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Isobel Joyce has stepped down as Ireland Women’s captain, though the 32-year-old allrounder has said she will continue to play

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Mar-2016Isobel Joyce has stepped down as Ireland Women’s captain, though the 32-year-old allrounder has said she will continue to play. Her decision comes following her team’s group-stage exit from the Women’s World T20 in India. No new captain has been named as yet.Having captained Ireland in 62 matches across formats, Joyce said she thought the time had come for “a younger leader” to take charge while she was still around to offer her guidance. “I’ve played cricket for Ireland for over half of my life and while I have not decided when I will call time on my playing career, I feel it’s time to step aside and help a younger leader to learn the role before I do eventually retire,” she said. “I’m looking forward to focusing on my own cricket for the twilight of my playing career and hopefully helping the team qualify for another 50-over World Cup, 16 years after I played in my first one.”Joyce had led her team through the qualifiers into two World T20s, and was a dedicated professional, coach Aaron Hamilton said. “Isobel has been a professional leader both on and off the field for the team,” Hamilton said. “She will be missed in the role of skipper but I’m delighted she will continue to play and assist this group of talented young players; her experience will be invaluable for us going forward.”

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has claimed that Xavi can turn Barcelona's fortunes around.

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Barcelona are four points off the top of La LigaDrew with Rayo Vallecano at the weekendAncelotti insists Xavi's job should be safeWHAT HAPPENED?

Pressure has been mounting on Xavi after his Barcelona side struggled in recent weeks. Most recently, the Blaugrana dropped points to Rayo Vallecano, needing a late own goal to steal a scarcely-deserved draw. In response, Xavi took to the press to encourage his players to raise their levels.

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In a press conference, the veteran manager asserted that Xavi won't have much difficulty getting his team back on track: "Xavi, like me, knows football very well, and there is criticism. Sometimes it can happen, but Xavi has the experience to manage all this. He knows the atmosphere (around Barca) and I think he has everything he needs to manage the situation."

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After winning the league title last season, Xavi's side are already slipping out of contention this campaign. They are in fourth, and four points off the top — with a crucial fixture against second-placed Girona coming up next month. The manager has addressed their slow run of late, while there have been scattered reports of "crisis talks" at the Barca training ground in recent weeks.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?

The Blaugrana's fixture today will be crucial in their European future. A win against Porto would send the Blaugrana into the Champions League knockout stages for the first time in three years — and also likely see them top the group. Lose, though, and they will face a must-win contest at Antwerp on the final matchday.

Nigeria reached the final of the Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday after a tense semi against South Africa which went the distance.

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Nigeria opened scoring through Troost-Ekong penaltySouth Africa equalised through Mokoena spot-kickIheanacho scores vital penalty as Nwabali stars in goalGetty ImagesTELL ME MORE

Victor Osimhen threatened to miss Wednesday's crunch fixture and Nigeria fans will have reeled in horror at the sight of him clutching his abdomen mere seconds into the match. But the Napoli talisman deemed himself fit to continue and made his mark in the second half. After several near-misses with his head, the African Player of the Year used his feet to leave the Bafana Bafana defence perplexed. Namely, Mothobi Mvala, who couldn't deal with Osimhen's pace and clattered the striker, leading to a clear penalty. As he did against Ivory Coast, captain William Troost-Ekong stepped up, squeezing his spot kick underneath the sprawling Ronwen Williams.

Osimhen thought he had rounded out his fine performance with a late tap-in but a VAR check caused incredible drama in Bouake. The Napoli star's strike was ruled out and South Africa were awarded a penalty following substitute Alhassan Yusuf's rash challenge. Teboho Mokoena duly dispatched and set up some nervy closing stages for Nigeria, who clung on before an end-to-end extra-time period. Grant Kekana was sent off late on for South Africa after another VAR check, with penalties ultimately needed to separate the two sides. Kelechi Iheanacho was the hero as Stanley Nwabali starred in goal to send the Super Eagles through.

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Nigeria progress to their first AFCON final since 2013, when they beat Burkina Faso 1-0 thanks to a Sunday Mba strike. That was their third continental crown after wins in 1980 and 1994.

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From almost missing the match to having a starring role in Nigeria reaching the final, Osimhen was crucial to Nigeria's victory on Wednesday. The Napoli man recovered not only from an injury scare but also a fairly drab first half before exploding in the second period. His energy and tenacity was too much for the South Africa defence to handle and he needed just one moment of quality to make a crucial contribution. Osimhen hasn't been on red-hot form this tournament, but he stepped up to the plate here. That said, Nigeria couldn't have reached the AFCON final without goalkeeper Nwabali, who was the hero in the shoot-out.

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THE BIG LOSER

However, Osimhen's and Nigeria's efforts were almost undone by Yusuf's baffling challenge. The Antwerp midfielder was brought on for Alex Iwobi late on and was rarely threatened until the closing stages of regulation time. His rash challenge on Tau from behind was somehow missed by the on-field officials, but Yusuf was afforded no such sympathy on second viewing. Nigeria had been cruising until that point – adding a second shortly after the challenge – but descended into panic and chaos after Mokoena's penalty. Yusuf's rash tackle was almost a huge turning point, but he was ultimately let off the hook.

Glamorgan batsman Will Bragg scored his second hundred of the summer to ensure honours remained fairly even at the mid-point of their Championship clash with Kent in Canterbury

Press Association11-May-2015
ScorecardWill Bragg hit his second hundred of the season to keep Glamorgan in touch•Getty ImagesGlamorgan batsman Will Bragg scored his second hundred of the summer to ensure honours remained fairly even at the mid-point of their Championship clash with Kent in Canterbury.Bragg, fresh from a career-best 120 against Leicestershire in the first round of this season’s Division Two games, hit a dozen boundaries in his 208-ball innings as Glamorgan posted 281 all out in response to Kent’s season’s best first-innings total of 357.The left-hander from Newport took advantage of a let-off with his score on 16 to reach the fourth hundred of his career and cut Kent’s first-innings advantage to a mere 76 runs.With his side in trouble on 54 for 3, Wagg was fortunate to see Matt Coles, stationed at second slip, drop a comfortable catch off the bowling of Calum Haggett and went on to bat late into the last session on an easing pitch.Kent looked set for a considerable first innings lead as they claimed three wickets in the 90-minute stint through to lunch. Rookie Ivan Thomas set the tone by trapping James Kettleborough leg before with an offcutter, then Coles ripped out the off stump of Jacques Rudolph and, when bowling around the wicket, had left-hander Colin Ingram snaffled at second slip.Glamorgan counter attacked in the middle session but, although the run rate increased, wickets still fell at regular intervals. Chris Cooke cutting at Darren Stevens picked out Joe Denly at cover point then Mark Wallace was caught behind down the leg side when attempting to glance against Thomas.Graham Wagg prodded forward in defence at a Stevens’ awayswinger to edge low to James Tredwell at slip and, with their score on 170 for 6 at tea, Glamorgan still had concerns over reaching their 208-run follow-on figure.Tredwell pocketed another catch in the cordon after tea to account for Craig Meschede and give Haggett a deserved scalp on his comeback appearance, but Bragg ensured that batting again would not be Glamorgan’s fate. He moved to 99 by steering one from Coles to third man then punched a single to extra cover to raise three figures having spent a shade under four hours at the crease.Bragg’s vigil ended when Thomas returned to bowl him around his legs for 104, then Stevens plucked out Michael Hogan’s middle stump. Stevens, Thomas and Coles all finished with three wickets apiece and Kent batted out the final over of the day, scoring a single to extend their lead to 77.At the start of day two, Glamorgan required barely half an hour to take Kent’s two remaining first-innings scalps, with Hogan bagging a season’s best 5 for 71. A cameo 25 from Coles eased Kent past 350 for a fourth batting bonus point.

Alex Hales who earned a call-up to the England ODI side on Monday, has said that he is grateful he wasn’t picked for IPL 2014, allowing him time to improve his four-day game

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Aug-2014Alex Hales who earned a call-up to the England ODI side on Monday, has said that he is grateful he was not picked for IPL 2014, allowing him time to improve his four-day game. Hales was one of the English players passed over by franchises during the auction in February 2014.Hales, who is a regular in England’s T20 side, had made a strong case for an ODI spot with three List-A hundreds in the last three weeks, including a 96-ball 141 for Nottinghamshire against Middlesex. He had been a part of England’s ODI squad to the West Indies earlier in the year but missed out on a debut after suffering a thigh injury. Hales also succeeded in carrying his rich one-day form into first-class cricket, with an unbeaten 102 against Northamptonshire last week.”Had I got picked up in the IPL who knows whether we would have been having this conversation now,” Hales told the . “I am almost glad that the door shut on me in the IPL and it has given me the chance to work hard on my four-day game. Had I gone to India it would have all been T20 and whacking the ball rather than ­technique and building and compiling innings.”Hales is expected to open the innings along with Alastair Cook and a strong showing could only help build his case for a top-order spot in Tests, especially after Sam Robson’s struggles in the recent Tests against India. His success in the first-class games has also helped prove that his technique may not be an issue. In nine Division One games this season, Hales has scored 848 runs at an average of 56.53 with three hundreds and three fifties.”Test cricket is definitely still my ambition. I’m still only 25 so I have just about got time on my side,” Hales said. “From what I have learnt last year and the steps I have made, if I continue with those improvements then who knows?”After the Big Bash I had a lot of time away to think about four-day cricket and discover that hunger for runs again and building an innings and working hard on my technique. I’m really happy that I have reaped the rewards this year.”Hales brushed aside any doubts over his readiness for the one-day stage. The batsman has played 32 T20Is for England since his debut against India in August 2011 and said the experience had helped him get accustomed to the international stage.”I have played 30-odd games of international T20 and that comes with a lot of pressure, so I don’t think the big stage will be anything too new,” Hales said. “It’s just whether my technique and temperament are ready for the step up, but I feel I have shown in the last few weeks that they are.”

A mix of results saw an evenly spread XI named with two apiece from Liverpool, Everton, Leicester City, Bournemouth and Huddersfield

Getty ImagesJordan Pickford | EvertonPickford made five saves in preserving Everton's clean sheet at home to Chelsea.AdvertisementGetty ImagesSeamus Coleman | EvertonColeman made two key passes and two interceptions in Everton's home win over Chelsea.Getty ImagesWes Morgan | Leicester CityIn addition to scoring the winning goal for Leicester, Morgan made eight clearances against Burnley.ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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Getty ImagesNathan Ake | BournemouthThe Dutch defender made two blocks and four clearances for Bournemouth against Newcastle.

Graham Ford, the Sri Lanka coach, has said it was a “scary” moment when Kaushal Silva, the opening batsman, was struck on the back of the head while fielding at short leg recently

Andrew McGlashan06-May-2016Graham Ford, the Sri Lanka coach, has said it was a “scary” moment when Kaushal Silva, the opening batsman, was struck on the back of the head while fielding at short leg recently.Silva was taking part in a practice match in Pallekele ahead of Sri Lanka leaving for England when he took the blow. He had ducked and turned his head, but was hit below the back rim of the helmet, in the padded rear attachment that has come into use following the death of Phillip Hughes. Team-mates said they believed he might have suffered a more substantial injury if he had been using a helmet without that added protection.He was initially treated on the field and then at a local hospital before being airlifted to Colombo for further assessment which diagnosed him with mild concussion.Ford did not see the incident as it happened, but recalled similar feelings to when he was Surrey coach last year and watched Moises Henriques and Rory Burns be involved in an awful collision during a T20 match at Arundel which left Henriques, the Australia allrounder, with a broken jaw.”I didn’t actually see the incident, I was in the nets, but when I came round I could see there was some drama,” Ford said. “It was pretty scary for everybody, fortunately the trainer and physio were on hand and managed to do all the necessary things. It reminded me a little of the incident last year with Moises Henrqiues and Rory Burns, it was that kind of feeling but everyone medically handled it really well.”Since being given the all-clear in hospital, Silva was firstly rested and then monitored as he resumed exercise and training when Sri Lanka arrived in England.”He’s recovered really well, he’s rested for a while and a bit of monitoring for the first bit of exercise that he did and he’s come through,” Ford said.

Roma coach Jose Mourinho will serve a one-match suspension in Serie A after he was said to have made a "provocative" gesture towards the Monza bench.

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Mourinho provoked Monza benchWas shwon red card by refereeHit with one-match suspensionWHAT HAPPENED?

Mourinho was shown a red card by the referee in second-half stoppage time of the Serie A clash against Monza. The Portuguese coach made a 'cry-baby' gesture towards the opponents' bench minutes after his team took a late 1-0 lead through Stephan El Shaarawy.

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The fourth official spotted the insult from the Roma coach and he was subsequently sent off. Serie A's sports judge announced on Tuesday that the 60-year-old will not be allowed on the touchline in his side's next game. The ruling means Mourinho will miss Roma's trip to his former team Inter, where he spent two years and guided them to two Serie A titles and a Champions League crown.

WHAT THEY SAID

Mourinho admitted after the game that he provoked the Monza bench in his team's 1-0 win, saying to : "Maybe because I shut up and signalled to them that they were crying, but there were no offensive words. Last year, after an excellent match in Monza, some a good but inexperienced person had some nasty words towards us. Today they put on a show and pressure on the referee. I told them what I had to say to them, more honest than that… I congratulate them on the match."

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Mourinho will be in the dugout when Roma meet Slavia Prage in the Europa League on Thursday before his team make the trip to Milan.

Chris Gayle has been ruled out of the second Test against Bangladesh in St Lucia after being given permission to deal with a “personal matter” by the WICB

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Sep-2014Chris Gayle has been ruled out of the second Test against Bangladesh in St Lucia after being given permission to deal with a “personal matter” by the WICB.His place in the squad has been taken by Leon Johnson, the 27-year-old Guyana batsman, who is uncapped at Test level but has played three ODIs. Johnson has a first-class average of 33.18 from fifty matches with two hundreds.Gayle made 64 and 9 not out in the first Test, which West Indies won by 10 wickets, and bowled 17 overs in the second innings to claim 1 for 50.Other than the absence of Gayle there are no other changes in a 13-man squad. Shane Shillingford and Jason Holder are the two players who did not appear in the first Test in St Vincent.The match will mark West Indies’ 500th Test.Squad Denesh Ramdin (capt), Sulieman Benn, Jermaine Blackwood, Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Kirk Edwards, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder, Leon Johnson, Kemar Roach, Shane Shillingford, Jerome Taylor

Aaron Ramsdale expressed his gratitude to Arsenal supporters after he made a rare start in the Gunners' dramatic win over Brentford on Saturday.

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Ramsdale covers for ineligible RayaOvercomes nervy first halfThanks fans for supportGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The goalkeeper made his first league start since September as he covered for David Raya, who was ineligible to play against parent club Brentford. Ramsdale overcame a difficult first-half, in which he made a pair of nervous errors before settling down for a calmer second period. After his side grabbed a win courtesy of Kai Havertz's 89th-minute header, Ramsdale shared his delight with Arsenal fans and thanked them for their backing.

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"A feeling I never take for granted," Ramsdale posted on Instagram. "Love being part of this club. Fans were next level last night looking out for me. Thank you"

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Ramsdale's reappearance due to Raya's enforced absence inevitably sparked more debate around the goalkeeping situation at Arsenal. Although Mikel Arteta had discussed rotating between the pair, it appears that Raya has won the starting role for the foreseeable future. It remains to be seen if Ramsdale may seek a solution away from the Emirates in January but as yesterday proved, he remains a popular figure among the Arsenal support as they made clear yesterday.

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WHAT NEXT FOR AARON RAMSDALE?

With Arsenal out of the Carabao Cup it will be back to the bench for Ramsdale, with the 25-year-old left eagerly waiting for another opportunity to get back in action in front of those adoring fans again.