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Newcastle United’s return to the Champions League this season was down to the brilliance of Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon and Jacob Murphy last term.

Between them, the trio registered 72 goal involvements in all competitions.

Behind them, however, it was Sandro Tonali who was running the show. The Italian was missed during his debut season, having served a ten-month ban for gambling offences, but he returned for 2024/25.

He will be crucial next season if Eddie Howe wishes to see his side progress into the knockout stages of Europe’s premier club competition.

Might the manager be aiming to sign someone who plays just like Tonali this month?

Newcastle offered chance to sign La Liga star

According to TEAMtalk, the Magpies have been offered the chance to sign Atlético Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher this summer, with the former Chelsea man said to be exploring a possible exit from his current side.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

As per the report, Howe is a huge admirer of his talents, although no talks or negotiations have taken place as yet. Encouragement has been given to the Magpies, however, with the report outlining that the La Liga side are open to selling if they receive an offer in the region of €40m (£34m).

Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest are the other English sides to which Gallagher has been offered, but surely the lure of Champions League football makes Newcastle the favourites.

If Howe does lure him to the northeast, Gallagher could become his next Tonali.

How Tonali compares to Gallagher

Tonali missed just two Premier League games last term, going on to register nine goal contributions in all competitions.

The midfielder showed his class in the heart of the midfield, winning 54% of his total duels while succeeding with 59% of his dribble attempts per game. He also recovered 4.9 balls and averaged 1.4 tackles per game for the Toon, emerging as a key factor in the club’s return to the Champions League.

Goals

4

Big chances created

4

Accurate passes per game

34.9

Key passes per game

0.8

Tackles per game

1.4

Possession lost per game

8.9

According to FBref, Gallagher is the eighth-most comparable player to Tonali across Europe’s top five leagues.

Diving into more detail, the pair have even shared similar statistics across a range of metrics last season, most notably goals and assists (both six), shots per 90 (1.21 vs 1.20), goal-creating actions (eight vs nine), percentage of dribblers tackled (44.9% vs 49%) and touches in the attacking penalty area (38 vs 45) in their respective domestic leagues.

Gallagher did make 50 appearances for the Spanish side last season, but only 28 of these came in the starting XI.

Described by one analyst as a “pressing and transition monster”, Newcastle likely to see £34m bid accepted for “monster” CM, he’d be Tonali 2.0 – opinion he experience abroad might not have worked out as well as he would have hoped, but Gallagher would return to England a better player than when he left.

Should Howe wish to add another reliable player to his squad, he could do no worse than to bring the former Chelsea starlet back to England.

Tonali has proven his worth over the previous 12 months, and by signing Gallagher, Howe would have two players capable of dominating the midfield next season.

Elanga's new Gibbs-White: Newcastle leading race for £40m "magician"

Newcastle are hoping to make more signings after landing Anthony Elanga.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Jul 12, 2025

Liverpool’s defence played a huge role in their ability to claim the Premier League title this season, offering Arne Slot a strong foundation to build his side off.

The Reds conceded just 41 times in their 38 outings, with only runners-up Arsenal conceding fewer goals, with their impressive tally of 34, highlighting how impressive Slot’s backline were in 2024/25.

They also kept 14 clean sheets – the most of any side in the division – with the ability to keep the ball out of the net playing a massive role in their success within England’s top flight.

Such a department has been boosted massively over the past few months, after club captain Virgil van Dijk signed a new two-year deal at Anfield, extending his stint on Merseyside to just under a decade.

Despite the Dutchman signing a new deal, the hierarchy have wasted no time in targeting other players in such an area to help the side in their quest to retain their title.

The latest on Liverpool’s hunt for new defenders this summer

With Jeremie Frimpong already agreeing a move to join Liverpool this summer, the club have wasted no time in landing a replacement for the outgoing Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Milos Kerkez is another name who looks set to make the switch to Merseyside this summer, with the Hungarian in advanced talks over a switch to Anfield – potentially costing a fee in the region of £45m.

The pair could be joined by another defensive reinforcement, in the form of Rennes centre-back Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal, according to Moroccan outlet Le360 Sport.

They claim that the Reds have already made a concrete offer to sign the 19-year-old, who spent the 2024/25 season on loan at Ligue 2 outfit Amiens.

It also states that Newcastle are also interested in the teenage star, with Slot’s men the only side to present a bid for his signature, but doesn’t reveal how much the proposal is for the youngster.

Why Liverpool’s latest target would be Slot’s own Huijsen

Over the last couple of months, Liverpool have been keeping a close eye on the progress of Spanish centre-back Dean Huijsen after his impressive stint at Bournemouth this season.

The 20-year-old featured in 32 league games for the Cherries in the Premier League, scoring on three occasions, even winning their Player of the Year award.

Such form led to the Reds’ hierarchy meeting with the defender’s representatives a couple of weeks ago, but he rejected a stay in England to return to Spain in favour of a £50m move to Real Madrid.

Undoubtedly, his decision to move to the LaLiga outfit has been a blow for Slot’s side, but they could land their own version of Huijsen this summer, in the form of current target Ait Boudlal.

The Moroccan could follow suit of the Spaniard, who achieved his move to the Premier League after spending a stint on loan at Roma from Juventus, plying his trade for another team in Italy before getting his chance to shine.

The Rennes ace has done the same this campaign in France, moving to Amiens and gaining valuable minutes to aid his progression at the top end of the professional game.

Should he move to Liverpool this summer, Ait Boudlal would have the potential to emulate Huijsen’s levels in the Premier League, offering needed depth to Slot at the heart of the defence.

His stats this season highlight the talent he possesses, having the ability to improve massively under his guidance in the years ahead, especially considering his tender age.

Ait Boudlal, who’s been labelled “complete” by talent scout Antonio Mango, has already been a regular at multiple levels of the internal setup within his country – having a huge part to play in their future success at competitions such as AFCON.

It would certainly be a signing for the future, but the signs are there for the teenager to follow suit of Huijsen and make a sensational switch to England from Rennes this summer.

It’s unclear how much a deal would set the hierarchy back in the coming months, but if he manages to get anywhere close to the levels produced by the Spaniard, it would be a bargain and one that could hand the club a huge talent in their quest for title glory.

Their own Mbappe: Liverpool make £150m star their dream target after Wirtz

Liverpool could be about to make another huge move for a player during this summer’s transfer window.

By
Ethan Lamb

Jun 4, 2025

Manchester United are now determined to sign an “incredible” Barcelona star, having identified him as a top target for the summer transfer window, according to a report.

Man Utd in need of summer rebuild

Harry Maguire’s late winner to send Man Utd through to the Europa League semi-final was undoubtedly the best moment since Ruben Amorim’s arrival, but the high was short-lived, with a 1-0 defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers following at the weekend.

With United just two points clear of 17th place, it is clear a rebuild will be needed this summer, and with Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee failing to deliver in front of goal, a new striker is of particular interest.

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha, Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko are among the potential targets, but striker is not the only position in which Amorim is looking to strengthen this summer.

New Cantona & Berbatov: Man Utd on the verge of signing £90k-p/w "maverick"

Man Utd appear to be closing in on what could prove to be a real marquee move

ByRobbie Walls Apr 22, 2025

Signing a new central midfielder is also on the agenda, and there have even been suggestions they could make a move for Scott McTominay, who has been thriving since moving to Napoli last summer.

According to a report from Spain, however, Man United’s top target for the summer transfer window is Barcelona’s Frenkie De Jong, and they are determined to get a deal done, which means they are willing to make a huge offer for his services.

De Jong has been identified as the ideal option to upgrade United’s midfield, and there are plans to force Barca to the negotiating table with a tempting offer, despite the La Liga club’s insistence that he is not for sale.

The Red Devils are set to step up their pursuit in the coming weeks, but for a deal to transpire, the Dutchman’s entourage would have to change their stance, with the move not currently of interest.

"Incredible" De Jong impressing at Barcelona

It is no surprise to see the 27-year-old being linked with a move to Man Utd once again, given that he has been a long-term target, and he has continued to impress for Barcelona in La Liga this season.

After overcoming an ankle injury early in the season, the Netherlands international has received regular game time for the title-chasers, picking up two goals and two assists in La Liga, while he also ranks highly on some other key metrics for midfielders over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Pass completion %

93.7% (99th percentile)

Progressive passes

7.19 (90th percentile)

Progressive carries

2.05 (85th percentile)

Former United boss Erik ten Hag is also a huge admirer of his compatriot, saying: “Frenkie is an incredible player and for every club in the whole world he will strengthen the squad because he has a unique quality.”

That said, a move does not seem likely this summer, given that Barcelona are unwilling to part ways with their £313k-per-week midfielder, so Amorim may be forced to move on to alternative targets.

The mood around Arsenal is a jubilant one at the moment.

Mikel Arteta’s side have made it to the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time since the 08/09 season, and should they manage to get past Paris Saint-Germain, they may have the chance to avenge their 2006 heartbreak if Barcelona get past Inter Milan in their semi-final.

However, should that happen, they’ll need to come up with a way of containing the simply sensational Lamine Yamal, who looks destined to pick up the mantle once carried by Lionel Messi in Catalonia.

Interestingly, the North Londoners may already be trying to sign their own version of the young Spaniard, as recent reports have linked them with another tremendously exciting youngster from the continent who has been compared to the European Champion this season and has even been touted as a future Ballon d’Or winner.

Arsenal's transfer targets.

Before getting to the exciting youngster in question, it’s worth going over some of the other stars touted for a move to the Emirates in the coming months, like Rafel Leao.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to reports earlier this month, the AC Milan superstar could be available for about £86m, and while that is an eye-watering sum of money, he could well be worth it, as in just 44 games this year, he’s scored 11 goals and provided 11 assists.

A far cheaper winger who is supposedly on the Gunners’ radar ahead of the summer window is Bayern Munich star Kingsley Coman.

The Frenchman could be available for around £39m and, in just 1603 minutes of action this term, has managed to amass a reasonable enough tally of ten goal involvements.

However, with the former PSG ace set to turn 29 in the summer, he would not be an investment for the future, unlike Rayan Cherki.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal are one of several teams incredibly interested in signing the Lyon star this summer.

Alongside the North Londoners, the report claims that Manchester City are also keen on the 21-year-old, but having already held talks with the Frenchman, the Gunners are seen as the more likely destination as things stand.

A potential price is not mentioned in the story, but according to other reports from late last year, Lyon have set a minimum asking price of €30m, which is about £25m.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Cherki’s immense talent and potential, it’s one well worth fighting for, especially as he’s been compared to Yamal.

How Cherki compares to Yamal

So, before getting into the other reasons why Arsenal should be signing Cherki this summer, it’s worth examining this comparison to Yamal and where it comes from.

In this instance, it stems from FBref, which looks at players in similar positions across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one and, in this instance, has concluded that the Spaniard is the seventh most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Lyon gem.

The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, non-penalty expected goals plus assists, passes into the penalty area, through balls, carries, goal-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.74

0.72

Passes into the Penalty Area

3.46

3.02

Through Balls

1.03

1.05

Goal-Creating Actions

0.87

0.97

Tackles in the Defensive 1/3

0.16

0.19

Successful Take-On %

48.8%

49.2%

Carries

43.8

44.2

Ball Recoveries

4.05

3.84

Now, while being compared to arguably the best youngster in world football is undoubtedly one reason why Arsenal should sign the Lyon-born monster, it’s not the only one.

Another would be his unreal level of output, as in just 39 appearances this season, totalling 2721 minutes, he has scored 12 goals and provided 18 assists.

That means the “future Ballon d’Or winner,” as dubbed by The Athletic’s Alex Barker, is averaging a goal involvement every 1.3 games, or every 90.7 minutes, which is frankly absurd for someone so young, and we even saw a glimpse of his quality when he scored against Manchester United on Thursday night.

Ultimately, Cherki looks set to become one of football’s next superstars, so if Arsenal can sign him for the reported price this summer, they simply have to go and get him.

He's like Isak & Mbappe: Arsenal chasing Europe's "most inform player"

The incredible international would make Arsenal far more dangerous.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 18, 2025

Marizanne Kapp is heading into her fifth ODI World Cup. She and Annerie Dercksen, her young successor, talk role models, work ethic, and more

Firdose Moonda01-Oct-2025Nobody wants to be reminded of one of their worst moment but perhaps Marizanne Kapp won’t mind this one:”It was the 2017 World Cup semi-final and – I don’t know if I should say this – there was a picture of Marizanne crying on the floor. I still see that vividly in my head,” Annerie Dercksen says. “That’s probably the first women’s game I’ve ever watched. And after that, I realised there’s women’s cricket in South Africa and thought maybe I could also play.”Six years later Dercksen was in the same squad as Kapp and had to pinch herself when she was at breakfast and Kapp was there in the flesh. “In an interview, I said that I could now take water to her on the field and it was just the moment of my life. I’m still like that daily,” Dercksen says.The hero worship brings out Kapp’s sterner side. “Dercky is young. She makes me tired,” she says, only half-joking, on the same call. “She is a very playful, busy person. I have to warn her and the other young ones every second night not to have their tea parties or coffee parties close to my room. They must go to the [room of the] person that’s furthest away from my room. They like to walk up and down in the corridor at night and make a noise. I’m asleep by then.”Before the casual observation that Kapp, all of 35 years old, is starting to sound like a senior citizen can be made, Dercksen says she would like to jump in and defend herself.Related

• The colours of the rainbow, so pretty in the South African sky

• Annerie Dercksen, from farm girl to fast bowling allrounder

• Marizanne Kapp: 'I try to keep it simple. If I stick to what I do best, usually it works out'

• South Africa makes itself heard at loudest Cape Town party

“I’m a little socially awkward,” she says. “And obviously with Kappie being my hero, I’ve got to think when I have to ask her a question. I’ve got to prepare it, play it in my head first, and then I’ve got to go up to her. In the last couple of years, it’s been getting a bit easier to speak to her.”I really like her. She wants to pretend that she’s more serious than she actually is. There’s a little playful side of her that we’re going to get out of her. She started taking part in our soccer warm-ups now, which is cool. We’ve been told off quite a bit for being too loud, but if maybe she can go to bed a bit later, we can invite her to the tea parties.”Is it really tea that’s being drunk? “Yes, I had to bring 200 Rooibos bags from South Africa because we can’t find them anywhere else,” Dercksen says.Will Kapp consider joining? Probably not, because the badass image she gives off on the field is not a persona; it’s who she really is when she’s in work mode.”I get so annoyed with people when they judge me on how I am on the field,” she says. “This is my job. I’m not going to smile and laugh when people hit me for six or four. I want to do well. I want to win. So if you are judging me because I’m not smiling on the field, just know that this is competition.Kapp copes with the disappointment of losing the 2017 World Cup semi-final to England by two wickets•ICC”I’m just very focused, even at training. If we’re playing around, or it’s not structured, I immediately get so annoyed because I feel like I need to get something out of this training session. I’m not just here to spend time at the field. There has to be a purpose for me, otherwise I’d rather just leave it. I’m just that way in life as well. If I can’t do something, I’d rather just leave it. But if I am good at something and I can do something, then I give it 200%.”The tears Dercksen saw in that World Cup semi-final eight years ago serve to illustrate. They came when South Africa, playing on television screens for the first time, pushed hosts and eventual champions England so hard that they came within two balls of winning the match.They ought to have scored more than 218 for 6 in 50 overs but defended those runs with tenacity. Their last-over defeat left them devastated. Kapp sat alone in the outfield and then used her hands and her shirt to cover her face as she walked off. Though no one expected South Africa, then a relatively unknown force in the women’s game and only newly professionalised at international level, to get that far, the team had a quiet belief about them.”That was probably one of the best teams we ever had,” Kapp says. Dercksen could say that she and Kapp played in one of the others: the outfit that reached the T20 World Cup final last year.In six ODI innings in the subcontinent, Dercksen has scored 280 runs at 56, with one hundred and two fifties, but she’s now trying to focus more on her bowling with Kapp as her mentor•Matthew Lewis/ICC/Getty ImagesThat they were favourites to win that match is testament to their growth since Dercksen first watched them; that they didn’t win asks questions of both their ability to perform under pressure and their depth. In Dercksen, Kapp sees an opportunity for the side to start to address the latter, especially as her own career enters its twilight phase.”In South Africa, years ago we never had someone coming in to fill a spot,” she says. “If someone left, you almost had to start again, and then you ended up further behind Australia, India and England. Now it’s getting easier. Experience is something you can’t buy, but it’s such a good thing that we have youngsters coming in and they take the field with some of the seniors, and it just speeds up the learning for them. When we started back then, there was none of that.”Kapp has played in eight of Dercksen’s 13 ODIs and 16 of her 24 T20Is. She was rested from South Africa’s tri-series in Sri Lanka, where Dercksen scored two fifties and her first ODI hundred in six matches (but only bowled 14.5 overs and took two wickets). As someone who came up as a bowling allrounder, Kapp’s concern has been with Dercksen’s progress in that second department, and it was the focus of their pre-World Cup training camp.”Kappie gave me a good talking to – not a telling off, she was nice to me and she told me the truth, which is that I haven’t been working really hard on my bowling and I need to try and contribute a bit more there,” Dercksen says. “My stats probably show that my bowling has been going through a bit of a rough patch lately. Kappie’s been telling me that I cannot bowl a different ball every ball, which is probably what I’m trying to do. She said to just try to keep it simple and to understand that I should train in that way and be hard on myself, which I wasn’t being.”No Kapp: she ain’t comin’ to your tea parties, kids•Alex Davidson/ICC/Getty ImagesSince Shabnim Ismail’s retirement, South Africa have lacked a certain aggression with ball in hand, and a lot of pace. Dercksen, with her natural athleticism and height, could look to fill that gap but it will take work.”She’s so talented and I don’t want to see that go to waste,” Kapp says. “So I just told her what I do when I structure my overs when I’m at training: nail your top-of-off-stump ball first, and then move towards working slower balls, yorkers and death bowling. I gave her a bit of advice on how to structure overs in her training so she’s a bit more focused.”Whether the results of that will show at this year’s World Cup remains to be seen. Dercksen is one of six seam options in a squad that includes Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Tumi Sekhukhune, Nadine de Klerk and Masabata Klaas, and she is the least experienced of them. She will also be needed to do a job with the bat in a middle order that can sometimes seem brittle.Let’s not forget that she is only 24 years old, made her debut a little over a year ago, and is playing in her first ODI World Cup. Despite having received recognition – she was the ICC’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year in 2024 – Dercksen is still learning her trade. If South Africa are to go far in this tournament, it will likely be because of those who have already travelled the distance, like Kapp.The 2025 tournament will be Kapp’s fifth ODI World Cup. Her first ODI, in 2009, was also her first World Cup match, and she has since seen South Africa go from no-hopers to two-time semi-finalists.One of Kapp’s best performances in the ODI World Cup came against England in 2022: she took 5 for 45 and then scored 32 off 42 balls in a three-wicket win, but England went on to beat South Africa in the semi-final yet again•Fiona Goodall/Getty Images”I am a bit sad that I’m this age now because these kids are so blessed with where women’s cricket is at the moment,” she says. “They can just get better and better and it’s just going to get bigger and bigger. The few of us that started way back in 2009 had nothing and played for the love of the sport. It’s been hard. I’m not going to lie, it’s been tough over the years but I’m extremely blessed to still be sitting here and still playing for South Africa.”Dercksen does not take that history for granted. “We’ve got it better than they have,” she says. “The amount of work they’ve put in from when they started, and there weren’t even contracts… They stayed in places we probably would never stay now. They flew economy. So they did the hard yards for us.”As a thank you, Dercksen and many of her younger tea-party team-mates like Sinalo Jafta would like to give their seniors what they couldn’t a year ago. “At the last World Cup, I was more sad for the senior players like Kappie and Chloe [Tryon] and Aya [Khaka] than I was for myself,” Dercksen says. “They thoroughly deserve to win a World Cup. If this is Kappie’s last one, I’m hoping we can give a little bit of an extra effort to sort of make it special for them. And for the whole of South Africa.”Will it be Kapp’s last World Cup? “I don’t know. At the next one I’ll be 39, so that’s a bit far away.”Dercksen, of course, has to have the last word. “I think Kappie still has one more left in her.”

Young batters stood up, the seamers excelled in hot conditions, and Bangladesh rolled Afghanistan over with five sessions to spare

Mohammad Isam17-Jun-2023A winning margin of 546 runs is something out of an book of records. Three of the four 500-plus-run victories in Test history have come between 1911 and 1934. Bangladesh’s win against Afghanistan in the one-off Test in Dhaka is the only entrant from the 21st century. Here’s a look at the various strands that came together for them as they pulled this result together.

Why didn’t Bangladesh declare earlier?

The road Bangladesh took to get to this result hasn’t sat well with everyone. On ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball commentary, suggestions from fans included “they should declare with a 400 lead” and “why aren’t they declaring yet?” Some even suggested that Bangladesh were disrespecting their opponents. Similar thoughts echoed across social media and were also discussed by the few who showed up at the Shere Bangla National Stadium. Even though head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe had made it clear before start of the third day’s play that his side was going to bat the whole day.It made sense for Bangladesh to bat out the third day. They wanted to have a healthy lead and give ample time (and rest) to their bowlers before they set about chasing the last ten Afghanistan wickets. Even though there was a 40-50% chance of rain, there was no threat of long wet spells, and the last two days were going to offer enough overs to go for the win.Related

• Hathurusinghe lauds 'professional approach' by Bangladesh quicks

• Taskin Ahmed grabs four as Bangladesh annihilate Afghanistan in their biggest Test win

• Stats – Bangladesh's record win and a new high for their pacers

• Ebadot kickstarts Bangladesh's fast bowling romance

• Shanto blazes away in scorching Dhaka heat

Bangladesh also didn’t think Afghanistan were pushovers. After all, the visitors had beaten them by 224 runs in Chattogram four years ago. Granted, Rashid Khan – who took took 11 wickets in that game – was missing this week in Dhaka, but so were Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal.On the third evening, Mominul Haque had denied talk of any “revenge” for that Chattogram Test. He said international sport doesn’t work that way. They were just looking to bat long, and give the bowlers a comfortable target to defend. Afghanistan were 45 for 2 in 11 overs on that third evening, chasing 662, and finished on 115 for 9 on the fourth morning, when Zahir Khan had to retire hurt with a blow to the elbow. Bangladesh had won the match with five sessions to spare.

Litton happy with character shown by batters

Stand-in captain Litton Das said after the match that he felt pride seeing the margin of victory, on a challenging pitch, in unfavourable weather conditions.Litton: ‘You have to work equally hard, whoever you are playing against.’•BCB”You don’t get a win margin like this every day,” he said. “Credit goes to the batters. The wicket wasn’t easy, but [Bangladesh] batted really well. Bowlers did well too, maintained line and length. They had it slightly easy due to the help from the wicket. When you win a Test match, it is a big achievement. As a captain, you can’t ask for a bigger win than this one.”We believed a lot would depend on the first innings. We bowled them out for 146. The margin [of difference] started to show. It was still a difficult wicket. Our batters showed great character in the second innings. Credit must go to our batters and bowlers.”Litton said the Bangladesh top order has been showing character since last year, when Mahmudul Hasan Joy made impressive runs in New Zealand and South Africa. Zakir Hasan got a century on debut against India last year too. They scored a fifty each in this game.”Zakir is playing his third Test but even on his debut, he didn’t seem to be playing Tests for the first time,” Litton said. “He missed out on a big one due to his run-out in the second innings. I liked the way he batted. He is quite mature.”Joy is similarly mature. He showed great character in New Zealand. We want our young players to show character. They must be determined to do well for the country.”

Test cricket in the new era: Bangladesh too scoring quickerBangladesh’s scoring rate stood out in both innings – 382 and 425 scored at run rates of 4.44 and 5.31, respectively. They batted in similar fashion in the one-off Test against Ireland in April, scoring at 4.82 across the two innings. It is certainly a step up from their run rate of 3.27 in Tests from October 2016 till before that Ireland game.

“In a few years’ time, we won’t have some of these senior players. If you don’t manage it now, suddenly it would become difficult when they are really gone. It would have been better had they played, but we have some capable newcomers.”No seniors? No problem, says Litton

Litton said that Test cricket’s evolution has meant that batters now give more thought to taking advantage of hittable balls rather than leaving it just because it’s a five-day game. “I think a batter should hit the ball that he thinks he can hit a four or a six. Why should he leave that ball? The opposition is always under pressure when there are runs on the board. Tests no longer go into the fifth day [much]. Everyone wants to score runs quickly, and if they have good bowlers, they declare the innings.”

Bangladesh’s pacers offer stern test – of opposition and team-mates alike!

Bangladesh declared their second innings on 425 for 4. Their fast bowlers took eight wickets between them in the final innings, with Taskin Ahmed finishing with career-best figures of 4 for 37.Bangladesh’s quicks picked up 14 wickets in the game•AFP/Getty ImagesEbadot Hossain had taken four wickets in the first innings, while Shoriful Islam picked up five wickets in the match, chipping in with top-order wickets. Their 14 wickets as a collective is now the most by a Bangladesh pace unit in a Test match. Litton said that it was exciting to see so many fielders in the slip cordon next to him as he collected balls regularly around his chest.”I really enjoyed captaining the side, particularly when I saw the ball carrying to me, going to the slips. It was fun as a wicketkeeper,” he said. “There was always a chance to get a wicket. We don’t usually play three pacers in Mirpur because of the wicket’s behaviour. But they had help from the wicket this time, so they did their job properly. I am very happy as a captain.”Litton said the Bangladesh batters now have a tough time themselves, facing their own fast bowlers in the nets. “Their pitch map tells the story. They are a lot more consistent in their lines and lengths. We bowled without cover and point in this game. We are aggressive even on flat wickets,” Litton said.”Their practice and work ethic have changed. We struggle to bat in the nets these days. Taskin, Ebadot, Khaled [Ahmed], Shoriful [Islam] and Musfik [Hasan], and the white-ball bowlers give us a lot more challenge in the nets. It makes our life easier in the matches.”

Past, present and future not solely dependent on seniors

As much as Afghanistan’s missing spin superstar remained a talking point through the Test, Bangladesh also had huge gaps in terms of experience in their line-up. But this is not the first time they have produced a big result with their big names absent. Litton served a reminder that Bangladesh were also without their two senior-most cricketers when they famously won in Mount Maunganui.”We won in New Zealand without Tamim and Shakib . That was a young team winning a Test in overseas conditions. It gave us the belief that hard work can bring success. Everyone in this team wants to play Test cricket. There is excitement in this lot.”In a few years’ time, we won’t have some of these senior players. If you don’t manage it now, suddenly it will become difficult when they are really gone. It would have been better had they played, but we have some capable newcomers.”

Proud club’s agonies may only be beginning as change comes too late to save reputation

David Hopps15-Nov-2021Psychologists have never quite agreed how many stages of grief exist, or indeed quite what they are, but many Yorkshire cricket lovers will imagine they have lived through many of them as the Azeem Rafiq racism allegations have reverberated around the globe. The time for disbelief and anger is long gone. Depression and desperation have now taken hold, as many in the county are demoralized by the sort of fiasco that they had fondly imagined was consigned to the past. Only when there is a proper plan for the future, a new way of living, an approach that is progressive, resilient and unnegotiable, and one where anyone with Yorkshire cricket in their heart can believe that this mess will never happen again, will it be time to move on.To still be writing such words again is beyond belief. On a sunny July day in 2006, Yorkshire devotees dashed across the Yorkshire Wolds to Scarborough to watch Adil Rashid bowl out Warwickshire on a historic first-class debut. There was a palpable sense of excitement that Rashid would finally symbolize Yorkshire’s growing success in fostering links within its minority-ethnic communities. On that heady afternoon, the mood among many spectators was celebratory, the county’s reputation unsullied, even if Yorkshire’s captain and coaching staff folded arms and said very little, indicating in gruff, unimaginative, ungenerous manner that the publicity might be damaging.Fifteen years later, they are discovering the real nature of bad publicity. Rashid, shamefully, is now the only Yorkshire-born player of subcontinent heritage on the staff, despite the county having the largest percentage of non-white inhabitants outside London and the West Midlands. Despite the presence of many worthy people, some – whether you believe it or not – employed by the county, in the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation, and in clubs throughout the region, who are forever striving to create equal opportunities, and whose task is now made so much harder, the pathways for minority-ethnic cricketers have persistently failed as they approach county level. Rafiq’s single-minded offensive has made it clear that an entrenched, uncompromising culture remains unwelcoming, either by accident or design.As for Rashid, who has largely preferred to keep his own counsel on this tawdry tale, and who one day can rightly expect to be honoured by Yorkshire with his own cricket school in his native Bradford, he has now confirmed Rafiq’s story that yes, Michael Vaughan, a former England captain, had indeed observed to a group of Asian players something along the lines that there were too many of you lot and we need to do something about it.Azeem Rafiq bowls for Yorkshire during T20 finals day in 2016•Getty ImagesIt is such destructive sporting “banter” – racist banter, let it be said – that seems to be at the crux of the matter. Many might conclude that Vaughan intended his comments, as alleged but not admitted, to be taken in jest. But even the most generous misinterpretation does not protect him from the charge that any such remarks, if so made, would be unacceptable – comments with race at their heart, uttered by a powerful member of the dominant ethnic group, a statement of difference that risks exclusion and undermines integration.The same might be observed of Gary Ballance’s candid admission of his long-running “banter” with Rafiq, an old drinking buddy, before Rafiq returned to his Muslim roots and abandoned the alcohol that he says he had turned to in order to fit in. Ballance accepted to Yorkshire’s internal enquiry that he had used racial slurs and apologised for it, but his friendship with Rafiq had still been deep enough to invite him to his home in Zimbabwe. Rafiq responded in kind. But it was still breathtakingly misjudged, it was still essentially a relationship which had race at its heart and did the member of the minority group a great disservice. Amid it all, Yorkshire contrived to give Ballance a new three-year contract,As a result of this and many other allegations, Yorkshire cricket is now cleaved in a manner that will not be easily repaired. Both the chairman, Roger Hutton, who led the inquiry, and chief executive Mark Arthur have resigned; the director of cricket, Martyn Moxon, is on sick leave with a stress-related condition; and Rafiq himself, who has talked of past suicidal thoughts, has since been through a draining, obsessional experience that invites concern that his mental health is being looked after.Those of us who know the executives who have now departed have defended them as decent human beings. That assertion has been countered by the view that they have supervised a failed system without intervening and so must pay the penalty. They are guilty of sins of omission and what is disturbing is that millions would have been just as inactive. Both men are understandably hurt by the character assassination they have suffered, just as Rafiq was distraught at the racist overtones that regularly occurred on their watch. Arthur (like all those before him) failed to introduce systems and educate all those under in a way that makes the charge of Systematic Racism a persuasive one – even if the enquiry rejected this. Moxon was too timid in addressing an aggressive dressing room culture, perhaps because cutting humour was regarded as the very stuff of professional sport. Especially in Yorkshire.Lord Patel has signalled overdue change in his first weeks as Yorkshire chairman•Getty ImagesHow has it come to this? Cricket in Yorkshire is central to many people’s lives. They believe in it like little else on earth. And while racist attitudes linger in a small but by no means inconsequential minority (in what area of life do they not?), the majority of fans feel badly let down. They had believed these dog days belonged in the past. Many are beside themselves with frustration at the incompetent handling of this affair: firstly, dismissive and inactive as senior figures failed to see the big picture. They were blinded by the simple fact that they regarded Rafiq as a bit of a liability – and there is much they could say to prove as much. Then they were secretive, disunited and unpersuasive as they were forced into an investigation against their will. That investigation was utterly mishandled because Hutton, the new-departed chairman, had good intentions but no power to force them through.Many who live in the county will recognize an uneasy truth, as much as we insist that the county where we have made our lives is a wonderful place to live, awash with great scenery, food, theatre, community. In Yorkshire, things are done differently. There is no more stubborn, forthright and bloody-minded county in England. Views are candid, and at their best are refreshingly honest. There is very little dissembling, although there is often a stony silence. The difference in behaviour is so pronounced that a person living in Yorkshire, and liable to be viewed as a bit of a wuss, only has to catch a train two hours south to London to be suspected instead as an abrupt, opinionated bully. “Banter” in these parts can be savage and becomes part of the daily routine from childhood, but racism, not to say sexism and homophobia, must be regarded with zero tolerance, and Rafiq’s whistleblowing has made it clear that Yorkshire have failed to address it.Stereotypes, by their very definition, are over-simplifications. But an interesting aspect of such character generalisations is that these plain-speaking attributes can often be seen these days in the minority ethnic groups that have made Yorkshire their home. Such a connection can strengthen bonds. It is quite an irony, though, considering Yorkshire’s reputation for heavy-handedness, that the word was gradually slipped out by the old regime that Rafiq had been guilty of bullying academy players.Is that true? In this soap opera of claims and counter claims, is it really worth the effort to find out? Rafiq is a flawed individual. But that he was ill-served – and Yorkshire finally admit as much – is ultimately all that matters. But we are all much too interested in who might have said what to whom, and whether a sentence (rather than a life) can be construed as racist. When attention turns to Ballance or Vaughan, interest is sharpened all the more. Racism is abhorrent and there should be no concessions about that. But analysing the grades of racism inherent in a single action or moment (and the charges vary from the non-existent to the totally unacceptable) is no way to move Yorkshire onto a firmer footing.Joe Root’s well-judged call for education to aid Yorkshire’s recovery was overshadowed by his reticence on the club’s dressing-room culture•Getty ImagesSystems and processes do not capture much attention. But it is systems and processes that Yorkshire now need. Joe Root, England’s captain, a champion of diversity and arguably the proudest of all Yorkshire cricketers, was criticized by Rafiq last week because he said he had never seen racism in action at Yorkshire. Regrettably this took attention away from a well-judged statement in which he put the need for education from an early age at the core of Yorkshire’s recovery. This is a social problem, said Root, which was not an attempt to pass the buck, but a recognition that social failures demanded of Yorkshire a policy of active education of every single person – of all races – who entered their system, the creation not just of a safe space, but the imposition of a more enlightened, club-orientated, multi-racial culture for all who pass through Headingley’s gates.”We need to educate, unify and reset,” said Root. “We need to educate more and earlier; we must call [racism] out straight away and have our eyes and ears open more.”Related

Rafiq, Vaughan, Yorkshire: a race reckoning

Yorkshire face grim fight for survival as grim season reaches climax

Why it was so difficult for Azeem Rafiq to figure out he was in a racist environment

Yorkshire racism report ruled Azeem Rafiq being called 'P**i' was 'banter'

Adil Rashid backs up Azeem Rafiq's recollections on Michael Vaughan comment

Other county clubs, who have largely escaped criticism, should also look at themselves. When it comes to self-destruction nobody does it quite like Yorkshire, but too many minority ethnic players who come into county cricket have, to put it crudely, been “whitewashed” by a public school education. Cricket’s over-reliance on the private school system is well chronicled. Selection of junior sides is complacent. The two London counties, Surrey especially but also Middlesex, are beginning to make progress. Many are not. More stories could emerge. The dam has been breached.Yorkshire will give oral evidence to the Digital Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee on Tuesday, and they have already released to them the full internal report. Expect a few grandstanding MPs and not a little pomposity. But it is fit and proper that Yorkshire have been called to account and it will be an uncomfortable watch. Comments ahead of the meeting by Lord Patel, Yorkshire’s incoming chairman, that Azeem is an important whistleblower who should be “praised for speaking up”, that the investigation was “flawed” and that “urgent change” is further proof if it were needed that, under Lord Patel’s guidance, change is already underway.Yorkshire can emerge more strongly from this than many imagine. Rafiq can one day be judged by historians as a catalyst for change. That would be some consolation for what has often felt like a lonely struggle. Many cricket people in Yorkshire are already doing good things, many lessons have already been learned. At club level, for a generation or so, players of different ethnic groups – and often, this being cricket in the north, from working-class backgrounds – have slowly learned to rub along. Integration has been slow, imperfect and often painful, and there remains much to be done, but the direction of travel has been a positive one. While Yorkshire’s reputation was in tatters, the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation welcomed 140 Afghan refugees to Leeds in early November with the support of Leeds City Council. The final stage of grief is the imagining of a new beginning. Not everybody is fortunate to get that far. Yorkshire owe it to all their supporters – not just to Rafiq – to make it.

Move over torpedo bats, there’s a new hot trend in the baseball world.

Well, maybe not a trend yet, but it’s certainly got our attention: The New York Mets are using a sledgehammer to warm up while in the on-deck circle.

Outfielder Brandon Nimmo could be seen with the team’s hammer while getting ready to hit against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night.

Per the Mets broadcast, the sledgehammer was a thing that Mets slugger Pete Alonso had been playing with all the way back since spring training. Over the weekend, he and Nimmo apparently had a “there’s nothing in the rulebook that says we can’t” moment, and decided it was time to take it onto the field.

Part of me wants to say that the sledgehammer bit feels a bit performative, like when a college football team warms up shirtless before a snow game to show that they are tough or something.

But on the other hand, swinging a sledgehammer is, undeniably, a cool look. We’ll see how the bit develops over time.

U.S. international Trinity Rodman said she is still weighing her next move as her contract with the Washington Spirit nears its end, noting that emotions and timing are shaping a decision she hasn’t made yet. Her deal expired after Sunday’s NWSL final against Gotham FC, officially making her a free agent and leaving her at a potential career crossroads.

• 'My answer goes back and forth'

  In an interview with filmed before the NWSL final, Trinity Rodman acknowledged the emotional weight of her looming free-agency decision. The 23-year-old U.S. women’s national team forward said she remains conflicted about her future with the Washington Spirit, the club that drafted her first overall in 2021.

  “My answer goes back and forth – it’s kinda hard,” Rodman said. “The question that always comes up is, ‘Am I done with Spirit yet?’ which is very emotional, honestly. So when I’m saying I don’t know what I’m doing, I genuinely don’t know. I really don’t, guys – I’m a little girl trying to figure it out.”

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  'We want those top players here'

  Rodman’s free agency comes at a time when several prominent American players have moved from the NWSL to European clubs. Reports indicate that three teams from England’s Women’s Super League have expressed interest in signing her, while the USL Super League’s D.C. Power has also been linked.

  NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman addressed Rodman’s situation ahead of the championship match, reiterating the league’s desire to keep top talent.

  “Specifically, as it relates to Trinity – and, candidly, any other top player in the world – we want those top players here in the NWSL,” Berman said. “And particularly, we want Trinity in the NWSL, and we will fight for her.”

• Getty
  

  Rodman’s decision represents inflection point for NWSL

  Rodman’s decision comes amid a period of increased movement by U.S. national team players to Europe. Recent transfers include Naomi Girma and Alyssa Thompson to Chelsea, Emily Fox to Arsenal, and Lindsey Horan to Lyon. Her choice will add another data point to the trend of American players evaluating opportunities in both the NWSL and European leagues.

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  League awaits star's decision

  Following the Washington Spirit’s 1-0 loss to Gotham FC in the final, Rodman plans to take a break before making her final decision, a timeline that will keep the NWSL and interested clubs in suspense. The league office will undoubtedly continue working behind the scenes to create conditions favorable for keeping Rodman in Washington.

Manav Suthar took three wickets and Akash Deep two on the opening day of the Irani Trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Oct-2025

Vidarbha opener Atharva Taide scored an unbeaten 118 on the first day of the Irani Cup in Nagpur, putting his team on course for a strong first-innings total against Rest of India. He wasHe began the day alongside Aman Mokhade, who hit four boundaries during his 27-ball 19, before nicking an Akash Deep delivery in the eighth over of the match. Akash Deep – returning to competitive cricket for the first time since his Test tour of England – found success at either end of the day’s play. He was the most economical bowler for Rest of India, going at just 2.50 across his 14 overs.Akash Deep capped off the day by having Vidarbha captain Akshay Wadkar caught behind for 5 in the 82nd over. Vidarbha were reduced to 275 for 5, and Taide batted out the remaining overs alongside Yash Thakur to take Vidarbha to stumps on 280 for 5.Earlier in the day, Rajasthan allrounder Manav Suthar had threatened to roll them over for much less. Fresh off an eight-for against Australia A in Lucknow, he took back-to-back wickets in his first over – the 23rd of the innings. First, he cleaned up Dhruv Shorey (18) while the batter was playing down the wrong line, before he had Danish Malewar caught behind just three balls later. The latter was the second of three catches Ishan Kishan completed behind the stumps.Akash Deep impressed on his return to competitive cricket•PTI

At 80 for 3, 25-year-old Yash Rathod walked in. He stopped the slide and continued his good form from the Duleep Trophy, where he had scored 374 runs in five innings at 124.67. Rathod and Taide batted through the second session, and looked all set to bat till stumps.However, after having hit Suthar for a six just the previous ball in the 74th over, Rathod skipped down the track for the second time in a row and holed out to mid-off on 91 against the run of play. The dismissal ended a 184-run partnership for the fourth wicket.While Akash Deep snared the fifth wicket before the close of play, Taide’s presence in the middle will be essential to Vidarbha’s hopes on the second day. In case an outright result cannot be achieved over five days, the team with the first-innings lead will be declared the winner.Vidarbha will thus be looking to bat deep in their first Irani Cup outing since the 2018-19 edition, which they won through a first-innings lead as well.