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The jury in the trial of Ben Stokes will retire to consider their verdict on Tuesday morning

George Dobell at Bristol Crown Court13-Aug-2018The jury in the trial of Ben Stokes will retire to consider their verdict on Tuesday morning.Stokes, who is being tried alongside Ryan Ali, denies a charge of affray following an incident that took place in the early hours of September 25. The charge carries a maximum penalty of three years in jail and an unlimited fine.The jury has been asked to reach a unanimous decision though it is possible that, if they have not been able to do so by late on Tuesday or early on Wednesday, the judge will permit a majority decision.Monday in Bristol Crown Court saw closing statements from barristers and a summing-up from the judge that encompassed much of the evidence given over the last week.In his summing-up, Judge Blair directed the jury “not to hold it against Mr Stokes” that he didn’t answer police questions but relied upon statements when first interviewed by the police. Stokes was told by his lawyers at the time not to answer questions. “It would be surprising not to take advice of a lawyer,” Judge Blair said.The judge also suggested that Stokes’ account had been “very consistent” from the first time he was interviewed by the police, on September 25, to his appearance in the witness box.The judge also said that the recollection of Andrew Cunningham, the doorman at Mbargo nightclub who suggested Stokes was abusive and had bullied two gay men, was not entirely consistent. Cunningham has suggested he had directed several members of the England cricket team to Manos cocktail bar (next door to Mbargo) when they first arrived at Mbargo as the club was a little quiet. CCTV footage, however, suggested “his memory is quite wrong about that”.Earlier, Gordon Cole QC, acting for Stokes, had suggested the worst of the injuries inflicted in the incident might have been inflicted by Stokes’ England team-mate, Alex Hales, while Anna Midgley QC, acting for Ryan Ali, admitted her client may feel “regret and embarrassment for brandishing a bottle”.But, Midgley said, Ali was “responding” to “an escalation in tension” and used the bottle – a bottle that was in his hand anyway and from which he had previously been drinking – “in self-defence”.While Chris Haynes, the director of communications at the ECB, has spent a couple of days listening to evidence, there was no direct ECB representative on Monday. The Professional Cricketers’ Association, the players’ union, have not had a presence at the trial.The case continues.

Eyeing a return for Tests against Pakistan in October, the 25-year old said he had taken time to consider how sustainable it was for him to turn out for Australia across the three formats

Daniel Brettig09-Jul-2018As he plots a path towards fitness for Australia’s Test appointment with Pakistan in October, Pat Cummins has admitted to pondering whether it is possible for fast bowlers to maintain a place in the national team’s plans across all formats, following a 15-month stretch in which only Kagiso Rabada bowled more overs in international cricket.ESPNcricinfo LtdCummins (back), Josh Hazlewood (back) and Mitchell Starc (right leg) are all at varying points of their rehabilitation stress-related injuries picked up towards the end of last summer, with recent results in England and Zimbabwe showing how much the “big three” are missed. After early injuries and then careful preparation to ensure he reached fast bowling maturity without chronic problems, Cummins said he had taken time to consider how sustainable it was for him to turn out for Australia across all three formats.There will be a hefty ODI emphasis for Australia over the next 12 months, with series against South Africa, Pakistan and India ahead of the World Cup in England. But there are also two Tests in the UAE and six at home against India and Sri Lanka, before the rapid transition from the knockout stages of the World Cup to an Ashes tour of England. Cummins, 25, reckoned it’s going to be “really hard” for him and his pace bowling colleagues to do it all. Having not played a T20 match for Australia since February last year, the shortest format appears to be the sacrificial one.”I think it’s really hard. Especially for Australian bowlers it seems like our Test matches always go for basically the full five days and the bowlers are bowling lots of overs,” Cummins told ESPNcricinfo. “I think certain tours, like India last year, in some games the pace bowlers didn’t bowl heaps of overs, Bangladesh the same. I feel like the Australian summer is pretty brutal, there’s lots of pretty flat wickets, hard wickets and it’s a lot of bowling.”It’s about finding that balance, you want to play as much as you can, you also need to keep bowling, you can’t just play a game and have a few weeks off. I’d love to play every single game for Australia, but realistically I think you get up for the Test matches and then make sure you’re 100% for the ODIs and then taking one series at a time. You’re making sure you’re 100% right to go but knowing if you’re not, it’s not worth it. There’s so much other cricket and so many other guys that are banging down the door, you can’t play unless you’re 100% right to go.”What may change for Cummins is a pivot from 50-over matches to T20Is, after next year’s World Cup but before the World T20 hosted by Australia in 2020. “I know for example this year we’re playing a lot more ODIs leading into the World Cup and therefore the schedule allows us to really put an emphasis on that and play lots of ODI cricket leading into the World Cup,” Cummins said.”I know Pat Howard, one of his big things talking about the schedule is trying to give us the best opportunity to perform in those big tournaments leading up. I’m sure for the T20 World Cup we’ll have the same, a bit more time where the T20 side can really play together, work out their combinations and have a good run in. Even now we’ve seen this tour [of England and Zimbabwe], its good there’s a big chunk of T20 cricket, getting five games in a few weeks with one team, one coaching staff all together. Hopefully we’ll see a bit more of that.”ESPNcricinfo LtdThe amount of cricket Cummins played, starting with the limited overs portion of the 2016-17 summer, then tours of India, Bangladesh, the home Ashes and limited-overs series, and then a traumatic tour of South Africa, dwarfed all his previous international experience. Having played one Test in six years, he then played 13 in a row. Mentally, Cummins said this made a huge difference in terms of feeling like he had a strong record to call on, rather than “faking” the confidence of a young fast bowler.Alongside Starc and Hazlewood, Cummins is on course to return to bowling by the end of July, then building gradually towards a level of fitness and confidence that will be hardy enough to withstand the likely challenge of flat pitches and scorching temperatures in the UAE, where Pakistan trounced the Australians on their previous Test tour in 2014.”We’re still hoping to make the UAE,” Cummins said. “Hoff and Starcy and I are all on a pretty similar programme, we’re all hoping to start bowling by the end of July and that’ll give us a two or three-month lead-in to the Tests. We’re all on track for that, just got to get a final scan in a few weeks and get the final sign-off that my back’s alright.”It’s one of those weird injuries in that you feel fine and I’m pain-free, don’t feel my back at all, but you’re basically dictated by a scan because it’s bone and a bit of a waiting game. You can try and rehab everything around it as much as you like, but you’ve just got to wait for it to be right. Still hoping to start bowling by the end of the month and be right for the UAE.”A Test match is brutal, especially over somewhere like there, it’s high intensity and you can be out in the field for a few days at a time, so it’s not a matter of getting right and then starting to bowl and playing a couple of weeks later, you do need a good two or three months of build-up. A nice gradual build-up and then be flat out to go is the plan. You’ve always got to be pretty careful with it.”

Lionel Messi has been hit with a ban of sorts, with Nashville saying that no Inter Miami shirts are allowed in the supporters section of their ground.

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Herons heading to Tennessee for continental clashArgentine icon part of travelling partyRival jerseys banned in certain sections of groundGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The Herons are due in Tennessee on Thursday for the first leg of a CONCACAF Champions Cup last-16 encounter. That journey from Florida will be made with a star-studded cast brought along for the ride, with eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messj very much part of Tata Martino’s plans.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets may also figure, along with Jordi Alba, and there are always plenty of Inter Miami jerseys to be seen whenever Messi and Co head out on the road – particularly those with No.10 on the back. That will not be the case, however, at GEODIS Park.

WHAT NASHVILLE SAID

Nashville have said in an official club statement: “No opposing team colors will be allowed in the Supporters Section (Sections 106-110) of GEODIS Park for Thursday’s Concacaf Champions Cup match. Anyone entering this area in opposing jerseys or colors risks being removed from GEODIS Park.

“Opposing jerseys and colors will be allowed in the seated sections (Sections 105-111) as well as other seated areas of the stadium. Additional stadium staff will be in place at the entrances of lower bowl sections to ensure the safety of all guests and the integrity of fans’ seats.”

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WHAT NEXT?

This is not the first time that Nashville has played host to Messi and Inter Miami, with the two sides locking horns in the final of the inaugural Leagues Cup in 2023 – when the Herons prevailed in a thrilling penalty shootout. Both teams are unbeaten in 2024, with Miami picking up seven points from three MLS fixtures, while Nashville have been held to back-to-back draws.

To say that Manchester United have endured a disappointing start to the season would be an incredible understatement. Erik ten Hag's side have lost four of their first eight Premier League games and saw their misery grow worse in the Champions League as Galatasaray came away with all three points at Old Trafford, before being handed a scare by Brentford at the weekend. It therefore comes as little surprise that the Red Devils are already looking towards January and future additions.

Whilst they can't drastically rewrite the current script in the Premier League, those at Old Trafford can ensure that their future brings far more positives at the very least. And a certain transfer target who United have sent scouts to watch could play a part in that.

What's the latest Man Utd transfer news?

Manchester United more than played their part in the summer transfer window, welcoming the likes of Mason Mount, Rasmus Hojlund and Andre Onana – making their poor start to the season all the more surprising. It's clear that more reinforcements are needed off the back of that start, however, even if that means players for the long-term future come through the door.

With that said, a transfer update on Luis Guilherme has emerged. According to Fabrizio Romano, United sent scouts to watch the 17-year-old Palmeiras player. The transfer expert said, via his Daily Briefing: "Keep an eye also on Manchester United in South America because in recent weeks Manchester United, as I told you, sent their scouts, as well as Chelsea, to follow Lorran from Flamengo, this talented Brazilian boy.

"Man Utd scouts were in attendance to follow this player. But from what I’m hearing, there is also one more player being monitored by Manchester United. This is Luis Guilherme from Palmeiras, one more Brazilian talent.

"Someone from Manchester United’s scouting department is travelling around Brazil to keep an eye on these players. Let’s see what is going to happen because, for example, on Luis Guilherme, there are more than five important European clubs – from Germany, from England, from different countries."

It will be interesting to see whether United push on and sign the teenager, as well as fellow Brazilian Loran, as they build for the future, perhaps in the hope of avoiding the issues that they currently face under Ten Hag.

Who is Luis Guilherme?

At just 17 years old, Guilherme is already playing an important part for Palmeiras, making 23 appearances in all competitions for the Brazilian side. Almost certainly one for the future, the attacking midfielder, having done enough to earn the attention of United, will now hope to push and develop even further.

Of course, if Guilherme did complete a move to Manchester United, then he would have a great role model to look up to at Old Trafford in the form of Casemiro. The experienced Brazil international could be the perfect player to help the midfielder's progression.

As things stand, however, Guilherme remains a Palmeiras player, and United remain in crisis mode on the pitch, albeit having just escaped with victory in their recent clash against Brentford. When the January transfer window does open, the Red Devils will likely be one of the teams to keep an eye on, that's for sure.

Real Madrid are hoping to draw inspiration from a Mason Greenwood red card overturn to see Jude Bellingham's sending off against Valencia rescinded

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Bellingham sent off after final whistle in controversial Valencia clashSwore at referee Gil Marzano in outburstGreenwood had red overturned in similar situationWHAT HAPPENED?

Bellingham was shown a red card after the final whistle of Madrid's La Liga clash with Valencia after confronting the referee, shouting "It's a f*cking goal, the ball is in the air, what the f*ck is that?!" at Marzano.

AdvertisementTHE EXPLANATION

Greenwood found himself in a similar situation in January after swearing at an official – but had his suspension overturned after an appeal to the Spanish football authorities. According to , Los Blancos are counting on using Greenwood's successful overturn as evidence for avoiding a ban for their star man.

Getty ImagesWHAT CARLO ANCELOTTI SAID

Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti defended Bellingham after his sending off: "What to say, there is not much to say. Something unprecedented has happened. I think the game had to end when Valencia had possession. Then Bellingham's red card bothered us because he didn't insult [the referee]. Bellingham told him 'it's a f*king goal', he didn't insult him. We will see what the referee writes in the act. The players are angry. We all have to calm down. We have an important game on Wednesday."

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR BELLINGHAM

Los Blancos have vowed to appeal their star man's red card. Before then, he is expected to appear for the Spanish giants in the second leg of their Champions League knockout tie with RB Leipzig.

It is understood an aggregated penalty of over INR 121 crore has been laid on the Indian board and its former bigwigs, among others, in connection with Foreign Exchange Act violations during IPL 2009

PTI01-Jun-2018The Enforcement Directorate has slapped a penalty of over INR 121 crore on the BCCI, its former boss N Srinivasan and former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi among others, for alleged violation of the Foreign Exchange Act (FEMA) during IPL 2009, according to agency officials.A special director of ED, it is understood, levied a penalty of INR 82.66 crore on the BCCI, INR 11.53 crore on Srinivasan, INR 10.65 crore on Modi, INR 9.72 crore on former BCCI treasurer MP Pandove, and INR 7 crore on the State Bank of Travancore (now merged with the SBI) in connection with the matter.The ED – an agency under the government of India responsible for enforcing economic laws in the country – was investigating a case of alleged contravention of the Foreign Exchange Act (FEMA) in transferring over INR 243 crore out of the country to host the 2009 IPL in South Africa. This transfer of funds was in alleged violation of the RBI guidelines meant for transferring funds abroad. The order asked the accused to deposit the fine amount with the government exchequer within 45 days.

Trying to balance European football with Premier League action, alongside cup football, can be difficult for any club at the best of times, and that's why Newcastle United spent money on adding to their squad in the summer. Yet, even after those additions, they have suffered the inevitable blow of injuries to key players.

So far this season, the Magpies have already been forced to cope without Fabian Schar for a period of time and still remain without Joe Willock. With the fixtures starting to come thick and fast, too, the last thing Eddie Howe would have wanted is another injury blow, which makes the latest update all the more frustrating.

What's the latest Newcastle injury news?

With games against Burnley and Paris Saint-Germain coming up, Howe would have wanted a full squad at his disposal, especially when welcoming the French champions to St James' Park. The former Bournemouth boss will have to deal with the hand he has been dealt, however, with Willock still out, and a fresh injury update regarding Harvey Barnes not exactly brimming with positivity.

Howe confirmed the news of the winger's injury, saying, via Fabrizio Romano: "He's going to be out for around three months. No surgery required which is good news but his foot is now in a boot. It's an injury underneath his toe."

With that said, Newcastle must now hope that the likes of Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak avoid any injuries of their own, which would leave the Magpies' attack fairly blunt. It's a major blow for Barnes, meanwhile, given that he was just getting his St James' Park career going, having made the move from Leicester City in the summer.

When he returns, the winger could dive straight into some important fixtures, however, with Newcastle potentially competing in the Champions League knockout stage.

How has Harvey Barnes performed this season?

Prior to his injury, it's fair to say that Barnes was finding his feet at Newcastle, scoring once and assisting once in seven appearances in all competitions. The winger's mixed start, combined with a major injury blow, will worry those at St James' Park, who will hope to see his best form when he returns from the sidelines.

At his best, Barnes has earned deserved praise, including from Alan Hutton, who told Football Insider: "Harvey Barnes is an excellent player, he has got that raw pace, he can score goals, he can assist. He had a little dip in form but you see him coming back. He is a live wire and I think that is what Newcastle like, these players that can get the fans off their seats.

"The likes of [Miguel] Almiron, Callum Wilson, [Alexander] Isak, they are all intelligent players that want to run forward and he does that."

With that said, it's clear that Newcastle have a player capable of changing a game for them when at his best. The Magpies will just hope that, once Barnes is back from injury, he returns in top form.

Former Australia legspinner Peter Sleep will be working with spinners, while Timothy McCaskill will be a consultant for the fast-bowling unit

Madushka Balasuriya 10-May-2018Sri Lanka Cricket has enlisted the services of Australian spin and fast-bowling consultants, Peter Sleep and Timothy McCaskill, ahead of their upcoming tour of the West Indies. The pair, who have been hired on a short-term basis, will join the squad at the two-week training camp which started on Wednesday in Pallekele, Kandy.”Peter Sleep, the former Australian legspinner will work with the spinners, while Cricket Victoria’s High Performance Manager Timothy McCaskill will work with the squad’s fast bowling unit,” an SLC release said.”Both were hired as short-term consultants under the recommendation of Head Coach Chandika Hathurusingha. Sleep will work with the squad for 15 days, while McCaskill will work for 10 days.”With the pair also slotted in to conduct a workshop for 50 National High Performance and Club coaches on May 18, their appointments can be seen as Hathurusingha attempting to redress deficiencies he has identified in the national pool.Hathurusingha has long been an advocate for the effectiveness of wristspinners in shorter formats of the game, highlighted by recent call-ups for Wanindu Hasaranga and Jeevan Mendis, while the likes of Jeffrey Vandersay and Lakshan Sandakan have also been in and out of the side. Hathurusingha will likely be looking at Sleep to help improve the effectiveness and consistency of such talent.Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s fast-bowling contingent, while talented, has been struggling in terms of maintaining fitness. McCaskill is known for his work in remodelling the actions of bowlers following lengthy injury layoffs, most notably with Australia’s James Pattinson. With the likes of Dushmantha Chameera, Shehan Madushanka, Nuwan Pradeep and Suranga Lakmal at constant risk of injury, SLC will be hoping McCaskill’s expertise will help keep their frontline pacemen fit leading up to next year’s World Cup.

Newcastle United returned to winning ways after their 0-0 draw with AC Milan as they romped to a remarkable 8-0 victory over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane in the Premier League on Sunday.

Dan Burn, Sven Botman, Sean Longstaff, Callum Wilson, Anthony Gordon, Bruno Guimaraes, Alexander Isak, and Miguel Almiron all found the back of the net in a thumping performance from the Magpies which saw eight goalscorers in a Premier League match for the first time ever.

That said, one of those who didn't get on the scoresheet, Kieran Trippier, deserves some praise for his industrious display down the right flank.

How did Kieran Trippier perform against Sheffield United?

Trippier produced an outstanding performance at the back for Eddie Howe's side as he provided three assists from his right-sided berth with his exceptional crossing ability.

He assisted Burn's header with an excellent inswinging corner that was met by the towering defender at the back post to make the score 2-0 at the time.

Another giant defender got his head on the end of a set-piece from the England international to make it three just a few minutes later as Sven Botman brilliantly guided a free-kick into the far corner with a terrific finish.

Trippier completed his hat-trick of assists just before the hour mark as his perfectly weighted cross into the six-yard box allowed Wilson to convert from close range.

The former Atletico Madrid star was not the only star of the show as Anthony Gordon also stood out as one of Howe's shining lights against the Blades.

How did Anthony Gordon perform against Sheffield United?

The former Everton winger only directly contributed to two of the eight goals but was the catalyst for a lot of Newcastle's play throughout the game with his electric performance out wide.

He came on to replace the injured Harvey Barnes in the first half and sparked the game into life almost immediately with his assist for Longstaff's opening goal by keeping the ball in play before providing a perfect cutback for the midfielder.

​​​Gordon was regularly pressing and harassing Sheffield United's defenders and set the tone for the rest of his teammates as they piled constant pressure on their opponents, which in turn led to their ruthless display at the top end of the pitch.

The exciting winger, who was hailed as "outstanding" by Sky Sports commentator Jamie Carragher during their coverage of the match, had 50 touches of the ball throughout the match and showcased his creativity with a number of fantastic passes and crosses.

Gordon, who assisted the first goal, created three 'big chances' for his teammates – more than any other player on the pitch – and completed 100% (2/2) of his attempted dribbles, as per Sofascore.

He also displayed his ability to disrupt the opposition when they had possession with three tackles and one interception, which showed that the English starlet put the hard work in off the ball to win it back for his side, despite the more-than-comfortable scoreline.

Sofascore rewarded him with a rating of 9.4 for his performance which happened to be the joint-highest of the match alongside Guimaraes, with Trippier just behind on a 9.3.

Even if he did lose the ball a worrying 19 times throughout the clash, Gordon was truly rampant and played a crucial role in Newcastle's play in and out of possession to set the tone for their thumping victory in Yorkshire on Sunday.

As Aaron Stokes of the Chronicle suggested at full-time, he has just made himself truly "undroppable" with such a lively outing.

Manchester United are having a torrid season in front of goal. They loaned out one of their most prolific goalscorers, Marcus Rashford, and their top goalscorer, Amad, is out for the remainder of the campaign with an injury.

The Red Devils have scored the 13th-lowest number of goals in the top flight this season, with just 28. Four teams sit below them, three of which are currently in the Premier League relegation zone.

United’s expected goals tally suggests they should be performing far better in front of goal than they actually are. As per Understat, United have an expected goals of 38.73xG, meaning they are underperforming by over 10 goals.

Two of the players who Ruben Amorim will hope can find their shooting boots this season are Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund.

Garnacho and Hojlund’s season so far

It has been a tough campaign so far for United’s attacking duo. Argentine winger Garnacho flew out of the blocks under former manager Erik ten Hag but has now been on a run of 13 Premier League games without a goal or assist.

He has managed eight goals and has six assists this season across all competitions, with an impressive six of those 14 goal involvements coming in the Carabao Cup against League One side Barnsley and Leicester City.

As for Hojlund, he has just two Premier League goals this season. The Denmark international has been on a lean run of form in the top flight, with just two strikes in 20 games.

He has seven goals and one assist in 32 appearances this term and has not scored since the 12th of December in the Europa League.

Amorim must be hoping these two, along with some of their teammates, can find their shooting boots towards the end of the season and help United improve their standings in the league and challenge for a cup.

Incredibly, they may have had the perfect player to help with their cause this season, but he left Old Trafford recently. He has actually outscored both Garnacho and Hojlund this season.

The former United star who could have helped them

In the days since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure, United have had some memorable strikers, despite the lack of consistency in their form. That includes the likes of Edinson Cavani and Cristiano Ronaldo, who were invaluable for the club at one stage.

However, none are perhaps as silky as Anthony Martial. The Frenchman joined United as a wonderkid, and although injuries affected his time at the club, there was no doubting his ability or potential.

Martial scored 90 goals and grabbed 46 assists in 317 appearances in that famous Red shirt. The “ice-cold” attacker, as Statman Dave once described him, scored several memorable goals for United, including a wonderful solo effort against Fulham away from home.

The former United number nine arguably had his best season in 2019/20, when his link-up with Rashford was at the peak of its powers.

That season, Martial scored 17 goals and grabbed six assists, but his underlying stats on Sofascore were outstanding. For example, the Frenchman created eight big chances and had a conversion rate of 21%.

Stat

Number

Goals

17

Goals per game

0.5

Conversion rate

21%

Assists

6

Big chances created

8

Take-ons completed per game

1.6

Take-on success rate per game

52%

Martial left Old Trafford in the summer at the end of his contract, with former manager Ten Hag deciding not to keep him at the club. He now plays in Greece, for AEK Athens, and is flying. The silky French attacker has scored nine goals and has two assists in just 19 games for the Greek side.

Shockingly, the 29-year-old has scored more goals than both Garnacho and Hojlund across all competitions this season, despite playing fewer games than the pair. He has been thriving in the Greek capital.

On reflection, perhaps Amorim wishes United had offered Martial a new deal. He would have been a reliable source of goals, and his injury issues have eased off this season.

If the former United attacker had remained at the club this term, they could have scored far more goals and been performing better as a unit.

Amorim can replace Amad & unleash Man Utd teen who wasn't on bench vs Spurs

Man Utd will be without their star man for the rest of the season

ByJoe Nuttall Feb 18, 2025