Everton’s precarious position in the Premier League is likely to be a persuading factor among a number of their key players to leave the club this summer, along with their financial troubles.

If the Merseyside club survive and extend their stay in the top flight, manager Frank Lampard will likely face the toughest rebuild he has had to undertake during his coaching career, and there will likely be a strong emphasis on youth.

The £12.6m signing of Nathan Patterson in January from Rangers proved the club’s preference for signing younger talents to help rejuvenate the squad, and another hot prospect could be about to arrive at Goodison Park from the Scottish club this summer, 16-year-old Rory Wilson.

What’s the news?

According to the Daily Record, the Toffees had scouts watching the exciting Scotland U17 international, in their game against Germany U17s last week, as well as Celtic youngster Ben Doak.

The report also claims that the Rangers starlet was the focus of attention for Aston Villa and Brighton in a 6-1 thrashing of Georgia, which helped seal the Scots place in this summer’s U17 European Championship finals, scoring his third goal in three qualifying games.

Who is he?

Standing at 6 foot tall with plenty of time to grow even bigger, Wilson is potentially developing into a similar type of player as 6 foot 2 Dominic Calvert-Lewin – using his size, strength and athleticism to win duels and get into goalscoring positions.

The striker has scored seven goals in eight appearances at his current youth level for his country, showing signs of his enormous potential and demonstrating his prolific instincts in front of goal.

He has earned plenty of praise in his short time in the limelight, most notably from his international manager Brian McLaughlin, who believes he has an exciting future.

McLaughlin said after the Georgia victory: “Rory is another who can play again in the next campaign. We have been brave enough to go really young at this age group.

“So Rory is leading the line as a 2006 against big powerful 2005s.

“But he is a clever player, his touch is good, his attitude is superb and his finishing .. for a young boy to be able to finish the way he can finish, just clinical and calm in front of goals.

“It was another top performance from him and even when we put him on the left to give another young boy a chance off the bench it wasn’t a problem because he knows he can score off the left.”

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With the likes of Thomas Cannon and Lewis Dobbin also proving to be exciting young prospects already within the Everton youth team, Wilson would likely start behind them in the youth academy for at least a little while, but neither of them have made the same kind of impression on the international stage that Wilson has, and if the Toffees sign him, he will surely develop into a top talent.

Tall and devastating in front goal, having bagged 40 goals this season, he could certainly be their next Calvert-Lewin too.

In other news: Signed for £0, then became worth £35m: Everton struck gold over “king of blunders”

Tottenham have reportedly set a surprise price tag for the sale of star defender Micky van de Ven as Real Madrid plan a January move for the defender.

Tottenham set for busy January transfer window

Under-fire boss Thomas Frank has already confirmed the club’s intention to be active in recruitment next month, with the race heating up for Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo.

Tottenham are reportedly prepared to shatter their wage structure in pursuit of Semenyo when the January window explodes into life.

The Ghanaian’s £65 million release clause activates on New Year’s Day, and the north London club have emerged as one of the most aggressive suitors for his signature, according to recent reports.

Frank views the 25-year-old winger as absolutely essential to transforming Spurs’ stuttering attack, with media sources claiming Tottenham are willing to make Semenyo their highest-paid player to win the race against Liverpool, Man City and Man United.

David Ornstein revealed this week that Spurs maintain genuine interest in the Bournemouth star alongside City’s Savinho as alternative options for wide attacking reinforcements.

Related Tottenham hold 'formal' talks with star over personal terms in 'crazy market'

Spurs have a battle on their hands.

Posts 1 ByEmilio Galantini

The club will have funds available if the right profile emerges, with January viewed as an opportunity rather than a luxury, according to credible reports.

Semenyo’s release clause carries a time-limited activation period early next month, specifically until January 10, before dropping closer to £50 million next summer — creating intense urgency among competing clubs.

Bournemouth, meanwhile, have reportedly accepted his departure is inevitable and are already identifying replacements, including Tottenham’s Brennan Johnson.

Right now, Janaury reports at Tottenham centre around their potential deal for Semenyo as Frank’s side try to inject some much-needed dynamism and creativity into their forward line.

Their first transfer window post-Daniel Levy carries plenty of intrigue, with the Lewis family undoubtedly keen to make a statement after plenty of boardroom changes in the last few months.

Therefore, this latest report from Spain on van de Ven and Real comes as all the more surprising.

Tottenham set bizarre Micky van de Ven price as Real Madrid circle

According to Spanish media sources, Xabi Alonso’s side are plotting a January deal for the Dutchman, who has marked himself out as one of the Lilywhites’ most crucial players this season.

Van de Ven’s stunning solo goal against FC Copenhagen, which drew comparisons to Son Heung-min’s Puskas winner against Burnley in 2019, is merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the centre-back’s contribution this season.

The 24-year-old has been a key man for both Ange Postecoglou and Frank, but it is now claimed that Spurs have set a £44 million ‘asking price’ for van de Ven as Real circle this winter.

Subscribe for in-depth Tottenham transfer insight and market context Get the newsletter for sharp analysis of Tottenham transfer moves—from van de Ven valuations to the Semenyo chase—and broader transfer-market breakdowns, contract context and transfer strategy. Subscribe for expert transfer coverage and clear explanations. Subscribe Subscribe for in-depth Tottenham transfer insight and market context Get the newsletter for sharp analysis of Tottenham transfer moves—from van de Ven valuations to the Semenyo chase—and broader transfer-market breakdowns, contract context and transfer strategy. Subscribe for expert transfer coverage and clear explanations.

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It’s safe to say that, regardless of the Bernabeu being an obvious temptation for any player, this should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Van de Ven is only an ever-present leader for Tottenham, but his contract also doesn’t expire until 2029, meaning the club are in a very strong position to demand big money for one of the Premier League’s most elite centre-backs.

Spurs are also believed to be readying talks over a new van de Ven contract which would double his salary, even if club legend Glenn Hoddle believes he won’t sign it.

Even if van de Ven being tempted away is a genuine possibility at some point in the future, if Spurs don’t improve, it certainly can’t be for just £44 million.

Related Scouts urging Tottenham to sign £40m star who's impressed PSG instead of Semenyo

Spurs have a quality alternative to the Ghanaian.

Posts 1 ByEmilio Galantini

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Graeme Souness has said that he feels the signings of Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk have allowed Liverpool to take a ‘quantum leap’.

Previously, with the likes of Simon Mignolet and Loris Karius sharing the gloves in goal, and players like Martin Skrtel and Alberto Moreno consistently in the starting eleven, the Reds were always susceptible to a defensive mix-up.

However, having splashed out £75m and £66m on the Dutchman and the Brazilian stopper respectively, Liverpool have shaped up at the back and are now gunning for the Premier League title – Jurgen Klopp’s men have kept the most clean sheets in the league this season with 17.

Is Jurgen Klopp a “serial bottler”? The fan in the video below certainly thinks so…

What’s he said?

Souness told Sky Sports: “People will point out if they don’t win the league or Champions League that it’s another year without winning a trophy, but each year they have got better and better.

“They have made a quantum leap this year by signing Virgil van Dijk and Alisson.

“They both got it wrong for the Fulham goal, but I can’t remember another time that has happened. They have been fabulous all year. Liverpool are a serious team now.”

Other clubs should follow Liverpool’s lead

We’ve seen in recent windows that some of the top clubs’ approach to the transfer window has been like a kid on FIFA, splashing huge amounts on any glistening name without thinking.

Chelsea, for example, have spent absurd amounts on the likes of Tiemoue Bakayoko, Danny Drinkwater, Davide Zappacosta and Alvaro Morata, all of whom play minimal roles in the first-team; two of them aren’t even at the club right now.

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In Liverpool’s case, they have been shrewd, patient and thoughtful in the market, and are reaping the rewards for identifying a target and ensuring that they get their man no matter what.

Air India crawled to 186/6 from 97 overs against National CricketAcademy on the first day of their MRF-Buchi Babu pre-quarterfinal atthe Guru Nanak College Ground in Chennai today. Far from flying high,Air India were kept on a tight leash after captain Praveen Amre beathis NCA rival Reetinder Sodhi for the toss and chose to take firststrike.After 21-year-old Baroda seamer Rakesh Patel removed opener SandehKawle for one in the seventh over of the innings, Dheeraj Jadhav andNiraj Patel added a battling 68 for Air India of which the latter, anNCA product who could just as well have turned out for his opponents,made 47. With the last ball of his first and only over, Mohd. Kaif’soff breaks dislodged Patel, caught by Rohit Jhalani behind thewickets.Jhalani was again called into action, stumping skipper Amre for 22 offthe bowling of Saurashtra left arm spinner Rakesh Dhurv. Two ballslater, Altaf Merchant had his stumps disarranged by Patel for a duckto leave Air India at 115/4. Satish Samand did not last long but hissuccessor Harvinder Singh Sodhi ensconced himself firmly at thecrease, striking five boundaries in the course of an unbeaten 26.In the 90th over, opener Jadhav’s lengthy and painstaking 283-minutevigil, realising 63 runs (six 4’s), came to an end when off spinnerRamesh Powar won a leg before decision and at stumps wicketkeeper NGGavas was keeping Sodhi company. For NCA, Patel with 2/35 from 19overs produced the best figures among the eight bowlers used.

ScorecardSaeed Ajmal’s five first innings wickets forced Hampshire to follow on at New Road•PA Photos

Saeed Ajmal’s rehabilitation took a giant step forward when his first five-wicket haul since August 2014 gave Worcestershire scent of a victory which would ease their relegation worries but cut off Hampshire at the foot of Division One in the LV= County Championship.He may not be the magician who claimed 63 wickets in nine games in last summer’s promotion charge, but for the first time since he was forced to re-structure his action, he has hinted that he could become a match-winner again.A combination of Ajmal’s craft and Joe Leach’s stout-hearted medium-fast bowling routed Hampshire for 183 and, having been hurried into following on 295 behind, there was nothing to suggest an imminent escape from their current crisis of confidence.The last five completed innings have failed to produce even one total of 300 and a sixth is highly likely after closing at 164 for 6, still 131 short of making Worcestershire bat again.It was something for Hampshire, but by no means enough, that James Vince and Will Smith made half-centuries in the first innings. Vince’s 56 was his second highest score of the season but the downside was two dismissals without playing a shot, the second time for a duck as Ajmal took the first of three wickets to fall in consecutive overs.In all, they lost 13 on the day and as much as Worcestershire bowled with honesty and intensity – and a lot of guile in the case of Ajmal’s five for 28 from 17 overs – this was too many on a dry but not impossible batting surface.On resuming at 86 for 3, Hampshire almost got through the first hour unscathed but when Vince misjudged the first ball of a new spell by Leach, the slide was under way. While Ajmal took wickets in successive overs, Adam Wheater giving a return chance and Joe Gatting sweeping to deep square leg, the impressive Leach bowled Gareth Berg first ball.Smith made the most of some lower-order support but was left stranded on 51 from 113 balls after scoring all of the 31 added with last man Jackson Bird. Ajmal accounted for Danny Briggs and Brad Wheal, the latter caught and bowled at the second attempt, and Bird was finally trapped in front by Leach.It was a clever strategy by Worcestershire to keep Jack Shantry back for the second innings and sure enough he was at forefront of the push for victory, although there was a frustrating gap after the leg-before dismissal of Jimmy Adams for his 50th first-class wicket of the season.Hampshire spirits were beginning to rise until Shantry ended a partnership of 65, a bat-pad catch to the wicketkeeper accounting for Sean Terry (37) before Michael Carberry (32) chopped on. Vince then became Ajmal’s sixth victim of the match and Hampshire were back on the ropes with half the side gone for 97 when Wheather was caught behind off Charlie Morris.Smith, for the second time, held up Worcestershire, digging in for 29 in 105 minutes until giving Brett D’Oliveira a return catch, and Gatting was equally stubborn with 28 not out in 27 overs.

Mark Wood looks certain to return to the England side for the fourth Investec Ashes Test at Trent Bridge, but England are hoping that the use of an oxygen tank can help James Anderson recover for the final Test at the Kia Oval.Alastair Cook, the England captain, has confirmed that Wood is in “pole position” to replace Anderson in Nottingham and suggested he had come through all the necessary fitness tests with “flying colours.””He has looked fit and ready,” Cook said. “We will have a last check in the morning, but it looks really good for Woody.”Cook also revealed that Anderson had started using “an oxygen tank” in a bid to regain fitness ahead of the final Test, which starts on August 20.”He’s been working with the physios, going in oxygen tanks and all that kind of stuff,” Cook said. “He’s doing everything he can. He is a big miss for us as he gives us attacking options and control.”Anderson sustained a side strain during the third Test at Edgbaston and will be wearing an oxygen mask for around 80 minutes a day for the next week or so.An ECB spokesman explained that there is anecdotal evidence that a boost in oxygen “speeds up recovery in muscle injuries” and that England were “exploring every avenue to get him fit for The Oval.”Chris Woakes, who might have returned to this squad had he not ruled himself out of contention after experiencing some pain in the knee on which he underwent surgery in April, also returned to action. Woakes had some fluid drained from the knee last week and declared himself fit for Warwickshire’s Royal London match against Hampshire at Edgbaston.

Wriddhiman Saha, the India wicketkeeper, is confident of regaining fitness ahead of the four-match Test series against South Africa due to begin in November. He had suffered a hamstring injury while on tour in Sri Lanka and is currently in Kolkata working on his rehabilitation.”South Africa Tests are still two months away. I am confident that I will get fit much before that. Hopefully, I will be playing Ranji Trophy for Bengal next month to get match fit,” he told India had called up Naman Ojha as a replacement for the final Test in Colombo, who in turn had looked composed in the face of a Test debut and against a probing Sri Lankan attack. But he could not convert his starts into substantial scores.Saha, meanwhile, had struck a couple of fifties before being sidelined and is rated as the best gloveman in India. His captain Virat Kohli had gone on record saying Saha should be India’s wicketkeeper in Tests for the next five years.The pressure Saha faces, though, is from a perception that he might not score quick runs, which is often the mandate of a batsman coming in at Nos. 6 and 7, and which a player like Ojha is been known for.”I don’t play cricket thinking about others’ performance,” Saha said. “I got injured and Naman was assigned a duty. He did his job to the best of his abilities and India have won the match. Now who will play is up to the selectors. My job is to keep improving and I will strive in doing that.”He does not need to look far for support. Saha recalled how his team-mates had helped him after a couple of failures in the practice match ahead of the Sri Lanka Tests. “When I had low scores (3 and 1) in the warm-up game, Ajinkya [Rahane] came up and told me, ‘Don’t worry. You will score in Tests where it matters’. That’s what has been the hallmark. Everyone is enjoying each other’s success.”Saha had some of his own – scoring his maiden Test half-century in difficult conditions in Galle, which he rated as a better knock than the next fifty he hit, batting through injury and helping set up India’s declaration at the P Sara Oval.”I would rate the Galle innings higher as there was both turn and bounce on that track. Also I had not got a fifty in Tests till then. It was a challenge that I enjoyed. Also I batted with the tail (in both Tests), which demands taking greater responsibility. (Dhammika) Prasad and (Rangana) Herath are class bowlers and doing well against them increases self-belief.”Obviously, the twin half-centuries acted as confidence boosters. I am happy that I have played my little part in the team’s 2-1 series victory. For me, more than the volume of runs, it is important that in what situation I have scored those runs. When I look back, I feel a bit of satisfaction that I could deliver what Virat (Kohli) wanted from me.”

ScorecardMichael Yardy is determined to leave Sussex in Division One•Getty Images

Yorkshire’s competitive season began at New Road with the chestnut tree barely in leaf; now it draws not quite serenely to a close with conkers bestrewing the pavement in St Michael’s Lane and the unmistakable tang of autumn in the morning air. For all that it is our summer game, cricket spreads itself generously across three seasons.When that first ball was bowled – Sidebottom to Mitchell, no run – Yorkshire were champions and their opponents, Worcestershire, were keen to prove themselves against the best in the land. As it drifts to its end – as yet, we know not when or how – Worcestershire are relegated and Sussex need only to avoid defeat in this game at Headingley to be sure they will not join them, regardless of what Hampshire do at Trent Bridge.The common denominators are Yorkshire’s cricketers, champions in April, re-crowned kings in September after a summer littered with four-day triumphs, some of them stunningly facile. Yet Andrew Gale’s cricketers have not performed like champions since winning the title and they have not been the masters of their own farmyard in this match. Indeed, Yorkshire have serious work to do if they are not to end their programme with two defeats in their last three games.The principal reason for this is not celebratory fatigue, as it might have been as Lord’s, but the keenness of a Sussex team whose competitive juices have been stirred by their peril. On the second morning of this match, for example, they took Yorkshire’s last three wickets in ten balls, thus ensuring that their batsmen would not suffer the irritation of late resistance.Then, when Yorkshire’s seam attack had threatened to gang up on Ed Joyce’s batsmen and bully them into craven subjection, Sussex’s last five wickets added 178 runs as the bowlers’ attacking lengths were met with equally aggressive strokeplay.This counter-attack was particularly welcome, to the neutral at least, because it was led by Michael Yardy, who was playing the penultimate innings of his first-class career. Arriving in the middle with his side grimly placed on 68 for 4, Yardy watched as things got worse four balls later when Luke Wright’s slightly timid push at a good ball from Liam Plunkett only nicked a catch to Alex Lees at first slip.That left Sussex on 70 for 5 and it concluded 17.1 overs’ cricket in which most of the specialist batsmen had been embarrassed by the accuracy and movement of Ryan Sidebottom and his friends Matt Machan had been caught when playing a flat-footed drives. Ed Joyce had perished when attempting curious shots somewhere between pushes and drives. Machan and Joyce had both fallen to Jack Brooks but all Yorkshire’s seamers had enjoyed at least one success and their tails were up.After lunch, though, Yardy and his partner, Ben Brown, lit their strongest flambeaux and fought fire with fire. The pair added 55 in 40 balls after the resumption until Brown, having whacked Bresnan for four and a remarkable six over cover, was caught by Sidebottom at long leg when hooking the ex-England bowler. Brown’s 39 off 34 balls seems a modest contribution but it had changed the temper of the contestYardy had not kept pace with his colleague but there had been no mistaking his broad-beamed belligerence. Time and again he strode across his wicket in that unique slightly crab-like style and clipped the ball through mid-wicket or cut it heavens-hard to the point boundary. While he needed the luck of two Chinese cuts to fine leg off Bresnan, there was no brooking the argument that he deserved his fifty which came up off 56 balls.Ashar Zaidi helped Yardy add 53 for the seventh wicket and by now Yorkshire’s bowlers, bearded in their own lair, were less impressive, less dominant, less assured. It was Adil Rashid who removed Zaidi, leg before when playing no shot for 26, and then Magoffin fell to Plunkett first ball.Yardy, though, buccaneered on. Having already hit five centuries against Yorkshire in his career, it was beginning to seem possible that his third fifty would be translated into a sixth hundred when he attempted another cut off Brooks but only played the ball on to his stumps. He had made 70 off 81 balls and hit 13 fours; his innings had changed the game. He received the warmest of ovations and much of the applause came from folk who were wearing Yorkshire apparel.Encouraged by their very senior pro, Lewis Hatchett and Chris Liddle added a further 37 for the last wicket and reduced the deficit to three before Hatchett was caught by Bresnan off Adam Lyth’s off-spin for 25. Then, a little shocked, perhaps, by the treatment they had encountered, Lyth and Gary Ballance took Yorkshire to 55 for 1 in 26 overs by the close. Lees had been caught and bowled for a golden duck by Chris Jordan when he played too soon at a good length ball.The calmness of the cricket in the evening session contrasted sharply with the previous entertainment. It allowed one to reflect, before battle is rejoined tomorrow, on the fact that Yardy, like Ashwell Prince, Richard Pyrah and others are ending their playing careers this week. “Know’st thou not at the fall of the leaf / How the heart feels a languid grief,” wrote Dante Gabriel Rossetti in “Autumn Song”.The melancholy is more profound for the passing of a playing career than it is for the ending of a season. In April one had Edward Thomas’s in one’s pocket; now there is Keats on the bedside table. But the time for Thomas will come again. There will be no more of Yardy’s crunching clips through the on side, no more of those walks across the crease, no more of his left-arm darts…The light is failing over Headingley now. The trees are darker of leaf and mists gather in the copses towards Burley.

Where they finished last seasonSixth in Group B with two wins and three losses out of eight matchesBig PictureTraditionally one of the stronger units in domestic cricket, Punjab were the semi-finalists in 2013-14 but slumped to the bottom half of Group B last year, winning two of their first three matches and then proceeding to lose their last two. Punjab are known to bank on their batting but that turned out to be one of their major worries last season. They crossed 400 only once in 12 completed innings, were made to follow-on in consecutive matches by Rajasthan and Gujarat, and ended the tournament by being bundled out for 88 while chasing 179.This time too they will pin their hopes on a batting line-up boasting names such as Yuvraj Singh, Gurkeerat Singh, Jiwanjot Singh, Mandeep Singh and Manan Vohra. Yuvraj had a prolific Ranji campaign last time, averaging 56 with three consecutive hundreds and two fifties, and finshed just behind Gurkeerat’s tally of 677. Opener Jiwanjot would have to look further back, to the 2013-14 season when he amassed 802 runs, to bring back some confidence at the top of the order.The pace attack, which gets assistance from the pitches in the winter, is even more feeble this time. Sandeep Sharma, their highest wicket-taker last season, is injured, leaving much of the responsibility on Siddarth Kaul’s shoulders, who was second behind Sandeep with 26 wickets last season. A cause of concern would be that no other Punjab bowler took more than 11 wickets. Their spin cupboard looks rather bare and they will be without Harbhajan Singh for the first two matches.Players to watchSiddarth Kaul has less than 30 first-class matches to his name and the task of leading the pace attack will be handed to him. His 26 wickets last season came at an average of 23.61 and he was the only Punjab player to take two five-fors. Coach Arun Sharma says Siddarth won’t be hunting for wickets all on his own, with the squad containing good bench strength in terms of pace bowlers.Punjab’s spin attack will be in focus since Harbhajan is not the force he was in his prime, particularly in the longer format. Once he is back after the T20Is against South Africa, he will have for support legspinner Sarabjit Ladda and left-arm spinner Varun Khanna, who have 64 and nine first-class wickets respectively.Coaching staffArun Sharma is back as the coach after two years to replace Bhupinder Singh, who is now a selector. The remaining support staff includes fielding coach Harminder Pannu, physio Ravi Raghuvanshi and trainer Sandeep Kharwar.PreparationPunjab held a 15-day off-season camp before holding the inter-district tournaments at Under-16, Under-19 and Under-23 levels that featured four-day matches. The coach and selectors relied on these tournaments to pick the younger members of the squad.Team newsPunjab are among the few teams to have not been involved in pre-season transfers. But they will miss out on captain Harbhajan’s services for the first two matches since he is in India’s T20 squad to face South Africa, and Yuvraj will lead in his absence. An in-form Gurkeerat will play the first match but will miss the next three since he will be with the India ODI team. Pacer Sandeep’s back pain has ruled him out of the first two matches and VRV Singh is still struggling with a back injury. Varun Khanna has made a comeback after last playing a first-class match in 2009 and the only uncapped player in the squad is opening batsman Pargat Singh, who was picked after scoring heavily in the inter-district tournament.SquadJiwanjot Singh, Manan Vohra, Uday Kaul (wk), Mandeep Singh, Yuvraj Singh, Gurkeerat Singh, Gitansh Khera (wk), Himanshu Chawla, Sidharth Kaul, Brainder Sran, Sarabjit Ladda, Varun Khanna, Maninder Singh, Pargat Singh, Deepak Bansal, Mayank Sidhana. Stand-bys: Karan Goel, Ravinder Singh, Rajwinder Golu, Gaurav Puri, Taruwar Kohli, Aarush Sabbarwal.In their own wordsWe have a good mixture in the squad, there is experience and the youngsters have also played a couple of seasons. Overall it’s a balanced side. There are four senior players, three spinners and a strong batting line-up.

Assam

Amit Verma’s experience and all-round ability will be key to Assam’s fortunes•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Where they finished last seasonAfter topping Group C, they bowed out in the quarter-finals against eventual champions Karnataka, on the basis of a first-innings deficit.Big PictureAfter finishing second-last in Group C in the 2013-14 season, Assam staged a remarkable resurgence in the 2014-15 season, topping the group with five wins out of eight games, a win tally that only Delhi matched in the league stages.Last year’s results ended a five-year struggle in the Plate league and the goals for this season are clear – the same positive mindset, and a clear focus on victories and an eventual place in the knock-outs. Coach Sanath Kumar stressed that he wants the team to steer clear of the survival mindset that can often hinder teams that find themselves promoted from the lower league into the top two groups. “Normally what happens with most of the teams when they get promoted to the upper league, their only thinking is how to survive. That’s a normal mindset. That’s one thing I made clear to them: don’t get into the survival mode. We have to be very aggressive – how we played cricket last season, we will play the same way this season. Our aim is to win and to qualify for knock-outs,” Kumar told ESPNcricinfo.To that extent, there aren’t too many changes from the side that played last season, with the notable exception of batsman Dheeraj Jadhav, who moved to Goa as a professional, after Assam declined to renew his contract. With Jadhav’s departure, Assam have picked Gokul Sharma as captain, and have roped in Amit Verma as one of their professional players. Kumar says that the problem of a lack of consistent competitive cricket before the season has also been addressed with a number of pre-season practice games.Players to watchAmit Verma played as a professional for Kerala last season, and finished as the second-highest run-getter and leading wicket-taker. He will be expected to take on a similar role in Assam and Kumar said Verma’s legspin would add much in value to the main spin attack comprising offspinner Swarupam Purkayastha and left-arm spinner J Syed Mohammad. “One more spinner coming into the side makes a huge difference for us. He’s an allrounder and that’s a huge advantage for us now,” Kumar said.Where Verma can expect to play a supplementary role in the bowling attack, Swarupam Purkayastha will once again be required to take the lead. Making a comeback in 2014-15, the offspinner had a breakthrough season, topping the wicket charts among spinners with 36 wickets, which included five-fors in five successive innings. This season could also see him take more responsibility with the bat as Assam might try him out at a slot higher than the No. 7 position he usually bats at.Coaching staffSanath Kumar (head coach), Subhadeep Ghosh (assistant coach), Binod Jain (physiotherapist, who has had previous experience with Karnataka) and Nishant Thakur (trainer, previous experience with Punjab).Team newsApart from Verma’s selection, the other major inclusion in the squad is that of uncapped allrounder Bikash Chetri, who bowls left-arm spin. The run-scoring responsibilities will once again rest on their top-scorer from last season Tarjinder Singh, while Gokul, who scored a fifty and a century in the quarter-final against Karnataka to cap off a middling season, will also look to lead by example with the bat.PreparationsApart from the Buchi Babu tournament, Assam’s cricketers have played a few practice games against Karnataka in Bangalore, a match between sides formed from within the squad, and a practice game against Tripura.SquadGokul Sharma (capt), Arun Karthik, Abu Nechim, Amit Verma, Bikash Chetri, Arup Das, Krishna Das, Pritam Das, Pallavkumar Das, Rishav Das, Swarupam Purkayastha, Sibsankar Roy, Kunal Saikia (wk), Jamaluddin Syed Mohammad, Tarjinder Singh.In their own words“I told them not to worry about winning and losing, as long as you were giving your 100% and you were backing yourself, I will back you. I made it clear to them that anything outside the field is my problem. And after that they really started performing.”

Goa 239 (Misal 106, Jadeja 3-41) and 299 for 7 dec. (Asnodkar 104, Kauthankar 58, Makvana 3-85) drew with Saurashtra 258 (Barot 56, Rituraj 5-70) and 223 for 5 (Barot 93, Jackson 55, Yadav 3-52)
ScorecardAvi Barot struck fifties in both innings but it was insufficient to take Saurashtra to their fifth successive win•BCCI

Late wickets halted Saurashtra’s quest to secure their fifth successive win, as they eventually settled for a draw against Goa in Rajkot. Saurashtra, who were set a target of 281, were placed at 223 for 5 when both captains decided no result would be possible.But the scenario was drastically different in the afternoon as Avi Barot (93) and Sheldon Jackson (55) built on the good work done by Sagar Jogiyani (44) as Saurashtra’s brisk scoring rate ensured they were primed for six points. But the wickets of Barot and Jackson brought about a breakdown in momentum, with the lower-middle order unable to get the ball off the square against the turning ball. Amit Yadav, the offspinner, had the best figures for Goa (3 for 52).The day began with Goa on the attack, trying to build their lead towards 300 before forcing an end to the innings. They began well courtesy Dheeraj Jadhav (50*) and Snehal Kauthankar (58), but a slew of late wickets resulted in a declaration just before lunch. But all that, in the end, amounted to a solitary point that left Goa scrapping for a mid-table position.
ScorecardMore than half the day was lost due to bad light as the match ended in a stalemate, with both sides having to settle for one point each in Dharamsala. Services, who resumed on 344 for 3 in response to Himachal’s 531, lost overnight centurions Rajat Paliwal (107) and Yashpal Singh (115) early as Himachal entertained hopes of taking a lead. But they were denied, first by Vikas Hathwala (38) and Khalid Ahmed (35*), and then by bad light as Services were on 448 for 8 when the light that forced players off the field failed to improve before the cut-off time.The match will be remembered for Paras Dogra’s 227 that allowed him to equal Ajay Sharma’s record for most double centuries (7) in Ranji history.
ScorecardSandeep Warrier, the pacer, took six wickets as Kerala nipped out a 110-run lead over Tripura in Mallapuram, before Rohan Prem drove the game forward with an aggressive unbeaten 72 to set up a declaration on 117 for 4. Needing 228 to win in little over a session, Tripura were on 52 for no loss when bad light ended play early as the hosts walked away with three points.During the course of his unbeaten 72, Prem, the captain, also overtook Shreyas Iyer to become the leading run-getter this season after six rounds.
ScorecardIan Dev Singh’s 126 was the lone bright spark for Jammu & Kashmir after they were made to follow-on by Jharkhand in Jamshedpur. The visitors, who were bowled out for 309 in response to Jharkhand’s 551 for 8, achieved largely on the back of centuries from Ishan Kishan and Anand Singh, were 265 for 4 when the captains shook hands.Ian Dev’s efforts were complemented first by opener Shubham Khajuria (77), and then later by Mithun Mahnas, who made 50 to go with his 98 in the first innings. J&K are languishing at the sixth spot, while Jharkhand are only a shade better at No. 5.