All posts by h716a5.icu

Guyana Amazon Warriors have signed Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal for the 2015 edition of the Caribbean Premier League

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jun-2015Guyana Amazon Warriors have signed Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal for the 2015 edition of the Caribbean Premier League. Akmal is expected to join the CPL franchise on July 3 after finishing his stint with Leicestershire in the ongoing NatWest T20 Blast.If he is picked for the Pakistan limited-overs side, however, Akmal will have to proceed to Sri Lanka on national duty for the five ODIs and two T20Is, with the first ODI on July 11 and the second T20 on August 1. The CPL runs from June 20 to July 26.It will be Akmal’s second appearance in the CPL after he played for Barbados Tridents in 2013. He had a disappointing return of 49 runs from six games before he suffered a seizure on a flight to Jamaica and was called back to Pakistan by the PCB for medical examination.Akmal has been in good form recently. He debuted for Leicestershire three days ago with an unbeaten 76 off 49 against Nottinghamshire. He was also the second-highest run-getter in the Super8 T20 Cup in Pakistan last month with 216 runs from four games at a strike-rate of 151.

A well-rounded Kolkata Knight Riders have very little to worry with Sunil Narine back in their ranks, while Mumbai Indians’ ability to work as a team will be in focus

The Preview by Alagappan Muthu07-Apr-2015Match factsWednesday, April 8, 2015
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)3:38

Agarkar: Narine, Pollard will want to prove a point

Big PictureDefending champions v former champions makes for good billing. Being the season opener entices its share of audience. A dash of chequered recent history and both Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians have points to prove.A 14-match winning streak for Gautam Gambhir’s men screeched to a halt in the Champions League T20 final. Sunil Narine’s absence – he was suspended for an illegal action – coloured an eight-wicket defeat to Chennai Super Kings. There had been doubts over his participation as late as last Sunday, but the BCCI sub-committee for suspect actions is satisfied with the changes. “It has never been our strategy to have a back-up for Sunil, because there can’t be a back-up for him,” Gambhir said.Now though they don’t have to worry about plan B. They have most of their A-team to call on, barring the injuries to James Neesham and Chris Lynn. Robin Uthappa was the top-scorer in the Ranji season. Morne Morkel was one of the bowlers of the tournament at the World Cup. Ryan ten Doeschate and Andre Russell have excellent pedigree as T20 finishers. They retain Shakib Al Hasan’s services for the first couple of matches. Options aplenty.Options that should worry Mumbai. Last we saw them, they became the first IPL team to fail the qualifying round into the Champions League T20. But there were extenuating circumstances: Rohit Sharma, their captain, was injured and left their team combination a mess. His presence at the helm, along with Ricky Ponting as coach, and the Lasith Malinga-led bowling raises expectation. Kieron Pollard will have his own spotlight, as well. Since his time away from the West Indies team, he’s written two columns for Al Jazeera and played only twice as many games of competitive cricket. Not the best ratio for an active cricketer. So the biggest question Mumbai will face is if the various cogs fit together smoothly.Form guideKolkata Knight Riders LWWWW
Mumbai Indians LWLLWWatch out for…Since the acquisition of Sunil Narine, the Knight Riders’ spinners boast the best average (20.86), economy rate (6.5) and strike-rate (19.2) in the IPL. A T20 captain’s dream, they rip through the overs, leaving batsmen in a daze and the scoreboard stagnant. A “fresh pitch,” according to Gambhir and evening rains in the lead-up to the opening match can limit the amount of purchase available.So how can Mumbai combat the spin strangle? That vast thinktank would look to Rohit Sharma to provide an answer. He is arguably their most versatile player and his ability to soak pressure and beat it was on show when he struck a century against Bangladesh in the World Cup quarter-final. He does it with greater frequency in IPL as he showed in the 2013 season when he took over captaincy and won Mumbai their only IPL title.Stats and trivia Mumbai have won 10 out of 14 matches between the two sides so far. Although Knight Riders have come out top in their last two encounters. Knight Riders have never held the purple cap, although they do have a player in the squad who had won it for a different team – Morne Morkel for Delhi Daredevils in 2012 Quotes”I have always maintained that even if he [Sunil Narine] bowls a straight ball, it is always going to be an advantage – that’s the kind of aura and that’s the kind of threat he has had on the opposition throughout the last three years”
“We have had very good memories of Kolkata. We won the championship there. We understand the conditions there very well. Am sure the guys can exploit the conditions well.”

As the Spanish top flight enters its winter break, we look back at the players who have shined throughout this first half of the campaign

Getty1GK: Jan Oblak

Usually so formidable at the back, rotten luck with injuries has seen Atletico Madrid look uncharacteristically vulnerable when out of possession.

Luckily for Diego Simeone's men, they can still count on Oblak, who continues to be near-unbeatable between the posts even without the likes of Diego Godin and Jose Gimenez screening him.

The Slovenian boasts the meanest defensive record in La Liga, keeping eight clean sheets to date and conceding a mere 12 goals.

AdvertisementGetty Images2RB: Dani Carvajal

Statistics can be misleading, but Dani Carvajal's importance to Real Madrid is underlined by their woeful record without him.

The right-back has struggled with injury in the 2018-19 season, playing nine of the Merengue's opening 16 Liga games and starting just eight. 

Incredibly, Madrid have not lost any of the games Carvajal has started, while suffering defeat in five of the other eight (including the 3-0 reverse at the hands of Eibar, which saw Carvajal enter as a late substitute.)

Even while seeing his playing time restricted, Dani continues to show he is a cut above the rest.

Getty3CB: Gerard Pique

While there have been a few jitters, particularly during the early stages of the season, Gerard Pique has been Barcelona's defensive rock.

The centre-back has seen a host of players line up alongside him as Barca have suffered badly with injuries.

Samuel Umtiti and Thomas Vermaelen have missed most of the campaign, leaving newcomer Clement Lenglet to receive a baptism of fire at Camp Nou.

Despite those difficulties and instability, Pique has been an ocean of calm. He has also popped up with three goals in La Liga to help the leaders' cause.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images4CB: Marc Bartra

Betis have been one of the revelations of the Liga season so far, combining flashes of exhilarating football with a sturdy base at the back. Marc Bartra, who arrived in Andalusia at the start of 2018, is the cornerstone of that defensive effort.

The former Barcelona and Dortmund centre-half has been ever-present so far in the 2018-19 campaign, marshalling a backline that ranks among Spain's tightest.

Bartra has endured a difficult professional career marked with setbacks – not least the injuries sustained in Dortmund's horrific bombing attack – but, at 27, he is performing at the peak of his powers.

Inter Miami and Argentina star Lionel Messi was spotted working hard in the gym during the MLS offseason Monday morning.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Messi spotted in the gymInter Miami in offseason modeMLS cup six days awayWHAT HAPPENED?

The Argentine international was seen doing pull-ups in the gym Monday morning, after a clip of him surfaced on social media platform X, formerly Twitter. The Inter Miami star is in offseason mode with the Herons right now, and his national team is done for the calendar year as well, so December is a month for relaxation and recovery for the 36-year-old.

AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

After the 2023 MLS season, that saw Messi and the Herons claim the inaugural Leagues Cup, you'd think he'd be pictured on a beach somewhere enjoying some time away from the game. Not the case for the Argentine, though, as his offseason truly doesn't exist! He's been pictured in the gym or on the training pitch since returning from international duty with Argentina in November, and it appears that won't change anytime soon.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MESSI & MLS?

The Herons return to the pitch on January 19 in a friendly against the El Salvador national team to get their 2024 preseason underway. Until then, it's planning ahead for the campaign. For MLS, it's nearing the end now – finally – as MLS Cup sits six days away. The Columbus Crew are set to host LAFC for the crown on Saturday, December 9.

Alan Shearer believes Phil Foden enjoys the "bigger responsibility" he has when Manchester City talisman Kevin De Bruyne is out of the team.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Manchester City beat Bournemouth 1-0In-form Foden scores game's only goalShearer thinks Foden excels without De BruyneGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Foden scored the game's only goal as City beat Bournemouth 1-0 on Saturday to close to within one point of Premier League leaders Liverpool. Now, Newcastle legend Shearer has spoken about how the England international is growing in stature at the club and he may be playing better without team-mate De Bruyne alongside him.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT ALAN SHEARER SAID

The ex-England striker said on the Premier League's Matchday Live show: "I think [Foden] enjoys the bigger responsibility he's given when Kevin [De Bruyne] is not playing. I think he feels as if he's got to be that magic like Kevin De Bruyne creates so much for Manchester City and has done for such a long time and when he's out of the team I think Phil thinks it's now his job to do that, to get on the ball like Kevin does, demand the ball where everyone looks to try and find him like they did with Kevin when he was a regular starter. He is thriving in that responsibility, such is his presence in the team now. Everyone believes in him, we know what he can do, Pep [Guardiola] believes in him because he's put him in the team all the time now. He's just a fantastic player."

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Despite De Bruyne and Erling Haaland missing multiple games through injury this season, City are still on track to win a second-straight treble – and they owe much of that to Foden. In their absence, the 23-year-old has scored 16 goals, his best-ever scoring season to date, and bagged 10 assists as well. If they do pick up more silverware this term, City will likely owe a debt of gratitude to Foden.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

WHAT NEXT?

Foden's City will next be in action on Tuesday away to Luton Town in round five of the FA Cup, before hosting rivals Manchester United in the Premier League on March 3; followed by a last 16 Champions League second leg clash against Copenhagen three days later.

Allrounder James Faulkner could find himself shouldering extra batting responsibility in his first Test series

Brydon Coverdale26-Apr-2013First and foremost, James Faulkner is a bowler: 111 Sheffield Shield wickets in the past three summers attest to that. But depending on the balance Australia’s selectors want from the side during the Ashes, and contingent also on the form of the senior allrounder Shane Watson, Faulkner could find himself shouldering extra batting responsibility in his first Test series. There is even the possibility that at some point during the tour he could be used as a fifth bowler batting as high as No.7.That might seem a stretch, but based on his first-class batting for Tasmania in the past summer it is not an absurd scenario. As well as collecting 39 Shield wickets at 20.33 on his way to a third consecutive Ricky Ponting Medal as his state’s best player, Faulkner also finished the Shield season 15th on the competition run tally, having scored 444 runs at 34.15, including 89 in the final against Queensland.Consider the list of batsmen who could have been vying for Test selection, yet scored fewer runs at a lower average: George Bailey (256 at 18.28), Rob Quiney (295 at 26.81), Michael Klinger (330 at 19.41), David Hussey (358 at 23.86), Adam Voges (388 at 25.86) and Peter Forrest (395 at 19.75). That might say more about the parlous state of batting in Australia’s domestic competition than about Faulkner, who it must be said is yet to score a first-class hundred, but all the same his was a fine summer with bat and ball.”I’d definitely be comfortable to bat at No.7,” Faulkner said. “Whenever you can slot into an Australian team I think you’re pretty happy to play wherever you can. It was a reasonably successful year last year with the bat for Tasmania. Hopefully I can make a few big scores, that’s what I’m aiming to do at the moment.”Wickets, though, are Faulkner’s stock in trade. He has been consistent enough over the past three seasons to collect Shield wicket tallies of 36, 36 and 39, and although he might not have the express pace of some Australian fast bowlers, his movement of the ball and accuracy have made him a dangerous prospect, and not just at Bellerive Oval – his average is below 22 at five different first-class venues around Australia.”All the wickets around Australia are quite different,” Faulkner said. “I’m based at Bellerive and people say you’re bowling at Bellerive and there’s a bit more grass there and so you’ll take more wickets. But in fact if you look at all of our bowlers back home, I think all of us have been averaging the same at Bellerive as away from Bellerive.”I just sum up the conditions as they are and just be consistent. I have a lot more confidence in my body. I’m [nearly] 23 now and I have more confidence in my body and can get through longer spells.”The Australian selectors like not only Faulkner’s figures, but his attitude. The national selector John Inverarity this week referred to Faulkner as “a very competitive cricketer who gets things done”. Over the past few months that included not only giving Chris Gayle a send-off during an ODI in Canberra, which cost him 10% of his match fee, but also steering Tasmania to the Shield title with a Man of the Match performance.”I like to think I’m a pretty strong competitor on the field and off the field I’m a pretty relaxed sort of character,” Faulkner said. “Definitely when the game is on the line or the game is in full flight I like to think I’m pretty aggressive in the way I play and get on the front foot instead of being dictated to.”Although the Ashes tour will be Faulkner’s first trip to England, he has already gained some overseas experience thanks to his IPL duties for three different teams. A talented limited-overs player who has played T20 and one-day cricket for his country, Faulkner sold for $400,000 to the Rajasthan Royals this year but has not let the shortest format seduce him at the expense of first-class cricket.”I’ve always tried to be as consistent as I can in Twenty20, one-day cricket and four-day cricket and not specifically have a focus on any of the three,” he said. “I look at [the IPL] as a bit of an opportunity to progress my cricket on different grounds, different wickets, and in India it doesn’t get any harder. There’s lots of positives you can take away from playing in different countries. You gain experience pretty fast.”

R Vinay Kumar bowled fast, slow and smart to finish with a three-wicket haul that helped the Indians complete a hat-trick of wins

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Aug-2011
Scorecard
File photo: R Vinay Kumar’s three wickets scuppered Leicestershire’s chase•Associated PressR Vinay Kumar bowled fast, slow and smart to finish with a three-wicket haul that helped the Indians complete a hat-trick of wins in three warm-up matches in five days, providing a much-needed boost ahead of the lone Twenty20 international against England at Old Trafford on Wednesday.After a series of cameos pushed the Indians to 161, Leicestershire started on a positive note and were 48 for 1 by the end of the Powerplay. But Suresh Raina, leading the visitors in the absence of a resting MS Dhoni, used his bowlers cleverly, rotating the trio of R Ashwin, Amit Mishra and Vinay to put the brakes on the chase. The hosts required 33 runs from the final two overs, but Ashwin and Vinay gave them no room to play their shots and conceded just 17 runs.The fall of Joshua Cobb, hero of Leicestershire’s triumph in the Friends Life t20 on Saturday, in the first over did not deter the tall pairing of Andrew McDonald and Will Jefferson. They had little trouble against Varun Aaron, regarded as India’s fastest bowler, during his spell from the Bennett end. Aaron started off with a half volley which McDonald punched to the cover boundary. Aaron responded with a slower delivery, but the ball skimmed McDonald’s pads for four leg byes. A ball later Aaron once again faltered with his line, swinging it too far down the leg side, allowing McDonald to easily glance another four.Aaron’s problems continued when he failed to intercept a straight drive from Jefferson at long-on, gifting Leicestershire a boundary. Aaron came back from the Pavilion end, but his misery was far from over. Jefferson hit the Indian seamer over long-off for a four and then McDonald lofted him over cover for a six that bounced onto Milligan Road. Aaron, a last-minute replacement for Ishant Sharma, had joined the Indian squad only two days ago. He was rusty but finished the over by firing in a short ball that beat McDonald for pace.Against the spinners, Jefferson made use of his 6’10” height to try to kill the turn. In Mishra’s first over he swatted the legspinner past long-on for a four and then lofted another boundary over mid-off. While trying to sweep Mishra, though, he was beaten by the flight and was trapped plumb lbw.Raina shuffled his slow bowlers well and the spin pair of Mishra and Ashwin slowed down the Leicestershire train. Vinay chipped in as well, keeping a tight off-stump line and had James Taylor, who tried hitting across the line to an outswinger, caught behind. McDonald, a bit anxious to seize control, smashed Vinay for two fours but the bowler hit back by delivering a slower ball in his next over that beat McDonald’s attempted slog and crashed into the stumps.At that stage Leicestershire needed 78 from 52. With Abdul Razzaq walking in, the Leicestershire fans still kept the faith given his ability to destroy the best of bowling attacks. Razzaq started by crashing Rohit Sharma towards the straight boundary. When Praveen Kumar pitched short on the off stump, Razzaq came up with a tennis-like high forehand, forcing Praveen to take evasive action as the ball zipped to the left of his head, for a straight four.But with Paul Nixon, playing his farewell match at Grace Road and in England, finding it hard to connect at the other end, the asking-rate was peaking. Leicestershire needed 59 from the last five overs but 14 runs including two savage uppercuts by Razzaq to the point boundary from Aaron’s third over raised hopes. Next over he slogged Praveen over cow corner for another six.Razzaq swept the first delivery of the penultimate over for a couple but perished trying to hit over deep square leg where he was caught by Virat Kohli. Leicestershire’s challenge was virtually over and then Vinay gave just eight runs in the final over.Like with their bowling, the Indians’ batting also had several players making small but significant contributions. Parthiv Patel and Ajinkya Rahane started confidently, and though Parthiv rushed into his shots, desperate to make a quick impact, the fluency of Rahane caught the eye.Rahane, a late replacement for Virender Sehwag, who had to return home after the Test series, rolled his wrists neatly to glance a full, inswinging delivery from Matthew Hoggard to the fine-leg boundary. When Razzaq bowled short he pulled him strongly for another four. Trying to rush into another short delivery, this time on the off stump, he could only steer into the hands of the short third-man.Rahul Dravid ran hard during his near-run-a-ball 29 to keep the score ticking steadily before a late charge by Rohit, which included consecutive sixes off the medium pace of Wayne White, took India to a challenging total.

The Brazilian might just be the best player in the Saudi Pro League right now, but his career could have turned out far differently

Very few casual football fans would have been aware of Anderson Talisca's existence before Cristiano Ronaldo's shock transfer to Al-Nassr in January. Indeed, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's arrival in Saudi Arabia soon sparked an unprecedented European exodus, with other household names such as Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kante and Jordan Henderson also accepting mega-money contracts in the Middle East.

The Pro League hasn't just attracted players who are into the final stretches of their careers, either. Neymar, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Riyad Mahrez and even 21-year-old Spain playmaker Gabri Veiga have also been persuaded to turn their backs on Europe.

The world is now watching as the Saudi game grows at an exponential rate – which has presented Talisca with a unique opportunity. The Brazilian could easily have shrunk into anonymity at Al-Nassr as merely a supporting cast member, existing only to help keep the spotlight on Ronaldo, but has instead made it his mission to show people that he is also a superstar.

The question is, how did a player with Talisca's immense talent go under the radar for so long?

GettyWhere it all began

Talisca was born in the city of Feira de Santana in Bahia – the fourth-largest state in Brazil. Like most children in the country, he was raised in poverty, and quickly realised that football could be a path to a better life.

After honing his skills on the street, Talisca stepped into Vasco da Gama's youth ranks as a 13-year-old and spent two years with the club, before joining then-Brasileiro Serie B outfit EC Bahia in 2009.

He graduated from Bahia's academy four years later, at which point they had been promoted to the top-flight, and made his professional bow in a clash with Corinthians. Talisca opened his scoring account for the club in his second appearance against Sao Paulo, and soon became a regular in Cristovao Borges' team.

The raw edges in Talisca's game were clear, but so was his limitless potential. "We have to understand that at this age this inconsistency of performance is natural," Borges told reporters when quizzed on the forward's development. "He is a national-team player. Just be patient."

Talisca went on to net a crucial last-minute goal at Cruzeiro that ensured another season in Serie A for Bahia, who parted ways with Borges in December 2013 before appointing another Brazilian coach in the form of Marquinhos Santos. The manager was impressed with Talisca's dedication right from the off, and his ability from a dead-ball.

"Talisca has been reaping the rewards of his training," said Santos. "He is a player who dedicates himself. He is always one of the last to leave the field. After training, he is insistently training free-kicks. It's still early days, he's a young man who has potential and my biggest concern is with his head. Let him continue to evolve and become a great player."

AdvertisementGettyThe big break

Talisca found the net nine times in the first half of Bahia's 2014 season, and his impressive performances eventually attracted the attention of Portuguese giants Benfica, who forked out €5million for the Brazilian starlet that July. Jorge Jesus gave his newest signing big billing, telling the media at his unveiling: "He’s another one who is going to make millions for Benfica."

The manager's words had the desired impact as Talisca scored eight league goals in his first three months at Benfica, including a stunning hat-trick in a 5-0 victory over Vitoria Setubal. Jesus received widespread praise for unearthing a new gem, which prompted a surprise outburst from Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho.

"I think Benfica hired well," Mourinho said to Portuguese broadcaster . "They say Talisca is unknown, but he is only so unknown because he's only not playing in England because he doesn't have a work permit. If he had one, he would be here!"

Jesus then fired back in hilarious fashion: "They knew as much about him as I know about D’Artagnan and the Three Musketeers!"

Former Bahia coordinator Newton Mota was the man who really deserved all the credit for discovering Talisca, and he wasn't at all surprised by his fast start to life at Estadio Da Luz. "People call him Yaya Talisca [after Yaya Toure], but I think he is closer to Rivaldo, who was left-footed, with long strides and good shot from distance," Mota told.

Benfica were flying in the Primeira Liga, but had only picked up one point from their opening three Champions League games. They were eight minutes away from being held to a disappointing 0-0 draw at home to Monaco on matchday four, too, only for Talisca to score a last-gasp winner after ghosting in at the back post to meet a corner on the half-volley.

That was the moment he truly announced himself to European audiences and lived up to his tag as the 'new Rivaldo'. Although Benfica still ended up exiting the competition at the group stage, his status as one of the continent's most exciting young players had been secured, and links to Chelsea began to intensify.

Jesus' side finished the 2014-15 season as Portuguese champions and also lifted the Taca da Liga trophy, with Talisca managing 14 goal contributions across all competitions. He also received his first call-up for Brazil, but everything changed when Jesus cut ties with Benfica to join their arch rivals Sporting CP.

GettyThe turning point

Rui Vitoria was the man selected to replace Jesus after an impressive four-year spell in charge at Vitoria Guimaraes, and he instantly set about stamping his authority on the squad, insisting on a 4-4-2 formation with two combative central midfielders, which essentially eliminated the need for the playmaker role Talisca had made his own under Jesus.

The Brazil Under-23 international only started three league games in the first half of the 2015-16 campaign, and he was forced to come out and address reports of tension with the new manager. "Every player has to go through such moments" Talisca said in December of that season. "There is insecurity and lack of confidence, but I am working hard. I played more under Jesus, but there is no personal feud with Rui Vitoria."

Talisca scored nine goals in all competitions despite his limited playing time, including a brilliant free-kick against Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals. Benfica ended up losing that tie 3-2 on aggregate, but earned plenty of plaudits for their surprise run in Europe, and bounced back to clinch their third successive league title.

Vitoria had undoubtedly taken Benfica to another level, and decided that Talisca's services were no longer required ahead of his second season in the dugout. Liverpool and Wolves emerged as suitors for the former Bahia wonderkid, but Besiktas won the race for his signature – agreeing a two-year loan deal with Benfica.

Less than a month later, Talisca came up against his parent club in the Champions League. Benfica were 1-0 up when the Brazilian was introduced to the action as a second-half substitute, and they managed to hold their lead under deep into stoppage-time. However, with seconds remaining, a needless foul gifted Besiktas a 25-yard free-kick, and Talisca stepped up. Inevitably, he was able to whip the ball into the far corner using his instep, and didn't hold back with his celebration before being mobbed by his team-mates.

In his post-match interview with , Talisca accused Benfica of not paying him his final salary after the birth of his daughter, before emphatically denying that his exit from the club was financially motivated: "I want to send a message to Benfica management, because they didn't respect me. There were people who criticised me and said that I left Benfica because of money, but that is a lie."

Talisca ended his maiden season at Besiktas with 17 goals and another league title, earning the nickname 'Kiralik Katil' from supporters, which translates to 'Hired Assasin'. He was the top scorer for the club in all competitions in 2017-18, too, but Besiktas dropped a level as a team and they were not able to make his transfer permanent.

Benfica were still determined to offload Talisca, who had burned all of his bridges at Estadio Da Luz, and it was reported that Mourinho reignited his interest in the attacking midfielder, this time as Manchester United boss.

Guangzhou Evergrande beat United to the punch, though, snapping Talisca up on an initial loan deal in June 2018. Four months later he joined them outright for €19m (£17m/$21m), bringing his time in European football to a premature end.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyHow's it going?

Talisca spent three years at Guangzhou, scoring 39 goals and setting up another 13 in 65 appearances. He added one Chinese Super League title to his crown during that period, and was identified as a top target by Saudi giants Al-Hilal in the early months of 2021.

The allure of even greater riches in the Middle East did indeed prove too much for Talisca to ignore, but it was Al-Nassr who won the race for his signature as they struck a bargain $9m deal with Guangzhou in May that year. Talisca was an instant hero in the eyes of Al-Nassr fans for turning down their main rivals, and their bond grew as he quickly established himself as the most important member of the squad. A prolific haul of 31 goals from his first 37 games saw Talisca singled out as the new Pro League poster boy – but Ronaldo took that title from him at the start of the year.

They quickly forged a strong partnership, though, not least because of their Portuguese language connection, and combined for a number of crucial goals in the second half of Al-Nassr's 2022-23 campaign. However, the league title did not come back to Mrsool Park, which ensured another busy transfer window in the summer.

Al-Nassr bolstered their squad by bringing in the likes of Sadio Mane, Marcelo Brozovic, Aymeric Laporte and Seko Fofana, along with Ronaldo's Portugal colleagues Otavio and Alex Telles. Talisca's position at the club was called into question after Mane's arrival, with it suggested that head coach Luis Castro would be unable to fit the Brazilian into his line-up next to the ex-Bayern Munich star and Ronaldo.

A potential return to Besiktas was mooted for Talisca, but he committed to staying put – only to suffer an injury that saw him miss the first few weeks of the new season. Fears over Al-Nassr's tactical set-up were raised again upon his return to full fitness, despite the club's poor start in the Pro League.

As it turns out, Talisca was actually the missing piece in the puzzle. Al-Nassr have been flying since welcoming the former Benfica man back into the fold, winning 17 of their last 18 games in all competitions.

That has included picking up maximum points in the AFC Champions League group stages, with Talisca scoring all three goals in their latest victory over Al-Duhail. He's already up to 17 goals for the season in total, just four fewer than Ronaldo.

Tino Best’s career has been more miss than hit, but on the rare occasion he combines his raw pace with control, he can be close to unplayable, as Bangladesh found today

The Report by Abhishek Purohit17-Nov-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Sohag Gazi took the best figures by a Bangladesh Test debutant•AFPTino Best’s career has been more miss than hit, but on the rare occasion he combines his raw pace with control, he can be close to unplayable, as Bangladesh found today. Best’s four-wicket burst either side of lunch on day five proved to be the final, decisive twist in a match that had burst open with possibilities late on day four. This morning, Sohag Gazi claimed the best figures by a Bangladesh Test debutant to leave the hosts chasing a target of 245, but Bangladesh undid all the hard work done by their batsmen in the first innings and by their bowlers in the second by chasing like a side that has now lost 64 of its 74 Tests.After Tamim Iqbal, the man best equipped to score quickly, had fallen early, the rest of the top order perished in trying to do the same. To Bangladesh’s misfortune, Best, who had been inconsistent with his direction throughout the game, suddenly found control. He already had the pace. The result was the key wickets of Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim, and the impressive debutant left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul claimed the next three to nip whatever resistance Bangladesh could have come up with.A look at the session-by-session details of this Test might give you the impression that the Mirpur pitch stayed lifeless till tea on day four, and started turning square afterwards. Just 15 wickets fell in the first 11 sessions; five fell after tea on day four, six more went down till lunch on day five and the post-lunch session claimed five. But the pitch was anything but unplayable. There was slightly more bite and uneven bounce on day five, but it was the pressure of good bowling, and in Bangladesh’s case, the added one of having to go for the target of 245, that led to the batsmen’s downfall.While West Indies succumbed to spin, it was pace that jolted Bangladesh; the pitch had hardly any role to play in both collapses. Both Best and Ravi Rampaul used the short and back-of-a-length balls to telling effect. Tamim was the first to go, in the fifth over, when he tried to slash one off Rampaul that bounced extra and edged it to the wicketkeeper.Best’s was an unwavering, brute effort on a pitch that demanded it from the quicks. He had hustled Bangladesh in the first innings with speed, but had too often sprayed it around. He had been unlucky not to break through with one of his several accurate yorkers, though. In the second, he concentrated on the shortish ball, and it brought reward immediately, in his second over. Junaid Siddique tried to steer one outside off and only guided it to the keeper.Smart stats

West Indies’ win is their fifth in nine Tests against Bangladesh. Four of these wins have come in Tests played in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh’s total of 556 is the joint third-highest score (team first innings) in a defeat. The highest is 586 by Australia in 1894.

The target of 245 is the lowest one that Bangladesh have failed to chase. The previous lowest was 353 against Zimbabwe in 2004.

Tino Best’s 5 for 24 is his best bowling performance in Tests and his maiden five-wicket haul. His previous best was 4 for 46 against Pakistan in 2005.

Best’s 5 for 24 is the second-best bowling performance in the fourth innings by a West Indies bowler in the subcontinent, behind Vanburn Holder’s 6 for 39 in Mumbai in 1975.

The game was still even when Bangladesh went to lunch needing 200 more with eight batsmen remaining. However, Best, letting it rip with both ball and lip, came harder at Bangladesh after the break. Shahriar Nafees got a mouthful, and heaved a top-edge off the next delivery, a short one into the body, for the bowler to take the catch. Best now had even more encouragement, as if he ever needed it. Three balls later, he had taken out Shakib Al Hasan with a beauty that squared the batsman up and took the edge to the keeper as it moved away from middle.Best went off the field for a while and returned to strike with his fourth delivery. After all the back-of-a-length stuff, Mushfiqur got one that swung in full and late, and trapped him in front. Best was now even more like a runaway locomotive than usual. He jagged one into Naeem Islam’s chest, and even as the batsman grimaced in pain, asked him to “come on”. Mahmudullah was hit at least three times by short balls that he could not avoid but showed guts when he hooked Best for six over deep-square leg.Amid all the pounding from Best, Permaul removed Naeem and Nasir Hossain in the same manner Gazi had deceived West Indies earlier – with deliveries that did not turn as much as the batsmen expected them to. Gazi and Mahmudullah fought for a while, but Permaul had the former holing out to mid-off.West Indies themselves had lasted less than ten overs in the morning as Gazi claimed all four wickets to fall, including Shivnarine Chanderpaul who came in at No. 11 due to an illness, and lasted four deliveries. For most of the game, the 21-year-old offspinner Gazi belied both his debutant status and his young age. He had taken three of the four West Indies wickets to fall in the first innings, during which he sent down as many as 47 overs. His control was impressive throughout, as was his use of flight. He intelligently made use of the straighter and quicker delivery as the surface started to wear and batsmen started to play for the expected turn. Four of his six wickets came that way.There was nothing deceptive about Best, though. He ended the game by crashing one full into Mahmudullah’s middle stump. After promising so much on days three and four, Bangladesh had failed to last even two sessions with the bat on the fifth.

A strong all-round performance from England Women led them to their second consecutive win in New Zealand, beating the hosts by 48 runs

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Feb-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAnya Shrubsole celebrates bowling Frances Mackay•Getty ImagesA strong all-round performance from England Women led them to their second consecutive win in New Zealand, beating the hosts by 48 runs to go up 2-0 in the five-match series.England were sent in at Seddon Park and their openers laid a strong platform, adding 82 in 8.4 overs. Charlotte Edwards made 33 off 26 balls and the innings’ top-scorer, Laura Marsh, scored 48 off 29 with 11 boundaries. Both of those batsmen fell in quick succession but, from 86 for 2, Sarah Taylor held the rest of the innings together by scoring 45. She was dismissed only in the 20th over and England finished with 166 for 7.Lucy Doolan, who replaced Sian Ruck, took 2 for 30 for New Zealand. Ruck had broken her hand during training in the lead-up to the game and was ruled out of the remainder of the series.Anya Shrubsole continued her strong performance on tour, striking early by dismissing New Zealand opener Frances Mackay in the chase. Suzie Bates and Sarah McGlashan rebuilt the innings from 2 for 1 with a 56-run partnership, but New Zealand began to collapse after they fell to Danni Wyatt and Marsh.Amy Satterthwaite and Bates, who made 37, were out with the score on 89, and New Zealand were dismissed for 118. The last eight wickets had fallen for 29 runs. Wyatt was England’s most successful bowler, taking 3 for 24 in four overs.”It’s been a great start to the series and to go two-nil up is fantastic,” the Player of the Match, Laura Marsh, said. “It was a great track to bat on and I enjoyed being able to put runs on the board with Charlotte. The outfield was quick and the pitch was good, so it was important that we bowled to the right areas to defend our total. It was another great team performance today and we’ll be looking to continue this up in Auckland.”