All posts by h716a5.icu

The Premier Limited Over Tournament Tier A semi-final line-up has been decided with Nondescripts Cricket Club, Sinhalese Sports Club, Chilaw Marians Cricket Club and Colts Cricket Club coming through

Sa'adi Thawfeeq13-Dec-2011The Premier Limited Over Tournament Tier A semi-final line-up has been decided with Nondescripts Cricket Club and Sinhalese Sports Club qualifying from Group A and Chilaw Marians Cricket Club and Colts Cricket Club coming through from Group B. The same sides made the semi-finals of the previous season as well.The previous final was washed out with SSC and Colts being declared joint champions. The two teams could meet again in the final this year as Colts take on NCC and SSC clash with Chilaw Marians in the semi-finals. However, the weather could be a factor as the final weekend of matches produced two no-results and four out of the remaining six games were decided on the Duckworth-Lewis rule.The group matches produced some exciting finishes, none more than the Colts v Bloomfield game where Colts scraped through by one wicket, scoring the winning runs off the last ball. Bloomfield, dismissed for 183, fought back to reduce Colts to 148 for 8. When the ninth wicket fell at 175, the match could have gone either way. But last man Sajeewa Weerakoon used all his 16-year experience as a first-class cricketer to stick around with match-winner Chathuranga Kumara (39 not out) to steer Colts home.Two days earlier, Bloomfield had managed to win another thriller by one wicket against Ragama. Chasing 222 for victory, they were cruising at 199 for 5 in the 36th over, but former Sri Lanka legspinner Malinga Bandara snapped up three wickets in nine balls to reduce Bloomfield to 211 for 9. It was left to the last pair of Suraj Randiv and Tyron Gamage to knock off the required 11 runs, for which they took 31 balls amid high tension.The opening match of the tournament had two brothers battling it out as Badureliya took on Tamil Union at the P Sara Oval. Tillakaratne Sampath, younger brother of Sri Lanka captain Tillakaratne Dilshan scored a fighting century to help Badureliya recover from 89 for 6 to 193. But Dilshan, opening the batting, struck a run-a-ball 61 as Tamil Union won by five wickets with more than 15 overs to spare.In Tier B, Sri Lanka Army take on Sri Lanka Ports Authority (formerly Seeduwa/Raddoluwa) while Sri Lanka Navy meet Saracens in the semi-finals. Army made the semi-finals previous season as well.Sri Lanka Air Force, who recruited the services of former Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya for their final group match, finished second from the bottom in Group B with a solitary victory. Jayasuriya scored 23 off 22 balls in his debut for Air Force against Ports Authority in a match ruined by rain.The 42-year-old Jayasuriya, a Member of Parliament with the ruling party United People’s Freedom Alliance, was given permission by Sri Lanka Cricket’s tournament committee to change clubs midway through the tournament and he joined Air Force from Bloomfield. He will now represent Air Force for the rest of this season.A board official said that a player could represent a team after only seven days of registration especially if he had been out of the country by producing a copy of his passport confirming the date of arrival in Sri Lanka. Jayasuriya was in the UAE recently as part of the Ten Sports commentary team for the series between Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

New Zealand’s debutants – Rob Nicol and Doug Bracewell – played starring roles in a nine-wicket steam-rolling of Zimbabwe that gave the visitors a 1-0 lead in the ODI series

The Report by Nitin Sundar20-Oct-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsRob Nicol became the seventh batsman to hit a century on ODI debut•AFPNew Zealand’s debutants – Rob Nicol and Doug Bracewell – played starring roles in a nine-wicket steamrolling of Zimbabwe that gave the visitors a 1-0 lead in the ODI series. Nicol hit a fluent century and his opening stand of 153 with Martin Guptill made short work of Zimbabwe’s inadequate 231 for 6.That Zimbabwe even got that far was down to a stirring rearguard led by their captain Brendan Taylor, whose unbeaten 128 lifted them from the shambles of 21 for 4 in 11 overs. Zimbabwe’s bowling woes, however, continued unabated as they allowed New Zealand to take their tour tally to a prolific 546 for 4 off 75 overs, one of those rare breakthroughs coming courtesy a run-out.Faced with a middling target and a tame attack, Guptill and Nicol wasted no time in putting the nature of the pitch into perspective. Zimbabwe’s easy lengths, delivered at amiable pace, sat up nicely for Guptill to launch the chase with a raft of drives. He repeatedly moved into line to punch Kyle Jarvis and Chris Mpofu through the off side. Nicol, fresh from a century for the Mashonaland Eagles in the domestic Pro50 Championship, backed up Guptill with a series of leg-side fours as New Zealand rolled past 50 in six overs.The introduction of Ray Price slowed down the scoring a touch, before it was more a case of the batsmen pacing themselves. Elton Chigumbura troubled Nicol briefly with a couple of spirited legcutters but, almost on cue, the bowling Powerplay was taken in the 16th over and released the pressure. Jarvis was reintroduced, and Guptill resumed his belligerence over the off side, while Nicol kept turning the strike over.Zimbabwe were going through the motions by the time Guptill deposited Prosper Utseya over midwicket in the 26th over. Guptill’s expression when he holed out for 74 suggested the agony of a batsman who had let go a hundred that was there for the taking. But Nicol persevered to become the seventh batsman to hit a century on ODI debut, a list that includes Guptill’s name. An early batting batting Powerplay and the presence of the in-form Brendon McCullum at the crease meant New Zealand were home with plenty to spare.Despite their toothless bowling, Zimbabwe lost the game in the first quarter of their innings. Broad shouldered and tattooed, with muscular arms, Bracewell strode in with a streamlined open-chested action and hit perfect lengths from the outset. He dislodged Vusi Sibanda and Chamu Chibhabha with exemplary away seamers, but the wicket that stood out was Hamilton Masakadza’s.Bracewell worked him over with a string of ten dot balls consisting largely of length deliveries that landed on the seam, interspersed with a pacy yorker and a well-directed short ball. The eleventh was full, Masakadza’s eyes lit up as he lurched forward to drive, and the ball grazed the inside edge to uproot middle stump. Tatenda Taibu was then consumed by Kane Williamson’s acrobatics at cover, as Zimbabwe stumbled out of control.Though crease-occupation was their prime objective, Mutizwa and Taylor managed to pump adrenaline into the innings from the outset. They were cautious initially, and release came in rare spurts, predominantly against Andy McKay. Taylor cracked him square and carved him through the covers, while Mutizwa slammed him over midwicket.Defence, misses and singles remained standard fare until the introduction of spin eased the pressure. Taylor and Mutizwa handled the offspin duo of Nicol and Nathan McCullum with relative ease to chug past their 50-run stand. The pressure began to show on New Zealand, with Nathan McCullum spilling a return chance and McKay parrying Taylor over the long-off boundary for the first six.Taylor celebrated the miss by clattering McCullum for six more as Zimbabwe ushered in the batting Powerplay on the ascendancy. Taylor and Mutizwa pulled off a series of audacious laps over fine-leg to take 32 off the five-over block, which meant momentum was coursing through the Zimbabwe innings when the slog overs commenced. Though Mutizwa fell in the 42nd, Taylor was primed for assault.He remained subdued until he reached his 100 in the 47th over, but exploded in Bracewell’s final over. Bracewell served Taylor a full toss, a slow length ball and a short delivery, all of which were gleefully deposited into the leg-side stands. One debutant had endured a ragged finish to his day, but another was about to more than make up for it.

Shoaib Malik, the former Pakistan captain, has said that he is targeting a return to Test cricket

Umar Farooq02-Oct-2011Shoaib Malik, the former Pakistan captain, has said he is targeting a return to Test cricket, starting with the series against Sri Lanka in the UAE. Malik was speaking after his unbeaten 88 off 49 balls gave Sialkot a commanding victory over Lahore at the National Stadium in Karachi, and with it a place in the final of the Faysal Bank Twenty20 Cup.”I am targeting Test cricket. Once you hit [form] in the format you certainly [improve] your chances to be successful in other formats as well,” Malik told reporters. “Test cricket is the real form of cricket and I am more concerned about it.”Malik, who has played 32 Tests, has been at his best against Sri Lanka in the past. He averages 59.75 from nine Tests, far above his career average of 33.45, and both his Test centuries have come against them. He was recalled to the national team by the PCB during the recent tour of Zimbabwe after being cleared by the board’s integrity committee, more than a year following Pakistan’s controversy-filled tour of England.”I don’t know what selectors have decided for me but I am optimistic,” Malik said. “I was actually feeling rusty during the Zimbabwe tour but after playing the domestic Twenty20 I feel I’ve regained my touch.”While focusing on cementing his place in the national side in all forms of cricket, Malik said regaining the captaincy wasnt a priority. “I am focusing on my form and captaincy is secondary for me.”Malik expected a tough series against Sri Lanka, who are coming off a 0-1 loss in their three-Test series against Australia at home. “They are a tough side to play,” Malik said. “We need to chalk out special plans to take on Sri Lanka and must execute them accordingly. Otherwise you can’t expect positive results.”The Pakistan selectors are currently in Karachi to pick the side for the Sri Lanka series. Pakistan will play three back-to-back Tests against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah in the UAE from October 18, and are scheduled to depart on October 15.

The figures might be unremarkable, but Boyd Rankin produced an unusually fine spell of fast bowling on the first day of Warwickshire Championship match with Somerset

George Dobell at Edgbaston21-Jun-2011
Scorecard
Elegant isn’t normally a word you associate with Ian Westwood. He is a batsman with many qualities: determination, certainly; bravery, absolutely; grim determination, frequently. But elegant is not a description that springs to mind.Here, however, on the second day of Warwickshire’s Championship match against Somerset, Westwood produced an innings that could only be described as elegant. His confidence boosted by a couple of three-figure scores in second XI cricket, Westwood timed the ball unusually crisply and produced a series of resounding cuts and pulls that would have delighted any batsman.It was an important innings, too. Westwood has already played a key role in earning Warwickshire a substantial first-innings lead in the match and given his side an excellent opportunity to revive a season that director of cricket, Ashley Giles, admitted was “at a crossroads”.In partnership with Varun Chopra, Westwood posted 202 for Warwickshire’s first wicket. It represents the club’s highest opening stand in first-class cricket and the first time Warwickshire have recorded a double-century first-wicket partnership since 2000. Warwickshire’s lead is already worth 136 and they have established an excellent platform from which to push for victory over the final half of the game.Westwood also needed this performance from a personal perspective. He had not scored a Championship century since September 2009 and, since relinquishing the captaincy at the end of last year, has struggled to justify his place in the side in any form of the game. This was his first score of more than 50 this season.It cannot have been an easy time for him. At the end of last season, when he had dropped himself from the limited-overs team, Westwood was relegated to the role of spectator as Ian Bell captained Warwickshire to victory in the CB40 Trophy at Lord’s.Here, however, he was untroubled against the seamers and dealt with the left-arm spin of Murali Kartik with calm and composure. The only semblance of a chance he offered came when he was on 99 and Chopra sent him back as the pair considered a quick single. Had Lewis Gregory’s throw from cover hit the stumps, Westwood would have been denied his ninth first-class century and his sixth in the championship.He’s probably never played better. Steve Kirby, as deserving a fast bowler as you could find in England, was reduced to howls of anguish as Westwood cut him to ribbons and pulled him to distraction. Only 17 of Westwood’s 129 runs came in the V from mid-off to mid-on. Chopra, meanwhile, leant into a series of languid cover drives that bore the hallmark of real class.Though Chopra finally fell, playing across a straight one, and a weary Westwood was stumped as he advanced down the pitch and missed, William Porterfield consolidated the host’s position with his third Championship half-century of the season.Perhaps Somerset squandered their slim chance to fight their way back into the game. Porterfield was missed three times before he had reached 30, with Kartik dropping a straightforward chance off Arul Suppian when the batsman had 23.Craig Kieswetter also put down a tricky chance. Before Porterfield had scored, he edged one from Kartik which the recently recalled England keeper could not clasp. It wasn’t the easiest chance, but it does resurrect the question of whether Kieswetter – for all his raw talent – is quite ready for international cricket.Warwickshire lost Jim Troughton – enduring a bit of a grim run of form – while Somerset also claimed the wickets of Rikki Clarke, who missed a sweep, and Darren Maddy, who edged one that left him, right before the close. But, while such strikes will have lifted Somerset spirits, they will know that the damage was long since inflicted. They face an uphill fight to clamber their way back into this game.Somerset’s seamers stuck to their task pretty well. Kirby was, as ever, whole-hearted, while Charl Willoughby claimed the 800th first-class wicket of his career when Tim Ambrose edged a loose drive.Maybe Kartik was not quite at his best. He found some turn, but his line wasn’t as tight as we have come to expect and it took him some time to find his rhythm. Perhaps that is not surprising: he hasn’t played a first-class game since mid-January.Meanwhile it was announced that Kieswetter and Warwickshire’s Chris Woakes will be pulled out of this game after the third day to report for England duty.

Mohammad Amir, the banned Pakistan fast bowler, has confirmed that he played for Addington in a Surrey Cricket League Division One match on June 4

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jun-2011Mohammad Amir, the banned Pakistan fast bowler, has confirmed that he played for Addington in a Surrey Cricket League Division One match on June 4 but said that he took part only because he was told playing would not violate his ICC ban. His comments come in the wake of revelations in the that the ICC is investigating whether he violated his five-year ban for spot-fixing by turning out for Addington.”I was informed by club representatives before the game that it was a friendly match, being played on a privately owned cricket ground,” Amir told . “I asked the club representatives if the match fell under the jurisdiction of the ECB and they informed me that the match did not. I spoke to several club representatives about the issue and they all told me that it was a friendly match and therefore would not contravene my ban from the ICC. I was informed that I was fine to play.”Amir also denied that he had signed any registration documents with the club and insisted that he would never have taken the risk of playing had he known it was an official match.”I would not be stupid enough to knowingly play in a match that I knew would contravene my ban. Wherever I am going to play cricket, the world will know about it. I would not be stupid enough to play in a match where I knew that I would be taking a risk”.Amir was central to Addington’s 81-run victory in the game, against St Luke’s CC. He surprisingly opened the innings and scored 60 before returning figures of 4 for 9 in seven overs.This is not the first time Amir has appeared in a game which has had to be investigated by cricket authorities. Earlier this year in January, when he was under provisional suspension and still awaiting punishment for the Lord’s scandal, he turned out for a Rawalpindi club to play a friendly game. That prompted the ICC and PCB to investigate the nature of the game before the former eventually concluded that it was an unofficial game and the club wasn’t registered with the Rawalpindi cricket association; Amir was thus found to have not broken the ICC’s anti-corruption code of conduct.

Rory Hamilton-Brown and Tom Maynard both hit half-centuries as Surrey made it three wins in three games as they claimed a 17-win over Leicestershire

08-May-2011
ScorecardRory Hamilton-Brown top-scored for Surrey with 57•PA PhotosRory Hamilton-Brown and Tom Maynard both hit half-centuries as Surrey made it three wins in three games as they claimed a 17-win over Leicestershire in the Clydesdale Bank 40.While Hamilton-Brown and Maynard shone for the hosts at The Oval, Josh Cobb produced a fine all-round contribution for Leicestershire. Cobb, primarily a batsman, took two good wickets with his leg spin, held two stunning catches, one off his own bowling, and hit a rapid 45 but Leicestershire subsided to 189 all out in pursuit of a target of 207.Surrey had made a poor start on an Oval pitch lacking its usual pace, slumping to 45 for 3 before Hamilton-Brown and Maynard gave them some momentum in a fourth-wicket stand of 63 in 13 overs.Steve Davies gave Nathan Buck a simple return catch, Jason Roy skied Buck to midwicket and Zander de Bruyn miscued his third ball from Nadeem Malik to mid on and was caught by a leaping Wayne White at mid on.Even Hamilton-Brown and Maynard, both powerful strokemakers, struggled with their timing but Hamilton-Brown had made 57 off 61 balls with seven fours when he drove fiercely back down the pitch and Cobb held a stinging return catch.Matt Spriegel helped Maynard add 49 in 10 overs before Cobb had him caught at long off for 28 and Maynard had reached 55 off 71 balls with only two fours but 40 singles when he was bowled by Buck. Cobb took his third and best catch of the innings – a running, diving effort at long off to remove Yasir Arafat – but a brisk, unbeaten 26 from Chris Schofield lifted Surrey to 206 for eight.It did not seem to be enough when Cobb was launching Leicestershire’s reply with 45 off 36 balls, including seven fours, three of them off successive balls from Jade Dernbach, and a six, driven back over Arafat’s head. Then he pulled Gareth Batty’s third ball into the hands of midwicket and Leicestershire lost four wickets for 14 runs in seven overs.James Taylor was well caught by Davies, standing up, when he tried to cut De Bruyn, Will Jones, an Australia-born batsman making his debut, was leg before to Batty and Matt Boyce was caught at slip off Stuart Meaker.It was 111 for 6 when Jacques du Toit was brilliantly run out by Maynard’s direct hit and White was caught behind off Arafat but Paul Dixey kept Leicestershire’s hopes alive and they even had a chance of winning when Matthew Hoggard joined him in a ninth-wicket stand of 29 in three overs.Then Hoggard, who had hit three fours and a six, holed out at long on, Dixey was bowled by Meaker for a gallant 42 off 38 balls with six fours and Surrey won with nine balls to spare.

Umar Gul has said that he will try and dislodge India’s top order in Pakistan’s World Cup semi-final in Mohali on Wednesday

Sharda Ugra in Mohali28-Mar-2011Umar Gul is the man who operates in the shadows of his more colourful companions of the Pakistani bowling pack. Behind his captain Shahid Afridi among Pakistan’s leading wicket-takers at this World Cup – 14 wickets to Afridi’s 21 – Gul has emerged as the searing inquisitor with the new ball en route to Pakistan’s arrival into the semi-final.It will all come to a head in Mohali on Wednesday when Gul opens the bowling against the strongest batting contingent of the event. It is his first spell that could dictate how the rest of his team’s overs go, but Gul has identified what he needs to do. “The first three wickets in the top-order are very crucial for us. They are depending on the top three. I am looking for these three batsmen.” Now these are words tailor-made for screaming headlines, (“Gul targets top three”, “Gul wants to rip through India top order”) but Gul delivered them as if he were saying something routine. Like telling the physio about his ankles or ordering room service.Were Gul to run into India’s top three in their hotel corridor between now and Wednesday afternoon, there would be handshakes, smiles and pleasant chit-chat. It is a fact that most of the fans on both sides find hard to to digest, particularly two days before the World Cup semi-final that once again sets up one of the most over-heated rivalries in sport.Gul said that given the strength of the Indian batting, the World Cup had taken his bowling to the rhythm it needed at the right time. “Our bowling is very good. Afridi is the leading wicket-taker. I am happy with my performance and form. We have a bit of an advantage with our bowling but I am happy with the way the batsmen played in the quarter-final.” He said that the ideal combination for Wednesday would be the Pakistani bowlers being on top of their game on a friendly wicket, and the batting giving the start like it had against the West Indies.The advantages of working with coach Waqar Younis and assistant coach Aaqib Javed, both fast bowlers of skill and nous, had found strong echoes at the World Cup, according to Gul. “I’ve only fully understood in this World Cup how much help I have got from them.” On the tour to New Zealand, Waqar had informed Gul that he would be bowling with the new ball in the World Cup. “For the last one-and-a-half-years, I wasn’t able to deliver with the new ball because of which I lost my form.” In the last two-three months, however, working with both Waqar and Aaqib, had brought it all back, rhythm, confidence and success. “It’s been like I was bowling in the past, I’ve got my new-ball skills back, which is good for the team.”One of the biggest dilemmas facing Pakistan is whether to play Shoaib Akhtar in what could be one of his last matches. Shoaib was dropped following Pakistan’s defeat to New Zealand but Gul dismissed the talk that he had been omitted because of issues within the team about Shoaib’s conduct. “He was rested after the New Zealand match so that he can focus on his fitness. The way he has been practicing for three days, I hope he will do well.”Shoaib’s partnership with medium-pacer Abdul Razzaq and also the spin option of Mohammed Hafeez at the start has worked well enough, but Gul welcomed the idea of sharing the new ball with Shoaib. Asked whether he personally would like to partner Shoaib against India, Gul said, “Of course. He is our most experienced bowler and he has done very well in the past, especially against India. A little bit of pressure will be lifted off me too if he plays because in the last couple of matches, when Shoaib wasn’t there, all the pressure was on me.”Gul was asked whether he agreed with what MS Dhoni had said about the match actually being bigger than a final. He said, “See, I don’t think Dhoni was talking for himself, he was speaking about the expectations of the Indian people. As a player, no one would say this (a semi-final) is bigger than the final, but every cricketer feels the pressure of their people. We also feel the same pressure – our people also feel that we must beat India in each match. You can say that, if we were speaking not for ourselves, but for Pakistan’s people, then yeah, it’s a final and we will try to win.

“It is only natural, every player hopes he will get the kind of fame that Sachin or Afridi has. It doesn’t work that way though. Players like that are idols, so Afridi and Shoaib, whether they perform or don’t perform, are idols for the people of Pakistan.”

“A semi-final can’t be bigger than a final but it’s a big match, a high-pressure match.” Whether it is a knockout game or a league game, “any match against India is a big match always,” Gul said, and then, for the first time in the press conference, he smiled.The match was “crucial” for the teams but then Gul moved beyond the cricket. “It brings both countries closer, it’s very good not only for the players but also for both countries.” The prime ministers of both nations seem to agree with the fast bowler. “People from both countries want us to play each other often. Both fans enjoy the cricket because the more we play each other, it’s better. I hope it will be a good match and both countries play well.”He also understood what the consequences would be for the losing semi-finalists. “Always, whether you are the Indian or the Pakistani team, there is pressure. The supporters of both teams absolutely cannot bear a defeat. But we’ve done well in the World Cup, we’ve won six of our seven games. The kind of support we have got from Pakistan, we are very happy. Whether we win or lose is not in our hands, we will try and play good cricket.”The team had not heard of Pakistan interior minister Rehman Malik’s comments about how they would be monitored closely following the spot-fixing controversy. “I am not aware of this until now … We don’t focus on the media; we are focussing only on our cricket. The kind of pressure we have had over the last several months and the way we have handled it, this (the Malik statement) is no pressure at all.”Before he walked off to be with his mates and in the shadows again Gul faced a question about whether he sought stardom of the kind enjoyed by Afridi and Shoaib. He could have given the safe answer but chose not to. He spoke like a young man doing the hard yards in a punishing profession. “It is only natural, every player hopes he will get the kind of fame that Sachin (Tendulkar) or Afridi has. It doesn’t work that way though. Players like that are idols, so Afridi and Shoaib, whether they perform or don’t perform, are idols for the people of Pakistan. They will always remain that way. Sometimes in the heart, yes I do wish that I have the same kind of fans that Afridi and Shoaib have, the same fan following.”Then the fast bowler in him returned and he said, “But even then, I am satisfied with the following I have but I am never satisfied with my performance. If I do well in one game I want to perform better in the next … I always want to try to perform better than the previous time.”No better time to perform than in a World Cup semi-final.Which is why in the evening, like Gul had earlier promised, the Pakistanis turned out for a fielding session under lights, spending an hour. It was meant to assess the dew factor in Mohali and to give their skills one final polish. Pakistan are not practicising tomorrow and this session under lights would be their last hour on the field before they walk out into the sun on Wednesday afternoon.

Speaking to Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur club ‘insider’ John Wenham has suggested that transfer chief Fabio Paratici should be looking to sign Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford. 

The lowdown: Backing the wrong horse…

Spurs have been heavily linked with a move for Leeds winger Jack Harrison in recent times and a summer swoop could be on the cards.

Boasting 11 direct goal contributions across all competitions this season, Harrison has continued to impress in the Premier League.

However, Wenham believes that Tottenham manager Antonio Conte should be focussing attention elsewhere within the Elland Road squad…

The latest: Better options

Speaking to FI, the regular contributor to the Lilywhites Rose social media channels suggested that Bamford may well be a more worthwhile target.

“If we were going to sign somebody from Leeds, he wouldn’t be in my top three, to be honest.

“I really like Bamford, I like the idea of him as back-up for Kane. I think he’s quite underrated.

“He has a similar skill set in that he can bring other players into the game.

“If we were going to get anyone from Leeds, that’s what I would do but maybe Harrison could do a job at wing-back.”

The verdict: Smart move

Whilst this season has been an injury-hit one for the 28-year-old, the outstanding 17 goals and eight assists in the league in 2020/21 suggest that the Englishman is certainly on the level required to bolster Conte’s attacking options.

Comfortable operating in a similar role to that of Harry Kane, Bamford would have no issues adapting to life in North London and could be the perfect foil for the England captain.

At the right price and with fitness woes behind him, the frontman once hailed as ‘exceptional’ by Jurgen Klopp would be a smart addition to the squad at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

In other news: Tottenham plotting move for Premier League star,  find out more here.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte has set his sights on Napoli star Victor Osimhen as he makes a big transfer request behind-closed-doors, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Lilywhites linked…

The marquee Nigeria international, currently at the centre of interest from Spurs’ north London rivals Arsenal, has also been turning the heads of Lilywhites chiefs.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-newest-updates/” title=”Tottenham newest updates…” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Football Insider recently claimed that transfer chief Fabio Paratici is plotting a Premier League move for Osimhen after Spurs originally made an enquiry during the January window.

This comes as Conte reportedly earmarks the signing of a new striker to partner or provide back up to star man Harry Kane, with news from a Spanish source now emerging this week on their pursuit of Napoli’s sensation.

The Latest: Tottenham ‘expected’ to move…

According to the report from the Spanish press, alongside the signings of José María Giménez, Milan Skriniar, Denzel Dumfries and a permanent deal for Dejan Kulusevski, Spurs are ‘also expected’ to make ‘more additions to the rotation’.

This includes Osimhen with Conte making a big ‘request’ behind-the-scenes to ‘put together a world class team’ – but it may also hinder on the club’s ability to offload players.

The Verdict: Audacious…

An agreement for the 23-year-old starlet is unlikely at best given his huge price tag and Tottenham’s issues filling their homegrown quota, with The Telegraph claiming they may have to sell one of Steven Bergwijn or Lucas Moura just to sign an overseas forward.

It is believed that Napoli value Osimhen at around €120 million (£101m) and won’t sell for less as president Aurelio De Laurentiis aims to charge big money for his in-form striker.

Former Cagliari boss Walter Mazzari raved over the ‘phenomenal’ forward earlier this season and he has since gone to live up to that tag, scoring a brilliant 17 goals in 29 appearances across his Europa League and Serie A appearances (WhoScored).

His rising stock will also see Tottenham faced with a mounting challenge to land their audacious alleged target.

In other news: Conte green-lights exit for ‘perfect’ Spurs player who ‘100%’ wants to quit, find out more here.

Newcastle United are interested in signing Paris Saint-Germain striker Arnaud Kalimuendo, according to Foot Mercato (via Get French Football News).

The lowdown

The young marksman has spent the last two seasons away from the Parc des Princes on loan at RC Lens.

The 20-year-old has scored 10 goals in 30 Ligue 1 appearances this season, putting him three clear of Seko Fofana at the top of the team’s goalscoring charts. Valued at £10.8m by Transfermarkt, he is under contract at PSG until the summer of 2024.

Newcastle have also been linked with another Ligue 1 striker in the form of Reims’ Hugo Ekitike.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/newcastle-news-5/” title=”Newcastle news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The latest

According to Foot Mercato (via Get French Football News), Kalimuendo’s agent is due to meet with figures at PSG ‘in the coming weeks’ for talks about his future.

He is apparently ready to commit to the newly-crowned Ligue 1 champions by signing a new deal, but that hasn’t stopped Newcastle or fellow Premier League outfit Leicester City from ‘looking at him’.

The verdict

Kalimuendo is certainly an impressive talent. He has already played nine matches for France’s under-21 side, scoring on just his second start against Ukraine and adding three more to his tally since.

Furthermore, in 2020, he won the Titi D’Or, a prize awarded to the most promising young talent at PSG.

Franck Haise, his manager at Lens, believes that Kalimuendo possesses every attribute that a modern forward needs, describing him as the ‘prototype striker of the present’.

If the 20-year-old’s parent club can’t offer him the opportunities that he craves, then perhaps a move to Tyneside could be on the cards.

In other news, Newcastle are also targeting this left-back