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The allrounder has a quadriceps injury, which he picked up during the match against England, and did not train on Monday

The Preview by Sreshth Shah10-Jun-2019Big pictureWhen Bangladesh and Sri Lanka get to the ground on Tuesday, they will have one eye on the 22 yards, and the other on the skies.Last weekend, Bristol was the venue of the only washout of the World Cup so far, which has meant that Sri Lanka haven’t played a game for six days. But that washout against Pakistan has ensured they are, against most calculations, in the top half of the points table despite being thumped by New Zealand and doing just about enough to beat Afghanistan.But there are problems aplenty in their camp. Arguably their fastest bowler, and Man-of-the-Match from the Afghanistan game, Nuwan Pradeep, is unavailable due to a hand injury, and their batsmen have the poorest numbers among all the teams. On average since the start of 2017, they lose half their batsmen by the 30th over and are likely to be bowled out every 1.80 ODIs. In the World Cup, their middle order (Nos. 4-7) has scored just nine runs in two matches, with Kusal Mendis and Angelo Mathews having horror starts. Their only bright spots have been Kusal Perera’s dogged batting performances and a seam attack that looks like it can trouble batsmen when the conditions help a bit.For Bangladesh, it’s about turning their campaign around after a promising start that has hit a roadblock following two defeats. But there were lessons in those losses. Their spin-focused attack has been expensive and unpenetrative, with some even calling it “regressive”. In English conditions, it would make sense to tweak their strategy against a big-hitting team. But against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh may be tempted to give that strategy one last shot.There’s not much praise for their pacers either. They average a wicket every 90 balls in the first 30 overs, and it’s only some zippy death-bowling from Mohammad Saifuddin that gave New Zealand a hiccup and stopped England from making an even bigger total. The real differentiator between the two sides is Bangladesh’s superior batting form, and if the opportunity presents itself, bat-first-put-pressure would be their best approach against Sri Lanka.There could be a major spanner in the works for Bangladesh, however, with their allrounder and talisman Shakib Al Hasan suffering a quadriceps injury during their last game against England in Cardiff, in which he scored a century.Shakib missed training in Bristol on Monday, although he did come to the ground and was seen around the nets. “He batted against England with the strain, so we took him for a precautionary scan on his way back to the hotel,” Rabeed Imam, Bangladesh’s media manager, said.Shakib has been Bangladesh’s best batsman in the World Cup so far, scoring two fifties apart from the century against England. Liton Das and Sabbir Rahman are the batsmen in reserve.Form guideBangladesh LLWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Sri Lanka WLWLLIn the spotlightMohammad Saifuddin is only 22, but in his 15-ODI career, an economy of 7.1 in the last ten overs has meant that he has delivered more balls between overs 41-50 than even Mustafizur Rahman in this World Cup. He can tail in the older ball, and against a batting line-up that is still trying to find form, a bowler they have never faced could be tricky for Sri Lanka. If the spinners can’t find purchase, Saifuddin could be a good partnership-breaking option in the middle period as well.Alex Carey looks on as Kusal Mendis prepares to drive•Getty ImagesKusal Mendis has not played a single shot in control at the World Cup. He’s faced three deliveries for his two dismissals. Since 2018, he’s averaged 21.50 and has not been able to provide the stability that Sri Lanka have desperately needed in both their matches. With Milinda Siriwardana available for selection, the Bangladesh game could be Mendis’ final chance of keeping his spot in the XI.Team newsBowling allrounder Jeevan Mendis is the likeliest replacement for the injured Pradeep, which means Sri Lanka could field the same XI as the one in their ten-wicket loss against New Zealand. It increases their batting depth.Sri Lanka 1 Kusal Perera, 2 Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), 3 Lahiru Thirimanne 4, Angelo Mathews, 5 Kusal Mendis/Milinda Siriwardana, 6 Dhananjaya de Silva, 7 Thisara Perara, 8 Isuru Udana, 9 Jeevan Mendis, 10 Suranga Lakmal, 11 Lasith MalingaIf Shakib isn’t fit to play, Bangladesh will have a choice to make between Liton Das – who is perhaps better suited to the No. 3 spot – and Sabbir Rahman – who can fill in with a few overs of legspin. Bangladesh could also be tempted to bring Rubel Hossain or Abu Jayed in for their extra pace instead of Mehidy Hasan.Bangladesh 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Soumya Sarkar, 3 Shakib Al Hasan/Liton Das/Sabbir Rahman, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Mohammad Mithun, 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Mosaddek Hossain, 8 Mohammad Saifuddin, 9 Mehidy Hasan/Rubel Hossain, 10 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 11 Mustafizur RahmanPitch and conditionsIn the last three completed games in Bristol, teams bowling first have won twice, England’s successful chase of 359 against Pakistan in May one of them. The weather is expected to be “showery” with over 50% chance of rain near toss time and again around 2pm.Strategy puntDhananjaya de Silva has averaged only 16.90 after eight games in 2019, with a strike rate of just over 70. He could be replaced by Siriwardana, who also bowls a bit of left-arm spin, so Sri Lanka won’t lose the part-time option either. Importantly, Siriwardana has three half-centuries from No. 6 in a short career and could provide a new dimension to their batting.It’s in Sri Lanka’s best interest for Mathews to bat at No. 4. Since the start of 2017, he has been dismissed inside 20 deliveries in only 16% of his games, while the rest of his team-mates range between 48% (de Silva) and 100% (Jeevan Mendis). It appears he is the only option in the Sri Lankan line-up to play the anchor role if their captain Dimuth Karunaratne falls early.Bangladesh should start off with spin against Kusal Perera. Since 2018, he averages 51.1 against the quicks so feeding him pace would enable Sri Lanka to have a crisp beginning. Against spin, he averages only 22.7 and is dismissed every 25.7 deliveries. Mehidy turning the ball away from him would be a good match-up from Bangladesh’s perspective.Stats and trivia Shakib Al Hasan is 23 runs away from becoming the second Bangladesh batsman to reach 6000 ODI runs. Lasith Malinga needs four wickets to become the fourth man to take 50 World Cup wickets. If he takes three, he’ll tie with Chaminda Vaas on 49 World Cup wickets – the second-highest for Sri Lanka behind Muttiah Muralitharan’s 68. Mustafizur Rahman is set to play his 50th ODI.Quotes”I’m not worried about who is respecting us or not. I’m more worried about our performance, and make sure we are winning these matches. That is more important for us. Respect varies from one person to another, but I don’t think respect is going to work in the 22 yards.”.GMT 1645 The preview was updated to include news of Shakib Al Hasan’s quadriceps injury.

Aston Villa are yet to make any official signings this month, but they were busy in last season's January transfer window as Unai Emery got his first real chance to shape the squad through recruitment after arriving the previous autumn.

Villa paid £13.3m to sign Real Betis defender Alex Moreno, and splashed out another £18m on Chicago Fire forward Jhon Duran. 12 months on, the latter is attracting interest from elsewhere in the Premier League – Chelsea have held internal discussions over whether to make a move, and West Ham have lodged a formal approach – but Emery has made his feelings on the attacker quite clear.

Emery says no to Duran approach

According to talkSPORT, Aston Villa have rejected West Ham's approach for Duran. The Hammers identified the Colombian as a potential target to bolster their frontline, but he now seems to be "off the cards".

Emery specifically wants to keep Duran as a back-up to Ollie Watkins in the striker position for the remainder of the season at least, and so he's effectively blocked the transfer.

Duran "dispute" shouldn't hinder "huge potential"

Duran has appeared in 23 games this season, which sounds like a healthy number on the surface, but his minutes played total (659) offers a clearer reflection of his role in the squad. With more than half the campaign gone, Duran has yet to start a Premier League match, instead appearing 14 times as a substitute.

Emery has given him opportunities elsewhere, including him in the line-up four times in the Europa Conference League group stage and twice in the domestic cups, but he will still surely want more. Indeed, reports in his homeland claimed that he found himself in "dispute" with the club and manager over a lack of opportunities. You wondered if those strained relationships behind the scenes would lead to an exit.

But Duran's absence from the starting XI is probably more a reflection of Watkins' heroics, rather than anything he's done wrong per se. The Englishman has been directly involved in 17 league goals this season, ranking him third in the division. At 20 years old, Duran is much further back in his development, but we still shouldn't lose sight of his "huge potential" in the words of journalist Pete O'Rourke. After all, this is a player who's been chasing records for a number of years.

He made his professional debut with Colombian club Envigado at the age of just 15, and would become the second-youngest goalscorer in the history of Liga Dimayor. That led Chicago to make him the youngest foreign signing MLS has ever seen, and he repaid their faith by notching 14 direct goal contributions in 28 appearances.

At the international level, Duran became the fifth-youngest player to appear for the Colombian senior side this century when he made his debut in the autumn of 2022, and he's since racked up eight caps. On that basis, then, despite the difficulties this season, you can see why Emery wants to persist with this slightly rough diamond.

Kevin De Bruyne put in a remarkable performance in his 100th international match as Belgium cruised past Montenegro in a Euro 2024 warm-up friendly.

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Belgium beat Montenegro 2-0De Bruyne stole the show with a perfect outingTrossard added the icing on the cakeGetty ImagesTELL ME MORE

There was no surprise in Brussels as the European giants started dominating proceedings right from the first whistle. Their attacking trio of Yanick Carrasco, De Bruyne and Lois Openda sliced open Montenegro's defence at will and kept firing one shot after another towards the target.

However, Matija Sarkic stood tall between the sticks and kept out several Belgian attempts. Carrasco was denied a few times within the first 15 minutes while De Bruyne's piledriver from outside the box was also kept out by the Millwall goalkeeper to keep the scoreline unchanged at the half-hour mark.

Nevertheless, Belgium continued to hunt for the opener and finally reaped the dividends of their consistent pressing just a minute before half-time. Openda hurriedly closed down an advancing Sarkic which forced the keeper to play a quick pass to clear his lines. However, his effort was intercepted by De Bruyne, who kept his cool and slotted in an open net to open the scoring.

Domenico Tedesco made six changes at half-time and introduced Arsenal star Leandro Trossard and Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku. Both Doku and Trossard were extremely direct in their approach and combined on several occasions on the left flank to open up Montenegro's defence. Their efforts finally bore fruit in stoppage time as Doku was brought down inside the box and the Gunners forward made no mistake to double the lead, capping off a comfortable victory.

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De Bruyne has been involved in 76 goals in 100 appearances for Belgium, including 27 strikes of his own. He scored his first international goal against Serbia in a 3-0 win back in 2012.

THE MVP

De Bruyne was undoubtedly the star of the show, despite playing for just 45 minutes. The Manchester City midfielder once again showed why he is crucial to Belgium as he kept pulling the strings from an advanced position in midfield to unlock Montenegro's defence time and again when the strikers, Openda and Carrasco, were struggling to break the deadlock. He relentlessly loaded the barrel for them to fire at a stubborn Sarkic who just refused to be beaten – until the man himself got the better of him with a calm and composed finish.

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Getty ImagesTHE BIG LOSER

Openda will be disappointed with his performance as the striker had several opportunities to get his name on the scoresheet but all of them went begging. Tedesco gave him the opportunity to prove his mettle ahead of Romelu Lukaku, who was not named in the matchday squad, and he failed to make a case for himself ahead of Euro 2024.

Rohit Sharma’s century in vain as India’s middle order falters in a chase of 338

The Report by Deivarayan Muthu30-Jun-20191:38

Why did Dhoni not show more intent?

Jason Roy was back, despite not being fully fit. Jonny Bairstow was back to his monster-hitting mode. Liam Plunkett was back in the XI in a tactical swap, replacing Moeen Ali, and took out Virat Kohli in a chase of 338. ‘New’ England got their wobbling World Cup campaign back on track at Edgbaston, outbatting and outbowling India, clad in new, orange-and-dark-blue jerseys.If England can follow up their 31-run victory on Sunday with another win against New Zealand on Wednesday, they will make the semi-finals, irrespective of the other results.Watch on Hotstar (India only): Bairstow’s centuryBarely two weeks after Roy tore his hamstring during the match against West Indies, England risked Roy’s fitness and he rewarded them with a tone-setting 66 off 57 balls in a 160-run opening partnership with Bairstow – the second-highest for England in a World Cup. Bairstow teed up his first World Cup hundred and although Mohammed Shami whipped up some magic with the old ball and ended with a five-wicket haul, Ben Stokes applied the finishing touches with a violent 79 off 54 balls.Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow share a light moment with Hardik Pandya•Getty ImagesIn pursuit of a steep target, India dawdled to 28 for 1 in the Powerplay – the lowest in this World Cup. Rohit Sharma made his third hundred of the tournament and cranked up the tempo along with his captain Kohli, who reeled off his fifth successive fifty-plus score, but the middle order crumpled like a cheap suit. The first – and only six – of India’s innings came in the last over of the game, which petered out to a tepid finish.Watch on Hotstar (India only) – Shami’s maiden ODI five-forMS Dhoni struggled to find the boundary, as did Kedar Jadhav, and they even drew boos from the crowd. They gulped seven dots and took 20 singles in the 31 balls they were there together. Dhoni made 42 off 31 while Kedar had 12 off 13 in a bizarre passage of play as India managed only 306 despite five wickets in the shed.In the morning, by contrast, England had kept pinging the short, 59-metre boundary. Both Bairstow and Roy were initially bothered by Shami’s seam movement and Jasprit Bumrah’s cramping lengths. Yuzvendra Chahal’s second over, though, was a portent for the carnage that followed. Roy first spanked the legspinner through the covers and then slog-swept him over midwicket. Roy then greeted the other wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav with a down-the-track loft over the bowler’s head.India could have got Roy on 21 when he had gloved a leg-side delivery from Hardik Pandya to Dhoni. Umpire Aleem Dar deemed it a wide and Dhoni missed a tricky by not calling for India to review it. Roy added 45 to his tally before Ravindra Jadeja pulled off a blinding catch as a substitute at long-on to dismiss him.Bairstow had endured a nervy start – 11 of his first 17 runs came off edges – but he too took a liking to India’s wristspinners and the short leg-side boundaries. All told, he cracked six sixes, all off spin in the arc between deep midwicket and long-on. He marched to his half-century off 56 balls in the 16th over when he launched Chahal over long-on. KL Rahul, who was at the edge of the boundary, tried to grasp the fast-travelling ball but to no avail, and wound up hurting his back and left the field immediately.Chris Woakes shakes hands with MS Dhoni after England’s victory•Getty ImagesBy the halfway stage of the innings, Bairstow had a hundred off 90 balls and celebrated the landmark with a fist pump that was followed by a thumbs-up to the dressing room. England then topped 200 in the 30th over, but two overs later Shami had Bairstow carving a catch to sweeper cover for 111 off 109 balls. Shami bounced out Eoin Morgan, but then Stokes went crazy coco bananas with some assistance from Root, who contributed a more sedate 44 off 54 balls.Stokes rolled out one outrageous stroke after another, en route to his third successive fifty-plus score, including a reverse slog-sweep off Chahal over point, who had just been whisked into the circle. Chahal would finish with 0 for 88 in his ten overs – the most expensive for India in World Cups. Stokes blitzed Shami for three successive boundaries in the penultimate over to haul his side closer to 350.WATCH on Hotstar (US only) – Full highlightsThe target looked much bigger when Chris Woakes got rid of Rahul, who returned to open, for a duck during a sequence of three consecutive maidens. Jofra Archer found Rohit’s outside edge in the second over of the chase, but Root dropped a fairly regulation catch in the slips to reprieve him on 4. Archer, too, found the outside edge of Kohli, but the ball flew wide of second slip.The two batsmen then blunted Woakes and Archer, and grew more fluent against the change bowlers. Kohli crunched Mark Wood through the covers and then Stokes through midwicket, but Plunkett sucked him into a familiar trap by hanging one up wider than a set of stumps outside off. Kohli did bite, scooping a catch to backward point.Rohit couldn’t quite adjust to the two-paced track in the early exchanges, but once he got to his fifty, he struck four fours in seven balls and just like that outscored Kohli. It was Woakes who claimed the prized scalp of Rohit in the 37th over when he tricked him with a offcutter.Taking pace off the ball was a theme the rest of the bowlers would emulate in the end overs. In addition to bowling cutters, Plunkett ventured back-of-a-length cross-seamers and came away with the wickets of India’s new No. 4 Rishabh Pant (32) and Hardik Pandya (45) was well. Pant got his World Cup debut in place of Vijay Shankar, who was nursing a toe niggle, but couldn’t quite bring the target within India’s reach.India needed 104 off the last ten overs and later 71 off the last five, but with a long tail to come, Dhoni and Jadhav engaged in a snoozefest and played for the net run rate.

Liverpool have seemingly made progress in their efforts to find a replacement for Jurgen Klopp, with an approach planned for their "number one target" as manager.

Jurgen Klopp leaving Liverpool

The footballing headlines have been dominated by the news that the German has made the shock decision to leave the Reds at the end of the season, having decided that a break is needed. He arrived at Anfield in October 2015, and given the intense nature of the job, it appears to have taken its toll on him.

It is a decision that has left anyone of a Liverpool persuasion stunned, with Klopp an irreplaceable figure who has completely transformed the club ever since arriving, leading the Merseysiders to a glorious period of success. Champions League and Premier League glory have both been achieved, but plenty of other trophies have also come their way, as the 56-year-old has cemented his status as a true great.

The task that FSG now have is an enormous one, as they look to bring in exactly the right replacement for Klopp, ensuring that the transition is as seamless as possible. A host of names have been linked with the soon-to-be-vacant job, with former Reds midfielder Xabi Alonso a front-runner, having done an excellent job in charge of Bayer Leverkusen.

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard is also seen as a contender, as is Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann, and there will no doubt be lots of hard work going on behind the scenes.

Liverpool planning Xabi Alonso approach

According to a fresh claim from Football Insider, Liverpool are intending to approach Alonso to replace Klopp, seeing him as their top choice.

"Liverpool are planning an approach for Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso after Jurgen Klopp announced his shock departure, sources have told Football Insider. Klopp, 56, will depart Anfield at the end of the 2023-24 campaign after revealing he is 'running out of energy'.

"A well-placed source has told Football Insider that Alonso is the “number one choice” to succeed the legendary German in the Liverpool hot seat. A well-placed source has told Football Insider that Alonso is the 'number one choice' to succeed the legendary German in the Liverpool hot seat."

It does feel as though Alonso is very much the priority option for Liverpool as their next manager, ticking plenty of boxes when it comes to finding a successor to Klopp.

At 42, the Spaniard is a young manager who is only improving currently, and the fact that he has inspired Leverkusen to the top of the Bundesliga table ahead of Bayern Munich is hugely impressive. He also knows the values of Liverpool, both as a club and a city, so it is easy to envisage him coming in and immediately being an extremely popular choice.

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Granted, Alonso remains relatively unproven as a manager, so there could be a risk element in appointing him, but that applies to any potential target, with nobody likely to make the impact Klopp has.

Rangers could look to sign an "unbelievable" striker who will be worth millions this summer without spending a penny, according to an update from reliable journalist Mark Hendry.

Rangers transfer news

Philippe Clement is focused on inspiring his side to Scottish Premiership glory this season, but that doesn't mean he won't also be eyeing up new signings before the summer transfer window later in the year. Rangers continue to be linked with plenty of players despite the winter window's end, with talks reportedly held with Fluminense left-back Jefte, who was strongly backed to move to Ibrox in January.

Stoke City forward Tyrese Campbell has also emerged as a potential target for the Scottish giants, being seen as a similar player to Todd Cantwell.

Rumours of a move for Hearts striker Lawrence Shankland are refusing to go away, with the Scot a boyhood Rangers supporter who could like the idea of a move there at the end of the season.

Rangers could go for Oli McBurnie

According to Football Scotland's Hendry, Rangers could look at the signing of Sheffield United striker Oli McBurnie this summer, snapping him up on a free transfer.

"He's a diehard Gers fan and is out of contract in the summer. The Scotland cap is a master at scoring in the English Championship with Sheffield United even if his Premier League record isn't quite as good, but for Scotland's Premiership you'd have to think the level would suit him closer.

"Has been a big money signing at previous clubs but if Gers could land the 27-year-old for nothing they could sell him in a year for a few million."

McBurnie could be a strong summer signing by Rangers, and the fact that he would come in as a free agent takes away some of the risk element, in terms of spending big on him. The 27-year-old has been lauded by teammate John Egan: "We went long to him early on and he was winning every header so why go away from what’s working. You know, he’s a big man, he’s game and he was unbelievable up top. I don’t know if they’ve given him the goal but he celebrated like it was his anyway."

McBurnie has scored 70 goals in his career to date, netting 11 times in 88 appearances in the Premier League, as well as enjoying spells with the likes of Swansea City, Bradford City and Barnsley.

At 27, the striker is in and around his peak, rather than being a free signing who is over the hill, and there is no reason why his physicality and eye for goal couldn't make him a real handful for Scottish Premiership defenders.

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Shankland would still arguably be the ideal choice this summer, considering he is enjoying a superb season that sees him top the SPL scoring charts with 17 goals, but McBurnie represents a good alternative.

The Barcelona winger may only be 16, but after a breakout season in La Liga, he has the ability to take this summer's tournament by storm

Lamine Yamal has described himself as "mischievous." It is perhaps the perfect word for this nuisance of a footballer. A tricky winger, compared often to Lionel Messi, but stylistically similar to Bukayo Saka, the teenager has established himself as one of the best talents in Europe over the course of the past 12 months.

Everyone has seen it. Former Barcelona manager Xavi said Yamal could "define an era" in Catalunya. David Villa earmarked him as a top talent, while Dani Carvajal remarked that he is almost impossible to defend. There was a sense all throughout the 2023-24 season, as Barcelona struggled their way through a torrid campaign, that Yamal was special. At times, the 16-year-old starlet was the only reason to tune in and watch the Blaugrana – such was the lack of quality in their play.

Attention now turns to the stage where the youngster could make his biggest impact yet. Luis de la Fuente has made it clear that Yamal will be an important player for Spain this summer, and he will certainly be in the XI when La Roja play Croatia to open their Euro 2024 campaign on Saturday.

As long as Yamal is on the pitch, Spain, a footballing nation in dire need of an attacking talent to get behind, will feel like they have a chance.

GettyBarca beginnings

Yamal's promise isn't hard to trace. The winger was marked out as a top talent early on within La Masia, and he was training with the first team at 15 before making his debut at the same age. In an ideal world, the teenager probably wouldn't have played much for Barca during the past season, but a Messi-esque cameo in the Joan Gamper Trophy in early August forced him into the picture. By November, Yamal was a regular, and by January, he was indispensable.

His stats – seven goals and 10 assists in all competitions – make for encouraging reading, but his impact expands further than that. Yamal spent most of his time in isolation, running at defenders and carving out opportunities for others. Indeed, his impact is best encapsulated in his three successful take-ons per 90 minutes (among the top 10 percent in Europe), and three carries into the final third per 90 (among the top 15%).

Yamal is a player who is judged best by the eye test, taking in the directness and incisiveness of his dribbling, and the way in which he creates angles and passing lanes for others. He popped up with some crucial goals, too, but given his age, it would be harsh for a team to pin too much on him too early.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesDefining a generation

For a Barca side that has struggled immensely over the last 10 months, Yamal could be the key to them re-establishing themselves among Europe's elite. Hansi Flick has taken over a squad that is almost split in two between ageing veterans and uber-talented youngsters. Only a handful of his projected starters for next season are in what many would describe as their prime years.

But it is that growing young core which offers hope for the future. In midfield, Gavi and Pedri are both 21 or younger, despite their immense experience at the top level already, while 21-year-old Fermin Lopez broke into the first team last season and has been rewarded with a place in the Spain squad this summer. At centre-back, meanwhile, 17-year-old Pau Cubarsi showed for stretches that he can be the player Barca – and Spain – build their next great defence around.

Yamal, though, is the best of them all. The Messi comparisons are both stylistically inaccurate and entirely unfair, but this is a footballer that Barca can truly rest their hopes on. The talent is there, but Yamal has shown that he is mature enough, despite his age, to carry his 'star power'.

He is a La Masia product, a Barcelona native who throws up his Catalan area code whenever he scores, but one who also has a massive shoe deal with adidas. Yamal doesn't just play football – he entertains while he does it.

GettyStarring for Spain

It was no surprise that Spain came knocking for Yamal as soon as they possibly could. This is a country who has shown little care in recent years for protecting its youth, and thus the youngster was thrust into action for La Roja in September 2023 as they looked to book their place at the Euros.

Yamal wasted little time in making his mark on the international game, as he netted on his debut against Georgia to add Spain's youngest goal-scorer to his ever-growing list of records. He then turned in an eye-catching hour against Cyprus in the 6-0 win that followed a few days later.

Manager Luis de la Fuente made little effort to hide his excitement about Yamal, saying: "Do you remember when Messi or [Diego] Maradona were 16 years old? We should not put limits on these good footballers. We must let them develop all their potential. That's what we're trying to do with this player here and at his club."

Yamal has since followed that up with a superb showing against Brazil in a friendly in March, and will be the youngest player at the Euros, with the next-oldest player (France's Warren Zaire-Emery) 16 months his senior. It's easy to forget watching him play that Yamal is still just a child, though he offered a stark reminder of his age when speaking to ahead of the tournament.

"I've brought my homework because I'm in the fourth year of ESO (the last year of compulsory school study), I have classes on the web and I'm doing well; I hope the teacher doesn't get mad at me!" he revealed.

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Tiki-taka troubles

Spain arrive at this tournament at an intriguing juncture, too. Though they reached the semi-finals of the last Euros, that was sandwiched between two World Cup exits at the last-16 stage where they passed Russia and Morocco, respectively, to death, but lacked the cutting edge required to win the game. In the end, they lost both times on penalties

This current Spain team has a lot to live up to, too. That 'tiki-taka' generation that won three straight international tournaments from 2008-2012 is still in the public's consciousness. But those teams had strikers of the quality of Villa and Fernando Torres; Spain have too often been reliant upon the forlorn figure of Alvaro Morata to put the ball in the net in more recent times.

And so while they remain the world-leaders in producing confident midfielders who can receive the ball in tight spaces, turn away from their markers and produce defence-splitting passes, La Roja need more up front if they are to once again challenge for trophies. That is where Yamal comes in…

According to Geoff Allardice, the ICC’s general manager of cricket, the playing conditions did not allow the third umpire or match referee to intervene

Nagraj Gollapudi27-Jul-2019The International Cricket Council has come out in support of umpire Kumar Dharmasena for his controversial awarding of six overthrows, instead of five, to England in the World Cup final on July 14 at Lord’s. In their first public statement of the incident, the governing body insisted the ‘right process’ was followed.The overthrow, which allowed England to resuscitate the chase from what had seemed a very difficult position a ball earlier – when they needed nine off three deliveries – resulted in six runs after the balls skimmed off Ben Stokes’ bat to the third man boundary after he had dived to complete his second run.Dharmasena said the decision was a collective one as he had consulted his on-field partner Marais Erasmus, a conversation that was audible to rest of the match officials.”They (on-field umpires) had to make a judgement call on the day as to whether the batsmen had crossed when the throw was released,” ICC’s general manager, cricket operations Geoff Allardice told ESPNcricinfo in a wide-ranging interview. “After everything that went on during that delivery, they got together over their comms system and made their decision. They certainly followed the right process when making the decision.”While there is no time limit for match officials to ascertain their decisions, Allardice said the playing conditions did not allow the third umpire or match referee, both of whom had access to the TV, to intervene.”They were aware of the law when they made the judgment about whether the batsmen had crossed or not at the time,” he said. “The playing conditions don’t allow them to refer to such a decision to a third umpire. The match referee cannot intervene when the umpires on the field have to make a judgement call like that.”ESPNcricinfo LtdHe also said the entire final would be “considered” by the ICC’s Cricket Committee, led by former India captain Anil Kumble. However, the committee is not scheduled to meet until the first quarter of 2020.Allardice also emphatically stated the importance of having a winner, when asked if there were questions raised about a shared World Cup, at the ICC Annual Conference in London last week.”The consistent view has been that the World Cup final needs a winner and a Super Over was in the playing conditions to decide a tied Final in each of the last three World Cups (2011, 2015 and 2019).”Countdown clock to combat slow over-rates
The Cricket Committee has also given the nod to a stop clock to combat slow over-rates in limited-overs cricket. Allardice said this will be trialled over the next nine months in select matches to judge its effectiveness.”In a T20 innings, the clock would start at 85 minutes when the first ball is bowled, and countdown to zero. The aim is that players, umpires and fans will know that when the clock gets to zero the bowling team should have started the last over. If there is a delay or interruption in the match due to an injury or a DRS review then the umpire will push a button on a timer that adds time back onto clock.”

Paris Saint-Germain winger Ousmane Dembele has revealed why he performs better in France than he did at Barcelona.

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Dembele joined PSG in 2023Enjoys more freedom than at BarcelonaForm resulted in France call-upWHAT HAPPENED?

Dembele joined PSG a year ago for half the price Barcelona paid for him in 2017. The French champions forked out just north of €50m (£42m/$53m) for the pacey winger who tallied 20 goal contributions in all competitions in 2023-24. He recently gave an interview suggesting that he works better under head coach Luis Enrique because he is given the freedom to roam on the pitch.

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Dembele's value may have decreased in recent years, but he has continued to show glimpses of his world-class talent. The 44-cap France international has suffered from several long-term injuries but when fit, he is one of the most formidable wingers in Europe. With Kylian Mbappe leaving his hometown club this summer, Dembele may need to be the man to step up in his absence.

WHAT DEMBELE SAID

In an interview with Marca, Dembele said: "Luis Enrique gives me a lot of freedom. At Barcelona I was more attached to the wing. At PSG, I can play everywhere, as a No.10, on the wing, as a false 9. I had more freedom in the second half of the season. The coach told me to keep moving, except when I had to maintain my position on the wing."

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DID YOU KNOW?

The 27-year-old arrived at Barcelona a few months after his current manager Enrique left the Camp Nou. Dembele was unveiled after signing a deal worth over €100m (£84m/$107m) but only scored three times in 17 La Liga appearances in his first season.

Some Australia players added the stem guard – which will likely be made mandatory by CA in the next 12 months – to their helmets mid-way through the Lord’s Test

Daniel Brettig20-Aug-2019Of the many repercussions stemming from the awful blow suffered by Steven Smith during the Lord’s Test, one of the most visible was the arrival of a stem guard on the back of the helmet of Australia’s vice-captain Travis Head.Having tried the neck guards in the wake of his team-mate Phillip Hughes’ death in November 2014, Head had then elected not to use them for comfort reasons – much as Smith had done – but between innings of the Lord’s Test sought out the team doctor Richard Saw for a neck guard to clip on for extra protection.This meant that three of the Australian batsmen in the middle on day five – Head, Tim Paine and Pat Cummins – were wearing the neck guards, reflecting a shift from optional towards the mandatory standard that Cricket Australia is expecting to introduce in the next 12 months. Undoubtedly, the sight of Smith sprawled on the Lord’s turf will be a strong encouragement for others to add it to their games before they are compelled to do so.”I didn’t usually [wear one]. I guess with the conditions in Australia you can sway out the way, the bounce is quite true,” Head said. “I think what we have seen at Lord’s with the slope there was a lot of balls following batters and going down the slope. I wore it yesterday and probably will wear it for the rest of the series I guess. The wickets are a little bit slower and you can get some that do different things, so it is not as true bounce. I guess, as you’ve seen with Steve getting hit, you can get yourself into tricky positions.”So, I think it’ll become mandatory, it is becoming mandatory next year with CA so I may as well get used to it now and then start putting them on. It is something I have played around with. I thought they were going to come in earlier so I trialled them as one of those things. They probably weren’t as comfortable [but] I didn’t really feel the difference yesterday. It is one of those things as batters, things that are working and not working and I might have worn them and missed out a couple of times and they go back into the kit. But the doc carries them around, so there’s a box to whack them on and a few blokes did.”Asked whether there was any team rule about their use, Head said stem guards were currently in the same category as arm guards: something worn by some and not others. “It is each to their own. I guess it is like me with my arm guard,” he said. “There is no reason it came up but I can save myself a broken arm if I get hit.

“We feel that the way we played at Edgbaston and most of the week this week [at Lord’s], we can compete and play some really good cricket.”Travis Head on the mood in the Australia change room

“So, again, there are a lot of guys wearing them; all of the bowlers are wearing them now, so it is the same thing: trying to protect yourself from injury. I want to play every single game I can. Anything that can help or that can stop something happening, I take it it into account. It is up to individuals.”In partnership with Marnus Labuschagne, Head was able to grind out the innings Australia required to escape Lord’s with a draw and a 1-0 Ashes series lead, but it was a match notable for testing him in numerous ways. He never looked comfortable in the first innings before being pinned lbw on the crease by Stuart Broad from around the wicket. And even in the second innings, Head might well have been out several times to Jack Leach’s left-arm spin, and was also dropped in the slips by Jason Roy with nearly 20 overs of the match still remaining.”Yeah, I didn’t start too well in the first innings,” Head said. “Credit to them, they bowled quite well. I was a little bit disappointed with the way that I got out but those are the things I am working on and haven’t [shown up] much in the last 12 months. Getting stuck on the crease now and then is disappointing, but I’ll learn from it. In the second innings it was a bit more like I was at Edgbaston and, hopefully, I can continue to produce that and be nice and positive.”I had the faith of JL [coach Justin Langer] and Painey to keep pushing the game and being positive and I think that’s the way I play best. When aiming for a draw I was still quite positive in moments when I shouldn’t have been but again, my best way to defend is sometimes to attack and sometimes it works and sometimes not. It’s about picking the right moments I think, and making sure I am doing what’s best for the team.”So it is about making sure I pick up length quickly and I am really sharp. I think the process is really good and I was able to show that with how I played [on day five].”Head reflected that the Australians were very much looking for victory when day five began, only to be frustrated into lowering their expectations by Ben Stokes’ century. “We were quite confident going into the day that we could win it,” he said. “But then Ben batted extremely well and put them into a fantastic position.”So, it was about getting out of the game and out of the day and we were able to do that. There are still a lot of positives to take from the week, which is nice. I think the mood around the group since that moment is better and better and stronger and stronger. We feel that the way we played at Edgbaston and most of the week this week, we can compete and play some really good cricket.”