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Leeds United journalist Graham Smyth has stated not to ‘rule anything out’ on the future of youngster Alife McCalmont.

The Lowdown: Impressive last season

McCalmont, 21, is currently out on loan at League One side Morecambe, where he has appeared in four of their five games in the third tier so far this season.

After plying his trade in League Two last term with Oldham, impressing with eight goals and five assists, the midfielder now finds himself testing himself against better opponents, but whether he has a future at Leeds is up for debate.

Over the international break, McCalmont has been handed his first Northern Ireland international start in the friendly victory over Estonia after making his debut in a 1-0 victory over Luxembourg in 2019.

The Latest: Work cut out

Replying to Whites presenter Joe Wainman on Twitter, Smyth replied when asked if McCalmont’s time at Elland Road finished.

Smyth said: “You can never rule anything out, but he’ll have to do what Ben White did and show he can handle the step up to League One with real comfort, having done well in League Two.

“Leeds would have listened to permanent offers this summer though so he has his work cut out. Lots of potential I think.”

The £49,400-per-year man’s appearances in Ian Baraclough’s squad, alongside an impressive season in League One, could see him land a permanent move away from Leeds.

The Verdict: Key season for midfielder

Marcelo Bielsa already possesses great quality in centre-midfield, McCalmont’s position, with Matuesz Klich, Kalvin Phillips and Adam Forshaw now available for selection.

At the age of 21, McCalmont will be wanting to establish himself at the highest level possible to continue representing his country and making more senior caps.

The current season at Morecambe could be a defining one for the midfielder as if he impresses enough, a Championship club may swoop in to sign him on a permanent deal. With his contract not expiring until 2024, Leeds stand to make a decent profit if they are able to cash in.

In other news, rumoured Leeds target is in talks to sign a new contract at his current club. Find out more here.

Pakistan women’s coach Umer Rashid was pleased with the team’s performance in the recently-concluded tri-nation series and said it was better than in the Asia Cup last year where they lost to Bangladesh

Cricinfo staff21-Feb-2009Pakistan women’s coach Umer Rashid was pleased with the team’s performance in the recently-concluded tri-nation series and said it was better than in the Asia Cup last year where they lost to Bangladesh.”We beat Bangladesh both times on this tour, first by seven wickets and then by nine,” Rashid told the Pakistan daily . “So we have proved ourselves above them at least and find ourselves somewhat at par with the series winners Sri Lanka.”Pakistan were finalists in the tri-series in Bangladesh and Rashid said playing Sri Lanka twice had helped his side pick the opposition’s weaknesses. “We know ourselves better too and have a definite plan for the coming eight to 10 days. Bowling tightly with line and length and avoiding getting bogged down while batting will be one of our aims.”Rashid was particularly happy with his spinners – Javeria Khan and Naila Nazir – who he believed would be useful on Australian pitches during the World Cup. Javeria was the joint highest wicket-taker for the series with nine at 12.22 from five games, while Naila took three wickets in her first game. “Openers Nain Abidi and Bismah Maroof batted well [and] … Almas Akram came out as a fine allrounder.”The squad will meet in Karachi on February 23 for a four-day camp before leaving for Australia on February 28.

India ensured that they did not have to depend on net run-rates to qualify for the Super Six by beating Sri Lanka by 35 runs at the Bankstown Oval in Sydney

Cricinfo staff12-Mar-2009
Scorecard
India ensured that they did not have to depend on net run-rates to qualify for the Super Six by beating Sri Lanka by 35 runs at the Bankstown Oval in Sydney. It was India’s second victory in the group stage while Sri Lanka finished without a win from three games.India’s victory was far from convincing. They once again relied on Mithali Raj for most of their runs and would have been left with a paltry total if not for her contribution. She made 59 out of 169 against England and today she scored an unbeaten 75 out of a total of 137 for 7.Raj began her innings with India in early trouble at 11 for 2, a position which deteriorated rapidly with wickets falling regularly with hardly any addition to the score. Six of the top eight batsmen failed to score more than five but Raj remained steady through the innings. Even so, India were struggling at 78 for 7 in the 40th over before they were lifted by a quick 24 from their captain Jhulan Goswami.Raj hit only one four in her 120-ball innings and added 59 for the seventh wicket with Goswami. Their partnership lifted India to 137, which was less than what they had managed against England. Udeshika Prabodhani, Chamari Polgampola and Suwini de Alwis picked up two wickets each for Sri Lanka.Raj was happy that her performance came at a vital moment. “It came at the right time. We did struggle in those initial overs when we were four down for 38 runs. So there was a lot of pressure,” she said. “I think our only concern would be our batting. It has really let us down against England and even today where we collapsed quite early.”Faced with a small target, Sri Lanka’s openers began slowly but steadily. Dedunu Silva and Polgampola added 37 but they fell in quick succession, leaving Sri Lanka on 41 for 2. These wickets triggered a collapse and the chase never got back on track. Apart from Eshani Kaushalya who made 20, none of the others made significant contributions . Sri Lanka were dismissed in the 45th over, 35 runs short of the target. Amita Sharma played a big hand in India’s win, taking three top and middle order wickets to finish with 3 for 19 in ten overs.

Atletico Madrid could target Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez if Jan Oblak is sold, according to Spanish outlet La Razon. 

The lowdown

Villa paid £17million to sign Martinez from Arsenal ahead of the 2020/21 season and committed him to a four-year contract. Transfermarkt now value the 29-year-old at £31.5m.

Martinez kept 15 clean sheets in his debut season at Villa Park – a tally bettered only by Ederson (19) and Edouard Mendy (16), ‘keepers for the Premier League and European champions respectively (via Premier League).

The latest

The report from Spain states that Atletico find themselves ‘on the brink of the salary limit’ after bringing Antoine Griezmann back to the Wanda Metropolitano from FC Barcelona. As a result, they could be forced to offload one of their ‘stars’ next summer.

Oblak, whose contract runs until 2023, could be the one to go if he doesn’t pen an extension. Atletico are aware that he may be open to the possibility of a ‘change of scenery’.

Martinez is already being considered as a potential replacement, with his performances having caught the eye of Diego Simeone.

The reigning La Liga champions recognise that it would take ‘a significant financial outlay’ to prise him away from Villa, but are confident Oblak’s sale would more than cover the cost.

The verdict

It’s no surprise that Martinez has caught the eye. His displays for Villa, and during his final season at Arsenal, have put him amongst the elite bracket of goalkeepers in the English top flight – some pundits even had him in their team of the season last term.

The prospect of competing for titles and playing Champions League football will surely tempt Martinez, but expect Villa to present Atletico with an almighty price-tag as they look to keep hold one of their best assets.

In other news, fans react to this award nomination. 

Many Everton fans have been left fuming over some injury news on Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

As shared by the official Twitter page of the Goodison Park faithful, Rafa Benitez has revealed that the former Sheffield United striker has broken his toe after problems with training.

The Spaniard added that he has an injury to his quadriceps and so the Merseyside club will now have to wait between two and three weeks or more to see if he where his fitness is.

It is a big blow to the Toffees, given that Calvert-Lewin has already notched up three goals in as many games in the Premier League so far this season (Transfermarkt), and will be sorely missed ahead of their match away at Aston Villa on Saturday evening.

Everton fans on Calvert-Lewin injury news

These Blues fumed as the injury news was shared on Twitter, with one EFC supporter going as far as to claim that it is a ‘huge blow’:

“WHAT?”

Credit: @blue_toffees

“That’s a big blow”

Credit: @cholphela

“Oh no”

Credit: @EFCHarry0711

“Nooo”

Credit: @donmaidonmaii

“Big, big blow”

Credit: @AdamEFC9

“Huge blow. Lack of depth instantly exposed”

Credit: @spirit_blues

In other news, find out which Evertonian has been blasted by this pundit here!

Pakistan have announced a preliminary list of 30 women for the Women’s World Twenty20 which will run alongside the men’s tournament in England in June

Cricinfo staff10-Apr-2009Pakistan have announced a preliminary list of 30 women for the Women’s World Twenty20 which will run alongside the men’s tournament in England in June. Pakistan finished sixth in the Women’s World Cup which was held in Australia in March.Squad: Sana Mir, Bismah Maroof, Nain Abidi, Sajida Shah, Sukhan Faiz, Nazia Sadiq, Qanita Jalil, Almas Akram, Asmavia Iqbal, Kainat Imtiaz, Salma Faiz, Naila Nazir, Armaan Khan, Urooj Mumtaz Khan, Javeria Wadood, Nahida Bibi, Sania Iqbal Khan, Batool Fatima, Marina Iqbal, Zeba Manzoor Hussain, Sumaiya Siddqui, Saima Jamil, Mehwish Tariq, Masooma Junaid Farooqi, Namra Imran, Komal Feroz, Rabia Batool, Badar-un-Nisa Shaukat, Sadia Yousaf, Farzana Shafi.

Abdul Razzaq, the Pakistan allrounder, says he has been released from his contract with the ICL

Cricinfo staff22-May-2009Abdul Razzaq, the Pakistan allrounder, says he has been released from his contract with the ICL. The news could not be confirmed with the ICL, which on Wednesday released 50-odd players from their contracts, but, if true, Razzaq would qualify for the amnesty announced by the PCB.”I have been released from my contract with the ICL,” Razzaq told Cricinfo. “I am available and willing to play for Pakistan.”It won’t be that simple: Unlike other boards that have announced an umbrella amnesty for players quitting the ICL by May 31, the PCB said it would consider selecting players on a case-by-case basis. “While permitting such players to play cricket, PCB will decide on case-to-case basis the penalties to be imposed and the time period for which they will remain banned,” the PCB said.Though the BCCI has put in place a ‘cooling off’ period of a year – whereby an ex-ICL player will only be eligible to represent India after a year away from the ICL – the PCB in effect, has left the door open for players to return sooner.The stance adopted by the PCB is understandable, given how badly it was affected by the ban on ICL players. Nineteen players from Pakistan signed up with the league, nearly half of whom, can conceivably represent Pakistan still. The defection took away nearly the entire bench strength of the national side. Key among them are the likes of Razzaq and Mohammad Yousuf, and even players such as Imran Nazir, who could well be part of a Pakistan line-up in one of the three formats of the game.The move by various national boards to offer amnesty to the ICL players was prompted by the BCCI’s offer to ICL’s Indian players that was made on April 29. Since then, the Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and South Africa boards have proceeded similarly.

Leeds United will be hoping to pick up their first win of the Premier League season when they take on West Ham United at Elland Road on Saturday afternoon.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side have endured their most difficult spell in the top flight since their promotion last year, while their last fixture saw them manage only a point against fellow strugglers Newcastle at St James’ Park.

The Leeds manager also has a number of injury concerns to contend with – undeniably the biggest such crisis he’s faced as manager since the Whites’ promotion last year – and he’ll have some big calls to make on how he deals with it.

Here is a look at how we think Leeds might line up when they take on West Ham later today.

In goal, Illan Meslier will be hoping to keep his first clean sheet of the new Premier League season, having already conceded 12 goals in just five games – only Newcastle and bottom club Norwich have let in more.

The back line could also see yet another significant change following the injury sustained by Luke Ayling in the 1-1 draw against Newcastle last week.

That could see a first Premier League start for teenage academy talent Charlie Cresswell, with club captain Liam Cooper alongside him to ease him into his surroundings. Stuart Dallas and Junior Firpo should remain as the two full-backs.

In midfield, Kalvin Phillips should return to his more familiar role, while Jamie Shackleton is pushing for his first league start of the campaign alongside Mateusz Klich in the engine room after an impressive midweek display in which he won four tackles at Craven Cottage.

Out wide, Phil Hay has revealed that there are some big question marks over the fitness of both Raphinha and Jack Harrison, admitting that there are decisions to be made on the pair of them.

If the duo don’t make it, Dan James and Crysencio Summerville are in line to start once more out wide, just like they did in midweek against Fulham in the Carabao Cup.

Up front, with Patrick Bamford ruled out, Rodrigo could get the nod ahead of 22-year-old Tyler Roberts, who looked well off the pace against the Cottagers.

Predicted XI: Meslier; Dallas, Cresswell, Cooper, Firpo; Phillips, Klich, Shackleton; James, Rodrigo, Summerville.

Meanwhile, this Leeds United starlet is “really pushing hard now”…

Sunderland will be looking to maintain their place at the top of the League One table as they travel to face Portsmouth on Saturday.

Danny Cowley’s team are 12th in the table and 10 points behind the Wearsiders, having gone eight games without a win in all competitions. The Black Cats, meanwhile, are on an eight-match unbeaten run and attempting to make it nine at Fratton Park, winning their last match 5-0 against Cheltenham.

Lee Johnson may look to freshen his XI up to take on Portsmouth and one player he must unleash today is German winger Leon Dajaku.

The summer signing from Union Berlin is yet to make a start for Sunderland in League One and this match could be a great opportunity for him to be thrown in. Johnson must give him the chance to show what he can do from the start by dropping Aiden O’Brien and starting Dajaku out wide against Pompey.

Earlier this summer, the manager lauded the 20-year-old’s potential and outlined the qualities he has in his locker.

He said: “Leon is a really interesting player – he’s a top prospect with good ability, agility and quality – so we are looking forward to adding him to the squad and working with him. He’s a hungry player that has shown a strong attitude and desire to come to Sunderland and grow with us, which is exactly what we want.”

Dajaku displayed some of his quality off the bench in the rout against Cheltenham. As per SofaScore, in 29 minutes on the pitch, he scored one goal, created one chance and had 23 touches of the ball. O’Brien, on the other hand, played 90 minutes and failed to register a goal or assist, with one key pass and 50 touches.

The former Bayern Munich man has previously proven his ability at a similar level. In the third tier of German football, Dajaku managed seven goals and five assists in 43 games. This shows that he has the potential to be a game-changer for Johnson’s side, with his strike against Cheltenham giving a glimpse into what he is capable of producing.

Therefore, Johnson should axe O’Brien from the XI in order to start Dajaku out wide against Pompey. The German could add a goal threat from out wide whilst also being able to create chances, and there would be the added motivation to perform as it would be his full League One debut.

The dynamo could then secure his place in the team on a regular basis if he is able to put in an impressive display and then maintain consistency throughout the rest of the season.

In other news: Johnson sheds light on deal for £450k-rated “handful”, Sunderland fans will be buzzing

New Zealand made it to the second World Cup final in three months with an emphatic win against India

The Bulletin by Nishi Narayanan18-Jun-2009
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Aimee Watkins’ innings was in contrast to the Indian innings and was the perfect appetiser to the main event of the day•Getty ImagesNew Zealand made it to their second World Cup final in three months with an emphatic win against India, who struggled while chasing an imposing target at Trent Bridge. Aimee Watkins, the New Zealand captain, played the innings of the tournament – an unbeaten 89 off 58 balls – and made the job easier for her bowlers.Not that they appeared to need much help. The seamers were frugal and conceded only seven boundaries in the entire innings, five less than what Watkins hit herself. India started off slow and lost their first wicket in the second over when Poonam Raut edged an inswinger from Sian Ruck to square leg. But that brought out Mithali Raj, India’s most successful batsman, to the crease, to join their most experienced batsman, Anjum Chopra. Their partnership would have been the key but they hit only two boundaries in their 23-run stand – the highest for India.Watkins’ innings was in contrast to the Indian innings and was the perfect appetiser to today’s main event – the men’s semi-final between Pakistan and South Africa. She slogged and cut with ease but also had luck on her side. An edge was missed by the keeper and went for four to third man and she was also beaten at times. Despite that it was an entertaining Twenty20 innings and Watkins was clearly enjoying herself, smiling after every boundary. The best of those was a square drive off Harmanpreet Kaur in an over that cost 14 runs. When she hit the first six of the match in the 17th over, slogging it over square leg, Watkins equalled Claire Taylor’s 75 – then the highest score of the tournament. She hit a second six off the last ball of the innings to take New Zealand past 140.India were virtually out of the game by the start of the eighth over of their innings when they lost two wickets in two balls. Chopra mistimed a pull from Kate Pulford and Suzie Bates came running in from midwicket to take a diving catch. Ruck came on to bowl her final over on the trot, pitched the first ball on middle and flattened the legstump to send Kaur back first-ball. Ruck, New Zealand’s leading wicket-taker in the tournament, repeatedly got the ball to swing in to the right-handers and though she gave away three fours, there were no doubles or triples in her spell.When Kaur had departed, India had collapsed to 30 for 3 and the occasional boundaries just weren’t enough. They even failed to dispatch the short and wide deliveries for fours.Though, to be fair, there were hardly any to exploit. New Zealand’s seamers were very disciplined, bowling full, yorker-length deliveries and giving no room to slog. Reema Malhotra was run out after Raj refused a single in an over that yielded just one run. Amy Satterthwaite got Raj in her next over when she tried to hit over the field and was caught by Sara McGlashan. The required run-rate had climbed to more than 11 an over and with their main batsmen gone, it was just a question of whether India would last 20 overs.The only six of the innings came too late – in the 16th over – and India will wonder whether they should have brought Amita Sharma in earlier than No. 6. The only time they looked to be on par with New Zealand was in the first ten overs of the match when Sharma and Rumeli Dhar picked up three wickets.As a curtain-raiser, the match wasn’t the best advertisement of women’s cricket. But New Zealand certainly were.