The 21-year-old quick became the 12th Queenslander to take a five-wicket haul on debut and first since 1986-87
AAP21-Oct-2024Young quick Tom Whitney wrote himself in Queensland’s Sheffield Shield record books, before helping bat the Bulls back into their match against South Australia.Whitney created history on Monday, becoming the first Queenslander in 38 years to claim a five-wicket haul on debut with his 5 for 60.Related
Hunt shines with century but debutant Whitney aids Queensland fightback
Live – Sheffield Shield, day two
And after the visitors were all out for 314 early on day two in Brisbane, Whitney produced a late cameo with the bat to help Queensland to 308 in reply.South Australia then lost first-innings century maker Henry Hunt caught behind first ball of their second innings to Michael Neser.But it was a day for Whitney, as Queensland also benefitted from Jimmy Peirson’s counter-punching 94 with the bat at Allan Border Oval.Arriving at the crease at 271 for 9 late in the day, Whitney blasted five boundaries on his way to an unbeaten 24 from 11 balls to help Queensland reach close to parity.After taking three wickets on Sunday, Whitney had both Nathan McAndrew and Wes Agar caught early on Monday morning.The wickets made the 21-year-old just the 12th Queenslander in history to take a five-wicket haul on debut, and the first since former police officer Mick Polzin in 1986-87.Jimmy Peirson led Queensland’s fightback•Getty ImagesNeser also finished with 3 for 61, getting the key wicket of Hunt on 136 as the opener fell just short of carrying his bat.In reply, Queensland’s big names struggled. Test opener Usman Khawaja was lbw to McAndrew for a duck, as Queensland fell to 16 for 3 early with the ball swinging around.Matt Renshaw was also lbw to Jordan Buckingham for 2, denting his slim chances of joining Khawaja at the top of the order for the first Test in Perth.Marnus Labuschagne also failed to make any real impact, caught at forward square-leg flicking a ball off his toes.But from 80 for 5, Queensland were able to launch something of a counteract. Ben McDermott hit 52, while Neser and Peirson combined for a 97-run seventh-wicket partnership.Still Peirson pushed through, hitting 14 boundaries in his knock and driving with ease whenever South Australia’s quicks went too full.The wicketkeeper-batter looked set for his century, before he hesitated in coming back for a second with Mitchell Swepson and being run out by Jake Lehmann.
Ronald Koeman was far from satisfied with his Netherlands team after they avoided an embarrassing slip-up against Lithuania in World Cup qualifying.
Netherlands escaped after losing two-goal leadKoeman left 'a bit angry' with his team’s lack of urgencyDepay scored twice to secure vital three pointsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Netherlands secured a narrow 3-2 victory away to Lithuania in their World Cup qualifier on Sunday but were pushed all the way after squandering a two-goal lead. Goals from Memphis Depay, now the national team's all-time top scorer, and Quinten Timber gave the Dutch a comfortable 2-0 lead after 33 minutes, but Lithuania stunned the visitors by scoring twice before half-time. Depay scored the winner in the 63rd minute to spare his team's blushes.
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The victory keeps Netherlands top of their World Cup qualifying group, level on points with Poland but with a game in hand. However, the performance against a side ranked 143rd in the world was far from convincing. After a strong start, the Dutch became complacent and were defensively frail, forcing Koeman to make a late defensive substitution, bringing on Matthijs de Ligt for attacker Donyell Malen to protect the lead. While the three points are crucial, the nature of the win raises questions about the team's ability to control games they are expected to dominate.
WHAT RONALD KOEMAN SAID
Despite the victory, Koeman was upset by his team's struggles, telling : "I'm a little angry. We played with fire today. Fortunately, it didn't cost us any points today, but it could have been disastrous. The urgency diminished. Players started doing things ten to 15 percent less. We shouldn't be getting into so much trouble here, even at the end of the game. Then I have to add a fifth defender for extra height and power. That's not what you want to do, but I do want to win."
On Depay's match-winner, he added: "We can be happy he was there. He scored two very good goals. The first and last, too. He can be proud of that.
"We also have a history. I supported him in a period when others might not have done so, but he proves beyond doubt that he is still the best striker."
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Despite the poor performance, Netherlands are now a step closer to securing qualification for the World Cup. They remain in control of Group G but will need a much-improved display in their next set of qualifiers to solidify their top spot. Koeman will demand a response from his players during the next international break.
Still looking to spend big this summer, Everton have now reportedly made contact to sign a Champions League-winning star for David Moyes.
Everton announce Aznou arrival
Resuming their summer business for the first time since welcoming Mark Travers from Bournemouth, Everton officially announced the arrival of young left-back Adam Aznou earlier this week. The former Bayern Munich gem has arrived in a deal reportedly worth around €12m (£10m) with add-ons included and represents an impressive coup by all involved at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Speaking for the first time since putting pen to paper, the 19-year-old told Everton’s official website: “I’m so happy to be here. I’m so proud to be part of this team.
“The project they gave me is really good. The Premier League is the best league in the world so I’m really excited to start. The stadium is really nice. It gives you a good feeling and it’s good for our fans to support us. It’s perfect for us. I just have to say I’m really thankful to be here. I’m really proud so I will give everything in every training session and every game.
“[Moyes] talked with me, he spoke with me about the team and how he wants me. So I decided directly when I spoke with him. I decided really quickly because of the words he gave me. He gave me confidence, so I decided to sign.”
Bayern Munich's Adam Azou on loan at Real Valladolid.
Even after the Bayern Munich youngster, however, Everton are not done there on the transfer front. The Friedkin Group still have money to spend and have reportedly set their sights on welcoming their most impressive addition yet as a result.
Everton hold concrete talks to sign Grealish
As reported by AreaNapoli and relayed by Sport Witness, Everton have now made a serious first approach to sign Jack Grealish from Manchester City this summer after identifying the Champions League winner as a key target.
The England international has looked destined to leave Manchester City for at least a year now and it became clearer than ever that his future lies elsewhere when Pep Guardiola left him out of his Club World Cup squad earlier this summer.
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City’s trash could quickly become one of Everton’s most prized assets, however. At his best, Grealish played a pivotal part in City’s historic treble win in the 2022/23 campaign and remains a talented serial winner despite recent struggles at the Etihad.
On top of that experience, the £16m-a-year star, who is represented by the same agent as Jordan Pickford, is also a player who starred at international level under Gareth Southgate.
The former England boss told reporters in 2020 after defeat against Belgium: “I thought Jack Grealish had an absolutely outstanding game. Losing Raheem Sterling and Marcus Rashford, we lose a lot of speed. But I can’t fault the attacking play until the last chance.
“I saw what I knew I would see from Jack, someone with the bravery to play. He took the ball in tight areas, his technique was good, we knew he would buy a lot of free-kicks.”
Sri Lanka’s spinners claimed six wickets between them to skittle New Zealand for 135
Andrew Fidel Fernando09-Nov-2024On a turning Dambulla track, Sri Lanka’s spinners claimed six wickets between them, kept a leash on the scoring rate, and restricted New Zealand to 135 all out. It should have been a straightforward chase, even despite the conditions. But it needed a cool head, which is what captain Charith Asalanka provided with his 35 not out off 28.Sri Lanka got home with six balls to spare, and four wickets in hand, although the result was never super tense. New Zealand, remember, are trying out some young players at the very tail end of their long South-Asian spring.New Zealand slide in the powerplayThe first six overs kind of set the tone for the whole thing. The ball was almost immediately turning square, as even Maheesh Theekshana – a modest turner of the ball usually – ripped it big in the first over of the innings.Theekshana would only strike off the last ball of the innings, getting Will Young lbw for a run-a-ball 19. But before that, Dunith Wellalage nailed Tim Robinson in front with an arm ball, and Nuwan Thushara had Mark Chapman flick a slower ball to deep square leg.All up, it was outstanding slow-pitch bowling from Sri Lanka. New Zealand were down at 31 for 3 when the fielding restrictions eased. They’d go on to control the middle overs too – New Zealand only made 66 off the next ten overs, and lost five further wickets.Kamindu and Kusal Perera set the chase upKusal Perera helped propel Sri Lanka through the powerplay, hitting 22 off 15 while the fielding restrictions were on, though his team lost Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis through this period.And because this is is a Sri Lanka victory of this age, Kamindu Mendis has to have a hand in it too. He made 23 off 16, mostly after the powerplay ended.Charith Asalanka’s knock helped Sri Lanka chase down 136•AFP/Getty ImagesAsalanka guides the chase homeAfter seeing what New Zealand did in the Tests in India, you can never be too sure they don’t have something special up their sleeves. Asalanka made sure that although Sri Lanka kept losing wickets, he was on hand to see the victory through, hitting two sixes off his first 11 balls to start, before toning it down and knocking it around as Sri Lanka knocked off the remaining runs.Foulkes rocks Sri LankaIn only his third international, bowling allrounder Zakary Foulkes brought all his skills to bear. First he cracked 27 not out off 16 to raise New Zealand from an embarrassing total to merely a modest one. With the ball, he bowled Nissanka with a fullish delivery, bounced Bhanuka Rajapaksa, then, had Wanindu Hasaranga holing out to collect figures of 3 for 20.
Having already seen one bid rejected, Celtic are reportedly expected to submit a second offer to sign a Premier League midfielder ahead of Old Firm rivals Rangers.
Celtic take early advantage over Rangers
After just two games in the Scottish Premiership, Celtic are already four points ahead of Rangers following the Gers’ two frustrating draws. Whilst Russell Martin’s side slipped up, the Bhoys defeated St. Mirren and Aberdeen with new signing Benjamin Nygren even netting his first goal for the club in the latter.
Only Hearts have matched the Scottish champions by winning both of their opening games, but Celtic will be hoping to pull away from any potential title rivals to continue their dominance under Brendan Rodgers this season.
After scoring his first goal for the club, the summer arrival told reporters: “That’s how I want to play. I can run a lot so I want to be involved as much as possible and help the team to win, so I’m very pleased with my performance and the team’s performance today.
“It was amazing (his goal) – a perfect cross from Kieran and a solid finish, and I ran over to celebrate with the fans and the team. I’ve said it many times but, for me, football is nothing without the fans. Celtic is such a big club with lovely fans so they’re a part of the team and part of the club, so I’m so happy to celebrate with everyone.”
Rodgers not happy: Celtic now working to sign 3 new players before Sep 1
It could become four new players if they qualify for Europe.
1 ByCallum Kemp Aug 14, 2025
Even after a solid start to their campaign, however, Celtic are reportedly still on the hunt for reinforcements and are expected to launch a second offer to sign a Premier League midfielder.
Celtic expected to submit second Irving offer
As reported by Claret and Hugh, Celtic are expected to submit another offer to sign Andy Irving from West Ham United after seeing an opening bid worth £2.5m turned down by the Hammers. The London club are reportedly holding out for £3.5m to sell their midfielder amid interest from the Bhoys and their rivals, Rangers.
A source told Claret and Hugh: “There’s a lot of interest but only one bid so far, and that was last month. I think they’ll get another offer soon.”
Despite their £3.5m asking price, it is also believed that West Ham would accept £3m to sell Iriving this summer. In a transfer tussle against their Old Firm rivals, that’s a price tag that Celtic should be able to match before deadline day arrives at the start of September.
Even as he has struggled to match the pace of the Premier League, Irving has still seemingly shown enough to earn the praise of Jarrod Bowen. The West Ham star told reporters in February: “Andy’s worked incredibly hard and been incredibly patient. I get on really well with Andy. I’ve had a lot of chats with him and always told him that I know his time will come because I’ve seen it in training.”
Milan Skriniar says his Paris Saint-Germain exit came as a surprise, saying he and Gianluigi Donnarumma were given similar treatment by Luis Enrique.
Skriniar dropped from squad without explanationSame treatment given to DonnarummaDefender joined Fenerbahce permanently in JuneFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Slovakia defender Skriniar joined Fenerbahce from PSG on a six month loan in January, with his move made permanent in the summer transfer window at the request of former coach Jose Mourinho.
In an interview, Skriniar revealed that his departure from PSG came out of nowhere, as he suddenly found that coach Luis Enrique had left him out of the squad at the beginning of the 2024-25 season. The decision surprised him since he had been a regular starter for the first six months of the 2023-24 campaign before he suffered an injury in January of that season that kept him out until the end of March. He suggested his exit was similar to the way Donnarumma was pushed out before he joined Manchester City.
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"When I first arrived, for the first six months, I played all the time," he told . "Gigio and I were the two players who played the most minutes. Then, in the first game in January, in the Super Cup, I injured my ankle. I was out for four months, and when I returned at the end of the season, the coach made this decision during summer prep [to leave him out]. It was a surprise to me because two weeks before, everything was different and everyone was talking about me differently. Then, from one day to the next, everything changed. But that's football. We saw what happened with Gigio. He's the best goalkeeper in the world and overall at the moment. He helped PSG win the Champions League, and we saw what happened. Both he and I have to look forward."
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Skriniar joined Inter in 2017 from Sampdoria. The Slovak defender won the Scudetto with Inter under Antonio Conte and reached the Champions League final under Simone Inzaghi’s before leaving as a free agent for PSG. He won Ligue 1 and reached the Champions League semi-finals with the French side before moving to Fenerbahce in January 2025.
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After being knocked out of the Champions League in the qualifiers, which led to Mourinho being sacked, Skriniar will hope to help Fenerbahce defeat bitter rivals Galatasaray and reclaim the league title this season. Meanwhile, Donnarumma will hope to maintain the form that helped PSG win the Champions League last season as he gears up to get underway at City.
ECB chief executive cites market dynamics for growing gender pay gap amid PCA critcism
Vithushan Ehantharajah13-Dec-2024Richard Gould, the ECB chief executive, says English cricket must not apologise for attracting the world’s best men’s players, as he faced down claims from the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) that Thursday’s upheaval to the Hundred’s pay structure for the 2025 season will only benefit overseas players.Top salaries in the men’s Hundred will rise from £125,000 to £200,000 (a 60% increase) and £100,000 to £120,000 (20%) for the second tier. However, the other four salary bands, which cover all but four players in 15-man squads, will receive hikes of between 3 and 5%.The announcement was greeted with disdain by the PCA, with interim-chief executive Daryl Mitchell stating he was “extremely concerned” at how the changes had been pushed through. Having been part of initial talks on how the injection of money would be spread across the board for the upcoming competition, Mitchell believed Thursday’s news reflected “a severe lack of communication and consultation”.Tymal Mills and Sam Billings, two players who have been ever-present since the Hundred’s inaugural season in 2021, took to X to voice their concerns. Billings, who captained Oval Invincibles to successive men’s titles, said: “Remarkable how a category gets a 60% increase yet most others get under 5%… Who has come up with this???”Speaking on Friday in Hamilton ahead of England’s third and final Test against New Zealand, Gould admitted he was taken aback by the PCA’s criticism, stating it was “not what I want to hear”. However, he held an unapologetic line about lifting the top brackets to court the best talent in the world, arguing that the dissenting voices had come from a “small section of male players”.”I don’t accept that,” Gould said, when asked if the top pay packets are almost exclusively reserved for overseas talent. “Because that band also includes central- and potentially contracted (England) players, so you’ve effectively got through that top band. And so, no, I don’t accept that at all.”Competition from overseas leagues, including Major League Cricket in the USA, has been a factor in the ECB’s approach to top-tier salaries, with Pat Cummins admitting to ESPNcricinfo that he hadn’t considered the Hundred when signing a lucrative four-year deal with San Francisco Unicorns last year.”This is a global market. We want the best players, irrespective of nationality. If you’re the best player, you’ll be paid the most,” Gould added. “You only have to look at the IPL and the differential and the spread. And if you look back over the last couple of years, we haven’t had as many of the best players in the world that we wanted in the men’s. We want more, and we’re not going to be apologetic in terms of our ambition to get them here.”Once we’re there, then the money is much easier to spread it throughout the squad. It is a very, very competitive market for a very small number of players, and we are not going to be pushed aside on that. We are going to compete, and we have to compete because we need the best players playing in our competition.”Gould also countered the PCA’s suggestions the ECB are guilty of widening the gender pay gap between the men’s and women’s competitions, citing market forces. While the top women’s bracket has increased by 30 percent, they will be earning three times less than their male counterparts. Next year, the difference in pay will have risen from £75,000 to £135,000.In 2022, the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) called for gender pay parity in the Hundred by 2025. The ECB pushed back on the timeframe as unrealistic in its response to the report, which Gould reiterated.”The gap has got bigger because of market dynamics,” he said. “That wasn’t a recommendation we said we could deliver on and we have been very up front on that. We have seen a significant increase in the salaries we have been able to put into the women’s game.”I’m really looking forward to the point that every county club in the country now has a women’s team. You know, I think in five years’ time, we’ll look back and go, ‘How did it take us this long?’ But I think that’s a really, really significant step for us.”Related
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Relations between the ECB and PCA are at an all-time low with disagreement over Hundred salaries following dissent over an issue regarding a new, more stringent No Object Certificate (NOC) policy.A group of domestic players have been blindsided by what they deem as legislation that restrict their earning opportunities. Those hamstrung by the new regulations are ones who have red-ball commitments written into their existing county deals.Though no NOCs have been rejected yet, with 80 handed out to male players in 2024 so far, a group of around 50 cricketers have floated the prospect of strike action in the form of boycotting the 2025 Hundred.Gould accepts there is nuance to the latest NOC stance, particularly for white-ball players with ad hoc agreements with their clubs. Tom Curran, for instance, has been on a white-ball contract with Surrey since 2022, but made two County Championship at the end of the 2024 season as the club negotiated other absences.Nevertheless, Gould believes the updated measures will “protect the sanctity” of county contracts. He also hopes a boycott does not come to fruition.”That may have been discussed on a call with with a variety of representatives, but I’ve heard nothing in that regard and I sincerely hope that’s that’s not the case.”
Tottenham Hotspur’s need for a number ten this summer has become more apparent week after week, with Thomas Frank having to deal with numerous setbacks since taking the reins.
The Dane has seen issues arise in the number ten position over recent weeks, with injuries massively disrupting the plans he would’ve had in place for the ongoing Premier League campaign.
James Maddison would undoubtedly have been the starting player in such a position, but the new manager will be without the Englishman for the vast majority of 2025/26.
He suffered an ACL injury in the pre-season clash with Newcastle United in South Korea, subsequently undergoing surgery, which will rule him out of action for at least six months.
Dejan Kulusevski is another option to fill the void, but like Maddison, he’s also set for a spell on the sidelines – further highlighting the failures of the hierarchy in the transfer market this window.
Spurs’ failure to land a number ten this summer
Morgan Gibbs-White was the first target identified by the Spurs board, even submitting a £60m bid to land the Nottingham Forest star earlier in the window.
A deal rapidly advanced over a short space of time, even seeing the player agree to travel for a medical – but Reds owner Evangelos Marinakis pulled the plug and intercepted a move, leading to the player signing a new deal at the City Ground.
After missing out on the 25-year-old’s signature, the hierarchy turned their attention to Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze, entering constant deliberations for his signature.
At one stage, it appeared as though a move would go through, with the player agreeing to join the Lilywhites – but North London rivals Arsenal have swooped in and seemingly got the deal done for the 27-year-old’s signature.
Missing out on both players has undoubtedly fuelled the fanbase’s displeasure towards Daniel Levy, with the owner needing to make a new number ten a priority before the summer deadline.
Spurs’ hunt to land an Eze alternative this summer
After losing out on Eze, Spurs have turned their attention to West Ham United star Lucas Paqueta over recent days, potentially landing a bargain deal for the 27-year-old this window.
It’s been reported that he could be available for as little as £40m this summer, a 50% cut on his asking price from last summer, with the Hammers previously wanting £80m for his signature.
However, he’s not the only attacking midfielder currently on their radar, with Como star Nico Paz another talent they are considering, according to one Spanish outlet.
They claim that Frank’s side are preparing an opening offer to sign the 20-year-old, after he enjoyed a breakthrough year in Serie A throughout 2024/25 – notching 14 combined goals and assists in his 35 outings.
It’s also been reported that his current employers don’t want to sell the Argentine this summer, just one year after he joined from Real Madrid – but may entertain offers around the £60m mark.
Why Spurs’ £60m target is a bigger talent than Eze
Eze is a player who has demonstrated his quality in England’s top-flight on a consistent basis over the last few years, often being a huge threat to countless backlines in the division.
His tally of 16 goal contributions in just 34 outings last campaign highlights the threat he carries, but ultimately, it will be a record the Spurs backline will try and nullify in 2025/26.
Missing out on his signature was a bitter blow in isolation, but the fact that he’s joining the club’s closest rivals has only added to the pain currently being endured by the Lilywhites faithful.
There’s no doubt any deal for the 27-year-old would’ve been a hefty investment, but arguably a risk-free one given the numbers he’s previously produced in the Premier League.
However, Levy and Frank must now work closely on other targets, potentially taking a gamble on Paz to provide the depth and quality the side have been hunting for in the number ten role.
Napoli's Giacomo Raspadori in action with Como'sNicoPaz
On the face of it, his tally of goals and assists in Italy last season were hugely impressive, but it needs to be remembered that it was his first full season as a regular starter in Europe’s top-five leagues.
The flipside would see the Lilywhites land an extremely talented youngster, who has bags of time to build on his excellent start to his career, given his tender age.
He’s already managed to outperform Eze in numerous key areas throughout 2024/25, with multiple of his underlying figures better than those of the soon-to-be Arsenal man.
Paz, who possesses “immense potential” according to Jacek Kulig, posted a better shot on target rate, arguably being more of a threat than the Englishman when bearing down on goal.
Games played
35
34
Goals & assists
14
16
Shot on target accuracy
34%
27%
Progressive passes
5.3
3.3
Pass accuracy
81%
74%
Passes into final third
3.9
1.7
Progressive carries
2.6
2.4
Take-on success
51%
48%
Carries into final third
2.1
1.6
However, his main responsibility as a number ten is undoubtedly creating chances for those around him – something which the Argentine has done in abundance in recent months.
He completed more of the passes he attempted, whilst more of his efforts were into the final third, handing the likes of Richarlison and Brennan Johnson to build on their goal tallies this campaign.
The youngster’s dominance over Eze is further highlighted in his higher take-on success rate – able to drive into dangerous areas before providing the final touches – as seen by his aforementioned figures.
£60m may appear to be a mammoth sum for a player who is largely inexperienced and may prove to be a gamble, but a new signing in that area is a must during the closing stages of the window.
Como'sNicoPazcelebrates scoring their first goal
If he can build on his impressive start to his career in North London, the move could potentially be a bargain – massively softening the blow of missing out on Eze’s signature.
Better signing than Eze: Spurs advancing talks for "incredible" £60m star
Tottenham Hotspur appear to be making a move to land a top-level star instead of Eberechi Eze.
Marcus Rashford's hope of making a permanent switch to Barcelona next summer has hit a roadblock as the Spanish giants are all set to see their spending power slashed by £100m due to La Liga's latest constraints. Rashford has regained his old form since moving on loan to Barcelona from Manchester United in the summer and the player reportedly wishes to stay back beyond this season.
Rashford dazzles in Barca's UCL win
Rashford dazzled on his return to England earlier this week as his brace helped Barcelona kick off their Champions League campaign with a 2-1 win over Newcastle United at St James' Park. The United flop has been in fine form since he left Old Trafford in the summer to complete a loan switch to the Catalan side.
Rashford, who fell out of favour under United boss Ruben Amorim, is now regularly getting game time under Hansi Flick and the England international is reportedly considering making his switch permanent to the Spanish giants. However, his wish might not materialise as the Catalan giants' spending power has been curtailed by La Liga's salary caps, according to the .
Barca's spending curtailed by more than €100m
The report adds that as per the new La Liga regulations, Barcelona's official salary cap for the 2025-26 season has been cut from €463million to €351 million, a drop of €112m. The reduction is due to a reported disputed financial mechanism relating to their VIP boxes at Camp Nou. The delay in renovation of Barcelona's home ground has significantly reduced their matchday income, which is also affecting their spending power.
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Flick's side will be back in action in La Liga on Sunday as they host Getafe in a crucial fixture. Barcelona have won three out of their first four league games and are two points behind rivals Real Madrid on the points table.
After a six-for with the ball, Deepti scored 39* with the bat with India in choppy waters at that stage
Shashank Kishore27-Dec-2024Deepti Sharma turned in a superb all-round performance to help India seal the ODI series 3-0 in Vadodara. She first took 6 for 31 as West Indies folded for 162. Then with India in choppy waters, Deepti provided a calming influence with an unbeaten 39 to the team home by five wickets.While Deepti dug in for the hard grind, aided with luck when she was dropped by Hayley Matthews at slip on 21, Richa Ghosh lent the finishing touches. Having walked in to bat with India 129 for 5, Ghosh allayed fears of a collapse by hitting one four and three sixes in her brisk 11-ball 23. This included back-to-back sixes off legspinner Afy Fletcher to see off India’s chase.Under leaden skies, and on a surface that got progressively tougher to bat on with the odd ball keeping low and turning big, West Indies were left to rue another poor batting performance. Barring Chinelle Henry and Shemaine Campbelle, who put together 91 for the fourth wicket, there was little else of note from the batting unit.The collapse began in the very first over when Renuka Singh removed Qiana Joseph, with a faint tickle down leg, and the in-form Matthews with a superb in-ducker four balls later. When Deandra Dottin was bowled attempting a hack into the leg side to Renuka, the visitors were 9 for 3 in the fifth over. Renuka with finish with a four-for eventually, coming back later to clean up the lower order amid the Deepti show.Under the shadow of a collapse, Henry, playing her first ODI of the series, rebuilt the innings. She struggled to get bat to ball early on, pottering to 3 off 17. Then from nowhere, she brought out a release shot for six off debutant left-arm spinner Tanuja Kanwar to get going.Renuka Singh picked up four wickets•BCCIDuring the course of her third half-century, Henry played some neat little cuts and glides. At the other end, Campbelle showed positivity against spin. She took the attack early to legspinner Priya Mishra, hitting her for three boundaries in her second over. After using her feet to launch into two stunning drives – one down the ground and the other through cover – she rocked back to pull Mishra for a third as she dropped short.This 91-run stand for the fourth wicket appeared to have revived the visitors as much as it frustrated India. This is when Deepti came into the game and made a telling contribution.Campbell was consumed by a rush of blood as she was lulled into the big shot by Deepti, only for Pratika Rawal to take a comfortable catch at long-on. In the following over, Zaida James was caught superbly at slip by Harmanpreet as Deepti had her driving from the rough.It could’ve been a triple-strike for India but for Renuka dropping the simplest of return catches via a leading edge to reprieve Aaliya Alleyne on 0. Alleyne would make only 21, though, falling to a tame chip to short midwicket. Alleyne’s wicket came hot on the heels of Henry’s dismissal for a third ODI half-century when she was out bowled by a straighter one. West Indies went on to lose their last 5 wickets for 21.India’s reply began in nervous fashion as they lost Smriti Mandhana and Harleen Deol early in the power play against the moving ball. Pratika Rawal too missed out on a great opportunity to build on a solid foundation from her first two ODIs when she holed out to mid-on in an attempt to hit out against Matthews’ offspin.India captain Harmanpreet then picked the pieces up and put together a fantastic exhibition of cover driving. Having begun with two fours off her first five deliveries, she went on to pierce a packed off-side ring to hit Dottin for three fours in the ninth over to quickly take to 23 off 13.Harmanpreet looked in rip-roaring form when she played back to be bowled by a skidder from Afy Fletcher. The wicket briefly galvanised the visitors, but India weren’t to be denied as Deepti, Jemimah Rodrigues and Ghosh all played neat hands to see them home.