A semana é repleta de expectativa para o Bragantino. Após 25 anos, o clube volta a disputar uma partida internacional e o desafio será o Deportes Tolima, clube da Colômbia, pela rodada inicial da Copa Sul-Americana.
Pouca gente lembra, mas a última vez que o Massa Bruta jogou um torneio continental foi em 1996, quando a saudosa Copa Conmebol estava no calendário dos clubes brasileiros.
No sistema de mata-mata, o Bragantino encarou logo de cara o Palmeiras. No primeiro encontro, no Nabi Abi Chedid, o Massa Bruta levou a melhor por 5 a 1, com show do atacante Kelly.
Na volta, o Verdão pressionou o Braga e a vitória aconteceu. Mas o placar de 3 a 0 a favor do Palmeiras fez o Massa Bruta permanecer na Copa Conmebol.
Na Segunda Fase o rival foi o Independiente Santa Fe. Na ida, o time de Bogotá venceu por 1 a 0, o que foi comemorado pelo Braga. Na volta, no interior de São Paulo, o empate sem gols eliminou o Bragantino.
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Tottenham Hotspur are fighting for a return to the Champions League in Ange Postecoglou's first campaign in the dugout, with the club falling by the wayside in recent years.
Shrewd investment in the transfer market is not exactly anything new under chairman Daniel Levy, widely accepted as one of the more economical figures in the Premier League, but thrifty spending hasn't always hit the mark.
Ange Postecoglou and Daniel Levy.
Sure, Spurs yield a chequered past in this regard, but well it goes right, it goes right. Gareth Bale is probably the gold standard in this regard, one of the Premier League's all-time greats and he didn't leave for a half-bad price either.
Why Gareth Bale is a Spurs legend
Levy saw a bargain and he snapped Bale up on an initial £5m deal from Southampton back in 2007, with the teenage left-back touted for big things and choosing the Lilywhites over Manchester United as he sought a path to prominence.
Spurs: Transfer business in 2007/08
Player
Signed from
Darren Bent
Charlton
Gareth Bale
Southampton
Alan Hutton
Rangers
Younes Kaboul
Auxerre
Jonathan Woodgate
Middlesbrough
Kevin-Prince Boateng
Hertha BSC
Adel Taarabt
RC Lens
Chris Gunter
Cardiff
Gilberto
Hertha BSC
Danny Rose
Leeds
It didn't go according to plan in those fledgeling days, with Bale regarded as an 'unlucky charm' after enduring a 24-match winless streak to start life in London, though an infamous two-legged affair against Inter Milan in the Champions League saw the Wales international bloom into a world-class phenomenon.
Completing a world-record £85m transfer to Real Madrid back in 2013, Bale draped the curtain on a staggering Spurs career, totalling 71 goals and 58 assists across 236 outings after enjoying a season back on loan at the club in the twilight phase of his career.
The iconic winger scored 26 goals alone in his final year in England (before moving to Madrid) and Levy needed to replace his goal threat, but actually found a replacement who had outscored Bale in Roberto Soldado.
The fee Spurs paid for Roberto Soldado
Harry Kane was stirring away in the maiden stage of his Tottenham career but he was not yet ready to flaunt his legendary goalscoring talents in the Premier League, and Soldado was landed to lead the strikeforce in 2013, joining from Valencia for £26m.
Roberto Soldado
He had, in fairness, plundered 30 goals from 46 appearances in all competitions for his La Liga outfit during the 2012/13 term and looked to be a reliable and exciting new member of Tottenham's team.
Let's just say it didn't go to plan,
How Soldado is remembered at Spurs
Journalist Kevin Palmer lamented Soldado for being "so useless" that Tottenham failed to impress in the Europa League during the 2014/15 campaign, losing in the last 16 against Fiorentina in part due to the Spaniard's profligacy.
First Impressions
What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.
In total, Soldado chalked up 13 goals and 11 assists across 74 matches for Spurs but this doesn't even paint the full picture of a player who drastically underperformed, incapable of leading the line to even the semblance of Bale in his free-scoring brilliance.
Roberto Soldado: Spurs Record by Comp
Competition
Apps
Goals
Assists
Premier League
52
7
6
Europa League
13
4
1
FA Cup
4
0
3
League Cup
5
2
1
Europa League Qualifying
2
3
0
All stats via Transfermarkt
Realistically, all seven of the signings made to replace Bale fell wide of the mark – bar Christian Eriksen – but Soldado really was the worst of the bunch, giving the transfer fee and weight of expectation after such clinical efforts in Spain.
Soldado flattered to deceive at Tottenham but Levy's blushes were spared two years on as Kane began a ridiculous rate of scoring at Spurs for the best part of a decade.
Still, journalist Sam Tighe mused that Soldado might have been the "flop of the season" – he really was that bad.
أعلن نادي المصري عن تفاصيل الإصابة التي تعرض لها خالد صبحي مدافع فريق الكرة مع منتخب مصر في مباراة موريتانيا الأخيرة ضمن منافسات تصفيات كأس أمم إفريقيا.
وتعرض خالد صبحي للإصابة خلال مباراة مصر أمام مضيفه منتخب موريتانيا، والتي أقيمت على ملعب شيخا ولد بيديا بالعاصمة الموريتانية نواكشوط وانتهت بفوز الفراعنة بهدف نظيف.
طالع.. فيديو | مدافع منتخب مصر يغادر مباراة موريتانيا مصابًا
ونشر نادي المصري عبر صفحته الرسمية على موقع التواصل الاجتماعي “فيس بوك”، أن تقارير الآشعة التشخيصية باستخدام الرنين المغناطيسي التي خضع لها خالد صبحي، أثبتت إصابة اللاعب بتمزق من الدرجة الثانية في عضلة السمانة.
وصرح بذلك محمود الشحات، طبيب المصري، مضيفًا أن خالد صبحي سيخضع غدًا الخميس للحقن بالبلازما، وهي الخطوة التي تهدف إلى سرعة تماثل اللاعب للشفاء.
وأتم طبيب المصري أن اللاعب سيبدأ في برنامجه التأهيلي والعلاجي على الفور، على أن يتم مناظرة حالته بشكل دوري حتى يتم له السماح بالعودة للمشاركة في التدريبات الجماعية حال تماثله التام للشفاء.
South Africa batsman also believes they have got an opportunity to make a strong statement in the series against India and bounce back from the World Cup debacle
Liam Brickhill11-Sep-2019
Rassie van der Dussen celebrates his fifty•AFP
Rassie van der Dussen believes Quinton de Kock will “lead by example” in the upcoming three-match T20I series against India. With regular captain Faf du Plessis rested, de Kock has been given the chance to lead the T20I side, as South Africa trial leadership options ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup.”Quinton is one of those guys who leads by example,” van der Dussen said. “He doesn’t always say a lot, but when he speaks he says really valuable things. You get some guys who talk a lot, and some guys who don’t. Quinny is one of those guys who prefers to lead from the front in terms of action. Everybody respects him for that.”De Kock, 26, is a regular starter for South Africa across formats and has lead the team twice before in ODIs in du Plessis’ absence during South Africa’s trip to Sri Lanka last year. He will be in charge of a fairly young side post a World Cup shake-up.”We obviously know what he is as a player and how many games he’s won for South Africa, and what he brings to the team in terms of cricketing capability. I think having the leadership band around his arm is just going to bring more out of him. He really wants to do well in India, always. We as a team really want to walk away with a series win. Everything we do is gearing up to that.”The South African squad has been put through their paces during the course of two “very tough” training sessions since their arrival in Dharamsala, where they will play the first of three T20Is on Sunday. Van der Dussen said the conditions there were “just a bit worse in terms of humidity and heat” compared to that of Durban’s.”The boys have really worked hard. But we’re playing against India, so we know we have to be at our best and put the hard yards in,” van der Dussen said. “A few years ago, the Proteas played here and we beat India by seven wickets, chasing down 200. So it’ll be a very good wicket to bat on. It will be challenging for the bowlers. The boundaries are about 65 metres all around, which is not very big. We know what India is going to throw at us, and we’re preparing accordingly.”Just two members of South Africa’s squad – David Miller and Kagiso Rabada – were part of the playing XI that beat India at this venue the last time South Africa visited, but de Kock also has extensive experience of Indian conditions from his several IPL stints.”Wherever you go, you’ve got to look at the conditions and the guys who know the conditions.”Guys like Quinton and David Miller have played a lot of cricket here, so all of us that are having our first experience in T20 cricket here will look to feed off them and talk to them, and ask a lot of questions about how the conditions will play, the different bowlers. We’ve got to use everything we can to our advantage against a very strong Indian side, so we’ll definitely look to do that.”The upcoming T20Is will mark South Africa’s first international engagement since the World Cup in England earlier this year. Van der Dussen said that the games will allow South Africa to bounce back from their disastrous run at the tournament and also begin their preparations for the T20 World Cup in Australia next year.”We had a disappointing World Cup campaign, so now we’ve got the opportunity to make a really strong statement and bounce back from that,” he said. “There’s a T20 World Cup in just over a year. We’ve got 20 T20 games before that, so this will show us exactly where we are, playing against one of the strongest teams in the world. If we win, we know we’re on the right track. If we fall short in one or two of the games, we’ll know exactly what we need to work on.”India is one of the strongest teams in the world. They’re in their home conditions. For us, it’s going to be a massive challenge. They’ve been together and played some cricket recently against the West Indies. That will give us the advantage of seeing who is in their squad and what they’re likely to do.”
O Internacional fez mais uma vítima no Beira-Rio. Com ritmo de jogo acelerado, principalmente na etapa final, a equipe comandada por Miguel Ángel Ramírez goleou o Juventude por 4 a 1 e faturou uma vaga na final do estadual.
+ É tetra! Confira os memes do título do Bahia na Copa do Nordeste
O placar elástico tornou-se um costume do Inter. Somente dentro de casa, os últimos quatro jogos terminaram com goleada do Colorado.
Antes do Juventude, o time havia massacrado o Esportivo, Deportivo Táchira e Olimpia, os dois últimos pela Libertadores da América.
Com a vaga na final garantida, o Internacional espera por Grêmio e Caxias, que definem neste domingo o segundo e último classificado para a decisão.
Confira os placares: Inter 5 x 0 Esportivo Inter 4 x 0 Deportivo Táchira Inter 6 x 1 Olimpia Inter 4 x 1 Juventude
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The first two rounds have thrown up some mixed results for Australia’s Test incumbents and contenders
Alex Malcolm22-Oct-2019
Marcus Harris drives through cover•Getty Images
Who’s going wellMitchell Starc probably made the biggest statement this week. On a Drummoyne Oval surface that is typically batsmen-friendly he tore through Tasmania, taking 10 for 60 in 44.2 overs across the match. He bowled with serious pace after making some minor technical adjustments with New South Wales bowling coach Andre Adams and looks to be coming together nicely for Brisbane. The other quick who has put himself back in the mix is Jhye Richardson. He has bowled superbly for Western Australia taking nine wickets in three innings at an economy rate of under two. He is bowling as quickly, if not quicker than prior to his shoulder injury. On a batting front no one is hammering the door down. Shaun Marsh’s double hundred will inevitably spark the almost annual debate over his career while Tom Cooper and Nic Maddinson also cashed in with doubles on the flat Junction Oval pitch but are some way from the Test mix. Marnus Labuschagne has scores of 69, 52, 32 and 72 not out which on the surface doesn’t jump off the page, but given the difficulty of the batting conditions at the Gabba they have been impressive returns.Who’s doing enoughDavid Warner will be in Brisbane after an outstanding century on a difficult surface against Queensland at the Gabba. There will be dissenting voices claiming he has two other low scores but that is part and parcel of opening the batting in Shield cricket in October. Marcus Harris could claim to have done enough to retain his place with a hundred and a half century in three innings. The century will have an asterisk next to it, however, given it came at the Junction Oval where 12 wickets fell in four days. He was also dropped twice in the innings. Of the genuine contenders, Will Pucovski is doing enough to keep his name in the mix. Like Harris he has a century and a half century to his name on the same pitches. He has four Shield hundreds now in 13 matches at an average of 54.45. There will be a lot of public support for his inclusion. Tim Paine’s spot was never in jeopardy but he quietened any murmurs with his first Shield century in 13 years, on the same day Alex Carey produced a century in Melbourne. James Pattinson’s figures don’t leap out but he bowled some outstanding spells against South Australia and Western Australia without much luck. He deserves to be in contention to play in Brisbane. Michael Neser was part of the Ashes squad and has done his chances to debut in Australia no harm with 10 wickets in four innings, including 5 for 56 against South Australia. He’s doing enough to stay in the frame although conditions in Brisbane have certainly favoured the bowlers.Who needs to do moreYou could mount an argument Matthew Wade has done enough to be picked for Brisbane. Scores of 40, 20, and 40 suggest he’s still playing well but he knows there are no guarantees, despite two Ashes centuries. Usman Khawaja is under pressure. Scores of 1, 24, 2, and 0 have done nothing to push his case for a recall, although his failures in the last match against South Australia need deeper scrutiny from the selectors as he appeared to be the victim of not one but two questionable umpiring decisions. He has also batted in the toughest conditions in Australia, although Labuschagne’s success makes those mitigating circumstances harder to argue for. Travis Head made a painstaking and unconvincing 51 against Victoria but butchered a golden chance to make a monstrous century as Cooper did on a road at the Junction Oval. He followed that with a 25-ball duck and 12 against Queensland, falling to two loose shots. Cameron Bancroft’s form has dropped off quite significantly since his impressive performance in the Southampton practice match prior to the Ashes. He has scores of 30, 0, 10 and 6 not out so far this season and isn’t in the Test frame at this stage. Joe Burns was a man to watch but he probably hasn’t done enough to dispel whatever doubts that continue to surround him as a Test player, despite batting on some tough tracks. He has reached 20 in three of his four innings at the Gabba but his highest score is only 52. Peter Siddle, who played in Australia’s last Test, has been injured but did not set the world alight in his first game back against Western Australia.
Na noite deste sábado, o Fluminense realizará uma açãode conscientização e combate à pandemia na final do Campeonato Carioca, contra o Flamengo, no Maracanã, às 21h05. O Tricolorentrará em campo com a frase”#É pelo Flu, é pelas vidas” estampada na camisa da equipe.
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CONFIRA A NOTA DO FLUMINENSE O Fluminense Football Club realiza neste sábado uma ação de conscientização e combate à pandemia. Em homenagem aos mais de 446 mil mortos pela Covid-19 em todo o Brasil, o Time de Guerreiros entrará em campo nesta noite para a final do Campeonato Carioca diante do Flamengo, às 21h05, no Maracanã, estampando em sua camisa a frase “#É pelo Flu, é pelas vidas”.
O Tricolor vai divulgar em suas redes sociais informações importantes para o combate à disseminação do novo coronavírus, como medidas de prevenção do contágio, sintomas do vírus, alertas sobre a importância da vacinação e telefones úteis para esclarecimentos e atendimento médico.
Ciente da importância do futebol na vida de tantos, sejam crianças, jovens ou idosos, o Fluminense espera contribuir para a maior efetividade da campanha de vacinação. Parafraseando nosso hino, com a devida licença poética que o momento permite, “vacina pela sua disciplina”.
يعود فريق الكرة الأول بنادي النصر السعودي للمواجهات المحلية بعد الفوز على استقلال طهران في دوري أبطال آسيا، وذلك بمواجهة الخلود.
ويحتضن ملعب استاد مدينة الملك عبدالله الرياضية، مباراة النصر والخلود في الجولة الثامنة من الدوري السعودي للمحترفين.
طالع.. مباشر بالفيديو | مباراة النصر والخلود في الدوري السعودي.. إعلان التشكيلين
ويحتل النصر المركز الثالث في سلم ترتيب الدوري السعودي للمحترفين برصيد 17 نقطة حصدها من 7 مباريات.
وحقق فريق النصر الفوز في 5 مواجهات وتعادل في مباراتين فيما لم ينل أي خسارة.
أما فريق الخلود فيقبع في المركز الخامس عشر في سلم ترتيب بطولة الدوري السعودي برصيد 5 نقاط، وذلك بالفوز في مواجهة واحدة والتعادل في مباراتين، فيما تلقى 4 خسائر. موعد مباراة النصر والخلود في الدوري السعودي
ومن المقرر أن تنطلق مباراة النصر والخلود الساعة 06:05 بتوقيت مصر والسعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة النصر والخلود اليوم
وتذاع المباراة عبر فضائية ssc HD وssc SD. معلقين مباراة النصر والخلود
وقررت شبكة قنوات SSC اسناد مهمة نقل فعاليات وأحداث المباراة للمعلقين عائد العصيمي وفارس عوض وأحمد النفيسة.
ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنـــا
Glasgow Rangers enter the international break with the chance for a much-needed rest.
The Ibrox side have been ravaged by injuries of late and with the prospect of nearly two weeks without a fixture, it gives Philippe Clement the opportunity to nurse some players back to full health.
Being knocked out of the Europa League may be a blessing in disguise as the Gers chase Premiership and Scottish Cup glory in the coming weeks.
Led by James Tavernier, the Gers are hitting form at precisely the right time, with the captain front and centre of the recent rejuvenation under Clement.
James Tavernier’s statistics for Rangers this season
Last season, under Michael Beale and Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Tavernier scored 18 goals and registered ten assists, although the club failed to secure any silverware.
Three goals in the Champions League qualifiers was not enough to see Rangers secure a place in the group stage after a defeat to PSV Eindhoven. Tavernier was uncharacteristically barren in front of goal domestically under Beale during the embryonic stages of the season, scoring just once.
James Tavernier's statistics at Rangers
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
2023/24
47
21
10
2022/23
55
18
10
2021/22
58
18
17
2020/21
46
19
16
2019/20
46
3
16
2018/19
57
17
20
2017/18
46
9
9
2016/17
44
2
7
2015/16
50
15
23
Via Transfermarkt
Following his dismissal and Clement’s appointment, the captain has been on a different level to anyone else in the squad. Not only has he found the back of the net on 15 occasions under the Belgian in just 32 games, but the defender has also chipped in with eight assists.
These goals have seen the 32-year-old take his tally to an impressive 122 since signing for the club in 2015. Add in the fact he has also grabbed 127 assists, and it is fair to say the Gers may never see his like again.
Tarvernier's contract expires in 2026, when he will be closing in on turning 35, and it is clear he does not have much longer at the very top, suggesting Clement may need to start searching for a successor sooner rather than later.
Could he potentially have someone right under his nose? As Adam Devine is enjoying a promising loan spell at Motherwell.
How Adam Devine is doing on loan at Motherwell
Having made just one appearance for the Light Blues during the opening six months of the season, Clement allowed the youngster to join fellow Premiership side Motherwell on a loan deal until the end of the campaign in order for him to gain some game time.
“Adam is a promising, young talent,” said Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell upon his arrival.
“I hope he brings energy and enthusiasm. This is a chance for him to prove himself at this level and I look forward to working with him.”
So far, Devine has played six league ties for the Steelmen, scoring once, averaging 0.5 key passes per game, succeeding with 100% of his dribbles and winning 63% of his ground duels for the club, indicating how well he has settled in.
This temporary spell could be just what he needs to build up some confidence ahead of 2024/25 as he will be aiming to secure more opportunities at the Light Blues and fully realise his true potential.
Adam Devine’s record at Rangers
The right-back was hailed as “highly rated” by then Partick Thistle manager Ian McCall after he joined for a brief loan spell in 2021, but a year later, he made his debut for the Ibrox side.
Van Bronckhorst gave him his first start in the final league game of the 2021/22 season as he was resting players ahead of the Europa League final days later and Devine was solid.
Rangers defender Adam Devine.
He succeeded with 100% of his dribble attempts, made six clearances, made two tackles and took 79 touches during the game as he looked to get involved at every possible opportunity.
An injury crisis at left-back during the festive period the following season saw Devine start three consecutive matches, performing above board in place of Borna Barisic.
During his six league appearances that term, the 20-year-old provided a clear attacking threat, creating two big chances, averaging one key pass per game and once again succeeding with 100% of his dribble attempts as he looked to support the team when they were attacking.
His flexibility in being able to play either on the left or right side of the defence is a big bonus for Clement, and in the coming years, he could be perfect for Ross McCausland on the right wing.
Ross McCausland's season in numbers
The Northern Irishman has enjoyed a fabulous breakthrough campaign at Ibrox during 2023/24, taking his opportunity following injuries to key players.
From making his first appearance of the season against Aris Limassol in October to the time of writing, the 20-year-old has made 30 appearances for the Light Blues, scoring twice and registering three assists.
While he is an excellent talent, placing too much pressure on his young shoulders could have a detrimental effect, as just one bad performance for Rangers can see certain sections of the fanbase jump to criticise him.
Devine at right-back and McCausland on the right wing is a duo which could be formed over the coming years if both live up to their vast talents.
There is no doubt Clement is all for developing youth talent, with McCausland and Cole McKinnon obvious recent examples, and if the player is good enough, then he should be given at least a chance to showcase his worth in the first team.
Establishing a player trading model will be key for success in the transfer market over the next few years, as the club simply cannot afford to keep splashing out fees on players who are not at the required standard.
This could see several players from the academy make a step up to the first team and fill in gaps in the squad that otherwise may have gone to journeymen or seasoned professionals.
Devine’s loan spell at Motherwell is going well so far and without putting too much pressure on the Scot, if he continues to shine, his confidence levels will be on a high heading into pre-season prior to 2024//25.
The dispute relates to the use of player names and images in a fantasy game related to the MSL
Firdose Moonda04-Dec-2019
Getty Images
Cricket South Africa has responded to the threat of a player strike, which could be discussed at a South African Cricketers’ Association board meeting on Friday. The dispute relates to a possible second breach of commercial rights by CSA. On Wednesday, the SACA commenced a formal process against CSA for using the names and images of players in a fantasy league game related to the Mzansi Super League (MSL), without acquiring the rights to do so.Later on Wednesday evening, CSA released a statement saying it had already requested Dream11, the fantasy game in question, to “cease the use of the player attributes”, with transcripts of emails attached as proof.”When the matter was raised by SACA last month, I notified the sales agency of Dream11 to cease the use of the player attributes until a resolution was reached on the issue and conveyed this to SACA,” the statement quoted CSA chief commercial officer Kugandrie Govender as saying. “I also requested a meeting between ourselves and SACA to discuss what payments are applicable, and to discuss the issue of Dream11 being a betting organisation or not. I attach e-mails sent to Mr Irish for the sake of removing any doubt as to the start of the engagement on this matter.”It is not our intention to short-change anyone that needs to be compensated, least of all players who are our very own. To this end, I would hope that we can meet as soon as possible with SACA to bring this matter to a satisfactory conclusion.”This follows a dispute last month when the SACA launched a dispute into CSA’s delay in paying commercial rights fees from the inaugural edition of the MSL in 2018. The money, understood to be around R 2.4 million (USD 165,000 approx), was paid more than a year late and three CSA employees – interim director of cricket Corrie van Zyl, COO Naasei Appiah, and head of sponsorship and sales Clive Eksteen – were suspended for alleged dereliction of duty in not handling the payment more efficiently. The SACA insisted CSA CEO Thabang Moroe was also involved.Now, with a second commercial rights infringement, SACA members will be asked to consider what the organisation calls a “very last resort”, in taking industrial action against CSA.”SACA has called a meeting of its Players Executive Committee and its Management Board for Friday 6th December 2019,” Tony Irish, the SACA CEO, said in a statement. “At this meeting, we will again be discussing the manner in which SACA and the players are being treated by CSA. This discussion is likely to include the possibility of the players taking some form of industrial, or protest, action.”SACA has always considered strike, and other similar forms of industrial action, to be a very last resort and in SACA’s 17 years of dealing with CSA to date not one day of cricket has ever been lost to industrial action.”Irish said the SACA made repeated attempts to engage CSA over the fantasy game, including requesting CSA to consult with its anti-corruption unit to ensure the players are distanced from any association with betting.”SACA has requested CSA to obtain clearance from its anti-corruption unit to ensure that this use of players in a pay-to-play game does not in any way constitute an association of the players with gambling, or encouragement of betting practices, which are not permitted under CSA’s anti-corruption code. As far as we know this request has been ignored by CSA,” Irish said. “This is yet another instance, in a growing line of instances, where CSA has flagrantly disregarded our agreements and, over the last week or so, failed to address SACA’s resulting concerns. We now feel that enough is enough.”In its statement, CSA said Dream11 – which operates in India – was a “skill-based fantasy gaming platform”, and not a “betting/gambling platform”, and that while cricket betting is illegal in India, fantasy gaming is not.”As far as the anti-corruption issue is concerned, we have established that Dream11 is a skill-based fantasy gaming platform and not a betting/gambling platform,” the CSA statement said. “For the sake of clarity, it primarily operates in India where sports betting/gambling is illegal and where fantasy gaming was declared legal by the High Court. Please see https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/playing-fantasy-games-online-not-betting-high-court/articleshow/59925686.cms as an example of many sources of clarification in this regard.”The SACA’s relationship with CSA has never been more strained with disputes dating back to early 2018. CSA delayed the negotiations of a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the SACA, which essentially lays out the terms and conditions for player contracts, and the old MOU expired three months before a new one was completed. The SACA also claims CSA did not consult it about a proposed restructure to the domestic system which will see the six-team franchise set-up done away with and 12 provincial teams installed in their place, effectively removing an entire tier of domestic cricket. The SACA believes around 70 cricketers will lose their jobs and have taken CSA to court, demanding the organisation shows cause of the restructure. The case is ongoing.Also on Friday, the SACA will decide on a new CEO, with Irish’s last day at the organisation scheduled for December 13. Irish is relocating to the UK, where he will head up the Professional Cricketers’ Association, and leaves after 17 years with the SACA, at a time when South African cricket is in crisis.Events of the last few weeks have seen widespread calls for the CSA board and CEO to step down following issues ranging from revoking the accreditation of journalists without cause, to the delay in appointing a director of cricket, and to CSA’s financial woes. CSA previously said it is planning for a R 654 million (USD 45 million approx) loss in the next four-year cycle but SACA put the figure closer to R 1 billion (USD 69 million approx).GMT 1845 The story was amended to include CSA’s response.