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An update has emerged on Sunderland and their plans to add another centre-forward to their squad before the end of the summer transfer window…

What's the latest Sunderland transfer news?

According to the Sunderland Echo, the Black Cats are 'pursuing' a swoop to sign Jay Stansfield from Premier League side Fulham.

The report claims that Tony Mowbray and Kristjaan Speakman are eyeing up a loan deal for the number nine to bolster their forward options.

Fellow Championship teams Queens Park Rangers and Millwall have also been named as interested suitors, which means that the club are facing stiff competition to secure the talented youngster's signature.

How good is Jay Stansfield?

Mowbray could land the club's next Ellis Simms by securing a deal for the 20-year-old striker as he could make the step up to Championship football after an impressive spell in League One.

Stansfield went on loan to Exeter in the third tier last term and caught the eye with nine goals and seven assists in 28 starts, which means that he averaged a goal contribution every 1.75 starts.

Simms enjoyed an excellent time on loan at Blackpool in League One prior to his move to Sunderland as he scored ten goals and assisted one in 19 starts – an average of one every 1.73 starts.

After a stint at Hearts in Scotland, the then-Everton finisher moved to the Stadium of Light and impressed last season with seven goals and two assists in 14 Championship starts before being recalled in January.

Stansfield could follow in his footsteps by taking his game to the next level in a move to Wearside after an excellent level of production in League One.

Ross Stewart (ten) is the only current Sunderland player who scored more than nine league goals and only Jack Clarke (12) managed more than seven assists, which shows how impressive the youngster's displays were last term.

Fulham boss Marco Silva claimed that the 6 foot 1 whiz became stronger and developed as a player during his spell at Exeter, which suggests that he could now be ready to take the next leap in his development.

The 20-year-old marksman's form for the Cottagers at youth level suggests that there is a prolific centre-forward to be unearthed there as he racked up a staggering 38 goals and seven assists in 49 U21 and U18 matches combined.

Therefore, the England U20 international has the potential to be a fantastic scorer for Sunderland if he is able to push on and improve upon his performances for Exeter. He now has experience of playing first-team football week-in-week-out and could use that to thrive for the Black Cats.

Stansfield, whose runs were hailed as "powerful" by journalist Josh Bunting, is yet to prove himself at Championship level but neither had Simms when he arrived on Wearside on loan from a Premier League side, which is why he could be the next version of the now-Coventry ace.

It would be a gamble from Mowbray but one that has the potential to result in a huge pay-off for Sunderland if the exciting talent is able to hit top form and make a huge impact at the top end of the pitch.

Aston Villa were thrashed 5-1 by Newcastle on the opening weekend but the most disappointing news to come out of that game was a long-term injury to Tyrone Mings.

The 30-year-old centre-back suffered a serious injury which has sidelined him for the remainder of the season and left him requiring surgery.

Mings featured in all but three Premier League games last season, becoming a key player under Unai Emery.

With Villa facing the exciting but daunting prospect of juggling domestic and European football, defensive reinforcements are a must and a significant update has emerged regarding their chase of a World Cup-winning left back.

Aston Villa transfer news – What's the latest?

According to Diario de Sevilla (via Sport Witness), Aston Villa have 'made their move' for Sevilla's Marcos Acuna over the last week having seen two bids rejected, with the first being deemed 'far too low'.

A third bid is reportedly in the pipeline, however, the Spanish giants are only open to a potential deal if they can secure the right price for the 31-year-old. It's said a deal is now 'getting closer'.

Acuna is open to a move to Villa, so if the correct price can be negotiated, the Argentinian will be Emery's latest recruit.

How good is Marcos Acuna?

The "quality" Acuna – as dubbed by journalist Zach Lowy – has played for Sevilla since 2020, making 125 appearances and recording 18 goal involvements with the most joyous moments of his career coming in recent times.

From featuring in all but one of Argentina's matches on their way to a World Cup triumph in Qatar to lifting the Europa League trophy in June, it's fair to say that it's been a whirlwind 12 months for Acuna.

With transfer links drawn towards the 5 foot 8 ace, Villa supporters would have kept a close eye on his performance in the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday night.

Despite losing on penalties to Manchester City, the World Cup winner played a full 90 minutes and provided the assist for Youssef En-Nesyri's goal, which was later cancelled out by Cole Palmer's equaliser.

While Sevilla would have been disappointed by this defeat, Acuna was subject to high praise from Pep Guardiola when discussing Palmer's future.

He said: "it’s not easy to play against defenders like [Marcos] Acuna, for example, who is a top defender."

When one of the best managers in the world directs high praise towards a player, it's difficult not to take notice, especially after a phenomenal 2022/23 season.

Acuna stands-out out in La Liga when comparing his attacking stats to his positional peers, ranking in the top 10% for non-penalty goals (0.14), expected assists (0.27), shot-creating actions (4.80), crosses (6.92) and key passes 1.79), via FBref.

With Alex Moreno and Lucas Digne to compete against in his position, those attacking stats, in particular, prove that he has the quality to challenge or perhaps even make that spot his own.

Having already signed a Europa League-winning defender in Pau Torres, adding Acuna to the ranks is a mouth-watering proposition with the pair looking tailor-made to form a strong partnership.

Torres happened to replace the aforementioned Mings in light of his horrendous injury against Newcastle and then made his first start against Everton on Sunday, keeping a clean sheet.

He won 100% of his aerial duels and completed 90% of his passes from a left centre-back berth, as per Sofascore.

Such a role could see him thrive alongside Acuna, with a solid and dependable left-sided combination set to emerge for Emery.

Eoin Morgan is confident that Alex Hales will be able to focus on his game after being made available for selection in the wake of the Bristol incident

Andrew McGlashan06-Dec-2017England’s one-day captain Eoin Morgan is confident that Alex Hales will be able to focus on his game after being made available for selection, following confirmation by police that he is no longer a suspect in the incident that took place in Bristol on September 25, although it seems likely he won’t immediately earn his place back in the starting XI against Australia.Hales has been included in England’s 16-man squad for the one-day series against Australia which follows the Ashes, having been omitted from the last two ODIs of the home season against West Indies following events in Bristol. Ben Stokes is also currently part of the squad but his participation depends on a decision from the Crown Prosecution Service, after their charging advice was sought by Avon and Somerset Police.Hales’ position in the squad could yet come into doubt, should the CPS take no action against Stokes and the issue is handed to the Cricket Discipline Commission, but for now Hales is back in the mix and Morgan has no concerns over his state of mind.”I’m very confident he’ll be able to move on. I think that’s dictated by the performances he puts in and the hard work he puts in, but I’ve no doubt his head is in the right space to do that,” Morgan told ESPNcricinfo.”It’s very pleasing to have Alex back, when the news broke it was going to be a boost to the squad in what I think will be a tough series in the New Year and that starts off 2018 for us, which will be quite a significant year for us in growing what we’ve established as a team, and he remains a vital part of that.”Whether Hales walks back into the side remains up for debate from a cricket point of view, however, following the successful comeback for Jason Roy when he took Hales’ spot against West Indies. Roy scored 84 and 96 to finish a disappointing summer on a high after losing his spot for the Champions Trophy semi-final.Alongside the prolific introduction of Jonny Bairstow as an opener – he has scored 345 runs at 115.00 in the six matches since he replaced Roy – it means England are overloaded for top-order options. England coach Trevor Bayliss has suggested that Bairstow and Roy will both retain their positions at the top, but it is a dilemma Morgan is happy to have.”It was unfortunate that Jason couldn’t turn a corner for the semi-final or the lead into it and the opportunity fell to Jonny, which was great,” Morgan said. “He had grafted over the last two years and every opportunity he got he managed to cash in. I think the performances from Jason in the last two games against West Indies were outstanding.”It’s never easy when you’ve been dropped to come back in and score runs and it’s quite evident that when he does he’s a dominant force at the top of the order. Performances like that always create an interesting conversation in selection – it’s done that for two years now and it’s epitomised the hunger to get into the XI. It’s been difficult at times but it’s a pleasure to play in such a strong XI.”

A 201-run second-wicket stand, built around centuries from William Porterfield and Andy Balbirnie, followed by a four-wicket haul from Kevin O’Brien, set up Ireland’s 67-run triumph over the hosts

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jan-2018William Porterfield drives through cover for a boundary•Peter Della PennaA 201-run second-wicket stand, built around centuries from William Porterfield and Andy Balbirnie, followed by a four-wicket haul by Kevin O’Brien set up Ireland’s 67-run triumph over United Arab Emirates. In doing so, Ireland consigned the hosts to a second successive defeat in as many games in the ODI tri-series in Dubai.Ireland’s decision to bat found early validation as Porterfield, the captain, got them off to a 44-run opening partnership with Paul Stirling. After Stirling (20) handed a return catch to Zahoor Khan in the ninth over, Porterfield joined forces with Balbirnie, trotting to a 147-ball 139 – his tenth ODI century – while plundering a combined 27 fours and three sixes with Balbirnie to propel the score to 301. Balbirnie, meanwhile, scored his maiden ODI century with the help of 12 fours and a six during their partnership that lasted 35.3 overs. Qadeer Ahmed struck in the 44th over, taking out Balbirne for a 109-ball 102. Just before Ireland reached 300, Mohammad Naveed had Porterfield caught and offspinner Rohan Mustafa’s double-strike in the last over accounted for the O’Brien brothers – Kevin and Niall – leaving UAE 302 to chase.UAE started slow in the chase, losing their openers – Ashfaq Ahmed and Mustafa – in 8.3 overs for 40 runs. While Barry McCarthy and Peter Chase sniped out the first two wickets, Andy McBrine sniped out wicketkeeper-batsman Ghulam Shabber in the 20th over. A fourth-wicket stand of 68 runs between Rameez Shahzad and Muhammad Usman took UAE close to 150, before Shahzad was caught behind off McBrine for a 56-ball 50. Kevin O’Brien subsequently took out the next three wickets – inclduing two in the 41st over – and left UAE reeling at 199 for 7 with only nine overs left. No. 8 Mohammad Naveed’s 31-ball 25 helped UAE inch towards 250 before O’Brien found his fourth wicket in Zahoor and McCarthy his second in Naveed, rolling the home side over for 234 in 48.4 overs.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has named his top five signings of the summer, including Liverpool ace Dominik Szoboszlai in his rankings.

What's the latest Liverpool transfer news?

It's been a busy summer for the Reds who have seen some key players depart as manager Jurgen Klopp looks to rebuild his midfield.

Indeed, Fabinho recently completed a transfer to Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad, becoming the second Liverpool player to move to the Middle East after Jordan Henderson’s switch to Al-Ettifaq.

As well as that, other midfielders James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita all also left Anfield, departing after their contracts expired at the start of the summer.

To help fill the void, the Reds went out and signed World Cup-winning Brighton ace Alexis Mac Allister, for an initial fee of around £35m – although that could rise to £55m.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

On top of that, they tried to bring in Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia but both players snubbed Klopp and co in favour of a move to Chelsea.

Instead, they have ended up with Japanese midfielder Wataru Endo who was previously at VfB Stuttgart. However, it is the deal for Szoboszlai that appears to have caught Romano's eye the most.

Indeed, when speaking to 888 Sport (via Sport Bible), the Italian journalist named the player in his top five signings so far in the summer transfer window.

In fifth place, Romano placed AC Milan's move Tijani Rejinders, who arrived from PSV for around €20m (around £17m). And then Szoboszlai was ranked in at fourth.

The Austrian midfielder signed a five-year contract until 2028, after the Reds agreed upon a £60m fee with RB Leipzig earlier in the transfer window.

In third place, Romano named Declan Rice, who joined Arsenal for a British-record transfer fee of £105m from West Ham United – although Romano interestingly told fans to be patient with that particular deal.

Second on the list was the move of former Manchester City star Ilkay Gundogan to Barcelona. He left England following the expiration of his contract but big things are expected of him in Spain with Romano labelling him "one of the most underrated players in the world in the last 10 years".

While first up on the list – ironically enough a big Liverpool target – was Jude Bellingham. The talented youngster of course moved to Real Madrid for just £88m. With so much competition for his signature, Romano called the deal a "masterpiece" from Los Blancos.

Does Dominik Szoboszlai speak English?

Despite having only arrived at Liverpool recently, It appears, Szoboszlai is settling in pretty fast. After all, he has played every minute in the Premier League for the Reds so far – and, across those appearances, has the fourth-best averaged WhoScored match rating (7.00) in the squad.

Perhaps what has helped him settle in is his ability to speak pretty good English. He showed this when he made a bold claim after talking recently to the media.

Indeed, when asked who he thinks will win the league this season, he told Liverpool Echo: "Us."

He added: "I am thinking it. I always think that way. Even if this is hard and there are very good teams in the Premier League, but we are also very good, we have a very good coach and players. We are going to do our best and at the end I want to be first.

"We will see. We have a lot of games. [Manchester City] mainly have a lot of games and we have to play against them as well. I think everybody in the Premier League who has a chance to win, they are going to want to win anyway. We are thinking the same. Like, I am thinking the same but probably the other guys are going to think the same if you ask them.

"I am this type, I like to win, I like to do everything for the team. If they ask me if I want to win the Premier League, of course I want to win it. If I want to win the Europa League and the FA Cup, the same. Everything we can do this year. I want to win everything because nobody is going to ask you how it feels to be second."

Celtic majority shareholder Dermot Desmond and the rest of the board backed Northern Irish head coach Brendan Rodgers significantly throughout the summer transfer window.

Who did Celtic sign this summer?

The Hoops added nine new additions to the group in an attempt to bolster the playing squad in spite of the treble-winning campaign last season.

Nat Phillips

Loan

Luis Palma

Permanent

Gustaf Lagerbielke

Permanent

Maik Nawrocki

Permanent

Paulo Bernardo

Loan

Odin Thiago Holm

Permanent

Marco Tilio

Permanent

Hyeok-kyu Kwon

Permanent

Hyun-jun Yang

Permanent

Seven players were brought in on permanent deals to improve the side in the long term, with Luis Palma arriving for a reported fee of £3.5m as the final addition in that bracket.

Bernardo has arrived on a season-long loan from Benfica, although the club do have the option to sign him at the end of the campaign, and Phillips has joined from Liverpool until January.

These signings have added further depth to Rodgers' squad and that has resulted in a number of players being surplus to requirements as they have too many people ahead of them in the pecking order to have a realistic chance of getting minutes on the pitch. One of those who fell victim to that is Albian Ajeti.

Why did Celtic sell Ajeti?

Ajeti is one of the players who fell into that aforementioned situation with the Hoops reportedly very keen to move him on before the Turkish transfer window closes on the 15th, amid interest from Gaziantep.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT recently, Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph claimed that the Bhoys were "desperate" to cash in on the Switzerland international.

The reporter also revealed that the Hoops dud had rejected two moves away from Parkhead already and was content to remain at the club on his reported £21k-per-week salary without being a part of the team if the right move did not arise.

However, Gaziantep officially confirmed the signing of Ajeti this week, and the Scottish giants have finally been unable to offload him from their wage bill.

Joseph had stated that the club would sanction an exit for a fee of just £500k this summer, although it is yet to be confirmed exactly how much the Turkish side have spent to secure his signature.

How much did Celtic pay for Ajeti?

Celtic paid a reported fee of £5m to sign the striker from West Ham United in 2020 and you could forgive supporters for having high expectations of a player when they arrive for such a significant amount of money.

Then-manager Neil Lennon described the former Hammers marksman as a "tremendous" player, despite his form for the Premier League side being less-than-impressive.

Ajeti joined the London-based club from Basel in 2019 and struggled badly in England as he ended his time with West Ham without a single goal to his name in 12 competitive appearances. This included zero goals and zero assists in nine outings in the English top-flight.

He averaged a dismal Sofascore rating of 6.46 and lost a staggering 91% of his physical duels across those nine Premier League matches, but that did not put Celtic off in their pursuit of his services.

How many goals did Ajeti score for Celtic?

The Swiss forward ended his career in Scotland with nine goals in 46 competitive games across his three years with the Hoops, which shows that he was far from prolific.

Ajeti failed to break into Lennon's side on a regular basis throughout his debut campaign as he started only ten Scottish Premiership matches in the 2020/21 season.

The 26-year-old, who former Bhoys striker Frank McAvennie described as "lazy" due to his poor work rate, featured in 20 league clashes in total that term and found the back of the net six times, whilst he also provided his teammates with one assist.

His lack of physical strength was an issue as the former Premier League attacker lost 65% of his duels and a whopping 74% of his aerial battles, which may have been a big reason behind his lack of starts as Lennon could not rely on him to occupy opposition defenders.

Teams found it far too easy to dominate him and the Swiss finisher did not make up for it with his quality in possession, failing to create a single 'big chance' and producing 0.6 key passes per game to go along with his six goals.

Lennon moved on from Parkhead at the end of that season and Ange Postecoglou was brought in for the start of the 2021/22 campaign.

The Australian head coach did not take a liking to Ajeti either and only handed him seven league appearances. In that time, the ex-Hoop scored two goals and lost 61% of his duels for the Scottish side to go alongside a rather average Sofascore rating of 6.72.

These statistics show that the ex-Basel star struggled with the physicality of football in Scotland and was unable to earn a regular run of starts due to that and his lack of quality in the final third.

His record in European competitions was also particularly dire. He produced one goal in 14 games across the Europa League and Champions League, including qualifiers, as the misfiring forward failed to make the step up to continental competitions.

Ajeti's dreadful form for the Hoops led to him being sent out on loan to Sturm Graz by Postecoglou for the 2022/23 campaign and he struggled to make an impact in Austria.

Only four goals and one assist fell his way in 23 appearances for the club and, once again, he left a lot to be desired out of possession. He lost 60% of his physical battles and found the back of the net on three occasions in 15 Bundesliga outings for Sturm Graz.

His finishing ability also came into question in Austria as the misfiring dud spurned eight 'big chances' in front of goal in those league matches, which shows that Ajeti struggled on and off the ball throughout the season.

The £5m signing's disappointing loan spell clearly failed to indicate to Rodgers that he was worth handing a chance to at Parkhead this season, which led to his move to Turkey this week.

Celtic certinaly endured a nightmare with the Lennon signing over the course of his three years in Scotland and they will be happy that his chapter at the club has now come to an end.

The PCB’s anti-corruption unit has formally charged the opening batsman for as many as five breaches of their anti-corruption code, to do with fixing, accepting money to improperly influence games as well as inducing other players to indulge in corrupt ac

Umar Farooq08-Feb-2018After 12 months of allegations and only a minor charge, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has blinked and made its first major move against Nasir Jamshed. The PCB’s anti-corruption unit has formally charged the opening batsman for as many as five breaches of their anti-corruption code. Jamshed is already serving a one-year ban after the PCB had found him guilty of the relatively minor charge of non-cooperation in the PSL spot-fixing investigation – that ends on February 13.Clauses under which Nasir Jamshed is charged

2.1 Corruption: 2.1.1 Fixing or contriving in any way or otherwise influencing improperly, or being a party to any agreement or effort to fix or contrive in any way or otherwise influence improperly, the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of any Domestic Match, including (without limitation) by deliberately underperforming therein.
2.1.2 Ensuring for Betting or other corrupt purposes the occurrence of a particular incident in a Domestic Match.
2.1.3 Seeking, accepting, offering or agreeing to accept any bribe or other Reward to (a) fix or to contrive in any way or otherwise to influence improperly the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of any Domestic Match or (b) ensure for Betting or other corrupt purposes the occurrence of a particular incident in a Domestic Match.
2.1.4 Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach any of the foregoing provisions of this Article 2.1.
2.4.4 Failing to disclose to the PCB Vigilance and Security Department (without unnecessary delay) full details of any approaches or invitations received by the Participant to engage in Corrupt Conduct under this Anti-Corruption Code.

But all through the last year, the PCB firmly believed that Jamshed was more central to the plots to corrupt games during the PSL and it was made clear several times by the board that he would face further consequences. That, potentially, could be the case now, as Jamshed has been charged with fixing, accepting money to improperly influence games as well as inducing other players to indulge in corrupt activity.Jamshed was also arrested in the UK by the National Crime Agency in February last year in connection to this case, though he was quickly released on bail. That investigation is believed to be ongoing, though officials familiar with the case believe a decision is expected in a few weeks – Jamshed, these officials believe, is not the centre of the NCA’s investigation.”The Pakistan Cricket Board has today issued a notice of charge to cricketer Nasir Jamshed, wherein he has been charged with multiple violations of Articles 2.1.1, 2.1.2, 2.1.3, 2.1.4 and 2.4.4 of the PCB’s Anti-Corruption Code for Participants (“the Code”),” a statement said. “Nasir Jamshed now has fourteen (14) days to respond to the notice of charge.”According to officials involved with the case, the PCB acted after the emergence of fresh evidence, centering around alleged meetings prior to the PSL in the UK. The board has, over the past year, claimed to have overwhelming evidence against Jamshed and also said that they have been waiting for the NCA to share their evidence – the latter has not occurred, though an NCA official did appear as a witness via video link in one of the PCB’s tribunal hearings. At least one part of the evidence against Jamshed is a collection of WhatsApp voice recordings allegedly between Jamshed and others also implicated in the case; these recordings were leaked to the media.Jamshed has all along denied any wrongdoing and has, in fact, threatened to take the PCB to court for maligning his name. He is based in Birmingham and has been communicating with the PCB through his Lahore-based lawyer, and has appeared before the PCB tribunal via video link.Jamshed was the fifth Pakistani player sanctioned in relation to the spot-fixing case that marred the start of the second season of the PSL last February. Sharjeel Khan, Khalid Latif, Mohammad Irfan and Mohammad Nawaz were all fined and banned for various periods of time, for a variety of charges. Shahzaib Hasan was also charged and is presently undergoing legal proceedings before a PCB three-man tribunal.Jamshed hasn’t played an international game for Pakistan since the 2015 World Cup and last featured in domestic cricket in December 2016.

Celtic maintained their position at the top of the Scottish Premiership table as they swept Dundee aside on Saturday with a 3-0 win at Parkhead.

Who scored for Celtic against Dundee?

David Turnbull opened the scoring from the penalty spot after he was adjudged to have been fouled just inside the box, although it took VAR to confirm that the incident was indeed a penalty rather than a free-kick.

The second then came as Callum McGregor floated a delicious cross in for Kyogo Furuhashi to rise and flick the ball past the goalkeeper with his head.

Celtic's Japanese marksman then turned provider as he raced down the right channel and produced a pinpoint cutback for Matt O'Riley to make it 3-0 and wrap up all three points.

How good was Kyogo against Dundee?

Whilst Kyogo caught the eye with a lethal display up front, the Denmark U21 international was an unsung hero for Brendan Rodgers with his display in the middle of the park.

Kyogo vs Dundee in numbers (via Sofascore)

22 touches

64% pass success

1 key pass

40% duels won

0 dribbles completed

The Japan international was not constantly involved in the match with regard to overall touches and did not provide a physical outlet for the team to play off through the middle of the pitch, but certainly made up for it with a goal and assist.

O'Riley, on the other hand, produced a fantastic all-round display throughout the match as he made an impact in and out of possession for the Scottish giants.

How good was Matt O'Riley against Dundee?

The 22-year-old was rock solid off the ball and did not allow the opposition to get the better of him in any physical contest as he won 100% (4/4) of his duels throughout 73 minutes on the pitch.

This certainly shows that he had too much strength for Dundee and was a brick wall in midfield for the Hoops.

His offensive play was also impressive too as the former MK Dons star caught the eye with his quality in possession. That included a composed and low finish for his third league goal of the campaign – matching his tally for the 2022/23 Premiership season already.

As per Sofascore, O'Riley completed 100% (2/2) of his attempted dribbles and had a pass success rate of 85%, which resulted in one key pass for his teammates, in 58 touches.

The central midfielder was reliable on the ball and rarely gave it away to the opposition, proving to be effective in his attacking actions, as the defenders found it impossible to dispossess him when he dribbled past them.

Kyogo certainly deserves plaudits for his two goal contributions that helped to secure all three points, ultimately receiving the highest Sofascore rating in the game (8.3).

However, O'Riley earned a rating of 8.0, which was the second-highest of the match, and as a result, was the unsung hero with the impact that he made at both ends of the pitch.

The ex-Fulham man put in an outstanding performance alongside Kyogo and Rodgers will surely be hoping for more of the same from the pair moving forward, particularly ahead of their Champions League clash with Feyenoord on Tuesday night.

Mohammad Amir has come to an agreement with Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur that is likely to see him play less Test cricket

Umar Farooq26-Mar-2018Mohammad Amir is considering shortening his Test career in a bid to extend his international playing days. The fast bowler has come to an agreement in principle with Pakistan’s head coach, Mickey Arthur, which will see Amir’s workload being managed in the future, and it is likely that it will reduce the number of Tests he appears in.Amir, 25, has played 30 Tests since his debut nearly nine years ago, but he didn’t play any cricket for five of those years when he was serving a ban for his part in the Lord’s spot-fix in 2010. He was 18 at the time, had played 14 Tests and become the youngest bowler to take 50 Test wickets. Had he not taken part in the fix and been banned it is likely he would have played a majority of Pakistan’s 43 Tests in the interim.Since his international return at the start of 2016, he has added 16 Tests and though his record may not stand out – 44 wickets at 37.25 – he has been a regular for Pakistan in all three formats. Added to stints in county cricket and T20 leagues and it is no surprise he is starting to feel the toll. He has bowled the most international overs for any Pakistan bowler since his return (864.3 overs) across all formats, sixth among fast bowlers worldwide – none of the others returned, however, from five years out of top-flight sport.”Cricket is different since 2010 and if you look back I have lost five precious years of my career,” Amir told ESPNcricinfo. “Just imagine had I played in all those years, the count could have been 70-80 Tests.”I can’t roll back that lost time but I can manage my workload to extend my career as much as I can. With every passing day I’m getting older and I know fans want me to play. But if you look rationally I’m human and not an iron man. My passion is still there and I want to be there for fans, serving the country for a long time. I have played 30 Tests so far. I think in the next few years I might miss a few and possibly I might end up with 50 Tests.1:58

Ban to burnout?

“I came to agreement with Mickey and with so much cricket we need to follow a rotation policy so that everyone is fresh and fully fit for the country. His planning ahead of the 2019 World Cup is working very well. I didn’t say I don’t want to play Test cricket but that I want to weave myself in, resting for a few and playing the important games. This is being done by Australia and England, so why not us? We have so many potential bowlers around and all need to be played … it’s not like I will stay forever but whatever time I have I would rather stay with greater impact.”Amir has been fairly fortunate in avoiding major injuries in international cricket, though during his Under-19 days he did suffer a major stress fracture of the back. Since his return he has injured his shin – midway through a Test against Sri Lanka last year – and sustained a side strain during the PSL this season. He was rested by the management during the 2016-17 home series against West Indies and also missed the World XI series in Lahore last year after becoming a father.Rumours had floated last year that Amir was considering giving up Tests altogether, rumours which he denied.”At the end of the day it all comes down to you individually,” he said. “You know your body very well and you know how much your body can sustain.”Sometimes people don’t realise that bowlers need rest and when you go out with injury, if it’s a serious one then you have no future. You fade away and people forget. I have seen many examples in our system, of players who have come and gone.”With so much cricket going on I have be very careful with my body. I have lost enough in my life and this is my profession, I need to be very careful going forward. Fitness is everything and for a fast bowler it’s really tough for me to play everything. A good impactful performance comes with a fitter body and with a fresh state of mind.”

Bangladesh women bowled out for their second sub-100 score as they go 3-0 down in the five-match series

ESPNcricinfo staff09-May-2018
ScorecardGetty Images and Cricket AustraliaBangladesh women are yet to bat out 50 overs on tour in South Africa. On Wednesday, they were bowled out for their second sub-100 score after which the dominant hosts, riding on an unbeaten 51-ball 44 from Lizelle Lee, cruised past the target of 72 in just 14.4 overs. The victory gave South Africa an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-ODI series.Barring Nigar Sultana, who occupied the crease for 122 minutes to make an unbeaten 97-ball 33, none of the other Bangladesh batsmen made much of an impression. Panna Ghosh’s 12 at No. 8 was the second-highest score of the innings that lasted 36.5 overs.The top four were blown away inside four overs by the new-ball pair of Ayabonga Khaka and Marizanne Kapp, who picked up two wickets apiece in their first spell. The 23-run stand that followed between Jannatul Ferdus and Sultana was the highest of the innings.Khaka, who was in line to record her ODI best, finished with her second successive three-for, while Kapp didn’t add to her first-spell tally. There was a wicket apiece for Masabata Klaas, Chloe Tryon, debutant Zintle Mali and Raisibe Ntozakhe.Bangladesh struck in the seventh over of the chase when left-arm spinner Nahida Akhter removed Andrie Steyn, but that would be their only consolation on the field. Trisha Chetty finished 15 not out to Lee’s 44, which contained five fours and a six.The fourth ODI will also be played in Kimberley on Saturday.