تحدث عادل عبد الرحمن، نجم الأهلي ومنتخب مصر السابق، عن مواجهة الأحمر أمام المصري البورسعيدي في الدوري والمقرر إقامتها مساء اليوم الأحد.
وقال عبد الرحمن عبر راديو “ميجا إف إم”: “أتمنى أن يقدم المصري البورسعيدي مباراة قوية أمام الأهلي الذي يعاني من ثغرات واضحة في خط الدفاع مؤخرًا”.
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وأضاف: “الأهلي لن يتأثر بغياب محمد علي بن رمضان، وأعتقد أن تريزيجيه سيعوض غيابه بشكل طبيعي”.
وواصل: “محمد مجدي أفشة يشعر بالإهمال والتهميش، وهو سبب تراجع مستواه مع الأهلي، هو لاعب كبير وقادر على استعادة مستواه المعهود كما اعتدنا عليه، فهو يصنع الفارق في المباريات الكبرى”.
واستطرد: “مدرب الأهلي الجديد يحتاج إلى الوقت حيث أن بصماته لم تظهر حتى الآن وجاء في توقيت صعب، لكنه سيعمل على تطوير الأداء الفردي للاعبين ويجب على الجمهور الصبر”.
وأتم: “توروب يتمير بالانضباط التكتيكي عن ريبيرو، ويجيد قراءة المباريات بشكل أفضل والتغييرت مؤشر رائع”.
Former Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani has opened up on the regrets he has from his time at Elland Road, and revealed two “world-class” managers could’ve been brought in to replace Jesse Marsch.
49ers looking to establish Leeds in the Premier League
During the Radrizzani era, Leeds were unable to establish themselves as Premier League regulars, being relegated at the end of the 2022-23 campaign following a tumultuous season, with Sam Allardyce taking charge of the final four games.
Following the relegation, the club was sold to the 49ers, who, after installing Daniel Farke as manager, oversaw the Whites’ return to the top flight, and there have been encouraging signs at the start of the new season.
Despite widespread reports suggesting the owners were thinking about sacking Farke after promotion, they ultimately stuck by the German, whose side have gone on to amass eight points from their first seven games, although they arguably should’ve taken more.
It remains to be seen how costly the late goals conceded against Fulham and AFC Bournemouth are at the end of the campaign, but Farke is likely to be happy that his side remain outside the relegation zone.
The 48-year-old has twice been relegated from the Premier League, which means it was arguably a risk to stick by him, and it has now been revealed that Leeds could have appointed two established top-level managers if they’d sacked Marsch earlier.
In an interview with The Daily Mail, Radrizzani said: “We spent a lot of time trying to find someone with a similar style of play as Marcelo. I regret that we didn’t change sooner. Jesse is a good coach but I could see signs of frustration and misunderstanding with the team.
“We could have had Unai Emery or Julen Lopetegui but we missed that window. Then we tried with Arne Slot and Andoni Iraola after the World Cup but it was too late. It was my responsibility.”
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ByJoe Nuttall Oct 13, 2025 "World-class" Emery and Slot could've guided Leeds to safety
It is painful to see the list of managers Leeds managers missed out on, especially considering they ended the 2022-23 season with Allardyce in the dugout, with Emery and Slot going on to prove they could’ve built legacies at Elland Road.
Lauded as “world-class” by Ross Barkley, the Aston Villa manager has overseen a dramatic transformation at Villa Park, guiding them to the Champions League and Europa League in back-to-back seasons.
Slot, of course, has also gone on to prove himself at the top level, leading Liverpool to the Premier League title last season, during which time he also received high praise from Accrington Stanley boss John Doolan.
Eventually, things worked out for Leeds, with Farke restoring their Premier League status, but it is no surprise Radrizzani has major regrets about some of his decisions while at Elland Road.
أشاد لاعب نادي ليفربول، بزميله في الفريق محمد صلاح، موضحًا أن الدولي المصري أسطورة حقيقية في النادي الإنجليزي ويتعلم منه الكثير.
وتمكن محمد صلاح من صنع التاريخ وسجل هدفًا في انتصار ليفربول على أستون فيلا بهدفين دون رد أمس السبت بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز على ملعب أنفيلد.
ودخل محمد صلاح تاريخ ليفربول، بعدما وصل إلى 250 هدفًا في كافة المسابقات مع النادي الإنجليزي في إنجاز كبير.
وقال برادلي في مقابلة مع موقع ليفربول الرسمي عن محمد صلاح: ”هو أسطورة في هذا النادي وشخص أحاول أن أتعلم منه الكثير كل يوم من خلال اجتهاده في التدريبات اليومية في صالة الألعاب الرياضية وما شابه، إنه لاعب رائع وأعتقد أنه أظهر ذلك، لقد كان رائعًا واستحق التسجيل عن جدارة”.
وعن الانتصار على أستون فيلا، أضاف: ”نعم كانت مباراة صعبة، أستون فيلا فريق جيد، أنا سعيد جدًا بالأداء وسعيد جدًا بالفوز، من الجميل العودة إلى سكة الانتصارات بعد أسابيع صعبة”.
اقرأ أيضًا.. جيرارد عن مطالب إقالة سلوت من تدريب ليفربول: هراء مطلق
وحول سيطرة ليفربول في لقاء الأمس وتمكنه من الانتصار بسهولة أوضح برادلي: ”أعتقد أنه كان أداءًا مهيمنًا، لعبنا بشكل جيد في بعض الأحيان وحتى عندما لم تكن الكرة بحوزتنا شعرت أننا كنا مسيطرين، أداء جيد وفوز جيد”.
وعودة ريان جرافنبرج ليشارك في خط الوسط من جديد بعد تعافيه من الإصابة: ”نعم، إنه أمر رائع، إنه يدعمني أكثر ويساعدني ومن الجيد عودة ريان، من الواضح أنه لاعب مهم بالنسبة لنا، لذا من الجيد عودته، ومن الجيد تحقيق الفوز”.
وضغط ليفربول الكبير على أستون فيلا: ”أعتقد أن هذا الأسلوب يناسبنا أكثر، كلما حاولت الفرق اللعب ضدنا يكون ضغطنا من أفضل ما يمكننا فعله، لقد كان مناسبًا لنا أكثر الليلة وأعتقد أن الضغط كان رائعًا من الأمام مع هوجو إيكيتيكي ومحمد صلاح ونحن اللاعبين ندعمهم من الخلف، كان ذلك رائعًا، وأعتقد أن هذا هو ما حدد مسار المباراة”.
واستكمل: ”نعلم أنها كانت أسابيع صعبة، لكننا نعلم بالنظر إلى غرفة الملابس، أن لدينا الكثير من اللاعبين المميزين وكنتم تعلمون أنها مسألة وقت فقط قبل أن نتمكن من قلب الأمور، لحسن الحظ كان ذلك أمس، ولكن في الوقت نفسه إنه فوز واحد فقط، علينا أن نواصل العمل الآن ولدينا مباراتان حاسمتان قبل فترة التوقف الدولي، لذا علينا أن نتعافى الآن ونستعد لها”.
وقال برادلي: ”من الواضح أن اكتساب الثقة أمر جيد، فقد كانت مسيرة صعبة للغاية هذا الموسم، العودة إلى سكة الانتصارات أمر جيد للثقة ومن الواضح أننا سنكون مستعدين لمباراة الثلاثاء الآن، وهي مباراة حاسمة أخرى”.
وعن عدم تسجيله لأي هدف مع ليفربول: ”بصراحة ربما كان بإمكاني التسديد بضع مرات أخرى، لكن آمل أن يأتي الهدف قريبًا، أعتقد أنني ومحمد ودومينيك سوبوسلاي تعاوننا بشكل رائع على الجانب الأيمن، نأمل أن نواصل ذلك الآن في المباريات القادمة”.
واختتم: ”إنه أسبوع حافل بالأحداث، بدأ أمس وقد أنجزنا المهمة، لكن لدينا مباراتان هامتان قادمتان الآن، يوم الثلاثاء ثم ضد مانشستر سيتي في نهاية الأسبوع، نتطلع إلى ذلك ونتعافى الآن ونأمل أن نقدم أداءً جيدًا”.
Daniel Levy has brought an end to his 25-year stay at Tottenham with the announcement of his resignation as executive chairman on Thursday – huge news which came completely out of nowhere.
Since taking over from Sir Alan Sugar in 2000, Levy oversaw the transformation of Spurs from a largely mid-table side in the late 1990s to one of the Premier League’s ‘big six’, but his running of the club was also marred by protests from supporters over a lack of success on the field.
"ENICOUT" banneroutside Spurs
The Lilywhites are now one of Europe’s most valuable clubs — boasting a state-of-the-art new stadium and training complex — with Tottenham also the ninth highest revenue-generating side in world football, according to the Deloitte Money League.
Real Madrid
£1.2 billion
Man City
£727 million
PSG
£700 million
Man United
£668 million
Bayern Munich
£664 million
FC Barcelona
£659.5 million
Arsenal
£621.5 million
Liverpool
£620 million
Tottenham Hotspur
£533 million
Chelsea
£474 million
via Deloitte Money League
Off the pitch, Levy’s work deserves high praise, but just two major trophies in two and a half decades frustrated the fanbase.
The 63-year-old’s perceived lack of squad investment during his tenure also attracted fierce criticism, but ENIC’s decision to part company represents a “new era” for the north Londoners.
In the aftermath of Levy’s shock exit, questions are being asked about why this has happened now and so suddenly.
BBC journalist Sami Mokbel and other reliable media sources are reporting that the decision to part ways was ultimately taken out of Levy’s hands, with ENIC effectively pushing him out of the door.
Club insider Paul O’Keefe has also shared some intriguing bits of detail about the story.
ENIC plan "weakened" Daniel Levy's grip on Tottenham before resignation
Taking to X, Spurs in-the-know claims that ENIC’s plan to get properly involved — namely through Lewis’ kids Vivienne and Charlie — is said to have “weakened” Levy’s “vice-like grip” on Tottenham before he was forced out.
ENIC appear set for a more hands-on role in the wake of Levy’s departure, and in that sense, a new era certainly has begun at Tottenham.
Their controversial ownership hasn’t exactly been popular among Spurs supporters, but time will tell whether they manage to turn the tide when it comes to public perception.
For Levy, the ex-official and his family are still a beneficiary of ENIC, owning a near-30 per cent stake in the group, but his club involvement will now cease with immediate effect with no notice period (BBC).
Green had hoped to play for WA in the final Shield round but is unlikely to be ready in time
Alex Malcolm04-Mar-2025Cameron Green is unlikely to play any Sheffield Shield cricket before his County Championship stint with Gloucestershire as he continues to recover from back surgery.Speaking at the Australian Cricket Awards last month Green had flagged that his recovery was on track to have him available for Western Australia’s final Shield match against Victoria on March 15 as a batter only. But despite returning to the nets and hitting balls regularly over recent weeks, ESPNcricinfo understands that he is unlikely to be cleared to play before the end of the Australian domestic summer. WA are not expecting him to be available for the contest with Victoria or the Shield final if they qualify.Green has to get regular scans on his back to check on his progress before returning to play, having undergone spine surgery in October. Green’s first match back is likely to be in division two of the County Championship for Gloucestershire against Kent in Canterbury on April 18.Related
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Green has signed a five-game deal with Gloucestershire thanks to the help of a “significant donation” from one of the club’s members. Those five matches are against Kent (twice), Leicestershire, Lancashire and Northamptonshire prior to the WTC final at Lord’s. However, it remains to be seen whether Cricket Australia’s medical staff allow him to play five straight first-class matches leading into the WTC final coming off no cricket since September and no first-class cricket in 13 months, despite the fact he will not be bowling in any of them.Green is in the frame to play in the WTC final in June as a batter only having played all 28 of his Tests to-date as an allrounder. Australia also have a three-Test tour of the Caribbean starting late June, but he will not be available to bowl until later in the year in the build-up to the home Ashes series which starts in late November.His availability as a batter only will create a selection squeeze in Australia’s line-up. Green made 174 not out in his second last Test match batting at No. 4 but Steven Smith’s triumphant return to that spot means Green will have to bat somewhere else if he plays in the WTC final against South Africa.Travis Head will also return to No. 5 after opening in Australia’s most recent Tests in Sri Lanka, meaning Australia will need another opener to partner Usman Khawaja. Sam Konstas is in the frame to return after missing selection in Sri Lanka and is keen to play in the County Championship but is yet to secure a deal.Green could possibly bat at No. 3 or No. 6 but that would displace either Marnus Labuschagne or Beau Webster. If the latter were to be left out, it would leave Australia without a fourth seam option, although that may not be a major consideration for a one-off Test in England in June. Josh Inglis’ recent run-spree across all formats makes him an enticing selection prospect for the final as well. Australia do not need to name a 15-man squad until May.
Leeds United will be looking to bring in attacking reinforcements to bolster their playing squad before the summer transfer window slams shut at the start of September.
The Whites have added Gabriel Gudmundsson, Jaka Bijol, Sebastian Bornauw, Lucas Perri, Anton Stach, and Sean Longstaff to improve the defence and midfield.
Hoffenheim'sAntonStach
So far, Lukas Nmecha, who signed on a free transfer from Wolfsburg, is the only attacking player to have been brought in ahead of the upcoming Premier League season.
Daniel Farke has made it clear that the Championship champions are looking to add more quality to their options in the attacking areas of the pitch in the next few weeks.
As the German boss pointed out in the quotes above, Leeds have yet to replace Manor Solomon since the winger returned to Tottenham Hotspur at the end of his loan spell.
Irrespective of whether or not the Israel international returns to Elland Road for a second stint in West Yorkshire, it is hard to argue against his loan move being a huge success.
Leeds hit the jackpot with Manor Solomon
The loan market can be incredibly useful for teams looking to get out of the Championship, or to survive in the Premier League, because it allows you to take undervalued talent from bigger clubs.
Solomon only made six appearances in all competitions in the 2023/24 campaign for Spurs, which shows that he was not a key member of Ange Postecoglou’s squad in the Premier League.
This allowed Leeds to swoop in to secure a loan deal for the left-sided attacker because he did not have a short-term future in North London, presenting the Whites with an opportunity to sign a calibre of player that they otherwise may not have been able to land in the Championship.
Solomon then showcased his immense quality on the left wing throughout the season to help Leeds win the title and secure promotion back to the Premier League.
24/25 Championship
Manor Solomon
Appearances
39
xG
8.15
Goals
10
Big chances created
21
Key passes per game
1.7
Assists
12
Dribbles completed per game
1.8
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the 26-year-old wing wizard produced an eye-catching 31 goals and ‘big chances’ created combined in 39 appearances in the second tier.
This shows that the Whites hit the jackpot with the Spurs loanee because he only spent a season at the club on loan, yet made a huge impact on the pitch in his relatively short time in West Yorkshire.
Leeds eyeing deal for Premier League winger
According to The Athletic’s Beren Cross, Leeds United have joined the race to sign Liverpool forward Ben Doak, who could arrive as Solomon 2.0 for Farke.
The reporter claims that the Scotland international has been discussed as a potential signing at Elland Road, as they look to bolster their attacking options.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Cross adds, though, that the Premier League champions will not allow the left-footed starlet to leave for less than £20m, and it remains to be seen whether or not the Whites would be willing to pay that much for him.
Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph, meanwhile, claims that Leeds, West Ham United, Monaco, and Bologna are all in the race to sign the forward, which shows that there is plenty of competition for his signature.
Ben Doak in action for Middlesbrough
Joseph also states that Doak may move on from Anfield this summer because the 19-year-old wants to play regular football, after spending last season on loan at Middlesbrough in the Championship.
Why Ben Doak would be a Manor Solomon repeat for Leeds
The West Yorkshire outfit could repeat their Solomon masterclass by securing a deal to bring Doak over to Elland Road before the end of the summer transfer window.
Whilst it would not be the exact same type of deal, as this would be a permanent move, the strategy is still the same: signing an undervalued player who is unlikely to get minutes at one of the best clubs in England.
As was the case with Solomon behind Heung-min Son at Spurs, the Liverpool youngster may be on his way out of Anfield because he is unlikely to break past reigning Premier League Player of the Season Mohamed Salah on the right flank.
This has presented Leeds with a potential opportunity to sign Doak, who was hailed as a “menace” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, and improve their forward options with another impressive winger.
The 19-year-old whiz spent the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Middlesbrough and caught the eye with three goals and seven assists in 21 starts for Michael Carrick’s side.
24/25 Championship
Ben Doak per 90
Percentile rank vs wingers
xG
0.22
Top 26%
Goals
0.15
Top 48%
xA
0.23
Top 9%
Assists
0.35
Top 10%
Chances created
2.22
Top 7%
Successful dribbles
1.76
Top 22%
Stats via FotMob
As you can see in the table above, the Scottish forward ranked highly as a creator on the right wing for Boro, but could improve when it comes to finishing the chances that come his way.
At the age of 19, the Liverpool youngster is a very young player who still has plenty of time left ahead of him to improve and develop as a player, which means that he could be a fantastic signing for the long-term as well as a winger who could make an instant impact for Farke.
Doak, who was dubbed “explosive” by pundit Danny Murphy, could be a terrific option off the bench for Leeds in the Premier League because of his ability to dribble and create.
Throwing him on against tired defences could be very effective when the Whites need to push for a goal late on in matches to win vital points in their attempt to avoid relegation, as he has the dribbling ability to take on tired full-backs and the creative quality to provide his teammates with high-quality chances to score.
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Aug 5, 2025
Therefore, Leeds should be pushing to get a deal over the line for Doak in a move that would be reminiscent of when they hit the jackpot with Solomon last season.
Robert Sanchez has been passionately defended in his role as Chelsea's No.1, with Roberto Di Matteo urging critics to leave the Spaniard alone.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Finding a reliable option between the sticks has been something of an issue at Stamford Bridge. Big money has been invested across the entire Blues squad, but questions are being asked of whether value has been found in a key area of the field.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Sanchez was snapped up from Brighton for £25 million ($34m) in 2023, bringing useful Premier League experience with him, and has taken in 64 appearances for Chelsea. He has seen the odd mistake creep into his game, but Di Matteo insists the 27-year-old deserves greater credit.
WHAT DI MATTEO SAID
Former Blues player and manager Di Matteo, speaking in association with , told GOAL when asked about Sanchez: "Leave him alone! I had this question last season. You only focus on the mistakes. I know a goalkeeper makes a mistake and it is highlighted because most of the time it is a goal, but there are positives.
"Switch it around for once. Look at how many good saves he made, how many points he won for the team. Yes, he has made some mistakes – every goalkeeper makes mistakes. But we can move on and be objective about Sanchez. Ok, he has made six/seven mistakes that led to goals but how many points has he saved for the club with crucial saves? Let’s look at that. I think he’s a very good goalkeeper.
"It wasn’t a priority over the summer for the club for a new goalkeeper. They are happy. Last season, two trophies. How many teams won two trophies last season? Conference League and Club World Cup. with him. He’s very good. At the moment they focus on the negatives and I think it’s unfair."
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Pressed on whether Chelsea should have been in the market for Champions League and European Championship winner Gianluigi Donnarumma – who ultimately ended up at Manchester City – after seeing him suddenly become available at Paris Saint-Germain, Di Matteo added: "Maybe they had a conversation with Donnarumma, but I think they are happy in that position. They didn’t desperately need a new goalkeeper. I’m Italian so I love Donnarumma. It will be great to see him in the Premier League. Let’s see how the season goes."
Are Rangers on course for a return to the Champions League?
Having already dumped out Panathinaikos in the previous round, the Gers demolished Viktoria Plzeň 3-0 in the first leg of their third qualifying round tie on Tuesday night; new hero Djeidi Gassama scored twice, while Cyriel Dessers converted a penalty in first half stoppage time.
Thus, Russell Martin’s side will take a commanding lead to Stadion města Plzně next Tuesday, now likely to face Club Brugge in the play-off round, after the Belgian outfit beat Red Bull Salzburg 1-0 away from home in their first leg on Wednesday.
Even though the Light Blues have both Champions League and Scottish Premiership commitments during a very busy August, they remain active in the transfer market too, so could they sign a “talented” youngster from a Premier League giant?
Rangers continuing to reinforce
So far this summer, Rangers have made nine new signings, most recently bringing in Oliver Antman for a reported fee of £4m on Monday.
24 hours later, the Finnish international was thrown in for his debut against Viktoria Plzeň and certainly impressed, posing a constant threat all night, with European scouting expert Joost van der Leij asserting that they “robbed the living daylights out of Go Ahead Eagles”, getting such a high-quality player at a bargain price.
One position Martin has not yet strengthened is his goalkeepers, failing in attempts to sign Carl Rushworth from Brighton and Aaron Ramsdale from the new manager’s former club Southampton.
Thus, as reported by Dominik Schneider of FußballTransfers, Rangers “have joined the race” to sign Arsenal goalkeeper Karl Hein, with Sevilla amongst those also interested.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The 23-year-old finds himself third-choice in North London, behind David Raya and new signing Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Last summer, manager Mikel Arteta stated that the youngster “needs to play games”, adding that he has “big potential and a big future ahead of him”, with Hein subsequently loaned out to Real Valladolid, so another loan move, this time to Govan, could be on the cards.
How Karl Hein would improve Rangers
Hein joined Arsenal from Meistriliiga side Nõmme United back in 2018, but has only featured once for the Gunners at senior level since then, starting a Carabao Cup tie against Brighton in November 2022.
He endured a pretty underwhelming loan spell at Reading earlier that year, appearing just five times for the Royals at EFL Championship level, but took a gigantic leap forward in his development in Spain last season.
During that aforementioned loan spell at Real Valladolid, Hein was their starting goalkeeper, racking up 32 appearances, earning plenty of praise for his performances, even though los Blanquivioletas finished rock-bottom of the table.
Minutes
2,790
13th
Goals conceded
68
1st
Post-shot xG faced
58.8
1st
Saves
96
4th
Crosses stopped
34
5th
High claims
28
6th
Errors leading to a goal
1
19th
Passes attempted
941
6th
As the table outlines, while Hein did concede more goals than anyone else in La Liga last season, he did face the most expected goals too, given that Valladolid were largely hopeless, and other statistics make for more encouraging reading.
He ranked fourth for saves and fifth in terms of crosses stopped, making just one error resulting in an opposition goal.
Also, despite his lack of club experience, Hein does boast plenty at international level, having already accumulated 39 caps for Estonia since his debut five years ago, starting 22 of the Blueshirts’ last 23 competitive fixtures.
Chris Wheatley of the Sporting News labelled him a “talented goalkeeper”, while Josh James of Arsenal.com documents his ‘rapid development’, praising his ‘laser-like focus’ on improving every single day.
Meantime, following Real Madrid’s 3-0 victory over Valladolid last August, President Florentino Pérez praised the opposition’s “very good goalkeeper”, making six saves that afternoon at the Bernabéu.
So, could he become the latest loan star to arrive at Rangers from a Premier League giant and shine?
Well, the most recent player to do this was Ryan Kent, who impressed to such an extent during his loan period from Liverpool in 2018/19 that the Gers paid a reported fee of £7.5m to make the deal permanent, the second-most expensive signing in the club’s history, only surpassed by the £12m splashed to sign Tore André Flo in 2000.
Most expensive SPFL signings (timeless) Rangers Celtic
Kent would go on to make 218 appearances for the Light Blues, scoring 33 goals and registering 56 assists, winning the Premiership title and a Scottish Cup, also a pivotal figure in the team that reached the Europa League Final in Seville.
Well, if Hein went on to have even half as successful a career as that in Glasgow, his signature would represent quite the coup.
Imagine him & Gassama: Rangers made approach for "hugely underrated" star
Rangers reportedly made an approach to sign a wing wizard who could be exciting alongside Djeidi Gassama.
Mady Villiers nearly saves the day with the ball, after magnificent 80 from Orla Prendergast
ESPNcricinfo staff15-Sep-2024
Orla Prendergast made a superb 80 from 51 balls•Getty Images
Ireland 170 for 5 (Prendergast 80) beat England 169 for 8 (Beaumont 40) by five wicketsIreland’s women squared the T20I leg of their series against England in thrilling – and familiar – fashion at Clontarf, with Mady Villiers reprising her heroic efforts at the death in last week’s third ODI, only for the contest to turn once again on a calamitous error in the field.In Belfast on Wednesday, Villiers had engineered three wickets in as many balls, including a run-out, only for Hollie Armitage’s final-ball misfield to gift Ireland their winning boundary. This time it was Villiers herself who was at fault, despite having once again claimed back-to-back bowled dismissals to leave Ireland needing two runs from two balls with a brand-new batter on strike.Christina Coulter Reilly, however, was able to scramble the winning runs after driving her first ball straight back at Villiers, who gathered and shied when she might have had time to turn and run for the stumps, and gave away two overthrows to allow Ireland to close out the campaign with their second nerve-jangling win in five games.It was, nevertheless, a deserved win for Ireland – in particular for Orla Prendergast, whose 80 from 51 balls was the day’s stand-out performance. While she was marshalling the chase, with solid support initially from Gaby Lewis and then from Leah Paul, England’s inexperienced line-up had few answers, and at 163 for 2, with seven runs needed from seven balls, there was only one realistic winner.Kate Cross, however, capped her maiden series as England captain with one last stand-out performance. Having dismissed Amy Hunter with the fourth ball of Ireland’s innings, she then bowled Prendergast with her final delivery of the tour to transfer all of the pressure onto Ireland’s middle-order.After a single from Paul, Sarah Forbes found the boundary with her first ball off Villiers to reduce the requirement to two runs from four balls. But Villiers responded by prising out with her very next ball, then added Jane Maguire first-ball to give England a huge opportunity to close out the series with a 2-0 win. It wasn’t to be.Earlier, England had posted a competitive 169 for 8 after being asked to bat first. Bryony Smith followed her matchwinning fifty in Saturday’s opening T20I with 28 from 26 balls in an opening stand of 44 with Tammy Beaumont, who top-scored with 40 from 34.Paige Scholfield made 34 from 31 to inject some urgency through the middle overs, but Prendergast served notice of a fine allround display with two wickets in as many overs to dent England’s big finish, before a brace of run-outs in the final over. As it turned out, those missing runs would prove crucial.”I knew if I got myself in and got a start, I would convert and accelerate towards the back end,” Prendergast told TNT Sports at the end of the match. “It was our last game of the summer. To put in a really good performance to finish to show how good a side we are was what motivated us.””We’ve kept ourselves in the game and gave ourselves a chance to win,” Cross added. “But Mady’s overs and tight finishes seem to be a theme of the week.”Orla batted brilliantly, she put us under a lot of pressure. We were trying to keep her off strike, but she kept finding the boundary. Sometimes, you just have to accept that someone has batted well, but we could have won that game right at the end there.”Pressure does funny things to people. If you give Mady that moment again, 99 times out of 100 she just runs and knocks the bails off.”
Dunith Wellalage, all of 21, produced an exemplary all-round performance on a tough pitch at Khettarama. Batting at No. 7, he played Sri Lanka’s best innings, hitting 67 not out off 65, in a total of 230 for 8 in the first ODI.When defending, the left-arm spinner took 2 for 39 off nine overs, taking the crucial wicket of Rohit Sharma, who was India’s best batter on the evening, and Sri Lanka went on to tie the game.On the batting front, Wellalage had started watchfully after coming in at 101 for 5 in the 27th over, but on a surface on which no one truly looked set, he seemed the most comfortable batter across both teams, even striking powerful boundaries at the close. For this innings, he took inspiration from a Sri Lanka team-mate, he said.Related
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Pathum Nissanka, who hit another fifty on Friday, has been the hosts’ best batter of the tour so far, having also made runs in the T20Is.”They have a lot of experienced bowlers, so the more we can limit our mistakes, the more we can put pressure on them,” Wellalage said of his thinking during his innings. “I was watching Pathum Nissanka bat quite a lot. I put his batting in my mind as I came up with a plan. If you take the pitch, it was one that supported spin bowling. I tried to put as much pressure on the bowler and build partnerships.”With the ball, he perhaps struck the most important blow of the night. Rohit was threatening to make easy work of the target when he galloped to his fifty off 33 balls. But in the 15th over, Wellalage beat him in flight, and struck Rohit in front of the stumps as he attempted a sweep shot, cutting that innings short for 58 off 47.This is after he’d also dismissed Shubman Gill, again with a nicely flighted delivery that Gill top edged high enough for the keeper to track it down. Wellalage had been the first spinner to be introduced, inside the powerplay.”We knew that the wicket was spinning. So Charith Asalanka had told me that I would be bowling in the powerplay. I had good support from the wicket too.”With Rohit at the time, I was trying just to bowl wicket-to-wicket, because I knew how much assistance there was from the pitch.”The middle to late overs, were all Wanindu Hasaranga and Asalanka, said Wellalage. Those two bowlers took three wickets apiece, with Asalanka providing the final touches, taking two wickets in the 48th over when India had already tied the game. Having Axar Patel caught behind was his other wicket.Earlier, Hasaranga had removed Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Kuldeep Yadav.”When we bowled, the game changed with the wickets that Wanindu and Charith took. They took wickets at very difficult times, and that’s how we were able to at least keep it to this score. If you take Axar Patel and KL Rahul, these are batters who have finished a lot of matches.”At that time we needed to get the bowlers in, and when Charith got Axar out and Wanindu got KL Rahul out. It was important to stay calm at that stage, and the match turned our way.”