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Everton flop Cenk Tosun is now unlikely to rejoin his former club Besiktas this summer.

What’s the story?

That’s according to a report from Turkish outlet Sabah, via Liverpool Echo, which revealed that the Istanbul club have ‘cut off contact’ with the forward ahead of a potential move given his fitness issues.

Sabah reported in March (via One Football)  that Besiktas had offered the striker a three-year contract worth £1.3m a season ahead of the expiration of his Everton contract in June.

However, the 30-year-old is not set to return to full fitness until August at the earliest ahead of the expiry of his contract at the end of June.

Everton must part ways with Tosun

It is imperative that the Toffees don’t offer Tosun a new contract and instead allow him to depart next month.

Having made the move to Goodison Park in 2018 for £27m, the £69k-per-week Turkish striker has cost the Merseyside outfit a whopping £42,594,000 in the 226 weeks since signing for the Toffees.

In that period, Tosun has made just 61 appearances for Everton, scoring 11 goals. To put that into perspective, each goal has cost the relegation-threatened side £3,872,182, making him a colossal waste of money.

Claimed to have been “desperate” to play for the Merseyside club according to former Everton manager Sam Allardyce, the forward has only made three appearances this season, with a combination of just 11 minutes played across the FA Cup and Premier League.

The 30-year-old has also endured two brief loan spells whilst struggling for game time at Goodison Park, making five appearances for Premier League rival Crystal Palace whilst also experiencing a return to his former club Besiktas.

These costs have already been damaging for Everton, but relegation to the Championship would make them detrimental.

Frank Lampard’s side still have a decent chance to survive the drop but are in a precarious position in the relegation zone, two points from safety. However, they do boast a game in hand on 17th-placed Leeds, which could prove to be vital.

If they are to suffer a first-ever relegation from the Premier League, the colossal expenditure of keeping Tosun at the club would act as a major dent to their budget for life in the Championship, so they must see through with the Turkish liability’s expulsion from Goodison Park this summer.

AND in other news: Disaster: Lampard set for 1st big mistake as Everton boss, supporters would be fuming

Ricky Ponting knows his batsmen let the team down in both innings at Headingley, but he is not yet considering the idea of Steven Smith taking Marcus North’s position at No. 6

Brydon Coverdale24-Jul-2010Ricky Ponting knows his batsmen let the team down in both innings at Headingley, but he is not yet considering the idea of Steven Smith taking Marcus North’s position at No. 6. North was easily the most disappointing of the top six during the series, scoring 36 including two ducks, and only the No. 11 Doug Bollinger had a lower aggregate.North made a century and a 90 on the tour of New Zealand in March, but since the start of the Australian summer his big scores have become less frequent. Smith, on the other hand, lit up the Headingley stadium with a dazzling 77 on the third afternoon to keep Australia in the match, and in his 15 first-class appearances he has made four centuries.One of the main selection queries for Australia on their tour of India in October will be whether they can find a way to retain Smith when Nathan Hauritz returns from injury. However, Ponting does not believe Smith is ready to challenge for a more senior batting role and he said the conditions had made it difficult for North and the rest of the batsmen this month.”I don’t think Smith will put pressure on North,” Ponting said. “I thought the runs we got out of Smith yesterday were pretty entertaining and very valuable as far as the game is concerned. You can look at all of our batsmen through this tour, we’ve faced some pretty challenging conditions at different times. Both innings at Lord’s the ball went around a fair bit, the first innings here was probably the most challenging conditions that any of us have batted in.”Simon Katich was the only member of the team to average more than 35 during the series, as the Australians failed to find answers to Pakistan’s terrific swing bowling. The 349 they compiled with the help of Smith in the second innings in Leeds was their highest innings of the series, but Ponting also felt that in sunny conditions it was the time when they let themselves down.”I was a little bit disappointed with our batting yesterday,” Ponting said. “I thought we probably had the better of the batting conditions yesterday, and we had a chance to get a few more than 349 in the second innings. We let a little bit of an opportunity slip there. But the way we stuck at it late last night and this morning showed some character.”The ball won’t swing and seam as much during their two Tests in India, or for the Ashes back home, so the selectors might be hesitant to judge the batsmen on their tricky tour of England. Whatever they decide, Ponting believes the XI chosen for the first Test in India will not necessarily be a pointer to the team for the Gabba Ashes opener.”What the conditions probably do throw up over there [India] is the likelihood of maybe having to tinker with the setup in your team,” Ponting said. “We’ll wait and see who we’ve got that’s fit and ready to go for that tour and pick a squad of players we think can win a Test series over there and then worry about the start of the Ashes after that.”

Ross Taylor, the New Zealand batsman, has said the failure of New Zealand’s batsmen to convert starts is what has hurt them in their ODI series loss to Pakistan

Andrew Fernando at Seddon Park 03-Feb-2011Ross Taylor, the New Zealand batsman, has said the failure of New Zealand’s batsmen to convert starts is what has hurt them in their ODI series loss to Pakistan. Another poor batting effort in Hamilton, on Thursday, saw the hosts go down by 41 runs to give Pakistan an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series. New Zealand lost wickets at regular intervals, as the run chase faltered repeatedly just as a decent partnership appeared to be building.”Once again we put ourselves in a good position to push ahead in the dying overs but we kept losing wickets at crucial times,” Taylor, who captained the side on Thursday in the absence of Daniel Vettori, said. “Obviously the confidence is lower because of that.”New Zealand’s batting has failed all too frequently during the series, with the top five often unable to make an impact on the game. Even when the top order have got starts – as they did on Thursday with Taylor and Martin Guptill both hitting half-centuries – none of the New Zealand batsmen have been able to play a definitive innings to swing games in their favour. In five one-dayers, the hosts’ highest individual score has been 69, and Taylor identified that as the chief reason behind their losses.”At the moment we are getting ourselves into a good position and not capitalising. The batters can take a good look at the way the Pakistanis have played. Today, [Ahmed] Shehzad went on to score three figures, Misbah got ninety-odd in Napier and Hafeez got a hundred in Christchurch. Scores of sixty from Guptill and myself are alright sometimes, but when the team needs you, you’ve got to step up and score a ninety or a hundred like they have.”The confidence is not quite there and when the confidence isn’t there results don’t seem to go your way. I don’t think we are very far away to be honest. We just need to convert a couple of sixties to big scores and make sure we don’t keep losing wickets.”Taylor said his 69 was of little consequence because he was unable to see New Zealand level the series with a win. “I was happy to get a score but it doesn’t really mean much when you lose. I got myself into a position when I should have pushed on and I didn’t go on.”Taylor did reserve praise for his bowlers, however, who reined Pakistan in during the last ten overs after they had threatened to score in excess of 300. Pakistan were 243 for 5 after 45 overs, with three batting Powerplay overs yet to come, and Shahid Afridi and Umar Akmal at the crease. Canny variations and a slower short ball used to great effect prevented Pakistan from getting away at the death and restricted their total to 268 for nine in 50 overs. Pakistan managed only 25 runs for the loss of four wickets in their final five overs, and Taylor said his bowlers’ performance in the end overs boded well for the World Cup.”I was very happy [with the death bowling]. In Christchurch, we were a little predictable, but the way we changed the pace and manipulated the field today [Thursday] kept the batsmen guessing. New Zealand grounds in general are very small and you need to do that. The way they mixed up their pace was a positive we can take out of this, not only for the next match but for the World Cup as well. Some of the grounds in India are small too.”Jacob Oram and Kyle Mills were particularly impressive, and showed their experience during the batting Powerplay. The pair picked up two wickets apiece. “I’ve got to give it to Millsy and Jake and even Hamish [Bennett] for the way he bowled his last over. They were looking like scoring well over 300. It was probably a 280, 300 wicket; we were happy to chase that down and we should have got there.”New Zealand will play one more ODI against Pakistan, in Auckland on Saturday, and Taylor said they were eager to salvage what little momentum there is to be taken from the final encounter ahead of the World Cup, which begins on February 19. “There is some urgency to get some momentum with a win [on Saturday]. But I don’t think we are far away [from a winning performance].”

La Gazzetta dello Sport, via Football Italia, have made a behind-the-scenes fall out claim involving Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and a big name player.

The Lowdown: City race heats up…

The Sky Blues and Guardiola are set for an electric and heated end to the 2021/2022 season with City battling for both the Premier League title and their first ever Champions League.

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Fierce contenders Liverpool, after their victory at home to Man United on Tuesday, have leap-frogged the English champions into first place.

City can re-gain top spot with a victory at home to Brighton this evening as the race continues, but even amid this season-defining last run of games, Eastlands chiefs are preparing for the summer window.

Indeed, major reports have surfaced in the last few days as sporting director Txiki Begiristain edges closer and closer to the signing of Norway sensation Erling Braut Haaland.

These exciting updates have been followed up by possible Etihad Stadium exit reports as La Gazzetta (via FI) make a major claim involving Guardiola and big-name Man City star Raheem Sterling.

The Latest: Pep and Sterling fall out?

According to the newspaper, Sterling is ‘no longer on good terms’ with Guardiola and his representatives seem set to offer the England international out to AC Milan.

The Rossoneri, who are currently in talks over a possible takeover from Bahraini investment fund Investcorp, could be granted a €300 million (£249m) transfer kitty in the summer – making their purchase of City’s winger realistic.

The Verdict: Interesting summer ahead…

Sterling’s future will be one of the interesting stories of City’s 2022 summer given he is out-of-contract in 2023 as things stand.

That gives Begiristain and co just two windows to either finally agree terms on an extension or decide to sell the 27-year-old, who has scored a brilliant 128 goals and assisted 93 others since joining from Liverpool in 2015.

Sterling has recently re-discovered his best form in parts after a slow start to the 21/22 campaign and the forward’s quality is also best exemplified by his phenomenal Euro 2020.

Everton boss Frank Lampard, who undertook a punditry role with the BBC last summer during the tournament, labelled Sterling an ‘excellent’ and ‘world class player’ for his performances under Gareth Southgate (BBC via football.london).

The international star clearly possesses bags of ability, as evident by his numbers with both City and England, and losing him this summer would be a big setback for Guardiola – even with his wealth of midfield talent and the possible arrival of Haaland.

In other news: £67m ‘big name’ is now dreaming of a move to Man City, but it’s not Haaland…find out more here.

With a depleted Australian side, and dwindling crowds at ODI matches in the country, the upcoming series may further struggle to bring in the crowds

Brydon Coverdale10-Jan-2013Once upon a time, the one-day international tri-series was a highlight of Australia’s cricket summer. You need only catch a World Series Classics replay on Fox Sports to be reminded that the stands were usually heaving with scantily-clad men and women, kids holding home-made banners, and if it’s a match from the early 1980s, terry-towelling hats. Tony Greig and Bill Lawry would be calling the action with such fervour that you’d think each game had the World Cup riding on it.How times change. The triangular series is gone, although it was resurrected last summer with India and Sri Lanka in the country, and the crowds don’t flock to 50-over cricket in anything like the numbers they used to. Twenty20 internationals and the Big Bash League have been brought in with the aim of attracting the younger fans, Test cricket remains the premier format, and one-day internationals are left searching for relevance.It is into this environment that an Australian outfit led by George Bailey and lacking drawcards like David Warner and Shane Watson will venture on Friday, taking on Sri Lanka in a series that two years from the next World Cup, has little riding on it. The broadcasters, Channel Nine, have voiced their displeasure at the lack of big names in Australia’s side, although they might change their tune if Aaron Finch tees off on debut.”I can probably understand it coming from Channel Nine,” Bailey said in Melbourne on Thursday. “I think they’re about to go into negotiations for the TV rights. I think that was a pretty tactical move to try to talk down one-day cricket and what the Australian team’s putting out. But it’s still called the Australian cricket team.”On Friday, the Channel Nine cameramen will do their best to focus on the most densely populated stands at the MCG, but there will be huge numbers of empty seats as well. When Australia and Sri Lanka met at the MCG in a one-day game earlier this year the crowd was approximately 29,000, while only 19,000 turned up when they played at the same venue the summer before. By contrast, the BBL Melbourne derby attracted 46,000 fans last weekend.”I might have a bit of a left-field view but I think the way sport is shown on TV now is so good and you get so much information thrown at you that the better it gets delivered to your couch, the less reasons there are to leave and watch it at a ground,” Bailey said. “Big Bash is popular because it goes for three hours and it fits in nicely. There’s no doubt one-day cricket takes a bit longer, and I think Test matches are becoming a real event in themselves.”It’s as much about the spectacle as the event itself and the cricket. One-day cricket, as far as crowds go, will be challenged at different times. But I still think the actual cricket itself is very good. There is always going to be a huge element of luck in T20 and I think Test cricket will always be the ultimate test, and I think one-day cricket certainly sits nicely in the middle of those two.”

We’ve got a really big appetite for 50-over cricket [in Sri Lanka]. I think that’s something that drives the national team a lot. They [the Sri Lankan public] enjoy their one-day cricket and T20 cricket a lot more than Test cricket.Mahela Jayawardene

If the last couple of ODIs between the sides at the MCG are any indication, the Melbourne crowd will feature plenty of Sri Lankan supporters from the city’s large ex-pat population. Despite the format’s battling status in Australia, 50-over cricket remains immensely popular in Sri Lanka, and the team’s captain Mahela Jayawardene said he was confident that if the series started well, it would find an audience.”There’s been a lot of cricket played in the summer, and West Indies are coming, there is the Big Bash,” Jayawardene said. “But I think there’s certainly a lot of interest in world cricket for the 50-over game. For players it will still be exciting, trying to push yourself, but once you play a few good games [the fans] will get into it. I think it’s all about how the series is going to start and how exciting it is going to be.”We’ve got a really big appetite for 50-over cricket [in Sri Lanka]. I think that’s something that drives the national team a lot. They [the Sri Lankan public] enjoy their one-day cricket and T20 cricket a lot more than Test cricket. We don’t get big crowds for our Test matches … but in one-day cricket they definitely get behind the team, they have a good time and enjoy their one-day cricket.”These five matches will also be the first in Australia to be held under new ICC rules that, among other things, prevent captains from placing any more than four fieldsmen outside the circle at any time. The rules aren’t quite as radical as the split-innings experiment Australia trialed in the Ryobi Cup last summer but the game’s governing bodies hope they will lead to more exciting ODIs as the cricket world builds towards the 2015 World Cup.”The rule changes are going to be interesting. We’ve had them for a couple of years at the domestic level,” Bailey said. “My only concern with those is not to continue to make them too batter friendly. I don’t necessarily think higher-scoring games become better games of cricket. An even contest between bat and ball still provides the best games of cricket. I’m really looking forward to seeing how the international players adapt.”I think four [fielders] out has challenged the spinners at a domestic level, but I’ve also seen the best spinners adapt pretty well and still find ways to dominate the game or contribute really well in games. I like the fact that bowlers do get a second bouncer. I like the fact that that leaves a bit more uncertainty in the over. I think they’re interesting rule changes. Anything that provides a little bit of uncertainty, even to make captains or teams think a little bit more on their feet, are good changes for the game.”

Former New Zealand batsman Nathan Astle feels that captain Daniel Vettori should step down as a national selector because it might create a sense of insecurity among his team-mates

Cricinfo staff31-May-2010Former New Zealand batsman Nathan Astle feels captain Daniel Vettori should step down as a national selector because that responsibility could create a sense of insecurity among his team-mates. Astle fears the team spirit may be affected if the captain has a major say in selection, and added that if Vettori gave up that role, it would allow him to focus on his job as the team’s leading strike bowler, and captain.”He’s capable but deep down I think it is too much to take on. Being captain means you take on a certain role and while he should definitely have an input, he shouldn’t be a selector,” Astle told the . “You want your team-mates to be able to discuss things. Players won’t do that if they think it might hinder their selection.”Former New Zealand wicketkeeper Warren Lees was also concerned that Vettori’s role as a spinner may become redundant if he puts the team’s concerns before his own. Vettori is currently the second-highest wicket-taker for New Zealand, behind Richard Hadlee, with 325 wickets. “If he’s a good captain, there’s a risk he won’t get the most out of himself as a bowler because he’ll spend the whole time thinking of others,” Lees said. “He might need to be more selfish.”The former players also discussed another vital member of the New Zealand side, Brendon McCullum, whose dual role as a wicketkeeper-batsman in all forms of the game has been debated of late. McCullum, who gave up the gloves in Twenty20 internationals to focus on batting alone, isn’t sure whether he will follow suit in Tests and ODIs. He said he would take a decision in the coming months on the best way to preserve himself for New Zealand.Astle felt McCullum should give up keeping because New Zealand needed him as a batsman to shore up an inexperienced batting order. “Giving up the keeping should allow him more time to work on his batting. From what I’ve seen, it’s not that he doesn’t want to do it but it’s more of a physical thing and he’s looking for longevity in the game,” Astle said. “I think some people have been too quick to judge.”Lees, however, felt New Zealand couldn’t afford to lose him as a keeper. “We don’t know how bad his back is. I was surprised coach Mark Greatbatch did not originally know about that,” he said. “We are a weak team and need Brendon keeping to have the balance to beat the best in world.”Former New Zealand fast bowler, Danny Morrison, now a commentator, spoke out on the team’s recent performance. He felt the senior batsmen weren’t putting their hands up enough, going by New Zealand’s performance in the ICC World Twenty20 in the Caribbean and in Florida, where they were bowled out for 81 in a Twenty20 against Sri Lanka.”I think more onus needs to go on McCullum, [Ross] Taylor and [Jesse] Ryder as a core group of senior batsmen, who have a responsibility to perform. There was a glaring lack of runs in the Caribbean and it wasn’t good enough.”Shane Bond’s retirement from all forms has weakened the bowling attack, and Morrison called for the youngsters to fill the breach quickly. “It’s time young guys stepped up because big Daryl [Tuffey] and Chris [Martin] haven’t got long left at the top. They’re still useful, especially in New Zealand conditions with their pace and bounce, but aren’t getting it through at real pace. Brent Arnel is a prospect. He looks like he’s modelled himself on Shane Bond with a nice action and small delivery stride,” Morrison said.”I also saw Corey Anderson up close at the Hong Kong Sixes last year, albeit off a shorter run-up. He had a strong, powerful action with a top speed of over 140km/h. Andy McKay gets it through too.”

Round-up of the semi-finals of the Faysal Bank T-20 Cup 2010-11

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Oct-2010
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMohammad Yousuf led Lahore Lions into the final with a breezy half-century that helped his side overhaul Islamabad Leopards’ 132 with six wickets to spare in Lahore.Yousuf came in when Azhar Mahmood had struck twice in his first over to reduce Lahore to 18 for 2. Nasir Jamshed was the first to depart, driving Mahmood uppishly straight to cover after having hammered him for 12 runs in three deliveries. Mahmood then struck a huge blow off his next ball, bowling Umar Akmal off the inside edge.However, Yousuf and opener Ahmed Shehzad shut Islamabad out of the game with a 103-run stand that came in 13.1 overs. Yousuf played some pleasing drives down the ground and through the covers. He was also quick to cut anything short outside off, and even reverse-swept left-arm spinner Imad Wasim for a couple of fours. Shehzad was not too far behind, rotating the strike efficiently and hitting some huge sixes over long-on.Islamabad did not help themselves, Zeeshan dropping Yousuf at long-off when he was on 44. With 12 needed from 30 deliveries, Mahmood struck twice again, in his last over, getting both Shehzad and Abdul Razzaq caught at short fine leg. But it was too little, too late for Islamabad, as Yousuf finished the game in style, pulling Iftikhar Anjum over deep midwicket for six. He was the Player of the Match for his unbeaten 57 off 48 balls.Islamabad had earlier begun poorly, losing Raheel Majeed in the opening over bowled by Razzaq. Fayyaz Ahmed steadied the innings with a patient half-century, benefitting from two early dropped chances when on 0 and 13.At 98 for 3 with five overs to go, Islamabad were eyeing a score in the region of 150. However, the Lahore bowlers kept things tight, picking up five wickets to keep them down to 132. Wahab Riaz took two wickets off the last two deliveries of the innings to end with 3 for 26.
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
In a high-scoring second semi-final, Karachi Dolphins chased down a huge target with ease, thanks to opener Shahzaib Hasan’s unbeaten 71. Rawalpindi Rams seemed all set to reach the finals after 27-year-old Babar Naeem’s maiden Twenty20 half-century powered them past 200, but Karachi’s batting proved too strong for them.There had been a couple of stoppages during the Rawalpindi innings due to mosquitoes disturbing the players. That didn’t faze the Rawalpindi batsmen, though: opener Naved Malik showed why he has a career strike-rate in excess of 180 by blasting Sohail Khan for two sixes in the second over before carting Mohammad Sami for two fours and a six off consecutive deliveries in the fifth over.He was dismissed in the seventh over after which Naeem and Umar Amin piled on 93 for the third wicket in 49 deliveries. Both of them hit two big sixes each over midwicket and midway through the 15th over had taken Rawalpindi to an ominous 157 for 2. Both fell in the space of three deliveries, and though Naved Ashraf and Hammad Azam hit out, only 52 runs came in the final six overs.Still, it was a stiff target and though Shahzaib hit a six in each of the first two overs, Karachi lost two wickets by the fifth. Shahzaib’s innings was crucial and earned him the Man-of-the-Match award, but there were two thirties – from Fawad Alam and Shahid Afridi – that were equally important.It was Alam’s three boundaries off Azam in the sixth over – costing 21 runs – that re-ignited the chase. He made 31 off 15 to keep Karachi in the hunt before Afridi played a typical Afridi innings: his first three shots fetched him 2, 4 and 6, and he hammered Babar for three sixes over midwicket off the first three balls of the 12th over before falling attempting another big hit.There were few troubles after that as Afridi’s effort had brought the required rate to a manageable 8.5 and Karachi sailed to victory, hastened by a couple of fours by Sarfraz Ahmed and a six by Shahzaib in the space of four deliveries in the 18th over from Sohail Tanvir.

Aaron Finch played scored a nerveless 93 off 60 balls as pre-tournament favourites Victoria overcame a spirited effort by Central Districts, to chase 166 with two balls to spare

The Bulletin by Nitin Sundar15-Sep-2010
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsThe pressure of a tight chase hardly showed on Aaron Finch•Associated PressAaron Finch scored a nerveless 93 off 60 balls as pre-tournament favourites Victoria overcame a spirited effort by Central Districts, to chase 166 with two balls to spare. Central Districts punched above their weight for a large part of the match, with their captain Jamie How scoring an equally memorable 77, but their bowlers wilted against Finch’s assault, which was aggressive and measured in equal parts.Central Districts had finished their innings on a high, How turning around a lacklustre beginning with a flurry of boundaries at the end. The pressure was on Victoria, desperate to live up to their pre-tournament billing. Their reply ran into rough weather early, Rob Quiney and Matthew Wade perishing before they could get off the blocks, raising visions of the failed chase against Warriors in their tournament opener. Finch, however, was reading from a different script.While David Hussey struggled to connect with the big hits, Finch kept Victoria ticking with some aggressive running and the odd four. Without taking risks, he stole four of the five boundaries that came in the six overs following Wade’s dismissal. A punch off George Worker through extra-cover in the 12th was followed by a mow off Kieran Noema-Barnett through midwicket to bring up his fifty in the 13th over, off 40 balls. Hussey’s fall in the next over once again gave Central Districts the upper hand, but Finch carried on as if nothing had happened.Fifty-seven were required off the last five, not your regular walk in the park, but Finch wore an air of calmness that belied the pressure of the situation. Worker was heaved over square-leg in the 16th over; Michael Mason was top-edged to fine-leg in the 17th. Andrew McDonald joined in the fun, cross-batting Mason over long off to reduce the equation to 36 off 18.Central Districts’ limitations were exposed towards the end, as Seth Rance struggled to land his yorkers. Finch tucked in with two boundaries towards fine-leg, before carting Mason inside-out for six more. Brad Patton dropped McDonald off the last ball of the 19th, more importantly conceding two runs and leaving Victoria needing 12 off the last over. The force was clearly with Victoria, and Finch sealed the deal, edging Doug Bracewell through third man before launching him out of the park to end the game.If Finch’s innings was an exercise in maintaining the momentum and staying in touch from start to finish, How’s knock showcased how to get used to the pace before exploding. Victoria had begun well, Peter Siddle striking twice in his opening over, coming back after seven-and-a-half months. Mathew Sinclair and Worker fell by the wayside after getting off to starts, leaving the innings rudderless at 83 for 4 in the 14th over.Luckily for them, How had managed to see off the attritional period and was primed for a late assault. He top-edged Siddle over third-man in the 15th over and followed it up next ball with a gorgeous pull into the midwicket stands. Bryce McGain was smashed down the ground for six more, and Dirk Nannes paddled to fine-leg as How warmed up for the final flourish.Brendon Diamanti set the tone, lofting the first ball of the 18th over over the long-off boundary before turning the strike to his captain. What followed was an exhibition of immaculate stroke-making as How picked his spots with precision. He drove the next two balls down the ground, and followed it up with a paddle-sweep and a tickle to third-man, all for fours. The last of those was above waist height and had to be rebowled. How cashed in, drilling the length offering over Hastings’ head as 28 came off the over.At that point it seemed Central Districts had done enough for their first win in the tournament. Finch, however did not flinch; even in the 17th over of the chase, when he was beaten outside the off stump, with the asking rate mounting out of control, he kept his cool. No wild, desperate swishes of the bat either – he simply popped a bubble in the gum he was chewing, and carried on. On this day, he could do no wrong. And he knew it.

Liverpool are in for a potentially busy transfer deadline day with several transfers possibly materialising, according to reliable journalist Neil Jones.

The Lowdown: Productive January at Anfield

The Reds have had an excellent January both on and off the pitch, shining without Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita around and winning all their Premier League games.

Furthermore, Luis Diaz has arrived as a big-money signing from Porto, with the Colombian set to make Liverpool’s attack even more potent.

It could be that plenty of transfer business is conducted at Anfield on deadline day, both in terms of incomings and outgoings.

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The Latest: Jones gives key update

Taking to Twitter on Monday morning, Jones claimed that Fabio Carvalho could still join from Fulham, while the likes of Neco Williams, Nat Phillips, Takumi Minamino and Divock Origi could head the other way.

He outlined: “Plenty happening at Liverpool on #deadlineday. Talks ongoing over Fabio Carvalho from Fulham – would be loaned back until summer if signed. Bournemouth likely to get Neco Williams on loan, Nat Phillips future still TBC. Minamino wants to stay, possible Origi bids?”

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The Verdict: Lots of positives

It is great to see Liverpool looking so busy in the transfer market, especially following some fairly barren recent windows, leading to criticism of FSG from some fans.

Carvalho could be a superb long-term signing if he makes the move, having scored seven goals and registered four assists in the Championship this season, potentially being a Harvey Elliott-like addition in midfield as the Reds potentially raid Fulham again.

Meanwhile, the largely inactive Williams would benefit from a loan spell elsewhere, and receiving good money for fringe players in Phillips, Minamino and Origi is a no-brainer, should the right offer come along. None of those look set to be stalwarts of the future at Anfield.

In other news, some Liverpool fans are happy after an update on one player emerged. Read more here.

Australia are closing in on a series-levelling victory at the WACA after ripping out five England wickets during the final session to back up Michael Hussey’s 116 which continued his phenomenal series

The Bulletin by Andrew McGlashan18-Dec-2010
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsJames Anderson can only look on as Ryan Harris celebrates Paul Collingwood’s last-ball dismissal•Getty ImagesAustralia are closing in on a series-levelling victory at the WACA after ripping out five England wickets during the final session to back up Michael Hussey’s 116 which continued his phenomenal series. Mitchell Johnson and Ryan Harris both struck in the final five minutes of play to finish with two apiece while other scalp, the key one of Kevin Pietersen for 3, went to the hardworking Ben Hilfenhaus as England lurched to stumps on 5 for 81.Those final few moments did huge damage to England who were already struggling. Jonathan Trott had played well for 31 before fencing at Johnson and, in a sign of how fortunes have changed, Ricky Ponting parried the ball at second slip only for Brad Haddin to snap up the chance. Ponting immediately left the field for treatment on a finger so missed the final-ball drama when the out-of-form Paul Collingwood edge Harris to third slip, the ball after nightwatchman James Anderson declined a single to take the strike off Collingwood.Hussey and Shane Watson, who fell five runs short of his hundred, were chiefly responsible for building Australia’s strong position as they extended their fourth-wicket stand to 113. After that, England staged a fightback with Chris Tremlett claiming his maiden five-wicket haul as the last six wickets fell for 55 but, despite the positive talk of a repeat of South Africa’s 414-run chase in 2008-09, history was always unlikely to repeat itself.Australia were mightily pumped up for the final session, knowing the quick bowlers could go full throttle. Ponting wasn’t afraid to switch the bowlers around and it was a change of ends for Harris that brought the first breakthrough when Alastair Cook was struck on the back leg. Cook asked Andrew Strauss if it was worth a review, but wasn’t supported by his captain. The ball would have clipped the bails.Smart Stats

Shane Watson’s 95 was the fourth time he has fallen in the nineties in his career. He has two centuries and 14 fifties.

Michael Hussey’s century was his second of the series and the 13th of his career. He averages almost 61 in home Tests but just over 39 in away Tests.

The 113 run partnership between Hussey and Watson was the third century stand for the fourth wicket for Australia against England in Test matches at Perth.

In 11 innings since June 2010, Kevin Pietersen has scored 477 runs with one century and two fifties. He has scored less than 10 in five of these innings.

Of the ten previous occasions that Australia have set a target over 300 at Perth, they have gone on to win on seven occasions and drawn twice. The only loss came against South Africa in 2008.

Johnson had been brought on in the sixth over and offered a couple of boundary balls, then tightened up to off stump and found Strauss’s edge which flew comfortably to Ponting at second slip. Whereas Hussey had given a lesson in what to leave, England’s batsmen were far less certain.Pietersen also chased a wide delivery that he poked to first slip to give Hilfenhaus his first wicket since the third ball of the series. Pietersen had escaped a pair with a pull to fine leg but hadn’t settled when he hung his bat out, although it was nothing less than Hilfenhaus deserved for a probing spell. For Pietersen it was his lowest contribution when he has batted twice in a Test. Like his team, it’s been quite a comedown from Adelaide.Throughout the match it has been tough for batsmen when they first come in, which emphasises the importance of the lone hundred so far from Hussey. His latest masterclass made him the first batsman to hit six consecutive fifty-plus scores in a Ashes Tests, a run dating back to his futile hundred at The Oval in 2009. He also became the leading run-scorer in the series, overtaking Cook, and made this the most prolific series of his career. Not bad for a player who nearly lost his place before it all started in Brisbane.He brought up his hundred with a crunching pull, the manner in which many of his boundaries arrived as England maintained the plan of feeding his strength. He was barely troubled by any of the short-pitched offerings, which although working against some of his team-mates were a futile and wasted effort to Hussey.Hussey has an impressive conversion rate of fifties to hundreds, but the same can’t yet be said of Watson. He’d barely put a foot wrong during his innings, unfurling some thumping drives against Steven Finn as he moved carefully to 95 and within sight of his third Test century. Tremlett then got one to hold its line on middle which Watson missed, but the batsman called for a review thinking he’d hit the ball.It was a small window for England, which looked to have become a little bigger when Steven Smith was given caught at slip off an inside edge by Billy Doctrove, but this time the UDRS worked in Australia’s favour when no nick was detected and the ball was also heading over the stumps. It was a skittish innings from Smith, who could also have been run out, before Tremlett’s move to round the wicket worked as Smith gloved down the leg sideHaddin began with a sweep for six over midwicket against Swann, who only bowled five overs in the day and struggled, but got an inside edge into the stumps to give Tremlett a fourth. The lower order couldn’t offer Hussey much support as Johnson drove to cover, Harris pulled to deep midwicket and Siddle edged to third to slip to hand Anderson his 200th Test wicket.Hussey finally departed to the pull, when he picked out deep square-leg to give Tremlett a deserved five-wicket haul, but his innings had set up victory that will arrive on Sunday. And from the position Australia were in on the first afternoon, that’s an astonishing turnaround.