برشلونة وآينتراخت فرانكفورت.. كيفن تراب يعود إلى مسرح الجريمة بذكريات شبح الريمونتادا

إذا كان من المحبط بالفعل لأي فريق أن يقترن ببرشلونة في قرعة ربع النهائي، فهناك شخص المواجهة تعني له إحياء الأشباح القديمة، ونظرًا لأن الصدفة عادة ما تكون رتيبة جدًا في هذه الحالات، كان هذا بالضبط ما حدث مع كيفن تراب.

وأسفرت قرعة الدوري الأوروبي التي أجريت اليوم الجمعة، عن مواجهة بين برشلونة وآينتراخت فرانكفورت الألماني.

بالنسبة لكيفن تراب حارس مرمى فرانكفورت، ستعني العودة إلى كامب نو استعادة أحد أصعب أيام مسيرته كحارس مرمى وقد يتذكر من جديد إحدى أسوأ لياليه كحارس مرمى، عاشها في معقل البلوجرانا في عام 2017 عندما دافع عن قميص باريس سان جيرمان.

حارس المرمى الألماني، الذي يلعب اليوم مع إينتراخت فرانكفورت، كان حارس مرمى باريس سان جيرمان قبل خمس سنوات، في اليوم الذي حقق فيه برشلونة معجزة الريمونتادا بالفوز 6-1، بعد فوز الفريق الفرنسي ذهابًا بنتيجة 4-0 في حديقة الأمراء.

وتدفقت أنهار من الحبر فوق تلك المباراة، وتعرض التحكيم لانتقادات شديدة، ومع ذلك، فإن الرجل الذي تعرض لأسوأ من كل هذا كان كيفن تراب، وظهر في جميع الصور بنظرة ضائعة فيما انطلق الجنون بين لاعبي برشلونة ومدرجات الكامب نو بعد التأهل التاريخي.

اقرأ أيضًا.. مدرب آينتراخت فرانكفورت يستفز برشلونة بعد قرعة الدوري الأوروبي

يجب أن نتذكر أن ذلك اليوم كان تراب سيئ الحظ بشكل خاص، مع بعض الأهداف المفاجئة، مثل تلك التي سهلت هدف برشلونة الأول، عن طريق لويس سواريز في الدقيقة الثالثة، أو تحرك إنييستا المستحيل الذي تسبب في تسجيل كورزوا لهدف بالخطأ في مرمى تراب.

لقد ولت تلك الأيام، تراب الآن استقر في التشكيلة الأساسية في فرانكفورت، ولقد استقبلت شباكه 47 هدفًا في 34 مباراة وحافظ على نظافة شباكه 4 مرات، وهو أحد الرجال الأقوياء في فريق أظهر بالفعل قدرته على المعاناة ضد ريال بيتيس.

تراب قضى بالفعل موسمًا في فرانكفورت قبل التوقيع مع باريس سان جيرمان في عام 2015 مقابل 9.5 مليون يورو.

بعد ثلاث سنوات عاد من باريس إلى فرانكفروت، أولاً ، كإعارة، ثم شراء من النادي الألماني في عام 2019.

وقد تحدث رافا يوستي، نائب رئيس برشلونة، عن هذا بعد القرعة وعلّق على لم الشمل مع تراب، وقال: “أتخيل أن الرجل لن يتمتع بذاكرة جيدة”.

فرانكفورت يحتل المركز التاسع في الدوري الألماني بفارق 27 نقطة خلف المتصدر بايرن ميونخ، ومدربه هو النمساوي أوليفر جلاسنر.

ورغم رحيل لاعبين مهمين للغاية في العامين الماضيين مثل لوكا يوفيتش وسيباستيان هالر أو أنتي ريبيتش، ظل فرانكفورت على قيد الحياة، لكن هذا الموسم انخفض بشكل كبير المستوى الذي قادهم العام الماضي إلى المركز الخامس والتواجد في هذه النسخة من الدوري الأوروبي.

من أهم لاعب فرانكفورت المهاجم سانتوس بوري، على الرغم من أن فيليب كوستيكي هو أحد لاعبيه الأكثر حسماً.

وعاد اللاعب الصربي إلى مستوى أدنى بعد تجاوزه فيروس كورونا في بداية العام لكنه يتألق في اللعب بقدمه اليسرى وهو أحد لاعبي كرة القدم الذين لا يمكن التنبؤ بهم في الفريق الألماني، بعض لاعبي كرة القدم البارزين الآخرين هم قلب الدفاع الفرنسي إيفان نديكا والياباني دايتشي كامادا.

النمساوي أوليفر جلاسنر مدرب فرانكفورت عادة ما يلعب بخطة 3-2-4-1، ومن الناحية التكتيكية، يتميز بالسيطرة على الضغط العالي لإزعاج المنافسين في المنطقة المتقدمة وهو فريق مكثف للغاية من البداية إلى النهاية، مع دفاع متوسط ​​الكتلة يسمح ببعض التنقل ويمنح مساحة أكبر من المتوقع لمنافسيه.

الشخص الذي يعرف أينتراخت جيدًا هو فابيو بلانكو، اللاعب الذي وصل لتوه إلى برشلونة بهذا السوق الشتوي من الفريق الألماني، لذلك سيكون قادرًا على تقديم معلومات إلى تشافي هيرنانديز عند التحضير للمباراة.

من ناحية أخرى، إنريكي هيريرو هو أحد شباب آينتراخت الذي وصل من فياريال وقد وقع مؤخرًا مع ريال مدريد.

آينتراخت لديه كأس الاتحاد الأوروبي، ولقب في الدوري الألماني و5 كؤوس ألمانيا، بالإضافة إلى كأس إنترتوتو.

لا توجد مواجهات سابقة بين برشلونة وآينتراخت فرانكفورت، لذا ستكون هذه هي المرة الأولى التي يلتقيان فيها.

Newcastle heading for disaster over Ntcham

Newcastle are heading for a major transfer disaster over Celtic midfielder Olivier Ntcham.

What’s the story?

With the Premier League season coming to an end last Sunday, Steve Bruce’s side can now firmly turn their attention towards the summer transfer window and how best to reinforce the squad ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.

According to Football Insider, the Magpies are set to reignite their interest in Ntcham, who becomes a free agent following news Celtic are set to terminate his contract.

The report said: “A recruitment source has told Football Insider that Ntcham, 25, is on their radar once again after they lost out to Marseille in the race to sign him in January”.

Fans won’t be happy

Given all the hype and excitement surrounding Joe Willock, who played a starring role for the Magpies in the final weeks of the Premier League campaign, for Newcastle to go after Ntcham seems like a complete mismatch.

The Frenchman has been nothing short of abysmal this season while on loan at Ligue 1 side Marseille, averaging a measly 6.13 match rating as per WhoScored when he’s been on the pitch, and even missing out on several match-day squads as well, often frozen out under former boss Andre Villas-Boas.

He has averaged just 0.4 tackles and 0.5 interceptions per game, and hasn’t managed over a single shot, key pass or dribble per match either on average – those statistics would actually rank him among the worst players in the entire Newcastle squad.

Former Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers, who is now in charge of Leicester City, once called him a “terrific talent”, while Neil Lennon has said that Celtic had “one hell of a player” at their disposal, adding: “When he is in the mood, he’s fantastic.”

However, the £15,000-a-week midfielder has regressed considerably since those comments, and Lennon’s verdict on him being “in the mood” is also a worrying indication of someone who doesn’t turn up consistently like Willock has done. The Frenchman also angered Lennon in 2019 by intimating that he wanted to quit Celtic for a potential move to Porto, which never materialised.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/newcastle-steve-bruce-premier-league-transfer-gossip-rumours-news-st-james-park-joelinton-shelvey-max-aarons” title=”Read the latest Newcastle transfer rumours and news!”]

It’s exactly why Magpies fans will likely be unhappy at hearing that the club are targeting Ntcham this summer, and it would surely make them even more vexed if he came to Tyneside at the expense of Willock.

Meanwhile, Newcastle could hire a dream Steve Bruce replacement in this man…

Corinthians avalia criar sub-23, mas adota cautela por duas razões; saiba

MatériaMais Notícias

O alto número de jogadores sob contrato, especialmente os que voltam de empréstimos e não serão aproveitados no time principal, e o fim da parceria com o Flamengo de Guarulhos após o fim da Copa São Paulo de 2017 despertaram a atenção da diretoria do Corinthians para uma ideia já aplicada por um rival regional e que agora está em fase de avaliação também no Parque São Jorge: a criação de uma nova categoria para jogadores de até 23 anos. Seria uma espécie de continuação do processo de formação da base do Timão.

-Está em estudo. Acho válido dependendo da realidade. Depois que tivermos um mapa dos jogadores que temos aqui sob o ponto de vista de quais têm potencial para ser aproveitados, saberemos se é para emprestar alguém ou se temos número suficiente para outra categoria. O sub-23 dá uma série de possibilidades, mas precisa ser contextualizado. Está em avaliação – explica, ao LANCE!, o coordenador geral da base do Corinthians, Rodrigo Leitão.

O Corinthians receberá em fevereiro de 2017 diversos jogadores de até 20 anos que estão atualmente vinculados ao Flamengo de Guarulhos e disputarão a Copinha. Com o fim da parceria, os meninos serão alojados em uma casa alugada pelo clube e precisarão retomar a rotina de treinos da categoria sub-20, que já conta com elenco completo. Além disso, há jogadores que retornam de empréstimos depois de concluída a formação na base, mas que ficarão sem espaço no clube. A diretoria sabe que terá que dispensar alguns jogadores, mas já começa a planejar o futuro com a possibilidade de criação de um sub-23.

Nesta nova categoria ficariam jogadores que já passaram a idade-limite da base, mas que o clube ainda não considera formados ou aptos a integrar o profissional, e jogadores contratados como promessas, mas que ainda precisam desenvolver aptidões para fazer parte do time de cima. Do ponto de vista institucional e de formação não há dúvidas internamente de que o sub-23 é uma aposta válida, mas dois obstáculos impedem a viabilização da categoria por enquanto.

O primeiro deles é a reformulação do elenco para 2017: o novo técnico do time profissional, Fabio Carille, quer analisar com cuidado os nomes que podem ser aproveitados, especialmente porque a diretoria já indicou que não vai fazer grandes contratações. Em segundo lugar, não há competições para times sub-23 organizadas pela Federação Paulista de Futebol. O Santos, único clube paulista que conta com esta categoria, fez parceria com a Portuguesa Santista para jogar a Quarta Divisão do Paulistão e entrou na Copa Paulista. O Corinthians ainda pensa nas medidas que pode adotar.

– Hoje não podemos criar uma categoria sem haver competição. Precisa ser muito bem organizado, porque não há calendário para isso na base. Agora fico imaginando para os clubes menores, porque sub-23 é salário de jogador profissional… – reflete Leitão.

O coordenador da base alvinegra, aliás, é o principal entusiasta da ideia, e seus pensamentos convergiram com os de Fausto Bittar Filho, diretor da base há quatro meses. Rodrigo Leitão participou até mesmo de um seminário da Federação Paulista de Futebol em agosto – antes de ir para o Corinthians, portanto – para debater o assunto. Desde então, a FPF não avançou no debate a favor da criação de uma categoria que pode minimizar a “perda” de talentos no futebol do Estado.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansDupla volta de empréstimo ao Timão e está nos planos de Carille para 2017Corinthians01/01/2017CorinthiansMatheus Cassini se anima a voltar e vira nome em pauta no CorinthiansCorinthians01/01/2017CorinthiansCorinthians vira ano com novidades só no ataque; defesa é preocupaçãoCorinthians30/12/2016

Tudo sobre

CorinthiansFausto Bittar Filho

Southampton fans slam club tweet

Many Southampton fans are far from happy with a tweet from the club on Friday in regards to their defending.

The Saints will be happy that the season is over. While there were some positive moments, such as reaching the FA Cup semi-finals, they ended up 15th in the Premier League, so Ralph Hasenhuttl and his team have plenty of work to do to get the players ready for the next campaign.

Their defensive record was particularly disappointing. Of the 20 teams in the top flight this season, only West Bromwich Albion conceded more than their 68 goals (Sky Sports). However, that has not stopped the club’s Twitter page from sharing a compilation of tackles from the players with the caption “Access Denied”. Talk about irony.

The tweet was shared on the club’s official Twitter account, and it is fair to say that it attracted the wrath of many of the club’s supporters. These fans took to the social media platform to share their thoughts on the ill-judged tweet.

Let’s see what the Southampton fans had to say below

“The social media team have left themselves as wide open as our defence..”

Credit: @andydavis1978

“Haha this is the most inappropriate tweet so far. Defence has been shocking.”

Credit: @doeboy1

“We were 1 place off relegation.. access denied is not appropriate”

Credit: @OBondERR

“Please delete this …. conceded for fun this season”

Credit: @Spakey98

“Weird tweet considering how bad we were defensively”

Credit: @SaintLee_

“This club are calling us fans mugs . Been a season ticket holder for over 3o years. Maybe I will show them access denied 60 goals let in and this ?”

Credit: @nicksfc73

In other news, Southampton are interested in this player previously compared to Lionel Messi.

Hyderabad make fitting reply

Hyderabad, thanks to valuable contributions from most of theirfrontline batsmen, made a fitting reply to Andhra’s first inningstotal of 386 at stumps on the third day of their South Zone RanjiTrophy league match at Kurnool on Friday

Partab Ramchand01-Dec-2000Hyderabad, thanks to valuable contributions from most of theirfrontline batsmen, made a fitting reply to Andhra’s first inningstotal of 386 at stumps on the third day of their South Zone RanjiTrophy league match at Kurnool on Friday. Resuming the day at 87 forno loss, they ended the day at 310 for six wickets.Openers Daniel Manohar (56) and Nanda Kishore (53) put on 115 runs off37.4 overs. Then there was a mini collapse as Hyderabad slid to 128for three. Vanka Pratap (26) and Vinay Kumar initiated a recoveryprocess with a fourth wicket partnership of 67 runs off 14 overs. ThenVinay Kumar and Vijaya Kumar (29) continued the rally with a sixthwicket stand of 54 runs off 19 overs. And finally, Vinay Kumar andShivaji Yadav (21) continued the good work by adding 47 runs for theunbroken seventh wicket off 10.2 overs. At close, Vinay Kumar wasbatting with an invaluable 83. He faced 194 balls and had nineboundary hits. Bad light stopped play at 3.55 and the umpires calledoff play at 4.40.

وكيل بنزيما يسخر من بيكيه بعد فوز برشلونة بـ الكلاسيكو على ريال مدريد

سخر وكيل أعمال مهاجم الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ريال مدريد، كريم بنزيما، من مدافع برشلونة، جيرارد بيكيه، بعد فوزهم بمباراة الكلاسيكو يوم أمس، الأحد، في بطولة الدوري الإسباني.

وفاز برشلونة على غريمه التاريخي ريال مدريد بنتيجة 0-4 في ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو”، ونجح العملاق الكتالوني في السيطرة على المباراة بفضل لاعبيه ومدربه، تشافي هيرنانديز.

اقرأ أيضًا.. أراخو بعد تسجيله أمام ريال مدريد: مستعد للعب في أي مركز مع برشلونة

وكتب بيكيه عبر حسابه الرسمي على “تويتر” بعد نهاية المباراة مباشرة: “لقد عُدنا”.

ليرد وكيل بنزيما، كريم جزيري، ساخرًا عبر نفس منصة التواصل الاجتماعي: “نحن نشاهد الآن غلاف صحيفة سبورت غدًا، دعونا نأمل ألا يكون مخطئًا هذه المرة”.

ووضع جزيري صورة صحيفة “سبورت” وعليها جيرارد بيكيه بصحبة نيمار دا سيلفا وهو يقول إنه سيستمر، قبل رحيل البرازيلي إلى باريس سان جيرمان في صيف عام 2017.

ويبدو أن وكيل بنزيما يسخر من بيكيه الذي أخطأ في ذلك الوقت في التكهن بمستقبل نيمار الذي غادر برشلونة بعد دفع باريس سان جيرمان الشرط الجزائي بقيمة 222 مليون يورو.

Southampton: Les Reed drops "heartbreaking" Ings exit claim

Danny Ings has reignited his career at Southampton but that form has seen him attract interest from some of the Premier League’s top clubs, and if he was to depart former Saints vice-chairman Les Reed believes the striker would be heartbroken to leave the south coast.

The former Liverpool striker joined Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side in 2018 initially on loan and he has managed to find the net 46 times in 100 appearances, which has seen the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City linked with the 28-year old.

A lot of clubs will be on the hunt for a striker this summer and with Ings entering the final year of his current deal, the Saints may feel like they have their hands tied and have to sell him to bring money into the club.

Ings appears to have found his feet and best form at Southampton after struggling to ever get going at Liverpool due to numerous injurie,s and Reed believes that if Ings left he would find it tough, as he explained exclusively to Transfer Tavern:

“For Danny, there could be opportunities that open up in the last year of his contract and it will be heartbreaking for him to move but this is the time if he’s going to win a medal or achieve something bigger.”

Man City were credited with an interest in Ings earlier this year but now that Sergio Aguero has officially left they may step up their interest in the striker, especially if the likes of Harry Kane and Erling Haaland prove to be too expensive.

Ings is likely to have a lot of potential suitors both this summer and next year as teams up and down the Premier League will want someone who knows where the back of the net is.

LANCE! Expresso: Dois times, duas medidas

MatériaMais Notícias

As perspectivas do esporte muito além da informação. De segunda a sexta, um resumo do que foi notícia e o que de mais importante vai acontecer. Uma seleção do LANCE! com comentários e análises de Luiz Fernando Gomes. Saboroso como um café espresso. Para comentar: [email protected]

Dois times, duas medidas

A diretoria do Flamengo, informa o Blog do Janca no site do LANCE!, deu sinal verde para que Zé Ricardo use times diferentes na Libertadores e no Brasileirão e nos jogos do Estadual e da Primeira Liga. É uma medida mais do que acertada. Já passou da hora de enfrentar de frente questões como essa: se a CBF insiste em não adaptar o calendário às necessidades dos clubes, que os clubes façam o que é melhor para eles e não aquilo que atenda aos interesses da entidade, das federações ou de quem tem os direitos de TV. Centrar esforços no Brasileirão e na Libertadores é o que realmente importa. O resto é o resto.

Aposta na garotada

A decisão da diretoria agrada ao treinador rubro-negro que quer abrir espaço para os jogadores da base. Zé Ricardo vai apostar na garotada nas competições consideradas secundárias. Não é uma novidade: o Atlético-PR já adotou atitude ainda mais radical quando colocou o time sub-23 para disputar o Paranaense, enquanto os profissionais estendiam a pré-temporada, inclusive com amistosos lucrativos para o clube. Ainda em seu blog, João Carlos Assumpção afirma que o Palmeiras deve seguir a mesma linha, alternando jogadores de acordo com o peso do campeonato.

Se vire, Fogão!

A situação do Botafogo é um exemplo da improvisação do calendário. E da arrogância das federações. Para não coincidir com a estreia na Libertadores, dia 1º de fevereiro contra o Colo-Colo, do Chile, a Ferj antecipou a primeira partida do alvinegro pelo Estadual, contra o Madureira, para 25 de janeiro. Mas nessa data, simplesmente, o elenco do Fogão ainda estará em Domingos Martins, no Espírito Santo, em pré-temporada. Ou seja, mesmo que não seja por opção, Jair Ventura terá que escalar juniores e reservas para não prejudicar a preparação do time. Se correr o bicho pega, se ficar o bicho mata.

Não pegou bem

O jornal Sport afirma que o boicote do Barcelona à cerimônia de premiação dos melhores do ano da Fifa nada tem a ver com a preparação para o jogo de amanhã contra o Athletic Bilbao. A ausência de Messi e companhia teria sido uma decisão unilateral dos jogadores, em protesto não contra a Fifa, mas contra a diretoria do clube que não estaria agindo contra os sucessivos erros de arbitragem contra o Barça. Já o diário Às, de Madrid, ironizou a ausência dos rivais catalães, como uma infeliz reação à supremacia do Real. Qualquer que tenha sido o motivo, contudo, o que sai arranhada é a imagem do clube se que intitula, e de fato é, “Mais do que um clube”.

Futebol ou MMA?

O Flamengo divulgou ontem o uniforme deste início de temporada, com a marca do novo patrocinador – a empresa de bebidas energéticas tailandesa Carabao – estampada nos ombros. Com cara mais de lutadores de MMA do que de jogadores de futebol, Muralha, Guerrero e Willian Aarão foram os modelos escolhidos para o lançamento.

– O Palmeiras começa hoje a temporada 2017. O time se apresenta, faz exames médicos e, à tarde, Eduardo Baptista já comanda seu primeiro treino na Academia de Futebol. Para o treinador, a sorte está lançada.

– Que fase! Na véspera do Natal, o atacante Roberto Firmino foi detido por dirigir alcoolizado. Mas o pesadelo de fim de ano do brazuca do Liverpool não terminou aí. O Jornal The Sun disse que a casa do jogador foi assaltada durante o período de festas resultando em um prejuízo estimado em R$ 280 mil entre eletrônicos, jóias e outros pertences.

João Carlos Assumpção fala de seu contato com Ricardo Ramos, o Carcacinha, o mais novo brasileiro contratado pelo UFC, elogiando sua persistência e o foco em alcançar objetivos que agora começam a se concretizar.

Carlos Alberto Vieira analisa a esperada escolha de Cristiano Ronaldo como o melhor do mundo da Fifa e o discurso do craque português ao considerar 2016 o apogeu de sua carreira no momento em que muitos apostavam que seria o início do seu ocaso.

O Corinthians avançou nas conversas e já dá como certa a contratação do volante Gabriel, ex-Palmeiras. Se o negócio se concretizar, o Timão terá superado o Genoa da Itália, o Galo mineiro e o Fluminense, também interessados no jogador. A diretoria tem ainda outro volante na mira: Felipe Bastos, que joga nos Emirados Árabes e quer voltar ao Brasil.

Palmeiras e Cruzeiro esperam viabilizar até amanhã a negociação envolvendo o lateral Fabiano, o atacante Willian e o meia Robinho. Os dois primeiros vão vestir a camisa do Verdão em 2017. Já o meia ficará em definitivo na Raposa. O clube paulista ainda vai colocar dinheiro para concretizar o negócio.

O Fluminense recebe hoje no Rio para exames médicos o lateral-direito Lucas, emprestado pelo Palmeiras, até o fim do ano. O jogador chega para ser titular na equipe comandada por Abel Braga.

O Grêmio está perto de fechar com o lateral-direito Léo Moura. O veterano jogador de 38 anos, que defendeu o Santa Cruz este ano, foi um pedido de Renato Gaúcho que aposta na experiência para a disputa da Libertadores.

O Flamengo, embora conte com seis estrangeiros no elenco (pelas normas da CBF apenas cinco podem ser relacionados por jogo) continua à caça de reforços latinos. Depois de Conca, que desembarcou ontem no Rio, está de olho nos atacantes Orlando Berrio, do Atlético Nacional, e Vargas, do Hoffenheim da Alemanha.

O Botafogo, em busca de um atacante veloz para jogar pelos lados do campo e manter o esquema preferido de Jair Ventura, mira agora em Douglas Coutinho, do Atlético-PR e Vander, brazuca que faz sucesso no futebol do Chipre, defendendo o Apoel.

R$ 50 milhões

Este é o valor que o Corinthians, independentemente da dívida com a Odebrecht, terá de gastar para concluir as obras da Arena de Itaquera. Andrés Sanchez diz que isso só será viável com a comercialização de todos os camarotes e cadeiras. “É preciso fazer tudo aquilo que foi planejado. Não está dando certo nesse momento”, admitiu.

Barbados holding trump cards

Barring extended rain or any other unforeseen happening today,Barbados should subject the Windward Islands to their fifth successivedefeat and keep alive their slim hopes of winning the Busta Cup

Haydn Gill05-Feb-2001Barring extended rain or any other unforeseen happening today,Barbados should subject the Windward Islands to their fifth successivedefeat and keep alive their slim hopes of winning the Busta Cup.Set 335 from a minimum of 115 overs after an enterprising, excitingdisplay from Philo Wallace and Sean Armstrong, rock-bottom Windwardsshowed more resilience than they have all season in the 25 overs theyfaced before the close.They reached 67 for two, principally anchored by their solid 18-yearold opening batsman Romel Currency. He batted though until the end inthe company of the Windwards’ most dangerous batsman, Junior Murray.Murray, however, should take been back in the pavilion, but Ryan Hindsmissed an easy chance at extra-cover from a long-hop off leg-spinnerDave Marshall.The Windwards have lost each of the four previous matches and have ahighest score was 257.Barbados owed their commanding position to their healthy first inningsadvantage of 142 and it was impressively built on by a second-wicketstand of 111 between Wallace and Armstrong.Wallace, under the microscope after a string of low scores, was theWallace of old, clobbering the ball with typical power in an inningsof 78.Armstrong, who joined Wallace after Adrian Griffith departed for abreezy 18, was not as forceful, but was just as effective in playingsome scintillating strokes in completing his second half-century ofthe tournament.Most eyes, however, were on Wallace following his first-ball duck inthe first innings. Interestingly enough, he took first strike for thefirst time in the tournament and was immediately into stride.Whenever the Windwards bowlers dropped a trifle short, they weredisdainfully pulled away. Leg-spinner Orlando Jackson was twicedespatched over mid-wicket and onto the big scoreboard.In addition to those two sixes, Wallace also belted eight fours. Somewere pulls, some were extra-cover drives and some were guided over theheads of the slips. Armstrong, in one over from left-arm fast-mediumDeighton Butler, hit three successive boundaries – a cut, a lofted ondrive and a pull. But his most memorable shot was a stylish short-armpull in his unique manner.The No. 3 batsman reached his half-century with eight fours, but soonfell on 53 to a ball from leg-spinner Rawl Lewis that bounced, tookthe glove of the batsman and the wicket-keeper and ended in a juggledcatch to Devon Smith at slip.Wallace followed in the next over. After another of his ferociouspulls, he drove the next delivery down the throat of Smith at extracover.In the brief period before tea, Roland Holder and Courtney Browne werecontent to defend, but both perished soon after the interval whenBarbados were looking to increase the tempo.A few meaty blows from Hendy Bryan, whose unbeaten 29 came off 28balls, allowed Barbados to make the declaration a bit earlier thanmost anticipated. It was made 40 minutes after the break with thetotal 192 for five off 50 overs.There was immediate success for Barbados with Corey Collymore inducingteenager Devon Smith into edging a catch to the keeper from a ballthat bounced nicely.Out came Kirsten Casmir to play the type of strokes he unleashedduring his 63 against the Leeward Islands on debut in the previousround of matches.The little Dominican smacked five boundaries in 28 before gifting hiswicket to an inexcusable cross-batted swing against Ryan Austin’sflighted off-break.By then, Currency was batting as solid as ever. He resumes thismorning on 22 as a key figure in the Windwards’ plans to earn theirfirst point of the tournament. He is so well-organised that it is hardto believe that he has never once converted any of his promisingstarts into a significant contribution. Today is his chance.Murray is another player who could hold up Barbados with hisforthright, aggressive methods. He ended the day on 14, five more thanhe should have gotten, courtesy of Hinds’ miss.Earlier, Barbados polished off the Windwards tail by claiming the lastthree wickets 22 after the visitors resumed on 103 for seven.

Game
Register
Service
Bonus