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Australia captain Steven Smith will miss the remainder of the tour of Sri Lanka – three ODIs and two T20Is – as he returns home to rest ahead of the 2016-17 season

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Colombo 24-Aug-2016Australia captain Steven Smith will miss the remainder of the tour of Sri Lanka – three ODIs and two T20Is – as he returns home to rest ahead of the tour of South Africa. David Warner will lead the side in the rest of the fixtures in Sri Lanka. Smith revealed the development at the end of the second ODI in Colombo, which Sri Lanka won by 82 runs to level the five-match series at 1-1.”I hate missing cricket, but in the long run it will do me a world of good,” Smith was quoted as saying by Cricket Australia on Twitter. “The schedule is very busy. I still want to take on the role in all three formats and do it to the best of my ability.”Australia have lost four of their five international fixtures on tour so far, but Smith suggested his early departure had been considered since much earlier in the tour. Australia’s last match in Sri Lanka is a T20 international on September 9. Their tour of South Africa begins on September 27 with an ODI against Ireland in Benoni, after which they play five ODIs against South Africa.”We spoke about it at the start of the Test series,” Smith said. “There is the South Africa series next, and a big summer with six Test matches and a few one-dayers against New Zealand in between, before we go to India. So it was talked about – to try and give me a little break at some point. We had a few discussions – myself, Darren Lehmann and Rod Marsh, who also consulted with the other selectors. It took a bit of convincing to get me over the line.”Smith, who is Australia’s captain across all formats, said the role remained manageable despite the team’s busy schedule. He has captained in 42 international matches – including in 11 Tests – over the past year, in addition to playing in the IPL, most recently for Rising Pune Supergiants. He did not rule out taking his break from cricket during the IPL, but was quick to suggest the tournament was a valuable experience.”For me, I’ve got a lot of time for the IPL,” he said. “I think it’s been a great learning curve for me. I think I’ve learned a lot about the way I play, particularly white-ball cricket, from the IPL. Playing a lot of back-to-back games I think you learn a lot about yourself as a player. I’ve certainly got a lot of time for the IPL in that respect. But captaining Australia is a lot of hard work and takes a lot of time. At some point, maybe it could give. For now, I want to continue trying to play everything that I can.”Cricket Australia’s national selector Rod Marsh said in a statement: “Steve has a large amount of cricket coming up in the next 12 months and we wanted to find a time for him to freshen up and these last five matches provide a good opportunity to do so.”Regardless of the results of the first two matches our plan was always for Steve to take a break and refresh ahead of the ODI Series against South Africa next month.”Smith’s replacement Warner has not captained Australia in any format, and now takes charge in a tour in which he has been in indifferent form.”This is a great leadership opportunity for David, he has really embraced his role as vice-captain and we are confident he will do a great job in Steve’s place,” Marsh said.

Chelsea are one of the clubs in the race for Athletico Parananse striker Vitor Roque.

What’s the latest on Vitor Roque to Chelsea?

According to reports from Spain, the Blues are set to rival Arsenal, Newcastle, Paris Saint-Germain, and Barcelona for the 18-year-old.

This report also details that the Catalan giants perhaps lead the way as the player 'dreams' of a move to Spain, but the deal is complicated by the scrutiny surrounding their finances so may be unable to afford the transfer.

Therefore, the aforementioned teams are all putting pressure on the Blaugrana to make their move, whilst they're waiting in the wings to pounce on this extraordinary talent.

In order to secure the frontman’s future, it is understood that a fee of €35m (£30m) will meet his club’s valuation.

Who could Vitor Roque replace at Chelsea?

Roque represents a young, hungry, and dynamic striker, brimming with limitless potential. This description couldn’t be further from the current state of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s demeanour at Stamford Bridge.

The 33-year-old joined the West London outfit in the summer of 2022, but the transfer has materialised into a complete disaster, as he has been painfully ineffective.

The former Arsenal man has started just five Premier League games and has only found the net on three occasions in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

It was the definition of a panic buy that lacked any form of planning and drastically backfired.

The Gabonese’s inability to adequately perform has left Chelsea to endlessly experiment with various front lines that have often involved a ‘false nine’ – but has also failed to pay any dividends as the club has only scored 36 goals in as many games to underline a serious lack of potency in front of goal.

Meanwhile, with the impending arrival of Mauricio Pochettino, a new era is about to begin, which will most likely usher Aubameyang out the door.

The signing of the 70-cap international contradicted the ownership’s view to accumulate the "best young players."

But, this could come in the form of Roque, who registered 12 goal contributions in 19 appearances in his native Brazil. Former Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari described him as “one of the greatest players we have ahead of us," suggesting he'd be certainly suit the club's new philosophy.

As a result of an impressive string of performances, the former Cruzeiro star made his Selecao debut in March 2023 to demonstrate the "crazy potential" he possesses, as per scout Jacek Kulig.

Pochettino is likely to be awarded vast resources to transform the fortunes of a club that has plummeted into midtable mediocrity and signing a star of this calibre would be an intelligent step for his future.

Aston Villa are reportedly looking ahead to the summer transfer window in what will be Unai Emery’s first in charge of the club.

The Spaniard made two signings in the January window with Alex Moreno and Jhon Duran joining, however, the summer break will allow the 51-year-old to put his stamp on the squad after an impressive first term.

When Emery took charge from Steven Gerrard in October, the Midlands side were in 15th and in poor form with little direction.

With two games remaining, the Villans could still clinch European football next campaign, with a top-six Premier League finish in their sights after beating Tottenham last week.

A host of top talents have been linked to a move to Villa Park this summer, with the club reportedly leading the pack for a highly-rated European star.

What’s the latest on Manuel Ugarte to Aston Villa?

Sporting CP star Manuel Ugarte has been linked to a number of clubs this summer, most notably Liverpool in the Premier League.

Despite interest from the Reds, it’s been reported by Portuguese outlet A Bola – as per Sports Witness – that Aston Villa have now edged above others to lead the race for the midfielder and have become 'serious candidates' to land his signature.

The report suggests Villa Park is the “most likely destination” for the 22-year-old this summer with exploratory contacts having been made for the player who boasts a release clause of €60m (£52m).

What could Manuel Ugarte bring to Aston Villa?

Lauded as a “destroyer” in midfield by U23 scout and journalist Antonio Mango, the young Uruguayan has been a shining light among Europe’s elite this season.

As per FBref, the midfielder averages a monumental 4.54 tackles and 2.23 inceptions per 90, all while maintaining a pass completion rate of 91.6%.

The Premier League has seen some gargantuan talent in the engine room over the years, with not many as impressive as N’Golo Kante in his first season for Chelsea, which saw the Frenchman deliver the Premier League title.

Described as a “modern-day phenomenon” by Jamie Redknapp for the Daily Mail, Kante was the perfect midfielder and epitomised Antonio Conte’s league-winning side of 2016/17.

The Frenchman dominated the midfield in his first campaign at Stamford Bridge, a feat that inspired many in his position.

Kante, who was 26 at the time, averaged a whopping 3.6 tackles and 2.3 interceptions per game, numbers comparable to Ugarte this season – as per WhoScored.

The 22-year-old could be Emery’s own Kante should he feature in claret and blue, as a player that excels in midfield at a level that almost replicates that of the adored Frenchman in England’s top division.

At such a young age, the Uruguayan could thrive in Emery’s system just as Douglas Luiz has, in a move that could have a similar influence to Kante in his first season at Chelsea. A league title may not be delivered, but European football could be.

Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza has said he is ‘hopeful’ England will tour the country for the entire series in October

Mohammad Isam20-Jul-20161:17

Are England going to tour Bangladesh?

Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza has said he is “hopeful” England will tour the country for the entire series in October. Bangladesh’s 30-man preliminary squad for the England series began training on Wednesday with a focus on fitness. England are scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on September 30 for two Tests and three ODIs.”I personally hope that the tour goes ahead,” Mashrafe said. “Cricket followers in Bangladesh have been waiting for a long time for a home series. Bangladeshi people love cricket, and they hope that England are coming for the tour. I am hopeful they (England) will come to hold on to the cricket culture.”England have always helped Bangladesh. They had sent the team in the Under-19 World Cup. They will certainly get security, as much as what other cricket teams get when they come here. Bangladeshi people respect cricketers. I don’t think there will be a problem.”The ECB had said it will follow government advice on whether the tour should go ahead as planned following the terror attack on July 1. Gunmen had stormed the Holey Artisan Bakery cafe in the Gulshan district of Dhaka before security forces brought the hostage situation to an end. England’s limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan had also expressed “big concern” over the tour.The BCB had said the ECB’s concern was “quite normal” but ruled out the possibility of playing the series at a neutral venue.Mashrafe said their job would be to focus on on-field activities while the BCB would tackle the security issue with the ECB. “There are still three months left so I remain hopeful of the tour. We should keep focusing on our fitness. BCB will take care of the rest.”The Bangladesh team is without strength and conditioning coach Mario Villavarayan who is away due to a “personal reason”.”We are not accustomed to working without Mario. But Iftekharul (Islam) has been around for a long time,” Mashrafe said. “Mario has told him what to do but the players know what they have to do.”Everyone knows that they may lose fitness if they are not serious after a six-week gap. This is a great opportunity for us to take care of ourselves and hold on to our fitness.”

Celtic centre-forward Kyogo Furuhashi was recently honoured with the PFA Scotland Men's Player of the Year award for his performances in the Scottish Premiership this season.

The Japan international has plundered an impressive 24 goals and two assists in 29 starts in the division and the 28-year-old is the latest in a long line of exceptional strikers who have represented the Hoops over the years.

Henrik Larsson, Gary Hooper, and John Hartson are just a few examples of prolific number nines who have been at Parkhead and Ange Postecoglou could add another name to that list by delving into the transfer market this summer.

Last month, Football Insider reported that Celtic and Sunderland are both keeping tabs on Swansea centre-forward Liam Cullen with a view to a potential swoop for the Welsh gem.

He is heading into the final year of his contract with the English Championship club and the Hoops could snap him up to compete with Kyogo next term.

Who is Liam Cullen?

The 24-year-old whiz has caught the eye with his recent performances in the second tier of English football this season.

Hartson, a Welshman who was born in Swansea, arrived at Celtic from Coventry City back in 2001 and went on to be a phenomenal player for the club. He racked up 95 goals and 36 assists in 178 matches in all competitions, including 84 goals in 142 Premiership outings.

Cullen could now follow in his compatriot's footsteps by making a similar move to Scotland this summer. The 5 foot 10 marksman's form in the Championship this term, coupled with his prior form at youth level, suggests that he has the potential to replicate Hartson's success for the Hoops.

In the second tier, the Swansea star scored eight goals and provided one assist in 15 starts, which ranks in the top 2% of players in his position in the Men's Next Eight Leagues for non-penalty goals per 90 with 0.59.

The homegrown dynamo burst into the first team after he caught the eye at U21 and U18 level. Cullen scored an eye-catching 37 goals and assisted eight in 62 starts for the academy side and has evidently carried his goalscoring threat over to the first-team with his displays in the Championship.

These statistics suggest that the Wales U21 ace, who Swans manager Russell Martin claimed "trains like a beast", has the ability and potential to be a goal machine for Celtic in the same way that Hartson was – scoring more than once every other game – during his time in Scotland.

Therefore, Postecoglou could land the club's next prolific Welsh goalscorer by swooping to sign the Swansea number nine in the coming weeks.

For all the feelings of excitement at Test cricket’s return to Bulawayo, there is the reality that the home side will find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer gulf between their visitors and themselves in every way

The Preview by Firdose Moonda in Bulawayo27-Jul-2016Match factsJuly 28-August 1, Bulawayo
Start time 09:30 local (07:30 GMT)Eleven matches into his Test career, Graeme Cremer prepares to take the reins•West Indies CricketBig pictureFor all the feelings of excitement at Test cricket’s return to Bulawayo, there is the reality that the home side will find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer gulf between their visitors and themselves in every way.In personnel terms, New Zealand, albeit without recently retired Brendon McCullum, bring 379 Test caps between them to Bulawayo. Zimbabwe have just 86 and, of those, a third belong to one man – Hamilton Masakadza – who was relieved of the captaincy in May. Masakadza will no doubt operate as senior counsel to new captain Graeme Cremer, who will lead the Test side for the first time. His counterpart, Kane Williamson, is also on his maiden outing as Test captain, but has experienced heads like Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor to turn to.One of the first things they would remind Williamson of was how hard Zimbabwe pushed them the last time the sides met at Queens. In November 2011, the match went down to the last session of the last day before New Zealand eventually claimed the honours. Since then, Zimbabwe visited New Zealand, were soundly beaten, and have played just 10 other Test matches.New Zealand went only to play four times that number and are a much more assured side than they were five years ago. Although they have lost two of their last three Test series, both against Australia, they had been on a solid run before that. They drew in England and the UAE, and beat Sri Lanka away, West Indies away and India at home. Their climb up the Test rankings has not been as dramatic as their headline-grabbing showings in limited-overs cricket but it has been steady, and they now find themselves at No.5. If the idea of two Test divisions ever becomes a reality, New Zealand would play in the top division, as things stand.At the moment, Zimbabwe can only dream of getting there. Their dearth of fixtures has left them without a ranking at all, but after this series it is likely they will be on the table, joining at the bottom. They will want this to be a fresh start, so they can gradually set their sights on greater things.Form guide Zimbabwe LLLLW
New Zealand LLWWLIn the spotlightInjuries to Tinashe Panyangara and Tendai Chatara have left Zimbabwe’s pace pack with just two Test caps among four of them, and the lack of experience could be a cause for concern. Njabulo Ncube and Donald Tiripano have played a Test each while Michael Chinouya and Taurai Muzarabani are uncapped. The quartet have had the experience of Makhaya Ntini, South Africa’s third-highest wicket-taker of all time, to draw on but may need to find the right balance between attacking and containing on what could be a stubborn surface.Leg spin has been known to be a nemesis for Zimbabwean batsmen so Ish Sodhi’s role could be the most important in the New Zealand attack. Sodhi caused problems for Zimbabwe A during last week’s warm-up match at Harare Sports Club, when he took six wickets in total, including that of Test keeper Regis Chakabva twice. He will also be heartened by what he may see from the most recent match played at Queens, between Zimbabwe A and South Africa A. Despite a largely batsman-friendly surface, Keshav Maharaj and Dane Piedt took seven wickets between them to win the match for the tourists.Team newsThe hosts will cap at least one new player either at the top of the order or in the spin department. Prince Masvaure, who scored a century in the match between Zimbabwe A and South Africa A, could open in Vusi Sibanda’s absence. Masvaure will have to be joined by one of Brian Chari or Chamu Chibhabha after Tino Mawoyo was ruled out with a hand injury. The No.4 spot left vacant by Brendan Taylor is likely to be filled by one of Sikandar Raza or Peter Moor, with the other slotting in at No. 5. With plenty of slower bowling options in the middle order, Zimbabwe could field just two quicks, of which one may be a debutant.Zimbabwe: (probable) 1 Prince Masvaure, 2 Chamu Chibhabha/Brian Chari, 3 Hamilton Masakadza, 4 Peter Moor, 5 Sikandar Raza, 6 Craig Ervine, 7 Regis Chakabva (wk), 8 Sean Williams, 9 Graeme Cremer (capt), 10 Donald Tiripano/Michael Chinouya, 11 Njabulo NcubePlaying their first Test since McCullum’s retirement, New Zealand will be led by Kane Williamson for the first time. Henry Nicholls will fill in at No.4, and is surrounded by a strong line-up. With several spin options in their squad, New Zealand could opt for two spinners and two quicks with Doug Bracewell as their all-round option.New Zealand: (probable) 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Tom Latham, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Henry Nicholls, 5 Ross Taylor, 6 BJ Watling (wk), 7 Doug Bracewell 8 Ish Sodhi, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Mark Craig/Michael Santner 11 Trent Boult/Matt Henry/Neil WagnerPitch and conditionsThe scarcity of Test cricket at Queens means there’s not much historical data to go on, but conventional wisdom suggests that the surface will be slow and low, favouring an old-fashioned style of play. The match between Zimbabwe A and South Africa A which took place earlier this month may be the best indicator of what to expect. Brian Vitori, who played in that match, described the surface as flat and scores of 570 and 356 are evidence of that. However, turn came into play on the final day which suggests there may be some deterioration as the sun beats down. The late winter conditions are expected to be pleasant, with clear skies and temperatures in the mid-20s over the five days.Stats and trivia In 15 matches, Zimbabwe have never won a Test against New Zealand and have lost nine. Their record is poorer only against Sri Lanka, against whom they have lost 10 and won none. Since Zimbabwe and New Zealand last played each other in a Test in January 2012, New Zealand have played 40 Test matches and Zimbabwe just 10.Quotes”A few guys will remember that feeling and will know it’s not impossible to put them under pressure and to do well.”
.”We are going to play in a way that tries to give us the best chance of winning. It is tough to win here. We know we’ll have to adapt quickly and be at our best. You don’t tend to get pace and bounce like in other part so the world. It’s about adapting, thinking on your feet.”
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Former England allrounder Dimitri Mascarenhas has been appointed coach of the Australia U-16 side that will participate at the national U-17 Championships in Brisbane later this year

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Jul-2016Former England allrounder Dimitri Mascarenhas has been appointed coach of the Australia U-16 side that will participate in the national U-17 Championships in Brisbane later this year. Mascarenhas had quit as New Zealand’s bowling coach at the end of the home series against Australia in February to spend more time with his family in Melbourne.Mascarenhas said Cricket Australia high performance chief Pat Howard was influential in his appointment. “I had lots of meetings with lots of different people trying to get jobs and stuff,” Mascarenhas told the . “I spoke quite a few times to Pat Howard to see what we could do and he’s been really good. He said he would help in any way he could.”Mascarenhas, who took over as New Zealand’s bowling coach after Shane Bond left following the 2015 World Cup, said his modus operandi would have to change in his new role.”When I start talking about guys like Trent Boult and Kane Williamson their eyes just light up,” he said. “My language will have to change. I’ll probably just have to bring in an Xbox and an iPad and they’ll be happy.”Mascarenhas represented England in 34 limited-overs games and played in 195 first-class, 268 List A and 130 T20 matches. “I wish that when I was 18 to 24 I would have worked harder on my game. It’s easy to get sucked up in the whole hype of it, getting paid to play cricket.”

Liverpool are interested in signing Southampton centre-back Duje Caleta-Car this summer, with manager Jurgen Klopp personally driving the move, according to reports from Spain.

What's the latest Liverpool transfer news?

Former Liverpool man Jamie Carragher has claimed that Klopp will need to bring in three midfielders this summer, however that is not the only area the manager will need to strengthen, with new centre-backs also being looked at.

The Reds have been linked with a number of options, including Josko Gvardiol, with the RB Leipzig defender frequently being touted for a switch to Anfield ever since impressing for Croatia at the Qatar World Cup.

Another defender Klopp could look at signing is Lens' Kevin Danso, having recently sent scouts to run the rule over the 24-year-old, while they are also interested in a move for OGC Nice centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo, as per Fabrizio Romano.

However, Liverpool could also look at signing a new defender from closer to home, with reports from Spain claiming Caleta-Car could be targeted, as the 26-year-old is likely to leave Southampton following from their relegation from the Premier League (via Caught Offside).

The Croatian has caught Klopp's eye over the years, and the manager's desire to sign him, coupled with the Saints' financial needs, could pave the way for a summer move.

The estimated asking price for the £52k-per-week defender will be €10m (£8.7m), which has attracted the attention of a whole host of other potential suitors.

Should Liverpool sign Duje Caleta-Car?

As expected for a club that have been relegated with time to spare, the Saints have been poor defensively this season, conceding a total of 66 goals, and they have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last ten matches.

That said, Southampton's defence has not been their main problem this season, given that four of their five best-performing Premier League players have been centre-backs, with Caleta-Car ranking fifth, averaging a Sofascore match rating of 6.90.

Despite being hailed as having "major quality" by journalist Dean Jones, the 6 foot 4 colossus has not been particularly impressive across a number of key defensive metrics over the past year, ranking faring poorly in the air, while he also stands in just the 28th percentile for tackles completed per 90.

Even though the former Marseille man is available for a cut-price fee, Liverpool will undoubtedly be able to attract better centre-backs in the summer, and they should continue to pursue the likes of Gvardiol, Danso and Todibo instead.

Referee Nick Walsh and his VAR assistant Willie Collum may have made a huge mistake in the most recent Celtic game as they decided to send off Alex Cochrane.

What’s the latest on VAR and Celtic?

The Bhoys had the chance to seal the Scottish Premiership title on Sunday afternoon as they made the trip to Tynecastle Park to take on Hearts.

However, Ange Postecoglou and co were unable to accomplish much in the first half as they were held by their opponents pretty efficiently.

That was until shortly before the break when Daizen Maeda latched on to a ball over the top but was then tugged back by Cochrane.

As this footage shows on Sky Sports Scotland, the Celtic man had yet to bring the ball down and there were other Hearts players racing back, so there was no guarantee he would have been able to clearly get a shot away at goal.

This seemed to be the immediate opinion of Walsh who awarded a freekick and simply booked Cochrane but VAR quickly got involved.

Was it a fair red card for Cochrane against Celtic?

Seeing as VAR is only supposed to get involved when a referee has made a clear and obvious mistake, Collum had no reason to intervene and ask referee Walsh to upgrade it to a red card.

Despite that, VAR evidently felt as though Cochrane deserved the red as he was just about the last man – ignoring the fact that other Hearts players would have been on the scene, covering the situation in seconds.

When speaking on Sky Sports, co-commentator Andy Walker immediately condemned the decision, saying: “He is going to send him off and that is harsh.” He then added:

“This is a horrible use of VAR and the game has been ruined.”

While former Hearts midfielder Michael Stewart was even firmer with his judgement on the situation, telling BBC Sportsound: “That’s an utter nonsense as a red card, but nothing would surprise me.

“Did you see any Celtic players complaining? No. Everyone had a sense that a yellow card was the right decision.

“Utter garbage. What an absolute shambles.”

And even former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner agreed, also telling the BBC: “I don’t think it’s a red card, I’ll be honest. There’s no malice, there’s other players coming back.”

All in all, it’s fair to say VAR completely got this one wrong and Cochrane and his Hearts teammates will have every right to feel aggrieved.

Tillakaratne Dilshan has informed Sri Lanka Cricket that he will be unavailable for the limited-overs series in England and Ireland, owing to personal issues

Andrew Fidel Fernando31-May-2016Tillakaratne Dilshan has informed Sri Lanka Cricket that he will be unavailable for the limited-overs series in England and Ireland, owing to personal issues. The limited-overs squads for England have not yet been named, but Sri Lanka are scheduled to play five ODIs and a T20 international in the country, as well as two ODIs in Dublin soon after the third Test.The news is a significant blow to the team, as Dilshan has been Sri Lanka’s most-consistent limited-overs batsman over the past two years. In 2015 Dilshan hit 1207 ODI runs at an average of 52.47. That aggregate put him on third on the year’s run-scorers’ list.His withdrawal also extends the instability Sri Lanka have experienced at the top of their limited-overs batting order. Kusal Perera is expected to open the batting in the shorter formats after being cleared of doping charges, but Sri Lanka will now have to find a partner for him for the series.Dilshan, now 39, had suggested he was not thinking of limited-overs retirement during the recent World T20. He retired from Tests in late 2013.The ODIs commence on June 16, in Ireland, before Sri Lanka return to play England. The first match of that series is at Nottingham on June 21.