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Brighton & Hove Albion have begun their season in emphatic fashion, notching up an impressive four victories from their first five, including wins over Luton Town, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Newcastle United and Manchester United.

The Seagulls took flight last season and successfully landed on the prize of Europa League football, carrying that scintillating form into this campaign as they aim to go one better by qualifying for the Champions League.

Brighton's meteoric rise on the South Coast has been formed from the humble foundations laid by chairman Tony Bloom, scouring leagues outside of Europe for the best young talent and landing their chequebook on the likes of Alexis Mac Allister, Moises Caicedo and Yves Bissouma, who arrived as unknown quantities, developed into stars at the Amex before being sold for substantial amounts of money.

Who are Brighton's most sought-after talents?

While those who departed left a legacy at the football club, the remaining stars are creating one, as Kaoru Mitoma, Pervis Estupinan and Evan Ferguson were all acquired for low fees and have since seen their value skyrocket after producing moments of brilliance for the club.

The latter of that trio has taken brilliance to a new level, becoming only the fourth 18-year-old to score a hat-trick in the Premier League with the club slapping a £120m price tag on the Republic of Ireland international.

With Brighton doing their best to scare the big clubs away from the teenage prodigy, Ferguson is threatening to become the latest triple-figure asset to be sold by the club, but he isn't the only talented Republic of Ireland youngster they have at their disposal.

Academy star Mark O'Mahony is making a name for himself in the youth setup.

Who is Mark O'Mahony?

In January, Brighton sent their scouts to Ireland, and they came back with who they thought would be the next young prodigy from that part of the world as Mark O'Mahony left Cork City and signed a contract with the Seagulls until June 2025.

Praised by his former manager Colin Healy for being a "very talented" player, the 18-year-old showcased that talent by being named the FAI’s U17 Men’s International Player of the Year for 2022 having chalked up six goals in ten appearances for the Republic of Ireland U17's.

Having shone on the international stage for his country, the teenage sensation has translated that form to club level with an impressive five goals in his first four appearances for the Brighton U21s this season, one behind Premier League 2's top scorer, Dom Ballard.

Following his nomination for the Player of the Month award in PL2, O'Mahony has received plaudits for his excellent form, with journalist Dylan O'Connell labelling him as "one to watch".

Fellow Irishman, Ferguson, chalked up 18 goals in 39 appearances for Brighton's U21 and has since gone on to show his prolific nature in the Premier League.

Indeed, he already has four goals in five this season – and if O'Mahony can carry on his rich vein of form, he could make a rapid rise to stardom, following in his fellow countrymen's footsteps.

Arsenal could already be looking ahead to next season, just two games into the 2023/24 campaign, with a new report linking the Gunners with a sensational transfer move next year.

Focusing on this term, Mikel Arteta has recruited strongly in the summer transfer window so far, hiring Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber and David Raya to bolster his squad in the hope to better the highs of last season.

With two wins in two, things are rolling at a maximum success rate for the north Londoners, however there remains room for improvement with a few names listed as potential new arrivals.

Who could Arsenal sign this summer?

After the devastating injury to Timber just 50 minutes into his Premier League debut, the Gunners have been linked to a number of defenders, including Barcelona centre-back Jules Kounde and Real Valladolid starlet Ivan Fresneda.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

While the injury to Timber is an immediate blow, another area that the Premier League runners-up were expected to bolster was their strike options, particularly when considering the absence of Gabriel Jesus and the pending departure of Folarin Balogun.

Perhaps this summer it looks unlikely that a striker will be recruited, however, a recent report by FootballTransfers has named the club as being interested in a blockbuster move for Brighton & Hove Albion forward Evan Ferguson in 2024.

The audacious report claims that the £100m Irishman is ‘on the radar’ of the north Londoners, for what is speculated to be a significant ploy to capture the teenager in the future.

What could Evan Ferguson offer to Arsenal?

Having sensationally been dubbed as a “good striker” by Kylian Mbappe prior to France’s match-up with Ireland, the 18-year-old has won the approval of those leading the way to forming the next era of generational talent.

In his breakthrough campaign last year, the robust centre-forward netted six goals and provided two assists in only 19 appearances, with only 10 of which coming from starts, via Sofascore.

The youngster has continued where he left off in the 2022/23 calendar, opening his scoring tally during the season opener against Luton Town at the Amex.

A move for the £20k-per-week teen could be deemed outrageous considering the price tag on his head, however, the matter remains that Arsenal need a reliable marksman, and they’re an extremely hard archetype to locate, whatever the level.

At just 18, Ferguson has shown that he can cut it in the top-flight already, with his talents suggesting that he could be a devastating addition to the Gunners should the report be believed.

In this instance, Arsenal should look to their north London neighbours who tortured the Reds by taking a chance on one of their young strikers, with a certain Harry Kane departing the capital as the Premier League’s second-highest all-time goalscorer.

At just 21 years of age, he enjoyed a breakthrough season at Tottenham.

Kane was given the chance to showcase what he would do, which resulted in him scoring 213 Premier League goals some nine years later.

The similarities extend further than that, though, as seemingly Spurs are also in the coveted race to sign the Irish wonderkid, reportedly viewing the teenage talent as a 'dream' replacement for the departed England skipper.

Further to that case, former Premier League goalkeeper Shay Given specifically likened Brighton's academy gem to the prolific marksman, as he said back in March this year:

"He's a number nine, he can drop off into the number ten position, similar to Harry Kane with all of his brilliant positions."

Fellow Irishman Damian Delaney also approved of this opinion, adding: "I agree with Shay – there are shades of Harry Kane about him when you watch him."

While Arteta’s side have hugely progressed in recent years, the club have still failed to equip a reliable goalscorer to their ranks, especially not one that was close to being as prolific as Kane.

In signing Ferguson, the Spaniard could give the Irishman a dedicated role in his squad, in a chance that just could follow suit to their neighbours in producing the next upcoming marksman, which would undoubtedly fire Arsenal up the ranks within England and Europe.

ودع الألماني يورجن كلوب فريقه ليفربول وجماهيره واللاعبين بصورة مؤثرة، بعدما قاده في المباراة الأخيرة له بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز لموسم 2023-2024.

وتغلب ليفربول على ولفرهامبتون بهدفين دون رد في ختام مباريات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “البريميرليج”.

وكانت هذه المباراة الأخيرة لكلوب مع ليفربول حيث يغادر منصبه كمدير فني للفريق بعد 9 سنوات قضاها مدربًا للفريق.

ونشر ليفربول مقطع فيديو لكلوب وهو في ملعب “آنفيلد” ويقوم بمصافحة الطاقم الفني واللاعبين.

وظهر كلوب وهو يصافح اللاعبين ومن بينهم كوانساه، ثم محمد صلاح الذي قام باحتضانه بصورة مطولة وتحدثا لبضع ثوانٍ، ثم توجه كلوب لاحتضان حارس المرمى أليسون بيكر وقائد الفريق فيرجيل فان دايك.

وخلال مسيرته كمدير فني لليفربول قاد كلوب الفريق للتتويج بـ الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز ودوري أبطال أوروبا وكأس العالم للأندية وكأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي، وكأس رابطة الأندية الإنجليزية (مرتين)، وكأس السوبر الأوروبي، وكأس الدرع الخيرية.

The final full-time whistle 🥹 #DankeJürgen pic.twitter.com/8m5bUhV9sT

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 19, 2024

Essex have promoted Anthony McGrath to the position of head coach after Chris Silverwood, who led the club to their first Championship title in 25 years, stepped down to take up the role of bowling coach with England.McGrath was part of the set-up under Silverwood and is widely respected at Essex, who became the first team in 12 years to win Division One immediately after being promoted. McGrath joined as assistant in 2016, after the departure of Paul Grayson, and focused on working with Essex’s batsmen.He was favourite to succeed Silverwood, who caught the attention of England after two impressive seasons in charge at Chelmsford. A new assistant for McGrath, who will have responsibility for overseeing the bowlers, will be appointed in due course.”I am absolutely delighted to be given this opportunity, and really excited to get started,” McGrath said. “I have thoroughly enjoyed my two years at the club so far and I am honoured to take over the head coach role at such a great county.”The club have put faith in me to take over the excellent job Chris did and really continue the success we have had over the last couple of years. I am thrilled, obviously we will miss Chris, but it is now time to move forward and I can’t wait to get back with the squad.””I don’t think much needs to change from the formula Chris and myself introduced a couple of years ago. Obviously I will put my own stamp on things, but we have a competitive squad of homegrown players who are all passionate about the club.”We know we need to keep improving, as people will target us now we are champions, but that is normal. Every single one of us needs to keep raising the bar as we can’t stand still and I will be working hard to make sure we all do that. If we improve ourselves every day over the winter and bring it into the season, we won’t be far away from success in all competitions.”A former Yorkshire allrounder, McGrath was capped in four Tests and 14 ODIs by England. He retired in 2013 and was took on the role of coaching consultant with Yorkshire before moving south to link up with Silverwood at Essex. Their first season in charge saw Essex promoted as Division Two champions.Derek Bowden, Essex’s chief executive, said: “Having had discussions with Anthony following Chris’ departure, it was clear he had the knowledge and passion to lead this club forward. He was an integral part of the success over the past two years and brings a continuity that we were keen to implement.”The players know how he works, we know how he works and ultimately he was the outstanding candidate to take the club forward. Now it is important he brings in the right assistant head bowling coach alongside him, and we will be working hard to fill this position in the coming weeks.”

West Ham United have been handed a boost in their efforts to sign Jonathan Tah this summer, with Kicker, via TeamTalk reporting that the defender wants to leave Bayer Leverkusen this summer.

What is the latest West Ham transfer news?

The Hammers may be heading into this season off the back of a Europa Conference League success, but with more European football looming and other Premier League outfits recruiting, they may need to act fast to add some more fresh faces to their squad. They are actually yet to make a single addition to their team over the course of the transfer window thus far, although that hasn't stopped them from being linked with a host of different names.

For starters, it looks like a deal is edging closer to send Scott McTominay to the club from Manchester United. The midfielder has himself been linked with a number of different sides this summer, but it appears that the Hammers are currently in the driving seat to land the Scot.

Discussions have reportedly been held over a transfer and how much he could potentially cost, with the Red Devils wanting "big bids" to even consider a sale. The same applies to Harry Maguire, another member of that United squad who has been on the wishlist of West Ham.

Are West Ham signing Jonathan Tah?

Maguire isn't the only defender the Hammers have been tailing either. They've also kept a close eye on Tah at Bayer Leverkusen, with the Premier League outfit asking about his availability earlier on in the window. Having made that initial contact towards the beginning of the summer – and been quoted his release clause of 18 million Euros (£15m) – there is now an update on the defender's situation in Germany.

According to Kicker, via TeamTalk, Tah has admitted he is "open" to a potential deal away and wants out of his club this summer, although he is also "aware" and content enough with his current situation in Leverkusen.

However, he could not hide his interest in perhaps securing a switch to England and the Premier League, as he also added that it has "always been his goal" to play in the top flight. With the Hammers having expressed this previous interest in his services then, they would provide a pathway for the centre-back to make his dream move into the division – and it might give them a bit of a boost in terms of luring him to club this transfer window.

If the Hammers did manage to sign him, then they would be getting a player who has often proved a reliable presence at the back and someone that has a lot of experience under his belt to boot. Tah, lauded as "excellent" by journalist Josh Bunting, has ten seasons of Bundesliga action to draw upon, having featured in a whopping 243 league games in total in that division.

However, he has never played away from Germany over the course of his career – and this summer could be the time he finally branches out and heads to England with West Ham.

West Ham United are still on the lookout for Declan Rice's midfield replacement, two weeks on from their captain departing for Arsenal in a British-record deal.

Who are West Ham signing to replace Declan Rice?

David Moyes' side have been linked with countless midfielders in the weeks before and since Rice's exit, namely Fulham's Joao Palhinha, Everton's Amadou Onana and Juventus' Denis Zakaria.

Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse is another name that refuses to go away, even if the England international is not strictly a like-for-like replacement for Rice in terms of their playing style.

According to The Guardian, West Ham are looking to bring in two midfielders with the windfall they received through Rice's sale, and have now stepped up their interest in Ward-Prowse.

How many free-kicks has James Ward-Prowse scored?

Southampton are said to value Ward-Prowse in the region of £40m, which is a large fee on the face of it considering the Saints were relegated to the Championship last season.

The 28-year-old boasts plenty of Premier League experience, however, having played 343 times at that level since making his Southampton debut in the competition on the opening day of the 2012/13 season.

Ward-Prowse has also played 11 times for England – though not since last year – and has scored a couple of goals in heavy wins over Andorra and San Marino in 2021.

With nine goals and four assists in a poor Southampton side last season, Ward-Prowse ranks in the top 13% of all midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for goals scored, as per The Analyst.

The Portsmouth native is also in the top 15% for chances created, showing that he is more than capable of doing a job in the Premier League, even if he was captain of a relegated side last time out.

Three of those nine goals were scored via direct free-kicks – the most of any player in the Premier League last season. Indeed, only Manchester United legend David Beckham (18) has scored more than Ward-Prowse in the competition's history.

That ability to both score and pick out a team-mate from set-pieces would be a major asset for Moyes, and would also bring back memories of fan favourite – at the time, at least – Dimitri Payet.

Payet has scored 14 direct free-kicks in his career, as per Transfermarkt, six of those during his 18 months at West Ham.

Indeed, after a run of netting via that method for club and country in 2016, Payet revealed he had stopped practising them on the training ground as there was no way to further improve his technique.

It is not too dissimilar in the case of Ward-Prowse, with former Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl previously hailing the midfielder as a "quality" player whose set-piece prowess was – and is, for now – "such a good weapon" for the Saints.

That is not the only similarity between the two players, either. Taking Payet's only full season at West Ham in 2015/16 and potentially Ward-Prowse's final season with Southampton last time out into account, the pair each scored nine Premier League goals.

The only notable difference is in attitude, with Ward-Prowse very much a team player. While he may not be able to replace Rice on his own, the Englishman can at least bring a bit of the past back to the London Stadium should he arrive.

Liverpool have been strongly linked with a move for Romeo Lavia this summer and now a new update from a reliable source could be present a huge opportunity for the club to advance on their target.

What's the latest on Liverpool's interest in Romeo Lavia?

According to The Athletic's football correspondent David Ornstein, the Southampton midfielder is one of the players under consideration as Liverpool are expecting a bid for Fabinho from Al Ittihad.

As per a report written for the publication, Ornstein reveals that the Reds are preparing for a £40m bid for their long-standing defensive midfielder and Lavia is named as a potential replacement.

A further analysis from Andy Jones in the same article reveals that whilst the Merseyside club retain an interest in Lavia, they are not keen on his £50m valuation set by the recently relegated club.

What position does Lavia play?

Reports of approaches for both Jordan Henderson and Fabinho from the Saudi Pro League in the last few days will leave Jurgen Klopp with huge decisions to make during his preparations for next season.

Whilst the German coach is all too familiar with FSG's 'sell to buy' transfer policy that ultimately creates hurdles for him to acquire the services of further new additions this summer, he will need to consider if he has enough experience in the centre of the pitch to sanction moves away for two of his most experienced assets.

However, an opportunity to add a younger talent into the midfield rebuild will be hard to ignore for the club and Lavia could be a great prospect for the next generation of success at Anfield, should Liverpool sanction the sale of Fabinho.

When comparing Lavia's output to his Liverpool positional peer, the Saints star outperformed Fabinho in a number of key defensive attributes per 90 minutes played including tackles won (2.43 v 2.13), interceptions (1.34 v 1.25), blocks (1.90 v 1.23) and successful take-ons (1.13 v 0.25), proving that he was a more prolific and confident ball-winner over the last 12 months.

The 19-year-old sensation – who was once hailed a "real diamond" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – was one of the most talked about talents in the Premier League over last season and despite Southampton's relegation to the Championship, has been lauded for his strong presence in the heart of his team.

Paul Scholes is one of many former professionals who have been in awe of Lavia's development and skill set, with the Manchester United legend analysing the youngster's strengths:

"He has got a pass in his locker and he is big and strong and likes to defend. He does not want to get forward too much and sits in front of the back four and sets the play in motion from there."

Indeed, there is a huge risk that comes with offloading a number of experienced players all at once, especially when they have a sound understanding of the manager's system and the club culture, which ultimately helps with bedding in newcomers who will learn from those leaders and mainstays that represent the team.

Fabinho has been a key component to Liverpool's success over the last half a decade and with three years remaining on his contract, continues to play a vital and trusted role in the team, something that will be hard to replace next season if he does exit for Saudi Arabia.

With that being said, the developments at Anfield over the coming days and weeks will definitely be one to watch, and it will be interesting to see whether Klopp is ready to dive straight into a complete transition of his midfield presence or retains his more experienced players for the campaign ahead.

The ultimate dream as an academy player must be reaching the first team with your closest friends, your teammates for years – those who have had the exact same journey.Mason Mount and Trevoh Chalobah lived that dream at Chelsea.It was not one with a fairytale ending, however, with Mount reportedly set to complete a move to Old Trafford, ending 18 years at the London club, where he became the player that managed to attract interest from Manchester United in the first place.With the news of his pending exit, Chalobah shared his emotional goodbye on social media.

What’s the latest on Mason Mount?

Amid a disappointing Premier League season last time out, finishing in the bottom half at Chelsea, Mount reportedly rejected the Blues’ contract offers and looked set to leave on a free next summer. And that’s when United swooped in.

Despite negotiations going back and forth, the Red Devils finally reached an agreement with the London club on a deal worth £60m, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Fans won’t like to admit it, but Chelsea will likely miss Mount next season. As per Opta, since the 2019/20 campaign, he has arguably been their best player, leading the way in appearances, chances created, goals and assists. The fact is, he was a crucial part of the squad at Stamford Bridge.

It’s a shame for the academy, too, having seen Mount make it all the way to the first team, before becoming a central figure for the Blues. With the potential to replicate the likes of Frank Lampard as a club icon, however, the England international moves on to the Red Devils.

For context of how unlikely an exit once seemed, if you told us that Mount would be heading to Manchester United a year ago, we’d have assumed a late-season fixture was taking place, rather than a transfer…

What did Trevoh Chalobah say to Mason Mount?

An emotional Chalobah seemed to issue a heartfelt goodbye to Mount – who he came through the academy with – saying on Twitter: “My boy.” – he also added a crying emoji and a broken heart.

Reaching the first-team, like Mount, the defender has since enjoyed many moments to remember, and will only be looking to add to his memories under new manager Mauricio Pochettino next season.

A fresh start under a new boss could see 23-year-old Chalobah establish a starting place for the Blues once more, amid the usual competition for places.

Pre-season will certainly be an important one, as Chelsea look to turn things around, even without Mount, to make a return to the Champions League places in the coming campaign.

Manchester United are "looking at" Firorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat as a potential summer target, but any deal would be "contingent on sales", claims Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

Manchester United transfer news – What's the latest on Sofyan Amrabat?

United have made a positive start to the summer transfer window, finally securing the signature of Chelsea academy star Mason Mount after their bid of £55m was accepted by the west London club following weeks of back-and-forth negotiations.

As good a signing as Mount is for the Red Devils, to compete for the title again, they will need to add yet more talent, and that is exactly what it looks like they plan on doing after Erik ten Hag told the United higher-ups: "If you want to play top four, you have to invest."

That investment looks to be going towards additional midfield reinforcements following their recent purchase.

Morocco star Amrabat is a player in which the club is particularly interested and could be available for as little as £30m, per the Daily Mail.

However, if the three-time European champions want to secure the signature of the 26-year-old, they will first have to free up the finances by selling several players in their squad, per Dharmesh Sheth.

He explained the situation on Sky Sports News, saying:

"We are told that he's a player that Manchester United are looking at and are aware of, it's thought though that anymore midfield additions at Old Trafford would be contingent on sales."

How good is Sofyan Amrabat?

It's been an unbelievable last 12 months for the Huizen-born "monster", going from a popular and effective player in Serie A for club side Fiorentina to a worldwide superstar thanks to the crucial role he played in helping his national side make their fairytale run to the World Cup semi-finals.

Either side of his performances in Qatar, he had a solid domestic season, with WhoScored giving the 6 foot 1 warrior an average rating of 6.46 across his 29 league appearances.

His underlying numbers suggest that there is even more to come from the battling midfielder.

According to FBref, who compare players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, he sits in the top 5% for pass completion, the top 8% for progressive passes and the top 11% for attempted passes, all per 90.

However, it was on the biggest stage of all, the World Cup, where he truly shone and demonstrated to the world just how good he could be.

So good were his performances for the Atlas Lions that journalist Nigel Adderley proclaimed him Morocco's "player of the tournament."

It was his display against France that drew particular praise from ex-pro Stuart Pearce, who lauded the midfield dynamo, saying:

"His drive, his energy, his leadership, everything that he stood for today, the French didn't have in their ranks."

If United can secure Amrabat's signature and do it for a price as low as the reported £30m, it could end up being one of the deals of the summer and, combined with Mount, make their midfield so much stronger for years to come.

Michael Rippon, Wesley Barresi and Roelof van der Merwe starred in Netherlands’ five-wicket win against Oman in Abu Dhabi

The Report by Peter Della Penna in Abu Dhabi15-Jan-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:20

‘Stoked to get a win’ – Borren

Netherlands shook off a rocky start in pursuit of Oman’s 146 – left-arm seamer Bilal Khan was on a hat-trick in the first over – as a 93-run stand between Man of the Match Michael Rippon and Wesley Barresi set the platform for their five-wicket victory. The top-seeded team in Group B hardly broke a sweat until two wickets in four balls accounted for both Rippon and Barresi to leave Netherlands needing 46 off 28 balls with two fresh batsmen at the crease.Roelof van der Merwe shone at the end, scoring an unbeaten 35 off just 15 balls. Oman’s bowlers continued to scratch and claw, claiming captain Peter Borren caught behind as Netherlands required 18 to win off the final 12 balls. But Max O’Dowd’s straight six into the Oman dugout four balls into the 19th over brought the equation down to a run a ball and van der Merwe’s sixth four clinched victory with four balls to spare.Self-inflicted woundsOman were competitive for long stretches of the match, but shot themselves in the foot several times to give the momentum back to Netherlands. Opener Zeeshan Maqsood was the only top-order batsman to fire for Oman. He creamed the first ball he faced for four over mid-off and continued to hum along – he struck three fours through the off side against Ahsan Malik in the sixth over – with the only trouble provided by Paul van Meekeren’s height and bounce.At the opposite end, Khawar Ali was bogged down scoring just 2 off his first 10 balls. In an effort to get unshackled, Khawar charged on the last ball of the ninth over and drove firmly back to Rippon, who deflected the ball onto the stumps with Maqsood run-out backing up too far.Khawar made it a double-whammy in the 14th over when he was involved in a comical run-out. He skied a slog against Rippon who backpedaled chasing the ball as Khawar took a lackadaisical start to make sure a new batsman wouldn’t be on strike, but Rippon spilled the catch and soon fired a throw. He missed and Timm van der Gugten mishandled the backup at short fine leg. A mix-up ensued between the batsmen for the overthrow and Ajay Lalcheta was halfway down the track when Khawar decided against the run and van der Gugten relayed the ball to Barresi at the striker’s end.Three balls later, Khawar ended a forgettable stay at the crease by dragging his back foot out on another attempted heave and was stumped for 17 off 26 balls. A 57-run stand between Naseem Khushi and Khurram Nawaz salvaged some respect for Oman to get them to 146 but much of the damage had already been done.Roelof van der Merwe finished on an unbeaten 35 off 15•Peter Della Penna

Van der Merwe gives the finishing touchFifteen deliveries, 15 scoring shots and zero dot balls for van der Merwe after arriving with the pressure rising in the chase. He tickled the first ball he faced – a yorker – past short fine leg for four and turning yorkers into runs was a recurring theme in his innings.The pivotal sequence came in the 17th over as Bilal returned after his first-over gems on the off stump line to Stephan Myburgh and Ben Cooper. Four of the first five balls in the 17th over bowled by Bilal were yorkers, but Netherlands scored off every one.The crème de la crème came on the third ball when van der Merwe took a step forward to convert it into a low full toss, carving it perfectly between point and backward point for four. Bilal dropped short on the last ball and van der Merwe pulled him with ease past short fine leg for another four to conclude a 12-run over. Van der Merwe dug out a yorker for the winning shot over point as well.”I think that in my time with the Netherlands, that’s Roelof’s best performance so far,” Netherlands interim coach Chris Adams said after the match. “We expect him to bowl well, we expect him to field well and we expect him to bring a lot in the change room. We also expect him to play innings like that and I think he’s been a little bit shy of doing that so far. It’s a tough time to come in and it was a tough ask today but he played the sort of innings which tends to determine T20 games.”Unsung heroPaul van Meekeren’s 1 for 21 in four overs made him the third-most economical bowler on the day, but that does not do justice to how much difficulty he posed for Oman’s batsmen. He set the tone for Khawar’s nightmare by greeting him with a bouncer in the fifth over and continued to use the short ball to great effect, something every fast bowler struggled with on the first day.Van Meekeren’s first three overs went for just nine runs. Even after an overstep in the 11th, Lalcheta couldn’t lay bat on the free hit. Several balls in his final over were mistimed in the air before falling safely in no man’s land. His only bad ball was his last delivery, a length ball swatted by Khushi that just cleared a leaping Pieter Seelaar on the midwicket rope for six. He may prove a handful for Scotland on Tuesday in a battle of Group B unbeatens.