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A round-up of the first day’s action at ICC World Cricket League Division Five in Benoni

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Sep-2017Germany marked their return to WCL Division Five for the first time in nine years with a nail-biting one-wicket win over Ghana.Chasing a target of 159 to win, Germany were 10 runs away from victory with four wickets in hand when Obed Agbomadzie took his third wicket of the day in the 37th over to trigger a dramatic tailspin. Vincent Ateak followed a run-out on the fifth ball of the 38th over by dismissing No. 10 Sajid Liaqat off the first ball for his third wicket.Ahmed Wardak struck a boundary off the penultimate ball of the 40th over to secure victory, ensuring Daniel Weston’s 47 off 40 balls to open the chase didn’t go to waste. Asad Mohammed set up the victory in the first innings with 3 for 30 after Germany sent Ghana in to bat at the toss.In the other Group B encounter, Jersey coasted to a six-wicket win over Vanuatu. Jonathan Dunn and Patrick Matautaava put Vanuatu into a strong position early with a 76-run second-wicket stand but nobody outside the top three crossed double digits on the day as Vanuatu lost their last seven wickets for 27 runs to be bowled out for 170.The game turned when Matautaava and Nalin Nipiko fell in the space of four balls in the 25th over. Matautaava was bowled for 39 off 52 balls by Eliot Miles before allrounder Nipiko was given out handling the ball for a duck. Jonathan Dunn tried to shield the middle order from Ben Stevens, who took 5 for 28 in his WCL return after missing last year’s Division Four due to a medical condition, before he was the ninth man out for 76.Former captain Peter Gough struck 65 off 78 to anchor the Jersey chase before Corey Bisson finished the game with an unbeaten 37 off 30, hitting his fifth boundary to clinch victory with 94 balls to spare.Italy established their superiority in Group A with a 48-run win over Guernsey. Former captain Damian Crowley top-scored with 92 off 103 balls in Italy’s 277 for 7 after new captain Gayashan Munasinghe opted to bat.Oliver Newey made 73 off 93 after entering in the second over of the chase but Guernsey never seriously threatened to overhaul the target. When three wickets fell in the space of 11 balls to make it 187 for 8 in the 42nd over, Guernsey shut up shop and focused on batting out the overs to limit the damage on the net run-rate tiebreaker as they eventually finished on 229 for 8.Qatar posted the highest total of the day on their WCL debut, making 343 for 7 in an eventual 93-run win over Cayman Islands. Dharmang Patel (93 off 79 balls) and Khurram Shahzad (94 off 116 balls) shared a 162-run third-wicket stand before both were run-out. Tamoor Sajjad (49 off 36 balls) and Kamran Khan (50 not out off 27 balls) made brisk contributions down the order to propel Qatar to a commanding total after they were sent in to bat.Considering their dismal prior history at WCL events, Cayman Islands posted a respectable 250 for 8 in reply. Conroy Wright top-scored with an unbeaten 74 off 63 at No. 8. Cayman had gotten off to a reasonable start before Imran Ashraf removed Sacha de Alwis (32) and captain Ramon Sealy off consecutive balls in the 20th over to make it 79 for 5. Wright arrived in the 29th over at 127 for 6 and set about mitigating the net run-rate by dragging the match to the final over, giving Cayman a chance to stay alive for a semi-final berth.Day two of the tournament features a pair of matchups between unbeaten sides – Italy v Qatar in Group B and Jersey v Germany in Group A – with the two winners guaranteed a semi-final berth. Guernsey play Cayman Islands and Vanuatu face Ghana in virtual knockout matches.

An update has emerged on Celtic and their plans to add a sixth signing of the summer transfer window to their playing squad…

What's the latest Celtic transfer news?

According to Fennec Football, Brendan Rodgers is eyeing up a bargain Hoops swoop to sign free agent central midfielder Haris Belkebla, who left Stade Brestois upon the expiry of his contract this year.

The report claims that Premier League side Sheffield United are also interested in a deal to snap him up for nothing ahead of their return to the top-flight in England.

However, both clubs will face competition from Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which leaves the Algerian maestro with a big decision to make as to whether he remains in Europe or tries his luck elsewhere.

It is stated that the 29-year-old ace's desire is to remain with a European side but a lucrative offer from a Saudi Arabian club could possibly tempt him into changing his stance.

How good is Haris Belkebla?

The experienced 5 foot 10 campaigner has proven himself to be a superb ball-winning midfielder in Ligue 1 over the last few seasons and could be the dream replacement for James McCarthy, who has been touted with an exit from Parkhead.

Celtic signed the Ireland international in the summer of 2021 but he has been unable to nail down a regular starting spot and has been linked with a switch to the MLS this summer.

The arrival of Belkebla could allow Rodgers to sanction an exit for the 32-year-old dud and provide him with a better option in the defensive midfield position to compete with Hyeok-kyu Kwon this season.

Last term, the Algerian international played 38 Ligue 1 matches for Stade Brestois, which shows that he has experience of playing in a major European league, and caught the eye with 3.5 tackles and interceptions per game for his side.

This was 1.3 more per outing than any Celtic midfielder managed in the Scottish Premiership and 0.2 more than Kwon made for Busan IPark across 19 K League 2 matches earlier this year.

McCarthy, meanwhile, made one tackle and zero interceptions in two league outings last season, which came after he averaged 1.3 tackles and interceptions combined across ten appearances in his debut campaign in Scotland – as per Sofascore.

These statistics show that the Irish midfielder has not offered much protection to the back four throughout his time at Parkhead as the ex-Crystal Palace man has not been able to regularly win possession back for his side with key defensive interventions.

Therefore, Belkebla, who has made 127 Ligue 1 appearances in his career, could be a huge upgrade on McCarthy and provide Rodgers with a better option in the number six role due to his exceptional work off the ball to consistently cut out opposition attacks, which could come in handy against tough opposition in Europe.

Having another excellent defensive midfielder, alongside Kwon, could help Celtic when they come up against big sides in the Champions League who will be expected to dominate possession, as the Bhoys would have players who can prevent their goalkeeper and defence from being overly worked.

McCarthy's form for the Scottish giants over the last two years does not suggest that he has the quality to be good enough for that job, which is why Belkebla could be the dream replacement for the MLS-linked dud.

Bangladesh pushed their lead to 88, with nine wickets in hand, after bowling Australia out for 217 on the second day in Mirpur

The Report by Brydon Coverdale28-Aug-2017Bangladesh 260 and 45 for 1 (Tamim 30*, Taijul 0*) lead Australia 217 (Renshaw 45, Shakib 5-68, Mehidy 3-62) by 88 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsShakib Al Hasan marked the first day of his 50th Test match by scoring a half-century; on the second day, he continued the party with a five-wicket haul. There is every reason to think that by the end of this match, he might be celebrating Bangladesh’s first ever Test win over Australia. But that is getting ahead of proceedings. For the time being, Bangladesh will be content with the strong position in which they find themselves at stumps on day two.It was a day that began brilliantly for Bangladesh. Australia walked out on 18 for 3, and within three overs they had stumbled to 33 for 4 when Steven Smith danced down the pitch, tried to flick Mehidy Hasan through the leg side and was bowled. Smith is easily Australia’s best player of spin – three centuries in four Tests in India earlier this year attest to that. To lose him in these conditions was to hand Bangladesh complete control.Pat Cummins was bowled for a patient 25•Getty ImagesThere was a fightback of sorts from Australia, first through a 69-run partnership between Peter Handscomb and Matt Renshaw, and then a 49-run stand involving Ashton Agar and Pat Cummins. But Bangladesh remained well on top. By the close of play their first-innings lead of 43 had ballooned back out to 88, with nine wickets in hand. Only Soumya Sarkar, who rashly holed out to a juggling Usman Khawaja at long-on off Ashton Agar, had fallen for 15. Tamim Iqbal was set on 30, with nightwatchman Taijul Islam yet to score.But the key man on this day, as on the first day, was Shakib, who for the eighth time in his Test career combined a half-century with a five-wicket haul. Only Ian Botham has done so on more occasions (11), though from more than twice as many Tests. Shakib also joined Muttiah Muralitharan, Rangana Herath and Dale Steyn as the only bowlers with Test five-fors against all nine possible Test opponents: next stops, Ireland and Afghanistan.Shakib finished with 5 for 68, and created a couple more chances besides. He had a fine partner in Mehidy, who collected 3 for 62, while Taijul was the only other wicket-taker: nine wickets fell to spin, and there was one run-out. Notably, while there was decent turn, there was also variable bounce – some kept low and others kicked sharply off the surface – and this too will play on Australia’s minds when they enter their second innings.Not that batting was impossible: Handscomb and Renshaw handled things well during their partnership, though in the end Handscomb’s habit of playing deep inside his crease brought him undone when on 33 he missed one from Taijul and was rapped on the pads dead in front. Renshaw likewise failed to capitalise on his solid start, caught at slip for 45 when he poked at a Shakib delivery shortly before lunch.Such was Australia’s state of mental fogginess that shortly after the resumption, Matthew Wade was needlessly lbw to Mehidy for 5. Australia had both reviews remaining and the two men in the middle – Wade and Glenn Maxwell – were the last pair before the bowlers. But Wade declined to ask for a review that would have saved him – replays showed the ball would have slid down leg side and Nigel Llong’s decision would have been overturned.Tamim Iqbal flicks one into the leg side•Getty ImagesMaxwell made a confident 23 before he was lured out of his crease by Shakib, who turned the ball past the outside edge and Mushfiqur Rahim completed the stumping. Shakib might have had Agar stumped as well, but some exaggerated bounce off the pitch tricked Mushfiqur as it did the batsman. Another opportunity went begging when Cummins skied one towards cover off Shakib on 11 and Shafiul Islam dropped a straightforward chance.Cummins and Agar took those reprieves and used them to bat together for 25.2 overs, displaying impressive patience and technique that some of their top-order colleagues might learn from. For a while, it even looked like they might lift Australia close to Bangladesh’s total of 260. But on 25 from 89 balls, Cummins tried to drive Shakib through the off side and was bowled; Agar finished unbeaten on 41 off 97 when Josh Hazlewood was taken at short leg off Shakib for 5.Australia were not the only ones struggling: umpire Aleem Dar had two poor decisions overturned on review, first when he gave Renshaw lbw off a Mehidy delivery that would have sailed well over the top of the stumps, and then when he adjudged Cummins caught behind down leg off Shafiul Islam, when all the ball had touched was thigh pad. Both times, Dar self-admonished with face-palms. Australia, all out for 217, might have collectively done the same.

Chelsea making a late transfer approach for Flamengo attacking midfielder Matheus Franca this summer is “not ruled out”, according to reliable journalist Ryan Taylor.

Is Matheus Franca leaving Flamengo?

Since graduating from his club’s academy to get promoted to the senior fold back in January 2022, Franca has clocked up a total of 54 first-team appearances at the Maracana Stadium, and Jorge Sampaoli’s side are in a very good position to retain his services.

The Brazil U20 international’s contract doesn’t expire for another four years meaning, that the Serie A outfit have every right to demand a hefty fee in order to sanction his sale – but this doesn’t seem to have stopped Todd Boehly and Mauricio Pochettino from showing an interest.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Italian reporter Fabrizio Romano previously claimed that the Blues have “really appreciated” and “been following” the 19-year-old for a “long time”, but have never actually taken their admiration one step further, though that has seemingly now changed.

Read The Latest Chelsea Transfer News HERE…

Are Chelsea signing Matheus Franca?

Taking to Twitter, Taylor revealed that Chelsea are still open and considering making an official move for Franca, but it’s Premier League rivals Crystal Palace who are currently ahead in the race for his signature.

He wrote: “Crystal Palace set to up offer for Flamengo attacker Matheus Franca. Chelsea approach not ruled out but interest has gone quiet since club-to-club meetings earlier this month.”

Expanding in his column for the Daily Express, the reporter claimed that the SW6 side “held formal discussions” regarding a swoop for their target in recent weeks, but Roy Hodgson’s team are, at this stage, “showing more intent” for the £21m-valued star.

How many goals has Matheus Franca scored?

Since the start of his career and indeed his time at Flamengo, Franca has posted 14 goal contributions (11 goals and three assists) in 59 matches, which is a promising return for an up-and-coming teenager, so should the attacking midfielder put pen to paper, he could be an exciting acquisition for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

The Rio de Janeiro native currently ranks in the 99th percentile for most successful take-ons and is averaging 1.9 shots per league game compared to those playing at a similar level, showing that he loves to dribble past his marker and take aim at the net, making him a dangerous threat for the opposition’s defence to deal with.

Flamengo’s “big talent”, as hailed by football scout Jacek Kulig, would also provide Pochettino with wonderful versatility having played in six various positions on the pitch since first bursting onto the scene, including across the frontline and two roles in the midfield, making him a great option to have available.

Franca has also already had a small taste of success having secured two pieces of silverware with his boyhood club, and if he was to join a team with a history of trophies like the Blues, his desire to win more would surely only increase, with this potential fire and fighting spirit making him an ideal recruit.

Kyle Hope and Sunil Ambris have earned call-ups to West Indies’ one-day international squad for the final three ODIs of their ongoing home series against India

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jun-2017Kyle Hope and Sunil Ambris have earned call-ups to West Indies’ one-day international squad* for the final three ODIs of their ongoing home series against India. The duo came in at the expense of Jonathan Carter and Kieran Powell in Cricket West Indies’ 13-man squad named on Tuesday.West Indies squad

Jason Holder (capt), Sunil Ambris, Devendra Bishoo, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Kyle Hope, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Ashley Nurse, Rovman Powell, Kesrick Williams

Hope, the 28-year old top-order batsman and brother of incumbent national wicketkeeper Shai, captains Trinidad & Tobago in domestic cricket, while Ambris, a 24-year old wicketkeeper-batsman, plays for Windward Islands. Both players are uncapped at the international level.Hope opened the batting for West Indies A on the one-day leg of their tour of Sri Lanka last year, and turned in good performances with a century and an 81 in three matches. He was also one of the stars of T&T’s campaign in the WICB Professional Cricket League Regional 4 Day Tournament (PCL) in 2016-17, finishing second only to Yannic Cariah on the tournament run charts.Ambris was the seventh-best run-scorer in that tournament with 608 runs at 43.42. That included a double-century against Leeward Islands, when he cracked a 256-ball 231, with the help of 27 fours and five sixes, to set up Windward Islands’ seven-wicket win.”Sunil Ambris and Kyle Hope are two very promising young batsmen who have been selected on the basis of strong performances in our competitions,” Courtney Browne, Cricket West Indies’ chairman of selectors, said. “Kyle opened on our last A team one-day tour to Sri Lanka and had some very good performances. In addition, he also had a good showing opening the batting for the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force franchise in this year’s PCL competition.”Sunil did well in our Regional Super50 One-Day tournament and also had a good showing in this year’s PCL first-class tournament for Windward Islands Volcanoes, and therefore will fit within our middle order. They will be up against a good Indian team and they have an opportunity to show their skills and contribute to a stronger team performance.”The third ODI takes place on Friday in Antigua, which will also host the fourth game, before the teams head to Kingston for the fifth and final match and a one-off T20 International. India lead the one-day series 1-0, having picked up a 105-run win in Port of Spain after the first match ended in a washout.*15.40 GMT The story has been updated to reflect Kesrick Williams’ presence in the squad, per a WICB media release pointing out a correction in the squad they had sent out.

Tottenham Hotspur have now made contact with the agent of Fiorentina's Arthur Cabral to discuss a summer move, with the striker viewed as a potential replacement for Harry Kane, according to a report from Goal.

Is Harry Kane leaving Tottenham?

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has recently called on the club's hierarchy to resolve the situation surrounding Kane's future, saying: "[It’s] fair to say I am not relaxed about it! It’s not something you go: ‘Ah, well, you know if it does or doesn’t happen!’ I mean it’s a very important part of this football club, not just the team, but the football club."

"So, you’ve got to deal with it, and I think, for everyone concerned, we don’t want to be doing it for too long. I don’t think that is good for anyone."

However, it appears as though the transfer saga is going to continue for a little while longer, as Bayern Munich are now preparing to put a third offer on the table for the England international, which is expected to arrive at the end of the month.

The striker allegedly believes he would have a strong chance of winning the Champions League with Bayern, and he is ready to make a move to the Allianz Arena this summer.

Sky Sports reports that the 29-year-old will not sign a new contract this summer, and he remains open to formal talks with Bayern Munich.

As such, Spurs have started to run the rule over potential replacements for their talisman, and they have now made their first move to sign Cabral, according to a report from Goal Brasil (via Sport Witness).

With the Lilywhites worried about Kane's potential departure, they have made contact with the agent of the Fiorentina striker, who is valued at around €40m (£34m) by his current club.

As it stands, Tottenham are just gathering more information about the situation, and he is not the only striker being considered, with several other names on the list of targets.

Who is Arthur Cabral?

The Brazil-born forward first started to make a name for himself during his time with FC Basel, scoring a total of 65 goals in 106 appearances for the Swiss club, before completing a move to Fiorentina, where he has continued to impress.

Last season, the 25-year-old scored 17 goals in all competitions for the Europa Conference League runners-up, having found his feet in the Serie A after a slow start to life in Florence, scoring just two goals in 14 games during the 2021-22 campaign.

The former Basel man has been lauded as a "goal machine" by football scout Jacek Kulig, with Daily Mail reporter Matt Barlow claiming he is good with both feet, and strong in the air.

Although Cabral had a solid 2022/23 campaign with Fiorentina, he is still yet to prove himself at the highest level, so there are question marks about whether he would be a suitable replacement for Kane.

Of course, Spurs are unlikely to bring in anyone capable of scoring 30 Premier League goals in a season as Kane did last term, though they should still be able to attract a better replacement than the Fiorentina striker.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly interested in Boca Juniors striker Mateo Retegui, as Julen Lopetegui prepares to bolster his squad ahead of the 2023/24 season.

The Spaniard will have a task in restoring the goals in his side, after the Old Gold ended last term as the Premier League’s lowest-scorers, however, the former Real Madrid boss could be onto a winner with reported interest in Retegui.

Could Wolves sign Mateo Retegui?

As reported by journalist Damian Iribarren, Wolves have made contact with an offer of $18m (£14m) for the striker, who is also being chased by Genoa.

The Italian side are reported to have offered a higher sell-on-fee, but the Midlands side could hold the power, with Iribarren claiming that the player ‘preferred’ a move to the Premier League.

Currently on loan at fellow Argentine side Club Atletico Tigre, it will be down to the clubs to decide what destiny would best suit the player.

How good is Mateo Retegui?

Born in San Fernando Argentina, the forward represents Italy at international level, gaining three caps so far for Gli Azzurri.

The 24-year-old has found his feet in South America, where this year he has netted 12 goals in 24 appearances in all competitions, as well as registering a single assist as Tigre’s favoured line leader.

Having once been hailed as a “complete forward” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Italian could be the perfect acquisition for Lopetegui, as he plots a pathway to change his side’s fortune in the final third.

The Italian striker is a name known to some in England already, having netted against the Three Lions in the European Championship qualifiers in March during Gareth Southgate’s side’s 2-1 away win.

Wolves know well the fundamentals of having a reliable source of goals is in relation to overall team performance, with the club finishing seventh in their first two seasons following their promotion from the Championship.

During those two years, the Old Gold experienced the highs of European football thanks to the help of Raul Jimenez’s presence, where the Mexican scored 17 goals in the 2018/19 campaign and 27 in 2019/20.

Since those glory years, the 32-year-old has netted just 13 times in three seasons, attributable to his devastating injury in 2020, where his playing career and life was threatened by a skull fracture.

The adored striker failed to net a single goal in the Premier League last term for Wolves, leaving Lopetegui with little option but to find an appropriate successor to the once-clinical Mexican.

In Retegui, the Spaniard could hire an assured presence in attack, in a player that is live wire in the final third as supported by his 0.5 goals and 3.9 shots per game in the league for Tigres, via Sofascore.

Also likened to former Napoli and Real Madrid talisman Gonzalo Higuain by Kulig, the striker could repeat the scoring feats set by Jimenez in the Premier League, in a streak that could get the club back up the table after the woes of last season's form.

It’s integral that the Spaniard recruits a goal scorer this summer, which he could achieve in a financially friendly deal for Retegui, who at 24-years-old, is showing great potential in Argentina.

The ECB has said they will not send a team to Australia until the dispute between the cricket board and its players is resolved

George Dobell and Daniel Brettig07-Jul-20173:33

Dobell: Ashes cancellation would have catastrophic financial consequences

England will not travel to Australia to play the Ashes unless a deal has been agreed between Cricket Australia and its players’ association.Although the Ashes are not scheduled to start until November 23, England are due to fly to Australia at the end of October and an ECB spokesman confirmed to ESPNcricinfo they would not travel unless they could be assured of the necessary warm-up games required before the Test series begins.While the ECB remains confident the Ashes will go ahead and is preparing for them with that in mind, they recognise the significant divide that currently exists between Cricket Australia (CA) and the Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) and have noted the decision of players to withdraw from the Australia A tour to South Africa.The ECB’s confidence is currently mirrored by the CA, who commented: “We are 100% confident that the Ashes will go ahead.”CA and the ACA are in talks over a proposed change in the way in which professional players are paid. With the current MoU between the parties having expired, most players in Australia – including all centrally-contracted players such as the captain Steven Smith, his deputy David Warner, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood – are technically unemployed and have stated they will not play international cricket until a satisfactory resolution is agreed. The Australian tour of Bangladesh, scheduled to begin in mid-August, looks particularly precarious, with a limited overs tour of India to follow it.Warner’s pronouncement in May that CA “might not have have a team for the Ashes” if it continued to push to break up the fixed revenue percentage model of previous MoUs gave an indication of how strongly the players were willing to press their case. CA’s major international broadcast partner Channel Nine is currently in the process of trying to sell advertising for the series and plan for its promotion, and is eager for signs of progress in the pay dispute to aid their efforts.Several of Australia’s most prominent players are currently out of contract•Getty ImagesThe real deadline for an ECB decision over the viability of the Ashes might come around mid-October. That is when England Women are scheduled to fly to Australia for a tour that includes an Ashes Test and begins with an ODI in Brisbane on October 22. Unless matters in Australia are resolved by then, it is entirely possible the ECB will take the decision to cancel both tours and recoup what costs they can. The consequences – legal and financial – would be enormous.October 15 is also significant as the day on which adjustment ledger payments from the previous MoU, worth A$58 million to all male players, past and present, who played international or domestic cricket, are due to be sent out by CA. The board’s offer to the players had indicated a desire to rollover half of this amount into the next MoU, a suggestion strongly rejected by the ACA.Greg Hunt, the federal minister for sport, has indicated that the Australian government would be prepared to step in to mediate the dispute if it dragged on long enough to threaten the Ashes. Hunt said this was because of the series’ enormous connection to Australia’s history and culture, in addition to its sporting and commercial elements.”If it got to a last-minute situation, I suspect that we would offer to provide good officers brokering between the parties, but there’s six months between now and the Ashes,” Hunt told in May. “It would be unthinkable that in the end we wouldn’t have a full team. I do not see either the players or the administration returning to the late ’70s where we had a second-rate team. The players love playing for Australia, Cricket Australia knows this is not just fundamental to sport, it is part of our national identity.”The ECB insist they are making no contingency plans for a men’s series with anyone else should the Ashes be cancelled, though it is possible the women’s team could look to play elsewhere if required.”The ECB are continuing to prepare for the Ashes as planned,” an ECB spokesman said. “We do not anticipate any change and fully intend to fulfil our Tour obligations.”

Leeds United have brought in Aberdeen teenager Lewis Pirie, something which has been described as a “big coup” by reporter James Marshment.

Have Leeds signed Lewis Pirie?

The Whites are currently preparing for the Championship season under new manager Daniel Farke and played their first pre-season game against Manchester United in Oslo on Wednesday.

There is plenty of work done to be done both on and off the pitch before August 6 against Cardiff City, with Leeds bringing in Nick Hammond as interim football advisor to oversee transfer activity this summer.

The 49ers Enterprises are still waiting for the EFL’s green light in regards to a takeover, though, and that process appears to be having an impact on any potential signings.

A number of senior Leeds players have left Elland Road either on loan or on a permanent basis and none have arrived. However, the club did announce on Thursday that they have signed Pirie from Aberdeen, with the 16-year-old set to head straight into the Thorp Arch academy ranks ahead of the new campaign.

It is believed that the centre-forward has cost around £200,000, with Pirie, described as a “rising star” by Fabrizio Romano, signing scholarship terms in Yorkshire.

Marshment, a Whites supporter and a reporter for TEAMtalk, took to Twitter after the move for Pirie was announced on Thursday. He labelled it as a “big coup” for Leeds to sign one of the “most in-demand young strikers around” and feels he could be a “big name” in the future.

“Lewis Pirie is a big coup for #LUFC – one of the most in-demand young strikers around as 51 goals last season testifies. Not a big name now – but one day might be.”

Who else are Leeds signing and who is leaving?

As mentioned, a number of players have left Elland Road this summer, including Robin Koch, Brenden Aaronson and Diego Llorente, who have joined Eintracht Frankfurt, Union Berlin and AS Roma on loan respectively.

Marc Roca and Rasmus Kristensen also look set to seal temporary exits to Real Betis and Roma, whereas Tyler Roberts and Rodrigo have completed permanent moves away to Birmingham City and Al Rayyan.

There has been no real movement in regards to new senior signings, however, Phil Hay believes a new goalkeeper, left-back, centre-back, midfielder and forward could be on the agenda for the 49ers and Farke. Players that have been mentioned to have an interest from Leeds include Newcastle United’s Karl Darlow, Burnley and former Whites defender Charlie Taylor, Liverpool’s Nat Phillips, Coventry City’s Gustavo Hamer and Swansea City forward Joel Piroe.

Leeds will need to act quickly if they want any of their targets through the door and to be ready in time for the opening game f the season, but it does look as if Pirie could be a future first-teamer at Elland Road.

As mentioned by Marshment, the youngster netted 51 times at youth level last season, and should he continue to find the back of the net freely with the Whites, we may see him break into the first-team picture sooner than expected.

George Bailey does not gain attention for Australa’s Test side these days but he did little wrong on a delightful summer’s day in Manchester

Paul Edwards at Old Trafford19-Jun-2017
ScorecardGeorge Bailey has not played a Test match for over three years and there were times during this broiling Mancunian afternoon when it was rather tricky to see why this is so.One accepts at once that it is difficult to compare Lancashire v Hampshire on a steamy Monday at Emirates Old Trafford with the quite different heats produced by five-day cricket at the MCG or Mumbai; one acknowledges likewise that Bailey came into this game having scored 83 runs in five championship innings for Hampshire this season.All the same, as Bailey adjusted his guard and got forward as often as possible to counteract the swinging deliveries bowled by a pace-dominated Lancashire attack in mid-afternoon one was entitled to wonder why a batsman capable of making 127 and batting with such technical proficiency and good sense appears permanently excluded from his country’s Test team. It is not as if the last three years have been a green and gold age.Critics may observe that Bailey’s batting merely appeared good when compared to the errors committed around him and it is certainly true that the shots played by Jimmy Adams and Michael Carberry in the morning session at Old Trafford are unlikely to make the Rose Bowl’s choicest blooms package in September. Adams tried to play Kyle Jarvis to leg but only gave a catch to Rob Jones at cover off the leading edge; Carberry’s flat-footed slash merely nicked the ball to Alex Davies.Those dismissals sandwiched the departure of Rille Rossouw, who was deceived by Jarvis’s slower ball and gave a return catch to the bowler. They left Hampshire on 38 for 3 after winning the toss and opting to bat on a morning borrowed from Tennessee Williams’ more sultry dramas. Suddenly this summer, we had a batting morning and Hampshire were wasting their skipper’s correct call.Bailey, though, clearly recognised the opportunity with which his side had been presented and he revealed this in his assured driving and deft glances as much as in his vigilant defence. For a while it looked as though James Vince would partner his captain towards abundance but he was given out leg before to Luke Procter for 22 half an hour after lunch and a couple of deliveries after Lancashire had secured the second of their two ball changes.Indeed it was a day on which Bailey had only to drive a boundary to the pavilion for the home bowlers to scrutinise the seemingly tattered object returned for their use and toss it to the umpires. When it comes to cricket balls bowlers can be as choosy as Year 11 pupils selecting their prom outfits and very nearly as prone to tantrums and sulks.George Bailey’s hundred rejuvenated Hampshire•Getty ImagesUltimately Bailey’s resistance proved contagious as was proved by the three fifty-plus partnerships he shared with Lewis McManus, Gareth Berg and most notably Kyle Abbott, whose unbeaten 76 in the evening session was replete with uncomplicated shots played against an attack enervated by heat and devoid of the discipline it had displayed for most of the afternoon.Yet Abbott’s selective aggression – he has whacked a dozen boundaries and is only five runs short of a career-best score – was only possible because Bailey had battled away for just over five hours and had found another partner of equal resolve and comparable proficiency. That colleague was Lewis McManus, a wicketkeeper batsman who never gives his wicket away and who joins John Simpson as one of those fine county glovemen who seem destined not to get a sniff of representative cricket. Perhaps it might help if they changed the first letter of their surnames to a “B”.McManus put on 52 with Bailey and he did so at a stage in the day when the ball was swinging all over the shop and under the counter. It took a good ball to remove him too, Jordan Clark getting a little extra bounce and inducing an edged catch to James Anderson. McManus was replaced by Gareth Berg and another 53 were added to the total before Parry became the sixth Lancashire bowler to take a wicket when Berg missed a sweep and was leg before.For the next 18 overs or so Bailey’s good judgement and self-denial was vindicated by Abbott’s many justified freedoms. Having reached his century off 145 balls he was eventually dismissed when he played on to Anderson, whose beard may have been an attempt to disguise himself and suggest to Bailey that he was not the bowler he had milked for 28 runs at Perth in December 2013.No matter. Abbott was 57 when Bailey was out and he was given sensible company by Brad Tylor until the close. Hampshire have the edge in this game and they do so because their captain understood the needs of his side and met them. This is still a very good pitch and it now looks like a good toss to have won. “Bat!” said the sun as it rose over the rich Lancashire plain at around five o’clock this morning and George Bailey was only too happy to obey its injunction.