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New Zealand face a quick change in formats, the loss of some key personnel and the No. 1 ODI team when they travel to Australia for the one-day series

Brydon Coverdale01-Dec-20161:41

Ranking is not a motivation for us – Hesson

Two days ago, New Zealand celebrated victory in the second Test against Pakistan in Hamilton, a win that meant a 2-0 triumph in the series. At least, they celebrated inasmuch as they could: the next day eight of their Test XI were flying to Australia to defend the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy. Australia’s players thought they had a quick format switch after the Adelaide Test, but New Zealand are two days and one international flight worse off.New Zealand also arrive with no Ross Taylor, who is recovering from eye surgery. They have no Adam Milne, Mitchell McClenaghan, or Corey Anderson, who are all out injured. Surprisingly, they have no Ish Sodhi, the legspinner who only once has faced Australia in an ODI earlier this year, and was Man of the Match, yet has been left out now. And of course, there is no Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori, Grant Elliott, Nathan McCullum, or Kyle Mills, all retired since the World Cup.”We are missing some key players,” New Zealand coach Mike Hesson said in Sydney on Thursday. “We’ve lost over 1000 one-day international games since the World Cup. To replace those is a challenge. But we’ve also got some exciting players that you guys won’t know a lot about. Hopefully you will in a week or 10 days. That’s important for us to give them this sort of exposure, and find out which ones we want to keep backing and supporting.”Among the new faces are legspinner Todd Astle, preferred in this series to Sodhi, and yet to make his ODI debut. Then there is Colin de Grandhomme, the seam bowler, who made a stunning Test debut against Pakistan last month but has only one ODI to his name, nearly five years ago. And then there is the 25-year-old fast bowler Lockie Ferguson, uncapped for New Zealand in any format, but a man who at his best can break the 150kph mark.”With Adam Milne missing, Lockie gives us that point of difference in our attack,” Hesson said. “He hasn’t played a huge amount up until that last two seasons. He’s got over a lot of injuries. He’s got to an age where those major issues tend to dissipate a bit, once you get to 24, 25. He’s a strong bowler, he’s certainly quick. I’d be very surprised if he doesn’t play at some point in this series.Both sides have lost some key personnel since last year’s ODI World Cup•International Cricket Council”He’s like Adam Milne, they’ve both bowled over 150 at times … Lockie is at the early stage of his career, but we know that he’s capable of bowling at pace at times. It’s difficult, your first series there’s obviously going to be some nerves. But he’s a confident character. When he gets his opportunity, I’m sure he’ll give us a point of difference in our attack, which is important.”Not that Australia’s ODI side is without change. Batting allrounder Hilton Cartwright is hoping for a debut in this series, and Australia’s leading ODI wicket taker in 2016 – John Hastings – has been left out due to the return of frontline fast men Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc. And, like New Zealand, Australia have lost much ODI experience since the teams met in the 2015 World Cup final, with Michael Clarke, Mitchell Johnson, Brad Haddin and Shane Watson all retired.Since then, the teams have met once in a Chappell-Hadlee Series, when New Zealand won 2-1 at home earlier this year. And despite Australia’s 5-0 thrashing in a one-day series in South Africa in October, when they took an under-strength attack and rested Starc and Hazlewood, they will enter this series as No.1 in the world, as compared to New Zealand at No.3.”Their one-day side is a heck of a lot more settled than their Test side,” Hesson said of Australia. “Their one-day side has been incredibly consistent, bar the South African series they’ve been very good for a number of years. Currently ranked No.1 in the world, so I don’t think the unsettled nature of the Test side will lead into the one-day side.”We want to hang on to the Chappell-Hadlee. We’ve won it the last couple of times and it’s really important for us. Australia are our big brothers and to win a bilateral series against them is important to us. If the byproduct of that is an increase in rankings then great. But we tend to look at the rankings at the back end of a season and see how you’ve gone, rather than it be a motivation for us.”

Liverpool are mulling over launching a bid for Wolfsburg centre-back Micky van de Ven this summer, with sporting director Jorg Schmadtke well-versed with the ace's skill set, having left the club for Anfield this year.

What's the latest on Micky van de Ven to Liverpool?

That's according to BILD's Christian Falk, who claims that the 22-year-old has a market value of just €18m (£15m) after impressing in the German Bundesliga this season.

Schmadtke signed the gem from FC Volendam in 2021 for a fee of just €3.5m (£3m) which has seemingly put Liverpool in pole position, with Premier League champions Manchester City also interested in a deal.

Stoking the fire on the swirling rumours, Van de Ven said to VI (via the Mirror): "Of course I heard of Liverpool links and I know they’ve been following me in the past. That’s it. Of course. Liverpool is a great club. There’s a chance for me to leave this summer. If a nice club with good plan arrives… I’d be open."

How good is Micky van de Ven?

The Bundesliga "giant" – as hailed by journalist Ronan Murphy – is left-footed and as such could be the perfect option for Reds boss Jurgen Klopp as he looks to strengthen his defensive ranks with a star to rival Virgil van Dijk on the left side of the Anfield backline.

And having made 33 appearances in the German top-flight this term, Van de Ven recorded an average league rating of 6.85 – as per Sofascore – and impressed with his assured passing, completing 88%; his sweeping excellence, tracking back to complete 3.1 clearances per game; and his solidness in the tackle, winning 64% of his duels.

Also said to be "flourishing" in Germany by Murphy, Van de Ven is one of the most dynamic defenders around; boasting superlative athleticism and blistering pace, the Netherlands U21 captain would slot into Liverpool's high-press superbly, capable of tracking back swiftly and matching even the most speedy of attackers in transition.

As per FBref, the £7k-per-week ace ranks among the top 10% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries and the top 7% for successful take-ons per 90, indicating that he utilises his innate abilities with aplomb.

A tenacious and fearless colossus, Van de Ven could therefore emulate Tottenham Hotspur centre-half Cristian Romero on English shores; despite Spurs' dismal defensive efforts this year, Romero has remained an impressive force and softened his domestic woes by basking in footballing glory with triumph at the 2022 World Cup.

Signing for the Lilywhites for around £42m from Atalanta in 2021, the 25-year-old has become known as a battleaxe of a defender, if somewhat brash, and has earned praise as a "Rolls-Royce" by Martin Keown.

The Argentine ranks among the top 17% of peers for successful take-ons per 90 and has clocked a top speed of 33.21 km/h this season, impressive given Van de Ven's standout attribute is his barrelling pace, producing a speed of 35.87 km/h.

Klopp must forge ahead with a deal for this Dutch dynamo, dubbed "dominant" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, providing his depleted defence with fresh legs to pump vigorous life back into the fold.

The left-hander is looking forward to returning to the Indian squad and partnering with his old friend and captain

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Jan-20171:14

Yuvraj’s many limited-overs comebacks

Yuvraj Singh feels MS Dhoni has a lot to contribute to Indian cricket as a player and is looking forward to batting “fearlessly” with his old team-mate on his return.In an interview with , Yuvraj said Dhoni was “extremely good” as captain, but had stepped down at the right time; Dhoni gave up the ODI and T20I captaincy last week.”I think he’s been an extremely good captain for India. We’ve won World Cup and the Champions Trophy under him. We were the No. 1 Test team under him. These are amazing achievements and I’m not sure how many [other] captains have that,” Yuvraj said.”I think he took a very good decision stepping down because I’m sure he felt that it’s [time for] the next guy to take over before the World Cup and I’m sure he saw that in Virat.”He has a lot to contribute as a player in the team. I think he’s gonna play the way he used to. We were both very fearless when we used to play together, so hopefully we can do the same in the upcoming series.”Yuvraj, who was recalled for the upcoming series against England, has spent more than three years out of the Indian ODI team, and hasn’t played an international match since rolling his ankle in a World T20 game against Australia in March 2016. He was picked on the basis of his form in the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy – 672 runs in five matches for Punjab, at an average of 84.00 – and said he had been working on his fitness, especially considering he is now in the mid-30s.”I’ve been working pretty hard on my fitness because as you grow older, you’ve got to work harder on your body. In your mid-30s your body asks for a lot of training and recovery time. I’ve changed my diet completely and I’ve been putting in some extra hours because I need to be careful after what my body went through.”He is also aware that the new captain demands a 100% from his team.”Virat commands [] performance. He’s been very consistent throughout his career, and that consistency and fire has converted him into a very good captain,” he said. “He demands 100% effort from the team and that is the hallmark of a good captain.”He gets better every year – early in his career he got a lot of runs, then he got a lot of hundreds and now in Tests he’s getting double hundreds. I don’t know who else averages more than 50 in all formats. Hopefully he continues that and takes India to the next level.”

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is set to hold talks with winger Jadon Sancho over his future at the club amid interest in his services, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest transfer news involving Jadon Sancho?

According to The Daily Star, Tottenham Hotspur are keen on offering Sancho an escape route from Old Trafford this summer as Spurs' coach Ange Postecoglou gets to work in N17.

Tottenham are said to be lining up a £50 million swoop for the £350k-a-week ace, who flickered in and out of consistency in patches during the 2022/23 campaign.

FootballTransfers claim that Manchester United would be willing to sell Sancho and the outlet state that Aston Villa are also in the mix to try and acquire Sancho ahead of next term.

Aston Villa are believed to be 'very interested' in signing Sancho, who has also attracted attention from former club Borussia Dortmund, as per TEAMtalk.

His patchy form in a Manchester United jersey has been taken into account as the club continue to weigh up his future over the coming months.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs has said that Manchester United boss Ten Hag will hold talks with Sancho over his future at Old Trafford.

Jacobs told FFC: "Erik ten Hag will first speak to Sancho and have a frank conversation about if he stays, what the expectations are and how much game time he'll get and how he can elevate his game. If it's determined in that meeting that for the right offer, Sancho's available on the market, then let's see whether Spurs move."

Should Manchester United keep or sell Sancho this summer?

Manchester United will have a big decision to make on Sancho, who is a player with undoubted talent; however, has struggled to maintain regular consistency in his time at the Red Devils.

In 2022/23, Sancho made 41 appearances for Manchester United in all competitions, claiming seven goals and three assists, as per Transfermarkt.

As per FBRef, Sancho also provided plenty of chances for his teammates over the course of the season, successfully carrying out 113 shot-creating actions in total.

The 23-year-old also averaged around 1.7 key passes per match in the Premier League, showing that Sancho has the tools at his disposal to be an effective asset to any side when utilised in the correct manner, as per WhoScored.

Looking ahead, it will be an intriguing few months for Sancho as his future becomes clearer at Manchester United following crunch discussions with Ten Hag.

A round-up of the Group A matches in the WICB Regional Super 50 played on February 10, 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Feb-2017Windward Islands recorded a comfortable six-wicket win over Kent at Coolidge in their final match of the Regional Super50. Kavem Hodge, who had spent most of the tournament batting at No. 6 for Windwards, struck his maiden List A fifty after being promoted to open the batting to chase Kent’s 205.Hodge got the Windwards chase going in the right direction after the early fall of Johnson Charles for 5 by adding 54 for the second wicket with Devon Smith (32) and another 86 for the third wicket with Sunil Ambris. Hodge ended with 68 and Ambris 48, just two shy of what would have been his seventh fifty in eight games during group play. Ambris ends the round-robin stage with 423 runs at 70.50, second overall behind Leeward Islands captain Kieran Powell’s aggregate of 509 at 84.83.When Hodge fell in the 40th, 31 runs were still required for victory. Captain Liam Sebastien and Kyle Mayers knocked off the rest of the runs, securing victory with 13 balls to spare. Kent had stumbled to 35 for 5 after choosing to bat at the toss before a 104-run sixth-wicket stand between Will Gidman and Adam Rouse salvaged their innings. Shane Shillingford eventually dismissed both men for 94 and 40 respectively and Kent’s tail fought until the 49th over before they were bowled out with seven balls left in the innings.Trinidad & Tobago rolled past West Indies Under-19 by 182 runs at North Sound to set up a first-place showdown with Leeward Islands on Sunday. The win over West Indies U-19 moved T&T to 6-1 in Group B, the same record as Leewards though T&T trails Leewards by two points due to the bonus point structure in round-robin play. The winner of Sunday’s match will top Group A and most likely face Jamaica while the loser will probably face Barbados, who hold a five-point advantage at the top of Group B heading into the final round of group matches.Kyle Hope, Jason Mohammed and Denesh Ramdin each struck half-centuries in T&T’s total of 290 for 5 after West Indies U-19 opted to bowl. Hope made 70 off 98 balls, adding 58 for the first wicket with Kjorn Ottley before teaming up with Mohammed to add 74 for the third wicket. Mohammed top scored with 84 off 73 balls and produced a 92-run fourth-wicket partnership with Ramdin before falling late in the innings. Ramdin took T&T through to the finish, ending on 60 not out off 42 balls to ensure the target would be well out of reach for West Indies U-19.Left-arm spinner Khary Pierre continued his fine tournament by doing most of the damage during a seven-over middle overs spell of 3 for 6 that accounted for top-scorer Emmanuel Stewart for 20 and captain Kirstan Kallicharan for 16. West Indies U-19 were eventually bowled out for 108 in 29.2 overs. Their final game is a rematch with Kent, the only side West Indies U-19 has beaten in the competition.

Liverpool are interested in signing Rennes and Belgium attacker Jeremy Doku in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh claim.

Have Liverpool been linked with Doku before?

The 21-year-old has been seen as a potential target for the Reds in the past, although a move for him has never materialised over the years, as he forges an impressive career for himself.

Currently plying his trade at Rennes, Doku has become a key player for the Ligue 1 side, scoring six goals and registering two assists in the league last season, as well as two of the latter in the Europa League. The winger has also caught the eye for Belgium since making his debut, netting twice in 14 caps, and possibly being seen as a long-term starter as he matures with age.

With Liverpool looking to enjoy a busy summer in the transfer market, it looks as though their interest in Doku isn't yet dead in the water.

What's the latest on Doku to Liverpool?

According to journalist Mohamed Toubache-Ter on Twitter [via Get French Football News], the Reds' level of intrigue is "powerful", suggesting a move is far from out of the question this summer.

Not a huge amount else is provided on the matter, which suggests a bid hasn't been tabled, but it certainly looks as though Anfield is a potential next destination for the Belgian.

Doku is a massive talent who could have a big future in the game – journalist Robin Bairner has described him as "devastating" in the past – so in many ways, it is exciting to see him being linked with a move to Anfield. That being said, there have to be questions marks over whether Liverpool actually need to bring him in right now, considering they already have Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo as strong attacking options.

It is hard to see where Doku would fit in, especially in terms of playing regular football, with his preferred right-sided role filled by Salah, who is one of the most indispensable players at the club and has been a regular over the years, scoring 186 Liverpool goals in 306 appearances.

If the Rennes star was happy to warm the substitutes' bench most weeks, possibly playing a role as an impact substitute looking to break through down the line, then a move that could work out – he could be viewed as a long-term starter – but the Reds' money could be spent on more pressing areas of the pitch, such as midfield.

The MCC has confirmed that umpires will have the authority to send players off for serious breaches of behaviour under updated laws of the game which will be used from October 1, 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Mar-2017The MCC has confirmed that umpires will have the authority to send players off for serious breaches of behaviour under updated laws of the game which will be used from October 1, 2017.They have also laid out the restrictions on bat sizes and there will be an amendment to the run out law to protect a batsman whose bat has bounced in the air once they have crossed the popping crease.These new laws follow the recommendations of the MCC Cricket Committee from their meeting in Mumbai in early December.An attempt to stamp out poor on-field behaviour at the lower levels of the game has led to a decision to bring in four levels of offences which the umpires can judge. The most serious, levels three and four, include temporarily or permanently removing a player from the game alongside a five-run penalty.Umpire sanctions under the new code

Level 1
Offences include excessive appealing and showing dissent at an umpire’s decision. Following an official warning, a second Level 1 offence will result in five penalty runs being awarded to the opposing team.
Level 2
Offences (including throwing the ball at a player or making deliberate physical contact with an opponent during play), will result in the immediate awarding of five penalty runs to the opposing team.
Level 3
Offences (including intimidating an umpire or threatening to assault another player, team official or spectator) will result in five penalty runs and a removal of the offending player from the field for a set number of overs, depending on the format of the match.
Level 4
Offences (threatening an umpire or committing any act of violence on the field of play), will result in five penalty runs and the removal of the offending player for the remainder of the match. If the player is batting at the time of the offence, he/she will be recorded as ‘retired out’.

“We felt the time had come to introduce sanctions for poor player behaviour and research told us that a growing number of umpires at grass roots level were leaving the game because of it,” John Stephenson, the MCC’s head of cricket, said. “Hopefully these sanctions will give them more confidence to handle disciplinary issues efficiently, whilst providing a deterrent to the players.”A level one breach will begin with a warning, followed by a five-run penalty for a second offence, while level two will come with an immediate five-run penalty.Speaking in December, Ricky Ponting said focus had to be given to the lower levels of the game. “The reason we are talking about making significant changes to lower level cricket is because it has got completely out of hand down there,” he said. “We have got to the stage that something had to be done to prevent these things happening.”However, if the ICC accepts all the law amendments for the international game – which MCC said they expected them to do – an international cricketer could, in theory, be sent off the field.Of more immediate consequence to some international players could be the stipulation relating to bat sizes. They have been set at 108mm in width, 67mm in depth with 40mm edges. Ponting said in December that some bats have edges up to 50mm which is what was causing concern. A bat gauge will be used at professional level while a moratorium period – which will vary between governing bodies – will allow amateur players to continue with bats that breach the new limits.”The bat size issue has been heavily scrutinised and discussed in recent years,” Stephenson said. “We believe the maximum dimensions we have set will help redress the balance between bat and ball, while still allowing the explosive, big hitting we all enjoy.”In the batsman’s favour is a change to the run out law to mean they will not be given out if they have grounded the bat over the crease and it subsequently bounces in the air prior to the stumps are broken.An MCC statement said. “If the bat (held by the hand) or another part of the batsman’s person is grounded beyond the popping crease and this contact with the ground is subsequently lost when the wicket is put down, the batsman will be protected from being run out if he/she is running or diving and has continued forward momentum towards the stumps and beyond.”The MCC has also amended the law regarding running out the non-striker – more commonly referred to as Mankading – to mirror the ICC playing conditions, to say that the bowler can attempt a run out at any point until they release the ball. Currently, the MCC law states that it has to come before the bowler enters their delivery stride, while the ICC playing condition reads: “The bowler is permitted, before releasing the ball and provided he has not completed his usual delivery swing, to attempt to run out the non-striker.”Meanwhile, the number of dismissals will be reduced from 10 to nine with ‘Handled the ball’ being written into ‘Obstructed the field’.The updated laws will also be written in language that is neutral to both sexes for the first time with use of he/she and generic terms such as ‘fielder’ and ‘bowler’ although batsman will remain as it is seen as equally applicable to the men’s and women’s game.

Leeds United supporters would love Liverpool defender Nat Phillips should he complete a move to the Championship, according to reliable journalist Neil Jones.

What position does Nat Phillips play?

Phillips is naturally a centre-back who has been at Anfield ever since 2016 when he initially joined the U23s side, but despite having since been promoted to the senior fold, he’s fallen significantly out of favour having been handed just one top-flight start last season by Jurgen Klopp.

The Reds boss already has Virgil Van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez as his preferred options at the heart of the backline so the 26-year-old isn’t likely to get a look in moving forward, hence why it’s been reported that they are happy to listen to offers for him.

The Athletic’s Phil Hay was the first to credit the Whites with an interest in the 6 foot 2 colossus just last month and he revealed that the Merseyside outfit are looking to receive a fee of £10m in order to sanction his sale, and the admiration makes sense because the journalist claims that the player was previously wanted by Daniel Farke during his time at Norwich.

Are Leeds signing Nat Phillips?

Writing in his column for CaughtOffside, Jones claimed that Leeds would be a perfect fit for Phillips, but insisted that it could prove difficult to complete a deal should he also be targeted by more high-profile clubs overseas. He said:

“Leeds have been linked as well, and if I was a Championship team looking to get back into the Premier League, I’d definitely go for him as a reliable performer at centre-back. I think Leeds fans would warm to him – he’s that kind of no-nonsense, body-on-the-line kind of player that crowds love, he does the basics of defending well, and he’s underrated on the ball as well.

"So I think he’d be a great signing for someone like Leeds, but if he’s also getting offers from clubs in the Champions League or Europa League that’ll obviously appeal as well."

How good is Nat Phillips?

Leeds will know that Phillips hasn’t been given a fair chance to prove what he’s capable of at Liverpool but he’s more than shown his potential when handed the rare opportunity to play, having been dubbed a “monster” in the air by Klopp himself, so the centre-back could definitely excel further under the guidance of Farke.

The PLG client averaged two aerial wins per top-flight outing last season so is strong at using his height off the ground to win physical battles, but he’s also calm and composed in possession having recorded an 86.6% pass success rate, which was higher than any of the regular starters at Elland Road.

Phillips, who has previous experience of competing in the Champions League, would also provide the boss with some versatility with his ability to operate out at right-back alongside his usual role, which would be great quality to have in the building considering the long-term injury to Stuart Dallas, so all in all, this move would be a risk worth taking.

Rising Pune Supergiant won both their games against Delhi Daredevils last season. Can they keep that form going?

The Preview by Varun Shetty10-Apr-2017Match factsRising Pune Supergiant v Delhi Daredevils
Pune, April 11, 2017
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)2:42

Chopra: Lockie Ferguson should replace Dan Christian

Head-to-headThe teams have met twice and Rising Pune won both games chasing. They won the first one in Delhi by seven wickets, and the second by being 19 runs ahead of the D/L par score when rain interrupted a chase of 121 in Vizag.Form guide

Rising Pune: lost to Kings XI by 6 wickets, beat Mumbai Indians by 7 wickets

Dareveils: lost to RCB by 15 runs

In the newsNeither team has immediate, short-term injury concerns. Sri Lanka allrounder Angelo Mathews joined the Daredevils squad for training on the eve of the match, but it isn’t certain if he is available for selection. Earlier this month, Sri Lanka cricket manager Asanka Gurusinha had said it was unlikely Mathews would be 100% fit for the start of the IPL.Daredevils’ batting took a hit when Quinton De Kock’s injury was followed by JP Duminy’s withdrawal from the IPL. Their response was to sign Australian fast bowler Ben Hilfenhaus as a replacement, despite the seemingly endless list of bowling options available to them – Mohammed Shami, Kagiso Rabada, M Ashwin and Jayant Yadav make up only half of the bowlers they have in reserve.Rishabh Pant’s gutsy innings against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the face of personal grief drew praise from team-mate Chris Morris, who said the youngster is going to be a big player for India in the future. While Morris’ hypothesis will take time to test, Daredevils’ top-order performance against RCB made it all but certain that Pant is going to be their biggest player this season.Imran Tahir’s stoic declaration that his job was to ‘come and perform’ has been the only reassurance for Rising Pune’s bowling attack. He will also be keen to prove a point against the team that did not play him much last season, and then released him.Ben Stokes’ explosive batting against Kings XI Punjab on Saturday did not improve his bowling form, and Dan Christian’s went for 24 in two overs. Ashok Dinda has had a difficult start to the season as well, which leaves Rising Pune with an unsettled attack.The likely XIsRising Pune Supergiant: 1 Ajinkya Rahane, 2 Mayank Agarwal/Faf du Plessis, 3 Steven Smith (capt), 4 Ben Stokes, 5 MS Dhoni (wk), 6 Manoj Tiwary, 7 Rajat Bhatia, 8 Dan Christian/Shardul Thakur, 9 Rahul Chahar, 10 Imran Tahir, 11 Ashok Dinda/Ishwar Pandey
Delhi Daredevils: 1 Aditya Tare, 2 Sam Billings, 3 Karun Nair, 4 Sanju Samson, 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Chris Morris, 7 Carlos Brathwaite/Corey Anderson, 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Amit Mishra/Jayant Yadav, 10 Shahbaz Nadeem, 11 Zaheer Khan (capt)Stats that matter The last four matches at the venue have all been won by the chasing side, which is congruent to Rising Pune’s record of never having won a game after batting first. Since winning five of their first seven matches last season, Delhi Daredevils have lost six of their last eight. MS Dhoni has made three single-digit scores in his last six innings for Rising Pune, including two innings of at least 10 balls where his strike rate was below 50. Ajinkya Rahane averages 77.75 against Delhi Daredevils, with six fifties in 13 innings. They have only managed to dismiss him once inside a Powerplay. Steven Smith has 32 runs off nine balls against Shahbaz Nadeem, his highest strike-rate against any bowler in the IPL. His strike rate against Amit Mishra, however, is 72 (18 off 25 balls), his lowest against any bowler in the IPL. Chris Morris had the best economy in the slog overs last season among all bowlers who bowled more than ten overs – 7.31. In Daredevils’ previous game against RCB, Morris gave away a combined nine runs in the 18th and 20th overs, of which eight were dot balls. Rishabh Pant has 11 runs from four innings when his team bats first in the IPL, as opposed to scores of 20, 69, 4*, 39*, 23, 32 and 57 when they chase. Karun Nair hasn’t scored more than thirty in his 12 innings across formats after his Test triple-century against England. Imran Tahir has taken five wickets in eight overs, with an economy of 7.12; all other Rising Pune bowlers have taken a combined six wickets in 31 overs, at an economy of 9.29

Chelsea are now leading the race for FC Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa and are expected to make contact with FC Porto to discuss a deal soon, according to reports.

Which goalkeeper are Chelsea signing?

There have been reports that Kepa Arrizabalaga is expected to be Mauricio Pochettino's first-choice goalkeeper next season, with the new manager said to be happy with the Spaniard, however his place in the starting XI is not guaranteed.

A move for AC Milan shot-stopper Mike Maignan is reportedly being considered, despite Pochettino's willingness to persist with Kepa, while they could also hold new talks over a deal for Inter's Andre Onana.

However, with Manchester United setting their sights on Onana, the Blues may have to consider other options, and there have now been reports they have moved ahead of their Premier League rivals in the pursuit of Porto goalkeeper Costa.

According to reports from Portugal (via Sport Witness), Chelsea are now in pole position to sign the Portugal international, having recently overtaken Man United in the transfer race.

With the west London club accelerating the sales of Kai Havertz, Mateo Kovacic, Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy and possibly Mason Mount, they have their "coffers full" to reinvest the money on a new goalkeeper.

The Blues are expected to start contacts in the first days of July, with Porto said to be holding out for a fee of €75m (£64m).

Is Diogo Costa signing for Chelsea?

Given that Pochettino is said to be happy with Kepa, it does not seem likely that a goalkeeper will be a priority for Chelsea this summer, however, the manager could change his stance as he continues to assess his squad during pre-season.

There is every indication that Costa could be an excellent replacement for the Spaniard, having been hailed as "sensational" by members of the media earlier this year, and he has put in some top-quality performances for Porto.

Over the past year, the 23-year-old has conceded an average of just 0.67 goals per 90, which ranks him in the 98th percentile compared to his positional peers playing at a similar level.

An average of 40.30 touches per game places the Portuguese shot-stopper in the 84th percentile, displaying a willingness to get on the ball, and he is reportedly well-renowned for his capabilities with the ball at his feet.

The Switzerland-born 'keeper is at a good age to be a long-term success at Chelsea, and it is exciting news they are now leading the race for his signature.