The Delhi Daredevils batsman said Ponting’s aggression has already helped the team build a mindset around winning T20 games
ESPNcricinfo staff02-Apr-2018Delhi Daredevils coach Ricky Ponting’s aggression and urge to win has already given “goosebumps” in the team camp, according to batsman Shreyas Iyer.”He’s very aggressive and has a positive frame of mind,” Iyer said on Monday during the team camp. “When he gave a speech to all of us on the first day, it gave us goosebumps. His frame of mind was naturally about winning, everyone comes in and we talk a lot about process. When he came in, he had just one mindset at the time: that to win and he elaborated a lot on that.”He asks us to play our own game and not necessarily change our technique or skill. He has his way of preparing youngsters. It has just been three or four days since he has come in, we will get to learn a lot.”Iyer said Ponting’s approach to T20s was in stark contrast to that of Rahul Dravid, Daredevils’ former mentor. “Dravid is calm and cool, he likes to follow the process and nurture the kids. Ponting is opposite, but their frame of mind is the same. Both are equally good in their own way.”Iyer said the younger players would also benefit from the “tremendous experience” of their captain Gautam Gambhir. “It would be helpful to the team, since he has won two IPL titles,” Iyer said. “He’s really good in building the rapport with the youngsters. It will be a great learning experience to play under him.”On his own form, Iyer said having played a tournament in Mumbai prior to the IPL helped him find his tempo to a T20 innings. “It really helped me in terms of how to plan and build my innings,” Iyer said. “Considering the side we have right now, it will help me personally. I hope I will be able to carry forward the same experience in the IPL as well.”
Somerset’s young skipper just survived relegation in his first season in charge and his defiance at Taunton suggested he has no wish to repeat the experience
ECB Reporters Network29-Apr-2018 ScorecardTom Abell produced a captain’s innings to guide Somerset into a strong position on the third day of the Specsavers County Championship match with Yorkshire at Taunton.The 24-year-old skipper rescued his team from 24 for 4 in their second innings, making 82 off 137 balls, with 8 fours and a six, as they recovered to 200 all out. Ben Coad claimed 4 for 61 and Jack Brooks 3 for 44.That set Yorkshire a testing target of 321 to win on a pitch still offering assistance to the seamers. By the close of a day interrupted three times by bad light, the visitors had reached 49 for 1, with Adam Lyth unbeaten on 25, and trailed by 271.The day began with Somerset six without loss, leading by 126. They soon plunged into trouble as Coad and Brooks made good use of the new ball to pick up four cheap wickets between them.Coad had Marcus Trescothick caught at second slip and George Bartlett taken by wicketkeeper Andrew Hodd, while Brooks bowled Matt Renshaw and James Hildreth, both driving.With their lead only 144, Somerset needed a partnership. It was supplied by Abell and Steve Davies, who added 66 before Davies, on 33, edged Coad to first slip where Cheteshwar Pujara took the catch.Lewis Gregory got off the mark with a six over midwicket off Brooks and followed up with a four off the next delivery before Matthew Waite had him lbw playing no shot for 14.At lunch the scoreboard read 113 for six and Somerset had extended their advantage to 233. Craig Overton contributed a bright 18 before being bowled by a full, swinging delivery from Brooks to make it 129 for seven.Abell stood firm, playing an innings of sound technique and good judgement to reach his half-century off 103 balls, with 6 fours. Dom Bess (14) shared an important stand of 42 before driving at Waite and edging a catch to second slip.Yorkshire gave Abell two lives, Hodd dropping a touch chance off Coad when the Somerset captain was on 24 and Jack Leaning spilling a more straightforward catch at gully off Tim Bresnan with the batsman on 69.Abell hit a rare six, clipping Waite over backward square as Somerset’s lead passed the 300-mark. Josh Davey made a useful 11 before driving Bresnan to Gary Ballance and the innings ended when Abell was bowled by Coad, aiming a big shot.Yorkshire were 13 without loss when bad light brought an early tea. On the resumption they had doubled that score when Harry Brook, on 15, edged a drive off Davey to Trescothick at second slip.At 44 for one bad light intervened again and, although the players returned briefly while five more runs were added, the umpires soon took them off again. After 25 minutes of consultation, aided by a light meter, they abandoned play for the day.
A big-name attacker is seemingly open to the idea of signing for Tottenham Hotspur, with there being a willingness on his side to make the move to north London behind-the-scenes.
Tottenham targeting new forward for Ange this summer
Spurs secured a dramatic, deadline-busting deal for Bayern Munich sensation Mathys Tel near the very end of the winter transfer window – which includes an option to buy the Frenchman for around £45 million – but it is far from a foregone conclusion that he’ll stay beyond this season.
Tottenham make out-of-window offer to sign £144k-per-week ex-Chelsea star
The Lilywhites are moving ahead of this summer.
ByEmilio Galantini Feb 18, 2025
The Lilywhites keeping hold of Tel will depend on the teenager’s final decision, even if he has already agreed terms on a six-year contract if he is to remain (The Athletic), so it is perhaps wise for Spurs to identify attacking alternatives ahead of next campaign.
Tottenham are among the clubs displaying interest in Lille star Jonathan David, who has been a consistently prolific marksman in France and is set to be available on a free transfer this summer when his contract expires.
However, given the Canada international will be one of the bargains of the summer window, following a record of 104 goals across 218 appearances for Lille in all competitions, the competition for his signature will be fierce.
It is already believed that Barcelona are out in pole position to sign David from Lille, with the 25-year-old making no secret of the fact he’s a boyhood fan of the La Liga heavyweights.
Ipswich Town (away)
February 22nd
Man City (home)
February 26th
Bournemouth (home)
March 9th
Fulham (away)
March 16th
Chelsea (away)
April 2nd
“(Barcelona) was always the team I grew up supporting,” he told The Athletic. “When you grow up supporting a team, it’s your dream to play for them.”
Bearing this in mind, Spurs do have other options, albeit potentially much more expensive. Tottenham’s all-time top goalscorer and England legend Harry Kane has been linked with a sensational return to N17, with The Telegraph reporting that they have a first-option agreement in potential talks for the £400,000-per-week Bayern Munich superstar.
However, there is no fixed fee in this arrangement, meaning they’d have to negotiate a price or trigger his release clause (The Telegraph). They’d also have to convince Kane himself, but reliable journalist Ben Jacobs has some encouraging news on that front.
Harry Kane privately refusing to rule out returning to Tottenham
Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jacobs says that Kane is privately refusing to rule out re-joining Tottenham, in what could be a boost for Ange Postecoglou.
“I think if Kane returns to the Premier League, there is a willingness to go back to Spurs. That’s not been ruled out by the player,” said Jacobs.
“We have to wait and see if there’s an appetite for Tottenham to do that deal, especially with Dominic Solanke.”
The 31-year-old may be approaching his twilight years, but Kane’s exceptional goalscoring record has not faltered in the slightest. This season, the prolific marksman boasts 29 goals and 10 assists across all competitions, adding to his total Bayern tally of 73 strikes in 76 outings.
There isn’t too much wrong with either Mumbai or Daredevils’ personnel or squad balance, but a number of big names from both sides are yet to fire
The Preview by Karthik Krishnaswamy13-Apr-20183:35
Dasgupta: Rohit needs to give himself some time
Big PictureTwo games each, two losses each. It doesn’t mean too much given the length of an IPL season. Mumbai Indians have come back from worse starts and gone on to win titles, and both they and Delhi Daredevils can tell themselves their results so far do not fully reflect how they have played. Mumbai have lost two excruciatingly tight games, one of which they had no business losing. Daredevils could say they got on the wrong end of DLS in their last match.But the table simply says both teams have played two and lost two. Both teams need to start winning, ASAP.There’s nothing in the personnel or balance of either side to suggest they can’t do this, but some of the biggest names from both sides are yet to fire this season. We could, therefore, be one Glenn Maxwell or Rohit Sharma innings, or one Jasprit Bumrah or Trent Boult spell, from seeing their respective teams shoot up the table.One of these two teams, however, will lose Saturday’s game, their third in a row, and that – for all of Mumbai’s past escapades – will be a hard place to rebound from.In the newsHardik Pandya missed Mumbai’s last match; he did not travel to Hyderabad having suffered a twisted ankle earlier. He has not regained 100% fitness yet and did not train full tilt on Friday evening. He bowled for under 20 minutes in the nets and batted for a marginally longer duration, taking throwdowns from batting coach Robin Singh and a few others; that means his participation on Saturday is still in doubt.The likely XIsMumbai Indians: 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Evin Lewis, 3 Ishan Kishan (wk), 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Krunal Pandya, 6 Hardik Pandya/Ben Cutting, 7 Kieron Pollard, 8 Mitchell McClenaghan/Pradeep Sangwan, 9 Mayank Markande, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Mustafizur RahmanDelhi Daredevils: 1 Gautam Gambhir (capt), 2 Colin Munro, 3 Shreyas Iyer, 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Chris Morris, 7 Vijay Shankar, 8 Rahul Tewatia, 9 Shahbaz Nadeem, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Trent BoultESPNcricinfo LtdStats that matter Mumbai have won four of their last five matches against Daredevils, and have won five of their six meetings at the Wankhede overall Rahul Tewatia has been among this season’s best-performing under-the-radar players. He has only picked up one wicket, but, according to ESPNcricinfo’s Smart Stats, has conceded 12.95 runs less than par over the course of his eight overs so far. Only Sunil Narine (22.46) and Rashid Khan (15.64) have done better. Mumbai’s top three haven’t yet hit their stride this season, which explains why they have the worst Powerplay run rate (7.75) of all eight teams so far. Since the start of 2015, Evin Lewis has a strike rate of 123.7 against left-arm pace. In the same period, he has scored at 137.7 against offspin and at a 150-plus strike rate against all other kinds of bowling. It will be interesting to see how he goes against Trent Boult, whom he is yet to face in T20 cricket. Glenn Maxwell, on the other hand, has relished batting against all of Mumbai’s left-arm seamers. In all T20s, he has scored 15 runs off five balls against Pradeep Sangwan, 37 off 15 against Mitchell McClenaghan, and 13 off four against Mustafizur Rahman – all this while only being dismissed once.Strategy puntIn their opening match against Kings XI Punjab, Daredevils batted first and sent out a top four of Munro, Gambhir, Iyer and Shankar. Against Rajasthan Royals, their top four consisted of Maxwell, Munro, Pant and Morris. They were forced into this since they had to chase a revised target, but how dangerous did that line-up look compared to the first one?This, perhaps, could be a front-loaded blueprint for the rest of their season, with perhaps Morris held back for the slog overs; and Gambhir playing the role of a firefighting No. 4 or No. 5 in case Daredevils lose early wickets, and remaining happy not to get a hit if the power-hitters really get going.Fantasy pickBatsmen have been in control against only 27 of the 47 balls (57.45%) they have faced from Mustafizur Rahman so far this season. It suggests the left-armer is back to his best in terms of his control over his length and variations, and all that rhythm makes it likely he’ll earn valuable fantasy points on Saturday too.
Following the turbulence of 2022/23, things appear to be looking up as far as Leeds United are concerned, with the promotion hopefuls currently enjoying a six-game unbeaten run in the Championship to put themselves in playoff contention.
Having overseen a major squad overhaul during the summer, new boss Daniel Farke is beginning to reap the rewards of the alterations he has made during his brief tenure thus far, with the "high-quality performance" against Watford last time out – as per The Athletic's Phil Hay – an indication that things are moving in the right direction.
One notable decision that has already proved fruitful is the signing of former Swansea City man, Joel Piroe, with the 24-year-old looking capable of reproducing the prolific form that he showcased over the previous few years at the Liberty Stadium.
The one-time PSV Eindhoven asset had caught the attention of those in Yorkshire after bagging 41 league goals across the last two campaigns behind, with Farke and co eventually splashing out a reported fee of around £12m in order to prise the forward from south Wales.
While it is still early days with regard to his time at Elland Road, Piroe has certainly made his presence felt with four goals in just five league appearances thus far, already placing him as the club's top scorer this term.
Leeds supporters are likely to be delighted with the impact that the new addition has made to date, yet it may still sting that the club could have signed arguably an even better Dutchman last summer, in the form of current Liverpool star, Cody Gakpo.
Why didn't Leeds sign Cody Gakpo?
With Jesse Marsch having steered the Whites to top-flight safety at the end of the 2021/22 campaign, the American coach then embarked on something of a spending spree in an attempt to avoid another relegation scrap the following season, forking out for the likes of Tyler Adams (£20m), Luis Sinisterra (£25.4m) and Brenden Aaronson (£24.7m) – as per Sky Sports.
There was one man missing from that raft of incomings, however, with Marsch and co having been intent on signing Gakpo from his native Holland right up until the end of the window, with the aim of bolstering their attacking ranks.
The suggestion at the time was that with both Leeds and Southampton chasing the then-PSV man, the 6 foot 4 hotshot was set to command a fee of around £25m – a rather reasonable figure in relation to their other spending.
Former Leeds boss Jesse Marsch.
Despite having been "so close" to getting a deal done for the emerging superstar – as Marsch revealed last season – and with personal terms believed to have been agreed, Gakpo ultimately stayed put with the Eredivisie side for the 2022/23 campaign.
As per transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the suggestion at the time was that Leeds were intent on bidding again for the versatile forward in the upcoming January window, albeit with the Italian journalist subsequently stating that such a move looked "unlikely", with top European clubs sniffing around.
How much did Liverpool pay for Gakpo?
Heading into that winter window, the suggestion was that rivals Manchester United were set to make a move for the towering marksman, with Erik ten Hag looking to tempt his compatriot into making the switch to Old Trafford.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Crossing
(No obvious weaknesses)
Taking set-pieces
Key passes
Finishing
Direct free-kicks
Aerial duels
Passing
Defensive contribution
Somewhat surprisingly, with Leeds out of the picture, it was Liverpool who came out of the blue to ultimately get their man for a fee believed to be between £35m and £45m, with that figure again looking rather minimal such is his "super talent" – as described by Reds boss Jurgen Klopp.
The in-demand forward had warranted such attention following his standout displays in Eindhoven in the previous campaigns, having contributed 21 goals and assists in just 14 league games in the first half of last season.
With 105 goal involvements under his belt in just 159 games for the Dutch giants – far more than Piroe achieved for PSV (three goals in just 14 senior games) – Gakpo's talent was obvious amid his eventual arrival on Merseyside, having since begun to replicate that form at Anfield over the past six months or so.
How much is Cody Gakpo worth now?
Unlike Piroe – who is yet to enjoy a taste of Premier League football – his compatriot is now flourishing in England's top tier, having ended last season with seven goals and three assists to his name for Klopp's men in the league.
Not only did that include a brace in the 7-0 thrashing of his former admirers, Man United, but the £120k-per-week dynamo also rubbed salt into the wounds of those at Elland Road, after scoring and assisting in the 6-1 victory for Liverpool back in April.
That influential display simply laid bare what the Whites had missed out on just months earlier, emphasised by the fact that Gakpo is now said to be worth as much as €80m (£70m), according to CIES Football Observatory – far beyond Piroe's valuation of €15m (£13m).
How has Gakpo performed this season?
With two goals already under his belt so far this term it looks as if the 19-cap international is set to continue his meteoric rise, with it right to question what might have been had Marsch got his man last summer.
As it proved, only the recently departed Rodrigo reached double figures for goals in all competitions last season as Leeds limply slipped to relegation, with the addition of a menacing attacking threat, like Gakpo, no doubt set to have altered the club's fortunes.
Now enduring life in the Championship, Farke and co do have another PSV youth product to rely upon in the form of Piroe, with the former Netherlands U20 international already showing encouraging signs in recent weeks.
Quite whether the one-time Sparta Rotterdam man – who is yet to earn a senior cap for his country – can reach the same heights as his compatriot remains to be seen, however, with Gakpo looking like the archetypal case of 'one that got away' for the Yorkshire outfit.
Aston Villa are back in action in Europe tonight, as Unai Emery’s side hope to kickstart their progression in Group E of the UEFA Europa Conference League against Zrinjski.
Despite cruising through the qualifiers with an 8-0 aggregate win over Hibernian in an all-British tie, the Villans were dragged back to reality in the opening group game as they faced defeat to Legia Warsaw in Poland.
Emery’s side were hit with a footballing lesson against Legia, losing the game 3-2 in what was an overall disappointing performance by the Midlands club who were well poised to top the group at first glance.
What is the latest Aston Villa team news?
Just as Villa learnt in their opening game of the tournament, no side should be underestimated, which is a lesson that must be carried over to tonight’s contest as Zrinjski were victorious in their opening fixture against AZ Alkmaar.
Villa got back into their groove last weekend by seeing off Brighton & Hove Albion 6-1 at Villa Park, however the match saw two integral members of Emery’s squad sustain knocks forcing them to withdraw from the contest.
The Spaniard confirmed in his pre-match press conference that he will be without Moussa Diaby and Boubacar Kamara for the showdown at Villa Park, with both players having not trained following their withdrawal against Brighton.
Another unfortunate blow is Jacob Ramsey, who scored his first goal of the season against the Seagulls after missing the start of the campaign due to a broken metatarsal injury, with Emery confirming that the Englishman is also unavailable.
In the Conference League opener against Legia, a host of players were far below par, leaving questions over whether Emery will continue to rotate his side to accommodate those that were incapable of fighting for the win in Poland last time out.
Should Douglas Luiz start against Zrinjski over Leander Dendoncker?
Away from the Conference League, the manager opted to rotate his squad against Everton in the Carabao Cup, seeing Leander Dendoncker come into midfield to hand Kamara a rest.
Now that the Frenchman is out of contention, the Spaniard should avoid rotating the former Wolves dud back into the side, after his woeful performance against the Toffees that saw him earn a 6.4 Sofascore match rating.
Instead, Luiz should partner Youri Tielemans, who despite being another poor performer on the night, has shown glimpses of what he can offer to the side when at the top of his game.
Once lauded as a “warrior” by journalist Jack Grimse, Luiz has been the glue to Villa’s transformation in the middle of the park, and while the Brazilian would be the natural target of rotation due to his importance, tonight’s fixture poses little room for error.
With just 33 touches and a failure to impose himself defensively in midfield against the Toffees, Dendoncker was hooked at halftime, with Birmingham Live's John Townley writing that the 28-year-old was 'slow in possession and didn’t progress the ball particularly well'.
Considering Villa’s growing injury problems, Emery will be short on his options in midfield after losing both Kamara and Ramsey, however he should opt against risking another Dendoncker disasterclass.
After the defeat to Legia, Villa must begin to make waves in the group, which they could start tonight with a win over Zrinjski, which they will have to be at their best to ensure with Luiz often possessing the keys to the squad’s success.
Much like any club, Leeds United have endured their fair share of transfer heartbreak or costly mistakes over the years, having notably missed out on a handful of high-profile stars who have gone on to blossom elsewhere in the European game.
One notable example in recent times was the failure of Victor Orta and co to snap up Leeds-born sensation, Erling Haaland, with the Norwegian marksman having been offered to those at Elland Road while at Molde during his teenage years.
Despite having been available for a fee of just £4m, the financial woes of the Whites at the time ensured that no deal ever came to fruition, with the 6 foot 4 powerhouse going on to join Red Bull Salzburg in 2019.
The rest, as they say, is history, with Haaland netting 29 goals in just 27 games for the Austrian outfit, prior to plundering 86 goals in only 89 appearances for Bundesliga giants, Borussia Dortmund, cementing his status as one of the most sought-after talents in world football.
Now at Manchester City – who the 23-year-old joined on a £51m deal last summer – the prolific hotshot already has 60 goals to his name in just 65 games for Pep Guardiola's side to date, having been a vital part in the club's treble success in 2022/23.
The towering titan isn't the only former Leeds target who is currently ripping it up in the Premier League, however, with the Yorkshire side likely to be ruing their failure to snap up the man who clinched victory for Arsenal against Haaland and City at the weekend – Gabriel Martinelli.
Why didn't Leeds sign Gabriel Martinelli?
Back in February 2019, the Whites were enjoying their first season under the management of enigmatic coach, Marcelo Bielsa, with the Argentine tactician looking to end the club's lengthy stint outside of England's top tier.
While that season would ultimately end in disappointment, at the time it looked as if Leeds stood a real chance of gaining promotion, with Bielsa and co looking ahead to potential moves they could make in the summer window.
Former Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa.
According to a report from TEAMtalk, the promotion hopefuls – as well as Watford – were said to be interested in signing the teenage Martinelli from Brazilian lower league side, Ituano, with the highly-rated 17-year-old valued at around £10m.
Despite that possible interest from the Elland Road hierarchy, as was the case with Haaland, no move ever materialised, with the fleet-footed forward ultimately moving to the Emirates later that same year.
How much Arsenal pay for Martinelli?
Despite that prior price tag of £10m, it was actually just £6m that was required for the Gunners to snap up the young Brazilian in the summer of 2019, with the 5 foot 10 whiz having since made that figure look like a total bargain.
Although injury did disrupt the emerging superstar in his early years in north London, the winger was still able to make a strong first impression in his new surroundings, scoring ten goals in just 26 games in all competitions during his debut season.
The relatively unknown quantity announced himself to Arsenal supporters with a brace on debut against Nottingham Forest, having also scored twice against Standard Liege and Liverpool in the Europa League and League Cup, respectively, that season.
It was that clinical double against Jurgen Klopp's men that particularly caught the eye of fans and pundits alike, with the Reds boss himself dubbing Martinelli as a possible "talent of the century" such was his sky-high potential.
How much is Gabriel Martinelli worth now?
As stated above, it hasn't always been a smooth ride since then for the 22-year-old "machine" – as hailed by journalist Simon Collings – due to injury, yet last season saw him particularly explode under the tutelage of Mikel Arteta.
With the Gunners thrust into a title tussle with Man City, the £180k-per-week asset remarkably chipped in with 15 goals and five assists in the Premier League alone, forming part of a devastating attacking duo involving himself and academy star, Bukayo Saka.
Such blistering form has continued into the current campaign, with Martinelli already racking up one goal and two assists from just six top-flight outings, notably scoring against the champions last time out to clinch a crucial 1-0 win.
That vital late strike epitomised the great strides that the seven-cap international has made of late, with that further evidenced by the fact that he is now said to be worth in the region of €150m (£129m), according to CIES Football Observatory.
How good is Gabriel Martinelli?
To have been keen on the soaring talent when he was available for just £6m will likely sting as far as Leeds are concerned, even if the Whites did get to enjoy a special Brazilian gem of their own in the form of Raphinha.
The current Barcelona trickster – who arrived in Yorkshire from Rennes in 2020 – scored 17 goals and provided 12 assists in just 67 games for the Elland Road outfit during his two-year stint, having been a real weapon from the flanks in that time.
Despite the 26-year-old's obvious quality, however, it could be argued that not even he is of the level of his compatriot, emphasised by the fact that the one-time Sporting CP ace is currently valued at just €80m (£69m), according to CIES.
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
Games
Goals
Assists
2019/20
n/a
n/a
n/a
14
3
0
2020/21
30
6
9
14
2
1
2021/22
35
11
3
19
6
6
2022/23
n/a
n/a
n/a
36
15
5
2023/24
n/a
n/a
n/a
6
1
2
Total:
65
17
12
99
27
14
Stats via Transfermarkt
Equally, in contrast to Martinelli's form last term, Raphinha scored just seven goals and provided only seven assists in La Liga, having been unable to make a significant impact since moving to Camp Nou for £55m in 2022.
With Martinelli's relative youth also ensuring he still has plenty of time left to grow, it remains to be just how good he can be in the years to come.
Of course, Bielsa and co certainly enjoyed their time with Raphinha, yet missing out on a bargain Brazilian like the Gunners ace remains a bitter pill to swallow for Leeds.
Manchester United are reportedly in “no rush” to tie teenage wonderkid Kobbie Mainoo down to a new long-term contract.
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Youngster thriving in Red Devils midfieldTalk of senior international call-upAlready tied to deal through to 2027WHAT HAPPENED?
The 18-year-old midfielder is currently working on a deal that is due to run until 2027. That means there is no rush for the Red Devils to agree fresh terms. The Premier League outfit are, however, eager to reward his emergence as a first-team star.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Academy graduate Mainoo has taken in 19 appearances for United this season, scoring his first two senior goals, and has not looked out of place in the Old Trafford engine room. There has been talk of him earning an England call-up ahead of Euro 2024.
WHAT ROMANO SAID ABOUT MAINOO
There has also been speculation regarding an extended deal through to 2030, on an improved salary, but has explained why there is no sense of urgency on both sides of those discussions. He has said: “Manchester United have already opened talks with Kobbie Mainoo's camp over new deal since the beginning of February, as revealed. Discussions are taking place about salary rise, no rush as Mainoo is happy at United and club want to have Kobbie as one of new project faces.”
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?
With Mainoo “happy” as things are, and with there no immediate threat of him being lured elsewhere, United can afford to be patient and play the long game as they look to ensure that they are the ones to benefit from the undoubted potential in the hottest of prospects.
A five-wicket haul for Deepak Chahar limited West Indies A to a total of 221 before Mayank Agarwal’s century underpinned the chase
Jon Culley at Grace Road25-Jun-2018 ScorecardGrace Road had a preview of the batting strength in this India A side last week when they blazed their way to 458 for 4 in a 50-over match against a Leicestershire team, albeit one that bore very little resemblance to the first XI.It was the second-highest List A total in the history of limited-overs cricket, at least for a few hours (bizarrely, it was overtaken the same afternoon when England ran amok against Australia, just up the road in Nottingham). Regardless of the inexperience of the opposition, it was quite an achievement.No feat of that nature was needed on their return to the Leicester ground, where they overhauled a modest West Indies A total with almost 12 overs to spare to register their first points in the tri-series with England Lions, who beat both on consecutive days at Derby last week and take on India A for a second time on this ground on Tuesday.The chief architects of the seven-wicket victory were the seam bowler Deepak Chahar, who took 5 for 27 as the West Indies side were dismissed for 221, and Mayank Agarwal, their opening batsman, who added an elegantly constructed 112 to the unbeaten 151 he made here last week.The Kings XI Punjab batsman, at 27 one of the senior players in a young Indian team, completed his 10th List A hundred from 88 deliveries, having just hit the mountainous 6ft 5in offspinner Rahkeem Cornwall for a towering six into the car park at the Bennett End, extending his boundary count to 11 fours and two sixes before he was caught at mid-on off the pacy left-armer Dominic Drakes.The 18-year-old Shubman Gill, who with opener Prithvi Shaw was a member of the India team that won the Under-19 World Cup in February, was next-highest scorer with an unbeaten 57 after being dropped on 8.It was a disappointing effort by the West Indians, who have brought an experienced group of players and, having beaten the Lions in a three-match series at home earlier in the year would have hoped to do better than lose both their opening two fixtures.They won the toss and chose to bat first under a cloudless sky but made a poor start by losing the key wicket of Jermaine Blackwood to only the third ball of the innings.Caught at slip off a needlessly extravagant stroke outside off stump, Blackwood was the first of right-arm seamer Chahar’s five victims on the way to his best figures in List A cricket.He is the bowler who burst upon the scene eight years ago with figures of 8 for 10 on first-class debut in a match in which Rajasthan bowled out Hyderabad for 21.Regular injury setbacks have not helped but his career since but he now seems to be on an upwards path. He was the leading wicket-taker in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 competition this year as Rajasthan reached the final, after which he was picked up by Chennai Super Kings for the IPL. This is his maiden India A tour and he has 11 wickets in four matches thus far.He also produced good late movement to have Andre McCarthy caught behind in his opening spell and returned to break a building partnership between Rovman Powell and Devon Thomas, the wicketkeeper, whose unbeaten 64 – the best moment of which was a slog-sweep for six off spinner Krunal Pandya that threatened the windows in The Meet – was the only half-century of the innings.Thomas apart, Chandrapaul Hemraj, who had survived a difficult chance to slip on 15, was the most impressive of the West Indian batsmen and his run-out on 45, thanks to a superb piece of fielding by Gill, was a key moment in the innings.
Despite being subjected to incessant and sickening abuse in Spain, the Real Madrid and Brazil winger is leading football's fight against racism
In May 2023, Gareth Southgate was asked for his reaction to the racial abuse Vinicius Jr had been subjected to during Real Madrid's Liga clash with Valencia at Mestalla. "If anyone suggests to me we don't have a problem in society with racism, well, there is another example of what we are dealing with," the England manager told reporters. "And more examples of people burying their heads in the sand, quite frankly.
"It is a disgusting situation. But I think it is so bad that it is going to force change. I am hoping there will be something positive to come out of it."
The positive is Vinicius, a 23-year-old of extraordinary talent but even more remarkable resilience, who arrives at Wembley for Saturday's international friendly against Southgate's England as the face of football's fight against racism.
Put quite simply: there is no more important player in the game today.
Getty'The happiness of a black Brazilian'
One of the most offensive aspects of the discourse surrounding racial abuse is the idea that the victims can be culpable. They sometimes bring it on themselves by having the audacity to enjoy themselves – or simply exist.
The horribly misguided message is that there are nasty people out there and they might say nasty things if they're upset. Racial abuse is, the ignorant argue, an inevitable response to perceived provocation.
As Pedro Bravo, the president of Spanish football agents, infamously told in September 2022, "You have to respect your opponents. When you score a goal, if you want to dance Samba, you should go to sambodromo in Brazil. You have to respect your opponents and stop playing the monkey."
But it's never been about the dancing. Vinicius has always known exactly what upsets so many people in Spain. It's "the happiness of a black Brazilian" – and for a long time there were few more ebullient black Brazilians plying their trade in La Liga than Vinicius, the personification of .
AdvertisementGetty Images'Incessant racist abuse'
He enjoyed himself each and every time he set foot on the field – and rival fans hated him for it. Just like Bravo, they tried to make out their animosity towards Vinicius was due to his alleged disrespect and diving, but the root cause was quite clearly the colour of his skin.
Shortly after the broadcast, Atletico Madrid fans were heard chanting "You're a monkey, Vinicius, you're a monkey" outside of the Metropolitanto before a Liga clash with Real. Before another Madrid derby in January of last year, Atletico supporters chillingly hung a black effigy clad in a Vinicius Junior shirt off a bridge in the Spanish capital.
When Barcelona won La Liga on May 15, their title celebrations were marred by chants of "Die, Vinicius!" Six days later, the match referee, Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea, temporarily suspended play during Madrid's meeting with Valencia at Mestalla after Vinicius drew his attention to the racial abuse being aimed at him by a significant number of home fans. Among the insults flagged in the referee's official report were, "F*cking black, you're an idiot’, "F*cking black son of a b*tch" and "Monkey, you're a f*cking monkey".
Getty Images'It wasn't one person shouting…'
Vinicius was so understandably enraged that Carlo Ancelotti even considered taking him off. "It wasn't one person shouting," the Italian coach pointed out. "It was the crowd.
"You have to stop the game. You can't continue, it's impossible. I told the referee that I was going to substitute him. I had never thought of removing a player before because fans were insulting him. I'm very upset. The only thing he wants is to play football. He is not angry, but sad."
Vinicius was angry, though, and when the game resumed after a 10-minute delay, his unsurprising sense of indignation eventually got the better of him. During a melee in injury-time, he was dismissed for lashing out at Valencia striker Hugo Duro, who escaped punishment despite having held Vinicius in a headlock beforehand.
"The prize that the racists won was my sending-off!" the Brazil international wrote on Instagram afterwards, before adding, "It's not football. It's La Liga."
He then went further by claiming that "the championship that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano and Messi today belongs to the racists. A beautiful nation, which welcomed me and which I love, but which agreed to export the image of a racist country to the world.
"I'm sorry for the Spaniards who don't agree, but today, in Brazil, Spain is known as a country of racists. And, unfortunately, for everything that happens each week, I have no defence. I agree. But I am strong and I will go to the end against racists. Even if it's far from here."
That last line was the subject of intense scrutiny, as it insinuated that Vinicius might even quit Spain in order to escape the incessant racial abuse.
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Getty Images'Little bit alone'
However, it was interpreted more as a warning by those close to the club, a sign of his dissatisfaction with his employers, whom he reportedly believed hadn't always been quick enough to throw their support behind him. The whole situation evoked memories of Mario Balotelli's attempts to deal with racism in Italy. The forward had once been asked how the incessant abuse made him feel and he replied, "A little bit alone."
Plenty of Vinicius' team-mates have rallied around him over the past couple of years – Thibaut Courtois said they were willing to walk off the field at Mestalla last year – while Ancelotti has repeatedly slated the authorities for not doing enough to protect his player or push those abusing him. It was certainly telling that Javier Tebas got more riled up by Vinicius' wholly justified criticism of La Liga, and the Spanish authorities in general, than the shocking scenes at Mestalla.
The Liga chief effectively blamed Vinicius for not playing his part in the fight against racism when, in reality, it feels as if this whole struggle has become his burden to bear.