Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta spoke highly of new Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim as he sees a 'nice challenge' ahead for the Portuguese.
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Arteta praised AmorimWished him luck for his future at Old TraffordMan Utd and Arsenal will lock horns on December 4Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The Arsenal manager heaped praise on Amorim for the work he did at Sporting CP, where he won four trophies in four years, including two Liga Portugal titles. Arteta feels that the Portuguese coach now has a big challenge ahead of him in managing one of the most iconic clubs in the world and wishes the best for his future at Old Trafford.
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Speaking to reporters, the Spaniard said: "Amorim is an excellent coach, with a special career, who achieved something historic at Sporting, especially in terms of form. He has a very nice challenge ahead of him at one of the most important clubs in the world and I hope it goes well for him."
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The 39-year-old's debut game in charge of United did not go as planned. The team did get off to a dream start at Ipswich as Marcus Rashford handed them the lead in the second minute of the game from Amad Diallo's assist. However, former Chelsea youth player Omari Hutchinson scored a deflected equaliser to seal a point for Ipswich. While Amorim failed to register a win, he did bring new ideas and formation to the team which could eventually work in the club's favour in the long run.
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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?
The Red Devils are scheduled to face the Gunners on December 4 but before the mega clash, they will face Bodo/Glimt and Everton in their next two fixtures in the Europa League and the Premier League, respectively.
Leeds United are a matter of days away from kicking off their 2024/25 Championship season as they prepare to face off against Portsmouth at Elland Road on Saturday.
The Whites will be looking for a fast start to the new campaign after they narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier League back in May, losing 1-0 to Southampton in the play-off final at Wembley.
Daniel Farke is now hoping that it is second time lucky for his side as the German goes in search of his third promotion out of the second tier, having won the title twice during his time with Norwich City.
The West Yorkshire outfit's hopes of promotion have been dealt a blow by the exit of winger Crysencio Summerville, though, as the forward has joined West Ham United on a permanent deal this month.
Starts
41
Goals
19
Conversion rate
15%
Assists
9
Dribbles completed per game
2.3
The former Feyenoord youngster, as shown in the table above, was a constant menace to opposition defences in the league last term and Leeds are looking to dip into the market to secure his services.
Leeds eyeing up Premier League winger
According to journalist Alan Nixon, the Whites could pursue a deal to sign Crystal Palace wide man Jesurun Rak-Sakyi before the end of the window.
The reporter claims that fellow Championship sides Sheffield United and Hull City are both trying to secure his services on loan for the 2024/25 campaign, whilst Queens Park Rangers have also been linked.
Nixon adds that Leeds could come in with a move for the 21-year-old whiz if they do not sign Jonathan Rowe from divisional rivals Norwich City.
Football Insider recently reported that the Whites have already had an offer of £7m quickly rejected by the Canaries for the England U21 international.
The outlet added that the Yellows are set to demand a fee of at least £15m for their academy graduate, who has one year left on his current contract at Carrow Road – with an option to extend that by a further year.
This means that Leeds offered less than half what Norwich want for the impressive winger and it could, therefore, be a difficult deal for Farke and his recruitment team to get over the line.
However, the German boss could forget all about raiding his former club for Rowe by securing a deal to sign Rak-Sakyi from Palace instead.
Jonathan Rowe's form for Norwich
Firstly, it is easy to see why Leeds are interested in signing the Canaries youngster to bolster their options on the flanks in the wake of Summerville's move to the London Stadium.
He's a young and proven Championship performer who could come in and hit the ground running at Elland Road, whilst also having the potential to improve and develop over the years to come – at the age of 21.
Rowe is someone Farke could work with on the training pitch to help him fulfill his potential but he is also an excellent player who could make an instant impact on the pitch.
Appearances
32
xG
5.36
Goals
12
Big chances created
1
Assists
2
Key passes per game
0.8
As you can see in the table above, the 21-year-old dynamo was a goal threat for the Canaries in the second tier last term, in his first full season at senior level.
12 goals from an xG tally of just 5.36 also shows that Rowe's finishing was exemplary. He rarely wasted a high-quality chance to find the back of the net, scoring almost seven more goals than expected based on the quality of opportunities that were created for him.
However, the English gem did not provide much in the way of creativity. The Norwich youngster made less than one key pass per game and only created one 'big chance' in 32 outings during the regular season.
This suggests that Rowe would be unlikely to replace the creativity Summerville displayed on the flank, with his nine assists in the Championship.
Whereas, Rak-Sakyi is a player who could come through the doors at Elland Road with the potential to make an impact as both a scorer and a creator of goals.
Why Leeds should forget about Rowe
Instead of splashing out a staggering £15m to sign a player from one of their Championship rivals, the West Yorkshire side could save their money and land a loan deal for the Palace youngster as a potentially better alternative.
Rak-Sakyi is coming off the back of a frustrating season where he was used as a squad player for the Eagles – making just eight first-team appearances.
rak-sakyi-crystal-palace
He did, though, fire in four goals and provide one assist in three U21 matches for the Premier League 2 side, which offered a glimpse at the quality he can offer.
His form at academy level for Palace has always been strong. Rak-Sayki has scored 24 goals and assisted eight in 40 U21 games for the club, along with eight goals and eight assists in 17 U18 matches.
The left-footed ace, who was described as "remarkable" by Roy Hodgson, has also showcased his attacking quality in senior football with Charlton on loan in the 2022/23 campaign.
Appearances
43
32
Goals
15
12
Assists
8
2
Big chances created
5
1
Key passes per game
1.3
0.8
Completed dribbles per game
1.8
1.1
As you can see in the table above, Rak-Sayki was a star for the Addicks with his ability to score and create goals, with 23 direct goal contributions in 43 matches.
Albeit at a lower level, the Palace youngster outscored Rowe and provided far more creativity for Charlton than the Norwich whiz did in the Championship last season.
Rak-Sakyi's statistics at academy level and in League One suggest that the potential is there for him to offer more than the £15m-rated Leeds target at the top end of the pitch, due to his goalscoring prowess and creative quality.
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The Whites are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the Premier League defender.
ByDan Emery Aug 6, 2024
Therefore, Farek could forget all about a move for Rowe this summer by winning the race to sign the former Charlton loanee to bolster the squad.
Good friend Jos Buttler gave a moving address to mark the milestone before England’s win over India
Valkerie Baynes16-Mar-2021Eoin Morgan has revealed that he was moved to the verge of tears by Jos Buttler’s words to mark his 100th T20I, before England took the field for their eight-wicket defeat of India on Tuesday.Morgan became the first England men’s player to reach the milestone – Danni Wyatt and Jenny Gunn had already done so for England Women – and the fourth man overall after Shoaib Malik, Rohit Sharma and Ross Taylor.Morgan, who led England to victory in the 50-over World Cup in 2019 and now has his sights set on the T20 World Cup in India in October, was applauded by his team in a huddle after a short presentation by Buttler before the start of play.Related
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“It nearly brought me to tears to be honest,” Morgan told the host broadcaster after England romped to victory with 10 balls to spare, thanks to a seriously quick display from Mark Wood and a stunning 83 not out off just 52 balls from Buttler.”It meant a huge amount, He’s a great friend of mine, our families are quite close, and playing in 100 games is a proud moment for me. But just the words that he said, really did sort of warm my heart and I’m very grateful for it.”Morgan was pleased with the start his quicks, Wood, Jofra Archer and Chris Jordan, gave the side after a solid first over from spinner Adil Rashid, opening the bowling for the second time in three matches this series.”The carry that we saw throughout the whole game was a bit of a surprise to us, ” he said. “Our guys don’t find that too hard to adjust to and enjoy it when there’s a bit of pace and bounce, so I thought the first half of our bowling was exceptional. When you look at the lines and lengths that we bowled, the plans that we had, and obviously taking early wickets as well in such a long batting line-up, makes a huge difference in the game.”Today, probably of all the games, the wicket stayed very similar, but I do think there is another challenge with setting a total, particularly when there’s one short side on the ground, you just don’t know what a good score is going to be. And I think if you lose early wickets on top of that, that raises another question, Obviously you have to play well to be in the game, and then take advantage of it.”It’s just the dynamics of T20 cricket, it just goes to show how strong every side in the world has to be and the preparation that goes into every series, obviously with the World Cup in seven months’ time.”And he spoke highly of Buttler, who took on spinner Yuzvendra Chahal with two sixes in his first over and two fours in his second, helping himself to 14 runs off Shardul Thakur in between as he moved to 43 off just 17 balls by the end of the powerplay.”Jos is a world class player,” Morgan added. “We’re very lucky to have him. Since he’s taken on the role at the top of the order, he’s averaged upwards of 50 and striking at 150, so he competes with the best in the world when it comes to opening the batting. He’s been in incredible form, he’s a great leader within our group. He’s been around for an incredibly long time, and in the change-room obviously he has a huge influence.”Buttler, who shared an unbroken 77-run partnership with Jonny Bairstow, hailed the win as “a great team performance”.”Any time you take early wickets in a powerplay really sets you up, and we’ve got some good partnerships together to see us home,” Buttler said.”In a little way sometimes people don’t expect me to attack the spin as well so I thought I’d like to try and take it on. Chahal’s a fantastic bowler, had some good battles against him. But it’s nice to chance my arm a bit today.”As for what he said to Morgan before the match, Buttler added: “I tried to get across what a special achievement it is and what he’s done for English white-ball cricket.”Today is about him and reaching that milestone. He’s been a pioneer for England white-ball cricketers. As a leader he has taken English white-ball cricket to a place it’s never been before.”He’s always been ahead of the curve, alongside Kevin Pietersen. They were the two guys that I always looked to in white-ball teams who could do it a bit differently.”
Heartfelt words from @josbuttler to mark @Eoin16's incredible achievement pic.twitter.com/lNmghiAuTs
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) March 17, 2021
Wood finished his first two-over spell with 2 for 10, as India limped to 24 for 3 in the powerplay, and ended with match figures of 3 for 31 off four, after Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 77 had lifted his side to 156 for 6.”I was just trying to bang into the wicket on a good length as fast as I can, trying to make something happen,” Wood said. “He [Kohli] is a fantastic player, very hard to bowl at. Even some of my plans at the end, he played great shots off those and sometimes you have to say, ‘well played’.”
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has defended raising Manchester United ticket prices during the season amid recent protests from supporters.
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Co-owner says club must charge premium pricesHe introduced ticket changes mid-seasonWants to ensure locals can afford to goFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Supporters were left outraged when they were informed last month that ticket prices for club members would be increased with immediate effect, with the changes including charging a full price of £66 for over-65s and children, who previously received discounts. Speaking to the , via , Ratcliffe made a surprising comparison between ticket prices at Old Trafford and at fellow Premier League club Fulham.
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Ratcliffe, who was born into a working class family in north Manchester before going on to become a multi-billionaire and one of the richest people in Britain, said the club must strike a balance between raising revenue to build a winning squad and ensuring local fans can still afford to go and watch the team. He explained: "I was brought up on a council estate in Manchester, I absolutely get that. I don’t want to end up in a position where the genuine local fans can’t afford to come, but I do want to optimise the ticketing. We need to find a balance. And you can’t be popular all the time either."
WHAT RATCLIFFE SAID
Ratcliffe said: "It’s an emotive one, ticketing, but we have to have some benchmarks with ticketing. We must make sure that we look after the community because at the end of the day it’s their football club. We need to make sure that people who are genuine supporters can afford to go. Maybe their circumstances don’t allow them to spend a fortune on tickets. The issue is whether this is the thin edge of the wedge. I don’t think it makes sense for a Manchester United ticket to cost less than a ticket to see Fulham."
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DID YOU KNOW?
Ratcliffe has accelerated a move towards building a new stadium for United. There remains a possibility that the club stays on the current site and develops the current stadium although Ratcliffe favours building a brand new arena adjacent to the existing ground.
ESPNcricinfo understands that the Indian board has already sent ECB the NOCs
Annesha Ghosh03-May-2021The BCCI has granted four India Women players No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for their participation in the inaugural Hundred, the eight-team tournament which starts on July 21.ESPNcricinfo understands that the Indian board has already sent the ECB the NOCs and the official announcement regarding the four contracted players comprising the Indian contingent is likely to made by the teams soon.Related
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The Hundred – full 2021 squad lists
The Indian players with the Hundred contracts will extend their stay in the UK following the completion of India’s multi-format assignment against hosts England which begins with a one-off Test on Bristol on June 16 and concludes with the third and final T20I on July 15. A three-match ODI series is also slotted in between.Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Deepti Sharma made up the Indian contingent at the now-defunct Kia Super League (KSL), the ECB’s domestic T20 tournament that made way for the Women’s Hundred.Twenty of the 24 overseas signings for the women’s competition have already been made, with confirmation of Ellyse Perry’s involvement in March making her the 11th Australian player to sign on. The four teams with one vacant overseas spot each are Southern Brave, London Spirit, Manchester Originals and Northern Superchargers.During India’s home series against South Africa in March, India T20I vice-captain Mandhana, who represented the Western Storm in the 2018 and 2019 seasons of the KSL, had confirmed that the ECB and the BCCI had been in touch regarding the NOCs.The Hundred, which was postponed last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, will kick off with the women’s match between the Oval Invincibles and Manchester Originals in London before their respective men’s sides meet the following day.With no player draft for the women, teams are selected by their respective head coaches. Players with contracts for 2020 were given the option to roll them over to 2021 at the same salary band, or to negotiate with other teams. Teams can sign a maximum of three players with England central contracts, and have until June 2021 to finalise their squads.Some of the big overseas names in the tournament include Sophie Devine (Birmingham Phoenix), Deandra Dottin (London Spirit), Marizanne Kapp (Oval Invincibles), and Meg Lanning (Welsh Fire).
Tottenham Hotspur have less than a week to go to complete the rest of the business they want to do before the summer transfer window officially slams shut.
One of their summer signings made his debut in the 4-0 win over Everton in London on Saturday, as Wilson Odobert was handed a start on the flank.
Dominic Solanke and Archie Gray have also been brought in and made their debuts in the 1-1 draw with Leicester City in the first match of the Premier League campaign.
Tottenham striker Dominic Solanke
There could be more to come, in terms of incoming, before Friday's deadline and they have been linked with one player who could avenge the howler they had with Clement Lenglet.
Tottenham's howler with Clement Lenglet
Daniel Levy swooped to sign the France international on a season-long loan from Spanish giants Barcelona in the summer of 2022 in an attempt to bolster Antonio Conte's squad.
The experienced defender came in to provide competition across the backline for the Italian head coach but endured a difficult season in England.
Appearances
26
Sofascore rating
6.65
Error led to shot or goal
2
Duel success rate
56%
Dribbled past
18x
As you can see in the table above, he made two errors that directly led to a shot or a goal for the opposition and was dribbled past 18 times.
This suggests that he was prone to mistakes, in giving the ball away in dangerous areas and allowing players to dribble past him, at the heart of the defence, which is why the loan move did not work out in the end and they did not bring him back permanently.
Spurs could now avenge their Lenglet blunder
Levy could now avenge his blunder with Lenglet, who was far from an impressive performer for Spurs, by going back to Barcelona to sign another centre-back – Andreas Christensen.
Spanish outlet Sport recently reported that Tottenham are one of the sides interested in the Denmark international, who is available for £21m, and he could come in as a solid addition to the defensive unit.
In the 2023/24 campaign, Christensen made 30 appearances in LaLiga for Barcelona and caught the eye with his work in and out of possession.
Andreas Christensen
The Danish colossus, who was once dubbed "extraordinary" by Xavi, completed 94% of his attempted passes in the league, compared to Lenglet's 87% with Spurs in the Premier League.
Christensen was also only dribbled past 12 times and did not make a single error that led to a shot or goal for the opposition, which suggests that he is far more reliable defensively than the Frenchman.
The former Chelsea ace would also bring aerial dominance to the team, as he won 71% of his duels in the air last season, and that could help Ange Postecoglou from set-pieces and when it comes to defending crosses, which was an issue for Jamie Vardy's goal against Leicester.
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Tottenham are up and running…
1 ByAngus Sinclair Aug 24, 2024
Overall, Christensen's form for Barcelona and his relatively cheap price tag at £21m suggests that he would be a shrewd signing to provide back-up to Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, whilst avenging the Lenglet howler by coming in as an impressive defender from Barcelona.
Liverpool continued their perfect start to life under Arne Slot in the Premier League with an impressive 3-0 victory over Manchester United on Sunday.
The Reds have now won all three of their top-flight matches without conceding a single goal and are second in the division, only behind Manchester City on goal difference, heading into the first international break.
Much was made of Jurgen Klopp's exit, after almost nine years and Premier League and Champions League trophies, when he made the decision to part ways with the club in the summer.
However, Slot has hit the ground running and implemented his style seamlessly with a terrific start to the 2024/25 campaign, which may have eased any fears about a bumpy transition.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot.
What makes this impressive start to the season all the more eye-catching is that the manager only made one signing during the summer transfer window.
Federico Chiesa arrived on a permanent deal from Juventus towards the end of the window and has yet to make his debut for the club, which means that the players Slot inherited have all adapted to his style quickly.
Luis Diaz and Mo Salah are shining
Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah are two players who have thrived under the new boss in the opening three games of the season, and they were in sublime form against United on Sunday.
The duo linked up for the opening goal in the first half as the Egypt international was played in down the right channel and clipped a delightful ball to the back post for his teammate to head the ball into a virtually empty net.
It was the same combination again for the second goal before the break, with Salah prodding the ball across for Diaz to brilliantly slide a shot into the bottom right corner.
The Liverpool icon went from provider to scorer in the second half as he walked onto a pass from Dominik Szoboszlai to slot the ball into the corner past Andre Onana, ending the game with one goal and two assists.
Appearances
3
3
Goals
3
3
Assists
1
3
Big chances created
2
4
Key passes per game
2.3
1.7
As you can see in the table above, the wing wizards have now combined for six goals and four assists in the first three games of the Premier League season.
Slot's exciting, progressive, style of football has put both players in positions to cause constant problems for opposition full-backs, and it has resulted in them providing regular quality in the final third.
However, they were not the only stars of the win at Old Trafford as Szoboszlai was as good as Salah and Diaz with his display in the number ten position.
Dominik Szoboszlai's performance against United
Szoboszlai, who was handed a player rating of 8/10 by 90min writer Jude Summerfield, put in a fantastic display in the middle of the park against Erik ten Hag's side.
Firstly, the Hungary international did not stop running from minute one to minute 90. His incredible engine was there for all to see with his superb pressing work to ensure that United's players did not have time and space to do what they wanted to do in possession, in the areas that he was covering.
Dominik Szoboszlai scores for Liverpool
The former RB Leipzig star won four of his six physical duels out of possession, all of which came on the ground, and made three tackles and one interception throughout the match, which illustrates his defensive impact for Liverpool to help his side to another clean sheet.
In possession, Szoboszlai was uber reliable for Slot in the role behind the front three, as he completed 90% of his attempted passes, with 35 out of 39 passes completed.
That did not take away from his creativity and risk-taking in the final third, however, as the Hungarian maestro provided an assist for Salah's goal with a drive through the middle and lay-off to the winger.
His assist for the Liverpool forward was one of three key passes made throughout the match, to go along with a 100% success rate in long passes and crosses (2/2).
Overall, it was a phenomenal shift from Szoboszlai, who proved his worth to the team in and out of possession, as he matched Diaz and Salah as one of the top performers in the team.
Slot is turning Szoboszlai into a monster
With a lack of signings during the summer transfer window, Slot had to improve the players he already had at his disposal when he arrived and the Dutchman appears to have done that already with the Hungary international.
Szoboszlai has produced two 'big chances' and registered one assist in the first three matches of the season, which shows that he has started the campaign in fine form offensively.
Dominik Szoboszlai for Liverpool.
His work out of possession has not suffered as a result of that, though, as the central midfielder has averaged 6.3 ball recoveries per game and won 50% of his ground duels, compared to 5.2 recoveries and a 42% ground duel success rate in the Premier League last term.
Albeit based on a small sample size, the ex-Bundesliga starlet has improved his defensive work by winning possession back more frequently and more efficiently.
Appearances
33
3
Sofascore rating
7.15
7.63
Big chances created
7
2
Key passes per game
1.7
2.7
Pass accuracy
87%
93%
Ball recoveries per game
5.2
6.3
As you can see in the table above, the 23-year-old maestro's use of the ball has also improved under Slot on the evidence of this season so far.
He has been more secure in his passing whilst also offering more creativity, averaging 1.0 more key passes per match, and this suggests that the manager has helped him to be more efficient and effective in a number ten, or advanced eight, position.
These statistics show that the Dutch head coach is turning Szoboszlai into a midfield monster who can make a big impact in and out of possession for Liverpool and, hopefully, it will continue for the rest of the 2024/25 campaign.
Liverpool hit gold with Klopp signing who’s worth millions more than Chiesa
He’ll be hoping to raise his level under Arne Slot this season…
Darts sensation Luke Littler called for a Manchester United legend to return to the club during their Europa League win over Viktoria Plzen.
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Man Utd beat Viktoria PlzenLittler not happy at certain playerDarts star wants club icon to returnFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Not long after Andre Onana made a mistake for the Czech Republic team's opener, 17-year-old Littler took to social media to express his displeasure at the situation. The United fan appeared to want former goalkeeper David de Gea back at Old Trafford, before deleting the Instagram story.
AdvertisementWHAT LUKE LITTLER SAID
The now-deleted Instagram story, which featured a photo of the United game, reads: "Bring back Dave," with a gloves emoji.
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United went on to win the game 2-1 in a comeback victory, one that put them into a strong position to reach the last 16 of the Europa League. But this game raised questions about whether Onana is good enough to be the Red Devils' first-choice keeper. The Cameroon international joined United from Inter Milan in the summer of 2023 for £48 million ($62m) but he has made a number of high-profile errors since then. Even though his form has improved this season, a couple of mistakes have led some to call for De Gea – who left the club in 2023 after a 12-year stint – to return to the Premier League giants.
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GettyWHAT NEXT?
With 34-year-old De Gea now at Fiorentina, Onana, 28, is very much United's number one keeper. He will hope to improve his form against Manchester City on Sunday.
Left-arm seamer collected eight trophies in globetrotting T20 career
ESPNcricinfo staff14-May-2021Harry Gurney, the Nottinghamshire and England seamer who became a fixture on the T20 franchise circuit, has announced his retirement from cricket at the age of 34.Gurney announced the decision after failing to recover from a shoulder injury that caused him to miss Nottinghamshire’s triumphant campaign in last season’s Vitality Blast.However, Gurney claimed three one-day trophies with Nottinghamshire in the course of his career – two List A finals at Lord’s, and the 2017 Vitality Blast title, in which he claimed figures of 7 for 36 across their two fixtures on Finals Day at Edgbaston.”The time has arrived for me to hang up my boots,” Gurney told the club website. “After trying to recover from the recent injury to my shoulder, I am truly disappointed to have to end my playing career as a result of it.”From the first time I picked up a cricket ball at the age of ten, I was completely obsessed. Cricket has been my life for 24 years and has taken me on an incredible journey that I will cherish forever.”As a left-arm seamer with a natural ability to swing the ball, Gurney played 12 times for England, all in 2014 – 10 ODIs and two T20Is – but enjoyed significantly more success on the T20 domestic circuit, with trophy-winning stints at Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash and Barbados Tridents in the CPL. He also represented Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, and Quetta Gladiators in the PSL.Related
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“Playing for England, in the IPL and winning eight trophies at home and abroad including the Blast, Big Bash and CPL has exceeded my wildest dreams,” he said.Outside of cricket, Gurney runs a pub company, the Cat and Wickets, with his Nottinghamshire and England team-mate Stuart Broad. Although the duo confirmed on Thursday that they would not be renewing the lease on their original Leicestershire project, The Three Crowns, in Wymeswold, near Loughborough, due to the impact of Covid-19, Gurney says he will be continuing in the hospitality industry.”I always prepared for leaving cricket and I have discovered a new path in business that gives me the same excitement that I felt when I discovered the game all those years ago,” he said.”That is a path I will now go down with immediate effect, as I have found this injury recovery too much of a mountain to climb.”Mick Newell, who brought Gurney to Nottinghamshire ahead of the 2012 season, highlighted his achievements in both the red- and white-ball game.”Harry has been a terrific, match winning, bowler for this club for a number of years,” Newell said.”He’s carved out a niche in limited-overs competitions in recent times and been very successful in that at home and abroad, but his record in the First-Class game is something he can be immensely proud of as well.”Harry sets a good example to all cricketers in that he’s prepared himself for life after the game, and that is something I hope will make the transition a lot easier.”He moves into a new phase of his life with the very best wishes of everyone at Trent Bridge, and we hope to see him as a welcome visitor on a regular basis during the coming years.”
Redfern appointed as fourth umpire for opening T20I between England and Sri Lanka in Cardiff
Valkerie Baynes22-Jun-2021Sue Redfern will become the first woman to officiate in an England men’s home international match after being appointed as fourth umpire for Wednesday’s first T20I against Sri Lanka in Cardiff.Alex Wharf had been due to fill the role, but Redfern was placed on standby in the event that the reserve day was activated in the World Test Championship final in Southampton. With persistent bad weather forcing the game into a sixth day, Redfern will now step in for the first of three T20Is between England and Sri Lanka.”It’s going to be a great experience,” Redfern told ESPNcricinfo. “I’m feeling pretty privileged. It’s unexpected but at the same time, it’s a great opportunity to showcase that females can officiate in a variety of environments.”Redfern is a regular on-field umpire on the women’s international circuit and stood in last week’s Test between England and India in Bristol.A former England player, Redfern was an on-field umpire in a World Cricket League Division Five match between Oman and Nigeria in 2016. With West Indies-based umpire Jacqueline Williams acting as third umpire in the same match, it was the first time two women had officiated in a men’s ICC tournament fixture.Related
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“What the players are looking for is, they’re really not bothered about whether I’m male or female, they just want me to do my job,” Redfern said. “That’s the most important thing, how I manage that game and how I umpire in that game.”I’ve had a good day if I’m not seen really and if I’m not spoken about, so just managing that game to ensure that it comes to a positive conclusion.”Redfern’s appointment comes after Australian Claire Polosak became the first woman to officiate in a men’s Test when she was the fourth umpire for the third Test between Australia and India at the SCG in January.And Redfern said that she supports women officiating in men’s matches becoming a normal occurrence.
“I pinch myself every time I wake up and know I’m going to be umpiring. I absolutely love it.”Sue Redfern
“I’d like to see any official, whatever their aspirations are, that they can fulfil those aspirations if they’re good enough,” she said. “What we’re looking for is people with the right skills officiating in the right games.”It’s important to show people that you can be an official, whether it be male or female, in an environment you want to officiate in. There are lots of female officials in England and across the world who are umpiring in male environments – and why not?”The more we showcase females in different roles across cricket, the more it becomes normal, and that’s important because it grows our game and it shows that you can do anything in this game.”Last month, Anna Harris and Yvonne Dolphin-Cooper stood together as on-field umpires in men’s matches in the England Premier League and the South Wales Premier League, which were believed to be the first instances of two women officiating in ECB Premier League matches.Umpire Sue Redfern runs onto the field in a Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy match•Getty ImagesRedfern, who also routinely stands in domestic women’s matches, including the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, admitted she feels nervous before umpiring in any match, so she does not expect Wednesday’s fixture – which kicks off back-to-back white-ball series between England and Sri Lanka’s men’s teams – to be any different.”As a player I was exactly the same, I do get nerves, and I continue to do that every time I go in,” she said. “The key thing for me is to get those nerves in order. I think it’s a good thing because it means I care, I want to do a good job. As long as I can control those nerves, that’s not a problem. It reminds me how lucky I am to be in the position I’m in.”Redfern’s desire to “do a good job” goes hand-in-hand with the fact that she cares deeply about the sport she played for more than 25 years.”As an ex-player there’s nothing as great as playing the game,” she said. “It’s a beautiful game, I’m passionate about the game. For me, umpiring is, I’ve been given a second opportunity to do something that I really love in this beautiful game.”I pinch myself every time I wake up and know I’m going to be umpiring. I absolutely love it.”