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The offspinning allrounder who played his only ODI against Bangladesh in 2014 believes that he is a better bowler now after a stint at the NCA

PTI23-Jan-2017With R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja being rested for the three-T20I series against England, Parvez Rasool has been added to the squad along with Amit Mishra, but the offspinning allrounder from Jammu & Kashmir hopes to find a place in the India side when Ashwin is around.”I had no clue that Ashwin has been rested for the series,” Rasool told PTI. “Actually, when I got a call from the BCCI office, I thought this will be a first chance for me to share the dressing room with Ashwin. Seven days with a player of his calibre means I can learn a lot.”I was training with state team in Jammu for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. I got a call from BCCI office in the morning and now I am rushing to catch a flight to Delhi.”While Rasool has slipped down the pecking order, having played his only ODI against Bangladesh in Dhaka in 2014, his own assessment is that he is now a better bowler.”This year before the Ranji Trophy, there was an NCA camp for spinners only,” Rasool said. “There I had sessions with Narendra Hirwani and Nikhil Chopra. I believe those 20 days at NCA were very fruitful. I dissected my own bowling.”Because in IPL, you have to also play a restrictive role, I was pushing the ball faster through the air. Hirwani Sir told me that moment you push it faster, the revs on the delivery would be lesser. Nikhil Sir also told me to be a bit slower through the air and give the ball more air. The 38 wickets in the Ranji Trophy was a testimony to that.”Rasool believes that his 3 for 38 for India A against England XI in the warm-up game also helped him get a call-up.”It is very essential to perform consistently throughout the season but I believe there are certain matches where the selectors are keenly watching you,” he said. “If you can perform there, your case becomes stronger. Two of my three wickets were Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler. Once you are getting wickets against an international side, you know can belong to this level.”Rasool is also looking forward to learning from India coach Anil Kumble and captain Virat Kohli, who was Rasool’s team-mate at the IPL.”I have not had too many interactions with Anil Sir,” he said. “This is an opportunity where I can learn a few things from him. Also Virat’s presence in the side makes it easier for me as he has been my captain in the Royal Challengers Bangalore.”I don’t need to elaborate on Virat’s dedication. But the lasting memory that has stayed with me is his innings against KKR after getting stitches in his hand. He was in pain but he didn’t even flinch one bit. I saw him and felt that that’s what a world-class cricketer means. Everyday with Virat is a learning experience.”

After posting 631, a lead of 231, India chipped away at England’s line-up to leave them six down and in need of miracle to save the Mumbai Test

The Report by Alagappan Muthu11-Dec-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details4:04

Ganguly: Kohli the best across formats in 2016

With his sublime 235 off 340 balls, with 25 fours and a six, Virat Kohli became the first Indian to three double-centuries in a year. As soon as he left the crease and England were in to bat the pitch began to look like a minefield.The visitors were trailing by 49 runs at stumps and had only four wickets in hand to mount a challenge. Their plight – especially after scoring 400 in the first innings – was largely due to one man. And it was to see that man bat that people thronged to Wankhede stadium.Kohli broke a slew of records. The most runs by an Indian in a series against England – Rahul Dravid was left behind. The most runs in an innings by an India captain – MS Dhoni was left behind. In 2016, he has made 1200 runs at an average of 80 and a strike-rate of 60.Making the day sweeter for India was Jayant Yadav, who made 104 off 204 balls in a record stand of 241 for the eighth wicket. He had the highest score at No. 9 (211) and was part of the largest eighth-wicket partnership (392) in Indian first-class cricket. Having replaced the man with whom he put on that partnership – Haryana’s Amit Mishra – he came to hold the corresponding records for India in Test cricket too.The spotlight wouldn’t budge from Kohli, though. A crunching straight drive in the first over of the day converted his fourth successive hundred into a 150-plus score. In the 162nd, he only rolled his wrists on a straight delivery, but it skipped away to the backward square leg boundary. The timing was such that it beat England’s best fielder Ben Stokes, and the placement was such that it was well to the right of the man.Kohli batted for over eight hours. The concentration it must have taken, the mental and physical strain he must have felt to play an innings of such quality on a difficult pitch was finally on view as he walked off for lunch with a tired smile on his face. In the dressing room, everyone from the support staff to his team-mates patted him on the back. When he came out in the second session, he biffed Chris Woakes back over his head for a six and ran like mad for a single next ball.The shot the fans cared about most came a little earlier. A gentle little flick in the 165th over, all along the ground, to the left of midwicket. It raised Kohli’s 200. Smart phones were out to record the moment. Anil Kumble’s camera didn’t miss it either. A little slice of history to put in the back pocket. In all of Test cricket, only five men have made three or more double-hundreds in a year: Don Bradman, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Brendon McCullum and now Kohli.England’s response to that innings came from Joe Root. If it hadn’t been for his firebrand style of play England may never have reduced their deficit to 49 at stumps. Root made 77 off only 103 balls against two of the best spinners in the world on a surface that had become rank.Considering it had waited 312 overs to do so should make it immune to criticism. Besides, it’s pace was true. That meant batsmen picking length early and looking to score first and defend second would flourish. Root exemplified those characteristics well as he swept the spinners hard and stepped down the track often to take balls on the full and paste them through the covers. India were forced to pull the close catchers out and Root inside edged Ashwin to short leg when there was no one there. He fell lbw to Jayant in the last hour of play, deceived into going back to a full delivery because its pace was quicker and trajectory was flatter.These are the kinds of tricks that made India such a force in their own conditions. That and their accuracy, which separated them from England’s, especially where the scorecard was concerned.Anything on the fourth day at Wankhede would turn. A straight line drawn on it would come out a semi-circle. India turned to spin in the eighth over and Ravindra Jadeja got the ball to turn square thrice in a row. Close catchers buzzed around the batsman like mosquitoes, and puffs of dust erupted even off the undisturbed parts of the surface let alone the rough.Alastair Cook was the visitors’ best bet at playing time. Two overs before tea, however, he went back in an effort to flick a good length ball with the turn through square leg. But Jadeja, by virtue of being quicker through the air, had the England captain hurrying into his shot, losing his shape and out lbw. It was Jadeja’s 100th wicket in his 24th Test; equal fastest to the mark with Ryan Harris and Lance Gibbs and one match slower than Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Saqlain Mushtaq.Moeen Ali came out to bat with four men crowding him. He picked one of them out, extra bounce making his little nudge off the hip carry to M Vijay’s right at leg gully. In the five minutes to tea, England had lost two wickets to add to Keaton Jennings’ golden duck.Jonny Bairstow resisted with an unbeaten 50, producing some memorable moments. He tried to shoulder arms to a ball from R Ashwin pitching about four feet outside the line of off stump only to have it strike him on the stomach. He went to cut the same bowler and was beaten by the turn that was so sharp it went past the wicketkeeper’s left. His use of DRS was pristine as well. He was given out twice in the space of five overs but used the technology to save himself. Not everyone enjoyed Bairstow’s street-smarts though. Umpire Bruce Oxenford actually threw his head back in exasperation at the second review, which was asked for so quickly he possibly knew he had made a mistake and giving the batsman out caught at short leg.England were very nervy in the last 15-20 minutes minutes, into which India squeezed five overs. Indeed, Jadeja finished one in a minute or so to give Ashwin a go at the nightwatchman, Jake Ball, and did him with a topspinner to end the day. They had lost Ben Stokes prior to that, reverse sweeping the ball onto his boot for second slip to catch it on the rebound.It was a bit cruel all this happened to England on the same day they conceded 180 runs at 4.44 runs per over.India’s overnight lead was 51. They had got seven wickets and if the remaining three had fallen quickly, Cook and his men may have felt they still had a chance. In 34 overs on the fourth morning, there wasn’t a single breakthrough. When India were finally all out after lunch, they had pulled ahead by 231 runs.Kohli was the ninth wicket to fall when his lofted drive carried to deep extra cover. Plenty of England players came to congratulate him, including Stokes and Bairstow. All at the Wankhede stadium were on their feet.His partner for much of the day, Jayant, had begun by scything a half-volley from Rashid through the covers and then the ensuing short ball was cut behind point. He was more than a match for an inswinging yorker from Ball in the 149th over and the good length delivery that followed was driven to the cover boundary with some style.Jayant seems to think like a top-order batsman. He spotted mid-on was up with Moeen bowling around the wicket in the 155th over, danced down the track and lofted the ball over the fielder’s head. Cook put a long-on in for the next ball and the batsman tapped a single to him. Jayant outscored Kohli in the first hour, 42 runs to 36, en route to sweeping records of his own.Having allowed the opposition’s eighth wicket to post more than 200 runs for the first time since 1908, England were able to knock India’s No. 10 and 11 quickly enough. Small mercies.

There is no hiding away from the disappointment of Leeds United's 2022/23 campaign as the club dropped out of the Premier League.

The Whites have been relegated to the Championship after finishing in the bottom three of the top-flight and there is now plenty of change on the horizon, both on and off the pitch.

49ers Enterprises agreed to a £170m deal to buy Andrea Radrizzani's 56% stake in the club to make them the outright owners of the west Yorkshire outfit, and they are now tasked with putting together a team capable of earning promotion at the first time of asking.

They have appointed Nick Hammond as an interim advisor to help their business in the current summer transfer window after previous director of football Victor Orta was relieved of his duties at the start of May.

However, the 49ers are said to be looking for a longer-term replacement for the Spanish chief and they could find that in the form of Norwich City's Stuart Webber, who is a reported target for the Whites but may not be able to join until after the summer due to his contract in Norfolk.

What has Stuart Webber achieved at Norwich?

The Welsh sporting director would be a big upgrade on Orta as the former Huddersfield Town director of football has achieved great success with the Canaries over the years.

Webber has cited the development of the Championship side's academy system as one of his proudest achievements and they have reaped the benefits of that.

Jamal Lewis joined Newcastle United for a fee that could rise to £20m and Ben Godfrey signed for Everton in a £25m deal after they both broke into the first-team from the youth set-up, whilst the likes of James Maddison, Max Aarons, and Todd Cantwell all made similar breakthroughs in Norfolk.

He has also been able to transform the club off the pitch with the construction of a £20m training ground that is now seen as one of the best in the country, which shows that the 39-year-old is interested in making progress that will outlast the eleven players that start each week, whereas there is little mention of Orta's work outside of his questionable transfer and managerial business.

In terms of their respective work in the market, there is an argument to be made that Webber offers more on that front.

The Norwich mastermind, who was once hailed as "amazing" by joint-majority owner Delia Smith, arrived in 2017 and oversaw two title-winning seasons in his first three Championship campaigns with the side.

Whereas, it took Orta three seasons to put together a team capable of earning promotion once. He joined in the summer of 2017 and Marcelo Bielsa eventually led the club to glory in 2019/20, which indicates that the Canaries director could have a better chance of getting Leeds straight back to the Premier League, with the right decisions being made on and off the pitch.

Webber could be criticised for his relegations from the Premier League with Norwich but the Welshman was only able to spend a league-low £1.1m in 2019, whereas the Whites reportedly spent £96.4m under Orta after their promotion to the top-flight in 2020.

This shows that the Canaries chief is used to working with and achieving success – given his two titles in the second tier – on a limited budget, which could make him a big upgrade on the Spaniard, who was sacked in spite of having plenty of money to spend.

South Africa’s T20 competition enters the final week with all six franchises still in contention for the playoffs. With eight matches left, here’s how things stack up for each team

Firdose Moonda06-Dec-2016South Africa’s T20 competition enters the final week with all six franchises still in contention for the playoffs. With eight matches left, here’s how things stack up for each team.Titans Eight matches, 24 points
The defending champions are sitting comfortably at the top of the table and only need one win to secure a playoff spot. Two could give them a home final, provided they are not leapfrogged by the Warriors. They will be mindful of being pipped at the post after tailing off in their last two games. The Titans won their first five completed matches but have since been defeated twice.Tabraiz Shamsi has already been put back in the squad and they also have Dean Elgar and Quinton de Kock – although he is suffering from a virus – in their ranks. AB de Villiers is in contention to play in their final league match on Sunday but Morne Morkel, who was due to get a game in a bid to prove his fitness ahead of the Sri Lanka series, is unlikely to feature as he continues to nurse a back niggle.Warriors Seven matches, 23 points
The Warriors put in dominant performances through the mid-section of the league phase – winning four matches in a row – and are a win away from guaranteeing themselves progression. They could go ahead of the Titans and slip straight into the final with three wins and some help from other results.Without many big names in their ranks, the Warriors have relied on team efforts. But one man, Andrew Birch, has stood out. He leads the wicket charts with 17 scalps at 9.23 and will likely keep Kyle Abbott on the sidelines. Sisanda Magala and JJ Smuts have also put in prominent performances so far.Lions Seven matches, 16 points
A stop-start campaign from the Lions could have finally taken off after they surged back into contention for the playoffs with a five-run win over the Warriors at the weekend. They need to win all three remaining games to be assured of a playoff place but can get there with two if other results go their way.They will have to do so without Kagiso Rabada, who is being given some time off in the middle of a busy season, but in his absence Hardus Viljoen has lead the attack impeccably. He is second on the wicket-takers’ charts currently. Consistency in their batting is the Lions’ main issue; they’ll be hopeful Temba Bavuma’s return does the trick for them.Dolphins Eight matches, 15 points
Kevin Pietersen’s return did not inspire the Dolphins to a victory that would have left them well-placed for the qualifiers. Instead, they now need to win both their remaining matches, preferably with bonus points, to get into the semi-final. However, their fate is no longer in their hands.Keshav Maharaj is back for them but they will want more from the likes of Cameron Delport and Robbie Frylinck, especially after their attack was depleted by Andile Phehlukwayo’s injury. They will remain hopeful of their chances, especially because Morne van Wyk has been in good form with the bat.Cobras Seven matches, 12 points
A season marred by off-field drama sparked to life when the Cobras beat the Dolphins to keep their trophy hopes alive. They need three bonus-point wins to qualify for the semi-final but could get there with three ordinary wins, provided other results go their way.They have already welcomed back Dane Vilas and will be boosted by the inclusion of JP Duminy. Even without their other national stars – Vernon Philander (rested) and Hashim Amla (neck injury) – the Cobras have a formidable XI, with Kieron Pollard and Wayne Parnell forming a powerful middle order.Knights Seven matches, five points
After storming to second on the first-class log earlier in the season, the Knights have hit a snag and sit bottom of the T20 competition. They will need to win all three of their remaining fixtures and hope for plenty of favours to qualify.Both David Miller and Rilee Rossouw are injured, which has left it to Theunis de Bruyn to carry the batting without too much support. Marchant de Lange has continued his fine first-class form but they need a few more wicket-takers.

Tottenham Hotspur have now opened talks with Leicester City over the possibility of signing James Maddison this summer from the Foxes.

How much could Maddison cost Spurs?

The 26-year-old midfielder endured a tricky campaign at the King Power Stadium over the 2022/23 campaign with his side falling out of the English top flight.

However, that was not through his wrongdoing with the England midfielder shining in what was a seriously underperforming Leicester side.

Indeed, despite the Foxes being relegated, the Englishman was still able to provide 10 goals and nine assists in the Premier League (via Transfermarkt).

As Spurs look to battle to keep their main man, Harry Kane, amid his ongoing contract situation, they could look to capitalise on Maddison's situation at Leicester.

The 26-year-old is going into the summer window with just one year remaining on his current deal meaning the Foxes will likely be forced to sell over the coming weeks/months.

But it seems as if the Foxes still have a high valuation for their midfield maestro ahead of the summer with Alex Crook claiming they could ask for up to £60m.

Speaking on talkSPORT, the transfer insider provided his latest understanding of the interest coming from north London for the Englishman:

"Exclusive information reaching us this lunchtime is that Tottenham have opened talks with Leicester City over a move for England midfielder James Maddison.

"Leicester's relegation from the Premier League was only ratified at a meeting on Thursday. But already, Maddison is planning his next move. No surprise that Spurs are interested in the talented number 10. But we're being told Leicester could ask for a fee of as much as £60m."

Could Maddison finally replace Eriksen?

Spurs had a serious lack of creativity coming from their midfield over the 2022/23 campaign which saw Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg top the assists chart from midfield with just seven in 44 games.

And this has been an issue for Spurs since the departure of Christian Eriksen who proved a real creative spark for the north London side before leaving for Inter Milan.

Indeed, over his 305 appearances for Spurs, Eriksen was able to return 69 goals and 90 assists across all competitions (via Transfermarkt).

The burden has been largely picked up by Kane who has proven a reliable source of creativity over recent years which even saw him pick up the Playmaker award back in 2021.

But by bringing in a player like Maddison who has provided 22 assists in his last two Premier League seasons could potentially reduce the need for Kane to drop deeper and provide the creativity himself.

And adding another attacking option to the current crop of Spurs players could potentially see Kane take his game to another level in front of goal having already netted 30 goals in a struggling Spurs side.

Australia wicketkeeper Matthew Wade has said that a total in the range of 230 to 250 could have made a difference on what he felt was a deteriorating pitch

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Oct-2016Australia wicketkeeper Matthew Wade has said that a total in the range of 230 to 250 would have made a difference on what he felt was a deteriorating pitch in Port Elizabeth. After electing to bat, Australia lost their top half in only 15 overs. That they eventually recovered to post 167 was courtesy Wade’s fighting fifty and a more patient one from Mitchell Marsh. South Africa chased that total down fairly comfortably with 87 balls to spare.”I don’t think any game that you lose for Australia is tougher than the next, they all hurt just as much,” Wade said. “Having said that, on that wicket, if we could have posted a reasonable total, anywhere around 230-250, I think we would have been right in the game. So I think it’s disappointing we didn’t get those runs on the board because I feel like the wicket was deteriorating and getting a touch slower as the game moved on.”Wade’s 52 was studded with five fours and two sixes, but it was not with the bat alone that he showed his aggression. Wade had a series of exchanges with chinaman bowler Tabraiz Shamsi. The two verbally sparred for a lengthy period, before Wade decided to tuck the bowler in the elbow while running across for a single, prompting Faf du Plessis to approach the umpires who had to intervene to calm things down.”It’s just competitive cricket. International cricket is hard work. We had a crack the other night and they came back at us today, so it’s fair,” Wade said. “I suppose it can get blown out of proportion at times, with all the technology around now. There are stump mikes and cameras everywhere. I enjoy that sort of a game, it got me in the contest straight away. We’ve got to find a way to keep him (Shamsi) out of the contest. I think if he doesn’t get in the contest with wickets as quick as he did today, I think we can keep him a little quieter.”Wade was seen having several conversations with the umpires both while batting as well as keeping. During South Africa’s chase, David Warner joined Wade at slip and engaged in plenty of chit-chat with Farhaan Behardien, prompting the umpires to once again get in between. “A lot of the conversations I was having with the umpires were about different things,” Wade clarified. “Obviously, there was one moment when I first walked out there that he told us to settle down, and then, after that, it was just general chats. It wasn’t really anything to do with what was going on out there, they were just general conversations.”Shamsi finished with parsimonious figures of 10-1-36-3, including the wickets of Steven Smith, Travis Head and John Hastings. “He’s obviously something different, we faced him in the West Indies,” Wade said. “When the ball is spinning, like it was spinning today, he’s difficult. He’s a good bowler, he’s quite tough to read early. You need to face a few balls to really get a read on him. We need to play him better, for sure, but if the wicket’s got a little bit in it, he’s tough.”Wade had walked out with Australia 49 for 5 and immediately began a recovery through a partnership of 62 with Marsh. Marsh was dismissed in the 28th over, but Wade batted on for close to nine more overs before becoming the penultimate man to be dismissed. “It wasn’t ideal to be out there that early, obviously, but it was good to get it with Mitchy and work as hard as we could to build a partnership. Unfortunately, we just kept losing wickets at crucial times of the game today,” he said.”We need to start winning a few more crucial moments, and me and Mitch, at that point, had put on 60 or so. We needed to probably knuckle down and take the innings as deep as we could to get to a reasonable total.”Wade admitted to Australia being “outplayed comprehensively,” but hoped they could bring out their best in the final game. “I think the changes they (South Africa) made suited the wicket; they brought a couple of spinners in. We wanted to really win the last two games and go home on a high, that hasn’t happened. We haven’t played anywhere near our best throughout the first four games. We’ve got to have a long, hard look in the mirror and find a way to produce our best in the next game. We’re not in a position where we can just walk out and play under par and win games of cricket.”

Leeds United are considering making former Fulham and Bournemouth manager Scott Parker their next boss, according to a new update.

Has Allardyce left Leeds?

On Friday, it was confirmed that Sam Allardyce has left his role in the Elland Road hot seat, with his appointment always feeling like a short-term one. He was tasked with masterminding an escape act in the final weeks of the season, but he was unable to prevent the Whites from being relegated from the Premier League.

From enjoying such a stable spell under Marcelo Bielsa at one point, this has been a rocky period for Leeds when it comes to managers, with Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia and Allardyce all leaving within the space of four months.

For that reason, it is absolutely vital that the club nails their next appointment, ensuring the right man comes in to take them out of the Championship and back into the Premier League as soon as possible.

Some potential candidates have already come to the fore, from Brendan Rodgers to Carlos Corberan, and now another individual is being linked with the vacant Leeds job.

Could Parker be the next Whites boss?

According to The Telegraph, Parker is being eyed up as a potential candidate, with his expertise in getting teams promoted something that the Whites admire:

"Parker was sacked by Bournemouth at the start of the campaign after publicly revealing his fears that the squad was not strong enough to survive in the Premier League. Since then Gary O’Neil has steered them to safety but there was also a takeover and significant money spent in the January transfer window.

"A huge plus for Parker is that in his two seasons in the Championship he has been promoted on both occasions – with Fulham in 2020 and last year with Bournemouth. Like Gerrard he is also readily available."

Parker, who uses an attacking 4-3-3 formation, actually signed Leif Davis for Bournemouth back in 2021, and could be an astute appointment by Leeds this summer, arguably not being as high-profile as someone like Rodgers or Steven Gerrard, but proving himself at both Fulham and Bournemouth, guiding the pair into the Premier League.

At 42, he is a young manager with fresh ideas, rather than an ageing figure in the mould of Allardyce, and while his spell at Club Brugge didn't go to plan recently, he could be desperate to get another opportunity in the Championship.

West Ham boss David Moyes felt Parker did a "brilliant job" in charge of Bournemouth, showing that his peers think highly of him, and Leeds should certainly consider a move for the former England international.

Chelsea have opened talks to sign Paris-Saint Germain superstar Neymar for Mauricio Pochettino, according to le10sport journalist Alexis Bernard.

Who could Chelsea sign this summer?

After a very underwhelming and regrettable 2022/2023 Premier League campaign, which saw the west Londoners finish in the bottom half, it is the task of Todd Boehly to back new manager Pochettino to turn the tide.

Chelsea are also without European football next campaign and must convince star players that they can become successful at Stamford Bridge.

According to recent reports, it appears they’re could be targeting upgrades in a variety of different postions, including a new goalkeeper, star striker and central midfield reinforcements.

The likes of Romeo Lavia, Moises Caicedo and Manuel Ugarte have been linked for the latter position most recently, while AC Milan keeper Mike Maignan is apparently among the targets for in-between their sticks.

Dusan Vlahovic and Tammy Abraham are attracting interest for the striker role, but according to a report by le10sport and Bernard on Twitter, it appears Brazil superstar Neymar is another big name on their radar.

According to the French reporter, Chelsea have opened discussions with PSG over the 31-year-old, and the Ligue 1 giants are willing to entertain their advances.

There has been “official contact” to sign Neymar, who are apparently open to idea of selling their forward, with Chelsea making moves behind-the-scenes.

Who is Neymar?

The former Barcelona star has over 120 caps for Brazil and is among their highest goalscorers of all time, having also won a plethora of honours at club level.

Called a “special talent” by pundit Danny Murphy, Neymar’s trophy cabinet boasts a Champions League winner’s medal, a huge array of European league titles and even an Olympic gold medal (Transfermarkt).

Pochettino, commenting on the attacker during his PSG managerial days, heaped real praise on Neymar for his contribution at the Parc des Princes – having been left “thrilled”.

“I’m very happy with his state of mind, his mentality, and everything he brings to the team,” Pochettino said of Neymar (Le Parisien via Tribuna).“He is a creative player, and, as with any creative player, you expect magic every time he touches the ball.”These players have a higher energy expenditure than others. It’s not easy and I’m thrilled with what he’s doing.”

West Indies women drew level in their five-match one-day series against England, thanks to a dramatic fightback in another low-scoring contest at Trelawny Stadium

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Oct-2016West Indies 148 (Taylor 56, Hartley 4-31) beat England 110 (Dottin 4-19) by 38 runs
ScorecardDeandra Dottin sealed victory for West Indies•WICB Media/Athelstan BellamyWest Indies women drew level in their five-match one-day series against England, thanks to a dramatic fightback in another low-scoring contest at Trelawny Stadium in Jamaica.After batting first, West Indies made 148 all out from 50 overs – one run fewer than England’s winning score at the opening fixture on the series on Saturday.England’s slow left-armer, Alex Hartley, took 4 for 31 in 10 overs to give England the upper hand, with Stafanie Taylor top-scoring with 56. In reply, England’s captain Heather Knight made 26 and Natalie Sciver 27, as England reached 107 for 4 in the 37th over.However, they then imploded in spectacular fashion, losing six wickets for three runs to collapse to 110 all out with sevenovers left unused. Deandra Dottin claimed the last four wickets for figures of 4 for 19.”Dottin came on and had a magnificent spell,” England’s Laura Marsh told the BBC. “It’s unfortunate really. We played really well for the first half but credit goes to Dottin because she’s won the game for them. We put ourselves in a brilliant position, the bowlers did a great job. We fancied chasing that score so we’re pretty disappointed.The teams now relocate to Kingston for the final three matches of the series, starting on Friday at Sabina Park.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is approaching a definitive point in his tenure on Merseyside, and needs to rebuild the midfield after the club fell off their perch this season.

What's the latest on Romeo Lavia to Liverpool?

While many names are being touted, the Reds might find fruit in a bid to secure Southampton star Romeo Lavia's signature, with Football Insider reporting that Liverpool are in a 'four-way race' for the Belgium international.

Indeed, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City are also eyeing a move for the 19-year-old midfielder, though interest from such outfits elsewhere could put Klopp's side in the driving seat to complete a deal.

Signing for Saints from City for £14m last summer, Lavia was subject to a £50m bid that very same window from the Blues, but with his south coast club's relegation this term, that valuation could well have depreciated.

How good is Romeo Lavia?

Liverpool have found a convincing formula in mixing lucrative acquisitions with shrewd purchases under Klopp's wing, and while acquiring Lavia's signature won't be the cheapest of deals, it certainly could end up being a monumental coup.

In one year, Pep Guardiola's Citizens unlock the option to buy their youth prospect back for £40m due to a clause inserted upon his departure, which leaves the forthcoming transfer window as the apt moment to seize the teenage talent.

Despite Southampton's relegation, Lavia has glimmered this term and impressed over his 35 appearances, with The Athletic's Jacob Tanswell hailing him as "exquisite" for his exploits.

A sturdy and reliable buffer is what Liverpool – namely Liverpool's backline – have been missing this year, and while Fabinho has been integral to Klopp's reign on Merseyside, he has not produced the same results and proclaimed to have "fallen, dramatically, off a proverbial cliff" by journalist Chris Stonadge.

He's not alone, though. The entirety of Liverpool's midfield can be held accountable across the lion's share of the season for failing to effectively protect their defence and consequently inhibiting the squad from achieving their goals.

Virgil van Dijk, so often the unwavering heart of Liverpool's imperious shield, has been displaced from his usual swagger and will be among those at the forefront of the internal demands for a return to stability, a balancing of the side's equilibrium, as he seeks to return to his position as "the best" as he was previously lauded as by Michael Owen.

And indeed, the "monster" of a talent that is Lavia – as praised by Benjt Nurick – could play a big part in this, having completed 86% of his passes, averaged 2.1 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per game this term, as per Sofascore.

He also ranks among the top 4% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for rate of blocks per 90, as per FBref, over the past year and could play an invaluable role in preventing opposing strikers from unleashing their shots at Alisson's goal.

This would only alleviate the pressure on Van Dijk and his positional confreres at Anfield, with the Reds' 47 goals shipped in the Premier League this term – far worse off than last year's joint-best record of 26 conceded strikes – diminishing and in turn opening the door of opportunity for greener pastures.