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If there is one person on this earth who has lived and breathed the very mantra of never giving up, it’s former Arsenal star Ian Wright.

The ex-striker was a marvel in the red and white at Highbury, scoring as many as 185 times in 288 outings for the Gunners.

That record puts him second only to Thierry Henry on Arsenal’s list of all-time goal scorers.

However, the move to north London came relatively late in his career. Wrighty as he’s become affectionately known was a late bloomer, as he laid down the foundations for the Jamie Vardy’s of this world to show that no matter how old you are, there is always more potential to be extracted.

When it comes to players who found their touch late into their career, Wright and Vardy are two of the most famous examples of the Premier League era.

Back in March, the Leicester forward overtook the former with 94 goals after turning 30 – the most out of any player who has played Premier League football.

They both have Arsenal in common too, although Vardy’s association is that of rejection, with the jovial attacker once turning them down.

But what, I hear you ask, is the relevance to this in the modern-day?

Well, Wright joined Arsenal from Crystal Palace and this summer, the Gunners could raid their fellow Londoners again.

They have previously been interested in a deal for Wilfried Zaha but it’s not the Ivorian on their radar this time. Instead, it’s Michael Olise who has captured the interest of Arsenal according to reports.

The young France youth international joined Palace last summer in a bargain £8m deal and it’s thought as though his valuation has now risen to around £35m.

It’s a considerable sum of money but one Arsenal won’t be afraid to pay. After all, France and the Islington club go hand in hand after Arsene Wenger’s time in the English capital.

Although Olise is a winger by trade, a different position to Wright, there would be shades of the deal that Arsenal successfully completed to bring the latter to Highbury back in 1991.

Over 30 years later and Olise could become the club’s new Wright.

Scoring as many as the now television pundit would be quite the accomplishment but the Palace youngster has the same sort of swagger and confidence to his play.

He is a joy to watch and is learning the game from a certain Patrick Vieira. Wherever you look, the former Reading man is beginning to smell Arsenal and he’ll have certainly picked up a few of the club’s philosophies given his current manager.

Throughout the current campaign, the 20-year-old found the net on four occasions and registered nine assists in 32 games. It’s a fine record for someone who was playing at the highest level for the first time in his career.

So good have been his performances that he’s even earned the praise of Wright himself.

“When you watch what Zaha brings to the team, Wilf is what 29 now? Here you are talking about a youngster that has a massive future,” the former Gunner began.

“When you look at what he does in the final third. Go and do what you want. He is going to be somebody that is going to do unbelievable things,” Wright concluded.

Olise has earned further praise from Reading defender Tom McIntyre who hailed his “special ability” while Squawka writer Muhammad Butt called him a “wizard”. On that evidence, he’d be quite the capture for Mikel Arteta’s men.

Crucially, he’d also fit the club’s philosophy of buying young players who are yet to reach their ceiling.

Should the chance present itself, it would surely be a no brainer for Edu and co to bring the dazzling French star to north London.

As Wright eludes to, this is someone who is going places within the world of football.

AND in other news, Signed at £6m, now worth £34m: Arsenal struck gold on gem with “a bit of Pires” to him…

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has delivered a double transfer claim involving Manchester United ahead of the summer transfer window. 

The lowdown: United interested in Laimer and Nkunku

United have been heavily linked with a move for RB Leipzig midfielder Konrard Laimer, according to a recent report from The Mirror, as the Old Trafford squad prepares to undergo a summer overhaul.

Elsewhere, according to German publication Bild, the Red Devils have also made contact with the Bundesliga outfit regarding highly-rated forward Christopher Nkunku, who is also wanted for a return to Paris Saint-Germain.

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After incoming manager Erik ten Hag sacrificed a post-season tour to the Caribbean with Ajax in order to start work in Manchester, one reputable journalist has suggested that the proosed double raid on Leipzig could be a sensible one.

The latest: O’Rourke talks up double swoop

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke has claimed that a move for 24-year-old pair Nkunku and Laimer could be on the cards for United, particularly given the links between their current club RB Leipzig and Old Trafford consultant Ralf Rangnick.

The journalist outlined the rationale behind the potential double swoop: “I think they would be two good signings. Obviously, they’ve got the links with Rangnick there because of RB Leipzig; he knows all about these players as well. So, they’re players that he knows and trusts.”

The verdict: Smart moves

Despite the continued on-field woes since the arrival of Rangnick as interim manager, the experienced operator is expected to play a part in the new era at Old Trafford in his forthcoming consultancy role.

Although Ten Hag hasn’t stepped foot inside the United dugout as of yet, it appears that the Dutchman’s fingerprints are already across those linked with a move to the club this summer.

The 52-year-old is widely expected to oversee a major sea change on player departures and incomings with the help of newly-appointed Austria coach Rangnick, particularly focusing on clearing out deadwood and signing youngster alternatives.

With 34 goals and 20 assists in 51 appearances across all competitions this term, Nkunku would be a sensational capture for the Dutchman’s new-look squad.

Meanwhile, Laimer – who holds a strong stylistic likeness to Borussia Dortmund wonderkid Jude Bellingham (as per FBRef) – would serve as an adequate replacement for the exit-bound Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic.

Valued at a combined £81.8m by Transfermarkt, the double swoop would be an expensive one for United, but one which could certainly kick-start a much-needed revival at Old Trafford.

In other news: Man Utd now eyeing move for ‘world class’ Premier League star. Read more here

And what’s the highest innings total at the World Cup?

Steven Lynch28-May-2019What’s the highest innings total at the World Cup? And will it be broken this year? asked David McKenzie from England
Going into the 2019 edition, the highest World Cup total was Australia’s 417 for 6 against Afghanistan in Perth in the last one, in 2015. That broke an eight-year-old mark, India’s 413 for 5 against Bermuda in Port-of-Spain in 2007. There have been two other 400-plus totals in the World Cup, by South Africa in successive matches in 2015: after running up 408 for 5 against West Indies in Sydney on February 27, they pummelled 411 for 4 against Ireland in Canberra on March 3. Here’s the the full list, which will be updated throughout the World Cup.As for whether the record will be broken in 2019, it has to be on the cards: in all one-day internationals, there have been ten higher totals than Australia’s 417, and four of them have come since the last World Cup – three (including the two highest totals of all) by England, and one by South Africa.Which opening pair started successive World Cup finals with a hundred partnership? asked Michael Tate from Australia
This prolific pair was the Australians Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden. They kicked off the 2003 final, against India in Johannesburg, by putting on 105 in 14 overs. Four years later, against Sri Lanka in Bridgetown, Gilchrist and Hayden began with an opening stand of 172, in 22.5 overs. The only other century opening stand in a World Cup final was a rather more sedate one – Geoff Boycott and Mike Brearley’s 129 in 38 overs against West Indies at Lord’s in 1979.The unbroken third-wicket partnership of 234 by Ricky Ponting and Damien Martyn for Australia in 2003 in Johannesburg remains the highest stand for any wicket in final.East Africa played in the very first World Cup. Are there any other teams who have appeared just once in the tournament? asked Brian Waters from Kenya
East Africa, who took part in the 1975 World Cup, are one of three teams with just the one appearance in the tournament, excluding Afghanistan who are about to take part in their second. Namibia were one of the participants in southern Africa in 2003, while Bermuda took part for the only time in the Caribbean in 2007.The United Arab Emirates have appeared in two World Cups (1996 and 2015), while Ireland and Scotland have been in three, Canada and the Netherlands four, Kenya five, and Zimbabwe nine. Bangladesh are about to appear in their sixth, and South Africa their eighth; the seven other senior Test nations have appeared in all 11 previous editions, and are about to make it a round dozen.Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden add 105 to Australia’s winning tally in the 2003 final, and 172 in the 2007 final•Hamish Blair/Getty ImagesWho’s the oldest man to play in a World Cup final? Was it Imran Khan? asked Waqas Ahmed from Pakistan
Pakistan’s captain Imran Khan was 39 years 121 days old when he lifted the World Cup in Melbourne in 1992. But there has been one older player in a World Cup final: Rohan Kanhai was about two months older – 39 years 177 days – for West Indies against Australia in the first final, at Lord’s in 1975. Kanhai made 55, and helped Clive Lloyd put on 149 for the fourth wicket.I noticed that in the World Cup qualifying tournament in 1979, Canada and Sri Lanka won their semi-finals, but didn’t play the final for more than two weeks. Why the long delay? asked Tushar Trivedi from India
The semi-finals of the ICC Trophy in 1979 were played on June 6 – Sri Lanka crushed Denmark, and Canada squeezed past Bermuda. You’re right that the final wasn’t played for more than two weeks – Sri Lanka won by 60 runs at Worcester on June 21 ­- and the reason for this delay seems almost incredible now.In between the semis and the final, the teams had another commitment – the 1979 World Cup itself! That started on June 9 (three days after the ICC Trophy semis), and the last group games were on June 16. Neither of the qualifiers made it out of their groups – although Sri Lanka did upset India at Old Trafford – so they were free for the finale of the qualifying competition.And there’s an update to a recent question, from Debapriya Chakraborty from India
“Further to my question two weeks ago about the oldest international debutant, there is now a new answer: on May 20, the 53-year-old James Moses played his first official Twenty20 international for Botswana against Uganda in Kampala.”Use our feedback form or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

All of 20, Rishabh Pant put a personal tragedy behind him and played a knock that underlined why he is considered a special talent

Shashank Kishore in Bengaluru09-Apr-2017A return to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, the venue of his international debut, should have triggered happy memories for Rishabh Pant. Instead, days before Delhi Daredevils’ first match of IPL 2017, Pant’s world was turned upside down with the death of his father. He left for Roorkee and performed his father’s last rites in Haridwar before joining the team in Bengaluru on Friday.”We are going to really need the whole team to rally around him to give him a lot of support not only over the next couple of days but throughout the IPL,” coach Paddy Upton said on the eve of the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore. At that stage, Upton wasn’t quite sure if Pant would play, given his state of mind.”Something like this is obviously going to affect him in the medium and long term. We just have to be mindful and supportive of his personal situation and family situation,” Upton said. And so the team management left it to Pant to decide whether he would play and he chose to do so because “his father would have asked for no less”.On match day, making his way out for a short hit next to the centre pitch, Pant was greeted by every member of the opposition who offered their condolences. He accepted the gesture and, although you couldn’t say what was going through his mind, there was a sense he was focused on the match.Before the match began, amid the song and dance of the opening ceremony, the cameras panned to both teams and a visual of Pant and his team-mates was displayed on the giant screen. Pant, in the middle of the frame, was staring straight into the lens, with a deadpan expression. His team-mates nudged him. It needed an arm around him to get him to smile eventually. The team was doing what they could to emotionally support him.”I was telling the boys, if my dad passed away I would be on the first plane out of here. Have to be very honest,” allrounder Chris Morris said after the match. “It’s about what my dad means to me. It takes a big person to come a couple of days after your father has passed away and play. He said his dad would have wanted him playing. It shows his character. He’s going to be a big player for India in the future.”The fact that Pant chose to put tragedy behind him and play was worthy enough of praise, even if he did not go on to do anything significant in the game. Instead, over the next three hours, he showed why he is a special talent.Rishabh Pant’s composure and ball-striking ability harried Royal Challengers Bangalore until the final over•BCCIAdmirable composure and a fierce ball-striking ability helped him muscle a quick half-century that kept Daredevils in the hunt in their chase of 158, even as the lower order collapsed. The audacity of his strokeplay left a lasting impression on some 25,000 fans at the ground, who applauded each of the four sixes he hit, even if it meant Royal Challengers had to scamper to survive.From the time he smashed his first ball for six, there was a sense that he would bat the way he has been known to all along – see the ball and give it a good whack. More than the shots, he exuded the confidence of a man well aware of what he was trying to do. He trusted his abilities, instinct and shot selection: there were no shots in anger or desperation.One over could have been the difference between a win for Royal Challengers or a second loss. Pant had just sent Tymal Mills’ last ball, in the 18th over, soaring over deep fine leg. Daredevils needed 21 off two overs, well within the realms of possibility for a batsman who strikes at over 100 in first-class cricket. Instead, Pant watched as Amit Mishra committed hara-kiri by playing out four dot balls in the penultimate over, leaving Daredevils with 19 to get off six balls. The first ball of the final over, Pant was bowled by Pawan Negi trying to slog sweep.For all that Pant didn’t show while batting, the emotions were out in the open as he walked off. He grimaced, shook his head, looked up and then looked down, wondering what may have been. At that stage, the result didn’t matter. This wasn’t about a win or a loss, but about a 20-year old who showed character and heart through the toughest emotional battle he may have yet faced.

ESPNcricinfo’s wrap of the week in the Women’s Big Bash League

Geoff Lemon and Adam Collins08-Jan-20164:41

Hurricanes miss a trick at home

The Cane Train derails, Thunder Road goes top
Top of the table, bottom of the country. The centrepiece of Week 5 was a three-way play-off in Australia’s southernmost state capital, Hobart, involving its northernmost WBBL teams, the home Hurricanes hosting the Sydney Thunder and the Brisbane Heat.In the end it was a golden opportunity lost for the Hurricanes: four home games in a weekend gave them the chance to lock down top spot, but after knocking over Brisbane for 97 after setting them 131, Hobart dropped their next three in a row and saw the Thunder shoot past them on the league table.The Thunder warmed up with a win over a tepid Heat, keeping Brisbane to a second sub-100 score in as many games before breezing past 95 in less than 13 overs. The Thunder then batted first twice against Hobart, setting scores of 135 and 121 and defending both successfully.All this was built on Sydney’s varied bowling attack. Experienced international Rene Farrell twice returned figures of 2 for 15. Teenage left-arm seamer Lauren Cheatle consistently struck early, taking 2 for 21 in the first match and 3 for 15 in the third. Nicola Carey recorded the tournament’s best analysis for a seam bowler, with 4 for 12 in that second Hurricanes chase, the same game as opening batsman Stafanie Taylor shrugged off a rare duck to take two-top order wickets for 14.The weekend also included a dream debut for teenage legspinner Maisy Gibson, who bowled her full allotment in the first win against the Heat and finished with 3 for 14, then took another 1 for 13 in each of her next two games. (Admittedly, the third time that came from one over.)The Thunder’s batting meanwhile broadened from its reliance on Taylor. Captain Alex Blackwell made consistent runs, twice undismissed, in the anchor role she so often plays for the national side. Rachael Haynes’ aggressive 39 was key to their second win over Hobart.Then there was Naomi Stalenberg, hardly one of the biggest names coming into this competition. A New South Welshwoman who plays for New Zealand’s Northern Districts and has represented the Netherlands, Stalenberg has had an eclectic cricketing career by the age of 21. But she’s quickly solidifying her home presence by becoming the inaugural WBBL’s most dangerous striker.In a tournament where scoring rates have been pegged back at times, she tore into Brisbane with 42 from 24 balls, including two sixes, before hitting a couple more in her 37 from 16 balls in the first win against Hobart. Nor were these the first times she has teed off this season: her tournament strike rate of 150.98 is the best in the competition by 30 runs.As for Hobart, it was a weekend when their batting never got going. Corinne Hall’s 39 in their opening game was their highest score for the round, so they could neither chase nor set a convincing target. Their 4 for 107 was overrun by Brisbane when Beth Mooney finally clicked with 48 not out in the second contest between the sides.That win was all that the Heat could take from the weekend, though, another underwhelming performance that leaves a fancied side on 14 points with one game to play. They may be in third spot now, but with a tough trip to Adelaide awaiting, and games in hand for the teams behind them, Brisbane are a big chance of being overrun by the Strikers and the Stars.Adelaide strike form at the perfect time
When South Australia nabbed the Women’s National Cricket League 50-over title from the hands of New South Wales for the first time in a decade there was every reason to believe the South Australian outfit would press for the inaugural WBBL title too.With international star Sarah Taylor on the books alongside Australian seam combo Megan Schutt and Sarah Coyte, the Adelaide Strikers looked set for firepower. But after losing their first three fixtures, their season looked over before it had started.After picking up their first win the previous week, the Strikers went back to back on home turf against the similarly underperforming Perth Scorchers. Playing on New Year’s Eve, in debilitating heat, and on national television, Taylor reinforced how quickly she can set up a game with her range of straight drives, neat cuts and clever laps. Her 48 laid the base for a hard-to-beat 6 for 135.When Perth’s top four – loaded with internationals – failed to fire, the Strikers did the rest, running through the visitors for 100. Schutt’s 3 for 11 was to be expected as Australia’s best swing bowler, but far more surprising was the work of Amanda Wellington.The 19-year-old leggie drifted and turned the ball in the best traditions of her craft to claim 3 for 13, in a coming-of-age performance in front of the cameras, exciting Adam Gilchrist at the back of the commentary box and prompting Taylor to tell ESPNcricinfo that she hopes that Wellington won’t be playing against her for Australia any time soon.In the return leg Adelaide had to chase 137 for the points, but did so with nine balls to spare and six wickets in hand. Coyte showed her long-handle ability in this format of the game is just important as her work with ball, cracking a quick half-century to carry the chase.Halfway through their fixture list, the Strikers may have timed their run very nicely indeed. Meanwhile at 5-7, the Scorchers remain this season’s biggest let-down.Same old Stars rely on same old star
We keep saying it, but it keeps happening. When the Renegades’ Molly Strano picked up Meg Lanning for 2 in the second over of the inaugural Melbourne derby, the Stars had to reset the pattern of a tournament: to make a competitive score in the absence of their leader.They couldn’t. Reduced to 4 for 8 in the fourth over, the game should have been over there and then. As the first game moved to Network Ten’s main channel, thankfully the Stars rallied to bat out their overs thanks to a stubborn 36 from the South African late arrival Mignon du Preez. Even with her efforts, the side logged 9 for 85.Strano’s 5 for 15 was the first five-for of the WBBL, earned across three spells of penetrative and resourceful off-spin. The Renegades made particularly hard work of the chase, scoring only 31 by the halfway mark, but got there with one ball to spare, ensuring an exciting finish for an audience that peaked not far short of half a million viewers.The next day? Back to normal programming, with an untelevised 77 not out from Lanning as she again successfully batted through an innings. That stacked up too many for the Renegades, who continue to underwhelm with the bat.Both Melbourne sides have plenty to play for this weekend, the Stars needing to arrest their middling form to secure a finals berth and the Renegades needing just about everything to go right if they are to feature in the post-season.Week Six is underway
The sixth weekend of the WBBL has just got underway, and as ever we’ll recap those games in the days to come. This round is all about Melbourne, with the Stars and the Renegades variously hosting the Strikers, the Sixers and the Thunder in a three-day carnival featuring seven games held mostly at the Junction Oval.The feature match of the weekend though will be at the Docklands Stadium, with the Renegades and the Thunder playing in a double-header before the men’s BBL has its Melbourne derby.It’s a great chance to follow up the Chris Gayle fiasco by reminding the world (and the Renegades’ own administrators) that there is also a team of women wearing the Renegades uniform, and possibly with more distinction than some of their counterparts.

Plays of the day from the game between Delhi Daredevils and Sunrisers Hyderabad at Feroz Shah Kotla

Rachna Shetty10-May-2014The eager beaver
After being run-out in his last game, one would think Kevin Pietersen would be more circumspect about judging a single. But walking out as an opener for the first time in the IPL, Pietersen was his usually hyper self. He hit the first ball of the second over to mid-off and scrambled towards the other end. Had the throw hit the stumps, the Daredevils captain would have been short of his ground. Two balls later, Pietersen was lucky once again as the fielder at midwicket failed to collect cleanly. The infection spread to Quinton de Kock, too, who set off for a crazy run after dabbing the ball to mid-on on the last ball of the over.The special ton
Amit Mishra’s quest for his 100th IPL wicket finally came to an end when Pietersen mistimed a drive and smacked it straight to Shikhar Dhawan at cover. Mishra had been stuck on 99 wickets for the last four games and was even dropped from the side. He is now the second bowler after Lasith Malinga to get 100 wickets in the tournament, and he celebrated by gesturing the numbers.The gymnast
Daredevils were running out of overs after the rain break and Dinesh Karthik was on the look out for quick runs. He found the perfect chance when Moises Henriques sent down a high full toss. Karthik mis-timed it but the shot had enough power to send the ball over the ropes, but Dale Steyn got in the way. The bowler, positioned at the long-off boundary, jumped backward, arched his back, grabbed the ball that was in the airspace beyond the rope and landed perfectly inside to pull off a stunner.The desperate measure
David Warner was soundly beaten by Siddarth Kaul off the first delivery he faced and the next two balls bowled at him were wides down the leg side. Keen to get runs off the bat, Warner turned the next ball to deep square leg and set off for two runs. However, he slipped in the process, and the fielder had a good chance to get him out. A frantic crawl and desperate dive from Warner beat the throw from the deep.

Virender Sehwag’s unorthodox style and approach to the game has redefined Test batting at the top and his impact for India and on world cricket should outlast his recent slump in overseas form

Sidharth Monga22-Nov-2012If it were possible, Virender Sehwag would have gone from 94 Tests to 100 in one match. That’s what he usually wants to do once he reaches 94 in a Test innings. Even if it means risking getting stumped on 99 to a debutant spinner. If he had hit a six of caps when 94 not out, Sehwag fans – and I am one of them – would have been able to stop facts from coming in the way of a good story.Those facts that were driven home during his struggles in Australia. Hard as you tried, you couldn’t live in denial and shrug it off by saying, “That’s the way he plays.” There, he even tried to buckle down for the team’s good but was simply not good enough. Against the moving, bouncing new ball, his minimal footwork proved inadequate. The bowlers no longer feared bowling to him, especially if they could get it to rise rib high or move after pitching. With every confused dismissal, Sehwag reminded you he had gone from Adelaide to Adelaide without a century outside Asia in four years.During the same period, though, Sehwag delighted with his dominance in Asia. He scored his second triple-century, in Chennai, plundered 293 of the most delightful runs in Mumbai, 201 of the most difficult ones in Galle, and even Usain-Bolted the record for the highest score in ODIs, a format he has never quite mastered. On numerous other occasions Sehwag stole results from the jaws of draws through his strike-rate in India’s first innings. Often he targeted the best bowlers in the opposition so hard he practically eliminated them. To overlook this impact will be to stop facts from coming in the way of a depressing story.The Sehwag story is anything but depressing. It is, for the most part, one of unabashed joy, of lack of inhibition, of a reminder that nine fielders can cover only so much of the field, of redefining good and bad balls, of playing scarcely believable shots with a bat only whose inside edge is visible to the bowler, of daring left-arm spinners to give up negative tactics with the promise that he will hit them for a six off the first ball they bowl from round the stumps, of pulling through mid-off to counter deep-square fields and short and wide bowling and later saying he can’t play boring cricket, of failing when trying to go from 195 to 201 in one hit but still trying it in future at 295, of a reminder that cricket is just a sport after all.You might look at Sehwag struggling in certain conditions – for just four of his 12 years, lest it be forgotten – and flourishing in certain others (you just can’t ignore the number of big centuries he has scored at that strike rate) and call him a product of his times. You couldn’t be more wrong.Sehwag is not a product of his time; his times are a product of him. That’s one box ticked for sure on the greatness list. He didn’t just redefine opening in Tests, he did so without being an opener by training. You see openers – Watson, Gayle, Dilshan, Warner – trying to intimidate bowlers today. Sehwag started it. And he started it when asked to open the innings because the Indian middle order, his preferred station, was too packed. He gave meaning to the vague term “staying beside the line of the ball”. To do it once in a while is okay, but you don’t do it with his alarming regularity by fluke. He has scored six centuries at more than a run a ball, and taken three of them past 250. Three of the five fastest double-centuries, and five of the top 10, belong to him. He has done it not through brute strength, but through delightful manipulation of fields.

“You just react to the ball. If the ball is there to be hit, you just hit it. Don’t worry that this is a Test or one-dayer or T20. You just hit it. Because it’s your routine. You are not worried about ‘what if I get out’. You are not worried about a four or a sixer, one or two. You just hit the ball. And enjoy the sound.”Virender Sehwag’s take on batting

Sehwag batted as if meditating. “You just react to the ball,” he once told me. “If the ball is there to be hit, you just hit it. Don’t worry that this is a Test or one-dayer or T20. You just hit it. Because it’s your routine. Every time you practise in the nets, you just go and see the ball and hit the ball. You are not worried about ‘what if I get out’. You are not worried about a four or a sixer, one or two. You just hit the ball. And enjoy the sound. At the end of the day if you hit the ball or defend the ball, you love the sound that comes when the ball hits the bat.”Sehwag had me by then. As if enlightened, I added: “And that sound won’t come when you are leaving the ball…” Like an arithmetic teacher who had just shown me how to add two and two, he smiled benevolently and said: “Exactly.”How simple life would have been if the man who brought us batting nirvana didn’t frustrate us so. If he hadn’t picked the IPL over Tests in the West Indies and England. This was Dylan gone electric. Perhaps Sehwag thought he could fit it all in. Perhaps he thought he could get the best of both worlds: take the IPL money, play Tests in England and give the West Indies a miss. Perhaps he did become a product of his time after all. He is no god, he is human like all of us. If he did pick money over Tests, perhaps he should be allowed to make all the money he wants. “Don’t worry this is Test or one-day or T20,” he said, remember?When it comes to judging greatness, though, history won’t be as kind. It will tell you Sehwag had one good tour each of Australia, England, South Africa and New Zealand, and followed them up with a bad one to each of those countries. He is a man who made a mockery of statistics but will not be allowed to hide behind them, behind that average of 51 after 99 Tests.We, though, will rate him by his impact, by his innovation, by his entertainment. Sehwag has brought us all of that, except only in certain conditions over the last third of his career. On the eve of his 100th Test appearance, do we let that last third outside Asia cloud our view of Sehwag? Or do we look beyond the immediate and revel in all the joy he has brought us over the rest of his career? Or do we see his hundred in his 99th Test as yet more proof of his positive attitude, that he can come back from all that and start stealing results from the jaws of draws as if nothing was amiss?We know what Sehwag would do. Take a deep breath, sing a tune to himself, try to clear his mind of all thoughts, and just see the next ball and hit it. And enjoy the sound.

The talent is there in the Pakistan line-up, but if the team is to compete it has to learn very quickly about the demands of Test cricket

Nagraj Gollapudi at Lord's16-Jul-2010The Shahid Afridi episode is a clear indictment of the state of Pakistan batting. Barring Salman Butt every senior batsman went for the wrong shot exposing a fragile temperament and weak spirit, totally unfit for Test cricket. In contrast to the price every Australian batsman, including their No. 11, put on their wicket the Pakistan counterparts displayed a careless attitude and an ignorance of the occasion.Chasing a world-record score there were never any pretensions about Pakistan reaching the summit. Still one would have expected to see them grind: batsmen straining every sinew to hang in there, to put a price on the wicket, of not falling for temptations, to show a resolve and thereby highlight the uniqueness of Test cricket. Instead the batsmen showed the same resolve a five-year-old would exercise if you dangled a toffee in front of him – they tried to latch onto it instantly and were sweetly suckered by the Australians, who laughed their way to victory.It could’ve been different. The fight that Butt and Azhar Ali displayed raised expectations that Pakistan were willing to finally exercise patience. One way of combating the enemy is to never allow him to gain a foothold and Butt did well to stamp his authority. He took advantage of the numerous innocuous deliveries from Mitchell Johnson who fed his strength outside off stump and was happy to drive and cut with authority.At the other end the Azhar carried forward the confidence displayed during his brief stay on Wednesday, smartly rotating the strike and not allowing Australia to play on his nerves. But for the second time in the match Ben Hilfenhaus, the most consistent pace bowler for Australia, managed to find Azhar’s edge with a perfect outswinger. Immediately Azhar shrieked in disappointment and on his way back even apologised to Butt for falling short of his expectations.However, it was the Butt’s dismissal that gave Australia the opening they were looking for. Apart from Simon Katich, Butt was the only other batsman who had conquered the bowling and adapted to the rapidly-changing conditions. He had worked hard with Ijaz Ahmed and Aaqib Javed in the preceding weeks to put his bat in front of the pads and play close the body with a straight, stable and relaxed head. It was working and Butt seemed set to put his name on the batting honours board with a deserving century.Unfortunately he betrayed his resolve as soon as Ricky Ponting introduced Marcus North half an hour before lunch. It would’ve been better to have at least a quick look at the new bowler rather than step out against a drifter that looped from down the leg side before Tim Paine came up with some swift glovework behind the stumps. Stunned at his mistake, Butt lingered for a moment in remorse. He couldn’t believe what he had done.More unbelievable was Umar Akmal’s premeditated attempt to cut North in the final over before lunch. To his surprise the ball bounced more than expected and Umar guided a top edge into the hands of slip. Umar had done well to charge North in the preceding overs to hit some handsome lofted drives, including a straight six, but it was plain foolish to play a risky stroke on the cusp of the break. Umar might be only 20 but had learnt many things in his Test initiation.After a memorable century in his debut innings in Dunedin last year he walked in after another top order collapse as Pakistan were chasing a tempting 251 for victory. He proved his precocious talent by steeling himself against everything Shane Bond and co. tried to do to unsettle him. He would have done well to remember that innings today when the sun was shining with a placid pitch in front of him.Afridi, Kamran Akmal and the tail succumbed, putting up a toothless display. The previous evening, Umar Amin, the other debutant for Pakistan, had said the one thing he would like to learn from Katich, the highest run scorer in the match, was to leave more balls alone. Forget Katich, who is an accomplished opening batsman, but that same skill to survive was also shown by the Australian tail of Hilfenhaus and Doug Bollinger, who stitched together a useful 52-run stand for the final wicket on the third afternoon. In contrast Mohammad Aamer, Umar Gul, and Danish Kaneria gave their wickets away.What Mohammad Yousuf, the former Pakistan captain, said recently about his country’s youngsters being more inclined to excel at Twenty20 cricket rings true. In the shorter format it is the instincts that take precedence over the mind. Patience plays a minor role and it’s a trait Pakistan’s youngsters are woefully short of.”If you want to play Australia you have to be mentally and physically very strong,” Afridi said later with some strain before speaking out loud about why he was not enjoying playing Test cricket. Clearly he is not an ideal example to follow for a youngster wanting to excel in the longer format of the game.Instead the wise words of Katich are worth heeding. “I’ve just tried to enjoy each Test match and enjoy winning Test matches, because that’s part of our tradition of playing in the baggy green is to win Test matches,” he said.International players always talk about proving their mettle in Test cricket because the demands are unparalleled. Pakistan’s young batsmen have a unrivalled talent. What they don’t have, and need to learn quickly, is to combine it with sweat, persistence and patience.

Shoaib Bashir dedicated his maiden England five-wicket haul to his late grandfathers, as he braced himself for one last big push in the fourth Test in Ranchi, after a day of Indian dominance put the hosts on course for a series-sealing victory.Bashir bowled a marathon 44 overs in India’s first innings in claiming final figures of 5 for 119. That included a 31-over unbroken spell on the second afternoon, in which he claimed the first four of his wickets, and he completed his five-for on the third morning when Akash Deep fell lbw for 9.However, India had already seized the initiative by then, thanks to a key stand of 76 between Kuldeep Yadav and Dhruv Jurel, who top-scored with 90 from 149 balls as an overnight deficit of 134 was reduced to a far more manageable 46.India’s own spinners then cemented their dominance of the day by ripping through England’s second innings to bowl them out for 145, with R Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav sharing nine wickets between them. Bashir was back with ball in hand by the close, serving up a solitary over as Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal picked off 40 untroubled runs from their victory target of 192.Related

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Despite a tough day for his team, Bashir recognises – even at the age of 20 and in his second Test – that he will have to play another key role on the fourth day if England are to have any hope of clawing back the ascendancy, and going to Dharamsala next week with the series locked at 2-2.”Yeah, look, we would have liked to have got one or two wickets in that last period, but me and Harts [Tom Hartley] know we got a job to the tomorrow,” he told TNT at the close. “Ten opportunities to take ten wickets, and on that wicket anything is possible.””Me and Tommy are really excited for the challenge. We saw how Ashwin and [Ravindra] Jadeja bowled on that wicket and we take huge confidence from that. I used to watch these guys when I was a bit younger and they’re world-class spinners. We know us two lads are up against a world-class attack but we’ve got a chance to be heroes.”Irrespective of the result, Bashir acknowledged that his rise to prominence was “surreal”, given that he had played just six first-class fixtures in his entire professional career before his debut in Visakhapatnam, and was only recently playing national county cricket with Berkshire and club cricket in Guildford after being released by Surrey prior to his current stint with Somerset.”It was a very special moment on my journey,” he said of his fifth wicket. “Two years ago, I wouldn’t have thought anything like this [would happen] but that was really special.”I just want to dedicate this to my two late granddads who passed away a year and a bit ago,” he added. “They used to watch Test cricket all the time on TV, sitting in front of the TV on the couch. And their wish was to watch me play, and that didn’t happen. So yeah, it was quite emotional, but I’m grateful.”Despite his rapid rise, Bashir insisted he had not once felt out of place in an England dressing-room that includes one player, James Anderson, who made his Test debut before he was born, and several others – Joe Root, Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow among them – who have been fixtures of the Test side for more than a decade.”I used to see these guys when I was a little kid,” Bashir said. “So to be in that dressing-room, they give you so much confidence. Stokesy and the lads are brilliant, even if that’s to go out to bat as well. It just gets the best out of you, and it’s just a wonderful group to be a part of.”The boys were up for it and we’re really excited for tomorrow because it could bring a lot of joy. The mood is really good.”Asked if England still believed they could win, Bashir replied: “Massively. Me and Tommy are really excited for tomorrow. That pitch is deteriorating quite a bit now. We saw some pop from a good length and some roll. That’s good signs for us and we’re really excited.”We’re two tall spinners and we have tall release points. Stokesy and Baz picked us for a reason. We’ve just got to go out tomorrow and hopefully win a Test match.”

Five people have been handed suspended prison sentences for racially abusing Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, say La Liga.

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Vinicius Jr racially abused at 2022 gameFive handed suspended prison sentencesSeen as a "milestone" ruling by La LigaFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Brazil international appeared to receive racist abuse during a Madrid game against Real Valladolid at Jose Zorilla stadium in September 2022. BBC Sport states the Provincial Court of Valladolid gave the five offenders a one-year prison sentence, with a three-year suspended sentence. La Liga have described this as an "unprecedented milestone" in the fight against racism in sport in Spain.

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La Liga said in a statement: "Thanks to the efforts of La Liga, which filed the complaint and initially acted as the sole private prosecution – later joined by the player Vinicius and Real Madrid, as well as the Public Prosecutor's Office – this exemplary ruling has been achieved. This judicial decision represents an unprecedented milestone in the fight against racism in sport in Spain, where, until now, rulings had addressed conduct against moral integrity with a racial aggravating factor. The fact that this ruling explicitly refers to hate crimes associated with racist insults reinforces the message that intolerance has no place in football."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Vinicius Jr has repeatedly been the subject of racist abuse by fans in Spain over the years, with the winger saying racism is "normal" in the country's top division. But according to La Liga, this ruling shows that racist insults in a football stadium have been condemned as a hate crime in Spain for the first time, and may cause culprits of such acts to think twice.

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While Vinicius Jr prepares to play for Madrid in their final La Liga game of the season against Real Sociedad this weekend, the five offenders in the racism case are not allowed to attend any matches in the next three years.