A season of turbulance both on and off the pitch for West Brom resulted in relegation, despite Darren Moore achieving a great run of results towards the end of the season.

Starting out life with Tony Pulis at the helm, before making a disastrous switch appointing former Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew, who oversaw a nightmare mid-season trip to Barcelona, the Baggies looked like a club in major decline.

However, Moore stepped up to the plate and transformed the Baggies at the end of the season, giving fans of the West Midlands club plenty of reason for optimism going into next season.

West Brom also look like they are going to hold on to some key names, who performed well at the end of season, giving the club a solid spine going into their first Championship season since the 2009/10 campaign.

After today’s announcement, Baggies fans will have a much better idea of how the coming season will play out and their first six games are…

August 4th – Bolton (H)

August 7th – Nottingham Forest (A)

August 11th – Norwich (A)

August 18th – QPR (H)

August 25th – Middlesbrough (A)

September 1st – Stoke (H)

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Verdict

As an opening day match goes, hosting Bolton, who escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth last time around, shouldn’t be too tricky for Moore.

Trips to Forest, Norwich and Middlesbrough, managed by former Baggies manager Tony Pulis, are not particularly easy but all three might be coming off the back of a summer of churn on the playing staff and West Brom could exploit some teething problems.

They round off their opening six by hosting Stoke, which is an opportunity to lay down an early marker with regards their prospects of making an early return to the top flight.

Liverpool have been heavily mentioned in the transfer gossip columns, but most of the targets have been midfielders or goalkeepers.

According to Portuguese publication A Bola, the Reds have now turned their attention to Porto full-back Alex Telles, who moved to the club from Galatasaray in 2016.

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The report claims that a £35m release clause is in the Brazilian’s contract, and it is believed that Liverpool are considering triggering it.

Last season, Telles made 42 appearances in all competitions, and in that time he contributed with 13 assists and three goals.

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The former Gremio player has the ability to play as a full-back or push forward as a winger, which would give Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp a variety of options.

Andrew Robertson has made the left-back role his own, so Liverpool fans would not be happy to see the Scotsman ousted.

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Given how impressive he has been, it is fair to suggest that Telles would be used as a winger if he arrived at Anfield this summer.

Liverpool fans have been tweeting their thoughts on the rumours.

According to The Chronicle, Newcastle United have been priced out of signing Stefano Sturaro, with West Ham now in pole position to sign the midfielder.

What’s the story?

Sturaro, 25, signed for Juventus in 2014 and has gone on to make 64 Serie A appearances for the Old Lady, scoring twice and providing one assist.

The defensive midfielder has been capped by Italy and it was reported recently by Italian news outlet TuttoMercatoWeb that Newcastle had made a bid of £11.4million for the player.

Is this the best World Cup ever? Give us your thoughts here and win any World Cup shirt of your choice.

But now, The Chronicle are reporting that Juventus want £17.5million for the Italian international, which West Ham are said to have bid for the player valued at £6.75million on Transfermarkt.

What does this mean for Newcastle?

With Mikel Merino’s impending departure from St James’ park, Rafa Benitez needs to strengthen the middle of the park, but he seems unlikely to spend that sort of money on a defensive midfielder.

While it is a blow for Benitez not to land his target, surely the money could be better spent elsewhere on someone like Chelsea’s Kenedy, and then finding a cheaper alternative to Sturaro in midfield.

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Merino didn’t play for Newcastle in the second half of the season so they aren’t trying to replace a key first-team player, even if it is an area that needs upgrading.

It will be difficult if Newcastle have to see Sturaro lining up for West Ham next season but Benitez will have to take this on the chin and find his next target.

Having sat out England’s last two games and recovered from an injury during that time, Dele Alli looks set to return to the starting XI for the Three Lions’ first knockout fixture at this World Cup – an all-important clash with Colombia on Tuesday night.

The dilemma Southgate now faces though, is who to bench in favour of the talented immensely Tottenham midfielder.

Manchester United’s Jesse Lingard has been electric at this tournament and seems pretty certain to start, but Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s shown huge potential and his sheer power could be a massive asset for England against such an offensive-minded team who will leave the engine room wide open.

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So, England fans, which side of this key selection dilemma do you stand on? Would you reunite Lingard and Alli for the Colombia clash after impressing together against Tunisia, or keep the Blues midfield prodigy in the starting XI?

Let us know by voting below…

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Gary Kirsten wasn’t about to push any panic buttons after a poor day, though he admitted that a slightly more vigorous wag from the tail would have been handy

Cricinfo staff17-Nov-2009
After a good first day, there was little for India to celebrate on Tuesday•Associated Press

After finishing the first day as much the happier side, day two at Motera was one of hard toil for India. Having lost the last four wickets for 37 runs, the bowling line-up was then slammed to all parts as Tillakaratne Dilshan scored yet another century in his annus mirabilis. It was only impetuous shot selection from Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara that allowed India a route back into the game.Apart from Zaheer Khan, who bowled a tremendous second spell [5-2-4-2], none of the bowlers looked especially threatening on a surface that remained placid and slow. Gary Kirsten, India’s coach, wasn’t about to push any panic buttons, though he admitted that a slightly more vigorous wag from the tail would have been handy.”I think we would have liked a few more runs,” he said. “But I think it was a tremendous effort to get from 32 for 4 to 426. The Sri Lankans batted well. For me, the game’s pretty even at the moment. It’s a good wicket to bat on, we know that, and hopefully it’ll start taking more and more turn as the game goes on. Bowling last on that pitch will suit us.”The pick of the bowlers was undoubtedly Zaheer, returning to the squad after a shoulder injury he picked up during the IPL. After his first 10 overs had cost 41, he came back to restrict the scoring and take the wickets that India were so desperate for. And all that without any hint of the prodigious reverse swing that was such a feature of India’s series victory over Australia 12 months ago. “It’s good to have him back,” Kirsten said. “He’s a very experienced and very clever bowler. For his first time back, I thought he bowled exceptionally well. Hopefully, he can continue to use his skill throughout this match and into the next ones.”Reverse swing is the biggest of those skills and Kirsten admitted that they were “hoping for a bit more”. “In conditions like these, it does help to get the ball to reverse. In the second innings and maybe tomorrow as well, we’ll get a bit more. It’s not an abrasive surface and the outfield’s pretty good. The table around the pitch is pretty green so the ball stays in good condition.”There were encouraging words too for the spinners, though both struggled at times on a pitch where the batsmen had oodles of time to play shots. Zaheer apart, every other specialist bowler in the match has conceded more than 3.5 runs an over, the best indication of how batsmen-friendly the conditions have been. “I thought Harbhajan bowled really well, as good a rhythm as I’ve seen him bowl for a while,” Kirsten said. “He was very happy with his performance today.”Again, let’s bear in mind that it’s a good wicket for batting. And Amit [Mishra] hasn’t bowled for a while. He hasn’t had much game time. He would like his rhythm to have been a little bit better, but that’s going to happen. I’m pretty confident that both of them are going to be a real factor in this Test match.”Mishra was part of the squad for the seven-match one-day series against Australia without getting a game, and his position as national reserve also prevented him from turning out for the first two games of the Ranji Trophy season. “It’s always difficult,” Kirsten said. “You need to have subs. You need to have people around and available if someone does an ankle on the morning of a game. We’ve released two players [Murali Vijay and Pragyan Ojha] to go play Ranji Trophy, so we’ve got 13 players here, which is about as little as you can have. Amit didn’t play at all in the one-dayers, but we needed him there just in case someone picked up an injury.”With no viable all-round options after Irfan Pathan’s fall from grace, and no queue of fast bowlers breathing down the incumbents’ necks, this is pretty much the best XI that India can put on the park. On pitches like this, the fifth-bowling option is always a welcome luxury, but Kirsten was pretty content with the status quo. “We’ve gone in with four bowlers since I’ve been part of this team,” he said. “That’s what allows us to have the best balance. We’ve had a successful run with four bowlers and there’s no reason why it should change. The biggest issue is whether we play the extra spinner of the extra seamer.”In New Zealand, we played the extra seamer. In India, we play the extra spinner. A lot of teams have played successful cricket over many years with four frontline bowlers. We’ve got Yuvraj that can do a job for us, and Veeru who can.”Unless the second new ball can provide quick breakthroughs on the third morning, both may yet be needed over the coming days, with wickets at a premium on a pitch that’s diametrically opposite to the one on which South Africa romped to an innings success 18 months ago.

A slow track in Hyderabad resulted in an attritional day’s play in which Ajit Agarkar’s hostile opening burst left Mumbai the happier side

Siddarth Ravindran in Hyderabad01-Dec-2009
ScorecardAn incisive spell from Ajit Agarkar helped restrict the hosts on the opening day in Hyderabad•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

It was less than a month ago that Sachin Tendulkar slammed a majestic 175 in a one-day international at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on a batting beauty. On Tuesday as well, there was little in the surface for the bowlers, but it was a slow track that resulted in an attritional day’s play in which Ajit Agarkar’s hostile opening burst left Mumbai the happier side.Hyderabad had a jolt even before the toss after regular captain Arjun Yadav and in-form fast bowler Alfred Absolem were ruled out due to injury. Anirudh Singh, an ICL returnee, stepped in to lead the side and won an important toss, but the home side’s batsmen squandered the advantage.Hyderabad’s new opening combination, Shashank Nag and Rushi Raj, fared no better than the four others tried this season. They were rarely at ease during a probing opening spell from Agarkar and Dhawal Kulkarni, being squared up several times. The accuracy of the new-ball bowlers and the slow outfield combined to stifle the runs. Nag was the first to go, popping a return catch to an alert Agarkar after closing the face too early. Raj lasted a couple of overs more before he was lbw shouldering arms to a delivery that was heading for the stumps.Mumbai had a slice of luck soon after when the umpire deemed Anirudh lbw after failing to spot the batsman gloving Aavishkar Salvi’s third delivery. Much now depended on Ambati Rayudu, and he survived Agarkar’s nine-over opening spell (2 for 17) despite feeling for the ball outside
off several times.Rayudu and Abhinav Kumar stalled the Mumbai charge with some patient batting and started to open out towards the end of the morning session. Rayudu played some delightful drives, Abhinav stepped out to loft offspinner Ramesh Powar beyond long-on. But with 10 minutes to lunch Abhishek Nayar got the big wicket of Rayudu, the third lbw victim of the day.Agarkar returned after lunch to add another lbw scalp that left Hyderabad at 98 for 5. Syed Quadri and wicketkeeper Ibrahim Khaleel then combined to frustrate Mumbai for more than 30 overs. It was mostly dour batting with several edges past slip for four; Quadri played out 76 deliveries between his third and fourth boundary.It was one of Quadri’s rare aggressive shots that caused Mumbai most concern on the day: Rohit Sharma injured his left shoulder while diving to stop a carve through cover, and had to head for a scan. It remains to be seen whether Mumbai’s misfiring batting will have to make do without him for the rest of the match.Mumbai captain Wasim Jaffer kept attacking even with almost nothing in the track to encourage the spinners. There were rarely any men in the deep when Powar and Iqbal Abdulla were operating, and three men usually hovering for a bat-pad chance. Hyderabad had crawled to 171 for 5 off 72 overs when Powar provided the breakthrough, Khaleel also falling lbw.The entry of allrounder Amol Shinde perked up proceedings. He slapped three fours and a big six over long-on to dominate a 29-run stand before ducking into a Salvi bouncer and gloving it to the keeper.Hyderabad’s batsmen haven’t converted on their starts all season -74 is the highest score in eight innings so far – and Tuesday was no different. Four batsmen were dismissed between 23 and 35 on a placid track, leaving the side at a poor 223 for 7 at stumps. They can’t wait for the return of VVS Laxman, possibly for the final two games of the season, to help stave
off a first-ever demotion to the Plate League. The one consolation for them is that the other relegation-threatened team in their group, Himachal Pradesh, did even worse: bowled out for 197 against Punjab.There were lesser concerns for Mumbai coach, Praveen Amre, who applauded the intensity shown by his side through the day on a difficult pitch. “I would have liked two more wickets but I am satisfied as it was hard work in the middle,” he said. “Everyone put in their efforts in the field till the last over of the day though the conditions were good for batting, which is a big plus.”Another gain for Mumbai was Powar’s problem-free return from injury after a side strain had kept him out of three games. On Wednesday, if Mumbai’s top-order returns to last season’s title-winning form, there can be little for Amre to complain about.

Stuart Broad can now remember Durban for the good times. His fourth-afternoon spell put England on course for their crushing innings-and-98-run victory

Andrew McGlashan in Durban31-Dec-2009Stuart Broad can now remember Durban for the good times. His fourth-afternoon spell of three wickets in 15 balls helped put England on course for their crushing innings-and-98-run victory and it was far cry from his previous experience on his ground. During the 2007 World Twenty20 he was clobbered for six sixes in an over by Yuvraj Singh and has been reminded about it many times since.Now, though, after ripping out Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers and JP Duminy in a dramatic post-tea session there is a different Kingsmead story to talk about. “I made sure I bowled at the other end,” he said with a laugh. “It’s a very different format of the game – and I can’t remember what happened yesterday, let alone years ago.”But I’ve learned a lot since back then and I’m feeling confident with where my game is at the moment. It was nice to get six wickets in the game at a ground I didn’t have too many fond memories of. To have won one of the best Test matches abroad that I’ve been involved in will certainly diminish the memories I had left of that poor day.He also believes that such experiences have helped him develop on the world stage, although that may have been quite hard to see while Yuvraj was launching him towards the ocean. “I’ve always been a big believer that you learn most from your mistakes,” he added. “It was a pretty brutal way to be introduced to international cricket. I’m pleased the way I’ve reacted to failures in the past, and it’s up to me to keep doing that.”For a bowler who was on the verge of being dropped four Tests ago, Broad has made significant strides to now be a key part of England’s four-man attack. He has ended 2009 as the third-highest wicket-taker for the year with 47 wickets at 28.36, six behind his destroyer-in-arms, Graeme Swann. Still, if it hadn’t been for Andrew Flintoff’s omission at Headingley due to injury Broad would have been left out after a poor start to the Ashes series.Instead he took 6 for 91 – a flattering analysis as Australia romped to victory, but still career-best – and then there was his day in the sun at The Oval. What people really wanted to know, though, was could he do it again?His most recent spell provided the answer. In 15 balls he extracted three high-class batsmen as Kallis, de Villiers and Duminy each departed to a variety of leaves. Kallis’ was the most dramatic as the off-stump went cart-wheeling then de Villiers padded up and Duminy dragged on.Stuart Broad can treasure the memory of Jacques Kallis’s flying off stump from Kinsgmead•Getty Images

“It was pleasing to get Kallis with one that nipped back when the seam was wobbling,” he said. “One thing that helped me before this series was to watch a bit of footage on Shaun Pollock because he’s the sort of bowler I want to be like.”He seemed to get the ball to talk when the seam wasn’t exactly perfectly bolt upright, when it was just wobbling slightly. It just nipped either way, on the South African wickets. It was a very happy moment when I saw Kallis raising his arms – because I knew it was not missing the off-stump; I just felt like it was tailing back.”Broad’s development as a Test cricketer mirrors, in many ways, that of the team from an inconsistent performer capable of occasional glimpses of something special to a consistent threat on the world stage. People still point to an average the wrong side of thirty, but it’s on the way down and as batsman’s averages have climbed over the last decade so have bowler’s. Broad has been the only ever-present in the England attack this year, which shows a wise investment from the management and they are now getting the rewards.”I’m fortunate at my age to have experienced quite a lot of different conditions round the world,” he said. “We’re learning as a bowling unit that pressure is getting us wickets. We’re not necessarily bowling huge, reverse-swinging yorkers. It’s the pressure we’re building from both ends.””We’re improving all the time. It’s crucial that we don’t get carried away, though. It was a great lesson in the Ashes series in the Test where we could have won the Ashes but were terrible at Headingley. It just shows we shouldn’t look too far ahead. We’re always a better team when we’re talking about winning the next hour or the next session.”The shorter targets are really helping us as a team, and that’s something we’ll take into Cape Town. We’ve got a great opportunity over here in South Africa – one of the hardest places to come and win Test cricket – and that first hour at Newlands will be crucial, whether with bat or ball, that we strike the first blow.”

Mohammad Sami, the Pakistan fast bowler, is upbeat about his international prospects after returning to the national side for the second Test against Australia in Sydney

Cricinfo staff29-Jan-2010Mohammad Sami, the Pakistan fast bowler, is upbeat about his international prospects after returning to the national side for the second Test against Australia in Sydney. The Test was Sami’s first in more than two years – he had participated in the ICL in the interim – and he impressed in the first innings, taking 3 for 27 to help his team bowl out Australia for 127. However, he was left out of the third and final Test in Hobart but Sami, though disappointed, claimed he was a much-improved bowler and had the wherewithal to succeed at the highest level.”It was great being back among friends in the Test squad and representing my country. Wearing the green cap of Pakistan made me feel a proud man” Sami told Pakpassion.net. “It felt like I was on debut once again even though it was my 117th match for Pakistan. Naturally the nerves were there and it felt like I was playing for the first time. The international cricket gap for myself had been more than two years and I had missed playing for Pakistan so much.”Sami is currently playing for Karachi Blues in the Pentangular Cup. In Sydney, he grabbed three top-order wickets in favourable conditions to hand Pakistan the edge in a game they eventually lost. “For my return to the Pakistan team, conditions were great for fast bowling in Sydney and removing the top three of the Australian batting order was fantastic,” he said. [Mohammad] Asif bowled really well too and we were on top for most of that Test match. The fact that we lost the Test made me and my team mates feel very sad.””Like any other cricketer, I want to play all of the time and I was disappointed that I didn’t play in the third Test in Hobart, but that is something you have to accept at times.”Sami, who made his debut in 2001, has a busy domestic season ahead of him and hopes to make a mark to warrant selection for the World Twenty20 and Pakistan’s tour of England. “I feel I am a rejuvenated cricketer, I am more mature and I feel very strong and fit these days, possibly fitter and stronger than I have ever felt. My rhythm is good, I’ve been working on a few things with my coach and I have done well in domestic cricket this season for Karachi Blues and I want to continue the good form in the upcoming 50-over competition and then the Twenty over competition.”I think I am good enough to play in all three versions of the game for Pakistan and that is my aim. I want to perform well and be selected for the matches in Dubai, the Twenty20 World Cup and then the tour of England to play against Australia and England”.

Virender Sehwag, the Indian opener, has said he aims to play 100 Tests before his retirement and wishes to bat at No.4, even though he may have to wait until Sachin Tendulkar, who occupies that slot, ends his career

Cricinfo staff19-Feb-2010Virender Sehwag, the Indian opener, has said he “would love” to bat at No.4, even though he may have to wait until Sachin Tendulkar, who occupies that slot, ends his career. Sehwag was speaking at the ESPNcricinfo Awards ceremony in Jaipur, where he won the prize for best Test innings for the second year running. His audacious 293 against Sri Lanka in Mumbai was chosen over four other nominations shortlisted for the award.”I would love to bat at number four. I know I would not get that till Sachin retires. But I can wait,” Sehwag said, despite his enormous success at the top of the order. “I still would like to bat in the middle order. It’s difficult to field one-and-half days and then come out to bat in 10 minutes. When you bat at No. 6 like (MS) Dhoni, it allows you some rest. I have been successful as an opener but who knows, maybe I would have been more successful in the middle order.”Sehwag’s brutal innings against Sri Lanka included 40 fours and seven sixes, and set up an innings win for India, propelling them to the No.1 ranking in Tests. He had tremendous success in 2009 – an average of 108.98 in six Tests – and in the four Tests he’s played this year, he’s already managed two centuries. Sehwag said his form would only get better in the years to come. “I’m 31 and I think I’m playing well. And I would get only better in the next three-four years.”Sehwag defended his naturally aggressive approach to batting, saying there were risks involved even if he opted to play more cautiously. “People say I take too many risks. But the fact is, there is risk involved in every shot. You can get out trying to defend a ball as well. At times, people tell me to leave ball outside the off-stump. But some of them can jag back and get you out if you don’t play shots. I think if you think so much, you simply cannot bat,” he said.”In my case, it would become risky if I try to become defensive, since my technique is not that good. I think in a different way. When I grew up, I tried to score off every ball, be it a 10-over-match, a 20-over or even a Test match. If I stay in the wicket for say about 30 minutes, I want to make the most of it and score maximum runs possible. You never know when you get out, try to score as much possible before that.”Sehwag added he wished to play 100 Tests for India before retiring from the format. “I want to play 100 Test matches and once I have done that, I may retire from Test cricket,” he said.

Rubel Hossain led a spirited charge by the Bangladesh attack that Had New Zealand in trouble before Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill rescued them to 258 for 5 on the first day in Hamilton

The Bulletin by Andrew Fernando14-Feb-2010
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were outMartin Guptill stood tall, even as his batting mates failed, and carried New Zealand’s hopes in Hamilton, along with Brendon McCullum•Getty Images

An unbroken 100-run partnership between Martin Guptill and Brendon McCullum helped New Zealand stage a comeback on the first day in the one off Test at Seddon Park. The pair combined with the home side struggling at 158 for 5, but batted with assurance till stumps to rescue them from a dodgy position.New Zealand were pushed to a corner by the Bangladesh seamers who made good use of a green, seaming wicket after a rain-delayed start. Shafiul Islam bowled an immaculate line and length throughout his first spell, beating the bats of both New Zealand openers repeatedly before getting one to seam slightly away from Tim McIntosh who edged to Imrul Kayes at second slip.Rubel Hossain then took over, bowling at a lively pace and finding consistency in the afternoon session to trouble the New Zealand top order with a barrage of short-pitched deliveries. He was the pick of the visiting bowlers, ending with 3 for 86. After accounting for opener BJ Watling, Rubel added the scalps of debutant Peter Ingram and Ross Taylor, who both promised a lot in their aggressive knocks.Ingram’s announced his arrival, following McIntosh’s departure, with a flurry of powerfully hit boundaries through the off side while Watling struggled to an unconvincing 13 at the other end. Ingram eventually holed out to mid on, attempting to pull Rubel from wide outside off stump, ending a 47-ball innings that included an enormous straight six off Shakib Al Hasan.In the afternoon session, Taylor continued to bat as aggressively as he has done throughout the tour, dealing in boundaries through point and mid wicket, but was again unable deliver a big innings that would have given his side the advantage. A fuller Rubel delivery was to be his demise, as he edged behind leaving the team total on 126 for 4.Daniel Vettori, batting at six in the absence of Jesse Ryder and Grant Elliott, was unable to make an impression, getting to 10 before dancing past a Shakib Al Hasan delivery that clipped the top of the off stump. His dismissal left the hosts teetering at 158 for 5, and in desperate need of rescue mission.Martin Guptill led the recovery, continuing his sparkling form from the ODIs to end unbeaten on 80 at stumps. After being dropped on 4 by Shafiul, attempting to complete a sharp return chance, Guptill batted impeccably, keeping out a menacing Bangladesh attack, and driving handsomely down the ground and through the covers on a regular basis to keep the scoreboard ticking over. The pull shot was also used to good effect towards the end of the day, as the Bangladesh seamers’ short deliveries became less effective as the bounce got steadily lower.New Zealand’s highest partnership of the day between Guptill and Brendon McCullum, who ended on an unbeaten 58 from just 71 deliveries, revived their hopes of a sizeable first innings total. The unbroken century stand, a New Zealand record against Bangladesh for the sixth wicket, looked set to resuscitate the innings before bad light stopped play. Bangladesh will be pleased with the way they have competed, but will need to make early breakthroughs tomorrow to stand any chance of pulling off an unexpected victory.