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A recent report from Football Transfers has claimed that Newcastle United have been offered the chance to sign Watford winger Ismaila Sarr, with the player’s representatives having met with the Magpies last month as the 24-year-old seeks an escape route out of Vicarage Road.

The former Rennes man appears to be eyeing a new home as the Hornets ebb towards an inevitable drop back into the second tier, with the report suggesting that a fee of roughly £40m could be enough to snap him up this summer.

Although it remains to be seen if Eddie Howe’s side are actually interested in pursuing the signing of the £71k-per-week speedster, the thought of him lining up at St James’ Park next season truly is a mouthwatering prospect.

The Senegalese sensation has endured a tricky stint back in the top-flight – with just five goals and two assists to his name in the Premier League this season – although he caught the eye during an explosive debut campaign in English football two seasons ago.

Having made the club-record switch to his current side in the summer of 2019, the 39-cap international went on to provide 11 goal contributions in that first season, albeit with that not proving enough to keep the club away from the drop zone.

The subsequent season saw Sarr remain with Watford despite interest from the likes of Manchester United, with the “rapid” ace, as he has been described by Liverpool’s Sadio Mane, bagging 13 goals and registering ten assists as Xisco Munoz’s side secured an instant return back to the top tier.

Dubbed a “freak” by current teammate Ben Foster for his ridiculous talent, the one-time Metz man would offer guaranteed thrills to those in the northeast, with Howe and co already having his perfect partner in crime in Allan Saint-Maximin.

Should the Frenchman stay put – despite reports he is up for sale – he would seemingly be able to dovetail beautifully with Sarr, the duo offering electric speed and undoubted skill down the flank.

While Saint-Maximin often does his damage cutting in off the left, the aforementioned target is at his most potent down the right-wing, offering the Newcastle boss the chance to terrify teams on the counter and remain a threat on both wings.

Although it is not yet known if there is concrete interest in the £24.3m-rated gem, PIF should do the club’s supporters – and the Premier League – a favour by putting the two dynamic stars together.

They would surely be buzzing at the thought of watching the pair play at St James’ Park next term.

IN other news, Newcastle plot bid to sign player with 191 PL apps, he’d be a big upgrade on Lascelles…

da fezbet： Manchester United are in need of reinforcements and are now believed to be targeting a former Premier League player, with a report dropping an update on the defender's availability.

Manchester United eye January deals

da dobrowin： Following a stop-start campaign under Erik ten Hag, Manchester United fans will feel that additions are necessary this month to bolster a squad that has been hampered by injury and inconsistency over the last few months.

RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner was linked with a move to Old Trafford earlier in the window; however, he is now closing in on a move that will see him join Tottenham Hotspur on loan for the remainder of the season.

Related All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.

Posts ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has confirmed the Red Devils missed out on the Germany international as they "decided not to proceed also because it’s not clear yet what kind of player they want" in the forward areas.

Former Manchester United man Louis Saha has now offered up a solution to his old side's striking problem and indicated that they should make a move for Al-Ittihad forward Karim Benzema, as he told Diario AS via the same outlet: "Benzema would change United’s attack, and that’s exactly what they need. He would score goals and ensure better team play. For now, it’s just a dream, but Karim is still very professional."

Nonetheless, new reports have now emerged claiming that Dutchman Ten Hag is actually keen to strengthen his backline instead with the arrival of an experienced defender.

Andreas Christensen transfer update

According to reports in Spain, Barcelona defender Andreas Christensen could now be made available for transfer this year due to falling down the pecking order at the Catalan giants under Xavi. This follows earlier reports this weekend that the Red Devils are interested in Christensen to replace Raphael Varane.

The new update claims the return of La Blaugrana youngster Chadi Riad in the summer will pave the way for the Denmark international to move on.

Five similar players to Andreas Christensen (FBRef)

Player

Club

Dayot Upamecano

Bayern Munich

Nacho

Real Madrid

Amir Rrahmani

Napoli

Eric Garcia

Girona

Kim Min-jae

Bayern Munich

Given that he arrived at Barcelona on a free transfer, former Chelsea star Christensen is viewed as a player the La Liga outfit can make a healthy profit on. Newcastle United are also believed to be keen on the 27-year-old; however, it has been made clear that he won't leave his current employers in January.

Labelled "very reliable" by former boss Thomas Tuchel, Christensen has still managed to rack up 20 appearances in all competitions for Barcelona this campaign, contributing with a single assist in the process (Christensen statistics – Transfermarkt).

Proven at Premier League level, the £198k-a-week Christensen could be an ideal signing for Manchester United that would provide stability moving forward at Old Trafford.

Lamine Yamal has risked the wrath of Real Madrid supporters once again after the Barcelona forward sent out a defiant message ahead of the first Clasico of the season. Having already received scorn from the Blaugrana’s bitter rivals, the 18-year-old decided to prod them for a second time before Sunday’s mouth-watering fixture at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Getty Images SportIn-form Barcelona and Real lead the way at the top of La Liga

All eyes will be on Madrid this weekend when Barcelona and Real renew hostilities in La Liga. The Spanish giants have set the pace in 2025-26, occupying the top two spots in the table. Xabi Alonso’s Real sit at the summit after winning eight and losing one of their nine league games this term, while Hansi Flick’s Barcelona are second and just two points behind, having won seven from the same number of fixtures. The Catalan side drew 1-1 with Rayo Vallecano on 31 August, before losing 4-1 to Sevilla earlier this month.

AdvertisementYamal stokes fire with tongue-in-cheek remark about Real

While the fixture does not need any extra hype, extra spice has been added following pre-match comments from Yamal. Igniting controversy before a ball has been kicked, the wonderkid – speaking during a broadcast on Kings League – made tongue-in-cheek remarks about Real, which have not gone down well at the Bernabeu.

In comments which went viral on social media, when asked by Ibai Llanos – owner of Kings League side Porcinos FC – whether his team reminded him of Real, Yamal said: “Yes, of course, they steal, they complain…”

Prompting laughter from those on the stream, Llanos, a well-known Real supporter, immediately pushed back by asking: “Real Madrid steals?”

Laughing nervously, Yamal then said: “Well, let’s see, let’s see.”

AFPSpain star goes one step further with new social media post

Not content with his cheeky remarks, Yamal has lit the touch paper once again by taking to social media to send a bold message before El Clasico. In a post on his Instagram stories, the Spain international uploaded a picture which sees him blurred out and a sea of angry Real supporters brought into focus. Yamal was victorious in all four Clasico fixtures last season as Barcelona defeated Real twice in La Liga, while they also got the better of their old foes in the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup.

Wonderkid on song as Barcelona downed Olympiacos in midweek

Yamal and Barcelona head into Sunday’s Clasico in great spirits following their comprehensive 6-1 win over Greek side Olympiacos in the Champions League on Tuesday. The winger recorded one goal and one assist as Flick’s side got back on track in Europe’s elite club competition, having suffered a late 2-1 defeat against defending champions Paris Saint-Germain in their second fixture. Barcelona opened their Champions League campaign with a 2-1 victory over Newcastle on 18 September, with in-form forward Marcus Rashford scoring twice.

The opener will not be part of the India contingent that flies from Dubai to Sydney on Wednesday

Nagraj Gollapudi11-Nov-2020Rohit Sharma will not be part of the Indian contingent flying from Dubai to Sydney on Wednesday for the Australia tour. Sharma, who led the Mumbai Indians to their fifth IPL title on Tuesday, will instead return home to recover completely from the hamstring injury he suffered during the IPL.The Indian selectors initially left Rohit out of all three squads for the Australia tour, which will be played between November 27 and January 19 and will comprise three ODIs, three T20Is and four Tests. This was because Rohit had suffered a hamstring tear in his left leg on October 18 while completing a run against Kings XI Punjab. He sat out Mumbai’s next four matches before returning to play for their last league match followed by Qualifier 1 and the IPL final, in which he was the top-scorer.On November 9, the eve of the IPL final, the BCCI said in a media release that Rohit would feature in the Test series, but was being rested for the limited-overs leg of the Australia tour to “regain full fitness”. It is now expected that Rohit will undergo his rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru and, once he passes a fitness test, head to Australia ahead of the Test series, which begins in Adelaide on December 17.Kohli unlikely to return to Australia post paternity leaveIt is also understood that India captain Virat Kohli will not rejoin the Test squad in the New Year once he returns to India on paternity leave following the first Test. Kohli and his partner Anushka Sharma are expecting their first child around early January, so he requested the BCCI to release him after the Adelaide Test, which will the India’s maiden overseas day-night Test and is scheduled from December 17 to 21.According to the Australian government’s travel guidelines imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a person entering the country has to undergo a 14-day quarantine. So the India team management has accepted that Kohli will not have enough time to be ready for the final two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which are scheduled in Sydney (January 7-11) and Brisbane (January 15-19).Wriddhiman Saha collects low to his left•BCCI

Kohli, though, would be part of the Indian contingent, comprising all three squads along with their families, flying late on Wednesday on a charter flight organized by the BCCI to Sydney from Dubai. The Indian touring group will start the tour with a two-week quarantine, during which they are allowed to train subject to clearing the testing protocols put in place by Cricket Australia in coordination with the local government. It is understood the Indian party will start training from November 14 in Sydney.Ahead of the Test series the Indians will play two warm-up matches, the second of them under lights, ahead of the pink-ball Test. The first warm-up game between India A and Australia A, scheduled to take place from December 6 to 8, clashes with the T20I series, so only the Test specialists, along with the some of the net bowlers, will take part. The entire Test squad, though, will be available for the second warm-up game against Australia A, scheduled from December 11 to 13.Saha flying to AustraliaWriddhiman Saha, who injured the hamstrings in both his legs while playing an IPL match for Sunrisers Hyderabad, will be part of the touring group flying out on Wednesday. Saha is one of two wicketkeepers named by the selectors for the Test series along with Rishabh Pant.It is understood that fast bowler Ishant Sharma will travel separately to Australia ahead of the Test series once he is declared completely fit by the NCA, where he is undegoing rehab after suffering an abdominal muscle tear during the IPL. Recently the NCA, which is headed by the former India captain Rahul Dravid, had communicated to the BCCI that Ishant would be ready to start bowling from November 18, after which he will need to prove his match fitness.

Leicester City are plotting a move to appoint former Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri as Enzo Maresca prepares to join the Blues.

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• Leicester eyeing move for Sarri
• Maresca close to joining Chelsea
• Sarri left Lazio job in March 2024

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to , the Foxes have included the Italian coach on their managerial shortlist as they look to replace Chelsea-bound Maresca. The 65-year-old ex-Blues boss has been without a job since March when he parted ways with Lazio.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The report further claims that the veteran coach is yet to decide on his future amid interest from Serie A's Bologna who could come after Sarri if Thiago Motta decides to leave. The former Scudetto-winning Juventus manager also received an offer from Greek top-division side Panathinaikos, however, he turned them down.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Other than the Italian, the newly promoted Premier League side are also eyeing a move for Dutch legend Ruud van Nistelrooy who previously managed PSV in the Eredivisie.

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR LEICESTER CITY?

  With Maresca set to formally join the West London side, Leicester will have to find a suitable candidate in the coming weeks who could take charge at King Power Stadium.

Latest update comes after BCCI called it a “non-issue”; Dhoni likely to use the same gloves going forward, with the insignia covered by a tape

Nagraj Gollapudi07-Jun-2019

The ICC has rejected BCCI’s request to allow MS Dhoni to wear wicketkeeping gloves with the dagger insignia. ESPNcricinfo understands the ICC sent it its response on Friday afternoon (UK time) explaining that Dhoni had breached two clauses of the clothing and equipment regulations: one relating to display of “personal messages” and the other concerning the logo on his gloves.The latest update followed a statement by Vinod Rai, the chairman of the BCCI’s Committee of Administrators, saying that the Indian board would not escalate the matter if the ICC insisted on following the regulations but had requested for some “flexibility” on the matter. It is expected to end a story that had run through most of Friday in India’s news cycle.The ICC raised the red flag after noticing the insignia of a dagger on the back of Dhoni’s green gloves during India’s tournament opener against South Africa on June 5. Dhoni is an honorary lieutenant-colonel in the Parachute Regiment of the Indian Territorial Army. The dagger is similar to the regimental emblem.It is believed that Dhoni is likely to continue to wear the same gloves but cover the insignia with tape.ESPNcricinfo understands that, in its email to the BCCI, the ICC explained that Dhoni had violated the G1 clause in of its clothing and equipment regulations. The clause reads: “Players and team officials shall not be permitted to wear, display or otherwise convey messages through arm bands or other items affixed to clothing or equipment (“Personal Messages”) unless approved in advance by both the player or team official’s Board and the ICC Cricket Operations Department. Approval shall not be granted for messages which relate to political, religious or racial activities or causes.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Dhoni also flouted the specific rule related to the display of logos on wicketkeeping gloves in the clothing and equipment regulations for the World Cup. The diagram in clause 19.47 shows that only two manufacturer’s identifications are allowed on the back of each glove. “No visible logos permitted other than those identified in the diagram,” the note accompanying the illustration says.Though the matter gained traction in India and even prompted the intervention of the country’s sports minister, the BCCI called it a “non-issue” earlier in the day. “We will play the game by the rules of the ICC in letter and spirit,” Rai told ESPNcricinfo. “If there is a specific norm that has to be followed, we will not break that norm. However, if there is any flexibility available, we have sought permission for the ICC to allow the player to wear the gloves.”The matter was discussed in the CoA meeting held in Mumbai on Friday, which was attended by Rai’s two other colleagues – Diana Edulji and Ravindra Thodge – as well as the BCCI chief executive officer Rahul Johri.Making the issue more complex was the Indian government’s support for Dhoni’s gloves. India’s sports minister Kiren Rijiju told the news agency ANI: “The government doesn’t intervene in affairs of sports bodies. But when the issue is related to the country’s sentiments, then the interest of the nation has to be kept in mind. I would like to request BCCI to take up the matter with ICC.”As per the rules, Dhoni would be reprimanded if he wore the gloves with the insignia on Sunday, when India face Australia in their second group match. The second offence, in case it took place within 12 months, would attract a fine of 25% of the match fee. A third offence would mean a 50% fine of the match fee, and a fourth would see the player losing 75% of his match fee.There is precedent for the ICC’s decision. In 2014, Moeen Ali was asked to remove wristbands bearing the slogans “Save Gaza” and “Free Palestine” during the third Test against India in Southampton. The ECB said Moeen’s actions were humanitarian rather than political, but the ICC’s view was that it was inappropriate for the field of play. No further action was taken. In January 2017 South Africa’s Imran Tahir was reprimanded by the ICC for a wicket celebration during a T20 match against Sri Lanka in which he revealed a t-shirt under his playing kit with an image of the late Junaid Jamshed, a one-time Pakistani pop icon and religious preacher who had died weeks before in an air crash.

The Football Association (FA) has released a fresh statement backing their decision to scrap FA Cup replays amid widespread backlash.

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FA Cup replays have been axed completelyDisgruntled fans severely criticise the decisionFA insist on the need for reformsWHAT HAPPENED?

The FA's move signals a significant shift in the format of the historic tournament, with all rounds set to be played on weekends starting from the 2024-25 season, and replays abolished altogether. While the decision to scrap replays has sparked controversy, particularly among fans and clubs in the lower echelons of English football, the FA maintains that the move was necessary to ensure the sustainability of the tournament. The CEO of the advocacy group Fair Game criticised the FA's decision, describing it as "another nail in the coffin" for the already crumbling football pyramid.

AdvertisementGetty THE BIGGER PICTURE

Nonetheless, the governing body remains resolute in its new decision. They clarified that discussions regarding the calendar for the 2024-25 season had been ongoing for over a year, with representatives from the Premier League and the English Football League (EFL) actively involved in the process. The decision to eliminate FA Cup replays was reportedly a topic of early deliberation, with consensus reached among all parties that replays were no longer viable.

WHAT THE FA SAID

A fresh statement put out by FA read: "We have listened to the concerns expressed over the last 24 hours, and would like to outline the approval process which was undertaken for the 2024-25 professional game football calendar. We have been discussing the calendar for the 2024-25 season with the Premier League and EFL for well over a year.

"Removing Emirates FA Cup replays was discussed in the early meetings and all parties accepted that they could not continue. The discussions then focused on how to make all of our competitions stronger, despite having fewer dates available and wanting to maintain player welfare. The changes to the Emirates FA Cup achieve this by returning it to a weekend competition on every round, and ensuring that we have exclusive broadcast slots in an increasingly congested calendar."

DID YOU KNOW?

The FA emphasised its commitment to supporting clubs in the lower divisions by exploring alternative revenue streams.

The statement further read: "To clarify, we have also increased the number of Emirates FA Cup matches that will be broadcast in the early rounds, which will lead to additional guaranteed broadcast revenue for EFL and National League teams. Additionally, we review the prize money annually for the competition, together with representatives from the EFL and Premier League and will do the same for the 2024-25 season.

"The calendar for next season was approved last month by the Professional Game Board, which consists of four EFL representatives and four Premier League representatives and then by the FA Board, which includes Premier League, EFL, National Game and grassroots representation. This is the process we undergo every year to approve the calendar. We understand the concerns expressed over the last 24 hours, and we will be sharing more details with clubs very shortly to explain the additional revenue opportunities in the early rounds. We will keep this under review as the new calendar begins to ensure that EFL and National League clubs do not lose out."

The seam-bowling allrounder played 15 ODIs and 22 T20Is for UAE, featuring in the 2014 World T20 and the 2015 World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Dec-2018Amjad Javed, the former UAE captain, has retired from international cricket. The 38-year-old seam-bowling allrounder hasn’t found a place in the UAE line-up since December 2017, when he played against Nepal in the ICC WCL Championship.”It is never easy when you have to call it a day,” Amjad told . “You have to decide at what time you need to retire. At the moment, the team is doing better than two years back. I can’t find a place in the team. Nothing motivates me to push myself and fight for that position.”Amjad played 15 ODIs and 22 T20Is for UAE, featuring in the 2014 World T20 in Bangladesh and the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. His all-round efforts against Ireland – 42 and 3 for 60 – nearly gained UAE their only victory of the latter tournament, but he chose a performance in the World Cup qualifier the previous year as his personal favourite. In that match, in Christchurch, he smashed 63 off 31 balls and followed it up with 2 for 29 from his 10 overs to consign Kenya to a 13-run defeat.”The main highlight of my career was the 2014 World Cup qualifier [Super Six match] we played against Kenya in New Zealand where I was the man of the match,” Amjad said. “We qualified for the World Cup and achieved ODI status. Everything started rolling after that.”

da brdice： The last seven days could not have gone better for Arsenal fans.

da imperador bet： Sunday saw them utterly dominate Tottenham Hotspur in the North London Derby, extending their lead at the top of the Premier League table.

Then, if that wasn’t enough, the Gunners took on and, in the second half anyway, quite comfortably beat Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

Things do not get any easier this weekend, though, as Arsenal travel to second-placed Chelsea, and if Mikel Arteta wants to ensure his side collects all three points, he should make one ruthless change to the lineup.

Arsenal's record against Chelsea

Sunday’s game will be the 212th competitive meeting between Arsenal and Chelsea, with the first being a Division One game in November 1907, which the Blues hosted and won 2-1.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

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However, since then, it’s the Gunners who have generally had the better luck in this fixture, winning 85 games, drawing 60 and losing 66.

Moreover, since taking the job in December 2019, Arteta has had a sensational record against the West Londoners.

Of the 13 competitive games he’s managed against them, the Spaniard has masterminded a victory eight times – including in the 2020 FA Cup Final – settled for a draw three times and lost just twice, the last time being in August 2021.

The last game between the sides was in March of this year at the Emirates, and it would be fair to say it’s not one that has lived long in the memory, as the hosts ran out 1-0 winners thanks to a Mikel Merino header.

In all then, while this Sunday will be a tough test for Arsenal, Arteta and Co shouldn’t be too worried as they have an exceptional record against Chelsea.

With that said, on top of the enforced changes in attack, the manager should ruthlessly drop another of his starters from Wednesday to ensure it’s another win in the books.

The Arsenal star Arteta should drop

While the performance against Bayern on Wednesday was one of Arsenal’s best in a long time, there was one player who struggled somewhat: Myles Lewis-Skelly.

The Hale Ender, who is valued at £39m by Transfermarkt, started just his fifth game of the season, and it was really quite clear that he wasn’t as sharp as some of his teammates.

For example, while he wasn’t the only one at fault, he could have dealt with the pass that led to the visitors’ goal, and as the match went on, Michael Olise gave him more and more trouble.

Equally, as per Sofacore, his woes were evident as he lost the ball nine times from just 25 touches, or once every 2.7 touches.

However, even though he struggled, there can be no doubting his immense ability, potential and attitude, and so, while it’s a long way away, club insider Hand of Arsenal’s claim that he’s a “future captain” does not sound all that far-fetched.

With all that said, for the good of the team and to ensure they have an easier time collecting all three points at the Bridge, Arteta should replace the youngster with Ricardo Calafiori.

The Italian international has been nothing short of sublime this season.

Whether it’s in defence or going forward, the 23-year-old seems able to do it all with ease, and not only that, but he does it with a certain style as well.

Described as a “wild horse” of a full-back by the Telegraph’s Sam Dean and “the most electrifying man in sports entertainment” by journalist James Benge, the former Bologna man pops up all over the pitch and causes nightmares for opposition defenders.

Moreover, on top of the four goal involvements he’s produced this term, the Rome-born monster has some unreal underlying numbers to his name.

Calafiori’s Scout Report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

npxG: Non-Penalty xG

0.16

Top 2%

Shots Total

1.58

Top 2%

Goals + Assists

0.41

Top 4%

Goal-Creating Actions

0.46

Top 4%

Aerials Won

1.89

Top 5%

Goals

0.15

Top 7%

Shots on Target

0.41

Top 8%

All Stats via FBref

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 2% of full-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for non-penalty expected goals and total shots, the top 4% for goal-creating actions, the top 5% for assists and aerial duels one, and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, with Sunday’s game being hugely crucial for Arsenal, it would make sense for Arteta to bring Calafiori back into the team in place of Lewis-Skelly.

Related The best since Henry & Vieira: Arsenal star is "the best in the world"

The incredible Arteta signing will rank alongside Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira at Arsenal.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 28, 2025

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.