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The Chennai Super Kings are set to start their training finally for the 2020 IPL in the UAE from September 4. The training date is scheduled subject to the squad clearing two additional Covid-19 tests put in place by the IPL after 13 members of their contingent tested positive last week, which included two Indian players. All members in their camp tested negative in the first of two additional tests that was conducted on Monday and the results came out on Tuesday morning; the second test is on September 3.

Those who had tested positive last week are put up in a separate hotel and are not going to be part of these fresh tests. Those 13 personnel will undergo two fresh tests after their mandatory two-week quarantine.

The Super Kings are the only team yet to start training after being forced to extend their quarantine period. They landed in Dubai on August 21 and were expected to start their training by August 28 initially.

"We will start [training] by September 4. We have another test on September 3," Kasi Viswanathan, the Super Kings CEO told ESPNcricinfo. Viswanatahan said since the Super Kings were the only team to have positive test results, the IPL had "increased" the number of tests to five, which is two more than the number carried out by the other seven franchises.

As per the IPL's Covid-19 testing protocols, all participants in the tournament have to carry out three tests upon landing in the UAE: on days one (landing), three and six. Once all the three tests come negative can the teams start training.

Viswanathan also said that the two players who tested positive last week are expected to start training once they have cleared the mandatory testing process laid out by the IPL. He also said that the Super Kings would be ready to play the tournament opener on September 19, if required.

Harbhajan to join in first week of September

Harbhajan Singh, who missed the preparatory camp in Chennai last month due to personal reasons, is expected to arrive in Dubai in "first week of September," Viswanathan said. He was scheduled to join the Super Kings camp on Tuesday, but is understood to be still with his family in India.

The ECB is expected to review the position of Delia Bushell as a non-executive director after she was forced out of her role as chief executive of the Jockey Club.

Bushell stepped down after less than a year in her role at the horse racing body, after a review into her conduct by an independent barrister upheld allegations which included the bullying of colleagues, the use of racist comments and sharing offensive material. A statement from the Jockey Club stated that, in light of the review, "the board concluded… it [was] untenable for her to continue in the role".

Bushell has strongly rejected the claims. Her letter of resignation speaks of a "flawed and biased" disciplinary process which was "fundamentally mishandled by the board of stewards". She also spoke of "collusion by a number of male witnesses, all senior executives in the Jockey Club".

The episode puts the ECB in an uncomfortable position. Not only is Bushell's expertise valued - as a former executive at both Sky and BT Sport, she is seen as an expert in the area of media rights - but the ECB is likely to be sympathetic towards her suggestion that, as a woman in "a male-dominated organisation that has a troubling history of ignoring serious complaints against senior men and which seeks to discredit and ostracise anyone challenging its status quo", she has been the victim of what she describes as "a deeply unpleasant 'stitch up'".

"We do not underestimate the seriousness of the claims made against Delia, but we will seek to review and discuss what is clearly a complex matter with both her and the Jockey Club before commenting further," the ECB said in a statement on Monday.

Bushell joined the ECB board in May 2018. Her future will be just one of the challenges facing Ian Watmore who officially started his stint as ECB chairman on Tuesday. The ECB has marked his appointment with a number of changes.

Among those are the appointment of Brenda Trenowden as the board's senior independent director. Trenowden will also chair the expanded Environmental, Social and Governance sub-committee. She succeeds the departing Lord Kamlesh Patel, whose five-year tenure might be remembered most for his involvement with the South Asian Action Plan.

Meanwhile former Glamorgan chair, Barry O'Brien, will take over as deputy chair and will also act as the alternate director to represent the ECB on the ICC board when required. Alan Dickinson will chair an enhanced Finance, Audit and Risk sub-committee.

A process to recruit a new independent director will commence during September with new appointments being made by November 1. Derek Brewer's term as board advisor on network stakeholders will be extended to the 2021 AGM.

In addition, Andrew Strauss has accepted an invitation to attend board meetings in a non-voting capacity. Not only was the board keen to extend the depth of playing knowledge on the board, but some believe Strauss is being groomed for a return to an executive position at the ECB. If Tom Harrison were to depart, for example, Strauss would be a strong contender as new chief executive.

While Australia's limited-overs cricketers are ending more than five months without playing, for one man who had a brief but starring role in their World Cup campaign last year it has been a much longer break. Jason Behrendorff, the left-arm quick from Western Australia, has not played a match for 12 months and in that time has undergone major back surgery to prolong his career.

Last June, Behrendorff enjoyed one of his great days out when he claimed 5 for 44 against England in the World Cup group match at Lord's. It was the specific job he had been picked to do, with Australia having homed in on England's issues against left-armers, and on that occasion it all came together. Briefly the hosts' tournament was stumbling off course. As history shows, it all came together in the end for England (just) and Behrendorff did not leave with such found memories of the semi-final at Edgbaston.

Less than two months later, on August 26, he played a T20 Blast match for Sussex against Glamorgan having been signed by the county as a late replacement. A few days after that he was called back by Western Australia due to experiencing back pain and that would set in motion is path towards spinal surgery to try and solve problems with stress fractures around his L4 vertebrae that had plagued him for five years.

The operation, by the renowned New Zealand-based surgeon Rowan Schouten, which took place in October, was the same that James Pattinson, Corey Anderson and Shane Bond had undergone, involving fusing screws and a titanium cable into the lower spine to stabilise the fracture.

There was a high success-rate with the surgery - Pattinson, for example, has returned to Test cricket - but the recovery time frame ranged from the very hopeful six months to a more realistic 12 and maybe even 18. Behrendorff is on track for that one-year mark and has his sights set on the Big Bash for the Perth Scorchers, in whatever form that takes, come December.

"There have been times when I haven't been able to pick up [his son] Harrison. That's been really hard. There's more to life than just cricket. Going forward I'm really hoping that my back is a lot better for life in general and life after cricket."

"That's definitely realistic and hopefully a bit earlier than that," he told ESPNcricinfo. "I know potentially there isn't a lot of white-ball cricket before that with some of conversations going on, but here in Perth our club competition will kick off at the start of October and that should be a good stepping stone before the BBL."

Unsurprisingly given the nature of the surgery it hasn't been entirely smooth over the last 10 months, but Behrendorff remained confident. "Sometimes it feels like two steps forward, one step back but on the whole it's tracking nicely," he said.

"When I first had the surgery, chatting to some of the guys, they were back within six to nine months. I thought that would definitely be me, but it has not quite 100% gone to plan in the sense that I'm not back playing cricket yet, there's been a few little niggly things and some technical things that have not gone exactly to plan but certainly nothing derailing the train so to speak."

In a blog for his management company shortly before heading to New Zealand, Behrendorff wrote: "There have been times when I haven't been able to pick up [his son] Harrison. That's been really hard. There's more to life than just cricket. Going forward I'm really hoping that my back is a lot better for life in general and life after cricket. In the short-term it's about cricket, but in the long-term it's hopefully about quality of life and that I'll have a more robust and stronger back to keep me going well through life."

Now, with his mind firmly focused on his playing return, he said: "I 100% made the right decision, no doubt. I had dealt with the same stress fracture for about five years and it got to the stage where enough was enough. Knowing that if it gives me another chance to keep playing cricket at the level I want to, then I was all for it. Now I'm hoping to reap the benefits of it."

In February Behrendorff posted on Instagram as he started to walk through his action in the nets - captioned: "First steps to feeling like a cricketer again" - and by March, when the Covid-19 lockdown had started, he was coming in off a longer run in isolation between fitness training at home.

While regaining his fitness, he has taken the opportunity to recalibrate parts of his bowling - something that is not without its challenges for a 30-year-old so ingrained in his action compared to a younger player. He has worked closely with Matt Mason, the Western Australia bowling coach, on balance in his delivery and position at the crease. Currently he has stepped back from pushing towards full pace to ensure the changes have settled down.

"The first goal is getting back on the park and hopefully staying there for a prolonged period. That will be a white-ball focus in the initial period and once I've got some continuity with my body, then hopefully there's some red-ball conversations."

"I found as I was starting to get faster some of the technical work that I've been doing wasn't holding exactly as I would like it to, so we've taken this chance - especially not knowing how the season will pan out - to make sure everything was how I'd like it to be in my mind before I press go.

"Matt Mason pointed out a few things after watching me bowl and seeing some stuff in the World Cup. It made a lot of sense to me - in terms of being a fast bowler you want to be as efficient as you can to give you the best chance to bowl fast. I took his views away and married it up with where I'm trying to go as a bowler and a lot of that crossed over, which was nice."

While tweaking his action was not a direct requirement of the surgery, Behrendorff wants to do everything he can to ensure once he's back in the middle he stays there. "The biggest thing for me is knowing just because I've had the surgery it's not a miracle cure and [so] you can do whatever you like and your back will be happy with it. So I'm trying to be as smart as I can going forward."

Whenever the recovery has felt slow, he has been encouraged by advice from those who have either gone through it or helped others. "Speaking with one of the physios who has dealt with a lot of the New Zealand-based guys, they said basically what I'm experiencing is normal and my progress is pretty standard.

"Chatting to James Pattinson, he took a really slow, gradual approach, probably around 18 months before he was back playing fully and doing everything he wanted, so everyone seems pretty happy with how I'm progressing."

His ambitions for the comeback also stretch much further than the Big Bash. Before undergoing surgery he said he hoped it would allow him to resume first-class cricket - a format he last played in 2017 and stepped away from to manage his workload, but where he has a career-best of 9 for 37 against Victoria in 2017 - and while he knows that's a longer-term aim, he retains that optimism.

"The first goal is getting back on the park and hopefully staying there for a prolonged period. That will be a white-ball focus in the initial period and once I've got some continuity with my body, playing some cricket, then hopefully there's some red-ball conversations that can be had down the track."

The ultimate aim, however, is to have more days like the one at Lord's against England. There is certainly plenty on the horizon with three World Cups - two T20s and the next ODI event - in consecutive years from 2021. "That's exactly where I want to play my cricket," he said. "The opportunities I've had playing for Australia have been some of the best of my life. Those are the experiences I'll treasure and want to get back to."

Ibrahim Hamadtou, Egypt’s Mr. Impossible

Published in Table Tennis
Tuesday, 01 September 2020 02:00

If there is one thing that Ibrahim Hamadtou is satisfied about since his story went viral on the internet, it is the positive attitude towards disabled individuals globally.

The father of three believes this is one of his goals when he decided to bring his story to global attention.

“I am happy being famous over the internet because it has helped many people to get out of the isolation they are going through and it has given many disabled people who were hopeless the hope that nothing is impossible life.” Ibrahim Hamadtou

Ibrahim Hamadtou who lost both arms as a result of a train accident when 10 years old decided to play table tennis, after officiating in the sport as an umpire.

“I fell in love with table tennis in 1983 after losing both arms as a result of a train accident. So I started the sport after the accident;  I was in the club where I was officiating a match between two of my friends. They disagreed on a point, when I counted the point in favour of one of them the other player told me, do not interfere as you will never be able to play. It was that statement that fired me up to decide to play table tennis.” Ibrahim Hamadtou

It was his unique style of play, holding the racket in his mouth, serving by flicking the ball up with his foot that attracted universal attention. A style, Hamadtou admitted took him months to get used to.

“It took me nearly a year of practice to get used to holding the racket with mouth and making the serve; with practice and playing regularly this skill was improved.” Ibrahim Hamadtou

For Hamadtou, 2013 was a turning point in his life.

“2013 was one of the most important year in my life. The year brought me good tiding that in 2014, I was nominated for the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Sports Innovation Award in Dubai and was awarded the best Arab Athlete of the year. 2013 was one of the most important years in my career as it really boosted my confidence to go ahead and win the silver medal at in the 2015 African Championships.” Ibrahim Hamadtou

Success but the South American city was the ultimate.

“Getting to Rio 2016 was one of the dreams that I was trying to reach, and when the opportunity came to me I was so happy to be part of the big show in Brazil. Unfortunately, I did not prepare enough to go through this dream. Now I have learnt from the Rio 2016 experience and I am working hard for another stage, which is Tokyo. My goal in Tokyo 2021 is to be in good form; play better than in Rio to achieve a medal in this tournament. My message to the Egyptian and African players is Nothing Is Impossible.” Ibrahim Hamadtou

Hamadtou will be the only African player in men’s class 6.

With midweek matches taking place for the first time, the play-off picture in the Premiership has become clearer over the past week, but Exeter continue their march to Twickenham.

The Pro14 looks forward to its play-offs, as the sport prepares for its next 25 years of professionalism.

Here are some of the talking points from the last seven days.

Disciplined Sale turn play-off hopes around

This time last week, Sale boss Steve Diamond admitted his side's top four hopes were going up in smoke after a poor start to the resumption.

His players' response has been resounding; a hard-fought victory at Wasps followed by a 40-7 thrashing of a weakened Bristol firmly re-establishing the Sharks' top four credentials.

Part of the turnaround has been down to discipline, with desperate times calling for desperate measures.

"We gave five penalties away [against Bristol], we gave 12 away on Tuesday [against Wasps], we gave 23 away [against Exeter] and 18 the week before [against Harlequins]," said Diamond.

"We are learning and getting better."

Four rounds into the restart, and the play-off picture is starting to take shape, with Northampton dropping back, and Sale, Bristol, Bath and Wasps seemingly competing for three spots.

But regardless of the scrap for the top four, Exeter's dominance of the league shows no sign of abating. Their victory at Bristol, with a much-changed line-up, was a remarkable show of character, composure and squad depth. They then followed that up with a nine-try demolition of Worcester on Sunday. It will take something special to stop a Chiefs' title procession.

Saints selection policy stands out

While there have been a handful of gripping games since the resumption, squad rotation and the lack of a relegation threat has resulted in a number of mis-matches, which does little for the integrity or reputation of the Premiership.

Exeter and Saracens have the quality and depth to compete regardless of their rotation, but many clubs at the moment are waving the white flag with their team selection.

One interesting exception is Northampton, with Chris Boyd choosing to mix and match his players, fielding two completely separate sides of similar standard over the first four rounds of the restart.

In terms of results, it hasn't worked, with the Saints losing three out of four - including Sunday's match at Harlequins - and dropping away from the title race.

But all four of Northampton's matches have been close and competitive. While Boyd may not have endeared himself to Saints fans, neutrals should feel differently.

Meanwhile, fans frustrated with one-sided games should focus firmly on the Pro 14 this weekend.

Both Leinster against Munster and Edinburgh against Ulster will be full-blooded affairs between full-strength sides although - as with Exeter in the Premiership - it's hard to see anyone but Leinster winning the league and retaining their title.

Extra matches = less training

With some clubs set to play as many as seven matches in a month, Premiership Rugby is in the midst of its most relentless schedule in history, with clear player welfare repercussions.

However, Sale boss Diamond says the strain of the extra matches is being offset by a drastic decrease in training load.

"Between games at the moment we watch a video and then do a [pre-match] walk-through," he told BBC 5 live.

"So the training in the week has gone to zero, so the amount of stress their bodies are taking is less than it normally is."

While it would be dangerous for this congested schedule to be repeated on a regular basis- it is a one-off, short-term fix because of the coronavirus pandemic - the medical data will make fascinating reading.

Clubs and unions worldwide have been implementing individual player passports, monitoring their loads in training and matches, so each player can be treated and managed accordingly.

World Rugby boss Brett Gosper raised some eyebrows when he told us last week the game has never been safer given the improvements in technology and injury management.

But while there is a long, long way to go, medical advancements coupled with law changes designed to make the game simpler and safer, might start to solve an issue that has blighted the game throughout professionalism.

Summer rugby the future?

While regular midweek matches alongside weekend games is probably unreasonable on welfare grounds, it is time the English clubs started to think outside the box.

Having originally been open to the concept of summer rugby, the clubs have performed a U-turn, putting a spanner in the works of a global calendar.

But isn't it time the Premiership stopped fighting a losing battle against football and the Premier League?

Regular matches through July and early August - during the football off-season - would give club rugby union in England priceless exposure, especially during quiet weeks in the sporting calendar. How good would Bristol against Exeter have been with a full house?

And on that note, should midweek games be embraced during international windows as well? It is nonsensical for the Six Nations, for example, to clash with the club game, as will be the case throughout the 2021 Championship.

As the RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney has said recently, it is time rugby union stopped competing with itself.

Time zones to dictate global links?

Twenty-five years on from the sport turning professional, rugby union is precariously (or excitingly, delete as appropriate) poised, especially with the coronavirus pandemic exposing fault-lines in the game and accelerating change.

Administrators have long suggested that rugby union will eventually become divided and governed not by hemispheres, but by time zones. Could this now happen sooner rather than later?

The prospect of South Africa and Argentina having a long-term future with Australia and New Zealand is now looking slim, with talk intensifying about South African franchises making a permanent move to the Pro14, while Australia and New Zealand are likely to further cement their links with Japan and the Pacific Islands.

With private equity companies tightening their commercial grip on the sport, rugby union is well and truly entering into a new era.

West Indies women have arrived in the UK ahead of their five-match T20I series against England at the end of this month, with captain Stafanie Taylor hailing the imminent return of top-level women's cricket as a "great feeling".

The 18-member West Indies squad left Antigua on a charter flight on Sunday night and reached Derby, where they will be based throughout their tour, on Monday. Derbyshire's home venue, the Incora County Ground, has been turned into a bio-secure environment - having earlier housed England women's training camp and the Australia men on their arrival to the UK this summer - and players from both sides will stay in the on-site hotel at the ground throughout.

The West Indies squad is without Anisa Mohammed, the veteran offspinner who declined the invitation to tour, with uncapped Guyanese left-arm spinner Kaysia Schultz included.

ALSO READ: Germany women enjoying new-found fame after record-breaking series

Before the squad's departure, Taylor said that the tour was vital for women's cricket, not least following the T20 World Cup final in March, which saw over 86,000 people at the MCG to watch Australia thrash India. While Germany and Austria have played five T20Is, this tour will see the first women's international cricket between full members since that final, with New Zealand's tour of Australia following soon after.

"It's a great feeling," Taylor said. "I was pleased to hear there was a possibility that we might have a tour, so to see it actually happen is good.

"We definitely need this - women's cricket needs this. To see what happened in that recently-concluded World Cup, when there were 80,000 people at the ground [for the final] and a lot of people watching… it's good to see that we're back up and running."

ALSO READ: Knight 'pretty gutted' at 2021 World Cup postponement

While England's players returned to individual training in June and have already played a handful of intra-squad warm-up games and appeared for their domestic sides in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, West Indies are coming in cold.

They were well beaten on their last tour of England, losing 3-0 in the ODI series and 1-0 in the T20Is, and with their comparative lack of preparation, it would be a major upset if they were to come away with a series win.

Taylor admitted she expected to feel "a bit rusty" in first few days of training, not least after an enforced break through injury after hurting her groin in the T20 World Cup fixture against England. But she hopes to use her extensive experience of English conditions - including Kia Super League stints at Southern Vipers and Western Storm - to her advantage.

"The ball swings everywhere you go [in England], so it's about applying yourself. I like playing in England - it's a challenge, but sometimes it's good to have these challenges," she said. "We're just coming back as well, [so] it's going to take a while, but at least the few weeks that we have will definitely help us going into our first game."

ITTF reveals 2020 AGM video conference series

Published in Table Tennis
Monday, 31 August 2020 22:05

Physically distanced but digitally united, the ITTF aims to keep its delegates fully up to date across all key areas with six interactive video conferences organised in the build-up to the AGM, according to the following schedule:

1) ITTF Foundation                                                                   1st September 13:00 CEST

2) High Performance and Development                             4th September 13:00 CEST

3) Governance: Propositions and Resolutions to AGM      7th September 13:00 CEST

4) Finance Forum                                                                   10th September 13:00 CEST

5) World Table Tennis                                                             14th September 13:00 CEST

6) World Championships 2023 bids                                      21st September 13:00 CEST

7) ITTF Annual General Meeting                                           28th September 13:00 CEST

During the conference on 21st September 2020, the cities of Düsseldorf (Germany) and Durban (South Africa) will present their bids to host the 2023 World Table Tennis Championships.

In order to ensure the best possible experience for its delegates, the ITTF has already conducted a first rehearsal for the proposed video conferences, attended by over 150 participants.

“We are pleased to see the level of response shown during the AGM rehearsal. People from all corners of the world joined us, and this shows their commitment. We look forward to making September a month enriched by multiple digital experiences, culminating in our first ever virtual AGM, which we want to ensure that our members can truly enjoy.” – Raul Calin, ITTF Secretary General

During the coming weeks, further rehearsals will be conducted to test the interpretation software and the electronic voting system, which will be used at the AGM on 28th September, as best efforts are made to ensure that the ITTF’s first ever online-held AGM is a success.

Furthermore, the ITTF plans to complement these formal video conference sessions with two or three more presentations, focusing on Equipment, Governance and the International Competitions Calendar, in order to keep all stakeholders fully up to date on all current topics.

Media can apply to attend the 2020 ITTF AGM by clicking here.

There have been a few welcome sights during Welsh rugby's return this month.

Among them was the return of Wales wing Josh Adams, who was back in full flight for Cardiff Blues and scored tries against Scarlets and Ospreys.

Adams had enjoyed a stellar spell as he established a reputation as one of world rugby's most lethal finishers with 14 tries in 24 internationals.

Ten of those tries have come in the past 10 Tests, including two hat-tricks, and Adams ended the 2019 World Cup as top scorer with seven.

Disaster then struck when the 25-year-old was forced off in agony against France in Wales' Six Nations defeat in February thanks to an ankle injury.

"From what I know there are four ligaments in the ankle and I snapped the top two," explained Adams.

"I've had two hard wires put in and a plate to hold it tight. It's a common injury in rugby boys and the success rate is good. I had a good surgeon and was well looked after."

Rehabilitation has presented its own challenges thanks to coronavirus, with lockdown coming not long after Adams had surgery.

"It was my first real injury which required surgery and I had to do the rehab by myself in the house," Adams said.

"I was getting sent a schedule and what to do, but there was no hands-on work with the physios.

"The Blues looked after me well and gave me the right equipment to take home. I had all the tools and it was just about me doing it.

"It was a bit different, but I managed to get it done and when I came in, the ankle was good after we did all the checks.

"When it's day after day it can be difficult to motivate yourself and it could get depressing with the days all rolling into one, but I knew if I didn't get it right, I wouldn't have been able to play in these games.

"My motivation was to come back into training in the best shape so I could hit the ground running."

Adams was just glad to return to what he loves.

"We all knew there was light at the end of the tunnel and we had to stick at it," he added.

"The boys came back from five months refreshed and raring to go. I knew there was talk of dates and fixtures and as soon as they were announced it was all guns blazing for the first game.

"I've loved going out in the last two weeks. It's the longest players have gone without rugby, apart from injury."

Adams was part of the Cardiff Blues side who played in the final league game of the extended regular Pro14 season almost 12 months after the campaign began.

With the Arms Park still part of the Dragons Heart field hospital at the Principality Stadium, the Blues finished with a 'home' 29-20 win against Ospreys at Rodney Parade on the final weekend of August.

"It's been absolutely crazy, hasn't it?" said Adams.

"Everybody has worked hard behind the scenes and a lot of guys don't get enough credit. To get to this stage and be able to play a rugby game is fantastic.

"It was a long time coming and a lot of boys were chomping at the bit to play."

Adams and Josh Turnbull were the only Blues players to start the 32-12 loss against Scarlets and the Ospreys win.

"I was happy to go week on week and it's been nice to get some game time," said Adams.

"I'm feeling good but I wouldn't say I'm 100% myself yet. The more game time I get, the closer I'll get to that."

Adams will have to wait five weeks before his next competitive match but Wales coach Wayne Pivac will be happy with what he witnessed from his strike scorer.

Wales will complete the 2020 Six Nations with a game against Scotland on 31 October at a venue to be confirmed before an eight-nations tournament starting in November that has not been formally announced.

The new Pro14 season is due to start on the opening weekend of October, with no fixture list or precise format details currently in place as question marks remain over which, if any, South African sides will be involved.

This uncertainty does not faze Adams.

"There is a lot to be confirmed with dates, spectators and venues etc but what's ahead of us is exciting," said Adams.

"I am mad keen to play for Wales again wherever the matches are.

"At this point in time nobody really knows what's happening, it's day to day. We've just got to see what happens, but we all love playing for Wales."

Dates that are in the 2021 diary are the British and Irish Lions' summer tour of South Africa next July and August.

"It's not something I think about day to day," said Adams.

"I know what's ahead and what is at the end of next season, but it's important you play well for your club first and foremost and if you do that, you can take your form into the international arena.

"If you do that you put yourself in the best frame for the Lions. We'll see. There is a lot of rugby to be played.

"Hopefully I can stay fit and healthy and who knows?"

Stars take blame after Bishop struggles in goal

Published in Hockey
Tuesday, 01 September 2020 01:15

The Dallas Stars emphatically defended goalie Ben Bishop, whose disastrous first period led to a 6-3 win for the Colorado Avalanche as they avoided elimination in Game 5 on Monday in Edmonton.

Bishop, the team's starting goaltender in the regular season, made his first start for the Stars in 18 days, after being unfit to play since Game 2 of the quarterfinal series against Calgary. Bishop replaced Anton Khudobin, who won six of his past seven starts, including Game 4 on Sunday.

What was supposed to be a night off for Khudobin saw him enter the game in the first period -- after Bishop gave up four goals on 19 shots in 13:43 of ice time before he was pulled.

"I had an opportunity tonight to close the door," Bishop said. "I know they're going to have a push. Their season is on the line. I'll take blame. I have to be better. The guys have been fighting hard all series. You gotta come up with a save there."

His teammate Andrew Cogliano was seated near Bishop during his postgame comments and made it clear that the Stars are the ones to take the blame, rather than their goaltender.

"I think Bish is the best goalie in the league when he's playing at the top of his game," Cogliano said. "We have full confidence in him. Our first 10 minutes were an absolute joke. Bish will take the blame, he'll put it on himself, but let's be honest: We were atrocious in the first 10 minutes. It was 5-0 with four minutes left in the period. This has nothing to do with our goalies. We're wasting our time if we're talking about our goalies. We have the luxury of having these two, and we let him down."

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare got the scoring going at 4:37 of the first period. Andre Burakovsky made it 2-0 at 11:51. It was Nathan MacKinnon next, at 12:32 for a 3-0 lead, followed by Nazem Kadri at 13:43. That chased Bishop, and Khudobin entered the game, only to give up Colorado's fifth goal of the period when Mikko Rantanen scored at 14:27.

"We started pretty well," Bellemare said. "We decided to show the best version of ourselves tonight."

The Avalanche outshot the Stars 23-5 in the first period. Their tally of four goals in a 2:36 span was just one second away from a Stanley Cup playoff record set by the Montreal Canadiens in 1944.

Burakovsky said the Avalanche knew what they had to do when Bishop was the surprise starter: If a goalie hasn't played since Aug. 13, they need to pepper him with shots on goal. "It was a tough start for him to not play for a while and face that many shots," Burakovsky said.

Bishop skated Sunday, and coach Rick Bowness said he looked good in his practices. Bishop was cleared to return, and Bowness decided to use him for the Stars' second game in two days. The Stars informed Bishop early Monday afternoon that he would be in net.

"Based on the information we have that you do not have, the best decision at the time was to go with Bish," Bowness said.

How did Bishop look?

"It looked like it was unfair what was going on in front of him. Did he look fine? Yeah. He looked sharp. On some of those goals, we just let guys walk in and tap it in," Bowness said. "Hey, listen: If you're pointing fingers at Ben Bishop, you're pointing fingers in the wrong direction. None of us were ready to go tonight. The first finger is pointed at me, and then work your way down. Ben Bishop is not near the top."

The Stars weren't the only ones making goalie news in Game 5. The Avalanche started their third-stringer, Michael Hutchinson, after Game 4 starter Pavel Francouz was unfit to play. Starter Philipp Grubauer was out because of an injury. Hutchinson stopped 31 shots in the win, including 17 of 18 in the third period.

"It was exciting. I've had a very long career so far, and this was my first playoff start. It's what you work for when you were a kid, dreaming in your backyard about playing in the Stanley Cup playoffs," said Hutchinson, who played for four teams in seven NHL seasons before getting his first postseason win. He played 9:21 in relief in Game 4.

Coach Jared Bednar said he was happy for Hutchinson.

"Since we got him, he's just went about his business," Bednar said. "He's a real quiet guy in the locker room, just a great human being. Talking to him last night, telling him he was going to start, I just wanted him to be relax. Go be himself. Have a fun night. Have a good night. He didn't get a lot of work early, but he certainly did as the game went on. We were confident coming in that if we played the way we can play that Hutch could have a night for us."

Game 6 between the Avalanche and Stars, who hold a 3-2 series lead, is scheduled for Wednesday, with both teams facing questions in goal.

Bowness said the Stars hadn't considered who might have the crease with another chance to knock out the Avs. "This game was so bad ... we've got a lot to digest here before we get to that point," he said.

What are the best defensive transfers by position since 2000?

Published in Soccer
Tuesday, 01 September 2020 01:03

Some of the world's best players were snapped up for a tiny fee; others cost a small fortune. But which do we think are the top moves, by position, a club has made since 2000?

In a two-part series we explore some of the best transfers to have happened across Europe in the past two decades. Sorry, Steven Gerrard, Lionel Messi and Harry Kane, no homegrown players allowed. Transfers only.

Players will be judged on the number of trophies they accrued at their club, as well as number of appearances, while their place in the ranking will also be decided by how much their club spent to sign them. It's only fair that a free transfer who has 500 appearances and wins you 15 trophies is better than a £50 million player who spent two seasons there to win three, after all.

Of course, it's not all mathematical. There's an X factor, too, and we've asked some of our ESPN correspondents for their input. PLUS: Be sure to look out for a list of attacking players -- midfielders, forwards and strikers -- on ESPN this week.

*All transfer fees and appearance data are taken from Transfermarkt. Total trophies won is at the club mentioned, not overall.

Jump to: FULL-BACKS | CENTRE-BACKS | DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDERS

GOALKEEPERS

10. JOE HART
Shrewsbury to Manchester City, 2006
Signed for: £810,000 Sold for: £3.5m
Appearances: 348 Trophies won: 5

Tottenham's Hugo Lloris was a contender for this list as he cost £10m but hasn't managed to break his trophy duck, and Hart might be the best value for money of the lot. Signed from the lower leagues, City turned him into one of the Premier League's best. Various loan spells, especially from 2016 onward, at the end of his City career are the reason he's No. 10.

9. JAN OBLAK
Benfica to Atletico Madrid, 2014
Signed for: €16m Sold for: N/A
Appearances: 257 Trophies won: 3

A steal at €16m, the Slovenia international has won La Liga's best goalkeeper award four times and has helped Atletico to the Europa League and UEFA Super Cup trophies. A class act, and still only 27.

8. DAVID DE GEA
Atletico Madrid to Manchester United, 2011
Signed for: €25m Sold for: N/A
Appearances: 405 Trophies won: 7

De Gea's form has fallen off a cliff over the past few years, otherwise he would be higher. Arguably becoming the world's best for a spell after a slow start to life in Manchester, it's incredible to think that United tied up their No. 1 spot for almost a decade for such a small fee. It just so happened to coincide with turmoil at the club around the time Sir Alex Ferguson retired.

7. ALISSON
Roma to Liverpool, 2018
Signed for: €62.5m Sold for: N/A
Appearances: 88 Trophies won: 3

It has been quite the start to his Liverpool career, with Premier League and Champions League medals already in the bag. It's clear the Brazilian goalkeeper helped to transform the Liverpool defence, but it came at a cost, which is why he's not higher on the list.

6. EDERSON
Benfica to Man City, 2017
Signed for: €40m Sold for: N/A
Appearances: 144 Trophies won: 8

Another Brazilian goalkeeper who has impressed in England, Ederson arguably transformed City more than Alisson did Liverpool. His long passing and ability to play almost as an extra centre-back changed the perception of what a goalkeeper could offer in the Premier League. A steal at €40m given what he has achieved.

5. MARC-ANDRE TER STEGEN
Borussia Monchengladbach to Barcelona, 2014
Signed for: €12m Sold for: N/A
Appearances: 236 Trophies won: 12

Much like Ederson, Ter Stegen's development as a ball-playing goalkeeper has set the bar for how we judge goalkeepers. Quickly usurping Chile international Claudio Bravo at Barcelona, despite being signed as a backup, he has won an incredible amount of silverware while providing an area of solidity during a tough few years at the Camp Nou.

4. EDWIN VAN DER SAR
Fulham to Man United, 2005

Signed for: £3.6m Sold for: N/A
Appearances: 266 Trophies won: 10

Four Premier League titles, one Champions League and, in the eyes of Sir Alex Ferguson, "the best goalkeeper we have had since Peter Schmeichel." Not hard, in that United went through 10 keepers between 1999 and 2005, but the Dutchman showed his class and helped United continue to dominate until he retired in 2011.

3. PETR CECH
Rennes to Chelsea, 2004

Signed for: €13m Sold for: £12.6m to Arsenal
Appearances: 494 Trophies won: 15

In the ranking for best Premier League goalkeeper of the past two decades, Chelsea's Cech would probably just pip Van der Sar based on the fact he matched his four Premier League titles but also landed four FA Cups, three League Cups, one Champions League and one Europa League. All that before he went on in 2015 to protect Arsenal's defence for four years.

2. GIANLUIGI BUFFON
Parma to Juventus, 2001
Signed for: €52.8m Sold for: N/A
Appearances: 671 Trophies won: 20

Yes, it was the world-record fee for a goalkeeper at the time -- a record that stood until Alisson joined Liverpool in 2018 (albeit superseded by Kepa Arrizabalaga's move to Chelsea) -- but what Juventus got from this signing outweighs the cost. They got a bona fide legend who stayed with them through thick and thin in Serie B after the Calciopoli scandal. Trophies galore and one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time. The only reason he's not top is because Buffon wasn't ever able to inspire them to the Champions League.

1. MANUEL NEUER
Schalke to Bayern Munich, 2011
Signed for: €30m Sold for: N/A
Appearances: 388 Trophies won: 21

Neuer has won the Champions League (twice) and boasts a UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup on his CV. His haul of 21 trophies for Bayern has come in half the games of Buffon, and he was almost half the cost of Buffon, too. It's a tough one, but the German is top dog. Will we be saying the same about Alexander Nubel, who followed his career path from Schalke to Bayern this summer on a free transfer? No, no we won't.

play
1:54

Sid Lowe: Gareth Bale's stance 'sad' on many levels

Sid Lowe says Gareth Bale choosing money over playing time is sad to see for football.

FULL-BACKS

10. GARETH BALE
Southampton to Tottenham Hotspur, 2007
Signed for: £13.2m Sold for: €101m to Real Madrid
Appearances: 203 Trophies won: 0

If you're wondering why Welsh wing wizard Bale is on the list as a full-back, it's because Tottenham bought him as one. Then they developed him into a forward and sold him as the world's most expensive player in 2013 to Real Madrid. That has to be worth some points.

9. MAXWELL
Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain, 2011
Signed for: €3.5m Sold for: N/A
Appearances: 214 Trophies won: 14

Ajax, Inter, Barcelona and PSG have all benefited from the Brazilian's skills over the years, and he's one of the most decorated club footballers of all time. PSG snapped him up for a meagre fee and he certainly paid them back.

8. ANDY ROBERTSON
Hull to Liverpool, 2017
Signed for: £8.1m Sold for: N/A
Appearances: 127 Trophies won: 4

The way in which Robertson helped to change the Liverpool defence upon arrival, with the help of Trent-Alexander Arnold (not eligible for this list), Virgil van Dijk (see below) and Alisson (see above) cements his spot. Premier League and Champions League trophies wouldn't have arrived without the Scotsman, who was a snip at £8m.

7. CESAR AZPILICUETA
Marseille to Chelsea, 2012
Signed for: €8.8m Sold for: N/A
Appearances: 386 Trophies won: 6

A tough choice to leave out Branislav Ivanovic -- who had 377 appearances, won 10 trophies and cost €10m -- but "Dave," as he is known by his teammates, gets the nod, as his record run of 73 Premier League starts in a row was incredible. His versatility and hunger to win make him a truly special player.

6. DANI CARVAJAL
Bayer Leverkusen to Real Madrid, 2013
Signed for: €6.5m Sold for: N/A
Appearances: 279 Trophies won: 16

Clubs don't often admit their mistakes, but Carvajal is living proof. Making his way up through the Madrid youth ranks, he was sold to Leverkusen in 2012 but then brought back (via a clause in his contract) a year later. And he's since gone on to become one of the best right-backs in world football.

5. ASHLEY COLE
Arsenal to Chelsea, 2006
Signed for: £6.6m + William Gallas Sold for: Free to Roma
Appearances: 338 Trophies won: 9

It was an acrimonious exit from his boyhood club, plus a £75,000 fine for a tapping-up scandal, but he won more trophies at Chelsea and became the FA Cup's most decorated player, with seven wins in eight finals. Arguably the best left-back that England have ever produced.

4. JORDI ALBA
Valencia to Barcelona, 2012

Signed for: €14m Sold for: N/A
Appearances: 336 Trophies won: 14

From 1998 to 2005, Alba was a Barcelona academy player, but the club let him go because of his small stature and had to spend €14m to bring him back almost a decade later. One of the best deals they ever did, Alba has made the left-back slot his own and won 14 trophies.

3. PATRICE EVRA
Monaco to Man United, 2006
Signed for: €8m Sold for: €1.9m to Juventus
Appearances: 379 Trophies won: 14

Evra brought passion, desire and his own unique personality to the United side for eight years, a masterstroke of a signing by Sir Alex Ferguson. Costing half of what Barcelona paid for Alba, the Frenchman won the same number of trophies and even made more appearances in a shorter time frame.

2. DANI ALVES
Sevilla to Barcelona, 2009
Signed for: €35.5m Sold for: Free to Juventus
Appearances: 391 Trophies won: 23

Speaking of unique personalities ... Alves is another who has raised his social media game to new heights since moving on, but his time at Barcelona was arguably one of the most successful ever. The Brazilian was pretty expensive back in 2009 -- in fact, he was the third-most-expensive player in the club's history at the time -- but he proved to be worth every penny.

1. MARCELO
Fluminense
to Real Madrid, 2007
Signed for: €6.5m Sold for: N/A
Appearances: 509 Trophies won: 22

After bursting onto the scene as a teenager for Brazil against Wales in 2006, Marcelo never looked back. Coincidentally, a 17-year-old Gareth Bale picked up his second cap for Wales in that game, but Marcelo was the one Real Madrid wanted a year later, and they landed him for a small fee from Fluminense. With 22 trophies, he has fewer than Alves but cost less and has way more appearances. What a signing.

play
1:51

Nicol remains adamant Sergio Ramos isn't world class

Steve Nicol argues Sergio Ramos' reckless play takes away from his footballing accomplishments.

CENTRE-BACKS

10. DIEGO GODIN
Villarreal to Atletico Madrid, 2010
Signed for: €8m Sold for: Free to Inter Milan
Appearances: 389 Trophies won: 8

It seems weird these days that Godin is plying his trade at Inter Milan, such was his presence at Atletico. One of the world's best defenders, he embodied the strength and desire at the heart of the Spanish club's success and brought great success -- but sadly managed to be only a Champions League runner-up, twice.

9. SOL CAMPBELL
Tottenham to Arsenal, 2001
Signed for: Free Sold for: Free to Portsmouth
Appearances: 210 Trophies won: 4

One of the best free transfers ever (and one of the most controversial), Campbell swapped Tottenham for bitter rivals Arsenal and helped the Gunners go down in history as the "Invincibles" in 2003-04.

8. VIRGIL VAN DIJK
Southampton to Liverpool, 2018

Signed for: £76.1m Sold for: N/A
Appearances: 122 Trophies won: 4

Van Dijk's £14.1m move to Southampton from Celtic almost made this list, as he was sold three years later for £76.1m, but his early career at Anfield made it an easy decision. Liverpool got what they paid for and now have the major trophies in their cabinet as a reward.

7. VINCENT KOMPANY
Hamburg to Man City, 2008

Signed for: €8.5m Sold for: Free to Anderlecht
Appearances: 360 Trophies won: 12

The building block around which Manchester City's era of dominance was built. Kompany was signed for a meagre fee, a week before the Abu Dhabi United Group bought City and transformed them into a transfer market behemoth, leading them to great success. The only reason he's no higher than No. 7 is the quality of those to come, and the fact he wasn't able to deliver the Champions League.

6. NEMANJA VIDIC
Spartak Moscow to Man United, 2005
Signed for: €10.5m Sold for: Free to Inter
Appearances: 300 Trophies won: 15

Arguably one of the greatest transfers ever, the Serbian was signed on Christmas Day and continued to gift United trophies throughout his eight-year spell. We could debate forever about who had the greater impact -- Vidic or Rio Ferdinand -- but I've made my choice.

5. RIO FERDINAND
Leeds to Man United, 2002
Signed for: £41.4m Sold for: Free to QPR
Appearances: 455 Trophies won: 14

Ferdinand's number of appearances tips the scales in his favour, even though he cost a lot more and won fewer trophies: just the 2013 Community Shield is missing from Vidic's haul. However, Ferdinand's record signing from Leeds made a major statement, much like Wayne Rooney's two years later, and that scores him extra points.

4. RAPHAEL VARANE
Lens to Real Madrid, 2011
Signed for: €10m Sold for: N/A
Appearances: 319 Trophies won: 18

Real Madrid's recent exit from the Champions League aside, Varane's career at the club has been laden with nothing but praise and silverware. The young Frenchman had to oust Pepe from the side, aged 19, leading then-coach Jose Mourinho to quip: "Pepe has a problem and his name is Raphael Varane." For a €10m outlay on an unproven Ligue 1 player, this signing was a masterstroke.

3. GIORGIO CHIELLINI
Livorno to Juventus, 2004
Signed for: €7.7m Sold for: N/A
Appearances: 510 Trophies won: 18

Another example of a player who has delivered so much for such a small fee that it almost seems ridiculous. Chiellini was signed by Juventus in a complex co-ownership deal involving Fiorentina, Roma and Livorno, but once under the wing of Fabio Capello, he developed into a star. Staying in Turin in Serie B through the Calciopoli scandal, he has been the defensive rock upon which Juve's domination of Italian football has been built.

2. SERGIO RAMOS
Sevilla to Real Madrid, 2005
Signed for: €27m Sold for: N/A
Appearances: 650 Trophies won: 22

Starting life as a combative right-back at Sevilla, Ramos developed into a combative centre-back at Real Madrid, and it's impossible to think of the club without him now. OK, Real have had to deal without him a fair bit as he collected the record for the most sendings-off in La Liga, but the Spaniard has been central to their success. The €27m was a record for a Spanish defender at the time, but it was so worth it.

1. GERARD PIQUE
Man United to Barcelona, 2008
Signed for: €5m Sold for: N/A
Appearances: 543 Trophies won: 29

The remarkable number of trophies that Pique has collected at Barcelona needs a second glance. In his first season after leaving Man United to return to his boyhood team, he won all SIX on offer (La Liga, Copa del Rey, Spanish Super Cup, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup). Then won the 2010 World Cup with Spain for good measure. Then he almost repeated the feat for Barcelona again, with five trophies in 2011. And again in 2015. One of the best centre-backs ever was signed for €5m. It's beyond belief.

play
1:27

Marcotti: Juve 'buying time' with Pirlo appointment

Gab Marcotti dissects why Juventus might have appointed Andrea Pirlo over a few other high-profile candidates.

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDERS

10. XABI ALONSO
Real Sociedad to Liverpool, 2004
Signed for: €16m Sold for: €34.5m to Real Madrid
Appearances: 210 Trophies won: 4

A class act, Alonso's passing from deep gave Liverpool an extra dimension, and he went on to find success with five trophies each at Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. But his time at Anfield is the most memorable, and his penalty to get the score back to 3-3 in the remarkable 2004-05 Champions League final against Milan, which Liverpool went on to win, showed how cool he was under pressure.

9. GILBERTO SILVA
Atletico Mineiro to Arsenal, 2002

Signed for: €6.9m Sold for: €2.5m to Panathinaikos
Appearances: 243 Trophies won: 5

"The Wall" is one of the best signings Arsene Wenger made, and that category has some impressive company! Gilberto was the perfect foil for his various midfield partners at a time of great success at the club, and his tireless work made his teammates better.

8. JAVI MARTINEZ
Athletic Bilbao to Bayern Munich, 2012
Signed for: €40m Sold for: N/A
Appearances: 238 Trophies won: 20

Martinez broke the Bayern and Bundesliga transfer record when he moved from Spain to Germany, but the club got what they paid for. He has won everything at Bayern and his versatility in moving between defence and midfield has given them plenty of options over the past eight years.

7. ESTEBAN CAMBIASSO
Real Madrid to Inter, 2004
Signed for: Free Sold for: Free to Leicester
Appearances: 431 Trophies won: 15

It's not often that a free transfer has such a transformative impact on a club, but Cambiasso's arrival from Real Madrid helped to change Inter completely. Bringing a defensive steel to midfield, he blossomed into a star and his decade in Italy saw him win an incredible Treble under Jose Mourinho in 2010.

6. CASEMIRO
Sao Paulo to Real Madrid, 2013
Signed for: €7.5m Sold for: N/A
Appearances: 240 Trophies won: 14

So good, they signed him twice. The Brazilian midfielder has become one of the most important players in a star-studded squad at the Bernabeu because he does the dirty work in midfield. Initially sending him off on loan to Porto, with a permanent option, Real used their buyback clause in a complex deal to make sure his future was with them. He hasn't looked back since.

5. JAVIER MASCHERANO
Liverpool to Barcelona, 2010
Signed for: €20m Sold for: Free to Hebei China Fortune
Appearances: 334 Trophies won: 19

Barcelona bought Mascherano as a defensive midfielder but turned him into a world-class centre-back despite his lack of height at 5-foot-9. With wonderful passing and an innate ability to read the game ahead of him, the Argentine won trophies aplenty at the Camp Nou and showed you can get better with age.

4. YAYA TOURE
Barcelona to Man City, 2010

Signed for: €30m Sold for: Free to Olympiakos
Appearances: 316 Trophies won: 7

Signed as a holding midfielder, which explains his place on this list, Toure blossomed into a creative, box-to-box force at City. The Ivorian became one of the world's top midfielders as City's era of domination began, and though he won fewer trophies than some of those below him on the list, his impact to turn the club into the force they are today is the reason he ranks so highly. Just don't forget his birthday.

3. CLAUDE MAKELELE
Celta Vigo to Real Madrid, 2000
Signed for: €14m Sold for: €20m to Chelsea
Appearances: 145 Trophies won: 7

The man who helped to redefine the position of defensive midfielder. The "Makelele role" of winning the ball back and playing simple passes to teammates ensures that the Frenchman is well represented here. He spent two more seasons at Chelsea than he did at Real but won one trophy fewer, plus the Blues paid more for him.

2. N'GOLO KANTE
Caen to Leicester, 2015
Signed for: €9m Sold for: £32m to Chelsea
Appearances: 40 Trophies won: 1

Yes, he's won more trophies at Chelsea (three), but the Premier League title success at Leicester was remarkable. The PFA Players' Player of the Year for 2016-17 has clearly blossomed into a world-class star at Stamford Bridge, but Leicester saw his potential in France's Ligue 2 and made him into what he is today. The Foxes made a huge profit and Kante would be nowhere without his move to the club in 2015.

1. ANDREA PIRLO
AC Milan to Juventus, 2011
Signed for: Free Sold for: Free to New York City FC
Appearances: 164 Trophies won: 7

Pirlo won a few more trophies at Milan (nine), but they paid around €17m for him in today's currency in 2001; Juventus landed him for nothing. Again, they landed him for NOTHING. One of the world's best midfielders. A man who also helped to redefine the defensive midfield role into a deep-lying quarterback, spraying passes forward and starting counterattacks. The Italian has since landed the job of coaching Juve full time, having moved up from his under-23 role to replace Maurizio Sarri inside two weeks. That's the kind of respect he commands.

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