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Scotland international’s 17-ball 39 set Worcestershire an insurmountable target of 191

ECB Reporters Network05-Jul-2024

Jones struck four sixes in his innings•Getty Images

A brutal cameo from Michael Jones helped Durham to a 22-run win against the Worcestershire Rapids in the Vitality Blast.Jones smashed 39 from 17 balls at the Seat Unique Riverside to help Durham to a big total of 190 for 5, with the Scottish international capitalising on a good platform set by Ollie Robinson who made 41.The visitors’ chase was led by an impressive 45 from Kashif Ali, but a good Durham bowling performance spearheaded by Ben Raine meant that the Rapids fell short.Durham are now in a good position to qualify for the quarter-finals for the first time since 2018, but the Rapids face an uphill challenge to qualify having lost their last six in the competition.Having won the toss, the hosts chose to bat and Graham Clark got the innings off to the perfect start as he carved one through the covers for four. Skipper Alex Lees then got the first six of the night when he smashed a Josh Cobb ball over the long-on boundary.The Rapids then fought back after a tough start with Lees and Clark departing for 22 and 24 respectively.Robinson and Colin Ackermann used the large dimensions at Chester-le-Street to their advantage, as the Rapids restricted the boundary count in the middle overs.Ackermann felt the run-scoring squeeze and Brett D’Oliveira was the beneficiary as the Durham man mistimed a slog sweep and was caught on the boundary for 19.Robinson started to tick and smashed a D’Oliveira ball for six as Durham passed 100, however the Rapids captain struck back as he bowled Ashton Turner for 20.Robinson then struck two sixes from a Brookes over but he went for one too many as he skied one to long-on for 41.That didn’t stop the hosts’ barrage as Jones smashed one out the ground and he then hit 24 from the final over to finish unbeaten on 39 and the hosts finished on 190 for 5.The visitors had a tough task to chase 191 and they struggled to get going initially, as they picked up just 10 runs from the first two overs.D’Oliveira then departed at the hands of Bas de Leede, who coaxed an edge from the Rapids skipper and Robinson was on hand to take the catch behind the stumps.Ali, who led his side to an impressive win at this ground in the County Championship earlier this week, looked to get his side going alongside Cobb and they started to make a dent into the target.Ali then smashed a Sowter ball down the ground for six and followed that with one into the stands.However, Raine picked up the key wicket of Ali for 45, with Durham’s top wicket taker bowling the impressive opener.Then the hosts got the dangerous Adam Hose for just seven, after he was brilliantly caught on the boundary by Ackermann off the bowling of Sowter.The experienced Cobb was then dropped on 25 by Sowter as the Rapids continued to live dangerously but the leg-spinner bounced back from the drop as he picked up the wicket of Brookes.Cobb then departed for 39 as he was bowled by Ben Dwarshuis, but Gareth Roderick hit a six over the legside boundary to give his side a chance however he fell to Raine for 18 to leave the visitors staring down the barrel of defeat.Late wickets from Dwarshuis, de Leede and Raine saw the hosts home comfortably, winning by 22 runs.

Russell Martin’s mass-squad overhaul at Rangers is in full swing.

So far this summer, the Ibrox side have signed Lyall Cameron and Max Aarons, but plenty more arrivals are forecast in the coming weeks and days, with the start of Champions League qualifying just over three weeks away.

Now, centre-forward has to be a priority position for the Light Blues, so have they identified their dream target?

Rangers targeting a new striker

Rangers’ selection of centre-forwards could look rather different come the start of next season.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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As has been widely reported for weeks, AEK Athens are attempting to sign Cyriel Dessers, with the Greek side having bid £5m for the Nigerian international, while Rangers are holding out for £6m.

Meantime, Hamza Igamane appears poised to depart too, with Lille leading the race to sign him, but Foot Mercato claim that fellow Ligue 1 clubs Strasbourg and Rennes are ‘still in the running’ to secure the Moroccan’s signature.

Thus, potentially in the market for two new strikers, Israeli outlet 5 Sport claim that Rangers are ‘willing to pay’ Maccabi Tel Aviv’s £5m asking price for Dor Turgeman.

They add that a deal will not be finalised until either Dessers or Igamane are sold, but that Turgeman ‘has expressed a desire’ to join the Glasgow giants.

Blair Meikle of the Glasgow Times also notes that the Israeli Premier League champions have already signed Ion Nicolaescu from Heerenveen this summer, further evidence that they’re preparing for life after Turgeman, but what would he bring to Rangers?

Why Dor Turgeman could be Rangers' next Alfredo Morelos

It’s pretty impossible to dispute the fact that, since Rangers won promotion back to the Premiership nine years ago, Alfredo Morelos is the best striker they have had.

After joining from HJK Helsinki for a reported fee of £1m in June 2017, the Colombian international scored 124 goals in 269 appearances for the Gers, becoming the club’s all-time leading scorer in Europe, breaking Ally McCoist’s long-standing record.

So, let’s take a look at how el Bufalo compares to the club’s other strikers from the past decade.

Selected Rangers strikers (2016-present)

Players

Tenure

Appearances

Goals

European goals

Cyriel Dessers

2023-present

109

51

6

Hamza Igamane

2024-present

46

16

4

Danilo

2023-present

48

12

1

Alfredo Morelos

2017-22

269

124

29

Jermain Defoe

2018-22

74

32

3

Kemar Roofe

2020-24

102

38

5

Antonio Čolak

2022-23

39

18

3

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt

As the table outlines, none of Rangers’ other centre-forwards come close to Morelos when it comes to longevity, as well as his sheer volume of goals in UEFA competitions; only Henrik Larsson, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar have ever scored more than his 32 goals in the Europa League, when qualifiers are included.

So, could Turgeman replicate his success?

Well, writer Kai Watson labels the Israeli “quality”, adding he has “room to improve”, while adding elsewhere that he is “lethal inside the box” and an excellent ball carrier.

So, let’s assess Turgeman’s recent career statistics.

Dor Turgeman’s season-by-season statistics

Statistics

Appearances

Goals

Assists

2024/25

44

20

6

2023/24

49

11

2

Turgeman’s international career

Israel U21

7

2

0

Israel senior team

10

1

1

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt

As the table underlines, Turgeman took his goalscoring exploits to new heights last season, finishing as the third-highest scorer in Ligat ha’Al.

He has also earned international recognition, a key figure in the Israel team that reached the semi-finals of the U21 Euros two years ago, scoring against Germany during that tournament, before opening his senior account against Norway back in March.

Pertinently, with regards to the Morelos comparison, the 21-year-old does have five goals in UEFA competitions to his name so far, netting against Panevėžys, TSC Bačka Topola, Celje and, most notably, Real Sociedad in either the Conference League or Europa League across the last two seasons.

Nene Afadzinu of Football Talent Scout outlines how Turgeman operates best as a ‘focal point’, while praising his ‘excellent first touch’, hold-up play and pressing.

Thus, the Israeli has already shown plenty of quality at a young age, meaning he appears to have all the attributes to be a success at Ibrox and prove to be the perfect Igamane replacement.

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Posts ByRoss Kilvington Jun 27, 2025

Liverpool transitioned from one era to another with the artful ease of champions. Now they are vindicated, proven right in their appointment of Arne Slot, who last month became a Premier League-winning manager. And in his first year at that.

Few saw it coming. None, perhaps, other than some optimistic Reds supporters around Merseyside and beyond. As Jurgen Klopp packed up and left last summer, Feyenoord’s boss stepped into his shoes after FSG were given an emphatic no when they sought to pull Xabi Alonso, now Real Madrid-bound, from Bayer Leverkusen.

Dubious heads abounded. Some Liverpool supporters would have held reservations, for sure, but the view from the rest of the Premier League was that the Dutchman was a stop-gap, a temp tasked with absorbing the leaden rain which would inevitably hit Anfield after the departure of a iconic, irreplaceable figure.

But then, Slot hasn’t replaced Klopp, not really. The managerial position is gone, archived for now. In its place, that of a head coach, with Slot working in a more focused role, his modus operandi angled toward that of tactics and the first team.

Transfers, not so much. He still has a significant say, of course, but he reports to overseer Richard Hughes, who wields the power but, in turn, reports to Michael Edwards, FSG’s footballing overlord.

However, it’s a hierarchy with the promise of success. Liverpool have held off on big-money moves over the past year, but the current interest in Florian Wirtz is genuine, all right, and the powers that be are unanimous in their desire to bring him to Merseyside.

Why Liverpool want to sign Wirtz

Last week, Manchester City withdrew from consideration. They admire Wirtz greatly and need his type of profile, given Kevin De Bruyne will play his final game for the club this weekend, but deemed the full package to be too expensive.

That’s not the case for Liverpool, who are aware Bayern Munich believe they sit in the driving seat but are working tooth and nail toward securing a deal all the same. With Trent Alexander-Arnold leaving for Real Madrid, Slot needs a new creative centrepiece and has green-lit the prospective transfer for Wirtz.

Bayer Leverkusen feel they have a generational talent on their hands, and though he’s approaching the penultimate year of his contract, are seeking a staggering €150m (£126m) figure for his release.

The 22-year-old was crowned last season’s Bundesliga Player of the Season after leading Leverkusen to their maiden top-flight title. Xabi Alonso’s side also lifted the DFB-Pokal, completing both domestic feats without a single blemish of defeat.

It’s easy to see why the German playmaker is such a hot commodity: as per FBref, he ranks among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues this season for goal contributions, the top 7% for shot-creating actions and progressive passes, and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90.

Wirtz’s talent level goes through the roof, but he also marries his prowess, his skill, with a fixed baseline that has allowed him to maintain potency through the fledgling years of his career. As you will see below, consistency is key.

Florian Wirtz – Bayer Leverkusen Stats by Season (all comps)
Season	Apps	Goals	Assists
24/25	45	16	15
23/24	49	18	20
22/23	25	4	8
21/22	31	10	14
20/21	38	8	8
19/20	9	1	0
Stats via Transfermarkt

Anfield’s data analysts probably had a field day upon realising a deal could be struck. Should FSG prevail, though, some shuffling would need to be done.

To put it another way, a beloved talent would be sold this summer.

Wirtz would end star's Liverpool career

As Liverpool gear up for a title-defending campaign, Slot will know his side no longer wear the cloak of an underdog. Now, watchers will have heightened expectations.

With the likes of Arsenal, Manchester City and rivals abroad all strengthening, Liverpool’s burning desire to add Wirtz to the ranks makes a lot of sense, even if it would break the bank. That’s why Harvey Elliott needs to be sold.

Elliott, 22, has been around for a while, leaving Fulham as a 16-year-old to move to Merseyside and join his boyhood club. Since his arrival, the creative midfielder has played 145 times for the men’s team, scoring 15 goals and providing 20 assists.

His fatal flaw lies not in technical quality but in athleticism. Elliott doesn’t win enough duels, nor is he mobile enough in the centre of the park to convince Slot he deserves regular starting roles in this high-flying, competitive Liverpool team.

It’s a shame, for Elliott is a “machine” when it comes to output, as per Liverpool writer Sam McGuire, ranking among the top 2% of positional peers this season for goals and assists combined per 90 (FBref).

But Slot simply hasn’t given the rising star the game time he wants or deserves this term, with Elliott making only his second Premier League start of the season during last weekend’s defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion. He, of course, bagged a goal and an assist.

He’s now open to leaving, unlocking a door he certainly won’t want to step through but has grown accustomed to the cold reality that Slot will not give him the minutes he needs to develop at this formative stage of his professional career.

As per Football Insider, Nottingham Forest want to replace Morgan Gibbs-White with the England U21 international, while Newcastle United and Wolverhampton Wanderers have also registered their interest. The Reds hope to bag around £50m for his departure.

Liverpool will no doubt rue losing one of their own, a player whose potential stretches high above most others. Klopp did say, at the end of his illustrious Anfield tenure, that one of his biggest regrets was failing to give this nifty little playmaker more action.

But time’s have changed. Liverpool are Premier League champions once more and need to defend their trophy.

Wirtz is exactly the type of statement signing they need to make, and though Dominik Szoboszlai’s contrasting, tireless style denotes a prominent role for years to come, it’s hard to argue against Wirtz being an upgrade on Elliott, who could fetch a decent sum this summer to help with the investment.

All of a Liverpool persuasion would be sad to see Elliott go, but maybe a little touched too, waving goodbye like proud parents as their eldest heads out on their own for the first time.

If Slot can’t offer the young midfielder the playing time he needs to fully foster his skills, cashing in for a sizeable fee would be a good move.

Replacing him with Wirtz would soften the blow – just a tad.

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1

By
Ethan Lamb

May 22, 2025

A £70m Premier League forward is now “in the frame” to join Manchester United in the summer transfer window, according to former scout Mick Brown.

Man Utd pursuing new forward

Scoring goals has been a major problem for Man United this season, with Ruben Amorim perhaps relying on Bruno Fernandes a little too often, and the manager has now set out to bolster his attacking options in the summer transfer window.

An out-and-out striker is of particular interest, and United have now held talks over the signing of Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres, which have progressed well, while they are also in the race for Wolverhampton Wanderers star Matheus Cunha.

Cunha is keen on a move to Old Trafford this summer, with the Red Devils working to finalise a deal soon, which means the next task may be to strengthen their wide options, and they have now set their sights on a Premier League winger.

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According to former scout Brown, in an interview with Football Insider, AFC Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo is “definitely in the frame to join Man United this summer”, having caught the eye with his performances in the Premier League this season.

Brown said: “Man United have been impressed by Semenyo this season. He certainly didn’t do himself any harm with that performance on Sunday.

“He fits the bill of the type of player Ruben Amorim is looking for, he’s strong, quick, he’s got plenty of energy and works hard, he’s good in shooting situations and good in the air too.

“They’ll know all of that and they’ll know his weaknesses too from watching him this season.

“Amorim likes to play his 3-4-3 system, and Semenyo could fit into any of those three positions, so that’s another point in his favour.”

"Sensational" Semenyo shining for Bournemouth

It has been a steady rise to the top for Semenyo, who has worked his way up the English pyramid, spending time at Newport County and Bristol City before establishing himself as a key player for Bournemouth.

This season has been the Ghanaian’s best to date, picking up nine goals and six assists in the Premier League, most recently setting up Dean Huijsen’s equalising goal with a long throw in the Cherries’ 2-1 victory against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

Brown believes the “sensational” 25-year-old would be a perfect fit in Amorim’s system, which could also make him an appealing option, with the manager in need of players capable of flourishing in his three-at-the-back formation.

Given his age, Semenyo’s best years could still be ahead of him, and his exploits in the Premier League this season indicate he could be a fantastic signing for Man United this summer, although the rumoured £70m price tag is a little on the expensive side.

Manchester United have submitted a £64 million bid to sign a “powerhouse” player ahead of interest from Arsenal and Chelsea this summer, according to a recent report.

Ruben Amorim responds to Gary Neville's criticism

The Red Devils played out a 0-0 draw against rivals Manchester City on Sunday afternoon in what was a dull affair for a Manchester Derby. After the game, former United player and captain Gary Neville stated that United need as many as “five new signings” this summer to help Amorim.

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Neville told Sky Sports: “I do understand why Ruben Amorim’s done that today, with the players he’s got, because he hasn’t got the players to adapt. They need five new players straight away before you even think about the rest of it.

“The three up front are not good enough, and the two wing-backs, they’re not good enough. They need five players. They need to serve him with five players who are good enough in this system to be able to play his system the way he wants.”

Then, speaking in his post-match press conference, Amorim responded by stating that he knows Neville is “critical about everything”: “I understand that Gary Neville is critical about everything. I understand that we are having the worst season in history.

“Manchester City won everything in the past, but this season they are struggling. So, we are not in the best of moments to give the best spectacle to fans. We are not fighting for the big things; it’s different.

“I understand the critical aspect of the players who played in this game in a different way because they were fighting every time for the titles. It’s a different context.”

Man Utd submit £64m bid to sign Viktor Gyokeres despite Arsenal green light

If – as Neville says – United need five new additions, INEOS could be working on one of those potential arrivals already. According to a report from Spain, Man United have made a £64 million bid to sign Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP.

The report states that United have positioned themselves as one of the teams most interested in signing the Sweden international, but they face competition from Chelsea, as they have also tabled an offer for the striker. Both Premier League teams have made an offer worth 75 million euros, while the player himself has given the green light for Arsenal to sign him, although this report does not mention the Gunners making a bid.

The Red Devils will hope to have an edge in this race, as Amorim worked with Gyokeres at Sporting and seemed to get the very best out of him. United want to sign Gyokeres, who has been dubbed a “powerhouse” by analyst Ben Mattinson, as they believe he will be a huge uprgade on struggling stars Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee.

Gyokeres

Hojlund

Apps

26

26

Starts

24

18

Goals

30

3

Goals per 90

1.24

0.17

Total shots

109

21

Shots per 90

4.51

1.22

Shots on target

60

9

Goals per shot

0.17

0.14

The potential arrival of Gyokeres at Old Trafford would surely spell the end for Hojlund, who, despite scoring against Leicester City before the international break, failed to make any significant impact in the Manchester Derby.

It is just three goals in 26 league games this season for Hojlund, who was subbed off on Sunday once again, and Amorim knows that if he has any chance of being a success, he needs to have a striker with a better success rate in front of goal, which Gyokeres has, given he’s got 30 goals in 26 league games.

The trophy belongs as much to the current players as the past, who represented India with limited means, often shuffling between jobs to make ends meet

Vishal Dikshit03-Nov-2025

India’s world champions celebrate with Jhulan Goswami and Anjum Chopra•Getty Images

The most ironic celebratory scenes unfolded as the victorious Indian team took the ODI World Cup trophy around the ground in Navi Mumbai to Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami and Anjum Chopra and they all said “Thank you”.As a weeping Goswami towered over captain Harmanpreet Kaur on one shoulder and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana on the other, she whispered those two words with her eyes shut, almost not knowing how else to appreciate the gigantic effort of finally bringing the trophy home. Mithali then held the trophy high with the squad surrounding her, offering rapturous applause. She had come so close to winning it herself eight years ago. Now that she had it, she cuddled it as tight as she could, big, beaming smile on her face.Chopra threw her arms around Harmanpreet with “you have done it,” not long after she had said, “finally, finally, finally” on commentary, just as the Indian team’s celebrations had begun. Perhaps she was counting the two World Cup finals India went down in, in 2005 and 2017, and that the third time was the real “finally” that sparked an endless celebration for the players and their families, both at the ground and the adjacent team hotel, all the way to the wee hours of Monday morning.Related

• Harmanpreet: 'There is nothing bigger than this in our life as a cricketer'

• 'Numb' Harmanpreet tries to grasp enormity of India's greatest day

• The night Shafali Verma defied her destiny, and then owned it

• BCCI to give India women INR 51 crore cash prize for World Cup win

They took the trophy to Reema Malhotra as well, who turned out 64 times for India, and was Harmanpreet’s senior in the 2009 and 2013 World Cups. The duo reunited and sang “”, a popular Hindi song that means “give me my rights, here and now,” and largely symbolises rebellion and struggles against social and political norms.The irony of thanking the current side lay in the fact that these former players were the ones who had paved the way, laid the foundation and groomed some of these players who were wearing World Cup medals around their necks.It is the current fast bowlers who should be thankful to Goswami, who convinced her parents to let her play cricket as a teenager, for which she had to take a train every morning before dawn from her hometown in Chakdaha to Kolkata (about 80 kilometres away).It is the current batters who should be thankful to Mithali for smashing a Test double-century four months before she turned 20 and then taking up the India captaincy at 21, chaperoning the side to two World Cup finals.It was under Goswami that Harmanpreet made her international debut in 2009; it was under Mithali that Harmanpreet became vice-captain and then took over after Mithali’s departure in 2022. Chopra, too, had shown a young Harmanpreet the ropes more than 15 years ago and now fondly calls her protégé , an Indianised version of captain.8:05

‘What dream? We’re living it’

“Yes, Jhulan was my biggest support,” Harmanpreet said after the final. “When I joined the team, she was leading it. She always supported me in my early days when I was very raw and didn’t know much about cricket.”I used to play with boys, and the school principal picked me up, and within a year, I started representing the country. In the initial days, Anjum supported me a lot. I always remember how she used to take me along with her team. I learnt a lot from her and passed it on to my team.”Both of them have been a great support for me. I’m very grateful that I got to share a special moment with them. It was a very emotional moment. I think we all were waiting for this. Finally, we were able to touch this trophy.”Even though Harmanpreet was feeling “numb” at the press conference, she explained how this historic feat belonged to a myriad of people behind the scenes – families, close friends, coaches, who stood by them through the highs and lows. And all the former players, some of whom laid the foundation stone of women’s cricket in India decades ago.Two of them are Diana Edulji and Shantha Rangaswamy, who watched the players from the stands at the DY Patil Stadium on Sunday night. They are two pioneers of the game who started with nothing and continue to contribute in administrative capacities to date.Rangaswamy was India women’s first official captain in 1976, and was the first to lead them to a Test series win. Born in a family full of academicians, Rangaswamy didn’t have the means to take a bus to college but went walking around Bangalore (now Bengaluru) to study and train for multiple sports. Early in her career, she even played with her father’s broken bat against Australia before establishing herself as an allrounder.Edulji, just two years younger than Rangaswamy, forced her way into boys’ cricket teams in South Bombay and came from the generation that had to raise funds on their own for India women’s first overseas tour of New Zealand in 1976-77.Mithali Raj has been a role model for a lot of the current players•ICC/Getty ImagesExpectedly, the finances accrued weren’t enough and they were forced to stay in the houses of a few Indian families and local players, which then became the norm for some of the future tours. Edulji was the first to lead India in a Women’s World Cup, in 1978 at home, before Rangaswamy did it in 1982.The trophy that the Indian team are still shooting reels with, perhaps belongs as much to the players who represented India, not just without contracts or match fees but especially under the Women’s Cricket Association of India (WCAI), a body set up by lovers of the game in 1973.The WCAI’s history is dotted with its own share of financial difficulty before every overseas tour, before every World Cup – which even made India miss the 1988 edition – and until the BCCI took the women’s game under its wings in 2006. By then, India had featured in six World Cups without much formal support or money.The prize money of INR 51 crore that the BCCI announced the day after the World Cup glory in a way also belongs to those who shuffled between jobs to make ends meet while playing cricket. To those who defiantly fought against gender norms and initial administrative hurdles to set in place a system for girls to start thinking about cricket professionally, even after the likes of Harmanpreet and Mandhana had picked up their bats.”This one’s for those who were before us and set the foundation,” Jemimah Rodrigues wrote on her Instagram on Monday.It has taken generations of players, their parents, close friends and relatives to make all these efforts materialise into a World Cup trophy. The role of the media to popularise the game was also not lost on Harmanpreet.As soon as she finished her press conference after the final, she called some reporters to the podium – especially those who have contributed to the coverage of women’s cricket – and took selfies with nearly all of them holding the trophy. Coincidentally, they used the same words everyone around Harmanpreet had been saying: “Thank you.”

There is a three-way battle for a confirmed spot in the women’s final

Sampath Bandarupalli21-Aug-2023ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Men’s tournament

Oval Invincibles – Wins 5, Points 11
Oval Invincibles stand on the top of the table, leading second-placed Manchester Originals by two points. However, Originals have a better net-run-rate (NRR) than Invincibles. If Invincibles register a win against the Trent Rockets on Monday, they will directly qualify for the final.However, a defeat would mean they would rely on a favour from Southern Brave to defeat Originals, who would climb to the top via NRR if they won.Manchester Originals – Wins 4, Points 9
Manchester Originals have a chance of qualifying for the final directly if they beat Southern Brave in the last match, as long as Trent Rockets do them a favour by defeating Oval Invincibles on Monday. Despite being close to a direct final qualification, Originals are not yet confirmed of their play-off berth as they could fall as low as fifth if results go against them.Though Originals have the best NRR among the eight teams in the men’s competition, they could finish below Southern Brave if they lose to them by a margin of around 42 runs. If that happens, Rockets will also finish ahead of the Originals on NRR irrespective of their win margin against Invincibles.Though Welsh Fire are behind Originals on NRR by more than 100 runs, they can also move ahead of Originals – if Brave defeat Originals by 42 runs and Fire win against the Northern Superchargers by around 62 runs.If Rockets beat Invincibles on Monday, Originals have to make sure they don’t lose by more than 41 runs to Brave and hope Welsh Fire can’t catch them on the NRR. And if Rockets lose on Monday, Originals will be confirmed to finish in the top three if they can ensure their losing margin against Brave is less than 42 runs.A win on Monday night would do wonders for Rockets’ play-off chances•ECB/Getty ImagesTrent Rockets – Wins 3, Points 7
Trent Rockets will more or less seal their place in the playoffs with a win against Invincibles on Monday. However, there is a chance they could miss out despite finishing with nine points – but they could qualify for playoffs even with a loss against Invincibles. For that to happen, they need Southern Brave, Welsh Fire and London Spirit to lose their last matches.Rockets must ensure they don’t lose by more than 45 runs, as any margin higher than that would push them below Brave’s current NRR. And in case Rockets lose by 75 runs to Invincibles, they will need the following results:
a. Brave lose to Originals by at least 31 runs.
b. Welsh Fire to lose by at least 13 runs against Superchargers. But Superchargers shouldn’t win by more than 43 runs.At the same time, the Rockets could still miss out on a top-three finish, despite a modest win by 15 runs. The following results, if they occur, could see the Rockets miss out on playoffs even after a 15-run win:
a. Brave to beat Originals by 58 runs, Originals do not lose by more than 26 runs.
b. Fire beat Superchargers by 79 runsSouthern Brave – Wins 3, Points 7
Southern Brave, the 2021 champions, could miss out on the playoffs for the second straight season if they lose to Originals in their last league match. Although, just a win might not be enough for Brave as they would need to win by at least 42 runs against Originals to move past them on NRR. Trent Rockets are likely to finish ahead of Brave if they win against Invincibles, while Welsh Fire could also catch up with a big win.Scenarios for Brave if they win:
1. Brave, Rockets and Fire win: Brave’s margin of win against Originals should be either 43 runs higher than Rockets’ win margin against Invincibles or within 17 runs of Welsh Fire’s margin against Superchargers.
2. Brave win by less than 42 runs: Rockets should lose to Invincibles, and Brave’s win margin should not be less than 16 runs of Fire’s margin against Superchargers.Brave, in fact, could end up in the play-offs even with a defeat – but that requires Rockets to suffer a big defeat as they are currently about 40 runs ahead of Brave on NRR. They would also need London Spirit and Welsh Fire to lose their respective matches, and at the same time, Northern Superchargers should defeat Fire by a handsome margin which could see them overhauling Brave’s NRR. If Brave lose by 20 runs to Originals, the only way Superchargers can go ahead is with a win as big as 50 runs.Welsh Fire kept their play-off hopes alive on Sunday night•Getty ImagesWelsh Fire – Wins 3, Points 7
Welsh Fire have won three of their seven completed matches this year, the same they won across the first two seasons combined. But they would need more than just a win in their last match to be assured of a place in the play-offs. They are currently 60 runs behind on NRR of Trent Rockets and about 19 runs behind Brave, the other two teams likely to end up with nine points.If the Rockets win, then Welsh Fire’s win margin against Superchargers must be beyond 60 runs. If the Rockets lose, then Welsh’s fate relies on the margin in the Originals-Brave match.A loss for Welsh Fire could make things complicated for them with already a poor NRR. In addition to Rockets and Brave’s defeats, Fire would also need London Spirit to lose as they could finish with eight points. Fire would also face a potential threat from their opponent of the last game Northern Superchargers, who will end with seven points but have a poorer NRR.London Spirit and Northern Superchargers are relying on other results working in their favour•Getty ImagesLondon Spirit – Wins 3, Points 6
London Spirit, unlike the remaining teams in contention, won’t have the NRR headache. All they need to qualify is for Rockets, Brave and Fire to lose their last matches and finish with seven points. If that happens, Spirit, who face Phoenix in the final league match, must win to seal the third place.Northern Superchargers – Wins 2, Points 5
Four consecutive defeats pushed Superchargers to seventh in the points table and left a heavy dent in their NRR. However, they still have an outside chance of making it to the play-offs. For that to happen, they would need to defeat Welsh Fire in their last league match and expect the results in all three other matches to work their way – Rockets, Brave and Spirit to lose.That would still not be enough for Superchargers due to their NRR, as they would need nearly 115 runs to cover between them and Trent Rockets, who have the best NRR of the teams likely to finish with seven points. If the Superchargers win by 75 runs against Fire after the Rockets suffer a 40-run defeat to Invincibles, they will end up with the best NRR among the teams with 7 points and finish third.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Women’s tournament

Southern Brave (12 points) are best placed for the direct route to the final, as a win against Manchester Originals (11 points) in their last league match would be enough for them. However, they can earn it even with a narrow defeat against Originals if Superchargers also secure a close win against Welsh Fire (10 points) on Tuesday.Brave and Superchargers are separated by more than 20 runs on NRR ahead of the last round of the league phase. Welsh Fire would need to beat Superchargers and hope Brave lose against Originals on Wednesday to finish as the table-topper.Brave will be in a must-win situation on Wednesday if Fire defeat Superchargers, or Superchargers beat Fire by about 22 runs, or with around 16 balls to spare.

Yes, they need to have a large group of players to draw on, but why make as many changes as they currently are making?

Mark Nicholas28-May-2021In England it is raining, which is hardly news. “April is the cruellest month” but not this year, it isn’t. This year that title conclusively belongs to May. After winter’s long nights, the grey, the wet, the wind, the chill are all our enemies. Poor cricket, such a struggle to capture hearts and minds when football is everywhere and Harry Kane wants to leave Tottenham and Sergio Aguero is leaving Manchester City. Then a 50-year-old goes and wins golf’s PGA Championship, which really does amaze, especially when he hits the ball 366 yards down the fairway. Phil Mickelson longer and better than the lot of them. Wow! Age waits for some men.The County Championship has been streaming, and more recently shown on Sky TV too. The cricket has been pretty good, though the element of star quality is missing from the daily fare. One headline-maker has been 45-year-old Darren Stevens, who only the other day blasted 190 for Kent in the blink of an eye (including 15 sixes) and then knocked over Marnus Labuschagne with the new nut. The former England captain Chris Cowdrey texted with the suggestion that Stevens might be county cricket’s best ever allrounder. I offered Mike Procter as an alternative but he was talking Poms. He added that Stevens’ golf handicap is +2, so he’s a talented chap and younger than Phil by a distance. Perhaps he will play for England at 50.Chris Silverwood announced a 15-man party for the summer’s first Test, which begins on Wednesday at Lord’s. It is a race for summer to get there.Related

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James Anderson, soon to be 39, is in it. Stuart Broad too, a slip of a lad approaching his 35th birthday. No doubt 40 is the new 30, and so on.The interest was as much in those not included as in those who will unpack in the home dressing room on bank holiday Monday. It is a team shorn of Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Jonny Bairstow, Chris Woakes and Moeen Ali, who are rested! To add injury to this insult, both Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer, are missing – Archer worryingly so. His elbow problem pre-dates the coronavirus and seemingly will keep him out for a couple more months. Stokes bust a finger at the IPL and should be fixed up soon enough.Most of us on the outside don’t get the “rested” thing. Take Curran, just a boy really, eager to bat, bowl and change the world. He was sent home early from India by England, arrived back in Mumbai to play about half the IPL, and since its postponement hasn’t been seen again. How can he need a rest? And what of Woakes, the other allrounder who could/should have been parachuted into the Stokes slot? Not a game for England since last season and only three T20 matches in the IPL for last summer’s PCA Player of the Year. Of course, bubble life takes its toll but mentally, not physically. These guys would rather be playing cricket for county and country than putting their feet up. I don’t buy them being kept fresh for campaigns to come; it makes far too many assumptions. I get the need to have a large group of cricketers well versed in the demands and atmosphere of the international game. I don’t get more than a change or two at a time. Long-term thinking has become a bane. Winning now, especially after the year we have just had, is very important.Did Ashley Giles perhaps feel threatened by Ed Smith’s intellect and vision?•Stu Forster/Getty ImagesSilverwood has said that his elevation to lord and high master of all things England team will be put to the most extreme test throughout this next year and admitted that failure could lead to his removal. “If the team underperforms, it’s me for the high jump,” he said. Well, maybe, maybe not. What if Silverspoons, as the boys affectionately know him, is a damn good coach and a rubbish selector? Why get rid of the coach in him?It might be that New Zealand, or India, do some damage to England’s confidence long before the coin hangs in the air at the Gabba in December. Will that be the fault of Silverwood the selector or Silverspoons the coach? Or of the captain? Or of the players? Is that not a judgement best taken from a distance? And is Ashley Giles, the managing director of England men’s cricket, who was behind the change, distant enough? Will he be prepared to kick “his” man in the guts if all goes belly up? From my distance, and given the opposition in waiting, the best side needs to be on the park most of the time and with a coach it trusts as one of their own.Which, sort of, brings us to Ed Smith. It was Smith who instigated the rest and rotation policy and Silverwood who has pursued it. The plan is a good one as long as it remains flexible, which, so far, it has not. Buttler, Bairstow and Ali each left India or Sri Lanka for home at different times, but annoyingly when in good form and with the capacity to influence the India series. These departures made it appear that the law was an ass. Did they cost Smith his job? No. Smith probably cost Smith his job. The senior guys didn’t take to either his stubborn independence or self-styling. He’s a super-smart man, too clever by half said some, rather unfairly. Mike Brearley is a smart man but his greater gift is the common touch. Perhaps Ed came over as aloof.If New Zealand, India or both end up putting a dent in England this summer, will it be the fault of Chris Silverwood the coach, Chris Silverwood the selector, or both?•Shaun Botterill/Getty ImagesBoy, the axe fell quick. One minute the dressing room in Chennai, the next scanning situations vacant. He did a darn good job – the best of selectors for his imagination, eye for detail and faith in talent (almost always).My own view is that all teams need a barometer outside of their bubble (the old one not the new one, though it applies to both) which includes opinion, advice, and best of all, insight into the word on the street. The trouble with teams is the subjective nature of the decision-making. Businesses don’t have non-execs on their board for no reason.An independent selection panel – historically a group of five that included the captain but not the coach – used to choose the England team. The change in 2018 to a national selector with one off-sider and the coach – albeit in close communication with the captain – was right for a job that includes crucial decisions on central contracts; choosing England and England A teams in many formats; selecting tour parties; announcing squads and support staff for specialist training camps; and numerous other extraneous areas of input, all at an incredibly challenging time. This is not necessarily the job of one man, especially one who is already working 24/7 to get the best from the players currently in favour. Of course, there is now a raft of scouts to support Silverwood but the identification of talent needs at least an element of eyes-only from the supremo, otherwise the buck doesn’t actually stop with him at all. He needs to watch county cricket but there is very little time to do so.Certainly there was tension between Smith and Giles. Perhaps Giles felt threatened by Smith’s intellect and vision. Smith was the architect of data-driven selection and had the capacity to both relate it to talent and give convincing explanations of his conclusions to the outside world. Appointed by Andrew Strauss, Smith had licence to go forth and explore with a chain of command that was clearly understood by them both. Under Giles that chain of command began to break and the only way to fix it was to end it.It is too simplistic to say that cricket should follow the football and rugby template of selection. For one thing, the game takes an age to play, and therefore a long journey to watch a promising young cricketer may result in a waste of time should someone else make a big hundred or take all the wickets. Equally, identifying talent and temperament in three or four skill sets requires selectors with those skill sets themselves. In addition, it is well enough documented that insecure players are less likely to talk about their problems with a coach who has sole responsibility for choosing the team. Equally the coach may wrongly assume that a confrontational dressing-room personality betrays a lack of faith in the team’s tactics, methods, approach, etc.I doubt that many, if any, national selectors have endeared themselves to the players over the years. To some degree, that’s the point really: the hard decisions have been the responsibility of judges outside the dressing room. Broad is no fan of Smith but his disenchantment when left out, both in Barbados in 2019 and at the Ageas Bowl at the start of last summer, fired him to greater heights and has prolonged his career in an England shirt. Isn’t that the point too?Anyway, the deed is done. What shall we expect from this rearranged England team? The flair players are mainly absent and question marks continue to hover over the opening batters and spinners. Much will depend on Joe Root’s run tally, and Anderson and Broad will be handy, if not devastating, at home – no change there, then. Ben Foakes’ appallingly bad luck continues, and James Bracey, on debut, will keep wicket. (Why not Buttler or Bairstow?) Ollie Robinson is a nice, tidy bowler at fast-medium, Craig Overton has put on a yard, and Olly Stone can be decidedly slippery. England need one of these to kick on, ditto Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope, who have it them to be the real deal.New Zealand will give them nothing and are one of the few sides to visit England who wallow in the conditions. Kane Williamson’s team has a good mix of young and old, proven and promising. The cricket they play seems to reflect the best of three exceptional modern-day New Zealand captains – Stephen Fleming (intelligence), Brendon McCullum (free spirit) and Williamson (calm efficiency). They are, we must acknowledge, the No. 1 and 2-ranked team in one-day and Test match cricket respectively – a remarkable achievement, given the small population and lack of financial muscle – and therefore begin, if not as favourites, certainly at even money. They first play two Tests against England and then go into battle against India in the final of the World Test Championship at the Ageas Bowl on June 18. Who is to say the pain they surely suffered when England pipped them at the post – “the barest of margins” – in the World Cup final at Lord’s on July 14, 2019, won’t be eased by the claiming of this newly invested title? Not me. No way.I have written the last paragraphs of this ramble a full day after those that precede them. It is raining again. Come on summer, buck up!

It might still be early in the season, but Arsenal are looking like a scary proposition at the moment.

Mikel Arteta’s side are flying atop the Premier League table and remain unbeaten in the Champions League with three wins from three.

While not every win has been emphatic, Tuesday night’s demolition of Atlético Madrid certainly was, as to a man, the Gunners were exceptional.

Moreover, while he didn’t produce a goal involvement, Bukayo Saka was once again a major threat, and in even more encouraging signs, another of the starters is starting to show shades of the talisman in his own game.

Saka's start to the season

Last season was a strange one for Saka and Arsenal as a whole. Although he missed almost four months of football due to a hamstring injury and subsequent surgery, the Hale End phenomenon still racked up a brilliant haul of 12 goals and 14 assists in 37 games for the side.

Saka 24/25
Appearances	37
Minutes	2619′
Goals	12
Assists	14
Goal Involvements per Match	0.70
Minutes per Goal Involvement	100.73′
All Stats via Transfermarkt

It was also clear that, towards the end of the campaign, he was still lacking that match fitness and sharpness that helps make him such a world-class talent.

Fortunately, even though he was still lacking that at the start of this season, he still managed to open his account with a well-taken goal at home to Leeds United on matchday two.

However, as if he hadn’t already dealt with enough bad luck over the last year or so, he also suffered another hamstring injury in that game.

This resulted in him spending another few weeks on the sideline before returning to the fray in the second half against Manchester City last month.

This setback has undoubtedly led to him being a bit rusty over the last few weeks, but even so, his immense talent has seen him remain the most dangerous attacker in Arteta’s side.

Moreover, he’s started to look somewhere close to his best again over the last week or so, and the difference has been crystal clear, as while he didn’t score or assist a goal against Fulham on Saturday, he was a huge threat, racking up an expected assists figure of 0.55 and playing seven key passes.

And then, while he wasn’t quite as influential on Tuesday, he still looked like the Gunners’ most realistic route to goal for much of the first 45, with former professional turned pundit Paul Merson claiming he had the Spanish side “on toast” at points.

In all, despite still not being at his peak, Saka is undoubtedly Arsenal’s most important player and talisman, so it’s pretty exciting to see another player start to show shades of his game in their own.

The Arsenal star emulating Saka

You really could take your pick when it came to standout performers for Arsenal on Tuesday.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Declan Rice was on point once again with his deliveries, Viktor Gyokeres nabbed a brace, and Gabriel Magalhães did what he does best.

However, the starter who once again exhibited some Saka-esque qualities in his game was Myles Lewis-Skelly.

The young Englishman was handed his third start of the season, and he more than repaid Arteta, but what in his game showed shades of his fellow Hale Ender?

Well, perhaps the most important is his ability to pull opposition players towards him, and then skip past them with ease to set up a promising attacking situation for the team.

This is exactly what he did for the second goal on the night, when he took five players out of the game with an incredible run from the middle of the park before setting up Gabriel Martinelli.

However, there are more similarities between the two academy gems than just that.

For example, while you can’t describe either one as towering or particularly imposing, both of them are fighters, far stronger than they look and capable of being a little bit nasty in the most complimentary of ways.

Furthermore, the 19-year-old is also technically brilliant, as in addition to his close control, he has a wand of a left foot, which has seen him chalk up a few assists since his debut.

With all that in mind, it’s not hard to see why one analyst described the youngster as one of the best talents “in world football” on Tuesday night.

Ultimately, there is still some way to go for Lewis-Skelly before he reaches his prime, but as things stand, he’s already an outrageous talent and shares more than a few traits with Saka.

9/10 star who had his "best game in an Arsenal shirt" is becoming like Rice

The game-changing monster is starting to look like another Declan Rice for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Oct 22, 2025

يستعد فريق مانشستر سيتي، بقيادة المدرب بيب جوارديولا، لخوض مباراة جديدة في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، وذلك يوم السبت المقبل بعد فوزه الصعب الثلاثاء.

وخاض مانشستر سيتي مباراته في الجولة الرابعة عشر من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، موسم 2025/26، ضد خصمه فريق فولهام على ملعب “كرافن كوتيج”.

وتمكن مانشستر سيتي من تحقيق فوز بشق الأنفس على فولهام بخمسة أهداف مقابل 4 أهداف، ليواصل ضغطه على آرسنال في جدول الدوري الإنجليزي (لمطالعة التفاصيل كاملة من هنا). موعد مباراة مانشستر سيتي القادمة بعد الفوز على فولهام في الدوري الإنجليزي

يخوض مانشستر سيتي مباراته في الجولة الخامسة عشر من الدوري الإنجليزي يوم السبت المقبل ضد سندرلاند، على ملعب “الاتحاد” في تمام الساعة 5 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، 6 بتوقيت السعودية.