Joe Denly shared a record opening stand•Getty Images

Kent’s opening pair of Joe Denly and Daniel Bell-Drummond compiled a world-record T20 opening partnership of 207 on a night when records tumbled and Kent moved closer to qualifying for the NatWest Blast knockout stages.Denly led the carnage with 127 from 66 balls, including 11 fours and seven sixes, beating his own Kent record score of 116. The stand with Bell-Drummond, who was unbeaten at the end on 80, was the third highest for any wicket in the history of the competition.It also beat the 163, a Kent record for any wicket at the time, the same two batsmen put on earlier in the season against Surrey at the Oval.However, they were run close by Essex, for whom Varun Chopra hit a career-best T20 114, his second of the season. His 58-ball innings included nine sixes and six fours. When he was out in the 18th over, Essex were 29 runs short with two overs to go, and they finished 11 runs adrift.Kent now know that a third victory in a row on Friday night against Surrey at Canterbury will take them through to the last eight. Essex also require a win at Hove against Sussex to stand any chance of making the top four in the ultra-tight south group.For Essex, only Mohammad Amir, who finally removed Denly in the penultimate over, returned decent bowling figures – his four overs cost a comparatively parsimonious 20. Of Essex’s seven bowlers, only Ravi Bopara went for less than 10 an over. Calum Haggett conceded just 18 in his four overs in Essex’s reply, crucial in keeping Kent competitive in the field.The start of play was delayed for 20 minutes while the air ambulance landed on the outfield to attend to a steward who had suffered a suspected heart attack.Put in, Denly started as he meant to go on, contributing 37 of Kent’s first fifty runs including sixes over cow and long-leg off Jamie Porter and Paul Walter respectively. The former Middlesex opener reached the 23rd T20 half-century of his career from the 27th ball he faced.Denly’s third six came from a free hit after an inadvertent beamer from Walter, the ball being lost as it sailed out of the ground over midwicket. A fourth cleared the ropes in the same vicinity in an over that went for 22 runs and took Kent into three figures in 12 overs.Bell-Drummond had played second fiddle to his older partner, but a six off Simon Harmer took him to 37 and past the previous first-wicket partnership record of 119 for Kent against Essex in the format.A swept four off Ryan ten Doeschate took Bell-Drummond to his fifty from 35 balls, and he had a second six to his name in the same over for good measure.Denly reached his second century of the campaign with a boundary past mid-off. It had taken him 54 balls and contained 10 fours and a fifth six the ball before, hit straight off Zaidi. Another six took Denly to the highest of his three T20 centuries.There was drama when the world record was broken: it looked at first as if Denly had gone on 119 to a catch on the long-leg boundary by Callum Taylor. But the fielder admitted he trod on the rope and Denly was not only reprieved, but credited with his seventh six.He was finally out in the 19th over when he went for another big hit against Amir and was caught behind by James Foster. Kent lost a second wicket in the final over when Sam Billings was caught behind to give Walter his 15th wicket of the season, but at a personal cost of 65 runs on the night.Essex went off like an express train in reply. By the end of the Powerplay overs, they were 94 without loss and Chopra had reached his half-century from 19 balls. Mitchell Claydon felt the force in the sixth over when Chopra hit him for three successive sixes followed by three fours to move Essex from 64 to 94 in six balls.Chopra had already hammered two sixes before that in the previous over from Claydon, whose first two overs went for 46. Sixes number six and seven came off successive balls from Imran Qayyum over long leg and then straighter.Having put on 118 for the first wicket in nine overs, Dan Lawrence departed for a 22-ball 41, with one six, bowled by Calum Haggett. But at the halfway point, Essex needed 95 from 10 overs; incredibly, they were 34 runs ahead of the Kent total at the same stage of their innings.They lost Bopara on 138, caught sweeping at Qayyum at short fine leg, as the brakes were applied to the Essex charge. Only 37 runs were scored in the six middle overs from the ninth to 14th and the pressure got to Zaidi who holed out to deep square leg in Darren Stevens’s first over.A straight six off Neesham, his eighth, took Chopra to his century from 52 balls with six fours. With 39 needed off 18 balls, Chopra carted Neesham for six over midwicket before exiting two balls later, caught in the covers.Ten Doeschate chipped a six over square leg off the last ball of the 19th over to leave Essex needing 16 from the last six balls. The captain went to the second ball, caught at deep cover by Qayyum, and Adam Milne tied up Paul Walter and James Foster in the final four balls..

Lyon’s five-for threatened to derail Bangladesh, but they were rescued by a 105-run sixth-wicket stand from half-centurions Mushfiqur and Sabbir

The Report by Daniel Brettig04-Sep-2017Stumps
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details4:01

Isam: Mushfiqur showed the value of his experience

Nathan Lyon set a world record, Matthew Wade produced two of his best moments behind the stumps for Australia and Pat Cummins toiled manfully to carry the burden of being his side’s lone paceman. However, Bangladesh’s captain Mushfiqur Rahim provided the spinal contribution of the innings to keep the hosts afloat on an enervating day one in Chittagong.Needing a win to avoid handing Bangladesh only their fourth Test series victory, Australia’s selection of just one fast bowler in Pat Cummins left them relying heavily on their spinners on a surface that so far has offered precious little turn or variable bounce.Bangladesh’s top four: lbw b Lyon

1- Nathan Lyon became the first bowler to dismiss each of the first four batsmen lbw in a Test innings. There have been 17 instances previously in which bowlers have dismissed the first three batsmen LBW. The last bowler to do this was Harbhajan Singh against South Africa in Cape Town.
3- Consecutive Matches in which Lyon has taken a five-for. Lyon took a five-wicket haul against India in Dharamsala and has taken two in the first two Tests against Bangladesh. Glenn McGrath was the last bowler from Australia to achieve a similar feat in 2001 when he took four consecutive five-wicket hauls.
1938 – Previous instance of Australia opening with a spinner in the first innings of a Test match. Similar to Lyon, Bill O’Reilly bowled the second over against England in Nottingham.
2006- Last instance of Australia playing three specialist spinners in a Test. Incidentally that was also against Bangladesh in Chittagong. Shane Warne, Stuart Macgill and Dan Cullen were the three spinners.
3 – Test Matches in which the first five top-order batsmen were left handed. Previously, West Indies had five against Sri Lanka in Pallekelle in 2010.

In fact, Australia’s selection seemed geared better towards that previous surface than this one, including a third spin bowler in Steve O’Keefe, who bowled to the sort of level that might be reasonably expected of a bowler who this time last week was watching on his couch in Sydney, seemingly at peace with the conclusion that his Test career was at an end. At the same time, Usman Khawaja was left to wonder how much better he might have fared on a pitch that allowed rather more liberties for batsmen.All this made the captain Steven Smith grateful that Lyon bowled with impressive accuracy and persistence to claim the first four wickets of the match through lbw verdicts, a first in Test match history. The last two of which arrived either side of lunch ended promising starts by Soumya Sarkar and Mominul Haque. Bangladesh took a conservative approach in line with their selection of no fewer than eight batsmen in the Chittagong XI, and it took the arrival of Sabbir Rahman to join Mushfiqur for a more nimble tack to be taken by the batsmen.Sabbir played some of the day’s most fluent strokes in a stand ultimately worth 105 and ended only when Wade accomplished an outstanding legside stumping when the batsman overbalanced after attempting a pull shot. Wade celebrated with all the glee of a wicketkeeper who knew he had influenced proceedings, but also the relief of a man who was in serious consideration to be dropped for a part-timer in Peter Handscomb.Australia must avoid defeat in order to avoid dropping to sixth on the ICC Test rankings, their lowest spot since the system was introduced in 2003. Knowing this, the selectors dropped Khawaja and replaced him with the allrounder Hilton Cartwright, whose ability to bowl seamers allowed for the recall of O’Keefe, the injury replacement for Josh Hazlewood. The hosts included an extra batsman in Mominul at the expensive of the seam bower Shafiul Islam, meaning both sides chosen only one frontline paceman each.Cummins took the new ball but the second over was bowled by Lyon, who quickly found the ball did not deviate off the surface anywhere near as dramatically as it had done last week. That meant adjustment for both bowler and batsmen, and Lyon was able to adapt most quickly by whirring in towards the stumps.He claimed Tamim with a delivery that the opener misjudged, though not before he had been missed by Maxwell from a prancing Cummins delivery. Lyon’s breakthrough spared Maxwell too much worry, and a further incision was made when Imrul Kayes tried to sweep and was given out via DRS – replays showing that a double noise had been a case of the ball striking both pads.Soumya and Mominul were largely untroubled for more than an hour, but the former played down the wrong line to another straight delivery and was struck on the back pad. The batsmen deliberated long and hard before electing not to review, thereby allowing Bangladesh to preserve their two referrals for the afternoon.Soon after resumption, Mominul was pinned on the back foot by another delivery that skidded on, meaning Lyon became the first bowler in Test history to claim the first four batsmen in an innings all lbw. It was a fitting record given his disciplined lines and lengths, with subtle pace and spin variations to keep the batsmen guessing – in the process passing Jason Gillespie (269 wickets) on Australia’s all-time list of Test match wicket-takers.Shakib was involved in a few niggling exchanges with the Australians, not least when he and Mushfiqur briefly considered a single after a rebound off the striker from a return throw by a fired-up Cummins. The visitors will feel justified in attempting to distract the world’s No. 1 allrounder after Shakib got a thin edge when fiddling at an Agar delivery outside the off stump, leaving Wade to take a very good catch, staying low with the chance and keeping his footing.Mushfiqur and Sabbir were thus left with an unpromising platform, but responded with more positive intent to move the scoreboard along, not least in the last over of the second session when the young allrounder Cartwright was hammered for nine runs in his only over of the day up until then. More unthreatening overs in the evening session demonstrated that he was only able to offer Cummins the most rudimentary seam-up support.O’Keefe meanwhile struggled to find the sort of rhythm that helped reap him 12 wickets against India in Pune earlier in the year. His return took place while he is still suspended from playing in New South Wales’ next assignment, the domestic limited overs tournament, after offensive behaviour towards a female Australian cricketer at the end of season awards night in April.Mushfiqur’s patience contrasted neatly with Sabbir’s more assertive ways, which seemed set fair to take Bangladesh through to stumps when Cummins looked notably stiff and fatigued in delivering the second new ball. But that was the cue for Lyon to spear one down the leg side and allow Wade to have Sabbir stumped by a matter of millimetres and milliseconds.Nasir Hossain accompanied his captain to the close, leaving open the possibility of greater runs for Bangladesh on the second morning – every one of which will make it harder for Australia to force victory.

Newcastle United and Southampton are still £10m apart in their valuation of Saints defender Tino Livramento this summer, according to a fresh transfer update regarding the youngster's future.

How old is Tino Livramento?

The Englishman, who is still only 20 years of age, endured a tough 2022/23 season, not necessarily because Southampton were relegated from the Premier League, but because he missed most of the campaign through injury.

Livramento suffered cruciate ligament damage to his knee very early in the season, and it meant he only actually made two appearances for his current club and featured for 26 minutes in the competition in total, highlighting his lack of involvement.

With the Saints heading into the Championship in 2023/24, it is no surprise that they are going to find it very difficult to retain the services of some of their most important players, including midfield pair James Ward-Prowse and Romeo Lavia.

Livramento, who actually shares the same agency as new signing Harvey Barnes, is another who surely fits into that category, considering his long-term potential as a player, and he has been continually linked with a move to Newcastle this summer.

As of yet, the two clubs have failed to come to an agreement regarding the price of the 20-year-old, but the hope is that that changes in time for the new Premier League season. A new update suggests that there is still plenty of work to do, though.

Could Newcastle sign Tino Livramento?

According to i News [via Geordie Boot Boys], there is still a £10m difference between what the Magpies are willing to spend on Livramento, and what Southampton value him at currently, proving to be a stumbling block.

A £30m bid for the right-back is believed to have been rejected, with the Saints instead wanting £40m for the services of one of their most prized assets. Because of this, talks are ongoing but appear to be at something of an impasse, with both parties remaining stubborn and not wanting to budge.

While it is important that Newcastle don't pay ridiculously over the odds for Livramento in the current transfer window, he is still a top young player who could have a massive future in the game, so they should do all they can to snap him up. The fact that he is a homegrown youngster is an added bonus, in terms of the English quota in the squad, and Theo Walcott once claimed he possesses an "aura", despite his tender years, also comparing him to Wales legend Gareth Bale.

Kieran Trippier will go into the new campaign as an undisputed key man and captain, but he is now 32 years of age and the Magpies can't rely on him forever, meaning Livramento could be viewed as an ideal successor, coming in and learning from the England international from the second he walks through the door.

Should Southampton continue to hold firm, it could be time for Newcastle to look at other candidates to come in and provide competition at right-back, but their level of interest in the Saints youngster suggests that Eddie Howe really likes the look of him, meaning pursuing a move for him for the time being should take precedence.

It looks as if Rasmus Hojlund may not be the only striker on his way to Manchester United this summer, amid reports that the Red Devils are also showing an interest in Santos starlet, Marcos Leonardo.

How much would Marcos Leonardo cost?

According to Italian outlet CalcioMercato.it, the Old Trafford outfit are said to be in the race for the 20-year-old's signature, with the young Brazilian seemingly set to be up for grabs for as little as €15m (£13m) this summer.

While the piece does suggest that the 5 foot 9 ace is keen on linking up with former United boss Jose Mourinho at AS Roma, further reports indicate that talks have stalled with the Serie A side – thus potentially giving Erik ten Hag and co the chance to pounce.

Read the latest Manchester United transfer news HERE…

The Premier League giants have already agreed a £72m deal with Atalanta for the signing of Hojlund, although 90min did reveal earlier this summer that it was not of the question that two new strikers could be on their way to the Theatre of Dreams.

Who is Marcos Leonardo?

With Wout Weghorst – who scored just two goals in all competitions for United last season – no longer at the club, Ten Hag has at present been left with Anthony Martial as his sole, senior option through the middle, with that a scary thought considering the Frenchman's grim injury record, as he missed 27 games last term.

While the former Ajax boss repeatedly suggested last season that the team play their "best football" when the 27-year-old is on the pitch, it is hard to ignore the fact that he has now scored just 11 league goals in English football since the start of the 2020/21 campaign.

As such, for Ten Hag to not only bring in Hojlund this summer, but also Leonardo, could well prove the final straw in Martial's time at the club, with reports heading into the window having claimed that the Red Devils are open to offers for the former Monaco man.

While still rather raw, young Leonardo has been far more impressive in recent times after scoring 14 goals in 30 appearances in all competitions so far this term, while the current United man scored just nine goals in 29 outings in 2022/23.

Despite his relative youth, the Brazil U20 international already boasts a stellar haul of 47 goals in 149 games across all fronts for his current side at senior level, with talent scout Jacek Kulig describing him as a player who has "all the tools to become an absolute killer in the penalty area".

Also hailed as being "born to score" by Kulig, the Santos sensation already has six goals in just 12 league games in the current campaign, with it clear to see just why there is such hefty interest in his services at present.

With Martial having undoubtedly had more than enough time and chances to impress after eight years in Manchester, the signing of two young and hungry assets in the form of Hojlund and Leonardo should be the final nail in the coffin with regard to his time at the club.

Speaking at the annual Cowdrey lecture at Lord’s, Brian Lara not only called on batsmen to walk but also appealed to the world’s top teams to ensure that the game’s integrity was upheld

George Dobell05-Sep-2017

Brian Lara has implored the top sides in world cricket “to ensure that the integrity of the game is upheld” and admitted there were times he was “truly embarrassed” by the behaviour of the West Indies side he represented.Lara, delivering the MCC Spirt of Cricket Cowdrey lecture at Lord’s, not only called on batsmen to “walk” but suggested the leading sides had a responsibility to “show the way and lead the way” in which the game is played.And, despite the outstanding record of the West Indies sides of the 1980s and early 1990s, Lara felt there were occasions when the tactics they employed resulted in them “playing the game in a way it should never, ever be played.”In particular, Lara raised the notorious series against New Zealand in 1980, when Colin Croft shoulder-barged an umpire and Michael Holding kicked over the stumps in frustration, and two series (against Pakistan in 1988 and England in 1990) when he suggested West Indies employed a certain amount of gamesmanship to win at any cost.”The highest-ranked team in the world has the responsibility to ensure that the integrity of the game is upheld every single time they play,” Lara said. “And that the spirit of cricket is with them every time they enter the field.”I grew up at a time when West Indies dominated the world. For 15 years from 1980, the West Indies never lost a Test series. And just before that, Colin Croft decided he was going to take a piece out of Fred Goodall’s shoulder and ran into him during a Test Match. Michael Holding decided he was no longer a cricketer, he was a footballer and he kicked a stump. I’m sure the occurrences during that period had a big effect on cricket.”Despite it being a period when people in the Caribbean were “accustomed to victory after victory,” Lara suggested it was a time he was “not very proud of”. He confessed to being “embarrassed” when a series of umpiring decisions helped West Indies overcome Pakistan in 1988. In particular, he felt Viv Richards was fortunate to survive a leg before appeal against Imran Khan and Jeffrey Dujon fortune to survive an appeal for a catch off Abdul Qadir.Lara referred to events in the 1990 series against England as “disturbing” and suggested that seeing his heroes behave in such a manner was “one of the saddest moments in the world”.”Everyone said England had no chance,” Lara said. “But they won in Jamaica and, in Trinidad, even after rain, had ample time to chase down a small total.Michael Holding kicks the stumps in anger•Getty Images

“I had never seen groundsmen and officials fight for Man of the Match. They moved lethargic, slow. If there was a wet spot someone went off the field, they came back with nothing in their hands, they took their time to ensure this game was not going to start any time soon.”Eventually, it started with a couple of hours to go and England still had time. We bowled, in one hour, seven overs. It was dark and Graham Gooch had to call his troops from the field and West Indies grabbed a draw.”This is maybe the most embarrassing moment for me as a young West Indian, watching a West Indies team time-wasting, playing the game in a way it should never, ever be played.”I was 12th man. I was very, very guilty. I was running out with laces, a banana, water, cough tablets, all sorts of things in that last hour. It was truly embarrassing.”They went on to Barbados. It was another keenly-fought Test and Rob Bailey was batting with not much time to go for a drawn Test. He flicked the ball down the leg side and Jeffrey Dujon dived and collected. The first slip – I’m not going to call his name – ran towards the umpire and signalled. The umpire wasn’t taking him on but he kept going and going and eventually he stuck his finger up and gave Bailey out. It definitely wasn’t out.”England sort of lost faith in the game. They lost that Test and the next in Antigua for West Indies to win the series 2-1.”As a West Indian, I was truly embarrassed. As a young cricketer who looked up to a lot of the individuals in the team, it was one of the saddest moments in the world. For me, I felt the West Indies being the best team in the world needed to play cricket in a different way.”Lara also suggested that such gamesmanship actually damaged Caribbean cricket in the long run. The series wins they achieved over Pakistan and England allowed them, Lara claims, to overlook their flaws that might have been addressed had they lost.”People talk about the Test series we lost in 1995 as the time we began to spiral,” Lara said. “I felt we started to spiral years before that when the great players were playing.”And if Pakistan or England got what they deserved in 1988 and 1990, I feel the West Indies officials would have taken a different look into what to do to save West Indies cricket at a time we had senior players who could have guided the younger players to have ensured we were on the right footing. But that didn’t happen.”Lara also used the lecture to appeal for the introduction of a Boxing Day Test in the Caribbean – “the amount of you guys who could come out to Barbados and Antigua would, I’m sure, fill the stadium,” he said – and congratulate the West Indies side that recently won the Leeds Test. Quoting a text message he had received from Sachin Tendulkar, Lara referred to it as “a success the entire world needed.”

Leeds United “like” Manchester City defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis as they consider a move to bring him to the Championship, according to reliable journalist Beren Cross.

Who is Taylor Harwood-Bellis?

Harwood-Bellis is primarily a centre-back who graduated from the academy at the Etihad Stadium to get promoted to the first team fold back in 2021, but having only ever made eight senior appearances under Pep Guardiola, he’s spent the majority of his career out on loan trying to gain as much experience as possible.

The England youth international has carried out four respective spells with Blackburn Rovers, Anderlecht, Stoke City and most recently last season he was at Burnley, and as a result of his contract with his parent club expiring in less than a year, his future is looking extremely uncertain.

Read The Latest Leeds Transfer News HERE…

According to 90min, West Ham, Fulham, Brentford and Newcastle are all interested in a swoop for the 21-year-old whilst the Clarets want to take him back on a permanent basis, and even though the report states that the talented prospect wants to succeed at City, he knows that he’ll have to complete a move elsewhere should he want to receive regular game time moving forward.

Are Leeds signing Taylor Harwood-Bellis?

Taking to Twitter, Cross revealed that Leeds have now identified Harwood-Bellis as an ideal summer target alongside Liverpool’s Nathaniel Phillips, who is also being closely assessed. He wrote:

“Centre-back seems where Leeds are focusing energy next in the window. Phillips and Harwood-Bellis among names they like. Elsewhere, we've been here before with injured strikers. Radrizzani never got on top of it. 49ers have a month to put it right.”

How good is Taylor Harwood-Bellis?

Leeds are extremely short in the centre-back department having sanctioned the temporary exits of Robin Koch and Maximilian Wober ,so the club are in desperate need of reinforcements in the heart of the defence, and having been dubbed a “warrior” by journalist Josh Bunting, Harwood-Bellis would be a fantastic recruit should he sign on the dotted line.

The Stockport-born talent, whose price tag is £15m, last season averaged 3.1 clearances and 2.8 aerial wins per match in his 32 second-tier appearances for Burnley, via WhoScored, so isn’t afraid to put his body on the line and is a strong physical presence off the ground, but he’s also capable of getting involved with the action in the final third.

The 6 foot 2 colossus has racked up 15 goal contributions (ten goals and five assists) in 176 appearances since the start of his career and ranks in the 96th percentile for progressive passes, highlighting his desire to push his team as high up the pitch as possible when playing out from the back.

Furthermore, Harwood-Bellis already knows what it takes to seriously compete and be successful in the Championship having been a part of Vincent Kompany's squad who achieved promotion back to the Premier League last season so he is the perfect profile of player for 49ers chiefs to be targeting, though whether an offer will be submitted yet remains a mystery.

أكد لاعب وسط الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي بايرن ميونخ، جوشوا كيميتش، على أهمية مباراة ريال مدريد في ذهاب نصف نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويلتقي ريال مدريد وبايرن ميونخ على ملعب الأخير “أليانز أرينا” يوم غدًا، الثلاثاء، في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت “القاهرة”، بقيادة الحكم الفرنسي، كليموه توربون.

اقرأ أيضًا.. تقارير توضح قائمة المصابين في بايرن ميونخ قبل مواجهة ريال مدريد

وتحدث كيميتش عن المباراة في مؤتمره الصحفي، وقال: “ستكون مواجهة رائعة بين فريقين كبيرين، ريال مدريد يتمتع بخبرة كبيرة، لم يكونوا الأفضل أمام مانشستر سيتي ولايبزيج ولكن تأهلوا إلى نصف النهائي”.

وعن طموحاته في البطولة: “أتمنى اللعب في ويمبلي، في نهائي 2020 لقد فزنا ولكن بدون جماهير، نريد أن نشعر بحماس الجماهير في النهائي، أتمنى أن نحقق الفوز غدًا ونتأهل في الإياب”.

وأنشيلوتي: “مدرب ناجح للغاية مع ريال مدريد، لقد فاز بالعديد من الألقاب على رأسها دوري أبطال أوروبا، لم ألعب كثيرًا معه في بايرن ميونخ في الموسم الأول، لكن كنت أساسيًا في موسمه الثاني”.

وعن زميله موسيالا: “جمال شخص هادئ وهو ما يساعده داخل الملعب، لقد تطور كثيرًا وننتظر منه الكثير خلال مباراتي ريال مدريد”.

ومواجهة فينيسيوس جونيور: “أحد أفضل اللاعبين المراوغين في العالم، من الصعب مواجهة لاعب مثله، سيتعين علينا أن نكون منضبطين تكتيكيًا لإيقافه، لأنه لاعب خطير وسريع”.

وكروس: “أعرفه جيدًا مع منتخب ألمانيا، لديه خبرات كبيرة ويمنح فريقه الأمان في وسط الملعب من خلال السيطرة على الكرة، لقد تعلمت منه الكثير على مدار السنوات الماضية”.

وهجوم ريال مدريد: “يتميزون بالمرونة واللعب في أكثر من مركز، رودريجو وفينيسيوس وكذلك بيلينجهام، يجب أن تعرف أنك لن تدافع أمام لاعب واحد فقط”.

One day after an epic 57-ball hundred put his side into the semi-finals, Patrick Matautaava’s spectacular all-round show floored Italy in a six-wicket win for Vanuatu to secure promotion to WCL Division Four. Italy came into the match undefeated after topping Group B but were bowled out for a well-below par 183, having lost the toss.The Italians overcame medium pacer Callum Blake’s double-strike in the fourth over to lay a solid foundation behind half centuries from Peter Petricola (60 off 80 balls) and Damian Crowley (65 off 94 balls). The pair added 124 for the second wicket to take their side to 137 for 2 in the 32nd over.But a day after his four-for set the stage for a dramatic chase against Germany, offspinner Jelany Chilia sparked a collapse by snaring both Petricola and Crowley in back-to-back overs and finished with a vital 3 for 32. Captain Andrew Mansale and Matautaava then hastened the slide by taking two wickets apiece in late spells to wipe out the tail in quick fashion as Italy lost their last five wickets for 13 runs and were all out in 46.4 overs.Openers Jonathon Dunn and Joshua Rasu started the chase in confident fashion, adding 73 in 14 overs for the first wicket, setting up a cakewalk for the middle order. But rather than coast, Matautaava stayed true to his natural instincts and bashed a half-century off 31 balls, bringing up the mark in the 24th over with his seventh four. He then teed off on Hasnat Ahmed’s legspin in the 25th, carting him for three fours and a six before eventually falling for 83 off 60 balls.By that stage, Vanuatu needed just 11 to win and Mansale finished the job, striking a boundary off the fifth ball of the 35th over to remain unbeaten on 15. Five years ago, Vanuatu played in the now defunct Division Eight held in Samoa, beating Ghana in the final. Vanuatu’s win over Italy, and the promotion to Division Four that comes with it, puts them in the top 30 of the ICC’s one-day rankings for the first time.Jersey avoided the banana peel in the day’s other semi-final, trouncing Qatar by seven wickets, after Anthony Hawkins-Kay’s opening spell reduced them to 30 for 5 in the 16th over. The tall medium pacer bowled an unbroken 10-over new-ball spell, finishing with figures of 4 for 10, including four maidens.Qatar’s outlandish hopes of crawling back into the match were pinned to No. 6 batsman Tamoor Sajjad, who scored more than half his side’s runs to finish with 79 off 103 balls as no one else in the top nine reached double digits. New ball left-arm swing bowler Cornelis Bodenstein returned at the death to claim Sajjad for the ninth wicket in the 45th and then knocked over tailender Mohammed Nadeem for a duck in the next over to wrap up Qatar’s innings for 152 in 46.3 overs.Ex-captain Peter Gough and Nat Watkins added 83 in 16 overs to cruise toward the target. Gough eventually finished unbeaten on 71 off 80 balls as the winning runs came courtesy of four overthrows with 22.1 overs to spare. Jersey will meet Vanuatu in the Division Five Final on Saturday while Italy play Qatar in the third-place playoff.In the loser’s bracket, Guernsey held off a late rally from Ghana to win by 23 runs. The decision to shuffle opener Matthew Stokes down to No. 4 resulted in a top score of 75 off 99 balls in Guernsey’s total of 213.Ghana were 8 for 2 only seven balls into the chase before Samson Awiah entered at No. 4 and fought back with 65. Awiah added 89 for the fourth wicket with Obed Agbomadzie before his wicket triggered a middle-order slide from 131 for 3 to 143 for 6, leaving Ghana to get 70 off the last 10 overs. Julius Mensah fought valiantly with 33 off 25 balls but when he fell to end the 47th, the tail needed 24 off 18 balls. Instead, the match lasted just another three deliveries as Jamie Nussbaumer took two wickets while the No. 11 Godfred Bakiweyem was injured and unable to bat.Germany will meet Guernsey in the fifth-place playoff on Saturday after defeating Cayman Islands by five wickets. Sacha de Alwis continued his solid run but was on the losing end for the fourth match in a row. De Alwis added 127 for the first wicket with Darren Cato (62 off 90 balls) and brought up his half-century off 66 balls but lost steam late in his innings. He only hit one more boundary after he crossed 50 until he was eventually dismissed for 94 off 127 balls in the 48th over as Cayman failed to ram home their early advantage before finishing on 268 for 6.Venkatraman Ganesan followed up his 2 for 29 with the ball by top-scoring with 59 off 57 balls in the chase. Kevin Bazil took 3 for 57 but the tournament’s weakest bowling unit was exposed again as Germany overhauled the target with 8.1 overs to spare. Cayman has one more shot at registering their first win of the tournament in the seventh-place playoff against Ghana on Saturday.

Wilfried Gnonto and Tyler Adams remain part of Leeds United's plans for next season, according to journalist Ryan Taylor

Both players have been linked with moves away from Elland Road following the side's relegation.

Will Gnonto and Adams leave Leeds this summer?

The duo have attracted a lot of interest this summer, but the Yorkshire club remains committed to keeping them at Elland Road.

Adams, who has been hailed as a "leader", has been targeted by Premier League sides Aston Villa and West Ham United this summer, with the USA international impressing last campaign for the Whites. The midfielder has reportedly informed new manager Daniel Farke of his desire to depart this window, however an injury that will keep him ruled out until September has cast doubt over the possibility of it being completed. The report from Football Insider also states that Bundesliga clubs are interested in the former RB Leipzig player, who wants to continue to play at the highest level possible. Should either Aston Villa or West Ham make a move for the 24-year-old, the allure of European football may be a deciding factor.

Gnonto has already been the subject of a bid from a Premier League side, with Merseyside club Everton seeing a £15m offer for the young Italian international rejected by Leeds. The attacker who joined for just £3.8m from Swiss side FC Zurich last summer impressed many with eight goal contributions last season, even attracting interest from current champions Manchester City as well as Arsenal. Unlike a number of other players who have left Elland Road this summer, the former Inter Milan youth product's contract does not contain a relegation clause that allows him to depart this summer, strengthening the Yorkshire side's negotiation position.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Taylor revealed that despite both players being the subjects of interest, Leeds are planning for next season with both players in mind: "I think there is a chance they stay. Certainly Adams and although there's been interest from the likes of Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest, there hasn't really been anything too concrete. Obviously, the Championship season isn't too far away now, I think it's just under two weeks away. So ultimately, I think they are part of the plans at the moment.”

Who will Leeds buy next?

Leeds are looking to attack the transfer market in the next couple of weeks, with the new season on the horizon.

The club have already announced the signing of Welsh international Ethan Ampadu from Chelsea, and are hoping to bring in another central defender in the form of Liverpool player Nat Phillips. The 25-year-old looks set to leave the Reds this summer for a fee of £10m and the Yorkshire side have registered an interest in the Englishman alongside current Dutch champions Feyenoord.

The side are also looking to address the goalkeeping position, with current shot-stopper Illan Meslier expected to leave by the end of the transfer window according to Dean Jones. Leeds have already earmarked a replacement for the Frenchman, with Newcastle keeper Karl Darlow reportedly in "advanced talks" over a move.

Leeds also need to replace Rodrigo, who joined Qatar side Al Rayyan for £3m this summer. Rodrigo was the club's top scorer last season with 15 goals in 35 games across all competitions which will be tough to replace. The main target appears to be Swansea striker Joel Piroe, who is also wanted by Everton and Leicester City, with the Swans wanting £15m to part ways with their striker.

Crystal Palace's 2023/24 Premier League campaign kicks off away at Sheffield United on the opening day next weekend and speculation remains hanging over the head of one of the club's star players – Cheick Doucoure.

What's the latest Cheick Doucoure transfer news?

The Daily Mail reported last month that top-flight giants Liverpool are considering a swoop to sign the central midfielder before the end of the summer transfer window.

Jurgen Klopp is looking to bolster his midfield options and has identified the Mali international as a possible signing to replace the likes of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho, who have moved to Saudi Arabia in recent weeks.

However, the report claims that the Eagles value their outstanding battler at around £70m, although it remains to be seen whether the Reds would be willing to pay that much for his services.

Journalist Dean Jones has backed the club's decision to value the 23-year-old talent at such a price. He told Football FanCast:

“Doucoure’s price tag is obviously eye-popping, especially when you consider how much Mac Allister was signed for, but I can totally understand why that value has been set and we always have to remember that the Mac Allister fee was a bit of a one-off.

"In different circumstances, he too could have been priced at £70m, there’s not really any doubt about that. Palace are in a moment when the vultures are circling for Guehi, Olise and Doucoure and they have to fight to survive.

"That’s why they are hiking up prices and Liverpool have to expect and accept that.”

This shows that co-owner Steve Parish struck gold when he signed the ace for Patrick Vieira last summer in a £21m deal from Ligue 1 side RC Lens.

How good is Cheick Doucoure?

The terrific midfield warrior enjoyed an excellent debut campaign in the Premier League and has proven himself to be one of the club's top-performing players.

Doucoure produced consistently impressive displays in the middle of the park as he averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.97 across 34 appearances, which was the third-highest score of all outfielders on the team – only behind Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise.

The Palace star caught the eye with his outstanding defensive contributions in midfield. He led the club for both tackles (2.3) and interceptions (1.6) per game in the top-flight last season, which shows that the Mali international is able to constantly break up attacks from the opposition to regain possession for his side.

His form comes off the back of an equally impressive campaign with Lens in France. Doucoure averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.07 and made 4.2 tackles and interceptions combined per match across 34 league games, which shows that his performances for the Eagles are not a flash in the pan.

At the age of 23, the talented machine, who was once lauded as "combative" and "consistent" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, also has plenty of time left to develop and improve.

This means that any buying club would be signing a player who can make an immediate impact on the pitch at the top level whilst also having room to get even better in the future with the right coaching.

Therefore, Palace are well within their right to demand such a huge fee for his services. Selling him for £70m would represent a profit of roughly 233% on the initial £21m they spent to bring him in from Lens, which would represent terrific business by Parish and Vieira.

The Eagles struck gold by signing the superb maestro as they have been able to bring in a player who has made himself one of the team's best performers whilst also now having an asset that could land the club a significant payday either this summer or in a future window.