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SHARJAH – Pakistan had come into this match with their backs to the wall, their honour at stake

Agha Akbar15-Apr-2002SHARJAH – Pakistan had come into this match with their backs to the wall, their honour at stake. They were threatened with elimination at the venue where they have won more games than at home. And they silenced all doubters by powering their way into the final with consummate ease.Chasing a very modest 214, and docked one over for overstepping the deadline, Shahid Afridi and Imran Nazir devastated the Black Caps attack, putting it to the sword without mercy to carve out a comfortable win, by eight wickets, with nearly 18 overs to spare.Shahid Afridi pummelled Ian Butler for a four at long-off to seal the victory which had more or less been delivered by the end of the 15th over, with Pakistan making 103 just for the loss of Nazir.Pakistan had been off to a turbo-charged start and as Nazir got out, Pakistan was already 101, and scoring as rapidly as 6.9 runs an over, the openers had done their job, reducing the remainder of the chase to a mere cakewalk. In statistical terms, the asking rate was a mere 3.3 runs an over.But the way Afridi was now playing, his bat bludgeoning relentlessly, it wouldn’t have mattered had the task been far steeper. He made 108, his third hundred in one-day cricket, and it came off just 92 deliveries, with the help of 8 sixes and 7 fours. But more than the sum total of his runs, or its intrinsic value in Pakistan’s victory, it was the way he tore the attack into smithereens which must have filled the Kiwi hearts with fear and awe. Exactly the kind of influence Pakistan would have wanted on the eve of their rescheduled tour.Afridi did give a chance, but only a ghost of one, at 89, but so ferociously was the ball hit that Oram at short covers could not have held on to it. By then the horse had bolted the stable anyway. The rest was all clean hitting, too clean for Kiwis comfort.On a comeback trail, it was first Nazir who blasted the New Zealand attack with such high quality shots, mostly in front of the wicket, the hallmark of real calibre. Starting with a four at extra cover, he carved Ian Butler for another three fours in his next two overs. Fleming took Butler out of the attack, but Andre Adams was treated even more severely as Nazir took a couple of twos, and then ferociously cut and drove him for two boundaries at point and covers respectively to take Pakistan to 51, off only 49 deliveries. Most amazingly, while Nazir’s share in the total was 45 off 31 deliveries, Afridi had made just three off 18 deliveries.Adams induced the edge in his next over, but the ball fell safely and ran to the third man fence; it was Nazir’s 50, his fifth in one-day cricket coming off just 38 deliveries, with the help of eight fours.Afridi, who till now had looked like a strokeless wonder, decided that enough was enough and lofted Adams to the cover boundary. That opened the floodgates, and Nazir delicately guided Styris, brought on in hapless Adams place, to long leg fence, and later in the over Afridi clubbed him for a straight six and a four to long on. In Styris’ next over, Afridi was even harsher on him, and despite Fleming bringing on a fielder on the fence, he still clouted him for three sixes on the same spot, long on, to take Pakistan galloping to 101, off just 85 deliveries.At this point, leggie Brooke Walker struck, as Nazir tried to sweep him to fine leg and Sinclair took the edge off a miscue. Yousuf Youhana seemed to be in great form in his brief cameo, making 24 off 29 deliveries with three fours and a six. But it didn’t matter as by now, Afridi was in full cry, and Inzamam (18, off 16 balls, 2 fours, 1 six) was content playing second fiddle to him.Earlier, the Black Caps, having won the toss and electing to bat, got off to a blazing start, their best of this tournament with the openers contributing 75 runs at better than a run a ball. But then they lost four wickets in the space of only 18 deliveries for the addition of just four runs. They were never to recover from this dramatic collapse, and eventually finished at 213 for 9, the lowest by any side batting first.And it was such a far cry from what they would have expected when they had such a remarkably stroke-filled beginning. But right when the Pakistani bowlers were all at sea, and skipper Waqar Younis looked desperate for a break, more than anything else the Black Caps over-impetuosity set them back. One has to grant Younis that, when he and his partner in pace Akram not only failed in getting a breakthrough but were most unceremoniously hit all over the park too, he immediately made two inspiring bowling changes, bringing on Shoaib in the 11th and Saqlain in the 12th over. And it was these two who bailed him out, getting him not one but three breakthroughs, with Jacob Oram committing hara-kiri in getting himself run out.Once those four wickets were gone, it was always going to be uphill, more so with Fleming gone at the half-way stage. To their credit, Styris (43, 63 balls, 1 four, 1 six), Harris (35, 67 balls 4 fours), and Adams a quicksilver 21 (28 deliveries, 1 four and 1 six, both in one Waqar over) contributed vital runs, 112 runs in the last half of the innings. But all it did was add some respectability to the total, and nothing more.Before that quartet of wickets, however, it was all New Zealand. Dealing almost exclusively in boundaries, Astle clobbered Pakistan’s much vaunted pace attack, with authority bordering on disdain. It seemed to be his day, and whatever he tried came off. He started off by straight-driving Akram and then Younis to extra cover for boundaries. In the meanwhile, Horne took a boundary off Akram, lofting him over the in-field to mid-wicket fence.New Zealand was well and truly cruising, when Astle clubbed Younis for three boundaries in one over, and then smote Akram’s good length delivery for a straight six. Saqlain, brought on early for the 12th over, was clubbed for a straight six by Horne, but the champion off-spinner avenged himself next ball. Horne failed to read his straight one, and offered a caught and bowled chance to Saqlain who pouched it with unconcealed joy.Fleming sent in Oram to reinforce the good start, with the purpose of pinch-hitting Pakistan’s attack into submission. Little did he know that it had really started unraveling for him. In Saqlain’s next over, Astle tried to hit him out of the ground, and miscued; Waqar ran backward at long-on with such intensity as if his life depended on it, bringing off a remarkable diving catch. Next over, Shoaib’s in-shooter dismantled Mathew Sinclair’s middle and off stumps. Later in the over, Oram, going for a run, stopping many times over, ran himself out, as Akram made no mistake running in from long-on with an underarm throw.A superb New Zealand start had ended up in shambles, and the target they eventually gave Pakistan was not likely to save the day for them.After the close Shahid Afridi was declared Man of the Match.

West Ham United are in for an exciting summer if reports are to be believed…

What’s the word?

The ever-reliable ExWHUemployee dropped an update on the Irons’ transfer plans on a recent episode of ‘The West Ham Way’ podcast, where he suggested that the East London club could splash their budget on three key targets.

He said:

“[Sam] Johnstone, the West Brom keeper, and [Matheus] Pereira [are in the mix].

“I don’t think we’d sign [Jesse] Lingard and Pereira but if we don’t [sign Lingard], he’s definitely an alternative that we like.

“I think [Tammy] Abraham and Lingard would be the top two targets and possibly Johnstone the keeper, and we’d pretty much blow the budget on those three you’d think if all goes to plan.”

Last month, the Evening Standard’s Jack Rosser claimed that the Baggies goalkeeper would cost in the region of £10m, though they face competition from local rivals Tottenham Hotspur, whilst the Express believe their star playmaker will be an alternative target if they cannot secure the Manchester United loan sensation.

He could cost £30m, with Lingard expected to be valued at around the same price.

Abraham is one of many strikers that have been linked to the London Stadium and he could be the most expensive of all the four names mentioned, with reports suggesting that Chelsea will only sell him for £40m or more.

Get it done, Moyes

As the Hammers insider suggests, the plan for West Ham would be to sanction moves for all three of these names and that would represent a pretty outstanding summer of business.

It would merely build on their recent success in the transfer market, signing the likes of Said Benrhama, Vladimir Coufal and Tomas Soucek, who have all quickly established themselves as first names on the team sheet.

This latest development should also have fans hugely excited ahead of next season as it shows that the board are actually going to back David Moyes this time around, and they’ll have to, with the side sensationally qualifying for the Europa League.

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All three of these targets would help the Irons compete across domestic and European competitions.

Between the sticks, Sam Johnstone has been one of the best in the division, even despite Albion’s relegation. “Sam Johnstone is one of the best goalies in the Premier League for sure, without any question of a doubt,” claimed Sam Allardyce to the Express & Star this week.

He would provide Lukasz Fabianski, who has been injured a few times this season, with plenty of solid competition.

Similarly, the need for a new striker is ever so obvious, with Moyes only having an injury-prone Michail Antonio at his disposal. The club’s hierarchy never replaced Sebastian Haller after he left in January.

Abraham is a good target as he still sat amongst the Blues’ top goalscorers despite often being snubbed by incoming boss Thomas Tuchel.

Then there is Lingard, who the Hammers faithful have come to adore since his arrival earlier this year. The 27-year-old attacking midfielder delivered nine goals and four assists in just 16 appearances to help push Moyes’ squad into their best top-flight finish since 1999.

Much of the fanbase are desperate to sign him permanently but if they were to clinch all three, then West Ham could well enter dreamland.

AND in other news, West Ham could find their next Carlton Cole in “exceptional” 6 foot 4 beast…

Some Wolves fans have been left to laud a contract update from Tim Spiers on John Ruddy.

As per a tweet from The Athletic journalist, the 34-year-old is currently in talks over a new deal at the Midlands club and may well have a future at Molineux, despite his contract expiring next month.

Ruddy has been such a loyal servant to the Wanderers, with no fewer than 66 games played over the course of the last four consecutive seasons, keeping a very impressive 34 clean sheets in total in those matches (Transfermarkt).

With Nuno Espirito Santo leaving, it is vital that WWFC find the right manager to take them forward, and characters like Ruddy would be so useful to have in the dressing room in order to make the change as smooth as possible.

Thus, it is no surprise to hear that some supporters are pleased with the news that the English goalkeeper is in discussions to sign a new contract.

Wolves fans on Ruddy contract update

These Wolves fans lauded the update as it was shared on Twitter, with one going as far as to call it ‘excellent’ while another labelled Ruddy as a ‘fantastic’ keeper:

“Get in”

Credit: @DaanCooper

“Yes yes yes yes yes”

Credit: @Willfredinho8

“Good decision with Rui likely to leave. Great bloke to have around the dressing room also!”

Credit: @LukeBaker7

“Excellent news, a solid reserve keeper is an absolute necessity.”

Credit: @CliveHill77

“Great news. Always rated John Ruddy. Fantastic keeper. Really hope this happens. Wolves aye we”

Credit: @DartmouthMart

“Great professional big John is! Hope he gets it”

Credit: @C7Burton

In other news, find out what transfer update has left Wanderers buzzing here!

Hampshire and Warwickshire completed their second draw with each other in the space of a fortnight, when the home side held out with seven wickets down in their second innings.

Richard Isaacs03-Jun-2002Hampshire and Warwickshire completed their second draw with each other in the space of a fortnight, when the home side held out with seven wickets down in their second innings.Jamie Troughton continued to add to his maiden first-class century to set up a tough target for Hampshire to chase when Warwickshire declared after an hours batting in the morning.He completed his 131 not out with 19 fours and a six, lasting just 184 balls as he single-handled took the visitors past the 300 lead barrier.Hampshire were set 303 in a minimum of 80 overs. But just as Hampshire set off on their task, the rain came to thwart them, taking 12 overs away and any real hope the home side would have had in successfully chasing.On the restart, Hampshire lost early wickets with openers Derek Kenway and Will Kendall being dismissed cheaply and in quick succession.A 48-run partnership from John Crawley and skipper Robin Smith looked like bringing the game towards a 5.30pm finish and a drawn match.However, four wickets then fell for 30 runs as the Warwickshire seamers took advantage of the overcast conditions to put the hosts within reach of an unexpected defeat, as they tottered to 115-6. This time the weather took another eight overs off the day to Hampshire’s advantage.They lost their seventh wicket with five overs remaining, but Giles White stood firm, scoring 10 runs from 58 deliveries in unison with Shaun Udal, who kept him company to hold for the draw.

Arsenal are reportedly offering Eddie Nketiah to Leeds United this summer, with £20m enough to prise him away from the Emirates Stadium.

The Lowdown: Attacking reinforcements needed

The Whites excelled in the Premier League last season as they finished ninth, but there did seem to be too much onus on Patrick Bamford scoring the goals.

That’s not to say that the Englishman single-handedly carried Leeds’ attack, but he was the only player to reach double figures in the league.

Marcelo Bielsa may believe that a deputy to Bamford is required this summer, and Nketiah could potentially be that man.

[freshpress-quiz id=“355458″]

The Latest: Leeds offered chance to sign Nketiah

According to Football Insider, Arsenal are happy to let the young striker return to Elland Road, having enjoyed a spell on loan there in 2019/20.

Nketiah is out of contract with the Gunners in 2022, so now is the time for them to receive a hefty sum for the 22-year-old.

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The Verdict: Worth the money?

While Nketiah may not yet be the finished article, he is a young player with undoubted pedigree, leading the all-time scoring charts for England’s under-21s.

At 22, he has time on his side and could develop brilliantly under Bielsa, playing second fiddle to Bamford but proving to be a handy squad option.

Granted, £20m is a lot of money so there would be an element of risk, but Nketiah is an adept goalscorer who could have a bright future, while he already has ample Premier League experience under his belt and therefore should not need any great adjusting period if he moves to Elland Road.

In other news, Leeds have been handed a boost in their quest to sign one player this summer. Find out who it is here.

Somerset finished the first day at Edgbaston 109 behind Warwickshire with seven wickets in hand, but will have to do without the services of strike bowler Richard Johnson for the rest of the match, after he left the field early on during the morning

Richard Walsh26-Jun-2002Somerset finished the first day at Edgbaston 109 behind Warwickshire with seven wickets in hand, but will have to do without the services of strike bowler Richard Johnson for the rest of the match, after he left the field early on during the morning with a hamstring injury.After winning the toss Warwickshire batted first, and looked like being dismissed cheaply before Graham Wagg ( 42 not out) and Melvyn Betts (23) came to the rescue by putting on 65 for the ninth wicket to enable their team to reach 230 all out.The pick of the Somerset bowlers was Steffan Jones, who on his return to the championship scene ended with 4 for 46 from his 16.1 overs.The Cidermen’s reply got off to the worst possible of starts when Piran Holloway was dismissed without any score on the board, and six runs later his opening partner Matt Wood followed him back into the pavilion.Mike Burns and Peter Bowler then steadied the Somerset innings, sharing a third wicket partnership of 104 before the acting captain was bowled by Duggie Brown for 54.At the close of play Peter Bowler remained unbeaten on 54, with night watchman Steffan Jones yet to score as Somerset had reached 121 for 3 off 35 overs.Afterwards Kevin Shine told me: "It was a good effort from all of the boys today, especially after losing one of our big guns early on. Steffan bowled well today, but I’m pleased with them all, they all knuckled down well after losing Johnno."He continued: "When we batted Mike Burns and Peter Bowler shared an important partnership to put us in a good position, and tomorrow we will be looking to get a lead."

Europe’s domestic competitions may have come to an end, but that doesn’t mean that football is taking a break. This is a year-round sport, after all! We do have the Euro Championship tournament to look forward to, but in addition, there’s also all the speculation about which players might be on the move. For the clubs that are receiving players, this will be good news. This speculation will be slightly less welcome for fans of the clubs that might lose one or two key players.

In this article, we’re going to run through a list of some players who might just be wearing the colours of a different club come the beginning of the forthcoming campaign.

Jack Grealish

Jack Grealish might be Birmingham-born and bred, but there’s no denying that his football talent will take him beyond Aston Villa, his boyhood club. Currently serving as Villa’s captain, Grealish had a season to remember and will look to build on his excellent form at the Euro Championship. Southgate has given him the number 7 shirt, suggesting that he’ll play a vital role in England’s quest for glory.

While lifting the trophy is one motivating factor, Grealish will know that this is his chance to show off what he can do on the biggest stage, which will only heat up the competition for his signature. The player’s need to ‘put himself in the shop window’ should improve England’s chance of winning the tournament, making them an attractive option for fans that make bets. Of course, England are current favourites, so check out this guide to better returns for Euro betting to ensure your bet is as valuable as possible.

Harry Kane

Oh, Harry Kane. For years, he’s been Mr. Tottenham Hotspurs. Their leader, their best player, their captain. And now? It seems that Kane has finally had enough of playing for a club that simply doesn’t win trophies. And can anyone blame him? Spurs have been in regression for a couple of years now, and it doesn’t look like that will change any time soon.

It’s understandable that Kane, the player who, along with Son, has carried the side for the past couple of years, has had enough. If he went to Manchester City, he’d be virtually guaranteed to pick up several medals, likely in his first season, too. Daniel Levy does have a habit of digging in his heels and getting his way, however, so it might not be a foregone conclusion that he’ll be on his way.

Erling Haaland

Haaland’s the man, and he’s only twenty years old. Oddly he seems to have come out of nowhere. His rapid ascent to the top has been a joy to watch, and of course, gained him the interest of all the big clubs in Europe. Will Dortmund allow him to go? They’re in a strong position to keep him for at least another year.

You imagine that Haaland could force through a move if he wanted to, but with time on his side, there’s really no reason to. However, Manchester City and Chelsea, to name just two clubs who are very much interested, might feel like now is the time to strike.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Messi might be on his way out of Barcelona, but in truth, we all know that he’ll still be playing at the Camp Nou next year. The greatest of all time will be a one-club player, no matter how much turmoil Barcelona end up in. One player who is also considered one of the greatest of all time who very much might be on the move, however, is Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Juventus star could be on his way to Paris or back to one of his former clubs, either Manchester United or Real Madrid. And for the first time in his career, it won’t be entirely down to Ronaldo, either. New manager Massimiliano Allegri isn’t as in love with the player as Ronaldo is with himself. Still, he’s an outstanding player, and Manchester United fans, in particular, would love to see him back at Old Trafford. You wouldn’t bet against him restoring the Red Devils to their former glory, would you?

Paul Pogba

If Ronaldo does return to Manchester United, he’s unlikely to link up with Paul Pogba, who could finally be on his way this summer. With his contract out next summer, the club is thought to want to cash in now rather than lose him on a free transfer next year.

Pogba already confessed that he wanted to walk away from the club in 2019. Perhaps this is the summer when the relationship finally comes to an end.

RB Salzburg striker Patson Daka has turned down the advances of West Ham United, according to Football Insider.

The lowdown

Daka was prolific for the Austrian champions last season, scoring 27 goals in 28 league appearances. On average, he netted every 72 minutes.

The Zambian international is valued at £19.8million by Transfermarkt and has three years remaining on his contract.

The report states that West Ham are among the clubs to have registered their interest in signing the 22-year-old.

The latest

Daka’s camp has communicated the player’s intention to move to a higher-level club.

As well as West Ham, who have qualified for next season’s Europa League, he has rejected Ligue 1 outfit Monaco.

The Irons are in the market for a striker who can offer ‘cover and competition’ for Michail Antonio.

‘Many other’ Premier League teams are hopeful of landing Daka, with a recruitment source revealing the Hammers’ failed interest.

The verdict

This is a blow for West Ham, who would have hoped that European qualification would have boosted their pulling power.

However, Daka may not quite as good as his league record suggests. He failed to score in the Champions League group stages or the Europa League Round of 32 this season, for instance, so perhaps is benefitting from player in a much inferior domestic league.

While suitors will be hoping that he can emulate Erling Haaland in thriving after leaving Austria, he could just as easily struggle like former team-mates Takumi Minamino and Hee-chan Hwang, who failed to score a league goal for RB Leipzig in 2020/21.

In other news, West Ham fans reacted to this development in their pursuit of a centre-back. 

New Zealand’s world champion women’s team continued on their winning way with only the final of the tri-series with England now standing in the way of an unbeaten tour for them

Lynn McConnell18-Jul-2002New Zealand’s world champion women’s team continued on their winning way with only the final of the tri-series with England now standing in the way of an unbeaten tour for them.In the last of their preliminary games, at the Racecourse ground in Durham, the TelstraClear White Ferns from New Zealand beat India by five wickets in another game that failed to go the distance.New Zealand’s chance wasn’t without its moments however.England is now assured of its place in the final although it still has one more game to play tomorrow against India.The greatest concern to New Zealand coach Mike Shrimpton would have to be the vulnerability of his lower-order should they need to bat in the final. However, today’s game provided the middle-order with a wake-up call when the side was 40/4, having lost the four wickets without a run being scored.Because of the way in which the New Zealanders have dominated their games they have not needed to rely on the lower-order to score runs for victories. Before the tri-series began, efforts were made to ensure all players got some batting by re-arranging the batting order. That proved invaluable today.New Zealand has also rarely had the chance of batting first so has not been able to get maximum value from the 50 overs available.India chose to bat first after winning the toss today but found the New Zealand attack at their miserly best and fast bowler Rachel Pullar was especially outstanding. Sulakshana Naik was caught from her bowling for a duck when the score was three.Her fellow opener Jaya Sharma combined with Anjum Chopra to get the score through to 38, but at that point medium-pacer Kate Pulford trapped Chopra leg before wicket for 11 and then one run later Sharma was caught by wicket-keeper Rebecca Rolls off Haidee Tiffen’s bowling for 17. India were 39/3.Mithali Raj and Mamtha Maben then dug in and carried the score through to 77 before Pullar returned to the action and trapped Maben leg before wicket for 16. Raj departed for 28 when the score was 85, having been caught by Anna Corbin from Aimee Mason’s bowling.That ended the Indian resistance as five wickets fell for 10 runs with five of the last six batsmen failing to score.Pullar was again outstanding, taking three wickets for 10 runs from her eight overs. Mason, the off-spinner, also bowled tightly and conceded 19 runs from her 10 overs while picking up one wicket. Corbin took two for 27 from her 7.1 overs while Louise Milliken took two for 13.Pulford also proved a handful for the Indians with one for five from her five overs.New Zealand’s reply wasn’t all plain sailing however, as they lost four wickets for no runs at one stage.Rolls (24) and Nicola Payne (14) had scored 40 for the first wicket but left-arm spinner Neetu David then took three wickets in four balls, having Payne and Pulford caught behind and Emily Drumm leg before wicket. Medium pacer Arundhati Kirkire then trapped Rolls leg before wicket.But then Tiffen and Sara McGlashan righted the ship before it could founder. They added 55 runs before McGlashan was run out going for the winning run. She had scored 21 while when the win was taken, after 28.4 overs, Tiffen was 30 not out. David finished with three for 17 from her seven overs.

Surrey dominated with the bat and a mixture of pace and spin from the young Hampshire attack could not stop the onslaught

Vic Isaacs23-Aug-2002Surrey dominated with the bat and a mixture of pace and spin from the young Hampshire attack could not stop the onslaught. Surrey finishing with a lead of 220 going into the second day.A 197 run partnership between 22 year old debutant Scott Newman and Ian Ward was broken just after lunch, when to the disapointment of the Surrey crowd, Newman was trapped lbw for 99, giving James Tomlinson his first Championship wicket. Newman played some attractive shots all around the wicket, and rode his luck as he was dropped three times, but he looks a boy for the future, a good temperament and not frightened of hitting the ball.Of the bowlers throughout the day, Tomlinson bowled with some good pace troubled the batsmen, but unlike Saqlain and Salisbury the previous day, Hampshire’s lone spinner Shaun Udal did not have support as he toiled for 40 overs, and deserved his two wickets.With Ramprakash and Hollioake throwing their wickets away it was left to Ali Brown and Jonathan Batty to take the home side past the 400 mark, and maximum bowling points.Hampshire go into the third day with a hard task to save this match and obtain much needed points to escape the relagation markers.