O Botafogo agita o mercado da bola. Já são três reforços confirmados e a possibilidade de chegar mais: o clube negocia com Luís Oyama, Patrick de Paula e Victor Sá. O Alvinegro não deve parar por aí e tem mais duas prioridades para o Campeonato Brasileiro: lateral-esquerdo e meio-campo.
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Os dois setores são considerados como prioridades para esse período de curto prazo e o clube busca nomes visando a competição nacional. Nomes que encaixam no modelo de jogo já foram mapeados e consultas iniciais com atletas das posições já foram realizadas.
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Fernando Marçal, como o LANCE! publicou, é um nome que o Botafogo negocia para a lateral-esquerda. O defensor do Wolverhampton-ING, contudo, viria apenas em junho, ao final da temporada europeia. O Alvinegro quer outro atleta para o setor agora – a tendência é que seja um jogador mais novo.
O meio-campo é uma posição considerada com poucas opções e que precisa de mais alternativas para aguentar a temporada. Há um ‘senso de urgência’, mas menor do que em outros setores – como a própria lateral-esquerda e na volância, onde o Botafogo negocia com Patrick de Paula e Luís Oyama.
Se a ideia de John Textor era trazer de seis a oito jogadores para o Campeonato Brasileiro este número deve ser batido. Philipe Sampaio, Lucas Piazon e Renzo Saravia já foram oficializados e treinam com o elenco.
Vale lembrar que essas posições são pensadas a curto prazo, para o Brasileirão. O Botafogo pensa em mais nomes para julho, quando a temporada europeia acaba – esses jogadores, obviamente, não reforçariam o time neste momento. Esses são os casos de Edinson Cavani, grande sonho de Textor, e Eran Zahavi, que tem conversas.
Real Madrid are now sniffing around Chelsea once more and reportedly want to take another of their stars to the Spanish capital in the not too distant future, according to a fresh report.
Chelsea and Real Madrid do regular transfer business
Prior to the arrival of Todd Boehly and Enzo Maresca, Chelsea and Real Madrid have not been strangers to doing transfer business together. 18 players have played for both clubs, and Eden Hazard, Antonio Rudiger and Thibaut Courtois have all made the move fromthe Premier League giants to the Santiago Bernabeu in recent seasons, all to differing outcomes.
Prior to that, the likes of Ricardo Carvalho and Arjen Robben also made the switch, while Mateo Kovacic, Claude Makelele and Alvaro Morata have all moved the other way.
Chelsea now want to sign the new "heir to Thiago Silva" for Enzo Maresca
The Blues are keen to strengthen their backline under the former Leicester City boss.
ByBen Browning Dec 9, 2024
In recent years, it seemed most likely that Reece James would be the next one to tread that path, with reports claiming that Los Blancos were eyeing a move for the Englishman to replace Dani Carvajal 12 months ago.
However, no such move materialised, and injuries have halted Reece James’ career once more after he missed most of last season following surgery. In the time since, Real Madrid have changed their focus, and now want to sign England teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold, who will become a free agent at the end of the current campaign and could well leave Liverpool to join friend Jude Bellingham in Spain.
Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold
Though that may spell good news for Chelsea, Real Madrid’s newfound interest in one of James’ teammates at Stamford Bridge may be far worse.
Real Madrid want "special" Chelsea man
That comes as a shock report in Spain claims that Real Madrid are now monitoring Chelsea talisman Cole Palmer ahead of a potential move for the England international. Palmer found the net twice in the 4-2 win over Tottenham to take his tally to 11 goals for the season alongside six assists, and helping Chelsea move up to second in the Premier League in the process.
In fact, since moving to Stamford Bridge a little over 12 months ago, the former Manchester City man has blossomed into one of the Premier League’s best players, registering 50 goal contributions in just 47 outings.
After his latest performance, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher dubbed him a “special” player and one of the best in Europe.
“He is going to go down as one of the biggest players for Chelsea if he keeps doing what he is doing. He is a very special player, and that’s not just in the Premier League it is in Europe and world football as well”, he explained.
Cole Palmer in the Premier League since joining Chelsea
Appearances
47
Goals
33
Assists
17
Minutes per goal/assist
78.4
And that has reportedly caught the eye of the European Champions, with the report claiming that Real Madrid “have him in their sights” for a future window and Florentino Perez values “both the midfielder’s footballing qualities and his potential to become a global icon”, in keeping with his former Galacticos project.
In truth, any deal in the near future seems highly unlikely, with Palmer and Bellingham already fighting for the same position for England, and likely to end up doing so for Real Madrid.
That is even before the cost of the operation is taken into account, with Palmer still having a mammoth nine years left to run on his £130,000 a week deal at Stamford Bridge and not agitating for a move, which would likely force Real Madrid to put up a record fee to land the Englishman.
With Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham and Arda Güler all among the stable of young talent already at Carlo Ancelotti’s disposal, and Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr both key memebers of the squad, adding Palmer seems more like a pipe dream than a reality.
Half-centuries from Scott Borthwick and David Bedingham put Glamorgan on back foot
ECB Reporters Network09-Apr-2022
Alex Lees made an unbeaten 163•Getty Images
An undefeated hundred from England opener Alex Lees put Durham in charge of their LV= Insurance County Championship fixture against Glamorgan in Cardiff as the visitors reached 348 for 3, a first-innings lead of 114.Much of the previous two days have been lost to weather but Durham have put themselves in a position where they could push for a win.Lees was well supported by captain Scott Borthwick who made 64 and David Bedingham who made a quick-fire half-century as just three wickets fell on the third day of this match. Durham will resume their first innings on the final day and will need quick runs and quick wickets if they are to claim a positive result.Lees, back with Durham after making his Test debut last month in the Caribbean, looked in excellent touch on his way to 163 not out. He took his guard outside off stump when the Glamorgan seamers came around the wicket and this neutralised much of their threat, although there were two very good shouts for lbw early in his innings that were turned down.Michael Jones and Sean Dickson were both dismissed by Timm van der Gugten who bowled with decent pace and late movement. The other Glamorgan seamers found success harder to come by and although there were times when Lees played and missed, edges were not found and appeals were not upheld.With the short boundary on the Grandstand side of the ground and a quick outfield Glamorgan’s bowlers did a good job to keep things tight even with wickets hard to come by. The best chance for a further dismissal in the afternoon session was when van der Gugten induced a leading edge from Borthwick that ballooned just over the head of Kiran Carlson in the covers.Durham reached the tea interval at 163 for 2 with Lees and Borthwick both in control. Lees reached his 18th first-class century from 226 balls, getting to the landmark with a lovely drive for four through wide mid-on off Callum Taylor.Borthwick passed his fifty from 93 balls as he and Lees shared a stand worth 147 for the third wicket. It was the seventh bowler Glamorgan used, Andrew Salter, who got the breakthrough when Borthwick drove one into the hands of Sam Northeast at midwicket.There was a changed of gears once Lees reached his hundred with the scoring rate ticking upwards, but it was when Bedingham came to the crease that the push for the win really started. The South African continued his fantastic form for Western Province in his first match of this season with Durham as he passed fifty from just 56 balls. His last three first-class innings before this match were 81, 71 and 199. He was on 74 from 78 balls at the close.There are 104 overs scheduled for Sunday and the quick rate that Durham put on their runs in the evening session has set up an interesting final day.
England fast bowler’s injury problems deepen with news of latest setback
Matt Roller19-May-2022
Jofra Archer had been doing rehab from elbow surgery with England in the Caribbean•Getty Images
Jofra Archer has been ruled out of the 2022 English summer with a stress fracture of the lower back as the injury saga which threatens to jeopardise his career rolls on.Archer, who last played for England in March 2021, had hoped to make his comeback from a long-term elbow injury for Sussex in the T20 Blast next week and had planned to play some second-team warm-up matches before their opening fixture against Glamorgan next Thursday.But he never made it on to the pitch and the ECB confirmed on Thursday morning that had been ruled out for the rest of the season after being diagnosed with a back problem.Related
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“No timeframe has been set for his return,” a statement read. “A management plan will be determined following further specialist opinion over the coming days.”Archer, 27, has undergone three bouts of surgery in the last 14 months: one on his hand to remove a shard of glass, and two on his elbow.He made an aborted comeback after the first elbow surgery, playing one T20 Blast game and one Royal London Cup warm-up match for Sussex, before he was diagnosed with a stress fracture, prompting the second operation in December.He trained with England in Barbados as part of his rehabilitation during their T20I and Test tours to the Caribbean earlier this year and skipped the ongoing IPL – after he was signed for INR 8 crore (USD 1.06 million) by Mumbai Indians – with the intention of returning to competitive cricket in time for the start of the Blast.Archer admitted earlier this month that he had feared for his career at one stage during his lay-off and his latest setback will raise unavoidable concerns as to whether his body will be able to cope with the demands of first-class cricket again.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
The ECB was already concerned about the number of English fast bowlers suffering injuries, with Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood, Olly Stone, Saqib Mahmood and Matthew Fisher among the seamers who were not considered for selection for the first Test squad of the summer.”It’s definitely a concern and trying to find out why this is happening is something that we need to look into,” Rob Key, England’s managing director of men’s cricket, said on Wednesday. “We need to make sure that hopefully, it never happens again. But as you know with all fast bowlers, these unfortunately are the things that do happen – stress fractures in particular.”Archer is the third quick to be afflicted by a back stress injury this season. Mahmood was ruled out for the summer earlier this week, while Fisher was initially rested for four weeks due to concern around a “hot spot” before Yorkshire said he would face a further spell of monitoring.
في خطوة تعكس مدى الثقة التي يكنها ريال مدريد لنجمه، فينيسيوس جونيور، يعتزم النادي منح مكافأة مستحقة للجناح على ما قدمه من أداء مبهر في السنوات الماضية، وعلى ولائه الكامل للملكي.
ويلعب فينيسيوس مع ريال مدريد منذ عام 2018 بعدما انتقل إليه من صفوف فلامنجو، كانت البداية غير جيدة، ولكن تطور أداء البرازيلي وأصبح الأفضل في العام الماضي وحصل على جائزة “ذا بيست” من فيفا.
وبحسب صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية، فإن ريال مدريد يقترب من تمديد عقد فينيسيوس لمدة 5 سنوات أخرى حتى 30 يونيو 2030.
اقرأ أيضًا | أنشيلوتي يعلن موقف مبابي من مباراة برشلونة.. ويؤكد: ريال مدريد ليس ضحية لهذه الدرجة
التجديد الجديد، الذي قد يُعلن قبل نهاية الموسم الجاري، لا يقتصر فقط على التمديد، بل يتضمن زيادات مالية وشروطًا جديدة تعكس القيمة الحقيقية للاعب داخل المشروع الرياضي لنادي ريال مدريد، ما يجعله أحد أعلى اللاعبين أجرًا في الفريق، كنوع من الاعتراف بمكانته.
فينيسيوس، الذي انضم إلى ريال مدريد في سنّ مبكرة، تحوّل إلى أحد أعمدة الفريق الرئيسية، وساهم بأهداف حاسمة في تتويجات النادي الأخيرة، وعلى رأسها دوري أبطال أوروبا، ما جعله يحظى بثقة الإدارة والجماهير على حدّ سواء.
ووفقًا للتقرير، فإن ريال مدريد لم يكن لديه أدنى شك في رغبته في الإبقاء على فينيسيوس، فيما أبدى اللاعب رغبة واضحة بالبقاء، وهو ما عبر عنه صراحة في مقابلة حديثة مع المركز الإعلامي للنادي، مؤكدًا أن مستقبله في الملكي، وهو ما يُترجم الآن بعقد طويل الأمد.
الخطوة تُعد أيضًا رسالة واضحة من ريال مدريد إلى الأندية الخارجية، خاصة في السعودية، التي كانت تأمل في استقطاب نجم بحجم فينيسيوس إلى دوري روشن، أسوة بما حدث مع كريستيانو رونالدو وبنزيما، لكن اللاعب فضل البقاء في أعلى مستوى تنافسي ممكن.
بهذا التجديد، يكون ريال مدريد قد وجّه رسالة ليعبر عن تقديره للاعبه الشاب، وفي المقابل، يفرض استقرارًا مهمًا على مستوى مشروعه الكروي، في ظل طموحات متجددة للعودة إلى قمة القارة الأوروبية في الموسم المقبل، مع لاعبين ملتزمين وطموحين على غرار فينيسيوس.
Liverpool are “in the race” to sign an “unbelievable” defender, and talks could be held in the January transfer window, according to journalist Christian Falk.
Liverpool keen on a left-back
Having failed to reach his usual heights so far this season, the Reds are looking at finding a replacement for long-serving left-back Andy Robertson, and they have identified a number of targets. Antonee Robinson and Milos Kerkez are two of the Premier League stars being considered by Arne Slot, in light of their impressive performances in the first half of the season.
Although Robertson is deemed to be an important player, there is a belief that a younger option is required for the future, and Kerkez particularly fits the bill, given that he is just 21 years old.
Two of Slot’s main targets are currently plying their trade in the Premier League, but the manager is also looking at options from further afield, with Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies, who will be a free agent in the summer, under consideration.
Liverpool’s upcoming Premier League fixtures
Date
Tottenham Hotspur (a)
December 22nd
Leicester City (h)
December 26th
West Ham United (a)
December 29th
Manchester United (h)
January 5th
Nottingham Forest (a)
January 14th
BILD reporter Falk has now provided an update on Liverpool’s pursuit of Davies, and he has indicated that a move to Anfield is still a real possibility, despite widespread interest from other clubs.
Falk said: “True: Alphonso Davies is open to a potential transfer away from Bayern Munich. He’s not 100% fixed on Manchester United or Real Madrid. I heard that talks with Bayern, at the moment, are on ice until January.
“His agent, Nick Huoseh, will talk with any interested top club in the new year. When Huoseh is on his tour of England, Liverpool could get a meeting with him. It would be a good club for Davies, of course, given they play a style of football that would suit him. Liverpool, naturally, have a chance.
“I think Manchester United and Real Madrid are more concrete by comparison at this point in time. Bayern are also applying pressure to sign him up to a new contract. They’re still hopeful about making this work. So, Liverpool are still in the race, if they want him.”
Liverpool pushing to sign new £25m star and could have advantage over PSG
The Reds could have advantage over PSG.
ByHenry Jackson Dec 20, 2024 Davies impressing for Bayern
The 24-year-old’s attacking talents were on display for all to see at the weekend, chipping in with a goal and an assist in Bayern’s emphatic 5-1 victory over RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga.
Bayern Munich'sAlphonsoDaviescelebrates scoring their fifth goal
The “unbelievable” left-back is well-known for his talent going forward, but he has also proven his defensive aptitude at times this season, perhaps making him the perfect long-term replacement for Robertson.
It will seemingly be difficult to win the race for Davies’ signature, given that a number of top clubs are keen, but his availability on a free transfer at the end of the campaign makes him a very attractive proposition.
Lúcio Flávio continua no Botafogo. O clube, que passa por mudanças estruturais desde a chegada de Luís Castro, manterá o então auxiliar técnico. O ex-meia aceitou o convite e será o novo treinador do time B, equipe sub-23 que está se formando desde a aquisição de John Textor.
Quem revelou a informação foi André Mazzuco, diretor de futebol do Glorioso, durante a apresentação de Victor Sá nesta quinta-feira, no Estádio Nilton Santos. O executivo revelou que tudo foi resolvido após uma conversa. Flávio Tênius, contudo, não deve ter o mesmo futuro.
-Toda mudança gera naturalmente realocações. Estamos sendo extremamente cuidadosos, e essa mudança está sendo feita desde antes. E é natural que alguns profissionais percam espaço ou mudem. Desses profissionais que temos, o Flávio (Tênius) é extremamente querido, temos muito respeito por ele, mas dentro dessa sistemática avaliamos outra possibilidade. Considerando a história dele precisamos considerar decisões importantes. Sendo muito respeitoso pelos profissionais – afirmou Mazzuco.
– O Lúcio é uma pessoa formidável, teve a primeira experiência como treinador, nós fizemos um convite para ele, a partir do Luís Castro, iniciar o projeto da equipe B. Conversamos com o John que isso ainda é muito vago no país, então nada melhor que o Lúcio no país. Queremos desenvolver isso com o grupo. O Lúcio aceitou o convite, deixamos ele à vontade. Nós fazemos questão que eles nos ajude. Os atletas, que dentro da ideia do Luís, alguns vamos buscar mercados, outros vamos buscar o time B, é algo muito natural. Vamos criar um espaço para que eles se desenvolvam nesse processo, é algo consistente. Nós não temos a equipe B ainda, isso está sendo criado tendo bons profissionais e os atletas tendo essa flexibilidade – revelou.
O time B será sub-23 e provavelmente vai disputar o Campeonato Brasileiro de Aspirantes durante a temporada.
Glasgow Rangers finally won an Old Firm match under Philippe Clement on Thursday as the Ibrox side blew Celtic away with a phenomenal display in the traditional festive clash between the two.
Given the respective form of both teams, a 3-0 win for Rangers certainly didn’t appear on the radar, but the performance must give the manager hope that the second half of the season can be better than the first.
Nicolas Raskin
Much of the improved display against Celtic was down to a dynamic front four who worked well together to cause the defence all sorts of problems. Nedim Bajrami showed his class as a number ten, while Hamza Igamane’s movement drew opposition players out of position regularly.
It was the two wingers – Ianis Hagi and Vaclav Cerny – who proved to be the most creative in attack. Cerny hit the woodwork twice while Hagi not only scored the opener, but he also delivered eight crosses into the box and made four key passes during the course of the game.
It looks as though he is finally back to his brilliant best after a contract dispute threatened to end his Ibrox spell sooner than expected.
If he can maintain this sort of form, the Romanian will be a huge asset to Clement between now and the end of the campaign. That’s a certainty.
Ianis Hagi’s Rangers statistics
It is hard to believe that Steven Gerrard signed Hagi five years ago. The baby-faced attacking midfielder enjoyed a solid first few months in Glasgow, with the highlights being the two goals he scored against Braga to seal a 3-2 comeback win.
Throughout the 2020/21 season, the player played a starring role as the Gers won the Premiership title unbeaten. Hagi not only registered 18 goal contributions – seven goals and 11 assists – in the top flight alone, but he averaged one key pass per game while creating nine big chances.
Ianis Hagi’s stats in the Premiership for Rangers (full seasons only)
Metric
2020/21
2021/22
2024/25
Goals
7
2
1
Assists
11
0
3
Big chances created
6
2
3
Shots per game
1.8
2.4
2.2
Key passes per game
1
1.5
1.9
Via Sofascore
Hagi looked to build upon this during the following campaign and while he was a regular in the starting XI, against Stirling Albion in a Scottish Cup tie, the playmaker suffered a season-ending injury which halted his progress.
By the time he returned to full fitness, Michael Beale was in charge and clearly didn’t fancy him, sending him on loan to Alaves in La Liga for the 2023/24 season.
His commitment to the club is clear, managing to sort out the contractual dispute which threatened to end his stay in Glasgow, and it now looks like he could be an important player for the team.
With the winter window now open, Clement will be keen to make a few signings to add some much-needed depth to his first-team squad.
There have already been a few names linked with a move to Ibrox, but there is one player who has been touted with a move to Rangers before. Not only that, but he could be the next Hagi for the club…
Rangers keen on signing Romanian sensation
Before Christmas, the Daily Record claimed that Rangers were reportedly keen on a deal to sign FCSB midfielder Darius Olaru when the January transfer window opened.
The player has a release clause of just €4m (£3.3m) inserted into his contract, which makes him an attractive option for Clement, especially if some deadwood could be moved on this month.
Summer Rangers target Darius Olaru.
The Ibrox side first began to show interest in Olaru a couple of years ago, even going as far as sending scouts to monitor his performances when Beale was in charge.
No move ever materialised then, but could 2025 be different? £3.3m might sound lavish considering the current financial issues as the club, but if a few players are sold, then a move for the FCSB star should be a priority.
Darius Olaru’s season in numbers
The 25-cap Romanian international has been in excellent form for his club side this season. Across 30 appearances in all competitions, he has scored 15 goals while registering seven assists.
Domestically, the attacking midfielder has been on fire. He has created six big chances, averaging three key passes per game along with averaging 3.3 shots per game, proving that he is a major attacking threat.
He has even shone in the Europa League, registering three goal contributions in just four matches, although he did miss the clash against Rangers due to suspension.
Bringing in a player of his ability would certainly boost the club, and it would also be beneficial for Hamza Igamane, who could work well playing ahead of Olaru.
Olaru could be a dream signing for Hamza Igamane
Igamane has been excellent since making his debut for the Light Blues at the start of September. He has scored eight times for the Light Blues in that time and has even attracted the interest of Everton too.
Having someone of Olaru’s stature playing just behind him and creating chance after chance would certainly allow the Moroccan striker to score more regularly.
When compared to positional peers in the Europa League this season, Olaru ranks in the top 10% for key passes per 90 (2.85) and in the top 19% for crosses per 90 (4.56), indicating that his teammates benefit from his creative talents in the final third.
Scottish content creator Kai Watson lavished praise on the midfielder in November 2024, saying:
It would be money well spent should Rangers make a concrete move to bring the Romanian to Ibrox and, after the success of his compatriot Hagi, Olaru could have a similar impact at the club.
Much will depend on other factors, but if Clement has the money available, then signing the FCSB sensation could improve further during his time in Scotland.
Rangers star who didn't even score just dropped a masterclass vs Celtic
Rangers secured a stunning win over Celtic at Ibrox today
كشف خوان لابورتا، رئيس نادي برشلونة، في تصريحاته الأخيرة عن مستقبل المدرب، هانز فليك مع الفريق، مع النجاحات الكبيرة التي حققها في أول موسم له مع العملاق الكتالوني.
ووقع فليك مع برشلونة قبل بداية الموسم الحالي حتى 30 يونيو 2026، لكن هناك رغبة من قبل الإدارة للاستمرار لسنوات أخرى.
اقرأ أيضًا.. تشيزني: هذا ما فكرت به قبل تسجيل كوندي هدف فوز برشلونة أمام ريال مدريد
وقال لابورتا في تصريحات لإذاعة “RAC1” الكتالونية، بمناسبة فوز الفريق بكأس ملك إسبانيا على ريال مدريد: “فليك يعلم أننا نريد أن تستمر هذه المرحلة لأطول فترة ممكنة، فهو يناسبنا بخبراته الإنسانية والرياضية، وطريقته في فهم أسلوب النادي”.
وأضاف: “لكن فليك مدرب يفضل أن يأخذ الأمور عامًا بعد عام، وتكون هناك سنة للمتابعة أكثر للعمل الذي يقومون به مع الفريق، لدينا فليك لهذا الموسم والموسم المقبل، والإدارة الرياضية تقوم بما يجب فعله من أجل التخطيط للمستقبل القريب”.
كما أشار لابورتا إلى أن قرار استمرار فليك يعود إلى الإدارة الرياضية التي قامت بتحليل الجوانب الفنية والإنسانية له.
وكشف لابورتا عن دور المدير الرياضي، في التعاقد مع فليك: “من قرر أن يكون فليك مدربًا للفريق الأول هو ديكو بجانب بويان كركيتش، أعجبني هانز من البداية، أردت التعاقد معه”.
وفي سياق آخر، تحدث لابورتا عن فوز برشلونة بكأس الملك على ريال مدريد، قائلاً: “فلورنتينو بيريز هنأني بعد المباراة، لدينا علاقة الاحترام، لقد ركزنا عليها من الجانب الرياضي ولم نفكر في أي شيء آخر”.
وعن تحكيم المباراة، أبدى لابورتا رضاه عن أداء الحكم (ريكاردو دي بورجوس)، قائلاً: “أنا شخصيًا أحببت التحكيم بشكل عام، في بعض القرارات أخذ رأي الـVAR، ولا يوجد شيء لأقوله، لا شيء مثالي، كان جيدًا”.
وفي الختام، تطرق لابورتا إلى احتفاله بهدف جول كوندي القاتل في المباراة، قائلاً: “لقد قفزت من مكاني، لكنني لم أرد أن أكون غير محترم، رفعت ذراعي ثم جلست بسرعة، كان رد فعل عفويًا”.
Dhananjaya de Silva played a crucial hand with both bat and ball in a last-ball thriller
Andrew Fidel Fernando21-Jun-2022
Sri Lanka’s spinners bowled 43 overs and shared seven wickets among them•AFP
Australia seemed to be flying towards their target at one point, but were ambushed by Sri Lanka’s spinners with 70 to get. They limped their way through the late overs, and fought valiantly to take this twisting match to the last ball. But Sri Lanka held on by their fingertips to send a raucous Khettarama into raptures.Having let what seemed like a comfortable final over become dire by conceding three fours to Australia’s No. 10 Matthew Kuhnemann, Dasun Shanaka bowled a slower ball with five to defend and had the batter sky the ball to Charith Asalanka, who took a comfortable catch at cover.Sri Lanka’s phalanx of spinners, especially Dhananjaya de Silva and Jeffrey Vandersay, scripted the victory, but the biggest contribution came from the bat of Asalanka, who scored his maiden ODI century after he and de Silva lifted Sri Lanka from 34 for 3 with a century-stand, de Silva making a smooth 60 off 61.De Silva then claimed two wickets in a crucial middle-overs passage that sucked the air out of Australia’s chase. Among his victims was David Warner, whose 99 off 112 seemed to have set Australia on track for a series-levelling victory.The four-run win sealed the series 3-1 – Sri Lanka’s first bilateral series victory at home over this opposition in 30 years.That Shanaka was bowling the final over at all was somewhat counterintuitive. With Australia needing 19, perhaps the thinking was that a No. 10 could smear a spinner out of the ground with more ease than a seam bowler. Legspinner Vandersay, however, had been bowling beautifully from that end, having claimed two wickets in the night, and conceding only 10 from his two previous death overs.Having missed the first ball, Kuhnemann blasted a four past point, shovelled Shanaka over his shoulder to the fine leg boundary, then bashed him over mid-on to set up the last-ball finish. Following several mid-pitch conferences and messages from bowling consultant Lasith Malinga, who was prowling the boundary, a Sri Lankan heartbreak was avoided.Warner’s wicket in the 38th over was a turning point in the chase•AFP
Australia too may reflect that they were surging toward victory at one point. With Warner closing in on a well-deserved hundred, and Travis Head batting comfortably, they had 70 to get with 86 balls available, with six wickets in hand and likes of Glenn Maxwell still to come. The series seemed to be headed to a decider. But in nine balls the chase nosedived. Head was out first, as de Silva pushed one through quickly, and the batter played around it, his feet glued.The next two wickets were huge: those of Maxwell, perhaps Australia’s best batter of the tour so far, and Warner, who had paced his innings beautifully. Maheesh Theekshana got Maxwell lbw through a review. He turned his googly sharply, and hit the batter above the knee-roll, pleading in appeal. When it was turned down he was adamant the decision be sent upstairs. The result was three reds – the ball hitting the batter in line with off, and projected to crash into leg stump.Then, next over, de Silva pulled Warner out of his crease with a flighted, hard-spun delivery, which beat the batter’s outside edge. Wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella took the bails off before Warner could regain his ground. If he had hit that extra run, it would have been his 19th ODI ton.Australia continued to fight, primarily through Pat Cummins whose 35 off 41, which comprised mostly singles, as he took the game deep. With 19 needed off 8, though, Chamika Karunaratne hit him in front of the stumps with a yorker, as he attempted to whip the ball to leg. With Australia’s No. 10 and 11 now together in the middle, that should have been the death of Australia’s chances. Then Kuhnemann made a stand in the final over.Asalanka and de Silva set-up Sri Lanka’s inningsAlthough de Silva’s half-century was full of all the delectable de Silva strokes – the square drives, the jaunts down the ground, and the sweeps, including the lofted one over midwicket that he used to particularly good effect – Asalanka’s innings began nervily. Having arrived while Australia’s quicks were dominant, he could have been out twice in his first six balls, most extraordinarily when a Cummins delivery shaved his leg stump but failed to dislodge the bail.De Silva kept the bowlers at bay during their 101-run partnership, but after he left, Asalanka took control, peppering the midwicket boundary in particular, with runs generally flowing heavily on the leg side. It took him 60 balls to get to 50, then only 39 more to complete his first international hundred. He forged significant partnerships with Dunith Wellalage and Wanindu Hasaranga, and at one stage seemed to be taking Sri Lanka to a score of around 280. But then, he holed out to deep midwicket against Cummins, in the 48th over.Then Sri Lanka lost their two final wickets to silly run outs – having earlier also lost Shanaka the same way – and ended up with a competitive total instead of an imposing one.Australia’s bowling had largely been carried by their quicks. Cummins and Mitchell Marsh took two wickets apiece. While Kuhnemann also claimed two, he went at seven an over, where Cummins and Marsh maintained economy rates of a little over four. The other spinner, Maxwell, had provided the first wicket, but conceded runs at 6.12.Sri Lanka, meanwhile, had fielded four frontline spinners, and no specialist quick. Eight bowlers were put to use in the defence of 259.