Chelsea are now one of the most aggressive suitors in the race for a “powerhouse” defender, and they could be prepared to make a huge bid.

Blues told to sign new defender

The Blues have been urged to bring in a new centre-back during the upcoming transfer window, with Darren Bent suggesting former defender Thiago Silva could have been a savvy addition, despite turning 41 back in September.

The ex-striker said: “I played against Thiago Silva when he was in his pomp. Oh my goodness, animal! Brazil versus England… animal. He had everything: jumps, quick, powerful.

“But now, he just reads the game so well and if I’m Chelsea then I’m trying to bring him back.”

However, with the Brazilian recently making the move to FC Porto, BlueCo have now set out to bring in a younger, up-and-coming prospect, who is being targeted by a number of Europe’s biggest clubs.

That is according to a report from Caught Offside, which states Chelsea have now emerged as one of the most aggressive suitors in the race for Atalanta defender Honest Ahanor, with the 17-year-old also of interest to Arsenal, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

Such is the Blues’ level of interest, they could even be prepared to make a bid of around €60m (£52m), with any deal likely to be on the expensive side, as the Italian club value the youngster highly and don’t want to cash-in too early.

At the moment, Ahanor remains under contract until 2028, so there is no pressing need for Atalanta to sanction a sale, but the defender’s reputation is growing, with his ability in possession of the ball particularly catching the eye.

"Powerhouse" Ahanor could be future star

Back in May, scout Ben Mattinson suggested the teenager could be in line to make a major breakthrough this season, while also praising his pace and upper body strength.

Mattinson’s prediction has proven to be correct, with the starlet going on to make 13 appearances in all competitions, including four in the Champions League, helping his side keep a clean sheet in a 1-0 victory against Marseille back in November.

Subscribe to the newsletter for elite transfer analysis Want more context on transfer sagas? Subscribing to our newsletter unlocks in-depth coverage and analysis of transfer targets, emerging prospects and club strategy – the kind of scout-informed perspective that puts moves like Chelsea’s interest in Ahanor into sharper focus. Subscribe Subscribe to the newsletter for elite transfer analysis Want more context on transfer sagas? Subscribing to our newsletter unlocks in-depth coverage and analysis of transfer targets, emerging prospects and club strategy – the kind of scout-informed perspective that puts moves like Chelsea’s interest in Ahanor into sharper focus.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

The Aversa-born defender then went on to grab his first professional goal in a 4-0 rout against his former club, Genoa, earlier this month, during which he won all four of the duels he contested.

Related Chelsea identify former defender as 'perfect fit' to replace Maresca as manager

He’s enjoyed a ‘rapid adaptation’ to coaching.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini

Ahanor is exhibiting very promising signs at Atalanta, but it would still be a little early for Chelsea to submit a bid in the region of £52m, and they should wait until the end of the season before making any approach.

Under the glare of floodlights, the gaze of television viewers at home and surrounded by some rather lonely looking concrete terraces, Colts Cricket Club qualified for the final of the Premier Division Limited Overs tournament at Premadasa International Stadium tonight. They defeated Tamil Union by 44 runs in a low scoring but nevertheless keenly fought match.It was a praiseworthy initiative by the Sri Lankan cricket board to host the final stages of this otherwise low-key tournament under lights and to invite the television cameras into the stadium. Unfortunately, they were less successful in pulling in the spectators. Nevertheless, it was surely a step in the right direction. Who knows, with further promotion and similar initiatives, this tournament may well arrest the attention of Sri Lanka cricket fans in years to come.The match itself was no jamboree. A sluggish pitch ensured that stroke play remained purely functional and the bowling attritional. This is not to distract from the game, which remained a tense affair until Dinuka Hettiarachchi bowled Upul Chandana in the 32nd over of the run chase.When Colts CC were bowled out for a meager 174 it looked as though an upset was on the cards. With their bowling attack packed with fast bowlers on a surface that cried out for the twirly men, Roy Dias, the Colts coach, would surely have been apprehensive.However, the Colts seam attack showed that the quick men too can prosper on turgid pitches by displaying the age old virtues of a tight line and unerring length. With the exception of Eric Upashantha, who bowled four wides in his opening burst, the fast bowlers remained disciplined throughout.The Tamil Union batsmen batted cautiously, with hindsight perhaps too much so, in the opening overs. Gradually the pressure shifted away from the fielding side and onto the batsmen as the Tamil Union innings was caught in the doldrums.Wickets began falling, steadily at first but with increasing frequency thereafter. Kumara (5) was the first batsmen to fall when he was trapped LBW by Upashantha in the sixth over of the innings. Ranga Dias (9), normally a free scoring player, was caught in two minds whilst trying to pull DulipLiyanage and popped up an easy catch in the 12th over.Malintha Gajanayake (2) was dismissed during a miserly spell of bowling from the young Kaushalya Weereratne – he bowled an eight over spell that yielded just nine runs – when he drove too early at a full-length delivery and was caught at mid off.The balance of the game had now shifted and Tamil Union were 47 for three in the 17th over. Then, the game swung decisively towards Colts when Rideegammanagedara, who faced 19 balls for his single run, was both dropped and run out of the same delivery, and Chandana (19) was bowled off his pads. After the dismissal of their captain Tamil Union capitulated losing their last five wickets for just 41 runs.The early part of the day had belonged to Tamil Union’s spin quartet. Led by the irrepressible Mutiah Muralitharan, who picked up five wickets for 15 runs, they ran through a powerful Colts batting line-up, taking nine of the ten wickets to fall.The only batsmen to prosper were Chaminda Mendis, with a diligent 35, and Kulatunga, with a sparkling 35, which included five boundaries. When this pair were separated after a stand of 67 the innings subsided and it was left to Eric Upasthantha to ensure respectability with what turned out to be a crucial 34 runs.

ScorecardSteven Finn took four wickets as Essex were dismissed for 109 (stock photo)•PA Photos

Middlesex beat Essex by six wickets with three overs to spare in the NatWest Twenty20 Blast match at Richmond on Friday night to put a dent in the Eagles’ hopes of reaching the knockout stages.International bowlers Steven Finn and James Franklin wreaked havoc as they returned figures of 4 for 28 and 3 for 13 respectively as the visitors were dismissed for 109 in 18 overs.Nick Gubbins and Dawid Malan launched the chase for victory, after the visitors had won the toss, with an opening stand of 47, before Ravi Bopara gave Essex a sliver of hope by removing both batsmen in the same over.Graham Napier then accounted for John Simpson for 14 to leave the home side 62 for 3. Debutant George Scott and Eoin Morgan fashioned a fourth wicket stand of 36 in five overs, before Scott became Bopara’s third victim.

Insights

Middlesex welcomed back international duo Steven Finn from international duty and Mitchell McClenaghan from injury and ended a seven match losing streak in the same match. This is no coincidence. Finn and McClenaghan are both high-class bowlers who bring enormous quality to any attack. While Middlesex have had some sporadically good individual performances with the ball this season adding Finn and McClenaghan alongside James Franklin rounds the bowling attack nicely. If anything this performance makes the struggles of this season all the more disappointing.

Only 12 more runs were needed and Morgan and Franklin completed the task with the minimum of fuss, with Morgan finishing 21 not out. Bopara picked up his three wickets at a cost of 12 runs from his four overs.England man Finn bowled his four overs within the opening eight of the Essex innings and when he finally took his sweater, the Eagles were already in trouble are 42 for 5.He removed Mark Pettini in his first over, and then Tom Westley and Essex skipper Ryan ten Doeschate in his third, before signing-off with the scalp of Ravi Bopara with the final delivery of his spell.Only a 51-run partnership for the sixth wicket between Liam Dawson, on-loan from Hampshire, and James Foster in 6.2 overs added any substance to the visitors’ sorry score.Dawid Malan broke that stand when he had Dawson caught for 22 by Nick Gubbins at deep mid-on with the total on 93. Seven runs later, spinner Ollie Rayner breached the defences of Foster who top-scored with 33.Franklin then returned to grab two wickets. The New Zealand allrounder had already made a significant impact for the home side when he had fellow Kiwi Jesse Ryder caught off a glove by John Simpson.He later added Graham Napier and Shaun Tait – who had his middle stump uprooted – to bring to a close an abject batting display and the Eagles’ lowest T20 score of the season.Middlesex’s win ended a dismal sequence of seven defeats in succession in the competition after they had started the campaign promisingly with two victories in their opening three games.

Replace this text with heading

• Replace this body text with actual text

Replace this body text with actual text

ScorecardJonny Baistow passed 50 for the ninth time in 12 Championship innings this season•Getty Images

Jonny Bairstow celebrated his Ashes call-up with a dashing innings that helped propel Yorkshire to a seven-wicket victory over Worcestershire on the final day of their Championship match at Scarborough.It was the first time since 1998 that Yorkshire had won five consecutive matches in a season in the competition and it further strengthened the title-holders’ position at the top of the table.Worcestershire made them fight every inch of the way for their success and for a while they were even able to contemplate victory themselves as the home side slumped to 44 for 3 in their chase towards a 157 target. But then Bairstow, in the best form of his career and brimming with confidence, strode to the crease and was soon delighting the 2000 crowd with shots to all parts of the North Marine Road ground.Bairstow battered an unbeaten 74 off 51 balls with nine fours and three sixes during an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 113 in 17 overs with Alex Lees, who finished on 58 not out. The wicketkeeper-batsman has now thrashed 980 runs at an average of 108.88 in his 12 Championship knocks, with one double-century, four centuries and four half-centuries.”It was another great knock today from Jonny Bairstow and we all wish him well and hope he scores lots of runs for England,” Yorkshire’s coach, Jason Gillespie, said. “He is playing good cricket, the ball is in his court and I am delighted he has got his opportunity.”After Worcestershire had been bowled out for 306, the second highest second-innings score against Yorkshire this season, they soon claimed a wicket as Will Rhodes skied Saeed Ajmal’s second ball to deep mid-on where Jack Shantry held on to a well-judged catch.Yorkshire were 34 for 1 at lunch, Lees having driven Joe Leach for an early six, but soon after the interval they suffered a double setback, Jack Leaning being trapped lbw by Charlie Morris and captain Andrew Gale run out when sent back by Lees.With light rain falling for a short while, Bairstow went on the charge, driving Ajmal over long-on for six and being so eager to advance that he chased a delivery which slipped out of Morris’s hand and bounced several times wide on the off side before belting it through the covers for four.Bairstow walloped three fours off consecutive balls from Ajmal and successive boundaries against Shantry, bringing up his half-century from 39 balls with five fours and two sixes. Both Bairstow and Lees cleared the rope again as Lees completed his first 50 in 14 Championship innings, off 79 deliveries, and it was all over at 2.55pm with 47 overs to spare.Resuming on 221 for 6 in the morning, with a 71 lead, Worcestershire continued to take the fight to their opponents and Ross Whiteley moved his overnight 65 on to 101 before falling lbw to Ryan Sidebottom soon after the new ball had been taken. He had faced 139 balls and struck 14 fours and a six on his way to his best score for Worcestershire and his highest since a career-best 130 not out for Derbyshire against Kent in September 2011.Even with his departure to make it 280 for 9, Worcestershire were not entirely finished because Ajmal and Morris put on 26 for the last wicket. It meant that Yorkshire still had some work to do and there were anxious moments ahead until Bairstow and Lees got cracking.”Obviously I am very pleased to come away with full points but this was still not our best performance, I have to acknowledge that,” Gillespie said. “We had one big partnership in the first innings and a century stand in the second but we have still not nailed our partnerships.”I thought we were poor with the ball on the third day before just making our opponents follow-on and we have to focus on the process of how to get it right. We seem to drift sometimes when we take our foot off the gas.”It is a nice position to be in at the top of the table but there is still a lot of cricket to be played and we have six games remaining. We need to make sure we maintain our standards and respect the form we are in even though we are not at our best. The race for the Championship is not over yet and we can only control what we do and not what other teams do.”

Rod Marsh has shed new light on Australia’s failed Ashes campaign by admitting they felt they had the series won after a vast victory over England in the second Test at Lord’s.Following a heavy opening defeat in Cardiff, the Australians regathered to more than double the margin in the second match with a 405-run thrashing, and celebrated their first victory at Lord’s since 2005 with plenty of gusto. But the series ledger was merely 1-1, and after their batting was obliterated on seaming pitches at Edgbaston and Trent Bridge, the heavily favoured visitors finished empty handed.Speaking as part of a panel discussion following his delivery of the 2015 MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture, Marsh was asked by Mark Nicholas whether complacency had crept into Australia’s defence of the Ashes urn won so convincingly at home two years before.”When we left Lord’s I thought ‘we will win the Ashes’ because we’d played that badly at Cardiff, we played that well here, then we were just going to win,” Marsh said. “If that’s complacency, then yes we were complacent. But I think we all thought we’d broken their back at Lord’s with such an emphatic victory. Geez we were wrong. We were that wrong!”Marsh’s admission is sure to leave plenty wondering how the series was allowed to unravel, when Australia had gone 14 years without winning the Ashes in England. Fellow selector Darren Lehmann has publicly conceded that the selectors made several errors over the series, including the dropping of Mitchell Marsh for his brother Shaun on the opening morning of the pivotal Trent Bridge Test.There has also been heated debate over the delayed selection of Peter Siddle, who looked comfortably Australia’s most dangerous bowler on seaming pitches when belatedly chosen for the dead Oval Test, while critiques of the tourists’ batsmanship in the prevailing conditions have largely concluded that greater grit had to be shown.In contrast to Marsh, England’s captain Alastair Cook said his side knew from the moment they defeated Australia in the first Test that they were capable of winning the Ashes. It was a belief that did not waver even after the Lord’s drubbing, for they had seen how Michael Clarke’s team could struggle in even moderately helpful conditions for James Anderson and Stuart Broad.”Australia came as firm favourites, but as a player and as a team you need to have a bit of substance in your belief,” Cook said as part of the same panel. “You turn up to Cardiff and you look at the Australians and like we always do we probably build up the opposition in our own minds a bit. “Australia beat West Indies more convincingly than we did, they had an outstanding run of games. In my mind I thought we could win if we played to our absolute potential.”When we left Cardiff we knew these guys were beatable, and that was the big difference. We’d done it once, it was just whether we could do it consistently. But I know we could win the Ashes because we’d just beaten them, and we could put Australia under pressure in our conditions.”Everyone looked at each other at the end of that game, we had a few drinks in the dressing room at Cardiff, and that was the most important message I could get across to the guys. We’ve proven we can do it once, if you can do it once you can do it three times. They clearly ignored everything I said and we got hammered at Lord’s three days later, but at the end of the summer we proved it.”

Danny Briggs, the left-arm spinner who was once hailed as the answer to England’s one-day spin bowling needs, has sought to re-energise a faltering career by switching to Hampshire’s south coast neighbours Sussex.He moves to Hove on a three-year deal with Luke Wright, recently announced as Sussex’s captain in all three formats, proclaiming that he remains the “best one-day spinner in the country.”But it is Briggs’ ambitions to develop into a Championship spinner that has provided the impetus for one of the close season’s more surprising transfers. He played only eight Championship matches for Hampshire in a season where they only avoided relegation on the last day of the season with the county preferring the extra batting skills of Liam Dawson and occasional forays with the up-and-coming legspinner Mason Crane.Hampshire’s director of cricket, Giles White, presented Briggs’ departure as all but inevitable. “Losing Danny is tough,” he said. “However this is the right decision for him and therefore he goes with our blessing. I have been lucky enough to have seen him grow into the cricketer and person that he is today and he has been a pleasure to work with throughout.”He understands the wider picture and in some ways it was inevitable, considering his ambition to progress in all forms of the game that it would lead to him moving on. I hope the move allows him the opportunity to further his career in the longer form of the game with a good club like Sussex. Danny is an extremely popular player, the team will miss him but I have no doubt that they will all wish him well.”Briggs must have been privately torn on the last day of the season as Hampshire’s survival was secured at Sussex’s expense, but arguably a season in Division Two for a county strongly expected to bounce back at the first attempt will allow him the chance to build his repertoire in less taxing circumstances, which after a few unrewarding seasons in four-day cricket may be no bad thing.Wright said: “Danny is a fantastic signing and one I am really excited about. We are signing a young England international spinner who is arguably the best one-day spinner in the country, and is young enough to develop into a top four-day bowler too. He is a hard worker and a tough competitor.”Briggs, released early from his Hampshire contract, has taken 191 first-class wickets in his 67 matches, with a best of 6 for 45 for the England Lions in 2011. His wickets have come at an average of 32.14, with an economy rate of only slightly over 3 runs per over.He made an England ODI debut against Pakistan in Dubai in 2012 – becoming the youngest Hampshire player, and the first Isle of Wight-born cricketer, to play for his country – and has also played seven times in the T20 international format.His ability in the shortest format helped Hampshire to a record six consecutive T20 Finals Day appearances from 2010 onwards. He set a club record of 31 wickets in 2010 as Hampshire won the trophy on home turf and became their go-to bowler in the shortest format, taking 119 wickets at an average of 19.4 from 94 matches.In the Championship, however, his lack of spin has counted against him. He will not find it easy at Hove, which possesses one of the smaller playing surfaces in the country.Briggs said of his move: “I’m excited for the opportunities that lie ahead. I’m really grateful that Hampshire are letting me leave early. I’d like to thank all the playing staff and the coaches that I’ve worked with.”

Plans have been unveiled for the redeveloped Junction Oval in Melbourne, which is set to become the new site of Victorian cricket’s administration and training facilities, and could even host boutique international matches.The MCG has been Victoria’s only first-class venue for the past few seasons but state government funding will allow the Junction Oval to not only join the MCG but to become the newly-badged Victorian Cricket and Community Centre. The project is expected to be complete before the start of the 2017-18 season.The purpose-built, cricket-only venue will become a year-round training, match and development site for cricket in Victoria. Tony Dodemaide, the CEO of Cricket Victoria, said that while domestic matches would be shared between the MCG and the Junction Oval in future, the ground would also be up to international standard.”It certainly has the capacity for international tournaments that come to Australia in future, perhaps in ICC T20 competition, which requires a suite of facilities,” Dodemaide said. “Not all games need … a large stadium of 100,000 capacity like the MCG. This will provide a boutique facility that complements tournaments like that.”Late last year, the new Victorian state government pledged funding to make the upgrade possible, and on Wednesday the new designs were unveiled as part of a community consultation process. James Sutherland, the CEO of Cricket Australia, said he was pleased to support the development of a new dedicated cricket facility in Victoria.”Putting these designs forward for community consultation marks an important step forward in this project which create a world-class cricket hub, not only for the state and national players, but for grass roots clubs,” Sutherland said.

Pacer Cuthbert Musoko’s maiden List A five-for bowled Matabeleland Tuskers for 130, setting up a 31-run win for Mountaineers in their first match of the Pro50 Championship. Musoko’s 5 for 19 off 8.4 overs helped Mountaineers defend a total of 161 with ease, after they had been left reeling by Tawanda Mupariwa’s 6 for 52.Tuskers began their chase of 162 solidly as the openers, Bonaparte Mujuru and Nkosana Mpofu, added 52. They collapsed quickly, however, going from 52 for 0 to 91 for 8, with Musoko, Tatenda Mupunga (2-33) and Shingi Masakadza (2-23) contributing to the slide. Mbekezeli Mabuza shepherded the score past 100 – a 34-run, ninth-wicket stand contributing to the team’s cause – but the chase was too much for the tail-enders.Mountaineers had had their own batting collapse, after being put in to bat, as Mupariwa cut through the line-up, taking five wickets to reduce the side to 57 for 5. They were lifted to 161 only through knocks from Hamilton Masakadza (46) and Roy Kaia. The batsmen added 41 for the sixth wicket, before Kaia shared in a 49-run stand for the ninth wicket en route to his 59 off 90 deliveries. Roy Kaia was the ninth wicket to fall and became Mupariwa’s sixth wicket.Fifties from Joylord Gumbie and Gary Chirimuuta, and a four-wicket haul from left-arm spinner Bright Mugochi set up a 67-run win for Mashonaland Eagles in their opening match of the Pro50 Championship against Mid West Rhinos.Gumbi’s 94-ball 80 powered the Eagles to a strong start as he shared partnerships worth 62 and 75 runs for the first and second wicket with Kudzai Maunze and Simbarashe Gupo respectively. After Gumbi fell, Chirimuuta consolidated, striking 68 off 60 balls with 10 fours, and contributed to a 72-run stand with Gupo to guide the side towards a strong total. Eagles lost quick wickets towards the end but were still able to post a competitive 265 for 7.Despite the early loss of Tendai Maruma, Rhinos rebuilt through a 74-run partnership for the second wicket between Bothwell Chapungu and Tarisai Musakanda. Mugochi, however, got both batsmen and then effected a run-out to leave Rhinos at a wobbly 92 for 4. A fifth-wicket partnership of 53 between Nyasha Mayavo and captain Remembrance Nyathi provided some resistance but once the stand was broken, Eagles quickly wrapped up proceedings.

Gujranwala, Feb 16: Sri Lanka took an unbeatable 2-0 lead in thethree-match one-day international cricket series against Pakistanafter winning the second game by 34 runs at the Jinnah Stadium here onWednesday in front of a capacity crowd.Skipper Sanath Jayasuriya led from the front with a superb all-roundperformance which earned the Man-of-the-Match award. He struck asplendid 65 to lay foundation of Sri Lanka’s impressive score of 263for six in 50 overs, and then took two wickets for 30 as Pakistan werebowled out for 229 in 45.1 overs.The last match of the one-day series, at the Qadhafi Stadium in Lahoreon Saturday (Feb 19), will now only be of academic interest.Benefiting from the first use of the wicket when Pakistan captainSaeed Anwar won the toss and opted to field for the second timerunning, the Sri Lankan batsmen prospered against some waywardbowling.Besides Jayasuriya, the in-form Marvan Atapattu also scored a fineknock of 57, followed by useful contributions from wicket-keeperRomesh Kaluwitharana (32), Chaminda Vaas (34) and Russel Arnold (36not out).Pakistan, who were docked one over because of a slow over-rate, onceagain failed to cope against the disciplined Sri Lankan bowling, whichwas backed up by brilliant fielding.A gallant knock of 68, the day’s top score, by Yousuf Youhana was notenough to pull the Pakistan team out of trouble. Even a late charge byWasim Akram, who hit four glorious sixes to electrify the crowd,proved a futile attempt by Pakistan to level the series.Wasim Akram hammered 34 off 29 balls and twice in succession hoistedoff-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan out of the ground. Arnold andPramodya Wickremasinghe were the other bowlers to suffer at Akram’shands.The rest of Pakistan batting was disappointing as only Aamir Sohail(23 off 32 balls), Saeed Anwar (17 off 13 balls), Younis Khan (28 off44 balls), Moin Khan (15) and Abdul Razzaq (14) managed to reachdouble figures.Saeed Anwar failed again when he tried to flick Vaas and was caught byUpul Chandana on the long-leg boundary. Imran Abbas was beaten by adirect throw from Muralitharan at the bowler’s end.After being well set, Aamir Sohail fell to a catch at square-leg byTillekeratne Dilshan off Wickremasinghe. That left the home team inall sorts of trouble at 50 for three.Youhana and Younis repaired the innings to some extent by adding 68runs for the fourth-wicket. However, at the total of 118, Younisplayed across to a sharply turning Muralitharan delivery and wasbowled through the gate.Jayasuriya, who bowls brisk left-arm spin, clean bowled Moin Khan witha full-length ball that hit the base of the off-stump as Pakistancrashed to 143 for five.Thereafter, the wickets kept falling atregular intervals.With the total on 176, Abdul Razzaq drove at a widish delivery fromVaas and but only succeeded in getting an outside edge. Azhar Mahmood,who was playing in his game of the series, fell cheaply when hespooned an easy catch to Dilshan at short mid-wicket off the bowlingof leg-spinner Chandana.Pakistan’s hopes were finally shattered when Youhana’s steady knockcame to an end when Wickremasinghe, who was brought on for a new spellby Jayasuriya, induced an uppish stroke with the first ball. Chandana,fielding at mid-off, held a simple catch just above his head. Youhanafaced 87 deliveries and hit only two fours.Saqlain was bowled by Jayasuriya for three.Wasim Akram’s dazzling knock proved a final flicker of hope but he wasbowled by Muralitharan at the start of the 46th over.Earlier, Sri Lanka owed their formidable total to brillianthalf-centuries by opener Jayasuriya and Atapattu. The Pakistan teamcaptain Saeed Anwar made the mistake of putting in the opposition intobat although the pitch looked tailor-made for batting.Pakistan’s pace bowlers failed to extract any life from the pitch orbenefit from the early morning moisture.Shoaib Akhtar, who was also making a comeback, was forced to leave thefield with a groin problem after sending down five expensive overs.A large crowd enjoyed the stroke-play of the visiting batsmen,especially Jayasuriya, Vaas and Kaluwitharana. All the four Pakistanipacemen, Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, Abdur Razzaq and Azhar Mahmood,and the spinners Saqlain Mushtaq and Aamir Sohail failed to make anyimpression on the Sri Lankans.Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharana laid the foundation of the innings byputting on 84 runs for the first-wicket off 93 balls. The Pakistanteam’s fielding also left much to be desired, although youngsters likeImran Nazir (substituting for Shoaib Akhtar) and Imran Abbas thrilledthe spectators with some neat work.Abdur Razzaq finally broke the partnership when Kaluwitharana wasbrilliantly held by wicket-keeper Moin Khan, who dived to his right.In fact, Moin excelled behind the stumps by holding two catches andbrought off a stumping.Jayasuriya departed after adding 37 runs for the second wicket standwith Atapattu, who has been batting consistently during thistour. Jayasuriya tried a cross-bat shot off Saqlain Mushtaq but onlygot a top edge to give Moin a simple catch. The second wicket fell atthe total of 121. Jayasuriya hit nine elegant boundaries in his115-minute stay at the crease in which he faced 78 balls.At the total of 147, Mahela Jayawardena (9) was smartly stumped byMoin as the batsman charged at Aamir Sohail but missed the line.Vaas, promoted in the order to bolster the scoring rate, hit 34 off 33deliveries which included two sixes over long-on in consecutive oversof Aamir Sohail. The left-hander tried a similar shot on the fifthball of Wasim Akram’s seventh over but mistimed it and the bowler helda brilliant two-handed catch over his head on his follow-through.Atapattu’s composed innings, which followed his unconquered 199 atKarachi, was terminated by a fine catch on near the deep mid-wicketboundary by Youhana off Saqlain.Indika de Saram struck 12, including a six off Saqlain, in his briefstay at the wicket before he was run out while backing up at thebowler’s end. A firm drive from Arnold was half stopped by Akram onhis follow through but the ball crashed into the stumps with thenon-striker de Saram out of his ground.Left-handed Arnold also played his part well in the later stages ofthe innings by lashing an unbeaten 36 off 29 balls.

Spinners Venkatpathi Raju and Kanwaljit Singh bowled Hyderabad to aremarkable 92-run victory over Uttar Pradesh in the Ranji Trophyquarterfinal at the Green Park in Kanpur on Monday.It was a magnificent win for Hyderabad who were behind by 71 runs onthe first innings. A superb effort in the second innings, spearheadedby VVS Laxman who scored his sixth century this season in the nationalcompetition, gave Hyderabad a chance to come back. But when UPresumed this morning at 38 for no loss chasing a victory target of311, the home team did seem to have the better chance of qualifyingfor the penultimate round. After all they had already secured thefirst innings lead. This feeling gathered momentum when UP were 104for one and in mid afternoon, 163 for three. But then there was anamazing turnabout and the last seven wickets fell for the addition of55 runs. UP were all out for 218 with six overs to spare.UP suffered an early blow when Jyoti Yadav was bowled by KanwaljitSingh for 18 with the total on 43. But the other opener M Saif and MdKaif came together in a second wicket partnership which realized 61runs off 24.2 overs. Saif then fell to Raju for 57. He batted a trifleover three hours, faced 162 balls and hit seven fours. In the sameover, Raju dismissed R Shamshad for nought.Shortly before lunch, Kaif reached his half century. At the interval,UP were 119 for three. Kaif and Saurabh Shukla then seemed to havecarried UP to safety by adding 59 runs off 25.3 overs. However at 163,Shukla was caught by wicketkeeper Sheikh off Raju for 27. He batted anhour and a half, faced 68 balls and hit four boundaries. Anothercrucial wicket was taken in the same over with skipper GyanendraPandey being held by Nandakishore for a duck.Now UP were under siege. Raju and Kanwaljit wove patterns around thebatsmen, trapping them in their web of spin. Kaif continued to playconfidently but the wickets fell at regular intervals at the otherend. Finally Kaif, UP’s last bastion of strength, was ninth out at213, held by Nandakishore off Kanwaljit Singh. The India batsmen hadbatted courageously for 282 minutes, faced 229 balls and hit sevenfours. Satwalkar ended the match having last man Sriwatsava caught bySheikh and Hyderabad’s triumph was complete. Raju took six for 57 off37 overs while Kanwaljit had three for 78 to finish with match figuresof nine for 175.Hyderabad now play reigning champions Karnataka in the semifinal.