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USA coach Pubudu Dassanayake has praised his side for bouncing back after two losses at the end of the group stage to claim the WCL Division Four title last Saturday in Los Angeles and believes that USA will be one of the teams promoted from the Division Three tournament, due to be held in Uganda next year.”I took this job to take in that challenge that I want to win tournaments,” Dassanayake told ESPNcricinfo. “I wouldn’t have settled for runner-up in the final. The first five games in the league round, I was not that happy the way we fielded and some of the things that happened on the field. We had long, long chats in team meetings.”In the final, when I saw everybody putting that extra effort on the field doing the small things right to win the game, that was the number one moment for me. As a coach, when you set up a plan and the whole team is buying into it and doing that thing on the field, that’s a fantastic feeling. So a lot of credit to the boys and I’m very happy how things went in the final.”USA beat Oman by 13 runs in the tournament final, their second win of the tournament against a side that had made a splash at the World T20 earlier this year. In the league stage, USA beat Oman by eight wickets with more than 20 overs to spare but Dassanayake felt the win in the final was more impressive.Having opted to bat first, USA were 5 for 3 before fighting their way to 208. They went on to defend their total in the absence of two injured frontline bowlers, Ali Khan and Danial Ahmed. Khan’s replacement, Jessy Singh, was named Man of the Match for his 3 for 29 and 37 not out at No. 10, while Ahmed’s spin fill-in Prashanth Nair contributed a key spell of 1 for 37.”I’m very happy how especially Prashanth and Jessy performed because they were a few of the guys who really put a lot of hard work in training,” Dassanayake said. “They stayed behind after the Auty Cup and worked hard, not only batting and bowling but fitness. I was kind of uncomfortable leaving those guys out when the big names came back into the team but it’s fantastic that they got the opportunity and proved they belonged in the final XI. As a coach, you can’t ask for better when you see people work hard and then come in and perform.”I keep saying that USA has one of the best fast-bowling units. Even some of the guys who didn’t make the 14, they are good enough coming into any of these Associate teams. So we are lucky to have that but it’s good to have the competition. That’s how you lift up the level of the game. Everyone understands if you work hard and do things right, you can find a place in the team. That’s how I want to see this team growing. There’s a lot of examples and a lot of competition within the team and that’s a good sign for us moving into Division Three.”Dassanayake was also pleased with how USA’s captain Steven Taylor’s leadership progressed over the course of the tournament. Taylor turned 23 on Wednesday and was the youngest player in USA’s squad though he has played for the side since 2010. Dassanayake said there are still some growing pains to work through but he was happy with how Taylor learned from mistakes.Dassanayake on Steven Taylor: ” I think he’s going to be a top captain in the coming days”.•Peter Della Penna

“Overall I’m very happy how Steven performed from the bat, ball and as a captain,” Dassanayake said. “This is his first tour as a captain and there were downs as well during this tournament but for a leader it’s all about taking gambles and you stand for your decisions. He’s a character like that and I think he’s going to be a top captain in the coming days.”Lots of credit for him also winning the final defending 209, getting the bowlers and field settings right, keeping the team together. Some of those things didn’t happen in the beginning of the tournament but I think he’s gaining knowledge in how to lead the team. I’m looking forward to the future with Steven as a captain.”When asked if Taylor overbowled himself compared to the specialist bowling options – his 44 overs in the league stage were the most by a USA bowler and he finished with 49 overs, second only to Timil Patel for the side, and took six wickets – Dassanayake highlighted the USA captain’s all-round skills and labelled him the team’s top offspinner. Dassanayake said, however, that a better effort can be made to ensure specialist bowlers complete their full quota.”I think the main idea is that whoever plays as a bowler, we need to get their maximum [overs] for sure, but at the same time there are situations where the left-hander comes in and he’s [Taylor] our main offspinner,” Dassanayake said. “Even though Steven is our sixth bowler, he’s come into our top bowling unit. I don’t mind him sharing some overs with the main bowlers because of the quality he has as an offspinner.”USA will now have approximately five to six months to prepare for WCL Division Three, which according to sources is likely to be held in April or May of 2017. Along with Oman and Uganda, USA will take on Canada, Singapore and Malaysia in the hopes of securing another top-two finish and a promotion to Division Two.The side had three prior cracks at advancing from Division Three – in 2011, 2013 and 2014 – and failed on each occasion with the first and last attempts resulting in relegation back to Division Four. Dassanayake is aware of the challenge that lies ahead of the USA squad is confident that he can lead a change in fortunes.”Those four teams, and including Oman and USA, they all have played lots of cricket in Division Three and even some teams in Division Two and One,” Dassanayake said. “So I don’t think we can relax for any of these games.”But the confidence that I have, especially seeing the team in the final and the quality of cricket we played, fixing a few issues in the batting order and maybe in the bowling department also, I think we’ll be one of the teams going into Division Two from Division Three. I have that confidence but at the same time we have a good six months to sort out things that need to be corrected. I think this team will go into Division Three with lots of confidence to move into Division Two.”

Vishaul Singh’s career-best 161 and offspinner Rahkeem Cornwall’s fourth five-wicket haul in as many matches led West Indies A to a 333-run win over Sri Lanka A in the second four-day game

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Oct-2016
ScorecardFile photo – Rahkeem Cornwall took his fourth five-wicket haul in as many matches•AFPBatsman Vishaul Singh’s career-best 161, and offspinner Rahkeem Cornwall’s 6 for 91 led West Indies A’s 333-run rout of Sri Lanka A in the second four-day game at the Pallekele International Stadium. West Indies A levelled the three-match series with the win.West Indies A were put in to bat by Sri Lanka A captain Dimuth Karunaratne, and discarded Test opener Rajendra Chandrika, who had not scored in double figures in his last four innings, roared back into form with 84. Chandrika overcame a niggle, which forced him to retire hurt on 51, on the first day and returned on the second day to continue his innings.In Chandrika’s absence, Vishaul and Jahmar Hamilton, who missed his fourth first-class century when he was run out on 99, powered them to 331 for 5 at the end of the opening day.Chandrika joined Vishaul, who resumed on 81, on the second morning, and added 54 more for the sixth wicket. Vishaul batted on after the partnership ended, and was the ninth man dismissed, with West Indies A having amassed 509. Offspinner Charith Asalanka took 4 for 104 for Sri Lanka A.In reply, Sri Lanka A were reduced to 37 for 4. Karunaratne (68) led a fightback through a fifth-wicket stand of 97 with Niroshan Dickwella, who top-scored with 88. However, only other batsman, Asela Gunaratne (46), got into double figures as Sri Lanka A folded for 245. Cornwall finished with 6 for 91 his fourth five-wicket haul in as many matches.Having taken a 264-run lead, West Indies A declared their second innings at 216 for 3 in 41 overs, courtesy half-centuries from Chandrika (68), Brooks (53 not out) and Hamilton (56 not out). Brooks slammed three fours and two sixes, and Hamilton slapped five fours and four sixes in his 30-ball knock as West Indies A plundered their last 80 runs off 51 balls.Set 481 to win, Sri Lanka A lost both their openers with the score on seven, and thereafter slid continuously. Legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay’s career-best 47 at No. 9 only delayed the inevitable as Sri Lanka A were shot out for 147. Delorn Johnson, Kemar Roach, Gudakesh Motie and Keon Joseph took two wickets each. Cornwall added one more to his first-innings six, and now has 52 wickets in his last 13 innings.The final game begins from October 18 in Dambulla.

Journalist Charles Watts has claimed that Arsenal could make around £40m if they opted to cash in on Emile Smith Rowe this summer amid uncertainty over his future.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

With Champions League football on offer next season, you can expect the Gunners to be busy as they look to strengthen their squad and offload unwanted players.

The first step to this looks to be the sale of Granit Xhaka to Bayer Leverkusen, which may help fund a move for West Ham United ace Declan Rice.

No doubt, though, more players will be sold to make way for alternative squad options for Mikel Arteta and there has been talk that Smith Rowe could be one man on the market.

While talking about this possibility on his YouTube channel, Watts explained that talks about the player's future will happen behind the scenes in the coming months, but suggested that he could be sued to bring in "significant funds”.

He said: (11:16): “If Arsenal do agree to sell Smith Rowe, which we'll have to wait and see – talks will happen about that at some point in the summer.

“You know, again, £30m for Smith Rowe/£40m for Smith Rowe, when you sort of compare him to other young English players.

"Arsenal have got the opportunity for the first time in a long time to really bring in some significant funds.”

What are Emile Smith Rowe's wages?

Seeing as Aston Villa once bid £30m for the midfielder it's not hard to see why Watts believes the Englishman could bring in a sizable chunk of change this summer.

After all, that offer was rejected in 2021, and then Smith Rowe went on to score 10 league goals the following season, surely adding to his transfer value.

However, this term – partly due to injuries – he has been on the outskirts of Arteta's plans, seeing just 146 minutes of action in the Premier League up to this point.

On only £40k-p/w, at least wages wouldn't be a major concern for any teams who do want to sign Smith Rowe. Even so, it remains unclear how much Arsenal will actually demand – if they even intend to sell him – but after playing little football over the past 12 months, his value may well have decreased somewhat.

All in all, it seems as though the player's future is still up in the air.

Arsenal have made contact to sign Galatasaray defender Sacha Boey who's been seriously endorsed by former right-back Bacary Sagna.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

The Premier League title-chasers can still pip league leaders Man City and clinch their first domestic crown in nearly 20 years, yet the Blues' one-game and one point advantage means they quite simply cannot afford to drop anymore points.

Mikel Arteta's side are relying on a slip up from Pep Guardiola before potentially pouncing, but if City don't relent on their imperious recent form, you can certainly make a case that this season has been a successful one for Arsenal regardless.

It was just 12 months ago that the north Londoners missed out on Champions League football to arch rivals Tottenham, but a year later they're guaranteed top four and the subsequent riches of Europe for 2023/2024.

As a result, there have been suggestions of transfer activity at the Emirates ahead of a busy summer window, with Edu and co targeting central midfield stars.

They're also in the market for new defenders, especially after injuries to the likes of centre-back William Saliba, with reports out of Turkey claiming Boey of Galatasary is a player on their radar.

According to Akşam, as also translated by Sport Witness, Arsenal have made contact to sign the 22-year-old who is among the players most likely to leave the Nef Stadium.

It's claimed that Arteta's side are "seriously interested" in the right-back, who's already admitted that he "dreams" of a move to England's top flight.

Speaking to Transfermarkt last month, as relayed by TUTTOmercatoWEB, Boey explained:

“My dream remains the Premier League, like most players. And then it’s a league that fits well with my aggressive style of play. I like the Bundesliga too."

What could Boey bring to Arsenal?

As Scotland international Kieran Tierney is up for the chopping block this summer, with reports suggesting he could depart, we believe Boey may be a brilliant replacement.

The Frenchman has been a mainstay for Galatasary in the Turkish Super Lig this season, starting 28 league games and impressing as their second-best overall performer behind Mauro Icardi (WhoScored).

Boey has also been seriously endorsed by former Gunners full-back Sagna, who recently explained that he would be perfect for Arteta, stating (via milliyet.com and daily cannon):

“Galatasaray’s Sacha Boey is a player I really like.“I think he will fit perfectly into Arsenal. As a right-back too, I have to say I think he’s great. I’m sure many clubs have Sacha Boey in mind."

ScorecardAdam Rossington cut loose to rapidly build Northamptonshire’s lead•Getty Images

A career-best 138 not out from Adam Rossington has put Northamptonshire in a position to push for their first win of the season in the Specsavers County Championship.Rossington, who was playing as a specialist batsman because of an injury to his left hand, hit five sixes and 16 fours in an impressive display to help his side establish a first innings lead of 300 against Sussex at Arundel.They declared on 478 for 5 but Sussex openers Ed Joyce and Chris Nash successfully negotiated 24 hours before stumps to reach 70 without loss, still 230 behind with a day to go.The experienced pair adopted a risk-free approach against attacking fields with Nash unbeaten on 36 and Joyce 28 not out.Rossington had earlier helped Northants speed towards their declaration 25 minutes after tea on the third day in an unbroken stand of 199 in 39 overs with wicketkeeper David Murphy, a sixth wicket county record against Sussex, beating the 178 by Rob Bailey and David Ripley at Northampton in 1990.The former Middlesex batsman was particularly savage on legspinner Luke Wells, hitting him for four sixes before swiping Ajmal Shahzad over the long-on rope. Murphy gave him good support with an unbeaten 60 as batting conditions eased on a pitch lacking pace.Sussex had a glimmer of hope just after lunch when they reduced Northants to 279 for 5, but on a wicket offering their seam attack little margin for error they failed to make the most of the second new ball as Rossington grew in confidence.The day had started well for Sussex. Ollie Robinson drew Alex Wakely with his first ball of the second day and had the Northants’ skipper caught behind, but the visitors regained the initiative in a punishing fourth-wicket alliance of 119 in 27.3 overs between Rob Keogh and debutant Sean Terry.Former Hampshire batsman Terry, who is on non-contract terms, improved his chances of a permanent deal by scoring 54 only to give it away just before lunch when he hit Harry Finch to deep midwicket.Keogh batted well for his 75, compiled in just under three hours with 11 fours, only to lose concentration just after lunch when he tamely prodded forward to Shahzad and was caught behind.Northamptonshire’s lead was 101 at that point but Rossington and Murphy extended it impressively during the afternoon session.

Manchester City are thought to be leading Real Madrid in the race to sign Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, according to ESPN.

What’s the latest Man City news on Bellingham?

Bellingham appears to be a man in real demand heading into the summer window, with City seemingly real admirers of the England international. Reports back in February claimed that those at the Etihad Stadium were starting talks over a move for the 19-year-old and were thought to be the frontrunners at the time.

Since then, there has been speculation of a midfielder leaving Manchester over the coming months, with Ilkay Gundogan reportedly having his heart set on joining Barcelona.

Bellingham and Florian Wirtz have been marked as potential replacements for Gundogan, and it looks as if there is a positive feeling around the Etihad at a move for the former of the two Bundesliga midfielders.

ESPN shared an update regarding Bellingham’s situation in the last 48 hours after it emerged that Premier League rivals Liverpool had backed away from a transfer.

They stated that City are leading the race for the player and are ‘growing increasingly confident’ they can get a deal done. Dortmund haven’t given up hope of keeping the Englishman for a further 12 months, with any move away likely to cost more than £130m, which would be a club record at the Etihad.

Haaland to help Man City sign Bellingham?

City have reaped the rewards of signing a star player from Borussia Dortmund last summer in Erling Haaland, with the striker scoring an incredible 45 times in 39 games so far this season.

The 22-year-old knows Bellingham well following his time at Dortmund, and there had been speculation that he has told the midfielder to join City, so he could be in his former teammates' ear once again over the coming months.

A new central midfielder is seemingly needed in Pep Guardiola’s squad, especially as City would be without a central midfielder if Gundogan departs this summer. They have a number of defensive and attacking midfielders, so Bellingham, primarily a central midfielder, could be an excellent addition in both the short and long term.

Described as a “superstar” by Roy Keane, Bellingham appears to have everything in his game, contributing to 17 goals this season and topping Dortmund’s charts for match rating and tackles made per 90, as per WhoScored. It could set back City a record transfer fee, but it looks as if they are keen and confident of winning the race.

Aston Villa continued their excellent recent form with a 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest which has moved the club into the dizzying heights of sixth place in the Premier League table – an arguably unthinkable thought when Unai Emery took over last year.

Villa dominated the first half, having 69% possession, yet they couldn’t find a breakthrough, and it was 0-0 heading into the half-time interval.

Leon Bailey had to be substituted during the first half due to injury and Bertrand Traore replaced him. He was the match-winning hero against Leicester City in midweek, and it didn’t take him long to score again, netting just after the break.

Ollie Watkins sealed the victory in the dying minutes and the club are clearly enjoying themselves right now. Traore, clearly thriving in confidence, also managed three shots in total, was fouled twice and lost possession just four times in another solid performance, although it was perhaps another Villa star who made sure all three points were secured in defender Tyrone Mings.

How did Tyrone Mings perform against Nottingham Forest?

The defender has been excellent since Emery arrived at Villa Park, going from strength to strength and helping the club keep seven clean sheets since returning to domestic duty after the World Cup.

Mings was once again outstanding today following his solid display against the Foxes on Tuesday night, winning two of his three duels and making six clearances – and the quick turnaround clearly didn’t affect him this afternoon.

The 30-year-old took 95 touches during the match, suggesting he was comfortable on the ball and wanted to start attacks from the heart of the defence, while achieving a Sofascore rating of 7.3/10, ranking him as the second-highest outfield player behind goalscorer Watkins.

The English titan was rock solid at the back, making two interceptions, one clearance and winning six out of his seven duels, failing to let Forest gain any sort of foothold in the game and nullifying their attacking options.

He was also successful with six of his nine long ball attempts and completed an impressive 88% of his total passes, and Emery surely now has one of the finest English centre-backs in the Premier League at his disposal.

His performance was integral to yet another win for Villa, and even though the likes of Watkins and Traore will get all the headlines, we think Mings’ incredible defensive display should be equally praised.

Tottenham Hotspur are yet to enter ‘serious discussions’ about Antonio Conte’s future and the ‘monumental’ job at hand may scare off some managers, according to Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge.

The Lowdown: Conte to leave?

Conte’s contract is set to expire at the end of the campaign, and while reports once claimed he’d held talks with the Tottenham hierarchy about extending his stay, there is now said to be a good chance that he leaves in the summer.

As such, Daniel Levy has commenced the process of finding a replacement, with it recently being reported that the chairman is struggling in his attempts to convince the ‘fantastic’ former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel to take the job.

It has also been revealed that the Spurs board ‘will consider’ Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou, while fans have been left fuming by the reports claiming Marco Silva is the main contender to replace the Italian.

The Latest: Bridge’s update

In an interview with GiveMeSport, Bridge detailed that Tottenham are yet to hold any crunch talks about their manager’s future, while the likes of Tuchel may not fancy such a major rebuild.

The reporter said: “The squad needs a real rebuild, but again, you’ve got doubts over the manager, you’ve got doubts over the director of football, you’ve got doubts over the club captain Hugo Lloris, and you’ve got doubts over one of the best strikers in the world in Harry Kane. So there’s no doubt about it, it’s going to be such a monumental summer for the football club.

“Thomas Tuchel might look at it and think, ‘It’s too much for me to do it.’ I think he would be one name on a long list if and when the discussion comes but, to my knowledge, there’s been no sort of serious discussions on his [Conte’s] future as of yet. Whether that changes as we come to maybe April, we’ll see.”

The Verdict: Should Conte stay?

After leading the Lilywhites to a fourth-place finish last season, the 53-year-old has been unable to build on the foundations laid, recently crashing out of both the Champions League and FA Cup at the round of 16 stage.

It has not been the easiest season for the Lecce-born coach on a personal level, requiring gallbladder surgery a little over a month ago, which meant Cristian Stellini had a prolonged spell in the dugout.

As such, while Tottenham are still well on track to secure Champions League football again, currently sitting in fourth place, it may be best for all parties if they mutually part ways at the end of the season.

If Conte is to depart, Tuchel would be a very exciting appointment, given his proven track record of success during spells with Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.

Manchester United head into Sunday’s Premier League encounter with bitter rivals Liverpool following what has been a potentially season-defining week for Erik ten Hag’s side, with the in-form outfit having enjoyed success in all three cup competitions in the space of just six days.

The most recent triumph over David Moyes’ West Ham United saw the Red Devils overcome a shaky start to produce a stunning late finale at the Theatre of Dreams, with a Nayef Aguerd own goal drawing the hosts level following Said Benrahma’s opener, before late strikes from both Alejandro Garnacho and fellow South American star, Fred clinched progression into the quarter-final stage.

With a mouthwatering meeting at Anfield now on the horizon, United will now be looking to keep pace with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City at the summit, with there still lingering hope that Ten Hag’s men can be in with a shout of clinching the title come May.

One possible concern for the Old Trafford giants will be the doubts surrounding the fitness of defender Luke Shaw, with the England international having sat out the win over the Hammers with what his manager described as a “small injury”.

Despite that potential blow, however, the 27-year-old’s positional rival Tyrell Malacia more than staked his claim for a starting berth on Merseyside following what was a “magnificent performance” on Wednesday evening, in the words of Statman Dave.

Will Malacia play against Liverpool?

The £14.7m summer arrival has largely had to play second fiddle to teammate Shaw in recent months – having started just ten league games all season – although the 23-year-old showcased that he is up for the fight against the Irons, having been a typically tenacious presence at left-back.

The £75k-per-week “pitbull” – as previously lauded by ex-United boss Louis van Gaal – notably won eight of his nine duels on the night from his defensive berth, including recording seven tackles, having also made five interceptions and contributed four clearances as a marker of his defensive prowess.

The 78-touch machine also completed 100% of his total dribbles and committed just one foul, with the diminutive gem having regularly shown great determination to get ahead of his man in order to win back possession cleanly.

There was undoubtedly some erratic moments in an attacking sense from the Dutchman – as he fired an errant cross high and wide late on – although it is hard to ignore his contribution defensively, with the six-cap ace’s committed display seeing him earn a 7.7 match rating, as per Sofascore.

Such doggedness will no doubt be needed up against the likes of Mohamed Salah this weekend, albeit with Malacia having proven in the reverse fixture that he can be more than a match for the Egyptian, as he ‘defended stoutly’ on what was an ‘encouraging full debut’ back in August, as per Manchester Evening News journalist, Samuel Luckhurst.

That performance – in which the former Feyenoord man won six duels – should provide encouragement that the Rotterdam native can again thrive this time around if he is given the nod against Jurgen Klopp’s men, with Shaw’s injury having provided the 5 foot 7 menace the chance to nail down a regular role moving forward.

TalkSport’s Alan Brazil believes that Antonio Conte will leave Tottenham Hotspur this summer and be replaced by Mauricio Pochettino.

The Lowdown: Spurs struggling for consistency

Tottenham have been in and out of good form this season, having picked up points against the champions last weekend and progressed to the knockout stages of the Champions League, yet they find themselves sitting outside of the top four.

Due to this form, there has constantly been talk about Conte’s future and how he is seemingly unwilling to sign an extended deal that would keep him in north London for the foreseeable future.

If that is to be the case, Daniel Levy will surely already have candidates in mind from which to appoint a successor come the summer if Conte does leave – and someone who’s been linked with a return is Pochettino.

The Latest: Pochettino backed to replace Conte

Brazil has been speaking on TalkSport about how Pochettino will replace Conte this summer, but claimed no matter who the manager is, Levy must hand the man in charge a decent transfer budget.

He said: “I’ve been disappointed with Spurs, but you look at the table, you look at what they’re left in, and I’ve just said I think they can overcome Milan in London, I do. I think they can go through to the next round.

“I’ll say it again, that I’m told that he’s probably going to leave and Poch will come in, but whoever comes in has got to have money to improve – especially the midfield.”

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The Verdict: May be difficult to improve Tottenham

While it is easy for Brazil to say Spurs have to spend money this summer on players and improve their midfield, things may well have just got far more complicated, as Iranian-American billionaire Jahm Najafi is now reportedly readying a £3.1bn takeover of Tottenham.

This could make Spurs’ situation seem less clear in terms of how much money will be made available if ENIC and Levy were to leave in the near future, as well as who the new owners may want as manager.

No matter who the manager or owner is in the summer, though, at least one new midfielder surely has to be brought in, as in midweek, Conte had no choice but to hand Champions League debuts to Oliver Skipp and Pape Matar Sarr, which shows how desperate they are for reinforcements in that particular area.