A round up of the North Zone matches from the Inter State T20 Tournament played on February 2, 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Feb-2017

Shikhar Dhawan struck an unbeaten 47-ball 82 to power Delhi to a six-wicket win against Services in Dharamsala. Dhawan hit 11 fours and three sixes as Delhi swept past their target of 132 with 39 balls remaining. Delhi were in a bit of trouble at 43 for 3 before Dhawan and Nitish Rana (22 off 16) calmed them with a fourth-wicket partnership of 74.Having sent Services in, Delhi were firmly in control through most of Services’ innings, striking regularly and reducing them to 96 for 7 in the 17th over. Amit Pachhara, though, ensured Services wouldn’t give in without a fight, scoring an unbeaten 56 off 46 balls, and adding an unbroken 35 for the eighth wicket with Rahul Kanojia. Vikas Tokas (3 for 23) and Manan Sharma (3-0-8-2) were Delhi’s most impressive bowlers.Manan Vohra’s 60 and a 16-ball 34 from Gurkeerat Singh set the foundation of Punjab’s 23-run win over Himachal Pradesh, leading the team to a score of 162 for 7. Punjab’s bowlers, led by Harbhajan Singh (2-25) and seamer Baltej Singh (3-33), then pinned Himachal to 139 for 9, with five wickets falling in the last five overs. Vohra’s 50-run partnership with Anmolpreet Singh helped Punjab recover from a poor start before Gurkeerat added quick runs at the end, hitting four fours and two sixes. Harbhajan then struck in successive overs to dismiss Himachal’s openers after a good start, after which the side stumbled from 114 for 2 in the 15th over to 130 for 9 in the 19th over. Ankush Bains was the top-scorer for Himachal with a 32-ball 57.A manic penultimate over, in which Haryana lost four wickets, saw them fall four runs short of Jammu & Kashmir’s total of 156 in Nadaun. Needing 24 off the last two overs with six wickets in hand, Haryana’s chase began to go awry with the run-out of the well-set Rajat Paliwal. Then, Haryana lost wickets off three consecutive deliveries -Harshal Patel was run-out without facing a ball after which Ram Dayal dismissed Rahul Tewatia and Sanjay Pahal. In the final over, Haryana could only hit 14 runs out of the required 18, with Virender Dahiya hitting a six during his three-ball stay. Earlier, Shubham Khajuria’s 68 (57 balls) lifted J&K to 156 for 3 after they opted to bat. He was well-supported by Ian Dev Singh (27) and Mithun Manhas (31 not out).

Leeds United have reportedly "opened talks" with Carlos Carvalhal over becoming their new manager this summer, according to a fresh rumour regarding the search for a new boss.

Which managers are Leeds linked with?

It has been a period to forget at Elland Road over the past 12 months or so, with the club getting through three different managers en route to being relegated from the Premier League.

Amid the new takeover from 49ers Enterprises, Leeds are now working hard on finding a new boss, with so many different names linked with the job in the weeks since their relegation was confirmed.

The likes of Brendan Rodgers, Graham Potter, Steven Gerrard, Carlos Corberan and Scott Parker have all been mooted as potential successors to Sam Allardyce, but no clear favourite has emerged in the race yet.

Now, a new name has been thrown into the hat – someone with plenty of experience in English football in the past.

Are Whites in talks with Carvalhal?

According to iG Esporte [via Sport Witness], Leeds have "already opened talks" in "recent days" with Carvalhal, suggesting that he is considered a strong option to come in and lead the promotion charge at Elland Road.

The 57-year-old is "free in the market" currently, having left his post as Celta Vigo manager earlier this year, although Brazilian side Atletico-MG are also believed to be eyeing him up.

Carvalhal could be an interesting appointment by Leeds if they get a move over the line, having previously managed Sheffield Wednesday and Swansea City in the past. He got the former into the Championship playoff final in 2016, and the semi-finals the following year, although he only lasted approximately six months with the latter.

The Portuguese is now a hugely experienced manager, having taken charge of teams all over the world, from Sporting CP to Besiktas, and he also won the Portuguese Cup with Braga in 2021.

There are question marks over whether Carvalhal is the strongest contender to come in, though, considering the likes of Rodgers and Potter are arguably more highly thought of currently, having been established Premier League managers for a while now, despite admittedly both losing their jobs earlier in the campaign.

Meanwhile, someone like Daniel Farke has won promotion from the Championship twice in the past, during his time at Norwich City, which is something Carvalhal has never managed, so he could be a safer pair of hands.

CA is looking into an incident during the BBL game between Thunder and Strikers after the broadcasters passed on tactical information to Strikers captain Brad Hodge during the game

Will Macpherson19-Jan-2017Cricket Australia’s integrity unit is looking into an incident during Wednesday’s Big Bash League game between Sydney Thunder and Adelaide Strikers after the broadcasters, Channel Ten, passed on tactical information to Brad Hodge, the Strikers captain, during the game. The governing body said it was “disappointed” with the incident.After his team posted 178, Hodge was miked up in the field – as he has been all tournament – by Ten. Statistician Lawrie Colliver revealed on air that one of Hodge’s bowlers, Ben Laughlin, had a strong recent record against Thunder captain Shane Watson, information that commentator Mark Howard then passed on to Hodge when they next spoke. An over later, Hodge brought Laughlin into the attack. Laughlin’s introduction did not bring about Watson’s wicket, though, and Thunder eventually lost by 77 runs.The full on-air exchange

Mark Howard: “Just before we let you go Hodgey, our master statistician Lawrie Colliver tells us Laughlin has got Watson twice in the last eight balls he’s bowled him in this competition.”
Brad Hodge: “Really.”
Howard: “I’ll leave that with you.”
Hodge: “I’ll bring him on next over then, let’s get him into the game.”

Howard: “Blow me down, Ben Laughlin comes into the attack.”
Kevin Pietersen: “Very naughty. Very, very naughty Howie.”

“Australian cricket has a long-standing, proactive approach to sports integrity management,” a Cricket Australia spokesperson said. “We educate our broadcasters at the beginning of each season in the area of Cricket Australia’s Integrity codes and policies so they fully understand the extent we take to ensure the integrity of cricket in the country.”We are disappointed with the comments made on the BBL broadcast last night, and expressed this concern immediately to Channel Ten when it occurred.”Cricket Australia’s integrity unit is looking into the matter further to ensure the comments made during the broadcast did not jeopardise the integrity of last night’s match.”On Thursday, Network Ten apologised for the incident. “Network Ten apologises to Cricket Australia for comments made during last night’s KFC Big Bash League match,” a Ten spokesperson said.”The comments were in no way intended to advise Adelaide Strikers captain Brad Hodge on game tactics or influence the outcome of the game. Network Ten ensures that all commentators are educated on Cricket Australia’s integrity codes and policies.”After the game, Watson had been left nonplussed when asked about the on-air conversation.”No,” said Watson, when asked if he had an opinion on the issue. “That’s what happens. There are always guys who have success against you, and some guys don’t. No, I’ve got no comment.”

Newcastle United have made contact regarding a deal to sign Barcelona forward Raphinha this summer, according to reports.

Is Raphinha leaving Barcelona?

The Brazilian international only swapped the Premier League for La Liga last summer when he arrived at Camp Nou in a big-money move from Leeds United. He’s made 50 appearances in Catalonia to date, but there's a chance he could already be hitting the road once again.

Xavi’s right-sided winger still has another four years remaining on his contract, but after establishing himself as the manager’s joint second top-performing offensive player during his debut season, is attracting interest ahead of the upcoming window, in particular from St. James’ Park.

Speaking on his Here We Go podcast, Fabrizio Romano revealed last month that the Magpies, alongside top-flight rivals Chelsea, both hold an “interest” in the 26-year-old, but it sounds like it’s Eddie Howe who is the first to make an official move.

Are Newcastle signing Raphinha?

According to Spanish outlet Sport (via Sport Witness), Newcastle have “already made a first approach” to enquire about a deal for the man called a "phenomenon" by his international teammates. Barcelona’s attacker is “keen to continue” where he is, but it’s stated that the northeast outfit will “insist” on signing the player regardless of his stance.

The Magpies have “positioned themselves” and “would be willing to pay a fee” to bring him to St. James’ Park. The Blaugrana have made it clear he could “only leave” if they received an offer in excess of €80m (£68m), and the opportunity to play in the Champions League could end up “convincing” him to join.

Should PIF splash the cash on Raphinha?

Newcastle will already know what Raphinha is capable of having played against him several times during his spell at Leeds, where he was dubbed “frightening” by members of the media, and with that impressive form having continued since joining Barcelona, PIF should definitely test the waters by making an offer.

Barca’s left-footed gem, who is represented by D20 Sports, clocked up 14 goal contributions (seven goals and the same number of assists) in 36 La Liga appearances last season, with this high standard of displays seeing him collect six man-of-the-match awards.

The World Cup participant was also a major threat when providing for his fellow teammates having recorded 172 crosses and 117 shot-creating actions, which were both higher than any other member of his squad, as per FBRef, so should he put pen to paper in the near future, he would only improve Howe’s attacking ranks even further.

Previous winners of the award include Alisson Becker and Thibaut Courtois, but who will claim this year's prize at the ceremony on October 30?

Only one goalkeeper has ever won the Ballon d'Or: Lev Yashin, in 1963. So, in a bid to ensure more shot-stoppers were recognised at their annual ceremonies in Paris, introduced the Yashin Trophy in 2019 to recognise the best goalkeeper from the previous season.

Voted for by past Ballon d'Or winners, previous recipients of the award include Alisson Becker, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Thibaut Courtois, and it is sure to be hotly-contested in 2023.

We will have to wait until the Ballon d'Or ceremony on Monday, October 30 to find out the winner, but for now, here is the shortlist of nominees:

GettyYassine Bounou (Al-Hilal)

Morocco made history at the Qatar 2022 World Cup, becoming the first-ever African nation to reach the semi-finals of the competition. The knockout penalty saves of their star goalkeeper Yassine Bounou contributed massively to that journey, and the 32-year-old also had a great season domestically, winning the Europa League with Sevilla and being named Player of the Match in the final against Roma.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesThibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)

Thibaut Courtois' stellar 2022-23 season with Real Madrid made him the recipient of last year's Yashin Trophy, and he's amongst the contenders again this time round. While Los Blancos missed out on La Liga or Champions League glory in 2023, he still had an impressive campaign and was integral in helping them win the Copa del Rey.

GettyMike Maignan (AC Milan)

French international Mike Maignan's recent performances for AC Milan led to GOAL labelling him the world's best goalkeeper earlier this year. His logic-defying shot-stopping has attracted the attention of fans all over the world, and he'll be one of the favourites to get his hands on the 2023 Yashin Trophy.

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Getty ImagesMarc-Andre Ter Stegen (Barcelona)

For years, Ter Stegen has been considered one of the greatest keepers on the planet. In 2022-23, he only strengthened that reputation, keeping a remarkable 26 clean sheets in 38 La Liga games and conceding just 18 league goals all season as Barcelona strode to a first title under club legend Xavi.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsKane Williamson runs out Josh Hazlewood to win the game•Getty Images

Kane Williamson held his nerve, ran the last man out with a direct hit and stopped Marcus Stoinis seven runs short of pulling off the most miraculous of Australian chases in an Eden Park ODI.Stoinis’ unbeaten 146 turned a comfortable New Zealand victory into an utterly thrilling encounter. And yet he was only on the tour because the first-choice allrounder Mitchell Marsh was resting a shoulder problem. Stoinis joined a motley assortment of other second-choice players standing in for the captain Steven Smith, his deputy David Warner and the wicketkeeper Matthew Wade among others, but the innings he conjured was among the finest played for Australia in recent memory, showing equal parts composure and brutality. Stoinis was the first from his country to wallop a century and pick up three or more wickets in the same match.The visitors had slid as far as 54 for 5 when Stoinis arrived at the crease, and he took his time in the company of James Faulkner before taking the game on with immense courage and power even as Australia’s wickets started to run out. His tally of 11 sixes, most hit straight or in the arc between midwicket and mid-on, was the highest ever in an ODI at Eden Park. As a breakout performance it recalled Andrew Symonds against Pakistan at the 2003 World Cup – Stoinis and Australia will hope so.The arrival of last man Josh Hazlewood pushed Stoinis into a corner from which he could only attack, and he piled up 54 runs in four overs without the No. 11 ever having to take strike. Ultimately it was the search for a single that ended things, as Williamson struck with an underarm from short mid-on to dismiss Hazlewood when only seven runs were required from 19 balls – a fair measure of how destructively Stoinis had played.Memorable runs followed up a fine spell with the ball from Stoinis, who bowled his 10 overs straight through the middle of the innings as the Australians held New Zealand to a manageable 286. While numerous chances went down, 29 extras conceded, and a Hazlewood one-hander on the boundary became six when the paceman’s foot brushed the rope, regular wickets throughout prevented the hosts from creating the sort of momentum required to pass 300.Marcus Stoinis’ 146 not out was the second highest-score ever made by a batsman at No. 7•Getty Images

In his second ODI appearance, Stoinis prospered with his muscular medium-fast bowling, beating Williamson and Martin Guptill for pace in the air and off the wicket on his way to a three-wicket haul. Travis Head was also handy with his part-time offspin, coaxing Ross Taylor to drag on onto the stumps.Guptill had appeared to be the New Zealand’s best hope of a big score before he fell to Stoinis, and it took an innings of impressive composure from Neil Broom to take them beyond 250. Eventually, his 73 off 75 balls proved just about enough.Australia had been forced into a hurried reshuffle on match morning, with Finch taking over leadership from an injured Wade after Smith and Warner both missed the tour. The resultant changes to the Australian top order left them vulnerable to intelligent New Zealand bowling, and the early overs saw a steady procession of wickets that suggested this would not be a close encounter.Finch and Head were out trying to assert themselves early on, via a pull to square leg and an upper cut to third man. Shaun Marsh’s return to Australian colours ahead of the India tour ended with dance down the wicket to Mitchell Santner and a comfortable stumping for Tom Latham. Either side of his dismissal, Peter Handscomb and Glenn Maxwell both edged length deliveries behind, and when the debutant Sam Heazlett also offered up an edge, the score fell to 67 for 6 and New Zealand looked sure winners.What followed reflected tremendous credit on Stoinis, but also on how Twenty20 has influenced the thinking of batsmen around the world. Stoinis and Faulkner were happy to let the required rate blow out to near 10 an over, getting themselves in and working out the vagaries of Eden Park’s drop-in pitch and short boundaries before accelerating.Pat Cummins played his part by striking the ball cleanly to help Stoinis bring the asking rate down, before Santner earned another stumping with his slower pace, flight and spin. Mitchell Starc was unable to contain himself when presented with Santner’s last delivery and was caught on the midwicket boundary, before Stoinis caught fire with a barrage of sixes to take Australia so close to a win they had no right to expect for most of the afternoon.Tom Latham, with two stumpings and three catches, equalled the New Zealand record for most dismissals by a wicketkeeper•Getty Images

Wade had been ruled out due to a back complaint he reported on match eve. His absence meant Handscomb took the gloves, and also that the young Queensland batsman Heazlett made his debut in the middle order. Heazlett was included in the squad without having played a single domestic limited-overs match for his state and was listed to bat at No. 7.There was next to no swing for Starc with the new ball after Finch sent New Zealand in to bat, and it was a short ball from the left-armer that brushed Tom Latham’s glove to offer Handscomb a catch behind the wicket. Guptill and Williamson appeared to be setting a sound platform before the captain squeezed a Stoinis delivery off bat and pad to backward point, and a similarly promising stand between Guptill and Taylor ended when the latter fell to Head.Stoinis then found a way past Guptill and coaxed Colin Munro to pop a catch to mid-on, leaving Broom and James Neesham with the salvage job. Neesham played with particular verve and was looking to accelerate further when he was well held by Head on the midwicket boundary for 48.Santner and Tim Southee did not last long, and Broom eventually miscued a length ball from Faulkner to long-on as the overs ticked down. Trent Boult connected with a couple of meaty blows, which in the final analysis gave Williamson’s men just enough breathing room to contain the Stoinis Hurricane.

Half-centuries from Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan and Mehedi Hasan buoyed Bangladesh after Umesh Yadav made light work of the top order

The Report by Deivarayan Muthu11-Feb-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details5:02

Kalra: Shakib snatched the momentum away from India

India made light work of the Bangladesh top order before fifties from Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, and Mehedi Hasan Miraz hauled the visitors to 322 for 6 in reply to India’s 687. Bangladesh’s most experienced batsmen, Shakib and Mushfiqur, sparked the resistance with a 107-run partnership off 165 balls. Mushfiqur and the 19-year-old Mehedi, who scored his maiden half-century, then saw off the second new ball and stubbornly played out a wicketless post-tea session.Glaring errors on the first two days had put Mushfiqur’s wicketkeeping and captaincy in the spotlight. On the third afternoon, his running was in the spotlight, and he was frequently caught ball-watching early in his innings, but he overcame it to progress to an unbeaten 81.When Shakib danced out and drilled R Ashwin to mid-off in the 50th over, Mushfiqur was late to respond to his partner’s call for a single. Ravindra Jadeja hunted the ball down and speared it to Wriddhiman Saha, who broke the bails. Mushfiqur had brought out a desperate full-length dive, but his bat had popped up in the air momentarily. The shoulder of the bat was seemingly on the line when the bail came off the groove. Chris Gaffney, the TV umpire, ultimately gave Mushfiqur the benefit of the doubt. He was on 18 at that point.Mushfiqur then accumulated with sweeps while Shakib reached his maiden Test half-century against India off 69 balls. The scorecard will tell you Shakib hit 14 boundaries, but it was a chancy innings throughout. He repeatedly drove away from the body against the seamers and often drove out of the footmarks against the spinners. The century stand ended when Shakib skipped out and heedlessly dragged a catch against the spin to mid-on.It was a repeat of his fateful shot against Mitchell Santner on the fifth day in Wellington in January when the Test was on the line. This time he gave Ashwin his 249th wicket in Tests. He was kept waiting for the 250th.Mushfiqur Rahim brought out a variety of sweeps against the spinners•AFP

A sure-footed Mehedi took over from Shakib and ably complemented Mushfiqur’s patience. Mehedi claimed 51 of the unbroken 87-run stand for the seventh wicket after Jadeja had removed Sabbir Rahman ten minutes before tea.Mehedi dared to club Ashwin over midwicket and even picked a carrom ball and drove it exquisitely through cover. He got to his fifty when he late-cut Ashwin for four in the penultimate over of the day. In the last over, Mushfiqur became the fourth Bangladesh player, after Habibul Bashar, Tamim Iqbal, and Shakib Al Hasan, to reach 3000 runs in Test cricket.Things weren’t as rosy for Bangladesh in the morning session. Tamim fell in the third over of the day, taking on Umesh’s arm from the deep. A mix-up resulted in both Tamim and Mominul Haque stopping near the middle of the pitch while running a second. Umesh swooped in from long leg, attacked the ball, and fired a throw to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the bowler, who collected and under-armed adroitly onto the stumps.In addition to being uncertain while running between the wickets, Mominul was uncertain outside his off stump. Virat Kohli reinforced the slip cordon and even posted a silly mid-on to apply more pressure. Mominul’s tentative stay ended on 12 when Umesh trapped him in front with reverse-swing.Mahmudullah survived a tight lbw call on 6 off Bhuvneshwar with India’s review of Joel Wilson’s on-field not-out decision returning umpire’s call on leg stump. He managed to regroup to put on 45 with Shakib before Ishant Sharma had him lbw with an inswinger for 28. This time Wilson raised his finger, and Mahmudullah coaxed Shakib and reviewed only for ball-tracking to suggest it would have grazed leg stump.

Arsenal have held talks with Leicester City over a summer move for right-back Timothy Castagne, according to journalist Sacha Tavolieri.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

Mikel Arteta has identified the need for a new right-back, and Real Valladolid's Ivan Fresneda is seen as a viable option, with a decision about whether to step up the pursuit of the Spaniard set to be made soon, amid interest in other players.

Talks over Joao Cancelo have reportedly progressed, and the Gunners are likely to launch a bid of £35m in the coming days, however that figure is slightly below Manchester City's valuation, with the Champions League winners set to hold out for £45m.

Castagne has also recently emerged as an option for Arsenal, with it being reported they are keen to sign him following Leicester's relegation from the Premier League, and there has now been an update on their pursuit of the right-back.

Taking to Twitter, Tavolieri has now claimed the north London club are "going for" the Belgian, however he is only being considered as a back-up option for Fresneda, who remains their top target.

Talks have commenced with Leicester regarding a potential deal, with the journalist also claiming the move "could develop quickly", even though the 27-year-old is not the Gunners' first choice.

Is Timothy Castagne leaving Leicester?

After the Foxes' relegation to the Championship, they are set to lose a number of key first-team players, with journalist Dean Jones claiming they will find it "almost impossible" to keep hold of James Maddison, Harvey Barnes and Castagne.

The defender would almost certainly fancy a move to the Emirates Stadium, considering Champions League football is on offer next season, and there are some indications he could be a solid addition to the Arsenal backline.

Hailed as "brilliant" by members of the media, the £65k-per-week full-back ranks highly for a number of key defensive metrics over the past year, including clearances, averaging 3.04 per 90, which places him in the 91st percentile.

That said, the Belgium international does not offer much in the way of attacking contributions, sparsely showing the desire to get on the ball and take the game to the opposition, placed in just the 13th percentile for successful take-ons.

As a back-up option who could be brought on to help preserve a lead, Castagne could be a good signing for Arsenal, but he is not well-rounded enough to be a regular starter.

Erik ten Hag has been criticised for his treatment of Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United, with Arturo Vidal saying “bald guys are complicated”.

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• Portuguese superstar did not respect coach
• Saw contract terminated in November 2022
• Forgettable end to second spell in England

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Dutch coach inherited a squad at Old Trafford that included five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldoin the summer of 2022. He hit 24 goals in the previous campaign, but had just three efforts to his name through 16 appearances when the World Cup break was reached.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ronaldo would not play another game for United from that point, as his contract was terminated on the back of an explosive interview in which he admitted to lacking respect for Ten Hag. Debate regarding how the Portuguese departed Manchester raged for several weeks – before he linked up with Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr – and former Barcelona and Juventus star Vidal is among those that believe the all-time great should have been handled with greater care and respect.

• WHAT THEY SAID

  Chilean midfielder Vidal has said on his personal stream: “That coach came in badly. How are you going to take out Cristiano Ronaldo? That's how these guys are. He was the top scorer and he takes him out. These bald guys are very complicated.”

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Ronaldo remains a legend at Old Trafford from his first stint at United – when he plundered 118 goals through 292 appearances, while helping the club to Premier League and Champions League titles. His standing in the eyes of some Red Devils supporters has been soured somewhat, but Ten Hag has shown across his time in English football that he is not afraid to make difficult decisions on those that undermine his authority.

England Under-19s will be without Matt Fisher for their four-day series against India in Nagpur which starts on Monday as they take a protective attitude to a fast bowler in whom they have invested considerable expectations

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Feb-2017England Under-19s will be without Matt Fisher for their four-day series against India in Nagpur which starts on Monday as they take a protective attitude to a fast bowler in whom they have invested considerable expectations.The Yorkshire fast bowler is still struggling with the groin problem he picked up during the one-day series in Mumbai – although England privately stress that he has not suffered a recurrence of the hamstring problems that bedevilled him last seasonFisher will stay with the Under-19 squad for another week to make the most of his first sub-continental experience as a member of England’s leadership group, while continuing to receive treatment from the medical staff. He will then return to Yorkshire to join their pre-season preparations at Headingley.Max Holden, the Middlesex batsman who has been loaned out to Northants for the start of the season, will take over the captaincy as planned for the four-day series.