Ellyse Perry has put an injury-blighted summer behind her ahead of the looming World Cup, and expects English conditions to aid Australia’s pace battery in their defence of the crown won in 2013.The Australian women’s squad departs for England on Saturday, and Perry said the team’s Queensland-based preparation over the past five weeks was of the comprehensive nature now necessary for a tournament more competitive than ever before.”Every team’s going to be a real threat to us in this World Cup – there are no easy games,” Perry said. “The competition is going to be incredible and the added interest and publicity around the tournament as well, and the fact England always host really great tournaments mean it’s going to be awesome for us and for everyone involved.”It’s the biggest preparation I’ve ever been involved in, we had a bit of time after the New Zealand series in March and then we’ve had five weeks of camps up in Brisbane and on the Sunshine Coast as a group basically training and preparing. That’s been good, it was a mix of nets and fitness and then some games and scenarios towards the end. It’s been a really solid preparation.”Australia’s team is much changed from the combination that won in India four years ago, and Perry said much of the team’s planning and training had been based around ensuring the pace contingent, of which the 26-year-old is the spearhead, will be able to perform at the requisite high standard.”I think in any World Cup team you’ve got to have a really good balance between your spin and pace options, particularly going over to England where the ball swings and seams a bit more as well,” Perry said. “We’ve got a nice balance now, the pace unit probably had a fair bit of work to do over the past couple of months to get up to the standards that our spin unit was setting.”The 50-over format being every four years it definitely has an added element of being really special and those experiences in past tournaments always help. We’ve got quite an inexperienced squad with a blend of new faces as well, and I think everyone is really excited about that. In my recollection it’s going to be the biggest World Cup we’ve ever had in terms of how the game’s grown over the last couple of years.”A hamstring injury during the WBBL severely interrupted the latter half of Perry’s Australian summer, and on her return to the national side she was also affected by an elbow problem – ailments she was happy to say were now behind her. “I’m feeling great which has been really nice,” Perry said. “I had a bit of a disrupted end to the summer, but we had a month off and then the prep I’ve been able to do with the squad is great.”

Mustafizur Rahman sliced through Ireland’s middle order to pick up four wickets and set up Bangladesh’s eight-wicket win

ESPNcricinfo staff19-May-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMustafizur Rahman sliced through Ireland’s middle order•AFP

Mustafizur Rahman’s spell accounted for the cream of Ireland’s batting and helped Bangladesh cruise to their first win in the tri-nation series.Ireland, sent in to bat, were bowled out for 181 in 46.3 overs with Mustafizur taking 4 for 23 off nine overs. Soumya Sarkar then struck his second successive half-century as Bangladesh cruised to victory by eight wickets in the 28th over.Ireland’s inability to convert starts – three batsmen made 25 or more but no one got to 50 – resulted in them losing wickets in clumps. They lost Paul Stirling in the first over, but recovered briefly: they were 60 for 2 in 14 overs when Andy Balbirne played all around a Shakib Al Hasan delivery and was lbw. In a nine-over spell courtesy spin, Ireland managed just 31.The only resistance came when Ed Joyce, who top scored with 46, and Niall O’Brien put together 55 for the fourth wicket. Mustafizur returned to dismiss O’Brien to expose the lower-middle order with 22.3 overs still to play.George Dockrell’s 50-ball 25 lifted Ireland to 181 before Mashrafe Mortaza, the captain, brought the innings to a close. Mashrafe and Sunzamul Islam, the debutant left-arm spinner, finished with two wickets apiece.Bangladesh’s openers – Tamim Iqbal and Sarkar – started steadily, before they went into overdrive in the ninth over when Sarkar blasted Barry McCarthy for two fours and a six. Tamim, generally the aggressor, built gradually to make 47 before the O’Brien brothers combined to break a 95-run stand. Tamim, looking to run the ball down, could only get a faint nick through to the wicketkeeper.Sabbir Rahman found his groove quickly, making an enterprising 35 that included three fours and a six, before falling with Bangladesh 10 short of victory. Sarkar was unbeaten on 87 at the finish.

Aston Villa are reportedly eyeing Bayer Leverkusen gem Moussa Diaby, as Unai Emery prepares to add firepower to his squad at Villa Park.

After firing the Villans into Europe, the natural progression would be to add high profile names to the ranks in the Midlands, which is said to be on the agenda if recent reports are to be believed.

Could Aston Villa sign Moussa Diaby?

As reported by the Daily Mail, Villa have joined the race to sign the highly-coveted Diaby, with the Bundesliga sensation having also been linked to Arsenal already this summer.

The report claims that the Midlands side have expressed their interest in the £50m forward, in a move that could break the club’s record transfer fee.

It’s mentioned that Emery desires a wide player this transfer window, with Villa said to have ‘made a check’ on the Frenchman’s situation.

How good is Moussa Diaby?

Developing through the ranks of Paris Saint Germain’s academy, the 24-year-old winger made his mark in Europe after signing for Leverkusen in 2019.

Fast-forward four years and the Frenchman has contributed to 97 goals in Germany, scoring 49 and assisting 48 in all competitions for Die Werkself.

Hailed as “electrifying” by journalist Aaron Stokes, the Paris-born gem could be a revelation under Emery, and provide a firm upgrade to options already on show at Villa Park.

Deployed primarily as a right-winger, Diaby has the capabilities to be played on the opposite flank as well as through the middle as a striker, however, he provides a more potent threat on goal on the right as a left-footed player.

His versatility along the front line could be vital for Emery to revolutionise his inherited squad at Villa Park, and equip better options in the final third to prompt the club to reach further heights during his first full season in charge.

The Frenchman could arrive in the Midlands to a familiar face, with Leon Bailey being his former teammate at Leverkusen, however the Jamaican could be less thrilled to see the 24-year-old on such an occasion.

Branded as “inconsistent” by Villa legend Gabriel Agbonlahor via Football Insider, Bailey could have his position in the squad threatened by the potential arrival of Diaby, who has outperformed the winger since his Bundesliga exit.

When comparing the two on their respective 2022/23 campaigns, it could suggest worrying times ahead for the 25-year-old.

As per FBref, Diaby averaged 0.30 non-penalty goals per 90, as well as showing a threat in possession with an average of 4.17 progressive carries and 1.83 carries into the penalty area per 90 in the Bundesliga, as a marker of his creative prowess.

Bailey registered lower averages in such areas, recording 0.18 non-penalty goals per 90, with 3.89 progressive carries and 1.74 carries into the penalty area per 90.

The two show similar threat in the progression of their 1v1 ability, with the Frenchman averaging 0.47 successful take-ons that led to a shot attempt, fractionally more than the Villa man who averaged 0.46 per 90.

Diaby could prove to be a stronger outlet for those around him also, averaging 1.93 key passes and 0.40 through balls per 90 to Bailey’s 1.37 key passes and 0.18 through balls, via FBref comparisons, suggesting that the Jamaican may have to raise the bar to maintain his spot.

Monchi could then pull off a masterclass in signing Diaby as an attacking upgrade, such is his status as one of the most threatening wingers in Europe.

Liverpool are set to face competition for top target Romeo Lavia from Premier League sides Chelsea and Arsenal, according to Fabrizio Romano

Is Romeo Lavia a CDM?

Lavia is a defensive midfielder, and was one of the Premier League's best in the position last season.

The 19-year-old midfielder made 29 league appearances for Southampton last season and scored one goal. The midfielder enjoyed a very positive first campaign in senior football and received praise from treble-winning former coach Pep Guardiola, who said:

"I am really impressed with what Romeo has done and is doing, we had, and we have, an incredible opinion about him. We thought to keep him, but maybe he would not (get) enough minutes like he has in Southampton."

The midfielder often partnered with captain James Ward-Prowse in the midfield and was the more defensive option for the south coast side who suffered relegation from the top flight. The fully capped international averaged 2.43 tackles per 90, which puts him in the top 30% of all midfielders across Europe's top five leagues, whilst his 7.8 ball recoveries per 90 rank him amongst the top 15 players in the division.

Praised and lauded for his overall quality, The Athletic journalist Jacob Tanswell described his unique quality best, stating in his Southampton Player of the Year article that: "If Romeo Lavia walked under a bucket of water, he would emerge without a splash on his clothes."

Following the Saints relegation, reports emerged that a number of top Premier League sides were interested in bringing the former Manchester City youth product in this window, with Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea being the three most interested clubs.

Speaking on his YouTube Channel, Romano revealed the state of play regarding Lavia for all three clubs:

"Romeo Lavia is top of the list [for Liverpool], so they want Romeo Lavia, but I’m told that Chelsea is also there so let’s see what’s going to happen with Romeo Lavia. Also, because we know that in case Arsenal sell Thomas Partey to Saudi clubs, this could be a possibility for Arsenal"

Which club should Romeo Lavia join?

Liverpool should really be pushing to secure this Romeo Lavia deal.

Both Jordan Henderson and Fabinho are the subjects of major interest from Saudi Arabian clubs, with the Brazilian having not traveled to the squads training camp in Germany, so he can focus on completing the move. Henderson meanwhile has travelled, but talks between Al-Ettifaq and Liverpool remain ongoing

Should the move to Merseyside materialise for Lavia, there is a real chance that he could be a regular starter, with the only other recognized defensive midfielder at the club being Stefan Bajcetic.

Questions might be asked about if the 19-year-old is ready for the jump up from Southampton to a club the size of Liverpool, but statistically, he compares incredibly well to Brighton's Moises Caicedo, who is a player valued at double the Saints asking price of £50m. Lavia is also a full Belgian international and was a player who was personally identified by Guardiola himself in 2019, all characteristics that suggest the player can not only survive under the pressure but thrive due to it.

The issue that is currently stopping the move is the gap in valuation, with reports stating that the Reds believe the midfielder is "massively overpriced" at his current valuation of £50m, however, it remains to be seen if the Saints are willing to drop their asking price down due to the situation in the summer of 2024, when Man City's buy-back option can be exercised. Furthermore, when the midfielder completed the move to the South Coast, a sell-on clause of 20% was included in the deal, which may also be a factor in the higher asking price

Should Fabinho and Henderson depart Merseyside this summer however, Liverpool should really consider just paying the fee required to bring in Lavia, as he has all the tools to be a real success on Merseyside

Manchester United reportedly remain in the mix for the signing of Bayern Munich defender, Benjamin Pavard, albeit with Erik ten Hag's side set to have to try and see off rivals Manchester City for the Frenchman's signature.

What are the latest Man United transfer rumours?

There has been notable speculation of late that the Red Devils are seeking to move on club captain, Harry Maguire, ahead of next season, with Europa Conference League winners, West Ham United said to be interested in signing the 30-year-old this summer.

Amid that talk of an exit for the Englishman, Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg has confirmed United's interest in a possible replacement in the form of Pavard, albeit with City also in the running at present, alongside Juventus.

Writing on Twitter, the transfer insider revealed: "Pavard: FC Bayern, waiting for concrete offers now! Talks between the players management and ManCity took place as #Guardiola is very interested in Pavard. But there are no agreements yet. At this stage, it’s a race between #MCFC, ManUtd and Juventus."

According to prior reports, the 27-year-old could command a fee of just €30m (£26m) if he is to be sold this summer, with the versatile ace having entered into the final year of his contract at the Allianz Arena.

How good is Benjamin Pavard?

For a player comfortable operating at centre-back or at right-back, it is no surprise that there is such significant interest in landing the World Cup winner for a cut-price fee, with such flexibility likely to make the former Stuttgart ace a real asset to Ten Hag.

The 6 foot 2 rock – who also described himself as "more complete" than Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold – may not be the most glamourous or "sexy" of names, in his own words, yet he could prove to be a wise investment for the Old Trafford outfit this summer.

The hope will be that Pavard could replicate the success that another former Bundesliga talent Manuel Akanji has enjoyed since trading Germany for Manchester a year ago, with the Swiss international having gone on to secure treble glory at the Etihad last term.

Much like Pavard, the 6 foot 1 centre-back – who can also operate at full-back – was snapped up on the cheap to little fanfare last summer, with Pep Guardiola's side forking out just £15m as the player also had just a year left on his contract at Borussia Dortmund at the time.

As pundit Alan Hutton noted at the time, it looked as if that signing was merely to help bolster the club's "strength in depth", albeit with Akanji going on to make 48 appearances in all competitions, as he simply "surpassed expectations" – as per ex-England number one, Paul Robinson.

Much like the 27-year-old, Pavard – who has been described as "underrated" by Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel – could perhaps surprise a few next term if he is to link up with Ten Hag, having shown signs of his quality of late.

The Frenchman has the tools to thrive in the Premier League due to his likeness to Akanji, with the pair both adept at playing out from the back as the latter man ranks in the top 17% among his European peers for progressive passes and the top 20% for progressive carries, while Pavard ranks in the top 1% and the top 9% for those same two metrics, respectively.

That ball-playing quality is also showcased by the fact that while the former Dortmund ace ranks in the top 3% for attempted passes as a marker of his desire to play forward, Pavard again ranks in the top 1% for that same metric.

As such, having seen the impact that Akanji has made in Manchester to date, Ten Hag could land his own version of the former Basel gem by snapping up another unsung Bundesliga ace this summer.

Newcastle United's deal to sign Leicester City winger Harvey Barnes is now "edging closer", and it could even be done this week, according to journalist Tom Collomosse.

What's the latest Newcastle transfer news?

Allan Saint-Maximin is looking like he will be on the move this summer, as the PIF are now orchestrating a deal with Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli, as reported by journalist Ryan Taylor:

"Allan Saint-Maximin poised to become first high-profile transfer negotiated by two clubs under majority ownership of PIF. Understand talks started between Newcastle & Al-Ahli last week. Deal has since advanced as Eddie Howe confirms. Numbers involved currently undisclosed."

As such, Eddie Howe will need to find a replacement for the winger, and Barnes has emerged as a key target, with it recently emerging that the Leicester winger would be open to a move to St. James' Park this summer.

There has been interest in other wide options, with the Magpies lodging a surprise bid for Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskheila, however the Serie A club have no pressing need to sell the Georgian, given that he is contracted until 2027.

Following Leicester's relegation from the Premier League, Barnes is expected to leave this summer, and there has now been an update on Newcastle's pursuit of the Englishman.

Taking to Twitter, Collomosse has now dropped an exciting update which hints the move is not far off being completed, saying: "Harvey Barnes edging closer to sealing move to Newcastle. Not there yet but if all proceeds smoothly from here, deal could be sorted this week. Fee expected to be £35-40m."

How good is Harvey Barnes?

Journalist Ryan Taylor is skeptical about whether the 25-year-old would be a real improvement on Saint-Maximin, who is close to leaving the club, saying: "Would find it strange if he is simply replaced by Harvey Barnes. Barnes more effective but not a game-changing upgrade, although Newcastle may view it differently.

The Leicester star has certainly had a better eye for goal in recent times, having found the back of the net 13 times in the Premier League last season, while Saint-Maximin has never scored more than five league goals across a season in the top flight.

Newcastle's current winger is perhaps more exciting to watch, given his fantastic dribbling ability, ranking in the 99th percentile for successful take-ons per 90 over the past year, and he is better at setting up chances for his teammates.

The 26-year-old has averaged 0.40 assists per 90 in the past year, while Barnes has averaged just 0.03, but he has previously demonstrated he is capable of being a playmaker, recording ten assists in the top flight during the 2021-22 campaign.

It is not evident that the England international would be a major upgrade on Saint-Maximin, but it is clear that he is a very good player, with a range of qualities, having also been hailed as "superb" by journalist Matt Law.

A fee of around £35m would be reasonable for Barnes, and Howe will be hoping the deal will be done by the end of this week.

يستعد فريق ليفربول لخوض مباراته اليوم الأحد، في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، وذلك ضد كريستال بالاس.

ويستضيف ملعب “الأنفيلد” مباراة الفريقي في إطار منافسات الجولة الثالثة والثلاثين من الدوري الإنجليزي، موسم 2023/24.

وكان ليفربول قد فاز على كريستال بالاس بهدفين مقابل هدف، في الدور الأول من الموسم الحالي.

ويحتل ليفربول حاليًا المركز الثالث برصيد 71 نقطة، بفارق الأهداف عن آرسنال، ونقطتين عن مانشستر سيتي الذي تصدر مؤقتًا بفضل فوزه أمس ضد لوتون تاون بنتيجة 5-1. موعد مباراة ليفربول وكريستال بالاس اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي

من المقرر أن تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة الثالثة عصرًا بتوقيت القاهرة، الرابعة بتوقيت السعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة ليفربول وكريستال بالاس اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي

تُذاع المباراة عبر قناة beIN Sports HD 1. معلق مباراة ليفربول وكريستال بالاس اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي

سيعلق حسن العيدروس على أحداث المباراة.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.

Andrew Strauss, the director of England cricket, has defended his decision to allow key England players to participate in the IPL despite subsequent injury concerns

George Dobell30-May-2017Andrew Strauss, the director of England cricket, has defended his decision to allow key England players to participate in the IPL despite subsequent injury concerns.Both Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes were obliged to sit-out games during the recent ODI series against South Africa after sustaining what have been described as minor knee and quad “niggles” respectively.But with the Champions Trophy starting in a couple of days, the decision to allow such important players to spend almost the entire IPL season in India is sure to come under more scrutiny. While the England team management remain confident both men will be fit for their opening Trophy match against Bangladesh on Thursday, there is a possibility that Stokes will be fit to play only as a specialist batsman.Strauss, however, is confident there are many benefits in IPL experience. Echoing comments made by Stokes and Woakes – and before them, the likes of Eoin Morgan and Kevin Pietersen – Strauss felt the experience in India could help.”The players who have gone over there have benefitted massively from the experience,” he said. “We’ve seen that already with the maturity that Ben is playing with the bat. And it looked like he’s improved his bowling at the death tremendously, too.”I think Chris Woakes was saying that to go there, to learn from the best players in the world and pit themselves against the best players in the world…they come back from that experience knowing they’re as good as anyone out there. The deep-rooted belief they get from that is massively important.”I’ve always seen the massive advantages of our players going out there. And that was on the back of us under-performing in white-ball cricket for year after year after year, and clearly falling behind some of the other teams.”There is no evidence that either injury was sustained in India. Indeed, you could argue that both men would have been required to play far more had they remained in England and been utilised by their counties. Moeen Ali, another of England’s allrounders, also missed the final ODI against South Africa with a minor groin strain and he did not play in the IPL.”That is the slight risk you take when you make people available for a chunk of cricket that is outside the international schedule,” Strauss said. “Injuries are part and parcel of life, but on one hand you weigh-up the potential risk and on the other you ask what they can potentially gain from that experience. That’s what forms the decision.”Thankfully I don’t think any of those injuries are of massive concern at this stage. It’s very much precautionary that they’re not playing at this stage. We want them to hit the ground running in the Champions Trophy.”Having said that, we’ve always got to balance that great opportunity for them with the schedules and workloads. And we just need to keep looking at this on a year by year and case by case basis. There will be times where it may be the smart thing not to play and at other times it might be the smart thing for them to play in the IPL.”Up until now, we’ve had mature, adult conversations with players about their availability. That’s why some of the guys came back for those Ireland internationals and some of the guys stayed at the IPL. And that’s what we’ll continue to do. When the opportunity is right for players to go – and when we feel they’ll benefit from that experience – we’ll try and make it possible.”While Stokes, Woakes and Jos Buttler were permitted to miss the two ODIs against Ireland in order to remain at the IPL this year, Strauss baulked at the suggestion that players would ever be allowed to miss a Test in similar circumstances.”Personally, I think that’s unlikely,” he said. “When you get to the stage where you’re missing Test matches to play in IPL that sends out a very strong message about where your priorities are and I would be uncomfortable with that.”It is a delicate balance Strauss must strike. As well as providing opportunities for players to benefit from experience in overseas leagues, he is also keen to help them benefit financially. And while there is no sense of the contractual wrangles that are currently clouding Australian cricket, as more money floods into the game, it is an issue on which the ECB will have to remain alert.”There are always negotiations between players and employers around what is a fair structure for salaries and pay,” Strauss said. “Our current agreement is tied in with our TV deal that runs till 2019. There will be conversations over the next couple of years to ensure we put together something that’s fair and everyone is happy with.”I’m in no way commenting on what’s happening in Cricket Australia, because I don’t know the ins and outs of it. But I’d be very surprised if anything other than a full-strength team turned out at the Gabba. I would have thought the Ashes will focus people’s minds to make sure they get a conclusion to where they are at the moment.”Then I’d like to think we can have some sort of mature conversations with TEPP [The Team England Player Partnership; the branch of the PCA that negotiates on behalf of England players] and the players themselves early enough to prevent us going down that sort of route. And as much as possible, behind closed doors and in the right sort of spirit.”What I’m focused on is making sure the relationships between ourselves as the national governing body and our players who are contracted to us are as good as they possibly can be. That’s the best way of ensuring that those conversations happen in good faith.”

Chelsea have been the most active of any team across the continent over the past few transfer windows, coinciding with the arrival of chairman Todd Boehly, and could be about to further add to their squad with the signing of teenage defender Ishe Samuels-Smith from fellow Premier League side Everton.

Who are Chelsea trying to sign?

Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku have already arrived at Stamford Bridge this summer – as has a new head coach in Mauricio Pochettino – but many more have departed.

Kalidou Koulibaly, Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic, Edouard Mendy, Kai Havertz and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have all left as part of a major squad overhaul on the back of last season's terrible 12th-place finish.

The Blues are now expected to focus on replenishing their squad before the window closes on 1 September, with Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo reportedly top of their list.

Many others have been linked, including Southampton's Tino Livramento and Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic, while the Daily Mail claims that 17-year-old defender, Samuels-Smith is closing in on a £4m move to west London.

Who is Everton defender Ishe Samuels-Smith?

Samuels-Smith was listed as one of the top 20 biggest talents to look out for in The Guardian's 2022 Next Generation list last year, but his career has so far been restricted to just appearances at youth team level.

That is not all that surprising given he only recently turned 17, but already teams are seemingly circling to land a youngster described as having a "bright future" by The Athletic's Patrick Boyland.

The England U17 international is comfortable playing at left-back and centre-back, and it is the latter where he could come in handy at Stamford Bridge in the long term.

Chelsea are not short of centre-back options, even accounting for Koulibaly's departure, with Wesley Fofana, Thiago Silva and Benoit Badiashile currently the men to overtake for a starting spot.

Silva's illustrious career is coming to an end, though, and Pochettino could no doubt do with a left-footed centre-back who can perfectly complement right-footed Fofana, who will be hoping his Chelsea career can take off in his second season at the club.

As pointed out by The Guardian's Andy Hunter, Samuels-Smith 'is comfortable stepping into space with the ball and has an excellent passing range', making him perfectly suited to a Pochettino-managed side.

Not helped by a long-term injury lay-off, Fofana is coming off the back of a disrupted first season in west London following a move from Leicester City worth up to £75m. At that price, Chelsea will be eager to get a lot more out of the France international.

Fofana did still show some promise last season – his 1.3 interceptions per game in the Premier League being the second-most of any Chelsea player, according to WhoScored, while his 89.8 pass-success percentage was bettered only by Silva (91.3%) among Chelsea centre-backs.

Also ranked in the top 2% of all centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past 12 months for progressive carries (2.20 per 90 minutes), as per FBref, it is clear that Fofana has plenty to give the Blues.

With the reported imminent arrival of Samuels-Smith, who was named on the substitutes' bench by both Frank Lampard and Sean Dyche last season, Chelsea may just have found Fofana's ideal long-term partner.

Shapoor Zadran gave the large contingent of Afghanistan fans plenty to cheer at Lord’s during their historic first match at the ground before the weather closed in

Peter Della Penna at Lord's11-Jul-2017
Scorecard1:40

‘Keenly waiting to play Test cricket’ – Rashid

The sight of Shapoor Zadran running in with his long mop of hair flopping about as he leaps into his delivery stride has warmed more than a few Afghan hearts in the eight years since he made his national team debut.That warmth was needed on a damp and chilly day in London, and Shapoor provided more than enough to keep the 8000 fans who showed up in St. John’s Wood feeling snug and toasty. His three wickets shone through the intermittent rain on Afghanistan’s debut at Lord’s, the standout performance on a festive but frustrating day that ended with no result.When Shapoor bounded in with the new ball, he brought a declaration of intensity to his team-mates and the opposition that this was going to be treated as much more than a friendly exhibition. By his seventh ball, he had bounced out Brendon McCullum, cramped for room attempting an uppercut. At that stage, there were only about 3000 fans in the ground, but by the time he dismissed Chris Read for his third wicket more than three hours later, the crowd had swelled to more than double that.They may have taken up less than half the ground, but the full-throated roars for each diving stop, each sharp throw, each catch taken may very well have surpassed the decibel levels heard for the sellout crowds that turned out daily for the Test match completed on this ground just two days earlier. The Afghanistan fans were raucous, rowdy and resolute in their unwavering support despite the rain and a staunch challenge put forth by a very competitive MCC line-up.Sam Hain put up the biggest resistance. The other man involved in the Luke Fletcher incident from Saturday night at Edgbaston, Hain had a nervy start, perhaps the events of that day still fresh. It took him 17 balls to get off the mark, but two balls later he bashed a pull over midwicket for his first four. He settled into a groove soon after, producing a series of crisp drives through the off side and finished with eight boundaries in his 76 to top-score for MCC in their 40-over total of 217 for 6.Shapoor Zadran made his mark with early wickets•Getty ImagesAfter Shapoor claimed Misbah-ul-Haq caught behind in the seventh over, Hain combined with Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and then Samit Patel after Chanderpaul retired hurt, for a combined 150-run third-wicket stand. The partnership was interrupted twice by rain delays, the second of which came at the 18-over mark with the score 83 for 2 and lasted for an hour and 45 minutes. Lunch was taken during the delay, meaning only 10 overs were slashed from the original 50.Bigger than the roars for the wickets of Shapoor was the introduction of Rashid Khan, who was serenaded with chants of “Rah-SHEED! Rah-SHEED!” But the wily Chanderpaul blunted the star legspinner, and the crowd’s excitement simultaneously, with his arsenal of nudges and nurdles. Chanderpaul was forced off injured after being struck on the body attempting a pull against Dawlat Zadran in the 25th over. Samit joined Hain and the pair continued to keep Afghanistan’s bowlers at bay.It wasn’t until the slog overs that Afghanistan’s spirits were lifted once again in the field, rattling off a series of wickets caught in the deep to restrict MCC. Hain finally fell to end the 34th, pulling Gulbadin Naib to deep midwicket. Chris Read fell two overs later going after Shapoor for another caught behind. Samit slogged Rashid to the deep midwicket rope in the 38th for a well-made 52 and Naib had Yasir Shah edging behind on a big heavy with two balls left in the innings.After going wicketless in the field, most of the crowd were looking forward to Mohammad Nabi coming out to showcase his skills with the bat. Listed at No. 4, he never got the chance as rain ended play after just five overs of the Afghanistan chase. Noor Ali Zadran was the only wicket to fall, chopping on in the third over. After waiting for more than 90 minutes, the fans were delivered the inevitable news that there would be no more play. But it may have been enough of a taster to make them hungry for a return visit, possibly as soon as the 2019 World Cup.