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Ellyse Perry, Dane van Niekerk to captain Birmingham Phoenix, Oval Invincibles respectively

ESPNcricinfo staff22-May-2023

Ecclestone has never captained a professional match•Getty Images

Sophie Ecclestone will captain a side for the first time in her professional career this summer, following her appointment as Manchester Originals’ captain for the Hundred.Kate Cross led Originals women in the first two editions of the tournament but was signed by Northern Superchargers in March’s draft, and the team announced on Monday that Ecclestone will lead them in 2023.It will be the first senior leadership role of Ecclestone’s career and may carry long-term significance from England’s perspective. She has never captained a professional team but has long been established as their frontline spinner, and in the long term, could become an option to succeed Heather Knight.”I’m buzzing to be captaining Manchester Originals this year,” Ecclestone said in an ECB press release. “The Hundred is such a great competition to take part in and I can’t wait to lead the girls out at Emirates Old Trafford.”Related

Scrivens leads march of Under-19s in latest Hundred signings

The Hundred – Women's draft picks

The Hundred – Men's draft picks

'A big thing to get my head around' – Cross on Superchargers move

Elsewhere in the women’s tournament, Australia allrounder Ellyse Perry has replaced Sophie Devine as Birmingham Phoenix captain, while Dane van Niekerk has been reconfirmed as Oval Invincibles captain after losing her place to Suzie Bates during their title-winning season last year.In the men’s tournament, Tom Abell’s appointment as Welsh Fire’s new captain has also been confirmed. ESPNcricinfo revealed in February that Mike Hussey had lined Abell up as a leadership option, and he was a £125,000 signing at March’s draft.Six of the eight teams have now confirmed their men’s and women’s captains, with Northern Superchargers and defending men’s champions Trent Rockets the two exceptions.The tournament will run from August 1-27 in 2023, with a standalone window that means it will not clash with any England men’s or women’s fixtures for the first time.The Hundred 2023 captains:
Birmingham Phoenix: Ellyse Perry, Moeen Ali
London Spirit: Heather Knight, Dan Lawrence
Manchester Originals: Sophie Ecclestone, Jos Buttler
Northern Superchargers: TBC
Oval Invincibles: Dane van Niekerk, Sam Billings
Southern Brave: Anya Shrubsole, James Vince
Trent Rockets: TBC
Welsh Fire: Tammy Beaumont, Tom Abell

Leeds United are potentially closing in on their first signing of the January transfer window after reaching the asking price for a 21-year-old defensive midfielder.

Leeds United transfer news

It’s been a quiet transfer window so far for the Whites, but that might not be a major surprise given the fact that the Yorkshire side sits top of the Championship table and are one of the stronger performing teams in the division. Daniel Farke has made it clear that he isn’t a fan of this transfer window, but that doesn’t mean the club are not going to conduct some sort of business, as they continue to be linked with new arrivals.

The next Dan James: Leeds strongly pushing to sign "sensational" PL talent

Daniel Farke is pushing to make reinforcements to his Leeds United squad.

ByEthan Lamb Jan 14, 2025

A report emerged earlier in the week that Leeds scouts watched Bali Mumba in action on Saturday in Plymouth’s game against Brentford in the FA Cup. The defender is well known to Farke, as he gave him his Premier League debut for Norwich City a few years ago, and the German may now be keen on reuniting with the defender. Potential exits are also on the cards for the Whites this month, with striker Patrick Bamford’s future very much up in the air.

Blackburn Rovers boss John Eustace has now confirmed that Bamford is on a list of transfer targets for his side this month: “Patrick is a very good player. I played with him at Derby a long time ago when he started out.

“He’s a consistent performer at this level; he plays for a huge club in Leeds. But there will be lots of names thrown towards me, and I’ll just say they’re good players. You’d have to ask the club. He’s a player on a long list that we have looked at, and we’ll have to see.”

Leeds reach £3m asking price for 21 y/o midfielder

The Championship side now have a new player on their radar, as according to Portuguese journalist Sebastiao Sousa Pinto, Leeds have made a €4 million offer to sign Djé D’avilla, which is the fee Leiria wanted for the player.

The 21-year-old, who is a ‘number six’ by trade, currently plays for Liga Portugal 2 side Leiria and has done so since July 2022. D’avilla started his career in the Ivory Coast before moving to the Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal United in 2021, a year before his move to Portugal.

The midfielder has only recently broken into the team at Leiria, after a loan spell away from the club, and he looks as though, during 30-plus appearances for the club, he has done enough to emerge on Leeds’ radar. Sousa Pinto reports that the Whites have made an offer which is roughly £3 million, and that is the amount that the Portuguese side is happy with.

Apps

40

Goals

0

Assists

1

However, a transfer still looks quite difficult to complete, due to the work permit he would need to get. Leeds are also not the only side interested in signing the player, as several teams have reportedly shown an interest in signing the young midfielder.

Bayern Munich star Harry Kane has been backed to return to the Premier League and "have a go" at Alan Shearer's goalscoring record.

Article continues below

Article continues below

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• Kane starring at Bayern Munich
• Linked with Premier League return
• Backed to "have a go" at Shearer's record

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Former Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood believes Kane, 31, will head back to the Premier League one day in a bid to topple record scorer Shearer. Sherwood has also suggested that Kane may retire from football at the age of 36.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT TIM SHERWOOD SAID

  He told OLBG: "Harry Kane will have a go at Alan Shearer’s record. I think he’ll be back in the Premier League and he’ll have one eye on that record and why wouldn’t you. He might decide to come home at one stage and there'll be a lot of takers for him. Harry Kane will play until he's 35, 36 years of age, I'm convinced of that. So he's got a lot of time yet. I can only think of one person who doesn't want him coming back, and that's Alan Shearer."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Kane sits second in the all-time Premier League scoring books, with 213 goals compared to Newcastle United legend Shearer's 260. The England international could beat that feat but he would have to head back to English football soon, and for now he is happy at Bayern. However, Kane has not ruled out a Premier League return at some point.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Transfer speculation aside, Kane could feature for Bayern on Friday away at Augsburg in the Bundesliga. Vincent Kompany's side are on course to wrestle the title back from Bayer Leverkusen, and also have a Champions League quarter-final to look forward to against Inter.

Stats highlights from the SSC where 15 wickets fell on the third day of the third Test between Sri Lanka and India

Shiva Jayaraman30-Aug-20152001 Last time an India fast bowler before Ishant Sharma took a five-for in Tests in Sri Lanka. Venkatesh Prasad had returns of 5 for 72 in the second innings of the Kandy Test in 2001. Ishant’s 5 for 54 are the best bowling figures by an India pacer in Sri Lanka and only the fourth five-wicket haul by an Indian in Sri Lanka4 Five-wicket hauls by Ishant in 12 Tests since 2014; in 53 Tests before 2014, Ishant had taken only three five-fors. Since 2014, he has taken 48 wickets at an average of 30.95 and a strike rate of 53.0. He had taken 149 wickets at 38.81 before that and had a strike rate of 69.7.154 Runs conceded by India to Sri Lanka’s last five wickets after they had reduced the hosts to 47 for 5 in their first innings. Including this innings, the last five times India have had their opposition 5 wickets down for less than 100 runs, they have allowed more than 100 runs for the last-five wickets each time – 586 and 108 v New Zealand in Wellington, and 272 and 123 versus Sri Lanka in the Galle Test.15 Wickets that fell on the third day of this Test – equal the third highest in a day’s play at the SSC. In a Test between the hosts and England in 2001, 22 wickets fell on the third day, which are the most in a day at this venue. In the last Test as well at this venue, 15 wickets fell on the fourth day’s play.3 Number of India batsmen to carry their bat before Cheteshwar Pujara in India’s first innings. The first India batsmen to do it was Sunil Gavaskar against Pakistan in Faisalabad in 1983. Virender Sehwag did it against Sri Lanka, in Galle in 2008. The last one to do it was Rahul Dravid at the Oval in 2011. Click here for a list of batsmen who have carried their bat in Tests. Pujara followed up his first innings effort with a duck in the second innings thus becoming only the fourth batsmen to carry the bat in one innings and get out for a duck in the other innings of a Test. Bill Woodfull of Australia was the first, in the first Ashes Test in 1928-29. Geoff Boycott remained unbeaten on 99 in the second innings after getting a duck in the first in Perth in 1979-80. The last such instance was Saeed Anwar’s 0 and 188 in the Kolkata Test in 1999.6.36 Average runs scored by opening partnerships in this series – the second lowest in a series with ten or more innings. Sri Lanka and India’s first wickets have totally made just 70 runs from 11 innings with a highest stand of 15 between Dimuth Karunaratne and Kaushal Silva in the first innings in Galle.6 Number of times Pujara has batted on to make at least 135 runs out of his seven Test centuries, including his unbeaten 145 in India’s first innings. The only time he didn’t do that was against West Indies in Mumbai in 2013 when he got out for 113.8 Number of single-digit scores by Sri Lanka’s openers out of ten innings in this series. The three openers played by Sri Lanka so far have together scored 120 runs at an average 12 and a highest of 51 by Kaushal Silva in the second innings at P Sara Oval.1970 The last time three different openers made centuries in a series for any team before Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul and Pujara for India in this series. John Edrich, Geoff Boycott and Brian Luckhurst had made hundreds as openers for England in the 1970-71 Ashes. Including the latest instance by India, this has happened only five times.5 Number of Sri Lanka wicketkeepers to hit a fifty-plus score on debut before Kusal Perera in this Test. Including Perera Sri Lanka’s last-three wicketkeepers have made at least a fifty on debut. Niroshan Dickwella and Dinesh Chandimal – Sri Lanka’s previous two wicketkeepers – had also made fifty-plus scores on debut.49 Runs by Rangana Herath in Sri Lanka’s first innings – the highest by a Sri Lanka No. 9 batsman at the SSC. The previous highest was Upul Chandana’s 40 against South Africa in 2004. Herath fell one run short of what would have been only the fourth fifty by a No. 9 on this ground. Amit Mishra had made 59 – the highest by a No. 9 at this venue – in India’s first innings in this Test.108 Runs by No. 9 batsmen in this Test – the second highest in Tests between Sri Lanka and India with two more innings possible in the match. Ajit Agarkar and Malinga Bandara had together scored 113 runs in the Ahmedabad Test in 2005, the highest by No. 9 batsmen in Tests between the two teams.

Allrounder Mitchell Marsh has declared himself fit to bowl in a much-needed confidence boost for Australia, whose T20 World Cup title defence is on the line against Sri Lanka at Optus Stadium on Tuesday.While fellow favourites India and England started their campaigns with statement wins, albeit in contrasting fashion, hosts Australia are on the back foot after a thumping 89-run opening defeat to New Zealand at the SCG.It has meant Australia’s net run rate is already an eyesore and winning their remaining four games might not be enough to get into the semi-finals given the cut-throat nature of the tournament.Having finally recovered from a lingering ankle injury, Marsh should add much-needed versatility for an Australian attack still reeling from a pummeling by rampant openers Finn Allen and Devon Conway.Related

• Pressure on Australia to bounce back with (big) win after their NRR takes a tumble

• Finch: Australia's 'fate out of our own hands to a point' following heavy defeat to New Zealand

• Blazing Allen writes new chapter in Trans-Tasman rivalry at World Cups

He has not bowled since the Zimbabwe ODI series in August, playing as a specialist No. 3 batter in the lead up matches and against New Zealand.”I’m available to bowl. I love preparing as an allrounder and making sure I’m in the game the whole time,” Marsh told reporters in Perth on Monday.His seam bowling will provide another option for skipper Aaron Finch in the powerplay after Australia leaked 65 runs against New Zealand. To balance the attack, Finch prefers utilising an allrounder – either Marsh, Marcus Stoinis or offspinner Glenn Maxwell – in the opening six overs.Against New Zealand, Stoinis, who himself had only recently returned from a side strain, conceded 10 runs in the fourth over as Finch only used five bowlers with Maxwell strangely overlooked on an SCG pitch that gripped as the game wore on.”I think with me bowling, it gives us that added flexibility of myself, Maxi or Stoin can get four overs out. And we can bowl anywhere,” Marsh said.After such a disastrous start to their title defence, question marks continue to hover over Australia with Steven Smith and young allrounder Cameron Green, who replaced the injury Josh Inglis, on the outside looking in.Mitchell Marsh would be a valuable bowling option for Aaron Finch•AFP

But Australia are expected to back the same line-up, packed with big-hitters, as they attempt to lift off the canvas much like they spectacularly did 12 months ago in the UAE.In the aftermath of Saturday’s defeat, spinner Adam Zampa said Marsh attempted an ice breaker in the team’s dejected changing rooms by saying: “Perfect, this is right where we wanted to be – backs against the wall”.While a smiling Marsh doesn’t recall the quip, jokingly saying he was “thrown under the bus” by Zampa, he did believe it was an approach worth adopting.”We don’t really have a choice,” he said. “The nature of the tournament…you lose one game, your back is up against the wall and we know what’s in front of us. It’s just really important to stick together.”Even though Perth has experienced inclement weather in recent days, fortunately not impacting the tournament, there is no forecast for rain on Tuesday with the Optus Stadium pitch expected to again be bouncy and fast.England speedster Mark Wood bowled the fastest spell recorded in T20Is during Saturday’s game against Afghanistan, whose batters consistently holed out on the deep square boundaries on a ground with the same dimensions as the MCG.Marsh tipped Australia quicks Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood to bowl rapidly. “We’ll certainly have an aggressive approach. We know that the three big bowlers when they get going, theý’re very hard to stop,” he said. I think certainly after the other night we’ll see a big response from them.”Even though Optus Stadium, which essentially mimics the WACA’s iconic pitch, has characteristics perfectly suited for quicks, spinners can be effective in the middle overs by bowling back of a length, stymying batters on the vast square boundaries.England’s high-octane batting order was tied down by Afghanistan’s spin-heavy attack as they made hard work of chasing 113, which they reached with 11 balls to spare.After being stunned by Namibia in their opener in Geelong, Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka have steadily improved with three straight wins led by legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga who has taken nine wickets at an average of just 9.78 in the tournament.”He’s obviously a very good bowler and someone we’ll have to counteract,” Marsh said of Hasaranga, who has taken 10 T20I wickets at 16.40 this year against Australia in five matches over two series in Australia and Sri Lanka.”Hopefully spin doesn’t play a huge factor at Perth Stadium and we can really attack them [Sri Lanka’s spinners]. We play spin very well in Australian conditions.”After Sri Lanka, Australia face England at the MCG which is still probably heaving after last night’s epic game between India and Pakistan.England allrounder Sam Curran has lit fuel to the high stakes contest by saying he wants to put Australia in a “tricky position”.Marsh, however, said Australia’s focus was solely on Sri Lanka. “That’s all that matters to us,” he said of the clash expected to attract around 25,000 fans to the 60,000-seat stadium.”Hopefully we play well, get past that and then move on to England.”

Glamorgan made good progress on a rain-ruined first day against Sussex in their push for promotion from Division Two of the LV= County Championship.Eight points behind second-placed Middlesex at start of play and needing a win to give them a chance of finishing in the top two, they progressed at more than five runs an over in the 41.2 overs possible at the 1st Central County Ground, reaching 221 for 3.Indian batter Shubman Gill led the way with an unbeaten 91 off just 102 balls while skipper David Lloyd, fresh from his triple hundred against Derbyshire last week, scored 56 against an anodyne Sussex attack.Skipper Lloyd bucked the recent trend at Hove by batting first when play began an hour late because of morning rain. His decision was quickly justified as Glamorgan made serene progress on a flat pitch.Brad Currie was the pick of the Sussex attack and took two wickets but the home side, who haven’t bowled an opposition out twice all season, struggled to back him up.Pakistan all-rounder Faheem Ashfraf, who is playing the final game of a three-match trial before Sussex decide whether to sign him for 2023, was withdrawn after bowling three wayward overs for 21 runs with the new ball.At the Cromwell Road end Currie was much more effective and he broke through in his fifth over when Eddie Byrom was surprised by a ball that left him off the pitch which he edged to wicketkeeper Charlie Tear for 21.Gill and Lloyd put on 57 in 12 overs between further stoppages either side of lunch with few alarms with Lloyd, who scored an unbeaten 313 in his last Championship innings, passing fifty for the sixth time this season. It was a surprise when left-armer Sean Hunt went round the wicket and thudded the ball low into his pads as the batter played half-forward. Lloyd’s 56 came off 64 balls with six fours and two sixes.Sam Northeast became Currie’s second victim when he edged an outswinger which Tom Alsop caught low at first slip with the total 151 in only the 27th over.Even with the floodlights on, Gill and Billy Root had little trouble in adding a further 70 runs in 15 overs before the players came off again 20 minutes after tea because of bad light. Gill, strong on the front foot and dismissive of anything short, has so far hit two sixes, including an effortless pick-up over mid-wicket off Currie that was the shot of the day, and 11 fours. Root is unbeaten on 17.Umpires Paul Baldwin and Tom Lungley held two further inspections before calling play off at 5.15pm but Glamorgan will feel it has been a productive day.

da pinup bet： Tottenham Hotspur were a hard team to predict last season, as in one game, they could be sensational and blow their opponents away, whereas, in the next, they could be blown away themselves.

da cassino： Unfortunately for Ange Postecoglou, that seems to be just as true for this season, as his side has beaten the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and Aston Villa but lost to Crystal Palace, Ipswich Town and Galatasaray.

However, while there are certainly issues with the North Londoners this season, they’re scoring goals, as their 23 in 11 games is the most out of anyone in the Premier League.

PL’s Top Scorers

#

Team

Goals

1

Tottenham

23

2

Man City

22

=

Brentford

22

3

Liverpool

21

=

Chelsea

21

4

Brighton

19

5

Arsenal

18

Even Dejan Kulusevski and Son Heung-min have chipped in, although both are being outscored by a former academy gem who left just before Ange started.

Kulusevski & Son's season so far

It’s been a particularly interesting campaign for Kulsevski this season, as after a somewhat underwhelming one out on the wing last year, Postecoglou opted to move him into a midfield role on a more permanent basis, where he’s thrived.

In his 17 appearances so far, the “world-class” Swede, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has scored twice and provided five assists, and of those seven goal involvements, six of them have come with him in the middle of the park.

On the other hand, it’s been a slightly more frustrating campaign for Son so far, as injury and fitness issues have limited him to just 11 appearances.

However, when he’s been on the pitch, he has been deceivingly effective, and by this, we mean that while some of the sharpness and quick movements he was known for in the past have somewhat disappeared, he’s still scored three goals and provided three assists.

This means that despite declining all-round play, the South Korean superstar is still averaging a goal involvement every 1.83 games, which is remarkable.

With that said, both stars are being outscored by a former academy gem who left the club last year.

Spurs' former Academy gem enjoying a stellar campaign

So, the former academy gem in question is 21-year-old Romaine Mundle.

The Edmonton-born winger came up through Spurs’ youth system and was even named in the first-team squad a few times between 2021 and 2023.

However, upon refusing to sign a new deal in 2023, he left the club to join Belgian outfit Standard Liège a few days before Postecoglou officially took charge of the club.

Unfortunately for the talented winger, he did not get many chances with the first team in Belgium, so he joined Sunderland on a four-and-a-half-year deal in February of this year.

His first half-season with the Black Cats wasn’t ideal either, as in 11 games he scored just a single goal and failed to provide any assists, which left some feeling like he might not be of the level required to play in the Championship.

Mundle’s Sunderland record

Season

23/24

24/25

Appearances

11

16

Goals

1

4

Assists

0

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.09

0.37

All Stats via Transfermarkt

However, with half a year under his belt, this season has been a different story entirely as, in 16 appearances, the 21-year-old winger, whom journalist Josh Bunting described as having “bags of talent,” has scored four goals and provided two assists, meaning he’s averaging a goal involvement every 2.66 games.

Moreover, according to Transfermarkt, his value has also skyrocketed from €300k – £250k – just before he left Tottenham to €2m – £1.6m – today, which is not bad at all.

Ultimately, leaving Spurs when he did was probably the best thing Mundle could have done, as he’s now finally showing just what he can do at a big club and in a challenging league, although it would have been interesting to see how he’d have got on under Postecoglou.

Related Tottenham have an unseen teenage sensation who's "just like" Mikey Moore

He’s yet to make a first team appearance.

Posts 1 ByEmilio Galantini Nov 21, 2024

Madsen, Guest post unbeaten fifties in reply, but Derbyshire trail by 454

David Hopps20-Jul-2022″Too much too soon” is the sort of phrase that sticks in the craw of many ambitious young people of talent, and often with good reason, but watching Ben Duckett and Haseeb Hameed complete the final touches to their stand of 402 it was tempting to imagine that as far as their shelved England careers are concerned it might have been the case. If they happened to be being spoken about as England candidates for the first time today, Duckett, at 27, and Hameed, two years younger, would certainly be worthy of serious discussion. Instead, history weighs heavily upon them.Duckett had four Tests in Bangladesh and India at the tail end of 2016, but whereas England had imagined an inventive player against spin bowling, they found a batter whose technique was unravelled by Ravi Ashwin. He followed that up in 2017-18 by spilling beer over Jimmy Anderson in a Perth bar when he was part of the Lions shadow squad which predictably turned out to be an unsuccessful gambit as far as career progression was concerned.Hameed does not drink beer, never mind throw it. He made 82 in a Test debut against India in Rajkot, alongside Duckett, before a collapse in form led to a five-year absence and an unrewarding return against India and Australia. England gave him a second chance – but they did so against the most difficult opponents imaginable at a time when he was only just beginning to put his game back together.When England caps have been discussed this year, the debate as far as Nottinghamshire are concerned has centred around the moral rights and wrongs of giving a debut to Joe Clarke. Duckett, by his own admission, in his early years could find it difficult to focus, which has never been held against Hameed who has been accused of concentrating too much. They make up a trio of Notts batters on the fringe of things.Stands of 402 in 85 overs tend to remind people that both are still around. They had 393 banked overnight from England’s hottest day, so only added another nine before Duckett chopped on against Ben Aitchison, but that was enough to overhaul Billy Gunn and Arthur Shrewsbury’s record for Notts’ second wicket, as well as achieving the fifth-highest second-wicket stand in Championship history. Only one Notts partnership eluded them – they fell five runs short of the 406 put on by Darren Bicknell and Guy Welton for the first wicket against Warwickshire in 2000.Impressive stuff, and it was intriguing that the previous day both had credited experience on the sub-continent with giving them the know-how to succeed – a reminder, if it was needed, that England Lions tours should be a key part of young players’ development.So get ’em picked then, get ’em picked. There is a deliberate irony there. Because that is precisely what people were saying when they were first selected. Everybody gets excited by the sensation that they are backing the next undiscovered superstar. Nobody says that now that reality has dawned and deficiencies have been unpicked.A Derbyshire attack struggling to cope with England’s hottest day was also no examination of Test calibre. Even allowing for the exacting conditions, they offered so many freebies that maybe a course on Excessive Gift Giving Psychology is in order. But both are better players then when they were first selected and both bat in the top three where England’s deficiencies are most obvious and will creep into the consciousness again once Bazball loses its lustre.So much for the first 20 balls of the day. What about the rest? Once Duckett departed, Hameed sought to maintain his balance on a Nottinghamshire ferry that suddenly started to list badly, six more wickets lost by lunch. He never quite recovered his composure after he was struck on the helmet by George Scrimshaw and was seventh out for 196, a drive against Aitchison picking out backward point and denying him a first double-hundred of his career. His fling back of his head in disappointment spoke volumes. Aitchison had lifted his standards markedly, but on the evidence of the previous day just don’t expect too much from him on a Greek holiday in mid-August.Derbyshire had a good morning, just concentrating on righting their inadequacies of the first day by winning the session. Sam Conners beat Clarke with a swinging delivery and Scrimshaw followed up his blow on Hameed’s helmet by having Lyndon James caught behind in his next over. Steven Mullaney pulled Scrimshaw to deep square leg and Tom Moores edged a drive at Aitchison. After lunch was a different story as Liam Patterson-White and James Pattinson put matters into perspective with a stand of 105 off 85 balls. All the good work wasted.Two botched pull shots accounted for Derbyshire’s openers, and Wayne Madsen was briefly harried by James Pattinson and Dane Paterson, edges at catchable height followed by a succession of lbw shouts. Compared to the first day, this felt like more of a contest. But Madsen survived and by the close of the second day both he and Brooke Guest had unbeaten half-centuries. At 164 for 2, they trailed by 454. Best not to look at the scoreboard.

Having lost Michael Olise to Bayern Munich in the summer, Crystal Palace have now reportedly joined the race to seal a repeat of what proved to be one of their best signings from Reading.

Crystal Palace transfer news

The Eagles could certainly do with reinforcements after enduring such a disastrous start to the campaign. Victory over Tottenham Hotspur – their first of the season – before a point against Wolverhampton Wanderers at least took Oliver Glasner’s side within a point of Premier League safety, but the pressure is still certainly on ahead of squaring off against an impressive Aston Villa side in their first game back from the international break.

What certainly didn’t help in the summer was the departure of Olise. Bayern Munich swooped and lured Palace’s star man away from Selhurst Park – a star man that they arguably failed to replace with suitable options.

Whether that changes in the January transfer window remains to be seen, but the Eagles look set to at least go back down the same route that saw them land such a talented player in the first place.

Crystal Palace ready move to sign new 6ft 2 ace after 18 months of scouting

The Eagles have kept their eye on this player for a while.

1 ByBrett Worthington Nov 20, 2024

According to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Crystal Palace are now battling a number of Champions League sides to sign Andre Garcia from Reading in what would almost be a repeat of their deal to sign Olise from the Royals back in 2021.

With Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur standing alongside the likes of Atletico Madrid, RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen in a hectic race, however, Palace may need to act quickly if they are to sneak in and sign the 16-year-old left-back.

Of course, convincing Garcia to turn down such interest will be a difficult selling point, but what Palace may be able to offer over their Premier League and European rivals is a quicker route into their first team.

"Incredible" Garcia could follow Olise path

Palace aren’t afraid to dip into the Football League for reinforcements. After all, Eberechi Eze arrived from Queens Park Rangers, Adam Wharton joined from Blackburn Rovers and Olise, of course, from Reading – just to name a few who have enjoyed great success at Selhurst Park. Now, they could turn to League One and a star in the making in Garcia.

Just 16 years old, the left-back is already making significant strides in senior football, starting six of Reading’s 11 League One games so far this season and earning the praise of club legend Mick Gooding, who told BBC Radio Berkshire via The Boot Room: “To be 16 and playing the way he is playing is incredible.

“What a future he has got, and it’s in his hands if he listens and works hard. He has got pace, great feet. You can see he is really enjoying what he is doing, not fazed by it.

“He has got an incredible future, should he decide that it is what he wants to do. [Garcia must] work hard, stay humble and do the right things. He can go wherever he wants.”

A magnificently miserly bowling stint from the Essex Eagles captain Simon Harmer led his side to victory by 28 runs runs in their Vitality Blast match against the Sussex Sharks at Hove, securing a place in the quarter-finals.Harmer conceded just 18 runs from his four overs and also picked up the wickets of danger man Ali Orr, Tom Alsop and George Garton. It was the eighth win of the campaign for Essex, who are assured of a top-four spot, as Sussex disappointed once again before a sell-out crowd.But Orr, the hero of Sussex’s first championship win of the season two days before, threatened more heroics as Sussex chased a challenging 198 for victory.Sussex took just five runs from Aaron Beard’s first over but then Orr plundered 25 runs off the second over, bowled by Daniel Sams, the sequence going six, six, four, four, four and one.After just four overs Sussex were 54 without loss, with Orr flying on 36. Josh Philippe was caught behind for 17 in the fifth over but after seven overs Sussex were better than on target, at 81 for one. But then Orr’s odyssey came to an end as he skied Harmer to midwicket. His 41 had come off just 21 balls, and there were five fours and two sixes.Sussex were ahead of the game at the halfway stage, at 101 for two after ten overs. But then Harrison Ward holed out to the deep midwicket boundary for a 22-ball 31 and a brave 28-ball 47 from Sussex captain and former Essex man Ravi Bopara was not enough.Earlier, Adam Rossington’s 50-ball 95, with ten fours and five sixes, was the stand-out performance in the Essex total of 197 for eight. It was his highest score in the competition. But when Essex were 68 without loss in the seventh over they must have fancied their chances of scoring even more after being invited to bat.Rossington brought up the fifty in the sixth over as he drove Henry Crocombe for a straight four, the bowler’s first three deliveries going for boundaries.But Sussex battled their way back into the match by taking three wickets in the space of ten deliveries. Delray Rawlins bowled Robin Das, Michael Pepper, reverse sweeping, was brilliantly caught by Ali Orr, diving to his right at backward-point, and Dan Lawrence was bowled by Ravi Bopara’s second ball.Rossington moved to 95 with a six over long-off but was stumped next ball and it was Essex’s red ball captain Tom Westley, with a 30-ball 54, who was responsible for ensuring his side reached a challenging total. Westley struck three fours and four sixes, hitting George Garton out of the ground over the hospitality area at cow corner.Rashid Khan was once again the best Sussex bowler with three wickets for 30 runs while Bopara (2-30) and Rawlins (2-34) also bowled well.