Also, what does the Luck Index say about RCB’s chances of winning of their lost Free Hit?

ESPNcricinfo stats team28-Mar-2019With 41 to get in four overs, and with two overs of Jasprit Bumrah left and AB de Villiers at the crease, it was clearly going to be a battle between those two giants. Essentially, de Villiers needed to undo all the damage in the 18th and 20th that Bumrah was likely to do in the 17th and 19th. As it turned out, Bumrah outdid de Villiers, and Mumbai Indians scraped past Royal Challengers Bangalore.ESPNcricinfo LtdBumrah’s Smart Stats numbers show just how outstanding he was today. His conventional bowling figures were 3 for 20 in four overs, but according to his smart bowling figures, he conceded just two runs and took 3.4 wickets.That is because Bumrah bowled the tough overs – the 17th and the 19th – and conceded just six runs (including a leg bye) in those overs. And that was despite a harsh wide call in the 19th. Of those 12 balls, he bowled four to de Villiers, and conceded just two runs off those four balls. Bumrah’s smart runs conceded takes into account the pressure the team was under when he bowled those overs, and the quality of the batsmen he bowled to.In fact, the win probabilities for Royal Challengers in the last four overs clearly illustrates Bumrah’s impact on the game. After the 16th over, which went for 20, their win probability had soared to 59%. From there, it plummeted to 26% as Bumrah conceded one run and dismissed Shimron Hetmeyer in the 17th. De Villiers lifted the win probability back up to 58% after the 18th, taking 18 runs off Hardik Pandya. Bumrah, though, brought it back down to 14% after a brilliant 19th, which went for only five.1:23

Felt like Stuart Broad after Yuvraj hit me for three sixes – Chahal

The drop that almost cost Mumbai IndiansYou don’t drop AB de Villiers. Especially before he’s played himself in. Actually, there’s never a good time to drop him. He will make it count more often than not. And that’s what happened in this game. Well, almost.According to ESPNcricinfo’s Luck Index, which puts a quantitative value on every lucky event in a game, de Villiers’ drop cost Mumbai Indians 19 runs. The Luck Index algorithm estimates that the other Royal Challenger’s Bangalore batsmen to follow de Villiers would’ve scored 51 runs off the 40 balls that he faced after getting dropped.The impact of the drop by Yuvraj Singh would’ve been much larger had de Villiers not ran into Bumrah and Lasith Malinga in the final two overs. He could manage only three runs off the five balls that he faced in the last two overs of the chase. De Villiers’ innings was still worth its weight in gold: As per ESPNcricinfo’s Smart Stats, de Villiers’ 70 were worth 85 smart runs, at a smart strike rate of 207.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe no-ball dramaHow many runs would AB de Villiers have scored off the Free Hit that should have happened had S Ravi spotted that Lasith Malinga had overstepped off the final ball? Luck Index shows that the average runs gained off a no-ball is 3.15 (one run for the no-ball and 2.15 off the Free Hit). That is based on the historical average runs scored off all Free Hits in the last three years.In the IPL, chances of a batsman hitting a free-hit ball for a six, or hitting the last ball of a chase with at least five required to tie or win is only about one in 13. But de Villiers obviously isn’t your average batsman, so what about his stats? His Free Hit numbers in all T20 cricket are as follows: in 10 Free Hits that he has faced (in matches for which ESPNcricinfo has ball-by-ball data), de Villiers has scored 28 runs. That includes three sixes and a four, but also six singles. That suggests a 30% chance of a six, which is what Royal Challengers would have needed to win. Also, in seven previous balls from Malinga in the match, de Villiers had hit three sixes, though in the final over itself he only managed two singles from two balls.Clearly, the game could have gone either way, but Ravi’s error denied de Villiers the opportunity to even attempt the last-ball glory.

Eight memorable last-over heists from one of the best T20 finishers

Deivarayan Muthu30-Apr-2019Kings XI Punjab v Chennai Super Kings, Dharamsala, IPL 2010
Last over target: 16
game where Dhoni became Chennai’s . The target was 193. Suresh Raina (46) and S Badrinath (53) had kept Super Kings afloat in the chase. Back-to-back boundaries from Dhoni against Rusty Theron in the penultimate over reduced the margin to 16 off the last over. The semi-final spot was on the line.After jabbing a near yorker from Irfan Pathan for four and taking a double off the first two balls, Dhoni sat deep in the crease, fetched a full ball from outside off and smoked it over the long-on boundary. He produced an encore next ball, sending it into the crowd beyond long-on, and then – in a rare show of emotion – punched himself in the jaw like a boxer.Australia v India, Adelaide, Commonwealth Bank Series 2012
Last over target: 13
Nearly a year after playing starring roles in India’s World Cup triumph in Mumbai, Gautam Gambhir and Dhoni were at it again, this time in Adelaide. Gambhir set the base with 92 before Dhoni teased Australia till the last over and launched from there. Victory seemed less than likely for India when R Ashwin jumped across off, swung for the hills, and missed the first ball of the last over. He tugged the second ball for a single. With India needing 12 off four balls, Dhoni Dhoni-ed Clint McKay for a 112-metre six over wide long-on. A nervy McKay then lost his length, and his head, and sent down a beamer that was caught at deep square-leg, but Dhoni hared across for a double. He pulled three off the fourth ball – the third legal ball – to seal the chase.Chennai Super Kings v Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai, IPL 2013
Last over target: 15
Block. Block. Block. Block. Play and a miss. Bottom-edge to the keeper. Get dropped next ball. That’s how Dhoni’s first seven balls played out. He then took Ishant Sharma, Darren Sammy and Dale Steyn for boundaries, but Dwayne Bravo (7 off 16 balls) and Ravindra Jadeja (1 off 4 balls) still left Super Kings needing 15 off the final over. Surprisingly, Sunrisers Hyderabad’ captain Cameron White called up medium-pacer Ashish Reddy to bowl the last over of the match, which was also the bowler’s first over of the match. The first ball was a wide and the second was a dot, but then Dhoni went 6, 4, 4 to close out the match with two balls to spare.India v Sri Lanka, Port of Spain, Tri-Nation Series 2013
Last over target: 15
The Queen’s Park Oval pitch for the tri-series final between India and Sri Lanka had everything for the bowlers: swing, seam, spin and even uneven bounce. Shaminda Eranga had cut through India’s top order, Rangana Herath took care of the middle order, but Dhoni was simply doing his thing: he sat back and hung in for the final-over salvo. He was injured and struggling to run between the wickets, so he had to do it with boundaries. He called for his heavy bat before the last over. Eranga ran in. Dhoni did not connect with the first ball, but you knew it was coming. The next ball was full and wide and Dhoni connected this time, sending it sailing into the media box over the straight boundary. The third and fourth balls were carved away for four and six respectively as Dhoni – hamstring trouble and all – delivered another blockbuster finish.Delhi Daredevils v Chennai Super Kings, Delhi, IPL 2014
Last over target: 11
In a see-sawing chase of 179, Dwayne Smith and Brendon McCullum did the early running before passing over the baton to Raina. Jaydev Unadkat and Wayne Parnell then dragged Daredevils back into the match, which meant Super Kings still required 11 off the last over. Unadkat missed his yorker first ball and got away with a single that brought Dhoni on strike. Unadkat missed his yorker again and was monstered over long-on. There was only one result from thereon, and Dhoni finished it off with two balls to spare.Mumbai Indians v Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai, IPL 2014
Last over target: 11
Mumbai were on a ten-match winning streak at home, and it needed a Dhoni special to snap that. Dwayne Smith had fallen after a start-stop half-century, and McCullum and Raina were out to questionable umpiring decisions. Seventeen needed off 12 became 11 needed off six after a double-wicket penultimate over bowled by Lasith Malinga. Kieron Pollard bowled an off-side wide first ball, and then Dhoni took a hard-run two off the second. The third was a slower variation, and Dhoni clouted it over deep midwicket for six. The next ball – short and wide – was scythed through the covers for four. Match over.Rising Pune Supergiant v Kings XI Punjab, Visakhapatnam, IPL 2016
Last over target: 23
Rising Pune Supergiant needed to win to avoid the wooden spoon. Left-arm spinner Axar Patel had bowled a stifling spell thus far, giving away only 20 runs while claiming the wicket of George Bailey. Then he ran into Dhoni. Dhoni flatly refused a single to Ashwin off the first ball and then a double off the third legal ball of the over. However, Dhoni pulled off another last-over hat-trick of boundaries – 4, 6, 6. The match-winning six was a helicopter launched over deep midwicket.Royal Challengers Bangalore v Chennai Super Kings, Bengaluru, IPL 2018
Last over target: 16
Ahead of Dhoni’s return to Super Kings in 2018, many wondered if he still had it. He had come up short against Kings XI Punjab earlier in the season when Super Kings needed 17 off the last over. Dhoni found his six-hitting groove at M Chinnaswamy Stadium though, nailing seven hits into the stands. He even scythed a hard-to-hit low full-toss from Mohammed Siraj for six – a shot that left Super Kings’ coach Stephen Fleming gushing: “That one shot over point towards the end of the innings was one of the top three shots I have ever seen.”With 16 required off the last over, Bravo did his bit by picking off 11 off the first three balls. Then, with Corey Anderson delivering a full ball outside off, Dhoni jumped across and slugged it for his seventh six of the night, over wide long-on, evoking memories of shot that won India the 2011 World Cup.

The best batting, bowling and all-round performances from the tournament

Anantha Narayanan20-Jul-2019This is an analysis of the leading performers of this year’s World Cup, based on my ODI performance-ratings methodology. The complete details of the methodology can be perused here – click here for the batting methodology, and here for the bowling one.A significant tweak for the World Cup
Readers might remember that I use the par score values, both batting and bowling, extensively in my performance-ratings work. I determine the par scores based on a comprehensive analysis of the decisive matches, by period. For the last period, i.e. 2014-19, the batting par score was 300 and the bowling par score 233. All my initial work was based on these values. However, as we came up to the knockout stages of the World Cup, it was clear that the scores were nowhere near as high as expected; the tournament had many scores below 300.I also did a complete analysis for the World Cup itself. Lo and behold, what did I find out? The batting par score was 268 and the bowling par score 222. I could not just ignore these significant variations, especially considering it was such an important event, so I made a tweak, only for the World Cup. Once I applied these tweaked par scores, the batting points moved higher and the bowling points lower. Now that the World Cup is over, I am going to completely overhaul my ODI ratings system, based on ideas offered by readers and my exchanges with them.One important point: for the purposes of the performance ratings analysis, since the final was a tie, the players get credit for a tied match, which is two-thirds of a that for a result match. What happened afterwards, in the Super Over, is not part of this analysis. More on that later.

Top Batting performances in World Cup 2019 RtgPts Batsman I-BP Vs Runs Balls In at IVI Result

69.0RG Sharma (IND) 2-1Sa 122*144 0 / 08.7Won68.4KS Williamson (NZ) 1-3Wi 148 154 0 / 16.8Won68.3DA Warner (AUS) 1-1Bd 166 147 0 / 05.8Won68.2BA Stokes (ENG) 2-5Nz 84* 98 71 / 34.8Tie68.2AJ Finch (AUS) 1-1Sl 153 132 0 / 06.8Won68.0RG Sharma (IND) 1-1Pak140 113 0 / 06.5Won67.8KS Williamson (NZ) 2-3Sa 106*138 12 / 15.8Won67.6EJG Morgan (ENG) 1-4Afg148 71164 / 27.5Won67.0RA Jadeja (IND) 2-8Nz 77 59 92 / 66.7Lost66.5JJ Roy (ENG) 1-1Bd 153 121 0 / 06.5Won65.5MDKJ Perera (SL) 1-1Afg 78 81 0 / 06.2Won65.3NM Coulter-Nile (AUS)1-8Wi 92 60147 / 67.0WonThe best innings of this World Cup was played early in the tournament. The Indian bowlers kept South Africa to a sub-par 227. It was not going to be an easy chase, considering the quality of South Africa’s bowling. Rohit Sharma played a mature, measured and beautifully paced innings of 122 not out to take India to a comfortable win.For New Zealand against West Indies, Kane Williamson came in at 0 for 1 and saw the score slump to 7 for 2. Few would have realised that the match would hang in balance till the last ball, about seven hours later. Williamson scored a truly magnificent 148 at almost a run a ball and took New Zealand to a match-winning 291. The importance of Williamson’s innings, and of this particular match, cannot be over-emphasised.Bangladesh have a world-class bowling attack. When Australia played them at Trent Bridge, David Warner was in blistering form and scored a quick-fire 166, the highest score in the tournament, and took Australia to 381. All those runs were needed since Bangladesh scored well over 300 in the chase.Ben Stokes played arguably his greatest ODI innings in the final, against New Zealand. Coming in at 71 for 3, he stayed till the last ball, scoring 84 priceless runs to tie the match. What he did in the Super Over is outside the purview of this analysis. His tour de force ultimately proved to be a World-Cup-winning effort, if not a match-winning one. Since the match was a tie, Stokes only gets tie-related points. Else, this would have been the best innings of the World Cup.Aaron Finch’s 153 against Sri Lanka was almost identical to Warner’s effort and gave Australia an easy win.Readers can see that the top six innings are all within a point’s range. Two innings deserve mention. Ravindra Jadeja’s 77 in 59 balls, which almost took the semi-final away from New Zealand, and Nathan Coulter-Nile’s masterly 92 at a strike rate of 153.33, which lifted Australia from 147 for 6 to a match-winning 288 against West Indies. Jadeja’s was in a lost cause, but Coulter-Nile’s innings saw Australia narrowly sneak home.

Top Bowling performances in World Cup 2019 RtgPts Bowler Vs Analysis BatIdx SWQ Result

76.4JP Behrendorff (AUS) Eng10.0-0-44-543.929.1Won74.5SL Malinga (SL) Eng10.0-1-43-444.635.3Won73.5Mitchel Starc (AUS) Nz 9.4-1-26-540.925.2Won71.9Shaheen S Afridi (PAK) Bd 9.1-0-35-638.033.4Won71.7LH Ferguson (NZ) Eng10.0-0-50-346.420.6Tie71.0Mohammed Shami (IND) Eng10.0-1-69-546.440.8Lost70.6LE Plunkett (ENG) Nz 10.0-0-42-340.920.8Tie69.2Mitchel Starc (AUS) Eng 8.4-1-43-443.928.2Won68.4MJ Henry (NZ) Ind10.0-1-37-340.627.2Won68.0Shakib Hasan (BD) Afg10.0-1-29-532.726.2Won67.8Mitchel Starc (AUS) Wi 10.0-1-46-542.220.1Won67.8JDS Neesham (NZ) Eng 7.0-0-43-346.418.0TieThe league match between Australia and England was a curtain-raiser to the semi-final a couple of weeks later. England needed to win to comfortably qualify for the semis and they looked to be on track when they restricted Australia to a good but not imposing total of 285. Then left-armer Jason Behrendorff took centre stage, dismissing both openers and later taking three wickets when Stokes mounted a counterattack. His 5 for 44 takes pride of place.Four days before the Australia game, England had lost unexpectedly to Sri Lanka, though they kept them to a middling 232 for 9. They had no answers against Lasith Malinga, who took everyone back a decade with a devastating spell of pace bowling, eventually finishing with 4 for 43 in a 20-run win.In third place is Mitchell Starc, for his 5 for 26 against New Zealand. Australia scored only 243 and New Zealand seemed well on their way when Starc produced a masterclass of left-arm seam bowling. His five-for bowled New Zealand out for 157.The theoretical chances Pakistan had of qualifying depended on their defeating Bangladesh by over 300 runs – an impossible task. However, they started well and put up 315. Then Shaheen Afridi ran rings around the Bangladesh batsmen, taking six wickets for 35, which included four top-order wickets.In the final, Lockie Ferguson produced a bowling masterclass of 3 for 50 – two top-order wickets and the timely dismissal of Chris Woakes took this spell into the top five. If New Zealand had won, this might have been the best bowling performance of the World Cup.The other performance worth a mention is Matt Henry’s match-winning burst at the top of the India innings in the semi-final. This spell of 3 for 37 fetched more points than many four- or five-wicket spells. Let us also not forget Liam Plunkett’s three top-order wickets in the final.

Top all-round performances in World Cup 2019 RtgPts Player Vs Runs(Balls) BatPts Analysis BowPts Result

118.2Shakib Hasan (BD) Wi 124*( 99)63.1 8.0-0-54-255.1Won118.1Shakib Hasan (BD) Afg 51 ( 69)50.110.0-1-29-568.0Won110.0JE Root (ENG) Wi 100*( 94)58.0 5.0-0-27-252.0Won109.8BA Stokes (ENG) Sa 89 ( 79)61.4 2.5-0-12-248.4Won109.7Mohammad Hafeez (PAK Eng 84 ( 62)58.0 7.0-0-43-151.7Won109.5RA Jadeja (IND) Nz 77 ( 59)67.010.0-0-34-142.5Lost106.2C de Grandhomme (NZ) Sa 60 ( 47)56.610.0-0-33-149.6Won104.0CR Brathwaite (WI) Nz 101 ( 82)61.6 6.0-0-58-242.4Lost102.9Shakib Hasan (BD) Sa 75 ( 84)55.610.0-0-50-147.3Won101.3Imad Wasim (PAK) Afg 49*( 54)52.510.0-0-48-248.8Won 95.0DM de Silva (SL) Eng 29 ( 47)29.5 8.0-0-32-365.5Won 93.1Mohammad Nabi (AFG) Ind 52 ( 55)47.3 9.0-0-33-245.8LostThis table is led by two magnificent performances by Shakib Al Hasan. The first was against West Indies. He took 2 for 54 in the huge West Indian total of 321 and then scored a blinding 124 to take Bangladesh to a comprehensive win, with nearly nine overs to spare. Against Afghanistan he made a half-century in Bangladesh’s 262 and then took 5 for 29 to defend the middling total.Joe Root and Stokes just about did enough bowling to qualify for this table, and their batting-dominant performances take them into the top five. (I recognise either five overs or two wickets as a “valid” spell.)Mohammad Hafeez’s lovely innings of 84 and a controlled bowling performance against England gets him the fifth place.Jadeja, in addition to his brilliant innings, had an excellent run-restricting spell of 1 for 34 in the semi-final against New Zealand and gets into the top ten.Ben Stokes made five scores of 50-plus in the World Cup and turned up to bat in the Super Over in the final after making an unbeaten 84 earlier in the innings•Getty ImagesMy takeaways from the tournament
My favourite batting performances were Coulter-Nile’s attacking match-winning innings against West Indies and the two equally stirring innings by Carlos Brathwaite and Jadeja, both in losing causes. If Brathwaite’s shot against New Zealand had travelled a metre further, the story of the World Cup might have been different. In Jadeja’s case, India’s chances always looked difficult. Coulter-Nile’s innings tops it for me, then, since it was in a winning cause.On May 27, 1999, Australia looked forlorn and listless at Chester-le-Street, staring at the stark reality that they needed to win every one of their remaining matches to win the World Cup. Starting with Bangladesh, they did just that, also sneaking in a tie in the semi. The two players who contributed the most towards this resurrection were Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne.On June 30, 2019, England looked similarly forlorn and listless, needing to win every one of their remaining games to win this World Cup. They had a tougher task than Australia did, having to face the mighty Indians at Edgbaston. They duly beat India and all their other opponents, and the batsmen who contributed the most towards this resurrection were Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow, who added 160, 123, 124 and 28 for the first wicket. It is no wonder that they form the most formidable pair of the 2019 World Cup.My favourite bowling performance was Matt Henry’s burst at the beginning of the India innings in the semi-final. Looking at what transpired later, if New Zealand had not struck a few times during the first ten overs, the match would have slipped out of their fingers. It was great bowling but also nothing short of a miracle. Henry did something similar against Sri Lanka, but this performance came in a semi-final.The match of the tournament was, arguably, this semi-final. The tactical awareness of Williamson and Ross Taylor, the situation-inspired batting in the later stages, the opening burst, the brilliant catching and fielding, the quality of India’s bowling, and the mercurial, never-say-die batting of Jadeja all made me think back to the Edgbaston semi-final 20 years ago, which was one of the greatest World Cup matches ever. The other semi-final was a romp in the park. I have chosen to ignore the final because the excitement of the match does not hide errors of umpiring and shortcomings in the tournament guidelines relating to the second level tie-break.The player who changed the course of the tournament has to be Stokes. Just consider the following:Five scores between 79 and 89. Each of these innings came when the chips were down and the runs were good as gold. The 84 in the final was followed by key strikes in the Super Over. The blistering 79 in the league game against India was the real match-winner. Then there were the magnificent 89 and 82 in losing causes against Australia and Sri Lanka; and his 89 against South Africa, which won the match for England. Add to these the key wickets he took and his superlative fielding efforts, and it is clear no other player had a greater impact on the World Cup.Trent Boult might be a contender. He had several highlights – the hat-trick against Australia, the catch off Brathwaite, the ball that dismissed Virat Kohli – but unfortunately he went wicketless in the final.The final: Two teams fight tooth and nail for eight hours and score the same number of runs in 50 overs. Then they get into another contest for an over each and score the same number of runs. What is the need to decide the winner based on the quirky and unfair number-of-boundaries rule? Why could the ICC not have declared the two teams joint winners? That was the option, after all, if the match day and the reserve day had been rained off.I would have said the same thing if “wickets taken” had been the second-level tie-breaker. How would England and their supporters have taken that loss? This is said while acknowledging that England had the best credentials to be named the winner of the World Cup. They are not responsible for the ICC’s rules, decided a few years back. “Neither team deserved to lose” should not just be a phrase in passing; it should be backed up by the rules. What happened was not anticipated but should have been.The DRS: In the semi-finals and final, there were some tricky DRS situations. Roy’s dismissal did not matter but Ross Taylor’s was crucial, and New Zealand didn’t have a review to appeal the wrong decision. A solution has to be found to avoid umpire howlers. One option is to give a team two DRS referrals per match instead of one per innings. If a team uses both referrals in the first innings, they have no referrals for the second. If they do not use one in the first innings, they have two for the second.A poignant tale to end this article
I was in touch with Martin Crowe between 2013 and 2015, after he contacted me to express his happiness at seeing the recognition received by iconic New Zealand players in my analyses. After New Zealand lost the 2015 World Cup final, I emailed him, and this is a relevant extract from that mail. “Four years from now, New Zealand would enter the World Cup final and I am sure you would be at Lord’s to wish and cheer for them. All my prayers and best wishes to you for this.” His reply was immediate and it read: “Many thanks, Ananth, for your wishes and prayers. I do not know how much time I have and whether I have enough days available to see the 2019 World Cup. I hope your wish comes true.” Sadly, that was his last mail to me. He passed away a year later.For the past year, I have been expressing my wish in various fora that I would really like two teams from either of South Africa, New Zealand or England to contest the 2019 final. No disrespect or lack of patriotism, simply a wish to have a new deserving winner, and a part of this was also influenced by the above-referenced correspondence. Martin would have wanted New Zealand to win the World Cup, and for his sake, I hoped they did, although I have no problems about the outstanding England team having won. This is not a heart v mind situation. I like both teams.My next article will be on my favoured format – Test cricket. My ideas plate is full and the problem I have is to select which idea to cover.

Stokes has dark days. But he has climbed back up and, on the biggest occasions, when his team need him most, it was Stokes who always his hand up

George Dobell at Lord's15-Jul-2019A few weeks ago, in a hotel in Jaipur, Ben Stokes spoke publicly for the first time about the aftermath of night in Bristol.He was, in many ways, frustrated to revisit an episode from which he had moved on. And from which he thought everyone else should have moved on too. He had been exonerated, after all. Stokes’ main point was, in essence, that he didn’t want to be defined by it. As he put it, “I don’t want to be remembered as the guy who had a fight in the street. I want to do things on the field to be remembered for. If we win the World Cup, that becomes the first paragraph [of his ESPNcricinfo profile].”He didn’t want to be remembered for night in Kolkata, either. England’s men’s side haven’t won many global tournaments: to have one snatched away in such dramatic fashion as occurred that night in April 2016 hurt for a long time. More importantly, it could have scarred many cricketers and made them avoidant of similar high-pressure moments. As Eoin Morgan put it: “A lot of careers would have ended after what happened in Kolkata.”Yet here was Stokes, once more at the helm when a match had to be decided. And not just any match. A World Cup final. A game that represented the culmination of four years’ work and would define the reputation of this England side. A game upon which the game in England and Wales hoped to win many new supporters. The stakes could not have been higher. And when his team needed someone to be there at the end, it was Stokes putting his hand up.It was no surprise. For it has been telling that, in his last five innings of the tournament, Stokes has scored between 79 and 89 four times. Just as it was telling that it was Stokes who provided the late-innings acceleration against India (he scored 79 in 54 balls), and Stokes who stood unbeaten (with 82) when the lower-order collapsed (England’s last six batsmen contributed 32 runs between them) in the defeat against Sri Lanka. His 89 in the group game against Australia at Lord’s went in vain, but it was noticeable that he was the only man in his side to reach 30 in the innings. Whatever the need, whatever the occasion, he has adapted his game the best he can to serve his team.And he delivered. He held his nerve, he oversaw a testing run chase, and he saw – just about – his side over the line. He is now a World Cup winner. More than that, he has a Man-of-the-Match award in the first World Cup final England’s men team have won. It was Stokes who brought cricket home. His rehabilitation is complete. His legacy assured. This is what fulfilment looks like.Stokes’ reputation, with the bat at least, is probably that of an audacious strokemaker. And as he showed when slog-sweeping Trent Boult for six in the final over of England’s chase, he can play some remarkable shots. He was the only man in the England innings who hit a six, and from a point of apparent hopelessness, he made 32 from his final 13 deliveries to earn the Super Over.Ben Stokes – a fine cricketer, and a fine role model•Getty ImagesBut that reputation sells him a bit short. For he is also an intelligent, calm cricketer with fine technique. He has made Test centuries in Perth and Rajkot, against pace and spin, and timed this chase with calm precision. It took him 81 balls to reach his half-century here – an age in England’s modern ODI history – after he reasoned his side could not afford to lose him. He has developed into a thoughtful, versatile cricketer who can adapt his game to suit his side’s needs. He is now averaging 54.31 at a strike rate of 87.16 since he came back into the ODI side.That’s just as well too. For while many of us expected this tournament to be contested upon the flat, high-scoring wickets on which England built their reputation, they have actually been contested on surfaces offering bowlers far more assistance. As a result, the batsmen who have excelled are, on the whole, those who have adapted. And adaptation has not always been the area in which England have been strongest.It’s not just with the bat he has adapted either. Having accepted that other bowlers were better suited to the role of wicket-taker in this tournament, he became England’s second most economical bowler in the campaign – he conceded 4.83 runs per over; Jofra Archer conceded 4.57 – while also finishing with his team’s highest batting average (66.42) and passing 50 five times. Not even Joe Root or Jason Roy managed it more often. “He really carried the team and our batting line-up,” Morgan said.Don’t forget his fitness, either. He had already covered much ground in the field, bowled a few overs and batted for two and a half hours before the Super Overs started. Yet he was the man Morgan chose to bat again; a decision Stokes justified with eight from three balls and some demanding running between the wickets. And of course he pulled off one of the catches of the World Cup, in the opening match against South Africa. “Superhuman” was Morgan’s description of his efforts; it seems about right.That this result was achieved, in part, by a moment of incredible fortune – a throw deflecting for four overthrows off Stokes’ bat – was cruel for New Zealand. Stokes looked genuinely mortified to be the unwitting beneficiary. He apologised to Kane Williamson at the time – an apology that was graciously accepted – and admitted it “wasn’t the way I wanted to do it”. There was, though, perhaps something fitting about England winning on the basis of hitting more boundaries. Such big-hitting has been the bedrock of their approach over the last four years or so, after all.Perhaps there may be some consolation that Stokes has New Zealand heritage too. He lived in the country until he was 12 – his parents and brothers still do – and he has Maori ancestry, which some in his family think contributes to his unquenchable spirit. Maybe, in a way, the people of New Zealand will take pride in his success. And maybe, in a way, they will take pride in the manner in which England have adopted New Zealand’s approach to the game. New Zealand’s influence has changed cricket for the better. It won’t feel like it right now, but in its own way maybe that matters more than trophies.Certainly the people of England and Wales should be proud of Stokes. He has been knocked down. He has known dark days. But he has climbed back up and, on the biggest occasions, when his team-mates needed him most, he has always taken responsibility and very often delivered. He is a fine cricketer, a fine team-mate, and yes, a fine role-model. Ben Stokes: World Cup final match-winner. That’s his reputation now.

After Jack Leach’s heroics at Headingley, we look back at half-a-dozen other unlikely batting heroes

Matt Roller26-Aug-2019Geoff Allott, 0 (77) v South Africa, Auckland 1999Daryl Cullinan’s 275 not out had taken South Africa to a seemingly insurmountable 621 for 5 at Eden Park, before New Zealand collapsed from 210 for 2 to 251 for 7 in their first innings. Daniel Vettori and Simon Doull both provided the resolute Chris Harris with some company, before Allott marched out as last man hoping to delay the inevitable. He contributed a memorable 0 to a partnership of 32 with Harris, in a knock that lasted over 100 minutes – no mean feat for a man who had never faced so many as 20 balls in a Test innings – before eventually fending Jacques Kallis to slip, raising his bat to all corners of the ground on his way off.While the pair failed in their attempt to save the follow-on, they took enough time out of the game to mean that New Zealand comfortably batted out 84 overs on the final day to seal the draw. “It was probably the best duck I’ll ever score,” Allott reflected afterwards. Either way, it was certainly the most memorable.James Anderson and Monty Panesar walk back after securing the draw•Getty ImagesMonty Panesar, 7* (35) v Australia, Cardiff 2009As Paul Collingwood fell for a brilliant rearguard innings of 74 with England still trailing by six runs with 11.3 overs left in the Test, ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball commentary thought the game was up for them: “Well Collingwood cannot believe it and the entire ground stand to applaud a truly determined, gutsy innings. They stand as one. That’s it for England, you’d think, with just Monty to come. It’s probably his first and only mistake of his innings.”But with James Anderson for company, Panesar blocked out Peter Siddle, Nathan Hauritz and Marcus North with men swarming around the bat for all of 37 minutes – with many of those spent taking on board water and changing gloves via the gleeful 12th man, Bilal Shafayat. He even managed to crash North square of the wicket for four on his way, before leading England off with a broad grin. He was dropped for the Lord’s Test, and only rarely enjoyed any sort of run in the side again, though briefly reprised his last-man standing routine in Auckland four years later.Courtney Walsh, 0* (5) vs Australia, Barbados 1999Curtly Ambrose did his best at No. 10 to keep Brian Lara company in his epic, unbeaten 153, but was caught off Jason Gillespie with six runs still needed. In came Walsh, the No. 11’s No. 11, to face Glenn McGrath – already with five wickets to his name – and he played with characteristic flair during his five-ball stay. He left one outside the off stump with a flourish, before defending with an enormously exaggerated stride down the pitch, and handed things over to Lara.The next over, Lara stayed deep in his crease, and belted Gillespie through the covers – in an almost perfect mirror of Stokes’ shot on Sunday – to seal an incredible win over the No. 1 side in the world.Kusal Perera and Vishwa Fernando celebrate a sensational Sri Lanka win•Getty ImagesVishwa Fernando, 6* (27) v South Africa, Durban 2019Striding to the crease at 226 for 9 with a fourth innings target of 304, an attack including Dale Steyn, Duanne Olivier and Kagiso Rabada to contend with, and five runs at an average of 1.25 in his Test career, Vishwa did not resemble a likely hero. As Kusal Perera smote a fearsome attack for boundary after boundary, Vishwa resolutely held up an end, as he blocked, ducked and left with growing confidence.There was even a Leachian moment of madness, when Vishwa edged a full, wide ball from Steyn short of third slip, and was caught ball-watching as Perera called him through for a run. Dean Elgar collected, hurled at the non-striker’s end where he was gone for all money, missed, and then saw his throw fly away to the boundary.After Kusal steered wide of slip for a match-winning boundary, Vishwa charged down the track to give him a bear hug, knowing that he had played a part in possibly the great Test innings of all time.Wilfred Rhodes, 6* (unknown) v Australia, The Oval 1902England needed 15 for victory – an equation unthinkable when they had plummeted to 48 for 5 after being set 263 to win – as Rhodes walked out at No. 11, with the man he shared the new ball with at Yorkshire, George Hirst, for company. Hirst allegedly told Rhodes, “We’ll get them in singles, Wilfred,” although he disputed it afterwards. However they came, the pair got the runs required during their last-wicket stand.”With the scores level,” Wisden recorded, “Rhodes sent a ball from Trumble between the bowler and mid-on, and England won the match by one wicket.” Admittedly, Rhodes was by no means a useless batsman – he averaged 30.19 in Tests and and batted everywhere from No. 1 to No. 11 – but this was only three years into a Test career that spanned 31, and he had started life primarily as a bowler.VVS Laxman, Suresh Raina and Pragyan Ojha come together in an embrace moments after sealing victory•AFPPragyan Ojha, 5* (10) v Australia, Mohali 2010After Ishant Sharma had stuck around for nearly two hours alongside VVS Laxman, he was done by an offcutter from Ben Hilfenhaus which trapped him in front, and India were 11 short of a fourth-innings target of 216. Out came Ojha, who dug out a yorker first ball, then played-and-missed, defended and left to see out the over.The hobbling Laxman – with Suresh Raina as his runner – stole a two off Mitchell Johnson to take the target down to single figures, and Ojha picked up his first run in Hilfenhaus’ next over. Two more came off the next ball but there followed a near mix-up between Ojha and Raina that left Laxman spewing. It meant Ojha now had to face Johnson, who beat him first ball, and then smashed him on the pad off his second. Johnson went up, convinced he had his man, but Billy Bowden said no. It skewed out into the leg side, where Steven Smith turned and threw, but his shy was wild and flew away for overthrows.Ojha blocked his next ball, before a leg-stump yorker deflected off the pads down to fine leg for the winning two, and the unlikely trio erupted in celebration.

Leeds United have a huge task on their hands this summer to try and make the right additions regardless of what division they will be playing their football in next season.

With just a handful of games remaining, Daniel Farke’s men still sit within the Championship’s automatic promotion places, with their destiny still in their own hands.

If they were to claim a return to the Premier League, a handful of additions would be needed to strengthen the first-team squad to prevent an immediate return to England’s second tier.

It remains to be seen how much money the 49ers will invest in the squad in the next couple of months, but it’s a huge window for Farke to make the additions he needs to take his side to the next level.

One thing is for sure, the Whites desperately need reinforcements in one area of the pitch, with a player emerging on the club’s radar over the last couple of days.

Leeds plot summer move for PL star

According to TEAMtalk, Leeds are one of several sides in the race to land Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale this summer should they drop into the Championship.

The 26-year-old also has admirers from the likes of Newcastle United and Bournemouth, with the shot-stopper having a relegation release clause in his contract.

He’s been unable to prevent the Saints from sitting at the foot of the table, keeping just two clean sheets in his 21 Premier League outings in 2024/25 to date.

The report claims that the Whites have the England international at the top of their shortlist this summer, but any move for him will purely depend on whether they achieve promotion this season.

It’s safe to say that a deal for Ramsdale would inject a sense of excitement in the fanbase, providing an upgrade on the options currently at Farke’s disposal throughout the current season.

Why Ramsdale would be an upgrade on Meslier

Current number one Illan Meslier has endured a torrid few weeks between the sticks, often producing a mistake or two which has prevented the club from claiming more points in their hunt for promotion.

The Frenchman was at fault for both goals in the 2-2 draw against Swansea City last weekend, with his errors undoubtedly costing the side two points after Wilfried Gnonto’s stoppage-time strike.

He’s now conceded 27 goals this campaign, with a goal prevented xG of -2.73, undoubtedly holding the side back from reaching the next level under Farke’s guidance.

Whilst Ramsdale has struggled to prevent the club from sitting bottom of the table this year, he’s still managed to produce some incredible numbers – many of which blow Meslier out of the water.

The former Arsenal shot-stopper, who’s previously been labelled “world-class” by journalist Dan George, may have conceded more goals this season but has made more saves given the opportunities he’s faced.

Games played

21

39

Goals conceded

50

27

Shots on target faced

6.6

2.2

Saves made

4.2

1.6

Short passes completed

100%

99.6%

Crosses prevented

0.9

0.8

He’s also completed more short passes than Meslier, having the ability to play out from the back and prevent similar mistakes to those made by the current number one this season.

Whilst Ramsdale has previously failed to deliver against Leeds, conceding to Patrick Bamford when the Whites last previously featured in the top flight, he’s managed to feature consistently after his move to the south coast.

The club can’t afford to enter another top-flight with Meslier between the sticks given his recent mistakes, potentially costing them a chance of survival.

Whilst they would likely have a battle for his signature this summer, it would be a signing that would massively bolster the squad, handing Farke the tools he needs to succeed in Yorkshire.

Farke could unearth Leeds' next Alan Smith in "exceptional" £3.5m star

Leeds United could have their best midfield talent since Alan Smith in this top performer.

ByKelan Sarson Apr 1, 2025

Leeds United picked up an invaluable three points on Tuesday night away from home after a 1-0 win against Middlesbrough. It was never going to be an easy outing for Daniel Farke’s side, with Boro pushing for a playoff spot themselves.

The visitors scored the first, and only, goal of the game in just the second minute. Winger Daniel James was the goalscorer, darting into the box to get on the end of a low cross from loanee Manor Solomon.

It wasn’t the cleanest of finishes from the Welshman, but it was effective and somehow ended up in the back of the net.

Despite the scoreline, it should have been 3-0 to Leeds, although through no fault of their own. They had two goals wrongly ruled out for offside, with Ao Tanaka’s first-half strike getting chalked off and Patrick Bamford suffering the same fate in the second period.

Both players were onside, and both goals should have stood.

Regardless, the Whites held on for a crucial three points, which has swung momentum back their way in the race for automatic promotion. With Sheffield United losing at home to Milwall and Burnley drawing away to Derby County, Leeds are now top of the table again on goal difference.

There were some standout Leeds players in the important win over Boro on Tuesday,

Leeds' best players vs. Middlesborough

On a huge night for Leeds, it needed their most important players to stand up for the count. Well, one of those, Ethan Ampadu, did just that. The Whites’ skipper was excellent at the heart of their defence, continually progressing play forwards throughout the game.

In fact, Isaac Johnson, Leeds reporter for Leeds Live, was very complimentary of the Welshman at full time. He gave Ampadu a 9/10 for his efforts, describing his performance against Boro as a “proper captain’s showing”.

Ampadu was not the only Leeds player who stood out. At the other end of the pitch, it was an eye-catching display from attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson, who looked in much better form than he has shown in recent weeks.

The United States international also received a strong post-match rating from Johnson, who gave Aaronson an 8/10 for his performance at the Riverside Stadium. The journalist said he made some “very neat touches” and that he “took on his man efficiently”.

So, it was certainly a good night at the office for the likes of Ampadu and Aaronson, who helped their side secure a vital three points. However, there were a couple of players who struggled.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The Leeds midfielders who struggled

Despite the victory, there were times when Leeds lacked control in the middle of the park. Their pivot, made up of Tanaka and Ilia Gruev, did struggle to impart control on the game. The pair received 5/10 ratings at the end of the game from Leeds Live.

Indeed, their stats on Sofascore from the clash at the Riverside reflect those ratings. For example, Tanaka had 51 touches of the ball but lost possession seven times, and Gruev had 70 touches and lost the ball six times.

Touches

51

70

Passes completed

33/39

57/61

Duels won

5/9

3/4

Number of times ball lost

7

6

Tackles and interceptions

3

3

Leeds have struggled for fluency at times this season, and it doesn’t feel like on-pitch relationships have fully developed. There have been occasions where Aaronson and Joel Piroe, for example, have struggled to get the best out of each other. Indeed, the latter has now gone seven games without finding the net.

Well, while Tanaka has been one of the signings of the seasons, his partnership with Gruev doesn’t feel like the best for Farke in the back end of the season.

The pair, who earn £40k per week between them, have only played 14 times together, for a total of 644 minutes. They have only played a full 90 minutes as a pairing on three occasions, in which they are unbeaten, but if you contrast those numbers with Joe Rothwell, for instance, it’s safe to say that pairing is more effective.

They have played 31 times as a midfield combination and only lost on two occasions in which they have started alongside each other.

With the race for automatic promotion set to go down to the wire for Leeds this term, perhaps Farke will not want to take the risk of playing Gruev alongside Tanaka again, given they seem to lack synergy.

It is crunch time for the Yorkshire outfit. Perhaps starting a pivot who have not played much with each other is a risk that is too big to take at this stage of the season. There is no doubting Tanaka and Gruev as individual players, but as a pairing, Leeds have better options.

26 touches, 10 passes: Farke must drop Leeds dud after 2/10 display

Leeds United returned to the top of the Championship with a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough last night.

1 ByEthan Lamb Apr 9, 2025

If it wasn’t clear already, Liverpool’s victory over Everton in the Merseyside has surely silenced the last whispers of doubt. There is no doubt: Arne Slot will lift the Premier League title in a few months.

Leading the charge, of course, is Mohamed Salah, who has posted 27 goals and 17 assists in the top flight alone this term, a haul which has established him as European football’s runaway goal involvement leader this term.

Most Goals + Assists in Europe’s Top 5 Leagues (24/25)

Player

Goals

Assists

G+A

1.

Mohamed Salah

27

17

44

2.

Harry Kane

22

9

31

2=

Omar Marmoush

20

11

31

4.

Robert Lewandowski

25

2

27

5.

Mateo Retegui

22

4

26

5=

Ousmane Dembele

21

5

26

Stats via Transfermarkt

The Egyptian, 32, has grown into a stature as one of the Premier League and indeed Liverpool’s greatest players of all time since signing from AS Roma in a deal worth £34m almost eight years ago.

It was a signing that didn’t exactly send shockwaves through English football when completed, but one which has in hindsight proved to be the most brilliant of blinders from FSG.

Now, Slot’s Liverpool are looking to repeat the trick, dipping back into the Italian market.

Liverpool's summer transfer plans

While The Athletic’s David Ornstein has suggested Liverpool aren’t placing midfielders on their priority list in the transfer market this summer, the right market opportunity will as always tempt FSG into pouncing, and Atalanta’s Ederson may just be that man.

Indeed, the robust midfielder has been an important part of Gian Piero Gasperini’s success over the past several years, and his progress has caught the eye of Europe’s elite.

So then, according to Tutto Atalanta, the Brazil midfielder has been on Liverpool and Manchester United’s radar for a while and interest may come to a head this summer, the Red Devils having failed with a bid one year ago.

Should their interest be genuine, Liverpool will hope that their superiority over their arch-rivals holds sway, for they are set to lift the Premier League title while Ruben Amorim’s side languish in the bottom half of the division.

Atalanta are resigned to losing their midfield general but will want to bank a pretty for his sale, fielding enquiries in the ballpark of €60m (about £51m), with Liverpool among those ready to ‘knock on the door’ and come forward with an offer.

Why Liverpool should sign Ederson

Liverpool have been brilliant this season, on course for the league title. However, there’s been a debate of late pertaining to Slot’s midfield’s lack of combativeness, and a player of Ederson’s ilk could make all the difference in firing across multiple cylinders next season.

Hailed as a “machine” in the middle for Atalanta by reporter Carlo Garganese after his performance against Bayer Leverkusen to win last season’s Europa League title, Ederson is renowned for his physical presence but is also an underrated technician, ranking among the top 17% of midfielders in Serie A this season for passes attempted, the top 18% for progressive passes and the top 19% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.

The 25-year-old, moreover, has been excellent in the Italian top division this term, starting 26 matches, winning five duels and recovering 5.1 loose balls per game, as per Sofascore, while also keeping it crisp with an 88% pass success rate.

With such a strong core of skills already, it feels like a transfer to Merseyside could be the perfect step, the launchpad, for the next stage in his career, emulating Salah in leaving Serie A having made his name and taking a seat among the uppermost echelon of midfielders on the continent.

To be sure, Salah has come on leaps and bounds since arriving in Liverpool, but there’s no question he was highly regarded for his exploits with Fiorentina and Roma, with Luciano Spalletti saying upon his transfer to Anfield: “He is the best player I’ve coached in my career.”

Ederson can now repeat the trick, giving Slot his own Salah signing to take an already impressive Liverpool side to the next level.

Related Van Dijk 2.0: Liverpool to intensify talks for 'one of the world's best'

Liverpool may need to replace their esteemed captain this summer.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Apr 4, 2025

Chelsea chiefs are refusing to rule out signing a more experienced player behind-the-scenes, which goes against BlueCo’s usual transfer strategy, and they’re actively considering a free agent who Barcelona really want at the Camp Nou.

Chelsea planning to sign a new centre-back this summer

Amid Wesley Fofana’s long-term injury, which has ruled the Frenchman out for the remainder of 2024/2025, Chelsea are believed to be weighing up the possibility of another central defender this summer.

Chelsea "serious" about signing £62m Liam Delap alternative after weekend twist

The west Londoners are debating their best summer striker target.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 8, 2025

Their centre-back shortage prompted Enzo Maresca and co to activate the recall clause in Trevoh Chalobah’s loan deal at Crystal Palace, temporarily plugging the gap, but Chelsea are intending to reinforce that area of the squad with a star signing for the long-term.

Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen is a top target for Chelsea, according to reports, but they’re likely to face major competition for the Spaniard’s services considering he’ll have an active £50 million release clause in his contract this summer.

Ipswich Town (home)

April 13th

Fulham (away)

April 20th

Everton (home)

April 26th

Liverpool (home)

May 4th

Newcastle (away)

May 10th

There have also been rumours of Chelsea and a potential move to re-sign former Cobham academy graduate Marc Guehi. Maresca’s side are among the favourites to strike a deal for the England international, who is about to enter the final 12 months of his contract, but his price tag will still reportedly range from £50-60 million.

Given the west Londoners are linked with bringing in a new goalkeeper, midfielder, winger and striker, Chelsea will need to tread carefully and find the best-value option possible to solidify their backline.

Chelsea considering Jonathan Tah move amid Barcelona interest

According to journalist Simon Phillips, Bayer Leverkusen stalwart Jonathan Tah is under consideration at Stamford Bridge.

The 29-year-old played a role in Leverkusen’s historic Bundesliga triumph last term, helping them to end the domestic campaign unbeaten, and he’s set to be up for grabs as a free agent this summer as things stand.

Chelsea are weighing up the possibility of signing Tah at zero cost, but Barcelona pose a threat, as they are “pushing hard” to land the German.

“We have heard through a source that Chelsea are never going to rule out signing an older and more experienced player if they can sign that player under the right circumstances,” wrote Phillips, via his Substack.

“We have heard that 29-year-old centre back from Bayer Leverkusen Jonathan Tah is still under consideration this summer. He is at this moment a free agent in the summer and although Barcelona are pushing to sign him, Chelsea do have him as a potential option but only if they can agree on wages with the player.

“However, there is no indication yet that the player would accept anything from Chelsea but he is keeping his options open right now. I’m unaware as of now if Chelsea have made an approach, but I’m hearing new noise on him.”

He would be an intriguing option for Maresca, and it is clear to see Tah very much remains an elite-level defender.

Over the course of 2024/2025, the 35-cap international has started 27 top-flight matches this season as a mainstay under Xabi Alonso, averaging an impressive 93% passing accuracy out from the back (WhoScored).

Tah would be a snip for Chelsea, regardless of his age, and it is an option which should definitely be given deserved thought.

Everton are a different beast under David Moyes, but the recent defeat at Anfield illuminated some of the cracks fissuring the foundations of the squad.

He spoke pragmatically of the gap between the neighbours in recent years before suggesting, post-game, that his side are beginning to show signs of bridging that gulf, well worth their paychecks across the two recent Merseyside derbies.

However, Everton will need to strengthen this summer, while also fending off interest in their star man, Jarrad Branthwaite.

The latest on interest in Jarrad Branthwaite

Branthwaite, 23, has been brilliant since returning from a loan move at PSV Eindhoven in 2023, featuring regularly alongside James Tarkowski and being hailed for his “pretty special” talent levels by pundit Jamie Carragher.

However, that quality comes at a price, with the sharks circling and Football Insider recently revealing that the club would be willing to consider his sale if bids fell into the £60m ballpark.

Hark your minds back to last year, when Amadou Onana was sold to Aston Villa for £50m. The Friedkin Group would sell Branthwaite for the right price, but must be equipped to redirect the funds toward the squad in a beneficial manner.

Branthwaite is a monstrous young centre-half, but he’s not irreplaceable, and £60m is no small sum besides.

Luckily, Everton’s rebuild predates Moyes’ return; the Scotsman merely shaped the pieces together, strewn as they were across the Goodison Park turf.

Branthwaite is the star man at the rear, but he’s not the only talented Toffee in the mix, with one man in particular beginning to look like a former star in John Heitinga.

Everton's new John Heitinga

Heitinga, 41, enjoyed five years of his career at Everton, the lion’s share of which came under Moyes’ tutelage. In 2009, Everton snapped Atletico Madrid’s defender up for a £7m fee, and he went on to play 140 times for the club, notching five goals and assists apiece.

Now, he’s back on Merseyside, part of Arne Slot’s coterie as Liverpool charge toward the Premier League title. Forgetting this tarnishing feature, the Dutchman was a solid and dependable player for the Blues, way back when.

Moyes actually joked that he had “got two players in one” when clinching the Holland international’s signature, and in that sense, you could argue that Jake O’Brien is fast becoming the manager’s next version of the ace in this new era.

Centre-back

189

14

3

Right-back

70

3

3

Defensive midfield

33

1

2

O’Brien was signed from Lyon over in France last summer, part of the crew who formed Sean Dyche’s last hurrah at the helm. He spent the majority of the campaign, under the craggy-faced manager’s wing, on the sidelines, but has come alive since the winter switch in the dugout.

Indeed, O’Brien, a centre-back, has started the past ten Premier League matches for Everton, all of which have come at right-back, an unconventional role for the Republic of Ireland international.

But O’Brien, 23, has performed his duties with aplomb, showcasing his tactical range with two important goals while maintaining a combative presence, winning 57% of his duels and averaging a whopping 4.7 clearances per game, as per Sofascore.

Whatever happens with Branthwaite down the line, Moyes will take solace in his Irish ace’s rise and rise over the past few months, proving that he too can be a player of versatility and importance, two for the price of one.

Hailed as a “revelation” for Everton by Irish Football FAN TV’s Paul Nealon, O’Brien has got what it takes to make further developments over the coming years, providing priceless service to Moyes’ side, just like Heitinga in the past.

Moyes loves him: Everton now plotting surprise move for "rapid" £30m winger

The Toffees could make a shock move for a forward, who is admired by manager David Moyes.

ByDominic Lund Apr 2, 2025