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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With Washington Sundar also contributing consistently through the Zimbabwe tour, India’s T20I future seems to brim with options
Deivarayan Muthu14-Jul-20243:43
Takeaways: India’s future bright as youngsters come good
Batters who can bowl have been on India’s T20I wishlist for a long time.While Hardik Pandya continues to be the only man in India who can do Hardik Pandya things, a new crop of batters who can bowl is emerging. In the fifth T20I against Zimbabwe in Harare, India’s top eight contained four players who could perform dual roles. Among the lot, Shivam Dube came away with the Player-of-the-Match award and Washington Sundar with the Player-of-the-Series award.With Ravindra Jadeja retiring from T20Is, Washington has now staked his claim for a full-time role in India’s side in the format. Dube, who bowled just one over each in IPL 2024 and the T20 World Cup that followed in the USA and the Caribbean, ended up bowling eight overs across three T20Is in Zimbabwe, and completed his full allotment of overs on Sunday.Related
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Dube claimed the wickets of Dion Myers and Johnathan Campbell to kill of Zimbabwe’s chase of 168. He kept digging the ball into a used Harare surface, and kept taking pace off to deny batters easy access to the boundaries. This after he had crashed 26 off 12 balls to help drag India towards 167.”It’s always a special thing for me as an allrounder to contribute in both the departments – bat and ball,” Dube said after the game. “So, it felt really good today to take some wickets.”India’s team management might have been even more pleased with Abhishek Sharma’s spell: 3-0-20-1. With the series already in the bag and with Abhishek extracting turn, bounce and grip, India could afford to give him an extended spell ahead of Washington or Tushar Deshpande. Abhishek had returned identical figures of 3-0-20-1 in the fourth T20I after taking some tap in the first three games. In that fourth T20I, he could have got another wicket had Ruturaj Gaikwad not dropped a fairly straightforward catch in the infield.Prior to his first international series, Abhishek had bowled both in the powerplay and middle overs in IPL 2024. In the second qualifier against Rajasthan Royals on a pitch in Chennai that turned appreciably more in the second innings, Abhishek picked up the wickets of Sanju Samson and Shimron Hetmyer while giving up just 24 runs in his four overs.Shivam Dube only bowled one over through the T20 World Cup but showed in Zimbabwe that he can cope with a bigger workload•Associated PressAbhishek then fine-tuned his bowling in the Sher-e-Punjab T20 league, where he was among the top ten wicket-takers. “A special mention to the coaches and Shubman [Gill] who actually believed [in me] after the first two matches [in Zimbabwe] because I didn’t bowl that much and I didn’t bowl well also,” Abhishek said after India won the series 4-1. “So, I thought that giving me the chance with the ball again… I’m always very grateful for that. I’ve been working really hard on my bowling. I knew if I’m going to get my [India] cap, I have to bowl for my team, so I was working on that.”Once India’s seniors return to the T20I team, there might not be room for Abhishek in the XI, but it’s always a healthy sign to see batters work actively on their secondary skill.Dube is also learning on the job as a T20 bowler and has added the back-of-the-hand slower variation to his standard offcutter. As for Washington, he is predominantly a bowler in white-ball cricket, but has been training behind the scenes to pack more power into his batting. At one point, he even had a stint with Apurva Desai, the former Gujarat batter who has also worked with Dinesh Karthik in the past.T20 cricket moves at a breathless pace. It leaves players behind unless they upgrade themselves. To keep up with that pace, New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips learnt offspin on the job to add to his power-hitting. England’s Liam Livingstone dipped into all-sorts spin to enhance his value as an allrounder. Namibia’s Gerhard Erasmus, who started as a batter, can now turn the ball both ways. His mystery spin helped him break into the ILT20 as an allrounder.It’s now refreshing to see India select and nurture such multi-dimensional players in T20 cricket. Not too long ago, India had five batters, none of whom could bowl, an allrounder, a wicketkeeper, and four specialist bowlers. And when Hardik was unavailable, they were left scrambling for balance. They turned a corner while winning the T20 World Cup, picking a side with three allrounders in Hardik, Jadeja and Axar Patel, apart from Dube who wasn’t called on that much with the ball.Despite the absence of Hardik, Axar and Nitish Kumar Reddy, the IPL’s newest all-round hero, in Zimbabwe, India coped excellently and provided a glimpse into a bright future.
The former England batter, now Derbyshire’s new batting consultant, on why he chose to coach in Division Two, and why he’d like to work in the subcontinent in the future
Matt Roller13-Apr-2022Ian Bell turned 40 on Monday. Landmark birthdays are confronting, but in this case not only for the person celebrating: is the junior member of England’s 2005 Ashes squad really heading towards middle age?”If I’m old, it makes everyone feel old, doesn’t it?” Bell jokes the day before celebrating at home with family and friends. He used the occasion as an excuse to open his player-of-the-series champagne from the 2013 Ashes. “It’s all downhill from now, isn’t it?” he laughs.Bell is in the early stages of his new career as a coach and is speaking at the end of his first week as Derbyshire’s new batting consultant, a role he will fill for the first two months of the county season before playing in the Road Safety World Series, a tournament in India for retired players. He is to work for four days per week with the county – the first two of each Championship game and the two training days before. We talk on the second morning of their draw against Middlesex at Lord’s.Mickey Arthur, who became Derbyshire’s head of cricket over the winter, was in contact with Bell last summer. “I always had him at the back of my mind,” Arthur says. “He’d approached me about potentially doing some work last year when we were over here with Sri Lanka and I know he wants to develop himself as a coach.”It’s a match made in heaven. It’s superb to have a guy of his ilk in our dressing room. The response from our young batsmen – and our more senior batsmen – has been excellent. He’s fitted in really well… he’s been fantastic, as I knew he would be.”The move represents a return to the fundamentals of batting for Bell, who spent the majority of his fledgling coaching career in the white-ball game. His CV includes stints with England Under-19s, Hobart Hurricanes, Birmingham Phoenix and Chennai Braves (in the Abu Dhabi T10), all substantially different coaching experiences to that of the early months of the Championship season in the spring.Related
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Ian Bell joins Derbyshire as consultant batting coach
“T20 cricket isn’t going anywhere, is it?” he says. “You want to be at the cutting edge of the way the game is developing… you want to be in there. I played a lot of T20 cricket at the back end of my career, but my foundation was around Test-match cricket and four-day cricket, and having a good technique. I need to make sure that I’m really balanced in my coaching experiences.”When Bell returns to Australia this winter, he hopes to fit in a stint with Tasmania’s Sheffield Shield side as well as his BBL commitments with Hobart.”My theory at the moment is to be stretching myself in different environments with different people, different cultures, and building up that foundation,” he adds, “so that when the right role comes up full-time, I can dive into it knowing that I’ve worked with some great people and have a good contact list of coaches that I can bounce ideas off.”It is to Bell’s credit that he starts the season at Derbyshire, rather than his home county, Warwickshire. He aspires to become head coach at Edgbaston in the long term but decided to put himself “outside my comfort zone” at a new club rather than staying with the county he knows so well. “It’s important that it’s not just a ‘job for the boys’ type role. I want to earn that right to be head coach [at Warwickshire]. When I go and coach somewhere like that, I want it to be because I’m ready and because I’m known as a good coach, not as an ex-player.”He timed his retirement well, too. Bell had initially been due to play for Warwickshire in 2021 but declined the opportunity to play a final season; instead, his decision to leave the game a year ahead of schedule ensured players like Matthew Lamb, Chris Benjamin and Dan Mousley had opportunities in their middle order. All of those players contributed to the Championship title last summer.”I’ve got really big ambitions,” Bell says. “But having worked in some of these franchise competitions, I thought, ‘Why not go to a county that’s in Division Two and have a look?’ A lot of people talk about these teams but I thought, ‘I’m going to have a look for myself.’ It would be easy for me to work at Warwickshire at the top end of it, but why not have a look at the other end? It’s important to do a bit of both.
“It’s a match made in heaven. It’s superb to have a guy of his ilk in our dressing room. The response from our young batsmen – and our more senior batsmen – has been excellent. He’s fitted in really well”Derbyshire head coach Mickey Arthur on Bell
“I’d love to work in international cricket – and that doesn’t necessarily mean England. I spoke to Mickey and Farby [Paul Farbrace, Warwickshire’s director of cricket] about this and I’d love to work with some of the subcontinent sides. Having worked in the T10 and played a bit of franchise cricket in the PSL, the enthusiasm and the love for the game is so good and the opportunity to go and work in those environments would be massive for me.”I love coaching players, helping them find their way and improve. There’s a lot of talk in English cricket at the moment about coaches maybe being a bit tougher on certain things, but having the trust of a player first is really important. That allows you to have those honest conversations.”From a county point of view, those six months in the winter are the time to really do your technical work; if you’re going to make big changes, that’s your time. In the season, it’s more about game plans. This week it was: how are we going to go and score runs against Tim Murtagh? Sometimes you assume that everyone will know the right thing to do, and that’s a mistake. Some of these lads need a bit of help or a bit of guidance.”Bell is sceptical about off-stump guards, the latest trend in the county games for batters trying to avoid edging wobble-seam balls in the channel behind.”We have to be open that there isn’t one way. It’s not about me telling people to bat like me, or to bat in a certain way; you have to work with the strength of the player. If you bat on off stump, you have to know where it is and think, ‘Anything outside my eyeline, I leave.’ That’s an individual trying to find the right solution for themselves, but I always get a little bit concerned.”For me, the problem with that comes when you’re playing world-class bowlers who are then smart enough to adapt, so you move across and they move across as well and you end up playing at balls you don’t need to. The problem with that is, you leave yourself vulnerable: if you miss a straight ball, you’re out. The other thing is that from a scoring point of view, if you get too far across, you’re missing out on cut balls. You’re missing out on scoring options because you’re getting too close to the ball. Especially on bouncy pitches, if you’re defending at fourth stump rather than leaving, you’re asking for a bit of trouble.”But if he disagrees with some players’ methods, he is heartened by the attitude and standard he has seen at the start of the season. “There’s a lot of talk about county cricket – you hear a lot of guys that I played with talk about it – and it’s generally at the end of an Ashes campaign where we get absolutely smashed. For the first few months after that, it’s very emotional, it’s very raw, and it needs to settle a little bit.”It’s very easy to make assumptions about county cricket but from what I’ve witnessed, there are some young players working extremely hard and trying to do the right things”•Alex Davidson/Getty Images”What I’ve witnessed in the last few days is young players working extremely hard on their game trying to find their way, working extremely hard and trying to do the right things. That’s what I’ve seen on both teams. For me, it’s about getting in and getting a little bit dirty with county cricket; getting stuck in, trying to help.”And those young players learn from good senior players. I remember batting with Dan Mousley in my last game. Farby was adamant that he would learn way, way more, batting with me for two hours in the middle than spending hours in the nets with any coach. That’s what you need in county cricket.”Having [Suranga] Lakmal with Derby at the moment with a young guy like [Sam] Conners – how good is that? I remember Broady [Stuart] Broad saying it about Ottis Gibson when he was at Leicestershire making his way. Everyone to a man came off at lunch yesterday and said, ‘Lakmal let Conners choose which end to bowl from.’ They’re the senior players you want. They’re the players that are helping young players become better.”Derbyshire have another of those in their ranks in Shan Masood, the Pakistan opener who has signed for the full season. He made twin fifties on his debut at Lord’s last week, and has already enjoyed having Bell on the club’s staff.”He was one of the top batsmen in international cricket – and one of the most aesthetically pleasing batsmen to watch,” Masood said. “I had a hit with him in Derby the day before we travelled, and he gave me some good insights. It’s always good when a coach tells you a few new things, and I think I applied a few of them here.””I love coaching players, helping them find their way and improve,” Bell adds. “I’m not shy of doing the work. I don’t have to rush into certain jobs for the sake of it but I’ll know when the time is right. I’m very ambitious but for now, I want to keep learning.”
Matchwinner Mignon du Preez says England win gives South Africa belief they can go all the way
Annesha Ghosh at the WACA Stadium23-Feb-2020“Shosholoza Ku lezontaba Stimela si qhamuka e South Africa Stimela si qhamuka e South Africa…” The media centre at the WACA, like most press boxes in cricket stadiums around the world, denies its occupants many aural pleasures that lay at the heart of the game’s visceral appeal. On Sunday night, when South Africa’s women beat England for the first time at a T20 World Cup, the best part of the sounds of South Africa’s historic victory remained on the other side of the glass. One of the few that consistently penetrated through the gaps of its two doors was verses of “Shosholoza”, emanating from the Bradman Room, adjacent to the media centre.”That was the main song we were singing all through this game,” said Mapumi Mabuza, general manager (stakeholder relations) at Brand South Africa, a government-owned agency, who was among the 60-strong South Africa contingent in the Bradman Room, singing away, raising toasts. “It’s like an anthem of unity. Used back in the day by migrant labourers, South Africans sing it to encourage each other, cheer them on. And it seemed to have worked for our girls today, in the presence of such a strong South Africa support.”I found out recently from the high commissioner that the estimate [of the number of South Africans living in Australia] is about close to half a million. A lot of them have lived here for a while, some have come here for work. For our girls to win for the first time… it’s a proud, proud day for all of us present here, and back home too.”ALSO READ: Du Preez holds nerve in 100th T20I to seal thrillerAs celebrations among the Brand South Africa revellers picked up, Mignon Du Preez, barely catching her breath back from the thrill of the six and four she struck off the last two balls to seal South Africa’s chase, went about a string of post-match interviews near the boundary overlooked by the Bradman Room.In the lead-up to the game, too, much of the focus had been on du Preez. In a career spanning over 13 years, with more than 200 international caps across formats and appearances in all six editions of the T20 World Cup prior, du Preez, a former captain and senior batter in the side, was to become the first South African woman to play 100 T20Is. It was fitting therefore that standing atop a national record, she should go down on a knee to reflect for a moment after top-edging the third ball in the last over, with the six putting South Africa one run shy of victory.”Everybody who knows me knows that religion is very important for me, so before I go to bed, I say, ‘God gave me the story and he got me on the bus, now play for him’,” du Preez said after the match. “And in that moment also, I just said, ‘Please, just be with me. And thank you for being with me before, when I hit the six, because that was probably the hard part but now stay with me to make sure that and finish it off for the team.'”In her 99 T20I matches prior, only three times had du Preez struck the winning runs. Here then was an opportunity for her to not only make her milestone match a historic one for her team, but to also overcome an opponent that thwarted their progression to the final and semi-final in the last two world tournaments.
This will give us the boost we need to go one step further than the semi-finals and take a World Cup trophy home. We know we’re good enoughMignon du Preez
“I’ve played enough games in my career to be able to step up in crucial moments and I think to finally do that and contribute to the team is really special,” du Preez said. “It’s nice to finally beat them in an ICC tournament. This is the seventh one I’ve played in and we’ve never got close before. To put that behind us and move forward is really exciting.”We’ve always known how strong we are and that within the team we have match-winners but we had a monkey on our back. This will give us the boost we need to go one step further than the semi-finals and take a World Cup trophy home. We know we’re good enough, we just have to play well and enjoy it.”South Africa’s landmark win also coincided with the WACA recording its highest attendance – 2008 – for a women’s match. Sunday’s figures surpassed the combined numbers from Saturday’s double-header (ticketed as one game) by a count of four, the spectators including a strong travelling contingent from the UK, including families of players and members of the Barmy Army.The turnout at the WACA on Sunday was only a fraction of the 16,000-plus attendance at the Sydney Showground Stadium, where India stunned defending champions Australia two days earlier in the tournament opener. However, South Africa sinking a higher-ranked England has only underscored just how closely contested a world tournament this could be, and just how important for teams to hold their nerves.”At the halfway…she [Dane van Niekerk, the captain] said she wants every batter that walks into the crease tonight to bat themselves and know they’ve got a job to do and they can finish it off,” du Preez said. “The way she and Kappy [Marizanne Kapp] set the example, the brilliant partnership [of 84 for the second wicket] in the middle, that definitely got us close to what we needed.”We know we’ve got batting depth. I think it’s important for them to take it as deep as possible. And every batter that walked into the crease just know that you have the ability and you can win a game for your country.”
Everyone climbed onto the struggle bus in Christchurch, even Daryl Mitchell whose seventh ODI century cost him a little bit of his good health. A groin injury left him inside the dressing room for the entirety of the second innings, which wasn’t the worst thing ever. He could put his feet up and watch New Zealand pull off a seven-run victory.A two-paced pitch that offered sideways movement throughout the day made batting a distasteful exercise. Mitchell seemed immune initially but soon he was battling not just a disciplined West Indies attack but also his own body breaking down from the stress. The fact that he was able to ride those challenges – and take New Zealand to a total of 269 – made the innings all the sweeter.Mitchell must have felt it too. As soon as he reached his hundred, he whipped his helmet off and roared the word “yes” with so much emotion even the veins on his shaved head were popping all over the place. Performances like these were once the purview of Kane Williamson or Ross Taylor, two all-time Black Caps legends. Increasingly though, Mitchell has been putting himself up on their level, this 119 off 118 a prime example. No one else was able to make even half of those runs with Sherfane Rutherford’s 55 off 61 the next best score. Conditions at Hagley Oval on Sunday were not for the faint of heart.West Indies suffered in their chase, the help that was already available in the day now exaggerated under lights. Keacy Carty spent most of his 67 balls as a crash test dummy. He would’ve been fine if it was just swing or just seam or just bounce. But all three kept combining at the behest of New Zealand’s quicks and all the West Indian No. 3 could do was steel himself for the body blows. The first 10 overs produced just 32 runs. The next nine 27. There were 30 balls in between when only seven scoring shots were possible. And this was the change-bowlers – Jacob Duffy and Zak Foulkes – in operation.Matthew Forde helped West Indies start well with the ball•Getty Images
Shai Hope (37 off 45) and Rutherford fared a little better and New Zealand shelled a series of catches in the back end, but West Indies had fallen too far behind to capitalise.They came into this game with five changes – three spinners out, three seamers in. The best of them was Matthew Forde who was on a hat-trick in the seventh over, removing Rachin Ravindra for 4 and Will Young on his 50th ODI for a golden duck.That’s when Mitchell walked in and immediately flipped the game on its head. Till then, New Zealand’s batters were trapped in the crease and Forde was given the leeway to do whatever he wanted. Mitchell, though, walked at the fast bowler, trusting his reflexes to deal with the speed of the ball – which on average was only 122 kph – and negating the biggest thing that Forde had going for him – sideways movement, particularly into the right-hander. West Indies tried to stop that by bringing the wicketkeeper up but that only slowed Mitchell down. It didn’t uproot him.Mitchell was 33 off 37. He needed 24 deliveries to get to fifty. New Zealand were 91 for 2 in the 18th over. Only two of the next 16 would go for even a run a ball. Five of them almost became maidens. West Indies were remarkably tight, particularly Roston Chase, who harnessed the wind blowing across the ground to appear unhittable (just one four from his 10 overs) and mask the loss of Romario Shepherd (4-0-23-0) to a hamstring injury.Kyle Jamieson picked up 3 for 52 on ODI return•Getty Images
It was a small miracle the offspinner only ended up with one wicket – that of Michael Bracewell – because he created enough opportunities – three against Bracewell alone – to be driven to exasperation. “Jeeeesus,” Chase said when Hope missed a straightforward stumping.New Zealand were 192 for 5 in the 42nd over, but of greater concern was Mitchell pulling up in the middle of running a single and needing repairs to his left leg. He was 78 off 92 at that point, just starting to cut loose. Now, he was hampered running between the wickets and left to just stand and deliver. Good thing he’s six feet and change of pure muscle. Mitchell belted out those straight hits that he’s renowned for, thundering to his seventh ODI century, an innings that had so many phases.The initial acceleration, where he showcased a mutant pull shot, bringing the cross-bat up high and then whirling his wrists on impact with the ball to generate pace and find the boundary in front of square. The slowing down (from 33 off 37 to 56 off 77) because he knew he had to be there till the end. The injury (78 off 92) complicating things. The will to keep going. And the power to finish strong (41 off 26).West Indies could have had Mitchell for 19 and 67 but Chase at point and Jayden Seales at long-on put down two tough catches. New Zealand also benefited from Devon Conway’s persistence at the top of the order, where he scored 49 off 58 despite looking far from his best.Having specialist fast bowlers helped as well. Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson and Duffy all produced standout spells (29-4-146-4). They had the pace and the faith to go short, generating extra bounce. That was a clear a point of difference. West Indies got none of that, a drawback perhaps of having allrounders making up the majority of the seam attack. Justin Greaves, Shamar Springer and Shepherd stuck to the basics and were tidy (21-0-136-1) but in conditions that were often unplayable tidy doesn’t cut it.
Wojciech Szczesny has lifted the lid on an emotional San Siro moment, revealing how he consoled young Barcelona defender Gerard Martin after last season’s Champions League semi-final defeat to Inter. The veteran goalkeeper opened up about the tearful exchange, his unexpected Barca comeback, and the physical toll of his career in a candid new interview.
A dressing room father figure in a young Barcelona squad
Szczesny may not be Barcelona’s starting goalkeeper, but his influence inside one of Europe’s youngest dressing rooms has become invaluable. The 35-year-old arrived at the club last season after a brief retirement and quickly became a mentor figure, especially during tense, high-pressure matches.
One of those moments came during last season’s Champions League semi-final defeat to Inter. Barcelona were minutes away from a historic final before conceding a 92nd-minute equaliser, a sequence that began with a challenge on Martin that the full-back believed should have been given as a foul. The youngster, who earlier had delivered two assists, took the defeat heavily and blamed himself for the decisive moment.
As the squad tried to process the heartbreak inside the San Siro, Szczesny stepped in with the kind of calm perspective only experience can offer, setting the stage for the emotional exchange he later revealed.
AdvertisementAFPSzczesny’s emotional speech that stopped Gerard Martin’s tears
During an interview with , the Polish goalkeeper recounted the San Siro scene, offering a rare, human look behind the curtain of elite football. “‘Why are you crying?’ I asked. He told me he had lost the semi-final. So I reminded him of his own journey. ‘Where were you two years ago? Playing mediocre football in any stadium. And today you played a Champions League semifinal! You’ll lose a hundred important games and win another hundred. But look where you are now. Man, this is the bathroom at San Siro — and tonight you were in a Champions League semi-final. You say we lost. Fine, we lost. But look how far you’ve come.’”
The former Juventus keeper added a humorous twist as he explained how he kept delivering the pep talk: “I take a drag. I wait. He needs to process it. Then I see him straighten up and say: ‘Damn, I even got an assist today!’ And he stops crying. He remembers who he is. His pass was an assist in a Champions League semi-final. And when he walked out of that bathroom, that’s exactly how he felt — chest out, head high.”
Szczesny also opened up about how he ended up returning to top-level football after briefly calling time on his career: “It wasn’t that football no longer excited me. I just wasn’t passionate about the options I had, even though the 10 biggest clubs were sending offers… Three days before announcing my retirement, I spoke to Robert Lewandowski and told him I didn’t want to play for any club again. When Barcelona called, he probably suspected he could persuade me. I played my entire first season for free. What I received from Barca was exactly the amount I had to repay Juventus for terminating my contract early.”
A veteran fighting through pain to guide Barcelona’s future
Beyond his mentorship, Szczesny also revealed the gruelling physical reality of a career that once saw him break both forearms in a gym accident during his Arsenal days. The injury left him with metal plates in both arms plates that remain to this day. “During training, there comes a point when I completely lose feeling in my hands and can’t even hold a water bottle because of the pain… I’m exhausted from this suffering.”
He continued with more detail about how the condition affects him throughout a season: “It’s hardest during pre-season, in the most demanding sessions. During the season it’s easier — you train twice, then you play, so your hands get some rest and the pain eases. It spreads from the wrist to the elbow.”
Despite the pain, Szczesny remains an integral squad figure. His contract runs until 2027, and while Joan Garcia has taken over as the club’s current No.1 during Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s absence, the Polish veteran continues to be valued as a mentor and steady presence.
With Ter Stegen’s long-term future uncertain following tension with the club hierarchy over the summer, Barcelona may yet call on Szczesny for another season even if this was expected to be his final year as a professional.
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Getty/GOALWhat comes next for Szczesny and Barcelona
The Catalan giants return to action against Alaves with the aim of stabilising their form and continuing their development under Hansi Flick. While Szczesny is no longer the starting goalkeeper, his leadership and experience remain vital components inside a youthful squad navigating pressure, expectations and big European nights.
Whether this is his last season or the start of one more unexpected chapter, Szczesny continues to leave an imprint far beyond the pitch, one pep talk, one story and one lesson at a time.
Liverpool’s Premier League win last season may have come as a surprise to many, especially after Arne Slot took the reins from the legendary Jürgen Klopp.
There’s little denying the Dutchman massively exceeded expectations at Anfield during his debut year, which may have heaped added pressure on his shoulders for 2025/26.
The Reds turned into the hunted rather than the hunters before a ball was kicked, but the £466m spending spree during the off-season only increased the size of the target on their backs.
However, it appears as though the 47-year-old could well be on borrowed time in the managerial role, after losing a remarkable six of the last seven league outings.
It remains to be seen how much time Slot will be given to transform the club’s fortunes, but the upcoming transfer window could present an opportunity to address some glaring issues.
Liverpool’s pursuit of new additions ahead of January
Over the last couple of days, Liverpool have been one of the clubs named in the pursuit of Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson in the January window.
Slot will have had the opportunity to view the Englishman first-hand over the weekend, as the 23-year-old featured for 90 minutes in the 3-0 defeat at Anfield.
However, any deal would be yet another huge investment, as Sean Dyche’s side are currently demanding £100m for his services – with Manchester United also interested in the Englishman.
He’s not the only youngster currently in their sights, with Juventus star Kenan Yildiz another player being considered by the board ahead of the upcoming window.
According to Football Insider, the Reds are closely monitoring the progress of the 20-year-old, who has already racked up five combined goals and assists in his 11 Serie A appearances.
Their report also states that Arsenal are another side tracking the Turkish international, even though the Italian side are reluctant to offload one of their key players.
Why Liverpool’s latest target would be a better signing than Semenyo
Despite spending heavily in the summer window, Liverpool’s attempts to bolster their squad in January could come to fruition, which could see Antoine Semenyo move to Anfield.
The Ghanaian has been in tremendous form during the early stages of 2025/26, with the 25-year-old already netting six times in his first 11 outings for Bournemouth.
He’s also registered three assists, taking his total goal contributions this season to nine – with the Reds supporters able to witness his talents first-hand on Merseyside.
The winger netted twice in the Reds’ 4-2 victory at Anfield on the opening day, a performance that will no doubt have caught the eye of Slot and the hierarchy.
He currently has a £65m release clause in his deal at the Vitality, with other sides such as Arsenal and Manchester United also targeting a deal for his signature this winter.
However, Liverpool should look past a deal for Semenyo and place all their attention on Yildiz, with the Juve star undoubtedly a bigger star for the immediate and long-term future.
When comparing the pair’s respective figures from the ongoing campaign, the Turkish star has dominated in numerous key areas, many of which could help correct the recent slump.
Yildiz, who’s been dubbed “the best youngster in the world” by one analyst, has registered more progressive carries and passes per 90 – showcasing his ability to get the ball into dangerous areas.
He’s also been able to complete more of the passes he’s attempted, whilst notching more key passes per 90 – arguably being the solution to the Reds’ creative woes.
Games played
11
11
Goals & assists
5
9
Passes completed
78%
69%
Key passes made
2.5
1.1
Take-ons completed
43%
42%
Carries into final third
3.1
1.8
Shot-creating actions
5.1
3.2
Crosses completed
4.1
1.2
The Juve sensation’s dominance over Semenyo is further reflected in his higher take-on success rate and carries into the final third per 90 – potentially being able to star in a number ten or left-wing role.
Other numbers, such as higher shot-creating actions and more crosses completed per 90, offer yet another reason why the 20-year-old is a bigger talent – but it’s unclear how much a move would set the hierarchy back.
His talents and versatility could make him a phenomenal option for Slot and Liverpool, with such a deal adding needed quality into the club’s frontline, which could help save Slot’s job.
Semenyo would also be a superb signing, but based on the aforementioned numbers, it’s evident that Yildiz would be the perfect player to try and resurrect the club’s recent dismal form in the Premier League.
Worse than Konate: Slot must drop 2/10 Liverpool flop who lost 100% duels
Ibrahima Konate was not the only culprit during Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat at the hands of Nottingham Forest.