Warner, bowlers script Australia's comeback win

David Warner set up Australia’s 36-run win against South Africa at Basseterre with his sixth ODI hundred, and first outside Australia

The Report by Brydon Coverdale11-Jun-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsIf there is any venue outside Australia where David Warner should feel at home it is the ground in Basseterre on the island of St Kitts. It is tailor-made for him with its short boundaries and hard surface. It is even named Warner Park. In his first international match at his namesake venue, Warner struck his sixth ODI hundred, and first outside Australia, to set up a 36-run victory over South Africa.Australia thus became the first team to win two games in this tri-series, which has now moved on from the slow, spinning surfaces of Guyana. Steven Smith had no hesitation in choosing to bat first and Warner’s 109 was the dominant contribution of the match, setting Australia on the path to 288 for 6.South Africa’s bowlers seemed to have done well to keep Australia under 300, but those same bowlers also formed a long tail that was unable to offer much resistance after Australia’s attack got through the middle order. Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa and Josh Hazlewood picked up three wickets each and the lower order collapsed, the last seven wickets falling for 42 runs.For a while, South Africa looked to be cruising in their chase. They had lost Quinton de Kock early, when he pulled Hazlewood to deep square leg for 19, but Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis set about building a typically solid platform that should have been adequate. They made it to 140 for 1 in the 26th over before Amla (60) was sharply taken by Smith at cover off Hazlewood.Life became tougher for the South African batsmen as Australia’s fast men found some reverse swing, which helped Starc get rid of du Plessis, who sliced to backward point for 63. AB de Villiers and JP Duminy then had the job of steering the rest of the innings, but de Villiers was also done by reverse swing when Hazlewood tailed one in to bowl him for 39.The loss of Duminy, through a somewhat lax sweep to deep midwicket off Zampa for 41, precipitated the lower-order collapse. Zampa had Farhaan Behardien lbw for 4 and had Wayne Parnell caught at long-on for 3, leaving too much work for the tail. Kyle Abbott had already been bowled, done by Starc’s reverse swing, before Aaron Phangiso also fell to Starc and Imran Tahir was run out to end the game.South Africa’s seamers had found almost no reverse earlier in the day. Like Australia, who dropped Nathan Lyon and Glenn Maxwell, South Africa strengthened their pace group at the expense of their spin attack, and while Abbott and Parnell especially were tight enough, they couldn’t manage to string enough wickets together, even after ending Warner’s innings.Warner’s previous five one-day international hundreds had all come in Australia, where the quick and bouncy pitches tend to suit his preference for the ball coming on to the bat. He started this one with two boundaries in the first over of the game and in all struck 11 fours and two sixes, and he was typically harsh on any width offered by the quicks.His opening partner, Aaron Finch, found no momentum and was bowled for 13 off 28 when he missed an attempted sweep off an Imran Tahir straight ball. Warner and Usman Khawaja put on 136 for the second wicket and a total well in excess of 300 looked like a strong possibility.Warner brought up his hundred from his 109th delivery when he cut a single off Abbott, and two deliveries later Khawaja raised his half-century from his 58th ball, but neither man was to go on much further. The second drinks break came at just the right time for South Africa, as Warner pulled Parnell to midwicket off the first ball after the resumption.Khawaja had swept the spinners effectively but the shot eventually brought his downfall on 59 when he top-edged off Phangiso and skied a catch that was taken by Amla from short fine leg. George Bailey was lbw to Tahir for 11 and Mitchell Marsh holed out deep midwicket for 10 off an Abbott full toss, and South Africa’s fightback was looking strong.However, Smith managed to steer the Australians into the high 200s with a half-century at better than a run-a-ball, with some assistance from Matthew Wade, who scored 24 off 14 balls. Smith ended up unbeaten on 52 from 49 deliveries, and Australia had enough to hold off South Africa.

ليفربول ينضم لـ مانشستر سيتي في سباق التعاقد مع كيميش

ذكرت تقارير صحفية ألمانية، أن نادي ليفربول الإنجليزي دخل سباق التعاقد مع جوشوا كيميش، لاعب وسط بايرن ميونخ الألماني.

وينتهي عقد كيميش مع بايرن ميونخ في نهاية الموسم القادم، بحلول 30 يونيو 2025، ولم يصل إلى اتفاق بشأن توقيع عقد جديد.

وفقًا لصحيفة “بيلد” الألمانيو، يراقب ليفربول ومانشستر سيتي وضع كيميتش بهدف التحرك لضم اللاعب الألماني الدولي هذا الصيف. 

وقال كريستيان فالك الصحفي في صحيفة “بيلد”: “كيميش في العام الأخير من عقده مع بايرن ميونخ، ويرغبون في الاستفادة من الشراء بدلاً من خسارته مجانًا، قد يخسرون إذا لم يمدد عقده”.

ويسعى ليفربول لضم بديل للاعبه تياجو ألكانتارا الغائب منذ وقت طويل بسبب الإصابة، بالإضافة لرحيل جوردان هندرسون.

وأضاف فالك: “يورج شمادتك، المدير الرياضي في ليفربول، لديه علاقات جيدة في الدوري الألماني، لذا، كلوب الآن أيضًا في السباق على كيميش”.

اقرأ أيضًا | نادٍ إنجليزي جديد ينضم لسباق التعاقد مع بنزيما ويبدأ محادثات مع اتحاد جدة

وأوضح كيميش أيضًا أنه غير سعيد بقرار توماس توخيل باستبداله بعد 64 دقيقة في المباراة التي خسرها الفريق 1-0 أمام فيردر بريمن يوم الأحد الماضي.

وردًا على سؤال عما إذا كان منزعجًا من التبديل، قال كيميتش بعد المباراة: “بالطبع أريد دائما أن أكون في الملعب لمدة 90 دقيقة، خاصة عندما نكون متأخرين، هذا طبيعي، إنه نفس الشيء بالنسبة لكل لاعب، الجميع يريد أن يفعل كل ما في وسعه لمساعدة الفريق على الفوز”.

وأضاف كيميتش: “لا أعتقد أن الهزيمة كانت مستحقة، لكن يمكنك أن تقول إن بريمن كان متعطشًا للفوز أكثر منا، وهذا لا يجب أن يحدث لنا في هذه المرحلة من الموسم، لا نشعر بأننا نعرف ما هو على المحك”.

Chelsea eye move for "incredible" star

Chelsea have been named as a possible destination for Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot in the upcoming transfer window.

What’s the latest on Adrien Rabiot to Chelsea?

According to CaughtOffside, the Blues have been linked with the Frenchman as they begin their summer rebuild.

The 28-year-old is set to become a free agent at the end of the current campaign, and as per the report, a move to Stamford Bridge "could potentially happen".

The article also names Manu Kone and Khephren Thuram as other options, but for a club that has spent £585.5m in two windows and has Financial Fair Play regulations breathing down their necks, a move for either of these lucrative targets may be out of even Todd Boehly’s reach.

Therefore, Rabiot has been described as the most “realistic” and “more likely” to join the west London outfit.

Would Adrien Rabiot be a good signing for Chelsea?

The former Paris Saint-Germain ace is arguably enjoying the most productive and impressive season of his career so far.

The 36-cap international has registered 15 goal contributions in 43 appearances in all competitions this term and has been an imperative figure for a Juventus side that is currently second in Serie A and tussling with Sevilla in the Europa League semi-finals.

Adrien-Rabiot

He also started five of France’s seven World Cup fixtures as his nation painfully lost on penalties to Argentina in the final.

During the tournament, Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate praised his teammate's influence and said: “Talk to everyone. He is a key player in this competition. Adrien takes us a lot, in defence and attack.”

Konate’s comments about his attacking and defensive qualities are showcased by Rabiot’s excellent statistics.

The titan ranks in the top 2% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers over the past year for non-penalty goals per 90, as well as the highest 19% for progressive carries per 90, according to FBref.

The £152k-per-week man has also acted as a formidable protector for the backline and massively outperforms current Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic in these categories.

Rabiot has recorded 1.47 blocks, 1.54 clearances, and 1.6 aerials won per 90, whilst the Croatian has only averaged 0.68, 0.72, and 0.44 for the same metrics respectively.

Considering this and the Juventus star’s far superior potency in front of goal – scoring ten more goals this season than his midfield counterpart – he represents a far more accomplished and reliable option.

Gianluigi Buffon has also showered him in praise and said: "Rabiot is incredible, very strong. He has the physical strength of [Paul] Pogba – he is a proper wardrobe. He has [Arturo] Vidal's personality in the game and potentially [Claudio] Marchisio's dynamism and ability to integrate."

Furthermore, Kovacic is reportedly nearing his Chelsea departure to set up a clear pathway for the well-rounded and boundlessly talented Rabiot to begin his career in English football.

Man Utd Scout Kane Alternative In £4m-rated "Poacher"

With Manchester United somewhat stumbling their way to a potential top-four finish, the club's lack of goals has become a particular issue in recent weeks, with Erik ten Hag's side having now scored just three times in their last four Premier League games.

Those attacking woes have been a theme of the entire campaign, in truth, with Anthony Martial having been plagued by injury, while January arrival Wout Weghorst has netted just twice in all competitions since his loan move from Burnley.

Such shortcomings have unsurprisingly sparked suggestions that United will be targeting a new centre-forward in the summer transfer window, with Tottenham Hotspur talisman Harry Kane – who has just a year left on existing deal – seemingly a leading target.

For all the obvious benefits of landing a player who is the leading scorer for both Spurs and for his country, the England skipper – who boasts a haul of 27 league goals this season – certainly won't come cheap despite his expiring contract, with an asking price of around £100m having been mooted.

The prolific marksman is a player of proven Premier League quality as he is now the second-highest scorer in the competition's history, although with his 30th birthday on the horizon, the question is just 'how long' will the reliable asset be able to remain at his best – as per Manchester Evening News journalist, Tyrone Marshall.

With a more long-term, attacking alternative perhaps needed, there have been recent claims made in Belgium that Ten Hag and co are scouting Gent sensation, Gift Orban, with the 20-year-old having been in rampant form for the Pro League side of late.

Who is Gift Orban?

The promising Nigerian – who is valued at £44m by his manager – would likely prove a far cheaper option to that of Kane, with that potentially set to come into consideration for the Red Devils amid concerns over Financial Fair Play regulations.

Not that young Orban would merely be just a more affordable option, as the red-hot ace has proven himself to be a truly clinical presence in front of goal in his own right, having been hailed as a "goal poacher" and a player with a "killer instinct" by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Gent's Gift Orban

Much like Kane, the 5 foot 10 gem looks like someone who was simply "born to score" – according to Kulig – having scored 19 goals in just 19 games so far this season, after previously bagging 19 goals and seven assists in 24 games for former club Stabaek in Norway.

One notable advantage that Orban would have over the Tottenham man – as well his potential price tag and youth – is his dynamic quality in attack, having also been praised for his "electric pace and acceleration" by Kulig, as well as his ability to offer a devastating "counter-attacking threat".

As the aforementioned Marshall stated, Kane has begun to 'drop deeper from goal' in recent years, although that is perhaps 'not what United need', with an out and out number nine, such as the Nigerian, potentially set to prove a better fit.

Of course, it would be a gamble to put faith in the emerging superstar at the Theatre of Dreams – while in an ideal world Ten Hag could maybe bring in both Kane and Orban – although it is easy to see just why the Gent ace is drawing admiring glances from the Carabao Cup winners.

Tottenham 35 y/o Manager Candidate Still In "Pole Position"

Tottenham Hotspur manager contender Julian Nagelsmann is still the favourite to land the role in north London, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest news involving Julian Nagelsmann?

The Telegraph have revealed that enticing Nagelsmann to take over at Hotspur Way will come at a hefty price, with Spurs potentially having to pay over £10 million in compensation to hire the 35-year-old.

Nagelsmann, who has been hailed as "elite", is still technically on gardening leave at Bayern Munich following their decision to part ways with the German coach to hire Thomas Tuchel back in March, signifying that he is still technically employed at the Allianz Arena.

As per The Daily Mail, Brentford technical director Lee Dykes has been earmarked as a potential replacement for former Tottenham sporting director Fabio Paratici alongside Johannes Spors, who has also been linked with the role.

Before deciding whether or not to take over at Spurs, Nagelsmann wants to know who he will be working with in terms of recruitment. The future of Lilywhites talisman Harry Kane is also something he wants assurances over amid interest from the Premier League and around Europe in the 29-year-old.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones has signalled that Nagelsmann is still the frontrunner to assume the vacancy in north London and replace Antonio Conte.

Jones said: “Ultimately, Nagelsmann still seems like the guy in pole position for that job. “So, unless something falls down with Nagelsmann or one of the parties gets cold feet, he will remain the favourite for the job.”

What issues need to be solved at Tottenham Hotspur this summer?

First and foremost, the future of Harry Kane needs to be sorted out before too long. As per Football Insider, Manchester United view the England international as their 'number one priority and top target' this summer.

Chelsea also retain an interest in the forward and prospective new boss Mauricio Pochettino is believed to be keen on reuniting with the forward at Stamford Bridge as his contract nears its final year at Spurs.

daniel-levy-tottenham-hotspur-will-still-manager-reims

Tottenham have also been devoid of creativity at times this season, which is something that will need to be looked at when considering potential incomings ahead of 2023/24.

Iliman Ndiaye and Kang-in Lee have both been linked in recent times, though it remains to be seen what will happen come the off-season.

Loanees Arnaut Danjuma, Dejan Kulusevski and Clement Lenglet also find themselves in situations that need to be clarified in the forthcoming window, making it a busy time for whoever Spurs' new boss may be.

Wolves Could Find Dream Costa Heir In Prolific £25m Monster

Julen Lopetegui could land the dream heir to Diego Costa's position at the club as Wolverhampton Wanderers are said to be keen on a new number nine this summer.

What's the latest on Viktor Gyokeres to Wolves?

According to the Express & Star, the club are considering a swoop to sign Coventry City star Viktor Gyokeres at the end of the season following the forward's impressive year in the second tier.

The report claims that he is on the list of possible striker signings for the upcoming transfer window after they eyed him in January before ultimately opting to strengthen in other positions.

It has been reported that the Championship side value the Swedish international at a whopping £25m and it remains to be seen how much Wolves are willing to pay for the marksman.

What is Viktor Gyokeres' style of play?

The 24-year-old is similar to Costa in that he is a powerful, tall, striker – standing at 6 foot 2, who causes defenders issues with his movement and his physicality, which is why the Coventry bulldozer could be the dream heir to the former Spain international.

Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Diego Costa.

Wolves' current centre-forward, who scored 20 goals in his last Premier League campaign with Chelsea in 2016/17, has not, however, been able to produce goals and assists to go along with being a nuisance to the opposition.

The 34-year-old has scored once in 20 appearances, starting 14 times, and failed to create any 'big chances' for his teammates in the top-flight.

Costa is out of contract this summer and Lopetegui could land the dream heir to his place in the squad by signing a younger, more mobile, and, importantly, prolific centre-forward in the form of Gyokeres.

Although it remains to be seen how he will adapt to life in the Premier League, the attacker's impressive statistics in the Championship this season suggest that a £25m deal is a gamble worth taking.

Gyokeres has racked up 21 goals and ten assists in 45 appearances for the Sky Blues – creating nine 'big chances' for his teammates. This comes after the gem scored 17 times and assisted five in 45 outings in the 2021/22 campaign for Mark Robins' side, which shows that the attacker's form has not been a flash in the pan.

At the age of 24, the Swedish dynamo also has the scope to improve over time.

Former teammate Dom Hyam, now of Blackburn Rovers, claimed that the striker does not have a "ceiling" to where his potential could take him and this means that Wolves could be making a long-term investment whilst also improving their team in the immediate term.

Blame the players, not the coach – de Villiers

South Africa captain AB de Villiers has mounted a strong defence of coach Russell Domingo in the aftermath of the team’s exit from the Caribbean triangular series

Firdose Moonda25-Jun-20163:37

Batting failures cost South Africa, says de Villiers

South Africa captain AB de Villiers has mounted a strong defence of coach Russell Domingo in the aftermath of the team’s exit from the Caribbean triangular series. De Villiers said the players, not the coach should be blamed for the team’s failure to reach the final after losing three of six round-robin matches, including Friday’s must-win against West Indies.”He’s played a big role in all of our careers in the last four or five years. I’ve felt he’s done a fantastic job. It’s sad to see him under pressure. It’s definitely not the coaching staff. The coaching staff, there’s no doubt in my mind they’re the best in the world,” de Villiers said. “Unfortunately as players we let them down in this series. We had ample opportunity in a few games to knuckle down. We should have walked the first game we played. So it comes down to the players. The preparation was perfect. All the coaching staff did their jobs. It is sad to see Russell under pressure. It shouldn’t be that way. There are a few players who should be under pressure.”De Villiers admitted his own performance in the tournament was “just not good enough”. In six games, de Villiers scored 121 runs at an average of 24.20, his worst average since an ODI series against India in 2010-11. “I got in four out of five times and didn’t convert. That’s the first thing I will teach any youngster: convert your scores, make them big ones especially once you get to 20 or 30. There’s no reason for me to get out after that because I’m in and seeing the ball well. Four out of five times I didn’t do that,” he said.De Villiers’ decision to take Kagiso Rabada, who had taken three wickets in his first three overs, out of the attack early in the West Indies innings came under scrutiny in the post-match conference. “KG (Rabada) is a fit man, so maybe one more over. I thought we had four world-class seam bowlers in the attack, enough guys who can ask questions,” he explained. After KG’s spell I did try pretty much everything we had. Perhaps I could have bowled him for a few more overs. But you’ve also got to think of the rest of the game and not bowl your best bowler out in the first spell.”De Villiers identified the batting as a reason for their elimination from the tri-series. JP Duminy scored 92 runs with a highest of 41 and has not scored an ODI fifty in his last 11 innings, dating back to July last year. Quinton de Kock scored one fifty and averaged 29.80. Only Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis, who scored 241 and 139 runs respectively, propped up the batting in what de Villiers called a case of “too many individuals who didn’t step up.”South Africa acquitted themselves better with the ball. Imran Tahir is leading the tournament’s bowling charts but when he went wicket-less, as he did on Friday, the bowling group struggled.With two all-rounders, two seamers and a specialist spinner in their XI, South Africa also made the mistake of having a batting line-up which was too short. The lopsided balance meant they could not string together enough complete performances despite what de Villiers described as rigorous preparation after two months off.”Not enough of us put our hands up in this series. That’s what it comes down to,” he said. “Our preparation was really good. Our coaches have been unbelievable. Russell Domingo put us through our paces like never before. So we put the hours in. We had really intense fielding sessions, batting sessions, bowling sessions. Unfortunately the batting kept collapsing and there were not enough partnerships. There were too many individuals who didn’t step up.”Domingo has not made a public comment yet but may have to on the team’s return home. De Villiers will not make the trip as he stays on to play in the CPL.Although CSA called off the independent review into the national teams’ performances because they could not agree terms with the panel, Domingo’s position was expected to come under scrutiny during that process. He has 10 months left on his contract, which expires at the end of April 2017. If he is to be replaced it is likely to happen sooner than that, perhaps even now.South Africa have a month off before two Tests against New Zealand, ODIs against Ireland and Australia at home and a three-Test tour to Australia, a series which will define the 2016-17 summer. Given the importance of the series against Australia and the subsequent preparations for the Champions Trophy, a new coach will likely be installed before those matches, which means Domingo’s days could have ended on Friday night in Barbados.

Arsenal: Arteta Eyeing Sensational Ben White Rival

Arsenal are reportedly already looking ahead to the summer transfer window as the 2022/23 campaign comes to a close later this month.

The Gunners have enjoyed an expectation-exceeding season, with a top-two finish and Champions League football confirmed, Mikel Arteta’s side can still win the Premier League title, should Manchester City drop points in their remaining fixtures.

Not many at the club would’ve predicted the success this year would bring, however a lot of room for improvement remains, with a lack of squad depth seriously tainting title hopes in north London following defensive injuries.

The absence of Takehiro Tomiyasu and particularly William Saliba left Arteta with little cover in defence and a lack of quality to fill the void the Frenchman left in central defence.

Ahead of the summer transfer window, the Gunners have been linked to a number of potential signings, with news emerging this week that another former City star could join the ranks in north London.

What’s the latest on Joao Cancelo to Arsenal?

According to 90min, Arsenal are one of the clubs monitoring Joao Cancelo’s future in the summer.

Currently on loan at Bayern Munich after making a swift exit from Pep Guardiola’s plans at the Etihad, the £250k-per-week star is 'unlikely' to be reintegrated into the Spaniard’s squad next season.

Soccer Football – Champions League – Manchester City Training – Etihad Campus, Manchester, Britain – September 30, 2019 Manchester City’s Joao Cancelo during training Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine

The Bundesliga champions are reportedly against paying the €70m (£61m) fee to sign the right-back on a permanent basis, according to renowned transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

90min, meanwhile, understands that Arteta is a fan of the versatile defender, who he believes would 'slot nicely' in his plans and tactical system heading into next season.

What could Joao Cancelo bring to Arsenal?

Once lauded by former City man Paul Dickov as “sensational” and being “right up there” with the best full-backs in the world, there is little doubting the quality Cancelo can produce.

After a tough year of unexpected change and being in and out of squads, the Portuguese has maintained a high level of performance among Europe’s elite, as shown by his numbers below, via FBref.

Joao Cancelo in comparison to Europe's full-backs – as per FBref.

In terms of fitting into Arsenal’s young team, the experienced full-back could challenge the similarly versatile Ben White for a spot at right-back, and fits Arteta’s plans of having an attack-minded maestro, capable of playing as an inverted full-back in central midfield – a la Oleksandr Zinchenko but on the right.

As speculated by Football Insider, the Spaniard reportedly has an idea for a central role for the English defender mapped out, potentially leaving a vacancy at right-back for a player such as Cancelo to fill.

The 28-year-old wide player has similarities to White’s game, as shown through his statistics per 90 this season, as per FBref.

White averages 1.76 tackles per 90, as well as a huge 7.18 progressive passes per 90, showing his involvement going forward and transitioning play.

Cancelo top’s the England star for both, with 2.12 tackles per 90, as well as reading the game as an attacking full-back expertly by averaging 7.20 progressive passes per 90 – placing him in the top 3% for this area among Europe’s top five leagues in his position.

There’s no denying the talent the Portuguese star has in his locker, can Mikel Arteta be the one to settle the full-back after a challenging year?

That remains to be seen, though what is clear is the fact that Cancelo can be a mighty signing for the Gunners during the off-season and one that could either rival White or aid their defensive frailty.

West Ham Exit Rumour Emerges Over £85k-A-Week Hero

West Ham attacker Michail Antonio could quit the club and look for a new challenge at the end of the season, according to a new update on his future.

How many goals has Michail Antonio scored?

The 33-year-old has been a brilliant player for the Hammers down the years, proving to be such a handful with his work rate, power and goal threat, In total he has scored 75 goals and registered 43 assists in 273 appearances, so often proving to be an influential figure.

This season, Antonio hasn't been at his best, however, only scoring five times in 32 Premier League games and being part of a West Ham team that has often struggled. His current deal expires at the end of next season, so the club could have a decision to make over his future.

If he stays put, they would lose him on a free transfer in 2024, although it looks as though the east Londoners' decision may possibly have been made for them.

Premier League, Everton, Everton news, Everton update, Everton transfers, Everton transfer news, Michail Antonio

Will Antonio leave West Ham?

According to Football Insider, Antonio "could pursue a summer exit in the search for more regular first-team football", having not always been a regular starter this season. It is stated that the Hammers "will be in the market for another forward" once the summer transfer window arrives, which could push him further down the pecking order and see him leave, joining Declan Rice in potentially moving on.

It does feel as though a move away could be the best solution for all parties, even though the attacker has still chipped in at key times the more this season has gone on. At 33, his best days are probably behind him and it is difficult to see his squad status changing for the better moving forward.

The fact that West Ham could earn a fee for Antonio this summer is another big reason for allowing him to leave, with those funds going towards much-needed signings in the transfer market. The £85,000-a-week Hammers hero can still be a force for another team, having been hailed as "very important" by teammate Thilo Kehrer, and a fresh challenge could do him good, allowing him to be a regular elsewhere.

Should Antonio stay put at the London Stadium until his contract runs out, it certainly wouldn't be a disaster, providing the Hammers with more squad depth and retaining the services of someone with a great team ethic, but this summer does feel like the right time for him to say goodbye.

Hong Kong to host PNG for three ODIs in November

Hong Kong are set to host Papua New Guinea for three ODIs in the first week of November in Mong Kok

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jun-2016Hong Kong are set to host Papua New Guinea for three ODIs in the first week of November in Mong Kok, which hosted its first international match earlier this year. The games are scheduled for November 4, 6 and 8.This home series is wedged between two away tours for Hong Kong. They travel to Ireland and Scotland for three weeks from August 30, and then to Kenya for two World Cricket League 50-over matches from November 18.Head coach Simon Cook was looking forward to a busy season of cricket. “Our players are currently in a strength phase of their training program which is going really well so we should be seeing a faster, stronger and more durable Hong Kong squad leading into this really busy six-month period,” he said.Papua New Guinea had met Hong Kong on their ODI debut in 2014 and were whitewashed in a two-match series held in Townsville.Hong Kong director of cricket Charlie Burke was happy for the rivalry to resume. “It was only in 2010 when we met in Division 3 and since we have both emerged to register some excellent results [in the] World Cricket League and World Cup qualifiers.”The bigger picture is to continue preparations for the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers in 2018.”

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