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Cricket team caught in crossfire of dispute between a private firm and the Pakistan government

Umar Farooq in Lahore27-Jul-2020The PCB has played down reports that a company based in the Isle of Man may seize assets owned by the Pakistan team currently in the UK, as part of an old legal dispute between the firm and the Pakistan government. A report in the Pakistani daily the quoted a letter from Broadsheet LLC to the Pakistan government in which it said it would “seize the assets of the Pakistani cricket team” because of longstanding dues owed to it by the government.The PCB has been in touch with the Pakistan Embassy in the UK and is believed to have been satisfied that there is little prospect of this actually happening. That belief lies in the legal opinion that the Pakistan team is representative of the Pakistan Cricket Board, an autonomous body, and not of the Pakistan state or government, and so is not a party to the case or liable for the damages. In the letter, Broadsheet says that the Pakistan team is “by the very nature, an asset of the defendant and that monies due to the team and assets of the team are assets of the defendant to the litigation”.The PCB, however, said the ordinance under which it was established makes it clear it is autonomous.”The PCB has no nexus whatsoever with the arbitration and/or recovery proceedings between Broadsheet LLC and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan & National Accountability Bureau of Pakistan,” the PCB said.”Moreover, the PCB stands established under the Sports (Development and Control) Ordinance 1962 as a body corporate having perpetual succession with exclusive authority for the regulation, administration, management and promotion of the game of cricket in Pakistan. The PCB operates through its Constitution as an autonomous entity.”The PCB operates and functions independently from the Government, generates its own revenues and receives no grants, funds or monies from either the Federal or Provincial Governments, or the Public Exchequer.”The legal dispute dates back to the early 2000s, when Broadsheet was hired by General Pervez Musharraf, who was the head of state of Pakistan then, to trace out hidden assets of Pakistan nationals in foreign countries. Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau (NAB) signed an agreement with Broadsheet, which was eventually terminated in 2003. The termination led to a legal dispute, one resolved in 2018, when an international arbitration court in London ruled in favour of Broadsheet, and established that the NAB was liable to pay damages. It is this payment that remains outstanding.The letter quoted in the was written by Broadsheet to Allen & Overy, the firm that represented the Pakistan government and the NAB in the case, and said that Broadsheet was owed “more than USD 33 million” after it won the arbitration.ESPNcricinfo reached out to NAB for comment, but the body has not confirmed or denied any threat to the cricket team’s equipment being seized. The Pakistan team will play three Tests and three T20Is against England, with the first Test scheduled to start on August 5 in Manchester. The final T20I will take place on September 1.

Wayne Rooney shared pictures from the trip to Northern Ireland, where 15-year-old Kai helped Manchester United's Under-16 team finish runners-up.

• Kai Rooney in action at Super Cup NI
• Michael Carrick's son also in Man Utd youth team
• Under-16 Red Devils reached the final

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Kai Rooney and Jacey Carrick helped Manchester United reach the Premier (Under-16) final of the SuperCupNI, which has been running since 1983. The United side topped their group and beat local team County Down in the semi-finals. But Southampton emerged victorious overall, beating the junior Red Devils by a single goal in the final.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Clubs from as far afield as Mexico and Japan competed alongside English, Irish and Scottish teams. With Under-19, Under-14 and Under-13 age groups, in addition to the Under-16 tournament that Kai and Jacey played in, Manchester United have traditionally had success at SuperCupNI. They most recently won the Under-14 level competition in 2022, as well as an Under-19 win in 2017 and Under-16 wins in 2014 and 2013. The club’s first notable impact was as Under-16 winners in 1991, when Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt featured. Wayne Rooney played for Everton several years later, meanwhile, and Michael Carrick represented West Ham in 1995.

• WHAT ROONEY SAID

  "Great few days in Coleraine for the Super Cup NI," Rooney captioned his Instagram post. "Well done to Kai Rooney and the Manchester United lads on a brilliant effort throughout the tournament. Congratulations to Southampton on the win. Thanks to everyone for the warm welcome."

  A few days earlier Rooney had reflected toabout his own time playing at the tournament, and the nature of his role in Kai’s fledgling career.

  "It's a long time ago since I was here but it does bring back great memories," he said. "The Super Cup, like many other tournaments, is a fantastic place to go away as a young person. You're away with your teammates in a hotel together and it's great for team building.

  "[Kai] has great coaches at Manchester United, so I take a stand off approach. I speak to him, but for me it's all about his mentality and his mindset, to make sure he keeps enjoying it, that's the main thing for me."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Kai will turn 16 in November and is halfway through the current phase of his academy development. At the end of this coming season, United will have to decide whether to offer him a two-year scholarship that could put the youngster on the brink of the first-team. Rooney's second oldest son, Klay, who turned 12 in May, is also on the books at Manchester United.

Newcastle United are interested in signing an "incredible" Premier League star in the summer transfer window, with his current club valuing him at £60m.

Newcastle in need of new attackers

The Magpies have often been frustrated in attack this season, due to constant injury problems suffered by strike duo Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson. They have been limited to 24 starts between them in the league in 2023/24, highlighting their lack of involvement.

Due in part to that, Isak (11) is the only Newcastle player to have reached double figures for goals in the league this term, and more firepower is needed once the summer transfer window arrives.

Juventus winger Federico Chiesa has been backed to seal move to St James' Park, for example, ahead of a potential from his current club in the summer. A direct and powerful wide man, the Euro 2020 winner with Italy has an overall tally of 51 goal contributions (29 goals and 22 assists) in 117 appearances for Juve, showing the end product he could add to Eddie Howe's team.

Real Sociedad ace Takefusa Kubo has also been linked with a summer switch to Newcastle, with the Japanese primarily a right-sided attacking player, but also capable of thriving in a central role. The 22-year-old has seven goals in 19 La Liga starts this season, and could be considered an upgrade on Miguel Almiron, should he depart at the end of the current campaign.

Newcastle want to sign "incredible" Premier League ace

According to a fresh report from The Daily Mail, Pedro Neto has emerged as a new target for Newcastle this summer, though Wolves are unlikely to let him leave on the cheap as they look to raise funds against their own FFP issues.

In fact, the report states that "a fee of around £60m would be needed to do a deal" at the end of the season, and Liverpool also "hold an interest" in the Portuguese winger. While Chiesa and Kubo represent exciting options, Neto is a player who can be considered a primary target for Newcastle in the summer window. The Wolves man is arguably one of the most sought-after Premier League players outside the traditional big clubs, and his impact this season sums up his brilliance.

The 23-year-old has registered nine assists in just 17 league starts, with his dribbling ability and final ball a nightmare for defender, according to Gary O'Neil.

Neto already knows the Premier League well, so he wouldn't have an issue taking time to adjust at Newcastle, and given his age, there should still be so much more to come from him. Injuries have been an issue, which does make signing him a slight risk, but the positives comfortably outweigh the negatives.

Star sold by Newcastle is now a "remarkable" £100m machine

He’s been a huge hit in the Premier League for his current club in recent years.

By
Ethan Lamb

Mar 8, 2024

England captain to help transport medicine and make calls to people in isolation

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Mar-2020England captain Heather Knight has signed up to be a National Health Service (NHS) volunteer during the coronavirus outbreak.Knight only returned from Australia, where she led England to the semi-finals of the Women’s T20 World Cup, 10 days ago and is now living under the UK’s lockdown rules with her boyfriend in Bristol.She revealed in her BBC column that she had volunteered for the scheme that will see people support the health service by delivering food and medicine, transporting patients to appointments and making calls to those in isolation.”I signed up to the NHS’s volunteer scheme as I have a lot of free time on my hands and I want to help as much as I can,” Knight said. “My brother and his partner are doctors, and I have a few friends who work in the NHS, so I know how hard they are working and how difficult it is for everyone.”More than half a million people signed up when the volunteer programme was announced on Wednesday. The following day, people from around the country took a moment during the evening to applaud the NHS from their residences.”Standing on our doorstep, joining in the #ClapForCarers was incredible, and getting involved and volunteering will help even more,” Knight said.”I’m going to get the car out as I’ve volunteered to transport medicine, and also speak to people who are self-isolating. If someone is home alone, you can ring them up and chat. They have had so many people sign up.”The ECB, meanwhile, has indicated that it could consider installing coronavirus checkpoints and isolation units at grounds, as it examines the possibility of resuming cricket behind closed doors this summer.Steve Elworthy, the ECB’s director of events, said games would need take place inside a “sterile” environment, likely with fewer than 500 people in the venue. “So it’s how you test them at the gate, the isolation units that you have to put in,” he told the . “These are considerations we are thinking about.”

Wesley Fofana has explained how Chelsea players dealt with Enzo Fernandez's controversial video after Argentina's World Cup win.

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• Fernandez & Argentina sparked controversy
• Filmed racist chant after Copa America triumph
• Fofana explains how matter was dealt with

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Fernandez was at the centre of a racism storm after posting a video that appeared to show Argentina players chanting a racist song as they celebrated their Copa America triumph in July. The midfielder was investigated by FIFA and the matter appeared to threaten to derail the start to Chelsea's season, with Fofana and forward David Datro Fofana both condemning Fernandez and his compatriots.

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  Centre-back Fofana described the video as "uninhibited racism", but he quickly forgave Fernandez. The midfielder was swiftly integrated back into the squad upon his return from international duty and the Blues even decided to make him their club captain, a move that received plenty of backlash.

• WHAT FOFANA SAID

  Fofana has now revealed how the matter was dealt with, saying that a meeting was held in which it was explained to Fernandez how his actions were hurtful.

  "It was sorted out in a very good way," Fofana told Free FOOT. "He came back, and we had a discussion with the club, with the manager; we had a meeting. We explained why we took it badly because it was important for him to understand why it wasn't a good thing for him to do and why we took it badly. We explained it to him. We understood in his speech that he didn't understand that it could have hurt us. He didn't understand that it was something serious.

  "The best thing to do is to educate him to make him understand that certain things, in certain countries, that are perhaps acceptable in that country but that in others it is very serious and that it is punishable by the law. I think he understood and now we move forward. We are a team and he is a great player. He is an example so I hope that he will be an example in the right way for everybody."

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Fofana upset Chelsea supporters in the Free FOOT interview, with some even demanding he be sold, after he revealed he considered an approach to join Marseille in the summer.

Arsenal are firing on all cylinders at the moment and have managed to pair their steely defence with a ruthlessness in front of goal they haven't shown before.

The Gunners have won their previous six Premier League games by an absurd margin of 25-3 and, aside from their blip in the Champions League, have looked unbeatable.

Mikel Arteta has seen his team go from one that scored a single goal from 63 shots before the winter break to one that can't stop scoring, which is even more impressive considering Gabriel Jesus has been injured for a month.

The Brazilian last played against Nottingham Forest on January 30th, and while he's likely to come back into the side when fit, the player fans thought was his backup, Eddie Nketiah, might not.

The Englishman has been fit for this run of games but hasn't been picked, which could spell trouble as a Hale End gem with an eye for goal continues to develop.

Eddie Nketiah's season in numbers

The former Chelsea youth product went into this season as backup behind the talented but increasingly injury-prone Jesus, and so there was a feeling that he would get a reasonable amount of game time over the year.

For the first part of the campaign, this was true, as when the former Manchester City ace was absent, Nketiah stepped into the fold, and by 1 January, he had made 26 appearances for the team, with 13 of those being starts, in which he scored six goals and provided four assists – a reasonable if unspectacular return.

However, since the turn of the year, he has made just six appearances, but all of them have been off the bench and only add up to 88 minutes altogether, in which time he has not scored or assisted any goals.

Now, this sort of involvement might be understandable had Jesus been fit and in the team, but he hasn't been. Instead, Arteta has opted to alternate between Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz in place of the Englishman, making it feel like his time as an essential member of this Arsenal team is ending.

The Lewisham-born forward could remain and fight for his place. He has shown he can score in the top flight, but with Jesus set to return soon, the club supposedly looking for a new striker in the summer and the emergence of a talented nine in the academy, it seems like the 24-year-old's time in red and white is up.

Why fans should be excited about Khayon Edwards

So, the youngster who could potentially put the nail in the coffin of Nketiah's Arsenal career is 20-year-old Khayon Edwards.

The Islington-born nine has been a force of nature for the Gunners' youth teams over the last few years and, across 76 appearances for the U18 and U23 sides, has a remarkable return of 37 goals and 13 assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.52 games.

Interestingly, while it's common for youth team players to start in multiple positions with junior teams to try and find where they excel best, Edwards has played the vast majority of his games as a centre-forward, so he has plenty of experience in the role.

Understandably, his exploits at youth level have attracted plenty of attention from more than just scouts and the like, as Kaya Kaynak, football.london's chief Arsenal writer, described him as a "deadly" forward when he watched him play in 2021.

On Arsenal's own website, he has been described as 'a hard-working attacker whose style of play and potency in front of goal emulates fellow academy grad, Eddie Nketiah', which does suggests he has the ability to make it into the first team.

With such an impressive resume at youth level, the 5 foot 11 goalscorer was sent out on loan to League One side Leyton Orient at the start of February in the hope that some first team football could give his development a real boost.

In the month he has been in East London, he has started two games and come off the bench twice to pick up a total of 157 minutes of action, and while he has failed to score thus far, he did impress manager Richie Wellens with his energy, as he claimed "We’re starting with a front three, and at times we ran them ragged. Really clever sometimes in pockets, sometimes outside, our rotations were fantastic."

Khayon Edwards could form a brilliant partnership with Ethan Nwaneri

So, Edwards is a fantastically talented young striker with a real chance of displacing Nketiah in the first team a couple of years from now, but excitingly, he could do so alongside another of Hale End's most promising youngsters, Ethan Nwaneri.

The 16-year-old first grabbed the headlines in September 2022, when Arteta made him the youngest Premier League player of all time when he substituted him on against Brentford at just 15 years and 181 days old.

However, he's more than just a niche pub quiz answer in the future, as he currently has 16 goals and nine assists to his name in just 44 youth team appearances for the Gunners, and he has plenty of experience playing with Edwards.

For example, the pair both played and scored against Reading's U21 side in September 2023, with Nwaneri in midfield and Edwards up top, in what could be a visage of an Arsenal side to come.

While three years Edwards' junior, the "special player", as U23 scout Antonio Mango dubbed him, has two senior appearances under his belt and could well break into the first team around a similar time despite his younger age.

Moreover, his ability to play in multiple positions and Arteta's claim that he has the "ability to take the ball in tight areas, to escape a little bit like Jack Wilshere used to do" suggests he could occupy that same midfield role he did against the Royals, feeding balls into the frontline and racking up assists as his fellow Hale End graduate racks up goals.

Arsenal got it right binning £17m ace who felt "tricked" by Arsène Wenger

Signing the talented forward was a big mistake.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Mar 1, 2024

Ultimately, there is a long way to go for both promising youngsters, but with their records at the youth level and the way people in the know talk about them, don't be too surprised if they are tearing it up for Arsenal in the Premier League in a few years.

The focus is on winning the trophy, but the players haven’t lost sight of the bigger picture

Andrew McGlashan in Sydney06-Mar-2020Sunday at the MCG will not be an ordinary day or an ordinary cricket match. It remains to be seen if the world-record crowd for a women’s sporting event is broken, but the match-up of Australia against India means there’s a great chance of it happening – after more than two years of hype and talk, the most anticipated day in the history of women’s cricket has almost arrived.”Thank goodness it’s here,” Australia captain Meg Lanning said with a smile in the aftermath of the tense rain-affected semi-final against South Africa in Sydney.

No rain threat for World Cup final

After all the rain-related drama of the semi-finals in Sydney, there doesn’t seem to be any such concern for the final at the MCG, with Melbourne forecast to be dry and sunny on Sunday. As the southern hemisphere is now heading into autumn, the evening may get a little chilly but there is very little threat of rain. And, unlike the semi-finals, there is a reserve day for the final on Monday.

For the two teams involved, holding aloft the trophy on Sunday evening will dominate their thoughts over the next many hours, but even those involved in the cut and thrust of elite sport can see the bigger picture to what will take place in Melbourne.”It was about showing there’s a pathway, there’s female role models out there for young girls to look up to, and really creating and inspiring young people to be involved,” Lanning said. “Not just young people in Australia, but around the world, that cricket is a really powerful sport and platform.”I think it’s been a great tournament so far. There’s been amazing games. There’s really great people involved. It seems like it has sort of fallen into place a little bit, and Sunday is going to be massive. We’re really pleased we get the opportunity to be a part of it. So hopefully there is 90,000 people there. Everything’s been done that could possibly be done, and we’re just really pumped we get to be out in the middle and play in front of everyone.” The Australians have seemingly accepted that the sporting cliché of treating a big match as just another game probably needs to go out of the window. “Definitely not,” Megan Schutt said when asked if would be like a normal game. “It is just another cricket match in a way but at the same time this country needs a bit of joy and to want to set a new world record is a cool thing to be a part of. Hopefully we can play our best cricket but if that doesn’t happen so be it.””I’m excited about the opportunity to be part of a pretty life-changing experience for the global game,” Beth Mooney said. “Cricket’s been a part of the Australian public’s life for a very long time and they have a knack of getting behind us, when there is adversity thrown at us and things like that so it’s really exciting to think the MCG could be full of people, some cheering for us, some cheering for India, but also cheering for the game and wanting to be part of something pretty special.”Delissa Kimmince will be the one surviving member of Australia’s 2009 World Cup side, the last time they staged a home women’s tournament, to take the field if she plays on Sunday – after the injury that ended Ellyse Perry’s tournament – and admitted her mind was drawn to the comparisons. She played two matches in the 2009 event, where Australia did not make the final, but this time against South Africa, she bowled her three overs for just 16 runs and claimed the key wicket of Mignon du Preez.”I was only thinking that today, it’s been nearly 12 years since that World Cup. It wasn’t a great one for me, bad memories all round,” she said. “When I look back on my career, I’m very grateful for these moments and what I’ve been able to achieve, the resilience I’ve had to show – I’ve had injuries, I’ve lost contracts – to come back and play a crucial role tonight it makes it all that more worthwhile and enjoyable.Beth Mooney steers into the off side•Getty Images

“At the end of the day, I’m just grateful to be here. Sunday will be a great opportunity, I have no doubt they’ll be a lot of nerves, but you just have to go out and enjoy those moments – they only come once in a lifetime.”As captain, part of Lanning’s job would be balancing the need to embrace the occasion while also keeping a focus on what happens in the middle. “It will be different, no doubt about that,” she said. “I’ve been to the MCG when there’s 100,000 fans there, and I’ve been in the stands, and the atmosphere is absolutely incredible, and I’ve sort of had goosebumps watching. To think that we’ll be out in the middle experiencing that, that’s going to be really exciting and such a great thing to be a part of.”Even the captains who had their hopes shattered on Thursday – one by rain and another by defeat – were able to acknowledge the larger impact of the tournament.”For girls, it’s an equal billing to the boys which has been outstanding,” Heather Knight said after England were eliminated following a washout against India. “Obviously today is disappointing but it won’t take too much shine off where the sport has gone. And you see if the money’s put into publicising it and putting it out there, that people do want to come watch it.”South Africa’s Dane van Niekerk said, “I know it’s going to be a cracking final. I wish I could be there in front of 90,000 people. I really hope you get the 90,000 people. Women’s cricket deserves it. It’s been there for a long time. It’s now the time for us, and obviously women’s sport, to rise.”

Want a new sports podcast to listen to? We've got a few you might enjoy…

If you have ever wondered about the net worth of athletes such as Cristiano Ronaldo or LeBron James, argued about the intricacies of Chelsea's transfer deals or simply just can't get your head around the price of jerseys, then we've got just the podcasts for you.

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• Unofficial Partner Podcast

  The Unofficial Partner Podcast covers the business of sports, with an assortment of insightful guests, expertly hosted by award-winning journalist Richard Gillis, who has previously worked in the sports business industry, including time with Havas/Cake. The Unofficial Partner Podcast is separated from many others by its host's lack of tolerance for dancing around the issues, along with his ability to find the story.

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It goes without saying that West Ham United need to mount a big response after last weekend's chastening 6-0 home defeat to London rivals Arsenal in the Premier League.

The malaise has been spreading for a while in east London as West Ham still seek their first victory of 2024 – having been knocked out of the FA Cup by Bristol City last month too – and this afternoon's clash against Nottingham Forest at City Ground could be definitive vis-a-vis David Moyes' future at the helm.

Of course, it's not all doom and gloom. West Ham still reside in eighth place in the Premier League and are behind Newcastle United only on goal difference, now beginning a favourable run of games that could lighten the chatter around Moyes' position.

But there is no doubt that this is an issue demanding redress. Injuries to the likes of Lucas Paqueta and Michail Antonio have damaged the fluency over this recent tough spell but there is enough quality to turn the tide and Forest, who languish in 16th place (two points above the drop zone), must be defeated to ensure that continental qualification does not slip away.

Nuno Espirito Santo's hosts desperately need some respite themselves and will not roll over for West Ham, making for a compelling encounter in the English top-flight.

West Ham team news vs Forest

As stated, Brazilian playmaker Paqueta remains sidelined following a calf problem, though he has returned to training in a significant boost for the Irons. Antonio, meanwhile, could make his first appearance since the start of November – against Forest, incidentally – after finally overcoming a knee injury.

Edson Alvarez and captain Kurt Zouma, both culpable for the dreadful performance against Arsenal last time out, should start despite coming off at half-time in that one.

It's a strong and near-complete side making the northward trip to Nottingham, and Moyes will need to engineer a positive display to ease the growing concerns that could boil over if Forest bag victory.

Nayef Aguerd must not start

Harking back to that Arsenal game again (sorry), it's hard to uproot any positives from the contest, with a lifeless defence allowing the likes of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli to slalom into the danger area with ease, helpless against the string-pulling excellence of Martin Odegaard and devastated by the all-encompassing masterclass from one of their own: Declan Rice.

Few could hold their heads high after such a miserable afternoon but those in the rearguard failed woefully in maintaining a semblance of control in front of Alphonse Areola's goal.

Zouma will start this afternoon, and few would argue against it despite the Frenchman's slide in form of late, but Nayef Aguerd has proved himself unworthy since returning from the African Cup of Nations with Morocco and must be relegated to the bench against the Tricky Trees.

The 27-year-old has been largely impressive since signing from French side Rennes for £30m in June 2022 and finished third in West Ham's Player of the Season awards last term, behind Rice and Said Benrahma.

This season, he has started 18 times in the Premier League but got himself sent off early on against Chelsea. Across the season he has completed only 79% of his passes while making two errors and conceding a penalty, as per Sofascore.

The Athletic's Roshane Thomas has also noted earlier in the campaign that "defensive errors are holding him back", but against Arsenal, his display wasn't laden was errors, but rather, weighed down by a staticness that allowed the antagonists to wreak havoc in second gear.

Aguerd didn't actually lose a ground duel last weekend, but this is because the £50k-per-week centre-half didn't actually make a single ground duel attempt, also completing only 65% of his passes and losing possession on a whopping 17 occasions.

This is unforgivable, with the Evening Standard's Dom Smith branding him with a 3/10 match score for his insipid efforts, writing: 'Got nowhere near Saka for Arsenal’s fifth goal, allowing the England forward to roam free and slam home. Torrid afternoon for Aguerd.'

Elanga benched in Nottingham Forest's predicted lineup vs West Ham

Nottingham Forest will look to pick up their first Premier League win of 2024.

By
Tom Lever

Feb 17, 2024

The 6 foot 2 ace attempted just one ground duel against Fulham during December's 5-0 drubbing too and will need to sit today's fixture out if he is to absorb the importance of ramping up the gas for his side in the future.

And given that Konstantinos Mavropanos is waiting in the wings, it does seem to be the perfect solution for Moyes, making an alteration that might just secure victory and save his skin.

Konstantinos Mavropanos could save Moyes' skin

Factory-built for the modern game, Mavropanos is a ball-playing defender with an aggressiveness and tenacity that makes him a good option for Moyes, having been described as a "gladiator" by former boss Pellegrino Matarazzo in the past.

As per FBref, the Greece international ranks among the top 2% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shots taken, the top 12% for successful take-ons, the top 25 for interceptions and the top 14% for aerial battles won per 90.

The one-time Arsenal prospect was signed from German side Stuttgart in a £19m deal last summer and has since started seven matches in the Premier League, scoring once.

Having won 65% of his duels in the division so far, the 6 foot 5 Mavropanos would be an excellent partner for Zouma in today's game, averaging 3.5 ball recoveries and 4.2 clearances per match and actually keeping more clean sheets than Aguerd (3 versus 2) despite playing eight fewer fixtures.

The magnitude of the forthcoming affair cannot be understated; if Nottingham Forest clinch victory Moyes' reign would dangle by a tenuous thread indeed.

Aguerd has proved himself unreliable of late and given that Mavropanos has done a good job since coming in, he must be provided with a starting berth to ensure that his side prevail.

Beth Mooney made a well-paced half-century to provide Australia a base with the bat

Report by Daniel Brettig at Junction Oval02-Mar-2020Australia suffered a grievous blow to their chances of lifting the T20 World Cup even as they survived a virtual elimination final against New Zealand, as Ellyse Perry limped from the Junction Oval with what appeared to be a serious hamstring injury.With the semi-finals slated for Thursday in Sydney and the final at the MCG on Sunday, Perry has next to no time to recover, after already battling shoulder and hip complaints during the early part of the tournament. The worries around Perry detracted from what was otherwise a sturdy display to squeeze out New Zealand, as the hosts put together a sensible innings after being sent in by Sophie Devine, and then defended the target stoutly either side of Perry’s injury.The pivotal spell was delivered by the wrist spinner Georgia Wareham, who defeated both Devine and Suzie Bates while also plucking out Maddy Green in a performance that suggested she may have been given a bowling berth earlier in the tournament. Wareham’s success also left the Australian selectors pondering whether, should Perry be replaced, they opt for more wrist spin in the squad, having already called in Molly Strano to replace Tayla Vlaeminck on tournament eve.Lanning’s early dashAustralia’s captain Meg Lanning had indicated on match eve that her team enjoyed the chance to take stock after a hectic early schedule, and was endeavouring to bring a greater air of calmness to proceedings after they flirted with summary elimination in their first two matches. To that end, it was Lanning walking out as a traditional No. 3 at the fall of Alyssa Healy’s wicket – the first time it has been Lanning coming in at the fall of Healy instead of Ash Gardner in nearly two years of the pair rotating Nos. 3 and 4.With Beth Mooney playing serenely at the other end, balancing power and poise, Lanning did not make a big score. But her positive and clear-headed 21 enabled the Australians to build steadily from the start and avoid the loss of early wickets, easing the task for the middle order to maintain and then increase the rate. If Lanning looked disgusted with herself to be out top edging a sweep at Anna Peterson, she had played a useful part in helping set the hosts on her way.Mooney the spine, Perry the finishThe contrast between Lanning and Gardner was underlined when the No. 4 was tied in knots by Amelia Kerr and then bowled by Leigh Kasperek, having nevertheless played her part in a fruitful stand worth 52 in 43 balls with Mooney. As a top-order platform innings in a high pressure game with the occasional big hit, Mooney’s effort could scarcely be faulted, and it took a sublime catch by Bates, running around in front of the sight screen, to dismiss her.In doubt before the match, Perry arrived at No. 5, her highest post for the tournament so far, and with Haynes belted the late innings runs that ensured Australia would pass 150 for the second fixture in a row. Together they ensured 41 runs were piled up from the final four overs of the innings, as both found the boundary and Haynes cleared it with one deft paddle over the head of fine leg. Kerr flighted the ball past Perry from the penultimate ball of the innings, but New Zealand’s target would require them to break a national chasing record.New Zealand pressured before Perry fallsOn the slowing Junction Oval pitch, New Zealand could expect some of the biggest questions to be asked by spin bowlers, and Jess Jonassen did not disappoint by finding a way past Rachael Priest. However, at 39 for 1 after the Powerplay, New Zealand were actually a run better placed than Australia at the same stage, with their star duo Devine and Bates plotting a way forward on a sunny St Kilda afternoon.Enter Wareham, who had not bowled a full four-over spell for the Australians since the tour of the West Indies in September last year and spent more time out of the team than in it. Her wrist spin is not always big on side spin but it is most certainly accurate, and by getting one on line to Bates and then reviewing the lbw decision, she claimed a vital break for her team. Unhappier tidings were to follow when Perry, fielding at mid-off and throwing off-balance, appeared to hurt her right hamstring, leaving the field in emotional turmoil as well as physical discomfort.Wareham cleans upThere was a brief moment’s shock for the Australians after Perry hobbled off and New Zealand looked to be loading up for a final charge to the semi-finals. But Lanning had the good sense not to persist with Gardner after her offspin went for 11 from one over, recalling Wareham to the attack and immediately reaping the rewards. Generating good dip and just enough turn, Wareham deceived Devine as she ran down the track, giving Healy plenty of time to complete the stumping.In Wareham’s final over, Green flicked a full toss through square leg for the only boundary the leg spinner would concede, but then fell in similar fashion to Devine, stumped as she charged down to find the boundary but failed to reach the pitch of a leg break. Figures of 3 for 17 from four overs were a handsome reward for Wareham, and opened the question of whether Australia, as they closed things out with some aplomb, might need to consider more wrist spin into the team to replace Perry. They will also have to ponder the overs bowled by Gardner, who conceded 26 from two overs – these could easily have been far more damaging figures on another day.