West Indies have a clear mantra: bat long, grind the opposition down and then take advantage of their weariness on a pitch with uneven bounce
ESPNcricinfo staff09-Jun-2018West Indies last won a Test at Queen’s Park Oval in 2008, against a Sri Lankan side that had Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan. Ten years later, they’re at it again, albeit against a Sri Lankan side which doesn’t the same kind of experience.West Indies are missing some stalwarts too. In 2008, they had Chris Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Marlon Samuels and Dwayne Bravo to bank on. But the latest crop of batsmen were still able to drive home a sizeable advantage on the third day of the first Test. This after the fast bowlers – Miguel Cummins, Jason Holder, Shannon Gabriel and Kemar Roach – picked up eight wickets to skittle Sri Lanka for 185 and open up a 229-run first-innings lead. By stumps, that lead had swollen to 360.Kieran Powell led the attack in the second innings, reaching his fifth Test fifty with a six over long-off. The 28-year old, who briefly gave up cricket for baseball in 2016, flourished when none of the others from the top five could get past 20. Powell remained unbeaten on 64 off only 80 deliveries as West Indies ended the day on 131 for 4.”The team was in a good position already since we had a 200-run (229) lead,” he told . “We had a relatively good start, but it was my job to try and stamp the authority in the innings to ensure we have a good lead. Most importantly, the plan was to keep Sri Lanka on the field and get them tired.”That perhaps explains why West Indies didn’t enforce the follow-on despite wrapping up Sri Lanka’s innings halfway through the third day. The surface may have also come into consideration while deciding to bat again. Where it was offering assistance to the seam bowlers on the opening day, there had been considerable wear and tear by stumps on day three.As uneven bounce creeps into the Test, West Indies have the upper hand. “On the first day, the surface was a bit tacky, it was a bit more moist,” Powell said. “Now, it’s keeping a bit low so you have to play straight and watch the ball very long, obviously a few guys got a few balls that rolled, few bounced so it’s a tricky pitch and it bodes well for us.”We’re in a good position, 360 ahead, so it’s just a matter of taking time out of the game, once we bat time, we will score runs. The plan is to bat till lunch and take it from there, put ourselves in a position from where we can’t lose the game and getting Sri Lankans to run around in the sun tomorrow.”
After a week of celebrating the sublime victory over Manchester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers are back in action in the Premier League as the Old Gold host Midlands rivals Aston Villa this afternoon.
The stage is set at Molineux for another test for Gary O’Neil’s side to face, with Unai Emery’s in-form Villans set to pose a huge threat for the squad to battle.
If there’s one element that Wolves won't be short of, it’s confidence, following the heroic 2-1 win over Pep Guardiola’s treble winners last weekend.
Villa will take the 21-mile trip to Wolverhampton also full of morale, after demolishing Brighton 6-1 in their previous Premier League fixture, setting the scene for a feisty affair in the Midlands.
What is the latest Wolves team news?
After the victory over Manchester City, Tommy Doyle will most likely re-enter the frame in some capacity against Villa, after being ineligible to play against his parent club last weekend.
Jean-Ricner Bellegarde made an encouraging start to life at Molineux after signing on deadline day, however, the Frenchman’s progression was brought to a halt as he was sent off against Luton Town.
The midfielder was handed a three-match ban, and will subsequently be out of action against the Villans.
With no fresh injuries to report, O’Neil will look to field his strongest side in the bid to break down Emery’s constantly progressing side, with a host of notable talents having the potential to cause the Spaniard some problems.
With the combination of Pedro Neto and Hee Chan Hwang already causing havoc this term, Wolves must produce again and take their chances to keep the ball rolling after a difficult summer.
It’s not just the forwards who could cause Villa issues, with O’Neil’s full-backs emerging as added threats on the flanks.
What problems could Nelson Semedo cause Aston Villa?
One player who has risen to the occasion this season is Nelson Semedo, who has faced a fair amount of criticism since arriving in England from Barcelona back in 2020.
The right-back was praised heavily by former Wolves midfielder Dave Edwards, who told Express and Star that he thought the £80k-per-week Portuguese defender had topped his previous performances with his “best game” against City last week.
Against City, the former Barcelona ace highlighted just why he is the first choice in the position, providing added support going forward on the overlap with Neto, and being solid in defence.
As per Sofascore, Semedo recorded four clearances, three interceptions and three tackles against the treble winners, earning an impressive 7.1 match rating for his efforts.
One area that is questionably a weak spot for Villa is the left side of defence, with Lucas Digne being described as “poor” for his defensive contributions at times in claret and blue by journalist Luis Miguel Echegaray.
In the league this season, Wolves’ star right-back has averaged a successful dribble rate of 67%, suggesting just how he could expose Digne when supporting the attack on the right side.
As displayed against City, O’Neil has found sanctuary in Joao Gomes’ midfield presence, with the Brazilian covering the absence of Semedo at the back when the 29-year-old ventures forward.
With Neto in fine form and supported by the expertise of the former La Liga star, Wolves could have discovered the combination to unlock Villa’s sometimes frail left-back.
Chelsea will face Manchester United in a blockbuster Women's FA Cup semi-final tie, with the winner to take on Tottenham or Leicester at Wembley.
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Women's FA Cup semi-final draw madeChelsea face Man Utd in repeat of last year's finalHuge opportunity for Spurs and LeicesterWHAT HAPPENED?
Tuesday morning's draw pitted two of the Women's Super League's top four against each other in what will be a repeat of last season's final. It comes following Chelsea's narrow win over Everton in last weekend's quarter-finals and Man Utd's 4-0 victory over Brighton.
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In the other semi-final, this is an absolutely huge chance for Spurs and Leicester. Neither have been to Wembley before and both will see this draw as a massive opportunity to change that. Spurs beat Manchester City on penalties in the shock of the round on Sunday, while Leicester came through an evenly-matched clash with Liverpool the day before.
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Chelsea have won each of the last three FA Cup finals, beating Arsenal, Man City and Man Utd respectively.
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The two semi-finals will be played across the weekend of April 13 and April 14, with the final at Wembley set to take place on May 12.
Durham, once bereft in North Group, added leaders Worcestershire to their victims as they continued to transform their season
ECB Reporters Network20-Jul-2018 ScorecardBen Stokes put on a clinic with bat and ball to guide Durham Jets to a dominant seven-wicket victory over Worcestershire Rapids in their Vitality Blast clash at Emirates Riverside.The England all-rounder was imperious with the ball, claiming figures of 4 for 16 from his four overs. He then opened the innings to blast a score of 43 off 24 deliveries, and with Graham Clark’s knock of 55, the home side were able to canter to a comfortable win.Durham have won their last three matches on the bounce against tough opposition and are well in contention to reach the knockout phase of the competition, while the Rapids have now dropped their second game in a row, needing a response to stop their slide after their strong start.Clar said: “”We’ve played some good teams. We’ve beaten the two finalists from last year and to beat top of the group tonight it’s standing us in good stead. Confidence is sky high at the moment and hopefully we can keep winning in this competition.”The Jets on the toss and elected to bowl boosted by the return of Stokes, although Paul Collingwood and Chris Rushworth missed out. Worcestershire had Moeen Ali back in their ranks and hit the second ball of the innings to the boundary over point, but James Weighell responded to dismiss him in the next ball. Martin Guptill struggled to get the ball off the square and was to fall victim to a Stokes’ delivery that kept low for seven.Travis Head’s form at the crease allowed his side to post 40 from their opening six overs. Rimmington turned the momentum in favour of Durham by removing Daryl Mitchell. Head continued his knock, although his strike rate did not get away from the home side. The Australian fell for 40 as he was undone by a straight delivery from Imran Tahir, sparking a collapse in the Rapids’ innings.Stokes returned to the attack to have both Ross Whiteley and Ben Cox caught on the boundary, while Tahir notched his second strike of the innings as Ed Barnard knicked off. Luke Wood continued the procession of wickets, drilling straight to Liam Trevaskis in the deep. Stokes ensured that the Rapids were held in check as he claimed his fourth scalp by bowling Dillon Pennington, while a fine piece of fielding ended the innings for 121 as Rimmington ran out Patrick Brown with a flick out of the back of his hand.Graham Clark and Stokes got their side off to a flying start in their chase. Both openers were able to find the boundary with regularity, putting the home side comfortably ahead of the required rate. The duo reached their fifty partnership at the end of the fifth over, compounding their advantage at the crease.Stokes dispatched Ali over long on for a huge six to reach 43, but his England team-mate had a semblance of revenge as Guptill took a catch on the fence from the following delivery, ending the opening partnership at 77. Clark continued to put the Rapids to the sword after the loss of Stokes, reaching his fifty off 35 balls, including seven boundaries and a six. The opener fell before the Jets could close out the victory as Trevaskis hit the winning runs.
Virat Kohli wants to try different players in different roles as India’s tour of the United Kingdom gathers steam
The Preview by Varun Shetty28-Jun-20181:58
Chopra: Bhuvneshwar, Pandya need to do more
Big pictureThere were two particular things in evidence in the first T20I. The more obvious of them was India’s complete difference in class to their opponents Ireland. At no point, other than when catches were being dropped in both innings, did the match come close to being a contest.The second visible feature was that India were definitely in the game to experiment. The inclusions of Suresh Raina and Manish Pandey, at the expense of Dinesh Karthik – who single-handedly won them their last T20I – was the first sign of that. Sending Raina up at No. 3 (he was the only batsman other than the openers padded up during the national anthem) instead of at No. 4, that big batting void of India’s across limited-overs formats, all but confirmed this. And with only one game before the England series, we might see this experimental trend extend. Virat Kohli said at the toss that India were trying to get used to the “cool winds” in this part of the world, and more of their players might be given a chance to do that, particularly those who will be sticking around for all of India’s tour of the UK.Ireland weren’t above experimenting either. It is, after all, the time for their next generation to take over. James Shannon and Simi Singh were offered significant batting roles and that isn’t likely to change any time soon. With top-quality cricket hard to come by as the cricket world debates inclusion, they’re likely to treat this game like India would – a practice match. Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar, expected to be at the game on Friday, will have to settle for that.Form guideIreland LTWLL (last five completed matches, most recent first) India WWWWW Rohit Sharma works the ball into the leg side•Cricket IrelandIn the spotlightKL Rahul is likely to get a shot at the opening position on Friday and it won’t feel any different than all the other times he’s played for India. There will remain a sense that he has to score big just to keep his place in the XI. At least among his fans. Rahul himself is no longer obsessed with perfection in the shorter formats, a reality brought about by a sensational last IPL season. More assured, more mature, the spotlight may finally be what he uses to make runs, rather than score points.After a superb season playing ODIs in India against Afghanistan last year, Andy Balbirnie’s stature as Ireland’s middle-order mainstay had grown. But he hasn’t been able to bring that reputation to bear in T20Is. Mind you, he did make 74 just a few innings ago in the tri-series in the Netherlands, but in nine other innings, Balbirnie has only 98 runs to his name.Team newsUnless they’re tempted to bring in fast bowler Joshua Little, Ireland are expected to play the same XI.Ireland (probable) 1 Paul Stirling, 2 William Porterfield, 3 Andy Balbirnie, 4 Simi Singh, 5 Gary Wilson (capt), 6 Kevin O’Brien, 7 Stuart Thompson, 8 Stuart Poynter (wk), 9 George Dockrell, 10 Boyd Rankin, 11 Joshua LittleKohli made no secret of the fact that India will be looking to rotate their squad around. This could mean wholesale changes in all departments. Rohit Sharma is expected to sit out.India (probable) 1 KL Rahul, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 Suresh Raina, 5 MS Dhoni (wk), 6 Manish Pandey/Dinesh Karthik, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar/Umesh Yadav, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Jasprit Bumrah/Siddarth KaulPitch conditionsThere is no change expected in the pitch or conditions. It continues to be a high for Ireland, in terms of weather, and the flat pitch is expected to stay as dry as it did throughout the opening game.Stats and trivia Shikhar Dhawan is 42 runs away from becoming the sixth Indian to 1,000 T20I runs. Since June 2010, Suresh Raina has made only international fifty in this format.Quotes’We’ve already announced we will experiment with the middle order a lot. Even in the next few T20 games, even in England, we will look to throw in guys and surprise the opposition. It presents an opportunity for those lower down the order to go in and bat at the top. In the next games, we will play the guys who didn’t play today.’
“We don’t have to get ourselves up for anything. Playing in front of 9000 people in Malahide on days like this against the best T20 side probably in the world – if you cannot get up for that you cannot get up for anything else. We have got ourselves down but we will be back up Friday.”
Everton could make a move for a renowned Premier League player in the January transfer window, with A View From The Bullens presenter Ben Winstanley left excited by the news.
Everton January transfer links
The Blues have reached a crucial point in their recent history, with a move to a new stadium happening next summer, highlighting how imperative it is that they are still playing Premier League football at that point.
Having only just avoided relegation to the Championship in the past two seasons, there is understandable trepidation within the fanbase surrounding a third consecutive fight at the bottom of the table, although results have picked up in recent weeks, with two wins coming in their last three league games.
In order for Everton to continue pulling away from the drop zone, it could be that the club look to sign new players in January, bolstering Sean Dyche's squad and giving him more ability to rotate during the business end of the campaign.
Recent reports have suggested that Everton want to sign Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips, who has really struggled to nail down a regular starting berth for the Premier League champions since joining last year.
Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips.
Everton transfer news – Kalvin Phillips
Speaking to Give Me Sport, Winstanley reacted to the latest transfer news on Phillips, revealing his delight over a possible move in January:
"Yes, I think if we get him on loan it will be a fantastic signing. I know there was a lot of murmurs in the summer. I think the thing with Phillips for me is he is an out-and-out number six.
"He is your Gareth Barry-esque player who will sit in front of the back four and guard that back four. He likes the ball, he likes to play football.
"I think it'd be an excellent signing and I think it takes the pressure off the likes of Onana, Garner, Gueye, because even though Onana can play in a deeper role, I feel like he's so leggy, so physical, so powerful, that he could be your box-to-box midfielder and he's got the pace to get back as well to obviously contribute with the defending."
Phillips hasn't kicked on in the way many predicted at City, but in fairness, injuries haven't helped his progress, and it is extremely difficult to break into such a star-studded team.
The England international could flourish at Everton and jump at the opportunity to be a regular again, however, going straight into the team and adding a combination of quality and bite in the middle of the park.
Champions League winner
2023
Premier League champion
2023
England Player of the Year
2021
Euro 2020 runner-up
2021
Championship title winner
2020
Last season, Phillips' statistics were still decent on limited playing time, averaging three tackles per game across two EFL Cup appearances, and at 27, there is no reason why he should be slowing down at all yet, thriving at Goodison and boosting his own chances of featuring prominently for England at Euro 2024 next summer.
Even a loan move would make perfect sense for Everton – one that could potentially become permanent at the end of the season – and it is hard to think of negatives surrounding the move coming to fruition.
Manchester City star Matheus Nunes suffered a gruesome finger injury during the Champions League game against FC Copenhagen.
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City face CopenhagenNunes suffers horrific injuryCity win 3-1WHAT HAPPENED?
The Portugal international started the game at the Etihad Stadium, but was forced off in the second half after falling awkwardly on his hand and breaking one of his fingers. Images of the injury have since swept social media, due to the horrific nature of the incident. Scroll on to see them but be warned, they are not for the faint-hearted.
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Despite Nunes being forced off with the injury, City would go on to secure a 3-1 win on the night, therefore progressing into the next round of the Champions League, with the aggregate scoreline 6-2 across the two legs against the Danish side. Erling Haaland, Julian Alvarez and Manuel Akanji were all on the scoresheet.
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After successfully navigating the midweek European fixture, all focus will now shift to the huge Premier League clash against Liverpool on Sunday. Pep Guardiola's side are just one point behind the league leaders heading into the game at Anfield, with the fixture set to play a major role in the title race. This season's first meeting between the two sides back in 2023 ended in a 1-1 draw, with Haaland's opener being cancelled out by Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The summer transfer window marked a poignant moment for those at Tottenham Hotspur, as the curtain came down on Harry Kane's stellar stint at N17 – the England skipper sealing a move to Bundesliga powerhouse Bayern Munich having had just a year to run on his contract in north London.
That high-profile departure had come just under ten years on from Spurs losing another sparkling talisman to a historic, European giant following Gareth Bale's £85m switch to Real Madrid, with chairman Daniel Levy sanctioning that sale on deadline day in 2013.
While it was not long after the Welshman's exit that things began to click under Mauricio Pochettino – as that man Kane emerged onto the scene in 2014/15 – there will be Lilywhites supporters pondering whether 'success' could have been achieved earlier had the now-retired speedster not been allowed to move to the Bernabeu a decade ago.
Could Andre Villas-Boas have remained in the job for a longer stint? Could the north Londoners have begun to challenge the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea at the summit?
Off the back of a 2012/13 season that saw Bale register 40 goals and assists in all competitions, it is easy to contemplate whether the former Southampton could have kicked on even further in English football and helped to end the club's lengthy wait for silverware.
One possible certainty had the Cardiff native stayed put that summer is that Levy is unlikely to have sanctioned a £105m spend on seven new faces in that same window, prior to Bale's exit, with those additions potentially having been signed in the knowledge that the forward was to depart.
With that in mind, here's a look at how Villas-Boas' side could have lined up in 2013/14, had Bale remained in place and the majority of that infamous 'magnificent seven' not been signed…
1 Goalkeeper – Hugo Lloris
Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
The only player from this starting XI that remains on the books under Ange Postecoglou – albeit as a forgotten figure – Hugo Lloris had been snapped up the year prior to Bale's departure, joining on a £13m deal from Ligue 1 side, Lyon.
While the veteran Frenchman has since been cast aside in the present day after initially outlining his desire for a move earlier this year, on the whole, it has been a stunning, lengthy stay in England for the ex-skipper, having racked up 444 appearances in all competitions.
A World Cup winner at international level, in his pomp the 36-year-old was a truly "exceptional" talent – as hailed by ex-teammate Brad Friedel – with a figure of such quality likely having been deserving of a more trophy-laden spell in the Premier League.
Perhaps, with longer time spent watching Bale work his magic higher up the pitch, that goal could have been realised.
2 Right-back – Kyle Walker
The undisputed first-choice option at right-back prior to his £50m move to Manchester City in 2017, Kyle Walker had truly begun to click into gear during the 2012/13 season, with the former Sheffield United ace having provided five assists in 36 league games under Villas-Boas' watch.
That was an early example of the potent attacking threat that the Englishman can offer down the right flank, with it likely to have been exciting to witness the full-back on one side, with Bale on the other wing for a lengthier period of time – a duo that could wreak havoc on opposition defences.
While perhaps not at his peak in Lilywhite, the 33-year-old has since won trophies galore after blossoming into the "best right-back in the world" at the Etihad, as hailed by City's director of football, Txiki Begiristain, having been part of the club's remarkable treble success last term.
3 Centre-back – Michael Dawson
Michael Dawson
Before the days of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, or even Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen, it was Michael Dawson who was holding the fort at the heart of the defence alongside the latter man in 2013, with the former Nottingham Forest ace leading the side as captain at the time.
Having made 27 league outings in 2012/13, Dawson would ultimately go on to make a further 32 appearances in the top flight the following season, prior to joining Hull City in the summer of 2014.
A solid, but unglamorous performer at centre-back, the now-retired titan was perhaps the type of player that Spurs needed to upgrade on at the time, although even if this list were to include the club's infamous seven signings of 2013, eventual flop Vlad Chiriches was the only defensive addition of the lot.
The Belgian colossus would ultimately develop into "one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League and in Europe" – in the words of Pochettino – having been a true "warrior" in the backline after signing from Ajax in 2012.
The classy, left-footer had helped to fill the void of former cult hero, Ledley King following the Englishman's retirement that summer, with Levy and co having found a new figure to build their defence around.
Part of the side that remarkably reached the Champions League final in 2019, Vertonghen eventually departed for Benfica a year later, with the 36-year-old now plying his trade in his homeland for Anderlecht.
The man who could have linked up with Bale down that left channel, Danny Rose had returned to White Hart Lane in the summer of 2013, having spent the previous campaign on loan at Sunderland in the top-tier.
Having struggled to force his way into the first-team set-up in north London despite his stunning debut goal against rivals Arsenal in 2008, it was in 2013/14 that the one-time Leeds man began to make a strong, consistent impression, registering one goal and four assists in 22 league games.
While the 33-year-old would endure a sour end to his time at the club after being cast aside by Jose Mourinho, he still contributed 38 goals and assists in 219 games across all fronts, ensuring he could have been the perfect attacking foil for Bale.
6 Centre-midfield – Mousa Dembele
Mousa Dembele
Lauded as a "genius" by Pochettino, Mousa Dembele blossomed into a real world-beater following the appointment of the Argentine coach in 2014, with the current Chelsea boss having turned him into a 'special player' – as journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke wrote at the time.
There is perhaps a world, however, in which Pochettino may never have ended up at N17, with the continued presence of Bale potentially set to have kept Villas-Boas in a job for far longer, as the Portuguese tactician was eventually sacked in December 2013 – just months after the Welshman's sale.
In the event of that scenario, would Dembele have become the beloved and influential figure that he developed into under Pochettino's watch?
7 Centre-midfield – Gylfi Sigurdsson
Gylfi Sigurdsson
Options in the middle of midfield were particularly thin on the ground at Spurs in 2013, with that summer having seen the likes of Tom Huddlestone and Scott Parker move onto pastures new, leaving Villas-Boas with little depth in that department.
In the event of Bale staying, the likes of Christian Eriksen (£11.5m) and Etienne Capoue (£9m) may never have ended up in north London, leaving Gylfi Sigurdsson as one of few options for the club to work with in that area of the squad.
The Icelandic playmaker, in reality, spent just two years with the Lilywhites prior to leaving for Swansea City in 2014, while he now plies his trade for Danish side Lyngby, after leaving Everton.
8 Centre-midfield – Paulinho
With Bale's sale recouping around £85m – and with Levy ultimately spending £105m – that difference of around £20m could have been what the typically frugal Levy would have been willing to spend had the wing wizard stayed put, ensuring that at least one of the 'magnificent seven' can feature in this lineup.
As the first signing of that summer on a £17m deal from Corinthians, it makes sense for Paulinho to be the sole inclusion in the side, particularly with the centre of the park one of the areas that desperately needed bolstering at the time.
Quite whether Bale staying could have altered the Brazilian's dour stint is difficult to predict, with the 6 foot enigma ultimately lasting just two seasons before departing for China, with eight goals and six assists under his belt in 64 games.
Unsurprisingly, it was the attacking ranks which saw the most change following the exit of Bale, with the likes of Erik Lamela, Roberto Soldado and Nacer Chadli having all been recruited in order to help pep up the front line.
Lamela, in particular, was meant to be the man to try and fill the shoes of the departing hero, although, in his absence, diminutive speedster Aaron Lennon would likely have remained the leading option in that role, having recorded four goals and eight assists in the league in 2012/13.
Just 18 months later, the 21-cap England international was moved on to Everton after falling by the wayside under the Pochettino regime, with things initially tumbling for the club after Bale's move to Madrid.
10 Centre-forward – Emmanuel Adebayor
Emmanuel Adebayor
The second-most expensive signing of that window was Roberto Soldado on a £26m deal, yet had the Spaniard not made the move from his homeland, the onus would have been placed on Emmanuel Adebayor to lead the line heading into 2013/14.
The former Arsenal and Manchester City man wouldn't have exactly been the most inspiring figurehead in attack, however, as he had scored just five league goals in 2012/13, despite previously recording 28 goal involvements in 33 league games the season prior.
Something of a polarising enigma, Adebayor did eventually go on to outscore Soldado – who was the "flop of the season" according to journalist Sam Tighe – with 11 league goals in 13/14, with the summer signing, by contrast, scoring just six top-flight goals as the goalscoring impact of Bale was not adequately filled.
The allrounder wants to be allowed to develop into his own style of player without comparisons to the past
Nagraj Gollapudi at Trent Bridge19-Aug-20180:47
‘Let me be Hardik Pandya, I’m good at being Hardik Pandya’
Hardik Pandya wants to be Hardik Pandya. He wants to stop being compared to the India’s greatest allrounder, Kapil Dev.Pandya took his maiden five-wicket haul within 29 balls on the second day at Trent Bridge, breaking England’s spine as they conceded 168-run lead, which was extended to 292 by the close with India having eight wickets in hand. Pandya is now the second-highest wicket-taker for India with eight and has the best average.Ever since Pandya smashed a 50 on debut and then made a century in his third Test during last year’s tour of Sri Lanka, the question has been asked if he can perform the role that Kapil did for India for about 15 years.Last week, the former West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding told ESPNcricinfo that Pandya is not yet completely performing his role as a bowling allrounder convincingly. Holding had heard Pandya was being compared to Kapil during the South African Test series this January. Based on his own observation Holding said Pandya was “nowhere near” Kapil and India needed to find “somebody” who could contribute more.After his performance on Sunday, which turned the match firmly in India’s favour, Pandya said he is tired of the comparison and wants to put a stop on the talk.”The problem with this is you compare yes, but all of a sudden something goes wrong and they are like he is not that [Kapil Dev],” Pandya said. “I have never wanted to be Kapil Dev. Let me be Hardik Pandya. I am good at being Hardik Pandya, reached here till now, I have played 40 ODIs and now 10 Test matches being Hardik Pandya, not Kapil Dev. They are great in their era. Let me be Hardik Pandya. Stop comparing me with anyone. I will be happy if you don’t.”Talking to former England captain Nasser Hussain on Pandya said he does not care what the critics think. “For sure not. I will simply say one thing. Let’s not worry about me. I know what I am exactly doing. My team backs me. That’s what matters. And to be honest I don’t care what people say.”Pandya told Sky Sports the focus of the bowling group in the second session was to bowl full. “I tried to swing the ball and if you try to swing the ball you go little full. You tend to get driven. I am not afraid of getting driven because if the wickets come runs does not matter.”Pandya added that he did not want the batsmen to read him and one way to do that was to vary his release points, bowl from different parts of the popping crease, use the seam in different angles and create doubts in the their mind.”I feel that if I keep on bowling the same way they might get used to it,” he said. “So I always focus on using the crease or even the line where I am bowling because it is very important, it makes a huge difference. If I go wide and I bowl the same ball the batsman thinks it is coming in with the angle, but if goes out you get the opportunity of getting him out.”In the later press conference, Pandya revealed Ishant Sharma had jokingly told him to talk about his role in the five-for. Jokes apart, Pandya acknowledged Ishant did play a “big role”. Having played against most of the England batsmen in international and county cricket, Ishant has the knowledge of their weaknesses which he shared with Pandya.”Ishy [Ishant] was telling me the same thing: don’t go for the wickets, if you keep bowling at the rights areas, you have the talent to get them. That’s the same thing I tell him and same thing which we tell other bowlers. Keep it tight, let’s see what they do, let’s check their patience and once again we saw the result what happens.”Last year, in Pallekele, Pandya raised his bat to celebrate his maiden Test century. Today, in Nottingham, he flashed the ball to relish the maiden five-wicket haul. Which did he enjoy more? “I am happier with taking five-wicket haul than scoring a hundred. I have taken very few five-wicket hauls, I think this is the second of my life. and it has come at a very important place so I am very happy.”
Manchester United forward Rasmus Hojlund admits he was "bothered" by criticism aimed in his direction over his wait to score a Premier League goal.
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Hojlund endured PL goal droughtFinally opened account vs Villa in DecemberOpens up on criticism during that period(C)Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?
The Denmark international enjoyed a scintillating start to life in the Champions League, scoring five goals as United crashed out at the group stages. But in the league, Hojlund endured a miserable run of 14 games without a goal. The £72 million ($92m) forward was criticised in the media and was the subject of cruel comparisons to TikTok star Sean Mills during said drought. However, Hojlund eventually silenced his critics against Aston Villa in December, with his maiden league goal coming as a last-minute winner in a 3-2 victory. And he admits that it was "great to shut people up" with that strike.
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The Dane told (via ): “There I thought: ‘Finally!’ It was great to shut people up. Of course, it bothered me a bit that people kept talking about this Premier League goal that hadn’t been scored, whereas not many people were talking about the fact that I was top scorer in the Champions League at the same time. I couldn’t quite get my head round that, so it was even nicer to change that 0 to 1.
"I could feel the support from day one, but it’s clear that there are many who want to see you down because you’ve reached the level you’ve reached, and there are many who may be envious. There have been many positive comments, but there have also been some negative ones that I’ve had to sort through. At first, it was a bit difficult to distinguish between one and the other. I’m from a generation where mobile and social media are read an insane amount. I quickly realised that you rarely get anything out of either the good or the bad, so I quickly decided to put it away before a match.”
GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Following a barren run of form in front of goal in the league, Hojlund's nerves appeared to settle as he embarked on an incredible scoring streak. After drawing a blank against Wigan in the FA Cup on January 8, the Dane then scored in six consecutive matches in all competitions for United. Only an untimely training injury stopped him adding to that tally of seven goals and two assists, which he continues to recover from going into the business end of the season.
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DID YOU KNOW?
Hojlund was missed during his four games on the sidelines, with United only scoring three non-penalty goals in that period.