All posts by h716a5.icu

The Western Australia captain stitched three solid partnerships to steer the total past 300 on the opening day in Perth

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Nov-2017
ScorecardMitchell Marsh guides one onto the leg side•Getty ImagesCaptain Mitchell Marsh’s 141 propelled Western Australia as they posted a solid 355 for 7 against Queensland on the opening day at the WACA.The hosts lost their opener Jonathan Wells for a duck in the second over to seamer Luke Feldman, after having elected to bat first, but the 72-run second-wicket partnership between William Bosisto (60 off 131 balls) and Hilton Cartwright (42 off 45 balls) put them in a strong position. With Brendan Doggett breaking their stand, it was Mitchell Marsh at No. 4 who stitched three solid partnerships to further bolster his side – 92 runs with Bosisto, 56 runs with Ashton Turner and 98 runs with D’Arcy Short – to steer Western Australia past 300, before Feldman struck again to dismiss him.Shortly before stumps, Short (59 off 88 balls) and Andrew Holder lost their wickets in the space of four overs to Jack Wildermuth, who finished with 3 for 69 on the day.

Pakistan cruised to their seventh straight win, while Sri Lanka slumped to their tenth successive defeat after yet another one-sided clash

The Report by Danyal Rasool18-Oct-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsHasan Ali exhibits his trademark celebration•Associated PressAlbert Einstein believed doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results was the definition of insanity. As such, it seems to be insane to have organised five ODIs between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. They’ve done this three thrice so far, and a different result is nowhere in sight.This match was the most decisive of the lot, an all-round masterclass from Pakistan helped them ease to a series win over Sri Lanka by seven wickets, with more than seven overs to spare. Hasan Ali’s five-for helped bowl Sri Lanka out for 208, before a debut century by Imam-ul-Haq – just the second Pakistani to achieve that feat – made this game a heavily one-sided affair. Pakistan cruised to their seventh successive ODI win, while Sri Lanka slumped to their tenth straight defeat.Not my fault I am Inzamam’s nephew – Imam-ul-Haq

When Pakistan’s squad for the ODI series was announced, Imam-ul-Haq’s selection came under scrutiny given he is chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq’s nephew. Imam was given a debut in the third ODI on Wednesday and after becoming the second Pakistan batsman to score a century on debut, the 21-year-old said performances were the best way to answer any questions over his place in the side.
“It’s not my fault that I am his nephew,” he said. “The only thing I can do is try. I am not answerable to everyone for this. The best way is to perform. There will be some failures, and I am not afraid of that because failure is a part of every cricketer’s life.
“It doesn’t make a difference to me. I have a lot of self-belief. I have domestic performances and an Under-19 World Cup to back me. People talk, and in some ways they are doing their job and I respect them but one has to go out and perform. If I don’t perform in the next game, this kind of criticism will be leveled again, so I don’t pay it much attention.”

Pakistan needed no more than sober level-headedness in their modest chase. Fakhar Zaman and Imam provided more than just that. Imam looked unperturbed by the enormity of the occasion and wasn’t afraid to hit in the air. Although he was uncomfortable against offspinner Akila Dananjaya at times, it was a generally chanceless innings that would have undoubtedly eased some pressure on his uncle and chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq.Zaman was stumped attempting a wild heave over midwicket after the openers added 78. But the hosts did not collapse like Sri Lanka after their opening partnership was broken. Imam simply grew in confidence, coming down the wicket to neutralise the spin, and continued to take the attack to the opposition.Babar Azam added 30 and went, but there was no twist in the tale. The outcome was a forgone conclusion long before the winning stroke was played. The only excitement towards the end was the wait to see the 21-year old Imam complete his debut hundred. And he nearly didn’t.In the 37th over, a peach of an indipper from Dushmantha Chameera took his inside edge, when he was on 89, and settled in the wicketkeeper’s gloves. Imam whipped around to watch it happen and began shuffling off the field well before he was adjudged out. The on-field umpires, however, asked him to wait as he made his inconsolable trek back to the dressing room, saying they wanted to check the legality of the catch. With each passing replay it seemed a little bit of the ball had touched the ground before Niroshan Dickwella had taken it. The big screen finally flashed “not out”. Both the Abu Dhabi crowd and Imam himself heaved a sigh of relief. And he knocked off the remaining 11 runs without further trouble to soak in all the emotion.Earlier, Sri Lanka started brightly, as if liberated by not having a target to chase. Upul Tharanga’s touch looked to have never left him since he carried his bat in the previous game. He drove Junaid Khan and Rumman Raees regularly through the offside, his timing allowing him to score regular runs past mid-off.He put on 59 with Dickwella in 10.5 overs – it was the first fifty partnership at the top of the order for Sri Lanka in seven games – but Hasan broke through just as it began to look ominous. He bowled Dickwella, who was slightly unfortunate considering the ball had kept low.That, right there, was the end of the good times for Sri Lanka. They slowed down considerably, the new batsman Chandimal needing to settle and the set batsman Tharanga beginning to stutter. It seemed that Sri Lanka, having seen clumps of wickets fall early in the first two games, made a point of prioritising wickets in hand over run rate.The result was a familiar sight. Pakistan’s spinners wrestled control of the middle overs and began to asphyxiate the batsmen. Chandimal made a painful 19 off 49 balls, and there was a sense of inevitability when he was out lbw after misreading a Shadab Khan googly.Sri Lanka’s run rate, once over six, had dipped below four. Tharanga, not having played an aggressive shot for the best part of 20 overs, pulled a long hop from Shadab straight to deep square leg. With a dull sense of familiarity, the visitors began falling apart, again. No one was able to get used to the slowness of the Abu Dhabi pitch or throw the Pakistan spinners off their nagging lines and lengths.The fast bowlers were back to finish off the middle order, with Chamara Kapugedera, Milinda Siriwardana and Jeffrey Vandersay all falling within 12 balls. Hasan and Junaid were the men responsible, making all three batsmen mistime their shots. Suddenly, Sri Lanka were 141 for 6 in 36 overs, and even 200 seemed an eternity away.Hafeez got rid of Thirmanne – a particularly unfortunate dismissal as he cut a ball onto his boot which then ballooned into the wicketkeeper’s gloves. Hasan removed Akila Dananjaya to wrap up his third five-wicket haul of the year and leave Sri Lanka reeling at 163 for 8.A late flurry from Thisara Perera, finding five fours in his 37-ball 38 dragged Sri Lanka past 200 even as Pakistan’s fielding disciplines fell apart. Several mistakes on the boundary allowed ones and twos to be turned into many more. Hasan restored the upper hand, snuffing out the resistance of tailender Dushmantha Chammera and ensured Sri Lanka couldn’t put up a total closer to what they would have aimed. Thisara was the last man dismissed, run-out while trying to look for a non-existent second run. Pakistan had knocked Sri Lanka over within 50 overs again. In a few hours, they had knocked them out of the series.

Tottenham Hotspur and Ange Postecoglou have finally been dealt the unenviable task of replacing one of the best strikers in the world. Already the countdown has started regarding finding someone to stand where he stood, with one outstanding target surely the obvious candidate.

Who could replace Harry Kane?

It is a saga that has dominated the whole summer window, but in the end it always felt like this window would be the one where Harry Kane finally left north London.

A true servant of the club, the England captain featured 435 times for the Lilywhites, remaining as professional and prolific as ever. He certainly came a long way from being branded a 'one-season wonder'.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

But with the vast funds they are set to secure, and the time frame they have been handed to secure the man to step into the striker role, the north Londoners need look no further than a target of the past.

Whilst it was only reported late last month, perhaps now they could rekindle their interest in Eintracht Frankfurt forward Randal Kolo Muani. After all, the reported €80m (£68m) price tag would mark but a fraction of what they will earn from the Kane departure.

How many goals did Randal Kolo Muani score last season?

Firstly, to lose a player of his calibre is to also lose an obscene amount of goals.

Last season saw the England captain notch 30 in the Premier League alone despite all their struggles, breaking Jimmy Greaves' record to become Spurs' all-time top scorer, and moving to within 47 of Alan Shearer's all-time Premier League record. Had he stayed at the club, it was expected he would reach the latter with ease.

So, whoever is enlisted must at least offset that huge vacancy left with a few strikes of their own, even if they aren't an exact copy of Kane.

After all, who is?

He could score, create, drop deep and hold the ball up, with Steven Gerrard lauding him for these qualities: "He’s relentless, and people will always speak about his goals, but the reason why I admire him so much is every part of his game is strong.

“His hold-up play – it's not easy playing with your back to play when you’ve got big defenders breathing down your neck, but he’s so strong. His touch is fantastic.

"He's one of the best passers of the ball in the Premier League, and in world football."

However, in the touted France international, they would be swapping out his ability to hold up the ball for speed and willingness to stretch defences in behind or down the channels.

After all, with 23 goals and 17 assists across all competitions last season, he could more than makeup for what they are set to lose.

In fact, his quality in front of goal has been outlined by none other than German legend Lothar Matthaus: "He has remarkable technical ability, he's ice-cold in front of goal and he really throws himself into challenges. The most impressive thing is that he's performing in every game. I can't remember a match where he's played badly. That's the mark of a future superstar."

With the ability to play on either wing, but a preference to star through the centre, his athleticism and dynamic play style will offer a refreshing change of pace to align with Postecoglou's all-action philosophy.

That versatility is best outlined through the claims of his special teammate Kylian Mbappe, who noted: "He is a striker who offers different game options to our team. He is very complete and has an impressive volume of play."

Should he translate his form and willingness to work into new surroundings in north London, it could take fans no time at all to move on from their legendary marksman and begin heralding a new hero in N17.

Chelsea could have the 'advantage' to sign Ajax talent Mohammed Kudus this summer amid competition for his services from elsewhere, according to journalist Paul Brown.

Which clubs are keen on Mohammed Kudus?

Last week, The Independent claimed that Chelsea were in the driving seat to land Kudus from Ajax this summer despite competition from Arsenal to sign the Ghana international.

The report states that Chelsea have thus far put together a better package to entice Kudus to swap Amsterdam for London and he could move this window for a fee in the region of £40 million.

However, Brighton have agreed a fee for the midfielder, though it is still up in the air as its now down to the player to agree personal terms or opt to choose a potential different suitor, so it's not over yet.

Last term, Kudus put in some excellent performances for Ajax and finished the campaign with 18 goals and seven assists from 42 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Football London have revealed that Chelsea 'sounded out' Ajax to gauge the current state of play surrounding Kudus and it is believed that personal terms are not going to be an issue due to the 23-year-old being open to taking on a new challenge in 2023/24.

As per Ajax Life via METRO, Ajax sporting director Sven Mislintat has commented on clubs circling for Kudus this summer, including the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal, stating: "There are clubs that have informally enquired about him. I don’t expect an offer very soon, although you know that things can be different in the football world. Perhaps the interest in not as serious as everyone thinks."

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Brown claims he has been informed that Arsenal won't enter the market for another midfielder unless someone in that area leaves the Emirates Stadium.

Brown stated: "I don't think Arsenal are bidding here really, that might change depending what else happens in the squad, but I'm told that Arsenal are not moving for another midfielder unless somebody leaves. It doesn't seem like there is another club high in the bidding for him, so that might be advantage Chelsea."

What now for Chelsea?

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino will continue his squad planning for the new campaign after already confirming the additions of Christopher Nkunku, Nicolas Jackson, Lesley Ugochukwu, Angelo and Diego Moreira, as per Transfermarkt.

Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper Robert Sanchez has agreed a £25 million move to Stamford Bridge and will provide competition between the sticks for Kepa Arrizabalaga, according to The Daily Mail.

Monaco defender Axel Disasi is close to joining Chelsea for a fee in the region of £38.6 million as the Blues fended off competition from Newcastle United and Manchester United to secure the services of the France international, as per Sky Sports.

The Guardian report Dusan Vlahovic is being weighed up as a potential addition to the striking department and may be part of a swap deal that would see out-of-favour Chelsea frontman Romelu Lukaku head back to Serie A to join Juvenus.

Belgium international Lukaku also has the choice of moving to Saudi Arabia; however, he would prefer to stay in Europe for the foreseeable future.

The South Africa fast bowler continues to recover from a lower-back niggle and aims to regain full fitness by mid-October

Firdose Moonda27-Sep-2017Vernon Philander has been ruled out of the Bangladesh Test series, as he continues to recover from a lower-back problem with the aim of being fully fit by mid-October. Philander is scheduled to play the fourth and fifth round of first-class matches for his franchise, the Cobras, and will likely play for South Africa in the four-day day-night match against Zimbabwe on Boxing Day.Philander has mostly recovered from the back niggle he picked up in England, which kept him out of the fourth Test at Old Trafford and has seen him sidelined since. Philander was part of the Cobras pre-season training but has not played any cricket since the England tour.At an event earlier this week, Philander, who drew criticism recently from former captain Graeme Smith, said he has spoken to captain Faf du Plessis about his fitness. Du Plessis has weighed in on the situation during the England tour, urging the bowler to focus on his fitness.”It’s international sport, you’ll always find criticism. As long as it’s constructive, then I’m all for it. You’ve got to take it on the chin,” Philander told . “Myself and Faf had a good chat afterwards, the way the two of us nailed down things was quite constructive at the end of the day. As long as you’re open and honest with each other, that’s the key thing. He made his view clear and obviously I made mine clear to him. As long as we understand each other, we’ve got a road to walk together.”Without Philander, South Africa will rely on Morne Morkel, Kagiso Rabada, Duanne Olivier and Andile Phehlukwayo for the Bangladesh series, with Chris Morris also out injured until mid-October. Morris is expected to return for the T20s against Bangladesh.Dale Steyn is set for a comeback at the Global T20 in November and joined the South African squad for two days in Potchefstroom, where he worked with team physiotherapist Brandon Jackson and the bowlers in the group.”Dale has been away from the squad for a while. He still got a few boxes to tick. We wanted him to be around the group again,” du Plessis said. “We want to make sure he still feels important because he is a very crucial part of our team and we also wanted him to help out with the younger bowlers.”

Mauricio Pochettino can land Chelsea an unbelievable coup if they secure Michael Olise.

What’s the latest on Michael Olise to Chelsea?

According to reputable journalist Paul Brown, Chelsea are ‘definitely interested’ in the Crystal Palace livewire, and he could evolve into a ‘really top performer.’

Speaking exclusively to GIVEMESPORT, he said:

“Chelsea are definitely interested in Michael Olise, and I can see why. His statistics improved massively at Palace last season and I think he’s become much more productive. Obviously, he’s chasing more international honours as well. I think there’s a really good player there, who, with the right kind of nurturing could become a really top performer.”

This followed a story broken by Fabrizio Romano, who said the Blues and Manchester City are keenly tracking Olise, who has a release clause of "around £35m".

Why would Michael Olise be a good signing for Chelsea?

The France U21 international has always been a wonderfully talented footballer, but last season his performances elevated his reputation to a glorious new level.

Olise notched 11 assists, the fourth-highest figure in the division despite playing for a side that finished in the bottom half and became the first Crystal Palace player to claim double-digit figure assists in a single top-flight campaign.

As a skilful, intricate, and innovative attacking outlet, FBref’s player comparison tool likens the former Reading prodigy to Dominik Szoboszlai.

The 22-year-old has recently joined Liverpool for £60m and was in scintillating form last term.

Across 46 appearances in all competitions, Szoboszlai recorded 23 goal involvements – this included eight assists in the Bundesliga, where he also created the fourth-most chances (63). Similarly, Olise notched 61 chance creations to emphasize their underlying similarity.

Since signing for Palace, the 21-year-old sensation has played 55 of his 68 games as a right-winger, whereas in the same period, just 42% of Szoboszlai’s minutes come on the right-hand side.

However, when assessing their numbers, the two playmakers rank extremely closely.

Similar metrics for Olise and Szoboszlai include assists per 90 (0.36 vs 0.29), shot-creating actions per 90 (4.68 vs 5.09), progressive passes per 90 (4.35 vs 5.49), progressive carries per 90 (3.63 vs 2.62), and successful take-ons per 90 (1.77 vs 1.69).

Both players are integral cogs within the offensive sequences of their sides and could thrive in new set-ups in the new season.

The Premier League is now accustomed to Olise thanks to his “special” gift, as termed by the Frenchman's former boss, Patrick Vieira.

Meanwhile, to some Szoboszlai may arrive as somewhat of an unknown entity, but the versatile technician is brimming with the ability to seamlessly adapt to English football.

Jesse Marsch is one of the leading proponents of the extent of his potential, as back in 2020, he said:

“Certainly his greatest gift is his right foot, he can put the ball where he wants to. He’s fit, he’s strong, he’s fast, he’s athletic.

“He has the potential to be one of the top No 10s in the world. The combination of his vision, his technical ability, his athletic ability, and his personality means there aren’t many players that can dominate games from that position the way that he can.”

It is an exciting new Liverpool, and Chelsea can follow suit if they manage to convince Olise to travel across the capital before deadline day on September 1st.

Having failed to make the playoffs in the previous two seasons, the franchise has made a fine start to the 2017 season

The Report by Peter Della Penna13-Aug-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsEvin Lewis chucks his helmet to the floor to celebrate his second T20I hundred•AFPEvin Lewis struck the highest score of CPL 2017, bashing 92 off 52 balls as St Kitts & Nevis Patriots maintained their record as the only unbeaten team in the competition. They thrashed St Lucia Stars by 33 runs and are looking strong contenders to make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.Lewis wakes up
After scoring five runs last weekend on the spongy pitches of Florida, Lewis feasted on a batting beauty, and the Stars’ wayward bowling unit – 16 wides were part of 23 extras – hitting five fours and seven sixes. His wagon wheel was heavily weighted to the leg side, as he punished the bowlers for straying on his pads with authoritative flicks.He had motored to 88 off 46 balls when rain stopped play after 15.2 overs, causing a half-hour delay. A century seemed certain, but Lewis struggled to regain his touch after play resumed, scoring four off six balls. Eventually, Kyle Mayers’ plan of bowling full and wide paid off as the batsman sliced a catch to a wide slip placed in the 17th over.No mercy NabiMohammad Nabi came to the crease at the fall of Lewis and sent five of nine balls faced to the boundary. Mayers’ first ball to him strayed on the legs and was pulled past fine leg for four and Nabi powered Mayers over cover for four and six through the wind in the final over to finish unbeaten on 24 off 9 balls. The flourish helped Patriots equal the 196 posted by Barbados Tridents two nights earlier on the same ground as both the highest CPL total at the venue and for the 2017 tournament.Hafeez swan songDespite the Pakistan Cricket Board’s demand for all players at the CPL to return home immediately, Mohammad Hafeez, Hasan Ali and Kamran Akmal had at least one more night to leave a mark on CPL 2017. It started off poorly for Hafeez with a golden duck at the hands of Jerome Taylor on a leg before decision that may have been missing leg stump, but by the end of the night he created more positive memories, nabbing 3 for 22 after entering in the fourth over to stifle the Stars chase.Johnson Charles fell to Hafeez’ third delivery for 13, skying a slog that eventually came down into Devon Thomas’ gloves at point after running out from behind the stumps for the take. Akmal’s brief but charmed stay finally ended after six balls, caught at mid-off in Hafeez’ next over by Brathwaite. He took his final wicket – a fortunate return catch off a full toss to Marlon Samuels – on the last ball before drinks to make it 85 for 3, snatching back momentum from the Stars that had been seized by Andre Fletcher and Samuels.No mercy Nabi Part DeuxStars’ top-order has been starved of meaningful contributions early in CPL 2017 but it looked like they were going to get a major one from Fletcher, who had reached 48 at a strike rate of 150 to give Stars hope. But after Hafeez’ spell ended, Nabi replaced him and struck at the end of his first over, spearing in a yorker length ball to beat Fletcher.After left-arm wristspinner Tabraiz Shamsi beat Darren Sammy with a quicker ball in the 15th, Nabi made further inroads when Shane Watson lunged at a flighted delivery and skied a catch to long-on. Mayers was stumped off a charge down the pitch for Nabi’s third to put the Stars seven down. Nabi should have had another before his spell ended had Brathwaite held on to a relatively straightforward chance coming in from the boundary offered by Mitchell McClenaghan.It hardly mattered though and by the time he grabbed the cap from the umpire for the last time on the evening, he had figures of 3 for 15 and Stars’ equation was 58 off two overs. Some lusty hitting from Rahkeem Cornwall in the final over narrowed the final margin.

A thrilling Women’s World Cup final at a sold out Lord’s was a match years in the making and can define the future of the game

Melinda Farrell at Lord's23-Jul-2017Where were you when England won the World Cup?Where were you on Sunday morning when the queues to get into the ground, half of them women and girls, stretched along Wellington Parade almost the entire way to St John’s Wood station? Were you in the excited, buzzing throng, ignoring the touts? Who could have imagined they would ever hear the slightly seedy muttering of “Buy or sell any tickets? Buy or sell any tickets?” on their way to a women’s match?Where was the late Baroness Rachael Heyhoe-Flint when the trophy, which many feel should bear her name, floated by balloon into the ground in the arms of a twirling and tumbling courier clad all in white, as if sent to earth from the heavens above? Even the most hardened atheist would wish for an afterlife if they knew Heyhoe-Flint could look down and see the Home of Cricket – a place where she fought so tenaciously for female recognition – jammed with jubilant mothers and fathers and sons and daughters, made over for a wholehearted celebration of the women’s game.Where was Charlotte Edwards when Tammy Beaumont creamed back to back boundaries off Shikha Pandey with the most delicious pair of cover drives? She wanted to be in the middle, she wanted this to be her swansong. But the darling of England cricket made way for the new generation. She has played a bigger part than most in this sport. And she was still at Lord’s, barely able to move through the crowd for fans wanting autographs and selfies. “You ate one of my brownies once at a match!” calls out one delighted fan. Lottie nods and beams and shakes a sea of hands before joining an overwhelmingly female commentary line up: Mel Jones, Lisa Sthalekar, Lydia Greenway, Isa Guha, Ebony Rainford-Brent – legends all – have also played their part in this momentous day and the game’s journey towards it.Where was the Bharat Army when Jhulan Goswami turned the match on its head with back-to-back wickets in a two-over spell of ferocity and guile? There they were, banging out Bhangra beats on a dhol, surely the first to be allowed in a prim and proper Lord’s. They were there waving Indian flags, competing for air space with those bearing the Cross of St George. Flags? At Lord’s? Draped on the balcony outside the Indian dressing room? Of course they were, this was a day when everything seemed possible; when conventions made way for joyful expression.Where was John Etheridge, the ‘s veteran cricket reporter, during the 1993 Women’s World Cup Final at Lord’s? He was in the old press box at the top of what is now the revamped Warner stand, watching England’s 67-run victory over New Zealand in front of a few thousand fans. He would write of the match: “The charm of the game was its femininity. They dressed like girls and played like girls. And Kirsty Bond, the Kiwis’ No 3, had the striking beauty to catch any selector’s eye.”And here was Etheridge on the edge of his seat in the new Lord’s press box, as the game reached its crescendo, writing about the thrilling climax, not the dress, at his second Women’s World Cup final, the scene unrecognizable from the one he witnessed 24 years earlier.A few seats along in a full media centre, containing more female journalists than anyone there could remember seeing in a press box, sat Mike Atherton, his appreciative cry of “Shot!” carrying over the tapping of fingers on keys as Veda Krishnamurthy threaded a perfect cover drive to the boundary. Twenty-four years earlier, as the newly installed England Men’s captain he’d sent a telegram to his female counterpart, Karen Smithies, on the eve of the final to wish her good luck. Now he was one of several high profile newspaper writers – Vic Marks, Lawrence Booth, Scyld Berry among them – biting their nails and craning at replays, completely absorbed in the breathtaking contest.Alex Hartley claimed the key wicket of Harmanpreet Kaur but the main drama was still to come•AFPWhere were you when Punam Raut threatened a rout of England’s bowling? When Mithali Raj couldn’t make her ground? When Sarah Taylor missed a stumping? When catches were dropped and rash shots were played? Were you screaming at the television at home, at work, listening on the radio along with millions of others? Were you Hassam on the M2 motorway? Were you Dharmesh or Anil or Vigay in the Republic of Congo? Or Kinshuk in the Netherlands? Were you Sabbah watching in a tiny village, 7500 feet up in Himalayan Kashmir? Or maybe Aishwaryaa in the rural Tamil Nadu district of Dindigul. James in Taiwan, Dhaval in Bergen, Shiwe in Harfield, Cape Town? Or perhaps you were Oni, sitting on bench number 3, platform number 2, at the Bhatinda Punjab railway station. Sitting by a swimming pool in Crete, like Beni. Sharang in Phoenix, Arizona. Prague, Hyderabad, Shanghai, Darwin, Dallas, Hong Kong. All tweeting with hope and fear and pride and trepidation.Where was 12-year-old Kirin? She was sitting at the back of the Warner stand, cheering loudly with her family. After travelling to Derby and witnessing India beat England in the opening match of the tournament she told her mother she wanted to play for England. The following week she asked her teachers at school if she could start playing cricket. No, they told her. It’s not available for girls. She is now playing rounders.Here, a pause. There is still much work to be done.Where was Anya Shrubsole in 2001? She was in the stands of an empty Lord’s, a ten-year-old girl gazing around the ground while her father, Ian, snapped photos. In one of them, posted on Twitter on the eve of the final, she turns back to the camera and smiles. “What a place!” the caption reads. “I’d like to play here… for England… in a World Cup final.”And there was Shrubsole at a sold out Lord’s playing for England in a World Cup final, arms spread wide after she bowled Smriti Mandhana through the gate, the ball smashing into the stumps. And there was Shrubsole again at the death, with India closing in on the target and the crowd screaming behind her as she shattered the stumps again. This time it was Goswami, this time it was the inswinging yorker that has always been her stock and trade in big moments. And there she was hurling the ball at the stumps. And at the end, roaring with delight as the final wicket fell. How many ten-year-olds roared along with her in a Lord’s as full with the dreams of little girls as it was with physical bodies? Which one of them will stand in the middle sometime in the future, winning a World Cup for their country, while their father tweets pictures of them from this wonderful, glorious day?Where was Raj, for so long the backbone of India, when the dream ended? She was there, comforting her young charges, knowing this was her last World Cup appearance, then she was facing the media with all the class and intelligence she has always shown. Raj and her team-mates may have lost the final but they have won over the world. And most importantly they have awakened India. Seven television stations broadcast the final in that cricket-hungry country in three different languages. And where were senior BCCI officials, rarely seen at women’s matches? They were at Lord’s, they were awarding bonuses worth more than three times an annual contract, they were looking out over a heaving, rocking crowd. They must now surely realize there is an audience for this.And where was Heather Knight? Where was Mark Robinson? Where was England?They were leaping on a podium with the trophy that was flown in from the heavens, showered in champagne and streamers, dripping in laughter and tears and joyful relief.Where were you when England won the World Cup?You were everywhere. And you were here.

Everton are yet to really get going in the transfer market as manager Sean Dyche looks to build his team and veer away from the relegation threat that has plagued the club over the past two seasons, though Kelechi Iheanacho is now being targetting to bolster the ranks.

Who wants to sign Kelechi Iheanacho?

According to Football Transfers, the Nigerian forward is admired by the Toffees hierarchy and could be approached over the coming weeks to provide the misfiring frontline with some new firepower, but only in the event that prime target El Bilal Toure would reject the Goodison Park side.

Well, as it goes, the Almeria striker is reportedly closing in on a transfer to Atalanta to replace Rasmus Hojlund, who is being pursued by Manchester United, which paves the way for Iheanacho's move to Merseyside.

The Foxes forward, aged 26, is expected to cost around £10m to be prised away from the King Power Stadium, and given Everton's tough time in front of goal – the Blues only outscored Wolverhampton Wanderers last term – Iheanacho could be the answer.

How good is Kelechi Iheanacho?

Described as an "excellent" attacker by his former manager Brendan Rodgers, Iheanacho would significantly boost the Toffees' frontal firepower.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is a fine player, but alas finds the medical department his stomping ground all too often, while Neal Maupay yields one solitary goal one year on from his £15m move from Brighton & Hove Albion.

Iheanacho is not quite the household name certain segments of the Everton support may covet, but he is a dependable striker with a wealth of experience and a consistent goal-scoring record, having plundered 88 direct contributions from 206 matches for Leicester after arriving from Manchester City, where he scored 21 goals from 64 matches.

Having won the FA Cup with his current club and the League Cup with the Citizens, the 45-cap international also boasts the winning mentality that could be instilled across the Blues ranks, something in short supply after a miserable two years that have indeed threatened the preservation of the side's top-flight status.

Iheanacho could emulate his compatriot Alex Iwobi with a move to Merseyside, the dynamic midfielder leaving Arsenal and penning a deal worth £34m in 2018, and thrive under Dyche's wing as he forges a path to success.

Iwobi ranks among the top 14% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 15% for progressive carries and the top 14% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, and could meld very nicely with a player he knows well from international exploits with Nigeria.

Iheanacho, comparatively, ranks among the top 2% of forwards for assists, the top 13% for progressive carries and the top 9% for successful take-ons per 90, and having scored five goals from just 11 league starts last term as Leicester plummeted into the second tier, he could be the dynamic component missing from Dyche's system.

With Arnaut Danjuma also signing for Goodison on loan this summer, Iheanacho could be the astute purchase to complete the attacking ranks and ensure that the increments are made to navigate away from the instability that the club have been mired in of recent years.

While West Indies will look to build on their 47-run victory against Sri Lanka, Pakistan will be keen on ending their 12-match winless streak in the World Cup

The preview by Annesha Ghosh10-Jul-2017With the league stage of the World Cup entering its penultimate phase, two of the three teams that are out of contention for the semi-finals will fight for pride in Leicester. While West Indies will look to build on their 47-run victory against Sri Lanka, Pakistan will be keen on ending their 12-match winless streak in the World Cup. Their last victory in a World Cup fixture came in the 2009 edition – against the same opponents.West Indies, however, may read little into that loss, considering it’s one of their only five defeats to Pakistan out of 21 ODIs. Besides, that their captain Stafanie Taylor boasts an average of 64 in 13 ODI innings versus Pakistan – the best by any player with eight innings or more against them – can only help them better the 229 they scored against Sri Lanka on Sunday, their highest in this campaign.Taylor emphasized that even though her team is no longer in the running for a top-four finish, the significance of a victory cannot be undervalued, especially considering Pakistan would be eager to get their first win in the tournament. “We know how important these games are. We definitely want to win and go home on a high,” Taylor said.”Pakistan has always been a fighting team against anyone, but I think everyone thinks West Indies is a team they want to beat. They all come out hard against us.”Taylor’s counterpart Sana Mir, who became the first woman from her country to reach the 100-ODIs landmark on Saturday, fought a lone battle with the bat as her side went down to New Zealand by eight wickets.The fifth straight loss further exposed Pakistan’s woes in the batting department, a fact established by Mir, a bowling allrounder, being the highest run-getter for Pakistan in this tournament so far. Having top scored in the last three games, with 29 against India, 45 against Australia and 50 against New Zealand, Mir hopes the youngsters who “showed promise in the previous tournaments” are able to able to apply themselves better in the remaining matches.”It’s not acceptable at international level that you’re four down for 30 runs in three-four games”, she said.Sana Mir is Pakistan’s leading run-getter in the tournament so far•International Cricket CouncilBarring the first match, where Pakistan posted 206 against South Africa before falling to a three-wicket defeat, the batsmen haven’t been able to post more than 150 in the World Cup.The loss of Bismah Maroof – Pakistan’s leading run-getter in ODIs – to injury robbed their line-up of the security she provides in the top order, and this was echoed by Mir.”We have to be patient with the team. Not having Bismah Maroof around makes things tougher as a batter. There have been a couple of times where we’ve lost early wickets, where she would have come in and given us a platform to put a good total on the board.”It’s extremely important for us to finish this tournament on a strong note,” Mir said. “We started off with a strong game, then things started slipping, so it’s extremely important to finish well.”In the most-recent contest at Grace Road, South Africa captain Dane van Niekerk had run through the Indian line-up with her legbreaks, on a pitch that slowed down further in the second innings. West Indies, who were at the receiving end of a similar salvo from Niekerk in their last outing at the ground, would be mindful of their ten-wicket loss to South Africa.For Pakistan, though, familiarity with the venue may lend a psychological advantage, given they are the only side in this tournament to have played three games at Grace Road, having restricted defending champions Australia to 18 for 2 in the Powerplay in their last match.With the Pakistan spin attack having accounted for 18 of the 29 wickets taken by the bowlers so far, Taylor said West Indies need to “counteract” early in the game.”We know Pakistan’s usual team. They are going to come with their spinners because that’s what they mostly do to all the teams.”