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Liverpool are continuing to build a squad capable of fighting on all fronts this season and have now turned their attention to a defender who models himself on Virgil van Dijk, according to reports.

Liverpool set for return to action in FA Community Shield clash

After a summer that has yielded several statement signings at Anfield, Liverpool return to competitive action this weekend against Crystal Palace as they aim to win the FA Community Shield.

Speaking ahead of the tie, Arne Slot has confirmed the Reds won’t underestimate Crystal Palace as both sides take part in the curtain-raiser ahead of this season’s Premier League.

He stated: “It’s nice if you can start the season by winning something. We have a chance at the beginning of the season. We face a difficult Crystal Palace side. They have shown how hard it is to win a one-off game with them.

“Counter-attacks, set-pieces, long-balls to Mateta and individual quality of their forwards. Bilbao, AC Milan and Yokohama already gave us good competition (in pre-season). Palace hit the ground running again, it is still the same team. A good challenge for us to start the season.”

With Darwin Nunez heading for Al-Hilal, Liverpool are also expected to submit another bid for Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, potentially lifting their attacking output into a different paradigm if they can force Eddie Howe into a sale.

Leeds racing to sign £35m Liverpool target who is "definitely" world-class

The Whites are battling it out for a world-class player, who has been made available by his current club.

ByDominic Lund Aug 7, 2025

Real Madrid winger Rodrygo is also on the Reds’ radar, offering scope for a landmark end to a window that has already seen Slot raise the floor of his squad with additions such as Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez.

Now, they could add to their defensive ranks with a signing that has previously expressed his admiration for their club captain.

Liverpool continue to push for Giovanni Leoni

According to Florian Plettenberg on X, Liverpool are courting Parma defender Giovanni Leoni and he is said to be “one to watch” on the market, though their focus still remains firmly on Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi.

Other Italian clubs could come to the table for the 18-year-old and he may indeed remain at his current employers, but the Reds indeed have him on their list and they are believed to be “closely monitoring” his situation.

Citing his biggest influences, Leoni has admitted he models his game on Virgil van Dijk, which would be something that could endear himself to supporters.

Last term, the Rome-born man registered a solitary effort in 17 Serie A appearances, though his arrival at Anfield would very much be deemed as a long-term project.

Australia spinner to undergo surgery on injured knee, which has kept her out of action for a while now

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jan-2025Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have called up England’s spin-bowling allrounder Charlie Dean to replace the injured Sophie Molineux in their squad for the upcoming WPL 2025.Molineux, the Australian left-arm spinner, was ruled out of their home Ashes series against England after picking up a knee injury that will require surgery.She had managed the knee issue through the WBBL in October-November last year. She captained Melbourne Renegades to the title despite missing four of their 11 games.Related

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The issue flared up again during Australia’s ODI series against India at home, which immediately followed the WBBL. Molineux played in the second and third games of the series, and picked up one wicket across the 11 overs she bowled.She also missed the trip to New Zealand, which featured another three ODIs, and now faces a further spell out of action. Australia’s physiotherapist Kate Beerworth had said in December that “further updates on an anticipated return date” for Molineux would be provided only after the surgery, which is supposed to take place this month.Molineux was retained by RCB ahead of the 2025 edition of the WPL. She had represented them in their title-winning run in 2024, when she had bagged 12 wickets in ten games at an average of 23.16.Dean, meanwhile, is yet to feature in the WPL. But she has played 36 T20Is for England, and taken 46 wickets at a brilliant average of 18.19. She is currently in action for her country in Australia, where she has struck only once in the first two ODIs of the Women’s Ashes.Dean has also represented London Spirit in the women’s Hundred, and has played 30 games for the franchise across four seasons from 2021.

Manchester United’s summer transfer window has already been a success for manager Ruben Amorim, but there is still plenty of work left to do before the September 1st deadline.

The 40-year-old has already cleared out some of the deadwood on the books at Old Trafford, releasing Victor Lindelof, Christian Eriksen and Jonny Evans at the end of their respective contracts.

Other outgoings will undoubtedly take place over the next couple of weeks, which could allow for added funds to be reinvested into the side ahead of the upcoming Premier League campaign.

Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo have all joined the Red Devils, costing £200m combined, completing a deadly trio at the top end of the pitch.

However, other areas of the side are still in desperate need of reinforcements, which could result in numerous players being landed in an attempt to rise up England’s top-flight.

Man Utd preparing move for Carlos Baleba alternative

Carlos Baleba has been one of United’s key targets in recent days, after talks were held between the Red Devils and the player’s entourage over a potential switch.

Despite the interest in the Brighton midfielder, a deal could now be unlikely given the Seagulls’ reluctance to allow the youngster to leave, subsequently putting a £100m price tag on his head.

However, not landing a deal for the 21-year-old may not be the end of the world, with the hierarchy also currently exploring a move for Sevilla star Lucien Agoume, according to TBR Football.

They report that despite their keen interest in Baleba, alternatives to the former Lille star have been drawn up, with the Frenchman just one player in their sights.

It also states that he’s seen as a cheaper alternative this summer, potentially able to follow a similar path over the next few years and become their own £100m talent.

Why United’s Baleba alternative would be their next Pogba

Just a handful of years ago, United’s midfield department was home to numerous elite-level talents, one of which was Paul Pogba – who cost a club-record £89m in the summer of 2016.

The Frenchman rejoined the club just a few seasons after leaving on a free transfer to join Juventus, moving back to Old Trafford as a completely different player.

He registered over 200 appearances during his second spell in the North West, often producing a spectacular effort, helping the side win the Europa League in his first season back in England.

However, he would leave on a free transfer in 2022, ultimately tailing off after his excellent start, with his attitude and commitment towards the Red Devils often coming into question.

Regardless of his struggles, Pogba will forever be remembered in Manchester as a player who made the game look easy, often dominating the opposition, with Agoume having the chance to follow in his compatriot’s footsteps in 2025/26.

The 23-year-old has endured an erratic start to his career, featuring for seven clubs in seven years, but he appears to have found his home in Seville over the last few months.

He made 35 appearances in LaLiga last season, often catching the eye with his displays, which has seen journalist Zach Lowy comparing him to former fan-favourite Pogba.

Lucien Agoume’s stats for Sevilla in LaLiga (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

35

Goals & assists

4

Pass completion rate

82%

Progressive passes

5.8

Tackles made

2.9

Interceptions made

1.8

Take-on success

73%

Passes into final third

5.4

Stats via FBref

Agoume, who’s been labelled “extraordinary” by former boss Enrique Sanchez Flores, completed 82% of the passes he attempted last season, with 5.8 of which being defined as progressive – able to thrive in possession, just as Pogba did during his time at United.

He also made 2.9 tackles per 90 and 1.8 interceptions per 90, with the latter tally ranking him within the top 2% of all players in Spain’s top-flight – handing Amorim the perfect box-to-box option in midfield.

Added talent across the board is highlighted in his tally of 73% take-ons completed, able to glide past opposition players, emulating the skillset of his compatriot in the process.

There’s no denying that, given Baleba’s two-year spell in England’s top-flight that he would be many of the fans’ first choice to bolster the midfield department this window.

However, given the money spent in other areas, cheaper options will have to be considered, with Agoume arguably being a bargain addition if he can match Pogba’s success at the Theatre of Dreams.

Related A dream for Cunha & Mbeumo: INEOS submit bid to sign £69m star for Man Utd

Manchester United have once again splashed the cash during the current summer window.

Posts 1 ByEthan Lamb Aug 14, 2025

Derby County are readying themselves for another campaign in the Championship and could now be set to push the boat out for an experienced midfielder, according to reports.

Derby County look for stability under John Eustace

John Eustace performed a minor miracle by keeping Derby in the EFL Championship last campaign and will hope his array of proven arrivals can help his side enjoy a more productive season at Pride Park.

Andreas Weimann, Danny Batth, Richard O’Donnell and Carlton Morris have all come through the door to breathe new life into a squad in need of material upgrades.

Former boss Paul Warne believes Morris could provide a steady source of goals after arriving from Luton Town, as he stated: “We signed Carlton as a young lad from Norwich and he did really well.

“He came in with a really competitive front line. At the time of his second spell, I had Michael Smith, Freddie Ladapo and Kyle Vassell, so it was some frontline. He played in numerous positions across the front for me, and he can play as the lone striker or in a two.

“He’s very good with his back to goal, really strong in the air, he’s brave, and obviously can score goals too.”

Eustace has made a habit of calling on former players himself, so it won’t come as a surprise that Derby are targeting Blackburn Rovers defender Callum Brittain as he heads into the last year of his deal at Ewood Park.

Derby now set to sign "fantastic" star in £7m package after Batth & Weimann

He looks set to become their fifth signing of the summer.

By
Tom Cunningham

Jul 4, 2025

Finding established stars with a history of excelling in the second-tier appears to be the priority for the Rams, who are now targeting an ambitious move for another recognisable name.

Derby County looking to sign Ipswich Town star Sam Morsy

According to reliable reporter Alan Nixon on his Patreon, relayed by The 72, Derby are now keen to sign Ipswich Town midfielder Sam Morsy as they prepare for another busy campaign.

The Egypt international earns £30,000 per week at Portman Road and made 34 appearances for the Tractor Boys last term, scoring once and laying on an assist.

Sam Morsy’s history of winning league titles
League Two	Chesterfield Town (2013/14)
League One	Wigan Athletic (2015/16)
League One	Wigan Athletic (2017/18)

In addition to his three titles with Chesterfield and Wigan, Morsy has also captained Ipswich to promotion from League One and the Championship, while he played a part in Port Vale’s rise to League One in 2012/13.

Ultimately, the Wolverhampton-born man has a clear track record of helping to elevate clubs in the Football League system, making him a shrewd potential addition at Derby due to his leadership qualities and drive on the pitch.

Nevertheless, overseas sides are also attentive to his situation, so it remains to be seen whether the Rams can force the hand of Ipswich before rival suitors take advantage of the fact he has one year left on his contract.

Arsenal are reportedly about to win the race for another player, beating both Man City and Liverpool to the punch, with Mikel Arteta handed yet another transfer boost this summer after a plethora of major signings.

Related Arsenal could also terminate 23-year-old's contract after Takehiro Tomiyasu

He’s ready to accept an offer to leave.

Posts 1 ByEmilio Galantini Jul 16, 2025

The Premier League title hopefuls most recently sealed deals for both winger Noni Madueke, who joined the club in a £52 million transfer from Chelsea, and defender Cristhian Mosquera – after the Gunners shook hands with Valencia for the promising young defender.

They join Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard as Arsenal’s newest crop of players, with Mosquera boasting serious potential to keep both William Saliba and Gabriel on their toes next season, according to a former staff member at Valencia.

Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta through deals announced (via Sky Sports)

Money on new signings

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

25/26 – summer

£140m

“He is a player who has shown great potential in a short period of time,” he told Sky Sports.

“He became a very important for us and contributed a lot despite his age.

“He needs to work on some key aspects, like his decision-making. He is intense and aggressive in the way he defends but sometimes he needs to choose the right moments and understand when it would be better to drop back or hold his position.

“For a league like the Premier League, his aerial play isn’t a big strength, but he is quick on the cover, in defensive one-vs-ones and when running back towards his own goal.”

Arsenal are also on the verge of signing Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres after reaching a full agreement, and his medical could take place this week as the north Londoners iron out some final details (Florian Plettenberg).

Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze also remains a target for Arteta following talks with his representatives over the last fortnight, but according to The Sun, Arsenal are about to sign another forward.

Arsenal win race to sign Salford City striker Will Wright

Journalist Charlie Wyett, in a detailed piece for the outlet, claims Arsenal look to have won the race for Salford City striker Will Wright – after making the biggest offer for his signature.

Liverpool tabled a £100,000 bid for the 17-year-old in an attempt to lure him to Anfield, but Arsenal now hope they’ve sealed the transfer by submitting an offer worth £250,000 – plus “major add-ons”.

Man City also held an interest in the teenager, who played against them in Salford’s 8-0 FA Cup loss to the Blues last season, but it appears Arteta’s side are now poised to sign Wright.

The Englishman has been on fire in pre-season, scoring four goals in three games so far, but they could potentially be his last minutes for Salford as he closes in on a move to the Premier League.

He would initially link up with Arsenal’s Under-21s and develop in the academy before Arteta makes any decisions on first-team action, but he’s very “highly-rated” behind-the-scenes.

Cricket Scotland under scrutiny after publication of letter clearing John Blain of wrongdoing

Osman Samiuddin15-Jun-2024The investigators looking into allegations of racist behaviour in Scottish cricket have denied they “exonerated” anyone after referrals that have so far led to a series of “learnings” but no disciplinary action against alleged perpetrators.Two legal firms, Harper Macleod LLP and Bishop Lloyd Jackson Solicitors, and the race inclusion charity Sporting Equals have been investigating over 50 referrals – individual complaints of alleged racist behaviour – over the last year, stemming from the independent review in July 2022 that found Cricket Scotland to be institutionally racist.On Friday, the team issued its first public statement. Although no individuals were mentioned, it was in response to John Blain’s statement earlier in the week, in which the former Yorkshire and Scotland fast bowler said he had been cleared of allegations of racist behaviour earlier this year. Blain called for a “full and transparent inquiry” into those running cricket in the country.Related

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John Blain calls for Cricket Scotland inquiry after being cleared of racist behaviour

Blain said the investigation’s findings “fully exonerate me” and also made public a letter from Cricket Scotland’s interim CEO Pete Fitzboydon from January, informing him that the allegations against him were “unfounded” but requesting that he kept that information confidential to allow time for the complainers to be informed of the outcomes. Cricket Scotland’s subsequent “delay and prevarication” in going public, Blain said, forced him to release his statement, five months after receiving the letter.In its response, however, the investigating team insisted that its role had not been to “make findings of fact, nor to pronounce guilt, nor to exonerate or pronounce as innocent any person against whom allegations had been made”. As a consequence, it was stated that they had neither “exonerated” any individual in any of their reports, nor reported “in any way to the Board of Cricket Scotland to suggest that an individual was “exonerated” or equivalent”.Instead, the investigating team insisted its role was to identify “learning lessons”, of which, it said, there have been over 250 across 51 referrals so far. Cricket Scotland has been making some of these learnings public on its website, as and when batches of referrals have concluded over the last year.The investigators, having engaged with over 170 people and witnesses so far, acknowledged the difficulties in looking into these complaints, some of which were from nearly two decades ago. The nature of allegations of discrimination – “having to consider competing accounts” – made it “universally a complex task”.That no disciplinary proceedings had taken place so far, the investigators said, did not diminish the allegations but only served to illustrate the difficulties involved in such investigations; including issues of a lack of governance and processes; the historic nature of some breaches; incidents that were outside Cricket Scotland’s jurisdiction; and some cases in which disciplinary action had already been taken.Any action stemming from the referrals, the investigators made clear, was for Cricket Scotland to take.John Blain, during his playing days in at the 2007 World Cup•Getty ImagesThe 2022 “Changing the Boundaries” report, which led to the Cricket Scotland board resigning en masse, has come under criticism from, among others, Tony Brian, a former board chairman. Brian has repeatedly raised concerns about how the review was conducted and its findings, calling it “fatally flawed” and demanding a government inquiry into how it was put together. Brian was chair from 2015 to 2022, a period during which some of the allegations made by former players Majid Haq and Qasim Sheikh – whose testimonies led to the review – took place.But the investigation team unequivocally backed the report, saying that its own investigations “echoed” findings in “Changing the Boundaries”.”Evidence of poor governance, poor and/or absent policies and procedures to handle complaints of racism, inappropriate and/or a lack of support for whistleblowers and/or complainers, and failings in the delivery of appropriate diversity, equity and inclusion policies were all evident to the Investigation Team. These factors all unquestionably contributed to the subsequent number and breadth of complaints made, where race was spoken to as a factor in the allegations made.”The investigators urged the game’s stakeholders to acknowledge the recommendations the report had made, as well as its own recommended learnings, and to acknowledge that the game had been exclusionary for too many people who faced “unacceptable behaviours” and had no recourse to complain about it.The resurfacing of tensions around the investigations comes as the national men’s team prepares to take on Australia in St Lucia in the T20 World Cup with progression to the Super Eight stage in their own hands. Anything other than a defeat on Sunday evening will see Scotland through, even if England succeed in beating Namibia on Saturday.But the fact that the investigators felt compelled to issue a public statement will only add more pressure on Cricket Scotland, who were also criticised last week by Haq and Sheikh for their role in the events that led to Blain’s statement. It will also increase scrutiny over its January communication to Blain who was told by Fitzboydon: “As advised, these allegations have not been founded, and there is not any case to answer, and so this matter is now considered closed.”In response to Blain’s earlier statement, the board had said it would “continue to respect that independent process [of investigations], with the welfare of all involved as a priority, in order that we can reach a conclusion that enables our sport to move forward with unity.”Further comment, the board said, would come at the end of the investigative process.

Attention is already turning to the new 2025/26 Premier League season, with promoted sides Leeds United, Burnley and Sunderland looking to buck the recent trend and avoid relegation at the first time of asking.

Liverpool, under Arne Slot, will be the defending champions, whereas Pep Guardiola is leading a Manchester City rebuild. Arsenal and Mikel Arteta will finally be hoping that this is their year, while Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to improve on their terrible domestic campaigns last time around.

Grok, the AI tool on X, relayed by Birmingham World, has already predicted the 2025/26 Premier League table, looking at how many points each team will collect, including their goal difference.

AI 2025/26 Premier League table in pictures:

AI Premier League table 2025/26

Rank

Team

Games

Points

GD

1

Liverpool

38

88

+42

2

Arsenal

38

80

+30

3

Man City

38

78

+28

4

Newcastle

38

72

+22

5

Chelsea

38

68

+18

6

Aston Villa

38

65

+12

7

Nottingham Forest

38

62

+10

8

Tottenham

38

60

+8

9

Brighton

38

58

+6

10

Fulham

38

55

+4

11

Man Utd

38

54

+2

12

Everton

38

52

0

13

West Ham

38

50

-2

14

Bournemouth

38

48

-5

15

Brentford

38

46

-8

16

Leeds Utd

38

42

-12

17

Crystal Palace

38

40

-15

18

Wolves

38

38

-20

19

Burnley

38

34

-25

20

Sunderland

38

30

-30

Related The next 10 Ballon d'Or winners predicted by AI

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Posts ByMatt Dawson May 31, 2025 20 20th: Sunderland (30 points, -30 GD)

Starting the countdown at the bottom of the table, AI thinks Championship playoff winners Sunderland will finish in 20th place.

They believe Regis Le Bris’ side will accumulate 30 points, though, 18 more than Southampton, who were 20th in 24/25.

19 19th: Burnley (34 points, -25 GD)

Another newly promoted side, Burnley are believed to be the next side to go down. Scott Parker worked wonders at Turf Moor in his first campaign, conceding just 16 goals in 46 games and ending on 100 points.

However, potentially losing some of those defensive stars, including goalkeeper James Trafford, could see the Clarets struggle.

18 18th: Wolves (38 points, -20 GD)

Wolves have been flirting with the bottom three in the 23/24 and 24/25 seasons, and AI thinks 25/26 is the year they are going down.

After losing Matheus Cunha to Man Utd, the Old Gold will need to replace their top scorer and could struggle under Vitor Pereira.

17 17th: Crystal Palace (40 points, -15 GD)

Just avoiding the drop are the 24/25 FA Cup winners Crystal Palace. AI claims that the fixture congestion from Europe could see them struggle in the Premier League.

Another problem for the Eagles is player sales, with the likes of Eberechi Eze, Marc Guehi and Jean-Philippe Mateta all being linked with moves away from Selhurst Park.

16 16th: Leeds United (42 points, -12 GD)

AI feels that Leeds United, the Championship title winners, could buck the trend and avoid relegation by finishing on 42 points.

If they do, the Whites, who won the second tier title in stoppage time on the final day, will be the first side since the 2022/23 season to get promoted and remain in the Premier League.

15 15th: Brentford (46 points, -8 GD)

Despite a top 10 finish in 24/25, Brentford are next on the list, with AI believing Bryan Mbeumo’s potential departure could result in a drop-off for Thomas Frank’s side.

Mbeumo scored 20 of the Bees’ 66 goals last season but could be on his way to Man Utd, which may see them slide down the table.

14 14th: Bournemouth (48 points, -5 GD)

Another side who finished in the top 10 last season, Bournemouth, could also be in line to lose some of their star players.

Already selling Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid, Milos Kerkez and Antoine Semenyo are also in demand, with AI feeling that any sales will negatively impact the Cherries.

13 13th: West Ham (50 points, -2 GD)

One side that AI feels will slightly improve from 24/25 is West Ham, who finished 14th in the previous campaign on 43 points.

Graham Potter is preparing for his first full season in charge at the London Stadium and will be looking to make his mark in the transfer window.

12 12th: Everton (52 points, 0 GD)

Another team AI think will finish one place higher than 24/25 is Everton. David Moyes came in and steadied the ship for the Toffees and will be leading them at their new stadium in 25/26.

It is added that keeping hold of star defender Jarrad Branthwaite and adding depth to the side is key, though.

11 11th: Manchester United (54 points, +2 GD)

Things couldn’t have gone much worse for Man Utd in 24/25, so AI does have them finishing higher but still in the bottom half with 54 points.

‘Integrating new signings and addressing defensive frailties’ under Ruben Amorim in a 3-4-3 system could still see the Red Devils struggle, ending 12 points and four places better off.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers could leave the club this summer if he doesn’t get his way with one key thing, according to a worrying update regarding his future.

Rodgers unhappy amid doubts over his future

The Hoops lost 1-0 away to St Johnstone on Sunday afternoon, delaying their Scottish Premiership title triumph, following a disappointing performance. It may still be 13 points clear at the top of the table, but an angry Rodgers made it clear what he thought of the display.

“Bitterly disappointing. It’s a huge credit to St Johnstone and congratulations to them. For us, poor start to the game, but not the first time and this is something for me that we will look at, certainly in the summer. But the start was really poor, it was soft, it was too comfortable in the game. We go behind and then obviously we are much better in the second half. There’s definitely anger. I’m trying to control it.”

There have also been reports over Rodgers’ future at Celtic in recent days, with no guarantee that he will stay put this summer and a return to the Premier League mooted. While the latest reports described him as “content” in his current role, they also claimed he “could quit” if interest arrives from an English club that appeals to him. Now, a fresh update has dropped, further shedding light on the situation.

Rodgers could leave Celtic if wish isn't granted

According to Football Insider, Rodgers will “demand the backing of the Celtic board” this summer, or potentially leave as manager if it doesn’t happen. The 52-year-old “wants to build on the success his side have had this season”, and while this again states that he is happy currently, that “could change if the board fail to meet his demands ahead of the off-season”.

This should certainly act as a warning to Celtic’s board, with Rodgers making it clear that he won’t be amused if funds aren’t made for him to bring in new faces this summer.

While those looking from the outside may look at the Premiership table and ask where there is any great need for reinforcements, bringing a freshness to the Hoops’ squad is always important, especially for a European challenge.

Rodgers will be aware that he hasn’t yet impressed too muchin European competition with Celtic, so he will be desperate to make more of an impression in the Champions League moving forward. It sounds as though the Irishman is more likely to remain at Parkhead than leave, but this latest update should act as a word of warning to those high up at the club.

Worse than Kuhn: Celtic must axe star who lost the ball every 4 touches

Celtic slipped to a shock defeat to bottom side St Johnstone on Sunday afternoon

ByRobbie Walls Apr 6, 2025

Losing Rodgers would be a big blow, given his talent as a manager, and seeing him depart so early in his second spell at the club could see the Hoops lose momentum.

CSK’s Sri Lankan ‘slinga’ too good as Lasith Malinga watches his copycat from Mumbai’s dugout

S Sudarshanan15-Apr-20241:49

McClenaghan: ‘Pathirana a far more well-rounded bowler this season’

On the eve of the Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings game, Lasith Malinga was doing his thing. He stood still behind the single stump at the bowler’s end as Nuwan Thushara ran in and tried to hit the shoe placed at the striker’s end. It was a drill that Malinga used to use, and he was using it to help the new Sri Lankan slinga, Thushara, get it right.It’s a method that has now caught on.In the adjacent CSK nets, their own slingin’ Sri Lankan, Matheesha Pathirana, was not to be seen. A hamstring niggle had kept him off the field. He played two matches before being sidelined and head coach Stephen Fleming wanted him to play against MI only if he was 100% fit. So no training on Saturday.Related

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It’s understandable that CSK want to have Pathirana in their XI. Their death bowling had cost them games in the past, and their search for a reliable, long-term solution ended with Pathirana. His pinpoint yorkers and change-ups have been hard to get away, and his economy of 8.17 at the death is only bettered by Yuzvendra Chahal’s 7.73 among those who have bowled at least 15 overs in the last four overs since IPL 2023. Pathirana’s temperament under pressure has impressed one and all, including MS Dhoni, who had suggested that “he shouldn’t even get close to red-ball cricket”.Pathirana was fit enough by Sunday to make the XI, and it was natural, then, for captain Ruturaj Gaikwad to call upon him when MI were seemingly running away with the chase of 207. Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan had blitzed to 70 in seven overs when Pathirana was handed the ball. He had to bring his death game alive early. The home team was cruising and, despite being outnumbered by CSK fans, the MI fans were the noisier bunch at that point.His first ball was an attempted yorker that turned into a low full toss. It was on Kishan’s pads. He could have smacked it anywhere but flicked it straight to midwicket. A ball later, Suryakumar Yadav was slightly taken aback by the bouncer and, yet, managed to uppercut it. But Mustafizur Rahman took a well-judged catch at deep third to send Suryakumar back for a two-ball blob. Within just three balls, Pathirana had changed the script.

“I was really pleased with his accuracy tonight, he was outstanding. I said to him afterwards, the wickets are a bonus, but his accuracy was really good. Sometimes you’ll bowl accurately but not get wickets. Tonight, he was accurate and got wickets”Eric Simons

“What I have noticed from last year and the first time I saw Pathirana is he is a far more well-rounded bowler now,” Mitchell McClenaghan observed on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut. “He doesn’t just come in and try and bowl yorkers. He has got a good-length ball and a bouncer now. [With the bouncer to Suryakumar] he was trying to not let him get forward.”With Tilak Varma then joining forces with Rohit to keep MI in the hunt, Pathirana was summoned again for the 14th over. He delivered to end the 60-run partnership by dismissing Tilak, thanks to a tumbling catch running backward from mid-off by Shardul Thakur. A few overs later, Pathirana fired in a fuller ball to splay Romario Shepherd’s stumps. The chase had well and truly been derailed.With Pathirana’s action, there is a tendency to be wayward and bowl wides down leg, but on Sunday, he was accurate. He was especially clear in his methods and bowled to the field with the longer boundary on the leg side (for a right-hander) throughout his spell.Matheesha Pathirana struck off his first ball, picking Ishan Kishan•BCCI”I was really pleased with his accuracy tonight, he was outstanding,” Eric Simons, CSK bowling consultant, said at the press conference. “I said to him afterwards, the wickets are a bonus, but his accuracy was really good. Sometimes you’ll bowl accurately but not get wickets. Tonight, he was accurate and got wickets.”But, with his action being what it is, can he not get predictable? How does remain unique?”I give him a target and tell him to hit the target. How he does it, he works his own technique out for himself,” Simons explained. “That’s how we do it. I give him a glove, hit the glove. I give him a target at the bottom of the pitch, he hits the target.”When you’ve watched someone a lot you pick up little things and act like a mirror almost for some people, and you see something’s a bit different. I don’t try and coach internally. I don’t tell him how to do it, I tell him what to do and he tries and works it himself. His accuracy tonight was the most rewarding for me.”Allow him to be unique, don’t try to figure him out.”On the way to Gate 5 of the Wankhede Stadium before the game, a group of fans in blue were talking about Malinga. Little did they know that a slinga would undo Mumbai on their own turf and be the point of difference in a game Jasprit Bumrah was also a part of.

England wicketkeeper has been integral in run to Finals Day, and still keen to improve

Andrew Miller11-Jun-2022It didn’t take long for Amy Jones to offload the emotions of a long and gruelling winter, and get back to business for the 2022 season. England’s wicketkeeper is currently the leading run-scorer in the Charlotte Edwards Cup with 245 runs at 40.83, helping to hoist Central Sparks into Saturday’s semi-final showdown with South East Stars at Wantage Road.It can’t have been easy for any of England’s players to take stock of a mega tour of the Antipodes, encompassing a multi-format Ashes series and the heartache of defeat in the World Cup final in Christchurch. But Jones’ performances since her return to action are proof of her determination to get straight back onto the bandwagon, at what remains an exciting juncture for the women’s game.”It was a big winter, quite a rollercoaster,” Jones tells ESPNcricinfo. “At times I felt like I was ageing quite quickly! But it has been great to step away for a bit of a break, see friends and family, and then come back to an English summer feeling really refreshed, and looking forward to hopefully a normal season. It’s been good fun to get back with the Sparks. It’s nice to just get back with the girls and get stuck in.”Jones’ break may have been brief compared with the months of touring that preceded it, but it was an eventful one nonetheless, encompassing a whistlestop tour of Chamonix, Lake Como and Paris (“We had a few trips cancelled last year, so we made sure we rolled several trips into one”) and then, as if to underline that sense of new beginnings, the social event of the year – the long-delayed wedding of her England team-mates Nat Sciver and Katherine Brunt.Related

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“That was a really, really special day,” says Jones, who was maid of honour, and who had also been present in the team bubble in Derby in September 2020, when the team had laid on a replacement ceremony in the midst of the Covid lockdown. “I don’t think it could have gone better. It was all just really, really fun, and great to see those two celebrate their big day. It was a long, long time waiting but yeah, it didn’t disappoint. It was an incredible day.”Jones had the best seat in the house during Sciver’s other most notable moment of the year – albeit temporarily, as the pair shared a 43-run stand for the fourth wicket in the World Cup final, as England briefly kept alive their hopes of defending their title against the runaway favourites, Australia. In the end, they fell short by 71 runs, but not before Sciver had amassed an outstanding unbeaten 148 from 121 balls – to go along with the unbeaten 109 she had made against the same opponents in their tournament opener.”She was incredible, wasn’t she? To get a hundred in a final is a great achievement anyway, but two hundreds in the last two games against the best in the world in Australia, I think just shows the class that she is. It’s a shame she didn’t get the support in the final. But it was an incredible innings.”Thanks to that performance, England were able to surrender their title with pride – a prospect that hadn’t seemed quite so likely when they slumped to a trio of defeats against Australia, West Indies and South Africa in their opening games of the tournament. Each of the matches was a cliffhanger – defeats by 12 runs, seven runs and three wickets respectively – but it was a setback that tested the team’s mettle to the limit, and demanded that they make no further slip-ups. Jones is proud of the way the team responded to adversity.Nat Sciver and Amy Jones celebrate a wicket during England’s World Cup campaign•ICC via Getty Images”At one stage we were looking like we were definitely going home early,” she says. “But each of those losses went down to the last over, so they were quite draining games on the back of a big Ashes series as well.”So it was a lot to keep getting up for each game, and still keep confidence as high as possible within the group, so it was definitely a big achievement in the end to just make the final, to be honest. That isn’t the mindset we want as a team, but you’ve got to adapt to the different situations you find yourself in. and that one was particularly challenging.”But the way the team came together, and just really looked after each other as people, was a big factor in us turning it around, and getting the wins when we needed them, up until the final. As a group, we are quite proud of how we stuck together and managed to turn it around.”There is a sense, however, that the World Cup marks the end of an era. Anya Shrubsole, the hero of the 2017 final victory, has already retired, and Jones acknowledges that a refreshing of the team is inevitable in the lead-up to the next tournament in 2025 – especially now that the impact of the ECB’s new regional contracts is beginning to expand the pool of players whose professional standards are able to match those of the players they may eventually replace.”The 50-over World Cup comes around every four years, so it does feel a bit like an end of an era,” Jones says. “You’ve seen some retirements from different countries as well, but it’s great to be able to play a big part at regional level this year, and see just how far all the girls have come within the space of a year of their contracts. It’s great that that’s paying off, and hopefully we’ll see more and more contracts as the years go by.””All the contracted girls at the Sparks are just so passionate about this opportunity. A lot of them have trained for years, outside of working hours. And now they can finally put everything into their cricket and it’s great that we’re seeing really quick improvements as well, with lots of girls challenging for spaces higher up, which is great. That’s what every team needs, in terms of England, pressure for places and competition. I think it’s brilliant.”Jones is days shy of her 29th birthday, and with 135 international appearances across all three formats, she has long since stepped out of the long shadow of Sarah Taylor to become England’s premier wicketkeeper. But she knows she needs to stay on her toes in the prime of her career, not least with such a glut of talented spinners coming through the ranks to test her mettle when standing up to the stumps.At the age of 23, Sophie Ecclestone has already established herself as the No.1 spinner in the world, while the offspinner Charlie Dean, 21, was England’s break-out star at the World Cup. Then there’s Sarah Glenn, Jones’ Sparks’ team-mate, a hugely talented legspinning allrounder who, aged 22, is set to be a central figure in the England team for years to come too.”The good thing about those three is they are all so different,” Jones says. “Glenny and Soph are two very tall bowlers but Glenny’s very skiddy, while Soph can get some bounce, which makes it exciting for me. I see a lot of Glenny at Sparks but it’s important for me to keep keeping to them all to get to know their different variations.”I absolutely love having the gloves, and I’m always trying to improve,” Jones adds, while crediting Michael Bates, the former Hampshire and Somerset keeper, for keeping her on her toes. “Having Batesy around has been key to that really. We gel really well and if I have something that’s slightly off, he’ll know what it is.”That relationship is really important for me and I’m just going to keep trying to improve. The standard of wicketkeeping across the country is pretty good now. It’s great to see, throughout the regions and the Hundred, the girls doing so well.”