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New Zealand were pleasantly surprised to find some help for their quicks in the pitch at Eden Gardens, fast bowler Matt Henry has said

Sidharth Monga in Kolkata30-Sep-2016New Zealand were pleasantly surprised to find some help for their quicks in the pitch at Eden Gardens, fast bowler Matt Henry has said. Henry took three wickets on a day New Zealand kept India to 239 for 7. This could still be a big total given India’s spinners and the absence of Kane Williamson, but it was overall quite a satisfactory day for New Zealand considering they had lost the toss.”It was a fair wicket,” Henry said. “Obviously, coming over here you probably don’t expect conditions like that at the start of the day so we knew we had to make the most of that, especially being put in with the ball. It was always going to be tough work through that middle period when it would become a good surface. We had to find ways to put pressure on when we weren’t taking wickets and as a bowling group that is a box we ticked today.”Before they put that pressure through dry bowling, though, New Zealand had to make sure they used the pitch that would have sweated in the preceding days because of the overcast skies and the covers on it. “We knew it was important with the new ball to take advantage of it because the wicket had been under covers for a long time so that was going to be a crucial part of the game,” Henry said. “The way we went about our work today was outstanding. We knew we had to make sure we controlled the run rate because it is very tough in these conditions to take wickets.”Moving forward from there it was just important to maintain those [bowling] partnerships through the middle and make sure we could create pressure by building dots. Our spinners were outstanding today. Jeets [Jeetan Patel] and Sat [Mitchell Santner] were fantastic in allowing us to build a lot of pressure, and that manifested to what happened at the end of the day.”Patel was in England last week, not even dreaming of playing for New Zealand when an injury to Mark Craig resulted in a call-up. Henry, who hardly ever bowls badly, is not a regular in the New Zealand XI because of the surplus pace resources. He, too, was not part of the original squad, but came in only thanks to an injury to Tim Southee. For such players, keeping themselves fit and prepared is a big challenge, but New Zealand players have shown they are always prepared.Matt Henry struck with both the new balls•BCCI

“I knew I had to make sure I did all my preparation,” Henry said. “I’ve still being doing a lot of training and work behind the scenes. Even not being able to play in South Africa, I was still doing a lot of work with the coaches in the nets and making sure I was ready to go if needed. We had a few warm-up games out at Lincoln, some winter training squad one-dayers to keep the loads up.”It is easier said than done, though, to retain the sunny attitude when you know your chances are not as frequent as you want them to be. “It’s never easy but it is one of those things that we have such a strong bowling group,” Henry said. “It is a good position for us to be in, you just always have to prepare to play and focus on what the team needs and what your role is going to be so if you do get called in you can do what we need to get done.”Henry was full of praise for Patel too, who took the wickets of a set Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma. “It is a tough ask coming in from England and only having a couple of days to prepare,” Henry said. “He’s obviously got a lot of experience. He brought a lot of energy in the field and experience and confidence. I thought the way he played today was exceptional, the way both spinners played in tandem. They showed a lot of control and created pressure through those tough periods where it was really hot and important we could control that run rate because we had to keep that squeeze on.”While Rahane felt this was a two-paced pitch and that 300 was a good score on it especially considering a Williamson-less New Zealand might have to bat last. Henry said his batsmen were capable of taking the game deep, just as the bowlers did. “We have a great batting line-up and obviously it is a shame not to have Kane there but I know our batsmen will [apply themselves],” he said. “It is going to be a tough day with the heat and things like that. We just have to keep playing the long game and apply it as best we can.”

كشف نادي الزمالك حقيقة وجود اتفاق بين مسؤولي القلعة البيضاء، ومحمود عبد المنعم كهربا لاعب الأهلي حول تقسيط الغرامة. 

وقال حسام المندوه أمين صندوق نادي الزمالك في تصريحات للصحفيين إن قيمة غرامة محمود عبد المنعم كهربا لاعب فريق الأهلي دخلت بالكامل في حساب النادي في البنك.

جوزيه جوميز: الحمد لله أننا أحرزنا هدفًا في الداخلية.. ومستعدون لـ الأهلي

وأوضح أمين صندوق النادي أنه لا أساس من الصحة لما تردد عن جدولة اللاعب لمستحقات الزمالك على الإطلاق.

وأضاف المندوه: “لا يوجد اتفاق على سداد نصف المبلغ والحصول على شيك بباقي المبلغ بعد عام كما ردد البعض خلال الساعات الماضية”.

وشدد أمين صندوق نادي الزمالك على أن النادي حصل على جميع مستحقاته لدى محمود عبد المنعم كهربا ليتم إسدال الستار على هذه الأزمة بصورة نهائية.

وفي السياق ذاته شدد أحمد سالم المتحدث الرسمي باسم مجلس إدارة نادي الزمالك على أن القلعة البيضاء استقبلت في حسابها ببنك مصر كامل قيمة غرامة محمود كهربا بالفوائد.

واستكمل سالم: “لم يتم التنازل عن سنت واحد، ولم يتم تقسيط الغرامة، وهذه كانت آخر التعهدات السابقة لمجلس الإدارة، خلال 120 يومًا تحقق ما كان البعض يعتبره معجزة”.

وأتم: “النادي الأهلي ليس له علاقة بغرامة كهربا، وليس طرفًا من الأساس، والغرامة تخص اللاعب بصفة شخصية، وأغلقنا الملف، ونفكر في شيء آخر”.

Sam Billings says he is flattered to have been talked up by Michael Vaughan as a potential reinforcement for the Test tour of India, but insists that he remains a work in progress

Andrew Miller02-Nov-2016Sam Billings, the Kent batsman whose technique against spin bowling is considered one of the best among England’s coming generation of batsmen, says he is flattered to have been talked up by Michael Vaughan as a potential reinforcement for the Test tour of India, but insists that he remains a work in progress in first-class cricket.Billings has been on the fringes of the one-day squad for several months without being able to secure a regular berth, but he gave an indication of his aptitude in Asian conditions in the ODI series against Bangladesh last month, when he was drafted in to open the batting in the series decider in Chittagong, and swept his way to a vital 62 from 69 balls in a stiff run-chase.”It was great to contribute,” said Billings during a Chance to Shine event in West London. “I should have got 120 not out to win the game but that’s life and I would have taken 60 at the start. To be involved in another series win in difficult conditions shows how far we are coming along as a group.”Everyone knew that Bangladesh had won their last six home series, including against India and South Africa, so it was no mean feat to win. People think it is only Bangladesh so you should just smack them around but, with Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes, they’ve got a seriously good side in their own conditions.”Bangladesh backed up that assertion in no uncertain terms in the subsequent Test series and, speaking in the aftermath of England’s shocking collapse in the second Test at Dhaka, Vaughan argued strongly for Billings’ inclusion for the five-Test series against India that gets underway in Rajkot next week – not least because, as a right-hander, he will be better placed to combat the offspin of India’s attack leader, Ravi Ashwin.”Obviously that is flattering,” Billings said, “Playing spin is one of my strengths. Manoeuvring the ball around and putting spinners under pressure is one of my strengths, but the guys who are there have done it regularly in first-class cricket and are there for a reason.”Billings had his moments in first-class cricket for Kent last season, most notably a career-best 171 against Gloucestershire in Bristol in August but, having missed the early weeks of the summer during his IPL stint with Delhi Daredevils, he played just seven Division Two matches and was unable to put together the weight of runs that earned Ben Duckett and Haseeb Hameed their call-ups.”Haseeb hasn’t had an opportunity yet, and to have a long run at it too,” he said. “These guys have done it over and over in first-class cricket. But any time England calls you just get on a plane and try and get the job done.”While the prospect of Billings joining the England squad remains, for the time being, a pundit’s pipedream, there is no diluting either his confidence or his eagerness to get involved if the chance should arise. And, having sampled the atmosphere of modern Indian cricket during his IPL stint, Billings believes he has been granted a fascinating insight into what it takes to succeed in conditions that previous generations might have regarded as alien.”The IPL was huge for that,” he said. “It is different to a Test match but the basics don’t change: your footwork is paramount.”I was very fortunate to work with Rahul Dravid in the IPL and pick his brains on playing spin. At some points we moved the stumps back and had the used crease to play with and he said, ‘if you can bat on that you can bat on anything’.”This is one of the reasons [Trevor] Bayliss and [Andrew] Strauss are pushing us to go over there. Yes it is T20 cricket but it is about the environment and learning how those guys go about it.”Billings’ grounding sounds somewhat counter to Alastair Cook’s assertion in the aftermath of the Dhaka defeat, that England’s batsmen were inexperienced in Asian conditions. And certainly, given the resources made available by the ECB on their recent Lions tours, and the coaching expertise that has been drafted in to prepare England’s next generation, the scale of the collapse in Dhaka – 10 wickets for 64 runs in 22.3 overs – was extreme.And if the talking point coming out of the Bangladesh tour is the vulnerability of England’s batsmen to the ball turning away from the bat – particularly the left-handers to the offspin of Mehedi Hasan – then Billings gives the impression that such a challenge shouldn’t have come as quite such a surprise, especially given the identity of two of the lead coaches in the Lions set-up.”Graham Thorpe and Andy Flower may be two left-handers, but they were great players of spin, especially against offspin with the turning away from the bat,” he said. “The basics don’t change, you have to get as close to the ball as possible or as far away from it as possible using the depth of the crease.”For me, I identified two years ago that left-arm spin was a really big area I needed to work on,” he said. “The ball going away or sliding on is generally more difficult for a batter when it is turning.”In the UAE last winter, he was able to pick the brains of New Zealand’s left-arm spinner, Daniel Vettori, who was drafted in as a consultant on the England Performance Programme. “We had a hybrid pitch that was ragging square. He was bowling at a good pace, it was seriously tough, and that’s when you work out what’s good for you.”As a consequence of the grounding that he and his fellow batsmen have been given, and given the experienced heads they can call upon during the India tour, Billings remains confident that England will find a means to battle back from their Dhaka ignominy and put up a fight in the coming weeks.”[Alastair] Cook, in his debut Test, got a hundred in India, so they’ve got no better bloke to pick the brains of – although, of course, he does it a different way. Stokesy [Ben Stokes] is still one of the younger lads, even though it feels he’s been around for years, and in terms of his game against spin, he’s come on leaps and bounds and will only get better. We’ll all get better, the more we are exposed to it.”It’s finding different ways all over the place. I’ve got no doubt there are some seriously good players of spin there. It’s a different kettle of fish against [Ravi] Jadeja and Ashwin, but it’s been great to have had these two Test matches. We got out unscathed – yeah we drew, I know we wanted to win – but we’ll go into the India tour with preparation time. I’ve got full faith in the boys and they are definitely good enough to win.”ECB will double its investment in cricket charity Chance to Shine, from 2017, to inspire millions of young people to play and learn through cricket. Visit chancetoshine.org

Aston Villa are reportedly interested in securing a second Premier League free-agent this summer, after striking an agreement to sign Youri Tielemans.

Unai Emery is set to have a busy transfer window, especially if joined by Sevilla sporting director Monchi, as the Spaniard is speculated to be Birmingham-bound to join forces with the Villa boss on the business from at Villa Park.

The club have been linked with a host of star talent already, however the latest name is a figure the Villans should look to avoid.

What’s the latest on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to Aston Villa?

As reported by Football Insider this week, Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could join Aston Villa this summer as a free agent.

The 29-year-old failed to strike a new deal with the Merseyside club, and will leave due to the expiration of his contract.

The report claims that Villa are in ‘advanced talks’ to capture the Englishman’s signature, who currently earns around £125k-per-week at Anfield.

Would Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain be a good signing for Aston Villa?

Across 235 Premier League appearances, the Portsmouth-born player has contributed to just 20 goals and 24 assists, having represented both Arsenal and Liverpool.

The winger-turned-central midfielder has been a part of two hugely influential clubs in England, yet has failed to impose himself in the final third despite the quality around him.

While his disappointing numbers have been attributable to his injury woes, his periods of absence make him a player that should be steered clear of as Emery bids to take his squad to the next level.

Once branded as “awful” by Independent journalist Miguel Delaney, the player has faced numerous spells of criticism, including that of Premier League legend Thierry Henry claiming that despite watching the player for a "very long time" he remained unsure what the attacker was actually "good at", via The Guardian.

When analysing his injury data via Transfermarkt, the Englishman has missed over 1000 days due to injury, equating to over three full years, since 2012.

It’s unfair to scrutinise a player’s inability to remain fit, however, the 29-year-old dud has simply failed to perform when given the chance, as highlighted by the attack-minded ace being yet to score over five goals in a Premier League season since his debut in 2012.

If the Spaniard is aiming to equip his squad with quality to compete in Europe and push up the league table, the club should avoid signing an underperforming player with higher-than-average wage demands.

It’s difficult to consider where the out-of-contract player would fit into Emery’s systems, with him not performing in the calibre to compete with the likes of John McGinn who has been a revelation in the manager’s regime.

Having secured Tielemans to play in the Englishman’s favoured position, the Villans should swerve the idea of signing the midfielder where they could instead recruit to significantly improve the squad.

Celtic midfielder Reo Hatate could be "tempted" by a move to Tottenham Hotspur this summer, says BBC pundit and former Scotland international Alan Hutton.

Who will Spurs sign this summer?

The arrival of Ange Postecoglou at Spurs has, inevitably, resulted in the north Londoners being linked to a few of his former stars at Parkhead.

Members of Celtic's imperious domestic treble-winning side have apparently attracted attention from Postecoglou and Lilywhites chairman Daniel Levy, with Japan forward Kyogo Furuhashi among them.

There were reports of Spurs plotting a huge bid to lure the attacker to England, though they have died down somewhat, with Tottenham instead focusing their efforts on signing a new goalkeeper, centre-backs and a move for Leicester City star James Maddison.

Furuhashi isn't the only Hoops star to be linked with a move to Tottenham, though, as journalist Sami Mokbel, as relayed by Everything Celtic, claims they're now monitoring Hatate.

A fellow Japan international akin to Furuhashi, the 25-year-old has proven a versatile asset for Celtic, featuring in midfield, at full-back and even further forward last campaign.

Following rumours of Tottenham's interest, BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Hutton has told Football Insider that Hatate could be "tempted" by a move.

However, Hutton also believes that they should be focusing on a bid for Maddison instead, who is proven in the Premier League.

“There is no doubt he [Hatate] would be tempted," explained the former Spurs right-back.

“We are talking about a top four, top six team., of course he would be interested.

“That being said, I do not think that is the type of player Tottenham need. I think they need a more attacking, number ten type player like James Maddison.

“Hatate has been excellent I just do not think that is what they need at this moment in time.“

Who is Reo Hatate?

The two-cap international showcased his quality for Celtic over 22/23, ranking as one of their standout performers according to WhoScored.

Hatate is also a threat in the attacking areas, despite being traditionally listed as a defensive midfielder, having racked up an impressive 14 goal contributions in 32 SPFL appearances last campaign (WhoScored).

Members of the media, like A-League digital producer Sacha Pisani, have even called the player a "beast" in midfield.

"A beast in midfield. Quality touch, aware and shot," said Pisani on Twitter.

"Fantastic signing [for Celtic] and the best is YET to come for club and country."

تحدث مدرب مانشستر يونايتد إريك تين هاج، بعد هزيمة فريقه أمام مانشستر سيتي بالديربي، في منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وحل مانشستر يونايتد ضيفًا على مانشستر سيتي بملعب “الاتحاد”، في إطار مباريات الجولة السابعة والعشرين للدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “البريميرليج”.

وفشل مانشستر يونايتد في الحفاظ على تقدمه بهدف نظيف، ونجح مانشستر سيتي في الفوز بثلاثية لهدف.

وقال تين هاج في تصريحات لـ “بي بي سي”: “أعتقد أنه كان أداءً جيدًا بشكل عام، لقد تقدمنا 1-0 وكان لدينا لحظات بعد ذلك لتسجيل الهدف الثاني”.

وأضاف: “لقد دافعنا بشكل جيد للغاية وكانت هناك لحظتان حاسمتان عندما كدنا أن نخترق صفوفهم، واستقبلنا الهدف الأول”.

وأردف: “ثم تشعر بخيبة أمل، علينا أن نقبل ذلك، ولا تزال لدينا الفرصة للحصول على نقطة واحدة على الأقل، ولكن الفوز كان ممكنًا أيضا”.

اقرأ أيضًا | رابطة الدوري الإنجليزي تعلن أفضل لاعب في مباراة مانشستر سيتي ومانشستر يونايتد

وعن خطأ كايل ووكر ضد ماركوس راشفورد، أشار تين هاج: “نظرت إلى الوراء وسألت راشفورد إذا كان هناك احتكاك، ربما كان خفيفًا ولكن كان هناك احتكاك”.

وعلّق على المستوى التكتيكي قائلاً: “الوقوف خلف خط الدفاع بسرعة جارناتشو، بالفعل بعد بضع دقائق كان هناك اختراق جيد، ثم بسرعة بعد ذلك كان هدفًا جيدًا من راشفورد، أغلقنا الوسط بشكل جيد للغاية”.

واستطرد: “لقد تمسكنا بالخطة وحصلنا على لحظة تصرف متهورة لحارس مرمى السيتي وبعد تلك الهجمة استقبلنا الهدف”.

وواصل تين هاج: “كان لدينا لاعبان في الملعب ولم يكونا جاهزين بنسبة 100%، جوني إيفانز وماركوس راشفورد، لكنهما قدما كل شيء مثل الفريق بأكمله، ونحن نشعر بخيبة أمل بسبب النتيجة”.

وعن أداء ماركوس راشفورد، أكد: “لقد قاتلوا بالتأكيد، وكان العمل الجماعي والأداء جيدًا للغاية، في يوم آخر كان بإمكاننا الفوز بهذه المباراة بفوارق صغيرة، خصوصًا راشفورد، فقد أتيحت له بعض الفرص الجيدة لتسجيل هدف آخر وأليخاندرو جارناتشو في بعض اللحظات أتيحت له الفرص”.

وتابع: “أعتقد أن الخطة سارت بشكل جيد، وهوامش صغيرة جدًا، لذا فإن مانشستر سيتي يستحق كل الإشادة ومدى اتساقه في اللعب”.

وعن حصوله على بطاقة صفراء، علّق: “دعونا نقول إن هذا أمر مثير للنقاش، حيث كان هناك احتكاك مع راشفورد، وهي لحظة حاسمة في المباراة، في الهجمة المرتدة التي سجلوا منها، لقد كانت مخالفة بسيطة على راشفورد، ولكن عندما تكون في سباق سريع فإنك تفقد إيقاعك ولهذا السبب سقط”.

وعن الإصابات، واصل: “لا أعرف، كان عليهم الخروج، لكنني فضلت الإبقاء عليهم (راشفورد وإيفانز) لأن التنظيم كان جيدًا للغاية”.

وعن أضرار الخسارة، أتم: “هذا العام نحن نتقدم حقًا وعليك استعادة بعض النقاط، يمكن للجميع التغلب على الجميع ويمكن أن تتغير الأمور بسرعة، المركز الخامس (في الدوري) يمكن أن يكون أيضًا مركزًا في دوري أبطال أوروبا، لذا علينا أن نقاتل من أجل ذلك!”.

A round-up of the third day’s play from the quarter-finals of the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Dec-2016
ScorecardAbhishek Nayar rattled Hyderabad’s top order•PTI

For large parts of the day, there wasn’t much to choose between Mumbai and Hyderabad, although the defending champions enjoyed the first-innings honours on a topsy-turvy day in Raipur. Towards the end, though, they steered clear of choppy waters courtesy an unbroken 50-run fourth-wicket stand between Praful Waghela and Aditya Tare, the captain, to end with a lead of 116.Hyderabad, who resumed on 167 for 3, needing another 127 to wipe out the deficit, came within 15 runs of the lead. A lower order collapse resulted in them slipping from 255 for 5 to 280 all out. K Sumanth, the wicketkeeper, battled through to make 44; he was the last man to be dismissed. Vijay Gohil, the left-arm spinner, picked up three of the five wickets to fall. Abhishek Nayar, who made 59 in the first innings, took 4 for 60.Mumbai were rattled early as they slipped to 52 for 3, with Mohammad Siraj dismissing Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav. They had Waghela and Tare to thank as they steered them to safety.
ScorecardSamit Gohel’s third first-class ton put Gujarat in a commanding position•ESPNcricinfo

Gujarat continued to gain a foothold after their strong comeback from 71 for 6 on the first day, as they finished day three with a lead of 310 runs in the second innings with seven wickets still in hand.Odisha’s first innings ended early on the third day, with Jasprit Bumrah adding one wicket to his overnight burst through the middle order to complete his second five-wicket haul of the season. He finished with 5 for 41, as Odisha were shot out for 199 in response to Gujarat’s 263.Gujarat capitalized on their 64-run lead through an opening stand of 149. Priyank Panchal, the season’s top-scorer, got 81 of those before he was dismissed by left-arm spinner Dhiraj Singh. His opening partner, Samit Gohel, built stands of 49 for the second wicket with Bhargav Merai, 40 for the third with Rujul Bhatt, and batted through to stumps with Manpreet Juneja with a career-best unbeaten 110 off 291 balls. Gujarat finished the day on 246 for 3.
ScorecardIshank Jaggi (in pic) and Virat Singh helped build Jharkhand’s lead•K Sivaraman

Virat Singh’s second first-class century steered Jharkhand to a comfortable first-innings lead before they were bowled out for 345. In reply, the Haryana top order wiped out the deficit and ended the third day with a lead of 59 runs for the loss of two wickets.Ishank Jaggi, the other overnight batsman apart from Virat, could not score on the third day when he was bowled for 77 by Harshal Patel, and Ishan Kishan and Kaushal Singh fell for ducks. However, Virat batted with the tail to nearly take them to 300 in the company of Shahbaz Nadeem (34) and Rahul Shukla (28). Once Virat fell for 107, Jharkhand added another 45 to the total.Haryana openers Nitin Saini (41) and Shubham Rohilla (43) put on a strong stand of 79 but Samar Quadri dismissed both before Shivam Chauhan (22) and Chaitanya Bishnoi ended the day unbeaten on 22 and 33 respectively.

The Olympic Stadium in London is moving closer to hosting matches in the 2019 World Cup

Tim Wigmore23-Jan-2017

The Olympic Stadium in London is moving closer to hosting matches in the 2019 World Cup after a full inspection of the ground* found that the pitch dimensions complied with requirements for one-day internationals. A final decision on the use of the stadium is expected in the coming months, but the London Stadium, as it is now named, is viewed as having a better than even chance of staging games.The move, which is strongly supported by the ICC, is an attempt to use the 2019 tournament to attract new audiences to the sport and produce the best spectacle possible. The London Stadium has a capacity of 60,000 – twice that of any other cricket ground in the UK. It appears likely to host two or three matches, and its capacity raises the possibility of it being used to stage some of the most enticing games in the group stage. The ICC has been struck by the possibility of large crowds at the London Stadium, similar to those at multi-sport grounds like the MCG and Eden Park during the 2015 World Cup, adding to the excitement surrounding the tournament.The venue is also being explored as a possibility to host a stand-alone opening ceremony. The 1999 World Cup began with an infamously damp firework display in drizzle at Lord’s, and it is hoped that a glitzy opening ceremony at the London Stadium, combined with hosting matches there, could help to ensure the 2019 tournament is more successful in engaging the wider public. Fan zones around the country are also being explored to help promote the tournament.Were the London Stadium to be selected to host matches, it would be likely to use drop-in pitches, as the ground is normally used by the English football club West Ham United. The 2019 World Cup is scheduled for outside the football season, and it seems most likely that all the matches at the London Stadium would be played within a short time frame, giving ground staff sufficient time to prepare without encroaching too much upon preparations for the following football season. The London Stadium has long been considered a viable option for T20 cricket – Essex hope to play matches at the ground in 2018 – although hosting 50-over matches for the first time, for a non-cricket specialist stadium, during the World Cup could carry unforeseen risks.However, there could be some resistance to the plans among English counties. At the end of 2014, the ECB announced the full allocation of matches for the 2019 World Cup: 11 venues were guaranteed a certain number of matches, adding up to the full 48 in the tournament. Should the ECB now attempt to unpick this arrangement, counties would be certain to demand compensation. Paying this would be well within the financial capabilities of the ECB – its latest accounts announced cash reserves of £73.1m – if it considers using the London Stadium as a tool to grow the sport. Given its capacity, matches at the London Stadium would also be likely to generate more revenue than at other grounds, and so some could be used to compensate any venues that lost matches.Debate about using the London Stadium also comes against the wider backdrop of the current tussle between the ECB and counties over plans to introduce a new eight-team domestic T20 tournament. Surrey have been one of the most vociferous opponents of the plans. But if the London Stadium is seen as an increasingly viable ground to host matches, it would appear possible that it could be used as a second London venue – in addition to Lord’s – for the new T20 competition. Were that the case, The Oval could be at risk of not hosting a side in the new tournament.

أعلن نادي آرسنال متصدر جدول ترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي حاليًا عن توصله لاتفاق مع مدافع الفريق الأول لكرة القدم، بن وايت، لتمديد عقده.

ووقع بن وايت اليوم، الخميس، على عقد طويل الأمد لم يعلن آرسنال عن مدته وكان عقده القديم يستمر حتى 30 يونيو 2026.

وانضم اللاعب الإنجليزي الدولي إلى صفوف آرسنال في عام 2021 قادمًا من برايتون بمقابل مادي قيمته 58 مليون يورو.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ساكا يتحدى مانشستر سيتي بعد تأهل آرسنال لربع نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا

💬 “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.” — Arsenal (@Arsenal) March 14, 2024

ولكن أثبت بن وايت نفسه مع المدير الفني، ميكل أرتيتا، مما دفع آرسنال إلى مكافأة اللاعب وتمديد عقده للاستمرار في ملعب “الإمارات” لفترة طويلة.

وشارك بن وايت مع آرسنال في الموسم الحالي في 39 مباراة في جميع البطولات المحلية والقارية وسجل هدف وصنع 4 في 3.050 دقيقة.

ومنذ انضمام بن وايت إلى آرسنال قبل 3 سنوات تقريبًا، شارك في 122 مباراة مع تسجيل 4 أهداف وصناعة 9 آخرين، ويجيد اللعب في مركز الظهير الأيمن وقلب الدفاع.

Newcastle United are believed to be chasing Juventus winger Federico Chiesa after qualifying for the Champions League and now boasting an allure to rival any on the European stage.

What's the latest on Federico Chiesa to Newcastle?

That's according to Italian newspaper Tuttosport (via Sport Witness), revealing that Aston Villa have now joined the race for the Italy international, who has spent the 22/23 campaign reintegrating into competitive action following a long-term injury.

The report continues to state that the interest of Magpies' sporting director Dan Ashworth for the winger dates prior to that of AC Milan midfielder Sandro Tonali, who is expected to join the ranks at St. James's Park on a €70m (£60m) deal, as per Fabrizio Romano.

While a variety of valuations have entered circulation for the touted star, the Old Lady are believed to have transfer-listed the 25-year-old for €60m (£51m) after financial difficulties resulting in a detrimental ten-point deduction have left the Serie A side scrambling to recuperate what they can.

How good is Federico Chiesa?

Before suffering a horrendous ACL injury in January 2022, Chiesa was riding the crest of a wave and had been instrumental in his nation's triumph in the European Championships the previous summer, earning an average Sofascore rating of 7.05 after scoring two goals, completing 80% of his passes and averaging 2.4 shots per match.

An "exciting" footballer, as per Dean Jones, he has also scored 18 goals and supplied 14 assists across the season-and-a-half before the bitter setback, and while the 41-cap gem has impressed in the closing weeks of the recently-concluded term – registering four direct contributions from his final five league matches – he will be desperate to rekindle his former free-flowing form.

And he could do just that on Tyneside, slotting into a thriving outfit that can offer the Champions League football that has been taken from chastened Juve, and perhaps offer a clean slate from which he can return to prominence on the right flank of Eddie Howe's system.

A veritable "wizard", as the £153k-per-week ace has been called by Liverpool insider DaveOCKOP, Chiesa could be Howe's answer to Bukayo Saka, with the Arsenal prodigy's performances over the duration of the 22/23 Premier League season a defining factor behind Arsenal's – ultimately unsuccessful, albeit impressive – title challenge against Manchester City.

Saka, who has been dubbed "the best right winger in the world" by GOAL correspondent Charles Watts, scored 14 goals and laid off 11 assists in the Premier League last season, having also scored seven goals for England since last summer.

The discussed pair are listed as comparable players via FBref. Chiesa ranks among the top 4% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 15% for progressive carries, the top 16% for successful take-ons and the top 13% for tackles per 90.

Saka, comparatively, ranks among the top 21% for goals, the top 23% for assists, the top 10% for progressive carries, the top 5% for touches in the attacking box and the top 28% for tackles per 90.

It paints the picture that while both are supremely creative and expert ball carriers, they aren't afraid of the dirty work either, tracking back to help out their defensive colleagues.

With Chiesa still not back at the peak of his powers, it's a daunting prospect for opposition to imagine just how "potent" – as stated by Rio Ferdinand – he could yet become, and at Newcastle, he could rise to the fore and rival any positional peer on English shores with the calibre of his performances.