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ScorecardFile photo: Mignon du Preez top-scored for South Africa Women with 55•ICC/Getty Images

An overthrow off the last ball, with South Africa needing three, resulted in a heartbreaking loss for Ireland in the first of two women’s T20Is in Dublin.South Africa, chasing 141, needed 22 off the last two overs, with five wickets in hand. Dinesha Devnarain took the onus after Mignon du Preez’s dismissal for 55. Her unbeaten 11-ball 20, including a crucial boundary in the penultimate over, helped the visitors secure a thriller.Clare Shillington made the early running with a 31-ball 30 after Ireland were sent in to bat. They moved along to 61 for 1 in 10 overs before Sune Luus’ double-strike in the space of five deliveries lifted South Africa.She first clean bowled Shauna Kavanagh and then had Jennifer Gray trapped lbw as Ireland slipped to 63 for 3. When Shillington fell off the next over, Ireland had lost momentum.It took an unbeaten 61-run stand between Isobel Joyce and Kim Garth to lift Ireland to 140 for 5, their second-highest T20I score. Joyce was particularly aggressive, hitting three fours and a six in her unbeaten 31. Ireland pillaged 51 off the last six overs.In reply, South Africa lost experienced opener Trisha Chetty in the third over, but kept chipping away at the runs, even as the asking rate crept up, courtesy Laura Wolvaardt and du Preez. The pair had added 45 in seven overs before Joyce had Wolvaardt caught by Garth to leave the visitors needing 83 off 57 balls.Du Preez, the former captain, brought her experience into play, milking the runs even as wickets continued to fall, before laying into the bowlers; her successive boundaries in the 17th over reduced the equation to 33 off the last three overs.The dismissal of du Preez in the 18th over tilted the game in Ireland’s favour, but Devnarain’s cameo, in Lara Goodall’s company, kept South Africa’s hopes alive. When Goodall was run out in the final over, delivered by 16-year-old medium-pacer Lucy O’Reilly, South Africa were left needing four off the last two balls. That soon became three off the last ball. O’Reilly and Klaas ran two but got four more, courtesy a misfield and an overthrow. With the win, South Africa took an unassailable lead in the series.

Sheffield Wednesday have received a double injury boost for their League One semi-final playoff against Peterborough United.

What's the latest Sheffield Wednesday team news?

With the playoff semifinal looming large, Darren Moore will be relieved to hear that he will have Lee Gregory and Reece James available for selection after being cleared to play, the Star reports.

Gregory was forced to sit out of the 1-0 win over Derby County after sustaining a facial injury during training. The hope from staff was that he would be able to return to training this week and has. The striker has had a face mask fitted and will be ready to play if called upon, reports Joe Crann on Twitter.

James is also back from injury, with Moore confirming that both will be available for selection this evening. Jack Hunt is available as well after a cameo from the bench against Hillsborough at the weekend.

Crann also added that Michael Ihiekwe and Dennis Adeniran are also ready to play after being rested for the win over Derby: "Good news for SWFC… Lee Gregory has trained fine, has had his mask fitted and is ready to play on Friday if called upon. Reece James is also available to start should he be required. Michael Ihiekwe & Dennis Adeniran are fine after being rested v Derby."

How crucial could returning injured stars be for the Owls?

With promotion to the Championship on the line, Sheffield Wednesday boss Moore will be over the moon. In their last eight games, the Owls have won five, lost one and drawn two. Their opponents, Peterborough, have won just four, lost two and drawn two. It's relatively evenly balanced in terms of form,

Gregory though is an especially important injury boost. His instinct for goal is vital in a game as important as this. With 15 goal contributions this season, Moore will be delighted to be able to call upon him even if he needs to wear a face mask to do so.

James is also a major boost for Moore. Speaking after a strong showing over Wycombe Wanderers last season, Moore heaped praise on the fullback, highlighting his "tenacity, determination and aggression," all traits that will serve well in a playoff fight.

The boss said: "He was excellent. He showed tenacity, determination and aggression. He has got a lovely left foot on him and gives us that balance on the left-hand side. He has been superb. He is someone that I worked with at Doncaster. He has got wonderful versatility.

"I am pleased he showed his class today. I thought his performance was good. The team was solid in and out of progression.”

Tottenham Hotspur have now made Julian Nagelsmann their top managerial target, however he is currently proving to be too expensive, according to a recent report from The Telegraph.

What's the latest Tottenham manager news?

Tottenham have identified a number of potential new managers, and it has recently been reported that Feyenoord boss Arne Slot has become slightly more likely to get the job, with Chelsea ruling themselves out of a move for the Dutchman.

Nagelsmann is also in Daniel Levy's sights, with it emerging the chairman is set to make a strong attempt to bring him to N17, although he is said to want certain assurances before accepting the job, such as a decisive say in transfer dealings.

Spurs may have a decent chance of appointing the German, as he is reportedly "very tempted" by the prospect of joining the club, and he is now concentrating on a move to north London ahead of his other options.

According to a report from The Telegraph, Tottenham have now placed the 35-year-old at the top of a four-man shortlist to become their next head coach, but he is currently proving to be too expensive.

Bayern Munich are due compensation if their former manager joins another club this season, as he is effectively on gardening leave, and they are continuing to pay his €12m (£10.6m) annual salary despite parting ways with him in March.

The amount of compensation required is deemed to be too much for Levy and Spurs, who have set a limit as to what they are willing to pay for the tactician, with Bayern likely to dig their heels in.

Should Tottenham appoint Julian Nagelsmann?

With Tottenham now very unlikely to qualify for the Champions League, it is a surprise they are still being viewed as an option for a manager on Nagelsmann's level, so they should bite the bullet when it comes to the compensation.

Hailed as "elite" by members of the media, the young coach has experience winning trophies, having won three with Bayern, while he became the youngest manager to ever reach the Champions League semi-finals during his time with RB Leipzig.

Spurs are in dire need of a modern manager with fresh ideas, having become accustomed to defensive football under Antonio Conte and Cristian Stellini, and Nagelsmann is known for his forward-thinking style of play.

The former Leipzig manager seems to be keen on the Tottenham job, and Levy cannot afford to pass up the opportunity to bring him to north London.

Liverpool are preparing to table a contract offer for Eintracht Frankfurt defender Evan Ndicka this summer, according to reports.

What's the latest on Ndicka to Liverpool?

The Frenchman will be out of contract at the Deutsche Bank Park at the end of the season, and having rejected several fresh terms to extend his stay, is set to become a free agent on the market – alerting Jurgen Klopp and FSG who are reportedly open to offers for both Joel Matip and Nat Phillips.

The Daily Mirror have name-checked the Reds, alongside Premier League rivals Arsenal and Tottenham, as three of the main potential suitors in the race to sign the 23-year-old, and they have already taken their initial interest one step further.

Transfer expert and journalist Graeme Bailey has revealed that the Merseyside outfit have "asked" to be given updates on the 6 foot 3 colossus’ situation by his representatives as they consider whether to make an approach during the upcoming window, and it appears that they have already made their decision.

According to Football Insider, Liverpool and Spurs are expected to go “head-to-head” to try and win the services of Ndicka later in the summer. The Anfield and N17 outfit’s are “both set to make contract proposals” for the centre-back upon the conclusion of the current campaign as they believe he “fits the ideal profile”. The Eintracht star predominantly operates as a left-sided central defender and it’s stated that this is a position that the Reds are “eager to improve”, with his physical attributes making him a “powerhouse” at both ends of the pitch.

Should Liverpool take a chance on Ndicka?

Liverpool knowing that Ndicka would be available on a free transfer makes this a move that is relatively risk-free with them having to pay nothing, and having been hailed a “towering” titan by journalist Jacque Talbot, the hierarchy should 100% bring him on board.

The left-footed ace currently averages 4.9 clearances and 2.6 aerial wins per league game, via WhoScored, whilst recording 15 tackles won from 21 players challenged this season, so is a rock at the heart of the defensive backline.

The Europa League winner and Champions League participant has also proven that he can be a poacher at the opposite end of the field having posted 21 goal contributions (11 goals and ten assists) in 177 appearances for Eintracht Frankfurt, so this is a deal that the club shouldn’t even have to think twice about wrapping up should the opportunity present itself.

Aston Villa defender Alex Moreno has apologised to fans for his English language skills after a recent interview he gave wit the club's media team.

What's the latest on Aston Villa and Alex Moreno?

It's actually been a pretty brilliant spell for the left-back in Birmingham so far, having only arrived from Real Betis in a £12.5m transfer this January.

Indeed, Moreno – who earns a reported £35k-p/w – has started the last seven games for Villa in the Premier League, going unbeaten with six wins and one draw.

What's more, he impressed most recently against Newcastle United, picking up an assist and a clean sheet in the 3-0 home win at Villa Park.

After the game, the Spaniard conducted an interview in English with VillaTV and while he made no major faux pas, he subsequently took to social media to apologise for his efforts.

Indeed, he wrote on Twitter: "I'm sorry my English, we will continue to improve! Every time I feel better speaking, we continue in this good line of matches."

How good has Moreno been for Aston Villa?

Moreno certainly has no need to apologise. After all, it's impressive enough that he is already able to deliver an interview in English despite having only arrived in the country a matter of months ago.

But no doubt fans will love his enthusiastic attitude anyway, and it's fair to say he's matched that commitment to improving on and off the field.

Indeed, while he had some shaky performances early on in a Villa shirt – picking up a 5.9 SofaScore rating after the 4-2 loss against Leicester City as he made on mistake that led to a goal – he has since been getting better week on week it seems.

Indeed, he has delivered consecutive 7.2 and 7.3 SofaScore performances in his last two outings against Nottingham Forest and Newcastle, keeping cleansheets in both games.

After the most recent win against the Mapgies, journalist Ashley Preece was high with his praise for Moreno, giving him an 8/10 and writing in the BirminghamLive player ratings: "A constant outlet for Villa down the left-hand side with the Spaniard making Ramsey’s chance which struck the crossbar.

"Moreno soon chalked up his third assist in a Villa shirt as he teed-up Watkins for 2-0. Enjoyed himself out there again."

All in all, it seems as though the Spaniard has very little to apologise right now either on or off the pitch.

Sir Alex Ferguson rarely had a transfer howler at Manchester United, especially during his first decade and a half which was littered with success.

Of course, there were the odd one or two players that were signed that couldn’t live up to expectations and flopped massively, including the likes of Jordi Cruyff, Massimo Taibi and William Prunier.

In the summer of 2001, Fergie made arguably his most expensive mistake at United by signing Juan Sebastian Veron from Lazio for a then British record transfer fee of £28.1m and Fergie praised the midfielder upon his arrival, saying: "What we have done is bring in a really top player, one of the best players in the world. He is world-class – a fantastic footballer.”

Unfortunately, he would never live up to the fee and go down as one of Fergie’s worst signings in terms of impact on the pitch.

How did Juan Sebastian Veron perform at Manchester United?

The Argentinian midfielder was one of the finest players in his position on the continent, impressing during a stint in Serie A with Parma and Lazio, winning a league title, UEFA Cup and two Coppa Italia’s and having also represented Argentina at the 1998 World Cup, he was looked upon to take United to the next level.

He scored five times and grabbed six assists during his first campaign, however, United ended the season trophyless for the first time since 1998, losing the Premier League title to Arsenal.

His second term saw his goal contributions increase from 11 to 14 and Fergie led the Red Devils to another league title, but Veron couldn’t quite settle in Manchester and rarely displayed the form that led to the club signing him in the first place.

His regular midfield partner, Paul Scholes, claimed that he and Veron couldn’t play together, saying: "Yeah, me and Veron were a disaster.” And it was evident that the 72-cap international simply couldn’t cut it in the Premier League.

Despite winning the title in 2002/2003, United could perhaps have hit greater heights had Veron brought his Serie A form to the club and the 11 goals he scored across two seasons cost the Old Trafford side £2.5m per strike, a colossal amount to waste.

Veron was soon offloaded to Chelsea in 2003 before he enjoyed somewhat of a career resurgence at Inter Milan and Estudiantes, winning numerous trophies and even playing at the 2010 World Cup.

There is no doubt he was a sensational player, but he couldn’t quite get used to the rigours of English football.

Tottenham Hotspur could be set to part ways with another Italian over the coming months, with Fabio Paratici's future remaining uncertain in N17.

What's the latest with Paratici?

The Italian director of football was set to be involved in a preliminary hearing into the scandal he has found himself involved in but it has been postponed until 10th May.

Paratici has already been handed a 30-month ban from working within Italian football, however, the 50-year-old could find himself on the end of a more severe ban from all football.

This latest setback in the court hearing has come just hours after the sacking of Antonio Conte, who Paratici has a long history of working alongside.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, journalist Alasdair Gold has suggested a departure in the summer for the Italian could also be on the cards amid his issues off the field:

"I've said this before, there's a lot of people quite surprised at how involved he still is in matters. And that's people outside the club, and also some people inside the club.

"So, yeah, one to keep an eye on that one, whether something happens sooner rather than later as well."

Should Spurs part ways with Paratici?

The ongoing court hearing which heavily involves the Italian is the last thing Spurs need right now as they look to plan for the future.

On the back of hiring Jose Mourinho and Conte, Daniel Levy must have learned that short-term managers are not the way forward for Spurs.

With this in mind, a project manager appears to be the best potential option for Spurs as they look to find their next manager after the Italian's exit over the weekend.

However, having Paratici's future hang over the club is unlikely to benefit them in their managerial search, as it could leave potential candidates uncertain as to what they are getting themselves into.

There have been suggestions that the likes of Mauricio Pochettino would not be keen to work under a director of football, so in that sense, Paratici's possible exit could be a positive.

But it does raise the question of whether Levy has grown fond of the set-up which has a director of football involved at the club.

And if this is the case, Paratici's potential exit may not mean too much for managerial targets like Pochettino, as Levy could look to bring in a replacement for the Italian.

Now that Paratici's case has been set back until May, it leaves Spurs with the potential concern that his uncertain future within the game of football could hamper their plans for the summer.

So it will be interesting to see whether Spurs make a decision on his future before the court provides its final verdict.

Arsenal reportedly want to open talks to sign attacking midfielder Brahim Diaz this summer, and even have an offer ready.

The Lowdown: Plenty of interest

Diaz is attracting plenty of interest ahead of the summer transfer window, with both Chelsea and Newcastle United also thought to be interested in his signature.

He is currently on loan at AC Milan from Real Madrid, and has been one of their standout performers in the Serie A, with four goals and three assists as well as ranking highly among his team-mates for average shots, key passes and dribbles per match (WhoScored).

The Latest: Offer ready

As per Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Arsenal ‘would like to open negotiations’ with Diaz over a potential move this summer, and want to ‘present an offer’ to Madrid.

Milan have an option to buy him for €22m (£19.4m), while Madrid themselves are considering renewing his contract.

The Verdict: Get it done

Having come through the youth ranks at Manchester City, and being Spanish, Diaz is a player Mikel Arteta will know well and would have kept an eye on during his time as assistant manager at the Etihad Stadium.

At 23 years of age, he is a player still with plenty of potential, and his ability to play in midfield as well as anywhere across the forward line would offer great versatility for next season.

Gunners supporters would have also noticed the impressive performances that Diaz put in in helping knock out North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Champions League last-16 stage, where he scored the winning goal in the first leg, and produced what The Guardian journalist Ed Aarons lauded as an ‘outstanding‘ display in the second.

Serie A analyst Matteo Bonetti also hailed him as a ‘pest‘ to play against, and so Diaz would be someone that the Emirates Stadium crowd could get behind straight away.

Manchester United are likely to make a ‘marquee number nine’ signing during the summer transfer window, according to journalist Ryan Taylor.

The Lowdown: New striker needed at United

The Red Devils look like a formidable side these days, despite Sunday’s 7-0 hammering by Liverpool, with top-quality players all over the pitch.

The one area where United look short is in central attacking areas, however, with Wout Weghorst limited and Anthony Martial horribly injury-prone.

They have been linked with a number of world-renowned strikers recently, with Victor Osimhen and Harry Kane possibly the front-runners to come in.

The Latest: Taylor backs transfer to happen

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Taylor said he believes a ‘marquee’ striker will make the move to Old Trafford this summer:

“I do envisage United going big on a marquee number nine whether that’s Kane, Osimhen or Vlahovic. I do see that happening, to be honest with you. I do feel like it is the final piece of the jigsaw.”

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The Verdict: Kane or Osimhen?

It is essential that United bring in a big upgrade centrally this summer, and at this point, it does feel as though Osimhen or Kane are the two strongest options.

The former looks like a sensational player, scoring 19 goals in Serie A this season and 15 in 23 caps for Nigeria, and at 24 he is comfortably the younger of the two.

Meanwhile, Kane is unquestionably one of the best strikers of his generation, recently becoming Tottenham’s all-time leading goalscorer and netting 201 times in the Premier League.

The age element probably gives Osimhen the edge, with Erik ten Hag wanting to build for the long-term, but either would be a masterstroke for United this summer.

A number of English and Scottish clubs are reportedly eyeing up a potential move for Newcastle United midfielder Matt Ritchie this summer.

The Lowdown: Ritchie soon out of contract

The 33-year-old is out of contract at St James’ Park at the end of June, meaning that he can leave as a free agent once it expires.

He has only made five senior appearances in total all season, and he could seek more regular game-time elsewhere.

The Latest: Plenty of interest in Ritchie

As per Football Insider, some clubs in England and Scotland are eyeing a potential move for Ritchie as a free agent this summer.

He is highly regarded among the staff and players at St James’ Park, but feels like his time on Tyneside is coming to an end.

Newcastle are looking to strengthen in midfield, which will make it even harder for Ritchie to get regular football.

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The Verdict: Get rid

Unfortunately for Ritchie, it does not look like he will get regular game-time with Newcastle next season, and at 33 years of age, it would probably be best for all parties if he left St James’ Park this summer.

Also, with the Scotsman earning £45,000 per week, the Magpies would free up a sizeable amount on the wage bill by letting him leave, which in turn could be used to then bring in a new midfielder.

Eddie Howe has hailed Ritchie as an ‘incredible’ servant to him in the past, with the 33-year-old playing 154 games under the Newcastle boss dating back to their time together at Bournemouth as well, but it seems like the player’s time in the northeast has now come to an end.