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Stephen Peters fell one run short of what would have been the firstdouble-century of his career after batting for just over nine hours to putNorthamptonshire in a commanding position against Middlesex at Lord’s

06-Jun-2010
ScorecardStephen Peters fell one run short of what would have been the firstdouble-century of his career after batting for just over nine hours to putNorthamptonshire in a commanding position against Middlesex at Lord’s.He had faced 391 balls and hit 20 fours in the County Championship DivisionTwo match when he chipped a return catch to Shaun Udal, sprawling to his right. Peters looked crestfallen but he had done a great job for his side in sharing stands of 182 with Alex Wakely, 70 with Nicky Boje and 144 with his captain Andrew Hall.Hall went on to make 133 off 192 balls with 17 fours and when he declared at581 for 7, Northamptonshire’s highest score against Middlesex, they were 234ahead. Middlesex closed on 48 for the loss of Scott Newman.Northamptonshire had resumed at 280 for 4 in reply to Middlesex’s first innings347 and Peters and Boje added 50 in 14 overs before Boje pulled Pedro Collinsstraight to square leg. Peters, 115 overnight, was never in trouble as he went past his previoushighest score of 183 not out – scored in leading Northamptonshire to asix-wicket victory over Middlesex at Northampton in April – but he becameincreasingly tentative as he neared his milestone.In the end he could not get there but he had still made the highest score by aNorthamptonshire batsman against Middlesex and given Hall the perfect platformto build his first century of the season.David Murphy, a wicketkeeper-batsman from Loughborough University who isdeputising for the injured Niall O’Brien, joined him in a seventh-wicket standof 107. Murphy made an unbeaten 50, his highest score in the championship, off 87 ballsand by the time Hall was bowled driving at Pedro Collins Middlesex were indisarray.Udal, their captain, had his left hand strapped after splitting the webbingbetween his thumb and forefinger, and Gareth Berg, their newly-cappedall-rounder, was off the field with back trouble.No fewer than nine bowlers were used with only Udal himself and Collinsemerging with any credit and the fielding was so poor that there were jeers froma section of the small crowd. Their mood did not improve when Newman edged his third ball from Jack Brooks to first slip but at least Sam Robson and Owais Shah held out until the close.

An update has emerged on Rangers and their pursuit of a striker from the English Championship…

What’s the talk?

According to TEAMtalk, the Gers are among a number of clubs keen on a deal to sign QPR centre-forward Lyndon Dykes this month.

The report claims that Norwich, Newcastle and Crystal Palace are among the other clubs interested in signing the attacker, although it remains to be seen how much the west London outfit will demand for his services.

Get it done

Giovanni van Bronckhorst must ensure that he is able to get a deal over the line for Dykes, as he could be a “brilliant find” for Rangers, to use the words of Alex McLeish.

The £8k-per-week bulldozer could provide a different option for the Gers boss at the top end of the pitch, as he is not built in the same way as Kemar Roofe and Alfredo Morelos. Whilst the current Ibrox duo are technically adept and like to make runs, Dykes is a forward who can be the focal point of the attack and hold up the ball for his teammates.

In the Championship this season, he has won an impressive 4.3 aerial battles per game, after averaging 4.8 last season. This shows that he can hold his own in the air and is capable of winning flick-ons by beating opposition defenders to long balls, whilst it also suggests that he could aid Rangers in their defending from set pieces as he could use his talents to defend his team’s penalty box.

Darren Jackson hailed him as “mobile” despite his big frame after he scored a winner against the Faroe Islands for Scotland three months ago. This suggests that the 26-year-old could also offer running off and on the ball to go along with the physical presence that he provides.

In terms of goals, Dykes has also shown that he knows how to find the net regularly. He has scored 18 Championship goals for QPR since the start of last season and has netted four times in six starts for Scotland in World Cup qualifiers.

Therefore, he could be a brilliant find for Rangers, as he is a striker who can score goals, bully defenders with his physique and work hard at the top end of the pitch with his mobile running. This is why Van Bronckhorst must work with Ross Wilson to secure his services before the end of the month.

AND in other news, Time’s up: Van Bronckhorst must ruthlessly axe £900k-rated Rangers dud, he’s a “weak link”…

Here’s a look at where teams stand, and how they can progress to the semi-finals

S Rajesh17-Apr-2010Kolkata Knight Riders’ convincing win against Rajasthan Royals has considerably altered the equations for the semi-final slots in IPL 2010. Mumbai Indians are obviously through, while Royal Challengers Bangalore are safe as well despite their comprehensive defeat: their net run-rate (NRR) of 0.219 is too good for them to be pushed out of the top four. Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan are out, but the others all have to wait a little bit longer for their fate to be decided. Here’s a look at where teams stand, and how they can progress to the semi-finals.MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings have a clear-cut task against Kings XI Punjab•Indian Premier LeagueDelhi Daredevils: If Chennai Super Kings beat Punjab in the first match, then Delhi will face a must-win situation against Deccan Chargers. For, if Delhi lose, Deccan, Chennai and Bangalore will all sail through and join Mumbai. (Chennai’s NRR will obviously be better than Delhi’s if they win.)If Chennai lose, though, it’ll require a couple of extraordinary results for Delhi to be knocked out: Deccan and Kolkata will need to win their last games by huge margins. For example, if Deccan score 200 and win by 60 runs, and if Kolkata score 200 and win by 75 runs, Kolkata’s NRR will inch ahead of Delhi’s, in which case Mumbai, Bangalore, Deccan and Kolkata will make the cut. That seems pretty unlikely, so the big game for Delhi will be the one between Chennai and Punjab.Deccan Chargers: Deccan’s NRR of -0.363 is their biggest worry, and the reason they can’t relax even though they have 14 points. A win will obviously take them through, but if they lose they’ll need the results in the other two matches to go their way – Chennai losing to Punjab and Kolkata to Mumbai. Then, the teams which have the highest points now – Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Deccan – will be the semi-finalists.Kolkata Knight Riders: Kolkata’s emphatic win against Rajasthan has revived their hopes, but they still depend on other results going their way. If Chennai beat Punjab, Kolkata are out. Apart from Punjab beating Chennai, Kolkata’s job will also become much simpler if Delhi beat Deccan; then, they’ll only need to go past Deccan’s NRR, which is currently -0.363 (and it might go down further if they lose to Delhi). If Deccan win, on the other hand, Kolkata will have to go past Delhi’s NRR to make the cut, which will be a much tougher task.Chennai Super Kings: Their situation is the most clear-cut: win, and go through to the semi-finals; lose, and pack your bags and go home.

Despite managing to score more goals than both Burnley and Norwich City, Newcastle United have only managed to win one of their 18 Premier League games so far this season, drawing seven and losing ten along the way.

With new ambitious owners in place and a manager aiming to avoid getting Newcastle relegated from the Premier League, the January transfer window could see the Tyneside club splash the cash to strengthen their squad to make sure they don’t end up in the Championship next season.

One name that Newcastle apparently think they have a chance of signing in January is Chelsea attacker Timo Werner according to journalist Christian Falk.

Prior to joining Chelsea back in the 2020 summer transfer window, Werner racked up a total of 95 goals in 159 appearances for German club RB Leipzig.

Since joining the west London club, the 25-year-old, who is currently earning a weekly wage of £268k-per-week according to Salary Sport, has scored 17 goals and provided 17 assists in 66 appearances across all competitions, winning the Champions League in the process.

Labelled as an “unpredictable” player by fellow Chelsea and Germany teammate Kai Havertz, Werner has played in 14 games for Thomas Tuchel’s side across all competitions with five goals and two assists under his belt.

In terms of a potential move to Newcastle in January, with the German international having racked up an average of four shots at goal per game in the Premier League so far this season and two key passes per match, Werner could slot into Newcastle’s attacking line nicely alongside the likes of Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin who have contributed to 50% of the Toon’s Premier League goals this season.

Even though Newcastle have conceded more times in the league than any other team in the division and the focus in January should mainly be on bringing in defensive players to fix their leaky defence. That said, given the player’s pedigree and knack for scoring, a move for Werner could stun plenty of Toon fans if the club were able to bring him to St. James’ Park.

However, with Chelsea pushing for the Premier League title and gunning to win the Champions League for a second year in a row, it would presumably take a lot from Newcastle to convince the German international to leave Stamford Bridge halfway through the season to help Howe’s side avoid relegation instead. That only adds to the stunning nature of this potential deal if it was concluded by PIF.

In other news: Hammond could save NUFC’s season with “colossal” £24k-p/w beast, “nothing fazes him” – opinion

A number of West Ham supporters have hailed Declan Rice’s performance in the Irons’ Premier League clash against Crystal Palace.

The Hammers took on the Eagles at Selhurst Park this evening as they looked to get 2022 off to a flying start.

After their impressive 4-1 win away to Watford in midweek, David Moyes will have been aware that a second consecutive victory on their travels could be priceless in the top-four battle.

It was a day full of positives for West Ham, who raced into a 3-0 half-time lead in south London, effectively putting the game to bed before the second half had even started.

One player who was once again exceptional was Rice, who continues to show that he is one of the Premier League’s outstanding midfielders.

As per Sofascore, the 22-year-old won three tackles and four duels at Selhurst Park, along with making three interceptions and completing the vast majority of his passes, with Sky Sports’ live commentary stating that he has ‘run this game in midfield’. He also claimed an assist with a sumptuous pass to Manuel Lanzini for West Ham’s second goal.

West Ham fans hail Rice’s performance

These Hammers fans took to Twitter to laud Rice’s display this evening, with one supporter dubbing him a “puppet master” giving how he pulled the strings in midfield.

“Declan Rice such a puppet master these days; nobody on that pitch anywhere near his level imo”

Credit: @fplchancer

“Lanzini. Rice, Benny, Fabi, give them lifetime contracts stat!”

Credit: @whueamon

“Declan Rice makes such a big difference it’s amazing”

Credit: @meko_hasani2002

“Rice to Lanzini, unreal”

Credit: @MadisonManningx

“@_DeclanRice is actually clear of anyone in that midfield role”

Credit: @connortomkins24

“Declan Rice would be world-class if he got better at lifting trophies with West Ham Utd. I was gonna say one trophy but we want them all. Prem, FA Cup, Europa League, we can only dream”

Credit: @brokubeats

In other news, a journalist has cast doubt over West Ham signing one Premier League player. Find out who it is here.

According to reports by Gazzetta dello Sport (via SportWitness), Tottenham are looking at Dušan Vlahović alternatives, leading to the monitoring of Sassuolo’s Gianluca Scamacca.

The Lowdown: Spurs need goals

Ever since Fabio Paratici arrived in London, Spurs have been linked with a move for Fiorentina’s Vlahović. The 21-year-old striker is in fantastic form this season, having scored 15 goals in 17 Serie A appearances, making him the league’s top goalscorer. Fabrizio Romano has claimed that it will take a bid of £59.5m to lure the youngster away from the Italian side.

These links emerged after Manchester City offered £125m for Harry Kane in the summer. Spurs of course rejected this offer, but retrospectively this seems like a hasty decision. Kane has struggled this campaign, having scored just one goal in 13 Premier League appearances.

At 29-years-old, the Englishman is in the prime years of his career. If Tottenham did decide to sell the striker, they may never receive an offer anywhere near this previous sum, and perhaps that is why they are searching for cheaper alternatives to Vlahović.

The Latest: Spurs monitoring Scamacca

According to a report by Gazzetta dello Sport (via SportWitness), Tottenham remain extremely interested in the signing of Vlahović.

However, the newspaper claim that Sassuolo’s Scamacca is currently being monitored by a couple of major English teams, and is deemed ‘popular’ in the Premier League.

Tottenham are allegedly one of the teams interested in the player, especially if Kane parts ways with the Lilywhites in 2022.

The Verdict: Sound alternative?

Vlahović is also on Manchester City’s radar, as Pep Guardiola remains without a proper striker. If the Premier League winners decide to not go in for Kane in the summer, it is expected that they will pursue the Serbia international, and perhaps that will take the decision out of Paratici’s hands.

However, Scamacca could prove to be a good alternative. Despite scoring just five goals in 17 appearances this season, the youngster has shown enough potential for Davide Ballardini, one of his managers at Genoa, to liken the 22-year-old to a young Christian Vieri.

The 6 foot 5 Scamacca is described by Whoscored as strong in the air and someone who ‘likes to tackle’, so perhaps he could be the perfect man to spearhead Antonio Conte’s new look Tottenham, performing the sort of role that Romelu Lukaku did for the manager last season at Inter.

Former England striker Kevin Phillips believes that Sam Johnstone will remain at West Brom despite interest from Premier League clubs.

The Lowdown: Johnstone linked with exit

Johnstone is among the Baggies’ most important players, given his status as a three-cap England international and possibly one of the best goalkeepers in the Championship.

The 28-year-old’s performances have been influential over an extended period of time, leading to reported interest from the likes of Southampton and West Ham.

The Latest: Phillips makes big claim

Despite that strong interest, Phillips has told Football Insider that he thinks Johnstone will ignore the current interest in him and remain at The Hawthorns for the rest of the season.

The former Sunderland striker said:

“I like Sam, he’s a fantastic goalkeeper. I actually don’t think he will want to leave.

“He’ll want to stay there and get them promoted and be playing for them again in the Premier League.

“It will take a big offer for him to want to go down there to Southampton, where we know goalkeeper is a position they desperately need.

“I think he’s quite happy where he is. I know it’s Premier League football, but he could well be playing in that league next season with West Brom.

“He’s shown loyalty. He could have pushed for a move in the summer but didn’t, and I hope he stays put.”

The Verdict: Must stay until the summer

It would be a huge blow for West Brom if they were to lose Johnstone midway through the campaign in January, at a point when their promotion push would be reaching a crucial stage. The 28-year-old has missed just two league games since joining the Baggies in 2018, illustrating his importance to the team under multiple managers.

However, should Valerien Ismael’s side fail to return to the Premier League, it would then be understandable if the English ‘keeper wants a fresh challenge next summer.

Ideally, Johnstone will help inspire the Baggies back into the top flight, remaining at the club for another few years and helping them build into the future.

In other news, some West Brom fans have been left dazzled by one player. Find out who it is here.

Netherlands and Scotland will be playing a one-dayer against Bangladesh in June

Cricinfo staff26-Feb-2010Two further one-day games have been added to Bangladesh’s tour of England, Ireland and Scotland, with Netherlands and Scotland announcing that they will play a one-dayer each against the touring side in June. Scotland will play Bangladesh on July 19 in Glasgow, which will also serve as the neutral venue for the match against Netherlands the following day.Prior to these games, Bangladesh will be in Ireland, where they will play two ODIs at Stormont in Belfast on July 15 and 16.Richard Cox, the Netherlands board chief executive, believed the games would be an important benchmark for the sides. “This is an exciting opportunity to play an ICC Full Member in Scotland at the end of what will have been a long tour for the exciting Bangladesh squad,” he said.”This game will be a big test for our side and they will be relishing the opportunity to play Bangladesh whose footsteps we hope to follow in years to come. The game will come on the back of the ICC World Cricket League to be held in the Netherlands in June and we therefore hope to be well and truly ready for the challenge.”Roddy Smith, Cricket Scotland’s chief executive, said the team would be looking forward to the clash, scheduled after England’s visit on June 19. “These games are always a major test for our players and they will be relishing the opportunity to play Bangladesh on home soil,” he said.Richard Holsworth, the ICC Europe regional development manager, also welcomed the fixtures. “Bangladesh agreeing to play Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands in one-day internationals this summer is great news for Europe and these countries. Now that all three high performance countries have a number of professional contracted players it is a hugely important they have regular competition with the Full Member countries.”

NWSL expansion side Bay FC smashed the world-record transfer fee to sign Madrid CFF superstar Racheal Kundananji on Tuesday.

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Bay FC sign Kundananji for world-record feeMadrid CFF superstar joins NWSL expansion sideLook ahead at 2024 campaignWHAT HAPPENED?

The Zambian superstar has signed from Madrid CFF in the biggest transfer in women's soccer history, for a staggering fee worth €735,000 ($788,000/£625,000). The 23-year-old striker will travel to the United States to now be one of the highest-paid players in the league, with a deal that will pay over $2m across her contract through 2026, according to

AdvertisementWHAT BAY FC

“We are delighted to add Racheal to our group,” said Bay FC General Manager Lucy Rushton. “She is a tremendous talent with dynamic attacking qualities and an incredible physical profile who has produced for both club and country. Racheal has a composure in-front of goal and a natural ability to score with different types of finishes and from various locations. We believe she will continue to grow and develop at our club, showcasing her skillset and adding to the array of exciting attacking talent we have here.”

GettyWHAT KUNDANANJI SAID

“Every place that I’ve been to, I always take something from there; I learn something from there,” Kundananji told . “Good or bad, to me it’s a good experience because you have to experience something to know something. I’m looking [forward] to having a great time in the U.S., have a great time with the team. Now, Bay FC is my new family.”

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THE BIGGER PICTURE

Kundananji, who has eight goals and two assists this campaign in Liga F, is one of the top prospects in all of women's soccer. After signing in Spain in 2022, she ended her debut season with 25 goals across all competitions for Madrid CFF. Now, she's taking her talents to the West Coast to be the first-ever superstar signing for Bay FC ahead of their inaugural season.

Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh’s captain, Bangladesh’s captain, is aiming to hold India to a draw in the upcoming first Test starting January 17 in Chittagong

Cricinfo staff15-Jan-2010Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh’s captain, is aiming to hold India to a draw in the upcoming first Test starting January 17 in Chittagong. Bangladesh have not played a Test since July and have been fed a steady diet of one-day matches since, but Shakib did not believe the team would be rusty ahead of what will be their toughest series since January of last year.”I think the battle between India and Bangladesh this time will be an interesting one because the opponents have a long batting line-up while we have a few quality bowlers. However, we don’t bother much about the result of the match,” he told reporters during a training session in Chittagong. “But a draw will be good for us. I am confident that we will have a good chance if we can score 700 runs in the two innings.”Bangladesh’s last Test assignment, against a severely depleted West Indies, saw them win their first overseas series. That contest was highlighted by good bowling, especially from the spinners. Since that series, Bangladesh have played only limited-overs cricket, which included a series win over Zimbabwe at home and a winless streak in the recent tri-series featuring India and Sri Lanka.”It is true we didn’t play a Test match for quite sometime, but hopefully that won’t pose any major problem for us to adapt to the Test mould,” said Shakib. “We batted well in the last ODIs of the tri-nation series and want to show improvement in our game in the field, not through words.”