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The agent of Real Madrid attacker Marco Asensio reportedly wants to take the Spaniard to Manchester United this summer.

The Lowdown: Asensio’s Madrid career

The 26-year-old signed for Madrid back in 2015 from Mallorca and has gone on to enjoy great success at the Bernabeu.

Asensio, described as ‘magical’ by teammate Casemiro, has made 235 appearances for the Spanish giants, scoring 49 goals, registering 24 assists and winning 14 major honours.

Capable of playing on either wing or as an attacking midfielder, the Spain international is entering the final 12 months of his contract, and it looks as if a move away could be a possibility as the player himself revealed talks will take place after Spain’s Nations League games.

The Latest: United links

Sports Witness relayed an update from El Chiringuito journalist Marcos Benito regarding Asensio and United.

They claimed that super-agent Jorge Mendes, who now represents Asensio, ‘wants to take’ the 26-year-old to Manchester United and has ‘good ties’ with officials at Old Trafford.

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The Verdict: Interesting…

Valued at £36m by Transfermarkt, Asensio could well be available for a knockdown fee over the coming months due to his contract situation.

He could be of use to Erik ten Hag, especially with the Dutchman not having a senior right-winger to choose from at this moment in time. Bruno Fernandes will also be Ten Hag’s only available senior attacking midfielder when Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard leave, so bringing in Asensio who has plenty of experience and is extremely versatile could be a shrewd move, providing the price is right.

It looks as if Asensio’s agent wants a move to materialise, so this could be one to watch closely.

Sunderland winger Patrick Roberts faces uncertainty over his future at the Stadium of Light, with his current deal set to expire in the summer.

What’s the word?

As per a report from Chronicle Live, Roberts remains coy over his future and is uncertain of where his career will take him next.

After Sunderland secured promotion in a 2-0 win over Wycombe on Saturday, Roberts insisted that he would just enjoy the moment, with the short term contract that he signed in January nearing its expiration.

Asked what was next, the 25-year-old said: “I’ve no idea to be honest, that’s for the next few weeks.

“I’ll just enjoy tonight and do whatever I can see what happens. We’ll have a few drinks and a lot of partying. You’ve got to enjoy these moments. I think Sunderland fans will enjoy theirs more.”

“I’ve only been here six months but you can see since the manager has came in, all the players have come in and the ones that are here, it means a lot. At the start of the season we had a rocky period with everything going on, we’ve steadied ourselves, got the wins and results and we can enjoy tonight and the summer.”

Neil must keep Roberts

Having scored the vital goal in the second-leg of the League One play-off semi-final, and having performed as a big threat against Wycombe on Saturday, Roberts has been first-class for Sunderland and has acted as the cherry on top for a well-versed Black Cats side who all seem to be on the same page.

Since his switch to Sunderland in January, the former Manchester City prospect has created 15 chances at a rate of 2.2 chances per game, with two of these being big chances.

Having featured 17 times for Neil’s side since January, Roberts has been a first-team regular and a key part of their promotion push which has now landed them Championship football for next season.

For a player who still has a lot more to give and possesses skills akin to technical excellence, Neil should not be messing around with a player who was deemed “one of the hottest talents in England” at the age of 17, and should consequently offer the 25-year-old a new deal.

In other news: Neil already heading for big summer disaster on SAFC’s star talent “who truly gets it” 

Some longstanding bests were overhauled as the Bangladesh wicketkeeper racked up a marathon 219 not out

Gaurav Sundararaman12-Nov-2018219 The highest individual score for a Bangladesh batsman in Tests. Mushfiqur Rahim went past Shakib Al Hasan’s 217 against New Zealand in January 2017. Mushfiqur is the sixth cricketer, after Sir Don Bradman, George Headley, Vinoo Mankad, Brian Lara and Virender Sehwag, to break his country’s individual Test score record twice with a score of 200 or more. Mushfiqur has 3962 runs in Tests and is just 87 runs away from overtaking Tamim Iqbal to become Bangladesh’s leading run-getter.ESPNcricinfo Ltd2 Double-centuries for Mushfiqur Rahim as a wicketkeeper in Tests. He became first keeper to score more than one. Before Mushfiqur, seven other keepers had scored double hundreds. His unbeaten 219 is also fourth-highest among those. Andy Flower’s 232 not out against India in 2000 remains the highest. The previous highest score by a keeper against Zimbabwe was 128 by Kumar Sangakkara at Colombo in 2001. Mushfiqur’s own previous double had come against Sri Lanka at Galle in 2013.421 Balls faced by Mushfiqur Rahim during his marathon innings – another Bangladesh record. Mohammad Ashraful previously held the record, when he faced 417 balls against Sri Lanka at Galle in 2013.589 Minutes batted by Mushfiqur – the longest by a Bangladesh batsman in a Test innings. The previous record was set 18 years ago, in Bangladesh’s first-ever Test, when Aminul Islam batted for 535 minutes against India, scoring 145 runs.1 Double-centuries in Tests in 2018. Mushfiqur’s 219 not out is the highest score this year, 23 better than Kusal Mendis’ 196 against Bangladesh at Chittagong. Five of the top six individual scores this year have come in Bangladesh.160 Overs batted by Bangladesh – their second-highest in Tests. Their longest innings came against Sri Lanka at Galle in 2013, spanning 196 overs. Three of the four longest innings for Bangladesh have been against Zimbabwe. This is the longest they have batted at home, and their 522 is their third-highest score in Tests.

Poor shots, hilarious run-outs, making decent bowling look terrifying, and losing all ten for less than hundred: a look at the team’s meltdowns this year

Ahmer Naqvi03-Dec-2016Visit a Pakistani’s home and he will offer you tea; give a Pakistani a melody and she will make a beautiful song out of it; ask some Pakistanis to bat and they’ll eventually collapse.The collapse is the great tragicomedy of cricket, and in recent years has become quite a recurring event, even for once-mighty sides. But like Michael Jackson with pop, Pakistan have the ability to transcend the collapse beyond its genre, producing works that are instantly unique and yet timeless.The simplified narrative about Misbah-ul-Haq’s team and the discipline it espouses leads one to believe that this side is immune to collapses, but that is not at all the case. Each year of Misbah’s six as leader has seen some ridiculous implosions, though what distinguishes his side is their ability to fight back afterwards. However, even for this Pakistan team, which held the No. 1 position in Tests for a while, 2016 has been a remarkable year for collapses.At least part of the problem resides in the origin story of #TeamMisbah. In its first couple of years, the team distinguished themselves by their grit, holding their own in tough rearguard situations.Defeat in Galle in 2014, courtesy another collapse, suggested that the once-successful strategy of batting slowly to take time out of the game was becoming a problem. The following year, Pakistan embarked on a golden run in which they batted heavily and more quickly on their way to a number of wins.The early years of Misbah-ul-Haq’s captaincy were defined by a more defensive approach to batting•AFPBy 2016, the change was quite apparent. Of the four wins this year, only in the second innings at Lord’s did Pakistan score below 3.18 runs per over. In the five losses, they didn’t cross 3.31 per over; in six of those innings in matches lost, they scored under three an over. In Christchurch, Hamilton, Sharjah, Edgbaston and Old Trafford, these efforts came in the midst of stunning collapses.The only exception was Dubai, where Pakistan collapsed while scoring faster than they have in any innings this year. But what Dubai had in common with the collapses in Christchurch and Sharjah, in particular, was a peculiarly Pakistani tradition – the abject surrender to an otherwise limited bowler. The successes of Devendra Bishoo, Jason Holder and Colin de Grandhomme were not surprising, given that over the years, Pakistani batsmen have made heroes out of the likes of Murphy Su’a, Paul Harris, Imran Tahir, Marcus North, Nick Cook and Neil Mallender among others.The collapses of 2016 also show some more general trends that are not specific to Pakistan per se. For example, the team repeatedly displayed the modern trait of largely batting in one gear in Test cricket. Unlike most teams, though, Pakistan’s preferred gear is neutral. In Hamilton and Dubai, they struggled to impose themselves when the situation demanded it and collapsed when aggression was required. More worryingly, at Edgbaston and in Sharjah, Pakistan struggled in closing out the game – a skill that used to be this team’s forte.Like in every collapse, there were many poor shots in Pakistan’s various failures, but once again it was a case of almost always only poor shots, with few good deliveries to be seen. Forty-five wickets fell in the six collapses discussed below, and even applying the most lax of standards, at least 35 fell to totally avoidable and largely brainless shots.Sarfraz Ahmed edges one to second slip, Edgbaston•Getty ImagesEdgbaston, 8 for 72
The key to any good collapse is panic, and there can be no panic greater than knowing you are about to lose a match in which you held a 100-run lead. On this site, Jarrod Kimber described the collapse as “going the full Hafeez”. The hapless opener had indeed got out to (yet another) loose shot, but he wasn’t part of the eventual collapse. Pakistan stabilised before throwing it all away. Both Misbah and Younis Khan fell to good balls on the fifth stump that drew a shot, and Yasir Shah received a very good lifter. The other seven batsmen fell to more ordinary deliveries, almost always playing shots they didn’t need to.Younis Khan gives a leg-side catch to Jonny Bairstow, Old Trafford•Getty ImagesOld Trafford, 5 for 33
This collapse en route to a crushing defeat wasn’t quite as wondrous as the others, but did include a charmingly Pakistani brain fade. Seeking to bat out the day in reply to a mammoth first-innings total by England, both Azhar Ali and Younis fell to needless shots. At this point Pakistan decided to send easily the worst batsman of their fragile tail as nightwatchman. Rahat Ali was soon bounced out, and the next morning Shan Masood offered a simple catch to slip. Asad Shafiq then rounded off the slide by playing a truly terrible drive straight to backward point.Mohammad Amir is bowled by a big Devendra Bishoo legbreak, Dubai•AFPDubai, 8 for 46
This innings unfolded a bit like a shy adult being asked to mind a bratty child. It appears to be a simple task and yet the adult finds himself unable to deal with the brat kicking his shins and calling him names. Pakistan were extremely uncomfortable walking out to score quickly in a match they had dominated until then. Bishoo played the role of the impish prodigy, taking a remarkable eight wickets. No Pakistan batsman was a victim of a good ball: they slogged, dragged on and played against the turn to almost throw away the match.Azhar Ali helps Devendra Bishoo improve his bowling figures with a simple catch to first slip, Sharjah•Getty ImagesSharjah, 4 for 11
The annals of cricket history are filled with the romantic exploits of Caribbean fast bowlers bouncing out terrified batsmen, but none of them can quite compare to Holder’s heist in Sharjah. Bowling a little quicker than gentle, he managed to bounce out Pakistan’s top order, who used leaden feet and wild swishes to help him to his career-best first-class figures (5 for 30). The tail put up more of a fight, but it was undone by a truly marvellous run-out. Mohammad Amir had spent several minutes admiring a shot he thought was going to be a six, and had started to walk towards the non-striker, Wahab Riaz, when he suddenly realised that the ball was live and was being thrown back in. He ran back without his bat in a valiant but ultimately unsuccessful attempt to make his ground.Younis Khan gloves a short ball from Neil Wagner to the keeper in the second innings, Christchurch•Getty ImagesChristchurch, 10 for 102
Most teams would struggle if sent in to bat on a rain-affected pitch greener than jade. Pakistan’s situation was made worse by the fact that their tour games had been washed out, leaving this their first bat of the trip. But like Radiohead after , Pakistani batsmen were unwilling to do what was expected of them. After seeing off the dangerous opening pair of Tim Southee and Trent Boult, they proceeded to collapse to the dibbly-dobbly charms of de Grandhomme, who went on to set a record for the best figures by a New Zealand bowler on debut. Almost none of his deliveries were truly lethal. Sticking to a fourth-to-fifth-stump line, he picked up Babar Azam, Younis and Shafiq thanks to some terrible shots.The police line-up: Pakistan’s players ponder defeat in Hamilton•Getty ImagesHamilton, 10 for 99
The final release in an awe-inspiring collection, Hamilton was the Ozymandias moment of Pakistani collapses – “Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair.” How many sides can imagine batting out two whole sessions in serenity before losing nine wickets in the last session of the match? As always, Pakistan took it a step further by making this the third time in their history that they lost ten wickets for less than 100 runs after putting together a century-plus opening stand. Indeed, such opening stands seem to be the kiss of death for Pakistan, who were once 101 for 0 before losing all ten wickets to Anil Kumble. The shot selection in Hamilton was ludicrous as only Amir and Wahab fell to decent deliveries. More than the context, it was the concept itself that merited admiration here. Any magician knows that every great trick requires a great distraction, and by batting out 59.5 overs for no wicket, Pakistan unveiled their most magical collapse of the year.

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Oct-2015They got an early breakthrough, getting Shikhar Dhawan run-out in the fourth over with the score on 22•Associated PressBut could not stop Rohit Sharma at the other end. He farmed the strike in the Powerplay to take India towards 50•AFPVirat Kohli also joined in with a consecutive six and four off Chris Morris in the eighth over to take the run rate over eight•AFPRohit and Kohli were particularly harsh on Imran Tahir. They hammered three sixes together off him in the 12th over, taking India past 100•AFPAnd Rohit continued to hog the limelight. After cruising to his fifty, he took only 23 balls to race from 50 to 100•AFPBut South Africa fought back briefly after the opener’s century. Kyle Abbott dismissed Kohli and Rohit in the same over as India were held to 199 for 5•AFPAB de Villiers got South Africa off to a flying start, racing to 51 off just 32 deliveries•AFPHe and Hashim Amla added 77 for the opening wicket inside eight overs•AFPIt took an accurate throw from Mohit Sharma to provide the breakthrough, as Amla was run out for 36•AFPR Ashwin spun the advantage India’s way when he foxed de Villiers out of his crease and had him bowled•AFPS Aravind, on his international debut, soon secured the crucial wicket of Faf du Plessis, leaving South Africa needing 105 from 57 balls•AFPJP Duminy, though, counterattacked with a wave of sixes, making his way to 68 off 34 balls, including 18 off an over from Axar Patel•AFPHe found an able ally in Farhaan Behardien, as the pair’s 105-run stand stunned India to defeat•AFPDuminy also became South Africa’s leading run-scorer in T20 cricket, and ensured that his team chased down a total of 200 or more for only the second time in this format•AFP

The cricket was the centrepiece at Lord’s, as players and spectators celebrated the 200th anniversary of a ground steeped in tradition

Nagraj Gollapudi at Lord's05-Jul-2014There was a kid standing in the queue, shaking his legs impatiently, just like kids do when they want something. Standing in one of the tunnels, this kid – an Indian – waited with his dad to enter the Mound Stand. In one hand he held a box of chicken wings, in the other some sauce sachets and a wooden fork. As he nibbled on his food, suddenly the most famous chant in cricket rang around Lord’s: “Sachin, Sachin.” The kid stared at his dad in disbelief, wondering why he was not being allowed to watch Tendulkar bat.This is Lord’s, though, and here the stewards politely ask you to wait and enter the stands only at the end of an over. It does not matter that it is Tendulkar batting, it would not have mattered had it been Don Bradman batting. At Lord’s, a ground steeped in discipline, history and greatness, decorum is of utmost importance.Lord’s 200th anniversary was a celebration of its greatness, and great players like Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Rahul Dravid, Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist and Shivnarine Chanderpaul. It was the only reason all these great players had been assembled by the MCC, the owners of the ground.Two hundred years old. The grand old tree of cricket has stayed strong and its roots, steeped in tradition, have only grown deeper. The ground has been witness to great matches, legendary players and turning points in the history of the game. It was fitting that this match was a sell-out and that the crowd was undeterred by the drizzle on a chilly Saturday.According to an MCC official, though tickets for the match were on sale well in advance, about 7500 were unsold until a couple of months ago. As soon as the squads were unveiled, however, and “Sachin and Dravid” featured in them, the remaining tickets sold within six hours.Walking out of the crowded St John’s Wood tube station in the morning and along packed pavements, it was hard to gauge the context of this match. Nothing was at stake. Yet people lined up obediently outside various gates with their food boxes, Pimms and wine. Some members had started queuing from 6am though the gates opened only three hours later. Dads wheeled pushchairs back and forth as toddlers napped. Tickets worth £50 reportedly went for £500 in the afternoon.For a journalist it was an exhibition game, yet to the fan the buzz and the sense of excitement was unique. When Tendulkar hit his first boundary, a classical back-foot square drive, many fans in the Mound Stand – irrespective of nationality – stood up and applauded as the ball beat a diving Tino Best. When Best bounced Tendulkar, the same crowd gave the bowler a warning. One of the uniqueness of watching cricket at Lord’s is the intimacy the ground allows between the player and the crowd.Over the decades the MCC has worked hard to preserve the traditions of the game: its ethics, values and the spirit of cricket. The Long Room, the museum and the library embody those virtues. Events like today, though ceremonial in nature, carry a lot of meaning. An 81-year-old MCC member, walked into the library and told the chief librarian Neil Robinson about having watched the likes of Bradman and Wally Hammond as a teenager. “He told me today it was so exciting to see some of the biggest names in cricket on the scorecard,” Robinson says.Ask Robinson why this game had such importance, and he points to how dear the occasion is to the players. “You just have to look at Tendulkar and Warne, who could never get on the Honours Board, but still wanted to come and play and show what this game means to them.”Next to the Pavilion is a tiny path that people in wheelchairs use to get into the ground. Sitting in his wheelchair Ian Basnett, a 55-year-old doctor, patiently waits to get in. Basnett is paralysed neck down because of an injury sustained playing rugby 29 years ago. A doctor by profession, he has been watching cricket from 1975. “I have experienced some wonderful days at Lord’s. The staff here are incredibly accommodating compared to everywhere else,” Basnett says, as a steward lets him know the cricket has resumed after a rain break.The respect between fans and caretakers is evident in the adjacent Warner Stand. This stand is more reserved, its occupants – many quintessential public school types – are quiet in celebration. When Tendulkar punches a cover drive for four, a ten-year old boy stands and waves his hands to signal a boundary. Such fanfare gets a disapproving nod and a stare from a middle-aged MCC member, wearing the egg and bacon tie with binoculars around his neck.Jashwantrai Tanna, 75, has been an MCC steward for 19 years. Today he carried his appointment letter – wrapped in plastic – with the date – April 13, 1996 – to show some of his colleagues who were skeptical about his tenure. Minutes later Tendulkar, trying to play a cheeky steer against Muttiah Muralitharn, is bowled. Tanna rushes to the front of the stand to pay his respects. Lord’s is up on its feet for a standing ovation. It is rousing. Tendulkar waves goodbye. In walks Lara. The crowd is still on its feet. The celebration continues.

An evening free in Colombo? You won’t get bored

Angelo Mathews19-Aug-2012Colombo is known as the entertainment and arts hub of Sri Lanka. You’ll feel the buzz of the island here. The capital is known for its five-star hotels and we like to boast about its nightlife and top restaurants.I was born in the city and it is my home. I really enjoyed growing up here, and was lucky to study at St Joseph’s College, one of the leading schools in Sri Lanka. I spent my weekends and spare time playing soft-ball cricket – running around in the back streets with a bat and ball, going to friends’ houses where we would make up rules for street cricket games and then play them for hours.The Premadasa feels like our home ground, in terms of one-day cricket certainly, as we have a healthy win ratio there recently. I like to think of it as our fortress. We play so much there that we know what to expect and can prepare ourselves accordingly. The square was re-laid just a while ago, so the wickets are now more sporting and less dusty, with a little more in it for seamers, in terms of bounce and carry. The stands are steep and the stadium itself is more enclosed, so the atmosphere is always brilliant. But, as we saw in the 2011 World Cup at the new grounds in Hambantota and Kandy, whichever part of Sri Lanka we play in, the supporters follow us. The passion of the fans throughout the island is amazing.Eating out
Colombo is great for a meal out. I am a long-time regular at the London Grill in the Cinnamon Grand hotel, because the steaks there are awesome. Another good spot to eat out would be the Gallery Café for dinner. Among bars, I like to hang out and shot some pool at the Cheers Pub, also in the Cinnamon Grand.The recently converted Old Dutch Hospital next to the Colombo Fort is now a nice spot for food and drinks in the evening. I recently tried out Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara’s new seafood restaurant called the Ministry of Crab. I was very impressed! It is a really smart set-up right in the heart of the city.Shopping
When my friends come over to stay in Colombo, they go shopping at Paradise Road and Odel. Barefoot is good for gifts, with a little café that hosts quizzes and plays live jazz.Shop at Suriya and Gandhara for antiques for your home. There are local art fairs at Green Path that you could check out. For a more raw and hectic Sri Lankan market atmosphere, go to Pettah Market to pick up bits and pieces. Even if you don’t want to shop, I’d recommend a visit there, just for the experience.

Stats highlights of Sanath Jayasuriya’s 20 years in international cricket

S Rajesh26-Dec-2009Twenty years ago, Sanath Jayasuriya began his international career in pretty nondescript fashion. The stage was huge – the Melbourne Cricket Ground – but Jayasuriya’s contribution was unexceptional: coming in at No.5 after Australia had scored 228, he scored 3 off 11 balls as Sri Lanka fell short by 30 runs. Jayasuriya has come a long way since that uncertain debut.Over 20 years, he has progressed from an occasionally-hit, mostly-miss limited-overs batsman into a high-quality and consistent performer in all forms, capable of the quick blitzes and innings of long and sustained aggression in equal measure.One-day internationals, though, remains his strongest suit. He has played more matches than any other player, and scored the second-highest number of runs. It wasn’t all smooth sailing for him from the start, though. In his early days in one-day cricket he struggled to make an impact – his first half-century came in his 40th ODI, and after 55 his batting average was a miserable 13.87.The change in fortunes thereafter was stunning. He began opening the innings regularly, and the 1996 World Cup heralded the new Jayasuriya – in his next 100 games (after the first 55), his average almost tripled, and the strike rate moved up to almost a run a ball. It’s stayed around that mark ever since, even if his average has dipped in the last few matches.

Jayasuriya’s Test stats have fewer peaks and troughs. The start wasn’t anywhere near as horrific: in his first eight innings he had three half-centuries, and since then the average has stayed on the right side of 35 through most of his career. Each of his 14 Test centuries had their fair share of excitement, but a couple of innings stand out – his 340 against India in 1997 remained the highest score by a Sri Lankan for nine years, while his 213 against England at The Oval a year later was even more stunning for the sheer impact it had on the game – he got his runs so quickly it allowed Muttiah Muralitharan enough time to bowl England out cheaply in the second innings to give Sri Lanka their first Test win in England.Even with a somewhat unorthodox technique, Jayasuriya still handled the rigours of opening the innings in Test cricket with plenty of success. With Marvan Atapattu he added 4469 runs for the first wicket – only two opening pairs have scored more. Jayasuriya has also scored the most runs of all Sri Lankan openers – his 5932 runs came at an average of 41.48, which is slightly higher than his overall Test average of 40.07.

That’s only as far his batting is concerned, though. Jayasuriya brings to the table much more than that: his left-arm spin has given the Sri Lankan side plenty of balance over the last decade and a half, especially in one-day internationals, where his ability to bowl tight spells in the middle overs has allowed the team to play an extra batsman. He is the only player to score more than 10,000 runs and take more than 300 wickets in ODIs; even after easing the cut-off considerably – to 5000 runs and 200 wickets – only two more make the cut.

Jayasuriya the bowler is often underestimated, thanks to his sheer presence as a batsman, but he is among the most successful spinners in ODIs, especially in the subcontinent. He is the second-highest wicket-taker in Asia, with 225 scalps at a respectable average and economy rate, and is next only to the incomparable Muttiah Muralitharan. Jayasuriya’s numbers compare pretty well with India’s two frontline spinners, Anil Kumble and Habhajan Singh – the averages and economy rates for the Indians are only slightly better than Jayasuriya’s stats.The best conditions for him have usually been in his home country – in 128 ODIs in Sri Lanka, he has averaged 28.31 for his 119 wickets, and conceded 4.44 runs per over. His worst venue, on the other hand, is clearly Australia – in 51 matches he has only taken 19 wickets at an average exceeding 62. (His batting stats in the country are further proof of the fact that Australia didn’t bring out the best in Jayasuriya.)

What also stands out about Jayasuriya is his ability to play fearlessly even when the stakes are high. His aggregate in the finals of ODI tournaments is next only to Tendulkar, while the average and strike rates are very impressive too. He is one of only eight batsmen to score 1000 or more runs in finals.The team which has suffered the most at his hands in finals in India. His overall average against India is only 36.30, but in finals it shoots up to 56. Both his centuries have come against them.

Jayasuriya is also second in the all-time list of players who’ve won the most Man-of-the-Match awards in ODIs. He has 48 from 443 games, next only to Tendulkar’s 60. Jayasuriya’s powers are clearly on the wane, but hopefully he has enough left in the tank to turn in two more matchwinning performances, which will take him to the half-century mark that he so richly deserves.

Yorkshire in trouble after conceding 87-run lead but George Hill fifty keeps hopes alive

ECB Reporters Network20-Apr-2024

Ryan Higgins struck twice in successive balls, including the scalp of Harry Brook for a golden duck, while Toby Roland-Jones also captured three wickets as Middlesex maintained the upper hand in their Vitality County Championship game against Yorkshire.Medium-pacer Higgins, who picked up four wickets in the visitors’ first innings, dismissed Finlay Bean and Brook either side of tea at Lord’s, while Roland-Jones’ three victims included Joe Root as Yorkshire slumped to 83 for 5 second time around. George Hill led the White Rose fightback in the evening session with a patient unbeaten 52 to lift them to 216 for 7 at stumps, an advantage of 129.Earlier, Jordan Thompson’s five-wicket haul and an impressive spell by Ben Coad, who took 4 for 59, had bowled Yorkshire back into the game, slicing through the middle order as Middlesex posted 246 with half-centuries for Leus du Plooy and Josh De Caires.Resuming on 23 overnight, du Plooy was up and running again as he hammered Thompson’s second delivery of the morning off the back foot for four to bring up the 50 partnership with Mark Stoneman. However, Thompson made the breakthrough in his next over, slanting the ball across Stoneman to induce an edge that was gathered low by Adam Lyth, springing to his right at second slip.Du Plooy, using his feet against the seamers to good effect, reached his half-century from 43 balls – but he soon fell victim to Coad, who sent down an impressive 10-over spell from the Nursery End. Having already pierced Higgins’ defences, Coad produced another superb delivery that jagged back at du Plooy to take out his off stump before also pinning Jack Davies leg before moving across.Those wickets sandwiched that of Stephen Eskinazi, caught in the slips off Thompson without scoring and, at 136 for 7, the first-innings lead which had looked a formality was very much in jeopardy.However, Roland-Jones led the Middlesex counter-attack by dispatching Mickey Edwards for a string of boundaries, with De Caires following his captain’s lead as the pair shared a stand of 56. Roland-Jones’ knock of 30 was ended when he offered a return catch to Thompson, but Tom Helm helped De Caires to guide the total beyond 200 and within touching distance of a batting bonus point.Having posted the second red-ball half-century of his career, De Caires succumbed at once to another snorter from Coad, swinging away to take the edge and, despite Ethan Bamber’s spirited effort with the bat, he was bowled for 11 to give Thompson figures of 5 of 80.That left Yorkshire trailing by 87 and they had reduced that by just 13 when Roland-Jones removed Lyth, for the second time in the match, and Shan Masood to bring Root to the middle with the visitors under pressure.Root took advantage of some stray leg-stump offerings from Helm to get the scoreboard moving as he and Bean added 46 – only for Higgins to strike with successive deliveries spanning different sessions. Yorkshire were still in the red when Root departed for 32, miscuing a hook off Roland-Jones and top-edging to De Caires in the slips, but Hill settled down to frustrate the home bowlers with a watchful innings.He lost Jonny Tattersall, castled misjudging a straight ball from Helm, but Thompson hit a valuable 26 and Coad struck a belligerent 38 not out to keep Yorkshire hopes intact going into day three.

Jasprit Bumrah was the Player of the Match for taking nine wickets in the Visakhapatnam Test against England

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Feb-20241:54

Manjrekar: Bumrah’s impact key to India drawing level

Jasprit Bumrah finished the Visakhapatnam Test against England with nine wickets – 6 for 45 and 3 for 46 – to help India draw level at 1-1 in the series. The highlight of his performance was the yorker that swung into Ollie Pope and uprooted his middle and leg stumps in the first innings.”As a youngster that [the yorker] is probably the first delivery I had learned because I had come from tennis ball cricket and I had seen the legends of the game, Waqar [Younis], Wasim [Akram] and even Zaheer Khan, I had seen them on the television, how do they bowl yorkers,” Bumrah told the broadcaster after India’s 106-run victory. “As a kid I used to feel that is the only way to take wickets. So that is the first delivery I learned. Yes, I kept it with me and I kept on using it to my advantage and now even in Test cricket when you get wickets off it, it’s great.”Bumrah now has 36 wickets in six Tests in India, at an outstanding average of 13.06 and strike rate of 29.5, but he said he wasn’t focussed on numbers anymore. “I don’t look at numbers because when I was a youngster I used to look at numbers. Yes, it made me excited, but you know, if you think about numbers, there’s a lot of pressure anyway playing for India. And if you take that added baggage, it doesn’t really help. So I’m very happy that we won and when you contribute towards that success it feels even better.”Related

Bumrah calls forth thunderbolts from a clear blue sky

Bumrah and Ashwin beat England's bazballers as India draw level

When asked if he felt like the leader of India’s attack, even though players like R Ashwin have a lot more experience than him, Bumrah said: “Not the leader but I feel that I have played a little more cricket. We are going through a transition. There are a lot of new bowlers coming in. So it’s my responsibility to help them and guide them in whatever way I can. So yeah, it’s always good that when we have certain conversations, what do we have to do in certain scenarios, it feels great.”Bumrah gave India timely breakthroughs on the final day of the Visakhapatnam Test, trapping Jonny Bairstow lbw in the final over before lunch, and then breaking a half-century stand for the eighth wicket by catching Ben Foakes off his own bowling. After the game, Rohit Sharma was asked if Bumrah was a luxury to have in the team.”Yeah, it is [a luxury to have Bumrah]. I mean, look, you know, he’s a champion player for us,” Rohit said. “It’s been a while, you know, that he’s doing the job for the team. But yeah, I mean, when you win a game like that, you know, you’ve got to look at the overall performance as well. We were good with the bat and then obviously we know that winning a Test match in these kind of conditions is not going to be easy. We wanted our bowlers to step up and they did that.”