RCB overcome sequence of six successive loss in style; Kings XI consigned to first loss at home this season

The Report by Saurabh Somani13-Apr-20192:07

Dasgupta: The intensity in Kohli’s game was high as ever

Royal Challengers Bangalore finally found reason to smile in IPL 2019, breaking a sequence of six consecutive defeats with their first victory of the season, an eight-wicket victory against Kings XI Punjab in Mohali.Like several Royal Challengers wins in the past, this was built on the batting combine of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, though the choke the spinners applied in the middle overs after Chris Gayle had rocketed off played its part too. Kohli made a 53-ball 67, while de Villiers was unbeaten on 59 off 38. The win wasn’t achieved without a scare, as Royal Challengers saw a comfortable equation of 57 off 42 go to 38 off 18, before de Villiers and Marcus Stoinis biffed the ball around to seal the win.Kohli and de Villiers’s knocks put to shade Gayle’s 99 not out, with the Kings XI opener becoming only the second batsman in IPL history to end not out while one short of his century, alongside Kohli. Suresh Raina and Prithvi Shaw have both been out on 99 in the IPL. Kings XI also let themselves down with their fielding, dropped catches and sloppy out-fielding making the task tougher for themselves. The dew that set in during the second half didn’t help.Gayle’s start-stop-start innings
The Gayle template for a T20 innings has stayed largely the same over several years. Start slowly, get your bearings, and then make fielders and/or boundaries irrelevant. In this game though, Gayle flipped things around, with circumstances dictating it to some extent.Gayle blasted off at the start, first taking a shine to Umesh Yadav, and then dismantling Mohammed Siraj. At the end of the Powerplay, Gayle was on 48 off 23. Kohli then turned to his spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Moeen Ali, and the Kings XI momentum ground to a halt. In the middle overs, till the end of the 16th, Gayle could add only 20 more runs in 27 balls. He picked up the pace again at the death, not coincidentally with the pacers back in operation, and smashed 31 off his last 14 balls.The Gayle slowdown mirrored his team’s innings, with only 67 runs coming in the 10 overs after the Powerplay had yielded 60. The last four overs brought 46.The Chahal-Moeen choke
Chahal came on to bowl immediately after the Powerplay and was greeted by a huge six with KL Rahul dancing down the crease and sending him over long-off. He tried to repeat that next ball, but Chahal hung it back just a bit and got it to dip and turn past him for an easy stumping.Chahal would repeat that six and out sequence with Mayank Agarwal too. Having seen one smoked over extra cover with whippy wrist-work, he bowled the ball of the match. It made a nice arc, sending Agarwal on the back foot, before drifting and dipping and then whizzing past to knock off stump. Agarwal was left squared up, looking completely lost.Moeen, meanwhile, bowled all four overs in one spell, and conceded only one boundary. None of the batsmen were able to get on top of his bowling, and with only 19 runs given in his four overs, he was the one who established the middle-overs strangle that stalled Kings XI.Kohli, de Villiers take chargeKohli looked assured from the start, settling into the chase with two peachy boundaries off Mohammed Shami in the second over. For the first half of the Royal Challengers innings, it was a typical Kohli chase, with the batsman looking in control and the asking rate never galloping too far away. The latter half of the middle overs saw the chase dawdle a little, but just when it looked like Royal Challengers would have another heartbreak with Kohli getting out, de Villiers seized the baton and ran with it.De Villiers had begun in his usual busy fashion but was chugging along without quite exploding. When Kohli fell though, he seamlessly shifted gears. There was a slapped six off Andrew Tye when the equation was getting steeper and a trademark de Villiers slog-paddle-sweep off Shami that ensured only six runs would be needed off the final over. In between he ran the twos swiftly.It’s not often that the chasing team finds itself on the losing side when de Villiers stays unbeaten. It had happened against Mumbai Indians earlier this season, but there was no way de Villiers was going to let it happen a second time.

أُعلنت منذ قليل هوية المرشحين للفوز بجائزة الكرة الذهبية، لأفضل لاعب في العالم، عن عام 2024، المُقدمة من قِبل مجلة “فرانس فوتبول” الشهيرة.

وتُعد تلك النسخة هي الأولى من نوعها بعد تطبيق الشراكة بين الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم، يويفا، ومجلة “فرانس فوتبول”.

الجدير بالذكر أن حفل إعلان الفائزين بتلك الجوائز، سيكون يوم الإثنين 28 أكتوبر المقبل، في فرنسا.

اقرأ ايضاً.. فرانس فوتبول تعلن قائمة اللاعبين المرشحين لـ الكرة الذهبية.. موقف محمد صلاح

وتم إعلان المتنافسين الثلاثين على جائزة الكرة الذهبية المرموقة، والتي تضمنت ثنائي ريال مدريد فينيسيوس جونيور، إلى جانب الإنجليزي جود بيلينجهام، وإيرلينج هالاند لاعب مانشستر سيتي وغيرهم.

وشهدت القائمة غياب قائد الأرجنتين ليونيل ميسي، المتوج بـ 8 كرات ذهبية من بينهم العام الماضي 2023، بالإضافة إلى غياب قائد البرتغال، كريستيانو رونالدو، والمتوج بـ 5 كرات ذهبية.

ولأول مرة منذ عام 2003 لا يتم ترشيح كريستيانو أو ليونيل ميسي للكرة الذهبية بعد سيطرة من قبل الثنائي لأكثر من عقد على الجائزة.

A first since 2003, change of era? #ballondor pic.twitter.com/EpWYbxXPRt — Ballon d’Or (@ballondor) September 4, 2024

MatériaMais Notícias

Mero coadjuvante no confronto diante do Internacional, nesta quinta-feira (25), às 21h30, no Beira Rio, em Porto Alegre, pela última rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro, o Corinthians pode ser uma perda do sapato do seu adversário, que precisa imprescindivelmente da vitória para voltar a conquistar o título nacional depois de 41 anos.

Como o duelo, mesmo sendo disputado em 2021, é válido pela temporada 2020, é o último encontro entre os times na década, que tem retrospecto altamente favorável ao Timão.

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Foram 19 partidas, com nove vitórias corintianas, sete empates e apenas três triunfos do Colorado. Nesse período, foram 17 encontros pelo Campeonato Brasileiro e dois pela Copa do Brasil, na quarta fase da competição, em 2017, justamente o ano que o Inter não disputou a elite do futebol nacional, por ter sido rebaixado na temporada anterior.E ainda que tenha se classificado naquela edição do torneio mata-mata, a promoção veio com dois empates e passando nos pênaltis.

Por sua vez, as únicas vitórias da equipe gaúcha no período foram como mandante, assim como será nesta quinta-feira (25). Em 2013, vitória por 1 a 0 jogando em Novo Hamburgo, já que o Beira Rio estava em reforma para a Copa do Mundo do ano seguinte, em 2015 e 2018 o triunfo foi por 2 a 1, já na verdadeira casa do torcedor colorado.

Corinthians e Internacional afloraram a rivalidade em 2005, após disputaram ponto a ponto o Campeonato Brasileiro daquele ano, repleto de polêmicas de arbitragem e o caso da “Máfia do Apito”, que anulou 11 jogos daquela competição. Em 2009, as duas equipes voltaram a decidir um torneio, dessa vez a Copa do Brasil, com final direta, também vencida pelo Timão, após vitória por 2 a 0 no Pacaembu e empate em 2 a 2 em Porto Alegre.

No retrospecto geral, são 79 jogos com 27 vitórias corintianas, 20 coloradas e 32 empates. Pelo Brasileirão, são 65 partidas, com 24 triunfos do Timão, 16 do Inter e 25 igualdades no marcador.

>> Veja a tabela do Brasileirão e simule a última rodada

There have been a host of transfer missteps in the English top-flight this term, but which stands out as the worst of all?

Premier League clubs shelled out just shy of £5 billion ($6bn) on new players across the two 2022-23 transfer windows as unprecedented new spending records were set, and that culture of excess only continued last summer. According to , a final outlay of £2.36bn ($3bn) was recorded when the summer market closed on September 1, which smashed the previous record mark by £440m ($550m) – raising fears over an unsustainable future for the English top flight.

Profit and sustainability rules (PSR) took centre stage in January after breaches from Everton and Nottingham Forest, both of whom ended up with point deductions, and the rest of the clubs in England's top division reacted by tightening the purse strings, leading to a spike in loan deals and free transfers. Still, another £96m ($120m) went out in the winter window expenditure column to take the overall number for the campaign beyond the £3bn mark once again, and there are plenty of teams who may now be regretting their recruitment decisions as the campaign reaches its conclusion.

Some players haven't come even close to justifying their huge fees, while others have barely been worth the time and effort of chasing in the first place, and may not get another chance to prove themselves at Premier League level.

GOAL has ranked the 21 most disappointing signings of the 2023-24 season below, starting with a Dutchman who has struggled to hit the ground running on Merseyside…

Getty21Ryan Gravenberch – Liverpool (£34m)

After Liverpool admitted defeat to Real Madrid in the race for Jude Bellingham, they turned their attention to Ryan Gravenberch, who was looking for a clean slate after a frustrating first season at Bayern Munich. The Reds invested £34m ($42m) in the Netherlands international despite his failure at the Allianz Arena and tied him to a five-year contract, with Jurgen Klopp describing him as an "exceptional talent" with a great future ahead of him.

Gravenberch has shown glimpses of that potential at Anfield this term, and can turn defence to attack in the blink of an eye when firing on all cylinders, but has only started 12 Premier League games as he's fallen behind Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones and Wataru Endo in the midfield pecking order.

It has been reported that Liverpool could cut their losses on Gravenberch amid interest from Turkey, which would be a mistake; he's still only 22 and could thrive under Klopp's successor Arne Slot. However, there is no denying that he's proven to be a poor alternative to Bellingham so far, and will have to start showing he can deliver on a consistent basis to turn his Anfield career around.

AdvertisementGetty Images20Christopher Nkunku – Chelsea (£52m)

Christopher Nkunku has missed 39 games through injury for Chelsea this season, and so judging his first 12 months at Stamford Bridge fairly is a difficult task. But the warning signs over his fitness were there at RB Leipzig, and the Blues ignored them when handing the France forward a six-year contract after agreeing a £52m ($65m) deal with the Bundesliga outfit.

In the 13 games Nkunku has played for Chelsea, he's generally fared quite well, but a return of just three goals and no assists highlights the fact he's yet to take to the pitch in top physical condition. Nkunku was an explosive, agile forward who struck fear into opposition defenders at Leipzig, and he's versatile enough to play as a winger, a No.9 or even as a traditional No.10. He showed signs of forging a strong partnership with fellow summer signing Nicolas Jackson in pre-season, too, but Chelsea need attackers they can rely on to deliver the goods week in, week out.

It's important that Nkunku doesn't rush his return to the pitch after his latest fitness setback, or else he may never become the same talismanic presence for the Blues as he was for Leipzig.

Getty19Arnaut Danjuma – Everton (loan)

Arnaut Danjuma famously snubbed Everton to join Tottenham on loan from Villarreal in January 2023, only to flop spectacularly in north London. The Toffees gave the Netherlands forward a chance to make amends when taking him on loan for the 2023-24 campaign, but he's been little more than a utility man for Sean Dyche and can't really take any credit for their successful survival bid.

The former Bournemouth attacker just doesn't seem to be cut out for the Premier League, and it would be a huge surprise if Everton tried to sign him outright. Danjuma clearly peaked during Villarreal's outstanding 2021-22 season, which included a surprise run to the Champions League semi-finals, and no longer looks capable of making a decisive contribution at the top end of the pitch.

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Getty18Andrey Santos – Nottingham Forest (loan)

There was a lot of excitement in west London when Andrey Santos finally arrived at Chelsea from Vasco da Gama last summer, as the teenager played a key role in helping the Brazilian club gain promotion back to Serie A. Santos was even being touted for a leading role in Mauricio Pochettino's side initially amid comparisons with his compatriot Casemiro, given his status as an all-action, box-to-box midfielder with a penchant for popping up with important goals.

By the end of pre-season, though, Chelsea decided that a loan move was best for Santos' development following the arrivals of Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, and he joined Nottingham Forest on a season-long deal. That move turned out to be a disaster, however, as the midfielder featured in only two games before being recalled in January.

He failed to impress either Steve Cooper or Nuno Espirito Santo during his time at the City Ground, and while he has shown improved performances during a loan spell at Strasbourg during the second half of the campaign, it remains to be seen whether he can cut it in the Premier League.

Chelsea have spent heavily under Todd Boehly in 2023, and it looks as if that could continue in the New Year, with the Blues ready to trigger the release clause for a star full-back.

Chelsea transfer news

Those at Stamford Bridge were extremely busy in the summer, bringing in manager Mauricio Pochettino and 16 new signings ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Chelsea summer signings
Axel Disasi (Monaco)	£38.5m
Nicolas Jackson (Villarreal)	£30.1m
Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig)	£52m
Kendry Paez (Independiente del Valle)	£17.27m
Robert Sanchez (Brighton)	£25m
Moises Caicedo (Brighton)	£115m
Lesley Ugochukwu (Rennes)	£23.5m
Angelo Gabriel (Santos)	Undisclosed
Alex Matos (Norwich)	Undisclosed
Diego Moreira (Benfica)	Undisclosed
Ishe Samuels-Smith (Everton)	Undisclosed
Dujuan Richards (Phoenix All Stars Academy)	Undisclosed
Romeo Lavia (Southampton)	£58m
Deivid Washington (Santos)	£17.1m
Djordje Petrovic (New England Revolution)	£14m
Cole Palmer (Manchester City)	£42.5m
All fees courtesy of Sky Sports

They would have been hoping for a much-improved Chelsea side from last season, however, at this moment in time, things haven’t gone to plan for Pochettino, Boehly and co. A 2-0 defeat to Wolves on Christmas Eve was the latest low point, with the club already losing eight of their 18 Premier League games and finding themselves in the bottom half of the table ahead of tonight’s clash with Crystal Palace.

As a result, the Blues could once again turn to the transfer market in 2024 in a bid to turn things around, with the likes of Sporting CP centre-back Ousmane Diomande and Napoli forward Victor Osimhen just two high-profile players they have been linked with in recent days. Pochettino himself has also recently hinted at the need for more signings, saying after the defeat to Everton:

"After the first half of the season, we need to check. That is the reality. If we are not receiving enough, maybe we need to do some movement. That is the thing to analyse with the sporting directors, to see if we can change this dynamic and improve in the second half of the season. We need to be more aggressive. Then it's a massive assessment and when the transfer window opens, we will see what we can do.

"I don't say if I am going to ask for more or less players. It's to see if the perception matches the reality. We are missing something. We need to improve our reality."

A new full-back also appears to be of interest, with an update from Spain claiming that Chelsea are looking to sign Bayer Leverkusen right-back Jeremie Frimpong ahead of Real Madrid. The report states that Chelsea ‘intend to close it as soon as possible’ and ‘will not spare any expenses’.

The Blues are ‘beginning to be fed up with Reece James' injuries’, so appear ready to trigger Frimpong’s £35m release clause which is also cited in the update.

Jeremie Frimpong's stats in 2023/24

Frimpong, once dubbed "dangerous" by Riga boss Mihails Koņevs, has gone from strength to strength since joining Leverkusen from Celtic back in 2021, with his Transfermarkt valuation rocketing from €4m to a career-high €50m.

The 23-year-old, who can also play further forward as a right-midfielder if needed, has scored an impressive seven goals and provided 10 assists in 22 appearances this season, showing his quality in the final third. (Jeremie Frimpong stats – Transfermarkt)

As mentioned, James’ ongoing injury struggles look set to keep him out well into 2024, so Malo Gusto is the only senior right-back option available to Pochettino. Therefore, signing an in-form full-back like Frimpong appears to make perfect sense, so it looks as if it’ll be one to watch in the New Year.

Glasgow Rangers signed Fabio Silva from Wolverhampton Wanderers at the start of the month and are now eyeing up another forward to join him at Ibrox during the January transfer window…

Rangers made approach for young winger

According to Evening Standard reporter Dom Smith, the Light Blues are one of a number of clubs eyeing up a swoop to sign Boca Juniors winger Luca Langoni.

The Light Blues have already made an approach to sign the 21-year-old dynamo as Philippe Clement and Nils Koppen look to bolster the playing squad before the end of the window.

Smith added that OGC Nice and Seville have also approached Boca over a possible deal for the talented youngster, which means that the Gers face plenty of competition for his signature.

Rangers' interest in Langoni could be particularly bad news for Scott Wright and his future at Ibrox, as the former Aberdeen forward could be sent further down the pecking order.

Scott Wright's struggles at Rangers

The Scottish winger, who came close to a move to Turkish side Pendikspor last summer before deciding to remain with the Gers, is yet to prove himself to be a reliable attacking option for the club.

Wright featured in 34 competitive matches for the Light Blues under Michael Beale and Giovanni van Bronckhorst combined during the 2022/23 campaign and contributed with zero goals and two assists.

22/23 Scottish Premiership

Scott Wright (via Sofascore)

Appearances

23

Sofascore rating

6.64

Goals

Zero

Assists

One

Key passes per game

0.4

The 26-year-old forward has followed that up with one goal and zero assists in 15 outings in all competitions under Beale and Clement combined this term.

This means that Wright has mustered up one goal and two assists in his last 49 matches for Rangers as a winger since the start of last season.

The stats that show why Langoni would be an upgrade on Wright

Clement could land an upgrade on the Scottish dud and open the door for the ex-Aberdeen star to finally move on from Ibrox by securing a deal for Langoni.

The 5 foot 8 wizard, who can produce exciting skills like the one in the video below, made his first-team breakthrough with Boca Juniors during the 2022 campaign and caught the eye with promising displays throughout his first two years in the senior set-up.

In 2022, the 21-year-old ace produced six goals and one assist in 18 Liga Profesional outings for his side as he showcased his goalscoring potential.

Langoni, who was described as a "revelation" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, followed that up with three goals, one assist, and two 'big chances' created in 12 outings in that competition for Boca during the 2023 campaign.

In total, the right winger has chipped in with ten goals and two assists in 45 first-team appearances for his club, which is nine more direct goal contributions than Wright in four fewer matches over the same period of time.

The Gers target, who is predominantly deployed as a right winger, could offer far more in the final third in comparison to the current Light Blues forward.

At the age of 21, he would also arrive with more potential and time on his hands to develop and improve over the years to come, as Langoni is five years younger than Wright.

Therefore, Rangers' interest in the Boca starlet is bad news for the Scottish winger as it could limit his game time further and force him to reconsider his future at Ibrox.

Liverpool are reportedly looking to beat Arsenal to the signing of a player who is "ripping it up" this season, in what could be an exciting addition at Anfield.

Liverpool transfer news

The Reds have been linked with a number of new additions during the winter window, and it certainly seems as though their midfield rebuild is far from finished. Newcastle United star Bruno Guimaraes has emerged as a possible target in recent days, with the Brazilian's future up in the air, amid interest from the Reds, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. They are also reportedly keen on snapping up Juventus teenager Kenan Yildiz, who is predominantly a centre forward – one with a high ceiling in the game in the coming years.

Liverpool's midfield revamp was well-documented last summer, as Jurgen Klopp ripped up his plans and completely rebuilt in the middle of the park, but there are still some who feel that an out-and-out defensive midfielder is needed.

Liverpool join race for Douglas Luiz

As per a fresh report from Football Insider, Liverpool are interested in signing Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz, as they look to pip Arsenal to his signature.

"Liverpool are admirers of Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz with La Liga giants Barcelona also ready to join the race for his signature, sources have told Football Insider. It is believed that the 25-year-old won’t be on the move this month with all interested clubs now focusing their attention on a potential summer swoop.

"A well-placed source has told Football Insider that Liverpool are planning to rival long-term admirers Arsenal for Luiz in the off-season. Barcelona are also ready to enter the race for the Brazil international as they plot a midfield rebuild."

Luiz would have the potential to be a magnificent signing for Liverpool, should they acquire his services at the end of this season, with the Brazilian such an impressive performer for Villa. In fact, he has a strong argument for being one of the Premier League's standout midfielders in 2023/24 to date.

Appearances

20

Goals

6

Assists

3

Tackles per game

2.1

Key passes per game

1.5

Aerial duel wins per game

0.9

Pass completion rate

88.6%

Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has lauded the 25-year-old in the past week or so, too, hailing his performances this season and saying: "Douglas Luiz is an established campaigner. He can sit as a holding midfielder and mop things up for his team but he also gets in the box and scores goals – as we’ve seen so often this season. He’s quite well-rounded and still very underrated. When Arsenal wanted to sign him a year ago, but people didn’t really rate him too highly but now, everyone can see what he’s all about as he’s been absolutely ripping it up for Aston Villa this season."

Luis really could be perfect for Liverpool, providing so much cover and quality in front of the defence, but Liverpool are now admittedly well-stocked there, so if Klopp sees Alexis Mac Allister as his No.6 moving forward, it is hard to see the transfer happening.

كشفت تقارير صحفية إسبانية، عن غياب أحد لاعبي فريق كرة القدم الأول بنادي برشلونة الإسباني عن مواجهة موناكو في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

برشلونة تلقى ضربة قوية بإصابة داني أولمو وخرج من مباراة جيرونا التي سجل فيها الهدف الثالث خلال رباعية البلوجرانا في ديربي كتالونيا بالجولة الخامسة من الدوري الإسباني.

داني أولمو شعر بآلام في القدم، وقرر هانز فليك خروجه من الملعب، وأقحم بدلًا منه إيريك جارسيا، في تغيير مزدوج شهد دخول هيكتور فورت أيضًا مكان باو كوبارسي.

طالع أيضًا.. بيدري يوضح سبب الاحتفال مع فليك بهدفه في مباراة برشلونة وجيرونا

صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية، كشفت بأن خروج داني أولمو كان بسبب الإصابة، وهو ما سيجعله يغيب عن ما يقارب الـ10 أيام، لمعاناته من مشكلة عضلية في القدم.

وشددت التقارير على أن اللاعب لا يعاني من كدمة قوية، هي مجرد انزعاجات عضلية، وهو ما سيجعل هانز فليك يستبعده من مواجهة موناكو، حتى لا يتم المجازفة بمشاركته.

برشلونة يواجه موناكو يوم الخميس المقبل، على ملعب استاد لويس، ضمن الجولة الأولى من بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا 2024\2025.

One of the huge transfer benefits that Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bring to Wrexham has been highlighted by former club captain Lee Fowler.

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• Hollywood superstars took over in 2021
• Overseen back-to-back promotions
• Red Dragons no need have pressure to sell

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Hollywood superstars have spent three years calling the shots at SToK Racecourse following their stunning takeover in 2021. The Red Dragons have enjoyed a meteoric rise under their stewardship, with back-to-back promotions returning the club to League One after a 20-year absence.

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• Getty/FX
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Reynolds and McElhenney have opened up a window to the world, courtesy of the award-winning Welcome to Wrexham documentary, while attracting important commercial partners to North Wales. Big money has been invested in the ambitious outfit, with financial concerns of the past being long forgotten.

• WHAT FOWLER SAID

  Wrexham no longer have to worry about parting with prized assets, and that is allowing them to keep talismanic figures in Phil Parkinson’s plans. Fowler has told of how Reynolds and McElhenney have made that possible: “Now, they haven’t got to sell players. Since the owners have took over, they have bought. I can’t remember the last players they sold. [Paul] Mullin has stayed, [Elliot] Lee has stayed. It’s a far different club to what it was before.”

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• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

  More funds are expected to be made available this summer, as another transfer window swings open, with Parkinson and Co drawing up recruitment plans on the back of a second promotion party in Las Vegas that was funded by Reynolds and McElhenney.

With England’s players soon due to assemble for a training camp, we round up the pre-World Cup talking points

Alan Gardner23-Apr-2019Jason Roy
Roy missed Surrey’s opening Championship fixture as he continued his recovery from a hamstring injury sustained with England in the Caribbean. His Royal London Cup started with innings of 19 and 9, and worse seemingly followed at The Oval on Tuesday, when he left the field after fours overs against Essex. Initial reports suggested another hamstring issue but that was later updated to a back spasm – and Roy was fit enough to return at the fall of the seventh Surrey wicket, scoring 19 off 11 balls to finish on 35 not out.Liam Plunkett
With Jofra Archer set to press his case for promotion to the World Cup squad, Plunkett is currently the bowler under most scrutiny. The 34-year-old switched counties over the winter, but looked rusty when taking 1 for 85 on his Championship debut for Surrey and then received further punishment at the start of the Royal London campaign – recording figures of 7-0-67-0 and 6-0-57-1 in games at Bristol and Hove. However, he did return to wicket-taking form against Essex, with 4 for 50 to go alongside an excellent catch to remove Tom Westley.Alex Hales
Despite only being contracted for white-ball cricket by Nottinghamshire, Hales was given time off for “personal reasons” and is not expected to feature for them in the Royal London Cup. Hales has recently found himself as the back-up batsman in England’s ODI squad but opened twice in the Caribbean in March, when Roy was sidelined by injury. Since that tour, Hales’ only cricket has been two T20 matches at the PSL, and although his England availability is not said to be in doubt, it is hardly ideal prep for the World Cup.Chris Woakes spreads his arms in an appeal•Getty ImagesChris Woakes
Woakes’ fitness has been closely monitored as England seek to manage his long-term knee injury. He was left out of the squad to face Ireland next week, and the subsequent T20I against Pakistan, in order to keep his workload down – and the same goes for his RLC appearances. He claimed 3 for 47 in Warwickshire’s tie with Yorkshire in their opening game before being rested as part of an agreement with the ECB for Sunday’s trip to Northampton. Got through a full ten overs, though finished wicketless, against Nottinghamshire at Edgbaston on Tuesday.Mark Wood
Second only to worries about nursing Woakes through the World Cup is the question of whether Wood can stay fit. Having come through three lots of ankle surgery to catch fire again on England’s tour of the Caribbean, where he regularly bowled in excess of 90mph, Wood was due to be available for Durham at the start of the season – specifically, the ECB pinpointed a fixture at Derby in the opening round of the Championship and RLC games on April 17 and 24. The England medical staff are reportedly exercising caution after scans on his ankle, but thus far Wood has yet to feature at all for his county.Joe Denly
Denly made his IPL debut this year, although it was not the happiest of experiences as he made a golden duck opening the batting for Kolkata Knight Riders. Having otherwise sat on the fringes, and due home by April 26 for an England training camp, Denly tweeted on Saturday that he was heading back early to get ready for the summer’s main event. Denly hasn’t actually played an ODI since 2009, but made the preliminary World Cup squad and appeared in decent touch when making 56 from 69 balls in Kent’s RLC match at Bristol. Of concern, though, was the fact he failed to take to the field during Gloucestershire’s innings with Kent assistant coach Allan Donald confirming: “Joe suffered a back spasm while batting that we need to manage.”And the good news…
Among those at the IPL, Jonny Bairstow has enjoyed a standout debut campaign, currently the tournament’s second-leading run-scorer after playing his final game, in Chennai, on Tuesday. Having scored just two half-centuries in his previous 18 white-ball innings for England, he looks to have made a timely return to form. There have also been impressive performances in India from Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali and Jofra Archer, although Ben Stokes has not had quite the same success. On the county scene, Tom Curran has been in good form, while there has been consistent game time for Eoin Morgan, Chris Jordan, David Willey and Adil Rashid. The Test captain, Joe Root, made scores of 73, 130 not out and 94 in two Championship games but has so far sat out the RLC.