Chelsea have been a club who have been the home to numerous legends over the years, but none have quite managed to reach the levels achieved by Frank Lampard.

The midfielder joined for a reported fee of just £11m back in 2001, but very few people would have predicted his rise to stardom during his time at Stamford Bridge.

He racked up a total of 648 appearances for the Blues, managing to find the back of the net on 211 occasions – subsequently making him their club-record goalscorer in their history.

Such a feat is staggering for a midfielder, with his long-standing impact in the first team helping the club win three Premier League titles during his 13 years in West London.

However, in the present day, boss Enzo Maresca is currently on the hunt for a player who could potentially reach similar levels during their spell in the first-team.

Chelsea on the hunt for huge PL talent this January

Over the last couple of days, Chelsea have made it clear they intend to add another central midfielder to their ranks, leading them to the hunt for Elliot Anderson.

The Nottingham Forest star has caught the attention of numerous top-flight clubs, subsequently leading to Sean Dyche’s men placing a £100m asking price on his head.

The Blues aren’t currently alone in the pursuit of the England international, with Manchester United and Manchester City both closely monitoring the 23-year-old’s progress.

However, he’s not the only young English talent in the sights of Maresca and the board, with Kobbie Mainoo another player who they’re considering a move for this winter.

According to the Telegraph, the Blues are now firmly in the race to land the 20-year-old star who’s yet to make a league start at Old Trafford in the 2025/26 campaign.

The report also states that the club view him as an immediate and long-term option, but the Red Devils are currently unlikely to sanction a permanent exit despite his lack of action.

Why Mainoo could provide competition for Caicedo at Chelsea

After his £115m move to join Chelsea back in the summer of 2023, Moises Caicedo was always going to have huge pressure to succeed at Stamford Bridge.

Two and a half years on from such a transfer, the Ecuadorian international has made himself a crucial player for the Blues, often being the go to man in the midfield department.

The 24-year-old has already racked up 118 appearances across all competitions, subsequently helping Maresca win the UEFA Conference League last season.

However, despite his midfield role, he’s often caught the eye in attacking areas, as seen by his long-range strike in the victory over Liverpool early this season.

Caicedo has certainly developed into a world-class all-round option at the heart of the side, with the former Brighton man only going to get better with experience.

However, he could be joined by Mainoo in the years ahead, with the Englishman potentially being the perfect player to operate alongside him in a box-to-box role.

Such a move would be an expensive one, but they would be getting a top-level talent, with former professional Danny Murphy already singing his praises despite his tender age.

After his breakthrough in the 2023/24 campaign, the former Liverpool player claimed that the United star looked like a “better footballer than Caicedo” after a meeting between the two sides.

The pair’s respective stats from last season do make for some interesting reading, with Mainoo actually managing to better the Blues star in numerous key areas.

How Mainoo & Caicedo compared in 2024/25

Statistics (per 90)

Mainoo

Caicedo

Games played

25

38

Minutes played

1651

3351

Progressive carries

1.2

1.1

Key passes

1.1

0.8

Tackles won

64%

62%

Take-on success

46%

45%

Carries into opposition box

0.6

0.1

Aerials won

1.1

0.9

Stats via FBref

The United star managed to register more key passes per 90 in the Premier League, whilst also achieving a higher take-on success rate in the process.

Subscribe to the newsletter for Chelsea transfer insight Craving sharper perspective on Chelsea’s midfield moves? Subscribe to the newsletter for detailed, data-backed breakdowns of transfer targets, tactical fit and youth development—clear analysis focused on how potential signings could shape the squad. Subscribe Subscribe to the newsletter for Chelsea transfer insight Craving sharper perspective on Chelsea’s midfield moves? Subscribe to the newsletter for detailed, data-backed breakdowns of transfer targets, tactical fit and youth development—clear analysis focused on how potential signings could shape the squad.

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Such numbers highlight the 20-year-old’s incredible ability in possession, perfectly backing up the claim that he could be the ideal box-to-box option next to Caicedo.

His dominance in possession was highlighted in his better tallies of carries into the opposition 18-yard box, whilst also registering more progressive carries per 90.

However, without the ball, Mainoo also showcased his ball-winning ability, subsequently winning more of the tackles he entered than the Ecuadorian international.

A move for the Englishman would be yet another incredible piece of business by the Blues hierarchy, potentially handing Caicedo the perfect long-term partner he craves.

The prospect of the pair featuring alongside one another is certainly a frightening one, with such a duo handing the club the best chance of returning to Premier League glory.

Related Maresca's "pointless signing" is fast becoming another Nkunku for Chelsea

The dynamic star is in danger of following in Nkunku’s footsteps at Chelsea.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes

Tasmania and Queensland have fought out a dawdling six hours of play on the third day of the teams’ Pura Cup match at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane today. But, after the visitors finished at a second innings score of 5/177 (and in the lead by 291 runs overall) at stumps, the action off the field did not prove so restrained – both captains firing parting shots at their rivals’ tactics.The Tigers still appear well placed to press for outright victory on the final day. But skipper Jamie Cox was seething after watching as his batsmen were held to their score of 177 runs from as many as eighty-five overs.”You’re not going to hit it far when you’re trying to score runs against a 10-1 field and they’re bowling two foot wide of off stump,” said Cox.”If they had bowled at the stumps and tried to get us out we would have scored a lot quicker, I’m sure.”The Tasmanians’ struggle for quick runs was typified by the containment of Test star Ricky Ponting, who was forced to labour over 187 deliveries before a dubious caught behind decision down the leg side ended his innings at 61. Cox, similarly, found many of his normal avenues to scoring blocked off as he constructed an innings of 44. And, most noticeable of all in the funereal march, Dene Hills (2) was able to score from only two of the fifty-three balls that he faced.Cox’s opposite number, Stuart Law, played down such claims, suggesting that the Bulls had no option but to stem the run flow and force the Tasmanians into error.”They could have taken a few more risks and it might have been a different picture. But we were in no position to do that because we could have been six hundred runs behind if we came out and went really hard at them,” Law argued.As for Hills’ approach, Law said that it was indicative of the Tasmanians’ second innings mindset.”He was letting cuts and cover drives go … but it was obvious that they just wanted to grind us into the turf.”Earlier in the day, there was no disputing the Tigers’ right to open up their Pura Cup scoring account for the season with the two on offer for a first innings win. The Tasmanians established a 114-run lead when they initiated a spectacular late collapse to end the Bulls’ innings at a mark of 289. Spinner Daniel Marsh (3/50) and paceman Andrew Downton were the architects of the slide, four wickets tumbling for the addition of a solitary run in the space of nineteen balls as they combined to share the spoils. Accordingly, they two left armers had put the seal on a very fine overall bowling performance from the visitors on what still remains a true batting wicket.

Scorecard
Points table

	Clint McKay’s three wickets, including Aaron Nye first ball, were essential to Victoria dismissing Queensland for 205 © Getty Images

Victoria experienced a few nervous moments before capping a fine preparation for Saturday’s Pura Cup final with a six-wicket victory over Queensland, who will finish with the wooden spoon. Ryan Broad’s century made sure the Bushrangers had to bat again and the target of 75 was looking uncomfortable when Scott Brant and Grant Sullivan dropped them to 4 for 34.Cameron White found a willing partner in Andrew McDonald and there were no further stumbles. White added 28 while McDonald got 13 to seal the three-day success.Broad’s 107, which included a six to bring up his century and another next ball before he was bowled by Bryce McGain, went with his 75 in the first innings, but he did not receive much assistance from his team-mates. Queensland started the day 119 behind and the task to stay competitive became even tougher when they lost five wickets before lunch. Clint McKay started the problems when he removed Nick Kruger (11) and Aaron Nye in consecutive deliveries – the hat-trick effort to Shane Watson was a no-ball.Watson skipped to 32 before falling to a diving take from Adam Crosthwaite and McDonald added to the damage when he captured the lbws of Nathan Reardon (1) and the captain Chris Simpson (0). The Bulls were 5 for 71 and struggling to force a second Bushrangers’ innings.Broad achieved that with help from Chris Hartley’s 17 and Daniel Doran’s 23, but when the tail exited quickly Queensland did not have much to defend. McKay grabbed 3 for 69 while McDonald and McGain earned two wickets each in a strong warm-up for the final against New South Wales in Sydney.

ScorecardHampshire opener Jimmy Adams was struck on the head playing forward to a rising delivery•Getty Images

The Royal London Cup match between Glamorgan and Hampshire at Cardiff was abandoned after the umpires deemed the pitch unplayable. Michael Carberry and Jimmy Adams, the Hampshire openers, were both struck by rising deliveries and the game was called off after 6.4 overs of the second innings.The standing umpires, Paul Baldwin and Neil Mallender, consulted with the captains after Adams was struck on the side of the head when playing forward to a length delivery from Glamorgan seamer Michael Hogan. Hampshire were 26 for 0 chasing 183 to win, with Carberry having received treatment after also been hit on the helmet in Hogan’s second over.The match was being televised by Sky, due to the third Ashes Test finishing early, and cricket liaison officer Tony Pigott explained the decision. “The situation is the two umpires have decided that the pitch is unplayable, it’s unfit and have called the game off,” Pigott said. “It’s very dry and it’s turned in the first innings, it’s unpredictable bounce.”Hugh Morris, Glamorgan’s chief executive and director of cricket, called it “a dark day for the club” and promised an inquiry into what had happened.While a no result would normally see both sides awarded a point, the ECB was expected to carry out an investigation that could result in sanctions. Glamorgan started the Royal London Cup group stage with a two-point deduction after being punished for producing a poor pitch in last season’s competition – the pitch used on this occasion was the same one.”We are desperately disappointed,” Morris said, “the umpires determined it to be a dangerous pitch and they were right in making that determination. We are extremely sorry to everyone watching the game and there will be a full refund and full inquiry.”This was a fresh pitch on Friday against Essex and we scored almost 300 and the pitch was rated above average. It’s not unusual for us to use a pitch twice and it gave no indication it would play the way it did.”We were always going to use this pitch regardless of Sky being here. We are going to discuss what has gone wrong internally and we will do that immediately.”This is something that we are desperately disappointed at. We were in a good position in this competition and playing some good cricket. We will find out what went wrong as quick as we can.”Jacques Rudolph, Glamorgan’s captain, had been unwilling to take off Hogan in favour of a slow bowler and said the umpires had made the “right decision”. Hampshire captain James Vince consulted with Adams and Carberry before agreeing to the abandonment.”The whole situation isn’t ideal, it’s a real shame for both teams and the crowd,” Adams said. “One had slightly gone up at Carbs a bit earlier and a few maybe in the Glamorgan innings too but nothing too bad. You play in wickets all the time that offer a bit of variable bounce but that one was pretty extreme and I think that was why there was a general meeting.”Cardiff was the venue for the opening Test of the Investec Ashes, when variable bounce was a feature of the surface as England won inside four days.Instances of matches being abandoned due to the pitch are rare. In late 2014, a one-day cup fixture at Benoni was called off, while South Africa’s provincial T20 tournament saw an abandonment in Bloemfontein earlier in the year. An ODI between India and Sri Lanka in Delhi was stopped in 2009 and, famously, the Kingston Test in 1998 came to a premature end with England 17 for 3 after 10.1 overs, an uneven Sabina Park surface causing several batsman to be struck.Glamorgan had managed to get through their 50 overs, despite being 102 for 7 at one stage. Colin Ingram made a half-century but was the only member of the top six to reach double-figures, while Hampshire’s trio of spinners, Liam Dawson, Mason Crane and Will Smith, collectively took 6 for 76 from 25 overs as Glamorgan struggled to 182 for 9.

For a few tantalising minutes, Mitchell Johnson once again had England by the unmentionables. Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes had been bounced out in the space of three balls, and the hosts’ tail-enders quaked in their Edgbaston rooms as they scurried around, out of sight of the cameras, for protective gear. England led on the scoreboard, but not between the ears.Had this been 2013-14, the unbridled aggression briefly glimpsed would have been allowed to bloom. Johnson would have continued sending down his bombs, the English tail would have been razed, and doubtless Brad Haddin would have done his merry batting dance once more. But it is now 2015, and at the other end to Johnson are Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazewood rather than Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle.Johnson cannot quite put his finger on why he did not follow up with further hostile short stuff, but the matter of runs leaking at the other end has crossed his mind. So too does the fact that in a Test series that has already spanned the length of most encounters between nations, it is those two balls to Bairstow and Stokes that have generated most discussion. Next time around, he is unlikely to hold anything back.”I don’t know. I guess from my point of view I was just trying to really dry up the runs and I probably just lost that bit of aggression,” Johnson said. “I don’t read into it too much to be honest. But I think because the ball has been swinging over here a lot more, I feel like I’m trying to get the ball up there a lot more often anyway. I feel like I’ve bowled a lot fuller this trip. I’ve been really happy with the way I’ve bowled, generally.

Johnson reveals off-field heckling

Mitchell Johnson says he quite enjoys the taunts of England supporters on the field these days – but does not want a repeat of one instance away from cricket where he was confronted while walking with his family. Johnson was confronted during the Cardiff Test, and expressed a hope that there would be no repeats.
“I have got it walking down the street in the past and in Cardiff as well it’s happened,” he said. “I’m all for it when it’s in a game but I think when you’re walking with your family in the street I think it’s a bit overboard.
“People are pretty passionate about their cricket and when they’re doing well so I guess you’ve got to understand it from that point of view, but I’d prefer when it’s out in the middle that the crowd are right behind their team and giving it to me on the field. I think that’s fair game.”

“There’s been a few spells here and there. I probably didn’t start too well last Test match. You probably try a bit too hard when there’s a small total there to defend. Generally I feel like I’ve bowled quite well throughout this tour. I’ve swung the ball consistently. At Lord’s I felt like I used the short ball when it was time to use it. I feel like I’ve become a much smarter bowler and I feel like I’ve found a bit more consistency.”Lord’s is the only ground where I’ve had a real crack at it, and those two short balls. I actually had a few high-school friends Facebook message me about it, saying they’ve been replicating it at club training. So they were pretty excited about it. It’s something I need to have a look at throughout this Test match and just keep that aggression. That’s how I’ve been bowling and it’s been working.”Johnson was certainly building up to an aggressive spell on the third and final day of the Birmingham Test. Granted only 120 runs to defend, he paced through his warm-ups with an intensity that suggested he was exceptionally eager to take the new ball for the first time in this series. Yet by the time Michael Clarke deigned to throw Johnson the ball, England needed only 74 more runs.”I thought to myself I was really keen to get the new ball, but whatever is best for the team in those situation I’m happy with,” Johnson said. “It’s something that I’ve become better at is not to become frustrated in those situations where sometimes I feel like I might be better suited in a situation like that. But I have full trust in those guys, Starcy and Hazlewood, to do the job but I’m always prepared to bowl in any position, I think that’s something that I’ve adapted very well to in my Test cricket now.”The equanimity with which Johnson waited for the ball was matched later on when he responded in good humour to the most sustained and intense baiting of the series thus far. Thousands as Edgbaston sang their mocking tune as he bowled, and as the game sailed beyond Australians’ reach, he responded by jokingly stopping his run-up for one delivery, and then next time around delivering a ball to Joe Root from parallel to the umpire.”I get amongst it a bit more now,” he said. “I definitely take it as a bit of a compliment now and when the whole crowd is cheering my name at the end of a game when they’ve just won you have to take that as a compliment. It’s a pretty special crowd, they were really loud there and I expected that from past experiences, they really do get vocal and they really enjoy their cricket.”That over where I did stop in my run-up was deliberate to try and have a bit of fun with the crowd and apparently it had a fair bit of appreciation when I went down to fine leg with people clapping and saying a few choice words. But it was all in good fun. I was just playing it up a bit with the crowd as well, but at the same time respecting the game.”Playing up to the crowd is less likely to be on Johnson’s agenda this week, as he charges at England’s batsmen in what is most likely the last chance more than half this squad will get to win an Ashes series on these shores. The tourists are not wallowing in the problems exposed at Edgbaston, knowing that self-recriminating thoughts do no-one any good right now. But they know they have to get things right this time.”Cardiff, the way we played, then we played so well at Lord’s then we played in Birmingham and did what we did there. I just think our consistency as a whole has just been off,” Johnson said. “I didn’t think we bowled particularly well up front in Birmingham, I think we could have done a lot better with the newer ball. It was a bit like Cardiff, we didn’t play our cricket in partnerships, batting and bowling.”The way we’ve been playing Test cricket for the last 12-18 months has been really good. It has been that consistent cricket. But we are over in these conditions, it’s an Ashes series and we’ve got some guys that are probably feeling the pressure a little bit. I know what it’s like when you first come over and experience it, so I think the guys have handled it really well.”Especially a loss like we had in the last Test, I think we’ve all handed it really well. We were disappointed as a team and a group, but we were able to move on and the guys are – we left a day early to get here and train, get used to the conditions. I think that’s what we have done really well, we’ve been able to move on from losses like that. Hopefully learn from them and hopefully we can come out here and win this Test match, because if we don’t we are in big trouble.”More trouble, even, than Bairstow and Stokes.

Faf du Plessis, who is recovering from a knee injury, will begin training at full intensity only by the end of September, days before he is due to captain South Africa’s T20 side in India. Du Plessis has been named in South Africa’s squads across all formats despite the niggle, which has kept him out of action since August.Du Plessis had hurt himself at practice ahead of the home series against New Zealand in August, and played no part in either the T20s or the ODIs. At the time, he was told he would be out for up to four weeks, during which time he was advised not to even run. Consensus had been that du Plessis would be ready in time for the India tour but now, it seems touch and go.”The injury has responded slower than expected,” South Africa’s team manager Dr Mohammed Moosajee said. “Faf saw a knee specialist in Cape Town last week, where he received a second cortisone injection into the area. This seemed to have worked as he is currently pain-free. However, we need to see how he progresses. The plan is to commence training next week and build up to full intensity by the end of the month.”South Africa also have four other walking wounded, although two of them have recovered. Hashim Amla complained of a chronic neck issue, and was also found to have fractured a bone in his left thumb after the New Zealand series. But Moosajee said “both have settled.” Imran Tahir had to return home early from a stint with English county side Nottinghamshire owing to a thigh injury. It was since diagnosed as a hamstring issue and Moosajee said Tahir has “responded well to treatment.”The news was not as good for Rilee Rossouw, who was ruled out out the T20s against India with a stress fracture in his left foot, but has been named in the squad for the ODIs, which begin three days after the final T20.”Healing for this type of injury takes six to eight weeks,” Moosajee explained. “Rilee is currently non-weight bearing in a moon boot but he is being assessed weekly in Bloemfontein. A decision will be made as to when he can start full-weight bearing and light running, but the aim is to have him ready for the ODIs.”Chris Morris, also in the ODI squad, will hope to recover from a groin strain he picked up while on tour in Bangladesh. He has been receiving treatment from his franchise physiotherapist in Centurion and will have a fitness assessment next week before playing in some T20 warm-up matches for Titans. Moosajee said Morris, “should be fine for the start of the India tour.”

Match facts

Monday, October 5Start time 9.30am local (0730GMT)Pakistan have slipped to No. 9 in the ODI rankings – if they had been No. 9 three days ago, they would not have qualified for the Champions Trophy•AFP

The Big Picture It scarcely seemed possible after their crushing defeat in the first ODI, but Zimbabwe will go into the third match focused on what could be their first one-day series win over a top 10 side other than Bangladesh for more than 14 years. To do that, though, they’ll have to fire on all cylinders against a Pakistan side who will feel that the momentum was on their side before the inclement weather tipped Saturday’s game in Zimbabwe’s favour.Zimbabwe remain perennial underdogs and though they wobbled noticeably in the face of Shoaib Malik’s death-defying brilliance, they showed during the second ODI what they are capable of as a team when it all clicks. Zimbabwe didn’t lose any wickets to spin in the second match, after losing all 10 to the slow men in the first. Top order runs, a lower order blast, early wickets, and inspired fielding were all on show. But on the flip side of that, there was also the omnishambles of the late afternoon where it all threatened to fall apart, and inconsistency of performance is still a problem for the hosts.Pakistan, on the other hand, have been consistent in both their successes and failures during their trip to Southern Africa. In every match their top order has failed, their lower middle has rallied, and their bowlers have kept them in the game. Their defeat on Saturday means Pakistan have slipped to No. 9 in the ODI rankings – if they had been No. 9 three days ago, they would not have qualified for the Champions Trophy. Though these two teams are now slightly closer in the ICC’s one-day rankings, and despite Zimbabwe’s strong team performance to level the series, once again Pakistan start as favourites.

Form guide

(Last five completed matches, most recent first)Zimbabwe WLLLW
Pakistan LWLWW

In the spotlight

After spending months as a specialist batsman, circumstances dictated that Elton Chigumbura should return to his traditional allrounder role in the second match. He quickly shook off what rust may have coated his bowling arm and contributed roundly to Zimbabwe’s success with a wicket, a catch, a run-out and a half-century earlier in the day. He’ll want to lead from the front in the decider, and if his top order gives him a platform, his devastating batting could be the difference between ignominy and a historic series win.Shoaib Malik has been the calm centre of a combustible Pakistan middle order on this tour, and every time he has arrived at the crease, his team has been in trouble. He top-scored in the opening T20, and though he failed in the second, he made an all-round contribution to the visitors’ win in the first ODI. He very nearly sealed the series on Saturday and, given the way that match ended, Malik will be out to prove a point on Monday.

Team news

Zimbabwe stuck with the same XI in the second ODI, but they face an enforced change in the series decider. Graeme Cremer’s ankle injury has all but ruled him out, and the most obvious replacement for him is legspinning allrounder Tino Mutumbodzi. Though he dropped a crucial catch, Mutumbodzi was generally an electric presence in the field and his run-out of Mohammad Hafeez was vital to Zimbabwe’s eventual success. While Hamilton Masakadza has looked out of sorts in this series, his place is probably still safe and the only other reserve batsman in the side is Malcolm Waller. Zimbabwe (possible): 1 Chamu Chibhabha, 2 Hamilton Masakadza, 3 Brian Chari, 4 Sean Williams, 5 Elton Chigumbura (capt), 6 Sikandar Raza, 7 Richmond Mutumbami (wk), 8 Tino Mutombodzi, 9 Luke Jongwe, 10 Tinashe Panyangara, 11 John Nyumbu.Pakistan’s changes for the second match didn’t quite work out – debutant Bilal Asif held his own with the ball without ever really threatening and was unconvincing with the bat, while Asad Shafiq was an anonymous presence. Given Imad Wasim’s current form with both bat and ball, Pakistan will want him back and the visitors may well revert to the XI that crushed Zimbabwe so effectively in the first match. Pakistan (possible): 1 Azhar Ali (capt), 2 Ahmed Shehzad, 3 Mohammad Hafeez, 4 Shoaib Malik, 5 Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), 6 Mohammad Rizwan, 7 Imad Wasim, 8 Aamer Yamin, 9 Yasir Shah, 10 Wahab Riaz, 11 Mohammad Irfan.

Pitch and conditions

After a series of slow, low turners during this tour, the pitch used in the second ODI was more what one might term a good cricket wicket. With a little grass left on the track, Pakistan’s spinners weren’t quite as menacing but it still offered something to bowlers of all types and also made strokeplay a little easier. HSC head groundsman Fungai Shanganya will probably aim for something similar in the decider. Monday will definitely start off sunny and warm, and though there is no rain predicted, once the rainy season arrives in Zimbabwe one can never be quite sure when and where a thunderstorm will appear.

Stats and trivia

• Malik has averaged 93.20 in the ten ODIs he has played since his international return earlier in the year. He has made 466 runs including one century and three fifties. Malik averages 43.61 with the bat and 21.00 with the ball in one-day internationals against Zimbabwe.
• Wahab Riaz is Pakistan’s leading wicket-taker in ODIs this year. He’s picked up 29 wickets at 23.75 in 15 matches.
• The last time Zimbabwe won a one-day series over a team other than Bangladesh, Ireland or Kenya was against New Zealand in January 2001. Heath Streak was their hero on a sunny afternoon in Auckland, his runs and wickets helping Zimbabwe to their maiden away one-day series win.

Quotes

Shoaib Malik defends Pakistan’s top order, many of whom have been dismissed playing big shots in this series.Zimbabwe coach Dav Whatmore has been very pleased with Brian Chari’s development since his ODI debut.

ScorecardFile photo: Mohammad Mithun hit three fours and a six during his 60•BCB

Half-centuries from Rony Talukdar and Mohammad Mithun set up Bangladesh A’s 122-run victory against Zimbabwe A at the Harare Sports Club, ensuring the visitors also swept the series 3-0.Bangladesh A, after being inserted, began positively as Talukdar and Tasamul Haque shared a 90-run opening partnership. After Tasamul fell, Mithun kept the runs flowing by stroking a 64-ball 60, with three fours and a six, while Talukdar hit six fours and three sixes for his 77. The pair’s 57-run stand laid a solid groundwork, which Bangladesh A’s middle and lower order built on, as handy knocks from Mahmudul Hasan (31) and Muktar Ali (20*) powered the team to 286 for 8.Zimbabwe A lost wickets right from the off during the chase, and were eventually bundled out for 164 inside 42 overs. The opener Kevin Kasuza top-scored with 43, and Ryan Burl chipped in with 41, but only one other batsman – the captain Godwill Mahmiyo with 36 – managed to make more than 12. Mohammad Shahid was the pick of Bangladesh A’s bowlers, collecting 3 for 13.

The Deodhar Trophy tournament had an anti climactic finish as contrary to expectations of a thrilling contest, the `final’ between North Zone and South Zone at the Nehru stadium in Pune on Monday ended in a tame victory for the former. In winning by seven wickets with 5.2 overs to spare, North Zone regained the trophy it last won in 1997-98.Few would have expected such a lop sided finish at the outset, given the fact that both teams seemed to be equally strong in all departments. This feeling gained momentum when South Zone, put in to bat, led off by scoring 278 for eight in 50 overs. But North Zone’s batting might proved too much for the South Zone bowling. Under pressure, the bowlers became wayward and the fact that not even one maiden over was sent down best illustrates the bat’s dominance.Skipper Vikram Rathour shone with the bat with an electrifying 106 off 87 balls. But in retrospect, it was Amit Bhandari’s opening spell in the morning which played a vital role in North Zone’s triumph. The Delhi medium pacer first had the consistent run getter J Arun Kumar caught by Mithun Minhas for 14. In his next over, he had Reuben Paul caught by Dharmani for 15. And then in his seventh over, he had the prized wicket of Md Azharuddin who was held by Rathour for five.South Zone’s troubles continued. Sharandeep Singh had Sriram caught by Jadeja and when Hemang Badani was held by Sharandeep Singh off Jadeja, South Zone were down in the dumps at 76 for five in the 24th over. Then commenced a splendid rally and leading it was Sridharan Sharath. The left hander from Tamil Nadu has been in very good form this season and only in the last match against Central Zone he scored 113 to star in his team’s triumph. He and his Tamil Nadu colleague S Mahesh initiated the recovery process by adding 93 runs for the seventh wicket off just 13 overs in a thrilling counter attack. Mahesh was finally bowled by Sehwag but not before he had scored 48 off 44 balls. The fact that he hit four sixes, besides one four, illustrates Mahesh’s aggressive approach.Sharath now found another able ally in Aashish Kapoor and the two continued the recovery process by adding 31 runs off five overs. After Kapoor fell for 12, Sharath and Dodda Ganesh then belted the North Zone bowlers all over the place during an eighth wicket association that put on 74 runs off just eight overs. Sharath was dismissed in the final over for a gallant 104. He faced 123 balls and hit six fours and five sixes. Ganesh remained unbeaten with 27 off 20 balls and South Zone could look back with some comfort at their final total especially after the wretched start.However, North Zone made light of what seemed to be a challenging target. They were given an excellent start with openers Rathour and Ashu Dani putting on 136 runs in 19 overs. Dani was the first to go after scoring 40 off 61 balls with four fours and a six. Then Rathour and Ajay Jadeja consolidated with a second wicket partnership of 46 runs off 10 overs. Rathour, who was in a belligerent mood, hit 106 off just 87 balls with 19 hits to the ropes.There was no respite for South Zone even after Rathour’s departure for Jadeja and Pankaj Dharmani then came together for a third wicket stand that added 84 runs off 14.2 overs. By the time Dharmani fell in the 44th over for 36 off 43 balls with five boundary hits, the match was virtually over. Jadeja and Virender Sehwag applied the finishing touches. Two successive wides by Ganesh gave North Zone the winning runs. Jadeja remained unbeaten with 60 off 86 balls with eight hits to the ropes.

Asked to make 117 for a win against probably the best of zonal teams,on the hottest day of the Cricinfo Rani Jhansi tournament Central Zonecould not hold the nerve and so lost to West Zone, giving the secondone run win match of the day.U Kalyani won the toss for West Zone in their last match of theCricInfo Rani Jhansi tournament at the SRMC grounds and decided to batagainst Central Zone on a wicket that had a lot of cracks. West Zonewomen were not looking very enthusiastic after their close loss to AirIndia yesterday.West Zone openers, Amrutha Shinde and Triptimani Rocue added 57 in thefirst 15 overs until the latter played a poor shot at Rahul Singh onlyto lose her off stump. Amrutha along with Kalyani manouvred the spinof Rahul Singh and Varsha Raphal sensibly and took the score to 77when the skipper ran herself out for 17. The consistent Amrutha alsofollowed her captain giving an easy catch to Bindeshwari at deepsquare leg after making a well played 40.Once these two players were back in the pavilion, a slide wasexpected. But Aarti Vaidya, capitalising on a dropped chance by VarshaRaphal of Bindeshwari, kept one end tight and helped her team to crossthe three figure mark. Aarti perished in the 47th over trying to stepon the accelerator.Off spinner Bindeshwari Goyal extracted good turn and bounce from thewicket and packed up the West Zone tail. She ended up with theexcellent figures of 5 for 16. West Zone slumped to 116 all out in 47overs from 116 for 6 at the start of the over. Bindeshwari took threewickets in that over and the other was a run out.Central Zone started well with openers Bharti Verma and Seema Sinhaadding 26 in 10 overs before Kalyani struck twice in successive oversto get rid of Seema and Arundhati Kirkire who has been in good formwith the bat in this tournament. But Arundathi was unhappy with thedecision and took a long and slow walk back to the dressing room.When Chitra Bajpai and Bharti Verma were slowly steadying the CentralZone innings, Sangeetha Kamat was brought on to bowl and she did thetrick for West Zone by uprooting Bharti’s stumps. Preethi Dudhe joinedChitra and looked good until she was well caught by Sangeetha Kamat ofher own bowling.Ranjana Gupta gave Chitra good company and at this stage the matchlooked like Central’s. But a misunderstanding between the twobatswoman had Chitra walking back to the pavilion after a responsibleknock of 21. Rahul Singh came in and hit the ball hard, though shecould not send it to past the ropes due to the heavy outfield. Ranjanaand Rahul fell off successive deliveries, sent down by differentbowlers.The tail enders batted with a sense of responsibility and took thescore to 114 for 8 at the end of the 47th over. At this stage Kalyanicalled Aarti Vaidya to bowl her first over of the tournament and shedid the job for her skipper by giving away a run and then dismissingVarsha Raphal with an ultra flighted delivery.With the score 115 for 9, Central Zone needed two runs from two overswith the last pair on the crease. Nilima Waghmare was continuing hersecond spell and was bowling tight. Nilima was making amends for herpoor first spell which cost 14 runs in just three overs. Trying toretain the strike for the next over to score the winning run,Bindeshwari called Varsha (running for Neetu Singh who had pulled athigh muscle while bowling) for a single, pushing the ball tocover. Amrutha Shinde picked up and effected a direct hit at thestriker’s end to finish a clean sweep of the zonal teams by West Zone.For nearly three quarters of the match umpire Vijayaraghavan was offthe field due to sickness and he almost fainted due to the heat. Astand bye person officiated the match.