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Craig Ervine’s maiden Test ton and 148-run sixth-wicket stand with debutant Peter Moor took Zimbabwe to within 77 runs of avoiding the follow-on

The Report by Firdose Moonda in Bulawayo08-Aug-2016Stumps
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details0:58

By the numbers – Ervine’s ton and Moor’s record on debut

Zimbabwe celebrate their heroes on August 8, and in Craig Ervine they certainly found one. His maiden Test ton and 148-run sixth-wicket stand with debutant PJ Moor took Zimbabwe to within 78 runs of avoiding the follow-on. Perhaps more crucially, he frustrated a New Zealand attack that now has a maximum of two days – could be lesser if the visitors have to bat – to take 14 wickets and on a flat Queens Sports Club surface.In their favour is the fact that New Zealand have discovered the best way to break through – reverse swing. With the second new ball that is more than 30 overs old, they may start looking for it again early on fourth morning. When they found it with their first ball, they made life uncomfortable for the Zimbabwean line-up, who were suffocated with close fields to the spinners.With just eight Tests under his belt, Ervine, the most experienced of Zimbabwe’s line-up going into this match, played the way a senior should. His approach combined caution with clever stroke-play and ensured the scoreboard kept ticking over. Zimbabwe scored 250 runs on the day, 120 in the final session alone. The dismissal of Moor for 71 in the last half hour lifted the morale of the visitors, who were run ragged after a spirited start.Ervine was needed after Zimbabwe’s openers – Chamu Chibhabha and Tino Mawoyo – gave the team their best start in 13 Tests, over five years, with a 65-run stand. Chibhabha was lucky to survive a confident shout off a Trent Boult delivery that tailed back in late. There was a bat-pad noise which may have put umpire Paul Reiffel off.His opening partner Mawoyo appeared to be better equipped to play defensively and bullishly. He fronted up to Neil Wagner’s short-ball strategy before inside-edging a drive onto the stumps.After they were separated, Sikandar Raza, batting at No. 3 in place of the injured Hamilton Masakadza, squandered an opportunity to present his case further. By then, a spell of uncertainty had been woven into the Zimbabwean mindset. For 9.3 overs, Raza looked to have put away his aggressive streak but then drove lazily at a wide Wagner delivery with no foot movement to give Kane Williamson at gully a present on his 26th birthday.Chibhabha, for all his fidgeting, had shown ability to occupy the crease. He fought his way to fifty and looked like he would see out the opening session. But Williamson’s decision to introduce spin in the form of Mitchell Santner paid off as Chibhabha drove with hard hands to find short cover.New Zealand could have had one more in the opening session when Southee tempted Ervine to drive, only to see Ross Taylor grass an opportunity in the slips. Instead, they had to wait until after the break when Prince Masvaure brought about his own dismissal as the ball bounced back off a half-hearted defense to hit leg stump.That brought Zimbabwe’s most assured pair of Ervine and Sean Williams together. While they were watchful, they also cashed in when the bad balls came their way. Williams, fresh off a century in the previous Test, was in sparkling form till he was adjudged lbw off a premeditated reverse-sweep against Ish Sodhi.After a period of settling in, Moor scored freely, especially off the second new ball, which became available with 25 minutes left in the session. But Williamson, who waited until there were only 10 overs left before taking it, may need to wait a little longer before it brings rewards.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have had a difficult season that has been turned around by Julen Lopetegui.

The Spanish coach took over from Bruno Lage when Wolves were bottom of the table, and with three games to go, his side are safe from relegation and already looking ahead to next season.

As this thrilling campaign draws to a close, the summer transfer window awaits, as Lopetegui will have his chance to put his stamp on the squad he took over from both Lage and Nuno Santo prior.

The Midlands side have been linked with a number of both potentially inbound and outbound players ahead of the summer, with the future of Ruben Neves a question that will likely be answered at the end of the season.

It has been rumoured that one of the Championship’s most highly-rated players could make the move to Molineux, in a deal that could see the Portuguese captain’s heir arrive in Wolverhampton.

19-year-old Bristol City midfielder Alex Scott has been a name lauded in the country’s second division this season.

Described by Pep Guardiola as an “unbelievable player” following Manchester City’s FA Cup clash against Bristol City, the youngster is on the watch list for a host of clubs this summer.

Transfer expert Dean Jones told GIVEMESPORT revealed earlier this year that a number of Premier League clubs have been eyeing the starlet, including Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, Newcastle United and Wolves.

City have placed a £30m price tag on the budding English talent, who has been a vital cog in their squad this campaign.

What could Alex Scott bring to Wolves?

The young central midfielder ranks in his club’s top ten performers this season, averaging a Sofascore match rating of 6.83 in the Championship.

Just a teenager, the Guernsey-born star has made 42 appearances in the league, cementing himself as a key member of Nigel Pearson’s set-up and a player attracting Premier League interest.

With Ruben Neves’ future in doubt, Scott could prove to be Loptegui’s natural successor to the Portuguese should he depart.

The two bear a host of similarities in their roles for their respective squads, with the second-tier star hitting numbers close to Neves on average per game.

As per Sofascore, the Wolves midfielder averages 2.3 tackles per match, as well as maintaining a passing accuracy rate of 84%. Scott follows closely to the 26-year-old, with a 79% pass rate and making an average of 1.8 tackles a game.

The Wolves captain is famed for his ability going forward too, and Bristol’s number 7 has been efficient in attack as well as sitting back in midfield, registering four assists this season in comparison to Neves’ single assist.

The Wolves skipper has made 174 appearances in the Premier League during his stay in the Midlands, so typically his numbers would rate higher. The slim differences between the two, however, highlight the potential that Scott has in his game, and with his age comes a vast area to grow.

Praised by his current boss Pearson, Scott was called a “versatile and promising” player with a lot of “football intelligence.” That final ringing endorsement is certainly similar to Neves who boasts an excellent football brain.

Only time will tell if Lopetegui can seal the deal with a host of competitors battling for the midfielder, but he could be a true heir to Wolves’ expectedly departing captain.

Frank Lampard has only been in charge of Chelsea for four matches during his second stint and is already feeling the strain, such is the nature of being boss at the Stamford Bridge side under Todd Boehly.

They will persist with him until a new manager is appointed at the end of the season, but there are still seven matches to go in the Premier League and the Blues aren’t even guaranteed a spot in the top half.

A mass clear-out is required at the club under the new manager, whoever that may be, and Lampard will be doing all he can to give him a solid base to begin from.

One thing the former Blues midfielder should be doing is giving some young talent a chance in the first team before the campaign ends and Noni Madueke should be staking a claim after struggling for minutes recently.

Should Noni Madueke start for Chelsea?

The £29m signing from PSV Eindhoven deserves a chance over the final few weeks to showcase his incredible talent ahead of next term and this could give Lampard the licence to ditch Hakim Ziyech, who has been woeful during 2022/23.

The winger has made just 14 appearances in the top flight, with only six starts, registering just one assist and creating five big chances, proving that he isn’t nearly as effective as Graham Potter and Thomas Tuchel wanted him to be.

His Sofascore rating of 6.83/10 ranks him as only the 16th-best performer in the team, and it’s evident that his time at the club could soon be coming to an end.

Madueke hasn’t had much of a chance at the club having joined during the winter transfer window, with Potter restricting him to just five league games so far, yet he has shown glimpses of his ability.

The 21-year-old has averaged 1.4 key passes, 0.8 shots and 31 touches in the limited time he has had on the field of play, suggesting that with more game time, these stats will only get better.

Having succeeded with 2.2 dribbles per game, there is no doubt he can thrive on the right wing for Chelsea if given a chance under Lampard, and with nothing left to play for but pride, the chance is now.

Madueke is a regular for England at U21 level and manager Lee Carsley heaped plenty of praise on the youngster, saying: “He is exciting, fast, direct, and very versatile but what we have to remember is he is still young.

“He is going to need time, match minutes, the time to work on his game, but he has high potential. Like a lot of the younger players, he just needs an opportunity.”

Could this opportunity present itself over the coming weeks? Only time will tell but in order for the club to progress, they need to be placing their trust in talent who is willing to work hard and make an impression, while ditching those that have underperformed.

Liverpool have identified Ryan Gravenberch as a potential midfield option in the summer following their recent blow in the race for Jude Bellingham.

Have Liverpool pulled out of the Bellingham race?

The pursuit for the signature of Bellingham in the summer took a major twist over recent days with Liverpool believed to be one f the three main sides eyeing the midfielder.

Alongside the likes of Manchester City and Real Madrid, it is believed Liverpool were seriously interested in potentially signing the 19-year-old.

However, reports have now suggested the Reds have pulled out of the race as a result of the finances expected to be involved in the possible sale of the England midfielder.

Now, it appears the Merseyside are weighing up their options for potential alternatives as they look to plan for the new campaign at Anfield.

It has been a largely underwhelming campaign for Liverpool this season and one they will be hoping some reinforcements over the summer could turn around.

One name which has been floated around as a possible alternative for Bellingham is the £155k-per-week Bayern Munich midfielder, Gravnberch.

Indeed, speaking on the Talking Transfers podcast, insider Graeme Bailey has suggested the 20-year-old is a player who Jurgen Klopp's side are said to be keen on:

(23:50) "A very interesting name to keep an eye on and I suspect he'll be very strongly talked about with Liverpool. They like him, as you say. So I think he'd be very much under consideration for them. Could be a very good pickup for a Premier League team."

Could Gravenberch be a good Bellingham alternative?

It has to be noted potentially missing out on Bellingham will naturally feel like a huge blow given the high praise that the youngster has received over the early stages of his career.

However, the Dutchman, Gravenberch, is a player who landed at Bayern in the summer from Ajax with huge expectations following his time in the Eredivisie.

Under his previous manager, Julian Nagelsmann, the 20-year-old was hailed despite the lack of game time he was receiving from the starting XI: “It’s not easy for Ryan but he’s gonna be one of the best midfielders in the world," he said.

The midfielder has made 17 appearances in the Bundesliga and only one of those have come from the starting XI with a total of 323 minutes of league action (via Transfermarkt).

Gravenberch has been described as "special" by talkSPORT's Mark Goldbridge and last season he certainly showed that having provided more shot-creating actions than Bellingham did last season (via Fbref).

Of course, this has to be caveated by the fact he was playing in a different league to Bellingham last season, however, the Dutchman (67.4%) also provided more successful take-ons than Bellingham (55.1%).

Missing out on the statement signing of Bellingham will hurt for Liverpool fans, but it seems there are other players who could bolster Klopp's options in the middle.

Tottenham Hotspur's search for a manager before dismissing Antonio Conte essentially made it so the writing was on the wall by the time they came to an announcement, yet it still came as a shock.

The time in which it took them to sack the Italian was startling given his explosive post-match press conference, the likes of which have seldom been seen before in the Premier League.

Scrutinising almost every facet of the club, his position had become untenable and he had to leave.

Whilst Cristian Stellini has been announced as his successor until the end of the season, it leaves months now for the rumour mill to swirl endlessly, with a core group of names already marked out.

However, one such option comes across as far more unorthodox, as their former boss Harry Redknapp essentially threw his own name into the ring.

Given his age and time already out of the game, this appointment would actually boast similarities with Crystal Palace's decision to appoint Roy Hodgson. This is not a likeness the Lilywhites will be keen on gaining.

Would Spurs appoint Harry Redknapp?

Having been retired since his 2017 sacking from Birmingham City, the 76-year-old has enjoyed a long and fruitful career, overseeing periods at West Ham United, Portsmouth and Spurs alongside numerous other English outfits.

His name is synonymous with English football, but his managerial influence within the game has unsurprisingly dwindled given his age and lack of experience in recent years.

Given the predicament the north London club find themselves in, seeking stability after a tumultuous prior reign, Fabio Paratici and Daniel Levy could feasibly combine to make this appointment happen, likely much to the dismay of the fanbase.

He spoke on talkSPORT about the vacancy, claiming: "If someone asks you, I think it would be hard to say no, I’ll be truthful. When you love it, you do find it hard to say no, as Roy and Neil would agree."

When the Eagles sacked Patrick Vieira, it reeked of desperation as they reverted to a familiar face who had already seen a downturn in form given his role in relegating Watford.

Whilst Redknapp had enjoyed an impressive period at Spurs in the past, that now concluded over a decade ago. Since then, he has spent his time as a pundit offering dubious statements about the players of his former club. Few would agree that Hugo Lloris has been "outstanding" of late, yet the experienced boss still suggested so in January.

His final two jobs at club level hardly leave much to be desired too, as he resigned from a struggling QPR and was dismissed from the Midlands outfit as they sat second-bottom of the Championship.

To give Redknapp the job would be a disaster of epic proportions, sacrificing any progress made in recent years in favour of an uninspiring appointment who simply will not be there for the long haul.

Former Premier League footballer Jay Bothroyd has claimed that Arsenal star Bukayo Saka is one of the best players in the world in his position.

How has Saka played for Arsenal?

The England international has been in sensational form this season, scoring ten and assisting nine times in the Premier League. He added to his tally with a stunning strike to open the scoring in Arsenal’s victory over Everton.

With Arsenal flying at the top of the league, it is hard to disregard Saka as one of the best players in the country, and indeed Europe, given his contributions to a side that could win their first title in 19 years.

Speaking after the victory over Everton, Bothroyd claimed that Saka is under-appreciated, and his performances are good enough to put him in the conversation amongst the very best in the world.

“Saka is one of the best wingers in the world, ” he stated.

“I mean he doesn’t get enough praise. If he was playing for Real Madrid or Barcelona, he’d be up for Ballon d’Or awards, but he’s been fantastic this year.

“He’s such a young player as well, but he’s Arsenal’s talisman and he’s made a big, big difference.”

What makes Saka so good?

The 21-year-old is Arsenal’s top scorer in the league this season, and his goals have come at vital moments.

He has scored or assisted against Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, whilst also scoring a crucial equaliser against Aston Villa in his side’s remarkable 4-2 victory.

His performances have remained consistent throughout the season, and having started every single league game, his availability is second to none.

In what is a young Arsenal side competing at the top, Saka is often the driving force behind their victories, and his ability to make a difference in key moments could help fire them to an unprecedented title.

His performance last night saw him win four duels, make two key passes and grab a goal and an assist (Sofascore).

Liverpool are still battling Real Madrid for the signing of Jude Bellingham but Champions League qualification could be key, according to a new update.

The Lowdown: Bellingham the No.1 target?

The 19-year-old has stood out as the most talked-about Reds transfer target ahead of this summer, having become one of the leading young players in world football.

Bellingham has been endlessly linked with a move to Anfield, with Sky Sports confirming he is their priority target, but they are far from alone in expressing an interest.

These are hugely important months ahead, with the England midfielder expected to leave Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season.

The Latest: Liverpool vs Madrid

According to AS [via Sport Witness], Liverpool’s chances of signing Bellingham could depend on whether or not they secure a top-four finish in the Premier League.

It is a situation that the teenager is thought to be ‘aware of’ and there are ‘constant contacts’ between his representatives and the Reds, with the transfer expected to cost at least €100million (£88.3m).

Madrid are the other team leading the race and knocking Liverpool out of the Champions League would further enhance their chances of signing him.

The Verdict: Does Bellingham want Liverpool most?

Bellingham is a player the Reds simply must do all they can to sign this summer, with the 22-time capped England international someone who can be one of the best players in the world for a decade.

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He is the complete package in midfield, despite being so young, scoring ten goals for Dortmund this season and also averaging 2.9 tackles per match for club and country combined.

The top-four issue is clearly a potential threat to Liverpool’s hopes of signing Bellingham, but if he truly buys into Jurgen Klopp and the club, it shouldn’t matter what competition they are playing in.

Roy Keane has hailed the Dortmund man as a ‘superstar’ and the Reds signing him could end up feeling as important as the additions of players like Alisson and Virgil van Dijk, in terms of the impact he could have in a key position.

An update has emerged regarding the fitness of Aston Villa captain John McGinn ahead of their Premier League clash against Leicester City today…

What’s the talk?

Villa manager Unai Emery has confirmed that the Scotland international is in contention to feature this afternoon, alongside two of his team-mates.

Journalist Ashley Preece relayed the news from the 51-year-old’s press conference on Friday, tweeting: “#avfc team news from Bodymoor Heath: Lucas Digne & John McGinn both available for tomorrow, as is new signing Jhon Duran. Bertrand Traore will return to full training next week. Diego Carlos still stepping up for his return later this month/beginning of March.”

The Scotland midfielder has not played a competitive match for Aston Villa since featuring in the 2-0 win at Tottenham on New Year’s Day, having been struck down with a hamstring injury.

Unleash McGinn

Emery must now use this big injury boost to unleash the Scottish dynamo from the start against the Foxes this afternoon, as McGinn could improve Villa in the middle of the park.

Last time out, Emi Buendia struggled in midfield in the 1-0 win at Southampton. The Argentine wizard recorded a rating of 6.5 as he lost nine of his 11 individual duels, completed 74% of his attempted passes and failed to make a single tackle, interception, clearance or block, whilst being dribbled past three times (as per Sofascore).

McGinn has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.91 across 17 appearances in the Premier League this season and won an impressive 58% of his duels, which shows that he is not easily beaten in physical contests.

The £55k-per-week “warrior” – as he was once dubbed by Graeme Souness – has also completed 79% of his attempted passes and made 2.9 tackles and interceptions, whilst being dribbled past 0.8 times, per game. This indicates that he could offer defensive protection to the back four in a way that the Argentine was unable to do at St Mary’s.

Creatively, McGinn has also provided twice as many ‘big chances’ for his team-mates (four) as Buendia (two) in the top-flight, which suggests that the Scotsman could offer more at both ends of the pitch on current form.

Also, the 28-year-old – who was once hailed as “unique” by presenter Dan Bardell – provides leadership qualities on the pitch as captain of the club, and this could be another reason why Emery may want to bring him back into the team today.

Therefore, the Villa manager could improve the team by dropping Buendia in order to name the captain in the starting XI, which is also why McGinn’s return from injury is a big boost for the Spaniard.

Everton have placed Shakhtar Dontesk winger Tete – who is currently on loan at Lyon – on their list of transfer targets this month, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Everton’s goal-scoring issues

Everton have scored just 16 goals in the Premier League this season, the joint-second fewest of any team in the top flight, so it is clear that they need a spark from somewhere to steer them clear of the relegation zone.

The Toffees are closing in on the signing of Arnaut Danjuma, with the winger reported to have completed his medical, but they do not want to stop there given just how poor they had been in front of goal under Frank Lampard, who was today sacked as manager.

The Latest: Tete shortlisted

According to the Daily Mail, Everton are monitoring the 22-year-old and have placed him on their list of transfer targets, but they will face competition from Leicester City and Nottingham Forest for his signature.

It is also detailed that the Brazilian should be available and is keen on a move to the Premier League, rather than staying with Lyon, even though the French club retain the option to sign him permanently for £17.5m.

The Verdict: Get it done

Shakhtar CEO Sergei Palkin has claimed that the attacker is known as a ‘hurricane’ by people in Brazil, while also lauding him for being ‘extremely difficult to stop’ due to his shooting and passing ability.

These traits have been on show during the ‘versatile’ forward’s (as per Palkin) remarkable loan spell with Lyon, weighing in with a very impressive eight goals and ten assists for Les Gones in 30 appearances over the past two seasons.

That goal tally alone is half of what the Toffees have managed as a team midway through the current top-flight campaign.

Everton are in dire need of someone with this prolific ability in the attacking third, and while it may be difficult to convince him to join a club currently embroiled in a relegation battle, they should do everything that they can to try and sign Tete in the coming days.

Tottenham Hotspur are one of the teams taking a close eye on the situation of Youssoufa Moukoko…

What’s the word?

That’s according to 90min, who claim that Borussia Dortmund are struggling to reach an agreement over a new contract, meaning it has become ‘increasingly likely’ that the 18-year-old will leave the club in 2023.

It’s thought that the teenager would like a new deal worth €200k-per-week (£175k) but the Bundesliga side have only offered around half that, a package similar to that of summer signing Karim Adeyemi.

Spurs have been asked to be kept in the loop over developments, though as have arch-rivals Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United, whilst Chelsea and Newcastle United have already held talks with the German international.

Imagine him and Harry Kane

Interestingly, the north Londoners could hold an ace up their sleeve as the young wonderkid could learn from his ‘dream’ strike partner in Harry Kane.

Back in 2018, the Dortmund gem was asked who he would like to play with most and the answer was the Tottenham talisman, so perhaps sporting director Fabio Paratici could form a surprise duo upfront soon.

Just like Kane, Moukoko has set goalscoring records, albeit at youth level, where he bagged 127 goals and 26 assists in just 84 appearances in all competitions.

And despite only starting eight league games this season, the Germany sensation has found the net six times and laid on a further four assists as he looks to make that transition into the men’s game, via Transfermarkt.

He certainly has a fan in former teammate Erling Haaland too as the now-Manchester City robot once dubbed him “the biggest talent in the world” back in 2020., whilst his brother once dubbed him as “the wonder.”

Meanwhile, Bundesliga.com have compared him to Samuel Eto’o, who once tipped the BVB graduate to become Lionel Messi’s heir apparent at Barcelona; both of whom are talented forwards in their own right and are compelling endorsements on why Moukoko is a future star.

As such, just imagine the German continuing to blossom with Kane by his side, whilst the England striker isn’t going to teach him much about winning silverware, there is no doubt that he could mould the teenager into the same sort of prolific marksman in no time.

Spurs will only benefit by such a thing either way, so Paratici must look to throw his hat into the race, sooner rather than later.

AND in other news, Paratici could sign Spurs another Romero with £34m “prodigy” who “does make mistakes”…