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Australia wicketkeeper Matthew Wade has said that the one-day specialists and seamers in the side countered Sri Lanka’s spinners by ‘adapting really well on some of the toughest ODI pitches’

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Sep-2016Australia wicketkeeper Matthew Wade has said that the one-day specialists and seamers in the side countered Sri Lanka’s spinners by ‘adapting really well on some of the toughest ODI pitches’, helping the visitors seal the ODI series after a 3-0 whitewash in the Tests.”We have had the advantage, the one-day players getting the advantage to see what the Test pitches have played like and coming here with a clear gameplan,” Wade said. “Myself and George Bailey and a few others have just come over for the one-dayers, we have had a clear plan and it has worked so far.”The wickets have been some of the toughest you’ll get in one-day international cricket, we’ve come from the West Indies, which took spin. You don’t usually play on used wickets back to back in one-day internationals. It hasn’t been suited to the way we play but we’ve adapted really well. We are playing a few more quicks than what they (Sri Lanka) are, but with variable bounce and reverse swing, we’ve countered their spinners.”Despite not being picked as Australia’s designated wicketkeeper for the following T20 series against Sri Lanka, Wade acknowledged he is contributing more to Australia now compared to a few years ago.”Every time you don’t get picked for Australia is disappointing, but that’s the way it goes,” he said. “I’m not a 100 % sure of the reason. (Peter) Nevill played the T20 World Cup and I was told he was going to bat lower, so they wanted to go with his keeping. I’ll just keep playing the way I play in ODIs.”I feel my game is at a level now where I can contribute in ODIs. There was a period of time where my game wasn’t in order three or four years ago, where I felt I wasn’t contributing enough. At the moment, I feel my game is in good order. I want to get picked for every tour, every match because I feel I can do the job.”After Australia’s tri-series win in the Caribbean, stand-in coach Justin Langer challenged Wade to become the best wicketkeeper in the country by following a diligent work ethic. More than two months later, Wade said his keeping is as good as it has ever been.”It came as a bit of shock to me that it came out in the press like that. I spoke to JL (Langer) after and understood what he was trying to say,” Wade said. “I’m under no illusions that I need to work harder and get better at my game. If I want to play Test cricket again, I have to work harder.”I’ve improved with my glovework over the past 3-4 weeks in the subcontinent. I went to England and kept playing, that makes a huge difference in the off-season: going home or just training indoors or going to Brisbane to get work done. This time I went to England. I feel like I’m keeping as well as I’ve done for a very long time.”

Newcastle United are showing an interest potentially making a move for the Barcelona winger Raphinha this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Could Newcastle sign Raphinha?

The Tyneside club have enjoyed a real breakthrough season which currently has them sitting pretty up in third spot of the Premier League table.

Champions League is in touching distance with just four games remaining for Eddie Howe's side, but they will be looking to avoid any slip-ups with the likes of Liverpool breathing down their necks in fifth.

The prospect of playing on the elite European stage would not only see some of the biggest clubs in the world visit St James' Park, it would also free up more money for Newcastle to spend.

Indeed, as per the Financial Fair Play regulations, having a bigger revenue stream allows clubs to spend more and, therefore, this could boost their ability in the transfer market.

And they may need more room to spend if they are to pursue a player like Raphinha over the coming months given it was only last summer when he made that huge move to the Nou Camp.

Leeds United were able to rake in around £55m last year which has the potential to rise through add-ons.

But his time in Spain could be coming to an end, speaking on his Here We Go podcast, Romano has claimed the Toon are one of the sides who are interested in the Brazilian:

(32:00) "With Raphinha, it's not easy for Barcelona, because Raphinha is doing well. I think this was a positive season for Raphinha. Maybe not a fantastic season. But the positive season.

"From what I know, Xavi's very happy with him. So it's not easy for Barca to say: 'Okay, let's put Raphinha on the market'.

"But they could be open to letting him go in case they can bring [Lionel] Messi back because, with Raphinha, you can maybe make €80m/€85m/€90m (£69m-£78m) – Chelsea interest, Newcastle interest."

Do Newcastle need Raphinha?

The £208k-per-week star typically plays off the right wing as he cuts inside on his wicked left foot and this is a position which could possibly be up for grabs over the summer.

Indeed, casting your mind back just a few months ago, the spot on the right was all but tied up by Miguel Almiron.

The Paraguayan enjoyed a stunning start to the 2022/23 campaign which saw him find the back of the net nine times in the league alone as of Boxing Day (via Transfermarkt).

However, his form has fallen off a cliff since then – granted he has struggled with injuries – having scored just twice in the league since the turn of the year.

Jacob Murphy has filled in for the 29-year-old and has done a solid job with three goals in his last four outings in the Premier League (via Transfermarkt).

These are both players without experience in the Champions League and whether they are good enough to play at that level will remain in doubt.

However, Raphinha has gained European experience with Barca and has been able to offer four goal contributions across the Champions League and Europa League this season (via Transfermarkt).

Seb Stafford-Bloor has hailed the Brazilian as "magic" and perhaps this is the standard of player Newcastle should be looking at to bolster their side ahead of what will surely be a huge 2023/24 campaign.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been slammed for his celebrations following Diogo Jota’s late winner on the weekend against Tottenham Hotspur.

What did Jurgen Klopp do?

Sunday’s game at Anfield offered the fans 90 minutes they will never forget after a stunning start saw them take a 3-0 lead against the north London side.

However, the Lilywhites slowly worked their way back into the game and in dramatic fashion, former Everton player, Richarlison came off the bench to score an injury-time equaliser.

The Brazilian had just about put his shirt back on as Liverpool broke from the resulting kick-off to which Jota slammed the ball beyond Fraser Forster to seal the points.

Late euphoria clearly got the better of Klopp who immediately ran towards the fourth official to celebrate in his face as the Reds rose into fifth place of the table.

The German boss was shown a yellow card by Paul Tierney following the incident and seemingly injured his hamstring in the dramatic celebrations.

However, the incident did not go down well with beIN Sports presenter Richard Keys who was left furious with the actions of the Liverpool boss:

“He is box office, but there are occasions he strays beyond what’s acceptable, and today he’s done that.”

“If he’s more responsible than he was this afternoon, he will – as he has done – accept once again, he’s lost control. And that is a flaw in his character. And he cannot continue to do that.”

“But I would say that someone needs to have a word and say: ‘Look, come on. You can’t do that.'”

Did Klopp cross the line?

There is no denying the final minutes of the game on Sunday will have stirred the emotions for all involved at Liverpool and none more so than Klopp.

However, his actions did cross the line following the goal in the dying moments of the game and he could have certainly gone about it differently.

The German could have celebrated with his players and coaching staff, but he has gone out of his way to make a point towards the officials.

Following the game, the 55-year-old was quick to bring up the moment he was shown a yellow card by Paul Tierney when speaking to Sky Sports:

“My celebration towards the fourth official, I didn’t say any bad words or nothing unnecessary, which is fair. I got my punishment by pulling my hamstring. But what he said to me when he gave me the yellow card is not okay.”

If the PGMOL do decide to take further action against Klopp, the German will likely find it incredibly difficult to defend his celebration given the manner of which he approached the fourth official.

However, it will be interesting to see whether anything comes of his comments about what Tierney allegedly said to him when handing him the yellow card.

Both team arguably got away with red card offences during the game, so perhaps Klopp should have recognised Tierney’s questionable officiating and brought it up with him after the game when he would’ve had the chance behind the scenes.

Aston Villa are thought to be leading the transfer chase for Charlton Athletic forward Miles Leaburn, according to The Sun.

What’s the latest Aston Villa transfer news involving Leaburn?

Villa have one of the form strikers in the country in Ollie Watkins, with the 27-year-old netting twice in a 3-0 Premier League win over Newcastle on Saturday to make it 11 goals in his last 12 games.

His form has resulted in Unai Emery calling off the search for a new first-choice striker signing this summer, however, it looks as if sporting director Johan Lange and owners NSWE are on the hunt to sign teenager Leaburn.

The Sun shared a story in the last 48 hours, claiming that Villa are leading the transfer chase for Leaburn. The Charlton gem, who stands at 6 foot 5, has caught the eye of a number of Premier League sides, with the Addicks expecting to receive offers over the coming months.

Could Leaburn be one for the future?

Leaburn is just 19 years of age and is under contract with his current employers until 2025. Valued at €350,000 by Transfermarkt, the youngster has enjoyed a fine breakthrough campaign, scoring 12 times in 36 appearances, with manager Dean Holden describing his goal involvement record as “excellent”.

An out-and-out centre-forward, Leaburn could be viewed by those in the Midlands as a star in the making, so securing his services this summer may prove to be a smart piece of business further down the line.

In the short term, Villa will have a decision to make on Cameron Archer. The 21-year-old has contributed to 14 Championship goals in 16 appearances on loan at Middlesbrough, so Emery may well decide to look to use Archer in his first full season alongside Watkins and Jhon Duran.

Leaburn could also possibly become a Villa player this summer, and it could be wise to loan him back out for the 2023/24 campaign in what would be just his second season of senior football.

استقر مسؤولو نادي بيراميدز على قرار جديد بشأن الجهاز الفني لفريق الكرة الأول، بعد الخسارة من مودرن فيوتشر وتوديع بطولة كأس السوبر المصري للأندية الأبطال.

وكان فريق بيراميدز قد تعرض لهزيمة على يد مودرن فيوتشر بملعب استاد محمد بن زايد في خضم منافسات بطولة كأس السوبر المصري للأندية الأبطال التي تستضيفها الإمارات.

باتشيكو بعد الهزيمة أمام فيوتشر: أنا متصدر الدوري.. ومن يطالبني بالرحيل يسعى لهدم بيراميدز

وانتهت مباراة بيراميدز ومودرن فيوتشر بالتعادل السلبي، ليحتكم الفريقان لركلات الترجيح التي حسمت كفة فيوتشر.

وعلم “بطولات” أن نادي بيراميدز قدم الشكر للمدير الفني جايمي باتشيكو عقب الخسارة في السوبر المصري، على أن يتم الإعلان رسميًا خلال ساعات.

وينتظر فريق بيراميدز مباراة تحديد المركز الثالث في بطولة كأس السوبر بشكلها الجديد، والمقرر لها مساء الخميس المقبل.

ويواجه نادي بيراميدز، الفريق الخاسر من مباراة نصف النهائي التي تجمع بين الأهلي وسيراميكا كليوباترا.

تجدر الإشارة إلى أن هزيمة بيراميدز اليوم، تعد محطة جديدة من محطات خسارة البطولات التي يتعرض لها الفريق منذ تأسيسه، إذ فشل في تحقيق أي لقب حتى الآن.

HLTCO presenter Dan Cook has praised Steve Cooper amid talk that he could end up replacing Roy Hodgson as Crystal Palace manager.

What's the latest on Steve Cooper to Palace?

Earlier this month, the Eagles made the bold call to sack Patrick Vieira with the club in poor form and edging closer and closer to the relegation zone.

It's now been announced that former coach Hodgson will take charge until the end of the campaign, tasked simply with keeping Palace in the Premier League with 11 games left to play.

In the summer, however, they will likely be on the hunt for a new manager regardless of whether they stay up or not – and it seems as though Nottingham Forest boss Cooper is a primary candidate.

Indeed, as per the Daily Mail, the 43-year-old is someone the club will hope to target at the end of the season.

While talking about all this on HLTCO, Cook offered his opinion on the matter, saying: "You look at Steve Cooper, a man at Nottingham Forest who is seemingly on the verge.

"I mean, I've heard different reports about Nottingham Forest being prepared to part ways with Steve Cooper. I'm not sure how solid those rumours are.

"But of course, he was a manager that was previously linked with Crystal Palace prior to our decision to go with Patrick Vieira.

"And he knows Marc Guehi very, very well from their time together with the England under-17s setup.

"He is, for my money, a fantastic coach and someone that I wouldn't necessarily be against getting in as the new Palace boss for a long-term process."

Would Cooper be a good fit as Crystal Palace manager?

As Cook alludes to, Cooper could soon be leaving Forest. However, it's not necessarily because he's done a poor job there but more because he's a wanted man.

The Daily Mail claims a number of Premier League clubs have been impressed by the work he's done at the City Ground and so he is "currently under consideration" for at least two unnamed sides in the top flight.

With that in mind, it might not be easy for Palace to land him even if they want but perhaps his past relationship with key man Guehi could help in convincing Cooper to join – after all, the 22-year-old centre-back has played 59 times for his former England youth coach already in his career.

This certainly looks like one rumour to keep an eye on.

Newcastle United may well be looking on enviously at a reported former transfer target who is now flourishing elsewhere, with Borussia Dortmund gem Karim Adeyemi having seemingly been on the Magpies’ radar back in November 2021.

Were Newcastle close to signing Adeyemi?

Ahead of what was to be the first transfer window following the change in ownership at St James’ Park, reports in Germany suggested that the Tynesiders had enquired about the prospect of bringing the then-Red Bull Salzburg starlet to England.

However, the suggestion at the time was that joining the Magpies was ‘out of the question’, with the Premier League club having been battling relegation at the time, and the Munich native ultimately sealed a £33m move to the Westfalenstadion ahead of last summer’s transfer window.

Having missed out on the 5 foot 11 speedster, Eddie Howe and co ultimately secured the signing of another attacking target in the form of Chris Wood in January 2022 for £25m, albeit with the New Zealand international moving on last month after just a year at the club, scoring only five goals.

How is Adeyemi getting on at Dortmund?

After previously bagging 33 goals and laying on 24 assists in 94 games for his former club – along with providing 27 goal involvements in 35 games on loan at FC Liefering – Adeyemi has now begun to fire for Edin Terzic’s Dortmund, with six goals and three assists in 24 games so far this term.

The fleet-footed youngster has notably been “flying” in recent weeks – in the words of team-mate Jude Bellingham – after an initial “tough time” following the move to Dortmund, and he has scored three goals and provided one assist in his last three Bundesliga appearances.

The versatile dynamo – who can feature on the flanks or in a more central role – most notably caught the eye last week as a result of his match-winning performance against Chelsea in the Champions League, producing a sensational solo run and finish for the only goal in that first-leg clash.

That moment of genius laid bare why the four-cap German is a player whose “quality and speed are brutal” and has “almost everything a striker needs”, according to his former Red Bull Salzburg coach Matthias Jaissle.

A player who is simply “ice-cold” in front of goal, as per his national team boss Hansi Flick, Adeyemi appears destined to have a big future in the game, having produced a silky and instinctive finish on the turn in Dortmund’s most recent league triumph over Hertha Berlin.

As such, those back on Tyneside likely regretting their failure to pluck the striker from Austria just over a year ago, with dynamic gem now said to be valued at around €50m (£44m) by the CIES Football Observatory.

It would be no real surprise if the 21-year-old does emerge as a future target for Howe and co again in the years to come.

Chelsea star Reece James has been criticised for his ‘horrid’ positioning in the build up to West Ham’s first half goal today.

The Lowdown: Derby day…

The Blues travelled across London to face their capital city rivals in what was an interesting contest.

West Ham, who are battling against Premier League relegation, could not be in a more different scenario to Chelsea who are looking to kick on and build after lavish squad investment.

Graham Potter’s men couldn’t have got off to a better start, taking the lead through Joao Felix who fed off Enzo Fernandez’ sumptuous cross with a delicate first time finish.

Chelsea dominated right from the off but, in an unexpected twist, West Ham found themselves back in it when former Stamford Bridge defender Emerson Palmieri buried a flick-on at the back post.

The away side couldn’t regain their lead and nearly found themselves behind but for VAR.

Tomas Soucek’s late goal was ruled out for offside with the encounter ending 1-1.

The Latest: James criticise for Emerson goal…

For West Ham’s first half equaliser, Emerson found himself in acres of space – leading to broadcaster Nubaid Haroon criticising James’ positioning in the build up to that crucial goal.

He explained:

“That Emerson goal is hilarious btw. Reece James’ positioning is horrid”

The Verdict: Bad day defensively?

Going forward, the England international was as threatening as ever – making two key passes whilst also attempting a shot on target (SofaScore).

James also put five crosses into the West Ham box, and while none of them resulted in a goal, the right-back’s presence going forward was there.

However, you could say this was an off day for James defensively, having lost the majority of both his ground duels and aerial duels this afternoon (SofaScore).

The 23-year-old’s positioning for West Ham’s only goal was also poor given he appeared to be ball-watching – which ultimately allowed Emerson to ghost in and score the home side’s equaliser.

Tottenham Hotspur are eyeing up a potential move for Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Piero Hincapie – although it may come as a possible summer signing.

The Lowdown: Spurs struggling to recruit

The Lilywhites have only been able to bring in one new face in the January transfer window in the Dutch forward Arnaut Danjuma.

This comes amid the issues the north London side are having in trying to seal the signing of the Sporting CP right wing-back Pedro Porro.

But there is the belief that Fabio Paratici has an eye on potentially adding to his defence over the coming months with one centre-back, in particular, on his radar.

The Latest: Hincapie could be targeted

Speaking on his latest YouTube video, Alasdair Gold has mooted the prospect of Spurs bringing in the Ecuadorian defender.

He said: “Spurs definitely do have an interest in him. He’s slightly on the short side for a centre-back, I think he’s 6 foot – which obviously is not a short person, but for Premier League centre-back, normally they’re a little bit bigger than that.

“What’s happened with him is his value’s absolutely skyrocketed after the World Cup.

“From what it seems to be, I think a summer deal is more likely for anyone, really, trying to get him. I don’t think Leverkusen are keen to sell at all.

“So yeah, maybe one to keep an eye on, but I do wonder what the competition is going to be like for him in the summer. But certainly, a player Spurs really like.”

The Verdict: Spurs can secure Dier upgrade

With Leverkusen seemingly not looking to offload Hincapie this month, it does allow the Lilywhites to assess their options with their defence proving a big issue over recent months.

Despite being one of the sides who are pushing for a spot in the top four of the Premier League table, Antonio Conte’s men do not exactly have the defensive record to match.

The Lilywhites have conceded the sixth-most goals in the top flight this season, with the likes of Newcastle having allowed 20 fewer goals so far.

Eric Dier has been a key figure in the centre of Conte’s defence since the Italian took the reins in north London back in November 2021, with 56 appearances under the 53-year-old.

And in comparison to the Englishman, Hincapie has provided Leverkusen with more tackles and blocks per 90 minutes this season (via FBref).

However, the 21-year-old is still clearly a raw talent, with his disciplinary record leaving a lot to be desired – he has six yellow cards and two red cards to his name after 21 appearances.

But there will be some concerns following recent reports suggesting the ‘impressive’ centre-back would cost the Lilywhites in the region of £66m.

That said, the same report suggests the 21-year-old would be keen to make the move to north London, so perhaps this is indeed one to keep an eye on as Gold suggests.

Tottenham Hotspur return to action today but face a stern test on the road against playoff-chasing Preston North End in the FA Cup.

The Championship outfit currently sits firmly in mid-table but are but a string of victories away from third place, such is the tightness of the division.

Meanwhile, Antonio Conte’s side are struggling for consistency, and are yet to record back-to-back league victories since early October.

Therefore, this denotes a potential banana skin for the Lilywhites to navigate.

To do so, the Italian will be keen to allow some of his strongest players to start the game in an effort to cruise in front before removing them from play.

With Harry Kane reportedly suffering from illness that could see him ruled out, they will need someone to lead the line to great effect or at least supplement the struggling Englishman.

There can arguably be no other option than to recall Richarlison, who has struggled for starts this season since his summer move.

He still boasts five goal contributions across 18 appearances in all competitions, which is an admirable return just begging to be improved upon.

Although the signing of Arnaut Danjuma might overshadow most things around the game, it is likely to be the Brazilian who will steal the show if anyone.

Last season for Everton he was a hero in their moment of need, digging in against all the odds to score the goals needed to secure survival.

His ten goals and five assists for an abysmal Toffees showcased his qualities, spurring the north London outfit to unload £60m on the 25-year-old.

Frank Lampard himself admitted that it was tough to replace a player of his qualities, labelling him “unique” in his skillset. It is just this set of skills that could be so instrumental today in helping them progress in a competition that would be so important for them to win.

Conte himself doubled down on this tough mindset, claiming: “Feel his personality, he’s a warrior, a fighter. We need this type of player.”

The £90k-per-week marksman must call upon his goalscoring talents once again now, performing when the chips are potentially down to drag his team through into the next round of the hat.