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Durante a entrevista coletiva, após o empate do Vasco com o Bahia, o técnico Vanderlei Luxemburgo comentou sobre o lance da expulsão do capitão Leandro Castan e analisou o resultado. O comandante concordou com o cartão vermelho, mas questionou oárbitro Wilton Pereira Sampaio, que segundo ele, deveria ter expulsado o meio-campista Gregore em uma falta sobre Benítez.

> Confira e simule a classificação do Campeonato Brasileiro

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– Eu acho que o juiz acertou a expulsão do Castan. Foi uma imprudência. Não teve a intenção. Mas a imprudência se mostrou. Mas antes do lance do Castan, o árbitro fechou os olhos quando o Gregore deixa a perna seguir e acerta a perna do Benítez. Era um lance de expulsão também. Se o Castan merecia ser expulso por imprudência, acho que o Gregore também deveria ser expulso. Acho que são dois pesos e duas medidas – disse, e acrescentou.

> Confira mais notícias sobre o Vasco da Gama

– O Rossi é bom jogador, é rápido. É malandro, é malandro no bom sentido. Eles darem amarelo para o Rossi nos acréscimos.. Se dá um amarelo para o Rossi no início, ele não faria o que ele faz para ganhar tempo… Com a expulsão do Castan, acabou sendo um resultado justo, mas temos que continuar. Não estou defendendo o Castan, mas estou falando de dois pesos e duas medidas – finalizou.

Para o clássico da próxima quinta, diante do Flamengo, Vanderlei Luxemburgo não poderá contar com seu capitão e esclareceu quem será o substituto de Leandro Castan no duelo contra o Flamengo, no Maracanã.

– Graça no lugar do Castan, não tem o que inventar. Zagueiro canhoto no lugar de canhoto. Posso começar com Pec, com Talles, é uma decisão que vou caminhar mais – explicou o comandante vascaíno.

O Vasco volta a campo na próxima quinta-feira, no clássico contra o Flamengo, às 21h (de Brasília), no Maracanã, pela 34ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. Com o tropeço deste domingo, a equipe pode ser ultrapassada na rodada pelo Sport, que ainda entra em campo.

England’s senior bowler claims 200th overseas wicket as late breakthroughs redress balance

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jan-2019

James Anderson appeals for a wicket•Getty Images

James Anderson admitted he was relieved to return to wicket-taking ways in the first Test in Barbados, but added that the tour of Sri Lanka before Christmas – in which he claimed a solitary wicket in England’s 3-0 series win – made him appreciate it all the more when conditions are even remotely in his favour.Anderson produced a superb sustained performance with new ball and old on the first day against West Indies, conceding just 14 runs in his first 14 wicketless overs, before striking hard in his latter spells to finish with 4 for 33 in 24 overs all told, as West Indies slipped from 240 for 4 to 264 for 8 at the close.In the process, he claimed his 200th wicket in overseas Tests, and also went past the combined tally of 1000 wickets with his long-term new-ball partner, Stuart Broad, who was not selected for this match as England opted for the all-round option of Sam Curran.”I’ve always enjoyed the challenge but it’s often been difficult for me to get to grips with conditions away from home,” Anderson said. “I guess it’s getting to know my game and getting my skills and confidence up. Now I feel I can bowl on most pitches – though you could probably take Sri Lanka out of that.”Tours like that make you appreciate when there’s a bit of something for you. There was a bit of swing even though the wicket was pretty flat. You’re always encouraged with that movement through the air. I say I’ve enjoyed it – I’ve not enjoyed the times I’ve bowled rubbish, but in recent years as I’ve improved overseas, I’ve really enjoyed that challenge.”Of the 1000-wicket feat, Anderson said: “It makes you feel old. [Broad and I have] played for a long time together. I think it’s amazing to think we’ve taken that many wickets together. It’s a shame that he wasn’t out there today but hopefully he’ll get a go at some stage on this tour.”The decision to leave out Broad – and his personal haul of 433 wickets – was one of the main talking points of the day, and Anderson said he completely understood why.”Of course it causes conversation, it’s a massive decision. A guy who has played 124 Tests but then you have a really talented allrounder [in Curran]. In that respect it shows how strong our squad is. There will be difficult decisions as this team improves. I thought it was harsh on Jack Leach to miss out after Sri Lanka.”It’s tough for Joe [Root, the captain] but that’s why he gets paid the big bucks. It’s Joe and Trevor [Bayliss]’s job. As players we just turn up and prepare to perform. We know there will be tough calls.”England looked like ruing Broad’s absence in the early part of the day, as Curran in particular endured a tough time, conceding 54 runs in 12 wicketless overs. But with Ben Stokes chiming in with three wickets of his own, England finished the day with their noses fractionally in front.”We really weren’t sure how [the wicket] was going to play,” he said. “It was scruffy-looking so it was difficult to tell what we were going to get. We thought it might have a little more pace in it. The odd ball kissed through nicely but on the whole it was a slow wicket.”Kraigg Brathwaite left really well early on because we were getting some swing. So we’ve got to take a lift from how they played early on, because that new ball is tricky on there with the movement through the air. When we bat, that’s what we have to negate.””That last session with the second new ball got us right back in the game,” he added. “It was a good wicket to bat on today. There’s wasn’t too much off the wicket and it was a bit slow, but there was a bit of swing for most of the day.”All in all, it was a day where we had to sit in and I thought we did that really well. We didn’t really let them get away from us at any stage and we know in cricket if you stay in the game, the second new ball can bring two or three wickets. We bowled really well with that second new ball and got our rewards.”

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou's immediate attention will be on navigating through the tough winter period, but the Australian manager will be eagerly waiting to enact plans in the January transfer window.

To be honest, everything went a bit wrong last season and the woes were cherry-topped by Harry Kane's departure to Bayern Munich right in the build-up to the new campaign. but the cogs have combined and Spurs blitzed into early title contention in the Premier League.

But while Postecoglou is Tottenham's liberator from instability, he is not a miracle worker and his squad's frailty had been brutally exposed before the November international break, with injuries and suspensions heavily factoring into successive defeats against Chelsea and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

January reinforcements are paramount, with the fortification of the backline sure to be among the principal priorities for Postecoglou as he looks to sculpt a successful season down the N17.

Tottenham transfer news – Giorgio Scalvini

According to transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano – as relayed by football.london – Tottenham had held an interest in Atalanta centre-back Giorgio Scalvini in the summer.

Romano said: "The centre-back of Atalanta, a very talented player, we know him very well in Italy, not as known in Europe, but he is very good.

"He's on the radar of many clubs, for example, I heard, last summer, Tottenham were considering a move, he was one of the secret players that they had on the list at Tottenham, but they decided to go for something different because Atalanta were asking crazy money for Scalvini."

Spurs opted to sign Micky van de Ven from Wolfsburg for £43m instead, and while the Dutchman has been a revelation, he picked up a hamstring injury during the Blues defeat and is out until the new year, prompting Postecoglou to strengthen.

Giorgio Scalvini's season in numbers

Scalvini is only 19-years-old but he has already established himself as one of the most talented young defenders on the Italian scene, with Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp interested in signing him for £34m one year ago.

Dubbed a "top talent" by Romano, the centre-half really came into his own last year and completed 34 matches across all competitions, starting 29 times in Serie A.

The turn of the season has been but a continuation of his stellar performance, and indeed a robust blooming that threatens to disrupt the likes of Josko Gvardiol for the spot as football's most prodigious young defender.

As per Sofascore, he has been solid in the league this term, starting ten times, completing 84% of his passes, averaging 2.2 tackles, 2.1 clearances, 1.8 interceptions and six ball recoveries per game and succeeding in 64% of his contested duels.

Such metrics underscore an energy and tenacity that will serve him well on the Premier League scene, and while he could perhaps brush up his distribution, he has completed 92% of the passes made in his own half – effectively highlighting his creativity and willingness to progress the play.

Indeed, as per FBref, the £9k-per-week prodigy is developing skills across the board, ranking among the top 20% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 14% for assists, the top 15% for shot-creating actions, the top 12% for progressive passes, the top 20% for progressive carries, the top 16% for successful take-ons, the top 13% for tackles and the top 2% for interceptions per 90.

It is, frankly, a rather long list. But this is an illustration of a skill set so shiny that the vultures are circling and waiting to nosedive towards his signature.

A veritable giant at 6 foot 4, Scalvini – noted for his “eye-catching” showings by journalist Tom Maston – really does look the complete package and offers creativity and progression to merge into Postecoglou's possession-based, enterprising system.

Unlike Van de Ven, the seven-cap Italy international is not left-footed but this should not dissuade the Lilywhites from pouncing, given that the influential summer acquisition will be expected to dominate from that side of the backline for years to come.

Cristian Romero, imperious and aggressive, also comes into the picture, but then outfits with silver-heavy ambitions have seldom succeeded with sparsity in the defensive wall.

Giorgio Scalvini could surpass Van de Ven

Romero is actually absent alongside his Netherlands-native partner, though he will sit the next two matches out due to his red card against Chelsea.

Ange could sign Van de Ven 2.0 as 6 ft 3 colossus wows Spurs scouts

The central defender has been touted with a possible move to England in January.

By
Dan Emery

Nov 22, 2023

With Eric Dier and Ben Davies forming the defensive axis against Wolves, Tottenham were very much reminiscent of the recent dog days preceding their former Celtic manager's appointment, and while neither was objectively bad, it's clear that they are not dependable within the system.

Scalvini would be the perfect player to rally the ranks and blend authority and strength with flair and ingenuity, and while he remains on Atalanta's books, Postecoglou must now ensure that a winter swoop is made.

Giorgio Scalvini: Key Characteristics
Strengths	Weaknesses
Interceptions	No significant weaknesses
Aerial duels
Tackling
Concentration
*Sourced via WhoScored

Given his youthful years, the titan could easily improve over the coming years to present himself as one of Europe's leading defenders, potentially even surpassing Van de Ven – which would be quite a thing if the 22-year-old's displays on English shores so far are anything to go by.

While Van de Ven was said to be "flourishing" in Germany by journalist Ronan Murphy, he has transcended the Spurs backline (which conceded 63 Premier League goals last year) and has forged a fearsome partnership with Romero.

Described as a "fighter" and a "killer" by talent scout Ruben Jongkind, Van de Ven is blessed with electric pace and remarkable athleticism, ranking among the top 8% of centre-backs for progressive carries and the top 3% for successful take-ons per 90 to evidence this.

The £50k-per-week star has been immense across his 11 outings in the English top-flight, completing 95% of his passes, making 1.6 tackles, 2.9 clearances and 5.4 recoveries per match and succeeding with 61% of his contested duels.

Scalvini has three years to catch up with him, and while Van de Ven is indeed thriving, the Italian ace looks the real deal and could nurture his innate creativity and power as a defensive force to rise to the forefront with Tottenham, who could soon boast a frightening array of talents in the rearguard to make Guglielmo Vicario's goal impregnable.

Scott Kuggeliejn, who was tried and found not guilty of rape in February 2017, is understood to be the target of the banners

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Feb-2019Scott Kuggeleijn’s participation in the ongoing T20I series between New Zealand and India has prompted protest by certain spectators, stemming from his being found not guilty of rape two years ago.On Wednesday, a sign promoting sexual consent, which said “No means no”, was taken down at Westpac Stadium in Wellington, the venue of the first T20I. After security personnel confiscated the banner and escorted the woman holding it away from her seat, NZC and stadium officials apologised for the act and said it was an over-reaction.On Friday, other signs appeared at Eden Park – where the second T20I was being played – referring to #MeToo and consent. One simply said: “Wake up, NZ Cricket, #MeToo”.It is understood that the posters, on both occasions, were directed at Kuggeleijn, the 27-year-old Northern Districts allrounder who has been part of New Zealand’s XI in both matches so far. Kuggeleijn was tried and found not guilty of rape in February 2017, following a trial at Hamilton District Court, and made his international debut during a tour of Ireland in May the same year.ALSO READ: Why the Johri investigation has been a kick in the gut for womenKuggeleijn’s two ODI appearances so far have come in Ireland, far away from New Zealand, but this year New Zealand have fielded him in three T20Is at home, and his trial has returned to the spotlight.After the conduct of the stadium officials was criticised, quoted Richard Boock, the NZC public affairs manager, as admitting: “We agree the course taken was an over-reaction and unnecessary, and the sign certainly wasn’t offensive.”The policy [signage targeting a player] is a guideline only and is not written in stone. I think, on this occasion, we should have shown better judgment and exercised more discretion. We’ll be having a chat about it in our debrief with a view to making sure that doesn’t happen again, and we’re sorry.”The third and final T20I of the series will be played in Hamilton on Sunday.

Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Gary O'Neil has reportedly put a talented midfielder at the top of his January wishlist, with the club preparing a move.

Wolverhampton Wanderers share points with Nottingham Forest

On Saturday, Wolves managed to build on their midweek victory over Burnley by securing a 1-1 draw at home to Nottingham Forest, with Matheus Cunha's 32nd-minute strike enough to cancel out Harry Toffolo's opener at Molineux.

Despite dominating possession on the day, the Old Gold and their opponents enjoyed a fairly even share of goalscoring opportunities and a point was perhaps the correct result on the day, moving them further away from the relegation zone in the process.

Cited by The Express & Star, O'Neil was left frustrated by his side's second-half performance and bemoaned their inability to test the Tricky Trees' rearguard, as he stated in his post-match press conference:

"We lost our way in the second half. We didn’t find a way to cause them problems in their back five. I leave slightly disappointed, feeling we were all trying to get more. The players, myself, the fans and we didn’t manage to test them as much as I would have liked."

Wolves player who is "all over the place" likely to be sold in January

The Old Gold are set to sanction the sale.

ByChloe Chadwick Dec 7, 2023

Nevertheless, points are never easy to come by in the Premier League and the West Midlands-based outfit will have plenty of opportunities over the festive period to climb the table at the expense of their divisional rivals.

Once the January transfer window rolls around, Wolves could be keen to bolster their ranks in several key positions to ensure they stave off any threat of being drawn into a dogfight for their league status later down the line. Now, a fresh report has indicated that O'Neil has now earmarked a key target that he may look to swoop for in January to add another dimension to his engine room.

Wolverhampton Wanderers keen on Josh Brownhill

According to The Mirror, Wolves have are preparing a £7m move for Burnley midfielder Josh Brownhill ahead of the January window and he is said to be top of O'Neil's transfer wishlist. Crystal Palace, Fulham and Leicester City are also keen on his services; however, the publication also mention that the former Bristol City man would be open to a switch to Molineux.

Five most similar players to Josh Brownhill (FBRef)

Club

Player

Brentford

Vitaly Janelt

Crystal Palace

Jefferson Lerma

SC Freiburg

Maximilian Eggestein

Mainz 05

Dominik Kohr

Troyes

Xavier Chavalerin

The outlet claim the Old Gold will try to land the 27-year-old on a cut-price deal worth in the region of £7 million; nevertheless, Vincent Kompany values the Warrington-born ace at around £20 million. Brownhill's contract situation is also up in the air at Turf Moor, seeing as his deal is set to expire in the summer of 2024, though the Clarets are set to take up an option to extend his terms by a further 12 months.

Labelled "fabulous" by former Aston Villa man Lee Hendrie, Brownhill has shown his eye for goal this term, registering three strikes and laying on one assist in 16 appearances across all competitions (Brownhill statistics – Transfermarkt).

Providing composure in the middle of the park, Wolves could do a lot worse than to try and bring Brownhill to the Midlands as O'Neil looks to bolster his squad in January.

Newcastle United are looking to sign a stopgap for Sandro Tonali in January, and a move for an "excellent" midfielder could still happen, according to journalist Alex Crook.

Newcastle eyeing Tonali replacement

Ever since the Magpies were rocked by the news that Tonali has been banned for 10 months for betting offences, it has been clear that they badly need a replacement when the January transfer window arrives.

While Eddie Howe still has strong options in the middle of the park, from Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton, squad depth will likely become more and more important as the season goes on, as legs begin to tire.

Newcastle willing to pay £26m for “extremely agile” potential ace

Could he be an ideal Sandro Tonali replacement?

ByHenry Jackson Nov 26, 2023

Newcastle have been linked with a plethora of players when it comes to filling the void left by Tonali, and the first-choice target arguably appears to be Kalvin Phillips, with the Manchester City and England man continually tipped to make a move to St James' Park.

The Magpies could also look to Saudi Arabia for potential additions, however, with both Ruben Neves and N'Golo Kante mentioned as possible solutions for Newcastle in the recent past. Whatever happens, at least one new midfielder is needed midway through the season, and now another name has been mentioned as an option to come in.

Newcastle could sign Gabri Veiga

Speaking on the Premier League All Access Podcast [via The Boot Room], Crook claimed that Newcastle could potentially sign Gabri Veiga in January, with the Spaniard currently playing for Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli.

"I think they’re still worried with how they’re perceived, but it would be a surprise for me if they didn’t take at least one player from Saudi in January.

"It might not be Ruben Neves, Al-Hilal are keen to keep him. But Gabri Veiga was a player who was very much in their sights this summer and it was a bit of a surprise at such a young age that he went to Saudi, so I’d keep an eye on that one."

Veiga could be an interesting option for Newcastle, with the 21-year-old's move to Al-Ahli arguably raising eyebrows during the summer, due to his age and the fact that he had been flourishing so much for Celta.

Last season, the Newcastle transfer target scored 11 goals in 28 La Liga starts, showcasing his ability to provide end product from his attacking midfield role, and a future call-up to Spain's senior squad feels possible, considering he has won 14 caps for the Under-21s.

Appearances

56

Goals

11

Assists

4

Veiga isn't necessarily a like-for-like replacement for Tonali, with the current Magpies ace a more disciplined figure who often plays deeper, but if the chance to sign the ex-Celta star arrives, it is still a move that Howe should consider going through with.

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has called the youngster an "excellent player who has something special", which is high praise from one of the most renowned bosses in the game, and he could decide that his time in Saudi Arabia hasn't been successful, instead making a speedy return to Europe and kicking on in his career.

أعلنت رابطة الأندية المصرية المحترفة عن أفضل حارس مرمى في الدوري المصري الممتاز “النيل” موسم 2023-2024.

وكان الأهلي قد نجح في التتويج بلقب درع الدوري هذا الموسم، ليصل للقب الرابع والأربعين في تاريخه.

طالع | رابطة الأندية تعلن أفضل ظهير أيسر في الدوري المصري 2023-2024

وأعلنت رابطة الأندية عن فوز الحارس الدولي محمد الشناوي بجائزة أفضل حارس في الدوري هذا الموسم.

وأوضحت الرابطة عبر حسابها الرسمي على منصات التواصل الاجتماعي، أن اختيار الشناوي جاء بناءً على تصويت الجماهير.

وكان محمد الشناوي قد خاض 17 مباراة بالدوري هذا الموسم، نجح خلالهم في الخروج بشباك نظيفة في 8 مواجهات.

تجدر الإشارة إلى أن الشناوي قد غاب عن تشكيل الأهلي الأساسي في المباريات الأخيرة ببطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا والتي نجح الأهلي في الفوز بها.

India vice-captain Rohit Sharma believes that barring fitness and injury concerns, India’s World Cup squad is most likely to be similar to the one named for the ODI series against Australia and New Zealand. He added, however, that selections would depend on form, and there was thus no guarantee of being picked.”I think the 13 ODIs we’re going to be playing leading up to the World Cup, you’re going to see more or less the same squad playing in the World Cup,” Rohit said. “Probably one or two changes, keeping in mind the form and injury concerns over the next few months. We’ve played a lot of cricket throughout the year, so injuries are bound to happen. Don’t think there’ll be any drastic change. Looking at the slots – they’re pretty much taken by individuals. Everything will depend on the form of each player, nobody is guaranteed that flight to England.”It’s slightly early to be talking about the playing XI. But there aren’t going to be any drastic changes We still have 13 games, 4-5 months to go and two months of IPL. Lot of cricket to be played. So it’s hard to name the 11 or 12 that’ll be playing the World Cup.”India brought back Dinesh Karthik in place of Rishabh Pant, and also excluded Manish Pandey and Umesh Yadav. The ODI squad for the Australia and New Zealand series includes Kedar Jadhav, who has struggled with injuries, and Hardik Pandya, who is back after recovering from the back injury he sustained during the Asia Cup in September.Frontline quick Jasprit Bumrah has been rested with an eye on his workload, after the four-match Test series where he bowled more overs (157.1) than any other fast bowler.Rohit feels the absence of Australia’s mainstay fast bowlers – Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins – will not make the contest less challenging. Starc and Cummins were not a part of the squad that thumped India 4-1 during the ODI series here in 2016, and Hazlewood played just one game. The damage was largely inflicted by the likes of John Hastings, Kane Richardson and James Faukner.This time around, along with a number of changes in the batting order, Australia have added veteran quick Peter Siddle, who last played an ODI in 2010, and has had impressive performances in the BBL over the last couple of seasons. Their pace battery also includes Western Australian fast bowlers Jason Behrendorff and Jhye Richardson.”They don’t play too much of ODI cricket, I think,” Rohit said. “The last time we played in the format here, these guys (Hazlewood, Starc, Cummins) weren’t playing and we were still beaten 4-1. Australia still have quality in their bowling. Of course those three are their premier bowlers but they’ve got guys who can do the job for them.”They’ve got a bowling line-up who can put us under pressure without a doubt. They’ve been playing some limited-overs cricket, they’ve been doing well. It’s not going to be a walkover situation for us. We’ve still got to grind it out there and make sure we put them under pressure. Team is high on confidence right now so we got to carry it it this format as well.”While MS Dhoni’s spot has been among the other middle-order concerns for India, Rohit said the former captain is a “guiding light” and has a larger role to play in the side, also crediting him for the recent successes of India’s wristspinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav.”Over the years, we’ve seen what sort of presence he [MS Dhoni] has in the dressing room, ” Rohit said. “With him around, there’s a sense of calmness. Him being around the team is always helpful. He’s a guiding light around the group. Also with the bat, batting down the order, providing that finishing touch is very important. He’s finished so many games for us. His role is very important. His presence around the group is a massive factor.”Someone like Dhoni behind the stumps telling them (Chahal and Kuldeep) what the batsman is trying to do makes a big difference. Since Sri Lanka tour in 2017 they’ve done really well, and one of the reason is MS. He’s guided these two guys in the middle overs, how to keep things tight, field placements. He’s helped the captain a lot in the field as well.”

From Alan Wells’ disappointment at The Oval to another replacement for Keaton Jennings

Andrew Miller30-Jan-2019

Alan Wells falls to Curtly Ambrose for a first-ball duck on Test debut•Getty Images

At the age of 32 years and 321 days, Joe Denly is set to join a select band of England cricketers to have made their Test debut after their 30th birthday. ESPNcricinfo recalls the fate of the last seven men to have earned such late recognition.Mark Stoneman (30 and 52 days) v West Indies, Edgbaston 2017
Pop quiz in the year 2029. Name the two thirty-something England batsmen who made their debuts in consecutive Test series against West Indies, having replaced Keaton Jennings at the top of the order. Denly, like Stoneman, has been made to wait for his opportunity after an impressive weight of runs in county cricket. Stoneman played a walk-on role on debut, falling early to a Kemar Roach snorter as England wrapped up an innings victory at Edgbaston inside three days. And that rather set the tone for his 11-match stint in the side. He often looked the part at the top of the order – more so than most of Alastair Cook’s fellow openers – but rarely managed to turn his stoical starts into substantial finishes. A blow to the helmet from Josh Hazlewood during that winter’s Perth Test seemed to mark the beginning of the end as his composure ebbed thereafter.Mark Stoneman was bowled by Shadab Khan for 9•Getty Images

Jon Lewis (30 and 280 days) v Sri Lanka, Trent Bridge 2006
A stalwart for Gloucestershire, Lewis’s skilful swing bowling worked wonders on the county circuit, but was arguably half-a-yard too slow for sustained success at international level – although he did enjoy an unforgettable first day out in England colours, in their maiden T20 against Australia in 2005. Given the then-coach Duncan Fletcher’s obsession with 90mph bowlers, his selection for a Test debut against Sri Lanka on one of the driest surfaces of the following summer was a surprise, but he started well enough, bowling Michael Vandort with his third ball of the match. England’s thumping defeat at the hands of Muttiah Muralitharan, however, condemned him to membership of the one-cap wonders’ club.Shaun Udal (36 and 239 days)
One of the many talented wicketkeepers of the 1990s and 2000s who had the leviathan Alec Stewart blocking their way to regular recognition. But Hegg’s opening eventually came on the 1998-99 Ashes tour, when even the workaholic “Gaffer” conceded that he had too much on his plate. As captain and keeper of another English sinking ship, Stewart decided to ditch the gloves and revert to opening the batting – and it turned out to be a masterstroke. He led the line with his first and only century on Australian soil, before England, in a finale for the ages, clawed their way to a 12-run win in a gut-busting four-hour final session of the match. Hegg did the needful, claiming four catches in the match all told, but after retaining his place in Sydney, that was the end of that.Steve James drives on his way to 36•Getty Images

Steve James (30 and 284 days) v South Africa, Lord’s 1998
A titan of Glamorgan cricket, for whom he scored a career-best 309 not out against Sussex at Colwyn Bay, James was one of those players of the 1990s who seemed destined for endless mentions in dispatches rather than an actual England call-up. But then, in 1998, he was finally given his chance following a thumb injury to Mark Butcher. He dashed from a rain-delayed Championship match against Leicestershire in Cardiff to the England dressing room at Lord’s, and duly opened the innings alongside his former Cambridge University batting partner, Mike Atherton. Sadly, Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock proved an awkward welcoming committee. And though he did get a second chance against Sri Lanka later that summer, Muralitharan bagged him in both innings en route to his historic 16-wicket haul.Alan Wells (33 and 326 days) v West Indies, The Oval 1995
Like James, but with added layers of frustration, Wells was one of county cricket’s outstanding performers in the late 1980s and early ’90s, precisely the period in which English cricket was crying out for consistent displays. It still beggars belief how, in the summer of 1989, when England ended up using 29 different players against Australia, his season’s efforts for Sussex – 1629 runs at 52.54 – didn’t earn him a maiden cap. Instead, in exasperation, he threw his lot in with Mike Gatting’s rebel tour, and that might have been it but for a late, late call-up in the final Test of the 1995 summer. With the series against West Indies locked at 2-2, the stage was set, especially in those days when a command performance at The Oval would almost certainly guarantee a winter tour … but nothing quite went to plan. A first-ball duck off Curtly Ambrose meant there would be no invitation for that winter’s official trip of South Africa.

Liverpool legend Graeme Souness claims Mohamed Salah has "had his head turned" and will follow manager Jurgen Klopp out of the club this summer.

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• Salah clashes with Klopp at West Ham
• German leaving Liverpool this summer
• Souness backs Egyptian to follow suit

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Liverpool icons Klopp and Salah got into something of a spat during their 2-2 draw with West Ham last weekend. While Klopp said the matter had been resolved after the match, the Egyptian said if he spoke there would be "fire". Now, former Reds star Souness believes the 31-year-old will end his seven-year stay at Anfield at the end of the season and possibly move to Saudi Arabia – where Al-Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo currently plays.

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  WHAT GRAEME SOUNESS SAID

  Souness also claimed that Salah may have already agreed a Ronaldo-esque deal with Liverpool well ahead of time, as he said on talkSPORT: "There's every chance that he's done a deal with Liverpool at the end of last season – the summer last year. 'Oh there's interest from Saudi Arabia' – but he's given them an extra year. It's like [Cristiano] Ronaldo at Manchester United, he gave them another year and then went off to Real Madrid [in 2009]. I think there's every possibility that is the case. Given Salah is [almost] 32 now, I think he's been marvellous for Liverpool, but I think he's had his head turned. He's going back to a Muslim country, his mother tongue, so at his age and everything else, I think there's every chance that will happen."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  With Klopp stepping down as manager at the end of the season, keeping their best players going forward will be key in Liverpool's bid to be successful. Therefore, losing Salah – who has scored 210 goals in 346 appearances – could be tough to take. The former Roma man is out of contract in 2025 and it remains to be seen if he will sign a new deal.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Salah's Liverpool side, who saw their dreams of winning the quadruple crash and burn with Europa League and FA Cup exits in recent weeks, will try and keep their faint Premier League title hopes alive when they host Tottenham on Sunday.