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India A clinch two-match series after bowling the visitors out for 144 and 180

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Feb-2019After Navdeep Saini and Shahbaz Nadeem had led the demolition job in England Lions’ first innings, Mayank Markande took charge in the second, picking up five wickets to help India A stroll to an innings-and-68-run win inside three days in the second and final unofficial Test, in Mysore.The Lions, who had folded for 144 the first time out in reply to the Indians’ 392, did marginally better with Ben Duckett scoring quickly at the top, but once the opening batsman was dismissed for 50, they rolled over tamely enough.The day began with the Lions at 24 for no loss, still 224 runs in arrears, with Duckett and Max Holden in the middle. Holden fell soon after start of play, lbw to Jalaj Saxena, as the scoreboard read 40 for 1.ALSO READ: ‘People have opinions on me, and I understand why’ – Ben DuckettDuckett played aggressively, hitting four fours and two sixes, but didn’t last long enough to make a real difference. He became the second man to be dismissed, Saxena trapping him in front too, having faced 61 balls, and there was no resistance of note after that till late in the script, when No. 7 Lewis Gregory swung his bat around for a 49-ball 44.Markande got into the act with Ollie Pope’s wicket in the 26th over, and it was a freefall after that as all the Indian bowlers picked up at least one wicket. Markande was the star, sending back Steven Mullaney, Dom Bess and Zak Chappell before Gregory delayed the only result that seemed likely.Markande finished off the game with Gregory’s wicket, for excellent returns of 5 for 31 – his third five-for in a short first-class career.The win gave the Indians the series 1-0 after the first match, in Wayanad, had ended in a stalemate. India A had earlier won the five-match one-day series 4-1.

A vital final day awaits for New South Wales after they managed to break through Tasmania’s promising start

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Mar-2019New South Wales’ pacemen bared their teeth to grant the visitors a chance to press for outright victory and a place in the Sheffield Shield final against Victoria with one day of the match against Tasmania remaining.At 2 for 145 on the third morning with Alex Doolan and Matthew Wade well entrenched, it appeared that the Tigers would take some serious dislodging with more than half of the game’s available playing time elapsed while Western Australia, the other team with a chance of the final, were making good progress against Queensland.However, the ever reliable Trent Copeland was able to find a way through Doolan’s defences to open up one end, and when the Blues captain Moises Henriques teased a catch out of Wade, the game had turned.Wicketkeeping debutant Baxter Holt then enjoyed a passage replete with action, snaffling five catches in quick time including two in as many balls twice from Copeland and then Harry Conway. Ben McDermott, lacking support, was last out for 53.In seeking a lead the Blues did not have it all their own way, tied down by the new ball and then losing two wickets in three balls, the second of them the captain Kurtis Patterson, to the swing and seam of Gabe Bell. Henriques was able to reclaim some momentum, leaving the Blues in control of their destiny.

The dire draw with Denmark has cranked up the pressure again on the Three Lions to perform to the sum of their parts in Germany

There will be a distinct sense of deja vu for England at Euro 2024, as they find themselves in something of a quandary once again after two group stage games at a major tournament. Although they have all-but qualified for the last 16, their utterly uninspiring displays against both Serbia and Denmark have left belief in their ability to go all the way and lift the trophy at its lowest ebb.

Thursday evening's lacklustre 1-1 draw with Denmark in Frankfurt has only intensified the spotlight on manager Gareth Southgate, as his unchanged team failed to justify his perseverance and ultimately left him with more questions than answers.

"We’ve got to go and analyse that in-depth and find some solutions to addressing the issues that we have," the manager said in his post-match press conference. "Over the next few days we’ll spend a lot of time doing that. We know the level has to be higher, we know the level can be higher. Maybe the biggest thing is we have to accept the environment that we’re in and the expectations that are around us. We are going to have to walk towards that challenge."

There is plenty of work to do before England face Slovenia on Tuesday, but what are the main problems facing Southgate and his staff?

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  Kane on the fringes

  Denmark deserve huge credit for the way they restricted England in attacking areas in the face of their plethora of creative talent, but the Three Lions' inability to get their captain Harry Kane involved was still alarming.

  The No.9 did, of course, stick the ball into the back of the net early on courtesy of a horrible defensive error and a fortunate ricochet, but for the second game in a row he largely spent the match on the periphery of proceedings, coming looking for the ball rather than letting it reach him naturally.

  The Bayern Munich hitman even gave the ball away in the lead-up to Denmark's stunning equaliser from Morten Hjulmand – a demonstration of just how far deep he was dropping. It was a performance that smacked of a player who hadn't been given clear tactical instructions and was instead trying to force things.

  His display drew plenty of criticism, not least from England legend Gary Lineker: "He needs his manager to come to him and ask a little bit more of him," the BBC Sport presenter said. "I would have expected that if I'd put in that kind of performance. Against a back three he has to stretch the play, run one way and then come short so you don't have to come too far to receive it. He needs to make more space for the midfield players behind him to create chances. His movement was minimal. He didn't look to go behind and he doesn't often, but even when he comes short he's drifting short very lethargically, he's plodding short and that's not going to help."

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  The left-back problem

  We all knew Kieran Trippier wasn't a left-back before Euro 2024 began, and his performances thus far have only served to highlight a serious problem position for England. Despite the fact he hasn't played since January, Southgate saw fit to include an injured and unfit Luke Shaw in his squad, alongside five centre-backs. The decision to leave Ben Chilwell at home means the Manchester United man is the only specialist left-sided full-back in the entire squad.

  Southgate insists that Shaw is "on track" in his recovery, which begs the question of why he was selected in the first place having missed two games. It's still unclear when he will be ready to start, and he will surely not be match fit either way.

  Through no fault of his own, Trippier looks inhibited at left-back – too afraid to take on his marker or play a forward pass with his weaker foot for fear of making a costly mistake, meaning England are seriously limited on their left side with Phil Foden always keen to tuck inside.

  "We don't have our best left-back available so that denies you the opportunity for that balance," Southgate said in his post-match comments. "But I think Tripps [Trippier] has done an incredible job for the team. His spirit, his organisation, his desire have helped us get over the line in the last two games. That's in no way a criticism of him, but it's obviously going to be different with a right-footer there than a left."

  Liverpool's Joe Gomez could offer a solution against Slovenia in England's final group game. A right-footed centre-back by trade, he was used regularly at left-back by Jurgen Klopp during the club season and showed on numerous occasions he is confident enough to get forward. It's time to throw caution to the wind, after all.

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  Back to the drawing board

  In midfield, it is surely time for Southgate to accept that his half-cooked Trent Alexander-Arnold experiment isn't ready for the world just yet. The Liverpool man was hooked early in the second half against Denmark having once again failed to influence a game from his deep-lying playmaker role.

  Speaking after the game, the Three Lions boss bizarrely suggested England were missing defensive midfielder Kalvin Phillips and that's what he has been attempting to mitigate for, seemingly ignoring the talent of two youngsters sat on the bench in the form of Kobbie Mainoo and Adam Wharton – both of whom have earned their place in his squad.

  "He's (Alexander-Arnold) had some moments where he's delivered what we thought he would," the manager said. "We know it's an experiment. We know we don't have a natural replacement for Kalvin Philips. We're trying different things and at the moment we're not flowing as we'd like."

  In truth, a tournament setting is probably not the best place to carry out this experiment, and Southgate now has a big decision on his hands. If he does not stick with Alexander-Arnold, Conor Gallagher is probably the safe option, but Mainoo and Wharton are only risks due to their age and lack of experience. They have shown in the Premier League that they can shine on the biggest stage.

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  Over-reliance on their No.10

  Alexander-Arnold doesn't provide the only conundrum in the middle of the park, however. After haring around the pitch like a man possessed in a match-winning display against Serbia on Sunday, Jude Bellingham was a shadow of that player in the draw with Denmark four days later.

  Despite toiling throughout as he lost 10 duels, had just two touches in the Danish box and failed to have a single shot, the midfielder was left on the pitch for the full 90 minutes as his manager desperately sought a winner and some sort of sudden end to England's woes.

  Foden, who had been arguably England's best attacking player, was taken off with 20 minutes still to play. It is early days, but this perhaps already reflects an over-reliance on the Real Madrid star to provide moments of inspiration, even when he has clearly run himself into the ground.

  It's not like there wasn't other options available to the manager: Foden could have been shifted centrally, Eberechi Eze is at his best as an attacking midfielder, and Cole Palmer remained benched despite his extraordinary creative season at club level.

Carlo Ancelotti has claimed that “genetics” are responsible for Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham enjoying a meteoric rise to the top.

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• Three Lions star moved to Spain in 2023
• Won La Liga and Champions League
• Enjoying summer break after Euro 2024

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The England international made his senior debut at Birmingham when aged just 16. His potential was quickly acquired by Borussia Dortmund, before moving to Santiago Bernabeu in a nine-figure transfer deal during the summer of 2023.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Bellingham enjoyed a dazzling debut campaign in Spain, helping Real to La Liga and Champions League crowns when posting 23 goals across all competitions – while also landing the prestigious Kopa Trophy and Golden Boy awards.

• WHAT ANCELOTTI SAID

  There has been talk of Bellingham picking up the Ballon d’Or at some stage, with Ancelotti telling reporters when asked about the impact that the 20-year-old has made for global heavyweights Real: “It was a surprise, but the merit is in his genetics. At only 21 years old he has shown character and great passion, and he also has genetics in his favour. The champion is a champion because of his genetics, training certainly helps, but above all it's about genetics.”

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Bellingham produced more flashes of brilliance for England at Euro 2024, with one stunning overhead kick goal helping them to another final, but he struggled for consistency at that event and will be hoping to hit the ground running in 2024-25 after enjoying a well-earned break.

There's no denying that Leeds United have started the new year with a bang, romping to three successive 3-0 victories across the Championship and FA Cup, with even the returning Patrick Bamford now fit and firing again with a goal in each of those triumphs.

For all the positivity surrounding Elland Road at present, amid those statement showings, manager Daniel Farke is seemingly aware that there is still room for improvement with the club still seven points behind the automatic promotion places.

In order to bridge that gap over the coming months, the Whites must surely act decisively this month in order to strengthen their ranks, with recent reports indicating that the Yorkshire side do have their eyes set on one intriguing target, in particular.

Leeds eyeing Premier League talent

According to respected insider Phil Hay of The Athletic, Farke views the full-back positions as particular priorities this month, having only recently allowed the likes of Djed Spence and Luke Ayling to depart.

While that has heightened the need for reinforcement at right-back, it is on the opposite flank where the promotion hopefuls could also bolster their ranks, with Hay naming Luton Town's Ryan Giles among those to have been linked with a move to Elland Road.

The 23-year-old only joined the Hatters from Wolverhampton Wanderers on a permanent deal over the summer, although having started just five Premier League games this season, the Englishman may potentially be on his way.

Having previously shone on the last of several loans away from Molineux at Middlesbrough last season, the Telford-born gem – who is valued at €5m (£4m) by CIES Football Observatory – could again wreak havoc in the Championship for Leeds over the coming months.

How Ryan Giles would fit in at Leeds

While the former England U20 international has typically operated as a wing-back in recent seasons with both Luton and Boro, he could well offer a real attack-minded presence at left-back for Farke's side, as showcased by his stellar form last season at the Riverside.

That 2022/23 campaign saw Giles register a remarkable haul of 12 assists in all competitions – 11 of which came in 45 outings in the second tier – ensuring he could offer a real creative outlet for the likes of Bamford, Georginio Rutter and Joel Piroe to feed off.

As new Birmingham City boss Tony Mowbray previously stated, the 6 foot ace has "got fantastic talent, brilliant speed, amazing technique on his left foot", ensuring he could also strike up a devastating partnership with Crysencio Summerville down the left flank.

The young Dutchman has emerged as a real talisman this season with 12 goals and seven assists in just 24 league outings while typically operating down the left, with overlapping runs from the forward-thinking Giles only set to allow him more space to thrive in.

The Luton man would also be able to provide quality service to Summerville down that side having created 23 'big chances' last season while averaging an impressive two key passes per game – further evidence of just what an attacking weapon he is with his wand of a left foot.

Aside from being able to flourish alongside Leeds' number ten, Giles also has the flexibility to be able to feature on the right-hand side if required, with Mowbray hailing his ability to "dance inside like Riyad Mahrez" when operating in that role.

As Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola stated back in 2021, Mahrez is a player of "special quality" who "dances on the pitch", having contributed 82 goals and 61 assists in 284 Premier League games during his time at the Etihad and for Leicester City.

While Giles won't be tasked with operating in quite such an advanced role as the Algerian winger, the fact he has been spoken of so highly should be music to the ears of those at Elland Road.

Tottenham Hotspur showed why, under Ange Postecoglou, that at their best they are a force to be reckoned with on Sunday afternoon.

Spurs have flattered to deceive at points this term, notably losing to a winless Crystal Palace a week ago, but since then have shown why teams should be scared of them, beating Manchester City in the cup and then smacking four past Aston Villa in a 4-1 victory.

No team in the Premier League up to this point have scored more than their 22 goals. They are full of life and can outscore pretty much any team they face.

Dominic Solanke – who scored twice at the weekend – will no doubt take the plaudits but another face was just as good, if not better, than the striker. It was a display that had shades of a certain Mousa Dembele.

Why Mousa Dembele was so loved at Spurs

“Dembele was probably the best player I’ve ever seen play football,” remarked Kyle Walker many moons ago. He was “a freak of nature” in the words of Eric Dier.

Gain such fine praise from your pears and it’s hardly a surprise that he was so loved at White Hart Lane.

Dembele had the poise and grace of the finest footballers in the game but he combined that with a steely physical nature. In essence, he had it all. He could score goals, he could tackle ruthlessly and he could pick a pass.

One of his finest campaigns on English shores came in 2015/16 and to give credence to the claims we’ve just offered, he was involved in four goals, registered 2.9 successful dribbles per game and won 3.6 tackles per match. Yeah, he was everywhere, he did it all.

So, when the Belgian decided to leave for China in 2019, it was a sad day for Spurs supporters. Arguably since that day, they have struggled to find a player with similar qualities. That’s perhaps until the win over Aston Villa.

Chalkboard

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

Tottenham's new Mousa Dembele

There were a number of key performers in that win over Unai Emery’s team on Sunday, not least Solanke who was the scorer of two goals.

However, Pape Matar Sarr deserves an equal amount of praise for a display that Football.London felt obliged to hand a 9/10 rating.

In the words of GOAL’s Mitch Fretton, the Senegalese was a “monster” in the middle of the park and although he perhaps didn’t show the same level of drive with the ball, failing to attempt a single dribble, he was very much Dembele-esque in a lot of the work he got through.

In the process of winning three duels, completing a supremely impressive 92% of his passes and boasting more touches (80) than anyone on the field, his finest action came when helping Spurs score their third goal of the game.

If the fact he had more touches than anyone else didn’t give you Dembele vibes then the way he broke up the play for Solanke’s second of the day should.

Sarr pounced on Pau Torres’ loose ball before darting forward with his great lengthy strides and sending it through to Richarlison who laid it on a plate for the £65m signing to score from. It was one of two interceptions from the young 22-year-old who should now be one of the first names on the teamsheet.

He drives his team forward, breaks up the play brilliantly and covers so much ground for his team. All of a sudden he is vital to the way Postecoglou wants his team to play.

Spurs thought they'd signed the new Mousa Dembele, then he left for free

The promising star couldn’t make it work at Spurs.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 2, 2024

After going unsold at the auction last year, he will now replace Tom Abell at Sunrisers Eastern Cape

Firdose Moonda02-Feb-2023Temba Bavuma’s performances in South Africa’s 2-1 ODI series win over England have landed him an SA20 deal after he was snubbed at the auction last year. Bavuma will replace Tom Abell at Sunrisers Eastern Cape. Bavuma’s big-hitting impressed the franchise to call him in for Abell, who will be joining England Lions.Bavuma was South Africa’s leading run-scorer in the series, with 180 runs from three matches, which was his most successful as an ODI batter. He struck a match-winning century in the second ODI, which also sealed the series, and maintained a strike rate of over 100 throughout the three matches. Having previously been criticised for his lack of big-hitting, Bavuma hit 23 fours and three sixes on two of the biggest grounds in South Africa in Bloemfontein and Kimberley, and also led the South African side well.