He’s not flashy. He always ends up in a support role. But he never shirks the dirty work

Mohammad Isam at Eden Gardens23-Nov-2019Virat Kohli had a wry smile on his face, shaking his head as he watched Taijul Islam taking a remarkable catch at fine leg. Taijul’s body was parallel to the ground as he leapt to his right and made the grab while mid-air. He landed awkwardly, and threw the ball up. Team-mates stood stunned, but as soon as Taijul got up, they raced towards him.Behind by 202 runs, down 1-0 in the Test series and having just been subjected to a batting masterclass by arguably the best in the world, Taijul’s catch suddenly injected a bout of energy to the entire side. They smiled and had a bit of fun. Ebadot Hossain, the bowler, even gave a salute goodbye to Kohli, all in good fun.This wasn’t just about a great catch. They were celebrating Taijul – quiet, almost forgotten, until there’s need for dirty work. Bangladesh turn to him for those long spells to hold up one end while Shakib Al Hasan or Mehidy Hasan take wickets at the other because he always gives it his all. Even when he’s batting.On the second day, he was probably the only bowler to ask Kohli some tough questions, varying his pace and length expertly. In the middle of his marathon 17-over spell from the start of the second day till the new ball was available after lunch, he beat Kohli twice in five balls drawing the batsman onto the front foot both times and spinning it past his outside edge.This, remember, was a bowler who was originally dropped from the XI, who is only playing this game after being called in as a concussion substitute for offspinner Nayeem Hassan. It is easy to drop someone like Taijul. The team management, much like any other in a normal office setting, knows there are certain individuals who can “take it in the chin and move on”. Taijul is one of those who would happily do the dirty work – he took on 12th man duties in addition to everything else – and then be happy to fade away into the background.Taijul Islam keeps his eyes on the ball•BCBLast month he became only the third bowler in Bangladesh Test history to take 100 wickets. He has taken 87 of those at home, where he averages 27.04 in 18 Tests. His overseas average, to take 19 wickets, is 59.05, which is a major concern and one of the reasons he is easily dropped from the side away from home.His experience, however, always keeps him in the fray. The selectors can’t keep him out of the Test squad, one of the reasons being his “Test specialist” tag. He also offers more with the bat than the average Bangladesh tail-ender. Taijul often provides confidence to the main batsmen with his sheer willingness to play time. He doesn’t run away from the ball, presents a straight bat on most occasions and ends up scoring useful runs. He is a safe fielder, but not someone who would pull off something flashy every day. Today he did, and he also gave us a reminder of his value.Even early in his career, Taijul found himself working overtime. When he took 8 for 39 against Zimbabwe in 2014, the best innings figures by a Bangladesh bowler, his team still needed his dogged batting to pull off the victory.But Mehidy Hasan’s emergence, particularly his 19-wicket haul against England in 2016, put Taijul further behind in the pecking order. As long as Bangladesh use spin-friendly pitches at home, though, Taijul will keep hanging on. And he will never give up.He will bowl through tough phases, like 17 overs non-stop on the second day of a lost-cause Test match against the best batsman in the world. He will have to bat ugly against tough bowling attacks, letting the other batsmen get to their milestones. He will field well, occasionally taking a great catch.When Ebadot lifted him up in the middle of their jubilation following the Kohli catch, Taijul’s smile turned into a scowl. He told Ebadot to put him down. Enough of this. It was not the occasion for merry-making. If there’s one Bangladesh player who was aware even in that moment what was happening at Eden Gardens, it was Taijul. He has seen and fought through it all before.

Abu Dhabi, for so long one of Pakistan’s “home” venues during their decade-long exile, has been discussed as a potential alternative if required

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Sep-2024Ongoing work at stadiums in Pakistan has forced the PCB to consider the possibility of moving one Test of the series against England offshore. Abu Dhabi, for so long one of Pakistan’s “home” venues during their decade-long exile, has been discussed as a potential alternative if required.Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium and the National Stadium in Karachi are undergoing major overhauls. Rawalpindi Stadium, which hosted the two Bangladesh Tests, is also having renovation work done, all in an attempt to be ready in time to host the Champions Trophy in February next year, the first ICC event Pakistan is scheduled to host since 1996.Lahore is not hosting a game until the Champions Trophy and Karachi, which was supposed to host one Test in each of the Bangladesh and England series, is not expected to see action until the first Test against the West Indies in January next year.That has left Pakistan with Multan and Rawalpindi as the only two venues which can stage Tests. It is still likely that these two grounds host all three Tests but there could be concern that hosting two Tests in Rawalpindi could slow down work underway there, potentially impacting on the Champions Trophy.Faisalabad’s Iqbal Cricket Stadium will host the Champions Cup from September 12 to 29, and has seen its prominence as a viable international venue rise of late, but has not hosted a Test since 2006 and is not currently a likely venue for a Test in that series.Another complicating factor concerns a Shanghai Corporation Organisation (SCO) meeting Pakistan is scheduled to host from October 15-16. The heads of several participating nations are slated to arrive in Islamabad for the event, and the security and accommodation demands that entails rules out Rawalpindi as an option for the second Test, which will be played from October 15 to 19.If the series is to be played in Pakistan in its entirety, that realistically means Pindi can, at most, play host to the first and third Tests, with the second taking place in Multan. Multan hosting two Tests has not been ruled out as an option, and because it is the only realistic venue in Pakistan for the second Test, that would necessitate consecutive games in the city: either the first two or the last two.That has left the PCB considering their options, one of which is Abu Dhabi. Dubai and Sharjah will be hosting the T20 Women’s World Cup during that period, itself moved from Bangladesh. Abu Dhabi is hosting an Ireland white-ball series against South Africa that ends on October 7 – the date the first Test is slated to begin. Barring a change of date for the start of the series, that effectively rules out the first Test in the UAE.Whatever option the PCB finally settles upon, the pressure to do so urgently is considerable. Substantial numbers of England fans will arrive for the series, but any logistical arrangements cannot be made until venues are finalised. England head coach Brendon McCullum also pointed out his side needed to know the venues in advance to be able to pick a squad.”We don’t really know [what the final venues],” McCullum said at the press conference on the eve of the third Test against Sri Lanka at the Oval. “But we can’t pick a team until we know where we’re going to play. It would be nice if over the next couple of days, we found out. And then we’ll sit down and make sure we’ve got the right team for the right conditions and the right opposition.”The stadium upgrades coincide with Pakistan’s busiest season at home in decades, with seven Tests, four white-ball internationals, the Champions Trophy and an expanded domestic calendar all vying for space between now and deep into next year. The upgrades, long overdue at several venues, became impossible to put off any more as Pakistan prepare to host next year’s Champions Trophy.

تحدث وليد خليل، رئيس غزل المحلة، عن آخر التطورات الخاصة بعروض انتقال لاعبي فريقه، وموقف النادي من مستحقاته لدى الأهلي في صفقة إمام عاشور، مؤكدًا أن كل شيء ما زال قيد الدراسة ولم يُحسم بعد.

وقال خليل في تصريحات عبر قناة ON E: “ماذا عن مفاوضات الأهلي لضم يحيى زكريا؟ حتى الآن لا يوجد أي اتفاق رسمي بخصوص انتقال أي لاعب، هناك بالفعل أحاديث ومفاوضات من وكلاء وبعض الأندية عبر لجان التعاقدات لدينا، لكن الأمور ما زالت في مرحلة الدراسة ولم يتم اتخاذ أي قرار نهائي”.

وأضاف: “هناك أكثر من نادٍ مهتم باللاعب، لكننا ننتظر لنرى موقف الفريق في بطولة الدوري، وسنتخذ القرار الذي يخدم مصلحة النادي واللاعب معًا”.

وعن ما تردد حول تحديد سعر بيع يحيى زكريا لاعب الفريق بـ60 مليون جنيه، أوضح خليل: “لم نُعلن عن أي أرقام، وهذه الأمور تُبحث في نهاية المفاوضات فقط، اللاعب صغير في السن ويمتلك مستقبلًا واعدًا، وهناك أكثر من موهبة شبيهة به في غزل المحلة ستظهر خلال الموسم الحالي، قرار بيع أي لاعب يعتمد في النهاية على حاجة الفريق والبديل المتاح، فكل شيء مرتبط بمصلحة النادي الفنية”.

وفيما يتعلق بمفاوضات الأهلي والزمالك وبيراميدز بشأن اللاعب محمود صلاح، كشف خليل قائلًا: “كانت هناك مفاوضات سابقة مع الكابتن محمود الخطيب رئيس الأهلي، والكابتن محمد رمضان، بخصوص اللاعب محمود صلاح، وهو من ناشئي المحلة تحت السن”.

وتابع: “اللاعب من العناصر المميزة ونتمنى له التوفيق مع منتخب مصر، ولدينا خطة واضحة لإشراك ستة لاعبين من قطاع الناشئين في الفريق الأول كل موسم، وهو ما بدأنا تنفيذه بدعم من الكابتن علاء عبد العال”.

وعن سبب عدم إتمام الصفقة مع الأهلي، قال: “الصفقة كانت قريبة من الحسم، خاصة أثناء وجود اللاعب مع المنتخب، لكن بعد ذلك حدثت بعض الظروف، الكابتن محمود الخطيب كان حريصًا على إتمام الأمور، إلا أن الكابتن محمد رمضان غادر موقعه، فتوقفت المفاوضات مؤقتًا، ومن الممكن أن تعود مرة أخرى قبل فترة الانتقالات الشتوية المقبلة”.

واستكمل: “قبل انطلاق الموسم كان هناك أكثر من لاعب قريب من الانتقال للأهلي، لكن في النهاية تبقى المسألة عرض وطلب، وما يخدم مصلحة النادي هو ما نقوم بتنفيذه”.

طالع أيضًا | خاص | 3 مراكز.. ييس توروب يُحدد صفقات الأهلي الجديدة

وانتقل خليل للحديث عن مستحقات نادي غزل المحلة الخاصة بصفقة انتقال إمام عاشور، مؤكدًا أن العلاقة مع الأهلي طيبة، وأن الملف في الأساس يخضع لإجراءات الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا”.

وأوضح: “النادي الأهلي نكنّ له كل تقدير واحترام، وعلاقتنا بمجلس إدارته ممتازة، الموضوع ليس بيننا وبين الأهلي مباشرة، بل يتعلق بحقوق الرعاية التي يقرها الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم”.

وأشار: “كان من المفترض أن نحصل على مبلغ قدره نحو 96 ألف دولار منذ سبعة أشهر، لكن حتى الآن لم تصل الأموال إلى حساب النادي، ومن المنتظر أن تُضاف عليها غرامات وفوائد نتيجة التأخير”.

وتابع: “نحن لم نتقدم بأي شكوى ضد الأهلي، وإنما قدمنا مستنداتنا إلى فيفا الخاصة بحقوق الرعاية عن اللاعب إمام عاشور، وفقًا لعدد المباريات التي خاضها مع الزمالك وميتلاند والأهلي، بالمناسبة، بعد هذا الإجراء تم احتساب حقوق لنادي الزمالك أيضًا، وكذلك نادي حرس الحدود”.

وأكمل: “الاتحاد الدولي يحتسب مستحقات الرعاية بطريقة محددة بناءً على عدد المباريات الدولية والمحلية التي خاضها اللاعب، ويرسل المطالبة للنادي الذي يجب عليه السداد، ثم يتم تحويل المبلغ من الاتحاد الدولي إلى حساب النادي المستفيد، وهو في حالتنا غزل المحلة”.

واختتم وليد خليل تصريحاته قائلًا: “صدر قرار من (فيفا) منذ سبعة أشهر يؤكد أحقيتنا في المبلغ، لكن حتى اللحظة لم تصل الأموال إلى حسابنا، لا نعلم بالضبط ما الذي تم بين الأهلي والاتحاد الدولي في هذا الملف، فالأمر لا يزال قيد المتابعة القانونية”.

Liverpool did a great job of fending off competition from rivals to win the Premier League title last term and could now look to repeat the trick on the transfer market.

Liverpool chase more arrivals after Florian Wirtz confirmation

Arne Slot has brought success since arriving at Anfield and looks to have made ann early play in the transfer market as his side aim to stay at the top of the English pyramid.

Jeremie Frimpong has already arrived and Florian Wirtz is set to soon officially become a Liverpool player once the formalities from his move are ticked off, so who could be next on the summer conveyor belt?

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez could be next in line at Anfield, claiming his trademark ‘Here We Go’ statement is imminent regarding the Hungary international.

He stated: “I maintain my position, Milos Kerkez will be a Liverpool player. In this case, there are some small details to clarify with Bournemouth, but I maintain my position. I see Milos Kerkez going to Liverpool this summer.

“Then they still have to close these details. This is why, in this case, there is still no here we go, but it’s coming. I have told you several times, here we go soon. Here we go, it’s coming.”

Huijsen 2.0: Liverpool holding final talks to sign "revelation" after Wirtz

Liverpool’s hectic start to the summer transfer window only looks set to continue – and we aren’t even halfway through June

1 ByRobbie Walls Jun 12, 2025

Not resting on their laurels, Liverpool appear to have several priority positions ready to strengthen and money is expected to be spent in the pursuit of further silverware.

Achieving a steady stream of success both domestically and in Europe will be difficult, but the Reds now have a top defender lined up to further their chances of staying at the summit.

Liverpool ready to beat competition to sign Goncalo Inacio

According to A Bola, Liverpool are ready to move for Sporting Clube de Portugal defender Goncalo Inacio, even if Manchester United ad Newcastle United will provide stiff competition for his signature.

Labelled “complete” by scout Jacek Kulig, it is mooted that he will cost in excess of £51 million. However, the reigning Portuguese champions may be willing to sell the Portugal international for less despite his recent part in Portugal’s UEFA Nations League triumph.

Five similar players to Goncalo Inacio (FBRef)

Olivier Boscagli

PSV Eindhoven

Leo Ortiz

Flamengo

Ryan Flamingo

PSV Eindhoven

Nehuen Perez

Porto

David Hancko

Feyenoord

Enjoying a superb campaign, Inacio registered an impressive six goals and three assists in 42 appearances across all competitions last term featuring for the most part in central defence.

Ibrahima Konate has yet to sign a new deal at Liverpool and could be available to sign a pre-contract elsewhere in January, paving the way for the Reds to court potential replacements.

Liverpool have shown already this window that they have an elite talent radar, and Inacio arriving at the club would certainly fit the bill as another striking addition.

Chasing 147, Scorchers were in trouble at 37 for 3 before Connolly and captain Ashton Turner combined for a match-turning 68-run partnership

Tristan Lavalette15-Dec-2024
On a ground he has played the hero before, allrounder Cooper Connolly stepped up with a game-changing half-century as Perth Scorchers continued their long-time dominance over Melbourne Stars in the BBL season-opener at Optus Stadium.Chasing 147, Scorchers were in trouble at 37 for 3 before Connolly and captain Ashton Turner combined for a 68-run partnership. Returning from a fractured hand sustained on the ground in last month’s third ODI against Pakistan, Connolly hit 64 from 51 balls before Turner sealed the result in trademark composed fashion.There was late drama when Stars batter Hilton Cartwright was stretchered off the ground in a mini-ambulance with what appeared to be a neck injury. He had given chase from deep point in a bid to prevent a boundary from Connolly and seemed to jar his neck as he sprawled across the turf.Cartwright, a Western Australian cricketer, had the support of a neck brace as he left the ground to warm applause from the fans before being taken to hospital.It was the seventh straight win for Scorchers over Stars much to the delight of the 30,649 crowd – a record for a BBL season-opener.

Connolly and Turner lift weakened Scorchers batting

Stars’ score of 146 for 9 appeared under par, but there were concerns over a weakened Scorchers’ batting line-up missing injured No.3 Aaron Hardie and Josh Inglis, who is part of Australia’s Test squad.Expectations were high over New Zealand opener Finn Allen, who had tuned up for his Scorchers debut with a succession of massive hits during an intra-squad match at the WACA.Allen didn’t bother with a sighter as he launched compatriot Adam Milne for a massive six over wide long-on to trigger bedlam among the orange-garbed fans in the terraces.But he was bowled by Milne on the next delivery before Scorchers slumped further when English batters top-order Keaton Jennings and Matt Hurst struggled to handle the extra bounce.In familair scenes, Turner came to the crease and brought calmness to the middle. He started slowly in trademark style as Connolly did the bulk of the damage.Connolly has said his preference is to bat at No.6 but his flexibility came to the fore as he reached his maiden BBL half-century. He was not able to stay there at the end, like he memorably did in the final of BBL 12. He fell after when Scorchers took the power surge in the 14th over but Turner, who has missed much of the domestic season with injuries, finished the job with an unbeaten 37 as Scorchers reached the target in the 18th over.

Same ol’ Scorchers attack

New season, same old menacing Scorchers attack. It was like a collection of greatest hits for this reliable group of bowlers.Left-arm quick Jason Behrendorff has for years been a devastating weapon with the new ball and this was no exception. He didn’t take wickets in his opening two-over spell, but indirectly helped account for the early dismissals of Joe Clarke and Sam Harper.Behrendorff conjured trademark dangerous swing and started the season with a maiden. The pressure built on Stars with Jhye Richardson the beneficiary at the other end as he capped Scorchers’ early dominance by dismissing Harper plumb lbw as he grinned widely before appealing to the umpire, who raised his finger in a decision that was upheld on review.Richardson capped his fine performance with the wicket of Beau Webster, who had been released from Australia’s Test squad, in the 17th over.It was a well-rounded effort from a full-strength Scorchers attack with speedster Lance Morris bowling at speeds touching 145 kmh, while left-arm spinners Ashton Agar and Connolly each took a wicket in their returns from injuries.

Stoinis starts captaincy reign well before run-out

It’s a new era for Stars, a high-profile franchise that are famously titleless, with Marcus Stoinis taking the captaincy reins from Glenn Maxwell, who stepped down after five seasons in the role.Stoinis came to the crease under pressure but he’s well used to these fast and bouncy conditions having come up through the Western Australian cricket ranks.And he met fire with fire, taking a liking to Morris’ extra pace before smashing Agar for a huge six down the ground. In the process he became the sixth batter in BBL history to reach 100 sixes.With batting conditions becoming easier, Stoinis attempted to bludgeon every delivery like when he launched into a full-pitched Richardson delivery only to break his bat in half.But two deliveries later Stoinis took off for a quick single only for Tye at mid-on to produce a spectacular direct hit to throw down the stumps at the bowler’s end. Stoinis instantly knew his fate and was clearly livid as he threw his head back and chucked his bat in the air.Stoinis trudged off after making 37 off 33 balls but Tom Curran, recruited from Sydney Sixers, gave them a lift in the backend with 37 off 19 balls. But it wasn’t enough as their shorthanded attack missing Scott Boland could not defend the sub-par total.

Josh Philippe has made a perfect start to life in New South Wales colours, plundering a sparkling century against his former side to lead the Blues to a thrilling eight-run One-Day Cup victory over Western Australia.Philippe made an off-season switch from WA to NSW in a bid to reignite his Sheffield Shield career. But it’s with the white ball that Philippe has made a memorable early impression, with the 27-year-old cracking a career-high 139 off 119 deliveries to lead NSW to 287 for 9 at Cricket Central in Sydney on Sunday.Philippe’s innings overshadowed the return to form of WA’s injury-prone quick Jhye Richardson who put his injury woes behind him to finish with 5 for 63, including two wickets in three balls in the sixth over.In reply, three-time defending champions WA had a chance to pinch victory after moving to 279 for 9, needing nine runs off the final eight balls.But Will Salzmann ended WA’s hopes, taking a tough catch at deep point while running backwards and looking into the sun to dismiss AJ Tye.Salzmann had returned expensive figures of 2 for 72, but he had the last laugh with the match-winning catch.Cameron Bancroft top scored for WA with 71, while Ashton Agar (51), Ashton Turner (41) and Hilton Cartwright (41) also produced handy contributions.Philippe plundered 17 fours and three sixes in his devastating knock, with the star opener particularly brutal down the ground, both along the deck and over the top.Agar, WA’s lone spinner, suffered plenty of punishment from Philippe on the way to figures of 1 for 58 from eight overs. Richardson claimed Philippe’s wicket in the 38th over courtesy of a brilliant one-handed diving catch from Bancroft at mid-on.But the damage had already been done, with Philippe’s knock helping NSW post a formidable total despite the lack of support around him.Matthew Gilkes scored 41 off 47 batting at No.7 to be the next best scorer, while tail-ender Tanveer Singh added a handy 26 not out off 14 balls at the death.

Leeds United will be looking to buck the recent trend and remain in the Premier League following promotion from the Championship.

To do that, the 49ers Enterprises and Daniel Farke may need to sign plenty of new players, while also shipping some out who they feel aren’t good enough to make an impact in the top flight.

The transfer activity at Elland Road is already underway, and it promises to be a frantic few months away from the pitch. Grok, the AI tool on X, has already predicted signings Leeds could make this summer.

AI predicts the 2025/26 Premier League table

Who are the winners and losers from AI’s table?

1 ByCharlie Smith Jun 7, 2025

To maintain a solid position with PSR, though, the Whites may also look to cash in on a number of players before the deadline, some of which played a regular role in their promotion from the Championship. Now, Grok has also predicted Leeds’ summer sales.

AI predicts 6 players Leeds United will sell this summer 1 Illan Meslier (£20m)

Goalkeeper Illan Meslier struggled last season in the second tier, making a number of errors that cost Leeds points.

The Frenchman was dropped by Farke for the run-in, and Leeds are expected to sign a new first choice keeper to replace the 25-year-old.

Grok says Meslier’s ‘Premier League experience and age make him valuable’, estimating a fee in the region of £20m which would represent a big profit for the Whites.

2 Brenden Aaronson (£15m)

Another player who struggled to set the Championship alight was Brenden Aaronson, with left-back Junior Firpo recording more goal contributions in the second tier.

Leeds’ only out-and-out attacking midfielder, the chances of an Aaronson exit are described as moderate, with a £15m fee mooted.

It is added that ‘interest from European clubs could prompt a sale, but Farke may give him a chance to prove himself in the Premier League’.

3 Jack Harrison (£12m)

One transfer that won’t surprise many Leeds fans would be if Jack Harrison completed a permanent Elland Road exit.

After spending the last two seasons on loan at Everton, the winger won’t be moving to the Toffees on a permanent basis.

Games

206

Goals

34

Assists

32

Minutes played

15,734

Grok have a departure worth £12m down as a high possibility, saying his ‘prolonged absence and Farke’s focus on new wingers make a permanent exit likely’.

4 Mateo Joseph (£10m)

Mateo Joseph’s potential exit could help Leeds from a PSR standpoint, and he has been heavily linked with a move to Real Betis this summer.

The Spaniard failed to score on a regular basis after beginning the previous campaign as first choice.

AI states ‘Leeds are reluctant to sell young talents, but a lucrative offer from Betis could sway them’ and have placed a £10m fee on any possible deal.

5 Max Wober (£8m)

Defender Max Wober has already admitted that Leeds are planning to sell him this summer, so it comes as no surprise that he is on Grok’s list.

The Austrian, like Aaronson, returned from a loan spell in Germany to help the Whites to promotion, although he wasn’t a regular under Farke.

Signed for around £10m in 2023, Leeds could still bring in £8m for the centre-back, according to Grok.

6 Joe Gelhardt (£5m)

The last player on AI’s predicted exit list is Joe Gelhardt, who again looks surplus to requirements at Elland Road.

The forward was loaned out to Hull City for the second half of the 24/25 season and helped the Tigers stay up, and he still has two years left on his Whites contract.

Leeds are open to offers for Gelhardt, though, and Grok says a £5m exit could be on the cards.

Laura Wolvaardt, Smitri Mandhana, and Katie Mack all play important innings to set up a good total

AAP19-Nov-2024

Adelaide Strikers put a severe dent in the WBBL finals hopes of the Perth Scorchers with a 30-run victory as Megan Schutt put on a masterclass.Strikers posted 169 for 6, with Laura Wolvaardt, Smriti Mandhana, and Katie Mack the chief contributors at Karen Rolton Oval. Scorchers slumped to 17 for 4 as Schutt ran through the top order, leaving their finals chances hanging precariously.With two games left, Scorchers remain in fifth spot with eight points and they trail fourth-placed Hobart Hurricanes by a sizeable run rate difference.Strikers, champions of the past two tournaments, climbed from bottom of the ladder to seventh – they have six points but just one match remaining.Strikers were sent into bat openers Mandhana and Mack made an instant impact, taking 40 from the initial four overs. They reached 81 in the 10th over when Mandhana was caught at mid-off from the bowling of Sophie Devine, ending a knock featuring five fours and a six.Just eight balls later, Mack advanced down the pitch but was beaten by a perfectly flighted delivery from legspinner Alana King and was stumped.Wolvaardt soon took centre stage with her rapid-fire innings featuring three fours and three sixes – two from consecutive balls from Chloe Ainsworth.The South African was caught on the cover boundary with three balls remaining and King finished with another stumping on the last ball, giving her figures of 3 for 29.Scorchers’ run chase began terribly with Maddy Darke bowled by Schutt second ball. And in the third over, Schutt struck with consecutive deliveries, dismissing Dayalan Hemalatha and bowling Amy Edgar for a golden duck with a top-shelf inswinger, to boast figures of 3 for 6.Schutt was denied a hat-trick by Scorchers stalwart Beth Mooney, who fell in the next over for 6 as the Scorchers crashed to 17 for 4 from 3.3 overs. Skipper Devine and new signing Brooke Halliday rallied but the task was beyond them.

The interim chief pitches his vision with eye on permanent Cricket Australia CEO role

Daniel Brettig19-May-2021A little under than a year ago, Nick Hockley cut an understandably stunned figure on the Zoom call to confirm his appointment as the interim Cricket Australia chief executive following the unceremonious departure of Kevin Roberts.Hockley is 11 months older and infinitely wiser now, but retains the understated, even reticent visage – he could, at times, pass for an English rom-com character in the vein of Hugh Grant – implicit in the fact that, for all the work done to pull off the Covid-19 summer of 2020-21, he retains that pesky “interim” before the lofty CEO title.This week, as CA moves into the interview phase of the governing body’s sift through Hockley’s fellow suitors for the permanent gig, he has had to deal with the “bruising” rehash of unanswered questions from the Newlands scandal. It’s been an episode typical of the many other spot-fires Hockley and CA have had to wade through, even as they begin the big picture strategy discussions that will determine Australian cricket’s direction over the next five years or more.Related

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“The fact I’ve been acting in the role has not slowed up any of the work,” Hockley told ESPNcricinfo. “It’s great that the Board is running a thorough process, it’s a very important job and an absolute privilege to do this job. I’ve thrown my hat in the ring and I’ll continue to do it to the best of my ability until I’m told not to.”I’ve been working in Australian cricket for nine years, but certainly the last 11 months has been the most challenging and the most rewarding. I’ve learned more in the last 11 months than I have previously. Certainly I’ve built lots of new relationships, I’ve gained a significant amount of business intelligence, and as an organisation and a broader network, we’ve certainly grown in terms of our problem-solving capability, our agility. Cricket has come together and navigated the situation and I’m excited about the possibilities for the sport.”There is a view, acknowledged both within and without the organisation, that it has been playing a more or less reactive game ever since the fateful Cape Town Test, and that answers to questions about the tenures of Hockley and also the CA chair Earl Eddings are needed to help move onto a more future-focused, proactive footing.It is in this area that Hockley faces his most pointed queries, from the CA Board and those outside its closed meetings, as to whether a seasoned manager of big and successful events has the broader vision and proactive drive necessary to do the sort of job that James Sutherland managed over 18 years, before Roberts held the role for around 18 months.Numerous partners in the game, whether the states, corporate, broadcasting or elsewhere, are growing impatient for greater direction from CA. Overseas nations are wearying of the backlog of postponed tours that have conspired to see the Australian Test team play just 10 matches over a period of two years, with none overseas since the September 2019 conclusion of the previous Ashes series. Numerous staff, too, are pondering whether to continue on under fresh leadership or look for somewhere else.

“I think we’ve made great strides in [being a] sport for women and girls, we need to absolutely maintain that momentum…”Nick Hockley

So, what does Hockley see as cricket’s biggest strategic priorities? Asked about where he saw them, he danced inevitably between growth imperatives and the complications of the Covid-19 pandemic that have occupied more or less Hockley’s every waking moment since June last year.”We’ve been able to work very much more closely together. I think if we can display the agility we have… Covid has brought significant financial pressures,” he said. “The cost of putting on cricket, you only have to think about the multiple touring teams coming in this year and the likelihood they will have to quarantine. So we are in a constrained fiscal environment, but I think what we’ve shown is that we can work really efficiently.”We’re blessed to have fantastic partners, so for me a strategic priority is continuing to work as a united sport and ultimately to put the best players on the park in all formats. I think we’ve made great strides in [being a] sport for women and girls, we need to absolutely maintain that momentum, and deliver up great cricket that our fans want to see.”I also think we’ve got a very big role to play internationally, and certainly supporting world cricket and making sure we deliver on our overseas touring commitments and whether it’s development of international property, whether it’s new ways to deliver great experiences to our fans that we’re working more broadly with world cricket to share things like high performance development, sharing our knowledge and helping strengthen world cricket.”Whether or not this pitch is viewed as substantial enough for CA will be known soon. The CEO question will also answer questions about how Australian cricket’s next big industrial negotiation will play out. Hockley has established decent enough rapport with the new Australian Cricketers Association chief executive Todd Greenberg, but it was difficult not to notice, when they spoke jointly about the return home of the Australian IPL party, the former NRL chief’s greater comfort with a spotlight that Hockley still occasionally blinks at.”I’d like to think we’ve established a great initial relationship, Hockley said. “Certainly some of the challenges we’ve had to work very closely together we’ve worked closely on supporting our IPL contingent.”We’ve been including the ACA in our broader CEOs meetings, and having Todd’s perspective, coming from a different sport but equally he’s very much a cricket person, has been extremely valuable. Our respective management teams met last week, and between the teams there’s a huge amount of talent and we are all vested in the ongoing growth and health of the sport.”Hockley has been a sterling interim. He, and the rest of Australian cricket, deserve an imminent conclusion to what must be considered the most interminable job interview in CA’s history; certainly a longer wait for the resolution than Grant’s perpetual best man, Charles, in .

Bayer Leverkusen have named Malik Tillman as their successor to Florian Wirtz by officially handing him the No.10 shirt following the German's move to Liverpool.

Wirtz left Leverkusen for LiverpoolTillman brought in to replace midfielderHanded No.10 shirt by Ten HagFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Leverkusen have had some major rebuilding to do this summer after losing Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and head coach Xabi Alonso, and they have put their faith in former PSV midfielder Tillman to take on the former's role under Erik ten Hag.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The No.10 shirt is symbolic in the game of football and bears a lot of responsibility. That heavy burden will fall onto the shoulders of the USMNT youngster as Leverkusen look to continue on their upwards trajectory, having finished as runners-up behind Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga last term.

DID YOU KNOW?

Tillman came through the Bayern academy but spent time out on loan at several clubs, including Rangers. Last season for PSV, he bagged 21 goal contributions across all competitions on the way to winning the Eredivisie title.

AFPWHAT NEXT FOR TILLMAN?

Having recently returned from Gold Cup duties with the USMNT, Tillman is hoping to hit the ground running at Leverkusen after his move and fans will be behind him all the way, with the club even offering free printing of his name and number for the next few days, in a similar move to Arsenal for striker signing Viktor Gyokeres.