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Junaid Siddique and Simranjeet Singh are examples of players who have not let the tensions between India and Pakistan come in the way of playing together

Shashank Kishore18-Sep-20251:49

Jaffer: Junaid Siddique was ‘spot on’

Junaid Siddique hails from Multan in Pakistan, and came to the UAE in 2014. But it wasn’t until a corruption scandal in UAE cricket, which led to bans of several players, that Siddique got a chance to play for the national team in October 2019. Over the past six years, Siddique has slowly emerged to becoming the leader of UAE’s pace attack.Two nights after starring with a four-wicket haul in UAE’s win over Oman, Siddique raised thoughts of an upset of Pakistan. He dismissed openers Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan in his first two overs, before returning later in the innings to polish off the lower order, ending with figures of 4-0-18-4.At the other end, Simranjeet Singh, who hails from Ludhiana in India, stemmed the flow of runs and built up pressure through the middle overs. Among his victims was Fakhar Zaman, soon after he got to a half-century.Related

• Fakhar, all-round Afridi lead Pakistan into Super Four

• The arrival of Shaheen Afridi, lower-order basher

From bowling to a young Shubman Gill at the Punjab age-group nets, Simranjeet’s cricket journey took an unexpected twist when he got stuck in the UAE during the Covid-19 lockdown. It was to start an unusual but memorable journey that has now taken him to the UAE team at 35. On Wednesday, he returned figures of 3 for 26.In a hugely volatile situation involving India and Pakistan, Siddique and Simranjeet are examples of players who have not let geopolitical tensions come in the way of their cricket, and performing together for UAE.Despite improved focus towards developing home-grown talent, UAE are very much a multicultural group of players, largely from the subcontinent. Their captain Muhammad Waseem, born in Pakistan, is himself a beneficiary of support from a Hyderabad-based entrepreneur who helped him land a job and helped facilitate his cricketing journey when he arrived in Dubai more than a decade ago.

“We weren’t talking of that [politics]. We’ve played too much cricket with each other. There’s no Indian or Pakistani [sentiment]. We are playing for the UAE. We play as a family, and live as a family”Muhammad Waseem, UAE captain

It was, therefore, only natural that Waseem expressed the kind of sentiment he did when asked about the tensions between India and Pakistan during the Asia Cup.”All these situations are only in India and Pakistan. There are no such situations in the UAE, whether it is in daily life, whether it is in cricket, or in our friendship,” he said. “We live like a family away from cricket, and in cricket matches too. We have played a lot of cricket with each other.”Asked if it ever came in the way of their camaraderie, he said, “No, we weren’t talking of that [politics]. We’ve played too much cricket with each other. There’s no Indian or Pakistani [sentiment]. We are playing for the UAE. We play as a family, and live as a family.”Simranjeet Singh derailed Pakistan in the middle overs•Associated PressWaseem, who has formed a fearsome opening combination with Kerala-born Alishan Sharafu, one of UAE’s emerging young batters, was full of praise for Siddique’s skills as he looked back at a game that could have panned out differently had UAE batted better in their chase of 147.”Junaid is our main bowler. Our most senior bowler in the team,” Waseem said. “He was exceptional today. In the last game also, he was superb. I’m very happy with our bowling. Especially the way we’ve bowled and learnt. Junaid, Simranjeet, [Muhammad] Rohid – all of them are doing a great job and I’m sure it’ll help us in the upcoming games.”Asked to pick out a turning point in the game against Pakistan, Waseem looked back at the three wickets lost inside the powerplay. “We ended up losing wickets in clusters,” he said. “Even after losing three wickets, we got a partnership going [between Rahul Chopra and Dhruv Parashar]. It felt until the 14-15-over mark that we could win, but we lost too many wickets.”Junaid Siddique picked 4 for 18 in his four overs against Pakistan•AFP/Getty ImagesOver the past few weeks, UAE have had seven straight games against top sides, a rarity in an era of lopsided fixtures where they have often had to make do with having to play fellow Associates. This, Waseem felt, gave them fresh perspective and clarity on how to approach their cricket.”We’ve learnt a lot playing India, Pakistan and Afghanistan,” he said. “We’ve learnt to handle pressure. Like today, we lost three wickets in the powerplay, but even after that, the boys built a partnership.”In the tri-series, the first game against Pakistan, or against Afghanistan, we came close. We could have won tonight as well. As a captain, I’ve learnt about making bowling changes. While I am batting, if I’m set, I’ve learnt that I should try and finish the game and then go out.”UAE now turn their attention to the Asia region qualifiers (from October 1 to 17) where they will fight for a spot at next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. If they are to make it, much will depend on their Indian-Pakistani core coming together to click as a unit.

Mitchell battled fitness issues en route to a 118-ball 119 on a two-paced pitch, taking New Zealand to a total beyond West Indies’ reach

Alagappan Muthu16-Nov-2025 • Updated on 17-Nov-2025

Everyone climbed onto the struggle bus in Christchurch, even Daryl Mitchell whose seventh ODI century cost him a little bit of his good health. A groin injury left him inside the dressing room for the entirety of the second innings, which wasn’t the worst thing ever. He could put his feet up and watch New Zealand pull off a seven-run victory.A two-paced pitch that offered sideways movement throughout the day made batting a distasteful exercise. Mitchell seemed immune initially but soon he was battling not just a disciplined West Indies attack but also his own body breaking down from the stress. The fact that he was able to ride those challenges – and take New Zealand to a total of 269 – made the innings all the sweeter.Mitchell must have felt it too. As soon as he reached his hundred, he whipped his helmet off and roared the word “yes” with so much emotion even the veins on his shaved head were popping all over the place. Performances like these were once the purview of Kane Williamson or Ross Taylor, two all-time Black Caps legends. Increasingly though, Mitchell has been putting himself up on their level, this 119 off 118 a prime example. No one else was able to make even half of those runs with Sherfane Rutherford’s 55 off 61 the next best score. Conditions at Hagley Oval on Sunday were not for the faint of heart.West Indies suffered in their chase, the help that was already available in the day now exaggerated under lights. Keacy Carty spent most of his 67 balls as a crash test dummy. He would’ve been fine if it was just swing or just seam or just bounce. But all three kept combining at the behest of New Zealand’s quicks and all the West Indian No. 3 could do was steel himself for the body blows. The first 10 overs produced just 32 runs. The next nine 27. There were 30 balls in between when only seven scoring shots were possible. And this was the change-bowlers – Jacob Duffy and Zak Foulkes – in operation.Matthew Forde helped West Indies start well with the ball•Getty Images

Shai Hope (37 off 45) and Rutherford fared a little better and New Zealand shelled a series of catches in the back end, but West Indies had fallen too far behind to capitalise.They came into this game with five changes – three spinners out, three seamers in. The best of them was Matthew Forde who was on a hat-trick in the seventh over, removing Rachin Ravindra for 4 and Will Young on his 50th ODI for a golden duck.That’s when Mitchell walked in and immediately flipped the game on its head. Till then, New Zealand’s batters were trapped in the crease and Forde was given the leeway to do whatever he wanted. Mitchell, though, walked at the fast bowler, trusting his reflexes to deal with the speed of the ball – which on average was only 122 kph – and negating the biggest thing that Forde had going for him – sideways movement, particularly into the right-hander. West Indies tried to stop that by bringing the wicketkeeper up but that only slowed Mitchell down. It didn’t uproot him.Mitchell was 33 off 37. He needed 24 deliveries to get to fifty. New Zealand were 91 for 2 in the 18th over. Only two of the next 16 would go for even a run a ball. Five of them almost became maidens. West Indies were remarkably tight, particularly Roston Chase, who harnessed the wind blowing across the ground to appear unhittable (just one four from his 10 overs) and mask the loss of Romario Shepherd (4-0-23-0) to a hamstring injury.Kyle Jamieson picked up 3 for 52 on ODI return•Getty Images

It was a small miracle the offspinner only ended up with one wicket – that of Michael Bracewell – because he created enough opportunities – three against Bracewell alone – to be driven to exasperation. “Jeeeesus,” Chase said when Hope missed a straightforward stumping.New Zealand were 192 for 5 in the 42nd over, but of greater concern was Mitchell pulling up in the middle of running a single and needing repairs to his left leg. He was 78 off 92 at that point, just starting to cut loose. Now, he was hampered running between the wickets and left to just stand and deliver. Good thing he’s six feet and change of pure muscle. Mitchell belted out those straight hits that he’s renowned for, thundering to his seventh ODI century, an innings that had so many phases.The initial acceleration, where he showcased a mutant pull shot, bringing the cross-bat up high and then whirling his wrists on impact with the ball to generate pace and find the boundary in front of square. The slowing down (from 33 off 37 to 56 off 77) because he knew he had to be there till the end. The injury (78 off 92) complicating things. The will to keep going. And the power to finish strong (41 off 26).West Indies could have had Mitchell for 19 and 67 but Chase at point and Jayden Seales at long-on put down two tough catches. New Zealand also benefited from Devon Conway’s persistence at the top of the order, where he scored 49 off 58 despite looking far from his best.Having specialist fast bowlers helped as well. Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson and Duffy all produced standout spells (29-4-146-4). They had the pace and the faith to go short, generating extra bounce. That was a clear a point of difference. West Indies got none of that, a drawback perhaps of having allrounders making up the majority of the seam attack. Justin Greaves, Shamar Springer and Shepherd stuck to the basics and were tidy (21-0-136-1) but in conditions that were often unplayable tidy doesn’t cut it.

Key numbers from RCB’s thumping win over Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025

Sampath Bandarupalli29-May-20252:10

Moody: Iyer totally misread the game situation

60 Balls remaining when Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) completed their chase against Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Thursday – the biggest such win for any team in an IPL playoff (or knockout) match. The previous record was by 57 balls for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in last year’s final.2 IPL wins for RCB with ten or more overs to spare, including the victory against PBKS on Thursday. In 2018, they defeated then-Kings XI Punjab by 71 balls to spare. The two defeats to RCB are the only instances of the Punjab franchise losing with ten or more overs to spare in the IPL.101 PBKS’ total against RCB in New Chandigarh, the joint-third-lowest by any team in the IPL playoffs (or knockouts). The lowest is 82 all out by Deccan Chargers against RCB in the third-place match in 2010, followed by 87 all out by Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the semi-final in 2008.14.1 Overs PBKS batted on Thursday. It is the shortest all-out innings while batting first by any team in the IPL. The previous shortest was 15 overs by RCB against RR in 2014. Overall, it’s the sixth shortest all-out innings in the IPL and the shortest in the playoffs (or knockouts).9 Number of RCB players to win a Player-of-the-Match award this year, including Suyash Sharma on Thursday. Only Mumbai Indians (MI), ten in 2017, had more players winning the match award in an IPL season, while Delhi Daredevils had nine in 2009.27 Runs scored by Shreyas Iyer in five matches in New Chandigarh this season. His average of 5.4 is the second lowest for a top-seven batter at a venue in an IPL season (minimum five innings). Shahid Afridi averaged 5.2 at Hyderabad in 2008, scoring 26 runs in five innings.576 Balls Phil Salt took to complete 1000 IPL runs. Only two batters have got to the 1000-run milestone quicker – Andre Russell (545 balls) and Travis Head (575).4 RCB made it to their fourth IPL final, having been there previously in 2009, 2011 and 2016. Only Chennai Super Kings (ten) and MI (six) have been in the more IPL finals, while KKR made four appearances.15 out of 15 Times the team finishing No. 2 in the league phase made it to the final since the playoffs system was introduced in 2011. RCB are the latest to do so.145 Balls the PBKS-RCB match lasted, the joint-third shortest completed game in the IPL (excluding shortened matches). The MI-KKR game at Wankhede in 2008 lasted only 125 balls, and the KXIP-RCB game in 2018 in Indore 140.

There were also call-ups for legspinner Shariz Ahmed and left-arm pacer Ben Fletcher

Mohammad Isam20-Aug-2025

Vikramjit Singh is one of three players poised to make a return into the Netherlands squad for their three-match T20I series against Bangladesh, to be held later this month. The left-handed opener wasn’t in the side during their T20 World Cup qualifiers at home, having last played in the tri-series in Glasgow in June.Apart from Vikramjit, there were call-ups for legspinner Shariz Ahmed and left-arm pacer Ben Fletcher, who also last played in the Glasgow tri-series. Shariz returns after his last international in Muscat last year.Left-arm quick Fred Klaassen and left-arm spinner Tim Pringle have also been included in the squad, with both having last appeared for Netherlands in the format in 2024.Netherlands will be without experienced allrounders Bas de Leede and Roelof van der Merwe, both having excelled with the ball during the World Cup qualifiers. Batter Michael Levitt misses out, as do Zach Lion-Cachet and Hidde Overdijk.Netherlands, however, have most of their squad members from the previous assignment. Captain Scott Edwards is their batting lynchpin, along with Max O’Dowd, who top-scored for Netherlands in the T20 World Cup qualifier.Pacer Kyle Klein, who took seven wickets in the qualifiers, is in the squad alongside Paul van Meekeren and Aryan Dutt. Shariz is also an interesting choice, if he can master the conditions in Sylhet, where the three T20Is will be played on August 30, and September 1 and 3.IN: Vikramjit Singh, Shariz Ahmed, Ben Fletcher, Fred Klaassen, Tim PringleOUT: Bas de Leede, Michael Levitt, Zach Lion-Cachet, Hidde Overdijk, Roelof van der MerweNetherlands squad: Scott Edwards (capt, wk), Noah Croes, Max O’Dowd, Vikramjit Singh, Teja Nidamanuru, Saqib Zulfiqar, Ryan Klein, Kyle Klein, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren, Shariz Ahmad, Ben Fletcher, Daniel Doram, Fred Klaassen, Tim Pringle

يستعد فريق برشلونة، بقيادة المدرب هانز فليك، لخوض مباراة مهمة مساء يوم الثلاثاء ضد نظيره فريق تشيلسي، في إطار منافسات بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويستضيف ملعب “ستامفورد بريدج” مباراة فريقي تشيلسي الإنجليزي وبرشلونة الإسباني، في الجولة الخامسة من دوري أبطال أوروبا، 2025/26، مرحلة الدوري.

وذكرت صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية، أن المدير الفني لفريق برشلونة، هانز فليك، يدرك أن أربعة لاعبين على وشك الإيقاف حال تلقيهم بطاقة صفراء في مباراة الغد ضد تشيلسي.

اقرأ أيضًا.. حكم مباراة برشلونة وتشيلسي في دوري أبطال أوروبا

وأوضحت أن هؤلاء اللاعبين هم لامين يامال، فرينكي دي يونج، فيرمين لوبيز ومارك كاسادو، حيث أنه في حال حصول أي منهم على بطاقة صفراء غدًا، سيتم إيقافه في مباراة آينتراخت فرانكفورت في الجولة السادسة، كونهم تحصلوا على بطاقتين صفراويتين في الجولات الماضية.

في حين تحصل كل من جول كوندي، أليخاندرو بالدي، جيرارد مارتين وداني أولمو على بطاقة صفراء، لكل منهم، في مباريات برشلونة في دوري أبطال أوروبا ذلك الموسم.

The Australia allrounder is recovering from a shoulder complaint she has been managing for some time

Nagraj Gollapudi27-Nov-20254:35

Chatter: What type of players could attract most attention at this WPL auction?

Australian bowling allrounder Jess Jonassen is understood to have pulled out of the WPL auction due to injury. Jonassen’s exit was disclosed to franchises by the WPL at the pre-auction briefing on Wednesday.The WPL has also told franchises that batter Pratika Rawal, wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia and seamer VJ Joshitha are all injured though their names are part of the auction pool. However, these three players cannot be part of the mandatory 15-person squad. In case any franchise picks these players, they will not be allowed a replacement.Rawal listed her base price at INR 50 lakh while Bhatia at INR 30 lakh. Meanwhile, Joshitha will invite bids from INR 10 lakh.The WPL has also told franchises that India fast bowler Pooja Vastrakar is not fully fit but will be part of the auction. Kashvee Gautam, meanwhile, has been declared fit. Vastrakar has listed her base price at INR 50 lakh while Gautam at INR 30 lakh.Related

WPL 2026 auction – what teams need, what they can do about it

Wolvaardt, Healy, Ecclestone – Which WPL team needs which superstar

Deepti, Wolvaardt, Ecclestone, Healy in marquee set

Jonassen, 33, has made a big impact in the WPL, winning five Player-of-the-Match awards. Only Harmanpreet Kaur has won more Player-of-the-Match awards (7) in the WPL. It is understood that Jonassen is recovering from a shoulder complaint she has been managing for some time.Alyssa Healy, Meg Lanning, Amelia Kerr and Laura Wolvaardt are listed in the marquee set that will open the bidding at the WPL 2026 auction. Allrounder Deepti Sharma and fast bowler Renuka Singh are the two Indian players in the marquee set.

Liverpool have been plugging away under Arne Slot’s management in recent weeks, looking to recover their title-winning form from last season.

And while the Reds have made a measure of progress after that abject Anfield defeat against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League, winning at West Ham before recovering to seal a draw against Sunderland, much more is needed.

Despite a summer of heavy spending, it’s clear that there are gaping holes in Slot’s squad, with the backline beyond fragile and the motley group of elite forwards lacking synergy and understanding.

Sporting director Richard Hughes will be rolling up his sleeves as the January transfer window inches closer.

Liverpool's winter transfer plans

Without a doubt, Marc Guehi and Antoine Semenyo’s names have been touted at the highest frequency this season, and it’s understood that Semenyo could be at the very top of the list after FSG decided against directly replacing Luis Diaz in August.

However, Semenyo’s £65m price tag and the growing interest from Premier League rivals such as Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur suggests FSG would be wise to keep their book of options open.

And they have. According to Spanish sources, Barcelona have been left disgruntled in their bid to sign Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig following rising interest from Liverpool and Spurs.

Leipzig value the 19-year-old winger at €90m (about £78m), and after holding talks with the Bundesliga outfit, Liverpool and Tottenham are primed to make official offers this winter.

Why Liverpool should sign Yan Diomande

Though Cody Gakpo has come under flak for his performances this season, he has still scored four goals and provided three assists across 12 Premier League starts.

Semenyo would jockey with the Dutchman for a place on the left flank, but signing Diomande might actually be the more providential move for Liverpool as a whole, bringing back Diaz’s electric pace and energy while establishing a duality of option that could see both players thrive.

And anyway, Diomande might be a work in progress at the moment, but the teenager has the potential to become a superstar, with coach Harry Brook calling him an “explosive and well-rounded athlete” who will soon be “worth £100m plus”.

Semenyo might be one of the Premier League’s most dangerous wide forwards, but the data certainly suggests that Diomande has what it takes to supersede him in the power rankings, should he move to Liverpool in 2026.

Already, he is more active and incisive across ball-carrying and -playing metrics, and in the Bundesliga this term, the two-sided winger has notched three goals and two assists from only eight starts, averaging 2.8 dribbles and winning 4.2 duels per fixture (as per Sofascore).

The Ghana international has been in red-hot form in the Premier League this season and he’s a big-game player besides, but he has gone more than two months without a goal contribution and there’s a compelling case to be made that Diomande could grow into a greater player.

Slot needs to consider the balance and fluency of his outfit as a whole, and this could be a deal to enhance that and then some, allowing the likes of Gakpo to continue to earn opportunities while adding depth and, more importantly, elite quality.

That is not to discredit Semenyo’s talent. The Cherries star is a fantastic, Prem-proven forward. It merely underlines the calibre of player Diomande may well become.

The new Trent: Liverpool shortlist "one of the best players in the world"

Liverpool have not replaced their iconic full-back’s presence down the right channel.

By
Angus Sinclair

6 days ago

In the almost six years since he took the job, Mikel Arteta has helped to utterly reshape Arsenal.

He’s pulled a team out of midtable mediocrity and turned them into serious contenders for the Champions League and Premier League.

Now, part of this transformation is down to his philosophy and tactics, but also to the sensational players he has promoted and signed.

In fact, one of his signings is now undoubtedly one of the world’s best players and arguably Arsenal’s best since the likes of Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry.

Vieira and Henry's Arsenal legacies

Arsenal signed Vieira from AC Milan in the summer of 1996, after a season in which he sat on the bench watching the Italian giants win the Scudetto.

Chalkboard

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

However, he certainly wasn’t a bit-part player in North London; he ended his first campaign having made 31 Premier League appearances, and as the years went by, he only became more and more important to the Gunners.

For example, following Tony Adams’ retirement in May 2002, Arsène Wenger made the all-action midfielder the club’s new captain, and in the eyes of many, he is one of the best to ever wear the armband.

By the time the Dakar-born monster left the club for Inter Milan in 2006, he had made 405 appearances, in which he scored 32 goals, provided 47 assists, won three titles, four FA Cups and led the North Londoners on their legendary invincible campaign.

Now, for most clubs, the iconic midfielder would probably be considered their greatest ever player, but for the Gunners, there is only one man who can hold that title: Henry.

The legendary forward joined the North Londoners from Juventus in the summer of 1999, and while it sounds absurd today, he didn’t have the best of starts.

He failed to score a single goal across his first eight appearances for the club and later revealed in an interview that he had to “be re-taught everything about the art of striking” during that period.

Whatever Wenger taught him in those few months must have been pretty special, as he’d end his first season in red and white with a tally of 26 goals and 12 assists in 48 appearances.

By the time the Les Ulis-born superstar left the club for Barcelona in 2007, he had chalked up a frankly astounding tally of 226 goals and 104 assists in 370 appearances and won two Premier Leagues and three FA Cups.

He returned for a brief spell in the 11/12 season, scoring twice in seven appearances.

Overall, when it comes to Arsenal legends, few players can match up with Henry and Vieira, but one of Arteta’s best signings is undoubtedly on his way.

Arsenal's future legend

The good news for Arsenal fans is that the squad is full of players who could go on to become club legends, but when it comes to someone performing at a world-class level, it’s hard to ignore Declan Rice.

The £105m man has been incredible for the club since his move in 2023, but towards the end of last season, and especially this year, it feels like he has taken another step forward.

Whether it’s hunting opposition players to steal the ball from them, marauding up the pitch with it at his feet or creating chance after chance with his outrageous set-piece delivery, the Englishman is operating at a truly unbelievable level.

In fact, he’s playing so well and has become so important in everything the Gunners do that it’s become increasingly hard to disagree with Thomas Frank’s assertion that he is among “the best in the world.”

That might sound hyperbolic to some, but it really, truly is not, and for those still unconvinced, you only need to look at his underlying numbers.

Goals + Assists

0.49

Top 3%

Corner Kicks

3.15

Top 4%

Assists

0.27

Top 5%

Progressive Carries

2.75

Top 5%

Crosses

4.92

Top 5%

xAG: Exp. Assisted Goals

0.22

Top 6%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.22

Top 7%

Shots from Free Kicks

0.18

Top 7%

Key Passes

1.92

Top 8%

Switches

0.69

Top 9%

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 3% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for goals plus assists, the top 5% for progressive carries and crosses, the top 8% for key passes and more, all per 90.

Moreover, something else that will help him reach the levels of Henry and Vieira is his mentality.

The England international is clearly someone who gives everything in every performance, and while he hasn’t got the armband, he is also undeniably a leader and will be a big reason for the Gunners winning anything this season.

Ultimately, while he needs those medals to get the respect he deserves, Rice is undoubtedly one of the best players in the world and will become an Arsenal legend.

He's becoming a Saka & Eze hybrid: Arsenal have signed an "agent of chaos"

The increible international has the ability to be as important as Saka and Eze for Arsenal this season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 28, 2025

With various doubts, from age to technical, over the specialist openers in the debate, McSweeney has risen to the top

Alex Malcolm10-Nov-20242:20

Malcolm: ‘McSweeney could be a future captain if he finds his feet’

With Australia’s newest Test match opener Nathan McSweeney standing just a few metres away outside the MCG, chair of selectors George Bailey was asked whether his selection had been the toughest he had made in his tenure in the job.Bailey is never one to give much away. Nor should you ever read too much into his comments. But there was just a momentary pause before he answered.”Not necessarily,” Bailey said. “I think it’s a good thing when you’ve got options, and there’s players that are putting their hands up for different roles. So I think, not necessarily difficult on that front, but always looking for what you think the best balance will be and the sort of make-up of that team.”Related

Usman Khawaja debunks strike rate 'myth' in McSweeney selection

Batting issues loom over Australia with big five in focus

McSweeney to open in first Test, Inglis handed call-up

The reality is this was a challenging selection. Despite the insistence from the selectors that this wasn’t a bat-off, or “the great Australian bake-off” as Bailey jokingly put it, the way the Australia A teams were selected and the batting orders, on top of the public debate, clearly showed there was no standout candidate even if the selectors had an idea of which way they were leaning from a long way out.Age, Bailey insisted, was not a factor despite McSweeney being 25 and a “super age”, as Bailey called it, compared to a 32-year-old Marcus Harris and a soon to be 32-year-old Cameron Bancroft.The non-selection of 19-year-old Sam Konstas and a host of decisions this panel has made in recent times would be evidence in their eyes that they do pick for the here and now. But it is hard to believe that either consciously or unconsciously, a panel as thoughtful and analytical as Bailey, Andrew McDonald and Tony Dodemaide did not at least consider the possibility that selecting an exclusively over 30s XI in Perth was not the ideal way to future-proof a team that is hurtling towards a transition period.Where they have been consistent is with the insistence that batting positions don’t matter, and they are intent on picking the best players in the country for the Test team.This is where McSweeney’s selection is fascinating. He is set to open the batting in Perth having never done it at Sheffield Shield level and having only done it at first-class level for the first time against India A in the last five days.

Over the last 12 or 15 months, seeing a player whose growth is on a great trajectory, very organized, composed player at the crease, and got a game that will really suit Test cricketGeorge Bailey on Nathan McSweeney

“I don’t think it’s a huge adjustment to go from three to opening,” Bailey said. “I think in the 15 or so games that he’s been batting at three for South Australia, I think he’s been in before the 10th over about 20 times. He’s had plenty of experience. I think his game and the way he plays, I don’t think the adjustment will be too much.”It’s worth drilling into those numbers. The 15 Bailey refers to is the overall innings McSweeney has batted at No. 3 in Sheffield Shield cricket (one of those came for Queensland before the move to South Australia which accelerated his rise). He has averaged 30.86 with one century and three half-centuries that have all come this calendar year in his last seven hits in the position.It is understood Australia’s selectors did a deeper dive into the candidates’ performances against the best Shield attacks on the Test venues in the recent past to find a separator amongst them. McSweeney stood out.Last season he made 64 and 100 in a low-scoring game against a New South Wales attack featuring Jackson Bird and Chris Tremain, 112 not out at the Gabba against Michael Neser, Mark Steketee and Mitchell Swepson, and 117 against the Shield finalists Tasmania on a brutal wicket at Bellerive where the next highest score in the game was 68. This season he scored 55 and 127 not out against NSW at Cricket Central in Sydney where Nathan Lyon took eight wickets across 63.3 overs. His 39 and 88 not out against India A were standout performances in Mackay on a surface assisting the quicks.Nathan McSweeney has impressed at a time when Shield runs have been at a premium•Getty ImagesBut it’s worth noting he batted at No. 3 in just two of those eight innings, No. 4 in five of them and No. 5 once. His entry points were in the 26th, 18th, 46th, 19th, 24th, 11th, 4th and 25th overs respectively. Two of those four centuries came batting behind a nightwatcher.Steven Smith averages 67.07 at No. 3 in Tests with eight centuries, including a double, and though he won’t admit it publicly, even he found the adjustment to opening difficult.For this reason, Harris and Bancroft have a right to feel aggrieved. For 12 months the selectors have pointed to past success stories of Usman Khawaja, Justin Langer, Simon Katich and Shane Watson as converted Test openers to support their stance that batting positions do not matter. But there is a chance they are outliers depending on how you view things. As Smith showed, and as most grizzled openers will attest, there is a distinct difference between occasionally walking out early at one or two for not many to face the new ball and doing it day in, day out for over a decade as Harris and Bancroft have.Harris’ Test scores of 79 and 70 at the SCG and Perth Stadium against a Jasprit Bumrah led India attack in 2018-19, and 76 against James Anderson, Mark Wood and Ben Stokes on an MCG minefield in 2021-22, do not seem to have overturned perceptions around his inability to convert starts and the large gulf between his first-class record at the bowling graveyard of the Junction Oval compared to the Test venues.His 74 against India A on Friday appears to have been too little too late, despite no other top three batter in the game, including McSweeney, passing 25. His play against spin would also be a factor. He looked far from comfortable against Tanush Kotian’s offspin. Australia’s hierarchy are wary of giving R Ashwin a look at four left-handers in the top seven.Marcus Harris’ hopes of resuming his Test career will now likely depend on injury to others•Getty ImagesFor Bancroft, perception about his technical deficiencies are becoming reality. After he was overlooked in January having dominated the Shield for two summers, he was never going to be selected having returned 29 runs in eight first-class innings this season. Bailey insisted the door wasn’t closed for either Harris or Bancroft. But brutally for both men, it is clear they are the wrong side of 30, and despite higher career averages than McSweeney, those too are the wrong side of 40 despite this being a difficult era for batters in Shield cricket.It is noteworthy that McSweeney’s consistency of mechanics, method and decision-making have been praised in the aftermath of his selection.For Konstas, his time is coming but it’s not quite now. When Khawaja will end remains a mystery, but the 19-year-old appears perfectly poised to assume his position with more first-class experience under his belt.Ultimately, McSweeney is in the right place at the right time. He has been identified as a future Australian leader and his first-class form is matching that standing.”[We’re] really thrilled with Nathan’s game,” Bailey said. “Over the last 12 or 15 months, seeing a player whose growth is on a great trajectory, very organized, composed player at the crease, and got a game that will really suit Test cricket. I think he’s wonderful person. He’s clearly had some good leadership exposure now, good catcher, bowl’s some good off spin too. So the package is really impressive.”He is, however, about to step into a new world.

They might still be in the relegation zone, but things are starting to look up for West Ham United this season.

Following their draw away to Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday afternoon, Nuno Espírito Santo’s side have lost just one of their last six games.

The Portuguese manager has made the East Londoners far harder to play against and is getting more out of players, such as Callum Wilson.

The Englishman is starting to look like his old self, but if reports are to be believed, West Ham could soon sign an upgrade.

West Ham target Wilson upgrade

While the Hammers have most certainly improved over the last couple of months, it’s clear that they still need reinforcements in the January window, and so it’s not been a surprise to see them linked with a host of talented players.

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For example, Chelsea’s Axel Disasi has once again been touted for a move to the London Stadium, as has Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Jose Sa.

Yet, as good a signing as those two would be, neither one could be described as an upgrade on Wilson, unlike Joaquín Panichelli.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, West Ham are one of a few Premier League clubs interested in the Argentine striker.

Alongside the East Londoners, the report has revealed that Chelsea and Aston Villa have set their sights on the RC Strasbourg star.

A potential price for the 23-year-old is not mentioned in the report, but given that his £28k-per-week contract runs until 2030, he’s unlikely to come cheap.

With that said, West Ham should still do what they can to sign Panichelli, even if his arrival would be bad news for Wilson.

How Panichelli compares to Wilson

Now, it should be said that, as things stand, Wilson is doing an excellent job for West Ham.

However, football is a brutal game, and if the Irons can find themselves a better striker in the winter window, they should sign them.

So, with that said, is Panichelli a better forward than the Englishman?

Well, when it comes down to their output, the most important metric of all for forward, the answer is resounding yes.

For example, so far this season, the Argentine, whom U23 scout Antonio Mango has dubbed “one of the most in-form Strikers in Europe,” has scored ten goals in 19 appearances.

Appearances

19

13

Goals

10

4

Assists

0

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.52

0.38

That means that the former Deportivo Alavés star is averaging a goal involvement every 1.9 games.

In contrast, the former Newcastle United ace has scored four goals and provided one assist in 13 appearances this season, resulting in a goal involvement every 2.6 games.

Another area in which the Córdoba-born gem clearly has a significant advantage over the Irons ace is age.

The once-capped international only turned 23 in October, whereas the Coventry-born poacher is 33 and set to turn 34 in February.

Now, this may not be an issue at the moment, but it does mean Nuno cannot build a team around the Englishman, which isn’t the case for the “clinical” Strasbourg striker, as dubbed by Mango.

Ultimately, while Wilson shouldn’t be moved on, West Ham should sign Panichelli next month to rival him for game time and then eventually surpass him to become the club’s starting number nine.

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