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A round-up of the Group A matches of the Vijay Hazare Trophy played on March 6, 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Mar-2017Vidarbha finished at the top of the Group A points table after thumping Assam by 104 runs at the Karnail Singh stadium in Delhi. Top-order batsmen Jitesh Sharma and Ganesh Satish hit half-centuries, which formed the backbone of Vidarbha’s 273 for 9. Siddhesh Wath and Apoorv Wankhade pitched in thirty-somethings each to boost their team even as as the lower order crumbled.In response, Assam lost Pallavkumar Das early, but Rishav Das mounted some resistance with his second List A fifty. Pritam Debnath, Arun Karthik, and Amit Verma all found starts but failed to capitalise. The second-best score for Assam was wicketkeeper Kunal Saikia’s 34-ball 38. Offspinner Abhishek Chaurasia’s 6 for 37 ,however, ensured Vidarbha skittled Assam for 169 in 41.1 overs.Haryana dismissed Baroda for 181 in a chase of 267 at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi, but it was not enough for a spot in the quarter-finals. New-ball bowlers Sanjay Pahal and Ashish Hooda claimed three wickets each to spark Baroda’s collapse. Opener Kedar Devdhar, who struck 81 off 113 balls, had given Baroda a positive start in their chase, and they were well-placed at 109 for 2. Then they lost their last eight wickets for 72 runs.Having opted to bat, Haryana put up 266 for 5 with half-centuries from wicketkeeper-batsman Nitin Saini, Rahul Dagar, and Rahul Tewatia. Dagar and Tewatia provided the late impetus with a unbroken 136-run stand for the sixth wicket.Captain Govinda Poddar’s third List A hundred fashioned a 69-run win for Odisha over Punjab at the Palam ground in Delhi.Poddar walked in at 5 for 1 in the sixth over and did not budge until the 42nd over. He struck 12 fours and a six in his 119-ball 120 and found support from allrounder Biplab Samantray, who scored 48 off 61 balls, as Odisha reached 240.Left-arm spinner Dhiraj Singh then ran through the Punjab line-up with career-best figures of 5 for 49. Shubham Gill and Anmolpreet Singh, who represented India in the Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh last year, contributed with half-centuries each, but the middle and lower order fell away. Punjab were eventually bowled out for 171 in 30 overs.

Liverpool are still interested in signing Juventus winger Federico Chiesa this summer, a new transfer rumour from Italy has claimed.

Are Liverpool linked with Chiesa?

It is no secret that the Reds are in the market for a number of midfielders this summer, with Alexis Mac Allister hopefully the first of several to come in, and with the likes of Khephren Thuram, Manu Kone, Ryan Gravenbarch and Dominik Szoboszlai all seemingly in the conversation.

Szoboszlai in particular seems likely to sign, with a report from Melissa Reddy on Friday detailing that the player is keen to join and the Reds are "pressing" to get a deal done.

While that appears to be Liverpool's primary area of focus, that's not to say that other additions won't come in, too, with a new centre-back potentially on the cards. Another attacker also isn't out of the question, with the departure of the legendary Roberto Firmino opening up a space in the squad.

One player who has been linked with a move to Anfield recently is Chiesa, whose future at Juventus is up in the air, with his current deal expiring at the end of the 2024/25 season. It is a rumour that is refusing to go away, suggesting that the transfer could be a genuine possibility.

What's the latest Liverpool transfer news?

According to Gazzetta dello Sport [via Sport Witness], Liverpool have "expressions of interest" in the £54,000-a-week Chiesa this summer, with the Reds having "the charm of the history club on their side".

The report also adds that Jurgen Klopp personally "greatly respects" the 41-cap and four-goal Italy international, and he could "offer him the chance of playing as an advanced winger".

Chiesa is a fantastic player who could be such an eye-catching signing for Liverpool, given the blistering pace and directness that he possesses out wide, helping him register 42 goal contributions (22 goals and 20 assists) in 94 appearances for Juve.

There is an argument to say that a new forward isn't needed this summer, however, with Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo already battling for regular minutes.

It is hard to see how Klopp would be able to keep six top-class options happy, and at the same time, for the club to be able to afford both Chiesa and more midfielders.

Should Liverpool have a genuine chance of signing Chiesa they should certainly consider it – he has been hailed as "unpredictable" by Antonio Di Natale and "one of the most exciting players around" by journalist Josh Bunting – but only if it is financially viable, and it won't affect the rest of their summer transfer business.

The transfer window is set to slam shut in under a week, and it looks like Arsenal are finally ready to do some deals.

Last night, the news broke that the Gunners had made a surprise £60m bid for Aston Villa’s incredible Ollie Watkins, which was rejected by the Birmingham outfit.

As things stand, the North Londoners may go in with a second offer, but with Jhon Duran set to join Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr, it seems unlikely that the Villans will sanction his exit, even with an improved fee.

However, while that’s not ideal news for Arsenal, it’s not all doom and gloom; as per other reports, they are still being linked to another incredibly exciting striker who would be an even better signing than Watkins.

Arsenal chasing sensational striker

According to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal have maintained their strong interest in RB Leipzig star Benjamin Šeško and are weighing up the possibility of signing him ahead of next week’s transfer deadline.

Transfer Focus

In fact, the report has revealed that the Slovenian dynamo remains one of Arteta’s top three targets to strengthen in the striker position, but the Bundesliga side are currently making a deal ‘difficult.’

A potential price for the 21-year-old sharpshooter is not mentioned in the story, but reports from earlier this week reiterated prior claims that he has a price tag on his head of around about £70m.

It will be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line for Arsenal this month, but given Šeško’s ability and potential, it’s one well worth fighting for, especially as he’d be a smarter signing than Watkins.

How Šeško compares to Watkins

With Arsenal supposedly interested in both Watkins and Šeško this month, it seems incredibly unlikely that they would be willing to spend big on both of them, especially not when Kai Havertz is also occupying the same position.

So, if the choice is one or the other, which forward should the Gunners go for? Well, if we compare their raw output from the start of last season, which is what matters most for a centre-forward, then it’s much closer competition than many might think, and one that the 21-year-old just comes out on top of.

For example, in 70 games totalling 4030 minutes, the unreal Leipzig “menace,” as dubbed by football scout Antonio Mango, has scored 32 goals and provided five assists, which means he’s averaged a goal every 125.93 minutes and a goal involvement every 108.91 minutes since the start of last season.

Appearances

42

53

Minutes

2057′

4323′

Goals

18

27

Assists

2

13

Minutes per Goal

114.27′

160.11′

Minutes per Goal Involvement

102.85′

108.07′

Appearances

28

32

Minutes

1973′

2234′

Goals

14

11

Assists

3

9

Minutes per Goal

140.92′

203.09′

Minutes per Goal Involvement

116.05′

111.70′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

For his part, the former Brentford star has scored 38 goals and provided 22 assists in 85 games, totalling 6557 minutes since the start of last season, which comes out to a goal on average every 172.55 minutes and a goal involvement every 109.28 minutes.

Now, some of you may raise the very valid point that, on average, the Bundesliga is considered a slightly easier league than the Premier League, which will surely help the Radeče-born star’s case.

However, on the other hand, the Conference League is a far weaker competition than the Champions League, and while the former RB Salzburg star scored two of his 18 goals in the latter last season, the Villa star scored eight of his 27 in the former.

Moreover, the fact the 6 foot 5 goalscorer is already proving himself to be slightly more productive than the former Exeter City star at just 21 is incredibly encouraging, and considering the Gunners have a team full of players on the younger side looking to grow together, he simply makes more sense as a marquee striker signing.

Ultimately, with Šeško just about edging things in terms of production, being significantly younger and being 6 inches taller, it would be the wiser move from Arsenal to sign him over Watkins this month or even in the summer.

Alongside Watkins: Arsenal in contact to sign £40m star who's Anelka 2.0

The exceptional talent could be Arsenal’s next superstar.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jan 29, 2025

Julio Baptista heaped praise on William Saliba but claimed that the centre-back must "earn a move" to Real Madrid by winning trophies at Arsenal.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Madrid interested in signing SalibaBaptista wants him to become a champion at Arsenal Centre-back has a contract until 2027Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

Former attacking midfielder Baptista, who represented both Arsenal and Real Madrid, recently shared his thoughts on centre-back Saliba amid rumours linking the Frenchman with a move to the Santiago Bernabeu. The Brazilian believes that while Saliba is one of the best defenders in the world, he must prove himself worthy of an offer from Madrid by being consistent and helping Arsenal win major trophies.

AdvertisementWHAT JULIO BAPTISTA SAID

In an interview with , Baptista was asked if he thought Saliba would don the Madrid colours one day.

Baptista replied: "A lot has changed for players now. Before you get to a huge club like Real Madrid, you need to show more. It's not like five, ten games to show what you can do. You need to be one of the best players in the world season after season to earn the respect and the interest of a club like Real Madrid. I think for Saliba, there is no doubt that he is one of the world’s best CBs. He’s been a big part of Arsenal’s improvement over the years and has formed a formidable partnership alongside Gabriel, but I would like to see him lift a trophy with Arsenal before he leaves. If Saliba can keep showing that he has incredible quality, maybe we’ll see Real Madrid coming for him in the future, but he should only be thinking about winning trophies and becoming a champion with Arsenal at the moment."

AFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

It has been reported that Madrid president Florentino Perez wants to make Saliba the next Galactico of his defence, which will require an overhaul in the near future. Two of the club's three centre-backs, Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba, are on the wrong side of 30, while Eder Miltao, who's still just 26, has suffered two ACL injuries in back-to-back seasons. Per reports, Los Blancos will not make an approach this summer, but are likely to submit a bid next year or wait for Saliba to run down his current contract, which expires in 2027, to then sign him for free.

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WHAT NEXT FOR WILLIAM SALIBA?

The 24-year-old put in a great shift on Wednesday night as Arsenal defeated Madrid 2-1 at the Bernabeu to progress to the semi-finals of the Champions League 5-1 on aggregate. The Gunners return to action away at Ipswich Town on Sunday, April 20.

Bottom-placed side prevail to deepen Warwickshire’s relegation worries

David Hopps22-Sep-2022For much of this match Gloucestershire revealed many of the vulnerabilities expected from a side rooted to the foot of the Division One table. But they have their victory now to sustain them throughout the winter months, one gained from a tense last day of cricket at Bristol this summer, and it means that the likelihood of Warwickshire’s relegation has grown all the stronger.Tom Price’s inspired return of 8 for 27 – the best analysis in the Championship this season – set up Gloucestershire’s three-wicket victory by keeping their pursuit of 148 to manageable proportions. A few runs more and the scene would surely have been set for the beguiling offspin of Jayant Yadav, who was a constant danger on a turning pitch and who was unfortunate not to add to his four wickets.But Price will also reflect on a single, vital moment with the bat at a time when there were so many minor tremors around the ground one imagined that a fracking licence had already been sanctioned on Ashley Down Road. With seven needed, three wickets remaining, and Yadav having just taken three for 8 in 16 balls, Price gambled on a lofted blow over deep mid-off against the slow left-armer, Danny Briggs, and the ball hopped over the boundary on the third bounce.Zafar Gohar on-drove Yadav for the winning hit in the following over to bring general delight on one of county cricket’s most convivial grounds. Yadav had proclaimed upon his arrival: “I think everyone expects results and I’m here to deliver results” and with 9 for 137 in the match he had done his utmost. But his fellow Indian, the pace bowler, Mohammed Siraj, who had also been brought in on a short-term contract, was absent at Bristol and it cost Warwickshire dear.Related

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Defeat leaves Warwickshire’s First Division survival out of their hands. They must beat Hampshire at Edgbaston next week and hope that one of their relegation rivals is badly beaten. Their attention will rarely stray from events at Canterbury, where Kent meet Somerset (who might also be involved in the shake-up if they fail to beat Northamptonshire in their current match at Taunton), and Headingley where Yorkshire, who have lost five of their last seven, face Gloucestershire.When Gloucestershire lost four for 30 against the new ball, a Warwickshire victory looked eminently possible. Oliver Hannon-Dalby had Ben Charlesworth caught at second slip – a weak drive against a wide ball – and removed Ollie Price (Tom’s brother) at first slip with a lifter, but the onus was on the spin bowlers to win the match and they were unable to oblige.Yadav posed the most threat. For all the smooth simplicity of his action, he is an attacking spinner with the ability to turn the ball sharply. Briggs is considerably more conservative, flatter and rarely a big spinner of the ball, a product of his age. Both had an early success. Yadav dispensed with Miles Hammond for a third-ball duck at gully. James Bracey left in aggrieved fashion as his slog sweep at Briggs appeared to deflect off his forearm, but it was an uncontrolled stroke for a player yet to score.Graeme van Buuren and Chris Dent addressed the situation in enterprising fashion, taking charge of the chase with a stand of 97 in 23 overs. Briggs welcomed van Buuren with a full toss and long hop, both gratefully punished. He is a stocky, punchy strokeplayer, strong on the back foot, but he also left Yadav wringing his hand with a firm drive back at him. Dent was sustained by the cut shot.With 15 needed, the match was in Gloucestershire’s grasp, only for Yadav to intervene. A full ball had van Buuren lbw on the sweep, Jack Taylor holed out as he tried to clear deep midwicket, and Dent’s cut for once malfunctioned, the ball too close to him as he was caught at the wicket. Tom Price defended a little nervously, his blow against Briggs coming when least expected.Warwickshire, 58 for 5 overnight, had advanced to 128 before they were bowled out inside 39 overs as lunch approached. Paul Farbrace, their departing director of cricket, had identified a target of 150 as something that would make the game interesting; they managed 148.Gloucestershire’s unpenetrating seam attack had been a prime cause in their failure to win a Championship match. But in Tom Price, they had a tousle-haired, bustling seam bowler at the height of his game. Match figures of 10 for 73 gave him the first ten-wicket haul of a career still in its infancy. He struck the seam regularly and found a degree of movement that was unmatched by any other pace bowler in the game. He will bring Gloucestershire hope as they seek to reassemble a more competitive pace attack back in Division Two.Price had 4 for 20 overnight and he kick-started Gloucestershire in an introductory five-over spell. He seamed one away from the left-handed Jacob Bethell for Dent to hold a low chance at third slip and, in his next over, again found considerable movement to bowl Briggs through the gate.Alex Davies, who had made 41 of Warwickshire’s 58 the previous evening, was starved of strike, and eventual fell lbw for 60 when Gohar tossed the ball high and flicked the pad before Davies dug out the yorker.He had found a willing accomplice in Henry Brookes, who clumped 32 from 532 balls, treating Singh Dale to some robust leg-side blows, but Brookes departed in the following over as Price returned to squeeze a ball between bat and pad and win a marginal decision for a catch at the wicket. Another big nip-backer, this time to Ryan Sidebottom, finished off the innings.On this evidence, Price could make an extremely good county pro, a man to bring pleasure for the Gloucestershire faithful for many years to come. Life is not solely about those who gain a mention in ECB high-performance seminars. Or at least it shouldn’t be.

Manchester City have now made a move to sign a “versatile” defender whose club want £42 million plus, according to a new report.

Man City transfer news

There are just over two weeks remaining in this transfer window, and it looks as though it could be a busy period for the Blues, as they potentially bring in three or more new players. City are close to announcing the signing of Vitor Reis, as Fabrizio Romano reported on Wednesday that he had left Brazil and was flying to England to complete the transfer.

Man City in pole position to sign "commanding" £12m prodigy for Guardiola

City could make it four signings in this transfer window, as they emerge for yet another young defensive target.

ByBrett Worthington Jan 15, 2025

As well as Reis, Pep Guardiola’s side are closing in on two other purchases. They have agreed a deal with Lens to sign defender Abdukodir Khusanov worth in the region of £33.5 million. He has already undergone his medical and completed the necessary paperwork, with the transfer just waiting for his visa to come through.

Omar Marmoush is another player who appears close to joining City, as the Blues hope a deal worth £59 million plus add-ons will be enough to get a deal over the line, while Eintracht Frankfurt hold out for £67 million.

If City can wrap these deals up quickly, then they could turn their attentions to another centre-back in teenager Juma Bah, with reports stating the Premier League champions are in pole position to sign the player ahead of Inter Milan.

Man City make move to sign £42m+ "versatile" full-back

The Blues may not stop at Bah, as Tuttosport relayed by Sport Witness states that Man City have now made a move to sign Andrea Cambiaso from Juventus in this transfer window.

It adds that there may have been some sort of contact between the two clubs, but City are yet to make an offer for the defender. Juventus want the 24-year-old to stay, but they would be open to permanent offers should they receive over €50 million, which is roughly £42 million.

Cambiaso has been with the Old Lady since July 2022, and during his time at the Italian giants, he has really impressed. Commentator Leonardo Bertozzi has labelled Cambiaso “versatile”, while Peter Young of Football Italia has praised his ability to play on either side of a back four.

Apps

19

Starts

15

Minutes per game

71

Goals

2

Big chances created

3

Key passes per game

1.2

Interceptions per game

0.5

Tackles per game

1.6

Balls recovered per game

3.7

Clearances per game

0.5

This versatility makes him the type of player that Guardiola would love to have in his Man City team, as he likes to have full-backs who can shift into different areas of the pitch.

Furthermore, the fact that Walker looks set to leave the Etihad this month means the Blues will likely need a replacement, and Cambiaso would be a great upgrade, as he is much younger and has proven to be a good performer in Italy. It just remains to be seen if City will pay as much as Juventus want for the defender, and if not, they may decide to wait until the summer before making an official move.

The legspinner is expected to be retained by Adelaide Strikers in the BBL overseas draft, but will only play part of the tournament

Andrew McGlashan18-Aug-2022Rashid Khan has one of the most astonishing T20 records in the game, but he is always looking to improve and is working on some new deliveries although is not quite ready to unfurl them in the middle.Rashid, who has 469 T20 wickets at 17.89 and an economy rate of 6.39, focuses on keeping things simple when he has the ball in hand and is conscious of not losing his control by experimenting too much. However, after trying a slower legbreak a little in recent times he may have a few new tricks up his sleeve.Related

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Head and Labuschagne ink in BBL deals for post-Test stint

“I do try my best to have different deliveries. At the moment I’m just bowling them in the nets, I haven’t brought that in the game,” Rashid told ESPNcricinfo ahead of a likely return to Adelaide Strikers in the BBL. “The slow legspin which I have been working on, I bowled that a couple of times in the PSL and the series against Bangladesh [in February]. It went well, but still I need to have more command over that ball where I can be more effective rather than be someone who gives runs with those deliveries.”Yes, I do work on new deliveries but I need to have more practice then I can bring them out. At the moment, what I have been doing so far, I think that is working. I will just stick to that for the Asia Cup and World Cup. Consistency is important.”It’s pretty clear in my mind that I should keep it pretty simple. I don’t think a lot about what will happen tomorrow, it’s about what happens today. One thing that is always in my mind is just to hit the right area consistently. I have control of that. As long as I have that in my mind, everything becomes so simple.”Such is the threat that Rashid poses for whichever side he is part of that teams will often opt to minimise the risk they take during his spell. While he knows he will be in the game if batters choose to attack him, he is also content if they try to see him out knowing that the pressure can bring wickets for his team-mates.”Definitely if he’s after me it gives me that opportunity where I can take wickets, but at the same time if someone is not taking that risk I’m happy because I’m building up that kind of pressure for the other end,” he said. “It’s not [just] about me taking wickets, sometimes I build up that pressure then from the other end whoever is bowling it’s an opportunity for him to take wickets. We are always planning like that. I shouldn’t be thinking that I’m taking wickets all the time. If I have a good over, the next over is always there to take wickets as well.”Rashid is one of the most in-demand T20 cricketers in the world and was speaking to mark the launch of tickets going on sale for this year’s BBL. He is expected to be kept by Strikers, for whom he has taken 92 wickets for at 16.69 including his career-best 6 for 17 in his final appearance of last season, in the overseas player draft on August 28, where the retention option for a club has been dubbed the “Rashid Khan rule”.It will be part of a period where T20 dominates for Rashid. He has just completed a five-match series against Ireland which came after a brief appearance in the Hundred with attention now turning to the Asia Cup that leads into the T20 World Cup in Australia. Not long after comes league season which will likely see him start in the BBL before heading to South Africa where he has signed for MI Cape Town.However, with Afghanistan not having the heavy Test schedule of some nations, Rashid has yet to be forced into tough decisions over his workload, instead it is more a question of where he plys his trade.”As a player you always need to have it in your mind, how much cricket can I play. How much load can by body take? That is very important,” he said. “We don’t have that kind of busy schedule for international matches where we play lots of Tests. We don’t play five or 10 Tests in a year. If that was the case for me, then definitely I would have picked a few leagues where I can take myself and play more for my national team. But at the same time, we don’t have that schedule, we play hardly one or two Tests in a year which allows me to be mentally very fresh and not that tired.”It’s about going to different places, getting the kind of experience and knowledge I need for the future and be able to bring that to the national game and share it with the youngsters.”

Hansi Flick's attacking stars offered little as the German side did all they could to stay in the competition

Barcelona survived an onslaught from Borussia Dortmund to secure a place in the semi-finals of the Champions League. Despite a 3-1 loss in Germany on Tuesday, the Catalan side went through with a 5-3 aggregate win against Niko Kovac's men.

Serhou Guirassy's hat-trick made the difference on the night for a Dortmund side that gave everything to keep their hopes of a second consecutive European final appearance alive.

The hosts made clear they would not go down without a proper fight as they bombarded Barca's defence, and within 10 minutes, they had a penalty after Wojciech Szczesny brought down Pascal Gross in the box and Guirassy converted easily. Shortly afterwards, Gross had the ball in the net again, but it was ruled out for offside.

Early in the second half, Dortmund flew forward again with Karim Adeyemi leading the charge and the pressure resulted in a corner, with Daniel Svensson's cross knocked back across goal for Guirassy to head in from close range.

It all fell apart for Dortmund less than 10 minutes after the restart, though, when Fermin Lopez was released down the right side and whipped the ball into the box, where Ramy Bensebaini blasted it into his own net.

Barca enjoyed a resurgence after the goal, keeping the ball high up the field but without creating great chances as Raphinha and Lamine Yamal failed to find any space, leaving Robert Lewandowski isolated.

It was Dortmund who struck next when Julien Duranville scrambled past Gerard Martin and sent a dangerous ball into the box. Ronald Araujo's clearance went straight to Guirassy, delivering his hat-trick on a plate. Kovac's team kept pressing until the end in an exciting clash, but Hansi Flick's men made it through.

GOAL rates Barcelona's players from Signal Iduna Park…

AFPGoalkeeper & Defence

Wojciech Szczesny (7/10):

Gave away the penalty to start off his team's troubles, but made a lot of good saves.

Jules Kounde (5/10):

Offered little in defence beyond a decent block and didn't have much of a say going forward either.

Pau Cubarsi (5/10):

Didn't put up much of a struggle as Dortmund kept attacking.

Ronald Araujo (6/10):

Had a hard time dealing with Adeyemi's pace.

Gerard Martin (7/10):

Put in an excellent shift to break down Dortmund on several occasions.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield

Gavi (6/10):

Tracked back to win the ball and made some good passes, but was taken off before the hour mark.

Frenkie de Jong (7/10):

Cut out a good number of Dortmund attacks and was impressive on the ball.

Fermin Lopez (7/10):

His dangerous ball in forced Bensebiani's blunder and helped Barca apply more pressure in the second half.

AFPAttack

Lamine Yamal (5/10):

Saw enough of the ball but couldn't create anything.

Robert Lewandowski (4/10):

Didn't have any impact against his former team this time around, but his presence impacted Bensebiani for the goal.

Raphinha (4/10):

Had one shot blocked and another tame effort easily saved as he struggled to get going.

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AFPSubs & Manager

Pedri (5/10):

Had a tough time as Dortmund grew back into the game as the second half wore on.

Ferran Torres (5/10):

Barca's attacks faded out shortly after he came on.

Eric Garcia (6/10):

Did a decent job as a fresh body in defence when they needed one.

Dani Olmo (N/A):

Had little time to make an impact.

Hansi Flick (6/10):

His team looked capable of regaining control of the game for a while, but let Dortmund give them a real scare.

India quick Renuka Singh and Sri Lanka batter Nilakshi de Silva also gain after the first two games of the series

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Jul-2022Deepti Sharma and Shafali Verma are having an excellent time of it in the ODI series in Sri Lanka, and have shot up the ICC ODI player rankings because of their returns in the two matches so far, both of which India have won.A day after India won the second game by ten wickets in Pallekele, Shafali, who hit a bruising unbeaten 71 in the 174 chase, moved up 12 places to a career-best 36th among batters. Shafali, also the No. 5 in the T20I batting chart, leads the runs tally in the series with 106 runs, scored at a strike rate of 95.49.Full rankings tables

Click here for the full team rankings

Click here for the full player rankings

Deepti, meanwhile, has made gains in both the batting and the bowling rankings. Her offspin has brought her 3 for 25 and 2 for 30 so far, and that has taken her up three spots to No. 16 in the bowlers’ list. And her unbeaten 25 in the first ODI helped her climb two batting spots to No. 29. Deepti is now within one point of equalling Australia’s Ash Gardner, currently ranked sixth, on the allrounders’ table.Renuka Singh, the spearhead of India’s pace attack with Meghna Singh at the moment, was another gainer. Just four ODIs old, 26-year-old Renuka bettered her previous best in Monday’s second ODI, where she took 4 for 28. This lifted her 38 places to No. 65 on the bowling table that is currently headed by South Africa’s Shabnim Ismail.For Sri Lanka, batter Nilakshi de Silva gained 13 spots to reach No. 57 after tallying 75 runs in the two matches, while Hasini Perera – up 16 places to 83rd – and Anushka Sanjeewani – up nine places to 89th – are the others to gain positions.In the rankings for bowlers, former captain Inoka Ranaweera, the left-arm spinner, is now ranked No. 21, on the back of her four-for in the first ODI.While these are still early days in the new cycle of the ICC Women’s Championship, a 3-0 series sweep on Wednesday will help India catch up with current toppers South Africa on six points. A Sri Lanka win in the last game will help them draw level with India and Pakistan on four points.

West Bromwich Albion have now opened talks with a 4-3-3 style manager to take The Hawthorns vacancy, according to Fabrizio Romano.

West Brom eyeing new signings without a manager

The Baggies are still searching for their long-term successor to Carlos Corberan, who departed the club late last year for Valencia. Interim boss Chris Brunt has overseen four Championship games since Corberan left for a return to Spain, winning one, losing one and drawing two of his four fixtures in charge.

Brunt was quizzed on potentially landing the job on a full-time basis but said: “I don’t know, I think I’m relatively inexperienced for anything like that. I’ll do my best as I always did as a player for this football club until, hopefully, the right person is appointed and I’m sure that the football club will do that.”

Enquiry made: West Brom chasing “wonderful" star who'd be Johnston 2.0

West Bromwich Albion fans could have a new loan star to cherish very soon.

1 ByKelan Sarson Jan 9, 2025

However, despite having no manager in the Midlands, West Brom are still working behind the scenes when it comes to the January transfer window, looking to bolster their squad or the remainder of the campaign.

Middlesbrough’s Isaiah Jones appears to be on the radar and reports have suggested that West Brom have had a £5m bid accepted for the winger alongside Luton Town. Meanwhile, an enquiry has also been made for Liverpool attacker Lewis Koumas, who is currently on loan at Stoke City.

The manager search is still ongoing for West Brom and by the looks of things, talks are underway for one target who recently lost his job in England.

West Brom in talks with Rene Hake

According to transfer expert Romano, West Brom have opened talks with Rene Hake after he left his role as Manchester United assistant manager under Erik ten Hag.

Hake has experience of being a manager and plays a defensive 4-3-3 system, as per Transfermarkt. The 53-year-old, prior to his time in Manchester, was the boss of Dutch sides Go Ahead Eagles, FC Utrecht, SC Cambuur and FC Twente.

He recently spoke out about his time at Old Trafford under Ten Hag, saying: “I don’t hold any grudges whatsoever. I had great interactions with the players, the staff, and everyone involved. I personally made it a point to say farewell to all, to ensure a positive ending.

“I wasn’t there long enough to really judge the direction of the club (but) what I sensed was a deep yearning to be a force again. To get back the winning culture from the Ferguson era, combined with the culture of Ineos, the new co-owner of United, who is successful in other sports.”

A move for his first senior managerial position in England could be one to watch, but by the looks of things, the Baggies have two more candidates alongside Hake, as per Romano.