The news of Mauricio Pochettino's departure from Chelsea sent the squad into a "meltdown", as the players had no clue he would be leaving.
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Pochettino left Chelsea by mutual consentPlayers shocked when the news was revealedJackson and Palmer thanked Argentine coachWHAT HAPPENED?
Many Blues stars were in disbelief when reports emerged of Pochettino's imminent departure, reports. The Argentine coach and his staff were well-liked among the Stamford Bridge squad and there was hope that he would stay in charge after they finished the season with a five-game winning run to secure European football for next season.
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Chelsea confirmed Pochettino would be leaving the club by mutual consent on Tuesday, and the players expressed their surprise in a WhatsApp group. Nicolas Jackson appeared critical of the club as he put facepalm emojis over an image of Pochettino speaking to him in an Instagram post.
WHAT HAS BEEN SAID
claims to have been told be a source: "The players could not believe it. They had no idea until the news broke and it started going around their WhatsApp groups. Most of them really liked Poch, so they were pretty upset."
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Jackson expressed his gratitude towards Pochettino in another Instagram post, while star player Cole Palmer also issued a thankful message and club legend and academy coach John Terry said he was "gutted" to see the Argentine go.
Both teams look to avoid hat-trick of losses as the race for the playoffs heats up
The Preview by Sreshth Shah28-Apr-20196:00
Kartik: Kings XI seamers need to back the Ashwins
Big pictureIt’s the final week of league matches, and it’s fourth-placed Sunrisers Hyderabad taking fifth-placed Kings XI Punjab at home, with only net run-rate separating them. It means that the match could retrospectively be viewed as a potential quarter-final, with the winner enjoying a two-point gap between them and the bottom four teams, while the loser’s playoff fate will then ride on a host of other results.Kings XI have suffered back-to-back losses and still appear to be susceptible when KL Rahul or Chris Gayle don’t find runs. Their pacers have been expensive, but R Ashwin has ensured the team’s through process hasn’t changed in defeat. They’ve picked XIs according to conditions and could consider big-match player Sam Curran to strengthen their bowling options in a crunch fixture.Form guide
Sunrisers Hyderabad: lost to Royals by 7 wickets, lost to Super Kings by 6 wickets, beat Knight Riders by 9 wickets (most recent matches first) Kings XI Punjab: lost to Royal Challengers by 17 runs, lost to Capitals by 5 wickets, beat Royals by 12 runs
For Sunrisers Hyderabad, their only two bright spots are the forms of David Warner and Manish Pandey, who started poorly. Warner went past 600 IPL runs in the last game, but what’s worrying is they can’t stitch together wins despite those runs. Whether Kane Williamson is the best replacement for Jonny Bairstow as Sunrisers opener, is another thing for them to consider.Wriddhiman Saha – who played as a finisher in their last game – doesn’t possess the muscle to clear boundaries at the death, and Sunrisers may need to shaft him as Warner’s partner if they are considering a tweak to strengthen the middle order.That middle order has been Sunisers’ achilles heel, with Vijay Shankar, Deepak Hooda, Mohammad Nabi and Shakib-Al-Hasan scoring at a strike-rate of less than 120 between overs 11 and 20. Sunrisers’ Nos. 4 to 7 have played the least number of balls among all teams in IPL 2019, have the lowest run-rate (6.40), take the least balls to lose a wicket (12.9) and need the most balls to score a boundary (11.8) this season.All that reliability on Warner and Bairstow early on is now coming to haunt them. Recent history, however, does back Sunrisers. Kings XI have not beaten them in the last four games at Hyderabad, and have won only one of their six away games this season.Chris Gayle departs for 16•BCCIPrevious meetingKings XI batsmen and childhood friends KL Rahul (71) and Mayank Agarwal (53) put on a 114-run second-wicket stand to help them beat Sunrisers by six wickets at Mohali. In the first innings, Ankit Rajpoot’s 0 for 21 restricted Sunrisers to only 150 with Warner (62-ball 70*) unable to find his range.Likely XIsSunrisers Hyderabad: 1 David Warner, 2 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Manish Pandey, 5 Vijay Shankar, 6 Mohammad Nabi, 7 Deepak Hooda, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Khaleel Ahmed, 11 Sandeep SharmaKings XI Punjab: 1 KL Rahul, 2 Chris Gayle, 3 Mayank Agarwal, 4 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 5 Sam Curran, 6 Mandeep Singh, 7 R Ashwin, 8 Hardus Viljoen, 9 Mohammad Shami, 10 M Ashwin, 11 Ankit RajpootStrategy punt It’s time for Sunrisers to unleash Rashid – the batsman – especially when there are few overs left. Yusuf Pathan and Hooda have disappointed as finishers, and since IPL 2018, Rashid has a strike-rate of 180 between overs 16 and 20. In that period, he hits a boundary every 3.87 deliveries in the IPL. Kings XI should aim to bat Curran as high as possible. In all T20s, he strikes at 192.31 in the two times he’s batted in the Powerplay, compared to strike-rates of 97.80 and 136.45 between overs 7-15 and 16-20 respectively. Mohammad Nabi could open the bowling for Sunrisers as a potential match-up for the left-handed Gayle and the ball turning away from him. Kings XI, too, could throw in their trump card Nicholas Pooran early if Nabi takes an early wicket. Despite being a left-handed batsmen, Pooran averages 226 against offspin since 2018. He’s been dismissed by the offspinners only once in 20 innings.Stats that matter Siddarth Kaul and Rashid need just one more wicket to reach 50 IPL scalps. Among all IPL teams, Sunrisers have the highest run-rate in the Powerplay (9.00) but the lowest between overs 16 and 20 (8.90). Their opponents Kings XI have the highest run-rate between overs 7 to 15 (8.80). As for the bowlers, Sunrisers’ economy of 7.20 in the Powerplay is the best in IPL 2019 while Kings XI’s economy of 9.20 in the same period is the worst. Kings XI have lost five of their six away games in IPL 2019. Their only away win was their first match of the season, now famous for the Ashwin-Jos Buttler run-out incident.
Manchester United have failed to impress on every front this season.
Erik ten Hag’s side are currently eighth in the Premier League, but by the end of the weekend’s action, they could be in the bottom half of the table.
With that in mind, the boss will be desperate to improve his squad as United aim to climb into a European spot.
Man Utd transfers latest – Fernandes repeat inbound
According to The Sun, Man United have submitted a bid for Morten Hjulmand that would involve Facundo Pellistri moving in the opposite direction.
However, it has been rejected by Sporting, who will settle for not a penny less than his £69m release clause.
Morten Hjulmand in action.
This represents quite the price hike for a man who was signed from Lecce for only £15m back in the summer of 2023.
The Red Devils scouts have been watching the midfielder this season, but a move this January is looking unlikely.
January transfer window: All the deadline day deals from England and Scotland
Stay on top of all the latest transfer deals across the Premier League, EFL and SPFL as the January window closes.
ByCharlie Smith Feb 1, 2024 How Morten Hjulmand compares to Bruno Fernandes
It is reasonable to say that Bruno Fernandes has been United’s best signing since Sir Alex Ferguson's era. The Portuguese magician has become arguably the most important player in the side since joining from Sporting for £46.5m.
Over 212 games, the 29-year-old has registered 129 goal contributions and now wears the captain's armband.
Ten Hag will be hoping that he can repeat the Fernandes masterclass by signing another Sporting midfielder in the January transfer window, in the form of Hjulmand.
Bruno Fernandes
The Danish midfielder only joined Sporting in the summer, but his influence on the side has been enormous. The 24-year-old has featured in 24 matches this season, scoring one goal and creating two, while often playing in the midfield two of a 3-4-2-1 formation. In that respect, he's positionally different to the aforementioned Fernandes but their ability to influence the play is vast.
But what is Hjulmand’s style of play based on statistics from the 2023/24 Primeira Liga season?
Touches
70.97
Top 17%
Passes completed
53.45
Top 11%
Pass completion %
86.1%
Top 14%
Tackles
2.58
Top 16%
Dribblers tackled
1.25
Top 14%
Ball recoveries
7.11
Top 23%
The former Serie A star is a player who likes to get on the ball and dictate the play, as highlighted by his high number of touches and passes completed. If the move was to be completed, Hjulmand would slot alongside Kobbie Mainoo and replace Scott McTominay in the starting XI.
The FC Kobenhaven youth player would bring control to the United midfield, which the Scot currently doesn’t, as his touches and passes completed per 90 is in the bottom 20% of Premier League midfielders, according to FBref.
Furthermore, Hjulmand is extremely solid out of possession, even being labelled as a “monster” by football journalist Zach Lowy.
The Sporting rock protects the backline with a proactive approach, and he often regains possession via tackles and reading the game to recover the ball.
The fact he can tackle dribblers would also make United much more secure in transitions, which is where Ten Hag’s team have been vulnerable.
Morten Hjulmand in action.
Overall, Hjulmand is a typical defensive midfielder who would provide so much security to the United team. Although the fee is steep, Ten Hag should look to repeat the Fernandes trick this month.
The tremors of Jurgen Klopp's shocking announcement that the current campaign will be his last for Liverpool will be felt throughout the remainder of the season.
Of course, there is so much to play for, with the Reds through to the Carabao Cup final after defeating Fulham over two legs, favourites for the Europa League, awaiting Norwich City in the FA Cup fourth round and topping the Premier League table by five points, with second-placed Manchester City holding a game in hand.
Klopp's upcoming resignation shocked the Merseyside club, but the 56-year-old informed bosses of his intention to leave back in November, with plans undoubtedly drawn up in the background to identify a successor.
The managers that Liverpool could sign
It's rather clear at this early stage that Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso is the frontrunner to succeed Klopp at Anfield, with the Spaniard clear of Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga and undefeated across all competitions, producing some excellent football.
However, Liverpool would be foolish to place all their eggs in one basket and, according to transfer specialist Dean Jones, Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann is among the candidates to succeed his compatriot.
Bayern's Julian Nagelsmann
Nagelsmann will lead the hosts at the UEFA Euro 2024, but his contract expires at the end of the summer and his availability could prompt Liverpool to advance discussions.
Julian Nagelsmann's tactical approach
It's remarkable that Nagelsmann is still only 36 years old; having now been a professional manager for almost eight seasons, the tactician has gone from strength to strength in his homeland and was synonymous with RB Leipzig's slick, free-flowing football over recent years.
Intelligent with his build-up play and emphasising swift transitions and high intensity, Nagelsmann turned Leipzig into a possession-centric outfit, but didn't emulate this as such at the Allianz Arena, instead turning Bayern into a kind of hybrid, dynamic attacking team.
If he were to join Liverpool, he would likely implement the 4-2-3-1 at Bayern that worked so well for the squad's fluency and progression, and by doing so, he could be the perfect manager for Trent Alexander-Arnold as the England international makes the change toward a central midfield role.
Alexander-Arnold has long been regarded as one of Europe's best right-backs and now one of the most incredible creative forces around, though the perpetual debate that his abilities are best served in midfield is starting to be realised and he might find a permanent home in the engine room in the future.
#
Player
Apps
Assists
1.
Kevin De Bruyne
244
103
2.
James Milner
633
89
3.
Christian Eriksen
280
75
4.
Ashley Young
437
71
5.
Mohamed Salah
251
67
6.
Raheem Sterling
367
62
7.
Trent Alexander-Arnold
216
57
7.
Andy Robertson
260
57
7.
Heung-min Son
288
57
10.
Willian
303
44
Source: Premier League
When joining Bayern, Nagelsmann already inherited a side of superlative merit in possession but tweaked the system to focus the creativity from the centre of the park, which would work wonders for Alexander-Arnold's game.
The 25-year-old ranks among the top 1% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, shot-creating actions and pass attempted, the top 2% for progressive passes and the top 16% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, to underpin this point.
Once described as “the best young coach in Europe” by journalist Josh Bunting, Nagelsmann probably isn't FSG's first choice to succeed Klopp at Liverpool, but he is young and enterprising, and definitely boasts the tactical aptitude to sustain the Reds' ability as a high-class competitor at the forefront of the European game.
‘He’s back as the world’s No.1 allrounder – and that’s where we think he belongs. But he’s got a point to prove to make sure everybody else believes that’
ESPNcricinfo staff26-May-2019Thanks to the finger injury that kept him out of Bangladesh’s tour of New Zealand, the recently concluded tri-series in Ireland was Shakib Al Hasan’s first taste of ODI cricket in nearly five months.He recovered from that injury in time for the IPL, but only got to play three matches for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the tournament. In Ireland, Shakib played an important role in Bangladesh winning their maiden non-bilateral ODI tournament, scoring two unbeaten fifties and bowling economically. Though he missed the final with a side strain, the performance was enough to move him back up to the top of the ICC rankings for ODI allrounders, 20 points clear of Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan.Shakib is fit again in the lead-up to the World Cup, and, according to Bangladesh coach Steve Rhodes, is looking to prove a point.”Shakib is fine,” Rhodes told the ICC in Cardiff, after Sunday’s warm-up match against Pakistan was washed out. “He’s in a great position physically. He had a little problem in Ireland but he’s got over that and is raring to go.”He’s looking forward to a wonderful tournament. I think he’s got a bit of a point to prove and he probably thinks that as well. He seems to have been a little bit forgotten but now he’s back as the world’s No. 1 allrounder in ODI cricket – and that’s where we think he belongs.”But he’s got a point to prove to make sure everybody else believes that.”Another Bangladesh player who hasn’t been at full fitness of late is Mahmudullah, who has been playing as a specialist batsman in recent matches thanks to a shoulder issue that is keeping him from bowling his offspin. While admitting that the injury was affecting the balance of the side, Rhodes expressed confidence that Mahmudullah would be back to bowling in matches at some point during the World Cup.”Mahmudullah’s shoulder is coming along a little slowly,” Rhodes said. “I don’t think it would have been possible for him to bowl against Pakistan. We’re very optimistic that we can get him up and running for the early stages of the World Cup.”It may affect our balance slightly, but the good thing about Mahmudullah is that he doesn’t need a lot of practice to be good at bowling.”Bangladesh’s squad is among the most experienced at the World Cup, featuring five players with 175 or more ODIs under their belt.”People keep telling me that to win a world tournament you need experience,” Rhodes said. “I’m glad because we’ve got a wealth of experience there. I listen to them a lot because why wouldn’t you with that vast experience?”It will be a good thing when it gets a little tight towards the end of the group. There are 10 teams in this World Cup, but when I looked at the odds, we were ninth favourites and Afghanistan were tenth favourites – but on our day we both could beat the favourites.”There’s going to be a lot of winning and losing by all teams.”
Slovenia are set for only their second appearance at the tournament. But who is in their Euro 2024 squad?
Slovenia made two World Cup appearances (2002 and 2010) since they last featured at the Euros (2000).
After making it to the World Cup 2010 in his previous stint, Matjak Kek took over as Slovenia's boss for the second time in 2018 and is now tasked with leading the nation past the group stage of any major tournament.
Kek named a preliminary squad of 30 players on May 21, with 26 of them to travel to Germany.
Progressing as runner-ups to Denmark in the qualifiers, to be drawn alongside England, Denmark and Serbia in Group C of the final tournament, who will make Kek's Euro 2024 squad? GOAL takes a look…
(C)Getty ImagesGOALKEEPERS
Atletico Madrid goalkeeper and Slovenia captain, Jan Oblak is set for his first major tournament for his country since making his international debut in 2012.
Vid Belec is the next in line as far as experience counts, with Igor Vekic and Matevz Vidovsek will be the back-up options in goal.
Name
Club
Igor VekicVejleJan OblakAtletio MadridMatevz VidovsekOlimpija LjubljanaVid BelecAPOELAdvertisementGettyDEFENDERS
Zan Jarnicnik can play in both full-back positions but is certain to be deployed on the right side when Erik Janza assumes the left-back position.
Sampdoria's Petar Stojanovic is the other right-back, if not used a bit further up on the right flank.
At the heart of the defence, David Brekalo would be used as an option to either Miha Blazic or Jaka Bijol in the XI.
Name
Club
David BrekaloOrlando City SCErik JanzaGornik ZabrzeJaka BijolUdineseJure BalkovecAlanyasporMiha BlazicLech PoznanPetar StojanovicSampdoriaVanja DrkusicSochiZan KarnicnikCeljeZan ZaletelViborgGettyMIDFIELDERS
Adam Gnezda Cerin and Timi Max Elsnik are chiefly in charge of the engine room, despite relatively experienced campaigners in Benjamin Verbic, Sandi Lovric and Jasmin Kurtic.
Tomi Horvat can be utilised on the left flank, while Bodo/Glimt's Nino Zugelj is the only player in the squad yet to earn his first international cap.
Name
Club
Adam Gnezda CerinPanathinaikosAdrian ZaljkovicSpartak TrnavaBenjamin VerbicPanathinaikosJasmin KurticSudtirolJon Gorenc StankovicSturm GrazMiha ZajcFenerbahceNino ZugeljBodo/GlimtSandi LovricUdineseTimi Max ElsnikOlimpija LjubljanaTomi HorvatSturm GrazENJOYED THIS STORY?
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Getty FORWARDS
RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko should be joined by either Andraz Sporar or Zan Vipotnik upfront, with Jan Mlakar capable of supporting from either side.
Lugano's Zan Celar would also need to be patient, as Kek has recalled Josip Ilicic back to the squad.
The agency representing some of the biggest names in football – including Virgil van Dijk – is now under the UTA umbrella with LeBron James.
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UTA acquires ROOF agencyPlans to integrate with KLUTCHVan Dijk & LeBron join togetherWHAT HAPPENED?
ROOF (Representatives Of Outstanding Footballers) has been acquired by UTA (United Talent Agency), expanding the group's global sporting reach by entering the soccer market. It is a move that will put management of footballing superstars like Van Dijk and Kai Havertz under the same parent company as LeBron and other top basketball players.
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In recent years, UTA's sporting portfolio has been led by KLUTCH, which represents basketball icon James and has negotiated $4 billion worth of contracts on behalf of its clients across the NBA, WNBA, NFL and MLB. As part of the takeover, UTA said that ROOF will integrate with KLUTCH "to reimagine the landscape of representation for a new generation of top football stars". But ROOF will retain its own name and founding management. As it stands, ROOF represents around 130 players and 20 coaches across Europe's big five leagues. But the ambiiton is international expansion beyond current bases in London, Madrid and Munich.
WHAT UTA SAID
"Football is the most global and popular sport on the planet, and in charting our path into the game, we've searched for a partner who aligns with KLUTCH's values and takes a similar client-first approach," said Rich Paul, co-head of UTA Sports and KLUTCH founder/CEO.
"It was clear very early on that ROOF was the perfect fit; our agencies share the same philosophy, passion and professional approach to representing the world's best athletes. Together we look forward to bringing new energy to the beautiful game and its athletes through the lens of empowerment, storytelling and forward thinking."
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In additional to Van Dijk and Havertz, other top players like Sadio Mane, Serge Gnabry, Harvey Elliott and recent Europa League final hero Ademola Lookman are on the books at ROOF.
Tottenham Hotspur are eyeing a £100,000-per-week midfielder as FA registered intermediary and reliable club insider Paul O'Keefe shares news on their transfer plans this summer.
Spurs enjoy five-star January window
Manager Ange Postecoglou was rewarded for his fine Premier League debut campaign in charge of the Lilywhites thus far with club backing, as chairman Daniel Levy and the wider recruitment team moved to shore up key areas of the Australian's squad.
Teenager set for Tottenham first team this year with staff very impressed
He’s charmed those at Hotspur Way.
ByEmilio Galantini Feb 5, 2024
Defender Radu Dragusin arrived on a permanent deal from Genoa for around £25 million, a move which gifts Postecoglou an alternative option to starting centre-back pair Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero.
Timo Werner also joined on loan from RB Leipzig, with the agreement thought to include an option to buy, and Spurs then went on to beat European heavyweights Barcelona to the signing of highly-rated teenage sensation Lucas Bergvall – who'll fully join in the summer after spending the rest of 23/24 back on loan Djurgardens IF.
Timo Werner
Arrival (loan)
Lucas Bergvall
Arrival (buy-to-loan-back)
Radu Dragusin
Arrival (permanent)
Djed Spence
Exit (loan)
Ashley Phillips
Exit (loan)
Japhet Tanganga
Exit (loan)
Alejo Veliz
Exit (loan)
Sergio Reguilon
Exit (loan)
Eric Dier
Exit (loan)
Ivan Perisic
Exit (loan)
Postecoglou's success on the field is only matched by the club's changing fortunes off it, with Spurs also usurping Chelsea as London's richest club. Their switch to a data-driven scouting system, which was partly responsible for the successful addition of van de Ven among others, is also paying dividends.
It will be interesting to see who will emerge as Tottenham's summer targets in this regard. Despite the scintillating form of Richarlison, there are still reports that Spurs could look to sign a replacement for club-record goalscorer Harry Kane, who departed last year for Bayern Munich.
Postecoglou is also said to be keen on another wide attacker in general, and having failed to seal a move for Club Brugge winger Antonio Nusa in the winter, it is rumoured that a move to Spurs could still be on the cards for him later this year (Pete O'Rourke).
Tottenham eyeing Raphinha move
Sharing more news on the club's potential swoop for another attacking option, O'Keefe says Barcelona's Raphinha is a player attracting interest.
The Brazilian, formerly of Leeds United, has bagged three goals and five assists over 15 La Liga outings this season. Speaking to Football Insider, former Whites striker Noel Whelan has called the £100,000-per-week ace a "relentless" player.
“He is a player now who continuously has an effect on a game, in a positive way. Even if he is not on the scoresheet, he will have played a hand in the goal. He is relentless," said Whelan.
“He gets on the ball, has great balance, is very dynamic and he takes the game to the opposition. What impresses me is that he is not afraid to do the horrible side. I get more and more impressed by his worth ethic.”
Warwickshire’s opening batsman continues stellar run of form with unbeaten century
ECB Reporters Network and ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jul-2019Warwickshire 400 for 3 (Sibley 207*, Rhodes 109) trail Kent 585 for 7 dec (Bell-Drummond 166, Dickson 161) by 185 runsWarwickshire’s Dominic Sibley’s found claims that he had become the first batsman to reach 1,000 first-class runs for the season put under scrutiny as Glamorgan’s Marnus Labuschagne also laid claim to the honour.But what was abundantly clear was that Sibley – like Labuschagne – underlined that he is an Ashes contender as Kent’s bowlers continued their thankless toil on day three of this Specsavers County Championship run-fest in Canterbury.Sibley’s record includes runs in the pre-season opener to the county season between MCC and the Champion County which was traditionally staged at Lord’s but which now takes place in the UAE, and according to the ECB’s official scorers, he reached the mark a whole two minutes before Labuschagne.In a phenomenal display of concentration and will power, Sibley, the 23-year-old former Surrey batsman, took his total crease occupation to almost nine hours in reaching an unbeaten 207 from 409 balls and 31 fours.After his marathon innings a delighted Sibley said: “We’ve played on some tough wickets this year and I was thinking about this opportunity a lot last night, and I told myself that I really needed to make the most of this chance.”As for his chances of forcing his name into the hat for potential Ashes selection, Sibley added: “A lot of people are chatting about it and there’s a bit of hype surrounding my name, but I just want to keep batting and scoring runs. It’s really that simple. If I keep batting and stay in the grove then who knows? We’ll see what happens.”The World Cup has quickened conversation around Jason Roy but England are also watching Sibley – and neither England opening berth is pinned down with the likes of Keaton Jennings and Rory Burns the current incumbents.Sibley’s stoical innings helped Warwickshire to close on a season’s best 400 for 3 off 143 overs as the visitors responded to Kent’s summer’s-best total of 585 for 7 declared.Against a fellow Division One county in distress, which has had to resort to several loan signings to keep body and soul together, Kent have somehow produced one of the flattest pitches of the season.Sibley and his opening partner Will Rhodes took advantage of the most placid batting conditions of the season to post a record opening stand of 221 in first-class matches between Kent and Warwickshire.Having resumed on 142 without loss, Kent introduced the off-spin of Ollie Rayner after an hour but Rhodes swept his fifth delivery for a boundary to take Warwickshire past 196 – their previous best championship opening stand against Kent recorded by Dominic Ostler and Roger Twose at Edgbaston in 1989.Rhodes again swept Rayner for his 14th boundary to reach his first century of the summer from 218 balls, but, only nine runs later, the left-hander chased a wide, full delivery from Grant Stewart to be caught behind for 109.After lunch, Rob Yates succumbed to the second new ball when he nibbled outside off against Darren Stevens to be caught at slip as Kent’s attack, which had hitherto banked maximum bowling points in every game, missed out completely.Sibley, who became marooned in the 90s for 48 minutes, finally reached three-figures after tea with a clip to the mid-wicket ropes. The 10th century of his first-class career came off 241 balls and included 16 fours.Kent made their next breakthrough when Sam Hain (40) aimed to glance against Harry Podmore only to be caught off a fine edge by Ollie Robinson, the in-form Kent keeper, diving way to his left.Sibley ploughed on however, moving past his previous best score for Warwickshire of 144 not out scored against Sussex at Hove last season. He then went onto the back-foot to pull a Podmore bumper for four to reach 175 for his 1,000th first-class run of the season.The landmark boundary also took him past Nick Knight’s 174 scored against Kent at Canterbury in 1995, Warwickshire’s highest individual score in matches between the two counties.Sibley’s record-breaking continued when, just before stumps, he reached the third double century of his career and his first for Warwickshire from 406 balls and with 30 fours as he and Adam Hose cut Kent’s first-innings lead to 185 runs.Though Kent could only manage to pick up one wicket in each of the three sessions, they will take some solace in restricting the Bears to only three batting bonus points as the dogfight to avoid championship relegation continues.However, a final day of leather-chasing awaits Heino Kuhn’s side on Wednesday, when Sibley will have one eye on surpassing his career-best 242, scored for his native Surrey against Yorkshire at The Kia Oval in 2013.
We get two winners. Here’s everything you need to know about the tournament that will bring new meaning and context to bilateral Test cricket
Nagraj Gollapudi29-Jul-2019What is this World Test Championship all about?Essentially, it is a league, like the zillions of T20 leagues out there, but this one is for Test cricket. It will be contested over two-year cycles, the first of which starts on August 1 with the opening Ashes Test at Edgbaston. The group phase officially began on July 16, 2019 and will run until March 31, 2021 after which the top two teams will contest a final.How many teams will participate?Nine of the 12 Full Member countries will contest in 27 series during the window. The nine teams are: Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Pakistan, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka and West Indies.ESPNcricinfo LtdWhy has the WTC been brought in?For a long time, there have been attempts to bring additional context to Test cricket beyond the result of individual series. There are the Test rankings where the top team is anointed on April 1 each year, but that is just based a rolling table. The idea of the WTC is to have a Test ‘winner’ every two years – like the World Cups in other formats – creating something else to play for outside of the series result. It is also hoped that it will increase interest in all series within the WTC, regardless of who is playing, because it can have a knock-on effect on other team’s chances of reaching the final.How many series will each team play and do all series count?The teams will play three series each at home and away. Each series will comprise a minimum of two and maximum of five Test matches. Therefore, all the teams do not play each other in the WTC in the two-year cycle. There can also be series played outside the WTC – an example being the New Zealand v England in November which is part of the Future Tours Programme (FTP) but not the Championship.India go into the inaugural Test Championship as the world’s No. 1 team•Getty ImagesWho decided on which series will be played under the WTC?The competing countries. Some of the series already committed in the previous FTP will now be played as part of the WTC with each team playing against some higher-ranked opposition and some lower-ranked opposition.How are points allocated?This is where things get a little complicated because, well, cricket can be complicated. For every series under the WTC, there are 120 points available, distributed evenly over the number of Tests in the series. So, for example, in the Ashes, which is a five-match series, there will be 24 points for each win. In a two-Test series (such as Sri Lanka v New Zealand and West Indies v India which also start in August) there will be 60 points for a win. A draw is worth one-third of the points for a win: so eight in the Ashes scenario above and 20 in a two-Test series. A tie, just in case we need to know, is worth half the points for a win.Ishita Mazumder/ESPNcricinfo LtdAnything else about the points we need to know?Recently the ICC had announced that teams will be docked points in the WTC for slow over-rates. Two points will be deducted for every over a team is behind at the end of a match.How will the finalists be determined and when will it be played?The top two teams on the points table at the end of the league phase will play the final, which will be played from June 10-14, 2021. It will be hosted by the ECB.ALSO READ: ‘We want every game in the Test championship to count,’ says Geoff Allardice, ICC general manager of cricketWhat will happen if the final ends in a draw or is tied?If the final ends in a tie or a draw, the two teams will be joint champions. Although the playing conditions allow for a reserve day, it can only be used if net playing time is lost during the scheduled five days of the final. Net playing time for every Test amounts to 30 hours of play (six hours per day).The reserve day kicks in only if the time lost during regulation play on each day is not made up on the same day. For example, if you lose an hour of play due to rain and then make it up by the end of the same day, then that is zero net time lost. But if you lose an entire day’s play due to rain and then make up, say, only three hours over the remaining four days, then you are short of net playing time for the match. That is when the reserve day kicks in.What about the other three Test-playing nations?Zimbabwe and the two latest Test nations, Afghanistan and Ireland, are the three who will not be part of the inaugural WTC. Zimbabwe are currently suspended by the ICC till October for government interference into cricket affairs. However, Afghanistan and Ireland will play Test series as part of the FTP, points from which will be considered for the Test rankings, but not the Championship.