the Belgium international and indicate that a move to Anfield would be his preference ahead of other options on the table.

Manchester City, Manchester United and Newcastle United are asking to be kept informed on Lavia's situation as speculation surrounding the 19-year-old's future ramps up, according to 90min.

Earlier this year, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano took to Twitter to confirm that Lavia's former club Manchester City have a buyback clause for the youngster at the £40 million mark that activates in 2024, stating: "Romeo Lavia will be one to watch in the summer. Man City £40m buy back clause, valid in 2024. Chelsea [wanted him last summer] and Arsenal [still keen on Caicedo too] among clubs interested – Southampton hope to keep him."

Contractually, Lavia is tied to Southampton until the summer of 2027 and earns £25,000 per week on the South Coast, as per Capology.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Sky Sports journalist Sheth has belief that Southampton will hold out for a minimum of £50 million for midfield talent Lavia.

Sheth said: “Southampton, even though they’ve gone down to the Championship they know what they’ve got in Romeo Lavia and all the noises are suggesting that it’s going to be £50m plus to prise him away from St Mary's.

"So maybe one that goes later in the window once a number of clubs have got all of their positions sorted, and then they’ll have a look whether they can actually realistically do a deal for someone like Lavia. I think that might happen later in the window.”

Will Romeo Lavia leave Southampton?

It's looking very likely that Lavia will leave Southampton at this point due to their relegation to the Sky Bet Championship; however, they should be very well compensated for the Belgium international if he finalises a move elsewhere between now and the close of play.

The former Manchester City star had a promising campaign last term, registering one goal and a solitary assist in 34 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Lavia also showed his penchant for getting stuck into tackles last season and won an average of 2.1 challenges per match in the Premier League, according to WhoScored.

Driving forward from the middle of the park, the 19-year-old also successfully conjured up 41 shot-creating actions, demonstrating that he can also help to fashion chances for his side, as per FBRef.

Now, it looks like the question on everyone's lips is where will Lavia end up come the end of the transfer window, with several elite sides keen to take him on board due to his potential.

Southampton won't care about the destination too much as their sole focus will be accumulating a hefty financial reward before letting him depart St Mary's.