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Glasgow Rangers were poised to secure a deal for talented Honduran winger Luis Palma just a matter of weeks ago, yet the move appears to have gone cold.

The Ibrox side stated their interest back in April, as Michael Beale sought a replacement for Ryan Kent on the left wing, as it was growing increasingly likely he would be departing the club. However, recent reports now claim that any potential deal for Palma is off due to Greek side Aris Thessaloniki demanding a fee of around £4.5m for the winger.

Having registered 13 goals and eight assists across just 36 matches for the Super League side – eight more than Kent achieved last term – he was looked upon as an ideal heir to the Englishman on the left wing. His statistics certainly suggested he could add some attacking dynamism to the wing which was sorely lacking during 2022/23.

It now appears as though Beale will have to look for an alternative to Palma, and he may already have a player in mind as the Light Blues have been linked with a move for LAFC winger Kwadwo Opoku, with a potential deal costing them €4.8m (£4m) as per the report.

This would work out cheaper than Palma, and with Opoku three years younger than the Aris star, it could even be a better long-term deal for the club.

Could Rangers sign Kwadwo Opoku this summer?

There is a big void to be filled on the left wing following the departure of Kent, and even though new signing Abdallah Dima can play across the front three, he is most productive on the right wing, signifying the need for Beale to splash out on a left-winger this summer.

The Gers face competition from Celtic for the LAFC starlet and will need to make a solid pitch about why choosing Ibrox is a better proposition than Parkhead, but it could certainly be worth the battle.

He played a key role for the club as they won the MLS Cup in 2022, registering 12 goal contributions across the whole campaign – eight goals and four assists – and he has carried this momentum into the 2023 season.

Across 26 matches so far, he has scored four goals and grabbed three assists, meaning he is fast on his way to improving on last year's totals. The Ghanaian also ranks fourth in the squad for successful dribbles per game (1.4) and sixth for big chances created (six), indicating that even though he is still developing, Opoku still has a high level of influence in the squad for these attacking metrics.

Lauded as “magnificent” by journalist Owuraku Ampofo after helping LAFC win the MLS Cup last year, it’s evident that the 21-year-old gem could be an excellent signing should Beale make a move for the youngster and one that could take the Premiership by storm.

A round-up of the first round of games from the Women’s World Cup Qualifiers, held on February 8, 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Feb-2017Mansi Joshi, the medium pacer, took three wickets in a single spell as India shot out Thailand for 55 and then completed the chase in 12.4 overs to register their second successive win. Thailand, who elected to bat, lasted just 29.1 overs, with only two batsmen getting into double digits. India’s spin trio of Deepti Sharma, Poonam Yadav and Rajeshwari Gayakwad picked up two wickets each.Harmanpreet Kaur, promoted to open, fell for 15, but MD Thirushkamini and Veda Krishnamurthy struck cameos – unbeaten on 24 and 17 respectively – to complete the formalities. India, who beat Sri Lanka in the tournament opener on Tuesday, are all but through to the Super Six stage.File photo – Ayabonga Khaka took astonishing figures of 10-6-9-2•Getty Images and Cricket AustraliaSouth Africa’s new-ball bowlers Shabnim Ismail and Ayabonga Khaka claimed five wickets between them to dismantle Scotland for 142 and give their side a six-wicket win at Mercantile Cricket Association ground in Colombo.Ismail picked up 3 for 30 in 10 overs; Khaka’s figures were more astonishing: 10-6-9-2. Having opted to bat, Scotland were reduced to 74 for 5 in 28 overs with Ismail and Khaka doing the bulk of the damage. Kari Anderson and Elizabeth Priddle then briefly rebuilt the innings by adding 58 runs in 16.5 overs. The stand ended in the 45th over when Priddle was run-out for 19. Anderson was bowled by Khaka in the next over, and Scotland crashed to 142 all out, Kirstie Gordon falling off the last ball of the innings.Dane van Niekerk, the legspinner, assisted Ismail and Khaka by taking two wickets. Chasing 143, South Africa lost Lizelle Lee and Mignon du Preez early but 35 each from Laura Wolvaardt and Trisha Chetty put the side back on track. Chloe Tryon then bashed 45 not out off 40 balls, including eight fours and a six, to seal South Africa’s second win in two days with six wickets and 101 balls to spare.Pakistan bounced back from their 63-run loss against South Africa to beat Bangladesh by 67 runs at the P Sara Oval. Legspinner Ghulam Fatima took three wickets while left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu and offspinner Sana Mir picked up two wickets each to dismiss Bangladesh for 160 after a string of cameos from the top and middle order guided Pakistan to 227.Having opted to bat, Pakistan started solidly with Ayesha Zafar and Nahida Khan adding 76 for the first wicket. Bismah Maroof, Rabiya Shah, Aliya Riaz all made thirties before Pakistan lost their last five wickets for just 15 runs.Bangladesh later collapsed in their chase, going from 62 for 2 to 160 all out. Sanjida Islam (34) and Nigar Sultana(41) were the only batsmen to pass 20, and apart from them only opener Sharmin Akhter and Fargana Hoque reached double-figures.File photo – Prasadani Weerakkody hit eight fours during her 81-ball 61•International Cricket CouncilFifties from Prasadani Weerakkody and Dilani Manodara, and a three-wicket haul from Inoshi Priyadharshani, headlined Sri Lanka’s rout of Ireland at Nondescripts Cricket Club in Colombo.Having chosen to bat, Sri Lanka lost their openers early, but Weerakkody and Mandodara lifted the innings, then cameos from the lower order pushed the score to 239. Isobel Joyce was the pick of the bowlers for Ireland, taking 4 for 39.Priyadharshani then ripped out the Ireland top order in the chase, and Weerakkody then took care of the middle order as the score became 69 for 7 in the 28th over. Ireland added only 24 more runs before they were wiped out with nearly 15 overs to spare in their innings. Clare Shllington – one of the two Ireland batsmen to move to double-figures – stayed unbeaten on 36 off 37 balls, including six fours.

The pitch for the second Test between India and Australia in Bangalore is expected to behave better than the rank turner in Pune

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Feb-2017The spotlight on pitches has returned to Indian cricket following their defeat inside three days on a rank turner in Pune by an unfancied Australian team. Preparations at the venue for the second Test, Bangalore, though suggest the playing surface might not be as extreme.R Sudhakar Rao, secretary at the Karnataka State Cricket Association, said that the groundstaff at M Chinnaswamy stadium were working towards providing a strip that helps a Test match last its entire duration. He also said the Indian team has not arrived on site yet and have not left any instructions to be followed either.”So far we have not been told anything,” he told , “Once they arrive, we have to see if they make any suggestions.”Our intention is to prepare a sporting, Test-match pitch. We want a five-day match. We definitely don’t want to see the match end in two and a half days.”The last Test match at the M Chinnaswamy stadium, between India and South Africa in 2015, was washed out with only one day’s play possible. That prompted a large-scale renovation and though the pitches on the square were untouched, the outfield itself was dug out to install a state-of-the-art drainage system. Bangalore has already hosted an international match since then – the T20I between India and England – but this will be its first Test since its makeover. PR Vishwanathan, the South Zone head of the BCCI’s ground and pitches committee, is expected to oversee preparations before it begins on March 4.For now, the Chinnaswamy deck, under the supervision of the in-house curator K Sriram, continues to get water. “We like to keep some moisture underneath. So we haven’t stopped watering it,” Rao said. “We’ll water it until two or three days before the match. Then we will see what the pitch looks like, two days out, and take a call.”On the first two days, the pitch should be good for batting and help medium-pacers. On days two and three there should be slow turn. Then on the last two days there should be more turn. I have told Sriram to prepare that kind of wicket,” Rao said “At least, that is our intention.”

Leeds United are still without manager after falling from the Premier League this year, but that has not stopped rumours filtering through of the club's interest in Amad Diallo.

According to The Mirror, the Manchester United winger has emerged as an option for a loan move this summer with Wilfried Gnonto eyeing a departure from Elland Road after relegation from the Premier League.

The Championship outfit's soon-to-be-confirmed owners, the 49ers, will be targetting a swift return to the top-flight, and the Ivorian could hold the formula after a prolific loan spell with defeated Championship play-off semi-finalists Sunderland.

Signing for the Red Devils from Atalanta for a fee potentially rising to £37m in January 2021, the 20-year-old is certainly an unlikely candidate given the historic rivalry between the respective outfits but it could serve as a move to fit the interests of all parties.

How would Amad Diallo perform at Leeds?

The £29k-per-week winger has only made nine appearances for Manchester United since his arrival, scoring one goal and supplying one assist, and after an indifferent loan spell with Scottish giants Rangers, Diallo has found his feet in England's north east.

With Sunderland returning from the obscurity of the third tier last term, a stellar season is the only way to describe the job that Tony Mowbray did in mounting a promotion push, with the one-year deal for Diallo proving a masterstroke as the prodigious talent served as the offensive centrepiece.

Indeed, the three-cap gem scored 14 goals and supplied four assists from 43 matches across all competitions, including a goal against promoted Luton Town in the play-offs – his feats are even more impressive when noting that he blanked across his first eight matches in the Championship.

Earning an average Sofascore rating of 6.98 after complimenting his direct return with an 86% pass completion rate, averaging 1.8 shots and 1.1 key passes per game, Leeds would inject a "wizard" of a winger, as he has been called by journalist James Copley.

He could even emerge as Elland Road's next Raphinha, with the Brazilian "magician" – as he has been hailed by Dan James – departing the club for Barcelona for £55m last summer.

Like Diallo, Raphinha is an electric flanker with the capabilities to conjure up something out of nothing from the right wing, darting inside onto his favoured left foot to wreak havoc.

Indeed, for the Whites, he posted 17 goals and 12 assists across his two Premier League campaigns with the outfit, and given that he averaged 2.2 and 2.5 shots, and 2.1 and 1.9 key passes a game – as per WhoScored -across the two terms, it's clear that Diallo can match his presence in the second tier as Leeds target an instant return.

Perhaps their dynamic nature can be best compared via their dribble success. Both can beat an opponent with ease out wide, with Diallo registering 3.72 progressive carries per 90 in the last year to Raphinha's four per 90.

Blessed with trickery and speed to bamboozle any defender, such a signing would surely have fans at Elland Road standing to attention.

Chelsea are reportedly leading the chase to sign goalkeeper Mike Maignan from AC Milan this summer as Mauricio Pochettino aims to significantly strengthen his squad.

What’s the latest on Mike Maignan to Chelsea?

According to Italian outlet Corriere della Sera, the Blues are one of the sides at the top of the list to sign Maignan this summer, and any potential move could cost the club around €70m (£60m).

The ‘keeper is refusing to sign a new contract with the Serie A side due to Paolo Maldini’s controversial departure from the Rossoneri recently, and this could allow the Stamford Bridge outfit to make a move for the Frenchman.

Could Mike Maignan improve Chelsea?

Pochettino looks set to undergo a full overhaul of the Chelsea squad during the transfer window, with the likes of Kai Havertz, Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante at least partly out the door, Todd Boehly is also keen on moving on plenty more, with Edouard Mendy another player who could leave, as a move to Saudi Arabia is being touted.

This would leave Pochettino with just Kepa Arrizabalaga as the sole choice for the No 1 jersey and while he kept nine clean sheets and conceded 33 goals across 29 Premier League matches, he has been dubbed a “liability” previously by former Chelsea defender Mario Melchiot, and perhaps a new direction will be taken ahead of Pochettino’s debut campaign.

Maignan enjoyed a stellar 2022/23 season, conceding only 27 goals from 29 appearances across all competitions, while also keeping ten clean sheets during those matches.

The “impressive” titan – as so dubbed by journalist Josh Bunting – has proven his ability across the big five European leagues during the previous 365 days, ranking in the top 11% for goals against per 90 (0.93) and percentage of penalty kicks saved (50%).

In contrast, the Chelsea shot-stopper ranks in just the top 24% for goals against per 90 (1.09), while he also hasn’t made a penalty save during the last 365 days, ranking him in the lowest 77% across Europe’s big five leagues. This indicates that Maignan could be an upgrade for Pochettino.

The 27-year-old could also give the new manager an abundance of leadership qualities from the back, having marshalled a side which lost eight times last season – the joint second-lowest in Serie A. This is something which was sorely lacking at the Blues last term as they struggled to a 12th-place finish in the Premier League.

Indeed, France manager Didier Deschamps lavished praise upon Maignan following a game against the Republic of Ireland in March, saying: “Mike has great qualities, his stature and his mentality. He saved a penalty last Friday, but this was more significant. I never had any doubts about him. He is a great leader and a great player.”

The eight-cap star could finally be the leader that Chelsea require in order to challenge for trophies once again, and following his impressive campaign, where he nearly led Milan to a Champions League final, a move to England certainly wouldn’t faze him in the slightest.

Alastair Cook has credited the backing he received from England supporters for persuading him not to quit as captain in 2014

George Dobell at Lord's07-Feb-2017Alastair Cook has credited the backing he received from England’s fans for persuading him not to quit as captain in 2014, at a time when his own employers were far less forthcoming in their support.Cook went into the third Test against India, at the Ageas Bowl in July 2014, facing what he considers “the most pressure I have been under as a player”. Not only was he short of runs – he had gone more than a year without a Test century and even James Anderson had scored more runs that him that summer – but England had recently returned from a whitewash in Australia, just lost a home series against Sri Lanka and were already 1-0 down in the five-match series.More than that, though, the fall-out from the Kevin Pietersen debacle was at its most intense. With others at the ECB unwilling (or not trusted) to poke their heads above the parapet, Cook was all but abandoned to defend the decision on his own. As a consequence, he became the focal point of criticism from those who disagreed with it, with Piers Morgan memorably calling him a “repulsive little weasel” on Twitter.’ECB hung me out to dry over KP’

“It was obviously a big part of my captaincy,” Cook told Nasser Hussain in an interview for Sky. “I felt like it wasn’t handled particularly well by the ECB. I know I was the lightning rod for it, every person thought it was my decision. I felt I bore the brunt of that, unfairly in my personal opinion. As much power you get as England captain, you don’t have the ultimate decision on that sort of thing.”
“Yes, I was part of the decision making, as six or seven other people were. I didn’t actually have that final trigger and I felt as if I was the only person who made that decision. I felt a little bit let down by the ECB by that one period where they kind of left me out to dry a little bit. But that’s all gone now. It’s part and parcel of the challenge of being captain. I can’t say now I have any regrets. I’ve tried, whether I got it right or wrong, to do what was the best for English cricket at that time.”

Unsurprisingly, such abuse quickly eroded Cook’s enthusiasm for the role and he has admitted previously that he went into that Southampton Test doubting his own abilities as captain and batsman, and far from certain he was the man to help England rebuild.But then, as he walked out to bat on the first morning of the game, he was struck by the warmth and intensity of the applause he was given. There were cheers when he scored his first run and a standing ovation when he reached fifty. Even walking on and off the pitch, the strength of support for him was striking. Though he eventually fell five runs short of a century, he had not only provided the platform for a series-turning result, but received reassurance that, whatever the media might say, he retained the fulsome support of the majority of England’s Test-watching public.”The reception I got at Southampton in 2014, when things were as tough as it got for me, that was a special moment for me that kept me in the job,” Cook said at Lord’s on Tuesday as he reflected on his period as captain. “It showed that the general cricket public actually wanted me to carry on and that was very special. I can’t thank the supporters enough, as well as my family and friends.Alastair Cook admitted he wished the KP saga had been handled differently•Getty Images”It was obviously a pretty tough moment. Obviously I was part of the team that made that decision about KP but there were certain times in 2014 when it did feel as if I was the only one who made it. I did bear the brunt of it and my wife saw a lot of it, and without her, and her family and my family, I would not have lasted as long as I did. That was certainly the toughest moment off the field.”While Cook admitted the Pietersen episode could have been handled better – “I do wish it was done differently,” he said – he insisted he had few regrets from his period as Test captain. Yes, there had been mistakes and challenges and things he would have done differently, but he has taken pride from overcoming the difficulties and can look back content that he has acted with the best of intentions.”I have been fairly true to myself along the way,” he said. “I have made every decision, whether it be having a third or fourth slip or picking a certain player, that seemed the right thing to do at the time. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. So no, I don’t have regrets. I gave it my best shot.”I’ve looked back in the last couple of weeks and been quite proud of what I have achieved. We won some good games and we lost some games as well. I have loved every minute of doing it. It has tested me and I was proud I managed to get through that and show some resilience. I am proud of what I have achieved.”Cook knew his time was up by the end of the Test tour in India just before Christmas. It wasn’t just that he felt “done” personally, it was that he felt the team had “stagnated” and could do with a fresh voice to drive them forward.”Getting on that plane leaving India, I would have been very surprised if I captained England again,” he said. “But I really wanted to give myself time to make sure it is the right decision because of what you are giving away. I didn’t want it to be an emotional decision.”But it was quite clear when I got home, those thoughts didn’t change. I just feel it’s a job you have to do 100 percent commitment to drive the team forward at all times. But looking in the mirror at the end of India, I felt I couldn’t do that. It might have been 95 percent but that’s not good enough and it’s not a job you hang on to like that. You need to be driving it forward.”In the last year, we have played some good cricket but we have lost eight games. We have kind of stagnated if we are being brutally honest as a team. There is a lot of work that needed to be done, I felt, and I just didn’t have that energy to do that.”I feel responsible for that stagnation. That’s part of the parcel of being captain. You are responsible. It’s not a one-man thing but ultimately the captain is part of that. The dressing room has been fantastic. The support of the players has been brilliant. It’s just I think that hearing a new voice could help.”Cook mentioned Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes as captaincy options – “They are very special,” he said, “who will come into consideration because of their standing in the dressing room and the way they drive things” – but accepted that Joe Root was “an outstanding candidate”.”The fact he’s been vice-captain for the last two years makes him the most likely candidate,” Cook said, “and Strauss has clearly seen some leadership qualities in him. He’s got a very, very good cricket brain, he’s a part of the newer generation of cricketers, and he’s a bloody good cricketer who demands respect in the dressing room because of that. I hope to be part of it in a slightly different role.”I really hope I am part of it in four or five years’ time because that will mean I’ve scored some runs and England are doing well. I genuinely love playing cricket. I really enjoy the challenge of batting. This decision will probably give me a bit more time to dedicate to it. In India, I was more worried about what was happening with other stuff than I was about my batting. That’s the first time that’s ever happened to me.”The timing, from Root’s perspective, might not be ideal. But Cook has earned the right to make what he refers to as a “selfish” decision. And he’s earned the right to the rest that he is enjoying now. He hasn’t picked up a bat since the end of the India series and doesn’t intend to do so until March. But you can be quite sure that, when England’s Test programme resumes in July, Cook will be the recipient of another warm ovation from England’s grateful supporters.

With Tottenham Hotspur now plotting to strengthen following the appointment of Ange Postecoglou, one transfer rumour that has particularly caught the eye is the links to Manchester United winger, Jadon Sancho.

According to a recent report from the Daily Star, the Lilywhites are said to be interested in making a £50m move for the England international this summer, with the 23-year-old having initially made the switch to Old Trafford on a £73m deal back in 2021.

The former Borussia Dortmund ace looks likely to be moved on by the Red Devils this summer amid claims that Erik ten Hag is willing to cash in on the 5 foot 11 trickster, with an asking price of around £60m having been suggested.

The one-time Manchester City youth product is currently facing such uncertainty at the Theatre of Dreams having provided just 18 goals and assists in 79 games across all fronts over the last two seasons, although those at N17 may well be hoping that they can revive the £350k-per-week forward's fortunes if he is to make the move to the capital over the coming weeks and months.

Should Tottenham sign Jadon Sancho?

There is no denying that Sancho is not looking like the player who previously burst onto the scene at Dortmund, having notably racked up 114 goals and assists in just 137 games for the Bundesliga side, prior to making his return to England.

That stellar form had unsurprisingly earned the wide man rave reviews, with his compatriot and former teammate Jude Bellingham having dubbed him "frightening" and "scary" back in 2021 due to the sheer scale of his talent.

That version of the London-born whiz would no doubt be a real bonus for Spurs if they could wrap up a deal, with there a potential for Sancho to form a devastating attacking partnership with his England colleague, Harry Kane, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

With it looking as if Kane will not be sold by chairman Daniel Levy this summer, the club's record scorer is set to lead the line yet again next term, having only recently ended the 2022/23 campaign with a staggering haul of 30 league goals to his name.

As Sancho's assist record in Germany would illustrate – a total of 64 assists in all competitions – the playmaker could well help to provide quality service to the 29-year-old in attack, while the current United man has also shown a willingness to try and make things happen at the top end of the in recent times, as he ranks in the top 8% among his European peers for touches in the attacking penalty area.

Even amid his current woes, the fleet-footed ace still ranks in the top 20% for shot-creating actions as a further marker of his creative ability in the final third, again suggesting that he could be the man to deliver the goods to Kane on a regular basis.

Of course – as the most recent campaign has shown – the latter man is almost able to make the difference on his own, yet having a fit and firing Sancho alongside him in the attack could be a truly mouthwatering proposition.

Having signed off his Big Bash League campaign with a match-winning last-ball six, Eoin Morgan looks forward to taking his form to India, where he will lead England’s limited-overs sides

Will Macpherson in Sydney04-Jan-2017As he leaves for India to captain England in three ODIs and three T20Is, Eoin Morgan could hardly have signed off his five-match spell with the Sydney Thunder in sweeter style. By smoking a straight six off Ben Hilfenhaus, he provided the Thunder with their first win of the defence of their maiden title.Given Morgan missed England’s tour to Bangladesh due to security concerns, the BBL was his first cricket since the English summer and he feels it has set him up well for the tour of India, especially since the pitch at the Spotless Stadium for his final game was slow and low, favouring spin.”I feel in pretty good touch,” Morgan said. “We played on a slow wicket tonight which prepares you well for subcontinental conditions. It hasn’t been too flat, so my preparation has been really good out here.”Morgan, having been 15 off 28, ended unbeaten on 71 off 50, his second half-century of a tournament in which he scored 159 runs at 39.75 to sign off as his team’s top-scorer. He explained that, as he bided his time building his innings, he was waiting to attack the Stars’ seamers.”Predominantly I was looking at the seamers. I thought [Adam] Zampa bowled really well. After watching Fawad Ahmed bowl, I thought pace off would be difficult. That was in the back of our minds. Zampa did pick up a wicket but it we were grateful it was towards the back end of his spell.”It’s an extraordinary feeling when you get one out of the middle like that. It’s a bit like standing on the tee and smashing one straight down the middle. When you hit it, you’re the only person who knows how well you’ve hit it. A very special feeling.”Morgan said he was sad to leave Sydney and reflected on his BBL experience as a whole.”We’ve always known it was happening [leaving early],” he said. “I would have loved to have stayed for the whole tournament, coming over for such a short space of time you never know how much impact you’re going to have. It’s a credit to [Thunder General Manager] Nick Cummins and [Head Coach] Paddy Upton who brought me in and trusted me with their confidence, so it’s unfortunate to go, but England beckons.”This is an unbelievable competition. I haven’t played for two years, and then played the three years before that. If I was to compare it to the first year I was here, it’s just completely different. It has grown three or four times. The fan base, the popularity, the public’s reaction to the tournament as a whole, it’s exceptional. There are people coming up who don’t necessarily watch cricket, and they’re engaging the whole time. That’s a huge strong point. I would love to come back.”

Anupam Sanklecha’s heroics, Delhi’s hard-earned win and Karnataka’s escape highlight the seventh round of Group B matches in the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Nov-2016Maharashtra picked up the four remaining wickets early on the fourth day to beat Assam by an innings and 52 runs in Chennai. Their second successive win brought them storming back into contention for a berth in the quarter-finals. Assam, resuming on 115 for 6, needed to wipe out a deficit of 171 more. KB Arun Karthik and Swarupam Purkayastha added 83, before left-arm spinner Satyajeet Bacchav sent back Purkayastha for 69. Two overs later, Mohsin Sayyad dismissed Abu Nechim Ahmed for a duck.Anupam Sanklecha, who took eight wickets in the first innings, fittingly picked up the last wicket – his 12th in the match and 26th in two games – as Assam were all out for 234, with Karthik stranded on 87. Earlier in the match, tons from Kedar Jadhav and Chirag Khurana took Maharashtra to 542 before Sanklecha ran through Assam’s batting. His eight wickets in Assam’s first innings, gave them a 286 run lead.Delhi survived a final day collapse before they reached 153 to beat Rajasthan by two wickets in Wayanad. They started the day on 51 for 3, needing 102 runs more to win. But overnight batsman Vikas Tokas was bowled by Pankaj Singh ten runs later, before Shikhar Dhawan, on a comeback trail after recovering from a broken finger, was out on 49.Delhi were at 76 for 5 at this stage, still needing another 77. But Nitish Rana (31), added 24 runs with Milind Kumar and another 37 with Sumit Narwal, before being run out. Narwal then batted with the tail to take Delhi to victory. He remained unbeaten on 27. Rajasthan’s Amitkumar Gautam, playing his second first-class match, was adjudged Player of the Match. He scored 106 in the first innings to notch up his maiden first-class ton.CM Gautam (95) and Shreyas Gopal (77) helped Karnataka stave off defeat and walk away with one point against Odisha in New Delhi. Karnataka were 81 ahead with four wickets in hand when play began. They drove ahead to 393, with he last four wickets contributing 162. K Gowtham, the offspinner, made 46 of those at No. 9. Set a target of 231 in 32 overs, Odisha’s openers batted cautiously to end on 63 without loss and walk away with the first-innings honours. This was the first time this season that Karnataka conceded a lead. However, they continued to top the group.Vidarbha recorded their first win of the season by beating Saurashtra by eight wickets at the Karnail Singh Stadium in New Delhi. Akshay Wakhare and Mohammad Shaikh picked up seven wickets between them as Saurashtra, who conceded a 46-run lead, were bowled out for 189, with opener Snell Patel top scoring with 63. Vidarbha lost Faiz Fazal early in chase of 144, but were driven by half-centuries from Sanjay Ramaswamy and Ganesh Satish as they completed the chase in 35 overs. The loss meant Saurashtra were rooted to the bottom of the group.

A round-up of the final day of Group A matches in the second round of the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Oct-2016Railways collapsed dramatically on the final day in Bilaspur as Tamil Nadu won by 174 runs – their first win of the season. Railways had picked up a 52-run first-innings lead. Tamil Nadu made up for their abject first-innings performance with 452 for 8 declared, courtesy centuries from captain Abhinav Mukund and Dinesh Karthik. Set 401, Railways had ended the third day on 108 for no loss, but crumbled for 226 in 57.2 overs on the final day. Railways lost Shivakant Shukla on his overnight score of 52 off the fourth ball of the day, and from there on, it was a continuous slide. Saurabh Wakaskar, who resumed on 54, struck 120 for his sixth first-class century, but the rest could not deliver and Railways lost their last five wickets for four runs. Offspinner Malolan Rangarajan led the wreckage, finishing with 4 for 37.At the CH Bansi Lal Cricket Stadium in Lahli, Madhya Pradesh folded for 180 in their second innings to give Punjab a 126-run win. Punjab had declared on 175 for 9, having taken a first-innings lead of 131. Set a target of 307, MP had lost Mukul Raghav off the last ball of the previous day. Resuming on 26 for 1, they soon found themselves 74 for 4. Devendra Bundela (32), the captain, and Shubham Sharma, who top-scored with 37, got together for a 50-run stand, but that was about as much resistance as MP could offer. Manpreet Gony (4 for 41) and Siddarth Kaul (3 for 42), Punjab’s new-ball bowlers, did the bulk of the damage.The match between Baroda and Mumbai at the Palam Grounds in New Delhi was a draw. Mumbai had eked out a lead of 18 runs in a thrilling end to their first innings, responding to Baroda’s 305 with 323, thanks to Akhil Herwadkar’s century.The final day began with Baroda on 321 for 5 in their second innings, and Deepak Hooda, batting on 66, and Swapnil Singh, unbeaten on 5, at the crease. Baroda added 62 more and declared on 383 for 5, after Hooda raised his fifth first-class century.Mumbai began strongly through their top three, with Herwadkar and Jay Bista (49) putting on 68 for the opening wicket, and Shreyas Iyer scoring 46 at No. 3. Suryakumar Yadav and Armaan Jaffer fell early, but Aditya Tare, the captain, saw off the remaining overs in the company of Abhishek Nayar. Tare was not out on 63 and Mumbai were 224 for 5 when stumps were drawn.Bengal collected first-innings points against Uttar Pradesh after playing out a draw at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. Bengal had put up 466 in the first innings, courtesy centuries from Abhimanyu Easwaran and Manoj Tiwary. UP narrowly missed the first-innings lead, getting bowled out for 410, after which Bengal ended the third day on 30 for no loss. Easwaran struck his second century of the match and stayed not out on 110, while Shreevats Goswami also scored a century of his own. After Goswami’s dismissal, for an even 100, Bengal declared on 274 for 6. Chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav followed up his five-wicket haul in the first innings with 4 for 107.Tanmay Shrivastava and Almas Saukat, the UP openers, batted out 20 overs before UP went to stumps on 70 for no loss.