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The long list of missing fast bowlers is a handicap for LSG as both teams begin new era with new personnel

Shashank Kishore23-Mar-20255:41

Should Pant open the batting for LSG?

Big picture – Rahul, Pant, and points to prove

The IPL has always had players facing their former teams, but this season, there’s added spice to these contests.KL Rahul, former Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain, will play for Delhi Capitals (DC), while Rishabh Pant faces his old franchise DC after becoming IPL’s costliest auction signing. What’s more, they start their season against each other. In Visakhapatnam, DC’s second home, on Monday evening.The last images from Rahul’s time with LSG were of what looked like an animated discussion with team owner Sanjiv Goenka after the team’s exit from IPL 2024. Afterwards, Goenka expressed a desire to have “players with a mindset to win” and Rahul wanted to feel “loved and cared for”.Related

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• Rahul and Starc loom as key figures in new era for DC

On Monday, Rahul could possibly start – we don’t know yet if he may have to fly home for personal reasons. When he does, he’ll have started without the captaincy mantle that is with Axar Patel – after Pant’s “devastating” exit.Meanwhile, Pant will lead LSG at a venue where he received a hero’s welcome last year after he returned to action from a career-threatening accident. But this game is more than about Rahul and Pant.It pits two teams eager to carve a new identity after squad revamps, and, in DC’s case, support staff overhaul. LSG faces challenges with with all their main Indian quicks injured or in rehab or, in Mohsin Khan’s case, ruled out. DC have strengthened their attack with Mitchell Starc, Mohit Sharma and T Natarajan, while Mukesh Kumar, Axar and Kuldeep Yadav are still there.Looking at that, this could well be a contest between LSG’s batting and DC’s bowling.

New loyalties

Pant has played all 111 of his IPL games for DC after starting in 2016, and on Monday, he will face them for the first time. Rahul, who led LSG to back-to-back playoffs, now has a chance to make a statement with the bat, continuing the aggressive brand of cricket he played in India’s Champions Trophy glory run.Mitchell Marsh had a productive IPL 2022 for DC – hitting 251 runs with a best of 89. In IPL 2023, he picked up 12 wickets at 14.16. Now, he joins LSG as a batter because of recurrent injuries.5:24

Does Brook’s absence alter Rahul’s role?

Team news and likely XIIs

Rahul joined the team on match eve in Visakhapatnam, but may or may not be available for the game for personal reasons. If he can’t be around, DC have a replacement in Karun Nair, who is coming off a prolific domestic white-ball season. Jake Fraser-McGurk, a star in IPL 2024, has endured a lean run in T20s since – he tallied just 188 runs in ten BBL innings for Melbourne Renegades, with 95 of them in one innings.Delhi Capitals (probable): 1 Jake Fraser-McGurk, 2 Faf du Plessis, 3 Abishek Porel, 4 KL Rahul (wk), 5 Tristan Stubbs, 6 Axar Patel (capt), 7 Ashutosh Sharma, 8 Sameer Rizvi/Mohit Sharma, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Mitchell Starc, 11 T Natarajan, 12 Mukesh KumarLSG have brought on board Shardul Thakur as injury replacement for Mohsin, but there are other big gaps: Mayank Yadav, Avesh Khan and Akash Deep – the heart of their Indian fast-bowling core – are all recovering from injuries.Lucknow Super Giants (probable): 1 Yuvraj Chaudhary, 2 Mitchell Marsh, 3 Rishabh Pant (capt, wk), 4 Nicholas Pooran, 5 Ayush Badoni, 6 David Miller, 7 Abdul Samad, 8 Shahbaz Ahmed, 9 Rajvardhan Hangargekar, 10 Ravi Bishnoi, 11 Shamar Joseph, 12 Prince Yadav0:28

Ponting: ‘We have got backup players in every important position’

The big question

Where should Pant bat?Data backs the theory that he could be unleashed to open thanks to the presence of two spin-bashers in Nicholas Pooran and David Miller lower down. Among 29 batters to have scored 400 or more runs against spinners in the middle overs since IPL 2019, Pooran’s strike rate of 154.31 is the best. Miller, meanwhile, strikes at 135.38, nearly ten runs more than Pant.

In the spotlight: Axar Patel and Shardul Thakur

Axar Patel will be a full-time IPL captain for the first time. One of DC’s four retentions, Axar has been key to India’s triumph at both the T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy by giving the team management batting flexibility, apart from reliability with the ball. Axar has previously led his state team Gujarat in 23 matches across formats, most recently in the domestic white-ball competitions, but IPL will be a different challenge.After initially going unsold, Shardul Thakur‘s strong performances with bat and ball for Mumbai in the domestic circuit have earned him a late opportunity with LSG. His county stint with Essex, which could have boosted his national selection chances for the England tour, is now off, and this is another chance for Thakur to prove his all-round value to remain in national contention.18:18

Will the script change for RCB, DC or PBKS?

Key stats

• LSG’s win percentage of 73 batting first is the highest among all teams since IPL 2022.
• DC’s quick bowling pack had the poorest economy rate (10.7) among all the teams in IPL 2024, so there will be a lot of expectations on the revamped line-up.
• Rahul’s 3958 runs are the mostby any batter in the IPL since 2018.
• Pooran is the most prolific six-hitter in T20s since 2024, with 187 sixes. Heinrich Klaasen comes a distant second with 117.

Pitch and conditions

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) shellacked 272 here last year, an IPL record at the time. In 19 games at the Andhra Premier League in August, 200 was crossed just once. But that shouldn’t be the barometer to gauge the surface, for the quality of players is vastly different. In all T20s in Visakhapatnam, runs have been scored at 9.2 an over, the third-highest among all Indian venues behind Hyderabad (9.7) and Bengaluru (9.2).

Next three fixtures

DC are set for a prolonged stay in Visakhapatnam, where they will next play Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on March 30 – a game that will test crowd loyalty, considering local boy Nitish Kumar Reddy will play for the “away” team. Their third game will be against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Chennai.After Monday, LSG make a quick hop across to Hyderabad to play SRH on March 27, before going home to Lucknow for their first home game, against Punjab Kings (PBKS).

Apart from hosts Pakistan, Bangladesh, Ireland, Scotland, Thailand and West Indies will compete for the last two spots in the main World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Mar-2025Pakistan vs Ireland and Scotland vs West Indies will kick off the qualifying competition in Lahore on April 9 ahead of the women’s ODI World Cup, which will be played in October this year in India. Bangladesh and Thailand, the other teams in the fray in the six-team event, will face off the following day.Apart from India, Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka have already qualified for the World Cup, and the final two spots will be filled by the top-two teams from the qualifying tournament. The games will be played at the new-look Gaddafi Stadium and the Lahore City Cricket Association grounds. The two venues, as well as the Aitchison College grounds, will host the warm-up fixtures on April 5 and April 7, after the visiting teams arrive in Lahore on April 3. The last set of games will be played on April 19.Tournament schedule

April 9 – Pak vs Ire & Sco vs WI
April 10 – Ban vs Thai
April 11 – Pak vs Sco & Ire vs WI
April 13 – Ban vs Ire & Sco vs Thai
April 14 – Pak vs WI
April 15 – Ban vs Sco & Ire vs Thai
April 17 – Pak vs Thai & Ban vs WI
April 18 – Ire vs Sco
April 19 – Pak vs Ban & Thai vs WI

The schedule has been officially released today, on March 14, just over three weeks from the start of the tournament, though three boards – West Indies, Ireland and Bangladesh – had put out the dates and venues in an unofficial capacity when announcing their season’s fixtures and in the case of Bangladesh, their squad for the event.This is the second ICC tournament that is being held in Pakistan, after the Champions Trophy and all the matches will be played in the country. Lahore is the only city being used for the event, as there will be no PSL matches held there until April 24. That tournament starts in Rawalpindi on April 11.As reported earlier on ESPNcricinfo, because of the reciprocal arrangement arrived at by the BCCI and the PCB before the Champions Trophy earlier this year, Pakistan, if they qualify for the main event, will not travel to India to play their matches. Those matches will be played at a neutral venue.India will host the women’s ODI World Cup for the fifth time in 2025 – and the first time after 2011. It will also be the first global women’s tournament to be held in India since 2016 when the T20 World Cup ran parallel to the men’s event. The 2025 edition is set to be similar to the 2022 edition, with eight teams taking part and playing a total of 31 matches.

Celtic know that they need to add a new goalkeeper to their squad in the upcoming transfer window to replace their current number one Joe Hart.

The Hoops star is set to retire at the end of the season, after the SFA Cup final on Saturday, after three years in Glasgow under Ange Postecoglou and Brendan Rodgers.

This will leave a vacant spot between the sticks for the Bhoys heading into the 2024/25 campaign, which is why they must dip into the market to find a new first-choice shot-stopper.

A new name has now entered the transfer speculation sphere as the Hoops are reportedly eyeing up a goalkeeper who is also set to be out of contract.

Celtic's interest in Bundesliga colossus

According to the Daily Mail, Rodgers is eyeing up a swoop to sign Wolfsburg shot-stopper Koen Casteels on a free transfer this summer to bolster his squad.

The report claims that the Belgium international is due to leave the German side upon the expiry of his contract later this year and this would allow Celtic to sign him for nothing.

It states, however, that the 31-year-old colossus has already held talks with Anderlecht over a potential return to his home country, which suggests that the Bhoys could face strong competition to land his signature.

The outlet reveals that Casteels is now one of many names on the list of targets Celtic have collated as they seek to replace Hart this summer, and this indicates that there is plenty of work going on behind the scenes to ensure that they get this signing right.

Whilst he may be one of a number of players on the club's radar, the soon-to-be free agent would be a dream first signing of the summer for Rodgers to make.

Why Koen Casteels would be a dream first signing

Firstly, the Wolfsburg titan is an experienced player who has been there and done it at the top level and would come in with less risk than a young and inexperienced option.

Casteels played 275 matches for the German side and racked up 283 Bundesliga appearances during his time with Wolfsburg, Werder Bremen, and Hoffenheim combined.

Along with his experience in a major European league that could help him to hit the ground running, the 31-year-old star also has the quality to come in as a potential upgrade on Hart.

Post-shot xG minus goals conceded

-0.28

-0.03

Percentage of crosses stopped

1.2%

7.6%

Defensive actions outside the penalty area

0.17

1.54

Average distance of defensive actions

5.9 yards

15.8 yards

Save success rate

60.5%

67.5%

As you can see in the table above, Casteels has performed better against xG as a shot-stopper and been far more dominant at coming off his line to deal with crosses and balls in behind his defence.

This suggests that Celtic would concede fewer goals, particularly in European competitions, with the Belgian titan between the sticks, both because of his shot-stopping ability and dominant handling of crosses.

The £66k-per-week colossus has, in fact, conceded 2.7 fewer goals than expected based on the post-shot xG against him across seven Bundesliga seasons with Wolfsburg, which shows that he has consistently been a fantastic shot-stopper who can bail out his defence.

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The Hoops hit the jackpot with the impressive star who is now being linked with an exit.

ByDan Emery May 21, 2024

Therefore, Casteels could be the dream first signing for Rodgers this summer due to his experience, his quality on the pitch, and the fact he would not cost a penny in transfer fees to sign.

West Bromwich Albion will know that the gameplan for their second leg away at Southampton on Friday night will have to be different, with a focus more on being gung-ho than just defensively solid.

The 0-0 draw in the first leg of the Championship playoffs arguably plays into the hands of the Saints at St. Mary's, who will look to use their home advantage to secure progress through to a nervy final at Wembley.

Carlos Corberan will just pray misfiring attackers such as Grady Diangana and Brandon Thomas-Asante from the first clash can find their shooting boots again on the South Coast, with Thomas-Asante having a torrid afternoon in particular at the Hawthorns by failing to register a single on-target effort.

The Spaniard will be less worried about his defenders in such a huge contest, knowing that he can rely on the likes of Conor Townsend at the back to come good after delivering consistent top displays during the regular campaign.

Conor Townsend's time at West Brom

The decision to take a punt on Townsend back in 2018 from Scunthorpe United continues to look like a shrewd buy from a Baggies perspective, with the 31-year-old a key first-team figure over many seasons now.

Notching up a staggering 212 appearances for the West Midlands outfit to date, his importance to the West Brom cause hasn't waned at all this campaign.

Picking up four assists down the left-hand side from 42 games, with his last assist coming on the final day to help his side secure a playoff spot, Townsend has also been crucial in ensuring the Baggies' reputation for having a staunch and stern defence has remained in-tact all season long.

Once described as being "industrious" by football journalist Chris Lepkowski on the Liquidator Podcast, Townsend has lived up to that billing with 3.8 duels won on average per game this season helping West Brom pick up a respectable 11 clean sheets whenever he's featured.

Corberan could well even hope Townsend can deliver a moment of magic like the above goal versus Norwich City against Russell Martin's men, but knows he will put in a commendable shift at the back either way.

It's seen Townsend's value go up and up ever since his arrival to the Hawthorns five years ago, with his valuation now higher than that of Diangana's according to Football Transfers.

Townsend's transfer value in 2024

As of this year, the esteemed Baggies servant's value has rose to a very high £3m even as Townsend begins to wind down his career a bit at the age of 31.

Diangana's worth has crashed all the way down to a meagre £1.8m in contrast, a startling drop-off when you consider the Congolese attacker once cost Corberan's side a reported bumper fee of £12m back in 2020.

1. Jed Wallace

£3.5m

2. Okay Yokuslu

£3.1m

3. Darnell Furlong

£3.09m

4. Conor Townsend

£3m

5. Brandon Thomas-Asante

£2.9m

Away from Diangana ripping West Brom off, Townsend continues to look like a smart acquisition with his current value putting him in the top five most valuable assets at the club with his full-back partner down the right flank in Darnell Furlong also boasting an increased worth.

Diangana will just aim to get back to his dazzling best for the Baggies in the second leg to come, writing his name into the history books potentially as the star that got West Brom to Wembley.

Townsend will just be content staying put at the Hawthorns whether promotion comes about or not, knowing that he's still performing to the peak of his powers so late into his playing days.

Corberan must consider selling West Brom ace who's worth more than Johnston

Carlos Corberan will think long and hard about offloading this West Bromwich Albion man.

ByKelan Sarson May 13, 2024

The U.S. rightfully has high hopes for the expected next head coach, but the players need to take accountablity

A new coach can make countless differences, and if – as expected – Mauricio Pochettino eventaully takes over the coaching reins for the U.S. men's national team, he surely will.

But at some point, players need to take responsibility.

That's the reality the USMNT is facing after an embarrassing 2-1 loss to Canada Saturday. Their recent struggles aren't simply about coaching. They're also about attitude.

This isn't outside-looking-in speculation, either. This isn't kicking a team when they're down. No, it's an admission straight from the players themselves. More than anyone, those in the U.S. locker room realize that they have continuously been underperforming.

One word thrown around a lot following the unexpected loss – the first by a U.S. squad to Canada on home soil in 67 years – was "mentality" – or rather, a lack thereof. The mindset hasn't been right and the effort hasn't been there. As a result, 2024 has been – by most accounts – a disaster.

A Copa America was squandered, and then a chance to respond in an important friendly – and the chance to impress a new coach – ended in yet another embarrassing moment. This year could have been a big step toward the 2026 World Cup. Instead, it's resulted in very real concerns about this U.S. less than two years out from the world's biggest soccer tournament.

"It's tough to say," Christian Pulisic admitted when asked to identity what's going wrong for the U.S. "It's something that we have to fix, but I really don't have an answer."

How does the USMNT rediscover the mentality that can make this team ready to go toe-to-toe with the best teams in of the world? How do you recapture the fire that has clearly been lost?

Well, for all the understandable anticipation about the reported new coach, it doesn't start with Pochettino. It didn't start with Gregg Berhalter or Mikey Varas or Anthony Hudson or B.J. Callaghan or any of the other U.S. coaches. This must start with the players themselves. Something has to change, and it has to come from within.

USA Today SportsSpeaking truth

Following the loss to Canada, Varas pulled no punches. He was willing to accept responsibility, as every coach should. He wasn't, though, willing to accept all of it. After what he'd just seen, he couldn't justify shielding the players entirely.

In Varas' first game in charge in an interim role, the U.S. had been dominated by Canada. It was a 2-1 loss that felt much worse. Canada, led by American-born coach and former USMNT candidate Jesse Marsch, bullied their southern neighbors. In the end, the U.S. fell to Canada at home for the first time since 1957.

The loss largely came down to individual mistakes. Johnny Cardoso's heavy touch directly led to Jacob Shaffelburg's opener. Tim Ream's misplay in the box led directly to Jonathan David's goal. There were plenty of isolated mishaps in between that could have led to two, three or four Canada goals.

"We probably should get into the half with more than one," Marsch said. "We're still struggling to really capitalize on a lot of our moments, but we'll get better and better at that."

Marsch's opposing coach, Varas, had plenty more to criticize. He admitted that the changes he had installed may have overwhelmed players, leading to some of the rocky sequences in the attack. But the defending? There was plenty of blame to go around.

"The mentalities of the players, sorry, they know it. They know," Varas said. "We speak the truth to each other. I love those guys, but they know that mentality of fighting and running, it's a sacrifice… It's a combination between me and them, all of us together."

What accounted for the lack of intensity?

"I'm not a psychologist, so I don't know," he said. "I felt that the trainings were intense. They were aggressive, but when the game comes, you got to get going, and the players are the ones that bring that. Coaches can only get you so far from a mentality perspective."

AdvertisementImagnThe stats behind the loss

The eye test told you how bad things were against Canada. Even someone with a basic understanding of the game could see the difference between the two teams. Canada was flying and the USMNT looked afraid and unsure.

Beyond the eye test, though, the actual statistics were even worse. The numbers show just how much intensity the U.S. lacked from the opening whistle to the final whistle.

In the end, Canada finished with 31 tackles. The U.S.? Just 12. According to TruMedia, that's the worst tackle difference for the U.S. in 67 games dating back to 2020. Canada also won 64 duels compared to the USMNT's 46, further showing the difference in intensity between the two sides.

Yunus Musah had little chemistry with Cardoso, which is what allowed Canada to dominate the midfield. And Cardoso was far too loose on the ball early on in a game that was essentially an audition for a bigger midfield role. 

"The biggest message was that we're losing all the duels," Varas said of the halftime discussion. "We're not running enough. We're not fouling in transition."

The hustle ultimately paid dividends for Canada. In the first half, they outshot the U.S. 11-1. By the end, it was a more flattering 17-8. Canada looked like a team that simply wanted it more, which should be considered unacceptable by this U.S. squad.

GettyFinding pride in the shirt

For the better part of two decades, the USMNT was built on pride. They were rarely the most talented team on the field, but they were gritty and unafraid. Their mentality carried them to victories that they had no business getting. It became the foundation of the program.

That foundation has begun to decay. in Tim Ream's eyes. It's not irreparable, but it requires all involved to self-evaluate and admit that change is required. The status quo is no longer acceptable.

"It's something that I think we need to get back to: really taking immense pride in wearing the jersey," Ream said. "And that's not to say that we aren't proud to wear the jersey, but I think there's a certain standard that we need to hold ourselves to and we haven't been doing that. That's on us as individuals, as players, and it has to come from within us.

"You can't coach intensity. You either have it or you don't, and you either bring it or you don't, and we haven't been bringing it."

It's a point that one of Ream's fellow U.S. centerbacks, Walker Zimmerman, echoed at the Olympics. Zimmerman hasn't been with the senior team recently, but was a key figure for the Olympics after starting at the 2022 World Cup. In his mind, some of the fight has been sucked out of the USMNT player pool in recent years.

"I think, to some degree, we've gotten away from that and feel like just because we're whoever you are, that you just can get called in," Zimmerman said in August. "That stuff pisses me off. I think guys, every time they put on the jersey, I don't care how talented you are, you want to play with pride. I think we have the characters to do it, but we don't always do it."

Ream, to his credit, accepted blame. He, more than anyone, will know his mishap on the second Canada goal was inexcusable. He's been around long enough to understand the vital ability to point a finger at yourself. The question now is if some of his teammates have found that same ability.

"At the end of the day, you really just have to look at yourself and understand that either you bring it or you don't bring it," he said. "I've said this for a long time: the more you don't bring it, the quicker you're going to be out of the game. It's tough, but we do have to speak up a little bit. I think guys know, guys understand."

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GettyA silver lining

What's the quickest way to remind players that there's a high bar they they need to maintain? Find a teammate willing to push them. With the World Cup looming, the USMNT is fortunate to have no shortage of players ready and willing to push.

On Saturday, the substitutes Varas turned to did exactly that. From the moment they arrived, the level lifted. That is, admittedly, easier when coming into a game against tired legs and blatant problems that need fixing, but it's still a positive step.

Varas was full of praise for Aidan Morris, who earned a bigger chance in midfield with a standout performance after coming on. He pointed to Haji Wright and Ricardo Pepi, who provided life to the attack, and Cade Cowell, who stretched the defense a bit with his pace. And then there was Luca de la Torre, who scored his first USMNT goal and added a bit more composure to a midfield that was previously being torn apart.

"All the guys who started, they'll all wish that we would have started the game with more energy, like we found probably in minute 52 or 53, when we started building that energy," Varas said. "At the end of the day, I'm going to watch the game back, because it's a collective team, right? It's a collective sport. It's not always everyone. It can be one or two or three whose mentality was missing the most. It's not everybody is equal like that, so we'll have to analyze that and see."

Suryakumar Yadav’s blistering 79 and Bumrah’s four-for pushed Mumbai to top of the table

Deivarayan Muthu06-Oct-20202:19

Should Bumrah start to take the new ball again?

An inventive 79 not out off 47 balls from Suryakumar Yadav – his highest score in the IPL – carried the Mumbai Indians to 193 for 4, setting up their fourth victory in six matches this IPL. In pursuit of a tall target, the Rajasthan Royals lost three wickets in the powerplay, including that of their captain Steven Smith and Sanju Samson. Jos Buttler then slugged a 44-ball 70, threatening a comeback, but the Royals were ultimately dismissed for 136 in 18.1 overs.The 57-run victory – which also featured a fearsome Jasprit Bumrah spell (4-20) – meant Mumbai climbed to the top of the points table followed by the Delhi Capitals, who have played one match fewer, at No.2.After Quinton de Kock and Rohit Sharma sped away to 49-run opening stand, Yadav, in contrast, got off to a slow start – he was on 12 off 11 balls at one point. He watched Sharma and Ishan Kishan hole out off successive balls. He then watched Krunal Pandya, who was promoted to No.5 ahead of his younger brother Hardik and Kieron Pollard, struggle to 12 off 17 balls. However, Yadav’s wide range of strokes ensured Mumbai still took 68 from their last five overs and finished very strongly.Sharma, de Kock quick off the blocks
De Kock, who regained form with 67 against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in Sharjah, set the tone in Abu Dhabi, too, with a crisp four off the first delivery from Ankit Rajpoot, who was picked ahead of left-arm seamer Jaydev Unadkat. The ball slid onto the bat in the early exchanges, with Sharma also using the extra pace of Rajpoot to his advantage. After launching him into the Royals dug out over the long-off fence, he sat back, waiting for the short ball and cracked it away to the left of sweeper cover.Smith used as many as five bowlers in the powerplay, but it was 19-year old debutant Kartik Tyagi who produced the breakthrough when he bounced out de Kock for 23. Sharma progressed to 35 before legspinner Shreyas Gopal had him caught at long-on with a wrong’un. His first delivery to Kishan, too was a wrong’un, which he spliced to extra-cover. Mumbai were 88 for 3 in the 10th over.

'Catch me if you can'

@KieronPollard55 #MIvRR #IPL2020 pic.twitter.com/IZrew8WdcC

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) October 6, 2020

A scoopful of Surya
After using his long reach to get to a pitch of a Gopal legbreak and pump it over extra-cover, Yadav hung back and placed Tyagi either side of third man for fours. Another great piece of placement – late-cut between the keeper and short third man for four brought him a fifty off 33 balls.The Royals had reserved two overs of Jorfra Archer for Pollard and Hardik at the death, but in the end Pollard wasn’t needed at all. While Hardik forced Archer down the ground for four, Yadav unfurled his ramps and scoops to pepper the ‘V’ behind the wicket. Thirty seven of his 79 runs came in that region. It was quite fitting that he helped finish the innings with a ramped four. Hardik did his bit in the unbroken 76-run stand with Yadav off six overs, contributing 30 off 19 balls.Buttler or nothing for Royals
Trent Boult found swing with the new ball once again, removing Yashasvi Jaiswal for a duck in the first over of the chase. Then, in the next over as Bumrah opened the bowling for the first time this season, Smith fell swiping wildly for the third time in three matches. When Boult drew a top-edged pull from Samson to mid-on, the Royals were 12 for 3 in the third over.Buttler played himself in, getting to a run-a-ball 24 before exploding against the slower bowlers. He claimed 49 off 24 balls from Krunal, Rahul Chahar and Pollard.It needed a spectacular catch at the long-on boundary from Pollard – another special from the specialist T20 outfielder that will likely break YouTube – to get rid of Buttler in the 14th over. Royals lost their last five wickets for 38 runs and their third game in a row. The punches weren’t done yet. Long after the game was done, the IPL fined Smith INR 12 lakh for slow over-rate.

Jemimah Rodrigues, meanwhile, wants teams outside Australia and England to play Test cricket regularly

Matt Roller10-Jun-2020Sophie Devine, the New Zealand captain, has advocated the use of a smaller, lighter ball in the women’s game to encourage attacking cricket.Under current regulations, the ball used in women’s cricket is fractionally smaller and lighter than that used in the men’s game. According to both the laws of the game and the ICC’s regulations, the ball should weigh 140-151g with a circumference of 21.0-22.5cm in women’s cricket, compared to 155.9-163g and 22.4-22.9cm respectively in men’s cricket.Speaking in the ICC’s ‘100% innovation’ webinar, Devine suggested that using a slightly smaller, lighter ball than now could help the women’s game flourish.”I’m a bigger fan of looking at a smaller ball but keeping the pitch the same size,” she said. “That way, I reckon bowlers are going to be able to bowl the ball quicker, spinners are going to be able to turn the ball more.”Hopefully, the ball should fly a bit further as well, whereas you’re still keeping the traditional length of the pitch. It’s a very interesting one.”If it’s going to help the game flourish, I think: why not? Why would we not have a crack at it and see what happens? I think you’ve always got to have a bit of trial and error and see what works.”Jemimah Rodrigues, the India batter, also spoke in the webinar, and suggested that using a pitch shorter than 22 yards could help to attract more fans to the women’s game.”You’ve got to accept the fact that there are slight differences between the [men’s and women’s] games,” she said. “But we can also be open to trying it out.”If that is going to help the game improve and take it to the next level, then why not? Why not think about it?”At the end [of the day], we want to promote the game. We want to get more people to watch the game and join the game. It’s a good idea, and you can be open to it.”Jemimah Rodrigues in action•ICC via Getty

Rodrigues also voiced frustrations about the lack of opportunities she has had to play Test cricket. Since making her debut in 2018, Rodrigues has represented her country 60 times in limited-overs internationals, but India have not played a Test match since 2014.Both Rodrigues and Devine used the example of the women’s Ashes – which is played across all three formats – as an “outstanding” way to structure a series, and suggested that the format should be copied by other boards.”I’d love to play [a multi-format series],” Rodrigues said. “Whenever we get the opportunity to watch the Ashes, where they get to play Tests, T20s and ODIs, sometimes I get a bit jealous that they get to play Test cricket.”It’s a long time since India has played a Test match. I’d definitely be very excited to look at a multi-format series, and hopefully we’ll have that soon.””The Ashes is outstanding,” Devine said. “I’d love to see that [format] brought in for any bilateral series: it doesn’t matter if it’s New Zealand vs India, New Zealand vs Australia, whoever it is. I just love the concept that every game matters and it all goes towards the final, overall winner.”Both players also came out in support of the possibility of staging a women’s Champions League T20. While there are no proposals for such a competition on the table as things stand, the webinar’s host Mel Jones suggested staging a tournament between the winners of each country’s franchise competition as a showpiece event.”It would definitely be interesting to see a Big Bash team, an IPL team, a Super Smash team combine and playing,” Rodrigues said. “It’s not just [about] internationals playing, it’s also the domestic players from that particular team.”It would be very interesting to see these teams clash, and you’d definitely have a lot of entertainment as well as a lot of good games and a lot more learning for the players.””I’d have to stay loyal to my Wellington Blaze,” said Devine when asked which of her many teams she would most like to represent if the event came to fruition. “A Champions League would be so exciting, bringing together different teams from different countries.”

Emi Martinez faces possible punishment from FIFA after slapping a camera operator to the floor at the end of Argentina’s defeat to Colombia.

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• Albiceleste suffered rare setback
• Emotion running high at final whistle
• FIFA being urged to take action

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Aston Villa goalkeeper was in a foul mood after seeing the Albiceleste – who remain without talismanic captain Lionel Messi following his injury in the 2024 Copa America final – slip to a rare defeat in 2026 World Cup qualifying. Ex-Real Madrid star James Rodriguez netted the decisive goal from the penalty spot.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  As Argentina’s players were jeered by home supporters at the final whistle, Martinez took issue with a cameraman getting in his face. He slapped the recording equipment out of his path, knocking operator Jhonny Jackson to the turf.

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• WHAT THE CAMERAMAN SAID

  Jackson told of his experience: “They blew the final whistle and as a camera operator and steadycam operator I always go looking for reactions. I simply enter the field, I look for reactions. I see Dibu, I see him shaking hands with a substitute goalkeeper, I think, and I approach him. And out of nowhere Dibu knocked me down. It made me angry, very angry, because I am working, just like he was doing, him saving and me operating my camera, I wasn't even playing soccer with him. But I didn't say anything to him.”

  Jackson did go on to send a message to Martinez, adding: “I wanted to tell you to stay calm, brother. In life, at any time, everyone has lost a game, and suddenly that defeat meant a lot to you. But keep going, Dibu.”

Leeds United are currently sat at the top of the Championship table during the international break as they aim to win automatic promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

German head coach Daniel Farke was brought in last summer to lead the team back to the big time and has done a fantastic job so far, with the Whites ahead of Leicester City on goal difference – albeit having played one game more.

The former Norwich boss won the second tier title on two occasions with the Canaries and is now looking to lift the trophy for a third time in five years.

If Leeds do win promotion back to the Premier League, Farke and the club will need to get recruitment spot on to give themselves a strong chance to survive in the top-flight.

Work already appears to be going on behind the scenes, as they have been linked with Karamoko Dembele and Sean Longstaff, and they are now reportedly interested in a star from Scottish football.

Latest Leeds transfer news

According to GIVEMESPORT, Leeds are one of a number of clubs interested in a possible summer swoop to sign Celtic wizard Matt O'Riley.

The report claims that the Whites are 'tempted' to make an offer to sign the talented magician from the Scottish giants, if they win promotion back to the Premier League this season.

This is not the first time the club have been interested in the Denmark international. Sky Sports reported that they had a £10m offer rejected by the Hoops during the 2023 summer transfer window.

Last month, Tipsbladet claimed that the Bhoys value O'Riley at a staggering £25m, and that they turned down an £18m offer from Spanish giants Atletico Madrid, who attempted to sign him on loan with an obligation to make it permanent in the summer during the January transfer window.

This means that Leeds will have to pay significantly more than the £10m they previously offered for him to land his services ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

GIVEMESPORT add that Premier League sides Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford are also interested in the attacking midfielder, with the former having watched him closely this season.

They also state that Celtic could be tempted to cash in on the former MK Dons star if the right money is offered, and that a 'big' summer is ahead for O'Riley.

Leeds must now push to get a deal over the line for the Danish star if they win promotion from the Championship, as he is a mix of both Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter and could be a fantastic addition to the squad.

Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter's Championship form

The Whites pair have been in fantastic form at the top end of the pitch with their respective ability to cause havoc for opposition defences on a regular basis.

Summerville has offered a clinical edge in the final third with a superb return of 15 goals from an xG (Expected Goals) of 13.63 in 35 Championship appearances so far.

The Dutch dynamo has averaged a goal every 188 minutes in the division, and has scored at least three more goals than any of his teammates.

This shows that the right-footed left winger offers a huge goal threat with his efficient and consistent finishing when presented with high-quality opportunities in the second tier.

Rutter, on the other hand, lacks that finishing touch as the French whiz has only scored six goals from 11.37 xG across 37 Championship outings, which shows that the ex-Hoffenheim prodigy has been incredibly wasteful in front of goal.

The talented ace has not showcased the best of his abilities as a finisher, unlike Summerville, as he has missed a whopping 15 'big chances' to go along with his six goals.

Assists

15

1st

Expected Assists

10.06

1st

Big chances created

22

1st

Dribbles completed per game

2.8

1st

Key passes per game

2.2

2nd

However, as you can see in the table above, the left-footed magician has been an outstanding creator for his teammates with a consistent supply of chances created to assist goals in the league.

This has led to Rutter having at least seven more assists than any other player within the squad, which speaks to how impressive his creativity has been from an attacking midfield position.

Why Leeds should sign Matt O'Riley

Leeds should sign O'Riley to complement Summerville and Rutter in the Premier League as the Celtic star is a mix of both of them in the final third.

The 23-year-old maestro combines the silky left-footed creativity and dribbling of the French whiz with the clinical and regular goalscoring of the former Feyenoord youngster.

In the Scottish Premiership this season, the Denmark international has plundered 11 goals from an xG of 10.83 across 29 matches for the Hoops. He has only missed nine 'big chances' in the league this term, and these statistics show that the Leeds target has been effective in front of goal.

Appearances

38

Goals

3

Assists

12

Big chances created

16

Key passes per game

2.2

Like Summerville, O'Riley has the quality to offer a big goal threat from midfield with his ability to finish chances efficiently, without underperforming his xG.

Meanwhile, the former Fulham academy prospect is also a creative midfielder who can drive past opposition players and make defence-splitting passes.

The Celtic star, who was hailed as "complete" by journalist Josh Bunting, has assisted ten goals and created ten 'big chances', to go along with 2.4 key passes and 1.1 completed dribbles per match, across his 29 Premiership appearances this season.

This comes after he assisted 12 goals and created 16 'big chances' for his teammates in 38 league games under Ange Postecoglou during the 2022/23 campaign.

He has, therefore, racked up 22 assists and 27 'big chances' created for the Scottish giants since the start of last season, which shows that the £25m-rated star has a Rutter-like ability to create for others from midfield.

This is why Leeds must win the race to land his signature at the end of the season, if they win promotion to the Premier League, as he is a mix of both Summerville and Rutter with his qualities in possession.

Nottingham Forest have had a tough time in recent seasons trying to replace a club legend who left the City Ground after promotion back in 2022.

Brice Samba played a pivotal role in helping Nottingham Forest end their 23-year Premier League exile, with his most impressive performance in a Forest shirt coming in his penultimate game for the club during the play-off semi-final victory over Sheffield United.

Samba made three crucial saves during normal and extra time, before making himself a hero during the penalty shootout. He saved spot kicks from Oliver Norwood, Conor Hourihane and now Forest player Morgan Gibbs-White, sending the club to Wembley and subsequently winning promotion.

However, after the play-off final, Samba decided he wanted to return to France, with the 'keeper departing and joining Ligue 1 side Lens for £4m – an absolute bargain for the French side.

The club made two loan signings for the goalkeeper position for the Premier League campaign, with Dean Henderson and Keylor Navas arriving on loan but not staying permanently.

Nottingham Forest will rue losing one GK who's a bigger talent than Samba

Nottingham Forest will regret not signing this goalkeeper.

ByTom Lever Feb 15, 2024

This left them short in the goalkeeping department, with the club dipping back into the market last summer.

Matt Turner's record at Nottingham Forest

The Reds decided to buy goalkeeper Matt Turner during the summer from fellow Premier League side Arsenal for a deal rising to £10m with add-ons.

Turner, a USA international, has made 21 appearances for the club since his arrival, conceding 31 times with multiple errors coming from the 'keeper himself.

His mistake against Tottenham for Dejan Kulusevski's goal is just one of a number of errors he's made, with the former Arsenal man struggling to nail down the Forest starting position.

That was one of three mistakes leading to a goal that the USMNT star has made in 2023/24, a figure that puts him close to the top of the tree in the top flight.

#1 Wes Foderingham

5

#2 Nathan Collins

4

#3 Matt Turner

3

#4 Trent Alexander-Arnold

2

#5 Alisson, Botman, Sa, Raya, Ream

2

His errors saw the club buy goalkeeper Matz Sels on deadline day in January, with Turner back down to the number two role – just as he was during his time at the Emirates.

How much Matt Turner has cost Nottingham Forest

On top of his £10m transfer fee, the club also paid for Turner's weekly wages. The 29-year-old signed a four-year deal last summer, with the American being handed a weekly wage of £40k – a figure higher than impressive teammates Murillo and Anthony Elanga.

Should the former Arsenal 'keeper see out his whole contract at the City Ground, the club will have paid him a staggering £8.3m in wages – a ridiculous amount for a goalkeeper who has been poor since his arrival.

#1 Divock Origi

£120k

#2 Morgan Gibbs-White

£80k

#3 Felipe

£80k

#4 Chris Wood

£80k

#5 Callum Hudson-Odoi

£80k

#6 Ibrahim Sangare

£75k

The deal for Turner at the time certainly raised eyebrows, with the Reds spending a decent chunk of money on a player who had never previously been a consistent number one in England's top flight.

Overall, the deal for the USA number one has been a failure, with the 'keeper already dropping down the pecking order just seven months after he arrived on Trentside.

The club should be looking to cut their losses on Turner this summer, selling the former Arsenal man and reevaluating the goalkeeping situation throughout the transfer window.