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Twenty-year old Suné Luus became only the second player to make a half-century and take a five-for in a women’s ODI as South Africa Women crushed Ireland Women by 89 runs in the first ODI in Dublin

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Aug-2016
ScorecardFile photo: Suné Luus emulated Heather Knight’s feat of scoring a half-century and register a five-wicket haul in a women’s ODI•Getty ImagesTwenty-year old Suné Luus became only the second player to make a half-century and take a five-for in a women’s ODI as South Africa Women crushed Ireland Women by 89 runs in the first ODI in Dublin. Luus, the legspinning allrounder, struck her maiden ODI fifty to help South Africa post 283 for 7 after they were put in. She followed it with 6 for 36 – the second-best figures by a South African in women’s cricket – as Ireland were bowled out for 194 in 44.5 overs.With South Africa reduced to 106 for 5 halfway into the 26th over, following the dismissal of captain Dinesha Devnarain, Luus added 142 for the sixth wicket with Chloe Tryon, who struck 92 off 68 balls. The stand ended when Luus was run-out for 52 by Kim Garth in the 48th over. Three balls later, Tryon was dismissed, but by then, South Africa had passed 250.Garth had earlier produced a double-strike in the 11th over to undermine South Africa’s solid start, which was facilitated by opener Laura Wolvaardt’s 55. Garth, however, was among three Ireland bowlers to concede over six runs an over.Gaby Lewis pitched in with a wicket, but was the first to depart in Ireland’s chase of 284. Luus then struck in her first over to get rid of Cath Dalton for 12. She struck in her second over to account for Cecelia Joyce. When the other Joyce – Isobel – fell to Luus, Ireland were reduced to 54 for 4.Luss went on to cut through the middle and lower order, even as Garth provided some fight with a career-best 72 not out, off 80 balls. Seamer Masabata Klaas complemented Luus with two wickets.The second ODI will be played at the same venue on Sunday.

Sam Allardyce has just two games left to save Leeds United's status in the Premier League and with tough games against West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur to come, he will need to drum up something special to keep them up.

The vastly-experienced Englishman has already shown a willingness to try something different by starting Robin Koch in midfield and Rasmus Kristensen at centre-back but it has done little to improve Leeds' defensive woes, as they were perhaps lucky to only concede a combined four goals in games against two top-three teams in Manchester City and Newcastle United.

Naturally in a season where things haven't gone to plan, certain players become scapegoats for fans and one man who has seemingly been written off is summer signing Brenden Aaronson.

However, the 22-year-old's displays have not been as bad as people think, and he could prove to be an unlikely saviour for Allardyce in the final two games – if he opts to give him some first-team minutes.

Should Allardyce start Aaronson?

The USA international, who earns £45k-per-week, has made 34 appearances in the Premier League this season, mustering just one goal and three assists, with a disappointing 6.45 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Given Leeds spent around £25m to sign him from RB Salzburg last summer, you would have perhaps hoped for more from the young midfielder but it must also be remembered that it is his first season at this level, and he will no doubt have been hit hard by the exit of former manager and American compatriot Jesse Marsch.

It's been a disappointing season for more than a few members of Leeds' squad, which is why they are in the position that they're in but Aaronson can at least boast to be one of the most creative outlets at Elland Road.

The 22-year-old currently ranks second for key passes, second for dribbles and fourth for shots per game in Leeds' squad, which suggests that he can definitely offer Allardyce something from an attacking perspective.

The former Philadelphia Union star's only goal of the season came just in the third game against Chelsea. However, this emphasised just what he is capable of, as he closed down Edouard Mendy and tapped the ball in on the line.

His impressive work rate, which once saw him lauded as a "pressing machine" by The Athletic's Phil Hay, could be vital in the final two games of the season as Leeds look to cause problems for their opponents, both of whom could well have very little to play for.

With fellow midfielders Weston McKennie and Sam Greenwood failing to make much of an impression in the midfield against the Magpies, having completed just 17 passes between them, it must be time for Aaronson to get his first start under Allardyce.

If he can reproduce some of his early-season form and give Leeds an energy boost in the middle of the park, it could just be enough to keep them in the Premier League in what would be a bold and questionable call.

David Warner has emphasised the need to be patient in order to be successful in slow and low subcontinent conditions

Daniel Brettig in Pallekele24-Jul-2016David Warner, patient? In Sri Lanka, he knows he needs to be. Almost two years since his last Test hundred overseas, Warner is emphasising long innings and strike rotation as the keys to Australia’s success in Sri Lanka, and also in India next year.Not since a century in the first Test against Pakistan in Dubai in October 2014 has Warner topped three figures away from home ports, scoring minimally in the West Indies last year and then squandering plenty of starts in the Ashes as he tried to adapt his game. While conscious of not losing his natural attacking instincts, Warner said there would need to be more nuance to the way the Australia’s top order confronts Sri Lanka’s spin bowlers in particular.”The challenge for us is about batting long periods of time,” Warner said in Pallekele. “We know that’s what wins games in these conditions. You’ve got to be able to bat well into the next day and that’s the focus for us. It’s about adapting to these conditions, adapting to the things that are thrown at us and we have to take those challenges. It’s not about challenging specific bowlers. There are times in games when you might need to apply some pressure.”You’ve got to be patient enough. You’ve got to rotate the strike. Your patience comes with hitting your four-balls, your boundary balls. They’re the ones you’ve got to really wait on. That’s what we’re talking about with patience in this game, especially over here. You’ve got to bite the bullet.”[Rotating the strike] is the key, especially with a right-hand, left-hand combination, to try to mix it up a bit with the bowlers. These days a lot of teams either have a left-arm orthodox [spinner] or a right-arm offie. You’ve always got to try to rotate the strike and that’s the most important thing when it comes to playing spin or playing fast bowlers as well. Try to put the bowlers off a little bit.”Asked about his lack of hundreds away from home in recent times, Warner said he would be trying to balance attack and defence. “I always try my best,” he said. “If I have to bat for a day or a day-and-a-half, I go out there and I try to do that. But the element of my game is to try to score runs. I try to apply pressure on the bowlers and that has always been my game plan. That’s what I always set out to do and I probably won’t change that. It has been a while since I’ve scored a hundred outside the country. We’ve got to start well, bat long periods of time.”Tactically, Warner is expecting the series to be fought on an attritional basis at times, as the Australians try to adapt to a slower Asian Test match tempo while Sri Lanka set defensive fields and seek to prey on the visitors’ patience. “You’re going to have to be prepared for some boring fields. Both teams are going to use that,” he said. “You’re going to have your sweepers out there, especially for the spinners. You are going to have your fielders in the deep, so you have to be prepared to get your runs in ones and twos.”Whoever is the fittest team will probably win the games. It can be like that in these conditions. Unless you’re going to blast them out of the park with the bat or your quicks somehow manage to go through them on low tracks, it is going to be a big grind. It is going to be a big grind. That’s where the spinners play a big role.”Warner believes the IPL experience has helped him approach spin better•BCCIWarner excelled as a captain earlier this year when he led Sunrisers Hyderabad to their first IPL title. As deputy to Steven Smith for Australia, he is looking to provide an example to players further down the order, making use of the Indian experience he has gleaned over the past decade. Tellingly, he said that practice pitches were often more useful than the strips used for matches.”Times have changed. It’s a bit different,” Warner said of how his methods against spin had evolved. “That’s the fortunate thing for us to go over and play IPL. I’ve been over for eight years, nine years in a row now. It’s the experience you gain from training on the wickets there, you can actually use that to your advantage. Yes it’s a white ball, but still the conditions and the surfaces, once they deteriorate, get quite challenging.”In that form of the game, you have to try to score. So it gives you a bit of an advantage to actually, one, look to score but then improvise as well when you play Test cricket. The game’s about moving forward and we try to get on with the game and try to score. It gives you an advantage to look for those scoring options rather than just trying to survive. But then again, it does suit you in certain areas to get back in your crease and use your feet to survive as well.”Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe have trained with near-new balls in the nets at Pallakele, and Warner said there would be times when both sides throw the ball to the spinners early on. “A lot of teams have done that in the past in subcontinent conditions – we also saw that with Pakistan in the UAE,” he said.”I think the harder the ball, the more inconsistency with spin and variation and that’s probably the main thing that skippers like to use. Plus the bounce. I think you’ll see that more in the second innings of the game; in the first innings, you probably won’t see it too much unless we’re trying to dry up one end for both teams.”Warner is entering the series with a fractured finger in the final stages of healing after he broke it during the ODI series in the West Indies. This is added to the thumb he has broken more than once, meaning he needs special reinforcement in his gloves and can expect to be dealing with pain when he bats and also, at times, in the field. Usman Khawaja has been practising to field in the slips, but Warner will be closer to the bat for the spinners, either at leg slip or second slip.”It’s going well at the moment. A couple of times when I’ve hit on the toe [of the bat] it’s been a bit painful,” Warner said. “I’ve experienced that before with the thumb but just with the game moving forward I’ll do the same thing I did with the thumb – put a guard over the top that’s underneath the glove and has a bit of silicon feel to it and stops a bit of vibration. But I should be ready to go.”

Tottenham Hotspur's pursuit of Julian Nagelsmann has been well-documented, with the north London outfit having engaged in talks with the German just last week.

However, given there has been little update since, it seems chairman Daniel Levy is not prepared to wait around to appoint a manager before beginning the rebuild of his playing staff.

In fact, any acquisitions he makes could serve as an added incentive to convince one of the higher-end bosses to trust in the process being crafted at Spurs.

This was at least the thought process being reported by Football Insider last month, as they suggested that the board are already sold on the signing of James Maddison, and are not keen to wait around for the approval of their next manager.

The Leicester City midfielder has been in imperious form this season despite featuring for a relegation-threatened side, and as such has garnered interest from other Premier League clubs, front-runners Newcastle United included.

Should Levy and the board manage to push this deal through, with which the Foxes are reportedly holding out for around £50m, it could present Nagelsmann with a fine asset to mould in the image of another of his successful former players in Serge Gnabry.

How has James Maddison played this season?

Despite recording ten goals and nine assists from an attacking midfield role this season, the England international's outfit are actually languishing in the relegation zone.

To think how these numbers might elevate further when supplying the likes of Harry Kane makes for an exciting future, with journalist Nizaar Kinsella suggesting he boasted the ability to play a "killer ball" when fit and firing.

The comparisons that the 26-year-old share with the German winger is more with regard to their technical proficiency rather than physicality, as despite the electric pace of the Bayern Munich star, Maddison is not blessed with such speed.

What he has been given instead though is an immeasurable ability to dribble with the ball, weaving and fainting to create space for himself and others, and convincing analyst Statman Dave that he is a "magician".

When compared to other attacking midfielders across Europe, the Foxes' "creative genius" – as further hailed by Statman Dave – actually ranks in the top 9% for non-penalty goals per 90, as well as the top 4% for assists per 90, via FBref.

Such a consistent offensive threat has even seen Gnabry mentioned within FBref's similar players model for the former Norwich City ace, with the two made to seem even more similar as the 27-year-old has recorded 14 goals and 11 assists this season across all competitions; a similar return to Leicester's main man.

Both players have also been deployed in alike roles, either through the middle as a no.10 or secondary striker or out on the right flank.

When Nagelsmann was in charge of the trickster, who featured 107 times under the 35-year-old, his philosophy to narrow the pitch and forge intricate plays between his players was when the former Arsenal gem truly showcased his technical proficiency.

Therefore, Maddison would likely thrive in this sort of environment, as a similarly right-footed player able to come inside from the left with an eager eye and his decisiveness.

If Spurs can push this deal through with immediacy, the out-of-work manager could well walk into the job with a very exciting player already at his disposal and in transitioning his tactical beliefs at Hotspur Way, the young mastermind could well unearth his next Gnabry-like threat in the final third.

Rohit Sharma spoke highly of incoming India head coach Anil Kumble, describing the former India captain as an “inspiring” figure from whom he had learnt a lot

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jun-2016India batsman Rohit Sharma has spoken highly of the side’s new head coach Anil Kumble, describing the former India captain as an “inspiring” figure from whom he had learnt a lot.Rohit played alongside Kumble towards the end of the legspinner’s India career. The two renewed their professional relationship when Kumble served as Mumbai Indians’ team mentor from 2013 to 2015, a period during which the team won two IPL titles and a Champions League T20 title. Kumble’s first assignment as India coach is the four-Test series in the West Indies in July and August.”I have two [three] years of experience [with him] at Mumbai Indians and I know the kind of things we spoke about. I was the captain and he was the coach and mentor of the team. I got to learn a lot from him,” Rohit said at an event in Mumbai. “I was fortunate enough to play with him during the last months before he retired. I remember in 2008, I was part of the Test squad to Sri Lanka and he was the captain. And he always had this attitude of never giving up, which as a young player is so inspiring.”You have to keep fighting no matter what. If the game is slipping away from your hands, don’t give up till the last ball is bowled. That’s how he played his cricket. You get the feeling that he was someone who wouldn’t let go too easily. That’s the kind of message that he wanted to send across. That’s the kind of message we also want as young players. He’s very inspiring.”Rohit was also full of praise for Ravi Shastri, whose 18-month tenure as India team director came to an end after the World T20 earlier this year. Shastri had been appointed to the role in August 2014, after India’s dismal loss in the Test series in England. During Shastri’s tenure, India made it to the semi-finals of successive global events – the 2015 World Cup and the 2016 World T20 – and briefly occupied the No. 1 Test ranking earlier this year. Shastri had applied for the position of head coach in June, but his application was ultimately unsuccessful as Kumble was chosen.”[Shastri] took up the responsibility when we were in a shambles,” Rohit said. “As soon as he came, he created a positive atmosphere around us.”Rohit added that Shastri had been “a big influence on Indian cricket for the past 18 months.”

Leeds United are now chasing Lyon's Moussa Dembele, with the striker open to moving to the Premier League at the end of the season, according to a recent report.

Will Leeds sign a striker this summer?

It has been reported that Rodrigo is set to leave Leeds if they are relegated from the Premier League, which is looking more likely after victories for Everton and Nottingham Forest on Monday, which leave them two points from safety.

As such, the Whites may be tasked with finding a replacement for the Spaniard, and they have been linked with a move for Coventry City's Viktor Gyokeres, although he would not come cheap, with the Sky Blues set to demand £20m.

Even if the West Yorkshire club do manage to avoid the drop, they may be keen on bringing in a new forward, and having previously been linked with a move for Dembele, interest now appears to be growing in the Lyon forward.

According to a report from Fotomac (via Sport Witness), Leeds are one of the Premier League clubs chasing the 26-year-old, with Aston Villa and West Ham United also named as potential suitors.

Inter Milan and Galatasaray headline the interest from abroad, but the player himself is said to be "warm" on the idea of a move to England, which could give the Whites a boost in the race for his signature.

The £52k-per-week attacker is currently weighing up his options with his agent, as he seemingly heads for the exit door, with his Lyon contract set to expire at the end of the season.

Should Leeds sign Moussa Dembele?

Given the Frenchman's level of experience, the only way Leeds could possibly compete for his signature is if they avoid relegation, with three crucial games left to play in the Premier League.

The Pontoise-born marksman is a signing that could help take the Whites to the next level, given that he has a plethora of experience in the Champions League, while he also has a very impressive scoring record in Ligue 1.

In 128 appearances in the French top flight, the former Celtic man has weighed in with 56 goals and 11 assists, meaning he averages more than one goal contribution every other game.

Having once been hailed as "exceptional" by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, Dembele would be an excellent signing for Leeds, and his availability on a free transfer is a real bonus.

James Anderson has leapfrogged his England new-ball partner Stuart Broad to become the No. 1 Test bowler in the ICC rankings

ESPNcricinfo staff31-May-2016James Anderson has leapfrogged his England new-ball partner Stuart Broad to become the No. 1 Test bowler in the ICC rankings. This is the first time Anderson has occupied the top of the table in his Test career, which began in 2003.Anderson has picked up 18 wickets in the first two Tests of the ongoing home series against Sri Lanka, collecting 79 points in that period and gaining four spots in the rankings. His figures of 3 for 36 and 5 for 58 in the second Test in Chester-le-Street gave him 30 points, and moved him above Broad and India offspinner R Ashwin.”I’m delighted to have contributed as I have throughout the series and hopefully I can take some more wickets in the next game,” Anderson said. “You’ve got to make the most of it when you are in rhythm, when you’re not it can be a struggle.”Anderson’s match haul of eight wickets helped him become the sixth bowler to pass 450 wickets in Tests. Broad, who took five wickets in the second Test, dropped three points and slipped behind Ashwin to third place.Moeen Ali, who scored a career-best unbeaten 155 in England’s first innings, achieved his highest batting ranking, jumping 12 places to No. 35. He has also moved to sixth on the allrounders’ list, and sits a point behind his team-mate Ben Stokes.

Rangers have suffered a "big blow" with the news that Connor Goldson and Ryan Kent may be ruled out against Celtic, according to former player Alan Hutton.

What's the latest Rangers injury news?

The Gers have a number of injury issues to deal with heading into this Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic, with Ryan Jack set to miss out for a few more weeks, while striker Antonio Colak is also considered a doubt.

Goldson has missed the last three games due to an injury problem, with Kent missing the last two, and Hutton has now claimed the duo are unlikely to feature against Celtic on Sunday.

In an interview with Football Insider, the former Rangers man insisted that he does not expect to see too many changes to the side that were defeated 2-0 against Aberdeen last time out, saying: “Goldson looks like he is going to be missed from what I hear.

“Kent as well, they could be a big blow for Rangers moving forward. Unless they come back in and declare themselves fit, I do not see much change [to the team] from what we saw at the weekend.

“It was not a great result but the performance was not as bad as people think. So I do not really see too many changes from that game the other day.“

Will Goldson and Kent be fit to play on Sunday?

There are conflicting reports as to whether Goldson will be able to feature against Celtic this weekend, as Michael Beale has previously claimed he will be fit to play, so it remains to be seen whether the centre-back makes the starting XI.

If the £37k-per-week defender does get the nod at the back, it will be a welcome boost for the Light Blues, considering he is ranked by Sofascore as their fourth-best performing player in the Scottish Premiership this season, averaging a 7.27 match rating.

Kent has yet again hit double figures for assists in the Scottish Premiership, most recently setting up Malik Tillman's second goal in the 2-0 victory against Dundee United, and journalist Joshua Barrie has claimed the £18k-per-week winger looks an improved player since Beale took over as manager.

Both players what it takes to beat Celtic at Hampden, having started in last year's 2-1 victory in the Scottish Cup semi-final, so it will be a real blow for Beale if neither are available to play on Sunday.

Newcastle United are interested in signing Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele this summer after talks were held with the player’s representatives.

What’s the latest news on Newcastle and Dembele?

Eddie Howe is looking to bring Champions League football back to St James’ Park, with the Magpies in a solid position in the Premier League to finish in the top four in the final.

The club are three points clear of fifth place Tottenham with a game in hand, and qualifying for Europe’s biggest club competition could help them in the transfer market when it comes to bolstering Howe’s squad with proven quality.

One player who has been heavily linked with a move to Newcastle is Dembele, with interest dating back to last year when reports suggested that personal terms had been agreed with the winger.

As we know, a move failed to materialise last summer, but it looks as if the Magpies could go back in for the France international, who is currently on around £200,000-a-week at the Nou Camp.

90min reporter Graeme Bailey shared a story he's heard in the last 48 hours regarding Newcastle and Dembele. He stated that the club, and by extension owners PIF, once again hold an interest in the winger, adding that Magpies intermediaries met with the player’s camp during his recent trip to England.

It is believed that ‘brief contact’ was made between the player's representatives and Newcastle chiefs, with Dembele, who went to watch Sunderland, ‘attracted by the prospect of playing in the Premier League’.

Should Newcastle sign Dembele?

Dembele, hailed as a ‘special’ player by Xavi Hernandez, has been out of action with a hamstring injury since February. The 25-year-old in fact has an extremely long injury history during his career, missing more than 100 games for Barcelona with various problems.

Therefore, you could say that moving for the forward would be a gamble, but provided he can stay fully fit, may prove to be an excellent signing. He had contributed to 15 goals in 28 games for Barcelona this season, averaging a WhoScored match rating of 7.23/10, a higher score than any Newcastle midfielder or attacker.

Hailed as a two-footed player who can penetrate defences by Didier Deschamps, Dembele would provide an option on either wing for Howe, and with the player about to enter the final 12 months of his Barcelona contract, he could be available for a cut-price fee.

Mason Mount is looking increasingly likely to depart Chelsea this summer amid an ongoing contract dispute at Stamford Bridge, with the Blues likely to cash in on the midfielder before his deal expires in 2024.

Could Chelsea sell Mount this summer?

The academy graduate has struggled to replicate his form from last season, when he notched an impressive 11 goals and ten assists in the Premier League, with just three goals and two assists to his name so far this campaign.

The influx of attacking signings under Todd Boehly clearly hasn't paid off for the Blues, as they boast just 30 goals in 31 top-flight fixtures, with Mount one of several forward players who could be accused of underperforming under both Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter.

As a result, it seems as if Chelsea are not willing to give the England international what he wants at Stamford Bridge, as concerns over the salary and contract length have meant that he has stalled on signing that new deal.

According to The Athletic, the Blues won't allow negotiations to run into next season and will look to sell the 24-year-old this summer if necessary, with a number of elite-level clubs including Manchester City, Liverpool and Bayern Munich among his suitors.

Although fans might be disappointed if Mount does depart, the club arguably has a ready-made replacement in 19-year-old starlet, Carney Chukwuemeka.

Could Chukwuemeka replace Mount at Chelsea?

Chelsea would sign the attacking midfielder for £20m from Aston Villa during the summer of 2022 but he has struggled for regular game time this season, managing just 12 appearances totalling 241 minutes so far this campaign.

However, in a recent interview with Football FanCast, journalist Pete O'Rourke has suggested that the teenager could be the man to step up should Mount leave.

He said: "I think ideally Chelsea want to keep Mason Mount but if they can't agree this new contract I think they will look to sell the England international this summer rather than letting his contract run down.

"He's a young player with huge potential and that might open the door for him to become more of a regular in his Chelsea side, who look like they're going to have a new manager next season as well.

"It'll be a clean slate for everyone starting next season and I'm sure Chukwuemeka will be among a number of players hoping to impress and become regulars in that 11."

Chukwuemeka's reputation before joining was certainly a big one, given he had ten goals and eight assists in just 26 appearances for Villa's U18s, and perhaps he could be the ideal heir for Mount at Chelsea next season.