Boyd Rankin, the Warwickshire and Ireland fast bowler, is likely to miss the entire 2008 season after being diagnosed with a serious shoulder injury.He is suffering from a SLAP (Superior Labrum from Anterior to Posterior) lesion in his right shoulder, a common injury among sportsmen who throw or in cricket bowl, and will undergo surgery. The expected recovery time is between three and six months.It is the latest blow for Rankin, who impressed during the 2007 World Cup for Ireland, after he spent the winter overcoming a back problem following his move from Derbyshire to Warwickshire.”I just dived for a ball in the warm-up [before the first day of the championship game against Worcestershire] and landed awkwardly,” Rankin told . “Then I went on as a substitute fielder and had to dive for another ball. When I tried to throw it in it felt as if I’d been stabbed.”It’s very frustrating. I’d worked so hard. But it’s better to have the operation now than let it get worse and hopefully I can get a few months cricket in later in the summer.”

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum has declared day-night Test cricket “here to stay” after the conclusion of the inaugural floodlit match at Adelaide Oval, a popular success despite its meagre three-day running time.A crowd of 123,736 poured into the ground across those three days, and similarly strong television audiences made it a spectacle to delight broadcasters and administrators alike. But the verdict of the players was always going to be critical to the future of the concept, and in the glowing words of McCullum and his opposite number Steven Smith there was ample evidence that the game’s elite practitioners will be comfortable with doing this kind of thing more often.The only reservation raised by both McCullum and Smith was the amount of grass left on the Adelaide Oval pitch, which they agreed was the major factor in the game’s short time span. But they were equally adamant that players would be able to adapt with greater experience, with the added incentive now of having played a Test match in front of such a celebratory and voluminous gathering.”It’s a great concept,” McCullum said. “As pink ball cricket evolves as I am sure it will grow into a global game and I think we will see the pitches probably won’t have quite as much grass on it. The thing about day-night Test cricket is it is meant to allow Test match cricket to be played at night time, it is not meant to be to change how Test cricket should play.”There was a fraction too much grass on it, I think we saw under lights that the pink ball probably responded a little bit much, but I would say that because I am a batter. Overall it was a roaring success and 120,000 people over three days, people are voting with their feet and I think it’s here to stay, which is great.”In general, spectators would want see results in games. And will want to see captains start to try and force results. Sitting in changing room after hard fought Test win that’s what’s most memorable as a cricketer. Sometimes fighting draws are great and I think we’ll find captains will try and push home some advantage to get Test victories.”Smith was naturally relieved after seeing out a series victory over a fast-finishing New Zealand, and he had little hesitation in describing the contest as a “great” one. “The whole Test match was a great innovation, it was a great spectacle,” he said. “To get 120,000 people through the gates in three days is absolutely amazing. I thought it was a great spectacle and a great Test match.”It was a game that was dominated by the bowlers. New Zealand’s bowlers bowled just as well as ours. But it was one of those games – if you got yourself in you could still score runs, it just wasn’t to be this game for a lot of the batters, we got starts and couldn’t go on with it. I think the contest is there if you’re willing to have a game plan and bat some time you can certainly score runs.”Like McCullum, Smith noted the thick grass coverage presented for the pink ball, but was happy enough to live with that after finishing the match as a narrow winner. “I think the wicket here compared to the two Shield games that have been played on it and particularly the pink ball shield game we played, it looked like the grass was a bit more lively,” he said. “I think it was the same height as the grass in the Shield game but it was probably just a tad greener.”That created a little bit more movement for the bowlers and kept the ball together and swinging for a long period. But I think it was great to see something different, the first two Test matches were dominated by the bat, so it’s great to see something different and see the bowlers coming into their own.”

Match facts

Monday, January 4, 2016
Start time 1500 local (1100GMT)Hamilton Masakadza’s batting has appeared a level above the rest of his team-mates•Chris Whiteoak

Big picture

Zimbabwe were desperate for a performance that yielded a win to keep the series alive, but were well on their way to another disheartening defeat in the third ODI before two batsmen resorted to attrition and simple basics to provide them with a platform for a morale-boosting victory. Zimbabwe’s bowlers would have entered the bout ready to grind out a positive result, but were handed wickets on a platter through some amateurish strokes from Afghanistan’s batsmen. Through a host of wickets and impressive individual batting performances, one discernible pattern has stood out this series – the start of an innings sets the tone for the rest of the game.Zimbabwe, given their relative experience, will have to strive to improve in that aspect to dominate lower-ranked nations. Hamilton Masakadza displayed admirable patience amid an evolving ODI format, and the rest of the batsmen will do well to try and replicate his coup on surfaces demanding extra vigilance. Saturday also proved that the seamers possessed penetrative ability but were aided and abetted by a good start and Afghanistan’s questionable approach. Luke Jongwe persisted on good areas and was richly rewarded with a five-for. The bowling line-up, however, has come under severe pressure under a semblance of duress. In conditions where a shoddy period can define the game, can the Zimbabwe bowlers hold their own when the going gets tough?Afghanistan have had a lot to be proud about after a successful 2015, including a win at the World Cup, but they will have to reconsider their gung-ho attitude with the bat. Save an exceptional counterattacking innings from Mohammad Shahzad and Noor Ali Zadran’s stability, their batting has been fallacious. With plenty of time available, the middle order has to prepare themselves to build innings and scores of respectability. The bowling core, though, has enough variation, control and quality to trouble many an opposition. On paper, man for man, Afghanistan’s bowling has the edge over their counterparts but consistency will be imperative to their success.

Form guide

(Last five completed matches, most recent first)
Afghanistan LWWWW
Zimbabwe WLLLLL

In the spotlight

The Afghanistan openers – Mohammad Shahzad and Noor Ali – have each provided an innings of substance, directly affecting the result of the game. With a lack of confidence running through a fumbling middle order, a solid start could go a long way to ensuring the final game of the series is not a decider.Hamilton Masakadza has brought in an air of security to Zimbabwe’s batting order, with steady scores of 47 and 83, but has also importantly combined in strong stands that have perked up the final totals. His potential to build a score and play at two paces could also come to the fore, providing the rest of the batsmen with an example of adaptation.

Team news

Craig Ervine missed the third ODI with the flu, but expect him to slot right back in at No. 4 if he is fit, which could mean that Malcolm Waller, who has scores of 0, 0 and 8, makes way. There is likely to be no changes in the bowling attack that bowled Afghanistan out for 58.Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Peter Moor, Chamu Chibhabha, 3 Hamilton Masakadza, 4 Craig Ervine, 5 Elton Chigumbura (capt), 6 Sikandar Raza, 7 Richmond Mutumbami(wk), 8 Luke Jongwe, 9 Graeme Creamer, 10, Neville Madziva, 11 Tendai ChisoroAfghanistan chose to test some of the other members of their 21-man squad, but none of those inclusions made a substantial impact to the proceedings in the last match. The think-tank could juggle the set-up again in order to find the ideal balance.Afghanistan (probable) : 1 Noor Ali Zadran, 2 Mohammad Shahzad, 3 Mohammad Nabi, 4 Asghar Stanikzai, 5 Samiullah Shenwari, 6 Hashmatullah Shahidi, 7 Najibullah Zadran, 8 Mirwais Ashraf, 9 Dawlat Zadran, 10 Amir Hamza, 11 Rokhan Barakzai/Rashid Khan

Pitch and conditions

Expect the team winning the toss to bat first in conditions that have proved harder to bat as the game progresses. The low and slow pitches of Sharjah will continue to take plenty of turn, and provide just enough to keep the seamers interested under lights. Rain was predicted on the day before the game, but none on match day.

Stats and trivia

• Before the third ODI, Afghanistan had won five of the previous six ODIs against Zimbabwe
• The third ODI was the only time in ODI history that both innings had scores of 0 for 2

Andrew Symonds is considering coming out of retirement to play a limited amount of T20 cricket.Symonds, who retired in February 2012 citing family reasons, has so enjoyed his experience of playing in the Masters Champions League – he is representing Capricorn Commanders in the tournament for players who have retired from international cricket – that he is mulling over offers to play more mainstream tournaments in the coming months.And, even if Symonds, now 40, ultimately decides against a playing comeback, he believes he could contribute to the game in a coaching role.He did some consulting work with the Australian Twenty20 team in South Africa in the lead-up to the World T20 in 2014 and has also had a loose advisory role with Brisbane Heat in BBL.”People have asked me: ‘would you consider starting up again?'” Symonds told ESPNcricinfo. “It’s something I’ve definitely got to consider.”I suppose I’m in a situation where I could go back, try and get really fit and engage again. Or just be happy doing what I’m doing. That’s something I’ve got to work out in the next six months or so.”I’m enjoying playing. It’s physically demanding, but I’m enjoying the challenge again. I’m enjoying the adrenalin and the nerves again. It’s not too bad at all. I am enjoying it.”For all his success – and Symonds played in World Cup-winning sides, set world records and finished with a Test batting average in excess of 40 – there is a sense that his was a talent not entirely fulfilled.A series of disciplinary misdemeanours saw his international career end prematurely when he was sent home ahead of the 2009 World T20, aged 33, but he believes his experience – particularly his experience in limited-overs cricket and playing in Asian conditions – could prove beneficial to another generation of players.Flashback to Andrew Symonds’ last IPL season for Mumbai Indians in 2011•Associated Press

“There’s a lot of ‘could haves’ with me,” Symonds admitted. “I’m probably a bit too old now to play really seriously. I’ve a good life. I’ve had a good life through cricket. I’m not unhappy. Life is really good. I’ve a young family now. It’s probably the greatest thing we’ve ever done.”But I’m also considering maybe going into the coaching side of things now. I wouldn’t want to burden anyone with my presence for too long, but a bit of consultancy work would be good. Going in for a couple of weeks and then leaving them alone: match awareness; how to finish games; setting totals; tactics against certain types of bowling or on certain surfaces.”I ended up playing a lot of cricket in the sub-continent and a lot of teams struggle when they go there. If I can pass on my experience, that may be helpful for them.”I’ve probably a few decisions to make in the next little bit.”

Delaying the declarationSui Northern may have bossed the game, but an experienced captain like Mohammad Hafeez will regret not declaring earlier for so long. Batting first, they out on 511 in 150.1 overs against Habib Bank before being dismissed. Azhar Ali and Khurram Shehzad scored centuries – 118 and 133 respectively as they ground HBL’s bowlers down. Amad Butt did come away with a six-wicket haul, but not before bowling 38 overs and conceding 106 runs.In response, HBL were dismissed for 202 and asked to follow on. However, with bad light meaning several overs were lost, only 19 overs could be bowled in the second innings, with Ahmed Shehzad’s side at 67 for one when the match was called off. Given the extent of HBL’s dominance, they will be disappointed to kick off the Super Eight stage with a win.The two-day gameHave you ever heard of a contest where 167 runs were enough to secure an innings victory? Well, here’s one. On a pitch that seemed to have laid a particularly potent curse on all who batted upon it, WAPDA beat Khan Research Laboratories by an innings and seven runs in a game that lasted merely 120 overs. KRL were skittled out for 95 in their first innings, 40 of them coming from one man, Junaid Ali. WAPDA’s Waqas Maqsood registered the best figures of the tournament, taking nine wickets for 32.WAPDA appeared to have let KRL back into the contest with a fairly ordinary batting display of their own, getting dismissed for 167. More than half of those runs – 86 – came off the bat of No. 8 Khalid Usman as they opened up a 72-run lead. As it turned out, KRL’s second innings was even more listless than the first as they meekly surrendered for 65. Mohammad Asif took six wickets as WAPDA wrapped up a comfortable win.The Lahore DerbyLahore Whites and Lahore Blues played in the final of the recently concluded National T20 Cup, with the Blues coming out on top. They played each other again in the QeA’s Super 8 round, with the same outcome, the Blues sealing a 9-wicket win.They began sharply, bowling out Lahore Whites for 141, Aizaz Cheema and Bilawal Iqbal sharing 8 wickets between them. Their batsmen followed that up with a solid 281, with opener Tayyab Tahir and captain Saad Nasim scoring 83 runs each. Having opened up a 140 run lead, they proceed to clean up the Whites for 207, Cheema’s 7 wickets securing him an 11-wicket haul for the match. That left the Blues with the straightforward task of chasing 68 runs for a win, which they did in under 10 overs for the loss of just one wicket.Fawad watchFawad Alam stormed back to form, scoring 124 for Sui Southern. It was, albeit, an innings in vain as a second-innings collapse saw them slump to 149 runs.United Bank captained by Younis Khan, scored 252 in the first innings, with Shan Masood top scoring with 75. Saad Ali, who has been far and away the highest scorer in the tournament, also scored 52, while Ahmed Jamal’s 6 for 52 ensured UBL weren’t allowed to bat SSGC out of the game.While Alam’s century secured his side a 27-run lead, the innings of the round belonged to Umar Akmal, who once again demonstrated his seemingly boundless ability with the bat – if he is motivated enough. He smashed 148 in 166 deliveries, effectively batting SSGC out of the game as they declared at 328, setting SSGC a target of 302. SSGC never looked like escaping with a draw, let alone clinching victory, with no batsman scoring more than 27 (Alam managed 26) as they were bundled out for 152.

Dejan Kulusevski delivered a big statement to Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte with something of a dream display at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.

A 95th-minute strike from Harry Kane sealed a dramatic and late victory over table-topping Manchester City.

The home outfit thought they had snagged a point just moments earlier when Riyad Mahrez converted a spot-kick after Cristian Romero was adjudged to have handled inside the area by VAR.

But it was the Sweden international who kept composure to serve the ball on a plate to the 28-year-old to head home a stunning winner. And earlier in the match, Kuluseveski had found the net himself, opening the scoring in the fourth minute.

Heung-min Son beat the offside trap to square the ball to the deadline day signing to slot home with aplomb.

He’d go on to have a major influence throughout the whole game to help Spurs end their run of three successive league defeats with an impressive victory over the defending champions.

‘Worked very hard up and down the pitch and showed what a talent he can be. His cross for Kane’s winner at the end was perfect,’ described football.london reporter Alasdair Gold in his post-match ratings column.

Indeed, the 23-year-old dynamo was a force at either end of the pitch – as per SofaScore, he also registered two tackles, two clearances and one interception, on top of his two direct goal contributions.

It was a display that Conte would have absolutely loved to witness as it was the ideal mix of hunger, desire and quality he demands from his players, and it poses a question over whether or not he should replace Lucas Moura in the starting XI for the long run.

‘Son and Kane were the match-winners but Spurs’ were more fluid with the Swede in the side than they have been with Lucas,’ claimed the Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick, who also waxed lyrical about the calmness of his play in high-pressure situations.

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Moura’s form over the last few games has been disappointing, so it could be an easy switch for the Italian head coach to make. It’ll certainly be a hard task in dropping the £27m-rated attacker after such an outstanding outing – his first start for the club, too.

Kulusevski, dubbed “explosive” by ex-Sweden and Villa star Marcus Allback, should definitely be in the starting XI going forward.

AND in other news, Conte could sign his new Vidal at Spurs with “exceptional” £25m monster, Guardiola loves him…

David Willey, England’s outstanding bowler in World Twenty20, could miss England’s one-day series against Sri Lanka next month with an abdominal strain.Willey himself has not abandoned hope of recovering fitness, but he has been advised by Yorkshire’s medical staff not to bowl for six weeks, and the Royal London Series begins at Trent Bridge on June 21 – exactly that time frame.England’s medical staff is bound to want to monitor Willey’s progress closely. His recovery would have to be advanced by a week, so enabling him to have a fitness run out in at least one of two Yorkshire Royal London One-Day Cup matches against Nottinghamshire or Derbyshire at Headingley.Willey, 26, has begun to forge an international career since making his debut a year ago. He has been a regular limited-overs performer under England’s coach Trevor Bayliss, featuring in 24 of the 33 internationals.Willey suffered his injury on the opening day of Yorkshire’s Specsavers Championship match against Surrey at Headingley. He bowled 20 overs as Yorkshire bowled out Surrey for 330 on the opening day – a demanding but far from excessive workload. A scan revealed a Grade Two tear.”It’s obviously disappointing for me to pick up a niggle in my second match,” he said. “I felt the injury towards the end of the first day – a bit of fatigue and not used to bowling that many overs in a day but that is part and parcel of professional sport.”They seem to think six weeks at the moment but ever the optimist I hope to be back sooner. The priority is the get back to 100 per cent. I’ve had numerous injuries before but this is a new one for me.”Willey’s injury is also a considerable blow for Yorkshire. He was signed as an eventual replacement for Ryan Sidebottom in the Championship – and has been working closely with him in recent days – but also to supercharge Yorkshire’s T20 cricket.Yorkshire were convinced they had signed a player to sort out their bowling issues at the top and tail of the innings after Willey led England’s wickets tally as they reached the final of World Twenty20 in India last month.He could potentially miss Yorkshire’s first four matches, unless he was utilised as a specialist batsman, an unlikely occurrence because of the potential for causing further damage.”There would have to be a bit of recovery for that to happen,” he said, “especially with slogging – which is my style, isn’t it – there would have to be some pressure on the abs. We will reassess at the end of next week to see where I am at. If there was a position for me to play as a batter I would be happy to do that.”As debates rage over the future landscape of Twenty20 cricket – it is conceivable, if no more so at this stage, that Yorkshire will have to finish in the top four of the North Group to be assured of a place in a new Premier Division.Their prospects are further clouded by an injury to Matthew Fisher, the exciting pace prospect, who will also miss the start of the NatWest T20 Blast campaign after failing to recover from hamstring problems.Fisher, who has suffered two injuries to his left hamstring, was Yorkshire’s leading wicket-taker in a dismal Blast campaign last season with 16 wickets from 13 games.Fisher initially suffered a tweak in Dubai in late March, restricting his participation in the pre-season tour of the Middle East. He suffered a more serious recurrence during a second-team game at Bristol in early April.With Tim Bresnan also laid low at the start of the season with a calf tear, it is a nervous time for Yorkshire who are desperate to revive their T20 cricket.

At this World Cup so far it’s been easy to see the impact that one attacking fullback can have: Philipp Lahm in Germany’s 4-0 group win against Australia, Maicon against North Korea and Chile, and Sergio Ramos in last night’s match against Portugal. The advent of attacking fullbacks goes back to the 40s and 50s but, for the younger generation, it is Cafu and Roberto Carlos who best represent the type and their memory certainly lives on in the game today.

In 2006 it was Grosso and Zambrotta, in 2002 it was Cafu and Roberto Carlos, in 1998 it was Lizarazu and Thuram, and in 1994 it was Jorginho and Branco. The team winning the World Cup has boasted the two fullbacks in the finest form – albeit a circular argument. It was Brazil who first shocked the world football consciousness by outmoding the W-M following their 1950 World Cup final defeat to Uruguay and shifting to a four-man defence. A natural progression of having four defenders resulted in at least one of the full backs being responsible for complimenting attacking play.

What’s interesting to note is how opposing formations of the era facilitated the attacking forays of fullbacks i.e. when a flat four-man defence lined up against a 4-4-2 or 3-5-2 it was the fullbacks who had the space to run forward, relatively unopposed. But now less and less teams field a 4-4-2 (especially a flat one) and it has led to a diminished capacity for both fullbacks to advance. So what we’re seeing, again, is something similar to the 1970 Brazil outfit; the advent of one attacking full back and another more disciplined one, tucking in when the former is out of position to provide balance is precisely how Brazil operated in 1970 (Carlos Alberto moved forward and Everaldo tucked in). Lahm/Badstuber, Ramos/Capdevilla, Maicon/Bastos and (to a lesser extent) Van der Wiel/Van Bronckhorst all work in a similar mode.

Players like Roberto Carlos needed to be addressed, tactically, and the natural choice was to deploy an attacking winger in a bid to pen the fullback to defensive duties. But as we can see from Manchester United’s 2003 encounter with Madrid at the Bernabeu, the danger is for the fullback to continue his attack regardless. Madrid played supremely well, beating United 3-1. When it works it is devastating but the dangers are very clear: Walcott dismantled Croatia’s attacking left back Pranjic in Zagreb two years ago by pushing up very high and utilising his frightening pace. The prominence of attacking fullbacks has led to a second method of dampening their threat; the deployment of defensive forwards. Park Ji Sung and Dirk Kuyt have grown in stature over the past three or four years because they are specialists, to a degree, and are prepared to track the forward inclinations of a Maicon, Alves, Lahm, Cole or Evra.

What is intriguing, from a defensive point of view for the fullback, will be how a team wishes to address the issue of Robinho in the current Brazil setup. Instead of being a left sided winger he operates as an auxiliary forward out wide with zero defensive responsibility. The danger for a team will be if they try to call Dunga’s bluff on that flank and push their right back forward to gain the numerical advantage in attack because it plays into Brazil’s counter attacking strengths. Or the fullback may be instructed to sit defensively, leaving others to contribute in attack. There is also the option of a three man midfield shifting laterally to address the lopsided shape, creating very interesting choices for Van Marwijk; Kuyt will probably be used on Maicon’s wing and Robben on Robinho’s side, leaving Bastos and Van der Wiel to marshal the most important areas on the pitch.

The fullbacks’ ability to maraud has lessened since the 2002 Brazil World Cup victory but Roberto Carlos and Cafu are still very much in the memory of every team that utilise the tactic.

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James Milner held 'amicable' talks with Aston Villa on Monday and will travel with the Midlands club on their pre-season trip to Portugal.

Villa boss Martin O'Neill revealed last week that the England midfielder wanted to join long-time suitors Manchester City.

The big-spending Eastlands club had an initial £20million rejected before the World Cup.

Milner was reported to be upset that O'Neill had made public his desire to leave Villa Park.

However, the pair and several representatives held face-to-face talks on Monday before the club released a statement.

"James Milner trained with the rest of the Villa squad today at Bodymoor Heath," it read.

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"He and the manager, along with chief executive Paul Faulkner and the player's representative, Matthew Buck, had an amicable conversation and, while James will not play in tomorrow's game at Walsall, he will fly with the squad to Portugal on Wednesday ahead of the Guadiana Cup in which Villa will compete with Benfica and Feyenoord this weekend."

Milner, who still has two years remaining on his existing contract, has made 90 appearances for Villa since arriving in a £13million deal from Newcastle United in July 2008.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish is hopeful of sealing a new contract in the near future.

The Scot is currently in the Far East with his squad as their pre-season preparations continue ahead of the new Premier League campaign and he is expected to put pen to paper next week after discussions with owner Carson Yeung and his assistant Peter Pannu.

Speaking to the Birmingham Mail, he said:"Peter was in touch with my lawyer and sent some figures to him.

"He has seen them, he's going to come down to me first thing next week when we're back and we're going to move it forward. The logistics at the moment, as we're here in China, means we can't get it done straight away.

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"But I know the parameters and we're going to try and get it nailed next week. We're due back to St Andrews on the Thursday and I will be meeting my lawyer that day and hopefully he will see Peter on Friday, if Peter's back in England by that time."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email