All posts by h716a5.icu

Overseas signing Cameron Bancroft registered a maiden Specsavers County Championship hundred against Kent in his final appearance for Gloucestershire before returning to Australia

ECB Reporters Network12-Sep-2017Overseas signing Cameron Bancroft registered a maiden Specsavers County Championship hundred against Kent in his final appearance for Gloucestershire before returning to Australia.Put in to bat on a green-topped pitch on the opening day of this Second Division contest, Gloucestershire had the better of things to reach 242 for 5 before bad light intervened with 10 overs unused.Joe Denly weighed in with two wickets for Kent, but Western Australia batsman Bancroft took centre stage, registering an authoritative 124 not out from 260 balls and staging an opening stand of 141 with Chris Dent.First employed by Gloucestershire as a short-term locum for the absent Michael Klinger in 2016, Bancroft was invited back for the whole of this season. But he has struggled to find consistency in English conditions and went into this game having scratched 424 runs at an average of 26.50.He was fortunate not to be given out in single figures on this occasion, the Australian surviving a strident appeal for lbw from veteran campaigner Darren Stevens in the fourth over of the day.He certainly made good his escape, chiselling 50 from 125 balls in a patient innings characterised by sound temperament and good technique.He and Dent raised three figures inside 39 overs and went on to register Gloucestershire’s highest opening stand of the summer against a Kent attack that lacked a cutting edge.A third hundred of the season appeared to be there for the taking for Dent, who passed up the opportunity when attempting to sweep Denly and departing lbw for 59. Given that the left-hander had already plundered ten runs in the over, it was a needless shot.But there was no stopping Bancroft, whose second 50 occupied 72 balls as batting became easier. He was especially severe on Denly, hitting him for six and four off consecutive balls in the 54th over to move into the nervous nineties.When he clipped the same bowler off his legs to attain three figures from 197 balls soon afterwards, a sparse County Ground audience stood to show their appreciation of a fine innings.Gareth Roderick clipped Mitchell Claydon to short midwicket for 10 and Academy product James Bracey was dismissed lbw by Denly for 12 in the act of sweeping as Gloucestershire, reduced to 193 for 3, threatened to squander a position of strength.Kent made good use of the second new ball, Adam Milne and Stevens removing George Hankins and Phil Mustard respectively, only for Bancroft and Jack Taylor to summon stiff resistance thereafter.

Liverpool have not concluded their summer transfer business this summer, and while the emphasis has been on rebuilding the midfield, manager Jurgen Klopp has earmarked centre-back Goncalo Inacio for transfer.

Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have both joined the Anfield side for deals totalling roughly £96m, while negotiations are ongoing for Southampton's Romeo Lavia, who is valued at £50m.

However, there is a feeling that the backline could be bolstered too and Fabrizio Romano recently confirmed such claims, stating that moves could be made if the Reds "find the right player".

What's the latest on Goncalo Inacio to Liverpool?

According to Spanish sources, Liverpool remain admirers of Sporting Lisbon's Inacio but will have to act fast if they are to stop Premier League rivals Chelsea from completing a swoop.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

It is believed that the Blues are willing to offer €50m (£43m) for the dynamic defender and that Reds director of football Schamdtke – alongside Newcastle United and Bayern Munich – are showing an interest in the 21-year-old.

Who is Goncalo Inacio?

BBC Sport's Raj Chohan is an admirer of the burgeoning defender and detailed the attributes that have captured Klopp's attention, saying: "Gonçalo Inácio is the perfect counter-weight to Konaté. Inacio-VVD-Konaté: Build-up conductor, Leader/aerial dominator/switches of play, Immense recovery speed & coverage of space".

Across 122 appearances for the Leões, Inacio has scored 11 goals and provided eight assists, coming into his own last term and playing 52 times across all competitions.

The two-cap international has been called the "complete" centre-back and one of his outfit's "finest" talents by football scout Jacek Kulig after showcasing his quality and why he would be a first-rate signing for clubs such as Liverpool and Chelsea.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 6% of centre-backs across Men's Next Eight divisions for pass completion, the top 2% for assists and shot-creating actions, the top 1% for progressive passes, the top 3% for progressive carries and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90.

If Liverpool succeeds in completing a transfer for Inacio, Klopp's defence would be bolstered for years to come with a signing tailor-made for his particular system, and it could be the perfect way to stifle the progress of divisional rivals Arsenal with a move to match their acquisition of Jurrien Timber from Ajax.

The Gunners were immense last season and narrowly missed out on the Premier League title to Manchester City in the campaign's final push, and having signed Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Timber, will be expected to push for silver-laden success once again.

Timber is listed as a comparable player to Inacio, ranking among the top 4% of centre-backs across Men's Next Eight divisions for shot-creating actions, the top 2% for pass completion, the top 1% for progressive passes and progressive carries, and the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90.

Once hailed as a "special, special talent" by scout Antonio Mango, Timber will ensure that Arsenal's passing play remains slick and cohesive, effectively contributing to the attacking transitions and ensuring the side retains the ball with a skill rivalled by scant few.

Well, Inacio could ensure that Liverpool does not fall behind in this regard, providing Schmadtke with his own maestro at the back to make the necessary steps this year and close the gap on those at the top of the Premier League table.

The new Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati will host its first international match, with India up 1-0 in the three-match T20I series

The Preview by Alagappan Muthu09-Oct-20171:38

Agarkar: Can’t see how Nehra can get a chance

Big pictureIt is as it never was. But in recent times, and especially in the subcontinent, as it always was. Australia are in danger of losing a series well before its end and their players, by their own admission, seem no closer to solving the issues plaguing them. The remarkable thing is that in each of their matches, including the T20I in Ranchi where they were 49 for 1 after the Powerplay, their initial position was one of considerable strength.Virat Kohli, after scalping the rain-hit first T20I, expressed surprise at having to work hard to chase 48 runs in six overs when his bowlers had kept the opposition to 118 in 18.4. If Australia’s middle order had batted more carefully, the DLS equation might have asked more of India, who like to build in the early part of their batting innings.Such thoughts can be frustrating just as easily as they can be comforting. “We’re just one step away, lads” David Warner might say to his troops at their team meeting in Guwahati. “Tell us what we need to do, skip,” they might reply. “If I knew that, we wouldn’t be losing, would we?” That line has been used more than once in the time the Australians have been in India. Mostly in jest, but perhaps also to prevent airing their weaknesses to the global community, which often tends to include opposition batsmen, bowlers, captains and coaches.India, on the other hand, have dominated all departments. Their newer players have accepted important roles and thrived. While that is cause for celebration, a lot of their success recently has come at home and Kohli himself said, after the Bangalore ODI, that they can’t consider themselves world beaters until they do just as well abroad.Form guideIndia: WWLWW
Australia: LWLLWMarcus Stoinis celebrates after getting Rohit Sharma’s wicket•Associated PressIn the spotlightIf there is one Australian cricketer who has enhanced his reputation during the course of this tour, it is Marcus Stoinis. He looked out of place against spin in the first ODI, but since then has handled the threat quite competently. That he bowled an average of seven overs per game in the ODI series was a sign of his improvement as an allrounder. He was unable to play the Ranchi game, despite being named as a replacement for the injured Steven Smith, because he was back home at the time. But he has joined the squad now and is all but certain to play in Guwahati.He wasn’t at the crease for a long time in Ranchi, but after a little layoff Shikhar Dhawan would have enjoyed it nonetheless. Of course, he would have preferred the opportunity to face more than 12 balls and that may well come his way on Tuesday, with the series on the line.Team newsIndia don’t really have much cause to fiddle with their team, unless there are last-minute injuries or thoughts of experimentation.India (probable) 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 Manish Pandey, 5 Kedar Jadhav, 6 MS Dhoni (wk), 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Kuldeep Yadav, 9 Yuzvendra Chahal, 10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 11 Jasprit BumrahGlenn Maxwell, as explosive as he is, hasn’t been solid enough to make that matter. He was dropped in the ODI series for that mistake and he may well suffer the same now.Australia (probable) 1 David Warner (capt), 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Travis Head, 4 Moises Henriques/Glenn Maxwell, 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Dan Christian, 7 Tim Paine (wk), 8 Nathan Coulter-Nile, 9 Adam Zampa/ Andrew Tye, 10 Kane Richardson, 11 Jason BehrendorffPitch and conditionsThe new Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati will host its first international match, although the city has already hosted international cricket before – from as early as 1983.Stats and trivia Kohli averages 54 in T20Is, and if he lives up to those numbers, he will comfortably pass Tillakaratne Dilshan and become the second-highest scorer in the format in international cricket. Since the last of his 12 fifties for Australia in March 2016, Warner averages 16.5 with four single-digit scores in eight innings. Quotes”It’s a nice ground, the wicket looks fantastic. The first game being played here; it’s going to be a special one for both teams. Hopefully we can get across the line and get that first victory here.”

Nottingham Forest are interested in bringing in two new goalkeepers to the club this summer with Matt Turner and Dean Henderson the preferred duo, according to Sky Sports' Dharmesh Sheth.

Is Turner joining Nottingham Forest?

Last summer's incredibly hectic transfer window at the City Ground is yet to repeat itself fully this year as Nottingham Forest have been a little more measured in the market this time round.

Steve Cooper has added Manchester United's Anthony Elanga to his squad, as well as securing the signature of Ola Aina on a free transfer. Chris Wood's loan deal from Newcastle United has been made permanent, while a number of players have left the Midlands side including the likes of Jesse Lingard, Andre Ayew and Sam Surridge.

However, the Forest manager has lost his two first-choice goalkeepers as well with both Dean Henderson and Keylor Navas returning to their parent clubs following the expiry of their loan deals.

As a result, Cooper will be eager to look for solutions to his lack of goalkeeping options in the market and will not want to enter the new Premier League season with only Wayne Hennessey and Ethan Horvath as his only choices.

A deal for Arsenal's Matt Turner has been agreed with a fee of approximately £7m having been reported, but according to Sheth, Forest are keen to sign two new goalkeepers this summer, with last year's loanee Henderson also on their radar.

Speaking on Sky Sports (via Football Daily), Sheth stated: "There's still the issue of Matt Turner, who is the current number two [at Arsenal]. He's having talks, which are advancing and progressing we're told, with Nottingham Forest over a permanent deal there.

"But Forest are actually after two goalkeepers. So, while they're talking to Arsenal over Matt Turner, they continue to talk to Manchester United over Dean Henderson. Now, this is an interesting one because they're discussing a loan with an obligation to buy Dean Henderson.

"Henderson, we're told, is close to full fitness following thigh surgery back in May. You remember, his season got cut short in January, he got a serious thigh injury, he missed the last four months of the season while he was on loan at Nottingham Forest. But his recovery is a factor in the discussion of this deal because it's not the loan part of it so much [that's causing issues], it's how many games would be required for the obligation to be triggered."

"Now, we think that Manchester United want a fewer number of games than what Nottingham Forest would want. But because of this injury and the recency of this injury, I think Nottingham Forest want to be 100% sure."

Henderson was impressive on loan last season at Forest until injury derailed his campaign and Sheth suggests that there is an eagerness from the player, Forest and Manchester United to get the deal done.

The structure of the deal appears to be the major complication between Forest and United, while it also remains to be seen how much the obligation to buy would set Forest back.

Either way, Cooper is clearly keen to add strength and depth between the sticks, with Turner and Henderson having to battle between themselves for the number one jersey.

When do Nottingham Forest play next?

Cooper's side have had a fairly mixed pre-season to say the least, drawing one, winning two and losing three of the six friendlies they have played.

A narrow 1-0 win over League Two rivals Notts County was followed by a 1-0 defeat and 2-1 victory against Spanish sides Valencia and Levante respectively.

However, that win against Levante has been followed by two successive defeats. The first was a 2-0 loss to Championship Leeds United and the second was a 1-0 defeat to Dutch outfit PSV Eindhoven.

Their most recent clash was a goalless draw against Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany, the club's last pre-season encounter before their return to Premier League action.

Forest face a difficult start to the season facing Arsenal on the opening day on 12 August, followed by games against Sheffield United, Man United, Chelsea, Burnley and Manchester City in their first six league matches.

Those games against Arsenal, Man United, Chelsea and Man City are all away from home.

Confident in his abilities as Australia’s No. 1 spinner, Nathan Lyon has said he wouldn’t mind if the English batsmen come out with a plan of all-out attack against him in Adelaide

Daniel Brettig in Adelaide29-Nov-2017Nathan Lyon has challenged England’s batsmen to try to hit him out of the Australian attack at Adelaide Oval, after the tourists’ attempts to outlast the offspinner in Brisbane proved fruitless.Having talked a big game leading into the series, specifically commenting on his desire to “end a few careers” in the England team, Lyon backed up his words with a performance that made him the undisputed bowler of the match, controlling the scoreboard while claiming five wickets. In doing so he not only tied England’s complement of left-handers in knots, but also allowed Australia’s pace bowlers to avoid being unduly stretched in the absence of an allrounder.After bowling 60 overs, conceding barely 2.5 runs in each, Lyon felt the English will attempt to take a more assertive approach in Adelaide. But at the end of a year in which he successfully conquered the batsmen of India and Bangladesh in their own conditions, he is highly confident in his ability to emerge triumphant regardless of whether he is faced by stonewalling or sabre-rattling.”I think if they did do that [attack] it does definitely play into my hands,” Lyon said before training alongside his mentor John Davison in Adelaide. “I like it when opposition guys try to attack me and try to whack me out of the attack if you’re talking about batting against a spin bowler. It’s a part of the game, name of the game is to take wickets and score runs, so no doubt England will come prepared and they’ll have a different plan for me compared to what they did in the first Test, but it is what it is, about adapting, enjoying the challenge and embracing the game of cricket, having fun and competing hard.”I enjoy bowling to left-handers but also enjoy bowling to right-handers and challenging myself against the best batters in the world. I daresay they’ll change their game to me at some stage, there was a lot more positive intent shown to me and my bowling in the second innings, so it provides a great challenge when guys come at you hard and hopefully you’re in with a chance to take some wickets, so it’s exciting times and I look forward to the challenge they bring.”A cornerstone of Australia’s success over England in the corresponding series four years ago was a batting order stacked with right-handers to attack Graeme Swann. But whereas Swann was physically struggling with a chronic elbow problem that pushed him to retire mid-series, Lyon is at the peak of his powers and more than happy to combine attacking and holding roles as part of a four-man bowling attack alongside Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins.”If you talk to Josh and Starcy, they think bowling spin’s pretty easy, you only walk in seven steps and roll the arm over, so if you ask them it’s pretty easy and that’s just my role in the side,” Lyon quipped. “But one thing about the Australian bowling unit is we all respect each other, we’re all really good mates and we all want to see each other do really well. So that’s just part of my role and I’m happy to do whatever I have to do to make sure our quicks are firing and when they come back they’re ready to go and put into place whatever plans Steve Smith and us bowlers come up with.Nathan Lyon added Dawid Malan’s scalp•Getty Images”I’m looking forward to coming out here [in Adelaide], I know how to bowl out here. I know this will probably spin very similarly to the Gabba. I’ve never seen a Gabba wicket spin as much as it did the whole game, so I was pretty excited by that but I know how to bowl out here, I’ve seen these drop-in wickets and the wickets Damian [Hough] produces spin a fair bit and bounce, so I’m pretty excited about what lies around the corner.”It was in Adelaide a year ago when Lyon and Australia pulled out of a shared dive. The team came in having lost five consecutive Tests while the custodian of the team song underwhelmed in Sri Lanka before taking only one wicket in the first two matches at home to South Africa. Given his subsequent success, the national selectors have been reticent to discuss how close they came to dropping Lyon, but the coach Darren Lehmann’s words to a local radio station remain: “Lyon was in because we couldn’t select [Steve] O’Keefe, he was injured beforehand.”With the benefit of a year’s perspective, Lyon said the Adelaide Test against South Africa was indeed his turning point. “If you look back, it’s probably this Test match last year,” he said. “I really was confident in my own skills to get the job done and really go out there and prove a point that I’m the number one spinner in Australia and I need to start playing like that. Then you go off on the back end of the Australian summer to India, then to Bangladesh and I know there was a lot of pressure put on me to go over to the subcontinent conditions and perform.”I know how to bowl well here in Australia, I know how to compete so I think that is probably where my confidence has come from and I’m very confident with the way the ball is coming out of my hand. I’m still doing a lot of work with John Davison, he’s down here now, I will go out the back straight after this and do a bit more work with him so I’m always trying to get better and trying to look for improvement but I’m very happy with the way they are coming out.”Not only is the ball fizzing out of Lyon’s fingers, but the words are fizzing from his lips, in a way far removed from the shyness that characterised many of his earlier years in the national team. Asked about his pre-Gabba comments and how he had seemed to be a villain in English eyes, Lyon wasn’t quite sure how that fit, but did not resile from his views.”I don’t know about the villain,” he said, “I still stand by my comments. But that is the Australian way, I’m here to play cricket, I’m here to represent my country and do that the best possible way. Right now, I am very happy with the way the ball is coming out of my hand, I’m very confident and really excited playing in an Ashes series, I said that before the first Test match and to be 1-0 up coming into Adelaide, to a sold-out crowd here, it’s a pretty special venue so I’m pretty excited.”The last word on Lyon’s place in this series can go to Sir Ian Botham, seldom known to offer excessive compliments to Australians. “Everyone talked about the seam bowling at the Gabba but Nathan Lyon was for me the standout bowler because he tied up an end,” Botham said in Sydney. “He was the most dangerous bowler on both sides in the first innings of a Test at the Gabba, which is unheard of for a fingerspinner.”

Referee Michael Oliver was “let down” by the VAR team for Arsenal’s home game against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, as the decision not to review Declan Rice’s potential handball could’ve cost the visitors a point.

What’s the latest on Arsenal and VAR?

Mikel Arteta’s Gunners played host to Steve Cooper’s Forest in Saturday’s early kickoff as both teams got their Premier League campaigns underway in an exciting and surprisingly even affair.

The home side took the lead in the 26th minute, following an exquisite piece of skill from Gabriel Martinelli that Eddie Nketiah latched onto before the Hale End graduate finished equally well into the far corner.

For as great as the opener was, Bukayo Saka blew everyone away with his first goal of the season just six minutes later when he curled one in with his left foot from outside the box, and at this point, it looked like it was going to be a long day for the visitors.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

However, an injury to new-boy Jurrien Timber early in the second half seemed to disrupt the home team, and as time went on the Garibaldi exerted more and more pressure and in the 78th minute, Willy Boly had a golden chance from a corner, only for Rice to get in the way.

However, on closer inspection, it becomes evident that the former West Ham United captain handles the ball as he is in the air. Still, VAR didn’t look at the incident due to his arm not being in an “unnatural position.”

Forest levelled the score just four minutes later but failed to add another before the final whistle was blown

Did Nottingham Forest deserve a penalty against Arsenal?

Looking at the footage of the incident, it’s hard not to feel for the Forest players and fans as it is quite clear that Rice gets his hand to the ball as he leans on Boly in the box.

With the decision to award a penalty to Luton Town in one of the following 3pm games for a similar action, it’s hard not to think that had VAR gone back to look at the incident, the East Midlands side would’ve been awarded a penalty.

The decision not to have a proper look at the potential handball certainly left Cooper bemused, with him saying after the game: “We’re really surprised the Declan Rice handball on Willy Boly wasn’t at least checked.

“It’ll be debated, some will say yes, some will say no but for us, especially because we’re away from home as well, we were quite surprised it wasn’t looked at so it’ll be interesting to see what VAR think about it. For me, they’ve let the referee down.”

It was a sentiment shared by former player turned TalkSport pundit Tony Cascarino, who argued: “There was certainly a handball incident with Declan Rice that could have gone either way!”

It’s a situation that’s made all the more painful and difficult to accept for the Tricky Trees as they were well and truly back in the games for significant periods of the second half, especially after reducing the deficit to just one goal.

The one positive Cooper can take from the game, however, is the team’s ability to stay with one of the league’s best teams even after falling behind, and if they can show that kind of grit and determination throughout the season, then they should be just fine and playing top-flight football for a third year running next season – even if the Gunners got away with one here.

Following the departure of Declan Rice to Arsenal, West Ham United reinforced their midfield with the additions of Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse.

Having solidified their midfield, the Hammers are now looking to bolster their forward line and for good reason. In the Premier League last season, the Hammers only managed 42 goals, ranking as the seventh-worst attack in the division.

Jarrod Bowen and Said Benrahma had to shoulder the goal-scoring responsibility from wide, finishing as the club's joint-top scorers in the league with six each.

For a club aiming to fire from all cylinders this season after returning to the Europa League, those previous totals won't suffice, meaning West Ham's need for world-class quality is greater than ever and a fresh update has emerged regarding their search for someone of that ilk.

West Ham transfer news – What's the latest?

According to the Athletic's David Ornstein, West Ham have seen a bid rejected for Ajax winger Mohammed Kudus.

The report states the bid fell well below the Dutch giant's valuation of the Ghanian, who is currently contracted to the club till 2025.

That said, Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth expects them to go back in with another bid in the not-too-distant future.

Earlier this month, Brighton & Hove Albion had reached an agreement in principle thought to be worth €40m (£34.5m), however, that move didn't come to fruition with the player reportedly requesting a release clause in his contract.

As a result, the Seagulls walked away from the deal with West Ham now leading the race to land Kudus.

How good is Mohammed Kudus?

With a whole host of Premier League clubs circling for Kudus, the 23-year-old has garnered interest for displaying his admirable and sought-after quality on a regular basis.

After producing an eye-watering 25 goal contributions in 42 games for Ajax, the "unbelievable" young prospect, as lauded by journalist Jack Collins during the 2022 World Cup, reached new heights for his productivity last season.

The Ghanian possesses a unique ability to be able to glide past defenders using his low centre of gravity and upper body strength, which is backed up by his incredible attacking metrics. During the Eredivisie last season, when compared to his positional peers, Kudus dominated in almost every department.

He ranked in the top 5% for an array of his per 90 stats, including non-penalty goals, xG, pass completion and successful take-ons while his shots and touches in the attacking box were within the top 10%, as per FBref.

While displaying an unequivocal efficiency in the final third aligns with West Ham's current needs, the 5 foot 9 ace can bring exceptional versatility to the London stadium having played 17 times as a right-winger, 16 as a centre forward and nine as an attacking midfielder last season.

To possess a player of this quality and versatility would rival the impact of the Hammer's current star man, Jarrod Bowen.

The Englishman is no stranger to being shoehorned into a variety of different positions, predominantly playing as a left-footed right winger but also an attacking midfielder and centre forward, just like Kudus.

Despite showcasing similar versatility, the statistics suggest that signing Kudus would be an upgrade on David Moyes' most productive player when comparing their respective 22/23 seasons.

According to FBref, the Ajax star betters Bowen's progressive carries (3.31/2.84), progressive passes (3.26/2.00), non-penalty goals (0.55/0.14), successful take-ons (4.57) and shots on target (1.36/0.58).

Despite the difference in quality between the two leagues, Kudus hasn't only shone in the Eredivisie, his performances on the international stage for Ghana caused people to stand up and take notice.

At the 2022 World Cup, Kudus showcased his ability to carry the weight of expectation on his shoulders, scoring two goals from an xG of 0.80, registering four shots on target, averaging 28 passes per match and a pass completion rate of 77%, as per InfoGol.

West Ham are crying out for a new star to help them compete across all fronts next season and in Kudus, the east London faithful would have a player worth worshipping.

England’s women have capped a memorable year by claiming the Team of the Year award at the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Dec-2017The England women’s cricket team have capped a memorable year in which they won the World Cup at Lord’s in a pulsating final against India, by claiming the Team of the Year award at the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards in Liverpool.On a memorable night for England’s women cricketers, who have for so long lived in the shadows of their male counterparts, Heather Knight’s team topped a shortlist of teams including the British & Irish Lions, Celtic, Team GB’s para-athletics and England’s World-Cup-winning U17s footballers.Their award was richly deserved following a World Cup triumph that could hardly have been a more worthy advertisement for their sport. In a showpiece event in front of a packed house at Lord’s, England battled back from the brink of defeat thanks largely to the efforts of Anya Shrubsole, who claimed five wickets in nine balls to seal an agonising nine-run victory with figures of 6 for 46.Off the back of her efforts, Shrubsole became the first women’s cricketer to be nominated for the individual SPOTY award, which was eventually claimed by the athlete, Sir Mo Farah.The announcement was a timely fillip for English cricket, coming as it did on the eve of what could well be an Ashes-sealing defeat for the men in Australia, when play resumes at Perth overnight. The women’s team were also unsuccessful in their own Ashes campaign in October, although they did emerge with honour intact after battling back from an 8-4 points deficit to square the multi-format series 8-8.Despite still being considered the national summer sport, cricket has been noticeably under-represented at the SPOTY awards in recent years – arguably due to the sport’s invisibility on free-to-air TV. The last player to be nominated for the individual award was Ian Bell in 2013, while Andrew Flintoff was the last winner, following his starring role in the 2005 Ashes victory.”Without a doubt I sense this is a good thing for the sport, not just women’s cricket,” Shrubsole told The Guardian in the wake of her individual nomination. “Anytime cricket gets recognised on something like that – on a national scale, on a huge evening celebrating sport – it’s brilliant. And having a female cricketer shows where the sport is at. A few years ago, you’d never have had that.”

With the summer transfer window approaching the final days, West Ham United could yet welcome more reinforcements, having already welcomed James Ward-Prowse and Edson Alvarez.

The Hammers still have some remaining budget left from the reported £105m sale of Declan Rice to Arsenal, however, and that could see them enjoy a busy end to the window.

Among their targets is KRC Genk midfielder Mike Tresor, according to reports.

What's the latest on Mike Tresor to West Ham?

As per journalist Sacha Taviolieri, the London club have made contact with Tresor over a potential summer switch.

This follows the news that Hammers midfielder Lucas Paqueta is under investigation for off-field breaches, which put an end to any potential move to Manchester City.

Taviolieri reported that West Ham must settle the Paqueta situation before they move ahead with any potential deal for Tresor. They are, however, reportedly keen on making their move next week, starting with contacting Genk.

If they are to make their move, the Premier League side will have to do it sooner rather than later, of course, given that the transfer window closes in just over a week. It's certainly a move to keep an eye on, though.

Should West Ham sign Mike Tresor?

Described as the Belgium Pro League's best player of the 2022/2023 season, everything suggests that West Ham would be signing some player if they pushed ahead with their pursuit of Tresor before the window shuts.

At just 24 years of age, too, the attacking midfielder, who can also play out wide, could soon be entering his prime, so may get better with a move to somewhere as competitive as the Premier League.

At his best, Tresor has attracted plenty of praise, too, including from Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig, who said, after pointing out the midfielder's numbers last season.

"Crazy numbers. Absolutely sensational season for the 23-year-old Genk attacking midfielder."

The numbers that Kulig was talking about, of course, come from last season, when Tresor scored eight goals, made a sensational 22 assists, created 19 big chances, with three key chances per 90, and a goal involvement every 99 minutes in a total of 35 games played.

Looking at the statistics, Kulig was more than correct with his verdict of the 24-year-old. If West Ham are to lose Paqueta this season, too, whether that be through a move away or other circumstances, given his possible alleged breaches, then welcoming a player of Tresor's calibre seems like a must.

Paqueta made 155 progressive passes for the Hammers last season, and replacing that output at the London Stadium will be no easy task for David Moyes. Tresor more than proved his ability to create last season, however, with his 22 assists an incredible number in the Belgium Pro League.

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

As West Ham look to avoid another relegation scrap in the current campaign, then welcoming further reinforcements is imperative. As things stand, Ward-Prowse and Alvarez may not be enough to help Moyes and co reach their target in the coming year.

As the window nears its end, the Hammers will certainly be an interesting side to keep an eye on.

The back injury that Faf du Plessis suffered against Bangladesh may keep him out of the day-night encounter against ZImbabwe. Dean Elgar will likely captain the side in his absence

Firdose Moonda18-Dec-2017South Africa’s Test captain Faf du Plessis is in doubt for the inaugural four-day Boxing Day day-night Test against Zimbabwe, as Cricket South Africa opt for a cautious approach to managing his return from injury.Du Plessis has not played any cricket since late October when he hurt his back during the second ODI against Bangladesh. He was initially prescribed six weeks’ rest. However, at the same time, du Plessis had surgery on a problematic shoulder. As a result, he played no part in the recently concluded Ram Slam and was not named in the CSA Invitation XI to play Zimbabwe in a warm-up match scheduled for Wednesday.Mohammed Moosajee, South Africa’s team manager who is also a medical doctor, told ESPNcricinfo last week that du Plessis was “on track”, but also emphasised that a late decision will be taken given the workload over the next three months.”If we reach next week and see that Faf would benefit from another week off, then we will give him that time,” Moosajee said. “We are not going to be foolish with his return, because there is a lot of cricket over the next few months.”After the Zimbabwe Test, South Africa host India for three-Tests starting on January 5, six ODIs and three T20s and then have a four-Test home series against Australia in March.Given that the South African management prefer their players to have some game time after returning from an injury and before representing the national side, it seems a better option for du Plessis to sit out the Test and perhaps even play in the upcoming domestic one-day tournament which starts on Wednesday. South Africa would have a ready-made batting replacement in AB de Villiers, who will play the warm-up match and has declared himself eager for a Test return. They will also likely turn to stand-in captain Dean Elgar, who led the side at Lord’s when du Plessis was on paternity leave.South Africa are only expected to name their Test squad after at least some of the warm-up match has been played and they have monitored the progress of some of their other players. Dale Steyn and Chris Morris are both due to play in the match and could make a return following significant time out of the game. Morne Morkel, who is coming back from a side strain, is not in the squad but recently played a three-day provincial match for Easterns, with positive reasons. He bowled 19.4 overs and took seven wickets for 43 runs.