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There is a long way to go if Gary Ballance’s resistance with the bat is to spare Yorkshire a second defeat against Hampshire in three weeks, but his captaincy reputation is growing apace

Vithushan Ehantharajah at the Ageas Bowl23-Apr-2017
ScorecardNot for the first time, it was quite a day for Gary Ballance as Yorkshire captain. A century brought up by lunch was Yorkshire’s sole resistance of note before lunch and, as they addressed an inevitable follow-on, he provided hope that safety could still be achieved.Ballance has not had much help from those around him, illustrious names included. England’s new Test captain Joe Root, having scored just eight in the first innings, returned managed another two in the afternoon, undone by a ball from Kyle Abbott that kept low.It is not too dramatic to say that all hope rests with Ballance, who returns on the final morning unbeaten on 78 with Yorkshire, three down, trailing by 46. Of the 283 overs of play so far, he has only been off the field for 17.2 overs of them.This was Ballance’s 31st first-class hundred of his career. The phrase “captain’s knock” is overused, but Ballance’s record as skipper is remarkable. Of his 13 matches leading Yorkshire and Zimbabwe side Mid West Rhinos, he averages above 80 and, today, made it nine hundreds and six fifties with the armband.Adil Rashid proved Ballance’s most reliable partner in the first innings, sharing a stand of 60 for the seventh wicket. But even Rashid let his love of driving get him into trouble when he tried and failed to clear James Vince at cover for the first wicket of the day.David Willey, yet to do anything of note with the bat for Yorkshire, stuck around for 23 balls, before Steve Patterson came in, struck a few fours and risked his own wicket to allow Ballance to scamper the single that took him to a second hundred of the season (the other came against Hampshire, too, in the first match of the summer) from 180 balls. He eventually fell to Liam Dawson, playing for turn that wasn’t there and giving Sean Ervine the chance to take a fine diving catch at first slip.When the Yorkshire first innings was eventually ended on 231 – Reece Topley removing Ben Coad for his first wicket for Hampshire since signing at the end of the 2015 season – lunch was taken before they were asked to follow on, trailing by 224.For Ballance, there was scant time to rest. The wicket of Adam Lyth – Gareth Berg claiming his wicket for the third time in four dismissals against Hampshire this season – brought Alex Lees back to the crease in the fourth over.Ballance joined him at the end of the ninth and, until the end of the 56th, they were picking off the deficit at will, eventually putting on 150 before Lees departed when Abbott drew an edge with a delivery that moved across him.

It was Geoffrey Boycott who first spotted kindred traits in Ballance – and who are we to argue with his Tykedar?

The narrative to both the Hampshire-Yorkshire tussles this season is derived from the Northerners’ homegrowns and the swanky Southerners’ Saffers. Neither side have backed down, with many on Yorkshire’s side, including their chairman Steven Denison, referring to their opponents as Kolpakshire.That Yorkshire are led by a Zimbabwean-born No 3 pilfered from Derbyshire was not missed in Hampshire. And while the game, along with modern society, could do with not being so precious about man-made boundaries, especially when county cricket needs to ensure its standards, there is something so unshakeably Yorkshire about Ballance.He takes a two-leg guard but stands on leg stump, “just because”. After he was dropped by England in 2015, he was asked that winter if he would change his technique – the assertion being that he had been “found out”. He replied that it was more about doing what he did better rather than trying to do it differently.A year later, he was recalled for the Test side. Today, when Alex Lees survived a caught-behind appeal off Reece Topley and responded to some taunts from the close-in fielders, Ballance left his perch from the non-striker’s end to tell him to cut it out.It was Geoffrey Boycott who first spotted kindred traits in Ballance – and who are we to argue with his Tykedar? During his time as Yorkshire president, Boycott called up Dave Houghton, a family friend (his wife and Ballance’s dad are cousins) who was batting coach at Derbyshire, where Ballance had been playing for two years.Unsurprisingly, there was little sweet talking in the conversation. While commending Ballance’s ability – he was particular impressed by how well he played pace (at the age of 16, Ballance scored 48 against a West Indies A attack featuring Tino Best) – Boycott made it clear that neither he nor Yorkshire were going to bend over backwards for him. If he were to make the move to Yorkshire, he would have to turn his back on a full-time contract at Derbyshire for an academy one at Headingley.”If he plays well for our academy, then we’ll give him a second XI contract,” Boycott told Houghton. “If he plays well enough there, he’ll get a 1st XI contract. And if he plays well enough for Yorkshire, he’ll have every chance of making the England setup.” In 2007, aged 17, Ballance signed that academy deal and, well, you know how the rest played out.He is on the cusp of a remarkable feat: to save a game from the pits Yorkshire have found themselves in over the last three days would be remarkable. It says a lot about Ballance’s career that twin hundreds to single-handedly stave off defeat might not register in its top three moments. As it happens, he managed two centuries in a Championship match at the end of the 2013 season against Surrey.Both he and Lees have shown the rest the way. Ambition to score does not need to be curbed and, as Lees did, the follow-on presents the perfect chance to make amends for the woes of the first go. Peter Handscomb is one of many in the Yorkshire line-up with a rough first innings decision in the back of his mind, while Jonny Bairstow would love a score to quieten the white noise around his early season absence.So to tomorrow, when Ballance will continue his saviour act. He has performed many roles with distinction: a rock at first drop, a middle order motorer, an England cricketer and, occasionally, “a drunken bastard”, even if he did say so himself. On the evidence so far this season, it won’t be long till we can add “fine Yorkshire captain” to that list.

Harry Kane starring in the new Hot Ones episode is "big" due to the "direct and candid questions" the England captain might be asked about according to Rory Jennings.

What team is Harry Kane moving to?

This summer transfer window has seemed like the window in which Kane was going to leave Tottenham Hotspur.

In the months before the window opened, the England captain was heavily linked with potential moves to both Manchester United and Real Madrid, which only intensified following the departure of Madrid's legendary attacker Karim Benzema.

However, neither move materialised, and now it seems both clubs have moved on from the 29-year-old, with the Red Devils reportedly in talks for Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta and Real Madrid instead opting to sign former Newcastle United and Stoke City striker, Joselu, on loan.

One club have maintained interest in the striker though, with German giants Bayern Munich launching multiple bids in an attempt to bring the Spurs record goalscorer to the Allianz Arena. Thomas Tuchel is reportedly a big fan and has held talks with Kane in order to try and convince him to play his football in Bavaria next season, however Daniel Levy has rejected both offers so far, and it remains to be seen whether Bayern have the finances available to pull off the deal.

Tottenham still have not given up hope of convincing their star player to stay at the club next season, with Matt Law reporting that should Kane sign a new deal, he could be paid £400k per week, which would make him the joint-highest paid player in the league alongside Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne. The report states that the England captain is set to meet with new Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou for the time soon, with the Australian having to convince the player that Tottenham is the right club for him going forward.

It was recently announced that Kane was going to appear on YouTube game show "Hot Ones", where contestants will try to eat as many chicken wings coated in hot sauce as possible, with each one increasing in temperature. The twist is the contestants must answer a question after each wing, with the questions normally being quite direct, a fact which excited Jennings, who was speaking on talkSPORT.

Talking to fellow presenter Ale Oladipo, the Chelsea fan revealed that he cannot wait to see what Kane reveals during the episode, and likens it to the forwards appearance on Gary Neville's YouTube channel The Overlap.

"Do you remember the last time he was on a YouTube channel? It was on the golf course with Gary Neville and he pretty much admitted he wanted to leave Tottenham. The fact that on Thursday, a new episode of Hot Ones is coming out and Harry Kane is the star, it's big."

When the topic of the questions asked during Hot Ones episodes was brought up, Jennings said "They're direct, candid questions so there is no way they will skirt around the issues. I cannot wait to see it."

What does this mean for Kane?

Like Jennings said, the last time Kane took part in something like this, it was controversial to say the least.

Two years ago, Neville interviewed the forward as they went round a golf course for the former England fullback's YouTube channel, and in the interview the Spurs striker hinted a couple of times that he was considering a move, with quotes such as "I mean he might want to sell me. He might be thinking, If I could get £100million for you, then why not?" as well as "I'd never say that I'd stay at Spurs for the rest of my career. I'd never say that I would leave Spurs." being quite damning.

The fallout from the video was large, with Spurs chairman Levy reportedly furious with the interview, as he felt disrespected. The report also stated that it strengthened the North London sides desire to keep the forward rather than caving into his demands, which is ultimately what happened, with Kane remaining at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.

It remains to be seen whether this interview will be as explosive or divisive as the Overlap one, but mainly will be eagerly awaiting the release of the video on July 13th to see if it sheds some light on the strikers future at the club.

Aston Villa have reportedly been offered the chance to sign La Liga starlet Nicolas Gonzalez, as Unai Emery bids to rejuvenate his side this summer.

The Spaniard has already hired talent from his homeland this transfer window, with Pau Torres making the switch from Villarreal to Villa earlier this month.

Now, it seems that the Midlands club aren’t finished with their shopping in Spain, if recent reports are to be believed.

Could Aston Villa sign Nicolas Gonzalez?

As reported by Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo earlier this week, Gonzalez has attracted interest from the Midlands, with both Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers named as potential suitors.

The 21-year-old’s agent Jorge Mendes is reported to have offered the player to the clubs, with the possibility of him departing Barcelona this summer with his role in the squad next season unclear.

Valued by FootballTransfers at €14.3m (£12m), Emery could snatch a bright talent for a bargain this transfer window.

How good is Nicolas Gonzalez?

Lauded as a “diamond” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the 21-year-old has returned to his boyhood club following a trialling loan spell at Valencia last term.

In a testing campaign for Los Che, the Spaniard gained some valuable minutes in La Liga, following on from his breakthrough season at Camp Nou.

A product of the infamous La Masia academy, Gonzalez is a player identified to have “excellent technique” and the ability to act as an “orchestrator” in the middle of the park, as described by Kulig’s scouting report of the talent.

For Villa, links to the rising star could come at a pivotal time of Emery’s reign, in which the Spaniard has the room and funds to tailor the squad to his liking ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

While the Villans are blessed with a number of gifted midfielders, capturing a La Masia product that’s valued by a club as influential as Barcelona could be a sign of things to come in a deal that could prove to be a very worthy investment.

The 6 foot 1 midfielder could prove to be the heir to Villa’s hero Douglas Luiz, who was the club’s best performer last season based on his average Sofascore match rating of 7.10.

The two bear many similarities expanding beyond their combative style of play and identical positions in game.

While Luiz rose to the top as the better defender between the two based on FBref comparisons from their respective 2022/23 league campaigns, the 21-year-old excelled in his distribution and threat going forward.

Averaging 2.24 tackles and 1.23 interceptions per 90, the Brazilian was an assured figure in Emery’s midfield who could one day be surpassed by the young Villa target, who averaged 1.73 tackles and 1.22 interceptions per 90.

The Barcelona DNA imprinted onto the Spaniard’s playing style is evident through his numbers, averaging a pass completion rate of 86.9% and making 5.19 progressive passes on average per 90.

Luiz followed closely behind in his passing numbers, averaging an 82.5% pass completion rate and 4.55 progressive passes per 90 in the Premier League, showcasing exactly how bright the talent of Gonzalez could be in Villa’s system one day.

The hope will be that Emery can once again utilise his La Liga connections to get a deal over the line…

Come to watch the Champions Trophy safe in the knowledge that you are well protected. That is the message from Ronnie Flanagan, the chairman of the ICC’s anti-corruption and security unit, in the wake of the terrorist attack in Manchester this week

Nagraj Gollapudi25-May-2017Come to watch the Champions Trophy safe in the knowledge that you are well protected. That is the message from Ronnie Flanagan, the chairman of the ICC’s anti-corruption and security unit (ACSU), in the wake of the terrorist attack in Manchester this week.Flanagan said that cricket could not “yield” to the terrorists. “Basically come safe and secure knowledge that we will make this a safe and secure tournament,” Flanagan, who has experience on the police force, said at a media briefing in London. “Don’t let the terrorists have their way. In my experience sport can be a wonderfully positive influence in the face of adversity and in the face of terrorism. We have seen that in South Africa. I saw at first hand in Ireland.”Following the attack in Manchester, which took place at a music concert, the UK government raised the threat level from severe to critical – the highest level. Armed military personnel have been deployed across the country to assist the police in averting any further attacks.Flanagan’s past experience as a cop is highly relevant. Before arriving at the ICC, he was the Home Office chief inspector of constabulary for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and previously was the chief constable of the police service of Northern Ireland.According to Flanagan the ICC and ECB were working closely with the police to make sure the teams’ movements will not be affected.”I have every confidence that we cannot yield in any way to terrorists’ intentions,” he said. “I would ask the public to be vigilant and the old adage, if they see something, to say something. But come to our matches.”But, come expecting some additional inconvenience, expecting pat-down searches, vehicle searches etc. And searches of any equipment they bring with them. And there will be fast lanes for those not carrying equipment. So that might be an encouragement for people who might have normally brought picnics and all sorts of things. May be they want to reconsider that. Perhaps this tournament just might offer a little opportunity to break through the gloom in some small way.”Security was tight at the first England-South Africa ODI, at Headingley•Getty ImagesIt is understood that so far none of the eight participating teams have raised any concerns to the ICC. Training sessions have carried on as per schedule. There has been no restriction on player movements, but the team managements have been briefed by the ICC security officials. Captains of various teams including India, New Zealand and Sri Lanka confirmed that, saying the players remained confident and secure.”What happened here few days back was really saddening and very disturbing for everyone who saw it, especially a place like England has not had many of these incidents happen in the past,” Virat Kohli, the India captain, said. “Yeah, for a few people it can be sort of a nervous time, but I don’t think as a squad you have time to focus on those factors because eventually you understand you are here for a sporting tournament.”That for us remains paramount in our thought patterns. I personally don’t feel any nervousness as such. I saw life resume pretty normally and that is always a healthy sign. There wasn’t anything disturbing to see on the streets to say the least, nothing different from what I have seen in the past. I am actually excited to play the tournament.”India landed in London on Thursday morning, and Kohli said the team had already been briefed about dos and don’ts. “With the security information coming in it is be very helpful for the players – what are the areas we can access, what times we can access them, what are the areas we need to avoid… All those sort of those things come into play when you have a situation like this, which the players need to respect. There is a lot at stake for everyone here: the cricketers, the ICC, ECB. Everyone is worried about everyone’s security.”

James Hildreth ensured Somerset beat Middlesex for the second time in a week, this time with a ball to spare, to overhaul them in South Group

ECB Reporters Network23-Jul-2017
James Hildreth ensured more dejection for Middlesex•Getty ImagesJames Hildreth upstaged England captain Eoin Morgan as Somerset beat Middlesex for the second time in a week to keep alive their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages of the NatWest T20 Blast.Morgan smashed 59 from 28 balls as Middlesex registered a competitive 162 for six having been put in on a drying Taunton pitch in a game reduced to 16 overs-a-side by rain.However, Hildreth responded with an enterprising 63 from 34 balls to set-up a thrilling finale. And Somerset, requiring 13 to win off the final over, reached their target with one ball to spare thanks to an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 36 between Corey Anderson and Roelof van der Merwe which delivered a five-wicket win.Victory means Somerset, who have six points from six games, move above Middlesex in the South Group table.Unhappy at having to play on what he considered a dangerously wet outfield, Middlesex captain Brendan McCullum was further piqued when, having scratched seven from 12 balls, he mistimed a drive off the bowling of Tim Groenewald and was brilliantly held one-handed by an airborne Peter Trego at mid-off.It was left to Nick Gubbins to give the innings early impetus, the opener helping himself to a six and a brace of fours en-route to 21 from 14 deliveries.However, he was undone by poor communication just as he was looking to cut loose. Sent back by John Simpson, who refused a single, Gubbins was run out by Max Waller’s throw from square leg as the visitors subsided to 32 for two in the sixth over.Joined by England T20 skipper Morgan and eager to make amends, Simpson tucked into Waller’s leg breaks to rescue Middlesex from a sticky start and help them post 62 at the halfway stage.Thereafter, the big-hitting Morgan took centre-stage, plundering 17 runs off one Lewis Gregory over and then meting out similar treatment to Waller.Somerset earned a temporary respite when Simpson, having played second fiddle in a third-wicket stand of 66, pulled Groenewald to Waller at deep mid-wicket and departed for 26.However, Morgan went to a 20-ball half century with another towering six over midwicket at the expense of Waller, who partially redeemed himself when inducing James Franklin to hole out to Van Der Merwe for seven later in the sameover.Morgan also took Gregory to task, lifting him imperiously over square leg to collect his seventh six. But Gregory’s relief knew no bounds when the Irishman, attempting another maximum, drove straight to Craig Overton at long-on.Ryan Higgins ensured there was no let-up in the Middlesex onslaught, crashing 20 from five balls, while George Scott finished unbeaten on 17.Required to score at 10 an over, Somerset benefited from their decision to deploy Gregory as a pinch-hitting opener as he harvested five boundaries in a 12-ball innings that yielded 25 before Tom Helm held a return catch.Jim Allenby was clean bowled by Steven Finn for 11 and Peter Trego edged a length ball from Tim Southee behind for six to leave Somerset, at 47 for 3, heavily dependent upon the in-form pair of Adam Hose and Hildreth.A seasoned campaigner, Hildreth kept the scoreboard ticking over before clubbing a four and two sixes off the 10th over, sent down by slow left armer Nathan Sowter.Hildreth’s sixth four brought up a 27-ball 50 In the 11th over, by the end of which the home side needed a further 54 runs from 30 deliveries to win.Having played a supporting role in a stand of 71 for the fourth wicket, Hose perished in the act of hitting out, caught by Higgins in the deep for 14.Somerset still required 33 runs from 21 balls when Hildreth’s fine innings came to an end, Simpson taking a catch behind off the bowling of Helm to calm Middlesex nerves.But Anderson and Van Der Merwe refused to panic and made an unbeaten 19 and 14 respectively to see the home side across the finish line.

Tottenham Hotspur have 'extensively' scouted Bristol City playmaker Alex Scott; however, they are unlikely to bid for the England Under-20 cap this summer, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

Is Alex Scott joining Tottenham Hotspur this summer?

As per The Sun, Tottenham Hotspur have previously shown an attraction towards Bristol City midfielder Scott; however, his current employers are said to be demanding £25 million before sanctioning his departure.

Football Insider claim that Wolverhampton Wanderers are 'closing in on a deal' to try to entice the Guernsey-born starlet to Molineux and they will submit a further bid to the Robins after seeing two initial offers rejected.

The report states that Wolves' second rebuffed proposal was said to have been at around the £20 million mark; however, Julen Lopetegui's side will return once more to try and wrap up an agreement for their 'long-term' target.

Renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano broke last week that Bournemouth saw a £15 million bid for Scott booted out by Bristol City, as he wrote on Twitter: "Bournemouth have submitted £15m bid for Alex Scott. Rejected by Bristol City earlier tonight. Understand Bournemouth will bid again — they want to insist in the next days, not leaving the negotiations. More to follow."

Last season, Scott shot to prominence in the Sky Bet Championship and put on some stellar displays in the engine room for Bristol City, netting himself two goals and laying on a further five assists in 49 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that despite running thorough checks on Scott, Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou may look elsewhere to scope out talent to bolster his squad.

Jones stated: "They have looked at Alex Scott lately, he's been on their radar for quite a while and they've scouted him quite extensively. The fact that they haven't voted for him yet suggests to me that they don't feel he's ready to be part of what they're creating right now. If you look at the teams that are actually bidding for him, Bournemouth and Wolves and the level that they're at and where they're aspiring to get to, well, it's below Tottenham and what they're aspiring to get to."

Who else could Tottenham Hotspur try to bring in this summer?

Tottenham boss Postecoglou has already dipped into the market to secure several signings, including goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, James Maddison and Manor Solomon. Dejan Kulusevski and Pedro Porro's buyout clauses have also been activated by the Lilywhites this window, now making them permanent squad members, as per Transfermarkt.

The Guardian report that Spurs are set to land Blackburn Rovers defender Ashley Phillips after they activated his £3 million release clause at Ewood Park.

Bundesliga pair Edmond Tapsoba and Micky van de Ven are still of interest to Spurs this summer and bringing in a new central defender is believed to be a priority at Hotspur Way, as per The Evening Standard.

Postecoglou confirmed that he would seek to bolster his backline in the aftermath of his side's 3-2 pre-season friendly defeat to West Ham United out in Australia, stating: "“Yeah, I think that’s definitely our intention, absolutely. We’ve been working on it for a while and we’ll definitely try to get it done as quickly as possible."

Glasgow Rangers are far from finished in the transfer window, with another couple of players looking likely to arrive before the end of August.

Michael Beale is also undertaking a massive Ibrox overhaul too, moving on those who don’t have a future at the club and Glen Kamara could be the next person to leave the Gers.

How much is Glen Kamara worth?

According to Football Insider, Kamara is ‘closing’ in on a £5m move to Championship side Leeds United as he is in ‘advanced talks’ to secure a move south of the border.

Despite having two years left on his current contract, it appears as though Beale is keen to move him on this summer in order to raise some funds for future purchases, looking set to make a stunning profit on him in the process.

The 27-year-old cost just £50k when Steven Gerrard signed him from Dundee in January 2019, turning into one of their finest pieces of transfer business conducted in recent years.

Why are Rangers selling Glen Kamara?

The reason Beale can move on Kamara is due to the imminent arrival of Ecuadorian midfielder Jose Cifuentes at Ibrox.

The Los Angeles FC star signed a pre-contract agreement with the Light Blues, but now The Athletic have claimed Rangers will pay a fee to sign him this summer, something that gives the manager the licence to ditch Kamara.

The former Arsenal youngster started just 18 games across all competitions last term and found that his influence heavily waned to that of previous seasons as he ranked a lowly 14th for accurate passes (33.6), tenth for key passes (one) and 25th for tackles (0.5) across the whole Rangers squad in the league last term.

He was even dubbed “terrible” by Rangers Review journalist Joshua Barrie back in April 2022, and it appears as though this is when his performances began to dip.

In contrast, Cifuentes was in excellent form and emerged as one of his side's finest performers during the 2022 MLS campaign as LAFC won the season-ending MLS Cup.

The 24-year-old ranked ninth in his squad for accurate passes (27.9), fourth for key passes (1.3) and third for tackles per game (1.8) during the successful season, and he appears to be a great deal ahead of Kamara in terms of winning the ball back in midfield along with exuding his creative talents with regard to making key passes often.

His forward-thinking mentality could also be of use to Beale. Compared to positional peers across eight similar leagues to the MLS, Cifuentes ranks in the top 5% for progressive passes (8.14) and successful take-ons (1.78) per 90 along with featuring in the top 10% for progressive carries (2.53) and touches in the attacking penalty area (2.41) per 90, showcasing his ability to get forward as often as possible and contribute heavily when his team are attacking.

Although the potential fee for Cifuentes is unknown, it won't be near as much as the £5m Rangers are getting for the sale of Kamara, something that could turn out to be a wonderful piece of business conducted by Beale and his team ahead of the new campaign.

Facing the world champions, in the semi-final of the Women’s World Cup, brought the best out of Harmanpreet Kaur

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jul-20171:25

‘The entire family enjoyed a lot’

India were not equipped to handle big occasions, so said Mithali Raj, the captain. Those comments came from a place of disappointment after her team had lost to Australia in the group stage. But now, a week after that thrashing, on a stage as massive as the semi-final of the World Cup, one of her team-mates produced an innings for the ages against the same opposition. Harmanpreet Kaur mauled 171 off 115 balls – she was 41 off 60 before going on a brutal onslaught that would yield 131 off 55.The 28-year old hard-hitting batsman had earned acclaim in the T20 circuit, becoming the first Indian to be picked for the Big Bash League and the Kia Super League. But at the World Cup, Harmanpreet found herself coming in towards the slog overs and so struggled to get time in the middle. Before the semi-final, she had faced only 91 balls in five innings. “I didn’t get a chance to bat in the whole tournament,” she told the host broadcasters after her unbeaten innings, “Today when I got the chance I just wanted to utilise it, this opportunity, because today was the day where I wanted to prove myself, and thanks to God, whatever I was thinking, [worked]. Mithali and Deepti [Sharma] scored really well and Veda [Krishnamurthy] scored really well.”In much the way her idol, Virender Sehwag, used to play, Harmanpreet’s thought process at the crease was very simple. “Today’s plan was just watch the ball, hit it hard and this is what I was doing.” But she had to be careful early on. After all, Australia had India at 35 for 2 in the 10th over. “Some areas they were bowling well but I just wanted to hit and rotate the strike.”Harmanpreet’s partner for much of the day was Deepti Sharma, the only Indian woman with a higher score in ODIs. “I just told her to rotate the strike, you don’t have to take the pressure, I was hitting the ball well and I told her to give me the strike and I will take the responsibility and she did a great job.”But there was one moment of miscommunication during theit 137-run stand. On 98, Harmanpreet knocked a ball into the leg side and immediately called for a second run. But Deepti did not seem so keen. Harmanpreet berated Deepti to complete the double, and after a relay throw via the wicketkeeper ended at the non-strikers’ end brought the third umpire into play, she flung her helmet onto the turf and sent another angry volley of words at Deepti. Eventually, the green light came on and Harmanpreet put an arm around her partner to make up for the momentary slip up.”Of course, it was heat of the moment and I said sorry to her because I don’t want to lose my wicket at the that moment and I don’t want to lose her wicket too, I got a little bit angry but we are fine now.”

West Ham United remain interested in Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher despite seeing their advances for the England international rebuffed last week, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

Are West Ham United going to bid again for Conor Gallagher?

As per The Daily Mail, West Ham saw a bid of £40 million, including add-ons, turned down for Gallagher and now fear that he may want to stay at Chelsea and try to force his way into Mauricio Pochettino's side this season.

Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United have also expressed an attraction towards Gallagher this window; however, it is thought that his preference would be to remain at Chelsea for the foreseeable future.

Last term, Gallagher, who has been hailed as a "game-changer", made 45 appearances for Chelsea across all competitions, registering three goals and a solitary assist, as per Transfermarkt.

BBC Sport cite that Chelsea boss Pochettino confirmed that Gallagher would be part of his plans this season, stating on the Blues' pre-season tour of the United States: "The players that are here on the tour are in our plan. Conor is in our plan. I was talking with him the first day that he arrived that he's in our plans. At the moment, there's nothing to say."

The report also adds that Chelsea admire Gallagher but acknowledge that he could leave Stamford Bridge this window in search of a new challenge.

talkSPORT understand that Chelsea value Gallagher at £50 million; however, the Epsom-born box-to-box midfielder is believed to be 'relaxed' about his situation.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer guru Romano believes that West Ham still hold a keen interest in Gallagher and could go back in with a further offer to try and secure his services.

Romano stated: “I think they will try again. But let's see because they didn't want to go higher than £40 million for Gallagher, so I'm not sure what’s going to happen.

"The interest is still there and people in the club are still convinced that Gallagher would be a top candidate for the West Ham midfield.”

Who else could West Ham United target this window?

West Ham boss David Moyes will be keen to add some additional quality to the ranks over the next few weeks following a stagnant transfer window that has seen no arrivals so far at the London Stadium.

The Hammers have seen a bid worth £17 million with £3 million in add-ons turned down for Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse and will up their offer to try and land the dead ball specialist, according to The Daily Mail.

Similarly, West Ham have also had an offer of £20 million turned down for Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, who was recently stripped of the captaincy at Old Trafford, as per BBC Sport.

Manchester United are willing to listen to offers for the 30-year-old, though his significant pay packet is considerably more than the highest-earners at West Ham pocket on a weekly basis.

Rennes left-back Adrien Truffert could be on his way to east London after West Ham initiated contact with the Ligue 1 side over the potential scenario of signing the 21-year-old to replace Aaron Cresswell, as per Football Insider.

Sharjeel Khan has been banned from all forms of cricket for five years for his role in the spot-fixing scandal that marred the PSL earlier this year

Umar Farooq30-Aug-2017Sharjeel Khan has been banned from all forms of cricket for five years for his role in the spot-fixing scandal that marred the Pakistan Super League (PSL) earlier this year. Sharjeel, playing for Islamabad United, was charged with five major breaches of the PCB’s anti-corruption code and was found guilty on all five counts by a three-man tribunal. Two-and-a-half years out of the five-year sentence are suspended, meaning Sharjeel, 28, cannot plot a return to cricket before the second half of 2019 at the earliest. Sharjeel was present at his sentencing but did not take questions.Potentially, his ban could have been for life, but he has been given the minimum punishment on all charges. Sharjeel’s lawyer, Shaigan Ijaz, said they would appeal against the ban.”We were expecting acquittal against the spot-fixing charges and we are going to appeal against them,” Ijaz said immediately after the verdict. “We are not complaining against the behaviour of the tribunal members, but we are objecting to the decision. As we understand, those three serious charges have not been proven. For now, we have concerns and will lodge an appeal after having a full, detailed order in the next 14 days.”Taffazul Rizvi, the PCB’s prosecutor in the case, called it a “sad day”, but said the player had been found guilty on all counts and the board’s case against the player had been vindicated. “The suspended sentence isn’t defined as yet in the PCB anti-corruption code as there is a limited provision. Just because two-and-a-half years of the sentence are suspended doesn’t mean the player can automatically be eligible to play after completing half his sentence. There is a complete process of rehabilitation, and many more conditions to be met before reintegration.”In a statement following the tribunal verdict, PCB chairman Najam Sethi said: “The anti-corruption tribunal’s verdict against Sharjeel Khan is a vindication of our policy of zero tolerance against corrupt practices in the game of cricket. The PCB Anti-Corruption and Vigilance Department deserves great credit for identifying the culprits and nipping the spot-fixing scandal in the bud through their prompt action. The PCB hopes that the three remaining players will be dealt with in accordance to the proportionality of their offences. The PCB will continue to fight all corrupt elements that attempt to tarnish the game both at the domestic and international level.”Sharjeel’s ban will take effect from when he was first suspended, on February 10, 2017.The verdict puts on hold, at best till mid-2019 and at worst permanently, what was shaping up to be a promising international career. Since his return to the ODI side last year in August Sharjeel was averaging over 44 as an opener but more importantly, given Pakistan’s batting problems, scoring at a strike rate of 130.37. That run came into bloom on the tour to Australia earlier this year, where he broke into the Test side and then finished Pakistan’s second-highest scorer in the ODI series with three fifties. Barely two weeks after his last innings for Pakistan, a 69-ball 79 in Adelaide, he had been provisionally suspended by the PCB.Sharjeel was one of six current or former Pakistani internationals implicated in the case, in itself a blot not only on the promising start to a valuable PCB product, but also to the board’s efforts to fight corruption after the Lord’s spot-fixing scandal of 2010. Mohammad Irfan and Mohammad Nawaz have already been punished, for the relatively lesser indiscretions of failure to report corrupt approaches.Tribunal proceedings for Sharjeel’s Islamabad team-mate Khalid Latif, and former Pakistan openers Nasir Jamshed and Shahzaib Hasan are still underway, however. A verdict is expected on Latif after the Eid break, as well as the next hearing for Shahzaib. Jamshed, who the PCB believe is a central figure in the case but is currently facing charges only of failure to cooperate with the investigation, will next appear before the tribunal on September 19.There was no immediate comment from Islamabad United, the PSL franchise that three of the players – Sharjeel, Latif and Irfan – played for. But it is understood that Sharjeel and Latif’s contracts with them were terminated when they were suspended by the PCB.