All posts by h716a5.icu

Paul Stirling, Niall O’Brien and Craig Young will all miss the Intercontinental Cup match against Netherlands due to injury

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Aug-2017Ireland have called up the uncapped pair Jack Tector and Nathan Smith for their Intercontinental Cup match against Netherlands at Malahide from August 15-18.Allrounder Simi Singh, who made his ODI debut earlier this season, and legspinner Jacob Mulder have been chosen as the spin-bowling pair ahead of George Dockrell and Andy McBrine.Paul Stirling (calf), Niall O’Brien (shoulder) and Craig Young (elbow) are all unavailable due to injury. However, Boyd Rankin and Kevin O’Brien return after missing the previous Intercontinental Cup match against Afghanistan.Tector, 20, has been in consistent form this season and scored a century for Ireland Wolves against Scotland A last month while Smith claimed a five-wicket haul against MCC Young Cricketers last week.”I’m obviously delighted to be included in the squad,” said Tector. “It has been a dream of mine for a long time so it’s massively exciting. I’ve been happy with how the season has gone so far. The winter was brilliant with the Shapoorji Pallonji Academy and it’s nice to see that paying off. I’d like to thank everyone who has helped me along the way, particularly my club YMCA who have been so supportive.”Smith said: “I’m absolutely delighted with the call. It’s great to be a part of this exciting time in Irish cricket and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”Ireland squad William Porterfield (captain), John Anderson, Andrew Balbirnie, Peter Chase, Ed Joyce, Barry McCarthy, Jacob Mulder, Tim Murtagh, Kevin O’Brien, Boyd Rankin, Simi Singh, Nathan Smith, Jack Tector, Gary Wilson.

Lancashire loanee Simon Kerrigan struck a career-best 62 and Rob Newton pronounced himself king of the half-centuries as Northants achieved a hard-won victory in Cardiff

ECB Reporters Network15-Sep-2017Northants remain in contention for promotion to Division One after defeating Glamorgan in Cardiff.With a game in hand over leaders Worcestershire, next week’s important game against Nottinghamshire, now second, could determine who goes up next season. Northants play bottom club Leicestershire in the final game, and if they replicate this fine all-round performance in their last two games, they have a chance of promotion.They also defeated the weather, after heavy rain stopped play with only nine runs needed for victory. There was delay of 82 minutes, before the rain relented and victory was achieved with 34.4 overs to spare.Simon Kerrigan, who is on loan from Lancashire, ostensibly for his left arm spin, shone as a batsman as Northants reached their target with seven wickets in hand. After coming in as nightwatchman after Ben Duckett was dismissed the previous evening, Kerrigan never looked in any trouble against a Glamorgan attack, who were guilty of bowling too many poor deliveries in the morning session, giving the batsmen opportunities to score freely and set up the run chase.Resuming on 42 for 1, the second wicket pair were soon scoring at four runs an over, and apart from against Michael Hogan, they scored freely and quickly shared a 50-run partnership. Newton reached fifty from 99 balls with nine fours – his second half century of the game- but was out shortly afterwards when he was bowled by Craig Meschede. This was Newton’s tenth score over fifty in the championship this season, the most by any player in the two divisions.Kerrigan’s commendable contribution ended when he was bowled, shouldering arms against Hogan, for 62, equalling his previous career-best score made for Lancashire against Hampshire at Southport in 2013.Following Kerrigan’s dismissal, Richard Levi joined Alex Wakeley, the captain having recovered from his injured finger, and the first-innings centurion made his intentions clear by hitting two sixes as Northants accelerated towards their target. The rain then descended and it was a frustrating wait for the visitors, but when play restarted they needed only a further nine balls to reach their target, and take a welcome 22 points.

Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze is "not particularly keen on signing" the new contract he has been offered at the club as he considers his future with other potential "suitors", claims journalist Alex Crook.

Is Eberechi Eze leaving Crystal Palace?

It has been a bit of a mixed transfer window for Palace so far this summer.

While they have signed the capable Jefferson Lerma from Premier League rivals Bournemouth on a free and look set to secure the signature of the highly-rated and highly sought-after Brazilian youngster Matheus Franca for around £26m, they have also lost their most important player – Wilfried Zaha.

Their talismanic winger and club legend left this summer after his contract expired, and with his goal to play Champions League football before he retires, he joined Turkish giants Galatasaray.

Things could also get worse for the Eagles, with The Guardian reporting that both Manchester City and Chelsea are 'considering' whether or not to make a 'formal bid' for their dynamic French winger Michael Olise.

And to top it all off, and make life even harder for Roy Hodgson next season, the brilliant Eze could soon be set to leave Selhurst Park as he is reportedly not "keen" on signing a new deal that he has been offered, per Alex Crook.

He explained the situation live on TalkSport, which was later posted to their YouTube channel:

"Interesting though, it was suggested to me – I've not ran this story yet I was going to do it in my notebook later in the week – that there's a contract offer on the table for Eze, but he's not particularly keen on signing it at this moment in time so that could be another player that maybe really has suitors."

How good was Eberechi Eze last season?

In a year in which Palace struggled to find the back of the net for long stretches, Eze was absolutely fantastic and one of the few bright sparks in an otherwise dull campaign for the Eagles.

In his 30 Premier League starts, the 25-year-old scored ten goals, provided four assists, maintained a passing accuracy of 82.6%, and won four Man-of-the-Match awards, all while maintaining a seriously impressive match rating of 7.02, per WhoScored.

With the former Queens Park Rangers star producing a goal contribution every 188 minutes – almost one every other game – it's hardly surprising to see that his underlying numbers are also incredible, suggesting he could replicate his form at a bigger club.

According to FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues, the "magic" midfielder sits in the top 1% for non-penalty goals and successful take-ons, the top 2% for total shots, the top 5% non-penalty expected goals, the top 6% for shot-creating actions, and the top 7% for touches in the oppositions penalty area, all per 90.

He clearly left an impression on former boss Patrick Viera, who described the youngster as "different class" following an outstanding performance against Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool early last season.

With Zaha already gone and the situation around Olise still up in the air, Palace need to do all they can to keep Eze in south London, as should he leave as well, they could be in big trouble come next season.

With the flux around Australia’s wicketkeeping spot, Tim Paine is aware a few good performances can keep him in the selection mix but he insists he isn’t looking too far ahead yet

Arun Venugopal in Ranchi06-Oct-2017As Tim Paine walked into the media conference room in Ranchi, it seemed like it was 2010 all over again. With a remarkably fresh face that seemed immune to the passage of time, he flashed a smile that resonated of the satisfaction of success. After all, it was in India that Paine, 32, completed a fairly successful Test sojourn almost seven years to the day, with 183 runs from two Tests, including two half-centuries, at an average of nearly 46.As it has turned out, Paine hasn’t played another Test after the Bengaluru game in 2010. In the ensuing period, he injured his right index finger, underwent seven surgeries and spent six years out of the national set-up, eventually losing his place in the Tasmania side. Retirement loomed and a career with Kookaburra awaited him, but things turned around and how.Paine’s prolific run with the bat for the Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League – he is eighth on the all-time run charts in the league – earned him a return to the Australia side, albeit a second-string one that played a three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka in February. For a man who counted his blessings for having represented Australia in as many games as he did, this was an unexpected break.”I had the opportunity to stay with Tasmania for another couple of years and ever since I’ve been picked to play in the T20Is in Sri Lanka and got another opportunity here. It’s turned around quickly and I’m grateful for that,” Paine said on the eve of the first T20I against India in Ranchi. “For me to sit back and be bitter about what happened would be pretty silly. It would be easy to do that. Even before getting back into the T20I side, I’m really proud of what I’ve achieved. I’ve played some Tests for Australia, I’ve played 30 [26] ODIs. I don’t look at ‘what might have been’, I’m happy with what’s happened so far and hopeful that it’ll continue for another few years.”Paine, however, was realistic about the futility of setting long-term goals given where his career was at the moment. “First and foremost, it’s to do well tomorrow night. I know it’s a bit of a cliché but someone my age and my position, it’d be foolish to look too far ahead,” he said. “I just have to keep reminding myself that I want to do well tomorrow night, do well in a new series, and then when I head home to Australia I hope to start the Shield season and the JLT Cup really well.”Faf du Plessis and Tim Paine run between the wickets•AFPPaine was slotted in at No.7 and 8 during the Sri Lanka series, and as a result faced only six balls across three games. He was aware, though, his role wouldn’t be dissimilar against India and that he had to find ways to overcome his limitations. Paine went about doing that by taking first strike at the Australia nets, and faced a number of throwdowns. With power-hitting not being his strong point, Paine repeatedly attempted ramps and scoops, while venturing the occasional hoick against the likes of Glenn Maxwell.”It is [difficult to bat down the order for a top-order bat],” he conceded. “But, at the end of the day, it is batting isn’t it? In 20-20 cricket, you get six overs where the field is up then there’s five [fielders] out. I’ve batted a majority of time in 20-20 cricket is five out, albeit I might be [on] 20 or 30 beforehand. But I’m looking forward to it. It’s something different and again it’s another way that I can improve my cricket.”Paine’s stronger suit is wicket-keeping and he wasn’t coy talking it up. As if to reiterate his point, he frequently dived to both sides to gather some fine catches at training. Given Matthew Wade’s struggles and the flux around Australia’s keeping department, Paine was aware some good performances would keep him in the conversation.”I think I’m one of the best wicketkeepers in Australia. I’ve always said that and I’ve always felt that,” he said. “The area that has probably let me down in the last two-three years has been my batting. So I feel that at the moment, I’m keeping as well as I ever have. I just need to put some runs on the board. As we’ve seen in the last few days, if you start well in Australia and have a good series here, there are some huge opportunities around Australian cricket.”Having recently become a father, Paine admitted to not having found enough time to watch the ODI series in entirety. It might not necessarily be a bad thing, as he wouldn’t have registered the scars of the 4-1 defeat as much as the personnel who played in the series. “Now that I’ve had my first child, so I’ve had my hands full sort of from 6 o’ clock onwards at home, so I’ve only been able to see the highlights,” he said. “Obviously India have been playing some really, really good cricket. They’re high on confidence so we’ve got to come out firing tomorrow night.”

Glasgow Rangers could still sign another one or two players before the end of the transfer window, especially following their opening defeat as the 2023/24 Premiership season kicked off last weekend.

Michael Beale has already lured nine new signings to Ibrox during the summer and five of them started during the 1-0 loss to Kilmarnock.

With a few weeks left before the window shuts, could Beale delve back into the market for some promising talent?

Who could Rangers sign?

One area which will likely be strengthened is the backline, with poor defending allowing Killie to score the winner during their first league tie and Beale will be looking to add at least another centre-back to his squad.

Read the latest Rangers transfer news HERE…

It appears as though the manager is looking into the future too, as the Light Blues are showing interest in Hamilton Academical striker Ryan One.

They face stiff competition from the likes of Liverpool, Newcastle United, Burnley and Old Firm rivals Celtic for his signature, which clearly proves he is a teenage talent who is in high demand.

Who is Ryan One?

Beale certainly looks to be filling the academy with gems who could potentially become a hit in the future and the recent crop have wonderful potential.

Bailey Rice, Zak Lovelace, and Ross McCausland have all made their senior bows and will likely gain further opportunities during the 2023/24 season at some stage and there are a few more looking to break through in the coming months.

Lovelace is a player who arguably has the greatest chance of becoming a success in the first team, enjoying a stellar season last year, registering 28 goal contributions – 18 goals and ten assists – across just 35 matches for the B team.

He joined from Millwall aged just 16 back in the summer of 2022, and it could prove to be a stroke of genius by the Gers.

Playing on either wing or as a centre-forward, the English starlet could form a future duo with One should he move to the club this summer.

Journalist Ben McNicol hailed him as a “real talent” last August and the forward has already made 33 senior appearances for Hamilton, scoring twice and grabbing an assist.

The youngster is nearing half a century of senior matches having just turned 17, and although he is a rough diamond, making the move to Rangers could be the best place for him to further his development.

One has also forced his way into the international setup, making seven appearances for the Scotland U17 team, even playing in the recent U17 European Championships, grabbing an assist against France in the tournament.

Lovelace is already scoring for fun in the B team and adding a player such as One would take his game to another level considering his vast talents.

It could take a few years and a few spells out on loan, yet the pair may be an ideal partnership for the Gers in the coming years and there is no doubt the club could save millions in the transfer market by unearthing this future duo.

Joe Root, the England captain, was dismissive of the notion that England feared Australia’s bowling attack, calling it “a load of rubbish”

George Dobell in Townsville14-Nov-2017Joe Root, the England captain, feels the side is better prepared for the level of aggression they may encounter in the Ashes than they were four years ago.Root dismissed the talk that England feared the Australian bowling attack as “a load of rubbish” and urged Australia to “bring it on.” But he did accept the England side beaten 5-0 in 2013-14 might have allowed the pre-series talk – and the extent of the hostility the team faced when they reached the first Test – to take them by surprise.”There’s been a lot of talk,” Root said. “Some of it exciting and some of it a load of rubbish. Especially from some of the Aussie players.England XI for Townsville warm-up:

Alastair Cook, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Joe Root (capt), Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Craig Overton, Stuart Broad, Mason Crane.

“Last time that caught us out, but I think we are a bit wiser this time. It’s making sure we are absolutely prepared for any scenario and absolutely ready for that first game, whatever they do throw at us. We expect it to be hostile. We expect it to be a very loud and rowdy atmosphere at the Gabba. We are in a good place and ready for that. We have got our heads round what to expect.”Fear is not the right word [to describe England’s attitude]. Respect probably is. They have a lot of quality in their attack, but we have lots of quality in our side too.”Root was particularly bemused by the suggestion that he was going to be targeted by the opposition bowlers, and suggested he would leave the pre-series chatter to Australia.”I’ve heard a lot of chat about targeting me, in particular,” he said. “That’s always the talk.”From our point of view, we’ll be targeting every single one of them – we won’t be singling any one out. To win a Test you’ve got to take 20 wickets. But you want that competitive element to it. And those little in-house rivalries. It should be a great series. They’ve got some great players within their squad. And good characters, as well, which, I’m sure will make for great viewing.”I try not to do too much talking. That’s more for them to worry about. The more you say the more it can backfire on you. We will go about things our way.”Root did admit, however, that he wanted England’s batsmen to take the opportunity to score “big hundreds” in the warm-up match in Townsville. Accepting that batting collapses had been a regular feature of their cricket in recent times, he conceded it remained a work in progress.”That’s one of the things we want to get out of this game: guys going on and making big hundreds,” Root said. “It’s something we’re going to have to have throughout the five Tests.”We are always chatting about how we can prevent those clusters of wickets falling. You want to prevent it. As a batting side, we have discussed it and there have been a few occasions in the summer where it hasn’t quite gone to plan. There are always areas you want to work on and improve. That’s one we’ve made a conscious effort to try and rectify and hopefully we won’t have to think about it too much over the next few weeks.”Getty ImagesEngland have made no attempt to hide their Test team with their selection for the Townsville game which starts on Wednesday. The same top six that featured in Adelaide will play once more – James Vince will bat at No. 3 in Brisbane and Dawid Malan at No. 5 – while Moeen Ali and Stuart Broad return – at No. 7 and No. 10 respectively. Chris Woakes and Craig Overton have been granted their wish for another match ahead of the series. Mason Crane, too, retains his place.That means no opportunity for Tom Curran or George Garton in sight at the moment. So while England hope to arrive at Brisbane with their first choice XI having had an optimum amount of cricket, they have left themselves no margin for error should one of their first-choice seamers suffer an injury on the morning of the Test. In that case, it could lead to a situation where either Curran (who has not had a competitive bowl on the tour) or Jake Ball (who has bowled just 22 first-class deliveries on the tour and is currently nursing strained ankle ligaments) will have to play.Ball, at least, appears to be progressing nicely. He is expected to return to running on Wednesday.Anderson also missed training on Tuesday due to sickness. It is not understood to be serious and he was not going to play in the Townsville match anyway.While rain curtailed training in Townsville on Tuesday – bad luck as it has rained only a couple of times in the last year or two here – the current long-range forecast suggest the first Test could also be rain-affected. England, however, had a brief opportunity to look at the surface to be used in the match. Contrary to pre-tour hopes, they now expect it to be relatively slow.

Glasgow Rangers secured qualification through to the Champions League playoff round, however, it wasn’t a performance which will inspire much hope for the future.

Michael Beale’s side laboured during the 1-1 draw against Servette and repeating last year's aggregate win over PSV Eindhoven looks like a daunting task.

With a mixed start to their 2023/24 Premiership campaign, the Gers need to click into gear as soon as possible and Beale will be aiming to bring in another player or two before the transfer window shuts.

With this in mind, the manager is currently showing interest in a young talent who is shining South of the border…

Who else could Rangers sign?

The Light Blues have been linked with a few defenders as of late, with Harry Souttar and Jake Cooper being touted for potential moves to Scotland.

A new name has emerged recently.

According to Football Scotland, Peterborough United defender Ronnie Edwards is being eyed by the Gers for a potential swoop before the end of the transfer window.

Premier League outfits West Ham United and Crystal Palace are also keen on securing his services, but with group-stage Champions League football a possibility, this could be all the incentive that he needs to move to Glasgow.

Read the latest Rangers transfer news HERE…

The League One side failed to reach the Championship after playoff semi-final heartbreak last term and this could suggest they would be open to selling Edwards in the next couple of weeks.

Could Ronnie Edwards improve Rangers?

Rangers have seen various players arrive this summer to bolster the midfield and attacking areas, yet just two defenders have arrived.

Dujon Sterling is still developing and isn’t expected to be a starter this term, while Leon Balogun, albeit experienced, isn’t the long-term option Beale requires.

Connor Goldson won't be around forever and Edwards could be the ideal heir for the former Brighton and Hove Albion centre-back.

Having made 264 appearances since arriving at the club in 2018, Goldson has become a mainstay in the heart of the defence, helping the club win a Premiership title and the Scottish Cup in the process.

Last season, the 30-year-old ranked as the best centre-back in the squad with regard to Sofascore rating, while also making more tackles and clearances per game when compared to the rest of the central defenders, showing how vital he is in the starting XI.

Edwards, while just 20 years of age, has shown immense promise and has been praised by Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony, who said:

"Ronnie is playing at a different level right now and if he goes we will have to decide whether to replace him with a powerful centre-back or with another ball-playing one which will be a decision for the manager."

The young sensation ranked fifth across the Posh squad last term for overall Sofascore rating while also ranking fourth for tackles and second for interceptions and clearances per game, indicating that is already having a positive influence on the team despite his tender years.

Having already amassed 91 senior appearances across both the Championship and League One, there is no doubt he is ready for a step up.

Could he become the perfect long-term heir for Goldson should he join Rangers? Only time will tell.

Liverpool have been linked with a thriving midfielder at a fellow Premier League outfit, as Jurgen Klopp pushes for more improvements to the Anfield side this month.

There have been a raft of changes on Merseyside this year, with James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain leaving in June upon the expiry of their contracts, and Jordan Henderson and Fabinho departing to Saudi Arabian sides for a combined £52m.

Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Wataru Endo have all been signed as part of the midfield rebuild, but the club still needs to make another acquisition to combat the exodus and return to the forefront of domestic and continental football.

What's the latest on Boubacar Kamara to Liverpool?

According to Spanish sources, the Reds have identified Aston Villa midfielder Boubacar Kamara to conclude their transfer business this month.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

While no fee has been mooted, the Frenchman is currently valued at £35m by FootballTransfers, though it would almost certainly cost in excess of this figure to prise him away from the Villans' clutches.

How good is Boubacar Kamara?

While Kamara only moved to the West Midlands side last year, joining on a free transfer after his deal with French side Marseille expired, and played 24 times in the Premier League last term, hampered by injury and missing chunks of the campaign.

While Villa would loathe to part with the industrious midfielder after securing European football with a seventh-placed finish in the English top-flight last year, it would be interesting if Liverpool were to test the resolve of Unai Emery's side with an enticing offer.

The Merseyside outfit still need to add a sturdy layer of depth to their centre despite the incomings this summer, and Kamara could prove to be the perfect holding midfielder to bolster the ranks, having completed 85% of his passes, made 2.4 tackles and won 55% of his ground duels last term, as per Sofascore.

Hailed as a "controller" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the £150k-per-week gem ranks among the top 22% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for tackles and the top 18% for blocks per 90, as per FBref, accentuating his grip on games and robustness in the defensive phases.

Given his faculty to exert control, the 23-year-old could prove to be the perfect midfield partner for Szoboszlai, who has impressed in the early stages of his Anfield career after joining from RB Leipzig for £60m in July, with teammate Harvey Elliott already remarking at how he has "showcased his quality".

The Hungarian dynamo is a creative midfielder with a multitude of weapons at his disposal, capable of supplementing the attack and fiercely striking on goal himself, while also being energetic and relentless in his general application.

To showcase this, he ranks among the top 17% of midfielders for assists, the top 10% for shot-creating actions, the top 18% for progressive passes, the top 5% for blocks and the top 14% for clearances per 90.

The all-encompassing approach is exactly what Liverpool needed this summer to spark life back into their centre, but with Kamara alongside him, providing his consistency in the tackle and holding the team together, he could be allowed to display his abilities to their full extent.

Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal took six wickets between them to bowl Sri Lanka out for 215. Then Shikhar Dhawan chased it down with his 12th ODI ton

The Report by Alagappan Muthu17-Dec-20174:44

Muzumdar: Give Kuldeep ‘a complete go’ going forward

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsSri Lanka were spun around in Visakhapatnam so starkly that, if they were a cartoon character, they would have seen little Kuldeep Yadavs and Yuzvendra Chahals dancing in a circle over their heads. Then along came Shreyas Iyer and Shikhar Dhawan to knock them out cold. Chases of 216 are often one-sided and when it was done, India emerged with their eighth straight series victory in ODIs – matching a world-beating Australian side in the 2000s and second only to the legendary West Indians in the 1980s.Poor Upul Tharanga watched it all happen – though the temptation to find a quiet corner to bang his head against the wall must have been strong – having made a virtually flawless 95 off 82 balls. As opener, he gave his team a rapid start, hitting five successive boundaries in the ninth over. As senior player, he did all he could to bat as long as possible. While he was in the middle, Sri Lanka had a good chance at scoring over 300 and securing their first series win in India. As soon as he fell – stumped by an absolute pearler from Kuldeep – a collapse ensued. There were eight wickets for only 55 runs.Now, there were no demons in the pitch. But the same could not be said of a certain 23-year old in only his first year of international cricket. India waited until the end of the Powerplay to deploy Kuldeep. And his control of line and length, through a 10-over spell that cost only 42 runs and reaped three wickets, was quite remarkable. The standout though was his bowling slow through the air, backing himself to beat batsmen with dip and drift.His faith wasn’t misplaced. Tharanga, getting into all the right positions until that point, was drawn into a cover drive. He had every reason to play the shot, with the ball wide outside off and nicely tossed up. But the thing dipped, then turned sharply enough to beat the bat of a man five short of a hundred. MS Dhoni did the rest.Then there was Chahal, who isn’t quite as big a turner of the ball, but is fast becoming India’s best weapon against an attacking batsman. Earlier in the season, he made Glenn Maxwell spontaneously combust by bowling wide of his reach. The same ploy worked against Sadeera Samarawickrama, brought in for this game at the expense of Lahiru Thirimanne.The swap was, at first, working splendidly with Sri Lanka’s second wicket contributing 121 runs at 6.42 per over and Samarawickrama prospering by coming down the track every second or third ball he faced from the spinner. As wedded as he was to that gameplan, his shot selection was very good; nothing rash, or against the turn. In fact, he was one of the few batsmen who picked the googly, once smashing Kuldeep to the long-off boundary and looking a million dollars doing it. But against Chahal, much like others before him, he went after a wide one, without reaching the pitch of it, and was caught off a bit of an outside edge for 42.A series decider, and one played against a team which owns its backyard the same way as Mitchell Starc owned James Vince’s off stump, requires each member of the XI to stand up and make themselves count. Sri Lanka, however, were stuck with nine men who could not get past a score of 20.That made life quite easy for India’s batsmen. Even after they lost captain Rohit Sharma to a peach of a googly from Akila Dananjaya in the fourth over of the chase.Dhawan found fluency pulling Suranga Lakmal wide of mid-on. Matching the audacity of that shot were cover-driven fours off perfectly good length balls and a square cut so brutal it zipped through the hands of short point before he knew what was happening. He finished 100 not out and in the process became the second-fastest Indian to 4000 ODI runs, behind Virat Kohli.More pleasing for India would have been Iyer’s display. His 65 off 63 did include moments where he was squared up by a good outswinger, but when the ball was close to his body or short and even a little wide of off stump, he flicked and cut ever so well. His use of the bottom hand to dominate spin bears mention as well. In the 18th over, when Sri Lanka brought Dananjaya, their best source of a wicket, in for a new spell, Iyer shuffled back and across to a good-length delivery aimed at the stumps, and dispatched it with a straight bat through midwicket.A team displaying strength at home is the norm in all kinds of sport, but a stretch of 15 successive bilateral series, across formats, without a single loss, is still rather astonishing. This is India’s position in world cricket right now, brimming with talent that knows how to make the most of sub-continent conditions. Remarkably, they come into the side well equipped for top-flight cricket. Three of their four match-winners on Sunday, for example, were less than two years old at international level.

PSV Eindhoven midfielder Ibrahim Sangare has been a reported transfer target for Nottingham Forest this summer and an exciting development has now emerged.

How old is Ibrahima Sangare?

The Reds have had another productive summer transfer target so far, at a time when it is crucial that they consolidate in the Premier League, having impressively avoided relegation last season.

A number of players have been added to Forest's squad, including former Manchester United attacker Anthony Elanga, but their spending may not be over yet, with the window slamming shut next Friday night.

One player who has been linked with a summer move to the City Ground is Sangare, who continues to stand out as a formidable performer for PSV. The 25-year-old scored in his side's 2-2 draw away to Rangers in the Champions League qualifiers on Tuesday night and has enjoyed an 89.3% pass completion rate in his first two Eredivisie appearances this season.

Now, it looks as though Forest are still pushing hard to complete the signing of the impressive Ivorian, following a new update regarding his future.

Will Nottingham Forest sign Ibrahim Sangare?

According to Football Insider, Forest have now tabled a £21.3m bid for Sangare, as they look to get a loan-to-buy deal over the line before next week's transfer cutoff:

"Nottingham Forest have submitted a £21.3million loan-to-buy bid for PSV Eindhoven midfielder Ibrahim Sangare, sources have told Football Insider. The Premier League club have held extensive talks over a deal for the midfield anchorman, who has a £32m release clause in his contract.

"Forest have not activated that clause and have instead offered to take the player on a season-long loan with an obligation to buy set at £21.3m. PSV have a replacement lined up for Sangare in case they lose him in the final week of the window."

Sangare could be a real signing of intent by Forest if they strike a deal in the next week or so, considering what a key player he is for a side that could be in the Champions League group stages this season, being called "extraordinary" by Aad de Mos.

At 25, the 31-cap and nine-goal Ivory Coast international has plenty of experience at the top level but also time on his side, so the Reds could be acquiring his signature at a real sweet spot in his career, at a point when his best years still may well be ahead of him for the foreseeable future.

Blessed with the all-round ability to provide defensive cover in midfielder but also provide end product in the final third, Sangare averaged 3.7 tackles per game in the Europa League last season, but also found the net five times in the league.

Forest appear to be a solid side at present – one who only lost 2-1 at Arsenal on the opening weekend and followed that up with a 2-1 victory at home to Sheffield United – but Sangare is someone who could elevate them to another level, potentially making a huge difference in midfield and providing really strong competition for the likes of Danilo and Orel Mangala.