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Shane Watson and Ajinkya Rahane made light work of Chennai Super Kings’ 156 for 4, each hitting sparkling seventies in a breezy 144-run stand to maintain Rajasthan Royals’ winning streak

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando19-Apr-2015Rajasthan Royals 157 for 2 (Rahane 76*, Watson 73) beat Chennai Super Kings 156 for 4 (Bravo 62*, Smith 40) by eight wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsShane Watson and Ajinkya Rahane hardly broke a sweat during Royals’ chase•BCCIShane Watson and Ajinkya Rahane made light work of Chennai Super Kings’ 156 for 4, each hitting sparkling seventies in a breezy 144-run stand. The eight-wicket victory also embedded Rajasthan Royals at the top of the table. They have five wins out of five this season, and have now comfortably beaten the only other team that had been undefeated until today.This despite Watson having lost the toss on a sweltering Ahmedabad afternoon. Having assumed the captaincy in his first match this season, his bowlers delivered him four wickets and an excellent economy rate in the first 10 overs. Dwayne Bravo slammed a 36-ball 62 to help the visitors recover, but even though he and MS Dhoni could not be parted, Dhoni’s stuttering 37-ball 31 weighed down the partnership. Their eventual score seemed at least 15 runs too short.Watson was brutish and bullying at the top of Royals’ chase, and Rahane light and flowing. Rahane’s first boundaries were gorgeous drives down the ground, and right through his unbeaten 76 off 55, he never seemed to over-hit a ball. The languid six over midwicket off Mohit Sharma was a particular highlight. He was rarely troubled by the Super Kings bowling all evening, and found singles and twos into the outfield with ease.His opening partner was less pretty, but no less effective. Watson repeatedly backed away towards leg to blast balls through the offside, and when the spinners came on, used that powerful slog sweep with abandon. He reached fifty off 34 balls by clobbering Bravo over long on, then hit two more fours. He was bowled with 13 runs to get, but effectively, the match was already won.In his first five overs as captain in this IPL season, Watson was like a man clicking through his revolver in search of the loaded chambers. He opened the bowling with the left-arm spin of Ankit Sharma, switched to the seam of Chris Morris next, brought in Pravin Tambe the following over, then went to Deepak Hooda and James Faulkner for the fourth and fifth overs respectively. Only the wicket of Brendon McCullum fell in those five varied overs, but in them, Royals had set the tone.Morris had Suresh Raina caught behind with an angled delivery that bounced higher than the batsman expected in the sixth over, and by the end of the Powerplay, Super Kings had been kept to 39 for 2.The wickets kept falling, partly because Super Kings were attempting to lift the pace of the innings. Ankit had Faf du Plessis caught nicely by Morris at the long off fence for one. A few overs later, James Faulkner pegged back the middle stump of Dwayne Smith, as the batsman attempted to swing across the line.When Bravo and Dhoni were joined at 65 for 4 in the 10th over, the pair were forced to rein in their aggression for several overs, while the innings was girded up again. Bravo cracked two successive square boundaries – one on either side of the wicket – off Watson in the 12th over, but both batsmen were more reserved against spin to begin with. The pitch didn’t offer substantial turn off the straight, but Tambe was typically miserly in his first three overs. Morris and Faulkner bowled tightly throughout the innings as well.Though Bravo began to launch the late-overs assault around the 16th over, Dhoni remained oddly inert. His timing had visibly been poor early in his innings, but even in the death overs, where he ordinarily comes into his own, he continued to mishit balls, collecting singles when he wanted sixes. Bravo smoked two fours and a six over cow corner off Tambe’s 18th over to draw near his fifty, which he completed in 29 balls. But with Dhoni so out of touch, Super Kings could only trot in those final overs. As they did not lose a wicket, their lower-order hitters went unused.

Transformation targets for South Africa’s national team could be reviewed as CSA continues to push for what CEO Haroon Lorgat has termed “aggressive,” change

Firdose Moonda21-Apr-2015Transformation targets for South Africa’s national team could be reviewed as CSA continues to push for what CEO Haroon Lorgat has termed “aggressive,” change.In the aftermath of the Vernon Philander-selection controversy, CSA explicitly clarified their selection policy includes a guideline on transformation, which calls the consideration of at least four players of colour in the starting XI.That number was officially the quota from 1998 until 2007 and has remained in place, albeit it unofficially. Now it has been termed a target. Effectively, it means the quota has remained the same at international level for 17 years even as it increases at lower levels and the time may have come for an adjustment.”We haven’t looked at the national team. We’ve got what we had for many years. It’s something we will review in due course,” Lorgat said.Since Lorgat took office in July 2013, CSA have committed themselves to increasing the pace of transformation quicker than had been done in the past. Two months into Lorgat’s tenure, they held their first transformation (conference) in over a decade and at its conclusion expanded the domestic quota for the 2013-14 season to include that at least one of the four players of colour in franchise teams had to be black African.In the 2014-15 season, the overall quota was increased to five players of colour, which should include two black Africans and in 2015-16, franchise and semi-professional teams will be required to field at least six players of colour, including at least three black Africans and Lorgat has indicated the trend will continue.”As far as transformation is concerned, we make no apologies. We made it very clear at the outset of my tenure when we hosted the transformation that we will pursue transformation aggressively and in a very responsible way,” he said at the launch of the Africa T20 Cup in Johannesburg, where he also chided a journalist for using the word quota. “I think you should get your vocabulary right. We always say targets,” Lorgat told the reporter who asked whether the national quota would be increased.While defending the targets, Lorgat has also had to defend against public perception of them, which he said has not been handled responsibly by the media. “I would hope that the media in turn will report in a responsible way because that is not my view as I sit here now,” Lorgat said.He referred specifically to the World Cup semi-final and Philander selection row, which CSA put to bed on Saturday night after an internal investigation confirmed Lorgat was consulted about the starting XI, but rejected claims there was board interference in the team.”We made clear how we will manage it and above all, don’t forget the concept of merit selection and that seems to be something that people sidestep. Philander is a world-class bowler who deserves to be there, unlike what some of you might think. That issue is closed. We explained it like it was. I hope you will take it in that spirit,” he said. “We picked the best XI. I am not sure how many more times we need to say that. On the day. That’s what it was.”Claims that Philander was included to meet the target sprouted days after South Africa were knocked out of the World Cup but were propped up last week when Mike Horn, South Africa’s motivational consultant, referred to politics playing a role in selection. Horn spoke to journalists at the Laureus Sports Awards in Shanghai, and not in a capacity connected to CSA, who later issued a press release saying Horn had written to them and explained his quotes were taken out of context.Horn has made not further comments but Lorgat reiterated that stance. “I haven’t spoken to Mike. All I can say is that he is not the best in English and he has been put on a spot he should not have been put on,” Lorgat said.When asked whether CSA’s transformation strategy was thrown awry by the fact that Aaron Phangiso, the only black African in the World Cup squad, did not play a single game, Lorgat refuted that suggestion. “You seem to forget the criteria for selection in the national team is merit. We’ve had Imran Tahir who was the incumbent in the spinners’ role, Phangiso was back-up.”

Former USA captain Orlando Baker has officially announced his retirement at age 35

Peter Della Penna11-Jun-2015Former USA captain Orlando Baker has officially announced his retirement at age 35. Baker was at the helm for USA in March 2013 when they posted an undefeated 8-0 record to win the ICC Americas Division One Twenty20 title for the second time. USA had previously won the inaugural regional Twenty20 title in 2010, with Baker being named Man of the Match in the final against Canada.”I’ve played long enough and given everything that I have,” Baker told ESPNcricinfo. “I think it’s just time now for some younger guys to come up. I enjoy playing for the country. It’s an honour and a pleasure and something I enjoy but all good things must come to an end. After speaking to my wife, my attorney and my boss, I decided it’s time for me to walk away.”Born in Jamaica, Baker came through the local youth system and opened the batting for the same Jamaica Under-19 team as his close friend Chris Gayle. After playing one first-class game for Jamaica, Baker migrated to New York in 2001 before transitioning to Texas in 2007 where his US domestic career took off at Dallas County Cricket Club under the guidance of Suhas Naik. He made his USA debut in 2008 and became arguably USA’s best allrounder of the last decade.Baker’s career statistics highlight his durability and multi-skilled value to the team. He leaves as the second-most capped 50-over player for USA with 50 games and is one of only three players, along with Steve Massiah and Sushil Nadkarni, to have scored more than 1000 career runs in the format, finishing on 1019 at an average of 26.82. He also ends tied for fourth overall in 50-over wickets with 41 at an average of 24.05 and an economy rate of 3.99. He is the only USA player to be in the top 10 for both runs and wickets in 50-over cricket.Baker was a similarly steady contributor in Twenty20 cricket for USA. He was their most experienced player in the format, with 33 matches until last month when he was overtaken by Steven Taylor, against Canada in the final of the ICC Americas Division One Twenty20. Baker is third on the list for most T20 runs for USA with 402, behind only Nadkarni and Taylor, at an average of 21.16 and ninth on wickets’ list with 15 at 22.27.After a modest debut tour to Jersey as part of USA’s squad at ICC WCL Division Five in 2008, Baker’s major breakthrough for USA came against Canada later that year in the ICC Americas Division One Championship. Entering at 88 for 6, he scored 38 as part of a 105-run partnership with Aditya Thyagarajan and then ripped through Canada’s middle order by taking 5 for 31 in an 81-run win.”That game really opened the door for me in terms of guys knowing what I could really do,” Baker said. “Even though I bowled well in Jersey, I didn’t pick up a lot of wickets. I was just economical. Coming back against Canada on a good wicket in Florida, I had a point to prove. I batted at No. 8 in that game but it didn’t worry me because I was new to the team and whatever the game plan was and whatever the team required I was willing to do.”I batted every position for the USA in my career. A few of the guys like Steve Massiah and some of the Jamaicans knew what I was capable of doing. Rashard Marshall gave me the nickname ’10 Straight’ because that’s what Massiah would call me to do, come on in the middle and bowl 10 overs straight.”‘I’ve played long enough and given everything that I have’ – Baker•Peter Della PennaIn addition to the century stand in that win against Canada, Baker paired with Thyagarajan for a series of other memorable partnerships. After being 25 for 6 against Ireland in the 2010 ICC World T20 Qualifier, the pair produced an unbeaten 99-run seventh-wicket stand that was a T20 record for more than five years until Harbhajan Singh and J Suchith put on 100 in April for Mumbai Indians against Kings XI Punjab. However, Baker and Thyagarajan still hold USA’s highest partnership record for any wicket in 50-over cricket, putting on 213 for the fifth wicket against Argentina in 2010. Baker also produced his career-best score that day – 113 off 108 balls after opening the batting – in a 119-run victory.However, he says one of his proudest achievements was captaining the USA squad to the ICC Americas Division One Twenty20 title in Florida in 2013. Baker was tasked with leading a very raw squad as most of the senior players were missing, but the team gelled quickly to go 8-0.”Going into that tournament after I was selected and named as captain, I felt confident,” he said. “I knew the guys I was going to lead were a lot of younger guys but I had captained a lot coming through the youth ranks in Jamaica growing up. I had captained my school team to a school boy championship. I knew what it took to lead young guys and the respect I had from the young guys wasn’t hard to get back. I just told them to go out and express themselves and be yourself. I tried to joke around with them because if you’re not having fun, you’re not going to do well. I didn’t want to put pressure on anyone.”Baker made waves last November for his stinging criticism of USA Cricket Association’s leadership, following USA’s relegation from WCL Division Three in October. He said he hoped it would lead to the organisation making earnest reforms toward supporting the players better but is disappointed that little has changed in the time since.”I didn’t expect younger guys to speak up so I did it because I wanted them to make changes. I wanted them to see that players are being hurt by not getting preparation for tournaments. I haven’t seen anything change. Guys were supposed to go to Jamaica for a pre-tournament camp after the Americas Cup and leading into Ireland, I haven’t seen nothing. They were supposed to go to Jamaica before Indianapolis and that didn’t happen. What kind of preparation are these guys getting? Nepal named an 18-man squad and they go to India on a pre-tour camp. What is USACA doing? It’s not fair to go to a major tournament preparing on your own. USACA doesn’t respect the players.”

Sri Lanka Cricket has reiterated its commitment to holding elections before the end of January next year, in the wake of the ICC’s warning that “further non-compliance” could result in more sanctions

Andrew Fidel Fernando30-Jun-2015Sri Lanka Cricket has reiterated its commitment to holding elections before the end of January next year, in the wake of the ICC’s warning that “further non-compliance” could result in more sanctions.SLC interim committee chairman Sidath Wettimuny, who recently attended the ICC annual conference as an observer, maintained that while the ICC had publicly urged SLC to hold elections before the end of October, that date served only as a soft deadline. Sports minister Navin Dissanayake had already said SLC elections would be held in January.”Ideally the ICC would like us to have elections before October, but in a letter they’ve said that by the latest we must hold elections by the following meeting on January 26,” Wettimuny said. “If we go beyond that, then we’re getting into trouble. I don’t think we should do that. If we do, they can then ask for an inquiry and take the next step.”We must make sure we don’t let them down, because we have promised to do things in a certain way. We have an excellent relationship with ICC and we must continue that.”Wettimuny said SLC had also extended invitations to ICC president Zaheer Abbas, and chairman N Srinivasan, ostensibly in order to iron out kinks in the board’s relationship with ICC.SLC also expressed protest at their observer status in ICC meetings, arguing that the governing body’s constitution does not allow it to deny Full Members voting rights. However, in the interests of keeping the peace, SLC has so far been willing to accept its reduced role in global cricket governance.

Mustafizur Rahman’s limited-overs success has given him a maiden call-up to the Bangladesh Test squad for the first game of the two-match home series against South Africa

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jul-2015Mustafizur Rahman’s limited-overs success has given him a maiden call-up to the Bangladesh Test squad for the first game of the two-match home series against South Africa. Mahmudullah was back after recovering from a finger injury. Abul Hasan and Shuvagata Hom missed out from the squad for the only Test against India last month. The squad for the third and final ODI remains unchanged.Mustafizur has taken 13 wickets from four ODIs at an average of 12.69, and chairman of selectors Faruque Ahmed said the 19-year old had shown what he was capable of. “Possibly he has been the brightest find for us in recent times. He has also been playing all versions of cricket this season including four-day games and we are confident that he will adjust quickly to the demands of Test cricket,” Faruque said. “His inclusion means that Abul Hasan has to miss out from the squad that we had in our last Test but Mustafizur deserves his call.”Obviously his (Mahmudullah’s) return adds depth in the batting order and some vital experience. His offspin can also be effective and he can do the job that was expected of Shuvagata Hom who played against India.”We have a reasonably settled squad and we prefer to give the young players a good run. Litton Das and Soumya Sarkar are players we have high hopes of while the likes of Imrul Kayes, Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan have been in excellent form in Test cricket. The bowling has variety in pace and spin. As we are playing at home therefore we have the luxury of picking squads Test by Test but this is the best combination we have.”Bangladesh Test squad Mushfiqur Rahim (capt), Tamim Iqbal (vice-capt), Imrul Kayes, Litton Das, Mominul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan , Mahmudullah, Soumya Sarkar, Nasir Hossain, Taijul Islam, Jubair Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Mohammad Shahid, Mustafizur Rahman

After yet another comeback, Ashish Nehra is relishing his role as a senior member of the bowling attack

Karthik Krishnaswamy in Bangalore22-Mar-2016He arrived in Colombo, at the Asian Test Championship in February 1999, a slippery, 19-year-old left-armer with a wispy pencil moustache. Four years later, in Durban, he bowled with a swollen ankle and picked up 6 for 23 against England at the World Cup. Eight years after that, he played another World Cup, bowled a match-winning spell in the semi-final, full of clever changes of length and pace, fractured his finger while diving for a catch in the outfield, and sat out the final. You can see him in the team photographs with the trophy, looking like a forlorn cyborg with a bionic arm.For a long time it seemed like the last we would see of Ashish Nehra in international cricket. A fitting end to a career blighted by injury – the joy of a World Cup triumph, tempered by the frustration of missing the final with yet another broken bone.Somehow, five years on, he’s here again, at another world event, brought back from cryogenic storage. His run-up is as awkward as ever, his reactions are as transparent as ever when someone misfields off his bowling, and his effect on the batsman and speed gun is still the same. A month from his 37th birthday, Ashish Nehra is living another chapter of a weird and wonderful career.”I’m loving it,” Nehra said, on the eve of India’s match against Bangladesh at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. “Whatever responsibility the captain and team management have given me, I’m just trying to do the best I can do, and I will just try to play as long as I can, as long as my body holds up, and keep working hard.”Since his comeback during the T20 series in Australia in January, Nehra has taken 15 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 19.93 while conceding 7.29 runs per over. All 15 wickets have come in pressure overs: 11 in the Powerplay overs, and the other four in the last four.”This is not the first time that I’m bowling two-three overs in the first six or bowling one or two overs in the last four,” Nehra said. “That’s my job, and as long as I’m doing that job, it means I’m right up there, I’m doing whatever is supposed to be done.”I always love to be in my team, to be [one of the] top two bowlers who can bowl up front and bowl at death, so as long as I’m doing that, I’m really happy. For that definitely I have to work really hard, and I’m trying to do that, and my job is really important. We have people like [Jasprit] Bumrah or Bhuvneshwar Kumar or [Mohammed] Shami, so whatever experience I have in the last 16-17 years, I just pass it on to them, and I’m sure it’s helping them.”There was no hiding the pride in those words – “it means I’m right up there” – and there was pride too in the work he had put in to keep himself in the frame for a comeback, five years after his last appearance.”I’ve been working hard for the last 3-4 years, I was looking forward to making a comeback, and my family, friends, it’s difficult for me to pinpoint one thing that I’m grateful to, but definitely, my main motive was to keep working hard. I wasn’t somebody just working hard to play domestic cricket or IPL. I always train or work hard to play international cricket, so that’s how you make a comeback.”And though it might be 17 years since he first played international cricket, Nehra remains frozen in time in some respects. Guffaws greeted his response to a question about the social-media rivalry between fans of India and Bangladesh.”You’re asking this question to the wrong person, because I am somebody who is not on social media, and I’m still using my old Nokia.”Nehra was full of praise when asked about a fellow left-arm seamer, Mustafizur Rahman, calling his slower ball “god-gifted”. Nehra and Mustafizur will be on opposite sides in Wednesday’s match, but could share the new ball for Sunrisers Hyderabad when the IPL begins.”Especially in this format, [Mustafizur] has been in really good form, and the kind of slower ball he bowls, he’s got a very god-gifted slower ball, he has a very good action, and I think he’s a very good future prospect, especially in one-day cricket and T20 cricket. The good thing is, in IPL he’s in my team, so definitely it will be a help for me as well, so he is a great prospect.”

Mashrafe Mortaza has said that his team needed to pick up wickets in the Powerplay overs of Australia’s chase to have had a chance of defending 156 on a “flattish” pitch

Karthik Krishnaswamy in Bangalore22-Mar-20162:06

‘We still have to be positive’ – Mashrafe

Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza has said that his team needed to pick up wickets in the Powerplay overs of Australia’s chase to have had a chance of defending 156 on a “flattish” pitch.Led by Usman Khawaja, Australia raced to 51 for no loss in the first six overs of their innings, and eventually chased down the target with nine balls to spare.”This ground has always been high-scoring, but still I think we got a total that we could fight it out,” Mashrafe said. “First six overs were very crucial, we couldn’t get any wickets. Later on, we got [Shane] Watson, but it was too late, I think. And obviously, fielding should have been a lot better.” Bangladesh dropped two catches, letting off Watson on 12 and John Hastings on 0. The two finished with 21 and 3 respectively.Mashrafe felt Bangladesh could have posted 170 if they had not lost wickets at inopportune moments at the start and middle of their innings. That they made 156 was down to an unbeaten 29-ball 49 from Mahmudullah.Asked why Mahmudullah, who had batted at No. 5 in the two innings he had played in the tournament before this one, was demoted, Mashrafe said the batsman felt more comfortable at No. 6. “We have been promoting him. Last three matches, we were promoting him to No. 5,” Mashrafe said. “He doesn’t feel that confident in that particular [slot], because he feels that at No. 6 he has been scoring, so whatever he feels that he is comfortable, we try to adjust like that.”A big miss for Bangladesh in the batting department was Tamim Iqbal, who fell ill and missed the match. Mashrafe expected him to recover in time for their next match, against India on Wednesday. “I think he got a little bit of food poisoning and he was very tired at that time, so hopefully it will be fine. There are 40 hours left for the [next] match, so I think he will be all right.”

Luke Procter’s career-best 137 cemented Lancashire’s command of their match against Hampshire, while Haseeb Hameed gave a study in concentration until just before lunch

Paul Edwards at Old Trafford09-May-2016
ScorecardAlviro Petersen was able to play with freedom after Lancashire’s solid start•Getty ImagesOld Trafford on a blissful Monday morning in May. The leaves on the trees girdling the red-brick Town Hall are green with all the delicate effrontery of an English spring.Inside the ground, a medium-pace bowler runs up to the wicket and delivers a ball which passes perhaps nine inches outside off stump. The willow-thin batsman lets the ball complete its journey while holding his bat extravagantly high, as if excluding the merest possibility of outrageous accident. The bowler shrugs, turns and walks back to his mark while the batsman plays his leave again, as if something about the original execution displeased him. In the early stages of Ken Dodd’s marathon one-man shows he encourages his audience to chant: “Time matters not one jot.” One can rather imagine Haseeb Hameed nodding in fervent agreement.Certainly the cricket seemed held in gentle suspension when Lancashire’s Hameed was occupying the crease for nine minutes short of five hours in taking his score to 62 in the first session of this game. The pace quickened markedly after lunch as Alviro Petersen hit 13 fours in a pedigree 81 off 85 balls to extend Lancashire’s lead beyond 200 and reinforce their dominance. But Petersen is 17 years older than Hameed and has played exactly 200 more first-class matches. He is stronger, cricket-fitter and knows his game far better. At the moment Petersen has more of everything…except time.Comparisons between the two players were therefore of limited value and they threatened to deflect attention away from the career-best 137 made by Luke Procter on a day when Lancashire extended their first-innings lead to a colossal 347 before they were bowled out for 456. The home side’s late clatter of wickets was caused largely to a splendidly defiant spell from Tino Best, who took four wickets in 23 balls, finished with 5 for 90 and greeted every success with a lovely explosion of Barbadian joy.This was still far and away Lancashire’s day, though, not least because they claimed the important wicket of Jimmy Adams, caught at second slip by Karl Brown off James Anderson, in the hour before the close. They are playing very much like a team bubbling with self-belief and this is obvious in all their disciplines. Petersen built on Hameed’s work and Procter combined well with both his partners in century-plus stands.Hameed deserves credit for opening the Lancashire innings with impressive solidity and for the smooth grace with which he drove the ball through the covers. Although only 19 years old and with more than 15 cricketing summers before him, he bats as if every innings is precious. Hameed plays a minimum of 12 shots every over, six to the balls bowled and then at least one after each of those six, as if he is still searching for a shot so perfect that it defies experience or description. He leaves the ball as a matador might manoeuvre a bull, the bat a muleta before it becomes a sword.What Hameed needs to do is develop the ability to work the ball around in the manner of Procter who spent much of the morning pushing ones or twos and keeping things moving The stance of Lancashire’s No. 3 may remind one of an arthritic rent-collector trying to see under a door of a late payer but he knows his strengths and he is revelling in his new responsibilities.Indeed, it seemed that the many Lancashire supporters at Old Trafford would be greeting at least two centurions this run-soaked afternoon but it was not to be. Hameed pushed forward to Mason Crane’s penultimate ball before lunch and edged a good leg-spinner to James Vince at slip.Simon Barnes once wrote of cricket as a wonderful metaphor for death and one imagines that each of his dismissals is accompanied by a sense of mild bereavement for Hameed. At one stage it seemed nip and tuck whether, if Hameed was to score his first century for Lancashire, he would do so before the county completed the building of their new hotel But such frivolous speculations suddenly became as nothing. Hameed departed, smacking his bat against his pad in an abyss of disappointment. Lunch had become funeral meats and they will have tasted no sweeter to the young Prince of Farnworth than they did to his Danish counterpart.The cricket in the afternoon session only deepened the woe for Hampshire as 146 runs were piled on in 33 overs. And only a flint-souled Jesuit would have no sympathy for Hampshire at the moment. Deprived for varying lengths of time of Fidel Edwards, Gareth Berg and Chris Wood, they are trying to make do and mend until Sean Ervine and Reece Topley are fit to wear the colours again in around a fortnight or so. James Tomlinson must feel like one of the last Texians at the Alamo, albeit that Hameed currently lays the gentlest of sieges.

The report considers playing assets, fixed assets, money in the bank, potential owner investment and debt to determine the world's wealthiest clubs

Getty1InterThe Nerazzurri have endured a rotten run of form on the pitch in recent years, but off it the books remain in good health. As with the vast majority of the 29 clubs that precede them, Inter are helped immeasurably by a rich benefactor; in their case China's Suning Holdings Group.Advertisementgetty images2Valencia2017 has seen a welcome upturn in Los Che's fortunes, as they finished the year above Real Madrid and well in the chase for La Liga. The club have had their share of adversity, but with the support of Peter Lim remain one of the richest football teams in the world.Bill Streitcher3New England RevolutionAlong with NFL side New England Patriots, the Revolution are owned by local magnate Robert Kraft. Free of debt and with great potential for investment, they join several MLS rivals in this ranking.ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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Clive Brunskill4EvertonA highly valued squad and potential for heavy investment see Everton sneak into the top 30.

France Football claims that the Manchester United manager is the highest-paid in world football, with a yearly salary of €26m

20Mauricio Pochettino | Tottenham | Value: €6.5m AdvertisementGetty Images19Ronald Koeman | Netherlands | €7m Getty18Dragan Stojkovic | Guangzhou R&F | €7m ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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Getty Images17Luciano Spalletti | Inter | €7.2m