#FafduPlesis retires from Test cricket

Here's a thread on my most memorable test inning of Faf that came in his debut test match itself and happens to be one of the best ever innings played on Test match debut. 
He made 110* off 376 deliveries and secured a draw for SA !

🇵🇱 Polish Perfection 🇵🇱

@iga_swiatek becomes the first Grand Slam singles champion from Poland and does not drop a set en route to her first career title 6-4 6-1 over Kenin.

#RolandGarros

La magie Iga ✨

🇵🇱 @iga_swiatek devient la première Polonaise à remporter un tournoi du Grand Chelem et la plus jeune championne depuis 1992.

Elle remporte la finale 6-4 6-1 contre Sofia Kenin.

#RolandGarros

Analyzing Manchester United’s 3-2 win over Liverpool in the FA Cup through data and tactical analysis: a thread.

#MUFC’s plan was to progress the ball wide through the flanks to find runners and/or switch the players — and it was well executed.

Issues:

(A) Henderson’s ball distribution was not well utilized to find forwards through long balls.

(B) Weak verticality/central presence.

This can be better seen through the territory Manchester United occupied in both halves — although they dominated through the left flank, they progressed well through the right as well.

The height of central presence increased as a result of substitutions: Fred/Bruno.

EXAMPLE: #MUFC’s dominance in the left was seen in multiple formats which include:

(A) Construction of triangles — to cross, create space and perform third-man runs.

(B) Rashford dribbles > cutbacks.

(C) Overlaps from Luke Shaw.

(D) Long balls from deep to find runners.

So how did #MUFC move the ball?

In the first half — they looked to build-up *and* progress to the left flank to create opportunities to exploit #LIV’s high line i.e long balls, overlaps.

Directness improved in the second half with a more dangerous forward presence.

The awesome role of backspin in swing bowling and dipping yorkers: A thread.

If you've ever bowled any kind of seam in your life, you know that your fingers impart a backward spin on the ball as you release it.

Turns out, this is important in multiple ways.

First up, releasing the ball with backspin gives it rotation about its horizontal axis, much like a cycle wheel.

Much like a wheel, this enables the seam to stay upright (or slanted) without wobbling.

This is conservation of angular momentum.

This is important, because if the seam is wobbling around, it's almost impossible to get swing.

So your fingers naturally put backspin on the ball, which keeps the seam well-behaved, in a line, which is essential to even generate swing.

Turns out, this is not the only way it's important.

Remember when they talk about bowling fuller when it's swinging?

That's to give the ball more time in the air. More time = more swing = more lateral movement. Also, late swing.

Fine. But what does backspin do?

Backspin enables the ball to hang in the air for longer.

Why? Because of something called the Magnus effect.

The Magnus force is due to this backspin, and it lifts the ball.

The ball hits the ground later than it would if there were no backspin.

Here's a look at some of my prefered #UCLFantasy options ahead of MD7.

⚽️ Goalkeepers

🇧🇷 Ederson €6.0m - Part of a great defence and free of rotation which always is a worry with City players. And who knows, he might even take a penalty soon 😅

#FPLCommunity #UCL

🇵🇱 Szczesny €5.5m - A bit cheaper than most of the other top clubs keepers and with Porto coming up twice, he should at least get one CS.

🇩🇪 Hitz €4.1m - Dortmund not in great shape and he has produced a couple of errors in the last weeks. Should start if Bürki 🚑 remains out.

⚽️ Defenders

🇩🇪 Kimmich €6.6m - Expensive, but most likely worth it. 4 assists in his last 3 games 🅰️ 🔥

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Man. City defence - Take your 🔵 pick here. Cancelo currently is the most attacking one with Stones/Dias also providing some goal threat. Rotation the usual caveat.

🇪🇸 Angelino €5.4m - The wing-back is still Leipzig's top scorer with 4 goals + 6 assists so far this season ⚽️🅰️

🇧🇷 Danilo €5.0m - The cheapest way into Juventus' backline.

🇪🇸 Hermoso €4.2m - Enabler from Atletico's defence. Playing v Chelsea who don't score too many atm.

🇫🇷 Kounde €4.1m - Another cheap pick, this time from Sevilla. Many #UCLFantasy managers already had him in their teams for the group stage.

⚽️ Midfielders

🇪🇬 Salah €11.6m - Even though Liverpool is struggling atm, he still finds a way to score in a lot of games.

WARRIORS-CLIPPERS REWATCH THREAD

Okay, thought I would get into the Warriors' unbelievable comeback win over the Clippers last night. Let's dig in.

Steph Curry's first 3 of the night came off an unnecessary Nicolas Batum gamble. Shouldn't have gone for the deflection.

This is a good use of Curry as an inbounder in ATOs. Leveraging his gravity to get Oubre a drive to the rim from a fake handoff, made easier by the Clippers not having anyone to help on the drive.

Really crafty pushoff by Curry on Patrick Beverley here. Forces Beverley under Looney's screen, and that's all the space Curry needs.

Hedging/trapping Curry has become the norm now, especially with the kind of roster Curry has to work with (i.e., average-to-below-average shooting).

I absolutely love this wrinkle they've put in to prevent hedging/trapping. Somewhat of a screen-the-screener/DHO action.

I've noticed Kerr likes to go with a 2-2-1 zone press with the 2nd unit every now and then. Really cuts into the shot clock and forces the opposing offense to rush. Case in point: Reggie Jackson doing god-knows-what and dribbling into nothingness. Warriors eventually force a TO.