Khushdil has been fined 50% of his match fees and handed three demerit points
ESPNcricinfo staff17-Mar-2025Pakistan allrounder Khushdil Shah has been fined 50% of his match fees for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during their first T20I against New Zealand in Christchurch.Khushdil has also been handed three demerit points. This was his first offence in a 24-month period.The incident occurred during the eighth over of Pakistan’s innings, when Khushdil hit the third ball from Foulkes past mid-on. He ran into the bowler, who had his back turned towards him, with his left shoulder. The umpire had a word with Khushdil after the batters ran two.Since Khushdil accepted the sanctions levelled by the umpires and match referee Jeff Crowe, no formal hearing was needed.Related
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Khushdil top-scored for Pakistan with 32 off 30 balls in the first T20I but had little support from the other end as they were bundled out for 91. Openers Tim Seifert and Finn Allen then helped New Zealand chase the target in 10.1 overs to give them a 1-0 lead.Pakistan have opted for a new-look side for the tour of New Zealand, with Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan dropped as they look to try out a more ‘high-risk’ approach.They will hope for a turnaround as the action moves to Dunedin for the second T20I.The two teams will also face off in three ODIs after the five T20Is.
Sam Curran’s credentials as a potential England white-ball captain have received a boost with his promotion to lead Surrey’s men in this year’s Vitality Blast.Curran, who has represented Surrey since U15s and first captained a Surrey side at U17s, was England’s player of the match and tournament when they won the T20 World Cup in 2022, but has been out of favour since the 2023 World Cup. He was not selected for Brendon McCullum’s initial white-ball squads this year, including the recent Champions Trophy in which Jos Buttler’s tenure as England captain ended.He captained Surrey for three Blast fixtures in 2023, standing in for Chris Jordan, whom he is now succeeding full-time. He has led Punjab Kings on a total of 11 occasions in the Indian Premier League in 2023 and 2024. This year he also captained Desert Vipers to the final of the recent ILT20.Curran has scored over 4,000 T20 runs and made his first T20 century in last year’s Vitality Blast against Hampshire at the Kia Oval. With the ball, he has over 250 T20 wickets with his left-arm seam and swing.He was named as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 2019, and has represented England more than 120 times across all formats since making his debut in 2018.”I am deeply honoured and proud to have been appointed Surrey’s T20 captain,” Curran said. “It is a privilege to lead such a great group of players and to continue representing this iconic club.”I look forward to leading our team and will do everything I can to live up to the standards and expectations that Surrey prides itself on.”I am very determined to deliver trophies and try to replicate what has been achieved in the County Championship the last few years to make the Members and fans proud.”Surrey’s High Performance Cricket Advisor, Alec Stewart said: “I’d like to thank Chris Jordan for his three years as captain of the T20 side. He led the team to consecutive appearances at Finals Day and will remain a key part of the side on and off the field. CJ is one of the most senior players in the team and is greatly respected by everyone at the Club.”This is the right time for Sam to take over as the captain with where he’s at in his career. It’s a great opportunity for him to put his mark on the team and help to take us that one step further to deliver silverware. Sam has shown his leadership qualities already both at Surrey and in the IPL and he will bring a huge amount to the role.”Surrey’s first Vitality Blast fixture at the Kia Oval this year is on Thursday, June 5 when they take on Hampshire in a double-header matchday.
Clare Connor says ECB “won’t shy away from difficult conversations” around team’s leadership
Valkerie Baynes02-Feb-2025
Heather Knight’s position as captain is under pressure•Getty Images
A failure to cope with pressure and physical preparation will form key lines of inquiry during a review of England’s 16-0 Ashes drubbing aimed at turning performances around in time for the 50-over World Cup in October.Clare Connor, managing director of England women’s cricket, confirmed the review would consider team leadership – including, but not restricted to, head coach Jon Lewis and captain Heather Knight, as well as all aspects of team fitness.”It’s been very evident that the Australia women’s cricket team are setting new standards of athleticism in our sport and that’s obviously one area where we have been out-shone,” Connor said.”One thing I think will be true is that our players will have to look at that level of athleticism and speed and power and the athleticism that is evident in their fielding and see that as a new benchmark.”Credit to Australia for taking the standards of international women’s cricket to another level over the last month. Their ruthlessness in doing that is admirable and I think will give us a huge amount to think about as we go home and reflect.”Clare Connor will lead England’s post-Ashes inquest•Getty Images
England lost every match of the multi-format Ashes series which ended with an innings defeat inside three days in the MCG Test after failing to register any points from the three ODIs or three T20Is, losing two of the latter by more than 50 runs.They were dominated physically and mentally by the Australians, who suffered several injuries to key players yet were able to adapt and crush their opponents.”One of the main things that is evident is the ability to play under pressure,” Connor said. “We have shown glimpses of being able to do that, certain individuals have, but as a collective we have to be honest and say that we haven’t handled the pressure of this series in the way that we want to and we’ll need to compete in future Ashes and a World Cup every year. That’ll be a key area of focus, and how we fast-track that capability.”Related
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Performing under pressure isn’t a new focus for the team. During England’s home summer in 2024 when they hosted Pakistan and New Zealand, coaching staff put the team in various unexpected scenarios such as last-minute team changes, and Knight sitting a game out.But those attempts to accelerate learning against sides which otherwise posed little challenge fell flat against the mighty Australians, and at the T20 World Cup before that, where England exited in the group stages after a shocking fielding performance against West Indies.”One of the reflections, immediate reflections, and I’m sure it’ll evolve over the coming weeks, is the sort of scarcity of time when our players are under pressure,” Connor said.”The run-in to the T20 World Cup last October, we’d dominated all of the cricket we’d played in for almost 18 months. Within that were two white-ball series wins against Australia in the home Ashes in 2023 where we got onto a run of confidence and performance and skill that exposed Australia under pressure and showed some of their vulnerability when you can get into them.”While Connor spoke of trying to find more ways to put players under pressure, including through the domestic system and A-team tours, another theme emerged.England seem to struggle with tempering the confidence gained from successfully navigating those situations with the reality of facing a superior side. They need to move beyond the satisfaction of pushing Australia in 2023 and focus on ways to dominate them.Hosting India this summer before big crowds could prove a helpful test ahead of October’s 50-over World Cup in India, and Connor believes there is no alternative but to turn England’s form around by then.”We have to do that,” she said. “We have to use time wisely. We’ve now got the opportunity to really hold the mirror up to where we are and what has gone well and what hasn’t gone well and what needs to happen and when, by whom, to take the team forward.”England dropped catches with alarming regularity across the tour•AFP/Getty Images
England’s World Cup and Ashes shortcomings have put Lewis and Knight under pressure. Immediately after the Melbourne Test, Lewis said he believed he was the right person to take the team forward, while Knight said she wouldn’t make any knee-jerk declarations on her future as captain.”I think there’s a lot of collective learning for us around leadership,” Connor told a media briefing by phone from Melbourne. “Heather and Jon are more disappointed and frustrated than anybody.”Everybody on this call knows what Heather Knight pumps into being England women’s captain. So that will form part of discussions over the coming weeks, all of the areas of accountability in our set-up, with the ultimate goal of, in the short term, being ready for this summer and then being ready to get on a plane to the World Cup in India.”With any team sport defeat or success, responsibility for that and accountability lies with lots of us. It’s not just the captain and the head coach, it’s people who are all in leadership positions making decisions. We won’t shy away from difficult and honest conversations about how to take the team forward because that’s our jobs, for several of us.”England were thrashed 16-0 in Australia•Getty Images
The absence of a clear-cut successor to Knight amid a four-pronged leadership group that also includes Nat Sciver-Brunt, Amy Jones and Sophie Ecclestone, or beyond, should also be considered when assessing the captaincy position.Connor said Ecclestone’s refusal to give a pitch-side TV interview to former team-mate, now broadcaster, Alex Hartley during the Ashes “was an unfortunate incident that won’t happen again”.That followed Hartley’s comments after England bowed out of the T20 World Cup, in which she said that a handful of players were “letting the team down” with their fitness levels.”Our players in general… embrace their media obligations,” Connor said. “It matters to them to be good role models for women’s cricket and the England women’s cricket team. As professional women’s cricket has developed at the rate that it has over recent years, that scrutiny is something that we will all have to embrace and accept.”
Sri Lanka’s spinners picked up nine wickets as West Indies bundled out for 89 in chase of 163
ESPNcricinfo staff15-Oct-2024Sri Lanka’s spinners ripped through the West Indies batters on a turning Dambulla surface to level the series at one apiece, as they won the second T20I by 73 runs.Debutant Dunith Wellalage – belatedly making his T20I bow – was the pick of the bowlers, ending with figures of 3 for 9, while Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga and Charith Asalanka grabbed two each. Matheesha Pathirana was the sole seamer to pick up a wicket in the innings.With the bat, Pathum Nissanka’s 54 off 49 had helped set the platform as Sri Lanka did well to keep a steady run rate throughout their innings, having won the toss and elected to bat first. There were also runs for Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera and Kamindu Mendis, but this game was all about Sri Lanka’s spinners who showed total dominance in the West Indian chase.Sri Lanka spinners flex their skillsHasaranga, Sri Lanka’s premier spinner, bowled his first delivery of the game in the 11th over of the chase. And the fact that he picked up a wicket with that delivery was perhaps the least remarkable aspect about it.What was more astounding was that he was the sixth bowler used by Sri Lanka, and West Indies had still managed to collapse to 39 for 6. But who needs Hasaranga when you have the world-renowned offspin stylings of, um, Charith Asalanka. Yes, with two left-hand batters at the crease, the Sri Lanka captain opted to introduce himself and a right-arm variant of Kamindu Mendis ahead of Hasaranga.Maheesh Theekshana chipped in with two wickets•Associated PressAnd it worked too. Asalanka’s two overs brought two wickets for just six runs – and those weren’t even the best figures at that stage of the game. No, that honour belonged to Wellalage – though he is by no means new to the international stage – who had grabbed three for himself.In the lead-up to the game, Asalanka had stated how he had expected more for the spinners in the first T20I, and his wish was granted and then some in the second. Gudakesh Motie turning the ball square in the first innings would have set off West Indies’ alarm bells, but not even that could have prepared them for a 100kph sharp-turning offbreak from Theekshana.WI need to go back to drawing boardThe first T20I had seen the West Indies batters execute their plans to perfection and put Sri Lanka’s bowlers to the sword. Stepping out, moving around in the crease, using the depth, everything came off, with the last over-finish in reality nowhere close as it looked.Sri Lanka, though, took their learnings and came back stronger – mainly in that they were prepared for what this surface was set to offer, replacing pace-bowling allrounder Chamindu Wickramasinghe with Wellalage.West Indies, however, seemed to have missed the memo, and had only two spinners in their line-up. And those two – Motie and Roston Chase – did their part, going for just 37 off their collective eight overs. It will not be a surprise if Fabian Allen gets a go in the final game.West Indies’ batters then seemed at a loss on how to deal with Sri Lanka’s array of spin threats, expertly utilising the conditions along with clever variations in pace, line and length. West Indies will need to come up with plans soon if they are to pose a threat in Thursday’s decider.Nissanka shines in hindsightOn the face of it, Nissanka’s innings seemed to be more detrimental than anything else – and by the standards of modern T20 cricket, it was not too difficult to understand why. This was an innings that saw 42 runs come in boundaries (9 fours and a six) but also included 27 dot balls.Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis added 77 for the first wicket•Associated PressIn fact, it was a microcosm of Sri Lanka’s innings as a whole; they played out 58 dots. It meant that in five of the first ten overs less than five runs were scored, and roughly half of their powerplay total of 52 was plundered in one Shamar Joseph over, where a combination of luck and belligerence saw Nissanka plunder 25 runs.But if that over was meant to signal the start of Sri Lanka’s onslaught, Nissanka and Co seemed to have other ideas. That over ensured that the first three overs, in which Sri Lanka scrounged together eight runs, were quickly in the rearview; by the end of the powerplay Sri Lanka’s run rate was at a healthy 8.66 – but that was the highest it would reach at any point across their innings.The rest of Nissanka’s time at the crease was spent punctuating periods of dot deliveries and the odd single with an odd boundary. But the time he spent at the crease ensured he was able to do this consistently – and with it keep Sri Lanka’s scoring rate ticking above seven an over.Anchors are largely considered obsolete in T20s, but on a wicket such as this Nissanka – who was named Player of the Match – proved to be invaluable (even if it did not seem so at the time), as he allowed the likes of Perera to take early risks. And then with wickets in hand for the death overs, the middle and lower order hit out freely. As a result, Sri Lanka struck 85 runs in the last ten overs – just four short of West Indies’ final total.
Leeds United continued their pre-season preparations over the weekend as they held Manchester United to a 0-0 draw in their latest friendly ahead of the Premier League season.
Daniel Farke’s side boasted new signings Jaka Bijol, Sebastiaan Bornauw, Gabriel Gudmundsson, and Sean Longstaff, whilst the Whites are also set for another new face.
As you can see in the post from Graham Smyth above, Hoffenheim central midfielder Anton Stach is closing in on a permanent move to Elland Road from the Bundesliga outfit.
One player who is not going to be a part of the squad for next season, though, is experienced striker Patrick Bamford, who has been told that he is not in Farke’s plans.
The German head coach has confirmed that he has spoken with the English forward to tell him that he will be training with the U21 team until he can find a new club.
It is now down to Leeds and Bamford to find an ideal solution for him before the end of the summer transfer window, with one year remaining on his contract.
Why Patrick Bamford is not in Daniel Farke's plans
Farke explained his thought process behind his decision on the long-serving Whites number nine, saying: “Patrick is a player who needs right now, at this stage, to be the main man right. He needs the backing, the arm around the shoulder, after difficult years to be there was confidence. And then if Patrick gets this he will score goals.
“He will score on each every level because he’s a top player. But after the last two seasons, I was not willing to say come on you are right now our main man on a permanent level.”
This suggests that the decision has been made with both the club’s and Bamford’s best interests at heart, as it will allow the player to go and pursue a move that would see him play regularly, whilst potentially creating space for Leeds to bring in another forward to improve their team.
Patrick Bamford’s underwhelming form
Season
Appearances
Starts
xG
Goals
24/25 (Championship)
17
0
2.11
0
23/24 (Championship)
33
15
9.52
8
22/23 (Premier League)
28
18
8.61
4
21/22 (Premier League)
9
7
N/A
2
20/21 (Premier League)
38
37
N/A
17
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the veteran striker is not the same player he was when he took the Premier League by storm under Marcelo Bielsa in the 2020/21 campaign.
His form in the last three seasons does not suggest that he is likely to make enough of an impact at the top level to be a genuine starting-calibre option, which is why it is the right call to allow him to move on.
Leeds plotting bid for new striker
Leeds, who have already signed Lukas Nmecha, are in the market to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch before the summer transfer window slams shut.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to journalist Alan Nixon, via his Patreon, the Championship champions remain interested in a deal to sign Fulham centre-forward Rodrigo Muniz.
The reporter claims that the West Yorkshire outfit are hoping to bank some cash from a sale of Mateo Joseph, whom they value at £10m, to fund a new bid to tempt the Cottagers into cashing in on the Brazilian striker.
Fulham'sRodrigoMunizin action with AFC Bournemouth's Lewis Cook
He states that Celta Vigo, who have money to spend after selling Fer Lopez to Wolves, and Real Betis are both eyeing up a potential swoop for Joseph this summer.
Muniz has reportedly been valued at £50m by Fulham, though, and it remains to be seen how much Leeds will be able to spend on him, even if they bank £10m for the Spanish youngster.
Why Muniz would be a huge upgrade on Bamford
Bamford being moved on because Farke cannot guarantee that he will be the main man in the Premier League makes even more sense when you consider the club’s ongoing pursuit of Muniz.
The Brazilian centre-forward would arrive at Elland Road as a huge upgrade on the former Chelsea and Middlesbrough man, as a star who has showcased his quality in the Premier League in the last two seasons.
Rodrigo Muniz Premier League stats – Fulham
As you can see in the graphic above, Muniz is already an experienced forward in the top-flight, with 17 goals to his name for the Cottagers to date.
The 24-year-old marksman, who was hailed as “seriously impressive” by analyst Ben Mattinson, has performed even better at Premier League level than Bamford has in the Championship in the last two seasons, hence why he would be a huge upgrade for Leeds in the number nine position.
Last two seasons
Muniz (Premier League)
Bamford (Championship)
Appearances
57
50
Starts
26
15
xG
14.43
11.63
Goals
17
8
Big chances created
3
1
Assists
2
1
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Muniz has scored nine more goals and provided one more assist than the Whites attacker in the last two years, whilst playing at a higher level.
These statistics show that the Brazilian striker is an efficient and clinical centre-forward who can make the most of the chances that are created for him, outperforming his xG by more than two goals.
Whereas Bamford’s finishing let the team down far too often, underperforming his xG by almost four goals in the Championship in that time, which suggests that he may have been a liability in front of goal in the Premier League next season.
This further explains why Farke’s decision to leave the striker out of his squad for the 2025/26 campaign makes a lot of sense, as the club are looking to bring in a forward who would be a huge upgrade on him in the top-flight.
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However, it is now down to Leeds to find Bamford a new club and to secure a deal with Fulham to bring Muniz to West Yorkshire before the end of the window.
Celtic are brilliant at signing and developing young players before selling them on for profit on the future, as evidenced by the stars they have sold over the years.
As recently as January, the Scottish Premiership champions raked in a reported fee of £10m for Japan international centre-forward Kyogo Furuhashi from Rennes, yet he does not even place within the top sales in the club’s history.
Kieran Tierney
£25m
Matt O’Riley
£25m
Jota
£25m
Moussa Dembele
£20m
Odsonne Edouard
£18.5m
Kristoffer Ajer
£13.5m
Virgil van Dijk
£13m
As you can see in the table above, the likes of Jota, Matt O’Riley, and Kieran Tierney have all been sold for more than twice as much, the latest of which was O’Riley’s move to Brighton last summer.
Two of those players are also now back at Parkhead. Jota returned to Glasgow from Rennes on a permanent deal in January, whilst Tierney has joined on a free transfer from Arsenal, six years on from his move to the Premier League.
These are some of the top examples of players who have thrived in the Premiership for Celtic before making the club millions by moving elsewhere, and a great example of their brilliant recruitment work is central defender Kristoffer Ajer.
Celtic hit the jackpot with Kristoffer Ajer
In February 2016, the Scottish giants paid a reported fee of just £650k to sign the centre-back after a trial spell at Parkhead from Norwegian side Start.
The Hoops identified the young defender as a promising talent at the age of just 17, and were patient with him before they introduced the starlet to the first-team.
Former Celtic defender Kristoffer Ajer.
Ajer spent time in the academy, playing youth league football, before being sent out on loan to Kilmarnock in the Premiership, before his emergence as a senior option for Celtic in the 2017/18 campaign.
The towering youngster then went on to score seven goals and provide seven assists in 176 appearances in all competitions for the Hoops before his exit in the summer of 2021.
February 2016
£650k reported fee
February 2017
£680k
August 2018
£1m
August 2019
£2.5m
January 2021
£3.4m
June 2021
£6m
July 2021
£13.5m reported fee
As you can see in the table above, Ajer’s market value soared way beyond the initial £650k that the Hoops reportedly paid Start to sign him as a 17-year-old.
In the summer of 2021, Premier League side Brentford reportedly paid a fee of £13.5m to sign the centre-back, breaking their own transfer record, which represented a huge profit for Celtic.
This shows that the Scottish giants hit the jackpot with the young defender as they identified his potential at an incredibly young age and went on to benefit from it with performances on the pitch and a huge fee when he left.
Celtic enquire about deal for teenage star
Celtic could find their next version of Kristoffer Ajer this summer amid reported interest in another 17-year-old centre-back prospect to bolster their squad.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to Mozzart Sport, as relayed by B92, Celtic are interested in a deal to sign Red Star Belgrade central defender Veljko Milosavljević in the summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Hoops have already made an enquiry about the 17-year-old starlet, and made an offer of £5m that was turned down by the Serbian outfit.
It adds that two teams from England are also eyeing up the young centre-back, but they have yet to make any official bids for his services as of yet.
Red Star Belgrade are said to want more than £5m that Celtic put on the table for the teenage titan, although the report does not mention exactly how much they would want for him.
Why Celtic should sign Veljko Milosavljević
The Hoops should sign the Serbian youngster before the summer transfer window slams shut at the start of September because he has the potential to be Ajer 2.0 at Parkhead.
Whilst he would not arrive for a cheap fee of £650k, given that they have already had an offer of £5m turned down for him, the Red Star talent would arrive as another teenage centre-back with the potential to develop and improve, therefore growing in value in the future.
Former Celtic defender Kristoffer Ajer.
Despite not turning 18 till this weekend, the Celtic target has already played 19 first-team matches for the Serbian giants, and established himself as a regular in the league in the second half of the 2024/25 campaign.
Milosavljević initially caught the eye in the Serbian youth league, winning 11.8 duels per game across eight starts in the division, before being made a permanent member of Vladan Milojevic’s first-team squad.
Appearances
14
Starts
11
Pass accuracy
90%
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.2
Dribbled past per game
0.2x
Error led to shot
0
Error led to goal
0
Penalties committed
0
As you can see in the table above, the teenage talent started 11 of his 14 outings for the Superliga champions, as the centre-back showed that he could compete in a team that was chasing the league title.
Milosavljević, who scout Gianni Bellasi described as a “physically imposing” defender, proved himself to be a reliable option at the back, despite his inexperience, with zero errors that led to shots, goals, or penalties.
That is particularly impressive when you consider that Liam Scales made two such errors and Auston Trusty made five such errors in the Premiership for Celtic this season, in a title-winning side for Brendan Rodgers.
This shows that it is not easy to play a lot of games without making costly mistakes as a centre-back in a dominant team, given the nature of how much they look to play out from the back, but the Serbian star has shown promise in that respect.
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Therefore, Milosavljević could follow in Ajer’s footsteps at Parkhead if Celtic sign him this summer because he is a 17-year-old centre-back talent who has shown that he has the qualities to be a reliable figure at the back if he can adapt to Scottish football.
Of course, there are no guarantees in football and there is no telling exactly how he will develop, but his career to date suggests that the potential is there for him to be an exciting signing for the Hoops.
Courtney Webb and Hannah Baker impress but Sparks come up short in first semi-final
ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jun-2024
Tammy Beaumont lead The Blaze’s run-chase against Central Sparks•Getty Images
The Blaze booked their place in a third consecutive regional women’s final as they defeated Central Sparks by five wickets with two overs to spare in the first of the two semi-finals on Charlotte Edwards Cup Finals Day at Derby.Sparks England Under-19 legspinner Hannah Baker took 3 for 24 but the experience of England opener Tammy Beaumont (39 off 31 balls) and Scotland captain Kathryn Bryce (44 off 39) put The Blaze in control before a cameo 14 off four balls by Baker’s international captain Josie Groves saw last year’s runners-up across the line.Australian Courtney Webb rescued the Sparks innings from 93 for 6 with an unbeaten 45 from 31 balls after Davina Perrin (32 from 17) and Ami Campbell (21 from 14) had helped put on 54 in the powerplay after legspinner Groves, taking responsibility in the absence through injury of England’s Sarah Glenn, had taken 2 for 16 and left-arm pace bowler Grace Ballinger two for 34.Having been put in on a pitch that looked quite green, the aggressive approach adopted by Sparks openers Campbell and Perrin paid off with runs on the board, although neither survived the opening six overs.Blaze skipper Kirstie Gordon conceded 14 in her opening over but continued to toss the ball up to Campbell, who followed a six and two fours by being caught at long-on. And with the last ball of the sixth over, having been made to suffer as Perrin crashed her for three fours, Ballinger found the right line and length to bowl the 17-year-old.The Perrin dismissal signalled a switch of momentum, Sparks slipping from 75 for 2 in the 10th to 93 for 6 as skipper Eve Jones fell to a good low return catch by Lucy Higham, Kathryn Bryce ran out Abbey Freeborn off her own bowling and Groves bowled Katie George before having Charis Pavely stumped.Em Arlott hit Heather Graham straight to extra cover to make it 114 for 7 but Sparks finished well as Ballinger conceded 13 off her final over despite having Grace Potts caught at mid-off before a last over in which Webb was dropped on 41 and should have been run out on 43.The Blaze plundered 51 from their batting powerplay, putting them well on track despite the loss of Marie Kelly, who hit an unbeaten 89 against Sparks in their final points table match last Wednesday, fell for 8 to a catch at mid-off. By the halfway point, the Beaumont-Kathryn Bryce partnership had added 57 to take their side to 78 for 1.Sparks then made a second breakthrough as seamer George induced a low return catch to dismiss Beaumont for 39 off 31 before Jones’ team temporarily dried up the flow of boundaries, removing Sarah Bryce via a smart catch behind the wicket. But a huge six by Graham off Potts left The Blaze needing just 33 off the last five overs.Graham’s stay was short, perishing to a well-judged catch by Arlott at long-on off Webb, and Baker picked up her third wicket to keep Sparks in the hunt as Kathryn Bryce miscued to mid-on, but Groves crushed any hopes they might have had with three fours off the reel off George to seal victory with two overs to spare.
Newcastle United hold plenty of appeal for prospective recruits this summer and they could now be on the verge of landing a key target, according to a report.
Newcastle United make inroads during the summer window
There are plenty of transfer stories beginning to circulate in the North East after Antonio Cordero’s arrival from Malaga was confirmed earlier this week, and it remains to be seen where Eddie Howe will decide surgery is necessary to enrich his squad.
According to Sky Sports reporter Phil Dorsett, Newcastle remain keen on Brighton & Hove Albion striker Joao Pedro, and it is mooted that the former Bournemouth boss is keen to strengthen his forward line regardless of whether Alexander Isak or Callum Wilson depart.
“NUFC interested in Joao Pedro, who has admirers in PL and Europe. Big summer for Newcastle – Callum Wilson out of contract, and widespread interest in Alexander Isak – who nufc don’t want to sell. But Howe wants another striker, departures or not. And Pedro is an option.”
Defensively, talks have been held to bring Bayern Munich star Kim Min-jae to Tyneside. His asking price is said to have dropped from £42 million to £29.5 million, but Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan are also waiting in the wings.
Bolstering the heart of his backline has to be a priority for Howe amidst Fabian Schar and Jamaal Lascelles coming towards the latter stages of their career.
Teenage attacker agrees 4-and-a-half year deal to join Newcastle United
Paul Mitchell isn’t messing around.
1 ByHenry Jackson Jan 31, 2025
Lloyd Kelly has left on a permanent deal to join Juventus worth £20 million. Meanwhile, Jamal Lewis has been released by the club as per their annual retained list.
With spaces to fill, Newcastle have now turned the tables and are closing in on a landmark signing, per recent reports.
Newcastle reportedly close to signing Marc Guehi
According to Portuguese newspaper outlet A Bola, Newcastle United have more or less completed a deal to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace, which has prompted the Eagles to target Sporting Clube de Portugal’s Ousmane Diomande as a direct replacement.
There is no mention of the fee that it would take for the Magpies to pull Guehi away from the FA Cup holders, but the report states Palace have “lost Guehi to Newcastle”, and he is thought to be valued at around £50m.
Similar players to Marc Guehi – FBRef
Trevoh Chalobah
Chelsea
Oumar Solet
Udinese
Sinaly Diomande
Auxerre
Waldemar Anton
Borussia Dortmund
Once again a lynchpin for Crystal Palace during a productive campaign under Oliver Glasner, the Abidjan-born man made 44 appearances across the recent season, registering three goals and two assists.
Maintaining an element of dominance, Guehi won 168 duels in the English top-flight and continues to show up on a consistent basis for the Eagles, piquing the interest of clubs on the lookout for solidity.
Newcastle have long been at the front of the queue for his signature, and it appears they may finally be close to pushing a deal over the line, making this one to keep an eye on over the next few days.
Tottenham Hotspur lost for the 19th time in the Premier League this season when they were hammered 5-1 by champions Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.
Spurs took a shock lead on Merseyside when Dominic Solanke found the back of the net with a brilliant header from James Maddison’s corner, but it was not a sign of things to come for Ange Postecoglou’s side in the game.
Defensive frailties were on display yet again for the Whites on a dismal afternoon at Anfield, as Liverpool had 25 shots on goal and seven efforts on target.
The Daily Mail recently reported that Postecoglou is ‘likely’ to move on from the club at the end of the season, and results like this will not do his chances of keeping his job any favours.
Tottenham’s manager cannot be spared any blame for the team’s poor form this term, because they have lost 19 matches in the division, but he has not been helped by the performances of some of the players on the pitch.
Spurs have an incredibly youthful squad, with the hope that they will develop and improve over time, and that was on display at Anfield, as Archie Gray struggled.
Why Archie Gray has struggled this season
Tottenham reportedly splashed out a fee of £30m to sign the 19-year-old midfielder from Leeds United last summer, and it has been a difficult year for the teenager.
Gray made his 24th appearance and 15th start of the Premier League season against Liverpool on Sunday, and he is still trying to establish where his best position on the pitch is.
It was his fourth start as a defensive midfielder, to go along with five starts at left-back, eight starts at right-back, and 19 starts at centre-back due to the injury issues Spurs have had in that area of the park.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Gray, who played as a right-back typically for Leeds last season, has not had a settled position that he could make his own and deliver consistent performances in, which may be why his campaign has been fairly unimpressive on paper.
Appearances
24
Goals
0
Big chances created
0
Assists
0
Tackles + interceptions per game
1.0
Error led to shot
1
Error led to goal
1
Duel success rate
47%
As you can see in the table above, the England U21 international has failed to deliver much in the way of quality on or off the ball, with zero goal contributions and a below-average success rate in duels.
His first-half display against Liverpool before being withdrawn at the break was more of the same. Gray did not create any chances or register a shot on goal, and he only won one duel, whilst completing 80% of his attempted passes.
As you can see in the clip above, Ryan Gravenberch found it far too easy to hold off the midfielder to allow Alexis Mac Allister to fire in from range to put Liverpool 2-1 up.
It was a disappointing display from Gray, who is still learning and adjusting to Premier League football at the age of 19, but his fellow 19-year-old Lucas Bergval was even worse than him.
Why Lucas Bergval was even worse than Archie Gray
The teenage talent was selected alongside the Englishman for the trip to Anfield, leaving Spurs with a very young midfield despite having Yves Bissouma available and on the bench.
It was a difficult match for both Gray and Bergval, and that is reflected in their statistics, as the Swedish flop was even worse than the former Leeds man, notably taking fewer touches (43) than even goalkeeper Vicario (49).
Minutes
45
90
Pass accuracy
80%
72%
Dribbles completed
1/1
0/1
Possession lost
5x
13x
Dribbled past
0x
1x
Ground duels won
1/1
5/8
Interceptions
2
1
As you can see in the table above, the Sweden international was far more wasteful with the ball at his feet, completing a lower percentage of his passes, failing with his only attempted dribble, and losing the ball almost three times as much.
Bergval did win more duels than Gray but had a worse success rate and was dribbled past once, in what was a disappointing overall display from the youngster.
Player ratings courtesy of Sofascore
Sky Sports commentator Gary Neville went as far as to say that his efforts to clear the ball from a corner for Cody Gakpo’s goal were “appalling”, as his weak headed clearance fell straight to the Dutch forward inside the box.
Going to Anfield to face the champions is never an easy task, and it was a big ask from Postecoglou to put Gray and Bergval in midfield together without an experienced midfielder alongside them, as they only had James Maddison, who is an attacking player by nature, around them.
That resulted in a poor evening for both players and Spurs, who now have to prepare for a first-leg clash with Bodo/Glimt in the semi-finals of the Europa League on Thursday.
Tottenham cannot afford for their midfield to be as below-par as it was against Liverpool, as this is their last chance to win a trophy this season, and that is why Postecoglou must ruthlessly ditch Bergval from the starting XI for the clash with the Norwegian outfit.
Bissouma was an unused substitute against Liverpool on Sunday and may, now, be in contention to come back into the side after Gray and Bergval’s disappointing performances in the middle of the park.
Tottenham Hotspur's YvesBissoumaarrives before the match
The former Brighton & Hove Albion man has averaged 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game and won 61% of his duels in the Europa League so far this term, which suggests that he could provide some steel at the heart of the midfield on Thursday night.
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It is now down to Postecoglou to drop Bergval from the starting line-up in order to make room for Bissouma to come back into the team against Bodo/Glimt.
Millwall have emerged as a late contender to snatch a Championship playoff slot and could now strike in the summer window to secure a talented youngster.
Millwall's late bid for promotion to the Premier League
Four victories in the last six under Alex Neil have put Millwall five points behind sixth in the race for a playoff berth, giving the Lions an outside chance of stumping their rivals for a shot at promotion to the Premier League.
Admittedly, they will need to string together a near impeccable run of results to pull off such a feat, beginning with their clash against Middlesbrough on Saturday afternoon. Holding previous experience of winning promotion with Sunderland and Norwich, you wouldn’t bet against Neil doing the trick again should his side manage to upset the odds over the next few weeks.
Casper De Norre has urged fans to get behind Millwall’s late bid to reach the top six, stating ahead of their clash against Boro: “It is going to be very important to have the support. It is a huge game.
“Now you need that extra fire from the fans – that extra support – to give you that five per cent extra or to help make that one final sprint to block a ball or try to score a goal.”
Millwall’s Championship run-in
Middlesbrough (H)
The Den
Blackburn Rovers (A)
Ewood Park
Norwich City (H)
The Den
Swansea City (H)
The Den
Burnley (A)
Turf Moor
Regardless, the Londoners appear to be active ahead of the summer window. The Lions are reportedly keen on Cheltenham Town winger Jordan Thomas after identifying the 23-year-old as a replacement for Romain Esse, who is now on the books at Crystal Palace.
Now, they also have a free deal in their sights alongside one of their Championship rivals, according to recent developments.
Millwall leading race to sign Charlton star Thierry Small
According to Football Insider, Millwall are leading the race to sign Thierry Small from Charlton, making an approach to register their interest in the 20-year-old’s services for when his contract expires this summer.
Preston are interested as well, and the Addicks have also offered a new contract to the defender, who has notched two goals and five assists in 42 appearances across all competitions this season.
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Potentially available on a free transfer this summer, former Everton man Small is predominantly a left-back, though he has also featured on the right flank under Nathan Jones. Labelled a “fantastic guy” by Ralph Hasenhuttl, he has also spent time out on loan at Scottish Premiership side St Mirren and Port Vale, building his portfolio of first-team experience.
Now, it remains to be seen if Millwall can see off competition from Preston to land his signature. Securing promotion would give them a major advantage over any rival suitors, offering Small a chance to ply his trade in the top-flight as he continues to develop.
Either way, supporters can take encouragement from the fact that transfer cogs appear to be turning in South London ahead of the summer.