Centuries from Mahidul Islam Ankon and Ashok Menaria, meanwhile, steered Khelaghar Samaj to a seven-wicket win against Agrani Bank

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Feb-2018

Associated Press

In the first thriller of this season’s Dhaka Premier League, the eighth-wicket pair Mohammad Enamul and Taijul Islam guided Mohammedan Sporting Club to a three-wicket win over Prime Bank Cricket Club. Chasing 260, Mohammedan slipped to 205 for 7 when they lost their top-scorer Raqibul Hasan, who made 64. From there, Enamul and Taijul added an unbroken 55 in 54 balls to steer their side home. Taijul, who came in at No. 9, made 35 off 36 balls, while Enamul made 32 off 33.The match at the BKSP-3 ground began in spectacular fashion when Prime Bank, who were sent in to bat, were reduced to 36 for 6 in the 14th over. Taijul and Bipul Sharma shared five of those wickets but Al-Amin and Ariful Haque staged a fine recovery, adding 161 for the seventh wicket. Al-Amin made 110 off 126 balls with nine fours and two sixes while Ariful struck four sixes and as many fours in his 100-ball 87. With Delwar Hossain clattering a 14-ball 25 at the end, Prime Bank eventually posted 259 for 9 in their 50 overs.Mahidul Islam Ankon and Ashok Menaria struck centuries to power Khelaghar Samaj Kallyan Samity to a seven-wicket win over Agrani Bank Cricket Club in Fatullah.Ankon and Menaria got together with their side in trouble at 40 for 3 in the tenth over with their side chasing 261. They went on to add an unbroken 221 for the fourth wicket, as Khelaghar sped to their target in 47.4 overs. Ankon’s unbeaten 115, his maiden List-A century, included four fours and six sixes, while Menaria struck nine fours and three sixes in his 112-ball 113.Agrani Bank, who had opted to bat first, had posted 259 for 8 with eight of their batsmen getting to 20 but only one – the No. 7 Jahid Javed (54 off 56 balls) – getting to a half-century.Shinepukur Cricket Club rode on half-centuries from Towhid Hridoy and Afif Hossain to beat Kalabagan Krira Chakra by six wickets at the Shere Bangla National Stadium. They added 84 for the fourth wicket in a chase of 233. Afif top-scored with an unbeaten 67 off 70 balls, with seven fours and two sixes, while Hridoy struck five fours and a six in his 71-ball 63.Batting first, Kalabagan reached 232 for 9 thanks to Akbar-ur-Rehman’s 71, which included four fours and two sixes. He added 64 for the fifth wicket with Mahmudul Hasan, who made 52. Later in the innings, Abul Hasan blasted six fours and a six in an unbeaten 27-ball 47. Shuvagata Hom took three wickets.

Wolverhampton Wanderers had a trialling summer of business, with the majority of their transfer window overwhelmed by the club’s financial restrictions.

The departure of Julen Lopetegui as a result of such constraints left the Old Gold managerless just five days prior to their opening Premier League fixture, with Gary O’Neil arriving swiftly to restore the security.

Despite the woes regarding Financial Fair Play (FFP), Wolves still welcomed eight new arrivals, as well as bidding farewell to some familiar faces as 11 players left the club on a permanent basis.

Amid all the change surrounding the first team, the Midlands side’s academy remained strong, with a host of talent having the potential to find a way into the senior team as a result of some exits.

Who is Owen Farmer?

Named in The Guardian’s list of the ‘best talents at Premier League clubs’ back in 2021, 19-year-old Owen Farmer continues to impress within Wolves’ academy.

Deployed as a striker, the Solihull-born ace became a part of the Old Gold’s academy when he was 14, and has risen through the ranks since competing in both the Premier League 2 and U18 Premier League competitions.

The youngster’s biggest attribute is his quality in finishing, with academy coach and former senior interim coach Steve Davis praising the teen for scoring “poacher’s goals” when called upon.

Along with fellow academy sharp shooter Nathan Fraser, who is beginning to find a way in with the first team, O’Neil has two young forwards to consider for the future who have both displayed their ability at youth level.

What could Owen Farmer offer to O’Neil?

After losing the predatory presence of Raul Jimenez – who previously scored 30 league goals in his first two seasons in England – over the summer, O’Neil is short in the striker area, as highlighted by his deadline day attempts to sign Southampton’s Che Adams.

Lauded as being “sharp, bright, intelligent and can use both feet” by U21 coach James Collins, Farmer could be one to watch for the season ahead, as the new manager finds his feet and revises his best options going forward.

Collins tipped the youngster to have a “bright future”, with Wolves being a promising club to be at present, considering the side’s number one striker being just 21 himself.

Fabio Silva took on the number nine shirt this summer, suggesting how much faith is being placed in the rising talent’s ability to lead the line at Molineux.

This being said, the Portuguese gem is, as expected, taking time to adapt to the Premier League, after endeavoring on two separate loan spells last campaign to further his experience.

In four league appearances this season, the Portuguese forward is yet to score and has missed two big chances, amplifying that despite his placing in the pecking order, there is room for improvement going forward.

This is where Farmer could find a way into the side under O’Neil, with the teen already showing his strengths in front of goal by scoring once and assisting twice in four games played in the Premier League 2 so far.

The 19-year-old will be motivated by his academy partner’s debut in the first team, as Fraser scored and assisted in his first senior appearance in 2023/24 in the Carabao Cup last month.

Despite missing out on summer targets and losing Jimenez, O’Neil has some options to consider to compete with Silva, with Farmer having the potential to follow in Fraser’s footsteps and make a statement in the near future.

Arsenal clearly need a spark to get their stuttered start to the Premier League season back on track, with one transfer rumour they could seek to turn into a reality…

Who are Arsenal signing this summer?

The Gunners had seemingly enjoyed a fine summer window before their campaign got underway, but three unconvincing displays have drawn some of those decisions into question.

Large parts of it were dominated by their continued pursuit of Moises Caicedo too, despite their interest fizzling out as Chelsea instead moved to bring him in.

Having failed to land the Ecuador international in January, seeing two bids rejected, Brighton and Hove Albion eventually attained a British transfer record fee to sanction his exit.

Whilst Mikel Arteta will remain happy given he instead has Declan Rice, it still feels like they are lacking some firepower from midfield to take them to the next level.

Fortunately, they have already registered their interest in Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz this summer, who would not only mark an upgrade on the Blues’ new 21-year-old general, but also add the necessary goals to truly kickstart their term.

The club were linked with a move originally last month, while Football Transfers value the Brazilian star at just €36.8m (£32m).

What is Douglas Luiz good at?

Although it may have been a hammer blow to lose out on Caicedo, for the eventual fee paid it would have been simply unsustainable to acquire both him and Rice in the same window.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

However, with Luiz seemingly the cut-price option, there are plenty of similarities that suggest the 25-year-old could actually mark an upgrade on the lucrative star.

Especially given the attacking impetus that the former Manchester City ace would offer ahead of Chelsea's new man, with last season marking a standout one in front of goal.

Featuring in all but one of their league matches, he would score six and assist a further six.

Other starring assets support this figure further, as he added creativity and steely work rate to make him one of the most well-rounded midfielders in the division.

This was showcased in his 1.2 key passes, the best of any Villa player, and two tackles per game, the third-best in the squad, via Sofascore.

The latter statistic helps support the notion outlined by journalist Ashley Preece, who once branded him an "enforcer".

Whilst Caicedo may have enjoyed his finest year to date last campaign, there is still a gulf between him and Luiz that suggests the latter would mark a far greater option for Arteta's title-chasing outfit.

This is best outlined by just two goal contributions which are barely comparable to his alternative.

Whilst the new Chelsea star would still maintain 1.2 key passes per game, with his 2.7 tackles via Sofascore, a marked improvement, that slight increase in defensive work rate is hardly enough to justify such a lofty price swing.

It is also worth noting the difference in experience too, as Caicedo's move to Stamford Bridge makes more sense given the project being built by the new boss Mauricio Pochettino.

Meanwhile, Arsenal are seeking to gain success now, and with Luiz boasting 143 appearances in the Premier League, 96 more than the former Independiente del Valle gem, that time at the top of the game could prove vital.

With aspirations of toppling the Citizens this season, and with deadline day now looming, such a switch would mark a stellar late deal for Arteta to complete, marking a better move than their old target.

Celtic supporters were once again forced to watch on as one of the club's best players moved on from Parkhead during the summer transfer window as Jota completed a move to Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad.

Who are Celtic's biggest sales?

The unfortunate reality for the Hoops is that they are not competing in a major European league, like the Premier League, and that means that their top talent is open to be snapped up each year.

Jota

£24.9m

Kieran Tierney

£23.1m

Moussa Dembele

£18.8m

Edouard Edouard

£13.9m

Virgil van Dijk

£13.4m

Alongside head coach Ange Postecoglou moving to England to join Tottenham Hotspur, the Bhoys were dealt a huge blow as Jota left after two years, one of which was spent on loan from Benfica, at Parkhead.

The Portuguese ace produced an outstanding 11 goals and 11 assists for Celtic in the Scottish Premiership last season and averaged a club-leading Sofascore rating of 7.45.

Central midfielder Matt O'Riley could be the next star to depart the club for a significant fee after the Hoops reportedly rejected bids from Serie A side Bologna and English Championship outfit Leeds United.

His excellent performances in midfield have attracted attention from other clubs in Europe and that could continue if he enjoys another impressive campaign this term.

Who could replace Matt O'Riley at Celtic?

Celtic already had a player with the potential to replace the Norway U21 international on their books until they released him in the summer of 2022 – Luca Connell.

The talented youngster had joined the Hoops from Bolton Wanderers in 2019 after he had made 12 appearances for the English club as a teenager.

However, the central midfielder failed to break into the first team at Parkhead and was sent out on two loan spells to Queen's Park FC.

Connell produced three goals and five assists in 11 League Two outings during his first stint there during the 2020/21 campaign and that convinced them to bring him back for the following season.

The Irish ace went on to chip in with seven goals and six assists in 31 appearances in all competitions for Queen's Park, which included seven goals and five assists in 30 League One matches.

However, his form was not good enough to convince Postecoglou that he was worth keeping around and the club released him at the end of that second season, which was in the summer of 2022.

At the time of his move to Barnsley on a free transfer ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, Transfermarkt valued him at just €100k (£86k).

How many goals has Connell scored for Barnsley?

The Ireland U21 international has scored two goals in 49 appearances in all competitions for the English club to date and enjoyed a terrific season last term.

Connell produced two goals and nine assists in 40 League One starts for Barnsley as they went on to lose to Sheffield Wednesday in the play-off final at Wembley.

The left-footed, like O'Riley, magician showcased his ability to provide a creative presence in the middle of the park as he led his team, alongside Adam Phillips, for assists last season.

He also displayed his ability to track back and defend for the side with 2.3 tackles and interceptions per match to go alongside a duel success rate of 52%.

Only two Barnsley players managed more tackles per game than Connell (1.5), which shows that the Irish gem was willing to put his foot in to disrupt the opposition whilst also being able to provide consistent quality on the ball.

His form was also recognised by his peers as the central midfielder was named in the PFA League One Team of the Year, which shows that his fellow players deemed him to be one of the best within the division.

How much is Luca Connell worth now?

At the time of writing, Transfermarkt value Connell at €800k (£691k), meaning that his market value has soared by a staggering 700% within the space of one year after his departure from Parkhead.

The former Bolton prospect, who was hailed as "outstanding" by journalist Josh Bunting last season, is thriving with Barnsley and has proven himself to be an exceptional performer at League One level, which coincidentally is something that O'Riley did prior to his move to Scotland.

Celtic snapped the Norwegian talent up from MK Dons after he had produced seven goals and seven 'big chances' created in 26 League One matches during the first half of the 2021/22 campaign to earn himself a transfer to Paradise.

O'Riley was then able to carry his form over to Scottish football and enjoyed a sublime 2022/23 campaign with the Bhoys under Postecoglou.

He averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.30, which was the second-highest in the squad behind Jota, and contributed with three goals and 12 assists from the middle of the park in the Premiership, which shows that he is not a prolific scorer but can set up his teammates week-in-week-out.

The former Fulham prospect proved himself to be a creative presence in midfield for Celtic as he produced more league assists than any of his teammates

His superb form has led to interest from teams in Europe and that could become a problem for the Hoops and Rodgers over the next few transfer windows if more bids come flying in for his signature.

Unfortunately for Celtic, they already had a player with the potential to be the dream heir to O'Riley in Connell, whose aforementioned form suggests that he has the ability to offer similar qualities as a creative left-footed midfielder.

He is a creative maestro who can unlock the opposition's defence on a consistent basis and has proven himself to be an outstanding player at League One level, the same standard of football that the current Hoops star proved himself at before his stardom at Parkhead.

At the age of 22, Connell also still has plenty of time left to develop and progress as a player over the years to come, so releasing him on a free transfer is a decision that the club may go on to regret for some time to come.

Liverpool could look to delve into the transfer market for more attackers soon, and they are battling Real Madrid for one superstar, according to a new report.

Will Liverpool sign more attackers?

The Reds spent their summer rebuilding their midfield, bringing in the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch, as well as disposing of dead wood in the middle of the park. While some supporters were also keen to see a new centre-back added to the squad, in order to enhance the depth at Jurgen Klopp's disposal, it was clear that there was enough quality and options in attacking areas.

In Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo, Liverpool arguably have their most impressive group of attackers in recently memory, giving Klopp a plethora of top-quality options and allowing him to rotate effectively during a busy season.

There are doubts over Salah's long-term future at Anfield, however, following strong interest from Saudi Arabia during the summer transfer window, and there is the chance that he decides to move on to pastures new at the end of this season.

Should that happen, Liverpool will clearly need to sign a high-calibre replacement almost immediately, and it is important that they continue to look at long-term options, regardless of the Egyptian's future.

Will Liverpool sign Rafael Leao?

According to a report from Spain [via Sempre Milan], the Reds are locking horns with Real Madrid for the signing of AC Milan rising superstar Rafael Leao, who has arguably become their most important player currently, especially after Sandro Tonali left to join Newcastle United in the summer.

The report states that Liverpool and Madrid are "leading the competition" for the Portuguese's services, and a new challenge away from his current club "does not seem to be something Leao would reject". Milan are clearly extremely hesitant to sell possibly their most prized asset, however, and have slapped a €150m (£130.4m) price tag on his shoulders, outlining just how highly he is thought of.

Leao look like a special player currently, arguably looking like one of Europe's most devastating wide players, combining pace, directness and most importantly of all reliable end product. He has scored 45 goals and registered 38 assists in 168 appearances for the Serie A giants, not to mention netting three times for Portugal at international level.

The 24-year-old is admittedly predominantly a left-sided player, and a right-sided option would be needed if Salah did leave, but there is no reason why he couldn't thrive there, or why Diaz or Jota couldn't potentially switch flanks.

Leao has been described as a "top player" by Graham Potter in the past, as well as his quality being hailed as "beautiful" by Ian Wright, and he has the ability to be a long-term superstar at Anfield, with his best years still lying ahead of him and his peak not likely to disappear for another six or seven years.

The amount of money being mooted is clearly a huge amount – he is contracted until the summer of 2028, which puts Milan in a strong bargaining position – but if Liverpool did receive a massive fee for Salah next summer, the funds would be available to pay it.

An early return from injury has brought Jhulan Goswami back into the 15-member India T20I squad that will take on Australia and England in the forthcoming tri-series in Mumbai.Goswami, who was sidelined from the ongoing ODI series against Australia with a heel injury sustained during the ODI leg of the South Africa tour last month, will lead a four-member pace contingent that will also include allrounder Rumeli Dhar, Shikha Pandey and Pooja Vastrakar. Dhar made her comeback to international cricket after a six-year hiatus, during the T20I leg of the South Africa tour, where she had replaced Goswami.Ekta Bisht, who had been left out of the T20I squad against South Africa in favour of the teenaged Radha Yadav, has also been recalled. Fellow left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad, who played the first ODI against Australia on Monday, has missed out. Mona Meshram, who was not included for the T20I series in South Africa, but is in the ODI squad against Australia, has retained her place for the tri-series, whereas Sushma Verma, the wicketkeeper in the 50-over format, makes way for Taniya Bhatia, who featured in the T20I series against South Africa.The tri-series will be played from March 22 to 31 at the Brabourne Stadium. In the lead-up to the series, an India A side led by S Meghna will play two warm-up matches against England, who are scheduled to arrive in India on March 15. Both the practice matches will be played in Mumbai, on March 18 and 19.India Women’s T20I squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana (vice-capt), Mithali Raj, Veda Krishnamurthy, Jemimah Rodrigues, Anuja Patil, Deepti Sharma, Taniya Bhatia (wicketkeeper), Poonam Yadav, Ekta Bisht, Jhulan Goswami, Shikha Pandey, Pooja Vastrakar, Rumeli Dhar, Mona MeshramIndia A squad: S Meghna (capt), Vanitha VR, D Hemlatha, Monikha Das, Tarannum Pathan, Priyanka Priyadarshini, Arundhati Reddy, R Kalpana (wicketkeeper), Radha Yadav, Kavita Patil, Shanti Kumari, Preeti Bose, Sheral Rozario, Harleen Deol

MatériaMais Notícias

O meia Jadson está de volta ao Athletico. Após muita especulação, o Furacão confirmou a transferência na tarde desta sexta-feira através do seu site oficial. Aos 37 anos, o contrato vai até maio de 2021.

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Esta será a segunda passagem do meio-campo pelo clube. Revelado no Furacão, Jadson ganhou destaque nacional em 2004, quando foi um dos pilares do time vice-campeão do Brasileirão.

‘Eu me sinto muito feliz e lisonjeado. Sempre tive um carinho e um respeito muito grande pelo Athletico’, destacou ao site oficial. ‘Foi o clube que me abriu as portas para o futebol e para o mundo. Hoje, estou de volta aqui para tentar conseguir coisas importantes junto com o grupo e dar alegrais à torcida athleticana’, completou.

Trabalhos

Sem clube desde a sua saída do Corinthians, Jadson voltou ao CT do Caju e iniciou um trabalho nos últimos 15 dias de recondicionamento físico. Devido a afinidade com o clube paranaense, o acordo entre as partes foi uma consequência.

‘Mudou muita coisa aqui da minha época. O Mario Celso Petraglia, junto com todo o estafe, conseguiu fazer algo de primeiro mundo no Caju. E é muito legal ver todo esse crescimento do Athletico’, afirmou.

Ficha técnica: Jadson
Posição: Meio-campo
Nome completo: Jadson Rodrigues da Silva
Data de nascimento: 05/10/1983
Local de nascimento: Londrina
Equipes que defendeu: Athletico Paranaense, Shakhtar Donetsk-Ucrânia, São Paulo, Corinthians, Tianjin Quanjian-China e Seleção Brasileira.
Títulos: Campeonato Paranaense (2002 e 2005), Copa Sesquicentenário (2003), Campeonato Ucraniano (2004-2005 / 2005-2006 / 2007-2008), Copa da Ucrânia (2007-2008 e 2010-2011), Supercopa da Ucrânia (2005, 2008 e 2010), Liga Europa (2008-2009), CONMEBOL Sul-Americana (2012), Eusébio Cup (2013), Campeonato Brasileiro (2015 e 2017), Campeonato Paulista [2017, 2018 e 2019), China League One (2016), Superclássico das Américas (2012) e Copa das Confederações (2013).

Two minutes from time it looked as though Manchester United had sealed a smash-and-grab victory against Arsenal.

Alejandro Garnacho raced clear of the Gunners backline before expertly guiding the ball past Aaron Ramsdale.

United fans were delirious but moments later it was ruled out for offside. That happened to be the turning point that inspired the north Londoners to victory. Two late, late goals in injury time helped seal a 3-1 win.

Declan Rice took the ball down at the back post from Bukayo Saka's corner, before smashing it home via a deflection.

The £105m signing wheeled away in celebration before Gabriel Jesus ramped the party up with another goal in the dying embers of the game on the counter attack.

For Erik ten Hag's side, it was a gut-wrenching result, one that echoed their clash at the Emirates last term when Eddie Nketiah was there at the death with a last-gasp winner.

Although that offside goal will have felt like a real turning point, Lisandro Martinez's substitution was also one. He went off on 67 minutes to be replaced by Harry Maguire and then with six minutes of normal time left, onto the field came Jonny Evans, only for his second debut in United colours to play out disastrously.

Why have Man United signed Jonny Evans?

The Northern Irishman played for the Red Devils between 2004 and 2015, but returned this summer.

He trained with the club during pre-season in a bid to build his fitness up ahead of a move elsewhere.

Evans was recently relegated with Leicester City and left after his contract at the King Power expired.

Clearly impressed with his attitude and application in training, the 6 foot 2 centre-back received a new one-year deal with the club on transfer deadline day. Despite injuries at the back, they may well already be ruing that decision, though.

How did Jonny Evans play against Arsenal?

The statistics may not paint Evans in too bad a light after his cameo against the Gunners, however, his performance left plenty to be desired.

The 35-year-old looked completely out of his depth and as Manchester Evening News reporter Samuel Luckhurst put it, he "was all over the place" late on.

Jonny Evans vs Arsenal in numbers
19 minutes played
9 touches
75% pass success rate
0 interceptions
1 tackle

Stats via Sofascore.

Evans set the tone just moments after coming on. Jesus picked up the ball in the right channel and spun past the veteran defender as though he wasn't even there.

It turned into a nightmare cameo for the centre-back who was left sprawling on the floor for Rice's winner.

Saka's ball went deep towards the back post but Evans was all too lightweight as he was tossed aside by Gabriel. Such an event led to the Arsenal summer signing finding space to fire in the shot that coincidentally came off the defender and then beat Andre Onana at his near post.

It was unsurprising given his limited time on the pitch that the former West Brom man had fewer touches (nine) than the goalkeeper (56), but he was dribbled past once and failed to make a single interception.

It was damning of United that they even had to rely on Evans towards the end. We are just a matter of weeks into the season but injuries are wreaking havoc with the side. Should they have to start the Northern Ireland international at any stage this season, it will be a worry for many a supporter at Old Trafford on this evidence.

It feels harsh to single a player out after just 19 minutes of football but it was a display that was indicative of the inconsistencies plaguing the club. It's back to the drawing board for Ten Hag and co after the international break.

قدم قائد منتخب إسكتلندا، أندرو روبيرتسون، آخر التحديثات الخاصة بشأن منتخب بلاده قبل مواجهة منتخب ألمانيا في منافسات يورو 2024.

ويلاقي منتخب ألمانيا نظيره الاسكتلندي في المباراة الافتتاحية لمنافسات يورو 2024، غداً الجمعة، في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، على ملعب “أليانز أرينا”.

ويتواجد منتخب إسكتلندا في المجموعة الأولى ضمن منافسات يورو 2024 بجانب كل من، ألمانيا والمجر، بالإضافة إلى سويسرا.

اقرأ ايضاً.. مدرب البرتغال يثير الغموض حول مشاركة رونالدو أساسيًا في يورو 2024

وقال أندرو روبرتسون في المؤتمر الصحفي قبل المباراة: “أتطلع إلى ما هو قادم، لقد تعرضت لإصابة في الكاحل منذ شهر مارس وكنت أعالجها قليلاً منذ ذلك الحين فصاعدًا”.

وأضاف: “كل شيء على ما يرام الآن، ذهنيًا وبدنيًا نحن جميعًا جاهزون وعندما نبدأ المباراة سنكون جاهزين بنسبة 100٪.”

وواصل قائد إسكتلندا: “لقد انتظرنا وقتًا طويلاً لهذه المباراة، ويبدو الأمر كما لو كانت سنوات وسنوات قادمة، نحن نعلم مدى التحدي لكننا جاهزون”.

وأتم: “أنا لا أفكر حقًا في مشاعري كثيرًا، أشعر بنفس الشعور مثل بقية اللاعبين الصغار، أشعر بفخر كبير ومتحمس للغاية أيضًا، إنه لأمر مدهش أن أكون قائدًا، فهم يجعلون حياتي سهلة للغاية.

وأكمل روبرتسون: “نعلم أن هناك الكثير من المشجعين لنا هنا ونأمل أن نجعلهم فخورين، نعلم أنه ليس بإمكانهم جميعًا الدخول إلى الملعب، ونتمنى أن يتمكنوا من ذلك، فهذا سيساعدنا”.

وأوضح روبرتسون: “ليس سرا أن ألمانيا ستسيطر على الكرة بشكل مؤكد، لديهم أفضل لاعب خط وسط في العالم وهو توني كروس، ولكن عندما نمتلك الكرة علينا الاستفادة منها”.

وأكد: “علينا أن نتحلى بالهدوء، ويجب أن يكون من الصعب التغلب علينا، وأن نحاول إحباطهم قدر الإمكان. إذا تمكنا من القيام بذلك، نأمل أن يكون ذلك كافيًا للحصول على نتيجة إيجابية”.

وأضاف: “كانت بطولة أوروبا الأولى هائلة بالنسبة لنا، والآن نريد المنافسة، في المرة الأخيرة التي شعرنا فيها بأننا قدمنا أداءً جيدًا في مباراة إنجلترا، لكننا خذلنا أنفسنا في المباريات الأخرى، ولا نريد أن نشعر بأي ندم هذه المرة”.

وأردف: “نحن متحمسون للتحدي، ومتحمسون لما ينتظرنا، وإذا قدمنا الأداء بالطريقة التي أعرف أننا نستطيع الأداء بها، فأنا واثق من قدرتنا على صنع التاريخ”.

وبشأن رسالة مدرب ليفربول السابق يورجن كلوب له الأسبوع الماضي، أفاد روبرتسون : “لقد أرسل لي رسالة نصية الأسبوع الماضي عندما حطمت الرقم القياسي كأكثر قائد خوضاً للمباريات في إسكتلندا، ولكن كل ما قاله هو التهاني”.

وواصل حديثه عن كلوب قائلاً: “سيكون من المثير للاهتمام معرفة من سيشجع غدًا هناك إجابة واحدة فقط لذلك، لكنني لا أحتاج إلى أي نصيحة منه، آمل أن يتمكن من الاستمتاع بالمباراة ولكن ليس كثيرًا”.

ECB’s standards of corporate governance ‘fall well short of what’s acceptable’, says former Somerset chairman

George Dobell07-Mar-2018

External view of the ECB offices at Lord’s•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

A county chief executive has called for an independent inquiry into the ECB’s decision to make payments to Test-hosting grounds, in the wake of the resignation from the ECB Board of Andy Nash, the former Somerset chairman, who cited standards of corporate governance which “fall well short of what’s acceptable”.Nash, once tipped as a potential successor to Colin Graves as ECB chairman, was responding to revelations – published by The Times in recent days – that several Test-hosting counties will receive large payments (understood to be GBP500,000 a year) in years they do not host Tests. These payments, Nash alleges, were agreed without the ECB board’s approval or even knowledge.As a former Somerset chairman, Nash was alarmed that the payments would marginalise the 10 non-Test hosting clubs and “clearly signals to many a move to promote eight counties as the first among equals”.It is not hard to understand Nash’s concerns. In recent days Hampshire – a club who will benefit significantly from the arrangement – have announced the signing of Sam Northeast in the face of substantial opposition from other counties. Kent, Northeast’s club since his schooldays, will not benefit from the payments. Is it fair, Nash asks, for such counties to be disadvantaged in these situations? Equally, is it fair that a club such as Glamorgan – that has seen loans of public money written off and has a modest record of producing England players – is rewarded with extra funds?It is also understood that Nash’s attempts to raise his concerns in recent days have been most unwelcome to members of the ECB executive – especially Graves – and he therefore came to the conclusion that he could serve no further purpose on the board.”I hereby resign with immediate effect from the ECB Board,” Nash wrote in a letter to Graves.”I’ve recently become concerned that the standards of Corporate Governance at ECB are falling well short of what’s acceptable and in all conscience I can’t allow myself to continue to be associated with it.”I would be failing in my duty as a director if I didn’t bring these to the Board’s attention and this I’ve tried to do. The current fiasco over the actual / alleged / planned payments to TMGs is an exemplar. Whether intentional or not it clearly signals to many a move to promote 8 Counties as the first among equals. As an ardent supporter of the 18 FCCs this is not a direction of travel I can live with.”It’s also come to my attention in the last 24 hours that my actions as a listening and conscientious NXD are sadly misunderstood and misinterpreted by yourself. I sincerely regret that because all I want is the best for the game and for good governance of the ECB.”I wish English cricket every future success: it’s been an enormous privilege to serve this great game as a County Chairman and ECB Board Director since 2004.”At this stage, the resignation is only an embarrassment to an ECB executive that have talked a good game about corporate governance – Tom Harrison, the chief executive, even used it as mitigation for Ashes defeat. But it has the potential to become much more serious.In the event of an independent inquiry, one obvious area of interest would be the on-going situation whereby Yorkshire, who fared well both in major match allocations and in terms of being awarded the right to host one of the new T20 teams, owe family trusts set up by Graves over GBP20 million. Those Grave trusts also retain a right of veto over who joins or leaves the Yorkshire board.Graves, it might be remembered, left the room when the ECB Board approved the recent major match allocations, as he accepted there was the possibility of a perception of conflict of interest. But did he leave the room when Durham were stripped of their Test status, or when the chairman’s meeting rejected the ECB’s own working-party recommendation into a future T20 competition featuring promotion and relegation rather than the new-team version?There may also be scrutiny of a letter, signed by Graves and sent to Somerset, at a time when the club was faltering in their support of the new-team competition. In the letter, Graves seems to imply that Somerset would be well placed as a future host of one of the new teams, though they subsequently missed out on that opportunity. ESPNcricinfo understands that Somerset did briefly consider a legal challenge to that decision but have been assured they will be better served, in the long term, if they accept their fate.And that may be considered the nub of the problem. For too long, deals have been conducted out of sight and scrutiny. For too long, counties have been forced into acquiescence by offers of patronage or fears of retribution. The ECB, who insisted on non-disclosure agreements during the debate over the future direction of domestic T20, has now reacted to recent negative publicity by threatening to report anyone suspected of ‘leaking’ information to the media to their new regulatory committee designed to uphold standards of integrity. Does that sound like an organisation that welcomes scrutiny and openness?Nash had served as a board member and county chairman for more than a decade but this act, bringing to light the high-handed management of the game, may prove to be his most influential moment.