Arsenal manager Unai Emery has got off and running, in the transfer window at least.

The Spaniard has taken on the daunting task of succeeding Arsene Wenger, who stepped down at the end of the season following a 22-year spell in charge.

Emery was warmly welcomed by the majority of the Arsenal following, and now he has been given credit for making Stephan Lichtsteiner his first signing of the summer window.

On Tuesday, the North London outfit announced via their official website that the Switzerland international, who has won eight league titles in his career, has agreed to move to the Emirates on a free transfer.

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The right-sided defender was released by Juventus following a seven-year spell, which saw him win 14 trophies with the Italian giants, including seven Serie A crowns.

The experienced player will give a much-needed boost to Arsenal’s defence, which came under huge criticism last season, particularly in the closing stages when certain players, including Shkodran Mustafi, made some costly errors.

Arsenal fans can be very critical of their club, but the majority are content with the signing of Lichtsteiner.

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Everton and Liverpool are interested in signing Ajax playmaker Hakim Ziyech this summer, according to Italian news outlet Calcio Mercato.

What’s the story?

The 25-year-old Moroccan enjoyed a stellar campaign in the Dutch league last season, scoring nine and assisting 15 goals in the Eredivisie.

The versatile playmaker averaged 4.2 key passes per game and is comfortable playing in all midfield positions.

Following his successful season, Borussia Dortmund, Liverpool and Everton are believed to be interested in the player valued at £22.5million on Transfermarkt.

Why should he join Everton?

The competition for places in the Liverpool midfield next season looks incredible following the signings of Naby Keita and Fabinho.

On the other hand, Ziyech could become a real focal point of the Everton side which needs a fulcrum with the likely departure of Wayne Rooney.

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He is in the mould of Gylfi Sigurdsson, strong with set-pieces and possessing real technical ability, and if the two could learn to complement each other, they would be a force to be reckoned with going forward next season.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”255857″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Everton’s opening fixtures for the 201819 Premier League season”]

Liverpool’s transfer window started off brightly as they surprised everyone with the capture of Fabinho from Monaco.

Then came the news that Lyon playmaker Nabil Fekir was closing in on a switch to Anfield, but the deal suddenly fell through.

Since then, speculation has been rife about which attacking midfielder the Merseyside outfit will swoop for next.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”255848″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Liverpool’s opening fixtures for the 201819 Premier League season”]

One man who has seemingly been linked to every top Premier League club is Real Madrid’s Isco.

The 26-year-old’s playing time at the Bernabeu was limited under Zinedine Zidane last season.

Who do you think will win the World Cup? Let us know here and win any World Cup shirt of your choice.

Despite that, the Spaniard still managed to score eight goals and create nine assists in all competitions.

Isco predominantly plays behind the forward line, but he can also do a job on the left wing.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp could do with a versatile midfielder to replace Philippe Coutinho, who left Anfield in January.

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Whether Isco is planning to cut ties with Los Blancos this summer remains to be seen, but we asked you if the Reds should try to get a deal over the line, and the majority are all for it.

Manchester United supporters are enjoying the performances of Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku at the World Cup this summer and are excited about what he can achieve at the club next season.

Lukaku scored two more goals on Saturday as Belgium thrashed Tunisia 5-2 to put themselves on the verge of qualification for the knock out stages of the competition. He is currently the joint-top scorer in Russia, alongside former Old Trafford hero Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 25-year-old drew criticism from some for his Man United performances last season after making a big money switch from Everton, but still provided a decent goal return, netting 27 times and assisting 9 more in 51 appearances in all competitions.

That’s a very healthy contribution and something he’ll be looking to improve on even more at club level next term.

United fans believe that if he continues his World Cup form then they will be contenders for major honours, although some have warned that Jose Mourinho needs to adapt his team to get the best out of the striker.

Supporters took to Twitter to share their thoughts after Saturday’s display…

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New South Wales have finally gained their first Sheffield Shield win of the season

Cricinfo staff29-Nov-2009
ScorecardMichael Hogan was laid flat by Doug Bollinger and retired hurt, but came back to bowl in the Warriors’ heavy defeat•Getty Images

With the Test stars away, New South Wales have finally gained their first Sheffield Shield win of the season after an eight-wicket victory in three days over Western Australia. When many of the internationals were around for the first two games the Blues did not pick up any points, but Stuart Clark’s opening four-day fixture in charge with the understudies quickly turned things around.Doug Bollinger, who was 12th man at the Gabba, kept his name in the Test frame with eight victims for the contest before Phil Jaques led the easy chase of 103 with an unbeaten 54. Phillip Hughes’ uncertain summer continued when he edged his first ball to slip but Usman Khawaja (41) was the only other loss as the runs came up in the 26th over.Western Australia were 7 for 231 at the beginning of the day, but Clark and Bollinger picked up a wicket each before Michael Hogan was forced to retire hurt after being hit in the head by Bollinger. That forced the close of the innings at 245 and Bollinger walked off with 5 for 68, while Hogan came back to deliver 6.5 overs. The win, which was set up when the Warriors were dismissed for 131 on the opening day, lifted the Blues to fourth spot on six points, two clear of Western Australia and Tasmania.

Mitchell Marsh has burst onto the domestic scene in Australia this summer, but over the next couple of weeks he’ll be hoping to impress an international audience as Australia’s captain at the Under-19 World Cup

Brydon Coverdale08-Jan-2010Mitchell Marsh has burst onto the domestic scene in Australia this summer, but over the next couple of weeks he’ll be hoping to impress an international audience as Australia’s captain at the Under-19 World Cup. He is leading a strong squad that sets off on Saturday for New Zealand, where Australia will aim to win the tournament for the first time since 2002.Marsh is following some impressive predecessors. Eight years ago, Cameron White led Australia to victory in the Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand; in 2004 Tim Paine, now an ODI player, captained the team in Bangladesh; and in 2006 the side in Sri Lanka was led by Moises Henriques, who is now being groomed as the New South Wales captain.This year’s group includes four players who have experience at state level: the New South Wales fast bowler Josh Hazlewood, the Queensland fast man Alister McDermott and the South Australian bowler Kane Richardson. But Marsh is the star of the outfit, and not just because his father Geoff and brother Shaun are both international cricketers.Marsh, 18, has played for Western Australia in all three formats this season. He has shown immense power and ability as a batsman, with 60 from 29 balls in an FR Cup game against New South Wales and 92 against Tasmania.A handy medium-pace bowler, he grabbed 4 for 6 in a Big Bash match this week. The Warriors are frustrated at losing Marsh for the rest of the Twenty20 tournament, but for the time being his focus is firmly on success in New Zealand.”This season has been a bit of a rollercoaster with having my ankle surgery at the start of the season and to where I am now,” Marsh said. “It’s been good learning and hopefully I can keep going when I get back.”Any kid wants to play for their country and to be able to captain them in a World Cup, it’s going to be a great experience. Hopefully I can go over there and lead the team to a World Cup.”Australia meet South Africa, Ireland and the United States in the group stage. Marsh expects the toughest competition to come from India and Pakistan, as well as a New Zealand side featuring two nephews of John Bracewell and the son of the former allrounder Rod Latham.”Teams like Pakistan and India have always got good junior sides,” Marsh said. “Going over there, New Zealand, the home team will probably be favourites and obviously us, I think we’ve got a pretty good side. The conditions should suit us, we’ve got some pretty tall bowlers and teams like India and Pakistan haven’t really played much on bouncy wickets at this stage.”Marsh is making the most of his early entry into elite cricket after choosing the sport over Australian rules football. A talented tall centre-half forward, Marsh could have nominated for the AFL draft but instead decided to follow his brother and father and pursue a cricket career.Although Marsh is too young to remember his father playing at the highest level, he has been guided by Geoff, who is his coach at the Fremantle Cricket Club. There, the teenager set a club record by scoring 208 in a game last season and he said his father had played a big part in his burgeoning career.”He’s been a massive influence on me,” Marsh said. “He’s my batting coach and my dad, he’s one of my best mates. He’s obviously been great for me and our relationship will be strong for life. He’s been great for me.”

South Africa coach Mickey Arthur is confident Dale Steyn will be fit to resume his new-ball duties in the second Test at Durban

Andrew McGlashan in Durban24-Dec-2009South Africa coach Mickey Arthur is confident Dale Steyn will be fit to resume his new-ball duties in the second Test at Durban. The fast bowler came through 10 overs on Wednesday without any reaction and the hosts hope to make a final decision on Christmas Day.Steyn was ruled out shortly before the toss at Centurion after pulling up stiff on the morning of the game, which allowed Friedel de Wet to make his debut and the 29-year-old produced a stunning new-ball burst on the final afternoon to almost snatch victory. However, despite an impressive first appearance, de Wet would be the man to miss out if Steyn makes his return.”Dale has come on nicely,” Arthur said. “We will still wait and see on that department. He bowled 10 overs at virtually full pace yesterday and there’s been no comeback so I’m pretty sure he’ll be fit to take his place. We certainly don’t want to be going in as we were at Centurion where everything seems fine then he was tight on the morning of the game. We’d certainly like to take the call on Dale tomorrow.”De Wet’s performance has bolstered South Africa’s quick-bowling ranks and prompted speculation over the future of Makhaya Ntini who managed just two wickets in his 100th Test. Arthur, though, added his complete backing of Ntini to that of Graeme Smith on Wednesday, but is delighted that the first-choice quicks are being put under pressure by the emergence of new names.”Ntini has taken some flak and I’m not 100% sure why,” Arthur said. “I thought he did a fairly decent job for us. He performed a role, but I guess there was always going to be the speculation once Friedel rocked up and nearly bowled us to victory. The whole bowling unit will feel it now, not just Makhaya.”Friedel was fantastic and it puts another guy in the queue. It’s another guy we have given a match to and he has shown what he can do. He puts a lot of pressure on the other bowlers to perform. But we’ll probably go back to our tried and tested for what is a really important Test.”They all know a guy is in the wings waiting for an opportunity and that’s a really healthy position. I don’t mind there being some pressure on the bowlers, but those who are playing know they have the full backing of myself and Graeme.”Arthur is also keen to reunite the attack that played such a key role in propelling South Africa to No. 1 in the world now that Morne Morkel is also back in the line-up having been dropped for the final Test against Australia in March.”We still back Makhaya hugely and we go back to the success we’ve had in recent times – it has come from an attack of Steyn, Ntini, Morkel, Harris and Kallis so I can’t see us differing too much from that if all things are equal,” he said. “Morne is a genuine wicket-taker and gets good players out. There were some very good spells and some mediocre ones [at Centurion] but he’s coming on leaps and bounds and troubles most batters around the world. And if we can get Dale back with his swing we look a really good attack again.”The fifth member of the attack, Jacques Kallis, will be treated carefully as he continues to recover from his rib injury although could take on an increased workload. He bowled three gentle overs on the final day at Centurion, but showed his immense value to the side as a batsman with 120 in the first innings and Arthur doesn’t want to risk aggravating the injury.”Jacques we’ll be a little bit conservative with. As a fifth bowler you aren’t looking for too many overs and we wouldn’t want to push him and risk further injury down the line,” he said. “But he’s looking okay as well so hopefully we can get maybe 12 overs from him in a day.”

Iqbal Qasim has tendered his resignation as Pakistan’s chief selector following the side’s disastrous results in Australia, where the team was whitewashed in both the Test and ODI series

Osman Samiuddin31-Jan-2010Iqbal Qasim has tendered his resignation as Pakistan’s chief selector following the side’s disastrous results in Australia, where the team was whitewashed in both the Test and ODI series in one of Pakistan’s most dispiriting campaigns in recent years. The PCB has turned down the resignation and asked Qasim to carry on till the Twenty20 World Cup in April but he appears adamant on his stand.”I am standing by my decision”, Qasim told Cricinfo.Earlier, on a day of fast-moving events, Qasim explained the reasons for his decision. “We made this team and it was the best possible team, but their performance has been really poor, unbelievably poor,” he said. “I had two options after this. One was to stick on, evaluate and analyse the performance or step down. Anyone would do a post-mortem so I thought it my moral responsibility to do this.”The move came within minutes of Pakistan’s two-wicket loss in Perth, sealing only their second-ever 5-0 blanking in ODI cricket. The statistic, in particular, hurt Qasim. “I have been very disturbed by it and it has really hurt. Everyone has a conscience and so with that in mind, I have stepped down. Clearly major surgery is required on the side,” he said.The PCB, though, was not playing ball. “The chairman has not accepted the resignation and asked him to continue till the World Twenty20,” Nadeem Sarwar, PCB’s media manager, told Cricinfo. However, it now seems a formality and the resignation, when accepted, will end a very short tenure for Qasim and likely bring in a third head of the selection committee in the PCB chairman Ijaz Butt’s tenure. Qasim took over in July last year, after Abdul Qadir had left the post claiming interference in his duties from external influences. His only assignments were the Champions Trophy, in which Pakistan reached the semi-final, and the the Test and ODI challenges against New Zealand and Australia.During this tour, on a couple of occasions disagreements with Mohammad Yousuf, the captain, cropped up, notably over the call-up of Misbah-ul-Haq in New Zealand and the request for Younis Khan for the Tests in Australia. That is not believed to be a factor behind the decision, however.Qasim was a member of the selection committee until the 2007 World Cup and had been appointed in an honorary post, continuing as a senior employee with the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP). As such, his honorary post was a break from recent practice, where the chief selectors were full-time, paid employees of the board. It is believed that at least one other member of the seven-man committee – who are paid selectors – is considering his future as well.The move is likely to spark an escalation in the tumult permanently surrounding the country’s cricket. Changes in the coaching set-up are expected after the series, as well as a change in the captaincy. Shahid Afridi led the side in the fifth ODI in Perth, after Mohammad Yousuf pulled out with what team officials said was a “stiff knee.” But reports in the local press claim that Yousuf chose not to play after disagreements with the team management over the final playing XI.Yousuf had reportedly been asked to rest from the side by the team management the night before the match, but initially refused. Ultimately disagreements over the team XI – Pakistan brought in Khalid Latif, Shoaib Malik and Sarfraz Ahmed – led Yousuf to sitting out, apparently in protest.

The ECB made an offer to the BCCI last December to host the 2010 Champions League Twenty20 tournament

Andrew McGlashan17-Feb-2010The ECB made an offer to the BCCI last December to host the 2010 Champions League Twenty20 tournament, but have still to receive a response from the Indian board while their participation in the event remains in doubt with the recently announced dates clashing with the end of the English domestic season.Writing on his Twitter feed, Lalit Modi, the Champions League commissioner, claimed two English counties have now been invited to the event. “We have sent invites to two teams from [the] ECB yesterday for [the Champions League]. Waiting to hear from them,” he said.However, an ECB spokesman told Cricinfo they don’t class it as an official offer. “There has been a telephone conversation, but no formal invite has been sent.”Late last year the English board told the BCCI they would be willing to host the tournament after the end of the season on September 22. Although the daylight is drawing in by that time of the year in England there would still be plenty of time to host Twenty20 matches, even into early October, especially if floodlights were used but the unpredictable weather would be something of a lottery.However, the ECB have not heard anything since placing the offer on the table and last week Modi announced the tournament would run from September 10-26 at a venue still to be confirmed. USA are keen to get their foot in the Twenty20 door and Don Lockerbie, their CEO, had meetings with Modi in Dubai last week, while Abu Dhabi have also put in a bid to host the Champions League.Those dates clash with England’s one-day series against Pakistan, the final two rounds of County Championship matches, plus the semi-finals and final of the ECB40 competition and have created further tension between Modi and the ECB.Modi has said it was the only window available for the event because India are due to play Australia in a one-day series from early October and he added that he hoped the ECB could make “minor adjustments” to their schedule. Giles Clarke, the ECB chairman, has made it clear that there won’t be any alterations to the domestic season.The ECB had already brought the end of the domestic tournaments forward by a week compared to last year in order to create a window for the Champions League, which they believed would start at the end of September. When the clash became clear, counties were quick to say that the domestic calender must take precedence and David Collier, the ECB chief executive, sent an email to the 18 first-class counties confirming players wouldn’t be released. Also, if any weakened teams were fielded it would go against the playing regulations.If no compromise can be reached counties will lose out on the chance to compete for the main prize of $1.6 million for winning the event plus a guaranteed appearance fee. The next stage in trying to find a solution will come in March when the chairmen of the boards involved meet in Dubai.The ECB aren’t on the governing council of the Champions League – which is made up of the BCCI, Cricket Australia (CA) and Cricket South Africa (CSA) – after, instead, trying to join forces with Allen Stanford, but will need to try and gain the support of CA and CSA to engineer any changes in the dates.

Dogs have made appearances in cricket grounds before, but what happened at the MA Chidambaram Stadium was above tolerance levels

Kanishkaa Balachandran at the MA Chidambaram Stadium15-Mar-2010Ground Dog Day
It was comical for the spectators and an embarrassment for the organisers. Like streakers, dogs have made appearances in cricket grounds, but what happened at the MA Chidambaram Stadium was above tolerance levels. Chennai Super Kings were given the luxury of an extra strategic time out when a dog trotted on to the outfield and refused to leave until it understood why one team’s logo is a lion and the other’s a bull.Remember Newlands 2009 – the opening game of the second IPL, coincidentally involving Chennai – when another canine interrupted play? The sight of the security guard handing out a sandwich had everyone in splits then but this time there was not a single dog lover in sight. The dog emerged from the deep cover boundary, headed to third man, then to short fine leg for a five-second stretch, continued to square leg and picked up pace, perhaps realising he was holding up something. He then pierced the gap between mid-off and extra cover with such precision that none of the fielders moved. The only player who tried to shoo it away was Muttiah Muralitharan.The dog finally headed back to where he emerged from and a spectator yelled in Tamil, “Thank goodness, that’s the last of him.” Or so we thought. Another one unleashed itself and the security guards once again didn’t budge. Someone simply had to bellow “who let the dogs out!” The umpires didn’t want to waste anymore time and called play, despite the dog merrily strolling in the outfield.Stump or javelin?
The sight of a stump cart wheeling is fabulous as long as you’re not the batsman. When M Vijay gave Chaminda Vaas the charge, he heard the sound of ball hitting wood and looked back to see something bizarre. The leg stump did a few spins but instead of lying flat on the ground, it landed in a semi upright position, like a javelin. Vijay walked back and knocked the stump down with his bat as his final deed for the night.Two in two
Adam Gilchrist’s withering onslaught had reduced Chennai’s seamers to ash before the home crowd could find something to cheer about. At the end of four overs, Deccan were 47 for no loss. R Ashwin was given the ball and, with his fifth, got the breakthrough to raise decibel levels in Chepauk. He beat Gilchrist with his flight and got the ball to spin and clip off stump. VVS Laxman had a mix up with Herschelle Gibbs and was run out the next ball.I’m afraid you have to go
Another run out, though it didn’t seem like it to the batsman in question. Rohit Sharma pushed the ball to extra cover but the batsmen decided against the single. Symonds turned back on seeing Hayden gather the ball quickly and hurl it accurately to the non-striker’s end. Chennai appealed and the decision was referred but Symonds didn’t look concerned and even resumed his position at the non-striker’s end. Even the fielders went back to their positions, expecting the appeal to be unsuccessful. The verdict, however, was ‘out’ and a stunned Symonds had to make his way off the field.Dud of the day
The Mongoose didn’t turn up. The buzz ahead of this game was Matthew Hayden’s unveiling of a cricket bat which resembles a paddle because of its unusually long handle. However, he decided to save it for another day and walked out with conventional equipment instead. The Mongoose is designed to increase power by 20% and bat speed by 15%, and Hayden may have cleared short fine leg had he used it.