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Rookie legspinner Mishra, Renuka help India salvage positives in big defeat

Tristan Lavalette05-Dec-2024Australia 102 for 5 (Voll 46*, Litchfield 35, Renuka 3-45, Mishra 2-11) beat India 100 (Rodrigues 23, Schutt 5-19, Sutherland 1-13) by five wickets
Returning to the field for the first time since a disappointing T20 World Cup campaign, Australia comfortably beat India in the ODI series-opener at Allan Border Field after quick Megan Schutt claimed a career best 5-19 and Georgia Voll impressed on debut.In a disastrous start in their bid to win a first series over Australia in Australia, India were unable to capitalise on good batting conditions. They lost wickets regularly to be bowled out for just 100 in the 35th over, their lowest total in women’s ODIs since being dismissed for 79 by Australia in 2012.India’s bowling attack was sent on a hiding to nothing as openers Voll and Phoebe Litchfield quickly put on 48. Litchfield blasted 35 off 29 balls, including six boundaries in a row at one stage, before her dismissal triggered a collapse. Ellyse Perry and Beth Mooney fell in quick succession with Renuka Singh picking three wickets.Rookie legspinner Priya Mishra made further inroads with two strikes of her own, but Voll, 21, showcased maturity and continued her strong form from the WBBL. Reprieved on 27 when Richa Ghosh, the wicketkeeper, put down a tough chance, Voll finished unbeaten on 46 off 42 balls as Australia clinched victory in only the 17th over.India ultimately rued a disastrous batting performance that quickly nosedived against outstanding new-ball bowling from Schutt, who produced menacing outswing to finish with her first five-wicket haul in ODIs. Their shot selection was off, while their running between the wickets was sloppy too.Conversely, it was an almost flawless display from a fired-up Australia with Tahlia McGrath pulling all the right moves as she fills in for injured regular skipper Alyssa Healy in this three-match series.Jemimah Rodrigues top scored for India with 23•Cricket Australia via Getty ImagesIndia captain Harmanpreet Kaur surprisingly opted to bat at a venue where teams have traditionally chased well. Having only played three ODIs since 2023, Priya Punia was selected to open alongside Smriti Mandhana in a golden opportunity to cement her place in the team.She faced up to Schutt immediately and scored off the first ball before Mandhana unfurled several gorgeous strokes in an encouraging start. But it was downhill for India once Mandhana was caught behind after attempting to cut a wide delivery from Schutt, who smartly changed the angle by going around the wicket.Coming back from a long injury layoff, Harleen Deol hoped to stamp herself at No.3 in a position India have struggled to fill. But Deol and Punia were pinned down and they struggled to rotate strike as pressure built. It proved too much for Punia who holed out to backward square having made just 3 off 17 balls.At 19 for 2 in the seventh over, Harmanpreet entered the crease much earlier than she would have hoped. India’s uncertain running between the wickets almost accounted for Harmanpreet on 2, but Alana King missed a shy at the stumps from midwicket. Harmanpreet and Deol attempted rebuild and their confidence increased with the ball starting to lose its shine.But McGrath decided it was time for spin in the 12th over and threw the ball to Ashleigh Gardner, who on her third delivery had Deol hitting to mid-on where an outstretched Annabel Sutherland claimed a terrific catch with her athleticism coming to the fore.Debutant Georgia Voll carried her good form from the WBBL•Cricket Australia via Getty ImagesSutherland’s influence on the game continued when she had claimed the big wicket of Harmanpreet, who unsuccessfully reviewed an lbw decision. Jemimah Rodrigues, who was available to play after injuring her wrist in the latter stages of the WBBL, briefly thwarted Australia before she was clean bowled on 23 by a terrific delivery from Kim Garth.Australia were on a roll when Georgia Wareham completed a brilliant run out of Deepti Sharma with a direct hit from the deep midwicket boundary. After being sidelined through the T20 World Cup, legspinner King marked her return with the wicket of debutant Titas Sadhu as India lost their last six wickets for just 11 runs.Voll, who received her cap before play from Mooney, started her international career with a belligerent boundary through the covers on the fourth ball of Australia’s chase. She helped ride the wobble even as Australia lost a clutch of wickets late in the chase to seal victory.India’s late rally did save some face, but they will need to regroup quickly for game two on Sunday at the same venue.

There is reportedly a "growing chance" that we could see Tottenham make a late January bid to sign another "exciting" player.

Spurs linked with Nusa amid busy January window

Earlier this week, widespread reports shared news of Spurs opening talks to sign Club Brugge winger Antonio Nusa.

"Very exciting" player wants to leave Tottenham after Ivan Perisic

There’s been a plethora of outgoings at Spurs this month, and more could follow.

ByEmilio Galantini Jan 20, 2024

The claim first broke from Belgium and HLN, before media sources closer to home started to back the potential transfer. Alasdair Gold is one of them, with the football.london correspondent relaying Tottenham want Nusa in a buy-to-loan-back deal.

The move would be similar to those of Destiny Udogie and Pape Matar Sarr, whom Spurs completed deals for and sent back to their clubs before joining later on.

Nusa is regarded by some as one of Europe's most exciting young talents, so this would be quite the coup for Spurs chairman Daniel Levy and the recruitment team.

Tottenham have already sealed deals for Timo Werner and Radu Dragusin this month while shipping many unwanted players out the door on loan.

Another player who has been widely linked is Chelsea star Conor Gallagher, with journalist Dean Jones sharing what he's heard to GiveMeSport.

Growing chance Spurs make Gallagher bid

According to the reporter, there is a growing chance Spurs will bid for Gallagher before February 1, but he also has a message of caution.

“We’re now getting into the late stages of the transfer window, and this was the point at which Tottenham would always find out just how much intent there was for Chelsea to sell," said Jones.

“Tottenham are surprised that this one has been able to linger on. They thought a contract would be signed by now, and he’d be out of reach. But it hasn't happened, and because of that, I think there is a growing chance that they will go and put a bid in for Gallagher. But we should understand that if that bid goes in, it means that there have been intermediaries testing it out to see whether he is gettable.”

The 23-year-old has starred under Mauricio Pochettino this season, starting the vast majority of games and proving hugely influential in the final third as well.

Gallagher is currently tied with Cole Palmer for league assists at Chelsea, and statistical website WhoScored details that he's their current best-performer per 90 by average match rating.

Postecoglou is believed to "really" appreciate the Englishman, according to Fabrizio Romano, so this move could well be one to watch as we approach the latter stages of this transfer window.

Gallagher has also been called "exciting" by members of the press (Karl Matchett).

Kylian Mbappe has endorsed Ousmane Dembele's bid to win the Ballon d’Or after his sensational Paris Saint-Germain displays saw him billed a favourite.

Mbappe backed Dembele for the 2025 Ballon d’OrGot 35 goals and 16 assists in PSG’s historic seasonCeremony takes place on September 22 in ParisFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Real Madrid forward Mbappe has officially endorsed his France team-mate Dembele for the 2025 Ballon d'Or. Speaking to French broadcaster , Mbappe unequivocally stated that the PSG forward deserves to win football's most coveted individual prize and dismissed the chances of rival contender Lamine Yamal with a tongue-in-cheek comment.

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Mbappe's high-profile backing adds significant weight to Dembele's candidacy ahead of the award ceremony on September 22. The PSG star is considered a frontrunner after a phenomenal 2024-25 season in which he led his club to a first ever Champions League success as well as the Ligue 1 and Coupe de France titles. His main competition is widely seen to be Barcelona's Yamal, making Mbappe's comments a clear statement of support for his compatriot in a tight race. 

Dembele registered 35 goals and 16 assists in all competitions for PSG last season. He is one of nine players from the Champions League-winning side to be included in the 30-man shortlist for the Ballon d'Or.

WHAT MBAPPE SAID

Speaking on whether Dembele deserves the award, Mbappe said: "Does he deserve it? For me, yes. I hope he wins it. I supported him from the start. I also hope that Achraf [Hakimi] will be well ranked, it would be good for the defenders, he had a historic season." 

When asked about Yamal, Mbappe joked: "Well, no, he’s a Barcelona player. But he’s a very good player."

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MBAPPE & DEMBELE?

All eyes will be on the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris for the Ballon d'Or ceremony on September 22. In the immediate future, Mbappe is preparing for France's World Cup qualifier against Iceland on Tuesday. Dembele, however, will play no part after sustaining a hamstring injury in the win over Ukraine on Friday. The injury could reportedly sideline the PSG star for several weeks, meaning his focus will be on recovery rather than international duty.

Half-centuries for Denly, Pope and Buttler lift England away from trouble

George Dobell in Whangarei16-Nov-20191:11

Buttler, Pope, Denly fifties shore up England

Joe Denly proved his form and fitness for next week’s first Test against New Zealand with an increasingly assured half-century in Whangarei.Denly damaged his ankle ligaments ahead of the T20I series just over two weeks ago. Tripping on a boundary rope as he attempted to take a catch in training, the early prognosis was that he would be struggling to recover in time for the Test series.But he not only demonstrated his fitness here, he showed the tempo and technique that England require from their No. 3. And while there were moments when he looked hurried – he was a little fortunate to survive one delivery from the admirably hostile Kyle Jamieson that reared on him and produced a fence that flew between slips and gully – he was, for the most part, admirably compact. On the drive and pull, he is as elegant as anyone in this team.”When I first did it I was probably thinking my tour was over,” Denly said afterwards. “It was pretty nasty. I was lucky not to do some really serious damage and it was always touch and go to get ready for this game. There was a bit of doubt.”But it’s settled down nicely. Whether it’s the running between the wickets or playing all the shots, it feels fine. There’s no discomfort. It’s just a case of monitoring it and making sure it doesn’t swell up overnight.”Joe Denly made an encouraging comeback from injuryDenly’s intervention helped ensure it was, in the end, a pretty decent day for England. Having set themselves the challenge of batting for a full three sessions – if that sounds like a modest aspiration, it’s worth remembering that this is a side which has been bowled out for under 100 three times this year – they did so for the loss of eight wickets (and seven on the day) gaining time at the crease and acclimatising to the slower pace of life in this format of the game.It wasn’t entirely comfortable. The first hour or so saw New Zealand’s fast bowlers extract life from the pitch that was absent for all but Jofra Archer when England had the ball and, had Ollie Pope been dismissed on 7, nibbling outside off stump, they would have been 126 for 6 and in some trouble.As it was, however, Scott Kuggeleijn (playing, with England’s blessing, as a far from like-for-like concussion replacement for Hamish Rutherford who had been struck by an Archer bouncer the previous day), had over-stepped and Pope was reprieved. He and Denly subsequently added 90 in 20.4 overs for England’s sixth wicket.Pope’s contribution was, perhaps, just as important as Denly’s. Despite his excellent record – he goes into the Test series averaging 59.52 in first-class cricket – Pope still has the reputation as something of a dasher. So it was encouraging to see him leave the ball shrewdly here, while still picking up runs from deflections off his hip and steers into the covers as much as from putting away the loose ball.”Chris Silverwood has said he doesn’t care how long it takes, he just wants big runs from us,” Denly said. “That’s what we’ve spoken about as a group: scoring big runs in the first innings, especially.”Earlier England had struggled against an admirable new-ball attack. Dom Sibley, struck on the helmet by a well-directed short ball from the impressive Jamieson, was then lured into an uncharacteristic drive outside off stump before Joe Root and Ben Stokes departed within a couple of minutes of one another.Root could, perhaps, count himself unfortunate: replays suggested there may have been an inside edge on the delivery that was adjudged to have trapped him leg before. Stokes edged to the cordon as he attempted to leave one that bounced on him more than he anticipated.Ollie Pope leans into a driveAs the evening wore on, there were runs for Jos Buttler, too. The most dramatic phase of his innings came towards the close as England looked to set-up a declaration; at one stage, his successive scoring strokes were 4, 4, 4, 2, 4, 4, 4, 6, 6, 4. Impressive as it was – few hit the ball as cleanly as Buttler in full flow – it was the manner in which he built his innings before that point that was most assuring for England.Buttler is, in some ways, fortunate to make this tour. While Jonny Bairstow was dropped having averaged 23.77 in the Ashes, Buttler was retained having averaged 24.70. But the England management reasoned that Buttler went into that series suffering more than most from the emotionally draining World Cup experience and that, having benefitted from a rest, he would rediscover his best form.On this early evidence, that would appear to have been sound judgement. Buttler has sometimes looked solid and sometimes dazzled in his Test career to date, but has rarely put the two together in a way that suggested he had found a method that maximised his undoubted abilities. He has, at this point, scored only one first-class century since June 2014 and five in total.But while Denly, pulling straight to midwicket, and Pope, slogging to mid-off, squandered their chances of a century, Buttler got his head down and showed he had been listening to the orders of his new coach. He looked not just a fine strokemaker, but a fine batsman.

Aston Villa were brought back down to earth following a drab 0-0 draw against Everton over the weekend as they slipped down to third in the Premier League table.

With just over a couple of weeks left in the January transfer window, Unai Emery will be keen on bringing at least another one or two fresh faces to Villa Park in order to bolster his squad.

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There have been plenty of names linked with a move to the Midlands, yet it is a talented 18-year-old who could be the most exciting link.

Aston Villa want to sign Champions League sensation

According to Graeme Bailey (via Total Villa on X), Villa are showing interest in teenage FC Copenhagen starlet Roony Bardghji this month ahead of making a potential move.

According to reports, Villa have even sent scouts to monitor the youngster recently, and it is clear that his performances have impressed Emery enough to consider luring him to the Premier League.

He could cost the club around £20m if any move goes ahead and while on the surface this sounds like a lot, the fee could turn out to be a bargain in the next couple of years if he lives up to his potential.

January transfer window: All the deadline day deals from England and Scotland

Stay on top of all the latest transfer deals across the Premier League, EFL and SPFL as the January window closes.

ByCharlie Smith Feb 1, 2024

Chelsea and Manchester United are also keen on signing Bardghji and this suggests that Emery must act swiftly to bring him to Villa Park.

How Roony Bardghji compares to Jhon Duran

Jhon Duran only signed for Villa last January from Chicago Fire in a deal worth £18m, and it looked as though he could be the heir apparent to Ollie Watkins.

It hasn’t quite worked out for the Colombian sensation at Villa, however, as he has played 35 times for the club and scored just four goals during that time period.

Out of these 35 matches, only seven have been starts and Emery has yet to unleash him in the starting XI in the Premier League.

The arrival of Bardghji could spell the beginning of the end of Duran’s Villa career, especially considering how impressive he has been this season.

In 30 matches for Copenhagen, the youngster has already found the back of the net on 11 occasions, including a famous strike against Man Utd in the Champions League to send the Danish side through to the last 16 at their expense.

While this goal certainly caught the eye of a few teams, his consistent performances in the Danish top flight have shown that he is remarkably mature for his age.

Indeed, across the whole Copenhagen team, Bardghji ranks second for goals and assists (seven), while ranking third for successful dribbles per game (one) and second for goal frequency (a goal every 134 minutes), which clearly indicates just how impressive he has been during 2023/24.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig perhaps foresaw how good he would be at such a tender age, describing the Swede as an “unreal talent” back in 2022 and there is seemingly no limit to just how good he can become.

Duran has not enjoyed the most productive of seasons, and he can count himself unlucky that Watkins has been in such good form.

If Bardghji does join Villa, however, it could mean even fewer opportunities for Duran on the pitch as there will be a new teenage starlet in town ready to steal the plaudits.

Thomas Tuchel has fired a warning shot to experienced England stars, saying it is "time for a bit of fresh blood" in the Three Lions squad.

Tuchel made comment while explaining Wharton and Anderson selectionsAlexander-Arnold leads notable omissionsForest midfielder and Spurs' Spence earn first senior call-upsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Tuchel made the comment while responding to a question about the inclusion of Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton in his squad to face Andorra and Serbia. Wharton was a part of Gareth Southgate's Euro 2024 squad but has not featured in the senior team since his debut before the tournament while Anderson has been rewarded for his league form and European Under-21 Championship crown with his first senior call-up. Tottenham's Djed Spence is also included for the first time.

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Trent Alexander-Arnold was the most notable omission. The former Liverpool man started from the bench in Real Madrid's recent 3-0 win over Real Oviedo. Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer and Bukayo Saka all miss out thanks to injury, opening the door for younger options like Wharton and Anderson, as well as the returning Marcus Rashford.

WHAT TUCHEL SAID

Tuchel said: "We called both of them up, because first of all we think both of them deserve it. 

"They played big roles in two very successful campaigns for their clubs last season. Adam was involved in major trophies for Crystal Palace, and was a key player in the central midfield. Elliot was a key part in a campaign that led to Europe for Nottingham Forest.

"Both of them deserve it, they have had a good start to the season. They have full rhythm. It's time for more competition. It's time for a bit of fresh blood, and that's why they deserve to be with us."

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

Both Wharton and Anderson will fancy their chances of starting alongside Declan Rice in the Three Lions engine room. England continue their World Cup 2026 qualification campaign when they face Andorra at Wembley on September 6 before making the trip to Belgrade to take on Serbia on September 9.

Fiorentina have made an approach for Real Madrid defender David Alaba, with the Serie A side pushing to sign the Austrian after his injury setbacks.

Fiorentina open talks with Madrid for AlabaLos Blancos ready to let him leave on a free transferAustrian has struggled with injuries in recent seasonsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to , Madrid have received an approach from Fiorentina for Alaba, who has fallen out of favour at the Santiago Bernabeu after two injury-hit seasons. The 33-year-old Austrian defender has featured sparingly since suffering a serious knee injury, playing just 599 minutes in nearly 18 months. With Los Blancos well-stocked in defence thanks to Dean Huijsen Antonio Rudiger, Eder Militao and Raul Asencio, the club are open to letting the veteran depart, even on a free transfer, to ease their wage bill.

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Alaba, once a key figure in Madrid’s defence after his move from Bayern Munich, has been hampered by repeated fitness problems. Earning €22.5 million (£19m/$26m) annually, his wages are a strain for the Whites, who are focusing on younger defensive options. Fiorentina are looking to strengthen their backline, particularly with Pietro Comuzzo expected to move to Saudi Arabia. The Serie A side see Alaba’s experience as crucial, though they are also linked with former Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof.

TELL ME MORE…

Saudi Pro League clubs such as Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli have previously been linked with Alaba, but none made formal offers. According to reports, La Viola are putting together a two-year contract proposal, hoping to lure the defender with the promise of regular football something he craves ahead of next summer’s World Cup.

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR ALABA?

Alaba’s entourage had maintained he would stay at Madrid, but Fiorentina’s concrete approach could change the situation quickly. If terms are agreed, the Serie A club will move fast to close the deal before the window shuts.

Despite the Premier League's Financial Fair Play rules potentially standing in their way, Newcastle United have now enquired about what it would cost to sign a European superstar.

Newcastle transfer news

As things stand, Newcastle are reportedly incredibly limited on what they can spend. The Premier League's profit and sustainability rules state that clubs are only permitted to accumulate a pre-tax loss of £105m over three years. Newcastle's loss during that period of time stands at £112m. And although some of the spending does not count towards FFP, so the Magpies are within the guidelines, that loss does mean that they will likely have to sell players before they can make any further big-money signings.

Speaking about where Newcastle stand, football finance expert Kieran Maguire told The Athletic: “What they don’t want to do is make the same mistakes as Everton and completely blow it by spending everything at once and hampering themselves. They won’t be signing Kylian Mbappe, but Newcastle can be competitive this summer, especially if they qualify for the Champions League.”

Whilst Mbappe has been ruled out, a move that could be on the cards is one for Joshua Kimmich. According to Bundesliga writer Christian Falk, Newcastle have enquired about the availability of Kimmich this month with Bayern Munich reportedly open to negotiating. The Germany star, however, is interested in a summer move over a winter transfer.

With that said, a deal looks unlikely to take place in the January transfer window, but Kimmich certainly seems like one to keep an eye on this summer.

"Feisty" Kimmich can return winning mentality to Newcastle

When looking at Newcastle's spending since the takeover of PIF, the likes of Alexander Isak and Sven Botman stand out. But what doesn't stand out is experience. Aside from Kieran Trippier, the Magpies haven't recruited players who have been there and done it on the top European stage. Now, however, they could land a player who's done it all in the form of Kimmich.

If squad depth was a concern too, then Kimmich's versatility could more than play its part. The World Cup winner can play defensive midfield, right-back and central midfield in what would hand Eddie Howe a major boost. What's more, his numbers show that he'd be the perfect partner for Bruno Guimaraes at St James' Park. Here's how Kimmich's stats compare to the Brazilian's.

Joshua Kimmich

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It's no surprise that former Germany forward Jurgen Klinsmann has been so full of praise in the past, given the numbers.

The former striker said, via the official Bundesliga website: "The No. 6 role that Joshua is playing for Bayern Munich and for the national team has become like the quarterback role in American Football. Joshua plays that to perfection. He is not only feisty in terms of winning the ball back, he knows right away what to do with the ball and who to connect to. He keeps the tempo of the game in place."

R Ashwin, however, said it was ‘brave’ and ‘commendable’ that Bangladesh batted first on a pitch with a ‘bit of life’

Mohammad Isam14-Nov-20193:35

‘Brave’ of Bangladesh to bat first on a pitch with ‘life’ – Ashwin

Mominul Haque’s press conference at the end of the first day’s play in Indore could be interpreted in many different ways.The new Bangladesh captain seemed to be riled at the suggestion that his team isn’t used to playing fast bowling. Mominul then tried to delicately broach the idea that journalists’ questions sometimes put the players under more pressure. To be fair, the question was whether the Bangladesh batsmen were scared of India’s fast bowlers, to which no cricketer would ever answer in the affirmative.”You guys might find it funny but ahead of every series, even against Afghanistan, you [media] have a major role to play,” Mominul said. “This thing can go against me, so don’t take it otherwise, please. When we are playing against Afghanistan, the way you ask questions, by saying they have Rashid Khan, etc. Even if you don’t want to think about them, it will creep into your mind. I just think how you present it makes it difficult.”Later, when he was asked why he was feeling under pressure at a press conference when he and other cricketers are trained to avoid much more difficult situations in the middle, Mominul didn’t back down.”I am the one who has to answer your questions, of course, but sometimes we don’t think about a certain thing, and then when you ask us about it, we start thinking about it,” Mominul said. “This is how the mind works. But you’re right. Myself and the rest of the side have to be mentally stronger.”Throughout the press conference, it was clear that Mominul was relishing the captaincy, so much so that he let go of his usual introverted self and became a lot more outspoken. This was only his second interaction with the media after becoming captain.Mominul Haque plays a copybook forward defence•BCCIBut perhaps his inexperience at handling a prickly press conference got the better of him, after a tough day in the field. He perhaps didn’t need to admit that he was at fault for choosing to bat first after winning the toss. Initially, when asked about the toss, he said he would have to live with the burden of the decision since Bangladesh made a low score.”When you take this decision at the toss and things don’t go your way, these questions will definitely come up,” Mominul said. “Because we were bowled out cheaply, it was probably a bad decision on my part. It was totally my fault. I think if I had batted for longer with Mushfiq [Mushfiqur Rahim] , we would have posted a bigger total.”Another way to look at Mominul’s decision was that it was a positive one, showing his – and his team’s – willingness to meet the Indian attack head-on. The trust he placed in his batting line-up was remarkable, and perhaps a positive sign from a new captain.R Ashwin came out with the exact thought in his press conference.”I personally thought it was a very brave decision to bat first having won the toss,” Ashwin said. “We didn’t expect that. We thought they’ll bowl but they batted first which is very commendable on their part. I also thought some of their batsmen batted beautifully in the morning, it’s never easy to come and play on a wicket that’s got a bit of life. It was damp. And I thought Mominul Haque and some of the other batters batted beautifully.”It is not as if Mominul isn’t used to harder challenges but handling questions at the end of a long day in the field can get the better of many top players. In only his first day as captain, Mominul can be given some leeway, but this Test series will not just be a test of Mominul the cricketer and new captain of Bangladesh, but also of Mominul the communicator.

Ivan Toney has criticized Saudi football chiefs over Al-Ahli's treatment ahead of the Super Cup final clash with Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr.

Toney publicly airs his frustrationsSuggests Ronaldo's team get preferential treatmentTwo sides face off in Super Cup finalFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The former Brentford forward has been left fuming over Al-Ahli's treatment in Hong Kong ahead of the Super Cup final with Ronaldo's Al-Nassr. Toney claims his side were the 'most hated' in the region and thus were asked to train on below-par pitches and handed the least favourable training times. Indeed, Ronaldo's side were welcomed to training at 5.30pm, while Toney's team had to wait until 8pm. 

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Toney and Ronaldo go head-to-head in the final of the Super Cup after ending last season as the Saudi Pro League's two top goalscorers. Toney bagged 23 to Ronaldo's 25, but the ex-Bees forward also helped Al-Ahli land the AFC Champions League Elite trophy. 

WHAT TONEY SAID

Toney said: "To be honest, the preparation and how we've been treated is crazy. We've been on the worst pitch, and trained after other teams. We've been the most hated, the team nobody wants to win; it gives us that extra hunger and fight to win something against these teams. You saw in the semi-final: we had no remorse, we wanted to score more and more, and we did."

AFPWHAT NEXT?

The two sides play the final at the Hong Kong Stadium on Saturday, before the Saudi Pro League begins in earnest on Thursday, where defending champions Al-Ittihad kick-off on Saturday.