All posts by h716a5.icu

Though recent attention has been on Kedar Jadhav, KL Rahul and Ajinkya Rahane, a half-century in Manish Pandey’s first ODI since October 2016 highlighted the middle-order depth India has on offer

Andrew Fidel Fernando31-Aug-2017Competition for spots in India’s top five is tough, with Kedar Jadhav, KL Rahul, and Ajinkya Rahane all angling for positions. However, Manish Pandey has made a strong case that he ought to be invested In – or at least trialled – for a little longer after a half-century in his first ODI since October during the visitors’ 168-run win over Sri Lanka on Thursday.Pandey had begun his international career brightly, against Zimbabwe and Australia, before losing a little rhythm against New Zealand last October. It is the emphatic manner in which he has regained his form, however, that not only caught the selectors’ eye, but also put him in good stead to perform in this match. In five one-day innings for India A in South Africa during July and early August, Pandey struck 307 runs and was dismissed only once to finish as the leading scorer in the tri-series with South Africa A and Afghanistan A. Pandey says the performances there helped him to arrive in Sri Lanka feeling good about his game.Manish Pandey struck a half-century in his first ODI since October 2016•AFP”It definitely does really help a lot when you know that you have some runs in the bank,” he said, referring to his returns in South Africa. “You know you will eventually get a chance in the ODI side and you have to wait patiently for the chance. When you get it, you just bat the way you have been batting.”Through the India A series, I batted very similar to the way I batted today. So it was not too different for me to come back. I have been batting well in the nets and I just had to watch the ball and play.”Coming in at No. 6, Pandey batted perhaps one spot lower than he expected to after Hardik Pandya was sent in at No. 4 in the 30th over as India attempted to capitalise even further on a 219-run second-wicket stand between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Nevertheless, Pandey said he had planned to begin batting at around the 35th over, which is exactly when he entered after Hardik and Rohit were dismissed by Angelo Mathews off consecutive deliveries. Pandey spent 19 balls getting to double figures, and had scored only in singles until the 42nd over. All this, also, went roughly as he had hoped.”I had a chat with Ravi [Shastri] yesterday and even today before the start of the game, about how I take some time before I start playing my natural game,” Pandey said. “I need to take at least six to 10 balls to know what the wicket is like. It was spinning a bit, when the middle order got out. There were wickets falling on the other side but I had to keep my calm and rotate the strike. Eventually it came off for me.”India did, in fact, suffer a mild middle-order stutter, losing three wickets inside three overs for 12 runs, as Rahul fell in the 37th. So good had the stand between Kohli and Rohit been that they were always going to get a commanding score. But that they eventually reached the mammoth 375 for 5, however, was thanks to the unbeaten 101-run sixth-wicket stand between Pandey and MS Dhoni, which came off 74 deliveries. Pandey’s share in it was 45 off 32 balls – Dhoni hitting 49 not out off 42 in his 300th ODI.”I have played a few games with [Dhoni] already now, and I know how he plays,” Pandey said. “I know how he likes to rotate strike. I like to bat with somebody who loves to do that. Occasionally we get some boundaries and that’s how we keep the scoreboard ticking. With Mahi bhai, you are always on your toes and he keeps giving you advice.”

Crystal Palace could do with making a signing or two to keep supporters on board after seeing Wilfried Zaha officially leave Selhurst Park this week, even if that means turning to a somewhat uninspiring option.

What players have Crystal Palace been linked with?

Palace were among the lowest scorers in the Premier League last season, and that may well be the case again this campaign when you factor in the departure of talisman Zaha.

The Eagles approach the new campaign with Jordan Ayew, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Odsonne Edouard as their only centre-forward options.

Arsenal's Folarin Balogun and Eddie Nketiah have both been touted as possible targets for Palace to bolster their frontline, but as things stand it may well be Edouard who leads the line against Sheffield United on the opening weekend of the season.

Numerous wide players have also been linked, with Everton's Demarai Gray a regular in the gossip columns. According to Football Insider, Palace remain in the hunt for Gray, but they face competition from London rivals Fulham and big-spending teams in Saudi Arabia.

While the arrival of Gray may not sound all that exciting for Palace supporters, the 27-year-old – on wages of £25k-a-week, according to Capology – may be just the man to get the most out of Edouard.

How many goals has Demarai Gray scored?

Gray has scored nine goals in 67 Premier League appearances for Everton, which is a pretty poor return for an attacking midfielder who often plays as the focal point in attack.

However, he has averaged 0.29 goal involvements per 90 minutes across his career, which is not too dissimilar to Zaha (0.33), as per FBref. Indeed, it could be argued that Everton simply did not utilise Gray in the right way last season.

The 0.35 goals or assists combined the Jamaica international averaged per 90 the season before last may provide a better representation of his quality – the exact same figure Zaha and Edouard registered last season.

Gray likes getting balls into the box, highlighted by his 173 crosses in the Premier League last season – only Dwight McNeil (194) registered more among Everton players – and that could be something Edouard takes full advantage of.

The 6 foot 1 Frenchman scored four headed goals in the 2019-20 season with Celtic, yet he has scored just one in two seasons at Selhurst Park, making that an area Palace have yet to take full advantage of.

Gray also played 1.1 key passes per game for Everton last season which, while it may not sound like a huge amount on the face of it, was more than Zaha (one) managed.

Furthermore, Gray also ranks a lot higher than Zaha in terms of chances created – he is in the top 62% of all forwards across Europe's top five leagues in that metric, as per The Analyst, while the latter is only in the top 37%.

Described as a "quality" player by Jamaica manager Heimir Hallgrimsson, Gray possesses qualities that Roy Hodgson may just be able to get the most out of.

While he may not be the 15-goal striker Palace crave, Gray could at least help get more goals out of what the Eagles already have.

Under pressure to retain his spot with the Ashes looming, Matthew Wade says it’s just a matter of time before he comes good with the bat

Alagappan Muthu in Nagpur30-Sep-20171:24

‘My performances with the bat haven’t been good enough’ – Wade

Having made his debut in 2012, Matthew Wade scored his maiden ODI century earlier this year, an innings of exactly 100 that helped Australia recover from 5 for 78 to eventually win that match, against Pakistan, by 92 runs. However, his performances since then read 35 (off 56 balls), 5, 8, 2, 9, 2 and 3 not out.Despite being the only specialist wicketkeeper in Australia’s squad, Wade was left out, with Peter Handscomb taking over the duties for one of the four ODIs in the ongoing series against India. He knows he needs to respond to that situation, especially with the Ashes looming, and competition heating up – Peter Nevill scored three first-class centuries in 11 innings since being dropped in November and 26-year old Alex Carey set a Sheffield Shield record of 59 dismissals for South Australia last season.”There is no point sitting up here and thinking about what has already happened,” Wade said on the eve of the Nagpur ODI. “My form with the bat has not been good enough. The selectors have told me that I need score runs if I need to be picked.”A lot has been made about me failing in the Bangladesh and couple of times here. But before I played in India I was batting really well. I would have liked to score more runs in this series but that’s not happened. If I think back to the way I was batting in India [during the Test series] I played quite well. It is not panic stations yet and I know what I have to do.”Wade was brought back into the XI in Bengaluru, but he could only face three balls as the Australian innings ended. He is not part of the T20 squad and so will have to focus on making an immediate mark in the 2017-18 Shield season, which begins on October 26.”They will be crucial for my chances. I’m not worried about the matches, I have to score runs any time I have to go bat. I have to score runs regardless of if I’m trying to score runs for the Ashes or getting picked for Australia or whoever I’m playing for at the time. Doesn’t faze me, I have been doing all the hard work it just hasn’t happened for me yet.”Wade insisted that he has not heard any complaints about his wicketkeeping. He had given away 30 runs in byes during the first Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka, but came back in Chittagong quite strongly, effecting three catches and two stumpings, including one off a ball that reared up towards his chest.”I thought I kept quite well in Bangladesh, I know there was lot of talk especially during the first Test with the number of byes I conceded. But if you look at their keeper [Mushfiqur Rahim conceded 22 byes] and given the conditions I thought we were quite similar. I felt in the second test especially, I took some good chances. I have been pretty good here, on the back of India where I felt I kept quite well. Selectors have told me there have been no concerns with my keeping. They just want me to score more runs.”Having represented Victoria since the age of 19, Wade will return home to Tasmania for the 2017-18 domestic season. He said he took the decision to end a 153-match association with the Bushrangers, whom he had captained for the past four seasons, keeping in mind his young family.”I was picked in the Test team I was travelling quite a lot and just had a baby girl at the time so I wanted to be around the family,” he said. “My partner Julia and the baby – to have a lot of family with her has been really good. I’m looking forward to playing for Tasmania, I will have a few days off then play one-dayers followed by the shield games. It is a bit of fresh start but I’m really looking forward to.”

Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag could act to bring in a deep-lying midfielder this window to bolster his squad, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

How has Manchester United's transfer window gone so far?

Manchester United have made steady inroads in the transfer window and Mason Mount and Andre Onana have arrived at Old Trafford so far, as per Transfermarkt, while Jonny Evans has also signed a short-term deal at his former club.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has issued a major update on who the next player through the door at Manchester United could be this window, stating on Twitter X: "Rasmus Højlund is now travelling to England in order to undergo main part of medical tests as new Manchester United player later today. Documents exchanged between clubs, Højlund will sign until June 2028 with option for further season."

Bolstering his forward options has been a key focus for Ten Hag this window, given that injury-prone Anthony Martial and England international Marcus Rashford, who has recently signed a new long-term deal at his boyhood heroes, represent his only real squad options that can function as a central striker.

Upgrading in central defence now looks to be another quest on Ten Hag's wishlist as the window enters its final month and Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo appears alongside Everton youngster Jarrad Branthwaite on a two-man shortlist to provide some extra cover at the heart of the Red Devils' backline, as per The Daily Mail.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Jones has indicated that bringing in a deep-lying midfielder and yet another striker arrival could also take precedence at Old Trafford between now and the close of play in the market.

Jones stated: "We should think back to remember what United’s actual plan was for this window. They wanted a premium number nine and a top-quality deep-lying midfielder.

"At the moment, they haven’t actually done that. They’ve got a goalkeeper, a more attacking midfielder and an emerging forward. So I think there is still more to come from United and it isn’t impossible that another forward comes in.

"I think a lot will depend on Anthony Martial though. They need to find him a new club. If he could stay fit, I think having him as an alternate option through the middle as well as Rasmus Hojlund, Marcus Rashford and even Jadon Sancho could be good, but the problem is, we just don’t know how often he’ll be fit.

"You can’t count on him, unfortunately, and Erik ten Hag must be a bit fed up of that."

Who could Manchester United look to sign?

L'Equipe via The Sun claim that despite Manchester United being close to landing Fiorentina defensive midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli could 'hijack' their bid to bring the Morocco international to the North West.

Fiorentina are 'resigned' to losing Amrabat this window and Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid have also been linked with a swoop for the 26-year-old.

Tottenham Hotspur talisman Harry Kane has been relentlessly linked with a move to Manchester United this window and it is said that he would prefer to join the Red Devils over Bayern Munich, according to Football Insider.

Manchester United have also looked at Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia as a potential midfield recruit; however, they are more likely to pursue a deal for Amrabat, according to Fabrizio Romano's exclusive column for CaughtOffside.

Jamie Atkinson top scored for Hong Kong with 76, which helped them post a total of 194

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Oct-2017Hong Kong bowlers Aizaz Khan and Ehsan Khan ran through Nepal’s batting order to thrash them by 83 runs in the 47th match of the World Cricket League Championships in Mong Kok. The duo shared eight wickets between them as offspinner Ehsan finished with his List A career-best figures of 5 for 17.Hong Kong, put in to bat first, lost their opener Anshuman Rath for a duck in the fourth over. At the other end Jamie Atkinson was more successful, carrying his team past 100 even despite regular blows. His lone hand was not enough to carry them past 200 though; Hong Kong slipped from 3 for 108 to 194 all out, with Atkinson top-scoring with his 76.In their chase, Nepal lost wickets regularly to leave the match in Hong Kong’s possession. Medium-pacer Aizaz dismissed three of the top-four batsmen, while Ehsan worked through the rest, dismantling Nepal for 111.

Crystal Palace are still in the market for new additions this summer despite only a few weeks remaining before the transfer window closes, and now a fresh update has emerged on a potential target.

What's the latest on Crystal Palace's interest in Curtis Jones?

According to Caught Offside, Crystal Palace are interested in acquiring the services of Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones this summer.

As per the report, Roy Hodgson is pushing for the signing of the midfielder as he believes that he is the perfect fit for the type of player Palace need to sign, with the club still weighing up a loan offer that could include an option to buy at the end of this season.

How good is Curtis Jones?

It is no secret that the Eagles struggled to maintain their high standards last season and found themselves getting dragged into the tight Premier League relegation battle at certain points over the 38-game campaign.

Whilst Patrick Vieira's youth revolution at Selhurst Park was hugely celebrated in the 2021/22 season, the fresh and entertaining football consistently seen previously failed to transpire on occasions in the following season, with Conor Gallagher's departure contributing to that.

Gallagher enjoyed a whirlwind breakthrough campaign with Palace during his season-long loan which earned him a spot in Gareth Southgate's England squad – having scored eight goals and provided three assists in the league for the Eagles – but decided to push for a regular starting spot at Stamford Bridge instead of completing a permanent move to the South London.

As a result, acquiring the services of Jones next season could be the perfect way to emulate Gallagher's impact at Selhurst Park, as the young Liverpool talent has proven on many occasions that he is an explosive and influential presence in the centre of the pitch.

The England U21 star has been a regular but inconsistent feature at Anfield due to the enormous quality Liverpool has boasted in their squad over the last half a decade, but Jones has taken every opportunity to prove his worth to both Jurgen Klopp and on the international stage.

Jones played an integral part in the England U21 European Championship success this summer and was named the Player of the Match in the final of the competition for his contributions.

Over five appearances in the tournament, the £17.5m-rated whiz – once hailed an "exceptional talent" by Klopp – scored one goal, completed an impressive 94% pass completion rate and successfully completed 50% of his dribbles, as well as averaging 88.4 touches, 72.2 accurate passes and 4.2 duels won per game, proving that he was a huge presence for the England youth side.

When comparing Jones' output with Gallagher's last season, the Liverpool star outperformed his Chelsea positional peer in a number of key attributes including pass completion (90.3% v 81.1%), shot-creating actions per 90 (3.30 v 2.61), goal-creating actions per 90 (0.35 v 0.17) and percentage of dribblers tackled (58.1% v 27%), proving that he could either match or improve upon his compatriot's impact for Palace.

With that being said, if Palace could complete a deal for Jones in the coming weeks it would give Hodgson a high-quality perspective to unleash in the centre of the pitch and in turn, improve their performances over the season ahead.

Amanda-Jade Wellington has been retained as the only legspinner in the squad for the four-day Test, which starts from November 9

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Nov-2017Legspinner Kristen Beams has been omitted from the Australia squad for the day-night Women’s Ashes Test, which starts in Sydney from November 9, with the hosts picking Amanda-Jade Wellington as the sole legspinner in the 13-member squad. Beams’ exclusion was the only change from the 14-member team that won two of the three matches against England women in the preceding ODI series.Australia Test squad:

Alex Blackwell, Nicole Bolton, Lauren Cheatle, Ashleigh Gardner, Rachael Haynes (c), Alyssa Healy (wk), Jess Jonassen, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani, Amanda-Jade Wellington

Beams, Australia’s highest wicket-taker at the Women’s World Cup earlier this year, was the 12th man in an Australian team that played a three-day pink-ball practice match against an ACT Invitational XI in Canberra recently. She had featured in only one match of the ODI series against England, taking 2 for 38 in the second match, after replacing Ashleigh Gardner, who had suffered a concussion. Another player from that practice match to miss out on the national squad was 19-year-old medium-pacer Belinda Vakarewa.National selector Shawn Flegler said both players were unfortunate to miss out on selection. “Belinda showed promising signs with the ball and is definitely a player of the future, and whilst she would be disappointed, it’s pleasing to see so many pace bowlers putting their hands up for selection. Kristen was also unlucky to miss out on selection, with the panel opting to go with just the one legspinner in the side.”Australia’s squad includes five players uncapped in Tests: Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Wellington, Beth Mooney and Lauren Cheatle. One of the pace bowlers who impressed in the practice match was McGrath – she dismissed Elyse Villani, Rachael Haynes and Ellyse Perry in the space of four balls on Sunday.”A win in this match could see Australia take an unassailable lead in the series and retain the Ashes, so it was important that the side was well-balanced and capable of taking 20 wickets,” Flegler added.Defending champions Australia lead the series 4-2, having defeated England in the first two fixtures of the ODI leg and a win in the Test would fetch them four points and take their tally to eight. The Test will be followed by a three-match T20I series, which starts from November 17. In the event of both teams finishing on eight points, Australia will retain the Ashes.

Nottingham Forest have made a move to sign Arsenal full-back Nuno Tavares, with Fabrizio Romano sharing whether or not a transfer could be permanent.

Are Nottingham Forest signing Nuno Tavares?

The Reds have been relatively quiet this summer in the transfer market compared to 12 months ago, with just four deals completed so far ahead of the September 1 deadline.

Chris Wood saw his loan move become permanent from Newcastle United, whereas Anthony Elanga has completed a move from Manchester United. Goalkeeper Matt Turner arrived from Arsenal and Ola Aina on a free transfer from Torino, but it looks as if Steve Cooper wants further additions ver the coming weeks, recently saying:

“I have to trust the club to crack on with the work. My work is to work with the team every day, come in every day and try to get the best out of them. That’s why, at half-time, I was telling them, ‘come on, guys, you can do better than this’.

“If we are able to add, great. If not, we’ll carry on. But in my opinion, we do need to add.”

It looks as if a new left-back appears to be of interest to those at the City Ground, with news on Arsenal defender Tavares emerging.

Romano took to X in the last 48 hours to share what he’s heard on Forest and a potential move for Tavares. The transfer expert claimed that the Reds have submitted a formal proposal to sign the full-back on a permanent basis, with talks ongoing with the player’s representatives.

“Nottingham Forest submit formal proposal to sign Arsenal left back Nuno Tavares on permanent deal. Forest trying top signing as new fullback as negotiations are still ongoing also on player side. Deal on.”

Who is Nuno Tavares?

Tavares is 23 years of age and is primarily a left-back who can also turn out as a right-back or a left-midfielder when required.

He made the move to the Emirates from Benfica back in 2021 but struggled during his first year in north London and was even replaced in the first half of an FA Cup clash at the City Ground following a poor display, reacting angrily to the decision.

However, he went on loan to Ligue 1 side Marseille last season and appeared to impress, resulting in his Transfermarkt valuation increasing to a career-high €18m.

Tavares made 39 appearances in all competitions for Marseille, with manager Igor Tudor hailing him as a player with “outstanding” running ability who could turn out for Real Madrid, Barcelona or Manchester City.

“Nuno’s still a young player but he has fantastic physical capabilities. He’s got an outstanding ability to run. He could play at Real, at Barcelona, at Man City… he still needs to grow and progress, we talk a lot to him.”

The full-back already has a year of experience in England with Arsenal, so could prove to be a shrewd signing if he is able to continue his form from France, and by the looks of things, a move is one to watch over the coming days.

Moeen Ali will play in England’s two-day warm-up match against a CA XI as a specialist batsman, regretting an injured spinning finger that has undermined his tour

George Dobell in Perth08-Dec-2017Moeen Ali feels he has “let down the team and the captain” with his bowling in the first couple of Ashes Tests.Moeen, who has struggled with a finger injury throughout the series, has claimed only two wickets in the first two games. And with the Australian off-spinner, Nathan Lyon, both threatening and offering his captain control, Moeen has suffered by comparison. To rub salt in the wound, Lyon has dismissed Moeen in all four innings in the series to date.Moeen’s problems started within the first few days of the tour. After sustaining a side strain in training, he was unable to play in the first couple of warm-up games and, as a consequence, came into the first Test both lacking rhythm and having failed to harden his spinning finger sufficiently after a lengthy rest at the end of the English season.That meant he cut his finger within minutes of starting to bowl in the first Test – he feels the Kookuburra ball has a sharper seam and he was brought into the attack after just eight overs when that seam was still proud and hard – and has been inconvenienced by the injury ever since.While Moeen will captain the England side playing a two-day warm-up match against a CA XI over the weekend – the only man from the Adelaide Test team to appear in the match – he will not bowl. Although he accepts he could do with the overs, he also feels the finger requires more rest if he is to have a chance of bowling pain-free in Perth. He’s heard all the theories about soaking his hands in everything from olive oil to urine – “That cannot be right,” he says of the latter, “I think it’s a myth” – but at this point he is just allowing time to heal.As a result, he will play the warm-up game as a specialist batsman in a bid to both find some form – he scored only 27 in the Adelaide Test – and acclimatise to conditions in Perth. Although the pitch at Richardson Park (the venue for the warm-up game) is not expected to offer as much bounce as the Test surface at the WACA, it is still expected to be fast by English standards. The hot weather in Perth also promises to be a challenge.While he has tended to play down the extent of the injury – “I don’t want to make excuses,” he says, “I haven’t bowled great,” – he does admit, when pressed, that it has “probably played a part” in his underperformance. “I couldn’t feel the ball in my fingers during the first Test, he says. “It was really sore. And at the end of the second, it ripped again.

“I’ve always said ‘it’s just a game of cricket.’ But the only time I feel pressure is when I feel I’ve let the team down”

“I need to bowl but I don’t want it to rip again. It’s much better but in the second innings in Adelaide it started to rip again. So I’m not going to bowl. I’m going to let it heal more.”You feel like you’ve let the team down and the captain down especially. Lyon is bowling so well. So you end up comparing yourself to him and then you try even harder. And he’s got me out four times…”I’ve always said ‘it’s just a game of cricket.’ But the only time I feel pressure is when I feel I’ve let the team down. That is the only thing.Moeen was man of the series against South Africa. He took 25 wickets at 15.64 in the four-Test series and scored decent runs at Old Trafford and Lord’s, but he never assumed that further success was inevitable.”I knew when everything was going well in the summer that there would be a time when things didn’t go so well,” he said. “I think this just shows where I am as a cricketer and a spinner.”I was picked as a second spinner, ended up No. 1 and now I’ve come here and not bowled well. I just feel there’s a lot of work to be done with my bowling. It needs to get better. I believe I can turn it around.”Moeen’s innate modesty is usually a fine quality. Coming out to bat in the first Test, he was greeted by David Warner telling him he was batting a place too high at No. 6. He defused any tension, however, by replying “I’m two places too high, mate.” Warner, wrong-footed by a brand of self-deprecation with which you suspect he is not familiar, was silenced. Momentarily, at least.Saqlian Mushtaq examines Moeen Ali’s injured finger•AFPBut there are times when you wonder if the modesty betrays a genuine lack of confidence. With the ball, in particular. Certainly he has always said he prefers to play as part of a two-man spin attack and it was noticeable that perhaps his finest performance to date – the 10-wicket match against South Africa at Lord’s – came after the England management made it very clear that Liam Dawson was the side’s No. 1 spinner.With Ben Stokes unavailable, however, England are struggling to find any balanced side that can contain two spinners in this series. While they might have been able to find room for a spinner who could bat – the likes of Samit Patel or Adil Rashid should surely have been included in this squad once the selectors knew Stokes was likely to be unavailable – it is hard to find room for Mason Crane or Jack Leach without either weakening the seam bowling or the batting. So Moeen has to bowl and he has to bowl better.At least he is not shocked by the intensity of the series. While Joe Root compared his first Ashes tour experience as akin to “stepping into a conservatory door,” Moeen says it has “not been as intense as I thought it would be.”And while he says there has been a fair amount of “chirp” on the field, he does not feel any of the sledging aimed at him in this series has been inappropriate or unusual, even if one comment from a spectator – “somebody asked me when my kebab shop opened” – may well have overstepped the mark. The generous interpretation might be they knew of Moeen’s ambition to open a chip shop – ‘Big Mo’s’ – after his playing career.”I thought Brisbane would have a lot more of a buzz,” he says. “It has been pretty quiet to be honest. There’s been some chirp. Nothing very funny or original. And both sides have done it.”I don’t say anything back. With kids watching at home, I don’t want to let them down. I just get on with my game. It doesn’t bother me at all.”Few players trained on Friday. While a couple of Australian newspapers raised eyebrows at England taking a break after Adelaide (‘They have this cricket lark sorted,’ was the gist of it, ‘so they don’t need to train’), the team management reasoned that a mental and physical break from the game would serve them best. Most of the Test squad will train only once over the weekend, too.The last time England were here in an Ashes series – both literally and metaphorically – the squad was miserable and divided. Towards the end of the series, they underwent a legendarily grim fitness session that resulted only in injuring Boyd Rankin who was then too intimidated by Andy Flower (think of Jack Bauer in 24) to inform him he was unfit for the Test that followed.There will be none of that this time. It remains an upbeat, united squad and it’s that spirit – rather than any benefits that might be gained by another net session in a career that must have already included thousands – that will give them their best hope of achieving a miraculous comeback in the coming days.

Everton are now interested in signing Rosenborg youngster Sverre Nypan, and they believe they could hold one key advantage over rival suitors Manchester City, according to a report.

What's the latest Everton transfer news?

Bringing in new attacking options is of paramount importance to Sean Dyche, despite having already signed Youssef Chermiti, with the manager running the rule over a couple of players who are already proven in the Premier League.

Che Adams and Patson Daka are being targeted by the Toffees, with reporter David Maddock claiming neither striker is "prolific", but represent the type of player from the market Dyche is now having to shop in, with a "huge week" ahead of him.

Maddock also details that a £25m bid has been made for Wilfried Gnonto, who has handed in a transfer request, however the Championship club are standing firm, and continue to block his departure from Elland Road.

There had been suggestions the Toffees may look at Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi, perhaps as an alternative to Gnonto, but The Liverpool Echo have now clarified the 22-year-old, who is eager to leave Stamford Bridge, is not currently a target.

At the moment, Everton appear to be focussed on bringing in players who can slot straight into the first team, but they are still in the market for an up-and-coming youngster, with Football Insider naming them as potential suitors for Nypan.

The Toffees are reportedly hold a concrete interest in signing the Rosenborg youngster, who is just 16-years-old, having watched him in action for the Norwegian side in their match against Hearts last week.

There will be competition for the starlet's signature, however, with Manchester City also keeping tabs on him, but Everton believe they can offer him a quicker pathway to first-team football, which could end up being a key advantage.

The young midfielder, who has been dubbed the "next Martin Odegaard", is contracted until December 2025, and it is unclear whether Rosenborg would be willing to sell him this early in his career.

Read The Latest Everton Transfer News HERE

Who is Sverre Nypan?

The Norwegian came through the youth ranks at Rosenborg, and he has already managed to make his breakthrough in the first team, appearing 13 times in the Eliteserien last season, weighing in with two goals and one assist.

Although he has most commonly featured in central midfield, the Rosenborg academy graduate has also featured at striker on a number of occasions, showcasing his versatility, and he has received game time in his side's Europa Conference League qualifiers.

In three games, the maestro has recorded three assists, setting up both goals in his side's 2-1 victory against Hearts earlier this month, indicating he could go on to be a more regular first-team player this season.

Nypan is the youngest player to ever feature in the UEFA Youth League, playing in the competition when he was just 14 years, 9 months and 11 days old, and he is showing all the signs he could be ready to move to the Premier League soon.

That said, it may be difficult for Everton to win the race for the "wonderkid", given that reigning Premier League champions Man City are also keen.