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The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) Public Investment Fund (PIF) are reportedly now eyeing up a move to bring Jean-Clair Todibo to Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: Botman in

The St James’ Park club have already brought in a centre-back in Sven Botman from Lille this summer, but could go in for another player in that position before the transfer window closes.

They have also secured the permanent signing of Matt Targett from Aston Villa, along with acquiring Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope.

The Latest: Todibo interest

Taking to Twitter, journalist Sebastien Denis has revealed that Nice centre-back Todibo is ‘on the shortlist’ of both Newcastle and Manchester United, with the defender estimated to cost more than €20m (£17m) to prise him away from France.

The reporter stated: “Info: FC Sevilla and Naples have approached Nice for Jean-Clair Todibo. But the Gym said no. The French defender, estimated at more than 20 M €, is on the short list of Manchester United and Newcastle and things could change for him this summer.”

The Verdict: Prioritise other positions

After signing Botman, Newcastle now have six senior centre-backs on their books, with the Dutchman joining captain Jamaal Lascelles, Dan Burn, Fabian Schar, Ciaran Clark and Federico Fernandez.

Therefore, they should look to prioritise other positions first and offload one or two centre-backs before trying to bring in Todibo.

The 6 foot 3 colossus, who was dubbed ‘quick‘ by fellow Nice team-mate Amine Gouiri, would be a great addition, and he could strike up a formidable partnership with Botman, who also played in Ligue 1 last term.

In the 2021/22 campaign, Todibo helped Nice to qualify for Europe with a fifth-placed finish and put in some memorable performances, such as in the 0-0 draw away to champions Paris Saint-Germain, for which he was highly praised for frustrating world superstars Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.

This is a deal that the Magpies should look to get done, but perhaps towards the end of the window if that is still a possibility.

Thorgan Hazard is reportedly on the ‘shortlist’ of Newcastle United this summer.

The Lowdown: What’s next?

It has been reported that the St. James’ Park outfit have now agreed a deal with Lille to sign central defender Sven Botman.

He will likely become their third signing of the summer after Matt Targett and Nick Pope, meaning that they can now focus further up the pitch, where the likes of Moussa Diaby and Hazard are thought to be targets.

The Latest: Hazard update

Taking to Twitter, journalist Patrick Berger of SPORT1 has revealed that Hazard is on the North East club’s ‘shortlist’, although he is only thought to be a ‘Plan B’ option:

“#BVB winger Thorgan Hazard is on Newcastle United‘s shortlist. He is in talks with some Prem clubs, as reported three months ago. But the Belgian is only Plan B at #NUFC. There is no concrete offer so far. Dortmund would sell him this summer for around €15m.”

The Verdict: Good squad option

€15m (£12.9m) is not much money in today’s market for a player of the experience and quality of Hazard, and so he could be a worthy squad option for Eddie Howe.

Of course, the Toon Army will know his brother Eden Hazard well from his time at Chelsea, and the now Real Madrid star has even claimed that Thorgan is ‘better’ than he is.

That is such a big compliment from a player who won two Premier League titles and was Chelsea’s Player of the Year in the 2014/15 season, and has since gone on to win the La Liga title twice and the UEFA Champions League with Madrid (Transfermarkt).

Dubbed a coach’s ‘blessing’ by his former manager Marco Rose, the Borussia Dortmund winger could be a really shrewd signing by the Magpies.

Leeds United have been given a green light in their pursuit of Tyler Adams…

What’s the word?

The RB Leipzig midfielder has been subject of interest from the Yorkshire giants, particularly since his former manager and fellow countryman Jesse Marsch took the reins.

Major League Soccer insider Tom Bogert believes the Whites will “try for Adams” during the off-season, whilst journalist Jacque Talbot has claimed that he would be a “great addition” at Elland Road.

Now, it appears his future with the Bundesliga side is up in the air, leaving the door open for director of football Victor Orta and his team to make their move.

German outlet Kicker (as relayed by ESPN commentator Derek Rae), reports that the USMNT international is “giving thought to a move” this summer after falling out of favour under manager Domenico Tedesco.

He could be available for around €20m (£18m).

Midfield upgrade

Interest in the 23-year-old dynamo should come as no surprise and he’d be a massive statement following the arrivals of Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen, who Marsch has also worked with before, too.

The American head coach wants to press from the front, so his attackers and midfield need the energy and defensive nous to win the ball back, something that Adams excels at.

As per FBref, he currently ranks inside the top 2% of his position peers across Europe for blocks (2.50 per 90), the top 18% for passes completed (61.82 per 90) and the top 20% for pressures (22.53 per 90).

The £26m-rated machine has even been lauded as a “special talent” by Marsch himself.

“He’s a special person, he’s a special personality, he’s a special talent and the ceiling for him is massive. Massive here in Leipzig and in the Bundesliga and beyond.”

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Players like Mateusz Klich – who was deemed “non-existent” by Sky Sports pundit Clinton Morrison – and Rodrigo – who was lambasted as “completely anonymous” by LeedsLive reporter Beren Cross – underdelivered in 2021/22, so the Whites must pounce on an opportunity like this.

Adams, who has been capped 28 times internationally and featured in the Champions League, would be an obvious and familiar upgrade for Marsch’s midfield.

Given the need for reinforcements in the heart of the pitch and the manager’s past relationship with the 5 foot 9 gem, Adams would be something of a dream signing this off-season.

AND in other news, Leeds could land their next £60m talent with Orta now in talks for “interesting” deal…

Aston Villa are reportedly one of the clubs who have made contact with intermediaries regarding the availability of Roma striker Tammy Abraham, with a potential return to the Premier League on the cards.

What’s the story?

That’s according to 90min, who claimed that Villa – alongside Arsenal and Newcastle United – have made contact in an effort to bring the 24-year-old back to the club where he scored 26 goals on loan in the 2018/19 campaign.

The Englishman has been exceptional in Italy this season having left Chelsea last summer, with the striker scoring 27 goals in 53 appearances for Jose Mourinho’s side.

Abraham has been a major contributor to the Giallorossi’s sixth-place finish in Serie A as well as their triumph in the Europa Conference League, winning the inaugural edition of the tournament.

Villa must secure Abraham deal

Already a fan favourite at Villa Park for his contribution to getting the club promoted, the 24-year-old would be a sensational addition to Steven Gerrard’s squad.

The West Midlands outfit have already shown serious ambition by confirming the signings of Boubacar Kamara and Diego Carlos before the end of May, and a deal for their former loanee would most likely trump any other transfer that NSWE complete this summer.

Naturally, though, there are plenty of obstacles in the way of making this deal a reality.

Firstly, Abraham’s current deal at Roma doesn’t expire until 2026, having only played one season so far in the Eternal City, and it is believed that the Giallorossi value the Englishman at £100m.

Labelled “unreal” by Chelsea journalist Nizaar Kinsella whilst being claimed to have enjoyed a “perfect start” at Roma by Sky Sports’ Angelo Mangiante, the 24-year-old has finally settled at a club, having endured a mixed spell in the Chelsea first team.

Earlier this season, the player himself claimed: “I got to the point that I needed to leave and explore. All I knew was Chelsea. It’s nice to explore, learn a different culture, and a different language. It’s different, but I am enjoying it.”

Abraham was limited to just 12 Premier League starts for the Blues last term, with Thomas Tuchel handing the forward little game-time after taking over from Frank Lampard.

Although the 24-year-old would likely be guaranteed regular playing time at Villa Park, Abraham has settled in Rome, and it may prove a tall task to lure him back to England after just one season at the Stadio Olimpico.

AND in other news: Gerrard must ruthlessly axe £52k-p/w Villa “issue” with swoop for “unreal” metronome

Manchester United face Brentford this evening in the Premier League, in which a win for the home side is necessary if they aim to finish in the top six and guarantee Europa League football next season.

What’s the news?

Manager Ralf Rangnick has been given some good news ahead of the tie, as both Fred and Edinson Cavani could be fit to face Brentford.

Fred has been missing for the previous four matches since coming off injured against Everton with a calf injury as United only won one of these four games so a return tonight would be good news for the manager.

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Cavani could also make a return for the first time in a Red Devils shirt since the 1-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League and will be desperate to get back amongst the goals for the Premier League side.

With his contract expiring at the end of the current season, the Uruguayan forward needs a solid last few matches to convince new boss Erik ten Hag to offer him a new deal.

The side have been plagued with injuries recently which hasn’t helped their form whatsoever. One step forward seems to be met with a couple of steps back and ten Hag will have a massive job to do in the summer.

Rangnick can secure Europa League football by winning their last three games, with a very faint chance of Champions League qualification, but this would require Arsenal and Tottenham to fade away significantly.

Any continental qualification will be a bonus for the incoming manager to get his teeth into, but the main aim is for three points against Brentford and see what happens from there.

Having both Fred and Cavani back will give the team and supporters a big boost.

AND in other news, Ten Hag plots major MUFC deal for “unbelievable” £29m “weapon”, he’s Beckham 2.0…

Aided by the admirable Mohammed Shami, India’s senior Test spinner demonstrated his enduring worth to India

Nagraj Gollapudi at Edgbaston01-Aug-2018R Ashwin and Mohammed Shami. Two strangers in the Indian Test squad. Two players with different questions to answer. Two men who have a point to prove.Despite having a good county stint last year with Worcestershire, Ashwin’s Test record in England until Wednesday had been negligible: three wickets at an average of 33.66 from the two Tests he had played on the 2014 tour. Those numbers aligned with his lean form overseas outside of the subcontinent. With Ashwin now being consigned to play Test cricket only, this tour carries huge significance for him.Ashwin did not need to wait for long. Virat Kohli threw the new ball to his offspinner as early as the seventh over. Curiously, Kohli had mentioned at the toss he would have elected to bowl, as if to justify picking four seamers, including Hardik Pandya, in the five-man bowling attack.What would have certainly influenced Ashwin’s early introduction was not just Umesh Yadav spraying the ball in his first spell of three overs, but also the slowness of the pitch. But Ashwin has bowled with the new ball in the past and he would have fancied bowling when the pitch still had some moisture in its surface.It did not take him long to bowl the best ball of the day. The pitch was still damp when the match started under cloud cover. He had the advantage of bowling to two left-handers in Alastair Cook and Keaton Jennings. And he started from round the wicket, an angle from which Cook has succumbed on many occasions in the past. He was well aware of Ashwin’s plan, but he got sucked into it all the same.With the fourth ball of his second over, Ashwin bowled a fuller delivery on the off stump which Cook drove in front of square for no run. He’d been pushing him back at first, and had now started to lure him forward. He had got the batsman playing.One ball later, Ashwin floated down an offbreak at around 55kph. The ball maintained its middle-and-off-stump line as Cook leaned forward to defend, but you could see that Ashwin had put a lot of revolutions on the ball, as the seam was coming down almost straight. Sure enough, it landed on the seam, and the dampness in the pitch allowed it to grip. There was bounce from the new ball along with the turn, enough to beat the outside edge of Cook’s bat before it hit the off stump. It was a beautiful delivery. Ashwin was joyous.And that set the tone for Ashwin’s day, for despite there being not much turn off the surface, he managed to gain an upper hand by imparting a lot of revolutions on the ball, subtly changing the pace on the delivery and sticking mostly to a tight line around the off stump. His average speed today was 54.8 kph, but Ashwin did fire in the quicker one that goes with the arm to keep the batsman rooted to his crease.Ashwin is at his most dangerous when he is attacking the stumps with aggressive lines. Out of the 150 deliveries he bowled today, 118 were pitched on a good length or or just short of a length. The one time he dropped short, he was duly cut by Joe Root for four. The other strength Ashwin has is he can read batsmen quickly. When Jos Buttler arrived at the crease, Ashwin understood that the right-hander would be more circumspect as he continues his return to Test cricket, and not as free-flowing version as he is in limited-overs cricket.Ashwin bowled a slow, loopy delivery on a good length on off stump; Buttler was slow to move into position. That momentary delay was enough for the ball to hit the pads and catch him plumb in front. And when Ben Stokes arrived, Ashwin left the allrounder restless by locating a no-man’s land of width and length, that he could neither attack nor defend convincingly. Eventually Stokes left embarrassed, after flapping a nothing shot back to the bowler. And his fourth wicket of the day was a classic sucker punch – a slower and wider delivery to Stuart Broad, following up with a quicker arm ball that had the left-hander plumb lbw.Ashwin not only created pressure, but also played the role of an impact player. Although Virat Kohli can claim the honour of creating the turning point in the match, Ashwin has proved that he can take advantage of the slightest opening.But Ashwin will admit he could not do the job single-handedly. There was another man that maintained the pressure on England, and that was Shami.R Ashwin leaps in joy after getting an early wicket•Getty ImagesShami had gone wicketless in the three-day warm-up against a second-string Essex side last week. However, that was the first match Shami had played since mid-April after he injured his hamstring playing for Delhi Daredevils during a four-match IPL stint. The last time Shami had played for an extended time was during the three-Test series in South Africa, where he bagged a five-for in the second innings of India’s victory in Johannesburg.A crisis in his personal life was another issue for Shami to surmount. He did not make the cut for the one-off Afghanistan Test due to fitness doubts, but once he cleared the mandatory yo-yo tests, the selectors named him in their squad for the first three Tests in England. But the Indian think tank still had some nagging doubts.Was Shami mentally ready to return to the Test arena? Did he have enough stamina in his legs and core to sustain the grind of bowling so many spells? Most importantly, could he catch that rhythm without any cricket under his belt?His first over today was a maiden, and a perfect one as well. He started with a short-of-a-length delivery that forced Root on the back foot. He then followed up with a fuller-length outswinger and was soon landing the ball on the seam at will.Considering Shami was returning from injury, Kohli bowled him in shorter spells. That isn’t necessarily the ideal way to use him, seeing as Shami is a rhythm bowler, unlike Umesh or even Ishant, who can be patchy. His strength is his ability to land the ball on the right length consistently, the type of bowler who needs to deliver his stock ball consistently. In the end, Shami pitched 81 out of his 114 deliveries between short-of-a-good-length and a good length.But he was not shy of testing batsmen with a bouncer, or a yorker-length delivery fired into the toes. What Shami did not allow the batsmen was a short ball that could be cut and pulled. Virtually every second or third delivery, Shami would raise his hands to his head as if he nearly had his man. It was not a ploy to distract the opponent, instead it telegraphed Shami’s dominance over the batsmen. And his average speed was in the high 80s throughout.The two wickets he got on Wednesday, of Keaton Jennings and Dawid Malan, were virtually identical: both balls were angled in from wide of the crease. Both were on a good length and moved in sharply off the seam. Both left the batsman unable to respond. The Indian think tank might have been anxious in the absence of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah, two bowlers who contributed to India claiming 20 wickets in each of the three Tests in South Africa. But Ashwin and Shami have shown evidence they can do that job, too.R Ashwin and Mohammed Shami. Two men who kept India safe on the first of day of the Test summer. Two men who will keep proving their worth.

Favourites from the start, Dhaka’s win came as no surprise to many, but that does not mean it was an easy ride to the title

Mohammad Isam10-Dec-2016Tournament overview
Everyone expected Dhaka Dynamites to win the BPL. But as their captain Shakib Al Hasan and coach Khaled Mahmud said after clinching the trophy, it was never an easy ride.With expectations come pressure, and Dhaka had a lot of that this season. They had the squad for every situation and all conditions but to pick an XI was a nightmare at times.If they hadn’t won the trophy, there would have been more questions about their ability but with so many match-winners in their team, Shakib managed to get everyone together and become a successful unit.Dhaka had Dwayne Bravo and Andre Russell together towards the end of the tournament while Evin Lewis, Kumar Sangakkara, Seekkuge Prasanna and Matt Coles provided thrusts whenever required. The local players, led by Shakib and Mehedi Maruf, gave important performances too.Mosaddek Hossain, Sunzamul Islam and Mohammad Shahid made handy contributions while Nasir Hossain, Alauddin Babu and Abu Jayed chipped in at times.Kumar Sangakkara scored a 33-ball 36 in the final for Dhaka•Daily StarHigh point
Dhaka’s batting stumbled in the final but Sangakkara made sure they passed the 150-mark, which was always going to be a safe score in a night game in Mirpur. Their bowling and fielding did not relent as Rajshahi Kings were bowled out for just 103. The team effort that Shakib insisted was quite evident as they dominated a big final.Low point
The only time in the tournament that Dhaka Dynamites disappointed was when they couldn’t defend 182 against Rajshahi in Chittagong. For once their bowling fell apart, against Samit Patel’s big-hitting.Dwayne Bravo assisted the captain Shakib Al Hasan and was the tournament’s highest wicket-taker•BCBTop of the class
Dwayne Bravo was the tournament’s highest wicket-taker, and Dhaka’s best bowler on most days. He took three wickets on four occasions, with his variation always posing a problem at the end of an innings. Bravo now has the most wickets in a calendar year in T20s.Under-par performer
Nasir Hossain started the BPL with a decent innings and a great catch but ended it with a whimper. He finished with 195 runs in 10 innings, without a fifty. His bowling was irregular throughout the tournament.Tip for 2017
A similar team may be hard to put together, but Dhaka’s finances and overall resources could still see them building another championship worthy team for 2017.

With three double-hundreds in first-class cricket, consistent scores in the domestic circuit, and scope to improve even further, 19-year-old Mosaddek Hossain has been labelled the “next big thing” in Bangladesh

Mohammad Isam14-Oct-2015Unlike his Bangladesh A team-mates, Mosaddek Hossain’s fortunes during the tour of South Africa and Zimbabwe will be heavily scrutinised back home. Three double-hundreds in the last eight months in first-class cricket has earned Mosaddek the tag of Bangladesh cricket’s “next big thing”.The label has come after a consistent run of big scores in domestic cricket, which dates back to Mosaddek’s first season in the Dhaka Premier League when he single-handedly led Abahani Limited’s title fight in 2013. After being chosen on the A-team tour that left Dhaka on Wednesday night, Mosaddek is now among the second line of Bangladesh cricketers at a time when the senior team is having different requirements for the three formats.Many have observed that Mosaddek’s greatest asset – apart from his physical powers and concentration- is his awareness of his own strength and weakness. After making an unbeaten 200 against Sylhet earlier this month, Mosaddek holds the record for most double-hundreds by a Bangladesh batsman. The first of those three knocks was his 250 against Rangpur, and the second a 282 against Chittagong during the 2014-15 season.It is rare for such a young batsman, particularly in Bangladesh, to bat in so many long innings within a short span of time. Recent batsmen like Liton Das, Rony Talukdar and Marshall Ayub, and before them, Mohammad Ashraful and Raqibul Hasan, all made great starts to their domestic career with significant knocks and run-heavy seasons.Liton made it to the Bangladesh team this year, but has not proved himself at the international level yet. Talukdar also got a single chance, but that is still not enough for someone who has done so well in the domestic circuit. Marshall was given chances in 2013, while Raqibul’s international career has stalled. Ashraful started off at blistering pace in both domestic and international cricket, but a 12-year career hardly reflected his early promise.Mosaddek hails from Mymensingh, 130 km north of Dhaka. He is the second of four children. He learned the game in the Circuit House club, and made it to Dhaka through BCB’s age-group programmes. He made an early impression on his coaches during the nets, and showed his temperament at the crease by averaging 54.37 in Abahani’s 2013-14 Premier League campaign.Still, Mosaddek has a long way to go. As a youngster, he needs to be afforded some protection from inevitable failures. He should also be given time to mature for the international stage. Bangladesh A captain Shuvagata Hom called him “a rare talent”, so expectations must also be managed.Mosaddek sees the Bangladesh A tour as a starting point in his career, but admitted that he might find it hard to adjust to new conditions.”I am seeing this as a big opportunity for a good performance,” Mosaddek told ESPNcricinfo. “I have played for the A team before but missed out on a couple of series in between. I am back now and I want to contribute to the A team by batting consistently as I did in domestic cricket. I won’t get pitches like I do in domestic cricket in South Africa and Zimbabwe. I haven’t been on a foreign tour in some time so it will take time for me to adjust to the conditions.”Mosaddek’s game, from No 5, has been quite simple. He likes to bat within his limitations, which for now is a fair array of shots.He was also seen to have handled batting with the tail quite well, especially against Sylhet during the 2014-15 season. During his maiden double-hundred, he added 423 runs with Al-Amin for the fifth wicket, against Rangpur. In the 282 against Chittagong, he had two late-order 100-plus stands, too.Mosaddek – “I just try to bat naturally. I try to get set and once I do that, like all batsmen, I see the ball better”•WICB Media”I just try to bat naturally. I try to get set and once I do that, like all batsmen, I see the ball better. It also depends on the type of wicket I am batting on. But now I have the confidence to score runs after getting set in the middle. I don’t make any shots. I have certain zones that I am good at, I stick to those usually. A big innings doesn’t come easily. I needed support of all the batsmen at the other end whenever I scored the double-hundreds.”Sometimes it was the tail-enders who really helped me, especially our captain Kamrul Islam Rabbi. He was helpful in my last double-hundred. Time and luck also matter when you play for a long time without getting dismissed. I did think of a triple-hundred when I made 282 against Chittagong. Confidence and remaining hungry are also important factors.”Shahriar Nafees, Mosaddek’s senior team-mate in Barisal, was very impressed by Mosaddek’s ability to bat long. “He bats fluently, fearlessly. He has a sense of his strength and weakness while batting. One thing that stands out for Mosaddek is that he has batted naturally through every situation. He plays exactly how a No 5 should play. All his big innings have been about batting rhythm, and he tended to repeat what he had done before. For a young guy he is a powerful hitter too,” Nafees said.Mosaddek wants to manage his areas of weakness, rather than master it. “It will be wrong on my part to think about the national team now. I will hope to do well on this A tour so that ultimately, by god’s grace, I make it to the national team.”I will have to perform and the rest will be up to the selectors. I play spin quite well but I wouldn’t say I am not good at pace either. I may not be able to master the areas where I lack but I can certainly manage them.”

Beuran Hendricks proved his mettle as a death bowler in the domestic T20 competition. That should be enough to pick him over more experienced bowlers like Morne Morkel and Lonwabo Tsotsobe

Firdose Moonda31-Mar-2014South Africa are into the World T20 semi-finals in the most un-South African way: unconvincingly. They lost their first match, snuck through in the next two and were almost derailed in the fourth but hung on.With the knockouts looming, South Africa will have to guard against slipping back into old habits of succumbing to pressure and predictability. There is not much they can do about the first until game day but they can avoid the second in their team selection, specifically their choice of bowlers.The importance of being in the final four will present a temptation to return to the experience of Morne Morkel or Lonwabo Tsotsobe at the expense of Beuran Hendricks and that would be a mistake. “I’d pick Beuran Hendricks straight away,” Paul Adams, Cobras’ coach, told ESPNcricinfo. “He’s got a real feel for when to bowl certain deliveries and what happens at the back end of an innings.”Adams has overseen Hendricks’ development through the Western Province structures, but he is not simply backing his own horse. Hendricks has the form and the skill to justify Adams’ statement and merit a place in the semi-final.Hendricks finished the domestic twenty-over competition as the top wicket-taker, 12 scalps ahead of his nearest competitor. His 28 wickets were collected at an average of 10.28 but the numbers, as they often do, only tell half the story. Hendricks was instrumental in the Cobras reaching the final because of the role he played in defending totals the batsmen posted.The Cobras batted first in seven matches in the competition and won six. Four of those victories were by a margin of less than 20 runs, an indication of how close and tense the finishes were. That was when Hendricks was at his best.In the team’s opener, against the Knights, the Cobras set their opposition a target of 154. The Knights needed 15 off the last over. Not only did Hendricks prevent that with a selection of slower balls but he also took three wickets in the over to end with a match-haul of 6 for 29 – his career-best.Hendricks helped the Cobras defend 161 against the Warriors with a return of 1 for 15 in four overs. The Warriors needed 25 off the last over, a steep ask, but not an impossible one. Hendricks gave away six. Against the Lions, the Cobras’ 187 was always thought to be a safe bet but the Lions batted well enough to need 55 off the last four overs. Hendricks bowled two of those, conceded 17 runs and took two wickets. Even when the runs seemed insufficient, like the 129 against the Titans, Hendricks made chasing look a tall order. He took 3 for 18 in his four overs in that match to bowl the Cobras to a win.”He is really good at just focusing on what needs to be done and not getting too flustered,” Adams said. For a 23-year-old, who is only in his second full season of professional cricket, that temperament is rare. Adams explained it was honed in training. “Beuran understands that in twenty-over cricket you have to be on the button 90% of the time. So when he practices his yorkers, for example, he makes sure he hits the spot every time he bowls the ball.”His skills at the death got him picked for the South African squad because they were still searching for a last-over hangman. Dale Steyn has since made that role his own but Hendricks has a useful part to play in supporting him. He showed that against Netherlands when he was asked to bowl the penultimate over with the Dutch needing nine runs off 12 balls.They only had a wicket in hand but most teams would back even their last pair to get close. Hendricks gave away only two runs and took the final wicket. He was South Africa’s most economical bowler in that match, costing them less than 4.5 runs an over, against a team who were scoring at a rate of 10 runs an over at one stage.The going was a lot tougher against England. Hendricks’ recorded a half-century of the undesirable kind when his four overs cost 50. Despite that, Hendricks found the block hole and took pace off the ball, a vital ability on the tracks being used in this tournament.That should be the prime reason Hendricks plays ahead of Morkel or Tsotsobe. He may lack the experience both players have, but it may be worth remembering the experienced pair have each conceded 50-plus in a match on this trip as well.”The team management are showing confidence in Beuran, which is a good sign,” Adams said. “When it comes to performing in big situations, he knows how to get the thing done.” And that is all South Africa need.

The CB40 final provided a glorious end to a forgettable season, with a match to stand alongside the many dramas of this remarkable summer of sport

Alex Winter at Lord's16-Sep-2012Cricket seems to have been surplus to requirements in this Great British summer but at Lord’s, the Clydesdale Bank 40 final provided it with a memorable send off. It was a match the competition badly needed and restored the glory of cricket’s cup final.The one-day competition has been in almost terminal decline since the advent of Twenty20. The switch to 40-overs and a day-night timeslot pushed the tournament further into the wilderness: the inaugural edition in 2010 finished later than the last train home for Somerset fans. But a walk into any of the pubs around St John’s Wood on Saturday evening brought a feeling that the magic was back. 16,500 fans had seen a thriller.Hampshire’s last ball win was their second success in three years by virtue of losing fewer wickets, having taken the 2010 Friends Life t20 by the same condition, but this victory usurped that and this year’s FLt20 title put together. Players, supporters, commentators, coach drivers, were all kept wondering throughout an afternoon that bobbed and weaved and had more shifts of tide than the River Severn. It came down to one ball; a ball which Kabir Ali used to put himself back on the cricketing map.He wouldn’t have played in this match were it not for the absence of Danny Briggs or Dimitri Mascarenhas. Hampshire captain Jimmy Adams admitted it was a “tough pick” but Kabir’s experience and good showing in practice won him a place in the side. He proved a worthy selection, has been included in Hampshire’s squad for the T20 Champions League and possibly earned himself a new contract for next season. “I’m very happy for him, he’s had a tough couple of years,” Adams said.Kabir began in the Warwickshire academy before making New Road his home and excelling for Worcestershire, earning 14 ODI caps for England, all but his debut in 2005 and 2006. His move to Hampshire, for a generous salary, was the move to springboard him back into the England team but injury has seen his two years on the south coast turn him into a forgotten man. But he got over a long knee injury to play his part in one of the great Lord’s finals.”Obviously I was a bit nervous but I’ve worked hard on the yorkers in the last few weeks and it paid off,” said Kabir, who played with a hand injury that he was “a bit lazy” about and didn’t tape up. “I think with seven off the last over, you’re in a situation where you expect the batters to win the game so in a weird way there’s not that much pressure until the last two balls.”The last ball wasn’t exactly where I wanted it but if you get a half-decent Yorker in it’s always difficult to hit, especially with the keeper standing up.”I played a lot of youth cricket at Warwickshire and I’ve grown up with many of the boys so it was special. Neil Carter has hit me a long way a few times.”Carter seemed destined to finish his Warwickshire career in Roy of the Rovers perfection. His boundary off the penultimate ball tied the scores but he failed to get anything on the final delivery and bowed out in desperate defeat. But the old campaigner showed no sign of it dampening his send off as he chatted merrily in the Lord’s Tavern, a return to Cape Town and an international debut for Scotland await.”We thought it was written in the stars for him, especially when he hit that one through extra cover,” Warwickshire captain Jim Troughton said. “I thought it was a gettable total, we posted 250 in the semi-final on a not-as-good wicket, and I backed us in that last over.”It didn’t help losing Chris Wright after three overs. He’s our death bowler but he went in the side and made us jig things around a bit. But we would have taken that total with the batting we’ve got.”Wright removed Michael Carberry after he blazed two sixes in 35 from 31 balls, looking set to replicate his hitting in the semi-final. Wright’s injury forced Troughton to use five overs of Darren Maddy but it was his new-ball pair, Chris Woakes, who conceded 59 in eight overs, and Carter, bowling four wides and going at almost eight-an-over, that accounted for Hampshire’s late-innings surge.It was Simon Katich, Hampshire’s overseas player, who played the best hand in helping Hampshire score 88 in the final 10 overs. He adapted his awkward technique to shuffle around on the crease, deflecting and flicking 35 in 26 balls. He and Sean Ervine, who knows all about crucial innings in finals, added 69 in 43 balls.Katich continually used the word “special” in his post-match comments and it was very apt for an afternoon that restored pride to domestic cricket fans. A season of steady showers and damp squibs was burned away by a glorious September afternoon.Adams seemed ready to talk about it all night. “It’s just brilliant,” he said, accepting that Hampshire enjoyed their slice of luck. “You dare to have a think about how it might be like but I wouldn’t have scripted it like that. Thankfully we’ve come out on the right side of it.”Special mention to Chris Wood, I thought he was outstanding. His first seven overs were fantastic. I had him waving at me saying I’ve got to bowl now and he comes on and takes a wicket. The guy has got an amazing appetite for the game.”David Bowie has been the soundtrack to the summer and Wood, Adams and Kabir made themselves