All posts by h716a5.icu

The ICC will discuss the events of the second India-West Indies T20 in Lauderhill in its annual workshop for match officials next month

Sidharth Monga31-Aug-2016The ICC will discuss the fiasco in Florida in its annual workshop for match officials next month. A 40-minute delay at the start of the India-West Indies T20I in Lauderhill on Sunday, for “technical” reasons, robbed the match of a result with rain arriving two overs into the second innings. Had the match begun on time – conditions at the ground were perfect at the regulation start time – the match would have been past the halfway mark of its second innings. Only five overs in each innings are required to be bowled for a result in T20 matches.”At next month’s annual workshop, the match officials will be discussing a wide range of topics, including the second T20I in Florida,” an ICC spokesperson confirmed to ESPNcricinfo.The ICC playing conditions have guidelines for delays for only three reasons: rain, poor light, unfit playing surface. The match referee and umpires were left to make a subjective call when the request to delay the match was made to them by the two “competing members”. The decision to delay the start was unprecedented, but the events may not have been unprecedented: there have been at least two instances in recent times when broadcasters have had issues, but play went on without delay on both occasions.In Hobart on February 28, 2012, the ground lost power during the innings break of an ODI between India and Sri Lanka. With the daylight still holding up, the second innings began at the scheduled time of 6.35pm even if it meant the broadcasters couldn’t show the first 3.4 overs of the chase. The power was restored before it became dark, and the match went on without delay.A year before that, just before the start of an ODI series in India, the then host broadcasters Neo Sports had a run-in with Prasar Bharati, the government agency responsible for uplinking live telecasts out of India. The match began on time even though Neo lost out on broadcasting the first 2.5 overs of the match.The ICC confirmed that its match officials had made the final decision to delay the start. “Taking into account the strategic considerations behind the staging of the two international matches in Florida,” the ICC said, “the match officials, on the request of the two competing members, agreed to tweak the playing hours to allow the host broadcaster to overcome the technical difficulties.”Such decisions are usually made by the match referee in consultation with the umpires. Ranjan Madugalle was the match referee for the Lauderhill match; the on-field umpires were Joel Wilson and Leslie Reifer and Nigel Duguid the third umpire. The “strategic considerations” here could allude to the objective of spreading the game in a new market. In fact, when the ICC sanctioned these matches, it welcomed them as capable of developing cricket in the USA. “The ICC has approved these matches because we believe they can play a significant role in the long term development of cricket in the USA and our ongoing efforts to unify the USA cricket community,” the ICC CEO Dave Richardson had said in a release.

Wolves star Ruben Neves "would seriously consider" joining Arsenal if his proposed move to Barcelona falls through, according to reports.

Who could join Arsenal this summer?

The Gunners and Edu have been preparing for this summer transfer window behind-closed-doors, with the sporting director admitting as much a recent interview with ESPN (via 90min):

"Maybe this season we can go to one or two players. Today, we have a much more balanced squad," said Edu."Our planning has already been done. It has already reached the owners. Now, we're taking things step by step. We're focused on how we will finish the season, but we've put in the planning and I'm very excited."

In terms of who Arsenal could sign, it is reliably believed that reinforcing manager Mikel Arteta's midfield options is a top priority, with West Ham star Declan Rice and Brighton's Moises Caicedo on their list of targets.

As well as the aforementioned duo, Man City captain Ilkay Gundogan and Mason Mount of Chelsea are of interest to the north Londoners.

New targets like Leicester City playmaker James Maddison have also entered the frame recently, with one Spanish source now making an intriguing claim on Neves.

Arsenal have apparently shown an interest in the Portugal international who is thought to be closing in on a move to Barcelona.

However, despite his proposed transfer to the Camp Nou, it is believed that Neves "would seriously consider" joining Arteta's side if his Barca deal fails to materialize.

Arsenal could be a fall-back option for the midfielder whose priority is to join the La Liga giants, yet he would apparently really think about a move to north London as an alternative.

Who is Ruben Neves?

Neves, who is thought to be valued at around £45 million by reliable sections of the press, has been a star player under Julen Lopetegui – averaging Wolves' highest match rating per 90 of any regular (WhoScored).

He's contributed for Wolves both further forward and in defence – with only Joao Gomes making more successful tackles per 90 than Neves in the Premier League.

The 26-year-old has also averaged Wolves' highest rate of attempts at goal per 90 in the top flight, with their keeper Jose Sa saying this on his teammate last year (via The Express and Star).

“Ruben is a fantastic player, he’s amazing. He’s very young, only 24-years-old, so for me it is a pleasure to play with him again after playing together at Porto.“Of course, every day he is better and he helps the team a lot.”

Australia A’s seamers dismantled India A’s top order before Hardik Pandya led the visitors’ comeback with 79 to help them to 9 for 169 at stumps on the first day in Brisbane

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Sep-2016
ScorecardAustralia A’s seamers, led by Kane Richardson and Jackson Bird, dismantled India A’s top order to leave them tottering at 6 for 46 on the first morning of the second four-day game in Brisbane. Hardik Pandya then countered with an unbeaten 79, a 112-ball knock that featured nine fours and a six, to carry India to 9 for 169 before bad light scuppered the final session with 24 overs remaining.Australia, who chose to field, conceded just five runs in the first six overs of the morning without picking up a wicket, before Faiz Fazal was caught off Richardson. Australia then took three wickets in the space of six balls to reduce the visitors to 4 for 11 in the 12th over. Thereafter, Naman Ojha, the captain, and Sanju Samson resisted for 16 overs in which thy added 32 for the fifth wicket. However, both fell in quick succession on either side of the lunch break.Pandya and Jayant Yadav then led India’s resurrection with a 78-run, seventh-wicket stand. Yadav contributed with a patient 28, but was bowled by Richardson before the tea interval. Bird and Richardson returned to take a wicket each after the break, before bad light ended play prematurely with India on the verge of getting bowled out.Bird and Richardson, who shared the new ball, took three wickets each, while Chadd Sayers and Hilton Cartwright, the right-arm medium pacers, took one apiece.

West Ham are eyeing a summer swoop for Leeds United’s Jack Harrison.

What’s the latest on Jack Harrison to West Ham?

According to talkSPORT, the Yorkshire outfit are preparing for the departure of the winger following their relegation to the Championship, with the Irons and Aston Villa among those interested.

The Englishman is set to be handed a top-flight lifeline as the outlet understands that he has a relegation clause in his contract, meaning that he would be allowed to leave for a cut-price fee.

As per CIES Football Observatory, he is currently worth £17m.

Who could Jack Harrison replace at West Ham?

The 26-year-old has been at Leeds since 2018 and played in every single Championship game that saw them gain promotion in 2020.

Since arriving in the Premier League, across three seasons, the former Manchester City starlet has made 107 appearances and recorded 37 goal involvements.

Although his side has endured a hugely troubled campaign, Harrison has averaged the most key passes (1.5) and dribbles (1.3) per game in the squad, according to WhoScored.

The Londoners have already seen first-hand what the winger can do against them too, with the former New York City man scoring a rare hat-trick versus West Ham last season.

It was a performance that unsurprisingly drew a great deal of praise, notably from former Leeds star Noel Whelan, who said: “He’s a brilliant player, we know that. If you look at last season and the quality of goals he scored, we knew he had that clinical edge in his game.

“It wasn’t just the goals either, it was the workman-like performance and energy he brought, and he thoroughly deserved to get the goals.”

Harrison doesn't just provide his team with attacking contributions, but his selfless nature and defensive work has also been lauded. His teammate Junior Firpo once said:

“He’s one of the best wingers I had, in terms of helping the full-back. This is really important for the fullback when you have a winger that is committed to the work and helps you with the 2v1’s, especially here in the Premier League where every team has amazing wingers. It’s unbelievable to have him.”

From a Hammers perspective, Harrison could well replace the inconsistent Pablo Fornals, who started under half of the club’s Premier League games in a frustrating campaign.

Disappointingly, the Spaniard dismally resides in the lowest 13% of positionally similar players across Europe's top five leagues for progressive carries per 90, as well as the bottom 7% for successful take-ons per 90.

Furthermore, the diminutive talent only offered three top-flight goals all campaign, outlining him as someone who could be upgraded upon next term.

With the possibility of European success and qualification for the Europa League next season, David Moyes’ side will require the utmost squad depth and Harrison could be a formidable addition to the pack.

Manchester United have the opportunity to put the cherry on top of a fantastic season by winning the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium this afternoon in a monumental clash with local rivals Manchester City.

The Red Devils have already won the League Cup this season and qualified for Champions League football with a third-place finish in the Premier League, and now Erik ten Hag can improve his first season further by sealing the domestic double by beating Pep Guardiola to the trophy and ruin City's chances of a treble-winning season.

Indeed, the Dutch coach will be under no illusion that it will be an easy task for his team with Man City in unbelievable form of late and an opportunity in their minds to perform an outstanding achievement, one that, ironically, Man United were the last to complete back in 1999.

In terms of injuries, Ten Hag has his fair share to deal with as Lisandro Martinez, Marcel Sabitzer, Antony and Anthony Martial will be unavailable for selection, with the latter the most recent to fall victim to fitness issues ahead of the huge fixture this afternoon leaving the centre-forward role considerably weakened.

Having said that, the Red Devils still boast a squad capable of delivering high quality at Wembley today and after beating Guardiola's impressive side back in January, Ten Hag will surely look back on how his team performed in the victory many months ago to find inspiration for his starting eleven.

One player who put on a fantastic performance in the 2-1 win over City was Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and it could be the perfect opportunity to unleash him once again at Wembley.

Will Wan-Bissaka start in the FA Cup Final?

The talented right-back has revived his career at Old Trafford this season under the guidance of his new manager and could now be a vital asset in keeping the attacking threat quiet this afternoon, or more specifically Jack Grealish.

Over 19 Premier League appearances, the £90k-per-week ace – once dubbed a "monster" by CBS presenter Aaron West – has won 55% of his duels and tallied up an 84% pass completion rate, as well as averaging 56.2 touches, 1.2 interceptions, 2.1 tackles and 1.8 clearances per game, proving that he is a huge defensive presence on the right flank.

His undeniable ability to stump high-quality attacking opponents was proven in the league victory over Man City where he comfortably completed 100% of his ground duels (7/7), accurately completed 100% of his long balls, successfully executed all three of his dribble attempts and won four tackles during his 90-minute performance.

In fact, Wan-Bissaka has a 50% win ratio over the 12 occasions he has faced the Sky Blues in the past and has only lost five times, whilst his positional peer Diogo Dalot has only appeared once and lost, making the former Crystal Palace titan the more experienced option for Ten Hag today.

With that being said, it will be important to start strong defensively to ensure they are not punished by the likes of Grealish and Wan-Bissaka could be the experienced and dominant presence to ensure the Man City star doesn't cause problems early into the clash at Wembley.

The Delhi ODI was decided in the final over, the differentiating factor being which team could pull off the basics better under pressure. By the smallest margin, it was New Zealand

The Report by Alagappan Muthu20-Oct-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details3:48

Agarkar: India self-destructed on the night

India would not have expected a target of 243 to trouble them. But it did. Their top order tends to finish games off. Not this time. That left the job to MS Dhoni and a set of batsmen not accustomed to finishing an innings. New Zealand exploited that weakness to pull off a six-run victory and level the five-match series at 1-1.It was a chaotic scrap at the finish, which brought a noisy crowd at the Feroz Shah Kotla to their feet. India were 172 for 6 – and the man dismissed was the captain, who was also their best option against an equation of 71 runs in 63 balls. Then a goofy over from Martin Guptill – four wides, ten balls, and two wickets – brought Hardik Pandya front and centre for the second match in a row.In Dharamsala, he offered a glimpse at his utility as a new-ball bowler. In Delhi, he suggested he has promise as a man who could come in late and stay sensible under pressure. He wrestled an equation of 48 off 36 balls down to 11 off eight. India had two wickets left.In that time, New Zealand’s disciplines were taking a beating. It was the final overs of the innings, but they did not look for the blockhole. Most of their success was a result of the fast bowlers hitting back of a length on a pitch that was slow and holding up, meaning neither using the pace nor forcing it was a good idea.The problem was, late into the night, the dew started to take effect. That meant it got a little easier to hit the ball through the line. It also meant New Zealand’s fielders, who were simply remarkable, were suddenly slipping all over the place. It was the kind of situation – with things starting to turn at the worst possible time – that could have broken anyone’s resolve. If only for the fact that the opposition’s ninth-wicket partnership racked up 49 at a run-a-ball.But that’s when the big players stand up. On came Trent Boult – back in the XI after a rest – and he conceded only six runs in the penultimate over and also got rid of Pandya. Tim Southee sealed India’s fate with a yorker.Kane Williamson played a vital part to his team’s revival as well, scoring New Zealand’s first century on the tour. He came to the crease in the first over and did not budge until the 43rd. By that time he had 118 runs off 128 balls. It was the best innings of the day, and perhaps along the way he understood that runs on the board was not a bad place to be.Besides the fact that New Zealand has been unable to win a single match on tour – they have struggled to win tosses too – plenty of challenges came Williamson’s way. Not least of which was his own body refusing to cooperate. He began cramping up in the Delhi heat – and it became contagious. His left forearm caught it first, then his right, and at one point he couldn’t even lift a bottle to drink. But when play resumed, he smacked Pandya over his head to the long-on boundary.He picked 65 of his runs in the arc between backward square leg and wide mid-on, which in the early part of the innings, was usually only manned by one or two men. His first boundary came through midwicket which was left vacant, punishment for Umesh Yadav straying too straight with a 7-2 offside field. His first, and only, six of the innings exemplified how well he knew the field. Mid-on had been up. He danced down and lofted Patel over his head in the 13th over. When Patel was taken off and Mishra was brought on, Williamson cut and flicked the bowler for boundaries to make sure India’s spinners couldn’t threaten him or his team-mates.Tim Southee had Jasprit Bumrah bowled in the last over to seal New Zealand’s win•BCCIIn the field, Williamson had to make sure India’s batsmen didn’t bully his bowlers. And he received some unexpected help in this regard.Rohit Sharma was caught behind for 15 off Boult, who had strung back-to-back maidens before the breakthrough. Four overs later, Virat Kohli was caught behind off a silly old delivery down leg. The chase had come alive for New Zealand.India’s 40 for 2 became 73 for 4 after two grand fielding efforts.Corey Anderson, prowling on the long leg boundary, tracked down a pull from Ajinkya Rahane and dived forward to complete a low catch. India would have felt aggrieved at the decision though, because the on-field umpires referred it to the third umpire, and informed him via soft signal that they thought it was out. Despite plenty of replays – some angles suggesting the ball had bounced up into Anderson’s hands, others indicated the fielder could have had his hands under the ball and it bounced on his fingers into his palm – there was no conclusive evidence to overrule that call. And so C Shamshuddin had to send Rahane on his way for 28 off 49.Manish Pandey was run out by the combination of a sharp throw from Mitchell Santner and a phenomenal collection from Luke Ronchi to break the stumps.Then came the coup de grâce. Southee, coming back for a third spell, got a ball to stop on Dhoni. A push down the ground for a single became a catching opportunity. A very difficult one. Southee had to dive to his right – against the direction of his followthrough – and get low to have a chance. He kept his eyes on the ball, the slow motion pictures highlight his concentration as he stuck one hand out and came away with one of the biggest match-changing moments in the day.While these were spectacular displays, doing the little things right was equally beneficial for New Zealand. They bowled out their spinners in the middle overs; Santner, costing less than five runs an over, was done by the 39th and part-timer Anton Devcich, bowling left-arm sliders with the seam pointed upright more often than not, bowled nine overs for only 48 runs. Not a bad day’s work after two years’ absence from ODI cricket.Williamson was comfortable using them for three reasons – they were accurate, the dew took time to set in, and India couldn’t attack either bowler. Their top order had failed and even with a set Dhoni at the crease, the target was too far away.India were 139 for 5 in the 32nd over. They tried to take it deep. They wanted to see if New Zealand would break at the end. But that was when the batsmen were worse off. India themselves had exploited that when they bowled, giving away only one boundary in the last 10 overs. It was early on that run-making was easy, as exemplified by the 120-run partnership between Williamson and Tom Latham, who made 46 in as many balls.There remains a couple of concerns for New Zealand. Guptill bagged a duck and Ross Taylor made a painful 21 off 42, worked over so completely that it seemed like the ball had a restraining order against the middle of his bat. But little would make this win – their first on the tour and one so richly earned – taste sour.

Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim tried his best to lift the gloomy mood brought on by a 22-run loss against England on the final morning in Chittagong

Mohammad Isam in Chittagong24-Oct-20161:38

Isam: Bangladesh need more from Shakib

After four days of a fascinating contest, it took just 19 minutes to finish the Test and Bangladesh’s chances at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium. The atmosphere quickly fell flat and there was hardly a crowd in by the time Shafiul Islam was given out for the second time (confirmed on review), as had been the norm in this Test match.Those who had come into the ground hardly made any noise during the post-match presentation, but for the next 20 minutes, Mushfiqur Rahim tried his best to lift the gloomy mood brought on by a 22-run loss, focusing in particular on performances by the debutants, Mehedi Hasan and Sabbir Rahman, and senior figures Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan.Mushfiqur said that the result had become less important after the way his team fought all the way till the end, and gave a fine account of their character throughout the five days. He said that consistency is what Bangladesh crave in Test cricket, and this Test was a great example of what they can achiever if a number of players perform together.”Sometimes you have a distinctive feeling after losing a game,” Mushfiqur said. “We tried what we could. Nobody expected Bangladesh to play in this manner after 15 months so we had to prove that we could do something. We could show our character to a side like England. They have a lot of experienced players. I wouldn’t use the word frustrating but I would call it a learning experience.”The biggest achievement would be to play consistently for the whole Test match. I think we have done that 90-95 percent of the time but we could have done better in some areas. We can take a lot of positives – Mehedi and Shakib bowled well. Tamim batted well, and it wasn’t in his character to bat like he did. Sabbir batted well too. It was a good Test for Bangladesh.”There remained some questions about how the game panned out, particularly Sabbir giving Taijul Islam the strike on the final day. Mushfiqur said that it was the management’s decision to take the singles, which would take the pressure off Sabbir from doing all the scoring. He lamented that Bangladesh were not equipped with tailenders capable of holding their own, unlike the England side, which boasted 11 batsmen with at least one first-class century.”Sabbir wouldn’t have been able to do all the scoring and it wasn’t that Taijul was really bad,” Mushfiqur said. “If it was the last wicket, it would have been different. They had pace from both ends, understandably, so Sabbir couldn’t have taken too much risk. Taijul started well today so we took the decision that they should take a single when it is available.”Thirty-runs and two wickets is a difficult equation. The match was tilted towards them almost 90 percent. We don’t have any tailender who has a first-class hundred, and even if they did, there’s a huge difference between those scored in county cricket and in our first-class structure. If we would have won, we wouldn’t become an extraordinary Test side. But we ended up achieving much of what we had set ourselves.”The margin of defeat was less than the deficit Bangladesh gave away in the first innings, their collapse of 5 for 27 on the third morning sparked by Shakib’s unnecessary charge that resulted in a stumping. Mushfiqur suggested that, had Bangladesh taken a first-innings lead, the Test could have taken a different path.”Those runs build a huge difference,” he said. “We replied with five early wickets in their second innings and then Stokes put up that big partnership but I still think that had we gone close to their 290, the Test match could have taken a different path. It did matter in the end.”Mushfiqur added that they expected better from Shakib. “I think he realises that he didn’t do the right thing,” Mushfiqur said. “We didn’t expect this from such a mature player. We want him to have more impact for the team.”The Bangladesh captain’s words were soothing, especially after such a heartbreaking finish for the home side. For all the running that Bangladesh have done in their first Test after almost 15 months, Mushfiqur has certainly taken a long-awaited upward step in his Test captaincy.

TalkSPORT pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor has been left thrilled by Tottenham Hotspur and their links to Brentford goalkeeper David Raya.

Which goalkeepers could Spurs sign this summer?

Spurs star and long-serving number one Hugo Lloris, by his own admission, could well depart north London this summer as the Frenchman declares that it is time for a new challenge.

Speaking to Nice-Matin recently, Lloris claimed that this could be the end of an era for him at Tottenham, candidly stating that he is looking for opportunities elsewhere.

"We are coming to an important moment, whether for the club or for me. It's the end of an era," said Lloris."I have desires for other things, I will ask myself quietly to study what will be possible. But I don't forget that I still have a year of contract with Tottenham and that in football it is always difficult to predict what will happen."

As such, the Lilywhites, lead by new manager Ange Postecoglou, are in the market for new goalkeepers and have been linked with a fair few names – including Everton's Jordan Pickford and Croatia number one Dominik Livakovic.

Raya has also been repeatedly mentioned as a target for Spurs with reports even suggesting that they're "desperate" for his signing.

The Spaniard is also apparently "ready" to make the move across London, but there is currently a gap in valuation between Spurs and Brentford.

The Bees are holding out for £40 million, but if Tottenham can reach a comprimise, Agboblahor has told Football Insider that he could be a brilliant signing.

"I really like Raya," said Agbonlahor.“They need someone with his attributes – good at playing from the back, good shot-stopper.“I always thought Jordan Pickford would suit Spurs, but Raya is a good option as well.“I think Spurs need to make a top goalkeeper like Raya their first summer signing, for sure, I can see it happening.”

Who is David Raya?

The 27-year-old has been an excellent shot-stopper for Brentford, even ranking among their top five best-performing players per 90 last season according to WhoScored.

Raya, in that time, featured over more league minutes than anybody in Thomas Frank's squad – emphasizing his importance to Brentford and why they're set to dig their heels in over price.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, speaking all the way back in 2021, also hailed Raya for his distribution – claiming he could even wear the number 10 shirt.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe is eyeing a move for Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay as he seeks clarity over the side's newfound prominence.

What's the latest on Newcastle's pursuit of Scott McTominay?

That's following a recent report from the Northern Echo, which states that the Scotland international is a 'viable' option for the Toon as they look to fortify the midfield after qualifying for the Champions League.

The long-term target is believed to be seeking an exit from Old Trafford after telling friends that he is disgruntled after falling out of favour under Erik ten Hag.

The 26-year-old is valued at around £30m by the Red Devils but Magpies technical director Dan Ashworth is cautious to part with such an exorbitant fee for a player so firmly on the periphery at the Theatre of Dreams.

Should Newcastle sign Scott McTominay?

The general consensus is that McTominay will be shipped on this summer after starting just ten times in the Premier League this term, though he did play 39 times across all competitions and missed 15 matches due to injury.

However, his recent exploits with the Scottish national team have exhibited his prowess and just how effective he can be when provided a central role, with the 38-cap international scoring four goals from two matches during the last international break, including a dominant performance against Spain that left him with a Sofascore rating of 8.0.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 19% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for touches in the attacking box, the top 21% for tackles, the top 1% for clearances and the top 2% for aerials won per 90, and has also been hailed as "superb" by former MEN writer Hesham Bilal-Hafiz.

The £60k-per-week ace could emulate former Newcastle star Yohan Cabaye at St. James' Park, with the Frenchman forging 93 displays for the Toon, scoring 18 goals and 14 assists, before signing for Paris Saint-Germain for around £20m in 2014.

Cabaye was once lauded by former Magpies manager Alan Pardew for his "true character" and for having "that X-factor", with an analysis from James Eastham stating that his teammates were 'primed to expect penetrative, precise service whenever Cabaye is in possession'.

McTominay, who was dubbed a "real threat" by Roberto Martinez, could emulate that role and combine his aforementioned defensive aptitude with a knack for effectively contributing to the offensive transitions.

And with Cabaye boasting career defensive metrics of 2.6 tackles and 2.4 interceptions per game, as per WhoScored, he too served as a rock that Mctominay could indeed emulate to contribute towards Newcastle's present endeavours, searching for success unseen at the club in a very long time.

A consistent team effort by England Lions gave them a 16-run win against UAE in Dubai and with it a 3-0 win in the series

ECB Reporters Network05-Dec-2016
ScorecardJoe Clarke top scored before he was bowled•Getty ImagesEngland Lions completed a clean sweep of their one-day series against the United Arab Emirates in Dubai thanks to the depth of their batting and the quality of their bowling and fielding.The Lions top order failed to fire for the second game in succession after they were put in on a tricky pitch, with only Joe Clarke of the top five passing 30. But they still posted a decent total of 223 for 8, the highest of a low-scoring series, thanks to handy contributions lower down the order, led by 40 for the Surrey allrounder Sam Curran, who later impressed with the ball, alongside Craig Overton and Ollie Rayner, who both took three wickets.The UAE threatened to pull off an unlikely win led by Adnan Mufti, a 31-year-old left-hander from Rawalpindi, on his debut, but Mufti was run out by Liam Livingstone’s powerful throw from the long-on boundary with the UAE still 16 runs short.”I think it was quite good for us to be in a tight game at the end there,” said Rayner. “Their left-hander played really well and we had to work hard to get the win. Through the series we’ve had lots of different guys taking wickets with Stuart Meaker in the first game and Tom Curran in the second, and a few of us shared them out a bit today.”Overton is on his fourth Lions tour even though he is still only 22, and aiming to make up for lost time after suffering injuries in each of the last two winters. “It’s been frustrating with the injuries the last two years, but I had a good season with Somerset and so far things have been going well,” he said.Curran, returned to the team with his older brother Tom rested following his five wickets as the Lions clinched the series on Saturday, made the first breakthrough courtesy of a low one-handed catch by Clarke, who was keeping for the first time on the tour.Ben Foakes, who had worn the gloves in the previous two matches, then showed his ability in the outfield with a sharp catch at midwicket to give James Fuller his first success.Rohan Mustafa, the opener who has been UAE’s best batsman all series, was leading the charge again until he launched Rayner straight down the ground and Overton intercepted just inside the boundary. With the first ball of his next over, Rayner had Mohammed Usman, another left-hander, lbw sweeping, and when Overton claimed a deserved wicket in a probing opening burst of 4-2-2-1, UAE had slumped from 71 for 2 to 81 for 5.Rayner claimed a sharp return catch for his third wicket, and Tom Alsop snapped up Saqlain Haider at point to give Fuller his second. Then Overton returned to collect a couple more, although the Lions were relieved when Livingstone ended the last-wicket resistance.Livingstone had also made an impression with the bat, hitting two sixes in a fourth-wicket stand of 65 in 14 overs with Clarke. But they fell in quick succession to leave the Lions on 115 for 5, and they were indebted to Curran, the youngest member of the squad, for showing maturity as well as ability in partnerships of 45 with Foakes and 34 with Fuller.The Lions must now switch quickly to red-ball mode, with practice at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday before a four-day match against Afghanistan.