O meia Fernando Sobral deixou a sua marca na goleada com autoridade aplicada pelo Ceará sobre o Goiás, por 4 a 0, no confronto válido pela 31ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. A vitória que ajudou o time de Porangabussu a retornar para a zona de classificação para a Copa Sul-Americana (10ª colocação com 42 unidades) foi exaltada pelo jogador:
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– A equipe atuou muito bem, construiu as jogadas. Conseguimos o nosso objetivo. Sabíamos da importância desse resultado. Fico feliz pelo gol, mas mais ainda pela vitória – analisou.
Além de se mostrar peça importância no momento das características transições ofensivas feitas pelos comandados de Guto Ferreira, Sobral também tem sido um dos destaques do time quando o assunto são os desarmes. Segundo os dados do portal ‘Sofa Score’, o atleta está com 80 desarmes no Brasileiro, a segunda melhor marca da competição até então.
Para ele, os números são fruto direto do seu esforço desde os treinamentos até os jogos no intuito de demonstrar a sua versatilidade.
– É uma marca expressiva. Sempre que entro em campo, procuro fazer o meu melhor. Me dedico muito nos treinos também para evoluir e ser versátil em campo – conta.
Pensando no próximo compromisso da equipe na temporada (o Palmeiras no próximo domingo (24) na Arena Castelão), Fernando Sobral exaltou a dificuldade do adversário que eliminou o Vozão da Copa do Brasil nessa temporada:
– Será mais uma partida difícil e temos que entrar bem atentos. O treinador deve nos passar algumas situações. Acredito que será um jogo bem disputado.
Mohamed Salah had a cryptic answer when asked about his row with Jurgen Klopp during Liverpool's draw with West Ham.
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Liverpool drop points again at West Ham
Salah involved in angry clash with Klopp
Forward speaks about incident after the match
WHAT HAPPENED?
Liverpool's fading title hopes suffered another blow on Saturday as the Reds were held to a 2-2 draw at at West Ham. The game also saw Salah and Klopp involved in an angry exchange on the touchline in the second half as the Egyptian prepared to come on as a substitute. Salah had been benched for the game and did not appear too happy when quizzed about the incident after the game.
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WHAT SALAH SAID
According to James Pearce at , Salah refused all interview requests after the match but did have a few brief words for the media, saying only: "If I speak today there will be fire."
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Klopp played down the incident after the full-time whistle and said the matter was already "done," but the sight of the manager arguing with his star player does not appear to be a good sign. Saturday was another poor day for the Reds, with the draw potentially dealing a fatal blow to Liverpool's title hopes. They sit one point behind Manchester City, who have two games in hand on the Reds, and two off leaders Arsenal – who also have a game in hand on Klopp's side.
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WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL
Liverpool return to Anfield next time out with a visit from Tottenham. The Reds then finish their Premier League campaign with games against Aston Villa and Wolves.
An error in the Sinhala to English translation of the gazette triggers need for postponement
Madushka Balasuriya17-Jan-2019Sri Lanka Cricket elections, which were set to be held on February 7, 2019, have been postponed by another two weeks to February 21. The move comes as a result of a technical error in the Sinhala to English translation of the gazette which empowers Sri Lanka’s sports minister to appoint an advisory committee to hear election-related appeals.The original Sinhala gazette had stated that a retired judge would have to head the committee, however the English translation had missed out on the word “retired”, sports minister Harin Fernando said. Therefore, following consultation with Sri Lanka’s Attorney General, it was decided that elections be postponed by two weeks until the error was rectified.”It is because we had to correct the gazette, it was a legal issue,” said Fernando. “I couldn’t appoint a sitting judge. The gazette was done by the previous minister, and according to the Attorney General’s advice we had to change it and give ample time for the new appeal committee to make their considerations.”Sri Lanka Cricket elections have been postponed indefinitely since May 31, 2018, after a court of appeal found that election protocol had been flouted. The ICC had set a deadline of February 9 for elections to be held. Fernando said that the recent developments were conveyed to the ICC, and that he hopes to meet with ICC chairman Shashank Manohar as soon as possible to explain the present state of affairs.
The January transfer window is inching closer and Aston Villa could use it as an opportunity to provide their squad with a boost ahead of the second half of the season.
Unai Emery's side have enjoyed a terrific start to the 2023/24 campaign and are currently competing to secure a place in the Champions League next term.
They topped their Europa Conference League group and are set for knockout football in Europe in 2024, whilst they are also third in the Premier League and two points off league-leaders Liverpool.
The Villans may not want to rest on their laurels and assume that their success will continue, though, and they are seemingly looking for sustained progress rather than just being happy with where they have got to thus far.
As such, Monchi and Emery are reportedly looking at the possible signing of an attacking midfielder to bolster the side in the upcoming January transfer window.
Aston Villa transfer news – Oscar Gloukh
It was recently reported by Football Insider that Villa are eyeing up RB Salzburg prospect Oscar Gloukh ahead of the turn of the year.
The outlet claimed that the Israel international is on the club's radar heading into the next window as they view him as a player with 'top potential', which means that the talented gem could arrive as a signing with the long-term firmly in mind.
Football Insider also added that they could secure a deal for his services for a fee of up to £50m, with a minimum fee of £40m mentioned, for the teenage whiz.
Salzburg have been knocked out of the Champions League this season and that was said to be a blow to their hopes of keeping hold of the attacking midfielder.
The report claimed that it will be hard for them to retain Gloukh amid interest from other teams in the Premier League and Europe, although no other specific teams have been named.
Football Insider revealed that he would be one of two attacking signings that the club are hoping to bring in ahead of the second half of the season to bolster their Champions League hopes.
Emery and Monchi could now land the dream replacement for Philippe Coutinho, who left the club to join Al-Duhail on a season-long loan over the summer, by signing the Salzburg star..
The Brazil international was deemed surplus to requirements at Villa Park and moved to Qatar to spend the campaign playing regular football.
Aston Villa midfielder Philippe Coutinho.
There has not been any official mention of an option or obligation for that deal to become a permanent one next summer and his contract with Villa is not due to expire until the summer of 2026.
However, Gloukh could arrive as the Brazilian gem's replacement this season, albeit five months after his departure on loan, and be the long-term number ten option that allows the club to part ways with Coutinho on a permanent basis at the end of the current campaign.
Philippe Coutinho's Villa statistics
Coutinho initially joined the club on loan from Barcelona at the start of 2022 and enjoyed a superb start to life back in Engand during the second half of the 2021/22 campaign.
The former Liverpool magician made 19 Premier League appearances, with 16 of those coming as a starter, and showcased his quality at the top end of the pitch.
He scored five goals, assisted three, and created five 'big chances' for his teammates in those 19 matches as an attacking midfielder or winger.
Villa then opted to sign him on a permanent deal from Barcelona for a reported fee of £17m and his form on the pitch took a turn for the worse.
Coutinho's 2022/23 Premier League form (via FBref)
Statistic (per 90)
Percentile rank vs attacking midfielder/wingers
Expected Assisted Goals
Bottom 4%
Shot-creating actions
Bottom 28%
Shots
Top 27%
Non-penalty goals
Bottom 25%
As you can see from the table above, Coutinho was among the worst players in his position for creativity and took plenty of shots without offering much of a goal threat.
In total, the 31-year-old flop managed one goal, zero assists, and zero 'big chances' created in 20 Premier League appearances during the 2022/23 campaign.
Aston Villa midfielder Philippe Coutinho.
These statistics show that he was unable to continue his excellent start to life at Villa as a scorer and a creator of goals, which led to his exit over the summer.
However, Emery and Monchi could now land a dream replacement for him by signing a player who is on the way up in his career, rather than down.
The statistics that show why Villa should sign Gloukh
The 19-year-old wizard, like Coutinho, is an attacking midfielder who has also played out wide on the left flank in the past and could operate as part of the manager's frontline.
He started his senior career in his home country with Maccabi Tel Aviv and racked up nine goals and eight assists in 33 matches in all competitions before his move to Salzburg at the start of this year.
The teenage talent needed a period of adaptation as Gloukh only produced two goals and two assists in 17 appearances for the Austrian side during the second half of last season.
Salzburg midfielder Oscar Gloukh.
That adaptation appears to be complete as the Israel international has enjoyed a terrific start to the current campaign with a return of six goals and six assists in 25 games in all competitions.
Gloukh has plundered six goals and created eight 'big chances' for his teammates in 18 starts across the Bundesliga and Champions League this season.
The £50m-rated whiz, who talent scout Jacek Kulig hailed as "impressive" and a "jewel" for Salzburg, scored two goals and provided one assist in six Champions League outings – a direct goal involvement every other match.
These statistics suggest that Gloukh could be the number ten Villa lost when Coutinho's form dropped off as he has the ability to score goals and create chances at an impressive rate as an attacking midfielder, if the talented gem can translate his impact to English football.
He also has plenty of time left to develop and improve over the years to come, as his 20th birthday is not until April 2024, and that means that the Salzburg star could be a fantastic signing for the short and long-term.
The 49ers officially completed their takeover of Leeds United in July of this year as they bought out the remaining 56% of shares from Andrea Radrizzani, having previously owned 44%.
They are now in full control of the club and the Italian owns Sampdoria in his home country, after a six-year spell in England with the Yorkshire-based outfit.
Radrizzani had plenty of highs and lows throughout his time as owner of the Whites, from winning the Championship title and promotion to the Premier League, to being relegated from the top-flight at the end of last season.
One of his most impressive pieces of business, with the benefit of hindsight, was the sale of central midfielder Ronaldo Vieira back in the summer of 2018, as the once-promising youngster has failed to kick on his career.
Ronaldo Vieira's Leeds statistics
The former England U21 international came up through the youth ranks at Leeds and eventually worked his way into the first-team as a regular during the 2016/17 campaign.
Vieira made 34 Championship appearances under Garry Monk and started 24 games that season as he showcased his defensive quality with 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game for his side.
Former Leeds midfielder Ronaldo Vieira.
The promising talent, who former Whites development coach once lauded as "bombastic", followed that up with 28 outings and 23 league starts for Leeds during the following campaign, in which the central midfielder made 3.5 tackles and interceptions per match.
In the summer of 2018, Radrizzani opted to sell the English whiz to Italian side Sampdoria for an initial fee of £7.7m due to the financial situation at the club.
He revealed that it was a "sacrifice" that needed to be made to balance the books whilst also being able to invest more into the team, despite then-manager Marcelo Bielsa not being "happy" with the decision.
How much is Ronaldo Vieira worth now?
The decision from Radrizzani to cash in on Vieira has turned out to be a fantastic one as the Italian chief hit the jackpot with the midfielder, whose value has plummeted over the subsequent years.
He has made 90 first-team appearances for Sampdoria over the past five-and-a-half seasons but has spent two spells out on loan with Hellas Verona and Torino during that time.
Vieira never averaged a Sofascore rating higher than 6.73 across five Serie A seasons, which is a score that would place him 19th within the current Leeds squad.
The 25-year-old made 18 Serie A appearances for Torino and Sampdoria combined last term and was an unused substitute on ten occasions.
Ronaldo Vieira's statistics over the last 365 days.
His parent club were relegated from the top-flight and Vieira has managed 1.9 tackles and interceptions per game across 13 Serie B matches in the 2023/24 campaign.
These statistics show that the former Leeds prospect has endured a rough time since his exit from Elland Road in 2018, which is reflected in his market value.
At the time of writing (07/12/2023), the midfielder is valued at €1.5m (£1.28m) by Transfermarkt and that is a staggering 83% decline from the initial £7.7m the Whites raked in for his services.
This shows that Radrizzani, who has been at Sampdoria since the summer and now has Vieira at his club once again, hit the jackpot with the former England U21 international as he sold him before the young ace's value plummeted.
Leeds were able to secure a significant fee for his services and his form and plummeting value since his departure suggests that they cashed in on him at the perfect time.
Liverpool's midfield rebuild during the summer transfer window was extensive to say the least. Out went Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner and Fabinho, and in came Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch. Swapping the old for the new has since paid dividends, however, with the Reds sitting just one point adrift of Premier League leaders Manchester City, who they play next in their return from the international break.
The summer transfer window failed to see the arrival of one specific type of player though, and Liverpool have once again been left exposed at times as a result. The January transfer window should give them the opportunity to solve a glaring issue and that could see the arrival of a long-term target.
Liverpool transfer news
After such a summer overhaul, it was difficult to know what to expect from Jurgen Klopp's new-look side. Some may have expected them to take a while to get going, given that the Reds had an entirely new midfield to work with. But that's been anything but the case. Instead, Liverpool have been flying. The likes of Szoboszlai and Gravenberch have settled straight in. Now, if they can solve their defensive midfield problem, Klopp's side could become serious title challengers once more.
As good as Mac Allister is, he is not a defensive midfielder, which has been exposed for all to see at times. Alas, reports do suggest that those at Anfield are attempting to find a solution in that area. According to Goal in Brazil, Liverpool have made contact with Fluminense over a potential deal for Andre Trindade.
It's no secret that the midfielder has attracted a lot of admirers, with Fulham also reportedly enquiring about the Fluminense man. If either of the Premier League sides want to sign Andre, it will reportedly cost them at least €35m (£31m) in January. Andre's value is at a higher point than ever before, with the player at the absolute peak of his power currently.
"Perfect" Andre could be the final piece to Liverpool's rebuild
When looking at the current Liverpool side, only the defensive midfield role stands out as something they can strengthen. If they find a natural defensive midfielder, not only will they complete their rebuild in the middle of the park, but they'll also finally get the best out of Mac Allister in his preferred role. Andre's stats stand out compared to the Argentine's in a full season.
Player
Progressive Passes Per 90
Tackles Won Per 90
Blocks Per 90
Andre Trindade
6.43
1.40
0.97
Alexis Mac Allister
5.42
1.21
0.81
As a result of his performances, Andre has earned deserved praise, including from Maurício Alencar, who said via Liverpool Echo: "Andre plays more as a six; he is obviously very strong and agile, really good on the ball, plays two-touch football, great first touch. He is always appearing in those pockets of space between the defence and midfield, and the midfield and attack sometimes. He is a very versatile player.
“I think he is a cut above the rest of the Fluminense squad, and when I watch Brazilian matches, he is always a standout player, so I am surprised he has yet to move to Europe.”
He then went onto say: "He is the perfect player that Liverpool need, playing from the back and being able to intercept. He is very quick to react to the loss of the ball and reading the game.”
Um dos primeiros pedidos do Botafogo envolvendo contratações para a próxima temporada é um nome conhecido pela torcida. O clube de General Severiano abriu contatos iniciais e conversa sobre a possibilidade de tentar assinar com Gabriel, zagueiro do Atlético, que jogou no Glorioso em 2019.
> Confira a classificação atualizada do Brasileirão
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O zagueiro de 25 anos entrou no radar e foi um pedido pela comissão técnica do Botafogo, já visando uma possível queda para a segunda divisão para o decorrer do ano.
Os contatos iniciais, contudo, não foram promissores. O estafe de Gabriel acredita que ele pode ter mercado em um clube da Série A, mas, ao mesmo tempo, uma possível vontade de retornar ao Alvinegro – que ainda não foi expressada, vale ressaltar – pode fazer a diferença.
A equipe mineira também não gostou dos moldes iniciais apresentados pelo clube de General Severiano, mas está aberta a negociar, dependendo da situação. Provavelmente não deve seguir com o jogo duro, já que Gabriel não é um dos defensores favoritos de Jorge Sampaoli, treinador do Galo.
Gabriel jogou no Botafogo em 2019, quando, à época, foi envolvido na negociação que levou Igor Rabello ao clube mineiro. Chegou com pouco alarde, mas foi um dos destaques do clube de General Severiano na temporada, sendo querido por boa parte da torcida.
Liverpool are eyeing a move for an “incredible” new centre-back in one of the next two transfer windows, according to an update from journalist Dean Jones.
Liverpool need new defender in January after Matip injury
The Reds may be sitting pretty at the top of the Premier League table currently, but they do feel in a precarious position when it comes to the defensive options at Jurgen Klopp's disposal.
Joel Matip's likely season-ending injury has acted as a hammer blow for Liverpool, especially as the 32-year-old has returned to somewhere near his best form, and it means Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate staying fit is of the utmost importance.
Granted, Joe Gomez and Jarell Quansah are also good options who can fill in effectively here and there – Quansah started last Saturday's 2-1 win at Crystal Palace, for example – but the former is injury-prone and the latter remains very inexperienced at the top level.
Klopp must at least consider signing a new centre-back in the January transfer window, with Sporting CP's Goncalo Inacio one player who has been linked with a move to Liverpool a number of times. Palace defender Marc Guehi is another who has been seen as a potential target for the Merseysiders, should the manager be unhappy with his current options.
Liverpool "definitely scouting" the "incredible" Goncalo Inacio
Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that Liverpool are scouting Inacio ahead of a potential move, although a January switch could be tricky.
lucas-beraldo-goncalo-inacio-liverpool-opinion
"Yeah, centre-back is definitely an area that Liverpool are having to contemplate as we get towards the new year. Whether that will be in January, I don't know. It's probably more likely to be in the summer if they're going to go for someone like Goncalo Inacio, who is going to cost a lot of money and there's going to be a decent level of competition to sign him.
"Manchester United really like him but Liverpool are definitely scouting him as well. And if that's the sort of level of defender that they're looking to go for, then you're probably going to have to wait until the summer transfer window to make a move like that."
Inacio ticks so many boxes when it comes to being a great choice for Liverpool, with the Portuguese a young player with such a high ceiling – one who has already become a key player for Sporting.
The Reds transfer target has made 142 appearances for his current club, despite still only being 22 years of age, while journalist Moby Haque has described him as "incredible" in the past.
Klopp could land dream Matip replacement in Liverpool move for £25m colossus
The Reds are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the Bundesliga defender.
ByDan Emery Dec 10, 2023
Inacio is known predominantly as a centre-back, but the fact that he can also slot in as a left-back is an added bonus for Klopp, allowing him to provide sterner competition for Andy Robertson than Kostas Tsimikas currently does when the Scot is fit and available.
It does look as though Sporting will hold firm with regards to selling one of their star players in January, so Liverpool may have to wait until next summer. It is easy to imagine Klopp being happy not to make a signing next month, although it remains to be seen how big a risk that would be.
They put on an unbroken 163-run stand to ensure Sri Lanka became the first Asian side to win a Test series in South Africa
The Report by Deivarayan Muthu23-Feb-2019
Kusal Mendis and Oshada Fernando react in the field•Getty Images
Sri Lanka arrived in South Africa in a state of utter turmoil – both on and off the field. After less than seven days of cricket, they have become only the third visiting side – after England and Australia – and the first Asian team to clinch a Test series in South Africa.It was Kusal Mendis, who spearheaded the famous win with a regal, unbeaten 84 off 110 balls in a chase of 197. He found an adventurous partner in Oshada Fernando, who struck 75 not out in 106 balls, and they peeled off 163 off 213 balls – the first century stand of the series to usher Sri Lanka to the target.When the day began, it was still anybody’s game: Sri Lanka needed 137 runs and South Africa eight wickets. But Sri Lanka eventually stormed to victory without losing even a single wicket.Mendis, in particular, rolled out one rollicking drive after another and collared South Africa’s seam attack. Once left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj was recalled, Oshada twinkled down the track and launched him towards the sight screen. Mendis was the first to raise his half-century, off 52 balls, with a straight drive off Dale Steyn in the 29th over. Three overs later, Oshada moved to his maiden fifty in his fourth Test innings with a full-blooded back-foot whip between midwicket and mid-on off Maharaj.Rabada had cranked his pace up to speeds in the higher 140kph range, but Mendis and Oshada diffused his threat without much trouble. And when anything was remotely wide of off, they went after it like they owned it. Duanne Olivier hit the deck hard, like he has been doing through the summer, but Oshada took him on with daring hooks. What about Steyn? Mendis took him for a triptych of drives in his first over of the day, the pick of them a straight hit that nearly put Oshada in danger. And just like that, the hundred stand came off 126 balls.The closest South Africa came close to picking up a wicket was when Mendis flashed an outside edge, but Hashim Amla could not latch on to an overhead catch at first slip. Mendis was on 70 and Sri Lanka needed just 32 at that point. Mendis and Oshada knocked them off in fuss-free fashion to cap another monumental victory for Sri Lanka.
Hanuma Vihari may have struck two magnificent centuries in the Irani Cup tie, but it was overshadowed by Vidarbha’s collective effort, which helped them trump Rest of India and lift the trophy for the second season in a row.When the two teams shook hands with Vidarbha needing only 11 runs to win the match – they had five wickets in hand – they not only won the trophy on offer, but also completed the double of winning the Ranji Trophy and the Irani Cup for the second season in a row, much to the delight of a sizeable Saturday crowd at Nagpur’s VCA Stadium.Vidarbha started the day on 37 for one, still 243 runs adrift on a final-day pitch that wasn’t getting any easier to bat on. But in 18-year-old Atharva Taide – a late injury replacement for Wasim Jaffer – they found the right man to anchor the innings through the first session. His 72, together with R Sanjay’s 42, ensured Vidarbha stayed rock solid early on, and then under the baking sun that took a lot out of the RoI bowlers, they cashed in. Their 116-run stand for the second wicket wiped out a large chunk of the target.Taide carried on to score 72, and Ganesh Satish, the only professional in the side in Jaffer’s absence, then steered the chase to the end, falling for 87 with Vidarbha inches short of the target – the teams agreed to call off the game at that point – and walked off to raucous applause. Wicketkeeper-batsman Akshay Wadkar remained unbeaten when the contest ended.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Earlier, Sanjay and Taide displayed patience as well as skill to help Vidarbha dominate proceedings. Taide struck two boundaries off fast bowler Ankit Rajpoot – one a measured tickle down to fine-leg, the other a tentative push through the slip cordon – to begin the day’s boundary count. Sanjay, at the other end, bunted whatever was aimed at the stumps, while happily leaving the ones that were not.The first six of the innings came just before the first drinks break, when Taide came down the track to play legspinner Rahul Chahar with the turn. After the break, Sanjay joined in, smacking left-arm pacer Tanveer-ul-Haq through the covers for four and then, when left-arm spinner Dharmendrasingh Jadeja was introduced, smashed one straight into the sightscreen.Ajinkya Rahane, the RoI captain, brought in an attacking field for the spinners thereafter, hoping, perhaps, for the batsmen to err in judgment and play a false shot, but that spell of play was carefully negated too. And in the 41st over of the innings, a single to long-off brought up Taide’s second first-class half-century.It was important for the young Taide not to lose his focus after reaching the landmark, and he didn’t, continuing to offer the straight bat to the full deliveries from the spinners, and padding away the ones that pitched outside leg stump. But Sanjay, the senior partner, couldn’t carry on as he was trapped lbw eight runs short of his half-century when a quicker one from Chahar slid into his pads.Taide and Satish then added 30 more runs before the youngster fell lbw to Chahar, and Satish proceeded to put up 83 more for the fourth wicket in the company of Mohit Kale in the afternoon. The two looked set to finish the session unseparated, but Kale was dismissed off the final ball before tea.After the break, Wadkar held up one end while Satish opened up, perhaps with an eye on a possible century. Two boundaries off Chahar brought the target down to only 11 but Satish fell trying to pull part-timer Vihari over the midwicket boundary, only to hole out to substitute fielder Sandeep Warrier in the deep. Though there was enough time left for Vidarbha to record an outright win, the two teams agreed to call it off.The chase wasn’t supposed to be easy. On the fourth evening, Vidarbha had lost their captain Faiz Fazal for a duck after Vihari – together with Ajinkya Rahane and Shreyas Iyer – had helped get to a declaration on 374 for three – a lead of 279.That Vidarbha had nearly a 100-run advantage after the first-innings exchanges was thanks to allrounder Akshay Karnewar, later named the Man of the Match. He struck the team’s only century of the match to rescue Vidarbha after they were 168 for five in response to RoI’s first-innings score of 330. Wadkar, too, struck a crucial 73 while Sanjay chipped in with 65 to take them to 425, and Vidarbha were assured of victory if the game ended in a draw.RoI had to push for a result in their favour after that, but it wasn’t to be. In the absence of offspinner K Gowtham, who didn’t bowl after the second day because of a shoulder injury, their largely inexperienced attack could not find the purchase from the pitch they would have hoped for. Add to that some smart batting from Vidarbha’s top order on the final day, and only one result was possible.