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New Zealand were spun out and made to follow on, on a day hit by rain and bad light

Himanshu Agrawal28-Sep-2024

Nishan Peiris took 3 for 33 in his maiden Test innings•AFP/Getty Images

Stumps It was a tale of two bowlers, and thankfully for New Zealand, at least two partnerships on a day dominated by the home spinners in Galle. Prabath Jayasuriya bagged 6 for 42, and debutant offspinner Nishan Peiris took 3 for 33, as Sri Lanka spun New Zealand out for 88, their lowest all-out total against Sri Lanka, in the first innings.After securing a mammoth 514-run lead, Dhananjaya de Silva made New Zealand follow on.They lost a wicket in the first over in their second innings, but Devon Conway came out all guns blazing after lunch, and along with an enterprising Kane Williamson, added an entertaining 97 off 108 balls.Related

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Jayasuriya, Peiris and Dhananjaya then fashioned a collapse – New Zealand’s second on the day – in a period where Sri Lanka bagged 4 for 24. But, on the other side of that slide, Tom Blundell and Glenn Phillips chose to counterattack before bad light and rain combined to bring an early end to the third day’s play.Blundell (47*) and Phillips (32*) added an undefeated 78 off just 84 balls for the sixth wicket, pumping two sixes each on the way. They had joined hands just before tea – Peiris had cleaned Rachin Ravindra up with a beautiful delivery turning away – and took the attacking route three overs into the final session.Blundell launched Peiris for two big sixes in the 33rd over, both times by stepping out and going down the ground.Phillips, meanwhile, ticked along at the other end with regular singles and twos, looking assured at the crease against both left-arm spin and offspin. He belted Peiris for a six over long-on in the 37th over and Blundell decided to keep counterpunching with successive fours over Jayasuriya’s head in the 38th. That brought up the fifty stand in 62 balls.Williamson and Conway offered some resistance on another difficult day for New Zealand•AFP/Getty Images

Blundell reverse swept Peiris for four, and Phillips launched another six down the ground in what turned out to be the final over of the day. Eventually, though, New Zealand were still 315 runs behind Sri Lanka.Conway had hit back at Sri Lanka with plenty of attacking shots in the afternoon session. He smashed 61 at just short of a run a ball, in what his first Test half-century in 11 innings since March 2023. He hit ten boundaries and a six during his knock, and employed both sweeps – the conventional and the reverse – against the spinners, and earned the rewards too. Of those 19 shots, he got 33 runs, including six boundaries.But Conway’s innings ended when he looked to loft Dhananjaya over extra cover, as Dinesh Chandimal, who was stationed there, turned around, ran, and grabbed the ball as it dropped over his shoulders. By then, Williamson had chugged along steadily, keeping himself busy running between the wickets, and by hitting the occasional boundary.Peiris removed Williamson on 46 in the 23rd over, courtesy another well-judged catch. Ramesh Mendis, the substitute fielder, whom Peiris replaced in this Test, was placed at long-on, and had to keep his eyes on the ball for a long time but moved calmly to his right to take it with a reverse cup.Prabath Jayasuriya took 6 for 42 in New Zealand’s first innings•AFP/Getty Images

Soon after, New Zealand also lost Daryl Mitchell, who chipped one off Jayasuriya to an alert Pathum Nissanka at short leg, and Ravindra. But Blundell and Phillips’s partnership, along with the weather, took the game into the fourth day, a prospect that seemed unlikely when Jayasuriya and Peiris ran through New Zealand’s line-up in the morning.The two spinners combined to rattle New Zealand, who had started the day at 22 for 2 in their first innings. Dhananjaya finished with five catches – all of them off the spinners – as the hosts had a bash on a bright, sunny morning. A bit of rough was visible outside the batters’ stumps even on the second evening, with the ball turning and assisting the spinners already; and whatever New Zealand’s batters did on the third morning didn’t work.Williamson and Ajaz Patel were out defending, Ravindra was bowled trying to play the lap sweep. Blundell punched hard off the back foot but Dhananjaya took a sharp catch at slip. Phillips flayed, Mitchell slogged, and Tim Southee pushed at the ball; but no matter what they did, all of them lost their wickets. New Zealand lost 7 for 47 after being 41 for 3 at one stage, and got near three figures because of the resistance provided by Mitchell Santner, who scored 29. In the end, Williamson even ended up batting across two innings within the morning session.But it was Williamson and Conway in the afternoon, and then Blundell and Phillips in the evening, who ensured Sri Lanka didn’t have it as easy in the second outing.

دافع فيليب ديالو، رئيس الاتحاد الفرنسي لكرة القدم، عن الجهاز الفني لمنتخي فرنسا، في قضية ثنائي باريس سان جيرمان، عثمان ديمبلي وديزيري دوي.

ووجّه رئيس الاتحاد الفرنسي رسالة إلى ناصر الخليفي، رئيس نادي باريس سان جيرمان، ردًا على هجوم وبيان النادي الباريسي.

وألقى باريس سان جيرمان باللوم على الجهاز الطبي لمنتخب فرنسا بعد إصابة عثمان ديمبلي خلال فوز فرنسا 2-0 على أوكرانيا يوم الجمعة في تصفيات كأس العالم 2026.

وبحسب ما ذكرت “لو باريزيان” الفرنسية، أكد فيليب ديالو ثقته الكاملة بالمدرب ديدييه ديشامب وجهازه الفني، مؤكدًا مصلحة المنتخب الفرنسي.

وأشار ديالو إلى جدول المباريات الدولية المزدحم، مشيرًا إلى ضرورة تحقيق أفضل تفاهم ممكن بين الأندية والاتحاد، في محاولة منه لتهدئة الوضع المتوتر بين الطرفين.

وكان ديديه ديشامب المدير الفني لمنتخب فرنسا، أدلى بتصريحات خلال المؤتمر الصحفي اليوم قبل مباراة الفريق أمام آيسلندا المقرر خوضها غدًا الثلاثاء.

وقال ديشامب: “أنا حزين على ديمبلي وديزيري دوي، بالطبع، لأننا سنخسر لاعبين مهمين في مباراة الغد، هذا ما أقوله، نحن نتعامل باحترافية، كما نفعل مع جميع اللاعبين، مع مراعاة ظروف كل لاعب ومشاعره”.

وواصل: “للأسف، حدث هذا ويتعلق بلاعبين من باريس سان جيرمان، لتجنب المزيد من الأسئلة المشابهة، باريس سان جيرمان ليس منافسنا، خصمنا الوحيد هو أيسلندا، وهذا غدًا”، ويمكنك مطالعة تصريحاته كاملة من خلال الرابط.

The result also secured USA’s place in the next T20 World Cup in 2026

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Jun-20243:17

O’Brien: USA deserve to be in the Super Eight

Match abandoned USA have qualified for the Super Eight stage in their maiden T20 World Cup appearance, after their final group game against Ireland was washed out in Florida. The no-result gave USA five points, which was enough for a second-place finish behind India in Group A.There was heavy rain in Florida all week and the outfield in Lauderhill was extremely wet on Friday morning. There wasn’t enough time to get the outfield ready for play before the rain returned to end any chances of the match beginning.USA had begun their campaign with a victory against Canada in Dallas, and then they upset Pakistan in a Super Over to become strong contenders to qualify for the Super Eight. Though they were then beaten by India, USA came to Florida needing only one point from the match against Ireland to qualify.The result also ensured that USA would be among the automatic qualifiers for the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.Friday’s washout eliminated Pakistan, Canada and Ireland from Group A, and all three teams are scheduled to play in Florida over the weekend, weather permitting. Canada play India on Saturday, while Ireland take on Pakistan on Sunday. Ireland are the only team in Group A without a win yet, having lost to India and Canada before the abandonment against USA.

Manchester United may have signed off with victory at home to Aston Villa on the Premier League’s final day, although much of the talk is still centred around the fallout of Wednesday’s Europa League final disappointment.

From Luke Shaw’s depressingly downbeat post-match interview, to Bruno Fernandes’ admission that he could be sold, there was certainly plenty to unpack, not least regarding the future of Alejandro Garnacho.

Speaking after his late introduction as a substitute in the showpiece, the Argentine outlined his frustration at having started on the bench in place of Mason Mount, with Ruben Amorim adding fuel to the fire by pointing out the “big opportunity” that Garnacho had missed in the semi-final second-leg against Athletic Club.

After fighting his way back in Amorim’s plans, following his imposed exile – alongside Marcus Rashford – from the Manchester Derby back in December, that seemingly strained relationship appears to have finally cracked.

The latest on Garnacho's future at Man Utd

And so, Wednesday may well have been the last time Garnacho will be seen in a United shirt, with The Athletic’s David Ornstein breaking the news on Saturday that the 20-year-old has been told he can leave the club this summer. The youngster was then left out of Sunday’s clash with Villa.

That bombshell story follows reports in January that had linked the former Atletico Madrid starlet with a move to rivals Chelsea, with Scott McTominay’s Napoli also said to have made a bid during the winter window.

Despite ending the campaign with 21 goals and assists to his name in all competitions – a record bettered only by Fernandes among Amorim’s squad – an exit again looks to be on the cards ahead of next season.

Recent reports have indicated that United are keen to rake in around £60m-£70m for a player whom they reportedly signed for just £420k back in the summer of 2020, with last year’s FA Cup final goalscorer potentially a casualty of the club’s need to comply with PSR regulations.

If Amorim and INEOS deem that sale to be the best course of action, then so be it. Although, as The Telegraph’s James Ducker has suggested, the club must certainly be sure that they are able to bring in an actual upgrade to replace him.

Man Utd's search to replace Garnacho

After the days of scouring the Netherlands for new additions during Erik ten Hag’s ill-fated tenure, there does look to be a change in tact under the new regime, with the Old Trafford hierarchy hoping to raid the Premier League for ready-made solutions.

Indeed, recent weeks have seen United linked with players like Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo and Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, while Ipswich Town starlet Liam Delap also appears high on the agenda.

First and foremost, however, the end to the season could bring about a speedy move for Wolverhampton Wanderers talisman, Matheus Cunha, with reports indicating that the Red Devils are now closing in on a deal for the Brazilian.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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The suggestion from journalist Ben Jacobs is that United are now set to hold talks with Wolves over the 25-year-old’s this week as they look to trigger his £62.5m release clause.

Jacobs further reveals that personal terms have been agreed for a five-year contract.

Why Cunha will be perfect for Amorim

While United may have been undone by a soft, scrappy goal in Bilbao, that narrow 1-0 defeat highlighted the club’s particular woes at the other end of the pitch, having drawn a blank for the 16th time this season.

Aside from Rasmus Hojlund’s header, which was acrobatically cleared off the line by Micky van de Ven, the Red Devils had little to shout about in the showpiece, with Amorim’s attacking unit looking distinctly underpar.

One man who did at least inject a sense of urgency in the first half was Amad Diallo, with the twinkle-toed Ivorian notably flashing an effort across the box early on, having largely looked like United’s only outlet down that right flank.

While the 22-year-old was ultimately unable to drag United over the line, he has no doubt enjoyed a real breakthrough campaign in 2024/25, having rounded things off with 20 goal involvements in total, following his header against the Villans.

As Amorim suggested back in December, Amad is the “kind of player that we need in the team”, with the same seemingly true of Cunha. Indeed, the pair are noted as statistically similar players among those in their position in the Premier League this season, as per FBref.

Amad & Cunha – 24/25 PL stats*

Stat (per 90)

Amad

Cunha

Goals

0.35

0.54

Assists

0.30

0.22

G + A

0.65

0.75

Shot-creating actions

4.63

4.55

Successful take-ons

47.1

44.8

Progressive passes

2.84

5.02

Progressive carries

5.22

3.87

Tackles

1.79

1.29

Interceptions

0.55

0.61

Stats via FBref

*stats correct as of Gameweek 37

That likeness between the two forwards – both of whom have typically operated as the number ten in a 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1 formation – is notably seen in their dribbling prowess, with the two men boasting a similar record with regard to successful take-ons per 90.

Equally, as indicated above, both Cunha and Amad boast an impressive average with regard to providing a goal and assist per 90, while also enjoying a similar return with regard to shot-creating actions per 90. In essence, there is a high chance of an opportunity being created in the final third when they get on the ball.

With the left-footed Amad posing a real threat down the right flank, the right-footed Wolves star could then offer the same spark on the opposite side, having showcased his credentials with 42 goals and assists in just 82 Premier League games for the Old Gold.

As Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley suggested, the £90k-per-week maverick would be “an amazing signing for a club in United’s position”, with such a deal potentially the catalyst for brighter things in Manchester next season.

Of course, losing a talent like Garnacho would be a blow, although if the Amad-like incoming can replicate what he has shown at Molineux, then such a sale might well swiftly be forgotten.

Related He'd make Cunha unplayable: Man Utd leading race for "incredible" £30m CF

Ruben Amorim needs to make impactful signings this summer to get Man United back on track.

Posts 1 ByAngus Sinclair May 24, 2025

Omar Marmoush has been a revelation since making the move to Manchester City in the January transfer window. The Egyptian star joined for £59m at the back end of the winter window, and has been in scintillating form ever since.

In 14 appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side so far, he has managed to score seven goals and register one assist. That included a fantastic hat-trick against Newcastle United, which came in the first half of a 4-1 win in the space of 15 minutes.

Perhaps, with the goals Marmoush has scored in a City shirt so far, he could be on track to be as prolific as Sergio Aguero was for the East Manchester side.

Aguero’s Man City career

“We cannot replace him” were Guardiola’s words when Aguero departed the Etihad Stadium at the end of the 2020/21 campaign. Well, that didn’t turn out to be entirely true, with Erling Haaland and, more recently, Marmoush, providing the goals that the legendary striker brought.

In his prime, few were better than Aguero. He scored an extraordinary 260 goals for City in 390 games, notching up 64 assists in that time, too. Only four players in Premier League history scored more goals than the former Argentina international, who bagged 184 Premier League goals.

At one stage, Aguero was described as “the best striker in the Premier League” by a man who knows what that means, Alan Shearer. There were six seasons in which he scored 20 or more goals in one top-flight campaign, including his first, in 20211/12.

However, as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end, and Aguero’s final season for City showed just how much he struggled. He only managed six goals in all competitions in 2020/21 and became more of a squad player under Guardiola.

A decline of a club legend like that is always sad to see, and unfortunately, City fans could be seeing a similar thing with another player currently at the club.

Man City’s new Aguero

Perhaps a bigger legend than Aguero in City colours is Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian legend recently announced that he will leave the club at the end of the season, and has been linked with a move to MLS side Chicago Fire on a free transfer.

His time at City has been nothing short of extraordinary. De Bruyne has been the spearhead of all the success the club has experienced under Guardiola, with the icing on the cake, of course, the iconic treble in the 2022/23 campaign.

His current record in that famous Blue shirt is phenomenal. The City number 17 has played 415 games for the club, scoring 107 goals and registering 177 assists. It is no surprise that football statistician Statman Dave once described him as a “genius”.

The 33-year-old enjoyed his best individual Premier League season in 2019/20. That year, he managed an outrageous 13 goals and 20 assists in 35 games, scooping up the player of the season award for his incredible campaign.

However, his decline this season has been steep. The Belgian has struggled with injuries this term, and, like Aguero, has become more of a squad player. He has only played 33 times in all competitions, with five goals and eight assists to his name.

Premier League

22

1279

3

7

Champions League

7

397

0

0

FA Cup

3

198

2

1

Community Shield

1

1

0

0

We have still seen quality from De Bruyne in his final season as a City player, despite his decline. That included a fantastic free kick against Crystal Palace in their most recent Premier League outing.

With that being said, it is a shame to see such a legend of the game in the final throes of his Premier League career. He has given so much to the game and has been sensational in a City shirt for years.

Their fans will no doubt want to see him end on a high in the final weeks of his time at the club.

He's like David Silva: Man City in talks for £100m De Bruyne replacement

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1 ByRoss Kilvington Apr 14, 2025

It looks set to be another summer of significant change for Tottenham Hotspur this year.

The Lilywhites didn’t get enough business done last year, and that, combined with a terrible run of injuries, has seen their domestic campaign go from bad to worse this season.

However, it’s not just incomings that could completely alter the team in the coming months, but outgoings, as it remains to be seen whether Ange Postecoglou will keep his job and several key stars have also been linked with an exit.

In fact, the club could even be at risk of losing one of their most important players in a move that would feel reminiscent of Christian Eriksen’s transfer in 2020.

Tottenham's potential exits

Without a doubt, the biggest story concerning an exit from Tottenham at the moment concerns Cristian Romero, as, after being linked with Real Madrid earlier this year, reports from the last few weeks have touted him for a £67m move to Atlético Madrid.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Worse yet, those same reports have revealed that the Argentine would also like the move and has already held talks with Diego Simeone.

A far less damaging exit, and one likely welcomed by the fans, could be that of Timo Werner, as it was recently revealed that the North Londoners will likely not be making his stay permanent.

The RB Leipzig loanee has been underwhelming at best during his time at the club and has only been able to amass a haul of four goal involvements in 27 games.

However, a far more significant loss would be that of Dejan Kulusevski.

Yes, according to former Tottenham scout Mick Brown, the Swedish international is “going to be interested” in moving back to Serie A this summer.

Speaking to Football Insider, Brown revealed that AC Milan and Napoli are just some of the teams interested in him and that, due to him and other players feeling “frustrated” about how the season has panned out, it’s a move that’s genuinely “feasible even if Tottenham don’t want to let him leave.”

Losing the former Juventus ace would be a disaster for Spurs and a potential repeat of Eriksen’s departure five years ago.

Why Kulusevski could be Eriksen 2.0

There are, unfortunately, a few reasons why Kulusevski’s transfer this summer could mirror Eriksen’s in 2020, and the first is the fact that they are both sensationally gifted creative midfielders.

PL

226

51

65

UCL

29

5

7

UEL

22

5

5

League Cup

13

4

4

FA Cup

15

4

7

For example, during his time in North London, the former Lilywhites star racked up an incredible haul of 69 goals and 88 assists in 305 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.94 games.

For his part, the “world-class” Stockholm-born maestro, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has scored 25 goals and provided 29 assists in 138 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.55 games.

However, this season has seen him spend more time in the middle of the park than on the wings for the first time in his Spurs career, which has seen him produce 20 goal involvements in 42 appearances or one every 2.1 games.

The next similarity would be their destinations and the fact that Tottenham did not want to lose them, as the current Manchester United ace left North London to join Inter Milan and Kulusevski’s potential destination looking like it could be the black and red half of the city: AC Milan.

Finally, both players are key members of a Scandinavian national team, with Eriksen amassing a staggering 140 senior caps for Denmark and the Lilywhites star earning 45 for Sweden.

Ultimately, losing Kulusevski this summer would be a disaster for Spurs, so Daniel Levy and Co need to do all they can and give him what he wants to ensure he stays at the club.

He's a £101m star in the making: Spurs hit gold on "monster" Nuno signing

The incredible talent has a bright future at Spurs.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 7, 2025

The PCB was meeting in Lahore, the players were told not to leave the hotel, and there was uncertainty until quite late over the fate of Pakistan’s game against UAE

Shashank Kishore17-Sep-20254:11

Suryakumar: ‘A few things in life are ahead of sportsman spirit’

To grasp the full extent of the chaos that engulfed Pakistan’s final Group A match against UAE in Dubai on Wednesday, you needed to be in three places at once.At the team hotel in Marina, where uncertainty lingered until the last minute over whether the Pakistan players would leave for the venue as scheduled at 4.30 pm local time. They didn’t.At the Dubai International Stadium in Sports City, a 40-minute drive from the hotel, where the UAE players had arrived on time at 5pm but were unsure of whether they were going to play. The buzz of Pakistan possibly boycotting the game had begun to get louder.And at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) headquarters in Lahore, some 1900km away, where its chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also happens to be Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chief, was in a meeting with two former board chairmen – Ramiz Raja and Najam Sethi – to discuss their next move. There was an initial announcement that the game would be delayed by an hour “for now”. That meant the toss at 7pm and the start at 7.30 pm.While trying to keep up with the deepening intrigue, there was more unfolding at the venue. The man with whom the PCB had a problem – Zimbabwean match referee Andy Pycroft – appeared shortly after 5 pm, only to make a beeline for the exit and to the ICC headquarters a five-minute drive away. The PCB wanted him out; the ICC wasn’t budging.Related

• Pakistan cancel pre-match press conference before India game

• Pycroft given just a few minutes' notice ahead of India-Pakistan handshake-gate

• The arrival of Shaheen Afridi, lower-order basher

• Fakhar, all-round Afridi lead Pakistan into Super Four

• PCB clears Pakistan to play UAE; says Pycroft apologised

When Naqvi finally posted on social media around 5.45pm that he had instructed the Pakistan team to leave the hotel for the stadium, doubts still lingered over the start time of the match. Organisers had been told 7.30pm but the local liaison team was warned by police that clearing traffic at such short notice was impossible given the weekday rush after 6pm. And it wasn’t until after the team departed for the stadium that there was confirmation that Pycroft would officiate the game.Mohsin Naqvi finally gave the Pakistan team the go-ahead to play UAE•Associated PressAs the politics played out, television news teams pursued the team, broadcasting Pakistan’s 40-minute bus ride to the ground. At 6.25pm, the players eventually arrived at the venue, by which time their opponents UAE had finished their drills, held a team meeting, and were waiting for toss time.While most Pakistan players headed straight for a brief warm-up, the team manager Naved Akram Cheema, captain Salman Agha and coach Mike Hesson attended a closed-door meeting with Pycroft.Soon after, the PCB circulated a muted video clip to Pakistani media of the team management talking to Pycroft. In an accompanying statement issued minutes before the 7pm toss, the PCB claimed Pycroft had apologised for “miscommunication” that led to the handshake-gate incident during Pakistan’s game against India on Sunday.The development diffused the tension that had built up over the last 24 hours, with Pakistan cancelling their pre-match press conference on Tuesday evening, and the PCB issuing a statement later that night that it was reviewing the team’s participation in the Asia Cup.By the time the Pakistan and UAE players finally walked out for the anthems on Wednesday night, the must-win contest that was about to begin to secure passage to the Super Four felt secondary to all that had gone before.

He can whack, he can bowl, he can keep, he can leap – and he can rebuild an innings on a slow track with his side under immense pressure too

Deivarayan Muthu18-Oct-20231:07

Bond: Pleased with how Phillips batted today

Glenn Phillips is a man of many hats. He played both hockey and football at school before becoming a professional cricketer. He is also into archery, hiking, surfing and mountain-biking. He even has a flight simulator back home and dreams of becoming a commercial pilot after he finishes his sporting career.Phillips is also New Zealand’s do-it-all man on the cricketing field. He has opened the batting alongside Rachin Ravindra in Under-19 cricket. He can tee off from the get-go in the middle order. He can finish an innings. He can also keep wicket, though a back condition has somewhat restricted that skill. His outfielding skills need no introduction. He can also bowl quickish offspin. He is also an innovator.All of these skills have made Phillips a sought-after package in T20 cricket. But there were some questions around Phillips’ ability to build – or rebuild – an ODI innings, despite his unbeaten 63 against Pakistan in Karachi in January earlier this year. Those questions resurfaced after New Zealand had slumped to 110 for 4 against Afghanistan on a tricky, two-paced Chepauk pitch.Related

NZ keep perfect record as Afghanistan fall apart in chase of 289

Trott, Afghanistan lament sloppy fielding

Ball-by-ball – New Zealand's six lives

Azmatullah Omarzai was getting the ball to skid and zip off the surface. Rashid Khan was doing his thing. Mujeeb Ur Rahman was also turning the ball both ways. At one point, New Zealand went 64 (legal) balls without a boundary. Phillips absorbed all of that pressure along with his captain Tom Latham in a 144-run fifth-wicket partnership, acing yet another role for New Zealand.When Omarzai found late inward movement, Phillips accounted for it and shelved his big shots. He was prepared to wait for the loose ball in a passage of play that was straight out of the ’90s. His footwork was also decisive against the spinners: he was either right forward or right back. Phillips needed 69 balls for his half-century – his slowest in List A cricket. But this was arguably the most vital among his six List A fifties.While Phillips’ batting against spin is largely untested in international cricket, he has excelled on Chepauk-style turners at the CPL after having worked closely with Ramnaresh Sarwan during a stint at Jamaica Tallawahs. Regular trips to the Caribbean helped him understand his game against spin better.”It’s [about] understanding where my strengths and weaknesses lie,” Phillips said after winning the Player-of-the-Match award. “I guess the way a lot of boys play over here – sweeping really well and reverse-sweeping really well – but unfortunately I don’t have that quite in my game plan or to the level I’d be happy to use it consistently in a match.Glenn Phillips started slow but helped stem the flow of wickets•Associated Press”So for me it’s about sticking to my strengths: play from the crease and I do have power. So I can wait for the guys to miss [their line or length] a little bit more. But also the beauty of batting at No. 6 means that you have the opportunity to soak pressure or mount pressure [on the opposition] depending on the time you come in. So, [it’s] about being able to flip between the two depending on what the team needs.”After having seen off the spin trio of Rashid, Mujeeb and Mohammad Nabi, Phillips found a favourable match-up against his IPL team-mate Fazalhaq Farooqi and swatted him for two imposing leg-side sixes in the 45th over. One of those was off a blameless slower ball into the pitch.”At that point of time, our game plan was we had wickets in hand, with six overs to go,” Phillips explained. “For us, it’s the perfect time for us [Phillips and Latham] to both launch. I’ve faced a lot of Farooqi in the [Sunrisers Hyderabad] nets albeit with the new ball most of the times. But I do know he’s got a lot of tricks up his sleeve and he’s a really talented bowler. So to be able to get those two away off him, and to have a big over to start our launch, that was really crucial to get to 289 [288] as opposed to 260.”Phillips wasn’t done just yet. With the ball, he operated from around the wicket and bowled darts, denying the Afghanistan batters access to the shorter boundary. He then fronted up to the media, grinning from ear to ear.There’s nothing that Phillips can’t do.

The upcoming edition will feature ten teams and 70 league matches – including 12 double-headers – spread over 58 days

Vishal Dikshit24-Mar-2022When is the IPL starting and where?
Defending champions Chennai Super Kings will take on Kolkata Knight Riders on March 26 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai to kick off the 15th season of the IPL. While that match will start at 7.30pm IST, there will be a total of 12 double-headers this season, when the first game will start at 3.30pm IST, and the second at 7.30pm.Related

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What’s the format of this IPL now that there are ten teams?
The 2022 IPL will have the ten teams split into two virtual groups of five each for the league stage. Mumbai Indians and Super Kings – the two most successful sides in the IPL – have been placed in separate groups.Each team will play 14 league games this time as well, for a total of 70 games before the playoffs. Each team will play the other teams in the same group and one from the other group (in the same row as the table below) twice and the remaining teams in the other group once for a total of 14 games. For example, Mumbai will play teams from their own group and only Super Kings from the other group twice, and the remaining teams from Group B just once.ESPNcricinfo LtdWhere will all these league matches be played
To minimise the exposure to the risks of Covid-19 while traveling across India, this time the IPL will be played across four venues in and around Mumbai and Pune. The four grounds to be used are the Wankhede Stadium and Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai, the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, and the MCA Stadium in Pune.If there is no home-and-away concept, how has the schedule been made?
To make it a level-playing field across the four stadia, the schedule has been drafted in such a way that teams will play four matches each at the Wankhede and DY Patil, and three each at the Brabourne and the MCA Stadium. On paper at least, rivals might feel it gives Mumbai an advantage because they will get to play four games at the Wankhede, their original home ground, although they last played there in 2019.ESPNcricinfo LtdHow long will the league stage run for?
These 70 league games will go on for 58 days from March 26 to May 22, before the playoffs, for which the venues and the schedule have not been announced yet. The final will be played on May 29.What happens if a player or squad member tests positive for Covid-19 during the IPL?
The participant who tests positive will have to isolate for a minimum of seven days, and during that period, he will be tested on the sixth and seventh days. For him to re-enter the team’s bio-secure environment, he will have to provide two consecutive negative RT-PCR tests taken 24 hours apart, full resolution of symptoms, see that there are no fresh symptoms for more than 24 hours, and that there have been no use of medications for more than 24 hours.What happens if a team is affected by multiple Covid-19 infections and many of their players are unavailable?
A franchise can field a team if there are a minimum of 12 players available for them, including at least seven Indians and one substitute. If a team has fewer than 12, the BCCI will attempt to reschedule the match for later in the season. If, for some reason, that is not possible, the matter will be referred to the technical committee of the IPL, and the decision of the committee will be “final and binding”.Earlier, when the rescheduling of a match was not possible, the franchise unable to field a team would lose the points to the opponent.Any new playing conditions for this IPL
Each team will now have two unsuccessful reviews per innings, as opposed to one earlier, and the rule for the new batter taking strike after a caught dismissal has also changed. From now on, irrespective of whether the batters have crossed or not at the point of a catch being taken, the incoming batter will be on strike, except if the dismissal is on the last ball of an over.Will spectators be allowed at the stadia?
The Maharashtra government has, for now, allowed 25% of the seats to be occupied, but only by fully vaccinated spectators. Fans can buy the tickets from BookMyShow.Which bubble protocols are different this time compared to the 2021 IPL?

The one major change is that all players and staff members need to spend three days in hard quarantine (strictly in hotel rooms), compared to seven last year, before entering their team bubbles. During those three days, the players and staff members will need to do in-room testing every 24 hours. However, this rule will not be applicable to those who will be coming from another bubble, such as at a bilateral series, a franchise preparatory camp, a domestic tournament or a national camp, provided the players travel by a charter flight or by road.

There is only one day left in June to bet some home run props, so why don’t we close the third month of the MLB season with some winners?

Betting on home run props can be tricky, but there are two very favorable matchups on Sunday that I’m targeting. 

Mainly, we’re fading two struggling veteran pitchers, but these two sluggers should be in a great spot to go deep this afternoon.

Best MLB Home Run Picks Today

• Isaac Paredes to Hit a Home Run (+500)
• Christian Yelich to Hit a Home Run (+600)

Isaac Paredes to Hit a Home Run (+500)

Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Isaac Paredes leads the team in homers (12) so far this season, and he’s in a great spot to go deep on Sunday. 

The Rays are taking on Washington Nationals lefty Patrick Corbin, who has given up 12 homers in 16 games so far in 2024. 

I don’t mind a bet on Randy Arozarena either in this matchup, but fading Corbin in any way is the way to go. Paredes is slugging .452 this season, hitting .327 on batted balls in play against left-handed pitching. 

All season long, Corbin has struggled, posting a 1.53 WHIP. He’s in danger of giving up a long ball or two today. 

Christian Yelich to Hit a Home Run (+600)

Milwaukee Brewers star Christian Yelich only has seven home runs on the season, but he’s in a prime spot to go deep against a division rival on Sunday.

The Chicago Cubs have Kyle Hendricks on the mound in this game, and he’s allowed 11 homers in 14 outings (57.2 innings of work). Hendricks has gotten shelled in 2024, and Yelich has fared well against the Cubs veteran in his career.

Across 53 at bats, Yelich is hitting .226 with two homers, two doubles, nine walks and six runs batted in. While the batting average isn’t great, Yelich has been able to take Hendricks – a sinker-ball pitcher – deep on multiple occasions. 

Similar to Corbin, we’re fading a veteran starter that simply hasn't been able to slow batters down this season.