All posts by h716a5.icu

Club makes plea for “reasonable sanction” after previously admitting four charges

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jun-2023The ECB has recommended that Yorkshire be fined £500,000 and face points deductions in all three competitions this season in the wake of the Azeem Rafiq racism scandal.Yorkshire pleaded guilty to four amended charges of bringing the game into disrepute earlier this year, with their punishment due to be decided after a Cricket Discipline Committee (CDC) sanctions hearing.Jane Mulcahy KC, representing the ECB, said the governing body was not trying to put Yorkshire out of business and aimed to “strike a balance” in its recommendations.The fine was broken down according to the four charges: £100,000 for mishandling the Rafiq inquiry, £100,000 for destruction of data, £150,000 for not taking action in relation to racist behaviour, and £150,000 for the systemic use of racist language at the club. It was suggested that £350,000 of the fine would be suspended, with the rest paid in instalments.The ECB also proposed sporting sanctions comprising a deduction of 48-72 points in the LV= Insurance County Championship, 4-6 points in the One-Day Cup and 4-6 points in the Vitality Blast.Yorkshire lost a swathe of sponsors over their handling of the Rafiq affair and face severe financial difficulties, with the club owing almost £15 million to the family trust of the former chair, Colin Graves, and in the process of seeking new investment.In a statement released ahead of Tuesday’s hearing, Yorkshire asked that the CDC consider imposing sanctions that “are reflective of the circumstances of the club” after almost two years of turmoil and concerted attempts to “encourage greater inclusivity and tackle discrimination”.”Racism and discrimination in any form is unacceptable and, as a board, we have been clear on the need to take accountability for the historical cultural issues that allowed racist and discriminatory behaviour to go unchallenged at the club,” the statement said. “The acceptance of four amended charges brought by the CDC was part of a continued effort to acknowledge what happened in the past so we can learn and move forward.”In making representations to the CDC panel, we hope to achieve a reasonable sanction which takes into account our acceptance of the charges, YCCC’s current financial position and the robust work we have undertaken to build the foundations for a club which is truly inclusive and welcoming to all.”The Yorkshire hearings took place on the same day that the ECB issued an apology to those who had experienced discrimination in the game following the publication of the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket report.

Sergio Ramos overlooked the Real Madrid-Barcelona rivalry and hailed Lamine Yamal for making a surreal impact, wishing him a bright future.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Ramos heaps praise on YamalOverlooked the rivalry with BarcelonaDescribed his feats as 'not normal' for a 17yoFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Legendary former Real Madrid centre-back Ramos was effusive in his praise for teenage sensation Yamal, stating that the impact he has made at both Barcelona and with the Spanish national team before even turning an adult is "not normal for his age".

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Yamal has enjoyed a dreamy past 12 months, starting with his stunning performances at Euro 2024, where he won the Young Player of the Tournament award as Spain clinched the title. At just 17 years of age, Yamal is already being tipped to win the 2025 Ballon d'Or (he will have turned 18 when the ceremony is held later this year). In the 2024-25 season, the Barca starlet scored 21 goals and contributed 25 assists in 62 games for both club and country, playing a vital role in the Catalans' La Liga, Copa del Rey, and Supercopa de Espana triumphs. He was also influential in the Champions League knockouts, although Barca bowed out agonisingly in an extra-time defeat to eventual runners-up Inter.

WHAT SERGIO RAMOS SAID

Speaking at a press conference, the Rayados defender said: "For me, Lamine is a reality that's coming on strong. He's breaking records that aren't normal for his age. I wish Lamine the best, even though he's a Barca player, because I always want our national team to do well."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

DID YOU KNOW?

Ramos was asked to pick his favourite to win the 2025 Ballon d'Or at the same press conference. The 39-year-old snubbed Yamal in favour of picking his former PSG team-mate Kylian Mbappe, who scored 43 goals in his debut season for Real Madrid.

Atletico Madrid have lined up Aston Villa's Lucas Digne as a backup option should their pursuit of Andy Robertson fall through.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Atletico's first choice is RobertsonDigne targeted in case Robertson falls throughAtletico failed in their attempts to sign HernandezFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Atletico have chosen Digne as Plan B should their pursuit of Liverpool left-back Robertson fail to materialise according to .

AdvertisementAFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

One of Diego Simeone's requests to the sporting directors has been a new left-back. While they could agree on personal terms with AC Milan's Theo Hernandez, they failed to agree on a transfer fee with the club. This led to Atletico moving on to Robertson as a target as Liverpool are close to agreement with Bournemouth for Milos Kerkez.

DID YOU KNOW?

Atletico’s backup idea to Robertson is Digne who had a good campaign with Unai Emery's Aston Villa, where they reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League of the 2024-25 season. His contract with Villa is set to expire in 2026 and is yet to agree on a renewal with the club.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

AFPWHAT NEXT FOR ATLETICO?

Atletico lost their first Club World Cup match 4-0 to Championed League winners Paris Saint-Germain. Simeone will hope to have a new left-back in place shortly after the tournament ends.

Foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to chair committee that also includes heads of Pakistan’s intelligence agencies

Umar Farooq08-Jul-2023The prime minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, has set up a committee of ministers to help determine whether Pakistan will travel to India for the ODI World Cup in October-November 2023. The group will be headed by foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.The committee’s main task will be to make recommendations about Pakistan’s travel plans to India. Based on that, the Pakistan prime minister will sign off on the country’s participation.This is a response to PCB’s letter from last week to the government seeking advice on whether the team is allowed to travel to India, and, if so, if there are any reservations about any of the five venues. That letter had also asked the government if it wanted to send a security delegation to India.Among the main points that the committee will decide upon is whether Pakistan will travel to Ahmedabad for their third league-stage game against India on October 15. Apart from that, the committee will also make recommendations over Pakistan’s tour of the other four Indian cities they are scheduled to play in.As it stands, Pakistan play Netherlands and Sri Lanka in Hyderabad, India in Ahmedabad, Australia and New Zealand in Bengaluru, Bangladesh and England in Kolkata, and Afghanistan and South Africa in Chennai.Apart from foreign minister Zardari, interior minister Rana Sanaullah and law and justice minister Azam Nazeer Tarar are some high-profile names on the committee. It will also consist of Ehsan ur Rehman Mazari, Maryam Aurangzeb, Asad Mehmood, Aminul Haque, Qamar Zaman Kaira, and Tariq Fatemi, the special assistant on foreign affairs to the PM.The committee, which also includes heads of the intelligence agencies and the foreign secretary, has representation from across different political parties. That is a likely buffer against a change in government – the incumbent government has another 34 days left of its electoral term and cross-party representation on the committee is meant to ensure that decision-making is not affected by a change.This is thought to be the first time such a high-profile committee of ministers has been set up for this purpose. Usually the PCB has consulted with the foreign ministry before travel to India, however the range of ministers in this instance is testament to the higher stakes leading up to the ODI World Cup in India. Like it is with any ICC tournament – but especially when it comes to travelling to India – Pakistan’s participation is subject to government approval.

Donovan says Pochettino's impact is starting to manifest itself after the team's dominant performance against Trinidad and Tobago

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Donovan, Lalas have bought in on Poch's decisionsDonovan pointed to Diego Luna as an example of Poch playerFreese has a chance to win GK competition, Donovan saysFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Following an impressive 5-0 win against Trinidad and Tobago in the 2025 Gold Cup opener, former USMNT star Landon Donovan pointed to the performance as a sign that coach Mauricio Pochettino is starting to have a real impact on the squad.

Pochettino opted to start the exact same XI against Saudi Arabia on Thursday night as he did in Sunday's Gold Cup win over T&T.

"He elected to change the culture," Donovan said on FOX Sports. "With his decisions, the same starting XI, with his press conferences, what he said about players not picking and choosing which games they come into, how he's used Diego Luna as an example of what he wants his players to be – he's changing the culture, and he's saying this is what I expect. If you want to play for me, this is how it goes."

Donovan was referring to the controversial back-and-forth between Pochettino and U.S. star Christian Pulisic over the past month. He also said Pochettino is sending a message to 2022 World Cup starter in goal, Matt Turner, with his decision to turn to NYCFC star Matt Freese in the first two Gold Cup matches.

"Look at Matt Freese now in goal," Donovan said. "He said 'Matt Turner, you've been great,' but he had a statement like 'Matt Freese, let's see if you can be No. 1.' He's showing with his words and actions that he's changing the culture slowly."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Fellow ex-USMNT star Alexi Lalas said the message Pochettino is sending affects the entire national team pool, not just the players participating at the Gold Cup.

"That message gets out to the players who are there, but it also gets out to the players who aren't there," Lalas said. "When you look at this team now, it's about winning back hearts and minds. It's about clawing back, it's a process. It's not going to happen overnight. What you want to avoid – now that the stakes are higher, the competition gets higher – you take that step forward, and you take two steps back. Now you grab it with both hands, as a team you progress and you mature, or as a player you plant that seed in the mind of Mauricio Pochettino."

Prior to the match against Saudi Arabia, Pochettino acknowledged he was proud of the strides the national team has made. The team had lost four straight matches entering the Gold Cup.

"Despite the results, the evolution is good," Pochettino said on FOX. "I think we are progressing in different areas. We need to keep this progression and with positive results, I think it's better. But yeah, so happy. The few weeks that we are working with that group, we are evolving really well."

DID YOU KNOW?

Despite the controversy over Pulisic's decision to skip this summer's tournament, it's nothing new. The last Gold Cup Pulisic participated in was in 2019. That said, with the 2026 World Cup less than a year away, some expected the USMNT to have a more experienced roster for this tournament.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

WHAT NEXT FOR THE USMNT?

The U.S. will conclude the Gold Cup group stage phase with a matchup against Haiti on Sunday.

Game over when Derbyshire collapse to 14 for 4, despite Anuj Dal’s maiden white-ball ton

ECB Reporters Network22-Aug-2023Andy Umeed signed off a prolific Metro Bank One-Day Cup campaign with a List A career-best unbeaten 172 from 147 balls as Somerset beat Derbyshire by 72 runs in the Group B match at Derby.Umeed hammered his third century in the tournament, sharing a fourth-wicket stand of 167 from 125 balls with skipper Sean Dickson who scored 67 from 52.The pair plundered 111 off the last 10 overs to take Somerset to 333 for 5 with Umeed registering the highest one-day score against Derbyshire at Derby.The Group B game was over as a contest when Derbyshire collapsed to 14 for 4 in the fourth over and although Anuj Dal scored 110, his maiden white ball century , the home side were dismissed for 261 with Josh Davey taking 3 for 18 and Ned Leonard 3 for 40.It had earlier looked promising for Derbyshire when George Thomas aimed a firm footed drive at the third ball of the innings from Sam Conners and was well caught low to his right at first slip by Harry Came.Both Conners and the impressive 16-year-old Harry Moore got some early movement with the latter unlucky to have Lewis Goldsworthy dropped on six by Came in his second over.Umeed began to assert himself, twice driving Conners down the ground for boundaries and pulling Dal to the ropes before swatting Luis Reece back over his head for six.Goldsworthy hoisted off-spinner Alex Thomson over the wide long on boundary and the stand had reached 90 from 110 balls when he drove back a return catch to Reece.James Rew showed his intent with consecutive fours off Reece and a reverse sweep to the ropes against Thomson so Derbyshire were relieved to see the back of the 19-year-old.Rew had scored a run-a-ball 31 when he launched a big drive at Conners and got an inside edge which Brooke Guest did well to hold diving to his right.But Umeed was playing with the assurance of a man who had already scored two hundreds in the tournament and after driving Conners over long off for six, he reached three figures off 106 balls.After passing his previous List A best of 119, he pulled Moore for a four and two sixes with 23 coming off the 43rd over.Although Dickson’s 50 contained only three fours, it had come off 43 balls which showed how good his placement had been on both sides of the wicket with Derbyshire unable to prevent the pair accelerating towards a formidable total.Umeed brought up his 150 with a straight six off Mark Watt and Dickson drove Conners for six before he was lbw to Reece.Reece was pulled by Umeed for another six but the all-rounder at least restricted Somerset to five off the last over although the damage had already been done.Faced with pulling off their highest ever one-day run chase, the home side stumbled from the outset, losing Reece in the first over, given out caught behind by Sue Redfern, the first female umpire to stand in a Derbyshire match.Tom Wood miscued a pull at Ned Leonard, Came drove Davey to extra cover and Matt Lamb skied a pull in the fourth over.Guest was bowled by one that kept low and after pulling Goldsworthy for six, Haider Ali swept the left-arm spinner to deep midwicket.Somerset looked set to wrap up victory early but Dal had other ideas, reaching his hundred from 103 balls,and sharing stands of 81 from 79 balls with Thomson (42) and 88 for the last wicket with Conners to at least restore some Derbyshire pride.

Lauren James has shared her candid thoughts on Chelsea’s managerial transition, applauding new boss Sonia Bompastor while honouring Emma Hayes' legacy. Hayes spent over a decade at the helm, guiding Chelsea Women through a golden era marked by relentless success and five consecutive Women’s Super League titles.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Hayes remains an iconic figure at ChelseaWon five consecutive WSL titlesBompastor secured Chelsea’s sixth straight WSL crownFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Replacing a figure as monumental as Hayes was never going to be an easy task. But Bompastor has already made her mark, claiming the League Cup in March and then securing Chelsea’s sixth straight WSL crown.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT JAMES SAID

James, a key figure in Chelsea’s recent campaigns, admitted that adapting to Bompastor’s methods took time, but she’s grown to thrive under her guidance.

"It was hard at first but I got used to it and now I’m cool," James said to the . "Emma left Sonia with a top team and she built that winning culture Chelsea are known for."

While Hayes was known for her tactical sharpness and inspirational leadership, Bompastor’s competitive edge and intense approach have become defining traits of her early Chelsea tenure.

"Sonia is one of the most competitive people I’ve come across. It’s not just about football – whatever it is, she wants to beat you," James added. "That gets passed down in the dressing room and in training – always thinking about the next thing we can win."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Under Bompastor, Chelsea’s style has undergone noticeable tweaks. James highlighted the tactical shift towards a more aggressive pressing system and a heavier focus on off-the-ball responsibilities.
"She’s added more intensity to us. We have to press a lot more and use a different style of play," James said. "She’s added more to my game when I don’t have the ball. She’s pushed me because she’s quite demanding. She always wants more which helps you to be better."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR JAMES?

Unfortunately for James, her personal progress was temporarily halted in early April when a hamstring injury ruled her out of Chelsea’s final stretch of the season. The timing was bitter, as she missed out on key WSL fixtures and the Blues’ FA Cup final triumph.

England are due to begin their defence of the European Championship in Switzerland in early July, and James is hopeful of playing a major role. Her presence would be a boost for the Lionesses.

WBBL finishes on December 2 with Australia’s bowlers to build their loads during the tournament ahead of multi-format tour

Alex Malcolm09-Sep-2023Australia’s women are set to face the challenge of preparing for a Test match in India while playing the WBBL with national selector Shawn Flegler revealing that planning is already underway to have both the fast bowlers and spinners increasing their bowling loads during the six-week T20 tournament in preparation for a day-night pink-ball encounter at the start of the tour.Australia are set to play their first Test match in India since 1984 as part of a multi-format series in December and January. The dates and venues for the tour are yet to be announced but Australia are preparing to begin the series with a day-night pink-ball Test. The two teams played a day-night Test on the Gold Coast during India’s tour of Australia in 2021.The WBBL will run from October 19 until December 2 with all of Australia’s internationals likely to play the full season. Harmanpreet Kaur is the only India player currently contracted to play in this year’s competition after being picked by Melbourne Renegades in last weekend’s overseas draft.The current Australia team have not faced such a short turnaround from the WBBL into a Test match, let alone a Test match in India. Flegler said it would be a unique preparation but one they are already planning for.”We’ve got to do preparation during the WBBL,” he said. “Which is really important for, one, our pace bowlers to have their loads up and be ready to go if required to bowl long spells during the Test match, but also our spin bowlers.”So it’s a balancing act playing WBBL but also getting some loads in and preparing.”Flegler also revealed that Australia would not play a long-form warm-up fixture before the Test despite playing a three-day tour match against England A ahead of this year’s Ashes Test.Australia will instead hold a training camp in India with centre-wickets and an intrasquad game set to be the only match practice they get before the Test. Australia are also planning on using local Indian players in their preparation, similar to Australia’s men using net bowlers for their pre-series camp in Bengaluru ahead of the four-Test tour earlier this year.”We’re going to go to India a week or 10 days before the Test match starts,” Flegler said. “So we’ll have some good training prep leading into that. We’ll have some extra players from India that we will use in some centre-wicket scenarios. We don’t have an actual warm-up fixture. We’ve gone down the path of having an intrasquad game essentially. So we’ll have the squad over there with some extras from India. It’ll be a good challenge for everyone coming out of WBBL into a pink-ball Test match under lights.”

Mexico defeated the USMNT 2-1 in the Gold Cup Final, coming back behind goals from Raúl Jiménez and Edson Álvarez

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

claimed their 10th Gold Cup titleSecured back-to-back championshipsJiménez reached 42 goals with the national teamFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

After defeating the United States 2-1 to win the Gold Cup, Mexico star Raúl Jiménez emphasized the importance of winning a title one year before hosting the World Cup.

"We started off slow but kept improving; it’s an extra boost as we wrap up the summer before the World Cup – winning, lifting the trophy – it will be something very positive heading into the upcoming friendly matches and the World Cup. We had it in mind, and we’re very happy," Jimenez said.

Jimenez was a key catalyst to El Tri's 10th Gold Cup win, scoring the equalizer ahead of halftime against the Americans.

AdvertisementAFPWHAT EDSON ÁLVAREZ SAID

Edson Álvarez, Mexico’s captain, scored the game-winner against the U.S. and was full of emotion after the win.

“I’m speechless, very happy because it was 35 days of training camp without seeing our families. Our desire was to win it, for all the effort we’ve put in to be rewarded with a title – but there are still many things we need to improve,” said the West Ham player.

He admitted he was initially concerned he would have another goal that he scored ruled back by VAR, but he made sure to have a proper celebration following it being confirmed.

“They had already taken several goals away from me before. I thought I was in a good position. They cut off the goal celebration, but when it was finally given, it was an incredible joy,” he said.

Getty Images SportDID YOU KNOW?

Gilberto Mora, the 16-year-old midfielder from Club Tijuana, continues to capture global attention with his standout performances for the Mexican national team. His role in the 2025 Gold Cup not only impressed fans but also secured him a place in football history.

On Sunday, Mora became the youngest player ever to feature in the final of a major international tournament. At just 16 years and 265 days old, he started for Mexico in the Gold Cup Final against the United States and played 75 minutes in the team’s 2-1 victory under coach Javier Aguirre.

His record surpasses that of Spain’s Lamine Yamal, who previously made history at age 17 by playing in the Euro 2024 Final, where Spain defeated England 2-1. Mora also edges past the legendary Pelé, who was 17 years and 249 days old when he starred in the 1958 World Cup Final, scoring twice as Brazil beat Sweden 5-2.

In addition to this milestone, Mora had already made headlines earlier in the tournament by becoming the youngest player to debut in an official match with the senior Mexican national team.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MEXICO NATIONAL TEAM?

Aguirre’s team will return to action during the September FIFA window, facing Japan on Sept. 6 and South Korea on Sept. 9. Both matches will be played in the United States.

He had suffered a quad injury last week and Bangladesh “will know the full scenario when he hits the nets” on Tuesday in Pune

Mohammad Isam16-Oct-2023Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan remains in contention for Bangladesh’s next World Cup match, against India on October 19, after he suffered a left quad injury in their last outing against New Zealand in Chennai. Team director Khaled Mahmud said that all signs point towards Shakib feeling well, but they will monitor him closely during Tuesday’s practice session in Pune.Shakib got injured while taking a run during the New Zealand clash. He continued batting for a while, and he also bowled his quota of 10 overs but it was clear that he was battling through pain. He had a scan in Chennai shortly after the game, but reportedly, he is pain-free.”Shakib is getting better,” Mahmud said. “He is pain-free. But we will know the full scenario when he hits the nets tomorrow. He will also do running between the wickets. We are hopeful that he can play against India. He worked in a swimming session, and some upper-half work in the gym today. There will be a scan tomorrow which will give us a clearer picture of his situation.”Mahmud said that Shakib wants to play but his inclusion was not so straightforward.”Usually these injuries produce a lot of pain,” he said. “It is tough to walk around even. Shakib is quite well. It is giving us hope.”Shakib wants to play, so if the situation is that he is 85-90% fit, like he was in the last game after getting injured, we are hopeful too. But it depends on his 100% fitness.”Mahmud said that they will still be cautious about not risking Shakib with six matches remaining for Bangladesh in the campaign. “We don’t want him to miss the rest of the tournament after playing one more game. There are six matches remaining.”It is the doctor and physio’s call. We don’t want to trouble him in the long term. If he gets clearance from the physio, he will play.”The Bangladesh team was given a two-day break in Pune and they will return to training on Tuesday. They have so far won only one of their three games.