After exceeding expectations during the current Premier League season, it now looks like Wolverhampton Wanderers are set to build on a solid campaign by targeting a new striker.
New striker top of O'Neil's wishlist
Even the most optimistic of Wolves fans were worried about their team's prospects at the start of the season. Now sitting ninth in the table and just three points away from European football, it is clear that Gary O'Neil has done an excellent job since taking over at Molineux.
Wolves missed out on perfect Neves replacement who's now worth £107m
Wolves missed out on a player in 2022 who is now valued at £107m and has a World Cup winners medal
ByRoss Kilvington Mar 19, 2024
Despite their success this season, it is clear that at the top of Wolves' wishlist for the summer could be to sign a new striker. The partnership of Hwang Hee-Chan and Matheus Cunha has yielded a combined 19 goals in the Premier League however, it is still clear that the side is crying out for an out-and-out number nine.
Wolves forward Matheus Cunha.
The recent signings of Fabio Silva and Sasa Kalajdzic have failed to hit the ground running with both now playing their football elsewhere and their futures in the Midlands looking uncertain. Regarding incomings, Wolves have previously shown an interest in Bologna's Scottish international Lewis Ferguson as well as coming close to signingCorinthians striker Yuri Alberto during the January window.
Wolves enter race for Nketiah
As first reported by TEAMTalk, Wolves have joined the queue of Premier League sides looking to sign Eddie Nketiah. The Arsenal striker is currently on the radar of Crystal Palace, Fulham and Brentford with the Midlands outfit now hoping they can convince the 24-year-old to move to Molineux.
With the Gunners seemingly destined to sign a striker this summer, it seems that Nketiah's time in North London may now be coming to an end. The forward has been with Arsenal since his youth however, the Englishman's departure could be key to make space for new signings.
On the fringes of the first team for much of his time at the Emirates, it is logical that Nketiah is now seeking greener pastures as he approaches the peak of his career. Despite struggling for action on the pitch, this season has seen the striker earn his first call-up to the English national team as well as the 24-year-old's first career hat-trick in October's 5-0 victory over Sheffield United.
Hailing Nketiah's performance against the Blades, Mikel Arteta was quick to sing the praises of the England international, telling the press:
“For me, he’s top-level.”
“I’m really happy for him, an academy player to experience in the Premier League a hat-trick. He needs to enjoy the moment. He fully deserves it and hopefully there are many more to come".
“He’s got an eye for goal. You look at the stats from his last 10 years. What he’s done is remarkable and he needs minutes, opportunities and service and if he gets that, Eddie is going to score goals, that’s for sure.”
With Wolves crying out for a striker and with Nketiah likely to be shown the door this summer, bringing the forward to Molineux could be what takes O'Neil's side to the next level.
Cape Town Blitz fell two runs short in the final-ball thriller at home as they lost their second game to the Paarl Rocks
The Report by Firdose Moonda24-Nov-2019The Paarl Rocks recorded a second win over their neighbours, the Cape Town Blitz, this season to move to second spot on the points table. Unlike the earlier encounter between the two teams this season, when the Rocks rolled the Blitz over for 84 runs, this fixture was much more competitive and hung in the balance until the final ball. The Blitz needed 12 off the final over and four off the last ball but fell two runs short. Despite the match being played at the Blitz’s home ground, Newlands, the most famous fan was supporting the opposition. South Africa’s national rugby captain, Siya Kolisi, was in the stands cheering on his friend, Rocks’ captain Faf du Plessis.Riaz’s catch Du Plessis was starting to look dangerous after scoring 21 runs off the first 17 balls he faced before he charged down the track to hit Gregory Mahlokwana over the top. Wahab Riaz was patrolling the boundary there and launched himself to his right, stuck out one hand and completed a stunning catch to end du Plessis’ knock and start to pull the Rocks back.Damage control The Rocks lost Henry Davids halfway through their innings, but on 78 for 3, with James Vince at the crease, they would still have been eyeing a score over 180. Dwaine Pretorius’ 16-ball 29 threatened to take them close but when he was dismissed, the Blitz put the squeeze on. They took five for 33 in 28 balls with some of the best fast bowlers in action. Sisanda Magala had Pretorius caught behind, Dale Steyn lured Isuru Udana into a pull and the top edge found its way into Quinton de Kock’s hands, then Steyn yorked Vince, Magala had Sibonelo Makhanya caught at point attempting a cut and Riaz hit off stump as Mangaliso Mosehle missed a heave. The Blitz attack has been spoken about as the best in the tournament and in that burst, they showed why by limiting the Rocks to 163.Philander the allrounder A less spoken-about member of the Blitz attack is Vernon Philander, who proved his worth with the bat. He scored 33 runs off 25 balls and featured in a sixth-wicket partnership of 52 runs with Mohammad Nawaz to keep Blitz’s chase on track. The highlight of Philander’s innings were the two sixes he took off Tabraiz Shamsi, straight back over the bowler’s head. Philander tried the same off Pretorius but was unsuccessful.Last-over drama Udana was the man tasked with defending 11 runs in the final over, and he made a good start when Nawaz holed out to long-off off the first ball. Udana could have a second wicket with his next delivery when Magala skied a chance but the Sri Lankan dropped the return catch and that’s when the nerves started. A leg bye off the third ball meant the Blitz needed 10 off three, but Udana gave them a fourth with a wide. His legitimate fourth delivery was a dot ball so the Blitz’s requirement was 10 runs off two balls and then Magala got an outside edge to third man that went for four. Six runs were needed off the final ball and Udana delivered another wide. That made the equation four off one but Magala could only manage to drive the ball along the ground and run one before he was run-out to give the Rocks a thrilling win.
Marc Cucurella has sent a hilarious warning to Premier League rival Erling Haaland while singing a Chelsea fan chant at Spain’s Euro 2024 party.
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La Roja claimed Euros crown
Defender silenced any doubters
Ready to face Man City rival
WHAT HAPPENED?
La Roja are continental kings once again after seeing off England 2-1 in a dramatic European Championship final. Cucurella starred for Spain throughout that tournament, with early questions of his value being answered in style.
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WHAT CUCURELLA SAID
Cucurella was happy to take centre stage during a wild celebration event in Madrid, as he took the microphone and serenaded those in attendance. To the tune of a terrace chant that has followed him from Brighton to Chelsea, the 25-year-old left-back said: “Cucu cucu-rella, he eats paella, Cucu cucu-rella he drinks Estrella, Haaland you’d better tremble because Cucurella is coming!”
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Ex-England international Gary Neville was among those to suggest that Cucurella may be a weak link in the Spanish side, claiming that it was difficult to see them “going all the way” with the Chelsea star in defence. Cucurella responded to that jibe after collecting the ultimate prize by saying: “We went all the way Gary. Thanks for your support.”
Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly yet to make a final decision on his Portugal future as he continues to reflect on his nightmare Euro 2024 campaign.
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Ronaldo had miserable EurosFailed to score in five matchesForward still contemplating futureWHAT HAPPENED?
Portugal's journey at Euro 2024 came to a premature end in the quarter-finals after a penalty shootout defeat to France. This marked a challenging tournament for Ronaldo, who, at 39 years old, was expected to lead his team to greater heights. However, the Al-Nassr forward struggled to make an impact and failed to score at a major tournament for the first time in his career.
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Amidst the speculation of his potential retirement, have claimed that Ronaldo is yet to make a definitive decision about his international future. However, the report adds that sources close to the striker expect him to continue representing Portugal.
DID YOU KNOW?
Despite pressure from the outside, Ronaldo does not feel an urgent need to make an immediate announcement regarding his future. He is believed to be carefully evaluating his performance in Germany – which saw him miss a penalty and several free-kick attempts going wayward.
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO?
Portugal are set to face Croatia in the Nations League in early September, providing an opportunity for Ronaldo to potentially silence his critics and showcase his prowess once again. Furthermore, the team will begin its qualification campaign for the 2026 World Cup in March next year, which would be another significant milestone for Ronaldo if he decides to continue.
A Copa Sul-Americana não está sendo mais transmitida nos canais por assinatura ou na TV aberta brasileira. Para acompanhar a segunda competição mais importante do continente, os torcedores devem pagar uma mensalidade exclusiva à Conmebol TV. Adquirido pelas operadoras por assinatura Claro e Sky, as empresas ainda não planejamlicenciarem alguma partida com um grupo de mídia ou para outros parceiros.
+ Confira os grupos da Copa Sul-Americanae veja a tabela atualizada
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No contrato feito ano passado, foi vetado a exibição da competição por outras redes além via assinatura normal da TV paga. Sem acordo firmado, as partidas seguirão impedidas de serem transmitidas em canais fora do serviço. Ou seja, sem Globo, SBT, Record e Band no páreo, a competição fica restrita ao universo streaming e do Pay-Per-View.
De acordo com dados do portal Uol, as duas principais operadoras no Brasil fizeram um novo contrato da Sul-Americana após o rompimento com o DAZN, plataforma de streaming esportiva que desistiu dos direitos em 2020. Antes, o contrato envolvia cerca de US$ 35 milhões (aproximadamente R$ 190,5 milhões) para ter o segundo torneio de clubes mais importante do continente.
A única solução seria a Conmebol acertar algum acordo com as TV brasileiras (o que não é cogitado, segundo o site). Entre abril e maior, Grêmio, Ceará, Bahia, Athletico-PR, Atlético-GO, Bragantino e Corinthians disputarão partidas pela fase de grupos. Agora, caso alguma emissora brasileira tenha o interesse em exibir os duelos, precisará aguardar para comprar os direitos até 2022, quando a Conmebol fará renegoicações.
Alisha Lehmann has visited the Hollywood Walk of Fame while in LA, with the Swiss stopping by the stars of Marilyn Monroe and Michael Jackson.
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Swiss star enjoying American vacation
Has moved from Florida to California
Ready to watch partner in major tournament
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WHAT HAPPENED?
The Aston Villa forward is in California ahead of her boyfriend, Douglas Luiz, forming part of Brazil’s squad at the 2024 Copa America. She has already watched him in friendly action against the USMNT during a stint in Florida that saw time spent in Miami and Orlando.
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DID YOU KNOW?
Lehmann has moved from the east coast to the west, with Brazil set to open their Copa quest against Costa Rica at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on June 24. Prior to attending that game, opportunities to soak up more sun and see the sights are being embraced.
THE GOSSIP
Lehmann has headed out into Los Angeles to visit the famous stars on Hollywood Boulevard, with superstar performers from the worlds of film and entertainment being recognised on a 1.3-mile stretch of road. The stars of legendary actress Monroe and pop icon Jackson held special appeal to Lehmann.
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WHAT NEXT?
It remains to be seen what the rest of the summer holds for Lehmann, as she may yet be on the move in the latest transfer window. There has been talk of the 25-year-old joining partner Luiz in trading life at Aston Villa for that at Italian giants Juventus.
The level of spending has never been higher in the Premier League than it is now. New and improved commercial deals have meant the funds available to top-flight clubs are allowing clubs to really push the limit.
Some clubs are struggling to work within the regulations of Financial Fair Play, with the likes of Everton and Nottingham Forest the latest to be propelled into the spotlight by the governing bodies.
But last summer alone, Premier League clubs spent a staggering £2.36bn across the board, dwarfing the summer of 2022 spending which still came in at £1.92bn.
Amid the winter market, Football FanCast has taken a look at just how much each of the current Premier League sides have spent in the Premier League era.
20 Luton Town £31m
Premier League new boys Luton Town will have their first taste of top-flight revenue coming into the club following their play-off win last season, but their overall spend since the Premier League’s conception in 1992 comes in at a mere £31m.
In comparison to some of the more established Premier League sides, this seems a minute figure, with only four other former Premier League clubs spending less in the same period.
Although this figure may seem crazy to some, it has to be remembered that just ten years ago, the Hatters were playing in the Conference before making an astonishing climb up the English pyramid to earn a spot in the Premier League.
Luton spent £19.5m of that £31m overall in the summer following their promotion, and if they can stay afloat, perhaps they will be able to consider spending more significantly in the coming summer transfer window.
19 Brentford £209m
Brentford striker Ivan Toney.
Brentford now have a few seasons of Premier League football under their belt, although they are not finding it so straightforward this season.
The difference between Luton and Brentford’s spending, however, is staggering. The Bees’ spending has risen year-on-year since their promotion to the top flight, with last summer their biggest ever spend at a total of around £60m being spent on players.
Similarly to Luton, Brentford have enjoyed a stunning rise through the leagues over the last decade to earn themselves a spot in the Premier League. Big funds in the future could be generated through the potential sale of Ivan Toney, which could leave further room for the Bees to spend on new players.
18 Sheffield United £250m
Returning to the Premier League in the 2023/24 campaign for the fourth time since its conception, the Blades have managed to still spend a decent amount of money considering their journey between the leagues over the last decade.
During their spells in the Premier League, Sheffield United have not been fearful of splashing the cash, with the 2019/20 campaign seeing the Blades spend £61.7m alone.
Their club record signing, Rhian Brewster, almost matches Luton’s overall spend, with the former Liverpool striker costing the Blades around £24m.
17 Burnley £365m
Zeki-Amdouni-Burnley
Much like the Blades, Burnley have spent a number of seasons over the last 15 years bouncing between the Premier League and the Championship.
But there is a huge difference in their transfer spending since the 1992/93 campaign, with the Clarets spending a further £115m on the South Yorkshire side.
And the recent summer window saw Vincent Kompany handed a lot of reinforcements, with the Lancashire side spending around £95m across their ten new signings.
16 Nottingham Forest £428m
Having returned to the Premier League in 2022, Nottingham Forest have certainly not held back in their spending across the three full transfer windows they have experienced as a top flight side.
Indeed, since their promotion in 2022, Forest have spent around £272m under Greek owner Evangelos Marinakis. They even broke the record for the most arrivals in a summer window with their 21 signings in 2022.
However, it seems they may have landed themselves in a spot of bother as they have since been charged with breaking the profit and sustainability regulations; they have now been referred to an independent commission.
Nottingham Forest: Every signing since promotion to the Premier League
Nottingham Forest have splashed the cash since returning to the top flight – FFC has detailed every signing they’ve made.
ByMark Marston Feb 2, 2024 15 Bournemouth £440m
Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke.
Bournemouth are another club who have been between leagues over the last decade, however, they have been able to spend seven of the last nine campaigns in the Premier League.
And that has allowed them to splash the cash – relatively speaking. The most recent summer transfer window was the Cherries’ biggest spend yet with nearly £110m spent.
Results have now begun to flow under Andoni Iraola and Bournemouth look in a strong position to maintain their spot in the top flight for another campaign, so expect this figure to rise.
14 Brighton & Hove Albion £463m
Brighton striker Joao Pedro
The impressive stories continue with Brighton & Hove Albion, whose rise to Premier League prominence has been nothing short of incredible.
Roberto De Zerbi has led the Seagulls to European football, and it has to be said that they have become the powerhouses they are now through smart recruitment.
Unlike some of the sides who proceed them on this list, the Seagulls have not had a season where they have spent more than £85m – which came in the latest summer window.
13 Crystal Palace £467m
Michael Olise
Narrowly pipping their A23 rivals, Crystal Palace have now spent the last 11 seasons in the Premier League, which has allowed them to spend as an established top-flight side.
However, this has not necessarily been the case over recent years, with a total spend of just £35m spent between 2018 and 2021.
Perhaps the Eagles can be praised for that, with a number of clubs in and around them in the league now being hit with violations of the financial regulations and they have been able to maintain their Premier League status despite their spending not being excessive in recent seasons.
12 Fulham £612m
Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha.
Fulham may have not been as consistent a Premier League side over the last decade as the likes of Crystal Palace. However, they have spent significantly more than their London rivals, having first made the Premier League in 2001.
With Shahid Khan as their owner, the Cottagers certainly have the financial backing to compete with most of the other teams in the Premier League.
Despite this, they will naturally fall short in terms of their revenue stream not being able to match the bigger sides who, therefore, have an advantage with the Financial Fair Play regulations.
11 Wolverhampton Wanderers £732m
Wolves forward Matheus Cunha.
Although Wolves fell down the leagues to hit League One in 2013, they have been a Premier League side since their promotion in 2018.
And they have definitely spent like an established Premier League side in recent windows, with the arrivals of the likes of Matheus Cunha and Matheus Nunes both in excess of £38m.
Under Gary O’Neil, Wolves are showing no signs of being anything other than being a top-flight side, which should suggest the spending will not come to an end any time soon.
Em julho de 2020, a Medida Provisória 984, editada pelo presidente Jair Bolsonaro (sem partido) e referente a transmissões, ganhou forte adesão entre lideranças do futebol brasileiro. Cinco meses após o texto perder a validade na Câmara dos Deputados,aAssociação Brasileira de Clubes de Futebol, liderada por Francisco José Battistotti, aguarda que o mandatário edite uma nova MP do futebol, algo que Bolsonaro teria prometido ao grupo.
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A informação inicial é do blog “De Primeira”, do portal “Uol”. A promessa de Jair Bolsonaro ocorreu ainda em 2020. Chamada de MP do Mandante,o texto não chegou a ser votado no período em queRodrigo Maia (DEM-RJ) era presidente da Câmara dos Deputados – atualmente,Arthur Lira (PP) preside.
Em alteração à Lei Pelé, a MP do Mandante passava, provisoriamente, os direitos de transmissão ou reprodução das partidas esportivas ao clube mandante de jogo. A intenção do novo texto é ter a mesma proposta quanto àvenda de direitos de transmissão, além de isentaros clubes de pagamento do Profut durante o período da pandemia da Covid-19.
No início deste mês, aAssociação Brasileira de Clubes de Futebol se reuniu com representantes do governo federal para reforçar o anseio pela nova MP.
Cabe lembrar que em julho do ano passado umgrupo de 16 clubes da Série A externou o interesse na MP do Mandante publicamente, inclusive com manifesto favorável assinado, que contou com: Bahia, Palmeiras, Ceará, Fortaleza, Sport, Red Bull Bragantino, Athletico-PR, Coritiba, Atlético-MG, Flamengo, Corinthians, Goiás, Vasco, Atlético-GO, Santos e Internacional.
The Norwegian is set to win this season's Golden Boot, but there is no room for him in our all-star line-up
And so, the end is near, with the final curtain set to come down on the 2023-24 Premier League campaign on Sunday. We don't yet know the identity of the champions, of course, with Manchester City and Arsenal still locked in a titanic title tussle. And while Luton are effectively doomed to relegation, along with Burnley and Sheffield United, there are also European places still up for grabs.
However, GOAL's Premier League Team of the Season is already decided – and there are a few selections that are bound to cause controversy. For starters, there's no room for either Erling Haaland or Kevin De Bruyne, while City only have half as many representatives as Arsenal. We've also included a couple of players from teams in the bottom half of the table.
So, check out our line-up below and be sure to tell us what you think in the comments section!
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GK: Jordan Pickford (Everton)
David Raya has already won this season's Golden Glove, having kept 16 clean sheets thus far, but Jordan Pickford managing just three shut-outs fewer is an even more impressive achievement, given Everton were locked in a relegation battle up until a few weeks ago.
The England international has had a couple of dodgy games (which keeper hasn't this season?!) and has been helped out by the sterling efforts of James Tarkowski and Jarrad Brantwaithe in front of him, but Pickford continually came to his team's rescue when they needed him most.
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RB: Ben White (Arsenal)
Is Ben White's fine form down to his decision to make himself unavailable for international duty? Hard to say. All we know for sure is that the versatile defender has played a pivotal role in Arsenal's title challenge, scoring four goals, and registering as many assists.
It's a real shame for England's Euro 2024 campaign that Gareth Southgate won't have the option of pairing him on the right flank with Bukayo Saka this summer.
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CB: William Saliba (Arsenal)
Anyone else get the feeling that Arsenal might have won the league last season had they not lost their fantastic Frenchman to injury?!
William Saliba has been utterly integral to the Gunners maintaining this year's title challenge. No other player in the Premier League has been involved in as many clean sheets (16), while the ridiculously composed centre-back also ranks second among defenders for possession won. In short, a class act.
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CB: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
The Dutchman's reign as Liverpool captain didn't get off to the best of starts, with Van Dijk dismissed for a clumsy foul in the come-from-behind win over Newcastle back in August. However, the veteran centre-back recovered wonderfully well from that setback and dismissed all suggestions that he was past his best by producing a string of almost-flawless displays for Liverpool that earned him a deserved nomination for Player of the Season.
The Reds' backline still has plenty of problems but Van Dijk, as it turns out, is far from "finished".
Fifties from Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, and Asghar Afghan helped them go 142 ahead before getting the wicket of William Porterfield
The Report by Varun Shetty16-Mar-2019Stumps Ireland made a brief comeback but the late wicket of captain William Porterfield followed an Asghar Afghan counterattack to dull the effect in a session where six wickets fell. Asghar made 67, batting mostly with the lower order, and helped Afghanistan go 142 ahead. In response, Ireland were 22 for 1 with Paul Stirling and Andy Balbirnie at the crease.The Afghanistan captain was aggressive as his team fell from 226 for 3 to 280 for 8, before digging into the spinners and switching to a full-blown attack. He hit three sixes and a four – stepping out for each one of them and going straight – as he stretched the score to 311 before edging Stuart Thompson behind. Asghar made 31 off his last 21 balls.At the start of that collapse, Rahmat Shah fell agonisingly short of a historic maiden century – it would have been Afghanistan’s first in Tests – when he chopped Tim Murtagh on for 98, but his 130-run stand with Hashmatullah Shahidi had put Afghanistan firmly ahead by then. The pair, arguably Afghanistan’s best batsmen, used the middle session to dominate an Irish attack that had kept them to 20 off 16 overs in the first hour of the day. That plan from Ireland – full and straight – proved unsustainable as the first session went on, and completely came apart in the second.Rahmat had hit 15 boundaries and looked in complete control before chasing Murtagh’s short and wide ball, following an extended stop in play as Ireland waited for a helmet to come on for their close-in fielder. The inside edge hit off stump, a moment that left everyone in the Afghanistan camp shaking their heads.Rahmat Shah chops on•Getty ImagesJust as Afghanistan had failed to manage the game in the middle session on Friday, so did Ireland on Saturday. And Rahmat made use of that period with efficiency, playing close to his body for the most part, but attacking in bursts as the spinners seemed to lose control. At one point, he hit five boundaries in four overs, including two elegant drives either side of extra-cover – shots that had earlier seemed impossible on this track. Between those cover drives, he smashed a short ball past mid-on to take Afghanistan into the lead shortly after the pair had brought up 100 for the third wicket.It was a dominant phase in the middle of the day, with even the watchful Shahidi opening up to pick up boundaries with ease. Most of these came against James Cameron-Dow who consistently bowled short deliveries through the day, allowing both batsmen to escape any pressure from a pitch that was slowly showing signs of sharp turn. So off-colour was Cameron-Dow that after going steadily for over five an over, he resorted to a leg-side line against Rahmat. In the 79th over, this cost him: umpire Richard Illingworth deemed it negative bowling and called him for wides three balls in a row.But there was an unlikely upside. Afghanistan’s willingness to push the rate opened up a vulnerability and when Andy McBrine was brought on to replace Cameron-Dow, his floaty middle-stump ball caught a sweeping Shahidi on the back leg. Batsmen found it increasingly difficult to get in after that. Immediately after Rahmat’s wicket, Mohammad Nabi flicked a leg-stump half-volley to square leg, and McBrine returned again to completely tie up Ikram Ali Khil. After a lot of indecisive footwork, the left-hander ended up yorking himself against McBrine, who looked by far Ireland’s best bowler on the day with his attacking lines to both right- and left-hand batsmen.Rashid Khan and Asghar made it clear they would look to make quick runs and push the lead up, but George Dockrell stopped Rashid in his tracks. After being hit for 10 off 2, including an inside-out six that was one of the best plays of the day, Dockrell slid an arm ball past Rashid’s inside edge to trap him in front. But Ireland couldn’t stop the bleeding and the lead – just a touch over 100 at that point – grew to an imperious figure.