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A round-up of the first round matches of New Zealand’s domestic T20 tournament

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Dec-2016Northern Districts lost their last eight wickets for 42 runs to finish on 142 in Hamilton, but that did not hurt them; they restricted Wellington to 135 for 9 to win by seven runs.Daryl Mitchell and Ben Laughlin took seven wickets between them to dent Wellington, not allowing any of the batsmen to create partnerships. Mitchell dismissed both Wellington openers – Hamish Marshall and Michael Papps – off consecutive deliveries in the fourth over. He finished with 4 for 35. Tom Blundell’s 42-ball 63 offered Wellington’s lone resistance; he was the ninth man out, dismissed by Laughlin, whose miserly figures of 3 for 13 meant Wellington’s required run-rate kept on increasing. After Blundell’s dismissal, they managed only seven runs off the last over.Earlier in the match, Joe Carter (32), Nathan Reardon (34) and Corey Anderson (34) batted aggressively to take Northern Districts to 100 for 2, before the collapse began; team was dismissed in the final over for 142 as their last seven batsmen aggregated only 21 runs.Defending champions Auckland beat Otago by 22 runs at home after Hong Kong’s Mark Chapman hit 76 off 32 balls in an innings that included seven sixes and four fours.Four Auckland players made their T20 debut, one of them being opener Glenn Phillips, who scored a 32-ball 55, combining with Rob Nicol and Jeet Raval to stitch together two consecutive partnerships of 35 runs each. Chapman arrived after he was dismissed – with the team at 74 for 3 – and he added 108 runs for the fifth wicket with another debutant, SM Solia (30), before he was out in the last over of their innings.In their chase, Otago recovered after an early setback, with Anaru Kitchen (42) and Derek de Boorder (44) adding 64 runs for the second wicket. But with wickets falling every few overs, they finished 22 runs short of a win at the end of their 20 overs. Legbreak bowler Tarun Nethula picked two wickets and also effected de Boorder’s run out during a crucial stretch of the match.Central Districts beat Canterbury by seven runs via the Duckworth-Lewis method in a rain-affected match in New Plymouth in a game that stretched 28.5 overs overall.Central Districts finished on 198 after their 20, in part due to a second-wicket partnership of 73, followed by a 75-run partnership for the fourth wicket. The first of those was between George Worker (32-ball 36) and the captain Will Young (27-ball 33), which was complemented by Tom Bruce (24-ball 39) and Doug Bracewell (21-ball 37). Andrew Ellis finished with three wickets, but conceded 49 runs.In their chase, Canterbury lost three wickets by the time they scored 33, but their scoring rate was high. Opener Chad Bowes struck 24 off 10 balls as they raced to 50 in under six overs. But a rain delay in the eighth over followed by another rain stoppage in the ninth, meant they finished on 77 for 3 after 8.5 overs, short of Central Districts’ par-score by seven runs, with Cam Fletcher (20) and Ellis (27) remaining not out.

From a creative standpoint, the likes of Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold must have felt like Atlas, the Greek titan tasked with holding the world on his shoulders, at times during their respective Liverpool careers.

While Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino both boast more assists with Jurgen Klopp in the dugout, Alexander-Arnold's assist rate of 0.26 per 90 and his Scottish counterpart's rate of 0.24 per 90 are bettered – marginally – only by the world-class Egyptian's rate of 0.27 per 90, and Salah is one of the the most prolific in the business.

Auxillary support from the central midfield has been in short supply for Liverpool over the past several years, as Klopp's system is steeped on industrious midfielders churning the engine at full throttle while the wide players assume creative responsibility, with Robertson and Alexander-Arnold indeed taking precedence in this regard with their unceasing output.

And according to 90min, RB Leipzig midfielder Dani Olmo could rewrite this narrative, with Merseyside scouts – alongside those of Arsenal and Newcastle United – observing the Spaniard during a recent victory over Bayern Munich; a sum of €30m (£26m) could be enough to prise him away from Germany with just one year left on his contract.

How good is Dani Olmo?

Liverpool's failure to qualify for the Champions League illuminates the need for change, and Klopp might be inclined to revisit the early success of Philippe Coutinho, who was sold to Barcelona for £146m to catalyse the ensuing illustrious exploits at Anfield.

Coutinho's assist rate of 0.25 per 90 under Klopp demonstrates how effective he was as the German's dynasty took flight, also scoring 37 goals from his 89 outings, hailed as a "genius" by his manager before departing for La Blaugrana.

Olmo, who has now racked up 122 appearances for Leipzig, has been in fine form this season and plundered five goals and ten assists from 17 starts across all competitions during an injury-hit campaign.

The 30-cap maestro ranks among the top 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for rate of assists, the top 24% for progressive passes and the top 10% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, described as a "magic" midfielder by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

The 24-year-old possesses a similarly natural grace, an elegance on the pitch that complements an intellect that ensures he picks out the right pass at the right time, while also knowing the opportune moment to strike the ball himself.

Once dubbed an "outstanding footballer" by Julian Nagelsmann, Olmo is yet to quite reach the crest of the wave but has already exhibited highly promising facets to his game, and would be an exemplary signing for Klopp and co.

When Coutinho plied his trade under the German, Liverpool were chaotic and enthralling, but unbalanced, and while the 22/23 season has been a detrimental setback for the club, requisite moves will be made this summer to steady the ship.

And if the equilibrium can be reinstated before swooping for Olmo and injecting fresh potency into the Anfield centre, the Reds could unearth the formula for an incredible new wave of success.

Emile Smith Rowe should stay at Arsenal and be given a proper chance to shine by Mikel Arteta, journalist Charles Watts has claimed.

What's the latest on Smith Rowe and Arsenal?

The 22-year-old has had a nightmare campaign, failing to make a single league start in what has been an injury-hit season, and in recent games has failed to even make an appearance off the bench.

The likes of Leandro Trossard, Fabio Vieira and Reiss Nelson have all been preferred to the England international, who has been described as "special" and this has fuelled speculation that he could depart this summer.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Watts bemoaned the exit rumours around Smith Rowe and called for him to be given a chance to prove his quality next season.

"It's going to pain me if Emile Smith Rowe goes, I really don't want it to happen," he stated.

"I want him to stay, I want him to get back in the team, I want him to do what he did last season, I want him to be given the chance, I don't think he's been given the chance, I don't know why he hasn't been given the chance this season.

"Mikel Arteta clearly is not playing him for some reason. Emile's fit, he's healthy, he's pain-free for the first time in a long time, but he's not playing and that's down to Mikel. He's choosing not to play him.

"Against Nottingham Forest, at the weekend, when you're losing by one goal and he brings on Fabio Vieira and leaves Smith Rowe on the bench, I mean, that just says it all really.

"It just makes you think that he could well go this summer if a big bid comes in, if a decent bid comes in for Emile Smith Rowe you would think if Arteta is not using him, you would entertain that offer.

"So I think you cannot rule out Emile Smith Rowe leaving this summer."

Should Arsenal keep Smith Rowe?

The midfielder was a standout player for Arsenal last season, scoring 11 times in all competitions having played both through the middle and on the left.

One possible reason why he has not been used is that Arteta may be carefully managing his return, as he has done in the past with Gabriel Martinelli.

When the Brazilian returned from a long-term layoff in 2021, he was used sparingly for the rest of the season, starting in just seven of his 14 league appearances, which included a spell of seven games without an appearance, before nailing down a regular spot later on in the following campaign.

Arteta may have similar plans for Smith Rowe, who came through the Hale End academy alongside the likes of Bukayo Saka and Reiss Nelson, but it remains to be seen whether he would be tempted to sell if a sizeable bid arrived this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur's relationship with Sporting CP has been long withstanding.

After all, one of their defensive stalwarts Eric Dier was poached from the Portuguese outfit back in 2014, whilst more recently Pedro Porro has been another top import from the Lions.

However, what chairman Daniel Levy could seek to pull this summer would be unprecedented, flexing their financial muscles to devastate one of the Liga Primeira powerhouses with a remarkable double swoop.

An outlet from within the country, Record (as per Sport Witness), is now suggesting that there are fears within the club that Ruben Amorim is preparing for a north London switch at the conclusion of this season, worrying the club's hierarchy.

Whilst this alone would be a hammer blow, other rumours persist that suggest Spurs are also keen on signing their top midfielder Manuel Ugarte, further compounding their misery.

Should they first tempt the 38-year-old, surely his love of the Uruguayan destroyer would marry perfectly with Spurs' long-held interest in the 22-year-old, tempting both to make a surprise move together.

In one fell swoop, Levy could be set to finally get his sinking ship back on track.

Having been in need of a new manager since late March, and also in need of powerhouse alternatives since Rodrigo Bentancur's injury in February, at last, there seems a solution to these woes.

Would Manuel Ugarte be a success at Spurs?

Given the success earned by their current Uruguay midfield general, outlined in the 7.21 average rating earned before undergoing surgery, there is no reason to believe that the man with a €60m (£52m) price tag could not achieve similar success.

After all, his presence at the base of the engine room has proved profitable for Amorim since his emergence.

The Portuguese boss has often preferred a three-at-the-back system whilst with Sporting but relies heavily on these centre-backs to stride forward and break the lines. This is where Ugarte shines, as his ability to accept the ball under pressure and keep a move flowing is imperative in their successful progression up the field.

As such, he boasts a 7.04 average rating for this season, underpinned by a phenomenal 91% pass accuracy and 3.9 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

Such defensive proficiency has led writer Dave Hendrick to hail him as a "ball-winning machine" and an "absolute monster" for his age, with all of his progression overseen under Amorim's leadership.

Should the two move together, the hope would be that this coach – once branded "the most exciting young manager in European football" by The Athletic's Jack Pitt-Brooke – could quickly instil his ideas onto the Lilywhites' current squad to get them firing with immediacy.

Having someone like Ugarte join alongside him, who is already well-versed in his methods, could help ease that transition, whilst the young boss can continue aiding his rapid rise to the top with further evolution.

It could be the perfect marriage to move both of these to north London at the same time, so Levy must look to form this monstrous partnership heading into pre-season.

Andre Russell will not play in Kolkata Knight Riders’ crucial match against Gujarat Lions in Kanpur on Thursday

Nagraj Gollapudi17-May-2016Andre Russell will not play in Kolkata Knight Riders’ crucial match against Gujarat Lions on May 19. The 28-year old allrounder limped off the field midway through the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Monday with a suspected injury to his left leg; he did not travel with the squad that reached Kanpur on Tuesday evening.Russell is the tournament’s third highest wicket-taker with 15 scalps, and Knight Riders’ fourth highest run-scorer with 188 runs. He bowled 2.3 overs against Royal Challengers and left the field twice, first midway through the Royal Challengers innings and after bowling three deliveries of the 19th over. In the penultimate over, Russell was helped off the field after he tumbled for the third time in his follow-through.With Knight Riders needing to win both their remaining matches to confirm a place in the playoffs, they will hope Russell can regain his fitness as soon possible. The medical staff is monitoring his injury and a definitive prognosis is likely in the coming days.Knight Riders have 14 points from 12 games and have to face Lions away and Sunrisers Hyderabad at home. They are among four teams with a positive net run-rate (0.28) and can make the knockouts even if they do not win any more matches. In that case, however, Knight Riders will have to depend on other teams’ results going their way as well.

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has 'glowing references' from plenty of figures inside Parkhead due to his success at the club, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest news involving Ange Postecoglou?

Following Rangers' 2-0 defeat away to Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership last weekend, Celtic now require just three points to be crowned champions for the second year running under Postecoglou.

The Hoops now have the chance to seal the league title next weekend at Tynecastle against Hearts of Midlothian while they are also in contention to record a historic domestic treble this term.

Having already secured the Viaplay Cup earlier this year, Celtic could also progress to the final of the Scottish Cup this Sunday if they navigate a way past bitter rivals Rangers at Hampden Park.

Postecoglou's success at Celtic hasn't gone under the radar, with reports emerging last month that he had been shortlisted for the vacant head coach position at Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, as per Football Insider.

Intriguingly, The Guardian also revealed last week that the Australian coach had emerged as a surprise contender to take over at Chelsea, having made the final four of their managerial shortlist.

Speaking to Football FanCast, Jones thinks that Postecoglou has earned the full respect of everyone involved with the Glasgow giants due to the job he has done at the club.

Jones told FFC: "Postecoglou's got a really good reputation in the game, anyone that works with him seems to have glowing references about him as a person and the effect that he has on them.

"I imagine he has that effect on them and the relationship with his players that he probably has that with officials inside the club too and they can have these open conversations."

How far can Ange Postecoglou take Celtic in the coming years?

Celtic have been almost imperious domestically this campaign, dropping just seven points from a possible 99 in their 33 Scottish Premiership matches.

The Hoops could also win all three pieces of domestic silverware on offer this season, showing their vast dominance in comparison to the rest of the chasing pack.

Nevertheless, one area where Postecoglou will be keen to improve is his side's European endeavours. In the Champions League in 2022/23, Celtic performed with attacking verve and created plenty of opportunities to score; however, they finished bottom of their group containing Real Madrid, RB Leipzig and Shakhtar Donetsk on just two points, as per Sky Sports.

Performing better against continental opposition will be something that Postecoglou will have high on his priority list heading into 2023/24 as he looks to build on his excellent work at Parkhead.

Tottenham Hotspur have 'definitely' looked at appointing Brentford boss Thomas Frank as Spurs search for a new manager, according to Alasdair Gold.

What's the latest Spurs manager news?

All eyes are on chairman Daniel Levy and who he may appoint to succeed Antonio Conte, with it now being over three weeks since the Italian parted company.

Despite Spurs still being well in contention for a top-four Premier League finish, tension boiled over when Conte launched a scathing post-match rant after their recent 3-3 draw at Southampton, eventually spelling the end of his tenure.

Having left north London, Conte's exit has paved the way for a host of managers to be linked with the post.

While interim boss Cristian Stellini and assistant coach Ryan Mason take charge in the meantime, Levy may be working on Conte's replacement in the background.

Perhaps most notably, the likes of Mauricio Pochettino, Luis Enrique and Julian Nagelsmann stand out as the big three who have been linked with a move to Spurs – while Zinedine Zidane was also rumoured to be a target by Sky Sports.

In-work managers aren't completely ruled out either, as the likes of Arne Slot and Vincent Kompany reportedly entice Spurs.

Now, sharing an update on the Tottenham managerial search, reliable football.london correspondent Gold has made a claim on Bees boss Frank.

When asked how likely it is the 49-year-old could get the job, the reporter explained in a Q&A:

"Thomas Frank will definitely have been looked at. He's done a great job at Brentford but I wonder whether Spurs see him as enough of a name or trophy winner. They seem to have been drawn to those types in recent years."

What could Frank bring to Spurs?

While he may not arguably be as prestigious a candidate as Pochettino and Nagelsmann, we believe Frank could be a solid outside contender.

The former Brondby boss has turned Brentford into a very hard side to play against, with only Manchester City, Arsenal and Newcastle United losing fewer league games than them this season.

Frank, who favours the 3-5-2 formation, has also been praised for his 'extraordinary' job at Brentford by members of the media, with journalist Ryan Taylor emphatic:

He explained:

"What Thomas Frank is doing with Brentford is simply extraordinary. Now regularly outcompeting & outperforming the Big Six with expressive, attractive football despite operating with the lowest budget in the Premier League. Incredible."

We couldn't have summed it up any better than Taylor, with it being little surprise Spurs are thought to be taking note.

YouTuber Mark Goldbridge has claimed that if Manchester United are bought by Qatari-linked Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, “there might be a situation” where Kylian Mbappe joins in the future, while the likes of Harry Maguire go to Paris Saint-Germain.

What’s the latest on the Qatar-linked bid for Man United?

The Glazers may well be looking to sell the Premier League club in the near future and so a number of interested parties have been tipped as possible new Man Utd owners.

Indeed, alongside Sheikh Al Thani’s bid, British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe and a third “mystery” US bidder have all been reported in the media as having made offers for the Glazers to consider.

Of course, the ownership group already have strong ties to PSG and it remains to be seen if the Qatar-based consortium can get passed UEFA rules to own both clubs who of course regularly play in the Champions League.

While speaking about it all on The United Stand, Goldbridge pointed out that the Red Bull-owned clubs in Salzburg and Leipzig often both play in the same European competition and are allowed to do so despite being owned by the same company.

He explained: “That’s my point. There’s already two clubs in Europe that play in the same tournament in Europe and they feed each other players, so I don’t think it would be unprecedented.”

Goldbridge then suggested that the club would have to be “subtle” to avoid “dodgy” transfers but could end up agreeing to some exciting deals with PSG if a relationship was established.

He said: “It won’t happen anyway, it will be way more subtle than that. We won’t have a situation where [Marco] Verratti and Mbappe come to Man Utd for £5m and Maguire and [Scott] McTominay go to PSG for £100m. That would be dodgy.

“But you might have a situation where Mbappe leaves PSG and comes to Man Utd because of the relationship he’s got with the Qatari ownership of PSG and they’ve got close ties with our ownership – that might happen.”

What could a Qatari bid mean for Mbappe to MUFC and Maguire to PSG?

Interestingly enough, there have already been reports in The Sun that Harry Maguire could end up joining PSG in the summer for a touted £50m transfer fee.

That rumour, as far-fetched as it sounds, might be something the Ligue 1 outfit want to pursue regardless of any relationship with Man Utd – especially seeing as the Glazers may not even end up selling.

But if there is any truth to the report, then you can see how negotiations could be made less complicated in the summer if the Red Devils are owned by the Qatari-linked Sheikh Al Thani.

And so, in theory, if a deal was sorted this could then open the door for other future transfers, potentially such as Mbappe, who has been urged to join the club in recent times, so perhaps it wouldn’t be too out of the ordinary if United can put themselves in a position to fund such a move.

Fulham are reportedly preparing a new contract offer for left-back Antonee Robinson in order to fend off interest from Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: Top target

It was reported last week that Robinson is Newcastle’s ‘top target’ as they aim to bring in a new left-back in the summer transfer window.

Scouts from St. James’ Park have watched him on a regular basis this season, and have given ‘rave reviews’ over his performances.

The Latest: Contract offer prepared

As per Football Insider, Fulham are now preparing a contract offer for Robinson, in order to try and fend off the Magpies’ interest.

He is only on £25,000-per-week at Craven Cottage, one of the squad’s lowest earners, and his current deal is set to expire in 2024.

Robinson would be ‘enticed’ by the prospect of playing in the UEFA Champions League, which the North East club could achieve for next season, but Manchester City, AC Milan and Inter Milan are also thought to be interested in his signature.

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The Verdict: Upgrade

Robinson would be a big upgrade on the left-back options that the Tynesiders currently have.

He averages more tackles, interceptions, blocks, dribbles, crosses and long balls per game in the Premier League than Dan Burn, Matt Targett and Jamal Lewis, and at 25 years of age, still has room to improve.

Hailed as ‘magnificent‘ by ESPN journalist Luis Miguel Echegaray after impressing at the FIFA World Cup with USA, Robinson also has international pedigree, and sharing the same agent as Eddie Howe, the Toon should be confident of getting a deal done in the summer, although they may have to pay a premium if his value is protected by a new contract.

Dean Jones believes Leeds United’s centre-forward situation is ‘ridiculous’ following the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Rodrigo out

Rodrigo has been Leeds’ main source of goals this season, with the Spaniard scoring 12 times in 22 appearances across all competitions.

However, former manager Jesse Marsch decided to bring the 31-year-old on at Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup when Leeds were winning comfortably, with Rodrigo suffering an ankle injury late on.

He faces a two-month spell on the sidelines, leaving Patrick Bamford and Georginio Rutter as the only senior options.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

GiveMeSport asked Jones about Leeds’ January additions in a story shared following Javi Gracia’s Elland Road appointment. The reporter doesn’t think that the club did enough in the final third after failing to sign an experienced Premier League forward, labelling it as ‘ridiculous’ and ‘too late to fix’.

“In hindsight, no. Even at the time, we knew that they were ideally looking for someone who had a decent goalscoring record in this league, but they didn’t do it. So, there was always a chance they were going to find themselves in a situation where goals were going to be a problem.

“It really is ridiculous that Leeds still find themselves in this situation, where they don’t know what their source of goals is. But it’s a problem that’s too late to fix.”

The Verdict: Rutter a gamble?

Rutter was the man to arrive at Elland Road last month in a club record deal from Hoffenheim. The 20-year-old is still awaiting his first goal for the Whites and is yet to start a Premier League game, failing to make an immediate impact.

There already seems to be some doubt from Yorkshire chiefs regarding the big-money move for the Frenchman, so you could say that Jones is right when he says Leeds should have targeted a proven forward in the Premier League.

The Whites and Gracia will have to make do, though, and hopefully, the new head coach will be able to get Leeds back scoring freely once again after netting just twice in their last five Premier League games.