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After winning the World Cup with Argentina, and impressing at Brighton & Hove Albion, Liverpool fans will be eagerly anticipating Alexis Mac Allister’s first game in a Liverpool shirt next season.The £35m arrival could be one of the signings of the summer, especially given the price tag, as Jurgen Klopp looks to rebuild his midfield.Alongside the Argentine will, of course, be fellow new arrival Dominik Szoboszlai. The former RB Leipzig midfielder has already impressed Liverpool fans in the infamous pre-season lactate test, winning his group with ease.More recently, however, it has been the turn of Mac Allister to impress, earning a reaction from Klopp after finding the back of the net in a recent training session.If the Liverpool boss couldn’t hold back his reaction in training, then who knows what he’ll do if Mac Allister scores a debut Premier League goal for the Reds against Chelsea in August.

What did Klopp say about Mac Allister?

As you can see in footage shared by the club’s Twitter page, the former Brighton man initially got a reaction from his new boss after fizzing an inch-perfect effort into the bottom right corner during a training match, leading the German to shout: “Wow, Macca!”

What really ignited Klopp, however, was the midfielder’s interception at the other end, with the manager passionately yelling: “I love it Mac Allister!”

It seems as though the Liverpool manager is already falling in love with his new player, who may well transform his side into title contenders, once more.

Mac Allister could make his unofficial Liverpool debut on Wednesday, as the Reds begin their pre-season fixtures against Karlsruher SC in Germany.

How old is Alexis Mac Allister?

Still only 24 years old, Mac Allister is entering his prime as we speak, making his £35m price tag even more of an outstanding bargain for Liverpool.

The Premier League giants are getting themselves a player capable of scoring goals, too. Last season, he was involved in 15 goals in all competitions last season, scoring 12, and assisting a further three.

For context of just how much he’ll add to the middle of the park at Anfield, Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Curtis Jones, and Thiago Alcantara scored a combined three goals in the Premier League last season – all three of which were scored by Jones.

So, it’s clear that Mac Allister should be a huge upgrade on the current options at Anfield, and that should show on the pitch, as the Reds look to get back into the Premier League’s top four, and perhaps even mount an unexpected title charge.

Klopp may yet welcome more midfielders this summer, too, given that both Jordan Henderson and Fabinho have been linked with moves away.

Fabinho, of course, has not travelled to Germany with the rest of the squad, as he looks to complete a move to Al-Ittihad, per Paul Joyce.

Henderson, meanwhile, has agreed personal terms with Al-Ettifaq, and is waiting for Liverpool to reach an agreement over the proposed fee, according to Fabrizio Romano.

If both players leave, then Klopp and co could turn to Romeo Lavia, who is on their shortlist, as per Romano. The Southampton teenager would complete Liverpool’s summer rebuild in midfield.

One way or another, the club’s squad is going to look a whole lot different by the time the current transfer window slams shut on 1 September.

A 160-run partnership between Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma led South Africa’s dominant recovery from 94 for 6 to end the second day with a lead of 81 in Wellington

The Report by Andrew McGlashan17-Mar-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:33

‘Bavuma, de Kock saved SA from precarious position’

South Africa were taken from the potential of a significant deficit to a substantial lead by a rollicking seventh-wicket stand of 160 between Temba Bavuma and Quinton de Kock on the second day in Wellington. They transformed a pre-lunch position of 94 for 6 with the most dominant batting of the series to date and, although both fell short of hundreds, South Africa closed with a lead of 81 after the last-wicket pair added further frustration for New Zealand.While the South African pair batted superbly, New Zealand will ponder how things raced away at such a rate after they had managed to rumble the top order during the morning session. Colin de Grandhomme, who finished with 3 for 52, claimed the key duo of Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis while Neil Wagner continued JP Duminy’s frustrating tour. From the lowest ebb of South Africa’s innings the last four wickets managed to amass 255 runs from 65 overs.Both first innings followed similar patters: New Zealand had recovered from 101 for 5 through a stand of 116 between Henry Nicholls and BJ Watling on the opening day. As the ball grew older, the bowlers struggled to keep control, knocked back by the aggression shown by de Kock who won his little duel with Jeetan Patel for first time on the tour. Crucially, Patel could not strike or provide control for Kane Williamson while South Africa recovered as he conceded five-an-over in his first 10 overs.The gamesmanship card had been played when de Kock arrived in the middle shortly before lunch as Patel was given the last over of the session to target the man he had removed in the previous four innings. This time, despite the occasional hairy moment as de Kock refused to be dominated, he came through either side of lunch and then started to cut loose against the quicks.He upper cut Tim Southee over the slips for six and hooked Wagner onto the grass banks. At one stage, as he negotiated Patel, de Kock had 17 off 33 balls but then skipped to his half-century from 55 deliveries as the mood of the day swung back to South Africa. The short-pitched approach did not fluster him – it was arguably over-done – and Kane Williamson was soon on the retreat – a packed slip cordon replaced by scouts on the boundary.Colin de Grandhomme removed Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis in the morning session•Getty Images

When Patel returned for a second spell before tea, de Kock skipped down the pitch and deposited him straight down the ground. No doubt about the winner this time. He was nine away from a fourth Test hundred when he pushed out at a delivery from James Neesham, who produced a wholehearted burst shortly before the new ball, at a time when New Zealand were looking a little short of ideas.Bavuma took a backseat once de Kock found his stride after coming through an early trial from the short ball. He had one fortunate moment when he spliced a pull which lobbed over mid-on as de Grandhomme lost his footing. As the afternoon progressed, having batting in de Kock’s slipstream, he became far more assured and moved to his fifty from 88 balls.His off-side driving, off front and back foot, was especially eye-catching and a significant moment – a first overseas century – was on the horizon when he got underneath a pull and found deep square leg. But having come into the tour under a modicum of scrutiny, after a lean series against Sri Lanka, it has been a resounding response from Bavuma following his half-century in Dunedin. However, New Zealand could not wrap things up swiftly as Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel added an unbroken 47 for the last wicket, which included a concerning moment when Morkel took a blow on the helmet from Southee but he managed to finish nine short of his best Test score.How South Africa needed the recovery act. They had resumed on 24 for 2 with both openers already dismissed and Kagiso Rabada, the nightwatchman, soon joined them when Southee swung one through him in his first over. It did not take Wagner long to strengthen New Zealand’s position when, with his seventh ball of the day, and first to JP Duminy, he claimed him for the third time in the series courtesy of a loose flick which picked out midwicket.De Grandhomme then followed Southee after an eight-over spell with success coming almost immediately when Amla, still struggling to find his best form, could barely believe he had picked out midwicket against a delivery on his pads he would normally ease away for runs. Henry Nicholls, the star of the opening day for New Zealand, could not take the catch at the first attempt but was able to grab the rebound: when things run your way, make the most of them.Faf du Plessis appeared keen to try and wrestle back the situation with aggression – top-edging Wagner for six when he was not in control of the pull – and shortly before lunch inside-edged a drive against de Grandhomme with BJ Watling taking a low catch. At that stage even parity was a long way off, but in a series that has produced six days of counterpunches, South Africa threw the latest of them. It could be a decisive one.

The presence of several India internationals will add to the interest in this year’s Vijay Hazare Trophy, and the selectors will have one eye on bolstering India’s bench strength as 28 teams battle it out

The Preview by Deivarayan Muthu24-Feb-2017

There are less than 100 days to go for the Champions Trophy, and the build-up has already started with the tournament cup setting off on tour to all eight competing nations. India, the defending champions, are currently playing a four-Test series at home against Australia, and do not play an ODI until the tournament, starting on June 1 in England. India have most bases covered in ODI cricket, but they need a stable opening partnership in addition to back-up options for the top players. These are some of the gaps the selectors will seek to plug when the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the domestic 50-over tournament, kicks off on Saturday.The way the teams stack up

Group A: Assam, Baroda, Haryana, Odisha, Punjab, Railways, Vidarbha. Hosts – Delhi
Group B: Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh. Hosts – Odisha
Group C: Andhra, Bengal, Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Mumbai, Rajasthan. Hosts – Chennai
Group D: Chhattisgrah, Hyderabad, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Saurashtra, Services. Hosts – Kolkata

For starters, the presence of internationals like MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan – a rare luxury in Indian domestic cricket – is likely to attract more eyeballs. Dhoni’s most recent game with Jharkhand came in the previous season’s Vijay Hazare Trophy. Before that, he had last turned out for his state in 2007.In January, MSK Prasad, India’s chairman of selectors, played down concerns about the form of the openers in ODI cricket, and believed that domestic limited-overs cricket would tune them up for the Champions Trophy.Dhawan, who had helped India transition from Virender Sehwag in the last Champions Trophy, isn’t a certainty this time. He does not have the weight of runs behind him. Injuries haven’t helped his cause either. In his first ODI in nearly a year, Dhawan was swung out for 1 against England in Pune, and followed it up with 11 in the next ODI in Cuttack despite getting a life on the same score. Dhawan was left out for the third ODI and returned to the domestic set-up for the Inter-State and Inter-Zonal T20s. He struck back-to-back fifties, but was inconsistent.KL Rahul and Ajinkya Rahane, who are both with the Test team, haven’t been consistent enough in ODIs either. A strong performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy might help Dhawan sneak ahead in the race for the hotly-contested opening slots. And then there is Rohit Sharma, who, if fully fit, will be the first-choice opener. But Rohit will have to prove his fitness first in domestic cricket, in line with national coach Anil Kumble’s policy.Rohit, who sustained a thigh injury in the Visakhapatnam ODI against New Zealand, is back to training. He hasn’t been named in Mumbai’s squad yet, but might play in the latter part of the tournament if he regains full fitness. “If Rohit is fit later and expresses the desire to play, he will get to play in the tournament,” Mumbai’s chairman of selectors Milind Rege told ESPNcricinfo.Amit Mishra and Mohammed Shami, too, haven’t recovered from injuries, and it remains to be seen if they make a late entry into the tournament. India would ideally want them to get fit and some one-day game-time before flying to England.India’s middle order, though, looks settled – if not set in stone – with Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni, and Kedar Jadhav firing in unison against England. For fringe players like Manish Pandey, who will have to juggle batting and captaincy for Karnataka in the absence of the injured Vinay Kumar, and Ambati Rayudu, who made a hundred for India A against the touring England side, this could be a chance to show the selectors that they merit a place in the squad, even if not necessarily as first-eleven picks.Suresh Raina and Rishabh Pant, the captains of Uttar Pradesh and Delhi respectively, are also in the India middle-order roulette. Raina’s form and fitness has been particularly patchy in the past year. He played only three matches in the Ranji Trophy and was then ruled out of the ODI series against New Zealand with viral fever after initially being picked in the squad. He was overlooked for the England ODIs, but was selected for the T20Is.On the eve of the T20 series, Virat Kohli said: “We still believe that he [Raina] has enough to contribute in the short formats for India.” Raina repaid the captain’s confidence with a 45-ball 63 – his first T20I fifty since 2010 – in the third game in Bangalore.Pant, meanwhile, has set the domestic scene alight, and his promotion to state captaincy, after having made his List A debut in last year’s tournament, only adds to India’s bench strength. Ashish Nehra, who made his international debut in 1999, when his new Delhi captain was a year old, has also set his sights on the Champions Trophy, though he last played an ODI in the 2011 World Cup.”I aim to play at least three matches to build up my match-fitness. Fifty-overs is a different challenge and Vijay Hazare is a good platform to test myself,” Nehra had told ESPNcricinfo in a recent interview.The Under-19 talents, who have a World Cup to play next year, are also in the Vijay Hazare mix. Mumbai’s Prithvi Shaw, who struck a hundred in his most recent Youth ODI against England Under-19s, and Tamil Nadu’s S Radhakrishnan, who top-scored with 65 in a tie in the same series, are in line to make their List A debuts.In all, 28 teams and over 400 players will battle it out across multiple venues in Delhi, Kolkata, Odisha, and Chennai for the Indian domestic 50-over title and Champions Trophy berths.Click here for a full list of fixtures.

A round-up of the Super Smash games held on December 29, 2016

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Dec-2016In his first match after undergoing surgery on his left eye last month, Ross Taylor struck an unbeaten 82 off 41 balls and added 111 off only 50 balls with Dane Cleaver to set up a 64-run win for Central Districts against Auckland in New Pylmouth.Central Districts were put in to bat and their in-form opener Mahela Jayawardene struck 31 off 19 after losing his partner George Worker in the first over. This took them off to a good start and allowed them to keep a healthy run rate. However, they were reduced to 95 for 4 in the 12th over, thanks to Hong Kong international Mark Chapman (2-36) who removed Will Young (30) and Tom Bruce (12) in consecutive overs. This brought Cleaver and Taylor together and the duo got stuck into Auckland’s bowling. Cleaver scored 47 off 26 balls with two fours and four sixes, while Taylor hit four fours and eight sixes to help Central Districts post 213.In response, Auckland were pegged back by medium-pacer Blair Tickner, who took two of the three wickets they lost within the Powerplay, before returning in the latter half of the innings to complete with figures of 5 for 19 – his best across formats. Only SM Solia (40 off 21) and Jeet Raval (31 off 18) offered any resistance for Auckland as they folded for 149, to lose by the biggest margin so far in this season’s Super Smash.Opener BJ Watling struck an unbeaten 52 to take Northern Districts to their third consecutive Super Smash win, against Canterbury in Mount Maunganui. His 48-ball innings followed a strong Northern Districts bowling performance that saw Canterbury finish with 127 for 6 in their innings.Chasing 128, Watling combined with opening partner Dean Brownlie (36 off 22) to put on a 62 before the latter was dismissed in the eighth over. Although a string of wickets – one each in the 11th, 12th and 13th overs – fell thereafter, Watling anchored Northern Districts’ batting, adding another 42 runs for the fifth wicket with Nick Kelly (23* off 19) to win the game with 13 balls to spare and six wickets in hand.Earlier, pacers Trent Lawford and Scott Kuggeleijn took two wickets each, while Ish Sodhi and Jono Boult took a scalp each to restrict Canterbury to 127. Todd Astle remained unbeaten on 37 after coming in when Canterbury were struggling at 73 for 5.

Tottenham Hotspur are now looking forward to a new era under incoming boss, Ange Postecoglou, with the 57-year-old set to take charge at N17 after catching the eye following his impressive work at Old Firm giants, Celtic in recent seasons.

Having won five trophies during a glittering two-year spell at Parkhead, the experienced coach has been tasked with the job of trying to revive the fortunes of the north London outfit next term and beyond, with the Lilywhites still reeling from a disappointing 2022/23 campaign that ended with a dismal, eighth-place finish.

Amid that search for improvement in his new home, recent reports have suggested that Postecoglou could be ready to spark something of a mass clearout at the club over the coming weeks, with the veteran duo of Ivan Perisic and Hugo Lloris leading the list of those who could depart.

Among those who may also be shown the door is long-serving defender, Ben Davies, with the Wales international – who signed from Swansea City back in 2014 – potentially set to be moved on if bids are to arrive this summer.

This follows a recent report that suggested Daniel Levy and co were willing to sanction the 30-year-old's exit for a fee of around £15m, with the 77-cap dud having formed part of a backline that shipped 63 Premier League goals this season – the sixth-worst record in the division.

As pundit Gabby Agbonlahor suggested, a departure for Davies could well be in the best interests of the club, with the versatile full-back having been "struggling to put in top performances", as he simply "just isn’t good enough any more."

With Postecoglou likely to need to find an "upgrade" – as per Agbonlahor – or a more youthful replacement for the £80k-per-week man, then the Greek-Aussie should look no further than reported target, Thierry Small.

Who is Thierry Small?

According to Football Insider, Spurs are set to make a fresh approach for the Southampton teenager ahead of next season, having previously seen an offer of around £800k rejected by the Saints back in January.

The piece adds that the newly-relegated side had been looking for closer to £1.2m at the time, with Levy and co now seemingly ready to make a 'new offer' in order to prise the 18-year-old from St Mary's.

The signing of the England youth international could well be the long-term solution at left-back that Spurs are in need of, with the "quality" gem – as previously hailed by ex-Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti – able to take Davies' place moving forward.

The former Toffees ace – who made the move to the south coast back in 2021 – showed his defensive prowess while on loan at St Mirren in the second half of the campaign after averaging 1.3 tackles per game, with that a superior record to what Davies averaged in the Premier League (0.9).

Equally, it is young Small who also appears to offer more in attack, with the 5 foot 10 starlet having averaged one key pass per game as a marker of his creative talent, while Davies averaged just 0.6 key passes in that time.

That would suggest that despite his inexperience, the youngster has the makings to be a real star of the future in the game, hence just why it would be wise for Postecoglou to push for a move.

As such, after 311 games for the club, it could be time for Davies to seek out pastures new…

Following his side’s 3-0 defeat to India, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson said he is disappointed but was thankful for the experience, which he felt would help the players take their game forward

Sidharth Monga in Indore11-Oct-20163:06

‘Ashwin is best in exposing conditions’ – Williamson

After losing all the Tests in a series they would have been hopeful of doing well in, Kane Williamson managed to retain some humour, but he knew his side was done in by a mix of difficult conditions for them, the quality of their opposition in those conditions, and their own lack of application at times. In packed schedules nowadays, you hardly get time to acclimatise, which means you don’t have too many second chances. The most disappointing aspect for New Zealand will be that when they got a surface in Indore that resembled classic Indian pitches, they couldn’t bat for long enough. It didn’t help that they never won a toss, and India always were in the ascendency.When asked about R Ashwin’s hold on him – the leading wicket-taker of the series took out Williamson all four times he batted – Williamson joked: “He didn’t get me out 27 times. He got a few other blokes out too.”On a serious note, Williamson did make a mention of the conditions. “He’s a good bowler,'” Williamson said of Ashwin. “We’re always learning playing internationals. I guess it’s a new thing, personally as well. Come over here with so much rough, which is nice to bowl into. I suppose I was a victim of it a few times. I guess, when you are put in that situation where you are dismissed in a similar situation, you are able to learn and try to improve from that. The conditions guys are exposed to, and the quality of bowling, in a backhanded way, we can be thankful for those experiences that help move your game forward.”Even before the season began, India had a good chance of going unbeaten through a long season of 13 home Tests. New Zealand, on paper, seemed the team likeliest to challenge India, which will now make India look invincible this season. Williamson, though, felt – and it did bring out some laughs – that the toss can be crucial in these conditions. The previous home season had a shift in the pitches India play on, and they have won all seven tosses since then.”Winning the toss would be helpful, I think,” Williamson said, when asked what advice he could give to the teams that are following him in India’s home season. “Which is a challenge in itself: South Africa lost every toss as well. Certainly have to be at your best. Whether you win the toss, lose the toss, India were far superior in this series. It depends on the surfaces. Every surface has been different in this series, they were different in the South Africa series. Whether it is a good one… it is important to spend time at the crease, creating pressure. Batting first would be nice. It would help, certainly, in being more competitive. This India side is a very good team, and they certainly know these conditions better than anyone.”Williamson said that while the conditions were more difficult when they batted in Indore, this was a pitch where they could have played more assured cricket. Speaking on finding the right balance between defence and attack, Williamson said: “It is a challenge, certainly on wickets very conducive to spin that make attacking tough as well. Sometimes, being positive when it is doing a little bit more is the way forward. It is up to the individual how they want to skin it, but in this Test, which was probably a little bit more like Test matches of old where it’s that war of attrition and you have to play long game like India showed, as opposed to Test matches prior, where 300 was a very good score, where you go out there and play positively and you get them before they get you, here was a little bit different.”They exploited conditions better than us. They played very patiently with the bat, and batting was not easy when it came our time. Not just because conditions had deteriorated, but the very good bowling attack they have. Important that we come away from here, although frustrated, having learnt a huge amount as a young group being exposed in these conditions.”Williamson didn’t shy away from giving India the credit and said he was disappointed his team couldn’t adapt quickly enough, but added that in conditions so challenging he felt the need to send players early for more experience.”The more you can play in these conditions, the better you’ll be,” Williamson said. “That has to be a given. The more experiences you get in any conditions, it is a good thing. People talk a lot about county cricket and then, when you go to England, you certainly are far more aware of what to expect. I suppose this is no different. If guys can have more experience in these conditions, it will certainly be helpful.”When asked if he felt his side had spent enough time here before the series, Williamson brought up the practical issue of the packed schedules. “I suppose there is always those discussions,” Williamson said. “Another tough point as well is that you are playing so much international cricket, it is tricky to get that extra preparation you would like. So, you are having to learn on the job a bit, which is the nature of the beast, but at the same time, it is an important thing. Whether it’s ‘A’ teams where guys are able to get extra time to come over, particularly in these conditions where you are playing more and more cricket. India’s home summer this year is 13 Test matches. So you are playing more and more in these conditions.”New Zealand now have the five-ODI series to look forward to, which will be played on flatter surfaces. Williamson hoped the team doesn’t carry the scars of losing the Tests into that series. “Disappointing to lose the Test series,” he said. “At the same time, the guys are looking forward to the change of format. It will be tough again. We know India are a very good side at that as well. It’s exciting. We know that wickets will more than likely be quite different again.”We have got to adapt. Go out and play with that freedom, knowing that when we do play with that freedom, we play our best cricket. There will be a little bit of scarring coming out of a three-nil Test defeat. Obviously winning is a lot better than losing. Unfortunately we have lost a few on the trot, but nice to have new personnel come in who are fresh and looking forward to the one-day series.”

أوضح كارلو أنشيلوتي المدير الفني لفريق ريال مدريد، سبب استبعاد فينيسيوس جونيور من التشكيل الأساسي قبل دقائق من المباراة أمام أتلتيكو مدريد بالدوري الإسباني.

وعلّق مدرب ريال مدريد على حالة إدواردو كامافينجا وأنطونيو روديجر، في حديثه عقب التعادل أمام أتلتيكو مدريد.

وتمكن أتلتيكو مدريد من اقتناص تعادل في الوقت القاتل أمام ريال مدريد لتحسم المباراة بهدف لمثله.

وبشأن استبعاد فينيسيوس من التشكيل الأساسي قبل دقائق من بداية المباراة، أوضح أنشيلوتي: “كان يعاني من تقلص وحاول الإحماء لكنه لم يكن مرتاحًا وكان الخياران خوسيلو وإبراهيم دياز”.

اقرأ أيضًا | أنشيلوتي: نستحق الفوز أمام أتلتيكو مدريد ولن أعلق على التحكيم

وأردف في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية: “لكننا تعاملنا مع المباراة بشكل دفاعي وسمح لنا إبراهيم بعدم تغيير هذا النهج، جاء خوسيلو في وقت لاحق وقدم أداءً جيدًا”.

وعن أنطونيو روديجر، أوضح: “لقد حاول روديجر، ولا يزال يشعر ببعض الانزعاج هذا الصباح، ونأمل أن يتمكن من التعافي بحلول السبت المقبل، وأعتقد أن كامافينجا حقق نجاحًا كبيرًا”.

وأتم بشأن كامافينجا وما إذا كان يعاني من إصابة: “لا أعرف، أعتقد أنها كانت ضربة في ركبته”.

Jermaine Blackwood has said the match could have changed complexion had he not been dismissed in the last over before lunch

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Jul-20161:24

‘West Indies’ decision to bat first not a pragmatic one’ – Manjrekar

Jermaine Blackwood, whose innings of 62 and fourth-wicket partnership of 81 with Marlon Samuels were rare bright sparks in West Indies’ first-innings total of 196, said the match could have changed complexion had he not been dismissed in the last over before lunch. Having been reduced to 7 for 3, West Indies had recovered to 88 for 3 when R Ashwin had Blackwood lbw with only three balls left in the session.”When I went out [to bat], he [Samuels] was just giving me a lot of advice about staying positive and running well between the wickets and try to score runs and wear down the bowlers,” Blackwood said. “As scoring chances came, I played my shots. If I had come back after lunch, it would have been a different ball game, because me and Marlon had a nice partnership. For me to get out, it set the team back and put the bowlers back on top. So I guess you have to learn from your mistakes.”Blackwood said the counterattacking approach he adopted from the time he stepped in was just his natural game. “That is just normally how I play, ever since I started playing. So that’s my natural game. I try to score my first 20-25 runs quickly, and tried to use the pace of the ball. So that is how Jermaine Blackwood plays his game.”Jason Holder, the West Indies captain, had sprung something of a surprise at the toss, when he chose to bat on a damp, grassy pitch. Blackwood said there was nothing wrong with the decision to bat, but West Indies’ batsmen simply hadn’t batted well enough.”Normally, at Sabina Park, the wicket is going to have a little bit in it for the pace bowlers for a couple hours. This track is different and has some grass, so they will get assistance right through the match for pace bowlers. It wasn’t a wrong decision to bat first, but we just didn’t bat for a long period. I guess next time we will have to do that.”

Glasgow Rangers could look like a totally different team next season, with Michael Beale confirming in his post-match press conference yesterday that Alfredo Morelos won’t be at Ibrox next term.

Indeed, the Gers boss said: "I think you saw a difference when Alfredo comes on in terms of energy but not a positive difference. We need a focal point for the team for sure.

"Antonio (Colak) isn't fit at the moment and Alfredo's obviously going to be moving on. I have already confirmed that.”

There will likely be a few forwards arriving at the club over the summer, and with Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres linked with a move to the Light Blues, as per Football Insider, it appears the wheels are already in motion.

The Swede has scored a whopping 22 goals this term and would be an excellent signing, however, the Championship side have valued him at £20m, which means a move north of the border is unlikely.

As such, could the Gers turn to another forward instead? With Josh Maja recently confirming that he will decide his future at the end of the current campaign having been linked with the Glasgow side over the previous few months, he could be a perfect alternative.

Could Rangers sign Josh Maja this summer?

The striker will see his contract expire at the end of 2022/23 and this has alerted Beale, who could land the player for nothing during the summer as he looks to save funds for other areas.

With a forward or two on the Englishman’s radar, Maja certainly fits the bill and his performances for Bordeaux in the French second tier have boosted his confidence following poor spells at Stoke City and Fulham across the last few years, scoring just five goals for both teams combined.

He hit the ground running for the French side though and has scored 16 goals in Ligue 2, while grabbing five assists as he currently sits second on the top scorer charts for the division.

The Nigerian clearly knows where the back of the net is and landing the player for nothing would be seen as a brilliant piece of business for the club.

His former teammate at Sunderland and ex-Gers forward, Jermain Defoe, praised Maja a few years ago, saying: Josh is a quick thinker and if you’re that fast upstairs you don’t need anything else.

“When he trained with the first team he showed such great awareness – he knew when to pass it, had a great touch – and although he’s not got electric pace, he’s two steps ahead of everyone which means he’s got an immediate advantage.”

“The gift Josh has is rare and if he builds on it, the sky’s the limit.”

Aged just 24, Maja still has a lot to learn, however, gaining first-team experience in European competition next term could allow him to fulfil his potential and Beale may even make a major profit on the striker over the coming years, particularly if he replicates his recent form for Bordeaux in Scotland.

Crystal Palace has enjoyed a remarkable resurgence under Roy Hodgson since his return to the Selhurst Park helm until the end of the season.

Prior to the 75-year-old’s appointment, the Eagles were winless in their previous 12 league games under Patrick Vieira and were perilously lurking above the drop zone. But Hodgson has won his first three games in charge by an aggregate score of 9-2 against fellow relegation candidates Leicester City, Leeds United, and Southampton.

A key figure of this tremendous upturn in form has been the indomitable Michael Olise, who has recorded ten goal contributions in 24 Premier League starts.

Since signing for the South London outfit from Reading for £8m in the summer of 2021, the 21-year-old has established himself as one of Palace’s most influential, creative, and penetrating forces.

How much is Michael Olise worth now?

Journalist Pete O’Rourke recently spoke to Football FanCast regarding the winger and how he could be valued at over £50m, saying:

“You're probably thinking that for a young midfielder, a goalscoring midfielder, who can provide goals. He's got everything Michael Olise, he’s a top performer and can do wonderful things on the ball.

“If anybody was to come knocking at Crystal Palace’s door they could demand big money for him and £50m doesn't get you a lot these days when you think about the transfer market so I'm sure Palace probably would be starting the bidding at that price.”

Former Eagles boss Vieira described the prodigy as a “special talent” and is now valued at around £24m by Transfermarkt, but this is an extremely modest fee for a player brimming with limitless potential.

In a recent league fixture with Leeds on 9 April, the London-born forward registered a monstrous 9.7 rating, courtesy of three assists, five successful dribbles, six key passes, and the creation of three big chances, as per Sofascore.

It was a wondrous display by a player who possesses an uncoachable brilliance and when in full motion, can glide past opponents with incredible ease.

His pace, agility, and quick thinking are showcased by the fact he ranks in the top 21% among his positional peers for successful take-ons per 90.

Judging by O’Rourke’s prediction and Olise’s spell-binding mastery on the ball, the £45k-per-week ace could make Palace an extraordinary profit in the summer.