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Leeds United have bought both for the present and the future this summer, and Daniel Farke could be set to supplement the latter once again should they reignite their permanent interest in an old target…

Who are Leeds United signing this summer?

With Scottish teenager Lewis Pirie marking their first foray of the window, his acquisition prefaced the two senior signings of Ethan Ampadu and Karl Darlow, which have bolstered their ranks massively.

In what promises to be a huge period of revolution, which will hopefully provoke an instant Premier League return, the long-term must be taken care of to ensure their stay will be longer than their last.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

As such, they could seek to once again try and snag youngster Kian Breckin from Manchester City, as a starlet ready for gradual embedding into a first-team now.

Such is the quality of the 19-year-old gem, he has drawn attention from Newcastle United and even Barcelona in recent years too.

Who is Kian Breckin?

Although yet to feature for Pep Guardiola's senior side, the teenager has been a mainstay across City's various youth teams, shining for all.

This culminated in his most recent campaign, in which he starred for the U21 side littered with top prospects; he scored eight times and assisted a further four in the league.

Sports journalist Aadam Patel had earmarked him as someone ready to take that next step just the year prior, and it seems that with each year he edges closer to the level required to star in a first team. He wrote on Twitter: "Kian Breckin is one to watch out for."

However, arguably the biggest praise reserved from the former Wycombe Wanderers loanee came from scout Yuki Tamaru, who suggested that his style resembled City's legendary creator:

"Quality players. Kian Breckin resembles [Kevin] De Bruyne in the way he uses half space and activates the space behind the opposition fullbacks."

Given how the Belgian midfielder has shone across his tenure at the Etihad, this is arguably the greatest compliment a young player can receive.

Last season saw the 32-year-old record 41 goal contributions across all competitions, as he would play key roles in each of the three trophies they won.

His 7.78 average rating in the Premier League was also the highest of anyone in the entire division and was bolstered by the 31 big chances he created, and 3.1 key passes recorded per game, via Sofascore.

This unsurprisingly has garnered praise, with pundit Jamie Redknapp even suggesting he will go down as one of the all-time greats:

"I just feel with all his attributes, I've never seen anyone pass the ball so beautifully. His football IQ, the way he sees gaps and threads through passes with such pinpoint accuracy.

"I haven't seen it before. The goals he scores, he's a beautiful striker of the ball; for me, he's the greatest."

Whilst Breckin has a long way to go before he can emulate even the slightest bit of such a stunning career, his profile on Man City's official website helps emphasise these similarities further as he is described as a "cultured attacking midfielder" who is "comfortable at receiving the ball in tight areas"; a trait he is clearly famed for.

Perhaps a permanent switch to Elland Road could give him the crucial game time to start on that long road towards succeeding De Bruyne, although the club will have to offer a sizable bid to cut short his impending loan spell to Wycombe Wanderers.

Predicting the future of football is never easy, especially when looking at players who could really have legacy-defining eras. With the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, it seemed pretty guaranteed where football's crown was heading for as long as they were playing at the top of European football.

Back in 2019, however, French outlet L'Equipe attempted to predict the stars that would come next, tipping six young players to dominate European football.

Since the prediction four years ago, those players have had incredibly mixed spells, though, and it's fair to say that some have simply failed to live up to their potential.

With that said, we've taken a look at just how their respective careers have gone so far.

6 Karamoko Dembele

Tipped to become the next best thing, Karamoko Dembele was 16 at the time of his inclusion on L'Equipe's 2019 list. Now only 20, it's far too early to completely write off the former Celtic winger.

The pressure at 16 would have been incredibly difficult, and since leaving Scotland, Dembele has struggled to ever kickstart what is still an early career. At Brest last season, though, summing up recent years, the 20-year-old failed to score a single goal.

5 Ansu Fati

Also included on the list was Barcelona's Ansu Fati. And this came as no surprise, considering the winger's emergence as one of the most exciting players at the Nou Camp. Injury issues have halted his rise to the top since, however, with the Spaniard missing 35 games since the 21/22 season.

In the last campaign, he at least started getting things back on track as Barcelona won their first La Liga title under Xavi, and Fati scored seven goals.

4 Sebastiano Esposito

You'd be forgiven for not exactly knowing the name Sebastiano Esposito. Once tipped for great things at Inter Milan, the forward has so far failed to reach his potential.

Still only 21, he has plenty of time to become the player that L'Equipe once tipped him to become back in 2019, but after a failed loan spell at Anderlecht, it's far from looking promising for Esposito.

3 Joelson Fernandes

Once again a name that may not be too familiar with a number of fans, Joelson Fernandes has never really got going at Sporting, despite initially being tipped to become the next best thing.

Making just four appearances for the first team, the winger never looked like reaching his potential in Portugal, and has since spent a season on loan at FC Basel, where he scored four goals, before ending up at Turkish side Hatayspor.

2 Mohamed Amine Ihattaren

Mohamed Amine Ihattaren has had the most difficult journey of these players since being included in L'Equipe's list of young players. There was even a point that the midfielder was reportedly considering retirement due to mental health issues.

The Juventus midfielder didn't feature last season, and it remains to be seen where his future lies in football.

1 Karim Adeyemi

Onto a player that everyone should be familiar with, Karim Adeyemi is well on his way to reaching his potential at Borussia Dortmund. After making the move to the Bundesliga giants back in the summer of last year, and has since enjoyed a promising debut campaign.

Ending the season with nine goals, and six assists, the only way is up for the 21-year-old.

Liverpool have already spoken to Real Madrid about the possibility of signing Federico Valverde this summer, according to a report from 90Min.

How much did Federico Valverde cost Real Madrid?

The midfielder hardly cost the La Liga giants a penny when he initially moved to the club, with the Spanish side opting to agree a deal for him when he was just a youngster. In fact, because of his age at the time, Real only had to stump up around 5 million Euros (or £4.2m). It's a steal for the Uruguay star, who is now one of their regular starters in the centre of the field.

Since being entrusted to make his league debut for Real as a 20-year-old, he has gone on to establish himself as a crucial member of their first-team. In 2022/23, he featured 34 times in total in the league, with 29 starts. Despite playing in the centre of the field too, he managed to pop up with seven goals and four assists – his best ever total. He ended the campaign with 11 goal contributions in 27.8 lots of 90 minutes, leaving him with an impressive rate of 0.40 goals or assists per 90.

He's already become a reliable face for Madrid, who have utilised him on 138 occasions in La Liga over the course of his time at the Bernabeu so far. That's despite the fact he is still only 24-years-old – and he is also seen as a crucial member of the Uruguay side too. For the South American outfit, he has already accumulated 49 caps and bagged five goals and there appear to be plenty more in his future if he carries on the way he is.

Are Liverpool signing Federico Valverde?

With the midfielder at the top of his game right now, he is understandably drawing interest from across Europe. Liverpool have been eager to bring in Valverde, with the Premier League side seen as one of the frontrunners to bring him to England this summer. However, Chelsea have also expressed an interest in snapping up the Uruguayan, with Mauricio Pochettino seen as a big fan of the Real Madrid star.

However, according to a report from 90Min, any side wanting to add him to their ranks this transfer window may struggle to do so. That's because Real aren't too fond of the idea of selling on Valverde and want to try and keep him at the club, telling any interested sides that he isn't available on a deal. It adds that the Reds have already asked Madrid about a potential transfer but were rebuffed by the Spanish club.

It's no surprise, as he is viewed as a real talent. He's already received high praise from those who have worked with him in Spain. Carlo Ancelotti stated that Valverde is "untouchable" recently, amid all of this current interest in his service.

It suggests that he is regarded as one of their best and most important players currently – and it is therefore no surprise to see that they are not keen to sell him. Liverpool seem to have an interest in bringing him to Anfield this summer, but it does appear as though they may struggle to prise the midfielder away from the Bernabeu.

Arsenal are reportedly eyeing Barcelona sensation Aleix Garrido, as Mikel Arteta looks to strengthen his side that challenged for the Premier League title last season.

The Gunners had the joint-youngest squad last campaign, with an average age of 24.4 on par with Southampton.

Arteta and Edu could maintain the trend of nurturing youngsters to world-class ability by signing Garrido, who has a talent that’s valued highly by his club.

Placing a €400m (£340m) release clause in the contract of a teenager makes it known the level of potential that’s predicted.

And indeed, it's Arsenal who could pounce on that potential with it reported by Spanish outlet Sport last week that the Gunners are one of the clubs interested in the 19-year-old starlet, stating that the north Londoners understand the player’s ‘capacity for growth’.

Having risen through La Masia, Garrido made his La Liga debut for his boyhood club last season, playing nine minutes against Elche in April in a memorable moment for the youngster.

What could Aleix Garrido offer to Arsenal?

Named as being part of an “extremely talented” group at Barcelona by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the teenager could thrive in Arteta’s side that promotes and showcases its budding talent.

The central midfielder excels in ball playing and vision, areas that are attributive to his six assists and one goal in just half a dozen appearances in last campaign’s UEFA Youth League.

His efforts saw him lauded as a "wonderful" talent by scout Antonio Mango, equipped with an innate passing ability that sees him ‘stand out’ amongst others.

While his CV is short of senior European appearances, it wouldn't be the first time that Arsenal have found a hidden star.

In 2019, the Gunners secured the signing of 18-year-old Gabriel Martinelli from Brazilian outfit Ituano in a deal reported to be worth around £6m.

Fast forward four years and the winger is valued at €150m (£129m) and ending the Premier League season with 20 goal involvements in 36 appearances as Arsenal’s hero.

The left-winger eased his way to the top with his electrifying performances on the flank, cementing himself as a firm starter in Arteta’s side but also one of the most terrorising attackers in the league.

Placing trust in a young player and allowing them room to trial first-team football is something that has benefited the Gunners greatly, with both Martinelli and Bukayo Saka making their presence known in the side at such a young age.

Arsenal could follow suit by signing Garrido, who too could succeed in the youthful aura at the Emirates, in a team surrounded by young players that have been trusted with the task to take the club forward.

“Decent stick I’ve got, I’ll put that one on ice until next time,” Martin Guptill said about the bat that helped him pile up his series-levelling unbeaten 180 against South Africa.It was a performance he rated as probably his best ODI innings, which would put it ahead of his 237 in the World Cup quarter-final against West Indies, because it came off the back of a month on the sidelines with a hamstring injury. That was a sentiment supported by his captain Kane Williamson who termed it a “world-class” innings.Guptill had only begun netting a week ago, and the session the day before the fourth ODI was the highest intensity he had trained at since injuring his hamstring before the one-off T20I against South Africa, which followed a previous hamstring strain during the home Chappell-Hadlee series. In all, Guptill has only batted three times in 2017, twice for New Zealand and once for Auckland: his scores 112, 61 and 180 not out.He had spoken before this match of hoping that he could regain the rhythm he had earlier in the season. The outcome was a magnificent display of clean hitting which included 11 sixes and left him with New Zealand’s three highest scores in 50-over cricket.”It’s pretty up there, possibly No.1. I’m reasonably happy with how today went without a lot of preparation,” he said. “It was difficult to bat all round, two-paced, turning, slower balls gripping, it wasn’t easy, and I wanted to create a good partnership. I did that reasonably well and fortunately I was able to get a few out of the middle.”He had immediately jumped in an ice bath after the match and said his hamstrings were “a bit tight” but nothing that wasn’t to be expected.The two camps differed somewhat on how the conditions panned out with AB de Villiers believing the surface eased, starting at the back end of South Africa’s innings when they scored 100 off the last eight overs, but Williamson supported Guptill’s view that it remained a tricky pitch throughout.”I said to Martin when he came off, that’s probably his best, and he’s done it a few times to be fair so there are a few tight comparisons,” Williamson said. “In a chasing effort on what wasn’t an easy surface and to hit the ball the way he did and play with the freedom we know he can and do something special against the best team in the world was a special, world-class effort.”In a chase of 280, Guptill inside-edged his first ball from Kagiso Rabada past the stumps, played out a maiden from Wayne Parnell in the second over and was 2 off 10 balls when he connected with a stinging pull shot off the left-arm quick for the first of his sixes. The splits for his fifties were 38 balls, 44 and 41 with his last 30 runs taking 15 deliveries.”I wanted to give myself a chance really, have a look at what it was doing,” he said. “I got a few away and developed a strike rate early at the top and carried it through.”Guptill’s innings continued an upturn in his fortunes against South Africa. In the previous one-day series between the teams, Guptill scored his first hundred against them in the second match in Potchefstroom having had a previous best of 58 from 12 innings at an average of 14.50. In the space of three innings, the average against South Africa has lifted to 35.92.”I’ve always rated him as a player, he’s had to work through a few things,” de Villiers said. “I was always hoping this day would never come, where he’s figured out his game, playing it nice and late and he’s moving well. I could sit here for quite some time and talk about that knock. It was a very special innings.”

Burnley will return to the Premier League in August with a completely different playing style, having been transformed in their first year under head coach Vincent Kompany.

Rather than grind it out in the top tier next season, it seems as though Kompany intends to double down by bringing in a high-profile name who is well-known for his passing ability.

That is according to Foot Mercato, who suggest Paris Saint-Germain central midfielder Fabian Ruiz is considered a priority target for the Clarets this summer.

What is the latest with Fabian Ruiz's PSG future?

Ruiz truly made a name for himself across four seasons with Napoli, where he racked up more than 160 appearances, prior to making a €21.5m (£18.5m) switch to PSG in August last year.

The Spain international has been used regularly this season, featuring 37 times in all competitions – 25 of those starts – as the Parisians reclaimed their Ligue 1 crown but fell disappointingly short of success in the Coupe de France and Champions League.

On the back of what was ultimately a poor campaign for PSG, it has been reported that a number of players will be moved on this summer, with Ruiz one of those that is most at risk of being sold, with Burnley reportedly lurking amid a surprise switch.

Ruiz will unlikely struggle for suitors if he is indeed no longer wanted in the French capital, with former Barcelona boss Quique Setien summing it up nicely when describing the Spaniard – who he worked with at Real Betis – as a "spectacular" player who is "tremendously humble".

Can Fabian Ruiz succeed in the Premier League?

Burnley supporters will be hoping that Ruiz is humble enough to take what has to be considered a backward step in his career by swapping the Parc des Princes for Turf Moor.

After all, this is a player previously described as a "football artist" by talent scout Jacek Kulig after the 27-year-old starred for Napoli against Atalanta in October 2019.

For those unaware of Ruiz's playing style, FBref lists Manchester City's Rodri as sixth on the list of players most similar to the former Betis midfielder.

Ruiz's 98 passes completed per game on average, with a completion percentage of 91.3, ranks him in the top 2% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues this season in both metrics.

Rodri, for comparison, has an identical pass completion percentage, while they also have an identical expected goals (xG) return of 0.13 per game, only highlighting further the similarities in their all-around games and positioning.

Four years into his Premier League career, it is fair to say Rodri has been a huge hit in English football. While Burnley may not have the riches of City, in Kompany they have a Pep Guardiola protégée and a manager who clearly knows exactly what he wants from his side.

It will likely take a club-record fee of around €30m (£26m) to land the silky midfielder, as per Football Observatory, but Ruiz may well be the difference-maker for a new-look Burnley if they are to make a successful leap from the Championship to the Premier League.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsConfronted with bowling that was toothless at best and ragged at worst, Azhar Ali marched to 302 not out, becoming the fourth Pakistan player to score a Test triple-hundred. Azhar’s marathon 469-ball knock anchored Pakistan’s first-innings total of 579 for 3 declared, before West Indies moved to 69 for 1 in the 22 overs they had to face till stumps.After having shared a 215-run opening stand with Sami Aslam on the first day, Azhar was well supported on the second day too, first by Asad Shafiq and then by debutant Babar Azam, before Misbah-ul-Haq played an attacking cameo leading into the declaration. Pakistan scored at well over 4 runs an over on day two, adding 300 runs in 65.3 overs as West Indies progressively fell to pieces with the ball and in the field.

Azhar gets to 250 with a “six”

Batting on 244, Azhar Ali pulled a Jason Holder delivery towards deep backward square for what should have been two. The fielder tracked the ball down and flicked it to Miguel Cummins who had run round along the boundary to back up the effort. But the two men clearly hadn’t read each other’s intentions and the ball rolled past a wrong-footed Cummins across the boundary for four “overthrows”.
Added to the two that the batsmen had run, this gave Azhar the six he needed to reach 250. It was a moment of triumph for Azhar and comic haplessness for West Indies and, therefore, neatly encapsulated the day as a whole.

Resuming the day on 146, Azhar was solid and assured right from the outset and displayed more of the lovely drives and powerful cuts and pulls that lit up the first day. He went into tea at 194, but got to his milestone within two balls of the resumption of play – a leg-side delivery from Shannon Gabriel was tucked fine for four, after which a wide one was cut past backward point for the four that took him past 200. A salute and a set of nine push-ups followed; by that stage, West Indies’ fielders looked too ragged to follow suit. It took Azhar only a further 112 balls to bring up his triple-ton, powering his side towards a declaration that put West Indies out of their misery.Earlier in the day, Azhar and Shafiq had added 73 runs to the overnight total of 279 for 1, taking their second-wicket partnership to 137. The pair built on their solid platform with relative ease, facing little pressure either from West Indies’ bowlers or from a pink ball that did not do much in the air. While Shafiq played the odd false shot, Azhar looked compact and sharp, quick to pounce on anything that was short or wide. He greeted Roston Chase with successive lofted shots for four and six, and also played a number of assured sweep shots.The partnership ended when Shafiq drilled a return catch to Devendra Bishoo to depart for 67. That moment of success provided only fleeting relief for West Indies; debutant Babar Azam came in and settled down swiftly to provide capable support to Azhar. He glided his way to a half-century that seemed to come far too easily, before driving to Holder at covers to give West Indies their second and last breakthrough of the day. Thereafter, Azhar and Misbah added 62 off 76 in a partnership that wasn’t particularly graceful – with a number of skied miscues – but served Pakistan’s purpose. Azhar brought up his triple-century in much the same manner as he had brought up his century, with a drive wide of mid-off for four. On that jubilant note, Pakistan declared.Azhar Ali became the fourth Pakistan player to register a triple-century•Getty Images

West Indies had their moments, but were not able to capitalise on them. Bishoo found Azam’s outside edge early in his innings, only for the ball to fly to the right of slip. A few overs later, Chase got Azhar to nick to slip, where Jermaine Blackwood spilled a sharp chance that should have been taken.A more judicious use of reviews would also have helped. Gabriel, who clocked up impressive speeds in the first over of the day, seamed one back into Shafiq that clipped the top of his back pad on its way to the wicketkeeper. The appeal, seemingly for a caught behind, was turned down, but replays indicated that the ball would have gone on to hit enough of the top of middle for the umpire to overturn the not-out decision. West Indies didn’t review.The review West Indies did opt for left them red-faced. Jason Holder bowled an indipping low full toss at Azhar, went up in appeal for lbw and reviewed the not-out decision, believing the ball had brushed pad before bat. Replays, however, showed that the ball had gone nowhere near the pad and had been middled.These errors paled in comparison with West Indies’ shoddy bowling and often-farcical fielding, which undid the early pressure that Gabriel and Holder had created. While Bishoo bowled a number of short balls and half-volleys, Cummins repeatedly drifted onto the batsmen’s pads. Gabriel then bowled a terrible spell after tea in which he struggled for line and length and bowled three big no-balls – and at least another three that were not called.In the closing stages of the day, Pakistan’s bowlers provided a contrast to West Indies’ effort. Sohail Khan and Mohammad Amir bowled a fuller length and got good shape on the new ball, while Yasir Shah got more grip and turn than the West Indies spinners had managed at any stage. He was rewarded with the wicket of Leon Johnson, whom he trapped in front for 15. But Kraigg Brathwaite and Darren Bravo then provided a reminder of how good the wicket still was, batting out the rest of the session in solid fashion. With a mountain still to climb, West Indies require much more solidity in the days ahead.

Everton have joined the race to sign Hamilton Academical striker Ryan One this summer, according to reports.

Who is Ryan One?

One is an academy graduate at the Fountain of Youth Stadium having worked his way up through the various youth ranks to get promoted to the first-team last summer, where he’s made a total of 28 appearances to date.

However, the 16-year-old was out of contract at the end of last month and he’s not yet been offered the chance to extend his stay with John Rankin’s side, meaning that as it stands, he’s set to depart as a free agent and will be available on the market for absolutely nothing.

The Scottish Championship outfit have also recently been relegated to the third-tier north of the border so the teenager could be hoping to find a new club at a higher level to test himself and progress his career, and it’s fair to say that he’s got plenty of admirers queuing up to secure his services.

Are Everton signing One?

According to TEAMtalk, Everton, Manchester United, Liverpool, Newcastle United, Brighton and Hove Albion, Brentford and Bournemouth are all keen to bring One to the Premier League. The Toffees and Sean Dyche are “checking” on the forward and have been “watching” him for “most of the season”.

Scottish Premiership rivals Celtic and Glasgow Rangers were also “keeping tabs” on the talented prospect, but it’s believed that a move to the top-flight in England would be “hard for him to turn down”.

Could One be a good addition for Dyche?

Everton will know that One – having only ever made 28 appearances (855 minutes) throughout his career – is certainly not a player ready to be considered for the first-team, but with the promising signs that he’s showing, he would be an exciting recruit for the long-term future of the club.

The Scotland U17 international, who earns £100-per-week, has scored two goals since being introduced to the senior fold and has already had a taste of success having won the Scottish Challenge Cup during his debut professional campaign in 2022/23, so he will continue to have an eye on securing silverware as he moves into the next stage of his development.

One also has the versatility to operate everywhere across the frontline, including in his natural position as a centre-forward but also out wide on both the left and right flanks, which will no doubt be an attractive attribute to the hierarchy and is a quality that is useful to have in the building if he ever did become a regular under Dyche.

Calum MacLeod’s third ODI ton propelled Scotland’s chase of 229 to see the hosts to a seven-wicket win over UAE at the Grange, thereby closing Netherlands’ lead at the top of the table to one point

Peter Della Penna in Edinburgh16-Aug-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details2:06

‘Offseason technical work gave me confidence’ – MacLeod

Calum MacLeod’s third ODI ton propelled Scotland’s chase of 229 to see the hosts to a seven-wicket win over UAE at the Grange, completing a series sweep in the pair of WCL Championship fixtures, thereby closing Netherlands’ lead at the top of the table to one point. It was MacLeod’s first century since making 116 not out in a win over Ireland in September 2014.Scotland’s chase began in slightly shaky fashion with Craig Wallace slashing Mohammad Naveed to third man for 6 and Kyle Coetzer top-edging a pull to mid-on off Mohammad Shahzad for 25. At 43 for 2 in the ninth over, MacLeod and captain Preston Mommsen came together to add 165, a third-wicket record for Scotland and their third-highest ODI partnership.MacLeod punished a short-pitched barrage from UAE’s pacers, cutting them through point for four of his six fours and clubbed three sixes over long-on during his classy knock. He brought up his fifty in 69 balls and took a further fifty balls to bring up his century. His innings, and the partnership with Mommsen, was ended by a yorker from Naveed when on 103. By that stage, Scotland needed just 21 more to win off 33 balls.Mommsen remained unbeaten on 80 as Richie Berrington hit the winning boundary to finish 15 not out in his 50th ODI for Scotland. Following his unbeaten 111 on Sunday, Mommsen is yet to be dismissed in three ODIs against UAE. His other knock is an unbeaten 139 in the final of the 2014 World Cup Qualifier in New Zealand, giving him a total of 330 runs in ODIs against UAE. In six total List A games Mommsen has played against the UAE – four WCL Championship matches and two games at the 2014 World Cup Qualifier – he has scored 383 runs at an average of 383 with his only dismissal coming via a runout.The win was set up after a UAE batting collapse saw them throw away a great foundation at 187 for 4 in the 34th over. They lost their last six wickets for 41 to be dismissed for 228 in 45.4 overs. Shaiman Anwar top-scored with 63 off 75 balls for UAE, but his wicket sparked the slide when an uncontrolled cut off debutant Chris Sole sailed to the point sweeper where Safyaan Sharif took a superb sliding catch on the run.It was one of several outstanding catches on the day for Scotland, who continued to show up UAE in the fielding department. After taking a brilliant diving catch at point on Sunday, Berrington pulled off another stunner at short extra cover to send Amjad Javed back for a first-ball duck off the bowling of left-arm spinner Con De Lange. Javed’s false drive came two balls after Anwar fell, expediting UAE’s downward spiral.Sharif had made the earlier inroads into the UAE top order, getting L Sreekumar for 16 driving to Michael Leask at cover and inducing Shahzad’s edge off a full delivery for 21. In between, Sole took his maiden wicket, sparking Scotland’s short-ball plan early in the day when he had Rohan Mustafa gloving a pull down the leg side for 19. Sole later bounced out Naveed.Alasdair Evans also used the short ball to claim his two wickets. Evans broke a crucial 76-run fourth-wicket stand between Anwar and Muhammad Usman when the latter laced a pull straight to MacLeod at short midwicket for 43 in the 30th over, and wrapped up the innings when Ahmed Raza’s awkward hook was taken at long leg by Coetzer.Sharif was the undisputed star with the ball though, finishing with 3 for 25 in eight overs while Sole ended up with 3 for 51 on debut. Scotland’s final two ODIs of the summer are against Hong Kong in Edinburgh, beginning on September 8.

Goa Cricket Association (GCA) president Chetan Desai, its secretary Vinod Phadke and treasurer Akbar Mulla have been arrested by police for alleged fraud. Desai is also the chairman of the BCCI’s marketing committee.A first information report (FIR) had been filed against the trio by the economic offences wing (EOW) of Goa Police on June 4. The police had registered a case against the accused under sections 408, 409 (criminal breach of trust), 419 (cheating by impersonation), 463, 464, 468 (forged documents), 471 (fraud), 420 (cheating) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.According to Shekhar Salkar, the acting president of the Goa Cricket Association between November 2014 and June 2015, Desai, Phadke and Mulla had encashed a TV subsidy from the BCCI worth INR 2.87 crore.The Indian board had sent the cheque on October 23, 2006, when Desai had been the GCA secretary, Phadke the treasurer and Dayanand Narvekar the president. The cheque was valid for six months.Salkar said a fake account, in the name of GCA, was opened in the Panjim branch of Development Credit Bank on April 10, 2007. “Phadke pretended to be the president, Desai was the secretary and Mulla as treasurer. The cheque was realised on April 13, 2007. The three accused then started to withdraw amounts and emptied the account by March 29, 2008. So it did not reflect in the balance sheet.”The FIR, a copy of which is with ESPNcricinfo, filed in the Ribander police station against Desai, Phadke and Mulla on Wednesday, said “the above noted accused persons who were the members and signatory authority for Goa Cricket Association hatched a criminal conspiracy by impersonating and posing as president, secretary and treasurer of Goa Cricket Association and further prepared forged, fake documents and resolution of Goa Cricket Association and submitted the same to Development Credit Bank, Panjai Branch, for opening an account in Development Credit Bank in the name of Goa Cricket Association and thereby misappropriated the funds of TV subsidy sent by Board of Control for Cricket in India to Goa Cricket Association thereby cheating Goa Cricket Association for tune of Rs. 2.87 Crores.”In the FIR, it is also mentioned that Desai, Phadke and Mulla withdrew INR 26 lakh from Federal Bank account of the GCA on the “pretext” of giving it to a company called HAKO enterprise which, it was later found, had not received any funds.Phadke had been India’s team manager for the ODI series against South Africa in 2015, and at the Under-19 World Cup in 2012 as well.