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South Africa batsman Temba Bavuma, who scored 75 on the second day, said the Newlands surface was ‘tricky and challenging’, but not ‘dangerous’

Danyal Rasool in Cape Town04-Jan-2019The pitches in South Africa have come under plenty of scrutiny ever since India played at the Wanderers on a surface the ICC rated “poor”, and Mickey Arthur, the Pakistan coach, said on Friday that the surfaces used for the first two Tests of the current series hadn’t been “good enough for Test cricket”.The second day of the Newlands Test saw several balls rear up from a good length. Faf du Plessis was struck on the gloves several times, requiring the attention of the physio, while Temba Bavuma copped a nasty one in the ribs, leading to a prolonged delay.”I’m a little bit disappointed, to be honest,” Arthur said. “I haven’t been back to South Africa in a cricketing capacity since 2010 and the standard of the wickets – the wicket we had at Centurion and the wicket here – I think haven’t been good enough for Test cricket.”It is inconsistent. I think there were seven stoppages today for balls that hit cracks and the physio came running out and we’re talking about day two. I understand that if it is happening on days four and five because that’s what happens in Test cricket: wickets deteriorate significantly and so they should, but it shouldn’t make your first innings a lottery, and I think that batting here in the first innings is extremely tough.”The difficulty level of the pitch in Centurion attracted attention from both sides, with Dean Elgar declaring South Africa “the hardest place in the world to be an opener.” Fifteen wickets fell on a first day there that saw much variable bounce, with the match ending before tea on day three.Here in Cape Town, Pakistan found themselves bowled out by tea on a spicy first-day surface, but it wasn’t until today that the unpredictable nature of the pitch began to reveal itself. As early as the third over, a Mohammad Abbas delivery jagged in sharply from outside off stump to take Hashim Amla’s leg stump.”It was a challenging, tricky wicket,” said Bavuma, who scored 75. “Compared to SuperSport Park, this wicket was a bit quicker. It’s challenging, but definitely not impossible. As a batter, you’ve got to make peace with the fact that you’re going to get a few blows on the body. I wouldn’t call it dangerous. Faf [du Plessis] is still living, I’m still living.”Even so, it might be worth noting the challenges of the pitch have disquieted Pakistan much more significantly than the hosts. Despite the supposed poor quality of the surface here, South Africa added 259 runs in 86 overs on a day unquestionably dominated by the bat, prompting suggestions that the issue may be more about the relative batting quality of the sides. Arthur, however, believed the pitches in South Africa used to be better in the past.”I still believe in a good contest in Test cricket but, again, we aren’t at home so we don’t have a say. I do think the wickets have got significantly worse since I coached [South Africa] in 2010.”

Rob McElhenney has used wife Kaitlin Olson to highlight the C-word challenge that he faces at Wrexham alongside fellow Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds.

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Celebrity chairmen arrived in 2021Have enjoyed quite the journeyStill adjusting to British cultureGetty/GOALWHAT HAPPENED?

After acquiring the Welsh outfit in a stunning takeover deal back in 2021, McElhenney and Reynolds have been eager to “respect” British culture. Those efforts are being made on and off the field, with the pair fully aware that they are stepping a long way outside of their on-screen comfort zone.

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They have been successful for the most part, with back-to-back promotions taking Wrexham from the National League and into League One. An award-winning documentary series has raised the club’s profile around the world, with there the promise of more twists and turns to come on an emotional rollercoaster.

WHAT MCELHENNEY SAID

McElhenney is, however, prepared to admit that there are quirks in the United Kingdom that take some getting used to. He has told the show: “We are very careful about using the term football and we always want to be respectful of the fact that we are outsiders – an American and a Canadian that are coming in and we want to adopt a lot of the culture and not try to change anything. But there are certain things that we can’t, that just don’t translate. There is the use of a word over there, that begins with a C, that means something very different to us here. It doesn’t translate. They use it a lot and it’s used very freely. It’s not gender specific, you hear it in general conversation. I was at a restaurant and I heard a 12-year-old call another 12-year-old this, in a joking fashion! I don’t want to code switch and have to worry about coming back and forth. I don’t want Kaitlin to scream down ‘hey, c***, check your Instagram!’”

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WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

McElhenney and Reynolds have dragged family and friends along for the ride at Wrexham, with the likes of Olson, Blake Lively, Will Ferrell, Hugh Jackman and Paul Rudd enjoying days out at SToK Racecourse. The plan is to savour many more memorable experiences, with ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ returning for series three in May as the Red Dragons begin to ready themselves for life in League One.

Sheffield Wednesday have signed an exciting teenager on trial with a view to offering him a permanent professional contract should he succeed, according to a fresh report.

Danny Rohl's young squad showing signs of life

The Owls currently have Djeidi Gassama as their youngest first-team player at the age of 20, closely followed by Anthony Musaba at 22, alongside Di'Shon Bernard and Ciaran Brennan who are both 23 in the Championship.

Danny Rohl clearly isn’t afraid to hand an opportunity to up-and-coming talents to showcase what they are capable of should they deserve a chance to prove their worth at a senior level, but first, the club need to bolster their youth ranks with fresh faces who would be up for attempting the task.

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Ahead of January, Chippenham Town centre-back Dan Ellison has emerged as a potential candidate who falls into that bracket, with the defender currently plying his trade in the National League South, so he will be keen to make the move to a high-profile outfit.

The Hillsborough Stadium target’s contract expiry date is unknown as it stands, but that hasn’t stopped the hierarchy from wanting to get the 18-year-old in the building to take a look at his performances, and he’s already played his first game in South Yorkshire.

Sheffield Wednesday chiefs assessing Dan Ellison

According to The Star, Ellison is on trial at Sheffield Wednesday and could earn himself a professional deal should he impress the board during his time up north.

"Sheffield Wednesday are having a look at defender, Dan Ellison, as they consider reinforcing their youth ranks. Ellison, an 18-year-old who is currently on the books of National League South outfit, Chippenham Town, was handed a starting berth when the young Owls took on Hull City on Tuesday evening.

"The former Westbury United man already has three goals in six games in the league this season, and he’ll be hoping that he can do enough during his time with the Owls to secure a deal at Middlewood Road.”

Ellison is a promising player for the future

Whilst Ellison is still only a teenager, he’s got a clean record when it comes to carrying out his job having received zero yellow or red cards since the start of the season, which paints the picture of a calm and composed young defender (Transfermarkt – Ellison statistics).

Standing at 6 foot 2, the young colossus will also provide a real physical presence at the heart of the backline with his height, making him a handful for the opposition to deal with, whether that’s in his own box or at the top end of the pitch when it comes to set pieces.

Ellison has proved to be a threat offensively having scored three goals in six games this campaign in the National League South, so for all of the positive attributes that he possesses, it should be a no-brainer of a decision for the club to offer him the chance to make the permanent move to Hillsborough.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Philippe Clement's impressive start to life in Scotland continued on Saturday as his unbeaten run remained intact.

The Belgian tactician has been in charge of 12 competitive matches for the Scottish giants and is yet to see his side lose in any competition so far.

Goals from James Tavernier, Cyriel Dessers, and Abdallah Sima ensured that all three points were secured by the Gers against Dundee at Ibrox, despite going down to ten men due to a mistimed challenge from Jose Cifuentes.

Dessers has now scored five goals in 13 Scottish Premiership appearances for the club since his summer switch from Italian side Cremonese.

The Nigeria international has, however, missed a whopping 11 'big chances' in front of goal and it remains to be seen whether or not Clement can rely upon him as a consistent scoring option.

This is a big concern after the worrying update on Danilo, who is set for a spell on the sidelines with a knee injury suffered against Hearts earlier this month.

Rangers news – Danilo and Bojan Miovski

Sky Sports recently reported that the Brazilian centre-forward may need to have surgery on his knee and there is no timetable on his potential return or how long he would be out for without the need to go under the knife.

This is a worrying update for Rangers as the summer signing from Feyenoord now looks set for a significant spell on the sidelines, particularly if surgery is required, and that could force them into the market in January to bolster their frontline.

Earlier this month, The Scottish Sun claimed that the Light Blues have been keeping tabs on impressive Aberdeen number nine Bojan Miovski.

The report claimed that the Gers are one of a number of clubs, in Scotland and England, eyeing up the North Macedonia international. However, the potential finances involved could make it a difficult one for them to complete.

It is stated that Celtic are also weighing up an official approach to secure his services as Brendan Rodgers wants to improve his striker options.

The Scottish Sun added that it could take a Premiership record fee of more than the £4.4m the Hoops paid for Scott Brown from Hibernian back in 2007, although no exact figure on how much the Dons would demand was mentioned.

This could make it too expensive for Rangers but never say never in football as it would be impossible to rule out exits in January that could raise enough funds for them to compete for the signing of Miovski.

If they could bring the talented marksman in to Ibrox then it could ease the blow of losing Danilo for a chunk of the season, or more, as he is a proven performer at this level who could come in and hit the ground running during the second half of the 2023/24 campaign.

Danilo's season in numbers

The Brazilian ace has been an exciting addition to the squad and showcased his ability as both a scorer and a creator goals in recent weeks.

Appearances

34

Starts

14

Goals

Ten

Assists

Three

Big chances missed

Nine

Michael Beale snapped him up after an excellent return in front of goal in minimal starts, as shown in the table above, for Feyenoord and Clement was starting to get the best out of the young ace prior to his injury blow.

Danilo racked up three goals and four assists in his last nine competitive appearances for the Gers in all competitions, whilst Dessers has managed three assists in 24 matches since his move to Scotland over the summer.

The 24-year-old finisher has produced four goals and one assist in five Premiership starts so far this season, which shows that the ex-Ajax man has been a lethal option for the Scottish giants at the top end of the pitch.

He has proven himself to be a nuisance to opposition defenders and has the quality, as shown by his aforementioned statistics, to provide a threat in front of goal whilst also being able to create opportunities for his fellow attackers.

Whereas, Dessers has five goals and zero assists in 11 top-flight starts for Rangers, which suggests that Danilo has been far more of a threat in his starts for the club.

This suggests that Clement is in need of another centre-forward option in the Brazilian's absence, which is where Miovski could come in.

The statistics that show why Miovski would be a good signing for Rangers

The 24-year-old sensation joined Aberdeen from MTK Budapest at the start of last season and hit the ground running in Scotland with his superb performances at the top end of the pitch.

Miovski has caused constant problems for opposition defenders with the threat he provides in the final third, whilst the talented gem has also made an impact in European competitions.

Appearances

37

Goals

16

Assists

Two

Big chances created

Six

Big chances missed

15

As you can see from the table above, the left-footed marksman was a regular goalscorer in the top-flight in his first season in Scottish football.

Meanwhile, no Rangers forward managed more than Antonio Colak's return of 14 Premiership goals and James Tavernier was the only Gers player in any position to match Miovski's 16 strikes.

The Dons star also produced two goals and one assist in four League Cup appearances to take his tally to 18 goals in his debut campaign.

This season, Miovski has racked up 12 goals and three assists in 25 matches in all competitions. He has managed four goals and two assists in seven Europa League qualifiers and Europa Conference League games combined.

The Aberdeen whiz, who manager Barry Robson lauded as a "brilliant boy" earlier this season, has scored six goals and missed six 'big chances' in the Premiership, which means that he has scored more goals and missed fewer huge opportunities than Dessers.

These statistics suggest that Clement's squad would be bolstered by the signing of the SPFL finisher as he has proven himself at this level and could provide far more quality in the box in comparison to the Nigeria international.

Therefore, the Gers should work hard to beat Celtic to his signature in January to ease the blow of losing Danilo to a knee injury.

The opener scored more than 70% of his team’s runs, setting Dhaka Dynamites a target of 200, which proved too far out of reach despite a blazing start from Rony Talukdar

The Report by Mohammad Isam in Dhaka08-Feb-2019How the game played outTamim Iqbal hauled Comilla Victorians onto his back and carried them to their second BPL title. His unbeaten 141 off 61 balls, with eleven sixes and ten fours, put the final too far beyond Dhaka Dynamites, who fell to a 17-run defeat, their second final loss in a row.Tamim found the perfect time to post his highest T20 score, and also his first hundred in the BPL. It was also the second-highest score in the BPL behind Chris Gayle’s unbeaten 146 in the 2017-18 final.Tamim’s six hitting really began in the 11th over, when he slog-swept Shuvagata Hom to move from 39 to 45. Before that, he had hit one six in 28 balls. From there on, he hit ten in 33. No matter if it was Shakib Al Hasan’s spin or the pace of Rubel Hossain and Andre Russell, everything pinged off the middle of Tamim’s bat and rained into the Mirpur crowd. There were slog-sweeps, clean straight hits, and the pick of them all was an effortless flick off Rubel that flew over square leg.It was an almost literally single-handed effort from Tamim. Even as he spanked 141 from the 61 balls he faced, the other Victorians who batted today – Evin Lewis, Anamul Haque, Shamsur Rahman and Imrul Kayes – managed 47 off 59 between them. Imrul, who was involved in an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 100, contributed an unbeaten 17 off 21 balls.Tamim was particularly devastating against Rubel and Russell, hitting them for 69 off 28 balls, at a strike rate of 246.43.The Dynamites replied spectacularly too, particularly Rony Talukdar who blasted a 38-ball 66 with six fours and four sixes. Upul Tharanga supported him with 48 off 27 balls, but once their 102-run second-wicket stand ended, Victorians roared back, taking the wickets of Shakib, Rony and Russell soon after to all but end the contest.When Kieron Pollard also fell in the 16th over, the Dynamites lost their last big-game player. Wahab Riaz’s 3 for 28 might be lost amid the Tamim headlines, but his bowling was just as crucial, given the way the Dynamites were going at one stage. He sent down the tight overs just when it mattered for the Victorians.BCBTurning points After Sunil Narine conceded just two runs in the 16th over, Tamim took 22 runs off the 17th bowled by Russell to give the Victorians some much-needed impetus. Rony Talukdar powered Dynamites to 71 for 1 in their Powerplay, setting them up perfectly in their chase of 200. Andre Russell, who has gone at a strike-rate of 156.91 in the BPL this season, fell with the Dynamites needing 68 off 41 balls.Star of the dayTamim scored 70.85% of his side’s 199 runs, the second-highest percentage from one batsman in the BPL behind Gayle’s 70.87 in last season’s final. Tamim took 31 balls to reach his fifty, and only 19 more to get to his hundred. To top it off, his last 38 runs came off just 11 balls. The pacing throughout highlighted the quality of his innings.The big missNurul Hasan put Tamim down off Qazi Onik in the eighth over, when he was batting on 24. It wasn’t a straightforward chance, since Nurul had to dive, but he may have been a little late on it, going with one hand rather than two, and by his standards it seemed a shoddy effort.Where the teams standThe Victorians have claimed their second BPL title while the Dynamites have lost their second final in a row, with their last championship coming in 2016.

Thomas Tuchel says Bayern Munich are ready for the fight against Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals.

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Tuchel's Bayern ready for Real Madrid challengeReached semi-final for the first time since 2019-20 Beat Arsenal 3-2 on aggregate in quarter-finalWHAT HAPPENED?

Bayern Munich are all set to face 14-time winners Real Madrid in the semi-final of the Champions League with the first leg set to take place on Tuesday at Allianz Arena. Ahead of the crucial encounter, manager Thomas Tuchel claimed that his players are ready to 'accept the fight' that Los Blancos will put up against them.

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The Bavarian side reached the last-four stage after edging out Arsenal 3-2 on aggregate in the quarter-final. The last time they made it to the semi-final was back in the 2019-20 season when they went on to lift their sixth Champions League title by beating Tuchel's Paris Saint-Germain in the final.

WHAT THOMAS TUCHEL SAID

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, the German boss told reporters, "Playing against Carlo is always something special. We will try to give his team a hard time. We need the fans in the stadium. It’s a 50-50 match. We accept the fight."

He added, "When you're playing against Real Madrid, you're also up against the aura, the legend that surrounds them. Our focus will be fully on the game. We're all looking forward to a great match."

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR BAYERN MUNICH?

After facing the Spanish giants during the midweek, Bayern will be back in action in the Bundesliga on Saturday as they take on VFB Stuttgart.

The spinner is set to fly to Chennai on Friday morning as SLC looks to fast track his return to the international fold ahead of their tour of South Africa later this month

Madushka Balasuriya31-Jan-2019Akila Dananjaya is set to fly to Chennai on Friday morning to reassess his bowling action, as Sri Lanka Cricket looks to fast track his return to the international fold ahead of their tour of South Africa later this month.”Spinner Akila Dananjaya will fly to Chennai, India tomorrow morning (February 1, 2019) to reassess his bowling action,” an SLC release confirmed. “The reassessment will take place at the Center for Sports Science (CSS) of the Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research in Chennai.”Dananjaya, who will be accompanied on the journey by spin coach Piyal Wijetunge, was reported for a suspect action during England’s tour of Sri Lanka late last year. He was officially banned from bowling in international cricket in December, after an independent biomechanics assessment found that he was flexing his arm beyond the allowed 15-degree limit.Since then, the 25 year-old has been working tirelessly alongside Wijetunge to remodel his action, and to ensure it hasn’t dulled his effectiveness. The work itself has been made easier by the fact that it was solely his stock offbreak which is believed to have run foul of the ICC guidelines.As the ban allowed for him to bowl in domestic cricket, provided SLC consented, Dananjaya was seen turning out for Colts CC last month, with cameras placed all around to capture his action. Having analysed that footage SLC is now confident his new action is within the legal limits. Meanwhile, any concerns over his continued effectiveness were placated by a return of 4 for 104 in 30 overs.Dananjaya has been one of Sri Lanka’s main threats in limited-overs cricket in recent times, taking 28 ODI wickets at an average of 23 from 16 matches in 2018, and a further 27 wickets at 24.25 in Tests.

Sunderland are still on the lookout for a new manager, and a new candidate has made it known he would be keen on the vacancy.

Sunderland manager latest

The Black Cats are preparing for life without Tony Mowbray in the Stadium of Light hot seat, following his sacking as manager last weekend. The 60-year-old was relieved of his duties after the 1-1 draw away to Millwall in the Championship, with those high up at the club feeling that he had taken the team as far as he could.

Sunderland are back in action with a trip to West Brom on Saturday lunchtime, but they are yet to name a successor to Mowbray, as the search continues to bring in the right appointment. Will Still is one individual who has emerged as a contender to take charge of the Black Cats, with the 31-year-old an exciting young manager who is currently in charge of Reims in Ligue 1. Another person who has been linked with the vacant job is Kim Hellberg, with the young Swede also seen as a good option.

Another individual has also been thrown into the mix, however – one who British audiences will know well.

Scott Brown keen to become Sunderland manager

According to reliable reporter Scott Burns of The Daily Record, Celtic legend Scott Brown has thrown his name in the ring to become the next Sunderland manager, with the 38-year-old most recently in charge of Fleetwood Town.

"Celtic legend Scott Brown has thrown his hat into the ring at Sunderland to replace the man who tried to bring his glittering Parkhead playing career to a premature end.

"Record Sport understands the former Scotland skipper has, in the last 24 hours, entered the running to fill the hot seat at the Stadium of Light after the shock sacking of Tony Mowbray. Sources on Wearside have confirmed the Championship outfit have been made aware of Brown’s interest in discussing the vacant position.

"And the 38-year-old could now join a list of early contenders which include ex-Rangers boss Michael Beale and current Ibrox coach Alex Rae."

Brown could be an interesting appointment by Sunderland, and while his lack of experience in management could make him something of a risk, he may well be seen as an exciting young option. Still only 38 years of age, the Scot guided Fleetwood to a respectable 13th-place finish in League One last season, prior to being sacked after a poor start to the current campaign.

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ByKelan Sarson Dec 7, 2023

The former Celtic captain, who won an eye-opening 10 Scottish Premiership titles during his time at Parkhead, primarily opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation, which is similar to what Mowbray often did with the Black Cats, meaning the current squad shouldn't find it too difficult to adapt to his system.

That being said, Brown has never managed at a level as high as the Championship, so there is always a chance that he proves to be out of his depth, perhaps highlighting why a more proven option could be wise at an important point in the season.

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have been welcoming fans aboard the Wrexham bandwagon, and they now have Welsh trains named in their honour.

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Famous faces at SToK RacecourseHelped Red Dragons into League OneStunning impact on and off the fieldWHAT HAPPENED?

The Hollywood stars completed a stunning takeover at SToK Racecourse in 2021. They have enjoyed quite the ride since then, with a remarkable journey taking them from the National League to League One via Wembley, play-off heartache and a number of marquee transfer deals.

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All of that has been caught on camera for the ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary, with that series opening up a window to the world. Reynolds and McElhenney have been warmly embraced by the community that surrounds their British sporting venture of choice, and their achievements have been recognised further afield.

DID YOU KNOW?

It is now possible to ride on the Vancouver Red Dragon and the Philadelphia Robin, with Transport for Wales offering a nod towards two famous faces in Wrexham – with Reynolds hailing from Canada and McElhenney from Pennsylvania.

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Transport for WalesWHAT POLITICIANS SAID

Welsh government’s First Minister, Vaughan Gething, has said: “There's a real buzz about Wrexham these days. Rob and Ryan have put an incredible amount into the community and it's fantastic that their contribution is being recognised with the new trains, which I'm sure every Wrexham fan will want to travel on whenever they can.”

Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates, added: “Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have opened a window to the world on Wrexham, its fantastic football club and the wider region. I'm delighted that we're recognising this by naming two of our brand new, made-in-Wales trains in their honour.”

French president Emmanuel Macron has revealed that he is trying to pressurise Real Madrid into releasing Kylian Mbappe for the Paris Olympics.

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Mbappe set to join Real MadridMacron wants Mbappe at Paris OlympicsWill try to pressurise Real Madrid to allow itGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Mbappe is set to join Los Blancos this summer as a free agent, and this has almost been confirmed by multiple sources already. It seems the same is the case in Macron's mind as he has admitted that he will try and ask his 'so-called future club' to release the French superstar for the Paris Olympics which will coincide with Real Madrid's pre-season camp.

AdvertisementWHAT MACRON SAID

Speaking to the press, the French president said [via GFFN]: "Will Mbappe play with France at the Olympics? I hope. In any, case I have put the maximum pressure on his so-called future club."

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As has been reported earlier, Real Madrid have already informed the French Football Federation that they won't be releasing their soon-to-be Galactico for the Olympics as they want to incorporate the 25-year-old into the team dynamics well before the start of the season.

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WHAT NEXT FOR MBAPPE?

It remains highly unlikely that Mbappe will star at the Paris Olympics this summer with Real Madrid looking to stand firm on their stance. Additionally, FIFA does not recognize the Olympics as an official tournament and hence, Real Madrid are not obliged to let Mbappe join the national team.