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New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns will not be taking part in the Sharjah tournament or the tour of Pakistan next month.As his team-mates spent the day twiddling their thumbs and extending their last minute practice by a day when the first day of the second National Bank Test was abandoned in Wellington, word came through that a scan Cairns had yesterday on his injured knee had ruled him out of consideration for the tour.Wet and windy weather, with gusts of up to 100km/h, blew through the capital city today and with a minimum of four hours to have the pitch ready, the umpires decided at 12.30pm, or the scheduled lunch break, to call play off for the day.It was just as well because there was no let-up in the weather at all during the day. The latest forecast today said occasional rain would clear around noon leaving sunny patches with the wind dropping back from 45km/h north-westerlies.New Zealand coach Denis Aberhart said the loss of a day did make it hard for his side to try and win the match to level the series before going into the final Test in Auckland, starting on Easter Saturday.However, he said some amazing things had been seen already in the series and it was a case of New Zealand believing they had enough time to win the series.”We have to prepare to win it to make it all square and our approach won’t change,” he said, adding that with extra hours to be added if play started on time tomorrow they would only miss two hours of play.New Zealand had been paying attention to improving all the areas in which they did not do well in Christchurch.Analysis after the first Test loss had shown that New Zealand had paid a price for coming off a lot of one-dayers, 17 in fact, and while they had talked and prepared accordingly there had been an element of pushing the game a lot quicker than players had needed to.New Zealand would look to go back to basics.Aberhart who was at the helm for his first series in Australia said there had been a good deal of analysis that went into that series, and there had been just as much for this England series, based on senior players who had played against the English before and from the side’s own analysis methods.”But to have a plan, you have got to be able to carry it out for a longer time than we managed here,” he said.New Zealand had less experienced bowlers in the attack and they had been unable to sustain the pressure in the way that Cairns and Shane Bond had managed so effectively in Australia.”At Test level you need to have more patience, to be positive, to have a game plan and to stick to it and to believe in it.”If your game is to hit the ball, do it, but do it responsibly. Sometimes you have to haul yourself in and do the hard yards for a while,” he said.While the extra day would give left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori some extra rest from his back soreness, just as it would assist England’s Mark Butcher to get over his cracked thumb, Aberhart said he was very confident that Vettori would play tomorrow, as he had been confident he would have played today.In relation to the problems at the Basin Reserve with its poor drying qualities and the possibility that rain may have seeped through the covers, Aberhart said it seemed to be that every time they came to the ground the groundsman seemed to have had trouble preparing the wicket.”We want to present our players with good conditions with pitches with good pace and bounce. The Basin hasn’t played well this season but this pitch is supposed to be on the different side of the block so I am not going to pre-judge its condition.”But the thing in the middle is the most important thing of all,” he said.Aberhart also confirmed that Dion Nash had ruled himself out of the rest of the season to build himself up for the future while Shayne O’Connor was in the recuperation phase after knee surgery and had thrown the crutches away and was walking well.There was still concern over the second spin role in the side and Aberhart said there had been an opportunity for people to put their hand up but the selectors were desperate for someone to emerge from the ruck in order to relieve Vettori of some of the slow bowling workload.

Crystal Palace have been linked with a move for Inter defender Andreaw Gravillon after he impressed during a loan spell with Lorient.

What’s the story?

A dozen clubs are reportedly keen on acquiring the 23-year-old’s signature this summer, with fellow Premier League sides Leicester City and Southampton also monitoring the situation, that’s according to French outlet Foot Mercato.

The report also claims that several teams across the continent are vying for Gravillon’s services, including Real Betis, FC Copenhagen and Marseille.

Palace need him

Gravillon may be wanted by an abundance of teams looking to strengthen their side ahead of 2020/21, but it’s unlikely any of them need the powerful centre-back as much as Palace do.

The capital club are set to experience a number of changes over the coming months, with 14 first-team players approaching the end of their contracts and Roy Hodgson’s successor yet to be appointed.

Many of those switches in personnel could be at centre-back, with Gary Cahill, Scott Dann and Mamadou Sakho all set to become free agents at this moment in time.

Their potential departures would leave James Tomkins as the only recognised central defender in the south London outfit’s setup, meaning significant reinforcements would be required for next season.

Therefore, Palace chairman Steve Parish must swoop for the £4.5 million rated (as per Transfermarkt) ace before another side snaps him up.

Gravillon played a key role as Christophe Pelissier’s side retained their Ligue 1 status, making 26 appearances for the French minnows as they finished 16th in the top-flight table.

His eye-catching performances in the heart of defence clearly caught the eye, and in a recent interview, the Frenchman revealed he remains open-minded about where his future lies.

“Once the season is over, we will see with my agents whether we should stay in Lorient, return to Inter, go elsewhere. We do not know. We’ll see. We will wait until the season to see how things will go,” he said.

Palace’s work in the upcoming transfer window could make or break their season before it’s even begun, but the arrival of Gravillon would give the Selhurst Park outfit a significantly better chance of survival, and Parish must do his best to get this deal over the line.

And, in other news…Huge CPFC contract update emerges on “fearless” £7.2m-rated star, fans will be gutted 

Sachin Tendulkar hammered 199 and added 225 runs for the third wicketwith Vinod Kambli (105 not out) as West Zone went on a run spree onthe opening day of their Duleep Trophy match against East Zone at theNehru stadium in Pune on Thursday

Staff Reporter01-Feb-2001Sachin Tendulkar hammered 199 and added 225 runs for the third wicketwith Vinod Kambli (105 not out) as West Zone went on a run spree onthe opening day of their Duleep Trophy match against East Zone at theNehru stadium in Pune on Thursday. Riding on the form shown by thegifted duo, West Zone rattled up 384 for four wickets off 90 overs atclose of play.It was a good toss that Tendulkar won but Wasim Jaffer was perhaps atrifle unfortunate to be out to the first ball of the match, edgingDebasish Mohanty to Deep Dasgupta. The home team suffered anotherearly blow when the other opening bowler J Zaman had Nayan Mongiacaught by Sukhbinder Singh for seven runs.Tendulkar joined Hrishikesh Kanitkar at this stage and at once therewas a change in the tempo of the match. The hunter suddenly became thehunted. Even as Kanitkar held on firmly, Tendulkar blazed away withthrilling strokes. The third wicket partnership added 127 runs off25.2 overs before Kanitkar was leg before to Sukhbinder Singh. For his42, the former Indian player batted almost three hours, content toplay second fiddle to Tendulkar. He faced 121 balls and hit eightfours.Kambli replaced Kanitkar at the crease and thanks to some splendidbatting by him and Tendulkar, West Zone quickly went into a positionof ascendency. Tendulkar and Kambli did pretty much what they likedwith the bowling. East Zone captain Shiv Sundar Das tried sevenbowlers in all but the runs kept coming at a fast clip. Tendulkar tookonly 39 balls to reach his first 50, in which there were eleven fours.His second fifty came off 73 balls with nine hits to the boundary. Inthe third 50, which came off 52 balls, there were five fours and twosixes. Just when a double century beckoned, Tendulkar was caught bysubstitute M Gupta off Sanjay Raul. Tendulkar batted five fours, faced214 balls and hit 20 fours and four sixes. He had come in during the12th over and was out to the last ball of the 79th over.Joined by Jacob Martin, Kambli reached his hundred. By close he hadfaced 151 balls and hit 12 fours and three sixes. Martin who made asedate start (two off 36 balls) was with him at stumps.

With James Rodriguez set to miss the Copa America this summer, Everton should be growing concerned over his fitness.

The Colombian was absent for the final two matches of the season with fatigue and then a calf problem, but the situation hasn’t improved and it looks as though he could be set for an extended period of time out.

If the 29-year-old struggles for fitness when the new season gets underway in August, it will be a huge blow to the Toffees’ chances of qualifying for Europe. The attacking midfielder was Everton’s second-best creator in 2020/21 in terms of assists, registering nine in all competitions.

Only Gylfi Sigurdsson recorded more assists than Rodriguez but the Iceland international has been enigmatic at times this season. His missed penalty on the final day against Manchester City just about summed up his inconsistent campaign.

On the chalkboard

With those two problems in mind, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if Everton decide to invest in a creative and goalscoring midfielder this summer.

Ross Barkley has been tipped to go back to Goodison Park, but another option lies in Lazio’s Joaquin Correa.

According to La Repubblica (via Sport Witness), Everton are at the front of the queue to sign the Argentine this summer. The report doesn’t state the fee which may be needed but Transfermarkt value the 26-year-old at a lofty £27m.

Despite the price, Carlo Ancelotti and co would be wise to lure him to Merseyside in the coming months. Correa is a wonderful attacking talent who has racked up 30 goals during his time with Lazio.

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Eleven of those came this season as the vibrant ‘second striker’ also registered six assists across all competitions. His form has earned praise from some of the best to play the game, with Juan Sebastian Veron suggesting that he was “crushing it” in Italy.

It’s easy to see why that assessment was made. Playing just behind the striker, Correa is a magician in possession of the ball. He possesses the ability to make things happen on a relentless basis, something which should be music to the ears of somebody like Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Correa has the qualities to beat his opponents on a regular basis, an attribute which may benefit Ancelotti’s top-scoring number nine in terms of touches inside the area.

The Everton target is a wonderful ball carrier and, amassing 2.3 dribbles per game, he is better at beating opponents than everyone in the squad at Goodison Park.

The way in which he opens up spaces and drags defenders towards him could prove incredibly fruitful for Calvert-Lewin. The Toffees marksman netted 21 goals this term but, with fewer players picking him up because Correa has the ball, he would likely enjoy even more opportunities in front of goal.

An article on Breaking the Lines epitomises everything which is great about the Argentine’s game. The piece read: “Correa’s wide repertoire of skills and his tricky dribbling makes him a menace for opposing defenders. His quick movement and awareness allow him to move into spaces or drop deep to enable his teammates to move forward.”

At a price potentially around the £27m mark, it would be yet another expensive acquisition for an attacking midfielder. However, with Correa in the prime of his career and improving all the time, it would appear to be a solid purchase from Everton if they pull it off.

AND in other news, Everton must complete summer swoop for “ruthless” £18m beast, he’s “similar to Lukaku”…

Daniel Farke’s Norwich City side are considering a summer move for Union Berlin midfielder Robert Andrich.

What’s been said?

That’s according to a report by German outlet Bild (via Football League World), who claim that Farke is scouring the German leagues for potential summer additions to his newly-promoted squad, and that Andrich has caught the 44-year-old’s attention.

It is then claimed that, with the Union Berlin midfielder’s contract set to expire in 2022, the Bundesliga side would be willing to cash in on the 26-year-old this summer, opening the door for Stuart Webber to make a move.

Farke would love him

With on-loan midfielder Oliver Skipp looking likely to return to Tottenham Hotspur this summer, as well as Alex Tettey’s contract running out at the end of the season, central midfield is very much a position that Farke will be looking to strengthen ahead of the Canaries’ Premier League campaign.

And, with Andrich being comfortable in operating from defensive midfield, central midfield, and even in the number 10 role, the £5.4 million-rated man’s versatility is likely to be something that Farke would value extremely highly at Carrow Road.

Indeed, over his 28 Bundesliga appearances for Urs Fischer’s side this season, Andrich has demonstrated both his workmanlike grit in as well as his creative and clinical qualities, with the £7,700-per-week midfielder making an average of 1.8 interceptions, 1.8 tackles and 1.1 clearances per game, while also scoring five goals and registering two assists in the German top flight.

Overall, the former Germany U20 international has averaged a SofaScore match rating of 6.91 for Union this season, ranking him as the club’s eighth-best performer in the Bundesliga.

As such, considering his impressive returns and City’s need for reinforcements in the middle of the park, a deal for Andrich should be extremely high on Webber’s list of priorities when the summer transfer window opens. He’d be a great replacement for Tetty.

In other news: Farke must ensure damage limitation at Norwich after worrying transfer admission – opinion

Leeds are continuing to keep a close eye on Lens starlet Loic Bade ahead of a potential move for the centre-back in the summer transfer window.

What’s the story?

Reports from Foot Mercato earlier this year suggested that Marcelo Bielsa’s side are one of the teams interested in signing the 21-year-old.

Now, Actufoot claim that along with Leeds, the likes of Sevilla and Lyon have also earmarked the young Frenchman as a transfer target, and that with Lens aware of the growing interest in the defender, they are ready to cash in.

Leeds’ new Pontus Jansson

Before Bielsa grew tired of Pontus Jansson, the big centre-back was a imposing figure at the back, dealing with everything in the air and ensuring the Whites had a monstrous presence in their own box.

In fact, on Jansson’s way to earning his place in the PFA Team of the Year in 2018/19 season, the Whites let in just 13 goals from corners and free-kicks over the season. The Swede was superb in the air, winning 4.9 aerial duels per game during his final season in the Championship for the club.

And in Bade, Bielsa could find his next Jansson.

The Frenchman has a big future ahead of him and has already earned reviews for his performances with Lens, with football talent scout Jacek Kulig calling him “dominant” and insisting that he has “huge potential”.

Just like Jansson, Bade is a formidable presence in the air, with his 3.7 duels won per game in Ligue 1 this season actually ranking him fifth in the entire division.

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That’s also not to mention the fact he makes an impressive 1.9 tackles and 2.4 interceptions per game, which puts him third and first among his Lens teammates this campaign.

The 6 foot 3 Bade could be exactly the kind of “dominant” centre-back Leeds could do with, and signing him could give Bielsa his new Jansson at Elland Road.

Meanwhile, a Leeds source has revealed some exciting plans at Thorp Arch…

When the summer transfer window opens, all eyes will be on Jeff Shi at Molineux.

Wolves spent incredibly poorly last year and they are now picking up the pieces of a pretty ordinary season by their high standards.

Sat in the bottom half of the table, Nuno Santo has been left to reel from major injury blows and a summer that didn’t go according to plan.

Nelson Semedo is finally beginning to prove himself following his £27.6m move but for the vast majority of the campaign, he’s been a defensive liability. As for club-record signing Fabio Silva, he has netted only three goals after joining for a whopping £35.6m.

The coffers were rather empty in January as a consequence, with Wolves preferring to bring in a new striker on loan.

This summer, they cannot afford to be so cautious in their approach. Fosun need to delve into their pockets again but this time spend wisely on building a squad ready to challenge for Europe again.

Wolves have been linked with a number of forwards from Tammy Abraham to Oliver McBurnie. They are also targeting a number of wingers with Goncalo Guedes and Douglas Costa the topic of transfer rumours.

Costa is a player that the Old Gold have had on their radar for a while. They were linked with a move last summer and he popped up again at the turn of the year.

However, in a fresh report, it suggests Wolves are ready to slap €10m (£8.6m) on the table in order to prise the attacker away from Juventus.

The Brazilian is currently on loan at Bayern Munich where he’s enjoying the second of his spells in Germany.

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Now 30 years of age, Costa is just past his peak but his qualities are tremendous and certainly outweigh Guedes’.

The Spaniard is a threat himself but if we analyse the key metrics for a player in their respective positions, it’s the Bayern loanee who comes out on top.

24-year-old Guedes has managed 1.6 shots per game throughout his career to date, while he’s managed one key pass and 1.7 dribbles a match. Those aren’t bad tallies but Costa is undoubtedly the more creative and dangerous of the two.

Throughout spells with Shakhtar Donetsk, Bayern and Juventus, he’s provided 1.4 key passes and a massive 2.5 successful dribbles per match. Meanwhile, the number of shots he takes per game are only 0.1 fewer than Wolves’ fellow transfer target.

Costa has long been one of the most tricky players to deal with in Europe and you only need to assess quotes from Bayern expert Philip Rober typify that.

He said: “Great dribbling skills, explosive pace – both over short and long distances – and a powerful shot in both feet, allied to the ability to beat defenders and a set-piece threat, make him a potent asset.”

Of course, there would be more re-sale value to Guedes but Wolves could do with a more experience in their forward line. Costa would definitely provide that, as well as providing the club with goals and assists.

He has 45 goal involvements in 96 games for Bayern (15 goals) while producing 31 contributions in 103 outings for Juve.

It’s hard to dismiss numbers like that; Costa would be a first-class addition to Molineux.

AND in other news, Wolves could sign big Silva upgrade in “outstanding” £71m gem with “excellent speed”…

Southampton are reportedly one of the Premier League clubs most interested in signing Brentford left-back Rico Henry, and if he were to make the move to St Mary’s, he could be a great addition to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.

According to the Evening Standard, Henry is likely to be a Premier League player next season regardless of whether or not the Bees earn promotion, and Southampton are leading the interest in the 23-year-old.

The Saints are clearly in the market for a left-back, as they have just Ryan Bertrand available as a natural option in the current squad, and his contract is currently set to expire at the end of the season.

Meanwhile, Jake Vokins’ lack of appearances on loan with Sunderland in League One suggests that he is some way off becoming a regular with the Saints, so signing someone such as Henry would make a lot of sense for Hasenhuttl.

The Englishman has been a key player for Brentford since signing from Walsall in 2016, making 121 appearances for the London club, in which he has contributed two goals and eight assists.

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Henry was a mainstay in Thomas Frank’s side last season as they narrowly missed out on promotion after losing to Fulham in the play-off final, as he appeared in all 49 of their fixtures, averaging a solid 6.83 WhoScored rating.

During his time at Walsall, current Aston Villa manager Dean Smith suggested that Henry was destined for a career at the top, saying: “If I were to liken him to anyone it would be a young Ashley Cole. And it’s up to him how far he can now go in the game.”

He later described the young defender as “something special” as a result of his impressive performances for Walsall as a teenager, and having now established himself as a top left-back in the Championship, it seems clear that the 23-year-old is ready for a move to the top flight.

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If Martin Semmens can convince Henry to make the switch to the south coast, it could prove to be an excellent signing. Even if Bertrand ends up prolonging his stay at St Mary’s, Henry could then go on to be his ideal long-term successor.

In other news… Signed for £9m, sold for £20m: Southampton enjoyed rare transfer success with 31 y/o liability

Aston Villa signing David Brooks this summer could spell the end of Ross Barkley’s time at the club.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent weeks have suggested that Villa are interested in signing Bournemouth ace Brooks, and Lee Hendrie recently threw his backing behind a move for the 23-year-old.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, he said: “I’m a big fan of David Brooks. I’ve seen a fair bit of him this season and he’s an absolute talent, he really is. He’s a young man with bags of ability and I think if he comes into Villa, I think he’d be a great addition.

“He reminds me of Jack (Grealish). He’s very slight, he’s very mobile and, again, he’s another player that could set the Prem on fire if he’s given a chance.”

Bye-bye Barkley

After enjoying a fine start to his Villa career following his season-long loan move from fellow Premier League side Chelsea – he scored in his first two top-flight games for the club – it’s all been downhill for Barkley.

The England international has since bagged just one other time in the league, while he still only has one solitary assist to his name. It’s no surprise then that reports in recent weeks have claimed that Villa are not convinced over making Barkley’s move permanent, and it’s exactly why Dean Smith’s side must surely go for Brooks this summer instead.

He has managed eight goal contributions in 24 Championship games this campaign, and quite appealingly for Smith, he is able to play anywhere behind the striker.

That versatility should be music to the ears of the Villa boss, who has seen his side hit with injuries to numerous attacking players this season including the likes of Barkley, Jack Grealish, Trezeguet and Bertrand Traore among others.

Having the £16.2m-rated Brooks in his ranks would go a long way to addressing a lack of strength in depth, and it might just be the final nail in the coffin for any chance of Villa signing Barkley permanently.

Meanwhile, Villa should move for this Premier League star Dean Smith loves…

Former Sheffield United striker Marcus Bent has told The Transfer Tavern that John Terry ought to consider taking the vacant job at Bramall Lane.

The ex-Chelsea defender has been touted as a candidate for the job, with Chris Wilder having left earlier this season.

The Daily Mirror reported earlier this month that the Blades have placed Terry on a shortlist of potential appointments as they look to find a replacement for Wilder.

The 40-year-old is currently working with Aston Villa as Dean Smith’s assistant and Sheffield United are said to be attracted by the experience he has gained at Villa Park.

Barring a genuine miracle, it is inevitable that the club will be playing in the Championship next season – they have 14 points to their name and are currently 18 points off safety with just seven games of the season remaining.

And Bent believes that Terry would enjoy the challenge of bringing the club back into the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Speaking exclusively to TIF, the former striker, who had two spells at Bramall Lane as a player, said: “For John to go in, in the Championship, I think that’d be good for John.

“Not being as experienced a manager as a player that he is, but I think the respect for John would be massive if he did go in there.”

Still, Bent is wary of whether or not Terry would be given the requisite funds to improve the squad, and wonders whether there will be an exodus of players looking to retain their personal top-flight status.

He added: “Will he have money to spend? Will there be players going out from Sheffield United? There’s some good players at Sheffield United, I’m quite bemused, I’m quite sad about that because last year they were doing so well.

“Whether the whole squad gets depleted and moves to other teams, I’m not too sure, I don’t know about the contract situations, but John going in there would be a good move for him, especially at Sheffield United, because they’re a very big club, within Sheffield, to go and learn his career as a manager there.”