Liverpool are now in “talks” to sign an alternative to Antoine Semenyo in the January transfer window, according to recent reports.
Liverpool set to miss out on Semenyo
With Mohamed Salah at AFCON, and Alexander Isak now with Cody Gakpo on the sidelines, Liverpool have been left scrambling for attacking options heading into the new year. And in a campaign full of defensive issues, the last thing Arne Slot needed was attacking injuries to emerge.
Liverpool keen on signing £100m "warrior" to upgrade on Mac Allister
Liverpool are getting ready to make a series of changes in the transfer market in 2026.
ByAngus Sinclair
Nonetheless, it’s something that the Dutchman must solve together with Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards. The Premier League champions aren’t afraid to splash the cash, breaking their record twice in the summer to sign Isak and Florian Wirtz, but look unlikely to welcome Antoine Semenyo next month.
Despite chasing the winger’s signature, it now looks as though Manchester City are in pole position to secure his arrival in frustrating blow for the rest of the Premier League’s chasing clubs.
That leaves Liverpool back to square one, with concern over Salah’s long-term future not exactly helping those at Anfield in that regard. The Egyptian’s left for AFCON in a calmed state after being restored to the squad, but those at Anfield won’t be forgetting his bombshell interview anytime soon.
So the Reds should aim to kill two birds with one stone next month and that’s where Karim Adeyemi could come in. According to Anfield Index, Liverpool are now in “talks” to sign Adeyemi with his representatives and could secure his arrival for as little as £20m next month.
Liverpool in "talks" to sign Adeyemi
The Borussia Dortmund star seems to be a candidate to arrive instead of Semenyo and one who could replace Salah in the long run. At just 22 years old, it’s easy to see why he’s caught the eye of those at Anfield, especially if he is to cost just £20m when the winter window swings open.
League stats 25/26
Adeyemi
Semenyo
Minutes
735
1,439
Goals
4
8
Assists
1
3
Key Passes
9
23
Replacing Salah is a lot easier said than done, however. Both Semenyo and Adeyemi struggle to match the incredibly high numbers that the Liverpool star has produced over the years – particularly the Dortmund star.
But rumours that Adeyemi is on their radar could suggest that the Reds are heading into another direction in the post-Salah era. The Dortmund star represents a classic winger, rather than the inside forward type and that would free up room for Isak to take centre-stage.
What’s more, his £85,000-a-week salary demands wouldn’t exactly break the bank at Liverpool, once again making him an ideal option when 2026 arrives.
They might still be frustratingly inconsistent, but Chelsea are one of the most exciting projects in the Premier League.
Enzo Maresca’s side is usually the youngest in any given gameweek, and while that can cause problems, it’s also an indication of the club’s many hugely promising prospects.
For example, at just 24 years old, Moises Caicedo is one of the club’s oldest stars, while the two most exciting attackers, Cole Palmer and Estevao, are just 23 and 18, respectively.
Unsurprisingly, if reports are to be believed, Chelsea are once again on the lookout for young talent and seem to have their eye on someone who could be seen as a mix of Palmer and Estevao.
Chelsea target Palmer & Estevao hybrid
The summer window saw Chelsea continue their strategy of primarily signing young, up-and-coming talents who could have an impact this season but will truly hit their peak a few years from now.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Sure, the likes of Jamie Gittens, Alejandro Garnacho and Jorrel Hato haven’t exactly been smash hits for the Blues, but given the fact that they are all 21 or under means they have the time to make their mark.
However, the most exciting youngster to make his way to West London in the summer was Estevao, who was signed in 2024, and the good news is the club now seem intent on signing another youngster who appears to be a lot like him and Palmer.
At least that is according to a recent report from TEAMtalk, which claims Chelsae are interested in Konstantinos Karetsas.
In fact, the report goes further than that, revealing that the Blues have already been in contact with the young Greek star and made it clear to his camp that ‘they want the next chapter of his footballing career to be in West London.’
However, it might not be as simple as that, with the story claiming that teams such as Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain are also interested in the 18-year-old.
Finally, while a potential price is not mentioned in the report, stories linking the youngster to the Gunners back in June suggested he could cost around £38m.
Therefore, it could be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Karetsas’ ability and potential, one Chelsea should pursue, especially as he could be another Estevao or Palmer.
Why Karetsas is like Estevao & Palmer
The first thing Karetsas shares in common with Palmer and Estevao is his positional versatility.
Like the two Chelsea stars, the young Greek has played in several positions across the pitch, but is primarily an attacking midfielder or right-winger.
Furthermore, the Genk-born dynamo has proven himself a serious attacking outlet.
For example, in 27 appearances so far this season, totalling 1731 minutes, he has scored two goals and provided ten assists.
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That comes out to an impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.25 games, or every 144.25 minutes, which would be a great rate of return for a seasoned veteran, let alone a teenager.
It’s not just the goals and assists that make the young dynamo a dangerous player in the vein of the two Blues stars.
For example, FBref rank him in the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the next best 14 leagues for carries, the top 6% for crosses, the top 7% for shot-creating actions and carries into the final third, the top 9% for successful take-ons and more, all per 90.
Karetsas’s Scout Report
Statistics
Per 90
Percentile
Fouls Drawn
3.29
Top 2%
Switches
0.82
Top 4%
Touches (Att 3rd)
31.62
Top 4%
Carries
41.83
Top 5%
Crosses
6.79
Top 6%
Total Carrying Distance
261.35
Top 6%
Shot-Creating Actions
5.43
Top 7%
Carries into Final Third
2.92
Top 7%
Touches
60.89
Top 9%
Successful Take-Ons
2.26
Top 9%
Key Passes
2.55
Top 10%
Progressive Passes
6.01
Top 12%
Progressive Carrying Distance
120.63
Top 12%
Progressive Passing Distance
180.91
Top 13%
Passes into Penalty Area
2.06
Top 13%
All Stats via FBref
Finally, like his potential new teammates, the “superstar in the making,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has already made a splash at the international level, winning nine senior caps for Greece, scoring three goals and providing one assist.
Ultimately, it might not be easy to get over the line, but Chelsea should do whatever they can to sign Karetsas, as he could be like another Estevao or Palmer for Maresca.
Chelsea have a "ridiculous" talent at Cobham who looks like the next James
The teenage sensation could follow in James’ footsteps at Chelsea.
As reported by The Scottish Sun, Hibernian will face significant competition in the race to sign former Hamilton winger Ali Crawford this summer.
What’s the story?
Crawford has been a stand out at Hamilton for a number of season, but was one of the players who left at the end of the 2017/18 following the expiration of his contract.
It seems though that he won’t be lacking for suitors this summer.
The Scottish Sun report that as well as Hibs, the likes of Blackpool, Dundee and Motherwell are all interested in signing him ahead of the new season.
Normally rated as worth £630,000 by Transfermarkt, is he a player that Hibernian should be going all out to attract to Easter Road?
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What can he offer Hibs?
Crawford has one of the stand-out players in the Scottish Premiership for a number of years now. Although he struggled with injuries throughout last season, he still contributed three goals and three assists from 19 appearances.
In the three seasons prior to last year though he demonstrated he has the ability and consistency to shine for a club like Hibs, scoring 26 goals and assisting 32 goals in three Premiership years.
That’s an attacking contribution that would be very welcome at Easter Road next season in support of Florian Kamberi, who signed permanently for the club this week.
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Lennon improves most players he works with and working with 26-year-old Crawford could bring the winger’s game to the next level, and at least back to the heights that saw him become a star player for Accies.
On a free transfer, it’s a signing Hibs should prioritise this summer.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”252976″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch 21 things that will definitely happen at the World Cup”]
After two months of excruciatingly painful withdrawal symptoms, Football Fancast’s relentless addiction to the English top flight has finally been satisfied by the grand opening of the 2015/16 Premier League season.
Today’s fixture list was full of fantastic match-ups as per usual – not least including Tottenham’s visit to Manchester United – but tomorrow’s affairs offer equal excitement, starting with Arsenal’s 1.30pm kick-off against West Ham.
The Gunners have certainly enjoyed the better rub of the green during recent encounters against the East Londoners. In fact, they’ve won all of their last six clashes with the Hammers, producing an aggregate scoreline of 19-4.
But could things be a little different this time around, with Slaven Bilic now in the Upton Park hotseat and West Ham spending around £25million on new signings this summer?
Perhaps a look at the FIVE key individual battles can shed some light on the issue; and give some insight into who’ll finish victorious at the Emirates.
OLIVIER GIROUD VS JAMES TOMKINS AND ANGELO OGBONNA
Slaven Bilic may be looking to take West Ham in a more progressive direction following their attritional days under Sam Allardyce but the East London outfit are still an overtly physical side, with power, strength and aggression in every department.
The Gunners, on the other hand, are amongst the least physical sides in the Premier League, so rare exception Olivier Giroud will have to assert his 6 foot 4 relentlessly if the Emirates outfit are to get their title bid off to a flyer.
The Frenchman isn’t exactly known for snide elbows and robust aerial challenges in typical English centre-forward style but his ability to hold up the ball has always been an integral component of Arsenal’s build-up play and they’ll need more of that service on Sunday.
He’ll likely be up against James Tomkins, who averaged the second-most successful aerial duels per match (4.6) of any Premier League centre-half last season and summer signing Angelo Ogbonna, who will be desperate to demonstrate the quality and experience gained from claiming back-to-back Serie A titles and regularly participating in the Champions League during his spell with Juventus.
Resultantly, Giroud can’t expect to win every ball, although his 3.7 successful aerial duels per-match from last term is certainly impressive. But he needs to occupy Tomkins and Ogbonna as much as possible, persistently challenging their power and dominance in the air, to create space for Arsenal’s potent midfield.
DIMITRI PAYET VS FRANCIS COQUELIN
It remains to be seen how Slaven Bilic plans to utilise £12million signing Dimitri Payet, having proved himself equally adept as a winger and as a No.10 during his decade in Ligue 1.
Indeed, the France international has been predominantly considered a wide man during that time period but racked up a rather incredible 17 assists in a more central role at Marseille last season, which paved the way for his Upton Park move.
But either way, as the most creative force in the Hammers squad, Francis Coquelin’s primary task on Sunday should be to keep Payet out of the game as much as possible – especially on the counter-attack.
Defending on the break has been one of the Gunners’ biggest failings in recent years but the Frenchman appeared to put an end to that last season as he forged a regular role for himself at the base of Arsenal’s midfield.
Whether the 24 year-old’s impressive form was simply a zeitgeist remains to be seen. But Arsene Wenger has placed plenty of faith in the speedy enforcer – rewarding Coquelin with a new contract in February and perhaps most importantly, not signing the big ‘n’ burly holding midfielder that much of the Arsenal fan base continue to crave – and he’ll be keen to repay it with a strong performance on the opening day of Arsenal’s campaign.
MESUT OZIL VS HIS POSITION
There’s no question that Mesut Ozil’s best performances for Arsenal – and indeed, throughout his career – have come in his preferred role of No.10; the position he finally began to look like a £42.2million player in last season after spending the first 18 months of his Emirates tenure dwindling aimlessly on the wing.
But with Alexis Sanchez out injured and the trio of Francis Coquelin, Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey proving to be Arsenal’s most resilient midfield, it’s likely the German World Cup winner will start against West Ham on the left channel in consistency with his selection for the Community Shield last weekend.
Ozil’s never been much of a touchline hugger so the real challenge for him against the Hammers is finding a way of still contributing positively from that left hand-side. He’s certainly got the talent to do so but still hasn’t truly proved it since joining the north Londoners two summers ago.
Injury free, fully rested and now well acquainted with Premier League football, there’s no more excuses for the 26 year-old – this is the season where he needs to start producing the goods on a consistent basis.
DIAFRA SAKHO VS PER MERTESACKER AND LAURENT KOSCIELNY
Diafra Sakho was West Ham’s top scorer in the Premier League last season, netting ten times in 23 appearances, so with strike partners Enner Valencia and Andy Carroll both stuck in the physio room for the foreseeable future, goalscoring responsibilities will be firmly on his shoulders this Sunday.
Whether the Senegal international can sustain that one-in-two strike-rate long term remains to be seen; last season was his first ever in a top flight, having previously represented Metz and scored all of his goals for them in the French second and third tiers, and there was something suspiciously one-season-wonder-esque about his flurry of goals during the 2014/15 campaign.
That being said, Sakho offers plenty of traits that could make him a real handful for Arsenal’s tried and trusted centre-back duo Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker. The former will have to concentrate on the 25 year-old’s penetrative pace, whilst the 6 foot 6 latter must ensure he doesn’t let the striker with the most headed goals in the Premier League last season out of his sight.
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Despite Arsenal’s impressive end to last season, Mertesacker hasn’t quite been at the races since Germany’s World Cup triumphs in Brazil. In my opinion, he’s a weak link the Hammers could exploit.
ALEX OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN VS AARON CRESWELL
With Alexis Sanchez a serious doubt and Danny Welbeck a confirmed absentee, the Gunners will be depending upon stocky and explosive winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to stretch the West Ham backline with some lung-bursting runs on Sunday.
The 21 year-old perhaps goes a little underrated outside of the Emirates; last season he averaged 3.6 successful dribbles per match, which was only bettered throughout the Premier League by Chelsea’s Eden Hazard.
Limited output is probably the England international’s lingering criticism but if his superb strike against Chelsea last weekend, securing the Gunners a second consecutive Community Shield, is anything to go by, he’ll show vast improvements in that department throughout the coming season.
That also suggests he’ll enter the West Ham clash high in confidence and strong in form, so Aaron Cresswell could have a job on to keep Oxlade-Chamberlain in check, especially with right-back Hector Bellerin proving so potent on the overlap since becoming a Gunners regular last season.
That being said, Cresswell is a force in his own right, last season picking up the second-most assists of any player in the Hammers’ squad (4) after the now-departed Stewart Downing.
With Bellerin bombing forward, Oxlade-Chamberlain will need to ensure the Spaniard is covered at all times; the Hammers’ No.3 offers lethal delivery from his left peg and has the potential to produce a match-winning cross if he’s given the time and space to do so.
Sunday July 19, 2015 Start time 1pm (11am, GMT)0:34
‘Focussing on our own strengths’ – Uthappa
Big picture
Whatever rustiness India may have felt in their tour opener last weekend appears to have been well and truly shaken off. Their slick, measured performance in the first Twenty20 suggested they weren’t exactly stretching themselves, and Zimbabwe will need to step up their game enormously if they are to bridge the yawning gulf in experience between the two sides in this format.India charged to 178 on Friday on a pitch that wasn’t entirely conducive to strokeplay, and a slightly less frenetic performance from Zimbabwe’s bowlers could have helped them keep the visitors to a slightly more manageable total. The brevity of this format means that every delivery matters, and for Zimbabwe to gift India 25 extras was unforgivable. After Hamilton Masakadza and Chamu Chibhabha’s steady start to the chase, the middle order wilted with a string of soft dismissals.Their win on Friday made it 4-0 to India on the tour, and everything has gone to plan for them. In each match, someone has performed with both bat and ball, and they’ve also blooded a number of uncapped players. India are clear favourites and will also not want to blot their copybook with a slip-up in the final match.Zimbabwe’s inexperience in this format was clearly evidenced by their approach to the chase in the first game, in which their dot-ball percentage was 50%. Against tight bowling, on a pitch that didn’t immediately lend itself to aggressive batting, they were found wanting and this will be a key area for them to improve upon.
Form guide
(Last five completed matches, most recent first) Zimbabwe: LLLWW India: WLLWW
In the spotlight
It’s hard to believe now, but there was a time early in Hamilton Masakadza‘s career when he was considered too sedentary for limited-overs cricket. He’s yet to make a real impact in this series though, and Zimbabwe need Mount Masakadza to erupt at the top of the order if they are to take the pressure off their middle order and challenge India.Robin Uthappa‘s returns on this tour have been increasing with each outing, and though his innings in the first T20 match was less than explosive, it was the adhesive that held India’s lower order together. Given his position at No. 3 and the fact that he seemed to come to terms with the pitch and conditions quickly, he may be the key player to bat through and set up another big total.
Team news
Zimbabwe’s top six should be settled for the second match, although Craig Ervine is the sort of batsman who would probably be better utilised up the order. Offspinner John Nyumbu is the only man in the squad not to have played a game yet during India’s visit, and given the slowness of the pitch, and his control as a bowler, he could be a good pick.Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Chamu Chibhabha, 2 Hamilton Masakadza, 3 Craig Ervine, 4 Elton Chigumbura (captain), 5 Charles Coventry (wk), 6 Sikandar Raza, 7 Graeme Cremer, 8 Prosper Utseya, 9 Neville Madzia, 10 John Nyumbu, 11 Chris Mpofu.Such was India’s dominance in the first T20 that they will probably feel safe giving a chance to a sixth debutant in Sanju Samson, who came in for the injured Ambati Rayudu.India (probable): 1 Ajinkya Rahane (captain), 2 M Vijay, 3 Robin Uthappa, 4 Manish Pandey, 5 Kedar Jadhav/Sanju Samson, 6 Stuart Binny, 7 Harbhajan Singh, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Mohit Sharma, 10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 11 Sandeep Sharma.
Pitch and conditions
The pitch being used for this game is the same one used in the second ODI, and though it will have had a week to recover from that match, one can expect it to behave sluggishly. While the Dukes ball has offered some movement through the air to the quicks throughout, the pitches have played slow and low in the afternoon, and Sunday should be no different. Expect another bright, sunny day.
Stats and trivia
Hamilton Masakadza is Zimbabwe’s leading runscorer in T20 internationals, with 943 runs, including seven fifties, in the format.
India’s 178 for 5 was the fourth highest T20I total scored at Harare Sports Club. At the top of the pile is Pakistan’s 198 for 4 scored four years ago.
Axar Patel is now India’s leading wicket-taker on this tour, with eight scalps at an average of 17.13 in four matches across two formats.
Quotes
“You’re already basically cooked when you’re coming in here, so you’re ready for it.” “Not many people will expect us to win, but if we go out there with the attitude that we have everything to gain I think we will come out with a victory.” .
The WACA Ground will no longer host international matches featuring England, India or South Africa from 2018-19, with all major internationals set to move to the new Perth Stadium. Under a plan announced by the Western Australian Cricket Association (WACA) on Thursday, the WACA Ground will become a boutique venue that will host only the countries that draw smaller crowds.Sheffield Shield cricket and domestic limited-overs games will also stay at the WACA Ground, but Big Bash League matches will shift to the Perth Stadium at Burswood, which is expected to be completed by early 2018. The proposed timeline means that 2017-18 might be the last time an Ashes Test is held at the WACA.Since the ground debuted as a Test venue in 1970, Australia have won 24 of 41 Tests at the WACA, which has been famous for the pace of its pitches. Drop-in pitches will be used at the new stadium, with the aim to replicate as closely as possible the pace and bounce characteristic of the WACA Ground.The announcement of the new plans comes just two days after former fast-bowling great Dennis Lillee quit his role as president of the WACA. It is believed Lillee wanted all major international matches to remain at the WACA Ground.The future of the WACA Ground has been the source of great concern for some years. Unlike the MCG, SCG, Gabba and Adelaide Oval, the WACA Ground does not host any sports besides cricket, which has made it difficult to remain financially viable. A plan to generate income by constructing commercial and residential buildings on site at the WACA Ground was abandoned in 2013 due to poor sales.The WACA Ground has also been in need of an upgrade to its facilities, one of the reasons it was not chosen to host a Test match last summer when only four Tests were played against India. The WACA is hopeful of receiving state funding for an upgrade given its agreement to become a complementary venue to the Perth Stadium, rather than a competitor.”The recommendations will see growth of cricket at all levels from grassroots to the elite,” WACA chairman Sam Gannon said. “We now have the opportunity to showcase the best of world and domestic cricket at two modern stadiums, providing players and spectators with facilities expected for modern sport.”Cricket patrons in Western Australia acknowledge that the WACA Ground facilities need improving and the WACA board has committed to a clear framework to invest in upgrades and ensure the ongoing viability of the WACA Ground and cricket in Western Australia.”By adopting the recommendations, the board and management have a clear direction for taking cricket forward. The next stage will be about bringing that vision to reality by refining the structural requirements of the ground, developing a staged building program and securing the funding.”Under the plan, the WACA Ground will become a boutique stadium with a capacity of 10,000 to 15,000, while the Perth Stadium will hold 55,000 to 60,000 spectators. Four drop-in pitches will be used at the new Perth Stadium.”Prototypes of the drop-ins are being developed with the same soil, clay and grass profile as the existing wickets at the WACA Ground,” the WACA’s report said. “The prototype wickets will be placed in the ground at the centre of Gloucester Park and the WACA turf team will be responsible for developing them.”In addition, at the appropriate time in the maturation process, Warriors players will bowl and bat on them to provide player feedback before the actual wickets are developed. To assist with the development of the wickets Cricket Australia has engaged the former curator at the MCG who is the most experienced in the country in drop-in wicket technology.”Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said the new structure for cricket in Western Australia had the support of CA.”The strategy for Australian cricket is all about putting fans first and that’s exactly what this move will do,” Sutherland said. “It will provide cricket with world-class facilities for patrons and players and further strengthen our position as Australia’s favourite sport.”
Karnataka have begun to alternate wicketkeeping duties between Robin Uthappa and CM Gautam at the behest of KSCA secretary Brijesh Patel to facilitate Uthappa’s return to international cricket as a wicketkeeper-batsman. The decision, which gave Karnataka’s batting coach J Arun Kumar “sleepless nights”, has come as a challenge for Gautam, who has found the switch between keeping and fielding “irritating.”Gautam kept wicket in Karnataka’s opening game against Assam in Guwahati, but Uthappa kept against Bengal. Gautam was back as keeper in the first innings against Vidarbha, but Uthappa took over in the second.Karnataka captain Vinay Kumar had said before the start of the Vidarbha game that it was Uthappa’s call to keep wicket, and Arun Kumar confirmed that was the case.”It was not a strategy but it was just the interest of Robin Uthappa trying to play for the country as a wicketkeeper batsman after Dhoni has retired,” Arun Kumar told ESPNcricinfo. “We took it to Mr. Brijesh Patel also, and Brijesh Patel took the decision that now let them alternate keeping. Even it was beyond my comprehension, but we still went to Brijesh and he said share the duty.”Gautam had said during the Vidarbha match that he did not have a choice in the matter, and later said that flitting between the roles of a keeper and a fielder was hard. “It is irritating because on and off keeping is not that easy also because I have to focus on my fielding,” Gautam told ESPNcricinfo. “It’s a new challenge for me because I haven’t done this for the past seven years.”Arun Kumar said it was hard for him to strike a balance between the interests of an individual and a team. “I am [in] a bit of a tight spot, to be honest. It’s not an easy thing for me convince both of them. It took a lot of sleepless nights for me to decide on this.””Obviously CM Gautam was really hurt, and then I explained to him that people know you are a good keeper. You don’t have to prove anything. The selectors know apart from [Wriddhiman] Saha you are the best keeper in the country.”Same thing to Robin also. He has kept in IPL and people know he is a good keeper. Both of them will have to get 1000 runs a season to break into the India side, as simple as that.”According to Arun Kumar, a slightly revised arrangement will now have Gautam keeping in the first innings before making way for Uthappa in the second. “Basically Robin wants to keep in touch with keeping, CM is a professional keeper. For Robin to keep in touch even in the second innings is good as long as he gets every match.”So I thought the logical way to do it is that let CM keep in the first, Robin in the second so that we are fair to both of them. Now we have come down to this and both are happy now.”Arun Kumar said Gautam was deliberately stationed at first slip next to Uthappa to bridge any communication gap. “I want both of them to talk to each other, understand each other better than keeping somebody away,” he said. “If it’s filled up with a lot of silence then you don’t know what’s running in each other’s mind.”As a coach of a very confident team, a very understanding team, we are like a family. Obviously there will be a lot of quarrels and misunderstandings in the family, but it’s my duty as a coach to set everything right. So, it’s a healthy competition going on. They have no animosity between them.”Gautam said he did not want to dwell on it. “I don’t really want to think too much and get frustrated over the issue. I want to focus on my cricket. End of the day, I want Karnataka want to win. I always played for that. Whether I play for India or not, I ultimately want my team to win. So, whatever they feel comfortable or happy with, I will go by that.”
Vidarbha captain S Badrinath, who had hurt himself in the afternoon after landing heavily on his knee in an attempt to take a catch offered by Manish Pandey, said the injury was nothing more than a “bruise and contusion”. However, he said, he will wait till Friday morning to decide on whether he continues to field. “Hopefully, I will take the field tomorrow. I will take a call tomorrow morning.”
On a day when neither team owned bragging rights – though Vidarbha might believe they have a slight edge – there was heavy emphasis on the need for patience from players on both sides. Patience, on a surface which neither side has completely worked out yet.While CM Gautam, the unbeaten Karnataka batsman from today, repeatedly spoke about its sluggish nature, Vidarbha’s left-arm seamer Ravikumar Thakur, who removed Manish Pandey and Karun Nair late in the day, admitted to misreading the surface.”It looked green, so that must have prompted the captain to field,” Thakur said, explaining the rationale behind bowling first. “We thought there was grass on the wicket and we could get two or three early wickets in the first session. But you can’t predict the wicket.”Gautam, too, suggested that despite the early movement there wasn’t any pace on the track. “The wicket is a bit on the slower side, spongy bounce,” he said. “Because there was a bit of movement early on and the wicket was on slower side, we thought till lunch we will just play out without losing any wickets, but we lost two wickets.”Gautam said the approach of Pandey and Nair was ideal in such conditions. “I think they batted beautifully. They took their own time. They got used to the wicket. Initially they were playing little slow.”The wicket is on slower side, so stroke-play is not that easy, that’s the reason Manish and Karun, who are stroke-players, took their own time to get used to the wicket and the bowlers. “Gautam said a score in the range of 450 to 500 will be good, and it was “unfortunate” his team lost three wickets in roughly the last ten overs. Karnataka slipped first from 266 to 3 to 267 for 5, and then lost Shreyas Gopal in the last over to end the day on 298 for 6.”It was unfortunate losing three wickets in the last 10 overs. At the same time cricket is played like that. Suddenly you lose two or three wickets. It’s all about how you recover in the morning tomorrow,” he said.Thakur said Vidarbha’s game plan was centred around patience, but he rued the fact that they weren’t economical enough.”The plan was to bowl a good line and length, area [bowl in the right areas] and focus on ourselves because the wicket didn’t act like a green top,” he said. “We wanted to remain patient and wait for the wickets to fall. In that process our bowlers did leak a few runs – we conceded 30 more than we wanted to.”
ScorecardFile photo: Paras Dogra drilled 14 fours and seven sixes during his unbeaten 174•ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Paras Dogra’s third consecutive hundred-plus score lifted Himachal Pradesh to a dominant 352 for 4 on the first day against Services in Dharamsala. Dogra, who hit 167 and 209* in his last two matches, helped his team recover from a shaky start by batting for 75 overs to make a brisk 174, with 14 fours and seven sixes. Dogra first added 59 for the fourth wicket with Robin Bist, before combining with Nikhil Gangta for an unbroken fifth-wicket association which yielded 203 runs. Gangta was unbeaten on 93 when stumps were called. Diwesh Pathania took 3 for 66 for Services. ScorecardHalf-centuries from Rohan Prem and Sachin Baby helped Kerala recover from a slow start against Tripura in Malappuram to post 223 for 4. Kerala, after choosing to bat, stumbled to 36 for 3 inside 19 overs. However, Prem and Baby counterattacked by putting together 137 runs in 52.3 overs. Baby eventually fell for 70 towards the end of the day, but Prem remained unbeaten on 94, with five fours and two sixes. Tripura’s offspinner returned figures of 2 for 71 from 34 overs. ScorecardDarshan Misal scored his maiden first-class ton, but three-wicket hauls from medium-pacer Saurya Sanandiya and left-arm spinner Dharmendrasinh Jadeja meant Goa were bowled out for 239 against Saurashtra in Rajkot. Goa, opting to bat, lost wickets at regular intervals and only the efforts of Misal and Rituraj Singh, who scored 45, rescued the innings. The pair combined for a 71-run partnership, helping the team to the 200-run mark. However, no other batsman chipped in with a knock of substance, as Misal was left stranded unbeaten on 106, with his team folding in 84 overs. Sanandiya took 3 for 51 to dismiss the top order, while Jadeja’s 3 for 41 wrecked Goa’s middle and lower order. Saurashtra batted out one over in their innings without any damage before stumps were called. ScorecardIshan Kishan and Anand Singh both raised centuries in Jamshedpur, as Jharkhand piled on the runs against Jammu & Kashmir, making 304 for 3 by stumps. Jharkhand, opting to bat, lost their opener Shiv Gautam off the first over of the match, but Kishan and Anand strung together a 189-run partnership in 44.2 overs. Kishan was the more aggressive of the two, striking 109 off 124 balls with 17 fours and a six, but was eventually dismissed by the medium-pacer Rohit Sharma. Anand, however, carried on to make a patient 124, with 19 fours and a six. Anand was stumped by Parvez Rasool towards the end of the day, but Saurabh Tiwary’s unbeaten 52 guided Jharkhand past 300.
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAngelo Mathews was unbeaten on 63 when rain ended play•Getty Images
“This is as green as it gets,” said former New Zealand batsman Craig Cumming of the Seddon Park pitch. The seam and swing on offer was far from unplayable, though, and through a combination of enterprising batting, impatient bowling and some luck, Sri Lanka made 264 in the day at a run rate of just under four an over before rain ended play at 4.30 pm.Sri Lanka combated the conditions with aggression. They had been submissive on an easier surface in Dunedin but today they stood up to New Zealand, lashing the swinging ball through the off side and pulling short deliveries instead of weaving and ducking. Kusal Mendis set the pace, Dinesh Chandimal accelerated, and when the innings was in danger of unravelling because of that aggression, Angelo Mathews tempered it to suitable levels. Once Mathews and Milinda Siriwardana had settled, however, they produced the strongest partnership of the innings, adding 138 runs at 4.60 an over.Until three quick wickets in the final session gave New Zealand acceptable returns, the day had defied popular perceptions after Brendon McCullum began his 99th successive Test – a new record for consecutive matches from debut – by giving his attack first use of the grassy surface in Hamilton.Trent Boult, in particular, and Tim Southee tried too hard – looking to swing the new ball prodigiously when a McGrath-like line would have sufficed – and were not on a good length around off stump often enough. Ross Taylor dropped a catch at slip; McCullum failed to nail two run-out chances; Doug Bracewell hit the stumps but the bails didn’t fall. Mendis was the beneficiary each time. Several other edges did not go to hand, and New Zealand also exhausted their reviews on lbw appeals – against Dimuth Karunaratne and Dinesh Chandimal – inside the first 16 overs.Southee got it right either side of the first drinks break, his outswingers drawing the inside edge from Dimuth Karunaratne and the outside edge from Mendis. The wicketkeeper BJ Watling caught both, adding to his nine dismissals in the first Test.Sri Lanka were 44 for 2 when Chandimal edged his first delivery through the cordon for four. He then launched his counterattack. An over from Bracewell featured smooth drives down the ground and through cover, and a fierce cut over point. It read: 2,2,4,4, dot, 4. Chandimal laid into Neil Wagner too, lofting over mid-off, driving through and carving over cover.Udara Jayasundera, playing only his second Test, was also aggressive. He flicked and pulled the left-armers Boult and Wagner, and his aggression against the short ball was a sea change from how he had struggled against it Dunedin.Sri Lanka’s advantageous position of 108 for 2 eroded quickly after lunch, though. Jayasundera was run out attempting a second that Chandimal did not want, and Chandimal added only six runs to his lunch score of 41 before being caught behind playing the cover drive against Bracewell. They had added 71 at 4.43 an over.Having taken two wickets for 13 runs, McCullum tried to subdue Sri Lanka once again. Wagner began his short-ball attack with a leg gully, backward short leg and a long leg. Mathews and Siriwardana pulled when they could, middling some balls, top-edging others over the keeper for six. They were watchful too, mindful of the long tail after them, but refused to be beaten into stagnation.Having scored 90 runs in the second session, Sri Lanka turned it on after tea. Siriwardene and Mathews charged the left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner, who had bowled so economically in Dunedin, and hit him repeatedly over the long-on boundary. One of those sixes brought up the 100 stand in 22.4 overs and Mathews’ fifty off 87 balls. They went after Bracewell too, not allowing him to perform his controlling role. Siriwardene pulled for a flat six, and then caressed the ball through the covers to bring up his fifty.Hamilton had been sunny in the morning but as it began to cloud over after tea, the ball began to hoop once again. Boult repaired his figures with a double-strike in an over, his movement away from Siriwardene resulting in an edge to slip, where Taylor juggled but caught it. Three balls later, Kithuruwan Vithanage closed the face too early and the leading edge was taken low by McCullum diving forward at mid-off.Sri Lanka suffered another run out before the day ended, when Mathews called for a risky single towards cover. Williamson swooped on the ball from gully and his direct hit dismissed Herath. Losing three wickets for five runs just before the rain was a blight on an otherwise spirited performance from a young visiting side in tough conditions.