All posts by h79snht.top

The former coach had already been banned for 20 years for inappropriate behaviour towards a female player

AAP15-Nov-2024

Cricket Australia has handed former Sri Lanka Test player Dulip Samaraweera with another ban after allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards a second player while coaching.Already suspended from any involvement in Australian cricket for 20 years after being found to have behaved inappropriately towards a female player, Samaraweera has since been accused of further misconduct.The second matter relates to his time when he worked as a private coach, while employed by Cricket Victoria. Samaraweera has denied the claim but chose not to participate in the investigation and has been banned for 10 years for breaching the sport’s code of conduct.The ban will be served concurrently with his initial 20-year suspension, meaning he is still not able to return to any coaching role with Australia or a state or territory body until 2044 when he will be 72.AAP understands neither complainant has so far opted to pursue criminal charges.The seven-time Test representative had been involved in Cricket Victoria’s women’s program for almost 16 years, including as a long-time assistant coach at the WBBL’s Melbourne Stars, before resigning in May.Cricket Victoria chief executive Nick Cummins had previously labelled Samaraweera’s conduct “utterly reprehensible” and “a betrayal of everything we stand for” after CA released the findings of its initial investigation in September.”The victim in this case has demonstrated incredible strength of character and courage in speaking up,” Cummins said after the initial charge.  “She will continue to receive our ongoing support to allow her to achieve her goals on and off the field.”From an organisation perspective, the safety and wellbeing of everyone at Cricket Victoria is paramount. We will not tolerate any behaviour which compromises that position, or our people, and will always support our culture of speaking up.”The Colombo-born Samaraweera opened the batting in seven Tests for Sri Lanka between 1993 and 1995, before later moving into coaching. He was an assistant coach with the Stars from the inaugural WBBL season in 2015, and even served as Victoria’s interim head coach for most of last summer.Samaraweera had been due to take over the role full-time, but resigned in May when Cricket Victoria’s conflict of interest policy prevented him from hiring his brother Thilan to the coaching staff.

Leeds United and the 49ers Enterprises have made an enquiry to sign another new midfielder ahead of Premier League rivals Burnley and Everton.

Leeds bolster midfield with Longstaff and Stach signings

The Whites have been busy in recent weeks ahead of their top flight return, with two of their recent signings coming in midfield.

After bolstering Daniel Farke’s defence with Jaka Bijol, Sebastiaan Bornauw and Gabriel Gudmundsson, Leeds have since added Sean Longstaff and Anton Stach.

Signed for a combined £29.4m from Newcastle United and Hoffenheim respectively, the duo look set to provide competition for Ethan Ampadu, Ao Tanaka and Ilia Gruev this season.

Talking after signing, Longstaff said: “I think from the first time I spoke to Leeds, I got a feeling that they really wanted me. It just fills you full of confidence and it just makes you want to repay those people. It is a massive, massive football club – similar to Newcastle in a lot of ways.”

Meanwhile, Stach added: “I am excited to join such a good team, such a good Premier League team, and I am looking forward to the next season. My style of play, I would say I am an aggressive player. I am good in duels. I am good at anticipating passes from the opponents and it would be good for the Premier League. Now we will see, I will try my best.”

Related Even better than Muniz: Leeds lining up move to sign "dominant" £30m star

Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing a striker who is even better than Rodrigo Muniz.

Posts ByDan Emery Jul 31, 2025

The Whites don’t seem to be stopping there when it comes to midfield reinforcements, though, going off a new transfer update.

Leeds make contact to sign Benfica’s Florentino Luis

According to journalist Gianluigi Longari, relayed by MOT Leeds News, Leeds have made an enquiry to sign Benfica midfielder Florentino Luis.

It is claimed that the Portuguese side could be open to selling Luis after bringing in Richard Ríos, with Leeds, Everton and Burnley all making approaches in recent weeks.

The 25-year-old appears to be at the top of his game with a career-high €22m Transfermarkt valuation. Luis has been with Benfica since 2019, winning two league titles, and is under contract until 2027.

He caught the eye of football talent scout Jacek Kulig, who dubbed the midfielder the “Portuguese Octopus”, and he also ranks high for a number of areas over the last 12 months.

Florentino Luis

Percentile (FBref)

Tackles

97th percentile

Interceptions

99th percentile

Tackles won

94th percentile

Passes blocked

82nd percentile

Pass completion (long)

94th percentile

A move to England could be one to keep an eye on following the recent transfer update and it’ll be interesting to see if Leeds firm up their interest after making contact.

At 36, he is the youngest ICC chair and he was elected unopposed in August

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Dec-2024

Jay Shah has begun his tenure as ICC chair as of December 1. He takes over from Greg Barclay over the weekend, with the decision on the venue for the 2025 Champions Trophy imminent.”I am honoured to take on the role of ICC chair and grateful for the support and trust of the ICC directors and member boards,” Shah said in a statement on his first day in the role. “This is an exciting time for the sport as we prepare for the LA28 Olympic Games and work to make cricket more inclusive and engaging for fans worldwide.”We are at a critical juncture with the coexistence of multiple formats and the need to accelerate the growth of the women’s game. Cricket holds immense potential globally, and I look forward to working closely with the ICC team and Member countries to seize these opportunities and take the sport to new heights.”Related

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi takes charge as ACC president

Jay Shah could serve two three-year terms as ICC chair

Jay Shah elected unopposed as new ICC chair

Shah was elected unopposed and at the age of 36 he is the youngest ICC chair. Before moving to the ICC, he was the BCCI secretary, and it is not yet known who will succeed him in that role. He also served as the president of the Asian Cricket Council and as chair of the ICC’s finance and commercial affairs committee.A significant decision immediately facing the ICC is the venue of the 2025 Champions Trophy, which is supposed to be Pakistan. Imran Khwaja, the ICC deputy chair, has been acting as the interim chair and presided over the short board meeting on Friday. It is expected he will see through the Champions Trophy issue as the interim chair.The tournament is scheduled to begin on February 19 and the fixtures haven’t been announced yet following the BCCI’s refusal to send the Indian team to play in Pakistan, citing government advice. The PCB had been firm in its stance that it wanted to host all the Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan, after it sent a team to play the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, but a compromise may be reached where all the matches involving India may be played at a neutral venue. A final decision is expected imminently.

Newcastle United rode into the summer transfer window on the crest of a wave, but the Magpies faithful have since been left with misgivings after wretched fortunes in the market.

So many transfer targets have been missed, and now, the all-inspiring talisman that is Alexander Isak is pushing to sign for Premier League champions Liverpool.

Though Newcastle lost the race against Manchester United for Benjamin Sesko, with a £73m deal agreed with RB Leipzig, there is still an impetus on Eddie Howe’s part to sign a high-level number nine this month.

Newcastle planning to sign a striker

The Athletic’s David Ornstein revealed on Friday that FC Porto striker Samu Aghehowa has emerged as a leading contender to improve Newcastle’s frontline this summer, albeit with talks of offers merely abstract things right now.

The truth is that Newcastle are chasing a number of targets, with Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson another to have emerged as an option.

However, the Senegalese international has been priced at an extortionate £80m, and though Chelsea might be inclined to drop that valuation, the 24-year-old has shown over two years in the Premier League that he is very much the unfinished article.

The list doesn’t end there. According to the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope, Newcastle are considering a move for Wolverhampton Wanderers star Jørgen Strand Larsen, though the Norwegian has a lofty price tag of his own, coming in at roughly £60m.

This is no small sum, but Howe might be inclined to prioritise a bid for the 25-year-old, who has more in his locker than Chelsea’s Jackson.

Why Newcastle should sign Strand Larsen

Wolves signed Strand Larsen on loan from Spanish side Celta Vigo last summer, sealing the forward on a permanent deal at the end of the 2024/25 season.

Though the Old Gold ebbed and flowed throughout the season, ultimately finding form under Vitor Pereira’s wing, Strand Larsen proved a success at the front of the ship, reliable and consistent in front of goal, notably posting seven goals and two assists across nine matches to see the year out.

This red-hot form is something Newcastle could do with, for sure, and it’s this which suggests he could be the better pick than Jackson, who has struggled for fluidity in the Premier League.

Jackson has his strengths, but his dynamic athleticism doesn’t do enough to place him above a clinical force like Strand Larsen, not when he’s missed 43 big chances across his two Premier League terms, only scoring 24 times in total.

Premier League 24/25 – Strand Larsen vs Jackson

Stats (* per game)

Strand Larsen

Jackson

Matches (starts)

35 (30)

30 (28)

Goals

14

10

Assists

4

5

Shots (on target)*

1.5 (1.0)

2.5 (1.2)

Big chances missed

13

19

Accurate passes*

8.4 (65%)

10.0 (77%)

Big chances created

6

6

Dribbles*

0.2

0.6

Tackles + interceptions*

0.5

0.8

Duels won*

3.0

3.0

Data via Sofascore

Strand Larsen is not just more clinical in front of goal, but more economical too. Indeed, as the graphic earlier reveals, he hit the target more times per 90 than any other Premier League striker last season. As analyst Ben Mattinson noted, he’s simply a “proper No.9” in every sense.

Jackson might be more mobile and more dynamic, but the Norway international has proved himself as a prolific outlet, with a creative side too, for a team competing toward the lower end of the English top flight.

Howe’s system is steeped in swift, transitional tactics, but it needs a reliable focal point to finish off the chances created by Anthony Gordon, Anthony Elanga and the like.

Such speedy wingers would be perfect for a number nine like Strand Larsen, whose skill at being a “nuisance” for defenders, as remarked by Toon legend Alan Shearer, would see him prove a better signing than the wasteful Jackson.

Related He's like Bruno: Newcastle planning raid for PL "machine" after Jackson

Newcastle are weighing up a bid for a new midfielder in the summer transfer market.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Aug 8, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

O caso da licitação do Maracanã, que já virou novela, ganhou novo capítulo nesta segunda-feira. Flamengo e Fluminense entraram na Justiça com uma petição, rebatendo os argumentos e pedindo a extinção do mandato de segurança do Vasco da Gama. No documento, o Cruz-maltino pedia a suspensão do novo Termo de Permissão de Uso (TPU) do estádio.

Vale destacar que o TPU do Maracanã se encerra nesta semana e, na concepção do Vasco, não deve ser renovado por conta de inércia do Governo do Estado para julgar a licitação do estádio. Flamengo e Fluminense, por sua vez, afirmam que o rival não possui provas que possam cravar a negligência da Secretaria.

RelacionadasFora de CampoHomem sai do porta-malas do carro de Ronaldo Fenômeno antes de partida do CruzeiroFora de Campo24/04/2023PalmeirasPalmeiras tem trio de campeões do Sul-Americano pela Seleção sub-17Palmeiras24/04/2023Fora de CampoPolonês nocauteado por Whindersson Nunes elogia brasileiro e manda recado para hatersFora de Campo24/04/2023

Em 29 páginas, os representantes de Flamengo e Fluminense comentaram que o Vasco da Gama visa lucro próprio para a 777 Partners na situação. Além disso, frisaram que o Cruz-maltino almeja causar transtornos aos atuais administradores do estádio.

“Em virtude do não preenchimento de pressuposto processual objetivo e da flagrante necessidade de dilação probatória, confia-se na extinção desse mandado de segurança, sem resolução de mérito”, pede o 12º artigo do documento.

+Maracanã: Governo do Rio responde a processo do Vasco e indica renovação para dupla Fla-Flu

ENTENDA MAIS SOBRE O CASO

Flamengo, Fluminense e Vasco da Gama vêm travando batalha intensa nos bastidores pela licitação do Maracanã. O clube de São Januário entende que pode participar da concessão do estádio e já apresentou diversos projetos para tal, mas encontra resistência da dupla Fla-Flu. As outras duas equipes estão fechadas entre si e querem a manutenção do processo.

No entanto, ainda em março, o edital do processo de licitação foi suspenso por tempo interterminado, já que contava com alguns erros na formatação. Desde então, o Vasco da Gama tem lançado críticas ao Governo do Estado e quer que a questão seja julgada o mais rápido possível. Por enquanto, Flamengo e Fluminense seguem como administradores por meio de TPU.

E é justamente o Termo de Permissão de Uso que protagonizou a última batalha entre as equipes. O último termo se encerra nesta semana e, com o mandato de segurança, o Vasco da Gama pretendia anular a renovação automática, com intuito de acelerar o processo de licitação. No entanto, ao que tudo indica, a tentativa será frustrada.

كشف البلجيكي يانيك فيريرا، المدير الفني لنادي الزمالك، عن اللاعبين البدلاء، في مباراة غزل المحلة، التي تجمع بين الفريقين، اليوم السبت، ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

ويلتقي الزمالك مع غزل المحلة، في إطار مواجهات الجولة العاشرة من عمر مواجهات بطولة الدوري المصري، ذلك على ملعب ستاد هيئة قناة السويس.

طالع | تشكيل الزمالك أمام غزل المحلة في الدوري المصري.. ظهور أول لصفقة جديدة

ويحتل فريق نادي الزمالك، المركز الثاني في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري، برصيد 17 نقطة، إذ في 5 مباريات وتعادل في 2 وخسر في مواجهتان.

بينما على الجانب الآخر، فريق غزل المحلة، يتواجد في المركز الرابع عشر في ترتيب الدوري المصري، برصيد 10 نقاط. بدلاء الزمالك اليوم أمام غزل المحلة في الدوري

مهدي سليمان ومحمود حمدي “الونش” وصلاح مصدق وأحمد فتوح و سيف جعفر ونبيل عماد دونجا وعبد الحميد معالي وشيكو بانزا وسيف الجزيري.

كشف الإعلامي أحمد شوبير حقيقة أزمة نادي الزمالك مع فريق سوفا باكا الكيني بشأن لاعب الأبيض الحالي، بعد الأنباء التي ترددت مؤخرًا حول نية النادي الكيني التقدم بشكوى رسمية ضد القلعة البيضاء للمطالبة بحقوق مالية تتعلق بانتقال اللاعب.

وقال شوبير في تصريحات عبر برنامجه الإذاعي صباح اليوم الثلاثاء: “أمس تردد أن نادي سوفا باكا الكيني سيتقدم بشكوى ضد الزمالك بسبب مستحقات مالية تتعلق باللاعب بارون أوشينج، متحدثًا عن قصة وخلافات مالية مزعومة”.

وتابع شوبير موضحًا: “تواصلنا مع مصادر داخل نادي الزمالك، وأكدوا أن هذا الكلام غير صحيح، حيث تلقى الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم خطابًا رسميًا من الاتحاد الكيني يؤكد أن بارون أوتشنج لاعب حر، وقد تم قيده بعد فترة القيد لهذا السبب، وبالتالي لا توجد أي صحة لوجود عقد بين نادي سوفا باكا الكيني والزمالك”.

طالع أيضًا | الزمالك يوضح حقيقة رحيل جون إدوارد بعد تراجع النتائج

وأضاف: “مصدر آخر أوضح أنه قد تكون هناك بعض التفاهمات أو الاتفاقات المالية بين وكلاء اللاعب وبين الجهة التي توسطت في انتقاله إلى الزمالك، لكن حتى إن وُجدت مثل هذه الأمور، فسيتم حلها بشكل ودي، ولا توجد أي أزمة قانونية تخص نادي الزمالك في هذا الشأن”.

واختتم شوبير تصريحاته قائلاً: “هذا ما يتعلق بملف اللاعب بارون أوتشنج، وسنرى ما ستسفر عنه الأمور خلال الفترة المقبلة، خاصة وأن الاتحاد الكيني أرسل استعلامًا رسميًا يفيد بأن اللاعب حر، وهو ما يمنح الزمالك الحق في قيده، وإذا كان هناك أي جديد فسيظهر في الأيام القادمة”.

MatériaMais Notícias

No domingo, o Grêmio volta a campo pelo Brasileirão e recebe o Internacional dentro do seu estádio para mais um Gre-Nal.

RelacionadasGrêmioConfira a média de gols de Suárez pelo Grêmio Grêmio19/05/2023Futebol LatinoCom temporada artilheira, Thiago Silva comemora ano ‘abençoado’Futebol Latino19/05/2023Futebol InternacionalPhilippe Coutinho é diagnosticado com nova lesão e não atua mais pela Premier League nesta temporadaFutebol Internacional19/05/2023

Diferente de outras ocasiões recentes, o Tricolor chega ao clássico em turbulência e precisa dar uma resposta ao seu torcedor.

Desde o início do Brasileirão, o time de Renato Gaúcho ‘travou’ e faz apresentações bem longe do esperado, fato que gera críticas ao elenco.

Por conta disso, o clássico diante do maior rival é importantíssimo para a sequência do trabalho de Renato Gaúcho, que corre o risco de conviver com a pressão nos bastidores.

Jejum de vitórias 

O último triunfo do Grêmio na temporada foi no dia 30 de abril. A vítima foi o Cuiabá, que perdeu por 2 a 1. Desde então, o time gaúcho disputou mais quatro jogos e não conquistou nenhum triunfo. Foram três empates e uma derrota.

Celtic will be playing Europa League football this season after they were beaten 3-2 on penalties by Kairat Almaty in the Champions League play-off clash on Tuesday night.

The Hoops had drawn 0-0 at Parkhead last week, failing to make the most of home advantage, and then failed to get the job done in normal time or extra-time away from home, which led to a loss on penalties.

Adam Idah, Luke McCowan, and Daizen Maeda all missed from the spot for Brendan Rodgers, and it will not have done Idah’s confidence any good after a disappointing start to the season.

Why this will knock Adam Idah's confidence

The Ireland international is yet to get off the mark with a goal this term. In four games in all competitions, the former Norwich City marksman has missed three ‘big chances’ and failed to register a goal or an assist for the team.

He has not proven that he has what it takes to be the main number nine for Celtic as a regular starter, and this latest performance against Kairat will not have helped his confidence.

In his defence, though, his performance after coming off the bench before the penalty shoot-out was not horrendous. He created two chances for his teammates and won two of his three aerial battles to provide an outlet for the team, per Sofascore, but then the striker missed from the spot in the shoot-out.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast’s Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

Expand Collapse

Despite his penalty miss, though, Idah was not the worst performer for the Hoops on the night. One other player who should be dropped from the team because of their showing is Hyun-jun Yang.

Why Rodgers must drop Yang for Celtic

Rodgers must ruthlessly ditch the South Korea international from the starting XI for the clash with Rangers on Sunday because he put in a poor display on Tuesday evening.

The 23-year-old winger was selected to play off the left flank for the Scottish Premiership giants, with Maeda through the middle and James Forrest on the right, and failed to do enough on or off the ball to impress.

Yang played the opening 70 minutes of the match and did not register a single shot or goal, nor did he create a single chance for his teammates at the top end of the pitch. Whereas, as aforementioned, Idah created two chances for the side after he came off the bench.

Vs Kairat (A)

Hyun-jun Yang

Adam Idah

Minutes

70

50

Dribbles completed

1/3

0/0

Pass accuracy

61%

77%

Key passes

0

2

Duels won

3/15

2/6

Duel success rate

20%

33%

Possession lost

20x

7x

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the South Korean flop performance was even worse than Idah’s in general play before the penalty shoot-out miss from the striker, as he performed worse in duels, gave the ball away way more, and was less creative.

The Hoops winger did not offer anywhere near enough in any phase of the game to justify his continued inclusion in the starting XI, particularly with a clash against Rangers away from home in their next match in the Premiership.

Michel-Ange Balikwisha is reportedly closing in on a move to Celtic from Royal Antwerp to bolster Rodgers’ options on the flanks, and this means that the manager may have another player to pick from on Sunday.

With this in mind, the Northern Irish boss should ruthlessly drop Yang from the line-up after his dismal showing on Tuesday, to potentially throw Balikwisha in at the deep end this weekend.

Related Idah upgrade: Celtic set to make offer for "incredibly prolific" £5m star

Celtic are reportedly preparing to make an offer for a star who would b an upgrade on Adam Idah.

Posts ByDan Emery Aug 27, 2025

After the spinners limited England to 132, India’s batters aced the chase to go 1-0 up

Vithushan Ehantharajah22-Jan-20251:34

Manjrekar: India’s spinners made it impossible for England to recover

India brutally cast aside England in the first T20I at Eden Gardens, as Abhishek Sharma’s 79 from just 34 deliveries munched a meagre target of 133 with 43 balls to spare.Abhishek’s third 50-plus score in the format capped an accomplished all-round performance from India. A combination of Arshdeep Singh’s 2 for 17 up top and Varun Chakravarthy’s 3 for 23 through the middle accounted for England for 132, scuppering their attempts to mark Brendon McCullum’s first match in charge in the format with the attacking verve he craves.But for Jos Buttler’s 68 – his 26th T20I fifty – things could have been worse. Buttler’s evening had begun by losing a crucial toss to Suryakumar Yadav. With the 7pm start in Kolkata, moisture was in the air throughout, and dew a factor in the first innings itself. Both captains wanted to bowl, and only one got the chance.Related

Can England's batters find a way to test India's bowling depth?

Varun's overspin renaissance shows no sign of slowing down

Abhishek: 'I have been told to keep my attacking intent'

Arshdeep made the best of the conditions, removing openers Phil Salt and Ben Duckett in his first 11 deliveries. Those dismissals took the left-arm seamer to 97 wickets in T20Is, leapfrogging Yuzvendra Chahal as India’s top wicket-taker in the format.By the time Buttler departed in the 17th over, he had provided 68 out of the 109 on the board, with Harry Brook the only batter to reach double-figures before Jofra Archer pitched in with 12 from No. 9.Brook’s 17 was part of a stand of 48 with Buttler, the vice-captain and captain setting about a rebuild that was ended by Varun’s googlies. Varun bowled Brook and Liam Livingstone in the space of three deliveries to turn England back to rubble. His third was Buttler, holing out to deep square-leg.Whatever little jeopardy there was in the chase, was restricted to just the fifth over, when Archer removed both Sanju Samson – who had done the early running – and Suryakumar for a duck in four deliveries. Archer, who bowled his four overs on the bounce having opened the innings, was comfortably the pick of England’s bowlers with 2 for 21. By contrast, Gus Atkinson was taken apart for 38 runs across his two overs, with his first blitzed for 22 by Samson.The onus was then on Abhishek, who was put down by Adil Rashid on 29 off 16. He would bring up his half-century just four balls later.Though Rashid eventually got his man, India had all but established a 1-0 lead in this five-match series by then. A top-edged four from Tilak Varma off Mark Wood’s bouncer off the penultimate ball of the 13th over confirmed it.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Arshdeep Singh sets the toneBefore England were choked through the middle by a three-pronged spin attack, they were clipped up top by the lone Indian full-time quick. Since debuting in 2022, Arshdeep has been a new-ball banker for India’s shortest format. Consistently devastating and devastatingly consistent.It was fitting that on the night he became India’s leading T20I wicket-taker, he reinforced his credentials as one of the format’s leading seamers in an opening three-over spell of 2 for 10. Movement away and up off a good length did for Salt, who could only sky a leading edge, and it was followed by nip the other way that left the left-handed Duckett for a similar demise.Of those initial 18 deliveries, a remarkable 12 were dots, which saw him get the better of Buttler and Brook without reward. On another day, their feelers outside off stump may have resulted in edges, bringing more joy Arshdeep’s way. But rather than bemoan missing out on those extra notches in the wicket column, he seemed happy enough with his work, having opened the door for his spinners.Jos Buttler top-scored for England with 68 off 44 balls•Getty Images

Familiar failingsThere is no shame in falling to India’s spinners in any format, least of all when they are operating at home. But there was a haunting familiarity about England’s failure at Eden Gardens – and it has nothing to do with what happened here in that final in 2016.Eight years on from that heartbreak, England were roughed up in 2024’s semi-final in Guyana, as Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja combined to take 6 for 58 from 11 overs. Only Axar remained this time around, but the results were about the same – 12 overs of web-spinning prising out five for the concession of just 67.It is easy to say the likes of Brook, Livingstone and Jacob Bethell should have taken cues from Buttler, particularly his ability to pick length. But Buttler’s vast IPL experience and superior ability makes that hard to replicate. Credit belongs to the bowlers, particularly Varun.Despite the grass on the surface, the spinner was unperturbed. His IPL nous came to the fore at a ground where he has taken 24 wickets at 22.20 from 16 appearances.A holding pattern of deliveries just short of a length kept the ball out of hitting arcs, and he was not pre-occupied with spinning the ball past the edge – even though he beat the insides of Brook’s and Livingstone’s bats. “Bowling sidespin, I cannot beat batsmen with sidespin. The only way I can beat batsmen with bounce,” Varun, as he nursed a deserved Player-of-the-Match award, said. Perhaps most galling for England is he rated his display a humble “seven out of ten”.Nitish Kumar Reddy took a running, tumbling catch to send back Jos Buttler•AFP/Getty Images

India’s cleaner handsBethell’s drop of Abhishek, charging in from deep midwicket, tracking the ball all the way only to see it spill through his hands as he dived forward, did not matter.A ball later, Abhishek was caught at longoff. An over later, India had confirmed their win. But the sight of one of England’s best fielders fall short in that moment highlighted the gap between the two fielding efforts on Wednesday evening.It would have been one hell of a take, but still not the best of the night. That honour belonged to Nitish Kumar Reddy, who pulled off a tougher version of Bethell’s effort, sprinting in at a greater rate of knots and intercepting the ball so close to the ground that the umpires asked for a second look. Buttler, whose charge was halted by that brilliance, had already made it back to the dugout when the television umpire finally gave it the all-clear.Despite playing no part with bat or ball, Reddy got plenty of airtime, taking a simpler catch to remove Jamie Overton and scurrying about the deep on a one-man mission to restrict England’s boundary count. That endeavour was matched by those in the ring, with Rinku Singh setting the tone when he claimed a leading edge off Duckett that required him to sprint back from cover with one eye over his shoulder.Of course, Bethell’s drop was not even the worst off Abhishek. Rashid’s was a far simpler caught-and-bowled chance. The legspinner was duly punished when the left-hand batter blitzed three boundaries – the last two sixes over midwicket, then straight down the ground – off the remainder of his over. England’s heads dropped – a nod to the nourishing effect of taking your catches.