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While their last four results have been less than ideal, West Ham United are quietly having a brilliant season in the Premier League and Europa League.

David Moyes may have got it wrong in the FA Cup, but his side currently sit sixth in the league, are through to the knockout rounds on the continent and have just added Kalvin Phillips to the mix – the future looks bright for the Eastenders.

Things could be about to get even better as one of the latest players touted for a move to the London Stadium could further challenge the side's midfielders and potentially become the perfect partner for the on-loan City man.

The Hammers look to Germany for Phillips' ideal partner

According to a report from German publication BILD earlier this week (via TEAMtalk), West Ham are among several clubs 'converging' on Borussia Mönchengladbach's star midfielder Florian Neuhaus this month.

The report has claimed that there is a 'good chance' that the German international could leave the Bundesliga giants this month or, failing that, in the summer, with the Hammers, Liverpool, Aston Villa, and VfB Stuttgart all keen to land his signature.

While there hasn't been a reliable report into how much the 26-year-old might cost this month, it was reported in the summer that a fee of around £35m would be enough to seal the deal.

While that's not cheap, it could prove to be value for money for an experienced midfielder with ten international caps and 163 Bundesliga appearances to his name.

How Neuhaus compares to West Ham's central midfielders

Now, unless Phillips arrives in East London with zero match fitness and makes several horrific appearances in a row, he's likely to take one of the starting spots in central midfield. After all, he wouldn't swap a place on Manchester City's bench for a place on the bench somewhere else, and the Hammers wouldn't pay a loan fee and cover his £140k-per-week wages to use him as a backup.

With that in mind, Neuhaus' best way into the starting XI relies on him being able to displace the other starting central midfielder, be that Edson Alvarez or Tomas Soucek.

The former 1860 Munich star is a versatile player and has been used all as a ten, eight and a six in the past, but with James Ward-Prowse being one of the first names on the teamsheet in that ten position – he has started 100% of the Hammers' league games – it seems ludicrous that the German would take his place.

So that leaves the Czech and Mexican internationals as his most significant competition in East London, and from an average league goal and assists front, he has them beaten, scoring three goals in 703 league minutes this season, to Alvarez's one assist in 1344 minutes, and Soucek's five goals and one assist in 1620 minutes.

His superiority goes beyond just goals and assists, though, as when comparing the trio's underlying numbers from this season, the "complete midfielder", as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, comes out on top in the vast majority of relevant metrics.

For example, in every attacking statistic, the "top-class" German, as dubbed by Kulig, dominates his potential competition, especially regarding progressive passes, progressive carries and shot-creating action per 90.

Neuhaus

Soucek

Alvarez

0.33

0.29

0.03

0.38

0.28

0.00

4.87

2.50

2.75

3.31

0.54

0.28

1.02

0.56

0.07

85.1%

75.0%

85.4%

3.46

1.17

0.87

1.15

1.00

1.34

1.41

1.22

1.28

6.15

4.61

5.84

Moreover, while he wins fewer tackles per 90 than Alvarez, he makes more interceptions than both players and with Phillips next to him, Neuhaus may well have more licence to influence things further up the pitch as well.

West Ham eyeing late move to sign their own version of Konate

David Moyes would sign a real “soldier” in this Premier League player.

ByAngus Sinclair Jan 31, 2024

Ultimately, if the fee of £35m is accurate, or even close to the actual cost of signing the Mönchengladbach star, then Moyes and Co should be pushing hard for this deal as he could help push the club further up the table and genuinely challenge for the Europa League.

The January transfer window is less than a week away from opening for business and Glasgow Rangers could dip into the market to bolster their squad.

Philippe Clement arrived at Ibrox in October and has not yet had the opportunity to make a single signing of his own since he replaced Michael Beale in the dugout.

Despite not having any of his own signings in the door, the Belgian tactician has won 13 and drawn three of his 16 competitive matches in charge and secured his first trophy – the League Cup – as the Gers boss.

It has been a terrific start to life in Scottish football and Clement could be eyeing up more pieces of silverware during the second half of the campaign; including the Scottish Premiership title.

The Gers are currently two points behind Celtic and have a game in hand over their rivals, which means that the title race is in their hands as it stands.

Rangers could bolster their chances of securing the league crown by making a statement signing next month and that could come in the form of Hearts star Lawrence Shankland.

Rangers transfer news – Lawrence Shankland

Clement has already confirmed that a new number nine is one of his priorities for the January transfer window as his options are threadbare in that department.

Kemar Roofe is currently on the sidelines and has now missed a staggering 86 competitive matches for the Gers since the start of the 2020/21 campaign.

Brazilian forward Danilo is also out of action and is set to be out until around April after he suffered a knee injury that has ruled him out for four months.

This has left Cyriel Dessers as the club's only senior centre-forward option during the festive period and that is why it is important for Rangers to bring another striker to Ibrox in January.

Writing for the Daily Record, former Gers forward Kenny Miller recently urged the Scottish giants to swoop for Shankland as he could make the difference during the title run-in.

The retired marksman hailed the Scotland international's all-round play and wrote that the Hearts ace, and Aberdeen's Bojan Miovski, is better than any striker at Rangers or Celtic currently.

This comes after TEAMtalk reported over the summer that the Gers were interested in a deal to sign the SPFL star during the summer transfer window.

They claimed that Shankland was high up on Beale's list of striker targets as the English head coach was eyeing up players to replace Alfredo Morelos, who departed on a free transfer.

The Light Blues ended up signing Danilo and Dessers instead but they are now in the market to find a replacement for the former, who will be on the sidelines for the next few months, and the Hearts gem could be a dream option to come in.

Danilo's season in numbers

Beale signed the Brazilian centre-forward from Dutch side Feyenoord in the summer in a reported deal that is worth up to £6m and he endured a mixed start to the campaign.

The 24-year-old whiz failed to score or assist in any of his four appearances in the Champions League qualifiers as the Gers ended up dropping down to the Europa League.

Danilo did, however, play a significant role in the club's League Cup success as the striker produced one goal and two assists in two appearances – including two assists against Hearts in the semi-final.

The ex-Ajax prospect also racked up four goals and one assist in 12 Premiership appearances under Beale and Clement combined, despite only being handed five starts.

He was able to shake off his Champions League struggles to impress in Europe as the attacker scored one goal and provided two assists in two Europa League starts during the group stage.

In total, Danilo has started ten matches (out of 21 appearances) in all competitions for Rangers since his move to Ibrox in the summer and has plundered six goals and five assists.

These statistics show that the former Feyenoord whiz has been terrific when called upon and is a reliable attacker in terms of his contributions as both a scorer and a creator of goals at the top end of the pitch.

This highlights what the Gers will be missing over the next few months and that is why Clement must swoop to sign Shankland as a replacement for Danilo during the January transfer window.

The statistics that show why Rangers should sign Shankland

The Hearts sensation is a proven Premiership performer who could come in and hit the ground running to give the Light Blues a boost in their pursuit of the title.

He knows what it takes to score goals at that level and has showcased his quality over the past 18 months or so, which suggests that he has the quality to be an excellent signing for the club.

Premiership

109

37

11

Championship

120

62

12

League One

45

34

13

League Two

33

11

Two

As you can see in the table above, Shankland has been a prolific scorer, and impressive creator, at every level of professional football in Scotland over the years.

In fact, he is currently the top scorer in the Premiership with his superb return of ten goals in 18 league matches for Hearts so far this season.

The Scotland international has only missed two 'big chances' in front of goal to reach double digits. Whereas, Dessers has spurned 11 'big chances' and only scored six goals for Rangers.

Shankland plundered 28 goals and four assists in 47 appearances in all competitions for Hearts throughout the 2022/23 campaign and is currently on 15 goals and three assists in 25 outings this term.

These statistics show that the £3k-per-week whiz, who was described as a "natural finisher" by journalist Josh Bunting, is a regular contributor with goals and assists at the top end of the pitch.

He has the quality to consistently find the back of the net in the top-flight of Scottish football without being wasteful with the chances that come his way and that is why Shankland could be a terrific signing for the Gers to replace the injured Danilo.

England and Bayern Munich star Harry Kane has teamed up with the BBC to offer advice to youngsters about their mental health.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Mental Health Awareness Week is underway
• Kane joins forces with the BBC for a team talk
• Offers advice to youngsters about mental health

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  During Mental Health Awareness Week (May 13-19), the Three Lions striker joined the BBC's Team Moodboosters for a 'Huddle with Harry'. The 30-year-old spoke about the positives of talking about your feelings, not bottling them all up, and chatting to a teacher, carer, parent or sports coach for help.

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• WHAT HARRY KANE SAID

  In his Instagram post, former Tottenham forward Kane wrote: "As part of Mental Health Awareness Week, I was delighted to give a little team talk for BBC Life Lessons about how youngsters can open up about their feelings."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Kane has developed a reputation for being one of the best strikers in the world off the back of playing for Tottenham, Bayern Munich, and England. But for all his efforts on the pitch, the Three Lions skipper is also doing great work to help people's mental health, too.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Kane has been out with a back injury of late but he will hope to feature in Bayern's last Bundesliga game of the season, an away trip to Hoffenheim this weekend. After that, the striker will prepare for this year's Euros with England.

MatériaMais Notícias

Um dos principais jogadores do Brasiliense e em alta no clube, o atacante Zé Love terminou a última Série D do Campeonato Brasileiro como artilheiro da competição com doze gols. Feliz com a fase que vive, o jogador, ex-Santos, Palmeiras, Vitória, Coritiba e Sport, falou sobre esse bom momento na carreira.

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– Estou muito feliz com tudo que vem acontecendo comigo desde que cheguei ao clube. Estou atuando em alto nível novamente e isso me deixa feliz. Agora é continuar trabalhando para que os gols saiam mais e mais até o fim de 2021. Vou me dedicar ao máximo para que isso seja possível – disse o jogador.

Ainda de acordo com o atleta, o time candango tem tudo para fazer uma grande temporada.

– Estamos lutando para que a equipe cresça e para que possamos fazer uma grande temporada em 2021. Vamos nos dedicar ao máximo por isso.

West Ham United extended their unbeaten run in the Premier League to four games after an impressive victory over Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham Hotspur last time out, a late James Ward-Prowse rebound effort winning the game for the Hammers 2-1.

The Hammers getting the better of a charitable Spurs side slipping up once more in the league means David Moyes' men are now only four points shy of a top-four place, with Fulham now up next at Craven Cottage on Sunday.

Despite confidence coursing through the east London side's veins at this moment in time, Moyes could be tempted to tweak his line-up slightly for West Ham's short trip over to West London tomorrow.

Here is the West Ham predicted XI, with Lucas Paqueta potentially dropping out…

1 GK – Łukasz Fabiański

Fabiański filled in last time out in the absence of usual first-team goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, the Frenchman sidelined with an injury.

It looks as if the former Paris St.Germain man won't be back for the clash at Craven Cottage either, meaning the 38-year-old reserve goalkeeper will more than likely start again at Fulham.

Fabiański was crucial at points away at Spurs to ensure his team didn't concede more than one goal, making five saves in total, as per Sofascore.

2 RB – Vladimir Coufal

West Ham's Czech right-back continues to be a pivotal player for his team, notching up five assists this season already from defence.

Coufal did have an off-day by his standards against Spurs – only winning two of his seven duels in the away win – but it shouldn't be enough for Moyes to axe the 31-year-old from his starting eleven.

3 CB – Kurt Zouma

Hammers captain Kurt Zouma performed competently against Tottenham to ensure his team got over the line, clearing the ball away twice from danger in the game when the home side looked like breaching the West Ham defence.

The towering defender did win zero of his duels in the game in what will be a disappointing statistic for the ex-Chelsea man to look at, but Moyes should keep the French defender in his line-up for Fulham tomorrow.

4 CB – Nayef Aguerd

Zouma's centre-back partner Nayef Aguerd was the brighter of the two central defenders in the game at Spurs, the Moroccan battler winning all of his ground duels on the night.

Moreover, West Ham's £30m man did the dirty work required of him with seven clearances and four tackles registered in a game that saw the Hammers number 27 successfully nullify the likes of Heung-Min Son foraying forward.

5 LB – Emerson Palmieri

The main stand-out defender from a resilient Hammers back four was however Emerson Palmieri, the Italian left-back missing only one match under Moyes this season in the league and for good reason.

West Ham's number 33 won eight of his 12 attempted ground duels at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last time out, a key figure when Tottenham ramped up the pressure in attack.

This is just a snippet of how important Palmieri has become for the Hammers this season, completing 4.6 ball recoveries per game on average as a vital tireless body down the flanks.

6 CM – Tomas Soucek

Tomas Soucek has been a fan favourite for some time now in east London, joining from Slavia Prague in 2020 and never looking back.

This season, Soucek continues to be a reliable figure in the middle of the park for Moyes' men as was displayed by his performance versus Postecoglou's side – intercepting the ball four times in total while playing the role of a brute enforcer.

The Czech midfielder will hope he can add another goal to his ever-increasing Premier League tally of four this season away at Craven Cottage, Soucek one strike away from 30 all-time Hammers goals.

7 CM – James Ward-Prowse

Another player in midfield who has gone on leaps and bounds since leaving their old club behind is Ward-Prowse, the ex-Southampton hero now a decisive match-winner for the Irons in the top-flight as was seen in the narrow Spurs away victory.

This isn't the only goal Ward-Prowse has scored this season, the creative 29-year-old has three goals this season for Moyes' men on top of his astounding ten assists helping the Hammers pull off some impressive victories.

Whilst Soucek operates as an anchor-style figure in the midfield three, the ex-Saints man is allowed to roam more freely and helps the Hammers unlock stern opposition defences with his flair and trickery.

8 CM – Edson Álvarez

Signed this summer from Ajax for a substantial £35.4m fee, Edson Álvarez hasn't let the hefty price tag get the better of him since relocating to the London Stadium.

Álvarez had a quiet game against Tottenham last match, but his understated approach in the game was still useful. Only amassing 30 touches in the contest, his composure on the ball was almost faultless when he did find himself in possession – rarely hitting a pass wayward, misplacing two passes all night.

Moyes will retain the former Eredivisie player in his lineup for the short trip to the Craven Cottage, the Mexican midfielder going under the radar at his new club.

9 RW – Jarrod Bowen

Jarrod Bowen has been a prolific hero in front of goal for his employers this campaign, already finding the back of the net nine times from 14 appearances in the top flight.

Bowen originally joined the Hammers as an unknown entity from Hull City after an impactful spell with the Tigers, but now he is a crucial figure in his manager's plans week in, week out.

His instinctive finish against Spurs helped his team level the scores at 1-1, a crucial strike that paved the way for Ward-Prowse to score a golden chance late on to win the game.

10 ST – Mohammed Kudus

With Michail Antonio still ruled out of contention for the away game at Fulham, Moyes will more than likely persist with Mohammed Kudus as a lone unorthodox striker.

Kudus didn't really ever spark into life mid-week, only registering two shots on goal as a makeshift forward presence.

Yet, with a lack of options for Moyes to call upon from the bench to play as an out-and-out centre forward minus an ageing Danny Ings, the Scottish manager will hope the former Ajax man can be more of a lively nuisance against Marco Silva's men up top.

For his former employers in Amsterdam, Kudus did infrequently play as a centre-forward and scored nine times playing there. Could he break his striker duck for the Hammers tomorrow?

Tottenham Hotspur are "extremely keen" on signing a £60 million star with two of Ange Postecoglou's players set for a 2024 leave of absence.

Lange's Spurs transfer targets

New sporting director Johan Lange will now step into the shoes of former transfer chief Fabio Paratici after the Italian received a 30-month worldwide ban from football earlier this year. While Paratici is believed to still be advising Spurs on a consultancy basis, Lange's appointment comes as a significant one following his departure from Aston Villa.

The 43-year-old was responsible for signing the likes of Ollie Watkins, Matty Cash and World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez during his time in the Midlands, so Lilywhites supporters will be hoping he can replicate similar decisions at Spurs.

So far, reports have suggested that Lange has his eyes on a new defender after Micky van de Ven's injury blow. The Dutchman is expected to be back by 2024, but van de Ven and Cristian Romero's absences (through suspension) have brought attention to Tottenham's serious lack of options behind them.

Tottenham Hotspur's summer signings	Fee
Dejan Kulusevski (Juventus) – loan to permanent	£25.6m
James Maddison (Leicester City)	£40m
Guglielmo Vicario (Empoli)	£17.2m
Manor Solomon (Shakhtar Donetsk)	Free
Pedro Porro (Sporting CP)	£39m
Micky van de Ven (Wolfsburg)	£43m
Ashley Phillips (Blackburn)	Undisclosed
Alejo Veliz (Rosario Central)	Undisclosed
Brennan Johnson (Nottingham Forest)	£47.5m
All transfer fees via Sky Sports

Postecoglou has been forced to call upon the previously out-of-favour Eric Dier and Ben Davies in place of Romero and van de Ven, so a new centre-back is apparently on the agenda. Uruguay star Sebastian Caceres, Everton's Ben Godfrey, Crystal Palace ace Marc Guehi, Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah and Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly have all been linked with moves to Spurs to solve that problem.

Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma are also set for a 2024 leave of absence when they travel to represent their countries at the Africa Cup of Nations, which will leave Tottenham short in midfield. As a result, Spurs are battling to keep Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and are believed to be keen on bringing in another option.

Tottenham "extremely keen" on Neves

Indeed, as Postecoglou faces losing both Sarr and Bissouma for an extended period next year, there are reports that former Wolves star Ruben Neves is on Lange's radar. The midfielder, now of Al-Hilal, wants to make a Premier League return in January – which would be just seven months after he opted to join the Saudi side.

A six-month loan move back to England is apparently on the cards for Neves. The Portugal international has struggled to adapt to life in the Middle East, and if his club do green-light a temporary exit, there may also be an opportunity to buy him permanently for £60 million in the summer.

Neves is apparently "intent" on a winter window departure, and that's where Spurs come in, as it is claimed Tottenham are "extremely keen" on signing Neves to plug their midfield gaps.

If Hojbjerg were to depart, Oliver Skipp and Rodrigo Bentancur would stand out as their only available senior midfielders with Bissouma and Sarr away on international duty.

Ruben Neves strengths
Passing
Long shots
Concentration
Ball interception

The 26-year-old was a key player for Wolves over many years, with Hugo Bueno calling him an "incredible" star at Molineux.

“He always runs the whole pitch and he’s always there," said Bueno on Neves (Shropshire Star).

"I don’t know how he does it. He is a key player for us. He works very, very hard to win the ball back and also when we have the ball he can control in the game. He is an incredible player and hopefully he can give us more things like this in the future.”

After a solid start, West Ham United have struggled for form as of late with defeats against Everton and Brentford summing up a month to forget for David Moyes’ side. Their initial form means that they’re still clear of any relegation troubles, but the Hammers will want to get back on track as soon as possible to ensure that remains the case.

The defeat on Saturday will have left Moyes the most frustrated, given that his side took a 2-1 lead before capitulating and ending the day on the wrong end of a 3-2 loss. On a run to forget, one particular pundit has delivered his verdict on the managerial situation at the club.

David Moyes contract latest

As things stand, Moyes’ contract is set to come to an end next summer when West Ham may well be looking to start a new chapter in their history, with reports suggesting that West Ham have put contract talks with Moyes on hold until later in the season. If this is to be it for the Scot at the London Stadium, then he will undoubtedly receive the farewell of a hero, as when Moyes came in, survival and mid-table comforts were the expectations.

Years later, he has more than exceeded those by winning a European trophy and overseeing Europa League qualification.

With plenty of credit in the bank, pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor believes that Moyes should be offered a new contract at West Ham. After hearing the recent update, the former Aston Villa striker told Football Insider:

“I think they have to give him a new contract. It’s disgraceful if they don’t. He’s just won them their first trophy in many years, they’re in and around the top seven fighting – I don’t see why he wouldn’t get a new deal.

“The West Ham fans were complaining at the start of the season, but then they picked up and they look like a good team. I think they have to give him a new deal. With what he’s done for the club, it’s huge, he deserves one.”

The ball could yet be in Moyes’ court when it comes to renewing his current West Ham deal. The veteran manager has built the Hammers into a side capable of not only staying up but a side looking to challenge for the European places in the Premier League. Now in a position to welcome talents as impressive as Mohammed Kudus, too, Moyes could be leaving the club at arguably the highest point of their recent history.

If West Ham fail to negotiate a new deal or decide against one with their current boss, then they will be left with no choice but to go on the hunt for someone to lead a new era at the club. As things stand, it remains to be seen just who that new appointment could be, with a lot left to change until the end of the current campaign. For now, West Ham may just be focused on ensuring that Moyes continues his job over the coming months.

Sarah Taylor, the England wicketkeeper, will miss the Women’s World T20 in the Caribbean in November due to the ongoing treatment of the anxiety issue that has caused her to take regular time away from the game in recent seasons.Taylor, who played a key role in England’s World Cup victory in 2017, was in prime form with the bat and behind the stumps this season. On the international front, she helped ensure a clean sweep of trophies in England’s series against New Zealand and South Africa, including a matchwinning century against South Africa at Hove in June. Domestically, she was an integral member of the Surrey Stars team that claimed victory in the Kia Super League Final.Perhaps the highlight of Taylor’s summer’s work, however – certainly in terms of the viral clips that circulated on social media – was her series of remarkable leg-side stumpings for England, feats of athleticism which confirmed that, pound for pound, she is among the most talented cricketers of her generation, male or female.However, Taylor’s availability for England has been carefully managed ever since she took a year out of the sport in the wake of the last World T20 in India in 2016. And, having missed the subsequent tour of India earlier this year, a “mutual decision” has been reached that she should sit out this winter’s engagements too.”Since the end of the summer Sarah hasn’t been able to train fully with the squad due to not being as fit as she would want to be from a psychological point of view,” England’s head coach, Mark Robinson, said.”At the moment she isn’t in a place where we would all be comfortable that the demanding training, playing and travel schedule wouldn’t potentially put her backwards and make her road to full recovery longer.”It’s important we see mental health in a similar way to a player with a physical injury. You wouldn’t risk a player if you felt that playing them with an injury would increase the chances of them being out for a long time or the issue even becoming career-threatening.”Sarah will continue to train at Loughborough at a pace more suited to where she is right now with a view to hopefully being fully fit in the new year. All of our players’ health and well-being is the most important thing and we must never lose sight of that in the intense and demanding world of professional sport.”Either way, her absence from England duty is a blow, as Heather Knight’s team look to emulate the efforts of their predecessors in 2009, who managed to add the World T20 title to the World Cup that they had claimed earlier in the same year.England are due to announce their squad on October 4, with Amy Jones now expected to be the frontrunner for the wicketkeeping role.

In March this year, Hiren Bhanu, owner of Pretoria Mavericks, made the offer for the rights to host a competition in the country

Firdose Moonda17-Jul-2018

Cricket South Africa President Chris Nenzani speaks at the inaugural player draft of the T20 Global League•T20 Global League

Cricket South Africa (CSA) turned down a USD 70 million offer from a private businessman to own and run a 20-over league in the country. In March this year, six months after the cancellation of the inaugural GLT20, Hiren Bhanu, owner of Pretoria Mavericks, offered CSA USD 70 million for over 11 years for the rights to host a competition in the country. CSA rejected Bhanu’s offer and, in June, signed an signed an equity deal with broadcaster for a similar tournament, the details of which have yet to be ironed out.In a letter seen by ESPNcricinfo, dated June 19, 2018, CSA’s then acting CEO Thabang Moroe informed Bhanu the board had rejected his proposal. “The CSA Board and its Members’ Council has considered your proposal to privatise the league for a definite period in exchange for a guaranteed fee to CSA. Much as all the proposals that were received were compelling and well-presented, including yours, unfortunately they were not favorably considered.”Asked specifically why the board had rejected Bhanu’s proposal, a CSA spokesperson said: “CSA has, in writing, thanked all prospective buyers for their interest in the league and have also communicated their decision in selecting the SuperSport equity model.”For Bhanu, the situation resembles a “monopoly,” as SuperSport already owns the rights to all cricket played in South Africa – domestic and international – and initially refused to pay the broadcast fees CSA wanted for the GLT20, which led to the tournament being scuppered. Moreover, Bhanu believed he was offering CSA a lifeline by offering to handle the entire logistics of a league, and he was led to believe – in messages seen by ESPNcricinfo – they would be interested in his offer.On May 4, an independent director on the CSA board sent Bhanu a message saying, “I am lobbying Louis [von Zeuner, another independent director] and Chris [Nenzani, board president] regarding your proposal. So far it looks good on the phone.” Ten days later, the same board member sent Bhanu another message to say his proposal was about to be discussed (on May 20) and that Bhanu could “say TY (thank you) to me later.”The proposal was sent to the board by CSA’s financial head Naasei Appiah and then turned down. When Bhanu learnt of CSA’s deal with SuperSport, he questioned the board member, who replied. “What can I do?” In the same conversation, Bhanu told the board member the existing GLT20 owners were planning an injunction and considered CSA’s actions unfair.In the weeks after CSA’s announcement, three franchises – the Durban Qalanders, Nelson Mandela Bay Stars and Bloem City Blazers – all released statements demanding to be reinstated as owners in any T20 competition CSA held. They all indicated they would take legal action against CSA if they were not kept on.Bhanu is considering the same, but also wants to charge CSA for costs he puts at between USD 400,000 and USD 500,000. Those include flights for a trip to India for Moroe and Appiah in November last year that Bhanu paid for because apparently CSA’s travel agent was unable to book flights while his was. The visit was to try and convince the BCCI to allow Indian players to participate in the South African league. Bhanu said the BCCI were willing to consider that, if the tournament was played in August. CSA insists they have refunded Bhanu for the flights, but he told ESPNcricinfo he has not received any monies.CSA have not clarified whether they will continue to engage with private owners but ESPNcricinfo understands they have requested a meeting with the existing owners in early August. Bhanu has indicated he will not attend the meeting.Bhanu was brought on as owner of the Pretoria franchise after it emerged that Osman Osman, the man who was unveiled as the original owner at the launch last June and the only South African to own a franchise, did not have the USD 50 million required to own a franchise for 10 years. Bhanu was approached to take over the Pretoria franchise by former board head Haroon Lorgat and Venu Nair, who was working for Ortus, the company CSA initially engaged to run the GLT20. Osman was kept on as a minority shareholder and has his own grievances with CSA, relating to how they repaid his deposit.

The allrounder won the Man of the Match award for his four-wicket haul in India’s first innings and then a brilliant 63 from 65 balls to rescue England from calamity

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Aug-2018A pulsating Edgbaston Test may have been lit up by a masterful batting contribution from an all-time great in Virat Kohli, and sealed on the final morning by a three-wicket burst from England’s premier allrounder, Ben Stokes. And yet, the Man of the Match award went to a 20-year-old rookie in only his second Test – and the recipient, Sam Curran, found it hard to believe what he had been a part of.”I can’t take it in,” Curran said during the post-match presentations. “It’s all so special, it feels like I’m dreaming. I’m sure I’ll sleep well tonight as I didn’t sleep last night!”In spite of his tender years, Curran grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck twice in as many days. First, he routed India’s top order, claiming three wickets in eight balls en route to first-innings figures of 4 for 74.Then – after Kohli’s brilliant 149 had hauled India back into the ascendancy – he rescued England’s second innings from calamity at 87 for 7 with a counterattacking 63 from 65 balls.It was a precocious display from a player whose temperament has been well known on the county circuit since his Surrey debut as a 16-year-old. But even for a player used to taking the big stage in his stride, this was a step up in intensity.”I tried to take it as another game but it is quite hard when the Barmy Army is chanting down there, and you’ve got world-class players on show, and I’m just on my second game, trying to learn my way. But it’s awesome., I’m just taking it in.”He is, however, well used to gleaning advice from the senior men around him, and Curran admitted that he followed the example of two all-time greats in producing his vital maiden half-century – Kohli on the one hand, and Kumar Sangakkara, his former Surrey team-mate turned Sky Sports commentator, on the other.”To be honest, I was trying to learn a bit from Virat in the first innings, when he batted with the tail,” Curran said. “But chatted with Kumar in the hotel the other day and he also told me a few things about batting with the tail. A few came out of the middle and I was lucky enough to get a few runs.”Joe Root, England’s grateful captain, was full of praise for the manner in which Curran rose to the challenge in the most intense atmosphere of his young career, but also warned that expectations should be tempered so early in his career.”He played a brilliant game, with a huge amount of skill, and he didn’t seem to feel any sort of pressure there,” said Root. “He loves the occasion, it’s like having two Ben Stokes, which is a great thing. But two Tests in, it’s very easy to get carried away.”Stokes himself, whose three wickets on the final morning sealed England’s victory, also credited Curran’s impact as the decisive moment of the Test.”I thought we are a bit behind with the lead but Sam Curran took them out of play,” he said. “The way that he played at such a young age, that was the big turning point of this Test match.”The world is clearly at Curran’s feet at the age of 20, with IPL contracts doubtless in the offing after impressing India’s huge viewership throughout the first Test. But, he said, the chance to win a Test match for England was the ultimate fulfilment of his ambition.”I have dreamt of this growing up,” he said. “Playing Test cricket, in front of these big crowds, with all these players I’ve seen growing up. Stokesy, Jimmy, Broady, I’m just trying to learn a bit every day.”Asked if he’d felt any nerves in what, personally speaking, had been a nerveless display, Curran responded: “Obviously Jimmy getting that first one of [Dinesh] Karthik, that gave us a bit more confidence, but whilst Kohli was there it was obviously going to be nervous. But luckily Stokesy got an awesome spell this morning and turned the game around.”