f the top five wicket-takers in the tri-s

Valencia have approached Rafael Benitez about replacing Gary Neville at the Mestalla, according to Sky Sports Spanish football expert Guillem Balague. Neville has come in for intense scrutiny this week after his Valencia side suffered a 7-0 defeat in their Copa del Rey semi-final first leg against Barcelona.The pressure on Neville, though, was beginning to mount before Wednesdays humbling at the Camp Nou, with the former Manchester United defender still without a league win after eight attempts. Benitez, who won two La Liga titles and the UEFA Cup during a successful three-year spell with Valencia, has been out of work since he was replaced by Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid in January.Having already managed in La Liga this season, Benitez would have to wait until the summer under league rules that prevent a manager taking charge of two clubs in the same campaign.Speaking in his weekly Q&A session, Balague confirmed Los Che had made contact with Benitez about replacing Neville, although, at this stage, the Spaniard has not made a decision.Valencias new director of football, Garcia Pitarch, has contacted Rafa, Balague said. He did not commit, though. Guillem Balague feels Gary Neville has lost the players and the fans after Valencias latest defeat But the story was leaked to appease fans who think Rafa would be ideal.One problem with that possibility is that Valencia owner Peter Lim is friends with Jorge Mendes, the super-agent who built the side. Mendes is also Jose Mourinhos agent, and we all know the relationship Jose and Rafa had.Valencia find themselves in a precarious position in the Primera Division, languishing in 12th place, just five points clear of the relegation zone. Guillem Balague feels Gary Neville has lost the players and the fans after Valencias latest defeat Neville has been consistently backed by the clubs owners who assure he will be allowed to see the job through to the end of the season.However, with the club on the brink of being sucked into a fight for survival, Balague believes Neville is facing a potentially defining period of tenure.Avoiding relegation is now the target, which is a world away from the original one of becoming top four, Balague added. Gary Neville has called questions over his position as Valencia manager ridiculous, despite losing at home to relegation threatened Sporting Gijon The club is now looking over its shoulder, five points away bottom three and with Real Betis next.Gary has got the backing of the owner at the moment but a defeat against Betis would mean that fans and media will demand, or continue to demand, his head.Watch Real Betis v Valencia live on Sunday, 2.55pm, Sky Sports 2 HD Also See: Balague Q&A recap Balagues Neville verdict Barca hit Valencia for seven Kevin Faulk Womens Jersey . After dropping their final six games of December, the Wild opened the new calendar year with four consecutive wins. Following a loss to Colorado on Saturday, Minnesota rebounded the following night to blank Nashville 4-0, but then had the tables turned on them Tuesday. Stephon Gilmore Youth Jersey . 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Where did it all go wrong?Its a difficult question, West Indies captain Jason Holder said after his teams tour-ending defeat to Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. Luck wasnt really in our favour in some instances but, out of the things that we could control, I didnt think that we fielded well throughout the entire tournament, consistently.Its very disappointing. Its tough to be in this position, after starting the tour so well. At the beginning of the tour we felt we could have won the tournament, and to be in this position right now, were absolutely gutted. Its a situation where we really need to look at ourselves in the mirror and see where we fell short, moving forward into the new year, and see how we can come together again and perform better.Today I felt Zimbabwe got too many runs, and we didnt bat smart enough in the situation, Holder added. We lost wickets at crucial stages. Zimbabwes 218 for 8 may have seemed a modest target, but conditions were tricky for batting and with rain around it was always possible that Duckworth/Lewis targets could come in to play. West Indies needed a steady start, but instead they lost three wickets inside the first 10 overs. Graeme Cremer used his bowlers cunningly, and for the first time in an ODI innings the first four bowlers used were all spinners. With wickets falling, and Zimbabwe getting through their overs very quickly, the hosts were able to put themselves in a strong position.Some credit must be given to Zimbabwe for the way they strategised: [how they went] about their innings, and to get the spinners on early and get through their overs with all this talk of the weather around, Holder said. Holder himself very nearly pulled West Indies back into contention. He hit three of the first six balls he faced to the boundary, and followed that up with a lofted six - the only one of West Indies innings - down the ground. When Cremer came on to bowl the 28th over, with the drizzle getting heavier, West Indies were just eight runs from a winning score.dddddddddddd Holder said he felt he could have continued batting in those conditions, but the umpires decided otherwise.At the beginning of that last over which Graeme started to bowl, I knew we had to get as close as possible to it, but it was still a risk because you didnt want to lose a wicket as well. So I tried to go after him a little bit, but I couldnt get hold of it. I had a word with the umpire then, and he did say that if it continued in that vein wed consider going off. For me, I was just trying to get to that score without losing a wicket, so I was between a rock and a hard place.It was touch and go, to be honest. I felt the weather never really changed throughout the entire day. But the umpires used their discretion, I couldnt really get involved. It was their decision. They felt it was becoming a little slippery for the fielders. I was willing to play through it, and I felt like we could have stayed on and played through it, but that was beyond my control.Yet Holder will not leave Zimbabwe with nothing to show for his troubles. Ahead of the final, the two leading run-scorers and three of the top five wicket-takers in the tri-series are in the West Indies squad.There are plenty of positives. We got two centuries in four games, the bowlers came in and did a really good job. And just to see the way we went out in the last game to try and chase down 331, to fall one run short... For a young group, a very inexperienced team, to get that close, credit must be given to the guys. Im not disappointed too much in individuals performances. Collectively, we fell short.To see the way weve grown in this tournament, the way the guys have played, I cant fault them. Its a situation where we need to learn, and learn quickly. We go back home now, and some people have first-class cricket, and then we have our 50-over competition in the new year. Its a situation where we need to take every opportunity we get to play some cricket, and well get better. ' ' '