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Bournemouth verus Tottenham Hotspur is not a fixture which runs deep in the history books of the Premier League. However, Football FanCast has everything you need to know ahead of their meeting on the south coast this Saturday.

Although it is still early days in the 2023/24 Premier League campaign, the Cherries already find themselves lingering around the wrong end of the table having only taken one point from their opening two games.

In contrast, the Lilywhites are flying high under their new boss, Ange Postecoglou, following their impressive victory on Saturday against Manchester Unite.

Bournemouth vs Tottenham: What's their head-to-head record?

This fixture is one which has not provided a long history of meetings with just 13 clashes between these two sides across all competitions.

The majority of those meetings have come within the last eight years since the Cherries' initial promotion to the Premier League with 12 matches written in the history books since the 2015/16 campaign.

You have to go all the way back to the 1956/57 campaign to find the ver first meeting between the two sides which saw the Cherries run out 3-1 victors in the FA Cup.

Bournemouth wins: 3 Draws: 2 Tottenham wins: 8 Bournemouth vs Tottenham: What's their record at Bournemouth?

Andoni Iraola's men were able to secure a point on their opening game of the campaign at the Vitality Stadium against West Ham United, however, their home record against Spurs is not one they can look back fondly on.

Out of the six meetings between these two sides on the south coast, the north Londoners have ran away with the points on three occasions, two draws have unfolded and only one win for the Cherries has been recorded.

This includes last season's stunning comeback from Spurs which saw Rodrigo Bentancur's last minute goal seal a dramatic 3-2 victory – rest assured Bournemouth fans, the Uruguayan remains unavailable for Saturday's meeting.

Bournemouth wins: 1 Draws: 2 Tottenham wins: 3 Bournemouth vs Tottenham: What's their Premier League record?

The Cherries endured late heartbreak on the south coast against the Lilywhites last season, however, they were able to inflict revenge on the Londoners later in the season in the reverse meeting.

In an almost carbon copy of the game on the south coast, Dango Outtara sealed all three points for the visitors in the capital with a goal in the fifth minute of added time.

Although Saturday's hosts had the last laugh when these two sides previously met, it is not a fixture which has reflected kindly on the south coast side.

Bournemouth vs Tottenham: Which team has the most goals?

Despite their only being 12 Premier League meetings between these two sides, it is a fixture which has provided a significant return of goals.

Across their six meetings at the Vitality Stadium and in north London, 40 goals have been scored between the two sides with 17 of those goals coming on the south coast.

More goals have, therefore, been scored in north London (23) but this is a fixture which has seen three meetings where there have been five or more goals scored at the Vitality.

Bournemouth vs Tottenham: What happened in last season's fixtures?

Last season provided two stunning games between these two sides which significant similarities to how both of the meetings panned out.

Spurs were able to come back from what was a seriously underwhelming first half which saw them 2-0 down inside the opening 50 minutes of the game. Goals from unlikely sources in Ben Davies, Ryan Sessegnon and Bentancur proved enough to secure a stunning turnaround under Antonio Conte.

However, the Lilywhites were served their revenge when the two sides met in April after Arnaut Danjuma thought he had rescued the hosts a point with his 88th-minute goal. But it was Ouattara who was able to secure the points for the Cherries with a dramatic finish to the game in N17.

Bournemouth vs Tottenham: What is Dominic Solanke's record?

This is not typically a matchup which Solanke excels with the Englishman having only scored once against the north London outfit. However, that goal did come in their previous meeting when the Cherries sealed the points in dramatic fashion.

Although Solanke has not faired so well in his previous meetings against Spurs, the 25-year-old has made a bright start to the campaign having netted in their curtain raiser and provided an assist on the weekend against Liverpool.

Bournemouth vs Tottenham: What is Son Heung-min's record?

Unlike Solanke, Spurs' South Korean has seriously enjoyed this fixture with the 31-year-old having recorded six goals and two assists in his previous 10 outings against the Cherries.

Despite enduring a sub-par 2022/23 campaign – by his usual high standards – Son was still able to get his name on the score sheet in the defeat at home to Bournemouth in April.

Having been handed the captain's armband over the summer following Harry Kane's departure, the Korean forward is still in search of his first goal of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign.

Bournemouth vs Tottenham:What is Bournemouth's biggest win?

Bournemouth have only tasted victory on two occasions when facing Tottenham in the Premier League and those two victories have both come through one-goal margins.

Back in the 2018/19 campaign, the Cherries secured a 1-0 victory over the north Londoners on the south coast, however, April's stunning victory at Tottenham will take the prize for one of the cub's most memorable wins in England's top flight.

Bournemouth vs Tottenham:What is Tottenham's biggest win?

Spurs, on the other hand, have enjoyed a number of high-scoring victories in this fixture with two four-goal margins wins coming against the Cherries in the Premier League era.

Their first meeting since the Cherries were promoted to England's top tier came in the 2015/16 campaign but was a game the hosts will not want to remember with Spurs coming out of the game as 5-1 victors.

Bournemouth vs Tottenham: What are the recent results?

In their last five meetings, there have been four victories which have been decided by just one-goal margins.

Over that run of games, the two sides have shared two wins each with victories coming for both sides on each other's home soil. Along with the dramatic 3-2 victory on the south coast last season, Spurs were able to beat the Cherries by the same score line in N17 back in 2019.

The only other meeting in that time frame ended as a 0-0 draw on the south coast in the 2019/20 campaign.

Bournemouth vs Tottenham: When is it?

Bournemouth welcome Tottenham to the south coast on Saturday 26 August for the Premier League's early kick-off (12:30 BST).

The Cherries go into the game with their campaign still really yet to take off following their opening two games against West Ham and Liverpool. Undoubtedly, Iraola's men have faced a difficult start to the campaign, but potentially coming out of their third game in the league with just one point to their name would be far from what their new manager would have had in mind.

As for the visitors, victory on the road would surely make for a real statement from Postecoglou's side. Having lost their all-time record goal scorer over the summer, big question marks were left hanging over the direction of the club, but coming out of their opening three games – potentially – with seven points would be a seriously impressive start to the season.

Both sides come into the campaign with new managers at the helm and the game on the weekend could certainly leave lasting impressions on the direction for their seasons.

Xavi mendadak mengumumkan akan pergi dari Barcelona di akhir musim gara-gara perlakuan yang ia terima selama menjabat.

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Xavi akan tinggalkan Barcelona di akhir musimMerasa tak dihargaiBerharap anak asuhnya versus OsasunaAPA YANG TERJADI?

Xavi secara mengejutkan mengumumkan keputusannya untuk meninggalkan pos kepelatihan Barcelona setelah anak asuhnya dihajar Villarreal 5-3 di La Liga, Minggu (28/1). Pelatih asal Spanyol itu sebelumnya diisyaratkan merasa kesal dan stres atas segala kecaman media yang ia terima semenjak kembali ke Camp Nou pada 2021, dan kini ia mengonfirmasinya.

AdvertisementMENGAPA XAVI TINGGALKAN BARCELONA?

Xavi buka-bukaan soal kesulitan yang ia alami menjelang laga versus Osasuna, yang digelar Kamis (1/2) dini hari WIB: "Ini persoalan mental dan sepakbola. Kegagalan demi kegagalan membuat tim ini makin melemah dan menurunkan level para pemain. Level sepakbola menurun gara-gara level mental. Itulah mengapa saya mengumumkan keputusan saya. Terlebih, saya merasa pekerjaan kami kurang dihargai. Saya sudah memutuskannya sejak lama, sejak awal musim."

GOAL KEKEJAMAN BARCELONA

Ditanya apakah laga Osasuna akan lebih emosional, Xavi menjawab: "Dengan lebih bertanggung jawab, bukan emosional. Masih banyak yang kami perjuangkan, kami masih memiliki kepentingan untuk memberikan yang terbaik di La Liga dan bersaing di Liga Champions. Saya akan terus bekerja dengan sangat antusias, saya baik-baik saja."

"Saya mencoba mengungkapkan apa yang rasakan. Mereka membuat saya merasa tak berharga setiap harinya, dan ini terjadi kepada semua pelatih [Barcelona]. Pep [Guardiola] pernah bilang ke saya, [Ernesto] Valverde juga. Saya melihat [Luis] Enrique menderita. Saya rasa kami punya masalah terkait beban tuntutan yang ditimpakan pada posisi ini. Tidak menyenangkan dan rasanya setiap momen seperti mempertaruhkan nyawa. Di klub lain tidak seperti ini, makanya saya bilang ini kejam."

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APAKAH SITUASI FINANSIAL BARCA TERKAIT DENGAN KEPERGIAN XAVI?

Barcelona dihantam krisis finansial sejak beberapa waktu lalu. Alhasil, mereka tak bisa membeli pemain penting di bursa transfer Januari. Tapi Xavi memastikan bahwa keputusannya mundur tak berhubungan dengan situasi keuangan klub.

"Babak belurnya menjadi pelatih tak ada hubungannya dengan situasi ekonomi," imbuhnya. "Saya orang klub ini dan akan selalu demikian sampai akhir. Sayangnya situasinya sangat negatif, dan pihak internal telah melakukan pekerjaan dengan sangat baik."

"Saya bangga, dan suara hati saya sangat jelas. Ssaya selalu memprioritaskan klub dan para pemain lebih dari diri saya sendiri. Oleh karena itu, saya mendapatkan afeksi. Saya tak pernah mengeluh dan selalu beradaptasi dengan kondisi yang ada."

Leeds United could be set to repeat a recent transfer success of theirs, should they choose to once again sign from the Bundesliga.

Is Alexander Nubel leaving Bayern Munich?

With Daniel Farke's summer revamp having been kicked off by the signing of Ethan Amapdu, it now finally feels like the 49ers will start to exert their influence on their new club and help forge a brighter future for this struggling giant.

Dropping into the Championship last season was a gut punch to their reputation, having only spent three years back in the Premier League. However, it already seems like the new owners are planning for an instant return, with a fresh report coming from Sky Sports Germany to reaffirm the Whites' interest in Bayern Munich goalkeeper Alexander Nubel.

Whilst VfB Stuttgart seem in the lead for his signature, the report does not discount the pull of the Yorkshire team, who remain in the race despite having yet to make an offer.

The German shot-stopper is valued at €13m (£11m) by FootballTransfers.

How good is Alexander Nubel?

Having spent the last two seasons on loan at AS Monaco, as playtime at his parent club was limited given the legendary status of Manuel Neuer, the 26-year-old has proven himself more than capable of starring as a first-choice option.

After all, his 6.93 average rating last term in Ligue 1 is indicative of this, with his 71% save success rate feeding into the mammoth 3.7 stops he averages per game, via Sofascore. A tally of 24 clean sheets across his 97 appearances for the French club is an admirable one.

However, his talents reach far beyond his ability to keep the ball out of his net, as Germany's U21 coach Klaus Thomforde claimed: "You can only speak highly of Alex – he's an incredibly talented goalkeeper, with the world at his feet. He's got an extraordinary footballing ability, but he's also very down to earth and is a great lad."

In once again returning to the Bundesliga for a signing, similar to how they did by prying Tyler Adams from RB Leipzig, the Elland Road outfit could be set to repeat old successes that would all but assure their promotion next season.

After all, the USMNT international proved to be an instant hit in the engine room despite relegation, having provided a much-needed injection of pace, dynamism and defensive steel.

This was outlined through his statistics, as he posted 1.5 interceptions, 3.7 tackles, one clearance and one key pass per game, whilst maintaining an 82% pass accuracy too, via Sofascore.

His ability to break up and dictate the play was impressive, as his 6.98 average rating in the Premier League made him the club's best performer of those who had started five or more games.

Sky Sports journalist Tim Thornton sought to support this, noting back in September:

"He's done really, really well. He knows his game. When he came in, he said ‘I'm not going to be the man to replace Kalvin Phillips, I’m my own man.’ There are similarities in the way he plays with Phillips in the way that he breaks play up and screens the defence. But he's also very different in a lot of ways. So he's done brilliantly."

Given the immediate success the 24-year-old garnered, translating his form from Germany to England in a flash, perhaps Nubel could seek to emulate this switch and help alleviate an area of huge weakness for Leeds.

Arsenal have undergone a remarkable transformation in recent seasons. From missing out on the Champions League to arch-rivals Tottenham in 2021/22 to running Manchester City close to the Premier League title in 2022/23, the Gunners' meteoric rise has seen them shift their spending up a gear in the transfer window.

In the summer of 2022, Mikel Arteta was allowed to open up the chequebook and raid his former club for Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus for a combined £82m, with the pair becoming vital cogs in the Spaniard's footballing machine.

With the aim of challenging Man City for the title once more, Arsenal have turned their volume of spending up a notch, replacing the likes of Matt Turner, Rob Holding, Granit Xhaka and Florian Balogun with David Raya, Jurrien Timber, Declan Rice and Kai Havertz for a combined £208m.

Out of that quartet, it is Rice who has made the most impressive start to life in north London, etching his name into Gunners folklore by scoring the winner in a pulsating 3-1 victory over Manchester United.

The Englishman is forming a strong partnership with Thomas Partey in the engine room and despite the qualities the latter possesses, Arsenal could have upgraded on the Ghanaian by signing Federico Valverde in 2016.

Did Arsenal almost sign Fede Valverde?

According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Arsenal had the opportunity to sign Valverde in 2016 when he was plying his trade in Uruguay for CA Penarol.

While the 25-year-old has become one of the best midfielders in Europe, his path to the top could have been a lot different.

The Gunners took the 50-cap Uruguay international on trial for a week seven years ago but Arsenal's manager at the time, Arsene Wenger, declined the opportunity to secure his services with Real Madrid swooping for him instead in a £4.5m deal.

Despite being rejected by the Frenchman, Valverde spoke fondly about his brief stint at the club and particularly, the impact Alexis Sanchez had on him as a youngster.

He said: "I have always been grateful to him. When I went to train at Arsenal, Alexis was there and he was one of the few who came up to help me.

"I will always be grateful to him because, being a nobody, I was well-received by him. He was there to help me when I was a kid. As a footballer, he is an incredible player."

What has Valverde achieved at Real Madrid?

Lauded as "untouchable" by manager Carlo Ancelotti, Valverde has enjoyed a glittering career so far in the Spanish capital, winning two La Liga titles and a Champions League in 2022. Such sparkling form and honours have seen his value rise to a meteoric £129m, as per Football Observatory.

The versatile midfielder, who can operate box-to-box, as a number 10 or on either flank, has become an important player in the Italian's system due to the fact he can play in a variety of positions, but it isn't just his versatility that has caught the eye.

Speaking on BT Sport after Real's 5-1 demolition of Celtic in the Champions League last season, Joe Cole heaped praise on Valverde for the array of technical and physical attributes he brings to the party while putting him in the same bracket as Jude Bellingham, saying:

"He's standing right at the top of the tree with Bellingham in the young players, and he's on the verge of becoming the best.

"He's box-to-box, he scores goals, he's a technician he was the unsung hero in the final, I thought he was outstanding against Liverpool.

"His stats this year are unbelievable, his goals, assists, goal involvements, incredible player and we talk a lot about Bellingham in this country, but this kid is every bit as good as Bellingham."

The departure of Casemiro to Manchester United was the catalyst for the £134k per-week star to grasp more opportunities to impress next to the untouchable duo of Luca Modric and Toni Kroos, doing so by becoming the driving force in that midfield, covering ground quickly and making lung-bursting runs to contribute further forward.

In the 2022/23 season, Valverde scored more goals than he managed in his previous five seasons for the club, amassing 12 goals in 56 appearances, compared to a total of six in the seasons prior, demonstrating that his influence on this Real side grows fast as he continues to play more regularly.

Valverde's former teammate Casemiro always believed in the Uruguayan's ability and predicted he would stand tall among the world's elite.

Speaking in 2020, the Brazilian said: "He's going to be one of the best No 8s in the world in two years"

According to FBref, Valverde is backing up that claim by producing frighteningly good metrics when compared against players positionally similar to him across Europe's top five leagues. He ranks in top 8% for progressive carries, top 10% for non-penalty goals, top 10% for expected assists and top 13% for progressive passes recorded.

For as long as Valverde continues to have a growing influence at Real by producing in every department, Arsenal will continue to rue their decision to let the 25-year-old slip through the net who is now worth a whopping £129m, as per Football Observatory.

Sean Dyche has finally got Everton closer to their best in the Premier League, enjoying a successful season that even a ten-point deduction has failed to completely disrupt. The Toffees are already back out of the relegation zone after the deduction and would be in the top half of England's top flight if it wasn't for the loss of those aforementioned points.

With it all coming together for Everton, the January transfer window could be a dangerous month, with those at Goodison Park potentially forced into a battle to keep hold of their best players. Planning ahead, the Toffees have reportedly already reached a decision regarding one particular player who has attracted interest.

Everton transfer news

Whilst arrivals such as Jack Harrison and Ashley Young will get some credit for how they've settled in, it's been the likes of Dwight McNeil and Abdoulaye Doucoure who have stood out for Dyche, helping Everton to pick up some crucial points.

Their last win over Newcastle United summed up how good they can be when at their best under the former Burnley boss, and now, Everton will only look to kick on. If they can keep their star players then they may just return to the heights they once found themselves at, especially if one specific player stays put as planned.

According to Football Insider, Everton are set to reject offers for Jarrad Branthwaite in January, amid interest from Tottenham Hotspur. Having just signed a contract extension at the club until June 2027, it looks as though the star defender is set to stay put for now and help his side as they continue to climb back up the Premier League table in a major boost for Dyche and co. Everton will hope that the case remains the same in the summer transfer window.

"Outstanding" Branthwaite the key to Everton survival

Branthwaite's rise into Everton's first-team has been vital for Dyche's side so far this season, and even at 21 years old, the central defender stands tall as one of the Toffees' best options – Branthwaite's stats prove as much.

Jarrad Branthwaite

14

68

22

Michael Keane

2

7

4

James Tarkowski

14

59

26

It's no surprise that the defender has earned high praise throughout the season as a result of his performances. That includes from England U21s boss and ex-Everton midfielder Lee Carsley, who said (via the Liverpool Echo): "There were a few players that could've worn the armband. It was a way of showing Jarrad how well we think he's doing at present as well. I think it's part of the game he can add to in terms of leadership.

"He leads by example, he's not too loud, he's quite a quiet guy but the way he plays, he's very imposing. I thought he was excellent tonight and it's something that he should be proud of to lead the team out.

"It was (a) low-key (response), he's very much a team player. I'm not sure he was too keen on being the one in the limelight, you've seen that tonight both he and Jarell (Quansah), they play like men. I thought they were outstanding, they played with real matureness in their defending, it was good to see."

Following an impressive showing in the IPL and domestic cricket, a call-up for the T20I series against New Zealand has put fast bowler Mohammed Siraj closer to realising his India dream

Arun Venugopal23-Oct-20171:10

Mohammed Siraj: Fast lane to team India

BioMohammed Siraj’s rise over the last year has been as fascinating as it has been swift. The son of an autorickshaw driver in Hyderabad, Siraj got hooked to the game while in class seven after he was part of the team that won an inter-school tournament. From then on, he would frequently skip classes to play tennis-ball cricket. His pace and an ability to take wickets in clumps meant he acquired a cult status in his mohalla in the Banjara Hills locality.It wasn’t until 2015 that Siraj took to playing with the cricket ball, upon a friend’s insistence. He took took a slew of five-fors in his first few club matches and soon found himself in Hyderabad’s Under-23 side, and then in the senior team. While he played only one game in his first season in the 2015-16 Ranji Trophy, he grabbed eyeballs the very next year with 41 wickets at an average of 18.92 as Hyderabad made the quarter-finals. He was subsequently picked in the Irani Trophy to play for the Rest of India.Earlier this year, aged only 22, Siraj made the jump to the big leagues when Sunrisers Hyderabad acquired him for a whopping INR 2.6 crore. During the 2016-17 domestic season, Siraj admitted to being taken in by the lavish lifestyle – the air travel and five-star accommodation – a professional cricketer’s life offered. Midway through the IPL, Siraj was doing promotional events and obliging requests for selfies, even if somewhat awkwardly. Such initiation is certain to come in handy once he links up with the Indian side for the T20Is against New Zealand.StrengthsSturdy and athletic, Siraj has a deceptive run-up, which initially suggests that a left-arm bowler is steaming in. He is, however, a right-armer and by his own admission is a natural at getting the ball to swing into the right-hander. It was only since 2016 that he started expanding his repertoire. He has always been able to bowl a pretty quick bouncer though, something that had impressed his captain David Warner and team mentor VVS Laxman in the Sunrisers set-up.FormSiraj picked up 10 wickets from six games in the IPL, including a four-for against Gujarat Lions. He took that form into the India A tour of South Africa, where he took a match haul of 5 for 103 in the only unofficial Test he played. He also claimed five wickets from three limited-overs matches against South Africa A and Afghanistan A. Siraj took 2 for 74 in the only Duleep Trophy game he played last month, and in the first unofficial Test against New Zealand A, he bowled the obstinate Jeet Raval for 34 and broke Will Young’s stumps for a duck as well. He also finished with two wickets in the two List A matches against New Zealand A.

The South Africa batsman has said that he is in a ‘good space’ physically and mentally after series-turning contributions against India

Sidharth Monga in Johannesburg18-Jan-2018South Africa coach Ottis Gibson was asked in the lead-up to the series if the Indian pace attack had enough in it to make them reconsider the usual policy of batting first in Cape Town. This was, after all, not the usual Cape Town pitch; it had more grass than usual on it. Gibson said it would depend on the overheads on the morning of the Test. The morning was bright with no clouds, and South Africa thought about putting India in, but went ahead and took the challenge of batting the first session out.Three overs in, South Africa were in crisis. Dean Elgar nicked behind while Aiden Markram was pinned lbw. The ball did a lot, and Hashim Amla would soon perish to make it 12 for 3. Bhuvneshwar Kumar took three wickets in each of his first three overs. Batting seemed treacherous. South Africa were pretty close to their gamble of a spicy pitch backfiring on them.AB de Villiers, though, batted as if on a different plane. He was helped by Mohammed Shami bowling the first ball to him on his pads. The score didn’t matter, the situation didn’t matter; the ball was there to be hit, and he hit it. Soon he hit Bhuvneshwar Kumar for four boundaries in one over. In crisis he scored 65 off 84 balls, benefitting from some loose bowling along the way, to take South Africa to a total they could win the Test with.In Centurion, South Africa didn’t get the pitch they wanted. It was slow, it didn’t have much bounce, and it turned on day one. Morne Morkel said it felt “100%” like bowling India. South Africa won the toss again – a big advantage this time – but let India back in by not scoring over 400. There was some ordinary running, some loose shots, that let India off the hook. They took a lead of 28 in the first innings, but the third innings was now important. This pitch seemed to now favour India’s bowlers whose default mode of operation is to attack the stumps. Two early wickets fell to balls that stayed low and were at the stumps.South Africa were now 31 for 2 effectively, and it was anybody’s game. It was de Villiers’ game. Once again he scored 80 at the rate of two runs per three balls to pull South Africa out of trouble. These were two crucial innings in the context of the series even though none of these got him the Man-of-the-Match award. They were played at strike-rates you would be proud of in crisis in ODIs. These were what you would call counterattacks, but to de Villiers these are normal innings.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”Not at all,” de Villiers said when asked if he consciously made an attempt to hit South Africa’s way out of trouble. “I watch the ball and I just play. I have always said that I don’t feel there’s a big difference between the three formats. It is just a mindset applying yourself to the wicket and conditions, and that’s always been the way that I have played. So no definitely it’s not something that I force.”That is how de Villiers bats. He sees the ball early, gets into attacking positions, and defends or leaves only if he must. In an interview to ESPNcricinfo in 2015, he said: “My mindset in all three formats, in any situation, is exactly the same. I just want to get myself in, get myself a nice foundation to hopefully attack and dominate the bowlers. After a period what I call – let’s say a period when you have got to earn the right to dominate the bowling. In some innings it takes one ball, sometimes it takes 10 overs, sometimes five overs…”It hasn’t all been smooth of late for de Villiers, with injuries keeping him out of Test cricket. It must feel great to come back and immediately make such a big impact on a grudge series. “Test cricket is the ultimate challenge,” de Villiers said. “It was very enjoyable to be a part of a really important and good series win. I think it was a great team effort from everyone, from the fielding to the bowlers with big pressure moments with the bat in hand, just an all-round really good team performance. I am obviously enjoying my cricket and loving it out there with the boys. And it has been a great couple of Test matches.”These might not have been big hundreds, but these have been match-turning, and consequently series-turning, innings. And de Villiers has never felt better about his game. “I feel like I am in the best form of my life right now,” de Villiers said. “I am never guaranteed results, never guaranteed five hundreds in a row, I could get five ducks in a row but I am happy where I am at. And I am playing well, and I am doing my preparation well, and I am meeting the ball well. It’s just up to the day to take care of itself. I feel at the best phase of my life right now.”AFPPhysically, too, de Villiers said he felt he was in a good space. “It feels like my debut back in 2004 when I started as an opening batsman then a keeper at no.7 and back to opening, and up and down,” de Villiers said of his body. “It’s funny with my comeback now similar to back in the day. But it has been very enjoyable. I feel very fresh, and I have said it on numerous occasions in the last few months that I just feel like just getting out there and playing, and that’s what a good break does to you.”I am feeling in a good space, and the energy is good, and my body is feeling right at the moment. I do have niggles but that is part of Test cricket. You never get up feeling a 100%. The back is still there, the ankles and knees, everything is hurting at times but to be playing the ultimate form of the game again has been a great challenge.”De Villiers is not done yet with India. He will laugh about the last series in India, where some of the best batsmen in the world lost confidence playing on tracks that Faf du Plessis said bordered on the “extreme”, but they are gunning for 3-0.”I can’t remember what happened,” de Villiers joked. “What happened in 2015? Oh we won the ODI series, yeah. It would be great, India have really impressed me and surprised us in terms of the bowling department so they have shown lot more skill and definitely there is lot more pace than we expected. So we know we are going to have to be watchful in that last Test. They will come out fighting and wanting to finish well in the Test series, and wanting to take that confidence into the ODIs, but obviously we would love to beat them 3-0. But you are never guaranteed of a result. We know we are going to have to dig deep again and make sure that like in the last two Tests we adapt to the conditions and put in our best type of cricket in the conditions.”

Matches on alternate days and little downtime between games against Australia and India have hampered Zimbabwe’s preparation, according to their Under-19 coach

Shashank Kishore in Mount Manganui19-Jan-2018Contrasting travel schedules, matches on alternate days and little downtime between games against Australia and India have hampered Zimbabwe’s preparation at the Under-19 World Cup, according to their coach. In the only rest day they had between “two of our biggest games in the tournament”, the team had to fly out from Christchurch to Tauranga and then watch their only training session called off because of rain.India, meanwhile, have had the luxury of being based in Tauranga for the group stages. Having taken little more than three hours to beat Papua New Guinea on Tuesday, the side has enjoyed plenty of rest. They have had an opportunity to climb the Mount, indulge in shopping, watch the Indian hockey team beat Japan in a four-nation tournament, have light pool sessions and even enjoy a day out at the cricket: they were at Bay Oval to watch South Africa take on West Indies.Zimbabwe Under-19 coach Stephen Mangongo felt this contrasting schedule of the two sides was hard on his team. Zimbabwe aside, only Namibia and Canada have had games scheduled on alternate days in different cities. “It is a very tough scenario,” he said. “We play a game, we recover, we travel, we have team meetings and before you know it, we are at a game next day.”Terming the situation “unfair”, Mangongo called for a level playing field in such a world tournament. “No team is bigger than the other, they’re all youth cricketers at the end of the day,” Mangongo said. “Definitely, we believe that in a tournament of this nature, there should be an even playing field. If it’s a two-day break, it should be a two-day break for everyone. If it’s a three-day break, it should be a three-day break for everyone. In our instance, we played yesterday, we traveled the next day, the same traveling day is the training day, and the next day is the match.”We believe it’s unfair, absolutely unfair. India have been resting, they’re ready. We would definitely raise that with our MD (managing director), our board, and when they go back to ICC, these anomalies have to be sorted out. There’s no team that is bigger than the other. We’re all Under-19 youth cricketers and we must be treated equally.”India aren’t the only team to enjoy the luxury of training and playing at one single venue in the group stages. England, Kenya, Ireland, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Sri Lanka too have had all their group matches scheduled at a single venue.

USMNT winger Emmanuel Sabbi is on fire in Ligue 1 with Le Havre, after netting a brace at the weekend to defeat second-place Nice 3-1.

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Sabbi scores brace for Le HavreShares how French side have welcomed himWants to further USMNT careerGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Speaking to AmericanSoccerNow, Sabbi opened up on the success he is having in France with the club, on making his USMNT debut in 2023 and what the future will hold for him. The 26-year-old says it was a "dream come true" to break through on the national stage, and now with the support of all at the club behind him, it's only uphill from here.

AdvertisementWHAT SABBI SAID ABOUT PLAYING FOR LE HAVRE

“It was really just joy and excitement to give the fans what they’ve been so patiently waiting for,” Sabbi said. “It’s an amazing group, they help me everyday and the fans are so supportive and it was an even better feeling to get me first and second for the club at home in front of our amazing supporters. Everything I’ve been dreaming of and working towards and just want to continue to work and get better everyday I’m blessed to be on the pitch.

"It’s been amazing – the weather, people, club, town, and teammates have all been great,” he continued. “My teammates have welcomed me with open arms into the team as one of their own; the staff and players are also great and down to earth. The town and fans are wonderful especially at Stade Oceane.”

GettyWHAT SABBI SAID ABOUT REPRESENTING THEUSMNT

“It was a very exciting and humbling moment for me and my family,” Sabbi said of his USMNT debut in 2023. “I had been working all my life for that moment. I believe God’s timing is the best, so I will continue to work on my game and help my team. Hopefully it brings points, goals, and assists and I believe I’ll get my chance when the time is right. Making the USMNT has been my dream and goal since I touched a ball as a young boy – to be able to play on the senior national team and succeed.”

“My goals are to continue to grow, assist my teammates and to hopefully have the nets ringing,” he added. “Likewise, I intend on working hard for the club and fans. We have a solid team, very good as a group and it will definitely continue to show. I believe in these guys and we believe in ourselves as a collective.”

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Sabbi is one of many wingers in the USMNT pool, and it will be tough to crack in, especially with the likes of Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah, Kevin Paredes, Malik Tillman and Gio Reyna ahead of him. However, not one player is like-for-like, so Sabbi could bring a different identity to the pitch if coach Gregg Berhalter so desires.

A major chunk of that figure will have been spent on bringing the World XI team to Lahore. It is thought the players are being paid in the region of $100,000 each, and the rest is made up mostly by the logistic costs involved

Osman Samiuddin in Lahore12-Sep-2017The PCB will end up spending anywhere between US$ 2.5-3 million for the staging of the three-match T20I series against World XI, as it bids to build on unprecedented international goodwill and bring more cricket back to Pakistan.A major chunk of that figure will have been spent on bringing the World XI team to Lahore. Nobody has spoken publicly about how much the players are being paid but it is thought to be in the region of $100,000 each. The rest is made up mostly by the logistic costs involved.The PCB will not, at least, have to pay for the entire costs of the security apparatus for the series. Two international security consultants – Reg Dickason and Nicholls Steyn and Associates – have been engaged, with the $1.1 million cost picked up by the ICC. That is a result of efforts by the PCB over the last year to seek some kind of assistance from the game’s governing body from their projected loss of revenues from the absence of international cricket at home.Although the total spend on the series may appear hefty for a board that hasn’t hosted an India series in well over a decade and has hosted one international series at home since 2009, the PCB’s financial health appears to be better than has been often thought.The board has made a profit every year since 2011 and has, in fact, tripled it in the three years to June 2016 – for the year 2015-16, according to its annual report, the PCB made a profit of $14.5 million dollars.That is one reason a member of the board’s governing body said he would be happy even if they manage to just break even over the course of this week. Since this series was not part of Pakistan’s original FTP schedule, it does not come under the five-year broadcast deal they signed with Ten Sports in 2013, thought to be around $150 million.Instead, the PCB has crafted the same deal they did for the PSL, whereby they buy airtime in bulk and sell advertising space, taking a majority share of the revenues that generates.Ordinarily, the rest of their revenues would come from various series-specific commercial deals and ticket sales. But the talk around Lahore over the last few days has been of disappointing ticket sales, a result of a pricing policy that has not quite worked out. Hours before the game, the PCB chairman Najam Sethi took to Twitter calling on fans to not wait to see how the series develops and instead buy tickets now. Ten overs into the first game on Tuesday evening, the 25,000-capacity Gaddafi Stadium was nearly but not entirely full.What they end up making, the investment, as the board member pointed out, is a longer-term one. If this series goes off without incident, it paves the way for Sri Lanka to play a solitary T20 in Lahore on October 29 and, potentially, West Indies to visit for a three-match series of T20s in November.With more games of the PSL due to be played in Pakistan next season, this period becomes a critical one in determining the future extent of international cricket in Pakistan.