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The BPL has been forced to restart on November 8 after the first four games were washed out in Mirpur without a ball bowled

Mohammad Isam05-Nov-2016The BPL has been forced to restart on November 8 with rain having played havoc with the tournament’s opening fixtures – the first four games have been washed out in Mirpur without a ball bowled. The matches from the new start date will take place according to the existing schedule, while four of the first six matches, earlier scheduled from November 4 to 6, will be played later in the tournament.But there is confusion over whether the opening day’s games will be replayed or the teams will share points. Rangpur Riders and Khulna Titans have agreed to a rematch, according to BPL’s member secretary Ismail Haider Mallick, but Comilla Victorians and Rajshahi Kings are still undecided. BCB vice-president Mahbubul Anam however said that the board cannot legally reassign the November 4 matches unless all the participating teams are unanimous on the decision whether to replay the two games or not.Mallick made the announcement of starting the tournament on a later date on Saturday evening, adding that both matches on Saturday – Chittagong Kings v Barisal Bulls, and Dhaka Dynamites v Comilla – had been postponed earlier in the day. He said that the decision to restart the tournament from November 8 was decided in meeting on Saturday afternoon. The meeting involved the BPL governing council and representatives from the seven franchises, while broadcasters and ticketing partners were also taken into account.”We have a weather report which has a forecast for more rain for another two days,” Mallick said. “So far not a single ball has been bowled in the tournament due to the rain. We have decided to postpone the November 5 and 6 matches. We now want to hold our first match on November 8 as per the existing schedule. We will reschedule the November 5 and 6 matches in the rest days within our fixtures list.”On the issue of the opening day’s matches, Mallick said: “According to the bylaws, we can make the November 4 matches into rematches only if the franchises agree to it. Rangpur and Khulna have agreed for the rematch but we don’t have a decision from Comilla and Rajshahi, who were the teams in the tournament’s first match.”We will try to reassign the five or six matches on November 10 and 14 and, if need be, we will hold three matches in a day. November 20 is also an option for the rescheduled matches.”BCB vice-president Anam however said doing different things for the opening days’ games was not permissible by the rules: “We have already postponed and rescheduled today’s and tomorrow’s [November 5 and 6] matches, but since yesterday’s matches have gone into the record book, we cannot legally change those results unless all the franchises agree on it,” Anam said. “We have left it to them to decide whether they want the one points each. We cannot do anything outside the law. The BCB cannot reverse the results of these two matches unless all the participating teams agree on the decision.”

There has been an update regarding Manchester United's interest in Atalanta sensation, Rasmus Hojlund…

What's the latest on Hojlund to Man United?

According to The Football Terrace's Terry Flewers, the Red Devils are believed to be in "talks" to sign the Denmark international this summer, with there a chance that both the 20-year-old and Harry Kane could be on their way to Old Trafford.

Writing on Twitter, the transfer insider stated: "Manchester United have started concrete talks with Rasmus Højlund's team and are very keen to sign him this summer, thus the deal is on & active.

"Harry Kane is still the number 1 target and United could sign both."

This follows a previous report from the Manchester Evening News which revealed that the former Sturm Graz striker – who has been valued at around £60m by his current employers – has already held video calls with Erik ten Hag regarding a potential move to England.

Would Hojlund be a good signing for Man United?

While not a household name like the aforementioned Kane, Hojlund has certainly put himself on the map following an impressive debut campaign in Serie A, having scored ten goals and provided four assists in 34 games in all competitions for the Bergamo-based side.

Hailed as "scary quick" by journalist Sacha Pisani, the promising starlet – who also has five goals to his name in just four appearances for his country at senior level – has also caught the eye due to his apparent likeness to Manchester City's Norwegian machine, Erling Haaland, with Hojlund himself stating:

"I see parallels between myself and Erling Haaland. He is fast, left-footed, tall, has a good nose for goal and is a classy finisher. His mentality is also completely insane!"

As for as United are concerned, the hope will be that the one-time Copenhagen gem can emulate another Scandinavian striking machine in the form of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with the latter man having also arrived in Manchester as something of an unknown quantity back in 1996.

While many will remember Solskjaer's mixed stint in charge of the club – which ended back in November 2021 after the one-time Cardiff City boss was relieved of his duties – the 'Baby-faced assassin' remains a cult hero due to his playing exploits, having memorably scored that winner in the Champions League final in 1999.

Having been signed from Norwegian side Molde for just £1.5m at the age of 23, the ruthless marksman ultimately proved a real bargain after scoring 126 goals in 366 games over the next 11 years under the watchful eye of Sir Alex Ferguson.

Much like Hojlund – who has been described as "clinical" by talent scout Jacek Kulig – Solskjaer was also truly lethal in front of goal in his pomp as his goal record illustrates, with the hope being that the Atalanta man can make a similar impact if he is to link up with Ten Hag this summer.

There is also a likeness between the pair as Solskjaer was seemingly signed by Ferguson after the legendary Scotsman missed out on top target Alan Shearer in that same summer, while Hojlund could represent a cheaper, younger alternative to leading option, Kane – who has been valued at around £100m.

Of course, as Flewers suggested, the Tottenham Hotspur talisman could still be signed in tandem with the Dane, although either way the signing of the 6 foot 1 speedster could well prove to be United's next Solskjaer.

Cameron White’s 130-ball 145 helped Victoria amass 343 and thump South Australia by 135 runs in their Matador Cup match in Perth

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Oct-2016
ScorecardCameron White’s 10th List A century helped Victoria amass 343•Getty ImagesCameron White’s 130-ball 145 helped Victoria amass 343 and thump South Australia by 135 runs in their Matador Cup match in Perth.South Australia’s chase crumbled to 208, propped up only by a maiden List A century by Cameron Valente and a fifty from Tom Cooper. The rest of the line-up could muster only 44 runs between them.White and Marcus Harris gave Victoria a promising start, adding 70 in a little over 13 overs. White then forged two stands of exactly 100 – with Victoria captain Peter Handscomb for the third wicket, and with Marcus Stoinis for the fifth.White’s knock included 12 fours and four sixes and his partnership with Stoinis helped Victoria plunder 109 runs from the last 10 overs. Stoinis finished unbeaten on 59 off 45 balls with four sixes and two fours.South Australia’s chase had fallen apart by the eighth over as strikes from left-arm spinner Michael Beer and fast bowler Jackson Coleman left them at 5 for 35. Beer took a hat-trick spread across two overs in this period, dismissing Jake Weatherald, Jake Lehmann and Sam Raphael. Valente, who had made his List A debut in the tied match against Western Australia last week, and Cooper averted the possibility of the side being bowled out for less than 100, adding 101 for the sixth wicket, but once Cooper fell, South Australia crumbled again. No. 10 Nick Benton struck 21, and helped Valente push the score past 200 before Victoria wrapped up the match in the 43rd over.

West Bromwich Albion manager Carlos Corberan looks unlikely to be backed significantly by owner Guochuan Lai this summer as he looks to build a squad capable of returning to the Premier League.

The Chinese businessman controversially saw his £5m loan from the club written off a few months ago, with the vast majority of the Baggies' signings coming as free transfers in the 2022/23 campaign.

West Brom could find success down that route once again this summer, with reported target Jay Mingi seemingly set to depart Portsmouth on a free transfer.

Would Jay Mingi be a good signing for West Brom?

It was reported back in December by journalist Alan Nixon that the Baggies were scouting Mingi on a regular basis, with the view of bringing him in on a free transfer in the summer transfer window.

While Pompey have offered the 22-year-old a new contract, that has been on the table since January, and he is yet to sign on the dotted line, which suggests that he could be on his way out of Fratton Park when his current deal expires at the end of next month.

Portsmouth manager John Mousinho said: "There was a conversation with Jay in January which went along the lines of 'I think you’re a terrific player with a load of potential.'

"I think there’s still a lot of work to do to get him there and fulfil that potential. There’s a huge amount to work on and I think he knows that as well, but this is a really good football club for him to do that."

Incidentally, the former West Ham midfielder didn't feature at all under Mousinho due to injury, with his last appearance for the club coming on New Year's Day, so it is perhaps a testament to the talent he possesses that he has been offered a new deal despite his lack of game time.

The Englishman possesses very little senior experience, with just 40 appearances to his name across spells with Maidenhead United, Charlton Athletic and Portsmouth.

However, he is clearly highly rated and could be a great signing for the future by Lai, especially if he continues to back his manager with free-agent signings.

Okay Yokuslu, John Swift and Jed Wallace are ranked as the first, second and fifth-best performers in West Brom's squad this season according to WhoScored, having joined without a transfer fee, emphasising how much success can be had with free agents.

If Lai wants to get the summer off to a positive start as West Brom chairman, he must surely consider making an offer to Mingi ahead of his contract's expiry next month. Such an appealing deal doesn't come around very often.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Liverpool are not currently in the race to sign Manuel Ugarte this summer.

What is the latest Liverpool transfer news?

As evidenced by the upcoming departures of Naby Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, it's well-known that the Reds are looking to sign some new midfielders this summer.

And Ugarte of Sporting CP has been one name linked in recent times. For example, according to a report from Le Parisien (via Sport Witness), Liverpool are prepared to trigger the player's €60 million (£52m) release clause at the end of the season.

However, while talking about this significant claim on his YouTube channel, Romano has stated something contrary to those reports.

Indeed, the journalist has stated that only Chelsea and PSG are currently close to getting a deal done with Jurgen Klopp's men not in contention right now.

He explained (5:11): "Jorge Mendes, it's him on this deal for Manuel Ugarte. The discussions are taking place.

"The player's position will be crucial. So Ugarte has got to make a decision between Premier League or PSG. Let's see how it will evolve.

"Liverpool are not in the race in this moment. It is Chelsea and PSG. It's up to the player. It's also up to Sporting to decide the best proposal for them, and also to see if some players could be included in the deal – to help reach an agreement.

"For example, Chelsea have many players to offload. Same for PSG. This is something that could be discussed with Sporting in the next days and weeks."

Who wants to sign Ugarte?

This will certainly come as a blow for Liverpool as they may be close to signing Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton but they probably need more than one new player to come in with Keita, Milner and Oxlade-Chamberlain leaving.

What's more, Ugarte could have been a top signing for the Reds, having been described by journalist Jacque Talbot in his article for Sporting Life as a "mentality monster with great guile and physical attributes", while also being tipped as a long-term replacement for Fabinho in the middle of the park at Anfield.

With that in mind, it's no shock that other clubs are chasing the 22-year-old player. And it sounds as though PSG and Chelsea are both further along with this deal, which does suggest that Liverpool perhaps have their eyes on alternative targets.

It'll certainly be interesting to see who else they target if they do sign Mac Allister but Ugarte heads elsewhere.

MS Dhoni believes forced breaks owing to his Test retirement have helped him remain fresh in his bid to prolong his international career

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Aug-20162:58

Hope fans will enjoy the moment – Dhoni

MS Dhoni, India’s limited-overs captain, believes his break from international cricket has given him ample time to work on his fitness. Dhoni, who retired from Test cricket in December 2014, was last involved with the national team during a short limited-overs series in Zimbabwe in June.”When you have a break, it’s easy to maintain fitness because there’s enough preparation time,” Dhoni said in Lauderhill ahead of the first Twenty20 against West Indies on Saturday. “There has been a lot of rain in India, which is a good thing since we needed that. So I trained indoors with the bowling machine when it came to the skill aspect.”Dhoni, who will be involved in just a handful of games in India colours this season owing to a prolonged Test run at home from September to March, believes the breaks have helped him remain fresh in his quest to prolong his international career.”During a packed season, maintaining fitness becomes tough because you can’t put too much effort into it. You’re constantly monitoring workloads. When you have a break, you can plan your schedules. That’s what I’ve done so that it helps prolong my career. Overall, it’s important to relish the in-between time.”Back from the break during which he had briefly mentored his state side Jharkhand at a first-division tournament in Chennai, apart from promoting his yet-to-be-released biopic, Dhoni is now faced with the prospect of facing the current World T20 champions, which he felt would be “quite a challenge”.”West Indies is an extraordinary team in the limited-overs format,” he said. “Sometimes having one allrounder can give you balance. They have two or three. Power-hitters become crucial in the smaller formats, and they have so many of them. They also play an entertaining brand of cricket, so it will be a challenge for us.”Among the things he is most looking forward to on his return, Dhoni said, was the opportunity of working with new head coach Anil Kumble, from whom he had taken over the Test captaincy in 2008.”He is a straightforward guy who will tell you what he has to to your face,” Dhoni said. “I learnt a lot from him while playing with him. One of the things that struck me was how he planned dismissals and went about his game. I was amazed at his consistency and the thinking aspect he brought to the game. It will also help him as a coach because you can’t have the same plan across different formats.”I feel, the more time I spend with him, the more I’ll get to know him. I’ve known him as a player. Now, I will know him as a coach. We’ve seen previously how people are slightly different in both cases. He’s calm, composed and confident, and that will only help the team.”

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly interested in making a move for Southampton talisman, James Ward-Prowse this summer, with the Englishman facing an uncertain future at St Mary's following the club's recent relegation.

What's the latest on Ward-Prowse to Spurs?

According to the Daily Mail, the Lilywhites – as well as the likes of Aston Villa and West Ham United – are said to be admirers of the 28-year-old, with the Saints already said to be preparing themselves for offers from Premier League clubs after their drop into the second tier was confirmed at the weekend.

As per the report, the influential midfielder's current deal – which is set to run until 2026 – does not contain a relegation clause, with the south coast unsurprisingly still keen on keeping hold of the long-serving asset despite the prospect of life in the Championship.

That being said, however, the piece goes on to add that the playmaker's reported £100k-per-week salary could prove rather 'pricy' for the newly-relegated side next season, with that potentially opening the door for the likes of Spurs to pounce.

Should Spurs sign Ward-Prowse?

Aside from the search for a new permanent manager at N17, the major concern for Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy will be the uncertainty surrounding Harry Kane's future at the club, with the 29-year-old the subject of interest from Manchester United with just a year left on his existing contract.

The hope will be that the club's record goalscorer will opt to stay put in north London beyond the end of this season, with the signing of Ward-Prowse, in particular, potentially set to be a key factor in tempting the England captain to remain in the capital.

The additon of his compatriot could well represent a dream signing for Kane such is the midfielder's ability to provide quality service, with talkSPORT pundit Darren Ambrose going as far as to suggest that if "you sign James Ward-Prowse, Harry Kane stays".

As Ambrose claimed, the arrival of the "set piece master" – as hailed by broadcaster Maximiliano Bretos – could give Spurs' talisman "an extra ten goals a season" due to his deliveries, with that likely to be a mouthwatering prospect as far as Kane is concerned.

Lauded as the "perfect player that Spurs need that goes from defence to attack" – according to Ambrose – Ward-Prowse would be a real asset to his Three Lions colleague as he arguably has the "best delivery in the league", in the words of teammate Jan Bednarek.

The Portsmouth-born gem – who is valued at around £17m by CIES Football Observatory – has notably created nine big chances this season as a marker of his devastating, creative brilliance, with that a better record than what the current midfield pairing of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (five big chances) and Oliver Skipp (zero big chances) have achieved combined for Spurs this term.

As such, it is clear to see that the 5 foot 8 sensation would represent a "great fit" for the club – as per journalist Pete O'Rourke – and potentially for Kane, with Levy needing to ensure that a deal is wrapped up sooner rather than later for the "unbelievable" talent, as hailed by ex-Saints man, Oriol Romeu.

Mitchell Starc has the talent to take 300 Test wickets, but only if his fitness and workload can be properly managed across all three formats, according to Australia’s coach Darren Lehmann

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jul-2016Mitchell Starc has the talent to take 300 Test wickets, but only if his fitness and workload can be properly managed across all three formats, according to Australia’s coach Darren Lehmann.Starc missed the second half of Australia’s Test summer and the World Twenty20 in India due to his recovery from ankle surgery, and made his international comeback in the recent one-day tri-series in the Caribbean. He is set to resume as Australia’s Test spearhead against Sri Lanka this month and Lehmann said juggling Starc through all forms of the game would continue to be key for Australia.”If he stays on the park, he could [take 300 wickets],” Lehmann told the . “He plays all formats – that is the hardest part for him, managing him through that is going to be our challenge as a coaching staff and selection panel, making sure high-priority Test tours, one-day tours, World Cups and all that, are going to be high on the agenda, and making sure he is fit and available for those.”He has had a big lay-off. For him to come back and then do what he did [in the West Indies], as always, he gets wickets … for us it was a pretty good tick-the-box exercise where he got through and looking forward to the next phase of Test cricket.”The Sri Lankan pitches will likely favour spin and reverse swing, and Starc’s ability to get the older ball moving could be important. Lehmann said Starc’s speed and swing would be key assets in Sri Lanka, a view shared by South African fast bowler Allan Donald, who is acting as Australia’s bowling coach for the Sri Lanka tour.”Starc’s the one, without a shadow of doubt,” Donald told . “He’s a 150 (kph) bowler, he’s done it in the World Cup and in Twenty20 cricket. I’ve seen him destroy top orders, middle orders, lower orders doing that same thing from both sides. That’s where he is at, and that’s why he is the leading fast bowler in the world right now.”Australia have a two-day intra-squad practice game in Sri Lanka this week, followed by a first-class tour game ahead of the opening Test in Pallekele, beginning on July 26.

Stuart Binny is looking at the tour of West Indies as an opportunity to prove himself as a utility player India could rely on, across different surfaces

Shashank Kishore in Bangalore02-Jul-20163:05

‘Our goal is to go to WI and win a Test series’- Binny

Stuart Binny is looking at the tour of West Indies as an opportunity to prove himself as a utility player India could rely on, across different surfaces. The allrounder, who at 32 is the second-oldest member in the squad of 17 for the four-Test series, hopes to thrive on a specific role given to him by Anil Kumble, his one-time Karnataka captain and current India coach.”I see it as exciting times for me. I was part of the South Africa series which happened here but again, playing in India was difficult for me. But on an overseas tour, I’m looking to play the role assigned to me,” Binny, who has played six Tests over two years, said. “I will look to bat at No. 7 or 8, it depends on whether we play with the extra bowler or not. It also depends on the wicket. I may play as the third seamer or if the wicket has grass, then I may play as the fourth.”Basically, my role is to take some of the pressure off our fast bowlers by keeping one end tight. That’s basically my job when I bowl. Obviously with the bat, it is pretty much simple. Obviously to bat with guys who are set and try and take the team to scores that we want to put on the board. Also, for me to bat with the lower order is going to be crucial.”Binny can be used as a new-ball bowler too, like he was during the second Test against South Africa in Bangalore. On that occasion, India played two specialist quicks in Ishant Sharma and Varun Aaron. In Sri Lanka in August last year, Binny played a holding role to ease the burden on R Ashwin and the pace duo of Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav at different stages.Questions over Binny’s effectiveness with the old ball have been raised time and again, and not without merit. But he isn’t sweating over that, and instead explained the need to stick to the methods that have brought him 183 wickets in the first-class and List A formats.”I have realised that the quicker I try to bowl, I tend to get less effective,” he explained. “When the ball is old, it is all about bowling areas and bowling one side of the wicket. I pretty much stick to my strength, which is bowling one side of the wicket, and bowl to a field that is only off side and stick to bowling there. I am not going to try to bowl quickly at that point of time. I think my main weapon is to swing the ball and if I can get that from the fourth stump getting away, then that’s my job.”One of the marked changes in Binny’s approach in recent times has been his fitness, something he was not known for in the past. He attributed much of the change to his inability to endure long spells on the field on sapping days. The Binny who trains at the nets these days is a leaner, sharper version of the one who made his first-class debut in 2003-04.”It was a choice that I had to make, especially if I wanted to play,” he said. “Being leaner and stronger helped my bowling. The reason I fit into teams is because I can bowl and not because of my batting. For me, bowling was crucial and I had to get fit for more opportunities and at a higher grade. It took me two years to get into the condition right now. You get IPL along the way and you do not get time to train because you travel. But that is no excuse. It is a lot of sacrifices but good ones.”I looked after my diet. That helped me 65-70%. It is about eating at the right time and five good meals. You need to balance and eat good protein. I did a lot of running in the first year. Now, Shankar Basu (Indian team’s trainer) has brought in power training in the last few months. That has helped a lot of guys to bowl well in the second, third spell. That is what training is about. All this has ensured I’m now able to be as effective in my second and third spells.”While Binny understands the team needs him to step up with the ball, his batting abilities have somewhat been understated. His tally of 194 runs in 10 Test innings doesn’t inspire much confidence, but there have been spikes in his graph. His half-century on Test debut that steered India to a draw from a tricky situation on the final day of the first Test against England two summers ago was one such effort. His 49 in the second innings of the final Test in Sri Lanka helped India extend their lead and eventually clinch a series win, their first in the country in 22 years.If it boils down to India playing five specialist bowlers, chances are Binny will be thrown into the deep end, a possibility he is ready for. “I have batted at No. 6 most of my career and the only thing I changed in international cricket was that I had fewer chances to score than when you play in a Ranji Trophy match,” he said. “You don’t really try to convert that. My approach is pretty much simple, I try and get myself in and then play the way I know to play.”I have never been asked to change my game, even when batting at No. 6. It’s also important that we score runs; just not hang around in Test cricket. I feel sometimes in Test cricket, it is a bit easier because they start to attack you a little more than the other formats. No. 6 is a crucial spot, it depends on the role. Sometimes I might have to play against the second new ball. That’s what I have been doing in the last week – to bat against the new ball.”Binny’s sense of comfort, when asked about his equation with Kumble, was evident. Equally evident was the confidence in his batting when he skipped down the pitch to loft Kumble’s gentle seam-ups over the makeshift sightscreen at the KSCA ‘B’ ground. “Anil has captained me in Ranji Trophy in fact” he said. “He pretty much knows my game inside out. What he has spoken about right now is not too much technical stuff.”I was 21 when I played my first Ranji Trophy match with Anil . He had just come back from a Test and he was tough. Thilak Naidu (the former Karnataka wicketkeeper) was all about jokes but Anil was about getting the job done. He is more relaxed now and we get more smiles now! He has been positive. He has told us to play aggressive cricket. For me, it works because he has seen me play and develop as a cricketer. You are never going to stop learning. I play Test cricket but that is not everything. He has pushed us to strive for higher things. Three days ago, it wasn’t about my Test hundred. He started making me believe that I can score a Test hundred.”

Glasgow Rangers are thought to be in talks to bring Aris Thessaloniki winger Luis Palma to Ibrox this summer.

What’s the latest Rangers transfer news involving Palma?

Palma has been linked with a move to Glasgow in recent weeks, with Rangers and Michael Beale looking to be aggressive in the transfer market, looking to get deals done early.

Reports suggested that The Gers have watched the player in action, with Palma impressing Ibrox chiefs. The 23-year-old is primarily a left-winger who can also play as a centre-forward or an attacking midfielder, and a move to Scotland could well be on the cards.

Journalist Giannis Chorianopoulos shared an update regarding Palma in the last 48 hours. He stated that Rangers are keen to sign Palma, however, there has been no official bid made as yet. The reporter added that talks are in progress, although many clubs are interested in the forward, with Aris wanting a €5m (£4.3m) fee.

Next target after Sterling?

The Light Blues are reportedly closing in on signing Kieran Dowell and Jack Butland for free, whereas Chelsea’s Dujon Sterling also looks set to move north for nothing over the coming months.

Rangers have been given the green light to sign the right-back, and after Sterling, Palma could be the club’s next main target. The Honduras international has enjoyed a successful season, scoring 13 times and registering eight assists in 35 games, turning out in a range of attacking positions.

Bolstering the final third looks set to be required for Beale ahead of his first full season in charge, especially as Alfredo Morelos will depart over the coming months, whereas Antonio Colak has also been linked with a move away.

However, Palma could be viewed as a direct replacement for Ryan Kent, with the 26-year-old set to become a free agent when his Ibrox deal expires at the end of the month.

Palma is three years Kent’s junior and has contributed to eight more goals in nine fewer appearances than the Englishman this season, and after Palma was linked with a move to Manchester United last month, Rangers could be targeting a possible hidden gem.