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Nottingham Forest star, Elliot Anderson, is reportedly set for a surprise England call-up as Thomas Tuchel looks to reward his fine form. The midfielder, who starred in England’s Under-21 European Championship triumph earlier this summer, has been tipped for greatness by Forest staff, and his rapid ascent now looks set to earn its biggest reward yet.

Anderson tipped for first England call-upTuchel eyes Forest star for qualifiersMidfielder hailed as future world-class talentFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Tuchel’s admiration for Anderson became evident when the England manager was spotted in the stands during Forest’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Sunday. The German manager, known for favouring technically gifted midfielders with energy and bite, views Anderson as an ideal addition to his squad as England look to extend their perfect start in World Cup qualifying Group K, as revealed by

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A product of Newcastle United’s academy, Anderson was widely tipped to be a future star at St. James’ Park. However, in June 2024, he completed a surprise switch to Nottingham Forest in a move partly driven by Newcastle’s push to stay compliant with Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). While some saw it as a step down, Anderson quickly turned the narrative on its head. In his debut season, he played a starring role as Forest achieved the extraordinary, qualifying for Europe for the first time in three decades.

DID YOU KNOW?

Born in Newcastle to a Scottish grandmother, he was courted by both England and Scotland. He represented both nations at the youth level before being handed his first Scotland senior call-up in August 2023, only to withdraw due to injury. Since then, he has become a mainstay in England’s Under-21 set-up, playing a key role in last summer’s European Championship success. Operating mostly on the left side of a midfield three in Forest’s 4-2-3-1 system, he has redefined expectations. His driving runs, quick feet, and relentless hunger for the ball have made him indispensable at the City Ground.

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England’s campaign resumes on September 6 against Andorra at Villa Park, followed by a tricky away tie against Serbia in Belgrade three days later. Tuchel’s men currently sit top of Group K, having won all three of their opening fixtures. The addition of Anderson adds fresh energy to an already stacked squad, as Tuchel looks to build momentum and secure early qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

“An absolute brain fade,” Tom Moody says of Glenn Maxwell’s shot to get out first ball

ESPNcricinfo staff22-May-20241:21

‘Reckless cricket and absolute brain fade’

After being knocked out of IPL 2024 by Rajasthan Royals (RR), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Faf du Plessis said that the Impact Player rule and the dew during the chase meant his side was “20 runs short” of a par total.After being asked to bat in Ahmedabad, RCB posted 172 for 8 on a fresh pitch. Their bowlers then showed great fight but, in the end, RR were home with four wickets and an over to spare.”I think with the dew coming in the second innings, we thought we were a little bit short with the bat,” du Plessis said after the match on the official broadcast. “It felt like we needed a push, a few more runs to make it even more competitive. So I did think we were 20 runs shy of a good score on that pitch. But credit to our boys who fought really well, hanging in there right till the end. That’s all you can ask for, a great fight.Related

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“Batting first, it can be tough because the ball is sticking into the surface. You’re thinking 190. But if you lose a couple of wickets then the problem starts.”If you look at naturally assessing the pitch and the conditions, you would say it’s a 180 pitch because it was swinging up front and was quite slow. So normal cricket, almost like old T20 cricket, 180 is a good score. But what we found out this season is with obviously the extra batter and the longer batting line-ups because of the super sub [Impact Player], your par scores are really not what they used to be, especially if there’s dew. So we knew we needed a little bit more in terms of a score to challenge them.”At one point, though, it did look like RCB were on track for a par score. They were 95 for 2 after 12 overs and ESPNcricinfo’s Forecaster predicted a final total of 192. But in the next over, they lost a set Cameron Green. Immediately after that, Glenn Maxwell fell first ball trying to hit R Ashwin for a six down the ground.”That was a shocking shot,” Varun Aaron said on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show. “I understand if it was a ball to be hit, you hit it. [But] it was a good ball coming in. I think that shot was just not on at that point. He could have just absorbed a few balls and then gone big. You already lost quite a few wickets, your big players are in the dugout, and you are the most notable player at the crease at that point and then you play a shot like that, that’s letting your team down on a very big day.”

“If he was in red-hot form, I don’t have an issue with him hitting that first ball straight for a six because 19 times out of 20, he would hit it for a six”Tom Moody on Glenn Maxwell’s shot to get out

Tom Moody echoed his co-panellist’s views. “I think at the moment where he is at with regards to his form, it was reckless,” Moody said. “If he was in red-hot form, I don’t have an issue with him hitting that first ball straight for a six because 19 times out of 20, he would hit it for a six.”It’s a bit like what we’ve seen [Shivam] Dube do for CSK. First ball, in his arc, bang goes for six. They are all up applauding it. Maxwell is the same but Maxwell is not in that sweet spot when it comes to form. So I put that down as reckless cricket and an absolute brain fade.”But du Plessis was “extremely proud” of how his side bounced back from the brink of elimination to make the playoffs. They had started with seven defeats in their first eight games before stitching together six successive wins. All other results that needed to go their way went their way as well.”A lot of teams would have probably fallen off after one [win] from nine [eight],” he said. “We have got great characters in that dressing room, all of us really put our hands up with a lot of pride and a lot of fight in us to make sure we give our best and give it absolutely everything we have. And to come back like that, winning six games in a row, takes a lot of heart, takes a lot of character. So it’s a sad ending when it goes your way like that, you feel like is it possibly written in the stars that you could do something special here but we weren’t special tonight in terms of just pushing that extra 20 runs with the bat.”

Afghanistan lost 8 for 25 as Sri Lanka brought the innings to a close inside 34 overs

Madushka Balasuriya11-Feb-2024Sri Lanka’s middle order led by Charith Asalanka piled on a second successive 300-plus total, helping them secure a 155-run win in the second ODI in Pallekele. Afghanistan imploded in their chase to lose the three-match series with a game to go.Chasing 309, Afghanistan had seemingly set themselves up well for a late charge, particularly when Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmat Shah were in the middle of their 97-run second wicket stand. But once Asitha Fernando had Ibrahim strangled down leg, the Afghan innings went into freefall. They lost their next eight wickets for just 25 runs as Sri Lanka brought the innings to a close inside 34 overs.Wanindu Hasaranga grabbed figures of 4 for 27, while Asitha – playing his first ODI in over a year – and Dilshan Madushanka had two apiece. Pramod Madushan too finished with one to his name.Afghanistan have shown in the past that their tried and tested method for chasing large totals is to take the game deep, and that plan was clear from the get-go. Neither Rahmanullah Gurbaz nor Ibrahim took it upon themselves to go after the bowling early on – a large part of which was down to the tight lines and lengths of the Lankan seamers. Asitha got one to seam away just enough to catch the edge of Gurbaz for an uncharacteristically subdued 8 off 20.Ibrahim and Rahmat then put on the only real partnership of the innings, but they too struggled to keep up with the required rate. Once Ibrahim fell in the 27th over, the required rate went above 7.5 an over – still quite gettable. However, Hasaranga struck twice within the space of an over. He trapped Rahmat leg before with a googly, and then bowled Hashmatullah Shahidi through the gate after he had failed to get to the pitch of a leg break. That is when the wheels began to come off.Azmatullah Omarzai, who scored a century in the opening game, inside-edged a fullish one from Madushan onto the stumps via his pads. Hasaranga then produced his second double-wicket over of the game. The first to go was Mohammad Nabi, the other centurion from Friday, missing the forward defence to a top spinner, before Ikram Alikhil was run-out after some great work at backward square leg.Asitha Fernando returned to remove Ibrahim Zadran•AFP/Getty ImagesMadushanka then bowled the third double-wicket over of the innings, having Qais Ahmed caught at deep square leg and then trapping Noor Ahmad lbw first ball. Hasaranga then wrapped up the innings, dismissing Gulbadin Naib lbw, as Afghanistan lost their last eight wickets in the span of five overs.Sri Lanka too lost wickets in pairs in their innings, but crucially consolidated and rebuilt after each of those setbacks. What that meant was four of their batters scored fifties and pushed them up to 308 for 6 having elected to bat first. Asalanka put on the finishing touches on a slow burn outing, ending unbeaten on a 74-ball 97. It was his stand of 50 from 32 alongside Hasaranga that pushed Sri Lanka’s total beyond 300 – a good recovery after Afghanistan had looked to throttle the middle overs.Along with Asalanka, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama</a> and Janith Liyanage all struck fifties. A pair of century partnerships – the first between Mendis and Samarawickrama and the second between Liyanage and Asalanka – anchored the innings before the Asalanka-Hasaranga alliance helped Sri Lanka score 96 in the last ten overs.Omarzai was the pick of the Afghan bowlers with figures of 3 for 56, but three catches were dropped off Fazalhaq Farooqi's bowling. Farooqi along with Noor Ahmad and Qais Ahmad ended up with a wicket apiece.After Sri Lanka elected to bat, Nissanka looked in good touch, striking three boundaries in his 17-ball 18. But his onslaught was cut short when he missed a full and straight one from Omarzai to be out lbw. An out-of-sorts Avishka Fernando fell a few overs later, edging a back-of-a-length ball angling across, straight to point – reminiscent of his three dismissals in the recent series against Zimbabwe. This brought together Mendis and Samarawickrama, who rebuilt with boundaries only serving as an avenue to release the rising pressure. Mendis was also given an early reprieve, a soft chance spilled by Gulbadin Naib at short midwicket.But just as they looked to up the scoring, Samarawickrama lobbed one to mid-off stationed on the edge of the circle. Mendis soon pulled one straight to deep square leg the very next over. Asalanka and Liyanage then rebuilt before switching gears. The latter brought up his fifty with a lofted six down the ground but fell one ball later, caught at long-on looking to go big once more.Afghanistan didn't do themselves many favours in the death overs, dropping both Asalanka and Hasaranga. This meant Asalanka was around to ensure Sri Lanka had a competitive total to defend, something they did with ease in the end.

Javier Tebas, the outspoken president of La Liga, has launched a scathing attack on the newly-expanded Club World Cup, expressing his intent to see the month-long tournament scrapped altogether. With the 32-team event currently underway in the United States, Tebas has voiced strong opposition, particularly regarding its disruptive impact on domestic schedules and player welfare.

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• Tebas vows to shut down CWC
• Will not allow Real Madrid to have extra rest
• La Liga will commence on August 16

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Spain’s two representatives in the Club World Cup, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, have had very different trajectories in the competition. Diego Simeone’s Atletico exited in the group stage, limiting the disruption to their preparations for the upcoming campaign. Real Madrid, on the other hand, have progressed to the quarter-finals and could be in action until the tournament’s conclusion on July 13.

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  Should Los Blancos reach the final, it would consume nearly all of their usual rest period. With just over a month before the new season begins, Madrid's players face the risk of limited training time and no warm-up friendlies ahead of the 2025-26 campaign.

  Watch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream now

• WHAT TEBAS SAID

  Tebas has made it clear that neither Real Madrid nor Atletico Madrid will receive any special scheduling allowances due to their Club World Cup participation.

  "I will do everything possible to ensure it [the Club World Cup] doesn't happen again," he said, as reported by "The Club World Cup has created a competitiveness problem with the money that goes to those clubs involved. The competition is damaging the calendar for all teams. They ask for more days to rest, but they can earn €140 million (£121m/$165m) from the Club World Cup – double Alaves' budget – and then ask for time to prepare."

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  The upcoming domestic season has already been mapped out by La Liga. The campaign kicks off on the weekend of August 16–17, with Real Madrid beginning at home to Osasuna. The season is scheduled to end on May 24, 2026, allowing for a short break before the start of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Enzo Maresca has challenged Chelsea star Cole Palmer to show more initiative during games after he complained of boredom against Real Betis.

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• Maresca reveals expectations of Palmer
• Was 'bored' in Conference League final
• Helped Chelsea beat LAFC

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Chelsea boss Maresca says Palmer must show his initiative more often after the England international complained he was "sick of going backwards and sideways" during the Conference League final victory over Real Betis last month. The Blues were trailing the La Liga outfit before Palmer turned the game on its head with two assists as they eventually ran out 4-1 winners.

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  Palmer seemed to take his manager's notes to heart as he produced a creative display in Chelsea's 2-0 win over LAFC in the Club World Cup. He registered no goal involvements, with Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez instead getting on the scoresheet, but was always looking forward as he played seven passes into the final third and created a chance.

• WHAT MARESCA SAID

  Speaking after the victory, Maresca said: "I had a conversation with Cole and I said to him that I really like the way he was in terms of taking responsibility, taking the initiative on the ball. He was trying even on our side to receive the ball, trying to go one versus one against the player.

  "This is the Cole that we expect. After the Conference League final, he said that he was quite bored receiving the ball and so he decided to do something different. The day after that interview I said to him, 'But you can do that since the first minute, why are you waiting so long? Why don't you do the same after one minute?'

  "[Against LAFC], he was exactly doing what we asked him to do. We are happy when he does that because I said many times that Cole is our best player, he is a top player and hopefully he can continue to do the right things."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Palmer also took six shots against Major League Soccer team LAFC, but five of them were blocked and the sixth was off target. He was replaced late on by Christopher Nkunku with the points wrapped up.

How much does teenage sensation Lamine Yamal earn at Barcelona?

Barcelona's teenage sensation Lamine Yamal has taken the world by storm ever since his promotion to the first team.

His technical ability on the ball has repeatedly amazed football fans in recent season and he is a perfect example of La Masia's ability to produce some of the world's greatest talent.

Rising through the ranks, Yamal has earned his place in the starting XI at an incredibly young age and it seems like a matter of time before he challenges for major individual trophies such as the Ballon d'Or.

Being one of the most talented young players in the world, Yamal earns a very lucrative salary at Barcelona following his renewal in May 2025 and he has every reason to be very satisfied with his compensation.

Exactly how much does he earn, though? GOAL looked into the numbers with Capology and found out!

*

• Lamine Yamal's wages at Barcelona in numbers

  Under the terms of his current contract at Barcelona, Yamal earns an impressive £270,540 ($363,174) on a weekly basis, which puts him among the club's top earners.

  Meanwhile, his annual salary scales up to £14,068,077 ($18,885,070).

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in GBP	Weekly wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP	Annual wages in USD
  Lamine Yamal	Spanish	£270,540	$363,174	£14,068,077	$18,885,070

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  Top earners at Barcelona

  The current highest earner at Barcelona is Polish striker Robert Lewandowski, who earns a staggering £28 million a year, as compared to Yamal's £1.4 million.

  Following him in second place is Frenkie de Jong, who has redeemed himself as a key figure again after previously coming under fire for his underwhelming performances compared to his high wages.

  Yamal sits in third as he has risen up the salary ranks following his well deserved contract renewal in May 2025.

  Brazil international Raphinha finds himself in fourth spot, becoming a vital player at Barcelona under Hansi Flick in 2024-25 and getting a just reward for his displays.

  At number five is a youngster who had a similar start to his career as Yamal's – Ansu Fati. However, things have only spiralled downhill for the player since and a Barcelona exit seems inevitable.

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in GBP	Weekly wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP	Annual wages in USD
  Robert Lewandowski	Polish	£540,918	$726,131	£28,127,716	$37,758,810
  Frenkie de Jong	Dutch	£308,354	$413,936	£16,034,401	$21,524,674
  Lamine Yamal	Spanish	£270,540	$363,174	£14,068,077	$18,885,070
  Raphinha	Brazilian	£236,621	$317,641	£12,304,29	$16,517,355
  Ansu Fati	Spanish	£226,397	$303,916	£11,772,626	$15,803,643

• Top earners in La Liga

  Lewandowski is not only the highest earner at Barcelona, but also across all of LaLiga.

  Meanwhile, three Real Madrid players in Kylian Mbappe, David Alaba and Jude Bellingham also make the top five.

  The only player outside of the traditional big two is Atlético Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak, who is the league's fourth-highest player.

  Player	Club	Weekly wages GBP	Weekly wages USD	Annual  wages GBP	Annual wages USD
  Robert Lewandowski	Barcelona	£540,918	$726,131	£28,127,716	$37,758,810
  Kylian Mbappe	Real Madrid	£498,248	$629,355	£25,908,917	$32,726,459
  David Alaba	Real Madrid	£356,659	£455,608	£18,546,242	$23,691,627
  Jan Oblak	Atletico Madrid	£330,187	$421,792	£17,169,698	$21,933,182
  Jude Bellingham	Real Madrid	£330,187	$421,792	£17,169,698	$21,933,182

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  Highest paid players in the world

  Although it may seem like players in La Liga earn incredible wages, their salaries don't even come close when compared to the top earners worldwide.

  Currently, all the players in the top five highest earners globally play in the newly-rich Saudi Pro League.

  Ranking first and second on the list are Portugal icon Cristiano Ronaldo and French superstar Karim Benzema, respectively, while Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez takes the third spot.

  Finally, rounding off the top five are former Premier League stars Sadio Mané and Kalidou Koulibaly.

  Player	Club	Weekly wages GBP	Weekly wages USD	Annual wages GBP	Annual wages USD
  Cristiano Ronaldo	Al Nassr	£3,224,935	$4,166,513	£167,696,622	$215,658,680
  Karim Benzema	Al Ittihad	£1,612,468	$2,083,257	£83,848,311	$108,329,340
  Riyad Mahrez	Al Ahli	£841,708	$1,087,460	£43,768,818	$56,547,915
  Sadio Mane	Al Nassr	£644,987	$833,033	£33,539,324	$43,331,736
  Kalidou Koulibaly	Al Hilal	£559,526	$722,890	£29,095,364	$37,590,281

In a bid to complete Eddie Howe’s frontline, Newcastle United are reportedly working on signing an attacking reinforcement whose release clause is as expensive as £67m.

Newcastle set sights on big-money winger

After winning the Carabao Cup final, PIF are seemingly keen to accelerate Newcastle’s progress using the summer transfer window if they find themselves free from their PSR shackles in the coming months.

Without that concern, those at St James’ Park will be in their best position to flex their financial muscles since PIF’s first few months in charge and the rumours are already arriving as a result.

Names such as Francisco Trincao and Fikayo Tomori have already been mentioned in recent weeks and there’s no doubt that both options would hand Newcastle key upgrades at opposite ends of their strongest side.

Tomori would, of course, be a particularly interesting option given his previous Premier League spell at Chelsea. Having lost his starting place at Milan this season, the defender could find himself on his way back to English football for the first time since leaving Stamford Bridge.

Meanwhile, Trincao isn’t the only winger on the Magpies’ radar. According to The Boot Room, PIF and Newcastle are now working on a deal to sign Yeremy Pino, who has a release clause worth as much as €80m (£67m) at Villarreal.

Still just 22 years old, Pino is a rising star and an attacking addition that would complete Newcastle’s frontline once and for all. Likely replacing Jacob Murphy, the La Liga forward has the star power to stand alongside Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak to form a deadly front three.

Newcastle have struck gold on their "Shearer-like" star & it's not Isak

Newcastle is still giddy from Eddie Howe’s side’s triumph over Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.

ByAngus Sinclair Mar 19, 2025

With Arsenal also reportedly interested in the Villarreal man, the Magpies will have to make their move as soon as they can if they want to steal in ahead of the Gunners this summer.

"Unique" Pino has received Sancho comparisons

Earning positive comparisons to Chelsea loanee Jadon Sancho by The Scouting App, who compared Pino’s close control and incisive passing to that of former Bundesliga star as relayed by The Boot Room, the Newcastle target is certainly one to watch.

When it comes to goal involvements, meanwhile, the 22-year-old is also improving, having created seven goals and scored once himself in 25 appearances in all competitions this season. Earning praise from Antonio Mango as a result, the U23 scout went as far as dubbing Pino a “unique talent” in the summer of 2023.

Whether Newcastle win the race to sign that the “unique” Pino remains to be seen, especially if they are told to trigger his hefty £67m release clause, but there’s no doubt that his talent is worth looking at. When the summer arrives, the Villarreal star may have to make the biggest decision of his career yet.

Inter Milan are reportedly plotting a €60 million bid for Barcelona's Fermin Lopez as they seek a long-term replacement for Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

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Inter eye a €60m move for Barcelona starlet LopezThe 22-year-old could replace veteran Mkhitaryan Barcelona may be open to selling due to FFP pressure Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to a report from Calciomercato (via Mundo Deportivo), Inter are monitoring Barcelona midfielder Lopez as a long-term replacement for the veteran Henrikh Mkhitaryan. The Serie A defending champions and UCL 2025 finalists are eager to have fresh legs in the squad. While Inter has yet to make a formal offer, they have reportedly identified the 22-year-old as a priority target for the upcoming transfer window. Barcelona are said to be open to negotiations and have placed a €60 million price tag on Lopez.

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Inter are preparing to rebuild their midfield, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan set to turn 36 and expected to leave when his contract expires in 2026. Fermin Lopez caught the attention of Inter scouts during Barcelona’s Champions League semi-final run, where the Nerazzurri edged Barca 7–6 on aggregate. The Spanish midfielder is seen as a high-upside talent who could add both depth and quality to Inter’s midfield.

Barcelona, already restricted by Financial Fair Play regulations and strict wage cap limitations, are prioritising contract renewals over big-name signings this summer. While Fermin Lopez isn’t considered a regular starter under Hansi Flick, his strong performances off the bench have made him one of the club’s top candidates to be sold in order to generate much-needed revenue.

DID YOU KNOW?

Fermin Lopez enjoyed a breakthrough 2024/25 season, scoring eight goals and providing nine assists in 45 appearances for Barcelona, averaging a goal contribution every 114 minutes across all competitions. The 22-year-old has also impressed on the international stage, having been part of the Spain squads that won both the UEFA Euro and Olympic gold medal last year.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

For now, Inter’s focus remains firmly on their upcoming Champions League final against PSG on May 31, 2025. As for Barcelona, the club is expected to finalise its summer plans after celebrating a successful domestic double, having secured both the LaLiga title and the Copa del Rey.

Nortje brushed aside concerns after being knocked down by the contraption and hurting his left shoulder and elbow

Alex Malcolm27-Dec-20222:14

Nortje: ‘My role is to be aggressive, try and speed it up’

Cricket Australia’s host-television broadcaster Fox Sports has apologised to Anrich Nortje and the South Africa team after the fast bowler was knocked down by the flying spidercam while fielding on the second day of the ongoing second Test at the MCG.Nortje confirmed after the day’s play that he was fine, despite being hit on his left shoulder and elbow. He was able to bowl – at high pace – after being hit. He was in the outfield at the time, shortly after lunch, when he was knocked to the ground by the mobile camera as it was zipping along at head height.CA confirmed that Fox Sports had admitted it was an error by the operator. The camera was not in use for the rest of the day but CA confirmed that spidercam would be in operation on day three with some extra safety measures in place to ensure such an incident doesn’t happen again.Related

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“I didn’t know what hit me, to be honest,” Nortje said. “So far so good. It just knocked the [left] shoulder and the [left] elbow. The elbow is a bit sore but otherwise seems to be okay. I’ll just monitor it and see how it goes with the [doctor].”I saw cables and then I turned around or moved my head and then I saw the camera, but I was a little bit too late. It was quite quick. It didn’t really change my mindset or anything. I tried to stay focused.”I think the one thing we’ve spoken about earlier is how low it is and it probably shouldn’t be unless [it needs to be] for certain interviews or something. But I don’t think it should be travelling head height. That’s just my opinion. And then for Marco [Jansen] as well, they must take him into consideration [for his height].”Rough day for South Africa on the field
It added insult to South Africa’s injury on a brutal day in the field. They took just two wickets in 37-degree heat, including one via a run-out, as Australia piled up 341 runs in 79 overs with David Warner making a spectacular 200 before retiring hurt.Warner survived a blistering spell from Nortje just after lunch. Nortje was consistently bowling at speeds of over 150kph, including one delivery at 155kph. He had hit Warner in the helmet earlier in the morning and hit him on the index finger during that spell. Nortje also hit Cameron Green on the index finger later in the day, drawing blood and forcing Green to retire hurt and head off for a scan.Nortje finished with just one wicket for the day, that of Steven Smith for 85. He was frustrated to have bowled so well for so little reward.”It happens,” Nortje said. “You’re in the heat, you’re trying all the things with the ball, you’re trying a different grip, try this and that. But it happens, it’s part of cricket. They batted really well.Anrich Nortje bowled at blistering pace, but only had the one wicket to show for it•Cricket Australia via Getty Images”I thought they controlled the situation really well. They calmed it down when we were not on top of them, but when we were hitting our areas and then maybe when the guys were a bit tired or when it was a little bit later in the day, the ball wasn’t doing much, then they tried to dominate again.”Nortje wants batters to do their bit
South Africa are a long way behind in the game, trailing by 197 runs, and the series but there is one small glimmer of hope with Australia potentially two bowlers down in the second innings. Both Green and Mitchell Starc have suffered injuries to their bowling fingers. Starc will only bowl again in the game if required and looks in doubt for the Sydney Test, while the outcome of Green’s blow is still unknown.Nortje said it would be critical for South Africa to bat as long as possible second time around.”The more overs the bowlers are going to bowl, the more maybe a back-up bowler or someone who doesn’t really come on would have to apply themselves,” Nortje said. “So that’s going to be a crucial stage for us. Hopefully, we can have a lot of batters in hand and work through the difficult stages with our top order and then try and cash in a little bit later on.”

خرج الدولي البرازيلي رافينيا، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي برشلونة بتصريحات جديدة حول أنباء رحيله عن النادي وهبوط مستواه والأرقام التي حققها الموسم المنقضي.

وحقق رافينيا رفقة برشلونة الثلاثية المحلية، الفوز ببطولة الدوري وكأس الملك والسوبر مع الوصول إلى نصف نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا والخروج بشق الأنفس أمام إنتر ميلان.

وقدم رافينيا موسمًا عبقريًا على المستوى الفردي في جميع المسابقات، إذ حقق طفرة فنية كبيرة للغاية منذ وصول الألماني هانز فليك، مدربًا للبلوجرانا.

اقرأ أيضًا | رسميًا.. برشلونة يمدد عقد لاعبه حتى 2028

وعن الفترة التي طالب الجمهور فيها رحيل رافينيا عن الفريق قال في تصريحات لصحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو”: “منذ وصولي، كانت هناك شائعات في كل سوق انتقالات بأنني سأرحل، وأنني لست في مستوى هذا النادي”.

وأكمل: “لكنني كنت أعرف قدراتي، أنا لست هنا كهدية من أحد، أنا هنا بسبب عملي وما فعلته في الأندية الأخرى ومع البرازيل، برشلونة نادي كبير، إذا لم تقدم ما يتوقعه الناس منك، فمن الطبيعي أن ينتقدوك”.

وأضاف: “كنت أعلم أن الناس سيغيرون رأيهم حينما أثبت قدراتي في الملعب”.

وعن العروض التي كان يتلقاها من الدوري السعودي والإنجليزي كشف: “هذا يثبت أنني لاعب جيد وأستحق الوجود في هذا المستوى العالي، لأنني إن لم أكن كذلك فلماذا تطلبني أندية الدوري الإنجليزي والأندية الكبيرة الأخرى؟”.

واستطرد: “منذ أن كنت طفلًا، كنت أتابع برشلونة، كنت أشاهد مبارياتهم دائمًا، أتذكر رونالدينيو، نيمار، التاريخ، الألقاب، الأجواء، المشجعين، لقد أردت دائمًا أن أكون هنا وأكتب اسمي في تاريخ النادي”.

وعن الأداء المذهل الذي قدمه الموسم المنقضي أردف: “لقد كان هذا هدفي منذ وصولي أن أبقى هنا لسنوات عديدة، حتى لفترة أطول من المدة التي قضيتها في عقدي القديم”.

وأتم: “كان هذا يدور في ذهني منذ اللحظة الأولى التي وصلت فيها، لكنني كنت أعلم أنه يجب أقدم أفضل ما لدي في كل مباراة حتى أجدد عقدي”.