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Offspinner dedicates five-wicket haul to late grandfathers as he braces for fourth-innings challenge

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Feb-2024Shoaib Bashir dedicated his maiden England five-wicket haul to his late grandfathers, as he braced himself for one last big push in the fourth Test in Ranchi, after a day of Indian dominance put the hosts on course for a series-sealing victory.Bashir bowled a marathon 44 overs in India’s first innings in claiming final figures of 5 for 119. That included a 31-over unbroken spell on the second afternoon, in which he claimed the first four of his wickets, and he completed his five-for on the third morning when Akash Deep fell lbw for 9.However, India had already seized the initiative by then, thanks to a key stand of 76 between Kuldeep Yadav and Dhruv Jurel, who top-scored with 90 from 149 balls as an overnight deficit of 134 was reduced to a far more manageable 46.India’s own spinners then cemented their dominance of the day by ripping through England’s second innings to bowl them out for 145, with R Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav sharing nine wickets between them. Bashir was back with ball in hand by the close, serving up a solitary over as Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal picked off 40 untroubled runs from their victory target of 192.Related

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Despite a tough day for his team, Bashir recognises – even at the age of 20 and in his second Test – that he will have to play another key role on the fourth day if England are to have any hope of clawing back the ascendancy, and going to Dharamsala next week with the series locked at 2-2.”Yeah, look, we would have liked to have got one or two wickets in that last period, but me and Harts [Tom Hartley] know we got a job to the tomorrow,” he told TNT at the close. “Ten opportunities to take ten wickets, and on that wicket anything is possible.””Me and Tommy are really excited for the challenge. We saw how Ashwin and [Ravindra] Jadeja bowled on that wicket and we take huge confidence from that. I used to watch these guys when I was a bit younger and they’re world-class spinners. We know us two lads are up against a world-class attack but we’ve got a chance to be heroes.”Irrespective of the result, Bashir acknowledged that his rise to prominence was “surreal”, given that he had played just six first-class fixtures in his entire professional career before his debut in Visakhapatnam, and was only recently playing national county cricket with Berkshire and club cricket in Guildford after being released by Surrey prior to his current stint with Somerset.”It was a very special moment on my journey,” he said of his fifth wicket. “Two years ago, I wouldn’t have thought anything like this [would happen] but that was really special.”I just want to dedicate this to my two late granddads who passed away a year and a bit ago,” he added. “They used to watch Test cricket all the time on TV, sitting in front of the TV on the couch. And their wish was to watch me play, and that didn’t happen. So yeah, it was quite emotional, but I’m grateful.”Despite his rapid rise, Bashir insisted he had not once felt out of place in an England dressing-room that includes one player, James Anderson, who made his Test debut before he was born, and several others – Joe Root, Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow among them – who have been fixtures of the Test side for more than a decade.”I used to see these guys when I was a little kid,” Bashir said. “So to be in that dressing-room, they give you so much confidence. Stokesy and the lads are brilliant, even if that’s to go out to bat as well. It just gets the best out of you, and it’s just a wonderful group to be a part of.”The boys were up for it and we’re really excited for tomorrow because it could bring a lot of joy. The mood is really good.”Asked if England still believed they could win, Bashir replied: “Massively. Me and Tommy are really excited for tomorrow. That pitch is deteriorating quite a bit now. We saw some pop from a good length and some roll. That’s good signs for us and we’re really excited.”We’re two tall spinners and we have tall release points. Stokesy and Baz picked us for a reason. We’ve just got to go out tomorrow and hopefully win a Test match.”

A sensational century by Ben Duckett, at 88 balls the third fastest against India in India, left the hosts shell-shocked in Rajkot

Sidharth Monga16-Feb-2024A sensational century by Ben Duckett, at 88 balls the third fastest against India in India, left the hosts shell-shocked after they once again left runs un-scored in their first innings of 445. There was none of the streakiness one might associate with a century scored at this pace. None of Duckett’s 19 fours and one six in his first 102 runs came off an edge. No bowler seemed to have an answer for his stroke-play: Duckett pounced on any width from the quicks, swept and reverse-swept the spinners to distraction, and then cashed in on the consequent shorter deliveries.He scored 133 of the 207 England made for the loss of two wickets in just 35 overs on the second day. India had batted 45 overs in the first half of the day for the addition of just 119 runs to their overnight 326 for 5. The recurring theme of India losing wickets without a build-up or a discernible plan from England’s bowlers continued.Not that plans or build-ups were working as Duckett demonstrated. India tried bowling the channel but Duckett stayed beside the line and crashed the quicks through the off side. Kuldeep Yadav tried his wristspin but Duckett swept and reverse-swept seven fours in his first four overs. R Ashwin, who got to his 500th Test wicket with the scalp of Zak Crawley, was allowed no time to celebrate as Duckett slog-swept a good length ball from the stumps and then followed it up by going back and pulling him.Related

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The only time Duckett looked in any kind of trouble was in the first four overs when he was beaten five times. He had tried to hit a four off each of those balls, and wasn’t dissuaded from doing that the next time he saw width.Ollie Pope, who scored the breathtaking 196 to steal the first Test away from India, and Crawley, who has been England’s best batter this series overall, were reduced to being mere spectators even though they batted with assuredness and comfort. Crawley scored just 15 in the first-wicket stand of 89, and Pope just 39 in the 93 added for the second wicket. However, there was still time enough for Pope to display the reverse Dilscoop that left jaws on the floor in the first Test.It was the partnership with Crawley, though, that once again set India back. This was their fourth association of 50 or more in five innings this series. Between 2018 and 2023, all visiting openers put together had put together four stands of 50 or more. By the time Ashwin came onto bowl, Duckett and Crawley had raced so far ahead he started off with a negative line outside leg to Crawley. That ended up bringing his landmark wicket as the ball bounced from the rough to take the top edge on the sweep.Jasprit Bumrah hugs R Ashwin after his 500th wicket•AFP via Getty Images

Now was the moment for India to try to build to another wicket. Pope is not that good a starter, and Kuldeep started by beating his bat on the outside edge. On 2 off 11, Pope, who might not have picked the earlier wrong’un, decided it wouldn’t matter which way it is turning if he gets to its pitch and biffs it over the infield. It heralded another wave of attack, which included the audacious slog-sweep off Ashwin for his first six.Pope then played used the pace from Ravindra Jadeja to start picking boundaries behind the wicket: a paddle-sweep followed by the outrageous reverse Dilscoop. Then the reverse-sweep. Then the orthodox one from Duckett. The closest India came to getting a wicket during this phase when Bumrah hit Duckett’s toe with a yorker, but he had got the inside half of the cue on it just as the ball landed.A particular cause for desperation for India was that they were playing their best possible attack at home, barring probably Mohammed Shami for Mohammed Siraj. And yet, England were bossing them without any trouble scoreboard pressure be damned.India then decided to slow the game down. They did what England did with Mark Wood. A field for bouncers, and keep bowing them one after the other. Not only did it slow the runs down momentarily it also slowed down the over-rate. And then when Siraj bowled one on a length, it behaved like his wobble-seam ball with the new ball does. It took such a good ball with the old ball, and then a review, for India to get some relief. Pope was trapped on the crease, but England were already 182 for 2 in just 30 overs.Even with stumps around the corner, the wicket failed to bring down Duckett’s disdain. He immediately reversed Jadeja for a flat six over what would have been point had he not switched his stance. In the last over, Ashwin came close to getting Duckett out when he defended for a change, but the offbreak had landed just outside leg.The amount of work India are having to put to get their wickets will be a good reminder to them of how easily they gave their own away. After the run-out on day one, the centurion Jadeja patted a return catch to Joe Root in the early exchanges of the day, reminiscent of how Yashasvi Jaiswal got out in the first over on day two in Hyderabad.Ashwin and debutant Dhruv Jurel then added 77 for the eighth wicket, but Ashwin too hit legspinner Rehan Ahmed straight to mid-on in a manner that left him with his hand on his head in a “what-did-I-just-do” kind of way. It is not like the spinners had built any dot-ball pressure on India as loose balls were readily available.Three stands put together 358 of India’s 445 runs. One – for the last wicket – was responsible for 30 of the remaining 87. That, though, has been the story of the series for India’s inexperienced batting line-up.

When Tottenham Hotspur announced the signing of Mathys Tel on loan last month, there was plenty of understandable excitement from their fans.

After all, the North Londoners were getting their hands on an exciting young talent who seemed to be of interest to a number of their Premier League rivals, such as Manchester United.

However, a month on, and it would be fair to describe the Frenchman’s time in the capital as disappointing thus far, and with just a couple of months left of the season, there is a real chance he’ll return to Bayern Munich as a flop.

Worse still, the Frenchman is currently being outperformed by a former Tottenham flop signed by José Mourinho and then sold by Antonio Conte.

Mourinho's worst Spurs signings

Before getting to the player in question, let’s look at some of the other poor signings the Special One made during his short stint in North London, starting with Matt Doherty.

The Irish international joined Spurs from Wolverhampton Wanderers for around £14.7m in the summer of 2020, and while it looked like a shrewd bit of business at the time, it most certainly was not.

The right-back would make 71 appearances for the club over the next two and a half years, in which he provided eight assists and scored three goals, but failed to ever really impress the fans and was let go for nothing in January 2023.

Mourinho didn’t just make poor permanent signings in N17, though, as he also welcomed Carlos Vinicius to the club from Benfica on loan with a £41m option to buy in October 2020.

The Brazilian forward had scored 24 goals and provided 13 assists in 47 games the campaign prior, so there was some hope that he’d be able to make a real difference for Tottenham.

However, while the Bom Jesus das Selvas-born ace scored six goals and provided three assists in the Europa League and bagged a hat-trick against Marine in the FA Cup, he only scored once in nine league outings and was sent back to Portugal the following summer.

The now Fulham ace wasn’t the only underwhelming attacker signed by Mourinho in 2020, as another is now outscoring and performing Tel away from the club this season.

The former Spurs dud outperforming Tel

With Mourinho not actually making all that many signings while in the Spurs hot seat, it’ll come as no surprise that the attacker in question is Steven Bergwijn.

The Dutchman joined the North Londoners for about £27m in January 2020, but aside from completing one of the Premier League’s best comebacks, the skilful winger joined Ajax just two years later for around £26m with eight goals and nine assists to his name in 83 appearances.

Over the next two and a bit years, the “big-game monster,” as dubbed by journalist John Cross, would score 29 goals and provide 11 assists in 80 games for the Amsterdam outfit before making a surprise move to Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League in September.

Since moving to the Middle East, the 27-year-old has scored ten goals and provided six assists in 23 appearances this season.

When you add the one assist he picked up in his final four games for Ajax prior to his move, the former Lilywhtes star has averaged a goal involvement every 1.58 games this term.

Appearances

27

20

Goals

10

1

Assists

7

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.62

0.10

In contrast, in 20 appearances for Bayern and Spurs this season, Tel has scored one goal and provided one assist, which is an average of a goal involvement every ten games.

Ultimately, it goes without saying that the 19-year-old is playing in a far harder league, but as he’s looking increasingly unable to impact games, we wonder if Spurs wish they had someone like Bergwijn on the bench just for the next couple of months.

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The overlap with the PSL might hit the BPL the hardest, since Pakistanis are in big demand in the league

Mohammad Isam11-Dec-2023

The schedule of the 2024 edition of the Bangladesh Premier League will clash, to varying extents, with those of five other T20 leagues in the January-February window.The BCB announced the schedule of the tournament – January 19 to March 1 – on Monday. The ILT20 in the UAE will be on from January 19 to February 17. The SA20 league in South Africa will be held from January 10 to February 10. The BBL in Australia, which started on December 7, will run till January 24. The Super Smash in New Zealand will be played from December 19 to January 28. And the PSL in Pakistan will be played from mid-February to mid-March, which might affect the BPL the most, since many of the franchises rely heavily on Pakistan for their overseas recruits.Last season, 25 Pakistani cricketers played in the BPL, including top players like Iftikhar Ahmed and Mohammad Rizwan, as well as tape-ball specialist Khawaja Nafay, who made his T20 debut in the BPL.Players from Afghanistan, England and the West Indies are also in high demand in the BPL, while the teams had recruited players from the Netherlands, Ireland, South Africa, USA and Zimbabwe last season, too.The BPL will be played at the usual venues in Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet, with the playoffs starting in Dhaka on February 25.

It has been a really poor season for Manchester United. The Red Devils are fighting hard to even finish in the top half of the Premier League table, and are surely set for their lowest-ever finish since its inception in the 1992/93 campaign.

Should Ruben Amorim’s side finish outside of the top ten, it will be the first time that has happened since 1988/89, when they finished 11th in the first division. Their lowest Premier League finish came last term, under Erik ten Hag, when the 13-time Premier League champions finished eighth.

They could certainly do with some inspiration this season to drag themselves up the league. Perhaps they wish some of their former players performing well in the Premier League could be on hand to help.

Former United players who are shining this season

One of the former United players who is standing out in the top flight this term is winger Anthony Elanga. He is now into his second season at Nottingham Forest and is thriving in a side managed superbly by Nuno Espirito Santo.

The Sweden international has been an assist machine in Garibaldi Red this term. In 26 appearances in the top flight this campaign, Elanga has three goals and eight assists, including three in a single game in the 7-0 thrashing of Brighton and Hove Albion.

Another player who United could have done with this season is Aaron Wan-Bissaka. They have really struggled for depth at wing-back, with the likes of Luke Shaw facing large spells on the sidelines.

Wan-Bissaka, who made the move to West Ham United over the summer, is renowned for his defensive ability, and Jamie Carragher once said no player “can get the better of him” in a one-vs-one scenario.

However, he has also scored two and assisted two for the Hammers this term, including a brilliant assist in their 1-0 win away to Arsenal last weekend.

Where Are They Now

Perhaps Amorim wishes he had the likes of Elanga and Wan-Bissaka in his squad now. However, in a team short of goals, there is a former United player who could have been incredibly useful.

The former United star who they need this season

No matter how well United are playing, there will always be plenty of pride in their academy. Well, one of the most underrated academy stars they have produced over the years is Danny Welbeck.

Now playing on the South Coast for Brighton, the Red Devils could certainly do with the goals of their former number 19. In 2024/25, Welbeck has been in impressive form.

He has scored seven goals and registered four assists in 20 Premier League games. One of those goals came against his former side on the second day of the season.

Welbeck, who hails from Manchester, was very well regarded by one of the most important people in United’s history, Sir Alex Ferguson.

Way back in 2013, the legendary Red Devils manager described his former striker as a “marvellous” player. He scored 29 goals and registered 16 assists in 142 games for his boyhood club.

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2008/09

13

3

2

2009/10

11

2

1

2011/12

39

12

5

2012/13

40

2

5

2013/14

36

10

3

2014/15

3

0

0

Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst was full of praise for Welbeck’s performances this season, following his latest strike in the 2-1 win over high-flying Bournemouth.

He explained on X that the Seagulls attacker would be deserving of a spot “in Tuchel’s England squad” for the March internationals, having been “playing the best football of what has already been a great career”.

Oh, how United must wish Welbeck – who Ten Hag was reportedly keen to re-sign last summer – still donned that famous Red shirt today.

He could have made a huge difference for Amorim’s side, who are battling hard to save the club from finishing in their worst league position since the 1980s.

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ByBarney Lane Feb 26, 2025

Chelsea have endured somewhat of a drop-off in recent weeks under Enzo Maresca, failing to live up to the early standards he set for himself in the early stages of his time at Stamford Bridge.

The Italian only lost two of his first 10 Premier League matches at the helm, looking as though they could be in an unexpected title battle at one stage.

However, their form has taken a turn for the worse over the last few weeks, losing four of the last eight matches, seeing them slip to sixth place and sitting behind Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth.

Injuries have undoubtedly contributed to the recent decline, with seven first-team members currently sitting on the sidelines and unable to aid the manager in his attempts to secure Champions League football.

Maresca has still been able to rely on one player who’s been the shining light in West London since his big money to the club a couple of years ago.

Cole Palmer’s stats for Chelsea in 2024/25

After his £40m move from Manchester City in the summer of 2023, Cole Palmer had an immediate impact for the Blues, registering 25 goals and 15 assists in his debut year in West London.

Such a record has made the Englishman’s task of matching such a tally this time around that little bit harder, but he’s already produced numerous moments of magic that have taken the division by storm once again.

The 22-year-old has already scored 14 times during the ongoing campaign, whilst also registering six assists for his teammates – with his combined tally the highest in the first-team squad.

His best performance undoubtedly came in the 4-2 thrashing of Brighton and Hove Albion, with Palmer scoring all four in the first half, becoming the first player in the division’s history to achieve such a feat.

Despite his excellent form under Maresca, the club may have allowed the next version of the superstar to slip through their net – making a mistake in allowing him to depart the club.

The player who could’ve been Chelsea’s next Palmer

Living up to the high standards set by Palmer is no easy feat, something which no player currently at the Bridge has managed this season given his tally of contributions.

However, the thought of having another version of the England international is a scary prospect, but one that unfortunately won’t come to reality after letting Tyler Dibling slip through their net.

The 18-year-old, who is currently starring for Southampton in the Premier League, was brought for £1.5m by the Blues back in the summer of 2022 – but it would be a move that was short-lived.

After making just two appearances for the academy, he would return to the Saints after failing to settle, with the Blues potentially living to regret their decision not to make the teenager more at home when they had the opportunity.

He’s since developed into a key member of their first team in 2024/25, making 21 appearances in the league and scoring twice – leading to journalist Eduardo Hagn labelling the talent as “outrageous”.

Dibling possesses very similar traits to Palmer, with the pair both left-footed and operating off the right-hand side and cutting onto their stronger foot after gliding past the opposition.

Games played

21

25

Goals & assists

2

20

Shot-on-target accuracy

39%

39%

Progressive carries

3.8

3.3

Carries into final third

2.8

2.1

Pass accuracy

78%

75%

Take-ons completed

2.1

1.3

As seen by their figures from 2024/25, the Saints star has matched or bettered Palmer in numerous key areas, highlighting the quality he brings, possessing the ability to become even better given his tender age.

Whilst there was not much the club could’ve done to stand in his way at such a young age, his development away from the Bridge appears to have rubbed salt into the wounds – demonstrating what they could’ve had.

Unfortunately for the fans and Maresca, Dibling will always remain a case of what could’ve been, with the hierarchy now having to pay a fee in the region of £55m if they were to bring him back to West London in the coming months.

Chelsea must rue selling "Messi of goalkeepers" who’s better than Sanchez

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2 ByConnor Holden Feb 20, 2025

After agreeing a deal worth over £17m to sign Fer Lopez from Celta Vigo, with a medical now scheduled, Wolverhampton Wanderers have reportedly submitted a bid to sign another impressive star.

Wolves on course to sign Fer Lopez

Having lost both Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri to both Manchester clubs, Wolves were always likely to spring into action in the transfer window sooner rather than later. It’s a crucial summer for Vitor Pereira, who has the task of pushing the Midlands club into mid-table and away from the relegation zone once again in his first full season in charge.

Lopez’s arrival is a good start on that front. The 21-year-old winger is someone who is only likely to get better, but also a player who is perfectly capable of making an immediate impact. After scoring eight goals and creating another three in all competitions at Celta Vigo last season, the Spaniard will have his sights set on improving those numbers in the Premier League.

At over €20m (£17m), Wolves’ deal to sign Lopez may seem steep but they’ve still got money to spend after selling Cunha and Ait-Nouri for large fees earlier this summer. Just what they do with that money now that they’ve added Lopez is the big question.

Molineux chiefs scrambling as Club World Cup side Benfica set to raid Wolves

A major European side have their eyes on an important member of Wolves’ team.

By
Brett Worthington

Jun 16, 2025

To that end, a number of rumours have already arrived. The likes of Robert Renan, who Pereira has worked with in the past, has been among the headlines in recent weeks but those in the Midlands have seemingly set their sights on a Ligue 1 star before anything else.

Wolves submit offer to sign striker Guessand

According to Africa Foot, Wolves have now submitted an offer to sign Evann Guessand from OGC Nice this summer. The French club reportedly value their forward at around €30m (£26m) and, whilst it is currently unknown just how much Wolves offered, that is a price tag that they should be able to afford in the coming months.

Like Lopez, Guessand would help to replace Cunha’s hefty output at Molineux, having scored 13 goals in all competitions for Nice last season and create another 10. Suddenly, in two transfers, Wolves could be adding 21 goals and 13 assists to their side to more than replace Cunha’s 23 goal involvements last season.

Dubbed “electric” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Guessand would represent another impressive piece of business if Wolves manage to reach an agreement with Nice this summer.

With Joe Root seemingly unable to trust Moeen and Craig Overton, he repeatedly asked more of his senior seamers

George Dobell05-Sep-2021There was a telling moment, about 140 overs into the India innings, when Jasprit Bumrah launched a delivery from Chris Woakes down the ground.It wasn’t just the sight of England’s best bowler, in this match at least, being thrashed to the boundary by a man who came into this Test with a batting average of 4.81 that was revealing. It was also the fact James Anderson had to trot from his position at mid-on to fetch the ball.Related

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Joe Root, at mid-off, had attempted to intercept it. But he appeared to slip and, for a moment, clenched his leg in pain. So it was left to Anderson, as it so often is, to make amends.At that point, Anderson – the 39-year-old Anderson – had bowled 33 overs. Despite his age, despite the fact he has played in every Test in the series and despite the fact that England would like to include him in the final game, which starts in Manchester on Friday, he had bowled more overs in the innings than any of his colleagues.Anderson had, by his own admission, tried everything to gain some lateral movement. He had tried to swing the ball and seam the ball. He had tried to bowl cutters and tried to find reverse. He had bowled from both ends. In the end he settled for simply attempting to bowl dry and build pressure that way. Woakes and Ollie Robinson had, more or less, come to the same conclusion.The problem was, such a plan requires more than three bowlers to execute. And, at that stage of the innings, Craig Overton, the fourth seamer, had only bowled only 16 overs while Moeen Ali, the spinner, was conceding four-and-a-half an over. So Anderson, Woakes and Robinson were forced into spell after spell. Even when it became obvious, from their pained expressions and, in Robinson’s case, diminishing pace, they had to bowl as, to put it bluntly, their captain appeared to lack confidence in his other options.It was a passage of play which may well have consequences for the rest of the series. With the final Test starting on Friday, England will be loathe to press Anderson and Robinson, in particular, into service once again. They have already lost Jofra Archer for the T20 World Cup and Ashes. They have already lost Stuart Broad for the rest of this season. They really don’t want to be in a position where they are taking risks with Anderson or Robinson. It was, perhaps, telling that neither emerged after tea on day four. The exact reasons for this are, at the time of writing, unclear. But it is far from impossible the team management simply said “enough”.

“England have already lost Archer due to an injury which may have been caused by an excessive workload. They have to find a way to spread the load more evenly”

“We’re all feeling it,” Woakes said afterwards. “I think we have all bowled 45 overs plus in the game. Naturally, you’re going to be a little bit sore. There are occasions in England where you can maybe bowl at about 90 percent but here you had to slam every ball into the pitch to get anything out of it. Naturally that takes it out of you, so there’s a few sore bodies in the dressing room.”None of this reflects especially flatteringly on either Overton or Moeen. Overton had a really encouraging match in Leeds where the surface provided assistance for his brand of fast-medium seamers. But if he is going to be a viable option in Test cricket, it is on days like this he must earn his living. It is on days like this he must ease the burden on his celebrated colleague and fulfil the task of stock bowler with hours of grunt work. It was his job to bowl 35 overs for around 60 runs and ensure Anderson and co could be used in shorter, sharper bursts. But such was Overton’s profligacy on day two – when he conceded four an over – Root seemed to have little faith in him.Much the same could be said about Moeen. He passed Jim Laker’s record for Test wickets during India’s innings (only Graeme Swann, among English offspinners, has more) but it was not a day which enhanced his reputation. England desperately required control but Moeen, in conceding 4.53 an over, was unable to provide it. He claimed a couple of big wickets – he has now dismissed Virat Kohli six times in Test cricket – but also made a fearful hash of an important run-out opportunity, was involved in the decision to use (and squander) all three reviews and, by his own admission, brought India back into the game with his dismissal in England’s first innings.”When I was batting in the first innings, I felt we had them down a bit and I tried to hit a six and got out and that brought them back in a bit,” he told Sky. “It was a crucial time.”Joe Root wears a dejected look•PA Images via Getty ImagesJack Leach may not offer Moeen’s ceiling with the bat or ball. But he is reliable, worthy and, in his Test career to date, has never let England down. You wonder if Root might not have wished he was around a few times during the day.In mitigation, it must be noted that India’s bowlers found the pitch no less heartbreaking than England’s. While there is just a little rough for the spinners to work with outside the left-handers’ off stump, there is almost no other encouragement for bowlers. As Moeen put it, “if Bumrah comes in and hits Woakesy straight down the ground, it’s a great wicket.” Moeen also pointed out that he has hardly played red-ball cricket in recent months and that his action is “a little bit off”. As he admitted: “I could have bowled better.”England have some lessons to learn here. They have already lost Archer due to an injury which may well have been caused by an excessive workload. They have to find a way to spread the load more evenly if others are not to follow.It was said long ago that Anderson was a sports car being used to deliver scaffolding. These days he is a classic sports car being used to commute to work, ferry the kids to school, hired out for weddings and to deliver scaffolding. And remember, that second-innings bowling average in his 15 most recent Tests is now 60.57. In the same period, his first-innings bowling average is 17.87. Over such an extended sample size, those are statistics that cannot be ignored. The warning signs are there.Still, all results are possible going into the last day. And there will be a sellout crowd at the Kia Oval on Monday for the fifth day in succession. It reflects well on this venue and this series. Test cricket faces many issues, many challenges. But the reason for sustained optimism is that we have a great game. Monday might just offer us something of a classic final day. Anderson will be hoping that, for once, England can get by without him being required a make a contribution.

Without Messi, the Herons recorded their first loss since July 16, when they fell to Cincinnati in MLS

Now ninth in the East with 42 pointsWill face LA Galaxy next SaturdayLuis Muriel scored a brace for Orlando CityFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Inter Miami’s 4-1 loss to Orlando City in the Florida Derby hit the Herons hard, as they were unable to count on Lionel Messi for a second consecutive match due to injury. Manager Javier Mascherano took the blame after Sunday’s setback at Exploria Stadium.

“The first person responsible is me, and I take full accountability,” he said after the match. “We have a long week ahead to reflect on what happened. As the leader of this group, it hurts to present the image we showed today. This has to be a turning-point match. When we take our foot off the gas, any team can beat us.”

The Argentine was disappointed after the result, as the team played its first MLS match following a strong group stage in the Leagues Cup.

“If we truly want to compete, this is not the way," he said. "There was only one team on the field today. We didn’t play with the intensity these games require. They outplayed us from the first minute to the last. Very hurt, very concerned.”

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Inter Miami missed Messi, as it was a painful defeat for the Herons in the Florida Clásico after being on a roll – they hadn’t lost a match since July 16, when they fell 3-0 to FC Cincinnati in MLS. It also marked their first defeat since Rodrigo de Paul’s arrival and their second straight loss to Orlando City.

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This was the 17th edition of the Florida Derby, and for the second straight time, the victory went to Orlando City, who now have seven wins, five draws, and five losses against Inter Miami.

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The Herons face LA Galaxy next Saturday looking to return to winning ways.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy and his plans for the summer window have taken another turn, with the Spurs chief attempting to back new manager Thomas Frank ahead of his debut season in the dugout.

Tottenham in talks for £38m attacker who Levy thinks could be the next Mbeumo

Spurs are “advanced” in their pursuit.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 1, 2025

Spurs kickstarted their recruitment drive with a £30 million permanent deal for Mathys Tel, and followed that up by agreeing a J League record £5 million deal for promising Kawasaki Frontale defender Kota Takai.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

The plan for Takai, according to reliable journalist Alasdair Gold, is for him to compete for a place in the senior matchday squad, and Tottenham are apparently hopeful that he can replicate the likes of Destiny Udogie, Lucas Bergvall and Pape Sarr as young players who’ve staked their claim in the starting eleven.

Frontale have now confirmed the 20-year-old’s exit, with Takai looking set to become a new Spurs player after July 5, even if they didn’t explicitly mention Tottenham.

“We would like to inform you that Kota Takai will be leaving the team at the end of the activity on Saturday, July 5, in order to complete the necessary procedures and preparations for a transfer to an overseas club,” read a club statement.

“We will notify you further regarding future plans as soon as they are officially decided.

“After the match against Kashima Antlers in the 23rd round of the J1 League on Saturday, July 5, Kota Takai will be giving a speech to the supporters. In addition, Takai will not be participating in the Fan Appreciation Day on Sunday, July 6.”

According to recent reports, Takai could well be followed by West Ham United winger Mohammed Kudus, if all goes to plan.

Fabrizio Romano says that talks are underway between all parties for the Ghana international, and he’s apparently open to making the switch across London.

Now, GiveMeSport have shared an intriguing update on the matter.

Daniel Levy holds talks with David Sullivan over signing Mohammed Kudus

GMS report that Levy has personally held talks with West Ham chairman David Sullivan over the signing of Kudus.

Levy apparently contacted his Hammers counterpart to discuss a deal for the ex-Ajax sensation, with Tottenham starting negotiations at £50 million for Kudus as they attempt to seal a quick deal ahead of rival suitors.

Spurs are wary of the competition for Kudus and have decided to move early for him. The 24-year-old, meanwhile, is actively seeking an exit from the London Stadium, but as things stand, West Ham are insistent that any offer made up to this point is unacceptable.

The Lilywhites will need to meet their capital rivals in the middle, even if West Ham are under some pressure to sell so they can begin their own summer transfer plans.

Kudus endured a mixed 2024/2025 when compared to his electric debut campaign in east London, but teammate Aaron Cresswell has perhaps already explained exactly why Tottenham are very keen.

“I’ve just trained with him and you don’t want to go anywhere near him,” Cresswell told the Iron Cast.

“I’m up against him all the time and I’m like: ‘Mo, go on over to the left!’

“He’s a top, top talent and I think we haven’t seen the best of him yet. I won’t go near him in training because I know if I’m going to try to knock him off the ball, I had better make sure he’s not looking and doesn’t see me coming.

“You just can’t get near him. He’s so strong, so quick, so sharp.”