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Chelsea booked their place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals after beating Blackburn Rovers 2-0 at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.

Mauricio Pochettino made four changes to the side that lost against Brentford and in a season that has been plagued with injuries and the Argentine would have been delighted to see one of his stars return to the starting lineup and open the scoring as Benoit Badiashile sent the Blues on their way to the last eight.

He wasn't the only player to return to the first eleven as Reece James gave a good account of himself on his return from injury, with the pair coming off unscathed in the 61st minute, just after Raheem Sterling put the icing on the cake with a curled effort into the top right corner.

Raheem Sterling's stats vs Blackburn

Described as "clinical" by journalist Ben Jacobs for his well-taken finish against the Championship side, Sterling showed shades of being back to his best.

The Englishman terrorised the visitors with his electric pace and explosive ball-carrying, fashioning space for his team while wreaking havoc in the Rover's defence.

Raheem Sterling in numbers vs Blackburn

Touches

60

Accurate Passes

26/32 (81%)

Key Passes

2

Dribble Success

5/9

Possession Lost

16x

Duels Won

8/17

Stats via Sofascore.

Sterling's strongest asset is his fleet-footed dribbling and he showcased that to devastating effect on Wednesday night, recording the most completed dribbles out of anyone on the pitch (5), as per Sofascore.

The 28-year-old's approach play was exceptional, expertly fashioning space to create a chance and complimenting that positive play by supplying the end product to match.

He was a constant thorn in the Rovers back line, making two key passes, creating one big chance and successfully completing 81% of his passes.

Perhaps more impressively, Sterling's hard work to press and win possession back for his team didn't go unnoticed, throwing himself into challenges and making two tackles while winning eight of his 17 attempted ground duels.

The former Manchester City man set the benchmark for a positive Chelsea performance on the night but midfield maestro, Enzo Fernandez, somehow managed to eclipse his impact with an outstanding display.

Enzo Fernandez stats vs Blackburn

When the Blues captured Fernandez for a British record £106.8m from Benfica in the January transfer window, many anticipated him to transform the midfield and lead their charge up the Premier League table.

Unfortunately, the Argentine has been a central figure in a woefully underperforming side over the last ten months, typifying the club's struggles in piecing together a squad capable of challenging.

On Wednesday night, however, the 22-year-old rose to the occasion and showed his truly world-class talents.

Enzo Fernandez in numbers vs Blackburn

Touches

131

Accurate Passes

102/110 (93%)

Key Passes

7

Duels Won

11/13

Times Fouled

5

Tackles Won

6

Stats via Sofascore.

A midfield metronome, who likes to control the tempo of a football match with his exceptional passing range, Fernandez was central to everything positive that Chelsea did, with journalist Nizaar Kinsella describing his performance as "ridiculously dominant".

That evaluation couldn't be closer to the truth as the World Cup winner recorded a Sofacore match rating of 9.0 – the best of any player for either side – made an astonishing 131 touches and completed 93% of his incredible 110 passes, as well as seven key passes.

If Fernandez was exquisite in possession, his desire to ferociously press and win the ball back was absolutely phenomenal, rarely giving the visitors a moment's peace in the engine room.

He came out on top in a whopping 11 of his 13 ground duels and made the most tackles in the match (6), putting in the sort of defensive performance that brought his South American roots to light.

When in this sort of form, Fernandez is a joy to watch and if he can translate that level of performance to the Premier League, the critics will soon realise why Chelsea shelled out a triple figure sum to lure him to Stamford Bridge.

Big Picture

When the Test series began in England, there were murmurs about this Indian side being well equipped to end their horror overseas run – they had last won a Test series outside Asia and the Caribbean in 2009.After India had lost the first two Tests and then bounced back to stun England at Trent Bridge, there were murmurs of a Bradman-esque comeback: from a 2-0 deficit to a 3-2 series victory. Then, when it mattered the most in a one-innings shootout at Ageas Bowl, India’s premier spinner R Ashwin struggled to loop the ball into the rough on a bone-dry pitch that was more MA Chidambaram Stadium than Ageas Bowl. The killer blow then came when the batting line-up folded against Moeen Ali, again. All-new series. Same-old story for India.The series is dead now, but this is by no means the deadest of dead rubbers. Alastair Cook, who made his Test debut against India in 2006, is set to bow out of international cricket against the same team. Since the retirement of Andrew Strauss, in 2012, the England selectors have been endlessly searching for the other opener. Post-Oval, their problems will be doubled. And what’s with Joe Root’s reluctance to bat at No. 3? Word has it, Moeen Ali will continue at one-down at The Oval.India’s top order is in no healthy shape either. KL Rahul hasn’t produced an innings of note and has looked as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs against the inswinger. He has been dismissed bowled or lbw in six of his eight Test innings here. Shikhar Dhawan has shown greater restraint outside off, and has moved into double figures in each of his six innings, but hasn’t passed 44. So, will 18-year-old Prithvi Shaw, who has been racking up runs and records in domestic cricket and A games, make his international debut at The Oval?The visitors could also be pondering handing a debut to Andhra batsman Hanuma Vihari, who, like Shaw, has been prolific in domestic cricket and has the experience of playing club cricket in England. And if Wednesday’s net session is anything to go by, Ravindra Jadeja could get his first international game on tour, in place of Ashwin.

Form guide

England WLWWW (last five Tests, most recent first)
India LWLLW

In the spotlight

Sam Curran has played only five innings in this series, but only Virat Kohli and Jos Buttler have made more runs than him. A bulk of Curran’s 251 runs have come when his team has been been in a mess. His blazing 65-ball 63 hauled England from 86 for 6 to 180 in Birmingham and he staged a similar rescue act with the bat in England’s series-clinching victory in Southampton. As for his bowling, he has found sharp swing into India’s right-handers, his awkward angle making things even more difficult for the batsmen. Whatever happens at The Oval, Curran, arguably, will be remembered as the player of the summer for England.Undoubtedly, Virat Kohli has been the player of the summer for India. After managing only 134 runs in 10 innings in 2014, while getting out to James Anderson four times, the India captain has firmly put the boot on the other foot four years later, with 544 runs so far in two innings fewer. And he hasn’t been dismissed by Anderson in this series though every other England bowler has reeled him in. Kohli v Anderson: who will win round five?Getty Images

Team news

Jonny Bairstow, who had played the Southampton Test as a specialist batsman after fracturing a finger while taking a catch behind the stumps at Trent Bridge, is now fit enough to take back wicketkeeping duties from Jos Buttler. England have named an unchanged XI, which means the recalled pair of Chris Woakes and Ollie Pope will sit out.England: 1 Alastair Cook, 2 Keaton Jennings, 3 Moeen Ali, 4 Joe Root (capt), 5 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 6 Ben Stokes, 7 Jos Buttler, 8 Sam Curran, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 James AndersonKohli named an unchanged team for successive Tests for the first time ever at Ageas Bowl, but it’s time to spin the wheel again. India are likely to beef up their batting with the inclusion of Vihari at the expense of an allrounder in Hardik Pandya, who has played all of India’s Tests in the overseas cycle so far, starting with his debut in Sri Lanka last year. Jadeja, meanwhile, is likely to play his first overseas Test since the SSC game in August 2017.India (probable): 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 KL Rahul, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli (capt), 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Rishabh Pant (wk), 7 Hanuma Vihari/Hardik Pandya, 8 Ravindra Jadeja/R Ashwin, 9 Ishant Sharma, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Jasprit Bumrah

Pitch and conditions

There was some live, green grass on the pitch on the eve of the Test match, but it seemed dry underneath – possibly the reason why England have chosen to stick with two spinners. Expect some of the grass to come off before the toss, leaving the captain winning the toss to make the easy decision of batting first. The weather is likely to be fair on day one, with more overcast conditions expected later in the match.

Stats and Trivia

• Kohli needs 56 runs to make 600 in a series for the fourth time. He needs 88 runs to surpass Mohammad Yousuf’s tally of 631 and own the record for most runs in a Test series in England.
• Cook needs one run to 1000 Test runs at The Oval. Having made over 1000 Test runs at Lord’s, Cook is in line to become the second England player – after Graham Gooch – to reach 1000 Test runs at two different venues.
• Ishant Sharma is four wickets away from becoming the top wicket-taker for India in Tests in England. Kapil Dev currently leads the list with 43 wickets in 13 Tests while Ishant has 40 wickets in 11 games.
• Stuart Broad needs four wickets to become the fourth-highest wicket-taker among seamers in Test cricket. His team-mate Anderson, Glenn McGrath, Kapil Dev and Richard Hadlee are ahead of him currently.
• England’s lower order (Nos. 7-11) has contributed 697 runs in this series as opposed to India’s lower-order tally of 351.
• Cook will join Andrew Flintoff, Michael Clarke and Chris Rogers in officially retiring from international cricket at The Oval.

It wouldn't be a stretch to say that Liverpool have one of, if not the best depth of attacking options in the Premier League. If it's not Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah, or Diogo Jota wheeling away in celebration, then you can almost guarantee that it will be Darwin Nunez or Luis Diaz, and that's without even mentioning Dominik Szoboszlai chipping in from midfield.

That strength in attack has led to a solid start this season, too, with 16 out of 18 points taken, having won five out of their six Premier League games. When January comes around, however, the Reds could still target reinforcements, with one particular target reportedly eyed by Jurgen Klopp himself.

What's the latest Liverpool transfer news?

Throughout the summer transfer window, Liverpool's main focus was rightly placed on finally rebuilding their midfield, welcoming Alexis Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo, and Ryan Gravenberch, whilst bidding farewell to both Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to Saudi Arabia. Now, six games into the season, it has become clear that their rebuild job has worked wonders.

With their new-look midfield complete, those at Anfield can turn their attention to other areas of the squad, which could see them add to what is already a stacked attack. According to Sport Bild, Liverpool and specifically Klopp are eyeing a move for Borussia Dortmund forward Donyell Malen, who the Reds boss sees as an ideal back-up and eventual successor to Salah.

It must be said, though, that the Bundesliga side are in a position of strength, considering that Malen's contract doesn't come to an end until 2026, and only a £60m offer would see them move from their current stance. It will still be interesting to see whether or not Liverpool decide to test Dortmund's resolve, be it in January or next summer, when Salah's future may come into question once more after previous reported interest from Saudi Arabia.

Should Liverpool sign Donyell Malen?

Since making the move from PSV Eindhoven in 2021, Malen hasn't always been at his best for Dortmund, scoring just five Bundesliga goals in his debut season. In the current campaign, however, the Dutchman has hit the ground running, finding the back of the net three times in five league games, seemingly attracting the interest of Liverpool, in the process.

Whilst the Reds don't need much more attacking reinforcement, given their aforementioned depth, at 24-years-old, Malen is an option that is only likely to get better, meaning that it wouldn't exactly be bad business for Liverpool to secure his signature for the right price.

Malen has earned plenty of praise during his time at Dortmund, too, including from former boss Marco Rose, who said, via the Bundesliga website: "We've always said that we're convinced of his abilities, but it was always clear to us that he needs time to adapt. He has done that very well in the last few weeks.

"He's playing with a lot more confidence, asking for the ball more, demonstrating his flair and chipping in in front of goal. Now we have to work to make sure he can keep it up."

Everton could be set to lose one of their first-team players in 2024, with a new report revealing that he’s being targeted by another club in the Premier League.

Who are the new signings at Everton?

Over the summer, Sean Dyche was busy bolstering his ranks with five fresh faces in the form of Beto and Youssef Chermiti on a permanent basis, whilst Arnaut Danjuma and Jack Harrison put pen to paper on season-long loans, alongside Ashley Young who has joined on a free transfer from Aston Villa.

With regards to outgoings, Alex Iwobi, Demarai Gray and Ellis Simms were just some of the players to depart for good, and whilst the transfer window has now closed until January, that hasn’t stopped clubs from assessing their options ahead of time.

Back in February, Jordan Pickford put pen to paper on a new contract that runs until 2027, but nevertheless, he was still pursued over the summer by Tottenham Hotspur who made contact to enquire about a deal and even held talks with the goalkeeper’s camp.

Writing in his column for CaughtOffside, CBS reporter Ben Jacobs previously claimed that the Toffees would have allowed the 29-year-old to leave should they have suffered relegation at the end of the last season, and whilst that outcome didn’t occur, he could well eye an exit should the side find themselves in a similar position next year.

Is Jordan Pickford leaving Everton?

According to 90min, Chelsea are “among the teams tracking” Pickford ahead of 2024.

Everton are in a strong negotiating position given his contract situation, but with them currently experiencing financial issues, alongside their struggles in the top-flight, this means that a deal could “become possible” in the near future.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side making a move at the beginning of the new year is “unlikely”, but they are set to evaluate their options more deeply in the summer which could potentially see a bit of movement at Goodison Park.

How many clean sheets has Jordan Pickford had?

During his time at Everton, Pickford has kept 63 clean sheets from 243 appearances and it’s fair to say that he’s been one of the club’s standout performers in recent seasons in what has been a disappointing couple of years for the outfit on Merseyside.

The England international, who has previously been dubbed a “monster” for Gareth Southgate's side by journalist Joe Crann, has made a total of 14 saves from 22 shots on target against so far this season and has equally been impressive with the ball at his feet, having completed 100% of his short attempts and 98% of his medium dispatches, via FBRef.

Sponsored by Puma, Dyche's £125k-per-week earner is also clearly adored by his fellow teammates, staff and supporters, having twice won the Player of the Year award, the first in 2017/18 and the second in 2021/22, as per Transfermarkt.

It’s vital that Goodison chiefs – whoever the new owners may eventually be – do everything they can to try and retain the services of their shot-stopping star.

Aston Villa's renaissance continues following a stunning Premier League victory over Chelsea, as the Midlands side came away from Stamford Bridge with a 1-0 win and all three points.

The result ensures Unai Emery’s men remain in sixth place in the table, having suffered just two defeats in the league and – comparing the club to this stage last year – it is like night and day.

Indeed, comparing the club now from when they first achieved promotion back to the top flight in 2019 is incredible, especially in terms of the quality of player they can now lure to the Midlands while having a world-class manager in charge.

Under Dean Smith, Villa spent big on players such as Tyrone Mings (£21m), Wesley (£22m) and Marvelous Nakamba (£11m) alongside a host of other players who failed to really make the grade at the club.

In total, he spent over £300m in assembling a squad which could cope with the demands of top-flight football, while trying to re-establish the club as one of the biggest sides in the top flight.

League finishes of 17th and 11th in Smith’s two seasons in charge weren’t exactly spectacular, however, while his successor Steven Gerrard failed to inspire much confidence either, finishing 14th during the 2021/22 season after he had been appointed in November 2021.

Very few of the signings made by the 52-year-old had any sort of meaningful impact at the club. Ollie Watkins is shining under Emery, while Tyrone Mings impressed last term, although he suffered a serious injury during the first match of the season and is expected to miss the remainder of the campaign.

Matty Cash is another who has made a significant impact during his spell at Villa and this has seen his market value soar.

How much did Aston Villa sign Matty Cash for?

The right-back signed from Nottingham Forest for a fee of around £16m back in 2020 as the club were looking to make progress ahead of the 2020/21 season.

Smith praised the defender upon his arrival, saying: “We are delighted to welcome Matty to Villa and believe we have secured one of England’s brightest young prospects.

“He has an excellent playing record for a young player and we believe he will settle in easily and continue his rapid development into a top full-back.”

Having made 141 appearances for Forest, Cash arrived in the Midlands with a wealth of senior experience and the move has turned out extremely well so far, emerging as a key player under Emery.

How much is Matty Cash worth now?

Since making his debut for the club in 2020, the English-born Polish international has racked up over 100 games for Villa in just three years and the initial £16m transfer fee now appears to be a very wise move indeed.

Cash has seen his value rise steadily since September 2020 and according to Football Transfers, the defender is now currently valued at €37.1m (£32.2m) and this represents an increase of 101% from his transfer fee.

His value actually rose to €47.1m (£41m) in August 2022 yet with his recent performances, there is no doubt this could rise to a similar number in the next few months, or perhaps even higher.

Regardless of his value, Villa will be able to make a staggering profit on the 26-year-old should they wish to move him on, but he is turning into an integral part of the senior setup as Emery chases glory.

Why is Matty Cash worth this much?

Although Villa failed to reach the heights expected of them under Smith, Cash went on to make 28 Premier League appearances in his debut season, while the following term, he showed remarkable consistency by starting every single league tie for the club.

He even scored four times during the 2021/22 campaign while creating three big chances, averaging 0.8 key passes per game, and succeeding with 56% of his attempted dribbles, demonstrating his attacking abilities from a full-back role.

Last season saw him start only 20 league matches as the club were enduring some mid-season turbulence, yet he made the Poland squad for the World Cup, where he went to play all four matches for the nation as they qualified for the last 16 for the first time since 1986.

51.3

3.8

0.5

One

2.5

His performances in Qatar even drew praise from former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy, who said “Matty Cash has wonderful attributes, he’s a terrific talent!” while also explaining that “he’s got the potential to go to a big club & be comfortable at #UCL level.”

High praise indeed from someone who represented England on nine occasions and Cash has certainly taken his game to the next level during the current season.

Emery has unleashed him in the starting XI in all six matches thus far, and he has repaid this faith by scoring twice in the league, while winning 52% of his total duels and recovering 4.3 balls per game, indicating that he is strong in the tackle and is keen to mop up any loose balls in order to give his team plenty of chances to create goal-scoring opportunities.

In terms of performance across the whole Villa squad, Cash ranks fourth for overall Sofascore rating (7.15) along with topping the pile for shots on target per game (1.2), fifth for tackles (2.2) and sixth for interceptions (0.5) per game, underlining his class.

The £80k-per-week gem has all but made the right-back slot his own under the Spaniard and if he continues to perform like he has this term, he may attract the attention of some top clubs in the near future.

The former Forest defender has established himself as a consistent player who not only can defend but can also showcase his attacking talents to full effect, as evidenced by the two goals he has netted this term.

Having cost just £16m three years ago, it appears that Villa has struck gold on the right-back, especially considering his value has soared over double that amount in those 36 months.

Emery won't want to sell him, yet if the time comes when an offer arrives for the player, it could well be too good to turn down and the Midlands outfit will rake in a stunning profit on Cash, there’s no doubt about that.

Cricket West Indies is offering its contracted and non-contracted players major pay hikes as an incentive to play the series of three T20 internationals in Pakistan next month

Colin Benjamin19-Mar-2018Cricket West Indies (CWI) is offering its contracted and non-contracted players major pay hikes as an incentive to play the series of three T20 internationals in Pakistan next month.West Indies will announce a 13-man touring squad to tour Pakistan when the ongoing World Cup Qualifier concludes. CWI did not confirm or deny the amount but it is being suggested that the touring squad are being offered around US$25,000 each for the three matches in Karachi on April 1, 2 and 3.Depending on the contract status of players, that means they will be getting anywhere between 70% more and double what they would ordinarily be paid. Under the new CWI contracts announced in January, many of non-contracted T20 specialists got a raise of US$1725 to US$5000 per game, along with double match fees for all three formats.Though CWI will be paying the players, the money for that to happen has come from a payment made by the PCB to CWI for this series – as it is outside the Future Tours Programme (FTP) as it stands. According to a PCB official, that payment to a touring side by the host board is standard for non-FTP series and one the PCB benefited from in a 2013 ODI tour to South Africa.”Pakistan are looking to play more cricket at home, by playing half of the PSL in Pakistan next year and a number of matches in upcoming bilateral series under the current FTP,” CWI CEO Johnny Grave told ESPNcricinfo. “However what they can’t continue to do is pay international players additional fees to tour Pakistan or PSL.”So, considering this tour is outside the Future Tours Programme, the PCB have made a payment to CWI that is being fully utilised. CWI isn’t making any money from the series, just supporting cricket going back to Pakistan.”The issue of paying players extra to tour Pakistan, which hasn’t hosted regular international cricket since the March 2009 terror attacks on the Sri Lanka team, is a delicate one for the PCB. They paid Zimbabwe’s players US$12,500 each for a tour in 2015, the first by any international team to Pakistan since 2009.Foreign players were also offered extra money on top of their contracts to play in the PSL final in Lahore last year. The players that toured Lahore as part of a World XI last September were also paid by the PCB.It is an extra cost the board could easily do without but, because the aim is to bring back cricket to Pakistan, it is seen as a long-term investment. The PCB gradually wants to end the practice – no extra money was paid to Sri Lanka when they played a single T20 in Lahore last year, although it was a heavily depleted squad that came.Grave did confirm that the boards have a separate agreement to play T20 matches in USA and Canada. According to an ESPNcricinfo source, CWI has reserved dates at the Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderhill, Florida for the weekend of August 4-5 to play a pair of T20Is. This is the last weekend ahead of the start of the Caribbean Premier League, for which all West Indian players were announced to be available from August 8-September 16 since it does not clash with any FTP requirements.”As a trade off for this, we have their agreement to play regular T20 games in USA or Canada outside of the FTP to try and build interest in cricket in our timezone,” Grave said. “We [CWI] have been very up front with players and told them all money we are getting for this series they will be getting.”It is unclear which members of the current squad in Zimbabwe will tour Pakistan, however. According to sources close to players none of five of the Bravo brothers, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine and Andre Russell – whom chief selector Courtney Browne attacked for choosing PSL over the World Cup Qualifier – were selected. There will also likely be no place for Darren Sammy.Russell and Dwayne Bravo are currently injured, while Narine also elected not to visit Pakistan, even before doubts resurfaced over his action after he was reported in the PSL.According to his representatives, Pollard does not feel comfortable traveling to Pakistan at the moment. He had already decided not to travel with his PSL side, Multan Sultans, if they had made it through from the group stage.Whether Darren Bravo was contacted about playing is unknown, but some likely squad members include veteran legspinner Samuel Badree, Rayad Emrit and potentially a recall for Denesh Ramdin.Badree is set to visit Pakistan with Islamabad United and has the experience of going there with the ICC World XI last year. Emrit, who was recalled for the January T20 series in New Zealand for the first time in a decade, also visited Pakistan for the PSL final in 2017.

Pakistan Under-19 needed less than 40 overs to beat Ireland Under-19

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jan-2018
3:43

Can U-19 World Cup success be a springboard to international call-ups?

Pakistan Under-19 scored their first win of the World Cup, a nine-wicket thumping of Ireland Under-19 in 37.4 overs in Whangarei.Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, who has best innings figures of 8 for 39 in first-class cricket, razed them for 97 by taking 6 for 15 in 8.5 overs. Left-arm spinner and captain Hasan Khan claimed three wickets too, as Ireland were dismissed in 28.5 overs. Joshua Little’s 24 at No. 8 was Ireland’s only score above 20.Pakistan’s top order made short work of the target. Opener Muhammad Zaid Alam smashed 43 off 19 balls, while Hasan made 27 off 21 deliveries at No. 3. The chase was done in 8.5 overs, for the loss of only their wicketkeeper-batsman Rohail Nazir, who made 18 off 14 balls.

Nottingham Forest's pursuit of Sevilla defender Gonzalo Montiel has been well-documented and a big update has now emerged, courtesy of journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Who is Gonzalo Montiel?

The 26-year-old was something of an unknown amongst British football fans until relatively recently, even though he was a perfectly solid performer for Sevilla, having arrived at the La Liga side from River Plate back in 2021.

That all changed at the 2022 World Cup, however, as he tasted glory with Argentina, famously stroking home the winning penalty in the shootout victory over France in the final. It was a truly iconic moment for the country, as they won the competition for the first time since 1986, and it etched Montiel's name into Argentine folklore forever.

At club level, a move away from Sevilla – where he makes £20k-per-week – has looked increasingly likely this summer, however, and it is Forest who have emerged as the strong favourites to snap him up for some time now.

The Reds are still looking for defensive reinforcements and the right-back has stood out as a good option to battle the likes of Serge Aurier and Neco Williams for playing time this season, allowing Steve Cooper to rotate his squad and keep it fresh the longer the campaign goes on.

Now, a fresh update has emerged – one that suggests Montiel could be announced as a Forest player sooner rather than later, as the City Ground welcomes yet another new face to the club.

Will Nottingham Forest sign Gonzalo Montiel?

Taking to Twitter, Romano provided a significant update regarding the Reds' move for Montiel this summer, with the transfer now very close to being completed and medical potentially on the cards imminently:

"Nottingham Forest are closing in on Gonzalo Montiel deal – agreement on personal terms being finalised then medical on Monday. Deal will cost €11m (£9.4m), as @CLMerlo has reported."

This is great news for Forest, at a time when they need to build on last season's Premier League survival and become a genuinely established top-flight club again, rather than finding themselves battling for their lives come the spring.

While Montiel may not be the most explosive of full-backs, he is an experienced head with lots of defensive nous, having made 72 appearances for Sevilla and won 23 caps for Argentina, scoring once for his country, aside from his aforementioned penalty heroics last winter.

That moment back in December may have given him an extra winning mentality – he also scored the winning spot-kick in last year's Europa League final – which should stand him in good stead and possibly impact on the squad's mentality when he arrives, with World Cup winners a rare commodity in football.

Montiel could come in as a less flamboyant but more solid alternative to Aurier at right-back, having averaged 1.5 clearances and 1.3 tackles per game in last season's Champions League, as well as registering three assists in La Liga in 2022/23.

These are exactly the kind of signings that will make Forest strong moving forward, and at 26, there is no reason why the defender can't be a key man for the next five or six years.

Zimbabwe are often a side that only really gets going a couple of games into a tour and the chastening experience of the first Test will likely spur greater resolve in what is a must-win game if they are to level the series

The Preview by Liam Brickhill in Bulawayo28-Oct-2017

Graeme Cremer loses his stumps to Jason Holder•WICB

Big PictureCash isn’t the only thing in short supply in Zimbabwe. During the first Test, it also seemed patience was lacking from the hosts’ batting. In an effort to get ahead in the game, batsmen perished in a flurry of soft dismissals across both innings and Zimbabwe let slip the golden opportunity created by their bowlers. The batsmen were particularly generous during the afternoon denouement on day four, crumbling from a relatively healthy 219 for 4 to be 316 all out, with the tailenders bettering anything the middle order had to offer. The match was over with a day to spare, but despite the fact that Zimbabwe will be playing a four-day Test in two months’ time, it wasn’t a great advertisement.The second Test presents an opportunity for Zimbabwe to get things right. Playing as little top-level cricket as they do, Zimbabwe are often a side that only really gets going a couple of games into a tour and the chastening experience of the first Test will likely spur greater resolve in what is a must-win game if they are to level the series. The first job will be to win the toss. The second will be to bat long into the second day.That sounds a simple equation, and it is one that West Indies seem to have a greater aptitude for. The first-innings blip aside, their batsmen showed far greater tenacity in the first Test, and it tells that this West Indies squad has played three times as many Tests as Zimbabwe this year. West Indies were far more able to absorb the pressure and more conscious of the amount of time left in the game, waiting as long as necessary for a bad ball from which to score. If they can get the basics once again, they will be very hard to beat.Zimbabwe will have the added challenge of tuning out any potential off-field distractions in the build-up to this match after it was revealed that Zimbabwe Cricket has been hit by a financial crunch which could affect salaries for all employees, including players. An internal memo informed staff that they would only be receiving half their October salaries this month, a situation ZC is hoping to rectify in November. It’s no secret that Zimbabwe is dealing with one of its most serious economic crises in recent times, with a cash shortage the most recent symptom.While it is unclear if this has contributed directly to ZC’s current financial malaise, the entire country is reeling under the current crisis. ZC is no stranger to financial difficulties, but the relative stability enjoyed this year was key to the luring back of players such as Brendan Taylor and Kyle Jarvis, and this will be an unwelcome distraction. Chris Gayle’s ongoing defamation case aside, West Indies have no such distractions and they will go into the second match as favourites.Form guideZimbabwe LLLLL (last five matches, most recent first)
West Indies WLWLLIn the spotlightZimbabwe’s lower middle order crumbled twice in the first Test match, with Nos. 5 to 8 making 36 runs in the first innings and 48 in the second. West Indies’ combination of legspin and reverse swing did much of the damage, and with a very quick turnaround between Tests, there is little time to put things right. Zimbabwe would do well to follow the example set by the visitors, whose simplified tactics allowed them to occupy the crease and dictate the game.Devendra Bishoo seems an unlikely spearhead for a West Indies bowling attack traditionally dominated by pace, but the last 12 months have been reasonably productive for the legspinner. Bishoo is within touching distance of 100 Test wickets, and 39 of his dismissals have come in the last year. He found conditions to his liking in the first Test with a match haul of 9 for 184, and with the second match being played at the same ground he will once again be West Indies’ main bowling weapon.Team newsZimbabwe coach Heath Streak suggested there would be no major tactical changes for Zimbabwe, and with a variety of bowling options and seven Test centurions in their likely playing XI, the hosts are nicely balanced on paper. The conditions might dictate that Hamilton Masakadza has a little more bowling to do, but the main question for Zimbabwe lies behind the stumps. Regis Chakabva effected a couple of good stumpings in the first Test, but also dropped a catch and contributed little with the bat. Zimbabwe could bring in Peter Moor to strengthen their batting – although Moor didn’t keep wicket in the A warm-up game ahead of this series. Their other less likely option would be to hand a debut to Mid West Rhinos wicketkeeper Nyasha Mayavo.Zimbabwe (possible): 1 Hamilton Masakadza, 2 Solomon Mire, 3 Craig Ervine, 4 Brendan Taylor, 5 Sean Williams, 6 Sikandar Raza, 7 Malcolm Waller, 8 Regis Chakabva/PJ Moor (wk), 9 Graeme Cremer (capt), 10 Kyle Jarvis, 11 Chris Mpofu.Consistency has been part of West Indies’ selection policy this year, and after their victory in the first Test, there seems little reason to tinker with the playing XI aside from injury. Jermaine Blackwood had a quiet first Test, out stumped twice for single figures, but West Indies are unlikely to make any unforced changes.West Indies (possible): 1 Kraigg Brathwaite, 2 Kieran Powell, 3 Kyle Hope, 4 Shai Hope, 5 Roston Chase, 6 Jermaine Blackwood, 7 Shane Dowrich (wk), 8 Jason Holder (capt), 9 Devendra Bishoo, 10 Kemar Roach, 11 Shannon Gabriel.Pitch and conditionsAfter the first substantial rains of the season coincided with the first Test, there has been a bit of a concern in the second game too. The rain could leave a slow outfield even soggier, while the added moisture will also mean that the ball won’t reverse swing quite so easily. Around this time of the year the weather always becomes a bit of a gamble, and while the forecast suggests that rain will not ruin the Test, it could play a part.Stats and trivia The team winning the toss has won four of the last five Tests played at this ground. Zimbabwe won the toss 11 times in the first 12 Tests played at Queens, but have done so only four times in their 10 last games here. Devendra Bishoo needs two more scalps to reach 100 Test wickets. From the current team, Brendan Taylor is Zimbabwe’s leading batsman at this ground, with 453 runs including a century and four fifties from the six Tests he has played here.Quote”We’re unlikely to make unforced changes. We’ve got a couple of niggles that we’re managing, so we’ll have a final check tomorrow on one or two guys, but we’ll try not to change the team too much.”

Du Plessis, captain of South Africa’s Test and T20 teams, was also named as AB de Villiers’ successor in ODIs

Firdose Moonda11-Sep-20171:34

Du Plessis, South Africa’s new all-format captain

Faf du Plessis will captain South Africa in all formats after being confirmed as AB de Villiers’ successor in ODIs. Du Plessis has been in charge of the T20 team since February 2013 and the Test squad since August last year. Du Plessis is likely to take the ODI team to the 2019 World Cup.Du Plessis’ first assignment as South Africa’s captain in all formats will be a home series against Bangladesh later this month, which consists of two Tests, three ODIs and three T20s. He is also the marquee player for the Stellenbosch franchise in the T20 Global League which will run from November 3 to December 16. He will then lead South Africa against India, who are due to visit for a full tour including four Tests, and four Tests against Australia. Du Plessis will not have an away series until at least July 2018, when South Africa are scheduled to tour Sri Lanka.Du Plessis’ heavy workload may be lightened with the assurance that he will have de Villiers back in the Test team. De Villiers confirmed his availability for South Africa across all three formats after a lengthy period of uncertainty over his commitment. De Villiers has not played Test cricket for South Africa since January last year and former players including former captain Graeme Smith confirmed de Villiers was contemplating Test retirement before being convinced to play on.De Villiers has missed series’ against New Zealand (home and away), Australia (away), Sri Lanka (home) and England (away). Although South Africa performed well initially, winning all eight trophies on offer in the 2016-17 summer, they returned from a long tour of England without a series win, but with a myriad problems in their Test batting line-up. De Villiers’ return should help sort out that problem.Faf du Plessis will also have AB de Villiers’ presence in all formats•Associated Press

Du Plessis has long been lauded as the best leader of his peers, and the players in both the T20 and Test squads have bought into his philosophy. “He has established himself as one of the best leaders in world cricket and this was reflected in his appointment as the captain for the World XI currently engaged in the T20 Series against Pakistan,” Haroon Lorgat, CSA CEO said.All that remains is for du Plessis to establish a rapport with the new coach Ottis Gibson, who will arrive in the country in a week’s time. Gibson takes over from Russell Domingo, and will remain in charge until the 2019 World Cup. Du Plessis has not worked with Gibson before, but at the end of the England series, said he had spoken to some members of the England team to get some insight into his coaching style.South Africa have not had one captain across formats since 2010, when Smith, who had led in all formats since 2003, gave up the T20 captaincy. Then, Johan Botha took over for a brief period before de Villiers was made limited-overs captain in 2011. De Villiers handed over the T20 reins to du Plessis two years later. He had hoped to succeed Smith as Test captain but lost out to Hashim Amla.De Villiers eventually led South Africa in Tests when Amla stepped down in January 2016. De Villiers only captained in a temporary role before injury saw du Plessis take charge of the Test team. Du Plessis had captained in ODIs before, nine times between 2013 and 2016, when de Villiers was either injured or unavailable.