The South Africa-born fast bowler has moved north on loan for the rest of the season
ESPNcricinfo staff24-Aug-2018Yorkshire have signed Mathew Pillans on a three-year contract from Surrey, with the South Africa-born fast bowler moving on loan for the rest of the season.Pillans joined Surrey in 2016, arriving in the UK on an ancestral visa, but has found his opportunities limited. His chief contributions at The Oval came in T20, while he also enjoyed a successful loan spell at Leicestershire last year.The 27-year-old has an impressive record from his time with Dolphins in South Africa, and he will add to Yorkshire’s pace options after Liam Plunkett agreed a move in the other direction to Surrey.”Mat has been at Surrey for a couple of years now, and he’s not had a huge amount of opportunity in the first team, so he’s looking to progress his career,” Yorkshire’s director of cricket, Martyn Moxon, said. “We’re obviously looking for that continuity of availability. He fits the bill for us.”He’s a bowler who has pace and is tall, and we’re looking forward to having him on board. I’m sure he’ll do well for us. He’s a different type of bowler to what we’ve already got. We’ve got a strong seam bowling squad, but it’s nice to have a bit of variety. Mat gives us something we haven’t currently got.”Pillans has previously indicated his intention of qualifying to play for England, although he will be 31 by the time he does so. Tall and with a strong action, he is also a powerful striker with the bat.”My initial reaction was it’s great to be joining a club with great heritage,” he said of the move to Yorkshire. “It’s quite an honour, and I felt proud when I signed the contract.”It was a bit out of the blue. I hadn’t really got anything planned to be honest. Being my last year at Surrey, I was just focusing on the cricket. The talent that Surrey have there made it a competitive environment. In that sense, to feed off the talent, I feel my game improved quite a bit being there.”In saying that, I feel I have bit more to offer given what I’ve learnt. It will great to put that into practice when I get to Yorkshire. From a personal point of view, my number one objective is to improve my game as much as I can and be the best cricketer I can be.”I’m coming into another talented changing room, so hopefully I can continue to learn. Hopefully there’s also something I can add to the party with that as well. As soon as I qualify for England, I want to be up to that standard. That’s a long-term goal, though.”
Leeds United put the midweek misery of falling to defeat against Stoke City behind them and rebounded with a scintillating victory over Huddersfield Town in the Championship on Saturday afternoon.
Elland Road was party to an offensive landslide from the hosts, who consolidated their third-place position in the league with a convincing 4-1 rout.
Candidly, the Terriers were woeful and could have conceded more, with Dan James and Crysencio Summerville scoring two goals each to clinch a fourth straight home win, with the latter really starting to grow into his skin in West Yorkshire.
Crysencio Summerville's performance vs Huddersfield
Daniel Farke's side have been largely impressive after falling from the Premier League last term, though inconsistency has prevented Leeds from keeping up with pace-setters Leicester City and Ipswich Town at the top of the table.
Against Huddersfield, however, Elland Road revelled in a resounding victory as Leeds held onto third place, and Summerville was indeed at the heart of it all, posting two goals and assists apiece.
His staggering haul against hapless Huddersfield has now shot his seasonal return up to six goals and four assists from just ten starts in the Championship this season, with his superb technical ability starting to leave a marked effect on Leeds' campaign.
As per FBref, the 5 foot 8 phenom now ranks among the top 3% of attacking midfielders and wingers across competitions similar to the Championship for goals, the top 27% for assists, the top 3% for progressive carries and the top 11% for successful take-ons per 90.
While Summerville is the obvious contender for Player of the Match given his cutting edge on the afternoon, his teammate Georginio Rutter was equally emphatic in his craft, and is now starting to prove his worth to the eager Whites support.
Why Georginio Rutter was "unplayable" vs Huddersfield
Rutter signed for Leeds in a club-record £35.5m move from Bundesliga side Hoffenheim last January, though he flattered to deceive before the summer as his side fell from the Premier League, branded a "non-entity" by journalist Beren Cross for his lifeless outings.
But now he is starting to find a new lease of life, with Cross claiming that his vision and ball-playing faculty has been "one of the discoveries of the season", assisting once again against Darren Moore's side.
As per Sofascore, the 51-touch gem completed 79% of his passes from the focal position, succeeding with five dribbles, making three key passes, and winning seven duels, highlighting the robustness of his craft.
He has now bagged two goals and five assists in the Championship, and while he is clearly not an innate goalscorer, Farke deserves credit for nurturing and guiding his creative ability.
Leeds forward Georgino Rutter.
Furthermore, the 21-year-old ranks among the top 1% of forwards across similar competitions for assists, the top 2% for shot-creating actions, the top 4% for progressive passes, the top 9% for progressive carries and the top 2% for successful take-ons per 90, very much the creative star in the side.
The Athletic's Phil Hay even went as far as to hail the Frenchman for his “unplayable” performance, and with more displays of similar merit, there is every possibility that Farke's side will secure an instantaneous return to the big time.
While there will be tougher tests to come – Huddersfield were remarkably poor – but there are some really pleasing signs heading into the winter period, with Leeds firmly in promotion contention if not quite hitting their stride.
Manchester City released a trailer of their Netflix documentary where Erling Haaland can be seen motivating team-mates during Champions League final.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Man City released trailer of new Netflix documentaryHaaland motivating team-mates during Champions League finalMan City became second English club to win trebleWHAT HAPPENED?
A brand new Netflix documentary named 'Together: Treble Winners' is all set to release on April 2. The docu-series is on the historic 2022/23 season of Manchester City where they became only the second team in England after rivals Manchester United to win the European treble.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
The club, on Saturday, released a trailer clip from the upcoming series where manager Pep Guardiola can be seen giving 'pep talks' to the squad during the half-time of their Champions League final against Inter while star striker Erling Haaland is trying to motivate his colleagues with inspiring words.
WATCH THE CLIP
In the documentary, the Norwegian goal machine was heard saying, "We're gonna have it. We're going to win."
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER CITY?
The reigning Premier League champions will be back in action on Sunday as they take on Arsenal in a crucial league encounter at the Etihad Stadium.
McDermott is currently the head groundsman at the Ageas Bowl, the home of Hampshire
ESPNcricinfo staff14-Sep-2018The MCC has appointed Karl McDermott as the new head groundsman for Lord’s to replace the retiring Mick Hunt who has worked for the club for 49 years.McDermott is currently the head groundsman at the Ageas Bowl, the home of Hampshire, which recently staged the fourth Test between England and India.He has worked at Hampshire since 2009 when he was appointed deputy head groundsman before being promoted to the top job in 2016.Prior to that he spent 17 years at Clontarf in Dublin where he became head groundsman before moving to Worcestershire in 2007.McDermott joins the MCC ahead of a 2019 season which includes the major double-header of the World Cup and an Ashes series and he will also be charged with producing the pitch for Ireland’s first Test at Lord’s – a four-day match which will precede the Ashes.”Karl emerged from a competitive field as someone who will be able to maintain the reputation of Lord’s as the ultimate ground at which cricketers of all levels wish to play,” MCC assistant secretary John Stephenson said. “His first season will be a challenging one, with five World Cup matches including the final, Ireland’s inaugural Test match at Lord’s as well as the prospect of England facing Australia in an Ashes Series but we have no doubt that he will prove himself up to the task.”We’re very much looking forward to Karl beginning his role and working alongside Mick Hunt for a short time before Mick begins his well-earned retirement.”
Pakistan have issues with their bowling, their batting and their fielding to address in a winner-takes-all game against a hungry Bangladesh
The Preview by Mohammad Isam25-Sep-20182:02
Manjrekar: Pakistan will have a slight edge
Big pictureUnpredictable sides make for great knockout games, so the Bangladesh-Pakistan encounter in Abu Dhabi, which will determine India’s opponents in the final, is unlikely be any different. Pakistan can be a dangerous side in crunch situations while Bangladesh would see making the Asia Cup final a big step in their progress as an ODI force, especially with the World Cup now eight months away.Not making the final would be seen as a backward step for Pakistan’s ODI set-up, especially after their Champions Trophy triumph last year. But so far their average Asia Cup campaign goes with their recent trend of extreme highs and lows from series to series. In October last year, they beat Sri Lanka 5-0 before being blanked 5-0 by New Zealand. They beat Zimbabwe 5-0 in the last ODI assignment before the Asia Cup where they have won against Hong Kong and Afghanistan, but lost both times to India and comprehensively so.Mohammad Amir going wicketless in his last six ODIs has been surprising, while Hasan Ali, the only quick bowler picked in every game in the Asia Cup, has taken three wickets at 51.66 each. Shadab Khan therefore has to take up responsibilities against a Bangladesh batting line-up that can be susceptible against legspin.Pakistan would also have to pick up their fielding, having dropped too many catches in their last two matches against Afghanistan (five) and India (three). On top of these bowling and fielding woes, Pakistan also needs runs from three batsmen among their regular top six.Fakhar Zaman, who made a record 210 against Zimbabwe in July, has so far made just 55 runs in the tournament. Captain Sarfraz Ahmed and Asif Ali have made 58 and 46 respectively, in the four matches so far. Runs have mostly come from Shoaib Malik, Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq, but against Bangladesh’s efficient bowling line-up they cannot afford a top-order collapse or a poor finish.Bangladesh are at times susceptible in their death bowling aside from Mustafizur Rahman, whose skillful mix of slower balls, yorkers and bouncers troubles big-hitters. Mashrafe Mortaza and Mehidy Hasan Miraz often keep it tight in the first Powerplay while Mustafizur, Shakib and Rubel keep the run-rate down in the middle-overs.But Bangladesh become a stronger bowling unit when they post at least a competitive total. Liton Das’ 41 would be encouraging for the team management but his opening partner in the last three games, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, has made a poor start to his ODI career with just 20 runs.As a result, Imrul Kayes, who made 72 batting at No. 6 for the first time in his career in the previous game, may be sent to No. 3 with Mohammad Mithun reverting back to No. 5. It would mean they have two senior batsmen in Imrul and Shakib in the top four, while the in-form Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah have the capability to stop a batting collapse or, in a better situation, go after the bowling in the last 10 overs.Neither team can however be assured of everything going to plan. They are unpredictable and at times flawed, which usually makes for gripping viewing.Form guideBangladesh WLLWL (last five matches, most recent first) Pakistan LWLWWIn the spotlightMustafizur Rahman’s last-over heroics handed Bangladesh the win against Afghanistan, and bowling in the last five overs is fast becoming his biggest strength. In the last three years, he has been one of only two bowlers to have an economy rate of under six per over during that period in ODIs.Shoaib Malik has been Pakistan’s main scorer in the tournament, having made 181 runs in four matches. He would also want to improve his ODI record against Bangladesh, having scored just one half-century against them in 13 innings.Team newsBangladesh usually doesn’t make changes when they have just won a game, especially when they are playing at the same venue.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Liton Das 2 Nazmul Hossain Shanto, 3 Mohammad Mithun, 4 Shakib Al Hasan, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 6 Imrul Kayes, 7 Mahmudullah, 8 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 9 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 10 Nazmul Islam, 11 Mustafizur RahmanBatting and bowling woes may tempt Pakistan into trying out Shan Masood and Junaid Khan for the first time in the tournament. But it also doesn’t mean the likes of Faheem Ashraf, Haris Sohail and Usman Khan can’t be hopeful of a place in the XI.Pakistan (probable): 1 Imam-ul-Haq, 2 Fakhar Zaman, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Sarfraz Ahmed, 5 Shoaib Malik, 6 Asif Ali, 7 Shadab Khan, 8 Mohammad Nawaz, 9 Hasan Ali, 10 Usman Khan, 11 Shaheen Shah AfridiPitch and conditionsOnly Pakistan have won while chasing in Abu Dhabi in the four Asia Cup games held here so far, so it remains a bat-first ground. There will be no let-up in the heat.Stats and trivia Pakistan have won 31 out of 35 ODIs against Bangladesh, but three of those four defeats came in the 2015 ODI series. Shakib Al Hasan’s direct hit that ran out Rahmat Shah in their previous game was only Bangladesh’s third run-out with a direct hit in the last 12 months. Shakib has two of them, Imrul Kayes the other. Shoaib Malik is 54 runs away from eclipsing Younis Khan’s 7,249 runs, which will take him to sixth place in Pakistan’s all-time ODI run-scorers list.Quotes”Pakistan are a tough cricketing nation and want to put things right. I did read some comments from Mickey Arthur about some of their tactics and that’s the very reason I am trying to not give our tactics away. But I know what he wanted his bowlers and batsmen to do and they did not do it in those games. They are a good team and they can very much bounce back.”
Chelsea have not always had the best success in the transfer window, as demonstrated by their tendency to acquire big-money flops as opposed to players who have gone on to achieve greatness in their careers.
The Blues have been busy hoovering up talent in the market since Todd Boehly acquired the club in May 2022, shelling out over £1bn on new players without having the success to show for it.
His transfer dealings and multiple managerial appointments have not achieved the goals he’s set out so far with Chelsea vastly underperforming expectations considering the ludicrous amount of money spent.
Despite hiring a world-class manager in Mauricio Pochettino, the Argentine has been unable to turn the tide and while he’s led the club to a Carabao Cup quarter-final, his side is currently languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table.
Pochettino’s case hasn’t been helped by the poor hand he’s been dealt, suffering serious injuries to several star players, including big-money summer signings Romeo Lavia and Christopher Nkunku.
Aside from having an over-flowing injury table, the Blues can be disappointed with how the majority of their summer acquisitions have performed.
For instance, striker Nicolas Jackson has only scored twice in the league for the club since making a £31.8m move from Villarreal.
To make matters worse, Chelsea were looking at potentially capturing Julian Alvarez from Manchester City just a few months prior, and the Argentine would have been a huge upgrade on the 22-year-old.
How close Chelsea came to signing Julian Alvarez
Reports from Spain claimed in April that Chelsea and Real Madrid were interested in battling it out for the signature of Alvarez in the summer.
The 23-year-old, who played understudy to the irrepressible Erling Haaland for the majority of last season, was concerned about his limited game time, which opened up the possibility of him departing Manchester.
The report claimed that several top clubs across Europe were alerted about his situation, but it was the Blues who were the most keen on prising him to Stamford Bridge, as they felt the Argentine would have helped revive their fortunes in front of goal.
According to Transfermarkt, Alvarez had a value of £50m at the time and after Chelsea chose not to take their interest any further – and instead signed Jackson in the summer – the former River Plate hitman has seen his value skyrocket to a whopping £130m (€150m), as per Football Transfers, following his exceptional start to the season.
Julian Alvarez's Manchester City statistics
Manchester City acquired Alvarez from Argentinian outfit River Plate for around £14m in January 2022, with the player remaining in his homeland on loan until the summer.
While his arrival was somewhat overshadowed by the phenomenal acquisition of Haaland from Borussia Dortmund, the forward still enjoyed an impressive maiden campaign, scoring 17 goals and supplying five assists from 49 matches across all competitions, starting only 23 of those.
The 23-year-old has since made some huge strides in this campaign that warrant the staggering £130m price tag attached to his head, posting an exceptional seven goals and five assists in 16 appearances.
Where last season City’s Norwegian machine stole the plaudits for his jaw-dropping goal-scoring exploits, this time around, Alvarez is no longer playing understudy and has forged his own identity in Pep Guardiola’s system, with commentator Ally McCoist labelling him as “superb”.
Through his explosive pressing, clever movement into space and ability to craft his own opportunities, the 5 foot 7 metronome has become one of the most dangerous forwards on the planet and those waxing lyrical about his talents have been proven correct.
Man City are a chance-creating machine, possessing a world-class supply line to feed the Argentine, with Alvarez feasting on that quality, ranking in the top 1% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues in the past year for non-penalty goals, top 6% for shots and top 16% for touches in the attacking penalty box, as per FBref.
On the back of his performances this term, Guardiola has labelled him as “almost undroppable” – and that is high praise from someone known for tinkering with his team.
Julian Alvarez's Ballon d'Or ranking
The most prestigious individual accolade anyone can win in world football is the Ballon d’Or as whoever claims this trophy is crowned the best footballer of the past year.
On Monday, the latest ceremony took place, and it was no surprise to see Lionel Messi crowned with his eighth Ballon d’Or trophy following his World Cup heroics with Argentina.
Whilst he didn’t win it, his fellow World Cup-winning compatriot, Alvarez, was recognised for his outstanding performances by placing in seventh position out of the 30 shortlisted candidates for the trophy.
He beat the likes of Harry Kane (19th), Mohamed Salah (11th) as well as City teammates, Ruben Dias (30th), Josko Gvardiol (25th) and Bernardo Silva (9th), while Rodri (5th), Kevin De Bruyne (4th) and Erling Haaland (2nd) finished ahead of him.
#10 Luka Modric
Real Madrid
#9 Bernardo Silva
Manchester City
#8 Victor Osimhen
Napoli
#7 Julian Alvarez
Manchester City
#6 Vinicius Jr
Real Madrid
#5 Rodri
Manchester City
#4 Kevin De Bruyne
Manchester City
#3 Kylian Mbappe
PSG
#2 Erling Haaland
Manchester City
#1 Lionel Messi
Inter Miami
Alvarez can be content with finishing as the most-decorated footballer on the planet for the 2022/23 campaign, having claimed the biggest prize international football has to offer and scooped the treble with Man City.
By contrast, the striker that the Blues ended up with, Jackson, has struggled since making the switch from Spain this summer.
Nicolas Jackson Chelsea statistics
Jackson arrived as a highly-rated striker from Villarreal and was expected to inject the art of goalscoring back to Stamford Bridge, having seen their fortunes dry up in front of goal.
For instance, Kai Havertz finished as the club’s top scorer with seven in the Premier League last term as the Blues slipped to a disappointing 12th-place finish, and the German was sold to Arsenal this summer.
The 22-year-old didn’t have big shoes to fill in that regard but he has flattered to deceive when put through on goal, failing to eject the confidence that an Alvarez would, and has instead been incredibly wasteful.
While he’s still acclimatising to life on English shores, his numbers so far this season make for very grim reading.
With only three goals scored in all competitions, the Senegal international has demonstrated that wastefulness by missing seven big chances in the top flight, recording an xG of 2.23 and a measly goal conversion of 8%, as per Sofascore.
It is normal for any foreign player to need a season to acclimatise and Chelsea will hope that is the case with Jackson before he eventually starts firing them in.
However, on the evidence of Alvarez’s rapid rise to stardom, they should have done everything in their power to prise him to Stamford Bridge this summer.
Brazil sensation Endrick net a stupendous volley against Spain on Tuesday, scoring what will surely be the first of many at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Endrick scores stunner for BrazilTeenage star preparing for Real Madrid moveSelecao taking on Spain in international friendlyWHAT HAPPENED?
After a deflection and a clearance in the box from the Spain defense, the striker turned his body in a quick motion to fire home a truly sensational effort. He immediately went to celebrate in the stands with his father, who embraced him in the celebratory moment.
After scoring the game-winner against England at the weekend, Endrick has now followed it up with another strike against a European powerhouse in Spain. Set to arrive this summer at Real Madrid, he found the back of the net just five minutes into his debut at the Santiago Bernabeu.
AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
With two goals in two games during the March international break, there are now calls for the Selecao to start the soon-to-be Real Madrid wonderkid at the 2024 Copa America.
With Gabriel Jesus inconsistently bagging goals at the club and country level, it leaves the striker options limited to the Palmeiras 18-year-old and Tottenham's Richarlison. With the latter not having tons of success in the Premier League amid an injury-hit season, Endrick could be a shock starting XI inclusion for Brazil this summer.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
(C)GettyImagesWHAT NEXT FOR ENDRICK AND BRAZIL?
The Selecao report for action again this June with a pair of international friendlies against the United States and Mexico in buildup to this Summer's Copa America. For Endrick, Palmeiras take on Novorizontino this Thursday in the Paulista A1 Semifinals.
The Red Devils could have been hammered again by the Bees but almost won the game through their forgotten man before conceding in the 98th minute
Remember Mason Mount? Manchester United fans would have been forgiven for forgetting he played for them but the forgotten midfielder had a fairytale return to the limelight when he scored his first goal for the Red Devils in the 95th minute away at Brentford.
The Bees had played United off the park while hitting the woodwork four times and Thomas Frank could only shake his head at the injustice of it all. But his side finally got what they deserved when Kristoffer Ajer levelled in the 98th minute and United could have no real complaints.
Had it not been for some heroic saves from Andre Onana and some diabolical shooting from their hosts, this could have been another 4-0 hammering in west London. United had some positive early flashes but quickly lost grip of the game and Brentford dominated the first half, with Ivan Toney striking the post and Zanka hitting the bar amid a flurry of 14 shots.
United's only effort of note before Mount's goal was from Rasmus Hojlund which produced a stunning save from Mark Flekken. Onana upstaged him though moments later with a fine double save to thwart Yegor Yarmolyuk and Keane Lewis-Potter, before Yoane Wissa hit the post and Bryan Mbeumo struck the crossbar.
Mount produced a cool finish from inside the area to give United an illogical and undeserved lead but Ajer brought them back down to earth, surely ending their Champions League hopes in the process. They trail fourth-placed Aston Villa by 11 points and fifth-placed Tottenham by eight.
GOAL rates United's players from the Gtech Community Stadium…
GettyGoalkeeper & Defence
Andre Onana (7/10):
Made an outrageous double save in the second half, continuing his surge in form.
Diogo Dalot 6/10):
Anticipated the danger well and not far from scoring from outside the area.
Victor Lindelof (6/10):
Struggled to keep Toney quiet but made a few last-ditch tackles. Injured his hamstring in the second half.
Raphael Varane (6/10):
Made lots of blocks and interceptions before succumbing to an ankle knock late in the first half.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka (6/10):
Another solid performance in the unusual position of left-back.
AdvertisementGettyMidfield
Kobbie Mainoo (5/10):
Looked tired after his big week with England and suffering an illness days before the game.
Scott McTominay (5/10):
Barely made an impact and was one of the reasons United had no grip on the midfield.
Bruno Fernandes (5/10):
Another underwhelming performance.
GettyAttack
Alejandro Garnacho (4/10):
A big disappointment, creating hardly any danger. Could hardly complain when he was withdrawn.
Rasmus Hojlund (5/10):
Lacking sharpness and couldn't combine with his fellow attackers. Had one good chance but was denied by a fine save from Flekken.
Marcus Rashford (4/10):
Barely got involved save for a bright opening 10 minutes.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
GettySubs & Manager
Harry Maguire (5/10):
A little shaky when he replaced Varane.
Lisandro Martinez (4/10):
Made a welcome return after seven weeks out but looked rusty and gifted Toney a chance with a dismal backwards pass.
Antony (6/10):
Inches away from scoring with his trademark move cutting in from the right.
Casemiro (6/10):
Set up Mount's goal and gave United more physicality in midfield but looked tired despite only playing 10 minutes plus added time.
Mason Mount (7/10):
Scored a fine first goal for the club to give him hope of salvaging a season ruined by injuries.
Manager (5/10):
Not the performance he wanted after beating Liverpool, especially with him losing two centre-backs. His substitutes did well but this was another chaotic performance.
The former Pakistan legspinner said he had owned up because he could not “live a life with lies” anymore
ESPNcricinfo staff18-Oct-20185:16
Danish Kaneria confesses guilt in spot-fixing case
Former Pakistan legspinner Danish Kaneria has admitted his guilt in the spot-fixing case involving former Essex team-mate Mervyn Westfield, more than six years after he was banned for life by the ECB.”My name is Danish Kaneria and I admit that I was guilty of the two charges brought against me by the England and Wales Cricket Board in 2012,” Kaneria, 37, told . “I have become strong enough to make this decision, because you cannot live a life with lies.”Westfield, 23 at the time, had admitted to accepting £6000 in return for conceding a set number of runs off an over in a Pro40 match against Durham in September 2009. He was jailed after pleading guilty to the charge of accepting or obtaining corrupt payments. Kaneria, who was arrested along with Westfield in 2010 only for charges to be dropped due to a lack of evidence, was alleged to have been the go-between between Westfield and Anu Bhatt, who was on the ICC radar for being a person involved in illegal betting.Kaneria had protested his innocence in the matter several times over the years and appealed repeatedly – and unsuccessfully – to have his life ban revoked. Though he was banned by the ECB, the ICC’s anti-corruption code states that decisions based on a board’s regulations should be upheld by boards around the world.In the Al Jazeera interview, Kaneria said he had met Bhatt four years before the Essex game for which he and Westfield came under scrutiny. “In 2005 on a West Indies tour, my assistant manager introduced me to Anu Bhatt, because he was a Hindu and he was a cricket fan,” Kaneria, who was the only Hindu in the Pakistan team at the time, said. “Then we were on a India tour and over there, 2008 it was I think, Anu Bhatt invited the whole team for dinner, so me and my wife and other cricketers went to his house for the dinner.”Kaneria admitted to ignoring warnings from the ICC’s ACU that Bhatt was a “suspicious guy”. “[ACU] Came to Pakistan and told several cricketers and me that he is a suspicious guy and is involved in doing fixing,” he said. “I regret very much, I didn’t complain to the higher authorities, like English Cricket Board or ICC unit. I didn’t inform or didn’t tell them this guy is over here [in the UK].”Mervyn used to tell me that he wants to become a rich cricketer. I was highly paid in Essex, and I was an international player at that time. And I was living a life, a very lavish life, so he also wanted to make money. I think he was targeted by Anu Bhatt and I think he fell into that temptation. Being an international cricketer and a senior cricketer, I should have taken it one step higher of telling Mervyn that this guy is suspicious.”I want to apologise to Mervyn Westfield, my Essex team-mates, my Essex cricket club, my Essex cricket fans. I say sorry to Pakistan. If the ECB and ICC and other bodies would give me a second chance I can help to educate young people in cricket, teach them that if you do wrong you are finished like me.”Kaneria said that part of the reason he maintained his innocence at the time was that his father – who died of cancer in 2013 – had been in poor health. “His health was getting worse and worse,” Kaneria said. “I didn’t have the courage to face him and tell him that I was wrong. He was a very, very proud guy. Very, very proud of me and what I did, representing Pakistan, representing my country.”Kaneria played 61 Tests for Pakistan between 2000 and 2010 and took 261 wickets at an average of 34.79. He is still Pakistan’s most successful spin bowler.
Newcastle United are "obsessed" with the idea of securing the signing of a "world-class" international champion, according to a new transfer claim.
Newcastle keen on January signings
The Magpies find themselves in an extremely difficult period at the moment, with Eddie Howe's squad looking both threadbare and tried.
A combination of constant fixtures and an unfathomable string of injury problems mean that Newcastle look like a shadow of the team that impressed so greatly last season, with Saturday's limp 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth in the Premier League indicative of their struggles.
Sandro Tonali's 10-month ban is an added kick in the teeth for Howe, who is having to make do without so many key players at the moment, whether it be Sven Botman, Bruno Guimaraes or Alexander Isak, to name just a few.
Newcastle's current issues mean that January signings could be needed to add some freshness and depth to their squad, with Tonali's absence for the rest of the campaign meaning that various midfielders have been linked with a move to St James' Park.
The Magpies reportedly want to sign Manchester City ace Kalvin Phillips, with the England international arguably standing out as their primary target in that area of the pitch, but they could also look for reinforcements in other positions.
That's where a new transfer update comes into play, as Newcastle look to acquire the services of an elite attacking maestro.
Newcastle "obsessed" with Federico Chiesa
According to a fresh update from Tutto Juve [via Sport Witness], Newcastle remain keen on signing Juventus star Federico Chiesa, with the report claiming that they are "obsessed" with him and want to snap him up "at all costs".
Juventus forward Federico Chiesa.
The Italian is believed to be "evaluating the future" at his current club, as he weighs up the idea of enjoying a fresh challenge, with Arsenal and Chelsea also mentioned as potential suitors.
Chiesa is someone who could be such an eye-catching signing for Newcastle, possessing so much pedigree in the game, despite not always proving fortunate in the injury department.
Chiesa's statistics and achievements highlight what a talent he is, having tasted Euro 2020 with glory with Italy after beating England in the final, and shining throughout the tournament. He has also now made 105 appearances for Juve, as well as winning 42 caps for his country and scoring five times.
Appearances
105
Goals
26
Assists
21
The 26-year-old has even been described as a "world-class" footballer by former Italy international Alessandro Pierini, who has said in the past that he could even become a better player than his father, Enrico Chiesa:
"He’s world-class. He has all the ability and desire of a great player. If he improves then he’ll be even better than his father [Enrico]. I have loads of respect for Enrico and all he has done to help Federico come on as a player until now."
Newcastle arguably look a little lacking in wide attacking areas at the moment, especially with Miguel Almiron now also injured, and Chiesa could add a magic spark in the final third, combining direct running and a reliable stream of end product.