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Liverpool have got ‘no chance’ of signing Real Madrid star Federico Valverde next summer, according to Sky Sports pundit Kevin Campbell.

The Lowdown: FSG bid rejected

The Reds had been in the market over the summer for a new midfielder to cover for the ongoing injury crisis, but despite signing Arthur Melo from Juventus on a season-long loan, he wasn’t the only player being targeted by FSG.

Spanish outlet AS reported that the Premier League giants made an £86.5m bid for the 24-year-old Valverde in the final days of the window, though this was turned down by the La Liga side, who weren’t willing to let him leave before the deadline.

The Latest: Valverde not for sale

Asked by Football Insider whether Liverpool might be able to land Valverde in 2023 should they increase their offer, Campbell said:

“No chance.

“Valverde is a player who Real Madrid have put a lot of time into. They have built him up and developed him into a regular starter.

“The guy scored an unbelievable goal at the weekend as well. He is a player who I think will go on to be world-class. He has got a great engine, a hell of a shot on him and can pass the ball with both feet.

“Real Madrid are not a selling club. They have developed this youngster and he is now starting to repay the faith. I cannot see him moving to Liverpool.

“Real Madrid are not a club who sell their best players.”

The Verdict: Not surprising

Valverde has become an integral member of Carlo Ancelotti’s starting XI at the Bernabeu, so it’s no surprise that Liverpool’s approach was rejected.

The Uruguayan has got off to a flying start this season, making five goal contributions in eight appearances in all competitions, registering one goal and one assist in just two Champions League outings (Transfermarkt).

Valverde still has five years remaining on his deal with Real so he won’t come cheap, but with Arthur now in the building, the Reds should wait until next summer to further assess their options.

Our snippets from the Vitality Blast include the Ed Pollock battle plan and the contrasting fortunes of Aaron Finch and Nic Maddinson

Matt Roller and David Hopps18-Jul-2018Football supporters have always been able to take comfort in home advantage. The four teams that qualified for the Champions League last season – Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham and Liverpool – lost at home in the league only seven times in 76 matches.Even the three relegated clubs found comfort in winning in front of their own supporters 15 times between them.It is often claimed that home advantage counts for a lot in T20 cricket. Teams say they know which boundary to target, how the surface plays, and that their home fans spur them on. At Chelmsford they even like to borrow the football lingo and term themselves a fortress.But so far travelling teams have had the upper hand in the Blast – and markedly. Durham’s shock wins at Edgbaston and Trent Bridge within 48 hours took the tally of away wins to 23 out of the 36 games so far – 64%.And the last two seasons have finished with home sides losing more than they win.Talking T20 Podcast

Dan Norcross and David Hopps desperately try to recall the latest news from 18 counties
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There are a few key reasons for the change. Counties are preparing flatter, harder pitches for T20s – with the logic that big crowds like big scores – and few teams are preparing low-scoring pitches to suit the balance of their side. In 2011, Hampshire’s home pitches were invariably used and worn to suit their three-pronged spin attack of Shahid Afridi, Danny Briggs, and Imran Tahir, but no ground in the Blast currently has a reputation for particularly low scores.The main reason for the lack of home advantage, however, is the comparative importance of the toss. 69% of captains have elected to chase rather than defend when winning the toss so far this season, compared to just 38% ten years ago, and whether a team is chasing is a better indicator of whether they win a T20 than whether they are at home.For the powers that be, this is 20-over cricket’s fatal flaw. When fans flock to Old Trafford, Hove, or Chelmsford on a Friday night, they want their team to win. Cricket crowds have a history of also admiring performances from opposing players but in T20 that tradition is breaking down.Attendances across the tournament have been impressive so far. Now the challenge for counties is to keep fans coming. And nothing encourages spectators to come back than the pleasure of seeing their own team win. For that to happen, they might need to become a good deal noisier.

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The Blast has become the time of season when county cricket’s transfer market, once so sedate, reaches peak intensity.Expect Somerset to announce soon that they have beaten off suitors for Lewis Gregory, their T20 captain. But Liam Plunkett’s faltering relationship with Yorkshire, never the same since his last-minute IPL deal persuaded the county that he simply was not value for money, is expected to result in a move to Surrey.Liam Norwell, Gloucestershire’s seamer, could become the latest recruit for Warwickshire who – in their T20 guise as Birmingham Bears – have take a bit of a battering with the ball in their past couple of games.

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Aaron Finch brought Sussex to their knees•Getty ImagesSurrey bounced back from defeats in their first two games with convincing wins against both Essex and Sussex, and the arrival of Australian batsman Aaron Finch had plenty to do with that.After limbering up with 58 in his first game, Finch dominated the Surrey innings at Hove in scoring his fifth T20 hundred. His boundary-filled 131* made up 68.2% of Surrey’s total of 192 for 3. That made it the second-most single-handed innings in English T20 history, behind Cameron White’s 141* for Somerset at Worcester in 2006.It was also the longest-ever T20 innings by balls faced, at 79 balls; another Finch innings is joint-third on that list, as his record 172 at Harare ten days previously took 76 balls.When you throw his 84 in Australia’s T20I defeat at Edgbaston and an unbeaten 68 against Pakistan in the recently-completed tri-series, it is clear that the bullish Finch is in a remarkable vein of form. With Justin Langer as good as confirming he would captain the ODI side this home summer, Finch is at the peak of his powers.The same cannot be said of Nic Maddinson, his Australian team-mate, whose Surrey stint started with two single-figure scores. Maddinson’s return to the international fold was unsuccessful, as he was dropped after seven runs in four tri-series games. A career once filled with promise and expectation is at a crossroads.Maddinson is what cricket probably classes as an eccentric. He calls himself a “vegan, cricket player, and whisky enthusiast” in his Instagram bio, sports an incongruous moustache, and was spotted eating a toastie while fielding at mid-wicket in a New South Wales game in 2013.He could do with a run of scores in the coming weeks: he was released from his state contract at the end of the 2017/18 season, and recently switched Big Bash franchises to join the Melbourne Stars. Perhaps a move to Brisbane would have been more appropriate: the Heat is certainly on.

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The rumour is out about Ed Pollock – bowl the spinners – and the Birmingham Bears batsman, armed with the fastest T20 strike rate in the world, knows he must formulate a response.Worcestershire were first side to open with a spinner against him in a 50-over match and he shovelled a catch to deep square early on. They felt they knew his vulnerability from the days when he was on their academy.Over last weekend Pollock was bowled coming down the pitch to Colin Ackermann against Leicestershire on Friday and he then holed out to deep square again when Will Smith opened for Durham on Sunday. Success for two slow bowlers who would never claim to be specialists in the art.Pollock’s overall T20 split is interesting: 264 runs in 133 balls off the seamers at a SR of 198 and 124 runs from 71 balls from spinners at 174. It will be interesting to see how this pans out in the weeks ahead.

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Derbyshire and Middlesex were hailed as trailblazers when they appointed specialist T20 coaches at the start of 2017. The men tasked with improving the fortunes of two historical underperformers were John Wright and Daniel Vettori respectively, both of whom have experience coaching IPL teams.Having changed the side’s fortunes around last season, Wright’s Derbyshire have reverted to type in 2018. Alongside Northamptonshire, they sit at the foot of the North Group with four defeats from four, and have passed 150 only once. While the injured Luis Reece’s top-order runs have been a big loss, their form so far suggests a side low on confidence after a mediocre start to the season in the longer formats.The same is true of Middlesex, who have lost both games since their opening win against Surrey. Vettori has come under scrutiny for his underwhelming record as a T20 coach – his Brisbane Heat, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Middlesex sides have won 49 of the 114 matches he has overseen – and expensive death bowling has been a feature of their campaign so far.Both counties recently lost important staff – Richard Scott was dismissed as Middlesex’s head coach, and Kim Barnett left his supervisory role at Derby – and both Wright and Vettori will point to the lack of time they have had to work with their squads, having arrived only a week before the start of the Blast.The manic structure of the county season simply doesn’t allow teams much time to work on their T20 strategy before the tournament gets underway, as the two Kiwis have found out to their detriment.

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Matt Parkinson stirred a bit of interest among IPL franchises in 2018 without quite attracting a bid – and he has started reliably for Lancashire Lightning as they put spin bowling at the heart of their challenge.In his last two matches, against Derbyshire and Northants, Parkinson has conceded only two boundaries in eight overs, advancing his reputation as one of the least hittable legspinners in the tournament.He certainly fits into the Lancashire modus operandi: entering Wednesday night’s match against Leicestershire, they had bowled 46% of their overs with spin – the highest tally in the league in this sun-baked summer.

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Dillon Pennington is making a good impression at Worcestershire•Getty ImagesWorcestershire’s faith in young fast bowlers Patrick Brown and Dillon Pennington, both only 19, has reaped rewards for the county.Pennington took 4 for 9 in his third game for the Rapids, claiming the notable scalp of Ben Duckett in the process. After playing just three matches in the Vitality Blast, Pennington has taken seven wickets and is the sixth most economical bowler in the tournament, out of those who have bowled more than five overs.While he has been slightly more expensive, Brown is the leading wicket taker in the Blast this year, with ten wickets in five matches.Worcestershire’s turn to youth has invigorated their bowling in this Blast campaign. They have won four out of five matches, even managing to restrict Northants to under 90 in a nine over game.

ESPNcricinfo presents the plays of the day from the second one-day international at Lord’s

Melinda Farrell27-Aug-2016The overturnHafeez’s replacement fared even worse. Sami Aslam appeared to miss the ball completely as he attempted to pull Chris Woakes in the second over. England’s appeal for caught behind was turned down by Marais Erasmus but Eoin Morgan was convinced enough to call for the review. Hotspot was inconclusive but there was enough of a spike on Snicko to convince the third umpire, Simon Fry, that Aslam had gloved the ball. It was the first of two calls from Erasmus during Pakistan’s innings that were overturned; the second came when Sarfraz Ahmed was given out lbw to Liam Plunkett only for the review process to suggest the ball would have speared past leg stump.The Wood DuckIt wasn’t raining in St John’s Wood but it was definitely a day for the ducks at Lord’s; there were five in total and four of them belonged to Pakistan. The first came from a corker of a delivery from Mark Wood that pitched outside leg and nipped off the seam to bamboozle Sharjeel Khan and take out off stump. It left Pakistan’s top order reeling but no doubt delighted England fans almost as much as it would have entertained Richie Benaud impersonators – Pakistan 2 for 2 off 2.2 overs.The Root DamageSuch is Joe Root’s importance to England in all three formats that it would hardly surprise if, whenever he left the field, the ECB dressed him in a flak jacket, wrapped him in cotton wool and put him on ice until he was next required to play. So when Adil Rashid raced across from fine leg at the same time Root ran in from deep midwicket towards a lofted ball from Hasan Ali the Lord’s crowd collectively held its breath and prayed. Rashid clattered into Root’s ankle in what could only be classed as an illegal tackle. In football Rashid would have been red-carded; as it was, he was merely left red-faced as Root – who somehow managed to hold onto the ball and complete the catch – gingerly limped back to his fielding position.The Painful MissDuring the summer, viewers have become accustomed to the sight of Pakistan players prostrating themselves after reaching milestones. But when Imad Wasim went down on his hands and knees it was in pain rather than in the act of performing the . Imad had moved outside off stump to scoop Woakes but completely muffed the shot when the ball followed him and cannoned in behind the pad and straight into his knee. He completed the single but the pain was evident; after treatment from the physio, Imad limped throughout the rest of his innings and all the way back into the pavilion.The SnatchLiam Plunkett is, to use the vernacular, one big unit. But he appeared to defy the laws of gravity when he took a one-handed stunner to dismiss Wahab Riaz. Wahab attempted to slash powerfully over cover but Plunkett launched himself to the left with all the acceleration of an exocet missile and was completely horizontal when he snatched the ball with his left hand. It was so good the entire England team stood together to watch the replay on the big screen before pummelling Plunkett with an encore round of backslapping.The Limp FinishThe 50th over is often hectic but the finale of Pakistan’s innings was more damp squib than fireworks. On the penultimate ball Mohammad Amir dug out a Woakes yorker and Imad set off from the non-striker’s end in a limping scamper to grab the strike for the final ball. Amir stood his ground and the two batmen stood looking at each other as Woakes, who had shaped to throw to the keeper’s end, realised he had all the time in the world to amble back and gently remove the bails.The TV no-ballBefore the start of the ODI series, the ICC announced it would trial a system whereby the TV umpire judged on front foot no-balls and conveyed his decision to the on-field officials via a vibrating “pager-watch”. It took until the fourth innings of the series for it to be needed when Simon Fry buzzed Marais Erasmus after Hasan Ali overstepped by some margin. Judging from the smile on Erasmus’ face, it was definitely a case of good vibrations.

What is truth and what is fiction about this England Test side? The next few weeks will show us, but for all the talk of youthful exuberance they will need senior players to lift and a good start is vital

George Dobell in Cardiff07-Jul-20154:35

Simon Jones’ keys to victory

It was telling that, amid all the talk of “turned corners” and “new ages” on the eve of the Investec Ashes, the Test rankings should be published showing England down to No. 6 in the world.Such a lowly ranking should hurt England. It should hurt a side who have advantages of which Pakistan, for example, can only dream. It should hurt a side whose board, not so long ago, carved up world cricket to try and ensure they retained such advantages. It should hurt.And it should provide a reminder, if any were required, that for all the positivity following the limited-overs win against New Zealand that this England side are, to date, strong on potential and weak on achievement. It was a reminder that they have won only one of their last five Test series and that the last time these two old foe met, Australia were the overwhelming victors. Nobody should doubt the enormity of the task in front of England in this series: Australia are strong favourites.And yet, hope continues to smoulder. It is not just that there are more than a few chinks in the Australian armour – they have won only two of their last 15 Ashes Tests in England (or Wales) and lost 10 of their last 16 away Tests – but that, irrespective of the statistics, the sense is that England have a few young players who have the talent and character to lead England to higher ground.Ben Stokes, for example, may well be England’s most talented allrounder since Ian Botham. Jos Buttler has the strokeplay to drive bowlers to distraction and Gary Ballance recently entered the top 10 quickest men to reach 1,000 Test runs. They have no shortage of talent, motivation or potential.But potential is the most over-used word in cricket. It is, rightly or wrongly, still Ashes series that define the reputation of an England player and, against this opposition, all three men are unproven. While Stokes enjoyed some good moments with bat and ball in the 2013-14 Ashes series, Ballance and Buttler have played only one Ashes Test between them and even Joe Root knows that his average against Australia – 33.18 – is modest for one with such ability. All face tests that will go some of the way to defining their careers over the next seven weeks.In reality this series may have come slightly early in the development cycle of the England team. It may be we reflect that Mark Wood and Adam Lyth, with just two Tests each, were a little green and that Ballance and Root and Stokes and Buttler were still learning their trade as international players. It may be that we come to reflect on this series as the Australian team reflect on the Ashes of 2013. They were defeated, yes, but they learned plenty under their new coach, Darren Lehmann, and were better equipped for the challenges ahead.But England cannot go into this series looking for moral victories. They cannot use it as a training ground or as a rehearsal studio. They cannot accept defeat on the basis that they have learned from the experience. This is the Ashes. This is the final destination. As Andrew Strauss stated last week: “Ultimately it’s very hard to come out of an Ashes series as a loser and be pretty happy with yourself. It is about winning and losing, as professional sport is, generally.”The burden for England is that victory alone is not enough. As the lukewarm reaction to a perfectly respectable 3-0 victory in 2013 showed us, they are not only required to win but win with style.Perhaps because of raised expectations caused by T20 cricket, perhaps because of the variety of competing leisure pursuits, perhaps because of the long-term damage caused by the lack of cricket on free-to-air TV, the game in the UK finds itself fighting for the oxygen of publicity. Winning would help it inspire more supporters, certainly, but winning with style would help far more.England have talked a good game in this regard over the last few weeks. Even in his pre-match media conference, Alastair Cook admitted that, at the start of his period as captain, he had become accustomed to leading “a methodical team” which contained bowlers who were expert in “really banging out areas time again” and batsmen who “relentlessly ground down opposition” whereas now, with “a more free-spirited” side, he had to “be able to get on that front foot as captain.” In short, he had to captain the aggressive team he has now to their strengths, not attempt to mould them into the team of 2012.It is debatable that such a narrative stands up to scrutiny. While England have lost players such as Nick Compton and Jonathan Trott since Cook was appointed captain on a permanent basis, they have also lost Kevin Pietersen, Graeme Swann and Matt Prior. None of those three could be described as methodical. And while there are a couple of dynamic new players in the side – the likes of Stokes and Buttler – the opening bowlers are the same and Ballance, at No. 3, has done an admirable job of providing a like-for-like replacement for Trott.But sometimes it does not matter what the reality is. Perception is everything. And if England feel they are more comfortable playing aggressive cricket, they should play it. And they should play it in the knowledge that they will face far less criticism if they go down fighting than if they adopt a safety first approach.For that reason, they have an opportunity. They have an opportunity to play the sort of exciting cricket that can capture the hearts of a nation and the sort of exciting cricket that can knock Australia off their game. They have an opportunity to show they have learned from New Zealand and that, playing with a smile and respect for their opposition, is not a sign of weakness, but a hallmark of strength. They have an opportunity to leave the snarls and sledges to Australia and to win the arguments with skill and flair. They have an opportunity, with no major football or athletics events to share the headlines, to put cricket at the centre of the British summer. They have an opportunity to not just earn respect for winning, but affection for winning with style. They have an opportunity to prove that the No. 6 ranking is wrong.England can win. If Moeen Ali can rediscover the consistency he demonstrated against India, if James Anderson and Stuart Broad can utilise the new ball, if Ballance and Cook and Lyth can see off the new ball, if Root can sustain his magnificent form and Stokes can prove himself to be the player many suspect he is, England can win. The time for talk is over.

Mahela Jayawardene talks to ESPNcricinfo about the impact of fewer Tests on Sri Lanka’s cricket, the cricketing transition facing the national side and his plans to continue until the 2015 World Cup

Sa'adi Thawfeeq29-Dec-2013You played your last Test in January 2013 against Australia. How do you motivate yourself between games?
We had two Tests against Bangladesh which I couldn’t play because of an injury. It’s unfortunate that we haven’t had much Test cricket but once we start, we’ll probably have quite a few in the next 15-18 months. The main thing is to get focused and control what we can, rather than mull about things we can’t.Your last first-class match was in October. Can you say that you are prepared to go into a Test series without any first-class games under your belt?
The preparations probably are not ideal but we played one-day cricket. It’s about playing matches, playing competitive cricket any time of the day in that manner, we need to get our mindsets right, and get our game plan sorted out for Test cricket, it’s as simple as that. Some of the one-day boys have three days before the first Test, they just need to completely change their attitude towards Test cricket immediately.In your case, is it harder because you missed the T20 and 50-over series?
I’ve been practising and playing some matches but it’s quite different. That’s when experience comes in, I try and go back and see what I need to do with Test cricket and have a focused game plan.After your 275 against India in 2009, you have played 30 Tests but scored only four Test hundreds. Do you think it’s a drop in consistency?
When it comes to big scores, yes. Runs wise, I’ve scored in New Zealand. I had a couple of nineties that I should have converted into hundreds, a lot of 70s and 60s, but in Test matches I have been somewhat in-between. I just need to get my mindset right to play. I am not 100% happy with the way I have performed, maybe in the last 20-25 Test matches, the big hundreds haven’t come. The runs are there but standards are much higher than that.Have you looked back and found out why?
Not really. At times I’ve been a bit out of form and at times made a few mistakes here and there. There is no one scenario that’s been bothering me. Just trying to get things right and play longer innings.The benchmark set for a top-class Test batsman is a career average of above 50. You had maintained that throughout your career, until recently when your Test batting average dropped below that mark. How do you explain that?
If you want to have a gauge that would be it, but I am not a big player on numbers and stuff like that. I take one game at a time and see how I can contribute. The numbers are there to say whether you have had a decent career or not. I could be satisfied with what I have achieved so far, I wouldn’t do anything differently. I’ve played the way I wanted to play and my goal is to make sure I push myself in the next 18 months or so in international cricket and achieve whatever I want to achieve. Whether it is targets, or whatever, I’ll set myself that and try and push myself. I am not really worried about those kinds of numbers.Are you worried about not having played enough Tests over the last few years?
We haven’t consistently played. I remember when I came into the side, and until two-three years later, we were playing at least 10-12 Tests a year. That’s why I’ve played so many Tests in my career until now. But, unfortunately, the younger guys haven’t had that opportunity, so on a development scale, we need to look at seriously playing a minimum 8-10 Test matches a year.How big a setback will it [lack of Test cricket] be for the younger cricketers?
Ideally you want the younger guys to play a lot of Test cricket and get used to that atmosphere and challenge themselves. Then we can identify the really good players. What can we do if we don’t have the Test cricket we should have?What are the challenges that you are looking at in the upcoming Test series against Pakistan?
It’s always a challenge to play Pakistan who have naturally gifted players. It’s always going to be a scrappy affair. You just need to ensure we win those little battles. They’ve got some decent Test bowlers and a good enough batting line up as well. We need to be up challenging them, fighting and winning those battles.With Tillakaratne Dilshan having retired from Test cricket, will there be added pressure on you and Kumar Sangakkara to deliver?
That pressure has always been there. There cannot be any added pressures. We are just going to go out and enjoy ourselves and see what we can control.”We’ve got a lot of youngsters, like Angie (Angelo Mathews), Chandi (Dinesh Chandimal), Thiri (Lahiru Thirimanne), and it is up to them”•AFPHow do you see Sri Lanka cricket in the next 10 years or so?
The cricketers we have are really good but we need to improve our domestic structure. The way we play our first-class cricket, we need to push these younger guys to a level so that it is easier for them to play international cricket. I don’t think we are still getting those standards in domestic cricket. The cricket we are playing is quantity not quality. We just need to build it up to that level and be more competitive. Play four-day cricket even at under-19 level so that the batsmen and bowlers find the art of playing good, hard cricket.Who are the players you can single out to carry Sri Lanka into the next decade?
It’s tough to say. We’ve got a lot of youngsters, like Angie (Angelo Mathews), Chandi (Dinesh Chandimal), Thiri (Lahiru Thirimanne), and it is up to them. Those guys are responsible for carrying Sri Lanka forward in the next 10 years. Everyone’s invested heavily in those guys for the future and the younger crop is not too bad, the Under-19 boys who are coming through. You can identify a few more tough nuts and try and get them ready for international cricket.What have been your strengths and weaknesses in your cricket?
They are the same. My strength is the way I bat. I was brought up playing like that, I’ve adjusted a little bit according to Test cricket, one-day cricket and T20. I’ve pushed myself and the weaknesses are probably the same because I am an aggressive kind of player. In that scenario I tend to make a few mistakes and play shots. I love playing shots, sometimes I do make a few mistakes but that is part of the game. Because of that I’ve scored so many runs in my career (over 10,000 runs each in Tests and ODIs). One-day cricket for me is about winning the match, it’s about contributing to the situation and while doing that, if I throw my wicket away, that’s not a big concern for me because that’s the way I play the game to win.At 36, how does your body feel coping with the rigours of international cricket?
You have to realise that you are getting older and the body is not the same as you were at 20 or 25. But I’ve kept myself fit. Like I always said, if I can’t compete at this level the way I wanted I would leave. I am still enjoying it doing what I can, but I am sure my body will tell me exactly when to shut down.You still believe you have some fuel left in the tank?
Yeah, I do I still have the hunger but I have to be smart in managing myself in the next 12 months or so and make sure I am fit for the World Cup, and maybe a little bit of Test cricket, if my form and performance allows.Becoming a father does that change your responsibilities towards cricket?
Not really. I always kept my family and cricket life separate. Responsibility to both is pretty much the same, there are no highs and lows. I’ve always committed myself in both directions in the right manner, I’ll try and keep it the same way. It’s a new page in my life with the little one but I will keep focus on both sides at the same time and see how I can balance that.What does winning the ICC Spirit of Cricket award mean to you?
It’s an honour. It’s your players who have acknowledged what you have done. I’ve always felt that you try and play hard but in the right way. I felt that’s the right way, so I am quite happy that it got acknowledged. It is something that I will cherish because it’s your peers who are giving you that award; it makes a huge difference.How does the spirit of cricket apply to the present generation of cricketers? Have standards improved from what they were?
They have, because you feel embarrassed these days with all the technology but it is still a different ball game of how people look at things. You can’t force anyone do to anything. It’s up to the individual to say ‘I want to play hard’, but at the same time in the right way. I am quite happy with what I’ve done out in the middle.

He continues to pile on the hundreds and whatever the situation in a game, he appears to be in control

Abhishek Purohit in Hambantota22-Jul-2012Virat Kohli, 23, now has 12 ODI hundreds. When combined, the two numbers are almost scary. Consistency is one thing, but four hundreds in five innings? Contrast them with some of his peers, and they appear even more astonishing. We still talk of Rohit Sharma’s potential. Ajinkya Rahane still waits mostly on the sidelines. Cheteshwar Pujara remains injured more often than not. But Kohli continues to pile on the hundreds. He now has seven after the World Cup win alone; against seven teams, in five countries.The ones in Hobart, against Sri Lanka, and in Dhaka, against Pakistan, have to be, arguably, among the best ODI innings of all time. He still has a long way to go in Tests, but Kohli now owns the ODI format. He’s mastered the art of building an ODI innings. Whether it is batting first or chasing, coming in early or in the middle, he instinctively knows when to go after the bowling, when to rotate the strike, or when to defend. And whatever be the situation, whatever is the demand, he appears to be in control. Saturday’s first-innings century against Sri Lanka in Hambantota was another such effort.Gautam Gambhir had fallen in the third over. Virender Sehwag was looking rusty. Kohli settled in immediately, and suddenly, the innings gained traction. He left his first ball alone, defended the second, and thrashed the third for a boundary past point.Kohli likes to get forward. It is not an exaggerated step down the track, but it gives him many more options with his strokes, especially on the subcontinent. He can whip-drive a delivery through extra cover, he can swat-flick the same ball through midwicket. It also enables him to defend solidly. One such defensive forward push even brought him three runs past extra cover early in his innings.A measure of calmness having been restored after Gambhir’s wicket, Kohli let Sehwag take over to do what only he can – hit outrageous boundaries. Throughout their 173-run partnership, Kohli let Sehwag be the leader, while he followed not very far behind. There were glimpses of their mammoth double-century stand from the opening game of the World Cup, but in that match, Kohli had come in at 152 for 2, with Sehwag already in top gear. This time, it was a different situation, and Kohli spoke about adapting to it.

“If your partner is scoring well and being aggressive then you can get into your role and try and play till the 40th over so that the team can benefit from it”Virat Kohli

“This is something that I have tried to learn over a period of time that you need to see how the situation is going, how the other partner is batting,” Kohli said. “When I went in Gauti [Gambhir] had just got out and I decided to be a bit more positive because looking at my stats in the previous matches that I have played in Sri Lanka I had played too many dot balls. I had a positive mindset today – just go out there, just hit the boundary balls and make sure I execute them well.”My role in the team has been of a sheet anchor. Initially I struck a few fours and after that I sort of took over my role when Viru [Sehwag] started hitting the ball beautifully. When he plays like that you don’t really need to do much so my job was left to just rotate the strike and take the singles and doubles and hit the odd boundary in between. When he got out I took over. I became more aggressive; it is all about adapting to different situations and seeing how the other guy is playing. If your partner is scoring well and being aggressive then you can get into your role and try and play till the 40th over so that the team can benefit from it.”Kohli did exactly that. He got out to the last ball of the 40th over, but not before a series of inside-out lofts, swat-flicks, dabs and slashes had ensured India did not get bogged down after the successive wickets of Sehwag and Rohit.Kohli now has three successive hundreds against Sri Lanka. At some stage, it must start to feel all too easy when you dominate a particular opposition so much. Kohli doesn’t think so. “The situations can be very different. You can take that as a positive but coming into this innings, I didn’t have the best of IPL seasons and I just wanted to forget it. I am lucky I got a break in between and at times you regroup and comeback and just mentally be more relaxed and be calmer.”If you have done well against an opposition you can take that as a confidence booster but at the same time you have to work hard and prepare your game before the match. Coming into this game I think it was really important how my mindset is going to be in this season. This season is really important for the team so I really put in a conscious effort to stay as relaxed and as calm as before the match and it really paid off. I was able to stay in that zone, stay in that calm place and when I went out there I was pretty relaxed compared to the previous games I have played in the IPL.”

England were second favourites before this four-match series started, but this performance is ripping up the form book

Andrew McGlashan in Durban29-Dec-2009England haven’t had a day as memorable as their domination of South Africa at Durban since the Johnny Cash-inspired victory against India in Mumbai nearly four years ago. Forget the fact they were Ashes winners arriving for the tour, England were second favourites before this four-match series started – a distant second in some people’s eyes – but this performance is ripping up the form book.Overseas victories have been rarer than hen’s teeth for England in recent years, with just three achieved since they beat South Africa at Johannesburg to secure the 2004-05 series. This job is not yet quite done, but it will take another Durban washout to deny England an entry into their list of finest Test victories abroad. A little over a week ago they hung on nine wickets down at Centurion, a match in which they could claim to have won only two sessions out of 15. This time it’s a similarly one-sided count facing South Africa.Fortune has favoured England a little in this match, especially in the form of the overhead conditions which play such a crucial part at Kingsmead. Yesterday was a perfect day for batting, and the fourth morning wasn’t bad either. But after England’s declaration the skies darkened and drizzle returned to the air. Still, teams make their own luck and it’s the manner in which England have moved into a commanding position, and then overwhelmed South Africa, that has been so commendable.There has been nothing half-hearted about their approach, from the moment Andrew Strauss raced to a 49-ball half-century on the second afternoon. The third day was all about consolidation and manoeuvring into a position from which to surge forward. Then today they made their crushing advances.When England went through their stellar period in 2004 and 2005 this was the style of performance they would regularly produce. It wasn’t unusual for the first two or three days of a Test to be fairly nip-and-tuck before England’s belief – instilled by consistent success and a strong team – overpowered the opposition later in the game when they could no longer hold off the challenge.The previous tour of South Africa in 2004-05, just prior to the decade-defining Ashes victory, produced one such example at Port Elizabeth. The home side had batted first and made 337 before England replied with 425. At the close of the third day, South Africa were 99 for 2, a lead of 11, but on the fourth day the visitors took an unbreakable hold on the game and cantered to victory on the final morning. Something similar is on the cards five years later and will be even more noteworthy because this is a team still forming an identity, rather than being the powerhouse unit at Michael Vaughan’s disposal.If the seemingly certain victory is secured on Wednesday – and the drizzle that was falling after play ended shouldn’t cause too many alarms – the architects of the success will be three players who also played vital roles in the deciding Ashes Test at The Oval in August. Two are well remembered for their exploits, one far less so.For Ian Bell, his ninth Test century will slip under the radar almost as much as his battling 72 on the first day against Australia because of the afternoon drama created by Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann. They were the bowling pair who skittled Australia for 160 on an equally extraordinary day to the one just witnessed in Durban. This team have said they want the Ashes result to be a springboard to greater achievements, rather than frittered away as happened post-2005. What is transpiring in South Africa is a promising sign indeed.The similarities between the bowling efforts at The Oval and Durban are also uncanny. On both occasions Broad located the perfect length and caused havoc with a mixture of seam movement and reverse swing. Swann, meanwhile, again proved the ideal ally but this time it was the offspinner who triggered the collapse. His first wicket of Ashwell Prince was his 50th in a career-defining year, a record for an England spinner, while his second – Hashim Amla, who played Swann expertly when making 100 at Centurion – brought back memories of the manner in which he bowled Ricky Ponting, at Edgbaston, earlier in the Ashes series as the ball spun back through the gate.The on-field exploits of the last four days are also a full justification of the selection decisions made by Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower. They stuck to their guns in naming a four-man attack, despite the fact they struggled to run through South Africa at Centurion. Now they are on the verge of delivering a famous win.Alongside that, Bell’s 142 – from the sixth batsman and the one who would have been dropped to make way for an extra bowler – gave England the cushion of a 232-run lead. It is a perfect example of what scoreboard pressure can do as South Africa batted again with only a draw to aim for. In 71 crazy deliveries even that hope vanished.

The 19-year-old defender was a standout performer for the Dutch side in the 2024-25 campaign, and will soon be lighting up the Premier League

The unrelenting, unrivalled Ajax academy has produced another gem. Jorrel Hato has enjoyed a meteoric rise to prominence since graduating to the senior team just two years ago, following in the footsteps of legends like Ruud Krol and Frank de Boer, as well as the club's most recent defensive success stories, Matthijs de Ligt and Jurrien Timber.

At just 19, Hato already has 111 appearances under his belt for Ajax, and has the potential to reach the very top if he stays on his current trajectory. Now, the Netherlands international has taken the next big step in his promising career, with Premier League giants Chelsea confirming his arrival at the club on August 3 in a deal worth an initial £38 million ($50m).

The newly-crowned Club World Cup champions had already spent around £170m ($231m) on Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens, Dario Essugo and Mamadou Sarr in the current window, but it's no exaggeration to say that Hato could be the most important signing of all now that he has also completed his switch to Stamford Bridge.

To explain why, GOAL has taken a deep dive into the defender's development at Johan Cruyff ArenA…

Where it all began

On March 7, 2006, Jose Mourinho's Chelsea were 15 points clear of Manchester United at the top of the Premier League, a Liverpool side containing Steve Finnan and Jermaine Pennant had just knocked a young Lionel Messi and Barcelona out of the Champions League and, most crucially for this profile, Jorrel Hato was born in Rotterdam.

Despite his talent, Hato somehow slipped through Feyenoord's net and instead ended up signing with the city's secondary club, Sparta Rotterdam. He did not stay there long though, switching to Ajax's youth academy in 2018.

The move required some consideration from Hato, with the defender later reflecting: "At the time, I had to think about it for a while because I was comfortable at Sparta. [At Ajax], fortunately, I was well taken care of and could immediately be myself."

In 2022, after impressing through the age groups, he was handed his maiden professional contract – a life-changing event that kept him awake with excitement the previous night. "I knew I was going to sign my contract. My sleep was not optimal as a result, but I am super happy," he beamed.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesThe big break

Hato got his first-team breakthrough towards the back end of the 2022-23 season. After enjoying a few cameos off the bench earlier in the campaign, he would end up starting Ajax's final six Eredivisie games. With nothing left to play for – Arne Slot's Feyenoord had the league title sewn up by that point – blooding the youngster made sense, but his position in the first team was far from guaranteed for the following season.

However, a hectic summer in Amsterdam changed that; chaos is a ladder after all. Mohammed Kudus and Edson Alvarez were sold to West Ham for sizeable sums, with 12 players arriving in the other direction. The key piece of business from Hato's perspective, though, was Timber joining Arsenal.

This freed up a starting spot in the backline, and Hato made sure he did everything he could during pre-season to secure it. When his side's Eredivisie opener against Heracles rolled around, there he was at the heart of defence. Any doubts over whether he was ready to become such a key piece for Ajax were addressed that afternoon, with Hato seriously impressing. He even chipped in with an assist – albeit only a five-yard sideways pass before Jakov Medic thumped one in from long range.

AFPHow it's going

Hato soon became indispensable for Ajax in what was a hugely testing campaign for the Dutch giants. Amid a backdrop of boardroom chaos and controversy over the signings of sporting director Sven Mislintat – who replaced the disgraced Marc Overmars – their horrendous start to the season saw them drop into the relegation zone in October and manager Maurice Steijn paid the price with his job.

Throughout all of this turmoil, Hato was the one constant. He even became Ajax's youngest-ever captain when interim boss John van 't Schip handed him the armband for a Europa League clash against Brighton in November. "[He's] special in the sense that he has been able to stand his ground for so long and that he continues to reach such a high level," Van 't Schip told reporters. "Of course, he is still a young player, the youngest one, who still has a lot to learn, but if you look at what he brings, the way he defends, the way he can play football forward, he has a great future ahead of him. We don't have to do a lot because he is an exemplary professional."

In recognition of Hato's prodigious club form, Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman then handed him a maiden senior cap against Gibraltar in November, and praised the defender's "bravado" after the 6-0 European Championship qualifying win. The 2023-24 campaign ultimately ended in major disappointment for Hato, who was powerless to prevent Ajax from slumping to a fifth-placed finish in the Eredivisie and subsequently missed out on a spot in Koeman's Euro 2024 squad, but he bounced back in the best possible fashion last term.

Hato registered eight goal contributions as Ajax re-emerged as title contenders after the appointment of new permanent head coach Francesco Farioli. The four-time Champions League winners ultimately finished second to PSV after a shocking late collapse, but Hato was named Eredivisie Talent of the Year, which was a fully deserved consolation prize that acknowledged how consistent he had been in both defence and attack for Farioli's side.

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AFPBiggest strengths

Hato's emergence from the youth academy proves that when it comes to forging the next generation of global stars, few clubs do it better than . The teenager is very much of the Ajax mould.

Technically sublime and possessing a football IQ that defies his tender years, Hato is the archetypal modern defender. He has no issue breaking the lines with his passes and relishes pushing into midfield to help his side's build-up. This is reflected in the 89 percent passing accuracy he registered in the Eredivisie this past season, while he is also averaged over four progressive passes per 90 minutes.

Hato's ability to carry the ball is even more impressive. His quick feet and coolness under pressure helped drive Ajax's resurgence under Farioli, who felt the Dutch ace made "great strides" forward in all aspects of his game.

Indeed, defensively, there is a lot to like about Hato, too. He reads the game brilliantly and boasts impressive powers of recovery due to his turn of pace. Farioli has also described Hato as a "lion" in one-v-one situations because of his bravery, but he does not go out looking for tackles, preferring to choose his moments to dispossess attackers.

Barcelona are keen on signing Espanyol's Joan Garcia amid doubts over Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Wojciech Szczesny's refusal to commit to a new deal.

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• Barca eye Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia
• Szczesny unsure about continuing beyond this season
• Catalans skeptical about Ter Stegen's form

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to a report from , Barcelona are prepared to make a summer transfer swoop for the highly-talented Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia. The Catalans fear that they might not have a world-class No.1 operating between the sticks next season, as the club has already begun to lose its confidence in Ter Stegen. There's also uncertainty over Szczesny continuing beyond the end of the current season, having previously come out of retirement while the German was out injured.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Garcia has proved himself to be, statistically, the best goalkeeper in Spain this season, registering the highest save percentage and 'saves per 90' figures in La Liga. His incredible consistency has attracted interest not only from Barcelona, but also from the Premier League, with Arsenal tabling an offer for him last summer. Additionally, Aston Villa sporting director Monchi has also confirmed the club's interest in the Espanyol star.

  Given the number of suitors ready to acquire Garcia's services, Barca are preparing to make the first move. The club is aware that Ter Stegen, who turned 33 recently, may be beyond his peak years, especially after the Germany international suffered a ruptured knee tendon in September. The goalkeeper has since returned to full fitness, even starting and playing the full 90 minutes in Barca's 2-1 win over Real Valladolid earlier this month.

• WHAT WOJCIECH SZCZESNY SAID

  In a recent interview with , Szczesny declined to confirm his long-term future at Barcelona, despite revealing that the club has offered him a two-year contract extension. The Polish goalkeeper stated that he is not ready to make a final decision just yet, adding that he plans to discuss the matter with his wife before reaching a conclusion.

  Szczesny said: "I will not hide that I have an offer to continue at Barcelona for two more years. They have already presented it to me, but I have asked for time. I need to decide with my family what is best for all of us. My wife will be the one to make the decision, whether we stay or go to Marbella to play golf.

  "I owe it to her to decide this together, and we have not done that yet. She makes most of the decisions, and I am not ashamed of it. Honestly, I do not know what will happen, and I say that sincerely. We will decide this month because we need to sort out logistics, such as schools or moving, depending on what we choose. As of now, nothing is certain. We are thinking about it."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?

  The Blaugrana are just one win away from sealing the Liga title, as their lead at the top of the table extended to seven points following a thrilling 4-3 win over arch-rivals Real Madrid on Sunday. They can wrap up the title race on Thursday, May 15, when they take on local rivals Espanyol, although if Real Madrid don't beat Mallorca on May 14, the trophy will be theirs without having to kick a ball.

MatériaMais Notícias

São Paulo fará último teste antes de estreia na Copa Sul-Americana. Neste sábado (1), o Tricolor fará um jogo-treino com oJoseense, no CT da Barra Funda.

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A informação foi confirmada pela reportagem do LANCE!. A atividade deve acontecer na parte da manhã e será a última ‘programação especial’, além da apresentação do reforço Michel Araujo, antes da equipe viajar para Buenos Aires, onde encontra o Tigre na quinta-feira (6).

Praticamente um reforço por mês! Relembre as contratações do São Paulo na gestão Casares

Veja tabela da Copa Sul-Americana e simule os próximos jogos

Este será o segundo jogo-treino após a eliminação da equipe nas quartas de final do Campeonato Paulista. No começo da semana, também realizou um com o Coritiba. Este contou com o primeiro tempo formado pela equipe titular e o segundo pelos reservas. No agregado, o Tricolor venceu por 4 a 3.

Estava previsto um jogo-treino com o Guarani, ainda para esta semana. Entretanto, como o LANCE! adiantou, um imbróglio por Jamerson fez o Tricolor desistir. A ideia era aproveitar a atividade para avançar as conversas pelo lateral-esquerdo,que está de malas prontas para defender o Coritiba.

O LANCE! tinha apurado que a ideia de uma nova atividade neste fim de semana não estava descartada. Agora, confirmada, será mais uma chance de Rogério Ceni testar equipes para o próximo desafio do Tricolor – podendo contar com a presença do reforço Michel Araujo, anunciado na quinta-feira (30).