England coach asked the allrounder if he would play the India series in early 2024

Matt Roller02-Aug-2023

England coach Brendon McCullum asked Moeen Ali if he would consider playing the five-match series in India in early 2024 during their win at The Oval but was told: “That’s me done”.Moeen retired from Test cricket in September 2021 but made himself available for the Ashes after Jack Leach was diagnosed with a stress fracture. Ben Stokes, England’s captain, sent him a text saying, “Ashes?” and Moeen could not resist the temptation to return, but insisted after the fifth Test: “If Stokesy messages me again, I’m going to delete it.”He joked that confirmation of the venues for England’s tour to India – with none of the five Tests due to be held in the bigger cities in the country – had played a part in him recommitting to his retirement, but said that Stokes and McCullum had been fully aware that he never intended to play beyond this summer.”They knew from the start,” Moeen said, laughing. “Especially when those India venues came out! Baz asked me again when I had my day off on the second day. I said no. I’m not going [to India]. There’s no way I’m going. That’s me done. It’s nice to finish like this and be part of an amazing day.”Related

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Moeen suffered a groin strain while batting on the first day of the fifth Test and did not field in Australia’s first innings, but returned to bowl 23 overs in their second, taking 3 for 76 as England squared the series with a 49-run win on the final day.”Test cricket is the best cricket,” Moeen said. “I wish I could rewind time. Although my career has been a bit up and down, I wouldn’t change it. I’ve loved it. I would have regretted it later in life. It was quite daunting, because I’ve never done well against Australia.”I still don’t believe I’ve done that well, but it was great to finish like this. It was daunting, but I had nothing to lose, it was a free hit. I had a call from Baz and Stokesy, I felt like I was bowling alright, but the finger was the only issue. I wasn’t worried about the bowling.”Moeen said his groin strain was “real sore” when he initially pulled the muscle, and it remains to be seen how much of a part he plays in the Hundred over the next four weeks, when he is due to captain Birmingham Phoenix.”It’s something called an adductor. I’d never heard of it before,” he explained. “It’s only when I’m running. It’s great actually, because you can get away with being rubbish in the field. Guys are moving their positions for me to go into the easiest positions.”Apparently it settles down quick. Not bowling in the first innings and having a day off allowed me to bowl today. It was real sore at first and I was quite sore [on Monday]. It crossed my mind that I might not be able to bowl, but I knew it was my last day in Test cricket.”

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Entrevistado do podcast “A Rodada” desta sexta-feira, Dorival Júnior colocou o atual grupo do Flamengo como um dos melhores elencos que já trabalhou ao lado do Santos de Neymar, Ganso e Robinho, em 2010. No papo, o treinador falou sobre a recuperação da “moral” do grupo – que estava em baixa em 2022 – após a sua chegada ao clube.

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– É um elenco muito interessante hoje. Há 70 dias vivia incertezas, dificuldades, todos questionados, ninguém mais servia. É para ver como as coisas mudam rapidamente desde que você tenha tomado posições. O que só se confirma, quando se tem a aceitação do seu grupo de trabalho. Foi isso que sentimos aqui dentro – completou:

– Todos reconhecem sendo um elenco diferente, talvez um dos melhores com que trabalhei, se não o melhor. Também trabalhei em um grande elenco em 2010, na montagem do Santos, que me deu um prazer muito grande – afirmou o atual treinador do Flamengo.

Confira outras respostas de Dorival Júnior ao podcast “A Rodada”:

Recuperação do Flamengo sob seu comando

O treinador brasileiro está acostumado a problemas desse tipo, pegar equipes em meio de competições. Em uma situação como enfrentamos, isso já aconteceu com grandes equipes em nossas mãos, você acaba criando uma espécie de uma couraça na qual você conhece situações do clube. É minha terceira passagem pelo clube, eu conhecia a maioria dos jogadores do elenco. Tive cinco ou seis no Santos, o Filipe iniciou conosco no Figueirense, vários jogadores estavam em minha segunda passagem pelo clube.

É natural que façam um comparativo com a CT anterior. Eu não gosto desse tipo de situação. É preciso conhecer, a partir de um convite, eu nunca tinha saído de um clube no meio de um trabalho, tomei essa posição porque sentia que precisava voltar ao Flamengo e não sabia que teria uma segunda oportunidade. Algo me dizia que era o momento. Respeito muito o Ceará, jogadores, diretoria, mas chamei o presidente e expliquei toda situação.

Gestão dos goleiros do Flamengo

Eu tomei uma posição em relação ao Hugo em um sentido diferente do que as pessoas abordem. Eu não fiz pata tirá-lo de cena, mas para aquele momento passar, e que o Hugo trabalhando dentro de suas condições e qualidade, que ele tem muita, ele possa voltar em melhores condições, de repente não sendo responsabilizado por tudo que vinha acontecendo.

Sei que o jogador tem sua preparação para que assimile elogios e críticas, mas eu sentia que o Hugo estava se desgastando necessariamente. Pelo profissional e pessoa que é não merecia estar passando. É um grande goleiro, tenho certeza que no momento que estiver apto a voltar e a oportunidade ele vai aproveitar muito bem.

Com o Diego foi um grande mal-entendido, não tenho nada contra ele. Voltou como titular, mesmo voltando de lesão, e teve uma nova lesão por uma sobrecarga, e o Santos entrou no time. Hoje a equipe tem três grandes goleiros e preparados para qualquer situação.

Todos nós erramos (em 2018, no atrito com Diego Alves), mas é uma situação passada. Hoje é uma situação muito tranquila, clara, profissional e de muito respeito.

Spanish YouTuber DjMariio has claimed that his Instagram exchange with Franco Mastantuono played a part in the Argentine signing for Real Madrid.

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• Argentine wonderkid joins Real Madrid
• YouTuber shares message that led to transfer
• Mastantuono was' waiting' for approach

• X (@DjMariio)
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Famous YouTuber and Real Madrid fan DjMariio has revealed a private Instagram conversation with Mastantuono during the height of transfer speculation involving Paris Saint-Germain and Los Blancos. The Argentine wonderkid hinted in the conversation that he was 'waiting' for the 15-time European champions to make a move. When DjMariio messaged, "Franco, come to Madrid", the youngster replied: "I'm waiting for the call", hinting at his desire to join the Spanish giants despite PSG’s formal offer.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Mastantuono's discreet message came just after Fabrizio Romano reported PSG’s bid for the River Plate star on May 17. The streamer respected the player’s request to keep the conversation private, but relayed the sentiment to a Real Madrid staffer: "I’ve spoken with Mastantuono and he told me he’s hoping you’ll call him."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  On June 12, just before the official announcement of Mastantuono joining Real Madrid, the Argentine messaged DjMariio again – this time with three white heart emojis. The next day, Real Madrid confirmed the deal. DjMariio reflected on the experience as a sign of how football has changed: "Players today connect just as much with content creators as with pro stars. I was lucky to play a small role in something special for Madrid."

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• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR MASTANTUONO?

  The 17-year-old will complete his time at River Plate before officially joining Real Madrid after the FIFA Club World Cup. He’s widely seen as one of Argentina’s top emerging talents and is expected to integrate gradually into the first team setup.

Reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has shared a “really important” update on Aston Villa and their chances of signing Marcus Rashford permanently this summer, with the England international currently enjoying a new lease of life under Unai Emery.

Marcus Rashford praised since joining Aston Villa

After being left out in the cold by Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford, the 27-year-old opted to pursue a different club in January.

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Rashford was linked with a Man United exit for months, before Villa eventually took the bait and signed him on loan with an option to buy for around £40 million – a move which NSWE and Monchi will be overjoyed with.

Since putting pen to paper on a temporary move to the Midlands, Rashford has worked his way back into the England fold with four assists from nine appearances in all competitions and some truly impactful performances.

“The Holte End have a new hero,” said Sky pundit Jamie Redknapp after Rashford’s excellent substitute appearance in a 2-1 win over Chelsea.

“That sub made all the difference. He was fantastic. Rashford came on, he gave energy, enthusiasm, everything we want to see from him. The running, the desire… he was excellent. He gave them that impetus to put Chelsea on the back foot.

“Right now, he looks like he is loving every second of it. He’s involved, he’s showing enthusiasm – all the things that were thrown at him at Man Utd, he is now doing the opposite. And he’s got sweat on his face and he’s not jogging around like ‘I don’t want to be here’. He looks like he wants to be in that claret and blue shirt.”

His impressive form means Villa could even face competition from the likes of Bayern Munich for Rashford’s signature this summer, even if Emery’s side possess an option to trigger his buy clause.

Fabrizio Romano shares "really important" Marcus Rashford update

Now, speaking on GiveMeSport’s Market Madness, respected reporter Romano has shared an update on Villa’s plans to sign Rashford permanently.

He claims that Villa’s finances will be “really important” in determining whether they’ll trigger the £40m buy option, but in any case, the journalist expects him to remain beyond 2024/25.

“Aston Villa are very happy with Marcus Rashford in general,” said Romano.

“So I don’t think, in any case, if they decided to trigger the £40m option clause, I don’t think they would do that just to sell the player again.

“So in that case, I see Marcus Rashford staying at Aston Villa and having the opportunity to make something long-term with the club. What I can say about Marcus Rashford is that it’s going to be really important to understand financially what happens for Aston Villa.

“So now they’re obviously really focused on the quarter-finals of the Champions League, and to see what happens in the Premier League table from now to the end of the season. That’s going to be obviously really important, and then we will have to see financially.”

Tim Seifert’s explosive fifty and Tim Southee’s crafty five-wicket haul helped New Zealand scrap to victory in the T20I series opener against UAE in Dubai. Cameos from Rachin Ravindra and Cole McConchie were also vital to New Zealand’s win on a tricky, two-paced track.Returning to the scene of the T20 World Cup final in 2021, when Seifert filled in for the injured Devon Conway, Seifert staked his claim for regular selection with a 30-ball half-century. UAE’s offspin-bowling allrounders Basil Hameed and Mohammed Faraazuddin then triggered a middle-overs meltdown, but late blows from Ravindra and McConchie hauled New Zealand past 150.Eighteen-year-old Aryansh Sharma marked his T20I debut with a sparkling half-century and kept UAE in the hunt until Jimmy Neesham had him holing out in the 15th over. His dismissal left UAE needing 41 off 30 balls with four wickets in hand. But Southee and co put it beyond their reach and bowled them out for 136.

Seifert goes bam

Seifert’s ability to club the ball had earned him a nickname – Bam Bam – inspired, of all things, . Seifert has drifted away from New Zealand’s first-choice XI in the recent past, but he has now put himself back in the spotlight with runs around the world.Last month, he finished the Zim Afro T10 league as the tournament’s second-highest scorer. He then hit three fifties in the LPL and added another to his CV in Dubai on Thursday. He was responsible for 47 of the 51 runs New Zealand had scored in the powerplay on a challenging pitch.He pumped Junaid Siddique and Aayan Khan over mid-off and then whipped Ali Naseer over square leg. UAE’s bowlers kept bowling slower balls into the pitch, but Seifert kept manufacturing enough pace for himself. Hameed cut his innings short at 55 when he had him splicing a reverse-sweep to point. He then cleaned up Mitchell Santner in the same over to drag UAE back into the game.

McConchie, Ravindra put NZ back on track

After the powerplay, New Zealand went seven overs without a boundary. Neesham then struck back-to-back fours against Hameed and when he went for another one against Siddique, he was caught at deep square leg.McConchie and Ravindra then forged an unbroken 46-run seven-wicket partnership off just 28 balls to give the innings a leg-up. Ravindra lined up Zahoor, taking him for 11 off six balls, including a drilled four down the ground. Hitting across the line was particularly difficult on this track, so the pair focussed on finding boundaries in the ‘V’.Aryansh Sharma score 60 off 43 balls•Emirates Cricket Board

Aryansh shows promise

That UAE made a decent fist of the chase was down to Aryansh’s knock. He scored ten boundaries during his 60 off 43 balls. Overall, New Zealand had scored only ten boundaries during their entire innings, but they still found a way to win.Until recently Aryansh was only Vriitya Aravind’s understudy, but in the first T20I against New Zealand, he was their main man, punching and driving with panache. He smashed left-arm quick Ben Lister for three successive fours before treating Kyle Jamieson in similar fashion. Neesham then snagged him to wrestle back the momentum for New Zealand.

Santner and Southee stifle UAE

Santner had given up ten runs in his first over in the powerplay, but he bounced back to concede only 12 from his remaining three while also picking up the wickets of Asif Khan and Ali Naseer.When Asif lobbed one in the air, it seemed destined to fall safely until Santner threw himself to his right and pulled off a stunning one-handed catch, in front of the non-striker. Then, in the 17th over, he trapped Naseer in front to hasten New Zealand’s victory.After making early inroads with the new ball, Southee was just as effective with the old, regularly digging cutters into the pitch. He took care of the UAE lower order along with Santner and Jamieson. Southee is now just two wickets away from surpassing Shakib Al Hasan as the highest wicket-taker in T20Is.

Rohit and Dravid to be part of the meeting in which the selectors are also likely to pencil in the draft squad for the World Cup

Shashank Kishore19-Aug-20232:15

Who will make the final cut in India’s Asia Cup squad?

Will KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer and Jasprit Bumrah be on the plane to Sri Lanka for the Asia Cup? We will know on Monday, August 21, when the senior men’s selection committee, chaired by Ajit Agarkar, convenes in New Delhi to pick the squad.It is understood that Rohit Sharma, the India captain, will attend the meeting. SS Das will too, but via video conference because he’s the selector on tour in Ireland with a second-rung squad which is currently in the middle of a three-match T20I series. According to PTI, head coach Rahul Dravid will also be present in his official capacity. The coach is generally not part of the selection meetings.Rohit’s participation is significant given the selectors are also likely to pencil in the draft squad for the World Cup. While September 5 is the ICC’s deadline to submit the draft squad, it is understood the selection panel wants to pick the same 15 for both events as far as possible. The picked squad, along with a few stand-by players, will then assemble in Bengaluru for a six-day camp prior to their departure to Colombo.Related

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Rahul and Iyer’s fitness status could be a main discussion point as the BCCI awaits a final nod from the NCA. The duo is currently in Bengaluru, where they have been put through a series of match-simulation exercises and practice matches to test their readiness for 50-over cricket.Iyer is understood to have ticked most boxes in his first practice game earlier this week, where he fielded for the entire 50 overs and batted for 38 without much discomfort. The match was closely monitored by NCA chief VVS Laxman and batting coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar. Rahul, who didn’t feature in that game, is expected to line up alongside Iyer for a second practice game on Sunday.Rahul’s fitness is key to India solving their wicketkeeper conundrum, especially with Rishabh Pant still recovering from injuries sustained during a serious car crash in December.Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul were recently put through a series of match simulation exercises at NCA•Getty ImagesIf picked, Rahul is likely to bat at No. 5 and keep wicket. If he isn’t, Ishan Kishan is the frontrunner for the wicketkeeper’s role. Kishan’s selection could also then lead to a bit of a shuffle in the batting order. It’s something several former cricketers, including former head coach Ravi Shastri, feel strongly about.Iyer, meanwhile, solves the crucial No. 4 debate should he be fit. It’s a position that proved to be India’s bugbear at the 2019 World Cup, when the MSK Prasad-led selection committee punted on Vijay Shankar’s all-round skills over Ambati Rayudu, who was the designated No. 4 for much of India’s build-up to the tournament. Eventually, Shankar’s injury paved the way for Pant’s belated inclusion in the squad.In Iyer’s absence, India recently tried out Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson and Axar Patel at No. 4 in the Caribbean. Suryakumar, India’s T20I vice-captain, admitted having not been able to make the best use of his opportunities at that spot, and the team management is believed to be trying him as a finisher.Bumrah, meanwhile, opened India’s Ireland tour with a Player-of-the-Match winning effort in Dublin on Friday. Bumrah took 2 for 24; both his strikes came in his opening over upon a return to international cricket after 11 months. Prasidh Krishna, another key bowler in India’s World Cup plans, also made a promising return and picked up two wickets.India open their Asia Cup campaign against Pakistan on September 2, before playing Nepal on September 4. Both games will be played in Pallekele, with the top two sides of the group progressing through to the Super 4s, where they will play three more games.After the Asia Cup, India will also play three ODIs at home against Australia prior to opening their World Cup campaign, also against Australia, on October 8 in Chennai.

MatériaMais Notícias

Uma visita para lá de especial para garantir boas energias às vésperas da Copa do Mundo. Nesta quinta-feira, Tite, Juninho Paulista e César Sampaio, membros da comissão técnica da Seleção, se encontraram com Zagallo, um dos maiores ídolos da história do futebol brasileiro.

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+AO VIVO E DE GRAÇA: LANCE! vai transmitir ao vivo e de graça jogos da Bundesliga a partir deste sábado. Confira todas as informações sobre o torneio e transmissão aqui.

Maior vencedor da história das Copas do Mundo, Zagallo tem quatro conquistas do Mundial no currículo. Venceu em 1958 e 1962 como jogador, em 1970 como treinador e em 1994 como coordenador técnico. O Velho Lobo foi o primeiro a conquistar o torneio como jogador e depois treinador.

+ Veja a tabela, os jogos e os grupos da Copa do Mundo de 2022

Entre julho e agosto, Zagallo sofreu uma infecção respiratória e ficou internado 12 dias noHospital Barra D’Or, na Barra da Tijuca, Zona Oeste do Rio de Janeiro. O ídolo brasileiro teve alta em 7 de agosto, dois dias antes de completar 91 anos.

+20 camisas lançadas nesta quinta! Confira uniformes vazados ou lançados para a Copa do Mundo

Como jogador, Zagallo atuou apenas por três clubes na carreira (América-RJ, Flamengo e Botafogo), com grande passagens pelas equipes. Pela Seleção Brasileira, fez 36 partidas, com cinco gols marcados.

The new Premier League champions have pulled off a major coup by landing the Germany international, who can take them to an even higher level

"He’s probably the best player in Europe at the moment," former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann said on the after confirmation of Florian Wirtz's British-record £116 million ($159m) move to Anfield from Bayer Leverkusen was widely reported. "He played in a team that were 16th or 17th when [Xabi] Alonso took over, they end up winning the league the season after, this year they finished second. The biggest reason is Florian Wirtz. He is exceptional."

Hamann added on whether Wirtz can hit the ground running in the Premier League: "The reason why I think he will be a success is that he can look after himself. He is like a street kid. He won't shirk a challenge." In other words, Wirtz is a game-changer with an edge. Liverpool have broken the bank to sign the 22-year-old ahead of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Manchester City, but it's a shrewd investment that could pay off handsomely.

Almost three-and-a-half years ago, Wirtz tore his anterior cruciate ligament in a Bundesliga clash against Koln, and underwent a gruelling 10-month rehabilitation programme. It was feared that the injury would derail the playmaker's career before it had properly taken off, but under the guidance of Alonso, he defied all the odds to come back and spearhead the most successful period in Leverkusen's entire history.

The technical quality and mental fortitude Wirtz has shown at such a young age are nothing short of remarkable. Hamann's confidence in the Germany international is a reflection of that, and will be shared not only by all the decision-makers at Liverpool, but also neutral fans across the Premier League. This feels like the rarest type of transfer in the modern era: a sure thing.

Because of Wirtz's elite status and the money involved, it's also a deal that will have far-reaching implications. As such, GOAL has come up with eight winners and losers from the biggest transfer of the summer so far…

Getty ImagesWINNER: Arne Slot

There were a lot of question marks around Arne Slot when he was chosen to succeed the beloved Jurgen Klopp in the Anfield hot seat last summer. He delivered the Eredivisie title at Feyenoord in 2022-23, but his side subsequently finished seven points behind champions PSV in the following season, and the Dutchman had no coaching experience outside of his homeland to speak of.

Some critics felt Slot would just be another Erik ten Hag – the former Ajax manager who failed so spectacularly at Manchester United – while others felt he lacked the charisma that made Klopp such a revered figure on Merseyside. But within the space of just a few months, all those doubts were extinguished, as Liverpool stormed to the top of both the Premier League and the Champions League league phase table.

The Reds ended up being ousted from Europe by eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain, but clinched their second Premier League crown with four games to spare, and finished the season with the best attacking record in the division. Slot didn't just carry on the Klopp blueprint; he improved on it, despite only making one summer signing in the form of £10m winger Federico Chiesa.

Now, Slot is recognised as one of the best coaches on the planet, and that's one of the main reasons why Wirtz has chosen Anfield. Last season wasn't just a one-off for Liverpool; Slot is dynasty-planning after proving he deserves to be backed in the transfer market. Wirtz's arrival will pave the way for plenty more marquee signings as Liverpool strive to dominate on both domestic and European fronts for years to come.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportLOSER: Harry Kane & Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich are used to having everything their way in Germany. They're expected to sweep the top domestic prizes every year, and on the rare occasions they fall short, the green light is given to raid their closest rivals.

Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah is the latest man to succumb to the lure of guaranteed success at Bayern, following in the footsteps of Bundesliga legends like Michael Ballack, Manuel Neuer and Robert Lewandowski. But for once, Bayern did not land the big fish.

Despite reportedly offering Wirtz a higher salary package, he opted for Liverpool over Bayern. The Germany international is said to have been more convinced by the sporting project at Anfield, which is a humiliating blow for Bayern and their current head coach, Vincent Kompany.

It's easy to imagine Wirtz linking up with Harry Kane to devastating effect, but Bayern's disappointing 2024-25 Champions League campaign showed they still have a long way to go as a collective to reach the very top again. The Bundesliga champions' pulling power has dwindled and Wirtz is unlikely to be the only ambitious young star to turn down their advances this summer.

Getty Images SportWINNER: Mohamed Salah

Mohamed Salah was the best player in the Premier League last season. A staggering 47 goal involvements in 38 games represented his best return yet for the Reds, and for the first half of the campaign especially, the Egyptian was almost unplayable.

Unfortunately, it almost certainly will not be enough to win the Ballon d'Or over PSG's Champions League hero Ousmane Dembele or Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal. Salah's output dropped down the finishing stretch, and given the current voting set up, he will almost certainly be penalised for exiting Europe's elite competition at the round of 16 stage.

But even after turning 33 this month, Salah's Golden Ball ambitions are not totally dead in the water. The 2025 prize may be out of his reach, but linking up with Wirtz might just give him the edge next year.

Salah won't have to shoulder so much of the creative burden now that Wirtz is backing him up. His assists total may drop, but Liverpool's talismanic forward could potentially score even goals with the Leverkusen maestro on hand to provide world-class service, and he's thus less likely to run out of steam in the final portion of the season.

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Getty Images SportLOSER: Cody Gakpo

Cody Gakpo's first two seasons at Liverpool were somewhat underwhelming, but Slot managed to bring the best out of the former PSV star in 2024-25. Under Klopp, Gakpo was deployed mostly as a striker and found himself in and out of the starting line up as a result, but one of Slot's first orders of business was to make the Netherlands international Liverpool's first-choice left winger, and it paid off.

The 26-year-old registered a combined 25 goals and assists across all competitions in his first campaign under Slot, becoming a key source of defence-splitting passes while also wreaking havoc with his late runs into the penalty area. But the signing of Wirtz might just put Gakpo back to square one.

Wirtz regularly played as an inverted winger off the left at Leverkusen, and could be a better partner than Gakpo for rumoured Liverpool target Milo Kerkez, who has mastered the art of quick overlaps at Bournemouth. Interestingly, Gakpo is now being strongly linked with Bayern, which may be an indication that the Dutch forward is already questioning whether he and Wirtz can both fit into Slot's XI.

كشفت تقارير صحفية سعودية، عن استفسار نادي الأهلي من الاتحاد السعودي لكرة القدم عن انسحاب الهلال من المشاركة في بطولة كأس السوبر السعودي.

ومن المقرر إقامة بطولة كأس السوبر السعودي، في هونج كونج، خلال الفترة من 19 إلى 23 أغسطس المقبل.

طالع| تقارير | موقف النصر من المشاركة في كأس السوبر السعودي بعد اعتذار الهلال

وقالت صحيفة “الرياضية” السعودية، إن لجنة المسابقات تلقت اتصالات رسمية من الأهلي تستفسر عن انسحاب الهلال، والترتيبات اللازمة من أجل حلوله بديلًا.

وقدم الهلال خطابًا رسميًا إلى اتحاد الكرة السعودي، اعتذر خلاله عن عدم مشاركته في البطولة، لكن الأخير لم يبت في الأمر حتى الآن.

وأضافت الصحيفة، أنه في حال اعتمد انسحاب الهلال رسميًا من كأس السوبر، فإن بديله سيكون الأهلي، وفقًا للائحة التنظيمية للمسابقة.

وكان من المقرر أن يشارك في النسخة المقبلة للمسابقة، الاتحاد بطل الدوري، ووصيفه الهلال، والنصر صاحب المركز الثالث، إضافة إلى القادسية وصيف كأس خادم الحرمين الشريفين، لكن انسحاب الأزرق وضع اتحاد اللعبة أمام خيار مشاركة صاحب المركز الخامس في الدوري على اعتبار أن صاحب المركز الرابع وهو القادسية حجز مقعده بعد حصوله على المركز الثاني في كأس الملك.

واختتمت الصحيفة: “لن تكون هناك قرعة جديدة في حال قبول الاتحاد السعودي اعتذار الهلال عن عدم المشاركة، وسيلعب الأهلي بدلًا منه أمام القادسية، الأربعاء 20 أغسطس المقبل، في حين سيلتقي النصر مع الاتحاد في المباراة الثانية ضمن دور نصف النهائي”.

England’s Test tour of India in late January as well as the SA20 and ILT20 will have to be factored in by clubs

Alex Malcolm23-Aug-2023

Ashes stars Harry Brook and Zak Crawley headline a host of English players unveiled as the latest nominations for the upcoming BBL draft but England’s Test tour of India in January, as well as clarity over the ILT20 dates means clubs will have some decisions to make as to whether to recruit the biggest names or those with the most availability.Brook, Crawley, Ollie Pope, Will Jacks and Dan Lawrence have all nominated for the draft which is set for September 3. However it remains to be seen how much of the BBL season they will be available for given all will be in line to tour India with England’s Test team in January 2024 with the first Test of a five-Test series starting on January 25 in Hyderabad.Exciting England tearaway Gus Atkinson has also nominated for the BBL draft. He is yet to be called up to England’s Test side but is poised to make his England limited-overs debut next month and is in their World Cup squad.Related

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The BBL final will be held on January 24 and the final home and away game of the streamlined 10-game season finishes on January 17. The other key development for BBL clubs came with the announcement of the ILT20 dates for next year with that tournament to begin on January 19 in the UAE.With South Africa’s T20 league starting on January 10 clubs may favour drafting players who have also committed to the ILT20 as opposed to those who will go to South Africa given they are likely to be available for almost all of the home and away season.Englishmen Dawid Malan and Tom Banton and New Zealander Jimmy Neesham were among the latest names who have nominated for the BBL draft but have already committed to South Africa. Clubs are more likely to be interested in the likes of Sam Billings, Joe Clarke, James Vince, Tom Curran, David Willey, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Martin Guptill and Atkinson who have all committed to the ILT20.A number of players will be available as retention picks including Crawley (Hurricanes), Billings (Heat), Clarke (Stars), Vince (Sixers), Curran (Sixers), Banton (Heat) and Willey (Thunder) even though he withdrew last year after being drafted. Players who were drafted last year but did not play are eligible to be retained by that club. Willey played 27 games for Perth Scorchers between 2015 and 2019 but is not eligible to be a retention pick for Scorchers as he was drafted by Thunder last year.Brook, Lawrence, Jacks, and Malan have all played in the BBL previously but do not fit the criteria to be retained as they did not play for a minimum of two seasons with a club previously after not playing last season.Marizanne Kapp is eligible to be retained by Perth Scorchers•Getty Images

In the WBBL, South Africa star Marizanne Kapp has confirmed she will return to the WBBL leaving Scorchers with a massive decision to make over their lone WBBL retention pick. Scorchers need to choose between two of the best allrounders in the world in Kapp and Sophie Devine.Kapp was outstanding for Scorchers in her last two seasons but Devine is a two-time WBBL player of the year and Scorchers captain. Devine has also been involved in Western Australia’s WNCL team which is closely linked to the Scorchers program, making the decision even more difficult.Laura Wolvaardt looks destined to be a retention pick for defending champions Adelaide Strikers but Dane van Niekerk is not eligible as a retention pick after missing last year’s tournament, having previously played for Strikers, Sydney Sixers and Melbourne Renegades.WBBL nominationsEngland: Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Freya Davies, Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn, Heather Knight, Emma Lamb, Katie Levick, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Mady Villiers, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Issy Wong, Danielle WyattIndia: Yastika Bhatia, Harleen Deol, Hurley Gala, Richa Ghosh, Harmanpreet Kaur, Veda Krishnamurthy, Shikha Pandey, Shreyanka Patil, Sneh Rana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Meghna Singh, Renuka Thakur, Pooja Vastrakar, Radha YadavNew Zealand: Sophie Devine, Kate Ebrahim, Hayley Jensen, Fran Jonas, Jess KerrPakistan: Fatima SanaSouth Africa: Suné Luus, Shabnim Ismail, Marizanne Kapp, Laura Wolvaardt, Dane van Niekerk, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Anneke Bosch, Tazmin BritsSri Lanka: Chamari AthapaththuWest Indies: Hayley Matthews, Karishma RamharackBBL nominationsAfghanistan: Shafiqullah Ghafari, Izharulhaq Naveed, Mujeeb Ur RahmanEngland: Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Tom Banton, Sam Billings, Harry Brook, Joe Clarke, Zak Crawley, Tom Curran, Laurie Evans, Richard Gleeson, Alex Hales, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Dan Lawrence, Dawid Malan, Tymal Mills, Callum Parkinson, Matt Parkinson, Ollie Pope, David Payne, Matt Potts, Olly Stone, Josh Tongue, Reece Topley, James Vince, David Willey, Luke Wood, Dan WorrallIreland: Josh LittleNew Zealand: Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Jimmy NeeshamSouth Africa: Marchant de Lange, Faf du Plessis, Beuran Hendricks, Wayne Parnell, Rilee Rossouw, Tabraiz Shamsi, Imran TahirSri Lanka: Lakshan SandakanWest Indies: Joshua Bishop, Sheldon Cottrell, Akeal Hosein, Nicholas Pooran, Jayden Seales, Ramon Simmonds