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Elgar enjoyed support from debutant Aiden Markram (97) and Hashim Amla (68 not out) even as Bangladesh will be left pondering their decision to bowl first on a flat track

The Report by Mohammad Isam28-Sep-2017

Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:21

Moonda: Markram made the most of his opportunity

Dean Elgar’s hundred headlined the first day of the Potchefstroom Test, even as Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim and South Africa opener Aiden Markram may be left pondering their respective choices. South Africa finished the day at 298 for 1, taking full advantage of a pitch that offered little assistance to the Bangladesh bowlers, thus leaving the visitors to wonder if they made the right call in opting to bowl first.Smart stats

1 – Instance of South Africa’s openers adding more runs than the 196 they added today in the first innings after being put in to bat. That was in Centurion in 2004 against West Indies, when Herschelle Gibbs and Graeme Smith added 301. This is only the third time their openers have added 150-plus after being put in.

3 – South African batsmen who have been dismissed in the 90s on Test debut. Aiden Markram joins Percy Mansell and Louis Tancred in this list. The two previous instances were both more than 65 years ago.

1 – Number of times, in the last ten years, that the only wicket to fall in a day of Test cricket has been courtesy a run-out. South Africa were the fielding side on that occasion, on the fourth day of the Brisbane Test in 2012.

52.64 – Dean Elgar’s Test average in 2017 – he has scored 895 runs, including four centuries, this year. No other South African batsman has scored more than 750 runs, or more than one hundred, in Tests in 2017.

Elgar was unbeaten on 128 runs off 285 balls, with nine fours and two sixes, in the company of Hashim Amla, who was 68 not out off 103. The second-wicket pair had added 102 runs until stumps. That partnership came after Markram was unfortunately run out on 97, responding to Elgar’s call for a single that would have taken him to his century. That mis-step aside, the South Africa debutant’s innings was full of class, temperament and patience. He was very strong on full balls, driving 10 boundaries gleefully, and struck 13 fours in all during his 152-ball knock.Elgar did a similar job, combining his solidity with a few big hits, and he rarely missed an opportunity to score runs. Two of his nine fours came through the covers, and five on the leg side. His two sixes were also hit over the on side. Elgar’s knock helped him move past Cheteshwar Pujara to become the highest Test run-scorer in 2017.South Africa’s 196-run opening partnership, the side’s highest for that wicket in the last nine years, was the backbone of their batting push after Bangladesh won the toss and chose to field. At the toss, Faf du Plessis said he was surprised by Bangladesh’s decision, and the day’s proceedings indicated why he felt so.Markram and Elgar began quietly, neither batsman chasing anything that was dangled outside the off stump. They only started to push more for singles, twos and boundaries in the second session, in which Markram reached his fifty off 77 balls. Neither batsman seemed to be in a rush, except when they were in the nineties.Elgar blasted a six over long-on to surge to 98 and in the following over, batting on 99, called Markram for a quick single after pushing the ball to cover, resulting in the latter’s dismissal. Markram’s run-out brought some relief for Bangladesh a few minutes before the tea interval.After the tea break, Amla did what he does best: reducing the chance of chaos for the home team. With Mushfiqur mostly opting for a spread-out field, Amla slid through the gears by finding more gaps.Regardless of his decision, Mushfiqur would have wanted more from his pace bowlers but the lack of assistance for them meant that offspinner Mehidy Hasan was brought into the attack in the sixth over. While Mehidy was accurate with his lengths, his lines were not as consistent.Mustafizur Rahman, meanwhile, bowled well – possibly better than Shafiul Islam and Taskin Ahmed, which was expected – but he didn’t always look for wickets. Shafiul bowled slightly better to the left-handed Elgar but wasn’t as effective against Markram or Amla, while Taskin bowled a few good overs but lacked patience on the unresponsive pitch.A sign of Bangladesh’s defensive thinking was their six-over delay in taking the new ball. That mindset could easily dictate terms for the rest of the game if they don’t shed it.

The South African board president, however, insisted that income can be recovered with high-profile tours of Australia and India in the coming home season

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Sep-2017Cricket South Africa has announced an anticipated loss of around Rand 159 million for the 2016-17 financial year, during its annual general meeting on Saturday, but president Chris Nenzani stressed that the board remains in a healthy financial position and is expected to recover income with two high-profile home series over the summer.CSA stated that the decrease – their actual revenue of R 696 million for 2016-17 is considerably less than the R 851 million from the previous financial year – was expected due to “less commercially productive inbound tours”.Nenzani, however, was confident of money flowing in with tours of Australia and India scheduled for the home season. Australia will travel to South Africa in March for a four-Test series, after India’s visit. However, the fixtures and dates for the India tour are yet to be determined.”In commenting on the financial statements I would like to stress that CSA remains in a very healthy financial position,” Nenzani said. “We have a very strong balance sheet and a favourable cash position. Our income balance after taking into account the loss for the year is R655 million.”We have invested in major capital projects to grow the game of cricket and we are also in the process of building our own headquarters which will be a significant money-saving project in the long term.”As is well known our budgetary forecasts are based on a four-year rolling plan as the vast majority of our income comes from television revenue generated from incoming tours. As a result we anticipate a very strong financial year in 2018 as a result of the incoming tours from India and Australia.”CSA is also set to receive a cash injection of R 1 million from the government, for its Hubs and Regional Performance Center programmes, in addition to the funds it receives from the Department of Sport and Recreation.

With Andre Onana now in the door at Manchester United, the Red Devils must now focus their attention on finally securing a much-needed centre-forward recruit ahead of next season, having been left with Anthony Martial as their only senior option in that striking berth.

With personal terms having been agreed with Atalanta's, Rasmus Hojlund, it looks as if that search for a new number nine could soon be coming to an end, albeit with that not likely to necessarily mean the end of the attacking additions at Old Trafford this summer.

According to Manchester Evening News, manager Erik ten Hag would also ideally like to recruit a second forward who can play in a variety of attacking roles, with the likes of Anthony Elanga and Facundo Pellistri potentially set to be on their way.

Amid that desire to find further attacking reinforcements, one name that has been mentioned of late is Atletico Madrid sensation, Joao Felix…

Will Man United sign Joao Felix?

Reports in Spain earlier this month named United as one of the clubs who have seemingly made contact regarding a potential move for the 23-year-old, with the Portugal international – who spent the second half of the season on loan at Chelsea – said to be 'seduced' by the prospect of returning to the Premier League.

The belief is that the former Benfica man – who has been valued at around €140m (£120m) – could be allowed to leave the Spanish capital on another temporary deal this summer, thus handing the Red Devils – and others – the potential chance to pounce.

Who is Joao Felix comparable to?

On the face of it, the signing of the 5 foot 11 ace – who was raking in a reported wage of around £195k-per-week while with the Blues – could prove to be an astute move, with the young superstar having shown his class after chipping in with 52 goal involvements in just 131 games during his time with Atleti, after previously registering 20 goals and 11 assists in 43 outings for his previous employers.

That being said, however, those at United may be concerned by the fact that the playmaker – who was branded a defensive "liability" last season by The Byline's Alex Goldberg – is said to share a number of stylistic and statistical similarities with former Old Trafford flop, Alexis Sanchez, according to FBref, with the pair both players who can operate all across the forward line.

That likeness between the two men is notably indicated by their creative prowess, with Sanchez – who recently spent the 2022/23 campaign at Marseille – ranking in the top 6% among his European peers for progressive passes, while Felix ranks in the top 5% for that same metric.

Equally, that ability to make the difference in the final third is also shown by the fact that the latter man ranks in the top 8% with regard to shot-creating actions, while Sanchez ranks in the top 9% in that regard.

Despite those shared positive attributes, however, the Red Devils are likely to be scarred by the dismal nature of the Chilean's time at the Theatre of Dreams, as he scored just five goals in 45 games after signing in January 2018, despite having previously scored 80 goals in 166 games for former club, Arsenal.

On a reported wage of more than £400k-per-week at the time, the one-time Barcelona ace never truly managed to settle in Manchester, lasting just 18 months before being shipped out on loan to Inter Milan.

Branded a "disgrace" by former United man, Paul Ince for his limp displays for the club, the mercurial talent proved ultimately to be a waste of money for those at Old Trafford, with the aim not to make the same mistake again with the signing of Felix.

As the club found out with the case of Sanchez – and others – opting to pursue glamorous, big name additions isn't always the wisest approach…

Wolverhampton Wanderers are eyeing up Fulham centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo as the defender prepares for a move away from Craven Cottage this summer, according to Dean Jones.

Is Adarabioyo leaving Fulham?

Marco Silva's Fulham were one of the surprise stories of last season in the Premier League. The newly-promoted Cottagers were supposed to struggle on their top-flight return but instead shone right from the outset, managing to secure a 10th-placed finish.

One of the standout stars of the Cottagers' campaign was Adarabioyo, a former Manchester City academy graduate who has blossomed since arriving permanently at Fulham in 2020.

The 25-year-old has attracted attention from other clubs in the Premier League as a result of his consistent performances and growing wealth of experience.

The 6ft5 colossus has reportedly rejected the opportunity to sign a new contract with Fulham, with his current deal expiring in June 2024. As a result of Adarabioyo's uncertain future at the Cottage, the likes of Inter and Monaco have been sniffing around and expressing interest in bringing the England youth international on board.

However, they are not alone. Tottenham have hinted at exploring a move for the defender, while it is now reported by Dean Jones that Wolves are upping their interest in the player.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones stated: "Wolves are going to market in search of at least one centre-back, maybe two depending on how the Kilman situation plays out. There is quite a lot of excitement around the rebuild that Lopetegui is looking towards and the foundations need to be in place soon so that the side has a solid look to it for next season.

"The defensive record was a bit of a mess last term, they conceded 14 goals in their final five games of last season and they are looking for some good value players now, ideally with Premier League experience."

He added: "One player that I’ve heard there is a bit of interest in is Tosin Adarabioyo at Fulham. Wolves actually first looked at him a couple of years ago but the player is currently looking for a new club.

"Ideally he is looking for a step up, he wants to join a Tottenham-sized club and those links are already there, but if his top options don’t come through soon then this could become an interesting alternative. It could be one to look out for down the road."

With Adarabioyo keen to take the next step in his career, the centre-back may not be too enthused by a move to Molineux given Fulham finished three places above Wolves last term.

A move to Spurs or Inter may be his priority this summer, especially given Fulham's rather low £13m valuation of the defender.

Wolves do need to bolster a defence that conceded 58 goals last season, especially given they have lost Nathan Collins to Brentford and Conor Coady has joined Leicester City.

Wolves have only added former Northampton Town goalkeeper Tom King to their squad on a free transfer, while also making obligatory loan deals for Matheus Cunha and Boubacar Traore permanent.

How did Adarabioyo fare last season?

Adarabioyo boasted a solid 6.89 Sofascore rating in the Premier League last season in the 11th sternest defence in the division.

Naturally, the giant centre-back uses his advanced height and physicality to win aerial battles but is less comfortable when balls are played in behind him.

In the 25 games he played in the league, the defender ranked in the top 6% for clearances per 90 among centre-backs (averaging 6.04), as well as boasting a 69.4% success rate in aerial duels.

One potential issue for bigger clubs looking at Adarabioyo is his passing accuracy, ranking in the bottom 36% of centre-backs. While he has a better accuracy when it comes to longer passing distances and ranks fairly high in progressive passes per 90, he may not be the prime candidate for a team wanting to play out from defence.

أصدرت رابطة الأندية المصرية المحترفة عقوبات الجولة 16 من بطولة الدوري المصري وذلك طبقا لقائمة العقوبات بلائحة المسابقات عن موسم 2023-2024.

وجاءت العقوبات على النحو التالي وفقًا لما أعلنته رابطة الأندية المصريية.. مباراة زد والمصري 

إيقاف مجدي عبد العاطي المدير الفني لنادي زد مباراة واحدة وتوقيع غرامة مالية عليه قيمتها 10 ألاف جنيه وذلك بسبب طرده لما بدر منه.

إيقاف إبراهيم الموجي مُدلك نادي زد 4 مباريات وتوقيع غرامة مالية عليه قيمتها 20 ألف جنيه وذلك لطرده لما بدر منه تجاه الحكم.

انتهت مباراة المصري وزد بالتعادل الإيجابي 2-2 في المواجهة التي جمعت بينهما في إطار لقاءات الدوري المصري.

وأقيمت مباراة زد والمصري على أرضية استاد برج العرب في الإسكندرية ضمن لقاءات الجولة 16 للمسابقة المحلية.

طالع | ترتيب الدوري المصري بعد خسارة الأهلي والزمالك

ويتصدر فريق المصري جدول ترتيب الدوري برصيد 27 نقطة، بينما وصل فريق زد للنقطة 23 في المركز الخامس.

Liverpool are battling a top flight rival to sign Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, with the Reds now ready to stump up the money to sign the World Cup breakout star, according to a report from Firenzeviola.it via Sport Witness.

Is Sofyan Amrabat really that good?

The midfielder has been with Fiorentina for three seasons now, having initially caught the eye with Hellas Verona in the same division. He has gone on to appear in 83 Serie A games for the La Viola since that transfer deal.

In 2022/23, he managed 29 league outings as well as starring in their Europa Conference League campaign, showcasing how good he can be on the big stage. That's because, when compared to others in his position amongst the Men's 'Top Five' big leagues, he ranks very impressively. For example, his progressive passes rate of 7.93 per 90 puts him in the top eight percent in that category and his 88.8% pass completion rate has him in the 95th percentile in that figure too.

It shows that he rarely makes mistakes with the ball despite seeking to make dangerous and incisive passes – the numbers even put him on a par with Liverpool's own pass-master, Thiago Alcantara, who ranks slightly better for progression but slightly worse for accuracy.

Now, according to a report from Firenzeviola.it via Sport Witness, the player has suitors from other leagues. Both Liverpool and Newcastle have an interest in the midfielder it seems and both clubs are "ready to pay" the asking price that Fiorentina want to ensure Amrabat ends up in the Premier League.

They appear to be the only two clubs currently willing to pay the required amount to convince the Serie A side to flog the 26-year-old.

What is Amrabat's transfer value?

With Fiorentina having paid around 19.5 million Euros to bring him to Italy, they'll want to fetch even more than that in the next deal for Amrabat. No potential fee is mentioned here in regards to a transfer deal – so it is actually unclear how much Liverpool are prepared to pay for the midfielder – but Transfermarkt suggests that his value is around the 30 million Euro mark (or £26m). Whilst more than the Serie A side paid, it is still a relatively cheap deal for the player.

When you consider what has been said about him in the game too, it makes that amount as a potential fee seem low. Football journalist Josh Bunting for example called the player "outstanding" during Fiorentina's Europa Conference League game against West Ham, also adding that he "ran the game" for the Italian side, while his displays on the biggest stage of all, the World Cup, drew mass media acclaim.

Glasgow Rangers are in talks regarding a summer swoop to bring Cyriel Dessers to the Scottish Premiership, according to reports.

Who is Cyriel Dessers?

The Nigeria international is a striker who currently plays his football for Cremonese having moved there from KRC Genk last summer, and during his debut season at the Giovanni Zini Stadium, he clocked up a total of 29 appearances under Davide Ballardini.

The Scottish Daily Mail (via Ibrox News) first credited Michael Beale with an interest in the 28-year-old and revealed that he was one of the names “on a list” of targets being considered for the upcoming window, and it wasn’t long before the boss made his opening move.

The Daily Record earlier this month reported that the Light Blues had submitted a seven-figure bid for the Serie B forward after seeing their initial offer turned down which resulted in the two parties getting locked in talks, though it would appear that there has now been a successful breakthrough in negotiations.

Are Rangers signing Dessers?

According to Football Insider, Rangers are "pursuing" a move for Dessers with talks firmly "underway" ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. The Cremonese striker has been a target north of the border for "some time" and it's stated that a fee of £5m "could be enough" to get a deal over the line this summer.

The Italian outfit are looking to "trim costs" following their recent relegation so are resigned to selling some of their prized assets, one of those being the attacker who could well be on his way to Glasgow.

Rangers have confirmed that Alfredo Morelos has left the club upon the expiration of his contract so Beale will need a natural centre-forward to replace him, and having been described as someone who is “awkward to play against” because of his physical strength by journalist Josh Bunting, Dessers could be the perfect successor.

The Stirr Associates client, who has the versatility to operate everywhere across the frontline, posted 13 goal contributions (ten goals and three assists) from 32 appearances in all competitions last season so was prolific in the final third, but he also posed a threat when he wasn’t on the scoresheet.

Dessers ranked in the 92nd percentile for number of attacking touches in the opposition’s penalty area and recorded 49 shots over the course of the term which was the second-highest total throughout his squad, as per FBRef, so should he sign on the dotted line, it would be a massive coup for Beale.

Erik ten Hag is looking to strengthen Manchester United’s attacking options during the summer transfer window, and Bundesliga forward Randal Kolo Muani has been eyed as a potential addition.

What’s the latest on Randal Kolo Muani to Manchester United?

The Red Devils are actually interested in both Rasmus Hojlund and Kolo Muani according to the Athletics’ Laurie Whitwell, who Tweeted:

“Erik ten Hag ideally wants a young forward plus an experienced one. Hojlund, 20, falls into former category. Frankfurt's Randal Kolo Muani also discussed.”

The Frenchman won't come cheap however, with Eintracht Frankfurt's CEO Axel Hallmann insisting that the striker is worth more than €90m (£78m) in the current market and this could perhaps be a challenge for the Dutchman, especially as he aims to bolster other areas of his team too.

What is Randal Kolo Muani’s style of play?

According to WhoScored, the versatile 24-year-old likes to dribble and can cut inside, while he can also play across the front three. He is predominantly a centre-forward, one capable of using his finishing skills to devastating effect.

Indeed, this season, the Frankfurt frontman has scored 23 goals and registered 17 assists across 45 appearances in all competitions, playing 43 of those games as a striker and Ten Hag could certainly form a deadly duo with him and Marcus Rashford next term.

Ten Hag has deployed the Englishman on the left wing for 31 games during the 2022/23 campaign, and he has been rewarded handsomely with 16 goals and six assists, with the 25-year-old registering 41 goal contributions overall from 55 matches, being revitalised by the Dutchman after grabbing just seven goal contributions the season before.

Rashford ranked first for successful dribbles (1.5 per game), third for assists (five) and ninth for key passes (0.9 per game) in the whole United squad in the league, and his ability to drive past opponents and set up opportunities for his teammates could allow Kolo Muani to thrive, considering that he would be receiving excellent service.

Ten Hag's current underperforming centre-forwards of Anthony Martial and Wout Weghorst have both failed to score over ten goals during 2022/23 and this is an area that must be strengthened in order to lead the Old Trafford side to more glory, so signing Kolo Muani would be an excellent move.

Journalist Zach Lowy praised him following the 2022 World Cup, saying: “He’s left a positive impression on this tournament and at 24, he’s only going to improve. Top-class talent.”

If Ten Hag manages his development well, the Frankfurt player could become a big hit with the United faithful, given the evidence above. Just imagine his potential partnership with Rashford, heading into the new campaign.

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Oct-2016
ScorecardJackson Bird picked up six wickets for the match•Getty ImagesJackson Bird finished his Test audition with six wickets for the match, but Victoria were in a strong position to push for victory at stumps on the third day at the MCG. Chasing 365, Tasmania wobbled to 3 for 19 at the close of play, with Peter Siddle, Chris Tremain and Scott Boland each having picked up a wicket. Caleb Jewell was on 10 and nightwatchman Andrew Fekete was yet to score.Siddle had been on light duties earlier in the day when Tasmania resumed their first innings in the morning, bowling only three overs as his workload was managed in his return to first-class cricket after eight months out injured. However, he trapped Beau Webster lbw late in the day and has a good chance of being named in Australia’s Test squad alongside Bird on Friday.The day began with Tasmania on 4 for 93, and through George Bailey (64) and some late hitting from Cameron Boyce, who struck an unbeaten 56 off 53 balls, the Tigers moved along to 255 before they were dismissed. Daniel Christian picked up 4 for 35.Victoria chose not to enforce the follow on, instead increasing their lead briskly as opener Marcus Harris added 77 from 88 deliveries to his first-innings century. Bird picked up 3 for 59 from his 13 overs and ended with match figures of 6 for 134, while part-timer Webster also claimed three wickets as the Victorians sought quick runs.They declared at 9 for 204, which meant Tasmania had to negotiate a difficult period before stumps, and their top order found the going hard. Ben Dunk was caught off Boland for 6, Siddle claimed Webster, and Boland picked up the wicket of Alex Doolan for 2.

Ben Stokes will continue his rehabilitation from a calf tear that kept him out of England’s last two Tests against Pakistan by appearing for Durham on NatWest T20 Blast Finals Day

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Aug-2016

Ben Stokes will continue his rehabilitation from a calf tear that kept him out of England’s last two Tests against Pakistan by appearing for Durham on NatWest T20 Blast Finals Day. Stokes is one of a number of England players made available for their counties this week in the knockout stages of the white-ball competitions.Stokes, who has been cleared to bat and bowl, is set to come up against England team-mates Joe Root, Gary Ballance and Jonny Bairstow in the second Blast semi-final between Durham and Yorkshire on Saturday. Durham will also have centrally contracted pace bowler Mark Wood at their disposal.Wood and Stokes are hopeful of being involved in England’s limited-overs series against Pakistan, after a summer disrupted by injuries. Wood has twice undergone surgery on his ankle but bowled with impressive pace to help Durham beat Gloucestershire at Bristol and book a place at Finals Day; Stokes also had an operation, on a knee injury suffered during the Sri Lanka Test series, and then hurt his calf playing against Pakistan at Old Trafford.England have allowed seven of the players who were involved in England’s defeat at The Oval to turn out in the Blast and Royal London Cup. Stuart Broad is set to play his first white-ball game for Nottinghamshire in almost a year (he was selected for a Blast game in July but it was abandoned without a ball bowled), with Alex Hales also available for Finals Day, when they will play Northamptonshire.Yorkshire’s trio of Root, Ballance and Bairstow are also in line to play the Royal London Cup quarter-final at Kent on Thursday. Moeen Ali has been released for Worcestershire’s quarter-final trip to Taunton and Chris Woakes will be part of Warwickshire’s squad for the visit of Essex on Wednesday.The only member of the Test side that won’t be in the reckoning for his county is the captain, Alastair Cook, who has been requested to take a break by the England management.