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Runners-up to get USD 800,000; the teams will split the prize money in case there isn’t a result

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Jun-2021The winners of the India vs New Zealand World Test Championship (WTC) final will take home USD 1.6 million, as well as the Test Championship Mace, while the losing team will get USD 800,000, the ICC has announced. In case there is a stalemate, or weather prevents a winner from being identified despite the reserve day, the two teams will split the total prize money of USD 2.4 million.It will be the first time the sport will have official world champions in the format. “It (the WTC) has come to symbolise the best team in Test cricket, and with the Test championship now being used as the vehicle to identify the best team in Test cricket, the mace is on offer,” Geoff Allardice, the ICC chief executive, said in an interaction with members of the media.Related

• ICC CEO: 'We need to provide a WTC pathway to all 12 Test teams'

• WTC final: Bowlers promise anticipation of the familiar as well as thrill of the unknown

• New Zealand pick Ajaz Patel ahead of Mitchell Santner in final 15 for WTC final

• Boult hopes to 'create a bit of history' in WTC final

• 'Best-of-three series will be ideal' to decide WTC – Shastri

In a statement, the ICC explained that the Test mace, which was earlier awarded every year to the teams topping the Test team rankings, will be given to the WTC winners from now on. In case of a draw or a tie, India and New Zealand will share possession of the mace during the time they remain champions.

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Australia, who finished third on the points table, England, who were fourth, and Pakistan, the fifth-placed side, will receive USD 450,000, USD 350,000 and USD 200,000 respectively, while the remaining teams that were a part of the competition – West Indies, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh – will get USD 100,000 each.The final between India and New Zealand will be played in Southampton, and will be played from June 18 to 22, with June 23 slotted as a reserve day, to be used only if any time lost during regulation play on each day is not made up on the same day. It will comprise a maximum of 330 minutes or 83 overs plus the actual last hour.

After an underwhelming 2023-24, Arsenal will be expected to achieve far better things as the new campaign gets underway

There is a cliche that while teams can't win titles in the first few weeks of the season, they can certainly lose them. Last year, Arsenal's early results might not have fitted that exactly, but when a shock elimination in Champions League qualifying was followed by an equally surprising defeat to Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium, it absolutely set the tone for an underwhelming campaign that the Gunners will be eager to bounce back from this time around.

A faster start will be imperative for success in 2024-25 because the schedule Jonas Eidevall's side are working with is unforgiving. On Sunday, Arsenal begin the new Women's Super League season against Manchester City, last year's runners-up. Four days later, they need to overcome a 1-0 deficit from the first leg of their Champions League second round qualifier with Hacken to reach the group stage. A couple of weeks after that, Chelsea, champions of the last five seasons, will make the short journey across London to visit the Gunners.

Straight out of the blocks, there will be little room for error for an Arsenal side that, as the most successful club in the English women's game, is always under pressure to deliver. Five years since a last WSL triumph and eight years since the Gunners lifted the Women's FA Cup for a record-extending 14th time, can Eidevall's charges live up to expectations this season?

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  Mood around the club

  There is a lot of positivity surrounding Arsenal ahead of the new WSL season. Though Vivianne Miedema has departed and the strong links with England star Keira Walsh didn't result in a transfer, the club had a great summer window, strengthening the squad in several areas with some impressive signings. Leah Williamson, Beth Mead and Laura Wienroither, who all suffered ACL ruptures during 2022-23 and thus returned midway through the last campaign, have all got full pre-seasons under their belts and the first round of Champions League qualifying saw the team put on impressive displays against Rangers and Rosenborg.

  However, amid this positivity there is a sense of expectation. While Arsenal have been steady in the last couple of seasons, winning back-to-back League Cups and securing European football through top-three finishes, this team can achieve more. The Gunners haven't sustained a genuine title challenge since the 2021-22 campaign and last year's Champions League exit in the first round of qualifying was hugely disappointing.

  For some supporters, this feels like a make or break season for head coach Jonas Eidevall to prove he is the right person to take this team forward. They want a title challenge, they want to win more than the League Cup and they want to be in the UWCL proper again. That said, it is unlikely the club view things the same way, having handed Eidevall a new long-term contract last September, just days after that shock European elimination.

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  Transfer business

  It's fair to say Arsenal's summer didn't start in particularly positive fashion, when it was announced that iconic forward Miedema would be leaving the club. While she has since explained that her departure was a mutual thing, rather than the club simply not offering her a new contract, it was still understandably disappointing for fans to see such a talented player leave, not least because she has now joined WSL rivals Man City. With the two giants going head to head on the opening weekend of the league campaign, it seems written in the stars for Miedema to come back to haunt her old club.

  Cloe Lacasse's departure wasn't particularly popular either. Many felt the Canada international didn't get the chances she deserved in her only season at the club, especially given how well she played when granted them. Her exit also means Arsenal lack natural depth on the right of attack.

  However, there is plenty for fans to be excited about when it comes to Arsenal's signings. Mariona Caldentey is a world-class operator who played a key role in Barcelona winning a first-ever quadruple on the women's side last season, while the versatile forward also has a World Cup title to her name after helping Spain to beat England in last summer’s final. Rosa Kafaji, a thrillingly creative talent who is still only 21 years old, further bolsters the attack following her arrival from Hacken.

  Further back, the Gunners have also strengthened the goalkeeping department by recruiting Netherlands international Daphne van Domselaar. Eidevall has brought in, and let go, a whole host of shot-stoppers during his time in charge, seemingly searching for the perfect fit. This summer has been no different, with Sabrina D'Angelo joining Aston Villa, Van Domselaar's former club, while the Dutchwoman has arrived in the capital. Aged 24, she has her best years ahead of her and Arsenal fans will hope she has them in north London.

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  Pre-season performances

  Due to Arsenal's participation in the first round of Champions League qualifying, pre-season was pretty short and sharp compared to some others in the WSL. The Gunners flew out to the United States for games against the Washington Spirit, of the NWSL, and London rivals Chelsea, faced Championship side Southampton at home a week later and then went straight into European qualifiers against Rangers and Rosenborg.

  Because a good handful of players were involved at the Olympic Games, which ended just eight days before Arsenal's match against Washington, it wasn't a perfect pre-season campaign. It was longer than last year's, when most of the squad needed a break after the Women's World Cup, but still involved late arrivals, the management of some players' minutes and slight injuries to Lotte Wubben-Moy, Beth Mead and Steph Catley, which limited the group's ability to work on building relationships.

  Despite that, there were a number of positives to take away, not least the fact that players like Williamson, Wienroither and Mead got proper pre-seasons. Katie Reid's performances were encouraging as the teenager prepares to have a squad role this season, covering for Amanda Ilestedt's maternity leave, while Alessia Russo had goals to her name, boosting her confidence going into the campaign.

  Arsenal certainly looked sharper as pre-season moved along and that continued into their European qualifiers, with the performances in victories over Rangers and Rosenborg largely positive. That said, some cold water was poured on such optimism earlier this week, when the Gunners lost 1-0 to Hacken in the away leg of their second round qualifier. They'll need to beat the Swedish side by two goals or more when they come to London next Thursday.

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  Talking tactics

  There is one main tactical talking point when it comes to Arsenal and that is how they struggle to break down opponents that defend in a low block. It cost the Gunners on several occasions last season, with defeats to Liverpool, West Ham and Tottenham leaving Eidevall's side on the back foot in the title race for the whole campaign.

  Two signings made this summer could be particularly valuable in trying to solve this problem. Caldentey knows the challenge well from her time at Barcelona and, more recently, in playing for world champions Spain. When GOAL asked Laia Codina, formerly her club-mate and still her international team-mate, if Caldentey will help Arsenal in their struggles here, she was certain. "Yes, 100 percent, with her movements off the ball or with the ball," she replied. "She's a player that is very smart, very intelligent and trying to understand what the games will ask."

  Kafaji could be a real asset, too. A creative midfielder who is full of flicks and tricks but also has convincing end product, she is a joker in the pack that opponents will struggle to predict. When combined with an "evolution" of the team that he spoke highly of, perhaps it's no wonder that Eidevall has expressed no concerns about low blocks this season, then. "I’m super confident that if we come up against a low block then we have tools and qualities and processes on how to play against that," he said at the WSL season launch media day last week. "I have full belief."

  Something else that will be particularly interesting to track as the season begins is what the right of Arsenal's attack looks like if it doesn't involve Mead. The sale of Lacasse means the squad lacks natural depth in that position, though there was an incredibly encouraging performance from Caitlin Foord on that side against Rangers this month, when she scored four goals. Usually more effective on the left, it would be a huge boost to Eidevall's options if the Australia international can find consistency on the opposite flank, too.

A coach who has kept a keen eye on the fast bowler since his early days brings an insight into his charge’s deceptive pace

Alagappan Muthu23-Sep-20241:43

Has Akash Deep nailed his spot down for the Australia tour?

Suryakumar Yadav and some of his team-mates from the Duleep Trophy were in the dressing room watching a bowler on TV.This bowler had been with them two weeks ago – except he had played for the other team and picked up nine wickets. He added two more when he went to Chennai to play in the Test match against Bangladesh.Related

• Domestic grind prepares Akash well for the deep end

• Making 'Vision 2020' come true: Inside the Bengal pace revolution

• Deep end brings the best out of battle-hardened Akash

• One-Test-old Akash Deep determined for more

• Akash Deep uses Shami's advice for impressive Duleep outing

Saurasish Lahiri, who was bowling coach of the India B team, recalls the moment, Suryakumar watching Akash Deep bowl and instinctively saying, “in that typical Bombay style in which he talks, ‘Sir, .’ He has got so much of venom in his bowling, that’s what he meant to say.”Lahiri has kept an eye on Akash ever since his move up from club cricket in Bengal. After a first-class career that spanned 100 matches, but in his first year as a coach for the state’s Under-23 team, Lahiri found himself sticking his neck out for Akash, bringing him on tour even though he was injured. There were questions about carrying someone who was a complete unknown – Akash hadn’t played any representative age-group cricket, any competitive cricket – and now wasn’t even fit enough to take part in the matches. Akash spent 21 days at the KSCA tournament in Bengaluru just getting himself right because Lahiri knew, when he got himself right, “”.”I saw him for the first time at the CAB [Cricket Association of Bengal] indoor nets,” Lahiri said. “There was not much of a run-up for the fast bowler there because normally in indoor nets, you bowl just to get the rhythm, to get a feel of bowling. But Akash, from that short run-up, he was absolutely… Very expressive pace. He was really troubling all the batters.”‘Did you enjoy that dose of ?’•BCCIThis week, when Akash bowled in Chennai, the speedgun showed he was in the mid-to-late 130s [kph] range. And yet the two batters that he took down were both late on their shots. Something didn’t add up. It felt like the CAB nets all over again. Where was he getting this pace?”From his arm action,” Lahiri said. “The arm rotation is so fast that the moment he releases the ball, there is a whip effect on the ball. In tennis we have a word, whip effect. When the ball leaves the racquet in tennis, it’s got a lot of spin, and it just skids through the court. Akash has the same whip effect.”He holds the ball lightly in his fingers. His wrist snaps it into the pitch. The fingers roll down the seam. All of this happens on the back of a quick arm action. And it creates the backspin that helps Akash lose less of his pace after the ball bounces. Andrew Flintoff was especially good at this and that’s why he seemed to catch the Australian batters on the hop quite a lot during the 2005 Ashes. They seemed set to receive a ball at one pace, but the backspin meant it was onto them a fraction quicker.Akash had another thing going for him against Bangladesh. To both Zakir Hasan and Mominul Haque, he held the ball, which was just eight overs old at that point, with the shiny side on the inside. That usually means it would move in the opposite direction, towards the slips. These didn’t. They pitched and came into the left-hand batter. Because the seam wasn’t upright. It was wobbling.Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep bring Saurasish Lahiri a birthday cake•Saurasish LahiriWhen used well, the wobble-seam delivery creates a fair bit of unpredictability because there’s a chance the ball would pitch on the seam – in which case it could deviate any which way – and there’s an equal chance it would pitch on the leather and not move as much. Mohammed Siraj, who has a natural outswinger, uses the wobble seam to target a right-hander’s inside edge. Akash, who has a natural inswinger, seems to be getting his to go the other way.Lahiri is delighted with the way his charge is progressing. “I was with him when he got his first call-up to play England,” Lahiri said. “We were playing a Ranji Trophy game in Trivandrum. This time [ahead of the Bangladesh series], I was with him in the Duleep Trophy. He was playing for India A but we were together all the time. We were in the same hotel. He was selected on 8th September, right? And 9th September was my birthday so he just got a cake to me and said, ‘Sir, this is your birthday cake’, but I said ‘okay, but both of us will cut the cake because it’s a double celebration.’ Mukesh [Kumar] was there as well. It was very nice.”It is still very early in Akash’s career, even at the domestic level. He only made his first-class debut five years ago. The graph that is tracking upwards now will hit a roadblock at some point. There will be challenges but they might just pale in comparison to the ones he has already come through, like losing his father and his brother within the space of six months, and moving across the country to pursue a career that some from his home in Sasaram, Bihar, didn’t think well of. His mother had to be careful sending him out to play because she was worried if people saw him they would say [he is spoilt and will become a rogue].”Thanks to Akash’s hard work, though, what people are actually saying is “.”

Surrey pile on the runs as pitch transforms from minefield to road in space of an innings

Matt Roller30-Apr-2021Most greats of the game empty bars rather than filling them, but Hashim Amla’s unflappable, effortless manner does not lend itself to edge-of-the-seat drama.Amla’s triple-hundred at this ground against England in 2012 was record-breaking: no single day of cricket at The Oval has seen higher takings at the bar than the Saturday of that Test, when he batted through 98 overs to move from an overnight score of 47 to 183 not out. County Championship crowds tend not to be as thirsty, not least when forced to watch via a live stream, but the prospect of seeing him bat in the flesh later in the summer should bring a smile to the faces of Surrey’s members.Amla’s greatest quality is his ability to dictate the pace of a day. He batted throughout this one, adding 156 to his overnight score, and played role of the becalmed senior partner in stands of 257 and 100 (unbroken) with Ollie Pope and Jamie Smith respectively; both men are at least 15 years his junior and when Amla made his first-class debut, Smith had not been born. He had managed only 78 runs in his first three games of the season, including a pair at Lord’s last week, but this innings was a throwback to his heyday, as he punched through cover, steered through third man and whipped through midwicket with a roll of the wrists.Amla was thwarted by birds more regularly than by Hampshire bowlers: a back-foot punch through the covers was stopped by a flock of pigeons grazing in the deep, and he backed away moments before a Liam Dawson ball that pegged back his off stump as one flew across his line of vision, resulting in a dead ball. Scott Currie, the 19-year-old seamer, induced a couple of false shots and had him dropped at wide slip on 184, but he will resume unbeaten on Saturday morning, barring an overnight declaration.Related

• Notts near end of three-year drought as Derbyshire are battered

• Hill hundred leaves Gloucestershire with mountain to climb

• James Hildreth records Somerset milestone as Middlesex chip away between showers

The result is that Surrey are in an impregnable position after two days and should force a first win of the season against Group Two’s early leaders. Their only concern will be that this pitch has flattened out: Pope suggested that Amla “made it look better than it is” but Rory Burns had to drag himself off after bottom-edging a pull off Dawson onto his own stumps, realising he had missed the opportunity for a mammoth hundred. The heavy roller seems to have taken any spice out of the healthy grass covering, but a lead of 421 will allow Surrey to set attacking fields throughout Hampshire’s second innings.Given the dip in his international returns over the last nine months, it is easy to lose sight of Pope’s freakish record in first-class cricket. At The Oval, he has scored 1373 runs in 17 innings at an average of 105.61. This was his fourth first-class innings against Hampshire at this ground and his second-lowest score, behind knocks of 145 in 2018 and 221 not out two years ago. Pope’s physical appearance can make him look like a boy playing in a man’s game, but his record is the other way round.Pope was not quite at his best, playing three false shots against Ian Holland in the 90s and nicking through the gully on 78. He took an off-stump guard, and played his drives very late, occasionally finding himself in a rush and a tangle, as was the case in both of his dismissals against Middlesex last week. It did not stop him cashing in, but New Zealand and India’s analysts may be taking notes for Test series later this summer.”I’ve been out a few times playing some pretty average cover drives this year, nicking off to them, and that’s how they were trying to get me off,” Pope said. “Abbas and Holland try and challenge your pads and nip it around a little bit. I was trying to help myself leave those fifth-stump balls and if they wanted to go straight and bowl at the stumps, that’s one of my strengths.”The standout feature of Pope’s innings was his ability to rotate the strike. Amla is hardly the quickest man between the wickets, but Pope has a knack of finding gaps and weighting his shots to ensure that he can pick up ones and twos; he maintained a strike rate of 75.72, even though fewer than half of his runs came in boundaries. The biggest surprise of his innings came after tea, when he sliced Currie to wide gully; Hampshire’s third wicket inside 110 overs ensured that their visit to South London was not pointless in the literal sense, at least.After a top score of 34 in eight innings in India, Pope has reverted to type this summer and is clearly benefitting from home comforts. “We’ve played a lot of cricket in bubbles and in tough conditions and it’s been nice just to get some consistent game-time with Surrey,” he said. “I feel like I’m getting back to my best and getting my batting back to where it should be. It’s about remembering what made you successful, and there are a few little technical adjustments as well; I want to get my movements right and hopefully go into that New Zealand series full of confidence.”

The international break is something of a blessing and a curse for Arsenal.

On the one hand, it gives the club respite from their current injury crisis, but on the other, they have to wait two weeks to make amends for the draw away to Sunderland.

However, even though they saw their lead cut on Sunday evening, Mikel Arteta’s side are in a great spot in the Premier League.

Moreover, despite injuries, the side is full to bursting with talent, including one player who’s starting to look like another Myles Lewis-Skelly.

The latest on Lewis-Skelly's future at Arsenal

It would be fair to say that, aside from their run in the Champions League, last season was something of a disappointment for Arsenal.

Chalkboard

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

However, there were at least a couple of positives to come from it, such as the emergence of Ethan Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly.

The latter was more of a surprise to most, and yet over the course of the campaign, he became a far more significant part of the side, effectively becoming Arteta’s first-choice left-back.

In fact, by the end of the season, the 19-year-old had made 39 first-team appearances, totalling 2306 minutes, and even made his full debut for England, during which he scored.

However, so far this season has been a totally different story for the youngster, as while he has still made 12 appearances, only four of those have been starts, and overall, he has played just 463 minutes of action.

During the last international break, Thomas Tuchel said that this lack of game time could result in him not picking the Islington-born ace.

Unfortunately, that’s what’s happened this international break.

Unsurprisingly, this has led to reports that other Premier League clubs are now interested in signing the youngster in the winter transfer window.

However, the same reports make it clear that Arteta and Co are keen to keep the Hale Ender at the club, and that they expect him to play more minutes as the season progresses.

With that said, if Arsenal do decide to cash in, they do have another youngster in the side who is showing shades of Lewis-Skelly in his game.

Arsenal's new Lewis-Skelly

Even though Riccardo Calafiori and Pieiro Hincapie are his competition at left-back, the Arsenal player who is showing shades of Lewis-Skelly in his game this season is Cristhian Mosquera.

Now, that might sound like a leap to begin with, but “similarly to Lewis-Skelly,” per analyst Ben Mattinson, the Spaniard has shown an immense level of “physical maturity for his age.”

More than that, though, the 21-year-old has also shown a remarkable mental maturity, which was on full display when he came on and played almost the whole game away to Liverpool, and then started the club’s opening Champions League game against Athletic Bilbao.

While he may have been described as a “monster” by Gunners insider Hand of Arsenal, where most young defenders would need their hand held by a senior teammate or go crashing into ridiculous challenges, the former Valencia gem is thoughtful about when he goes in for a tackle or block.

However, that’s not to say he is adverse to the more physical side of the game, as, just like Lewis-Skelly, he is someone who “loves to battle with physical attackers,” according to Mattinson.

Moreover, while most fans and pundits alike expected the exciting youngster to play a minor role this season, the Valencia-born titan is following in the Hale Ender’s footsteps from last season and playing a far more significant role than most predicted.

For example, he has already made 12 appearances, five of which have been starts, totalling 597 minutes.

Finally, like the Englishman, he is not solely limited to playing a single position, as in addition to playing at centre-back, he can do a job at right-back.

Ultimately, there are some differences between them, but in terms of mentality, raw ability, and attitude, there are plenty of similarities between Mosquera and Lewis-Skelly.

After Dowman: Hale End has given Arsenal a future star who's "like Vieira"

The incredible prospect could be another Max Dowman-style star for Arsenal.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 12, 2025

Newcastle United have stepped away from the action zone as the October international break takes the stage. But Newcastle are anything but idle, having appointed a new technical director in Ross Wilson from Nottingham Forest.

Wilson, 41, leaves the City Ground having overseen a rise from relegation candidates in the Premier League to European contenders, having finished seventh last year after heavy spending.

In the dugout, Eddie Howe is a meticulous man. He knows every nook and every cranny of his opponents’ half, having profiled each player and grasped their strengths and their weaknesses. Wilson has a personality apt to connect with the tactician’s own bearing.

Newcastle have earned their flowers for their fast rise in the years since PIF completed their club takeover, qualifying for the Champions League in two of the last three seasons and winning the Carabao Cup last year.

But Paul Mitchell left his post less than one year after Dan Ashworth departed, and there’s no denying the Magpies recruitment drive has been knocked somewhat out of kilter. That is now anticipated to change.

Ross Wilson's recruitment record

Before Nottingham Forest, it was Rangers. While in Scotland, it was Wilson who sat behind the desk when Steven Gerrard led the club to the Premiership title, still the Gers’ sole title success since 2011.

And after moving to the Premier League, his reputation has only grown, with Wilson considered a real coup for the Tynesiders and further evidence of the fall from stability at Forest.

According to the i Paper, it is understood that Newcastle will seek to reward Sandro Tonali, Sven Botman and Tino Livramento with new deals once the transfer specialist is instated.

One of Wilson’s biggest strengths is his ability to identify and sign first-team candidates who both align with the manager’s tactical vision and the club’s wider culture.

Though this summer was one of much upheaval at Newcastle, there’s no denying Howe has eased the loss of Alexander Isak to Liverpool with a range of impactful additions, Nick Woltemade and Malick Thiaw in particular shining across the early months of the season.

Still, the direction has been at times uncertain, business taking an almost fragmented quality. Wilson, in tandem with Howe, could change that, with some exciting potential options already being discussed.

Who Ross Wilson could sign at Newcastle

Wilson signed his fair share of first-team players at Nottingham Forest, having joined from Rangers in 2023. At the time, the Midlands side were embroiled in a relegation battle in the Premier League and had not yet parted with Steve Cooper and brought in Nuno Espirito Santo.

Forest now have their own issues, with Edu and Nuno’s conflict leading to a divorce which has left the club’s meteoric rise in tatters. Wilson played his part, though, and may now fancy a step-up to St. James’ Park.

Newcastle, for sure, have work to do if they wish to settle permanently alongside the Premier League elite. With Wilson and Howe working together, this could bear dividends, especially when considering Howe’s recent comments regarding Elliot Anderson, who was sold to the City Ground for about £35m in 2024 as the Toon scrambled to ease their PSR suffering.

Last week, the manager called Anderson, 22, a “precious” talent who he would “love” to welcome back to his boyhood club, and now Newcastle have landed Wilson, that potential lane of communication has very much stretched open.

It would be a costly one to engineer, to be sure, but now, it certainly seems a whole lot more likely.

And there’s more. Nick Pope is still performing at 33 years old, but he’s out of contract at the end of the season and a replacement might be required, even with Aaron Ramsdale having joined on loan in August.

James Trafford came within a whisker of signing for the Magpies this summer, and now that he’s on the fringes at Manchester City, he might recieve a call from Wilson down the line.

That should just about do it. Howe leads a complete and robust Newcastle side, but even though £55m was forked out for Forest’s Anthony Elanga this summer, there might be a desire to add another winger to the ranks.

And who better than Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, who was very much on the club’s radar this summer? The Cherries fought off interest from many of the Premier League’s biggest hitters, with the Ghanaian forward signing a new contract at the club.

The vultures still circle, though, and Newcastle are among that kettle of suitors looking to strike a deal, having prepared a bid in the final weeks of the window. Liverpool are also keen, showing interest as recently as this week, and they have been met with demands of a £75m payment from the south coast club.

Semenyo would cost a pretty penny, alright, but there’s little question that he’d be a fantastic addition, having scored six goals and supplied three more across seven top-flight appearances this season.

We know already that Howe wanted to bring the prolific forward to the club, and now Wilson will help promote Howe’s vision.

It’s exciting to note that even with Isak having been sold this summer, Newcastle have a dynamic crop of players capable of hitting even loftier heights than were struck last season. But with the likes of Trafford and Anderson and Semenyo added to the fold, Newcastle would go from strength to strength.

One Premier League analyst has even claimed Semenyo is “one of the best players in the world”. These are the heights Newcastle must be striving for, and Wilson can make it happen.

Howe has found the next Saint-Maximin in "frightening" Newcastle star

Summer signing aims for Saint-Maximin’s flair with Newcastle’s need for consistency

By
Will Miller

Oct 11, 2025

Steven Heighway knew when Steven Gerrard was still only 14 years of age that the midfielder was going to "make it" as a footballer. The man himself, though, was less convinced of his quality – at least when he took his first tentative steps in the professional ranks. When Gerrard warmed up in front of the Kop for the first time ahead of his Liverpool debut on November 29, 1998, the nerve-racked teenager "could almost hear them saying, 'Who's this skinny tw*t?!'"

When Gerrard made his first start for the Reds the following week, against Tottenham, he felt completely out of his depth while David Ginola was running rings around him. It wouldn't take Gerrard long, though, to adjust to the pace of the Premier League. He became a first-team regular at Anfield during the 1990-2000 campaign before being voted the PFA's Young Player of the Year the following season.

Being recognised by his peers capped a remarkably rapid rise to prominence for a kid that had initially been racked by self-doubt. There was also the fact that Gerrard had also been dealing with a persistent back problem caused by a combination of growing pains and excessive game time during his teenage years.

However, the truly incredible thing about Gerrard's emergence as a future superstar was that he managed to perform at such a high level on the field while going through hell off it, having been targeted by a local gangster intent on exploiting the England international's success for his own financial gain…

• 'Hoodwinked' into a heist

  In March 2006, John Kinsella, James Muldoon, Stephen McMullen and Thomas Hodgson were arrested on the M62 motorway near Huddersfield after a 130mph police chase. The four men – all from Liverpool – stood accused of stealing £41,000 worth of goods (Easter eggs, crisps and detergents) from a lorry depot in Grantham, Lincolnshire.

  Hodgson subsequently admitted to a charge of robbery, but Kinsella, Muldoon and McMullen all maintained their innocence when they went on trial at Lincoln Crown Court in April 2008. Kinsella, who also denied an additional charge of dangerous driving, insisted that he was not a member of the gang responsible for the heist, with his solicitor, Gorden Aspden, claiming that his client had been "hoodwinked" into getting involved.

  Kinsella stated that he knew nothing of the planned robbery beforehand and believed that he had been invited along to deal with a debt owed by a friend of his fellow accused Hodgson. According to Aspden, there was "a lot of evidence to back up” Kinsella’s story, while his defence also included a character reference from Steven Gerrard's father, Paul.

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  'Terrorised' by 'The Psycho'

  In a letter submitted to the court, and verified by police, Paul Gerrard wrote: "I would like to say that in 2001 my son Steven was being terrorised by a notorious Liverpool gangster known as 'The Psycho' (George Bromley Junior), who was threatening to maim my son by shooting him in the legs. Also, he was trying to extort a large amount of money from Steven. We immediately contacted the police and asked for protection."

  The letter also disclosed that Liverpool were in contact with the authorities during the period in question and had also provided extra security for their player. However, Paul Gerrard said that the threats and harassment "went on for a long time" and that his son had even been "chased" by the gangster as he drove home from training.

  "It was really having a bad effect on Steven's career," Paul Gerrard confessed, while also revealing that his son's car had been "smashed up" at one point. "This was one of the worst times of our lives and we were at our wits’ end when we were introduced by a family friend to John Kinsella."

• 'Nightmare'

  Kinsella was well-known within the Merseyside underworld, and had previously served a nine-year prison sentence for attempted robbery and carrying a firearm with intent to commit an offence. According to Paul Gerrard, after reaching out to Kinsella, the martial arts expert assured him and his family that he "would resolve our nightmare".

  During his trial in 2008, Kinsella explained that he was already familiar with both Bromley Junior and his deceased father, George Bromley Senior.

  "George Bromley Jnr was a young lad," Kinsella told the court. "but he was a very violent figure in Liverpool. I took steps. I spoke to George Bromley Jnr. I told him to stop it and leave [Steven Gerrard] alone. After I had spoken to him, he followed my advice."

  Indeed, Paul Gerrard confirmed in his letter that his family "never had any more problems from the Liverpool underworld", adding, "Steven and I have total respect for John."

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• 'Curious business'

  Despite Paul Gerrard's testimony, Kinsella was found guilty of the robbery and sentenced to 14 years in jail – though he wasn't in court for the verdict. Rather, during a lunch break at the trial on April 17, 2008, Kinsella absconded after being allowed to wander Lincoln Crown Court's grounds.

  Kinsella's legal team audaciously challenged the length of his sentence while he was still on the run – and actually managed to have it reduced by three years. Lord Justice Moses called the whole affair "curious business" but appeal judges accepted that the original jail term was "manifestly excessive".

  However, Kinsella was eventually arrested by armed police in Amsterdam in February 2009 and he belatedly began his prison sentence two months later.

  He died on May 5, 2018, after being shot in front of his partner while out walking his dog on a secluded footpath in a wooded area that runs alongside the M62 on Merseyside.

Hameed falls just short of third hundred in four innings but Duckett, Clarke also find form

ECB Reporters' Network30-Apr-2021Nottinghamshire are on course to end a first-class drought stretching back to 2018 after dominating the second day of the LV= Insurance County Championship match against Derbyshire at Derby.Luke Fletcher completed a five-wicket haul as Derbyshire were skittled for 105 before half-centuries from Haseeb Hameed, Ben Duckett and Joe Clarke drove home their advantage.Hameed scored 94 from 142 balls and Duckett, who passed 25 for the first time this season, made 87 off 101 balls with Clarke contributing 53 as Notts scented their first victory in red-ball cricket for nearly three years.Although they lost five wickets for 10 runs to be bowled out for 318 with Fynn Hudson-Prentice taking 4 for 40, Derbyshire were set a daunting target of 470 and reached 23 for 0 at the close.Derbyshire’s first objective at the start of the day was to reach the follow-on target of 107 but they came up short with Fletcher claiming the last two wickets.Ben Aitchison went in the second over of the day, edging to third slip with no addition to the overnight score but Brooke Guest and Sam Conners resisted for another eight overs.Fletcher bowled Guest off a glove but with three days left in the game, Steven Mullaney decided against enforcing the follow-on.By lunch, Notts had extended the lead to 211 for the loss of Ben Slater who saw his hopes of a third consecutive century ended when a ball from Luis Reece came off a pad and dislodged the leg bail.Related

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The afternoon was dominated by Hameed and Duckett who plundered 157 in 29 overs to extinguish any chance Derbyshire had of staying in the game.Duckett looked set to end a lean run with a century until he edged Hudson-Prentice low to first slip and Hameed’s ambitions of a third hundred in four innings ended in the first over after tea when he was bowled trying to cut Matt Critchley.Nottinghamshire’s innings ended chaotically after Clarke fell to an acrobatic catch at midwicket by Tom Wood with the last five wickets falling in five overs.That left Derbyshire with 40 minutes to bat which Reece and Wood negotiated with few alarms although it would take a remarkable effort to deny Notts that long overdue victory.

The LSG captain has sometimes played well within himself in the IPL but this season he has thrown the shackles off

Alagappan Muthu20-Apr-20241:23

Moody: KL Rahul is turning good balls into scoring opportunities

“Arrgghh.”Stump mics are such beautiful things. And we’re such nasty people. Always eavesdropping. But then again, without them, the sport loses a bit of its magic.Rishabh Pant, for example, has a song that goes “Wee’ve gooot Paaaant. Riiii-shabh Paaaant. I just don’t think you understaaaaand. He’ll hit you for a six. He’ll babysit your kids. We’ve got Riii-shabh Paaaaaaant.” It’s a shameless copy of the one that Wrexham, the Welsh football club owned by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, use to serenade their No. 1 striker Paul Mullin. And its best lyric comes out of a conversation that was caught on a stump mic in Australia.Related

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In Lucknow, they caught the home team captain crying out. The source of KL Rahul’s anger – and he actually needed to pace up and down the batting crease to calm himself down, still muttering away – was a dot ball in the powerplay.Deepak Chahar had managed to sneak one of his bouncers through to the wicketkeeper. But it was so damn hittable. With point and third up inside the circle, all it would have taken was the smallest deflection. Rahul knew this. That’s why he stayed leg side, in a little bit of a crouch, waiting for the perfect moment to bring his wrists into play and lift the ball over the keeper. His timing was off and he hated himself for it.Rahul had recently revealed, on a podcast with his India team-mate R Ashwin, that the World Cup final lives rent-free in his head. Specifically, a decision that he was unable to make in the heat of the moment. He said he wasn’t sure if he should take down Mitchell Starc when he came back to bowl in the death or if he should have played him out and looked for runs elsewhere. He regretted being in two minds.KL Rahul was the aggressor in the powerplay against CSK•AFP/Getty ImagesTowards the end of the game against Chennai Super Kings, Rahul struck Mustafizur Rahman so precisely between two fielders on the off-side boundary that neither knew whose responsibility it was. Sameer Rizvi was reduced to just running past his team-mate while the ball hit the fence and as he did so there was something that looked almost like a smile on his face, as if he was appreciating the skill it took to render two full-grown men completely inert. Rizvi and Rachin Ravindra could have stopped it from going for four, but by that point, they were so close to each other that any attempt to dive would have resulted in a collision. So, they just pulled out. They accepted defeat.Shots like those are only possible with a clear mind. A single, determined, focused mind. Rahul, in this IPL, has looked like the batter that all of India has been dreaming he would become. On the attack in the powerplay. Willing to take more risks. Moving around the crease. Hitting in the air. And just generally remembering that a) he has lightning-fast hands, b) a great piece of willow, and c) no business fearing a clump of white leather.In the sixth over, Chahar hoped to exploit a two-paced pitch by digging the ball into it, taking the pace off and keeping the line wide. It was a challenge to the batter. And Rahul met it perfectly, because instead of looking to hit across the line even though it is easier to generate power that way, he hit through the line, which meant he had nullified the threat he was facing. He wasn’t going to get out dragging it from off to leg.Now all he had to do was hold his shape and make reasonable enough contact, which sounds simple but it really isn’t. Timing. Balance. Hand-eye coordination. Everything has to be right to usher a short ball coming up above the chest over cover for six. Especially with only 116kph to work with. It was immediately after this stroke that Rahul missed his uppercut and yelled out in frustration. He had already got ten off two but was still looking for more boundaries. He’s changed. He hit two sixes in the powerplay on Friday. In 2023, he hit two sixes in the powerplay all season.