Cricket Australia are investigating the Sydney Sixers after they included Hayley Silver-Holmes in their playing XI to face the Melbourne Renegades at North Sydney Oval on Saturday without the pace bowler being part of their 15-member squad.Silver-Holmes had been recovering from a foot injury over the previous two weeks and had been replaced in the squad by Alisha Bates. Having recovered to play Saturday’s match against the Renegades, she was listed in the starting XI, but her return to the squad had not yet been approved by the tournament’s technical committee.The “administrative error”, which the Sixers alerted officials to themselves, was only spotted shortly before she was due to take the field for the second innings and she was withdrawn with Maddy Darke acting as a substitute fielder. Silver-Holmes had not batted during the Sixers’ innings, so she had not taken any active part in the game.”The rebel WBBL is aware of an administrative error pertaining to player selection in the Sydney Sixers-Melbourne Renegades match on Saturday,” a Cricket Australia statement said.”The Sixers self-reported an issue relating to Hayley Silver-Holmes’ paperwork shortly after the Sixers-Renegades game had commenced. Silver-Holmes did not bat nor take the field for the Renegades’ run-chase. The rebel WBBL will provide an update on the matter in due course.”It meant the Sixers were a bowler short as they failed to defend 166 and although captain Ellyse Perry was still able to call on seven others, they were not able to stop Lizelle Lee and Courtney Webb steering a fine chase.The defeat left the Sixers with only a slim chance of making the semi-finals with one match left on Sunday and needing the Sydney Thunder or the Perth Scorchers to lose, then having to beat the table-topping Melbourne Stars by a big margin to improve their net run-rate.
Real Madrid have been dealt a huge double injury blow, with Thibaut Courtois and Rodrygo both set to miss this weekend's Clasico against Barcelona.
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Real lose two key playersCourtois & Rodrygo to miss El ClasicoLos Blancos meet Barcelona on SaturdayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱GettyWHAT HAPPENED?
Courtois and Rodrygo have been ruled out of the all-important Clasico clash. Per The Athletic, Belgian goalkeeper Courtois is set to be sidelined for at least two weeks with a groin injury, while Rodrygo suffered a right leg injury during the club’s Champions League clash against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday. The Brazilian winger will undergo an MRI scan on Thursday, after which the club will get a clear picture of the extent of his injury.
Advertisement(C) Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
With Courtois out of the team, Andriy Lunin is expected to take his place in the starting lineup. The Ukrainian goalkeeper appeared in 31 matches in the 2023-24 season and was instrumental in the club winning La Liga and the Champions League titles. Jude Bellingham, on the other hand, could be pushed up front in a more advanced role in Rodrygo’s absence.
DID YOU KNOW?
Rodrygo’s absence will surely prove to be a setback for Carlo Ancelotti, however, Vinicius Jr’s fiery form will provide the manager some assurance ahead of the Clasico. The Brazilian is fresh from scoring an incredible hat-trick in Real’s phenomenal comeback win over the Germans on Tuesday.
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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?
After the all-important Clasico on Saturday night, Ancelotti's Real side are set to face Valencia and Osasuna in La Liga respectively, and will also take on AC Milan in a Champions League fixture before the November international break.
Com o aproveitamento de apenas seis vitórias em 22 partidas onde dirigiu a equipe do Sport, Umberto Louzer não é mais o comandante da equipe. A informação foi confirmada através de comunicado oficial do clube pernambucano.
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>Aplicativo de resultados do LANCE! está disponível na versão iOS
-O Sport Club do Recife informa que, de maneira tranquila e em comum acordo, o Clube e o técnico Umberto Louzer chegaram a uma solução amigável na qual foi decidida pela saída do treinador. Todos da Diretoria de Futebol do Leão agradecem o período de trabalho com Umberto e sua comissão técnica e desejam sucesso na sua caminhada – informou o Leão.
Apesar do bom trabalho desempenhado por Louzer na última temporada onde dirigiu a Chapecoense, ele não conseguiu estabelecer com a mesma eficiência o estilo de jogo com defesa sólida e ataque eficiente na equipe de Recife.
>Confira a tabela completa do Brasileirão
Os números na retaguarda do rubro-negro são importantes pensando em Campeonato Brasileiro, tendo sofrido apenas 14 tentos em 17 rodadas disputadas. Todavia, o desempenho no ataque é frontalmente inverso, sendo o pior sistema ofensivo da competição com oito gols, fato que pesa bastante para a atual campanha do time que está em 18° lugar com 15 pontos ganhos.
Nesta segunda-feira (23), além de dar início a busca por um novo comandante, o Sport terá de “secar” o Fluminense pensando na distância da equipe para o primeiro time fora do Z4. A equipe carioca tem 17 pontos, em 16° lugar, e recebe em São Januário o Atlético-MG às 20h (de Brasília).
Mikel Arteta could finally be about to address the issue Arsenal face in their frontline following another bittersweet season, according to reports.
Arsenal lack transitional pace
All of the focus on Arsenal's transfer plans has surrounded their lack of a striker this summer, but there are more issues than just the lack of a number nine. Although they scored a club record 91 goals across the course of the Premier League campaign, there was a clear lack of pace and directness from the Gunners, who lacked any serious threat on the counter-attack for much of the season.
Arsenal favourites to sign £70m Saka & Foden hybrid
Arsenal are looking to strengthen their wide options this summer.
ByMatt Dawson May 26, 2024
The form of traditional speedster Gabriel Martinelli saw the Brazilian dropped to the substitutes bench for the latter part of the season, with Leandro Trossard taking his place on the left flank, while Gabriel Jesus was also deployed there on occasions.
Arsenal's options on the left wing
Player
PL Starts at left wing
Goal involvements when starting
Gabriel Martinelli
23
7
Leandro Trossard
11
7
Gabriel Jesus
4
0
But neither player boast sheer speed among their best attributes, and Arsenal were often forced to create more intricate goals instead of blowing teams away in the final third as they eventually found themselves caught and passed by Manchester City for the Premier League title.
It is likely for this reason that the Gunners were so keen to sign Mykhaylo Mudryk in the January 2023 transfer window, before the Ukrainian ended up joining Chelsea. It has also seen Arteta's side linked with the likes of Athletic Club's Nico Williams, who was clocked as the second-fastest player at the 2022 World Cup.
Now, another name has entered the fray.
Report claims Arteta has held Arsenal talks with Rashford
That comes in the shape of Manchester United academy graduate Marcus Rashford, who has endured a tough campaign with the Red Devils and has lost his place in the England squad as a result.
The 26-year-old, who penned a new £300,000 a week contract at Old Trafford last season, managed just seven goals and two assists in his most recent Premier League campaign, and has reportedly been made available this summer by the new ownership should he wish to leave the club.
But the Englishman remains a threat to any side, as Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez pointed out before the two sides met last season, highlighting he may well have exactly what Arteta's side need going forward.
"In the transition he is very, very dangerous so, yes, we need to take care of all of them but especially Rashford. He's one of the most dangerous players now in Europe, yeah. He's very fast, he has a very good at dribbling in one-versus-one."
And Arsenal have now been credited with an interest in the winger, with Football London relaying reports from AFCAMDEN on X claiming that "Arteta and Rashford have spoken in recent weeks" and that there is "interest from both sides" in a deal happening.
The Gunners have made a habit of raiding the clubs around them in recent seasons, signing Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City back in 2022 before making a £65m move for then-Chelsea man Kai Havertz last summer.
However, a move for Rashford feels far more complex, with his wages alone putting him well clear of Arsenal's highest earner and Manchester United unlikely to be willing to let him leave on the cheap.
انتهت منافسات الجولة الرابعة عشر من بطولة الدوري الإيطالي، مساء يوم الإثنين، حيث فاز أتالانتا على نظيره روما بهدفين دون رد.
وشهدت الجولة تعليق مباراة فيورنتينا وإنتر ميلان، حيث لم تُستكمل نتيجة تعرض لاعب فيورنتينا إدواردو بوفي لحالة إغماء، نقل على إثرها إلى المستشفى وسط حزن تام بين لاعبي الفريقين والجماهير.
كما تعادل يوفنتوس مع ليتشي بهدف لمثله، وفاز ميلان على إمبولي بثلاثية نظيفة، وتخطى نابولي نظيره تورينو بهدف نظيف. ترتيب الدوري الإيطالي
1 نابولي، 32 نقطة.
2 أتالانتا، 31 نقطة.
3 إنتر ميلان، 28 نقطة.
4 فيورنتينا، 28 نقطة.
5 لاتسيو، 28 نقطة.
6 يوفنتوس، 26 نقطة.
7 ميلان، 22 نقطة.
8 بولونيا، 21 نقطة.
9 أودينيزي، 17 نقطة.
10 إمبولي، 16 نقطة.
11 بارما، 15 نقطة.
12 تورينو، 15 نقطة.
13 كالياري، 14 نقطة.
14 جنوى، 14 نقطة.
15 روما، 13 نقطة.
16 ليتشي، 13 نقطة.
17 هيلاس فيرونا، 12 نقطة.
18 كومو، 11 نقطة.
19 مونزا، 10 نقاط.
20 فينيزيا، 8 نقاط.
ويمكن متابعة ترتيب الدوري الإيطالي، موسم 2024/25، مُحدث بشكل مستمر من هنا.
UK death toll from Covid-19 causing disquiet in the Caribbean, says CWI CEO Johnny Grave
ESPNcricinfo staff14-May-2020
West Indies won the Wisden Trophy in 2019•Getty Images
West Indies’ cricketers will only tour England for their postponed Test series in July if they are “100% sure” they are not putting their health at risk, according to the CWI chief executive, Johnny Grave.Speaking on Sky Sports after it was confirmed that England’s players plan to begin their own phased return to training on Monday, Grave admitted that the UK’s death toll from the Covid-19 pandemic, already in excess of 30,000, has caused some alarm in the Caribbean.”There are relatively few cases here in the Caribbean, therefore, we’re all relatively safe from a coronavirus point of view,” he said. “Just in terms of sheer numbers of deaths in the UK, obviously over 30,000 people is an enormous number but in population terms here in the Caribbean for people who are based and who have lived most of their lives on the smaller islands, you are talking about 40-50 per cent of the total populations.”It is a very different mindset here in terms of going to what is seen as one of the eyes of the storm of this virus. So we’re going to have to be very, very careful that first up we take the medical advice that the ECB give us and secondly that we’re 100 per cent sure that we’re not putting any player’s health at risk before we can contemplate the tour taking place.ALSO READ: England face Ben Stokes dilemma in event of split squads”We’ve had, as you can imagine, lots of conversations individually and – as of the start of this month – we started really a much wider discussion with the ECB over what a tour might look like,” he added.”Certainly, from our point of view, it’s really just listening to those ECB plans both from Steve Elworthy [Director of Special Projects], from a logistics and venue point of view, and professor Nick Peirce [Chief Medical Officer] from a medical point of view.”So, we’re in good dialogue with the ECB and ultimately we’re waiting to hear from them and clearly they need to get UK Government approval before we can seriously contemplate a tour to the UK.”Ashley Giles, England’s team director, admitted that he could understand West Indies’ concerns, but remained confident that the tour would go ahead as planned.”I would be nervous, certainly, but I think we are all nervous, aren’t we? Clearly being outside and looking in, as with any scenario, it can be quite scary but we are doing everything we possibly can to answer all of the West Indies’ questions and we will be speaking to Pakistan as well and mitigate as much risk as we possibly can. We can’t mitigate all risk but as much as possible to get guys comfortable.”We have to remain confident. A big part of my job is trying to get cricket on but it has to be safe and it has to be right. We would never compromise the safety of our players and our people. Right now I am confident. We hope we don’t take another dip which would put all of us back, [but] if we continue on this trajectory hopefully we will have the right conditions to play some Test cricket.”A significant hurdle for CWI will be the assembling of their squad ahead of the trip to England, with all internal flights in the Caribbean currently suspended.”At the moment there’s no regional travel between the main airlines so first up we need to think through where the pool of players would come from across the Caribbean,” said Grave.”We’d expect at least seven or eight countries to make up the Test squad. I don’t think commercial flying is going to be appropriate here from the medical advice that we’ve been getting so we’re looking at chartering planes within the Caribbean and then ultimately a trans-Atlantic charter to get over to England.”
Aston Villa are chasing a Premier League talent who ranks similarly to midfielder Boubacar Kamara ahead of a potential summer move, it has been reported.
Villa struggle without Kamara
Though Unai Emery's side are having an excellent Premier League season, it could have been even better had their midfield lynchpin not picked up a serious knee injury.
Signed on a free transfer in the summer of 2022, Boubacar Kamara has gone on to become one of the first names on the Aston Villa teamsheet when fit, so much so that captain John McGinn has been forced to play out wide in order to accommodate him.
However, Villa have had to play the last 15 games without the Frenchman after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament in a game against Manchester United.
His absence has coincided with a drop-off in Villa's form. With Kamara not in the side, they are conceding more, winning less and picking up fewer points on average.
Boubacar Kamara's importance to Aston Villa
2023/24 Premier League
With Kamara
Without Kamara
Games
20
15
Wins
13
7
Win%
65%
46%
Goals conceded per game
1.05
1.87
Points per game
2.05
1.73
All of Douglas Luiz, Youri Tielemans and McGinn himself have been trialled in his position during his absence, but the lack of a true replacement for the Frenchman has undoubtedly had a damaging effect on Villa's season.
It will likely be trivial come the end of the campaign, with Villa seemingly set for Champions League football next season, but they will need to find a way to replace Kamara in the first part of next season, with the midfielder not expected back until September at the earliest, and likely not fully up to speed until later.
Latest Aston Villa injury news, return dates and suspensions
FFC keeps you up to date with all the latest Aston Villa news involving injuries.
ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 26, 2024
Now, they may have found a man to help share the role.
Villa chase youngster
That comes in the form of young Sheffield United midfielder Ollie Arblaster, who has shone for the relegated side since making his debut against Arsenal in March – a game that his side lost 6-0.
The 19-year-old only signed a new contract earlier this year, but is believed to earn just £760 a week at Bramall Lane.
Now, he is wanted by Villa, with The Telegraph reporting that the Midlands outfit are among those "circling" for the England youth international amid hopes that he could be a cheap addition following the Blades dropping into the second tier.
They add that "Sheffield United are determined to keep him", with the club captaincy not beyond him already, but a bid for his services against the backdrop of relegation may test that resolve.
£150k-p/w Aston Villa figure Emery dubbed "amazing" now set to leave
His departure this summer is looking increasingly likely.
ByBen Browning Apr 30, 2024
He has already come in for plenty of praise from his manager, with Chris Wilder recently dubbing him "the best on the park" against Chelsea, who fielded their two record signings against him.
“His performances have been incredibly consistent at the highest level – against Liverpool the way they press,” Wilder said.
“He was the best on the park against £200m of talent against Chelsea. He was good at Brentford and that was a different challenge.
“He was [the best] against Burnley and [against United], pound for pound against [Christian] Eriksen, and Man United have got a special kid in there as well [in Kobbie Mainoo], he was going to the end and making really good decisions with and without the ball.”
It is easy to see why Villa are keen, with data site FBref statistically ranking him as similar to Kamara, with Arblaster particularly excelling in defensive work. Should he be available, he could be a very savvy signing to provide cover and competition where Villa need it most.
Newcastle United have made a number of eye-catching and big-money signings since PIF officially completed their takeover of the club from Mike Ashley back in October 2021.
Eddie Howe was quickly appointed as the team's new head coach, after Steve Bruce was relieved of his duties, and the English tactician was allowed to splash the cash in his first transfer window in charge.
In January 2022, the former Bournemouth manager swooped to sign Matt Targett on loan, and Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn, Chris Wood, and Bruno Guimaraes on permanent deals in an attempt to propel his side up the table.
kalvin-phillips-bruno-guimaraes-newcastle-opinion
The rest, as they say, is history as the Magpies went on to achieve survival and then pushed on – with the help of signings like Sven Botman and Alexander Isak – to qualify for the Champions League the following season.
Of that initial raft of signings under PIF and Howe, Wood is the only player no longer at the club as Trippier, Burn, and Guimaraes remain key players, and Targett is still on the books.
The Newcastle boss could, however, rue cashing in on the New Zealand international as he has been in terrific form in the Premier League this season, outscoring current Toon star Callum Wilson.
How much Newcastle sold Chris Wood for
Nottingham Forest initially signed the attacker on loan in January of last year – 12 months on from his move to St. James' Park – with an obligation to make it permanent for £15m in the summer.
That came after Newcastle had paid a staggering £25m to sign him from Premier League rivals Burnley back in 2023, to bolster their strikeforce at the time.
He arrived as a proven scorer in the top-flight, with a return of 49 goals in 144 league appearances for the Clarets, but could only muster up two goals in 17 matches and 15 starts for the Magpies during the second half of the 2021/22 campaign.
Wood then spent the first half of the following season with Newcastle and produced two goals in four starts and 18 appearances in total in the Premier League.
Howe then decided to ditch the former Burnley star midway through the 2022/23 campaign by selling him – via an initial loan spell – to Nottingham Forest, after a return of four goals in 19 top-flight starts in one year on Tyneside.
His current form for the Tricky Trees may be making the Magpies regret that decision, as he has outscored Wilson in all competitions this term.
Callum Wilson's season in numbers
The England international came into this season off the back of a terrific return of 18 goals and five assists in 36 matches for Newcastle in all competitions last term.
His form has dropped off slightly during the current campaign, however, as the 32-year-old number nine has plundered eight goals and one assist in 22 games in all competitions.
Callum Wilson.
The former Bournemouth star has not been at his clinical best in front of goal. He has scored seven goals from an xG (Expected Goals) of 7.35 across 16 outings in the Premier League, after 18 goals from 17.49 xG last season.
Wilson has missed six 'big chances' in the division this season as he has been wasteful with the opportunities that have come his way at times.
Callum Wilson's injury record since August 2022
Injury
Days out
Matches missed
Chest – ongoing
42
7
Calf – December 2023
37
6
Hamstring – November 2023
31
6
Hamstring – September 2023
13
4
Virus – November 2022
10
2
Hamstring – August 2022
35
7
Via Transfermarkt
As you can see in the table above, injuries have played their part in Wilson's struggles as the centre-forward has already missed 23 games and counting through injury this season.
His consistent availability issues appear to have finally caught up with him as the striker has not been a reliable performer for Howe and Newcastle during the current campaign, in terms of both his availability and his finishing in the final third.
Despite his struggles, however, only Anthony Gordon (ten) and Isak (16) have scored more goals for the Magpies in all competitions, which suggests that the English boss does not have a plethora of regular scorers available to him at this moment in time.
Chris Wood's goalscoring form for Forest
The 32-year-old star, who is the same age as Wilson, has been in terrific form in front of goal for Steve Cooper and Nuno Espirito Santo this term.
He has only missed eight games through injury all season, less than half as many as the Newcastle striker, and has only been absent for 20 matches since the start of the 2021/22 campaign, which shows that he is reliable when it comes to availability.
Wood has also been reliable at the top end of the pitch for Forest this term, with a return of ten goals and one assist in all competitions for the club.
The former Leeds marksman has produced nine goals and one assist in 11 Premier League starts and 22 appearances in total throughout the season, with those nine strikes coming from an xG of 6.04.
Three of those goals, of course, came in a 3-1 win for Forest against Newcastle at St. James' Park earlier this season, as the impressive target man scored with all three of his shots in the match.
23/24 Premier League
Chris Wood
Callum Wilson
Appearances
22
16
Starts
11
8
xG
6.04
7.35
Goals
9
7
Big chances missed
2
6
Assists
1
1
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Wood has outperformed Wilson in front of goal this season by scoring more goals from less xG, along with four fewer 'big chances' missed, whilst they have both only assisted one goal.
Howe could, therefore, rue selling the New Zealand international as the Magpies boss could have done with that level of scoring power this season, given the English forward's struggles both on and off the pitch with form and injury.
Newcastle will now be hoping that Wilson can return from his current issue and get back to his best on Tyneside to ensure that the club do not continue to look back on their £15m sale of Wood with regret.
Rory Burns admitted he was left with a “bittersweet” sensation at the end of the third day of the second Test in Hamilton.Burns had earlier recorded his second Test century to help England into a potentially match-winning position. But his run-out opened the door to a New Zealand recovery and saw England lose three wickets for 61 runs in the latter stages of the day.On a slow-scoring surface on which England were looking to bat only once, Burns and Joe Root appeared to have given their side an excellent platform with a third-wicket stand of 177. But from 201 for 2, England subsided to 269 for 5 at the close with their chances of establishing a match-defining first innings lead having receded sharply.ALSO READ: Much-needed hundred gives Root breathing spaceAll of which left Burns – believed to be England first moustached (but not bearded) Test centurion since Jack Russell in 1996 – slightly frustrated. But while he accepted England had made life “more difficult” for themselves, he also viewed the episode as a learning example of the sort of ruthlessness required to prosper in Test cricket.”It’s been a positive day but it could have been a better day,” Burns said. “Bittersweet is probably the overriding feeling. I enjoyed the fact I made a century, but at the same time I’m disappointed that I couldn’t stretch it.”There are fine margins in Tests. Could me and Rooty have stretched our partnership to get us deeper into the game? We’re still in a very good position but we’ve probably made it slightly more difficult for ourselves. These are the things to iron out if you want to become a really good side.”It was the manner of Burns’ dismissal which most frustrated. Although he gave two chances early in his innings on day two, he had batted almost faultlessly – though there had been a run-out chance on 87 – in reaching his century on day three. But moments afterwards he was run out by an inch or two after attempting an unnecessary second run.”I didn’t really feel there was a second there,” he admitted. “But I came back for it anyway and the result was the result. It’s disappointing. It was my call at the end of the day.”While the end was disappointing, Burns could be proud of his batting on day three. Having admitted he struggled to adopt the correct tempo to his innings at the end of day two, he settled down admirably on day three. And while there was a period when he appeared troubled by Neil Wagner’s short ball – he was struck twice, once on the chest and once on the back by such deliveries – he later pulled with impressive command. He also became the first England opener – and there have been plenty – to record Test centuries home and away since the days of Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss.Rory Burns is hit by a short pitched delivery•Getty Images
“I struggled a little bit with my tempo on day two,” Burns said. “I basically just kept seeing it and wanted to climb into it and give it the kitchen sink. It more of a mindset shift rather than a technical shift on day three. I just tried to let the ball come to me and kill it underneath my eyes.”Initially I felt pretty comfortable riding Wagner’s short balls and he bowled a couple of good ones. But I thought ‘I’m actually seeing them quite nicely’ and I’ve been working on the pull for a while, so I thought I’d get it out and put it to work. I felt pretty comfortable with that and thought I played it quite nicely.”I just tried to apply myself for as long as I could. It came to a slightly disappointing end but I thought I played quite well. It was nice to take the opportunity on a flatter surface, but I would have liked it to be bigger.”Burns had also appeared to struggle to adapt to the demands of the match position in the second innings of the first Test. But he explained that his dismissal – top-edging a sweep – was more a reflection of his discomfort against the left-arm spin of Mitchell Santner than an attempt to dominate the bowling.”I thought was playing really nicely in Mount Maunganui,” he said. “But I didn’t enjoy having the short leg in. Santner was getting some to spit and I thought I was worse off playing with a straight bat. I wasn’t fully backing my defence so I saw fit to get one and get up the other end. It wasn’t trying and hit it for four.”