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Blackburn Rovers are reportedly leading the race to sign Leeds United youngster Niall Huggins on a permanent basis, according to Football League World. 

The lowdown

Huggins has made just one appearance in total for Leeds’ senior side over the years, and has found regular minutes tough to find in Marcelo Bielsa’s senior side in recent seasons.

Leeds won promotion into the Premier League in the 2019/20 season, and established themselves well into the top-flight, as they finished ninth in their first season back.

But as they prepare for the upcoming 2021/22 campaign, it seems as though they could be preparing for life without Huggins as the youngster has been unable to force his way into top flight football.

The latest

Football League World have revealed that Huggins is attracting interest from Blackburn Rovers, who are believed to be the frontrunners to land his signature this summer.

It is claimed that Tony Mowbray is hopeful of their transfer embargo being lifted in the near future, which could accelerate their plans to complete a deal to sign Huggins.

Leeds have already moved on some of their younger players, with the likes of Ryan Edmondson and Leif Davies being among those to depart Elland Road on a temporary basis.

The verdict

It’ll be interesting to see what the future holds for Huggins, as it seems as though Bielsa doesn’t rate his chances of a place in his first-team squad very highly at this moment in time.

The youngster could certainly benefit from a loan spell as he looks to further his development in senior football, so it is a surprise to see him being linked with a permanent Elland Road exit this summer.

Speaking in an interview with MOT Leeds News back in June 2020, former Whites goalkeeper Paul Robinson issued high-praise for Huggins, and labelled him as a ‘very good player’, so perhaps Leeds could live to regret moving him on permanently if he can fulfil his potential later down the line.

But at this moment in time, you can understand their thinking behind this, and perhaps we will see a buy-back clause in any potential deal just in case he thrives elsewhere.

Arsenal endured a nightmare opening day of the Premier League season on Friday night as they slipped to a 2-0 defeat to newly-promoted Brentford.

Mikel Arteta’s side were bullied all over the pitch by the Bees, as goals from Sergi Canos and Christian Norgaard were enough to consign the Gunners to a humiliating loss.

While Pablo Mari at the heart of defence had a particularly difficult night, goalkeeper Bernd Leno must shoulder a large part of the blame for the result too.

Reports in recent weeks of course have suggested that the Gunners have been eyeing a move for Sheffield United’s Aaron Ramsdale as they look for competition for their number one, and on this evidence it’s imperative that they do something about the goalkeeping position sooner rather than later.

Leno looked all at sea with Brentford’s set-pieces, whether that was via corners or the Bees’ long throw-ins. One corner saw him rushing out of his goal only to completely flap at the ball and watch it narrowly miss going in at the far post.

The German was then beaten far too cheaply for Brentford’s second, being pinned in by Pontus Jansson – perhaps illegally – and failing to deal with it more commandingly.

Speaking after the second goal went in, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher ripped into Arsenal’s defending, slamming: “How do you describe Arsenal there? It’s just Arsenal. Weak, bullied, men against boys again. New season, same old story: don’t win the first one, let it bounce, two Brentford players get out the way, 2-0.”

As per Sofascore, Leno lost 100% of his duels, while his distribution was shocking to say the least – he completed just 77% of his passes and didn’t have the confidence or even the ability to trust his feet when it came to beating Brentford’s press, instead choosing to go long rather frustratingly (12 long balls).

Writing in his player ratings for The Daily Mirror, Sam Elliott-Gibbs said: “Get Aaron Ramsdale on the phone. Beaten at his near post, didn’t dominate his box and then an almighty flap from a corner. Painful.”

Given that Arteta put out a mostly young, inexperienced team, he needed his more seasoned players to stand up and be counted in a deafening atmosphere in west London.

Instead, Leno once again raised questions of whether he is good enough to be Arsenal’s number one with a display which embarrassed himself, his manager and his club.

Meanwhile, David Ornstein dropped an Arsenal update on Lautaro Martinez…

The Mumbai Indians lost their third successive nail-biter to leave their semi-final hopes hanging by a thread

The Bulletin by Siddarth Ravindran26-May-2008
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Sohail Tanvir took an impressive 4-14 to become the tournament’s highest wicket-taker © AFP
The Mumbai Indians lost their third successive nail-biter to leave their semi-final hopes hanging by a thread. Rajasthan Royals needed 43 off the final three overs to protect their 100% home record and youngsters Niraj Patel and Ravindra Jadeja kept their nerve – while several more experienced Mumbai players lost theirs – to win it off the final ball.The real winners, though, were Delhi Daredevils, who became the third team to qualify for the semi-finals. Mumbai must now hope Chennai Super Kings lose against Deccan Chargers on Tuesday to stay in contention.When Shane Watson was dismissed with 69 runs needed off 48 balls, Mumbai were in command; Rajasthan had no big-name batsman to follow and the pitch was not conducive to stroke-making. It got better for the visitors as the bowlers maintained their tight line and length and runs came mainly in singles. With Niraj and Jadeja hardly threatening, the equation became a difficult 43 off the final three.The 18th over, from Ashish Nehra saw a streaky inside-edge for four and a misdirected yorker deflected off the pads to the fine-leg boundary left Rajasthan needing 32 off the last two. The penultimate over, bowled by Rohan Raje, yielded 17; Jadeja clubbed the first ball over cover for six and the rest was a mix of singles, twos, threes and a no-ball. The final delivery should have gone only for a couple, but shoddy work at the bowler’s end – one among Mumbai’s several elementary fielding errors – gave away a crucial, extra run.Fifteen to get off six balls. Four came off the first two balls from Dilhara Fernando and, with 11 needed off four and two rookies against a wealth of experience, you’d bet on Mumbai to edge it. Then followed a flat, powerful six over long-on from Niraj, but, with only two scored off the next two, three were needed from the final ball. Fernando, an experienced international, then sent down a leg-side wide and Niraj mistimed the last delivery to mid-on. Only one run should have been taken but the batsmen chanced their luck and set off for the second. Sanath Jayasuriya, another veteran, fumbled the throw from the deep to fluff a simple run-out opportunity and hand Rajasthan yet another victory.The chase of 146 began with some uncontrolled across-the-line heaves and suicidal running; Kamran Akmal punished Ashish Nehra’s wide deliveries and picked off two boundaries off Shaun Pollock but was run out when he made the basic error of not dragging his bat into the crease. A couple of wickets more, a few more boundaries and another comical run-out, Mohammad Kaif stranded yards out. Then Sachin Tendulkar, running across from midwicket, pulled off a blinder to send back Watson in Raje’s next over. That was when Rajasthan, as they have through the tournament, found new heroes to bail them out in Niraj and Jadeja.After choosing to field on a pitch keeping low, Rajasthan restricted Mumbai to 145 – and even that modest total was reached thanks to Yogesh Takawale’s eight-ball 24 in the final over, off Watson. Rajasthan’s bowlers held sway for most of the innings, and Man-of-the-Match Sohail Tanvir reinforced his status as the tournament’s best bowler with a four-wicket haul that earned him the purple cap.Mumbai struggled to find momentum from the start, and the opening pair of Jayasuriya and Tendulkar were stifled by the new-ball bowlers to such an extent that only 29 runs, and two boundaries, came in the Powerplay. Yusuf Pathan, bowling flat and quick, and Siddharth Trivedi also kept Mumbai in check before Shane Warne came into the attack for his much-anticipated showdown with Tendulkar. Warne varied his flight well but was competently handled by Tendulkar, who kept tucking him away to the leg side.Only 60 came off the first ten overs, and Jayasuriya, trying to provide some impetus, had a bit of luck with a couple of boundaries before pulling straight to midwicket. Things were to get worse for Mumbai as Tendulkar offered Trivedi a simple return catch and Robin Uthappa was smartly stumped by Akmal off Warne after a short, uneasy stay at the crease.Abhishek Nayar’s three off-side boundaries pushed them along but, just as the innings was gathering some momentum, Tanvir ran through the Mumbai middle-order, taking four wickets in two overs. Then came Takawale’s flurry but it was inadequate as Rajasthan again dug deep to pull off an improbable win.

Cricinfo previews the Group A match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in Lahore

The Preview by S Rajesh24-Jun-2008Match factsWednesday June 25, 2008
Start time 16.00 (local) 10.00 (GMT)
Sanath Jayasuriya will aim to become the first batsman to score 1000 runs in the Asia Cup© AFP
Big PictureBangladesh’s convincing 96-run win over UAE in their tournament opener will boost their confidence, but over the last year both teams have been desperately searching for success since excellent World Cup campaigns. Sri Lanka reached the final of that tournament, but their form has slumped considerably over the last year – they’ve lost 12 out of 22 games, while three of their eight wins were against Bangladesh at home. During this period, they’ve lost an ODI series at home to England, been knocked out of the triangular CB Series before the finals, and been beaten 2-0 by West Indies.Bangladesh’s World Cup heroics – they beat India and South Africa and made it to the Super Eights – suggested that they might have turned a corner, but subsequent events have confirmed their Caribbean capers were only a flash in the pan: leave aside three wins against Ireland and one against UAE in their Asia Cup opener, and Bangladesh have lost 18 out of 18 since that tournament. Fifteen of those defeats have been by margins of at least five wickets or 50 runs, which indicates they haven’t even been competitive against the top sides.Sri Lanka will go into Wednesday’s clash as huge favourites, and not just because of their Asia Cup record: they have won the tournament three times, and have never lost to Bangladesh in seven encounters. Under Mohammad Ashraful, Bangladesh have slipped back to their old, erratic ways. They romped to a comfortable win against UAE, but the Sri Lankans will be an altogether different challenge. For Sri Lanka, it’s an opportunity to regain their winning momentum before the tougher challenges that await them later in the tournament.Form guide (Last 5 completed ODIs; most recent first)
Bangladesh WLLLL
Sri Lanka LLWLLWatch out for …Raqibul Hasan: A handy middle-order batsman, 20-year-old Raqibul has already scored three half-centuries in ten ODIs, including two 80-plus scores in his last two innings.Kumar Sangakkara was in sparkling form in the IPL, but hasn’t topped 33 in his last six ODI innings and is due a big score.Ajantha Mendis had confused the West Indian batting line-up during the ODIs there, and in conditions expected to favour spin, Bangladesh could well be his next victim.Team newsBoth teams are missing a couple of important players. Sri Lanka are without Lasith Malinga and Farveez Maharoof, both of whom are nursing injuries. Bangladesh, meanwhile, are missing two important batsmen – Aftab Ahmed has a finger injury, while Shakib Al Hasan, their most prolific batsman in the series against Pakistan, has skipped the tournament to sit for academic exams.The absences will offer opportunities to others to prove themselves at the international level: Nuwan Kulasekara, who played the ODIs in the West Indies, should get another chance, while the return of Dilhara Fernando, who missed that tour, will add bite to the bowling attack.Sri Lanka (probable) 1 Sanath Jayasuriya, 2 Mahela Udawatte, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4 Mahela Jayawardene (capt), 5 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 6 Chamara Kapugedera, 7 Kaushalya Weeraratne, 8 Chaminda Vaas, 9 Dilhara Fernando, 10 Ajantha Mendis, 11 Nuwan Kulasekara.The unavailability of Shakib should give another opportunity to Alok Kapali, the 24-year-old allrounder who was away from international cricket for almost two years before playing in the Kitply Cup earlier this month.Bangladesh (probable) 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Nazimuddin, 3 Mohammad Ashraful (capt), 4 Raqibul Hasan, 5 Alok Kapali, 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 8 Dolar Mahmud, 9 Mashrafe Mortaza, 10 Abdur Razzak, 11 Shahadat Hossain.Stats and trivia Sanath Jayasuriya has scored four hundreds in Asia Cups, and needs 158 to become the first batsman to 1000 runs in the tournament. In four Asia Cup innings against Bangladesh, he has managed two centuries and a fifty, for an average of 98 at a strike rate of 99.66. Sri Lanka’s seven wins against Bangladesh in Asia Cups have all been by margins of at least seven wickets or 71 runs. In their last clash, Jayasuriya hammered an unbeaten 101-ball 107 as Sri Lanka won by ten wickets with 99 balls to spare. Jayasuriya’s 20 wickets is the most taken by any bowler in the Asia Cup. Bangladesh have lost 20 out of 22 matches in the Asia Cup. Their only wins have come against Hong Kong and UAE.Quotes”In a short tournament of two weeks the momentum is very important. We have to make sure we have that momentum going because things can happen so quickly. We need to make sure we respect them [Bangladesh] for who they are and play a proper game.”
Mahela Jayawardene dismisses all talk of complacency and wants his players to be ready for battle from the first ball.”If we can regularly score 240, which we rarely do, we can be competitive and hopefully win a few games.”
Jamie Siddons, the Bangladesh coach, spells out the gameplan for his team.”I knew it was a matter of time before I returned to form and I hope this form remains with me in the tougher games to come because we want to do well in this Asia Cup.”
After scoring his second ODI century against UAE, Mohammad Ashraful wants to repeat the performance against stronger teams

An update has emerged on Tottenham target Jannik Vestergaard, regarding how much Southampton want for him if they do sell this summer.

What’s the talk?

According to Italian journalist Rudy Galetti, Southampton value Tottenham target Jannik Vestergaard at £17m (€20m), with the Dane heading into the final season of his contract with the club.

Galetti claims that Spurs are in negotiations with Southampton over a potential deal for the centre-back, whilst Jose Mourinho’s Roma are also in the mix.

Imagine him and Rodon

Daniel Levy could land a dream deal by bringing Vestergaard to the club following this update. £17m is an excellent price for a player of his quality, especially given that Southampton paid around £22m for him in 2019 from Borussia Monchengladbach.

The Sun have claimed that Toby Alderweireld, Davinson Sanchez and Eric Dier could all leave Spurs this summer, with the Belgian wanting to depart and Fabio Paratici being open to offers for the other two. This means that any new arrivals could end up playing alongside young defender Joe Rodon at the back.

Rodon averaged an impressive WhoScored rating of 7.01 in 22 starts as a centre-back for club and country last season, including four games in the Championship for Swansea, which suggests that he could have the ability to thrive if handed a greater role in the side by Nuno Santo next term.

Vestergaard, meanwhile, has also proven himself for club and country. Domestically, he has caught the eye of pundits, with Arsenal legend Martin Keown saying earlier this year that the towering defender has shades of Virgil van Dijk about his game, comparing how the pair pass the ball out from the back for Southampton and Liverpool respectively.

He told TalkSport:

“It’s his passing. It reminds me of Van Dijk.

“I call it a stationary platform. When you don’t run with the ball you stop and when you look at those two, the way they ping balls, the way he threads things into midfield, the challenges, he’s a big man.”

The 28-year-old gave a timely reminder of his quality in England’s semi-final victory over Denmark in the European Championships on Wednesday.

He recorded a superb WhoScored rating of 7.04 as he won four aerial battles, five tackles and one interception, whilst also making seven clearances and two blocks. This shows that he has the defensive nous to be a nuisance at the top level, as he helped the Danes force the likes of Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling and Mason Mount into extra-time.

He could be a brilliant addition to Santo’s squad and be a dream partner for the up-and-coming Rodon to learn from. They could form a strong partnership at the back.

AND in other news, Levy agrees personal terms with £17.2m-rated “warrior”, Tottenham fans will be buzzing…

According to a report by Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport, via Football Italia, Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona have made contact with Napoli star Lorenzo Insigne’s agent amid his contract dispute.

The Lowdown: Italian job?

Tottenham have been linked with a plethora of Italian players since managing director Fabio Paratici was appointed as the club’s managing director.

Indeed, the likes of Manuel Locatelli and Domenico Berardi have both been mentioned, while Leonardo Bonucci is also said be on Spurs’ radar.

The Latest: Spurs make Insigne contact…

As per Corriere dello Sport, Spurs have made contact with Insigne’s agent over a possible swoop to sign him this summer.

La Liga giants Barcelona are also said to have reached out to the Italy star’s representatives amid his sensational form for Roberto Mancini’s side at Euro 2020.

Insigne has been a mainstay in the Azzurri’s starting XI throughout the tournament and has dazzled with some memorable displays, most recently bagging a sumptuous finish in the quarter-finals against Belgium.

Back at his club, things are less rosy, with the 3o-year-old said to be in the middle of a contract dispute. The winger is allegedly set for complicated discussions and wants a pay rise on his current €5m-a-year (£4.2m) wages.

His deal at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona expires in 2022 and Napoli are keen to extend Insigne’s stay, but both Spurs and Barca have reached out to his entourage amid these talks.

The Verdict: Amazing, but unlikely…

Tottenham securing Insigne this summer would be an unbelievable coup.

The attacker, once likened to Lionel Messi for his dribbling by Goran Pandev (Radio Marte via ESPN), has also been on fire at club level, scoring 19 goals and setting up seven others in 33 Serie A starts over 2020/21 (WhoScored).

Valued at around £43.2m by Transfermarkt, we believe a move for him this summer could be unlikely due to Spurs’ financial difficulties and their need for a centre-back. However, with his deal set to run out at the end of next season as it stands, this could be one for January.

In other news: ‘Understand’…Alasdair Gold backs reports of big news coming out of Tottenham, find out more here.

Liverpool have suffered a potentially huge blow in their pursuit of Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez after Barcelona reportedly entered the race for his signature.

What’s the story?

According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo (as reported by LFC Transfer Room), the 26-year-old would be on his way to Anfield had the club’s hierarchy made a £42 million bid rather than a £35m one.

The report also claims that negotiations have now taken a break between Liverpool’s hierarchy and Atleti after La Liga giants Barca began negotiations for Saul.

Klopp will be gutted

Jurgen Klopp is thought to be in the market for a new dynamic midfielder this summer after Gini Wijnaldum’s decision to join Paris Saint-Germain left a significant gap in the club’s engine room.

Several star names have been linked with the Reds in recent weeks, such as Florian Neuhaus and Renato Sanches, but it’s Saul who appears to be the club’s primary transfer target.

After struggling for game time last season, the Spain international is keen to seek pastures new ahead of the upcoming campaign, and Atleti are happy to sell.

Saul’s indifferent form last season saw Luis Enrique leave him out of his 24-man squad for Euro 2020, but the technically gifted midfielder has won plenty of plaudits for his impressive displays in the past.

“What a player. I’ve been harping on about Saul Niguez for a few years now. I think he’s a major player. He’s composed, calm, great left foot, lovely conductor, he can score goals, tactically he’s very aware,” said Rio Ferdinand.

“You can see (Diego) Simeone, he gets his teams really well set up, and he’s in the middle orchestrating and dictating things.”

Therefore, news that Liverpool face stiff competition from one of the world’s biggest clubs for Saul will surely leave Klopp feeling gutted.

Ibrahima Konate has already arrived on Merseyside to strengthen the first-team squad, but if the Anfield outfit are to stand a chance of regaining their Premier League crown next season, then further additions will also be required.

Adding Saul would be seen as a major coup by the Liverpool hierarchy and fans alike, and they’ll surely be hoping this latest development doesn’t prevent them from securing their man.

And, in other news…Edwards could find Liverpool’s new Salah with swoop for EURO 2020 star, he’s “magical” 

Manchester United have been linked with a move for Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos after he announced his imminent departure from the Spanish giants.

What’s the story?

The 35-year-old is set to depart the Bernabeu this summer after an illustrious 16-year spell in the Spanish capital, having failed to agree terms on a new contract.

It means Ramos will be available on a free transfer over the coming months, with Spanish outlet AS claiming that the World Cup winner is on the radar of the Red Devils.

Ole must avoid

United are targeting a new centre-back partner for Harry Maguire this summer as Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly have failed to prove their credentials over the last few years.

The Old Trafford outfit reportedly had a £50 million bid turned down for fellow Madrid man Raphael Varane earlier in the window and could now turn to his teammate after being put off by the Frenchman’s large price tag.

Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain are also credited with an interest in Ramos as they look to regain their top-flight crown.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer must think very carefully before sanctioning a move for the £312,00o-per-week beast.

Former United ace Rio Ferdinand has previously showered Ramos in praise, labelling him Madrid’s “talisman” and after collecting five La Liga titles, four Champions League crowns and two Copa del Rey’s during his time with Los Blancos, it’s easy to understand why.

Nevertheless, bringing him to Old Trafford at this stage in his career is a decision fraught with danger. Edinson Cavani may have been a success last season, but transfers like that should be the anomaly rather than the norm.

The South American striker solved a problem and proved to be an effective quick fix at the top end of the pitch and although Solskjaer may be tempted to apply the same logic with Ramos, the Norwegian tactician must avoid him this summer.

Providing a solid foundation for United to build success off for many years to come must be the hierarchy’s priority over the coming months.

Maguire needs a partner who he can play alongside for the next five years or so in order to do that, not a player to be a quick fix for 12 months or so.

The Red Devils don’t want to become known as the dumping ground for ageing stars looking for one last paycheck and as such, they should instead focus their attentions on a younger target who still has his best years ahead of him.

And, in other news…Journalist provides major Man United update over £290k-p/w dynamo, Ole will be buzzing 

Liverpool have made the first move in their attempts to bring Otavio to Anfield this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Portuguese publication A Bola (via Sport Witness), who claim that Jurgen Klopp’s side have made an offer of €23m (£20m) plus Marko Grujic for the FC Porto attacking midfielder.

However, the report goes on to state that Porto have no intention of agreeing a deal for Otavio that includes the Liverpool midfielder, and instead have informed the Reds that they will have to pay Otavio’s €40m (£34m) release clause if they wish to sign the 26-year-old this summer.

Coutinho 2.0

Considering just how impressive Otavio was for Porto last season, it is unsurprising to learn of Liverpool’s interest in the former Brazil U23 international.

Indeed, over his 26 Liga NOS appearances for Sergio Conceicao’s side last term, the £21.6m-rated man scored three goals, registered eight assists and created eight big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.4 shots and making 1.7 key passes per game.

These returns saw the £29k-per-week midfielder earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.30, ranking him as Porto’s third-best performer in the top flight of Portuguese football.

There are clear comparisons that can be drawn between the 26-year-old and Liverpool former star attacking midfielder Philippe Coutinho, with Otavio’s strengths being noted as his ball control, his playmaking and his consistency, traits that have also been attributed to the Barcelona player.

Indeed, the two players are also capable of operating from a number of positions across the front line and midfield, with Otavio having been fielded from left, central, right and attacking midfield, as well as at left-wing and as a support striker last season.

As such, if Liverpool do go on to get a deal over the line for the Porto star this summer, Klopp would be gaining a type of player he has not really possessed since the sale of Coutinho back in 2018, with Otavio very much appearing to be a talent that the German manager would love.

In other news: Liverpool make an official bid for “extraordinary” £43m dynamo, fans will be buzzing

A chapter has been extracted from the history of 1971 and rewritten. An inspired Indian team has finally proved to the worldthat they have it in them to win Test matches abroad. The Queen’sPark Oval at Port of Spain will always have a special place inIndian cricket history, more so now since, with this memorableTest win, India have three victories at this picturesque venue.

I am forced to conclude that Carl Hooper’s decision to bowl firstwent a long way towards deciding the final outcome. Ideally, onewould want to bowl the opposition out for a score around 200 runsif the most is to be made of such a decision. Hooper simply doesnot have the kind of fast bowlers who can rip through a battingline-up. The fact that India was allowed to score 339 in thefirst innings really exposed the limitations of the Windiesbowling department.Even though the West Indian bowlers had some success in removingthe Indian opening batsmen on the first morning, Rahul Dravidcame to the rescue and played yet another important knock. I wasvery impressed by the way in which Dravid handled the thirdorfourth-string West Indies attack. Even on a wicket that promisedlife and bounce, Dravid played some exquisite cover drives andthe flick through mid-wicket with élan.A shaky start from Sachin Tendulkar is a very unusual sight, butthe master batsman came into his own after he got the measure ofthe track and the insipid attack. One must pay glowing tribute tothe Mumbai maestro for his sheer appetite for runs and the mannerin which he scores them. Tendulkar was the mainstay of India’sfirst innings, and his 29th Test hundred, which equalled SirDonald Bradman’s record of Test centuries, helped India put up adecent first-innings total.It is also very heartening to see VVS Laxman play with so muchresponsibility. The stylish batsman applied himself very well,and the determination to excel was there for all to see. Thereshould be no doubts regarding talent, which he has in abundance.I believe that Laxman has finally sorted out his flings withcomplacency to adopt a more professional approach. He is a classplayer, and he proved that with a fifty in each innings at Portof Spain; he really deserved the Man of the Match award.The Indian pacers Javagal Srinath, Ashish Nehra and Zaheer Khanbowled well, proving that they have it in them to win Tests forIndia away from home. I must particularly commend Srinath for hislion-hearted effort in this match. I was also impressed by ZaheerKhan’s bowling; the delivery he produced to get rid of Brian Larain the first innings was a beauty. It is a rare sight these daysin Test cricket to see a bowler willing to attack to take awicket.It was Nehra who turned things around in the second innings,picking up the valuable wickets of Lara and Hooper. The youngsterhas a lot of talent, and it augurs well for Indian cricket that agenuine group of fast bowlers are coming to the fore.Appropriately enough, the West Indies is the ideal place for sucha pace attack to blossom.There was not much to cheer about in the West Indian battingdepartment. The batsmen did not apply themselves enough toconvert starts into big scores; such efforts may have changed thefinal result of this Test match. Looking at their bowling, twobowlers caught my eye – Adam Sanford and Marlon Black. Sanfordhas it in him to be a class act if he can concentrate on line andlength; if he can add some discipline to the whippy action, hecan surprise a few leading batsmen. Black is one bowler who lookslike never giving up, and it is a quality that will help him inthe long run.I had expected Harbhajan Singh to be more effective on the finalday and even run through the West Indies batting line-up. It wasa disappointing show by the young off-spinner, and, in the finalanalysis, it was the fast bowlers who won the Test for India. Intalking about the game, though, it must be said that the numberof umpiring mistakes in the match baffled me, and I hope theInternational Cricket Council (ICC) will ensure that such blatantmistakes are not repeated at the highest level of the game.Finally, I must congratulate Sourav Ganguly for this memorableTest win. There was an extra edge to his captaincy in this match,and Port of Spain witnessed some inspiring work in the field fromthe Indian skipper; the field placements, especially, weresuperb. A lot of thinking went into formulating the strategy forthis Test. Ganguly ensured that the plan was well-executed, andthis memorable Test win should hold Indian cricket in good steadin future endeavours.