All posts by h716a5.icu

Whilst Aston Villa have been far from perfect in the Premier League so far this season, Unai Emery's side have at least shown glimpses of what could come, once the former Arsenal manager fine tunes his tactical plan.

The Villans, of course, got off to a disastrous start on the opening day, losing 5-1 against Newcastle United. Since then, however, they have won three out of four games, with their only other loss coming at Anfield against Liverpool.

Coming from behind to defeat Crystal Palace 3-1 last time out, too, it's clear that the Midlands club are beginning to find that form. And now, they've reportedly turned their attention towards the January transfer window, eyeing up a move for a certain La Liga star.

What's the latest Aston Villa transfer news?

Villa had one of the most impressive transfer windows in England's top flight, spending a reported €93m (£80m) on five fresh faces, in total. The most successful of those arrivals so far has been Moussa Diaby. The former Bayer Leverkusen winger has hit the ground running, scoring two goals and assisting a further two in five Premier League games.

There's no doubt that Emery will have European aspirations this season, after taking Villa to Europa Conference League qualification last season, and with that, January reinforcements could still come in.

According to reports in Spain, via Caught Offside, the Midlands club are keen on signing Real Sociedad defender Robin Le Normand, who reportedly has a release clause of €60 million (£51.6m).

As things stand, Emery could do with another centre-back option following the long-term injury to Tyrone Mings, which has left the Frenchman with Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, Diego Carlos, and Calum Chambers to call on for most of the campaign.

Should Aston Villa sign Robin Le Normand?

Welcoming a player of Le Normand's quality would once again confirm that Aston Villa are in the process of reaching a new level under Emery, which started with European qualification last season, and progressed with the signing of Diaby in the summer.

Statistically speaking, Le Normand has been a standout in La Liga in the last few years. According to FBref, the Spaniard is in the top 97 percentile for aerial duels won per 90, the top 76 percentile for pass completion rate, as well as the top 77 and 78 percentiles for progressive carries and progressive passes per 90, to more than earn his reported £46k per-week at Sociedad.

Meanwhile, compared to Konsa, Torres, and Carlos this season, Le Normand stands out in several areas, as per FBref, which you can see below:

Player

Progressive Passes

Interceptions

Tackles Won

Robin Le Normand

18

7

5

Diego Carlos

3

2

4

Pau Torres

31

1

2

Ezri Konsa

10

4

8

With that said, it'll be interesting to see whether Villa trigger Le Normand's release clause. It's clear that he has that extra quality to potentially help them improve even further, and perhaps even take them to Europa League qualification this season, making the potential move one to keep an eye on.

Journalist Pete O'Rourke's "well-placed source" has shared an interesting update West Ham United manager David Moyes' transfer plans, concerning Jesse Lingard.

Who just signed for West Ham?

The Irons, helped by new technical director Tim Steidten, secured the signings of Edson Alvarez, James Ward-Prowse, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Mohammed Kudus over this summer.

West Ham's brand new quartet come in to replace the departed Declan Rice, who joined Arsenal in a deal worth £105 million, and striker Gianluca Scamacca after his return to Italy with Atalanta.

Moyes' side have started the new Premier League season with aplomb; remaining unbeaten over their opening four matches with three wins and a draw.

Striker Michail Antonio, despite two arguably lacklustre seasons prior to this one so far, has lead the West Ham line brilliantly as Jamaica's international ace seemingly replicates his 2020/2021 form.

However, a potential injury to the 33-year-old is a real possibility given their hectic fixture schedule; including a plethora of Europa League matches from now into the festive period.

Antonio's history of fitness issues are a serious cause for concern at West Ham, and bearing this in mind, there have been reports that the east Londoners could take to the free agent market in search of more attacking options.

Moyes ultimately failed in his attempts to bring in a new striker to replace Scamacca on deadline day, despite their last gasp push for Paris-Saint Germain forward Hugo Ekitike.

One option who could provide forward depth is Lingard, who despite not being an out-and-out centre-forward, has proven in past seasons that he can contribute with both goals and assists at West Ham.

The 30-year-old free agent was training at Rush Green in a bid to maintain his fitness level, and reports claim he has actually impressed on-lookers at the club.

Now, journalist O'Rourke has shared an interesting update on Lingard's potential return to West Ham on a Bosman.

The reporter writes for Football Insider that Moyes and co are now facing a battle with two other clubs from Turkey for the ex-Man United ace, so if they're to sign him, West Ham need a formal offer to table fairly soon.

That is from his "well-placed source"' sharing that Galatasaray and Fenerbahce are likely landing spots if West Ham don't make a move.

What happened to Jesse Lingard?

The ex-Nottingham Forest ace hasn't been able to showcase his rip-roaring 20/21 form at West Ham, where he bagged nine goals and five assists in 16 matches.

Lingard has instead endured being on the periphery at both Man United and Forest since then, perhaps explaining why he is still available for hire.

However, we if the player can replicate his brilliant displays whilst on loan at West Ham two years ago, they could be landing a "sensational" free agent.

“He (Lingard) looked like someone going nowhere but he’s been sensational at West Ham," said Nigel Winterburn to The Sun in the summer of 2021.

"I think there’s a conversation to be had at Man Utd as to whether he’d fit back into their plans,” Winterburn told The Sun. “If not, he’s had this success at West Ham, so I don’t know why he’d want to sign elsewhere. He knows the club, so I think West Ham would be favourites to sign him.”

Plunkett made his return against New Zealand in Wellington earlier this week but aggravated the problem he first suffered in the ODI in Sydney last month

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Feb-2018Liam Plunkett has been ruled out of the end of the T20 tri-series and the five ODIs against New Zealand with a recurrence of the hamstring injury he picked up in Australia.Plunkett made his return against New Zealand in Wellington earlier this week but aggravated the problem he first suffered in the ODI in Sydney last month. He has been diagnosed with a grade one tear and unlike when he stayed with the squad after the injury in Australia he will now be heading home.”An MRI scan today confirmed a minor hamstring strain and this will not recover in time to take part in the ODI series,” the ECB said. “A replacement for the ODI squad will be announced in the upcoming days.”Although England have been bolstered by the arrival of Ben Stokes the ECB said a replacement for Plunkett would be named in the coming days. One possible route is to retain Sam Curran, the Surrey allrounder, who was added to the T20 squad but is not in the one-day party.Captain Eoin Morgan has sat out the last two T20s due to injury with Jos Buttler leading the side.Australia’s record chase against New Zealand at Eden Park gave England a lifeline in the T20 series although they will still need to beat the hosts by a significant margin at Seddon Park to progress to the final in Auckland on February 21.

Sikandar Raza, Hamilton Masakadza and Tendai Chatara combined to lead Zimbabwe to a 12-run win over Sri Lanka, their first victory against a Full Member at a neutral venue in 15 years

The Report by Mohammad Isam17-Jan-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAFPSikandar Raza, Hamilton Masakadza and Tendai Chatara combined to lead Zimbabwe to a 12-run win over Sri Lanka, their first victory against a Full Member at a neutral venue in 15 years. Raza made an unbeaten 81 and took the key wicket of Kusal Perera, who made 80.He also took two catches, off Angelo Mathews and former Sri Lanka captain Thisara Perera. It was the Thisara catch that finally swung the game Zimbabwe’s way. Thisara climbed into Graeme Cremer for 15 runs in the 38th over, after his side slipped to 199 for 6 chasing 291 to win.Wanindu Hasaranga’s dismissal in the 40th over didn’t deter him either. Thisara hit Cremer over long-off for his second six before an edge through third man brought the equation down to under a run-a-ball. Akila Dananjaya then holed out at cover, and although replays showed that Tendai Chatara may have marginally overstepped, the third umpire’s decision went in favour of Zimbabwe.Thisara picked singles thereafter but after he had struck a huge six in the 47th over, he struck a low full toss to Raza at deep midwicket. Thisara’s exit, after his 37-ball 64 with five fours and three sixes, was the opening Zimbabwe needed as Chatara eked out the last wicket, that of Dushmantha Chameera in the 49th over.It was Kusal Perera who gave Sri Lanka the early impetus in the chase. He began with cuts and slashes reminiscent of his boyhood hero Sanath Jayasuriya. At the other end, Upul Tharanga survived a scare when the ball hit his leg stump but the bails didn’t come off. He chipped a catch to mid-on in the sixth over, and Kusal Mendis, recalled for this tri-series, did the same in the next over.But Kusal didn’t relent with his attacking intent, finishing the Powerplay with a brutal cut over point that went for six.Soon after Kusal reached his fifty, Solomon Mire dropped him at deep point on 57.Angelo Mathews, who needed some attention for cramps, sprung to life in the 18th over when he smashed Blessing Muzarabani for a six over midwicket, and four through the slips. Kusal kept finding the boundaries too while Zimbabwe found more ways to drop him: Graeme Cremer dropped him off his own bowling in the 24th over with his score on 77.But finally, Muzarabani used all of his height at short fine leg to pluck out a catch off Kusal on 80. He had struck eight fours and two sixes in his 83-ball innings.Kusal’s exit forced Sri Lanka to slow down. Mathews and Chandimal struck just one boundary in six overs, before Mathews fell in the 31st over. Mathews swatted at a Muzarabani bouncer, but it was brilliantly intercepted by Raza at short midwicket.Chandimal tried to stay in touch with the required run-rate but Jarvis got one to keep low, which hit his off stump. Asela Gunaratne followed him soon after, deceived by Cremer and stumped by Brendan Taylor.Openers Masakadza and Solomon Mire had earlier given Zimbabwe a strong start with a 75-run stand. Masakadza blasted Suranga Lakmal for two fours in the first over and Solomon Mire bludgeoned five fours in his 37-ball 34.After Mire fell in the 13th over, Ervine followed cheaply. Masakadza and Taylor added 57 runs for the third wicket. The well-set Masakadza fell in Gunaratne’s first over after making 73 off 83 balls with 10 boundaries. Taylor fell for a 51-ball 38, before Raza and Malcolm Waller added 57 for the fifth wicket. Waller slammed two fours and a six in his 29 off 35 balls.Raza though lifted Zimbabwe’s momentum towards the end, striking Lakmal for five fours in two overs. He added 61 runs for the sixth wicket with Peter Moor off just 6.3 overs. Moor struck two sixes in his 19 before becoming Gunaratne’s third victim. Thisara also took two wickets, while the other front-line bowlers couldn’t make much of an impact.

Footage has emerged showing just how delighted Chelsea youngster Ian Maatsen was to not be sold on transfer deadline day amid strong speculation over a late move to Burnley.

What's the latest Chelsea transfer news?

It was an extremely busy window for the Blues as they sold a number of formerly key senior men – such as Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Mateo Kovacic, Edouard Mendy and many others – to make way for plenty of new incomings.

Indeed, the likes of Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia, Axel Disasi, Christopher Nkunku, Cole Palmer and more arrived to actually take Todd Boehly and co's total spending to up over up to over £1bn, despite having only been with the club since May 2022.

Naturally, to fund this chaotic transfer strategy, Chelsea have had to sell some younger academy to talent, which should help ease some Financial Fair Play (FFP) pressures. For instance, 18-year-old Lewis Hall moved to Newcastle on loan with an obligation to buy in a deal worth up to £35m.

Read the latest Chelsea transfer news HERE…

Another talented youngster to potentially be sold in the window was Maatsen. Indeed, on deadline day, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano reported that Burnley had agreed £31.5m package deal to sign the player.

However, the journalist did not in his update that there was "still no green light from player side" and it seems as though the 21-year-old wasn't particularly keen on the move.

After all, as you can see in this footage shared on Twitter, while watching reports of his possible exit, a delighted-looking Maatsen can be seen saying: "I'm still here. Up the Blues!"

As per journalist Matt Law, it was Maatsen who ultimately pulled the plug on the deal too. He wrote on Twitter: "Ian Maatsen is staying at Chelsea. Chelsea agreed a deal with Burnley but Maatsen decided not to go."

When did Ian Maatsen join Chelsea?

Many fans outside of Chelsea won't know an awful lot about Maatsen. After all, he has just four senior appearances to his name, and has seen only 13 minutes of Premier League action. Which is why many eyebrows would have likely been raised had the move to Burnley gone through at such a high price.

He has been at the club for a number of years now, though, having joined the Blues back in July 2018, arriving from Dutch team PSV Eindhoven – and can play left-back, wing-back, centre-back or in central midfield.

He did actually spend last season on loan with Burnley, scoring four goals and providing six assists, which explains why they'd be so happy to try and bring him back for Turf Moor. Although judging from the clip above, Maatsen was more than happy to stay put.

It seems Mauricio Pochettino will be content to keep the 21-year-old around too. After all, over the summer, the manager told Chelsea's website: "I am so happy with him.

"He is a player that can play in different positions. He has quality, he understands the game, and he is such a clever player."

This was back in July, but even then Pochettino was keen to give him a shot at breaking into the first team, saying: "So far, he is in my plan, yes.

"I am so pleased with him, as I’ve said, because of his attitude, commitment and his understanding of the game.

"He is a player that you can use in different positions and that is a good thing for the team and the coaching staff. It is always good to have this type of player."

On Sunday afternoon, Everton suffered a miserable and damaging 4-0 defeat against high-flying Aston Villa in the Premier League.

For the first time since 1955/56, Everton have lost their first two league games of the season without scoring and it is worrying times for the Goodison Park faithful.

It has kickstarted that argument blaming the board’s mismanagement for the club’s fall as relegation candidates, with Michael Keane becoming an embodiment of the struggle over recent years.

He has been at the club since 2017 but has never impressed, and his inclusion in the starting lineup six years later is indicative of the fragmented and broken nature of the transfer policy.

Keane was at fault for the third Villa goal, and his lack of pace, awareness, defensive positioning, and technical ability means he is not at the standard required.

Toffees director of football Kevin Thelwell is in the market for a new centre-back, but the latest target won’t fill Everton fans with any hope…

What’s the latest Everton transfer news?

According to reputable journalist Rudy Galetti, Everton have expressed an interest in signing Manchester United’s Harry Maguire.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he revealed:

“Despite the deal that collapsed with West Ham, Maguire is still on the market. Only with his farewell, Manchester United will sign a new centre-back. At the moment for the former United captain, everything is going slow. Everton showed interest in him in the last few days, but nothing concrete at the moment.”

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

The Englishman’s proposed £30m transfer to West Ham United broke down, as he was unable to agree on the terms of his exit with the Red Devils, which has opened the door for Everton to possibly make a move.

Would Harry Maguire be a good signing for Everton?

Given the desperation and the uncertainty that envelopes Everton, the idea of signing a player whose recent playing time has been littered with mistakes would be a questionable strategy.

Last season, Maguire started just eight Premier League games and has slipped behind Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane, and Victor Lindelof in the pecking order.

More recently, as a damning indictment of his faltering form and waning influence, Erik ten Hag stripped the former Leicester City titan of the captaincy.

Although he would probably be more suited to Sean Dyche's setup – given the deeper, defensive style – it is unclear whether he is the right option for a club destined for another desperate relegation fight.

The £190k-per-week centre-back has previously been branded as “woeful” by Lianne Sanderson, and his slow, immobile, unconvincing presence for United closely mirrors what Keane, unfortunately, offers to Everton.

Back in 2019, United shelled out a ridiculous £80m on Maguire, but Everton’s purchase of Keane for a then-club record fee of £30m is also embarrassing in hindsight.

In April 2022, talkSPORT’s Perry Groves commented that the Toffees' defender looks like “he’s not in control of his own body” and this was painfully apparent against Villa.

In an attempt to intercept a throw-in, Keane's lackadaisical ouch perfectly cushioned the ball into the path of Leon Bailey, who calmly finished the chance. Then, a mix-up between Ashley Young and the 6 foot 3 calamity allowed Jhon Duran to steal in a net a fourth.

Whilst Maguire is arguably more reliable than Keane, his form, confidence, and lack of agility are very concerning factors and his possible arrival isn’t the boost that Goodison Park needs, so Thelwell ought to steer clear of the Red Devils flop heading into the final ten days of the transfer window.

Sharjeel Khan, currently banned from playing cricket by the board, is set to challenge the move with a writ petition later this month

Umar Farooq05-Dec-2017The PCB edited their anti-corruption code in an attempt to prevent players from appealing their punishments in Pakistani courts, even as a tribunal was sitting on a number of spot-fixing cases. The lawyer of Sharjeel Khan, who was banned from all cricket for five years earlier this year, will file a writ petition against what he considers to be the PCB’s male fide intentions.”During the proceedings [of Sharjeel Khan’s case], the PCB edited their anti-corruption code, which is obviously not in good faith,” Shaighan Ejaz, Sharjeel’s lawyer, said. “They had made a change in their code on 18 July 2017. Just a month and two days later, a verdict was announced and neither the tribunal nor the independent adjudicator was informed about it. This is questionable behaviour.”The relevant new clause – 7.5.4 of the PCB’s anti-corruption code – reads: “An appeal against the decision of the Independent Adjudicator shall lie exclusively before the CAS.” The CAS is the Court of Arbitration (Sports), based in Lausanne, Switzerland.The edited clause at the centre of the row effectively rules out Sharjeel’s ability to take his case to the Court of Appeals in Lausanne. “The parties may, if they so desire, file an appeal under Article 7, read with Article 7.4 of the PCB’s of the PCB’s Anti-Corruption Code for Participant, 2015, within 14 days of the receipt of the detailed decision, before the Court of Appeals in Lausanne, Switzerland, or an Independent Adjudicator in terms of the Constitution of the PCB.”Given that an independent adjudicator has already heard Sharjeel’s case, this clause would appear to rule out an appeal in Switzerland. And previously the clause did not make an appeal exclusive to the CAS.”The attempt they made is to oust the Pakistan judicial system and made sure that we will only be left with the option to go into the court of arbitration in Switzerland – which is obviously not feasible,” Ejaz said. “But I understand that you cannot rule out the jurisdiction of Pakistan’s courts and this will not happen. This is uncalled for. We will approach the high court soon; in fact, we will file a writ petition this month.”The PCB’s legal advisor Taffazul Rizvi told reporters that the modification was a routine change, and not one specifically designed to be applied to Sharjeel’s case. “In modern day sports, no code or regulation can remain stagnant,” he said. “Efforts to curb corrupt conduct in sports are updated regularly. Similarly, the PCB anti-corruption code also undergoes periodic reviews and amendments. Such amendments are never person-specific, and are applicable to all cricketers.”Pakistani courts have been involved in several PCB cases over the years, and haven’t been afraid to overturn board decisions on, to take one example, player bans and punishments.Sharjeel appeared for the first time in front of the media since his provisional suspension on February 10, continuing to proclaim his innocence. His ban, a suspended sentence, is effectively for two and a half years, meaning he cannot plot a return before the second half of 2019 at the earliest. He was representing Islamabad United at the PSL and was charged with five major breaches of the PCB’s anti-corruption code. He was found guilty on all five counts by a three-man tribunal.”My lawyer and I have fully cooperated throughout proceedings and I was expecting justice,” Sharjeel said, reading a prepared statement in Lahore. “But regretfully, at the end all I face is injustice. The PCB anti-corruption unit forcefully inducted me into a case which is beyond my understanding. Maybe there is another story hidden behind this which may be revealed with time. I swear to my nation and my fans that I am innocent.”If Sharjeel does not show public remorse and undergo the PCB’s rehabilitation program, he could end up serving the full five-year sentence.”Cricket is in my blood and it’s my passion and the punishment is severely painful for me and my family,” he said. “But what is more distressing is that I am being labelled a spot-fixer. So I have decided to clear my name and I will take this matter as far as possible.”The case against Sharjeel was centred on him playing pre-determined dot balls agreed with a bookmaker. According to Ijaz, that is merely based on assumptions, with the PCB failing to present any solid evidence.”During the entire process, we understood that the anti-corruption officials are not accountable,” Ijaz said. “They have all the discretion to do any kind of discrimination against any player and can trap any player and make any kind of case against anyone.”During the proceedings, PCB officials claimed Sharjeel had confessed to wrongdoing in Dubai and in Lahore on video. Sharjeel denies that is the case. “There were two interviews recorded, one in Dubai and the other in Lahore. On both occasions, I never confessed anything.”Ijaz said: “They had claimed that there was a lot of information from the ICC, and the PCB had prior knowledge of everything which was allegedly going to happen. This is an afterthought. If they knew anything, then there should be proof of it. Then why is that not presented at all? Where are they?”The most important thing is the statement by the PSL chairman (Najam Sethi). He said they had concrete evidence and a lot of things which a chairman should not have said. It seriously prejudiced proceedings and made the whole case a matter of ego, and Sharjeel’s exoneration would have proved personally embarrassing for Sethi.”

Leeds United have endured a rough start to their new season, with some glaring weaknesses having been put on display…

Who else are Leeds United signing?

Whilst frustrating for fans and staff alike, at the very least it has given Daniel Farke a fresh, unfiltered look at exactly what he needs to do before the transfer window slams shut.

Poor results against Cardiff City and Birmingham City have left them winless in the Championship, with their lack of focal point proving a huge vacancy that needs an immediate solution.

Fortunately, journalist Ben Jacobs suggests they could have found one, as he told GIVEMESPORT about what the future might hold for Aston Villa's Cameron Archer:

"With Archer, what's interesting is that he's been made for sale now. So there is an opportunity to do that deal. He's had a couple of good loan spells in the Championship including with Middlesbrough and now, Aston Villa are willing to let him go.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

"I think that he put himself in the short window with I believe, a couple of goals and an assist at the under 21 Euros for England.

"He also scored plenty of goals he got into double figures for Middlesbrough last season and I think that was only in about 20-odd appearances and he added several assists on top of that.

"So that can be one to watch because Aston Villa are now prepared to sell him. Leeds are one of the clubs no doubt Middlesbrough are another. So I would expect movement on Archer between now and the end of the window."

How many goals has Cameron Archer scored?

Despite being only 21 years old, the young frontman has already earned himself a fine reputation as a clinical asset at every level he has experienced.

Three goals and two assists in four Premier League 2 matches during the 2021/22 season earned him his spell on loan, which he took with both hands at Preston North End. He scored seven times in 20 outings during that Championship term and would return to that level the year prior with Middlesbrough.

It was here where he truly stood out though, scoring 11 and assisting a further six across just 20 league matches. Such blistering form drew praise from Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, who labelled him "incredibly prolific". With 45 career goals across various levels already, this is a claim more than supported.

The £20k-per-week marksman has everything that is missing at Elland Road right now, with that lack of focal point arguably transforming into Farke's biggest issue at the moment despite initial fears surrounding their backline.

Archer would offer speed, pace, power and a presence in the number nine spot, to help get their faltering campaign back on track.

Against the Bluebirds Leeds enjoyed 72% of the ball and created three big chances, yet were forced to wait until added time to salvage a point. Then, against the Blues, they could not convert their 59% possession into tangible opportunities, falling to defeat after a late penalty was converted for the hosts.

The first of those games were played without a starting striker on the pitch, whilst the young and unproven Joe Gelhardt struggled to make his mark in the second.

However, it is not just a quality issue but also a quantity one, as their most recent fixture also saw them name just eight substitutes, two of which were goalkeepers. Not only do they need high-quality talent, but they also need plenty of it to bulk out a squad ravaged by relegation.

Archer would offer that and more, coming in to offset the injuries and absences left by Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo amongst others, and providing a foundation for them to finally get their promotion push started.

Queensland fell just seven runs short of their target of 297 with three wickets in hand to draw against Western Australia on the fourth day in Perth

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Nov-2017Getty ImagesQueensland fell just seven runs short of their target of 297, with three wickets in hand, as their match against Western Australia ended in a thrilling draw on the fourth day in Perth. Going strong at 2 for 203 at one point on the back of Joe Burns’ century, Queensland needed 50 runs off 39 balls, and later 34 off 32. However, they suffered a collapse from 3 for 243 to 7 for 286 and needed 12 off the final over but Matthew Kelly – who took a five-for – conceded only five runs. Charlie Hemphrey led Queensland with 60 off 52 balls until they were 16 away from the target, but he fell with 10 balls left in the day.Queensland were dented early in the chase by Kelly, who had Matt Renshaw caught behind for 7 in the sixth over, before Burns and Labuschagne stitched a partnership of 154 at 4.69 runs per over to rally the score towards 200. Kelly trapped Labuschagne lbw for 72 in the 39th over and bowled Burns for 103 seven overs later when Queensland were 94 away from the target. Hemphrey steered them closer but Mitchell Marsh removed Jack Wildermuth and Queensland lost four wickets for 43 runs as Kelly struck twice more. Queensland’s chances decreased further once Hemphrey was caught off Marsh and they ended on 7 for 290 in 59 overs.As many as 431 runs were score on the day as Western Australia stretched their score from an overnight 5 for 165 to declare on 8 for 306 in just over 34 overs. They were in trouble early in the day when they lost three wickets for five runs and were 8 for 196 with a lead of 186. However, Ashton Turner took his score from 30 to an unbeaten 101 off 160 balls and was assisted by No. 11 Jason Behrendorff who struck a patient 39 off 83. They put together 110 unbeaten runs before the declaration. Josh Inglish, the other overnight batsman, had struck 54, before Wildermuth removed him and Andrew Holder in consecutive overs, and Kelly fell for a duck.Behrendorff was nursing a back injury and did not bowl on Sunday and Monday.

Having established a massive first-innings lead, Karnataka pummeled UP with the bat again, as their openers played out an unbroken 262-run partnership

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Nov-2017R Samarth and Mayank Agarwal struck centuries on the final day, as a drawn game against Uttar Pradesh ensured Karnataka’s place in the knockouts on the basis of first-innings points. The Karnataka openers put up an unbroken stand of 262, after their bowlers had established up a first-innings lead of 324. The three points they earned put them at the top of the Group A table with 26 points; with Delhi on 23, the massive lead the two teams have in points have ensured their passage to the knockouts.UP’s response to Karnataka’s mammoth 655 had floundered on the third day itself, as they lost five wickets by stumps. The overnight pair of Rinku Singh and wicketkeeper Upendra Yadav couldn’t go on to build a big partnership, with Rinku dismissed in the fifth over of the day for 73. Left to bat with the tail, Upendra stitched a useful ninth-wicket partnership of 40 with Ankit Rajpoot (19) to lift Uttar Pradesh over 300. Upendra was eventually unbeaten on 49, with UP dismissed for 331.Karnataka then put up another dominating show with the bat. Dismissed for 16 in the first innings, Samarth capitalized on the opportunity to bring up his third century of this Ranji season. His 126 came off 183 balls with 11 fours and two sixes. At the other end, Agarwal scored his third century in as many games, pairing a 90 in the first innings with 133 off 171 balls. The pair scored at close to 4.5 runs an over.Ambati Rayudu’s unbeaten 52 anchored Hyderabad’s chase of 142 in their four-wicket win over Assam in Guwahati.Assam’s seamers, Arup Das and Rajjakuddin Ahmed had lifted the side’s hopes of defending a small total by rooting out Hyderabad’s top order for 18 within the first seven overs. Sixteen-year-old legspinner Riyan Parag’s two wickets then reduced Hyderabad to 69 for 5 before Rayudu and Akash Bhandari comfortably secured the win.Earlier, Assam had resumed their second innings from 300 for 7, and the overnight batsman Amit Sinha went on to complete his second first-class century. However, the lack of partners at the other end meant that Sinha could help Assam add only 31 runs to their overnight total.