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The consensus among the TV commentators following the decision was that a mistake had been made

ESPNcricinfo staff22-May-20241:54

‘Karthik’s first-ball reprieve was a hasty decision’

The TV umpire Anil Chaudhary’s decision to overturn an lbw decision from out to not out in Dinesh Karthik’s favour came under heavy scrutiny during the Eliminator between Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Ahmedabad.The incident took place in the 15th over of RCB’s innings. After Rajat Patidar had just been dismissed, Avesh Khan swung the ball into Karthik, and the batter was given out lbw by the on-field umpire KN Ananthapadmanabhan.Karthik did not immediately review the decision and only made the DRS signal after a chat with his partner Mahipal Lomror. The replays showed the bottom of the bat close to the front pad at the same time as the ball passing the bat, and striking the pad as Karthik came forward.The question was whether the spike on Ultra Edge was the ball hitting the inside edge of the bat or the bat hitting the pad. TV umpire Anil Chaudhary thought it was bat on ball and asked the on-field umpire to change his decision to not out, though it seemed like there wasn’t conclusive evidence to do so.The consensus among the TV commentators following the decision was that a mistake had been made and cameras showed the RR director of cricket Kumar Sangakkara unhappy while talking to the fourth umpire outside the boundary.Speaking at the press conference after the game, Avesh, however, was fine with Karthik getting the benefit of the doubt.”When you are bowling, the emotions are running quite high. If you look at any bowler, they always ask for reviews, they feel the batter is out [if it’s close],” he said. “But when they showed the replay on the screen, there was some doubt – I suppose DK got the benefit of the doubt. The decision the umpire took must have been the right one, the umpiring is always fair.”If Karthik had been given out, RCB would have been 122 for 6, but he went on to score 11 off 12 balls in a partnership of 32 off 24 balls with Lomror. Karthik was eventually dismissed in the 19th over, and RCB finished on 172 for 8 fore going down by four wickets to be eliminated from the tournament.

Liverpool new boy Florian Wirtz insists his record-breaking £116 million ($154m) price tag “doesn’t matter” as he just wants to “play football”.

Most expensive player in British footballWill not be weighed down by price tagLooking forward to Premier League testFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Germany international Wirtz has become the most expensive player in British football after completing a big-money transfer to Anfield from Bundesliga giants Bayer Leverkusen. The 22-year-old playmaker has a lot to live up to on Merseyside.

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An immediate impact will need to be made in order to avoid inevitable questions being asked of his value to the Reds cause, but Wirtz is adamant that he will not be wasting energy worrying about factors that are outside of his control.

WHAT WIRTZ SAID

Wirtz told when asked if a historic transfer fee will weigh heavy around his neck: “No, I don’t think about this. I just want to play football and how much money the clubs pay between each other, it doesn’t matter.

“The big challenge is to take the title again and it is the most difficult thing, so I try just to create chances and also work against the ball because I can also run a lot and I will try to bring this to the team. Then, with the ball, I hope I can make the team better and bring my team-mates into better situations.”

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Wirtz accepts that he has much to learn in England, but added on facing those challenges head on: “I have not played a match in the Premier League, but I am looking forward to it and that is why I came.

“To be honest I don’t know [how it will be]. There will be some differences to the German league but I think that is also something I can learn and make me better so I am really looking forward to it. They tell me it’s more intense and more physical, every player is really strong, really fast. That is what everybody is telling me – and I’m aware of that.”

Brighton value Manchester United target Carlos Baleba at over £100 million ($135m) – a figure that the Red Devils are unlikely to be able to reach.

United interested in BalebaBrighton set asking price for midfielderWould cost an immense sumFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Per , United are currently unwilling to meet Brighton's asking price for Baleba, which stands at over £100m. INEOS, it is reported, view the defensive midfielder as an ideal prospective target, but they are said to be unlikely to meet the Seagulls' valuation in this window, as they operate within tighter financial constraints. They have already signed Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko for a combined total of more than £200 million ($271.5m) this summer.

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Brighton and United are not said to have engaged in meaningful dialogue over a deal for Baleba, and Seagulls chairman Tony Bloom would only accept a transfer that is similar in price to that which saw Moises Caicedo join Chelsea. The Blues paid £115m ($156m) for the midfielder in 2023.

DID YOU KNOW?

United are continuing to search for a midfielder this summer, but have allocated most of their transfer funds towards reshaping Ruben Amorim's attack. Brighton are under no pressure to sell the Cameroon international, who has a contract until 2028. 

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United and Brighton both kick off their Premier League seasons this weekend. The Red Devils face Arsenal in a blockbuster contest, while the Seagulls play Fulham.

Barcelona’s long-awaited Camp Nou return may be pushed back “a few more months” as city officials insist the club meet safety conditions first.

Stadium reopening pushed back by monthsClub must meet safety requirements firstCity official says ball is in Barca’s courtFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Barcelona’s long-awaited return to the Camp Nou looks set to be pushed back as the City Council has warned that the club will likely have to remain at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in Montjuic for “a few more months” as the conditions for reopening their iconic home are not yet met. Despite optimism earlier in the year the required completion certificates for the renovation works have not been submitted, meaning no licence can be granted. For now, Barca fans must remain patient as their team continues life at the Olympic Stadium

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Barca had hoped to make a small scale return to Camp Nou for the Joan Gamper Trophy clash against Como earlier this month but that plan had to be scrapped. After being granted their request to play their first three La Liga games away from home, they hoped the upcoming Valencia clash would be their first match back, but they appear to have missed the mark again. They will have to play all of their games in the first phase of the Champions League, including a potential play off, at the same stadium, which may mean the Camp Nou return won't happen until next year.

WHAT BARCELONA DEPUTY MAYOR SAID

Albert Batlle, the city's deputy mayor for security, admitted that Barcelona’s return to Camp Nou will not come as soon as expected, confirming more delays are on the horizon. 

"It will probably have to be used for a few more months," the councillor stated in an interview with .

He pointed out that the club has yet to provide the required paperwork: "The club has not submitted the certificate of completion of works," indicating that, "today, it has not met the conditions to apply for the initial opening license."

He added: "Let's not put pressure on ourselves regarding the deadlines; what we should put pressure on is the conditions for the opening, which must be done with complete safety… It can't happen again, so technical and political responsibilities were clarified. 

"Barca knows what it must do. Then those responsible for the works will have to certify the completion of the works and the city council's inspection teams will have to make their reports, but the ball at this point, and never better said, is in Barca's court, which must comply with the conditions."

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For now, the club must finalise and certify the work before the council can even consider opening Camp Nou’s doors. Until then, Montjuic remains the stopgap solution. Whether Barca can meet the conditions in time to move mid-season or whether fans must wait until the latter stages of the campaign is still uncertain. 

Thomas Frank has hailed former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp for providing the inspiration behind Tottenham's convincing win over Manchester City.

Spurs impressed during 2-0 win at City Visitors pressed high with great effect Frank says he will thank Klopp Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

A thrilling afternoon for Tottenham, who enjoyed a convincing win away at Manchester CIty and after the match Spurs boss Frank admitted that he drew his tactical inspiration from Jurgen Klopp. It will no doubt irk Pep Guardiola to discover the high press employed by Spurs was endorsed by the former Liverpool boss.   

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The high press isn't new to Frank, who employed similar tactics during his successful spell in charge of Brentford. But this is the first time he has revealed that Klopp was an influence in his decision to deploy the move against Man City.   

WHAT FRANK SAID

Frank said, "Yeah, it was good, he was a clever man. I need to text him and say 'hey, that's awfully clever'. I definitely believe in the aggressive press, as you saw today, as you saw with my Brentford team, you know, I believe in the high pressure, I believe in if we can be front-footed. I like that mentality. I think it's offensive, you know, it's a more offensive way of defending and then it's more fun to defend in the opponent's half, and of course, today I think we were very successful also to score a goal from it."   

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No one will deny Frank the opportunity to put his feet up and enjoy the feeling of a job well done. But he has pressing matters at hand, not least who to bring in to bolster his midfield after the failed Eberechi Eze deal and depressing injury updates for both James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski in recent days.   

The hosts were crowned Leagues Cup champions after a 3-0 victory over the Herons before a record crowd at Lumen Field

Messi falls short of 47th titlePlayers from both sides clash after the final whistleThe Herons return to action on Sept. 13Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

Inter Miami manager Javier Mascherano expressed his regret over a brawl that erupted following his team's 3-0 defeat to the Seattle Sounders in the Leagues Cup final.

Following the final whistle, Inter Miami's Luis Suarez rushed to headlock the Seattle Sounders' Obed Vargas, which sparked a brawl with players and coaches from both teams. As Suarez walked away from Vargas, he got into a verbal confrontation with a Seattle staff member and spat at his face. 

"None of us likes to see this kind of behavior," Mascherano said. "When there’s a reaction, it usually means there was some provocation."

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The Inter Miami coach also reflected on his team's defeat, which prevented the club from lifting what would have been only the third trophy in their history.

“In matches like these, details are decisive. The first few minutes cost us the game. We tried to grow into it, but unfortunately, we conceded in the first half. In the second half, we dominated and created chances,” he said. “The 3-0 scoreline is too heavy. We took risks, and their second goal effectively ended the game.”

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The Sounders' win now means they have won four U.S. Open Cups, two MLS Cups, one CONCACAF Champions Cup, one Leagues Cup and one Supporters’ Shield – compared with Inter Miami’s 2023 Leagues Cup and 2024 Supporters’ Shield. Seattle's Brian Schmetzer became the first manager to win every major North American trophy.

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WHAT NEXT FOR INTER MIAMI?

With the international break coming up, the Heronswill be back in action on Sept. 13 when they visit Charlotte FC.

Transfer fees are getting ridiculous nowadays, but you can still negotiate your way to a bargain in the market

Alexander Isak for £125 million. Florian Wirtz for £117m. Benjamin Sesko for £73m. Nick Woltemade for £69m. Bryan Mbeumo for £65m. Eberechi Eze for £60m. You get the idea – big money gets you big players.

That's the way the world's going. You generally have to open your wallet to find quality stars – but that's not the only way to get yourself a good deal. There's still room for a bargain here and there. Just because you have lots of cash doesn't mean you necessarily need to blow it all at one.

GOAL has ranked the 10 best value-for-money deals of the 2025 summer window, paying our dues to the teams who squeezed every penny in transfer talks:

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱AFP10Gabri Veiga (Al-Ahli to Porto, £12m)

If you cast your mind back to the 2023 summer transfer window, there was a certain Spanish playmaker who dominated the gossip columns. Fresh off a breakout season with Celta Vigo during which he scored 11 goals and provided four assists, Gabri Veiga was expected to join one of Europe's big boys. Barcelona and Chelsea were among the clubs tipped with an interest, which is why it was such a surprise when he opted to move to Saudi side Al-Ahli instead.

After two seasons in the Middle East, Veiga, who is still only 23, is back in Europe after signing for Portuguese giants Porto at a snip £12m – just over £20m less that what Al-Ahli paid to Celta. With Benfica and Sporting CP dominating Liga Portugal in recent years, he's the sort of player who could help the Dragons become the dominant force in the country again.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport9Rayan Cherki (Lyon to Manchester City, £32m)

Sure, Rayan Cherki has endured a mixed start to his Manchester City career, but let's not judge him too quickly in that direction. After all, he's the sort of flair player that will take some time adjusting to the Premier League once he returns to full fitness in the coming months.

Manchester City's rebuild saw them stump up an initial £32m to sign the French wizard from Lyon as they look to replace the genius of Kevin De Bruyne with a few players rather than like-for-like. The 22-year-old brings with him an ingenuity that has been missing in their recent plight, and his ability to strike a ball on either foot only adds to his unpredictable dribbling.

There are few Premier League players who can match Cherki when it comes to technical ability. Now, it's about whether he and Pep Guardiola can put his skill to good use.

Getty Images Sport8Cristhian Mosquera (Valencia to Arsenal, £12m)

Alright, so we just said we shouldn't overreact to a few games into a new season, but holding your own away at Liverpool in place of William Saliba is a hard ask of any centre-back, let alone one who's only 21. That's enough of a reason to think that Cristhian Mosquera represents fantastic value for money.

Amid Valencia's financial woes, Arsenal were able to muscle their way to the front of the queue and sign the versatile defender for an initial £12m. In this market, it's conceivable to make a significant profit on that even if performances don't live up to the hype.

Regardless, Mosquera was solid in La Liga last season and with his profile, it's easy to see him further adapting to the rigours of the Premier League too. Whatever you say about Arsenal and their defensive nature nowadays, you have to give it to them that they know what they're doing.

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Getty Images Sport7Pervis Estupinan (Brighton to AC Milan, £17m)

It wasn't too long ago that Pervis Estupinan was in the conversation for one of the Premier League's best left-backs. Such is the value in Brighton's trading model that they decided to move him on for young blood this summer.

The lucky team on the other end of the deal were AC Milan, who decided to accept an offer from Saudi outfit Al-Hilal for Theo Hernandez. In need of a top-quality replacement, they found Estupinan up for sale and were able to acquire him for £17m, immediately coming in as a standout left-back in Serie A.

For the first time, the Rossoneri have an Ecuadorian in their ranks, and if he can replicate his performances from the Amex Stadium at San Siro, then he will easily win over the Rossoneri faithful.

James Maddison hilariously hit back at Roy Keane after Tottenham's Europa League final victory over Manchester United in Bilbao.

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Maddison destroys Keane in interviewPair have exchanged words this seasonTottenham star has last laughFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The pair have exchanged words throughout this season but Maddison had the last laugh when appearing on CBS Sports on Wednesday, claiming he had agreed to do the interview because Keane was involved and enacting the darts celebration that has irritated the pundit in the past.

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Keane criticised Maddison for his lack of consistency earlier in the season, with the Tottenham star hitting back by scoring the winner against United in the Premier League clash between the two in February and doing his darts celebration. Keane then hit back by saying: "Good on him. Absolutely no problem. I still go with what I said, I don't think he does enough of that."

Maddison continued the light-hearted feud on Wednesday, saying: "I wasn't going to do any interviews but then I heard it was Roy Keane. Roy Keane, that's for you son."

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Maddison is out injured and did not feature in the final itself. His focus is now on getting fit ahead of the 2025/26 season.

Western Australia veteran calls time after 22 years of Shield cricket and 38 Tests for Australia

Tristan Lavalette10-Mar-2023Shaun Marsh has retired from first-class cricket after 22 years of service for Western Australia at Sheffield Shield level, and 38 Test matches for Australia.Marsh made his first-class debut at the age of 17 for WA in 2001, and achieved a career-long ambition to win a Sheffield Shield title last season where he captained in the final in the absence of his brother Mitchell Marsh.At 39, Marsh decided to play another season in 2022-23, but he has been plagued by injury and has only managed one Shield game this summer.Having just returned to Perth club cricket after a fractured finger, Marsh’s retirement is effective immediately, meaning he won’t be part of WA’s bid to defend their title. They play Victoria at the WACA next week before hosting the final starting on March 23.”This year in particular has been really hard,” Marsh told reporters. “It wasn’t the way I planned it after winning the Shield final last year.”I had great expectations of myself to win another Shield but through injuries it hasn’t worked out how I wanted it to.”Marsh finishes as WA’s third-highest run scorer in the Shield, tallying 8347 runs including 20 centuries. His 122 matches is the second-most in WA’s history behind former captain Tom Moody.But at a training session on Tuesday, he realised his indefatigable first-class career was over.”I batted for about 20 minutes and the quicks came over…I said to V [WA coach Adam Voges] that I’m done and want to do my weights [session],” Marsh said. “I probably did half my weights [session]. I walked out and thought, ‘that’s not me’. Over the last 24 hours it hit home that my time is done.”It’s been an amazing journey, never in my wildest dreams did I think that I’d be here for 22 years and that’s something that I’m very proud of.”Father and son – Shaun and Geoff Marsh pose with the Sheffield Shield title•Getty ImagesMarsh paid special tribute to his father Geoff Marsh, a former Test opener and coach for Australia.”That’s where I found the love of the game as a young kid when I was watching dad play,” he said. “From a young age all I wanted to do was be like him and he’s had a massive impact on my career.”Long touted as a Test star, having struck his maiden first-class ton as a 19-year-old against a strong New South Wales side featuring Steve and Mark Waugh, Marsh enjoyed a spectacular debut in 2011 with a century against Sri Lanka in Pallekele.He loomed as Ricky Ponting’s natural successor at No. 3 but suffered a calamitous form slump against India at home in 2011-12, where he scored just 17 runs in six innings.Inconsistency and injuries became a bane for the left-handed Marsh, whose stylish batting marked by elegant cover drives ensured he continued to tempt the national selectors.But he was an enigma at the crease and, similarly to younger sibling Mitchell, suffered wrath from fans left frustrated by the gulf of his performances.Marsh’s highest Test score of 182 was made against West Indies in Hobart in 2015, where he combined in a 449-run fourth wicket stand with Voges. It remains the second-highest partnership in Australia’s Test history.His Test pinnacle was arguably during the 2017-18 Ashes series, where he struck centuries in Adelaide and Sydney. At the SCG, Marsh memorably shared a 169-run partnership with Mitchell, who also scored a ton. It was the last of his six centuries, but he played a further 10 Tests over the next two years.”Any time you get to represent your country…those memories will last forever,” he said.Marsh finished with 2265 Test runs at an average of 34.31, playing his last Test in January 2019 against India after providing a veteran presence following the sandpaper scandal. He has enjoyed enjoyed more success in ODI cricket with an average of 40.77 from 73 matches and seven centuries.Marsh, who turns 40 in July, is set to continue in the BBL. He has one season left on his deal with Melbourne Renegades.

The Australia wicketkeeper will hope to finish his red-ball career with another title next week

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff15-Mar-2024Former Test wicketkeeper Matthew Wade will retire from first-class cricket after playing the Sheffield Shield final for Tasmania.The 36-year-old has announced the title decider starting on Thursday against Western Australia in Perth will be his 166th and final first-class match. Wade opted to delay his arrival at the IPL in order to be available for the Sheffield Shield final.Related

WA chase historic hat-trick while Tasmania look to break 11-year drought

Bancroft hospitalised after accident as WA mull a replacement for the final

'It's a difficult job' – Gannon prepares for Shield final after a career on the fringe

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Sheffield Shield team of the season: Webster, Davies, McAndrew… and who else?

He will continue playing white-ball cricket and is likely to be part of Australia’s squad for the T20 World Cup in June.Hobart-born Wade has won four Shield titles with Victoria, including two as captain, but hasn’t tasted success with his home state.”Firstly, I would like to thank my family, my wife Julia, and kids Winter, Goldie, and Duke, for the sacrifices they have made throughout my career, as I travelled Australia and the world as a red ball cricketer.” Wade said in a statement. “I have thoroughly enjoyed the challenges that the long-form game provides, and although I will continue to play white ball cricket, wearing the baggy green while playing for my country remains a highlight of my career.”I am grateful to all of my team-mates throughout my career, along with Cricket Victoria for providing me with the foundations to grow as a first-class cricketer, and Cricket Tasmania for supporting me in finishing my career as a cricketer in my home state.”Wade played 36 Tests for Australia, averaging 29.87, in a career spanning from 2012 to 2021.He lost his Test wicketkeeping spot to fellow Tasmanian Tim Paine for the 2017-18 Ashes series, but returned to play against England in 2019 where he scored two centuries in the series. He briefly opened the batting for Australia in the 2020-21 series against India.Ahead of the Shield final, he has scored 9183 runs at an average of 40.81 and picked up 463 dismissals in a first-class career that began in 2007.”Red-ball cricket has always been my number one and favourite format,” Wade said at a press conference in Hobart. “What I’m going to miss is sitting down after four days of really grinding it out in a first-class game and having a beer with your teammates. I’ve played franchise leagues around the world and you don’t get that feeling.”Jeff Vaughan, the Tasmania coach, said: “I would like to personally thank and congratulate Matthew for all he has done for Tasmania and Australia in red ball cricket, he was always professional, and never shied away from the contest”While his career with our Shield squad may be coming to an end, we look forward to still having him around our group in white ball cricket for the coming years playing for the Tigers, and in purple for the Hurricanes.Matthew Wade will continue to play for Hobart Hurricanes for at least another two years•Getty Images”We hope that we can help send him off with a win in the Sheffield Shield Final next week, and we know that he has given his all for our badge every time he played for Tasmania.”Wade told team-mates of his decision before Tasmania’s loss to South Australia in their final Shield game of the regular season, partly citing the effects of back problems which have sidelined him this season. Tasmania had been on track to host the final, but the heavy defeat in that match – and WA’s victory over Victoria – means they will have to travel west.”The last Shield I managed to win was the first time an away team had won in a long time so hopefully I can wind back the clock and get it done again,” he said.Wade has developed into a finisher in the shorter formats in recent years, and posted a match-winning knock in the 2021 T20 World Cup semi-final on Australia’s path to the trophy. He is contracted for another two years with Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL.”I want to be at my best for white-ball cricket, especially BBL,” he said “I feel like the squad we’ve got with the Hurricanes should be, it is spoken about every year…pushing for finals if not contending for titles.”Not playing the longer format of the game will give me an opportunity to get stronger, get in the gym a bit more and have some longevity in that format. I’ve got two years [with Hurricanes] but I’d love to play longer if I could. I feel fresh.”There certainly isn’t [an element of] ‘I’m not playing well enough or I don’t feel I can contribute enough’. It’s more the younger players have managed to shove me out the door.”