A torcida do São Paulo lotou o estádio Independência e explodiu na comemoração com os atletas após a classificação da equipe para a semifinal da Copa do Brasil.
>ATUAÇÕES: Mesmo com falhas de Reinaldo, Luciano é o homem da classificação do São Paulo
O Tricolor eliminou o América-MG em um empate por 2 a 2, sendo ambos os gols de Luciano. A equipe de Rogério Ceni vinha com vantagem do confronto de ida – que aconteceu no Morumbi.
A torcida são-paulina acompanhou a equipe desde a chegada da delegação no hotel até o estádio, onde em diversos momentos era possível escutar somente os cantos em apoio ao São Paulo.
O elenco, por sua vez, aproveitou a força das arquibancadas e fez a festa em Minas Gerais. Rogério Ceni e seus jogadores sonham com título inédito na competição – além da premiação milionária.
O próximo passo agora é na semifinal, contra o Flamengo.
Mukesh Kumar’s match haul of seven wickets helped Bengal script a win despite conceding a first-innings lead
Ashish Pant14-Jan-2023
Prithvi Shaw scored 379, the second-highest individual score in Ranji Trophy•PTI
Prithvi Shaw’s record-breaking 379 against Assam hogged the headlines in the fifth round of the Ranji Trophy. Also making news were Bengal’s win against Baroda after conceding a first-innings lead, Punjab’s own version of Bazball and Delhi’s Nos. 10 and 11 putting up a rescue act.Mukesh scripts Bengal’s come-from-behind win Mukesh Kumar’s match-haul of 7 for 99 backed up by unbeaten half-centuries from Sudip Kumar Gharami and captain Manoj Tiwary in the fourth innings led Bengal to a seven-wicket win over Baroda. Bengal had conceded a 78-run lead after being bowled out for 191 in reply to Baroda’s 269. However, the pace duo of Mukesh and Ishan Porel helped their side stage a terrific comeback shooting Baroda out for 98 in the second innings. The two seamers picked up the first seven of the Baroda wickets and had them reeling at 39 for 7. Opener Pratyush Kumar fought back with an unbeaten 62 but ran out of partners. Bengal were then 53 for 3 in pursuit of 177, but Gharami (76*) and Tiwary (60*) saw them home on the final day. The win saw Bengal move to the top of the Group A standings.Related
Women umpires Rathi, Janani, Gayathri make history in Ranji Trophy
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Prithvi Shaw’s record triple helps Mumbai inflict innings defeat on Assam Shaw amassed the second-highest Ranji Trophy score of all time, and the highest for a Mumbai batter with his 379 off 383 balls. His knock helped Mumbai knock over Assam by an innings and 128 runs in a Group B affair. Batting first, Mumbai declared on 687 for 4, with captain Ajinkya Rahane also contributing with 191. In reply, Shams Mulani’s four-wicket haul restricted Assam to 370. They were asked to follow-on and were rolled over for 189 with Shardul Thakur leading the way with a three-for. The win kept Mumbai second on the Group B points table, three points behind Saurashtra. Hyderabad’s season goes from bad to worseIn another abject show from Hyderabad, they were blown away by an innings and 57 runs by Saurashtra in under two days in a Group B encounter in Hyderabad. Jaydev Unadkat and Dharmendrasinh Jadeja picked up three wickets apiece in the first innings to bundle the hosts for 79 after Hyderabad elected to bat. In reply, Saurashtra racked up 327 in 68.3 overs to take a 248-run lead despite a seven-wicket haul from left-arm spinner Anikethreddy. Hyderabad put a marginally better show in their second innings but still fell short and were bowled out for 191, with Jadeja picking four wickets and Unadkat three. The entire match lasted just 146 overs.This is Hyderabad’s fourth straight loss in the Ranji Trophy this season. So far they have a solitary point after five games, and are languishing at the bottom of Group B and are in danger of being relegated to the Plate group.Dhruv Shorey’s golden run and Delhi’s rescue actEven though more than 90 overs were lost due to bad light in the game, Delhi and Andhra jostled for first-innings points going into the final day. It turned out to be an eventful one which saw an unbeaten last-wicket stand of 65 between Delhi’s Nos.10 and 11, Harshit Rana and Divij Mehra, helping them earn three points compared to Andhra’s one.Himmat Singh’s maiden first-class century helped Delhi get three points•PTI
Batting first at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, five half-centuries helped Andhra declare on 459 for 9. In reply, Dhruv Shorey (185) carried on his excellent form recording his third 150-plus score of the season. He was backed up well by Himmat Singh, who scored his maiden first-class century, but it seemed they were going to fall short of Andhra’s total when Himmat was run-out for 104, and Delhi were 423 for 9, still 36 adrift. But Rana and Mehra stepped up to help their side get the lead, and provide some hope in a campaign that has been in turmoil both on and off the field. They are now seventh on the Group B table, just above Hyderabad.Punjab gun down 205 in 24.5 oversA game that seemed to be heading towards a draw was brought to life by a stunning onslaught from opener Abhishek Sharma, whose 47-ball 83 helped Punjab chase down 205 at 8.45 per over against Jammu and Kashmir late on the last day of the Group D game in Mohali. Baltej Singh picked up a match haul of 10 for 92 with two five-fors as Punjab had about 38 overs for the chase. With light also being an issue, draw would have been the likely outcome, but Punjab’s batters brought about their own version of Bazball to stun J&K. Abhishek smashed nine fours and four sixes and by the time he fell, Punjab had raced to 133 for 3 in 16 overs. While Abid Mushtaq did pick four wickets, he wasn’t able to stem the run flow and captain Mandeep Singh’s unbeaten 45 off 39 saw them through.Pandey, Gaikwad, Vijay among the runs Manish Pandey’s 101 and Shreyas Gopal’s 95 helped Karnataka get the better of Rajasthan by 10 wickets and helped them consolidate their position at the top of the Group C table. Pandey has blown hot and cold this season. Barring his 208 not out against Goa, Pandey has failed to cross 50 in five other innings.In Pune, Ruturaj Gaikwad’s 195 trumped Vijay Shankar’s 107 as Maharashtra took the first-innings lead against Tamil Nadu. Gaikwad’s century helped Maharashtra score 446 in their first innings, while Tamil Nadu were restricted to 404. Captain Ankit Bawne and Azim Kazi then scored centuries in the second innings as Maharashtra took home three points.The numbers that matter By thumping Gujarat by 260 runs, Madhya Pradesh recorded their eighth consecutive outright win, equaling Bombay’s record that they set between 1961-62 and 1962-63 seasons. Puducherry’s nine-wicket win over Goa was their first in the Elite Group in Ranji Trophy. They had won 11 games in the Plate group in earlier seasons. Odisha’s Basant Mohanty and Kerala’s Jalaj Saxena reached the milestone of 400 wickets in their respective first-class careers. Leading run-scorer after round five (Elite): Shorey (Delhi): nine innings, 787 runs, average 112.42, three centuries, two half-centuries. Plate: Taruwar Kohli (Mizoram): nine innings, 602 runs, average 66.88, two centuries, three half-centuries. Leading wicket-taker (Elite): Saxena (Kerala): 43 wickets in ten innings, average 15.88, five five-fors, two 10-fors. Plate: Rajesh Bishnoi (Meghalaya): 32 wickets in ten innings, average 14.53, four five-fors
West Ham United made a “stunning” January move for one Real Madrid player before the transfer deadline on Monday, but were ultimately foiled in their attempts, according to a reporter on social media.
West Ham set for long break after 2-1 Chelsea defeat
It was a night to forget for Graham Potter on Monday, who watched on as his side unfortunately fell to a 2-1 defeat away to London rivals Chelsea.
West Ham now want to sign "unbelievable" midfielder for free this summer
The 24-year-old is set to leave his club when his contract expires at the end of the season.
By
Dominic Lund
Feb 4, 2025
Captain Jarrod Bowen gave the visitors a deserved first-half lead, and performed impressively overall. However, second-half Chelsea strikes from Pedro Neto and an Aaron Wan-Bissaka own goal ensured that the Hammers left Stamford Bridge empty-handed.
For Potter, there were real positives to take away from west London, not least Bowen’s “proper captain’s” performance and their intelligent tactical performance.
“I thought the performance was really good, lots of good things,” said Potter after West Ham’s 2-1 loss at Chelsea.
West Ham’s next five Premier League fixtures
Date
Brentford (home)
February 15th
Arsenal (away)
February 22nd
Leicester City (home)
February 27th
Newcastle United (home)
March 10th
Everton (away)
March 15th
“I thought we were intelligent tactically. We felt a little bit unlucky with the first goal, we thought there might have been a foul leading up to it. Sometimes you need those things to go your way but it wasn’t meant to be. We could have nicked a point with Mo and I think we would have deserved that.
“Jarrod Bowen was fantastic, he led the team, and it was a proper captain’s performance. You see the players that we’ve got and the spirit there. We can be positive for the future.”
In the background, West Ham sealed their January deal for Brighton striker Evan Ferguson on loan, so Monday wasn’t a totally regrettable day for the club as Potter sees his desired new striker come through the door.
Ferguson’s arrival will seriously ease the pressure on Danny Ings’ shoulders, following long-term injuries to Niclas Fullkrug and Michail Antonio, with Potter hoping the Irishman can replicate his 2022/2023 form at the London Stadium.
According to journalist Graeme Bailey, via X, West Ham also made an audacious attempt to sign £60 million Real Madrid starlet Endrick during the window.
West Ham made "stunning" January move for Endrick
According to Bailey, West Ham launched a “stunning” swoop for Endrick, who has found game time difficult to come by under Carlo Ancelotti this season.
Writing for The Boot Room, Bailey says that West Ham contacted Real over Endrick’s availability, and they also approached the Brazilian’s representatives, but a transfer for Endrick ultimately fell short.
Both Ancelotti’s side and the player’s camp made it clear that they had no intention to sanction a mid-season departure, despite the fact Endrick is yet to start a single La Liga game this campaign.
The 18-year-old, who boasts 13 caps for Brazil already, has managed four goals and an assist for Real – but the vast majority of his appearances have come off the bench.
علق دودو الجباس لاعب فريق بيراميدز، على خسارة لقب الدوري المصري عن الموسم المنقضي، بعد صراع كبير مع الأهلي، موضحًا رأيه في مباراة نهائي كأس مصر المقبلة أمام الزمالك.
ويلتقي الزمالك مع بيراميدز، يوم الخميس المقبل 5 يونيو، في المباراة النهائية لمسابقة كأس مصر، للموسم الحالي 2024-2025.
وقال دودو الجباس في تصريحات إذاعية عبر “ميجا اف ام”: “احتفلنا في الملعب عقب مباراة سيراميكا كليوباترا تقديرًا لما قدمناه خلال الموسم، واحتفلنا بسبب منافستنا وتقديم أداء جيد، أما بشأن الأمور الإدارية، فلا تخصني تمامًا”.
وأكمل: “بيراميدز هو بطل الدوري ولا يصح لأحد أن يقول إننا خسرنا مباراتين أو غير ذلك، بل نحن نافسنا حتى آخر مباراة”.
وتابع: “لم نخسر الدوري كرويًا، ولكن هناك أمور أثرت على استمرار المنافسة، وهناك شيء خارجي بشهادة الجميع، لا يوجد اتفاق بشأن الاحتفال عقب مباراة سيراميكا كليوباترا، وكان لا بد من تلقي مساعدة رابطة الأندية لبيراميدز بسبب نهائي إفريقيا”.
طالع | دودو الجباس: لاعب بيراميدز أفضل من زيزو وإمام عاشور.. ولم نأخذ مكان الأهلي والزمالك
واستطرد: “نحن مسرورون بما وصلنا إليه، ومن حقنا أن نفرح؛ لأننا وصلنا بعد تعب وجهد وهناك أمور أخرى خارجة عن بيراميدز، طوينا صفحة إفريقيا من أجل التتويج ببطولة كأس مصر، وقد اعتدنا على الضغط”.
وواصل: “سنحاول السيطرة على مشاعرنا من أجل التتويج بكأس مصر، سنحتفل قليلًا ببطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا، مسرور بوضع بيراميدز وسط الكبار، وأجمل كلمة أسمعها من الناس هي (تستاهلوا الحصول على إفريقيا)، والناس تقدر جيدًا ما وصلنا إليه”.
واختتم: “لم أحسم قراري سواء بالاستمرار أو الاعتزال، ولكني قادر على العطاء لمواسم تالية في الملاعب”.
A saída de Dorival Junior abriu um espaço no banco de reservas do Ceará e a diretoria busca um substituto no mercado.
– VEJA A TABELA DO BRASILEIRÃO
Segundo a publicação do ‘O POVO’, o treinador mais cotado nos bastidores é Enderson Moreira, que está sem clube.
Devido ao seu conhecimento das instalações do clube, o comandante é bem visto pelos dirigentes para gerir o time na sequência de 2022.
Caso tope assumir o Ceará, Enderson Moreira terá pela frente o Brasileirão, Copa do Brasil e Copa Sul-Americana.
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Celtic are set to offer one of their most promising young stars a new contract in order to fend off interest from Europe, according to a new report.
Celtic latest news
Despite a 4-2 loss to Aston Villa in the Champions League on Wednesday, the Hoops secured a spot in the knockout phase play-offs, advancing by just one point.
Wins over Slovan Bratislava, RB Leipzig and Young Boys in previous weeks were enough to see Brendan Rodgers’ side through, setting up a clash with German giants Bayern Munich for a place in the last 16.
Worse than Trusty: Celtic star just missed his big chance to shine
The Celtic forward endured a frustrating evening against Aston Villa on Wednesday.
5 ByDan Emery Jan 30, 2025
Speaking after the defeat to Villa, Rodgers said that he is “very proud” of his team.
“We’ve built a really good foundation this season and shown that we can compete and play the game to the level that we want, and shown that we can also defend,” the Celtic manager said. “Clearly, at this level if you make mistakes you’ll get punished and you’ve also got players with big quality.
“But, overall, we were very competitive over the course of the eight games which gives us the 12 points, and now gives us a really exciting tie for the players and the supporters.”
Rodgers said Celtic’s qualification for the knockout phase play-offs “gives pride to the club and to the nation”.
Celtic to offer Cummings new contract
Beyond their Champions League success, Celtic fans received more good news this week regarding young striker Daniel Cummings, who made his senior debut against Aston Villa on Wednesday as a late substitute.
Regarded as one of Celtic’s brightest prospects, the 18-year-old has been in outstanding form for the club’s B side this season, scoring 25 goals in 26 games across all competitions.
His performances have drawn interest from Bologna, Club Brugge, and RB Salzburg, with all three clubs recently sending scouts to watch him in action.
To fend off suitors, The Celtic Way reports that Celtic will offer Cummings a long-term contract to secure his future at the club.
With his current deal set to expire at the end of the season, he is free to negotiate with other clubs, but the Scottish champions are expected to move swiftly to tie him down with a new contract.
Earlier this year, The Young Team, who scout Scotland’s next top stars, described Cummings as “too good for the Lowland League” and praised him for his “great runs” and “spectacular strikes”.
Scotland Under-19 boss Neil MacFarlane, meanwhile, said of Cummings back in November: “Daniel’s done really, really well. He’s scored a lot of goals in the Lowland League and scored in the UEFA Youth League as well.
“He’s been doing really well for them, just as a number of the lads at Celtic have been doing. It just adds to the attacking options at the top end of the pitch.”
Wolverhampton Wanderers are targeting some January transfers to strengthen their squad and aid their fight against relegation. The Old Gold lost again in their most recent game, although it was a tough assignment, to say the least. They suffered a 3-1 loss at the hands of top-four challengers Chelsea away from home.
Vitor Pereira
Indeed, that only hammered home the need for more fresh blood in the squad during the second half of the January transfer window.
They are currently one place outside of the relegation zone but are level on points with 18th-place Ipswich Town. Each side has 16 points.
There has already been some transfer activity at Molineux this winter, although not all of it has been positive.
Wolves’ winter transfer business
The only real piece of business conducted so far from Vitor Pereira’s side has been the signing of 27-year-old Ivorian centre-back Emmanuel Agbadou. He cost Wolves a reported fee of £16.6m from French side Reims.
So far, the Ivorian has played three games for the Old Gold, starting twice in the Premier League and once in the FA Cup. He has not been able to stop Wolves from leaking goals, and whilst not necessarily at fault, has been part of a defence that shipped three goals against Newcastle United and Chelsea.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
There was meant to be another incoming at Molineux in the coming days. Wolves thought they had a £10m deal to sign Portuguese midfielder Manu Silva sealed, but the move for the Vitoria Guimaraes star was hijacked.
Instead, he has signed for another Portuguese side, Benfica, who ‘swooped in at the last minute’ according to talkSPORT. As Aguias, managed by former Wolves boss Bruno Lage, are a Champions League side, they are naturally a big pull for any player.
The Old Gold will now surely reassess midfield options given it is clearly an area they want to strengthen. They were recently linked with one Premier League star who they could go in for.
Wolves's Manu Silva alternative this month
The player in question here is Liverpool star Wataru Endo. According to a report last week from CaughtOffside, Wolves are one of several sides ‘monitoring the 31-year-old’s situation’, given he seems to be out of favour at Anfield.
The midfielder is also a target for a couple of other Premier League sides, such as West Londoners Fulham and fellow relegation-strugglers Ipswich. Celtic are also interested, as are Italian giants AC Milan. The Japan star could cost upwards of £12.6m for a deal to get done.
It has been a tough season for the experienced Japan international. He has played just 15 games across all competitions, with eight of those appearances coming in the Premier League. In total, the Liverpool man has featured for 433 minutes, a total of 4.8 full 90-minute games.
However, do not be misled by the fact Endo has not featured much this term. He was a key player for Jurgen Klopp in his final season, playing 43 times and getting himself on the scoresheet twice from the base of midfield.
Endo was a player Klopp clearly loved, which was not only shown in the amount he played the Japanese midfielder but also how highly he spoke about him. Towards the start of his time at Anfield, the legendary German boss said the midfielder has “tackling as a hobby”. According to Klopp, he is also a “machine” in the middle of the park.
This is vital because Wolves seem to be searching for a ball-winner, and Endo could be the perfect alternative to Silva. Their defensive stats via FBref from top-flight football last season are similar, showing the kind of profile Wolves are after.
Per 90 minutes in the Premier League last term, Endo averaged 3.56 tackles and interceptions and 5.65 ball recoveries. In comparison in the Portuguese top flight, Silva averaged 3.65 tackles and interceptions and 6.45 ball recoveries each game.
Tackles and interceptions
3.56
3.65
Ball recoveries
5.65
6.45
Clearances
1.62
3.96
Blocks
1.26
1.17
Aerial duels won
1.62
2.99
It seems like the Old Gold are after a ball-winner to sit at the base of their midfield and break up play. Even though they missed out on Silva, there is a great alternative for a cheap price available, who could bring quality off the ball and more experience to the Wolves side.
يلتقي فريق إنتر ميلان، مساء يوم الثلاثاء، مع خصمه فريق برشلونة في إطار منافسات بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا، موسم 2024/25.
تأتي تلك المباراة في إطار منافسات إياب نصف نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا لهذا الموسم على ملعب سان سيرو “جوزيبي مياتزا”.
كانت مباراة الذهاب بين الفريقين على ملعب “مونتجويك” قد انتهت بالتعادل بين الفريقين بثلاثة أهداف لمثلهم.
ويلتقي المتأهل من برشلونة وإنتر ميلان مع المتأهل من باريس سان جيرمان وآرسنال في نهائي البطولة يوم 31 مايو الجاري في ميونيخ.
وتم استبعاد مشاركة بنجامين بافارد في مباراة اليوم بسبب استمرار شعوره بالألم، في حين لم يتقرر مصير لاوتارو مارتينيز بعدما عانى من إصابة في مباراة الذهاب يوم الأربعاء الماضي.
طالع | تشكيل إنتر ميلان أمام برشلونة في دوري أبطال أوروبا.. موقف لاوتارو مارتينيز تشكيل إنتر ميلان المتوقع أمام برشلونة اليوم في دوري أبطال أوروبا
حراسة المرمى: سومر.
خط الدفاع: بيسيك، أتشيربي، باستوني.
خط الوسط: دومفريس، باريلا، تشالهان أوجلو، مخيتاريان، ديماركو.
خط الهجوم: أرناوتوفيتش، ماركوس تورام.
ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنــــا.
With Marcus Rashford’s Manchester United future more in doubt than ever, INEOS are reportedly set to prioritise the signature of a £60m option to replace their academy graduate.
Man Utd transfer news
Amid struggles to find his best form for the first time in a year or so, Sir Jim Ratcliffe is reportedly ready to sell Rashford for as little as £40m in 2025, with Barcelona among the clubs now eyeing a move. In a shock decision, the England international could find himself shown the exit door, allowing Manchester United to welcome reinforcements who suit Ruben Amorim’s system.
The Red Devils have already seen glimpses of just how difficult it will be to transition into life under their new manager, with Andre Onana’s mistake in midweek gifting Viktoria Plzen an opening goal when attempting to play out from the back as instructed.
The former Sporting boss will rightfully stick to his ways, however, and hope to eventually reap the rewards. There’s no doubt that he will need reinforcements if he is to be successful, though.
With that said, according to reports in Spain, INEOS now want to prioritise signing Evan Ferguson to replace Rashford at Manchester United. The Brighton & Hove Albion forward, who is valued at as much as £60m, would slot straight into the sole striker role in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system in which Rashford has struggled.
Barcelona lining up move for "great" Man Utd star Ratcliffe's ready to sell
The La Liga giants could take full advantage.
By
Tom Cunningham
Dec 14, 2024
Alas, at £60m, it remains to be seen whether Manchester United will be in a position to spend such money when 2025 arrives, especially if they fail to qualify for the Champions League once again. The last thing that INEOS need is to run into trouble with profit and sustainability.
"Amazing" Ferguson suits Amorim more than Rashford
If Rashord isn’t going to play in one of the wingback roles, which seems to be the case, then it’s difficult to find a place for him in the current Manchester United side. Amorim has so far turned towards Rasmus Hojlund to lead the line and question marks remain over Rashford’s ability to play in either advanced number 10 roles behind the Dane.
Ferguson, meanwhile, could hand the new manager a new version of Viktor Gyokeres. The powerful and clinical Swede was the star of the show in Amorim’s Sporting side, becoming one of the best goalscorers in Europe.
Now, Ferguson could follow suit. A striker who has a similar build and running power, Ferguson’s best years are yet to come and United could take full advantage by landing an early deal.
Whilst he has struggled for minutes at Brighton & Hove Albion in the last year or so, the praise has always poured in for the 20-year-old, including from former teammate Alexis Mac Allister.
The current Liverpool midfielder told BBC Sport in 2023 after Brighton’s 2-0 victory over Bournemouth: “Evan is an amazing player. He was not having his best evening, but he showed his quality. We are really happy for him, we know how important he is.”
Sri Lanka’s new head coach also wants the batters to have ‘the confidence to go out there and not fear getting out’
Madushka Balasuriya05-May-2022Chris Silverwood is no stranger to Sri Lanka’s foibles. After all, it was only a little over a year ago that he brought his England side to Lankan shores and swept the home team 2-0 in a Test series. But now, some 15 months later, he’s at the other end, charged with patching up the same weaknesses he had so brutally exploited.Sure, in the intervening year, Silverwood’s predecessor Mickey Arthur improved the team’s fitness and fielding standards, while the likes of Dushmantha Chameera and Wanindu Hasaranga blossomed into two of the world’s leading bowlers. But the results remain as inconsistent as ever, much of which is down to an enduring inconsistency with the bat.Related
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Unsurprisingly this was the first area of concern Silverwood identified while diagnosing Sri Lanka’s problems.”We want more discipline in the batting, more patience in the batting and some intent to score as well,” said Silverwood, addressing the media for the first time since taking up the role of head coach.”It’s all about scoring runs and that’s what we want the batting line-up to do. I’ll try and instill some confidence into the boys so they can go out there and construct their innings and score big runs, certainly in the first innings, and give us something to bowl at. It’s not rocket science.”Not rocket science indeed, but certainly an issue many other coaches over the past decade (11 to be exact) have failed to do. But, as they say, identifying the problem is half the battle, and Silverwood has wasted little time in brainstorming fixes for Sri Lanka’s batting woes.”I have spent the last couple of weeks just digging through stats, looking at how we can improve. One of them is the intent to score, we have to give the batters the confidence to go out there and not fear getting out. That’s not to say we have to be reckless, what I’m saying is we have to bring ‘smarts’ into that as well. But I do want them to be positive, I want them to be brave. If we go with that attitude, the dot-ball rates will come down and the strike-rates will go up, which can only be a good thing.”I have encouraged the guys to be very specific when they train, think about who they’re going to come up against, and practise to suit those situations. Rather than just training on a broad scale, every time you come out of that net, you come out a better player than you went in. To do that, you have to consider what challenges you have in front of you, and then go experiment, find a way, make your strengths stronger, and obviously work on the things you might not be as strong at.”Silverwood’s forte, though, is in his work with fast bowlers, having been one himself during his playing days. And despite having had scarcely two weeks to work with his players since taking up the role, he has already sought to stamp his mark on the team’s pace contingent.”I’ve specifically challenged the Test bowlers to be hot on their first 12 balls, because as we all know the first 12 balls you can make a real impact on your spell as well as put pressure back on the batters.”It’s about instilling the discipline that we can do good things for long periods of time and not getting bored of doing them. Hitting your lines and lengths, finding spots on any given pitch, and being able to live there, and then you bring in the skills like wobble seam, etc., and all our guys swing it too, which is great. So, it’s just about bringing all those skills together and being disciplined enough to live in one area, where you can wear the opposition down if need be.”It’ll be a gradual process, but if you sow the seed and let it grow, over a period of time you will find that people can do it.”Naveed Nawaz will serve as assistant coach to Silverwood•SLCSilverwood’s first challenge will be Sri Lanka’s tour of Bangladesh later this month, with the team due to fly out on May 8. The touring party, however, will not have the luxury of calling on Chameera, Lahiru Kumara or the recently retired Suranga Lakmal. This means Sri Lanka take with them a fairly inexperienced fast-bowling unit. Silverwood, though, sees the bright side.”From my point of the view, the fact that they’re young means that they will take on information more quickly, and maybe try new things as well. The response has been excellent so far.”Over the course of the briefing Silverwood, flanked by his assistant coach Naveed Nawaz and team manager Mahinda Halangode, also revealed he had spoken to several past national-team coaches prior to accepting the position, and so had a clear idea of what to expect from the job. He also acknowledged that communication would present a challenge, which Nawaz will no doubt play a pivotal role in helping overcome.”Of course, one of the challenges for me will be communication. I have to make sure the plans that I’m trying to put in place I can get across to the boys properly. Obviously, Naveed has helped me with it brilliantly so far. Equally, I’ve got to be aware that the way I see things is not the way someone else sees it, so I have to be aware of how culture works as well, and I have good experience with that when I was working in Zimbabwe. All in all, what we’ve got here is very exciting.”I want the Sri Lankan flair, I want the boys to express themselves; I don’t want them to be anybody else, I want them to be themselves and fly the flag for Sri Lanka.”Nawaz, who had been considered for the role of head coach as well, will also oversee the team’s batting. The former Sri Lanka cricketer also elaborated on his role, speaking of his desire to get to know the players better over the coming weeks and months, so as to be able to help them reach their potential.”Two-way clarity is important to minimise any grievances players might have. Also creating a platform to discuss players’ personal as well as tactical issues,” Nawaz said. “My role will be to act partly as a mentor, as a friend, and also at the same time drilling into them the tactical changes that they need to do to improve their game.”It’s a great opportunity to work with somebody like Chris who has a wealth of experience. Obviously, I applied for the head coach’s role but I still take the assistant coach’s role as an opportunity. As long as both of us are on the same wavelength – to bring back Sri Lanka cricket its lost glory – it’s all that matters.”