Napoli head coach Antonio Conte has claimed that his side are not a well-oiled machine after they registered a slender 3-2 win over Pisa in Serie A last night. Although Gli Azzuri sit comfortably at the top of the league table having won all four of their games, such a statement from the Serie A winner comes as a shock after their latest win.
Mitchell Starc has been termed one of Australia’s “toughest” cricketers as he was backed to be fit for the Sydney Test after having maintained speeds above 140kph in Melbourne despite battling a back problem.Starc first showed signs of discomfort in the first innings at the MCG, but was able to play a key role in the dramatic victory push where he claimed Virat Kohli on the final day. Starc went for scans on Wednesday, but he also spent time in the gym during what became an optional training session where none of the bowlers who played in Melbourne turned their arm over.Normally, Australia have their main training session two days out from a Test but have tweaked their build-up given the short turnaround between the final two matches of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, and the heavier workload at the MCG.”He’ll be fine. He’ll push through,” Alex Carey said. “I’ve played with Starcy for a long time now, and [he’s] one of the toughest cricketers I’ve played with. He’ll grimace, he’ll grab his rib no doubt, but he’ll be ready for the contest.”Related
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Starc has been lauded for his consistency across this series, with Ricky Ponting regularly saying he has never seen him bowl better. He has 15 wickets at 28.73 in the four Tests and was unfortunate not to claim more than the one wicket at the MCG.”I thought first spell [in the second innings] without the reward was some of the best bowling I’ve seen this series from him,” Carey said. “He’s a quality player and has been for a long time. He’s got an opportunity now to help this team in a Test match. He’ll be up for the contest, and I think his bowling’s just gotten better throughout the series.”Overall, Starc’s numbers have faded towards the end of long Test campaigns, with his average in the fourth and fifth matches at 41.82, whereas it is 25.91 across the first three games of a series. He has also struggled at the SCG, his home ground, with nine Tests having brought 24 wickets at 44.16 on a surface that hasn’t always offered much encouragement for the quicks, although Carey said it was reasonably well grassed two days out from this match.Should Starc not be able to take his place in the XI, it would open the door for Jhye Richardson to play his first Test since the 2021-22 Ashes. He featured for Perth Scorchers on New Year’s Day, where he bowled with pace and movement to claim 3 for 29 against Adelaide Strikers before rejoining the Test team in Sydney.Sean Abbott is the other reserve quick in the squad, and would add more depth to the batting order if he were handed a debut as one of three seamers.”Whenever we have put someone in the spotlight, the true Aussie way is to show them how good we are”•AFP/Getty Images
The other player under scrutiny heading into the final men’s Test of the home summer is Mitchell Marsh, who has made 73 runs in the series, with uncapped allrounder Beau Webster remaining part of the squad. However, as with those who have been in focus during the series – the likes of Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith – Marsh has been backed to make an impact.”Whenever we have put someone in the spotlight, the true Aussie way is to show them how good we are,” Carey said. “So I think it is Mitch’s time.”After his thrilling debut in Melbourne, Sam Konstas will also be the focus of much attention after leaving an impression both with the bat and in the field. He was the only frontline batter not to have a hit at training on Wednesday.”I was a spectator that first session,” Carey said. “I probably had the emotions of the 90,000 that were there. At times I couldn’t watch it, at times I was cheering.”But just the energy he brought, it was something different. I probably wasn’t expecting that amount of difference, but he played a style of cricket that was probably new to India as well.”We’ll wait and see how we plays out here. I don’t think that’s his blueprint every Test match, but to be able to throw a few punches early and get a bit of momentum for us, which the opening partnership was probably just lacking that intensity.”I thought Nathan [McSweeney] and Usman [Khawaja] got us through tough situations as well by facing lots of balls. Sam was able to score a little bit, so hopefully another opportunity in front of his home fans.”Weather is often a talking point around Sydney Tests and, with the series poised at 2-1, could shape as an important factor. Currently the first three days look fine and settled, but there is a greater chance of showers on Monday and Tuesday.Mitchell Starc was often spotted stretching his back at the MCG•Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
A draw would be enough for Australia to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in a decade, but would leave them short of cementing a place in the World Test Championship final before the Sri Lanka tour at the end of January.”[It would be] reward for 24 months of really solid cricket,” Carey said. “[It is] a group that is extremely experienced, skilful, [with] Australian legends amongst it, who are continuing to surprise us with how good they are… but we can’t look too far ahead.”We know it’s a really quality outfit in India, who have shown they are well and truly capable of bouncing back. So for this group, it’s head down, another opportunity to win a Test match, and if are able to secure the trophy it would be fantastic.”It is hoped that the first three days at the SCG, the annual Pink Test to raise funds for the McGrath Foundation, will be a sellout following an Australian-record attendance across the Melbourne Test.
Maharaj was set to be in the XI for the first ODI against Pakistan but limped off just before the toss
ESPNcricinfo staff17-Dec-2024
Keshav Maharaj picked up a five-wicket haul in his last Test outing•Associated Press
South Africa have been left sweating over the fitness of Keshav Maharaj ahead of their last two Tests of the ongoing World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle. Maharaj was seen limping off during warm-ups ahead of the first ODI against Pakistan on Tuesday because of a groin strain. It is understood that Maharaj was in the XI before he sustained the injury right before the toss and was replaced by Andile Phehlukwayo. He will have a scan on Wednesday.After the three-match ODI series, South Africa face Pakistan in two Tests, needing just one more win to be assured of a top-two finish to qualify for the WTC final next year. Maharaj is a key component of South Africa’s Test side, often their lone specialist spinner in the XI, with Aiden Markram offering support with his part-time offspin. Maharaj bowled them to a win against Sri Lanka in Gqeberha earlier this month, returning 5 for 76 on the last day to trigger a collapse.Related
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While the severity of Maharaj’s injury is yet to be ascertained, this adds to the long list of injured South Africa bowlers. Anrich Nortje was ruled out with a fractured toe ahead of the T20Is against Pakistan; Gerald Coetzee and Lungi Ngidi are out until January with groin and hip issues respectively; Nandre Burger has been ruled out of the summer with a stress fracture of the lower back; Wiaan Mulder is in a race to be fit for the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan after breaking a finger against Sri Lanka.Dane Piedt and Senuran Muthusamy are the spinners in contention for the Boxing Day Test, if Maharaj is ruled out. Batting allrounder Neil Brand, who bowls left-arm spin, and legspinner Shaun von Berg also made Test appearances this year for South Africa. Left-arm wristspinner Tabraiz Shamsi, who last played first-class cricket in 2021, could be in with an outside chance.
In what could give them an early edge ahead of their opening day battle, Manchester United have now reportedly come thundering into the race to hijack Arsenal’s deal for a £20m midfield talent.
Man Utd gearing up for opening day Arsenal clash
Ruben Amorim couldn’t have asked for a much tougher start to his first full season in charge at Manchester United with the visit of Arsenal awaiting on the opening day. The Gunners will be looking to go again in pursuit of the Premier League title and end their misery at long last and whilst their first hurdle may seem routine on paper, they could yet be up against a new-look Man United side.
The Red Devils have already welcomed Matheus Cunha and are reportedly confident that they will complete a deal to sign Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo. But they’re not done there. INEOS are looking to end this summer having made a statement of intent.
Alongside Mbeumo and Cunha, the likes of Emiliano Martinez and Hugo Ekitike could yet arrive to hand Amorim a major boost at both ends of the pitch.
It’s difficult to mention Ekitike without also mentioning top target Viktor Gyokeres, however. As Manchester United and Arsenal prepare to square off on the opening day, it is the Gunners who could land the early advantage by signing the Sporting Club star amid reports that he prefers a move to the Emirates rather than Old Trafford in the coming months.
As talented as Ekitike is, Gyokeres would undoubtedly transform Manchester United’s frontline. Alas, all signs are now pointing towards North London for the Swede who could be set to instead take Arsenal’s attack to a whole new level.
That may not be the last we see of Arsenal and United’s transfer battle, however, with both sides now reportedly jostling to sign another talented target before they meet in August.
Man Utd blistering into Agoume race
According to TeamTalk, Manchester United are now blistering into the race to sign Lucien Agoume in a move that could see INEOS hijack Arsenal’s move to sign the midfielder.
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If there were any concerns that the Frenchman could be out of United’s price range, then Sevilla’s financial troubles should instantly put those to bed. As the Spanish club look to raise funds, Agoume could reportedly be available for just £20m this summer.
Praised for his “incisive” passing ability by analyst Ben Mattinson, Agoume may yet have the chance to showcase that trait in English football next season. The 23-year-old is reportedly keen to join a Premier League side which should hand Manchester United and Arsenal a major boost.
Reliable journalist Paul Joyce has claimed that Everton are interested in sealing a stunning move for a “special” attacking player this summer.
Moyes eyeing big future at Everton
After some grim seasons of late, which have included several relegation battles in the Premier League, there is a feeling of positivity with the Toffees, not least because David Moyes has returned as manager, easily steering them to safety ahead of the move to their new stadium.
The Scot has been forceful about how he is expecting a better future at Everton with him in charge, with the hope being that funds will be made available for important transfer business.
“I think more the feeling [is] that there might be a club which is coming back together. Signs that before there was a real break-up, of a sort of love affair with the supporters, the players, the club, the owners. So we’re all trying to get back. We’re obviously all looking forward to it. If we can take what we had today to the new stadium, it’ll be something.”
New signings are needed in various areas of the pitch for Everton, not least in attack, with goals coming at a premium at times this season, with 41 goals scored in 37 games. Now, a shock rumour has emerged regarding a potential attacking signing for the Merseysiders.
Everton keen on "special" Liverpool player
According to the reliable Joyce of The Times, Everton “hold an interest” in Liverpool winger Ben Doak, seeing him as an option to bring in this summer.
The 19-year-old has spent this season on loan at Championship side Middlesbrough, with the Reds unable to give him regular playing time, and a permanent move away from Anfield could now be on the cards.
The idea of Everton signing Doak is a mouthwatering prospect, not only because of the stunning nature of taking him from rivals Liverpool, but also due to his long-term potential.
The teenage winger is already a six-cap Scotland international, and he was enjoying a fruitful time loan at Middlesbrough before injury struck in January, bagging 10 goal contributions (three goals and seven assists) in the Championship.
Doak also caught the eye of Jurgen Klopp during their time together at Liverpool, with the German clearly a big admirer of the Scot, saying: “Special boy. Really confident, has something nobody else delivers, really; this kind of dribbling, this kind of straight-forward bravery, all these kinds of things.”
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Forgetting the Liverpool connection, Doak is a hugely exciting footballer who could reach great heights with his pace and unpredictability in the coming years, and while the Reds may be hesitant to sell to their rivals, Everton should look to strike a deal.
Back in the Premier League and on the hunt for reinforcements, Leeds United have reportedly made contact to sign a young Manchester City defender on loan for the season.
Leeds vying to commence summer business
Although it’s still very early days and July is yet to even arrive, Leeds have already reportedly set their sights on a number of potential reinforcements. The Whites will be well aware of the importance of getting the transfer window right. After all, none of the last six promoted sides have survived the following season in the Premier League. With the 49ers’ backing, however, Leeds could be well positioned to put an end to that worrying trend.
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49ers chairman Paraag Marathe spoke about Leeds’ summer plans last month, reiterating that they will spend as much as they can in the coming months. He told reporters: “Whatever they will let us spend, we’ll spend. I can comfortably say that we are going to spend the very last penny that we can. I’m under no illusions that it’s going to be easy, there’s a widening gap.”
Just who arrives with that said is the big question. Names such as Japhet Tanganga and even Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz have threatened to grab the headlines in recent weeks and there’s no doubt that signing the latter would make quite the statement.
Since leaving Aston Villa last summer, Luiz has struggled to establish himself at Juventus and has looked destined to depart for some time. A return to the Premier League would certainly be one way to revive his career, with Leeds now reportedly an option ahead of next season.
It’s not just experience that Leeds are after, however. Those at Elland Road have also been linked with some emerging stars who could discover their potential in Yorkshire and keep Daniel Farke’s side afloat in the Premier League in the process.
Leeds express interest in Juma Bah loan move
As reported by Africa Foot, the 49ers have now expressed interest in signing Juma Bah on loan from Manchester City in January. The 19-year-old defender arrived in January before heading straight out on loan to RC Lens. Now, six months on, he’ll reportedly be granted the chance to complete another loan move amid interest from Leeds and relegated Southampton.
Described as a “powerhouse” by analyst Ben Mattinson, the Sierra Leone centre-back could find himself wearing the white of Leeds before he even has the chance to represent Manchester City for the first time.
Having impressed on loan at Lens though, the natural next step for Bah should be a Premier League loan move, be it to Elland Road or elsewhere this summer. A player full of potential, the 49ers would be wise to snap up the defender if only for the season.
Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi-Mikel says a Viktor Gyokeres alternative targeted by Arsenal is “unplayable”, and he really doesn’t want the Gunners to strike a deal for him this summer.
Andrea Berta targeting Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres for Arsenal
A few reports from the last few days have shared information that Arsenal are advancing in talks for Gyokeres, following the Swede’s exceptional haul of 53 goals across all competitions for Sporting this campaign.
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Portuguese newspaper O Jogo even sensationally stated in their Monday headline that Gyokeres is “on his way to Arsenal” after the two clubs agreed a £59 million fee for the player, but this is yet to be backed up by other reliable sources.
What’s crystal clear, though, is the 26-year-old’s status near the top of Berta’s transfer shortlist when it comes to signing a striker before summer deadline day on September 1.
Boavista 0-5 Sporting CP
10.00
Sporting CP 5-1 Estrela de Amadora
10.00
Sporting CP 3-1 Moreirense
9.91
Sporting CP 3-0 AVS Futebol SAD
9.68
Nacional 1-6 Sporting CP
9.52
via WhoScored
Berta is said to be a huge fan of Gyokeres, and the Italian is reportedly pushing hard to win the competitive race for his signature.
That being said, while Gyokeres’ goal record is quite simply mouth-watering, there are other options for Arsenal, should they decide a deal cannot be done for the Sweden international.
One of them could be Napoli outcast Victor Osimhen. The 26-year-old has spent 2024/2025 out on loan at Galatasaray, impressing for the Turkish Süper Lig champions, and he’s likely to be on the move again when the summer window reopens soon.
His contract includes a £63 million release clause, and there have been some reports this year that Arsenal are prepared to pay the required amount to sign Osimhen if they wish to pursue the Nigerian.
John Obi-Mikel hopes Arsenal don't sign Victor Osimhen
Speaking on his Obi-One podcast, ex-Chelsea star Obi-Mikel, given his ties to Arsenal’s London rivals, is certainly hoping Berta doesn’t go in Osimhen’s direction.
A close friend of the striker, Obi-Mikel raved over Osimhen as a centre-forward who guarantees you both goals and trophies – branding him “unplayable”.
“Victor has been on fire, unplayable sometimes. Unplayable. Scoring goals, creating chances, everything he does this season has been absolutely fantastic,” said the pundit.
“So for me, like I’ve said, and I’ve always said: this is a player that wins you trophies. This is a player that puts you in the top 4. This is a player that is reliable. He will get you goals. I don’t want to see him at PSG, I don’t want to see him at Manchester United, I don’t want to see him at Arsenal. He’s tailor-made for us [Chelsea].”
While the release clause grants Arsenal an opportunity to swoop in, it is worth noting that Osimhen will reportedly command huge £250,000-per-week wages, which is an issue with most high-profile players right now, as Premier League sides look to trim down their salary bills and err on the side of PSR caution.
West Bromwich Albion are preparing for another promotion tilt next campaign and have now made contact over the signing of a talented attacker, per reports.
West Brom to rebuild after promotion hunt disappointment
In another Championship season with many twists and turns, the Baggies missed out on a playoff place by four points following a run of two victories in their final ten matches.
Tony Mowbray’s departure led to James Morrison being installed temporarily in the dugout alongside coaching staff Chris Brunt and Boaz Myhill, which is something former boss Tony Pulis would like to see on a permanent basis at the Hawthorns.
Despite the ex-Scotland international’s limited managerial experience, Pulis stated: “They know the ins and outs of the football club. They’ve worked with good people. They’ve had good managers they’ve worked with.
“They’re sensible lads. James has been with Scotland as well, so he’s had the experience of working at an international level. I’d give it to the lads.”
Externally, West Brom are reportedly considering Dave Challinor for the vacancy following his sterling work at Stockport County. Ryan Mason, Steve Cooper and Russell Martin are also in the running at this stage.
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While the hunt for a successor to Mowbray takes precedence at West Brom, the Baggies’ hierarchy will already have one eye on securing reinforcements this summer to lay the foundation for another promotion push.
Pre-season will soon be around the corner and new recruits will need a suitable bedding-in period before the campaign kicks off in earnest. With that in mind, West Brom have made contact over bringing in a talented attacker to firm up their pool of options in the final third.
West Brom make contact to sign Jamie Donley
According to Birmingham World, West Brom have made contact with Tottenham Hotspur over Jamie Donley in a bid to land the Northern Ireland international on loan ahead of next season. The 20-year-old is viewed as someone who could compete for a starting place alongside Daryl Dike and Josh Maja following his return of eight goals and 11 assists during a successful spell at Leyton Orient.
Why do West Brom want to sign Jamie Donley?
Chances created
62
Shots on target
17
Completed dribbles
28
Successful crosses
28
Possession won in final third
29
Expected Goals total
4.05
Capable of playing anywhere across the front four, Donley has been labelled “outstanding” by Spurs Under-21 boss Wayne Burnett and is highly rated by his parent club despite the prospect of being farmed out on loan once again.
Famously, his halfway-line effort against Manchester City in the FA Cup earlier this year gained worldwide attention as the O’s battled valiantly in a 2-1 defeat to the eventual finalists. Moments like that have led Leyton Orient’s desire to extend his stay in East London, but he may fancy his chances at a higher level and West Brom could be the ideal environment to continue his development.
It is rare for teams to pair left-arm spinners together, but West Indies look set to stick with them in pursuit of a third T20 World Cup
Matt Roller18-Jun-20243:29
Bishop: Confidence the key for West Indies at the business end
Their great Test teams were built around fast bowlers, but West Indies have a proud history of spin-bowling partnerships: Sonny Ramadhin and Alf Valentine were immortalised by Lord Beginner’s calypso; Lance Gibbs would bowl offspin at one end while Garry Sobers bowled his left-arm variations from the other; and more recently, West Indies’ T20 World Cup successes were built around a pair of spinners too.Samuel Badree was the constant – bowling his flat, fast wristspin in the powerplay. In 2012, Sunil Narine would take over from him through the middle overs; four years later, with Narine still sorting out his bowling action, the towering left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn took over and bowled containing spells through the middle, finishing the tournament with an economy rate below seven.Related
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And when West Indies had faced England last December, they landed on another such pair: selecting Guyana’s Gudakesh Motie to play alongside Trinidad and Tobago’s Akeal Hosein. Both are left-arm fingerspinners, but are very different bowlers with complementary strengths. They have played 11 matches together since, taking 35 wickets at 15.57 between them, 16 of which came in their group stages of this World Cup.The formula is simple: Hosein takes the new ball and often bowls three of the first five overs. He flights some balls but also relies heavily on his arm ball, which drifts sharply into the right-handers. “He’s a very, very integral part [of the side], especially for controlling the powerplay for us,” Rovman Powell, West Indies’ captain, said.When the field spreads, Powell brings Motie on and empowers him to flight the ball, varying his pace and looking to spin the ball hard. “Right as we come out of the powerplay is Gudakesh Motie time,” Powell said. “It’s like Akeal Hosein passing the baton onto Gudakesh Motie, and it’s been very good so far.”West Indies geared their selection to conditions, knowing that their pitches can play slow and low, and may turn more as the World Cup wears on. “We’ve been playing our entire career on these pitches: we’re not surprised when it’s slow, it’s low and it’s low-scoring,” Nicholas Pooran said. “The reason why most of our averages are 20-25 is because we bat on pitches like this.”
“[It’s been] pleasantly pleasing to me to see how [the] same type of bowlers – two left-arm spinners turning the ball in the same direction – have complemented each other so well. That’s something that is new to me”Ian Bishop to ESPNcricinfo
In St Lucia, where West Indies face England on Wednesday night, conditions have been much more favourable for batters: against Afghanistan on Monday, Pooran hit 98 in a team total of 218, the highest score of the T20 World Cup so far. But with England likely to field a batting line-up filled with right-handers, Hosein and Motie should still play a role.In terms of average and economy rate, they were West Indies’ best bowlers in their 3-2 series win against England in December too, and Powell said they would “definitely” match-up well against England’s batters in a few days’ time: “When we pick the two left-arm spinners, we know that in West Indies conditions, whether the wickets are good or the wickets are bad, they’re going to be a handful because they’re world-class.”Hosein has reached an intriguing stage where he has played enough T20 cricket around the world – over 150 matches in his career, one-third of which have come in the last 12 months – that his arm ball no longer takes teams by surprise. Batters know the cues: he tends to bowl it from significantly wider on the crease, and with a slightly lower trajectory.”[It’s been] pleasantly pleasing to me to see how [the] same type of bowlers, two left-arm spinners turning the ball in the same direction – although Akeal Hosein has the arm ball – have complemented each other so well,” Ian Bishop said on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show. “That’s something that is new to me.”They’ve got Roston Chase there [as well] as the option to turn the ball the other way. Ideally, in a perfect world, they’d like a wristspinner. They don’t have that, so they’ve gone with the two left-arm spinners. I wouldn’t mind seeing them change it up though at some point, because teams are planning for Akeal Hosein in that powerplay.”1:37
Ganga: Hosein and Motie are two ‘very different bowlers’
England are well aware of Hosein and Motie’s strengths, to the extent that they chose an uncapped slow left-armer in Tom Hartley as their back-up spinner ahead of Rehan Ahmed’s legspin following December’s tour. “There’s no question both teams know a lot about each other,” Sam Curran said. “The two spinners are probably one of their strengths.”Phil Salt and Jos Buttler, England’s openers, both have good head-to-head records against Hosein, and Salt in particular has made huge strides since he was dismissed by left-arm spin five times in six innings on a tour to Bangladesh last March. Salt has become much more confident playing through the off side, and scored two hundreds against West Indies in December.Motie is more of an unknown for England, though. He has an extensive first-class record but is relatively new to T20 cricket, only making his debut in the format in 2021, aged 26. He has never played in a franchise league outside of the CPL, where none of this England squad feature regularly, and only played against them during the December tour.Motie is short, and has a low release point, but puts significant overspin on the ball, meaning some balls are quick and skiddy, while others turn sharply off the pitch. In the group stages, he bowled arguably the ball of the tournament to date, which drifted into Daryl Mitchell from a wide angle at 62mph/99kph, before turning sharply to hit the off bail.It is rare for teams to pair left-arm spinners together in modern T20 cricket, but West Indies believe they have found a winning formula and look set to stick with it in pursuit of an unprecedented third men’s T20 World Cup. If they achieve it, it might even be enough for Hosein and Motie’s names to feature in a calypso.
The UAE legspinner talks about his hat-trick against Sri Lanka, his time as a net bowler in the IPL, and about rubbing shoulders with big-name players in the Abu Dhabi T10 league
Deivarayan Muthu24-Nov-2022Karthik Meiyappan was in a trance when he claimed a hat-trick against Sri Lanka in the men’s T20 World Cup last month. He only began to realise what he had achieved when he got together with his father and then when he visited his extended family in Trichy, Tamil Nadu.”Definitely, it [the hat-trick] took some time to sink in,” the 22-year-old UAE legspinner says. “When I came back home to Dubai, it slowly started kicking in that I actually pulled off something spectacular.”The family support I’ve had over the years is incredible. To come back home and for them to let it sink in was the best part. I can be vulnerable in front of my family. Expressing my emotions then – it couldn’t have been better scripted.”Karthik’s father, PL Meiyappan, was also a legspinner, who played league cricket in Tamil Nadu before moving to the UAE for work.”My dad wanted to continue to play cricket and even got picked for his university side [in Madurai],” Karthik says, “but I think the family couldn’t support him at the time and that’s how his cricket [career] got cut short.”It’s probably something he lives through me and I’m sure he’s a proud father.”Karthik is a modern wristspinner who bowls into the pitch and gets his googly to turn and fizz more than his legbreak. It was those wrong’uns that took out Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Charith Asalanka and Dasun Shanaka in the 15th over of Sri Lanka’s innings to make him only the fifth bowler to bag a hat-trick in a men’s T20 World Cup.3:25
‘Our batting slacked in the World Cup, but our bowlers were up to the mark’
“Obviously, when I was bowling to the lefties [Rajapaksa and Asalanka], my plan was to take it away [from them] because I felt like they were more leg-side dominant and have a better range of shots on the leg side, especially Rajapaksa,” Karthik says.”When Asalanka walked in, Vriitya [Aravind, the UAE wicketkeeper] asked me whether I wanted to slip in a legspinner, but I was feeling like he was coming from a bad patch of form, so again I backed myself to bowl my best ball. I told Vriitya I’ll back my wrong’un again and luckily it pitched in the right spot.”Then when Shanaka walked in, even Vriitya had no doubt what I was going to bowl, so I just went about bowling the wrong’un once again and got him through bat-pad.”Karthik, who started out as a seamer, imitating Brett Lee’s action as a boy before realising his body couldn’t withstand the load of fast bowling, explains that googlies come easier to him than legspinners because of how his action is set up.”I’m more perpendicular and 12’o clock, as they say. For me, bowling the googly is easier than a legspinner because of the leverage I get on the ball. It’s easier to snap my wrist and fingers to bowl the wrong’un. Legspin is something that I back myself to bowl as well, but in T20s, I feel the wrong’un is the weapon with which I back myself to deliver eight or nine out of ten times.”Karthik dabbled with offspin and legspin before becoming a quick legbreak-googly bowler – a species that is much in demand in T20 cricket these days. But before taking up cricket professionally, he was quite seriously into chess, even playing some inter-state tournaments in Tamil Nadu.”Chess is something I inherited from my family,” he says. “My grandfather and my uncle play chess and sport has been in the family background. When I was living in Coimbatore for two years, I was just playing gully cricket then. Chess was something that caught on [for me] because I’m very eager at grasping things by just observing. My dad also played chess, and [when] my mum put me in coaching in Coimbatore, I found it was something I could do. My parents tried to put me through a professional programme, but they [the organisers] requested that I stop my education and focus only on chess, which we couldn’t at that point. Chess was something I love, but once I moved to Dubai [in 2007], it wasn’t a big thing here, so I moved to cricket.”Related
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Karthik made his international debut for UAE in 2019, and since then though he was part of touring sides, didn’t get many chances in the XI – until this year. He believes his three-wicket haul against Singapore in the Asia Cup T20 Qualifier in Al Amerat earlier this year, and a stint with former offspinner and current Tamil Nadu coach M Venkataramana in Chennai, have transformed his career.”I think that was the real turnaround for me,” he says of that game against Singapore. “Ever since the game, I feel things have been going well.”I came down to Chennai for a month and worked with Venkataramana under Robin [Singh, the UAE coach] sir’s guidance. He kind of tweaked a few things in my bowling, which really came in handy for me. The hat-trick is the icing on the cake because there was a lot of work behind it.”Karthik has also had stints as a net bowler with Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, getting to work with Sri Lanka legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga and his hero MS Dhoni.”Shane Warne is someone I’ve looked up to, but lately I’ve been watching Wanindu closely. The way and the style we bowl is similar, so I try to pick up a lot of things from his bowling. And then suddenly I started celebrating the way he did. I took my celebration off Wanindu – and not Neymar – and even told him after the game against Sri Lanka in the World Cup that I copied his celebration.”Before the Ireland series [in October 2021], I had a stint with CSK. I spoke to MS Dhoni about how I could handle them sweeping the ball because Ireland are more of sweepers. So, he gave me advice and, like I said, you’re learning off the best.”Meiyappan with his family, including his mother, Selvi, and sister, Lobha Mitra•Karthik MeiyappanKarthik now has a chance to show his wares in the T10 league in Abu Dhabi, which begins this week. It is a tournament that he believes has helped bridge the gap between domestic and international cricket for UAE’s players. The league could also potentially be a shop window for the inaugural ILT20 in the UAE in 2023.”Practising with international players is different from competing against them. There is lots to learn and you get used to that exposure, which is important to bridge the gap between an Associate team and a Test nation. T10 is a short format, and at the end of the day, as a bowler you still have to be aggressive and look to dominate the game, which is something I like.”He’s looking forward to playing alongside Shanaka and Rajapaksa for Chennai Braves in the league – and remind them that they were his World Cup hat-trick victims. “Even before the World Cup started, when we had the welcoming lunch, I spoke to Shanaka and [Maheesh] Theekshana about playing together at Chennai Braves, but now I will go to Shanaka and have a few words about the hat-trick ball, for sure.” (laughs)With a T20 World Cup hat-trick against the Asia Cup champions, has Karthik made his case for a promotion from net bowler at Chennai Super Kings?”It hasn’t crossed my mind yet,” he says. “But if I get my process right and my results going, it will be a by-product. It will happen, if it’s meant to be. Obviously, I’ve put myself out there and my chances now might be better than what it was before, but I would not push my imagination. Whatever opportunity comes my way, I will definitely take it with two hands.”