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Also, why did RCB hold Washington Sundar’s offspin back on a slow Chennai track?

Sidharth Monga09-Apr-20211:44

Daniel Vettori: No. 5 pretty low for a player of AB de Villiers’ ability

Why did Washington Sundar not bowl early on?
It’s a slow, low surface, and offspinner Washington Sundar is at Chepauk, his home ground, where he has played most of his cricket, but he hasn’t been used in the first 12 overs of the 2021 IPL opener. The most obvious reasons for this might be all the right-hand batsmen at the top of Mumbai Indians’ batting order. However, there is another trend at play here.Sundar came to prominence with his superb restrictive performances with the ball in the powerplay for Rising Pune Supergiant. Then he joined Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2018 where he is not looked at as that new-ball specialist. So 2017 remains the only IPL in which he bowled more overs in the powerplay than in the middle overs.Protecting fingerspinners against right-hand batsmen makes sense, but if there is an offspinner you would back against right-hand batsmen, it is Sundar. Before he bowled the 13th over in this match, in all IPL cricket, he had a better average against right-hand batsmen than left (26.4 as against 39.22) and only a slightly worse economy rate (6.9 as against 6.83). Sure enough he took out the threatening Chris Lynn, a right-hand batsman, on 49.How the 20th over of Mumbai’s innings, bowled by Harshal Patel, went•ESPNcricinfo LtdHow did Harshal Patel outdo the Mumbai Indians hitting machinery?
Harshal Patel’s five-for was the first five-wicket haul against Mumbai Indians in all IPLs. More important than that, his bowling at the death kept Mumbai to just 25 off the last four overs, their lowest in this period since 2016. Harshal took the wickets of the designated death-overs hitters, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard and Krunal Pandya, to go with Ishan Kishan, in his last three overs.Two things happened, which both had to do with the pitch in all likelihood. The ball reversed for him, and it gripped the surface too. It was probably down to a dry track. It was expected that the bowlers would go for slower balls into the surface to use both the surface and the dimensions of the ground, but the little bit of tail made Harshal even more dangerous. The Royal Challengers bowled 23 slower balls in the last five overs, which accounted for four wickets and just 29 runs.Why no Jasprit Bumrah against Glenn Maxwell?
Rohit Sharma and Mumbai Indians are big on match-ups. And here was an obvious match-up if ever there was one: Japsrit Bumrah had taken Glenn Maxwell out six times in 58 balls in T20 cricket for just 67 runs before this. Sharma usually brings Bumrah on as soon as Maxwell comes out to bat, but not on this occasion. By the time Bumrah came on to bowl to him, in the 13th over, Maxwell had scored 34 off 21, including his first six in the IPL in his last 172 balls.It is highly unlikely Sharma was not aware of the match-up. Was he trying to save Bumrah for AB de Villiers? Or did he think a slightly older ball would provide Bumrah’s slower balls more grip?It was a long wait for a Maxwell IPL six, but tonight was the night•ESPNcricinfo LtdTrent Boult or Marco Jansen, who should have bowled the 18th over of the chase?
Or should it have been Kieron Pollard?Related

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Staying with match-ups, Mumbai played themselves into an unfavourable one. Three overs to go, 34 to get, Bumrah to bowl the 19th, and two specialist bowlers to pick from either side of that. One of them a debutant, Marco Jansen, the other a veteran, Trent Boult. However, Boult to de Villiers in the IPL has not even been a contest: 16 balls, 41 runs, three sixes, four fours.You could see why Mumbai might have wanted to protect Jansen a little, though. Hope to bowl two really good overs and give him over 15 to defend in the last over. de Villiers, though, got stuck into Boult and changed his numbers to 55 off 21 balls from Boult in the IPL. The Royal Challengers now needed just 19 off the last two.Given Jansen’s lack of experience, Sharma’s hand was perhaps forced, but he did have another option: Pollard, who has bowled 33 balls to de Villiers for 33 runs and has got him out four times. Now we don’t know if Pollard is bowling-fit or not, but Sharma has tended to use him sparingly as a bowler in the past. With Hardik Pandya underarming throws from the deep on the night, Mumbai might want to look at Pollard as the sixth bowling option. Preferably not in the 18th over, though.

Over a month after Rafael Devers was traded from the Red Sox to the Giants—in part because he was unwilling to step in at first base—he will now make his debut at first for San Francisco, per Shayna Rubin of .

Before Devers was surprisingly traded to the Giants this season, he was a long-time third baseman for the Red Sox. His position was challenged during spring training when the Red Sox signed Alex Bregman and decided to play him at third base instead. This upset Devers, but he eventually agreed to serve as the team's designated hitter before Opening Day.

In May, Devers was asked to play first base following an injury to first baseman Triston Casas, but Devers refused. When Devers got traded to the Giants a month later, he notably said he was willing to play whatever position the team asked of him. Now, Devers will officially try out first base in Tuesday's game against the Atlanta Braves.

Devers did explain last month after the trade that he did not want to play first base for the Red Sox because he felt he had earned respect for his play with the team, and the request was made in the middle of the season. He maintains that if Boston asked during spring training, he would have been willing to play first base.

"I would say that I had some good numbers over at Boston, and I think that I do feel that I have earned some respect," Devers said in June. "If they would had asked me at the beginning of spring training, yes I would have."

When Devers arrived in San Francisco, the Giants brass spoke to him at the beginning about playing first base. They also did not rush him, and gave him over a month to learn the position and be the team's designated hitter in the meantime. That transparency and time to prepare appear to have been key for Devers now being open to playing first base for the Giants.

When defending a Premier League title, it is important to ensure you make signings of outstanding quality.

Liverpool did that, didn’t they? A record-breaking summer spending spree consolidated FSG’s new era, with Arne Slot at the helm. The league title was in the bank, and players like Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike arrived with a weight of expectation, regarded as elite talents.

Isak, in particular, was a banker, having been hailed by Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher as “the best striker in the Premier League right now” as Newcastle United rode the crest of a wave through last season’s winter period.

But, having forced his way out of St. James’ Park this summer, missing out on pre-season, the Sweden striker has found himself on a sticky wicket, lacking sharpness and coherence. Across 752 minutes of action this season, Isak has scored just two goals.

Better days will surely come for this world-class player. And it’s not like he’s alone in flattering to deceive, with Ibrahima Konate and Cody Gakpo among those to have put their jobs at risk with such poor performances.

The Liverpool players whose jobs are at risk

First, let’s address the elephant in the room: Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian’s incendiary interview after the recent Premier League draw at Elland Road has cast his Reds future into jeopardy, the 33-year-old having been left out of three successive starting line-ups before being dropped ahead of the win over Inter.

Salah has been poor this season, ineffective in front of goal and lacking work-rate in regard to pressing and defending. The intensity hasn’t been there, but Salah’s struggles have been a part of a wider malaise.

When he aired his frustrations, the Egypt superstar might have been referencing someone like Gakpo, who has reprised his starting berth regularly this term despite struggling for fluency and dynamism down the left flank. Liverpool need a more protean threat, for sure.

Konate may have been the worst of the bunch. Certainly, the France centre-back has been riddled with mistakes, lacking any semblance of the powerhouse of last season. He is out of contract at the end of the season, but FSG plan to renew his deal.

These are players who have not done their reputations justice this season, and many of a Liverpool persuasion would press for upgrades after such a wretched campaign.

However, there’s another man who has been in finer fettle than the lot, and yet he may need to be sold too, given Slot’s reluctance to hand him minutes.

FSG could sell Liverpool's "Origi regen"

Last season, Federico Chiesa flattered to deceive at Liverpool. The Italy international arrived in August 2024 as the sole summer signing of Slot’s first transfer window, a cut-price buy of just £12.5m as he entered the final year of his contract with Juventus.

Chiesa had to wait until the title was wrapped up before he earned a starting berth in the Premier League, and while Slot has yet to hand the 27-year-old an appearance from the outset in the Premier League and Champions League this season, Chiesa has redeemed himself with some impressive performances.

An intense and direct forward, the Italian scored the late winner against Bournemouth in August, sealing three points on the first game of the Premier League season. He bagged again against Crystal Palace in September, a consolation in defeat, while assisting twice against Southampton in the Carabao Cup.

This kind of potency has even seen the versatile forward hailed as a “Divock Origi regen” by reporter Lewis Oldham for his clutch quality in the final third, popping up when teammates around him were foundering.

The problem: Slot clearly doesn’t favour Chiesa as a prominent member of the squad. And we have to believe that Liverpool will turn a corner sooner rather than later, challenging again for silverware, rather than scraping the gutter for points.

Hugo Ekitike

22

8 + 1

Mohamed Salah

19

5 + 3

Cody Gakpo

21

5 + 4

Federico Chiesa

15

2 + 3

Alexander Isak

14

2 + 1

Florian Wirtz

20

0 + 4

Rio Ngumoha

7

1 + 0

Would Chiesa fit into grand plans of greater ambition? Could the plain truth be that we saw how that transpired last year?

Given that he earns £150k per week, more than most of his teammates, FSG may feel that they are not getting bang for their buck, and that they need to invest in a wide forward better aligned with Slot’s vision.

For this reason, it might be worth cashing in while Liverpool can still recoup something of their shrewd, low-risk investment.

As pointless as Chiesa: Liverpool flop belongs in the Rodgers era

Liverpool’s transfer dealings have a Brendan Rodgers feel about them right now…

1 ByRobbie Walls 5 days ago

The defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers are not an easy outing for any pitcher, no matter how good. The Dodgers, rolling back many of their key bats from 2024, made relatively easy work of the National League playoff field and the American League champion New York Yankees to hoist the trophy to put a capper on last season.

Paul Skenes drew the Dodgers assignment on Friday and was up to the challenge, shutting their bats out through six and a third innings. It was not all easy, including one thorny Shohei Ohtani at-bat that could have changed the game had Skenes not locked in and thrown his best stuff.

Skenes seemed to relish the challenge, speaking highly of the battle after the game with the media.

"This is where baseball gets really fun, I think, to find different ways to get them out," Skenes said, H/T Alden Gonzalez of ESPN. "Ohtani saw all my pitches today. Freddie [Freeman], I think, saw all my pitches today. They've all seen all my pitches. I'm not hiding anything from them, and they're not hiding anything from me."

Baseball at its purest. No deception or flair, just all-out skill vs. skill.

Through six starts, Skenes has a record of 3-2 with a 2.39 ERA. The Pirates currently occupy the last spot in the NL Central, six games back. Fans have expressed their displeasure with the franchise's seeming reluctance to build around Skenes, showering "sell the team" chants aimed at ownership since the first home game of the season.

Stumps An extraordinary series will head into its 25th day on Monday, with its outcome still undecided. Powered by sparkling hundreds from Harry Brook and Joe Root, England were cruising towards a target of 374 without breaking sweat. But Prasidh Krishna kept India’s hopes alive with two wickets in nine balls, before bad light first and then heavy rain sent a fifth Test out of five into a fifth day.The equation is tantalising. England only need 35 more runs with four wickets in hand. But one of those, Chris Woakes, has his arm in a sling following a shoulder injury; he is expected to bat – as last man – if required. A new ball is available to India in 3.4 overs, and their seamers will return rested and refreshed after an exhausting workload on Sunday.Related

• Siraj goes on and on and on, tired but undeterred

• Root: Heavy roller on day five could be an 'advantage' for England

• Brook's distorted reality brings England's dream into focus

• Root says shoulder injury won't prevent Woakes from batting

• Stats – Root overtakes Ponting, Kallis and Jayawardene for most tons at home

It will be a fitting end to a brilliant, brutal Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series, which has provided a gruelling test of players’ physical and mental resilience. England’s 2-1 series lead has been founded on a successful chase of 371 in Leeds, and defence of 193 at Lord’s; India have put them under sustained pressure, but need one final push on Monday morning if they are to head home with a drawn series.India came out firing on Sunday, their close fielders noticeably more vocal than at any other point in the match, and backing up their seamers. After Mohammed Siraj’s yorker accounted for Zak Crawley on the third evening, it was Prasidh who struck first on day four, having Ben Duckett caught at second slip for a characteristically punchy 54.Siraj, the only fast bowler standing on either side after playing all five Tests, struck again before lunch to leave England reeling at 106 for 3. For the second time in the match – and third time in the series – he pinned Ollie Pope lbw with a nip-backer, as Pope’s head fell over to the off side; Pope’s 27 took his series aggregate to 304 runs at 34, tailing off since his first-innings hundred at Headingley.2:51

What triggered India’s fightback in the final session?

But Siraj’s next involvement swung the pendulum back towards England. Brook, on 19, sensed his moment to counterattack, pulling Akash Deep for four and then launching him over extra cover for six. He decided to take on Prasidh, too, only to pick out Siraj on the long-leg boundary. Siraj took the catch, then stepped right on the advertising toblerone as he regained his balance. Prasidh had already started to celebrate, and Siraj stood in utter disbelief after his error.It gave Brook a life, and prompted him to double-down on his approach, cracking two more boundaries to take 16 runs off the over. By lunch, Brook had added 58 with Root in just 10.3 overs, and picked up from where he left off with a brace of boundaries off the unfortunate Prasidh.When the field spread in a bid to stem the flow of runs, Brook and Root rotated the strike effortlessly. They targeted the spinners, forcing Shubman Gill to bring back his seamers, and India’s afternoon was encapsulated by the exhausted Akash Deep, who stuck out his boot to try and stop the ball only to divert it into the boundary, taking Brook to 98.1:44

Bangar: India could have bowled straighter to Root

Brook punched the air and swiped his bat as he ran towards the dressing room after reaching three figures in only 91 balls. It was an audacious, adrenaline-fuelled effort, his first hundred in the fourth innings, and his tenth overall in only 50 Test innings.Brook has played other incredible innings – 317 in Multan and 186 in Wellington – but the context made this one his best yet.Brook’s dismissal was in keeping with the rest of his innings, his bat slipping out of his hands, and the ball skewing up to mid-off as he attempted to hit Akash Deep for a third consecutive boundary. But Root, after surviving an lbw review on 88, continued in his bubble to keep England in complete control, needing only 57 more to win at tea.2:11

Bangar: Mohammed Siraj will fancy the new ball

Root reached his hundred – his 39th – soon after, flicking off his pads for two, and celebrated with an emotional tribute to his mentor Graham Thorpe. He pulled out and wore one of the white headbands that were sold at The Oval on Friday in celebration of Thorpe’s life, raising over £150,000 for mental-health charities, and pointed to the skies in his memory.But there was a late twist to come. Jacob Bethell had only faced 85 balls in competitive cricket between the start of this series and the fifth Test, and batted like a man short on rhythm. He played two scoring shots in 31 balls before charging down and inside-edging Prasidh on to his stumps; India hardly celebrated, knowing Root’s was the wicket they needed.It came two overs later, and brought the Indian fans at The Oval back to life. Prasidh delivered again, finding a hint of seam movement with the old ball to have Root fiddling a catch behind. As the clouds rolled in, the scoring dried up completely: Jamie Smith and Jamie Overton added two runs between them in 20 balls, as Siraj charged in for a 22nd over of the day.India appealed half-heartedly for caught behind late in the day, prompting an umpire review for bump ball, which lasted long enough for the light to have deteriorated enough. No sooner had the players gone off that the skies opened, and a short downpour was deemed heavy enough to call stumps. With the series on the line, both teams must dig deep for one last session.

They have a chance to win the T20I series, while SL will look for amends after being bowled out for 94

Mohammad Isam15-Jul-2025

Bangladesh levelled the series with a big win in Dambulla•Associated Press

Big Picture: Sri Lanka out to stop Bangladesh’s comebackBangladesh have twice levelled with Sri Lanka on the white-ball leg of this tour. They failed to keep the momentum in the ODI series after winning the second game, and crashed in the third encounter by nearly 100 runs. Bangladesh have now set up the T20I series similarly, by winning the second game to make it 1-1. Now’s the chance to make amends.Bangladesh’s 83-run win against Sri Lanka in the last game was only their second T20I victory in eight games in 2025. But they did get a good idea of their best approach in the format: a team-wide performance rather than bank on individual brilliance. In a team lacking superstars in any format, they have to build a unit with several performers.Litton Das returning to form will certainly encourage the team. The Bangladesh T20I captain struck 76 off 50, his first half-century after 13 innings. The numbers might suggest he played an anchor role but he was attacking in both partnerships with Towhid Hridoy and Shamim Hossain. Bangladesh will look for a similar approach, with at least two or three sizeable partnerships, and a big finish to their batting innings.Related

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The action now returns to the R Premadasa Stadium where in the night games the pitch currently has a batting-first score similar to that of the Shere Bangla National Stadium. Bangladesh wouldn’t mind the familiarity.Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have to bounce back from getting bowled out for 94, their lowest T20I total at home. They could take a leaf out of their ODI series playbook when they lost the second game, but then roared back with a victory. For that to happen, they would need their top order to step up again, the way Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka set up their first T20I win.Captain Charith Asalanka has to also ensure his XI is balanced and not too lopsided with bowling options. He would also expect runs from Kusal Perera and Avishka Fernando, while the likes of Dasun Shanaka and Chamika Karunaratne have to contribute with the bat. Asalanka has been missing Wanindu Hasaranga, as legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay hasn’t quite delivered in the series so far.Bangladesh’s spinners, though, will keep posing a challenge. Rishad Hossain had a three-wicket haul after a seven-month gap in T20Is. It is shaping up to be a climactic tour finale for both Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.Form guideSri Lanka LWWLL (Last five completed T20Is, the most recent first)
Bangladesh WLLLLKusal Mendis has been in fine form across formats against Bangladesh•AFP/Getty Images

In the spotlight: Kusal Mendis and Towhid HridoyKusal Mendis has been Sri Lanka’s standout performer in the last four weeks across formats. The most admirable part of his batting has been his pacing in each format. He tore into Bangladesh’s attack in the first T20I in Pallekele, making light work of the 155 target. His 8 in the second game therefore came as a surprise, particularly when he was run-out running languidly. Kusal has the opportunity to sign off on this tour emphatically.Towhid Hridoy made just 31 in Bangladesh’s win in Dambulla but he provided crucial support to Litton in their third-wicket stand. Hridoy has a middle-order role that requires him to bat in different gears, similar to Mushfiqur Rahim’s for much of his white-ball career. Hridoy is therefore filling into big shoes, while also growing as a cricketer. Increasingly, opposition bowling attacks are taking him seriously enough to look for holes in his batting. Hridoy has all the shots in the game, though sometimes his choice and timing of those shots get him into trouble.Team news: Sri Lanka may need batting depthSri Lanka could bring in Dunith Wellalage in place of Chamika Karunaratne, while Avishka Fernando’s place is under the scanner.Sri Lanka (probable XI): 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kusal Mendis (wk), 3 Kusal Perera 4 Avishka Fernando, 5 Charith Asalanka (capt), 6 Dasun Shanaka, 7 Chamika Karunaratne/Dunith Wellalage, 8 Maheesh Theekshana, 9 Jeffrey Vandersay, 10 Binura Fernando, 11 Nuwan ThusharaLitton Das finding form will encourage Bangladesh•AFP/Getty Images

Bangladesh are likely to go with the same team that helped them level the series.Bangladesh (probable XI): 1 Parvez Hossain Emon, 2 Tanzid Hasan, 3 Litton Das (capt, wk), 4 Towhid Hridoy, 5 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 6 Shamim Hossain, 7 Jaker Ali, 8 Mohammad Saifuddin, 9 Rishad Hossain, 10 Shoriful Islam, 11 Mustafizur RahmanPitch and conditions: Bowling first a no-brainerThe side batting first in night matches has lost nine out of the last ten T20Is at the R Premadasa Stadium. The average batting first score in these ten matches has been 125 runs, much lower than Pallekele and Dambulla where the first two T20Is were played. There are forecasts of some rain in the evening too.Stats and trivia: Good omens for Bangladesh Sri Lanka’s 94 all out against Bangladesh is their lowest T20I total at home. The previous lowest was 99 against Pakistan in Hambantota in 2012. Bangladesh snapped a six-match losing streak with their 83-run win in Dambulla. This was their sixth losing streak of six T20Is or more. The R Premadasa Stadium is among Bangladesh’s favourite overseas venues in T20Is, having won three out of seven matches there.

Ousmane Dembele couldn’t hold back his emotions as he thanked his family after winning the 2025 Ballon d’Or. His story is one of resilience. A star boy who threatened to end in failure, surrounded by injury struggles and a Barcelona move which simply never clicked. But ultimately a player who now sits atop football’s throne after undergoing his very own remontada at Paris Saint-Germain.

For all the opinions about those who missed out on the award, it should not take away from the Frenchman’s own story. No one could have foreseen the genius of Luis Enrique’s new false nine other than the PSG boss himself. Dembele became reborn. A player who simply did not score enough became a player who could not stop doing so.

By the time the final whistle sounded in PSG’s 5-0 thrashing of Inter Milan in the Champions League final, Dembele had scored 35 goals and assisted another 16 in all competitions, with seven of those contributions coming in the knockout stage of Europe’s elite competition. There aren’t many who enjoyed a better season than the former Barcelona man. France Football believes that not a single player did, in fact.

Ballon d'Or 2025 Final Rankings

Where did the 30 nominees finish?

ByCharlie Smith Sep 23, 2025

Lamine Yamal was forced to settle for second place. He’s the star boy that Dembele was and so much more, but he’s been forced to wait before his potential era of dominance commences. Vitinha, meanwhile, surprised many by placing third. The classy midfielder played a key role alongside Dembele in PSG’s treble last season and has earned his place among the world’s best from Wolverhampton Wanderers failure years prior.

And then there’s Mohamed Salah in fourth. Yes, fourth. The Egyptian, who missed out on nomination altogether last season, failed to even make the podium following a year that many believe was worthy of winning the award itself.

Why Salah was robbed of the Ballon d'Or

There aren’t many players who enjoyed a better season than Dembele, as mentioned, but Salah did. The Egyptian created history in the Premier League with more goal involvements than any other player in the history of a 38-game season and even matched the record set by Alan Shearer, who needed 42 games. Simply put, he was unstoppable.

Appearances

52

53

Goals

34

35

Assists

23

16

The Ballon d’Or’s social media revealed the criteria for winning the award before the ceremony, stating that individual performances, decisive and impressive character, team performances and achievements, class and fair play would decide the rankings.

Based on the above metrics, it feels absurd that Salah finished outside the top three. The only player close to matching him was indeed Dembele, who deserved to be neck and neck with the Egyptian, not miles beyond him.

Where Salah lost Ballon d'Or votes

Ultimately, Salah will look back on Liverpool vs PSG as the turning point for the Ballon d’Or. Once again, rightly or wrongly, the Champions League took precedence over anything else in the minds of France Football. One penalty shootout between two of the world’s best, who just happened to meet in the last 16, arguably played a large part in Dembele’s eventual victory and Salah’s snub.

That’s where the award is slightly flawed. It’s human nature to lean towards recency, but those voting for the Ballon d’Or winner simply must consider the season as a whole rather than the final months before the ceremony. Salah was strolling towards his throne in the first-half of the campaign, having recorded 30 goal involvements in the Premier League by the time that January arrived.

Dembele, meanwhile, was yet to get going. The forward had recorded 13 league goal involvements and had found the back of the net just eight times. It was far from Ballon d’Or-worthy. We now know, of course, that Enrique’s genius soon played a part and the Frenchman’s best was unlocked, but it was Salah who looked on course for the famous award.

By no means did the Liverpool man bring his form to a sudden halt, either – adding 17 more goal involvements to his name before the Premier League campaign came to an end. Alas, somewhere along the way, the glimmer of PSG’s Champions League trophy blinded France Football to the history that Salah had created.

For now, Liverpool’s Egyptian King is forced to wait for his crowing moment on football’s biggest stage. Whether his time will come at all is now the big question. If that does not arrive, then Salah will no doubt join the likes of Andres Iniesta and Thierry Henry as one of the greatest players to somehow miss out on the award.

The offspinner has signed for four Championship games in June and July

Alex Malcolm12-Jun-2025Offspinner Todd Murphy will become the third Australian Test player to play for Gloucestershire this season after signing a four-game County Championship stint through June and July.Murphy, 24, will play under Cameron Bancroft, following on from Cameron Green’s successful five-game stint before the T20 Blast break. Murphy was set to play for Australia A in a series of 50-over and four-day matches against Sri Lanka A in July but has prioritised taking a county offer to play for Gloucestershire with the blessing of Australia’s selectors.Murphy has not played in the County Championship before but has earned two of his seven Tests in England. He was set to play for Durham in 2023 ahead of the Ashes that year but was unable to fulfill the deal. He featured in the Headingley and Oval Tests in the Ashes series but has only played one Test since, as one of three spinners in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle earlier this year.Australia’s incumbent offspinner Nathan Lyon has vowed to play through until the 2027 Ashes but will be 39 when that series starts. Murphy is one of a handful of candidates alongside left-arm orthodox spinner Matthew Kuhnemann and Western Australian offspinner Corey Rocchiccioli to succeed Lyon as Australia’s No.1 spinner long-term and a four-game stint in England will do his development no harm although the four matches he will play will be with the Kookaburra ball.”I am really pleased to have signed with Gloucestershire,” Murphy said. “I’ve always wanted to play county cricket in England, and I am thankful that Gloucestershire has given me this opportunity.”Gloucestershire coach Mark Alleyne was pleased to sign a Test spinner for a four-game stint.”I’m really excited for the arrival of Todd, who will be joining a group in fine Championship fettle,” he said. “He is a spin bowler with brilliant pedigree and experience on the international stage and will complement our bowling group really well over the next four Championship games.”These matches will be played with a Kookaburra ball which he is really familiar with, and the fans will enjoy his tenacious offering.”

Newcastle United’s summer business underlined just how far the club has come since the takeover and how much further they still want to go.

It was a window marked by frustration, last-minute deals and big-money moves.

The Magpies were forced to bide their time as a string of forward targets slipped away, with Liam Delap, Hugo Ekitike, Joao Pedro and Benjamin Sesko all proving elusive.

Persistent interest in Wolves’ Jorgen Strand Larsen and Brentford’s Yoane Wissa also seemed destined to end in disappointment.

Yet as the window drew to a close, Newcastle’s hierarchy finally pulled the trigger.

Stuttgart striker Nick Woltemade arrived in a £69m deal, paving the way for Alexander Isak’s record-breaking £125m switch to Premier League Champions Liverpool on deadline day.

Wissa’s determination to join also paid off, with a £55m agreement finalised as the player drove through the night to force the transfer.

Early results, however, have been mixed. A goalless draw with Aston Villa, a 3-2 home defeat to Liverpool and another 0-0 against Leeds have highlighted Newcastle’s need for attacking fluency.

Wolves at St James’ Park and a glamour Champions League tie against Barcelona await after the international break – fixtures that will test Howe’s new-look group immediately.

Nick Woltemade: Newcastle’s headline addition

At 23 years old and standing at 1.98m, Nick Woltemade is the archetypal modern target man.

Tall, technically secure, and more mobile than his frame suggests.

His 12 goals in 28 Bundesliga games for Stuttgart last season marked him out as one of Europe’s most exciting young forwards, and it was no surprise that Bayern Munich had three bids rejected earlier in the summer.

Persuaded by direct conversations with Howe, Woltemade chose Newcastle as the platform for the next stage of his career.

The Germany international already has four senior caps to his name and impressed at the U21 European Championships this summer.

Most recently, he showcased his playmaking instincts with an assist in Germany’s 3-1 win over Northern Ireland.

A closer look at his data from 2024/25 paints a picture of a well-rounded striker.

Matches Played

28

Goals

12

Assists

2

Progressive Carries

31

Progressive Passes

52

Across 28 appearances, Woltemade was involved in 14 goals, with a shot-on-target percentage of 50%.

He averages 1.28 shots on target per 90 and creates 4.38 shot-creating actions in the same span, evidence of his ability to contribute beyond finishing.

His 2.89 progressive passes and 1.72 progressive carries per 90 show a player comfortable linking play, while 26.1 carries per 90 underline his willingness to drive the ball forward.

Even defensively, Woltemade has shown application, recording 0.56 tackles and 1.28 blocks per 90.

For a Newcastle side that often struggles to break down low blocks, his mix of aerial presence, movement and creativity looks like the perfect tool.

That being said, perhaps Newcastle have a gem in their ranks who could surpass the big German.

The hidden Newcastle gem with superstar potential

While Woltemade is already making headlines, Newcastle may have secured an even greater long-term prize in the form of Vakhtang Salia.

The 18-year-old Georgian striker joined on a five-year deal this summer and is expected to be a key figure in the U21 squad this season.

He arrives from Dinamo Tbilisi, where he registered eight goals and four assists in 57 senior appearances.

Modest numbers on paper, but performances that convinced scouts from across Europe.

Salia has already attracted admiration from giants including Real Madrid, Barcelona, PSG and Bayern Munich, while both Arsenal and Manchester City explored a deal.

In the words of journalist Graeme Bailey he is regarded as “one of the best teenage prospects in the world,” a label that has earned comparisons to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

What makes Salia so intriguing is his potential. At a market value of just €800k (£600k), Newcastle have invested in a player who could grow into a genuine superstar.

His performances at youth international level for Georgia have already caught the eye, and he has shown maturity beyond his years in leading the line against more experienced defenders in the Georgian league.

For Howe, Salia represents an opportunity. The club must carefully manage his development, ensuring he does not suffer the setbacks that have stalled other highly-touted prospects.

If handled correctly, though, Newcastle may find themselves with a striker capable of eclipsing Woltemade.

PIF have already signed Newcastle's new Elliot Anderson and he's "terrific"

Eddie Howe will hope he has his own Elliot Anderson now at Newcastle United in this terrific talent.

ByKelan Sarson Sep 8, 2025

Allen and Shakeel set the platform with flying fifties before Abrar’s four-for sealed the deal

Danyal Rasool12-Apr-2025Quetta Gladiators swept Peshawar Zalmi aside, railroading them by 80 runs to get off the perfect start in the tenth edition of the PSL.The win was set up by an imperious batting performance, with Finn Allen’s whirlwind 25-ball 53 setting the tone for the rest of the innings. Saud Shakeel’s own brisk half-century in Allen’s slipstream got Gladiators off to a flyer in the powerplay. Hasan Nawaz, Rilee Rossouw and Kusal Mendis ensured there was no let-up as they set Zalmi 217 to win.Zalmi’s response never threatened to insert jeopardy into the game despite a 38-ball half-century from Saim Ayub on his return. Abrar Ahmed ran riot through the middle and lower order with four wickets as Zalmi lost six for 24 runs, with only an entertaining cameo from Australian Mitchell Owen sparing them an even bigger defeat.Zalmi had won the toss and opted to chase, but that immediately pitted their weakest skillset against Gladiators’ strongest. Ayub opened the bowling and went for 11, but that was almost economical in comparison to what happened to Zalmi’s specialists. Alzarri Joseph and Mohammad Ali were flayed by Shakeel and Finn Allen as 65 came in the powerplay. When Zalmi’s trump card Sufiyan Muqeem was called up, Allen smashed him for three sixes and a four off his first four balls, and even though Muqeem dismissed Allen off the over’s final ball, the damage had been done.Mohammad Amir dismissed Babar Azam for a duck•PSLNawaz and Rossouw kept the momentum of the powerplay up through the middle overs, with emerging quick Ali Raza the only one to stem the flow of runs. However, Zalmi couldn’t find the penetration to blast their way through the upper middle order into a less explosive lower order and a potentially long tail. Shakeel and Nawaz’s departure only heralded the arrival of Mendis, whose destructive cameo – an unbeaten 35 off 14 – came as part of a rapid partnership with Rossouw, which brought 58 runs off the innings’ final 23 balls.Zalmi had never chased a total this big, and when Babar Azam chipped Mohammad Amir to short extra cover for a second-ball duck, it didn’t look likely to change. Mohammad Haris and Ayub came together – perhaps the two best positioned to bat through a Zalmi powerplay. A few boundaries in a cameo of a partnership sent them on their way, but when Abrar latched onto a shot from Haris off his own bowling in the fourth over, it was followed up by a two-ball duck from Tom Kohler-Cadmore, and the tide turned irreversibly.Hussain Talat resisted alongside Ayub as Zalmi worked frantically to keep their head above water, but with the asking rate approaching 14, even their best efforts saw their side chasing shadows. High-risk cricket was unavoidable, and a reverse sweep from Talat brought about his downfall. That opened the floodgates. Max Bryant clipped Usman Tariq back to the bowler the very next delivery, and a back-of-the-hand slower ball from Kyle Jamieson sent Ayub on his way soon after he reached his half-century.Abrar returned to run through the lower order, and though Owen offered Zalmi some encouragement for death hitting in the remainder of their campaign, smashing four sixes in a 13-ball 31, it was short-lived. Amir returned to draw a top edge from the Australian, with Mendis getting underneath it sharply with the gloves. It was a clinical, professional end to a game where Gladiators had been exactly that.