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Scotland have announced a 14-man squad for a three one-day series against Netherlands in July

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jun-2014Scotland have announced a 14-man squad for a three one-day series against Netherlands in July. Kyle Coetzer will continue as captain as the team targets finalising their personnel for the World Cup.Players from both countries have been involved in limited-overs competition in the North Sea Pro 20 and Pro 50 overs series in June. Scotland’s Michael Leask, the 23-year old allrounder who found a place in the squad, topped both batting and bowling charts in the 50-over competition. He was part of the Highlanders side which emerged victors both formats.Netherlands captain Peter Borren, keeper Wesley Barresi and opener Stephan Myburgh were among the top-15 run-scorers. Allrounder Mudassar Bukhari, with eight victims, was among the top-ten wicket-takers.The tournaments have helped Scotland’s players get used to competition from outside the country, said Scotland’s new coach Grant Bradburn. It will be his first series in charge.”We are pleased to name a very strong Scotland side for what is an important series for both countries,” he said. “The recently completed North Sea Pro series has provided valuable international exposure to a large group of aspiring Scottish-based players.”Scotland had strung together seven wins in List A cricket and that form had helped them run England close in May. The one-off ODI was curtailed to 20 overs and Leask pummelled 42 off 16 balls to threaten the 163-run target. Bradburn, a New Zealand native, had observed that game and was pleased with their style of play.”My initial visit during the England game in May confirmed for me the abundance of talent and skill that we have in the extended Scotland squad. I sense a strong desire from the players and staff to continually improve and I look forward to arriving in Scotland with my family over the coming days and setting about building on the significant progress Cricket Scotland has made.”Scotland squad Kyle Coetzer (capt), Preston Mommsen, Richie Berrington, Freddie Coleman, Matty Cross (wk), Josh Davey, Alasdair Evans, Majid Haq, Michael Leask, Matt Machan, Calum MacLeod, Safyaan Sharif, Ruaidhri Smith, Iain Wardlaw.Netherlands squad Peter Borren (capt), Wesley Barresi (wk), Mudassar Bukhari, Ben Cooper, Vivian Kingma, Ahsan Malik, Paul van Meekeren, Stephan Myburgh, Michael Rippon, Thijs van Schelven, Pieter Seelaar, Michael Swart, Eric Szwarczynski.

Fast bowler Chanaka Welegedara has been ruled out of the Champions Trophy due to the foot injury he picked up during a practice match last week, and Sri Lanka Cricket has replaced him with seam-bowling allrounder Dilhara Lokuhettige

ESPNcricinfo staff22-May-2013Sri Lankan fast bowler Chanaka Welegedara is unlikely to travel to England for the Champions Trophy, after failing to recover sufficiently from an ankle injury he sustained on May 18. Welegedara failed a fitness test on Wednesday morning, and Sri Lanka Cricket have since named seam bowler Dilhara Lokuhettige as a replacement. The selection was cleared by the sports minister, but has not yet been approved by the ICC.Lokuhettige, 32, played eight ODIs for Sri Lanka in 2005, and two Twenty20 internationals in 2008. He has six ODI wickets at 36.83. He has largely been picked on his form in the recently concluded List A tri-series in Pallekele, where he was the joint highest wicket-taker: nine scalps at an average of 17.66. If approved, he will be one of four pace specialists on tour, with Lasith Malinga, Shaminda Eranga and Nuwan Kulasekara also traveling. Allrounders Thisara Perera and Angelo Mathews are part of the squad as well.”SLC have written to the ICC Event Technical Committee regarding this replacement,” an SLC statement said. “The replacement of a player requires the approval of the Event Technical Committee before the replacement player can be officially added to the squad.”Welegedara had picked up the injury during the penultimate match of the tri-series, which he left, in pain, during his third over. His chances of traveling to England had looked promising on Tuesday after scans revealed no breaks or fractures, but inflammation persisted and he was unable to put sufficient weight on his landing foot.Welegedara, also 32, was the leader of Sri Lanka’s Test pace attack, but has been plagued by injury in the last 12 months, in which he only completed one Test match. He strained his groin playing England in March last year, before tearing a shoulder muscle before the Pakistan series in July. He recovered in time to travel to Australia at the end of the year, but tore a hamstring early in the second Test in Melbourne, and has not played any international cricket since. Largely regarded a Test specialist, Welegedara has not played limited-overs international cricket since June 2010.The Sri Lanka squad leaves for England in the early hours of Monday morning.

The Pakistan Twenty20 squad, led by Mohammad Hafeez, has left Lahore for Delhi to play their first bilateral series against India since 2007

Umar Farooq22-Dec-2012The Pakistan Twenty20 squad, led by Mohammad Hafeez, has left Lahore for Delhi to play their first bilateral series against India since 2007. The players selected in the ODI squad – Misbah-ul-Haq, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Haris Sohail, Wahab Riaz, Imran Farhat and Anwar Ali – will depart Pakistan on December 26.”We are ready and prepared for the India challenge,” Hafeez had said at the end of a training camp in Lahore. “We have trained so hard to get ready for the India series. India might be low at the moment [after losing to England in the Test series] but it’s a new format and they have a very balanced T20 team.”Nobody can deny the fact that a Pakistan-India series carries intense pressure. The contest is always full of pressure and full of expectations of people of both countries. We will try to express ourselves without any pressure.”Although it was Pakistan’s turn to host a bilateral series, India were not keen to play at a neutral venue. There has been no international cricket in Pakistan since March 2009, when terrorists attacked the Sri Lankan team bus. Bilateral ties between the two countries, however, had been suspended even before that incident, because of the terror attacks in Mumbai in November 2008.The longest gap in bilateral series between Pakistan and India was from 1962 to 1977, in the wake of wars in 1965 and 1971. The Kargil conflict in 1999 led to another break, until 2004. India’s home ministry cleared the way for the upcoming series on October 30, four years after the Mumbai attacks.”Cricket has always played its role in toning down the tensions,” Shaharyar Khan, an ex-PCB chairman, told ESPNcricinfo. “There should have a series of Test matches as well but anyways its better to have something rather than nothing.”Shaharyar was the PCB chairman who brought India to Pakistan in 2004 for their first full series in 14 years. “Both countries have to play on regular basis,” Shaharyar said. “No matter who wins, this cricket diplomacy will improve the relationship of both countries. It’s a meaningless debate whose turn it was to host; the foremost intention was to revive the ties.”

Ange Postecoglou's departure as Australian coach seven and a half months out from the World Cup has left the FFA with a massive void to fill.

The governing body are keen to recruit a foreign manager, most likely from Europe, to steer the team through Russia before Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat takes over permanently.

Which candidates will the FFA be looking to add to their shortlist?

Cesare Prandelli

Despite the Azzurri’s early exit in Brazil, the 60-year-old Italian is still held in high regard for orchestrating his nation’s surprise run to the Euro 2012 final.

A modest playing career saw him feature for the likes of Atalanta and Juventus before guiding Hellas Verona to promotion from Serie B in the late 90s.

Enhanced his reputation at Parma in the 2000s before establishing himself as one of the nation’s best coaches after leading Fiorentina to consecutive Champions League campaigns.

Short, turbulent stints at Galatasaray and Valencia have followed in recent years with the ex-Roma boss now finding himself in charge of Dubai-based Al Nasr.

AdvertisementGettyBert van Marwijk

Having helped Saudi Arabia directly qualify for Russia next year ahead of Australia, the 65-year-old Dutchman, much like Postecoglou, will not be at the tournament to finish off his work.

One of the best coaches to come out of the Netherlands in the last two decades, the one-time Dutch international earned accolades for steering Feyenoord to UEFA Cup success in 2002.

Two years at Borussia Dortmund and another season at De Kuip preceded his time as Holland manager which saw him come within a whisker of helping the much-maligned Oranje win the World Cup in South Africa in 2010.

A group-stage exit at Euro 2012 saw him depart his post before spending a season managing Hamburg.

GettyimagesLaurent Blanc

A World Cup winning captain on home soil at France 1998, the 52-year-old has recently emerged as a surprise candidate for the vacant US men’s national team post.

A two-decade long playing career saw him feature for the likes of Napoli, Barcelona, Marseille, Inter Milan and Manchester United.

A three-year spell on the touchline at Bordeaux yielded a Ligue 1 title in 2009 before helping the Girondins reach the Champions League quarter-finals the following season.

Promoted to the role of French national team coach, his two years in charge saw him get Les Bleus back on track after the disaster of South Africa and most notably led PSG to three successive league titles prior to his 2016 departure.

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Jurgen Klinsmann

A World Cup winner with West Germany at Italia 90, the 53-year-old also won Euro 1996 as well as two UEFA Cup triumphs in a decorated playing career which saw him earn cult hero status with Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

His appointment as Germany manager in 2004 raised many eyebrows given he then had no previous managerial experience and lived in California, although Klinsmann eventually won over his detractors by helping Die Mannschaft finish third as hosts of the 2006 World Cup.

A failed spell at Bayern Munich followed although he restored his reputation by taking the United States to the round of 16 at Brazil 2014 before falling out with the US football governing body.

The father of Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi, Khobai Isakhel, has been kidnapped on the outskirts of Jalalabad in the eastern province of Nangarhar on Tuesday

ESPNcricinfo staff22-May-2013The father of Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi, Khobai Isakhel, has been kidnapped on the outskirts of Jalalabad in the eastern province of Nangarhar on Tuesday.”Yesterday at around 10.00 am, unknown armed man seized him [Isakhel] from his car,” Ahmad Zia Abdulzai, a spokesman for the Nangarhar provincial government, told AFP. “No trace of him has yet been found.”Nabi said the kidnappers had not yet made contact with him and he had no idea about their identity.

Sunrisers Hyderabad needed to win this game in Ranchi to avoid elimination and David Warner’s punishing innings secured the two points that took his team to fifth place

The Report by George Binoy22-May-2014
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details6:04

Guha: Warner has evolved into a flexible batsman

Sunrisers Hyderabad needed to win this game in Ranchi to avoid elimination and David Warner’s punishing innings secured the two points that took his team to fifth place in the league. Chennai Super Kings’ third successive defeat weakened their hold on second place, and narrowed the gap between them and the other contenders, Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals.While Super Kings relied on three batsmen to achieve a formidable total, Sunrisers needed only one to gun it down. By the time Warner was done, the game was all but won, and Shikhar Dhawan saw Sunrisers through to the finish with an unbeaten half-century that was the ideal foil to his aggressive opening partner.Everything seemed to fall in place for Sunrisers at the start of the chase. Warner, who had scored 59 in his previous innings, began in high gear and received generous helpings of loose deliveries from Mohit Sharma and R Ashwin. He got the lion’s share of the strike too, with Dhawan playing only 11 balls in the Powerplay, and powered Sunrisers to 64 in six overs.With the pitch offering no movement for the seamers, Mohit gave Warner several opportunities to free his arms and paid the price by watching the ball disappear between point and cover. Unlike the previous game in Ranchi, there was no turn tonight, and Warner was able to hit Ashwin down the ground without risk. The serious acceleration came in the sixth over, from John Hastings on season debut, when Warner collected five boundaries in the Vs behind and in front of the wicket to pass fifty off 25 deliveries.The other Super Kings spinners – Ravindra Jadeja and Pawan Negi – were also punished by Warner and by the time he dragged Hastings on for 90 off 45 balls, Sunrisers needed only 70 off 52 balls.Having contributed only 22 to the opening stand of 116, Dhawan now took over, finding the leg-side boundary with regularity against the spinners to get to 50 off 40 balls. Though Sunrisers lost three wickets in 13 balls towards the end, the asking rate was entirely under control, and Dhawan ensured the job was done.Given how rough the game was on the bowlers, the period between the seventh and 14th overs in the Super Kings innings was an understated yet defining period of play. Dwayne Smith had set off at cracking speed and Super Kings had scored 60 in the Powerplay, but the next eight overs yielded only 40 runs for two wickets, as MS Dhoni and David Hussey bided their time. Hussey was on 15 off 19 balls and Dhoni on 11 from 19 when they decided to accelerate, but perhaps they could have done more with the time they took to consolidate a powerful start.Once they flicked the switch, though, Hussey and Dhoni were unstoppable. They targeted the gentle seam of Irfan Pathan and Darren Sammy, and the speed of Dale Steyn, alike. Five of the last six overs went for ten or more, and Dhoni saved his best for the end. He was striking at less than a run a ball at the start of the 20th over, but deposited Steyn’s first ball over the midwicket boundary. Another six and a brace of fours followed as Dhoni took 24 off the final over – no batsman has scored more in a Steyn over in Twenty20 cricket.However, while Super Kings may have left their surge too late on a placid surface, Warner wasted no time at all and won the game.

Lionel Messi raged at Brazil forward Rodrygo while backing up Argentina team-mate Rodrigo De Paul after a delayed start to the game at the Maracana.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Rodrygo and De Paul in heated discussionMessi comes to aid of Argentina team-mateAlbiceleste go on to celebrate 1-0 win over rivalsWHAT HAPPENED?

Tuesday's World Cup qualifier was pushed back half-an-hour following clashes with Albiceleste supporters at Rio de Janeiro's Maracana stadium – and the hostilities didn't end there. Immediately after the players returned to the pitch, De Paul and Rodrygo could be seen in deep – and antagonistic – conversation, before Messi rushed over to support his Argentina colleague.

AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPGetty ImagesWHAT THEY SAID

According to reports from , Rodrygo accused Messi, De Paul and Argentina of being "cowards", after the Albiceleste captain threatened a walk-off due to continued brutality from Brazilian police. In response, Messi is said to have retorted: "We are the world champions, why are we cowards? Watch your mouth."

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THE BIGGER PICTURE

The match was eventually played despite the initial lengthy delay, and a Nicolas Otamendi goal was enough to consign Brazil to their third straight defeat and their first ever at home in World Cup qualifying. The rivalry was far from over after the full time whistle, as Messi took to Instagram to call out the "crazy" violence suffered by Argentina fans at the hands of Brazilian authorities.

Kusal Mendis’ 103 and a tight bowling performance helped Sri Lanka Under-19s rout Australia Under-19s by 95 runs in the first Youth ODI in Colombo

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Feb-2014
ScorecardKusal Mendis’ 103 and a tight bowling performance helped Sri Lanka Under-19s rout Australia Under-19s by 95 runs in the first Youth ODI in Colombo.Set 263 to chase in 50 overs, Australia lost wickets in clusters to end well short. After a brisk opening stand of 23 in three overs, Australia lost their next three wickets in five overs and added just five runs to their tally. From 28 for 3, a fourth-wicket partnership of 23 between Ben McDermott and Damian Mortimer promised recovery, but left-arm pacer Harsha Rajapaksha took three wickets in two overs to leave the side at 57 for 6 in the 18th over.Cameron Valente tried to shepherd the rest of the line-up with an 68-ball 47 but Sri Lanka’s bowlers stifled the visitors and dismissed them for 167. Rajapaksha finished with figures of 3 for 21 in eight overs, while Lakshan Jayasinghe and AK Tyronne picked up two wickets each. Minod Bhanuka, the Sri Lankan wicketkeeper, also had a good outing, contributing to six dismissals.Earlier, Mendis anchored the Sri Lanka innings, adding useful partnerships with the middle order to help the side reach 262 for 8. His best stand came with Rajapaksha as the pair added 75 for the sixth wicket in nearly 10 overs to boost Sri Lanka’s score. Both batsmen fell in the 43rd over but a few hits from Anuk Fernando and Binura Fernando pushed the score past 250.

The former Chelsea winger has finally completed a move to the Rossoneri, who could use him in a variety of different ways

It's finally over. Christian Pulisic's Chelsea career has come to an end. Some will say that it has come six-to-12 months after the real expiration date, but it's better late than never, right?

Pulisic's time at Stamford Bridge is over, and it'll be remembered with mixed emotions, from the highs of a Champions League title to the lows of… just about everything else. That postmortem, though, has been written over the last several months. Now, the time has come to focus on the future.

That future will now be at AC Milan. Pulisic has completed a move to another giant of the European game, with the Rossoneri having paid an initial €20 million (£17m/$22m) to sign the United States superstar.

He's almost certainly making a financial sacrifice to move to Italy, as few non-Saudi Arabian clubs are paying players anything close to what Chelsea are offering in the current market. But, in just about every other facet, Milan find themselves in a better place than Chelsea at the current moment.

The Italian giants can offer Champions League football, which is always good. They offer a hell of a lifestyle, with Milan remaining one of the world's most glamorous clubs. And, perhaps most importantly, they offer a legitimate path to playing time that Pulisic never had at Chelsea.

But what does that look like? What can Pulisic expect from Milan, and what can Milan expect from Pulisic when he does get on the field? GOAL takes a look at this new partnership and how Pulisic could fit in at San Siro…

GettyPulisic's positions

Most of those that follow Pulisic would associate his game with the left wing, and they'd be right. Originally hailed as the ideal replacement for Eden Hazard upon his arrival at Chelsea from Borussia Dortmund, Pulisic was expected to lock down that left-hand side at Stamford Bridge. Naturally right-footed, Pulisic is a player that has the pace to beat defenders to the byline, but also the skill to cut inside and create, making him a fantastic modern winger on that side.

He plays that same role with the U.S. men's national team, having started on that side almost exclusively in recent years. With Antonee Robinson pushing down the line behind him to create width, Pulisic is free to cut inside and create. In his first 60 USMNT appearances, he has 25 goals and, when all is said and done, he may very well be the USMNT's all-time leading scorer if he continues on this current pace.

Pulisic, though, is not just limited to the left-hand side. He's played on the right plenty of times, serving as a more natural old-school winger, while also playing a bit of wing-back for Chelsea. He can also play centrally, having been deployed as a No.10 plenty of times during his USMNT career.

And it's that flexibility that make him such an interesting signing for Milan, who already have a legitimate superstar featuring on Pulisic's favoured flank.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALThe Leao effect

If you were to make a list of the most dynamic attackers in the world today, Rafael Leao would be right near the top of that list. The 24-year-old Portugal star has blossomed into a superstar in Milan, becoming one of the faces of the club's recent resurgence. After so many years stuck behind their rivals, the Rossoneri are well and truly back, with Leao playing a vital part in getting them there.

After being named the Serie A MVP after scoring 14 goals in all competitions for Milan's 2021-22 Scudetto-winning team, he followed up that breakout campaign with 16 more goals last season, while also scoring his first and second international goals for Portugal at the World Cup. Interest soon came from all over Europe, including Chelsea, who saw Leao as a potential centerpiece in attack.

However, in the final weeks of the 2022-23 campaign, Leao signed a contract extension with Milan that runs through 2028. The winger has committed his prime years to the club, where he now has the chance to become a Milan legend.

When it comes to Stefano Pioli's line up, Leao's name is probably the first name on the teamsheet. So, with that in mind, where does Pulisic fit in?

Getty ImagesJust get on the field

The initial thought, for some at least, would be panic. For years, Pulisic's fans have watched him be relegated to the bench due to other options. Injuries, form, managerial decisions… Whatever the reason, Pulisic missed out on far too many moments on the field.

Because of that, any move away from Chelsea is a good move. For Pulisic, the most important thing, especially at this point in his career, is to play.

From a USMNT perspective, would it be nice to see Pulisic dominating on the left wing, the position he plays internationally? Of course. But is it necessary? Not really. Similar to Tim Weah, who himself is looking at a position switch in Serie A, Pulisic will benefit greatly from simply getting on the field, wherever it may be.

It's not that Milan will be playing him as a central defender, after all. No matter where he lines up in attack, he'll be using the same mental and physical attributes, albeit from different spots on the field. And, from a USMNT perspective, a bit of versatility never hurt anyone, right?

Because of that, Leao isn't as much a problem as it is a solution. Pulisic will be lining up next to a truly world-class attacker, which is always a good thing. The question, then, is this: where exactly will Pulisic play?

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GettyMilan under Pioli

To understand where Pulisic may play, you first have to understand the man that will be making the decisions. Pioli is the architect of Milan's resurgence, having taken over the team in 2019. In the years since, he's led Milan to the club's first Scudetto in over a decade as well as a Champions League semi-final.

Pioli, largely, has utilized a 4-2-3-1 throughout his managerial career, although last season saw Milan also play a 3-4-2-1 formation to accommodate their strong core of central defenders. The Italian manager is also a coach known for getting the most out of young players, as evidenced by several key stars currently in Milan's team. Which leads us back to Pulisic, who should play a key role no matter the system.

Nottinghamshire have signed Zimbabwe wicketkeeper-batsman Brendan Taylor as batting cover for this season, subject to ECB approval

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Mar-2015Nottinghamshire have signed Zimbabwe wicketkeeper-batsman Brendan Taylor as batting cover for this season, subject to ECB approval. Taylor’s availability will be confirmed following the World Cup.Taylor’s signing will provide Nottinghamshire batting cover because they will be without experienced opening batsman Michael Lumb for at least the first month of the 2015 season following his surgery on an arm tendon. Jake Libby, who became the first person in 68 years to make a century on debut for Nottinghamshire at the end of last season, has also been under the knife, requiring cruciate ligament reconstruction and could miss half the season.The club could also be without James Taylor for the start of the season if he is selected on England’s tour to the West Indies. Alex Hales is also likely to be on international duty for the one-day internationals against New Zealand, which begin on June 9 and are played over three rounds of County Championship matches.”We have decided to strengthen our batting order with Brendan, a proven player who will be an excellent addition to the side,” Newell said. “Ahead of the upcoming season, we have found ourselves with two batsmen injured and face the potential loss of players to international commitments.”