All posts by n8rngtd.top

The 49ers and Rangers are now reportedly considering an approach to hire a 42-year-old replacement for Patrick Stewart, who they recently sacked.

Rangers sack Thelwell and Stewart

Despite a recent turnaround on the pitch courtesy of Danny Rohl’s arrival, the 49ers have remained in ruthless mood and recently sacked chief executive Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell. It follows a disastrous summer of decisions, which instantly failed to get fans at Ibrox onside.

Explaining the decision, Andrew Cavenagh said: “Paraag and I have analysed the club’s needs, and as we reflect on what the club needs today, and where Kevin and Patrick are, we think we need something different.

“Our focus the first part of this season, the first part of our ownership period, has been on the sporting side and that’s where all of our attention went to for obvious reasons.

“With Danny coming in, he has started to improve the on-pitch performance, and that has created the space to allow Paraag and I to look at other parts of the club with new eyes and assess what we need going forward.

“I think responsible change has to be measured. I don’t think you can come in and tear something completely apart all at once. You’re likely to get something wrong.”

It’s certainly a big decision from the 49ers, but one that will please Rangers fans who particularly aired their frustrations at Thelwell in recent months.

Just who they turn to now is the big question. Potential candidates are already being mentioned, and that includes James Taylor who reportedly has internal support at the club amid a potential promotion.

Rangers considering James Taylor approach

According to the Scottish Sun, Rangers are now considering an approach to hire Taylor in the CEO role. The 42-year-old has already impressed as their Chief Financial Officer and played a huge part in recording a record revenue of £94m for the year. Now, he could get the chance to step up to the CEO role.

Not just Djiga: Thelwell flop who lost ball 17x looks finished at Rangers

Rangers’ wait for a first Europa League victory goes on, held to a 1-1 draw by Braga at Ibrox, and a summer signing was just as bad as Nasser Djiga.

By
Ben Gray

Nov 28, 2025

Whilst he’s not the only name on the list, Ibrox chiefs are reportedly fans of Taylor and that will undoubtedly help him along the way in the interview process.

It almost goes without saying that it would be a big step up for the current Rangers chief, but he has more than proven his worth at the club in the last year.

Whether the Gers decide to make a decision as soon as possible or remain patient for the right candidate is the question. In a season of so much change, they desperately need to get things in order ahead of the January transfer window both on and off the pitch.

Rohl must bin Chermiti for Rangers star who was the SPFL's "best player"

How has the IPL 2025 been so far? We analyse the trends at the halfway mark

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Apr-20253:05

IPL 2025 so far: CSK’s Chepauk shocker, Shreyas’ impressive captaincy

Perennial underachievers highlight benefits of mega auction

Only 12 matches into IPL 2025, all ten teams had won at least once: clear proof that the mega-auction has done its job. As the table starts to take shape, the early front-runners all have holes in the squads and even the stragglers have enough match-winners to take the two points on any given night.The IPL’s strict salary cap and regular squad turnover frustrate some franchises, and players would doubtless support an open-market system with no wage limits. But the transparency of the auction ensures that the league retains its competitive balance: owners cannot simply bankroll success as they do in many other sports, and teams cannot hoard their best players.Related

• Teams face up to home truths in first half of IPL 2025

• Fleming says poor results have forced CSK to 'bring all squad members into play'

• No respite for teams as PBKS and RCB brace for second bout in 48 hours

• Fastest hundreds in the IPL – Priyansh Arya enters the top five

• The unconventional journey of the unconventional Digvesh Rathi

Those dynamics have allowed perennial underachievers like Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings to make the running this season, while serial champions Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians lag behind. It is that sense of unpredictability which keeps us tuning in every night — and every season.

Local leagues as a path to IPL glory

The IPL trophy has an inscription, which translates to “where talent meets opportunity”. The tournament throws up new talents every season, and it’s no different in 2025. While some of the previous talents have had the benefit of domestic experience, there’s a new crop that is emerging from state or local T20 leagues. Despite little to no domestic experience, players plucked out from these smaller leagues have seamlessly stepped up to the biggest T20 league this season.Priyansh Arya, who has no first-class experience, demolished a Chennai Super Kings attack, which included Matheesha Pathirana, Noor Ahmad, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, on his way to the fastest century by an uncapped Indian in the IPL. Just eight months after hitting six sixes in an over in the Delhi Premier League (DPL), Arya has emerged as one of the most impactful batters in the IPL.Priyansh Arya hit seven fours and nine sixes in his 42-ball 103•BCCIMystery spinner Digvesh Rathi, also from the DPL, has carried Lucknow Super Giants’ injury-hit attack, writing his name into the IPL. Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Aniket Verma, a product of the Madhya Pradesh T20 league, had just played just one game in senior representative cricket before this IPL, but has hit more sixes than Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head so far this season.The mushrooming of local leagues, in the lead-up to IPL 2025, made scouts cast their selection nets far and wide. These newbies have rewarded them and impressed us with their breathtaking skills, proving that they belong in the IPL.

New spinners on the rise but Kuldeep still stands out

This is the year of the shiny new spinner in the IPL. Digvesh Rathi is signing his way into hearts, Sai Kishore is keeping the flag for orthodox spin flying, Vipraj Nigam and Vignesh Puthur have made it big despite hardly ever playing for their states. The more established wizards are struggling: R Ashwin has been dropped, Ravindra Jadeja is hardly getting a bowl, Ravi Bishnoi is not even the best in his team right now, Yuzvendra Chahal has had one good match. Even among the Afghan wristies, the younger Noor Ahmad has comprehensively outbowled Rashid Khan, who has just four wickets in six matches.Kuldeep Yadav has been impressive as usual•BCCIThe likeliest explanation for this is that familiarity has bred contempt, but atop Mount Bowling sits a usual suspect: Kuldeep Yadav. After six matches, he is only one wicket Noor’s 12, who has played seven matches, but more importantly, Kuldeep’s economy rate of 6.04 is more than one run better than Noor. He has bowled his allotment in each match; in four out of six, he has gone under a run a ball. He has taken at least one wicket in each of his outings. And, as usual, he has been delightful to watch.

One little change, one big difference

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has forgotten you can use it. Mitchell Starc believes it’s a myth that using it will make a difference. Mohit Sharma believes there will be a gradual spike in reverse swing now that it’s been added back to bowler’s toolkit. We are talking about the IPL’s decision to allow use of saliva on the ball this season.The advantage of applying saliva is well-known. It helps create the bias on the ball – one side shiny, the other rough – that enables it to reverse. Venues like Hyderabad, Delhi, possibly Mullanpur have dry pitches and abrasive outfields and are likely to favour reverse swing as the summer goes on.Reverse swing is an amazing art as the ball dips and swerves in late, just about a yard or so from the batter, leaving them dumbfounded if executed well. It is lethal as Starc has already shown. Revoking the ban on saliva is a significant factor this IPL, one that could tip the balance in favour of the bowler and impact the outcome of a match.

The class of 2016-17 returns

KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer and Mohammed Siraj all made their international debuts between June 2016 and November 2017. By the 2022-23 season, it looked like they had established themselves as the next generation of all-format players for India. Then, the entire idea of an all-format player was sent in for reevaluation. T20 batting strike-rates had passed the point where anyone who had ever practised a leave could keep up. The Powerplay was too brutal a place for a swing bowler.One by one, they lost their place in India’s T20I squad. Siraj, drained by the 650-plus overs he had bowled for India from January 2023 to December 2024, lost his place in the ODI squad too. None of the three were retained by their IPL franchises.3:36

Bishop: Shreyas the captain has always made teams better

At the midway point of the 2025 season, Iyer and Rahul are both among the top ten run-getters. Rahul is striking at 150-plus, Iyer at 200-plus. Siraj is among the top ten wicket-takers and has an economy-rate of 8.50. He and Rahul are two of four players with two Player-of-the-Match awards this season.All three have done their own reevaluations of their T20 games and have also found their core skills in demand again thanks to the variety of pitches in use this season. Plus, they have, no doubt, been invigorated by the desire to prove a point.

Don’t take me home, please don’t take me home

Several teams are finding little comfort at home this season. Eden Gardens, Chepauk, and Chinnaswamy have all failed to offer the familiar edge, with curators unable to consistently produce surfaces that suit the home side’s strengths.Kolkata Knight Riders, CSK, RCB, and LSG have all struggled to assert dominance at their bases, eroding the traditional “fortress” feel these grounds once had. This shift has led to significant away wins that defy pre-tournament predictions.RCB, for instance, broke long-standing losing streaks by defeating CSK at Chepauk for the first time since 2008 and MI at the Wankhede for the first time in nearly a decade. They also dismantled KKR’s spin-heavy attack led by Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy at Eden Gardens in the season opener.Adding to the unpredictability, teams like DC and Rajasthan Royals and PBKS have had to navigate the complexities of managing two home venues each. Adaptation has become the buzzword in a season that’s testing flexibility more than familiarity.
Ashutosh Sharma and Kevin Pietersen revel in DC’s tight win•Associated Press

Now we know what team mentors do

Ashutosh Sharma was born in Madhya Pradesh in India. Kevin Pietersen was born in Pietermaritzburg in South Africa. Their paths might never have crossed if not for the IPL and in particular, IPL where Pietersen was elevated to the nebulous role of team mentor at Delhi Capitals. What do these guys do anyway?Well, apparently enough that when a player looking to make a name for himself actually does make a name for himself, he points straight to the mentor and pays tribute. Ashutosh pulled off that most adrenaline-y of all adrenaline-fuelled wins – the one-wicket win – early this season and the first thing he did was point to KP.Teams select mentors for various reasons. One of them is inspiration. Picture being in high school again, except this time the cool kids are accessible and they got your back. Isn’t it beautiful?

Wrexham have set about trying to tackle a growing STok Racecourse problem – one that has escalated since Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney became owners.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Wrexham grown in popularity
• Reynolds & McElhenney worked wonders
• Growing issue at Racecourse needs sorting

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to The Leader, new Wrexham CEO Michael Williamson met with local councillors to address traffic and parking issues in the town on match days. The report adds residents have complained about inconsiderate parking in recent seasons and now a working group has been set up to try and find a solution.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  WHAT WREXHAM COUNCILLORS SAID

  Wrexham councillor Marc Jones told The Leader: "Local councillors Marc Jones, Phil Wyn and David Bithell held a productive meeting with the new club chief executive Michael Williamson and we have agreed in principle to set up a working group to improve traffic issues on matchdays. Everyone understands the need to address the subject and councillors, the club, the police and council will be looking at a range of solutions to make life better for both residents and fans."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  It's not far off four years since Hollywood actors Reynolds and McElhenney took over at Wrexham and in that time they have done wonders for the club. They have overseen two promotions from the National League, given the Red Dragons a global following off the back of their documentary series 'Welcome to Wrexham' and have used their business acumen to secure lucrative sponsorships, too. But as they pack out the Racecourse – which holds just over 12,000 fans – and as interest in the team has grown, the infrastructure around it needs to keep pace with that surge as well.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Phil Parkinson's men return to League One action on Saturday, October 19, away at Rotherham United, before taking on Huddersfield Town three days later on home turf. It remains to be seen how long it will take before some form of action comes from the aforementioned partnership with the council and the club.

Batter’s 47th first-class hundred gives visitors the chance to set agenda

ECB Reporters Network11-Jul-2021Somerset 280 for 6 (Hildreth 107, Goldsworthy 48, Lammonby 42, Davies 42) vs SurreyA fascinating first day, on a pitch expected to take more spin as the game progresses, saw Somerset’s James Hildreth battle to 107 in a hard-fought 280 for 6 against Surrey at the Kia Oval.It was Hildreth’s 47th first-class hundred and he was well supported in a fourth wicket stand of 144 in 50 overs by Lewis Goldsworthy, whose gritty three-hour 48 occupied 145 balls.Hildreth, acting captain in the injury absence of Tom Abell, won an important toss before Somerset set out towards what they hope will be a match-defining first innings total in the final Group 2 fixture before qualification for the end-of-season divisional finale that will decide who wins this year’s LV= Insurance County Championship title.Somerset must at worst draw here to make sure of Division One status in August and September, while Surrey began the game 22 points behind group leaders Somerset and 17 points adrift of second-placed Gloucestershire (the top two qualify for Division One) and had only a mathematical chance of finishing second.Indian Test off spinner R Ashwin, signed for this game only as an overseas player replacement for injured New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson, bowled the first over of the match at the start of a five-over new-ball spell and finished with 1 for 70 from 28 overs.Surrey, indeed, fielded three frontline spinners with off spinner Amar Virdi and slow left-armer Dan Moriarty also sharing 37 overs, while Somerset have England’s Jack Leach in their ranks. But only the odd ball spun markedly on a sluggish surface as Hildreth’s determined partnership with Goldsworthy shaped the opening day.Related

• Tom Lace makes Hampshire earn their place as Gloucestershire fall at the last

• Nick Gubbins century puts Hampshire in control in must-win clash

• Joe Weatherley, Ian Holland dent Gloucestershire's first division hopes

• Ashwin could play a first-class match for Surrey before England Tests

• Kent forced to pick new squad for Sussex fixture following positive Covid test

Surrey, already below-strength due to England one-day calls and injuries to Ollie Pope and Ben Foakes, were further handicapped by an injury suffered in the field by former Somerset fast bowler Jamie Overton and a shoulder problem which limited all-rounder Rikki Clarke to just a spell with the second new ball.Jordan Clark, though, made an early breakthrough when he bowled Devon Conway for 21 – the New Zealand Test opener inside-edging an attempted drive – and Somerset were an unconvincing 113 for 3 20 minutes after lunch after Steven Davies, lbw to Virdi’s second ball, and Tom Lammonby, who shouldered arms to Ashwin’s arm ball and was bowled off stump, had both departed for well-made 42s. Lammonby did once smash a Virdi full toss for six but otherwise it was predominantly attritional cricket throughout.Hildreth, who hit 13 fours from 211 balls and cut and swept the spinners with excellent judgement, dug deep before an inswinger from the wholehearted Clark took out his off stump as he played no shot 10 minutes from the close.Goldsworthy and George Bartlett (2) had by then also gone to the second new ball, strangled down the legside by Clark and leg-before to Clarke respectively.

U.S. Soccer has selected CITYPark as the venue for two-legged quarterfinal in the CONCACAF Nations League in November

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• USMNT schedule Nations League quarterfinal in St. Louis
• Will be Pochettino's first competitive match
• U.S. searching for fourth-straight title

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The U.S. men's national team will make their third appearance at CITYPARK in St. Louis Nov. 18 at 8 p.m. EST, hosting a CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal at the home of MLS side ST. Louis City SC.

  The opponent for the USMNT will be determined following the conclusion of the October international window. The top-four teams in the CONCACAF ranking index will enter the Nations League at the quarterfinal stage, with 12 sides competing for those spots.

  The U.S. are 2-0 across all competitions at CITYPARK, both of which were shutouts. Historically, the U.S. has an 8-3-1 (WDL) record in the city.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The match will be Mauricio Pochettino's first competitive appearance on the touchline for the USMNT, and his third overall, after the U.S. play Panama and Mexico in October in a pair of international friendlies.

  “This competition is an important part of our preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup,“ Pochettino said. “As the holders, we want to defend this title and build this winning mentality.

  “I am aware of the big soccer history of St. Louis and its impact on the national team, so the new members of the staff are looking forward to visiting the city for ourselves and experiencing the atmosphere at the stadium.”

  The USMNT has won the first three editions of the tournament, and are looking to make it four straight in 2024-25.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The U.S. defeated Mexico in extra-time in 2021, and followed it up with an emphatic victory over Canada in the 2023 final. In 2024, the U.S. once again defeated Mexico, claiming victory in another thrilling

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR THE USMNT?

  International friendlies against Panama and Mexico await the USMNT next month. The USMNT first host on Oct. 12 and then face on Oct. 15 at Guadalajara's Estadio Akron.

The veteran looks back at his 20 years working as a cricket coach across the world – with teams including West Indies, Ireland, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and now Bangladesh

Interview by Mohammad Isam11-Dec-2024When Bangladesh play West Indies in the third ODI in St Kitts on December 12, it will be Phil Simmons’ 400th international in a 20-year coaching career. He looks back at the various teams he has coached and what he’s learned during his time with them.You are about to become the fourth coach, after Duncan Fletcher, Mickey Arthur and Dav Whatmore, to be in charge for 400 internationals. What does the milestone mean to you?
As far as cricket is concerned, I am not a numbers man. I can say that reaching 400 matches was a surprise. It wasn’t something that was in my mind when I started coaching. It is great to have reached the milestone. It means I have done something right.You are currently the Bangladesh coach on an interim basis. It is a team in transition, with its own set of complexities. How do you stay hungry after 20 years?

My hunger is determined by the ability of seeing improvement. It is a team in transition. They need some sort of stability and guidance, but also there’s a chance of improvement and success. It is my motivation. A chance to get success and improve people.Related

• Simmons-Salahuddin partnership could spark Bangladesh's revival

• The curious case of Phil Simmons (2019)

• Simmons quits as West Indies coach after 'unfathomable' World Cup exit

• Amid the drama, new coach Simmons wants Bangladesh to 'focus on the cricket'

You led West Indies to the 2016 T20 World Cup title. It was probably the highest point in your coaching career. Where do you rank the campaign?
It was an unbelievable campaign in the way we played the cricket. We had a bit of luck at times. Lendl Simmons being out and not out on a few occasions at the Wankhede [Lendl Simmons was twice caught off no-balls in the 2016 T20 World Cup semi-final against India] was one of them. The campaign was exciting throughout. We played really good cricket. We deserved to be winners at the end of the day. It was definitely the highest point I have reached in my coaching career.It all started in Zimbabwe in 2004. What were your initial days like? Why did you take up coaching?
I took up coaching because I enjoyed helping my team-mates while I was playing. We looked after one another. We would try to help out in the nets. When I finished, I was encouraged by Tim Boon at Leicester to do my coaching courses. He saw something in me. After that [the role at] Zimbabwe came up, first with the academy and then the national team. I was trying to understand what coaching at that level was about, especially trying to help players who have not been at the highest level. The initial days were all about learning, and then it got better and better.