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Jamie Vardy was evidently enraged with himself after missing a sitter for Leicester City against Watford in the Championship on Saturday.

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Vardy misses easy chance vs WatfordProceeds to punch himself in the faceBounced back with late braceWHAT HAPPENED?

The Englishman was spotted punching himself in the face after putting the ball over the bar – despite having an empty net in front of him – with the scoreline locked at 0-0 after 73 minutes. A cross from Stephy Mavididi slipped into Vardy's path, but his close-range volley went flying into the stands. Vardy sank to his knees holding his head in his hands, and then hit himself hard in the face in a shocking fit of rage.

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Whatever the strategy was behind the moment of insanity, it worked, as Vardy recovered to score a brace in front of a packed out crowd at the King Power Stadium. Vardy scored three minutes after the incident to put the Foxes ahead, and went on to convert a penalty in the 96th minute to seal the victory. The final result saw Leicester reopen their three-point lead over Ipswich Town at the top of the Championship.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR VARDY?

Vardy and Leicester City will next take on Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough on Wednesday as they look to keep up their good form in the Championship. Vardy's latest double saw him move onto six league goals for the 2023-24 season, five behind current Golden Boot race leader Sammie Szmodics.

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Celebrating Arsenal's French players and manager

adidas release limited edition Arsenal collection celebrating the historical link between famous French players and a manager who have written their names in the club's history books. Unveiled as this summer marks 20 years since the start of the famous Invincibles season, when the club went an entire league campaign without a defeat.

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The special collection pays homage to the success that French players and manager Arsene Wenger brought in the late '90s and '00s. The range includes various items, including a hoodie, track bottoms, track top, t-shirt and stadium parka.

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All the items feature a special tricolour, adidas three stripes, and gold branding. The stadium parka will be donned by the team when they travel to league games, including when they walk out against Manchester City tonight in the FA Cup 4th round.

From players like Patrick Vieira, Robert Pires, Thierry Henry, Sylvain Wiltord, Gael Clichy, Pasqual Cygan and Jeremy Aliadiere – the French connection to the club has been strong, bringing silverware and success to the club.

Jeremy Aliadiere, who played in the Invincibles season and currently works for Arsenal in an ambassador role, said: "During that period in the late 1990s and early 2000s, it was great to be part of the team at Arsenal. We had a lot of players from France, or French-speaking countries, and we were made to feel at home straight away by the other members of the squad."

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Aliadiere added, "That togetherness we had back then is something I see in this current team, and so it's great to celebrate the period I played in, at a time when it's a really enjoyable to be a Gooner. I think the range will be loved by supporters across the world, and it's a nice gesture to those particularly in France – many of whom fell in love with the club during that period 20 years or so ago."

adidas x Arsenal French collection price & how to buy

The adidas x Arsenal limited French collection is available to buy now from adidas and the Arsenal club webstore.

Shop: adidas x Arsenal French Pack

Available in XS, S, M, L, XL and 2XL.

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Available from Friday 3 March at 8:30 am (GMT)

Available from Friday 3 March at 8:30 am (GMT)

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Rolling Stones icons Mick Jagger and Ronnie Wood were in attendance as Barcelona faced Real Madrid in La Liga on Saturday.

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Rolling Stones stars at El ClasicoBarca wearing special jerseyShirt has Stones' famous symbol on itWHAT HAPPENED?

The two sides went head-to-head in the Estadio Olímpico for the first time this season and the famous rock band heroes were in attendance.

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The and artists watched on as Barcelona faced their rivals in a jersey with the band's famous lips and tongue symbol on it. The gesture coincides with the release of the Rolling Stones' new album, "Hackney Diamonds".

DID YOU KNOW?

Barcelona took the lead within six minutes through an Ilkay Gundogan goal. The midfielder's goal was the fastest to have been scored in a match between Barcelona and Real Madrid since Neymar's strike just three minutes and two seconds into a Clasico in 2014.

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GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Barca's next match is against Real Sociedad in La Liga, while take on Rayo Vallecano.

Yorkshire bowled superbly, with control and discipline, as the Division One leaders, Middlesex, were restricted to only one batting point

Jon Culley at Headingley07-Jun-2015
ScorecardJack Brooks finished with 5 for 44 to help cover for the continued absence of Ryan Sidebottom•Getty ImagesThis was more like it from Yorkshire, who had looked out of sorts as they escaped with a draw in Somerset a couple of weeks ago. They bowled superbly, with control and discipline, as the Division One leaders, Middlesex, were restricted to only one batting point after James Franklin, on winning the toss, had been content to invite Yorkshire to field.Jack Brooks, wicketless in Taunton, advertised the restorative benefits of a 10-day break by taking 5 for 44. Brooks is in his third season at Headingley after his move from Northamptonshire but he still celebrates every wicket as if it is his first, wheeling away to his left, fists pumping, crossing at least half a dozen neighbouring strips before coming to a halt.He came up with some terrific deliveries, dismissing Joe Burns, the Australian opener, with the ninth ball of his opening five-over new ball spell at the Football Stand End before returning for the final half hour of the morning at the Kirkstall Lane End, removing Sam Robson with his fifth ball, one that nipped back and beat the erstwhile England opener’s defence to clip the top of middle and off stumps.Robson was probably a key wicket, given that he was striking the ball nicely and taking his scoring chances well, better certainly than the more cautious Nick Compton, and had he survived until lunch the day might have unfolded differently. As it was, the fillip of his dismissal put a spring in Yorkshire’s step as they emerged for the afternoon session, by the end of which Middlesex were all out for 212.Yet as Middlesex reduced Yorkshire to 52 for 4 in reply, before Jonny Bairstow and Jack Leaning laid the foundations of a recovery, the value of Compton’s three-and-a-half hour 70 was emphasised. The 31-year-old, batting at No. 3, relishes the responsibility of holding his team together in difficult situations and this was a pitch on which there was always likely to be incident.During the morning session, with Brooks at the top of his game and Steve Patterson bowling his consistently testing line from the other end, Compton went 40 minutes without scoring a run, with 25 dot balls between his seventh and eighth scoring shots. “It doesn’t bother me at all to do that,” he said. “As long as I’m still in, I’ve got a chance. You want to be scoring but I’m happy to be patient. If you go searching for it on a wicket like that you’re going to give yourself a bit of trouble.”Where he feels less patient is in relation to his England career, which was so abruptly nipped in the bud on the eve of the last Ashes series and which has yet to resume. “Patience is one of my qualities as a batsman but as a person it is not my greatest asset,” he said.”I’m desperate to get back in the England side again and I feel I have the ability and the credentials to be a thorn in the side of the Australians in this Ashes if I was picked. But I have had to reset my goals a bit, concentrate on contributing for Middlesex and whatever will be, will be.”Yorkshire had to change their plans at the last minute when Ryan Sidebottom, who was to have made his comeback here after suffering a calf injury in the opening fixture, pulled up in the warm-ups, feeling all was not well. It meant Will Rhodes kept his place. Adam Lyth and Gary Ballance came back from Test duty, neatly filling the places vacated by Adil Rashid and Liam Plunkett’s secondment to the England one-day squad.Yorkshire’s spin gamble paid off. It had been supposed that James Middlebrook, who took nine wickets in the match when he stood in for Rashid earlier in the season, would take that duty again but Yorkshire chanced that Glenn Maxwell, an allrounder but primarily a batsman, could fill in and how well they were rewarded.Introduced at 108 for 4 after 45 overs, Maxwell’s off-breaks claimed two key wickets in the space of three deliveries when Franklin inside-edged to short leg and John Simpson was trapped leg before, his ball keeping a touch low, at which point the Middlesex innings was collapsing at 119 for 6. Ollie Rayner went after him, hitting five of his next eight deliveries to the fence and surviving a dropped catch at short leg, but Maxwell came back with a ball that somehow squeezed through between his legs and bowled him.Compton ultimately fell to Brooks. Required to be bolder as wickets fell around him he gave Brooks his fourth wicket when he drove at one that found the edge and was taken at third slip by Leaning at the second attempt. Patterson, reliably consistent as ever, picked up his second wicket before James Harris, whose last-wicket show of defiance with Tim Murtagh at least meant Middlesex’s effort was not pointless, hooked to long leg to give Brooks his second five-wicket haul of the season.Murtagh was back in the Middlesex side for Steven Finn, called up by England, and took two wickets as Yorkshire’s day ended with something of a backs-to the-wall effort needed. Ballance, who needs some county runs more than most, struggled again, dismissed by Murtagh for 1 and Lees’ run of low scores continued when he edged the same bowler to second slip.Lyth looked in better shape, but the ball after he had hit one delicious drive past mid-off for four he followed a ball from Toby Roland-Jones that left him late and was caught, also at second slip. Andrew Gale’s dismissal left Yorkshire in difficulties and much will depend on Bairstow and Leaning staying out of trouble in the first hour on the second day.

Michael Clarke has been ruled out of the ODI series against Pakistan in the UAE in October because of the hamstring injury he sustained during the tri-series in Zimbabwe

Brydon Coverdale16-Sep-2014Australia captain Michael Clarke has been ruled out of the ODI series against Pakistan in the UAE and is in doubt for the Tests that follow. Clarke flew home from the recent tri-series in Zimbabwe due to a left-hamstring injury and Australia’s physiotherapist, Alex Kountouris, confirmed on Tuesday that the problem was “significant” and tendon damage had been discovered.If Clarke were to miss the two-Test series it would be a major blow for Australia, given his proficiency in spinning conditions and the struggles the rest of Australia’s batsmen have displayed on the same surfaces. Kountouris said a decision on Clarke would not be made until closer to the first Test, which begins in Dubai on October 22, after a four-day warm-up game in Sharjah.”Since returning to Australia, Michael has had a series of investigations that have confirmed a significant hamstring injury,” Kountouris said. “Importantly, the scans have demonstrated tendon damage, which complicates the recovery from this injury.”As such, he will not recover in time to be available for the ODI series in the UAE. We are hopeful that he will be available for the Test series, but this will be determined at a date closer to the first Test.”Clarke succumbed to the injury at Australia’s first training session in Harare for the one-day series against Zimbabwe and South Africa, and he sat out of the first two matches. However, he came back for the third game and aggravated the injury while batting, forcing him to retire hurt on 68, although he resumed his innings in the final over after Australia struggled against spin.He also returned to the field late in Zimbabwe’s successful chase as he sought to prevent an embarrassing defeat, even bowling an over himself. It is unclear whether the injury was worsened by his decision to continue playing an active role in the match, but he was sent home to begin his recovery soon after that game.Australia’s series against Pakistan begins with a Twenty20 international on October 5 in Dubai, followed by three ODIs in Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. George Bailey is expected to captain the one-day side in Clarke’s absence, while Phillip Hughes has been named by the selectors as the replacement batsman for Clarke in the ODIs.Brad Haddin would be the most likely candidate to lead the Test side if Clarke was also ruled out of the two Tests in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Clarke has only once missed a Test through injury, when his back forced him to sit out of the fourth Test against India in Delhi last year, when Shane Watson stepped in as captain.

The Portuguese is fighting for his future at the moment but not everybody is convinced he should go, with arguments to be considered on both sides

Barely a single word was uttered on Valencia on Monday as Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho was instead left to field countless questions about his future and the demeanour of his squad ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash with the Spanish outfit at Old Trafford.

Saturday's 3-1 defeat to West Ham increased the pressure on the under-fire Portuguese, with United slipping to 10th place in the Premier League table after a shambolic showing in the capital.

But while some have claimed that Zinedine Zidane has been lined up as a potential replacement, Mourinho remains in the job for now as the Red Devils look to fight their way out of a full-blown crisis.

Is now the right time to pull the trigger, or does Mourinho deserve more time? Goal runs through the reasons why United should sack him and those why he should be saved.

Getty1SAVE HIM: The costly pay-off

Even if a consensus is reached that firing Mourinho is the right thing to do given the context, the Portuguese’s exit is set to cost Manchester United a huge amount of money. With the best part of two years left on his Old Trafford deal and a club option for a further 12 months, the manager stands to gain a further £33 million during his United stay thanks to his £12m agreement.

It is believed that there is a clause in his deal though which would allow the club to pay him a £12m settlement should they decide to sack him before the end of the 2019-20 season, cutting between £9m and £21m off their total expected outlay.

But that would mean the club having to fork out £12m to pay off Mourinho even before considering the cost of taking on a new manager’s salary and signing-on bonuses, which would make it one almighty outlay for the miserly Ed Woodward to countenance.AdvertisementGetty2SAVE HIM: This is hardly a surprise to United

What exactly did United expect they were going to get when they appointed Mourinho in 2016? They sacked Louis van Gaal within 48 hours of winning the FA Cup because they wanted the closest thing they could find to guaranteed success at whatever cost.

They knew what Mourinho had got up to in the past, but they bought into it. They knew he’d demand costly changes to the squad to get them competing, but they bought into it. They knew they risked alienating those fans who want more than anything to see flowing football, but they bought into it.

Changing now would abandon yet another strategy – a third different vision in little over five years – and the need to develop a new one could be further damaging to a club which is desperately looking to pick a direction and stick to it.GETTY3SAVE HIM: Can a successor be expected to make a huge difference?

Which brings us to the replacement. United should only sack Mourinho if they are certain they can bring in an upgrade, and that is not necessarily the case right now. Of course, Zinedine Zidane’s name has been widely linked and Mourinho was even asked on Monday whether the Frenchman had called to say he was not after the United job.

But while Zidane comes with a pedigree having won three straight Champions Leagues, he took the job at Real Madrid with a squad of superstars already waiting for him. At United he would have a promising first XI but not too much else beyond that, leaving him with a far different proposition than the one which saw him achieve unprecedented success at the Santiago Bernabeu.

United were keen on Mauricio Pochettino before selecting Mourinho in 2016 and the Tottenham boss would be a fair target come next summer. But an immediate change in boss could rule out the Argentine, and the chance to make a considered appointment of a man who puts football first might be spurned as a result.ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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Getty4SAVE HIM: Mourinho is not the start and end of United's problems

While there is a clear issue with Mourinho, it is not United’s only area of concern right now… not by a long chalk. Bringing in a new manager will not do anything to resolve the fact that the Glazers’ takeover continues to cost the club around 80 per cent of its operating profit. It will also not address the fact that there is a serious lack of football-savvy decision-makers knocking around the club and executive vice-chair Ed Woodward gives the impression of a man out of his depth in the transfer arena.

And similarly a change of regime will not automatically fill the gaps in United’s anaemic squad, nor will it bring the bigger names into line without the perfect appointment being made upon Mourinho’s exit. The manager has fought for more care to be placed into the upkeep of the playing staff but the board have not been willing to do that, so why wouldn’t more of the same be in store for the next incumbent without greater support from the boardroom?

Gujarat Lions, coming off three successive defeats, run into Kolkata Knight Riders in a top-of-the-table clash at Eden Gardens on Sunday night

The Preview by Deivarayan Muthu07-May-2016Match factsSunday, May 8, 2016
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)2:39

Cullinan: Gambhir looks hungry for runs

Big PictureIt’s a top-of-the-table clash at Eden Gardens. Kolkata Knight Riders are at No. 1 with six wins in nine matches. Gujarat Lions have an equal number of wins, but have played an extra game and are smarting from three successive defeats.Lions’ struggles are best exemplified by their last three Powerplay scores – 26 for 3, 35 for 3 and 36 for 2. Dwayne Smith and Brendon McCullum’s failures have added more pressure on a middle order that has yet to fire. And if they were thinking of slotting Aaron Finch back at the top, there is doubt over his fitness again. Finch struck his fourth fifty in six matches in Hyderabad, but did not take the field for the chase.While Lions have a few key batsmen out of form – Suresh Raina has only one fifty in 10 innings and Dwayne Bravo has barely been striking at a run a ball – Knight Riders’ depth has served them well.Gautam Gambhir, who has opened up his stance, and Robin Uthappa have strung five fifty-plus partnerships this season. When they tripped up, against Royal Challengers Bangalore for example, Andre Russell and Yusuf Pathan bashed 96 off 44 balls to secure an unlikely victory.Russell topped that with a breathtaking spell against Kings XI Punjab and with Morne Morkel’s pace and bounce from the other end, Knight Riders have the Powerplay covered.Piyush Chawla has been tidy in the middle overs, with eight wickets in eight games at 23.75. The only worry for the hosts is Sunil Narine’s form and fitness. So far, Narine has been predictable; the ball isn’t spinning both ways anymore. He’s also nursing a finger injury.Form guideKolkata Knight Riders WWLLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Gujarat Lions LLLWWIn the spotlightBravo and Chawla are currently tied with 117 IPL wickets. Returning from injury on Friday, Bravo impressed with his slower balls again, but managed only 18 off 20 balls with the bat. Lions will want more from Bravo with the bat.Chawla, meanwhile, has mixed his legbreaks and googlies well, and will relish bowling at Eden Gardens. He has 13 wickets in 11 matches for Knight Riders at this venue.Team newsIf Sunil Narine needs more time to regain fitness, Knight Riders are likely to persist with left-arm wrist spinner Brad Hogg.Kolkata Knight Riders (probable): 1 Gautam Gambhir(capt), 2 Robin Uthappa(wk), 3 Manish Pandey, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Shakib Al Hasan, 6 Yusuf Pathan, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Piyush Chawla, 9 Brad Hogg/Sunil Narine, 10 Morne Morkel, Umesh YadavLions may consider including James Faulkner if Finch has aggravated a hamstring injury he suffered last month. Left-arm seamer Pradeep Sangwan, who leaked 28 runs in two overs on Friday, is likely to make way for batsman Ishan Kishan or left-arm spinner Shadab Jakati.Gujarat Lions (probable): 1 Dwayne Smith, 2 Brendon McCullum, 3 Suresh Raina(capt), 4 Dinesh Karthik(wk), 5 Aaron Finch/James Faulkner, 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Dwayne Bravo, 8 Pradeep Sangwan/Ishan Kishan/Shadab Jakati, 9 Praveen Kumar 10 Dhawal Kulkarni, 11 Shivil KaushikPitch and conditionsThe Eden Gardens surface has traditionally been slow and favours spin. Sunday is expected to be a warm day, with chances of showers in the afternoon.Stats and trivia Russell has picked up six Man-of-the-Match awards for Knight Riders since IPL 2015. Dhawal Kulkarni has bowled three wicket maidens this season. No other bowler has bowled more than one wicket maiden.

This was a tournament packed with amazing storylines, from surprise packages to shock early exits, but who stood out, for both good and bad reasons?

The 2023 Women's World Cup delivered a tournament like no other, with thrills and spills at every corner as the likes of Germany, Brazil and the United States, winners of the last two editions, all crashed out early on, while teams such as Japan entertained all and co-hosts Australia reached an historic semi-final.

It was a World Cup that saw young stars rise to the fore, with Salma Paralluelo shining for eventual champions Spain, Aoba Fujino putting in some dazzling performances for Japan and Lauren James lighting up the world stage for England.

And it was a tournament that delivered its fair share of memorable games, be it Colombia's incredible win over Germany, South Africa's dramatic triumph over Italy that secured a first-ever appearance in the knockout rounds, or Jamaica's draw against Brazil which allowed them to follow the African champions in booking an historic last-16 spot.

So, who were the biggest winners and losers in Australia and New Zealand? GOAL takes a look…

Getty ImagesWINNER: Jorge Vilda

Spain came into this tournament with so much noise around them. After calls for change within the federation followed last year's European Championship, 15 players withdrew from selection for the national team and only three returned for this World Cup.

That meant they were without stars such as Mapi Leon, widely regarded as the best centre-back in the world; Patri Guijarro, Player of the Match in the Women's Champions League final in June; and Claudia Pina, one of Spain's brightest young talents.

But the federation stuck with head coach Jorge Vilda, despite reporting his 'excessive control' and the players' desire for 'greater demand in training'. Had Spain endured a disappointing World Cup, perhaps greater questions would be asked of that decision in the aftermath. However, their triumph will certainly quieten that noise and benefit Vilda.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesLOSER: Sam Kerr

This was meant to be Sam Kerr's tournament. One of the best players on the planet and the face of the Australia women's national team, this was supposed to be a dream for her, a chance for her to captain her team to levels they'd never before reached, and all on home soil.

In the end, it was a fantastic tournament for the Matildas, who reached the World Cup semi-finals for the first time in their history. But for Kerr it will be bittersweet, as a calf injury completely limited her on-pitch involvement in that success.

That team-mate and close friend Steph Catley described her absence from the opening game as "one of the most heart-breaking moments of [her] career" said it all. Kerr did get her moment in the semi-finals, Stadium Australia erupting when her thunderous strike flew over Mary Earps and into the top corner to level the scores against England, and it is a moment that will stick with so many Matildas fans forever.

But she'll be rueing those two missed chances that followed it, before England ran out 3-1 winners. If she'd have been fully fit, instead of that being her first start of the tournament, she'd have probably put them away, too.

GettyWINNER: Africa

This World Cup was an absolutely massive one for Africa, with each of Nigeria, Morocco and South Africa qualifying from really tough groups to reach the last 16.

For Morocco, it was a big nod to the strong work the federation has done investing in women's football and committing to supporting the sport more. The country did a fantastic job at last year's Women's Africa Cup of Nations, both in how it was hosted and that the national team reached the final, and their successful debut at the World Cup was another huge step in the right direction.

Nigeria and South Africa, meanwhile, sent messages to their federations with their performances. Both teams have been surrounded by off-field chaos before, during and after the tournament, but they did their talking on the pitch in Australia and New Zealand, showcasing the wonderful talent they have and the fantastic football they can play.

Hopefully this is the latest sign that women's football is massively on the rise in Africa and there will be more investment and, thus, success stories in the near future.

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Getty ImagesLOSER: Sweden

Sweden have reached the semi-finals in seven of their last nine major tournaments and yet winning one continues to elude them.

The Scandinavian nation have long had an incredible generation of talent, with the likes of Barcelona star Fridolina Rolfo, AC Milan playmaker Kosovare Asllani, and Magdalena Eriksson, the long-time Chelsea captain before her summer switch to Bayern Munich, all in the 23 for this year's World Cup. But getting over the line and getting their hands on a major title continues to be beyond them.

At the weekend, they claimed a third World Cup bronze medal in 12 years to go alongside the two Olympic silver medals they've collected in that same timeframe. They had a real chance to make this final, too, scoring a late equaliser in the last four against Spain, only to lose all that momentum when they conceded the winning goal moments later.

Will they be able to go all the way on these big stages?

India born Ish Sodhi is looking forward to the challenge of bowling against India, who are fine players of spin

Abhishek Purohit in Auckland04-Feb-2014Ish Sodhi was born in India and spent his childhood years in the country before migrating with his parents to New Zealand. He could be playing his first match against the Indians at Eden Park in two days’ time, and his parents could be watching from the stands. While he feels that will be a special moment, he makes it clear it means a lot to be able to represent New Zealand. Sodhi is only 21, and says it will be his hardest challenge so far to bowl to the Indians, who are such fine players of spin.”First and foremost the main thing is I might get a chance to play for my country and that is the biggest thing for me,” Sodhi said. “And any chance to play India, obviously I was born there (Ludhiana) and it is special being able to play against India because I have a massive Indian heritage. But I am playing against the best players in the world. That is the big thing to come out of it. The players are also very good players of spin. In general Indian batsmen do come hard at spin. It is quite exciting. Emotion is always going to be there.”It is a very big challenge. Obviously you want to be playing against the best in the world and you want to be challenged, and that is the way you find yourself as a cricketer and a person. Also as a person you put yourself in tough situations. Playing at Eden Park is also special to me.”Sodhi grew up idolizing Anil Kumble and has recently spent some time talking legspin with Shane Warne. He said the biggest takeaway from the meeting was Warne’s ability to focus. “As a child you always like to copy bowlers, you try to be Shane Warne, you try to be Anil Kumble. He was my hero growing up. But it is different because you get to a point where you sort of tell yourself ‘I can’t be like Anil Kumble, I can’t be Shane Warne because I’m not built the same way, my mind doesn’t work the same way’. So I have to take into account the bigger things they do and sort of make them the best I can make them with the ability that I have.”The biggest thing for me was that he (Warne) was so balanced about the approach to the game. Whether that be, inside the cricket field or outside the cricket field. He was never really clouding his mind with too many thoughts. But when he did bowl everything he took into account how he was going to bowl that day. That was massive to me, kind of relaxed. You are not the only person under pressure.”As a young bowler, advice comes from all corners, and Sodhi said one had to learn how to filter out the useful bits, although he would keep talking to people who were close to him. “A lot of people do offer you advice, and the way you use that advice is up to you really. Some stuff is really good and some is not helpful. But being young you sort of listen and depending on how tough you are you sort of list things you should and shouldn’t do. That is how I am learning as I grow. As I say I am still young and I have quite a lot to learn before I can feel like a whole package.”I have spoken to a few people like Daniel Vettori, we have spoken a few times about it but not in too much detail. In the next two days I will have a few conversations. Otherwise a lot of people in this team have played a lot of cricket and I will be able to pick their brains.”Sodhi goes into the Tests on the back of a five-wicket haul for Northern Districts against Canterbury. While he said his rhythm was good, he admitted he would have to perform a defensive role as well, especially in the first innings. “(With) legspin you see yourself as an attacking weapon. But I think there are going to be times in the Test series there will be the holding job and I might have to do that. It will be the pace bowlers in the first innings and if it does spin later in the second innings then I might have to (attack). It is about adjusting between those two modes.”

A round-up of the Vijay Hazare Trophy matches on November 9, 2014

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Nov-2014West ZoneMumbai showed off their famous tenacity in domestic cricket by fighting back to take a four-run victory over Baroda. After being bowled out for a meagre 201, Mumbai were in big trouble as Aditya Waghmode’s 69 took Baroda to 157 for 4 in the 35th over. But Baroda lost five wickets for 23 to leave the final pair needing to make 22. The unlikely hero for Mumbai was 20-year-old part-time offspinner Akhil Herwadkar, playing only his second List A game. In 30 youth ODIs, Herwadkar has only one wicket, but with his team in crisis, he chipped in with three, including the final one of Lukman Meriwala.Another youngster, 17-year-old Sarfaraz Khan, came to Mumbai’s rescue with the bat. He top scored with an unbeaten 41 to guide Mumbai past 200. Other major contributions came from the vastly experienced pair of Wasim Jaffer and Suryakumar Yadav. Yet another youngster, 19-year-old Deepak Hooda, did most of the damage for Baroda, taking 5 for 55 in only his second List A match.A violent half-century from Jesal Karia provided the finishing touches as Gujarat gunned down a target of 267 against Maharashtra in Motera. He was unbeaten on 56 off 25 balls, including seven fours and two sixes as the game was closed with 11 balls to spare.Gujarat’s decision to field had seemed to pay off with only Harshad Khadiwale’s 54 being the only significant contribution from the Maharashtra top-four. The middle-order though posed a greater challenge as birthday boy Nikhil Naik struck a breezy 64 while captain Rohit Motwani and Nikhil Paradkar struck forties to push the total to 266.A fifty from opener Smit Patel gave exactly the kind of foundation Gujarat would have wanted to spring from. They made steady progress through the middle overs with captain Parthiv Patel’s 45 off 53 and Karia used that foundation to smash 31 runs in three overs with Rujul Bhat for the fifth wicket and 45 runs in four for the sixth wicket to spoil Naik’s party and give himself a belated 25th birthday present.East ZoneA five-wicket haul from the medium-pacer Rituraj Singh, followed by an unbeaten half-century from Virat Singh helped Jharkhand get off to a winning start, as they crushed Tripura by eight wickets in Kolkata.Tripura, batting first, began shakily and were precariously placed at 30 for 5 before Nirupam Sen Chowdhary and Rakesh Solanki led a mini-recovery with an 87-run partnership. Solanki top-scored with 63 and Sen Chowdhary hit 42, but both batsmen were dismissed within four overs of each other, triggering another collapse. Rituraj ran through the tail to collect 5 for 34, as Tripura fell from 117 for 5 to 173 all out.Jharkhand lost the opener Ishank Jaggi early, but they were never really in danger of missing out on such a small target. Virat stroked 11 fours and a six during his 86, and put up big stands with Ishan Kishan (36) and Kumar Deobrat (48*) to guide the team home in 33.3 overs.Odisha’s bowlers set up a comprehensive five-wicket victory against Assam at the Bengal Cricket Academy. Assam, having been inserted, were bundled out for 103 in 44.3 overs, with only three batsmen managing double-digit scores. Odisha’s bowlers all went at under four an over, with Basant Mohanty (3 for 14) and Deepak Behera (3 for 16) sharing six wickets between them, and Paresh Patel chipping in with 2 for 12.Odisha began the chase with a 55-run opening stand from Paresh and Bikas Pati, but four quick wickets from Pritam Das dragged the team down to 77 for 5. However, with only a few runs left to get, Anurag Sarangi dashed any hopes of an unlikely Assam win by scoring 22 not out to lead Odisha over the line in 23.2 overs.