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Zimbabwe Cricket has announced that they will host Sri Lanka for two Tests followed by a one-day tri-series that will also involve West Indies. The two Tests will be played in Harare, with the first one from October 29 and the second from November 6.The tri-series will begin from November 14 with the first match between the hosts and Sri Lanka at the Harare Sports Club. The three teams will play each other twice, making it a total of six round-robin matches, before the final on November 27. The last four ODIs and the final will all be played in Bulawayo.Sri Lanka’s tour of Zimbabwe was originally scheduled in the FTP with two Tests, three ODIs and a T20I. Later, there were chances of the tour being replaced by the tri-series with West Indies, as the Tests were not being considered as financially viable, but now the Tests and tri-series both will take place. Had that happened, Zimbabwe would have gone without playing a Test for 11 months.There were chances of the Tests being scrapped because of Zimbabwe Cricket’s growing debt and the economic situation of the country as a whole. Recently, the Harare-based players had refused to train in protest over unpaid match fees, which dated back to July last year. The protests ended after being given an assurance by the Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Wildfred Mukondiwa.Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka last played a Test in a two-match series in 2004. They have played 15 Tests against each other overall, with Sri Lanka winning 10 of them and five ending in draws.

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their plans to improve their squad in the upcoming summer transfer window…

What's the latest on Karlan Grant to Rangers?

Mirror journalist Darren Witcoop has revealed that the Light Blues are keen on West Bromwich Albion attacker, who is set to be available in the coming weeks.

He tweeted:

"West Brom will listen to offers for striker Karlan Grant this summer. Grant has Championship admirers while Scottish side Rangers have registered an interest. Grant signed a six year deal when he joined the Baggies for £15m in 2020 but he can now leave Albion."

However, it remains to be seen how much the Championship side are set to demand for his services as the attacker still has three years left to run on his contract.

Who could replace Antonio Colak at Rangers?

The Sun recently reported that the Gers are willing to listen to offers for Antonio Colak this summer and Michael Beale could ruthlessly ditch the Croatian international by signing Grant as his replacement.

Three goals in his last 15 Scottish Premiership appearances have left the forward out of favour under the Light Blues head coach and his struggles since Beale's arrival make a parting of the ways seem like the right decision.

Colak has only scored three of his 17 goals this season since Giovanni van Bronckhorst was relieved of his duties during the break for the World Cup and bringing the West Brom attacker in would open the door for the ex-PAOK man to move on.

Grant has struggled for goals this season in the Championship, with three strikes in 18 starts, but has showcased his ability at that level in previous campaigns.

The centre-forward racked up 18 goals and 12 'big chances' created in 41 starts for the Baggies in the second tier of English football last term and managed 19 goals and six 'big chances' provided in 42 starts for Huddersfield in the division in 2020/21.

These statistics suggest that his woes this term are a flash in the pan and do not reflect the 25-year-old's true quality, which could result in Rangers getting a bargain deal for a talented player if West Brom value him based on his present form.

The £20k-per-week gem, who journalist Ben McKenna once hailed as "lethal", could rediscover his best form in Scotland in the same way that Todd Cantwell, who made a similar move from Norwich in January, has.

Since arriving from Carrow Road, the 25-year-old has scored three goals and provided four assists in 12 Premiership matches after failing to register a goal or assist in 18 Championship outings in the first half of the campaign.

This shows that Beale can get the best out of underperforming players coming from that level of football and the head coach could now ditch Colak by doing the same with Grant next season.

ScorecardBen Cox sealed Worcestershire’s victory in the final over•Getty Images

Worcestershire broke the only unbeaten record in this season’s NatWest T20 Blast and moved clear at the top of the North Group when beating Northamptonshire by Worcestershire by three wickets at New Road.Wicketkeeper Ben Cox followed up three catches in Northamptonshire’s 169 for 7 by taking the nine runs wanted from the last over in three balls from Mohammad Azharullah – a reverse paddle for four, a pull for four and a single into the covers.Cox finished unbeaten with 42 from 24 balls, having turned the match in his team’s favour after going in at 102 for 5, but it seemed that Worcestershire had lost their best chance when Tom Kohler-Cadmore was dismissed for 60 by Rob Keogh’s juggling act on the deep extra cover boundary.Keogh, who previously held a one-handed catch at mid-off from Brett D’Oliveira, knocked the ball up before completing the catch.Both sides were handicapped by constant drizzle and poor light in Worcestershire’s innings and at first the game was tilting towards Northants when Azharullah took two wickets in an over to leave the home side teetering on 20 for 3.Earlier, Ben Duckett’s first half-century of the season in the competition was crucial to setting up a challenging total for Northants, but the left hander benefited from two lapses in Worcestershire’s normally reliable fielding.This was rough luck on George Rhodes as the son of the county’s director of cricket made his home debut following an impressive start in the Royal London Cup against Yorkshire earlier in the week.The 22-year-old spinner was in his first over when Duckett, on 6, was dropped by Jack Shantry at short third man and returned later to see the batsman’s second life, on 28, when D’Oliveira fumbled a stringing drive to extra cover. Rhodes had figures of 1 for 11 from his two overs, his wicket coming when Alexei Kervezee at deep square leg held a well-judged catch from Steven Crook.Duckett went on to reach his 50 from 34 balls after hitting three sixes and four fours but without addition to his score he was seventh out at 140, bowled by Joe Leach as Worcestershire’s acting captain finished with 3 for 26.Leach was called on to lead the side when Daryl Mitchell suffered a side strain in the nets, a major blow to Worcestershire, who were already without paceman Matt Henry, but Northamptonshire were even more depleted with Richard Levi, Rory Kleinveldt and Olly Stone on their lengthening casualty list.Wickets fell on a regular basis on a sluggish surface, although Alex Wakely, Josh Cobb and Keogh all had time to deal in some heavy blows.Keogh was brilliantly caught overhead at mid-off as Shantry atoned for his earlier miss but the when he came on to bowl the penultimate over, Graeme White smashed three consecutive sixes.

Aston Villa failed to win their sixth Premier League match in a row after slipping to a 1-1 draw against Brentford last weekend, however, coming back to steal a point showcases the improved mentality throughout Unai Emery’s side recently.

Douglas Luiz slotted home an equaliser with just a few minutes remaining, and the point further enhances Villa’s European ambitions as they sit just two points behind Tottenham Hotspur in fifth spot.

It will be a quick turnaround for the Villa Park side as they prepare to face Fulham this evening and with the Cottagers enjoying a successful season of their own, it could prove to be an exciting clash.

Emery won’t be making many changes to his team ahead of the match as Emiliano Martinez should be available after being substituted during the draw against Brentford due to illness.

Following a relatively quiet afternoon in front of goal, the Spaniard could mix things up slightly by unleashing winger Bertrand Traore against Fulham in the hopes he can continue his recent form.

Will Bertrand Traore start against Fulham?

The winger was brought back to the club by Emery in January following a six-month loan spell at Turkish side Basaksehir FK, where he scored three times, as some added cover to the wide positions.

Since returning, he has played a part in five matches and has scored twice, including a vital late winner against Leicester City at the start of April which continued their momentum.

His 12-minute cameo against the Foxes meant he started the following encounter with Nottingham Forest, and he didn’t disappoint, receiving a 7.1 rating via Sofascore for his efforts.

The 27-year-old demonstrated his talents during his first start for the club since leaving Turkey as he took three shots, won half of his ground duels, completed 91% of his passes and was fouled twice, clearly giving opposition defenders a tough time on the wing.

Although Emery perhaps sees the £17m winger as a better option to have come on from the bench and utilise his skills on tired opponents than unleashing him from the start, his display against Forest proves that he can get involved from the very first whistle.

He is still capable of producing moments of magic, with the winner against the Foxes drawing massive praise from journalist Matt Maher, who said: "You can't help but like a player like Bertrand Traore. All the times he frustrates, are forgiven when he produces something as ridiculously brilliant as that winner. Nonchalance personified."

Will Traore be the most important player for Villa during this impressive run? No, but he pops up from nowhere and produces important moments. This is why Emery has to unleash him this evening.

Alex McLeish’s spell as manager of Glasgow Rangers must go down in the history books as one of the finest in the previous 50 years, especially considering the vast financial constraints he had to work with.

He won seven major honours during his four and a half seasons at the helm, including a marvellous treble in 2002/03 and claiming an unlikely title in 2004/05, stunning Celtic who were defeated by Motherwell on the final day.

The former Aberdeen defender had to resort to signing players either on loan or snapping them up for free with the odd signing such as Thomas Buffel or Barry Ferguson.

The summer of 2004 was arguably his most difficult in charge of the club, having lost the league title by a 17-point margin and the onus was on the Ibrox side to improve massively to prevent Celtic from dominating Scottish football.

McLeish signed Dado Prso on a free transfer while he also added French centre-back Jean-Alain Boumsong to his ranks after he signed a pre-contract agreement with the Glasgow giants back in December 2003, and it proved to be one of his finest signings as manager.

How much did Rangers sell Jean-Alain Boumsong for?

Having made 174 appearances for Auxerre and winning seven caps for France before arriving at the club in 2004, his move was certainly deemed a major coup, and he was looked upon as a player who could become the mainstay at the heart of the defence for a few years.

He shone during the first half of his debut season, playing 26 times for the Gers, and keeping them within touching distance of Celtic, even defeating them twice before Christmas and the move appeared to be a wise one.

In January 2005, however, Premier League outfit Newcastle United came calling with an £8m bid and the offer was clearly too good to turn down, especially considering he arrived for nothing just six months prior.

Over the next few months, it was evident that McLeish had struck gold on the 6 foot 3 colossus by allowing him to move to the English top-flight, as he couldn’t quite live up to his price tag South of the border.

He eventually made just 59 appearances for the Magpies and was even listed as the 17th worst player to ever play in the Premier League, quite a feat.

Rangers made a massive profit on the Frenchman, and it allowed McLeish to sign Buffel and Ferguson that same transfer window which spearheaded their title challenge, though it was quickly clear Boumsong wasn’t cut out for Premier League football.

Arsenal were knocked out of the Europa League in a brutal manner, losing at home to Sporting CP on penalties after a 1-1 draw at home, but despite putting in a sub-par performance overall, there was one moment of outstanding quality which left fans in awe.

What happened to Arsenal against Sporting?

Mikel Arteta was dealt a number of blows as despite starting with a strong lineup, he was forced into making two changes inside 20 minutes, as Takehiro Tomiyasu and William Saliba were withdrawn with injuries.

Despite not being at their best, Arsenal looked set for the quarter-finals after Granit Xhaka opened the scoring with a powerful strike, but the true credit for that goal should arguably go elsewhere.

January signing Jorginho, who replaced Thomas Partey in the starting XI, kicked off the move leading to Xhaka’s goal with a pass that Sporting simply had no answer for. Picking up possession in midfield, he threaded an inch-perfect through ball to Gabriel Martinelli, whose shot fell to Xhaka, who powered home.

Jorginho was replaced in the second half, and a wonder-strike from Pedro Goncalves levelled the tie before a heartbreaking penalty shootout sealed Arsenal’s exit from the competition.

Whilst this may come as a disappointment, Arsenal are currently five points clear at the top of the Premier League, and having fewer fixtures could arguably benefit their title charge.

There wasn’t much to shout about on a rainy night at the Emirates before or after Xhaka’s goal, but this one extraordinary ball from Jorginho had everyone off their feet, and the winter arrival from Chelsea has clearly settled quickly.

Jorginho made himself an instant hero in Arsenal’s comeback victory at Aston Villa, playing a huge part in the winning goal, and showed his incredible quality on the ball yet again as he had the vision to find Martinelli.

Fans were quick to praise his eye for a pass following the goal, but this turned out to be the highlight of the night. Some of the best reaction can be found below:

Newcastle United are reportedly eyeing up a move for out-of-favour Manchester United captain, Harry Maguire, with the Englishman looking destined for a summer exit from Old Trafford.

What’s the latest on Maguire to Newcastle?

According to 90min, the Magpies are believed to be ‘monitoring’ the 30-year-old’s current situation at the Theatre of Dreams, with the report outlining that the 53-cap brute is set to be up for grabs at the end of the season.

The piece suggests that while the Red Devils would prefer an immediate permanent exit for the Three Lions star, Erik ten Hag and co could be inclined to accept a loan departure, provided that temporary move leads to a sale later down the line.

Newcastle sporting director Dan Ashworth may well have competition in his bid to land the experienced defender as the report notes that a ‘number of Premier League clubs’ are interested in his signature, with any deal set to cost significantly less than the £80m that was paid to prise the Sheffield-born titan from Leicester City back in 2019.

Who could be Newcastle’s next Botman?

There is no getting away from what has been a difficult season for Maguire under Ten Hag, with the £190k-per-week man having been restricted to just five top-flight starts to date, having lost his regular role in the side following the 4-0 loss to Brentford in August.

As the Red Devils’ recent 7-0 drubbing showcased, however, Maguire has not been the sole defensive villain at his current side this term, with the one-time Hull City ace having sat out that thrashing at Anfield.

It could be that the defensive “monster” – as previously lauded by journalist Liam Canning – is simply in need of a fresh start in order to recapture his form, having arguably been hampered by the pressure of his exorbitant price tag in recent years.

The hope for Eddie Howe and co will be that the towering asset can replicate the displays he has shown for his country on Tyneside, having been lauded as a “fantastic leader” by teammate Kieran Trippier after playing his part in England’s surge to the quarter-finals at the World Cup last year.

It will also be of note for Howe that the central defender is said to share a number of stylistic and statistical similarities with current Newcastle ace, Sven Botman, according to FBref, with that boding well for the impact that Maguire can make in the northeast.

Not only do the pair offer a real imposing presence due to their respective 6 foot 4 frames, but their likeness is also showcased by the threat that they oppose in attack, with Maguire ranking in the top 11% among his European peers for touches in the opposition penalty area, while Botman ranks in the top 6% in that regard.

Equally, the latter man has made six progressive carries and recorded three progressive passes in the league so far this season, while Maguire has racked up five progressive carries and two progressive passes in that time, showcasing the duo’s ability to play out from the back.

With Botman having already made a “huge difference” since his summer arrival from Lille – according to journalist Josh Bunting – it would seemingly be a real masterstroke to be able to secure something of a clone for the Dutchman in the form of the Man United skipper.

The signing of the struggling figure may not be a universally popular one among Magpies supporters, although that comparison to Botman should showcase the benefits of Ashworth pursuing a deal this summer.

Everton suffered their second defeat under Sean Dyche as Aston Villa prevailed 2-0 in a largely scrappy affair between two teams hungry for the three points.

The Toffees had the better chances in the first half but failed to convert, and it took a penalty from Ollie Watkins to break the deadlock before Emiliano Buendía sealed the victory with just under ten minutes to go. The result means that Everton slip back into the Premier League relegation zone.

Despite the defeat, there were some positives to take in terms of individual performances today. Dwight McNeil was impressive, receiving the second-highest Sofascore rating in the Toffees’ starting XI with 7.2/10 as he sought to create plenty of chances for team-mates.

The winger made four key passes, succeeded with seven of his eight dribbles and delivered 13 crosses into the opposition penalty area during the 90 minutes, but it was to no avail as Everton couldn’t find a goal.

However, it was Alex Iwobi who was arguably the finest player for Dyche’s team on the day, doing his bit for the team in spite of them shipping their 13th league defeat of the campaign.

How did Iwobi play against Aston Villa?

Firstly, he received the highest Sofascore rating of anyone in the Everton starting XI with 7.8/10, despite playing for just 70 minutes.

Secondly, the Nigerian midfielder offered a similar attacking threat to McNeil, albeit on the opposite flank. He played two key passes, delivered six crosses, took 41 touches and completed two of his three dribbles.

Everton’s new-found approach was praised by journalist Ben Grounds, who tweeted at half-time: “Encouraging so far after absorbing some early Villa pressure. Dyche is already building a clear identity, getting the ball wide to McNeil with Onana, Iwobi, and Doucoure flooding the box. Gueye doing a fine job screening the defence. Enough for fans to certainly get behind.”

Iwobi was constantly making runs into the Villa penalty box from his position wide on the right, and he wasn’t afraid to chip in defensively when required either.

The 26-year-old won four of his six ground duels while making two tackles and one clearance, although he did lose possession 12 times, which didn’t help Everton’s cause when it came to looking for a goal.

The Nigerian midfielder ranks as the club’s joint-fourth best player this season with an average Sofascore rating of 7/10 and he certainly showcased his abilities this afternoon, but it was just a pity that he couldn’t inspire his team to a vital three points.

Newcastle United moved a step closer to ending their trophy drought with victory over Southampton in the Carabao Cup semi-final on Tuesday evening, with the Magpies securing a 2-1, second-leg triumph in front of a raucous home crowd.

While much of the focus elsewhere was on the hectic transfer activity taking place on deadline day, inside St James’ Park the sole focus among both players and supporters was on sealing a long-awaited return to Wembley, with it having been far too long for a club of such stature to have been without silverware.

After sealing a narrow, 1-0 win away at St Mary’s a week ago, the Tynesiders took firm control of the tie inside just five minutes last night, as academy graduate Sean Longstaff produced a stunning, fizzing effort to net his first goal on home soil in four years.

Having waited so long to break that goalscoring duck, the 25-year-old then bolstered his tally with another impressive finish midway through the first half, the Englishman running onto Miguel Almiron’s pullback and brilliantly slotting past a helpless Gavin Bazunu.

While a swift Che Adams reply – as well as a late Bruno Guimaraes dismissal – would ensure some understandable nerves for the northeast side, Eddie Howe’s men were ultimately able to see out the match to set up what will most likely be a mouthwatering, showpiece showdown with Manchester United.

On a night of standout performances that epitomised the club’s remarkable rise over the past 12 months or so, one notably key figure was that of summer arrival Nick Pope, with the £60k-per-week colossus having been integral to keeping the Saints at bay.

Although the Englishman has little to do in truth against Nathan Jones’ side – having made just two saves and recorded only 19 touches – one moment, in particular, laid bare just why the 30-year-old has been a “world-class signing” for the club, as described by journalist Carl Kinsella.

With the game finely poised at 2-1 to the hosts – and 3-1 on aggregate – the former Burnley man made a vital intervention to deny opposition striker Adam Armstong in the closing stages, superbly racing out of his goal to thwart the diminutive forward, following a stunning, threaded pass from Romeo Lavia.

It is arguably an indication of an elite goalkeeper to be able to remain alert despite having had little involvement in the game, with Howe no doubt thankful that the £10m man acted so effectively to quash any hope of a comeback for the visitors.

Equally, the ten-cap gem could arguably have done little about Adams’ first-half piledriver, with that effort having been the first goal that the experienced ace had conceded in the competition this season, after also keeping 12 clean sheets in his 20 Premier League outings in the current campaign.

After a season in which the likes of Karl Darlow, Freddie Woodman and Martin Dubravka were all unable to truly nail down a regular role last term, it is no surprise that Newcastle’s recent resurgence has come with a more reliable presence between the sticks, in the form of Pope.

Newcastle United are unlikely to bring in Conor Gallagher now that Chelsea have agreed to sell Jorginho to Arsenal, according to reliable reporter Michael Bridge.

The Lowdown: Gallagher on the move?

It was reported last night by Craig Hope that Everton had made a £45m offer for Gallagher, with the journalist also adding that the player wants to stay at Chelsea, but would seek a move to Newcastle or a top six club if he was forced out.

However, as a result of the news that the Blues have agreed to sell Jorginho to Arsenal, with the Italian now due there for his medical, it has emerged that Graham Potter may be unwilling to allow another central midfielder to leave the club.

The Latest: Update from Bridge

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT about the possibility of Gallagher leaving, Bridge said:

“From the little bits I heard this morning, it was either going to be Conor Gallagher going out or Jorginho. He’s highly regarded by a number of clubs but if Jorginho ends up going to Arsenal which looks to be the case, then Chelsea will have a decision to make.

“Despite Newcastle’s interest, I think they’d be reluctant to let him go to what they consider to be a Premier League rival now. I wouldn’t completely rule out a late loan deal, but a lot will rest on Graham Potter’s decision.”

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The Verdict: Disappointing news

The 22-year-old has an attacking focus, which is indicated by the fact that he has received an average of 3.87 progressive passes per 90 over the past year, in the 93rd percentile compared to other midfielders, and there is every indication he would be an upgrade on the outgoing Jonjo Shelvey.

Hailed as ‘unbelievable’ by Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira (via Chelsea News), the four-time England international has averaged more non-penalty goals and assists per 90 than Shelvey in the past year.

Not only that, but he would also be an improvement defensively, given that he has averaged more tackles and interceptions than the 30-year-old in the same timeframe.

Bridge does not completely discard the chances of a late deal, so Newcastle should now see if they can tempt Chelsea with an offer, as he would be a quality addition in the engine room.