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Após a vitória na Libertadores diante do Cerro Porteño por 2 a 1 na noite da última quinta-feira (20), o Palmeiras treinou nesta manhã, na Academia de Futebol, iniciando a preparação para o duelo deste domingo (23) contra o Vasco, às 16h, no Maracanã, pela segunda rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. O meia Jhon Jhon, que foi titular contra o time paraguaio, agradeceu pela oportunidade e projetou o duelo do final de semana.

> Mayke inicia transição, e Palmeiras se prepara para enfrentar o Vasco pelo Brasileirão; veja provável time

– Somos os atuais campeões brasileiros, então temos que mostrar nosso futebol. Sabemos que a equipe do Vasco é muito qualificada, mas vamos mostrar nosso futebol. Vamos trabalhar nesse pouco tempo que temos até o jogo no Rio de Janeiro para buscarmos o nosso resultado contra o Vasco – disse o jovem.

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– Queria agradecer mais uma vez a Deus por mais uma oportunidade de defender este clube gigante que é o Palmeiras. Tive mais uma oportunidade de começar jogando, um jogo difícil contra o Cerro Porteño. Fizemos um primeiro tempo não muito bom, mas conseguimos corrigir no intervalo e no segundo tempo, com muita garra, arrancar os três pontos .

O meia valorizou o apoio do clube e revelou estar vivendo um sonho no Verdão. Além disso, Jhon Jhonenalteceu a atenção da comissão técnica do Alviverde com todos os atletas e falou sobre sentimento de felicidade com o momento vivido no clube.

-Libertadores é uma experiência incrível. Já tinha jogado no ano passado, já tinha sentido um pouco como é. Ontem pude mais uma vez sentir esse gosto. Sonhei com isso desde pequeno, me tornar um jogador desse nível, disputar uma Libertadores, almejar ainda mais. Sou grato ao Palmeiras, ao elenco por ter me apoiado, à comissão e a todos do clube por me acolherem nesse momento e eu poder realizar mais um sonho.

> Abel celebra virada do Palmeiras, mas alerta time: ‘Estar preparado para igualar a vontade dos adversários’

-Me sinto muito feliz. A comissão não conversa só comigo, mas com todos. Eles têm atenção com todos, os que jogam mais e os que jogam menos têm a mesma importância. Então eu me sinto muito feliz nesse momento que tenho vivido no clube, ter sequência. É continuar trabalhando como sempre fiz, tendo resiliência, que as coisas vão acontecer naturalmente – concluiu.

O Verdão volta a treinar neste sábado (22), às 10h, na Academia de Futebol. Vale ressaltar que esta será a primeira vez Palmeiras e Vasco se enfrentam no Maracanã neste século. A última vez foi em 2000, pela partida de ida das finais do Torneio Rio-São Paulo. Na ocasião, o Alviverde venceu por 3 a 1, e confirmou o título no Morumbi com goleando o Cruzmaltino por 4 a 0.

Tottenham are continuing their plans to back Thomas Frank in the transfer market ahead of his first full season in charge, amid the drama surrounding Morgan Gibbs-White and his potential move to N17.

"It's done" – £80k-a-week attacker submits transfer request to join Tottenham

He’s apparently desperate to join the Lilywhites.

3 ByEmilio Galantini Jul 17, 2025

Spurs remain in pursuit of the England international, despite Nottingham Forest’s threat of legal action against both the Lilywhites and his agent (Sky Sports), with reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano confirming that Gibbs-White is their priority as of now.

Tottenham appeared set to sign the 25-year-old nearly a fortnight ago after a round of quick-fire talks, even going as far as to book a medical for Gibbs-White on July 11, but Forest’s legal objections have seriously delayed his switch to London.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

There have even been some reports that this Forest reaction is down to Tottenham hijacking Man City’s part-exchange deal for Gibbs-White involving James McAtee (Football Insider), with Evangelos Mariniakis and co furious at the attacker’s last-gasp U-turn.

While this theory is yet to be backed up elsewhere, the consensus is that Spurs are still hopeful of eventually sealing a deal for Gibbs-White, but in the meantime, chairman Daniel Levy and co have other targets in mind as well.

Tottenham are keen on a new holding midfielder, amid repeated links to Bayern Munich’s Joao Palhinha, and there is a belief that Frank’s side are also looking at signing another centre-back too (The Telegraph).

Brentford star Yoane Wissa, who scored 20 goals in all competitions under Frank last season, also remains a top target.

Spurs face stiff competition from Newcastle United for the Congolese’s services, with the Magpies already having a £25 million offer turned down for him in the last few days.

There is an expectation that Eddie Howe’s side will go back in with an improved offer, but we cannot discount Tottenham, as explained by reliable journalist Ben Jacobs.

Yoane Wissa in London for crunch talks over Brentford future

Jacobs, taking to X, claims that Wissa is now in London for talks over his Brentford future after departing their pre-season training camp in Portugal.

The reporter says that while Newcastle are confident they can sign the 28-year-old, Wissa is also open to joining Tottenham, so there remains a distinct possibility that Frank could reunite with his ex-star striker at Hotspur Way.

Spurs’ boss has already praised Wissa’s “nose for goals”, and if signed, question marks will surely surround the long-term future of Richarlison, who’s attracting rumoured interest from a host of clubs abroad.

“I think they are super players,” said Frank about Wissa and his former Brentford side in 2023.

“Wissa, we knew, has always been a goalscorer. He scored seven goals in the first season and seven in the second in the Premier League, for a player that didn’t play much. It’s remarkable. I definitely think he is best as a 9. He’s got that nose for goals.”

Warwickshire captain Alex Davies became the first player to score 1,000 runs in Division One of the Vitality County Championship this summer on a severely truncated second day against local rivals Worcestershire at Visit Worcestershire New Road.The 30-year-old began his innings needing a further 34 and turned Logan van Beek square of the wicket for a boundary to reach the milestone during the morning session.Surrey batter Rory Burns started the day as Davies’ nearest challenger but he was dismissed for 21 against Somerset with his total on 974.It was the second time Davies had completed 1,000 runs in a campaign after, in 2017, becoming the first Lancashire wicket-keeper to achieve the feat.He moved to Warwickshire for the 2022 season and the first two years at Edgbaston produced first class returns of 649 at 28.21 and 437 at 25.70.This summer he has struck four centuries and averages 56.88.He eventually fell to Ethan Brookes who delivered an impressive nine-over spell which yielded two wickets before bad light and rain ended play for the day at 2.15pm after 37 overs were possible.Those spectators who waited until the play was officially called off were entertained via the club PA to a series of weather anthems including ‘Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head’ and ‘It’s Raining Men.’Warwickshire needed only four overs to polish off the Worcestershire first innings but not before the home side had secured a second batting point.Jack Home, who was making his Championship debut, pulled Chris Rushworth for successive boundaries to bring up the 300.But then Rushworth struck twice in the space of three balls.He ended a stand of 65 between Tom Taylor and Home by trapping the latter lbw for 29 and then knocked out the off stump of on loan Surrey spinner Amar Virdi.It left Taylor unbeaten on 36 from 49 balls.Taylor then took the new ball but only five balls were possible before bad light stopped play with Warwickshire 6-0.When play resumed after a short delay, Taylor made the first breakthrough when Rob Yates tried to work the ball on the leg side and was caught off a leading edge at mid on by Virdi.Taylor bowled an excellent opening spell and constantly beat the bat.Davies went to his four-figure milestone in spectacular fashion against Logan van Beek during his first over.He twice hit the New Zealander for sixes backward of square and then a square drive to the boundary took him past 1,000 in an over costing 16 runs.Davies completed a 59-ball half-century with three sixes and six fours as Warwickshire reached 76 for 1 off 20 overs by lunch.But former Warwickshire all-rounder Ethan Brookes struck with the first delivery after the resumption when Will Rhodes aimed to work to leg and inside edged through to keeper Gareth Roderick moving away to his right.There was more joy for Brookes with the prized scalp of Davies (58) who went for a drive but took his one hand off the bat and inside-edged onto his stumps at 91 for 3.Van Beek switched ends and claimed his first scalp when Sam Hain (11) tried to turn a delivery on the on-side and was bowled shortly before the players left the field for the final time.

Aston Villa have now burst into the race for a “special” player who is expected to cost over £60m, according to a report.

Villa locked in transfer battles with Newcastle

With Villa and Newcastle both set to compete in Europe next season, it is no surprise the two clubs are shopping in similar talent pools, and they are battling it out for the signature of FC Porto striker Samu Aghehowa, who is protected by a £85m release clause.

The Villans’ pursuit of a new striker comes amid doubts over Ollie Watkins’ future, with Sky Sports recently revealing that Manchester United are now exploring the conditions of a potential deal for the England international.

However, striker is not the only position in which Unai Emery is looking to strengthen, with the manager also setting his sights on a new winger, according to a report from talkSPORT.

The report states that Aston Villa have now burst into the race for Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga, with the Sweden international also being targeted by Newcastle, and widespread recent reports have suggested the Magpies are in advanced talks.

Villa are now set to compete for Elanga’s signature, however, having conducted checks on the Forest star, but a deal is likely to be on the expensive side, with their Premier League rivals set to hold out for a fee in excess of £60m.

Forest have no desire to sell one of their key players, having already knocked back a £45m bid from Newcastle, which means Emery’s side will need to be willing to spend big to get a deal over the line.

"Special" Elanga could excel at Villa Park

The former Manchester United man has gone from strength-to-strength since leaving Old Trafford, playing a key role in Forest securing survival in the 2023-24 campaign, before going on to feature in every Premier League game last season.

Season

Appearances

Goals

Assists

2023-24

36

5

9

2024-25

38

6

11

As such, the 23-year-old clearly has the talent to excel at Villa Park, but there are doubts over whether NSWE would be able to justify an outlay of over £60m+ outlay, considering they are currently looking to sell the women’s team to avoid a PSR breach.

The next Tielemans: Aston Villa submit bid to sign "incredible" £34m star

Aston Villa fans would love to welcome in this new signing who could be Unai Emery’s next Youri Tielemans.

1 ByKelan Sarson Jul 1, 2025

Should Watkins complete a move to Man United, Villa should have money to spend, but the number one priority at that point would surely be to bring in a new striker, having also lost Jhon Duran in the January transfer window.

Consequently, even though Elanga has been lauded as “special” by Forest boss Nuno, there are doubts over whether the right-winger would be a necessary signing for the Villans, and a move to St. James’ Park may be more attractive, as Champions League football is on offer.

Fresh from Championship promotion, Regis Le Bris could reportedly be in for a big summer at Sunderland as the Black Cats prepare to secure Premier League survival at the first time of asking.

Sunderland interested in Henderson return

Among the exciting deals that could take place at the Stadium of Light this summer is Jordan Henderson’s return. The Wearside-born midfielder has enjoyed an incredible career since leaving Sunderland as a breakout star, becoming the most successful Liverpool captain of the Premier League era by lifting the Champions League, Premier League and both domestic cups.

Now, however, after quickly quitting Saudi Arabia and enduring a mixed spell at Ajax, the England international is at a crossroads that Sunderland could solve. At 34 years old and with Sunderland back in the Premier League, there hasn’t been a more perfect time than this summer for Henderson to complete a fairytale return to his boyhood club.

Having watched Sunderland’s dramatic playoff final victory in person, Henderson has already seen the quality that Le Bris’ side possess with his own eyes. Whether he deems it enough to join up with those at the Stadium of Light remains to be seen, however.

A deal to sign the midfielder, with or without his history at the club, makes perfect sense. If Sunderland are to become the first club in six promoted sides to avoid the Premier League drop, then top flight experience will be key and Henderson offers exactly that and more.

Big O'Nien upgrade: Sunderland targeting move for "freak" £20m "monster"

Sunderland might look to upgrade on Luke O’Nien when venturing up to the Premier League.

ByKelan Sarson May 30, 2025

The former Liverpool captain may just be the start of the arrivals, however, with one reporter now claiming that Sunderland have “big” transfer plans this summer.

Sunderland planning for "big" summer transfer window

According to reporter Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Sunderland will have “big” funds available this summer as they look to overhaul Le Bris’ squad in preparation for the Premier League.

This could see a number of fresh faces arrive to potentially join Henderson in the coming months in what looks likely to be an exciting transfer window for those at the Stadium of Light, with O’Rourke adding that ‘additions with Premier League experience under their belts’ are wanted.

Alongside the midfielder, Sunderland have also been linked with the likes of Kwame Poku in recent weeks. The Peterborough attacker is a wanted man across English football, but Sunderland’s Premier League status could yet prove to be key. It must be said, however, that the jump from League One to the Premier League would certainly be substantial.

Amid all of the excitement, it is also worth noting that Sunderland could be funding their summer through the sale of Jobe Bellingham. The talented midfielder has reportedly been to visit Eintracht Frankfurt to hear their pitch about a potential move in the coming months, and whilst the visit was not for formal talks to take place, the Black Cats should certainly be concerned.

With Henderson and Poku potentially arriving, among others, and Bellingham perhaps on his way out, Sunderland will be one of the most interesting clubs to watch this summer.

Manchester United are now closing in on their first signing of the summer as they have agreed personal terms with Wolves star Matheus Cunha, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Man Utd stepping up transfer plans as they lodge multiple bids

This summer is expected to be a busy time for the Red Devils as they look to address what has been a very poor campaign and give Ruben Amorim the ingredients to become a success at Old Trafford. The summer transfer window isn’t even open yet, but United have already started to make moves in the transfer market.

A report from Spain has claimed that Man United have submitted a £55 million bid to sign Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford – Mbeumo is seen as a player who can improve United’s attacking options, and the hope from Old Trafford is that the offer is enough to tempt Brentford into selling one of their star players.

As well as making an offer for Mbuemo, reports have claimed United have also lodged a staggering £113 million bid to try and sign Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig this summer.

The Dutch international is expected to leave the Bundesliga side, and United hope he will ease the creative burden on Bruno Fernandes. It is claimed that United are desperate to bring Simons to Old Trafford, and his signing would be a huge statement from INEOS in terms of them backing Amorim in the transfer market.

Man Utd lodge £113m bid to sign their new Bruno Fernandes

Manchester United will aim to snap up their next Bruno Fernandes with this stunning purchase.

ByKelan Sarson May 19, 2025 Man Utd closing in on £62.5m Cunha deal after agreeing personal terms

Mbuemo and Simons appear to be top targets for the Red Devils, but they are not going to be the first signing the Premier League side make this summer. That is because, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Man United are close to signing Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Romano reports that United are close to signing Cunha, as the Wolves star has now accepted the project on offer at Old Trafford and has agreed personal terms with the Red Devils, which means the deal is now almost completed. Romano adds that just the final details need to be sorted between all parties ‘and then, here we go’.

United have moved very quickly to sign Cunha, who has been dubbed “sensational” by pundit Micah Richards. The Brazilian international has a release clause worth £62.5 million, and the Red Devils are expected to trigger that to reach an agreement.

It was claimed last week that Arsenal had reopened talks to sign Cunha from Wolves, perhaps prompting INEOS to act fast with their move for the versatile forward, who has scored 15 goals in the Premier League this season.

Apps

31

Goals

15

xG

8.04

Shots per game

3.2

Shots on target per game

1.3

Chance conversion

15%

Assists

6

Big chances created

13

Cunha’s arrival at Old Trafford will likely see him deployed as one of United’s number 10s in Amorim’s system. But his versatility means the Brazilian can also operate as a number nine, which Amorim may be more inclined to do, given the struggles of Rasmus Hojlund.

Manchester United are looking to enjoy a statement summer window under Ruben Amorim and could now elbow Manchester City aside for a potential bargain signing, per reports.

Man Utd begin summer window preparation

The Red Devils will be looking forward to the end of a frustrating Premier League season where they haven’t been able to reverse the current of an inconsistent run of results.

Erik ten Hag tried and failed before Amorim arrived at Old Trafford. However, the Portuguese boss has presided over a chaotic campaign that is destined to end in a bottom-half finish.

Nevertheless, winning the Europa League could provide a backdoor route to Champions League qualification as Manchester United and INEOS look to establish themselves among the elite.

Athletic Club await in the semi-final, which could pave the way for a showdown against either Tottenham Hotspur or Bodo Glimt should circumstances align in ideal fashion.

On the transfer front, Manchester United are eyeing an ambitious move for Napoli midfielder Stanislav Lobotka and could land his services for a fee of £34 million.

Related Amorim wants him: Man Utd eye £42m bid to sign star ahead of Bayern Munich

Manchester United find themselves in a battle to sign a player Ruben Amorim really wants.

Posts ByBrett Worthington Apr 26, 2025

Casemiro may well depart Old Trafford, and there is plenty of speculation over new faces to firm up Amorim’s bid for success— the Red Devils’ interest in Wolverhampton Wanderers star Matheus Cunha and Atalanta’s Ederson offer an inkling of where they may aim to target.

The engine room and their forward line are obvious areas to shore up, but finances will likely dictate the level of business that could occur to add strength to a side in need of a rebrand.

That said, Manchester United have now been offered the chance to sign a proven midfielder who could be available for nothing this summer.

Man Utd offered chance to sign Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa

According to reports in Italy via Sport Witness, Manchester United have been offered the chance to sign Napoli midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa alongside rivals Manchester City via his entourage.

Intriguingly, his contract with the Serie A giants is set to expire this summer, though both parties have the option to extend it by two more years, so he could be available for free over the coming months.

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa’s record at Napoli

Appearances

148

Goals

11

Assists

17

Trophies

1 Serie A in 2022/23

Labelled “fantastic” alongside midfield partner Scott McTominay by Philip Billing, the Cameroon international has also attracted recent interest from Chelsea, while Monaco and Marseille have also made contact to gauge his availability.

Anguissa’s family want to move to England, and his agent has previously been in London and Manchester to discuss a change of scenery ahead of the summer window.

Deemed to be a similar player to Luka Modric, via Football Transfers, the 29-year-old is now potentially in line for a Premier League return after enjoying a spell at Fulham between 2018 and 2022.

After registering six goals and four assists in ten appearances across all competitions this term, it now remains to be seen whether he will end up at Old Trafford.

As they prepare to lead India and England in a crucial clash, their shared legacy at Mumbai Indians adds intrigue to the contest

S Sudarshanan17-Oct-2025The difference is stark as you get off the main road and enter the bylane to reach the media gate at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. It’s distinctly quiet, free of the honking and the bustle of vehicles. Quite the contrast. Much like Nat Sciver-Brunt and Harmanpreet Kaur at training on Friday, ahead of the crucial game between India and England.Sciver-Brunt was everywhere. She was partaking in catching and fielding drills one moment. And the next, she was spot-bowling in one of the two training nets. Then she was bowling to Tammy Beaumont and Sophia Dunkley, before batting in the adjacent net against throwdowns and the England bowlers. Not long after, she changed out of her training kit to fulfill broadcast commitments. It was a packed schedule for the England captain on a hot afternoon in Indore.By the time Harmanpreet and her team strode in, the sun had given way to a dark, cloudy sky. The floodlights came on almost right on cue. There was a drizzle just before India’s arrival and so they chose to train in the enclosed Amay Khuraysia practice arena just behind one of the east stands. Harmanpreet was a picture of focus. She batted in pairs with Jemimah Rodrigues and faced a variety of India bowlers. India used two pitches in the facility – a red-soil surface and a black-soil one. She batted on both of them for close to 90 minutes. After that, she bowled to Deepti Sharma for a bit.Related

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'For Theo' – a century for Sciver-Brunt, a celebration for the Sciver-Brunts

Harmanpreet and Sciver-Brunt have had many match-winning partnerships in the WPL for Mumbai Indians (MI), who have won two titles in three seasons. As MI captain and vice-captain, they have plotted the downfall of many of Harmanpreet’s India team-mates, including Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues. But come Sunday at the Women’s World Cup, the duo will be in opposite camps, plotting to take the other down. England, with seven points, are yet to lose a game in the tournament; India have only four points in four matches after suffering losses in their two previous games.Harmanpreet will also be up against Charlotte Edwards, who left her job as MI coach after three years to take charge of England. India and England played a bilateral series in July with the MI leadership split across both teams, but this next game is the one that matters most. A full house is expected in Indore.”In my 15-16 years of coaching, whenever I have had a chance to work as an assistant coach, my best experience was under Anju [Jain] at Bangladesh. After that, I would definitely take Charlotte’s name,” MI batting coach Devika Palshikar tells ESPNcricinfo. “She is tactically brilliant. She gave us a free hand, our roles were quite clear. In a short tournament like the WPL, it is important to keep the players in a good space mentally. Charlotte is really good at that.”Edwards seems to have had a similar impact on England’s players. Linsey Smith, who has opened the bowling several times in T20Is, was asked to do the role in ODIs for the first time, and she delivered. Emma Lamb had not batted outside the top order in domestic cricket, but she was backed to do a middle-order role, partly because England also need batters who can bowl spin.Harmanpreet Kaur hugs then-MI head coach Charlotte Edwards after WPL title win•BCCI”Charlotte doesn’t put pressure on the results,” Palshikar, who helped bridge the language barrier at MI, said. “It is always about the process. She gives small, specific targets to players. For example at MI, [openers] Hayley [Matthews] and Yastika [Bhatia] have to take care of the powerplay. After that Nat is there, and she and Harman [Harmanpreet] can have a good partnership.”Apart from Edwards and Sciver-Brunt aside, England also have another person from the MI support staff in their camp – Benji Hoppitt, the performance analyst. Palshikar calls him “a mastermind who helps us trick opponents”. Edwards and Hoppitt also worked together at Sydney Sixers in the WBBL and Southern Brave in the Hundred.”Benji has very good insights. He is thorough. He is the best analyst I have worked with so far. We now know why Charlotte and Benji work together everywhere!”All this is not to say England have the inside track on India. Harmanpreet has been on the international circuit for over 16 years. Perhaps no one moved the needle as much as she did with her 171 not out against Australia in the 2017 World Cup. And even at 36, few can match her for power with the bat.”Harman is very experienced,” Palshikar says. “She’s played on Indian soil for close to 20 years. So she knows about the grounds and other things. And she is tactically sound and assured.”Palshikar and Edwards also worked together to help Harmanpreet play attacking cricket from an earlier point in T20 cricket, a move that helped MI lift a second title earlier this year. “Her consistency at the WPL is unmatched,” Palshikar says. “The way she plays freely, I actually see a different Harman with us. She has been given a free hand and the confidence reflects.”Her routines also help her a great deal. She knows how to keep herself mentally and physically fit. She is very professional. She knows to cut off from the outside world, she is thorough in keeping a minimum screen time ahead of games. That is something for youngsters to see and learn.”A sub-plot to this great MI divide is a Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) duel. Luke Williams and Smriti Mandhana, head coach and captain of the title-winning team in WPL 2024, are also in opposite camps. Williams is Edwards’ assistant while Mandhana is India’s vice-captain.Palshikar was India’s assistant coach when Mandhana played her first T20 World Cup in 2014. The pair also worked together at Ratnagiri Jets in the Women’s Maharashtra Premier League (WMPL) earlier this year.”I was lucky to work with Smriti at WMPL,” Palshikar says. “I last worked with her in 2014. The Smriti of 2014 and now the Smriti of 2025 – oh, I was so impressed with her. I have worked with so many players. But [Harmanpreet and Mandhana] are true legends. After Mithali [Raj] and Jhulan [Goswami], India will forever have these two legends.”

They came with great expectations in Ahmedabad, but many left before the last ball was bowled

Shashank Kishore19-Nov-20232:06

Should one of Kohli or Rahul have taken charge?

Twenty minutes past eight on the night of their dreams.Scores of fans begin to move towards the exits of the Narendra Modi Stadium. The all-encompassing blue of tens of thousands of India jerseys dissipate to reveal bright orange seats beneath. The World Cup final is not yet over but many have had enough.Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne had raised their century stand. India’s defence of 240, which looked so promising when Australia were 47 for 3, was failing. The pitch they had hoped would aid the spin of Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav was getting better to bat on as the night progressed. The day before the game, Australia’s captain Pat Cummins had spoken of there being no greater satisfaction than silencing a huge crowd. And 11 Australians did just that to more than 90,000 in Ahmedabad.The day had begun very differently. First a hush when Cummins won the toss. Then a roar when he put India in to bat. Those roars grew louder as Rohit Sharma began to do his thing. Where the stadium DJ had failed to rouse the crowd into a Mexican wave, Rohit got them going with a towering six off Glenn Maxwell. The footwork, backswing, timing, and the nonchalance as he turned his back on the ball after following its trajectory – all stunning and typical of Rohit.Related

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Head hunts down victory as India fall prey once again

Australia player reactions: 'I think this is bigger than 2015'

The roar was louder next ball as Rohit flayed Maxwell through the covers. He was staying true to the “” he’d beautifully elaborated on the previous evening. He was walking the aggressive talk like he’d done all through this World Cup. Two successive boundaries, however, weren’t enough for Rohit. He charged Maxwell and tried to go big again to make the most of the fielding restrictions.Most watching wouldn’t have thought it possible for Head to latch on to the miscued shot that quickly – turn around from cover, sprint a considerable distance, and dive full length to take a game-changing catch. For two previous balls, there had been bedlam in Ahmedabad. Now silence. As Head picked himself off the ground and began to celebrate before being mobbed by ecstatic team-mates, the parallel with Kapil Dev’s iconic catch off Viv Richards in the 1983 World Cup final was impossible to miss. Rohit threw his head up and walked off for 47 off 31 balls.Four balls later, more silence, as Cummins found the outside edge to have Shreyas Iyer, who had scored hundreds in his two previous innings, caught behind. Left hand up, finger pointing skywards, Cummins took off on a celebratory run, the cheers of the Australians cutting through the silence.At 81 for 3 in the 11th over, India’s batting depth was facing its toughest test of the tournament and it was on Virat Kohli to lead the repair job. He’d scored three successive boundaries off Mitchell Starc in the seventh over to kickstart his innings, but once those two wickets fell, risks had to be reduced. So Kohli knuckled down. He ran the hard runs and defended like his life depended on it. The man with the most hundreds in ODIs, the man with the most runs in a World Cup, was now playing one of the most important innings of his life.The stands began to empty at the Narendra Modi Stadium even before the final ended•ICC/Getty ImagesKohli and KL Rahul rebuilt the innings slowly. India didn’t score a boundary for over 15 overs after the powerplay. Two batters at the peak of their powers curbing their instincts for the team’s cause. As Kohli raised his ninth 50-plus score of the World Cup off 56 balls, the crowd found its voice again. Seven balls later, he chopped Cummins on.Kohli was stunned. Couldn’t bear to look back. And it took a while for him to leave the crease. He glared at his bat as an overjoyed Cummins took off on another celebratory sprint, having made good on his pre-match promise a second time. Rahul also fell after his half-century and the mood at the stadium remained sombre for the rest of India’s innings.There was renewed hope after the innings break, though, as India began their defence of 240 with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami zipping the ball past the flailing bats of the Australian openers. The crowd began to find its voice as an edge went between first and second slip, and then raised the roof when the next edge – off Warner – was held by Kohli in the cordon.Bumrah grazed the under edge of Mitchell Marsh’s attempted smash, and then pinned Steven Smith lbw, but little did any of the Indian fans at the ground know then that there would be no more cause for joy for them.By the time Head was caught for a World Cup-winning 137 off 120 balls after a partnership of 192 with Labuschagne, with Australia needing only two runs to win, the final had wound down to its conclusion in eerie silence for a stadium that held nearly a 100,000 fans.

Atmosphere lacking in Cardiff due to rain and Covid restrictions, but some signs of promise

Matt Roller27-Jul-2021Of course it rained. Cardiff’s first Hundred matchday was a bizarre occasion, the crowd capped at just over 3,000 by Welsh government regulations; when the umbrellas and anorak hoods went up in the stands midway through the second innings of the men’s match, the vibe was more midweek Pro40 game than ‘world-class sport and entertainment product’.But the gods were merciful. Despite James Vince’s protestations, the umpires kept the players on through the drizzle and Welsh Fire’s men maintained their 100 percent start to the competition. With Jonny Bairstow, their captain and the Hundred’s leading run-scorer, due to miss the rest of the season on England Test duty, there will be sterner challenges ahead, but in the circumstances, they could hardly have wished for a better start.The women’s fixture in mid-afternoon was a particularly subdued affair – perhaps unsurprisingly, since it was a 3pm start on a Tuesday – but dominated by Smriti Mandhana, who cracked 61 not out off 39 balls including three straight sixes, and Lauren Bell, whose wickets of Hayley Matthews and Sarah Taylor with consecutive balls in the middle phase of the first innings had shifted the game back into their favour.But in the men’s game, the Fire managed to light. Bairstow looked horribly out of sorts while scratching his way to 20 off 21 after the first 60 balls but clicked in the second half of the innings, thrashing 52 off his next 17 including consecutive sixes off both Colin de Grandhomme and Danny Briggs.With the ball, they conceded 40 off the first 14 balls, but dragged it back impressively by hitting hard lengths and forcing the Brave’s middle order to hit towards the longer square boundaries. Jimmy Neesham, who took 3 for 5 from 15 balls, was a standout, while Jake Ball – wearing a black armband in memory of the late Mike Hendrick, once his bowling coach at Notts – conceded 21 runs from his 20 balls.The rain played its part, too. “Some zipped on a bit after those few minutes of heavy rain,” Vince explained. “It’s difficult knowing how long it’s going to stay for and we were ahead of Duckworth-Lewis – you don’t want to lose a wicket on the brink of being taken off and then go behind.”It just made it a little bit tricky to manage the game situation, but it was more the way it altered conditions: the wicket was fairly easy-paced and then after the rain, a few back-of-a-length balls seemed to bounce a bit more and skid on fairly quickly. We probably didn’t adjust well enough and they executed really well.”Related

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But in spite of the rain, this was about as well as Cardiff’s first matchday could have gone, given the circumstances. “I love coming down here – Cardiff’s an amazing place and the fans are very passionate,” Bairstow said in the presentation. His departure will weaken them significantly, and the decision to take him out of the competition to serve as wicketkeeping cover for England’s first two Tests against India, rather than dominating the Hundred ahead of the T20 World Cup looks increasingly bizarre.It is worth reflecting on the existence of Welsh Fire, a side whose affiliated counties are Glamorgan, Gloucestershire and Somerset. In the summer of 2019, the ECB registered trademarks for both ‘Western Fire’ and ‘Welsh Fire’, deliberating on whether they should focus on their appeal to the South West as a whole or narrow it down to a Cardiff side. They opted for the latter, unveiling an all-red kit featuring the Welsh translation beneath the crest to double-down on their appeal on the west side of the Severn Bridge.It may prove a wise move. Before the clouds rolled in and the winter coats got a midsummer outing, the crowd wore a number of Welsh replica shirts – rugby union and football, as well as the Fire – and given it’s unlikely that many supporters will bother to make a three or four-hour round trip from Bristol or Taunton, the England (and Wales) Cricket Board saying the bracketed part out loud for the first time in a long time seems like a sound decision. With Shane Williams and James Hook among the crowd kitted out in their new merchandise, the branding appeared to have caught on.If and when the Hundred is expanded to include a ninth team in years to come, there is every chance it will be staged in Bristol, with Will Brown, Gloucestershire’s chief executive, particularly vocal in his desire for the County Ground to host fixtures in years to come. They may be Welsh Fire women’s fixtures initially, but a ‘Western’ side sharing games between Bristol and Taunton would be an obvious way to grow the competition’s limited geographical reach.But as with so much in this competition, the real test will arrive in several years’ time. In 2019, Glamorgan’s average T20 Blast attendance at Sophia Gardens was just 4,467, and the centralised marketing push for Fire should help to determine whether that is due to an issue of promotion or simply a reflection of the reality that the Welsh public has limited interest in cricket. With restrictions expected to continue throughout the group stage, it will be difficult to ascertain this year; for the time being, anything more than a Welsh Fizzle will count as a qualified success.