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Ben McDermott’s outstanding 58-ball 91 goes in vain as Hobart Hurricanes lose by ten runs

Saurabh Somani04-Jan-2021A brilliant innings at the top of the Melbourne Stars order from Marcus Stoinis was matched by an equally astonishing effort from Ben McDermott, but Stoinis’ 55-ball 97* did the job for the Stars in a high-scoring victory over the Hobart Hurricanes.Stoinis batted through the innings for his near-century, while McDermott looked set to also bat through and take the Hurricanes to a barnstorming victory, until he was out for 91 off 58 with six balls to go in the chase. McDermott’s innings ended only because of a superlative catch by Andre Fletcher on the boundary, his second such effort of the evening. Fletcher’s defying of gravity while flying to his right and left was as crucial to securing victory for the Stars as Stoinis’ innings.Related

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The two opposing openers’ efforts mirrored each other. Both began slowly, and then exploded in a cascade of boundaries in the second half of their innings. Both were the lynchpins of their teams’ totals, outscoring all the rest combined. Their pace was the tone-setter for their teams, too, with both sides going sedately at the start and clattering boundaries at the finish.Stoinis moved from 32 off 31 to 97 off 55, hitting 65 runs in the last ten overs from just 24 balls after having gone at just about a run-a-ball before that. McDermott’s acceleration was equally stark: he was on just 26 off 28 after eight overs, and went on to smash 65 off his next 30 balls.A wobbly start for the StarsIt began with a frenetic first over from the pacy Riley Meredith. The first and third balls went to the boundary off outside and inside edges, the second ball was a yorker that almost had Fletcher falling over, and the batsman was given out caught behind off the fourth legal ball. He was driving away from body and the ball was an outswinger that curved away, but on replays it appeared more bat hitting ground than ball.The Hurricanes’ bowlers, led by Meredith, chipped away and the Stars were 49 for 3 in the eighth over, the in-form captain Glenn Maxwell the last wicket to fall at that stage.Stoinis takes chargeThe first ball Stoinis faced was in the second over, and he disdainfully slog-swept Johan Botha for six, hitting it so well that the ball had to be replaced. The wickets at the top and tight bowling early on meant he became more watchful than aggressive, but that was only till he was well set. Stoinis’ step-up was remarkable for how smoothly it was done. He brought out the big shots, punishing seam and spin with an equal hand.The Stars were well served by successive partnerships for the fourth and fifth wickets. Nicholas Pooran joined Stoinis to add 60 runs in six overs, jump-starting the innings after the sedate start. Hilton Cartwright then ensured the momentum wasn’t lost with a sparkling cameo of 36 off 24 balls, taking the lead in a 56-run stand that came off just 5.3 overs.The Hurricanes might have entertained hopes of finishing well when Nathan Ellis got Cartwright and Seb Gotch off successive balls to end the penultimate over, but Stoinis finished with a flourish, hitting four boundaries in the final over as Scott Boland conceded 18.Stoinis had begun the final over needing 21 to get to a century, and his clean hitting almost took him there.He’s got the moves – Andre Fletcher pulled off two gravity-defying catches that were match turning•Getty ImagesNo Bash Boost for the HurricanesThe Hurricanes looked to follow the template the Stars had set, relying on a conservative start and wickets in hand to aim for a big finish. However, they were even more sedate than the Stars had been with fewer wickets lost. They couldn’t get the Bash Boost point either, being 60 for 1 in ten overs: the Stars had been 63 for 3.McDermott turns on the heatMcDermott hadn’t been exactly fluent at the start, a lot of his forcing shots not finding either the middle or the gaps, or both. The floodgates burst in the 12th over, bowled by Cartwright, which yielded 17 runs. In Colin Ingram, McDermott had a partner who could score quickly at the other end and the steeply climbing asking rate – it was over 12 after 11 overs – meant both had to hit out. They did, and started connecting sweetly too. The stand was broken by the first of Fletcher’s superman efforts. Ingram had carved the ball powerfully over extra cover, and Fletcher ran in a bit too hard but then adjusted and pivoted to dive to his right, horizontal to the ground, to pluck the ball.McDermott still threatened to take the game away, while captain Peter Handscomb also began with a rush of boundaries, until Fletcher’s second effort ended McDermott’s stay. He had thumped a full toss over cover and this time Fletcher ran to his left and dived full length, once again emerging with the ball clutched in his hands.McDermott fell on the last ball of the 19th over, and without him, 21 off the last over was too much to get for the Hurricanes.

Chelsea fans were questioning Jadon Sancho's absence from their Carabao Cup squad against Newcastle as he was overlooked for a third game running.

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Sancho struggling after a bright startWinger not played for third game in a rowReason for Newcastle absence revealedFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Sancho appeared to be gaining momentum at Chelsea, starting four consecutive Premier League games, but his early form fizzled out, and he now finds himself excluded from action again. He remained an unused substitute in the two previous matches against Panathinaikos and Newcastle, but on Wednesday against the Magpies, he was not in their matchday squad at all.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

Sancho's continued absence raised concerns among supporters who hoped the winger would play a key role in the club's campaign.

@CFCMods asked on X: "Where’s Sancho???"

@willreyner wrote: "No Sancho in the squad. Weird."

Whereas, @TOSOTC_CFC enquired: "Sancho injured or something?"

@LokyMann also echoed his thoughts and asked: "What happened to Sancho?"

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According to , Sancho’s absence from the Carabao Cup squad against Newcastle was due to illness rather than a tactical decision. This update provided some relief to fans worried about his status at Chelsea.

@TheBlueAmerica wrote: "Unlucky, would’ve loved to have him today."

Whereas, @oscar_chijioke0 wished him a "speedy recovery".

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DID YOU KNOW?

Addressing Sancho's recent absences against Panathinaikos in the Europa Conference League and Newcastle in the Premier League, Maresca clarified that those choices were strictly tactical. “Jadon has done well since he arrived with us,” he told reporters on Tuesday. "For sure, players can’t maintain the same level the whole season because the amount of games is huge. So, in the last two games, he didn’t play, not for any different reason, just for a technical decision, a tactical decision. No more than that.”

Arsenal have now made an approach to sign one Real Madrid player who Galacticos president Florentino Perez tipped to be a star one day.

Edu seeking potential replacements for Arsenal stars

It could be a summer of one in, one out at the Emirates Stadium this summer – as a host of players are tipped to potentially leave with star names linked to replacing them.

Arsenal set sights on unlikely £52 million Euro 2024 hero who Arteta loves

The Gunners boss is a big fan of his physicality.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 10, 2024

Midfielder Thomas Partey is among that crop, with the 31-year-old entering the final 11 months of his contract at Arsenal. There is no signs of an extension offer on the table for Partey, who made just 14 Premier League appearances under Mikel Arteta last season.

He also earns a reported £200,000 per week at the Emirates Stadium, making him one of their highest-paid players, so the time could be now for Edu and co to sell to the highest bidder.

Alongside Partey, Fabrizio Romano has reported that defender Jakub Kiwior may well depart north London upon the arrival of Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori.

Another player who appears almost destined to depart is goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, coming after he lost his spot to David Raya between the sticks last season. Reliable journalists like Charles Watts have reported that Ramsdale is extremely likely to leave Arsenal in the coming weeks.

"It’s a matter of when Ramsdale leaves, not if," said Watts to CaughtOffside.

“The key thing for Arsenal is getting value for money. I saw an initial fee of £15 million mentioned in reports last week and that is quite frankly ridiculous. Arsenal signed Ramsdale for nearly £30m two years ago and he has developed into a far better 'keeper since then.

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“He’s still young, he’s homegrown, an established England international and has a long-term contract. Yes, interested clubs will know that Arsenal’s stance in any negotiations will be weakened somewhat given he is now clearly behind David Raya in the pecking order, but that shouldn’t mean the club should basically give him away. Ramsdale is a top-class 'keeper and he’s shown that at Arsenal. When you look at what other 'keepers have moved for in the last couple of seasons, a bid of £15m shouldn’t even be one that Arsenal entertain.”

If Ramsdale leaves, attention turns to who will succeed the Englishman, with Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin in Edu's thinking.

Arsenal make approach to sign Andriy Lunin

The Ukraine international's deal expires next year, putting pressure on Real to agree an extension or sell in the coming weeks.

According to The Boot Room, Arsenal have made an approach to sign Lunin from Real amid his contract standoff, and if it doesn't appear like any progress can be made on fresh terms, then Arteta's side could look to strike a deal.

The 25-year-old is highly regarded at the Bernabeu, and Perez especially won't want to lose Lunin. The La Liga side's president tipped the 'keeper to become "one of the future’s biggest names" when he first signed for Real back in 2018 (via The Statesman).

Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has hit out at Real Madrid after their reaction to seeing Rodri beat Vinicius Jr to the Ballon d'Or award.

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Real Madrid boycott Ballon d'Or after Vinicius snubAguero hits out at La Liga giantsSays Rodri is a deserved winnerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Real Madrid did not take news that Vinicius Jr had missed out on the Ballon d'Or to Rodri at all well. Los Blancos issued a furious statement accusing UEFA and France Football of "disrespect" and boycotted the ceremony in Paris. Real Madrid team-mate Eduardo Camavinga has also hit out at "football politics" after seeing Vinicius Jr beaten to the top prize, while fans have called Rodri's win the "biggest robbery in football history."

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Rodri claimed the Ballon d'Or after a trophy-laden year where he helped Spain win Euro 2024 and also claimed Premier League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup titles with Manchester City. The midfielder's win is the first time that a Manchester City player has scooped the prestigious prize, and club legend Aguero thinks that the 28-year-old deserves to be named the best male player in the world.

WHAT AGUERO SAID

He said: "Well deserved. Rodri is the best player in the World. Football is for everyone not just Real Madrid, they so entitled."

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Rodri has lost only one of his last 85 games for club and country. His only defeat in that time was against Erik ten Hag's Manchester United in the FA Cup final at Wembley in May.

Updates, analysis and colour on the crucial third day

Andrew McGlashan19-Dec-2020*Most recent entry will appear at the top, please refresh your page for the latest updates. All times are local.6.00pm: Questions for IndiaThe famous Adelaide scoreboard records the details of India’s collapse•Getty ImagesHere’s some thoughts from Nagraj:India now have six days to figure several questions that will confront them ahead of the Boxing Day Test. And they will have to do it without Virat Kohli, who will be back in India from next week on paternity leave. Here are the key questions in no particular order:Do they retain Prthivi Shaw?From his backlift to his footwork, experts have picked holes in Shaw’s technique after the opener, playing his first Test in Australia, was bowled twice in Adelaide. Ideally Shaw would want him to be judge after getting a longer rope.Is there a place for Shubman Gill?Gill has been sitting restlessly in the dugout ever since he got a maiden call-up to the Test squad about a year ago. He has tall first-class scores playing for India A overseas and got good starts in the second warm-up match in Sydney against Australia A, scoring 43 and 65. But who does Gill replace? One option is take Shaw’s spot. The other can be play in the middle order as a replacement for Kohli.What about KL Rahul?Rahul’s last Test was in West Indies last year. He was dropped from the home Test series against South Africa and not included for the two-Test series in New Zealand in February. But based on a strong IPL form, the selectors named Rahul in the squad. In terms of experience, Rahul would fancy getting Kohli’s spot.Will Navdeep Saini or Mohammad Siraj get a Test debut?In case Mohammed Shami is declared unfit then one between Saini and Siraj will play their maiden Test. Both have speed and recognised for their red-ball skills and have got enough mileage being part of India A tours.5.45pm: Strong openingOn what can be considered a perfect day for Australia, there is another box being ticked as Matthew Wade and Joe Burns add a fifty-run opening stand. The pressure is not huge, but it could be significant especially if David Warner doesn’t recover for Boxing Day. Wade has been fluent, Burns hasn’t but he has shown signs of more confidence after that painful blow on the arm.

That innings:

1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 W 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 W 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 W 0 0 0 0 W 0 0 0 W 0 0 0 4 W 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 W W 0 0 4 0 0 1 0 W 0 1 0 4 0 0 0 #AUSvIND

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) December 19, 2020

4.35pm: Interval – Australia 15 for 0, target 90Phew, time to catch your breath. Unbelievably, Australia are already chasing their target after a morning session of magnificent pace bowling reduced India to rubble. Matthew Wade has played positively so far, but Joe Burns has grimly hung on and has taken a nasty blow on the arm from Jasprit Bumrah which has caused significant pain.Here’s Sid Monga trying to make sense of it:

Just a quick no-hindsight comment on India’s batting. There will be a lot of criticism and even insult thrown their way but this is one of those perfect storms of excellent bowling, pitch doing just enough, all the nicks carrying, all mistakes resulting in edges. This is what tends to magnify technical flaws and there are replays played over and over again. It is one of those things that happened against a ruthless excellent attack. People will question Virat Kohli’s shot but there wasn’t anything wrong with it. On a flat pitch it was a bad shot; on this you had to go after any width you got. Someone had to score runs.

Just a stat that will tell you what a perfect storm it was: India were not in control of 32 balls they played. Usually you need around 10 such balls to get a wicket in Test cricket. Here they got nine with 32. That is how perfectly it went for Australia.

ESPNcricinfo Ltd4.00pm: India 36 all out!India have recorded their lowest ever total in Test cricket as they startling second innings ended on 36 when Mohammed Shami was forced to retire hurt following a crunching blow on the arm from Pat Cummins. Their previous lowest was 42 against England at Lord’s in 1974. What a session that was. Australia need 90 to win.”Everything went to plan,” Josh Hazlewood says modestly on Channel Seven. “Patty set the tone and I just followed suit. To join the 200th club is pretty special.”3.50pm: Magnificent HazlewoodA jubilant Josh Hazlewood is congratulated by team-mates after his devastating strikes•Getty ImagesJosh Hazlewood has taken his 200th Test wicket and completed one of the best five-wicket hauls you will see. He was on a hat-trick when he removed Wriddhiman Saha and R Ashwin (the second his milestone wicket) and though he couldn’t make the three-in-three his fifth wicket wasn’t long in coming. It’s hard to keep up!3.20pm: And now Kohli goes!Virat Kohli’s tour is over. Pat Cummins drew edge which flew quickly into the gully where it bobbled out of Cameron Green’s hands but he held on as it rolled up his chest and back into his grip. This has been sensational bowling from Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. Can India set a target of 100?This is India’s lowest score at the loss of their sixth wicket.And here are India’s lowest Test totals…

INCREDIBLE!

Cameron Green juggles in the gully, Virat Kohli has to go after the umpires check the catch and it's 6/19!

What an unbelievable passage of play this is #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/8WN9k4EGpk

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 19, 2020

Have we seen any other Test Match in the recent past where the Pace bowlers of both teams have been this accurate and relentless. Fast bowlers at the peak of their game. Great to watch. #AUSvIND

— Gaurav Sundararaman (@gaurav_sundar) December 19, 2020

3.10pm: Hazlewood’s first overBlimey, this game is moving…12.1 Hazlewood to Agarwal, OUT, and he strikes first ball. Wow. The most Josh Hazlewood dismissal you’ll see. Extra bounce from a length, and the initial angle – much like the Pujara dismissal – isn’t even attacking off stump but going slightly inside the line of the stumps. Then it straightens to take the edge, with Agarwal squared up in defence12.2 Hazlewood to Rahane, no run, length ball on off stump, defended into the covers12.3 Hazlewood to Rahane, no run, length ball outside off, a bit of seam movement away, left alone12.4 Hazlewood to Rahane, no run, phew. What a great line this is, so tight on off stump, and Rahane has no option but to play. Straightens and zips past the edge. The length is more or less perfect too12.5 Hazlewood to Rahane, OUT, I said the length was more or less perfect the previous ball. This one was a few inches fuller, along the same line, and the ball straightened again to take the edge. India are effectively 68 for 5. Rahane doesn’t get a stride forward, just pushes at the ball, in front of his body, and pays the price12.6 Hazlewood to Vihari, no run, back of a length in the corridor, left alone

What a sensational collapse. And what surgically pinpoint bowling from the Australians. #INDvAUS

— Sambit Bal (@sambitbal) December 19, 2020

3.00pm: A Cummins specialAustralia are back in this. It did not take long for Pat Cummins to remove nightwatchman Jasprit Bumrah, but then he struck a huge blow – producing a beauty to take Cheteshwar Pujara’s outside edge which carried low to Tim Paine. His figures at that moment: 5.2-3-8-3. This game is on a knife-edge.

Perfect ball from Cummins and Pujara is gone! 3 out of 3 for the vice-captain. Enter Kohli #AusvInd

— Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) December 19, 2020

2.40pm: Agarwal’s early landmarkMayank Agarwal’s opening-over boundary off Mitchell Starc brought up 1000 Test runs…ESPNcricinfo Ltd2.20pm: Have your say2.10pm: Nervousness over Sydney Covid outbreak

There is a heightened sense of awareness today in Adelaide given what's happening in NSW.@AlisonMitchell explains what fans will have to do on entry to Adelaide Oval to remain COVID-safe #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/XuyigqLAny

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 19, 2020

2.00pm: Shaw’s series could be donePrithvi Shaw gets bowled for the second time in the Test•Getty ImagesThe late blow Australia struck last night could be significant for Prithvi Shaw’s series as he has been bowled through the gate twice in this match. It was a tight call between him and Shubham Gill for this match and Shaw hasn’t done anything to back up the faith. It will be a big decision for Boxing Day.

Ricky Ponting gives his assessment of where it's gone wrong for Prithvi Shaw #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/hwLSa7mFiZ

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) December 18, 2020

1.30pm: What’s a matchwinning lead?What a day for India yesterday. They secured a vital first-innings advantage that they will look to swell today, especially during the first two sessions before the lights come on. Australia may need to have bowled them out by then otherwise the game could be too far away. There has been help in this pitch and just a sign that it may start to go up-and-down a bit, so anything around 250 would seem to be a tough chase. Still, Australia have the bowler attack to keep them in the game. It should be great viewing.

'Australia have been given a chastening reminder that theirs is not a team spirit so strong that they can afford not to choose the best available players for the roles required, especially against a team as accomplished in Test matches as India.' @danbrettig | #AUSvIND

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) December 18, 2020

A West Ham player who has been hailed as "phenomenal" in the past is now set to seal a return to one of his former clubs, according to a fresh transfer claim.

West Ham transfer news

The Hammers are being linked with plenty of exciting new signings as Julen Lopetegui looks to nail his summer transfer business having replaced David Moyes as manager.

One recent report has suggested that West Ham have enquired about Villarreal striker Alexander Sorloth, seeing him as a fantastic option alongside Mohammed Kudus, making Lopetegui's attack even more potent in the process. The 28-year-old scored an impressive 23 times in La Liga this season, highlighting the level of end product he could bring, acting as an upgrade on the ageing Michail Antonio.

Meanwhile, Celtic star Matt O'Riley has also emerged as a rumoured target for the east Londoners ahead of the 2024/25 season, as the Hammers look to find a tailor-made replacement for Lucas Paqueta should the Brazilian depart this summer. Like Sorloth, the attacking midfielder's numbers last season were mightily impressive, with 31 goal contributions (18 goals and 13 assists) coming his way in the Scottish Premiership.

Max Kilman has already been signed from Wolves, which looks like an eye-catching piece of business, but away from incomings, a current West Ham player is being linked with a move away.

"Phenomenal" West Ham player set to leave

According to The Sunday People's print edition [via West Ham Zone], Danny Ings is set to leave West Ham and re-join Southampton in the near future, following 18 months at the London Stadium.

The Hammers are willing to allow the £125,000-a-week striker to move on for a fresh challenge, but they are yet to come to an agreement with the Saints, with a £6m fee mooted.

This feels like the right time for Ings to move on considering his age and the fact that he has largely been a bit-part player since joining West Ham in January 2023. Only three starts in the Premier League were handed to him last term, which outlines his squad status, although former Premier League striker Noel Whelan did laud him during his time at Aston Villa, saying:

"He is a phenomenal finisher as well, and we’re really seeing that partnership work with [Ollie] Watkins. They’re building that telepathy, which is key to any good side. It’s what we’ve been asking for. They’ve had questions asked of them, criticism about the lack of goals – but they’ve shown exactly why Aston Villa paid the money to get them both in."

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31-year-old Ings only has one year remaining on his current West Ham deal, which means that selling him now makes perfect sense rather than losing him on a free transfer next year, and a reunion with Southampton represents a decent challenge for him at this point in his career.

A member of Enzo Maresca's squad has set his sights on joining Real Madrid from Chelsea, and it is believed he's desperate to make the transfer happen.

Players who could still be sold by Chelsea before August 30

Thiago Silva, Hakim Ziyech, Lewis Hall, Omari Hutchinson, Michael Golding and Ian Maatsen have all left Chelsea already, bringing in around £89 million and helping to balance the books after a fairly active first half of the summer window.

£152,000-per-week forward contacts Chelsea over signing him via his agents

He’s reached out to Stamford Bridge.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Jul 13, 2024

Deals for Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Guiu, Omari Kellyman, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Estevao Willian and Renato Veiga have cost Todd Boehly around £93 million, but Chelsea's aforementioned sales have allowed the club to register a net spend of just £4 million so far.

With Profit and Sustainability rules at the forefront of their thinking, the Blues have operated cleverly in this transfer market, so much so that they seemingly have the licence to bring in a few more key additions.

Cole Palmer

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Maresca is said to have made clear he wants a new forward at Chelsea to compete with Nicolas Jackson next season, while other reports suggest that Boehly could bring in another centre-back after Tosin.

As deadline day approaches on August 30, it's set to be another interesting few weeks at Stamford Bridge, but Chelsea are far from done in terms of clearing the deadwood. Indeed, Romelu Lukaku, Armando Broja, Malang Sarr, Trevoh Chalobah, Lesley Ugochukwu, Carney Chukwuemeka, Ben Chilwell, Mykhailo Mudryk and Raheem Sterling are players who could still be sold by Chelsea in the coming month and a half.

Co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley will be especially eager to get Lukaku's £325,000-per-week wages off the books, amid rumoured interest from the likes of AC Milan and Napoli in Serie A.

Another high-earner who set Chelsea back dearly when he signed is goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. The 29-year-old became the most expensive shot-stopper of all time when he sealed a £72 million move from Athletic Bilbao in 2018, and he takes home around £150,000-per-week in west London.

The Spaniard spent last season on loan at the Bernabeu, with recent reports claiming Kepa is very keen to quit Chelsea and move on this summer.

Kepa ready to take pay cut so he can join Real Madrid from Chelsea

Spanish news source AS have another update on the keeper's future this week. They claim that Kepa is desperate to join Real Madrid from Chelsea and is even willing to take a pay cut so it can happen. Both Chelsea and Kepa are in agreement that it is time for him to go, according to AS, and the former La Liga star is very eager to link back up with Carlo Ancelotti.

Kepa also has held talks with Al-Ittihad, but the Saudi Pro League side had an initial bid turned down from Chelsea (The Athletic), so the door is still open for Real to re-sign him – depending on what happens with Andriy Lunin and his contract situation.

The I, J and K stands are likely to opened to public, up to a 50% capacity

Varun Shetty and Nagraj Gollapudi01-Feb-2021The second India-England Test in Chennai will not be played behind closed doors as the BCCI has informally given permission to the Tamil Nadu Cricket Assocation (TNCA) to open its gates for spectators, up to a 50% capacity. The I,J, and K stands of the MA Chidambaram Stadium will likely be opened to public, pending Tamil Nadu government clearance, for the second Test starting February 13. The ticket details and standard operating procedures for crowds will be released when formal approval arrives.The development came in the wake of the Indian government revising its guidelines pertaining to spectators at outdoor sport in the country last weekend. “For outdoor sports events spectators will be allowed to full seating capacity,” was what Indian ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports said in a circular updated on January 29. The circular, titled ‘Standard Operating Procedures for opening up of Stadia for sports events’, revised the ministry’s previous guidelines issued on December 26 which had stated spectators can be allowed at 50% capacity for outdoor sports.*Related

First day, no show – Chennai braces itself for a closed-doors first Test

No neutral umpires for India vs England Tests

Chepauk's accidental curator set to roll out pitch with 'English look'

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Chopra: Bess and Leach have their work cut out in India

It is understood that TNCA had approached the BCCI to allow fans up 50% of the ground’s capacity during the second Test. Media personnel are also likely to be allowed at the stadium, albeit from the first Test itself, should the BCCI approve these measures formally. Neither spectators nor media personnel were allowed at the seven venues where India’s only domestic tournament so far this season – the recent Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy – was held.If spectators are indeed allowed, it would signal a change in course for both the BCCI and the TNCA, who had recently informed its members that the MA Chidambaram Stadium would not allow crowds for the two Tests.

After 6 days of quarantine, India have their first look around Chepauk before the first Test against England

(: @BCCI) pic.twitter.com/J9D7DwW1Yv

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) February 1, 2021

Nothing official has been communicated on the subject yet. “We are not going to comment on speculation. We are still waiting to hear from the BCCI in terms of their protocols for the forthcoming Test series,” a representative of the England touring party said.Meanwhile, all members of the India and England Test squads have returned negative Covid-19 tests and have been cleared to exit their bio-secure bubbles for training in the lead up to the first Test, which starts February 5. The two teams had been in mandatory six-day quarantines after arriving in Chennai. While England will train, as per schedule, from Tuesday afternoon, India will begin their preparations on Monday evening. A team statement on Monday confirmed: “The Indian Cricket Team completed their quarantine period today in Chennai. Three RT-PCR tests for Covid-19 were conducted at regular intervals and all tests have returned negative results. The team will have their first outdoor session today from 5:00 PM and nets sessions will begin from tomorrow.”

Roy Keane felt that new Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim should have signed a longer contract after the club played out a 1-1 draw with Chelsea.

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Keane warned Amorim after Chelsea drawSlammed United's performanceAmorim set to join United next weekFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Amorim, who replaced Erik ten Hag as United manager, will take charge of the team from next week. In the meantime, Ruud van Nistelrooy is acting as an interim head coach. However, a regime change failed to rejuvenate the struggling United side as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Chelsea despite taking the lead.

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The draw at Old Trafford meant that the Red Devils now have 12 points from 10 games, which is their worst start to a league campaign since 1986-87 when they accrued just eight points. After yet another disappointing outing, club legend Keane claimed that the new Portuguese coach has a lot of work to do to revive the club from their current state and suggested that he should have penned a long deal. The 39-year-old current contract will run until 2027.

WHAT ROY KEANE SAID

Speaking on , the 53-year-old said, "He should have signed a longer contract. There is a long way back for this team. This is an average Manchester United team. All the stats back that up. They are hit-and-miss – you never know which team will turn up. Not good."

He added, "'Boring' seems a bit strong but they lack conviction. It's really disappointing. It's so flat. This team is way off it, getting back in the top four. You look at certain individuals and they think they're better than they are. United are average at everything. There is nothing special about them. It was very quiet at Old Trafford. I was glad when the referee blew the final whistle."

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

United will be back in action this midweek in Europe as they take on PAOK in a Europa League clash at Old Trafford on Thursday night.

In his last six Tests, Ashwin has taken 36 wickets to jump from 365 wickets into the 400-club.

Varun Shetty25-Feb-20212:37

Gambhir: Amazes me that R Ashwin doesn’t play white-ball cricket for India

R Ashwin described the last few months in Test cricket as a fairytale after becoming the fourth Indian to 400 wickets, and the fourth-fastest overall (in terms of balls) to the mark in Tests. Speaking in the aftermath of India’s 10-wicket win against England in Ahmedabad, Ashwin spoke of not being sure of even having a spot in the XI before India’s Test tour of Australia began in December. Since then, in six Tests, Ashwin has taken 36 wickets to jump from 365 wickets into the 400-club.”It feels amazing, the way the board was flashing 400 wickets, the entire stadium stood up and clapped for me,” Ashwin said in a post-match interview with broadcaster . “It’s quite pleasant that it happened in a winning cause because in the middle when we collapsed for about 145, I thought we might not have enough of a lead on the board and the game could be in the balance.”I can’t really get a grip of what’s happened in the last 2-3 months. If I look back, I must say it’s been sort of a dreamy ride, it’s been a fairytale. When I started the Aussie tour, I didn’t expect to be playing in the XI because Jadeja was looking like he was going to start. And he got a hamstring tear and since then things have just looked upwards.”Related

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Ashwin spoke of a conversation he had had with captain Virat Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri at the start of the Australian series, where it was hinted to him that he would need to work on his batting to be in the scheme for selection, as they’d seen something “special” in his bowling.”When I landed in Australia, the first session of practice in Sydney was quite interesting,” he said. “I thought I was bowling really well during the IPL as well – and when I reached Australia, both Virat and Ravi were having a chat with me about how I should get my batting going, because both of them thought they had seen something happening in my bowling which looked really special.”I don’t know what they thought or what they saw or what they felt, but they thought I was bowling really well. And you know, during the lockdown as well, I worked a lot on my fitness. On wanting to get my body ready for the so-called “next couple of years” or the next 3-4 years. Because you know this body is ageing by the moment, as we’re talking…so all those things started to pay rewards, I lost about 7-8 kilos through the lockdown. I just think from Australia onwards things have looked upwards for me.”Since then, Ashwin has been one of the foremost performers for India with ball and, at least on two occasions, with the bat. The recent stretch towards 400 has included getting the better of Steven Smith regularly at the start of the series in Australia, a first England Test of bowling more than 72 overs, and a complete domination over them in the last few innings of this series. The 34-year-old, when asked if he is at his best, said he is confident there is more to come.”This question has been asked quite a few times in my career,” he said. “In 2015-16 people were asking me the same thing when I went through that lovely phase in 15-16-17. And now people are asking the same. One thing’s for sure – I’ve always looked to improve and every time I’ve thought I’ve bowled well, I’ve always found another gear. So I’ll not be surprised if I surpass myself in the future as well.””Gonna call him legend”
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were effusive in their praise of Ashwin after the match ended, with Kohli saying Ashwin was a modern-day legend.”It’s unbelievable,” Kohli said. “We all need to stand up and take notice of Ashwin’s contribution to Indian cricket. I told him that from now on, I’ll call him ledge [for legend]. Getting 400 is an outstanding achievement, and still so many games and years to go for India. In Test match cricket, he is surely a modern legend and we’re just lucky to have him in our team. As a captain I am so pleased he plays for us.”At the post-match press conference, Rohit suggested that the offspinner might be India’s greatest match-winner.”Ashwin is probably one of our matchwinners, if not  matchwinner of Indian cricket history. He has won so many games for us. So getting to that milestone, big, big congratulations to him. To do that in his 77th Test match, which is second fastest to 400, is a great feat.”