Category Uncategorized

Kamindu Mendis can bowl orthodox left-arm spin. He can bowl right-arm offspin as well. He is also a handy batsman. And his unique skills were on show against Pakistan in Mirpur

Vishal Dikshit in Mirpur03-Feb-2016On the first ball of the 18th over in Sri Lanka Under-19s’ chase against Pakistan Under-19s, in Mirpur, left-handed batsman Kamindu Mendis attempted a reverse sweep off left-arm spinner Ahmad Shafiq and it fetched him three runs. That was not the first time Mendis had switched hands or his stance or his style of playing – whether during the day or his career.When Pakistan were batting, Mendis was brought on to bowl in the 27th over with two right-handed batsmen in the middle and he started with some orthodox left-arm spin. After a run-out in that over, left-handed batsman Salman Fayyaz took strike. Mendis then switched to right-arm offspin.”I practice with both arms but I bowled with both arms [in a match] for the first time in Under-17 against St Joseph’s College two years ago,” Mendis said after the match. “I took four wickets in that match.”The junior Sri Lankan selectors first spotted him and his unique skill about a year ago in school cricket and held several trials before picking him for the home Youth ODIs against Pakistan last October. “He does it very well and he’s just 16 years,” junior selector Ranjan Paranavitana told ESPNcricinfo. “And he can bat at any position…it’s an added factor for Kamindu.”Mendis first started practicing with both arms in the nets at the age of around 13 when his coach Dhanushka Dhinagama came up with the idea. The plan was simple – turn the ball away from the batsman. And that’s what he did today too – left-arm orthodox against right-handed batsmen and right-arm offspin against left-handed batsmen.”When two left-handed batsmen are batting, we have to use two offspinners,” Paranavitana explained. “When Kamindu is bowling he can bowl to both kind of batsmen.”Mendis is also aware that he is not the first Sri Lankan to try it out. Hashan Tillakaratne, a part-time offspinner, had done so in the 1996 World Cup in a league match against Kenya. Defending 398, Sri Lanka had the match in the bag when Tillakaratne came on to bowl the last over of the innings and bowled left-arm orthodox spin and right-arm offspin. Even though Mendis was not even born then, he has played with Tillakaratne’s son who happens to be a chinaman bowler.Naturally a left-hander, Mendis is more of a classical spinner compared to the spinners of this age and era. Right arm or left arm, he flights the ball and often pitches it up to tempt batsmen to drive with a slip in place. In Sri Lanka’s 23-run loss to Pakistan, Mendis bowled only four overs without any success and conceded 21 runs.Mendis took to cricket because of his cricket-following father and represents Richmond College in Galle, like his captain Charith Asalanka. And the two recently made their List A debuts together for Galle Cricket Club. Mendis and Asalanka, in fact, have been playing together since the Under-13 level.Mendis is one of the youngest members of the squad and likes to call himself a batting allrounder. It was his batting that proved more handy on Wednesday when he hit 68 runs at No. 3, even as the rest of the batsmen did not provide substantial support. In a chase of 213, Mendis took his team closer to 150 with a patient knock, which lasted nearly two hours, before holing out to long-on. Sri Lanka then lost their last five wickets for 32 runs.”My idea was to play 50 overs but I played a poor shot and got out,” Mendis said. “So I think I should do less mistakes and do well in remaining matches.”The other young and promising allrounder in the team is Jehan Daniel, the only player younger than Mendis in the squad, and assistant coach Avishka Gunawardene said the idea to pick them early was to hone them for the next Under-19 World Cup.”That is the plan in our mind,” Gunawardene said. “In every Under-19 tour we are planning to have 16 or 17-year-old guys go on the tour so they can play for a couple of more years in Under-19 and take over when the senior guys go. That has been the plan in the system.”I think Sri Lanka’s school cricket structure is really good, it is one of the best in the world. That is the backbone of Sri Lankan cricket. So until they come out of school, they hardly play first-class cricket.”Mendis bats left-handed, can he bat right-handed too?”Can’t bat with both hands (laughs) but I can reverse sweep,” and he used quite a few of them after the 18th over too.

A look back at the key numbers from MS Dhoni’s Test career, as batsman, captain, and wicketkeeper

S Rajesh30-Dec-2014Most Tests as keeper-captain |60 The number of Tests in which MS Dhoni captained India, the highest among all Indians, and sixth among all captains. It’s also easily the highest for a wicketkeeper – the next best is Bangladesh’s Mushfiqur Rahim, with 19 matches as captain.294 Test dismissals for Dhoni, the fifth highest among all wicketkeepers, and the best for an Indian by far: the next best is Syed Kirmani’s 198 dismissals in 88 matches.27 The number of Tests India won with Dhoni as captain – the next highest for India is Sourav Ganguly with 21. Only six captains won more Tests than Dhoni did.21 The number of home Tests India won under Dhoni, which puts him fourth in the all-time list – only Graeme Smith, Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh captained in more home wins. The next best for India is Mohammad Azharuddin with 13 wins. However, in overseas Tests India won only six out of 30 under Dhoni, and lost 15. In contrast, India won 11 out of 28 overseas Tests under Ganguly, and five out of 17 under Rahul Dravid. Since the 2011 World Cup, India lost 13 out of 18 overseas Tests under Dhoni, winning only one and drawing four.9 Number of dismissals Dhoni affected in his last Test (eight catches, one stumping), which is the highest for an Indian wicketkeeper. There are five instances of eight dismissals by an Indian wicketkeeper, of which Dhoni was the protagonist three times. In Test history, there are only four instances of wicketkeepers affecting more than nine dismissals in a Test.38 The number of stumpings by Dhoni, which is the joint third highest in Test history, along with Kirmani. Only Godfrey Evans (46) and Bert Oldfield (52) have more stumpings.224 Dhoni’s score against Australia in Chennai last year, the third best ever by a wicketkeeper in Tests. Only Andy Flower (232* against India in 2000) and Kumar Sangakkara (230 versus Pakistan in 2002) have made bigger scores. Before Dhoni’s double-century, the highest by a wicketkeeper for India was Budhi Kunderan’s 192 against England in 1964.Most runs as a Test wicketkeeper |4876 Runs that Dhoni scored in Tests, which is the third best for a wicketkeeper, after Adam Gilchrist (5570) and Mark Boucher (5515). Among Indian wicketkeepers it’s easily the best, well clear of Kirmani’s 2759 and Farrokh Engineer’s 2611. He averaged 38.09, the best among Indian wicketkeepers who played more than three Tests, while his six Test hundreds is three times the next best for India.47.21 Dhoni’s batting average in Tests in Asia. In 72 innings he scored six hundreds and 18 fifties. He played exactly 72 innings outside Asia as well, but didn’t manage a single hundred, and averaged 29.79. His highest outside Asia was 92, at The Oval in 2007.3454 Runs scored by Dhoni as Test captain, which is the highest among Indian captains. Sunil Gavaskar is next, with 3449 runs in 47 Tests as captain, while Azharuddin made 2856 runs in 47 matches. Dhoni averaged 40.63 as captain; when not captain, his average dropped to 33.06.2871 The Test runs Dhoni scored from the No. 7 position, the highest for India at that slot; Kapil Dev is next with an aggregate of 2861. No other Indian batsman has scored more than 800 runs from that position.15 The number of overseas Tests India lost under Dhoni. Only Stephen Fleming (16 losses from 42 Tests) and Brian Lara (16 losses from 20 Tests) have lost more overseas games as captain.78 Number of sixes Dhoni hit in Tests. Among Indians only Virender Sehwag, with 90 sixes, has more.22 The number of century partnerships that Dhoni was involved in. His most prolific partnerships came with VVS Laxman: in 27 stands they aggregated 1361 runs, at an average of 56.70 runs per completed partnership, with three century stands. Laxman was the only partner with whom Dhoni put together more than 1000 runs. Of the four double-century partnerships he was involved in, two were with Laxman.2 Number of Man-of-the-Match awards Dhoni won in Tests. Both were against Australia – in Mohali in 2008, and in Chennai in 2013.

Plays of the Day from the IPL game between Delhi Daredevils and Kolkata Knight Riders in Raipur

Devashish Fuloria01-May-2013The diamond duck
Gautam Gambhir is not a slow runner between wickets, but his poor judgment of a run has often ended his or his partner’s innings. Today, he paid the price for a bad call. The second ball of the match from Irfan Pathan hit Manvinder Bisla on the pad and dropped in front of the batsman. Gambhir, however, started charging towards the striker’s end and Bisla responded belatedly. Pathan got to the ball quickly and flicked it on to the stumps to catch Gambhir short by a big margin. It was Gambhir’s eighth run out in the IPL, his 15th in Twenty20s, and it earned him his first diamond duck in T20 cricket.The celebration
Before the start of the match, brothers Irfan and Yusuf Pathan were seen sharing a laugh, but once on the field, they got on with their jobs. Yusuf, who came in early, was in a hurry to maximise the Powerplay score. He smoked a six off Morne Morkel in the sixth over but when he tried to repeat the shot, it went high instead of long. Really high. Irfan, at square leg, had to run backwards while keeping an eye on the swirler. All this while, captain Mahela Jayawardene, possibly not expecting the catch to be completed, had a neutral look on his face. But Irfan stretched his hands out, wrapped his palms around the ball but didn’t celebrate the outstanding effort. His team-mates, though, came charging towards him in delight, their reactions more in line with the quality of that catch.The catch
Kolkata Knight Riders had already been stung by some excellent work in the field by Daredevils and were tottering on 50 for 4 in the ninth over. At that stage, Jacques Kallis, who was left with the responsibility of reviving the innings, got a harmless delivery outside off, which nine out of ten times he would have crashed to the boundary. The shot, when it left the bat, seemed to be one of those 90 per cent success-rate hits, but Ben Rohrer at point leapt high in the air, intercepted the ball with his outstretched left hand and plucked it out of nowhere.The drop
Daredevils had set the benchmark in the field by converting half-chances into wickets, but Knight Riders started in a completely opposite fashion. Brett Lee was generating pace and movement and he got Virender Sehwag to play a loose drive in the air. The ball flew straight to Gambhir, who had placed himself at short cover for the shot, at a comfortable height, but the captain was off balance and ended up fluffing it.The heavy bail
For the second time in the day, the ball hit the stumps and the bail didn’t budge. It had happened when Shikhar Dhawan was batting against Mumbai Indians in Hyderabad and it happened again in Raipur, to a 145 kph delivery from Morne Morkel. Rajat Bhatia was struggling to deal with the pace and was beaten by a delivery that straightened past his bat, then flicked the off stump en route to the keeper. The noise was loud enough for everyone in the field to notice, but surprisingly, the bail didn’t even wobble in the groove.

ESPNcricinfo presents plays of the day from Cardiff where Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell piled on the runs

ESPNcricinfo staff29-May-2011Shock of the day
It happened on six occasions in the course of this winter’s Ashes, so it’s not as if the sight is completely alien to Test-match viewers. Nevertheless, the dismissal, in the 97th over, of Alastair Cook for 133 still came as quite a shock – not least to Sri Lanka’s bowlers, who had hardly induced so much as a play-and-a-miss in the course of his 251-stand with Jonathan Trott. Farveez Maharoof, playing his first Test since November 2007, extracted a touch of lift outside off, and for once Cook’s cut shot let him down, as Prasanna Jayawardene reached to his left to intercept.Shot of the day
Kevin Pietersen was, in Cook’s words, feeling a bit of “pad-rash” by the close of day three, having been sweating in the hot seat throughout Cook and Trott’s alliance. But when Ian Bell’s turn came to bat, he showed no signs of similar anxiety. He got himself off the mark with a cool-as-you-like dab for two, then strode out of his crease to the left-armer Rangana Herath, and stroked him up and over the sightscreen at the River Taff End.Sight of the day
Midway through the afternoon session, a man in a skin-tight yellow morph suit decided to go for a jog round the perimeter of the ground. He demonstrated a serviceable bowling action as he skipped along the seating at midwicket, and later bowed to a posse of nuns down at third man. It was, by common consent, a more memorable passage of play than anything produced by the unquestionably admirable Trott.Comic fielding of the day – 1
It would be harsh to suggest that Sri Lanka’s fielding standards went to pieces in the course of England’s innings, because their bowlers forced so few chances that no-one was properly tested. Nevertheless, early in Bell’s innings, the substitute fielder Suraj Randiv suffered a moment to forget, when his despairing dive towards the rope turned into an anti-athletic belly-flop on the quick-drying and, consequently, un-slide-friendly outfield.Comic fielding of the day – 2
Sri Lanka showed there were several ways of diving too early. If Randiv showed the head-first method to get a close look at the ball dribbling past, Maharoof demonstrated the slide like a footballer desperately trying to keep the ball in play. He slid to a stop well before the trickled past him to the boundary.Non-milestone of the day
With the play meandering, the main interest after Trott reached his double-century surrounded whether Bell could post his 13th Test century before stumps. He needed two off the final over, and Eoin Morgan turned over the strike after three deliveries. Bell blocked the first ball, before the crowd cheered as Dilshan tossed one down the leg side past the keeper. Bell started to sprint, and as he completed the runs he looked hopefully at the umpire, who raised his hand to signal byes, much to the crowd’s disappointment.

This wasn’t merely the culmination of a domestic tournament but the dawn of unprecedented riches for English cricket

Will Luke at The Rose Bowl26-Jul-2008
Tyron Henderson launches another crowd-pleasing six © Getty Images
This wasn’t merely the culmination of a domestic tournament but the dawn of unprecedented riches for English cricket. For a competition which appeared out of nowhere six years ago, jutting out uncomfortably between the dusty but familiar Championship, today’s thrilling Twenty20 final between Kent and Middlesex was something of a landmark.A landmark for Middlesex, of course, who ended 15 years of back-room squabbling to lift their first trophy since the 1993 County Championship. But it was equally momentous for the format itself which, in spite of all money thrown at its feet, is maturing before our eyes. It has changed out of all recognition from the “hit and giggle” fest which made its debut here, at The Rose Bowl, six years ago. Then, it was lacking identity. Nobody knew how long it would endure, and most didn’t really care. The cricket itself was at times shambolic, with batsmen choosing the unconventional route when, in fact, convention would have done just fine.That is much less so the case these days, and today’s standout innings were each models in orthodoxy. Ravi Bopara’s 29 in Essex’s losing semi-final contained deft glances down to third man and audacious flicks through midwicket, all with a straight bat. Owais Shah, a model of Asian-influenced wristiness but who is mostly a mainstream batsman, threaded the gaps in the field with unerring accuracy time and again. When he hit over the top, as he did five times, they were clean and savage blows that belied the timing he found. And Rob Key was at his uncomplicated best, cover-driving and back-cutting in his breathless 52. England are often chastised for not nurturing the next Ajantha Mendis or Muttiah Muralitharn But they do do orthodoxy rather well, and as Shah’s exquisite 75 demonstrated, that’s no bad thing at all.There was a danger that Lalit Modi and Allen Stanford’s interest in the English game might sway the players’ focus or detract from their performance in this year’s Twenty20 Cup. In reaching the final, both Middlesex and Kent can play in October’s Champions League – if a date is ever agreed upon – while the victors, Middlesex, head to Antigua in October to take on England at the invitation of Stanford. Cricket has pined for financial investment, all the while resembling an impoverished cousin in the shadow of football. To judge by each of today’s fascinating duels – culminating in a final that surpassed any in its six-year history – Twenty20 is no longer a sideshow or a frivolous, passing shower. It deserves these riches thrown at it. The players certainly do.”Twenty20 is getting bigger and bigger, and today would’ve done it no harm,” Key, the disconsolate Kent captain, said after play. “It might harm a few other forms of the game, because for me that must have been brilliant to watch.”It was undoubtedly memorable. With Kent chasing 188, Justin Kemp had plinked his way to a typically muscular (but, oddly, all too rare) 24 before cracking one straight into Ed Joyce’s midriff, only for Middlesex’s captain to fluff it. It appeared to be the defining moment, leaving Kent a very gettable 16 from the final over from Tyron Henderson. Dawid Malan’s embarrassingly panicky throw from third man gave them four runs, reducing the equation to an easy six from three balls. After a clubbed two, a dot ball punctured the atmosphere before Henderson found a last-ball yorker to end Kent’s hopes, and realise Middlesex’s dream. On a perfect June evening, only a handful of the 20,000 capacity crowd had fled following the semi-finals. Key was right. This was the perfect advert for the game.It is quite a tale for Middlesex. So long the hapless bystanders in Twenty20, they have stormed through this year’s competition with their blend of youth, Irishmen and South Africans. There are more talented sides in the tournament – Durham possess seven internationals – but it was their belief that saw Middlesex through.”Today, we sat down and just tried to play fearless cricket,” said Joyce, Middlesex’s vice-captain who led the side in the absence of the injured Ed Smith. “If we thought of taking a shot on, or bowling a certain ball, we were just going to do it and have no regrets. And that showed in the way we played in both games. Owais Shah and Tyron Henderson both played fantastic knocks, and everyone chipped in around them. We bowled and fielded very well as well.”Although Kent are through to the Champions League, there is still the possibility they won’t be allowed to play, since some of their squad have represented the unofficial Indian Cricket League. Middlesex, however, have no such concerns, and Joyce was understandably bullish about their chances.”I think we have a great template, and we have two of the best spinners in Twenty20 [Murali Kartik and Shaun Udal]. These guys just don’t get hit that much,” he said. “When you look at our batting, we have a lot of young guys like Morgan and Malan who are unorthodox, and then we have Henderson and Shah to back them up. I think we have a good formula, and whoever we potentially play against in the future, we should [be competitive].”With each year, Twenty20 is growing and maturing. Few would have given Middlesex much hope of reaching Finals Day before the season began, yet it is a testament to their own confidence that they could shine when the pressure was at its greatest. And the drama seen today is tribute to the scrawny little format which was born six years ago, one that has given cricket an identity to be proud of.

Cummins admits he was ‘not surprised’ as former captains criticise overtly attacking move

Matt Roller20-Jun-2023

Ben Stokes defended his decision to declare England’s first innings at 393 for 8 after their two-wicket defeat to Australia in the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston.Joe Root was unbeaten on 118 and, along with Ollie Robinson, had just taken 20 runs off a single Nathan Lyon over when Stokes called his batters in on the first evening, leaving England 20 minutes to bowl against Australia’s openers.Robinson and Stuart Broad bowled two overs each, which Usman Khawaja and David Warner survived to finish the opening day on 14 for 0, with Khawaja going on to make 141 in the first innings.Stokes’ decision came under scrutiny in the media, with former England captains lining up to say they would not have declared in the same circumstances. And in the context of England’s narrow defeat late on the final evening, his declaration was questioned again.Speaking on the BBC’s Test Match Special, former England captain Michael Vaughan said he would “guarantee” that Stokes would not make the same declaration in the second Test if the circumstances arose.Related

Did England go too hard? (And is that even the right question?)

'Losing sucks' – Execution to blame for England at Edgbaston, not Bazball

England confident weary bowlers will be ready for Lord's

Headingley redemption for Cummins and co at Edgbaston

Ben Stokes 'emotionally beat up' as Pat Cummins savours epic Australia win

“Those 30 or 40 runs…” Vaughan said. “If you’d have asked Ben Stokes this morning, ‘Would you have liked Joe to have got another 30 on that day one, you’ve now got them in the bank?’ Of course [he would].”I will guarantee at Lord’s, if they bat first and they’re 393 for 8 with 20 minutes to go, I will guarantee that they’ll carry on batting… not with Joe Root 118 not out.”But at his press conference, Stokes said: “If we were in the same position? Yeah. I would like to be 398 for 6 [sic] with 20 minutes left. That would be great.”I could also turn it around and say, ‘if we didn’t declare, would we have got the excitement that we did at the end of day five?’ I’m not a hundred percent sure, but I’m not going to be looking back on this game as ‘what ifs’… the reality is, we just didn’t manage to get over the line.”Australia’s captain Pat Cummins, who hit the winning runs and took four second-innings wickets in leading Australia to victory, said he would “probably not” have declared in the same circumstances.”I wasn’t overly surprised,” Cummins said, “But the wicket felt pretty good, so I thought every run was pretty much needed in that first innings.”Stokes explained that he had sensed “an opportunity to pounce” on Khawaja and Warner, and that he would not alter his bold captaincy style simply because of the opposition and the nature of Ashes series.”I thought that was a time to pounce,” Stokes said at the presentation. “I am not going to change the way I have gone about my cricket because it is the Ashes.”Who knows? We could have got an extra 40 runs or lost two wickets in two balls. I am not a captain who gets by on what ifs.”We saw it as an opportunity to pounce on Australia and really start day two on top.”

GOAL breaks down the winners and losers of the transfer window for USMNT players, with an eye on the 2026 World Cup

And with that, the summer transfer window has come to a close. It was an eventful one for the U.S. men's national team. Right up until deadline day, Americans were on the move, with some of the biggest names in American soccer switching teams less than 12 months before the start of the World Cup.

Transfers, of course, come with risk. Staying does, too. Every player in contention for the World Cup spent this summer mulling over that balancing act. Several took massive swings while others stayed put. Decisions were made, and they'll have ramifications.

These things all be judged in hindsight, of course. But it is fair to look at the potential ramifications, both short and long-term, from a wild summer season in which a substantial number USMNT players switched addresses.

GOAL breaks down the USMNT's winners and losers from the summer transfer window.

GettyWINNER: The Championship

If you're a fan of a Championship team, there's a pretty good chance you have an American player on your team these days. And f you're a striker battling for a World Cup spot, you're likely going into that fight via England's second division.

The Championship's two top American scorers, Josh Sargent and Haji Wright, both ended up staying, and both look determined to put up big numbers this season. In a World Cup year, every player needs to bet on themselves somehow, and Sargent and Wright placed their bets on Championship dominance.

Rather than risking it all with a move elsewhere in Europe, that duo will now push for a Championship Golden Boot. It's a safer option, but one that leaves no room for error. Their performances so far this season have certainly made statements.

Patrick Agyemang and Damion Downs, meanwhile, went the opposite directions, leaving the comforts of their former clubs for new opportunities in England. Agyemang could have banged in goals for Charlotte FC over the next year; instead, he went to Derby County, putting him in direct competition with the duo above.

Same for Downs, who helped Koln to promotion only to head to Southampton to aid their push back towards the Premier League. Both moves are huge risks, at least in the short term. Over time, they could very well help Agyemang and Downs improve their games.

The Championship was one of the central hubs of American soccer's transfer window. Now, it's a league to keep an eye on on the road to a World Cup.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportLOSER: Lyon

Transfer windows are so often meticulously planned. Moves are planned out months in advance. Back-channeling starts the wheels spinning long before bids are officially submitted. In the end, the best clubs are the ones that are prepared, stay true to a vision and execute it to ensure they maximize their opportunity to improve their teams.

And then there's what Lyon did, specifically with Matt Turner. There was clearly no plan or, at best, a very shoddy one. It's how the club ended up looking totally careless, even if they found a way to escape the situation in the end.

If you need a catch-up, Lyon signed Turner from Crystal Palace this summer. After some rule-mandated changes in leadership due to co-ownership with Crystal Palace, the new regime decided they no longer actually wanted Turner. Paperwork had been signed, though. He was their player, and they were in an awkward spot.

They were able to extricate themselves thanks to a lifeline from the New England Revolution, who were more than happy to offer Lyon a temporary, but potentially permanent, reprieve to bring Turner back to MLS. That doesn't change the fact that Lyon came out of this looking messy, which is never how a club of their stature should look during a transfer window.

The Turner situation is one that few outside of the American sphere will know about it, but it certainly was one of the most convoluted situations of the summer. In the end, it worked out, but not in a way that flattered the French giants.

ImagnWINNER: MLS

League-wide, this was a big summer for MLS. Teams spent a combined $336 million on player signings, showing just how far the league has come in both ambition and finances. Heung-min Son, Rodrigo De Paul, and Thomas Muller – those big names have been added to the MLS ecosystem, and that's saying nothing of those that aren't very good players without that global reputation.

This, though, is about the Americans, and the stars of the USMNT took centerstage as part of MLS' transfer window, too.

Paxten Aaronson came back, showing the allure of MLS even for young Americans in Europe. It was a big decision, one that will have lasting ramifications, but Aaronson's choice to join the Colorado Rapids was a big win for the league and a big win for the Rapids after they sold Djordje Mihailovic to Toronto FC.

Turner, too, came home in search of playing time, making it a near certainty that the USMNT's starting goalkeeper next summer will play in MLS.

Manager Mauricio Pochettino has made it clear that playing in MLS won't be a detriment to a player's USMNT status. That's why it's a reasonable outcome that players like Max Arfsten, Alex Freeman and Diego Luna stayed at home. There are opportunities for players in MLS, perhaps more so than ever, and that's a win for the league.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportLOSER: Gold Cup left backs

Going back to Arfsten, there seemed to be interest. Middlesbrough were reportedly interested, and it's easy to see why that move would have worked for Arfsten. His stock is up after the Gold Cup, and Boro would give him a good platform to both grow his game and get into that big European shop window. There were links to France, too, and that move would have made sense, too.

Instead, he's staying in MLS. That will likely be OK. Move or no move, Arfsten wasn't going to surpass Antonee Robinson on the pecking order any time soon. Could he have closed the gap with a move abroad? Sure. Would it be better long-term? Potentially. Instead, it didn't happen, and reports indicate it was more so because the Crew weren't willing to sell, not because Arfsten didn't understand those facts.

John Tolkin, too, was at the Gold Cup, and he, too, didn't move this summer. After impressing with Holstein Kiel in the Bundesliga, he's off to a very hot start in the 2. Bundesliga following their relegation. It may be a good thing that Tolkin takes a year to be a big fish in a small German pond, but he may also be too good for that level, even if Europe is still relatively new to him.

A big move for either, and ensuing success, could have solidified their place on a World Cup roster. Instead, their push will come at their current clubs.

Manchester United are reportedly lining up a shock move for Sporting CP's powerhouse captain Morten Hjulmand after their pursuit of Brighton's Carlos Baleba hit a wall, with the Seagulls demanding a jaw-dropping £120 million for their Cameroonian star. United boss Ruben Amorim is desperate to bring Baleba to Old Trafford, but Brighton's sky-high asking price left Old Trafford chiefs wincing.

Man Utd eye Sporting skipper HjulmandBaleba chase halted by £120m demandArsenal-loving Dane could join Red DevilsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Baleba was a revelation last season, ranking among the Premier League’s best for tackles, interceptions, blocks and recoveries. Brighton aren't budging, seeing him as a pivotal piece for the campaign ahead after starting 31 of 38 league games last term.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

According to Brighton's firm stance has forced United to shift their focus to Hjulmand. United are preparing a £50m bid, with Sporting likely to consider an offer about £10m shy of his £68m release clause if performance add-ons are met. The Dane is no stranger to Amorim’s high-intensity, structured style, having played 65 matches under him at Sporting. Together, they lifted two Primeira Liga titles and a Taca de Portugal, with Hjulmand wearing the captain’s armband.

TELL ME MORE

If United pull the trigger on Hjulmand, the savings could fuel another high-profile raid – this time for Paris Saint-Germain’s Gianluigi Donnarumma, as they seek a new long-term goalkeeper. However, they must act quickly, as Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City are also lurking, with the Spaniard also eyeing Baleba as a potential long-term heir to Rodri.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

Hjulmand is a lifelong Arsenal supporter, and he’s literally got the ink to prove it, with a Gunners-inspired tattoo on his body. That’s unlikely to sit well with sections of the United faithful, but Amorim believes his ex-captain’s mentality could win over even the most sceptical fans. 

Kylian Mbappe has marked the first anniversary of his arrival at Real Madrid with a heartfelt message to the club, expressing appreciation for the continued support since his unveiling at the Santiago Bernabeu. The French superstar completed his long-awaited free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain last summer and made an immediate impact in Spain.

Mbappe joined Los Blancos as a free agentHas flourished in front of goal, breaking several recordsBut failed to inspire Real to a major silverwareFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Mbappe’s first season in the iconic white shirt of Real Madrid was nothing short of extraordinary. The 25-year-old forward registered 44 goals and five assists in 59 appearances across all competitions. His prolific form saw him carve out a place in the club’s history books despite Real Madrid enduring a trophyless campaign.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Among the 44 goals he scored, 31 came in La Liga. That figure alone set a new club benchmark, making Mbappe the highest-scoring debutant in Real Madrid’s league history. He surpassed the long-standing record of 27 goals previously held by Alfredo Di Stefano, a legendary figure whose mark had stood untouched for more than seven decades.

WHAT MBAPPE SAID

Taking to social media to commemorate the occasion, Mbappé shared a message that read: “A year ago. Grateful for all the love you've given me since day one. Hala Madrid.”

@k.mbappe Instagram

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

WHAT NEXT FOR MBAPPE?

Mbappe is expected to play an even more central role under Xabi Alonso as Real Madrid strive to return to the summit of Spanish and European football next season. They are set to open their 2025–26 La Liga season against Osasuna on August 19.

أشاد الإعلامي خالد الغندور، نجم الزمالك السابق، بالتصميم الجديد لقميص الفريق الأول لكرة القدم للموسم الكروي 2025-2026، مؤكدًا أنه يتميز بالأناقة والتفرد مقارنة بباقي أندية الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وكتب خالد الغندور عبر صفحته الرسمية على موقع التواصل الاجتماعي “فيس بوك”: “تيشرت نادي الزمالك في الموسم الجديد منتهى الشياكة، وأعتقد أنه الأجمل بين كل الفرق”.

وكان نادي الزمالك قد استلم مؤخرًا الدفعة الأولى من القمصان الجديدة من الشركة المصنعة، تمهيدًا لظهورها الرسمي الأول في مباراة الفريق أمام سيراميكا كليوباترا، المقرر إقامتها يوم الجمعة المقبلة في افتتاح مشوار الفريق ببطولة الدوري الممتاز.

طالع أيضًا | أحمد بلال: “مستحيل الزمالك ياخد الدوري”.. وطارق يحيى يرد بقوة: أنت بتألف؟

ومن المنتظر أن يُعرض الإعلان الرسمي للقميص الجديد خلال الساعات المقبلة، بمشاركة عدد من نجوم الفريق، في إطار خطة إدارة الزمالك لتجديد صورة الفريق وتطوير موارده التجارية.

ويواصل الزمالك تعزيز قائمته للموسم المقبل، حيث أبرم 8 صفقات حتى الآن في فترة الانتقالات الصيفية، شملت المهدي سليمان، شيكو بانزا، عمرو ناصر، أحمد شريف، آدم كايد، عبد الحميد معالي، أحمد ربيع، ومحمد إسماعيل.