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They have had issues handling high-pressure situations and the improvements they’ve made via the WPL will be put to the test against New Zealand

S Sudarshanan20-Oct-20253:53

‘India’s botched chases feel like déjà vu’

When India fell agonisingly short of a world title twice in three years – the ODI World Cup 2017 and the T20 World Cup in 2020 – the failure to cross the line was attributed to an inability to handle pressure. Specifically, the kind that comes with a trophy on the line.The Women’s Premier League (WPL) came in to help the players do better in that regard. It is three seasons old, and the fourth is just months away, yet India’s old habits of stumbling with victory in sight have continued.Mumbai 2023. Perth 2024. Even Delhi 2025 though they were up against a target of 412. And most gallingly, Indore 2025.This is the list of ODI chases that India, in the Amol Muzumdar-Harmanpreet Kaur regime, were in full control of and then let go. Their latest one, the four-run defeat against England on Sunday, has left them facing a difficult path forward in the Women’s World Cup 2025. There is only one semi-final spot left and four teams are vying for it.Harmanpreet Kaur reacts as things just don’t go to plan•ICC/Getty ImagesIt is no surprise that Australia were India’s opponents in three of these four occasions. Each of them followed a pattern of India losing wickets in a heap and losing from a fairly comfortable position. Take the Perth ODI, for example. India were 184 for 3 after 35 overs in their chase of 299. Smriti Mandhana had just completed her century, Jemimah Rodrigues was off to a fluent start and India needed 115 off 90 balls. Mandhana fell in the next over, a collapse of 7 for 26 ensued, and India were bowled out for 215.Two years ago, at Wankhede Stadium, India squandered an ask of 41 off 38 balls with a target only 259. Once Richa Ghosh was dismissed for 96, India lost 4 for 25 and did not get the final kick, falling short by three runs.In Delhi, India gave an almighty go at a world-record target. Mandhana hit the second-fastest ODI hundred and kept the challenge alive. Deepti Sharma and Sneh Rana’s eighth-wicket partnership raised unlikely hopes. Then India lost 3 for 15 to end on 369. No team should be pulled up for being unable to chase 413 but the significance of that chase is that, just like on Sunday, they were without Rodrigues. They were a batter short, having to paper over other concerns.5:13

‘Fans need to temper expectations with India’

In cases like this – when resources have run dry – experience matters more than training. The BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE, earlier the National Cricket Academy) has world-class facilities, which has helped a lot of players work on particular aspects of the game. India’s domestic system is also vast and robust. All of their players have come up through the ranks showing a great deal of ability. But a domestic game – or upskilling sessions – cannot be compared to a stage as big as a World Cup. Here, nerves can get the better of even the most hardened people.Related

New Zealand in must-win territory with rain in the Navi Mumbai air

'The emotions took over' – Mandhana takes blame for Sunday heartbreak

India's cracks threaten to bring down their whole World Cup

So, clearly there is work to do but some of it is already done. The WPL’s emergence has, to an extent, helped condition players to the spotlight, and increased stakes. It is held at major Indian venues, and matches are often played in front of packed houses and for prime-time television audiences. Crucially, it has even yielded two key players who are part of this World Cup – fast bowler Kranti Gaud and left-arm spinner N Shree Charani.Gaud has been rising steadily over the years in domestic cricket and picked up 4 for 25 in last year’s Senior Women’s T20 Trophy final against Bengal. Charani impressed with her defensive skills during the Senior Women’s T20 Challenger Trophy in 2022. These performances were noticed thanks to the scouts from various WPL teams being present at tournaments that often go largely unnoticed. Both of them got picked for WPL 2025 by UP Warriorz and Delhi Capitals respectively, and now have played all of India’s five World Cup matches. This, from not being in the national radar until six-seven months ago.Kranti Gaud is proof of how the WPL is helping bring more players to the Indian team•ICC via Getty ImagesIn the not-so-distant past, Gaud and Charani might have been toiling away at the lower levels, waiting for their big break like many others. Like Kashvee Gautam, who has been grabbing headlines since 2020 when she picked up all 10 wickets in an innings in an Under-19 one-day game. She finally got to play for India this year after a stint with Gujarat Giants helped boost her profile. Domestic performances have visibility now because of the WPL.Despite all of this, India have been found wanting under pressure, which means other areas need to be explored.Just before the T20 World Cup in the UAE last year, the Indian players had sessions with sports psychologist Mughda Bavare, who had also worked with the team during the 2022 ODI World Cup. At the time Harmanpreet spoke glowingly of the impact these sessions had on her.In an interview with ESPNcricinfo earlier this year, Pratika Rawal, a psychology student, also touched upon the powers of the mind: “Studying psychology helped me understand myself. It taught me why a certain human behaves in a certain way in a certain situation. How you think will show in how you walk. If someone is nervous, other teams can know that and will use it against you. If they can take advantage, why can’t you?”4:09

‘Losses will raise questions about India’s mindset’

Rodrigues also toed a similar line in a chat with : “When you’re playing sport at such a high level, the pressure is immense. Many can’t understand what we go through. And sometimes we ourselves don’t understand why we feel the way we feel. But it’s so nice that we get professional help where we can talk these things out. It’s like you can train your mind also. If you can retrain your mind to think in the right direction, maybe that will change your performance, the way you are, [bring about] the outcomes you desire also.”Skills wise, India have been challenging the likes of Australia and England like no other team ever has. But when it comes to the battle of the mind and the nerves, they still have a bit of work to do. That was the case in Indore on Sunday, when they moved away from a trusted combination of six batters and five bowlers. They could once again tweak personnel in order to rebalance the XI ahead of next high-profile clash against New Zealand.The only positive for them is that they will play all the remaining games at the World Cup, including the knockouts if they qualify, at the DY Patil Stadium, a venue they are very familiar with. If they do that, Navi Mumbai 2025 may not need to be added to the list.

Newcastle United have now joined several top clubs in the race to sign a teenage star who’s the same “talent level” as Erling Haaland, according to reports.

Alan Shearer praises "excellent" Guimaraes despite Tottenham draw

Although Newcastle have the chance to redeem themselves against Burnley this weekend, they’ll look back on their 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur as a chance wasted. The Magpies largely dominated, but came unstuck by a shock Cristian Romero brace which included a late overhead kick.

Eddie Howe still has plenty of reason to be optimistic, though, and one of those reasons is the performance of Bruno Guimaraes. The Brazilian emerged from the bench before finding the back of the net and receiving high praise from Tyneside legend Alan Shearer.

It was a standout display from a Newcastle fan favourite, but that may not stop the Magpies from welcoming another midfield addition in the January transfer window.

£65m Newcastle duo should be fuming with Howe's team selection vs Spurs

Two Newcastle players, in particular, are unlikely to be too happy right now.

By
Matt Dawson

Dec 3, 2025

Those at St James’ Park have already been linked with the likes of Scott McTominay on that front and could welcome the Scotland international, before turning their focus towards the in-demand Yan Diomande.

Newcastle join Yan Diomande race

Newcastle have now joined the race to sign Diomande, according to TeamTalk, and are among the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Liverpool all competing to land the winger’s signature.

One RB Leipzig source even went as far as to tell TeamTalk that the winger is the same “talent level” as Manchester City star Haaland, who also came through the Red Bull ranks at Salzburg a number of years ago.

Newcastle have reportedly sent their scouts to watch the 19-year-old in action, but it remains to be seen whether they’ll be able to position themselves to secure his arrival.

What’s more, Leipzig themselves are not ready to let their young star leave and his reported €100m (£87m) release clause should help fend off at least some of the interest.

Given how Anthony Elanga has struggled this season, Diomande is someone that the Magpies should be all in on if they want to complete their frontline alongside record signing Nick Woltemade.

Shades of Woltemade: Newcastle holding internal talks to sign £21m "magician"

da brwin： Tottenham have now opened talks with a Euro 2024 star, via his reps, and could hijack a major European club's move for him as a result.

Spurs targeting new defender after Postecoglou's admission

da supremo： The north Londoners also completed a deal for Romania international Radu Dragusin for around £25 million in January, but there is a real belief that Ange Postecoglou remains on the hunt for new centre-backs.

Related £113,000-per-week World Cup winner holds talks to join Ange at Tottenham

He’s a pretty big name.

Posts 2 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 18, 2024

Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero were indomitable at times over 2023/2024, forming a crucial partnership at the heart of Postecoglou's backline, and the former's searing pace is a crucial component of the Australian's high line.

However, when either of the defenders are absent or injured, Spurs can seriously struggle. Dragusin's arrival worked wonders to provide Postecoglou with an alternative option, with the 22-year-old's presence even allowing van de Ven to cover for Destiny Udogie at left-back towards the end of last season.

Tottenham's best-performing defenders in the league last season

Average match rating (via WhoScored)

Pedro Porro

7.04

Cristian Romero

7.03

Micky van de Ven

6.79

Destiny Udogie

6.71

Ben Davies

6.62

Despite the signing of Dragusin, though, it is believed Tottenham are still looking at bringing in another centre-half this summer. The Lilywhites head coach, speaking back in March, even admitted that it is one of their transfer aims.

“If you’re saying, ‘Is it an area we can strengthen?’, yes it’s an area we will probably look at”, said Postecoglou on signing another centre-back.

“With all these things, it’s about trying to strengthen the group as much as anything else. If you think about when I first arrived, we had maybe six or seven centre-backs at the club. So it’s not just numbers. It’s more about the ability of those players to play the football we want and to fit in to what we’re trying to build here.

“I think it is an area of the park we will look to strengthen, but I think we’ll look to strengthen all areas of the park come the end of the season. That is planning that’s already underway, and other people are in charge of it at the moment.”

Tottenham have displayed a keen interest in Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori as one potential target, with DAZN (via Il Bianconero) sharing an update on their pursuit of the Euro 2024 ace.

Tottenham open talks for Calafiori and could hijack Juventus

The broadcaster claims Tottenham have spoken with Calafiori's reps and contact has been made with Bologna, as they look to beat Juventus in the race for his signature.

The Italy international, who was praised for his performance against Albania in their opening group game of the tournament, is rumoured to command a price tag as high as £42 million following his excellent Serie A campaign.

It looks as if Calafiori could be at the centre of a tug-of-war between Juve and Spurs, especially if he continues to impress at the Euros.

“He played an extraordinary game, like the whole team in the first 60 minutes," said Italian World Cup winner Gianluca Zambrotta on Calafiori's outing against Albania.

"He played with personality, without fear, perhaps the only flaw was on the long ball where we took a risk with Donnarumma’s exit. But he showed some beautiful things yesterday.”

Every team wants a world-class centre-forward to lead their line, and there is arguably a lack of top strikers in today’s game compared to previous generations.

Scoring goals on a regular basis is a priceless attribute, and all clubs want a proven finisher in their ranks, but they can come at a huge price. That being said, there are still a plethora of elite strikers at the top of their games, but who is the best number nine around today?

Ranking factors

To help rank the strikers in order, we have considered the following criteria:

• Current form – how well a player has performed in the past few months
• Importance to their teams – how influential they are to their team’s performances
• Role – how unique their skillset is
• Reputation – what others say about them

15

Joao Pedro

Chelsea and Brazil

Joao Pedro quickly made an impact at Chelsea after signing for £60m from Brighton by helping the Blues win the Club World Cup in the USA.

The Brazilian, now valued at a career-high €50m, also started the 2025/26 Premier League season on fire and looks set to be Chelsea’s first choice striker for years to come.

14

Nick Woltemade

Newcastle and Germany

Eyebrows were raised when Newcastle splashed the cash on Nick Woltemade in a club-record £69m over the summer.

However, the towering German has taken to life in England with ease, replacing Alaxender Isak and scoring goals on a regular basis. Woltemade hasn’t looked out of place in the Premier League.

13

Omar Marmoush

Man City and Egypt

After starring for Eintracht Frankfurt, Omar Marmoush got his big move to Man City in January 2025, and he continued to find the back of the net for fun.

Pep Guardiola called the Egypt international “the best player in the Bundesliga” after signing Marmoush for City, and he already has a Premier League hat-trick to his name.

12

Cristiano Ronaldo

Al Nassr and Portugal

Arguably one of the best players to have ever graced the game, Cristiano Ronaldo is still going strong at the age of 40 and has actually scored more goals since turning 30 than he did before.

He’s been plying his trade in the Saudi Pro League for Al Nassr since 2023 and has continued to find the back of the net on a regular basis.

Ronaldo has now scored over 950 career goals for club and country and has been showing no signs of slowing down, continuing to feature regularly for Portugal.

11

Marcus Thuram

Inter Milan and France

Marcus Thuram made history in 2025 with the quickest goal to be scored in a Champions League semi-final following his clever flick against Barcelona.

The goal highlights Thuram’s quality, and he is now valued at €75m by Transfermarkt, a figure which has more than doubled since moving to Inter Milan from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2023.

The French forward has had the best goalscoring season of his career in 2024/25, and at 27, appears to be at the peak of his powers.

10

Hugo Ekitike

Liverpool and France

Hugo Ekitike became a man in demand after impressing for Eintracht Frankfurt, with Liverpool winning the race to secure his services for an initial £69m.

The 22-year-old previously made his loan move to Frankfurt from Paris Saint-Germain permanent in 2024 and enjoyed his best ever season in front of goal.

PSG are doing just fine themselves without Ekitike, however, they will surely be kicking themselves in regards to selling the “next Mbappe”.

9

Victor Osimhen

Galatasaray and Nigeria

Galatasaray struck gold by signing Victor Osimhen on loan from Napoli last summer, with the Nigeria international continuing to do what he does best – score goals.

Osimhen fell out with Napoli chiefs last summer which resulted in his move to Turkey for the 2024/25 season, and that has now become permanent. The striker has been called “one of the best centre-forwards in the world” by Alvaro Morata.

8

Lautaro Martinez

Inter Milan and Argentina

Alvarez’s international teammate, Lautaro Martinez, is next on the list, with the Inter Milan star a regular source of goals for the Serie A giants since 2018.

In fact, Martinez has hit double figures for Serie A goals in all eight of his campaigns in Italy and has now surpassed 150 goals in all competitions for Inter.

Now Inter captain, Martinez appears to be in the prime of his career and even Lionel Messi backed him to win the Ballon d’Or just last year.

7

Alexander Isak

Liverpool and Sweden

Alexander Isak is regarded as one of the world’s best centre-forwards after starring in the Premier League for Newcastle United, and his record £125m transfer to Liverpool was the saga of the 2025 summer window.

Jamie Carragher, at the beginning of 2025, actually called Isak the “best striker in the Premier League”, however, his start to life at Anfield hasn’t gone to plan which has seen him drop down the rankings.

6

Viktor Gyokeres

Arsenal and Sweden

Many wouldn’t have expected Viktor Gyokeres to be one of the best strikers in the world a few years ago when he was at Coventry City in the Championship. However, the Sweden international is now deservedly regarded among the elite after starring on the European stage with Sporting CP.

Gyokeres scored 43 times in his debut season in Portugal and has proven this year that he wasn’t a one-season wonder by finding the back of the net more than 50 times in 24/25. He has now got his return to England with a big-money move to Arsenal and has continued to find the back of the net, albeit on a less regular occurence.

It’s a day match, the weather is iffy, the ground is traditionally low-scoring – where will England vs India be won and lost?

Nagraj Gollapudi and Shiva Jayaraman26-Jun-20241:33

Will India continue with three left-arm spinners against England?

Rohit-Kohli vs Archer and Co.

In the 20 balls he has faced from Jofra Archer in T20s, Rohit Sharma has been dismissed three times, scoring just 17 runs. Virat Kohli, meanwhile, has had a long-running struggle playing Moeen Ali, across formats. Moeen has got the better of Kohli ten times in international cricket. Six of those have come in Tests, three times in ODIs, and one in T20Is. In all T20 cricket, Moeen has got Kohli out twice, conceding 26 runs in 18 balls in the process. Moeen has also taken Rohit’s wicket twice in T20s, and conceded 21 runs off 13 deliveries.While Moeen’s numbers in the powerplay have not been strong this tournament – 40 runs off 24 balls with one wicket – England could turn to him to put early pressure on Rohit and Kohli, especially in a day match on a pitch that has favoured spin historically.ESPNcricinfo LtdIndia’s openers will be aware that Archer – economy of just over eight in the powerplay with three wickets – will pose difficult questions to them. Reece Topley, who has an economy rate of just over six and one wicket in the powerplay, will share the new ball with Archer, with Moeen possibly bowling at least one if not two overs to make use of the hard seam. England wouldn’t mind if Rohit and Kohli choose aggression, since they know the dice is loaded in their favour.

How about Dube at No. 3?

In case Rohit falls early, expect England to mount pressure by bowling spin from both ends against Kohli and Rishabh Pant, who has played at No. 3 throughout the World Cup. Kohli and Pant don’t have great strike rates against spin. In T20s since the start of 2021, Kohli has struck at 116.98 against spinners, Pant has a strike rate of 125.00.Will India then dare to push Shivam Dube ahead of Pant? Dube’s role has primarily been to attack spin and disrupt the opposition’s bowling plans in the middle overs.In all likelihood, though, India will not gamble at this stage of the tournament and persist with the batting order they have played with so far.

Archer vs Suryakumar and Hardik

England’s abundance of bowling allrounders allow them the luxury of keeping at least two overs of Archer for the death. In the three matches where he has bowled four overs, Archer has bowled two at the death only once – against South Africa, where he picked up the wickets of David Miller and Marco Jansen, and gave away 16 runs. He helped restrict the target, but England fell short anyway.ESPNcricinfo LtdIf Archer ends up bowling two at the death against India, it is likely he will come up against the power-hitting pair of Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya. And Archer won’t mind that one bit. In all T20s, Archer has dismissed Hardik three times and Suryakumar once. If that’s not too impressive, look at the batters’ strike rates against him: Hardik’s is 110.86 (46 balls, 51 runs) and Suryakumar’s is 121.73 (23 balls, 28 runs).

Attack Bumrah or play him out?

Jasprit Bumrah is the biggest hurdle for England to cross. Bumrah’s ability to execute his plans to the last dot, ball after ball, regardless of the phase he bowls in, the opponents, the importance of the match or format, makes him, as Osman Samiuddin noted during the 2023 ODI World Cup – a one of a kind.ESPNcricinfo LtdBumrah has usually delivered two overs in powerplays and the other two mostly at the death. Guyana is a venue where experts recommend going hard in the powerplay, after which scoring becomes tougher as the pitch slows down quickly. Jos Buttler and Phil Salt have been explosive in the powerplay, with England leading the run chart in the phase. Buttler, though, has been dismissed by Bumrah four times in 12 innings in T20s, scoring just 71 runs off 82 balls.When Buttler bats deep, he invariably has a positive influence on the match result. So if England want to go hard against Bumrah, they might leave that job to Salt and if that plan crashes, they can think about promoting Sam Curran as an aggressor at No. 3.

Match-up to watch: Buttler vs Kuldeep

If Buttler does end up batting deep, he will run into Kuldeep Yadav, who has been one of the best bowlers in the world in the last year across formats.ESPNcricinfo LtdButtler has always been hesitant to attack Kuldeep, as the numbers suggest: 87 runs off 63 deliveries while getting out three times. The most recent dismissal came in March during the IPL when Kuldeep forced his Delhi Capitals captain Pant to review successfully for lbw after Buttler attempted to reverse sweep him from middle stump.England’s batters have a good record against left-arm spin so they will hope not to be troubled by the pair of Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja.The main challenge is likely to come from Kuldeep, whose economy of 6.02 against Full Member teams in the middle overs since 2022 is the (just about) second to Rashid Khan’s (6.00) among the 70 bowlers who have bowled 300 or more balls in this period.

Manchester United might now be winless across their last two Premier League matches, but there aren’t any alarm bells ringing.

Indeed, the Red Devils have shown plenty of fight and determination – qualities that were sorely lacking during the early days of Ruben Amorim – to pick up two consecutive 2-2 draws on the road.

United even had to temporarily play with ten men away at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday lunchtime, when Benjamin Sesko limped off with a late injury, but that didn’t stop the imperious Matthijs De Ligt in his mission to rise above a sea of white shirts to head home a last-gasp equaliser.

In previous years, United would have just folded but there is a hard-to-beat quality deep within Amorim’s side now, with Bryan Mbeumo once again receiving plenty of plaudits at the full-time whistle after he bagged his fifth Premier League goal of the season against Thomas Frank’s hosts.

Ranking Man Utd's summer business

Ex-United midfielder Owen Hargreaves would compare the ex-Brentford forward to Mohamed Salah after the entertaining draw, stating that he always has a “clear picture” of what he wants to do in front of goal.

Having gone his first seven Premier League games in United red with just one goal next to his name, the £71m recruit has now come into his own to be seen as one of the standout bits of business INEOS signed off on in the summer, as his calmly tucked away header got the ball rolling for Amorim and Co in North London on Saturday.

It was another top-drawer display from the Cameroon international, who playing on the left-hand side on this occasion, also missed a big chance from his two shots and won two fouls.

It’s safe to say the winger has started off brightly in United colours, with three goals put away with the same ice-cold nature last month, seeing Mbeumo collect the October player of the month accolade in the Premier League.

Matheus Cunha has also gone down as a sterling summer purchase from Wolverhampton Wanderers, with a first United goal finally coming his way against Brighton and Hove Albion at the close of October, even if he did fire blanks against Spurs.

Moreover, Senne Lammens continues to stand out as a rock-solid buy in goal, even if he did fall victim to a late deflected effort from Richarlison, with two saves under pressure from the Belgian ensuring the visitors came away from the contest with a share of the points.

INEOS has managed to rewrite the narrative after falling victim to a few transfer blunders last summer, notably Manuel Ugarte and Joshua Zirkzee but the window of 2024 wasn’t all a complete failure.

Man United's future "captain" is outshining Mbeumo

When the ship was very visibly sinking at Old Trafford, there was a real lack of leaders attempting to turn the waning club’s fortunes around.

Thankfully, many of the senior figures Amorim has at his disposal – who once shied away from the spotlight – have come into their own over recent matches, with Casemiro now going on to be labelled as the “glue” that holds United together by content creator Liam Canning.

Moreover, Bruno Fernandes showed his immense quality during the 2-2 draw, too, as his inch-perfect corner late on turned the aforementioned De Ligt into a last-minute hero.

De Ligt has further emerged as a dependable performer Amorim knows he can rely on, with ex-United great Rio Ferdinand even stating, back in September, that the Dutchman should be “the first name on the teamsheet.”

He has become undroppable, with a battling performance away at a physical Nottingham Forest outfit seeing him win all ten of his aerial duels, as his aerial prowess was even clearer for all to take in against Spurs, when he headed home the crucial equaliser.

It’s been quite the turnaround in fortunes for the ex-Ajax colossus, with the 26-year-old even once being branded as “awful” by Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher after a ropey debut season, which saw the former Eredivisie titan collect just three clean sheets from 29 league outings.

Now, however, the previously mentioned Manning is hailing De Ligt as a “serious contender for the next captain” of the Red Devils, as another “clutch” display was put in by the 6-foot-2 battler against Frank’s men.

Of course, signings such as Mbeumo’s will likely steal more of the headlines, with the flashy £71m attacker now living up to his steep price tag.

But, for £42.9m, United seriously hit the jackpot, sealing De Ligt’s signature when they did, as the much-improved number four – who has featured in every possible second of United’s resurgent league campaign to date – now aims to become a permanent fixture in the Red Devils’ defence for many years to come.

It's not Mbeumo: "Unbelievable" Man Utd star looks like Amorim's new Bruno

Bryan Mbeumo stole the show again for Manchester United – but he wasn’t alone…

ByJoe Nuttall Nov 9, 2025

The power of South Africa’s lower middle order has allowed de Kock to take his time early on, and the results have been spectacular

Sidharth Monga01-Nov-20232:13

Harmison: Should SA have gone harder with the bat?

When he knew it was all over, Tony Montana pulled out the machine gun and said the legendary line, “Say hello to my little friend.”It is almost impossible to imagine Quinton de Kock getting so expressive, but in his last World Cup, right at the end of an international career in which he has perhaps felt trapped like Montana at times, he has brought out his own, actual little friend: a desire and a method to bat long.Not that he didn’t always have it. When de Kock first announced himself with three centuries in a week against India late in 2013, back when he was almost the Simba the senior players loved to hold aloft, he was – despite his methods and scoring areas – an old-fashioned ODI opener, who would start off watchfully and look to play deep into the innings.Related

• 'Strange things happen in life' – de Kock is done with ODIs, or is he?

• Marco Jansen, South Africa's Magnificent No. 7

• South Africa rock around de Kock

• South Africa go top as New Zealand slump to third straight defeat

In the middle chunk of his ODI career, though, de Kock became more of an enforcer and less of a long-innings player. From 2018 to 2022, he didn’t have a single year with more than one ODI century, but his strike-rate over that period (98.78) was higher than it had been before (94.62).And then came 2023. South Africa have developed a strategy where they want to give their power-hitting lower middle order not much more than 20 overs to cause havoc in. It has allowed de Kock to perhaps go back to his original style. When batting first this year, he has struck at just 4.61 an over in the first powerplay, having gone at 6.09 and 5.44 in the same phase in 2021 and 2022.Quinton de Kock is all smiles after bringing up his fourth hundred of this World Cup•Associated PressThe desire to bat longer is clear, and the method is to somehow get past the early movement. Thanks to South Africa’s consistently firing lower middle order, de Kock knows it is okay to start off slowly. So slow that South Africa have gone even slower than Pakistan in the first powerplay in this World Cup.There is good reason for South Africa’s leadership to be fine with de Kock starting off slowly. In 32 innings in Asia, de Kock has gone past 50 on 10 occasions; eight of them have been centuries. In innings where de Kock has gone past 30, he has achieved better control figures in Asia than in any other continent. It clearly suggests an expertise in these conditions. His IPL experience no doubt helps.Even without these figures, if you went just by feel, you can well imagine what nightmare it would be for bowlers if de Kock decides to, and finds a way to, bat deep. For he is not the kind of batter whom fields can restrict. As the numbers suggest, he has a grip on the conditions in Asia. He will always catch up.A good example was this slow start in Pune against New Zealand. He was on 13 off 25 after 10 overs. His reaction was not to do anything dramatic. He sweated on his favourite pick-up pull against Tim Southee. That shot is a hard-length neutraliser like no other. Now de Kock is no surprise package, and Southee is a wily bowler. He kept denying de Kock the shot, mostly by going wide and across him. De Kock waited for just the right ball, and when he got the right line, out it came, at the start of the 16th over.Quinton de Kock waited patiently until he got a chance to play his favourite pick-up pull•ICC/Getty ImagesWith that shot came the fluency although there was never perhaps a time when either he or Rassie van der Dussen got entirely comfortable on what looked like a slightly tricky surface to begin with.There was gradual acceleration until the 30th over, after which he began to manufacture shots, moving inside the line and targeting the long-leg area. It was consistent with how he has gone through this World Cup: watchful at the start, pick up in the middle overs, and then start hitting after the 30th. If it comes off, we are in for Montana-like fireworks; if it doesn’t, South Africa don’t lose out on much because the batters coming in are better off using those deliveries.The result of this change in approach for de Kock is that this was his fourth hundred already in this World Cup with at least three – and possibly four – innings to go. There is a joy to watching him wind down his ODI career with the freedom to bat the way he did when he started out.At 152 innings right now, it is all too brief a career, but this little friend of de Kock has helped him take his frequency of hitting hundreds to bang between the gold standards of ODI batting in his era. Virat Kohli scores one every six innings, approximately, and Rohit Sharma once every eight digs; de Kock is slightly slower than a century every seven innings. It will take a brave person to bet against him improving that rate.

Tom Abell says South Group table-toppers “desperate” to land first T20 title since 2005

Alan Gardner14-Jul-2023Somerset topped the South Group (which provided all four semi-finalists in this year’s Blast) with a record 12 wins from 14. Somerset have the leading wicket-taker in the competition and the most consistently destructive top three going around. Somerset are at Finals Day for the third year running and just two more wins from securing their second T20 title.At which point, if you are a Somerset fan, you’re already beginning to fear the worst.Since winning the third edition of the Twenty20 Cup back in 2005, Somerset have been to Finals Day and had their hopes dashed seven times. Throw in the six County Championship runners-up finishes since the turn of the century and you can see why they might be wary of ending up on bridesmaid duty once again.Tom Abell has been involved in the three most-recent episodes of Edgbaston heartbreak, in 2018, 2021 and 2022, and captained the side in last year’s semi-final defeat to eventual winners Hampshire. He has since handed the reins back to Lewis Gregory (skipper when losing to Kent in the final two years ago) and conceded that the hurdles Somerset must overcome are mental as much as those presented by the opposition.Related

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“We’ve been here the last few years and we’re obviously desperate to try and get over the line,” Abell said. “Of course, when you’ve had a couple of experiences, I think you probably you want it that little bit more and you care so much about it, that you almost forget the most important things, which is to try and trust what’s been working for us.”We’ve obviously been playing so well through the group stages. But we know that counts for very little, all that matters is how you play and how you turn up on Finals Day.”Abell was also refusing to set much store by Somerset’s form to this point, which has seen them win 13 games overall while picking up 131 wickets – another competition record. They finished six points clear at the top of the South Group, although one of their two defeats did come against semi-final opponents Surrey.”I don’t really think that [topping the group] counts for too much tomorrow,” Abell said. “As I say it’s all about who turns up and plays the best cricket on the day. Obviously, every team has got to know each other pretty well. We play each other both home and away in the group stages and yeah, four very dangerous teams. There’s matchwinners in each team. I guess that’s what we love about T20, anyone on their day can beat anyone.”But we’re in pretty confident mood. I think the way we’ve been playing, we’ve had some really strong performances and so probably the most pleasing thing for us has been some of those games where maybe we haven’t been at our best, still finding a way to win. So I think there’s a lot to be said for that as well.”Somerset did come through a significant test in their quarter-final against Nottinghamshire, when they recovered from 62 for 5 at the halfway stage chasing 158 to win. With the big guns at the top of the order having failed, it was left to Gregory and Ben Green to get them over the line with an unbroken 96-run stand. “We certainly feel like we’ve got match-winners [from] one to 11 and we’re pretty clear with our roles within the team,” Abell said.Tom Banton gets a fist bump from Tom Abell•Getty Images”We know we’re capable of beating any team if we play to our abilities. So we like to believe that the last few years will put us in good stead. But of course, you know, what’s gone before and what’s gone this season counts for very little. It’s all about who deals with those pressure moments the best and as I say, there’s been times when we’ve been really tested this year, and I think we’ve come out the other side. We’re pretty happy with where we’re at as a side and I’m just excited for tomorrow.”Somerset look to have all the tools needed to end their hoodoo. Green’s medium-pace has reaped a competition-leading 27 wickets, with New Zealand quick Matt Henry not far behind on 24, while the signing of Henry’s compatriot Ish Sodhi as a late injury replacement gives them a wristspin option to go alongside Roelof van der Merwe’s left-arm darts.Then at the top of the order is the unholy trinity of Tom Banton, Will Smeed and Tom Kohler-Cadmore – all of whom have scored 400-plus runs at strike-rates north of 150 this season.”TKC has been an absolutely phenomenal signing for us across formats, and obviously having Smeedy and Bants at the top as well, both on their day they’ll win the game on their own,” Abell said.”For us in the middle order, those top three, the way they’ve been playing, it make our lives a lot easier. But yeah, I saw something TKC said the other day, ‘I think everybody’s contributed at some point through the competition’. And if you want to go all the way, we’re going to need that tomorrow as well. So, we pride ourselves on being a team. And we’ve certainly shown that through the competition and I think we’ve built belief and trust in each other. So we’re going into tomorrow in really confident mood.”

Australia’s Mitchell Starc, meanwhile, lamented the state of the old pink ball and his team-mates’ lack of situational awareness

Matt Roller04-Dec-2025

Jofra Archer played a valuable hand batting at No. 11 for only the second time in Test cricket•Darrian Traynor/CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images

England believe that the chaotic final half-hour at the Gabba swung the opening day of the second Ashes Test in their favour, after Joe Root and Jofra Archer’s unbroken tenth-wicket stand of 61 took them to 325 for 9 under lights.At the scheduled 9pm close, England were 269 for 9 after 68 overs, with Root unbeaten on 111. It was a remarkably similar situation to the opening day of the 2023 series between these teams in Edgbaston, when Ben Stokes declared with Root on 118 to give England four overs to bowl at Australia before the close.The added element of the pink ball – and the opportunity to bowl at Australia under floodlights – strengthened the case for a declaration, prompting David Warner on Fox commentary to say he was “absolutely baffled” that Stokes had not pulled the plug on England’s innings.Related

• Root ton, Starc six as England reach 325 for 9 on opening day in Brisbane

• Crawley settles the nerves as he bounces back from Perth pair

• Starc on left-arm wickets record: Wasim still the GOAT

Steven Smith, who had floated the prospect of opening the batting with two nightwatchers in such a scenario, was at pains to slow the game down as much as possible, and Root remonstrated with umpire Sharfuddoula at Australia’s apparent time-wasting when Travis Head got padded up to spend a single ball under the helmet at short leg.But Root and Archer seized the opportunity to tee off, adding 56 runs in the final six overs of the day in a partnership that Zak Crawley said had changed the mood of the day for England’s players, who watched on from the viewing gallery outside the away dressing room. “We definitely won that last hour,” Crawley said. “We’re positive going into tomorrow.”Joe Root and Jofra Archer added an unbeaten 61 off 44 balls before stumps•Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Archer, batting at No. 11 for only the second time in Test cricket, started the carnage by charging Scott Boland and swiping him over square leg for the first six of the day off the first ball of an over that cost 19 runs. He then swung Mitchell Starc’s full toss over the sprawling Brendan Doggett at long-on, and Root reverse-scooped Boland over deep third in the following over.By stumps, Archer had registered a new Test best of 32 not out, while Root reached 135 overnight. Their stand was England’s first half-century partnership for the tenth wicket since Jonny Bairstow and James Anderson added 66 in the drawn Old Trafford Test in the 2023 Ashes, and their first in Australia since Norman Cowans and Derek Pringle in 1982.Starc, whose six wickets had put Australia firmly on top, was exasperated not only with the state of the old pink ball, but with his team-mates’ lack of situational awareness. “If you have a look at that ball, it’s basically bowling with a tennis ball,” he told SEN radio. “They chanced their arm, there were a few that dropped short. I think there’s a little bit of tactical nous in there as well.

“Hopefully, we take that tenth one early tomorrow and get batting with the sun out. We saw that it [the ball] didn’t do a whole lot, and day two is generally a good day to bat on. If we can get stuck into batting early tomorrow when there’s sun on the wicket – and their balls go soft as well – it could be a good day’s cricket.”Crawley, who had briefly changed back into his whites in anticipation of fielding, said that the situation had been “perfect” for England. “There was no talk of a declaration,” he said. “We were just saying, ‘Go really hard,’ and it was a win-win: if it comes off, then we’ll get 50 runs like we did, or if you got out, then we could have a crack at them under lights.”They’re valuable runs and it would’ve worked out either way… We were pretty happy with [being bowled out for] 260 and having an hour at them at that point, to be honest. We were quite optimistic about that last hour, and then it turned out we batted for all of it. It felt like it was a great chance for us either way – with bat or ball – to seize that last hour.”Australia only bowled 74 overs out of the scheduled 90 on the first day, which Simon Katich described as “an absolute joke”. They risk being docked World Test Championship points if they fail to bowl England out inside 80 overs. “The over rates are what they are,” Starc said. “If we keep taking the wickets, they won’t worry about it.”

da cassino： What a tough season it has been so far for Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Old Gold find themselves 19th in the Premier League, which might be a shock to many including Phil McNulty, the chief football writer for BBC Sport. He said “I think Wolves can avoid danger” at the start of the season, but so far it is not working out like that.

da betano casino： It will be all change in the next few weeks too, after Gary O’Neil’s recent sacking. Portuguese coach Vitor Pereira is officially the new manager, and he has a lot of work to do to salvage the season.

With that in mind, here’s a look at Wolves’ dream lineup using Pereira’s favoured 3-4-3, with some potential January signings, too.

1 GK – Sam Johnstone

It has been a lean season so far for Wolves, conceding 40 goals, the most in the Premier League. Sam Johnstone and Jose Sa have battled it out for the gloves, with Sa being O’Neil’s preferred choice.

With that being said, Johnstone has conceded 17 goals in seven games in the top flight, which is made to seem far worse given he let in five in one game against Brentford. He averages fewer goals conceded per game than Sa, with 2.42 compared to 2.55. He could well get the nod.

2 RWB – Nelson Semedo

Newly appointed Wolves captain Nelson Semedo will surely be a key player under Pereira. It seems unlikely that his countryman will rock the boat further by removing the Portugal right-back’s captaincy.

From a defensive standpoint this term, the former Barcelona defender has been crucial. As per FBref, he has made the most clearances amongst Wolves players with 59, and the fourth most tackles and interceptions with 39. He is a crucial player.

3 CB – Craig Dawson

Experienced centre-back Craig Dawson had a moment to forget a few weeks ago during the clash against Everton. His two own goals contributed to half of the goals they conceded in a 4-0 win at Goodison Park.

His poor form meant O’Neil dropped him for his final two games in charge, but that did not make much of a difference for the Midlands club. It could be that Pereira could reinstate him, looking to lean on his experience.

4 CB – Ben Godfrey

The first of the two new potential signings in this hypothetical XI is former Everton man Ben Godfrey. According to the Daily Mail, the Old Gold are ‘understood to be among the clubs keen’ to sign him on loan, alongside the likes of Nottingham Forest.

The defender has been a bit-part player for an incredibly successful Atalanta side this season, who he joined in the summer from the Toffees. He would bring experience to the backline at Molineux, given he has played 112 times in the Premier League, exactly the sort of addition that could help keep them up.

5 CB – Toti Gomes

25-year-old Portuguese international Toti Gomes has been another important player for the Old Gold in 2024/25, despite their defensive frailties. He has made 14 Premier League appearances this term.

One thing the Wolves number 24 can bring to their defence is progression on the ball. This season, he has played 31 progressive passes, more than any other centre-back, with Dawson the second-highest on 19. Not only is he a solid defender, but a big asset if Pereira wishes to play out from the back.

6 LWB – Rayan Ait-Nouri

Rayan Ait-Nouri has been one of the only players who have performed to a high level for the Old Gold this term. He is yet to miss a top-flight game, although will be banned for their next outing in the Premier League.

The Algerian left wing-back has been flying up and down the flank for O’Neil this season, and his three goals and three assists so far show what kind of impact he can have. There are question marks over his future at the club, with Manchester United linked with a £60m move as per GiveMeSport. However, Pereira would be no doubt desperate to keep him at the club.

7 CM – Andre

It has been a tough start to life in the Midlands for summer signing Andre. He has played 12 times in the top flight but has not been a first choice in the middle of the park, featuring for just 733 minutes in total.

However, it seems like Pereira might back him given the new manager’s experience in the midfielder’s native Brazil. Having managed Corinthians and Flamengo, he will have faced the former Fluminense man before and will know the quality he has to offer.

8 CM – Joao Gomes

Andre’s midfield partner could well be another Brazilian, Joao Gomes. He was a mainstay in the Old Gold midfield this campaign until the most recent game against Ipswich Town, playing in 15 from 16 games.

Gomes’ ability in the middle of the park to win the ball back is vital for the Molineux side. He has made 80 ball recoveries this season, more than any of his teammates, and has also completed 60 tackles and interceptions so far. His work rate without the ball will be crucial for Pereira.

9 AM – Miguel Almiron

The second of the potential new signings for the Old Gold in January is Miguel Almiron. According to The Sun, the Newcastle United winger is of interest to Wolves on loan, with Leicester City and Crystal Palace also keen.

The attacker, who earns £60k-per-week at St James’ Park, could slot into the side as a number 10 or a false winger, replacing former club captain Mario Lemina in the side.

He hasn’t played much this season, but is a proven goalscorer in the Premier League, scoring 11 times in the 2022/23 season.

10 AM – Matheus Cunha

People are running out of superlatives for Brazilian forward Matheus Cunha. He has been sublime for the Midlands club again this term, with eight goals and three assists. That includes two goals and one assist in Wolves’ second win of the season against Fulham.

Everything good that has happened for the Old Gold has more than likely been because of Cunha. He makes things happen and has the highest number of shot-creating actions per 90 minutes amongst teammates who average five full games or more, with 3.91.