Chelsea are one of numerous Premier League clubs interested in signing Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha this summer, according to a new transfer report.

How good has Palhinha been this season?

The 27-year-old has arguably been one of the standout midfielders in the league so far this season, catching the eye with his off-the-ball ability. In fact, no player in the entire division has won more tackles than him in 2022/23 to date, with a tally of 129 coming his way.

Palhinha has been a big reason for Fulham's success, with relegation never looking likely despite pre-season prediction suggesting otherwise, and the west Londoners will be desperate to keep hold of him at the end of the season. His current deal expires in the summer of 2027, so it is likely that only a sizeable fee will be able to prise him away once the summer window arrives.

Midfield is an area of the pitch that Chelsea will be only looking for reinforcements in moving forward, and it looks as though the £50,000-a-week Portuguese is a potential option to come in.

Are Chelsea in the mix to sign Palhinha?

According to Football Insider, Chelsea are one of many teams who are "interested" in signing Palhinha this summer, although it clearly won't be easy for them to get their man. Tottenham, Liverpool, Manchester United and Bayern Munich are also reportedly in the mix, while Aston Villa are also confident of being able to compete financially with those clubs.

It is stated that Fulham are "resigned to losing" the Portugal international once this season reaches its conclusion, "given the mass amount of interest in his signature".

Palhinha could be exactly what Chelsea are looking for in the middle of the park moving forward, possessing the ability to cover ground, bite into tackles and generally help them dominate games. With N'Golo Kante's future up in the air and Mateo Kovacic turning 29 earlier this week, bringing in fresh blood is essential, and the Fulham man could be an ideal partner for Enzo Fernandez, possessing more physicality than the Argentina World Cup winner.

There are very few things working against the move, although the Blues' lack of European football next season could certainly be an issue, with others reportedly keen on him being able to promise him Champions League next season, which can often be a massive lure for players.

Palhinha has been lauded by Jamie Redknapp for having a "real presence about him" and for being a "fantastic" signing by the Cottagers, and Chelsea signing him could be a masterstroke.

Jonny Bairstow, looking more battle-hardened by the month, completed his third Test hundred in eight innings to rouse England from a problematic opening day in the Lord’s Test

The Report by David Hopps09-Jun-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsJonny Bairstow screams with delight after scoring a Test hundred at Lord’s•Getty Images

Jonny Bairstow, looking more imposing and battle-hardened by the month, completed his third Test hundred in eight innings to rouse England from a problematic opening day in the Lord’s Test. For Bairstow, it could not be a more perfect treble: Cape Town, a maiden hundred where his father ‘Bluey’ spent his winters; Headingley, his home ground, an outpouring of Yorkshire pride; and now Lord’s, where a Test century is regarded as the greatest gift of all.Bairstow’s hundred came 11 balls from the close when he tucked Rangana Herath through square leg and emitted what has now become a recognisable primeval roar, his rugged beard caked with sweat, not the sort of sight you would want to encounter on a foggy night on Baildon Moor. Not the sort of sight, if you are a Test attack looking for just rewards, that you particularly want to meet at Lord’s either.Bairstow, the ginger energiser, rode his luck at times. He should have fallen on 11 when Shaminda Eranga spilled an inviting chance at midwicket off Nuwan Pradeep, a chance which, if taken, would have left England 102 for 5. He also survived Sri Lanka’s lbw review, on 56, by the width of a single thread of seam after the umpire, Sundaram Ravi, had initially turned down the appeal. The bowler was Eranga, desperately unfortunate to be denied the chance to put right his blemish in the field.But it was Bairstow’s desire and the equilibrium of his captain, Alastair Cook, that allowed England to escape to 279 for 6 on a day when Sri Lanka’s seam attack, led by Pradeep, drew more encouragement than might initially have been expected on what had appeared to be a bountiful batting surface and the tubby left-arm impresario Herath again revealed a charming ability to kill with kindness.England have the series won, but questions about a sketchy batting order remain as pressing as ever after Sri Lanka, finally able to feel the sun on their backs, looked a more methodical bowling outfit than they had done in two nithering northern Tests as they sought to extend a good Lord’s record with a victory, in a series already conceded after heavy defeats at Headingley and Chester-le-Street.Cook, the youngest man to reach 10,000 Test match runs, five months ahead of Sachin Tendulkar, had been presented with an encased silver bat to mark the occasion before the start of the final Test at Lord’s.The bat so received, it was time to encase his mind and make inroads into the next 10,000. Not for the first time, England were fortunate for his resilience. His failure to log a 29th Test hundred when Pradeep had him lbw for 85 came as a surprise to many in the capacity crowd, but his was the steady heartbeat in an ailing England batting line-up with uncomfortable questions remaining unanswered ahead of the Test series against Pakistan.”The first session will be crucial,” Cook had said, not that he personally needed any reminding of the fact in his 129th Test. The pitch looked flat and the weather was settled. Pads were buckled, helmet donned and once again he settled into the rhythms of an English Test summer, dispatching anything on his pads with familiar authority.But others were less successful. To a batsman possessing Cook’s rational approach, to lose four for 88 must have seemed entirely illogical. And of those four wickets to fall only Joe Root can claim that his place is impregnable.Alex Hales must wish he could settle into the sort of natural Test rhythm that Cook finds so effortless. A quicker tempo perhaps but one in which he can make his own music. He settled reasonably enough against the new ball, but Angelo Mathews’ medium pace seemed to make him jittery. When Herath had his first perambulation of the innings, Hales self-destructed against the second ball he faced, attempting a mow over long-on but the ball instead looping gently to first slip where Mathews held the catch.It was the fourth time that Hales has fallen to spin in this series and the fact that England’s opening stand of 56 was their highest of the series was an indicator of the lurking issues.Nick Compton left five overs later, only a single to his name, and was treated to the slightly embarrassed Lord’s silence upon his dismissal that communicates an expectation of impending doom. In its uncomfortable disapproval, it feels more like a blackballing than the open criticism preferred elsewhere.Compton drove charily at an overpitched delivery from Suranga Lakmal wandering down the slope and edged to Dinesh Chandimal, who had been passed fit to keep wicket. Compton is unlikely to figure in the Test series against Pakistan, the selectors’ patience – and they have been patient – surely exhausted.Compton’s mind is also encased, but in his case it so encased in the grip of self-doubt that he appears inhibited at the crease. In his 16 Tests for England he has rarely played with freedom, but his unproductive form now extends to county cricket, so much so that he has not struck a half-century for 17 first-class innings. If he loses his England place, it is hard to imagine him spending golden years on the county circuit.Fifteen minutes before lunch, Sri Lanka picked up Joe Root as well, the most valued wicket of all. Root got too far across to an angled delivery from Lakmal and Sri Lanka overturned umpire Rod Tucker’s “not out” on review. England had lost 3 for 15 in 40 balls and suddenly it was Sri Lanka’s morning.England were 84 for 4 on a surface that had promised batting riches when James Vince was bowled by Pradeep, pushing emphatically down the wrong line whereupon his off bail was clipped from the stumps with the certainty of a kitchen chef slicing the vegetables. It was a fine post-lunch period by Sri Lanka as Eranga and Lakmal also passed the outside edge in a focused display.By the time Cook departed five minutes before tea, lbw to a delivery angled in from around the wicket by Pradeep, there was a sense of a recovery. Moeen Ali hung around in that, too often, fascinating, fleeting Mayfly way of his until he was beautifully unpicked by Herath, who followed up one which bounced and turned surprisingly with a little floater to have him caught at slip.But Eranga’s failure to hold Bairstow’s clip off his pads gradually ate away at Sri Lanka’s day. Two boundaries for Bairstow in the next four balls suggested that the fizz might have been let out of the bottle, and although that fizz spilled fortunately through the slips at times – Mathews shuffling his slips and gullies with the impatience of a roulette loser in a Colombo casino – his gusto carried England to the end of a difficult day which presented more questions than answers.

Former Sri Lanka cricketer Pubudu Dassanayake, who coached Nepal from 2011 to 2015, has been shortlisted as a finalist for the job of USA’s head coach. Dassanayake, who lives close to Toronto, said he is looking for a challenge close to home after spending several years away with the Nepal side.”Nepal, they were from Division Four to Division One and played a World Cup and I want to do the same for USA,” Dassanayake told ESPNcricinfo in Florida where he is participating in an ICC coaching seminar. “I think it’s a great place. There are great opportunities, a lot of talent in this country. I’d really like to see them come up the ranks and be in that World Cup setup.”Prior to his success with Nepal, Dassanayake coached Canada from 2007 to 2011, and helped them to the 2011 ODI World Cup in the sub-continent, Canada’s last major ICC event. Dassanayake also played for Canada after migrating from Sri Lanka following the end of his Test career and played in the 2005 World Cup Qualifier in Ireland.His ties to North American cricket make him a strong contender for the role. While coach of Nepal, Dassanayake racked up an impressive record against USA in ICC competitions, losing just once – at the 2013 ICC WCL Division Three in Bermuda – in six meetings.Anand Tummala, former USA and Ranji Trophy representative, is also in contention for the post. Tummala played briefly for Delhi before migrating to Atlanta in 2007. He made his only tour with USA in 2011, playing three T20s, including games against Canada and Afghanistan. Tummala, who is a Level Three Cricket Australia certified coach, also served as a guest coaching evaluator at last year’s ICC Americas Combine in Indianapolis. Tummala has also been in Florida this week as part of the ICC coaching seminar.Both Tummala and Dassanayake attended USA’s first training session in their week-long camp which began on Thursday, and will also be present at an exhibition match on Friday between a USA XI and a CPL Invitational XI in Lauderhill.Although the ICC wouldn’t comment on the applications, there are believed to be at least two more finalists with interviews beginning on Friday. USA will play three 50-over intra-squad trial matches in Florida next week among a 30-man squad, after which 14 will be selected for ICC WCL Division Four in Los Angeles from October 29 to November 5.

James Anderson hopes his vast experience can help him compensate for a drop in pace over the remaining years of his career

George Dobell01-Aug-2016James Anderson hopes his vast experience can help him compensate for a drop in pace over the remaining years of his career.Anderson, who turned 34 over the weekend, returned to the Test team at Old Trafford with a performance that showed his control and skills remain undimmed by age or injury. But it was noticeable that his average bowling speed in the game – about 81mph – was some way down on his peak.While Anderson hopes he was simply “rusty” and that he will be able to generate more pace at Edgbaston, he accepts that he may be at the stage of his career where he has to rely more upon other attributes if he is to continue to flourish.”I didn’t feel like my speeds in Manchester were where they could be,” Anderson said. “I felt a bit like Matthew Hoggard at the end of his career when he slowed down a bit but his control was pretty good.”With the skills I have, I can do a job even if my speeds did drop. With experience you can stay one step ahead in your head. It is like an old defender in football who might not have the pace of a quick striker but he’s two steps ahead of him upstairs.”Anderson has been sidelined by several injuries over the last year or so. After sustaining a side strain during the Edgbaston Ashes Test 12 months ago, he missed the first Test of the series in South Africa due to a calf injury and then the Lord’s Test against Pakistan due to a shoulder injury.But, after a modest tour of South Africa, he was back to something approaching his best at the start of this English summer. He claimed 21 wickets in the three Tests against Sri Lanka at an average of just 10.80 apiece – albeit in helpful conditions at times – and remains the No. 2-rated bowler in the ICC’s rankings for Test cricket. He is just one ranking point behind India’s R Ashwin.He denies that the relative glut of injuries are necessarily a reflection of ageing and suggests that he could emulate Glenn McGrath and play until he is 37 years old.”The way I feel at the moment, mentally, I’ve still got a hunger to play the game and a hunger to take wickets and help my team win matches,” Anderson said. “As long as I’ve got that hunger I’m going to keep working, keep improving and keep working on my fitness and if I get to 37 then great. I just try to concentrate on staying fit for the next game.”I thought I bowled well against Sri Lanka. I’m not sure it’s the best I’ve ever bowled but I felt in really good form and I just wanted to build on it, but the injury meant it wasn’t possible.”Fitness wise I keep working hard. My practice over the years has gone from searching for perfection to just doing as little as possible. The bare minimum. But when I do practise I try to make sure it’s absolute quality rather than going through the motions. If I don’t practise much I make sure what I do do is to the highest quality possible.”The England selectors took a lot of criticism for their decision not to risk Anderson in the first Test of this series at Lord’s. Although he was fit to bowl in the nets ahead of the game and subsequently played in part of Lancashire’s Championship match against Durham, he now admits it was “probably wise” not to rush him back into the Test team before he had gained match fitness after his shoulder injury. He hopes that, having had that Championship game and the Test in Manchester, he should be somewhere near his best at Edgbaston.Chris Woakes gets some advice from James Anderson in the England nets•Getty Images”Looking back, without having had any game time before that first Test, it was probably wise to get some overs under my belt before I came back into the Test side,” Anderson said. “I think it was probably the right decision.”There was some rustiness in Manchester. I bowled 20-odd overs at Southport after four weeks out of the game, and then at Lord’s with the weather before the game I only bowled six overs outside so there was a bit of rustiness. But now I’ve got that match practice under my belt hopefully I can build on that and my speeds go up rather than down. The age I’m at, four or five weeks without bowling shouldn’t make me lose my form that much.”As Anderson matures, so his role within the squad may start to change. It has been noticeable over recent months that Chris Woakes, in particular, has started to use the wobble-seam delivery demonstrated with such success by Anderson and, at times, started to hide his grip of the ball until the point of delivery so that batsmen cannot anticipate which way it will swing.But Anderson denied that Woakes is the obvious inheritor of his art and insisted that he is learning from England’s younger bowlers as much as the other way around.”Chris has a lot of skills, but I don’t see us as similar bowlers,” Anderson said. “I don’t know why. He’s got more pace, he’s got a lovely action, that’s what he’s got going for him, a nice repetitive action that will help him for the rest of his career. I’m not forcing myself upon him.”As a group of bowlers we are talking to each other all the time. We are trying in the nets to give each other bits of information that are going to be useful whether it’s on the opposition, tactics or specifics in skills and we all learn from each other.”I learn from Chris Woakes, I’ve learnt from Steven Finn and Stuart Broad, we all pass information round to each other, it’s a really open forum and I think that’s how it should be. I think that’s how teams get better.”Poor weather in Birmingham means the Test pitch may lack just a little of the carry that England enjoyed when defeating Australia a year ago. But the surface is still expected to provide some assistance to seamers, especially on the first morning and with the new ball, and little encouragement for spinners. As a result, England look highly likely to go into the game with four seamers and Moeen Ali as their main spinner.

Leeds United were once a club renowned for giving their academy stars regular opportunities in the first-team, with the Yorkshire outfit reaping the financial benefits of Kalvin Phillips, Jack Clarke and Lewis Cook in recent years.

However, their Premier League struggles in the last two campaigns, which could culminate in relegation this season, have meant that those at Thorp Arch have struggled for regular game time in the top flight.

The club opted to loan out defenders Charlie Cresswell and Cody Drameh to the Championship, with both catching the eye with their performances for Millwall and Luton Town respectively, in a time when the Whites' defence has been leaking goals left right and centre.

Cresswell averaged a superb 7.08 rating from WhoScored as Millwall narrowly missed out on the playoffs, while Drameh has been a mainstay in Rob Edwards' side as they reached the playoff final on Tuesday night, earning an impressive 7.20 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Unsurprisingly, the 21-year-old's lack of opportunities at Elland Road, combined with his superb displays in the second tier, has meant that he is now reportedly likely to leave this summer, with the Yorkshire Evening Post suggesting that he will depart despite his contract not set to expire until 2024.

A promising young player leaving on the back of a potential relegation to the Championship may well remind Leeds fans of James Milner, who departed for Newcastle back in 2004 after the Yorkshire outfit failed to retain their Premier League status.

Could Drameh be Leeds' next James Milner?

Although Milner was a more established member of Leeds' first team than Drameh, having featured 53 times, it is far less common these days to see teenagers become regular starters in the Premier League, and the right-back does have eight senior appearances under his belt for the Whites.

He also has 40 Championship appearances to his name across spells with Cardiff City and now Luton, and is one game away from reaching the promised land of the Premier League with the Hatters, where he could ironically swap places with his parent club.

It is something of a surprise that the Thorp Arch sensation has been given so few opportunities at Leeds given that both Luke Ayling and Rasmus Kristensen have struggled in the right-back position this season.

Indeed, they have averaged simply woeful 6.59 and 6.64 ratings from WhoScored respectively, with both also recording far fewer tackles, dribbles and key passes per game than the academy graduate has done at Luton.

His "phenomenal" displays at Cardiff, in the words of former manager Steve Morison, should have seen him earn more Premier League minutes but Leeds failed to put their faith in him and look set to lose another talented youngster as a result.

If he goes on to have even half the career that Milner has done since leaving Elland Road, with the 37-year-old winning every English trophy and the Champions League in his time with Manchester City and Liverpool, then losing Drameh could be another disastrous blow for Leeds.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly interested in signing a Serie A midfielder this summer, in the bid to strengthen ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Julen Lopetegui has revived Wolves’ season since arriving in the Midlands in November, taking the reins from Bruno Lage who saw his team’s form deplete in the final weeks of his tenure.

The Spaniard has restored faith in the squad and confirmed Premier League survival and promise going forward from the lows of the start of the term.

This summer’s transfer window is crucial for the club, who are expected to see a drastic change with players arriving at and departing Molineux.

The talk of Ruben Neves’ future has dominated talk of summer movements so far, however Wolves have been linked with a host of potential incomings too, including a midfielder that could strengthen Lopetegui’s plans.

What’s the latest on Lassana Coulibaly to Wolves?

As reported by La Cronache via Salerno Notizie earlier this week, Salernitana midfielder Lassana Coulibaly has gained interest from Wolves ahead of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that both Nottingham Forest and Wolves have “asked for information” on the Mali international’s availability.

It’s believed that the asking price from his club will be around the €8m mark (£7m).

What could Lassana Coulibaly bring to Wolves?

Despite having a tough season in Serie A, the Bamako-born midfielder has maintained a high level of performance in the engine room, making him a point of interest ahead of the window.

Described as a "machine" who enjoys "getting after people" by former boss Steven Gerrard during his spell at Rangers, Coulibaly has impressed in areas that could be integral to strengthening Lopetegui’s side.

The 27-year-old has averaged 2.4 tackles per game this season, as well as winning 52% of his ground duels in the middle of the park – as per Sofascore. The first stat is superb and would place him second in Wolves' squad if he were already at Molineux.

Operating in a critical area of play requires ability both going forward and breaking up play, and the Malian’s ability to do so is expressed through his 84% passing accuracy, averaging 26.8 per game.

His stability is what Lopetegui will be looking for in a player this window, considering the potential departure of Neves and the effect this may have on the midfield as a unit.

The introduction of the midfielder could positively influence new-arrival Joao Gomes, however, who has been impressive since signing in January. Indeed, he is the only player to register more tackles per game this term (2.7) than Couliably in the Wolves ranks.

Like the latter, the Brazilian is strong in his duels and influential on the ball and could prove to be a strong partner if he signs on the dotted line.

Coincidentally, the two players have been likened to one another as per FBref, highlighting their similar ability in their position and the calibre of the player Wolves could secure this summer for a relatively low market price.

Lopetegui is expected to have a busy summer in recruitment, only time will tell if the Spaniard can get this exciting deal over the line.

Arsenal have three games remaining between them and potential Premier League glory in the next few weeks, with the Gunners having it all do against current champions Manchester City.

Mikel Arteta's side have enjoyed a season to treasure to date, but have recently surrendered their hold on top spot. However, they have won both their games since losing to City in late April, and will be looking to take the fight for the title down to the wire.

Their weekend victory over third-placed Newcastle United secured a top-two finish for the first time since 2015/16, and now only have City to worry about as they the chase an unlikely title triumph.

Brighton, Nottingham Forest and Wolves await the Gunners in the run-in – here is how Football FanCast expects the Gunners to get on as the season nears its conclusion…

Arsenal fixtures

• 14 May: Brighton (h)
• 20 May: Nottingham Forest (a)
• 28 May: Wolves (h)

Arsenal v Brighton

This may have looked a trickier test on paper a number of weeks ago, but the events of the last few days might have changed the perception of the task that awaits the Gunners this weekend.

Indeed, Arteta's men brushed Newcastle aside in one of their more daunting tests of the run-in, while Brighton were comprehensively humbled at home to relegation battlers Everton a day later.

And you get the sense that the north Londoners have the bit between their teeth, and with the Seagulls' appearing to peter out, the home side surely have to be strong favourites for this one.

Prediction: Arsenal 3-1 Brighton

Nottingham Forest v Arsenal

Forest have secured some memorable results at home this season, defeating Liverpool and nicking an unlikely point off Manchester City earlier in the campaign.

Arsenal will provide an altogether different test, but with plenty on the line for both sides, it is easy to see how this game could be considered a potential banana skin.

The Gunners will know, however, that winning is the only option if they wish to prolong the title race beyond this point, and having steamrollered Steve Cooper's side back in October, it could be a similar result if the visitors get into their groove.

Prediction: Nottingham Forest 1-4 Arsenal

Arsenal v Wolves

Arsenal will head into their fixture against Wolves knowing whether the title is still within reach. Given Man City's game in hand over the Gunners, they can seal the title with victory over Brighton, who they face four days prior.

But if Arsenal keep winning and there is a slip-up from the champions between now and then, it will go down to a final-day shootout, with the Emirates crowd getting behind the team one last time this season.

Only Manchester City have left north London with three points this term, and considering the manner in which Arsenal have taken teams apart in N5 over the past nine months, you can expect them to lay siege on the Wolves goal from the get-go.

With Julen Lopetegui's side already safe, they may well be dreading a trip to the Emirates after a taxing season. And with history within Arsenal's grasp, the Old Gold have offered little this term to suggest they are capable of spoiling a potential title party.

A fifth successive win here would mean the Gunners end on 90 points – the same as the legendary Invincibles side. But whether they are to also be crowned champions will surely hinge on events in Man City's game against Brentford rather than Wolves turning the form book on its head.

Prediction: Arsenal 3-0 Wolves

• Predicted run-in points: 9/9
• Predicted total points: 90

Manchester United are reportedly preparing an offer for Napoli defender Kim Min-jae during the summer transfer window as Erik ten Hag aims to strengthen his defence.

What’s the latest on Kim Min-jae to Manchester United?

According to Corriere dello Sport, United are preparing to launch a €60m (£52m) bid in order to lure the defender to Old Trafford this summer in a move that would blow their competitors 'out the water'.

Kim currently has a €45m (£40m) release clause in his deal which could be triggered by teams between July 1-15, yet United are looking to put themselves ahead in the queue for the player by making a bid which is higher than this.

How would Kim Min-jae fit into the Man United team?

One of the standout performers for the Red Devils this season has been the performances of Lisandro Martinez, with the centre-back turning out to be Ten Hag’s finest signing.

The 25-year-old has an average Sofascore rating of 7.1 across 27 Premier League appearances, and it is no coincidence that United’s recent slump in form has coincided with the Argentine being ruled out for the remainder of the season.

He ranks second in the squad for clearances per game (3.6), fourth for interceptions (1.2) and tackles (2.0), clearly underlining how effective he has been this term.

Ten Hag will be looking to give him a reliable partner for 2023/24, with Harry Maguire clearly not up to the required standard, notably making a horrendous error in the Europa League defeat to Sevilla that merely capped off a tumultuous spell in Manchester for the club's skipper.

Meanwhile, Raphael Varane has missed 32 games due to injury since the start of last season with someone more reliable evidently being needed.

The South Korean could be his ideal partner, especially following the wonderful season he has enjoyed with Napoli, leading them to their first Serie A title since 1990.

Across 33 league matches thus far, the 26-year-old has kept 14 clean sheets, made 1.6 tackles and 3.6 clearances per game while winning a staggering 4.7 duels per match – a success rate of 63% –

He has been an absolute rock at the heart of the Napoli defence throughout their historic season but he is no slouch in possession either, averaging 91.3 touches per game along with completing 91% of his passes.

The centre-back's ball-playing ability is second to none and this could allow him to shine alongside Martinez, starting attacks from deep and being extremely comfortable on the ball.

It is no wonder that he has been dubbed an “iron barrel” by fellow teammate Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and his stock has soared during his only season in the Italian top flight.

Ten Hag must act soon to lure the defender to Manchester as he could form a wonderful duo in 2023/24 with Martinez.

Two days after scoring his maiden CPL half-century, Darren Sammy did a star turn with the ball, his three-wicket haul setting up a seven-wicket win for St Lucia Zouks against Barbados Tridents

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jul-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsDarren Sammy rattled Barbados Tridents’ top order•CPL/Sportsfile

Two days after scoring his maiden CPL half-century at the stadium renamed in his honour, in Gros Islet, Darren Sammy did the star turn with the ball, his three-wicket haul setting up a seven-wicket win that kept St Lucia Zouks in the hunt for a top-four berth.Barbados Tridents, who opted to bat, were restricted to 137 for 8, with Kyle Hope, the opener, making his first T20 half-century. Only three other batsmen moved to double digits, with captain Kieron Pollard’s 20 being the second-highest score of the innings. In reply, Zouks chased down a revised target of 131 in 19 overs, with 15 balls to spare.Tridents started positively, Hope and Ahmed Shehzad raising a 50-run partnership, before Sammy struck in his first over to remove Shehzad. Sammy then sent Shoaib Malik back in his next over to reduce Tridents to 60 for 2 in the tenth over. Sammy coaxed a mistimed pull from Hope in his final over and ended with figures of 3 for 18.The dismissal of Pollard and the in-form Nicholas Pooran off the next two overs, to Derlon Johnson, the left-arm fast bowler, and Shane Watson, further threw Tridents back. David Wiese’s 17-run cameo, however, helped them score 28 off the last three overs.Zouks were driven by 88-run opening stand in the chase, between Johnson Charles and Andre Fletcher, which helped them steer clear of the asking rate. Fletcher hit two fours and three sixes in his 41-ball 45 before Pollard struck in consecutive overs to dismiss the openers either side of a rain interval that reduced the contest by an over.By then, Zouks needed only 33 off 36 balls. While Shane Watson, who made 19, was dismissed by Ravi Rampaul, David Miller struck two fours and a six in an unbeaten 19 to seal the winning runs along with Sammy, the captain. This meant that Tridents were consigned to their fourth loss in eight matches.

أنهى نادي المقاولون العرب برئاسة المهندس محسن صلاح إجراءات ضم محمود الشبراوي قادمًا من الإسماعيلي في صفقة انتقال حر.

ووقع محمود الشبراوي على عقود انضمامه للمقاولون العرب لمدة موسمين ونصف الموسم.

وانتظم الشبراوي في معسكر الفريق المقام بالإسماعيلية والممتد حتى يوم الأربعاء المقبل استعدادًا للمباريات المقبلة.

إقرأ أيضًا..خاص | لاعب المقاولون العرب يتلقى عرضًا من سبارتا براج التشيكي

ومن جهة أخرى، حصل المقاولون العرب على توقيع أحمد عبد العزيز مودي لاعب الهلال الليبي في صفقة انتقال حر أيضًا.

وانضم مودي لصفوف المقاولون العرب لمدة موسم ونصف لينتظم في تدريبات الفريق.