Em situações opostas no Campeonato Brasileiro da Série B, Vitória e Ponte Preta se enfrentaram na tarde desta sexta-feira (20), no estádio Barradão, em Salvador.
Com o placar final zerado, a equipe de Eduardo Barroca chegou aos 25 pontos, conseguindo subir um degrau, alcançando a 15ª colocação. Já os comandados de Marcelo Oliveira, que miravam encostar nos rivais que hoje estão no G4, acabaram caindo para 7ª posição, porém somando agora 33 pontos.
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O jogo
Com um início sem grandes emoções, tanto o Vitória, quanto a Ponte Preta, nos primeiros 10 minutos, praticamente apenas se estudaram em campo. Com isso, nenhuma equipe finalizou contra a meta adversária, deixando os goleiros Ronaldo e Ygor, tranquilos.
Aos poucos, o time de Campinas foi melhorando no duelo, conseguindo aparecer mais em seu campo de ataque. Sendo assim, em duas chances, sendo a primeira com Camilo arriscando um bonito chute para a defesa do camisa 1 do Leão, na segunda, por muito pouco, os visitantes não abriram o marcador após Rafael Carioca tentar afastar a tentativa de Apodi, quase fazendo contra.
Depois da pausa para a hidratação dos atletas, o jogo acabou esfriando um pouco. Em raras jogadas para ambos os lados, foi a deixa para a arbitragem colocar um ponto final na etapa.
Já no segundo tempo, o técnico da Ponte, Marcelo Oliveira, optou por colocar Matheus Peixoto no lugar de Wanderley, renovando seu poder de ataque. Entretanto, quem iniciou melhor foi o Vitória que, por sua vez, chegou com mais intensidade no campo de defesa rival, fazendo com que Eduardo Barroca, minutos mais tarde, promovesse algumas trocas em seu time.
Com o tempo passando, a equipe do interior de São novamente passou a comandar mais as ações em campo. Até meados dos 30 minutos, apesar de toda a insistência de Bruno Rodrigues e companhia, nenhum lance causou perigo ao gol de Ronaldo, fazendo com que novamente os treinador recuassem para seus suplentes.
Já na reta final de confronto, bem que os donos da casa tentaram abrir o placar em um lance de perigo, com o goleiro Ygor conseguindo tirar dos pés de Júnior Viçosa. Porém, nem mesmo os minutos de acréscimos foram suficientes para ambas as equipes encontrarem, ao menos, um tento, terminando a partida sem gols no Barradão.
Newcastle United are eyeing a move for a “magnificent” international central midfielder, according to a new transfer update that has emerged.
Newcastle injury and transfer news
The Magpies picked up a fantastic result on Saturday, winning 1-0 at home to Arsenal in a feisty Premier League clash that ebbed and flowed throughout. Anthony Gordon’s solitary strike proved to be the difference between the two sides, as he capitalised on some poor Gunners defending, securing a vital three points in the process.
It was another evening that saw Newcastle suffer further injury problems, however, with Dan Burn having to come off at half-time and Jacob Murphy aggravating his shoulder problem straight after coming on. Eddie Howe is having very little luck in the fitness department at the moment, and he may already be turning his attention to making new signings during the summer transfer window.
Another player who is still absent is key man Sven Botman, so a centre-back could also be at the forefront of Newcastle’s January shopping list. It looks as though they want a midfielder, too, following a new claim.
Newcastle want Koopmeiners
Atalanta midfielder Teun Koopmeiners.
According to a new report from Tutto Mercado Web, Newcastle are interested in making a move for Atalanta midfielder Teun Koopmeiners, who has been an important figure for the Serie A side for an extended period of time now. They have sent scouts to watch him in action.
The 25-year-old is seen as someone who could fill the void left by Sandro Tonali, following his 10-month ban for breaching betting rules, in a saga that has rocked the Magpies after his arrival during the summer. Koopmeiners could be a brilliant signing by Newcastle, having shown himself to be a key man for Atalanta ever since arriving from AZ Alkmaar in 2021.
It’s fair to say that Koopmeiners’ statistics during that time show how important he has been to the cause, making a total of 91 appearances and chipping in with an overall tally of 17 goals and 10 assists in that time.
This shows the box-to-quality that the Dutchman could bring to Newcastle’s starting lineup in place of Tonali, although it is clear that Atlanta will not be willing to let him leave on the cheap. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig is someone who thinks very highly of the Netherlands international, saying of him in the past:
“AZ Alkmaar will make a lot of money from transfers of Calvin Stengs, Teun Koopmeiners & Myron Boadu. Three magnificent players.”
At 25, Koopmeiners is at a lovely stage in his career to come straight in and make a big impression in the January transfer window, although the only confusion is whether that would be a loan move or not.
Teun Koopmeiners stats at Atalanta
Total
Appearances
91
Goals
17
Assists
10
PIF may not spend big in January, so if the Magpies want him on a permanent basis, it could be that next summer is when the move happens. That would then allow them to sign someone else to replace Tonali temporarily in the next window, such as Newcastle targets Kalvin Phillips and N’Golo Kante.
Sussex claimed late wickets to keep themselves in the hunt for a first innings lead on a day where Ben Slater needed to be in two places at once
David Hopps20-Aug-20181:43
Moeen and Mitchell leave Yorkshire feeling Toxic
ScorecardIt can confidently be stated by all present at Hove that Ben Slater is still a Derbyshire cricketer. For a couple more days at least. The two electronic scoreboards displayed his name in block capitals. Mike Charman, who doubles up as Sussex’s scorer and PA announcer, introduced him to the crease with a characteristic flourish and when a dodgy drive at a wide one saw him fall at third slip, his 24 was duly added to his Derbyshire career record.Odd therefore that Nottinghamshire’s website should already be proudly announcing the completion of his transfer. Apparently, he was available for selection for the current Championship match against Hampshire, only he wasn’t really because he was batting for Derbyshire at Hove. There was a wonderfully ironic quote about how he couldn’t wait to get started at Trent Bridge; that much was abundantly clear.How had Notts jumped the gun? Had they been hacked? Could they somehow blame it on the Russians? Nobody could be sure, but roughly the time that the story was removed, and showed up as Error 404, Slater was committing Error 24. County cricket is in a state of change, but to find two Ben Slaters operating in parallel worlds was a little disturbing.More pertinently for Notts, whose record of signing top-order batsmen in the past 10 years has hardly been one of unbroken success, the signing of Slater would be a gamble. Two of his three Championship hundreds for Derbyshire came in a single match when they thrashed a pitiful Leicestershire by 408 runs. That leaves one other Championship hundred in four years.On such days, to be captain of Derbyshire can feel a thankless task. But Billy Godleman, who has had a good white-ball season but who was only averaging 13 in the Championship, responded with 122 from 196 balls before he was bowled by a legspinner from Luke Wells – Wells’ second ball – which turned through the gate.Godleman is hardly the most elegant batsman around, prospering by a series of shovelled cuts – two in the first over after lunch off Jofra Archer, flipping Danny Briggs for six over the short boundary on the scoreboard side, and hacking Chris Jordan through point to reach his first Championship hundred of the season. He responded by crossing himself, probably praying that there wasn’t another one of him playing for Nottinghamshire.The most stylish knock was played, as so often, by Wayne Madsen, who is another batsman who might be on his way and who fell for 72 to the first ball after tea trying to cut Jordan, a fair-enough shot, badly executed. Faced by Sussex’s 440, Derbyshire were 285 for 2 before Godleman fell, but they lost three wickets in a final session where Archer and Jordan set the tone in the first hour with Sussex’s most disciplined phase of the day.Sean Ervine, on loan from Hampshire, was run out for 2 by Ollie Robinson from mid-on (a good but marginal call by the umpire), and nightwatchman Hardus Viljoen pushed forward with consummate sobriety to the last ball of the day but was bowled as Briggs turned one past his outside edge.At 315 for 5, Derbyshire trailed at the close by 125 and Sussex, second in the table, had come out even from a demanding day. Alex Hughes, 60 not out overnight, only his second fifty of the season, carries many of Derbyshire’s hopes on a slow surface which neutered Sussex’s seam attack but which is offering some turn for the spinners.
انتهى الشوط الأول من مباراة منتخب مصر الأولمبي الودية أمام منافسه العراق بتقدم الفراعنة بهدف دون رد.
ويلتقي منتخب مصر مع نظيره العراق في ختام المباريات الودية خلال معسكره المقام بفرنسا قبل مشاركته في دورة الألعاب الأولمبية 2024.
طالع | تشكيل منتخب مصر الأولمبي لمواجهة العراق وديًا
وجاء هدف مصر الأول عن طريق إبراهيم عادل لاعب الفراعنة في الدقيقة الثانية من عمر اللقاء.
وكان منتخب مصر الأولمبي، قد تعادل إيجابياً بنتيجة 1-1 في المباراة الودية التي خاضها أمام أوكرانيا يوم الأحد الماضي.
ومن المقرر أن يستهل منتخب مصر الأولمبي، مبارياته في أولمبياد باريس، بمواجهة جمهورية الدومينيكان يوم 24 يوليو، ثم يلعب أمام أوزبكستان 27 من الشهر ذاته، ويختتم مواجهاته أمام إسبانيا 30 يوليو.
وكان منتخب مصر الأولمبي قد تأهل لأولمبياد باريس بعد حصد المركز الثاني في بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا تحت 23 سنة.
أما منتخب العراق قد صعد رسميًا لدورة الألعاب الأولمبية باريس 2024 بحلوله في المركز الثالث لبطولة كأس آسيا تحت 23 عامًا لكرة القدم.
Após a demissão de Geninho, a diretoria do Avaí trabalhou nos bastidores e confirmou a chegada de Claudinei Oliveira, que inicia a sua segunda passagem pelo time de Santa Catarina.
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Nesta quinta-feira, antes de viajar com o elenco para Campinas, onde encara a Ponte Preta, o novo comandante deu a sua primeira coletiva de imprensa e deixou claro que não vai se ‘esconder’.
‘Sinto-me como se estivesse voltando para casa. Eu estava ao lado de Campinas e poderia ter ficado lá. Fiz questão de vir, dar o treino hoje e já voltar para Campinas onde jogamos com a Ponte Preta. Eu poderia ficar na zona de conforto, não me comprometer. Mas o recado que quero passar é este comprometimento, botar a cara. Temos jogadores cansados do jogo de terça-feira. Então a gente precisa fazer algumas coisas diferentes, não dá para se omitir. Nem eu e nem os atletas’, declarou o treinador.
O desafio de Claudinei é grande. Diante de um time que não vence nos últimos cinco jogos, o treinador precisa resgatar a confiança e tentar brigar pelo acesso.
Com 37 pontos, o Avaí aparece na 10ª colocação e a distância para o G-4 está na casa dos sete pontos.
By the time Glasgow Rangers had sacked Michael Beale at the start of October, they had already lost four times across just 14 matches, including three defeats in the Premiership and this wasn’t the form that was expected.
Philippe Clement was announced as the new manager just a couple of weeks later, and he has won five out of his first six matches and the feel good factor appears to be slowly returning to Ibrox.
Indeed, Clement has seen his side score 16 times in just six matches, while Beale’s side scored 23 goals, but it took them 14 matches to do it and the improvement going forward is astonishing.
The Belgian has also had to make do with a team inherited from Beale, which includes summer signings Cyriel Dessers and Sam Lammers.
Philippe Clement
The Nigerian international cost around £4.5m and was one of the top targets identified by the 43-year-old during the summer transfer window, yet he certainly hasn’t looked like a multimillion pound player since his arrival, scoring just five times in 21 matches while often looking lethargic and lacking a clinical nature.
Despite this woeful record, the signing of Lammers has arguably been worse, and it proves that Beale wasted vast sums of money on players who simply aren’t up to the required standard to succeed at the club.
Sam Lammers’ Rangers statistics
With Ryan Kent, Alfredo Morelos and Scott Arfield departing the Gers, while Antonio Colak and Fashion Sakala both being sold, Beale was under pressure to go through a summer rebuild at the club, with particular focus on the attacking department.
Lammers, who had scored just six goals since the start of the 2020/21 season, cost the Light Blues £3m from Serie A side Atalanta and while his goal record wasn’t exactly favourable, it looked as though the former QPR coach was going to deploy him in a deeper role to utilise his creative talents.
Lammers ended up scoring just once before Beale was sacked in October, along with grabbing an assist, and it's safe to say he hasn’t exactly lit up Ibrox since his arrival.
Sam Lammers
The forward currently ranks in a lowly 20th position for key passes made per game in the Premiership (0.5), while also ranking tenth for big chances created (one) and fourth for big chances missed (four), demonstrating his failure to make an impact among the current squad this season.
Beale, as it transpires, got a few things wrong in the months leading up to his eventual sacking, but loaning out Ianis Hagi will surely be seen as one of his biggest mistakes, especially with the Romanian scoring twice so far this term, the same number as Lammers, yet he has done it in 11 fewer matches.
Ianis Hagi joined Alaves on loan for the 2023/24 season
The 25-year-old joined the Light Blues on a permanent basis in the summer of 2020 following a successful loan spell, and he went on to play a key part in the club securing their first league title in a decade during the 2020/21 season.
Indeed, during that record-breaking season, Hagi ranked third across the squad for goals and assists in the league (18) while also ranking fifth for big chances created (five) and for key passes per game (one), demonstrating his positive influence on the team.
Things were looking rosy during the first half of the following term as he scored four times and grabbed four assists, yet a serious knee injury suffered against Stirling Albion in the Scottish Cup ruled him out for the rest of the season, thus missing the run to the Europa League final.
He made his return nearly a year to the day since he suffered the injury, but it appeared as though Beale didn’t see a space for him in his system, despite scoring against Hibs towards the end of the season.
With the signings of Lammers and Dessers, plus Tom Lawrence and Todd Cantwell in the squad, Hagi was loaned to La Liga side, Alaves, for the 2023/24 season, but it looks like a colossal blunder.
Ianis Hagi’s statistics this season for Alaves
Once dubbed as an “absolute dream to work with” by his former manager Steven Gerrard, the Romanian is using his temporary spell to gain some much-needed game time and build himself back into the creative talent he was before suffering the injury.
The 25-year-old currently ranks as Alaves’ second highest rated player with regard to overall Sofascore rating (7.03) in La Liga, along with ranking fourth for shots per game (1.9), second for big chances created (two) and first for key passes per game (1.6), indicating that he is returning to some sort of form in Spain.
Ianis Hagi's domestic statistics
2022/23
2023/24
Key passes per game
0.4
1.6
Big chances created
0
2
Shots per game
0.5
1.9
Successful dribbles
0.8 (86%)
0.4 (75%)
Goals
1
0
Stats via Sofascore
These statistics are much better than the numbers Lammers has displayed during the current season, and it makes the decision to send Hagi out on loan even stranger.
Clement will be keeping an eye on the Romanian international with regard to utilising his talents for when he returns to the Ibrox side, and it could come at the expense of Lammers.
His form has even secured the attacking midfielder an international recall following his injury problems and he even scored and grabbed two assists against Andorra in the latest match for the national team.
Beale was obviously trying to build his own squad during the summer, shifting on players who he didn’t believe fitted into his tactical ethos or ideologies, yet the decision to send Hagi out on loan has proven to be a mistake.
His stats in La Liga are impressive and if he continues to gain regular game time, his match fitness will also improve, bringing him back to the level he was at pre-injury.
Glasgow Rangers midfielder Ianis Hagi.
It was evident that the Gers were missing something linking the midfield to the attacking during the early part of the season and, although he may not have been 100% fit, Hagi could have been the creative talent which may have turned games in their favour.
Thankfully, it is just a temporary deal and the Glasgow side will be able to count on the services of Hagi next year, and he could thrive under the leadership of Clement, no doubt about it.
His first task is to oversee USA Cricket’s application for Associate Membership at the ICC, following the expulsion of USACA in 2017
Peter Della Penna03-Oct-2018
Paraag Marathe addresses the audience during a leadership dinner•Getty Images
Paraag Marathe, the executive vice-president of football operations for the San Francisco 49ers, has been elected as chairman of USA Cricket, pipping Catherine Carlson of the NBA’s Orlando Magic and Rohan Sajdeh of the Boston Consulting Group to the post. With the position now finalised, Marathe’s first task is to oversee USA Cricket’s application for Associate Membership at the ICC, following the expulsion of USACA by unanimous vote at the ICC annual conference in 2017.Marathe, who is also on the board of English football championship side Leeds United, has served as the 49ers franchise’s chief contract negotiator while overseeing the construction of Levi’s Stadium. The Bay Area native completed his undergraduate degree at the University of California-Berkeley before going on to get an MBA from Stanford University and has worked for the 49ers in various roles for 18 years.”I feel privileged to have been elected the inaugural Chair of USA Cricket,” Marathe said after his appointment. “As a board, we are very much looking forward to the challenge of building a strong and sustainable organization that can not only achieve cricket’s extraordinary potential in the United States, but can also position USA Cricket as a leading member of the ICC.”Crucial to achieving this success is engaging with, and uniting, the USA Cricket community. That message was made loud and clear at our inaugural meeting, and I am incredibly excited by the talent and passion that we have attracted to this Board. While there is a very big job ahead of us, I am very confident that this Board can deliver on our ultimate goal.”As the chairman of USA Cricket and its 10-person board, Marathe will also be scouting for commercial professional league opportunities for cricket in the USA. USACA had expressed its intention to form such a league as early as 2010 in a partnership with New Zealand Cricket, but a targeted 2012 launch never materialised. Other subsequent attempts, the most recent in 2016 with St Lucia Stars owner Jay Pandya, similarly never got off the ground.As a consequence, USA has watched other countries around the world saturate the T20 franchise market, including in their own North American region with the start of the Global T20 Canada this past summer. But the commercial appeal of the USA continues to remain high with Cricket West Indies announcing earlier this summer that they had committed to a five-year plan of staging a minimum of two T20Is per year in North America.USA Cricket’s application for Associate Membership will be considered by an ICC Board-appointed Membership Committee that includes ICC chief executive David Richardson, chairman Shashank Manohar, independent director Indra Nooyi, cricket committee chairman Anil Kumble and president of Cricket West Indies Dave Cameron, among others. If this committee is satisfied that the new USA cricket board meets the requirements for ICC membership, then it will make a subsequent recommendation to the ICC at the earliest. If the recommendation is approved, then the ICC’s Full Council will vote via circular resolution to accept USA Cricket as the ICC’s 105th member.Also part of the USA cricket board – along with Marathe, Carlson and Sajdeh – are Avinash Gaje from New Jersey, Suraj Viswanathan from northern California, Venu Pisike from Atlanta, Ajith Bhaskar from the Commonwealth Cricket League of New York, southern California’s Atul Rai – himself a former USACA president – and elite athlete representatives Nadia Gruny and Usman Shuja.
يقول آرني سلوت، مدرب ليفربول، إن هذا الفريق جيد بما يكفي لإكمال طموحاته حتى بدون تعاقدات في سوق الانتقالات، لكنه يقول إنها ستكون مفاجأة إذا لم تكن هناك إضافات في الشهر المقبل.
ويخوض ليفربول جولة تحضيرية استعدادًا للموسم الجديد تحت قيادة سلوت الذي تولى المسؤولية خلفًا ليورجن كلوب، وظهر المدرب في مؤتمر صحفي.
وردًا على سؤال حول الانتقالات، قال سلوت: “الهدف الأول هو العمل مع هؤلاء اللاعبين، بالطبع، من العيب أن العديد منهم لم يصلوا إلى هنا بعد (بسبب بطولة أوروبا وكوبا أمريكا)”.
وأضاف: “الأمر الإيجابي في ذلك هو أنها طريقة مثالية لرؤية اللاعبين الشباب ومنحهم وقت اللعب، المعايير عالية حقًا عندما يتعلق الأمر بجلب لاعبين جدد لأن لدينا فريقًا جيدًا”.
وواصل: “بالطبع، نحاول أنا وريتشارد هيوز تحسين الفريق حيثما أمكن ذلك، لكن الأمر ليس بهذه السهولة”.
اقرأ أيضًا | محمد صلاح يتلقى عرضًا للانضمام إلى نادي ويلزي
وعند الضغط على العامل الرئيسي في عدم إبرام ليفربول تعاقدات منذ أن تولى المسؤولية خلفًا ليورجن كلوب، علّق سلوت: “أحد الأسباب هو رغبتي في التقييم وهو أمر صعب لأن معظمهم ليسوا هنا”.
وأكمل: “لقد ورثت فريقًا جيدًا حقًا، لذا ليس من السهل العثور على لاعبين بنفس المستوى أو حتى أعلى، خاصة أن هؤلاء اللاعبين يجب أن يكونوا متاحين، ريتشارد، أكثر مني، يعمل بجد على ذلك ويبقيني على اطلاع دائم، إذا كان هناك أي أخبار عن ذلك سنوضحها”.
وأكد: “لدينا بالفعل فريق جيد وأنا سعيد به ولكن ستكون مفاجأة لنا جميعًا إذا لم نقم بإحضار أي لاعبين، ربما يحدث هذا في النهاية ولكن في الوقت الحالي نحن ننتظر عودة لاعبينا، وننتظر التوقيع مع الأشخاص المناسبين”.
كشفت تقارير صحفية إسبانية، أن نادي برشلونة يتفاوض مع جيرونا، بشأن مستقبل لاعب الوسط أوريول روميو، المنضم للنادي الكتالوني في الموسم الماضي.
روميو انضم إلى برشلونة في الصيف الماضي، عائدًا للبلوجرانا بعد 12 عامًا، ولكنه لم يتمكن من المشاركة أساسيًا تحت قيادة تشافي في الكثير من المباريات.
أوريول روميو كان واضحًا مع النادي بأنه يريد دور أكبر، لذلك ليس لديه النية في البقاء، وعندما بدأ جيرونا في التفاوض لاستعادته من جديد، لم يتردد في الموافقة.
طالع أيضًا.. سبورت تكشف موقف نيكو ويليامز من الانتقال إلى باريس سان جيرمان وبرشلونة
صحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية، أكدت أن اللاعب غادر مسكر برشلونة، وستحسم الصفقة خلال الساعات القليلة المقبلة، بإعارة روميو لمدة عام، مع خيار الشراء لنادي جيرونا.
اللاعب الإسباني لديه عقد لمدة 3 سنوات مع برشلونة، وبعد نهاية الموسم المقبل، سيكون لديه عام واحد فقط، وهو ما يجعل التفاوض حول المقابل المادي لخيار الشراء.
كان الدافع وراء رحيل أوريول روميو هو رغبة اللاعب في الحصول على المزيد من الدقائق، ورغم أن هانز فليك لا يمانع استمراره في الفريق، لكن اللاعب نفسه يسعى للمشاركة باستمرار.
He’s been compared to Shane Warne and has been talked up as the next big spin hope, but the 18-year old isn’t losing focus
Andrew McGlashan07-Nov-2018He’s been compared to Shane Warne and proclaimed a saviour of Australian cricket, all before his 19th birthday. But rather than being overawed by it all, legspinner Lloyd Pope is embracing his life-changing experiences as he turns heads with his leg-breaks and wrong ‘uns.Pope burst onto the global scene with his remarkable figures of 8 for 35 against England in the Under-19 World Cup quarter-final, pulling Australia back from the brink of elimination in a manner Warne would have been proud of. Then in just his second first-class match he claimed 7 for 87 against Queensland in the Sheffield Shield, becoming the youngest player to take a seven-wicket haul in the competition. On Wednesday, his first Big Bash contract was confirmed when he signed with Sydney Sixers.In the current climate of Australian cricket, where each day appears to bring another sacking, resignation or associated drama, Pope’s rapid rise has been enough for some to suggest that international cricket should come sooner rather than later. While he isn’t getting carried away, the spotlight certainly doesn’t sit uneasily for him.”It’s a different challenge, but I guess I like the media attention. Just trying to ride the wave at the moment. The attention is one thing I feel more off the field. When I’m out there I just sort of let cricket take over,” he said. “My dad’s told me that each time I take wickets ‘you’ve change your life today’ so it’s a really good feeling.”Pope’s father, Myles, has been a major influence on his early development, offering encouragement and advice while even as a young teenager coaches spotted that he may have some special – “a natural turner of the ball,” he was termed.”Think I was around 8-10 years old [when I started] and I’ve always just tried to jump in the nets and bowl as much as I can,” he said. “My dad’s been a big influence, just telling me to go out and bowl. A couple of coaches said I had natural talent, a natural turner of the ball one of them said and if I could continue with that I’d have a bright future.”Pope has had one session with Warne when he was younger – “amazing feeling to shake his hand, to know he knows who I am” – but stressed how he was keen to forge his own path, while absorbing all the advice he could. His sharply spun googly has been the delivery to really catch the eye and the aspect of his first dip into the BBL that he is excited about is the chance to have the license to go through a full range of variations.”I’ve had a bit of a red-ball focus recently with Shield cricket but it’s going really well, it will be nice to get the white ball back in my hands and try some more variations. There are different challenges, in red-ball cricket it’s a lot about consistency and in white-ball cricket it’s about a lot more variations and being able to out-think batters a lot more quickly.”And while talk of international honours will follow Pope around, especially if the wickets continue to come, he is keeping his feet on the ground. “I’ve only played three matches so I’m more worried about keeping my place in the Redbacks team, if I can do that I’ll be a very happy man.”