Tag Futebol

A number of Liverpool players have been linked with moves away recently, but more than one influential figure could be set for a new deal, according to a fresh update.

Who is leaving Liverpool?

There has been much focus on incoming players at Anfield in recent months, with Jurgen Klopp rightly rebuilding his midfield after huge issues there last season. Dominik Szoboszlai looks like a magnificent signing, following an almost-perfect start to life with the Reds, while the likes of Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch also look like exciting additions.

Others have moved away from Liverpool, however, with Fabinho and Jordan Henderson among those to have left, while doubts have surrounded the futures of other Reds heroes, too.

Mohamed Salah and Thiago have both been the subject of interest from Saudi Pro League clubs – the former saw a £150m bid for him from Al-Ittihad rejected – and it remains to be seen how much longer they will be on Merseyside for.

Will Thiago sign new Liverpool contract?

According to Caught Offside, Liverpool are now preparing for talks with Thiago over a new contract at Anfield, as well as veteran centre-back Joel Matip:

"Liverpool will discuss the futures of Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip soon with the Merseyside club ready to make contact with their representatives to begin negotiations over new deals.

"Jurgen Klopp’s main priority is to keep hold of Thiago, who was wanted heavily by Saudi Arabian clubs this summer. That interest has not disappeared in the meantime, but the Reds are confident about convincing the Spaniard to stay at the Premier League club, with talks hoped to get underway soon."

This follows the news that Trent Alexander-Arnold is on the verge of agreeing a new deal with the club, and it looks like the local lad is set to be joined by the mercurial but injury prone Thiago.

Given his isseus with injuries – he is yet to play a single minute so far this season – a short-term deal seems to be the most logical decision, especially with four new midfielders brought in this summer, and the Spaniard now 32 years of age. That being said, if Klopp sees Thiago as an important figure moving forward, and someone he believes will be available more often, having a player of such brilliance around for another few years certainly wouldn't be a bad thing.

When he is fit and firing, the midfielder is a truly elite footballer who can run the show in the middle of the park – Klopp himself has described his player as "sensational" in the past – and he could be a great role model for younger teammates.

That being said, he is on big money, so it is understandable why some fans would like to see Thiago leave in 2024, so there are both positives and negatives to seeing him stay.

تلقى لوتشيانو سباليتي مدرب منتخب إيطاليا، ضربة قبل إنطلاق منافسات كأس أمم أوروبا “يورو 2024”.

وتستضيف ألمانيا بطولة كأس أمم أوروبا في الفترة من 14 يونيو الجاري وحتى 14 يوليو المقبل.

وتتواجد إيطاليا في المجموعة الثانية والتي تضم منتخبات كرواتيا، إسبانيا وألبانيا.

وتعرض المدافع جورجيو سكالفيني إلى إصابة قوية خلال مباراة فريقه أتالانتا أمام فيورنتينا بالدوري الإيطالي.

والتقى فيورنتينا وأتالانتا في مباراة مؤجلة من الجولة 29 للدوري الإيطالي، انتهت بفوز الأول بثلاثية لهدفين.

وخلال المباراة تعرض سكالفيني لإصابة في الركبة، حيث حاول اللاعب البالغ من العمر 20 عامًا الحصول على الكرة من الجهة اليمنى لكنه سقط فجأة على الأرض متألمًا من قوة الإصابة.

لم يتمكن سكالفيني من استكمال المباراة وتم استبداله في الدقائق الأخيرة للمواجهة، وبدا متأثرًا بالإصابة.

وأكدت “DAZN” أن سكالفيني كاد أن يبكي، وكان يحتاج لمساعدة أطباء أتالانتا للوصول إلى نفق الملعب.

ووفقًا للتقرير، سكالفيني يعاني من التواء في الركبة وسيخضع لفحوصات طبية في وقت لاحق لتحديد مدى قوة الإصابة ومدة الغياب.

وأكد الصحفي فابريزو رومانو أن سكالفيني أصيب بتمزق في الرباط الصليبي الأمامي في ركبته اليسرى وسيغيب عن يورو 2024، ومن المتوقع أن يعود في يناير المقبل.

يذكر أنه تم إدراج سكالفيني في القائمة الأولية المكونة من 30 لاعبًا لمنتخب إيطاليا للمشاركة في بطولة أمم أوروبا 2024، وبعد إصابته لن يتواجد بالبطولة.

إصابة قوية للمدافع الإيطالي الشاب سكالفيني ⚠️#الدوري_الإيطالي#أتالانتا_فيورنتينا pic.twitter.com/cq6mXTBGf2

— قناة أبوظبي الرياضية (@ADSportsTV) June 2, 2024

He made 104 but UAE were bowled out for 195. Then Nepal were cruising the chase at 90 for 3 only to end up 132 all out

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Dec-2017
ScorecardGetty Images

UAE endured seven single-digit scores in Abu Dhabi and made only 195 but they still managed to beat Nepal in a thriller. And here are the highlights: UAE failed to reach 200 despite one of their batsmen scoring a century. It was actually the first of Adnan Mufti’s List A career and his 104 off 89 balls looked to have come in a losing cause until his team-mates swindled seven wickets for 42 runs to bowl Nepal out for 132.Such a conclusion to this game looked fairly implausible with fast bowler Sompal Kami tearing through UAE with his maiden five-wicket haul in List A matches. The score was 39 for 5 when Mufti joined Mohammad Boota (37 off 73) at the crease and together they willed it up to 119. Mufti was 51 then. Another wicket fell in the 43rd over with the score on 140 and that’s when Mufti kicked things up. He hammered Sandeep Lamichhane for two fours and a six. Suddenly his score read 86 off 78. Then he crashed Lalit Bhandari for a four and a six and eventually secured a memorable hundred, off only 87 deliveries.Such an innings tends to add to the adrenaline of the side when they come back to bowl. But Nepal weathered it well and were on course for victory. They were 90 for 3 with opener Gyanendra Malla still at the crease. Legspinner Imran Haider changed that with a double-wicket over. Nepal were 91 for 5. Left-arm spinner Ahmed Raza and fast bowler Mohammad Naveed knocked over three more batsman to yank the score down from 121 for 5 to 122 for 8. Ten runs later, the game was done.
ScorecardKyle Coetzer cuts behind point to move into the 90s•Peter Della Penna

Kyle Coetzer made 121 off 130 deliveries in Dubai and so dominant was his Scotland team that Kenya couldn’t even match his own score much less aim for a target of 267. Seamer Chris Sole picked up 4 for 24 in 10 overs.Having been put in to bat, Scotland didn’t really have much going for them. Their opening partnership was broken within 10 overs. They were three down halfway through the innings and their run-rate was just over four. But Coetzer was still at the crease and all he needed was a partner. Enter Craig Wallace. The 27-year old put on 87 runs with his captain for the fifth wicket to turn an innings that was stopping and starting into something match-winning. For Kenya, Emmanuel Bundi picked up 3 for 60 and Lucas Oluoch finished with 2 for 34.The chase began with a wicket in the first over, and by the 13th, Kenya were 47 for 6. There were five ducks in the innings and only two of the XI got past 13. New-ball bowlers Safyaan Sharif and Alasdair Evans picked up two wickets each. Spinners Mark Watt and Michael Leask bowled a combined spell of 8-0-27-2.
ScorecardPeter Della Penna

Opener Anshuman Rath hit an unbeaten 143 – the highest score by a Hong Kong batsman in ODIs – to underpin his side’s highest total. In pursuit of 324, PNG subsided to 230 all out. The 93-run win meant Hong Kong finished third in the standings with 18 points in 14 matches.After being sent in Hong Kong made a positive start with Jamie Atkinson and Rath adding 84 for the opening partnership. The stand ended in the 19th over when offspinner Asad Vala had Atkinson stumped for 36. Rath, however, was unstoppable: he reached his first fifty off 65 balls and brought up his second off 56 balls. He added 142 for the second wicket with captain Babar Hayat, who struck 89 off 80 balls, before he was stumped, too, in the 43rd over. Nizakat Khan was run out for 1 in the same over and Tanwir Afzal fell four overs later, but Rath stayed firm to propel the total beyond 300.Hong Kong began their defence strongly as well: they reduced PNG to 90 for 6 by the 21st over. Kiplin Dogia and John Reva then counterattacked, adding 61 for the seventh wicket in only 55 balls. Doriga then combined with Alei Nao to add 69 for the ninth wicket, but all it did was to reduce the margin of defeat rather than threaten Hong Kong’s tall score. Ehsan Nawaz, the quick, was the pick of the bowlers for Hong Kong with career-best figures of 4 for 54. Ehsan Khan and Nadeem Ahmed picked up two wickets each to complement him as PNG were bowled out in 42.2 overs.

علق إيهاب الكومي عضو مجلس إدارة الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم، على بيان الأهلي بشأن انضمام اللاعبين الدوليين لمنتخب مصر، مؤكداً أنه سيكون هناك انفراجة بشأن أزمة حسين الشحات ومحمد الشيبي.

وكان الأهلي قد تقدم بأربعة طلبات عاجلة إلى اتحاد الكرة، بتعيين حكام أجانب لمباريات الفريق، وموافاة النادي بلائحة كأس مصر، وتقرير بشأن أزمة لاعبه حسين الشحات، ومعرفة المتسبب الذي أضاع حق القلعة الحمراء في استضافة نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا بالقاهرة نسخة 2021-2022.

وقال الكومي في تصريحات عبر قناة “dmc” عن بيان الأهلي بشأن رفضه إرسال اللاعبين الدوليين قبل الأجندة الدولية: “مباراة بوركينا فاسو ستكون صعبة، البعض يُصدر أن مواجهتهم ستكون سهلة، لكنهم فريق مختلف تمامًا، حسام حسن يحتاج 4 أيام قبل الأجندة الدولية، ليطبق أفكاره مع اللاعبين”.

طالع أيضاً.. أبرزها حكام أجانب.. الأهلي يتقدم بـ4 طلبات عاجلة إلى اتحاد الكرة

وواصل: “لا نريد أن نُصدر مشكلة من لا شيء، الأهلي لعب كأس العالم للأندية بدون اللاعبين الدوليين من أجل منتخب مصر، هل سيرفض انضمام اللاعبين من أجل مباراة تصفيات كأس العالم؟”.

وأشار: “العرف في كأس مصر أن الأدوار التمهيدية تُلعب بدون اللاعبين الدوليين، وهذا وفقًا للائحة، وإن شاء الله لن تكون هناك أزمة في الأمر، حسام حسن يُفضل أن يستدعي اللاعبين مُبكرًا كما كان يفعل الجوهري وحسن شحاتة”.

وأكد: “توجد قنوات اتصال مفتوحة، وغدًا ستحدث انفراجة، ومثلما تتعاون الأندية مع المنتخب ستجد الاتحاد والرابطة يتعاونان معها في تأجيل المباريات بالدوري عندما تشارك في إفريقيا، هذه علاقة متبادلة”.

عن أزمة حسين الشحات والشيبي وما تضمنه بيان الأهلي اليوم، قال: “جمعتنا جلسة اليوم بلجنة الانضباط، رئيس اللجنة قال إنه يُجهز مذكرة تفصيلية بعد الاستماع لأقوال الشيبي، ولا توجد مشكلة وخلال أيام سيتم إعلان الأمر”.

وأوضح: “سنلتزم بقرار لجنة الانضباط، ومواد القانون ستطبق، وعندما تصدر القرارات سيتم إعلانها، نحن لا نتمنى أن يحدث شيء ونتمنى أن تمر الأمور على خير”.

وأردف: “اللائحة تنص على أن الضرب من غير كرة يتعرض اللاعب لمباراتين إيقاف، ولا أحاسب على ما حدث في فترات سابقة قبل مجلسنا”.

وأتم: “اللائحة ممكن يتم تعديلها في الموسم المُقبل، وممكن نقوم بإنشاء مُلحق باللائحة خلال هذه الفترة قبل انتهاء الموسم بقرار  مجلس الإدارة”.

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson said the team will have to improve on clinching the small margins in close matches, after they lost both the ODI and T20I series deciders in India by six runs

Vishal Dikshit in Thiruvananthapuram08-Nov-20171:41

‘It was a tricky surface’ – Williamson

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson did not look like an unhappy leader despite losing both the ODI and the T20I series in India. What pleased him about his team’s performance across both series was the way the visitors gave India a fight by turning the last match of each series into a decider and further taking it to the last over. In the third ODI in Kanpur, New Zealand nearly chased down 338, losing by only six runs, and in the deciding T20I in Thiruvananthapuram, they fell short by the same margin when chasing 68 in a rain-curtailed match.”I thought in both of them [deciders] we were very good, just not quite good enough,” Williamson said on Tuesday night. “That’s the challenge; both of them came down to the last couple of balls and when that is the case, there are such small margins that we look to make those improvements. But on a whole, as a unit we are constantly trying to improve and get better. And I think, we have seen that throughout the series but there’s still a way to go to where we want to be.”We’ve showed some really good signs, like I said such a fine line, especially in white-ball cricket and we saw that throughout the series. It was a really tough-fought series, both teams played really good competitive cricket and for a lot of games to come down to the last three balls makes for good watching but a shame to be on the wrong side.”The margins in the deciding T20I were also slimmer, with rain curtailing the match to eight overs a side on a new ground. The pitch at the Greenfield International Stadium turned out to be damp and assisted bowlers with turn and moisture.”Naturally, when it gets shortened to eight overs, you can sort of plan prior to going out with eight overs and only having to bowl four bowlers,” Williamson said. “It kind of means that you’re not too fluid in how you’re going to operate. So, the guys coming out were essentially playing death in terms of their batting from ball one. So it was more to do with the surface and what we wanted to finish with today but it’s something different because you don’t experience it too much, you get 20 overs each and this is something different. You have to think on your feet.Martin Guptill loses his off stump•BCCI

“I suppose when the game is that short as well, to try and get a read on the surface is quite tough because you’re trying to generate a strike-rate straightaway and it was a tricky surface so to get eight an over on that, from India’s perspective was a good effort. We knew it was going to be tough and we got very close, just a shame we couldn’t get across the line.”Eight an over on that surface is fairly difficult. Perhaps a lot more difficult than on another surface. It is just trying to adapt as best you can, take the best options but even with eight overs, you don’t have to go silly. You need to play smart cricket because there is still a lot of balls that you need to score off and then you get a couple of boundaries away, it goes a long way to chasing that total down. But it was a very tricky surface and for it to be so close, I guess we go back to how we want to execute. You can look at a number of areas but it was so close and I think we keep competing well, keep improving as a unit and we will get some more wins.”While defending their score of 67, India had the added advantage of using their prime and in-form bowlers, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah, to bowl half their overs. India captain Virat Kohli also used them differently: he finished Bhuvneshwar’s quota by the halfway mark and gave Bumrah the penultimate over. The last over was bowled by Hardik Pandya.”In terms of a T20 generally, you have the start of the game and the death phase which is the last whatever depending on how many wickets they have lost so…five or six and you tend to see those two fantastic death bowlers bowling again,” Williamson said. “When it’s eight overs, they’re kind of on the defense because batsmen are coming out so aggressively. And the nature of the surface…it was taking so much turn. All bowlers were a threat out there and I suppose batsmen were trying their best trying to generate a strike-rate.”Four bowlers being allowed two overs each also meant New Zealand did not have to use their fifth bowler, an area that has been a weak link on the tour. They have mainly utilised allrounder Colin de Grandhomme and Colin Munro to make up for that fifth bowler and Williamson admitted that combination was new to deal with for them. He also said players were trying to adapt to their roles in the team after New Zealand made changes to their top and middle orders.”I suppose that fifth-bowling role for us is fairly new,” he said. “Colin – both Colins I suppose and some of the part-time spinners – they are relatively new to that role to make up those 10 overs. But we certainly know in some conditions how effective they can be and we saw Colin de Grandhomme throughout the IPL bowl exceptionally well for Kolkata [Knight Riders]. It is a balancing act on different surfaces. The batting unit has a really nice balance to it but it is just trying to adapt, read the game the best you can and seeing our bowlers adapt well.”

Even in the early stages of his career, as he was, ironically enough, scoring his first West Ham United goal against Arsenal, Declan Rice looked destined for the top.

A swift move from centre-back to defensive midfield soon confirmed that future, too, as he took the captain's armband at the London Stadium, before leading the Hammers to Europa Conference League glory, and sealing his exit as a hero.

Now at Arsenal after a reported £105m fee (including add-ons) to sign the midfielder, Rice will look to make winning trophies a crucial habit, rather than an occasional celebratory moment.

Making his Champions League debut in the coming season, and wearing the famous Arsenal colours, Rice is exactly where he once dreamed of being. Or, at least, that's what his social media activity suggests.

Declan Rice proves Arsenal dream with social media activity

If Rice could have time travelled to this very moment of his career, then he'd have gone back to the present and not stepped a single foot out of place, such is the success he has had in the last five years.

Arguably, things couldn't have gone any better for his career, and he knows it, too.

The Arsenal arrival liked an Instagram post, showing a note, which read (via Reddit): "Just remember, 5 years ago, you dreamt about where you are now."

Speaking on joining the club earlier in the summer, Rice told the club website: "I think even growing up, the history of Arsenal – you always hear about the Invincibles, the famous game at Anfield, you see these things all the time. I’ve always known Arsenal as a big club but when I’ve been on holiday and had people coming up to me in London, you don’t realise how big Arsenal is – but now I do.

"Playing against them has always been tough, with the Arsene Wenger way of playing nice football, tiki-taka stuff. Coming to the Emirates has always been really hard. Home games, when I’ve played for West Ham, have always been the games you’ve been up for because it’s been a London rivalry."

How did Declan Rice perform last season?

In an inconsistent season for West Ham, Rice was once again one of the standout players. Securing their Premier League survival, first and foremost, the Hammers then went on to defeat Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final, in one of the best moments in the club's history.

Captaining the club, and lifting European glory, is a dream come true for Rice. Now, though, his focus will be on even bigger honours at Arsenal.

When compared to current Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey, Rice looks anything but out of place, too.

According to FBref, the England international had more progressive carries, lost fewer challenges, made more blocks and made more interceptions than Partey last season.

The arrival of Rice certainly gives Mikel Arteta a selection dilemma when it comes to the base of his midfield. Having that competition can only be a good thing, however, especially with the Gunners back in the Champions League, and competing on all fronts once again next season.

The 31-year old fast bowler last played international cricket in June 2016

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Jul-2017Ireland fast bowler Max Sorensen announced his retirement from international cricket on Monday. The 31-year old had made his debut in 2012 and was groomed as a replacement for veteran seamer Trent Johnston, who would quit the game a year later. In all, Sorensen played 13 ODIs and 26 T20Is, picking up 16 and 26 wickets in each format. He was excellent in first-class cricket, with 28 wickets at 19.57, including a best of 5 for 37 against Scotland in 2013 that also paved the way towards the Intercontinental Cup title.Sorensen, born in Johannesburg, last represented Ireland in June 2016. Considering his age and troubles with injury – a shoulder problem has forced him to play as a specialist batsman for his club Leinster Lightning – he has decided to look beyond cricket.Max Sorensen last played for Ireland in June 2016•Getty Images/Sportsfile”At this stage of my career, I feel I need to move on with my life,” Sorensen said. “I realise the likelihood of me getting back into the set-up is unlikely, with my various injuries and fluctuating performances in the past year or so. It’s time for me to move forward and hang up the international boots. Once again I want to thank all involved with Irish cricket for their help and support – it truly means a lot.”Sorensen was part of Ireland’s three most recent World T20 campaigns and he opened the bowling when they beat West Indies in the 2015 World Cup. He is currently fifth on the list of bowlers with most T20 wickets for Ireland, taking 43 in 37 matches. Sorensen’s peak performance came in 2013 when he was their leading wicket-taker during the 2013 World T20 Qualifier in the UAE, with 14 in 8 games, which helped Ireland win the tournament. However, his performances tapered off in the following years, leading to the 2016 World T20. In that tournament, against Oman in Dharamsala, Sorensen had to defend 14 runs off the last over, but ended up conceding 16 as Oman pulled off a two-wicket win.Outgoing head coach John Bracewell marked him as a “tireless worker, never giving anything less than 100% effort”.”He always exhibited professionalism and passion, as well as obvious skill. He was a fine role model to the younger players in the squad, and was a very popular figure in the dressing room. I wish him all the best in his future.”Despite a shoulder injury limiting Sorensen’s ability to bowl, he struck a match-winning 98 not out for Leinster against Munster Reds in the Inter-provincial T20 tournament in June.

Arsenal have Ajax midfielder Mohammed Kudus 'on the list' at the Emirates Stadium this summer; however, any prospective move for the Ghana international will only come about if Thomas Partey were to be sold this window, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

Is Mohammed Kudus moving to Arsenal?

According to The Athletic, Chelsea look to have stolen a march on Arsenal by making contact with Ajax over a potential swoop for Kudus this summer.

The report states that no official bid has been made by the Blues; however, the 22-year-old is valued at around £40 million by Ajax amid strong interest from Arsenal in addition to Chelsea in his signature.

Last term, Kudus, who has been hailed as a "golden boy", was in fine form for Ajax despite their disappointing campaign from a collective perspective, registering 18 goals and seven assists in 42 appearances, as per Transfermarkt.

Interviewed by TEAMtalk, journalist Charles Watts confirmed that Arsenal are definitely admirers of Kudus, stating: "He [Kudus] is definitely a player that they like. “I’ve seen the recent reports that they’re potentially looking to step up that interest a bit later on in the window, which wouldn’t surprise me if that is the case.

Earlier this year, Manchester United were also heavily linked with a swoop for Kudus, who Dutch boss Erik Ten Hag is believed to be a huge fan of at Old Trafford, as per talkSPORT. Nevertheless, no such progress has been made on that front by the Red Devils and for now, it looks like Chelsea and Arsenal will battle it out for Kudus.

In the case of Partey, the £200k-a-week ace has attracted interest from Saudi Pro League side Al Ahli, though Mikel Arteta has now indicated that he plans to keep him around for 2023/24, according to Telegraph Sport.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jacobs thinks that any move from Arsenal to try and acquire Kudus will hinge on the future of Partey.

Jacobs stated: "Arsenal are genuinely interested in Mohammed Kudus, for sure.

"First of all, they need to resolve the situation of Thomas Partey, who has interest from Saudi Arabia. Outgoings will be key to understand what Arsenal do next, but Kudus is one player on the list."

Who else could Arsenal sign this window?

According to Aksam via Sport Witness, Arsenal are believed to have 'approached' Galatasaray over full-back Sacha Boey amid competition from Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Juventus for his signature.

The Sun report that Arsenal have entered the race to sign AS Monaco defender Axel Disasi, who is also a target for Manchester United and Chelsea.

Ligue 1 AS Monaco are said to be holding out for a fee of £34 million for Disasi; however, the urgency surrounding the Gunners' search for defensive reinforcements has eased due to Jurrien Timber's recent arrival from Ajax.

Crystal Palace playmaker Michael Olise is on the radar at the Emirates Stadium, as Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea have all 'registered an interest' in trying to entice the France Under-21 international away from Selhurst Park, as per 90min.

Barcelona winger Ferran Torres is on a shortlist in north London as the Gunners scout the market for a wide player ahead of the campaign getting underway.

Stuart Broad has emerged as an injury doubt ahead of the Test series against South Africa after requiring a scan on his heel

George Dobell21-Jun-2017Stuart Broad has emerged as an injury doubt ahead of the Test series against South Africa. Broad bowled just one over before leaving the pitch as his Nottinghamshire side defeated Leicestershire by an innings after complaining of pain in his left heel. An England spokesman subsequently confirmed he would have a scan in the next 24 hours to ascertain the extent of the problem.The news is likely to cause concern in the England camp ahead of the Test series, starting at Lord’s on July 6. England are already likely to be without Chris Woakes, who is recovering from a side strain, while Ben Stokes played in the Champions Trophy with a sore knee and James Anderson has just recovered from a thigh injury.Broad will also be keen to play in the Royal London Cup final at Lord’s on July 1, while England would have wanted him to gain some pink-ball experience in the round of day-night Championship matches that is scheduled for next week. It may well be that he is rested from one or other game as a precaution even if the scan shows nothing more than bruising.Broad has managed his heel problem for some time. While specially made boots have alleviated difficulties, it is likely that he rarely bowls pain free these days. While Peter Moores, the Nottinghamshire coach, stressed that Broad left the field purely as a precaution and would not have done if the context of the match had been different – Notts were cruising to victory – the fact that he is undergoing a scan and the proximity to the Test series suggest the issue may be a little more serious than suggested.”Stuart had a bit of pain in his heel,” Moores said. “He’s had it for a while. If the situation had been different he could have pushed on through it but there was no need to so he came off and we’ll monitor it and look after him.”

Australia pacer Shaun Tait has announced his retirement from cricket at the age of 34

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Mar-20170:44

Quick Facts – Shaun Tait

Australia fast bowler Shaun Tait has announced his retirement from cricket at the age of 34. Tait called time on a 15-year career at the competitive level, with his last match coming for the Hobart Hurricanes against the Sydney Thunder in the 2016-17 Big Bash League.Tait, whose last appearance for Australia came in a T20 international against India in Sydney early last year – after a call-up to international cricket after five years – played three Tests, 35 ODIs and 21 T20Is for Australia.”I honestly wanted to play a couple more years, whether it was over in the UK or here,” Tait told . “I knew it was going to be difficult getting older to compete with the young blokes. I’m 34 years old and I suppose when you’re not contributing on the field as much as you’d like to, it’s time to finish up.”Tait made his international debut against England in Nottingham during the 2005 Ashes, where his pace, bounce and swing earned him three wickets in England’s first innings. While he played just two more Tests, his ODI career had a few highlights, including the 2007 World Cup, where Tait played an integral role in Australia’s triumph, snaring 23 wickets in 11 matches to finish joint-second on the tournament charts. In all, Tait ended his ODI career with 62 wickets at 23.56. His strike rate of 27.20 is the second-best among Australia bowlers with at least 50 ODI wickets, behind Mitchell Starc.Tait was recognised as one of the fastest bowlers in world cricket, and clocked 161.1 kmph against England in 2010, which is among the fastest balls ever bowled in international cricket. The downside of his brutal pace, however, was a career strewn with injuries.Tait called time on his first-class career in 2009 and his ODI career in 2011, after Australia’s World Cup quarter-final exit. He enjoyed some success as a T20 specialist, playing in leagues around the world. However, his latest Big Bash season was marred by dwindling form. Tait missed parts of the tournament due to an elbow problem that has troubled him for over a decade. And in the four matches he played, he conceded runs at 12.48 an over.”I didn’t know it was going to be as difficult as it was this year [with the Hurricanes],” Tait said. “Pretty much getting left out of the side or not being able to play because of my elbow, either way there’s no point going on with it. I knew during the Big Bash that I was going to finish up. The elbow has pretty much gone off a cliff now, it’s done and dusted.”It would have been nice to play another year maybe, but there’s no point getting more surgery and play when I’m 35 when I’m probably not up to it anymore. If I was still performing really well, I’d probably do it [have surgery and keep playing]. But I just wasn’t. The game’s getting quicker and better and I’m getting slower and a bit older. It’s that simple.”Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland said: “In his prime, Shaun was the world’s fastest bowlers. It was incredibly exciting to watch him full flight bursting through the defences of the game’s best batsmen. Unfortunately, injuries restricted Shaun at certain stages and he certainly didn’t play as much as he would have liked.”Tait said he was not leaving cricket entirely behind, but would like to remain involved in some capacity. “It’s emotional, there’s no doubt about that,” he said. “The first time when you know you’re going to retire, you look back to when you first started. It seems like it was yesterday, but it has been 15 years now. It’s probably a cliché that a lot of guys say, but just being with the lads [is what I’ll miss the most]. Being with your team-mates, having a beer with your team-mates in the change rooms, going away on a trip somewhere to wherever it might be.”You don’t want to be away from home all the time, but sometimes it’s nice to go to India or the UK for a tournament. That’s always one of the perks of cricket, travelling to these parts of the world, which I’ll miss a bit. I don’t want to close cricket off, that’s for sure. It’d be nice to continue on in cricket somehow.”