He was given a reprimand and a demerit point after an argument over a dead ball not being called
ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jun-2024
Matthew Wade had an argument with umpire Nitin Menon•Getty Images
Matthew Wade has escaped a fine from the ICC following a heated on-field argument with umpire Nitin Menon during Australia’s 36-run win over England in Barbados in the T20 World Cup 2024, though he has been handed an “official reprimand” and one demerit point.Facing Adil Rashid in the 18th over of Australia’s innings, Wade backed away to the leg side as the bowler was in his action, and dead-batted the ball back down the pitch. The ICC said in a press release: “[Wade] expected it to be called a ‘dead ball’ by the umpire. When it wasn’t, Wade then argued with the umpires over the decision.”Wade exchanged words with Jos Buttler, England’s wicketkeeper, and continued to argue with Menon after taking a single off the following delivery. He accepted a Level 1 breach of the ICC’s code of conduct but avoided the maximum penalty of a 50% match fee fine, instead having a demerit point added to his record for the next two years.Related
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Buttler suggested he could have intervened, but said that Wade had backed away “very late”. He said: “[I’m not sure] whether I should have said, ‘I don’t know if he pulled away and let’s just carry on’. But the umpire seemed to be like, ‘well, because he played it, it’s a dot ball’… he seemed ready, and then pulled out very late.”Adam Zampa, who took 2 for 28 in Australia’s win, said that Wade had been fired up by the incident. “Wadey is a fiery guy, super competitive, and something ticked him over a little bit. That’s what we love about Wadey… having him behind the stumps, so competitive, you can hear his voice and that makes a huge difference.”If you’ve got a wicketkeeper who’s quiet, whose body language is the opposite to someone like Wadey, you can feel that as well. I love playing with Wadey. He’s so competitive… He backed away and he played that shot, and I think he felt like it was basically the same as letting it hit him in the leg, kind of a dead ball. But yeah, it doesn’t take much to fire Wadey up.”Zampa was also critical of England’s body language in the field, suggesting that they let their frustrations get the better of them – particularly when bowling to Travis Head and David Warner. “They were under the pump and it showed,” he said. “It’s so hard to bowl to those two in the powerplay.”If your bowlers aren’t summing up the conditions quickly, I guess it can be frustrating, and Heady and Davey took advantage of it. We try not to be like that. We speak about it a bit. Our leadership isn’t like that. They are very calm, and I think that helps us as bowlers as well.”
Leeds United fans will be praying Daniel Farke can be the manager in the Elland Road dug-out to consolidate the Whites as a Premier League regular again, but they won’t be holding their breath.
After all, there was even talk this off-season that the German could reportedly be relieved of his duties, with his worrying track record in the top division – as seen in his one relegation with former side Norwich City – meaning he could be in too deep on his return again.
The Whites hierarchy have admirably stuck by the promotion-winning expert, though, with a barrage of transfers now needed to give the ex-Canaries boss his best chance at remaining put in the Premier League with his current employers.
Leeds now targeting £10m-rated ace
Whilst the West Yorkshire titans would storm to the Championship title with a club-record 100 points, improvements need to be made all over the pitch to make the gulf in quality feel less stark.
Already, Farke and Co. have been linked with moves for Emiliano Buendia, Tammy Abraham and Kalvin Phillips to significantly bolster their squad, but it’s in the goalkeeper department where the Whites are crying out for their most pressing upgrade.
It has now been widely reported that Illan Meslier will be ditched as Leeds’ first-choice stopper in the big time after one too many error-strewn performances in the second-tier, with the Daily Mail Online following this up with a report that Newcastle United ‘keeper Nick Pope is now on their agenda as they hunt down a new number one.
With a move for Caoimhin Kelleher also falling by the wayside, Pope could be the next best thing for Farke’s men, with the Magpies perhaps now ready to offload their £10m-rated figure amidst interest in Burnley’s James Trafford.
Why signing Pope is a must for Leeds
With Phillips available for around the same £10m price tag, it could end up being a toss-up between Pope and the former fan favourite.
Well, when assessing which transfer is most needed, it’s a no-brainer that Leeds must prioritise picking up the 6-foot-6 ‘keeper over a sentimental Elland Road return for the midfielder.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Leeds could well look a little light on their feet centrally when making the step-up, with Joe Rothwell returning back to parent side AFC Bournemouth this summer, but the Whites are in dire need of a solid pair of hands in between the sticks over urgently requiring any midfield additions.
After all, away from Meslier nearly costing his team dear last campaign with three errors directly leading to goals, the ex-Lorient stopper has struggled in the intense environment of the Premier League previously.
Meslier’s PL record vs Pope’s
Stat
Meslier
Pope
Games played
107
221
Saves made
377
687
Goals conceded
198
252
Clean sheets
21
73
Wins
32
86
Losses
50
71
Stats from the Premier League
The table above highlights the 25-year-old’s struggles in the big time compared to the more comfortable Pope, with Meslier only keeping a meagre 21 clean sheets from 107 top-flight outings next to the Magpies’ number 22 collecting a sturdier 73.
Away from just their clean sheet numbers, Pope has also shown he can cut it at the level over a prolonged time, even as Eddie Howe and Co’s aspirations have changed from being a middle of the road outfit to a Champions League challenger, with a bumper 86 wins sticking out from his 221 Premier League clashes and counting.
Therefore, the “phenomenal” Pope – as he’s been previously praised by ex-Toon goalkeeping great Shay Given – would easily displace Meslier on his arrival to West Yorkshire.
Whereas, it’s not a given that Phillips would be able to shake up things centrally, with faces such as Ao Tanaka and Ilia Gruev likely getting the immediate nod over the Manchester City flop.
Having already suffered a relegation with the Whites too, it just feels like Leeds would be sleepwalking into another disaster if Meslier were kept in between the sticks.
Whereas, with the 33-year-old coming in as the new number one instead, the confidence levels would be increased that Farke and Co. could put up a stern fight to beat the drop.
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As Manchester United romped to a brutal first-leg victory over Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League on Thursday evening, the performance of a certain Rasmus Hojlund quietly went under the radar in that semi-final clash.
With all the talk centred around the experienced trio of Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro and Harry Maguire, the lively display of United’s number nine was easy to overlook, with the towering Dane notably winning the penalty that proved a key turning point in the tie.
Rasmus Hojlund
Speaking after that bright performance, manager Ruben Amorim suggested that it was the 22-year-old’s “best game” since he took charge at Old Trafford, with the struggling number nine perhaps beginning to find his groove after netting at the death against Bournemouth last week.
That recent revival could prove vital if United are to claim European glory come the end of May, although in the long term, the fact remains that the former Atalanta man has scored just four Premier League goals all season – a simply dismal return for a striker.
Whether the £64m signing stays or goes this summer, a real upgrade is needed at the top end of the pitch ahead of next term – the Red Devils simply can’t afford a Hojlund repeat.
Man Utd's search for a striker
Amorim has gone from witnessing the heroics of Viktor Gyokeres – who scored 66 goals under his watch in just 68 games – back at Sporting CP, to now having to witness his goal-shy group toil in Manchester.
It is then no surprise that United have been heavily linked with a move to reunite the 40-year-old coach with his former talisman, while recent reports have also suggested that Bayer Leverkusen’s Patrik Schick could represent a wildcard option this summer.
With Victor Osimhen also reportedly in the frame, as the Nigerian gets set to enter the final year of his Napoli contract, there are proven targets out there for United to consider, as they seek a new centre-forward for the third summer in succession.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Frustratingly, however, it would seem that the man that INEOS have actually identified as the leading candidate is Ipswich Town starlet, Liam Delap, with TEAMtalk reporting that the Old Trafford outfit are making a ‘huge effort’ to bring the 22-year-old to the club.
As per the report, Everton have now joined the race to sign the £30m-rated ace, alongside Chelsea, albeit with there said to be ‘hope’ at United that they will emerge victorious in their pursuit.
Ipswich Town'sLiamDelapreacts
A player known well to technical director Jason Wilcox, amid his previous stint at rivals Manchester City, the England U21 international would be an exciting addition – but is he really what Amorim needs?
Why Man Utd could be set to sign another Hojlund
There appears to have become a growing obsession in the modern game with adopting a youth-centric approach in the transfer market. Take Chelsea, for example, whose oldest outfield player this season has been Tosin Adarabioyo, who is still only 27.
Erik ten Hag
Even at United under the INEOS regime, every signing made since last summer has been aged 25 or under, excluding Noussair Mazraoui. Ironically, it would not be difficult to argue that the now 27-year-old has proven to be the best of the bunch.
Equally, Thursday’s triumph away in the Basque Country indicated the benefits of the older heads, with Fernandes and Casemiro proving to be “the difference again”, in the words of journalist Samuel Luckhurst.
Casemiro
United have no doubt been stung in the past by short-term, high profile signings – with transfer fees for those players also likely to prove more costly – although in the case of centre-forward, in particular, the club can’t afford to skimp this summer.
Cast your mind back to 2023, for instance, when Erik ten Hag set his sights on Tottenham Hotspur’s 280-goal hero, Harry Kane, only for the club to instead fork out for a 20-year-old Hojlund, who had scored just ten goals in all competitions for his former employers.
Last summer, meanwhile, another ‘cheap’ option was pursued in the form of Joshua Zirkzee, with the Dutchman available due to a £36.5m release clause in his Bologna contract. After netting just 12 goals last term in Italy, only a further seven have followed in Manchester.
To then consider moving for another young, inexperienced, but affordable forward in Delap could represent a real mistake, with the Englishman not exactly setting the world alight this season. 12 top-flight goals for a now-relegated side is nothing to turn your nose up at, although it’s hardly spectacular.
The Man City academy graduate, as he has shown in 2024/25, is an undoubted talent, with his bulldozing displays for the Tractor Boys seeing him lauded as a “wrecking ball” by Sky Sports’ Lewis Jones.
And yet, it was only last season that the in-demand marksman had scored just eight league goals while on loan at Hull City in the Championship, with the question there to be asked over whether he is indeed ready to make such a seismic, pressurised step up.
Delap vs Hojlund – 24/25 PL stats
Stat (per 90)
Delap
Hojlund
Non-penalty goals
0.37
0.21
Assists
0.07
0.00
Total shots
2.30
1.55
Shot-creating actions
2.23
2.17
Pass completion
61%
76.7%
Progressive passes
1.11
0.83
Progressive carries
2.19
1.34
Touches in opposition box
1.41
2.99
Aerial duels won
1.93
1.19
Stats via FBref
What will also be of concern is that Delap is actually noted as a statistically similar player to Hojlund among those in their position in the Premier League, as per FBref, with it looking as if Amorim could be handed almost a carbon copy of what he already has at his disposal.
Yes, Delap is of far greater status right now, but it wasn’t too long ago that the speedy Hojlund was also earning rave reviews of his own. Who can forget his debut cameo against Arsenal, when the Denmark international ran William Saliba and Gabriel ragged.
As perhaps to be expected of a young striker, the pressure and expectation of leading the line for Manchester United has weighed heavy on Hojlund, culminating in his current woes.
Amorim is then in need of a Gyokeres, an Osimhen, who will shoulder that burden with ease, having repeatedly proven themselves over a number of seasons. Can the same really be said of Delap?
Approaching yet another pivotal summer window at Old Trafford, the club can’t afford any further mistakes. Of course, the tight budget must be considered, although the desire for affordability should not come at the expense of the need for ready-made quality.
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Everton fell to a disappointing 1-0 defeat in the Merseyside derby against Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday evening. The Toffees had their chances to win the game but failed to capitalise, and the hosts’ second-half strike was enough to earn them all three points.
There was an early scare for Everton. Their experienced centre-back and hero of the last Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, James Tarkowski, came very close to getting a red card for a dangerous tackle on Alexis Mac Allister. However, it was deemed a legal challenge by VAR.
The Toffees’ biggest chance of the night fell to Beto, who got on the end of pass upfield after a Liverpool corner. The Everton striker evaded the swinging challenge from Virgil van Dijk and was clean through on goal. However, his shot could only rattle the woodwork, in what was a huge opportunity to give his side the lead.
Liverpool took the lead eventually in the 57th minute. It was Portugal international Diogo Jota who broke the deadlock with some clever footwork, shifting the ball from his right foot to his left and back to his right. From there, he fired a low shot home past Jordan Pickford to break Everton hearts.
The Toffees never really created that golden opportunity to get themselves back in the game, and Liverpool held on for the win. Despite the result, there were some good performers in an Everton shirt.
Everton’s standout performers vs. Liverpool
Derby day defeats are never nice, but the Toffees showed spirit and fight despite the result. One of the players who performed well was left-back Vitaliy Mykolenko, who came up directly against Mohamed Salah.
However, he did an excellent job of keeping the Liverpool number 11 quiet, as the stats reflect. According to Sofascore, he won four out of five tackles, the same number of ground duels, and made eight clearances. It was a heroic effort.
Another of the Toffees’ standout players at Anfield was attacking midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure. The experienced Everton number 16 was always looking to be positive and drive his side forward. In fact, it was his pass that set Beto free, from which he struck the woodwork.
The 32-year-old’s hard-working performance was also noted by GiveMeSport journalist Callum Altimas. He gave Doucoure a 7/10 for his efforts and explained that ‘he looked the most likely to create something’ for Everton.
As well as the likes of Mykolenko and Doucoure played at Anfield, a couple of Toffees players struggled, including one man in the middle of midfield.
The Everton midfielder who struggled vs. Liverpool
It was not an easy night in the middle of the park for James Garner tonight. The Everton number 37, who revealed this week that he “was a Liverpool fan” during his childhood, did not really have much of an impact on the game, which passed him by in many ways.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
That is a sentiment that was certainly shared by Altimas. The journalist gave Garner a 5/10 for his efforts at Anfield, explaining that he was ‘more of a passenger than an active participant’ for much of the game, brutal words indeed.
That is certainly something that the stats back up, however. The former Manchester United man had just 31 touches, fewer than Toffees goalkeeper Pickford (44), and completed just nine from 14 passes. Off the ball, he was disappointing too, winning just two from ten ground duels.
Touches
31
Pass accuracy
64%
Passes completed
9/14
Number of times ball lost
13
Ground duels won
2/10
Dribbles completed
0/3
Tackles won
1/3
Everton are almost certainly safe from relegation this season, despite the loss to Anfield. However, David Moyes is surely looking to build a side capable of challenging for European spots in the Premier League, and will want to lay good foundations this season.
Perhaps he will decide to rotate Garner out of the side for the Toffees’ next game, a tough outing against second-place Arsenal. If he struggled to impact the game against Liverpool, it might well be a similar story against the Gunners.
There are options at Moyes’ disposal, too. Tim Iroegbunam, who replaced Garner at Anfield, could come into the starting lineup. Alternatively, the returning Iliman Ndiaye could start, with Doucoure playing a deeper role.
It will be interesting to see if Garner keeps his place in the Everton team for Saturday afternoon’s clash with Mikel Arteta’s side. If he does, the midfielder will certainly need to impact the game more in the middle of the park.
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The fans came in hordes to watch MS Dhoni do his thing, and despite all his limitations he left them hoping he returns next year
Alagappan Muthu19-May-20242:47
Have we seen last of Dhoni?
Everybody has a vice and in India, for bits of March, all of April and some of May, a lot of us get hooked on a 42-year-old classic.Chennai was the first to fall for his charms. We made him ours. We gave him a pet name. Something clever and understated. Nah, just kidding. We like shiny and OTT.It’s strange and beautiful and cartoonish and profound. This bond with this outsider who, right from the very first day, seemed so happy to be with us. All he asked in return was carte blanche so he could win us trophies, and access to a bike so he could zip around the city. Just him and the spirit inside him. The one that makes him untameable. This was back in 2008. His risk of being recognised was less. That’s changed.Related
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Now Mahi can’t step out anywhere because MS Dhoni is everywhere. So he settles his cravings in other ways. Like having his security guards ride pillion as he takes them from his front door to his front gate. Inside, he is still the same gearhead, the one who reportedly drank litres of milk, and adores his dogs so much he cuts his birthday cakes with them. Outside, he is the captain who won India their first World Cup in 24 years and the greatest finisher cricket has ever known.Man and myth.This IPL has seen the two sides of Dhoni in wonderful harmony. In Mumbai, for example, he was in danger of keeling over as he reached out to Ruturaj Gaikwad because he wanted a pat on the back from his captain for hitting back-to-back-to-back sixes. Later, in front of his home crowd, the people who once filled up a third of the stands for a pre-season practice game, he had Ravindra Jadeja act as if he was going out to bat, sending everybody – including those in the dressing room – into a panic. But it was all a prank. Dude likes to pull our legs and our heartstrings.Will MS Dhoni be back the next season?•Associated PressDhoni promised one more season and in the course of it, he has pushed both body and mind to create these moments. He has been seen wearing a strap around his waist, possible mitigation against a side strain. He is taking great pains to present us with these memories. He can rest knowing they will last forever.It wasn’t always like this. There was a time when Dhoni looked eminently mortal. A time when his performances dipped so sharply that the same words that were used to praise him were being used to bring him down. #Thalaforareason. Clips would emerge of him dancing awkwardly as an explanation of his waning power. Dude’s spending too much time doing this nonsense. He’s taken them both back now: the song that was playing as he displayed two left feet and the hashtag. He sings it himself in a lovely ad for an electric bike.Dhoni has faced worse than trolls before. He once spoke of how the Indian team came back home at the end of the 2007 ODI World Cup and instead of being able to go home, they had to spend part of the night in a police station because the airport was filled with so much media personnel that it had become a security risk; that en route, they were even chased by the TV cameras. Good thing his job didn’t demand he face them day after day after day.As India captain Dhoni had an obligation to face the press. At CSK, since it wasn’t international cricket, he could get away with a few things. So for once, someone else was taking a burden off him instead of the other way around. All of this plays a part, because he’s spent 15 years in the same place, with no desire to move. He has to have had opportunities. He’s too big a name, too big a brand, for there never to have been an approach. Dhoni chose Chennai. Several times in all likelihood.The fans appreciated that.
It helped that he’s been in form. Dhoni’s numbers in this IPL put him in a very select group of nine men – it was four prior to the 2024 batting boom – who have been able to score at least 100 runs in a season at a strike rate of twice that. But even that can’t quite explain what he means to the fans. Something else did.Chennai Super Kings needed 50-something, possibly thousand, runs to beat Gujarat Titans. Everyone was screaming. Waving the flag. Thumping their chest. Dancing on seats. Only these guys were dressed in yellow – painted in some cases – and somewhere in the back of their mind they understood they were losing but it didn’t seem to matter. Usually, it’s the game that galvanises fans like this. The intricacy. The history. The chaos. The heartbreak. But this time it was a man. One man. The man.Dhoni was out of his crease, and having waited until the bowler had released, he earned himself the chance to do anything he wanted. So up went the backswing. Down came the bat. Still stayed the head. And snap went the wrist. The ball had safely boarded the helicopter and was off for an unforgettable ride.On Saturday in Bengaluru, CSK were behind enemy lines, their supporters stunned into silence and forced to contemplate an end that felt like it had come a bit too early. It was the final over. His eternal playground. And it started with a 110-metre six. Dhoni had given the ball an ultimatum. Disintegrate or disappear.He fell immediately after. So, potentially the last scoring shot of a career defined by big hits was a big hit. As he walked away, he offered one of those rare bursts of emotion. He punched his bat. Later, when it was confirmed that CSK were knocked out of the playoffs, the camera panned to him slumped against one of the chairs in the dugout and light was reflecting from the sides of his eyes. Almost as if there had been tears there. Millions of us watched him in that intimate moment and wondered if he had it in him to give us another season.It started raining in Chennai at exactly this time. We had hoped for more than this. Not for us. For him. We’ve been raised to believe in third-act miracles. We thought 2023 was it. He thought 2023 was it. “This is the best time to announce my retirement.” A city of 6.5 million waited with bated breath at 2 in the morning hoping there would be a “but”. And there was.My mother stayed up with me and my brother that night. That was her first season of watching the IPL. Now she texts me stories about Dhoni. Pictures of him when he was a kid. Rumours of the struggles he’s going through. I’d spent all my life thinking my grandfather’s love for the game had skipped a generation. By the way, this is what it’s like in pretty much every household in Chennai this time of year. You walk in and you’ll see (a mother, father, little son and thala).
Breakthrough never came on fourth morning as old ball refused to move in overcast conditions
Valkerie Baynes05-Jun-2022″I’d sell my soul for total control…” so sang The Motels circa 1979 and this was a match where neither side could claim to have held full sway until what turned out to be the final morning, when Joe Root and Ben Foakes guided England to a rather anticlimactic five-wicket victory over New Zealand just over an hour into the fourth day.Talk to any seasoned England fan with their side needing just 61 runs with five wickets still in hand and one of their greatest ever battters unbeaten on 77, and still they more than half-expected a calamitous collapse to inject some unwelcome excitement, or the imposing gloom overhead to erupt and elongate the day. But neither eventuated.New Zealand needed to seize the initiative with an ageing ball they had managed to swap out the previous evening, arguably to their peril when it failed to give them any assistance, and they repeatedly tried – unsuccessfully – to change it again on Sunday morning.Related
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“The game ebbed and flowed throughout the whole three-and-a-half days and there were some very similar traits,” Kane Williamson, the New Zealand captain, said. “We were trying to take advantage of those, whether that was overheads or the slightly harder ball.”Credit to England, it was a game that was on a bit of a knife-edge, it was finely balanced and we knew coming into this morning that if we could pick up a wicket early then we know things can happen quickly here in England. It wasn’t to be. We struggled to get the assistance that we hoped for and an exceptional knock from Joe there, that he’s done so often and he does it again.”Indeed, it was Root and Foakes who finally took control over an arm-wrestle of a match with a glorious century and mature 32 not out respectively as part of an unbroken 120-run stand.But before that, it was some of the more out-of-control moments that had the potential to define this match. There was Colin de Grandhomme’s bizarre run-out as he appeared to bask a little too long in surviving an lbw appeal from Stuart Broad in the middle of three New Zealand wickets falling in as many balls, then de Grandhomme’s no-ball which gave Ben Stokes a second life on 1 (he went on to score a valuable 54).There was Stokes taking to spinner Ajaz Patel, launching him for three sixes and effectively shutting him out of the attack on the third day and Stokes’ eventual dismissal flailing his hands at a Kyle Jamieson steepler. All were moments within moments that could have turned the match.Jamieson could hold his head high after bowling superbly on the third day for his four wickets. Williamson said it had been his intention to use Patel more but, after he conceded 22 off his two overs in England’s second innings and with cold, overcast conditions not conducive to spin on the last day, he looked again to his seamers.”Both teams played frontline spinners, looking at the surface and expecting them to come into play,” Williamson said. “We’ve seen that a little bit more throughout the whole season over here in county cricket as well and, as we saw, it took a slightly different turn and things started happening quite quickly, where the threat with the seam bowlers appeared to be more significant and so we were trying to utilise that.”Naturally as the game starts coming to a close and time’s not on your side you’re trying to make the decisions that might give you the best chance and we felt that the seamers out there were the ones to try and do the job, as they did in the first innings.”He was also left to rue Broad’s explosive spell with the second new ball which removed Daryl Mitchell shortly after he reached his century on the third morning, while James Anderson removed Tom Blundell four runs shy of his ton, which served to highlight the New Zealand bowlers’ inability put a lid on Root and Foakes until the second new ball was due for them.New Zealand were frustrated on the fourth morning•Getty Images”It was a game that was so finely balanced throughout all the days that it was played and so it was trying to stay in it and stay patient and know if you could bring quality for long periods, then then it can change so quickly and we certainly had that hope coming into to the last day today,” Williamson said.”We were sort of hopeful perhaps of some assistance and a lot of the guys have played in England before and talk about overheads and today you couldn’t have hoped for much better. But it wasn’t to be and it was met with real quality in the batting and in the chase that England provided. So unfortunately for us that it wasn’t our day, but credit to England and the way they played and stayed in the fight as well.”Stokes, who celebrated his 31st birthday on Saturday, recalled his thoughts as he turned back, three-quarters of the way back to the pavilion thinking he was out to de Grandhomme: “No matter what my wife gets me for my birthday, it probably won’t be as good as that.””It was a huge bit of luck, but sometimes you need it,” he added, “just very, very fortunate because I don’t think Dutchy really over-steps the mark that often. Lord’s and drama and me – it just seems to follow me around, doesn’t it?”Stokes too, remarked on how the momentum could have gone either way throughout in a match that kept raising reminders of their 2019 World Cup final battle.”We didn’t take control, New Zealand didn’t take control,” he said. “Maybe they did at one point when Mitchell and Blundell were playing but I just don’t know what it is about Lord’s, England-New Zealand, there’s just always drama, always very good games and we’re very even sides, especially in these English conditions.”Sixty needed, five wickets down, it sounds like we should cruise to victory, but the way this wicket’s played and the conditions that always seemed to be in the bowlers’ favour, but the way that Joe and Ben went out and played this morning, you know, almost put the nail in the coffin straight away.”So finally someone found it. That precious moment of control.
Whether they’re having casual conversations with team-mates on Instagram Live, making entertaining Tiktok videos or creating trick-shot challenges, these cricketers are ensuring fans aren’t starved of entertainment
Kaustubh Kumar and Annanya Johari 22-May-2020Lockdown may be keeping cricketers at home but it isn’t stopping them from entertaining their fans. Many have increased their social media activity and have allowed glimpses of their private lives and conversations. We’re particularly impressed with the content these five have put out.Shreyas Iyer Shreyas Iyer has always had a strong social media game, but the lockdown has seen him elevate it. He’s got the whole family involved. His sister and mother make sure him having to do household chores doesn’t mean he skips fielding practice.
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Fielding practice is everywhere you look
A post shared by Shreyas Iyer (@shreyas41) on May 3, 2020 at 12:30am PDT
And his dog, Betty, has brushed up on her slip catching.
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Betty wanted to have a go too after watching @kane_s_w’s beautiful dog Sandy nail that catch. Took Betty a while but she got her first catch and immediately ran to celebrate
A post shared by Shreyas Iyer (@shreyas41) on Mar 30, 2020 at 7:07am PDT
Poor Betty doesn’t quite catch on when Iyer plays pranks on her, though.
A post shared by Shreyas Iyer (@shreyas41) on Mar 23, 2020 at 1:17am PDT
And there’s a secret member of the family too.
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Did you guys know I have a twin
A post shared by Shreyas Iyer (@shreyas41) on Apr 10, 2020 at 7:25am PDT
Matthew Cross The lockdown may be stopping cricketers from playing cricket, but it was never going to stop them playing the sport they truly love most: golf. So what if the courses are shut? You can always improvise at home. And no one did it better than Scotland wicketkeeper Matthew Cross. His trick shot involving three cricket bats and a jar sparked a full-on competition with Shaun Pollock, complete with sledging and wild celebrations.
friend not food… pic.twitter.com/2YBLPyY1lJ
— Matthew Cross (@crossy16) April 9, 2020
Chipping practice….Inspired by a link to @crossy16 pic.twitter.com/8LAJ8EjECS
— Shaun Pollock (@7polly7) April 11, 2020
Over to you @7polly7 pic.twitter.com/ehl50RA1qJ
— Matthew Cross (@crossy16) April 16, 2020
Sorry bud but I couldn’t count how many….. pic.twitter.com/lUHXPRtBTs
— Shaun Pollock (@7polly7) April 18, 2020
Cross wasn’t about to stop with cricket bats. He used everything from kitchenware to shoe boxes to his college degree to create more trick shots.
Finally putting my degree to use… pic.twitter.com/YIaY2qMARu
— Matthew Cross (@crossy16) April 30, 2020
Celebrating cause I can make dinner now… pic.twitter.com/5rYyCbmfdP
— Matthew Cross (@crossy16) May 7, 2020
Rohit Sharma Away from the stuffy post-match presentations, press conferences and television interviews, cricketers have dropped the cliches and allowed fans to listen in on casual, candid conversations with their team-mates and opponents. Several have interviewed other cricketers on Instagram Live, and, among them, Rohit Sharma has got the tone spot on, being forthright with his opinions, eliciting similarly forthright opinions from others and ensuring plenty of interesting anecdotes find their way into the conversations. Ever wanted to ask Harbhajan Singh what his Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni’s retirement plans are? Or were curious about how Rohit and Yuvraj Singh struck up such a close friendship? Or wanted to know what Rohit has in common with David Warner? You’ll find it all on Rohit’s Instagram live chats.
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A post shared by ESPNcricinfo (@espncricinfo) on Apr 24, 2020 at 7:09am PDT
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A post shared by ESPNcricinfo (@espncricinfo) on Apr 11, 2020 at 5:27am PDT
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A post shared by ESPNcricinfo (@espncricinfo) on May 9, 2020 at 7:15am PDT
David Warner You know the world has really undergone a seismic change when David Warner is suddenly the cuddly dad making funny Tiktok videos featuring his wife and two girls. But Warner really has shown comic timing, whether he’s dancing to Tollywood songs, lip-syncing Michael Jackson’s Bille Jean or on percussion duty in the family band.
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It’s tiktok time #buttabomma get out of your comfort zone people lol @candywarner1
A post shared by David Warner (@davidwarner31) on Apr 29, 2020 at 11:58pm PDT
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Let’s see if you can better this @aaronfinch5 lol thoughts??
A post shared by David Warner (@davidwarner31) on May 4, 2020 at 2:21am PDT
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When you know you have officially lost it in isolation!! #canwegooutsidenowplease
A post shared by David Warner (@davidwarner31) on May 5, 2020 at 2:52am PDT
Kevin Pietersen If you’re looking for variety, Pietersen’s feeds are the place. He’s got fitness videos, Tiktok videos complete with special effects, golf and live chats with players all in one place.
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TRIATHLON! #Ride #Walk #Run #Swim. Have a lekker weekend!
A post shared by Kevin Pietersen (@kp24) on May 9, 2020 at 12:38am PDT
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Cricket GLADIATOR! #tiktok cc – @thecrankhead
A post shared by Kevin Pietersen (@kp24) on May 16, 2020 at 4:26am PDT
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Cruising through the 5.5M views currently…! #TikTok
A post shared by Kevin Pietersen (@kp24) on May 8, 2020 at 12:54am PDT
No men’s internationals have taken place in New Chandigarh, but most of the India players have been here during IPL 2025
Sidharth Monga10-Dec-20251:28
Why did it feel like Hardik batted on a different pitch?
Big picture – New Chandigarh makes men’s international debutThere is a feeling India are such strong favourites for the home World Cup in two months that the one way to deny them a successful title defence is to catch them on the wrong side of the toss on a damp pitch or a dewy night.South Africa discovered first-hand in Cuttack that India are formidable even on such a night. They will now scramble from eastern India to the north-west with no training day in New Chandigarh and go again on Thursday evening.Related
Hardik shows what he can do when fit and firing
India will be aware that despite their 6-2 head-to-head record against South Africa in recent encounters, T20s can surprise any team on a given night. They want to have reacted to almost every kind of contingency in their nine remaining matches at home before the World Cup. New Chandigarh will be just one such stop.This, incidentally, is the first men’s international at the venue. India and Australia played two women’s ODIs there in September this year.Form guideIndia WWWLW South Africa LLLWLThere is nothing wrong with South Africa’s combination, but India might just be a bit too strong for them in these conditions•Associated PressIn the spotlight – Arshdeep Singh and Quinton de KockThe first over of the chase in Cuttack set the tone for the rest of the night. Arshdeep Singh sought to make the most of whatever movement was on offer, and he got the dangerous Quinton de Kock in the first over. It is a match-up that Arshdeep has had the better of in all T20 cricket: 41 balls, 38 runs, five wickets. Watch out for this contest again. Perhaps South Africa might let Aiden Markram take first strike because de Kock is a key batter for them.Team news – Changes only if conditions ask for themIn Cuttack, India were close to their best XI if you leave aside the question of Rinku Singh. If the pitch is dry, they can stick in Kuldeep Yadav for Arshdeep; if they worry about batting depth, Harshit Rana can play in Arshdeep’s place. Other than that, they don’t need to fiddle.India (probable): 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 4 Tilak Varma, 5 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Shivam Dube, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Arshdeep Singh, 10 Varun Chakravarthy, 11 Jasprit Bumrah.South Africa might have lost big but the combination didn’t have much wrong. At a pinch, they might think of an allrounder in Lutho Sipamla’s place.South Africa: 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Aiden Markram (capt), 3 Tristan Stubbs, 4 Dewald Brevis, 5 David Miller, 6 Donovon Ferreira, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Lutho Sipamla/Corbin Bosch/George Linde, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Lungi Ngidi, 11 Anrich Nortje.1:29
Jitesh on competition with Samson – ‘He’s like a big brother’
Pitch and conditionsWith no tall stands around it, the playing surface of New Chandigarh tends to not get affected too much by the dew. Teams batting first in the IPL hold a 6-5 record in New Chandigarh. Scores of above 200 have been defended successfully, as has been a 111. Fast bowlers tend to hold sway there.Stats and trivia Only three players have hit 100 sixes and taken 100 wickets in T20Is. Hardik Pandya is one wicket short of joining this list of Sikandar Raza, Mohammad Nabi and Malaysia’s Virandeep Singh. Arshdeep has taken the joint-highest powerplay wickets for India: 47. He is tied with Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Jasprit Bumrah is only the fifth player to have taken 100 wickets in each of the three international formats. Shakib Al Hasan, Lasith Malinga, Tim Southee and Shaheen Shah Afridi are the others.
The ODI World Cup is just two years away, but for England, a significantly more imminent challenge dominates
Andrew Miller25-Oct-2025
Harry Brook and Mitchell Santner pose with the series trophy•Photosport NZ
Big picture: Context or continuity?The great gathering continues apace. First it was Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell and Brydon Carse – with Zak Crawley lurking on the fringes to soak up the vibes and sort the tee-off times. Then, by degrees, other key combatants have flown in, with New Zealand performing the role of an Orwellian airstrip, anchored ominously off the East Coast of Australia.Gus Atkinson has been in New Zealand for a week; Mark Wood and Josh Tongue arrived on Thursday, also in non-playing capacities. Ben Duckett, Joe Root and Jamie Smith are all in line for their first hits of the winter in this week’s ODIs, and Jofra Archer – at some stage – his first bowl. For yes, in theory, a bilateral series between England and New Zealand is about to get underway. In practice, the Ashes phoney-war-by-proxy is about to be ramped up another notch or three.The early-season conditions didn’t allow many conclusions to be drawn from 61.4 overs of T20I action, but there was purpose to the three matches just gone – coming as they do just months before the next T20 World Cup. When it comes to ODI cricket, however, it’s harder to pretend that it’s a massive priority for either team right now.Kane Williamson’s return provides the local intrigue and, as many of New Zealand’s players have been saying in recent days, the chance to play a Big Three opponent offers a degree of context in its own right. But let’s face it, if we thought Bethell’s 39 runs from 25 balls in the T20Is offered Ashes pointers, it’s nothing compared to the frenzied hot takes that Root and co. could find themselves generating this week.Of course, the spring rains may continue to dampen everyone’s enthusiasm. But England’s main focus across the past fortnight has very much been on mental preparation. There are longer-term issues that need to be addressed with the next ODI World Cup now two years away, and for the seam bowlers in particular, there’s a real opportunity to lay down a few markers. But overall, the squad’s relaxed vibe has befitted a laid-back location, and a sense that this week is a consequences-free chance to get some game-time and continue to build towards significantly more intense challenges.This was, after all, one of the rationales for McCullum taking on the white-ball coaching role back at start of the year. The unification of philosophies across squads means there are no competing agendas pulling the players one way or the other – just a collective sense of purpose at the start of a seminal winter, and a recognition that some big pictures are significantly bigger than others.Form guideNew Zealand WWWLW (last five ODIs, most recent first) England WLLWWIn the spotlight: Ben Duckett and Kane WilliamsonIt’s not so long ago that Ben Duckett was being touted as the most complete all-formats batter in the world. But then, the very fact of his ubiquity became too much of a burden. After an exhausting Test series against India, a grim run of form in the Hundred contributed to his absence from the T20Is against South Africa in which Jos Buttler and Phil Salt laid an insurmountable claim to the openers’ roles, and by the end of the ODI leg he was visibly shot to bits. Now he’s back after some much-needed R&R – newly married and hopefully rested up. Mount Maunganui and Perth are worlds apart, of course. But England will need him to rediscover that dynamism across formats as the Ashes draw nigh.Kane Williamson will turn out for New Zealand for the first time since the Champions Trophy final in March•ICC via Getty Images
Kane Williamson is not the most demonstrative of blokes at the best of times. But he knows a career inflection point when he sees one. It’s been nearly eight months since his last match for New Zealand – their loss to India in the Champions Trophy final – and, at the age of 35, he’s conscious of the march of time, as he returns to a set-up with a new coach in Rob Walter, and with the next ODI World Cup still a full two years away. With a young family to consider, and lucrative offers such as this year’s London Spirit/Middlesex tie-in very much on the table for the autumn of his career, these three games may go some way to determining his continued hunger after 15 years as a Black Cap.Team newsKyle Jamieson has been ruled out of the series after suffering stiffness in his side, but New Zealand welcome back a core of senior players who have not featured in the ODI set-up since the Champions Trophy – the captain Santner, Tom Latham and Williamson among them.New Zealand (possible): 1 Will Young, 2 Devon Conway, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Rachin Ravindra, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Tom Latham (wk), 7 Michael Bracewell, 8 Mitchell Santner (capt), 9 Zak Foulkes, 10 Jacob Duffy, 11 Matt Henry.Smith, Duckett and Root return to action for the first time this winter, with one eye very much on the first Test at Perth in less than a month’s time. Sam Curran will get a chance to cement his allrounder role, while Luke Wood could get a run in the side with England’s 50-overs seam attack still very much a work in progress. Jofra Archer is fit but unavailable for the first match, as England look to manage his workload ahead of the Ashes. Will Jacks is still absent with a finger injury.England (possible): 1 Jamie Smith, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Joe Root, 4 Jacob Bethell, 5 Harry Brook (capt), 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 Sam Curran, 8 Jamie Overton/Sonny Baker, 9 Brydon Carse, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Luke Wood.Pitch and conditionsThe weather warnings that wrecked the Auckland T20I have abated, although the strong winds remain a factor. The ground record is New Zealand’s hefty 371 for 7 against Sri Lanka in 2019, so if the conditions permit, runs will surely flow.Stats and trivia New Zealand have played 11 ODIs at Bay Oval since 2014, winning six – including each of their last three – and losing five. However, England won these teams’ only previous meeting at the venue, by six wickets in 2018, despite a certain Mitchell Santner producing the day’s stand-out innings, 63 not out from 52 balls. Adil Rashid, who also played in that fixture, needs three more wickets to overtake Darren Gough (234) as England’s second-most prolific ODI bowler behind James Anderson (269).
Are Chelsea outside challengers for the Premier League title this season?
Based on the weekend’s results, they are, as Enzo Maresca’s Blues comfortably got the better of Burnley 2-0 on the road to remain second spot in the early league standings, while Liverpool and Manchester City fell to unwanted defeats.
Maresca’s men managed to pick up that routine win, even with Moises Caicedo out of the starting lineup at Turf Moor, as Chelsea’s standout £115m midfielder was rested after a gruelling international break with Ecuador.
Thankfully, the defensive midfield partnership that did start in Lancashire in Enzo Fernandez and Andrey Santos rose to the occasion, with Santos stealing many of the plaudits at the full-time whistle, despite Fernandez’s late strike sealing all three points.
Santos' standout performance vs Burnley
Fernandez rightfully received plenty of praise at the final whistle, with the World Cup winner now up to 11 goals and ten assists in 2025 for the Blues as a forward-thinking midfield spark.
But, with Caicedo out of the starting XI, Chelsea also needed a talent prepared to dig deep and do the required defensive work that the South American does week in week out, with the 24-year-old averaging 5.2 ball recoveries and winning 5.4 duels per Premier League contest this season, away from also chipping in with three goals and an assist.
Thankfully, Santos stepped up into his role effortlessly against Scott Parker’s hosts, with two tackles won, seven duels won, and four ball recoveries amassed, showing off the 21-year-old’s full-blooded approach.
On top of that, Santos also ended the game with one big chance created from his 34 accurate passes, with analyst Raj Chohan even stating that he provides a “lot of value” to the team as a stellar stand-in option for the likes of Caicedo.
The promising number 17 will hope he can get more first-team minutes soon, away from being in the shadow of the ex-Brighton and Hove Albion man.
But, he isn’t the only midfield asset being directly compared to Caicedo now.
Chelsea's next Caicedo
It’s clear that Chelsea have great faith in the youngsters rising the ranks at Stamford Bridge currently, with Maresca prepared to start a whole plethora of exciting, young talents, away from just throwing Santos into the first-team spotlight.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Indeed, in attack, Estevao has been handed chances galore this season to impress, with a Premier League goal and assist coming the hotly tipped Brazilian’s way subsequently.
Moreover, Marc Guiu would gift Fernandez his goal at Turf Moor on a plate, with the 19-year-old now becoming a regular impact player off the bench. Could Dario Essugo be the next starlet to make a wild impression?
Already, the £18.5m summer purchase – despite only being 20 years of age – has shone in some challenging environments for two loan sides in Chaves and Las Palmas in Liga Portugal and La Liga respectively.
His attritional, yet polished displays, have even led to scout Jacek Kulig hailing the Portuguese enforcer as a “one-man army.”
Moreover, Kulig also boldly labelled Essugo as “one of the most exciting DMs in Europe” for his continued excellence with Las Palmas, even as they succumbed to relegation.
In the current Chelsea set-up, based on his numbers last season in that relegation-troubled camp, he would surely shine as bright as Caicedo has managed in West London.
Games played
18
27
Goals scored
0
1
Assists
0
0
Touches*
40.8
48.4
Accurate passes*
24.5 (85%)
30.0 (86%)
Tackles*
1.7
2.2
Ball recoveries*
4.2
4.4
Clearances*
1.7
1.6
Total duels won*
5.3
4.9
Looking at the table above, it’s clear that Essugo will be prepared to battle and tussle for Chelsea when first-team chances eventually arrive at his door, winning 4.9 duels per game last season in La Liga action, not a million miles off Caicedo’s 5.4 tally this campaign back in England.
Unfortunately, the only drawback for Essugo so far is that he is sidelined with a nasty injury at the moment, but he did shine briefly in Caicedo’s place against AC Milan in pre-season, with 100% of his ground duels won from just 17 minutes of action.
Thankfully, Maresca has Santos to fall back on in defensive midfield for the time being, if Caicedo continues to look fatigued.
But, do not rule out Essugo exploding onto the scene when he returns from the treatment room, with Chelsea’s midfield options full to the brim with quality.
Shades of Kante: 8/10 Chelsea man had his "best performance" yet vs Burnley
As Chelsea beat Burnley 2-0 in the Premier League at Turf Moor, which player put in their “best performance” for the club, looking N’Golo Kanté-esque?