Much has been made of Liverpool's impressive academy in recent weeks as Jurgen Klopp has brought several talented youngsters into the first-team set-up.

The likes of Jayden Danns, Bobby Clark, James McConnell, Lewis Koumas, Mateusz Musialowski, and Conor Bradley have all made appearances for the senior side this season, having come through the youth sides.

They will all be hoping to follow in Trent Alexander-Arnold's footsteps over the years to come to establish themselves as regular starters for the Reds.

However, not every young player who makes their debut for the first-team has what it takes to make the step up week-in-week-out, and some of the aforementioned talents will move on and forge a career elsewhere.

A prime example of that was exciting wonderkid Ovie Ejaria, who made his first appearance for Liverpool before U23s teammate Alexander-Arnold, as he came through the academy but failed to make his mark at senior level.

Ovie Ejaria's Liverpool career in numbers

The versatile midfielder worked his way through the youth teams on Merseyside and racked up three appearances for the U18s and 26 for the U23s before his first-team debut.

Klopp handed the then-18-year-old starlet his first outing against Derby County in the League Cup in September 2016, and his Premier League debut came two months later in a 6-1 win over Watford.

During that 2016/17 campaign, Ejaria played eight first-team matches under the German head coach, which included three in the FA Cup, three in the League Cup, and two in the Premier League, but failed to register a single goal or assist.

He did not do enough in those eight games to convince Klopp to integrate him into the team on a regular basis and was sent out on loan to Sunderland the following season, where he produced one goal and zero assists in 11 Championship clashes.

Ejaria then spent the first six months of the 2018/19 campaign on loan with Steven Gerrard at Rangers in Scotland, where the young whiz scored two goals and provided one assist in 28 outings.

The former Liverpool captain hailed him as "excellent" during their time together in Glasgow but it was short-lived as it was only a short-term loan.

That arrangement came to an end in January 2019 and the attacking midfielder, who can also play out wide, then spent 18 months on loan with Reading in the Championship.

The versatile dynamo made 52 appearances in the second tier during that time – scoring four goals and assisting seven – and that convinced the Royals to snap him up on a permanent basis, who had an option to buy him at the end of his loan.

Trent Alexander-Arnold's Liverpool career in numbers

The now-England international, Alexander-Arnold, played with Ejaria for the U18s and the U23s with Liverpool – and the U21s for England – before they both made their first-team breakthroughs during the 2016/17 campaign.

His debut came after the midfielder's, though, as Klopp did not hand him his first appearance until October 2016 – a month after Ejaria's bow – against Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup.

Like his former academy teammate, the impressive right-back did not immediately become a regular in the side as he ended the season with 12 senior games under his belt, seven of which came in the Premier League.

However, unlike Ejaria, Alexander-Arnold did enough to convince Klopp to make him a part of his squad for the 2017/18 campaign, whilst the midfielder went away to Sunderland on loan.

The English defender made 33 first-team appearances that term, including ten in the Champions League and 19 in the Premier League, but was yet to showcase his true creative talent with just two assists in those games.

His breakthrough as an outstanding performer at first-team level came during the following season as the academy graduate assisted a staggering 16 goals from right-back in 40 outings.

He assisted four goals in 11 matches as Liverpool won the Champions League – with a 2-0 victory over Spurs in the final – and set up 12 in 29 Premier League games.

Since then, Alexander-Arnold has reached 302 appearances for the club in all competitions and contributed with 18 goals and 82 assists as a right-back.

The England star has won the Premier League, the Champions League, the FA Cup, and the League Cup (twice) since coming through the academy, which – along with his statistics – speak to how impressive his career at the club has been so far.

What happened to Ovie Ejaria

Meanwhile, Ejaria's career has gone in the other direction since his first-team debut for Liverpool, which came before Alexander-Arnold's back in 2016.

Reading paid a reported fee of £3.5m to sign him on a permanent basis in the summer of 2020, after his 18-month loan spell in Berkshire, and he enjoyed a strong 2020/21 campaign in the Championship.

Appearances

38

Goals

3

Assists

5

Big chances created

8

Dribbles completed per game

2.7

Duel success rate

50%

As you can see in the table above, the former England U21 international provided drive from midfield with goals, assists, and dribbles, whilst being solid by winning half of his physical duels.

Unfortunately, Ejaria missed 14 competitive games through injury the following season, which restricted him to 26 Championship outings for Reading.

He then featured in just eight league games for the Royals during the 2022/23 campaign as his team were relegated down to League One last year.

In December 2023, having failed to make a single appearance during the 2023/24 season by that point, Reading announced that the midfielder had left the club by mutual consent.

Their statement revealed that their need to reduce expenditure and Ejaria's 'injury and fitness' issues meant that an amicable agreement was made to allow him to leave.

The attacking midfielder did not find a new club during the January transfer window and has not played a competitive match for any club since the 2022/23 campaign.

This means that he is currently clubless at the age of 26, when the former Liverpool wonderkid should be in the prime years of his career, and it remains to be seen what the next step will be for him.

Hopefully, Ejaria will put his injury issues behind him and find a new team before long to get his career back on track.

أسدل الستار على منافسات بطولة كأس السوبر المصري للأندية الأبطال 2024، والتي انتهت بتتويج الأهلي للمرة الثانية تواليًا.

واحتضنت الإمارات بطولة كأس السوبر المصري بشكله الجديد، بمشاركة 4 فرق وهي الأهلي والزمالك وبيراميدز وسيراميكا كليوباترا.

واقتنص الأهلي لقب كأس السوبر للمرة 15 في تاريخه، بفوز على الزمالك بركلات الحظ الترجيحية.

فيديو | في مباراة ماراثونية.. الأهلي يهزم الزمالك ويتوج بلقب كأس السوبر المصري

وأعلنت اللجنة المنظمة للبطولة عن جوائز المسابقة، إذ منحت اللاعب أحمد سيد زيزو جناح الزمالك لقب أفضل لاعب في البطولة.

وفاز محمد عواد حارس الزمالك الذي قاد فريقه للفوز بركلات ترجيح مباراة الدور نصف النهائي أمام بيراميدز وتألق في موقعة الفاينال أمام الأهلي بجائزة أفضل حارس مرمى.

أما لقب هداف البطولة فحصل عليه لاعب الأهلي طاهر محمد طاهر برصيد هدفين سجلهما في مباراة الدور نصف النهائي أمام سيراميكا كليوباترا.

الجدير بالذكر، أن لقب أفضل لاعب في مباراة النهائي بين الأهلي والزمالك قد حصدها حارس الأهلي محمد الشناوي. تتويج اللاعبين بجوائز الأفضل في السوبر المصري

UAE recover from 9 for 5 but fail to stop the Dutch from making their third consecutive T20 World Cup

The Report by Peter Della Penna in Dubai29-Oct-2019

Paul van Meekeren erupts after claiming another big wicket•Peter Della Penna

A relentless assault from the pace quartet of Fred Klaassen, Paul van Meekeren, Brandon Glover and Timm van der Gugten smothered the tournament hosts as the Netherlands restricted UAE to 80 for 9 on the way to an eight-wicket win in the opening playoff match at the men’s T20 World Cup qualifiers at Dubai International Stadium.It’s the Netherlands’ third consecutive berth in the men’s T20 World Cup following trips to Bangladesh in 2014 and India in 2016.UAE were 9 for 5 after five overs after choosing to bat first and, unlike Papua New Guinea against Kenya two days earlier, were never able to recover.Coming back into the starting XI as an extra bowling option in place of struggling opening batsman Tobias Visee, Klaassen struck five balls into the match when he beat Rohan Mustafa for pace as the batsman attempted to pull a length ball that fluttered over the bowler’s head for a return catch taken next to the non-striker’s stumps.That made it 2 for 1, but a pair of hammer blows were struck at the end of the second over by van Meekeren, which pretty much wiped out UAE’s chances. Sticking to a back-of-a-length mode of attack, van Meekeren had Rameez Shahzad fending an edge behind for a third-ball duck, and then Muhammad Usman, fresh off a sensational 89 not out against Canada, lasted just one ball. The bowler squared him up with one on a similar length angled across the fourth-stump channel to give Scott Edwards another catch behind as UAE were left reeling at 3 for 3.Brandon Glover came on in the third over and trapped Darius D’Silva with a full-length ball playing around his pads for the third UAE duck before Zawar Farid miscued a pull to Pieter Seelaar on the ring at midwicket in the fifth for Glover’s second.Waheed Ahmed and Mohammad Boota mostly nudged the ball around for the next eight overs in a 35-run stand, the first boundary coming from a top-edge over the keeper by Waheed off van Meekeren in the sixth. But Glover returned in the 14th to bounce out both. Waheed hooked to van Meekeren at deep fine-leg before Boota feathered an edge through to Edwards off a pull to make it 45 for 7.After a brief flurry of sixes off Klaassen in the 19th by Sultan Ahmed and Ahmed Raza, van der Gugten stifled any further hopes with two wickets in the final over. Sultan slogged to cow corner before Raza was bowled way out in front of a slower ball in what ended as a one-run over.UAE struck an early blow in the chase when Max O’Dowd waved through a gentle offbreak from Mustafa to be bowled for 5. But Colin Ackermann and Ben Cooper rebounded with a 51-run stand to put the Dutch on course for a smooth chase. The only further hiccup came in the tenth over when Ackermann slashed Zahoor Khan to third man for 18. Cooper and Ryan ten Doeschate knocked off the final 25 runs with ease, clinching victory with 29 balls to spare.

Reliable club insider ExWHUemployee has shared another important update on David Moyes and the manager's contract situation at West Ham.

Moyes future uncertain with West Ham contract expiring

The Scotsman's tenure in east London has been a very memorable one. West Ham have qualified for Europe in each of Moyes' full seasons in charge, since he began his second stint midway through 2019/2020. They also put an end to their near-40 year wait for a major trophy, lifting the UEFA Europa Conference League in Prague last term.

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However, a section of supporters are growing dissatisfied with West Ham's style of play under Moyes, coming after they flirted with relegation to the Championship last term as well.

West Ham's league finishes under Moyes	Season
14th	22/23
6th	21/22
7th	20/21
16th	19/20

The Hammers head coach, as things stand, is set to leave West Ham at the end of this campaign with his contract expiring soon. Moyes, speaking to the media last week, actually claimed that the offer of a new deal was on the table.

"I've had really good conversations with the owners, with David Sullivan and Karren Brady," said Moyes on his new contract situation.

"There's a contract there for me and I'm the one deciding I want to wait until the end of the season. There are plenty of reasons [to wait]. I've got to make sure it's the right thing for the club, for me and my family. I've spoken to the board. I've had a fabulous four years. We'll sort it out but I'm happy to wait."

Going by Moyes' statement, he appears to be the one in control of this situation, and depending on whether or not he extends, West Ham technical director Tim Steidten is believed to assessing managerial alternatives.

ExWHUemployee shares Moyes contract update

Now, speaking to West Ham Way, ExWHUemployee has shared a Moyes contract update which is contrary to what the former Man United boss said.

“There have been provisional talks over a new deal for David Moyes,” stated Ex. “However, I’ve been advised that at no point it’s been put forward for signing. The manager possibly was referring to an agreement but that’s provisional, but not in front of him to sign.

“It’s understood that any decision by the board as to whether to offer him an extension will be made at the end of the season, following a review on how the season pans out.”

Depending on whether the club decide to offer him that new contract after all, West Ham are believed to be interested in the likes of Wolves boss Gary O'Neil, who has admirers at the London Stadium.

“At the moment, we're getting towards the stage where West Ham are going to be looking for a new manager," said journalist Dean Jones to GiveMeSport.

"While Gary O'Neil isn't going to be the top target for them, I have heard that he is somebody they like. I would be surprised if he didn't at least crop up on a list of names if and when Moyes does end up losing his job, so that is one to keep in mind."

The new U.S. coach immediately makes an impact, which suddenly puts this team in the conversation for gold

If you had any doubts about Emma Hayes, go ahead and admit right now that you were wrong. If you were worried about the wait, the fit or the style, then you haven't been paying attention.

We're just 180 minutes into these Olympic games, but it's already abundantly clear that Hayes has put this USWNT back on the precipice of the world's elite.

What a difference a coach can make, huh?

The Hayes Era is still very, very new, but it already feels entirely different from those sad final months of Vlatko Andonovski's tenure. The confidence and swagger have returned. So too have the goals. And perhaps those go hand-in-hand. Hayes' tactics have the USWNT running over and through opponents, and right now, they look as if they will be tough to stop.

Germany are the latest team to be pinned down to the tracks, unable to get out of the way of the U.S. freight train. Zambia felt it, too, in their 3-1 defeat, but Germany got it even worse as the USWNT ran away with a 4-1 win in Sunday's group stage.

With the win, the U.S. joined Spain as the first teams to secure a spot in the quarterfinals. The USWNT has now made it out of the group in all eight trips to the Olympics and has medaled in six of its seven previous Olympic appearances.

Much of the credit should go to the players, of course. Sophia Smith, coming off an opening-match injury, balled out this time around. Mal Swanson got another goal, too. And what else is there to say about Trinity Rodman, who looks like a new player this summer compared to last?

But give Hayes her flowers, too. It's her tactics and her belief that has the U.S. in this position. Her tweaks have made all the difference. Her willingness to unleash this attack has led to goals in bunches. In just a few games, she's found the balance that the U.S. so often lacked at the 2023 World Cup.

Hayes was complimentary of the attack, saying "I think we were absolutely devastating when we needed to be." But she added that this team still a work in progress, noting that "there's still things that irritate me about us, but that's for me to fix. … There's things I'm learning about the team tonight from a character perspective that I want to see, from a resilience perspective I wanted to see. When you play a top-level opponent, you get to see all sides and I saw all sides of us tonight, which was pleasing."

Don't underestimate Hayes and, given what we've seen, don't underestimate the USWNT. This team still has a lot of work to do but, with Hayes at the helm, the hope has returned.

GOAL takes a look at the winners and losers of the USWNT's win over Germany.

WINNER: Sophia Smith

Last summer at the World Cup, Sophia Smith scored twice in the opener and that was that. She never found the back of the net again. It was a disappointing run during what should have been a breakout tournament.

Smith won't be denied this summer, though. Two teams have tried and, so far, two teams have failed. The confidence is there and, when Smith is feeling that, the goals will flow.

She scored twice on Sunday. One was a great backpost finish while the other, to be fair, required a little bit of luck. You make your own luck, though, and Smith continues to make things happen whenever she gets on the ball.

The Portland Thorns star just looks so comfortable and confident. She interchanges with Mallory Swanson and Trinity Rodman in ways that make her impossible to track. And, the more goals go in, the harder it will be to stop her.

This could be her tournament, which will only propel the USWNT.

AdvertisementGettyLOSER: Tierna Davidson

Injuries are never ideal, but in the case of Davidson, it could prove to be truly problematic for the U.S.

The USWNT centerback left the game just before halftime, hobbling off the field just as Smith scored her second goal. Emily Sonnett was thrown into the match in her place and the U.S. survived, but this could be a long-term issue.

Sonnett is the only other central defender in the squad and, even so, she's meant to be a swiss-army-knife sub at several other positions. If Davidson can't go, that leaves the U.S. extremely thin at centerback while also taking away a key supersub for Hayes.

Davidson was playing well before her injury and her partnership with Naomi Girma has truly improved. Now, though, the U.S. will be left sweating on her fitness as they approach the group stage finale against Australia on Wednesday and, more important, the knockout stage.

GettyWINNER: Emma Hayes

U.S. Soccer was content to wait for Hayes. It was a tough choice but, in their eyes, it was a necessary one. The federation was willing to give up valuable Olympic preparation to make sure that this team had the right coach, as Hayes wrapped up her season at Chelsea. Those are the choices you have to make.

As it turns out, perhaps US Soccer didn't compromise as much as we thought they did.

Just a few months into her tenure, Hayes' fingerprints are all over this team. From tactics to personality, you can see her influence. This team plays a certain way, and that way is Hayes' way.

We saw it during her tenure at Chelsea, where she established herself as an elite tactician. She's brought those ideas to the U.S., too. In just a few games, Hayes has rebalanced the midfield and rebuilt the attack, fixing the two biggest problems the U.S. had last summer. It hasn't been static, either. Hayes has different ideas for different moments and, right now, they're all working.

In the first half against Germany, the U.S. looked to run. The team looked to unleash the attack and put Germany on the back foot. The game was a bit of a track meet as a result, and that was just fine.

The second half was totally different. As they did against Zambia, the U.S. cruised. They possessed, moved and made Germany chase. It's the luxury of a lead. In that scenario, you can dictate how the game is played.

Hayes is dictating just about everything right now. She's the puppet-master ensuring this show plays out to her liking. Right now, it's a hell of a show, too, with Hayes proving her worth every single game.

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GettyLOSER: The goalkeepers

It was a rough day for goalkeepers overall and, while this wasn't as bad as the chaos that happened in the 6-5 Olympic instant classic between Australia and Zambia, this wasn't very good form from either shot-stopper.

Alyssa Naeher was directly responsible for Germany's goal. She gave the ball initially, putting Sam Coffey in danger with a bad pass. She then couldn't quite get the lift to stop Giulia Gwinn's long-range shot, despite it looking very saveable.

It was a tough day for Naeher, who has had her ups and downs over the last year. But It wasn't nearly as bad as Ann-Katrin Berger's outing, as Germany's No. 1 struggled herself.

Berger is familiar with Hayes, having played for her at Chelsea. Eventually, Hayes opted to move on. Sunday's performance at least partly showed why as Berger had several rough moments while conceding four. Her parry back into the path of Swanson was her worst moment, but it wasn't the only one.

Neither goalkeeper covered themselves in glory. In Naeher's case, her team played well enough to overcome it. For Berger? Not nearly enough.

Liverpool have reportedly suspended Premier League ticket sales after being hit by a cyber attack.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Liverpool tickets for new season go on sale
• Technical issue halts members buying tickets
• Club suspends sales after cyber attack

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to The Athletic, tickets for home Premier League games in the first half of the 2024-25 season went on sale on Wednesday to members who had attended 13 or more league matches at Anfield last term. However, a 'serious technical issue with the ticketing system' halted that, with the club later saying there had been a 'sophisticated bot attack' on the Merseyside outfit.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The report adds an investigation to establish how the bot attack – a cyber attack that uses automated scripts – infected the ticketing system has begun. An initial plan to reopen the sale later on Wednesday was shelved and the same was the case on Thursday.

• WHAT LIVERPOOL SAID

  An email from Liverpool's ticketing team, relayed via The Athletic, reads: “This is hugely disappointing and frustrating as we have made a number of significant improvements to our supplier’s ticketing system to try and prevent this type of cybercrime.

  “We will continue work with our fan groups to improve the selling processes and systems and will consider all options that will eventually deliver the experience our fans deserve.

  “We are sorry we have not managed to prevent unacceptable fraudulent activity which has impacted our genuine and valued supporters.“

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• (C)GettyImages
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  The Athletic states the ticketing system is run by a third party, who will now put extra security measures in place before Liverpool announce a date to safely put the tickets on sale again. That is likely to happen in the coming weeks but it is unclear what the motivation was behind the cyber attack.

West Bromwich Albion are crying out for more fit strikers to be at their disposal currently, with Carlos Corberan cursing his side's luck when it comes to the ever-growing list of injuries troubling their ravaged centre-forward department.

Brandon Thomas-Asante is the latest casualty up top for the Baggies, the frustrated Spanish boss confirming that his star striker will be on the sidelines for at least two weeks after limping off against Southampton.

With Josh Maja and Daryl Dike also out for the long term, it's a nightmare situation for Corberan to grapple with.

The Championship promotion hopefuls will need new recruits Andreas Weimann and young West Ham United attacker Callum Marshall to come good in the crunch weeks to follow, with the Baggies thankful that they don't have this notable dud on their books anymore to call upon to fix tricky situations like these.

How much West Brom signed Kenneth Zohore for

West Brom made a major statement purchase going after Kenneth Zohore in 2019, landing the towering Danish striker for a hefty £8m price-tag off the back of a few goal-laden seasons up top with Cardiff City.

Zohore would bag a competent 24 goals for the Bluebirds over 101 games in the Welsh capital, with the 6 foot 2 centre-forward standing out during the 2016-17 season with 12 strikes from just 30 appearances in all competitions.

Kenneth Zohore's numbers with Cardiff
Season	Games Played	Goals	Assists
2018-19	20	1	1
2017-18	39	9	5
2016-17	30	12	5
2015-16	12	2	0
Stats by Transfermarkt

Still, it looked a risky signing from the get-go from a West Brom perspective particularly when you take into account Neil Warnock's assessment of the lofty Scandinavian striker during his Cardiff days.

Described as being a "little lazy" by the often outspoken former Bluebirds boss back in 2018 before leaving for pastures new in West Brom, many would have viewed this big purchase in 2019 as a signing that would see Zohore either excel on his arrival to the Hawthorns or completely sink playing under the pressure of an inflated price-tag.

Unfortunately, for those with connections to the Baggies, Zohore would flop badly when entering the building at West Brom with the £8m fee attached to his name now looking like a major waste of money looking back.

Kenneth Zohore's statistics at West Brom

Zohore would end up only making 23 appearances in total for West Brom in what would prove to be an ill-fated move, scoring just three goals for the West Midlands outfit in the Championship.

The Danish striker's last two seasons at the Hawthorns would see him make two appearances in total, with the Baggies even shipping Zohore out on loan to Millwall to attempt to breathe life back into his faltering career.

West Brom's lineup: Zohore's debut
Nott'm Forest 1-2 West Brom (2019)
1. GK – Sam Johnstone
2. RB – Nathan Ferguson
3. CB – Kyle Bartley
4. CB – Semi Ajayi
5. LB – Kieran Gibbs
6. CM – Romaine Sawyers
7. CM – Jake Livermore
8. RM – Matt Phillips
9. CAM – Filip Krovinovic
10. LM – Kyle Edwards
11. ST – Kenneth Zohore
Sourced by Transfermarkt

Zohore would help himself to an unremarkable three goals from a short stint at the Den with Millwall before eventually being moved on from the Hawthorns permanently.

Cancelling his contract with West Brom to speed up the process of his exit from the second-tier side, Zohore would speak out at his relief of departing the club in the direct aftermath of leaving on a free transfer – the misfiring striker stating that he "was really happy" to leave and "play again" back on his native soil with Odense Boldklub.

Yet, it wasn't a smooth transition moving to Denmark for Zohore who has had to wrestle with the same demons that plagued his time with the Baggies wherever he's been since his failed time in the West Midlands.

What Kenneth Zohore has done since leaving West Brom

Zohore has failed to score a single goal since waving West Brom goodbye, proving that it wasn't just a bad fit with the Baggies in isolation and the Danish attacker is just nowhere near recapturing his Cardiff best still to this day.

The 6 foot 2 forward has only made ten appearances in total over the two seasons since his Baggies departure, finding himself playing for the reserve side of Polish side Slask Wroclaw this campaign to further demonstrate his mighty fall from grace.

It's a far cry from the striker Zohore once was at the Bluebirds, who once demanded West Brom cough up an extortionate £8m to land his services.

The current Wroclaw number seven has started just one PKO BP Ekstraklasa game this campaign, last featuring for the Polish top-tier side last year in a brief nine-minute cameo off the bench.

Averaging just 14 minutes this campaign for his new Polish employers when playing, Zohore's career is in real danger of ending with a whimper at 30 years of age instead of a revitalised bang.

Zohore's continued barrenness in front of goal is made ever more embarrassing when you consider the Polish top tier's placement in the UEFA coefficient rankings, with the Ekstraklasa coming in as the 20th worst division in Europe.

If Zohore was in and around the West Brom first-team ranks now, there's no chance the forgotten Dane would get anywhere near Corberan's XI.

The Spanish manager is far better off sticking with the likes of Weimann and Marshall in those depleted centre-forward spots, with the experienced Bristol City loanee – who hails from Austria – bagging two goals from his first seven starts for West Brom.

Two years older than Zohore, Weimann looks to be enjoying the twilight of his extensive career a lot more than the former Baggies reject who continues to be a bystander to the action in his current surroundings.

West Brom could well have been haunted by the colossal waste of money Zohore was in the January transfer window when it came to signing two loanees to boost the ranks up top over splashing the clash, the 30-year-old going down as one of the more notable flops at the Hawthorns in recent memory.

Final warm-up for Test series ends in stalemate but with valuable lessons learnt

George Dobell in Whangarei 17-Nov-2019England had to settle for a draw in Whangarei as a stubborn ninth-wicket partnership provided an example of some of the challenges likely to confront them in the Test series against New Zealand.At just after 3pm, with New Zealand A eight wickets down and around 35 overs left in the match, England will have fancied their chances of securing a victory that looked most unlikely at the start of play. But some admirable defiance from William Somerville and Ajaz Patel saw the hosts survive for another 22.4 overs and secure a hard-fought draw. When they came together, the lead was just 26; by the time England settled for some early handshakes, the lead was 66 and time was running out.These matches aren’t really about the result, of course. They are about preparation for the Test series. And in that context, England will be pretty pleased with their workout against good quality opposition and in conditions which challenge them.Joe Root watches from the dressing rooms during day three of the tour match between New Zealand A and England•Getty Images

This is what they wanted. While they may have been encouraged by the ease with which they breezed through a West Indies President’s XI at the Three Ws Oval in Barbados in January – that President’s XI side were, ridiculous though it sounds, 200 for 19 at one stage – the worth of such experiences was betrayed when the Test series started and they encountered a far more motivated Test side which simply blew them away. The lesson, it seems, were that first-class warm-up matches provide far more intense and valuable preparation.So England will, up to a point, have relished the fight. And while there may have been moments when the bowlers quietly cursed the flat pitch and a kookaburra ball that refused to yield to their attempts to make it swing, the management know that it is only by improving in such circumstances that England can look to the away Ashes series in two years with any degree of confidence. And that, it is becoming more clear by the day, is England’s new priority.What did we learn here? Well, it is clear already that England, in such conditions, are heavily reliant upon Jofra Archer. He looked a threat – both in wicket-taking and physical terms – in each one of his three spells in the second innings. Despite the suspicion that he is still holding back just a little before the Tests, he was bowling with impressive pace and consistency by the end of the game. Joe Root was, no doubt, quite right not to push him into longer spells in such an encounter.Archer apart, however, England struggled to find a wicket-taking edge once the ball had lost a bit of its hardness and shine. Stuart Broad, who appeared to be striving for rhythm in the first-innings, looked far more fluent in the second but, without much help from seam or swing, was generally forced into a holding role. Jack Leach, too, struggled to offer much threat, though he did concede under 2.50 an over for the second time in the match. Ben Stokes might, if pressed, have performed the role of fast-bowling back-up to Archer but it is well accepted that he will have more important days ahead of him. There wasn’t a huge amount of point going for broke here.Jofra Archer bowls during day three of the tour match between New Zealand A and England•Getty Images

Sam Curran’s performance will have secured his position in the team for the first Test. While his first wicket, that of Glenn Phillips, was more than a little fortunate – the batsmen simply edged one down the leg-side – he later had Jimmy Neesham, driving somewhat lavishly, caught behind by one that left him slightly and bowled Scott Kuggeleijn with a well-directed yorker.Just as pertinently, Curran also had Tom Blundell dropped at leg slip by Root, as he experimented with the short ball and leg side field. Curran knows he can’t simply run in, hit the seam and gain movement as he does in England and while he will probably always lack a bit of pace, he did show a willingness to “find a way,” as Darren Gough put it, to challenge batsmen in such conditions. Whether it’s with his bouncer, his willingness to go around the wicket, or his swing, he is a little less one dimensional as a bowler than is sometimes suggested. It was interesting to note, however, that Chris Woakes appeared to be hitting the gloves extra hard in training. He won’t be going without a fight.Some other concerns may linger, though. In an ideal world, England would have wanted their openers, as well as Root and Stokes, to spend a bit longer at the crease. And in an ideal world, Root would have clung on to both the chances offered to him in New Zealand A’s first innings. The first, at leg slip off Curran, looked tough; the second, at conventional slip off Archer, less so. And yes, there will be just a bit of concern that they were unable to part two tail-enders – neither Somerville or Patel have ever scored a first-class half-century – once they had decided to simply block for the draw.But England will, overall, have been delighted to have reduced New Zealand A to 129 for 8 at one stage. And they will, overall, have been delighted to bat for 117.5 overs in their innings and pass 400. And they will have been encouraged that, after a poor miss in the first innings, Dom Sibley held on to three catches including one sharp chance in the cordon.But most of all, they will have been delighted by the form of Jos Buttler who, after a disappointing Ashes, compiled a mature century and then claimed a couple of impressive catches – not least the one to dismiss Phillips – with the gloves.To put Buttler’s innings in context, this was just the second first-class century he has scored since June 2015 (the most recent was in the Trent Bridge Test of August 2018) and his first overseas. It was also just the sixth first-class century of a career that has brought nine ODI centuries. Afterwards he credited a break from the game and a couple of sessions working with former Somerset teammate Marcus Trescothick as contributory factors.”It was a tough summer,” he said afterwards. “Great fun but a huge challenge which took a lot out of most of us. So it was good to have some time away from the game and get refreshed. I’ve had four or five weeks off and that has been invaluable. It’s allowed us to refresh, have time away and get excited to come back.”I’m absolutely aware of my record as regards scoring first-class centuries. It’s something I’ve been very light on, really. I know this was a warm-up match but it’s nice to spend time in the middle and get to three figures.”I went down to Somerset to work with Marcus Trescothick, who is someone I know really well. I got a lot out of it. It gave some building blocks – more around my set-up, really, trying to be in the right place at the right time when the ball is released – to coming here and feeling in good touch.”A similar surface is expected in Mount Maunganui and England’s bowlers may well still struggle to make inroads. But if their batsmen can occupy the crease for 120 overs or more and their fielders hold their chances, they will give themselves a chance of a first victory here since 2008.

The teenager explains what Pakistan did differently post-lunch in Rawalpindi to change the game

Umar Farooq in Rawalpindi11-Dec-2019After conceding 89 runs in the first, wicketless session in Rawalpindi, Pakistan remarkably got back in the game in the second. They had bowled 48 balls on a full length in 26 overs in that opening session, conceding 47 runs off these deliveries and straying on leg stump as well. Wayward in line, ineffective in length, captain Azhar Ali’s statements the previous day on the important of discipline in Test format seemed lost on this attack. Speaking after the day’s play, 16-year-old Naseem Shah admitted that new plans had to be drawn up for the second session, and those centred around containing the Sri Lanka batsmen.It was the first time in 24 years that Pakistan were playing at home with an all-pace attack. The last time this happened was in 1995, against Sri Lanka in Sialkot. The hint of grass on the Rawalpindi pitch in combination with the earlier overcast conditions seemed to suggest it was the way to go but, at the toss, Sri Lanka opted to bat, baffling many. A lack of swing duly followed, and Pakistan conceded 3.4 runs to the over in that first session. In all, 120 balls were pitched on a length or fuller to concede 74 runs.When asked if his side misread the pitch, Shah said: “It’s cricket and it happens… yes there was moisture in the pitch but we couldn’t get wickets early. They also batted well and we didn’t bowl according to the plan in the first session.”So we had to re-plan and went out to contain in the second session. Overall the pitch was good, all you have to hit the good areas for success. We could have taken another wicket [in the day] but we will come back fresh tomorrow to get them as quickly as we can to restrict them under 250 to have a full control [of the game].”Shah finished the day with two wickets, as Sri Lanka slipped from 96 for 0 to 189 for 5. At stumps they were 202 for 5, and Shah, playing his second Test after a testing debut in Australia, was facing a crowed press conference for the first time. He came across as confident in answering whatever question was thrown at him. When asked about being rested in the second Test in Australia despite holding his own in the first, he kept it brief: “There wasn’t any issue. Our management understands better how they want to take care of me, so nothing to worry about.”Of course, the Rawalpindi Test is a homecoming for Test cricket in Pakistan, and Shah was happy to soak up the atmosphere. “In Australia I saw how the crowd there was behind their bowlers all the time and their support really gave them a push,” he said. “And today, playing at a home venue in front of my own crowd gave me the exact sense I got in Australia. The crowd was outstanding and they were cheering on every good ball I bowled, so playing at home wasn’t about me being under pressure but instead I was enjoying the atmosphere.”

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Na noite desta sexta-feira, o Botafogo empatou com o Vila Nova por 1 a 1, no Estádio Onésio Brasileiro Alvarenga, em partida válida pela primeira rodada da Série B. Apesar de ter um jogador a mais durante todo o segundo tempo, o Alvinegro não conseguiu vencer o Tigre e ainda saiu atrás do placar.

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Em entrevista coletiva, o técnico Marcelo Chamusca analisou a partida e falou sobre o lance do gol sofrido. De acordo com ele, o gol do Vila Nova foi resultado de uma falha defensiva coletiva. O treinador também explicou que Willian Formiga não fez a movimentação que geralmente faz em jogadas de escanteio.

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-Não pode o adversário estar jogando com um jogador a menos e ter um atleta livre na entrada da área para finalizar da forma como ele finalizou. Eles colocaram dois jogadores e fizeram uma jogada curta. Esse atleta que fez o gol, o Willian Formiga, no posicionamento natural, onde a gente analisou as bolas paradas, ele sempre faz uma movimentação de primeiro pau, inclusive, ele movimenta muito bem, ele tem, se eu não me engano 1,85m e tem um bom tempo de bola.

-Nesse momento, ele não foi para a área, ficou como o jogador do primeiro rebote. Nós fomos com dois para a bola curta, mas não sei se te falar com exatidão se foi uma situação trabalhada. Acho que a cobrança veio por baixo e não conseguimos interceptar e aí faltou atenção para que tivesse um rebote melhor posicionado para que o atleta do Vila Nova não finalizasse com tanta liberdade como ele finalizou. Não houve um erro individual, mas sim um erro coletivo que foi induzido por mérito do adversário.

O treinador também destacou que a forma de jogar do Botafogo na Série B não será como essa. Chamusca explicou que, por causa das condições do gramado, a equipe precisou treinar e usar uma nova forma de atuar.

-O campo fez com que a gente treinasse e usasse um plano de jogo, onde a gente tivesse um jogo mais direto, inclusive, pressionamos muito o adversário na sua saída para a gente tentar roubar e já acelerar essa bola no último terço.condição do campo fez com que a gente tivesse que fazer um jogo mais direto, mas não deve ser uma característica (do Botafogo).

O treinador revelou que os próprios jogadores reclamaram das condições do gramado. Assim, de acordo com Chamusca, foi “muito difícil” para os atletas trocar passes e construir as jogadas desde o a defesa.

-Os jogadores reclamaram muito da condição do gramado. Estava bem difícil, a bola estava muito viva, muito difícil de você trocar passes, de você tentar construir a partir da defesa. Então, houve uma orientação de fato pela característica do campo para que a gente acelerasse um pouco mais, fizesse de ligação direta e tivesse um jogo de transição, com uma ênfase um pouco maior.