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Chamari Athapaththu also played a key all-round role as Thunder bounced back from their previous defeat to the same opposition

AAP31-Oct-2024Impressive innings from imports Heather Knight and Chamari Athapaththu and savvy bowling from Hannah Darlington have helped Sydney Thunder avenge an early season WBBL loss to Hobart Hurricanes.Three days after Hurricanes won by 31 runs in Hobart, Thunder scored a 33-run victory in a match reduced to 17 overs a side after rain delayed the start at North Sydney Oval by 30 minutes on Thursday.Related

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Athapaththu (38 off 29) and Knight (48 off 28) helped the Thunder amass 146 for 5. Hurricanes smashed 18 off their first seven balls, but lost 5 for 13 in the last few overs.Darlington claimed the big wickets of Lizelle Lee and Heather Graham and Athapaththu completed a good all-round effort by taking 1 for 11 off three overs of tidy spin, dismissing England star Danni Wyatt-Hodge.England captain Knight, who missed the first game between the two teams, played some handsome shots and added momentum in the second half of the innings.She struck 14 off the last three balls of the one power surge over bowled by Molly Strano, lofting the first over long off and adding two fours in the same area.

INCREDIBLE.

One of the great catches by Molly Strano off her own bowling!#WBBL10 pic.twitter.com/V2d2l2Xmnr

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) October 31, 2024

“It was really nice when you start a competition to hit the ground running and I thought ‘Atta’ was brilliant as well,” Knight told . “We managed to get in a bit of a partnership there and it set up things at the end.”Athapaththu, who was out for a first-ball duck on Sunday, was dropped at deep midwicket on 5. Her innings included sixes over deep midwicket and long off before she fell to a remarkable one-handed low diving return catch by Strano off a fierce drive.”I didn’t have much time to think about it, it was a tracer bullet, so pretty happy it just stuck,” Strano said.In reply, Lee clubbed boundaries off the first two balls of Hurricanes’ chase and three in the over then Wyatt-Hodge belted a six over backward point off the first ball of the second over.Thunder struck back with Athapaththu having Wyatt-Hodge caught at backward point. Nicola Carey, who scored a 50 in last weekend’s game, then chopped a delivery from Shabnim Ismail onto her stumps, a ball after the South African quick struck her on the helmet.Lee couldn’t maintain her early impetus and was adjudged lbw the first ball after the mid-innings break, though if she had used DRS, she would have been reprieved.A brisk fourth-wicket stand of 43 between Graham and Elyse Villani gave Hurricanes hope before they were dismissed in successive overs to trigger a decisive collapse.

It has been an odd month in cricket

Andrew Fidel Fernando02-Nov-2017The lapsed villain
Reports from New South Wales have suggested this month that former international umpire Darrell Hair, who had lorded it so stubbornly over several controversial incidents, pleaded guilty to stealing from the liquor store he was working at. Apparently, this was in order to fund a gambling habit that had spun out of control. The news was particularly startling for Sri Lankans (and perhaps Pakistanis) of a certain generation, because it humanised the man who had been among their foremost childhood villains. It was like discovering Darth Vader put out of action by a hip replacement, or that Hannibal Lecter no longer eats his victims because his teeth had started to fall out.The non-war
In the build-up to the Ashes, David Warner was roundly criticised for comparing the coming series with England to “war”, in addition to suggesting he would “dig deep” to develop “hatred” of the opposition. Apparently, Ashes sledges now cannot be one iota more inflammatory than abuse based on opposition players’ legitimacy of parentage, choice of preferred species for sexual relations, promiscuousness of spouse, stupidity of offspring, and gingerness of their hair. I suppose a line had to be drawn somewhere.The straight face
Chris Gayle won his defamation suit against Australia’s Fairfax Media, but the best line of the case surely goes to Gayle’s friend Donovan Miller, who without flinching told the court that Gayle had become reserved “and scared, especially [around] females” since the 2015-16 Big Bash League. It is unclear if he is referring to this condom ad in which Gayle cannot stop cowering amidst a gang of cheerleaders or this Instagram post in which Gayle appears to have been frighteningly ambushed by a posse of swimsuit-clad models.The victims of historical irony
For two decades, the Barmy Army’s go-to chant down under was one that preyed on Australia’s history as a British prison colony. Even when their cricketers were being resplendently shamed 5-0, England fans may have felt they could draw themselves to their feet, wipe the tears from ruddy cheeks, and croak out a sobbing rendition of “they’re the convicts over there”. The world, however, has been upended in 2017. Team England has left for the Ashes without Ben Stokes, who is suspected of exactly the sort of action that would have seen him transported to Australia in past centuries. As one of their own players now stands accused of antisocial behaviour, could it be possible that when groups of England supporters sit shirtless in sunny Australian stands, painted lettering upon flabby chests, lips foamed from the ninth beer of the day, they will reflect they are not intrinsically a more refined species of human being than the natives?”We essentially beat Pakistan in their own game”•Getty ImagesThe pitch scandal
The spectre of corruption was raised again in October, most notably with the allegation that Maharashtra Cricket Association curator Pandurang Salgaoncar had given pitch information to people posing as bookies, ahead of India v New Zealand ODI in Pune. However, it was not the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) – whose job it is to stamp fixing out of the game – that presented evidence against Salgaoncar. The issue was brought to light by an Indian TV channel, just as the 2010 Lord’s spot-fixing scandal had been the result of a media-driven exposé. All of this highlights long-held concerns about what the ACU actually does, apart from, as in this case, allow international matches to go ahead unhindered on what was apparently a suspect pitch.The tough act to follow
Commiserations are due to Cricket South Africa. One month after the IPL bagged what was effectively the biggest television rights deal in cricket, CSA was forced to postpone the 2017 T20 Global League, thanks partly to an inability to land a decent broadcast deal. This must have been like watching Michelangelo sculpt the famous statue of David before stabbing yourself with the chisel.The altruist
Particularly irked at this cancellation was would-be GLT20 star Kevin Pietersen, who tweeted: “I feel so sorry for all the youngsters who were going to learn & earn out of this comp!” Yes, what a pity for… “the youngsters”. We can have no reason to doubt that Pietersen’s immediate worry was for the younger players’ loss of earnings, based of course on his career, which was most distinguished by the concern he displayed for people other than himself.The collapsathon
If Pakistan are the classical masters of the batting collapse, Sri Lanka have in recent years perfected their own equally dramatic version: the neo-collapse. Their two-Test series early in the month, became, at times, a festival of batting incompetence. When Sri Lanka went into the third innings of the first Test with a three-run deficit, for example, they hurtled comically to 138 all out. They should have lost the match had they not been out-collapsed by Pakistan, who were all out for 114 less than a day after they had made 422 (in the first innings). The second Test was almost as extraordinary. Sri Lanka crashed to 96 all out after claiming a 220-run first-innings lead. Though at times in the chase Pakistan seemed like they had the measure of a big total, they lost 5 for 52 and 5 for 23, with a 173-chase in between.

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner is pushing the club to offer a new long-term contract to an “amazing” ace ahead of the summer transfer window opening, according to a new report.

Crystal Palace sail into FA Cup 5th round

The Eagles secured their place in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Monday night, as they comfortably beat League Two side Doncaster Rovers 2-0. Goals from Daniel Munoz and Justin Devenny on either side of halftime were enough to get Palace through and book a tie against London rivals Millwall.

Textor could now sell £50m Crystal Palace star with Guehi this summer

It would not be a popular decision at Selhurst Park.

2 ByBen Browning Feb 10, 2025

The Eagles met Millwall not so long ago, as the pair were drawn against one another in the FA Cup in 2022, with Palace winning 2-1, and Glasner has labelled the fifth-round match “even more special”.

“I could feel the excitement in the dressing room,” the boss said after Monday’s victory at Doncaster Rovers. “It makes this game even bigger than it is.

“As long as you are in the competition, you can win it. We will go for it. I don’t know if it will work, but we will go for it – definitely. I’m pleased with the performance [against Doncaster]. Over the first 60 minutes, I think we controlled the game and didn’t give them anything.

“We wanted to give Ben [Chilwell] some minutes. We could see he’s comfortable in possession, in passing – a little bit more attacking than [Tyrick Mitchell].”

Glasner pushing Palace chiefs to offer long-term deal to Mateta

Away from matters on the pitch, according to Football Insider, Crystal Palace are looking to hold contract talks with striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, as they look to secure his long-term future at Selhurst Park.

The 27-year-old, who originally joined Palace on loan from Bundesliga side Mainz 05 in 2021 before joining on a permanent basis in 2022, is under contract at the Premier League side until the summer of 2027. The Eagles triggered the one-year option in the forward’s contract in December but are now keen to tie him down to a longer contract, with Glasner desperate for the club to retain his services.

Palace’s urgency to give Mateta a new contract comes as Spanish giants Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are interested in signing him, as well as Manchester United. 10 goals in 24 league games this season have put him on the radar of some big European sides, and the Eagles will be keen to avoid any transfer speculation when the summer arrives.

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Mateta, who has been hailed as “amazing in the box” by Glasner, scored 16 goals in 35 Premier League games last season, becoming a real prominent figure for the South London side. If a new deal cannot be agreed upon, Palace still have time on their hands, as his contract doesn’t end for another two years, but it could become harder to refuse bids, especially if they reach the £50 million price tag that has been reportedly placed on his head.

Geoff Clements, who has been on the job behind the camera for half a century, talks about his career

Firdose Moonda12-Mar-2017The 2017 Dunedin Test was probably a success for only one man, and he was not even playing the match.Cameraman Geoff Clements, from Canterbury, celebrated a half-century behind the lens and then signed off on a career that began in the early years of television in New Zealand, when sports coverage was rudimentary.Clements was 18 years old and an occasional cricketer at St Albans Cricket Club when he began work as a cameraman in his home town. His first match was between Canterbury and the touring Australians in 1967. He was part of a simple three-man team who broadcast in black and white to a 50km radius around Christchurch. There were two main cameras trained on the pitch, and Clements, on the grass bank, manned the third.Given that the game took place 50 years ago, it’s understandable he doesn’t remember too much about it, except that his friend, Canterbury bowler Ken Ferries, played in the match, that they drank a beer in the club rooms afterwards, and that, at some point over the course of the three days, Clements fell in love with covering the game with a camera. “It’s like gardening on speed,” he says.

“To do any sport, you’ve got to be able to know the game. If you’ve played the game at any level, you get to understand the parabola of the situation and how a batsman shapes to play the ball and where it’s going to go”

He was soon employed by Television New Zealand, where he did a range of jobs, including studio work and administration, and covered other sports, but he remained a cricket specialist at heart. In particular, he attached himself to the toughest job, working the ball-follow camera – a role that is self-explanatory and a lot more difficult than it sounds.When hit, a cricket ball often moves even faster than when it is bowled, and you have to have both good reaction time and good anticipation if you’re tracking it with a camera. That is why Clements thinks it is essential for a cricket cameraperson to have played the game at some level. “To do any sport, you’ve got to be able to know the game. If you’ve played the game at any level, you get to understand the parabola of the situation and how a batsman shapes to play the ball and where it’s going to go,” he says. “If you’ve played and you have good hand-eye co-ordination, then you must be more capable of doing the job.”His best example of that is also his most memorable match, at his home ground in 2002. Although New Zealand lost that Test at Lancaster Park, Nathan Astle blazed 222 , which remains the fastest double-century in Test cricket. Astle struck 11 sixes in the innings, which was challenging for Clements. “He hit so many balls in the air, and on the ball-follow camera, I lost some of them. Some went on top of the roof and a couple went right over.”Having now retired, Clements hopes to catch up on his gardening and his bowlsLong before Clements was awed by Astle, he was charmed by another cricketer, who he names as the player who impressed him most. “The Nawab of Pataudi. He was a wonderful batsman with a superb cover drive,” Clements, who covered India’s 1968 series to New Zealand, remembers. “I said to one of the guys afterwards, ‘How the hell can that joker see everything so well and still play like a two-eyed human?’ He was wonderful.”Clements also counts Greg Chappell as a favourite. He says he probably has a “hundred other names which I could mention but won’t” when it comes to cricketers he admires. Instead, he concentrates on the nuances of his job, which apart from steady hands, concentration and the wearing of a lot of layers of clothes, especially in Dunedin last week, where he donned five, is based on storytelling.”It’s about not being too tight with your shots,” he says. “A ball going across the ground says nothing. A ball with someone running after it says something. A ball with someone reverse cup underneath it says something; a ball that suddenly two seconds later is caught means nothing.”Clements says the advancements in technology have aided that cause, especially the replay and the increased number of cameras. “Although sometimes we have more replays than are necessary, it really helps you to create a narrative,” Clements said. “Typically we have more than 25 cameras at the match. At this match, we have 28, and I am told that in Wellington next week there will be 30.”

“It’s about not being too tight with your shots. A ball going across the ground says nothing. A ball with someone running after it says something”

He still finds it hard to believe that the pictures he is shooting travel such a great distance in such a short time. “I still can’t understand how it happens,” Clements says. “Well, I know how it happens, but I can’t conceive of the fact that we can portray this beautiful game – this is the beautiful game, not the big round-ball thing – how we can transmit this and 500 million people somewhere can see that three seconds later. It eludes me. But I am only a television cameraman, I am not an engineer.”Soon he will be a retiree. The decision to stop now, at the age of 69, is his own. “As George Harrison, the great Beatle, wrote, all things must pass, and I think that’s a fair thing,” he says. He has been mentoring colleague Karla Underwood for “the last three or four years” to take over from him.In his time, Clements has only covered cricket outside New Zealand twice, in 1997 during the Pepsi Independence Cup in India, and a version of Cricket Sixes in Kuala Lumpur some years later. He has never been hit by a cricket ball, though he had a near miss once at Eden Park No. 2.In his retirement, he hopes to “play a lot more bowls, try and coach the Canterbury women’s bowls team again, if they will let me, dig more gardens and watch a lot more cricket on the telly”.

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has revealed that Marcus Rashford may yet play again this season despite suffering a hamstring injury.

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Rashford suffers hamstring injuryFears his season was overEmery issues positive updateFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Manchester United loanee sustained the injury late last month, with manager Emery stating the 27-year-old would be out for a "few weeks". Now, however, the Spaniard has revealed that the England international could play one or two more games this season.

AdvertisementAFPWHAT EMERY SAID

He told reporters on Friday: “For tomorrow, he’s not available. He’s working on his comeback as soon as possible, but there’s still weeks to be available or not with us for the rest of the season. Of course, there’s four weeks and hopefully he will play with us one or two matches.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Rashford, who has reportedly flown to Dubai to aid his rehab, faces an uncertain period as it is not yet known if his time at United is over, whether Villa will exercise their £40 million ($53m/€47m) buy option, or if he will head to pastures new. But if he can return before the season finishes, with their last two games against Tottenham and United, he could aid Villa's bid to qualify for the Champions League.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

While Rashford continues his rehab, Villa host Fulham on Saturday lunchtime in a crunch Premier League clash as both teams try to qualify for European football next season.

An iffy lbw decision followed by rain left Scotland so near, yet so far away from achieving their World Cup dream. For an Associate side that beat Afghanistan, tied with Zimbabwe and went toe-to-toe with West Indies, it was a cruel end to their qualifying

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Mar-2018

There are no words to describe this current feeling… we don’t deserve what’s happened to us in this tournament. Incredibly proud of this @CricketScotland team – shown again what we are about #WeWillComeAgain

— Matthew Cross (@crossy16) March 21, 2018

Amazing efforts by everyone involved with @CricketScotland. Gutted for the tournament to end the way it did after all the effort gone in from the players and staff. Unbelievable support shown from all back home…!! #followscotland

— Mike Jones (@mikejones04) March 21, 2018

Gutted. So close, heartbreaking to have a game and tournament like this decided by rain. Congrats to @westindies #followscotland

— Calum MacLeod (@calummacleod640) March 21, 2018

Gutted doesn’t come close, we played some fantastic cricket this tournament. Pleased to hear the @westindies celebrating dramatically after a game in the balance settled by rain beating us the associate!! I’m a proud of @CricketScotland lads!Thanks for the support!!

— George Munsey (@GeorgeMunsey) March 21, 2018

Thanks to all my family and friends for all the love and support you have shown me and the team throughout this tournament has been really amazing. We are all absolutely gutted for you all! Thanks once again! #followscotland

— Safyaan Sharif (@Safyaan50) March 21, 2018

Devestating to have lost the way we did after such a good tournament. The @CricketScotland team can hold our heads high! Thank you to everyone for your support!

— Brad Wheal (@Brad_wheal) March 21, 2018

I don’t have the words to describe the feeling. Beyond gutted. Thank you to everyone back home for the support. We truly felt it. We will be back stronger!

— Ali Evans (@AliEvans647) March 21, 2018

Gutted doesn’t even come close, the cricket this team has played is this tournament has been amazing, can’t believe it ended like that, @ICC @CricketScotland, thanks to everyone back home for all the support

— michael leask (@leasky29) March 21, 2018

Words can’t describe how heartbroken we all are @CricketScotland ! Congrats to @westindies! Also to everyone at @ICC I’m sure they’ll sleep tight tonight after a todays outcome #SqueakyBumTime #10teamworldcup

— mark watt (@markwatt123) March 21, 2018

Feel absolutely sick for everyone @CricketScotland , players, support staff, administration & supporters. It's all been said before, but this tournament has highlighted (again) so much that is wrong with the management, structure & priorities of world cricket @ICC #notgoodenough

— Craig Wright (@craigwright99) March 21, 2018

.@ICC I think you need to re-address your 'values' below, particularly your final point.

Your actions as a governing body are so misaligned with this it's frightening. pic.twitter.com/yUyu9gTt4c

— Preston Mommsen (@PrestonMommsen) March 21, 2018

Hasan Ali not selected in any squad while Hussain Talat drops out of T20Is

Danyal Rasool23-Oct-2025Babar Azam has returned to the Pakistan T20I squad for the first time in nearly a year. He was named in a 15-member squad for the upcoming series against South Africa, as well as the tri-series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe which follows. Mohammad Rizwan, who was removed from the captaincy in ODI cricket, keeps his place in the 50-over squad, while wicketkeeper-batter Usman Khan and offspinner Usman Tariq come into the T20 side.Babar has not played any T20 cricket since the end of the PSL, after which he was not part of any squad for the shortest format. At the time, Pakistan’s white-ball coach Mike Hesson said he would need to “improve a few things” to earn his way back into the side, with the Big Bash League in December believed to be the tournament Pakistan would use to assess his improvement. It is not yet clear what led to him being fast-tracked back in, but his inclusion means he is, once more, an all-format player for Pakistan.Related

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Fast bowler Naseem Shah keeps his place in the ODI squad, and returns to the T20 side. He recently excelled in the CPL with St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, where Tariq’s performance with champions Trinbago Knight Riders has also been rewarded. He was the second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament. Hasan Ali, who was part of the T20 Asia Cup squad, is not part of any of the white-ball teams, while Hussain Talat drops out of the T20 side.Shaheen Afridi will captain Pakistan’s ODI side for the first time against South Africa in November during a three-match series. Before that, Pakistan play three T20s against them. It is followed by the tri-series from November 17 to 29.Pakistan ODI squad
Shahen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali AghaT20I squad
Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wk), Usman Tariq

Stats highlights from the third day of the first Test between South Africa and Sri Lanka in Port Elizabeth

Gaurav Sundararaman28-Dec-20161929 The previous instance when the same opening pair shared a 100-plus partnership for South Africa in both innings of a Test. Stephen Cook and Dean Elgar added 104 in the first innings and 116 in the second in Port Elizabeth. Bob Catteral and Bruce Mitchell added 119 and 171 respectively against England at Birmingham in 1929. Overall, eight other opening pairs have shared century stands in both innings of a Test.2012 The last instance of a century stand for the opening wicket in both innings of a Test match for South Africa, against England in 2012 at Leeds. However, this was achieved by two different pairs: Graeme Smith added 120 runs each with Alviro Petersen and Jacques Rudolph respectively.1970 The last instance of two fifty-plus partnerships by the opening pair for South Africa in a Test in Port Elizabeth. Barry Richards and Eddie Barlow added 157 and 73 against Australia in 1970.70 Innings taken by Vernon Philander to reach 11 five-fors in Tests. He is the third-quickest bowler from South Africa to reach this mark after Hugh Tayfield (43 innings) and Dale Steyn (54 innings). Philander now has three five-fors each against Sri Lanka, Australia and New Zealand.3 Centuries scored by Stephen Cook in 2016, the most by a South Africa batsman in 2016. Hashim Amla, Faf Du Plessis and Quinton de Kock have two hundreds each. Cook has three hundreds from 12 innings and also made his top score of 117 today.84 Dean Elgar’s average at St Georges Park, Port Elizabeth, the second-best across all venues he has played in after Durban, where he averages 88.5. He has scored 420 runs with two hundreds and two fifties in Port Elizabeth.49.90 Hashim Amla’s current average. This is the first time his average has dropped below 50 since November 2012.

Stats highlights from the one-off Test between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in Colombo, where the hosts chased down 388

Shiva Jayaraman18-Jul-20170:43

By the Numbers: SL’s highest successful chase in Tests

4 Number of higher targets successfully chased in Tests. The 388 that Sri Lanka chased down in this match is the highest any team has successfully chased in Asia. The previous highest in Asia was India’s chase of 387 against England in Chennai in 2008. The previous highest in Sri Lanka was Pakistan’s chase of 377 against the hosts in Pallekele in 2015.352 The highest target successfully chased by Sri Lanka in Tests before this one. It had come against South Africa at the P Sara Oval in 2006. Overall, this is only the third instance of them chasing down a target in excess of 300 runs. The other instance had come against Zimbabwe at the SSC in January 1998.188 Runs added by Sri Lanka for their last five wickets in the fourth innings – the second highest by them in any Test match. This was also the second highest added by the last five wickets in a successful chase and only the third time Sri Lanka had added more than 100 runs.1 Number of fourth-innings totals in Tests in Sri Lanka higher than the home team’s 391 for 6 in this match. New Zealand had made 397 in a losing cause at the SSC in 2009. This is also Sri Lanka’s second-highest fourth-innings total in Tests.653 Balls from spinners played out by Sri Lanka in the fourth innings – the third highest played out by any team in the fourth innings of a Test in Asia. This is also the second-highest number of balls a team has faced from spinners in a successful chase in Asia.ESPNcricinfo Ltd3 Number of individual scores higher than Niroshan Dickwella’s 81 in successful chases for Sri Lanka. Aravinda de Silva had made an unbeaten 143 against Zimbabwe at the SSC in 1997-98, which is the highest. Mahela Jayawardene’s 123 against South Africa at the P Sara Oval in 2006 is the only other hundred in successful chases for Sri Lanka in Tests. Asela Gunaratne’s unbeaten 80 slots in at No.5 in this list.5 Number of times before this, teams had won scoring the highest total of the match in the fourth innings of a Test in Asia. The previous such instance too had come in Sri Lanka, in Pallekele in 2015, when Pakistan had made 382 – the highest total in the fourth innings chasing 377.9/275 Match figures by Graeme Cremer – the best by a Zimbabwe captain in Tests. Overall, Cremer’s effort ranks seventh in the list of best match figures by a Zimbabwe bowler in Tests.87.3 Overs sent down by Cremer in this match – the most by any Zimbabwe bowler in Tests. The previous most were the 79 overs bowled by Ray Price in the Bulawayo Test against South Africa in 2001. Overall, Zimbabwe’s spinners bowled 190.2 overs in this Test – the most they have bowled in any match.317 The highest target successfully chased down without an individual hundred in the fourth innings before this match. New Zealand had achieved it against Bangladesh in a Test in Chittagong in 2008. Sri Lanka’s highest individual score in the fourth innings chasing a target of 388 in this match was Dickwella’s 81. Overall, Sri Lanka’s 391 is the fourth-highest score in the fourth innings of a Test without an individual hundred. India’s 445 in the Adelaide Test in 1977-78 is the highest such score.

Liverpool are now likely to pursue a summer move for an “unbelievable” player, at which point his £75m asking price is set to drop, according to a report.

Reds eyeing a centre-back

The Reds had a quiet January transfer window, with Arne Slot perhaps not wanting to rock the boat, given that his side are faring well in their pursuit of the Premier League title.

Having been unable to bring in a new central midfielder last summer, it has been quiet on the transfer front for quite some time at Anfield, but they may be forced into action at the end of the season.

With Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk still yet to sign new deals, Slot may be forced to rebuild his squad this summer, while he is also looking for a partner for his captain.

Liverpool are gearing up for a marquee signing in the summer, and they have reportedly identified Nottingham Forest’s Murillo as a concrete target, although the centre-back will not come cheap, with the Tricky Trees looking to hold out for £80m.

Liverpool now closely monitoring summer transfer for £41.5m "joy to watch"

A summer move to Anfield could be on the cards.

ByHenry Jackson Feb 4, 2025

The Brazilian is not the only Premier League defender the Reds are keen on, however, with Football Insider reporting Liverpool are likely to join the race for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi in the summer.

The Eagles were holding out for a fee of £75m in the January transfer window, which was enough to dissuade potential suitors, but Guehi’s price tag is expected to drop at the end of the season, at which point he will have just one year left on his contract.

Liverpool’s upcoming Premier League fixtures

Date

Everton (a)

February 12th

Wolverhampton Wanderers (h)

February 16th

Manchester City (a)

February 23rd

Newcastle United (h)

February 26th

Southampton (h)

March 8th

Most of the Premier League’s ‘big six’ are set to fight it out for the Crystal Palace star in the summer, with Tottenham Hotspur seeing a £70m bid rejected in the latter stages of the winter window.

Guehi has been "unbelievable" for Crystal Palace

It is no wonder the England international is attracting so much attention from the country’s top clubs, given that he has been extremely impressive in a Palace shirt for quite some time.

The Athletic’s Matt Woosnam provides an overview of the 24-year-old’s key strengths, while also relaying a quote from former manager Patrick Vieira.

The only concern over signing the former Chelsea man is the fact he struggles somewhat aerially, given that he is just 6 foot, as pointed out by the BBC’s Alex Howell, but he makes up for that slight weakness with his positional awareness.

Liverpool’s priority should be to keep hold of Van Dijk, but if Slot decides a new centre-back is necessary, Guehi could be an excellent addition.