All posts by h716a5.icu

Steve O’Keefe’s nightmarish start to the season has escalated further, with a broken finger ruling the New South Wales and Australia left-arm spinner out of the Matador Cup

Daniel Brettig06-Oct-2016Steve O’Keefe’s nightmarish start to the season has escalated further, with a broken finger ruling the New South Wales and Australia left-arm spinner out of the Matador Cup.The injury took place in a Sydney grade match before the domestic limited-overs tournament began, when O’Keefe went for a catch while playing for Manly-Warringah. O’Keefe had only recently returned to playing after a hamstring injury had ruled him out of the Test tour of Sri Lanka midway through the first match of the series at Pallekele.On his return home, O’Keefe was fined $10,000 by NSW after being handed an infringement notice by NSW police for offensive behaviour and refusing to leave the premises of a Manly pub. The NSW coach Trent Johnston summed up a tough period for O’Keefe, who remains in the forefront of the national selectors’ minds for next year’s Test tour of India.”It’s hugely disappointing for him,” Johnston said. “He had overcome the injury that ruled him out of the Sri Lanka tour and was back to full fitness and enjoying his cricket. Sokkie will come back, he’ll keep working on his fitness and be in and around our group as an experienced player.”Ben Rohrer, the left-handed batsman who initially missed selection for the Blues’ squad, has replaced O’Keefe for the tournament after some impressive displays in recent weeks.”Rohrs had a slow start to preseason with a couple of injuries,” Johnston said. “He never got a chance to bat in the middle and missed out on our Maroochydore pre-season camp. It was a difficult decision to leave him out, especially with his experience.”He came back though, as the true professional that he is, and got a double-century in a 50-over Premier Cricket game and a 90 in an intra-squad trial so he just proved to us that he hasn’t gone anywhere.”Another man who may benefit from O’Keefe’s absence is Chris Green, the young offspinner who may now find himself bowling in tandem with Nathan Lyon.

Everton could look to improve their squad once again this summer after another troubling relegation scrap in the Premier League – and a potential transfer target has been identified.

What’s the latest on Everton’s interest in Ryan Kent?

According to TuttoMercatoWeb, Everton have joined the race to sign Rangers forward Ryan Kent.

As per the report, the Toffees are joined by Fenerbahce, Bologna and Udinese in their interest of snapping up the services of the out-of-contract star this summer.

Would Ryan Kent be a good fit for Everton?

There is no doubt that the attacking threat has suffered since the departure of Richarlison and Anthony Gordon, but the signing of Kent could be the perfect opportunity to add much-needed quality.

Only Wolverhampton Wanderers and Southampton have scored fewer goals (33) than Everton this season, which has been a huge contributor to the struggles that the club have faced.

Should Sean Dyche secure survival this weekend, it must be the highest priority to improve the consistency in front of goal and Kent could be the answer.

Over 29 league appearances, the 26-year-old winger – hailed a "big-game player" by journalist Andrew Dickson – has scored three goals, delivered eight assists and created nine big chances, as well as averaging 2.1 shots on goal, 1.9 successful dribbles and 2.2 key passes per game, proving he is a huge presence on the pitch.

In fact, Farhad Moshiri could seal another rare transfer masterclass similar to the Demarai Gray deal that saw the club bring in the winger for just £1.7m, as Kent will be available on a free transfer and cost the club nothing to acquire beyond his salary.

It is no secret that Everton are facing more than just relegation worry this season, as the Merseyside club are reportedly under investigation for Financial Fair Play breaches at present, so it is likely they will need to be much more careful with their spending in the summer.

With that being said, harnessing a deal for Kent makes a lot of sense considering their desperate need for improvements in front of goal and will ensure they can add depth without putting more pressure on their bleak financial situation.

Kane Williamson’s men are a happy bunch who have shown they have what it takes to reach the summit, while South Africa are caught in the mire of selection criteria politics and struggling with players past their prime

Firdose Moonda17-Aug-2016So this is what it feels like to be the Springboks and the All Blacks. Sort of.New Zealand’s cricketers are not quite the out and out favourites their rugby counterparts are. No matter who they are playing, they hold the advantage going into this series.They have never been ranked higher than South Africa, but as of Wednesday afternoon, sit two places above them. Eyeing a first series win over South Africa is not merely fanciful. By the end of this month, it could become reality. Who would have thought?When these fixtures were announced on November 3, 2015, they did not promise anything particularly eye-catching. South Arica were still ranked No.1. Hashim Amla was still Test captain. There was still hope that the busiest summer South Africa have had in years would also be their most successful. New Zealand were, well, New Zealand. Languishing in the mid-table. Beaten inside four days and by an innings in both Tests the last time they visited South Africa. Being crushed by Australia at the time these matches were announced.The alarm bells that should have sounded in South African minds were mute. They did not ring with news that New Zealand had gone for two-and-a-half years before that unbeaten, that they had home wins over India and Sri Lanka, an away win in the West Indies and a draw with Pakistan in the UAE. They also did not bring out the truth that Test cricket has never been played in South Africa in August, and that a team notorious for starting slow may not want to experiment with fixtures at a time when conditions could make home advantage a moot point. It was only New Zealand. Only.”They are a happy team,” Russell Domingo said of them, with a heaviness to the words that almost added, “once, we were happy too.” In essence, that, more than recent results is the difference between New Zealand and South Africa now. Having spent the last three weeks watching them in Zimbabwe, I was struck by how much they reminded me of Graeme Smith’s South African team at their peak.This New Zealand squad all speak the same language, literally. Close your eyes at a press conference and you will think they have sent the same person every day. That person talks about patience, which sounds quite similar to the Smith team’s focus on processes. That person talks about concentrating on their own game and not getting caught up in what the opposition is doing or saying which is exactly how Smith’s men rose to the top. That person talks about continually improving, not merely climbing a ladder that will eventually reach a ceiling; Smith’s team were at the top of the ladder and New Zealand may be interested to learn that the only direction from there is down. But before New Zealand worry about that, they have to summit and they seem to have what it takes.Kane Williamson does not have the brashness of Smith, but in his own way, he is bold, especially in deed. He bats with the same purpose Smith did, and when he talks, you get the sense people listen. Like Smith, he seems much older than he really is, and, as a result, his focus is intense. Like Smith, he does not operate alone.Together with Ross Taylor and Martin Guptill, he forms the experience in the New Zealand line-up, while allowing Tom Latham and BJ Watling to come through to play the promising youngster roles. Smith had that in the form of Jacques Kallis, and Amla, AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis were the energisers.

Beyond the rights, wrongs and reasons for this intervention – and there are many – there are the effects, and the biggest one is that it creates an us and them

New Zealand have the varied pace attack South Africa had with swing and seam. Tim Southee and Trent Boult find movement, Neil Wagner provides bounce, and Doug Bracewell and Matt Henry are waiting to play. South Africa had Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander, Morne Morkel, and back-up included Kyle Abbott and Rory Kleinveldt. Three of those five are playing in this series – Morkel is out with injury and Kleinveldt has settled on the county scene – but there are concerns that they have passed their glory days.That applies to South Africa as a whole. Six of South Africa’s crop are over 30, and all of them are essential to the XI. Du Plessis, Amla, Steyn, Philander, Duminy and opening batsmen Stephen Cook are the senior players and all are expected to be part of the starting XI. Only four New Zealanders are into their 30s, and one – Luke Ronchi, who is 35, sat out the Zimbabwe Tests. When New Zealand call themselves a young side, they are right, especially as their youngsters still have many years in the game.Among them are Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner, who offer two of the three spin bowling disciplines in a squad that covers all bases. Mark Craig, the offspinner, is the third option. Even at their best, a champion spinner is something South Africa never had, with Imran Tahir and Robin Peterson always operating in the shadows of the pace attack. Recently, Dane Piedt has emerged, and he could become part of South Africa’s new wave, which still needs to gather much momentum before it can consider itself worthy. And playing New Zealand may not help.Personnel aside, what makes New Zealand happy is what used to make South Africa happy: that they could play with freedom. New Zealand are not beholden to government policy or higher authorities, and although South Africa have always been answerable to some extent, never before has the spotlight on the politics of sport shone harsher.This is the first series which will be played since CSA confirmed the introduction of a selection target into the national side which will dictate the number of players of colour to be picked in each XI. The specifics of the policy have not been discussed, not even with Domingo who said he had received no instructions five days before the series, but they will come.Beyond the rights, wrongs and reasons for this intervention – and there are many – there are the effects, and the biggest one is that it creates an us and them. Even players like Amla, whose spot in the team has remained certain for years, will now be part of the numbers that make up the target. The obvious consequence is insecurity.A player like JP Duminy, whose poor run saw him dropped from the Newlands Test against England earlier this year, may end up wondering whether his recall was because of the double hundred he scored for his franchise Cape Cobras, or because of his colour. And the opposite will hold true too. If Wayne Parnell is picked ahead of Chris Morris, Morris may wonder if he was left out because of team balance or target balance.And the worst part is that this is not as conclusive as wondering if a player is good enough. Everyone in the squad is good enough. It is more about whether the horses-for-courses approach most selection policies, including New Zealand’s, are based on will have to be abandoned in favour of an approach which considers the selection target before anything else.The South African sporting system itself is at a crossroads with teams from various codes under pressure to increase their pace of transformation. The Springboks are in almost exactly the same place as their cricket counterparts ahead of this weekend when the Rugby Championship starts, but it will be another four weeks before they play the All Blacks. For now, the tension is on the cricket pitch.

FICA is threatening legal action against the Masters Champions League, a T20 tournament for retired players, over non-payment of dues following its inaugural season earlier this year

George Dobell15-Jul-2016The Federation of International Cricketers’ Association (FICA) is threatening legal action against the Masters Champions League (MCL), a T20 tournament for retired players, over non-payment of dues following its inaugural season earlier this year.The MCL was intended to be staged over the next two years as well, but with FICA now threatening litigation on behalf of up to 50 players over what they term “the systematic non-payment of players,” and questioning the integrity of the tournaments organisers, the MCL could turn out to be a one-off event.Confirming the players’ intention to sue the organisers, GM Sports whose parent company is chaired by Zafar Shah, for unpaid fees, Tony Irish, the executive chairman of FICA, also called for the formation of “an an international dispute resolution body and contract enforcement mechanism in cricket.””It’s pretty obvious the organisers of the MCL have lost credibility,” Irish told ESPNcricinfo. “The failure to honour contracts sends a strong message. It is not a straightforward process to bring legal action, but we ensured there were proper player contracts in place and we are looking to coordinate a class action on behalf of 40 or 50 players.”We have given the organisers several deadlines and these have not been met. If they want to hold an event next year, they have a lot of ground to make-up. I think players will look at what happened in the first year and draw their own conclusions.”Despite several undertakings from Mr Shah that outstanding player payments would be made, under a payment plan proposed by MCL, many players have still not received payments due to them several months after the event. Some players have received less than 25% of their fee for an event that finished in February.”It’s also extremely disappointing that the event organisers have now taken to simply ignoring attempts by FICA, players and player agents to address the situation.”The MCL was beset with issues from the start. Struggling to define what constituted “retired” to the satisfaction of some Full Members boards, some players were withdrawn from the event after playing the initial games without No Objection Certificates.The cricket boards of Pakistan, South Africa and West Indies, were especially upset as they suggested the league, taking place at the same time as their own domestic events, threated to weaken their competitions and was attracting players who had no intention of retiring.While broadcast audiences were not insignificant, the rights had – in the vast majority of territories and on the vast majority of platforms – been given away for between two and three years in order to develop interest in the tournament. For that reason, it raised little revenue in the first year and promises to raise little more if held again.Complaints from players about non-payment began as soon as they gathered in Dubai for the first matches. Having been promised payment on arrival, there were various threats made to pull out of games only for an agreement to be reached at the last minute. ESPNcricinfo understands that some players were paid little over 10% of what they were promised, with others paid 25% and many paid 50%.While ESPNcricinfo understands that at least three of the six teams involved in the inaugural event did not have a clear ownership structure – franchise papers had not been signed – there is little disputing who is responsible for the payments. The terms of the player contracts state that the organisers, GM Sports, guaranteed to underwrite all agreements.GM Sports, a subsidiary of Grand Midwest Hotels, is owned by Zafar Shah. He declined to comment when contacted by ESPNcricinfo though he has previously given assurances that all payments will be made and that he is waiting for payment from sponsors and team owners. It is understood there is also an on-going attempt to refinance the league ahead of a second season.”We want to see an opportunity for such leagues and we want to see more opportunities for players,” Irish continued. “And that’s why we helped draw-up these contracts and put in place the anti-corruption safeguards you would expect at major events. We wanted to see that everything was done properly. So we feel the set-up of the event was not a worry. The problems have occurred when it has come to payment and, under the terms of the contracts, GM are responsible.”Systematic breaches of professional player contracts in cricket, such as this, are unacceptable. The MCL was an approved cricket event, under the jurisdiction of the Emirates Cricket Board.”As part of the ongoing work on the global structure of the game, we will be proposing an international dispute resolution body, and contract enforcement mechanism in cricket. Players, boards, clubs and leagues would all benefit from such a mechanism.”Some suppliers complained the ICC also failed to conduct due diligence into the event before authorising it. While the ICC said that it was the responsibility of the Emirates Cricket Board to grant such authorisation, they appear to be at odds with their own criteria (Section 32 of the ICC operating manual) which suggests that: “The ICC will decide whether or not a match or event is approved where: the match or event is taking place in the territory of an Associate or Affiliate Member, and does not involve any team that is under the jurisdiction of a Full Member.”Clive Hitchcock, the ICC’s senior operation manager, also appeared to tacitly admit to having approved the tournament in an email sent to boards in January. In it, he stated: “Our decision not to issue a Disapproved Notice was based on the application from MCL which clearly stated that it was an event for retired players only.”

Liverpool are eyeing sweeping changes on the transfer market this summer, and manager Jurgen Klopp has reportedly earmarked Inter Milan maestro Nicolo Barella as his prime target.

What's the latest on Nicolo Barella to Liverpool?

According to Inter Live, the Reds' German boss is desperate to secure the signing of Italy international Barella, with his outfit looking for a sum of €80m (£69m) to prise him away from Milano.

Indeed, it's stated that Klopp 'talks about it constantly' and has even asked the owners, FSG, to help complete a move.

This follows previous claims from La Gazzetta dello Sport that the 26-year-old is searching for a new footballing project amid financial difficulties that leave I Nerazzurri resigned to cashing in lucratively on several standout stars.

Three first-team midfielders have been confirmed to be departing Anfield in several weeks, and having endured a dismal campaign that leaves the club clawing for top four in the closing weeks, someone of Barella's ilk could have the transformative effect necessary to return to the top.

Should Liverpool sign Nicolo Barella?

The Premier League giants have not been at the races for the majority of the 22/23 campaign, ending the season without silverware – barring the Community Shield – after clinching the FA Cup and Carabao Cup last term in the unsuccessful pursuit of a historic quadruple.

The mass midfield exodus underscores the area for investment, with analytical reports illuminating the Anfield centre's woes, unable to protect the defence and sapped of its former intensity.

Despite this, a seven-match winning streak in the top-flight leaves Klopp's team poised to pounce on any mishaps of Newcastle United or Manchester United in the closing weeks, and regardless of whether top four is achieved, the robustness is back and calling for a fresh face to cement the new vigour.

Cue Barella. The Euro 2020 champion has forged 182 appearances for Inter and played a central role in winning the Scudetto and Coppa Italia, perhaps gleaning the crème de la crème in just a few weeks, Inter awaiting Manchester City in the Champions League final.

Contracted until 2026, the "extraordinary" gem – as hailed by former Cagliari coach Rolando Maran – ranks among the top 10% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 13% for rate of assists, the top 8% for shot-creating actions, the top 19% for progressive passes and the top 10% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.

What this effectively means is that not only is he prolific both as a goal-scoring threat and a creative component, but he can also flourish from deep, with flowing passes finding offensive peers in danger areas, also adept in carrying the ball up-field himself, where he can then affect the game directly.

Klopp knows a thing or two about harnessing the skills of cultured operators, and with the £157k-per-week phenom bearing a discernible semblance to the 55-year-old's former Borussia Dortmund engine, Ilkay Gundogan, it might just be a match made in heaven.

Gundogan made 117 displays under Klopp's wing, winning the Bundesliga and DFB Pokal, before joining Pep Guardiola's Man City in 2016 for £21m, where he has won countless major honours and been hailed as "intelligent" and "the whole" package by his Spaniard manager.

Seemingly the man of the moment in European football, having scored four goals and registered two assists in his last five outings, the German ranks among the top 2% of midfielders for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 15% for shot-creating actions, the top 18% for progressive passes and the top 21% for progressive carries.

Evidently boasting plenty of similarities to Barella, the 32-year-old has been a centrepiece to one of the most illustrious squads in Premier League history.

If Liverpool's Italian target can emulate that on Merseyside, fruitful fortunes may lay ahead for Anfield and all affiliated.

Misbah-ul-Haq said that Pakistan could not cope with England’s mastery or reverse swing on the final day at Edgbaston

George Dobell07-Aug-2016Misbah-ul-Haq has admitted his batsmen did not have “any clue” how to handle the reverse swing generated by the England bowlers on the final day at Edgbaston.Pakistan lost four wickets for one run in mid-afternoon as England’s seamers transformed conditions that Misbah described as “easy” before lunch to those which they “could not handle”.It lead Misbah to suggest, with tongue in cheek, that Pakistan might have to think about sending their young bowlers to England to learn how to master the art of reverse swinging the ball; an irony considering it was Pakistan bowlers who perfected the art and England, for many years, were tortured by it.”Until lunch it was easy,” Misbah said. “But after lunch they got it reversing and we were not having any clue. We were trying to cope with it, but we could not handle it.”Anderson and Broad are used to these conditions. They are really experienced. Full credit to England for the way they fought back after we had a lead of more than 100.”I think we’ll just have to send someone to learn from England now how they’re reversing this ball. We could not do it even on the fourth day. I think they are really doing it well.”While Alastair Cook rated the victory as one of his most pleasing as England captain, he dismissed the possibility that England could reach No. 1 in the Test rankings over the next few weeks as “an irrelevance.”It is possible that, if England win the final Test and India do not win against West Indies, that England could reach the top spot. But Cook feels his side are still a couple of years from their peak and seems to regard the landmark as something of a distraction at present.”If we become number one there, that’s fantastic,” Cook said. “But it will be a bit of an irrelevance, because this side has still got much further to go.”If we do win at The Oval, I wouldn’t say we are anywhere near our potential. I thought that might come in a couple of years’ time.”Cook was especially pleased by the nature of the win bearing in mind that nobody in his side scored a century or claimed a five-wicket haul. Instead it was an impressive team performance with all five of his frontline bowlers claiming two wickets in the second innings – including Steven Finn, who bowled with hostility and claimed his first wickets of the series – while all seven batsmen contributed decent scores. England were not reliant on one or two outstanding individuals.”Everyone will be in the dressing-room feeling proud to be part of the team and feeling like they contributed,” Cook said. “That doesn’t always happen.”In an absolutely ideal world, I thought there were hundreds left out there. But everyone responded, and I think this side might have just toughened up a little bit. It was hard in the second innings. We weren’t scoring any runs, but everyone dug in.”But Cook refuted Misbah’s suggestion that the reverse swing was lavish and instead suggested it was his bowlers’ skill that magnified the small amount of assistance they gained.”We bowled brilliantly,” he said. “It reverse-swung a little bit. I don’t think it did it massively. It just did enough and if it does a bit either way, Jimmy and Stuart are very good.”Misbah could at least take some consolation in the emergence of Sami Aslam. The 20-year-old responded to his surprise call-up – this was his first first-class game of the year – by scoring 152 runs in the match and looking a player with the technique and temperament to enjoy a long career at this level.But he admitted the balance of the Pakistan side – with just four bowlers carrying a heavy burden – was putting them at a disadvantage and highlighted England’s all-rounders as a key difference between the sides”Sami looks a compact player and has shown great temperament,” Misbah said. “I am happy that he did well against such type of bowling: experienced bowlers in their own conditions. The way he handled the pressure was good to see. It’s good to find this sort of opener for Pakistan.”But having just four bowlers is a problem. We used to have Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik who could bowl, but here we don’t have that option now.”England have Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes. Here Yasir Shah carries a tremendous load and this is a problem for us.”

Napoli manager Luciano Spalletti is concerned about losing centre-back Kim Min-jae to Chelsea this summer, so much so he has called a crisis meeting with club president Aurelio De Laurentiis.

Who Is Kim Min-jae?

The South Korean has enjoyed a magnificent season for Napoli, playing a massive role in them winning a first Serie A title since 1990. He has been a rock at the heart of his team's defence, averaging 3.6 clearances per game in the competition, as well as exactly the same tally in the Champions League.

Kim has also shone on the ball, enjoying a 90.8% pass completion rate in the league, excelling in Napoli's system and showing what a great ball-playing centre-back he is.

Unsurprisingly, there has been a huge amount of interest in the 26-year-old recently, considering he is arguably one of the world's best players in his position. Chelsea have been linked with signing him in this summer, as have Manchester City and Manchester United, so a move to the Premier League could be on the cards.

The Blues' interest doesn't seem to be going away and there appears to be concern from Napoli regarding his future.

Are Chelsea signing Kim min-Jae?

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Kim's release clause could be triggered this summer, leaving Napoli in the perilous position where they can't really say no, potentially acting as a boost to Chelsea and others. Spalletti is worried that he could lose one of his most important players for a release clause set too low at the time they signed the player from Fenerbahce.

The boss is so concerned that he has called a meeting with De Laurentiis to ask if the South Korea international will depart or renew his contract, in what looks like a sticky situation for a man trying to challenge the dominance Juventus have held over Italian football in recent years.

Chelsea signing Kim could be one of their most inspired pieces of transfer business in some time, should they be able to entice him to Stamford Bridge this summer. The Blues haven't looked convincing at centre-back all season long, and with both Thiago Silva and Kalidou Koulibaly ageing, they need a new leader to come in.

Kim could be exactly that, having been hailed as "extraordinary" by compatriot and former United midfielder Park Ji-Sung, and the best years of his career could still be to come. Chelsea's lack of European football is certainly a problem, though, and is something that their Premier League rivals can promise, so they are arguably outsiders to snap him up at this point.

Chelsea are ready to bid for Kim Min-Jae, with Napoli reportedly shopping to replace the centre-back. The Scudetto winners are being targeted in the transfer market after their stunning domestic campaign.

What's the latest Kim Min-Jae transfer news?

Italian publication Il Mattino, via Sport Witness, reports that there is doubt surrounding whether Kim will remain at Napoli, although the expectation is that he will leave. His contract contains a release clause which is set somewhere between €50m and €60m – the media aren't sure on the specifics, but depending on the location of the suitor, Napoli will quote a different price.

Chelsea are "ready to offer" whatever it will take to sign Kim this summer. He has earned rave reviews with his dominant and simple defending, giving the likes of Victor Osimhen and Kvicha Kvaratshkelia a basis upon which to attack from.

Napoli appear to already be shopping for the South Korean's replacement, with Atalanta's Giorgio Scalvini their main target.

Could Kim Min-Jae revolutionise Chelsea's backline?

Min-Jae is a "monster" of a defender – it's a nickname the player says sums his game up and it's a hint of what Chelsea could get for a very low price.

Whether it's €50m (£43m) or €60m (£52m), the Blues could be about to seal a significant bargain. Not only is the defender 6 foot 2, he is aggressive but measured, strong but agile on the ball and above all else, he offers a calm approach to playing out from the back.

In the Premier League, being able to build out from the back without panicking is a vital skill. The South Korean ranks in the 96th percentile for 'Progressive Passing Dstance' which means only four percent of centre-backs cover more distance with their passes forward.

This includes long balls but it primarily covers short passes from centre-backs to midfielders, fullbacks or wingers.

He ranks in the 99th percentile for the percentage of 'Dribblers Tackled' and 'Challenges Lost'. In short, he's a ball-winning animal and would safeguard Chelsea's defence for years to come if they can complete a deal to sign him this summer.

Mark Davis has spoken about Sussex’s frustration in having to wait for Mustafizur Rahman, one of the club’s overseas signings, to arrive

Mohammad Isam20-Jun-2016Mark Davis has spoken about Sussex’s frustration in having to wait for Mustafizur Rahman, one of the club’s overseas signings, to arrive. Mustafizur has been working to regain fitness after the IPL and his stint in England remains uncertain.Davis, Sussex’s head coach, said the club was struggling to find another replacement for Mustafizur, after South Africa allrounder David Wiese departed for the CPL. Wiese was initially signed as cover for two games at the start of June but ended up making four NatWest T20 Blast appearances. Ahead of their game against Gloucestershire on Sunday, Sussex will also be without Chris Jordan who is away on England duty.”We have a couple of people but it is very late in the day so it is very hard to get replacements,” Davis told the Brighton-based . “The top players in the world have been signed, or are playing CPL, or their countries aren’t allowing them to play. That’s the frustration because we have chosen Mustafizur as probably the No. 1 bowler in the world in that format.”On June 9, the Bangladesh physio Bayjidul Islam had said that Mustafizur would take at least two weeks to be ready but last week, trainer Mario Villavarayan said he would require another month to recover from his injuries.Sussex had earlier said they would be happy to wait for Mustafizur, at least until June 10, but that time has now passed. Davis said he had only been able to get advice from Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha but he was confident that Mustafizur would show up for his side.”I spoke to the Bangladesh head coach and he said he would be assessed after two weeks, which is now,” Davis said. “It hasn’t been easy to nail Bangladesh down. Their coach has been the one I have got most direction from. But we are also dealing with physios and trainers who are putting things on the internet. I am sure we will get it nailed down.”

Tottenham are willing to invest in the signing of Paris-Saint Germain star Marco Verratti, which could help convince Julian Nagelsmann to join.

What's the latest Spurs transfer news?

Spurs and chairman Daniel Levy are currently on the search for Antonio Conte's replacement and have apparently completed the due-diligence stage, with the north Londoners now set to step up talks with candidates (Evening Standard).

Of the managers attracting interest, it is believed negotiations have already been held with the likes of Nagelmann and former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique. Sporting Lisbon's Ruben Amorim and Bayer Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso are also reportedly on the agenda.

Amid this all-important task to hire the perfect new manager for next season, Tottenham must also think about squad reinforcements for next season.

It is believed that Leicester City star James Maddison is still a prime target in this regard, with Spurs apparently pushing to get a deal done. They could apparently sign the Englishman for £60 million, but he isn't the only player being targeted by Tottenham, with central defensive reinforcements also of real important to Levy.

The Lilywhites have been linked to the likes of Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi among others, yet according to a recent report, Verratti is now also attracting real interest.

As per news out of Spain, Tottenham are one of the sides interested in making a move for the 30-year-old, alongside Premier League rivals Man United and Italian giants Juventus.

Spurs are apparently "willing to make a million-dollar investment" for Verrati's capture, and perhaps most interestingly, it is claimed that this acquisition "could be key" in helping to convince Nagelsmann to make a move to N17.

Verratti still has three years to run down on his contract, which expires in 2026, but the midfielder is thinking of leaving Christophe Galtier's side. He apparently holds reservations over the project at PSG and has also taken issue with criticism from supporters in recent days.

What could Verratti bring to Spurs?

Called an "exceptional player" by Man City boss Pep Guardiola, the former Pescara star is a real all-rounder and could seriously upgrade Tottenham's midfield options.

As per WhoScored, Verratti has averaged more successful tackles per 90 than any of his teammates over 25 Ligue 1 appearances.

He can also contribute effectively in the final third, having made PSG's fourth-highest rate of key passes per 90 in France's top flight (WhoScored).

The caveats to this potential move may well be his contract length, which could mean Levy has to invest significantly more to capture him, and the fact he is now 30 will also be a factor.