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Após o empate do Corinthians por 1 a 1 diante do Fortaleza, o técnico Vanderlei Luxemburgo concedeu entrevista coletiva e comentou a atuação de Guilherme Biro, jovem da base que entrou bem na segunda etapa da partida. O treinador foi direto e afirmou que, se chegasse antes ao clube, vetaria a convocação do atleta para a Seleção sub-20, que disputará o Mundial da categoria a partir do dia 20 de maio.

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– Acho difícil (a dispensa), porque ele é titular da equipe, a Seleção conta bastante com ele. Eu cheguei agora. Se eu tivesse chegado um pouquinho antes, pediria para que ele não fosse, porque o Endrick (atacante do Palmeiras) não foi. Acho que para valorizar a base, e para uma equipe que precisa de um jogador talentoso como ele, eu teria pedido pra que ficasse aqui. Ele, o Pedro, jogadores importantes.

+ ATUAÇÕES: Yuri Alberto entra no segundo tempo e impede derrota do Corinthians para o Fortaleza

+ Todos os jogos do Brasileirão você encontra no Prime Video. Assine já e acompanhe o seu time do coração!

Luxa aproveitou a oportunidade para elogiar o jogador e comentar algumas de suas características, como a versatilidade. O ‘pofexô’ ainda revelou qual a qualidade que considera mais valiosa em Biro.

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– Ele é um jogador interessantíssimo, joga tanto por dentro como por fora, na esquerda e na direita. E com uma coisa: primeira jogada que ele fez, ele quebrou linhas. Isso é fundamental no futebol.

Na zona mista, após o jogo, Guilherme Biro foi questionado sobre qual seria o seu desejo: permanecer no Corinthians ou disputar o Mundial sub-20. O meia afirmou que gostaria de estar nos dois lugares, se fosse possível, mas ressaltou que vai aguardar uma orientação do clube. O jogador seria liberado para a Seleção na última segunda-feira (08), mas o Corinthians conseguiu atrasar a apresentação do meia junto à CBF para terça-feira (09).

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– Para mim, tanto lá quando aqui é uma oportunidade única. Não consigo descrever se quero ir para lá ou ficar aqui. Se pudesse estar nos dois lugares ao mesmo tempo, é o que eu faria. Vou aguardar, sou funcionário do clube. O que passarem para mim, vou acatar da melhor maneira – declarou Biro.

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ColetivaCorinthiansLuxemburgoSeleção Brasileira Sub-20

Jacob Duffy has also been included and Mitchell Santner will join the squad for the second and third Tests

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Nov-2024

Kane Williamson has recovered from the groin injury which kept him out of New Zealand’s tour of India to take his place in the squad to face England while Wellington allrounder Nathan Smith has been handed his first Test call-up.Uncapped seamer Jacob Duffy is also part of the squad with Bear Sears (knee) and Kyle Jamieson (back) unavailable due to injury. Left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner, who took 13 wickets in Pune, will come into the group for the second and third Tests in Wellington and Hamilton. The opening Test takes place in Christchurch from November 28.Related

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Smith, 26, made his international debut in the first ODI against Sri Lanka earlier this week. In last season’s Plunket Shield he was the leading wicket-taker with 33 at 17.18 and in September was awarded a central contract. He also took 27 wickets at 21.14 for Worcestershire in last season’s County Championship alongside scoring three half-centuries.Ajaz Patel, who claimed 15 wickets against India, has not been included which means his record of taking all 85 of his Test wickets away from home will remain intact for now.Williamson’s return to fitness could put pressure on Will Young, player of the series in India, to retain his place in the XI.It was announced earlier on Friday that Tim Southee would retire from Test cricket after the England series unless New Zealand make the World Test Championship final.The 3-0 win in India has given them a chance of reaching the final again although even with a whitewash of England would not guarantee it.”It’s obviously a big series for the side in terms of the World Test Championship and to also now be farewelling someone like Tim Southee, only raises it up further,” Sam Wells, the New Zealand selector, said. “Tim has had a fabulous career and will go down as one of the great Black Caps.”I am sure the team and the public will want to give Tim a fitting send-off in what is a highly anticipated series. It’s also an exciting time for Nathan to be brought into the Test squad for the first time. Nathan is an exciting talent with a proven first-class record and I’m sure he will bring a lot of skill and energy to the group.”New Zealand Test squad vs EnglandTom Latham (capt), Tom Blundell, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner (Tests 2 and 3), Nathan Smith, Tim Southee, Kane Williamson, Will Young

Sunderland fans who have headed out to watch their side play in Portugal during pre-season were treated to some new faces in action against Sevilla.

From the get-go against their Spanish opponents, Regis Le Bris handed Chemsdine Talbi, Simon Adingra, and Noah Sadiki their Black Cats debuts, as the Wearside outfit put in a good account of themselves to walk away from the runout in the Algarve heat with a respectable 1-1 draw.

Yet, away from all the fanfare surrounding new signings, Enzo Le Fee also showed off his class once more with Sunderland’s only goal of the night when the silky Frenchman capitalised on a Sevilla error at the back.

Le Bris will be hopeful that a number of his fresh signings can go on to be as impactful as Le Fee after arriving from Europe, with another statement deal now potentially on the table.

Sunderland very interested in £26m star

Whilst Sunderland have bolstered their attack with some standout purchases, the time is now approaching when the Black Cats will have to improve their defensive personnel, too, with equally high-profile buys.

Indeed, recent reports have suggested that Le Bris and Co. are going after both Brighton and Hove Albion defender Igor Julio and ex-Aston Villa centre-back Diego Carlos to do just that, alongside also looking at the likes of both Bologna titan Jhon Lucumi and Lille ace Bafodé Diakité from further afield.

However, there is a name that hasn’t been mentioned much, but stands out, with the Black Cats reportedly very interested in a £26m deal for Sevilla star Loic Bade, according to a new report by El Chiringuito TV via X.

AFC Bournemouth is also noted as being another interested party, alongside Marseille, Tottenham, and Villarreal, who have allegedly lodged enquiries about the conditions involved in signing the one-time France international.

A separate report from French publication, Foot Mercato, suggests the Cherries and Sunderland are in pole position to sign the centre-back this summer.

This might well be a tough race for Sunderland to win, but the Black Cats should not be underestimated when assessing their whirlwind business so far this summer, on top of the fact that Le Fee decided to call the Stadium of Light his home in a similarly out-there deal last year.

How Bade can be Le Bris' next Le Fee

Before making the unexpected switch, the ex-Lorient midfielder was more used to the luxuries of the top French division than the hustle and bustle of the Championship, with nine Europa League appearances also next to his name.

Still, he managed to instantly settle in as an enigmatic presence from midfield, leading to Le Fee chipping in with two key assists during Sunderland’s playoff journey to help make their surreal promotion dreams a reality.

Bade will hope he can enter the building and be just as impactful, only this time around in the bright lights of the Premier League, having been a consistent battler for Sevilla over many a season now.

In total, the 6-foot-3 “warrior” – as he’s been glowingly labelled in the past by football analyst Ben Mattinson – has 79 La Liga appearances under his belt for Matías Almeyda’s men, with the same level of standout experience also on his side in European competitions, having lined up for three Champions League clashes across his varied career to date, away from also proudly lifting the Europa League in 2023.

Bade’s league numbers for Sevilla (24/25)

Stat (* = per game)

Bade

Games played

32

Goals scored

1

Assists

1

Touches*

68.3

Accurate passes*

48.6 (86%)

Ball recoveries*

4.3

Clearances*

5.0

Total duels won*

4.3

Clean sheets

8

Stats by Sofascore

While he proudly demonstrates prowess in the air, winning 4.3 aerial duels per game last season in La Liga, which could come in handy for a relegation dog-fight, Bade also possesses a calmness with the ball at his feet that is similar to his compatriot in Le Fee, with a high 86% pass accuracy averaged per top-flight clash across the same period.

The 25-year-old just about did enough at the back to ensure Sevilla beat the drop, as the Rojiblancos finished in a precarious 17th spot, with Bade now tasked with ensuring another lowly side can stave off relegation if he relocates to Sunderland.

Hailed as being a potential “great” signing by U23 scout Antonio Mango for a team in need of experience, this might well be a golden deal for Le Bris and Co. to sign off on, with the hope he can look a cut above, much like Le Fee did on his arrival.

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Chelsea chiefs are carrying on with their ambitious transfer plans off-the-field, amid their Club World Cup campaign, with Enzo Maresca’s side now holding conversations over signing a marquee sensation who’s starring at the tournament right now.

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The Blues opened their account with a solid 2-0 victory over Los Angeles FC at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Monday night, with Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernández grabbing one goal in either half to set up what will be an interesting next clash against Flamengo on Friday.

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

Liam Delap also made his debut for Chelsea and notched his first assist for the club just minutes after coming off Maresca’s bench, setting up Fernandez with an excellent cross from the right-hand side for the Argentine to tap home from close range.

When it comes to how invested supporters are in the Club World Cup, that is highly debatable to say the least, considering Chelsea beat LAFC in front of a largely barren crowd in Georgia.

However, Stamford Bridge chiefs are believed to be taking the tournament very seriously indeed, with £97 million worth of prize money on offer to the victors. This hefty financial windfall would seriously boost Chelsea when it comes to avoiding the dreaded swinging axe of PSR regulations, and could allow them to invest in their summer recruitment drive with even more gusto.

Chelsea are reportedly prioritising a new winger for Maresca right now (The Guardian), with Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens at the very top of their wishlist after they saw three bids rejected before the CWC transfer deadline.

The Englishman isn’t their only wide target, though, with Man United’s Alejandro Garnacho still on Chelsea’s radar as well.

Chelsea hold discussions with Juventus over signing Kenan Yildiz

According to website Juve FC, Serie A starlet Kenan Yildiz is another transfer possibility for Maresca’s side, following his excellent 2024/2025 campaign.

The Turkey international finished 2024/2025 as Juventus’ best-performer by average match rating in the Italian top flight (WhoScored), racking up a total of 10 goals and seven assists in 49 appearances across all competitions so far.

Yildiz is continuing his fine year in the CWC. He got on the Old Lady’s scoresheet and put in an impressive display as Juventus rounded off a routine 5-0 victory over Al Ain in their first group game, with the 20-year-old’s fine displays attracting attention from west London.

Chelsea are now said to have opened “discussions” with Juve over Yildiz, who value the Turk at around £86 million.

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While offers below this benchmark would be considered, Igor Tudor’s side are giving no consideration to selling as things stand, and there’s no indication that the player would push for this move either, despite contact being made with his close circle.

Juve are also planning to agree an extension with Yildiz that could tie him down in Turin until 2031, so Chelsea could have their work cut out for them here.

The offspinner had played in all Tasmania’s Sheffield Shield games over the last two seasons

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jun-2024Tasmania offspinner Jarrod Freeman has taken an indefinite break from cricket to manage his mental health.Freeman, 23, has played in all Tasmania’s Sheffield Shield matches over the last two seasons, taking 40 wickets at 46.00, and was part of the side that reached the final in the 2023-24 campaign.Last October he also played a key role with the bat in a famous Tasmania win as they chased down 432 against Queensland.”Cricket Tasmania extends its support to Jarrod during this leave period and values the importance of mental health,” Cricket Tasmania said in a statement. “The organisation hopes to see him return to cricket in the future.”Cricket Tasmania continues to support all athletes with appropriate mental health training and education, acknowledging the challenges professional athletes can face throughout their careers.”Tasmania have bolstered their spin resources in the off-season with the signing of Test left-armer Matt Kuhnemann from Queensland and Australia Under-19 offspinner Raf MacMillan on a rookie contract.Kuhnemann, who was recently on standby for Australia’s T20 World Cup squad, has moved states in a bid for more red-ball cricket having only played four first-class matches (three for Durham and one for Australia A) since featuring in the Test series against India early last year.Legspinner Mitchell Swepson was Queensland’s spin option in the Sheffield Shield last season although the pair played together as a key part of Brisbane Heat’s BBL title-winning side. Kuhnemann will remain with Heat for the 2024-25 season.

West Bromwich Albion fans would have been anticipating that their team would be participating in the drama of the Championship playoffs, but their team’s 2024/25 campaign didn’t quite go as smoothly as they would have hoped.

In the end, the Baggies would finish four points shy of Bristol City in that final playoff position, with Tony Mowbray actually facing the wrath of the Hawthorns hierarchy by losing his job for not steering the West Midlands side into the long-sought-after top six.

Alongside talk of a new manager coming in to replace the axed Mowbray, there are now murmurs of fresh faces entering the building to boost matters on the pitch, with the rumour mill churning out new potential bosses and players aplenty.

West Brom could sign Premier League youngster

With Albion in need of a new manager, the likes of Marti Cifuentes and Ryan Mason are now being linked to the Baggies vacancy, with Portsmouth manager John Mousinho also reportedly on the West Brom radar after successfully guiding Pompey away from Championship relegation danger.

Moreover, a slightly more left-field shout comes in the form of ex-Manchester United coach Eric Ramsay.

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But, earlier talk suggesting that Tottenham Hotspur coach Mason could be handed the reins hasn’t died down completely, with the 33-year-old perhaps linking up with a Spurs youngster along the way if he does take on the second-tier job post.

Indeed, a report from Birmingham Live has stated that West Brom have lodged an enquiry over the loan signature of 20-year-old Jamie Donley, off the back of the exciting attacker starring on loan in League One this season with Leyton Orient.

Whilst the jump up is significant from League One to the EFL’s elite division, there will be a hope that Orient number 17 can dazzle defences moving up a league in a similar vein to standout Baggies ace Tom Fellows, with the pair constantly want to create openings to put their team on the front foot.

How Donley could be Fellows 2.0

The homegrown Baggies product will know all too well how formative a loan switch can be down to the lower reaches of the EFL, having once donned Crawley Town colours for a singular season.

This campaign so far for Richie Wellens’ promotion chasers, Donley has amassed a mightily impressive eight goals and ten assists from 47 overall contests, with Fellows amazingly finishing his sterling individual 2024/25 season on 18 goal contributions too.

Looking at their numbers in the EFL this term, both the 20-year-old and his Baggies counterpart have been massively influential for their sides this season in attacking areas, with a mammoth 30 big chances accumulated between them, indicating that they certainly love creating for others.

Hailed for his “sensational” form in the third-tier by scout Jacek Kulig, there is no doubt that the Spurs starlet will be able to take to the pressures of the Championship swimmingly.

After all, Fellows never looked frozen by fear when he was first given chances here and there in the senior mix at West Brom.

Therefore, if a loan switch does occur, those at the Hawthorns will pray Donley can also jump up to the standard required of him, with the promising number ten perhaps linking up with the entertaining 22-year-old winger very soon as his new employers hunt promotion once more.

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A 27-goal star, who Arne Slot called “unbelievable” earlier this season, has now been identified as a dream signing for Liverpool this summer, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Reds ramping up pursuit of new striker

Darwin Nunez is looking increasingly likely to head for the exit door in the summer, and the Reds are now stepping up their pursuit of a replacement for the Uruguayan, with Napoli’s Victor Osimhen emerging as a contender to lead the line next season.

RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres are also named as potential targets for Slot’s side, while they are also keen on signing Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, who has flourished in the role of striker for the Bees at times this season.

Mbeumo has been one of the most prolific forwards in England, netting 18 goals, while also providing seven assists, indicating that he is a well-rounded attacker who could be a fantastic option for Slot, but another Premier League star is also in the Merseysiders’ sights.

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That is according to Romano, who recently told GiveMeSport that Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak is Liverpool’s dream target for the summer transfer window, even though a move will be extremely difficult to facilitate due to his importance to the Magpies.

A move may not be possible until later in the summer, if at all, and a deal will also be dependent on the Reds’ transfer budget, with previous reports suggesting the Magpies could be set to hold out for a fee as high as £150m.

"Unbelievable" Isak could take Liverpool to next level

Heading into the EFL Cup Final against Newcastle back in March, Slot was well-aware of the Sweden international’s attacking capabilities, singling him out for high praise.

However, the Liverpool boss was unable to nullify the 25-year-old, who scored in his side’s 2-1 triumph, writing his name in folklore by playing a part in ending his side’s 70-year trophy drought, and he has regularly been on the scoresheet in the Premier League too.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Premier League

32

23

6

FA Cup

2

1

0

EFL Cup

6

3

0

Having amassed 27 goals in all competitions, the £120k-a-week forward is clearly a top-level striker, and there is every sign he could be a huge upgrade on Nunez, who has scored just five times in the Premier League this term.

Liverpool have been quiet in recent transfer windows, which means FSG are in a position to hand Slot a war chest this summer, and splashing the cash on Isak could help establish the Reds as major Champions League contenders for many years to come.

Looking to make the first big move of his Red Bull tenure, Jurgen Klopp is now reportedly personally eyeing Danny Rohl in what would deal Sheffield Wednesday an undeniable blow.

Rohl exit would compile Sheffield Wednesday misery

Whilst Sheffield Wednesday have now confirmed that their players and staff have received their March salaries, history cannot be rewritten for owner Dejphon Chansiri, who continues to endure financial struggles. This time, the club had temporary issues due to debt owed to the owner, who has had several issues in recent years.

The Owls have already been placed under a registration embargo across the last two seasons and that’s not the half of their financial problems in recent times. In 2019, Chansiri bought the Hillsborough stadium for £60m to ensure that Sheffield Wednesday didn’t breach any financial rules. When 2023 arrived, he then caused more controversy by asking fans to raise as much as £2m to help the club pay their HMRC debt and cover player wages.

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Still yet to sell the club despite those aforementioned issues, Chansiri is at risk of gradually taking Sheffield Wednesday down if a solution is not reached as soon as possible. What all of those problems do is add to the reputation of Rohl, however, who has taken the Owls towards Championship safety even as financial issues have continued.

He couldn’t hide his pride in his side despite their recent defeat against Hull City, telling reporters: “Big credit to my team, to take this tough week, to stay here and go again, to fight again for our club. It took time to come into it, but in the second half it was one direction.

“It’s hard, but the key message for me is that this team has big, big character and big, big belief. A lot of players take all the setbacks again and again and it makes me very proud.”

Jurgen Klopp targets Rohl for RB Leipzig

Rohl’s success at such a tough time has, of course, rightly attracted admirers and whilst Sheffield Wednesday managed to keep hold of the German amid Southampton’s interest earlier this season, the same may not be the case this summer. According to Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, Red Bull chief Klopp is now personally eyeing a move to hire Rohl for RB Leipzig.

Having recently sacked Marco Rose, Leipzig are in search of a permanent replacement to take them back into the Bundesliga title race next season. And that could yet be a task handed to Rohl, who’d be getting a deserved step up into Germany’s top tier from the chaos of the Championship.

As the season nears a conclusion, Sheffield Wednesday could be in for a chaotic few months which may yet culminate in a frustrating farewell to their talented young manager.

He had a career that achieved more than most and still left you wanting more, which is sometimes just fine

Vithushan Ehantharajah08-Sep-2024Loosely, Sunday’s retirement was Moeen Ali’s third in as many years. But this one, at the age of 37, a week after he, as white ball vice-captain, was left out of both ODI and T20I squads, carries a weight of finality.Test retirement at the end of the 2021 summer was seemingly on a whim before he was parachuted into the 2023 Ashes to cover for Jack Leach as the spinner, then Ollie Pope as No. 3, after which he said he was done for good. All while a staple in the limited overs set-up.It is a weight that has been lifted off the story. Because though Moeen will still be traipsing about the franchise circuit, his England career, outright, is done. Now, a decade after this whole ride began, it is time to get off and remember what was.The glorious cover drive, the pull shot, the flight, the drift, the turn. The way he made the game look effortlessly easy, which lent itself to almost widespread infuriation during the periods of underperformance. He was a role model, and not just for the British Muslim community but the wider working classes.Related

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He won the Ashes in 2015 – the last time England held the urn – and has two World Cup winners medals as a vital cog in Eoin Morgan’s machine that achieved ODI and T20 successes in 2019 and 2022, respectively. And it speaks of Moeen’s character that Sunday’s announcement came with a clear message that the time was right for the team to move on from him, not the other way around.Alastair Cook, Moeen’s captain for 37 of his 68 Tests, regards him as the most selfless player he lined up alongside. Stuart Broad, who played with Moeen for all but nine of those caps, simply referred to him as his favourite team-mate.There is another thing about Moeen that does not matter but still counts: he was cool. And not “cool because he has a great beard” or “cool because he laces inside out over point”. But cool in the way cool is meant to be. A disposition rather than an act.It is little things like somehow being a cult hero and yet adored by everyone you have ever played with, despite the fact cricket is the kind of sport where the two do not go hand in hand. Even last summer, when the England team went crazy for bucket hats, they were all in agreement that Moeen – who flipped the brim to fashion it into a trilby – wore it best. Wisely, none of them tried to copy him, appreciating the fact they simply did not have the capacity to pull off the look.Moeen was a role model, not just for the British Muslim community, but the wider working classes•Philip Brown/Getty ImagesIt’s also the big things, like dropping into an Ashes, batting No. 3, and being the primary spinner despite a slit in your finger that you fix by – checks notes – bathing it in honey. Being a soothing comfort to watch when on full flow out in the middle, or having a knack for skewering tension in a dressing room, which is no mean feat.We might as well stick with that 2023 series against Australia, because it really is the perfect microcosm of his career. Ben Stokes dropped him an SOS “Ashes?” text, and he replied initially with “LOL”, before confirming his attendance officially during a meeting with Stokes and managing director Rob Key, which he arrived at armed with a bag of Sam’s Chicken. Duty called and Moeen answered, though not before getting a chicken burger.He averaged 25.71 with the bat, 51.44 with the ball, yet had a strangely profound influence on matters. There were only nine wickets, but that included Travis Head three times, Marnus Labuschagne twice, as well as Mitchell Marsh and Steven Smith. And arguably his biggest contribution with the bat – probably pipping the 54 struck in a 121-run stand with Zak Crawley in the first innings of the fourth Test in Manchester – came while waiting for his turn to bat in the third Test at Headingley.”Harry Brook played a drive and got out for 3 batting at No. 3,” Broad recalled while speaking to Moeen on Sky Sports at lunch on day three at the Kia Oval. “I was sat next to you, and you’re a bit like ‘I’m not sure I like Brooky at three’ and you went straight to Baz [Brendon McCullum] and went, ‘Baz, let me go three – I’ll go three, get Brooky back to where he scores his runs. I don’t care if I snick off, I’ll go and try and blaze the new ball but get me up at three. Let me take the responsibility.'”Brook, who was at first drop in that innings after Pope injured his shoulder at Lord’s, went on to score 75 from No. 5 on the final day as England chased down 251 to save the series and get on the board on their way to a 2-2 series draw. “And you had such a natural selflessness to you,” mused Broad.

“The glorious cover drive, the pull shot, the flight, the drift, the turn. The way he made the game look effortlessly easy, which lent itself to almost widespread infuriation during the periods of underperformance”

Moeen almost shrugged off the thanks. “A lot of the time, whatever the team needs, I’m prepared to do that.”That brief period of Moeen in the time of Bazball carried a hint of sadness as he walked off at The Oval. You wonder how he would have fared had he played the guts of his Test career under McCullum’s stewardship.At the same time, he was very much of his era. And though this is usually the point in a tribute piece where you sneak in the flaws, Moeen’s entire career was punctuated by frustration. He certainly wasn’t clutch enough and there was no legitimate reason why he did not make more of his batting talent. That he only has five Test centuries is ludicrous and, ultimately, a blight on him rather than anyone else – as is the Test average of 28.12.Yet, his 204 wickets put him behind only Derek Underwood and Graeme Swann as England’s most productive spinner. Only 17 other players in the history of Test cricket have scored 3000 runs and taken 200 wickets. And even in an era when England’s white-ball batting stocks are through the roof, he still possesses the team’s fastest T20I half-century at 16 balls.Moeen’s was a career that achieved more than most and still left you wanting more. Sometimes, even in a sport wedded to numbers, leaving people wanting more is just fine.

Despite losing key players before and during the tournament, King, Allen, Powell and Gordon stepped up to prove the experts wrong

Deivarayan Muthu01-Oct-2022Not many gave Jamaica Tallawahs a chance to qualify for the CPL 2022 playoffs, let alone make the final, including former West Indies spinner and now commentator Samuel Badree. Every time Tallawahs’ Pakistan import Mohammad Amir would bump into Badree, he would remind Badree of his pre-tournament prediction and Tallawahs’ determination to prove him – and several others – wrong.After leading Tallawahs to an unlikely title – their third overall and first since 2016 – Rovman Powell also expressed his hurt at the “disrespect” that was directed at his team in the lead-up to the tournament. Having said that, there was also a good reason behind experts not giving Tallawahs a chance before the start of the tournament.Related

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Cornwall: 'Trust your skills and go for what you believe in'

Powell: 'Stuck through tough times' against spin

In 2020, Chris Gayle had exited Tallawahs in acrimonious fashion after a spat with Ramnaresh Sarwan. In the same year, Andre Russell called Tallawahs the “weirdest” team he has ever played for and it was only a matter of time before he would link up with Trinbago Knight Riders.The star-studded Knight Riders and St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, who had won CPL 2021 and the inaugural 6ixty this year, were the pre-tournament favourites, with Barbados Royals emerging as the dark horses. All these three teams had most bases covered while Tallawahs’ line-up after the draft appeared top-heavy and lacked a solid left-hand batter. Tallawahs also picked just one experienced seamer in Amir and punted on South Africa’s Migael Pretorius and local seamer Nicholson Gordon, who had not played an official T20 before CPL 2022.They had only one proper wristspinnner in Sandeep Lamichhane, but he was released from the tournament without playing a single match in the wake of his suspension by the Cricket Association of Nepal. After somehow sneaking into the playoffs, Tallawahs surmounted tremendous odds to become the first team to win the CPL final after having finished fourth in the league stage.ESPNcricinfo LtdIn the final, too, the odds were stacked against them even before a ball was bowled. Amir, who had grabbed a chart-topping nine wickets in the powerplay this season, was ruled out with a groin injury he sustained during the second qualifier. Then, his replacement Pretorius, who had leaked 24 runs in two powerplay overs, jarred his back while attempting a catch in the outfield and hobbled off the field.That Tallawahs won despite losing two key bowlers was down to the (Jamaican for being fearless) of their Jamaican boys. On the big night, when the title was on the line, Brandon King, Fabian Allen, Gordon and Powell all stepped up to make up for the absence of Gayle and Russell, who were both central to their victories in 2013 and 2016, and tear open a portal to Tallawahs’ future.Powell was overshadowed by Russell for much of his early career. When he first burst onto the scene, Kolkata Knight Riders’ CEO Venky Mysore described Powell as a junior Russell. During his first IPL stint with KKR in 2017, he was picked as a back-up allrounder for Russell. But in the last one year, he has emerged out of Russell’s shadows and carved out his own identity as a gun T20 player.ESPNcricinfo LtdPowell consciously worked on his technique against spin with Robert Samuels, the elder brother of Marlon, adding the sweep and the use of the feet to his repertoire. His improved game against spin was vital to Tallawahs’ strong start in the tournament and it was fitting that he was there at the finish along with King, another Jamaican star.Like Powell, King has also been bothered by spin in the past, but he ruthlessly took down Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Joshua Bishop in the final. After belting Mujeeb through the covers against the turn, King lined up the inexperienced Bishop for four fours in the 12th over that put Tallawahs well ahead of the game. King then rushed Tallawahs home with a flurry of boundaries against Mujeeb as well, completing his homecoming from Guyana Amazon Warriors in grand style.King’s 75-run third-wicket stand, off just 35 balls, with Powell thrilled many Jamaica fans, including Powell’s school-mate and sprinter Yohan Blake.

Happy for my school friend Powell @Ravipowell26 keep on doing it. Big up yourself king @bking_53 love the way you keep your head.

— Yohan Blake (@YohanBlake) October 1, 2022