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Kevin O’Brien fought through a hamstring injury and launched a fine counter-attack to give Ireland a come-from-behind win that helped them level the series

The Report by Akshay Gopalakrishnan22-Mar-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsKevin O’Brien hit eight fours and two sixes in his 60-ball knock•Associated Press

Kevin O’Brien fought a hamstring injury to club an unbeaten 72 that helped Ireland chase down a 221-run target with three wickets in hand in the fourth ODI against Afghanistan.O’Brien had limped off on 9, with Ireland having lost ground after a solid start. When he returned, they were reeling at 130 for 6 with Afghanistan ready to apply the choke through spin. But he responded with a half-century, built on brute force, to help Ireland draw level in the five-match series in Greater Noida.The effort followed on from his four wickets, three of them in an opening burst that broke Afghanistan’s back after they won their fourth successive toss in the series. That they were lifted to 220 was down to handy contributions from Mohammad Nabi and the lower order.Crippled by the injury, O’Brien struggled to run between the wickets, leaving him with the sole option of clearing the fence. He did that to great effect on a slow surface no less. He particularly favoured the leg-side boundary with his muscular slog sweeps.Rashid Khan, Afghanistan’s best bowler of the series, bore the brunt of a few such hits in an 18-run over off the 35th to swing the momentum in Ireland’s favour. Rashid ended up suffering the worst of Kevin O’Brien’s onslaught, conceding 28 runs in the 17 balls he bowled to him.With Gary Wilson buckling down at the other end, the duo ate into the target with a 66-run seventh-wicket stand that took Ireland to the brink. Wilson picked out deep midwicket off one that skidded on from Rashid with Ireland still 25 away. It could still have been Afghanistan’s game but for Usman Ghani letting one burst through his hands at short third man to reprieve Kevin O’Brien. Unsurprisingly, Afghanistan did not get lucky after that, and Kevin O’Brien sealed the game with successive fours off Dawlat.Before the late charge, Nabi scythed through the middle order with four wickets. Paul Stirling closed the bat face early and tamely chipped a catch to mid-on off the leading edge to end a 48-run opening stand. Mohammad Shahzad’s lightning reflexes then had William Porterfield stumped after Nabi got one to turn outside off. Balbirnie lost his stumps to one that refused to sit up and McBrine played down the wrong line to one that straightened.Mohammad Nabi’s regular wickets troubled Ireland•Associated Press

Like Ireland, Afghanistan lost wickets in the early exchanges. With the ball keeping low, Ireland’s bowlers reaped the benefits of sticking to accurate lines and lengths.Returning from injury, Kevin O’Brien found seam movement and made telling inroads. Off the fourth ball, he pinged the pad of Shahzad, who paid the price for playing across the line of an in-dipper. In his next over, he got one to shape the other way to Rahmat who edged behind for zero, before Usman Ghani, playing his first ODI since 2015, stepped out to a short ball and slashed it to extra cover.He was denied a fourth wicket when Wilson missed a regulation catch, Hashmatullah Shahidi’s outside edge flying to the right of him. Shahidi was yet to get off the mark, but Afghanistan hardly found respite. The presence of cracks meant it didn’t take long for the spinners to find turn. With the ball occasionally stopping on the batsman, Afghanistan could not play to their boundary-hitting strengths.Shahidi and Asghar Stanikzai had just about begun to stem the rot with a 46-run fourth-wicket stand when a sharp legbreak from Jacob Mulder sent back the former. Mulder had done a nice job of drawing the batsman into the drive and exploiting the cracks. Shahidi, playing the angle, did not account for the sharp turn from outside off and was bowled.Mulder then had Gulabdin Naib in two minds and trapped him lbw, and with Andy McBrine sending back Stanikzai and Rashid off successive deliveries in the 24th over, Afghanistan were 83 for 7.But Shafiqullah mounted a late fightback, dominating an eighth-wicket stand of 59 with Nabi. He dealt with McBrine’s hat-trick ball with a four down the ground to get off the mark, and benefitted from cuts, sweeps, pulls and drives that ensured the score moved along briskly.Nabi and Dawlat Zadran then joined hands for a ninth-wicket stand of 57 to further frustrate Ireland. Dawlat took his time, scoring 9 off his first 21 balls before breaking loose with a straight six off the left-arm spin of George Dockrell. He was handed a reprieve on 20 when Ed Joyce spilled him at long-on. He used the life to score an unbeaten 41 that pushed the score past 200, but in the end, Kevin O’Brien’s carnage proved too much.

Liverpool could be able to cap off their midfield rebuild with a superstar signing, as Radio Marca, via TeamTalk, report that Aurelien Tchouameni may well be available to sign this summer.

What is the latest Liverpool transfer news?

With Liverpool having already tied up deals for two midfielders this summer, it appears they aren't done spending just yet. They've splashed the cash to bring in both Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton and Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig but are still being linked to a number of players, as they aim to try and break back into the Champions League spots next season.

One of the more recent – and huge – reports emerging around the Reds is that of a bid for Kylian Mbappe. Reports from Spain have suggested that the Anfield outfit have tabled a mega £171m offer for the PSG star and want to try and bring him to the Premier League to help their attack. There are no further details over the move, and it's certainly one for the pinch of salt category of transfer rumours.

Perhaps more realistically however, the Reds have also been eyeing a potential move for Federico Valverde at Real Madrid. There is no offer on the table yet for the midfielder, but the Merseysiders are believed to be keen to snap up the Uruguay international.

Are Liverpool signing Aurelien Tchouameni?

However, it is Valvdere's teammate who could now be available on a deal for Liverpool this summer. According to a report from Radio Marca, via TeamTalk, Tchouameni could be signed by any interested parties this transfer window as long as they hit Real's asking price.

That's because they want to try and fund a move for Mbappe of their own – and that could mean selling on some of their current stars. With the Reds believed to have an interest in the Frenchman, this news that a deal is possible for the youngster is of course a huge boost. However, any potential bid would have to be at least 80 million Euros (or £68m) to convince Madrid into doing business for the midfielder.

The 23-year-old has only been in Spain for one season so far but has already made quite an impression. He was thrown straight into their first-team squad and racked up 33 appearances in La Liga during his first campaign, with four assists along the way. His pass completion rate of 92.8% also ranked him as the second-best player in the league in that area – despite the fact he was brand new to the country.

He's already received some extraordinary praise from those involved in the game despite his age. Former England international Rio Ferdinand stated that Tchouameni was an "incredible" player after his displays for France in the World Cup and even added that he is a "superb talent" to boot.

He's already worked hard to achieve plenty at club and country level and is impressing along the way it seems – and if Liverpool could indeed bring him to the Premier League, then it would be a real coup for the club.

With pre-season now in full swing at Tottenham Hotspur, there will no doubt be those paying close attention to which players are handed a prominent role by new boss Ange Postecoglou over the coming weeks, ahead of potentially nailing down a regular starting berth next season.

Among those likely to be sparking excitement among supporters is promising full-back, Destiny Udogie, with the 20-year-old finally in place in north London after having spent last season back on loan at Udinese.

The Italy international – who was snapped up by Daniel Levy on a £15m deal last summer – has arrived at N17 off the back of a stellar season in Serie A last time out, with the 6 foot 2 defender having chipped in with seven goal involvements in 33 league games from his wing-back berth.

Having been "on fire" last term – according to talent scout Jacek Kulig – the hope will be that the youngster can replicate such form in the Premier League, with the chance for him to compete with the likes of Ben Davies for a starting role at left-back.

Udogie may not be the only previously out-on-loan player who could be handed a strong chance to impress this summer, with journalist Paul Brown stating that there could potentially be a way back for Tanguy Ndombele at Spurs, despite holding possible reservations over whether the Frenchman can put his prior woes behind him.

Speaking in an interview with Football FanCast, Brown stated:

"I'm pretty sure that Postecoglou is going to want to take a good look at Ndombele. He's obviously a huge talent. I just felt that a series of managers there never really felt they could trust him and he kind of proved them right every time he was given a chance, unfortunately.

"He is someone who occasionally will come up with a brilliant piece of skill, but I'm not entirely sure he was ever totally suited to playing Premier League football, if I'm being brutally honest. And I think it's going to be a long, hard road back for him at Spurs."

What is Ndombele's market value?

Having been signed from Lyon for a reported fee of around £63m back in 2019, the 5 foot 11 enigma has endured a rocky time of it at Tottenham so far, having notably spent the last 18 months out on loan as a marker of his slide down the pecking order.

Once branded a "disgrace" by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher due to his lack of work ethic in his early days in English football, the £200k-per-week playmaker repeatedly drew the ire of former boss Jose Mourinho, with the likes of Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte having also hardly giving him a look in.

With just ten goals and nine assists to his name in 91 appearances for the club to date, it is fair to say that Tottenham have not received value for money from the mercurial talent to date, albeit with recent reports suggesting that Postecoglou instructed the club to reject a €20m (£17m) bid from Napoli for the midfielder, after having spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan with the Italian champions.

The ex-Celtic boss has publicly stated that a permanent recall could be on the cards for Ndombele with the seven-cap ace currently "working hard" in pre-season, albeit while not going as far as to suggest that the £13m-rated man would definitely be part of the first-team squad moving forward.

If Postecoglou is to give the fleet-footed gem a shot at redemption it could prove to be a wise move, with – as Brown stated – the player undoubtedly a 'huge talent', hence why Levy splashed the cash on him in the first place.

That is the view of Arsenal-bound midfielder, Declan Rice, at least, with the Englishman having previously lauded his Spurs counterpart as a "top player", while also describing him as a "street footballer", due to his unique, instinctive style.

As such, while with the likes of Udogie it is the chance to make a strong first impression next term, for Ndombele, he could well have warranted one last opportunity to prove his talents at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2023/24.

تحدث بيب جوارديولا، المدير الفني لفريق مانشستر سيتي، عن فرصهم في المنافسة على لقب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز هذا الموسم.

وأهدر مانشستر سيتي نقطتين، بعدما تعادل سلبيًا في مباراة الأحد مع آرسنال، في الجولة الثلاثين.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ذا صن: مباراة فاصلة محتملة بين ليفربول ومانشستر سيتي في الدوري الإنجليزي

ويتصدر ليفربول حاليًا جدول الدوري الإنجليزي برصيد 67 نقطة، بفارق نقطتين عن آرسنال و3 نقاط عن ليفربول.

وقال جوارديولا في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “مترو” الإنجليزية، ردًا عما إذا كان ليفربول هو المرشح الأوفر حظًا للتتويج باللقب: “نعم، صاحب المركز الأول هو المفضل”.

وأضاف: “المرشح الثاني هو آرسنال ونحن الثالث، هل أشعر بالقلق من كون مانشستر سيتي لا يمتلك ما يكفي من المباريات للتغلب على آرسنال وليفربول؟ الأمر ليس في أيدينا”.

وواصل: “كل ما يمكننا فعله هو محاولة الفوز في المباراة القادمة ضد أستون فيلا، هذا كل ما يمكننا القيام به”.

وأردف: “عندما كنا في صدارة الدوري كنا المرشحين، كان الأمر في أيدينا والآن لم يعد الأمر كذلك، هكذا الأمر بكل بساطة”.

Gautam Gambhir said he had been infuriated by his side’s batting collapse against Royal Challengers Bangalore last week and pushed his team to show intent and defend a total of 131

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Apr-20171:30

Gambhir bullish about maintaining intensity

Gautam Gambhir describes himself as “easy-going, relaxed and a bit of a prankster” in the change room, but the Kolkata Knight Riders captain shed all of those traits when he addressed his team during the mid-innings break against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Kolkata on Sunday. After Knight Riders folded for 131 from a position of 65 for 1 in the sixth over, Gambhir made it clear to his players that anyone whose intent seemed to flag during the defence of their low total could lose their spot in the XI.”I wanted intensity from my team-mates. I wanted them to fight. I wanted them to win,” Gambhir said of his mid-innings address in his column for . “I told them whoever dropped on intent should understand that this could be his last game for KKR, at least in my captaincy.”Gambhir, who felt “hurt” by his team’s batting collapse, wrote that he was fuming during the break for the first time in his seven-year stint as Knight Riders captain, especially as the collapse came after a loss at home to Gujarat Lions.That dressing-room talk seemed to pay off, as Nathan Coulter-Nile struck in his first three overs to set the tone for the side. Gambhir said he had spotted Coulter-Nile’s potential during his time with Justin Langer in Perth, and described the bowler as “a mean-looking guy, strong as an ox”. Coulter-Nile finished with returns of 3 for 21, all top-order wickets, and earned the Man-of-the-Match award as Royal Challengers folded for 49, the lowest total in IPL history. Not a single Royal Challengers batsman scored in double-figures.”The Aussie bowled like the wind and I supported him with attacking fields,” Gambhir said. “My being under the helmet [at silly point] was more of a statement than a catching position.”Gambhir also stated that he does not mind losing Fairplay points in lieu of an attacking mindset on the field. “I don’t know whether TV cameras or microphones caught it but we were chirping all the time when RCB were batting,” he said. “I am happy to lose spots on the IPL Fairplay award list but I can not see my team slipping on the points table.”Praising his team’s catching, Gambhir said the highlight of the day was when Umesh Yadav’s short-pitched bowling troubled Chris Gayle. “And then there was another sight which would have pleased every supporter of Indian cricket,” Gambhir said. “Indian fast bowler Umesh Yadav having ‘Boss of Universe’ Chris Gayle ducking and weaving was highlight of the game.”Knight Riders are currently second on the table, with 10 points after seven games, and will play their next match against Rising Pune Supergiant in Pune on Wednesday.

Manchester United target Rasmus Hojlund is "super keen" on a move to the club as United prepare their "opening bid" for the Danish international, per transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Is Rasmus Hojlund joining Manchester United?

After a brilliant season on the pitch for United, one that saw them reclaim their spot in the Champions League and secure yet another piece of silverware, the club are now enjoying a fantastic transfer window as well.

Despite the ongoing saga around the club's potential sale and all the distractions that come with it, the transfer business conducted by the Red Devils thus far has been impressive.

The first name through the doors was Chelsea's academy star Mason Mount, who joined for just £55m, and now it looks as if the £47m deal to sign Cameroon international Andre Onana from Inter Milan is almost complete as well.

With two imoirtant positions in the side sorted already, attention has shifted to the search for a new number nine, with Atalanta's exciting youngster Hojlund one of the potential targets.

The young Dane has been courting the interest of the Red Devils for quite some time and is himself "super keen" on the move. Still, previous reports suggesting that the club had made an official bid were premature, per transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

He explained the situation on his YouTube channel, saying:

"For Rasmus Hojlund, now for Manchester United, it's time to prepare the opening official bid. So, Man United are discussing internally about the opening bid for Hojlund.

"They never sent any official bid at the moment. They had some exchange with Atalanta through intermediaries to understand how much they wanted, and from what I'm told, it's something around €70m (£60m); then let's see if this is something to be negotiated in the next days or if Atalanta will remain firm on their position to ask for €70m (£60m), but this is the potential fee for Rasmus Hojlund.

Romano also explained the player's perspective on the transfer, adding: "From what I am told, the player is super keen on the move. Hojlund wants to try a top club experience. He was a United fan as a kid, so Hojlund is super keen on the move to Man United."

How does Rasmus Hojlund stack up to Marcus Rashford?

With the departure of Wout Weghorst and the unreliability of Anthony Martial's fitness, the player that would likely fill in as United's number nine next season should they not sign Hojlund is England international Marcus Rashford, so who is better?

From a goalscoring perspective, it looks very one-sided, at least at first glance.

Rashford ended last season's Premier League campaign with 17 goals, whereas his Danish counterpart concluded his Serie A season with nine.

However, with 2890 league minutes under his belt, Rashford scored a goal on average every 170 minutes, which isn't a million miles away from Hojlund's ratio of a goal every 204 minutes, thanks to his 1836 minutes of game time last year.

Their underlying numbers are a lot closer than their goalscoring might suggest as well, with FBref placing the Englishman on 0.48 expected goals per 90 last season, while the Atalanta dynamo sits on 0.47 also per 90.

The Copenhagen-born gem does have a slightly higher percentage of his shots hitting the target at 54.7% compared to Rashford's 45.4%.

While there is certainly some similarity between the two forwards, and United's poster boy could play another season as the side's number nine, the introduction of Hojlund would allow Rashford to play in his desired position on the wing, while giving the Danish prodigy the starting position he needs to fulfil the lofty expectations people already have for him.

Rising Pune Supergiant captain Steven Smith lauded allrounder Ben Stokes, whose century set up an unlikely win against Gujarat Lions on Monday

ESPNcricinfo staff02-May-20172:01

‘We’ve gelled together as a team’ – Smith

Ben Stokes has won three Man-of-the-Match awards in eight matches in IPL 2017, each performance leading to a Rising Pune Supergiant victory. His most recent award was also his first for a batting performance – an unbeaten 63-ball 103, that saw Rising Pune recover from 10 for 3 to chase down 162 with five wickets to spare. It is numbers like these that Stokes would like to judge himself on instead of being bogged down by the pressure of the INR 14.5 crore price tag at the auction, Rising Pune captain Steven Smith said.”He’s been hitting the ball really well,” Smith said on Monday. “We’re very happy with where he’s at and how he’s played. That was an amazing innings: under pressure, came in at three for nothing and to play the way he did, he timed his innings beautifully, took the game on at the right time. Fantastic knock to get us home. He hit some very clean balls there, chose the right balls to hit, too.”He’s always said from the start that he judges himself on how he plays. He’s not going to put any extra pressure on himself just because he has a big price tag next to his name.”Smith, who had reportedly played an active role in identifying players for the franchise at the auction, revealed he had asked the team owners to go all out for Stokes. The England allrounder eventually became the most expensive overseas player ever in the auction.”We were very excited to get him. I had said before the auction to the guys [owners] just do what you have to to get him,” Smith said. “Allrounders are so valuable in T20 cricket and he bats, bowls and fields well. He’s a perfect fit for our team, particularly after Mitchell Marsh was ruled out as well. He’s done a terrific job for us. We paid a big amount to get him. We know he’s a quality player. [He] certainly earned his cash tonight.”For us it’s about trying to get to know each other for six or eight weeks and try and get the best out of each other. Even learn a bit about one another. The team’s been really good. We’ve got some really good characters in the shed there.”Rising Pune have won five of their last six games, with three victories at home. Over the last 10 days, they played four games in Pune and one in Mumbai, and Smith had identified this clutch of matches as an opportune time for a surge on the points table.”I actually said to the group of guys that we had five games, four here [in Pune] and one in Mumbai,” he said. “Not a lot of travel. Home ground, we wanted to try and make it a bit of a fortress.”We’re four [wins] and two [losses] here, if I’m right. That’s reasonable going. One more game to play here against the Kings [XI Punjab on May 14], so hopefully we can make it 5 and 2. I’ve said that these five games are very important for us and I think we’ve played some really good cricket and it’s nice to get over the line and be in the position where we are now.”With the exception of the victories against Royal Challengers Bangalore, all other Rising Pune wins were clinched in the last over. Smith recognised that closing out tight games has proved to be the defining factor in their improved run in IPL 2017, after a seventh-place finish last season. The good work on the field, according to Smith, has coincided with off-field bonding.”It’s certainly been a different season for us,” Smith said. “This year we’ve been able to get over the line in those close games. Last year we were at the end of that. That’s how T20 cricket works sometimes. We’ve been really fortunate there.”It’s been good how we’ve been able to gel together as a team. I’d say for us and Gujarat [Lions] as well, would’ve been the toughest for the two franchises, given that we were new teams. A lot of other teams have had their core players for a long time so they know each other really well. They have had many years of bonding together. It’s nice to be playing some good cricket at the same time; it helps.”Rising Pune’s upswing has meant New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson, who picked up 2 for 7 against Royal Challengers and was named Man of the Match, didn’t find a place in the XI on Stokes’ return from an injury on Monday.”It was difficult [to leave out Ferguson] but we had some different thoughts,” Smith said. “We thought this is our best combination. Dan Christian has bowled particularly well in the games he’s played and he’s a power-hitter towards the end as well. He’s done a really good job for us. So tonight it was the right call.”It’s about trying to get the right balance for your team in any conditions you play. It’s not just our team that faces this. Every team has some quality players on their bench in the opposition, so it’s tough on the guys that they miss out, but you have to try and pick your best team for each game.”

نجح فريق الكرة الأول بنادي الزمالك في تسجيل الهدف الثالث في شباك نظيره الاتحاد السكندري بالمباراة المقامة بينهما حاليًا.

ويستضيف ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي مباراة فريقي الزمالك والاتحاد السكندري ضمن مؤجلات الجولة الثامنة من عمر الدوري المصري.

وأحرز أحمد سيد زيزو الهدف الثاني له في اللقاء والثالث للزمالك، بتسديدة (لوب) رائعة في الدقيقة 88.

فيديو | زيزو يسجل هدف الزمالك الأول أمام الاتحاد السكندري

ويتواجد الزمالك في المركز الـ15 بجدول ترتيب الدوري المصري ولديه في رصيده 15 نقطة.

وحصد الزمالك نقاطه من لعب 11 مباراة، إذ حقق الفوز في 4 لقاءات وتعادل بـ3 مواجهات وتلقى 4 هزائم.

ويحتل الاتحاد السكندري المركز الثالث في سلم ترتيب الدوري برصيد 27 نقطة، بعد أن خاض 15 لقاء.

وتمكن فريق الاتحاد هذا الموسم من الفوز في 7 لقاءات وتعادل 6 مواجهات وتلقى هزيمتين في الدوري المصري. هدف الزمالك الثالث أمام الاتحاد

Sunderland should 'start looking at alternatives' to Jack Clarke in case the winger departs this summer amid interest from the Premier League, according to journalist Dean Jones.

Is Jack Clarke leaving Sunderland this window?

According to TEAMtalk, Clarke has attracted interest from Premier League trio Burnley, Crystal Palace and Brentford this window despite Sunderland being reluctant to lose his services.

Burnley manager Vincent Kompany is said to be a big fan of the £16k-a-week ace and has made him one of his most sought-after targets that he would like to bring to Turf Moor.

iNews claim that Everton are also keen on bringing the former Tottenham Hotspur star to Goodison Park and Clarke's agent, former Republic of Ireland international Ian Harte, has spoken out amid rumours linking his client to various destinations over the last few months.

The 45-year-old stated: "I think every player, no matter what league you’re in, has a price and no matter what club you’re at, if a club is happy with it, they’ll take it.

Last term, Clarke was in fine form for Sunderland in spite of their failure to win promotion to the Premier League, registering 11 goals and 14 assists in 50 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored take into account that Clarke showed his ability to score and create goals during the campaign, as the 22-year-old averaged 1.4 shots, 1.7 key passes and two dribbles per match in the Sky Bet Championship.

Nevertheless, speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that Sunderland may have to cast their eyes towards identifying potential replacements for Clarke as his stock continues to rise in the English game.

Jones told FFC: "I mean, losing Jack Clarke is obviously going to hurt, but a time when he's got at least three Premier League teams chasing him, it's also a time to start facing up to the reality that he could go. His form last season was very good and while they try to keep him at the club up to now and giving everything they can to that, I think it's wise they start looking at alternatives."

What other events could occur at Sunderland in this transfer window?

Sunderland have already been active in the transfer market under Tony Mowbray and have wrapped up the signings of Jobe Bellingham, Jensen Seelt, Luis Semedo and Nectarios Triantis, as per Transfermarkt.

Despite this, more arrivals could be on their way to the Stadium of Light as the Black Cats look to once again make a fist of fighting for promotion to the English top flight.

Manchester United goalkeeper Nathan Bishop is a target for Sunderland; however, they saw a loan bid rejected for the 23-year-old earlier this month, according to The Athletic.

Fotbol STHLM report that Djurgardens youngster Gideon Granstrom has gone on trial on Wearside as he bids to win a deal at the club amid further interest from Norwich City in his services.

His father spoke to the Swedish outlet about the arrangement, stating: "He went there earlier this week and is doing his first training session today. He stays about ten days in total. They will spend one week on this tour, starting in Norwich, then finishing with three days at Sunderland. It's open. From our side, we focus on the sporting, it is instructive to come there and meet a different football culture and different way of playing."

In the next few weeks, it will become clearer whether Sunderland have any more tricks up their sleeve in the market as they prepare for the 2023/24 campaign to get underway from a competitive standpoint.

If the hosts lose on Friday, they will go 0-2 down with only two matches left

The Preview by Alagappan Muthu29-Jun-20171:52

Can change of scenery do West Indies good?

Match FactsFriday, June 30, 2017
Start time 0900 local (1300 GMT)Big PictureIndia came to the Caribbean after yielding their Champions Trophy crown but they haven’t taken long to find their happy place again. They scored 300-plus in less than 50 overs in their first completed match since the defeat to Pakistan, bringing the cricket world back to the status quo.If West Indies are to shake things up and more importantly stay alive in the series, they’ll have to find a way past India’s strongest suit: a top order that, by now, must be making runs as they sleepwalk. Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli are racking them up with such greed that their team-mates from Nos 4 might have forgotten how it feels to be out in the middle. Over the last six games, only twice has a middle-order batsman been needed to face even 40 balls. Both came in losing causes.If this trend is to be exploited though, West Indies have to do something India have, recently, been excellent at: maximising their strength. Jason Holder has under his charge a set of bowlers who are not typically threatening, but at this level, they should at least maintain a constricting line and length for as much as the 50 overs as possible. The two uncapped players they have added to the squad – Kyle Hope and Sunil Ambris – are batsmen so clearly this is the best bowling attack they have and perhaps Antigua will bring them better luck.2:37

I learn from my failures – Dhawan

Form guideWest Indies LWLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
India WLWWLIn the spotlightSkill-wise, there is very little going against Devendra Bishoo. He is a wristspinner – an essential commodity in ODIs now – but his consistency remains a problem. Good batsmen almost mark him down for approximately one short ball an over and milk him without too much trouble. If Bishoo can rectify this, he could be what West Indies need – a wicket-taker.He has always been a very good cutter of the ball, but now, when he plays the pull, and the hook, the change in Shikhar Dhawan is striking. He is no longer hurried into the shot, the swivel on the back foot is smooth, and the shot itself appears effortless – signs that he is picking the length early and trusting his technique, which he says has been calibrated to play the ball a little later and therefore a lot closer to his body. With 500 runs in his last nine innings, the adjustments are bringing rewards.Team newsConsidering West Indies dropped Kieran Powell and Jonathan Carter, who have played both ODIs of this series, and replaced them with Kyle Hope and Sunil Ambris, the two uncapped batsmen might just be looking at instant debuts.West Indies (probable): 1 Evin Lewis, 2 Kyle Hope, 3 Shai Hope (wk), 4 Jason Mohammed, 5 Roston Chase, 6 Jason Holder (capt), 7 Rovman Powell/ Sunil Ambris, 8 Ashley Nurse, 9 Alzarri Joseph, 10 Devendra Bishoo, 11 Miguel Cummins,India tend to avoid experimenting in ODIs, but considering the potential of Rishabh Pant, who has hit a first-class triple-hundred at nearly run-a-ball, they may make an exception.India (probable): 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Ajinkya Rahane, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 MS Dhoni (wk), 6 Kedar Jadhav, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Kuldeep Yadav, 9 R Ashwin, 10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 11 Umesh YadavPitch and conditionsIn 15 matches at the Sir Vivian Richards stadium in North Sound, the average run-rate batting first has been 5.05. That roughly translates to an average total of 252. And barring the odd brief shower, the weather is expected to hold up well.Stats and trivia The last time West Indies won an ODI series against a top-eight team was in 2012, when they beat New Zealand 4-1. Since then, they’ve been beaten 16 times. India’s top-three have averaged 61.5 over the last two years. That’s 15 points higher than their nearest rivals South Africa