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Kolkata Knight Riders have taken on New Zealand allrounder Colin de Grandhomme, who has a strike-rate of 171 from 91 innings in all T20 cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Apr-20174:33

‘Very happy with the players we’ve got’ – Gambhir

Kolkata Knight Riders have bought New Zealand allrounder Colin de Grandhomme as a replacement for Andre Russell, who is currently serving out a one-year ban for a doping-code violation.De Grandhomme, a medium-pace bowler and a lower-order batsman, made his debut for New Zealand in February 2012. In seamer-friendly conditions, he is capable of generating enough lateral movement to trouble the batsman despite his leisurely pace of 120 kph. He took 6 for 41 in his first Test against Pakistan in November last year. Making him a value addition is his batting strike-rate in all T20 cricket – a whopping 171 after 91 innings.Considering a relaid Eden Gardens pitch afforded surprising assistance to the fast bowlers in its first international match, Knight Riders appear to be stocking up on pace bowling options. They already have Trent Boult and Nathan Coulter-Nile, both known for generating swing and seam.Despite the reinforcement, Knight Riders would feel Russell’s absence. He was an important part of their title-winning run in 2014 and was Man of the Tournament in 2015.”We are not on the back foot,” the allrounder Yusuf Pathan said. “Russell was an important cog in our wheel not only on-field, but in the dressing room also. He is a great character to have. There are situations when players miss out. He will be missed in the dressing room. But we have to look ahead and work with what we have.”Captain Gautam Gambhir echoed similar sentiments. “Either we can see Russell’s absence as a challenge or look at it as an opportunity in bold letters,” he told . “I as an individual, and KKR as a group, are looking it as an opportunity.”Knight Riders begin their IPL campaign on April 7 against Gujarat Lions in Rajkot

Eoin Morgan has revealed he will return to India after England’s two-match ODI series against Ireland to make himself available to Kings XI Punjab before coming home for good in preparation for this summer’s ICC Champions Trophy.Morgan, the England limited-overs captain, will arrive in England in time for a training session on May 4. Then, having played in the ODIs against Ireland on May 5 and May 7, he will return to India for two more IPL games on May 9 and May 11. He will then report for a training camp with the England squad that starts on May 14. ESPNcricinfo understands that the ECB are also considering allowing Jason Roy and Sam Billings to return to the IPL though no firm decision has yet been made.”I was pleasantly surprised to hear I’d been picked-up in the IPL auction,” Morgan said. “I wasn’t expecting to be picked up so it was good news. The perception of things was that I’d miss a lot of the IPL but in actual fact I only miss four days. I’ll only miss two games out of the 14 which is not very much.”There was, Morgan says, never any thought that he might skip the Ireland ODIs and remain at the IPL. While a few other England players have been allowed to do that, Morgan suggests that he and team director, Andrew Strauss, agreed that it was important the side had the same leadership as often as possible going into the Champions Trophy in June. Having missed the three-match ODI series in Bangladesh last October, Morgan has not had the opportunity to play with the likes of Ben Duckett, who could yet force his way into the squad.”It was a collective decision to come back,” Morgan said. “I think it’s important for me to come back for those two because, while we might not put out a full-strength team, there are players involved who might then play in the Champions Trophy. It’s a good opportunity for me to play with guys who are coming through.”Had Morgan not found a team in the IPL auction, he had been expecting to return to the Middlesex side for the start of the County Championship season, which would be his first red-ball action since July 2015 though he has conceded that the likelihood of being picked for a return to the Test side is slim. Having not played for Middlesex during the Championship-winning campaign of 2016, his availability will create quite a selection dilemma for their team management when he finally returns.”I was preparing to play in the first two first-class games of the summer for Middlesex,” Morgan said. “And potentially there’s an extra one being scheduled against Durham at the weekend and Cambridge again after that. Now I’m looking at playing three Championship games in August.”Yes, I probably could become a white-ball specialist if that’s what I wanted. But it’s not, not at the moment. It might be down the line, but it’s certainly not now. I think Test cricket has gone for me. I don’t think I’ll ever play Test cricket again. But I think it’s important for me to strive to keep working on my game in red-ball cricket, to continue to work on the first 30 balls I face in a white-ball game. Maybe not for T20, but for the 50-over game it is.”While that desire is still there, the idea in my mind that I need to keep working on the red-ball game, I’ll stick with it. And yes, the aim is to captain at the 2019 World Cup. That’s where all the plans are going towards, what we’re working towards as a side. It will be great to be a part of it.”All 14 members of England’s squad will feature across the two warm-up matches against a WICB President’s XI in St Kitts on Saturday and Monday, though each will be played as XI v XI List A games without the use of substitutes. The seam bowlers, in particular, will be rotated so as not to put them under any unnecessary strain.It was the batsmen who suffered on Friday, though. Training on surfaces described as “quite spicy” by Morgan, several batsmen sustained blows to the gloves though no damage was reported.”They’re not the best surfaces we’ve trained on,” Morgan said. “But as long as the guys can bowl and field, I think that’s more important that getting prepared for our batting.”Meanwhile Morgan suggested this ODI series may come a little too soon for Alex Hales as he recovers from a broken bone in his hand. But Morgan remains keen for Hales to join up with the rest of the squad in the next few days.”He will go back and play some county cricket after this,” Morgan explained, “and we want the team together as much as possible.”

Antoine Griezmann has finally revealed his actual thoughts on not being made the France captain, with Kylian Mbappe chosen instead.

What happened between Griezmann and Mbappe?

When Hugo Lloris opted to retire from international football, there was an expectation from some that the Atletico Madrid man would take over.

However, Didier Deschamps snubbed the more experienced 32-year-old in favour of Paris Saint-Germain star Mbappe.

At the time, that decision supposedly annoyed Griezmann, who was been named France’s new vice-captain instead. After all, Le Figaro even claimed that considered ruling himself out of contention for future call-ups.

In the end, the forward opted against that and has since admitted that he is now fully behind Mbappe, even if it was a bitter pill to swallow initially.

Griezmann told Telefoot: “It was hard to take, and tough. I’m 32 and, although I still have the legs, I know I’m reaching the end [of my career].

“I had a hard time stomaching it for one or two days.”

He added: “I’m fully behind our captain Kylian. I won’t change anything, because that’s who I am.”

How many goals has Mbappe scored for France?

Griezmann certainly has given plenty to France over the years, playing 120 times for his country. In this period, he has played in two World Cup finals (winning won), while scoring 43 goals and claiming 36 assists. He also finished as the top scorer at Euro 2016 although his country lost in the final to Portugal.

However, Mbappe isn’t exactly a surprising pick for captain. After all, he too has played in two World Cup finals, scoring four goals across those matches – the most any player has ever managed.

And while he is still only 24 years of age, he already has 69 caps to his name, netting 39 goals and providing 24 assists in that time.

With that being the case, it feels as though Deschamps has picked an option for the long term, instead of entrusting the older Griezmann with the armband for a few years.

Only time will tell if this is the right decision but at least it now appears that the 32-year-old has finally come to terms with it all.

Mumbai bowled out Uttar Pradesh for 225 to pick up a slender first-innings lead and end the second day 59 runs ahead in Mysore.A double-strike by Tushar Deshpande (3 for 66) in the 16th over reduced UP to 45 for 4, after Shardul Thakur had removed overnight batsman Saurabh Kumar in the first over of the day. Rinku Singh, playing only his second Ranji game, scored his second fifty, but found little support from the other end till Kuldeep Yadav (50) put on 53 with him for the eighth wicket. He was dismissed for 70 by debutant Aditya Dhumal, with the score on 170 and UP still 63 behind.Kuldeep put on 46 for the ninth wicket with Imtiaz Ahmed (19) to bring UP close, but fell to Abhishek Nayar (2 for 19) after reaching his fifty, with UP nine short of the first-innings lead.Mumbai were 51 for 2 at stumps, having lost Kaustubh Pawar for 29, and Dhumal, who came in as nightwatchman for Shreyas Iyer.Saurabh Wakaskar’s 104 helped Railways take a 127-run first-innings lead against Baroda in Nagpur.Railways began the day on 39 for 0, after Avinash Yadav’s five-wicket haul had reduced Baroda to 183 on the first day. Wakaskar and Shivakant Shukla (51) added a further 54 to that score, before Yusuf Pathan dismissed Shukla. Only three other batsmen got to double figures, and there were no other significant partnership in the innings, even as Wakaskar brought up his seventh first-class hundred and took Railways past Baroda’s score.Medium-pacer Atit Sheth’s struck regularly to finish with 4 for 54. But Mahesh Rawat’s 79-ball 72 stretched Railways’ lead to 127 before he was the last man out with the score on 310.Baroda were 27 for no loss at stumps.Axar Patel and Rush Kalaria took two wickets each as Gujarat reduced Madhya Pradesh to 162 for 5 after putting on 302 in the first innings at the Reliance Cricket Stadium in Nagothane.Gujarat had begun the day on 224 for 4, but were reduced to 225 for 6 within the third over. Medium-pacer Gaurav Yadav (3-57) took both those wickets, before removing Karan Patel shortly after to leave Gujarat reeling at 243 for 7. But overnight batsman Manpreet Juneja (79) put on 47 with Kalaria (28) to stretch the score past 300. Chandrakant Sakure took the last three wickets to finish with 4 for 65.In MP’s response, Rajat Patidar put on a 47-run second-wicket stand with Rameez Khan (13), and 74 for the third wicket with Naman Ojha (28) after losing his opening partner Aditya Shrivastava in the third over. Patidar scored 71 before Jasprit Bumrah removed him late in the day. Kalaria then removed Harpreet Singh Bhatia as MP ended the day five-down. Devendra Bundela (16*) and Shubham Sharma (4*) were at the crease.Sudip Chatterjee’s 100 took Bengal to 337 against Tamil Nadu in Rajkot.Bengal scored at the same rate as on the opening day – just above two an over. They added 147 in 64 overs to their overnight score of 190 for 3.Overnight batsman Agniv Pan fell in the fifth over of the day for 59. Sudip Chatterjee, who had retired hurt on 34 on the first day, returned to join Shreevats Goswami (35) and the pair put on 44 for the sixth wicket, before Goswami was removed by medium-pacer K Vignesh. Chatterjee then batted with the lower order to stretch the score to 337 and bring up his first century of the season, after scoring fifties in the first innings of each of the previous three matches he played. He was dismissed by K Vignesh, who finished with 4 for 70.Tamil Nadu lost Washington Sundar in the first over of their response, but Abhinav Mukund (19*) and Kaushik Gandhi (25*) took them to stumps without further damage, as Tamil Nadu ended on 60 for 1.

Alastair Cook has expressed his “frustration” with the umpires’ treatment of Ben Stokes during the second Test in Mirpur.Stokes, the England allrounder, was fined 15 percent of his match fee for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during the second Test against Bangladesh in Mirpur.The incident happened during the morning session on Sunday when Stokes ignored the on-field umpires’ requests to stop “verbally engaging” with Bangladesh batsman Sabbir Rahman. The on-field umpires – Kumar Dharmasena and S Ravi – had also advised England captain Cook of Stokes’ actions but, in the words of the ICC media release, “the player didn’t comply with the instructions”.Sabbir and Stokes were involved in a heated passage of play, with Sabbir taking the attack to Stokes’ bowling and Stokes beating his bat on a couple of occasions. Each time, Stokes treated the unflustered Sabbir to a piece of his mind.As a result, Stokes was found to have violated Article 2.1.1 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game”.In addition to the sanction imposed for his breach of Article 2.1.1, one demerit point has been added to Stokes’ disciplinary record. If Stokes reaches four or more demerit points within a 24-month period, they will be converted into suspension points and he will be banned. Two suspension points equate to a ban from one Test or two ODIs or two T20Is, whatever comes first for the player.Stokes admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Ranjan Madugalle of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees. As such, there was no need for a formal hearing.All level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official warning, a maximum penalty of 50 percent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.But Cook, the England captain, suggested the umpires had involved themselves “too quickly” and felt Stokes and Sabbir had contested a compelling passage of play.”I do find it a little bit frustrating,” Cook said. “Both Sabbir and Stokesy are very competitive cricketers. To me, people love it. That’s what people watch.”Sometimes I believe the umpires can get involved too quickly, and then it blows up even more. When umpires get involved it can drag it out and brings more theatre to it than you need.”

The Supreme Court verdict on BCCI reforms has come under sharp attack from former apex-court judge Markandey Katju, who termed the matter “unconstitutional and illegal”

PTI07-Aug-2016

The Supreme Court verdict on BCCI reforms has come under sharp attack from former apex-court judge Markandey Katju, who termed the matter “unconstitutional and illegal”.Katju, who had been appointed by the BCCI to advice it on the Supreme Court verdict relating to the implementation of the Lodha Committee recommendations, also advised the board to file a review petition before a larger bench of the apex court, and to not meet the Lodha Committee as scheduled on August 9, terming the panel as “null and void”.”What the Supreme Court has done is unconstitutional and illegal,” Katju said at a media conference. “There has been violation of principles of the [Indian] Constitution. Under our Constitution, we have legislature, executive and judiciary. There is broad separation of functions. It’s the legislature’s prerogative to make laws. If judiciary starts making laws, one is setting a dangerous precedent.”I have advised them [the BCCI] to file a review petition before a larger bench. In this case, the Supreme Court outsourced a committee [the Lodha Committee] to decide on BCCI’s punishment.”BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke said the BCCI will study the interim report prepared by Justice Katju and then take a call.”The Supreme Court had appointed the Lodha Committee to find the defects in working of BCCI. That was okay. When the Lodha Committee report was submitted to the Supreme Court, it should have been forwarded to Parliament and State Legislatures,” Katju said. “It then should have been left to legislature to accept or not to accept the recommendations. Judiciary is not supposed to legislate.”He offered examples of cases where a larger bench with four or five judges have handled serious issues.Justice Katju’s take is that since the BCCI’s constitution has been prepared as per Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act, both the Supreme Court and Lodha Committee can’t forcibly change the BCCI’s by-laws.”Both Supreme Court and Lodha Committee violated ‘Tamil Nadu Societies Registrar Act’,” he said. “They [the BCCI] have their own memorandum and by-laws. If you want to change the [BCCI’s] constitution, a special resolution needs to be passed by two-third of majority. The society alone can amend the by-laws. There can be complaints on financial irregularities or administrative lapses, one has to write to Registrar of Societies.”Justice Katju did agree, however, that “reforms are needed in the BCCI”, but he also had a counter argument. “If we speak about reforms in BCCI, then reforms are needed in judiciary also. There are more than three crore cases pending in Indian courts. And if this dangerous trend starts, tomorrow the Supreme Court might dictate editorial policies of press, the tenure of journalists… It will then open a Pandora’s Box.”

Arsenal have enjoyed a season as one of the Premier League’s best, sitting at the top of the pile for the majority of the campaign.

April’s disappointing form saw the Gunners get chased down by Manchester City but hope does still remain in north London that Mikel Arteta’s side can still win their first league title since 2004.

With just three games remaining, Arsenal have reached new heights this season, guaranteeing Champions League football for the 2023/24 campaign and a top-two finish for the first time since 2016.

What’s most impressive about Arteta's side, is that they are the joint-youngest squad in the top flight, level with Southampton with an average age of just 24.4.

The club’s three highest goalscorers are under 25, with 24-year-old captain Martin Odegaard netting 15 goals this season, level with 21-year-old Gabriel Martinelli, and in third is Hale End graduate Bukayo Saka with 14 goals.

To see young players flourishing is one thing, but to see them lead and maintain the success of a team at the summit of the Premier League is an incentive for those in the club’s academy, as a glimpse of the opportunities that could open for them in the future.

Several academy names have featured in first-team training this season, the most recent addition being Portuguese midfielder Mauro Bandeira.

Who is Mauro Bandeira?

Since joining Arsenal’s academy at the age of 13, Bandeira has worked his way through the system and currently plays for the U21s in the Premier League 2’s division one.

The 19-year-old prodigy has scored three goals in the league this season, making 20 appearances.

The Loures-born player is versatile in his positioning and has featured four times this campaign at right-back when called upon.

Once described as a “lively” presence in the engine room by journalist Layth Yousif, the young midfielder signed his first professional deal last summer and took the number 41 in the senior team.

Most recently, the teenage talent made the trip to St James’ Park with the Arsenal first-team squad, showing how he is valued at the club by Arteta.

With talk surrounding Granit Xhaka’s potential departure in the summer getting louder as the season draws to a close, the Swiss international could leave a vacancy to be filled in the heart of the pitch.

The Gunners aren’t afraid to place talented young stars above big names, and Bandeira could be one for the future as he embodies the skill set imposed on the current squad by the 30-year-old.

In the Football League Trophy this season, Bandeira has averaged a Sofascore match rating of 6.83, as well as winning over half of his duels per game (56%) whilst maintaining a passing accuracy of 81% – showing his ability to function in both areas of the engine room.

While speculation grows around Arsenal’s desire to sign a defensively-minded midfielder in the transfer window, the club may have the chance to explore the academy next season, especially with even more fixtures inbound with European involvement.

Only time will tell if the young Hale End gem will follow in the footsteps of those before him, however, Arsenal is the club to be at for young players under Arteta’s management.

Manchester United are a club that often finds itself drawn into long-running transfer sagas, given their huge profile, a penchant to spend big and an unparalleled desire to go after the most sought-after players in world football.

However, few in history can compete with the summer of 2022, as Erik ten Hag entered a relentless pursuit for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong that would last the whole window.

Having reportedly got close in late June, the Dutchman would eventually stay in Catalonia, and his former Ajax boss was forced to look elsewhere.

The acquisitions of both Christian Eriksen and Casemiro massively bolstered their midfield anyway, but it still felt like they were craving that young maestro to lead them into the future. For all the quality of that pairing, both are 31 years old. They were brought in to ensure that a successful present would make them an attractive proposition for the future.

Having since enjoyed a fine debut campaign at Old Trafford, attention could now be turned to a far more attainable option for this coming summer, in an attempt to finally claim that youthful injection to add to their engine room.

As per Football Insider, that man seems set to be Ryan Gravenberch, as United are noted as having entered the race for another of Ten Hag's former players, alongside rivals Liverpool.

How good is Ryan Gravenberch?

Having starred in his home country, the 20-year-old had more than earned his big move elsewhere. When Bayern Munich came calling, it seemed like a match made in heaven as the switch was made with ease.

However, it has since been an arduous first year in Germany for the £26m-rated youngster, who has seen chances limited under both Julian Naglesmann and now Thomas Tuchel.

Just two Bundesliga starts is disingenuous towards what was a standout season the year prior, as he left Amsterdam with a lasting memory of his excellence.

Maintaining a 7.17 average rating, it was astounding how comfortable this teenage sensation was on the ball despite standing at 6 foot 3.

His imperious displays were underpinned by 1.1 key passes and 1.6 tackles per game, showcasing his penchant for reclaiming possession and then sending his team on the attack. Coincidentally, this is how the aforementioned De Jong plays, almost as a quarterback but possessing the ability to carry the ball into the final third too.

Indeed, although De Jong is far more concentrated on carrying the ball himself, given how he ranks in the top 2% for progressive carries per 90 when compared to other midfielders across Europe, he has made 1.3 key passes and 1.3 tackles per game this term, a similar output to that of his Dutch colleague.

Also, given the 26-year-old is six years Gravenberch's senior, there is reason to believe that should the £156k-per-week monster link up with Ten Hag once again, he can soon reach the levels of Barcelona's midfield magician ahead of schedule.

Despite Bayern's sporting director Hasan Salihamidžić branding his titan as "an outstanding player", it is clear that they view him as one for the distant future. A move to Manchester could see his potential realised much faster, under the tutelage of someone who arguably knows him better than anyone.

Leeds United could be boosted by the return of Cody Drameh in the summer with the right-back seriously impressing during his latest loan move.

What has happened to Cody Drameh?

Once again, Leeds find themselves scrapping at the wrong end of the table with just several games to go with relegation a serious threat.

The Whites could be set to return to the Championship over the coming weeks with their league form taking a recent dive over the last few games.

However, there could be something to look forward to over the summer in the expected return of Drameh from his latest loan spell away from the club.

The 21-year-old has spent the second-half of the 2022/23 campaign away on loan with Championship side Luton Town who are looking to make their move into the top flight.

This comes after the Englishman's stint out on loan last season with Cardiff City where he was awarded their Player of the Season despite only arriving in January.

Yet Leeds decided it was best for the youngster to move away from Elland Road once again in search of more regular football.

And speaking on his podcast, Phil Hay has waxed lyrical about the right-back who has enjoyed an impressive backend to the campaign under Rob Edwards at Kenilworth Road:

(39:10) "It's funny because Cody Drameh is having a very, very good season at Luton in the way that Charlie Cresswell up until that eye injury was starting to put together a really good season at Millwall, as well.

"And suddenly you look, I mean I've always liked Cresswell. Drameh has looked good in the U21s but hasn't really played enough at first-team level at Leeds to be sure about that.

"But he's looked excellent at Luton and you start to think to yourself, maybe actually there are options there going forward that are potentially better than some of what they've got."

How well has Drameh played for Luton?

Since arriving in the latter stages of January, the 21-year-old has gone on to make 14 appearances for the Hatters in the Championship and he has started all 14 of those games (via Transfermarkt).

Drameh has racked up two assists in those games, however, what is perhaps most impressive is Luton have only lost once with Drameh on the pitch.

And that solo defeat comes with the caveat of being against – the already-promoted – Burnley and it was a narrow 1-0 defeat to the Clarets.

Meanwhile, Leeds have begun to chop and change their right-backs with Luke Ayling and Rasmus Kristensen after the Englishman's recent run in the starting XI.

Hay was clearly impressed with what Drameh has been able to produce in the Championship and it is clear to see why when he ranks inside the top third percentile for tackles made (via FBref).

The 21-year-old ranks inside the top third percentile for blocks, too, but he has also shown his threat in attack as he ranks inside the top eighth percentile for shot-creating actions.

It seems apparent the youngster has plenty to offer and it will be intriguing to see if he feels his opportunity will come at Leeds or whether he will have to look for a permanent move in the summer to find regular football.

Tottenham are waiting for their new manager before green-lighting a bid to sign Leicester City star James Maddison, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Could Spurs sign Maddison this summer?

Various reports linking the 26-year-old to Spurs have been circulating in the past fortnight with some sources even suggesting that he looks certain to join them over Newcastle.

However, other claims have also stated that Maddison to Spurs isn't as advanced as some might say, and there appears to be consistently differing bits of news on the matter.

One thing that seems certain is the Premier League top four hopefuls are interested in his signing this summer, coming amid their search for a new manager.

Antonio Conte's departure has left the door open for chairman Daniel Levy to hire a permanent replacement while Cristian Stellini and assistant coach Ryan Mason take interim charge in the meantime.

Whoever comes in, whether it be the heavily linked Vincent Kompany or even a sensational return for Mauricio Pochettino, will be tasked with shaping the Spurs team in their own image – having a say on who Tottenham sign in the transfer market.

As such, reliable journalist Romano, writing in his CaughtOffside column, has shared an update on the club's efforts to sign Maddison. Indeed, the transfer reporter says Spurs definitely have the England international in their sights – but are waiting for their potential new boss to give the green light before bidding.

He explained:

“Tottenham are monitoring James Maddison for sure, also Newcastle have his name on their list since last August as he’s always been appreciated.

“We have to understand who’s going to be the new Tottenham boss to see if they will bid for Maddison, as at the moment it’s on standby.”

Should Spurs splash the cash on Maddison?

Regardless of who succeeds Conte, we believe the Lilywhites quite simply must move for Maddison.

Spurs have arguably been without a central creative presence since Christian Eriksen's departure in 2020, which makes the need for one all the more pressing.

As per WhoScored, Maddison certainly has the quality to succeed at Tottenham – having stood out as Leicester's shining light and best-performing player in an otherwise dismal campaign.

Racking up 15 goal contributions, the former Norwich City star also tops Leicester's charts in terms of shots at goal and key passes made per 90 in the final third (WhoScored).

Called 'elite' by members of the media, Maddison could certainly provide that spark of attacking threat through the middle of the park.