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A claim has emerged regarding Glasgow Rangers’ chances of landing one of their targets in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has warned Light Blues supporters against expecting Borussia Dortmund’s Giovanni Reyna to join the Premiership club ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

The USA international has been linked with a move to Ibrox, but the reporter does not believe that a deal to bring in the 19-year-old is likely.

O’Rourke told Football FanCast: “It depends. If he’s not getting first-team football at Dortmund then maybe the player might push for a move ahead of the World Cup in November with the USA. Never say never in football but I’ll say it’s highly unlikely.”

Supporters will be gutted

This claim will surely leave Rangers fans feeling gutted, as Reyna has the potential to be a superb signing for the club this summer.

He is the son of former Gers player Claudio Reyna and it would be a heartwarming story if the teenager came to Glasgow and was also a success for the Scottish giants.

He is a promising young talent who has already shown glimpses of his quality in a major European league in the Bundesliga. He has scored six goals and provided nine assists in 57 Bundesliga outings for Dortmund to date, which shows that he has the ability to make things happen in the final third.

In the German top flight last term, he averaged 1.5 key passes per game across 10 appearances as he consistently created chances for his team-mates.

These statistics suggest that he could be a difference-maker for Rangers by scoring and setting up goals on a regular basis for Gio van Bronckhorst, potentially turning losses into draws and draws into wins.

Therefore, Gers supporters must be gutted that a deal for the 19-year-old is unlikely, as they will surely want to see a player with his quality coming to the club. It seems as though they will not be able to enjoy his talents next term and may watch on in envy if he produces a great season for Dortmund – or elsewhere.

It is worth noting that O’Rourke did not completely close the door on a possible move and that things could change between now and the end of the transfer window. For now, though, fans will be gutted over the slim chances of this transfer happening.

AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano drops Rangers “agreement” claim that’ll delight Gio van Bronckhorst…

West Ham will be hoping to carry the momentum gained from last season -one in which they reached the Europa League semi-finals and finished seventh in the Premier League – into the upcoming season.

David Moyes faces a difficult task, but he has started off the summer transfer window extremely well, bringing in a couple of new faces, with surely more to come.

The Scot has added Nayef Aguerd to his side in a £30m deal, along with signing Alphonse Areola on a permanent contract following his loan spell last season from PSG. Additionally, Moyes has secured the signature of Flynn Downes from Swansea City.

Club legend Mark Noble retired following the end of the season and there will need to be some bite added into the West Ham midfield next season, and Moyes should be making a move for one player in particular.

Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie has been linked with West Ham since last year and a report has claimed that the Serie A side are looking to part ways with the player, and West Ham should be acting fast to make a deal happen.

The American international played 29 times last season in all competitions, scoring four goals, while further displaying his attacking intentions by generating 2.15 shot-creating actions per match.

The 23-year-old was only cautioned once during the whole season, proving he has an incredible temperament, something that Moyes could use in the centre of midfield. His defensive abilities were also demonstrated as he won 46%of his total duels, and made one tackle and 1.1 interceptions per match.

Moyes could form a dream duo of McKennie and Rice if he makes a move for the player, who has been dubbed “irreplaceable” by Stephen Meyer.

McKennie could be available for £35m this summer and Moyes may have to offload a few fringe players in order to fund any potential move.

It has been a great summer in terms of incomings so far and the West Ham faithful will be confident a few more fresh faces can be added.

AND in other news: Pushing to sign: Big West Ham transfer update emerges that’ll delight Moyes…

Tottenham Hotspur correspondent Jonathan Veal has been left blown away by some off-field news in the last 48 hours as he shares some eye-opening fixture information.

The Lowdown: Spurs set for major season…

After an exciting start to the transfer window, Spurs supporters could be set for a very interesting 2022/2023 Premier League campaign, coming after manager Antonio Conte guided them to Champions League qualification.

The Lilywhites are making a return to Europe’s most elite competition after a two-season absence and a lot has changed since former boss Jose Mourinho saw his Spurs side demolished by RB Leipzig in 2020.

Tottenham have since appointed ex-Chelsea boss Conte who has seemingly revitalised N17 and even motivated a £150m cash injection from ENIC for this summer.

As such, there is reason to be optimistic for 22/23, and who Spurs will be playing first and foremost will prove a crucial aspect of their start.

The full fixture list is now confirmed and journalist Veal is blown away by one aspect of this off-field news.

The Latest: Veal blown away…

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Reacting to Spurs’ opening weekend schedule for next season, the reporter has drawn attention to the fact Conte’s side are playing a 3pm kick off at home on a Saturday for the first time since December 2019.

He explained:

“Wow, wow, wow, get the banners out. Tottenham’s opening game of the season against Southampton will be their first Saturday 3pm kick-off at home since December 2019!”

The Verdict: Grand occasion…

Welcoming what could be Conte’s entirely fresh and new-look Spurs team at home, depending on developments, should be a grand occasion for Lilywhites supporters.

Perhaps a roaring reception from the north London crowd could provide some real motivation for the Italian and his players to go the extra mile next season, and it could come with a little less pressure too playing without the prime-time cameras in attendance.

In other news: Club chief now ready to offer £22.5m-rated ‘beast’ in Tottenham talks with Paratici, find out more here.

Tottenham Hotspur insider John Wenham is ‘sure’ Harry Kane will put pen to paper on a ‘big statement’ new deal at the club.

The Lowdown: Kane’s Spurs progression

The 28-year-old has gone from prospect to superstar rising through the ranks with the Lilywhites, having developed from the academy since joining in 2009, to now establishing himself as a regular feature and captain in Antonio Conte’s starting XI and for England.

Despite still having two years remaining on his current contract in N17, the forward has always seemed to be the centre of attention when it comes to transfer windows, none more so than last year when Premier League rivals Manchester City made multiple attempts to secure his signature.

The Latest: ‘Big statement’

Speaking during an interview with Football Insider, Wenham appears to be confident that Kane will extend his stay, claiming it would be a ‘big statement’ from Daniel Levy and co.

“It’s an exciting time at Tottenham and all I want is for Harry Kane to be the face of it.

“He has been through it all with us and it’s often said there is nothing he would like more than to win a trophy with Tottenham.

“We now have the manager along with the young players who will improve and the quality players we already have.

“Kane, Son, Kulusevski, Lloris, Bentancur, Romero, Dier, there is a really solid spine there. More signings will come in the summer.

“There is absolutely no reason why we can’t win a trophy next season. There are no excuses. We are back in the Champions League, there is loads to play for next season.

“On a possible new contract, there has been a lot of talk in the last few weeks. I would love it and I’m sure it will happen at some point.

“It would be a big statement regardless of what you think about clubs no longer being interested in Kane.

“I can see it happening this summer alongside the signing of several new players.”

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The Verdict: Kane’s high ambitions

After claiming that all-important top-four finish, the fact that Spurs have now put themselves in a position to win some silverware could be a huge factor when it comes down to the 69-cap international deciding where his future lies, and it’s vital that Conte does everything within his power to tie him down as soon as possible.

The skipper, deservedly dubbed a “world-class” player by Sky Sports pundit Graeme Souness, has proven to be an absolute predator in the final third throughout his career at the club, having made an outstanding 307 goal contributions in just 386 appearances, via Transfermarkt.

If the Italian is able to keep hold of his star man and get him to commit his future to his boyhood team, this would come as a massive bonus to the club who know that Kane is an integral part of their long-term vision and is someone who could lead them to plenty of success in years to come.

In other news… Spurs have reportedly been ‘offered’ the chance to sign a PL maestro in a surprising new transfer twist.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe will already have one eye on the summer transfer window with one Premier League game left in the campaign.

PIF have shown that they are willing to dip into their pockets to strengthen his squad as they brought in Bruno Guimaraes, Matt Targett, Dan Burn, Chris Wood and Kieran Trippier.

They may now look to invest again to take the club to the next level and they already have targets in mind if reports are to be believed.

One player the Magpies have been linked with a swoop for is Bologna left-back Aaron Hickey, with Brentford, Napoli, and Arsenal also eyeing up the gem – who Fabrizio Romano claimed is valued at up to £20m.

The club are reportedly wanting to sign Targett on a permanent deal and already have Trippier at right-back and this may cause fans to wonder why there is an interest in the Serie A gem.

Imagine him & Bruno

Well… that is because his future may not be at left-back. Scottish coach Austin MacPhee once compared the defender to a Barcelona defensive midfielder, saying: “He’s so young he could play a lot of positions. He could end up being like Busquets.

“Right now he reminds me of Jonny Evans, who I’ve seen in training with Northern Ireland. It’s the way he defends, moves and always wants the ball as a defender.”

Former Hearts boss Daniel Stendel dubbed him an “extraordinary talent” and backed up MacPhee’s claim as he said:

“Aaron as a player is like Philipp Lahm. For me at Hearts, he played as a full-back. He not only runs up and down the line, but looks for attacking moves like Lahm once did. And Aaron can also play in the central midfield.”

These quotes suggest that he is a player Howe can develop into being a dream midfield partner for Bruno Guimaraes at Newcastle.

The Scot’s statistics for Bologna in the Serie A at the age of 19 indicate that he has the potential to make it at the top level and two of his coaches have backed him to transition into midfield. In the Italian top-flight this term, he has averaged a solid SofaScore rating of 6.85 – making 2.1 tackles and interceptions per game.

He can provide a defensive, assured, presence at the base of the midfield and provide Guimaraes with a platform to break forward and work his magic in the final third. The Brazilian has registered five goals and one assist in ten starts for the Magpies in the Premier League and this shows that he has the quality to have a big impact in attack.

Therefore, they can work well as a pairing as Hickey sits deeper and protects the back four whilst the ex-Lyon man joins in with attacks and attempts to be a match-winner. This is why PIF must now seal this deal in the coming weeks or months.

AND in other news, Howe can get SJP rocking with NUFC swoop for £21m predator with the “scoring nose”…

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has endorsed a possible West Ham United move for top ‘pedigree’ free agent Dan Axel-Zagadou.

The Lowdown: Hammers eye Zagadou move…

In the past few days, David Moyes’ side have been heavily linked with a move for the centre-back, who left Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund in the summer window.

Zagadou is available on a Bosman transfer and RMC Sport journalist Fabrice Hawkins has claimed West Ham are in ‘pole position’ for his signature ahead of French side Lyon.

It’s believed that the Premier League side have offered a four-year deal to Zagadou and his representatives with O’Rourke now claiming he could be a good addition if West Ham get it done.

The Latest: O’Rourke backs move

Reacting to the links in a chat with The Transfer Tavern, O’Rourke says that Zagadou is one of the better free agents on the market now and would come with ‘good pedigree’.

When asked if he would be a solid West Ham signing, the journalist explained:

“Zagadou is probably one of the better free agents that are still out there in the market right now.

“He’s got good pedigree having played for Borussia Dortmund and played at the highest level in the Champions League as well.”

The Verdict: Make the move?

Zagadou’s long history of injury problems will come as a red flag for Moyes and head of recruitment Rob Newman.

That being said, former Borussia Dortmund boss Marco Rose heaped real praise on the 23-year-old when fit, calling him ‘excellent’ whilst also hoping that he would renew his contract at the club.

If Rose still highly rates Zagadou in that manner, it’s clear he could do a job at West Ham when fit and available, provided his old fitness issues don’t re-emerge.

Keaton Jennings and Ben Stokes provided moments of magic in the field while England’s spinners thrived in foreign conditions

George Dobell27-Nov-20189.5Ben Foakes (277 runs at 69.25, eight catches and two stumpings)
A wonderfully poised arrival at the top level. Foakes was the top run-scorer on either side and, in Jos Buttler’s words, gave other keepers a “wake-up call” with the high standard of his glovework. He made a century on his first day in Test cricket – becoming the first England keeper to make one in Asia in the process – and then equalled the record for the quickest dismissal by a debutant keeper with the second delivery of the Sri Lanka reply. Within a few hours he had taken a stumping, too. Classy and selfless with the bat, almost flawless with the gloves, Foakes deservedly won the player of the series award.8Keaton Jennings (233 runs at 46.60)
While the runs fell away after a wonderful start in Galle (where he scored 192 in the game), Jennings found a way to contribute with a succession of outstanding catches – and a memorable assist – at short leg that may have taken expectations of the role to a new level. His high mark reflects his ability to shape games, rather than any particular statistical excellence – in Pallekele, in particular, his fielding might have made the difference between winning and losing. That century in Galle was very good, though the Australia seamers may well be licking their lips in anticipation of bowling to him in the Ashes.Ben Stokes (187 runs at 31.16, five wickets at 20.40)
Immense. The Sri Lanka coach, Chandika Hathurusingha, rated Stokes as the difference between the sides and it is hard to disagree. Stokes added a new dimension to the England attack by somehow managing to bounce batsmen out on sluggish surfaces, finishing as the fastest bowler in the series (he was the only man to break 90mph) and the highest wicket-taker among seam bowlers. Outstanding in the field – his run-out of Dimuth Karunaratne in Pallekele was a high point – he also produced two important half-centuries, and two scores in the 40s, with the bat. Anyone following the series via scorecard may wonder what the fuss is about; anyone watching it will know he was England’s most valuable player.Jos Buttler (250 runs at 41.66)
In a relatively low-scoring series, Buttler contributed several important innings with five scores between 34 and 64. Most impressive was his ability to adapt his game to the conditions and requirements of his team. So while he swept his way to success in Pallekele, he did it in Colombo by coming down the wicket to the spinners. In more comfortable batting conditions, his contributions may look modest. In this context, they were vital.Jack Leach (18 wickets at 21.38)
The man who made England’s spin attack work. Leach’s control meant the pressure was lifted from England’s other spinners who could instead concentrate on a more aggressive approach. Experienced in bowling in helpful conditions, he remained calm and patient whatever the circumstances and claimed a maiden five-wicket haul in Pallekele and calmed nerves in Colombo with a brilliant direct-hit run-out. He finished level with Moeen as England’s highest wicket-taker in the series.Jack Leach, Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid shared 19 of Sri Lanka’s 20 wickets•Getty Images7.5Adil Rashid (113 runs at 28.25, 12 wickets at 28.16)
Finally utilised in the role that suits him best – as a partnership breaker rather than in a defensive capacity – Rashid was a huge asset for England. While the most obvious example came in Colombo, where he ended with his Test-best figures in the first innings and has probably never bowled better, he also claimed key wickets in Galle (where he broke a dangerous stand between Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal) and Pallekele (there were a couple of beautiful legbreaks in Sri Lanka’s first innings) and produced four scores in excess of 20 which proved valuable in a low-scoring series.7Joe Root (229 runs at 38.16)
You can pick faults with his tactics, with his catching and with the fact that he only once provided an important contribution with the bat – his match-defining century in Pallekele was probably the innings of the series – but Root is building a hugely entertaining side that has just achieved something no England team has ever managed before: a whitewash in Asia. The unity of purpose and the commitment to the aggressive style reflect well on Root’s ability to unite the side and provide it with increasingly influential leadership.Moeen Ali (78 runs at 13.00, 18 wickets at 24.50)
The lack of runs, and a couple of soft dismissals, was a disappointment, but the bowling more than compensated. Four times Moeen claimed four-wicket hauls and he often bowled with a bite that rendered him England’s most potent option. He may never be a consistent bowler in the manner of many old-school offspinners (and he may well regret not taking his opportunity with the bat at No. 3) but Moeen’s best deliveries, with his drift, dip and spin, are as good as any of them.Sam Curran (112 runs at 37.33, one wicket at 50.00)
While conditions did little for his bowling, Curran produced a couple of important contributions with the bat. After making an important 48 in Galle, he top-scored in England’s first innings in Pallekele, with 64, when he dominated a tenth-wicket partnership of 60. Fulfilled some of his bowling duties by claiming a wicket with the new ball in Galle before a side strain ended his series prematurely.Jonny Bairstow (125 runs at 62.50)Recalled for the final Test, Bairstow responded with a century from No. 3 and was named Player of the Match. He could hardly have done more in the opportunity provided. Despite his obvious ambitions to reclaim the gloves, all the reports suggest he reacted positively and supportively around the rest of the team.Rory Burns is bowled by Dilruwan Perera•Getty Images6.5James Anderson (one wicket at 105.00)
Anderson seemed disappointed with his low-key contribution ahead of the final Test, but he played his role. He was part of tenth-wicket stands that added 101 runs across the Pallekele Test, while his economy rate (2.56 runs per over; the lowest on either side) created pressure that other bowlers exploited.5.5Rory Burns (155 runs at 25.83)The scores don’t show it, but Burns looked reasonably comfortable for his first experience at this level. He was a bit unfortunate with both his dismissals in Galle (a run-out and an edge down the leg-side) but batted beautifully in Pallekele. The lack of high-scores may gnaw away at him, and could put him under pressure in due course – not taking advantage of a first-day pitch in Colombo was a missed opportunity – but there was enough here to suggest Burns warrants patience.Stuart Broad (no wickets)
Bowled well in the first innings in Colombo – Root dropped two slip chances off him – and took a sharp catch in the field. Reacted positively and selflessly to his absence from the side.

Abdul Mazid followed in the footsteps of Nafees Iqbal and Raqibul Hasan in making a hundred in a warm-up game against England’s tourists

Mohammad Isam in Chittagong16-Oct-2016It remains to be seen whether Abdul Mazid, the latest Bangladesh batsman to make a century against an England touring side, will follow the colourful example of the last two men to do so, in 2003 and 2010. But, unlike Nafees Iqbal and Raqibul Hasan, this time he seems content to have let his runs do the talking.On this very day in 2003, at the BKSP ground in Savar, Nafees Iqbal cracked 118 in the first innings of England’s opening tour match, then had the temerity to dismiss England’s spinners as “ordinary”.Nafees, still a year away from making his Test debut back then, was Bangladesh’s up-and-coming star of the day who bore a lot of hope in their early days as a Full Member nation. In the end, however, he played only 11 Tests and 16 ODIs before passing the mantle to his younger brother – Tamim Iqbal.Funnily enough, one of the spinners whom Nafees had taken to task back then was back on parade today. Gareth Batty picked up two wickets today to further his claim for a Test recall after an absence of more than 11 years, but not before Mazid had thumped for two fours and a six in his innings of 106.When England returned for their second full tour to Bangladesh, the centurion in one of the warm-up matches, Raqibul, did the unthinkable by announcing his retirement from international cricket at the age of 23. This came as an angry reaction to being overlooked for the 2010 World T20 preliminary squad. After scoring the hundred, he left Chittagong in a fury, bewildering team-mates, coach and the BCB high-ups.His retirement angered the then-captain Shakib Al Hasan although coach Jamie Siddons sympathised with Raqibul. But the BCB terminated his contract even though he had returned from retirement a week later. He went on to play only two more Tests, and has been out of favour with the senior side for the last five years.Mazid, meanwhile, is neither a teenage sensation like Nafees was in 2003 nor a regular Test player like Raqibul in 2010. He is a 25-year old opener who is a consistent performer in domestic cricket over the last five years.His only taste of representative cricket was for Bangladesh A in the Caribbean in 2014, but that tour was a mini-disaster as he struggled against genuine pace. But in the intervening two years, he has improved measurably although England’s quicks still caused him some discomfort today when they pitched it short.But for the rest of Sunday morning, Mazid dominated an England attack including Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and Steven Finn with 106 off 95 balls that had 16 boundaries and a six. He had reached 92 in the first session before cramps kept him in the dressing room until late in the day when he returned and reached three figures off 90 balls. Mazid’s end came when he swung across the line in the 66th over.Mazid will consider himself unlucky to be in form at a time when the competition for Bangladesh opener’s slots are stiff in all three formats. Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes will be opening against England in the Test series, with the likes of Soumya Sarkar, Liton Das, Shahriar Nafees and Imtiaz Hossain also in the frame.But Mazid was a delight to watch at the MA Aziz Stadium, much like Nafees and Raqibul but without their frills.

The results of our social media poll on Sri Lanka’s greatest Test cricketer saw Kumar Sangakkara voted as #SriLankasBest. Here are some of the best comments we received

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Aug-2015

All legends produced in a tiny war torn island, but there's no doubt in my mind that Murali was #SriLankasBest https://t.co/8tb42zQFQv

— K Sanjane (@ksanjane) August 12, 2015

As a cricket-fan born in the late 90s, the title #SriLankasBest is undoubtedly deserved by @KumarSanga2. A role model for todays generation!

— Soyam Khanal (@S0yam) August 12, 2015

Cricinfo article on #SriLankasBest describes Muralitharan as Sri Lanka's greatest match winner. There, you answered the question yourself.

— Mahesh De Silva (@CharterKubiya) August 12, 2015

#SriLankasBest Legendary Kumar Sangakkara. Elegant Left Hander, Technically Sound, Composed and a great thinker of the Game! Kudos to him.

— Sidharth Acharya (@sidharth667) August 12, 2015

Unsung hero… Aravinda DeSilva is hands down #SriLankasBest! @ESPNcricinfo

— Heisenberg (@pankito09) August 12, 2015

#SriLankasBest Muralitharan is by far the best player, even though the batsmen might be greats at batting, this guys is a wizard. #Hogwards

— Cod (@CodPahul) August 12, 2015

#SriLankasBest Aravinda De Silva. Leaving the stat aside, he was fearless against any attack. Played all strokes in the book.

— හේතුහාමි සරණපාල (@shethuhami) August 12, 2015

@MahelaJay is the #SriLankasBest Test player, he batted well with Sanga and caught well off Murali's bowling @ESPNcricinfo @andrewffernando

— Daniel Alexander (@daniel86cricket) August 12, 2015

@ESPNcricinfo #SriLankasBest has got to be Murali; I'm unable to list out all 800 reasons in a tweet.

— Nitin Sundar (@knittins) August 12, 2015

@ESPNcricinfo Aravinda De Silva. The way he batted against McGrath on Australian soil was a true reflection of his genius. #SriLankasBest

— Utsav Bavisker (@utsavbavisker) August 12, 2015

@ESPNcricinfo @OfficialSLC #SriLankasBest : Muralitharan is the best spinner that Srilanka has gifted to the international cricket.

— Alok Mehta (@mehalok) August 12, 2015

@ESPNcricinfo @OfficialSLC #SriLankasBest Chaminda Vaas. Never got the credit he deserved

— Mihir Ahiya (@mihir_ahiya) August 12, 2015

@ESPNcricinfo @OfficialSLC Muralitharan for me, the smiling assassin #SriLankasBest

— Amey (@ansurkaramey) August 12, 2015

Statistically @KumarSanga2 is the best test player since Bradman. So undoubtedly Sanga is the #SriLankasBest too. https://t.co/8IlMgSMitv

— Ricky Boy™ (@Im_Rishad) August 12, 2015

@ESPNcricinfo @OfficialSLC Kumar Sangakkara – a fine leader on the pitch and a gentleman who plays the gentleman's game. #SriLankasBest

— Chelston D'souza (@chelston_dsouza) August 12, 2015

Of the many Sri Lankan cricketers who have brought me great joy as fan, no one was a greater player than Murali #SriLankasBest

— Nadeeka De Saram (@NadeekaDS) August 12, 2015

Aravinda De Silva, he catapulted SriLanka from mediocre competitors to World Champions!!! #SrilankasBest @OfficialSLC

— Ahtsham Cheema (@ahtsham_cheema) August 12, 2015

#SriLankasBest Murali has to be SL's best Test cricketer, probably the best spinner to play the game

— Arvind Iyengar (@iyengar_arvind) August 12, 2015

@ESPNcricinfo #SriLankasBest Kumar Sangakkara without a doubt … The man is a living legend and he is the master of a cricket field!

— Neo 'Lanny' Felane (@NFelane10) August 12, 2015

Without a doubt Murali was the best test player from SL and Sanga the No. 2. #SriLankasBest

— Birendra Katugampola (@aka_Bira) August 12, 2015

#SriLankasBest That's easy. Murali. Then daylight. Then Vaas. Then daylight. Then the others. @ESPNcricinfo

— cricketingview (@cricketingview) August 12, 2015

First of all Aravinda was the path breaker for Sri Lankan cricket but in both statistics and longevity he is below all of the other four. Now Murali was definitely the leader of the attack in the early 2000s so it can’t be Vaas. While in terms of MJ and Sanga one struggles to decide but Sangakkara was also a wicketkeeper and his stats are much better than jaya. Finally it comes down to Sangakkara and Murali and here one simple fact seperates them, Murali is one of the greatest bowlers in history, while Sangakkara is unfortunately not in mine or most people’s top 10 batsmen list. Thus Murali was greater at what he did.
– Abhyudaya Tyagi

Chaminda Vaas is the unsung hero of Sri Lanka…One of the most underrated cricket players of all times. Him and Murali lead the fearsome bowling attack for so long…..This hero will always be in every true Sri Lankan’s heart.
– Mayoouran Gnanasampanthan

For me, Muralitharan is the best Sri Lankan cricketer. It was his prowess that led the Tigers’ resurgence in world cricket. He simply outmaneuvered and outwitted the opposition every single time.
– Ashutosh Jha

Aravinda de Silva, as he was the first of the great Sri Lankan batsmen. Sanga and Mahela had the benefit of de Silva’s shoulders to stand on. de Silva stood out at a time when Sri Lanka were still minnows in international cricket, he saw his team through a transition phase and into an era where they believed they could win consistently. That is an achievement that cannot be quantified like average, strike rate etc. But definitely not one that should be ignored.
– Abraham Abhishek

Aravinda is the Greatest for sure! By reading comments of most, I feel that most have not seen even A glimpse of Aravinda who by far the best ever produced by Sri Lanka. It’s a pity he played during mid 80s & 90 s when we did not have many games like nowadays. He was matched with likes of Lara & Tendulkar as among the greats & faced more quality bowlers than those of present era.
– Rondy

Kumar Sangakkara, as I am not more knowledgeable about cricket till 2009. Thereafter Sangakkara made huge contribution to Sri Lanka cricket team. I watched every SL match, because of Sangakkara. No one needs to talk about him, his figures stand for him. Salute Sanga. #SRILANKASBEST
– Aneeq Ahmadh

It was tough to select between Sangakkara and Muralitharan. But Sangakkara will win the battle because he has never been criticised for his batting whereas Muralitharan throughout his career had to face remarks like illegal bowling action and all.
– Man007nashik

TBH all of them are legends. I love the batting style of Aravinda De Silva, even I use to ape his batting style during my childhood days. Vaas lacked speed in his bowling but extremely clever bowler, Murali was no doubt a genius of a bowler. It’s difficult to pick any one, it’s like asking do you love chocolate more or ice cream? But I would rate Aravinda highest because he is the one who changed the face of Sri Lankan cricket..and he was gem of a batsman and true gentleman. Love from Indian Fan
– Datta Abhijit

Really a Tough call!!! I am following SL cricket for past 18 years and have been fortunate to watch all these greats reaching pinnacle of their career. Be it home series or playing overseas, all these SL stalwarts have been outstanding. But since its about voting “The Greatest”, my vote would go for Muttiah Murlitharan. He has been prolific all through his career and the best part is his performance outside subcontinent. Mr. Hair no-balled him 7 times in 1995 and it looked like the end of his journey. He fought, hard, and bounced back with a bang,served SL cricket for another 15 years, scalping five-fors a whopping 67 times and 10-for a record 22 times. Hats off to this great ambassador of the game who is unarguably the greatest match-winner for his country!!
– Mayank Agarwal

For those old in the tooth there is only one answer and that is Aravinda. You need to understand that Sri Lanka rarely even got 3 test series. Also, too even compare the bowlers that Aravinda had to face in comparison to Sanga and Mahela will give you an idea of what he had to contend with.
– Wijeya

Muttiah Muralitharan: A player’s greatness is defined by his ability to win matches. Muttiah had the ability to win matches single handedly. No other players has won so many matches for Sri Lanka. So in my opinion, there is no comparison.
– Malik Aftab Ahmed Awan

Not only is Muralitharan the best test cricketer Sri Lanka have ever produced, but he’s also the best Asian test cricketer of all time
– Sanoj Boteju

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I’d arguably go for Aravinda, despite his stats being significantly lesser than Sanga or Mahela. Aravinda was the standout batsman in an era Sri Lanka were thriving to be a formidable force, as well as the higher class of bowlers in that period and his steely performances when the chips were down contributing to my choice.

ESPNcricinfo presents the plays of the day from the game between Sri Lanka and New Zealand

Andrew McGlashan and Andrew Fidel Fernando31-Mar-2014The head-shake strike-rateHaving made a brisk start, Kusal Perera’s shock at wrongly being given out caught down the leg side for the second time in as many matches was expressed with a bout of furious head-shaking that almost outstripped his rate of scoring. From the moment the umpire’s finger was raised, until he exited the field, it almost seemed as if Kusal was watching two tennis players at the net. What’s more, it was infectious. Incoming batsman Mahela Jayawardene approached the square in visible disbelief as well.The win some, lose some momentStrength becoming a weakness. Tillakaratne Dilshan scored his first boundary with a scoop off Kyle Mills, but in the next over from Trent Boult he tried to reverse scoop the left-armer over slip and only succeeded in providing a catch to Luke Ronchi.The useful overthrowThere is never really a good outcome to conceding free runs in T20 – a format that can be decided by the narrowest margins – but when Brendon McCullum had a slightly unnecessary shy at the non-striker’s stumps, lulled into by the batsman teasing to leave his ground, and the resulting deflection gave away a single, there was a silver lining for New Zealand. Next delivery, Nuwan Kulasekara drove on the up and picked out Brendon’s brother, Nathan, at short cover to leave Sri Lanka 93 for 7.The not out, then outAll of Rangana Herath’s overs were special – in what would become one of the great T20 spells – but in his second he made Ross Taylor, a very fine player of spin, look clueless. The third ball of the over slid on past the inside and took the pad to short leg (the loud appeal correctly turned down) then the next delivery turned considerably, squared up Taylor and struck him on the back leg. Rod Tucker, again, declined the appeal and this time Sri Lanka were harshly done by as off stump would have been hit flush on. At their third time of asking, however, Sri Lanka got the response they wanted when Taylor was again beaten, this time by one that skidded, and Tucker’s finger went up.The dislocationWhen Corey Anderson failed to hold Sachithra Senanayake’s mow down the ground in the 18th over it was a double blow for New Zealand. Not only did it concede six, but Anderson immediately left the field clutching his right hand and was soon on his way to hospital for treatment for a dislocation. It meant he was not available for New Zealand’s innings, but given the margin of defeat it may not have made a difference to the result.