Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva believes that he is close to returning to full fitness.
The Brazilian missed almost the entire 2011/12 Premier League season due to knee ligament damage, and has been out of action for the most part of the current campaign with a thigh injury.
He made his comeback for the Reds earlier this month, but has looked a little short of his best as the club continue to struggle.
Lucas feels that he is not far from reaching peak fitness, and believes that the hectic Christmas fixture schedule will help:
“After a long time out and two difficult injuries, I’m just very happy to be back,” he told Liverpool’s official website.
“I’m still progressing in terms of fitness, confidence and strength but I will get there again. I just need to be patient and when I get back to 100 per cent fitness and the level I was at before, the better it will be for myself and the team.
“In terms of fitness, I’m very close to being 100 per cent but it’s just a question of time and games, to be honest.
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“It’s very hard to predict how long it will take to get back to my best but I can see an improvement every week, especially in the training sessions.
“I’m starting to feel sharper and better every day so I try to take that into the games. It’s important to play well at this crucial time over Christmas, especially because we have a lot of games.”
As reported by The Times, Everton manager Sam Allardyce will try to sign Manchester United defender Phil Jones in the summer transfer window if he remains boss at Goodison Park.
Everton badly need defensive reinforcements before the new season with supporters losing all faith in the likes of Ashley Williams this term.
Phil Jones has had his own critics at Old Trafford, but with 188 appearances for the club has plenty of elite experience that might help improve the Toffees’ defensive fortunes.
Fans though aren’t keen, believing he is just the latest in a long line of transfer targets that have failed to inspire.
They’ve been linked with a number of English top flight talents over the past couple of months, but supporters are looking for the club to put a bit more effort into scouting and unearth a hidden gem or two.
They took to Twitter to share their thoughts on a potential deal for Jones…
While Sergio Aguero and Diego Costa having been hogging the limelight and Graziano Pelle has been picking up praise for his adaptation, Saido Berahino has been quietly plugging away in the background. The 21-year-old has now notched six Premier League goals and looks set to fulfil the obvious potential he’s had for some time.
Naturally, with West Brom being one of the division’s smaller clubs, the big teams are circling the young striker, with Spurs particularly keen. Talk of a big money January bid has been doing the rounds, and here are FIVE reasons it would make sense for the White Hart Lane side.
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He’s in razor-sharp form
Monday’s cool finish against Manchester United took Berahino’s Premier League tally this term to a whopping SIX. Alongside Southampton new boy Graziano Pelle, the Burundi-born forward only trails Diego Costa and Sergio Aguero in the scoring charts – with the duo having cost their clubs over £30m. In his central striking role, Berahino’s energy and pace make him a headache for defenders, and it’s a virtual guarantee that he will get even more goals over the course of the season. Spurs may want to snap him up to ensure that those goals come in the white shirt of theirs, rather than West Brom’s.
He’s young
Only just 21, Berahino’s form is all the more impressive. The pacey front-man only got the ‘key to the door’ a couple of months ago, and it’s fair to say that he’s been unlocking defences with much more regularity this term. At such an age, Berahino has the potential to do what he’s doing now for at least another ten years, making him a sound long-term investment for Spurs should they offer up the cash.
Spurs have NO QUALITY up top
Roberto Soldado’s missed penalty over the weekend really summed up his awful Spurs career. The Spaniard was dubbed the answer to Tottenham’s attacking ambitions last summer when he cost them £26m, yet his spell at White Hart Lane has been a disaster. Emmanuel Adebayor also fails to provide consistency, albeit his goal return is far superior, while Harry Kane is, arguably, not quite ready to be a week in, week out Premier League forward just yet.
Berahino could be first choice at Spurs, where he would, potentially, get better service than he does now at West Brom.
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Statement of intent
With Spurs some way off of looking like a genuine top four force, a big signing could provide the boost needed and make rivals really begin to fear the Lilywhites. The Baggies are understood to be looking for around £30m for their man, which slots him into the ‘marquee’ sector of the transfer market. Nabbing Berahino could really announce Spurs’ ambitions.
Re-sale value
As much as some Spurs fans won’t want to admit it, the white half of north London has become a shop window in recent years. The likes of Luka Modric and Gareth Bale have passed through on their way to bigger things, but that’s certainly not a major negative for Spurs. The Lilywhites have made massive profits on their big players, and if Berahino develops and the transfer market continues to inflate, there’s no reason that they should not make a tidy sum on potential the deal in a few years.
Reading midfielder Danny Guthrie has apologised to the club for his refusal to play in their Premier League clash with Sunderland.
The Royals’ manager Brian McDermott confirmed after the game that the 25-year-old made the decision not to join up with the rest of the squad as they slipped to a 3-0 defeat.
Guthrie has since been fined two-weeks’ wages for his actions, and said sorry to the club and their fans:
“I hold my hands up and apologise. It’s something that we will deal with internally,” he is quoted by the Reading Post.
“There’s no problem with anyone. I have my reasons for what happened, it shouldn’t have happened, but it did. My head just wasn’t right.”
The ex-Newcastle man went on to insist that he is happy at the Madejski Stadium and not considering moving on in January:
“I love being at this club – I just want to play football,
“I’ve never had problems anywhere I have been and I just want to get back to playing football.
“This is a very rare situation for me.”
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Guthrie began his career with Manchester United, before switching to Liverpool as a youth player.
After making just a handful of appearances for the Reds, he moved on to Newcastle, where he became a key first-team player.
He moved to reading during the summer as part of McDermott’s plan to keep the club in the Premier League.
It was the last day of matches for Group B, C and D with nine of the 12 Super Six spots confirmed
ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jan-2025Legspinner Anisa Akter Soba picked up 4 for 25 as Bangladesh beat Scotland by 17 runs in Bangi to become the second team after Australia to reach Super Six from Group D. Scotland also confirmed their spot after Australia beat Nepal later in the day.After being sent in, Bangladesh found themselves on 50 for 5 after ten overs. Afia Ashima and captain Sumaiya Akter then added 38 in 33 balls to give the innings some stability. Ashima fell for 21 but Sumaiya stayed unbeaten till the end, scoring 28 off 36 balls to take the side to 120 for 9.In response, Scotland were 19 for no loss in four overs before Soba bowled Emma Walsingham for 11. In the same over, Pippa Kelly was run-out. Wicketkeeper Pippa Sproul and captain Niamh Muir put the chase back on track by adding 50 in 60 balls, but after Muir fell for 22, none of the incoming batters could cross even 5.Sproul tried to keep Scotland in the contest with her 43 off 41. But Soba ended her resistance and then went on to take two more wickets as Scotland could manage only 103 for 8.New Zealand bowled out Samoa for 40•ICC/Getty Images
After defeats to South Africa and Nigeria, New Zealand secured a spot in the Super Six stage with a drubbing of Samoa in Kuching.In a rain-affected 17-over game, New Zealand were in trouble with the bat at 12 for 3. But Eve Wolland and Anika Todd added 55 for the fourth wicket to steady the ship.After Todd fell for a 19-ball 27, it was on Wolland to hold New Zealand’s innings together. She hit two fours and two sixes before she fell for 48 off 43 in the final over, helping New Zealand get to 107 for 9. For Samoa, seamer Olive Lefaga took three wickets and Verra Farane took two.The total proved to be more than enough, as New Zealand skittled Samoa out for just 40, with no batter reaching the double digits. Rishika Jaswal and Tash Wakelin claimed three wickets each while Sophie Court picked up two.Davina Perrin smashed 74 off 45 balls•ICC/Getty Images
Davina Perrin’s 45-ball 74 helped England beat USA in a top-of-the-table clash in Group B.Sent in, USA mustered 119 for 5 from their 20 overs, with captain Anika Kolan top-scoring with an unbeaten 46 off 42. Prisha Thanawala and Trudy Johnson struck twice each for England.England didn’t get off to the best of starts, with opener Erin Thomas out for a golden duck off the second ball of the chase. But, it was one-way traffic thereon with Perrin and Johnson putting on a 117-run stand that took them two runs short of the target. England captain Abi Norgrove had to just hit the winning run off the first ball she faced, with Johnson finishing unbeaten on 44.Both England and USA have qualified for the Super Six stage.Caoimhe Bray hits over off in her 34-ball 45 as Nepal wicketkeeper Alisha Yadav looks on•Icon Sportswire/Getty Images
Caoimhe Bray led Australia‘s strong showing with the bat as they knocked out Nepal, paving Scotland’s way into the Super Six. She hit 45 off just 34 batting at No. 4 before cameos from Hasrat Gill (21-ball 30 not out) and Chloe Ainsworth (16 not out off just 9) helped Australia to 139 for 6.Nepal captain Puja Mahato picked up three wickets for 31 runs but her team could not pose a challenge with the bat. Mahato’s 18 off 42 balls was the most by a Nepal batter on the day, and the only one in double digits as they crawled to 56 for 8 in their 20 overs. All of Gill, Juliette Morton and Lily Bassingthwaighte returned two wickets apiece.Ireland celebrate after knocking out Pakistan•ICC/Getty Images
Over in Johor, a strong all-round show from Ireland helped them eke out a 13-run win in a rain-affected contest to knock Pakistan out of the competition. In a match reduced to nine overs per side, Alice Walsh’s attacking innings at the top set the tone for Ireland, who made 69 for 5 in their allotted overs. Walsh scored 31 off just 19 with five fours.Set a revised DLS target of 73 in nine overs, Pakistan struggled for rhythm and were kept to 59 for 7 with Ellie McGee picking up two wickets while Freya Sargent and Lara McBride returned one each. Pakistan’s innings also featured three run-outs, including that of captain Komal Khan.South Africa, led by Seshnie Naidu and wicketkeeper Karabo Meso, celebrate a Nigerian wicket•ICC/Getty Images
In Kuching, South Africa registered a comfortable win over first-time World-Cuppers Nigeria in another rain-hit contest. Asked to bat first, South Africa could only score 49 for 2 in their eight overs; their opening partnership was worth 41 off 43 balls. Captain Lucky Piety was the only wicket-taker for Nigeria, picking up two wickets in two balls.Nigeria could only manage 24 for 8 in their 66-run chase with none of the batters crossing Piety’s six. Legspinner Seshnie Naidu returned two wickets for one run in her single over while captain Kayla Reyneke also picked up two wickets in her two overs for South Africa. Wicketkeeper Karabo Meso also put up a show as she effected three dismissals.Thanks to their win over New Zealand earlier in the competition, though, Nigeria also ensured qualification for Super Six.
South Australia opener smashed 10 fours and 13 sixes to finish with 125 off 38 balls
Alex Malcolm08-Oct-2023South Australia batter Jake Fraser-McGurk broke AB de Villiers’ record for the fastest century in a List A game, plundering a 29-ball hundred against Tasmania at Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide after the visitors had posted the highest total in Australian domestic one-day history of 435 earlier in the day.Opening the batting in South Australia’s run chase, Fraser-McGurk, 21, reached his century in the ninth over of the innings, going past de Villiers’ previous mark of 31 balls which he set against West Indies in an ODI at Johannesburg in 2015. He eventually holed out in the 12th over, finishing with 125 from 38 balls, with 10 fours and 13 sixes.”I went out there with some good intent, had my plans and process, and seemed like everything went my way,” he said. “I’ve made a few 30s playing in twos [2nd XI] and stuff, felt like I’ve been hitting them reasonably well but probably not that well so definitely surprised myself.”Asked if he’d ever played like that before, he joked: “Maybe a video game or something. Definitely not in real life, that’s for sure.”Tasmania captain Jordan Silk, whose own century ended up on the winning side, said: “It’s probably an innings I’ll never see maybe ever again. It was some of the cleanest ball-striking I’ve seen and sometimes you’ve just got to tip your cap to players like that that can do that. Whilst it was frustrating to watch it was also amazing to watch.”Fraser-McGurk only faced one of the first 12 balls of the chase, scoring just a single. But in the third over he unleashed a furious display of ball-striking. He took 32 off Sam Rainbird’s second over of the innings including four sixes and two fours.He raced to 50 off 18 balls to set a new mark for the fastest half-century in Australia’s one-day domestic competition, breaking Glenn Maxwell’s previous mark of 19 balls.He kept going. In the ninth over he smacked three consecutive sixes off Billy Stanlake to three different quadrants of the ground. He then struck a boundary and a single to bring up his century.In the 10th over, he smashed four consecutive fours and a six off left-arm orthodox Paddy Dooley before falling two overs later. It is Fraser-McGurk’s first century at domestic level having only once passed 50 in his previous 13 List A innings, and that came on debut for Victoria in 2019 as a 17-year-old. He has passed 50 just once in 16 first-class innings, which also came on debut in 2019, but has not done so in 24 T20 innings.His spectacular innings had put South Australia on course for a record chase but eventually they fell 37 runs short.
Anti-government activists were also removed from the fort during the first Test between Sri Lanka and Australia
Andrew Fidel Fernando08-Jul-2022Spectators have been barred completely from the ramparts of the Galle Fort, which overlooks the cricket stadium where the second Test between Sri Lanka and Australia is being played. This, after anti-government protesters had been forcibly removed from the area during the first Test between these teams.Police officers guarding access to the ramparts told ESPNcricinfo that even the ICC has asked for spectators be kept away. However, not only has the ICC never previously spoken against viewing matches from the fort, public spaces in Sri Lanka are also well beyond their jurisdiction.Last week, an army spokesman told that protesters had been removed in order to ensure batters were not distracted. Australia, who were batting that day, have since said that they had no qualms with public presence at the fort.Related
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Although several protesters had been removed from the fort on day two of the first Test of the series, a sign demanding the resignation of Sri Lanka’s president and prime minister had been seen for several hours on end in the evening session. The following day – day three of the Test – no spectators were seen on the ramparts, as police and army patrolled the area.As the ramparts are public property, crowds – sometimes swelling to hundreds, and very occasionally to even thousands – frequently watch cricket from there. This free vantage point is among the ground’s distinguishing features, with fans of touring teams also often setting up there to see the game.There have been widespread anti-government protests in Sri Lanka in recent months, some of which have come amid a deepening economic crisis in the country, which has left it desperately short of fuel, cooking gas and essential medicines, while the cost of living has also skyrocketed.SLC has essentially banned protests inside its grounds this series, preventing spectators from bringing anti-government placards and banners into its venues, although posters thanking Australia for touring were allowed.
Series in doubt after further positive means UAE must “remain in quarantine for extended period”
ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jan-2021The ODI series between UAE and Ireland has been hit by its second postponement in three days after a further Covid-19 positive was returned by the home camp.Sunday’s second ODI was called off the day before after a third UAE player tested positive for the virus. Following 48 hours of isolation, the Emirates Cricket Board has now announced another positive case within the squad.With the team now required to “remain in quarantine for an extended period of time”, it could affect the ability of the remaining three ODIs to be played. Ireland are also due to face Afghanistan in a three-match series in Abu Dhabi starting on January 21.Related
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Cricket Ireland said it supported the ECB’s decision and would continue to monitor the situation, with the health and safety of the players its priority.”Emirates Cricket Board has confirmed that tomorrow’s match in the Sky247.net ODI Series 2021 against Ireland has been suspended,” said an ECB statement. “This decision, supported by Cricket Ireland, was made after a new directive was received from authorities.”This followed over 48 hours of self-isolation by the UAE team after four reported positive cases of Covid-19. Additionally, the directive from the authorities requires the UAE team to remain in quarantine for an extended period of time.”Discussions are continuing with all concerned parties, including the relevant authorities, regarding rescheduling of the remaining matches. A decision will be made and communicated once an agreement has been reached and approved.”UAE won the opening match of the series – their first ODI victory over Ireland – on Friday, despite losing Chirag Suri and Aryan Lakra to positive Covid-19 tests in the build-up. Alishan Sharafu, who played in the first ODI, then became the third player to test positive, with the remaining games rescheduled for Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday – although that schedule is now in doubt.
Hong Kong are now winless after three matches while UAE have achieved two victories in three outings
ESPNcricinfo staff21-Oct-2019Despite a solid platform of 93 for 2 in the 16th over, Hong Kong suffered a middle-order collapse at the back-end of their first innings to finish with only 116 for 7 in their 20 overs against United Arab Emirates. In response, UAE made swift work of the target, chasing it down with 29 balls to spare and eight wickets in hand. The margin of victory lifted UAE to the top of Group B, although that may just be temporary.UAE’s chase was spearheaded by the 93-run second-wicket stand between opener Chirag Suri and No. 3 Rameez Shahzad. After their captain Rohan Mustafa fell in the fourth over, the duo combined to strike nine fours and four sixes in their 67-ball stand to sniff out any hope of victory that Hong Kong may have had. Shahzad’s 37-ball 54 was his highest T20I score, while Suri’s 43-ball 44 brought the opener back into form, something UAE were missing from him at the start of the tournament. Hong Kong pacer Kyle Christie took both UAE wickets, but his dismissal of Shahzad in the 15th over was a mere formality. Three deliveries after the dismissal, Suri found the boundary to seal their second win in three games.That UAE had to chase only 117 was thanks to their varied bowling attack. Junaid Siddique set the tone with the new ball in the first innings, conceding only nine runs in his two overs. With the run-rate hovering below six, openers Ahmad Abbasi and Nizakat Khan perished to left-arm spinner Ahmed Raza and medium-pacer Waheed Ahmed respectively inside 11 overs. A brief recovery then followed, with Kinchit Shah (30) and the captain Aizaz Khan (19) upping the scoring rate, but with both set batsmen falling in the death overs, their new batsmen failed to generate the momentum needed to put up a challenging total. Mustafa’s spell of 2 for 17, including two wickets for only two runs in the 20th over, made him the game’s second most economical bowler.The result meant that Hong Kong’s chances of qualifying for the semi-finals took a big blow while UAE’s win has only strengthened their shout for a final-four spot.
Ben Stokes’ trial resumes at Bristol Crown Court on Monday. ESPNcricinfo gives a run-down on the first week’s developments
ESPNcricinfo staff12-Aug-20181:16
‘Everything I did was in defence of myself and others’, Stokes tells jury
Day one
The trial of Ben Stokes, Ryan Ali and Ryan Hale – all three charged with affray which they denied – began with jurors being told the England allrounder acted “well beyond self-defence or the defence of others” when knocking two men unconscious outside Mbargo nightclub in Bristol in the early hours of September 25 last year.It is alleged that Stokes offered £300 to the bouncer outside Mbargo, Andrew Cunningham, to try and regain entry after the 2pm closing time. When that offer was declined, Stokes is alleged to have become abusive to the doorman and then mimicked and mocked a young gay couple, Kai Barry and William O’Connor, who were leaving the club. He is alleged to have flicked a cigarette butt at the head of one of the young men.
Day Two
CCTV footage from outside Mbargo nightclub is shown to the jury. Andrew Cunningham, the bouncer, alleges that Stokes abused him and the gay couple.Max Wilson, a student in the Clifton Triangle area of the city when the incident occurred, who filmed the incident from his room, described the fight involving the three defendants plus Stokes’ England team-mate Alex Hales, who was not on trial, as being like “football hooligans”.Audio from the footage suggests Hales tried to pull Stokes away from the fray on several occasions – he is repeatedly heard shouting “Stop, Stokes! No! Enough!” – with both Wilson and other witnesses agreeing he was “trying to stop him [Stokes]”.PC Daniel Adams, the officer in the case, says that the video shows Hales kicking Ryan Ali in the head as he lay on the pavement.Under cross-examination, PC Adams agreed that both Ali and Hale had bottles at the time of the original fracas and accepted it appeared that Ali had used his “to aim a blow at Mr Barry”.A court sketch of Ben Stokes•PA Photos
Ben Stokes was described as the “main aggressor” in the fight when he is identified by Mark Spure, an off-duty member of the police force.The court also hears details of the injuries sustained by Ryan Ali and Ryan Hale.Stokes’ statement to the police, which he gave on November 20, is read out to the court in which he says he felt “under threat of immediate attack” and others involved in the fight had “demonstrated a willingness to use weapons in attacking people”. He claims he was protecting Kai Barry and William O’Connor from homophobic abuse.”What Ryan Ali and Ryan Hale were saying was far from harmless banter, it was nasty homophobic abuse,” Stokes said in his statement.”I decided to intervene and asked Ryan Ali and Ryan Hale to stop abusing Kai and William. I said something like ‘leave it out – you shouldn’t be taking the piss because they’re gay.'”In response,one of the guys said ‘Shut the f*** up and f**** off or I’ll bottle you’. At the time he was holding a bottle in his right hand.The CCTV footage from outside Mbargo nightclub is released, as are the mobile-phone recordings of the fight itself.
The judge instructs the jury to find Ryan Hale not guilty of affray due to lack of evidence. Ben Stokes enters the dock for the first time.Earlier, the court is read Hale’s statement, which he gave to police in September. In it, he claims that Stokes “could have killed me. The way he was acting in that video, he could have beat the living hell out of me. That’s quite shocking to think I’ve been put in that situation.”In the witness stand, Stokes tells the jury he “stepped in” after hearing homophobic abuse towards William O’Connor and Kai Barry. He adds he saw Ali brandish a bottle towards the two men and Alex Hales so “took the decision” to get involved to “keep myself and others around me safe”.Police bodycam footage is played to the jury of the moment of Stokes’ arrest. It shows him asking for the handcuffs to be loosened due to previous injuries to his hand and also hears him tell Hales to leave the area. “I was saying ‘It’s on me’. I was saying ‘Go, get away from here. Don’t get involved’.” The footage also shows Hales telling police he only arrived on the scene after the fight had taken place.
Stokes continues to be cross-examined. He is accused of lying to the jury, and also of exaggerating the extent of an argument he witnessed “in an attempt to justify your own violent behaviour”.A written statement from England team-mate Jake Ball is read to the court in which he says Stokes was in a “good mood” during the night in question and that he wasn’t drunk.The final session of the week sees Ryan Ali, Stokes’ co-defendant, take the stand. Under cross-examination Ali accepts that footage shows he struck another man with a bottle before being punched by Stokes. Ali says he only did it to defend himself.The trial continues.